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Chapter 11:
- What the enemy did when our forces had left Leesburgh -- Plots of Union traitors during our absence -- threatened approach of the enemy from Drainsville upon our right flank -- we march out to the attack, Sunday, October twentieth -- capture of a Federal courier -- the ruse discovered -- plans of Stone, Baker, and Banks -- Countermarch to the Ferry road -- watching the river -- shell-firing by the enemy -- the enemy cross in force at Ball's Bluff on Sunday night, and at Edwards's Ferry, Goose Creek, and other Passages on Monday morning -- details of the battle of Leesburgh -- General Baker killed -- Colonel Coggswell, with eight hundred men taken prisoners -- great slaughter -- victory of the Confederate forces -- retreat of the enemy to Maryland -- our reenforcements arrive.
While our brigade was away from Leesburgh, and pickets were no longer at the river, many negroes crossed the stream, and informed the Yankees of our whereabouts. Several Unionists, also, had conferred with their friends, and every acre of the vicinity had been accurately mapped out by their engineers. We had long suspected old farmer Trunnell of treachery-his only son had joined the Northern army, and was a brigade commissary in it. It was to his knowledge of localities that the Yankees chiefly trusted when placing their batteries, and he had often been seen directing artillerists in their efforts to shell the town. His father was extremely wealthy, and had an extensive plantation near the river, adjacent to Ball's Bluff. He had large dealings with our army, and was paid thousands of dollars for supplies. His negroes frequently ran away to Maryland, but invariably returned after a few days' absence; a circumstance which rendered it highly probable that the old man corresponded with his son. He himself and his whole household were peculiarly insulting to our soldiers, and I myself have frequently seen signal lights at his house answered from the hills in Maryland. Yet he lived undisturbed in his homestead, and was neither insulted nor annoyed by any one. Our return to Leesburgh caused some speculation, but the answer to all inquiries was, that "we were to hold the place [95] until the enemy appeared, and then retire." Unlooked for by any, the remainder of our brigade marched into town late on Saturday evening, and pitched tents in the accustomed place. Having had but little rest during the past week, I congratulated myself on the prospect of a long nap now that our whole force was come to relieve us; but it fell to my lot to be ordered on guard, and we made ourselves as comfortable as possible round a camp-fire, little dreaming of the stirring events in which we were about to act a principal part. One company of the Thirteenth Mississippi had been detailed to picket the river on our left from Carter's Ferry to the head of Harrison's Island; one of the Seventeenth picketed to Edwards's Ferry on our right; horse pickets were on duty still lower down the river, watching the ferry,, where Goose Creek flows into the Potomac; another company of horse were watching Goose Creek bridge and the Drainsville road on our right flank and rear; a company of horse were also on our extreme left up the river, and one of the Eighteenth Mississippi occupied Fort Evans midway between the river and town. This was our disposition on Saturday night, October twentieth. Our active lieutenant-colonel had gone out to examine the posts along the river, but had not visited the woods around Ball's Bluff. It was a wild desolate place, and the guards disliked duty in the neighborhood. The Bluff so called was about thirty feet above the level of the river, and not more than one hundred yards from Harrison's Island, the level of which was some twenty-five feet lower than the Bluff. The island, however, was fringed with timber, and could conceal thousands of men. Little notice had been taken of this cheerless looking place, and few guards of either party were seen in its vicinity, although the island was in undisputed possession of the enemy. It was at this point that the enemy's spies and engineers had crossed a few days previously, and seeing only a few tents on the outskirts of Leesburgh, had reported that three companies held the town. About three A. M., Sunday morning, our lieutenant-colonel rode into camp hastily, and in a few minutes every man was under arms; tents disappeared without noise, and we were drawn up in line of battle. We knew not what to surmise, unless another retreat was contemplated-perhaps to Goose [96] Creek, through mud, two or three feet deep, as usual! The doubt was soon resolved. Evans and his staff were seen approaching through a dense mist, and our men being formed in columns of division at half distance, the old gentleman addressed us almost in the following words: "Gentlemen, the enemy are approaching by the Drainsville road, sixteen thousand strong, with twenty pieces of artillery! They want to cut off our retreat! We must fight!-you need not expect any reenforcements, for none can arrive in time if they were sent. I am going to lead you out to meet them, and if you obey orders we shall give the Yankee rascals a sound thrashing! You have met them before, so have I-we both know of what they are made. I shall be as economical of human life as possible, and shall not sacrifice one man unnecessarily. Gentlemen, I fully rely upon you, and have unbounded confidence in your courage and patriotism! Gentlemen, good-morning." Before the General rode off, some few essayed to cheer, but the prevalent feeling was despondent. None cared so much about a fight on equal terms — if any thing, they would willingly have accepted a challenge from any two regiments the enemy could produce; but, much as we all admired our commander's pluck, it appeared hazardous for a brigade of two thousand seven hundred men, with four guns, to meet in mortal strife not less than sixteen thousand of the enemy, with twenty pieces of artillery! The die was cast, however; all the baggage had moved many miles to the rear, and we marched across Goose Creek bridge and along the Drainsville road to meet the enemy under General McCall. As the sun had not yet risen we approached the mouth of Goose Creek, crossed it, and passed near the guns of the enemy commanding these points without being observed; had they perceived us defiling from the woods along the road, a finer target for their rifled pieces could not have been desired. We proceeded towards Drainsville some two miles and halted, just as the sun rose; and, as our haversacks were empty, smoked our pipes with great gusto in lieu of breakfast. A courier came down the road and informed Evans that the enemy were six miles away, but had not stirred since six P. M. the previous evening. We marched back to await their approach, and bivouacked in the woods. Presently two of our mounted troopers came up with a Federal courier, who had been [97] captured proceeding on his way with despatches from McCall to Stone. His papers betrayed little, yet sufficient to reveal that it was designed to draw us from Leesburgh along the Drainsville road, while Stone crossed-and occupied the town. Evans was the very last man to be deceived by such a transparent trick, and as we marched back across the creek and halted in the woods along the Edwards's Ferry road, he drily observed, showing his teeth, as usual: "They won't come that way, boys; but had they done so, we would have given them what they never yet had a d — d good whaling!" As we lay in the woods all Sunday, the church bells were sweetly ringing, and nature seemed to sleep in the glorious sunshine of the Indian summer-all around us wore an unnatural calm, and every man as he quietly sat or slumbered beneath the. leafy shade seemed lost in reverie. We had nothing to eat, our wagons and stores were far away towards Manassas, and every half hour reports would come in that the enemy seemed very busy at the river, while the glittering of long lines of bayonets could be plainly seen moving to and fro. As if from intuition all the cottagers left their humble dwellings and farms, and hurried away to town, while the soldiery, half famished, despoiled the gardens, and feasted on raw vegetables, or stole a few ears of corn from the barns, eating it raw. The stillness was oppressive, and all complained of thirst; a few unslung their knapsacks and hurriedly wrote letters home, sending them by couriers passing to town. As the sun began to decline, the enemy's batteries at Edwards's Ferry furiously shelled in every direction, aiming particularly at Fort Evans, the red earthworks of which could be plainly discerned dotting the green hill, and overlooking a bend in the road near the town. Shell were screaming over our heads through the air in great numbers, even when darkness covered the scene; and bursting in all directions, they presented a rather pretty pyrotechnic display — the white circles of luminous smoke seeming to hang with great sensitiveness and delicacy in the air. When all was quiet again reports came in that the enemy were bringing up many boats from various creeks below, and shortly afterward a courier arrived post haste and reported that seven hundred men had landed at the Old Ferry at the foot of [98] our road. Three right companies of the Eighteenth Mississippi were sent down there-one went into the timber round the Ferry House, with orders when the enemy advanced to fire and fall back; the second was to act similarly, and the third to protect the retreat and entice the enemy on. They had returned, however; and soon afterward their tattoo was sounded, and we could plainly hear the men answering roll-call. We were ordered away lower down stream to the mouth of Goose Creek — the enemy had been at both places trying their boats; We picketed all night, nearly frozen to death, had nothing to eat, wore light summer clothes, and had no blankets or fires. Why these three companies were detached so far from the main body I could not tell; we were immediately under the guts of Edwards's Ferry, and were not informed how to retreat. When the sun rose next morning, (October twenty-first,) we anxiously awaited orders of recall; but receiving none, the captains determined to fall back. Seeking the banks of the creek, we followed a hog-path by the water's edge up-hill, and were particularly fortunate in not tumbling over the precipitous banks. We kept to the woods, and had not crossed the hill five minutes when the heavy guns at Edwards's Ferry began to shell furiously, many of their missiles falling in close proximity to our halting-place. Within ten minutes more we heard the music of fife and drum, and, looking over the hill, saw a strong force of the enemy issuing from the lane where we had picketed all night, with cavalry in front, and guns. Their infantry followed in martial array, and turned up the stream toward Edwards's Ferry. Their appearance was martial and imposing. "At last," thought we, "now comes the tug of war!" Not being more than a mile distant in the plain, our companies enjoyed a fine panoramic view of every thing passing. When the enemy had formed line of battle, and artillery was placed in the road, a squadron of cavalry were sent out to reconnoitre. They galloped gaily toward Leesburgh, and passed a company of the Eighteenth ensconced in the woods. The gay-looking horsemen had not proceeded far, when they suddenly came upon the Eighteenth, drawn up across the.-road behind some timber, and, receiving a withering volley, turned [99] and fled, having to run the gauntlet of the company, who, from their covert, fired heavy loads of buck-shot into them as they passed. From our position on a hill to the right, we clearly saw the discomfiture of the cavalry; their officer commanded them to move forward a second time, but they were so discouraged that no persuasion could induce them to stir. Fresh troops now began to pour across the river from the mouth of Goose Creek, and from Edwards's Ferry, until at last there were many regiments drawn up in line of battle, well supplied with artillery. The position of the Eighteenth being known, the enemy began to work their batteries with great vigor, firing twenty-four-pound spherical case-shot, and shelling the woods in all directions. The Eighteenth then fell back towards town, and formed line to the left, with the Seventeenth to the right of the road, and at the foot of a hill on which the artillery was placed in Fort Evans--the first regiment having its left on a bank of the Potomac, while the right of the second regiment lay on Goose Creek, In the rear were the Thirteenth Mississippi and the Eighth Virginia, and still farther beyond was a masked battery in the woods designed to sweep the road, should we be forced back. Skirmishers were sent out to our front, but no enemy appeared; scouts reported them ten thousand strong, with twelve pieces drawn up at the Ferry, but there were no indications of an advance. They still kept shelling the woods vigorously, and their percussion shell fell very close to us, as we lay waiting an attack, smoking, laughing, and eating raw cabbages to assuage hunger. To our left and rear, however, about two miles up the stream, things began to assume a lively aspect. One company of the Thirteenth, on picket there, had been surprised and driven in by a regiment which had unexpectedly marched out from the woods around Ball's Bluff. The company fought well, and, once getting the enemy on broken ground, began to deal destruction among them with a rapid and accurate fire. The captain was in his shirt-sleeves, and the men not much better attired. "Halt and surrender!" roared the Federal commander, galloping towards our men, as they were falling back; "don't fire, we are friends!" Our men, however, had jumped into a field, and each man, taking refuge behind a sheaf of corn, kept [100] on "popping" away with great rapidity and precision. The Yankee colonel ordered his men "forward," but they did not stir, and seemed inclined to fall back for protection to the woods. Then our bare-headed captain of the Thirteenth ordered his men to reserve their fire, and advance at the charge! Strange to tell, these eighty brave boys, with a yell, boldly advanced at a run towards the beautiful line of the enemy, suddenly halted, delivered a murderous volley, and then charged. The enemy did not stand, but retired to the woods, and kept up a desultory fire from their covert. A cavalry company hearing the musketry, when far up the river, advanced, dismounted, and used their Maynard rifles with fine effect, and drove the enemy still farther into the woods. The Federals, however, were pouring across at Ball's Bluff in great force, and two companies of the Eighteenth being ordered there to sustain the pickets, the battle commenced in earnest. At one time the enemy were driven in, but, being shortly afterwards reenforced, they drove our men completely out of the timber into the open ground. When they essayed to advance still farther, however, our gallant boys reserved their own, but drew the fire of the enemy, and when within seventy yards blazed away with awful precision, and with a yell charged them through the woods, loading and firing rapidly as they advanced. It was now midday, and still our brigade, with few deductions, remained idly on the Edwards's Ferry road, and had done nothing, except eat raw vegetables. The sudden falling back of our small force at Ball's Bluff, about one P. M., told plainly that the foe were in great force, and soon afterwards their cannon began to roar. The Eighth Virginia (four hundred strong) were ordered to proceed to the spot, and drive in the enemy. Their arrival greatly relieved the wearied pickets, and the firing became lively, but it was plain that the enemy outnumbered us at all points, and we heard their long volleys with great anxiety and impatience. It was not known at what point the enemy meant to make their most vigorous attack. Our great strength had been reserved for the defence of Fort Evans, and, finding the enemy were not inclined to advance, Evans determined to do so. Our orders were to attack the [101] enemy, and "make the business short." "Forward, boys," said our General; "if they won't come to us, we must go to them, and in less than an hour we'll make them wish they had never been born." The Eighteenth led, and following came the Seventeenth and Thirteenth, with four howitzers. As we reached the highest point in the road, we saw the enemy drawn up in beautiful order, in columns of companies, with many pieces of artillery and some cavalry; above them, on the other side of the river, were three batteries placed on a hill, and all ready for action! Several brigades had not crossed, and we could plainly see them with arms stacked! As we silently moved forward, an Adjutant galloped to the front, and the column halted. The enemy plainly saw our whole force, but reserved their fire. "They have nearly surrounded us at the Bluff," he said, "and the Eighteenth is to countermarch to their relief" So the Seventeenth and Thirteenth countermarched to their old position, and after pulling down the fences, we began our race of two miles to turn the tide of battle. As we left the road a strange sight was presented, and which caused many a hearty laugh. Some hundred or more of our regiment who were sick, had escaped from. the hospitals, knocked over the doctors and parsons who tried to prevent them, and marched out to participate in the fight, and now fell into rank with great good humor! As many more had left the hospitals in the morning contrary to orders, and not knowing the whereabouts of their respective regiments, had directed their steps to the line of fire, and fought manfully. As we ran towards the scene of battle, the roar of the enemy's musketry and cannon was deafening. "Lige" White, who had been very active all day, rode up to us and confirmed the statement that our small force was nearly surrounded: he knew every inch of the ground perfectly, and piloted us into a position immediately in front of the enemy's centre. The enemy did not expect us in that direction, and a lull in the firing immediately ensued. Our fatigued comrades seemed with one accord to leave the battle entirely to as; and we did not disappoint their flattering expectations. Advancing through the woods in good order, we at last came in sight of a large open field where the centre of the Yankee [102] semicircular line of battle was supported by four howitzers. Knocking down the fences, we jumped into the open and reformed, as coolly as if on parade. The four right companies instantly dashed up a rising ground to the right, and dispossessed the foe of a patch of woods that commanded their centre. Though vigorously assailed with shot and shell, our right companies fired so quickly, and with such murderous accuracy, that the guns were soon deserted; but the fire of the enemy's infantry at the same time was so well sustained that had. we not been wise enough to load and fire on all-fours, not a man of us would have escaped. We had the advantage of a full view of every movement made by the enemy, and all their advances were chastised with such heavy loss that they contented themselves with the cover of the timber on the Bluffs and could not be induced to advance. Such a roar of musketry, for the numbers engaged, I never heard. Many fell on our side. The four right companies had over one hundred killed or disabled; but though two thousand men — some of the very best in the Federal army, and under Baker — were opposed to them and kept up a semicircle of fire, our men held on like bloodhounds, and neither threats, commands, nor entreaties of officers could induce them to fall back and re-form the regiment. The men would not do it; the enemy were before them; they would advance, if ordered, but no falling back for any thing. In fact, these four companies were fighting the battle alone, and the enemy were losing scores every moment. Our men had bought large quantities of buckshot, and reserved them for "close quarters," as they termed it, and were now using them with terrible effect. Besides the ordinary musket cartridge, they put in from eight to sixteen buckshot, and kept up the fire with so much effect that the enemy's front and all around the guns were strewn with the dead and wounded in hundreds. General Baker having been killed shortly after our fierce onset, Colonel Coggswell now commanded the enemy, and thought to make good his retreat by a flank movement to Edwards's Ferry. While he deliberated, the Seventeenth came in on our left flank, and the rest of our regiment assailed him on the right. For some time the battle raged with great fury, and it seemed to us there was no end to the stream of fresh [103] troops relieving the enemy. But Colonel Coggswell had succeeded to the command in a luckless hour. Endeavoring to move by the left flank, in order to effect a junction with Stone at the Ferry, he was intercepted by our lieutenant-colonel, who advanced against him with six companies, and having surrendered, we had the satisfaction to see eight hundred prisoners, with the chief in command, marched to the rear. The fighting still continued in the centre, as if the troops were unaware of Coggswell's surrender, but as it was not our object to shed blood unnecessarily, we all ceased firing for a few moments. Our company was detached from the regiment, and rested on the right of the Virginians, who lay in the woods. We were soon ordered to advance across the open ground at the double-quick, to join the regiment drawn up in the woods at the edge of the river, and as we did so, up rose the enemy on the Bluff, and poured a heavy volley into us; but we dropped in time, rose up instantly, rushed on, discharged our pieces in their faces, and drove them over the Bluff on to the bayonets of their friends, thirty feet below. Such slaughter, such havoc and mangling of living men, it has never been my lot to witness in any battle. Our men were wrought up to fury, and fought like fiends; no unfair advantages were sought, nor did any act contrary to the rules of war; but, greatly outnumbered at all points, they eagerly seized upon every opportunity to inflict chastisement, and from their masterly use of the musket, killed and wounded twice as many as their own number actually engaged. The centre of the enemy was now completely broken, and the remnant driven over the Bluff into the river; the guns were ours, and dragged off; the right was captured to a man; and the left had disappeared under the high banks of the river, and dispersed in small parties, endeavoring to cross. As we lay in line of battle, expecting a fresh attack, I plainly saw the wrecks of three large flats, on which hundreds had perished. They had been used for bringing over reenforcements, and returning with wounded, but such was the consternation among the troops, that large numbers rushed on board, trampling upon the wounded, until they all sank together amid frightful screams. Colonels and captains had deserted their commands, and throwing off [104] their clothing, escaped by swimming; at one time the river seemed covered with heads, and when, being ordered back, refusing to return, nearly all were shot by our men. On the island we saw several regiments drawn up, but the rout and destruction of their comrades appalled them: they would not advance, and, to prevent loss from our accurate fire, they were led off from the island into Maryland. Several houses on the island had been converted into hospitals, and the hundreds of suffering beings who lay around the field presented a harrowing sight. The sun had now set, the battle was over, and various companies of men were detailed to bear off the wounded, bury the dead, secure arms and prisoners, and hold the field. Our right was still threatened, and every available man marched to support the Thirteenth, who held Fort Evans. The enemy, indeed, had not advanced an inch, but there was no certainty regarding their movements. At night I went to the Bluff to look after the wounded. The sight was an awful one; the groans in every direction fearful to hear. Burial-parties were busy with spades, and many a noble boy might be seen consigned to his last resting-place. Crowds of carriages and conveyances were on the ground, bearing off the wounded, while the hospitals in town were thronged by ladies, young and old, lending their tender aid in all manner of offices. Indeed, while the battle was progressing, crowds of women gathered on a neighboring hill, and wept and bewailed, while many a good sturdy fellow kept in-doors, ready to shout for either party, and did not stir out till victory had saluted our banners. The Yankees who had hid themselves along the bank of the river were 10th to come forth, but after much persuasion, they voluntarily came forward in a body, threw down their arms, and marched to town very good-humoredly, and, after being refreshed, were sent towards Manassas that same night. The quantities of arms we found along the banks surprised me — all being of English manufacture, having on the plates, "Hall, London ;" "Bond, London;" "London Tower," etc. The stream at the crossing appeared to be literally choked with broken boats, dead bodies, and arms — not less than one [105] hundred dead being piled up under the Bluffs in dozens, and scores in other places, and the sand all gory. The woods around the Bluffs were all cut down or splintered by shot, the trunks of the larger trees looking as if millions of rats had been gnawing them. The number of arms captured was near two thousand, four howitzers, much clothing, a few stores and ammunition, eight hundred prisoners, twenty officers, two colonels, one or two stand of colors. The killed and wounded were about two thousand, not including the three large boatloads that sank, or numbers that fell on the island from stray shot, and from our fire late in the evening. Our loss was not more than from two to three hundred killed, wounded, and missing. It surprised me at the time, and is still sufficiently remarkable to be worthy of note, that General Evans was not upon or even near the field until the last shot had been fired. Then, however, he came galloping upon the ground, and highly complimented us, saying that he had been anxiously watching us, at the same time observing the enemy's movements along the Edwards's Ferry road. If the truth must be told, he directed our movements from his office in town, two miles away — or between that point and Fort Evans--and was swearing lustily all the afternoon; yet, although he fondly expected the enemy to approach the fort, they did not do so; hence every disposition was made at Ball's Bluff by Colonel Burt, of the Eighteenth, who fell while cheering on the four right companies in their headlong massacre of the enemy. Another remarkable fact: when the Yankees had safely reached the shores of Maryland, they began to cheer like madmen, but for what, will ever remain a mystery. One of the boys dryly remarked, that "the darned fools cheered because they got back safely!" Others said, "they cheered because they felt so mighty big over another victory!" Both were probably near the truth! Our whole force now lay in the woods round Fort Evans, anxiously looking for the morrow, for all expected the enemy to advance, and endeavor to retrieve their fallen fortunes. Morning came, and scouts reported them strongly fortified, with large reserves, about to cross. We waited until noon, and although the rain poured in torrents, Evans was anxious to entice them forward. The Thirteenth was ordered to open the [106] fight, and draw the enemy out; for this purpose the right wing of the regiment was used, to counterfeit weakness, the left being held in reserve. The Yankees accepted battle, and a large regiment advanced to the attack; the right of the, Thirteenth seeing this, were maddened, (because not called in at the Bluff,) and assailed the New-Englanders with such fury that they broke and ran, the Thirteenth chasing them through ploughed fields, over their breast-works, and past their guns. The guns would have been brought in, but being so far from all support, the men fell back without them. It was in vain that all kinds of expedients were used to entice the enemy on, for, although our small force was too much exhausted and insufficient to attack, we all desired the enemy to advance and try their fortunes. The rain fell in torrents all day, and at midnight three guns and loud cheers were heard from the other bank of the river; the enemy, twelve thousand strong, with twelve pieces, had successfully recrossed the river, and were cheering in consequence Fearful that other forces would move down from Drainsville, and cut off his communication, Evans once more fell back to Goose Creek, where a South-Carolina regiment, a Louisiana regiment, and four guns of the Washington Artillery, reenforced us. Here we anxiously awaited battle from McCall, or any one else who dared to approach. Our reenforcements were eager for the strife, and could a hundred thousand dollars have purchased a battle, they would willingly have subscribed that amount. The Louisianians in particular were fretful for a fight; they had marched from Centreville in a very short time, and in order not to delay, kicked over their barrels of flour, and journeyed with empty haversacks. This regiment was entirely composed of Creoles and Irish--a splendid lot of men, and highly disciplined by Colonel Kelly. They have since greatly distinguished themselves in "Stonewall" Jackson's division, having turned the tide in many battles.


