text:
Six Northeast Republicans Join Nadler, Oppose Boehner's Attack on Transit
By Noah Kazis
Northeastern Republicans, like New York's Nan Hayworth and Pennsylvania's Mike Fitzpatrick, have signed on to an amendment, sponsored by Manhattan Democrat Jerry Nadler, that would restore dedicated federal funding for transit.
The House GOP bill, drafted with significant input from Speaker John Boehner's office, would eliminate mass transit's dedicated funding stream, first signed into law by Ronald Reagan in 1982. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, a former House Republican, has called it "the worst transportation bill I've ever seen during 35 years of public service."
Some congressional Republicans, especially those who represent transit riders, agree that de-funding transit would be unacceptable. The Nadler amendment has bipartisan support from six Democrats and six Republicans. The GOP side includes New York's Chris Gibson, Bob Turner, Michael Grimm and Nan Hayworth, as well as Ohio's Steve LaTourette and Pennsylvania's Mike Fitzpatrick.
Turner, who represents an urban district where almost half of all commuters take transit to work, will not vote for the transportation bill in its current form, nor will LaTourette. Though not a sponsor of Nadler's amendment, Long Island GOP rep Peter King has also spoken out against the bill's anti-transit provisions and is currently expected to vote against the bill.
For the other Republicans, though, it's not clear whether the attack on transit is a dealbreaker. Hayworth, for example, made it clear in a statement to Streetsblog that her district needs a strong and well-funded transit system, but didn't commit to a particular course of action on the transportation bill.
"I am concerned about the way in which the transportation bill that is developing within the House of Representatives may affect mass transit and infrastructure in New York. Adequately funding improvements to the Metro-North Railroad and replacing the aging Tappan Zee Bridge are critical priorities for the Hudson Valley," she said. "As the bill advances, I will continue working with my colleagues both in Congress and the Hudson Valley to ensure that our mass transit and infrastructure needs are supported as fully as possible."
Gibson and Grimm's offices have not responded to Streetsblog inquiries about the transportation bill.
New York's editorial boards have widely opposed the bill. The New York Times, the New York Daily News, and the Newark Star-Ledger have all editorialized against the House transportation bill. This weekend, Newsday joined the fray, calling the bill "catastrophic for our region."
Filed Under: House of Representatives, Reauthorization, Transit
Encouraging News on Transit, But Serious Flaws Remain in House Transpo Bill
By Ben Goldman | Feb 24, 2012
Hold that victory lap: While it's true that House Republicans are revamping their transportation bill, it's time once again to wait and see just how bad the bill still is. Indications out of Speaker John Boehner's office are that the GOP leadership will no longer try to eliminate dedicated transit funding, but odds are that some […]
Three Chicagoland Republicans Defect on House Transpo Bill
By Angie Schmitt | Feb 10, 2012
Did John Boehner and and John Mica overreach with their proposal to strip dedicated funding for transit, cycling, and walking in the House transportation bill? That's the question observers have been asking since House GOP leaders sprung this politicized legislation in committee last week. It's too soon to tell whether the bill will clear the […]
Transpo Bills Delayed in House and Senate as Congress Enters Recess
Both houses of Congress are in recess this week, putting off their mountain of unfinished transportation business until next Monday. The momentum carrying transportation bills forward in each chamber has eroded recently. Last week, the House split its transportation bill — the one that eliminates dedicated funding for transit, bicycling, and walking — into three […]
Republicans Propose Spending Cuts Targeting Amtrak, Transit Funding
By Tanya Snyder | Jan 21, 2011
A new Republican proposal would eliminate federal subsidies to Amtrak; kill New Starts, the primary federal transit funding program; and make painful cuts to dozens of other federal programs. It's a plan by the Republican Study Committee, which is trying to keep alive House Speaker John Boehner's campaign pledge to reduce the budget by $100 […]
Don't Count Out HR 7 Yet: House GOP Could Revive Their Bill This Week
By Tanya Snyder | Mar 12, 2012
Last week, when House Speaker John Boehner indicated his willingness to bring up the Senate transportation bill, it seemed like an admission of defeat for the brazenly partisan approach and insanely destructive policies the Republicans have been promoting. But it's not over yet. Check out the nuances of Boehner's statement, quoted in The Hill last Thursday: […]
Compare the Senate and House Transpo Bills, Side-By-Side
By Ben Goldman | Mar 15, 2012
Now that the Senate has passed a transportation bill and everyone's waiting to see what the House will do next, Transportation for America has done us all a great service and compared the Senate's bill to the House's — well, to the last thing the House showed us before things fell apart for John Boehner's […]


CELLINK, the Gothenburg-based creator of one of the world's first universal bioinks and a leading bioprinter developer and provider, is setting up a new lab that will enable the company to develop better kidney, heart, liver and lung tissue models for use in pharmaceutical development.
Located in the BioVentureHub, at the heart of AstraZeneca's R&D Gothenburg site, the new lab will be staffed by a team of four scientists and researchers. They will focus on developing opportunities for customers and partners to bioprint using any type of cells relevant to the targeted applications.
The BioVentureHub continues to grow. With CELLINK onboard, and after 8 new companies joined in 2017, there are currently 25 companies and 1 academic group in the BioVentureHub.


VanLineMovers.com is your best choice for a Alabama Moving company. We have movers throughout Alabama to help you move within AL and from Alabama to anywhere in the world. Whether your move is local, long distance or international, residential or commercial, We can Help.
click on Free Moving Quotes and get the best Movers and Moving Company in AL.


The XXIO Royal Gold Golf Balls come with a popular 3-piece design. The XXIO golf balls are known for their high performing designs which work well in the popular 3-piece approach. This design also comes with a special ionomer layer which the manufacturer has used across a series of golf balls and which is also proving increasingly popular with other brands as well. With a solid performance that is above average consistency, the golf balls represent a solid option for the dedicated player.
The Japanese golf balls are technically superior even to some well-known alternatives. This is why the XXIO golf balls represent a top option for so many dedicated players who can afford the slightly more expensive entry-point. At the same time, the manufacturing process is more precise and it requires more high-end materials. But unlike many other alternatives which just add these materials to make them look good on paper, XXIO has managed to integrate the materials into the improved performance.
This is where you will see the interesting Aero Dimple technology working to your advantage. The same can be said regarding the ionomer layer. While the ionomer technology or close alternatives have been seen across multiple brands, having the added non-metal mid insertions will recommend the golf balls for a wider range of players who need to maximize performance. This is where you would benefit for improved reach and distance coverage simply by letting the technology work for you.
The design of the golf balls also has some new perspectives. Although they might not be new to the brand, they might be new for the players looking to play the XIXO golf balls. This means that technologies such as the 324 Aero Dimple can prove to be an interesting and custom addition that will improve the in-flight performance of the balls. Choosing the best option for you might not be as easy when you think of the different dimple technologies and numbers which are on the market today. But often times it is not simple the number of the dimples which can see a change as it can also be their shape and the way the fill the cover of the ball. This is where the Aero Dimple technology can prove to be an interesting alternative.
The XXIO Royal Gold Golf Balls represent an interesting performance in terms of consistency and speed. With an aggressive style that uses some of the most popular technologies and characteristics from XXIO, the balls offer an interesting performance that most players looking for a personalized experience will love. The very soft 3-piece design of the golf balls will recommend them for a consistent approach and this is where they can show their true potential. With the added asymmetrical dimples, the golf balls can represent a top priority if you want a precise construction and if you can also afford the new segment which the manufacturer opened with this complex approach.


