I decided on Sober January last Saturday night, in Lancaster, PA, where we'd gone to see my niece marry her wonderful new husband. After 6 hours of wedding festivities, I couldn't sleep, and there it was, on my Wall Street Journal app: a British health fad I hadn't heard of yet. Yippee.
OK, I see the actual concept isn't sober January.
After the weekend's revelries, it's going to be sober January for me.
My fall semesters feel like they're getting harder, not easier.
Back to the blog !
Back to the blog and to my new diet-and-weight-loss scheme: 7,000 steps a day.
The shoes I wore last summer seem to be about a half-size too big now.
Also, what is "casual elegant"?
I've been packing to spend 8 weeks away from home for a couple of hours now.
Good thing I'm not an Israeli judge.
On Saturday, presidential historian and author Jon Meacham gave a loving and at times comical tribute to Barbara Bush during her funeral in Houston.
Two nights ago, just past 11 pm, the dogs took off for parts unknown.
Ed had taken off their fence collars because it was time for everyone to go to bed–go to bed, not light out for the territories, I thought we all agreed on that—but then the dogs were agitating to be let out, so I let them out.
Why did I let two young, hyperactive field Labs outside after 11 pm without their fence collars?
Because autopilot. The dogs want out, I let them out.1 Presto chango. There's no intervening thought process.
One thing led to another, and the rest of the night turned into a lost-dog-finding lollapalooza that culminated in my registering 3,300 steps on my new FitBit before dawn. Thirty-three hundred steps, two hours sleep. Good times.
Moving on to the raccoon part . . . around 2 am I was awakened by what sounded like multiple dogs screaming — screaming, shrieking, squealing — it was an unbelievable racket; at least two blocks away but still loud enough to wake me.
It had to be Luke and Lucy, who sounded freaked out of their minds, but what kind of animal were they fighting?
More importantly, were they winning?
Both dogs eventually made their way home, but not without igniting a second drama when Luke showed up without Lucy. Lucy is Luke's half-sister. She's younger and smaller than Luke, probably small enough and young enough to lose a fight with a coyote–definitely too small to prevail against two coyotes–and she is devoted to Luke. And she wasn't with him.
She finally turned up an hour later, sporting a minor injury to one paw but otherwise none the worse for wear, although she refused to leave the house the entire next day. Which is not like Lucy or any other member of her tribe. Field Labs live for the outside.
So yesterday I was filling Katharine in on the night's events, and the subject of raccoons came up, probably because it had crossed my mind that Luke and Lucy might have been shrieking at a raccoon. Turns out the raccoons in Katharine's neighborhood are incredibly scrappy. They fight all the time. They used to fight just in warm weather, but now they fight year round. It's like West Side Story around there, only for raccoons.
Plus they're loud. They're so loud Katharine had actually made a tape of a recent altercation. So naturally I Googled loud raccoon fight, and behold.
Given the fact that raccoons spend so much time screaming and yelling and carrying on that they've become famous for it on the Internet, I'm thinking it had to be a raccoon Luke and Lucy were fighting, not a coyote. Raccoon, or raccoons, plural.
In the new study, the researchers presented captive raccoons with a cylinder containing a floating marshmallow that was too low to grab. Next, they showed the raccoons how dropping stones in the water would raise the marshmallow.
Two of the eight raccoons successfully repeated the behavior, dropping the stones to get the marshmallow. A third took matters into her own hands: She climbed onto the cylinder and rocked it until it tipped over, giving her access to the sweet treat.
"That was something we hadn't predicted," and indeed, had designed against, says study leader Lauren Stanton, a Ph.D. student at the University of Wyoming.
Adds Suzanne MacDonald, a psychologist at York University in Toronto, "I thought it was very raccoon-y that one of them figured out how to just tip the whole apparatus over"—much like they do with trash cans.
That is a fabulous descriptor!
I'm trying to think of something I can apply it to other than a raccoon.


The funeral is a ceremony of proven worth and value for those who mourn. It provides an opportunity for the survivors to celebrate the life of the deceased, and to share with others in their loss to express their love, respect and grief. It permits facing openly and realistically the crisis that death may present. Through the funeral, the bereaved take that first step towards emotional adjustment to their loss.
You have many choices, but only you can answer that question. The type of service conducted for the deceased, if not recorded in a pre-plan, is decided by the family. The service is usually held at a place of worship or at the funeral home. The service may vary in ritual according to religious denomination or the wishes of the family. The presence of friends at this time is an acknowledgment of friendship and support. A private service is by invitation only where selected relatives and a few close friends attend the funeral service. A memorial service is usually a service without the body present and can vary in ceremony and procedures according to the family's community and religious affiliations.
Absolutely, in fact, we recommend it. After all, the funeral is a celebration of life. Our professional staff of funeral directors will discuss all options and ensure your funeral is tailored to your wishes. It may be personalized in many unique ways. Contact us at (336) 372-5621 to explore the possibilities.
There are many reasons to view the deceased. It is part of many cultural and ethnic traditions, and many grief specialists believe that viewing aids the grief process, by helping the bereaved recognize the reality of death. Viewing is even encouraged for children, as long as it is their desire to do so, and the process is explained well. Please understand that just as you are coping with the loss of a loved one, other relatives and friends had a relationship with the deceased and they too are adjusting to this loss. Again, viewing the deceased helps recognize the reality of their loss.
It is helpful to friends and the community to have an obituary notice published announcing the death and type of service to be held. A notice can be placed in a local newspaper, or on the Internet through our funeral home website.
We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All you need to do is place a call to us at (336) 372-5621. If you request immediate assistance, one of our professionals will be there within the hour. If the family wishes to spend a short time with the deceased to say good bye, it's acceptable. Then they will come when your time is right.
Your funeral director can assist you wherever a death occurs. Your best option is to contact your hometown funeral director of choice immediately. They will assume responsibility and coordinate the arrangements for the return of the deceased person to their community. They may engage the services of a funeral director in the place of death who will act as their agent.
Funeral costs will vary depending on the type of services you select. Because of the different funeral options you have with our funeral home, you can determine the cost of the services you arrange.
Just like other open spaces, cemeteries are impacted by increased population density in both urban and rural areas. Cemetery spaces are a finite resource, and as such, are at a premium in some regions. However, if you are going to use a perpetual care cemetery in our market there is plenty of space for the next several decades.
"Perpetual Care" usually refers to the correct terms Permanent Care or Endowment Care. These Care funds are collected by the cemetery when selling any cemetery space, crypt or niche and are normally based on a percentage of the selling price. While the amount of perpetual care collected by the cemetery varies between states, it is typically required by law and the funds collected are to be used solely for the embellishment and care of the grounds long after the cemetery has sold its last space. This benefit and assurance that the cemetery will be maintained forever is why a perpetual care cemetery sometimes costs a little more than a church or community cemetery.
No, embalming is not required for ground burial. It is always your choice. Your decision may depend on such factors as whether the family selected a service with a public viewing of the body with an open casket; or to enhance the deceased's appearance for a private family viewing; or if the body is going to be transported by air or rail, or because of the length of time prior to the burial. However, many cemeteries do require embalming if the body will be placed in a mausoleum. If a mausoleum will be used for entombment of a loved one, you should always check with the cemetery to see if they require embalming.
In most areas of the country, state or local laws do not require that you buy a container to surround the casket in the grave. However, many perpetual care cemeteries require that you have such a container so that the ground will not sink. Either a grave liner or a burial vault will satisfy these requirements. Even if the cemetery does not require a burial vault, it is recommended so that a loved one's remains and casket are protected from the elements and the weight of the earth.
Mausoleum crypts are both clean and dry and mausoleums located within a chapel at the cemetery offer additional benefits such as a climate controlled environment that shelters visitors from precipitation and provides comfort from the outside heat or cold. They offer a viable alternative for those who simply have an aversion of being interred in the ground.
A columbarium, often located within or on the exterior of a mausoleum, chapel, or in a garden setting, is constructed with numerous small compartments (niches) designed to hold urns containing cremated remains. Niches that are located within a mausoleum normally have a glass front so that you can view the urn along with pictures or other personal effects that give a person a sense about the life, hobbies or passions of the person whose remains are placed there.


Valentines Day is quickly approaching, and it's time for last-minute preparations. While there is something truly special about a handwritten card, it's not always an option. If you're traveling, out of town, or sending to somebody overseas, a paper card may not be possible. Fear not, Valentines Day ecards to the rescue!
Ecards, or electronic cards, are a quick and easy way to share your feelings and affection for your loved one. And you don't have to run to the store or mailbox! These cards are sent electronically, typically delivered by email and ordered through a vendor's online portal. Some ecards are free, while others may cost a small amount.
There are many permutations of ecards and electronic greetings. Facebook enables users to send digital greetings. Recent services such as Mobile E-cards or MCards have launched to enable users to send greetings to a mobile phone by text or app.
Ecard vendors offer options for most holidays and occasions, and especially Valentines Day. These Valentines Day ecards offer sentimental messages and cool animations to suit every loved one on your list – from friends to kids to spouses. Ecards digital nature makes them more versatile than traditional greeting cards. They have the ability to be easily sent to multiple recipients at once or be extensively personalized by the sender. Video ecards are now arriving on the scene.
