text:
Tag: Kalamazoo College
From California to Kalamazoo: An Interview with Viridiana Carvajal
Ms. Carvajal with Ysabel at the CIS Think Summer! program
Welcome back to the POP QUIZ! This is a regular, yet totally unexpected, feature where we ask students, parents, staff, our friends, and partners to answer a few questions about what they are learning, reading, and thinking about. Today we feature Viridiana Carvajal, CIS After School Site Coordinator at El Sol Elementary. El Sol functions similarly to a magnet school, accepting students from throughout the Kalamazoo Public School district. Approximately half of El Sol's students come from homes where Spanish is the primary spoken language and half from English-speaking homes.
Viri was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. When she was six, she and her family moved to Mexico, returning back to her California home when she was 12. Upon graduating from high school, she would make yet another journey, this time to Michigan for college.
Kalamazoo College and her experience with the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) would be a gateway to her future in many ways. And, as you'll soon learn, her experience as a Kalamazoo College Civic Engagement Scholar opened the door to a career with CIS. She would also meet her life partner, Moises Hernandez. Moises is now Assistant Director at CCE. He also serves as a CIS volunteer and, as part of the Volunteer Leadership Advisory Council, received the 2019 Gulnar Husain Volunteer award. [More on that, here.]
A versatile and talented young woman, she has held various roles with CIS, supporting elementary, middle, and high school students across five different schools. Viri now lives in Kalamazoo with Moises, their four-year-old son Gael, her mother, and sisters.
Back in July, we met up with Viri at Arcadia Elementary School, where CIS Think Summer! was in full swing thanks to the support of federal dollars awarded through the Michigan Department of Education, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers. As the Director of CIS Think Summer! for around 90 elementary students hailing from nine different KPS schools, Viri was, well, busy.
Throughout the interview, Viri not only answered questions for Ask Me About My 12,000 Kids but periodically excused herself to field programmatic and kid questions from youth development coaches. She met briefly with a parent who stopped by, passed out a couple band-aids, rounded up an ice-pack, and helped a student who was struggling with staying focused in the classroom. Her leadership on display through her attitude and actions, Viri's calm, positive, and open-minded approach washed over kids and grownups alike, setting just the right tone for the CIS Think Summer! program.
Alright, Viri: pencil out, eyes on your own paper. Good luck.
From California to Kalamazoo! Kalamazoo College brought you to Kalamazoo but how did you come to learn about Kalamazoo College?
I went to Camino Nuevo High School in L.A. and because a former principal from one of the Camino Nuevo Schools had graduated from Kalamazoo College, the counselors were also familiar with K, as well as Hope College. I applied to visit the college to see if it would be a good fit for me. Turns out it was! I came from a very small high school and wanted a small campus.
I went to Kalamazoo College with the goal of becoming a math major. During my junior year, because of my experience with CIS through the Center for Civic Engagement, I changed my major to psychology.
Can you share more about your experience of connecting with CIS? You've worn several hats with the organization, haven't you?
Yes! I was first introduced to CIS during my first year of college through my involvement with the Mary Jane Stryker Center for Civic Engagement. As a college freshman, that first year I worked on campus, involved with a tutoring program focused on math and science. It was in my sophomore year that I learned about the CIS and Kalamazoo College partnership at El Sol Elementary and Maple Street Magnet School for the Arts. As one of Kalamazoo College's Civic Engagement Scholars [more on the Scholars and their involvement with CIS here] I tutored students at Maple Street, and then later, as part of my psychology class, did some volunteer work with CIS at Woodward School for Technology and Research.
During my last year at Kalamazoo College, [Senior Director of Community Engagement & Student Investment] Artrella Cohn brought me on board to work in the math tutoring program at Kalamazoo Central High School. That summer, I applied with CIS to be a YDC [Youth Development Coach] and went to work at El Sol in the fall of 2015. In January, I went back to LA but when I returned in 2016, I stepped back into my role as a YDC and worked with Kids in Tune during CIS Think Summer! I continued to support students as a YDC both during the school year and throughout CIS Think Summer!
In the fall of 2017, I transitioned to yet another role, serving as the interim CIS After School Coordinator at El Sol. That position became permanent for me. And in the summer of 2018, I was also the CIS Site Coordinator for the Kids in Tune portion of summer programming. I feel fortunate that I had the opportunity to work with Stacy Jackson who had, for the elementary level, been the Director of CIS Think Summer!
And now you have are here at Arcadia Elementary School serving as the Director of CIS Think Summer! Is there a school or CIS position that you haven't been connected with in some way?
[Viri laughs.]
What do you love about working at El Sol as CIS After School Coordinator?
The kids! I love the kids. I've known many of these kids since I came on with CIS as a YDC. When I arrived, they were in kindergarten. Now those same kids will be going into fourth grade this fall. It's amazing to see them grow and change. Also, it's been wonderful coming to know and be with their families. Because the parents are very involved and I've been a consistent presence, the families know me. We've built relationships and they trust me.
Trust plays a huge part in your work with families, doesn't it?
Yes, through the relationships we have built, and working together to support their children, that trust has grown. In some cases, families may come to me for other things, such as helping to translate things for them. Knowing that the kids want to return to CIS and parents want their kids to return and be involved with CIS tells me they want their kids with us and are trusting me to keep them safe.
What is one of the most fulfilling aspects of being a CIS after school coordinator?
Hearing kids want to return to CIS. They are excited for tomorrow and what it will bring. Our coaches work hard preparing for them and having a schedule for them to follow. Just like during the day, there are expectations we have for students in the after school program. While the students may grumble about it, at end of the day, they really appreciate the structure we provide.
Also, if I've been gone for a day, I love hearing them say, "We missed you!"
What do you find most challenging about your work?
Recognizing that some things are out of my control things and learning to be okay with that—it has been hard. I'm a person that always wants to have answers and help however I can. So I am out of my comfort zone when I can't do something about a given situation. It's hard to be okay with that. So while I've had that challenge in my role at El Sol, I find I am having similar feelings in a different setting as I adjust to our summer program. We have different kids are coming from different schools, all with different experiences, and I don't have control over that.
George by Alex Gino. It was recommended by one of my coaches [also referred to as youth development coaches] and I just started it. It's about a transgender student who is in fourth grade.
What is your favorite word right now?
Grateful. I feel grateful and am grateful. I'm serving in this summer position as director and that is new for me. It's not easy and I am grateful to have the support I do in this position, both in my professional and in my personal life.
Behind every successful person is a caring adult. Who has been your caring adult?
My mom, Elena. She's been a single mom raising three girls. She worked so hard and sacrificed so much for us. She taught me a lot. She always has a lesson to teach me, even now. If I have a hard day at work she calms me and helps me look at things differently. I look up to her, my role model.
Thank you, Viri, for hanging out with us at Ask Me About My 12,000 Kids.
Do you or someone you know speak Spanish? Consider becoming a volunteer with CIS today. Our students at El Sol and at other CIS sites throughout Kalamazoo Public Schools can use your support. Start the process by going here today!
Posted in Pop QuizTagged 21st CCLC Community Learning Centers, Arcadia Elementary School, CIS Think Summer, El Sol Elementary School, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo College Civic Engagement Scholars, Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement, Michigan Department of Education, Moises Hernandez, Viridiana Carvajal, VLAC, Volunteer Leadership Advisory Council
Teresa Denton: A Passion for Social Justice
Welcome back to the POP QUIZ! This is a regular, yet totally unexpected, feature where we ask students, parents, staff, our friends, and partners to answer a few questions about what they are learning, reading, and thinking about. Today we feature Teresa Denton, Associate Director for the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement (CCE).
Teresa and her CCE colleagues provide steady leadership and over the 18-year partnership between CCE and CIS, hundreds of Civic Engagement Scholars have been able to work with and learn from the community. Through their student-led service learning projects, Kalamazoo Public Schools students have thrived from the diverse, high quality programming offered. The K Civic Engagement Scholars were honored with a 2018 Champ Award and you can learn more about the exciting work they are doing in several Kalamazoo Public Schools by going here.
A former Champ herself, Teresa is married to Douglas Duncan, an art teacher in the Kalamazoo Public Schools. They have three children, all graduates of Kalamazoo Public Schools. Their son, Andy, graduated from University of Michigan with an arts and ideas major. Jeremiah, a Heyl scholar at Kalamazoo College, majored in biology. Jeremiah was a VISTA with CIS! (Hi there, Jeremiah!) Tess, their daughter, graduated from Michigan State University with a BA in arts and humanities, and a BS in forestry.
"All of our kids attended Woodward School," Teresa says, "and that was—and is—a big part of our community in Kalamazoo. Two of our kids used the Kalamazoo Promise. We love the Promise! My children were going to college anyway but it allowed them greater choice. My daughter was able to earn both a BS and BA because the Promise paid for four of her six years of college. Her second degree made it possible for her to go on to be a wild firefighter with the National Forest Service—a job she loves!"
Teresa immerses herself in the complex issues of our times and strives hard to see the full, balanced picture, working and inspiring others towards just and sustainable solutions. In addition to her role with Kalamazoo College, Teresa is one of the founding board members of Community Advocates for Parents and Students (CAPS), an academic enrichment program at Interfaith Homes Neighborhood Network Center. She chairs the board for Fair Food Matters, serves as a member of the Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes Advocacy committee, and participates in the Kalamazoo Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation initiative. Our community benefits from Teresa's knack for seeing the glass half empty and half full at the same time.
We met up with Teresa at Walnut & Park Café, one of her favorite spots in Kalamazoo. That's because they serve more than a great cup of coffee. [Read more about their approach to serving the community here.]
Alright, Teresa: pencil out, eyes on your own paper. Good luck.
What is something interesting you've recently learned?
I attended the Michigan Good Food Summit on October 22 and Saru Jayaraman, the co-founder and president of ROC United (Restauarant Opportunities Centers United), was the keynote speaker. She spoke about Justice for Restaurant Workers and the Campaign for Fair Wages "One Fair Wage." As you know, it's a very controversial subject. I did ten years of waitressing. It's hard work. Livelihoods shouldn't be dependent upon what mood a customer is in. Some argue that paying restaurant workers a regular minimum wage would hurt business. Yet, when ROC United compared restaurants in states that don't pay the minimum wage to tipped workers with the seven states that have already passed the One Fair Wage, they found they have experienced higher sales, higher job growth, and tipping has actually gone up in those seven states!
Something interesting I learned from Saru Jayarman's talk is that the tradition of tipping in America has roots in and is a holdover from slavery and emancipation.
I didn't know that connection with slavery.
Yes, while that practice of tipping comes from Europe—and Europe has pretty much done away with tipping—when it was introduced in America it was hotly debated and seen as undemocratic. It was the restaurants and railway companies—the Pullman train car industry—that fought to keep tipping. That way, they justified not having to pay their employees—the recently freed black slaves who were now employed by those industries.' [For more on this topic, go here.]
One of the latest books I've read is The Revolution Will Not Be Funded: Beyond the Non-Profit Industrial Complex. The essays within it, pulled together by INCITE!, take an important look into the world of philanthropy and the ways it operates both positively and negatively in the world today.
I'm a pessimist, so I'd rather tell you my least favorite word. [She laughs.]
That's fine, though you are one of the most positive pessimists we know!
I really am, though. And so, for my least favorite word, I'd say I hate collaboration. I mean, I don't hate collaboration at all. Just the word. It's overused. Aspirational words that people don't put action behind, bothers me.
As for a positive word, maybe hope? Although, I'm not very hopeful. I guess my favorite word right now is resistance. My department at K is responsible for organizing the "Get Out the Vote" for the upcoming midterms. While voting is only one form of resistance, it is a critical way for everyone to have a voice. Especially now when many voices are being oppressed.
What is something you love about Kalamazoo?
Libraries. Bike trails. The history of commitment to youth from longtime residents like my friend and CAPS partner, Dorothy Young. She represents the best of Kalamazoo's citizens—she has advocated tirelessly for youth and families through the years and takes little credit.
I have many but I'll just talk about one. I'm a first-generation college student and was fortunate to have a wonderful mentor in college, Akbar Mahdi. He challenged me, saw something in me, and was bound and determined I'd go on to school.
He opened my mind to critical thought and really challenged me. If it wasn't for him, I'm not sure if I would have gone on to obtain my MSW from the University of Michigan. He inspired me to continue my education and have confidence to see myself in academia. I'm so glad, too, because I love the work I do. I get to guide students as they put theory into practice working within the community. I like that they don't have to wait until they have a college degree in hand to work for change.
What's your definition of social justice?
Social justice is about equity and dignity for all people. It's about working together to make systematic change. It is absolutely political. You have to get to the point where you look at the history of racism, sexism and all the other 'isms' and just say, the status quo is unacceptable and then work to change it. At the Center for Civic Engagement we talk a lot with our students about "charity vs. change" and believe social justice is about addressing root causes and challenging current systems. All of our fates and humanity are tied up together.
There is a quote that really captures this idea of social justice for me. It's by Lilla Watson. She is an Aboriginal elder, activist, and educator from Queensland, Australia. She says, "If you have come here to help me you are wasting your time, but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together."
