In 1789, George Washington gave the first Presidential Thanksgiving proclamation.  President Barack Obama just released his own proclamation.  In the last two hundred twenty-two years, the national meaning of Thanksgiving – its purpose, our reasons for giving thanks and our duty to God and country on this day – has changed dramatically.  Rather than trying to convince you by my words, I’ll let these men speak for themselves.  Please do not miss the analysis and comparison that follows the full text of their proclamations.

President George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation, 1789:

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;– for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;– for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;– and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;– to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington

Source: The Massachusetts Centinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789

Online Source

President Barack Obama’s Thanksgiving Day proclamation, 2009:

What began as a harvest celebration between European settlers and indigenous communities nearly four centuries ago has become our cherished tradition of Thanksgiving. This day’s roots are intertwined with those of our nation, and its history traces the American narrative.

Today, we recall President George Washington, who proclaimed our first national day of public thanksgiving to be observed “by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God,” and President Abraham Lincoln, who established our annual Thanksgiving Day to help mend a fractured nation in the midst of civil war. We also recognize the contributions of Native Americans, who helped the early colonists survive their first harsh winter and continue to strengthen our nation. From our earliest days of independence, and in times of tragedy and triumph, Americans have come together to celebrate Thanksgiving.

As Americans, we hail from every part of the world. While we observe traditions from every culture, Thanksgiving Day is a unique national tradition we all share. Its spirit binds us together as one people, each of us thankful for our common blessings.

As we gather once again among loved ones, let us also reach out to our neighbors and fellow citizens in need of a helping hand. This is a time for us to renew our bonds with one another, and we can fulfill that commitment by serving our communities and our nation throughout the year. In doing so, we pay tribute to our country’s men and women in uniform who set an example of service that inspires us all. Let us be guided by the legacy of those who have fought for the freedoms for which we give thanks, and be worthy heirs to the noble tradition of goodwill shown on this day.

Now, therefore, I, Barack Obama, president of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage all the people of the United States to come together, whether in our homes, places of worship, community centers, or any place where family, friends and neighbors may gather, with gratitude for all we have received in the past year, to express appreciation to those whose lives enrich our own and to share our bounty with others.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of November, in the year of our Lord 2009, and of the independence of the United States of America the 234th (year).

_ Barack Obama

Source: The White House, November 26, 2009

Online Source

Analysis and Comparison:

What is Thanksgiving?

To Washington -

• Washington charged by Congress to “recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”
• to render to God our sincere and humble thanks

To Obama:

• began as a harvest celebration
• between European settlers and indigenous communities

• Washington said “by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God.”
• Lincoln- to mend a fractured nation
• natives helped colonists
• unique national tradition – binds us together
• noble tradition of goodwill
• 
  

We are to give thanks for:

Washington-

• God’s care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation
• for mercies and His providence in the course and conclusion of the war
• for the tranquility, union and plenty we have enjoyed
• for the manner in which we have established the constitutions of government – particularly the one instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we have been blessed
• for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us

Obama-

• common blessings

On Thanksgiving, the people of the United States of America are to:

Washington-

• acknowledge the providence of Almighty God-obey His will, be grateful for His benefits, implore His protection and favor
• be of service to that great and glorious Being
• unite in offering prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations..to pardon our national and other transgressions
• ask Him to enable us to perform our duties properly – that Government would be a blessing to all the people
• ask Him to guide all sovereigns and nations
• ask Him to promote knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue
• ask Him to grant a degree of prosperity as He alone knows to be best

Obama -

• reach out to fellow citizens in need
• renew our bonds
• serve our communities and nations
• pay tribute to men and women in uniform
• come together with gratitude for all we have received
• express appreciation to others
• share bounty with others

In Washington, there is no crime of domestic violence. Instead, domestic violence is a tag that is placed in other crimes which indicates that there is a kinship and family among stakeholders. Most jurisdictions impose order n. Contact prohibiting the defendant in a domestic violence ( "DV") case from having contact with the alleged victim of the offense. The order often prohibit contact with children of the victim,residence and workplace as well.

Family or domestic relationship

According to RCW 10.99.020 (3), family or household member is defined as:

[S] lice, former spouses, persons who have a child in common regardless of whether they were married or lived together at any time, adult persons related by blood or marriage, adults who are currently living together or have resided together in the past, years of persons sixteen years or older who arecurrently living together or have resided together in the past and who have or have had an affair, years persons sixteen years or older with whom a person sixteen years or older has or has had a romantic relationship, and people who have a biological or legal parent-child relationship, including stepparents and stepchildren and grandparents and grandchildren.

As you can see, this definition is extremely broad. It is much more inclusive so that more peoplewait for it either. The same applies to the types of crimes that are classified as "domestic violence." Many people think of assault in domestic violence cases, but there are so many offenses that can carry the tag DV.

