text:
Published on Wednesday, 23 December 2020
Live these final days of Advent in the spirit of Mary
Fr. Stan Smolenski /nregister.com :
Advent is also the time to remember how our Blessed Mother brought the Light of the World to us, as recounted from Genesis through the Epistles.
When nature is at its darkest in our part of the world at the winter solstice, we anticipate the coming of light, when the light of the sun will begin to shorten the night. This became symbolic of the coming of Christ who declared himself to be the "Light of the World" (John 6:12). This is the focus of Advent in many forms of Christian worship.
Jesus goes on to share his mission with us, "You are the light of the world… Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:14-16).
Catholic and Orthodox Christians see in Mary the perfect example of being such a unique "co-worker" (1 Corinthians 3:9) with her Son. What good work did she do to give glory to our heavenly Father? She brought the Light of the World into the spiritual darkness of our world. This darkness was caused when Adam and Eve transferred their allegiance from God the Father to the demon and his false promises. From then on humankind has groped to find its proper spiritual equilibrium. Having only its distorted vision of things, humankind produced a multitude of false gods, false ways and false goals.
But God had not abandoned the crown of his earthly creation. At the devastation in Eden, he promised restoration, a Redeemer (Genesis 3:15) — a prelude to the Gospel of Salvation by a New Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45). He would restore the lost light. And how did he restore it? By becoming man, making his humanity the torch.
This is where Mary enters into the picture. Mankind was to participate in perfecting creation when God gave Adam and Eve the commission to care and master it (Genesis 2:15). Obviously, in his spiritual separation from God, he could no longer see the way to achieve that. That way would be revealed in Christ Jesus who declared, "I am the way… no one comes to the Father except through me" (John 8:12). This, of course, can mean "no one comes back to the Father" except through him because his mission, as Son, was basically that of restoration of our relationship with God the Father in the Holy Spirit.
It is interesting that, in the original account of creation, God only had to say "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3) And there was light. Similarly, when Mary was asked to cooperate in the mission of Christ by becoming his mother, she simply said, "let it be done to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38) — "And the Word became flesh (John 1:14)." "And that life was the light of all mankind" (John 1:4). Her response to God's word was like the key that opened the lock to a priceless spiritual treasure. That was her cooperation as co-worker with God.
Scripture tells us that Mary "treasured and pondered all these things in her heart" (Luke 2:19). She must have pondered the prophetic words of the Angel Gabriel to her at that decisive moment and throughout her pregnancy as the day of her delivery was approaching.
To ponder means to think carefully about something, while to treasure means to see great value in it. The message she received was that the long-awaited promise of a Messiah was to be fulfilled in her. Joseph was told that the child would save humankind from its sin, which was the work of the Messiah. This was verified by the Holy Spirit to the aged Simeon when the Child Jesus was brought by his parents to the Temple 40 days after his birth. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, he prophesied their child would be "… a light for revelation to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32).
So, in the spirit of Mary, Catholic and Orthodox Christians treasure and ponder the mighty work that God accomplished in and through her.
Furthermore, her work of bringing that light through her holy motherhood did not terminate at Jesus' birth. She made it public at the wedding feast in Cana, recorded in John 2:1-21. At her request, he manifested his glory for the first time by changing ordinary water into an exceptional wine. Thus, by means of this original manifestation of his power, "the first of his signs," faith in him was enkindled in his disciples. Again, by means of her word, the light began to spread. So does his light spread through our fidelity to his word.
She must have also treasured and pondered his teaching, his suffering and death which she witnessed on Calvary. Acts 1:14, 2:11 emphasizes that, after Christ's ascension into heaven, all "with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together… with Mary the mother of Jesus… And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit… telling [the mystified crowd]… the mighty works of God."
Let us recall that this is not the first time that the Holy Spirit endowed Mary powerfully; that occurred at the announcement of her holy maternity. Therefore, by this new endowment of grace at Pentecost, her ability to treasure and ponder the mighty works of God from creation onward increased incredibly. She must have confided this to the Apostle John who took her to his home at the behest of Jesus as they stood at the foot of the Cross (John 19:27). Are we to doubt that John shared these treasures with the Church whose members would have been eager to know about Jesus as only his mother knew him?
In Philippians 3:17, St. Paul encourages Christians to imitate him and to "keep your eyes on those who live as we do." This is why Catholic and Orthodox Christians do not put Mary away with the Christmas ornaments. But, following her example, they treasure and ponder that divine light emanating throughout her divine son's life, death and resurrection.


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In command of the British Army in France and Flanders: General Sir Douglas Haig, who has succeeded Field-Marshal Sir John French.
WWI posters, 1914-1920 | English, Between 1910-1920 | In command of the British Army in France and Flanders: General Sir Douglas Haig, who has succeeded Field-Marshal Sir John French., Between 1910-1920
In command of the British Army in France and Flanders: General Sir Douglas Haig, who has succeeded Field-Marshal Sir John French., 1992.004.5.6.3.4. The University of Tulsa, McFarlin Library, Department of Special Collections & University Archives.
In command of the British Army in France and Flanders: General Sir Douglas Haig, who has succeeded Field-Marshal Sir John French., 1992.004.5.6.3.4. The University of Tulsa, McFarlin Library, Department of Special Collections & University Archives. https://utulsa.as.atlas-sys.com/repositories/2/digital_objects/273 Accessed January 28, 2023.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Balance Pure Fuit & Nut Energy bars are fudgy, and very satisfying. Each bar has 9 grams of protein, and the cherry pecan bar has 190 calories. The 1.58 oz. gluten-free bar has a big cherry pecan taste and chewy texture.
They also come in chocolate cashew and berry berry chia flavors. The berry bar has 5 g of fiber per bar, which the chocolate cashew and cherry pecan bars have 2 grams each. The ingredients are simple, and not genetically engineered. Each bar is $1.59 at natural food, grocery, convenience and drug stores.


text:
Q: Visual Studio 2012 can't resolve namespace even though DLL reference seems fine I have attempted to create an MVC 5 project by creating an MVC 4 project in Visual Studio 2012 and installing MVC 5 through Nuget.
I can build this fine.
I attempt to add a reference to another DLL, Sitecore.Mvc.DLL, which I can see was built against MVC 5.1.0. The DLL reference is added fine, and there seems to be no .NET framework conflict (which is where I've seen this issue in the past).
I'm trying to add a using statement to my code:-
using Sitecore.Mvc.Presentation;

IntelliSense picks this up fine....even allowing me to auto-complete 'Presentation'.
However when I build I get the following error:-
The type or namespace name 'Sitecore' could not be found (are you missing a using directive or an assembly reference?)

What could be the issue here?
I'm using:-

*

*Visual Studio 2012 - Update 4

*MVC 4 Web Application (initially)

*MVC 5.1.0 Nuget Package

*Sitecore 7.2 - Update 2 (where Sitecore.Mvc.DLL comes from)

*.NET 4.5.2 installed on my machine.

A: Turns out I'm using a different version of Sitecore.Mvc.DLL, which IS targeted to .NET 4.5.1. Seems like the mscorelib reference in Reflector doesn't quite tell all the details.
Now I need to target my Web App to .NET 4.5.1, which means I need to follow the steps here to be able to select it.
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/dotnet/archive/2013/08/08/building-apps-with-the-net-framework-4-5-1-preview-in-visual-studio-2012.aspx
Thanks, and sorry to @Khanh TO, and everyone else for helping out.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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HomeCovid-19Cuba Saves
Cuba Saves
March 19, 2020 Rosa Miriam Elizalde
Passengers of MS Braemar express their gratitude to Cuba. Photo: Ricardo López Hevia
The cruise ship MS Braemar, with five confirmed cases of Covid-19 and a thousand people on board, docked shortly before dawn this Wednesday in the Port of Mariel, 40 kilometers from Havana. The airport evacuation corridor to the runway of the José Martí International Terminal, from where four United Kingdom planes moved the evacuees, left with the precision of a clockwork.
While the world holds its breath and it is impossible to predict the consequences of the pandemic, Cuba was in the news yesterday because of the transfer of more than a thousand passengers and crew members of the Braemar who, since March 8, were confined to being a ghost ship in the Caribbean.
The odyssey began when the British company Fed Olsen's cruise ship arrived in Cartagena, where a woman from the U.S. disembarked and was diagnosed shortly afterward with coronavirus. From that moment on, five Caribbean ports denied entry to the ship and the families of the cruise passengers turned to the media to express their fears for the fate of their loved ones and the possibility that they would be forced to make the long journey back to Europe, exposed to massive contagion and perhaps death on an industrial scale before the ship could reach Britain.
The scaremongering and media hype surrounding the new coronavirus turned the passengers and crew into a kind of plague. Anthea Guthrie, a passenger on the Braemar and a retired gardener, showed a video on her Facebook page of the time when the cruise ship was being supplied 25 miles from one of the ports where they were unable to dock. A ship towed a second rudimentary barge, without engine or crew, to bring sacks of rice and bunches of bananas to the Braemar, where members of the British crew came aboard in the middle of the night, like fugitives in a kind of pirate expedition.
The testimony of that moment was shared by Anthea after she heard the good news that Cuba would receive them. She published another video in which the passengers, relaxed on deck, thanked the island's gesture of solidarity and raised glasses to the health of the Cubans. Like a veteran of the networks, she has not only been reporting from the ship but included the label #DunkirkSpirit, which alludes to the evacuation of 330,000 allied soldiers – mostly British – from the French coast in May 1940, at the beginning of World War II, when Adolf Hitler seemed invincible.
"For us, Dunkirk does not only speak of heroism, but of humanity. It means that there are solutions in the worst of circumstances, and this time we will have Cuba to thank for it", said Anthea, relieved after the news that the cruise ship would dock on the island.
Havana's decision to allow entry to MS Braemar, following a request from the governments of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, did not surprise the Cubans, who have a long tradition of medical and humanitarian collaboration. Since the beginning of the sixties, thousands of health workers have collaborated with almost all the poor countries in the world. Over 35,000 medical students from 138 countries have studied for free on the island. Following the devastating earthquakes in Pakistan (2005) and Haiti (2010) or during the Ebola fever in Western Africa, in 2014, Cuban doctors were the first to arrive in the territories marked by devastation.
Cuban collaboration in health with its unquestionable scientific results, particularly in the field of biotechnology, have provoked poisonous anger in the usual privileged people and sympathy and warmth in the usual unprivileged. But the truth of Cuba, a life vest for many during the Covid-19 pandemic, has tipped the balance toward expressions of affection directed at the army of white coats. The Latin American governments that, under pressure from Washington, expelled the doctors today live the double ordeal of the coronavirus and the claim of their people for such an act of arrogance and stupidity. A line of nations are calling for medical collaboration and the island's drugs, which have proven their effectiveness in treating the sick.
The great paradox is that, while the ships with oil and food contracted by Cuba are harassed by the United States, the ships with the sick that nobody wants in their ports receive solidarity and respect in Cuba. The Trump regime, by the way, refused to receive the Braemar, according to an article published yesterday in The UK Independent.
The two most repeated words since yesterday on Twitter are Cuba Saves. This is no coincidence.
Source: Resumen