So if you procrastinated, want to add a personal touch, or are expanding your outreach this year, these Valentines Day ecards providers are sure to meet the need!
Hallmark eCards is a staple in the ecard business. Their offerings span all common occasions and holidays, with an incredible selection of Valentines Day ecards. While Hallmark requires a subscription to send ecards, they allow for unlimited sending with that subscription. If you plan to send ecards throughout the year, this is a great option. Users can also share ecards with a friend on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
Looking to put a comedic touch to your ecard? Look no further than JibJab! These ecards come in the form of a video with your and/or your loved one's face on the characters in the video, along with song and dance. JibJab rose to fame over ten years ago with their political satire videos. And JibJab has carried the comedy forward to their amazing ecards. Like most, they have a great selection of options across most occasions and holidays. This makes them a great option for your Valentines Day eCards needs!


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Donald Trump on the Issues (tags)
Obama's Sham Immigration Reform (tags)
Winter 2014 National Immigrant Solidarity Network News Alert! (tags)
Is Obama's Immigration Plan Too Modest? Proposals Cover Less Than Half of Nation's Undocumented
Summer 2014 National Immigrant Solidarity Network News Alert! (tags)
Summer Report: People Rise to Fight Against Mass Detention & Deportations In This Issue: 1) Why Immigrant Detainees Are Turning to Civil Disobedience 2) President Obama's Backhanded Maneuver Targets Anti-Deportation Movement 3) Judge Rules to Limit Mandatory Detention of Immigrants in CA 4) TFWP Moratorium: Mass deportation, racism Canadian-style 5) Texas Releases Hundreds of Immigrants Due to Lack of Space in Detention Centers
Obama's War on Immigrants (tags)
Spring 2014 National Immigrant Solidarity Network Monthly News Alert! (tags)
The Obama Administration's Fiscal Year 2015 budget proposal is of two minds about how to deal with the broken U.S. immigration system. On the one hand, the document calls for the creation of "a pathway to earned citizenship for hardworking men and women" who are in the United States without legal status. On the other hand, the budget would continue to devote significant sums of money to the detention and deportation of many of the same people for whom the administration would like to create a path to citizenship. In other words, the administration pledges that it will do its best to deport from the country the very same people it wants to help stay. While the budget underscores how we'll benefit from commonsense immigration reform by accounting for savings the Congressional Budget Office has forecast, it continues our dysfunctional and illogical immigration detention system. As in past years, the budget includes billions of dollars for the detention operations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — part of the Department of Homeland Security — including funding for 30,539 detention beds....
Action for Immigration Reform (tags)
Emergency Action to let Rep. John Campbell that Immigration Reform is needed now and the House must call for a vote now! Over 100 people, faith leaders, pastors, and Irvine residents in Irvine march to Representative Campbell's office to urge him to help push immigration reform forward!
Caravans Converge on Bakersfield to Press for a Path to Citizenship (tags)
The grassroots campaign for comprehensive immigration reform ramped up in California during the Congressional recess with bus and car caravans to Bakersfield to urge Congressman Kevin McCarthy to support a vote in the House on a path to citizenship.
Vigil for a Just Immigration Reform (tags)
Vigil for Just Immigration Reform for All at the Placita Olvera
The Argument for Amnesty: An Immigration Policy That Works for All (tags)
Millions experience the repressive nature of the U.S. immigration system on a daily basis, lifting its need for reform to a level of urgency. And fixing this broken program is integral to building the unity among U.S. workers that is required to challenge corporate America's attacks on our wages, rights, public social services, and living conditions.
Is a new congressional immigration reform likely to produce more border militarization? (tags)
Democrats have proposed plans for immigration reform that will create new paths to permanent residence for 11 million qualifying undocumented residents while simultaneously strengthening border security and surveillance.
ACLU-SC May Day Queer Contingent (tags)
I got this in my email from ACLU. They make an important point that LGBT issues don't figure in immigration reform. For one, same sex domestic partners aren't granted family reunification rights, leaving them in perpetual limbo. Also, LGBT people face severe oppression in some countries, but can't gain refugee status - despite the fact that their governments threaten them with death.
March on May 1 for Immigration Reform! (tags)
March with L.A. Labor for Immigration Reform on May 1! May Day Thousands of LA workers will march side-by-side with immigrant workers this Sunday in downtown Los Angeles to demand national immigration reform, to stop deportations and separations of families, and to support all workers' rights.
Full Legalization for All! (tags)
Full Legalization for All! Conference on the Movement for Immigration Reform DREAM ACT, AgJobs, CIR-ASAP. What's next for the movement?
Breaking News!!! Sit-In in San Dimas (tags)
Caller to the LA-IMC newsroom reports protesters holding a Sit-In at the San Dimas office of Representative Dreier, demanding that he take a stand in favor of Immigration Reform, were kicked out after a half hour and are currently picketing outside.
US-WIDE MAY DAY MARCH/RALLIES TO DEFEND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS, A RESOUNDING SUCCESS (tags)
May Day in the United States was day for workers and immigrants! More than 500,000 people protested and filled the streets of LA and other 75 other US Cities in their hundreds of thousands. One of the rally organizers, ANSWER-LA, TV Channel 54 and 62 estimates the crowd as high as 250,000 while the LAPD has a low estimate of 60,000.
immigration-law-reform (tags)
immigration-law-reform
US-WIDE MAY DAY MARCH/RALLIES, A SUCCESS (tags)
The US-Wide May Day Rallies in several major cities to defend immigrant rights and for genuine immigration reform was resounding success --In Los Angeles, the epicenter of the immigrant rights movement, hundreds of thousands turned out and filled 20 street blocks leading to Broadway and Temple St. Estimates range from as high as 500,000 to a low of 60,000.
May Day 2010, San Bernardino (tags)
May 01, 2010 — IE Represents for Immigration Reform and Against the racist law SB 1070
AWAY WITH UNJUST, RACIST ANTI IMMIGRANT LAWS! (tags)
Media Advisory Echo Park Community Coalition(EPCC0 Contact; Jerry Esguerra (818) 7490272 Epccla02@yahoo.com April 24, 2010 New Anti-Immigrant Arizona law, Racist and Unjust Los Angeles- While the spin doctors are saying we are in a post-racial society and racism is dead, the racist administration in Arizona are proving them wrong. The Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC) vehemently condemns Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer who signed the toughest law against illegal immigration in the country. The Arizona law makes it a crime to be in the state illegally and requires police to check suspects for immigration paperwork. The EPCC commends the thousands of Arizona high school students who left their classes this week in protest, pouring into the plaza outside the state Capitol and urging a veto to no to no avail. The law creates the new misdemeanor and requires police to enforce it. The law's supporters argue that fears of widespread racial profiling are overblown and that the measure will instead be used sparingly by police to augment investigations into crimes. Provocation and an Invitation to Racism The tough Arizona law that many observers are smack of legal Nazism in the United States opened all immigrants to racial profiling and police dirty tactics. People should remember that Hitler's Germany in 1933 started the anti Jewish pogroms and later a much bigger genocide with these legal edicts. The law is a provocation and if Obama and the democrats will again pay lip-service to the abrogation of such law, they are laying the grounds for greater disasters and bigger confrontation. It is a provocation for the legal advocates of immigration reform to act drastically and commit mistakes to derail genuine immigration reform. But we say, the people united will never be defeated. The immigrant rights movement will not be provoked and will act with restraint and fight on just grounds. We will turn this despicable act to our advantage. We say: ALL OUT FOR MAY 1 March /Rally in LA! AWAY WITH UNJUST, RACIST ANTI IMMIGRANT LAWS! VENCEREMOS, FULL RIGHTS FOR ALL MIIGRANTS NOW!
Spring 2010 National Immigrant Solidarity Network Monthly News Digest and News Alert! (tags)
Obama and the Immigrant Rights: Are We Going to Prevail? In This Issue: 1) May Day 2010 2) David Bacon on Immigration Reform 3) DHS Racial Profiling 4) ICE's Quotas on Deporting Immigrants 5) Gitmo North Gitmo in NYC 6) Immigrant Women
REAL IMMIGRATION REFORM ,FULL RIGHTS FOR ALL IMMIGRANTS! (tags)
" The test of the pudding is in the eating" The Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC) and the Coalition for the Defense of immigrant Rights (CDIR) learned that leaders of the National Immigration Forum and Chair of the Reform Immigration for America Campaign met with President Obama and was joined by other immigrant rights leaders from grassroots, labor, and faith organizations for a meeting at the White House on next steps for comprehensive immigration reform legislation.
New Immigration Reform Bill Raising False Hopes for Immigrants (tags)
On Dec. 15, Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) introduced HR 4321, the "Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act of 2009," into the House with 89 cosponsors. Some immigrant rights advocates even rallied in Los Angeles to celebrate the filing of this bill But for the Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC) based in Los Angeles , this new immigrant reform bill only raise false hopes for all immigrants. It is just the same as the immigrant reform bill of 2006 also known as the Kennedy-Mccain bill that was diluted and was shelved due to the opposition of the rightist and other obstructionist and racist anti-immigrant lobby.