Cultural humility is important, too. Social justice is done through relationships—real relationships—over time. My role as a parent at Woodward 20 years ago is how I developed relationships with many people that has helped me do the work I do. You can't simply drop into a diversity workshop and call it a day. It takes time and work, and authentic relationships.
So tell us, where does your passion for social justice come from? When was that seed first planted?
I grew up in a small rural, homogeneous community. When I was a kid, we experienced several house fires so we lived with my grandparents for a year. I experienced the power of community because of the support my family received during this time.
I was rather isolated so I learned much about the world through books that I read. And even though injustice was all around me—in the form of exploited labor—I had no context for what I was seeing until I was in college and learned about labor movements and now had a vocabulary to describe the incredible challenges faced by seasonal farmworkers. And full disclosure, I learned about the feminist movement from watching Phil Donahue.
I think we all learned something from that show. I remember watching it in the 70's with my mom and we'd have some great discussions.
But it was when I went to college that a number of experiences shaped me. I did an exchange program where I went to school and worked for six months in Appalachia. It was there that I learned about the history of coal miner strikes, environmental justice, generational poverty, educational disparities, among other things. I helped run an arts program in a local elementary school where I witnessed people addressing educational inequities. Of course I really gained a greater understanding of this when I became a Woodward parent and got involved with KPS.
Anything else you want us to know about?
Belonging is one of my favorite words! Oh, I should have said that was my favorite word when you asked me. Who belongs where? Who is given the messages that they don't belong? If I don't do anything else in my job I hope I have helped students from underrepresented groups in college feel like they belong at K College and in the greater Kalamazoo Community. Thanks to all of the wonderful CIS staff like Viri [Carvajal], Jen [DeWaele], Ebony [Ragotzy], and Levi [Soto] at Woodward and El Sol for welcoming the K students into their school buildings and making them feel like they belong there.
Thank you, Teresa, for hanging out with us at Ask Me About My 12,000 Kids.
Posted in Partnerships, Pop QuizTagged CIS, Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo, Community Advocates for Parents and Students, Fair Food Matters, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes, Kalamazoo Promise, Kalamazoo Public Schools, Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement, Michigan Good Food Summit, Racial Healing & Transformation, ROC United, Saru Jayaraman, Teresa Denton, The Revolution Will Not Be Funded, Truth, VISTA, Walnut & Park Cafe, Woodward School for Technology and Research
Conversation with Levi Soto on Student Success, Social Work, Soccer, and more
Welcome back to the POP QUIZ! This is a regular, yet totally unexpected, feature where we ask students, parents, staff, our friends, and partners to answer a few questions about what they are learning, reading, and thinking about. Today we feature Levi Soto, CIS Site Coordinator at El Sol Elementary. We met up with him at this thriving school located in the historic Vine neighborhood. El Sol functions similarly to a magnet school, accepting students from throughout the Kalamazoo Public Schools district. Approximately half of El Sol's students come from homes where Spanish is the primary spoken language and half from English-speaking homes.
Originally from Hartford, Michigan, Soto came to Kalamazoo to attend Western Michigan University. While finishing his Bachelors in Social Work, Soto interned with Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo (CIS) and was placed at El Sol Elementary. The rest, as they say, is history. Now in his third year with CIS, Soto is also working towards his Masters in Social Work at Western Michigan University and interning with The Kalamazoo Promise. It's probably an understatement to say Soto is busy. As part of his internship responsibilities, Soto says he's excited to help pilot a new mentoring program. "It's a mentoring project in which seniors at WMU—men of color who are also Promise graduates in the education field and looking to become teachers—will be mentored by WMU alumni men of color."
Oh, and when El Sol is on summer break, Soto works with the Van Buren Intermediate School District's summer migrant program.
Alright, Levi: pencil out, eyes on your own paper. Good luck.
What do you love about working at El Sol as a CIS Site Coordinator?
I love the whole partnership aspect of the work we do. Take Kalamazoo College, for example. They are a terrific partner and provide us some wonderful bilingual students—anywhere from 20 to 30 each year—who serve as role models for our students while tutoring, mentoring, and offering diverse, high quality supports like the Lunch Buddy Program. I love our Lunch Buddy Program!
[To learn more about the lunch buddy program and the Kalamazoo College Civic Engagement Scholars who support El Sol and other schools, check out this blog post.]
I feel that all together—El Sol, CIS, and our partners and volunteers—we are a community, a family here. We come together and help children and families who need support, whether its academic, basic needs, or providing enrichment activities through after school.
What is one of the most fulfilling aspects of being a site coordinator?
Just knowing that the students are being positively impacted by the partners and volunteers coming into the school. Without CIS, things would be a lot different. I can't image what it would be like without CIS after school and all the resources the community provides through CIS during the school day. What everyone is doing is impactful and, in the long run, will help develop and strengthen the skills our kids need to be successful in school so they can go onto middle school, then high school, and on to college, higher learning of some kind.
What do you find most challenging about your work as a site coordinator?
Because we are a dual language school and everything is in both Spanish and English, I would say the challenge is to find more bilingual volunteers. And volunteers of color. It's great when we can connect volunteers and partners who serve as role models for kids who also can speak Spanish. We just need more!
I'm learning about policy planning through the administrative social work class I'm taking at Western. As part of that, I'm learning how to effect policy change.
What are you currently reading, besides text books that is?
Little books. [Levi retrieves several Newmark learning books from a resource shelf filled with books and games.]
These books are part of a series that promotes social emotional learning. I'll read these with our students. For instance, here's I Show Respect. It's an opportunity to ask students how kids in the book are showing respect. I'll ask them questions like "How do you show respect? What does it feel like to be given respect? To show respect to others?"
I really enjoy reading these with the students.
The kids respond to these books?
Yes, they really do. They are short and simple. The books have a good message and the students enjoy discussing the what and why questions that are at the end of the book.
What does your summer work with the migrant program look like?
I work with Van Buren Intermediate School District as part of their secondary credit recovery program. So I make over 200 home visits each summer. Usually, these visits with students occur after the second shift, after their families finish working. I'm meeting with the students anywhere between 8 and 11 p.m, to tutor them…It's good we have these kinds of programs in Michigan. As part of the program, we promote college. All these kids do is work and travel. And live in fear. They are isolated and don't go out. With the migrant program, we are able to broaden their experience, promote a college-going environment, and even take them on a tour of WMU.
Diversity. I like diversity. I like diversity in my life. I have it here at El Sol, in my internship with the Promise, and in my class at Western.
Speaking of diversity, I'm noticing a rise in the Latino/Hispanic population at WMU, particularly in my program. In the past, social work has typically been composed of white female and a few males. Lately, though, we have more men, men of color and women of color, too.
I think, at least with the Latino/Hispanic population, students are often first-generation college students. They don't necessarily know the ins and outs of college and careers…I think that the students are finally catching up with exploring different career options…I'm making some assumptions here, based on my experience. My family were migrant workers, you know.
Can you tell us what that experience was like?
As a migrant family, we travelled from Florida, to Georgia, to Ohio, to Michigan, depending on the crop season. We were constantly moving because of the crop seasons, so it was always different friends and different schools with different state requirements.
Did you work as a child?
Yes. After school I'd pick apples and then summer was blueberries…and also lots of mosquitoes. It was hard work and I didn't like it much. My parents settled down after a while, in Hartford. When I was twelve, they stopped working in the fields and my dad started working for a construction company. He and his brother saved up $20,000 and started their own gutter business.
L & A Gutters—it's family owned and operated—is now the largest gutter company in southwest Michigan! I used to work there, and even got to meet Muhammad Ali when we did the gutters on his house…I guess you could say my family is the American dream come true.
Kalamazoo has a lot of community involvement, as well as nonprofits and other supports we can turn to. Of course, just like anything, there is always room for improvement. There is diversity here as well. [Superintendent] Dr. Rice has said it, and he's right, that diversity is our strength.
My high school counselor, Rick Ward. We didn't have CIS at my school but we had Mr. Ward. He promoted a college-going environment and provided that CIS basic: a relationship with a one-on-one caring adult. He helped me with life skills. He was a role model for me.
Our school was predominately Caucasian and it was all Caucasian teachers with the exception of the Spanish teacher. He acknowledged that the Latino/Hispanic kids—we may have made up about 15% of the population back then—needed extra support and he went out of his way to build that support within our community.
How did he do that?
Growing up Mexican means being involved in soccer, kicking the ball around…it's more than a sport, it's one of the things that brings us together. Mr. Ward recognized this—that soccer was an important part of our culture. He started attending our soccer games and then in school, he'd take hold of the mic and for morning announcements would tell the whole school who scored a goal and we'd hear our names. It meant a lot.
He became a part of our Latino/Hispanic community. And he still goes to our soccer games…I'm the [Hartford Public Schools] assistant soccer coach.
You really do a variety of things, don't you?
[Levi laughs. In addition to his passion for helping students, it's clear that soccer remains an important part of his life.] …and we have been a team for the past ten years, recognized these past eight years as a top ten within the state!
Thank you, Levi, for hanging out with us at Ask Me About My 12,000 Kids.
Posted in Partnerships, Pop QuizTagged CIS, Communities In School of Kalamazoo, El Sol Elementary School, Hartford Public Schools, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo College Civic Engagement Scholars, Kalamazoo Public Schools, L & A Gutters, Levi Soto, Lunch Buddy Program, Newmark learning books, Rick Ward, Van Buren Intermediate School District, Van Buren Summer Migrant Program, Western Michigan University
Pop Quiz: Nicholas Keen
Welcome back to the POP QUIZ! This is a regular, yet totally unexpected, feature where we ask students, parents, staff, our friends, and partners to answer a few questions about what they are learning, reading, and thinking about. Today we feature Nicholas Keen (pictured on right) who is in his second year with Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo, serving as a Youth Development Worker at Hillside Middle School.
Nicholas grew up overseas and refers to himself as a 'Foreign Service brat.' "I got my start in Haiti, then Tunisia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Czechoslovakia, and Croatia. Intermittently, I'd come back to America, but the breadth of my youth was overseas." Nicholas eventually went to Kalamazoo College, graduated and started working for Communities In Schools.
Nicholas says that because he was always moving throughout his youth, he developed a "nuanced ability to adapt." This propensity to talk to strangers, learn how to make friends, and comfortably enter new settings helped him jump easily into his work as a Youth Development Worker.
Alright, Nicholas: pencil out, eyes on your own paper. Good luck.
I've been doing ballet for a while and just nailed how to do a pirouette. Consistently, that is.
What's the secret?
Doing it over and over again until it happens. You have to keep practicing, isolating each of your body movements, such as keeping your weight over the hips while rotating. You isolate the movements but also need to address each of them at the same time. It's more of an ongoing learning process. It's also enthralling.
I just finished Blood Memory by Martha Graham.
Favorite word right now?
Rapacious.
Aggressive greed.
I would love to be a freelance artist or become an educator for studio art classes at the college, high school, middle school and maybe even elementary level.
Behind every successful student is a caring adult. Who has been your caring adult?
Fortunately, I've had many. But my stepfather has been one of the more significant caring adults in my life. He came into my life when I was ten or eleven. I'd been without a father for four or five years and he applied more structure than had prevailed in our home. My mother was a foreign service officer within the US Embassy and quite busy. We were living in extravagant houses and my mother had to bear the weight of frequent gatherings. We had a cook, a housekeeper and privileges that my brother and I didn't understand. We had a lot of freedom and up to that point, my brother and I were basically raised by wolves. My stepfather put a backbone into our life. He made us accountable and helped us apply a systematic balance to life.
Thank you Nicholas!
Our kids need more Youth Development Workers, enthusiastic individuals like Nicholas, to step up and serve in an after school setting (Monday through Thursday). If you or someone you know might be right for the job, go here.
Posted in Pop QuizTagged CIS, Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo College, Nicholas Keen, youth development workers
Mirror, Mirror On The Wall, What's The Ugliest Lie Of All?
Posted on December 9, 2014 January 7, 2016
One of my colleagues kept suggesting I write an ugly post to remind folks to come out to our Ugly Sweater Party with the Young Professionals that is going on later this afternoon, Tuesday, December 9 at Old Burdicks Bar & Grill. 5-7pm. I told them no. "Admission is free with minimum $10 donation or a new item from the Wish List," they'd remind me.
"I'm coming to the party," I said. "But I DO NOT WANT TO WRITE AN UGLY POST." But they didn't seem to take the hint and kept nudging. I must admit, we're all pretty good about that at CIS. About not letting go or giving up when we believe in something. Especially when it comes to kids. (There must be something in the water here because it is a trait we share with Kalamazoo Public School teachers, staff, administrators and countless community partners and volunteers.) So, buckle up.
Here comes ugly.
That's what he said. It feels like I heard that a thousand times as a young girl. For the first two of my school age years, I walked to my friend's house, waited while she finished breakfast so we could walk safely together to school. My friend's father would regularly tease me, say, "How are you doing, Ugly?" Or "Hey, everyone, here comes Ugly!" I didn't say anything to my parents or teachers. I was embarrassed because a part of me believed him. I did have a huge gap in my front teeth. So big it felt like a car could drive through it. And why did I agree to that stupid shag haircut in first grade? What other classmates looked like Mrs. Brady?