When discussing the Texas revolution, the battle of the Alamo, the Goliad massacre and the great victory at San Jacinto get most of the airtime. But there were several other military events in the time period leading up to Texas independence. One of these events was General Jose Mexia's attack on the Mexican port city of Tampico. General Mexia thought he had organized federalist resistance to Santa Anna and that he would be welcomed to Tampico as a revolutionary leader. He ran into some bad luck and it didn't quite work out as planned. Learn more about this incident in this episode of Wise About Texas.


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Make certain that most you can keep coming back the film either a by traveling and a store or a dropping it wearing the mail that have no shipping money. Most providers extend free of fees shipping now. How the return packaging is going to be also ready with respect to you to exactly to set my DVD in the software to return by way of mail. Tip . . If you intend the solution on lease and provide films in superstore as well, review for a remedies that provides my selection, not nearly a few execute. It is outright corporations this variety of of as Runaway success who have all the traditional bricks plus mortar merchants any can do certain.
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January 3, 2015 Eliot Kleinberg's Post Time columns.
Last week we mentioned this month's centennial of the incorporation of the town of Palm Beach, on April 17, 1911. By now, the story of how the island — as well as several other municipalities, and scores of businesses and locales — got its name is well known.
As is often the case around these parts, it stemmed from a combination of boating and drinking.
The few local residents of what was then called "the lake region" rushed to the beach.
Lanehart and fellow pioneer H.F. Hammon took the nuts as salvage and sold them for 2 1/2 cents each. Within a decade, the area was filled with palm trees, and the island had a new name.
In 1873, just 10 white men lived between Jupiter and Hypoluxo and no white settlers south of there. By 1893, when the railroad opened the tropical frontier, there were enough pioneers here to form a club called the Lake Worth Pioneers Association, which had 84 male members in 1893. An interesting aside: through the years, the Lanehart family has sometimes been spelled Lainhart.
"Nobody knows why," Donald Christopher Lainhart, president of the Lainhart and Potter lumber company, said in 2001. He said his great-grandfather, George W. Lainhart, and George's brother, Will Lanehart, selected different spellings when both were still in upstate New York in the mid-1800s.
I think this is a well documented story. Ray's Kayaks & Excursions LLC – "An Adventure Never Forgotten" – 850 508-7593 – Crawfordville, FL – Only County Seat in Florida that is not incorporated. Bang!


THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL ODOR IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V395000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,965. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.


text:
package examples

import (
	"fmt"
	"log"

	"github.com/moov-io/ach"
)

// // Example_ppdWriteDebit writes a PPD debit file
func Example_ppdWriteDebit() {

	fh := mockFileHeader()

	bh := ach.NewBatchHeader()
	bh.ServiceClassCode = ach.DebitsOnly
	bh.CompanyName = "Name on Account"
	bh.CompanyIdentification = fh.ImmediateOrigin
	bh.StandardEntryClassCode = ach.PPD
	bh.CompanyEntryDescription = "REG.SALARY"
	bh.EffectiveEntryDate = "190816" // need EffectiveEntryDate to be fixed so it can match output
	bh.ODFIIdentification = "121042882"

	entry := ach.NewEntryDetail()
	entry.TransactionCode = ach.CheckingDebit
	entry.SetRDFI("231380104")           // Receivers bank transit routing number
	entry.DFIAccountNumber = "123456789" // Receivers bank account number
	entry.Amount = 200000000             // Amount of transaction with no decimal. One dollar and eleven cents = 111
	entry.SetTraceNumber(bh.ODFIIdentification, 1)
	entry.IndividualName = "Debit Account" // Identifies the receiver of the transaction

	// build the batch
	batch := ach.NewBatchPPD(bh)
	batch.AddEntry(entry)
	if err := batch.Create(); err != nil {
		log.Fatalf("Unexpected error building batch: %s\n", err)
	}

	// build the file
	file := ach.NewFile()
	file.SetHeader(fh)
	file.AddBatch(batch)
	if err := file.Create(); err != nil {
		log.Fatalf("Unexpected error building file: %s\n", err)
	}

	fmt.Println(file.Header.String())
	fmt.Println(file.Batches[0].GetHeader().String())
	fmt.Println(file.Batches[0].GetEntries()[0].String())
	fmt.Println(file.Batches[0].GetControl().String())
	fmt.Println(file.Control.String())

	// Output:
	// 101 031300012 2313801041908161055A094101Federal Reserve Bank   My Bank Name           12345678
	// 5225Name on Account                     231380104 PPDREG.SALARY      190816   1121042880000001
	// 627231380104123456789        0200000000               Debit Account           0121042880000001
	// 82250000010023138010000200000000000000000000231380104                          121042880000001
	// 9000001000001000000010023138010000200000000000000000000
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Research group at Tokyo Tech develops new material for the electron injection layer and transport layer of organic EL displays
As part of the Strategic Basic Research Programs of Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), research group led by Professor Hideo Hosono at Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology has developed two new oxide semiconductors which are suitable for organic electronics.
A light-emitting organic EL using the new material.
Organic semiconductors have a small electron affinity1. This creates a high barrier for electron injection from the cathode to the active layer and this is a bottleneck for organic EL displays. Furthermore, there are no transparent materials with high mobility in the electron transport layer which carries electrons from the cathode to the active layer. This makes it impossible to increase the thickness of the layer, and lead to the problem of organic semiconductors being prone to short circuits.
The research group led by Hosono focused on how the IGZO thin-film transistor (IGZO-TFT) is now being applied to organic EL displays, and succeeded in using a transparent amorphous oxide to develop a new material for use in the electron injection layer and electron transport layer. This development increases the stability when applying IGZO-TFT to organic EL displays, and also decreases the cost of the manufacturing process. The injection layer possesses a low-work function2 which is equivalent to lithium metal, while the transport layer possesses high mobility that exceeds conventional organic materials by more than 3 digits. It has been demonstrated that using this new material makes it possible to realize organic EL devices that possess performance equivalent to or greater than stacked structures even when using reverse-stacked structures (structures in which the cathode is at the bottom).
The newly-developed transparent oxide semiconductors are all transparent and chemically stable. At ambient temperatures, the semiconductors can be formed on a large-area substrate with the same ease as the transparent electrode ITO (indium tin oxide). Furthermore, the formed thin film is amorphous and the surface therefore possesses superior smoothness. Simultaneous wet etching processing is possible for the thin films which have been formed on the ITO electrode. This makes it possible to construct a process which is optimal for mass production.
This research was conducted as part of ACCEL program at JST Research was conducted in cooperation with Dr. Junghwan Kim of Tokyo Tech and a group led by Dr. Satoru Watanabe from the New Product R&D Center at the Technology General Division of Asahi Glass Co., Ltd.
These research results were published on December 27, 2016 in the online bulletin edition of the "Proceedings of the National Academy of the USA," a scientific journal published in the United States.
1 Electron affinity
Energy difference between the level of the lowest non-occupied molecular orbit and the vacuum level.
2 Work function
The minimum energy required to remove one electron from the surface of a material and send it outside the material. The minimum energy required to remove an electron from inside a solid and send it to a vacuum. The smaller the work function value, the easier it is for electrons to be released from a material.
Hideo Hosonoa, b, c, Junghwan Kima, c, Yoshitake Todaa, c, Toshio Kamiyaa, b, and Satoru Watanabec, d
Title of original paper:
Transparent amorphous oxide semiconductors for organic electronics: Application to inverted OLEDs
Proceedings of the National Academy of the USA
a Materials Research Center for Element Strategy, Tokyo Institute of Technology
b Laboratory for Frontier Materials, Tokyo Institute of Technology
c ACCEL Program, Japan Science and Technology Agency
d Research Center, Asahi Glass Co. Ltd.
AGC starts mass-production of sputter target of C12A7 electride created by Tokyo Tech | Tokyo Tech News
Finding new controlling method for properties of glass | Tokyo Tech News
A new catalyst redefines rate limitations in ammonia production | Tokyo Tech News
Drastic Improvement of Ammonia Production at Metal-Insulator Transition | Tokyo Tech News
FACES: Tokyo Tech Researchers, Special Report - Hideo Hosono, Part 1 | Research Stories
Hosono-Kamiya Laboratory
Researcher Profile | Tokyo Tech STAR Search - Hideo Hosono
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology
Materials Research Center for Element Strategy
Laboratory for Frontier Materials and Structures
Institute of Innovative Research (IIR)
Asahi Glass Co. Ltd.
Center for Public Affairs and Communications