text:
hermionesviolin —
Elizabeth Scripturient (the delinquent, ecumenical ( hermionesviolin) wrote,
Elizabeth Scripturient (the delinquent, ecumenical
hermionesviolin
feeling more alive (enlivened)
At faith sharing this week, we didn't so much talk about creativity as we DID creativity.
Hilary led, and afterward she emailed the list some TED talks.
The one I just watched is: Sarah Kay: "If I should have a daughter..."
I love that TED has both subtitles and an "interactive transcript" option. For additional accessibility, though, someone transcribed the spoken word poem that opened the talk.
Addendum: She sent 3 TED talks, and I wasn't impressed by the first one, but the 3rd one was Brené Brown ("Maybe stories are just data with a soul.") "The power of vulnerability" which I just now watched and which I also really like.
And shame is really easily understood as the fear of disconnection. Is there something about me that, if other people know it or see it, that I won't be worthy of connection. The things I can tell you about it: it's universal; we all have it. The only people who don't experience shame have no capacity for human empathy or connection. No one wants to talk about it, and the less you talk about it the more you have it. What underpinned this shame, this "I'm not good enough," -- which we all know that feeling: "I'm not blank enough. I'm not thin enough, rich enough, beautiful enough, smart enough, promoted enough." The thing that underpinned this was excruciating vulnerability, this idea of, in order for connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be seen, really seen.
[...] if I roughly took the people I interviewed and divided them into people who really have a sense of worthiness -- that's what this comes down to, a sense of worthiness -- they have a strong sense of love and belonging -- and folks who struggle for it, and folks who are always wondering if their good enough. There was only one variable that separated the people who have a strong sense of love and belonging and the people who really struggle for it. And that was, the people who have a strong sense of love and belonging believe that they're worthy of love and belonging. That's it. They believe they're worthy. And to me, the hard part of the one thing that keeps us out of connection is our fear that we're not worthy of connection, was something that, personally and professionally, I felt like I needed to understand better. So what I did is I took all of the interviews where I saw worthiness, where I saw people living that way, and just looked at those.
[...] And so here's what I found. What they had in common was a sense of courage. And I want to separate courage and bravery for you for a minute. Courage, the original definition of courage when it first came into the English language -- it's from the Latin word cor, meaning heart -- and the original definition was to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart. And so these folks had, very simply, the courage to be imperfect. They had the compassion to be kind to themselves first and then to others, because, as it turns out, we can't practice compassion with other people if we can't treat ourselves kindly. And the last was that they had connection, and -- this was the hard part -- as a result of authenticity, they were willing to let go of who they thought they should be in order to be who they were, which you have to absolutely do that for connection.
The other thing that they had in common was this. They fully embraced vulnerability. They believed that what made them vulnerability made them beautiful. They didn't talk about vulnerability being comfortable, nor did they talk about it being excruciating -- as I had heard it earlier in the shame interviewing. They just talked about it being necessary. They talked about the willingness to say "I love you" first, the willingness to do something where there are no guarantees, the willingness to breathe through waiting for the doctor to call after your mammogram. They're willing to invest in a relationship that may or may not work out. They thought this was fundamental.
There's also a piece near the end that made me think of an Atlantic article that's been going around -- "How to Land Your Kid in Therapy: Why the obsession with our kids' happiness may be dooming them to unhappy adulthoods."
And we perfect, most dangerously, our children. Let me tell you what we think about children. They're hardwired for struggle when they get here. And when you hold those perfect little babies in your hand, our job is not so say, "Look at her, she's perfect. My job is just to keep her perfect -- make sure she makes the tennis team by fifth grade and Yale by seventh grade." That's not our job. Our job is to look and say, "You know what? You're imperfect, and you're wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging." That's our job. Show me a generation of kids raised like that, and we'll end the problems I think that we see today. We pretend that what we do doesn't have an effect on people. We do that in our personal lives. We do that corporate -- whether it's a bailout, an oil spill, a recall -- we pretend like what we're doing doesn't have a huge impact on other people. I would say to companies, this is not our first rodeo people. We just need you to be authentic and real and say, "We're sorry. We'll fix it."
Tags: faith-sharing group

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


A cover from the Brisith Virgin Islands, sent by Patrick Hevaghan for Nice Cover Circuit in postcrossing forum.
On the cover, Patrick used five beautiful stamps. The postmark date is 23 August 2013 and the location is Road Town Post Office in Tortola.
Inside is a beautiful postcard of a beach in Tortola. Thank you very much Patrick!


Best of Innovation. Better for the planet. Tide-turning technology: CES recognized the XPS 13 9370 as a 2018 Innovation Awards Honoree in the Computer Hardware and Components category.
Dimensions: 11.9" x 7.8" x 0.46"


text:
Dorfman heads chamber's entrepreneur efforts
Green start-up veteran to help Asheville ventures grow
Dorfman heads chamber's entrepreneur efforts Green start-up veteran to help Asheville ventures grow Check out this story on citizen-times.com: http://avlne.ws/1i5HSdT
Dale Neal, ASH Published 9:53 p.m. ET April 3, 2014
Josh Dorfman is the new director of entrepreneurial development at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. (Photo: Dale Neal , dneal@citizen-times.com )
ASHEVILLE – Josh Dorfman made his name nationally as "The Lazy Environmentalist," but he's worked hard launching businesses to bring green products to consumers. Now he wants to focus his energies locally, working with Asheville's array of start-ups.
"I've been involved in green business and entrepreneur start-ups for the last 10 years in Silicon Valley and New York," Dorfman said. "I felt a real affinity for the Asheville ethos."
His parents retired to the area about eight years ago, and he often flew down from his Brooklyn home to visit. Last Thanksgiving, he moved here with his wife and children.
"Asheville is one of those cities where people really love being here, and that's unique. People move to Los Angeles because they want to work in entertainment. People move to Washington because they want to work in policy or government. You move to Asheville because you want to succeed professionally and have a good quality of life."
Over the holidays, he heard the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce was looking for a new director of entrepreneurial development. Dorfman applied and landed the job.
"We're excited to have such a talented individual as Josh. He can help us share the success stories of our entrepreneurs, to help nurture and invest in them," said Ben Teague, senior vice president at the chamber and executive director of the Economic Development Coalition for Asheville and Buncombe County.
Part of Asheville 5X5, the chamber's blueprint to creating new jobs for the area, focuses on knowledge-based entrepreneurs. "We want to look at the high growth companies we have here, and how we can get them the talent and the capital they need to scale," Dorfman said.
His first green venture was Vivavi, a retailer of modern design green furniture and furnishings, which he founded in 2003. As CEO, Dorfman built the business around an e-commerce site and showrooms in Brooklyn and lower Manhattan. Inc. Magazine named Vivavi to The Green 50 as one of the leading entrepreneurial companies driving the green revolution.
Dorfman created "The Lazy Environmentalist," media brand in 2005 to help consumers make simpler green choices. The "Lazy Environmentalist started out as a blog, then grew into a reality TV show on the Sundance Channel, then as a radio show forSirius XM.
His books include "The Lazy Environmentalist: Your Guide to Easy, Stylish Green Living" and "The Lazy Environmentalist On A Budget: Save Money, Save Time, Save The Planet." He's also served as vice president of marketing for Good Guide, a venture capital backed "Fast Company 50" consumer products company in Silicon Valley.
Dorfman is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania in International Relations and received his MBA from Thunderbird, The School of Global Management and is fluent in Mandarin and French.
Dorfman replaces Pam Lewis, who left the chamber last fall. She's working as vice president of the new Appalachian EB-5 Regional Center.
Read or Share this story: http://avlne.ws/1i5HSdT
Answer Man: Mission cans wellness program?
Bald is beautiful on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Attorneys: UNCA held 2 more illegal meetings
Homicide victim Spry was 'big-hearted,' loyal
Boyle column: New state park and transparency
City: Stop refilling Merrimon Avenue sinkhole


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Q: How to check if property exist before retrieving it using SpListItem.Item I need to get the value of an SplistItem.Item. There is a new property that was added "ShortenedUrl". The problem is that, old pages does not contain this property so I get an error of "Value does not fall within the expected range" whenever the site is an old page.
Is there a way to check first if the item exist?
before getting the value?
Here's is my code.
        'Set shortened URL
        Dim objShortUrl As Object = postItemById.Item("ows_ShortenedUrl")
        If objShortUrl IsNot Nothing Then
            blogPost.shortURL = objShortUrl
        Else
            blogPost.shortURL = DBNull.Value
        End If

What can I do to check first if "ows_ShortenedUrl" exist?

A: SPFieldCollection.ContainsField just checks the schema. You can have a field defined in a schema, and the value can still be null.  If you know it's in the schema, just check item[fieldName] == null.
if (item.Fields.ContainsField(fieldName) && item[fieldName] != null) {

   //do something with it

}

A: You can use Item.Fields.ContainsField to check.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Hillary Clinton emphasizes Russia, Iran's role in Syrian settlement
US presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton stated that Moscow and Tehran should participate in the process of Syrian settlement.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Moscow and Tehran must be involved in any political and diplomatic efforts of international powers to settle the ongoing civil war in Syria, US Democratic Party presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said.
"The Russians and the Iranians are the two biggest supporters of the Assad regime, so they have to be part of any kind of ongoing political diplomatic effort," Clinton said during a meeting with voters, broadcast by CNN.
The presidential hopeful also urged Russia to cease its airstrikes against terrorists in Syria.
Clinton expressed hope that the Russian-US agreement on cessation of hostilities between Damascus and the Syrian opposition would have been implemented by the upcoming weekend.
On Monday, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced a ceasefire deal between the Syrian government of President Bashar Assad and the armed opposition factions had been reached. The agreement will come into force on February 27.
By Sputnik
Hillary Clinton, Russia, Syria crisis	February 24, 2016
EU warns of possible Turkey-Russia 'hot war' over Syria
President attends ceremony to mark Iran Air anniversary
Flood damages worth $53m inflicted on Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan infrastructure
Germany confirms Trump made trade threat to Europe over Iran policy


text:
package com.github.mustard.jmus.command;

import org.junit.Test;

import static org.hamcrest.CoreMatchers.equalTo;
import static org.hamcrest.MatcherAssert.assertThat;

public class VolumeTest {

    @Test
    public void shouldGetVolumeUpCommand() {
        assertThat(Volume.UP.getCommand(), equalTo("vol +10%"));
    }