Kindergarten picture, pre-shag haircut
Fortunately for me, my friend and her family moved after a few years. I also have a pretty strong ego. (My husband complains that it's too strong.) And it didn't hurt that I was accidently born into a family that could pay to close my gap with braces, that I had opportunities outside of school to feel good about myself. Mostly, I got over the ugly because of caring adults. This experience, though, is one of the things that drew me to CIS. It took a while to believe in myself, for a host of caring adults, like my parents, an orthodontist, two piano teachers, and a slew of fine school teachers to wipe away the ugly. It left a scar I'm content to bear—it's made me hyper-focused on all the ugly things children hear along the way. The messages we send—intentional or not—that seep into their psyche until they believe the ugly.
Here is the ugliest truth of all: too many of our kids lose hope in themselves every day. Kids who have come to believe they are nothing but a bad grade, who feel as empty as their tummies, and begin to believe that theKalamazoo Promise® isn't for kids like them.
It's hard to take in all this ugly. But we owe it to our kids to hang in there with them and give them hope. Every day, our CIS Site teams along with hundreds of volunteers and school and community partners are doing just that. Here's just one great example of the kind of beauty that cuts at ugly:
When Kalamazoo Central High School identified some young men with patterns of missing school, skipping classes, academics slipping—clear warning signs that these students were at risk of dropping out—CIS Site Coordinator Deborah Yarbrough jumped into action and started meeting with each student to connect them to a men's group. Some of them told her: "It's no use. I've messed up too badly. What's the point? The Promise isn't for kids like me."
"Just come once," she said. "Promise me that." And they did. Again and again because CIS partner, Pastor James Harris and his team were surrounding these young men with love, speaking to each, as Nelson Mandela says, "in his own language, that goes not to his head but his heart." So the site coordinator wasn't surprised, when one day Pastor James dragged a bag of trash into the group.
"What's this?" he asked the young men.
"Trash," they said.
"You sure?" he replied.
The young men realized that they couldn't be sure, not until they searched through it. Turns out, mixed in with all that trash was a 100 dollar bill Pastor James had tucked inside an envelope. The lesson learned that day? Despite missteps along the way, value resides inside each of them and they do not need to throw their life away.
This is the kind of beauty that CIS Site Coordinators are orchestrating every day. Putting just the right resources—volunteers like Pastor James, Kalamazoo College students, or a grief therapist from Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan—with the right kids at the right time. They do an awesome job of it and kids can't help but stumble into their own beauty.
But the ugly side of this same coin is that we need more people to step up. Todonate, volunteer, and partner. To advocate for both integrated student services and stable and adequate school funding.
So, if you have survived this ugly ride, thanks for hanging in there. Come on down to Burdick's and hang out with us from 5-7pm. Bring a donation of $10 or some newclothing item for CIS Kids' Closet (packs of underwear, winter boots, and sweats especially needed). They'll be plenty of food, fun, and prizes for the ugliest sweaters. (I even hear that Burdick's is making a signature drink for CIS!)
And, if you didn't like this ugly post, I don't want to hear it. Stop downtown at Burdick's and let my colleague know. (You can't miss her. She'll be the one wearing an ugly sweater.)
Can't make it? We understand. It's a busy time. We just ask that you take a moment to consider making a donation to CIS. No matter the amount, your contribution takes a bite out of ugly. 'Tis the season after all. No matter what form of action you choose to take, it reminds our children—and all of us—that they are a treasure worth fighting for. That is one beautiful message that will never go out of season.
Posted in Events, General Info, PartnershipsTagged adequate and stable funding for education, CIS Kids' Closet, Deborah Yarbrough, hope, Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan, Integrated Student Services, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo Promise, Old Burdick's, partnerships in the schools, Pastor James Harris, ugly sweaters, Young Professional's Network of Kalamazoo
AmeriCorps Vista Summer Associates: Memory Makers
CIS Think Summer! ran for six weeks this summer and served over 150 first through ninth graders and also included the Kids in Tune participants. Fifteen AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associates were hired and supported the students throughout their summer academic/enrichment program. Many of these AmeriCorps VISTA Associates—or "coaches" as the kids called them—hailed from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, and Kalamazoo Valley Community College. Their energy and enthusiasm was contagious and one of the key ingredients to a successful summer experience for the students. Thank you AmeriCorps VISTAs for your support of our students!
Some of the AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associates took a few moments to reflect on CIS Think Summer! and they are our guest bloggers today.
Between the elementary and secondary staff, there was a wide variety of coaches working for CIS Think Summer! Each day brought new challenges and everyone worked hard to make sure that all of the students were safe, learning, and having fun. All of us gained wonderful memories of our time in the program, and we want to share a few words about our experiences at CIS Think Summer!
My favorite memory was watching the students explore the zoo. I loved seeing the students' faces light up at the bird exhibit and how excited they were to point out all the colorful birds. The moment when they fed the lettuce to the giraffes was memorable, too!
-Kelsey-Ann Wessel, AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associate
Working with these kids this summer has been an amazing experience. Being able to combine an academic with an enriching environment brings fun to learning. Being able to share my own expertise with kids has also been rewarding.
-Sarah Woods, AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associate
I had an amazing summer working with Communities In Schools. I got to meet some truly special kids and help guide them towards success. It was rewarding to work with kids who have so much potential. It's good to be able to make a difference.
-Kira Boneff, AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associate
Elementary school-aged children do not often get the opportunity to make choices about their activities, especially in school, but the clubs at CIS Think Summer! gave them exactly this opportunity. Every afternoon, the students spilt up into their choice of clubs, which rotated every two weeks. This approach allowed students of different grades to mingle and make friends, as they were split up into 1st-2nd grade and 3rd-5th grade groups.
The clubs were split into five different topics: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), Arts and Crafts, Health and Wellness, Life Skills, and Leadership. Each coach got to switch which club they were leading every two weeks as well, which allowed us, as coaches, to meet and work with many students outside of our grade levels.
I was lucky enough to meet a lot of the younger kids through clubs, an opportunity that I might not have otherwise had as a 4th grade coach. Some of the offerings included Hands-On Science, Cooking Club, Debate Club, and Let's Move Sports Club.
In addition to allowing the kids to have a say in their schedule, the clubs provided an opportunity to help them grow through non-classroom experiences. The kids learned about chemistry and plants in Hands-On Science, about healthy eating in Cooking Club, and about public speaking skills in Debate Club. Providing all of these experiences helped us work toward one of our main summer goals: giving students educational and fun opportunities to help grow up on the track to success.
-Kira Boneff and Sadina Sackett, AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associates
One great thing about CIS Think Summer! is that every Thursday is a celebration/field trip day. One of the most memorable and favorite field trips among the elementary students was going to Binder Park Zoo. Each coach was paired with around five kids, and was free to venture wherever they wanted. Coach Sadina from the 4th grade Achieve Team had a great time with her group.
All the children in her group wanted to go to Wild Africa first so that they could see the giraffes. To get there, they all rode in the Safari Tram. Along with giraffes, the children saw ostriches, monkeys, zebras, and a variety of birds. Toward the end of the safari the kids went on an artifact scavenger hunt where they earned their ultimate safari training.
After Wild Africa they decided to go and visit other animals such as the bears, hogs, chipmunks, wolves, flamingos, and peacocks. One student took the liberty of marking down every animal the group saw on the map so that they could try to see them all!
Another fun part of this field trip wasthat all the elementary students got to ride the train to Battle Creek. It was very exciting to see everyone in a great mood riding together as a group. It was a great day for CIS Think Summer!
-Sadina Sackett, AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associate
Honestly, if you were not a part of CIS Think Summer! you missed out on a lot of fun. I think the number one reason why it was awesome to be a part of it was because of the people involved.
Kalamazoo is a very diverse place to live. We love this because it is really hard to be "sheltered." It makes for more dynamic ideas and creates a more comfortable atmosphere. That was easily Coach Bryce Burnette's favorite part of being an Americorps VISTA.
He admits he is a little biased, but believes that secondary had the most fun this summer. The staff were very close and that had a huge impact on the program. It made the experience more enjoyable for the students especially because it was clear that everyone was having a good time.
Lastly, the students were fantastic. The future of KPS is very bright and CIS is doing a lot to make it an even better and more enjoyable experience.
-Bryce Burnett, AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associate
Posted in General Info, VolunteersTagged Alicia Snell, AmeriCorps VISTA, Angelica Lawrence, Artrella Cohn, Bryce Burnette, Danaequa Yarbrough, Jeremiah Duncan, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo Public Schools, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Kevin Peterson, Kids in Tune, Lauren Rosenthal, Maggie Ortlieb, Melissa Holman, Rola Emanuel, Sarah Woods, Shayla Jones, summer programming, Vershurn Ford, Western Michigan University
Math, Music, And Refrigerators
Today's post is written by our CIS friend and partner, Kalamazoo College Professor Dr. Eric "Rick" Barth.
Let's begin with an old clipping from my home-town newspaper, dating back to the 1960s (right).
The picture shows a small-town businessman (my father) watching as a toddler (me) pushes on the side of a refrigerator, equipped with a long-forgotten bit of technology that was meant to make an easy job of moving, and cleaning behind, heavy kitchen appliances. I'm pretty sure that gadget never caught on with the buying public, but my dad always had his eyes open for the "next big thing" and hey, you never know…
This story could go lots of ways from here: how about "That was the day I learned the importance of cleaning under my fridge"? Instead, when I see that yellow newspaper, I think "That was one of the many days in my life that I got the chance to try something big and, because of all the supportive people around me, didn't have to worry that something good wouldn't come of it."
That toddler spent the next 30 years working in Dad's appliance store and studying in rural Kansas public schools, getting his degree at music school from the University of Kansas, getting married, working in more appliance stores, getting his Ph.D. in mathematics, moving to New York City and finally to Kalamazoo with two little boys of his own, to teach at Kalamazoo College. That history is a series of big opportunities, big changes, big challenges, big trials, and big joys. All big things that I was able to attempt without (much) fear because of all the supportive people around me.
Dr. Barth conducting KIT performance at Bronson Park
What's the next big thing? For me it's combining my work at the College with my role as Curriculum Director at Kids in Tune. KiT is a family business for sure. The founder and director is Liz Youker, a fellow KU music alum with an unmistakable can-do spirit. My son Thomas started the Woods Lake Elementary cello club while in high school and merged that into the brand-new KiT program when it began in 2011, teaching in the program until last fall when he went off to music school. My wife Deb Faling — we met in music school at Kansas and have been collaborating on one crazy thing after another for almost 30 years — is the KiT associate director. And we spend so much time and work so closely with site coordinator Donielle Hetrick and ISS director of elementary sites, Linda Thompson, that they merit status of at least honorary "favorite cousins"!
So what happens at Kids in Tune that makes us all invest so much? How about this as an example: One day after we'd been rehearsing a portion of Mahler's Symphony #1, a group of students came to me and asked "When do we start Symphony #2?". It was clear to me in that moment that those kids were experiencing the power of great art in their own way and that they were seeing their life in the program as a great adventure where they are confident that every hard-earned and well-deserved discovery is followed by another one. I hope that by bringing our best to KiT students every day, we provide the opportunity for all 85 of them, every one, to try big things with an expectation that something great will happen, and without any worry that it won't.
Posted in Guest Bloggers, PartnershipsTagged Deb Faling, Donielle Hetrick, Dr. Barth, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo Public Schools, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Kids in Tune, Linda Thompson, Liz Youker, Music, University of Kansas, Woods Lake
Are You My Mother Or My Father? Yes. Yes You Are.
What kind of parent are you? If you are a regular reader of this blog then you know that YOU are raising the children of our community. So, what kind of parent have you been lately? Involved? Are you financially or emotionally supportive? What example are you setting? Are you invested enough so that should someone sidle up to you in the grocery store and ask you what you 've done lately for one of your 12,000+ kids or how one of them is doing, could you tell them?
Dr. Eric "Rick" Barth can. As a tot, he was moving 322 pound refrigerators. For the past several years, both during the school year and CIS Think Summer! program, Dr. Barth has gotten hundreds of his kids moving to the beat with Kalamazoo Kids in Tune, a program that is done in partnership with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Kalamazoo Public Schools and Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo. As Chair and Professor of the Math Department at Kalamazoo College, Dr. Barth is a busy guy and yet he makes the time to share his talents with our kids. We are grateful for his on-going commitment. His steadfast presence is making a difference.
We invite you to return next week and read what Dr. Barth, our next week's guest blogger, has to say about moving refrigerators, Kids in Tune and why he invests in our children. In the meantime, check out the below clip of Rick conducting Boogie Woogie Blues.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-vbk6y9t8Q
Posted in Guest Bloggers, PartnershipsTagged Dr. Eric Barth, investing in children, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo Public Schools, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Kids in Tune, parenting