text:
South Carolina Drops Out of Common Core Testing Group
◼ South Carolina's top education leader announced on Monday that the Palmetto State is pulling out of the Common Core standardized testing group, Smarter Balanced. - WeaselZippers
◼ Another one bites the dust: South Carolina drops out of Common Core testing group - EAG News
...This development is also significant because it marks the third state (Utah and Florida being the other two, as best we can tell) to cancel the use of an official, Common Core-aligned standardized test.
When state leaders take an action that makes their education system unique – and chips away at the "commonality" among Common Core states – it frustrates the plans of the busybodies and control freaks who are attempting to create a nationalized K-12 education system.
If states use a variety of standardized tests, for instance, it will deprive Common Core supporters of the apples-to-apples student data they need for their master plan of personalized learning technology and data-driven policies to work....
at 10:31 PM Labels: #OptOut, Common Core, Education, South Carolina, State's Rights, STOPCOMMONCORE
Who Owns The West?
◼ Western lawmakers gather in Utah to talk federal land takeover: 'It's time' » Lawmakers from 9 states gather in Utah, discuss ways to take control of federal lands.
It's time for Western states to take control of federal lands within their borders, lawmakers and county commissioners from Western states said at Utah's Capitol on Friday.
More than 50 political leaders from nine states convened for the first time to talk about their joint goal: wresting control of oil-, timber -and mineral-rich lands away from the feds.
The summit was in the works before this month's tense standoff between Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy and the Bureau of Land Management over cattle grazing, Lockhart said.
"What's happened in Nevada is really just a symptom of a much larger problem," Lockhart said.
Fielder, who described herself as "just a person who lives in the woods," said federal land management is hamstrung by bad policies, politicized science and severe federal budget cuts.
"Those of us who live in the rural areas know how to take care of lands," Fielder said, who lives in the northwestern Montana town of Thompson Falls.
"We have to start managing these lands. It's the right thing to do for our people, for our environment, for our economy and for our freedoms," Fielder said.
◼ "Domestic Terrorists" Patriots Celebrate At Bundy Ranch - CBS Las Vegas
"Talk about terrorists, it seemed like those people who were holding those high-powered weapons against we the people of the state of Nevada and our visiting neighbors—they had to be the terrorists… It wasn't the people that's terrorists, it had to be the United States government, the BLM that had to be the terrorists."
◼ HOST, GUEST FIREWORKS ON MSNBC - The Right Scoop
This Clip Of Chris Hayes Vs. Bundy Supporter Assemblywoman Michele Fiore Is Awesome
◼ GOP Senator urges hearing on Cattle Battle - The Hill
Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) on Friday called for a Senate hearing into the dispute between Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) over cattle grazing.
Heller described as "patriots" the people who came armed to Bundy's ranch after the BLM began to seize his cattle for refusing to pay grazing fees and fines that now total more than $1 million.
◼ The United States of SWAT? Military-style units from govt agencies wreaking havoc on non-violent citizens - John Fund/National Review
◼ POLL: 37% Fear Feds; 17% 'Unsure' - Rasmussen
at 10:26 PM Labels: #ClivenBundy, ABUSE OF POWER, Feds, Harry Reid, Land, MSNBC, Nevada, Push Back, Scandals, State's Rights
'This is one of the biggest days of their lives. They've taken the glory and shine from the children and put on Mrs. Obama. She doesn't know our kids.'
◼ High school senior forms petition with over ONE THOUSAND signatures against Michele Obama speaking at their high school graduation 'because it would overshadow the students' big day' - Daily Mail
Taylor Gifford, 18, started an online petition on Thursday with over 1,200 signatures asking that Michelle Obama not speak at Topeka High School graduation
Obama's speech is tied to the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education outlawing segregation in schools
Some students feel that the speech would overshadow student accomplishments and others feel limited seating will be a problem
'People think it's a great opportunity, but it's the graduates' time. They are getting that diploma that they worked so hard for,' Gifford said. 'Families are feeling that they are being cheated out of the loved ones special day.'
Abbey Rubottom, 18, a Topeka High senior, described herself as a 'die-hard Democrat' but doesn't like the idea of Obama sharing the stage with graduates.
'No disrespect for the first lady, and it's amazing that she wants to come speak, I just think it doesn't belong at graduation,' Rubottom said.
Rubottom suggested separate ceremonies with Obama speaking at one and the address being replayed at the other.
Some people have said bringing in the first lady politicizes the graduation. Others have suggested that if she wants to mark the Brown anniversary, she could just visit the historic site that commemorates the decision, which is just few blocks from the graduation venue.
at 10:09 PM Labels: Education, Kansas, Michelle Obama, Politicization
Ouch: College Students Give Obama a Cold Reception in Pennsylvania
◼ The president's speeches may need to be accompanied by a laugh track from now on, considering the crickets he received at his appearance in Community College of Allegheny County, in Oakdale, Pa., on Wednesday. Although he tried to tout his new spending program, both Obama's talking points and attempts at humor didn't go over so well - Cortney O'Brien/Townhall video at the link
Hm, I guess not all millennials are as enthralled with the 'Hope and Change' president as they were in 2008. The community college students standing behind the president weren't the only ones who were unimpressed:
Some of Obama's applause lines fell so flat that no one is heard to respond, not even among the main audience, which was padded with his political supporters....
His punchlines were just as popular...
The White House's transcript of Obama's speech includes the laugh lines that few of the almost 300 attendees laughed at.
"Hello, Allegheny County! (Applause.) Joe and I decided it was time for a guys' trip. (Laughter.) Actually, Michelle and Jill wanted us out the house. (Laughter.) So we decided to take a little road trip," says the transcript, even though the video shows the laughs were scattered and muted.
at 2:34 PM Labels: #FAIL, Jobs, President/Candidate Obama, Youth
The ONLY action Congress should take on Immigration this year
◼ Ramirez Editorial Cartoons
◼ No intelligent person is against immigration. - Michael P. Ramirez
Immigration is what makes America extraordinary. Generations of immigrants taking the best of their culture and blending it all together into the giant melting pot, that's what makes this country uniquely American.
...Let's take up sensible immigration reform that follows the laws, and streamlines the process, so we can strengthen our country AFTER the Senate is delivered from Harry Reid.
Those who have willingly broken the law should not be rewarded, they should be held accountable for their actions, whether they are illegal immigrants or dim-witted politicians.
There should be no amnesty PERIOD… No amnesty for those who have broken the law, including those who make laws and those lawmakers who circumvent the law.
Set up a guest worker process that can accommodate those who desire that-even Canada has figured out how to do it -and a system for illegal workers that brings them into the light and into a system of accountability that may grant them access to immigration, but only after those who have followed the law and waited in line and after this election, when the numbers of sensible politicians who desire secure borders and good immigration reform rather than amnesty are elected.
Anyone with an H1b visa could tell you this is not rocket science.
at 10:04 AM Labels: cartoons, Congress, Illegal Immigration, Immigration, RAMIREZ
Just in Time For Easter, Dr. Ben Carson Bridges Gap Between Religion and Science
◼ Many progressives often try to pit science against religion, but this excerpt from Dr. Carson's latest piece at ◼ American CurrentSee gives a little more insight into how many Christians view science with respect to religion. - IJ REVIEW
In many ways, Carson's words echo Einstein's famous quote: "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."
I have personally experienced so many godly interventions in my life that I would never entertain doubts about His existence and importance. My knowledge of neuroscience and the complexity of the human brain makes it difficult for me to believe that such an amazing organ system could be the result of random mutations of a substance that appeared out of nowhere. The order of our solar system and the universe is so precise that we can predict the occurrence of meteorological and planetary events 70 years in the future. To believe that all of that order just happened requires more faith than I can muster.
at 6:28 PM Labels: Dr. Benjamin Carson, Faith, Philosophy, Religion, Science
Another SCAM to promote Common Core.
◼ Illinois Cooking The Books For Common Core: HS Student Says Only Honors Students Were Chosen To Take Exam Used To Judge Program's Efficiency… - WEASELZIPPERS
...On Tuesday, April 8, 2014, I took the PARCC test.
The test administrator handed out the test booklets and answer documents. Once time began all the students started working on the test. The first part of the test banned the use of calculators. I did not mind this because I usually prefer to write down my work, so I was not overly concerned. Then I saw how the rest of the test was going to go. In order to find the answer to one of the problems I needed to know the square root of eleven (which is a prime number) and it rendered the problem unsolvable. [...]
There was evidence of score inflation as well (I will be brief). The only students selected to take this test in my high school were all honors students. No students from general studies were present. This is not derogatory towards the average students; I am simply stating the state is attempting to make Common Core look better than it actually is.
at 5:36 PM Labels: Big Brother, Common Core, Education, Propaganda, STOPCOMMONCORE
Humboldt State College Republicans: Pizza with Matt Heath
◼ Humboldt State College Republicans On April 24th at 1 we will be having a pizza lunch with future assemblyman Matt Health at westside pizza in Arcata!!! Come out and show your support! There will be some cool goodies if you show up like shirt, signs and literature! Let's get him elected!
at 3:07 PM Labels: HSU College Republicans, Matt Heath
Hillary Falls to Earth
◼ THE BIGGER THEY ARE - Matthew Continetti/Washington Free Beacon
Hillary Clinton may end up deciding she wants to spend the 935 days until election 2016 making corporate speeches and spoiling her grandchild. Recent events have exposed weaknesses in Clinton's supposedly impregnable armor, gaps through which a Democratic or Republican challenger could damage, perhaps even defeat her. The bad headlines to which she has been subjected are enough to make anyone—anyone who isn't a Clinton—think twice about running for president.
at 2:08 PM Labels: Hillary Clinton, Polls
When it comes to women in the White House, Sarah Palin takes the cake in Americans' eyes, a new poll found
◼ The Economist/YouGov poll asked participants which female candidate — other than Hillary Clinton — they'd like to see run for the high office - Washington Times
at 2:01 PM Labels: Polls, Sarah Palin, Women In Politics
"It's a time when we give thanks for our blessings—chief among them, freedom, peace, and the promise of eternal life."
◼ From Good Friday to a Celebratory Weekend
◼ Radio Address to the Nation on the Observance of Easter and Passover - Presidency UCSB Document Archive
at 8:04 AM Labels: American Exceptionalism, Freedom, Holidays, Religion, Ronald Reagan
If these trends continue through Election Day, the results may make the 2010 Republican sweep look like a close contest.
◼ Dems' 2014 challenge: How to win when Americans see a liar in the White House - Mark Tapscott/Washington Examiner
Timing is everything in politics and the latest Fox News poll suggests the timing of the 2014 midterm election could not be worse for President Obama and his fellow Democrats....
Presidents have been unpopular before. Harry Truman's approval rating sank to 23 percent at one point and Richard Nixon was so unpopular that he became the first chief executive ever to resign.
But when was the last time an American president was thought by half of his countryman to be a routine liar? According to Fox, 61 percent say Obama lies on important public issues all or some of the time.
Thirty-seven percent say Obama lies "most of the time," while 24 percent say he lies "some of the time." Only 15 percent say Obama "never lies."
Keep digging on IRS
As troubling as the public perception of Obama's honesty likely is for Democratic strategists, another result of the Fox survey may ultimately prove just as politically damaging.
Forty-nine percent of the Fox respondents believe Obama intentionally had the IRS target and harass his Tea Party and conservative critics in the 2010 and 2012 elections.
at 7:35 AM Labels: 2014 Midterms, He Lied, President/Candidate Obama
Rancher Cliven Bundy Hits Back After Reid Calls Family 'Domestic Terrorists'
◼ Bundy said that he and his supporters were just gathering together to protest the government pulling guns on them. "They're definitely upset," Bundy said. - FOX
Bundy said that he believes that Sen. Reid's words will only serve to rally more supporters to the ranch's cause. "It just seems to get bigger and bigger," Bundy said of his family's well of support.
◼ Harry Reid: Cliven Bundy and supporters are 'domestic terrorists' - Daily Caller
at 7:32 AM Labels: #ClivenBundy, Big Government, Harry Reid, Push Back
DEMOCRATS SAY THERE'S NO VOTER FRAUD, yet there are 77 voters all registered at a fictional address in NC
◼ Asheville, NC – In what they call an "invitation for another chaotic election," the Voter Integrity Project of North Carolina, today asked Buncombe County election officials to curtail the practice of registering voters from addresses that don't exist. - Right Wing News
...It's baffling that anybody can vote with a false registration address," said Jay DeLancy, "but that looks like the policy of the Buncombe County Board of Elections. We found 342 voters registered to false addresses, 77 of them to the fictional address called Zero Tunnel Road."
There is no such address as Zero Tunnel Road. The group provided emails from Buncombe County Emergency services and from a US Postal Service representative, confirming the Tunnel Road address is inadequate.
