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New Allegations Of VA Cover-up; Democrats Debate Joining Benghazi Probe; American Help Arrives In Search For Girls; Putin May Celebrate Russian Pride In Crimea; Sterling's Wife Wants to Keep Clippers

Aired May 9, 2014 - 06:00   ET

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Did a V.A. hospital cook the books as veterans waited months for care?

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Benghazi boycott, as Republicans form a special committee to investigate the attack that killed four Americans. This morning Democrats are deciding whether to play defense or simply boycott the panel entirely. One of the lawmakers making that decision joins us live.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Not for sale. Donald sterling apparently speaking out for the first time since getting a lifetime ban from the NBA, but it is his wife who may hold all the cards which is shaping up to be an epic fight.

CUOMO: Your NEW DAY starts right now.

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan, and Michaela Pereira.

CUOMO: Good morning. Welcome to NEW DAY. It is Friday, May 9th, 6:00 in the east. Up first, if you care about veterans please pay attention. We have new evidence of deadly delays and deception at the V.A. Clerks at a V.A. hospital in San Antonio are accused of cooking the books to hide dangerously long treatment delays.

The kind of delays that are being blamed for at least 40 patient deaths at V.A. facilities. The department's embattled secretary, Eric Shinseki ordering face to face audits at every single V.A. clinic while he himself faces a subpoena from the House and growing calls to step down.

Let's bring in Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr. Barbara, good morning and what is the latest?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Chris. Well, so far President Obama standing by Eric Shinseki, himself a veteran of Vietnam, saying that he has confidence in him. But make no mistake Shinseki is embattled. Now he has ordered in his own department for the first time, a face to face audit of all the VA clinics looking into this question, were there secret wait lists where veterans made to wait for appointments that nobody recorded the delays and veterans may have died over all of this.

The House has subpoenaed Shinseki to come before the Veterans Affairs Committee. They want to see e-mails, they want to see all communications about this issue. Much of it first reported by our own Drew Griffin. The Senate, they have not subpoenaed him, but he will appear before the Senate next week to testify.

If you wondered about the scope of this, there are 23 million veterans in this country. The U.S. government has always made an unfettered vow to serve and protect them and provide for their health care -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: How are they going to continue that going forward? That is the key question, especially in the face of these allegations. Barbara, thank you very, very much.

So this morning House Democrats, they are meeting on whether to join a new committee on Benghazi. Lawmakers approved Thursday the new investigation into the attack that left four Americans dead. Many Democrats are calling the committee itself and the investigation a political witch hunt. But does that mean that they should boycott it all together? That's the question.

And also this question, what does this have to do now with the former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton? Joining us to discuss, CNN political commentator and Republican consultant, Margaret Hoover, and CNN political analyst and senior political writer at "Politico," Maggie Haberman joining us in D.C. Good morning to both of you.

Margaret, tell me first. We've got Republicans saying that despite all the investigations and all the hearings and everything that's been going on, on the Hill regarding Benghazi they still have key questions and so they are putting this committee together to investigate. Democrats say this is all political show. Which is it?

MARGARET HOOVER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Look, whatever it is it's become a partisan joke.

BOLDUAN: Flash point.

HOOVER: It's a flash point. It's a partisan joke. It's a rallying point. Certainly after 13 hearings so far it doesn't appear that it's anything more than a political -- look. It seems very much like a political witch hunt. There are a lot of things at which you can get the Obama administration and Hillary's tenure at the State Department that you can point to as questionable, especially most recently this failure to designate Boko Haram as a terrorist organization in light of her going after 300 Nigerian girls back. Look, it's a flash point. I don't see a lot of it there.

BOLDUAN: Also, let's not be holier than thou and speak of the reality of Capitol Hill. Political theater is just kind of par for the course. It is what happens on Capitol Hill. Press conferences are held just in order to say we held a press conference and committee hearings are held just to say we sat here and we held a committee hearing, Maggie. But what do you think of the Democrats' decision now this time. They are considering boycotting and one of the reasons behind this consideration is the fact they don't think there's enough equity on the panel. They think they need more seats on this committee. The majority always has more seats on these kinds of panels. What do you make of it?

MAGGIE HABERMAN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: It's not surprising that Democrats are considering boycotting this, as Margaret said, this is being looked at as a strict partisan maneuver. Remember this committee was created along a very strict partisan line vote. Democrats are in a bit of a bind. If they boycott this committee, they don't have a say at all. If things go very badly, then that could be a problem. If they do just one seat or two seats, then that's problematic.

BOLDUAN: Is boycotting a good idea though, if you're not in the ring you can't win the fight. If you're not there at all you can't defend your own position, right?

HABERMAN: That's what they're looking at and that's what their consideration is. There are members of leadership who very much want to be in the ring fighting, not just the obvious talking about the Hillary Clinton piece of it. That's just a piece of it. There is also the reality the other party in Congress and they feel like they ought to be there holding their own. They genuinely believe this is a as far as and they believe this is not, as Margaret said, the latest in a series of hearings that is not going to drudge up anything new. That's their view.

BOLDUAN: And Margaret, what's your take on -- the Republicans are taking a lot of heat right now over the NRCC. This is the congressional campaign arm. Fundraising off of this committee, off of the whole situation in Benghazi, what happened there? The guy in charge of the committee now says they should not be fundraising off of it, but regardless, it has happened, it is happening. Is that a huge misstep, fly in the face of their argument this isn't political?

HOOVER: It's a political cycle. The Democrats are always going to fund raise off of something that happens, too. This is what happens in political realms. Unfortunately, this is what happens. It generates media and a lot of small dollar donations that goes to the bases, especially in states like Troy Gowdy of South Carolina where you have really strong red states and fervent Republican base.

BOLDUAN: Does it work though, Maggie?

HABERMAN: Margaret's right. There's two conflicting impulses here. On one hand, the negative press here that when John Boehner got asked about this the other day this is not what he wanted to talk about. But on the other hand, this does generate a lot of low dollar contributions. This does up the fundraising base. They are ultimately looking at winning this November and that's what their goal is.

BOLDUAN: One quick question. Clearly one of the things here, Maggie, they're trying to make this connection to Hillary Clinton. She is finally have spoken out about the committee. She spoke about it this week. What do you think about her response so far, do you think she's going to have to say more and do you think she's going to be called to the committee and obviously do you think that she's going to be called to the committee and she'll go?

HABERMAN: There's a chance. Ultimately she's going to have to say more because this is going to be ongoing. The big question right now is what's going to happen in terms of her book? She addresses Benghazi in her book. The book is coming out in a couple of weeks. The events are going to overlap. She was pretty briefed the other day. She addressed it at the top of an event in New York at the Ford Foundation.

Clearly wanted to discuss this. Robin Roberts was interviewing her, brought it up right away. Her response was a couple of sentences. She's clearly going to have to say more, especially if something does come out of this committee. If she doesn't, she will say as little as she can for as long as she can.

HOOVER: Exactly. I couldn't agree more with Maggie. She's going to be in very safe, very comfortable places where she can say exactly what she wants to and no more and nobody is going to push her to say more until she gets closer and closer to making exploratory committee or running. The rubber is not going to hit the road for Hillary Clinton until she decides to make that step.

BOLDUAN: You have two conflicting things going on here. We got to wrap it up. You have the hearing happening and then you have the reality of what are the American people going to be getting out of it. I don't think those two things actually coincide yet. I haven't seen a compelling reason. If this is really a political cycle and really is kind of political theater, what are they going to get out of it? Republicans think they will find answers, we will see. First, we have to see if Democrats will show up to the committee. Maggie, Margaret, thank you so much -- Chris.

CUOMO: Let's turn now to the search for hundreds of missing girls in Nigeria where American help has finally arrived. That's the good news. Seven military experts are set to land today to support a team of advisers already on the ground for a search that may now have to stretch to neighboring Cameroon.

Here's the latest development. We are now hearing from girls believed to have escaped the mass kidnapping. Let's check in with CNN's Vladimir Duthiers. He has the latest from Nigeria. Vlad, what do we know?

VLADIMIR DUTHIERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Chris. Well, for the parents in Chibok, this is their worst fears realized. The fact that their daughters may not be in Nigeria any longer. We're learning more about what life is like in Chibok under veil in the threat of Boko Haram. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DUTHIERS (voice-over): Boko Haram's campaign of terror, shocking the world into action. Global outrage over the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls and the Nigerian government's inability to subdue their captors' mayhem. The country's president vowing the abduction will be the group's undoing.

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN, NIGERIA: I believe that the kidnap of this girls will be the beginning of end of terror in Nigeria.