Very nice and newly renovated villa in downtown Zürich with large garden and all facilities...near public transport (city 10 mins); quiet and green area of Zürich; for family with children or couple; cars and bikes available; near universities/ all schools and Zürich lake with exceptional opportunities; 1 hour to famous Swiss skiing locations; 45 mins to "Emmental" farmers and "cheese experiences"...lovely.
Nice married family (professionals with academic background in their mid-fourties) with two small daughters (5+10 years). Positive spirit.
Very nice neighbours in neat houses; old trees and spacious gardens, large forest-like public bath and spa in walking-distance; near to public transport (bus, train, cablecar) and various shopping-malls including nice local farmermarket; near to universities/ all schools and Zürich lake.


It's not uncommon for guests at TradeWinds Island Resorts to use up their vacation time long before they run out of things to do at this family-favorite Florida destination, where the St. Pete Beach activities are endless. Sand or surf, full throttle or all idle, TradeWinds offers up a good dose of recreation like tennis, golf, fishing, diving and more. Here, some of the best Florida family vacations happen. Guests can splash the day away in the Gulf of Mexico's warm waters, or opt for something more adventurous, like learning to surf, soaring with JetLev or playing at the Gulf's only offshore water park. So pack your things. We'll pack your stay!
For fun, JUST LET GO!
Time to relax, turn off the phone and make memories together!
At TradeWinds Resorts, you can do everything … or do nothing at all. With each resort having its own unique vibe, you'll find that letting go may take on a different meaning 200 flip flop steps away.
TradeWinds Island Resorts features 14 distinct dining options. Here is a look at our Top 3 picks from TradeWinds Island Grand and RumFish Beach Resort.
You won't find more kid-friendly beach resorts in Florida than at TradeWinds Island Resorts. Both resorts feature kids activities centers with Island Grand offering the drop-off KONK Club.
Both St. Pete Beach hotels offer an array of rooms and suites. Choose a room with a Gulf View, check into one of our pet-friendly accommodations or feel at home in our multi-room suites.
With 20 resort acres, an island vibe and endless beach activities, Island Grand leans toward lively fun with a touch of sand-in-your-toes relaxation. It's the resort experience that happens to be at the beach.
Offering 5 resort acres, a laidback feel and ocean-inspired experiences, RumFish Beach Resort slants toward chill with most thrills found on or under water. It's the beach experience that happens to be at the resort.
Eat at a toes-in-the-sand bar with light cuisine, plus s'mores!
The rooms and suites at TradeWinds Island Grand feature a serene island vibe with a décor that reflects the feel of a classic British West Indies plantation with crisp white linens, dark wood furnishings and nature-themed artwork.
RumFish Beach's iconic artwork lends a splash of color to the décor of the RumFish Beach Resort rooms and suites, creating a vibrant feel you would expect to find in a Florida beach resort. Crisp white linens complete the package.
With 20 resort acres and spacious group venues, TradeWinds Island Grand is the perfect place to host large meetings and grand weddings.