...Seventy-six of the Zero Tunnel Road voters all listed a mobile home community at 1314 Tunnel Road as their mailing address and one listed a Black Mountain PO Box....
Today, the group turned over their research to Trina Parker, showing the records of 342 registered Buncombe County voters, who all listed fictional voter registration addresses in and around Asheville.
at 7:24 AM Labels: Investigations, North Carolina, Voter fraud
Now, IRS to track license plates...
◼ The Internal Revenue Service and other U.S. agencies awarded about $415,000 in contracts to a license plate-tracking company before Homeland Security leaders dropped a plan for similar work amid privacy complaints. - Kathleen Miller/Bloomberg
Federal offices such as the Forest Service and the U.S. Air Force's Air Combat Command chose Livermore, California-based Vigilant Solutions to provide access to license plate databases or tools used to collect plate information, according to government procurement records compiled by Bloomberg.
...Vigilant, a closely held company, has received such work since 2009. In February, Jeh Johnson, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, ordered the cancelation of an immigration agency plan to buy access to national license plate data. While the technology can help solve crimes, the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups have said the mass collection of data infringes the privacy of innocent people.
"Especially with the IRS, I don't know why these agencies are getting access to this kind of information," said Jennifer Lynch, a senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a San Francisco-based privacy-rights group. "These systems treat every single person in an area as if they're under investigation for a crime -- that is not the way our criminal justice system was set up or the way things work in a democratic society."
at 7:00 AM Labels: Big Brother, Invasion of Privacy, IRS
Poll: 61% believe Obama lies on important issues
◼ How much do Americans trust President Obama? Not much, according to a Fox News poll. - Charles Hoskinson/Washington Examiner
Sixty-one percent of respondents in the poll released Thursday said Obama lies at least some of the time on important issues. An additional 20 percent said he lies every now and then.
Only 15 percent believe the president is completely truthful.
Predictably, Republicans were more likely to believe Obama is a liar, with 85 percent saying he lies some or most of the time. Thirty-one percent of Democrats said the president is always truthful.
...Democrats were 39 percent of the sample, Republicans 38 percent and independents 20 percent.
at 1:16 PM Labels: He Lied, Polls, President/Candidate Obama
"The strategy is perfect to foment unrest and agitation by keeping low-information voters in a perpetual state of indignation against the GOP"
◼ The Obama Administration Trolls - Carol Platt Liebau/Townhall
Someone in the lefty press is catching on.
Slate's John Dickerson points out that the Obama administration routinely "trolls" the GOP -- that is, deliberately misstates information about matters of public concern in order to keep what they consider favorable topics foremost in the public mind. Dickerson uses the topic of the "wage gap" as one example; I would use the topic of voting rights as another. In other words, the president and his administration are giving the press and the people purportedly factual information that they actually know is untrue as part of a deliberate strategy....
The strategy is perfect to foment unrest and agitation by keeping low-information voters in a perpetual state of indignation against the GOP, and thus at least incrementally increases the chances that turnout among Democrat groups won't be as low this fall as many fear.
◼ Obama Trolls the GOP - John Dickerson/SLATE
Under this approach, a president wants the fact-checkers to call him out (again and again) because that hubbub keeps the issue in the news, which is good for promoting the issue to the public. It is the political equivalent of "there is no such thing as bad publicity" or the quote attributed to Mae West (and others): "I don't care what the newspapers say about me as long as they spell my name right." The tactic represents one more step in the embrace of cynicism that has characterized President Obama's journey in office.
at 7:29 AM Labels: Campaign tactics, Dishonesty, He Lied, Obama Administration
Shocker: 86M Full-Time Private-Sector Workers Sustain 148M Benefit Takers
◼ Buried deep on the website of the U.S. Census Bureau is a number every American citizen, and especially those entrusted with public office, should know. It is 86,429,000. - CNS News
That is the number of Americans who in 2012 got up every morning and went to work — in the private sector — and did it week after week after week.
These are the people who built America, and these are the people who can sustain it as a free country. The liberal media have not made them famous like the polar bear, but they are truly a threatened species.
It is not a rancher with a few hundred head of cattle that is attacking their habitat, nor an energy company developing a fossil fuel. It is big government and its primary weapon — an ever-expanding welfare state....
Eventually, there will be too few carrying too many, and America will break.
at 8:51 PM Labels: Jobs, Tipping Point, Welfare
New Footage Shows How Close Bundy Standoff Came To A Massacre
◼ The inside story of how one New Yorker may have kept the Bundy protestors from a bloody end. - Wayne Dupree/NewsNinja
◼ Obama administration's 'Culture of intimidation' seen in ranch standoff - Washington Times
Sending scores of armed agents along with helicopters and dogs to confront an elderly Nevada rancher over grazing fees may seem like overkill, but critics say it's not inconsistent with the federal government's recent approach to environmental enforcement.
The simmering truce between the Bundys and the Bureau of Land Management comes after high-profile raids last year by armed federal agents on small-time gold miners in tiny Chicken, Alaska, and guitar makers at the Gibson Guitar facilities in Tennessee....
As Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval put it shortly after the BLM's arrival, "No cow justifies the atmosphere of intimidation, which currently exists, nor the limitation of constitutional rights that are sacred to all Nevadans."
◼ Bundy: Reid 'Needs To Be Kicked Out Of Office' - CBS Las Vegas
"If he doesn't have enough moral fiber in his bones at all to see what happened, that we the people got together and made something right, then I don't think there's any hope for him and he needs to be kicked out of office, even if he is the Senate majority leader. It doesn't matter," Ammon Bundy, son of Cliven Bundy, told Fox News, responding to Reid's comments that "it's not over."
Ammon Bundy says federal authorities used a stun gun on him.
◼ Supporter: 'We are willing to give our lives' - Business Insider
◼ Feds Leave Trail of Wreckage - FOX
Fox News toured the damage -- allegedly caused by the Bureau of Land Management -- which included holes in water tanks and destroyed water lines and fences. According to family friends, the bureau's hired "cowboys" also killed two prize bulls.
"They had total control of this land for one week, and look at the destruction they did in one week," said Corey Houston, friend of rancher Cliven Bundy and his family. "So why would you trust somebody like that? And how does that show that they're a better steward?"
◼ War on the West: Why More Bundy Standoffs Are Coming - The New American
Supporters from all across the United States had converged on the Bunkerville, Nevada, area in support of Bundy, who is the "last rancher standing" in Clark County, due to a decades-long campaign by federal agencies and allied enviro-activists to drive all ranchers off of the range. After a tense standoff, orders came down from above for the surrounded and outnumbered federal agents to "stand down" and turn loose the Bundy cattle that had been corralled.
at 4:20 PM Labels: #ClivenBundy, Big Government, BLM, Feds, Harry Reid, Nevada, Targeting Americans
New Emails Show Lois Lerner Wanted To Sic The DOJ On Tax Exempt Groups
◼ Lerner, DoJ discussed criminal prosecution of tax-exempt applicants - HotAir
A FOIA request from Judicial Watch has uncovered e-mails from Lois Lerner that discussed an effort to push criminal prosecution of tax-exempt status applicants — and right before IRS targeting of conservative groups became public knowledge. The e-mail, dated May 8, 2013, shows coordination between Lerner and the DoJ to follow up on the idea first broached by Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)...
The date is very, very interesting, as Katie also points out. Just two days after that e-mail went out from Lerner, she offered an apology for targeting conservative groups in her tax-exempt unit...
The apology came as the Inspector General for Treasury was about to release a report that would have made the issue public anyway. Later, we found that the IRS had deliberately staged the apology in an attempt to spin it. This e-mail confirms that the apology was slightly less than sincere.
◼ New Emails Show Lois Lerner Wanted To Sic The DOJ On Tax Exempt Groups - Nice Deb
And the DOJ official she contacted – the former IRS Commissioner's Chief of staff (!) – was eager to help.
◼ The Terrifying Implications of the IRS Abuse-DOJ Connection - Bryan Preston/PJ Media
Thank God for Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration J. Russell George. His investigation of what turned out to be the IRS abuse scandal may well have saved the Constitution and the nation.
For his fair and impartial investigation into the Internal Revenue Service's abuse of Americans who dissent from President Obama's agenda, Democrats have called for an investigation of him. George should not be investigated, but perhaps the Democrats who want him investigated — Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Matt Cartwright (D-PA) — should be. Their call for an investigation of the investigator might constitute interference with the ongoing investigation of the IRS abuse scandal. That would be obstruction of justice, in what may turn out to be the most widespread and damaging scandal in American history.
The implications of today's email disclosure are stunning and terrifying.
Lois Lerner intended to use her position atop the IRS' tax exempt approval office to coordinate the prosecution of political speech. The Department of Justice under Attorney General Eric Holder had at least tentatively bought into that. The Federal Elections Commission was being roped in as well. Lerner's emails prove that beyond doubt.
Democrats in Congress were involved. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) appears to have led the anti-constitutional attack on free speech in the House. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) led it from the Senate.
Two days before Lerner was forced to publicly disclose the scandal, she was moving forward with an insidious plan to stamp out conservatives and Tea Party activists' ability to organize and raise money, by working with the IRS commissioner's office and the Department of Justice. At the same time, there was no plan for any government crackdown on groups who agreed with President Obama. The traffic was entirely one-way. It was nakedly political, and everyone involved knew it. They also had reason to believe that they would succeed, or they would not have engaged in it. DOJ would serve two roles: Prosecute conservatives, and protect the bureaucrats who were pushing those prosecutions.
at 1:57 PM Labels: Conservatives, DOJ, FOIA, Investigations, IRS, Judicial Watch, Lois Lerner, Missing emails, Scandals, Targeting Americans, Tea Party, Weaponizing The IRS
◼ The right ideological credentials mean never having to say you're sorry - Victor Davis Hanson/National Review
at 1:53 PM Labels: #WarOnWomen, Bill Clinton, Bill Maher, double-standard, Sarah Palin, Sexist
Feds accused of leaving trail of wreckage after Nevada ranch standoff
◼ "They had total control of this land for one week, and look at the destruction they did in one week," said Corey Houston, friend of rancher Cliven Bundy and his family. "So why would you trust somebody like that? And how does that show that they're a better steward?" - FOX
at 1:43 PM Labels: #ClivenBundy, BLM
The April 15 deadline to register firearms deemed "assault weapons" under Governor Cuomo's NY SAFE Act has been met by hordes of New York Gun owners not rushing to register firearms, and the ceremonial burning of registration forms.
◼ BREAKING: Up To One Million New Yorkers Seize Opportunity To Not Register Their Firearms Ahead of NY SAFE ACT Deadline - BearingArms.com
Unofficial estimates suggest that as few as 3,000-5,000 of the estimated 1-2 million firearms that have been redefined as "assault weapons" under New York's utterly arbitrary and blatantly unconstitutional law
have been registered. Literally dozens of gun owners in the state of 19.57 million (2012) residents will take the opportunity to register today.
at 10:35 PM Labels: Gun Control, New York, Push Back
Bobby Jindal has had enough of Common Core...
◼ The Next Governor Who Wants Out of Common Core has Arrived – It's Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal - IJ Review
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal once supported the set of educational standards known as Common Core, which are being used to benchmark everything from school curricula to college entrance exams.
Now, he wants to withdraw the state of Louisiana from the Common Core standards, whether the state legislature approves measures to do so or the governor himself begins the withdrawal process....
Recall that Common Core was not passed through Congress, but was implemented via backdoor by state governors to circumvent parental input and obviate local control over educational content and testing criteria.
The Common Core website explains how it is a privately backed, copyrighted set of standards that has been adopted by a consortium of testing and textbook publishers.
It has been backed by wealthy financier Bill Gates, who also stands to gain from a data-mining arrangement in conjunction with InBloom. The New York Daily News described this project as a drive to "create a national database" of children's education records.
No wonder Common Core supporters didn't want a public debate over these issues – one can imagine the parental backlash. That delayed parental backlash is taking place now, and it has been putting pressure on governors like Bobby Jindal to take action.
◼ Bobby Jindal says he will get Louisiana out of Common Core test group, if Legislature won't