DUTHIERS: Pledges of help in the fight against Boko Haram from the United States and other governments are gaining traction.

DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We should be clear, this is not just a Nigerian issue. It is a global issue. There are extreme Islamists around our world who are against education, against progress, against equality, and we must fight them and take them on wherever they are.

DUTHIERS: A team of seven United States military personnel consisting of law enforcement experts and military advisers expected to arrive today joining a team already on the ground. France is sending a small specialized team to help as is Britain. But the task of rescuing the girls growing more complex with news that U.S. intelligence believes they may have been split up, moved out of Nigeria and into neighboring countries.

GORDON BROWN, FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: It's really vital to use the next few days before they are dispersed across Africa, which is a possibility.

DUTHIERS: Many fear the worse for the girls, still missing three weeks after being abducted by the terrorist group. Its leader threatening to sell them into sex slavery. These two girls know all too well the brutality of Boko Haram, recalling how they escaped the fate of their classmates. They described the frightening moments when Boko Haram stormed their school.

This girl says the militants threatened to kill them if they didn't tell them where the food was, and then burned the school to the ground. This girl says they forced her and the classmates into the bush, threatening their lives. She started running, she says. Finally reaching help.

DUTHIERS: And, Kate, CNN cannot independently verify the authenticity of the video, but compelling glimpses of life in Chibok -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: Vlad, thank you so very much.

Let's go to Russia now where national pride and military might are on full display as the country marks a major World War II victory. President Vladimir Putin is celebrating victory day with an elaborate parade in Moscow then reportedly heading to Crimea to continue the festivities. Yes, Crimea, which has Ukraine on high alert over concerns the celebrations could spark more violence than they're seeing in the region already.

Phil Black is in Crimea right now with much more. What are they expecting, Phil?

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, as you mentioned, President Putin started victory day with the annual really quite intimidating display of Russian military might in the Red Square. And if the reports were correct, we believed he is now making his way here to Sevastopol at the south of Crimea. We are seeing here they cheered for a big military parade through the streets here, chancing, waving Russian flags.

And from here the party, the celebration is only supposed to get even bigger. Behind me we're going to see a display by warships from the Russian naval black sea fleet. President Putin is expected to be here to see it. It's not confirmed because the Kremlin hasn't said he is coming, but if he does it will be an act of defiance from to the international community who has condemned him so severely for annexing Crimea.

But it is likely to be welcomed, very warmly by the crowds here in Crimea and to a significant extent across Russia as well by people who have always believed that Crimea is an unquestionable part of the Russian federation. Michaela, back to you.

PEREIRA: Phil Black in Crimea with the latest on the situation there, thank you.

Let's take a look at more of your headlines now. The Syrian government is retaking the city of Homs. Most rebel forces and their families reportedly have been evacuated marking the end of three years of resistance in Syria's third largest city. Homs fell to the opposition in 2011, but a relentless bombardment campaign over the last two years by government troops has the city back in the control of the Assad regime.

A plan to end the NSA's bulk collection of American's phone data will head to the House floor in the coming weeks. The U.S. Freedom Act was passed unanimously by the House Intelligence Committee Thursday following a unanimous vote by the Judiciary Committee. The bill would bar the bulk collection of phone and other personal records and require the NSA to get a judge's permission to access the data of suspected terrorists.

President Obama is set to talk energy efficiency at a California Walmart today. This comes after his speech at the DNC reception in San Jose last night where he was repeatedly interrupted by an audience member.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I want to hear from you. I love you back. Yes, you kind of screwed up my ending, but that's OK. That's OK. And we got free speech in this country, which is great, too.

PEREIRA: The heckler was yelling about his freedoms as a voter. No word on that person's identity.

Draft day's biggest drama finally ended when Johnny Football went to the Cleveland Browns with the 22nd pick of the first round. Brown traded up four spots to get Johnny Manziel. As most experts predicted, Clowney was number one in the draft by the Houston Texans. More in this coming up in our "Bleacher Report" with Mr. Andy Scholes. Big day for Andy too. We'll talk about that.

Right now, let's get to meteorologist, Indra Petersons looking at some of the forecast for the weekend. But really a situation there tornadoes again spotted. Severe weather this year.

INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I mean, we're still talking about severe weather. These are the sights we saw yesterday out towards Minnesota. Yesterday, six tornado reports out there, including this one in southern Minnesota. And today, that threat is not over with just yet.

Let's talk about who is under the gun today. We're talking about 27 million of you again today. Indianapolis, St. Louis, Memphis, Little Rock, Shreveport and even San Antonio. All of you are looking at that risk for severe weather, not as heavy as yesterday but still we cannot rule out the threat of even a tornado today.

So, what is going on? We have the warm front and the cold front. So, the Northeast seeing light showers and the warm front are going to be looking at more heavier thunderstorms watching the cold front today.

Temperature-wise, they're going to be going up in the Midwest and East Coast. New York City going from 60s to 80s by tomorrow. It's going to feel hot, humid, and muggy out there. Notice, by tomorrow the Eastern half of the country getting into the showers. But in Midwest, you get a break for one day.

Now, we go into Mother's Day. Yes, it clears out of the Northeast. You stay warm but also the showers into the Southeast and unfortunately back into the Midwest again. The second line of storms is going to be moving in and this one unfortunately is going to be another round of severe weather so by Sunday from Chicago all of the way back down through San Angelo we're going to talk about another round of heavy thunderstorms on Mother's Day.

So, hopefully, nobody has any travel problems to go home and see mom.

PEREIRA: Or get back from seeing mom. One or the other.

BOLDUAN: That's fine. You get stuck a little bit longer.

PETERSONS: Mom will like that.

BOLDUAN: Exactly. Every mother praying for the thunderstorms.

Thanks so much. Coming up next on NEW DAY: impassioned plea from the families of Flight 370 passengers. What are they demanding this morning? The partner of one of the American passengers on board joins us to lay it out.

CUOMO: And a new twist in the fight for control of the L.A. Clippers. Donald Sterling's wife, she insists she owns 50 percent of the team and she's not selling. So what does the NBA do now?

BOLDUAN: Welcome back to NEW DAY.

The L.A. Clippers return to action tonight for game three of their NBA playoff series with Oklahoma City Thunder. But the real drama, of course, continues off the court. The league's effort to force owner Donald Sterling to sell the Clippers has gotten even more complicated with Sterling's wife now saying she'll fight to keep her stake in the team.

At the very same time, another secret recording reportedly of Sterling -- Donald Sterling, that is -- has emerged.

More on that from CNN's Stephanie Elam.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a shocking new audio recording, a man said to be Clippers' owner Donald Sterling stands his ground. Sterling says he's not a racist -- in a secret recording posted by gossip Web site "Radar Online".

DONALD STERLING: You think I'm a racist? You think I have anything of the world but love for everybody? You don't think that. You know I'm not a racist.

ELAM: CNN cannot independently confirm the voice is Sterling. Radar says the call was between Sterling and a long-time friend and that their source provided an affidavit that the proof was Sterling.

STERLING: I mean, how can you think I'm a racist knowing me all these years? How can you be in this business and be a racist? Do you think I tell the coach to get white players or to get the best player he can get?

ELAM: Sterling's outrage an apparent response to a fallout over another recording posted on line last month. And that audio, Sterling is making racist comments in a conversation with V. Stiviano.

The harsh words apparently triggered by this Instagram photo of her with NBA star Magic Johnson.

STERLING: It breaks my heart that Magic Johnson, you know, a guy -- a guy that I respect so much, wouldn't stand up and say, well, let's get the facts, let's get him and talk to him. Nobody tried. Nobody.

ELAM: This as the NBA's finance committee is deliberating on a for sale of the team.

STERLING: You can't force someone to sell property in America. Well, I'm a lawyer. That's my opinion.

ELAM: Shelly Sterling, Donald's estranged wife, wants to keep her half of the team.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The truth of the matter is that Mrs. Sterling has denounced in the strongest terms possible her husband's racist comments. And while they share business, you know, business properties, he's out of the team, has nothing to do with it, and she's the owner in charge.

ELAM: Stephanie Elam, CNN, Los Angeles.

CUOMO: All right. So, will these tapes make a difference and how about this complication? Who exactly owns the Clippers and what the league can do about it?

Let's bring in Malik Rose, two time NBA champ and game analyst for Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, and Sean Gregory, senior writer for "TIME" magazine, and TIME.com.

Gentlemen, good to have you here.

Sean, what's your take on hearing Sterling there? Let's assume it's him.