    @Test
    public void shouldGetVolumeDownCommand() {
        assertThat(Volume.DOWN.getCommand(), equalTo("vol -10%"));
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


For those of you who don't have time to go back to the beginning, here's what's been happening this past year 2007.
Here's a brief update: We became convinced that God wanted us to do some volunteer, self-supporting work in Venezuela in about February of this year. We came down here to visit at the end of January. Gary was online looking and came accross this project of gospel ministries (David Gates is president), and emailed them. They responded right away for us to come down and check it out. The ministry is flying people out of the jungle for medical care, and also taking pastors and lay workers into the jungle villages that are inaccessable except by canoe and foot. It takes these people days or a week to hike out of the jungles.
Gary was already a pilot--he had a plane at PUC our freshman year, but had to sell it to pay for his school bills. He had gotten his license current about a year before and was flying some. We bought a small plane and he started flying in earnest. We sold our house in August. it was only on the market for 1 week and we had 2 offers. Gary got his instrument certification, and finished his commercial license--except the final flying test--he did the written one. He had trouble getting the test completed due to getting sick, the plane going into the shop, no instructor available, and so forth.
He was trying to put some more hours in, when he crashed our plane just 2 weeks before we came down here. We had put the plane up for sale, and had taken a guy out to look at it, but it had an oil leak under it. When Gary took it to the shop, it needed an engine overhaul. He had just gotten the plane back after the overhaul. It had less than 2 hrs. on the engine--it was Gary's first flight after the repairs--when the engine failed. He tried to land it, but there was a strong wind; he couldn't make it to a field he was trying to land in and so went beside the road. The road had a blind curve, and he didn't want to have a head-on collision. On the side of the road, there was a small dip, and a sign that he barely clipped, and the plane flipped. He hurt his neck and shoulder. He was in the hospital for 24 hours.
I think the devil was trying hard to keep us away. The day after we arrived here, the base pilot, Bob Norton, crashed his plane (cessna 182). He had a very strong tail wind, and couldn't stop on the runway in time. He's been flying here for 5 years without an accident. Nobody was hurt in his plane crash, but it took quite a bit of effort and time to get the plane out of the jungle. In the mean time, Bob and his wife, Neiba (a Venezuelan) got the Cessna 172, a smaller plane, that he used to fly, fixed. They are using that now.
God is working in us patience and faith and a stronger relationship with Him--while we mow grass, plant banana trees, level the ground (Gary), play the organ for the church (Toni), and other mundane things. they have asked us to help with pathfinders. they want me (Toni) to teach first aid, and Gary to help with classwork.
In January, we will go back to the US to do necessary paper work. Please keep us in your prayers and keep in touch by email. We love to hear from friends and family! Thanks for emailing!


Rip Curl Peniche 2014 free surf 14th October > Cheap surf camp in the Hossegor Capbreton area.
What have the boys been up to with the lay days in this years Rip Curl Pro Peniche. Well ripping up at the back up site and around.
Not to say that they could have run the comp at the back up site as this video is obviously cut and it may not be consistent enough for heats in the water but boy it does look ripable.
The title race hangs on a few things, one, that Kelly Slater does at least one level better than Gabriel Medina in this event and two, that Medina does not make it out of the first round at Pipeline.I believe that while the first is possible the second is not.
In conclusion Gabriel has already won the world title this year, its just a matter of where he does it. Saying that you should never count out Kelly Slater, he has won 11 world titles.
Dont forget to tune in and find out how it plays out, next call for the Rip Curl Pro Peniche is on the 17th at 7.30am local time.


Polytar soap is a concentrated, antiseptic, soap bar that contains 1% Polytar as the active ingredient. It is used for the management of various skin disorders, especially psoriasis and eczema.
Polytar soap is helpful in the treatment of scalp disorders such as psoriasis, dandruff, seborrhoeic dermatitis, eczema, and pruritus.
The soap's odor is very mild and neutral.
Use this particular soap if you suffer from dandruff or inflammatory skin disorder such as seborrheic dermatitis: When your skin is scaly, flaky, itchy, and red.
Polytar soap is made out of natural products and perfumes.
Our soap bars are packaged individually, by hand.


text:
Mammiyur Krishnan Kutty Nair was a prominent modern day mural artist from Kerala, India. He also founded the Guruvayoor Devaswom Mural Painting Institute.  By finding space for mural art outside the temples, he advocated for its recognition as a legacy.  When Guruvayoor Devaswam wanted to renovate its murals after a fire in the early 1970s temple murals were renovated under Mammiyur Krishnan Kutty Nair's guidance.

See also
 Kerala mural painting

References

External links
 Mural Heritage of Kerala

20th-century Indian painters
Painters from Kerala
Muralists
People from Guruvayur
Indian male painters
Year of birth missing
Year of death missing
20th-century Indian male artists

de:Wandmalerei
es:Mural
fr:Peinture murale
nl:Muurschildering
ja:壁画
pl:Mural
pt:Muralismo
ru:Монументальная живопись
fi:Muraali
zh:壁畫

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Source: In: Gottschalk, Kurt W., ed. Proceedings, 18th U.S. Department of Agriculture interagency research forum on gypsy moth and other invasive species 2007; 2007 January 9-12; Annapolis, MD. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-28. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 30-31.
Haack, Robert A.; Petrice, Toby R. 2008. How risky is bark that is associated with treated wood packing material?. In: Gottschalk, Kurt W., ed. Proceedings, 18th U.S. Department of Agriculture interagency research forum on gypsy moth and other invasive species 2007; 2007 January 9-12; Annapolis, MD. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-28. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 30-31.