Paid Lying: What Passes for Major Media Journalism (tags)
state of today's major media
Stop the ICE Raids Now! Full Legalization for All! Alto a los Despidos Masivos - Stop the (tags)
Marcha for Reforma Migratoria - March for Immigration Reform! Los Trabajadores de Overhill Farms, American Apparel, Farmers Johns y otros llaman a todas las organizaciones de Derechos Humanos e Immigrantes y otras a Demandar que Presidente Obama Pare las multas a Patrones y verificacion de documentos que resultan en despidos masivos. The workers of Overhill Farms, American Apparel, Farmers Johns and others are calling to all the organizations of Human Rights and Immigrantes and others to Demand Obama to Stop Sanctions to employers, and employee verification due to the mass firing of people.
Minuteman imposter Shawna Ford charged in double murder (tags)
The attempts at damage control at the anti-immigration groups in the United States following the arrest of Shawna Forde and her gang is on going, but as more and more information becomes available, it's clear that Forde was not an unknown outsider within the anti-immigrant (and… more to the point… anti-Mexican) movement.
Immigrants Marched For Reform, Despite H1N1 Flu Treat (tags)
30,000 Immigrants Marched in Milw., Wisconsin For Immigration Reform, Despite Flu Treat
U.S. Representatives Seek Community Support (tags)
An estimated 5 million children who are U.S. citizens has had a parent detained, waiting deportation or deported by U.S. ICE
Congresswoman Moore (D-WI) and Congressman Gutierrez (D-IL) seeking support for immigration reform to keep families together
HUNDREDS ATTENDS IMMIGRATION REFORM HEARINGS IN LOS ANGELES, MARCH 13 (tags)
Familias Unidas, Jamas Cerra Vencidos! (Familes United Can never be defeated) Hundreds of immigrants and advocates packed the old La Placita Olvera Church to hear testimonies from people who are affected by the broken immigration laws of the US and attend a congressional hearing on immigration reform law. Present at the hearings were Assistant Speaker Congressman Xavier Becerra, Congresswomen Grace Napolitan0, Lucille Royal-Allard and Diane Watson. They were members of the Latino and Black Caucus. They also presented people from their district who spoke on their concerns on immigration reform.
HUNDREDS ATTNED IMMIGRATION REFORM HEARINGS IN LOS ANGELES, MARCH 13 (tags)
Are you a friend/family of an undocumented immigrant? (tags)
Come and sign a petition urging Obama to pass a comprehensive immigration reform. The petition will be delivered to the President by members of the Hispanic Congressional Caucus at teh end of March 2009.
JFAV RECOGNIZES COMMUNITY SUPPORT CRUCIAL (tags)
Scores of activist and advocates led by the Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) in a community forum held last Wednesday night, March 4 in Historic Filipinotown. They recognized the crucial role of community organizations especially the People's Community Organization for Reform and Empowerment (People's CORE) who started the veterans struggle for equity 17 years ago and won some benefits including the lump sum in the Stimulus Law. The well attended community forum was held at the Community Hall of Search to Involve the Pilipino Americans (SIPA) in 3200 W. Temple St. Los Angeles. SIPA is one of the community organizations recognized that night.
Immigration Reform Possible-CDIR (tags)
The Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR) based in Los Angeles learned through immigrat rights sources that immigration reform can happen during the Obama adminstration. After two failed attempts in 2006 and 2007, immigration reform could finally be pushed through both houses of the US Congress starting in September, civil rights activists said. "We are confident and very optimistic that there's likely to be a big window of opportunity between September 2009 and March 2010," America's Voice pro-reform group director Frank Sharry said in a telephone conference. As he spoke another immigrant rights conference is being planned in February in Chicago, Illinois. Immigrant Rights This was confirmed by the CDIR-USA Coordinator Arturo P. Garcia from People's CORE.
AJLPP Year End Report, 2008 (tags)
The year 2008 started with a flurry of activities with the anti-war movement marking the 5th year of the US-occupation of Iraq and the War Against Terror and ended with a militant rallies at the Israeli Consulate against the siege and bombing of Gaza on Dec. 30,2008. As an opening salvo, the AJLPP participated in the first ever Women's March Against the War in Los Angeles led by the GABNET of the MARIPOSA ALLIANCE that drew more than 800 people. The AJLPP also supported the militant Screen Actors Guild Strike in Hollywood. The AJLPP mobilized its forces together with its allies against the successive visits of US prime puppet Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in July in the East Coast and November on the West Coast
Immigrants to March in Washington on Jan 21, 2009 (tags)
Immigrants to march in Washington the day after the Inauguration to demand Immigration Reform.
Petition for a Comprehensive Immigration Reform in 2009 (tags)
Sign an electronic petition for CIR in 2009 - it will be delivered to the newly elected U.S. President and members of Congress on December 1, 2008.
Miles Marchan en Milwaukee (tags)
Los protestantes quieren un acta de reforma de inmigración que sea justa dentro de los primeros 100 días del termino del próximo presidente
May Day becomes an annual tradition for immigrant and workers' rights (tags)
In San José and all across the United States, marches for immigrant and workers' rights are reviving the long-dormant American tradition of May Day. While legislation for comprehensive immigration reform has stalled in Congress, demonstrators are poised to take the struggle to the next level.
Thousands Marched Through Downtown Milwaukee (tags)
Protesters want a fair and just immigration reform bill passed within the first 100 days of the next President's term
FAIR –PWC Press Conference Held April 26 for LA May 1 Mass Action (tags)
In response to nationally coordinated raids conducted by Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) and the pressing problems of immigration by more than 12 million immigrants including 1.5 million Filipinos in the U,S, the Filipino Americans for Immigration Reform (FAIR) and the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) held a Press Conference at the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) on April 26, 2008 in preparation for the May 1 Rally Immigrant Workers Day March-Rally in downtown Los Angeles. The FAIR press conference JUSTICE FOR IMMIGRANTS was well attended by different immigrant rights, youth, student,World War II veterans and community advocates. Some of the speakers in the press conference were Paolo Espiritu: FAIR convemor; Aquilina Soriano Versoza: PWC Executive Director; Arturo Garcia: JFAV and AJLPP deputy coordinator :Jollene Levid: Gabriela Network organizer; Tracy Lachica Buenavista: Assistant Professor Dept. of Asian American Studies, Cal State Northridge; Carmina Ocampo: UCLA Asian Pacific Islander Law Student Associatio; Anna Sterling: UCLA Samahang Pilipino at UCLA; Nimual A. Ornillo: USC Troy Philippines president; Joel Baustita: March 25th Coalition and MIWON.
In response to nationally coordinated raids conducted by Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) and the pressing priblmes of immigration by more than 12 million immigrants including 1.5 million Filipinos in the U,S, the Filipino Americans for Immigration Reform (FAIR) and the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) held a Press Conference at the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) on April 26, 2008 in preparation for the May 1 Rally Immigrant Workers Day March-Rally in downtown Los Angeles. The FAIR press conference JUSTICE FOR IMMIGRANTS was well attended by different immigrant rights, youth, student,World War II veterans and community advocates. Some of the peakers in the press conference were Paolo Espiritu: FAIR convemor; Aquilina Soriano Versoza: PWC Executive Director; Arturo Garcia: JFAV and AJLPP deputy coordinator :Jollene Levid: Gabriela Network organizer; Tracy Lachica Buenavista: Assistant Professor Dept. of Asian American Studies, Cal State Northridge; Carmina Ocampo: UCLA Asian Pacific Islander Law Student Associatio; Anna Sterling: UCLA Samahang Pilipino at UCLA; Nimual A. Ornillo: USC Troy Phil
Arizona treats Mexicans like Nazi Germany treated Jews (tags)
Arizona treats Mexicans like Nazi Germany treated the Jews
Minutemen Attacked With Balloons In Seattle (tags)
A Story From Seattle
New "Surge" For Immigrant Rights in the Senate in the Offing? (tags)
The Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC) and the Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR) warmly welcomes the statement of Senator Alan Specter, ranking Republican supporter of immigration reform that he and six other lawmakers are ready to reopen and start the debate on immigration reform when the Senate opens September. In an interview with CNN today, August 7 at 2:00AM with anti-immigrant anchor Lou Dobbs, Specter laments that the comprehensive immigration reform act was not passed in the Senate this year. He said he was hopeful that the debates will rekindle the interest and will make the lawmakers informed about the need to pass this law.
Immigration Reform Is Needed, After Bush (tags)
Stewart Alexander, a presidential hopeful with the Peace and Freedom Party, says, "I believe Congress should work on comprehensive immigration reform after President Bush ends his term in office. I do not believe this important issue should be used as a political football or as a bandage for an administration that is hemorrhaging before the nation and the world."
AJLPP / CDIR Rejects The Border Protection and Immigration Reform Bill as Racist (tags)
The Alliance Philippines (Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines ) and the Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR) vehemently oppose the so called " US Border Protection and immigration Reform Bil" l that will turn 12 million immigrants into a permanent underclass of "guest workers" and scrap the family reunification laws that will separate millions of immigrant families.