SEAN GREGORY, "TIME MAGAZINE": Yes, not surprised. He's defending himself. It was the kind of thing you would expect from him if you were interviewing him or I were interviewing him.

You know, he's saying he has good in his heart. He's grown up in an adverse environment. But again, on the other side, we have what he said and hearing is believing. So, you have to kind of take both and make up your opinion for him.

CUOMO: Move the needle for you at all or no?

GREGORY: I mean, I think -- it's not that he's an evil man, there's all evil in his heart it seems. But again, you say one thing and you say another thing and it sounds like he's just trying to protect himself here.

CUOMO: Malik?

MALIK ROSE, FORMER NBA PLAYER: I think it's kind of laughable that the tape came out right now a week after he said so many heinous and disgusting comments to the contrary. I mean, I don't believe in the tape one iota and, you know, I have documents that I've researched and lawsuits that say what kind of man this is. And this tape isn't going to change that one way.

CUOMO: And now let's get to this other issue here, which is, let's say the league decides we don't want him, OK? It doesn't matter about the tape, it doesn't matter what we learn about him, we want him out of our club.

What do you think about this complication, Malik, with the wife? What's your understanding of the she's the owner, does that change the equation for the league?

ROSE: I don't know it changes it for the league as far as wanting regime change in Clipper land in L.A. It makes things difficult, absolutely, but the league as well as the NBA Players Union were prepared for this. This is the first step in a long set of moves to for the Sterlings to thwart this sale.

But the bottom line is the league can and will act to force the sale of this team. It's just going to be a matter of time as to when this gets done.

CUOMO: What's your understanding? Do you think it's as cut and dried as that?

GREGORY: Yes, it's a country club. And the franchise agreements and the bylaws say that once a decision is made, a decision is final. That's not going to stop Donald Sterling to try and get a judge involved and try to get divorce proceedings to get other lawyers involved.

So, as Malik said, it could be a protracted process but I don't think it's going to change anything.

CUOMO: The fact that it is a club. The fact that it is membership based is clear.

What are the provisions not to take membership not as clear. I think that it's going to be more complicated than people assume, Malik. Not because of the basis for it. I'm not saying what he said isn't bad. I'm saying I don't think it's as clear as we may suspect.

ROSE: No, it may not be as clear but the rules state that the league has a right to act when the -- when it's threatened or the brand is threatened. Right now, with the Sterlings being involved with the team, players are already on record, you've heard Doc Rivers --

CUOMO: Yes, Doc Rivers, tell them what Doc Rivers said.

ROSE: Basically saying it's going to be very hard for anybody to want to be a part of that organization as long as Sterlings are still involved. What that does is it still keeps the black cloud over the Clippers.

We've seen what's with Kia and Virgin Airlines and all the -- you know, State Farm and all the advertisers leaving the clippers. They're going to start to leave the NBA if the Sterlings are allowed to stay there. Once the advertisers leave, it's going to be TV revenue that's going to be lost and the TV deal is in jeopardy.

All of this stuff -- the global expansion the NBA what's wants to do, all of that will be in jeopardy, and that's going to compel the owners to act because it starts to mess with the revenue and the revenue sharing that the players and the owners share?

CUOMO: Two quick points to push back. I'll start with you and end with Sean. First one, the idea that this is about being thought police. You are punishing this guy for what he thinks that he believes in a private conversation that wasn't made manifest as far as we know and how he ran the team and now you're taking his property for it. Is that going too far in the name of political correctness?

ROSE: I don't know about the political correctness part but I'll just go back to the rules and the bylaws that this lawyer, former lawyer, Donald Sterling, and his wife Rochelle Sterling, signed in to. They're part of a unique group that is private and it's not really, you know, taking anyone's property. It's what they're doing is threatening a multibillion dollar industry and the other 29 owners in the league, as well as the players, can't have that happen. So that's what's ultimately going to drive this forced sale.

CUOMO: So, you're saying it's not about the right to free speech. It's about that you also have the right to consequences. They're part of a private club. This could be the consequence.

Sean, let me end with you on this -- the idea that Doc Rivers isn't happy. He says I don't know if Shelly being involved is good for the team and the players. I don't know. Do you think this is news to them? Weren't they comfortable taking this man's money before all this?

GREGORY: Yes, they were. And you join the organization but that's your recourse in a way. It's like, OK, I know this guy might be a bad guy. I am going to take his money, you know? He's giving me a job opportunity.

So, it's kind of you play well for him and you represent yourself and, you know, he's not the it greatest guy in the world but you do it for your team and yourself and your fans. You're not playing for your owner. So, yes, a bad guy gives you a great deal, you're going to take that great deal. I have no problem with the Clippers doing that.

CUOMO: All right. Malik Rose? Go ahead.

ROSE: Really quickly, really quickly. As a player, when I played in the NBA from '96 to 2009, I had no idea of all the other stuff, the lawsuits and things going on with the Sterlings. I heard of allegations but I didn't know all of this stuff that I know today was going on. So that's kind of -- it's not known all this stuff that was going on before the players took the Sterlings' money.

CUOMO: Suspicion versus knowing. Malik, thank you very much for that.

Sean Gregory, appreciate it as well.

Kate? BOLDUAN: Coming up next on NEW DAY, open letter from hundreds of the families of Flight 370 passengers demanding to see all the data from Flight 370. What are they hoping to accomplish? We're going to have Sarah Bajc whose partner was on the plane.

And also ahead, controversy erupting at HGTV. The network just scrapped plans for a new series before the first episode even aired. What did the host say that lost them the show? They're going to be joining us to discuss.


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Fluoridation without representation

By James Robert Deal | Dec 26, 2012
James Robert Deal, Lynnwood attorney

In 1991 Everett started adding fluorosilicic acid to its water without consulting with or obtaining the consent of the many other “captive” water districts throughout Snohomish County, those which have no choice but to buy water from Everett, including Mukilteo and Edmonds.

Fluorosilicic acid is a mixture of many compounds and elements. It is the unfiltered scrubber liquor from the wet scrubbers in the smokestacks of phosphate fertilizer plants in Florida, China and Mexico.

It contains or breaks down fluoride ion, hydrogen fluoride, orthosilicic acid, lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium, chromium, copper, thallium, selenium, and barium. Thallium is radioactive and emits beta radiation.

Fluorosilicic acid breaks down into orthosilicic acid, which leaches large amounts of lead from pipes.

Centers for Disease Control admits that 41 percent of children have some level of dental fluorosis, which 12.2 percent of children have fluorosis serious enough to be noticeable, embarrassing and ugly.

Dental flurosis, which can appear as white spots, white streaks, cloudy splotches – and in severe cases – brown stains and pitting, is the permanent damage to the enamel caused by too much fluoride intake during the first eight years of life.

Fluorosilicic acid is an enzyme interrupter. Fetuses and infants are most vulnerable because their cells are still dividing. A recent Harvard study concludes that “children in high fluoride areas had significantly lower IQ scores than those who lived in low fluoride areas.”

Fluoridation causes or worsens arthritis, bone fractures, thyroid disease, kidney disease, heart disease and cancer. The effect is cumulative because the body has trouble excreting fluoride.

Fluoride also combines with aluminum – which is added to Everett water to precipitate dirt – and thus transports aluminum across the blood-brain barrier, where it may cause or worsen Alzheimer’s symptoms.

Fluoridation does little or nothing to reduce tooth decay. The CDC admits that the effects of fluoridation “primarily are topical for both adults and children” and not via consumption of fluoride.

Tooth decay has dropped just as much in non-fluoridated Europe as it has here. The big difference in Europe is that there is little dental fluorosis.

Safe water groups are asking Mukilteo and Edmonds the other “captive” water districts to demand that Everett deliver non-fluoridated water to those districts. Everett has four large pipelines coming down from Sultan, and one or two could be dedicated to carrying safe water.

For links to documents proving assertions made herein, see: http://fluoride-class-action.com/mukilteo-edmonds.

Fluoride Class Action is contesting the lead, arsenic, hydrogen fluoride, silicic acid and fluorosilicic acid added to drinking water.

It is our goal to put water districts, state and federal agencies, and suppliers of fluoridation materials on notice that they are exposed to serious liability for fluoridating drinking water.

It is our goal to force water districts to report these notices of potential liability to their insurance carriers. Insurance companies are not in the business of defending unreasonable and known risks. They will begin to limit and terminate coverage. This may break the logjam and put an end to the foolish practice of water fluoridation.

It is our goal is to create templates that local de-fluoridation groups can use with their own water districts. These will be templates for notices of liability, freedom of information FOIA requests, interrogatories, and lawsuit documents.