Mandatory arrest

According to RCW 10.31.100 (2) (c), the agent must make an arrest if the person is sixteen years or more and four hours earlier, had assaulted a family or household member inRCW 10.99.020 and the officer believes that:

(i) A felonious assault has occurred;

(ii) there was an assault causing bodily harm to the victim if the injury is observable by the controller to respond or not, or

(iii) that any physical action took place which was intended to cause another person reasonably to fear imminent serious bodily injury or death. Injury means physical pain, illness or a deteriorating physical condition. When the officerprobable cause to believe that the family or household members have assaulted another officer is not obliged to stop two people. The officer must arrest the person that the officer believes to be the primary physical aggressor. In taking this decision, the officer must make every reasonable effort to consider:

(i) intended to protect victims of domestic violence in RCW 10.99.010;

(ii) the comparative extent of injuries inflicted or serious threatscreating fear of physical injury and

(iii) a history of violence between the persons involved.

If you are arrested for a crime involving domestic violence, order no contact in position to hit almost immediately.

No Contact Order

There are two types of n. Contact Orders in Washington State: Pre-Trial and after conviction. Both types of decisions to prevent the defendant from having contact with the alleged victim. However,nor in preventing the victim to try to have contact with the accused, since only the defendant goes to jail if the order is not respected. In other words, no limit orders only contact behavior of the defendant.

Pre-Trial

Pre-trial orders are issued against the defendant (sometimes called resistance) before he or she is convinced he did nothing wrong. These orders can prevent contact between the accused and the victim's alleged crime, the victimchildren (even if the respondent is too young), place of residence of the victim and the work of the victim (even if the respondent is at home too).

In other words, these orders can not force you away from your house and your children even before they have been convicted of a crime. This is true even if the victim said that nothing happened and everything that happened was all blown out of proportion.

Preliminary orders remain in place until there is a resolution of the criminal caseor until a judge lifts.

Post-Conviction

An Ordinance No contact was released after the conviction could bring the same type of restrictions that pre-trial order does. Post-conviction orders are usually good for one year, but a judge in May to extend this if he or she considers that the facts warrant.

Civil standby

Since a No Contact Order can go home, courts generally allow a home to travel to get some clothes and personalobjects. However, you must be accompanied by a police officer. This process is called "civil standby." You should contact the agency law enforcement and arrange a time to wait for the calendar year. Be aware, however, it is an intervention in a low priority for authorities above the law, so that the civil standby only be done when they have time to lose.

No violation of a contact order

An intentional violation of a No Contact Order is a serious offense, whichmeans you can earn up to one year in prison and fined $ 5,000. Contravene a domestic violence n. To contact the label is itself a crime of domestic violence, rights of ownership or possession of firearms will be held on the conviction – but no weapons were used, possessed, cited or otherwise used or planned . This is true even when the criminal case underlying causing the No contact order must be vacated and dismissed.

Being in a public place, eventhe courthouse is not a defense to violating the order. This means that if an order is issued against you and you see the protected person in a store, then you must leave. Contact accidental May not technically violate the order, but you can also go before a judge to defend himself. Besides the stress, you may need to spend more to hire a lawyer.

Even if the victim requests contact, the defendant can face jail if the order isviolated. What I see most often in my case, is the following scenario:

Two people have a relationship. Something happens and the police are called. Due to the sensitivity of all for "domestic violence" err on the side of the burden of policing someone. A No Contact Order then slap up, cut two people from having any contact with another. You can do one of them suddenly homeless – but that's another matter. People, people, youto work the problem and contact the alleged victim, the accused and said something to the effect "I am sorry that all this happens. go home and I'll help." The problem, of course, is that the defendant took the alleged victim on offer. Generally, legal problems are multiplying for the defendant, shortly after, as the happy couple will celebrate their rekindled relationship only to take a "slow and go" at a stop sign – or someother minor violations of traffic. They were then arrested by police. When the agent goes to the occupants until skips n order to contact, and the accused was arrested and taken to jail where he is now facing an additional cost.

Delete order

It is very difficult to remove a preliminary no contact order, once he is right. Even if the victim comes and testifies in court that the order is not required, most judges will ordertowards.

One strategy is to have the defendant evaluated by a Domestic Violence Treatment Agency. If an advisor is ready to tell the court that the defendant was not a danger to the victim if the order is withdrawn, the court may delete command. Agency treatment may be useful to have the defendant in the class before agreeing to make a recommendation to the judge.

Another strategy is to ask the court to amend Ordinance No. C0ontact to allow marriagecounseling. Some courts require that the contact is allowed while a third followed by treatment agency.

Once No Contact Order has been amended to allow contact with relief, the court is more likely that the order to remove later, unless there is a new problem.

Victims' Rights

Most offices of prosecutors' will counsel against domestic violence. Task E "of that person to help the victim of a crime of domestic violence to understandWhat services are available to them and keeps you informed as it moves along the justice process.

I have seen many cases where the victim does not want the No contact order to be effective. Turning to the injured person's lawyer can sometimes be useful.

Most courts have a form you can fill the request of the victim alleged that the decline of the National Journal Order contact information. In my experience, most judges to maintain order, even after the victim asked to drop it. Sameif the order remains in force, claiming that the victim is removed is still valid, as it may be useful in a subsequent attempt to cancel the order.