Building Bridges Radio: India's Economy - The Real Story (tags)
WBAI's Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 28 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW
IMMIGRATION DEBATES UP IN THE US SENATE, NEW SANCTUARY MOVEMENT LAUNCHED IN THE U.S. (tags)
The US Senate, after a long delay will finally begin debates this coming Wednesday, May 16, on the much-awaited comprehensive immigration reform bill that will decide the fate of more than 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. The issue: Amnesty or a guest worker program? Senator Arlan Specter wanted the Senate Bill 2611 to be revived while the White House proposes a very expensive " temporary guest worker program" The democratic party promised a comprehensive immigration reform that will be favorable to the large immigrant community where it derived its support during the last elections. On the other hand, the traditionally anti-immigrant republican party is trying to win over the conservative sector of the immigrant population by giving a limited reform. President Bush, whose wife is a Mexican, promised an immigration reform bill by the end of this year. Senators Ted Kennedy and John McCain are also bent to revive their own immigration bill that died last year during the Senate debates that gave way to SB 2611 that the Republican controlled lower house killed in 2006. The senate killed the oppressive HR 4437 but gave way to some of its anti-immigrant features in the SB 2611 that did not pass the republican controlled lower house. CDIR Immigrant Rights Update
MIWON cover for LAPD mayday attack unresolved (tags)
MIWON maintains its refusal to publicly renounce its cover for LAPD mayday attack, enabling police commanders to escape accountability.
The Migrant Trap, and the Migrants' Way Out: May 1, 2007 (tags)
Migrants face an impossible choice. And they've got their own humane and just answer. Is anybody listening?
And Humpty Dumpty Had A Great Fall... (tags)
Minuteman Founder, Jim Gilchrist, Gets The Boot!
Marcha Migrante II (tags)
Caravana Por Justicia!
Minutemen and Apocalypto at City Hall (tags)
Immigration group may not be what they seem (tags)
By Michele R. Marcucci, STAFF WRITER
Area cops lead minuteman invasion of Maywood (tags)
Residents of Maywood and their supporters outnumbered minutemen objecting to their sanctuary city, but the counterprotestors were met by a hostile array of local and area cops fronting for the racist invaders.
Republinazis reportedly tracked to attack against California (tags)
Republicans hate everything America stands for.
Full Statement of Columbia Students Who Occupied the Stage (tags)
Protest at Columbia University against Gilchrist (tags)
Full statement of those who occupied the stage at Columbia University at a event with Jim Gilchrist on Oct. 4th.
Welcome to Costa Migra (tags)
New progressive newspaper starts in Costa Mesa and Huntington Beach, Orange County, California. A small newspaper, but packed with hard news about important social and environmental issues. Here's a sample.
CDIR-USA PROTEST US CONGRESS VOTE TO BUILD BORDER FENCE WITH MEXICO (tags)
The Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR) strongly protest and condemn the US Congress that approved a bill last Friday, September 29 that calls for building a fence along the US-Mexican border to stem the flow of illegal immigrants
August 2006: National Immigrant Solidarity Network Monthly News Digest (tags)
No Immigrant Bashing! Support Immigrant Rights!
List of Antis (tags)
Here is a list of Antis, some are known hate groups and the rest have the potential of being hate groups.
Evolution and the Antis (tags)
Evolution has had little affect on the xenophobic mind in that past 100 years. Indeed, knowledge and understanding have also fallen short of reaching the advent xenophobic trend.
"HUNG JURY" FOR ANTI-MINUTEMAN PROTESTER (tags)
Tuesday, May 30, 2006 "HUNG JURY" FOR ANTI-MINUTEMAN PROTESTER An Orange County jury deadlocks on three charges; issues "not guilty" verdict for two others.
San Francisco Labor Council on Immigrant Rights (tags)
Open World Conference of Workers >May 23, 2006
JFAV Greets Senate Vote Giving Veterans Special Immigrant Status as a Tactical Victory, (tags)
The Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) greet the news that the US Senate unanimously approved by a voice vote on Thursday (Friday in Manila) an amendment in the proposed immigration reform bill that would allow Philippine-based single or married children of Filipino World War II veterans to join them in the United States, as a tactical victory in its 60 years of struggle for recognition, justice and equity.
We Are America Alliance (tags)
Newly-Forming "We Are America Alliance" Announces Next Steps to Stop HR 4437 and Press for Real Comprehensive Immigration Reform
More Lies from the Antis (tags)
Kimberly-Clark heir Congressman James Sensenbrenner would have you believe that Americans are losing their jobs to undocumented workers. But it is his corporation, and those like it, that are the real culprits.
U.S. SENATORS REACH A COMPROMIZE ON IMMIGRATION REFORM LEGISLATION (tags)
On March 27, 2006, after the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee approved its version of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform legislation it was delivered to the full U.S.
The Senate's Priorities: No Mexicans (tags)
The U.S. Senate today exposed its real immigration agenda, and it has little to do with securing borders, drug runners, or terrorists.
NO TO RACIST COMPROMISES ON THE SENATE'S IMMIGRATION REFORM OVERHAUL BILL: FULL IM (tags)
We, in the Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR) – Los Angeles and the People's Community Organization for Reform and Empowerment (People's CORE) Immigrant Rights and Social Justice Program (IRSJP), express our indignation and alarm over the compromise that was hammered out in the in the so-called "Immigration Reform Overhaul Bill" in the US Senate today, April 6, 2006. The CDIR and People's CORE call on all immigrant rights advocates, all immigrants and everyone who loves freedom and go all out for the May 1 Great American Boycott – A Day Without Immigrants. Let us all act to stop racism and build a new movement for and in defense of civil rights and human rights that are being trampled upon in the belly of this capitalist beast. Defend Immigrant Rights, FULL RIGHTS FOR IMMIGRANTS, NOW! #
The Ghost of George Wallace: Immigration and White Racism (tags)
They were on the verge of a walled off country, a police state whose target would be Brown people. Then, on Saturday, their dominace cracked.
Spanish Radio Joins Coalition Outreach (tags)
MEDIA ADVISORY And PHOTO-OP MARCH 20TH, 2006 March 25 Coalition Against HR4437- Coalicion 25 de Marzo Contra La Ley Sensenbrenner Media Contact: Javier Rodriguez 323.788.3241 jrodhdztf@hotmail.com & jrod1194@sbcglobal.net
Minutemen in OC/Santa Ana (tags)
Orange County Register is reporting that Maria Guadalupe Moreno (pronounced Loo-Pee Moe-Ree-Noe - Maria and Guada are silent) and the Minutemen will hold a protest infront of the Mexican Consulate in Santa Ana this Saturday March 11th at 11am.
Gran Marcha 2006 (tags)
LA Coalition to Stage Mass Protest on March 25, 2006 Against HR4437 Sensenbrenner Immigration Bill in Downtown Los Angeles and support a comprehensive immigration reform provision that leads to permanent residency and no more border fences and or heightened border security
"What have you done to Costa Mesa?" Minuteman Mayor Allan Mansoor turns city u (tags)
Costa Mesa's Minuteman Junta has brought terror, racism, incompetence and shame to the city.
Police Intimidation in the City of Orange (tags)
Police Intimidation in the City of Orange: Police ask to see the I.D. of 9 brown people standing outside of home depot looking for work. 8 out of the 9 were taken to a border patrol checkpoint in Dana Point against their will even though the charges had nothing to do with citizenship status!
Pro-Migrant Activists Turn the Tables (tags)
Costa Mesan residents hit their anti-migrant counci member in his pocketbook
Call to Action by Dolores Mission (tags)
ECUMENICAL PRAYER SERVICE FOR COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM at La Placita Olvera (Our Lady Queen of Angels Parish) 10:00 am, Friday, February 24
¡NO MAS! A Day of Anti-Minuteman Protest (tags)
On Saturday, counterprotestors, activists and day laborers, across Southern California coordinated efforts and shut down the Minutemen's attempt at a "secret" day of national anti-immigrant rallies.
SOS is Opposed in Glendale, Again. (tags)
On Saturday, January 7, members of Save Our State participated in the National Day of Action for "Immigration Reform" by sending a contingent of their top thugs to the Glendale day labor hiring center/Home Depot location. Several other actions took place including but not limited to locations in Santa Monica, Rancho Cucamonga and Lake Forest.
Minuteman leader has troubled past (tags)
Minuteman leader Chris Simcox paints himself as a heroic guardian of national security. Those close to him see him differently.
Theresa Dang Not Guily: Article and Audio Interviews (tags)
The case of the missing police flashlight remains unresolved, but local activist Theresa Dang can go back to her San Francisco law school now and finish studying for her first final exam after a jury of her "peers" voted her not guilty on two separate counts of petty theft of a Garden Grove police officer's flashlight during a May 25th demonstration at the Garden Grove Women's Club.
Who is Jim Gilchrist? (tags)
Who is Jim Gilchrist, rock-ribbed Reagan conservative or Camejo socialist? Contradictory statements and bizarre accusations question his philosophical and emotional stability.