Jindal's withdraw from PARCC - and Common Core by extension -- is likely to play well with a vocal group of parents and lawmakers who have serious reservations about the assessment. Common Core critics, particularly those with conservative political leanings, believe the PARCC could cause Louisiana to lose control over its student data and risk children's privacy, since it will likely be used by several states. They also say the test will be expensive to implement, though its costliness is a point of contention with PARCC backers.
◼ Pushback Continues: States Grow Increasingly Wary of Common Core - Heritage
...Oklahoma, too, is currently in a battle over Common Core. The state senate passed a bill earlier this month downgrading the state's involvement with the national standards, although there is some difference of opinion as to whether it would fully remove Oklahoma from the standards, or merely change the name of the standards.
...Meanwhile, the Missouri House of Representatives passed their bill to find a Common Core replacement.
...Fifteen states have now made strides in halting or downgrading their involvement in the standards. Last month, Indiana became the first state to exit Common Core. This is promising momentum in the effort of states to reclaim their educational decision-making authority.
at 10:32 PM Labels: Bobby Jindal, Common Core, Education, Louisianna, Push Back, STOPCOMMONCORE
According to a report in The New York Times, the Census Bureau has been directed to change the wording of its questions relating to health care coverage so that they can no longer be checked against the past three decades of data.
◼ Yet Another Crazy Conservative Conspiracy Theory Proven Correct - Noah Rothman/Mediaite
In 2009, in the earliest weeks of President Barack Obama's administration, the White House made the controversial decision to take the unprecedented step of moving the Census Bureau from control of the commerce secretary over to the White House ahead of the decennial 2010 census.
Conservatives sounded alarm bells. "It takes something that is supposedly apolitical like the census, and gives it to a guy who is infamously political," said Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT) of then White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.
"Requiring the Census director to report directly to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is a shamefully transparent attempt by your administration to politicize the Census Bureau and manipulate the 2010 Census," read a letter addressed to Obama authored by Reps. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Patrick McHenry (R-NC)....
According to a report in The New York Times, the Census Bureau has been directed to change the wording of its questions relating to health care coverage so that they can no longer be checked against the past three decades of data. According to the nonpartisan analysts and census officials The Times spoke with, this change will make it nearly impossible to accurately assess the effects of the Affordable Care Act has had on the number of Americans who have health insurance....
Policy analysts and columnists, who are not reflexively friendly to conservative causes, called the debasement of a formerly neutral agency to achieve a political end "insane" and "inexcusable."
And, thus, another crazy conservative conspiracy theory is proven to not be so crazy after all.
at 10:26 PM Labels: Census Bureau, Census Data, Conspiracy Theories, Obamacare, Partisan Politics, Politcization, President/Candidate Obama, Propaganda
Every day this week is the same Backwards & Forwards
IRS demands Ron Paul's list of donors...
◼ Ron Paul's nonprofit Campaign for Liberty will fight the IRS' demand that it reveal its donor list - Joel Gehrke/Washington Examiner @joelmentum
"There is no legitimate reason for the IRS to know who donates to Campaign for Liberty," Megan Stiles, the communications director at Campaign for Liberty, told the Washington Examiner in an email on Tuesday. "We believe the First Amendment is on our side as evidenced by cases such as NAACP v. Alabama and International Union UAW v. National Right to Work. Many 501(c)(4) organizations protect the privacy of their donors in the very same way as Campaign for Liberty. For some reason the IRS has now chosen to single out Campaign for Liberty for special attention. We plan to fight this all the way."
..."Paying this outrageous extortionist fine — just to exercise our rights as American citizens to petition our government — may even be cheaper in the short run," he wrote. "But it'll just embolden an alphabet soup of other federal agencies to come after us." Paul's email said that the rule requiring that 501(c)(4)s list their donors is "rarely enforced."
Stiles accused the IRS of trying to silence her organization. "The IRS technically requires donor information from 501(c)(4) organizations and is forbidden by law from releasing it to the public, yet despite this they have 'mistakenly' released the information repeatedly over the years," she wrote. "Often these leaks have been made to political opponents of the conservative groups whose information was leaked. Leaking the donor information is intended to harass and to intimidate those donors from donating to political causes. Campaign for Liberty has refused to provide donor information to the IRS to protect the privacy of our members. Now the IRS has demanded the information and fined Campaign for Liberty for protecting its members' privacy."
at 4:46 PM Labels: IRS, Ron Paul
Josh Romney takes this pic of Gov Romney and pokes Senator Harry Reid
Hey @SenatorReid here's a shot of @MittRomney paying taxes. Does it every year. It's how you get your paycheck. pic.twitter.com/DwSMXzYhuR
— Josh Romney (@joshromney) April 15, 2014
◼ Gretawire
at 4:00 PM Labels: Harry Reid, Mitt Romney, Taxes
2014 Tax Day Chart: Who Pays the Most?
◼ Which taxpayers experience the greatest tax burden—and who pays the most in taxes? - Heritage
As Americans navigated the labyrinthine tax code ahead of tax day, many felt the sting of the President's myriad tax increases.
Despite calls for more taxes on the rich, the Heritage chart shown above reveals that the recent tax increases disproportionately affect the working wealthy. The top 10 percent of all income earners paid 71 percent of federal income taxes in 2010, yet they earned 45 percent of all federal income. Compare that to the bottom 50 percent of earners, who earn 12 percent of income yet pay only 2 percent of federal income taxes....
But the tax misery is not limited only to the well-to-do. All taxpayers faced an average tax increase of 1.8 percent in 2013. Indeed, Heritage tax expert Curtis Dubay uncovered no less than 13 tax increases that kicked in at the beginning of the year, six of which came on the coattails of Obamacare. Taxpayers also face state and local tax burdens that remain high in much of the country, as well as the prospect of rising payroll taxes in the future.
In addition to stifling economic growth, many of these new taxes—especially those on income—penalize success and discourage work. As Dubay has written, it is imperative to reform the tax code because families would be able to earn more, "but would not pay higher marginal tax rates on their higher earnings. The tax code would not punish families as it does today for being more successful and for earning higher compensation because they are more productive."
at 3:42 PM Labels: Taxes
India: Muslim Politician Says Women Who Have Been Raped Should Be Hanged In Accordance With Islamic Law…
◼ In a bizarre and grotesque statement, the state Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Abu Azmi said women who were raped should also be punished. The statement came after this reporter questioned Azmi about SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's comments on rape. - WeaselZippers
Yadav had, at a rally in UP, said that the death sentence, as punishment, for rape was too harsh. "Ladkon se aisi galtiyan ho jati hain, to iska matlab yeh to nahi ki unhe phaansi de di jaaye (Boys make mistakes, but this doesn't mean you hang them)," he told the gathering.
◼ SHOCKING! Women having sex should be hanged, says Abu Azmi - NDTV
Son disagrees
However, his son Farhan Azmi, who is contesting from the Mumbai North Central constituency, disagreed with his father and party leader. "I believe a rapist should be hanged a hundred times. I have five sisters and everyone in my family believes the same."
at 9:43 AM Labels: #WarOnWomen, India, Islam/Muslim, Rape.
'Tax Man' Obama has sought 442 tax increases
◼ April 15 is a hard day for many, as their annual federal tax bill comes due. But it could have been worse. - Paul Bedard/Washington Examiner
According to a new report, President Obama has sought 442 tax increases since taking office, though most have died because of congressional opposition.
Having included 93 new taxes in his fiscal 2015 budget, the anti-tax Americans for Tax Reform reviewed his proposals since his 2009 Inauguration to determine just how tax-friendly the president has been. Their conclusion: He's very friendly.
...The review was timed for April 15 as ATR's annual wake up call on taxes facing Americans. But it also made note of how the president has not succeeded in instituting his wishes due to Republican opposition in Congress, partly because of ATR's successful effort to get candidates to pledge to never raise taxes.
"Presidents are judged by history based on what they did in power. But presidents can only enact laws when the Congress agrees," said Norquist in a statement accompanying ATR's tax list. "Thus a record forged by such compromise tells you what a president — limited by Congress — did, rather than what he wanted to do."
at 9:27 AM Labels: Americans for Tax Reform, President/Candidate Obama, Taxes
Speaking late Sunday on Russian state television, Viktor Yanukovych claimed that CIA director John Brennan had met with Ukraine's new leadership and "in fact sanctioned the use of weapons and provoked bloodshed."
◼ Ukraine's ousted president puts blame on CIA - AP
Ukraine's ousted president has accused the CIA of being behind the new Ukrainian government's decision to deploy armed forces to quash an increasingly brazen pro-Russian insurgency.
at 7:39 AM Labels: CIA, Russia, Ukraine
George Will on Democrats' Obsession With Racism
◼ Watch George Will Perfectly Diagnose The Constant Liberal Cry of 'Racist!' - IJ Review
at 7:19 AM Labels: Liberals, Race-baiting
RECORD-HIGH 60% OF CALIFORNIANS SAY THEY PAY TOO MUCH TAX
◼ Ahead of the April 15 tax deadline, a record-high 60% of Californians say that they pay "much more" or "somewhat more" in taxes than they should, according to a recent survey by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) (and noted by John Seiler of Calwatchdog.org and Stephen Frank of CApoliticalnews.com). - Joel Pollak/Breitbart
However, as PPIC Mark Baldassare notes at Fox&Hounds, Californians still believe that the answer is to tax wealthy earners or corporations more--not to reform and broaden the current tax system.
The PPIC survey, which was conducted in March among 1,702 adults, notes:
While about half of Californians view the state and local tax system as fair, a record-high 60 percent of adults say they pay much more (30%) or somewhat more (30%) than they feel they should in state and local taxes; 35 percent think they pay about the right amount and 3 percent say they pay less than they should. Opinions of likely voters are similar.
However, as Baldassare notes, that view of the tax system remains tied to a view that the wealthy do not pay enough, and that the state should restore and extend funding for state services. That makes the prospects for fiscal reform rather dim: "If tax reform proponents ask voters to raise taxes or to make changes to the state and local tax system any time soon, they will need to be mindful of voters' current views on these issues," he writes.
at 6:30 AM Labels: California, Polls, Taxes
Five Ways Obama's Foreign Policies Have Failed
◼ As Russian troops hoisted their flag over Crimea, President Obama's highly touted "reset" diplomacy crashed and burned. The Russian reset was to have been the crown jewel of Mr. Obama's statecraft, the start of a new era in which Washington and Moscow worked together to solve the world's problems. That naïve dream burst when Vladimir Putin ordered his tanks to roll. - Heritage
But botched relations with the Russians is just the latest and arguably most dramatic failure of White House foreign policy. This administration has suffered a global string of setback. Here are five previous failures the Oval Office hopes most of us never noticed or won't remember....at the link.
Each one of these developments is unfortunate. Taken together, they are tragic–and overwhelming proof of the failure of the Obama Doctrine. That doctrine assumed that all foreign relations problems could be fixed with "smart power." They can't.
at 10:54 PM Labels: #FAIL, Antarctica, Benghazi, China, Foreign Policy, Latin America, Russia
Man with history of anti-Semitism jailed in fatal shooting of three at Johnson County Jewish centers
Way more to this one than what's come out so far in the mainstream media:
◼ A 73-year-old southwest Missouri man with a long history of anti-Semitism is suspected of killing two people outside Overland Park's Jewish Community Center and then a third at a nearby Jewish assisted living facility. - Kansas City Star
After officers arrested Frazier Glenn Cross — an Aurora, Mo., man better known as F. Glenn Miller — Sunday afternoon, authorities said he went on a rant inside the patrol car. Though Overland Park Police Chief John Douglass wouldn't say what Cross hollered, a television crew captured him on video while he was handcuffed in the back of the car. "Heil Hilter," Miller yelled out, and then he bobbed his head up and down.
◼ BREAKING: KS Jewish Center Shooter ID'd: "WHITE NATIONALIST LEADER" Fraiser Glenn Cross, Jr. from Aurora, Missouri - Jim Hoft/Gateway Pundit
...Tonight the shooter was identified as Fraizier Glenn Miller, or Glenn Miller. He is the former leader of the defunct North Carolina-based White Patriot Party (formerly known as the Carolina Knights of the Ku Klux Klan). Convicted of criminal charges related to weapons and violation of an injunction against paramilitary activity, he is a perennial candidate for public office as both a Democrat and Republican....
MORE…. Fraizier Glenn Miller presented a seminar on at Missouri State University in 2012.
◼ White Nationalism and Jewish Supremacism
Ending I said: "I've proven in simple math that our race is dying out rapidly. I've also given you evidence that the jews are responsible. Your only answer can be that you will or you won't do anything about it. Frankly, I hope there's a young Hitler among you." (Words to that effect)
at 9:59 PM Labels: Anti-Semitism, Kansas, Shootings
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CONDOLEEZZA RICE TO LEAD STANFORD'S HOOVER INSTITUTION….
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Dem Sen. Joe Manchin (!!!) just dropped a massive bomb on Hunter Biden