Understand today that God wants to pour His favor and honor on you. If you feel like there is anything in your life that you need to be cleansed from, go to the Father today and confess it to Him. Let Him make you new so that you can receive the good things He has in store for you!
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me and choosing to pour out Your favor and blessing on me today. Thank You for giving me a new beginning and making me blameless in Your eyes. Search my heart today and show me if there is anything that would keep me from You today. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
What are you looking at today? Not in the natural, but with your spiritual eyes. In other words, what is in the forefront of your mind and in your heart? Are you constantly dwelling on your problems or things that have happened in your past? In the natural, you will move in the direction that your eyes are looking. In the spiritual, it works the same way. Whatever you focus your mind and heart on, you will move toward. That's why today's verse tells us to look straight ahead. If you are constantly dwelling on your problems or things in your past, wondering "what if," then you will stay right where you are. But if you choose to forgive and release the past, then you can focus on what is ahead of you, and you'll begin to move forward.
God doesn't want you to live in the past. He wants you to keep growing and moving forward. Make the decision to meditate on His goodness and focus on His promises. Look straight ahead so you can see His blessing and move forward into the life of victory He has promised you!
Heavenly Father, today I set my focus on You. I choose to forget the past by forgiving others so that I can look straight ahead to Your promises. I ask that You direct my heart on the path of life that You have for me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Too often, it's easy to get stuck in a rut, doing the same thing the same way over and over every day. But if we are going to live at our absolute best, we should constantly be growing and sharpening our skills. We should strive to learn and grow every single day because when you stop learning, you stop growing. When you stop growing, you stop living.
What are you doing to stretch yourself? What are you doing to improve your skills? Don't get trapped into thinking that "good enough" is good enough. You were created for more than just average. Today is a new day, and there are new heights for you to climb. Pursue what you love and keep developing that area of your life. Take a class or find a mentor that will help you live skillfully. As you do, you'll rise up higher and higher. You will stand before leaders and rulers, and you'll live the blessed life God has in store for you!
Father in heaven, today I choose to rise out of mediocrity. I choose to give my very best to everything I do. Teach me to live skillfully so that my life is a continual praise to You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Where have you pitched your tent today? In other words, what are you expecting to happen in your life this year? What kind of attitude do you have? If your thoughts are stuck and you're focusing on what's wrong or what's not working, then it's time to dig up your tent stakes! It's time to pack up your belongings and move out of the land of discouragement. It's time to move out of the "Not-going-to-happen" subdivision and move out of "Can't-do-it-ville." It's time to pack your bags and move into the land of hope, faith and expectation!
Every time you catch a negative thought and choose to dwell on God's promises, it's like you are packing your bags. Every time you declare God's faithfulness, you are taking a step in the right direction. The Bible says that those who hope in the Lord will never be put to shame. As you turn your focus toward Him, you are pitching your tent in the Land of Hope — a land where His peace, blessing and victory reign forever more.
Heavenly Father, thank You for ordering and directing my steps. Thank You for taking me to the land of hope! I choose to set my mind on You, knowing that You are faithful. I release the past and invite You to fill me with Your blessing and victory today and always. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Your Words have creative power. Just as God calls things that are not as though they were, we should also declare what we want to see in our lives. In other words, you may have days when you don't feel well, but don't go around saying, "Ah, my back has been hurting me. I'm getting so old. I don't think I'm ever going to get better."When you speak like that, you are speaking defeat into your future. Instead, turn it around. Declare a report of victory by saying, "I may not feel up to par, but I know it's only temporary. God is restoring health unto me. I'm getting stronger, healthier, and feeling younger. My best days are still up ahead."
Remember, you're going to get what you callin to your life. You have creative power in your words, and you are prophesying your future. Declare what God says about you–that you are blessed and you cannot be cursed, that you are above only and not beneath! As you call things that are not as though they were, you will see God's wonderful promises and blessing come to pass in every area of your life!
Our God is a rewarder of those who seek Him! When you keep God first place and do your best to honor Him, the Scripture says, "His blessings will chase you down and overtake you." That means you will come into increase, promotion and good breaks that you didn't necessarily deserve. That's God rewarding you for walking in His ways.
We see this principle in the Old Testament with Ruth. She was out in the fields following behind the workers and gathering up the leftover wheat that they missed. She was trying to take care of her mother-in-law, Naomi, but they were barely surviving. One day, the owner of the fields told the workers to leave handfuls of wheat on purpose for Ruth. Ruth came into blessings that were simply dropped at her feet.
Every one of us can look back and see times where God has left us handfuls on purpose — something that we didn't deserve or even ask for. We just stumbled into it. That's a "handful on purpose." I encourage you to always keep your expectancy up. Keep trusting God and obeying His voice because He is ready to bless you in unexpected ways today!
Father in heaven, thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness in my life. I trust You as my Provider; You are the One who cares for me. I acknowledge You with my love and thank You for leaving me "handfuls on purpose" today! In Jesus' Name. Amen.
I love David's attitude in today's verse. He was declaring the goodness of God and bragging on His faithfulness! We need to always remember that every blessing in our life is from Him. That promotion, good break, healing or new opportunity — that was God's doing. Scripture says that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father above.
We used to sing a song growing up, "Look What the Lord Has Done." It was a song that just bragged on God. It was a great reminder that all through the day we should be bragging on God's goodness. We should be remembering His mighty acts. See, when we give God all the glory, that's when He will pour out His blessings in greater measure. When we are humble and don't try to take the credit, His grace and favor increases on us.
Today, look for opportunities to brag on God. If you are breathing today, brag on Him as your Creator. If you got to work safely today, brag on Him for being your Protector. If you are facinga difficulty, brag on the fact that He is your Deliverer and breakthrough is on the way! Keep declaring His goodness and faithfulness and watch what God will do on your behalf!
Father God, You alone are worthy of all the praise and glory for the good things in my life! Thank You for blessing me, thank You for the breakthroughs in my past and the breakthroughs in my future. I bless You because You are good, and I choose to brag on You today! In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Maybe you've noticed this in your own life. When you start to do better, the people around you don't celebrate. They become jealous. But you can't allow the attitudes of others to hold you back and cause you to live in mediocrity. Instead, when you're blessed, brag on God! Shake off the criticism of others and receive His blessing. Wear it well because when you honor Him, He will continue to increase and promote you all the days of your life!
Father God, thank You for every good and perfect gift that You have poured out on my life. In humility, I choose to wear my blessings well. I won't shrink back at the criticism of others; but instead, I will walk with You forward into the life of blessing You have prepared for me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
We all have areas in our lives where we desire to see change; areas we know we need to come up higher or addictions and strongholds we need to break. The good news is that God has given us the power to change! Scripture says that we overcome by the blood of Jesus and the word of our testimony. When we make our words line up with God's Word, then what we declare will be established in our lives.
So often, we complicate life more than we need to. Our minds get busy trying to "figure" everything out. So many people spend more time analyzing their situation instead of applying God's Word to their situation! But today, you can activate change in your life by taking five minutes to declare His Word. Don't live in mediocrity any longer. Let God's Word shine on your ways and direct your path toward the life of victory He has promised you!
Father God, thank You for loving me. Thank You for choosing me and empowering me to become all that You've called me to be. Today, I choose to set my heart and mind on You, I choose to declare Your Word and follow Your ways so that I may walk with You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.