text:
Fighting Junk Mail via 'Do Not Mail' Lists: Devilish Details and Front Groups
Submitted by Anne Landman on May 5, 2008 - 5:24pm
A recent blog about the pro-junk mail lobby and its front group, Mail Moves America, drew many comments. Mail Moves America is a coalition of businesses that oppose efforts to create a legislated "Do Not Mail" list to protect citizens from being showered with unwanted junk mail,Junk mail is clearly a hot topic that arouses strong emotions on all sides. As electronic mail moves closer to overtaking paper mail as the medium of choice for written communication, it is clear that the Post Office remains an essential way to communicate and transfer goods. Still, many people are overwhelmed with junk mail and have little idea how to stop it.
Could a "Do Not Mail" list have unintended consequences?
Efforts to promote a national "Do Not Mail" list were spearheaded by ForestEthics, an environmental organization working to slow destruction of the Canadian Boreal Forest. The idea instantly took hold. For beleaguered consumers, a "Do Not Mail" list certainly sounds attractive: just sign up and junk mail would magically stop. But it isn't hard to imagine that such a list could also have unintended consequences. If someone blocked mail to a rented address, then moved and failed to notify the Post Office, for example, what problems could that pose for the new occupants? Since a Do Not Mail database would by its nature be extremely fluid, who would maintain that database, and how would that maintenance be funded? Writing and passing a Do Not Mail law at the federal level could, given the powerful lobbies involved, result in pro-industry legislation filled with loopholes that would permit junk mailers to continue business as usual.
The status quo is unacceptable
While creating a Do Not Mail list could present as many problems as solutions, the current "solutions" that marketers and others point to for reducing junk mail can also be intimidating and are simply inadequate. A few blog commentators pointed to the Direct Marketing Association's "Mail Preference Service" (MPS) as a solution. In addition to being poorly promoted and unknown to most consumers, the MPS can also be intimidating to use, and is fraught with annoying obstacles. The MPS Web site tells users they have to enter a credit card number to "authenticate and validate the consumer's identity through a no-charge transaction." Placing such sensitive personal financial information on the Web is a deal-breaker for many people, particularly older consumers. If you want to avoid using the Internet, you can register with MPS through the mail, but you have to print out a registration form, fill it in, mail it to DMA and include one dollar, in the form of a check or money order only. This is another annoying obstacle, particularly for people who have to go out and purchase a money order. And why should anyone have to pay to stop getting something they didn't want in the first place? To stop getting catalogs, MPS requires that you enter the exact name of every single catalog you want to stop receiving. Who keeps unwanted catalogs around, much less lists of them? MPS does not appear to cover nonprofit mailings, so to get names off nonprofit mailing lists, consumers have to contact each individual nonprofit by calling long distance to non-toll-free numbers, or sending first-class letters or postcards -- all at one's own expense. Other Web sites that offer to reduce junk mail tell the user to enter the customer number from each unwanted catalog's mailing label -- which again, people are unlikely to keep. Still other sites want $50 or more for their services.
Reducing junk mail clearly requires a substantial investment of effort, planning, time and money. DMA's "Mail Preference Service," and other services, just don't seem like adequate solutions to the problem.
Corporate practices contribute to the junk mail problem
At least some of the junk mail problem can be traced to corporate policies that generate unwanted mail. Those little white pamphlets full of "mice type" that credit card companies periodically mail to account holders, for example, usually have buried inside a very misleadingly-named "Privacy Policy" that says the company intends to share your personal information with other businesses unless you opt out. Opting out requires filling in a form, putting an account number on it, and mailing it back to the company at your own expense, with no return envelope provided. Most people don't read these pamphlets, let alone go to the required level of effort to opt out, rendering this a practice that clearly breeds unwanted mail. Instead, companies could simply make "opt out" the default, and invite customers to "opt in" if they want to get more ads. This small change could assure that the company's future mailings are targeted to a far more receptive audience, with less of their mailings ending up in the trash. If companies voluntarily changed such policies, they could avoid legislation forcing them to do it. In an era where actual "green" corporate behavior is rare and highly prized by the public, such a worthwhile policy change could serve as a significant public relations and marketing coup.
Companies also constantly entice consumers with tempting special offers, coupons and discounts that are linked to address-harvesting schemes. In exchange for a discount, an offer of a freebie or the "chance" to win a big-ticket item, consumers are conned into turning over their personal contact information, which then lands them on innumerable mailing lists. Once you give money to a nonprofit organization, your name is often bought, sold, traded and circulated among innumerable other organizations who also then solicit you through the mail. Some refer to this as getting on the "sucker list." Information on how to avoid giving up personal information and ending up on this mail merry-go-round isn't readily available. There really is no practical education made available about how to recognize and avoid address-harvesting schemes, and such schemes just add to the ever-increasing junk mail burden we all must bear.
But a Do Not Mail list would make the Post Office go broke!
By some estimates, the Post Office derives 80% of its revenue from junk mail, leading some to argue that a Do Not Mail list will put the Post Office out of business. A similar theory was advanced by the tobacco industry and its allies for decades to stall the advance of smoke-free laws. We were told, over and over again by a variety of experts and studies, that ending smoking in bars and restaurants would drive businesses into the ground. It turned out that wasn't the case. Most people wanted smoke-free bars and restaurants, and experience has now shown time and time again that after a smoke-free law goes into effect, there is an initial shock while people figure out how to deal with the new situation, and then business returns, often better than before.
The same will probably be true of a Do Not Mail list. When fax machines were invented, no one argued against using them because they would hurt the Post Office. No one is saying don't use email because it hurts the Post Office. Fed Ex and UPS do hurt the Post Office, but no one is arguing they should be banned. All of these products and services exist because there is a demand for them. Blocking people from obtaining some form of control over the kind of mail they receive wastes time, money and resources, and is probably a futile exercise in the long run, since the demand for such control is strong and growing.
Let's also not forget the fact that the Post Office has been losing money even without a Do Not Mail list, as evidenced by rapidly increasing postal rates in recent years. The Post Office is run as a for-profit business, and it appears to be clinging tightly to a losing business model. Perhaps it is time for the Post Office start figuring how it can better serve people in the Twenty First Century, and what services they could provide that people really do want. One thing is for certain: it sure isn't more junk mail.
Viable alternatives to a Do Not Mail List?
There may be viable alternatives to a Do-Not-Mail bill that are more targeted, and achieve the same ends, but with fewer unintended consequences: Congress could pass a law requiring that all advertising mail be accompanied by a pre-paid postcard, or bear a toll-free number (in a minimum size font) to opt out of the mailing list. The Post Office could also announce that it will stop delivering mail that is addressed only to "Occupant" or "Current Resident."
One commentator on the original junk mail blog brought up the case of Rowan v. the United States Post Office, decided in 1970, which arguably affirmed citizens' rights to refuse unsolicited advertising through the mail. Under Rowan, the Supreme Court held that the law "allows the addressee unreviewable discretion to decide whether he wishes to receive any further material from a particular sender" and that "a vendor does not have a constitutional right to send unwanted material into someone's home, and a mailer's right to communicate must stop at the mailbox of an unreceptive addressee." It would seem that all that is left under Rowan is for the Post Office to create a mechanism through which citizens can refuse unsolicited advertising in the mail. While Rowan gave people this right, the junk-addicted Post Office has not moved this forward.
So how can we promote serious consideration of a variety of options to solve this problem in a way that will really make a difference? For starters, people can file complaints about the junk mail problem, accompanied by proposed alternatives, at the Web site of Postal Regulatory Commission at www.prc.gov. You can also write to Nanci Langley, Director, Public Affairs and Government Relations, Postal Regulatory Commission, 901 New York Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, D.C. 20268-0001. The Postal Regulatory Commission is completely independent of the Postal Service, and handles broad complaints about the mail. I'm told they take complaints seriously. People who still think a Do Not Mail list is a good idea can sign a petition in favor of it at www.DoNotMail.org. ForestEthics also offers an easy-to-use tool on their Web site to help reduce junk mail now, with no credit card required, and no fees.
If nothing else, efforts to enact a Do Not Mail list are drawing badly needed attention to the widespread desire of consumers "take back" their mail boxes from marketers and advertisers, and reduce the damaging amount of waste generated by junk mail. Sooner or later, one way or another, the people will achieve their goal.
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Mutternich replied on May 6, 2008 - 6:56am Permalink
First of all,
To all pro-junkmail flacks out there who are composing posts about how junk mail benefits me -- feel free to send me all the junk mail you want, IF: (a) I can put it directly into my car's gas tank, or (b) You deliver each year's allotment every spring in the form of stove-length cordwood. The money you'd save on making it into paper and printing the ads on it would more than cover the costs of delivering it to me, and I'd be no less likely to buy whatever was being advertised. Thank you, and have a nice day! :-)
Rezzie Dannt replied on May 7, 2008 - 4:29am Permalink
Ms. Landman, Thank you very much for covering this issue. Please excuse my lengthy replies in this thread and the one before.
Since a Do Not Mail database would by its nature be extremely fluid, who would maintain that database, and how would that maintenance be funded?
 Like the Do Not Call Registry, it could be maintained by the FTC and funded by the direct marketers themselves, who pay an annual fee to access the data. If need be, we could apply some of the millions of dollars in taxes that are currently being spent on waste removal.
But it isn't hard to imagine that such a list could also have unintended consequences.
 I think the key word here is "imagine." Before the Do Not Call list was implemented, telemarketers had the public "imagining" all kinds of gloom and doom scenarios that [http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2004-10-13-do-not-call-fallout_x.htm never came to pass].
DMA's "Mail Preference Service," and other services, just don't seem like adequate solutions to the problem.
 I agree that the DMA's registry is inadequate. In addition to the flaws you mention, there are numerous other shortcomings. The biggest issue is that only about 3,600 of the millions of junk mailers in the U.S. have access to the DMA's registry. Furthermore, to quote myself from [https://www.prwatch.org/node/7192#comment-2983 the previous thread], "it does nothing to stop local junk mail. It does nothing to stop rogue mailers and scammers who prey on the elderly and the mentally ill. It does nothing to stem the flood of junk mail that inundates small business owners, who the DMA prohibits from ever signing up. It offers no legal recourse for the consumer. And although the registry is about 40 years old, polls show that nearly 90% of us are still unhappy with the amount of junk mail we receive." The DMA registry has had four decades to work. It's time for something new. As I also point out, there's an issue of trust. Consumers have good reason to distrust the DMA. After all, these are the same folks who fought alongside telemarketers to stop the Do Not Call registry. These are the same folks who at one point fought to perpetuate spam. And these are the same folks who are right now fighting against legislation that would offer consumers control over their mailboxes. Furthermore, the DMA's actions and statements in the past would suggest that the registry's primary function is to create the illusion of self-regulation in order to thwart legislation. And let's not forget that the DMA registry has been abused in the past by telemarketers who used it as a mailing list. Who knows what they do with your data once your five year registration expires. No, letting the DMA regulate junk mail is like letting the fox guard the proverbial hen house.
It would seem that all that is left under Rowan is for the Post Office to create a mechanism through which citizens can refuse unsolicited advertising in the mail.
 Technically, such a mechanism does exist. It's called a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibitory_Order Prohibitory Order]. Unfortunately, the Postal Service seems to do everything it can to discourage its use. We can't expect the Postal Service to offer any real solutions to junk mail; it's not in their interests to do so.
By some estimates, the Post Office derives 80% of its revenue from junk mail, leading some to argue that a Do Not Mail list will put the Post Office out of business.
 I think this estimate is a bit high. It's more likely in the 33% to 50% range. Regardless, I don't buy the argument that a Do Not Mail registry is going to destroy the Postal Service or send rates skyrocketing. While eliminating unwanted junk mail may decrease their revenue, it will also radically decrease their expenses. Furthermore, the Postal Service requires every mail class to pay its own way. Junk mail is NOT subsidizing first class mail service. If anything, the consumer rates have at times subsidized junk mail. A few years back, the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) argued that: "The current USPS financial crisis is directly attributable to the $12 billion in postage discounts it gives annually to major mailers and direct mail firms for pre-sorting their mail. The discounts equal significantly more than the costs the Postal Service avoids when it receives presorted mail."([http://epic.org/privacy/postal 1]) The Postal Service's main problem is that they refuse to scale back, as a normal business would, in the face of decreasing demand for their products and services. They have numerous alternatives to raising rates. For one, they can start to address their notorious inefficiencies and bloated infastructure. (These are the same folks who recently ran up a [http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/dining/orl-gao1008apr10,0,726845.story $13,500 tab] at a steakhouse.)
So how can we promote serious consideration of a variety of options to solve this problem in a way that will really make a difference?
 Writing Congress (and possibly the FTC and FCC) might be effective. I think the Postal Regulatory Commission is more likely to sympathize with the Postal Service than the consumer. In addition to the petition at [http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/281/t/5980/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=941 ForestEthics], please consider signing the ones at [http://tinyurl.com/3spc39 Green Dimes] and [http://www.newdream.org/cnad/user/user_petition_detail.php?config%5Bcom_region_global119%5D%5Binstance_uid%5D=7 New American Dream].
Sooner or later, one way or another, the people will achieve their goal.
 I wholeheartedly agree. Thanks again for your efforts to bring this issue to the light, or perhaps I should say, bring light to this issue. Rezzie Dannt [http://www.junkmailrevolt.org Junk Mail Revolt] (Launches May 12, 2008)
Matt Broder replied on May 6, 2008 - 9:27am Permalink
Do Not Mail is Still a Bad Idea
Dear Ms. Landman -- and with apologies to Mutternich, because I am a "pro-junkmail flack." :+) I am encouraged by your latest posting, since you have at least moved away from the specious environmental arguments that ForestEthics and others have made in their attempts to enact bad legislation. Thank you for that. Bashing the Postal Service is an intellectual exercise that I suppose is just about as old as the Postal Service itself, and I regret your slide into this really pointless debate.
Let's also not forget the fact that the Post Office has been losing money even without a Do Not Mail list, as evidenced by rapidly increasing postal rates in recent years.
 Not true! Stamp prices have paralleled the overall CPI for almost forty years now. If you want to have a go at some group about inflation, please stick to health care and higher education, not the USPS. And this point is also interesting:
If nothing else, efforts to enact a Do Not Mail list are drawing badly needed attention to the widespread desire of consumers "take back" their mail boxes from marketers and advertisers, and reduce the damaging amount of waste generated by junk mail. Sooner or later, one way or another, the people will achieve their goal.
 I get suspicious when individuals claim to speak for "the people." How about the 56% of people who say opening their mail everyday is a "real pleasure."? Or the 55% who say they look forward to discovering what is in their mail every day? You can learn more about this in the USPS's "Mail Moment" study at http://www.usps.com/directmail/_pdf/05MailMoment.pdf, and please don't bash the survey simply because it is from the USPS. All companies study their customers' behavior, and the data show what the data show. Ultimately, we both want the same thing -- for consumers to receive the mail they want. All the tools they need to assert control over the mailbox already exist, and individuals need only make their choices known to mailers. Matt Broder Vice President, External Communications Pitney Bowes Inc.
I am encouraged by your