Gun Rights

Conviction for an offense of domestic violence label you will lose the right to ownership or possession of firearms. This is a permanent ban.

Example

In one case I had, the husband was arrested on a charge of domestic violence when, during a fight, threwa bowl in their kitchen sink, to break. The case was heard by a close neighbor who called police. The police arrived and when she looked in the sink, they found the chipped bowl and arrested her husband for the ill, domestic violence malicious. There was no allegation that her husband threw a bowl at, or near, his wife. Since Washington is a property of the State of the Community, the husband and wife had a property right in the bowl, then from his chippingbowl, the husband has damaged property belonging to another (his wife) and is therefore liable under malicious. Without counsel, the husband (who had no criminal record), pleaded guilty to contestation. Had one years n. To contact, which prevented him from going home for a year or having any contact with his wife.

The husband had contacted a lawyer before pleading guilty, he would not have a conviction at all. Even if there was a conviction, a lawyerwould have avoided a long no contact order.

Copyright (c) 2007 The Cahoon Law Office – All rights reserved.

My photos from yesterday’s presidential turkey pardon made it to the front page of The Norwalk Hour and are on display at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

The Newseum’s outdoor exhibit showcases the front page of every newspaper in the Uniter States, so I’m pretty honored to have my photo on display there, along with Katerina Voutsina’s article. Here’s the photo:

Nov. 25, 2009-Barbara Erena, Anthony Erena and their granddaughter Riley, 10, of Wilton, Conn., at the annual Turkey Pardon on the steps of the White House in Washington, D.C.

Here’s the front page:

Fonte: Globoesporte.com

Depois de ter chegado perto da taça do Brasileirão em 2004, mas ter perdido o troféu com o Atlético-PR , Washington tem uma segunda chance, desta vez pelo São Paulo . O time paulista é o líder do nacional e só depende de si para ser campeão. Para o Coração Valente, será uma conquista especial, e por isso ele promete: vai dar a vida para comemorar no fim da competição. O atacante se prepara para a penúltima batalha, contra o Goiás , neste domingo, no Serra Dourada.

- Tive a lição de 2004, quando o Atlético-PR perdeu a liderança na penúltima rodada. Até hoje, quando penso naquele ano, não durmo. Foi um sofrimento muito grande e não quero que aconteça novamente. Minha vontade de ser campeão é enorme, ninguém tem mais do que eu. Vou dar a vida para conquistar o título. Será um jogo ainda mais difícil do que contra o Botafogo e por isso o São Paulo tem que ir concentradíssimo, dar a vida mesmo – ressaltou o atacante.

Se for campeão, Washington certamente levantará o título mais importante da sua carreira. Artilheiro do Brasileiro por duas vezes, em 2004 e 2008, ele diz que isso torna a vontade ainda maior. Tanto que a renovação do contrato, que se encerra em dezembro próximo, não tira o sono do jogador. As sondagens de clubes do exterior e do Brasil estão chegando, mas o camisa 9 não toma conhecimento de nada.

- Só penso em campo, treino e jogo. Se a diretoria viesse hoje para dobrar meu salário, não iria conversar. Só quero o título. Tem gente de fora atrás, mas já falei para meu empresário dar um tempo. Pode vir qualquer time do mundo, mas meu pensamento é o título. Não quero chegar mais tarde e pensar em alguma coisa que atrapalhou. Não quero ficar dois anos sem dormir – garantiu o atacante, que só aceita discutir o futuro ao fim do Brasileiro. De preferência com o título garantido.

General Thanksgiving

By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America

A PROCLAMATION

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;– for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;– for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;– and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;– to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington

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The BerryLaker pointed out a while back there would be a Tea Party in Marinette on Dec. 5th.

Here are the details via the event’s page on Facebook.

Attention Freedom Loving Citizens

We are holding a TEA PARTY on December 5th

at the University of Wisconsin Marinette

Doors will open at 12:00 pm

Speakers will begin at 1:00

Come on out and meet other Conservative minded people!

Here’s your chance to once again show Steve Kagen and the rest of the liberals in Washington and Madison that you’ve had enough of the direction they are trying to take this country and state.  Let them know you’re NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!

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The US Secret Service is investigating how two White House gatecrashers beat several layers of security to attend a state dinner with President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.The couple, Tareq and Michaele Salahi, boasted of turning up to the event on their joint Facebook page with the message “honored to be at the White House for the state dinner in honor of India with President Obama and our First Lady!”

Sporting a black dinner jacket and a flowing red and gold sari respectively, the couple posted photos posing with Vice President Joe Biden, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and even three uniformed marines.

An official White House guest list, which did not include the Salahis, read like a who’s who of the US security establishment. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were among those invited.

Other notables included film director Steven Spielberg, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, socialite Jhumpa Lahiri and spiritual guru Deepak Chopra.

“Initial findings identified a Secret Service checkpoint which did not follow proper procedures to ensure that the two individuals named… were on the invited guest list,” Donovan said.

He emphasized that the couples “went through magnetometers and other levels of security, as did all guests attending the dinner.”