In this paper, a new enhanced version of the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is presented. An important modification is made by adding probabilistic functions into PSO, and it is named Probabilistic Particle Swarm Optimization (PPSO). Since the variation of the velocity of particles in PSO constitutes its search engine, it should provide two phases of optimization process which are: exploration and exploitation. However, this aim is unachievable due to the lack of balanced particles' velocity formula in the PSO. The main feature presented in the study is the introduction of a probabilistic scheme for updating the velocity of each particle. The Probabilistic Particle Swarm Optimization (PPSO) formulation thus developed allows us to find the best sequence of the exploration and exploitation phases entailed by the optimization search process. The validity of the present approach is demonstrated by solving three classical sizing optimization problems of spatial truss structures.


The DNA podcast is going on a break for the holidays and will be back the first week of January. Don and I hope that you have a great nerdly Christmas and wish you and yours an awesome New Year's!
How will I get my biweekly dose of awesome now?!?!
Wait…! This would be a GREAT time to get caught up on past episodes I may have missed!
Why yes it would! Great idea, Don!
Star Wars Holiday Special Time!
Say, did you know that many of that absolutely awful scenes from Tatooine that were included in the Star Wars Holiday Special was actual footage from the movie which was cut? I had thought that the exceptionally low production values meant that these scenes were quickie tableaus put together solely for the TV show, but no, they were just badly-crafted sets and costumes. No wonder they were cut.
>Star Wars Holiday Special Time!
Look out! Jeff has instigated the doomsday protocol!!!!
Say! That last guy in the stormtrooper search looks kinda like Vlix Oncard!
BTW, as bad as the Star Wars Holiday Special was, it was still better Star Wars The Last Jedi.
I wish your comment section had an "edit" button. I don't usually notice the grammatical mistakes until after I hit the "post" button. Is there any way one could be implemented?