text:
NEWS RELEASE · 29th February 2012
PRINCE RUPERT AND SMITHERS VOTE TO OPPOSE ENBRIDGE
Last evening Smithers Council voted 5-1 to oppose the Enbridge Northern Gateway project. Monday, Prince Rupert voted against it unanimously.
Councillor Phil Brienesse stated, "My decision was based in part on new information that came out from recent decisions made in Terrace, SQCRD (Skeena Queen Charlotte Regional District) , and Prince Rupert that made it clear that local governments had the right and are clearly permitted to provide information to the Joint Review Panel.
Since the previous motion was tabled with the reasoning being that it was felt we should not be influencing the JRP it seemed appropriate to bring forth a new motion at this time taking into consideration that we made the decision based on the information currently available."
Prince Rupert Council held their regular meeting on Monday, February 27th. They had two presenters on the Enbridge Pipeline.
The first was Dave Shannon from Terrace. He explained he was an intervener in the JRP process and put on a slide show for Council. He told Council he has gone through all the Enbridge documents.
"I've taken issue with a few of the simplifications which Enbridge would like the public to believe about the ease of transporting oil on the North Coast as opposed to other world ports so what I've done is I've examined some of the claims from one of the reports," said Shannon.
Shannon showed the Council slides of other tanker ports and how the tankers have an unobstructed route to open waters. The longest one was Valdez Alaska at 90 miles and a hockey stick shaped Route.
He explained the only tanker route he was able to find which was almost as difficult as the Kitimat route is the straight of Magellan. It's longer than the Northern Gateway route and has a lot of the same features. He also told the Prince Rupert Council it was closed to large tankers after an oil spill.
He then showed Kitimat on the same scale at the Northern Route and the Southern Route out of Douglas Channel. It also showed where the Queen of the North went down.
Shannon explained the many ways in which a Tanker can go down, most due to human errors. He also showed a slide of double hulled ships which caused spills.
He expressed concern that Transport Canada had approved the TERMPOL report. He was worried shortcuts were taken in the information released. Shannon's final slide was a picture used by CTV showing a simplification of the route which he declared was misleading
"If this is what the average Canadian is seeing, they must be asking 'what's wrong with this project, why are some of us concerned about it?'" said Shannon.
Mayor of Prince Rupert, Jack Mussallem told Shannon he is on record expressing he wants the tankers to avoid the Northern Route and Triple Island and take the Southern or a Western Route.
This was followed by a presentation by the Prince Rupert Environmental Society. Gerald Stewart, Ian Dobson and Pat Murray stepped up to the Microphones. Dobson asked Council to pass a resolution to oppose the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline.
They presented the motion passed by Terrace at their City Council Meeting two weeks ago as well as the motion from the Queen Charlotte Regional District which called for a ban on oil tankers.
Murray explained the motion from Haida Gwaii focused on the ocean as without tankers, there could be no pipeline. She also reminded Council of the motion passed by the Union of BC Municipalities concerning the Enbridge Project.
"We urge Council not to wait until after the National Energy Board has ruled. It can be taken as an acceptance of that body as a final judge in the decision to allow or ban super tankers. That is not in the National Energy Boards Rule. The National Energy Board is only mandated to decide if the project is legal but that isn't the main issue. What we must judge is: are the benefits worth the risk, and so far Canada has maintained a super tanker moratorium here because of our values, something the National Energy Board can't address but City Council Can," said Murray.
"The amount of risk which one accepts is relative to the value one places on what is being risked, and in Prince Rupert, our lives are inextricably linked to the ocean and its resources. Another reason Council's stance is important regardless of the National Energy Board is we in Prince Rupert and our Council understand better then most people across Canada is that the First Nations in this region say no and there is a cultural resurgence on the North Coast and the lack of treaties is a reality. First Nations have a right to say no on issues critical to them and there is a broad respect of this position across the region and across cultures."
She explained the lone dissenting vote at the UBCM stated if businesses were pushed away from communities, they would die. However, she likened the amount of jobs to the opening of a Canadian Tire in Kitimat. The marine side would simply have tankers traveling through treacherous waters threatening the seafood resources which are continually increasing in value.
"Spills are inevitable. Enbridge's record on dealing on their pipeline spills is abysmal. They absolve themselves of all responsibility for tanker safety," said Murray.
Prince Rupert Council Votes
Later in the meeting, a motion was put forward to send to the UBCM concerning the shipping of dangerous goods. This motion would petition the Provincial and Federal government to make the liability for cargo on a ship be the responsibility of both the carrier and the one who sold the cargo until the vessel reaches it's destination or is outside Canadian waters.
Second, it would ask government to have the shippers of dangerous goods to pay into an emergency fund for cleaning up and compensating for damages caused by dangerous goods and cargo. It would also research clean up methods to deal with spills. Finally it would ask the government to reinstate the coast guard and safety measures to a standard that would prevent such accidents and reduce the damage. The motion was amended to include any and all damages including capital, social, cultural, ecological and financial.
Enbridge was used as an example. Events from the Exxon Valdez and how compensation was not paid out to people in a timely matter were also discussed. Councillor Anna Ashley explained she had asked Enbridge about who is responsible for a tanker spill and they told her it was out of their hands when it left the pipeline.
Councillor Joy Thorkelson pointed out, in a recent magazine issue of The Shipper, there was a four page article on liability. The article was about how the government of Canada had taken on all liability for the shipping of products and will pick up the tab. The motion was adopted to go to the North Coast Local Government Association prior to the UBCM.
Even later in the meeting, the Prince Rupert Council voted unanimously to oppose Enbridge. Councillor Jennifer Rice said Enbridge has been looking for the input of communities and many communities are weighing their neutral stance. She stated because Enbridge is asking communities for input, they should take a formal stance on the project. She suggested passing motions similar to Haida Gwaii and Terrace. She added that silence will be taken as acceptance, a quote used earlier in the meeting.
Ashley stated she will be voting in favour and began to fire off reasons. The Rupert Council have heard presentations from Enbridge, Community Members and it has been in the news. She stated Prince Rupert would get nothing out of it and the benefits did not outweigh the risks. She stated this was exporting jobs to other countries and the oil could be refined in Canada. She had problems with the ability to clean up the spill, navigate the channel and they didn't have the ability to get to the tankers in the case of high seas. The economic benefits will not go to Prince Rupert, it will go to the Province for circulation while Rupert takes all the risks.
Councillor Gina Garon stated common sense convinced her to vote in favour because the waters would be difficult to navigate for a large carrier. She reflected on Shannon's presentation and how the route was difficult to navigate.
Mussallem said: "I think there is an appropriate time and place to vote on these matters and I think solely, taking into consideration, this Council as a governing body that whether we are for something or whether we are against it, we are better off to wait until the full review process is done, the estimated time for the whole review process is the end of 2013 and then I think, once you have all the information."
Councillor Judy Carlick-Pearson stated she would have the same opinion one year from now as she had today. She is 100% opposed.
Rice reiterated the Joint Review Panel has not asked Council for their opinion so they should not wait for the panel to decide when to ask Council for their opinion, they should give their opinion unsolicited. She added that local government makes decisions regardless of the processes which are occurring.
Thorkelson said she would agree with waiting if the progress was not loaded. If the Joint Review Panel would weigh everything and come up with an unbiased decision. However Prime Minister Harper and Minister of Natural Resources, Joe Oliver, have said the project is going ahead. This has made the Joint Review Panel a 'Dog with no teeth.'
While she stated this decision may not affect the decision of the Federal Government or the JRP: "However, I do Feel that we should be one of the leading communities that says the risks outweigh the benefits for our community, we do not want to see it go ahead because the risks outweigh the benefits to our community and if all the other communities of British Columbia come to that position individually and then the Provincial and Federal Government will have to tread more carefully," said Thorkelson.
She reiterated she would agree with waiting for the process to resolve except the Prime Minister has shown a disregard for it. Ashley agreed. She appreciated the Mayor's position but they are expected to make decision with an open mind and if new information comes up through the Joint Review Process, they could change their mind. However, it should not stop them from taking a position about protecting their water and community now.
The motion was called and carried. A motion was made to submit the motion to the Joint Review Process. It was called and carried.
As this article goes to print, another Council has sided against Enbridge. Smithers City Council has decided by vote: 5-1 to oppose the pipeline project. Kitimat Council meets tonight, Wednesday February 29th to deliberate on their budget.
Will they take the time to choose a side? Time will tell if Mayor Joanne Monaghan's City Council will once again, be the lone wolf in the Northwest, this time, without the moral high ground of the power-sales issue.
Check the pipline route
Comment by Justin on 29th February 2012
Prince Rupert and Smithers are not anywhere near the pipline route. Check the Northern Gateway map to see actual planned route.
Comment by richard on 29th February 2012
YeS ,SMITHERS. now for kitimat to get it`s head out of the sand. tar-sands that is. no pipeline.no , oiltankers here.listen to your hearts,not your bank accounts ! people have spoken,it`s the kitimat council that can`t make up it`s mind.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Is there a way to edit a http hotspot link that's in a richtext field 'Hi
I've got a richtext field which contains a number of 'http' hotspots which I want to change to 'https'.  I can use NotesRichTextRange.Findandreplace to replace the url's "http" to "https" but that just changes the text of the url and not actually the hotspot internally.
I suppose I could use a remove then a RichText.addText to replace it.  But I think I'd rather modify the hotspot if that's possible.
thanks
clem