I am encouraged by your latest posting, since you have at least moved away from the specious environmental arguments that ForestEthics and others have made in their attempts to enact bad legislation.
 Mr. Broder, I was a little late to the party in the last thread, so perhaps you missed my responses [https://www.prwatch.org/node/7192#comment-2983 here], [https://www.prwatch.org/node/7192#comment-2984 here], and [https://www.prwatch.org/node/7192#comment-2985 here]. I think I make a strong case that your environmental position is, in fact, the one that's specious.
I regret your slide into this really pointless debate.
 Would you say that the preferences and feelings of 80 to 90% of the public are pointless? Would you say that the right to be left alone, which the esteemed Justice Brandeis famously called "the most comprehensive of rights and the right most valued by civilized men," is pointless? Would you say that our Constitutional right to peacably enjoy our privacy and property is pointless? Would you say the health of our planet, which is undergoing deforestation rates that National Geographic calls a "Forest Holocaust", is pointless? Then with all due respect, I would hardly classify this debate as pointless.
Not true!
 So you would deny her main point, which is that the Postal Service is in financial trouble? Interesting.
I get suspicious when individuals claim to speak for "the people." How about the 56% of people who say opening their mail everyday is a "real pleasure."? Or the 55% who say they look forward to discovering what is in their mail every day?
 The link you provide says that about half those polled enjoy opening their mail in general. It does not say they enjoy receiving junk mail. Big difference. (Also, what about the other half?) When asked about junk mail specifically, polls consistently show that 80 to 90 percent of the public dislikes it. For example, according to a 2007 Zogby poll, 89% say they dislike junk mail and would actively use an option such as a Do Not Mail registry. I'm afraid you're using the same tactic that was employed by telemarketers who fought the Do Not Call registry. They, too, misapplied poll data to skew the reality of public opinion. Then, when the people had a chance to speak for themselves, tens of millions signed up for the Do Not Call registry within the first few months of its existence. If the junk mail industry truly believed that people like receiving junk mail, it wouldn't be so desperate to prevent the public from having an easy and comprehensive means of opting out. The fury with which junk mail advocates are fighting against consumer-friendly legislation is strong evidence that it doesn't believe its own talking points regarding public preferences. After all, if people truly liked junk mail, they wouldn't bother to use the registry, would they? In which case, why fight against it?
Ultimately, we both want the same thing -- for consumers to receive the mail they want.
 Again, this is almost identical to the mantra of the telemarketers. We didn't believe them, and we don't believe you. Forgive the cliche, but actions speak louder than words.
All the tools they need to assert control over the mailbox already exist
 If that's truly the case, then again, why is your industry fighting so hard to prevent the public from having one more tool at its disposal? The fact is, current tools, such as the DMA registry, are grossly inadequate. (See my previous post for a list of the DMA registry's shortcomings.) Rezzie Dannt [http://www.junkmailrevolt.org Junk Mail Revolt] (Launches May 12, 2008)
Matt Broder replied on May 7, 2008 - 11:48am Permalink
My Last Word
Rezzie -- My reference to a "pointless debate" was specific to Ms. Landman's comments about the US Postal Service, and it is pointless. People can criticize the USPS all they want -- it's a free country. But it's an organization that gets a heck of a lot done under some pretty significant operating constraints (highly unionized, highly subject to Congressional scrutiny), and has achieved impressive productivity growth in the past several years. It is financially challenged like many large organizations, but it is addressing those challenges in a thoughtful and long-term way. It's clear that you and I are not going to be able to persuade each other of the correctness of our respective positions, and I won't bore PR Watch readers by trying to argue with you until we are both out of breath. You have your facts, I have mine, and in the great US democratic tradition, we will compete in the marketplace of ideas for some time to come. Matt Matt Broder Vice President, External Communications Pitney Bowes Inc.
Rezzie Dannt replied on May 8, 2008 - 12:38am Permalink
My reference to a "pointless

My reference to a "pointless debate" was specific to Ms. Landman's comments about the US Postal Service, and it is pointless
 Mr. Broder, Thank you for the clarification. While I agree that the Postal Service in many ways does an admirable job under difficult circumstances, I find it troubling that you would disregard a consumer's constructive criticism as "pointless." This sort of dismissive attitude towards consumer sentiment is precisely why the industry is in jeopardy. Your comment only bolsters Ms. Landman's argument, which is that the industry continues to ignore consumer preference at its own peril. Good business model: giving consumers what they want Bad business model: forcing upon consumers what they despise Unfortunately, the Postal Service's ever-growing reliance on junk mail violates these basic principles of Business 101. They would be wise to take heed. The axe of consumer wrath is about to fall, and it won't be nearly so kind as Ms. Landman's gentle commentary.
I won't bore PR Watch readers by trying to argue with you until we are both out of breath
 I accept your admission of defeat. All kidding aside, I'm disappointed that you refuse to address even one of the issues I've raised. I would remind you that our purpose here is not to persuade each other, but to engage in what you previously described as "a balanced, two-way debate that lets individuals make truly informed decisions on their own." It's not a debate if you merely state your talking points, then turn tail and run at the first threat of substantive dialogue. At the very least, it would be nice if you would answer this one question: If the industry honestly believes that people like junk mail, then why is it engaged in such an aggressive campaign against Do Not Mail? As I've pointed out before, an opt-out registry is only a threat to you if consumers dislike junk mail enough to opt out. I'm sure the folks here at PR Watch are as eager as I am for an answer. Rezzie Dannt [http://www.junkmailrevolt.org Junk Mail Revolt] (Launches May 12, 2008)
dundiv replied on May 7, 2008 - 12:36pm Permalink
There is a way, and a good one
Anne Landman's analysis of the junk mail problem is the best I have heard for some time, and I speak as a former junk mail data broker turned privacy activist. Her insight into two of the most significant problems of unwanted mail, the U.S. Postal Service's supposed dependency on it for survival, and the Direct Marketing Assn.'s Mail Preference Service, which is supposed to stop mail, is priceless. I must add, the biggest problem with junk mail, however, is junk mailers who think they own our names and personal data, and can do with them as they see fit. There is a way to stop all this, and that is to give consumers control over their names and private information, and compensate them when it is sold as incentive to accept this responsibility. I have been blogging on this for over three years in The Dunning Letter, attempting to start a grass-roots movement for federal legislation. You can see my rantings and ravings here: http://www.thedunningletter.blogspot.com Very anxious to know what Ms. Landman and readers think of this? Jack E. Dunning The Dunning Letter Cave Creek, AZ
Mutternich replied on May 7, 2008 - 12:46pm Permalink
For some reason,
your link doesn't work when I click on it, but typing the URL out manually works okay.
dundiv replied on May 8, 2008 - 5:31pm Permalink
Hi Mutternich... Thanks for hanging in there. Sometimes I am technologically impaired, and apparently that was one incident. Hope you found what you wanted. Jack Jack E. Dunning The Dunning Letter Cave Creek, AZ
Rezzie Dannt replied on May 7, 2008 - 9:25pm Permalink
Mr. Dunning, Welcome to the
Mr. Dunning, Welcome to the discussion. I discovered your blog some time ago, bookmarked it for reference, and even read quite a few of your earlier posts. You have some unique and fresh perspectives that I'd like to explore more thoroughly when I have a chance. Because you present a lot of information that requires digestion, it's difficult to give much feedack other than to say congratulations on leaving the dark side. It's good to have you on the team. Rezzie Dannt [http://www.junkmailrevolt.org Junk Mail Revolt] (Launches May 12, 2008)
Marketing Propaganda Climate Change Public Relations Politics ALEC Exposed Lobbying Activism Economy War / Peace International Environment Ethics Wisconsin Journalism Corporations Secrecy Democracy U.S. Government Iraq Health U.S. Congress Right Wing Media Human Rights