It is our goal to inspire class action and consumer protection attorneys to utilize the templates on our website to prepare notices, freedom of information requests, and actual lawsuit documents for use against local water districts.

If you want to prevent your water district from fluoridating or if your water district has already fluoridated, follow the steps outlined at www.Fluoride-Class-Action.com.

Flouride Class Action plans to appear before the Mukilteo and Edmonds city councils soon with hopes that the community will help us move the captive water districts to pressure Everett to quit adding industrial additives to our water. A little bit of poison is not OK.

James Robert Deal is an attorney based in Lynnwood and president of Fluoride Class Action. For more information, go to www.Fluoride-Class-Action.com.

Comments (11)
Posted by: kurt Ferre | Dec 26, 2012 16:25

Mr. Deal has a poor understanding of basic chemistry:

When HFSA is added in a controlled manner to water and the pH is greater than 4.1 (water is near neutral at pH of 7.0), there is complete, I repeat, complete dissociation into the ionic components:  fluoride, hydrogen, and a little silica.  The orthsilic acid mentioned is a bunch of poppycock.

Mr. Deal:  Fluoride ion is a fluoride ion is a fluoride ion.  There is NO difference, regardless of the source.

Environ Sci Technol. 2006 Apr 15;40(8):2572-7.

Reexamination of hexafluorosilicate hydrolysis by 19F NMR and pH measurement.

Finney WF, Wilson E, Callender A, Morris MD, Beck LW.

Mr. Deal is on a one-man crusade to end what the CDC calls "one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th Century"

Posted by: John T Baker | Dec 26, 2012 22:53

This article is written by a lawyer; what more can I say.  Dental fluorosis in children is not caused by the levels of fluoride imparted intentionally to drinking water.  Dental fluorosis does occur occasionally due to natural fluoride which occurs in groundwater in some areas of the country.

Aluminum, while associated with the brain tissue of some Alzheimer patients, has never been identified as a causation factor.  Aluminum is the 3rd most abundant element on the earth and the most abundant metal...it's in the dirt on your carrots and potatoes, for goodness sakes! Even the Alzheimer's Association states "...while there is circumstantial evidence linking this metal with Alzheimer's disease, no causal relationship has yet been proved.  As evidence for other causes continues to grow, a possible link with aluminum seems increasingly unlikely."

This kind of pseudo science is a shame and a sham and continually makes the rounds based on The Internet (where.of course, only truth exists) and the general lack of scientific education in our society.  Guys like Mr. Deal are able to strike just the right tone between a level most people can "think" they understand mixed with some "technical sounding" garbage that most people must take for granted, since they haven't the technical knowledge to really know.  There is no mystery here...this "fluoridation issue" is known science.

Let's hope our crack Mayor and Council dispense with this character quickly.

Posted by: Joe Bloggs | Dec 27, 2012 02:19

Kurt Ferre, it's true that fluoride ions are identical, if you neglect the existence of different isotopes, which is biologically irrelevant in this case. However, the behaviour of silicofluorides is not as simple as you imagine. Read the Main Report at the following address and educate yourself.

The CDC has long been one of the main promoters of water fluoridation, so it's self-accolade should be taken with a grain of salt. Grow up.

John Troy Baker, it has been officially reported that 41% of American 12 to 15-year-olds have dental fluorosis, and an official recommendation has been made that the upper limit for fluoride concentration in artificially fluoridated water be lowered from 1.2 ppm to 0.7 ppm. The idea that such a high rate of dental fluorosis is solely the result of natural fluoride in groundwater is laughable. The evidence for fluoride as a causative factor in Alzheimer's is not as strong as that for some other adverse health effects of fluoride, but it is known that binding with fluoride allows aluminium to readily cross the blood brain barrier.

It's actually the idea that fluoridation is safe and effective which is pseudoscience. Dentists are not toxicologists, and are incapable of carrying out the toxicological research which would be required to demonstrate safety. No double-blind trial has ever demonstrated either the safety or efficacy of fluoridation. When honest and competent senior dentists such as Dr Hardy Limeback and Dr John Colquhoun have examined the evidence, they have discovered that water fluoridation does not reduce the rate of dental caries, and have reversed their position on the practice. It's the dentists and bureaucrats who promote fluoridation who are pseudoscientific, not people such as Dr Arvid Carlsson, joint winner of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Medicine, and the several toxicologists and other real scientists who oppose fluoridation.

Posted by: Matthew Richardson | Dec 27, 2012 22:09

There's been convincing arguments on both sides. However, those who oppose water fluoridation have a significant edge: they have a right to *not* be fluoridated.

Ill go ahead and ignore all the scientific articles on either side for a moment. Taking a flu shot is medically sound, but we dont force people to do it. It's easy for those who want fluoride to just buy fluoride toothpaste and capsules. Governments shouldn't be in the business of forcing medications on people. As history shows us, that is a slippery slope.

Posted by: Joe Bloggs | Dec 28, 2012 00:34

Proponents of fluoridation usually don't make any arguments in its favour. They just say things which amount to "trust us", tell blatant lies such as saying that fluoridation has been proven to be "safe and effective", and use inane insults against their opponents. The arguments which they do occasionally use are extremely poor. For example, their so-called "proof" that fluoridation is effective depends on making very selective comparisons. They conveniently ignore more comprehensive studies which demonstrate that fluoridation is completely ineffective. They also ignore the fact that Japan and several European countries rejected fluoridation in the 1970s, and instead of an increase in the rate of dental caries, there has been a big improvement without water fluoridation. Everyone who actually bothers to examine the evidence comes to the same conclusion: fluoridation is very dangerous, and completely ineffective.

Posted by: James Robert Deal | Dec 30, 2012 08:07

From James Robert Deal:

See my response to John Troy Baker at:

Posted by: James Robert Deal | Dec 30, 2012 08:39

From James Robert Deal:

See my response to Kurt Ferre at:

Posted by: James Robert Deal | Dec 30, 2012 08:43

From James Robert Deal:

Read the Fluoridation Without Representation article online at:

The article contains links to supporting documentation.

Posted by: Richard Sauerheber | Dec 30, 2012 13:33

Mr. Deal understands basic chemistry better than Mr. Ferre does. Deal agrees with Ferre, that fluorosiicic acid diluted at pH 7 is fully dissociated. That was his point. It dissociates into fluoride ion and the weak acid silicic acid (with trace HF) as described by the NRC in 2006. The NMR article cited also confirms this. But the point is that silicic acid is the ingredient involved in the leeching of lead salts in old plumbing as found in Seattle and Everett.  The NMR article also confirmed that a complex, SiF5-, forms at pH below 3, which is a pH common in man and animal stomachs and this complex is assimilated, as is HF, the form of most of the fluoride at stomach pH. And by the way, of course fluoride is fluoride in any substance, but that is an incomplete statement because the toxicity of fluoride is determined by its environment. Calcium fluoride is not a toxic compound, but all industrial fluorides lack calcium and are listed as toxic calcium chelators.  If dentists used calcium fluoride for teeth treatments we would not be so concerned, and we would not have lost chidlren to heart attack who swallowed some fo the gel. Fluoride in the presence of calcium behaves totally differently than fluoride in the absence of calicum, as in fluoride dental gels and as added into Everett water supplies. And ingested fluoride from water produces only 0.02 ppm fluoride ion in saliva to topically bathe teeth (NRC), worthless for dental caries compared to toothpaste with fluoride at 75,000 times higher concentration. Systemic fluoride was ruled ineffective by the CDC in 2001, which is old news for most of us, but not for those who still promote its ingestion. The truth can hurt one's stubbornness, but not acting on the truth can hurt most everyone else.  Fluoride is not listed in any Clinical Chemistry or Nursing or Veterinary Manual as a normal constituent of blood for a very good reason--it isn't.   Richard Sauerheber, Ph.D. Chemistry

Posted by: Richard Sauerheber | Dec 30, 2012 13:58

Mr. Baker claims Deal uses 'pseudoscience' that is a 'sham' and he should be dispensed with? Without Deal many in WA would not know the truth, which is that every city that adds industrial fluoride into its water supplies has increased incidence of dental fluorosis--there are no exceptions. This was published by the fluoride promoter Dr. Pollick in an extensive review article. Who is Mr. Baker? Aluminum and fluoride are more toxic together than either separately (published in Brain Research by Varner and coworkers and confirmed in other labs) because aluminum fluoride complexes form in the acidic stomach (NRC, 2006). Aluminum does not belong in anyone's brain tissue, especially in Alzheimer's victims with abnormal tau protein that binds aluminum.  Without fluoride,  aluminum passes through the GI tract and is efficiently eliminated, thank God. What Baker refers to as sham pseudoscience is the inference that aluminum incorporation into brain is harmless, even in those with Alzheimer's!!  Deal does not claim that Al cause the disease, and the Alz Assoc. does not know itself what actually causes it--no one does. Of course Alzheimer's can occur without incorporated Al. But this does not make aluminum fluoride in brain tissue harmless. Sorry, but if one doesn't discuss the Varner and subsequent data, then there are no rights to claim one-ups-manship on the toxicology of aluminum fluoride. And being a lawyer does not pre-empt anyone from factual. The FDA from 1963 to present ruled fluoride is an uncontrolled use of an unapproved drug, banned it in water to be ingested by pregnant women in the U.S., and declared from NIH studies that it does not strengthen bone as hoped for by promoters of the ingestion of this toxic calcium chelator. The world waits for the FDA to extend that ban for the general population soon. 41% of U.S. teens with abnormal unsightly tooth fluorosis is only one aspect of adversity from ingestion of this industrial waste that the FDA ruled correctly is not a mineral nutrient. Richard Sauerheber, Ph.D.