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Pamela Geller's Strident Voice Sparks Debate — and Violence
Long written off by mainstream critics as an Islamophobic crackpot, Pamela Geller is winning increasing sums from financial backers with her blood-and-thunder warnings against the religion of Muhammad.
Geller is also having an undeniable impact on the national conversation about Islam.
The activist, whose anti-Islam event in Garland, Texas, was besieged by two gunmen, has, among other things, succeeded in galvanizing opposition to an Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero in Manhattan. She has also forced public transportation agencies in several cities to run her inflammatory advertisements, which denounce Muslims and Islam with a broad and largely indiscriminate brush.
In recent years, her actions have been taken under the aegis of the American Freedom Defense Initiative, which Geller co-founded in 2010 and which organized the Garland event.
The AFDI received almost $960,000 in donations in 2013, according to the group's most recently available tax return. That's up from $160,000 the year before and $19,000 the previous year, when the group was launched.
The steep increase in donations allowed AFDI to spend almost $400,000 in 2013, countering what it describes in tax filing as acts of "treason" committed by federal and state governments, the mainstream media and others "in their capitulation to the global jihad and Islamic supremacism… and the rapidly moving attempts to impose socialism and
Geller denounces Barack Obama as 'a Muhammadan' who 'wants jihad to win.'
Marxism upon the American people."
That same year, for the first time, the group was able to pay Geller a salary of almost $200,000.
Geller would not divulge the background of her main supporters. In an email to the Forward, she said, "We receive money from a large number of funders."
The Forward did locate $100,000 of funding to AFDI given anonymously via a Jewish charity. The donations, received in 2013 and 2014 from a private donor or donors, were sent through Jewish Communal Fund, a donor-advised charity that allows the original funding source to direct where it wants its donation to go while masking its identity.
AFDI also raised almost $100,000 in 2013 and 2014 through four fund-raising campaigns on the crowd-funding website, Indiegogo.
One of the campaigns asked for money to mount a legal challenge to the British government's decision to ban Geller from entering the United Kingdom in 2013. The other campaigns raised funds to pay for anti-Islam ads that ran in several U.S. cities on buses and in subways.
On her website, Geller has denounced President Obama as "a third worlder and a coward" who "will do nothing but beat up on our friends to appease his Islamic overlords" and as "a muhammadan" who "wants jihad to win."
Her activities under the aegis of AFDI have led the Anti-Defamation League to criticize the group for "consistently vilifying the Islamic faith under the guise of fighting radical Islam" and for introducing "a growing number of Americans to [AFDI's] conspiratorial anti-Muslim agenda."
Geller conceded that her message is divisive to Jews, most of whom support tolerance toward other faiths.
"The Jewish community is divided," Geller said. "For leftist Jews, liberalism is their g-d, and they have excoriated my work and defamed me. But many, many Jews have expressed immense gratitude for my work."
Geller, a divorced mother of four from Long-Island, has come a long way since she launched a blog, Atlas Shrugs, in 2005 in response to the 9/11 terror attacks. The website's name is a tribute to libertarian ideologue Ayn Rand, whose novel "Atlas Shrugged" warned of the dangers of a regulatory government.
She has been at the forefront of campaigns against an Arabic-language school in Brooklyn and against the proposed Park51 Islamic center that was to be located two blocks from Ground Zero in Manhattan, where the 9/11 attacks took place.
But it is her writing and speaking, on her blog, in books, at media appearances and at events, that have been most effective — and incendiary.
For more than 10 years, Atlas Shrugs has been a clearinghouse for the vilification of Islam. In it, Geller depicts Western society as ever on the brink of collapse. Judeo-Christian civilization is under constant attack from radical Islam. The imposition of Sharia law in Europe and America is never far away.
She and AFDI co-founder Robert Spencer were barred from entering the United Kingdom in 2013 and branded by the British Home Office as leaders of "anti-Muslim hate groups."
Before the Garland shootings, AFDI was probably best known for running controversial ads on public transportation systems in such cities as New York, Boston and Philadelphia with messages like "Islamic Jew-Hatred: It's in the Quran," or, "In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat Jihad."
Many city authorities rejected the ads. But with the help of an anti-Islamic lawyer, David Yerushalmi, AFDI prevailed on free speech grounds and forced city transportation agencies to run its ads.
In March of this year, Geller vowed to take out new ads on 100 New York City buses, naming and shaming big-name Jewish donors to the New Israel Fund, a group that Geller claimed, inaccurately, was a supporter of boycott, divestment and sanctions campaigns against Israel.
Geller called the donors, who include Saul Zabar, owner of a storied
Geller calls Jews who donate to the New Israel Fund '21st-century kapos.'
Jewish delicatessen in Manhattan, worse than "21st-century kapos," a reference to Jews who enforced discipline on behalf of the S.S. in Nazi concentration camps.
Geller describes herself as a defender of free speech. Ten years ago she republished on her blog controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that were originally published in a Danish newspaper, sparking violent protests and death threats.
She staged the May event in Garland partly in response to the deadly terrorist attack by Muslim extremists on the offices of the satirical French newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which had also published images of Muhammad.
The AFDI event, held on the evening of May 3 at the Curtis Culwell Center, was an exhibit of entries to an AFDI-organized Muhammad cartoons contest. The group spent $10,000 on security for the sold-out crowd of more than 200 people.
Geller, Spencer and Geert Wilders, a Dutch anti-Islam campaigner who addressed the crowd, were unaware of the brief gun battle that raged outside during an ambush by two attackers armed with assault rifles.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack carried out by Elton Simpson, 30, and Nadir Hamid Soofi, 34.
In late April, an ISIS supporter in Somalia, Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan, published a message on Twitter praising the Charlie Hebdo killers and calling on jihadi sympathizers in America to attack the Garland event.
Both Garland attackers were shot dead by a police officer. A security guard was shot in the ankle.
Authorities said there was little evidence to support ISIS's claim, saying it's more likely that the pair simply supported the group's radical agenda.
Simpson was on the radar screen of counter-terrorism authorities for years. He was convicted in 2011 of lying to FBI agents about his desire to join violent jihad in [Somalia](file:///Volumes/English/To%20Production/javascript:loadEntitySearchResults('/search/entity?entityId=http%3A%2F%2Fd.opencalais.com%2Fer%2Fgeo%2Fcountry%2Fralg-geo1%2F391fbc5b-5081-b1ae-00b4-faaae91d3a58&sort=date&terms=). Soofi was a Pakistani immigrant who became disillusioned with life in the United States, friends said.
Geller said she has received many death threats in the past but this is the first time she has come under direct attack.
Even so, she said she would push ahead with another event showcasing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in the future. "We feel compelled to hold another event to demonstrate that we refuse to be silenced by violent intimidation," she said.
Contact Paul Berger at [email protected] or on Twitter, @pdberger