Protest Racist KFI, Support Day Laborer Rights! Friday September 30: Outside KFI Studios (tags)
What: Press Conference and Rally Who: Day Laborers and their Allies When: Friday, September 30, 2005 10:30 Press Conference Where: Outside of KFI Radio Station 340 W. Olive Ave Burbank, CA 91502
Minuteman Jim Gilcrhist is also the "Teeter-totter" (tags)
Minuteman cofounder Jim Gilchrist is running for Congress in Orange County's 48th District on the American Independent Party ticket as a Reagan Republican. But he really doesn't know what he is. Hear it in his own words.
HOW A MINUTEKLAN CO-FOUNDER GOT MORE THAN HE BARGAINED FOR IN LONG ISLAND, NY (tags)
Well, it looks like our friends in the Minuteklan Project wanted to come out and see if they can bring their crap to the East Coast, so they held another meeting, this time in Babylon, Long Island in New York. About 100 people came out to see him, but they were all of us, and that made for an interesting afternoon on the Island. Chris Simcox, the co-founder of the Minuteklan Project, was the featured speaker at this meeting, and that was what prompted so many people to come out. We have at this link a slew of pics from the day, and as always, if you recognize anyone in the pics, hit us up and give us the story.
California Border Police or Police State? (tags)
Immigration Reform and AFL-CIO labor split discussed on live web cast from www.kuci.org Thursday, August 4, 2005 from 8-9 AM
The Barbara Coe Story (tags)
I saw this account of an email encounter with Barbara Coe which you all should read.
LAGUNA BEACH COPS TACKLE WHITE SUPREMACIST TO THE GROUND: PART I (tags)
The photograph below is of Baldy, an avowed white supremacist, who allegedly tried to physically attack Naui Huitzilopochtli, a counterdemonstrator, at the Saturday, July 16, 2005 protest that a member of "Save Our State" organized against a day labor center in Laguna Beach, California. In this photograph, Baldy (who identified himself as Robert Floyd of Pearlblossom) is talking to Suzie Harrison, a reporter for The Coast Daily Pilot.
MINUTEMAN CO-FOUNDER JOINS HATE GROUP (tags)
Add another log on the hate fires that the Minuteman Project built. They have repeated the refrain over and over again that they have no tolerance for hate groups or their members joining them. Sean Hannity has been their television personality cheerleader parroting the declaration. Well, that hasn't been the case, as hatemonger after hatemonger have been using the Minuteman Project as a springboard for their little race war. One would think that if a group are so adamant about racists in their midsts, they would do something to stifle this activity. Well that didn't happen, nor did it look like it's going to. Minuteman co-founder, Jim Gilchrist, on the left in the picture above with the other founder Chris Simcox and cheerleader Hannity, joined the California Coalition for Immigration Reform. That's a group that's close to, among other groups, the Council of Conservative Citizens, and it is noted by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group. It is getting tiresome finding example after example of the race-based vigilantism that the Minuteman Project keeps trying to deny they are engaged in, but now it is even harder to do so. That is just fine for the scores of groups looking to seal the fate of these lowlifes.
NJ TO MINUTEMEN AND THEIR SUPPORTERS: ¡BASTA YA! (tags)
The United Patriots of America (UPA), a group allied with the Minuteman Project, announced this public recruiting drive in Bridgewater on a radio station whose hosts are pretty sympathetic to their cause. Logic would say that they should have expected the press to show up, but when they did, they turned them away. Logic would also say that they should have expected protests, but they didn't seem prepared for that either considering most of the people that were in their meeting was there to disrupt it! Finally logic would say that if you are going to have a meeting to get support for your group while at the same time try to deflect charges of working with racists and the hate groups they belong to, the last thing you would want to do is have as your keynote speaker a guy who is a member of not one, but two groups that the Southern Poverty Law Center designate as a hate group. Well, all of that happened this weekend, and we got it all down for you. All of the attendees were lily white, except for two people. One was a black dude who was working for Ron Bass, the guy who runs UPA. The other was DLJ - and he was asked to leave because he was taping the meeting! He managed to BS them into allowing him to stay, and he was able to get some good footage prior to them trying to give him trouble. The pics going along with this story come from that video, so some of them are a little fuzzy, but they are still good enough for folks to see what went down. Mad props have to go to Casa Freehold, who alerted everyone to what was happening in our backyard. The summer is getting hotter and hotter.
Hal Netkin identified as driver of Minivan that struck persons at Minuteman protest (tags)
The Orange County Register is reporting that Hal Netkin of Van Nuys was the driver of a Minivan that struck three persons who were attending the protest against Minuteman founder Jim Gilchrist's appearance at the California Coalition for Immigration Reform meeting in Garden Grove last night..
URGENT: Open Letter to Legal Guild and Video Activists (tags)
Right Wing Radicals use threats to intimidate political activists from conducting a legal and peaceful protest.
Protest Against MinuteMen - Garden Grove (tags)
Protest MinuteMen in Garden Grove, May 25th
MinuteMan Found in Garden Grove (tags)
Jim Gilchrist, the founder of the fascist "Minuteman Project", will be speaking at the Garden Grove Women's Club on Wednesday, May 25th at 7:30 pm.
Anti-Immigrant Groups to Invade D.C. Take Action! (tags)
Anti-immigrant groups are going to D.C. to spread xenophobia. What you can do in LA to support immigrant rights!
PRO-SB60 PROTESTORS PAY REPUBLICAN STATE ASSEMBLYMAN KEN MADDOX A SURPRISE VISIT! (tags)
Ken Maddox, a termed-out Republican State Assemblyman from Orange County's 68th District, found himself in a bind late Friday afternoon ...
Time to Smash Facism Again (tags)
Anti-immigrant morons to skewer Mexicans...let's counter-protest!
Attention OC Voters: Beware of Right Wing Republican Chris Norby (tags)
Attention Anaheim, Buena Park, Fullerton, La Habra, and Placentia Voters! Beware of Right-Wing Republican Chris Norby! Anti-Union, Anti-Affirmative Action, Anti-Immigration!
Vandals Attack Home Of Anti-immigration advocate Barbra Coe (tags)
Vandals spray graffiti at home of immigration-reform advocate Incident at Barbara Coe's Huntington Beach residence is being investigated as a possible hate crime.
PROTEST RACISM & IMMIGRANT BASHING IN ANAHEIM (tags)
Protest fascists, racists, nazis and immigrant bashers this Saturday in Anaheim
Racists plan dempnstration against immigrants, counter demo needs to be planned (tags)
Racists are planning a demo in Anaheim
Protest Anaheim Racists/August Shack anti-nazi Protest (tags)
OK, these pictures are old, from August, but I'm poor and couldn't afford to develop them until now! They are from the protest of the nazi recruitment show at the Shack. The yuppie nazi groups American Patrol and the California Coalition for Immigrant Reform will be protesting for racism in Anaheim Dec. 4 and 8, something that needs to be counterprotested!
Protesting Nazis in Orange County at the Shack & Upcoming Anaheim Protest (tags)
Anti-Immigrant Extremist Groups Plan Protest in Anaheim (tags)
Those crazy Orange County racists are at it again...
Bigots in California celebrate deaths of Mexican immigrants. (tags)
More than a dozen Mexicans perished in the desert this week due to the get-tough border policies implemented by Clinton and continued by Bush. In response, Anti-Mexican bigots in California blamed the victims, celebrated their deaths, and took the occasion to threaten future militia violence. See and respond to their comments on this board:
Anti-Mexican group preaches intolerance online. (tags)
The California Coalition for Immigration Reform, the virulently Anti-Mexican group that backed Prop 187 in California has a public message board you can participate in.
right-wingers call for anti-immigrant ethnic cleansing (tags)
i bookmarked this site a few months ago, after someone posted it on Indymedia... some of these clowns are so rabidly anti-mexican that it's truly sickening... some of them refer to mexicans as Mud Apes and Chimichanga Chimps and other crap like that...
re: counter CCIR protests in L.A. Feb. 10th (tags)
"California Coalition for Immigration Reform" holding a rally in L.A. on Feb. 10 at the federal building in Westwood

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I (BobRacko) have done a number of things to build on the foundations of wiki. I call this variation KeheiWiki . It targets private and commercial audiences (yet is still open-source).
All references to pages now support topicname.html and ?topic=topicname in url syntax. Now the topic is a part of the URL instead of the query string to make saved links look more natural. This encourages search engines like Altavista to index wiki sites.
A page can list who may edit it.
Authors and editors are supported and differentiated. Intellectual property issues are addressed by allowing multiple authors of a page. (only the author may add or remove themselves). Those who may edit is a superset of authors so tweaker can fly in and fixup grammar/spelling if they have permission delegated to them by an author.
Multiple styles of security are supported to protect the community.
KeheiWiki extends the %notation% of JosWiki so that topics with spaces or without capitalization can also be links. Numbers and dates are allowed.
/cgi[-bin]/ is not needed if you have permission to define your own script-aliased directories in the Apache config file.