The Washington Post described the couple as polo-playing socialites and aspiring reality TV stars from nearby northern Virginia.

The pairs’ other Facebook photos showed a penchant for posing with the rich and famous, with past shots appearing to show them with polo-loving Prince Charles, President Obama, former president Bill Clinton, former presidential candidate John McCain, television stars Oprah Winfrey and Bill Cosby and former astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

Michaele Salahi’s photos show her as a former Washington Redskins’ cheerleader and posing in a skimpy dress for the cover of a local style magazine.

Former White House homeland security advisor Frances Fragos Townsend said the couple could now face jail for lying to officials.

“If you lie to a federal official, either secret service or the social secretary, if they lied their way to get in, and it seems they would have had to have done that, that’s a federal felony,” she told CNN.

source AFP

Holiday leftovers don’t last long in our homes. Especially the Very Tasty Turkey Salad. (Chicken works well, too.) The trick is starting with a well-seasoned turkey. Stacey’s husband is from the island of Puerto Rico and taught us to make “pavochon,” a turkey seasoned Puerto Rican style that consists of ground garlic cloves, Sazón spices, salt, and extra virgin olive oil. Grind those ingredients with a mortar and pestle, cut slits in the bird and rub the seasoning under the skin, atop the skin and inside the cuts. Let that sit for a day or two before slow roasting the bird in a self-basting turkey oven bag. The key here is LOW and SLOW.

Take leftover pieces of the bird and rip them apart or chop. To taste, add a bit at a time of the following: Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, chopped scallions, a sliced hard-cooked egg or two, diced tomatoes, pepper and salt. There are no rules with Turkey Salad; get creative!

What are you doing with your leftovers? Please share your ideas with other readers!

How Stacey Got the Shot: On the dining room table with natural light and foam core set up to bounce light onto the subject and fill in shadows. ISO 100, focal length 50mm, f/4, 1/100 second exposure.

I want so much out of life and I expect so much out of myself.  I also love my friends and family dearly, so I suppose that’s why I expect equal love and support from them.  However, that’s not always the case.  I also do my best to say what I mean and mean what I say.  I don’t promise things that I can’t deliver on and almost never utter phrases in the heat of the moment that I regret later.  These practices are also not as common as I’d like to believe in the people I care about.

Case in point: I have lots of furniture compared to my roomie (whom I love dearly, I should add) and more clothes.  I asked if it would be possible for me to take the larger room since I knew this would be the case.  He said we would discuss it.  When I arrived, “my” room, as he called it, was the smaller room.  We also agreed on Seattle for the location of the apartment.  I agreed to Bellevue after he took a look at the bus schedule and said it wasn’t far at all from the UW campus.  It’s a long f-ing way to the campus, turns out, and we’re almost into Redmond.  However, it’s maybe a whole ten-minute walk to his workplace.  ”Our” joint bookshelf is currently full of all his things and the four DVDs I wanted to add were moved off (I have a personal bubble about my things; please ask!).  My mother gave me placemats, but I can’t place them on the table I purchased because he wants them a different way.  For Thanksgiving, we’re going to a friend’s.  I wasn’t asked about the food, so I bought ingredients and will put in the time tomorrow to make two dishes I really dislike.  I am really and truly doing my best to keep cool and laid-back about all these things, but I’m having a hard time.  To cap off all this, I was called stupid by my roomie for liking a movie he dislikes.  I several times attempted to stop the conversation by saying something akin to “let’s agree to disagree.”  Needless to say, that didn’t work.  I even mentioned two other friends I know to be terribly brilliant and who like this movie.  He said our taste in quality was stupid.  Please, for the love of God and our friendship, don’t call me or my friends stupid.  We’re not.  You aren’t either.  We differ in our opinions, so please respect the differences and move onto a different topic.

I want this to work and I don’t want to in any way talk to my parents, whom I’m also very close to, because I fought so terribly hard for their support.  It’s less than a week in and I feel trapped.

I don’t know how this all will work out.  Maybe I’ll suggest that my roomie read this post.  I don’t want anyone to be hurt, but I think it’s past the time for that because I’m already hurt to my core.

And a few additions: I’m not a chauffeur; if you want to go somewhere, please chip in for gas and consider the time and money it takes.  If the market across the street is cheaper, I need to go there.  I’m new here and don’t have a job.  If we agree on something, I would appreciate it if we stuck to the agreement.  If you want to say something, say it.  Don’t keep muttering “uhhhhhhh….”  A “yes” or “no” will suffice.  I’m not you.  I don’t have the same tastes or needs as you.  I like green and yellow and blue; you like red.  I need to have a place to do schoolwork, places for my cat’s food and litter, space for my things, and sleep.

I don’t think anyone but me, save my parents, really understands how much went into making this move happen.  Four days of driving, hotels, food, basic new furniture, etc.  All for a place to live and go to school out of state for less than a year.  I also had mono or a mono-like virus when I left.  I’m sick still and need rest.  I don’t have time for the countless errands and commuting time.