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Fire outbreak: Woman dies trying to rescue three children
A community, Surulere, in Lagos, Nigeria was on Friday, thrown into mourning after a couple and three children died in a fire that engulfed the shop they used as home.
The exact cause of the fire could not be ascertained, however, newsmen gathered that the inferno that also destroyed three shops, started at about 2:38 a.m. from one of the shops.
It then spread to the shop where a man, identified simply as Ignatius, and his family lived in. Ignatius, according to eyewitnesses, broke down the door of the shop, which he also used for laundry services, and ran out in flame.
His wife, Hope, who was also on fire, ran out. Neighbours put out the fire on them. However, Hope, who was in pains, dashed back into the raging fire, unnoticed, when her children kept crying for help.
But she was burnt to death with the children— Chukwuka, 9; Nonso, 7, and Ugochukwu, 6. Meanwhile, Ignatius, said to have been severely burnt, was rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, where he later died.
A private guard in the area, Salisu Ibrahim, told newsmen: "I was in my cubicle when I saw smoke. I rushed out, only to discover that it was from the shops on B23.
I alerted my colleagues and by the time we got there, we saw the dry cleaner screaming and rolling on the floor to put out the fire on him.
"Immediately his wife came out, she asked 'where are my children?' Before we knew it, she ran back inside. Nobody could do anything because the fire was much."
Another resident, who gave her name as Mrs Modecai, disclosed that one of the children, Chukwuemeka, was a beneficiary of the Lagos State Government scholarship.She said: " Chukwuemeka was supposed to get her certificate from her school principal today (yesterday). Had help come on time, they would have survived." Confirming the incident, General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA,
She said: " Chukwuemeka was supposed to get her certificate from her school principal today (yesterday). Had help come on time, they would have survived."
Confirming the incident, General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, said: "The Agency's Emergency Response Team, ERT, received a distress call via our emergency number, concerning a fire outbreak yesterday at about 2:38 a.m.
"This prompted the immediate activation of the Lagos State Fire Service and Agency's ERT to the scene of the incident, which prevented the fire from spreading to nearby buildings.
"The agencies' operatives handed over the charred remains of the family members to the police at Aguda Division."