Posted by: Joe Bloggs | Dec 30, 2012 21:47

Calcium fluoride is less toxic than silicofluorides and other fluorides, but it is a toxic compound.

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Tumbly goodness, page 7 Atom feed

Kottke says a tumblelog is a quick and dirty stream of consciousness… with more than just links. Anarchaia was the first, but there are many copies. And they have a plan.

  1. A lot of people, probably the majority of people in America, have some amount of insecurity about where, or whether, they went to college. The tragedy of the situation is that by far the greatest liability of not having gone to the college you’d have liked is your own feeling that you’re thereby lacking something. Colleges are a bit like exclusive clubs in this respect. There is only one real advantage to being a member of most exclusive clubs: you know you wouldn’t be missing much if you weren’t.

    Paul Graham

  2. They’re turning kids into slaves just to make cheaper sneakers.
    But what’s the real cost?
    ’Cause the sneakers don’t seem that much cheaper.
    Why are we still paying so much for sneakers
    When you got them made by little slave kids?
    What are your overheads?

    Flight of the Conchords’ “Think About It”

    “Think About It” on YouTube

    1. <BombScare> i beat the internet
    2. <BombScare> the end guy is hard

    QDB entry № 4278 (via Bryan)

  3. Emacs tip: set copyright-current-gpl-version to "3". Now using the command copyright-update will automatically update your elisp file’s copyright notice and update its license from “GPL version 2 or later” to “GPL version 3 or later.”

  4. Reading Camera Obscura makes me think I should have used <abbr title="and" class="amp">&</abbr> instead of <span> in my nice-looking ampersands technique.

  5. I personally don’t think we’ll all be writing Erlang next year… My bet is that someone figures out how to apply Erlang thinking in a mainstream coding context and starts a landslide, because everything just starts running faster and reasonably cool, too.

    Tim Bray

  6. How I Wrote an Emacs Blog Client (And Lived to Tell the Tale)

    Nathan Weizenbaum, on the experience of hacking up an Emacs client for his blog with textile-mode and http-emacs.

  7. Too hot, this town is too hot (too hot, too hot)
    Now they’re calling for their guns
    About to spoil the rude boys’ fun
    But rude boys never give up their guns
    It’s too hot (too hot, too hot)

    — from Prince Buster’s “Too Hot”

  8. Erin, San Diego Bay, and the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76).

    Panorama of San Diego Bay

    We went sailing with friends last weekend. More photos here, here, here, and here.

  9. I’ve refreshed the way my tumblelog works. I’m much more likely to update it now.

    Tumbly posts still show up in my main blog—the tumblelog is simply a subset of my blog posts. I’m considering filtering tumbly posts out of the main blog feed, to differentiate them more, but I’m undecided. I decided to filter tumbly posts from my main blog feed—if you want both kinds of posts, you’ll have to subscribe to both feeds. Sorry for the inconvenience.

    I just noticed that, according to the tumblelist, my tumblelog is one of the 15 or so “old skool” ones. Word.

  10. Robot shopping list

    She did a few pages of these ‘shopping lists’ whilst we were on holiday. To be fed into a robot?

  11. Just Say No to the combined evils of locking, deadlocks, lock granularity, livelocks, nondeterminism and race conditions.

    Guido van Rossum

  12. [O]pponents of liberal migration and labor policies too often confuse dynamic cultural change for cultural erosion. I [am] more afraid that fat, tenured Americans will become too risk averse and insurance-minded than that hungry, entrepreneurial new entrants will undermine the very institutions they came to benefit from. Why not think that, on the one hand, our institutions transform newcomers culturally more than they transform our institutions, while, on the other hand, newcomers keep our institutions vital and growth-minded, rather than moribund and insurance-minded?

    Will Wilkinson

  13. Standards groups are not your opportunity to order browser vendors to majorly shift their development strategy, neither Microsoft (as we have seen) nor anyone else. It is a place to work together and negotiate, yes. But if you ask browser vendors to do something they are fundamentally unwilling to do, like break compatibility, they will just walk away from the process. That’s how you end up with XHTML2.

    For those of us who do not have the limitless development resources and cash pile of Microsoft, making HTML5 a completely separate mode is an unacceptably high cost. So it’s not going to happen. I know it’s lots of fun to make up something pure and clean and new, with all the ugly rough edges of compatibility filed off. But you can’t have both that and a spec that browsers will implement. Time to choose.

    Maciej Stachowiak (emphasis mine)

  14. What people want from work today, I think, is personal growth. So if managers are going to add value, I think it can’t just be about productivity. A manager is there to give the worker what the worker needs to succeed. And what workers need in order to stay at a job is personal growth, so a manager should foster that.

    A manager can be a coach, a mentor, a sounding board. All the things we would love to get from a friend but don’t usually have friends who are up to the task. In this regard, a manager would need to be very hands on in a way that helps us to be better people — not just better workers.

    I know: Big challenge. But at least it’s something to aim for.

    Penelope Trunk

  15. We are resolved, then, that the W3C’s next-generation HTML specification be named “HTML 5” and to start review of the text of the HTML 5 and WF2 specifications, and we welcome Ian Hickson and Dave Hyatt as editors (while remaining open to the possibility of other editors in the future).

    The chairs of the HTML WG

  16. The “common language runtime folks” (clr/dlr and jvm, etc.) are salivating over using each others classes. We should be more interested in using each others processes.

    Patrick Logan

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27


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Suggestions for Posts?

If you’d like to suggest an article you think should be posted for view and/or discussion – just add a comment below including the url. The editors are always willing to consider suggestions from our readers that don’t involve self-immolation.

We’ll probably delete the suggestion after deciding to Post or not – just to keep the place tidy. :)

One comment

  1. 3card Monte

    Federal judge issues warrant for Idaho nuclear project developer Don Gillespie, who is facing federal charges stemming from his proposed development of a nuclear power plant in southwest Idaho and the sale of stock to fund that project, missed a couple of court hearings last week, and U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge issued a warrant for his arrest.

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text:
Top Definition
1: A hovercraft, or air-cushion vehicle (ACV), is a vehicle or craft that can be supported by a cushion of air ejected downwards against a surface close below it, and can in principle travel over any relatively smooth surface, such as gently sloping land, water, or marshland, while having no substantial contact with it.

2: Something that may, or may not be full of eels.
"My hovercraft is full of eels."
από Sebastian Viklund Åsberg 25 Ιούνιος 2006
13 more definitions
Similar to a motorboat, however the key difference is the girl has small breasts. The giver sticks his head over the breasts instead of between the breasts as they are too small.
That girls breasts were too small to motor boat, so I had to hovercraft them.
από Monkeybam 10 Σεπτέμβριος 2011
A Person that has no friends so just stands by you hovering while doing absolutly nothing
Curtis_ Hey Tyler! . .Who's that guy standing beside you?

Tyler_ Ohh He's Just a Hover Craft
από T Masta H 16 Δεκέμβριος 2005
When you HAVE to use a public bathroom and HAVE to use the stall, but the seats are too disgusting to actually sit on and there's no seat covers so you have to just pull down your pants and hover your butt over the side of the bowl and drop your load in like a hovercraft dropping shipments/torpedoes.
Dude, that toilet was so disgusting, I had to do the hovercraft!