I love the textured iridescent background on that one.
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Great work! I love the space invader and whale dishes!
Mermaid Pocket Letter - 1st Pocket Letter!


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Hello, I'm Alex Cooke. I'm a musician and mathematician who found that his artistic inclinations and obsessive attention to detail suited him perfectly to photography.
To me, photography is a way to communicate intention, character and emotion. I strive to give my clients the tools to document life's important events and to represent who they are and what they want from the world in an elegant and direct fashion.


There seems to be something about this time of year (right around/just past the Autumn Equinox) that puts me in mind of starting a small farm or homestead. Is it because of the potential for econimic collapse seems to be so great, or perhaps it's simply the fact that this time of year is the "seed planting" time. I know, not all types of seeds get planted, but here I'm talking more about "idea seeds" than actual plant seeds – although there are certain cereal cros that get planted around this time.
I know that in times past, the medieval period and earlier perhaps, that September was the start of the agricultural year – starting with preparing the fields for raising crops.
I would like to start a homestead, with the idea of growing it into a productive small farm, specializing in not just heirloom plants and animals, but as a successful experiment in raising historical cultivars and breeds – perhaps even contributing to the preservation of the biodiversity that once sustained our forefathers and foremothers.


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Shazar may refer to:

Shazar, Iran, a village in Qazvin Province, Iran
Pal Shazar, American singer and songwriter
Rachel Katznelson-Shazar (1885-1975), wife of Zalman Shazar
Zalman Shazar (1889-1974), Israeli politician, author, and poet (3rd President of Israel)


Founded in 2009, Strawesome is a family-owned and operated Michigan-based green company with a commitment to health and the environment. We offer fun, safe, and reusable glass drinking straws to people of all ages - making it easy to go green! Our straws are all hand-made in our workshop in Michigan and we take pride and care to offer the best products and service possible.
Made of borosilicate glass tubing which is the strongest commercially available glass. This is the same glass that Pyrex® is made from.
Borosilicate glass is also non-toxic, so you can feel confident when drinking hot or cold liquids that no toxins are leaching into your beverage.
Annealed (slowly cooled to make it tougher and less brittle) so that it is dishwasher safe.
Beautiful yet functional. The decorative version allows you to distinguish which straw is yours and also stops it from rolling on flat surfaces.
100% satisfaction guarantee. If you don't love your straw, send it back for a full refund.
Lifetime guarantee against breakage. If you break it we will replace it.


Women deserve to be comfortable, look good and feel confident everyday no matter what she chooses to put on. That's where Yummie comes in. Yummie is an entire collection of form-flattering shape-wear, leggings and intimates that is comfortable unlike other shape-wear items because their goal is to make their their items hug your body just right.Shop shape-wear in the form of leggings, tops, bottoms, bodysuits and so much more. Build back up your confidence today knowing that your clothes look and fit better with Yummie's shape-wear. Visit one of their many store locations or shop online to see what items are a must when it comes to having those must have staple pieces.
Blanqi is a maternity brand that is meant to provide support to expecting and postpartum mothers at a price point of $59.
Mirror Essentials is an intimates brand that offers shape wear essentials for women at a main pricing point of $20.


1. Share stories of your non-profit's programs or work. One of the great things about videoblogs is that it offers an interactive way of sharing your non-profit's story. It has much more impact than dry texts on web pages or even fancy brochures. Video also helps you capture human feelings that words can't always do such as a facial expression and the tone of voice.
2. Communicate with others. Videoblogging offers a richer experience than text blogging because it combines movies, sound, images, and text and makes the things we see on video seem more real. You and your supporters are passionate about your cause - and video is a much richer medium to communicate that passion.
3. Viral distribution. Videoblog content is much faster than traditional media like TV and cable, delivering video to web sites instantly. Websites like YouTube have demonstrated that an interesting videoclip can go viral and reach audiences of many thousands - at no distribution cost to you!
4. Affordable and easy to use. Videoblogging is growing quickly because it's easy, fun to do and a very effective way to communicate with others. New technologies are also making video really easy to produce, so anyone can create a videoblog.
6. Increase donations. It's easy for people to act upon the stories and causes they experienced through your digital story by giving right away. Here's one organization that videoblogging has helped increase their donations.
7. Build an online community. Videoblogs can help you build an online community just as a text blog can. Videoblogs can be fed and distributed through RSS and allow users to leave comments similar to replying to a post on a blog. Unicef is doing a great job with video podcasts.
Now that you know all about the benefits you can get out of vlogging, getting started is easy. There are many tutorials, tools and guides that will help you out. Here's a few good resources that we've found.
Beth Kanter has a good resource on how nonprofits are using online video sharing sites with examples and links.
Netsquared has a great post about vlogging and digital storytelling for your nonprofit as well as examples of interesting vlogging projects. They also did a great interview about videoblogging with Irina Slutsky, a video blogger and tech blogger in San Francisco.
Techsoup also has an online event about this topic to learn more about vlogging and digital storytelling.
Freevlog and VideoEgg are excellent resources. Their video tutorials are free and you'll find a lot of information to help get you started.
Videoblooging.info is another good guide. It describes video blogging, provides links to popular video blogs and helps visitors figure out how to start their own video blog.
Blip.tv provides free hosting for videoblogging and podcasting.
Ourmedia is a hosting service that provides a venue where you can upload video and create a vlogging community.
YouTube is another free hosting service to showcase your videos.
FireAnt is a good website to list your vlog and attract viewers. It is a video aggregator and comes with a bunch of video feeds.
iTunes Music Store allows you to add your vlog to their list of video podcasts.
Feedburner provides media distribution and gets your media out there in the Vlogosphere to audiences for blogs and RSS feeds.
I'd add a 9th reason - training/knowledge transfer.