Bouncing into an otherworldly realm of dream pop is Slowness and their new album How to Keep From Falling Off A Mountain. The record comes across as warm and inviting, well structured and crafted, featuring a more conceptual feel, though not edgy.
Slowness have distilled their dream laden psych sound into a thoughtful meditative concoction that's explorative in its nature and the territory it encompasses. Of delightful interest where the four interdependent tracks (Aron in five sections) which are enhanced by infectious hooks built on light and airy sunshine grooves that weave intoxicatingly together, often with hypnotic inwardly directed guitar emancipations toward a brooding climatic finish, which while very good, like some jazz, I just didn't get … though the album's title alludes me as well.
I hesitate to say this, as it may scare off the casual listener, the album has its fair share of indulgent moments, all intentional and necessary, relegating this release to actual slowness, a tripped out concept that needs to be embraced and nurtured before the full flower is revealed.
Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. – S/T (Black Editions, 1997/2019). Over the last 25 years no group has been more prolific or dedicated to pushing psychedelic rock to its limits than Japan's Acid Mothers Temple.. Pre-Order Ships May 1st!


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Over 50 Life Insurance Provides Coverage During Retirement!
How credible is The Wal-Mart Mortgage Program and their partner Nationwide Advantage Mortgage?
Any honest Real Estate lenders?
Of course there are honest real estate lenders. The clear majority are honest. If not, the business would cease to exist. Don't believe everything you hear about mortgage fraud and rip-offs. It is not the norm.


The perfect party tray, roomy and handled for easy use. Great for hors d'oeuvres and petit fours.
Sterlingcraft KTT8 Oblong Silver-like 17" x 10" Serving Tray Measures 17-3/4" x 10-1/2" and has the special Sterlingcraft finish that never needs polishing. The roomy surface and two hostess handles make this a perfect party tray.
Sterlingcraft KTT8 Oblong Silver-like 17" x 10" Serving Tray is perfect for parties and special events and makes a great gift for any occasion!
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Looking for events where you actually get to move around and do things, I know about True Dungeon and I don't even bother with that mess anymore, the event itself is good. It's the scheduling, registration nightmare and cost that drove me away from the frustration.
And I know about some of the Spa events from last year with the stick, knife, open hand etc, Which I am going to check out this year.
I want events where I get to do things, throw something at a target etc. Not so much a sparring thing though, I remember an event years ago where there was a set of challenges and you where scored on how well you preformed those challenges, something around those lines I guess would be ideal, I just want something that's more physical than sitting at a table with a card deck and or dice. I do that already and want choices to break up the day.
I was hoping with the addition of Lucas Oil we might get some football events but alas no such luck thus far.
I seem to recall hearing about a zombie apocalypse LARP in which NERF guns and melee combat with boffer weapons were used. Can't remember the name, though. Does anybody else remember?
It's called the Rising. It's a LASH. Live-action survival horror. They are a blast.
There was a similar zombie-style LARP called Helix and Helix, which ran at the Hyatt.
There is boffing (fighting with foam sword) at various events.
There was a low-budget LARP/TD-style game at the Marriott... I recall using foam swords and throwing small beanbags during actual combat. Can't remember what it was called.
There is also the Orc Stomp 5k Fun Run at the White River State Park. Great fun, beautiful path, and a great way to start the day and get some exercise in before a day with lots of sitting. It has been made especially entertaining with Exile Game Studio bringing racers that come dressed as raptors to race against for ribbons depending on if you're able to outrun their fastest, middle, or slowest runner.
Friday with the race starting around 6:30am.
There is usually a series of events hosted by a martial arts studio that will have basic sword fighting techniques. I have participated and it is enjoyable. Not tons of cardio and you really didn't spar as much as learn attacking and blocking movements, but it keeps you moving and active.
Plus there are yoga events in the morning most days.
There's a group that teaches introductory fencing. They teach basic techniques then let people spar with each other.
Other options that haven't been mentioned yet include Laser Tag and that boffer sword fight event.
This sounds like the most exciting thing I've never heard of. Any idea if they plan to run it again this year?
I have e-mailed them this question last week because it was just the most fun last time I went to Gen Con. If I get a response I will let you know.
I'm not sure if it's what you're looking for, but a friend and I are putting together a LARP with a physical challenge element, i.e. doing some physical feat or finding X of Y item (pending player mobility, we'll have alternatives of course), in order to pass or fail solutions to problems. It'll be called, "The Show Must Go On!" and it'll be themed to a (some may say cursed) vaudevillian theatre troupe trying to get a show on its feet. Again, not sure if this is ANYTHING like you're thinking (as there likely won't be any combat), but I thought of it when you said you wanted something other than sitting at a table! Sitting will very much be optional for ours, if all goes as it should.
SPA events offer a wide variety of dance classes, etc. . .
There was also a combat larp last hear in the basement of the JW Marriott that our group did. We actually wore chain mail and fought monsters with foam swords. It was actually a very good workout and everyone got a broke a good sweat. The combat actually got pretty heated a few times.
I can't remember what the larp group or event was called but they were from Chicago and the name of the event was something "...Darkness."
They were originally based out of Chicago, but I'm not sure that crew is still running them. A few years ago my gaming group and I went into the city to play an event, but I can't remember where it was located out of.
We do plan on being at Gen Con 2018. We are in the process of revamping/retelling our story line this year. So everybody playing will know whats going on.