text: A scrolled top rail is accented by rosettes as are the scroll arms. The seat rails are also decorated with rosettes. The legs are fluted and taper to a ring turning, The boxed seat has welt trim. The upholstered back has double welt standard. Arm pads are standard. Available as COM or with limited fabrics.


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Personal Care
Hourly Care
Hourly Care is care provided on an hourly basis with a 2 hour minimum. Hourly Care is charged at an hourly rate and can be prorated. Hourly Care is usually open to companionship care services and may include housekeeping, activities of daily living such as hygiene, toileting, bathing, meal prep, medication reminders, transportation, assisting to appointments, activities, taking clients out to the community and social events.
Hourly care allows the client to live independently in their homes and community regardless of their current medical conditions. We can also provide Respite and Hospice Care as well as assist in supplemental non-medical care while Home Health Agencies, such as CNS Home Health Care located in Utah would provide home health services.
Live-In Home Care / Home Nursing Care
Live-in Care is the most cost-effective care plan for our clients who need round the clock monitoring and companionship care. It is charged at a daily rate.
Live In does not necessarily means the caregiver will move in with the client, but it is referred to daily shifts with 2 caregivers rotating every 3-4 days. To keep the price low the caregiver will be provided food and accommodations while they are at the clients home.
The caregivers will be allotted 8 hours of sleep and must have a private area for sleeping. With Live-In care the clients have the security of always having someone around the clock to assist them around the house and for fall prevention.


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Off-campus SJSU users: To download campus access theses, please use the following link to log into our proxy server with your SJSU library user name and PIN.
Publication Date
Fall 2011
Degree Type
Thesis - Campus Access Only
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Rita Manning
Equality, Feminism, Multiculutralism, Okin
Subject Areas
Observing that repugnant cultural and religious ideas is used to justify the control of women by men, Susan Moller Okin proposed the following solution to the problem of group rights: In negotiations for group rights with minority cultural groups, whenever the dominant ideas and practices of minority cultural groups contradict the idea that men and women are moral equals, the state should show more concern towards the group members, namely the women, who are subordinated by the group rather than group itself. This thesis argues that this solution is unjust and impractical, ultimately leading to the unequal treatment of members--males and female members alike--of minority cultural groups.
Recommended Citation
Villar, Marc James, "Feminism, Multiculturalism, and Equality" (2011). Master's Theses. 4116.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.mbfk-5teg


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7 Ways to Have an Assistant Without Getting an Assistant
Wouldn't it be great to have someone organize all your tasks, help you with completing the more mundane ones, and remind you when you're running late to your next appointment? For most of us, having a killer personal assistant is a dream out of our financial reach. Luckily, there are a couple of tech innovations that get us one step closer to that dream. (And I know a lot of people who are so stressed they probably DO dream about that!)
1. iVee Assistant: This little device looks like a digital clock and takes the smart-home tech trend to the next level. iVee is voice-operated and can perform basically any function you can think of. You can ask her the weather or stock prices, and she can even to tell you a bedtime story. (Wait, what!?) She can also remind you to do tasks and change the radio station. If you already have smart devices in your home, like Nest or Belkin WeMo, iVee can operate those by the sound of your voice.
2. Cue: Cue is like Siri on steroids. It consolidates all of your email, calendar appointments, social networks and more so that it can serve up only the most important information to you. It can even "read" your email and find important bits of data like tracking numbers and flight times. Recently, it gave me a notification that said I would be having a shipment arrive on my doorstep that afternoon — and it did! Magic.
3. Osito: Similar to Cue, Osito connects your email and calendar accounts. Like a nagging assistant, it makes sure you're on schedule. It sends you an alert any time you are running late by using GPS to detect where you are, where your next appointment is, and how long it will take to get there. You may never miss an important meeting again!
4. Donna: Just released this week, Donna promises to not only compile important information from email and calendars, but she will take it all a step further by connecting that data. For instance, the app will text you to bring an umbrella for that dinner party tonight because she knows a rainstorm is coming. Or she'll ask to dial you into your next phone conference so that you don't have to scrummage for the number. What makes this app really awesome is that Donna becomes smarter over time — once she starts learning your patterns, she will be able to make even better decisions for you which will save you more time in the process.
5. EasilyDo: This app aims to be a one-stop shop for your notifications and focuses on saving you time — it even offers an estimate for how much time you've saved since downloading the app. It pulls information from your email and calendar and even Facebook to make sure you're on top of your game. I love that it alerts you to friends' birthdays… and even lets you wish them a happy birthday right from the app!
6. Google Now: This app by Google is designed to deliver you all the information you need… and none that you don't. It looks like a basic Google search bar, but it's oh-so-much more than that. Below the search bar are "cards" that pop up with information relevant to you, from weather to scores to transit schedules. If the cards aren't relevant, you can swipe them off the screen and the app learns what you do and don't want to see. My favorite feature? Photo Spot, which shows you nearby locations with a lot of Google Images. You might just find a hidden gem of a parklet :)
7. TaskRabbit: If you're looking to get more than your digital life in order, this is your solution. It's basically like a personal-assistant-on-demand service. Instead of hiring an assistant to sit at a desk all day, you can hire one only when you need something to do. Get someone to grab you a coffee, put together your Ikea furniture, or organize your files (virtual or physical) — it's super easy. Just post a task online; then, within minutes you'll get a bid from a credible, vetted TaskRabbit employee for how much it would cost for them to take care of it.
What tech serves as your personal assistant? Or, are you just waiting patiently for a fully functioning robotic assistant? Let us know in the comments below or over on Twitter.
Hi, I'm Brit, the founder and CEO of Brit + Co. I'm a young mom of two, tech nerd and design-inclined lady who has a zillion hobbies and curious about... just about everything! My mission from the beginning has been to unlock women's creativity and courage to try new things so that they can find the path to their true passions.