Guy one: Eeeewwwww, this seat is nasty!
Guy two: Just hovercraft it, dude.
από danethebrain 16 Ιανουάριος 2008
Not touching your ass to the toilet seat when taking a sh*t.
Someboday sprayed mud all over the toilet seat so I had to pull the hovercraft to get rid of my business.
από BTK Representative - El Capitano 6 Μάιος 2004
To stand over, watch, and also stalk someone as they are using the computer for personal conversations on AIM or AOL.
Tyrese got annoyed because Demarcus was hover crafting him when he was on the computer.
από YoNasty 1 Ιούνιος 2006
A usually awkward or annoying kid who constantly hovers over or around a person or group of people, who are usually more popular.
Joe: Jenna, Hovercraft at 6 0'clock!
Jenna: Shit!
Mike: Hi guys, sup?
*inner groans*
από Joe Sabs 3 Μάρτιος 2007

Δωρεάν Ημερήσιο e-mail

Γράψε από κάτω τη διεύθυνση e-mail σου για να έχεις την δωρεάν Urban Λέξη Ημέρας κάθε πρωί!

Τα e-mail στέλνονται από τη διεύθυνση Ποτέ δεν θα σε σπαμάρουμε.


text:
Monday, June 13, 2011

More details on Ilan Grapel, "spy"

Reuters fills in some pieces about Ilan Grapel, who was absurdly arrested as a spy by Egypt.

An alleged Israeli spy arrested in Egypt is an American immigrant to Israel who once wrote that he hoped to promote Israeli policies in the Arab world, according to information he and others provided on websites.

The man, detained on Sunday in a development that could strain Israel’s relations with Egypt’s new leaders, was identified by the Egyptian MENA news agency as Ilan Chaim Grabel, a misspelling of his family name, Grapel.

The Israeli ambassador to Cairo said on Monday that Israel was looking into the case. The US embassy in the Egyptian capital said it was working to confirm Grapel’s identity and citizenship.

In his Facebook page, Grapel made no secret of his presence in Egypt, writing that he was “preaching at Al Azhar,” an Islamic university in Cairo, and that he had studied at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. The reference to Al Azhar later disappeared from the page.

A judiciary source in Egypt said the arrested man had been active in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the revolt against Hosni Mubarak, after the former president stepped down.

A statement issued by Egypt’s public prosecutor said the suspect, ordered held for 15 days, had been sent to Egypt to recruit agents “trying to gather information and data and to monitor the events of the January 25 revolution.”

Photographs of Grapel on the Facebook page, on the website of the Israel Project, a pro-Israel group where he trained in media relations in 2008, and in the on-line newsletter of an organization that raises funds for Israeli soldiers, matched those in a video clip of the suspect released by Egypt.

Articles about Grapel’s military service in Israel appeared in the New York Daily News and Israel’s Haaretz newspaper in 2006. They said he had been wounded in the Lebanon war that year while serving as an Israeli paratrooper and had immigrated to Israel in 2005 from Queens, New York, at the age of 22.

“He is a very special guy. He’s an Arabist,” Tsiki Ood, who said he was a friend of Grapel’s, told Israel Radio, describing him as an American immigrant. “He’s very intelligent ... He spoke Arabic. I hope he gets out of this trouble.”

After the war, Grapel spoke in the United States at fundraisers for wounded Israeli soldiers, according to the Internet newsletter of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces organization, which also cited his injury in Lebanon.

It showed him in his paratroops uniform standing next to US fundraisers and Israeli diplomats at functions in Chicago and Houston in 2006.

Two years later, Grapel took part in the Israel Project’s media fellows program in Jerusalem on “educating top young leaders in how to educate the press on Israel and Iran.”

In a comment that appears on the Israel Project’s web page about the program, Grapel said he had been impressed by an Israeli Foreign Ministry’s official's briefing on conveying Israel's positions to the Arab world.

“It would be very rewarding for me if I were to be able to communicate as effectively (as the official) in such anti-Israel environments,” Grapel wrote.
In other words, Grapel didn't hide his viewpoints in the least - pretty strange for a "spy."

By the way, I originally read this in Al Arabiya, where they changed the Reuters dateline from "Jerusalem" to "occupied Jerusalem."


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Electric Bike Report is a your place for:

And a little more about me….

I am very enthusiastic about electric bikes and the potential for them to enable many people enjoy riding a bike.

My primary goal is to get the word out about electric bikes and all of their benefits through Electric Bike Report.

I have been an avid cyclist for over 20 years and I am really excited about this new branch of the biking world.

My Background:

My roots in cycling go back to when I was just a kid riding around the neighborhood where I grew up in Eugene, Oregon (USA).

At age 13 I started mountain biking and bike commuting.  At age 14 I started working at a bike shop as a mechanic.

I also raced mountain bikes for many years and spent a few years racing professionally on the U.S. national mountain bike circuit.

My professional work background includes more than 10 years in the structural and civil engineering field.

Currently my wife and I live in Sedona Arizona and I ride my many different bikes as much as possible :).

I enjoy hanging out with my family and friends, biking (of course!), hiking, xc skiing, snowboarding, listening to live music, and enjoying the outdoors as much as possible!

So to sum it all up, I am bringing my experience from my biking background combined with my passion for electric bikes to promote these amazingly FUN vehicles!

I would like to hear from you too!

Please participate in this website by commenting under any of the articles.  I look forward to chatting with you!

If you would like to contact me, go here to see the many different ways to get ahold of me!

P.S. Don’t forget to join the Electric Bike Report community for updates from the electric bike world, plus ebike riding and maintenance tips!


text:
Endangered Species Conference Moved to Protect Sharks, Rhinos, Elephants

Shark fins
A worker collects pieces of shark fins dried on a rooftop in Hong Kong.
The recent CITES conference added five species of sharks to its protected
marine animals list, tightening restrictions on fishing.

By: Raveena Aulakh Environment,
Published on Mar. 18, 2013

Science, not politics, ruled at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species conference in Thailand, says Canada’s World Wildlife Fund.

“It was the biggest, busiest and the best,” said Ernie Cooper, the agency’s Vancouver-based director of traffic and wildlife.

CITES is a multilateral treaty that gives protection to thousands of species of animals and plants; 178 countries are signatories to it.

At the Bangkok conference, which wrapped up Friday, representatives of more than 150 countries spent two weeks talking about sharks, debating elephant and rhino poaching, and fretting about timber smuggling, among other contentious issues.

As many as 70 proposals were tabled, more than ever before, to include species on the endangered list or to change their standing.

The highlights of the conference were:

  • Three species of hammerhead sharks, along with whitetip and porbeagle sharks and two species of manta rays, were added to the list of protected marine animals. It means fishermen will need a permit from a local authority to fish for them. (Permits are supposed to certify that the fish is caught in quantities that will not lead to extinction.)
  • At least eight countries were threatened with trade sanctions if they do not stop ivory smuggling. The countries included China, Thailand and Kenya.
  • The summit also considered compulsory forensic testing of elephant ivory so the criminal chain can be traced.
  • Vietnam and Mozambique were sternly asked to punish those who traffic in rhino horns; the two countries were called the worst offenders in rhino horn smuggling.
  • Hardwood species (timber) from Latin America, Asia and Madagascar was also added to the list of protected species. Timber species from Madagascar is widely believed to be smuggled internationally despite domestic efforts.
  • Governments, for the first time, also agreed to set up a global reporting system to establish how many apes are being taken from the wild to perform in theme parks or to be shown off by wealthy collectors.

But the conference’s failure to halt Canada’s export of polar bear skins was slammed by many environmentalists.

Studies have shown that two-thirds of the 20,000-25,000 polar bears will disappear by 2050.

The U.S. and Russia agreed there is enough of a threat to polar bears from melting Arctic ice that the additional pressure of hunting bears for rugs should be outlawed. But Canada refused, and won.

Polar bears did not meet the criteria for endangered species, “contrary to popular belief,” said Cooper, adding that Canada’s intervention was based on “science and nothing else.”

While some species were accorded more protection, others, now extinct, were removed from protection lists, including Australia’s dusky flying fox and the buff-nosed rat-kangaroo.

The CITES conference is held every three years. Cooper said the last conference in Doha, Qatar, was a disaster. “Proposals were defeated . . . it was disheartening,” he said. “This time, it was different.”

 Original Article


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Andrews McMeel Publishing en Botanical 2011 Monthly & Weekly Planning Calendar

By Posh

Andrews McMeel Publishing

Upon returning to the United States after living for two years abroad, my partner was particularly giddy about one specific purchase: a cell phone. In the time we'd been in India, smartphones had become commonplace, and my Applephile other half was overjoyed at the idea of being able to sync his Macbook and iPod with a mobile device. Although he valiantly fought for an iPhone, the more cost efficient two-for-one sale on the Droid won out. For my part, I don't give two flips about technosyncage, and I'm not entirely convinced my semi-functional PC can handle that kind of software. I just wanted to be able to easily check my email.