A: Look at the help for the NotesRichTextDocLink class. There you will also fiond this info:

To access a NotesRichTextDocLink object, use the
  NotesRichTextNavigator methods in conjunction with the type
  RTELEM_TYPE_DOCLINK

The easiest is to run your code in the debugger, stop after you get the DocLink object and inspect it in teh debugger.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Great minds start little. ™ Introduce baby to a world of music while they explore their world with Baby Einstein's Music Discovery Globe™ from Baby Einstein™! With a flip of a switch baby can interact in play mode. Tap each colorful continent to light them up and play 12 different melodies from around the world.
Switch over to light mode and enjoy a soft glowing light show for a soothing experience. Baby will have the whole world in their hands by simply removing the musical toy from the base.
Baby Einstein's interactive globe toy encourages gross motor skills. Recommended for babies 6 months and older.


Do you want to be part of a company that has built a reputation for delivering the highest quality and mission-relevant technology solutions? If you enjoy challenging yourself working with perceptual systems for unmanned vehicles, then I have the role for you.
Harnham is currently working with a leading developer of advanced technologies for the Aerospace and Defense Industries. They're an industry leader in research and development for navigation, image processing, mission planning and autonomy systems.
You will be the senior researcher developing creative solutions to challenges in the development of visual control and object recognition systems for unmanned air vehicles.


text:
Q: Make only one column appear at the start of Orbeon Form Builder According to latest documentation, one can set the maximum number of grid columns form authors can create:
<property
    as="xs:integer"
    name="oxf.fb.grid.max-columns"
    value="4"/>

Because of some constraints in our use of Orbeon, I set the maximum of columns to "1". However, when I open the Form Builder to create a new form, the default arrangement shows a grid of two columns and one row, one cell containing a text field.
Now, if I delete the second column, I can't add a new column again, in line with the property set. But the fact that you can leave the two columns annoys me.
Is there a way to make default controls use only one column when opening the Form Builder?

A: It's not possible to change this right now. Orbeon Forms 2017.2 will, in addition, have a 12-column layout, which means that oxf.fb.grid.max-columns will have no effect. I think that constraining a form to follow an n-column layout would be a new feature of the product.


The Guilford County LEPC and response community STRONGLY recommend that sites store their Emergency and Contingency Plans on the EPlan website. This provides responders with immediate access to the information they need to respond.
As long as your information is updated on EPlan (and includes the appropriate information), there is no need to send separate, registered letters to each response agency with the information that is contained in your plan. HOWEVER, there remains the chance that there could be an issue during inspection, depending on the inspector. If this is the case, please contact Guilford County Emergency Management immediately and we will make sure to work through the issue with you.
Make sure that your contingency Plan meets 265.37 requirements for Preparedness and Prevention (evacuation routes, emergency equipment, etc.).
Make sure that only the most current version of your Emergency/Contingency Plan is on the EPlan site. A recommendation is to include the Revision Number and Date in your document title so that responders can be sure to open the most current version in case of emergency.
If you are a large site, or have the potential for mass casualty incidents, significant off site consequences, or major fire/explosion, it may not be enough to merely put the information on EPlan. Instead, you may need to consider more in depth dialogue with your response agencies specific to your site and needs.


text:
The Gibraltar International Chess Festival is a chess tournament held annually at the Caleta Hotel in Gibraltar. Its eleven days of competition usually run from late January to early February. The inaugural edition, then known as the Gibtelecom Gibraltar Chess Festival, took place in 2003, when fifty-nine competitors took part, of whom 24 held the FIDE Grandmaster title. In 2011 the festival was renamed to the Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival when Tradewise Insurance Company Ltd became the new primary sponsor. Beginning in 2019 Tradewise no longer sponsored the tournament and the name was changed to the Gibraltar International Chess Festival.

History
The main event, the Masters, is open to all, and was voted the best open event in the world by the Association of Chess Professionals in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Since 2011 an annual Gibraltar Junior International Chess Festival, also held at the Caleta Hotel, has been organised. It lasts five days and takes place in August and it comprises two events: under-16 and under-12.

The Director of the Gibraltar International Chess Festival has been Stuart Conquest since 2011.

In 2012, special stamps were issued  by the Gibraltar Post Office to commemorate the tenth edition of the chess festival.

In 2012 Chinese grandmaster Hou Yifan, at the time ranked number two female chess player in the world, scored 8 points from a possible 10 in the Masters, tying for first place with Nigel Short before losing a play-off match for the first prize. During this event Hou Yifan defeated Judit Polgár, number one rated female chess player in the world from 1989 to her retirement as a professional player in 2014.

The highest score achieved in a Gibraltar Masters event has been 9 points from a possible 10, by Vasyl Ivanchuk in 2011, with a performance rating of 2968.

In 2017, Hou Yifan caused controversy by intentionally throwing her final game of the tournament in 5 moves against Babu M.R. Lalith to protest the pairings. Hou had grown dissatisfied in recent years with playing in women-only tournaments, and had just dropped out of the Women's World Chess Championship cycle. In Gibraltar, she faced 7 women in her 10 games when the men/women ratio in the tournament was 4:1. The incident was resolved as an extremely unlikely series of computer-generated pairings which nevertheless actually happened, and the result of the protest game stood.

List of winners
Since 2007, ties for first place in the Masters have been resolved by a tie-break.

{| class="sortable wikitable"
! Year !! Winner(s) !! Leading Female(s)
|-
| 2003
|
|
|-
| 2004
|
|
|-
| 2005
|
|
|-
| 2006
|
|
|-
| 2007
|
|
|-
| 2008
|
|
|-
| 2009
|
|
|-
| 2010
|
|
|-
| 2011
|
|
|-
| 2012
|
|
|-
| 2013
|
|
|-
| 2014
|
|
|-
| 2015
|
|
|-
| 2016
|
|
|-
| 2017
|
|
|-
| 2018
|
|
|-
| 2019
|
|
|-
| 2020
|
|
|-
| 2022
|
|
|}

References

External links
 Official website

Chess competitions
Festivals in Gibraltar
2003 in chess
Recurring sporting events established in 2003
2003 establishments in Gibraltar
International sports competitions hosted by Gibraltar
Annual events in Gibraltar
Chess in Gibraltar

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Block Current Affairs, GK & News
China blocks all language editions of Wikipedia
China has expanded its ban on Wikipedia to block the community-edited online encyclopedia in all available languages. Hence, Wikipedia had joined thousands of other websites which cannot be accessed in China. According to a report by the Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI), China started blocking all language editions of Wikipedia from April 2019. China's ..
Topics: Block • Censorship • Censorship of Wikipedia • Digital media • Firewall software • Great Firewall • Internet censorship • LinkedIn • Open Observatory of Network Interference • Websites • World Wide Web
Blocking Highs
Areas of high pressure can sometimes be very slow moving, almost stationary. Such a region of slow moving air can prevent other, faster moving pressure systems from moving into a region. For this reason they are known as blocking highs or blocking anticyclones. The part of the earth's surface beneath a blocking high often experiences ..
Topics: Anticyclone • Anticyclones • Block • High-pressure area • Meteorology • Physical geography • Severe weather
Accounts similar in appearance to PMO Account forbidden by Twitter
Twitter shunned 6 accounts similar in appearance to the Prime Minister's Office account. The action by twitter came after the Department of Information Technology sent an ultimatum to the social media site for failing to block the morphed and inflammatory web pages. These web pages carried inflammatory contents uploaded to instigate disturbance in the country. ..
Month: Current Affairs - August, 2012
Topics: Block • Digital media • Operating systems • Social media • Social networks • Software • South of Market, San Francisco • Text messaging • Twitter
"Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan": Sports Ministry apportions Rs 77 crore
The Sports Ministry granted Rs 77 crore to 26 states for organizing annual sports competitions under the Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA) scheme. The states include Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The Scheme has so far covered around 52,000 village panchayats and ..
Month: Current Affairs - June, 2012
Topics: Block • Gram panchayat • India • Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education • Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports • Panchayati Raj • Sport in India • Sports minister • Youth


In this video we will discuss the difference between cube and rollup in SQL Server.
CUBE generates a result set that shows aggregates for all combinations of values in the selected columns, where as ROLLUP generates a result set that shows aggregates for a hierarchy of values in the selected columns.
Let us understand this difference with an example. Consider the following Sales table.
You won't see any difference when you use ROLLUP and CUBE on a single column. Both the following queries produces the same output.
How to create a tournament fixture with the following table.
I need output to be like this.
Thanks for your reply, But each team will play with other team only once. It's kind of knockout tournament.
We just need to do small change in Gautham's solution to get the desired solution.
Please refer to my solution.