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Reduce out-of-service/specification-related costs
SmartStand is a unique, easy-to-implement solution to help labs adhere to their standard operating procedures and maintain GLP/GMP compliance. With SmartStand, researchers know the current status of their Rainin XLS or XLS+ pipette every time they use it.
Proactively manage compliance
By reading the RFID chip that's in every Rainin XLS and XLS+ pipette, SmartStand instantly and automatically displays the compliance status of up to four manual Pipet-Lite XLS/XLS+ or electronic E4 XLS/XLS+ pipettes placed on the stand. Pick up a pipette and SmartStand's color LCD screen switches to a detailed view of the pipette's service and calibration data.
Save time on recordkeeping and reporting
Looking for a more comprehensive pipette management solution? SmartStand comes with our PipetteX pipette management software. PipetteX uses SmartStand to collect individual pipette data, then organizes it to provide a complete overview of your entire pipette inventory.
Once in PipetteX, you can search, sort, generate reports and export pipette data to other applications.
It's a charger too!
SmartStand will charge up to four E4 XLS and XLS+ electronic pipettes simultaneously.
Products and Specs
Operating Instructions
White Paper
See it in Action
EasyDirect Pipette Management: a Lab Manager's View
Pipette Performance Check
Connect a SmartStand with Bluetooth® wireless technology
Connect a SmartStand using USB
Connect an EasyScan Flex Reader
Add Users and Addresses
Pipettes on a SmartStand are auto-scanned into EasyDirect. Save further details (user name, location, etc.) to a pipette using EasyDirect.
Connect SmartStand to Windows 7, 8 or XP with USB Bluetooth adapter
How to get & install the driver software for the LM506 USB Bluetooth adapter
Connect SmartStand to Windows 10 with USB Bluetooth adapter
The included LM506 USB Bluetooth adapter should work automatically when inserted into a USB port on your Windows 10 computer. If it doesn't, here's how to get the driver.
Set up XPE 205 Balance for Pipette Check
Connect the XPE 205 to an EasyScan flex RFID reader and prep the balance for a pipette performance check.


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Science academies in developing countries should be more proactive and produce reports on critical issues confronting them, says Mohamed Hassan, executive director of TWAS.
The sentiment is echoing in many places. South Africa's science minister Naledi Pandor too says science academies in developing countries should "become more dynamic actors" instead of limiting themselves to a "catching up" session for scientists.
Earlier that was what Raghunath Mashelkar, former director general of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) said in a chat with SciDev.Net. That Indian science academies should become more visible and offer the collective expert opinion of their members on controversial issues such as genetically modified crops, or geo-engineering.
Caught up with Mashelkar at TWAS and he has a clarification to issue on his comments quoted in a recent article on SciDev.Net on the controversy over India's inter-academy report on genetically modified brinjal.
He explained that his remarks were made in the context of the specific report on brinjal, and were intended to imply that the entire inter-academy report should not be trivialised just on the issue of citations and references.
But he was also keen to add that that didn't mean to imply that he considers the presence of citations and references in all reports as being a "trivial" issue.
Citations and references are absolutely essential in scientific research papers. "Scientific ethics demand that they be rigorously cited," he says.
T V Padma, South Asia Regional Coordinator, SciDev.Net


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We are exceptionally lucky at Dolton School as we have a FREE morning club that starts at 8am in the school hall. Currently, due to COVID 19, most clubs are being run, voluntarily, by staff in school. When there are volunteers these are people already linked to the school and class bubbles, from the village and are all DBS checked There is a good uptake and children enjoy playing card games, board games and active games that get your heart racing with the staff that run the club. There is also always a member of staff on the premises if ever needed. At present breakfast club runs on Tuesday – Friday.
We also have an after school club on a Tuesday and a Thursday finishing at 4.3opm and again, run, voluntarily by staff.
If you would like your child booked into these sessions, then please liaise with admin who will talk you through schools money.


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Overboard star, and famous comedian, Eugenio Derbez hasn't gotten enough "fake" love, as he will be doing it all again in The Valet. The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed the news that Derbez will be teaming up with directors Bob Fisher and Rob Greenberg to produce and star in a remake of the french comedy. Ben Odell will also be producing under their 3Pas Studios, alongside Pantelion Films.
The Valet follows the story of a parking attendant who is enlisted and pretends to be the lover of a famous fashion model as a way of deflecting her relationship with a married businessman.
Derbez and Odell both say the film is timely as it deals with a hard working Latinx person who, invisible in the world, finds himself in a funny situation to suddenly be seen as worthy. They both say they couldn't be more than happy to be part of the project.
More details as to production start date and projected release will be revealed when the information becomes known.


text:
How to Repair Electrical Receptacles
When you plug something into a conventional duplex receptacle (the type that receives two appliance plugs), and the device doesn't work, troubleshooting the problem is fairly simple. Get quotes for your electrician Brisbane Southside here.
1.) Make sure the problem isn't with the appliance or lamp. Some appliances, such as hairdryers, have overload protectors that automatically shut them off if they begin to overheat. Try a second working appliance or lamp in the receptacle.
2.) Is it connected to a switch? Be sure that one half of the duplex receptacle (or the entire receptacle isn't controlled by a switch in the room.
3.) Check the circuit breaker (or fuse) for that receptacle's circuit to be sure it has not tripped (or blown). If it has, reset the breaker or replace the fuse, and try plugging a working lamp or appliance into the receptacle again. Be aware that a defective receptacle, switch, or appliance hooked up to that circuit caused the failure.
4.) If the receptacle still doesn't work, turn off the receptacle's circuit breaker, unscrew the cover plate from the receptacle, and use a voltage tester to be sure none of the wires in the electrical box are still "hot." Then check to be sure that the wires are securely fastened to the receptacle's terminals.
5.) Look for signs of charring. If you find no apparent problem and the other receptacles near the non-working one operate fine, the chances are pretty good that the non-working receptacle is defective.
About Replacing Receptacles
Because receptacles are inexpensive and easy to replace, it makes sense to replace a defective one when it ceases to work properly. For large receptacles that run on 220 to 240 volts, such as ranges and dryers and air conditioners, call an electrician unless you're well-versed in electrical repairs and safety issues. Always check when installing if the appliance is rated from 15 to 50 amps, 240 volts, and 20 to 50 amps, 120/240 volts. They have two hot wires (red and black) and a separate grounding wire.
Conventional duplex receptacles have two places to plug in electrical cords or devices. Each of those two places includes one narrow slot, one wide slot, and a semicircular hole. The narrow slot is the "hot" side, connected to the black wire of the electrical system. The wide slot is the "neutral" side, connected to the white wire. And the semicircular hole is the ground, connected to a bare or green wire or the electrical system's ground. Many electrical plugs have one wide blade and one narrow blade (and, in some cases, a ground plug) that match the receptacle's slots to ensure that the circuit is properly connected to the electrical device.
Wires may be attached to screws on each side of the receptacle or plugged into terminal holes in the back of the receptacle. Whether wires attached to screw terminals or are pushed into rear-mount terminals, the screw terminals on the sides of the receptacle are hot (charged), so don't touch them!