Photographs and images of Serena Zanello from A' Design Award & Competition. Higher-resolution & unmasked version of this image (Serena Zanello) is available for press members. To download higher-resolution or unmasked version of this photo you should login as a press-member. If you are not yet registered as a press member, you can do it here, it is free and fast.
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Lee Westwood's British Open lucky charm has him eyeing first major win
Mark Cannizzaro
Social Links for Mark Cannizzaro
More On: british open
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Former British Open champ and golf analyst dead at 79
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PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Because he's 46 now and on the back nine of his career, Lee Westwood is no longer pestered with questions about why he's yet to win a major championship.
The fact that he's one shot out of the lead entering this weekend at the British Open at Royal Portrush has more of a nostalgic feel to it than one in which there's pressure on Westwood to win.
Westwood, who shot 67 in Friday's second round, and fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, who also shot 67, are both 7-under, right behind leaders J.B. Holmes (68) and Shane Lowry (67) at 8-under.
Justin Rose, Cameron Smith and Justin Harding are 6-under. And among those at 5-under are Brooks Koepka, who's trying to win his fifth major in his last 10 starts, and Jordan Spieth, the 2017 Open winner.
This is the 82nd major championship Westwood has played in his career, and few players in the history of the game have come as close to winning as often as he has without crossing the line as the winner.
If Westwood were still in the prime of his career, he would be the unquestioned "best player never to win a major.''
At the British Open, he finished fourth in 2004, tied for third in 2009, second in 2010 and tied for third in 2013.
At the Masters, he finished second in 2010, tied for third in 2012, tied for eighth in 2013 and tied for second in 2016.
At the U.S. Open, he finished tied for fifth in 2000, third in 2008 and tied for third in 2011.
And at the PGA Championship, he tied for third in 2009.
"Over the years, I've been a very good player and I've been in lots of high-profile situations lots of times,'' Westwood said. "I've had chances. … Muirfield (in '13) and other major championships, as well. If you play well, you get yourself in contention at majors, you're going to have chances.''
This isn't the same Jordan Spieth making noise at British Open
Westwood this week hopes his special lucky charm — his girlfriend, Helen Storey, is caddying for him — might help him capture him his first major.
"She doesn't know too much about golf, but she knows a lot about the way my mind works,'' Westwood said. "So she keeps me in a good frame of mind and focusing on the right things at the right time."
Westwood, who also has had his son, Sam, caddie for him, laughed about Helen's first time on the bag with him.
"The favorite (story) was from Denmark the first week she caddied for me, and I took out a divot because it was big and soft and she's walking back with the divot like this (holding it out),'' he said. "I said, 'What's wrong?' She said, 'I hope there's not a worm in this.' It makes me smile. It's a big advantage.
"You'd be surprised at the sort of things we talk about out there. Dinner. Where we're going on holiday. Whether there's a nail file in the bag.''
Westwood said Storey carrying his bag is "no mean feat … especially in this weather, because it is fully loaded up. I don't give her an easy break or anything like that. It's got everything in it.''
Tiger Woods 'just wants to go home' after British Open dud
For Storey, this is her first major championship on the bag. In an interview with The Sun, she said, "It was hard work at times for me. That Tour bag can get pretty heavy, especially on the par-5s. But it always feels a bit lighter after he's made a birdie."
Westwood, who has only one win since 2014, insisted, "I haven't got any expectations'' about the end result this week.
"I'm just swinging quite well at the moment,'' he said. "It's nice to do it at the Open Championship. It's just happened at the right time.''
Has this dream start gotten him thinking about winning that elusive first career major?
"No, there's too much ground to cover before Sunday night,'' he said. "There's a long way to go in this tournament. I've never felt under that much pressure, to be honest. You lads write about it. I've always gone out and done my best. If it's going to happen, it's going to happen, and if it doesn't, it doesn't. Just go home and have dinner, go on holiday the next week. Do the same things. Life won't change.''
lee westwood
Read Next Tiger Woods 'just wants to go home' after British Open dud


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FRONTLINE Marks 10 YEARS of MISSIONARY SERVICE with Rev. John Mark Clifford
Computer Support
10 Years ago, September 2009, John Mark Clifford joined Frontline Fellowship as an IT/Audio Visual worker. Those who observed this quiet, reserved young man could not have predicted the dynamic Missionary into which he would develop.
Cross Border Missions
One key turning point was John's participation in the 2010 Biblical Worldview Summit and Great Commission Course. Soon we saw John participating in cross-border missions to Zimbabwe and he became a Trainee Missionary.
In 2011, I asked John to produce and present The Message in the Music lecture at the BWS. This was another key turning point, as his presentation soon became the most controversial and discussion generating subject at the camp. John learned that to be faithful to the Lord often means being unpopular with the world.
Shipments of Spiritual Ammunition for Spiritual Warfare
We praise God for three shipments of precious Bibles and Christian books received in the last month. First, we received a 20-foot, 18-tonne container of Bibles and books from Eagles Nest Ministries. Then just a day later, a 30-foot container of over 22 tonnes of World Missionary Press Gospel booklets (over two million Gospel booklets, each 50-pages all Scripture, in 15 languages – English, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Zulu, Chichewa, French, Portuguese, Swahili, Sepedi, Sesotho, Shona, Tswana and Yao). Then a designated gift enabled us to buy, from the Bible Society, 790 Bibles in indigenous African languages, including: Afrikaans, Chichewa, Ndebele, Sesotho, Shona, Seswati, Tswana, Xhosa and Zulu. All told, over 40 tonnes of literature to offload, sort, categorise, designate and distribute. Many pastors, evangelists, teachers and missionaries have already come to our Literature4Africa stores to resupply their ministries and obtain essential spiritual ammunition for their outreaches and discipleship projects.
"So shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."
Isaiah 55:11


The not-so artful dodger: Kahaan gaye Woh log?
Sts wrote a post - "Whatever happened to... " & I could not resist this. But it was so long I deciced I would use my own space and not her comment space. Here is my attempt to clarify and display how updated I am on Bollywood and TV despite hardly watching either and getting to read ONLY The Hindu.
Ayesha Dharker – Very active abroad also doing theatre in England- Andrew Loyd Webber's Broadway show "Bombay Dreams".
Mamik – came in Kya Kehna last if I recollect- I just love the way he looks. Sts, does that ring a bell?
Aziz Mirza – Chalte Chalte was by him. He is making a movie with Vidya Balan I think sort of reverse of Chennai Kum.
Siddharth Basu – Produces Kaun Banega Crorepathi and the like- rolling in money , lost a little hair, charming as ever.
Meenakshi Sheshadri – sure she must have continued with her dancing.
Mamta Kulkarni, Sonu Walia, Somy Ali – All living incognito in past "glory" !!
Some of the men I would like to add are dead and gone- Guru of Nukkad, Shafi Inamdar of Yeh jo hai zindagi, Ghokale of Mr Yogi.
Some of the men who are alive and not kicking are possibly Amit Sana, the Indra Danush and Neev guys.
But what about these women- the leading ladies in Hum Log and Buniyaad, Rama Vij, Kitu Gidwani, Malavika Tiwari, Channa Ruparel of Chunauti , Radha Seth the tall one with the husky voice. . .
hey this reminds me of things long ago when watching TV was a very big deal! my favourite was rini simon - my hair used to be short too so used to feel extra hep! also liked komal GB singh - she had a slightly twisted face i think.
Oh my god! I became extremely nostalgic reading this as i remembered every one of the characters you mentioned in this post.
Didnt know about Guru from Nukkad passing away! Sad.
What about Neena Gupta? And that lady who used to host "Whats the Good word?", Sabira Merchant.
tnx sts- way to go!!
Appan Menon died years back, i believe when he was still hosting WTW .
Madhoo now Madhoo shah, socialite married into money and part of South Mumbai swish set.
Meenakshi Sheshadri happily married in the US with two sons.
Mamik can be spotted at Lokhandwala coffee spots occasionally.
Antara Mali is become a recluse post being dumped for Nisha Kothari, so have been told.
Ayesha Jhulka doing theatre in Mumbai and running acting classes in Versova.
Mamta Kulkarni recluse again. Dons moll the last one heard.
And yes, Malavika Tiwari making stained glass in Delhi.
Thats all I know. Cheers.


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Art & Culture / Photography / Surreal shots of modern Britain
Surreal shots of modern Britain
A deeply strange place tbh
Posted Wednesday 22nd August 2018 /
Text By Millie Morris
Photography © Stephen Leslie
After struggling to find a publisher for his surreal imagery, photographer Stephen Leslie discovered Unbound – a UK organisation giving power and ownership back to writers.
As an artist or writer with print aspirations, the quest to get a book published can be long and often fruitless. Concepts too niche for mainstream publishers might stand in the way of bringing an idea to life, and there's always the possibility of the next big thing simply not getting snapped up – remember how many rejections JK Rowling got before someone invested in the multi-million-pound empire that became of Harry Potter?
In the face of publishing adversity, screenwriter and photographer Stephen Leslie found a different way of ensuring that his proposal made it to the page. Seeking to release SPARKS to the world, a compilation of over 20 years' worth of street photography with a twist, Stephen found his saviour in Unbound, a UK-based publishing company established in 2011.
"I had an agent who initially pitched the book around to a few publishers, but none of them were willing to take a gamble as the idea is quite unconventional," says Stephen. "Once we'd had a few knock backs from mainstream publishing, I decided to do things differently."
Unbound works on the basis of crowdfunding: once an author has successfully pitched their idea to the company, the author must then raise the money for the publication of their book. This is the model's key difference to self-publishing, since not a penny comes out of the author's own pocket. Unlike other crowdfunding sites such as Kickstarter, there is no limit to the length of a campaign: Stephen notes that some writers have seen successful Unbound campaigns turn around in a matter of days, whereas for others it might be years.
"It's a very simple yet sensible idea," says Stephen. "By crowdfunding, you effectively prove in advance that there's a market for your book. It's just like pre-ordering: people invest in a concept and if enough of them do it then the book is made."
Launching his campaign two years ago by giving a speech at Street London, the annual street photography festival now run by Hoxton Mini Press (which celebrated its most recent event just this weekend), Stephen found that: "There is a strong and enthusiastic street photography community [there], who are very supportive of good ideas." Within six months, SPARKS had reached its financial target – and is now set for release on August 23.
But SPARKS is no ordinary photography book; Stephen has written a short story about each photograph it features. Decidedly unpacking (or indeed, building upon) the mystery contained within each snapshot, it is a unique and delightful blend of visuals and words. Perhaps it is this uniqueness which drew Unbound – who more commonly publish text-only books – to the work, enabling a hardback volume to encase each of Stephen's carefully composed pieces.
Whilst this method of publishing is not without its issues, as Stephen points out the lengthy time between reaching the fund target and actually releasing the book, it could pave the way for future opportunities that fellow artists and writers never thought they'd encounter. If readers are given the opportunity to financially invest in the books they want to see on the market, the landscape of democratic publishing could be altered indefinitely – and for the better.
The launch event for SPARKS is on 30 August at theprintspacegallery in Hoxton, and the book is available for pre-order here.
Posted Wednesday 22nd August, 2018
'Legacy? I don't care. Once you're dead, you're dead mate'
Life lessons from David Bailey
Shooting the original characters of old Vegas
Off the strip
Six photographers shoot the art of craftsmanship
Macallan Masters
Living off-grid with Wales' self-sufficent communities
Outdoor > Sport
Seven women reflect on their journeys in football
A global game
For the 2019 Women's World Cup, photography project Goal Click asked women to share what the game means to them. Here, we share some of their responses.