Advisory edit-locks are in place so multiple editing sessions on the same topic can be resolved peacefully (warnings go out and attempts to save without re-editing are ignored).
The "nothing written yet" (no text yet) backstop is a series of layers. KeheiWiki checks for the real topic, then in the template area (for notxt.html) for locked backstop, then in data area for notxt.txt for a user-changeable backstop or default text.
The templates idea in hypertext.pl is extended to include inheritance so that fresh templates do not have to be done all over for a new area.
Backups are kept and associated with who made the changes. You can undo changes made by a specific someone.
The page layout and even wiki.pl itself is editable online. Wiki can be used to edit itself!
Regular expressions are allowed in the 'changes' list to show revision history for a selected page.
Pages are deletable and renameable. Signed pages may only be deleted if the signor removes their signature first.
A content page can pick what it wants for a template.
mailto:bobr.wiki@dprc.net?subj=WikiWikiWeb if you want to know more.


Whether you like the Air Jordan 6 / 7 "Golden Moment" Pack or not, you'll have to like the patriotism behind it. Releasing in August to coincide with the ongoing Summer Olympics in London, the shoe features a pair of Air Jordan 6 and Air Jordan 7, each of which comes with a small American flag. The Air Jordan 6 sports a white leather construction that is contrasted with gold, while the Air Jordan 7 boasts a black design constructed from leather and suede. Look for the pack to release on August 18th at Jordan Brand accounts.


text:
People and profiles
Style solutions
Property and architecture
Bingo wings be gone! Can a non-invasive procedure give you party-ready arms, in a flash?
'Tis the season to go sleeveless Credit: Trunk Archive
Avril Mair
3 December 2019 • 1:00pm
Gym exercises
Luxury women's style
Luxury wellness
No one's saying anyone is fat. But when you find yourself approaching the season's grunge trend via Kurt Cobain cardigans rather than supermodel silk slips, something's got to give.
From the midriff down, of course, there's always Spanx - those sinuous, draped dresses may look as uncontrived and effortless as a negligée, but underneath, they can hide a sheath of heavy-duty Lycra that's the antithesis of autumn/winter 2019's low-key glamour.
Still, what to do with the arms? Specifically, what to do about that flappy bit of skin between the armpit and the elbow, pejoratively known as a 'bingo wing', which is the scourge of those over 40 without a serious gym habit? It needs to be dealt with before festive dressing commences. But how?
For those hoping simply to disguise the problem, you can now buy shapewear for this area. Indeed, Net-a-Porter sells a contraption known as Arm Tights, retailing at £30, which - after much inelegant squeezing on my part - looks like too much sausage meat squashed into a nylon casing. It's also hot (though absolutely not in the sense of being sexually appealing).
M&S has something similar called Light Support Lace Armwear, described as a 'perfect under-layer', which is designed to wear beneath sleeveless dresses. Alternatively, there's always the cardigan. The beige cashmere button-up plus matching bralette worn by Katie Holmes sold out as soon as her traffic-stopping moment hit Instagram - but it's available to order again for £1,495 (khaite.com).
Bingo wings - the flappy bits of skin between the armpit and the elbow - are the scourge of those over 40 without a serious gym habit Credit: Trunk Archive
If you are so inclined, there are dramatic surgical interventions on offer, from arm lifts to liposuction, which can require weeks of downtime and cost thousands of pounds. For those with an excess of skin, or significant fat, they work well. But for stubborn little pockets of fat, or an incipient droop, there are other, less drastic options.
Vaser liposuction uses ultrasound technology to loosen and soften fat before removing it with gentle suction, instead of aggressive tugging like the more traditional method. It allows for better shaping, and is usually performed under sedation rather than a general anaesthetic, meaning no overnight stay and only a couple of days at home in compression bandages.
If even this sounds a bit too much, there's still hope. The biggest area of growth in cosmetic surgery today is for so-called body-contouring procedures, which have risen by 43 per cent since 2017, according to a 2019 report from the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. It says that for every liposuction carried out in the United States, there are more than 10 non-invasive treatments. CoolSculpting is the most popular of these.
"We offer it for those who want to get rid of the excess fat from their arms and achieve more of a contour. It's perfect for unwanted areas that don't seem to improve with good diet and exercise," says Dr Rita Rakus, whose Knightsbridge clinic is one of only 50 in Britain licensed to use the fat-freezing machine. Laser, needle and scarring-free, it's seen as a game changer in this growing market.
Body contouring procedures - which can be used on the arms - have risen by 43 per cent since 2017 Credit: Trunk Archive
"All those body-slimming machines are a waste of time and money," says Olivia Falcon, beauty expert and founder of The Editor's List, a website that offers advice on procedures to prospective clients. "I've tried them and they just don't really work - except CoolSculpting, which does help target stubborn areas of fat, but only if you are on the slim side already." Alas, I am not. I'm still prepared to give it a go, however.
The procedure was first discovered by two Harvard doctors who noticed that children who ate ice lollies often lost cheek fat - 'popsicle panniculitis', as they called it. That process - later known as cryolipolysis - eventually turned into CoolSculpting, which involves using a low temperature to kill off chunks of fat, which you then pee out later. Like most of these things, the specifics are not that glamorous.
Nor is the actuality, although Dr Rakus's clinic, which is behind Harrods, is a haven of white orchids and Chanel-clad technicians. Dr Galyna Selezneva, who carries out the procedure, is a forthright glamazon who discovered a love of machines after her own significant weight loss, so is both evangelical and empathetic.
She's also a qualified psychiatrist, should you question the wisdom of the endeavour. "My background means I know where to draw the line, medically and psychologically," she says. "My patients go to the gym and eat healthily, but nothing works. They don't want to have to wear Bridget Jones-style figure-hugging underwear."
CoolSculpting, which involves using a low temperature to kill off chunks of fat, is a popular treatment to zap upper arm excess Credit: Trunk Archive
Nor do I, dear reader. Which is why I don't demur when asked to strip to my bra, before being photographed tensing my triceps in various poses. After some more prodding, I lie on a bed with cool gel pads placed on my upper arms, before they're strapped between metal plates.
The metal turns cold, then colder still; for five minutes or so. It's unpleasant; there's a deep tingling - the kind you feel upon taking your gloves off in the snow - before everything goes numb. An hour passes slowly. My arms turn red, then purple. The worst part is when the plates are removed, and Dr Selezneva massages the frozen fat to break it up; between 20 and 40 per cent of it will be expelled over the next 12 weeks. I feel cold for the next day.
The second part of my treatment takes place a couple of months later, by which point I'm feeling slightly evangelical myself about the miracle of CoolSculpting.
This time, I try EMsculpt, a procedure so new that it was licensed for use on arms only at the end of September. "It's not only about fat; it's the world's only non-invasive procedure to help build muscle," says Dr Rakus.
This season is all about the slinky upper-arm revealing slip dress Credit: Trunk Archive
This, essentially, is a kind of souped-up version of those toning belts advertised on QVC - a machine that uses electromagnetic technology to force the muscles to contract anywhere between 11,000 and 20,000 times per 30-minute session.
It feels rather like being attacked with an electric toothbrush. My upper arms have palm-sized plastic discs strapped to them, which emit a loud buzzing in seemingly random patterns; it's not painful, though the muscles twitch a bit. Perhaps mine are still protected by a layer of fat. Anyway, four sessions are optimal, so I continue to hope.
If all else fails, Net-a-Porter has a new section dedicated to 'modest' fashion, where you can currently find 150 charming dresses, all of which have sleeves. Come what may, that's Christmas-party dressing done.
Avril Mair is fashion director of Harper's Bazaar and Elle
Five recommended arm-sculpting products
Super Fit Arm Sculpt
Rodial's Super Fit Arm Sculpt
With its gel-cream texture, this product delivers a cooling sensation on the arms, while skin-tightening wheat protein and anti-ageing pomegranate re-texture and redefine the upper-arm area. An age reverser and toner in one.
£60, Rodial
SKIN CAVIAR Luxe Souffle Body Cream
La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Souffle Body Cream
Luxury in a tub, this soufflé-textured cream floods the skin with caviar extract to thoroughly rehydrate and restore elasticity. Caffeine also firms the arm area and gives a lift to bingo wings.
£267, La Prairie
The Body Cream Cellular Renewal Body Cream
Augustinus Bader's The Body Cream
This top-to-toe cream uses Bader's own patented technology to visibly tone any part of the body. Apply to arms morning and night.
£130, Augustinus Bader
Body Excellence Firming and Rejuvenating Cream,
Chanel's Body Excellence Firming and Rejuvenating Cream
Vitamins E- and K-rich canola oil fights signs of ageing, while omega fatty acids keep skin plumped, and Purple Bengle PFA boosts collagen production, so sagging arms are tighter.
£83, Chanel
NuBODY Skin Toning Device
This at-home device uses microcurrent technology to stimulate collagen and elastin production for gradual firming. Apply in an upward motion for five minutes a day to really see the benefits.