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WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center
Capstone Mortgage Co. v. Joshua Shook or J. Shook, Inc.
Case No. D2004-0395
1. The Parties
The Complainant is Capstone Mortgage Co., of Lexington, Massachusetts, United States of America, represented by Foley Hoag LLP, United States of America.
The Respondent is Joshua Shook and/or J. Shook, Inc., of Tuscon, Arizona, United States of America.
2. The Domain Names and Registrars
The disputed domain names are <capstone-mortgage.net> and <capstonemortgage.info>, registered with Gestion et Attribution des Noms de Domaine sur Internet (Gandi SARL) and InterCosmos Media Group d/b/a DirectNic.com, respectively.
3. Procedural History
The Complaint was received by the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the "Center") in hard copy on May 28, 2004. The Center acknowledged receipt of the Complaint by email to Complainant on May 28, 2004, and reminded Complainant of its obligation under Paragraph 3(b) of the Rules to submit an electronic copy of the Complaint. An electronic copy of the Complaint was received by the Center on June 4, 2004.
Requests for Registrar Verification were sent by the Center to Gandi SARL and DirectNic.com on May 28, 2004. Responses were received back from both registrars that same day wherein each acknowledged being the registrar of one of the disputed domain names, confirmed that the Policy was in effect in respect to that domain name, and provided full contact details of the domain name registrant and of the administrative, billing and technical contacts.
The Center reviewed the Complaint to verify compliance with the ICANN Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy ("Policy"), the Rules for UDRP (the "Rules") and the WIPO Supplemental Rules for UDRP ("Supplemental Rules"), and concluded, on June 7, 2004, that the Complaint was compliant and the applicable fee had been paid.
The Center notified the Respondent of the commencement of this proceeding pursuant the Policy, the Rules, and the Center's Supplemental Rules, in accordance with Paragraph 2(a) of the Rules, by email on June 7, 2004, and by hardcopy sent June 7, 2004, and delivered June 9, 2004. The notification advised Respondent that the deadline for submission of a Response to the Complaint had been set as June 27, 2004. A copy of the Complaint accompanied the notification.
No response from Respondent was received by the Center. On June 28, 2004, the Center sent Respondent, by email, a Notification of Respondent Default notifying Respondent that he had failed to comply with the applicable deadline, that the Center would proceed to appoint an Administrative Panel to render a decision, and that the Administrative Panel would have the discretion to consider or not any untimely response Respondent might determine to submit.
On July 2, 2004, the Center notified the Parties that an Administrative Panel composed of a single member, Seth M. Reiss, had been appointed and that the Panelist had duly submitted a Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence to the Center. The Panel is required to forward its decision to the Center, in accordance with Paragraph 15 of the Rules, by July 16, 2004.
The Panel has examined the communications of the Center and the Complainant, and the Complaint. The Panel confirms that each complies with the formal requirements of the Policy, the Rules and the Center's Supplemental Rules.
The Panel notes that each communication sent to Respondent by email, whether by Complainant or the Center, was returned as undeliverable by the email hosting service together with the comment that no such email address exists. The email address used in each case was the email address listed for Respondent in the WHOIS database of each registrar as well as the address supplied by the registrars in response to the Center's Request for Verification. Complainant reported that its attempt to deliver a hardcopy of the Complaint to Respondent at the postal-mail address listed for Respondent with the registrars was refused. There is no similar evidence that the Center's attempt to deliver the Notification of Complaint and Commencement of Administrative Proceeding to the same postal-mail address was unsuccessful. The contact information for Respondent contained in the WHOIS databases of the two applicable registrars, including Respondent's postal-mail and electronic mail addresses, is identical. No facsimile number for Respondent is listed in the WHOIS databases or was otherwise available from the registrars.
The Panel is satisfied that the Center fully complied with Paragraph 2(a) of the Rules in attempting to communicate the Complaint and applicable response deadline to Respondent, and with Paragraph 2(b) of the Rules in attempting to communicate the notification of default and appointment of the panel to Respondent.
The Panel further confirms that the Administrative Panel was properly constituted.
The language of the proceeding is English.
4. Factual Background
Complainant is a mortgage broker licensed to do business in the states of Massachusetts and New Hampshire providing customer-oriented mortgage services. Complainant was incorporated in 1996 and claims to have been doing business under the "Capstone Mortgage" name continually since then.
Complainant is the registered owner of the Internet domain "www.capstonemortgage.com", registered in May 1997, and maintains a website at that address to promote its mortgage services. Complainant uses the Capstone Mortgage name, mark and related Internet domain name in connection with its business as a mortgage broker.
Complainant claims to have invested significant time, money, and effort developing and promoting the CAPSTONE MORTGAGE mark and the mortgage brokerage business associated therewith through the mark's continuous use in connection with services, as the company name, on the corporate letterhead and website at "www.capstonemortgage.com", in promotional materials, quarterly newsletters, business cards, and on other documents that Complainant uses in the course of its mortgage brokerage business. Examples of Complainant's letterhead, business cards, and quarterly newsletter are annexed to the Complaint.
As a result of its longstanding and continuous use of the CAPSTONE MORTGAGE name and mark, and Complainant's investment of time, money and promotional effort, Complainant submits that the mark CAPSTONE MORTGAGE has become associated with Complainant and its services. Complainant describes its business as highly successful, doubling each year since its inception in 1996. In 2003, Complainant states it closed $450,000,000 in mortgages.
The only facts available concerning Respondent are those provided by Complainant in its Complaint and the Annexes thereto, and those made available by the two domain name registrars in response to the Center's Requests for Registrar Verification.
Respondent appears to be an individual who sometimes does business as Joshua Shook and other times does business as J. Shook, Inc., and who maintains a postal-mail address in Tuscon, Arizona. Respondent is the current registrant for both disputed domain names, the one, <capstonemortgage.info>, currently administered by directNic.com showing a record creation date of April 12, 2004, and the other, <capstone-mortgage.net>, administered by Gandi SARL and showing a record creation date of April 27, 2004. Complainant alleges that it was Respondent that registered each and that each was first registered on the record creation dates shown in the registrars' WHOIS databases.
Complainant further alleges that Respondent has used and continues to use the two disputed domain names to send potentially millions of spam email messages directing people to identical web pages maintained at each of the disputed domain names. Although variously phrased, each of the spam emails relates to a mortgage application that the recipient allegedly filed, or to other mortgage-related information. The web pages maintained at each of the disputed domain names invite the visitor to provide personal information that purportedly will be used to solicit mortgage quotes on the visitors' behalf and that would permit the owner of the web page to act as a mortgage broker in a manner similar to Complainant. Annexed to the Complaint are printouts of examples of the deceptive spam email messages and the identical web pages associated with each disputed domain name.
As a direct result of Respondent's activities, Complainant claims it has suffered immediate harm to its reputation and to the goodwill associated with its CAPSTONE MORTGAGE mark. This is evidenced, according to Complainant, by the numerous angry, threatening, profane, and abusive emails Complainant has received from the recipients of Respondent's spam email messages, and by an invoice Complainant received from an Internet provider demanding payment for the removal of the spam messages. Annexed to the Complaint are representative samples of spam reports and email complaints received by the Complainant, as well as the ISP invoice for removal of spam messages. The nature and volume of email complaints received by Complainant caused Complainant to take down its own web page and replace it with a web page notifying visitors that Complainant has nothing to do with the spam emails and advising visitors to take action to protect their identities in the event they submitted information to Respondent's websites. In addition to the harm to its reputation and goodwill as a result of spam the public believes Complainant is responsible for, Complainant also claims to have lost significant business as a result of having to take down its web page.
To bolster its argument that Respondent has acted in bad faith, Complainant provides evidence that, also in April 2004, Respondent appears to have registered the domain names <expeditemortgage.net> and <pinnaclemortgage.info>. These two domain names are substantially identical to the domain names <expeditemortgage.com> and <pinnaclemortgage.com> which, according to Complainant, are held by legitimate mortgage companies like Complainant. Annexed to the Complaint is evidence that the <expeditemortgage.net> and <pinnaclemortgage.info> domain names belonging to Respondent have been the subject of numerous spam messages in the same manner and to a similar extent as the disputed domain names have.
5. Parties' Contentions
A. Complainant
Complainant contends that it has developed common law rights in the mark CAPSTONE MORTGAGE through Complainant's longstanding and continuous use of the mark in its name, its domain name and website, and through its investment of time, money and promotional efforts, that such rights are cognizable under the Policy, and that the disputed domain names <capstonemortgage.info> and <capstone-mortgage.net> are identical or confusingly similar to Complainant's CAPSTONE MORTGAGE mark. Complainant next contends that Respondent lacks any right or legitimate interest in the disputed domain names by virtue of Complainant holding exclusive rights in the CAPSTONE MORTGAGE mark, because Respondent is neither Complainant's agent nor licensee, and because the offer of services through the sending of unsolicited bulk email messages is not a bona fide offering under the Policy. Complainant further contends that Respondent registered and is using the domain names in bad faith as evidenced by the numerous spam messages referencing the disputed domain names, Respondent's registration of other domain names referenced by spam messages which are substantially identical to the domain names of other legitimate mortgage brokers, and Respondent's use of a non-existent email address on its domain name registration applications.
Complainant concludes by requesting, in accordance with Paragraph 4(i) of the Policy, that the Panel issue a decision that the domain names <capstonemortgage.info> and <capstone-mortgage.net> be transferred to Complainant.
B. Respondent
As noted above, no response to Complainant's allegations was received from Respondent in this proceeding.
6. Discussion and Findings
Pursuant to Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy, the Complainant has the burden of establishing the existence of the following three elements:
(i) The disputed domain names are identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the Complainant has rights; and
(ii) The Respondent has no rights or legitimate interest in respect of the disputed domain names; and
(iii) The disputed domain names were registered and are being used in bad faith.
A. Identical or Confusingly Similar: Policy 4(a)(i)
Complainant has established that it holds rights in the mark CAPSTONE MORTGAGE for mortgage brokerage services, at least within the geographic areas of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Under U.S. law, as under the laws of certain other countries, trademark and service mark rights can be established, without registration, by virtue of adoption and continuous and substantially exclusive use. 2 J. McCarthy, McCarthy on Trademarks and Unfair Competition, Chapter 16 (4th ed. 2004); Savino Del Bene Inc. v. Graziano Innocenti Gennari, WIPO Case No. D2000-1133 (December 12, 2000). The Policy does not require a complainant to establish rights in a mark through registration. The Policy protects also against the bad faith registration and use of domain names that are identical or confusingly similar to marks acquired through use under common law. Adobe Systems Inc. v. Domain OZ, WIPO Case No. D2000-0057 (March 22, 2000). The evidence proffered by Complainant, of use of Capstone Mortgage in its company name, letterhead, business cards, "capstonemortgage.com" domain name, website, and other promotional material, continuously over a period of time, is sufficient to demonstrate that Complainant holds legally cognizable rights in the CAPSTONE MORTGAGE mark.
The disputed domain names, <capstonemortgage.info> and <capstone-mortgage.net>, are virtually identical to the mark in which Complainant holds rights. Incorporation of a trademark in its entirety is sufficient, in most cases, to establish that a domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a complainant's mark. Britannia Building Society v. Britannia Fraud Prevention, WIPO Case no. D2001-0505 (July 6, 2001). It is axiomatic that the addition of a top-level domain, such as "net" or "info", to a trademark results in a domain name that is identical, for purposes of Paragraph 4(a)(i) of the Policy, to the trademark. Accor v. P.C. Communication Ltd., WIPO Case No. D2000-1580 (January 18, 2001). It is also well established among UDRP panels, as well as obvious, that the addition of a hyphen between two words that comprise a mark to form a domain name is insufficient to distinguish the domain name from the mark. Nintendo Of America Inc. v. This Domain Is For Sale, WIPO Case No. D2000-1197 (November 1, 2000).
While the term "mortgage" is generic for the services offered by both parties, the term "capstone" is substantially arbitrary as respects mortgage brokerage services. Considered in its entirety, CAPSTONE MORTGAGE is a relatively strong mark even when used in conjunction with mortgage services. Respondent purports to offer services in a geographic area that includes the geographic area in which Complainant does business under the CAPSTONE MORTGAGE mark. Realmark Cape Harbour L.L.C. v. Lawrence S. Lewis, WIPO Case No. D2000-1435 (December 11, 2000). That Complainant received hundreds of angry emails from the recipients of Respondent's spam messages is compelling evidence of public confusion, if not deception. The Panel therefore finds that the domain names <capstonemortgage.info> and <capstone-mortgage.net> are identical or confusingly similar to the CAPSTONE MORTGAGE mark in which Complainant holds rights and that Complainant has established element (i) of the Policy's Paragraph 4(a).
B. Rights or Legitimate Interests: Policy 4(a)(ii)
There is no evidence that Respondent is an authorized agent or licensee of the Complainant or of Complainant's products or services, or that Respondent has other authority or permission to use Complainant's CAPSTONE MORTGAGE mark in his domain names.
Complainant contends it has exclusive rights to use the phrase "Capstone Mortgage" in an Internet domain simply by virtue of the fact that Complainant has a trademark and domain name incorporating the CAPSTONE MORTGAGE mark. The Panel disagrees with this broad assertion.
Notwithstanding, once a complainant establishes that a respondent's domain name is identical or confusingly similar to complainant's mark, and that complainant has not authorized respondent to use the mark, the burden shifts to respondent to establish some right or legitimate interest in respect of the domain name. Sony Kabushiki Kaisha v. Sony.net, WIPO Case No. D2000-1074 (November 28, 2000). By not submitting a response, Respondent has failed to invoke any circumstance that might demonstrate, pursuant to Paragraph 4(c) of the Policy, that he holds some right or legitimate interest in the disputed domain names. Ahead Software AG v. Leduc Jean, WIPO Case No. D2004-0323 (June 29, 2004).
The record demonstrates that Respondent appears to have engaged in the practice of sending unsolicited bulk emails, or spam, to promote identical commercially oriented websites residing at the two disputed domain names. This Panel agrees with those UDRP panels that have concluded that conducting commerce through the practice of spamming does not constitute a bona fide offering of goods and services for purposes of Paragraph 4(c)(i) of the Policy. NetCreations, Inc. v. Rob Martinson, NAF Case No. FA0208000118398 (October 30, 2002) ; XO Communications, Inc. v. XO Network Operations Center, Inc., NAF Case No. FA0303000150786 (April 28, 2003). The practice of sending unsolicited bulk email advertisements with false header and contact information is now illegal under the laws of several countries, including the United States. Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003 (CAN-SPAM Act). Illegal commercial activities are, by definition, not bona fide. Verio Inc. v. Sushinehh, WIPO Case No. D2003-0255 (June 24, 2003).
As the record is devoid of plausible evidence demonstrating a right or legitimate interest of Respondent in respect of the disputed domain names, the Panel finds that element (ii) of the Policy's Paragraph 4(a) has also been established.
C. Registered and Used in Bad Faith: Policy 4(a)(iii)
Paragraph 4(a)(iii) of the Policy requires that the Complainant demonstrate that Respondent both registered and is using the disputed domain names in bad faith. Paragraph 4(b) of the Policy iterates a non-exclusive list of circumstances that constitute evidence of bad faith registration and use. A complainant need only demonstrate the existence of one of these circumstances in order to meet its burden under the third element of the Policy. Complainant here has demonstrated two.
Complainant has put forth no evidence that Respondent registered the disputed domain names to sell, rent or otherwise transfer them to Complainant, or to a competitor of Complainant, for profit. Paragraph 4(b)(i) of the Policy. Nor is there evidence that Respondent registered the domain names at issue in order to prevent Complainant from reflecting its mark in a corresponding domain name. Paragraph 4(b)(ii) of the Policy.
However, Complainant has put forth evidence tending to establish that Respondent likely registered the <capstone-mortgage.net> and <capstonemortgage.info> domain names for the purpose of disrupting the business of a competitor, namely Respondent (Paragraph 4(b)(iii) of the Policy), and in order to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to Respondent's websites by creating a likelihood of confusion with the Complainant's mark (Paragraph 4(b)(iv) of the Policy). That evidence consists of Respondent having registered four domain names that are virtually identical to the domain names and marks of three established mortgage companies, that Respondent maintains commercial websites at these four domain names which Respondent uses to solicit customers and customer information for Respondent's mortgage brokerage services, and that Respondent, or someone related to Respondent, has been sending deceptive bulk emails advertising the commercial websites that reside at these domain names. Other panels, having considered the practice of a domain name registrant sending unsolicited bulk emails to promote a website residing at a domain having a name confusingly similar to a competitor's trademark, have concluded both that the domain name had been registered and was being used primarily for the purpose of disrupting the competitor's business, including through tarnishment of the competitor's trademark and consequent goodwill, and that the domain name had been registered to confuse consumers as to source, sponsorship, affiliation or endorsement, for commercial gain. Ahead Software AG v. Leduc Jean, WIPO Case No. D2004-0323 (June 29, 2004); NetCreations, Inc. v. Rob Martinson, NAF Case No. FA0208000118398 (October 30, 2002); XO Communications, Inc. v. XO Network Operations Center, Inc., NAF Case No. FA0303000150786 (April 28, 2003).
Pursuant to Paragraph 14(b) of the Rules, the Panel has discretion to draw such inferences from Respondent's default as the Panel considers appropriate. Considering the relatively distinctive character of Complainant's CAPSTONE MORTGAGE mark, and that Respondent also registered domain names that correspond identically to two other established mortgage companies with similarly distinctive names, this Panel deems it highly unlikely that Respondent was unaware of Complainant and its CAPSTONE MORTGAGE mark at the time Respondent registered the disputed domain names. Given these circumstances, and Respondent's practice of promoting its websites through deceptive spam, the Panel is satisfied that Respondent registered and is using the <capstone-mortgage.net> and <capstonemortgage.info> domain names in bad faith and that element (iii) of the Policy's Paragraph 4(a) has also been established.
7. Decision
For the foregoing reasons, in accordance with Paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel concludes that the relief requested in the Complaint should be granted and that the domain names <capstone-mortgage.net> and <capstonemortgage.info> should be transferred to Complainant Capstone Mortgage Co.
Seth M. Reiss
Sole Panelist
Dated: July 16, 2004