Although I'm moving in the direction of a paperless lifestyle (the Droid is facilitating my newly blossoming love of apps), the process is slow-going. And now that the end of the year is drawing near, I find myself on a search for the perfect new year planner. I'm not high maintenance, but I do have two uncompromising needs: 1) monthly and weekly planning sections and 2) enough space to write in each. Although it sounds like a simple enough request, many planners fail in at least one of these regards, but the Posh Botanical 2011 Monthly & Weekly Planning Calendar has what it takes—and more.

Let me start with the basics. This desk planner is 7 ¼ x 9 ½ inches and comes in four different retro chic designs: Botanical, Flowers & Stars, Circles & Squiggles, and Asters. All have a feminine sensibility without going over the precipice to infantile, a risk one runs with cutesy product aesthetic. An elastic band wraps around the outside of the planner to hold the cover closed, and a single ribbon allows you to easily keep your place. It's utilitarian in form and function.

Once you crack the slick and sturdy cover, you come directly to twelve pages of monthly calendars. This is where I keep track of important dates, like birthdays and holidays, that I need to prepare for in advance. Gift buying shouldn't be a last minute affair, but it ends up as one when you're only going week-by-week. Posh has also helpfully included major U.S. and international holidays, as well as religious celebrations from Christian, Islamic, and Jewish traditions. So, while you won't find the dates for Durga Puja, you will find Ramadan, and I can live with that.

Just past this monthly section are the two-page spreads of fifty-two weeks broken up into an equally spaced seven days. I appreciate that Saturday and Sunday don't get the short end of the stick, as some other planners are apt to extend the size allotted for traditional work week days at the expense of the two on the weekend. But since I work on several projects outside of my proper 9 to 5, I don't want those days relegated to secondary status by giving them a decreased size. I want them to have equal spacial importance. Posh comes through again!

The handful of back pages in the Posh Botanical 2011 Monthly & Weekly Planning Calendar get a little hit or miss, which is to say that they've covered all the bases and not everyone will need everything found here. There are one-page 2010 and 2012 year-long reference calendars, as well as a two-page "2012 Looking Ahead" spread. Six pages are provided for "Names & Addresses," which even I prefer my cell phone to hold, and inclusion of "Emergency Numbers" seems terribly outdated, especially when situated opposite a page for jotting down "Web Sites." Three pages for "Notes" brings up the rear.

I plan to wear this desk planner out next year, and maybe with a little more cajoling, I'll consider making the tech savvier, eco-switch come the year of the Mayan apocalypse. Perhaps by then my PC will have seen its end-of-days and a sync won't seem so scary.

 Written by: Mandy Van Deven, October 22nd 2010

Tags: retro, planner

 Etc Posh Andrews McMeel Publishing Mandy Van Deven planner retro Sat, 23 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0000 mandy 4255 at


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A Magnificent Home in New Iberia

An oil painting by Leroy Evans in the entrance foyer resides above an antique gilded sideboard that Crittenden inherited from her grandmother.

Photographed by chad chenier

If only walls could talk. In 1886, a flamboyant New Iberia landowner built a unique, four-story columned mansion that was inspired by the fanciful steamboats of the era. With a grand entrance hall, thick curving walls, soaring French windows, two-story-high rounded bays and ornate balustrades, it resembles a grounded steamboat with its half-circle bow facing Main Street and its stern facing Bayou Teche.

It all started when the sixth mayor of New Iberia, John Emmer, wanted to build the most magnificent house that had ever existed on the bayou as a wedding present for his daughter. It became the setting for many illustrious parties hosted for prominent locals and served as a magnet for some of the biggest power brokers in the South.

Swords were drawn, plots were hatched, and swinging parties were hosted at the famous Steamboat House. The legendary residence drew heavy-weight politicos during the Huey P. Long era, after Lt. Gov. Paul Cyr (who owned the home at the time), was elected on Long’s ticket in 1928. Within months, Cyr became Long’s bitter enemy over a controversial murder case, which resulted in the double hanging of a prominent local doctor and his mistress (the first woman ever to be hanged in Louisiana). Cyr schemed and dreamed at the Steamboat House, his place of respite while in town. In 1931, he unsuccessfully tried to force Long out of office and proclaim himself governor, but to no avail. Four years later, Long was assassinated at the state capitol at the age of 42.

Gov. Jimmy Davis once played “You Are My Sunshine” on a grand piano in the parlor, Gov. John McKeithen headlined a party fundraiser, and numerous movie stars have since tried to rent the place from its current owner, interior designer Kimberly Crittenden. Keeping the tradition alive, she has also hosted many elaborate, star-studded soirées at the Steamboat House, which is located in New Iberia’s historic downtown district.

“Ever since I bought the house in 1994, movie location scouts have tried to rent it from me so they could shoot major films here, and movie stars have also wanted to stay here during the filming of their various movies, but I have always declined,” Crittenden says.

“Tommy Lee Jones’ assistant repeatedly inquired about his renting this house from me when he was starring in In the Electric Mist, which was filmed in New Iberia,” Crittenden continues. “I didn’t let Jones stay here, but he was always sending his assistant to buy a lot of wine at my shop, just about every night.”

A designer, oenophile and wine merchant, Crittenden is the owner of Kimberly’s Interiors in New Iberia, with a second location in Lafayette. “Selling wine can be rather lucrative if you live around here,” she laughs.

The 2009 film, In the Electric Mist, starring Jones and John Goodman, was based on New Iberia award-winning author James Lee Burke’s racy novel featuring detective Dave Robicheaux as the main character. The movie Heaven’s Prisoners, starring Alec Baldwin, was also based on another one of Burke’s best-selling novels and was also filmed in New Iberia. “The Steamboat House appears in one of Burke’s novels that mentions Main Street,” Crittenden points out.

New Iberia’s Main Street that Burke describes in his novels as “the most beautiful in the country” is receiving national publicity after being named one of CNN’s “America’s Best Small Town Comebacks” in March 2013. New Iberia has also earned a “Great American Main Street Award” from the National Trust for Historic Preservation  for its revitalized commercial district.
At the end of September, the picturesque town celebrates its sugarcane harvest on Main Street with the 72nd annual Sugarcane Festival that is highlighted by a fais do do and a boat parade with fireworks on Bayou Teche. The festival is scheduled just in time for cooler weather, with the beginning of autumn on Sept. 22. It’s a lively celebration worth experiencing, and there are historic walking tours featuring the many beautiful residences in the area.

The three-quarter-mile-long historic East Main Street district, which follows the Bayou Teche as it meanders downstream, features 71 homes and buildings that date from 1890 to 1930. The Steamboat House is the most famous private residence in the district. The amazing 6,900-square-foot, four-story dwelling has seven bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths,16-foot ceilings and 16-inch-thick brick walls.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the magnificent house was built with bricks from the original owner’s brickyard. In the 1880s and 1890s, New Iberia was home to five brick factories, and Emmer owned one of them. With its 16-inch-thick brick walls that were created in Emmer’s kilns, the Steamboat House is a veritable fortress that recalls the bygone steamboat which flourished for 60 years prior to the coming of the railroad to New Iberia in 1880.

It now features a swimming pool, lighted tennis courts and a quaint guest cottage overlooking the bayou. The current owner’s interior décor is decidedly modern, unlike that of the previous owners who kept it in the Victorian era mode and thus quite formal. It exudes casual elegance, and is tastefully appointed with a combination of old and new furnishings and touches of the Far East. The front yard has an Old South style, distinguished by a large, historic live oak facing East Main Street. A captain’s walk adds intrigue to the architectural elements of the stately residence.

“I fell in love with the house for the oak tree in front,” says Crittenden. “It’s really a unique piece of property. I was asked to help the owner with the interior design, and I ended up buying it,” Crittenden says.

“The glass-enclosed sunroom is wonderful for entertaining, and it has the perfect overflow for seated diners,” she notes. “It overlooks a garden on the side of the house, with a view of the Annie Laurie oak tree that I named after my daughter. My idea was to decorate the home to make it very comfortable. Since I have an interior design business and a shop, I didn’t have to purchase any furnishings or art. Whatever I had just fell into place.” She says this modestly, although one look around the residence shows that each room was well planned and designed with an experienced interior decorator’s eye for colors and textures, balance and flow, with a nod to its history.