To evaluate the impact of hemorheological and hemostasiological disorders on the development of cerebrovascular disease in patients with myeloproliferative disorders (MPD) and to assess the clinical effectiveness of angiocorrective treatment with vinpocetine.
The study included 41 patients with chronic cerebrovascular disorders, including 26 patients with ph-negative MPD. Median age of patients with and without MPD was 44.6 and 56.4 years, respectively. All patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, tests for hemostasis and hemorheology and cuff test to evaluate the endothelial function. All patients were treated with vinpocetine.
All patients had various degrees of chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency, clinically presenting with headache, vestibular disorders, and sensory deficits. Patients with MPD presented with reduced erythrocyte deformability and increased red blood cell aggregates stability. Cuff test revealed decrease in athrombogenic potential of the vessel wall in patients with MPD. Treatment with vinpocetine alleviated headache, vertigo and atactic gait.
Disorders of hemorheology and hemostasis in patients with MPD play a leading role in the development and progression of cerebrovascular pathology.
Cerebrovascular pathology, myeloproliferative disorders, hemorheology and hemostasis, vinpocetine.


text:
September 2, 2018 by Stratbase ADR Institute
Uphold rules-based int'l system
All states have the duty to defend the rules-based international system. This was the message of Australian Ambassador Amanda Gorely and British Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field at a recent forum organized by Stratbase ADR Institute.
Both diplomats agreed that the rules-based international system has provided clear benefits to their countries, including an extended period of peace, security and prosperity. In order to protect our security and sustain prosperity, states need to defend the integrity of the system, they said.
Gorely and Field noted the presence of threats from countries and leaders who challenge, ignore and undermine international law, as well as the norms that govern how states interact with each other. The militarization of the South China Sea, for instance, remains to be one of the most important and contentious external threats not only for the Philippines, but for the region.
The Australian envoy warned about the significant risk of countries not defending the rules when they are challenged. She urged all states, including the Philippines, to place a high priority on protecting and strengthening the rules that govern state conduct.
Field, meanwhile, stressed that we will all be worse off in the long run if we stand back, perhaps in the hope of some possible short-term gain. The rules-based international system is a network of agreements and institutions that requires support, he said, because it has a huge positive impact on global security and prosperity.
As Gorely pointed out, the use of negotiations—including efforts to negotiate the Asean-China Code of Conduct—is a constructive step that all claimants should participate in to clarify their claims in accordance with international law. She warned countries against pursuing their claims through unilateral action that only destabilizes the region and increases militarization.
She also stressed that the Code of Conduct should not prejudice the interests of third parties or the rights of the states under international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Based on the Single Draft South China Sea Code of Conduct Negotiating Text, third parties are not signatories to the COC. According to reports, China's inputs urge Asean member-states to be bound to the COC, while limiting, if not completely excluding, the involvement of third parties.
For his part, former foreign secretary Albert del Rosario agreed that international law has given equal voice to nations regardless of political, economic or military stature, banishing the unlawful use of sheer force. The Philippines can learn from the best practices of Australia and the United Kingdom in adopting the rules-based system, he said. Both Australia and the United Kingdom are parties to Unclos, and they have found the rules incredibly helpful when it came to resolving the maritime boundaries they share with neighboring countries. Earlier this year, Australia and Timor-Leste agreed on a maritime boundary following the first-ever conciliation proceedings under Unclos.
At all times, countries must work to ensure the integrity of the rules-based international system, and oppose any action that raise tensions such as militarization. This is critical to ensuring regional peace and stability. All disputes in the region should be resolved not through force or coercion, but in accordance with international law.
The Philippines has the moral and legal obligation to uphold the 2016 Ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration. But we cannot do this if the administration will continue to adopt a policy of appeasement toward China. We need to regain the respect of responsible nations by clearly standing up for the rule of law.
The Philippines should start rallying for the promotion of a rules-based international system by looking beyond Asean and engaging other external powers like Australia and the United Kingdom. Multilateralism could be a critical step in achieving meaningful political security and economic community.
In the face of these challenges and threats to the rules-based international system, we can either work collectively with other states to defend the rule of law and uphold our sovereign rights, or allow the rule of might to prevail.
← Message of hope from a cancer survivor
The Dual Role of Think Tanks →


Daughters are just as good as sons. Though this was not always believed in India, things have changed for the better over the last decade. Women have also started to prove themselves as equals. Let's see how you can bring up your daughter well.
Join the Debate: Sons or Daughters?
Does Your Daughter Play Sports?
Is My Daughter Ready For Make-Up?
Gender discrimination can create a very bad impact on the development of a girl child. Learn more about the things that you should never tell your daughter.
Why Do Girls Mature Earlier than Boys?
Why do girls mature earlier than boys? Let us take a look at some factors that are responsible for early maturity in girls.


The Customer is advised to check the devices and computers, software installed on their computers and connected services (such as Internet access connection) in relation to the access and use of services to make sure that they are compatible with the Software.
AsiaSoft takes no responsibility for any failure to access or use the Software as a result of errors in network connection, hardware, other software installed on Customer's devices, including but not limited to hardware failure or incompatibility with the Software; incompatibility between the Software and other software installed and/or used by the Customer; Internet interruption connection or poor signal.
AsiaSoft gives no warranty or representation that this Service is free from any virus, interruption, or failure; however, AsiaSoft will perform maintenance of the Software to make sure that its operations meet its purposes.
AsiaSoft commits that it has the right to use the Software as a service to supply to the Customer and that it strictly complies with regulations of intellectual property laws.
By accepting to supply the Services to the Customer, AsiaSoft agrees to grant the Customer the right to use the Software in compliance with the terms hereof during the Term of the Service. Except stated otherwise here above, no clause shall be understood as granting, assigning, or transferring any intellectual property right in the Software to the Customer, unless expressively specified in writing and approved by legal representatives of the Customer and AsiaSoft.


Review: Opening their doors every Saturday for mind-altering shock treatment, Power Station has been giving their raging punters a potent dose of megawatt reality. Their curatorial expertise has established an institution that will now extend the mythical energy generated with a record label in the form of annual limited 12"/digital compilations, grouping tracks that have already become the club's signature tunes. Resident, booker and co-founder Kris Baha finds himself on both sides of the inaugural disc, with the ball of confusion solo production 'Something Something, and again as Heavy Concern in collaboration with Otologic's Nick Murray, a name synonymous with the Melbourne club circuit being one quarter of the Animals Dancing massive. Young gun Disrute captures the optimum warm up set with the shape shifting slow burner 'Ka-Bu' while scene veteran and Haul Music boss Mike Callander discovers a new lab mutation of sci-fi soundtrack, damaged funk and cerebral house.


Edited by ED, 11 November 2012 - 12:33 PM.
With the fall of Saddam Hussein, Iraq has become Shiite-controlled and a client-state of Iran where 89% are Shiites. Syria is ruled by a Shiite sect. And Bahrain, with its 65% Shiite population, is a threat at the heart of the Saudi Kingdom. All of this is making the Saudis feel like being cornered. Add a restless Shiite minority in Saudi Arabia, and economic troubles and problems among the Saudi princes then you get the picture why the Saudi rulers are feeling restless.
Why the Shiites are a threat to them? Looking into the history of the Shia-Sunni is looking at the blood feud between these two main branches of Islam. Consideration should be taken that the Iranian mostly are Aryans racially while the other side belong mostly to the Semite race. Both those two races have cultural differences and different histories.
It is known that Iran had decades-long threat to overthrow the Saudi regime. And lately, there has been this Shiite prophecy that the Mahdi would come when King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia dies. So it looks as if Iran would like to hasten this process along.
Saudi Arabia is funding the rebellion in Syria and sending men, arms and dollars in order to topple the Shiite rule and replace it with a Sunni rule with the blessing of the West and Turkey (and perhaps that of Israel). That's why Saudi leaders are praying that an Israel's strike on Iran's nuclear facilities would come sooner than expected. There is no doubt that S.A. has increased ties with Israel over concerns about Iran. Israel is now able to make deals with S.A. and other Gulf states.
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states are critical money-weapon-terrorists pipelines to Syrian rebels in a proxy war with Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah over Syria. While Egypt, that depends on Gulf money as lifeline and seeks now to rebuild the broken ties with Israel, is taking a neutral position over Syria, and the Gulf states want Egypt to remain in that position as any tilt or shift of Egypt toward actual help to Syria's Bashar Assad will change the current situation in the conflict.
During John Kerry's visit to Riyadh this month the Saudi leaders conveyed this message to him: "Don't trust Tehran, tighten sanctions, ask for a complete nuclear concession from Iran". The same thing that Israel has been asking for a long time. "the enemy of my enemy is my friend".


I am the son of Hamlin Smith. I attended Cubberley 1963-1967. I am here to help with communication with Hamlin Smith.
If Frank Ratliff is out there I want to know what happened to that great MG he had (with no working speedometer) ... a source of much jealousy over the years.
Who remembers the Joan Baez concerts/visits she made at least through 1965?
nathaniel smith has a birthday today.


For this course we use the STiNE - further information and material will be made available there. All participants will be affirmed after the first lecture.
Das Material für diese Veranstaltung ist im STiNE zu finden.


STAND OUT AMONG THE COMPETITION!
Contact Jenny Early for available options.
Take advantage of high-profile sponsorships and marketing opportunities.
Stay tuned for a complete listing of available sponsorships and benefits.
REACH ATTENDEES BEFORE THE CONFERENCE STARTS! ADVERTISE TODAY.
Promote your company with an advertisement in the FHCA 2019 Annual Conference Brochure or Program! Ad space is now available for exhibitors in our Conference Brochure and Program. The Brochure is mailed to all nursing homes and corporate offices in Florida. Attendees refer to the Program all during Conference when checking for details on seminars and other events. These full-color ads are a great way to gain additional recognition for your company and drive traffic to your booth. Please note: You must be an exhibitor or sponsor in order to place an ad in our Conference Brochure or Program.
Click here to download the ad form to reserve your ad space for our printed Brochure or Program.
All completed ad forms for the Conference Brochure must be submitted by Friday, January 25, and Friday, May 17, for the Conference Program. All camera-ready artwork must be submitted by Friday, February 1, for the Conference Brochure and Friday, May 24, for the Conference Program.
Allows dynamic, time-sensitive promotion. Each ad directs visitors to a landing page to learn more about your business.
Click here to find out how to secure your spot today.
Conference Website Advertising will begin in March 2019.