£383, NuFace
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Back to Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho
Planned Parenthood Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho
Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho
Current: Youth Empowerment Program
Youth Empowerment Program
Elevating Youth Voice
YouTube Video Link for the "Elevating Youth Voice" video
The Youth Empowerment Program (YEP)  positively impacts teens and our broader communities by empowering youth to effectively advocate for local and regional change.
What is YEP?
YEP is a peer-to-peer program that teaches youth how to identify local issues they care about, and methods they can use to positively affect change in their communities. With an intergenerational community of youth and mentors, high school aged youth will develop leadership skills, foster justice-focused movements in their communities, and learn to advocate for change at the local, state and national levels, while maintaining inclusive and affirming environments.
Through an intersectional lens, YEP directly addresses some of the biggest challenges to teen social and sexual health — a lack of accurate and approachable information and trustworthy sources for help and guidance.
What do YEP peer educators do?
In addition to regular meetings, teens facilitate lessons, community projects, and actions in their community, and get involved with causes that are important to their lives. Mentored by our Planned Parenthood Educators, Youth Empowerment Program members will:
Learn about sexual and reproductive health, reproductive justice, and intersectional social justice
Develop skills in presentation, communication, leadership, activism, and advocacy
Present to peers in schools and in their communities
Participate in opportunities to educate their elected officials around issues important to them
Promote campaigns in their communities that support important causes, like racial justice, economic justice, and reproductive justice
Why become a YEP peer educator?
All of the teens who have participated in our Youth Empowerment Program have said the experience was life-changing. The dynamic nature of the program means teens gain valuable life skills in an environment that fosters positivity and growth. Being a YEP member allows teens to:
Take part in intergenerational learning
Develop their voice, autonomy, intersectional consciousness, and community consciousness
Participate in continued justice learning
Lead activism and advocacy in their own communities
Who can join YEP?
Our Youth Empowerment Program is open to all 10th –12th grade students in the Spokane, Yakima, Wenatchee and the Tri-Cities areas. Students are not required to have any previous knowledge of YEP topics or peer education, just a passion for learning and a desire to make an impact in their communities.
What is the commitment like?
The Youth Empowerment Program meets biweekly for two hour regular meetings. In addition to regular meetings, teens are expected to participate in community events and presentations monthly, as well as special opportunities like retreats, Lobby Day, and conferences!
What does YEP cost?
This program is free! There are no fees or materials to purchase, and Planned Parenthood sponsors the cost of events. This year the majority of group activities will take place virtually due to COVID-19.
Can I ask YEP members to do a presentation?
Youth Empowerment Program members are available to present to local organizations and small groups in Spokane, Yakima, Wenatchee and the Tri-Cities. Due to COVID-19, all presentations and collaborative events are being held virtually.
To join, fill out this survey or email our education team!
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Its information OVERLOAD on ASR today… and we've still got bloody Needlemouse to come.
A load of images went up on the SEGA press vault, but the cream was these pictures showing Virtua Figher's Jacky and Akira and the Bonanza Bros whose last game appearance was in 1990!
… Nice one! I wasn't expecting it, but defiantly some awesome additions!


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J.P.Morgan Home / Institutional Asset Management / Our Thinking / Europe at a crossroads: Recession or turnaround?
Europe at a crossroads: Recession or turnaround?
Insights and Research
As Of 14 Feb 2019 / Tilmann Galler, Ambrose Crofton
Since the start of 2018, the European economy has continued to disappoint investors. A multitude of factors, both external and domestic, have contributed to a backdrop of slowing economic growth. A revival in growth in China is the most likely catalyst for a turnaround—but perhaps later in the year.
"With limited help available to the eurozone economy from within, an improvement in external factors might prove the key for a turnaround."
Tilmann Galler
There was a lot of promise and expectation for European growth at the start of 2018. Fuelled by easy financial conditions and falling unemployment, the European recovery looked to be finally finding its feet.
However, since then, economic data for the region has deteriorated significantly. As this weakness has persisted, investors have become tired of the seemingly perpetual excuses for weak data, and sentiment towards European assets has worsened. With few domestic catalysts for a turnaround, it may take a rebound in demand from the emerging world to improve prospects for the region.
What has gone wrong for the European recovery?
Looking at the detail of the slowdown, it appears that much of the weakness can be attributed to net exports. Net exports contributed 1.4 percentage points to the annual real GDP growth rate in the fourth quarter of 2017, but in the third quarter of 2018 their contribution was negative. Both sides of the equation—imports and exports—contributed to the deterioration, as the rising oil price in the first three quarters of 2018 led to a sharp increase in imports, while at the same time export growth stalled.
Given that exports make up approximately half of GDP in the eurozone, a slowdown in global growth was always going to prove a strong headwind. In particular, demand from emerging markets has softened. In November, exports to Turkey contracted by one-third year on year due to the confidence crisis that led to a slowdown in growth and the devaluation in the currency, while export growth to Asia slowed because of a slowing Chinese economy.
But external factors aren't the only ones to blame: domestic factors have played their part too.
In Italy, the new coalition government's dispute with the European Commission over its proposed budget sent borrowing costs to multi-year highs and tightened credit conditions. The prolonged period of political uncertainty has taken its toll on the Italian economy, with the country technically falling into recession.
In France, the protests of the "gilets jaunes" (a movement focused on social inequality) have caused significant disruption, sending the French composite purchasing managers' index into contractionary territory at the end of 2018. Impetus in the protests now seems to be waning and growth data for the fourth quarter of 2018 held up surprisingly well. But populism remains a risk across Europe, with the European Parliament elections in May likely to show that Eurosceptic parties still garner significant support.
In Germany, the autos industry has struggled to get to grips with the new emissions testing regulations, hampering industrial production and dragging significantly on growth. After a difficult fourth quarter of 2018, German auto production now looks to be picking back up (Exhibit 1), which could be a near-term boost to growth.
EXHIBIT 1: GERMANY NEW CAR REGISTRATIONS
% change year on year, three-month moving average
Source: KBA, Refinitiv Datastream, J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current and future results. Data as of 31 January 2019.
What could be the catalysts for a turnaround?
The European consumer is still fundamentally well supported as the unemployment rate continues to fall and wages pick up. In addition, the oil price has fallen significantly since October last year, serving in effect as a significant tax cut for European households. Historically, there has been a close inverse relationship between the oil price and consumption in the region, suggesting that the recent move in oil can help to boost consumption (see Exhibit 2). The fall in the oil price will also help European businesses by easing cost pressures.
EXHIBIT 2: EUROZONE CONSUMPTION AND BRENT OIL PRICE
% change quarter on quarter (LHS); oil price in euros (RHS inverted)
Source: Bloomberg, Eurostat, Refinitiv Datastream, J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current and future results. Guide to the Markets - UK. Data as of 31 January 2019.
Monetary policy looks set to remain accommodative in 2019, which will keep lending rates at a very supportive level. The European Central Bank (ECB) reiterated its forward guidance on interest rates in January, and also acknowledged that the risks to the outlook had moved to the downside.
Attention is quickly turning to what the ECB could do to provide further stimulus. In the near term, this may involve further liquidity assistance through its Targeted Long Term Refinancing Operation II initiative (TLTRO II) -a EUR 700 billion programme launched by the ECB to incentivise eurozone banks to lend to non-financial corporations and households, by lowering the banks' marginal borrowing costs. Italian and Spanish banks currently hold the largest chunk of the loans (60% of total volume). This policy measure is starting to come into focus again as these loans will begin to mature in June 2020. At a minimum, we would expect the ECB to announce an extension of the initiative to continue to provide support to the banking sector and economy.
Beyond this liquidity provision, the ECB's ability to stimulate the economy further is limited. Key interest rates are already in negative territory. The ECB will struggle to expand quantitative easing as it is nearing the upper limit of the amount of German Bunds it is permitted to buy. Parameters would have to shift to allow it either to buy a larger proportion of the German market, or more debt from other countries-a politically contentious issue.
On the fiscal side, we are seeing governments move to incrementally looser policies-notably in Italy and France. But these countries will ultimately be constrained by their already high public debt-to-GDP ratios, which sit at 132% and 99%, respectively (vs. the 60% limit set out in the EU's Stability and Growth Pact). Germany has fiscal capacity for significant stimulus, but the political appetite appears limited.
With limited help available to the eurozone economy from within, an improvement in external factors might prove the key for a turnaround in sentiment among both manufacturers and consumers. The necessary catalyst for a change in economic momentum could also come from the avoidance of a hard Brexit, a de-escalation in trade tensions or a soft landing in China. While the first two carry the imponderabilia of politics, we have a larger degree of confidence in the latter as China continues to ease monetary and fiscal policy to stimulate its economy. In January, the People's Bank of China cut its Reserve Requirement Ratio by a further 100 basis points, injecting a net figure of RMB 800 billion (0.8% of nominal GDP) into the Chinese economy. New infrastructure projects have also boosted investment growth, and Beijing continues to implement tax cuts for corporates and consumers alike.