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https://sputniknews.com/20140815/As-ISIS-Fears-Spread-to-Indonesia-Jakarta-Prepares-to-Combat-192029808.html
ISIS Fears Spread to Indonesia, Jakarta Prepares to Combat Terrorism
As ISIS spreads across Syria and Iraq, Indonesia, the biggest Muslim-majority nation in the world, is preparing to combat domestic terrorism threats. 15.08.2014, Sputnik International
https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/15773/72/157737276_0:59:800:512_1920x0_80_0_0_c3dd53195de3a372ea9b03902db49092.jpg
https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/15773/72/157737276_0:34:800:537_1920x0_80_0_0_f3af9810ed747dbc2d7e8f3c4fc1bc93.jpg
opinion, indonesia, iraq, daesh
© Sputnik / Mikhail TsyganovJakarta, the capital of Indonesia
© Sputnik / Mikhail Tsyganov
As ISIS spreads across Syria and Iraq, Indonesia, the biggest Muslim-majority nation in the world, is preparing to combat domestic terrorism threats.
MOSCOW, August 15 (RIA Novosti) — As ISIS spreads across Syria and Iraq, Indonesia, the biggest Muslim-majority nation in the world, is preparing to combat domestic terrorism threats.
"We have to be prepared for when Indonesians come back from fighting in the Middle East. We have experience [of those who committed terrorist acts in Indonesia] after going to Afghanistan and the Philippines and we don't want ISIS veterans to do the same," said Sri Yunanto, Indonesia's national counter-terrorism agency adviser, as cited by the Financial Times.
Indonesian authorities expressed concerns over the increasing influence of ISIS in the Middle East, emphasizing that it may provoke the rise of homegrown militant movements. Citing Indonesia's counter-terrorism chief Ansyaad Mbai, the Wall Street Journal reports that 34 "hard-core" Indonesian terrorists have already joined ISIS jihadists in Syria and Iraq. Still, analysts believe the actual figure could be over 200.
Syria and Iraq have become a training ground for Indonesian "freelance" jihadists, notes Taufik Andrie, the executive director of the Institute of International Peace Building.
"Mostly Indonesian jihadis are driven by individual motivations, not necessarily by group's or leaders' comments. They have enough information from the internet, from Facebook and Twitter and that's enough for them to decide… Freelance jihadi, individuals, it is just a matter of money," he said, as quoted by the Voice of America.
Meanwhile, more and more Indonesian radicals are openly pledging their loyalty to ISIS, both on the streets of Jakarta and on social media networks. Experts point to a noted increased in hate speech across the country, with it arising even in the mosques of governmental offices.
"Once I went for a Friday mass prayer at a mosque inside a government office; the title of the sermon was 'The beauty of cutting hands'," Indonesia's counter-terrorism chief said as cited by the Wall Street Journal. "The next time I went to a different mosque at a different government office and the preacher was bad mouthing President [Susilo Bambang] Yudhoyono, calling him a lackey of Western governments," he added. Although "hate speech" is not considered a criminal action by the Indonesian state law, the counter-terrorism officials call for exceptional attention to be paid to such cases.
Indonesian leadership is preparing to crack down on jihadi movements in the country by officially banning the radical groups and prohibiting their teachings. Moreover, the government has announced it would revoke the citizenship of those Indonesian civilians who join ISIS, the Financial Times reports.
Indonesia previously faced threats of terrorism in the early 2000s, when a string of violent attacks resulted in deaths of hundreds of peaceful civilians. In response, the government conducted a large scale counter terrorist operation against Jemaah Islamiyah, a Southeast Asian branch of al-Qaeda.
The operation resulted in fragmentation of Jemaah Islamiyah into several smaller cells, with many extremists either killed or captured. However, experts fear the rise of ISIS could revive the Jemaah Islamiyah movement.
Jihadists


This memorial scholarship award is about growth, spirit, devotion and opportunity. Opportunity to expand the knowledge of the harpist's craft and to share that knowledge with others. Opportunities to make positive changes in the lives of others, whether they be an audience of one or of many.
These scholarships are offered to harpists with their pursuit of achieving a more advanced level of accomplishment in the field of performance and service to others.
Please complete the application which is located in our STORE. You must be 13 years or older to apply for the harp scholarships. The fee to process the application is $10.00. In addition to the application, a recording of two selections of contrasting musical styles should be sent as an MP3 and emailed to info@harpconnections.org Another option is to complete the application in our STORE, and then create a CD and mail the CD and your contact information to: JPG Harp Connections, 703 Courtney Lane, Chattanooga, TN 37415. All entries must be submitted by November 30th of each year. Winners will be announced on January 31st (Jan's birthday) of the following year.
There are no refunds once you complete the application and pay the application fee. Materials will not be returned. The application form has all required fields. You complete the application online before you are asked to submit the application fee of $10.00. Remember to click on STORE at the top of this page to complete the application.
to be the best they are capable of being.
This involves hard work, unselfishness, sensitivity, love and devotion.
The JPG Harp Medallion Award is presented in the form of an engraved medallion accompanied by a certificate of award. Since 1999, there have been over 138 medallions awarded to outstanding harpists who demonstrated a vital interest in harp activities.
This award is presented with the hope that it will promote and foster inspiring and dedicated harp performance.


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Beckie White...
Director of Miss Velvet, Personal Image Stylist, Key note Speaker, Brand Mentor.
Beckie was the founder of Miss Velvet. She has been working with women nationally and internationally for the past 28 years. She specialise in empowering women to be the best version of themselves, enabling them to discover their inner beauty and confidence. Beckie's family has a long history in the Fashion industry. Her Great Grandfather was the first to manufacture men's business shirts in Melbourne back in the 50's and her Uncle was a fashion designer for women. He was awarded second place in the AFA Awards back in the 80's following Country Roads 1st place. Miss Velvet was born due to Beckie's love of shoes and fashion. She brings a unique styling experience to the traditional retail market.
A note from Beckie " Ever since I was young I used to love dressing up in my Aunties red 70's wedges. I am a mum and wife of 3 teenage children Jakson, Bailey and Sophie and a step mum to Nicson. I would describe myself as humble, honest, committed, easy going, passionate and enjoy variety. I love educating women and young girls to love themselves and be confident in their own skin. My personal style is on trend, edgy, feminine and sexy. I see the fashion industry as a blank canvas that everyone can create their own art on. A platform with no rules or boundaries. It's a space of limitless opportunity. Your look and style your way."
My Goal at Miss Velvet is to assist and educate women to be and feel empowered in their own skin and to model these feelings to our up and coming generations.
Love Beckie xo
Jo Shenton...
Style and Image Consultant, In House Stylist
Jo is a qualified Style & Image specialist with over 25 years in fashion, Personal branding, colour and style. Jo is passionate about developing confidence and empowering women to be the best versions of themselves. A keynote speaker and training professional Jo has the ability to connect and relate with clients to develop exciting outfits and capsule wardrobes that reflect their personality and lifestyle.
A note from Jo "I have always loved fashion and at an early age loved playing dress up with my grandmothers wardrobe (an incredibly stylish women who was ahead of her time and always looked immaculate!) Nanna Joan inspired me to carve out a career in fashion and follow my own style'. I am a busy mum to 4 kids and married to Greg so I appreciate the chaos and joys of family life! I always encourage clients to try something new so they don't feel stuck in a rut... a new colour, shape or accessory has the ability to transform your look but also how you feel'
'My style is relaxed glamour and I love to experiment and break the rules.. who said you can't wear glitter in the daytime?'
My goal at Miss Velvet is to create 'wardrobe happiness' for my clients so they feel inspired and rediscover the fun and joy in fashion.
Love Jo xo
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