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First of all, such a great title! Did it arise out of the story structure you chose, or vice versa?
Thank you! I actually decided on the title and story structure at the same time; both stemmed from the themes that I'm grappling with in this piece. I wanted to write a story about society's relationship with female beauty and appearance, and specifically about female beauty and appearance as portrayed in stories and in the media. I wanted to evoke fairy tales, but also modern beauty tips and fashion advice, which are often presented as lists ("Twenty-five tips to transform your skin!" "Five cold-shoulder tops to show off your shoulders!" et cetera). My title and structure are partly a tongue-in-cheek nod to these kinds of lists, but at the same time, I certainly didn't want to vilify women who pay attention to beauty tips and to their appearances. On the contrary, while I was writing this story, I was thinking about this infuriating trend wherein women are expected to conform to beauty standards, but the products and industries and practices that they use to conform to those beauty standards are dismissed as frivolous and stupid. That line of thinking brought me back to fairy tales. In my view, the modern tendency to sneer at fashion and makeup while still expecting women to conform in certain ways is connected with the old trope in folktales where women are supposed to be passively beautiful, but if they covet beauty, or take steps to create beauty for themselves, they are condemned as vain and shallow and even evil. I wanted to engage with both old and new in this story, and so I wrote about fairy tale witches who take this desire to control their beauty to the extreme, but I used the structure and title to evoke a modern list of beauty tips and thus also tie my story to the relationship between women, beauty, and society today.
This story is written from an omniscient point of view, with the narrator occasionally breaking the fourth wall to pose questions directly to the reader. What was your intention in doing this?
Many modern stories are written with the intent to make their readers forget that they are experiencing a story; many modern authors don't want the scaffolding that holds up narrative voice or character development to poke through. I had the opposite goal here; I wanted to remind my readers throughout this piece that they are experiencing Avarice and Lilé Mar through the lens of fiction. By extension, I wanted to remind them that every time they read a work of fiction, they are actually reading a work by a writer who made a conscious or unconscious choice to describe certain characters in certain ways. The women of fiction are often either quite beautiful, or intriguing despite their lack of physical beauty. And I'm not just talking about the women of old fairy tales: we've all read the fantasy novels featuring female characters who think about their breasts all the time, or the literary stories about nubile female college students. The problem goes deep: I just finished reading a modern fairy tale-based novel, written by a woman, that's supposed to be about a young girl defying society and embracing her powers—and yet I learned next to nothing about that character's interiority, and so much about how all the male characters around her considered her to be ugly but extremely alluring. In my story, I wanted to show how the way we view women and female characters often determines whether they receive a narrative at all. By the rules of fiction, ugly Avarice, ignored by all men, shouldn't even get a story, but she wants a story, a way out of her peasant's life, and so she makes one for herself. By the rules of fiction, Lilé Mar should get a story, because she's conventionally beautiful, but she doesn't want one: she just wants to be left alone. By breaking the fourth wall, I wanted to remind readers that we were operating in a world in which the tropes of fiction applied, and to encourage them to think about the ways in which I was playing with them and commenting on them.
You hold a day job as a journalist. Do you find it difficult to switch between writing fiction and nonfiction? Does the news serve as inspiration for your fiction, or do you find fiction to be an escape from the here and now?
I actually don't work full-time as a journalist anymore: I'm currently working part-time at an online feminist historical archive (jwa.org, if you want to link it!) and pursuing my MFA in fiction at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. However, I still pursue freelance journalist assignments whenever I can, and journalism is still and always will be very close to my heart. I used to find it difficult to switch between these forms, given that my fiction tends to be very lyrical and language-based, whereas nonfiction is typically more stripped-down. However, as the years have passed, I've gotten better at wearing these different hats, and indeed have begun to find that writing deeper into these disparate genres has actually helped me improve my prowess in both of them. Journalism teaches you empathy, whereas fiction teaches you the beauty and power of language. Both of these skills are so important for all types of writing.
I don't read or write fiction to escape the here and now. I think that fiction, even fiction that's marketed as escapist, is always a reflection of the world in which it's written, as well as the mores and beliefs of its author. The best fiction helps readers think about their world in a new way, or helps expand our culture's narrative to include more experiences and voices. We are at a critical moment now in which the feminist movement is experiencing a horrible backlash, a backlash that has also exposed just how far we still have to go to achieve true gender equality. Writing stories about women feels more important than ever these days, and I'm certainly thinking of the news and the society we live in every time I write one.
You attended both the Odyssey and Clarion writer's workshops. Did you find your experiences similar at both, and would you recommend such workshops to aspiring writers?
I would absolutely recommend both of these workshops to aspiring writers, although my experience was quite different at each of them. In my opinion, Odyssey is better for early-career writers; the workshop is run by one instructor, and is focused on the fundamental building blocks of fiction. Odyssey taught me the internal workings of story and narrative; I still think of the terminology and lessons I learned there, both when writing myself and as I gear up to teach my own students as part of my MFA program.
Clarion, on the other hand, is run by six different authors or editors, so the information taught there varies from year to year. In my experience, Clarion is more about developing voice and aesthetic, figuring out what kind of writer you want to be and how to get there. Two of my instructors, Kelly Link and Ted Chiang, emphasized the importance of writing stories that excite you. I've heard that other Clarion classes received that kind of voice-developing advice at the workshop as well. Also, since people are working on voice and meaning at Clarion, the workshop tends to be more political than Odyssey, although perhaps that's also a function of the fact that I attended Clarion in 2016, in the lead-up to the US presidential election. So, I would absolutely recommend both of these workshops, but I would suggest attending Clarion after Odyssey; once you learn how to craft a story, you can then figure out what kinds of stories you want to tell.
What are you working on now?
I'm currently focused on revising a backlog of short stories I wrote both on my own and for my MFA workshop throughout 2017. One's about tableaux vivant, which was a Victorian party activity in which guests would entertain each other by dressing up as characters from famous paintings or scenes from history. Another is about drama and demons (or, rumored demons) in an early modern French convent. I'm a huge fan of history and historical research and incorporating that into my stories, in case you can't tell!
Spread the word!