Eurozone stocks may perform better than the economy
The multitude of elements that have contributed to a slowdown in Europe, coupled with the absence of a clear catalyst for a turnaround, has left investors cautious of investing in the region. But it is worth remembering that approximately 50% of European corporate revenues come from outside the region. In 2018, the European macroeconomic environment continued to deteriorate, but companies were still able to achieve a respectable 5% earnings growth. An uncertain economic outlook for the region suggests investors should remain cautious in the near term. But the international nature of European companies and the broader eurozone economy means that the direction of the global growth environment will have a large bearing on future performance. Investors will likely stay on the sidelines in Europe until we get the promise of a lasting recovery in growth. But were the macro data to improve we could see a change in fortunes for European stocks given a lot of bad news is in the price.
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LV–JPM51852 | 02/19 | 0903c02a824ebf1a
Global Market Strategist
Ambrose Crofton
Global Market Insights Strategy


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Activism • Government • Health
600 Christian churches call for an end to the War on Drugs
A major group of churches throughout the Northeast believe that ending the War on Drugs is the Christian thing to do.
The New England Conference of United Methodist Churches voted in favor of a resolution on Saturday to call for an end to the Drug War using Christian principles, according to a release from Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP).
The resolution states:
"In the love of Christ, who came to save those who are lost and vulnerable, we urge the creation of a genuinely new system for the care and restoration of victims, offenders, criminal justice officials, and the community as a whole. Restorative justice grows out of biblical authority, which emphasizes a right relationship with God, self and community. When such relationships are violated or broken through crime, opportunities are created to make things right."
They then go on to mention an extensive list of concerns and reasons to end prohibition, such as public health, violent trafficking, and countless innocent lives lost or thrown into overcrowded prisons.
LEAP worked alongside the group to help pass the resolution, which represents the will of 600 churches throughout six states.
"Jesus concerned himself with the plight of the poor and marginalized in his society. In our society, the story of the poor and marginalized is one of mass incarceration, racial injustice, and the breakdown of families caused by the War on Drugs," said Major Neill Franklin (Ret.), executive director of LEAP.
Below is the inspired resolution in its entirety:
A Resolution Regarding the "War on Drugs"
Our United Methodist Book of Discipline charges us to seek restorative, not punitive, justice. Specifically, it states,
In the love of Christ, who came to save those who are lost and vulnerable, we urge the creation of a genuinely new system for the care and restoration of victims, offenders, criminal justice officials, and the community as a whole. Restorative justice grows out of biblical authority, which emphasizes a right relationship with God, self and community. When such relationships are violated or broken through crime, opportunities are created to make things right. (BOD PP164, H)
To that end, we offer the following resolution as an appeal to end the so-called "War on Drugs."
Whereas: The public policy of prohibition of certain narcotics and psychoactive substances, sometimes called the "War on Drugs," has failed to achieve the goal of eliminating, or even reducing, substance abuse and;
Whereas: There have been a large number of unintentional negative consequences as a result of this failed public policy and;
Whereas: One of those consequences is a huge and violent criminal enterprise that has sprung up surrounding the Underground Market dealing in these prohibited substances and;
Whereas: Many lives have been lost as a result of the violence surrounding this criminal enterprise, including innocent citizens and police officers and;
Whereas: Many more lives have been lost to overdose because there is no regulation of potency, purity or adulteration in the production of illicit drugs and;
Whereas: Our court system has been severely degraded due to the overload caused by prohibition cases and;
Whereas: Our prisons are overcrowded with persons, many of whom are non-violent, convicted of violation of the prohibition laws and;
Whereas: Many of our citizens now suffer from serious diseases, contracted through the use of unsanitary needles, which now threaten our population at large and;
Whereas: To people of color, the "War on Drugs" has arguably been the single most devastating, dysfunctional social policy since slavery and;
Whereas: Huge sums of our national treasury are wasted on this failed public policy and;
Whereas: Other countries, such as Portugal and Switzerland, have dramatically reduced the incidence of death, disease, crime, and addiction by utilizing means other than prohibition to address the problem of substance abuse and;
Whereas: The primary mission of our criminal justice system is to prevent violence to our citizens and their property, and to ensure their safety, therefore;
Be it Resolved: That the New England Annual Conference supports seeking means other than prohibition to address the problem of substance abuse; and is further resolved to support the mission of the international educational organization Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) to reduce the multitude of unintended harmful consequences resulting from fighting the war on drugs and to lessen the incidence of death, disease, crime, and addiction by ending drug prohibition.


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To stay well, the former Hong Kong publisher advises that one should do some dodging to accommodate the clumsy giant who has yet to learn how to co-ordinate his arms and legs.
Born in Shanghai, raised in Hong Kong, educated in Boston, Taipei-based in the 1990s and living in Beijing since 2000, Chan's background means he is in a position to reflect on matters Chinese that few can match.
His sensitivity to cross-cultural issues is enhanced by his dual role as a public intellectual and an active participant in journalism and film scriptwriting.
Speaking in Hong Kong, which he still calls home, Chan offers a fresh perspective on the city's identity and how it interacts with the growing affluence of the mainland.
The starting point, he says, is to get to know what China has become of late. China, aside from being a big fat man, is obsessed with being No1 and receiving international recognition. "It's like a host presenting a 10-course dinner, and expecting everyone to praise every course, from appetiser to dessert," he adds.
It was around the time of the 2008 Beijing Olympics that Chan noticed young Chinese beginning to stand up and defend the nation against criticism from the West, on everything from human rights to fake products.
"That is very much like us in Hong Kong in the 1970s, who took issue with biased views from the outside world and defended the city, even though we knew things were not perfect around us. But after the economic take-off in the 1980s, our defence mechanism was no longer necessary as we were already No1. China is in that transition right now, so it will pass," he says.
This transition is leading to a level of wealth and power not seen since the "fat years" of Kangxi-Qianlong reign three centuries ago. And the rise will go on.
"But … those prosperous years did not bring about an ideal China. There were bloody wars on the frontier, lots of literary inquisition at home, and a low status for women. So, to a lot of people, fat years were nothing good at all. But then you can't negate the nation's power," he says.
Given the dynamics of the mainland's rapid development, Chan advises Hong Kong to remain sober and composed with its own core values and "avoid jumping up and down in China".
Hong Kong's situation, he says, is comparable to that of former Soviet republics such as Georgia and Ukraine, where the populations polarised into those for or against the big nation next door, and both camps subdivided into radical and moderate factions.
"The small state has been drawn into the web of economic activities with the big neighbour and thus becomes very divisive among its population," he says. "The initiative to resolve confrontation lies in Beijing, and whether or not it is willing to change its way of thinking." Chan expects to see more confrontation before change comes.
Being the smaller party of the two, Hong Kong is passive and can do little to bargain for itself.
"That is frustrating for sure but it does not mean we do nothing," he says. On that point, Chan coins a new expression, anzhong hugang, meaning "Settle down China and protect Hong Kong", as opposoed to the pro-establishment term aiguo aigang, or "Love the country and love Hong Kong".
"Our choice is neither confrontation nor surrender. We should avoid such extremes," he says. " We should make China relax, and that is the best protection for Hong Kong. But that doesn't mean we surrender our values. We are persistent without being confrontational.
Chan stresses the importance of Hong Kong remaining composed and articulate in upholding its values and conveying them to people who come from a difficult culture.
"Our values are all here. Even the mainlanders know it. Otherwise they wouldn't have come for the milk powder because they know products in Hong Kong are guaranteed by law," he says.
As for the contentious issue of national education classes for Hong Kong students, the subject of mass protests before the scheme was withdrawn by the government last year, Chan says he supports a broad civic education for the young.
Chan's broad ethnic perspective is reflected in his latest novel, Bare Lives, whose main character is Tibetan. Although the focus is on the young man from Lhasa and his encounters in Beijing – including a rather graphic portrayal of his relationships with a rich woman and her daughter – the story is by no means limited to the post-modern hinterland-capital interaction.
Still, the increasing number of mainland immigrants to Hong Kong has not diminished Chan's confidence in the city's vibrancy.
From his 13 years living in the Chinese capital, Chan believes the government is the key obstacle to change.
"Civil servants as a group are stable and conservative. The middle-ranking officials I know of are ignorant about the outside world and never go beyond the official websites," he says. "A propaganda official recently disclosed that some two million workers have been employed to write blogs and weibo on behalf of the Beijing city government – that's one in 10 people in Beijing.
"But still there has been noticeable change over the years, such as the gradual emergence of the middle class, and with it a new set of values and behaviour.
"The recent news of urbanites protesting against construction of a chemical plant is essentially nimby (not in my backyard), as the Western saying goes. That's something very different from the old days of peasants fighting for their fields," he said.
This ever-changing landscape inspired Chan to turn to novel writing in 2005, a vehicle to convey subtle messages without spelling out the specifics that could get him into trouble.


Here's a funny video my husband found today: Trailer of the Angry Birds: The Movie.
Hahaha my little girl loves playing Angry birds, now she's obsessed with the RIO version. I hope it pushes through though, can't wait to see what the storyline would be.
meron pala rio version ng angry birds saan ko po pwede ma download yan?
I am not sure if I want to download the Angry birds game in my iPod Touch. I guess I have to try to see if it's really a nice game.