Plus, my mom is my mom.  It goes with the territory that I get to complain.  You don’t get to make snide comments.  She’s probably the closest person to me.  We have our ups and downs, and I may tell you what happened between us on occasion.  I know she’s eccentric and needy.  If you must know, she’s freaked out about health problems and recent developments and has bi-polar.  Please keep your comments to yourself.  You have two parents that you can despair about all you want; I’ll listen, but I’ll keep the commentary to myself.

Roomie, I hope you understand my frustration.  I love you and want you to be as comfortable and as happy as possible.  I’d also like the same for me.  You won out on the location of the apartment, which is a biggie.  Please respect my wishes sometimes in other things and respect my opinions.  You may not agree, and it’s basically a given that we’ll disagree, but we can find a happy medium.

By: RupeeNews | Moin Ansari

There is a parable in South Asia, mainly Bharat (aka India) which loosely translated goes something like this “All night long, we told you the lengthly and long-winded story of Ramayan–and in the morning you asks was ‘Sita’ one of the main characters–a man or a woman”. Obviously one who has ever read or heard the story of Sita, will never forget the fact that Sita was a woman. In Western terms it would be like reading Shakespeare and then asking whether Juliette was a woman or a man. This is exactly what happened in Washington. Even before Prime Minister arrived in Delhi, everyone know what the agenda would be—Bharati gripes against Pakistan on terror.

Mr. Manmohan didn’t realise that each time he mentioned Mumbai and terror in the same breath, it took millions of Dollars away from business in the commercial capital of Bharat. However he along with Sancho Panza in Delhi persisted in the old story of terror and why Pakistan should be sanctioned, blah blah blah.

After the long discussion, the congratulatory interview paid advertisement (interview) with Pakistanphobe Farid Zakaria and others, when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met with President Obama, he wanted to hear mr. Obama threaten, castigate, and scold Pakistan–to Bharati chagrin, the exact opposite happened.

After patiently listening to Bharati whining for the years, Washington essentially ignored Bharat, tripled aid to Pakistan, increase military supplies to Islamabad, and is working on construction a Reconstruction Opportunity Zone (ROZ), and a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Bharat’s arch-enemy.

Obviously Mr. Singh knew all this before he came to Washington. The Bharati lobby had essentially failed to derail the Biden/Kerry-Lugar bill and the amendment letter attached to it watered down or eliminated the Bharati inspired language in the bill.

This picture is very descriptive and worth a thousand words—as Mr. Singh “stood rapt withal”, his stone faced silence, drooping face and stoic demeanour was unable to hide the disappointment–when he heard President Obama snubbed the Bharati Prime Minister by loudly proclaiming that Pakistan was a very important ally of the United States and that it was doing a lot in fighting terror.

Mr. Singh will have a lot to answer for when he returns to Delhi–the opposition will tear him apart on why he was unsuccessful in his mission–maligning Pakistan

In a press conference with the Indian PM, the US president emphasised that Pakistan was progressing against extremism. —Photo by AFP

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama on Tuesday re-emphasised Pakistan’s key position in the American strategy for South Asia, telling a joint news conference with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that Islamabad had an enormously important role in the security of that region.

His statement, in response to a question about US military assistance to Pakistan, was a calculated departure from the tributes he had paid to India earlier.

In remarks delivered before the news conference, Mr Obama described India as ‘indispensable’ for his visions for the future of the world, ‘a leader in Asia and around the world,’ and a ‘nuclear power’ with which the United States would like to work ‘in preventing the spread of the world’s most deadly weapons, securing loose nuclear materials from terrorists, and pursuing our shared vision of a world without nuclear weapons.’

While Mr Obama continued this eulogy in the press conference as well, he paused to stress Pakistan’s importance in the South Asian region when an Indian journalist spoke about the perception that US military aid to Pakistan was misused against India.

‘Obviously, Pakistan has an enormously important role in the security of the region,’ said Mr Obama, adding that Islamabad could fulfil this role ‘by making sure that the extremist organisations that often operate out of its territories are dealt with effectively.’

I have gained confidence that there’s not an important question out there that has not been asked that we haven’t answered to the best of our abilities, the US president said. —Photo by AFP

While acknowledging that Pakistan faced the problem of terrorism, Mr Obama said he also had ‘seen some progress’ in Islamabad’s efforts to fight the militancy.

While Prime Minister Singh was bush playing victim in Washington, his Chief of Staff General Kapoor, suffering from Foot-in-mouth-disease was busy displaying his incompetence by threatening war to its nuclear armed neighbors.

Stephen Cohen a known Indophile who created the now debunked “Cold Start Strategy” has clearly said that the India and the US are strategically moving apart. This assessment comes in the wake of the reality that America’s new banker is not New York—it is Beijing. Prime Minister Manamohan Singh sheepishly mentioned this anomaly during his various conversations in Washington and elsewhere. While the chest thumping on democracy fell on deaf ears, what chagrined the prime minister and Bharati media was the fact that the US has ignored Delhi’s whining on Mumbai. Contrary to the lobbying efforts of Delhi, the US Congress tripled aid to Pakistan, and then some—it is also working on ROZ and a FTA with Pakistan. Unbeknownst to Delhi, the US Army has helped the generals in Islamabad with weapons that are under the radar or press and or media scrutiny.