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The Environmental Working Group recently blogged about apples and DPA, the pesticide applied to apples once they're harvested to protect them during storage.
DPA is an antioxidant that slows the development of black patches on the skins of picked apples in storage.
This chemical has caused a debate in both the US and EU on whether or not DPA should continue to be used on our produce.
The EU recently restricted DPA to 0.1 part per million, because people would not be at risk with concentrations that low, but some apples, although not sprayed with DPA, can have trace amounts of the pesticide if stored in a warehouse that once used it.
Although the EPA must review pesticides every 15 years to make sure there is no harm to humans, they haven't reviewed DPA in 16 years.
Purchasing organic apples, organic apple juice, or organic apple sauce, is an easy change to make to reduce the risk of ingesting potentially harmful chemicals.
To read the full story on apples and DPA, click here.


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Business Briefs: Aug. 4, 2012
Aug. 4: Filthy Rich grand opening
Filthy Rich, a jewelry showroom and gallery, will have its grand opening at 41-B King St. from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. today. Filthy Rich's original location at 84 Charlotte St. is still open.
The gallery offers everyone a trip down memory lane with ongoing videos, old movies, poster, albums, movie props, home theater decor and collector items.
Call 342-5092.
Aug. 4: Abella's School of Dance open house
An open house will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. today at the new home of Abella's School of Dance, 1711 Lakeside Ave., Unit 9 in St. Augustine. The new location is across the street from Cobblestone Village.
Starting at 1:30 p.m., there will be free dance demonstrations and workshops every half hour. A ballet trunk show will have dance attire, such as leotards, ballet slippers, pointe shoes, tights and ballet skirts available for purchase during the open house.
Abella's offers instruction in ballet, modern, jazz, musical theater, creative movement, tumbling, gym and pilates.
Call 810-5670, email firstname.lastname@example.com or go to www.abellaballet.com.
Aug. 7: Orthopaedic Associates blood drive
Orthopaedic Associates will be hosting a blood drive from 11:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday at the St. Augustine location, adjacent to Flagler Hospital. Appointment times are available. There are 15 available slots. Contact Angela Bagley at 825-0540 ext. 225 or email email@example.com.
Aug. 8: Ponte Vedra Chamber Before Hours
The Ponte Vedra Chamber Before Hours will be at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday at the Player's Cafe, 262 Solano Road. The cost is $7.50 for members and $10 for guests. Go to pontevedrachamber.org/events.
Aug. 8: Ponte Vedra Chamber political gathering
The Ponte Vedra Chamber will hold a political gathering at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 45 PGA Tour Blvd. It will be free to attend. Go to www.pontevedrachamber.org/events.
Aug. 14: Debbie's Day Spa special event
Debbie's Day Spa, 403 Anastasia Blvd., will hold a fundraiser for Betty Griffin House from 6 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 14. All proceeds from services will go to the Betty Griffin House children's services. For $25, customers can get a chair massage, paraffin treatment, skin analysis and hair consultation. Tickets are limited to the first 150.
For reservations to the event, call the salon at 825-0569 or Kim at Betty Griffin House 808-9984.
Aug. 15: Ponte Vedra Chamber at Noon
The Ponte Vedra Chamber at Noon will be at 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 15 at the Sawgrass Golf Club, 10034 Golf Club Drive. A feature will be a mini fashion show. The cost is $25 for members with a reservation and $30 for guests and members at the door. Go to www.pontevedrachamber.org/events.
Aug. 22: Ponte Vedra Chamber After Hours
The Ponte Vedra Chamber After Hours will be at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 22 at the Nocatee Welcome Center, 245 Little River Road. The meeting is free for all members and first time guests. Go to www.pontevedrachamber.org/events.
Aug. 25: The North Florida Vendors Association opens new farmers market
The North Florida Vendors Association announced the opening of a new weekly community farmers market in Alpine Groves Park, 2060 State Road 13 in Switzerland, in northwestern St. Johns County.
The grand opening of the St. Johns River Farmers Market is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 25. The association welcomes interest from local farmers, artists, crafters and volunteer organizations. Email email@example.com.
Aug. 30: Ponte Vedra Chamber After Hours
The Ponte Vedra Chamber After Hours will be at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 30 at Urban Flats at 330 A1A North. The cost is $10 for members with a reservation and $15 for members and guests at the door. Go to www.pontevedrachamber.org/events.
Submit business briefs and other announcements to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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About Baby Hazel Winter Fun
Description: Winter is almost here. There's a snowfall outside and it is chilly! Our lovely Baby Hazel and her friends are enjoying the first days of winter. Do you want to be part of this winter special day? Then go play in snow with Baby Hazel and her friends. Make an igloo and enjoy watching them skiing and fishing.
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