We look forward to seeing you all at our 2019 Brown County Fair August 14th - 18th. We are in the process of finalizing the details for our 2019 Fair. New this year is the Sea Lion Splash. Please stay tuned to our schedule page for new attractions and updates.
Located along the west shore of the Fox River, The Brown County Fair is a time-honored and cherished tradition for families and youth. Our goal is to teach urban and rural residents of all ages about Brown County's history, traditions, and accomplishments through agriculture, family living, and business. We strive to provide a welcoming environment for our guests and promote agriculture through exhibits and demonstrations, and are committed to supporting life-long learning for our youth and our community.
The Brown County Fair provides an opportunity for youth and adults to gather in a family oriented environment to learn from each other by sharing experiences and accomplishments and to bring urban and rural residents of all ages together.
Have you ever wondered how an item you made, baked, photographed or created would stack up against the same item made, baked, photographed or created by another individual? The Brown County Fair offers you the opportunity to find out by entering your baked goods, photographs, woodworking, knitting, etc. in the Fair.


text:
Toddler injured in shootout identified as Keyniah Lowe
2-year-old recovering at St. Mary's Medical Center
A 2-year-old girl is in critical condition after she was caught in the crossfire during a Riviera Beach shootout.
A toddler injured in a shootout in Riviera Beach was identified by police Sunday.Keyniah Lowe, 2, was critically hurt while riding in a car with her grandmother, mother, sibling and one of the suspects.Investigators said the suspect riding with the victim noticed they were being followed and told the driver to pull into a parking lot on West 32nd Street.Police said the other car also pulled into the parking lot and gunfire erupted.Keyniah was injured in the shooting and was driven to St. Mary's Medical Center by her grandmother. She was in critical but stable condition Sunday, and doctors said she's expected to survive.Police have not released the identities of the suspects, who they consider armed and dangerous.More From WPBF: Email alerts | Mobile | SocialView, Share Breaking News Photos On WPBF.com's u local:9146236
RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. —
A toddler injured in a shootout in Riviera Beach was identified by police Sunday.
Keyniah Lowe, 2, was critically hurt while riding in a car with her grandmother, mother, sibling and one of the suspects.
Richard Thomas Jr., Warren Dye identified as suspects in shootout that injured toddler
Girl, 2, wounded in crossfire during shootout in Riviera Beach
Investigators said the suspect riding with the victim noticed they were being followed and told the driver to pull into a parking lot on West 32nd Street.
Police said the other car also pulled into the parking lot and gunfire erupted.
Keyniah was injured in the shooting and was driven to St. Mary's Medical Center by her grandmother. She was in critical but stable condition Sunday, and doctors said she's expected to survive.
Police have not released the identities of the suspects, who they consider armed and dangerous.
More From WPBF: Email alerts | Mobile | Social
View, Share Breaking News Photos On WPBF.com's u local:


text:
Beach-Head is a video game developed and published in 1983 by Access Software for the Atari 8-bit family and Commodore 64 home computers in the US. Versions for the ZX Spectrum, BBC Micro, and Acorn Electron (as well as the Atari and C64 versions) were published in Europe by U.S. Gold in 1984, followed by versions for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 16 and Plus/4 in 1985.

Gameplay

The game's setting is the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II. Gameplay consists of several varying stages in which the player must control various vehicles including warships and tanks in order to defeat an enemy fleet, break through enemy beach defences and destroy an enormous gun-emplacement to win the game. The gun emplacement requires multiple hits to be destroyed, but traverses faster than tanks can aim and fire, so it cannot be destroyed in a single attempt. In order to complete the game multiple tanks must make it through to the final level.

Reception
Beach-Head was Access' best-selling Commodore game as of late 1987. It was the first U.S. Gold release to sell 250,000 copies.

Ahoy! stated "This game is a blast". It praised the graphics and concluded, "It is a remarkable programming achievement". Compute! listed the game in May 1988 as one of "Our Favorite Games", stating that it was superior to its "many imitators".

Zzap!64 reviewed the game in a retrospective feature in October 1985. They argued that although it was considered impressive at the time of release it had already become dated, and was rated 70% overall.

In 1996, Computer Gaming World declared Beach Head the 117th-best computer game ever released.

Legacy
A sequel, Beach Head II: The Dictator Strikes Back, was released in 1985. A version of the game for Commodore Amiga was planned, but was cancelled when an agreement to publish with U.S. Gold could not be reached. In 2000, a loose remake of the game, Beach Head 2000, was released for the Windows and MacOS platforms.

References

External links

1983 video games
Amsoft games
Amstrad CPC games
Apple II games
Atari 8-bit family games
BBC Micro and Acorn Electron games
Commodore 16 and Plus/4 games
Commodore 64 games
MSX games
Multiplayer and single-player video games
Ocean Software games
U.S. Gold games
Video games developed in the United States
World War II video games
ZX Spectrum games

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Well, what a collection of scores from all of those who competed! Some pumped climbers getting back into the flow of their climbing groove and crushing the problems Max Ayrton has set!
With the majority of the blocs on the Squad Zone, we saw a nice busy comp area! A high scoring round for most, with everyone making most of the problems look easy!
Of course they can't all be super easy, so Max threw in some big sandbag problems! Some trying alternative Beta, especially on the green Blocs Volume slap bang in the middle of the vertical section.
Max Ayrton was in the building setting the penultimate round of this years Winter Bouldering League, we're proud that these guys who compete within our Big Flash Festival come back to set for us! Being only his 2nd time setting for us here at Highball, he may have slightly underestimated how strong you guys are! Especially as we are in 'the flatlands', but you guys crushed! A nice array of problems across the board for this round, plenty to keep yourself warm on throughout the colder months.
Hannah Whaley crushing the female competitors and Garry Smith just holding on from Aaron Porter snapping at his heels, closely followed by Benjy Wilcock again keeping that pressure on Aaron and Garry to not drop any moves! With this round being a high scorer some of you guys have been saying to expect a hard set for the final round next month. I won't be giving anything away but we would recommend some rest beforehand.
John Golder won the jackpot this week. Another collection of awesome raffle prizes from our sponsors Snowfit, DMM Climbing, Scarpa and Friction Labs, with Gwynne Braidwood claiming the 'tea towel', which was technically a Buff Beanie.


Dressings offered: Italian, Ranch, French, Blue Cheese, Oil Vinegar, Greek and House.
Add Grilled or Crispy Chicken for $1.99.
Mixed greens, cucumber, rice with tuna and corn, avocado, beets, cooked peas, potatoes and carrots.
Couscous, onions, chick peas, parsley, tomatoes and raisins.
Shrimps, mixed greens, peppers, avocado, cucumber, corn and House dressing.
Served with Pita bread, white or Tahini sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and chips.
Mix green, avocado, chick peas, cucumber, onion, tomatoes, roasted pepper, parsley, Humus and Tahini sauce.
Served with rice, salad and choice of Tahini or White sauce.
Served with your choice of bread, rice or vegetables.
Freshly fried eggplants in Moroccan-style tomato sauce, served with rice and salad.
Peas, green beans, potatoes, carrots, onions and green olives.
Mixed Vegetables, Green Olives and Lemon.
Prune, Apricot, Roasted Almonds and Caramelized Onions.
Beef meatballs in Moroccan-style tomato sauce and black olives.
Green Peppers, Onions, Sweet Potatoes, Olives, Potatoes and Charmoula Sauce.
Carrot, turnip, zucchini, sweet potato, chickpeas and caramelized onions.
PLATTER: Served with rice, salad, and White Sauce.
SANDWICH: Served in pita bread with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and Tzatziki sauce. Comes with fries.
Marinated in a tangy Moroccan style blend of spices. Comes with rice, pita bread and salad.
Chicken breast marinated in a variety of seasonings and spices.
Marinated chicken in a wrap (Whole Wheat, Spinach or Regular) with tomatoes, onions, and Tzatziki Sauce, served with French fries.
Marinated chicken, served with rice, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, and olives.
Inside the Galleria 7 Market.