‘The work that the Pakistan military is doing in the Swat Valley and in South Waziristan all indicates the degree to which they are beginning to recognise that extremism, even if initially directed to the outside, can ultimately also have an adverse impact on their security internally,’ he said.

‘So my hope is that over time what we’re going to see is further clarity and further cooperation between all the parties and all peoples of goodwill in the region to eradicate terrorist activity, to eradicate the kind of violent extremism that we’ve seen.’

Such cooperation, he said, would benefit the peoples of Pakistan and India, and the world community as well.

Mr Obama conceded that in the past the US-Pakistan relationship was ‘single-mindedly focussed just on military assistance’ and that the United States didn’t think more broadly about how to encourage and develop the kinds of civil society in Pakistan that would make a difference in the lives of people day-to-day.

His administration, Mr Obama added, had tried to change this approach by re-focussing its attention on helping the Pakistani people.

Showing more diplomatic skill than some of his senior diplomats, President Obama also nudged India and Pakistan to resume their dialogue without appearing intrusive.

‘One of the things I admire most about Prime Minister Singh is that I think at his core he is a man of peace,’ said Mr Obama before stressing the need for a peaceful resolution of India-Pakistan disputes.

‘Obviously, there are historic conflicts between India and Pakistan. It is not the place of the United States to try to, from the outside, resolve all those conflicts,’ he said.

Pakistan has important role in S. Asia: Obama

General Thanksgiving
by the PRESIDENT
of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God, to obey His will — to be grateful for His benefits — and humbly to implore His protection and favor : And whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY of PUBLIC THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness :”

NOW, THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be : That we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war ; —  for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed ; — for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of Government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted ; — for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge ;—  and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions ; — to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually ; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have show kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

George Washington

© Tony Powell. Jessalynn Medairy. 11.25.09

An unlikely set of circumstances led to my introduction to top-ranked pole dancer and Pole Pressure studio owner Jessalynn Medairy last week which culminated today in one of the most productive and meaningful photo shoots I’ve ever organized. Productive in that Jessalynn has a work ethic similar to mine and meaningful as it proved to be the right time, the right place, and the right person with which to attempt a fully bare-body outdoor shoot. I’m preparing new work for an exhibit, in the new year, of my large-scale photography, and some of these images are prime candidates for the show.

© Tony Powell. Jessalynn Medairy. 11.25.09

We almost didn’t meet. After a long night of shooting for Tiffany & Co. in Tyson’s Corner last Saturday, I remembered that my friend Lani Hay had invited me to Jayne Sandman’s 30th birthday party  at the The Rookery. I really wanted to celebrate with Jayne and also to hear (Lani’s husband) Mark T. Smith, Jay Scott, and (Jayne’s husband) Jeff Dufour’s rock band, which headlined the B-day bash – but my body was asking to get some sleep. I’m glad that better thinking prevailed.

© Tony Powell. Jessalynn Medairy. 11.25.09

When I arrived, the band was already in high gear and the place was a sea of familiar faces and friends: Holidae Hayes, Winston Lord, Amanda and Curtis Polk, Susanna Quinn, Cindy and Evan Jones, Lindsay Czarniak, Jessica Gibson, Patrick Gavin, Lee Brenner, and Alexe Nowakowski.

I spied a petite blonde hanging out with Sharon Yang and something about her screamed that she was someone I needed to know. I later discover that she was none other than Sharon’s pole dance teacher, Jessalynn Medairy, among the top 12 pole dancers in the US for 2009 and in the top 15 for 2010.

© Tony Powell. Jessalynn Medairy. 11.25.09

The woman has NO inhibitions – and that distinction shone through, lending the resulting images we created an immediacy that only authenticity can provide. She IS her art and, at least for the 4 hours we were together, we breathed as one. I can’t remember a time when I was more in sync with the person in front of my lens than with Jessalynn. Shooting started early in the afternoon –  indoors at the Carriage House Studio, home of the DC Photographers Coop – near 9th and O Sts. The 9 .5 foot tension-based pole she brought with her was securely erected within minutes – snugly fitting between floor and ceiling, providing the necessary support for the myriad moves she executed over an over again.

As luck would have it the rain stopped as soon as we finished in the studio so we headed over to Rock Creek Park to a secluded area near The Nature Center. We were able to get in a hundred shots of what I really wanted to shoot: the bare form in space, outdoors, in nature. We erected her portable stage and 10 foot pole right there in the middle of the woods. My strobes were being powered outside by one of two sine wave inverters that I own, which gives me roughly 300-400 full power bursts of light with as many lights as needed, attached. The only disadvantage of working with an inverter is not being able to use the modeling light on a strobe head for any length of time, as the battery will deplete quickly or worse yet, the inverter can become damaged.

© Tony Powell. Jessalynn Medairy. 11.25.09

An additional sign of support from the Universe came in the form of the Sun – it showed it’s face the second I was set up and ready to take my first shot. That bit of Sun changed everything for the better so the portable lighting was repositioned to allow the Sun to be my rim light. We’ve planned our second shoot together once she returns from an International pole dance tour of England and France.

She’s heading to Europe today for a week of competitions, teaching, and workshops. A dancer, choreographer, and teacher of dance myself, I found the newness of her very specific movement style intriguing, forever expanding my limited conception of movement and portraiture.

 

US Forces in Afghanistan

The United States of America is trying to persuade its NATO partners to commit 10,000 additional troops for Afghanistan as part of President Obama’s strategy for the region. President Obama previously indicated a quick close to the Afghanistan war. A formal strategy on Afghanistan is expected to emerge by next week. Sources also reported possible addition U.S. troop deployment to the tune of 35,000 in 2010. U.S. has currently about 71,000 troops stationed in Afghanistan.

While U.S. is trying to get allies commitment on 10,000 troops reports suggest that the allies are willing to provide fewer than half that number. NATO allies are not ready to commit more resources due to the growing unpopularity of the Afghanistan war in their nations as well as concerns around charges of corruption on President Karzai’s government.

U.S administration is hoping to get NATO allies to commit forces to supplement the planned 40,000 troop deployment target. This would help reduce the criticism that the Obama administration is facing on troop deployment as well as ease the pressure on already stretched military forces.

Among NATO allies, Britain is already facing internal criticism and seems reluctant to add forces. The British government is facing a opinion poll that suggests that 70% people favor early withdrawal as the nation has already lost 97 soldiers in Afghanistan this year.

Germany and France are also shying away from any further commitments to the war. The support for war is now so low in the two European nations that they can reportedly, barely maintain current troop levels. Among other prominent partners, the Netherlands and Canada have already begun chalking out exit plans.

The only nations who seem committed to add forces are Poland, Italy and Georgia. Georgia is a NATO entry aspirant and is planning to add one company of troops in 2010. While the talks are on some military analysts seem skeptical about the idea of supplementing U.S. forces with small contingents from other nations. They suggest that this sort of an arrangement with mixed forces may not yield the results that a single force may be able to achieve. They believe that the forces of other nations are not as well matched as their U.S. counterparts in skills and ammunitions.

While the allies deliberate, U.S. will unveil its Afghanistan strategy on Tuesday. NATO foreign ministers are scheduled to meet in Brussels on the next Thursday and Friday to discuss Afghanistan though troop commitments are not likely to be discussed in detail before the upcoming so-called Force-generation Conference on Dec. 7, in Brussels.

NowPublic

Congratulations to the America people.  You have successfully elected the one person that can, and will, completely destroy the Constitution.  Thanks to electing Obama, we are losing all our freedoms one by one.  The government now controls our energy usage thanks to Cap and Trade.  The government now controls our thoughts and the expression of those thoughts thanks to the Hate Crimes legislation.  The government will soon control our choice of doctors, medical procedures, and general lifestyles thanks to the health reform bill.

 Is this the change that you wanted America?  For all the faults that George Bush had, he wasn’t intentionally trying to destroy the foundation of this nation.  Obama is doing this on purpose.  Having grown up surrounded by communists he was doomed to at least lean in that direction.  So it is no surprise that with every situation that comes up, he looks to his communistic philosophies for the answer.  In every case, he is wrong.  Communism does not work.  Just look at the fall of the Soviet Union and the horrible conditions in Cuba as examples of how bad communism can turn out.  Even China has started to implement more capitalistic solutions to problems because the old communistic approach doesn’t work.

 I read an article this past week about a “Constitutional Congress” meeting in Illinois.  This meeting had a lot of people with a large range of differing philosophies, but one major goal.  They want to preserve the original intent of our founding fathers.  They want to resurrect the Constitution.  They drafted a document that restricts the federal government from stealing our freedoms.  Especially our freedom of speech, religion, and gun ownership.  The document also calls the Patriot Act unconstitutional along with all these energy initiatives and the health care reform.  I agree with most of what they came up with but I don’t understand how it can make a difference.  Unless the American people start demanding that their representatives actually represent them in Washington, congress will just keep doing what they have been doing this past year.  How can we actually implement and ratify the document that was produced?

 The only solutions to our issues are voting out the current representatives or impeaching them.  I think we need to start impeachment proceedings.  Maybe if one or two get impeached, the rest will finally start to pay attention.  I would prefer to vote them out of office, but that would mean putting up with a lot of them for another couple of years. 

 The only other possibility is the Supreme Court.  If our current justices would actually do their job, none of these pieces of legislation would make it into law.  Since every single one of these bills undermines something in the constitution, the Supreme Court needs to strike them down and declare them unconstitutional.  But they have made it abundantly clear that they do not want to hear anymore cases related to our first amendment rights.  They recently chose not to hear a case concerning a valedictorian’s right to mention God in their commencement speech.  By refusing this case, they allowed a blatant violation of an individual’s right to free speech.  This is inexcusable.

 Our country is in a world of hurt right now and unless we act soon to take our country back from these communists, we will lose our country for good.  Come on people wake up and fight for this country and the constitution.

Billions of dollars of US taxpayers’ money have been used to advance the cause of Palestinian terror groups against Israel by raising a new generation of young Arabs ready to be recruited for «martyrdom».

US Secretary of state Hillary Clinton at an USAID conference.

In an interview with Arutz 7 Radio, journalist David Bedein said his recent investigations had revealed that Palestinian school textbooks continue to praise the use of terrorist violence against Jews and to deny the legitimacy of the State of Israel.

Those textbooks and the schoolhouses where they are used have been largely paid for by USAID, an American government-funded international aid program that has pumped USD 2.4 billion into the Palestinian Authority over the past decade.

According to USAID, those funds have been used to «reduce poverty, improve health and education, create jobs and advance democracy». But a USAID official admitted to Bedein that his agency does not check the PA school curriculum it is funding to make sure it complies with the terms of the US-backed peace process.

Incitement to hatred and the encouragement of violence in school textbooks is a violation of Israel’s existing agreements with the Palestinians and the US-authored «Road Map» to peace.

Several high-ranking US congressional leaders as well as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have chided the Palestinians in the past over the venomous textbooks, but have thus far failed to take any punitive action, or to at least reduce pressure on Israel until the Palestinians comply with their peace commitments.

USAID says it plans to invest another $153 million in US taxpayers’ money into the Palestinian education system in 2010.

Source: Israeli Magazine, Israel Today.

I arrived in Bellevue on Saturday after driving through the Cascades in a snowstorm (which was dangerous, yes, but very beautiful).  I really like the apartment.  It’s far away from the UW campus, which is a shame and will cost me a small fortune in bus fare, but it has just enough room.  The decor is either Ikea furniture or boxes of Ikea furniture at the moment, but we’re working on getting everything organized.  We’re both SUPER excited to decorate (candles, pictures, plants, etc.) and I can’t wait to put up this little Christmas tree I bought on clearance last year.

This coming week, I’m going to go to the campus and am going to try to talk my way into classes that I want to take to get adequate preparation for grad school.  I’m hoping for a Latin class, a “Bible as Literature” class, some kind of medieval lit class, and a medieval history class.  Art and religion would be great, too.  Or Old/Middle English.  Something to keep me busy and to help me feel prepared for the road ahead.

Sammy, by the way, was actually pretty good during the long roadtrip.  The first day was an adventure, though!  She climbed her way up into a tree at a rest stop when I took her out to stretch her legs a bit, and it took Mom, a very nice trucker, and me about 30 minutes to get her down.  Then, even though she had plenty of time during the day when I took her out to walk, she, uh, made a mess in her crate.  That was fun…  But, even though the first day was a little too exciting for my taste, the following days were fairly boring and uneventful.  Mom and I had a few altercations (which tends to happen), but I think we parted on good terms.  It seems her fear of letting me go was adding to her stress and making it hard to be relaxed and calm.

I have to be off to make pumpkin cookies and to put together our new dining table.  I hope that anyone reading this has a lovely Thanksgiving (or, if not a Turkey Day fan, a wonderful Thursday and weekend)!

P.S.  Congratulations to my friend, Alicia, who won a research grant and will be in Greece in January!  I hope God is good to me like that and helps me achieve my European dreams.  Below is a picture from Burghley House’s sculpture garden.  It helps me remember to see the positive in everything, even when things aren’t going my way.

Eye at Burghley House

The White House announced today that President Obama will travel to Copenhagen, Denmark to deliver a speech on December 9 to the United Nations’ meeting on climate change.  They indicated that the President will then pledge to cut the United States’ greenhouse gas emissions “in the range of 17% below 2005 levels by 2020“.

Given that the neither President or anyone else could possibly understand the implications of such a pledge to the Untied States, this is but one more commitment made by knuckleheads in Washington without concern for the unintended consequences.

OK, let’s start with a few simple questions.  What will the President’s pledge do to the cost of energy in this country?  What will the pledge mean for jobs in the United States?  What will the pledge do to the production of food in this country?  Who and how will we pay for the pledge?  The questions are endless; however the politicians who make such promises with other-peoples’-money will not be around to pay the price.

To add insult to injury, no one has informed the American people what a 17% reduction in our emissions will do to total CO2 total levels in the atmosphere or how it will affect global warming.  Given that the majority of growth of CO2 emissions is coming from China, India and the third world, such details just might get in the way of logical thinking.

It is ironic that the President travels to Copenhagen in the largest private jet in the world, spewing out tons of CO2 and then lectures the rest of us about curbing carbon output.  When you consider that during the same trip the President will collect an award, the Nobel Prize for Peace, when no peace has been made, helps put the logic of all this into perspective.

Sherie and Ross’ engagement session

location:    Thomas Jefferson memorial and FDR memorial    Washington, D.C.

photographers:    Borrowed Blue Photography

The President pardons the turkey…and so do I….

Happy Thanksgivings Day to all of my followers and supporterss…I could not do this without you….lol.