Strolling around the residence is an adventure. There is the counterpoint of intriguing and clever design elements, from the walls of striped silk damask Stroheim & Romann fabric that Crittenden added to the grand entrance foyer adorned with a framed Japanese ceremonial wedding gown, to the stately pair of lacquered fireside chairs near the antique marble mantel in the living room, and the dreamy sun porch adorned with white wicker furniture and gauzy, white sheer fabric that renders an ethereal mood on breezy evenings.

In the master bath, Crittenden added a mirrored area above the sunken tub and surrounded the room with plantation shutters, designed new wallpaper, added dainty chandeliers and a fanciful Alice in Wonderland vanity chair.

“The former owner had these dreary, old and depressing Victorian curtains that made everything dark in here,” she says. “I wanted to take advantage of all the natural light in the bathroom. The owner even had some of the rooms in the house roped off to visitors. It was just entirely too formal.” The master suite, located off the entrance foyer, has his-and-her baths and an adjoining study.

Looking out of the kitchen window, one can see all the way down to the bayou, while viewing the pool area and palm trees bowing in the wind on rainy afternoons. A breakfast room and an art-filled enclosed loggia flanks the kitchen, which is adorned with a buttery yellow Schumacher wall covering. A formal dining room and a luxuriously appointed parlor add a sense of elegance to the otherwise casually adorned living areas.

Aside from the red long leaf pine floors throughout the house (purchased from a nearby church), Crittenden added smooth Mexican tiles to the kitchen area. A view of the deep back lawn sweeping down to the Bayou Teche can be seen from the kitchen, sun porch and also from the rear deck on the second floor. It offers a splendid view of the pool area, which was redesigned by Crittenden after purchasing the home.

“I completely redid the landscape around the grounds,” she explains. “It was just very plain, and now it looks tropical, like something in a Hollywood movie set. You can just picture being in the islands while standing on the porch.”

“The front porch facing Main Street is one of my favorite places to sit in the morning and in the evening,” Crittenden continues. “When I host parties, I can place tables with candlelight on the porch and all around the sides of the house. It’s unbelievable, with the views of the big oak trees, and the beautiful old columns on the front porch. It’s like going back in time. I can just imagine all the many parties that happened here through the years.”

Like the captivating New Iberia characters found in James Lee Burke’s spicy novels, the Steamboat House resonates a storied past with its own thoroughly absorbing cast of characters and the secrets of their long-ago encounters in the mansion, in the moonlight and in the mist near the bayou. There are many stories still untold.

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fireflies, and other stories

Grave of the Fireflies

An air raid. A boy carries his baby sister on his back and sits in the shelter, away from the bombs. Their house is no more. Later, their mother dies. In the midst of the carnage, the fire, the charred remains of his neighbors, a man in a soldier’s uniform stands tall and screams, Long live the Emperor!

This is World War II through the eyes of two Japanese children trying to survive motherless, perhaps fatherless (their father fights in the Navy, under the flag of the Empire), months before their country’s unconditional surrender. How easy it is to forget that there are also victims on the side of the “enemy”. Grave of the Fireflies forces us to become witnesses, to mourn the unmourned. Brother and sister comfort each other, play as children play, in scenes tender and heartbreaking. Even the happy scenes – Seita and Setsuko playing in the beach, catching fireflies in their aunt’s backyard, cooking their own dinner – become unbearable in their sweetness. What consolation can one expect from a film that begins with the line, September 21, 1945 – this was the night I died? There is consolation, perhaps, in the fact that this story is told, that we are made to remember.

I watched it twice in one day – alone the first time, with my brothers the second time. The film rendered my brothers silent, stunning them. It was my second viewing, and yet I did not think that the intensity of the film was diminished. One of my favorite scenes: Seita tells Setsuko about a naval review he saw when he was still an only child; he remembers seeing his father’s ship, the Maya, in formation with the rest of the fleet. He says, in a soft voice, I wonder where Dad’s fighting now. Setsuko is silent. Seita turns and sees that she has fallen asleep, on the far side of their bed. Seita rolls over twice, puts his hand over his sleeping sister, pulls her close.

I believe my siblings and I agree that this has got to be the most powerful war film we’ve ever seen in our entire lives.

The Hangover

Setup: Doug is getting married, so his friends and his future brother-in-law take him to Vegas. They climb to the rooftop of Caesar’s Palace, make a toast, drink. They wake up the next morning. One of the recliners is burnt. Doug’s dentist friend is missing an incisor. There is a tiger in the bathroom. And oh, Doug is missing.

This film is fun. No, FUN – from beginning to end. Oh yes.

The Ocean Waves

What is it about certain Japanese animated films that make the cheesy palatable and bearable? If this were a live-action film, I’d definitely be gagging.

Simple and sweet, with nostalgia effectively conveyed. But during the first half of the film –

Me: I think this is yaoi.

Brother: Stop it. There’s a girl and a boy on the DVD cover.

Me: [Onscreen, Boy 1 says, “So why did you call me here? Didn’t you want to tell me something?” Boy 2 replies, “No. I just wanted to see you, that’s all.”] Did you hear that?

Brother: (worried) If this is yaoi we’d better watch something else.

Me: [Onscreen, a flashback.] Look at this, they’re alone in the room together, there’s a pretty piano piece on the soundtrack, a breeze just blew through the curtains.

Brother: Magtigil ka nga ano.

Me: [Onscreen, Boy 1 narrates, I began thinking of Boy 2, different from the way I think of my other friends] (to myself) Either I’m over-reading, or there’s something completely wrong with the subtitles.

It was not yaoi.

Me: *facepalm*

Me, later: It’s like the writers started out with yaoi and then lost their nerve. Seriously, the girl’s like an ornament.

Brother: …

Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka

I don’t know what the title means, but it’s a Japanese animated series, very short, less than 15 episodes. A brother and a sister come to realize that they may be in love with each other. Taboo what? I’m on episode 6, and my head is already aching.

In conclusion,

I want to learn Japanese. I have this rather silly notion that maybe just maybe it’ll be much easier to learn than French. Then maybe I’ll be able to watch Princess Mononoke and Grave of the Fireflies sans the dubbing and the English subtitles. Won’t that be grand.

you have got to be kidding me

So today I received an email from Free Press Lit Ed Sarge Lacuesta. The Subject line reads “when you’re on a roll…congratulations from the Philippines Free Press”. I smiled because I thought he has heard about the Palanca win and was just kind enough to send me an email and congratulate me.

Well, yes, he did send me an email to congratulate me, but for a different reason. The letter begins

Dear Eliza,

Greetings! I am proud and honored to inform you that you are a finalist at this year’s Philippines Free Press Literary Awards for your story entitled “An Abduction by Mermaids.”

Holy. Crap.

* * *
“An Abduction by Mermaids” is a short story I wrote back in 2008 (or late 2007,I’m not sure anymore, I have to find my drafts) (I used to date my drafts, hee), which appeared in the Free Press on April 26, 2008. No online copies, but I might post the full manuscript here one of these days. ;)

* * *

Now, let’s see. I need: a dress, some nice shoes, a date. Or, a companion with a camera. It’s the camera that counts.

I’m excited to finally meet Mr. Lacuesta in person. And the other finalists of course. Wonder if I know any of them.
* * *
I really need a camera.


text:
Friday, November 11, 2011

Making Plans

I've been trying to think of things to do to keep myself occupied. I always look forward to weekends because my friends and siblings don't have school and my parents don't have work. I get really excited during the week just thinking about my weekend plans even if they aren't anything special. For example, this weekend I'm going to my brother's football game at school and then I have plans with friends Saturday night. Before I got sick, these would be very normal only slightly exciting weekend plans but now I find that every little thing I do that involves other people gets me really excited- and not because I'm healthy enough to do them but just because I'm so bored that everything seems exciting.

I've also been looking for things to do during the week that don't involve other people but keep me entertained and busy. I'm really interested in taking a cooking class because I think it would be a lot of fun. It's just kinda hard to find one that will take up enough of my time (not just one class) and that hasn't started already... My aunt also owns a radiology practice in the city and she's trying to get me a part-time job two or three times a week there taking calls and notes and whatever else she needs. I'm not sure if that's gonna work out but I hope it does because it'll definitely give me something to do and I'll get paid :). It's funny how small things like these excite me so much more than they used to. I also wish that my friends didn't have school so we could hang out all day. I'm also kinda getting sick of watching movies and tv and reading books all day...
My other weekend plans include dinner with my brother, a Jets game, and a college interview (which I'm really scared for meh).

Hope you enjoyed my little update. Feel free to share any of your weekend plans or any suggestions for me (thanks to people who already have!)

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

  2. College interview! That's big stuff. I'm sure you'll do well. Any college would be lucky to have a girl like you.

    Fill me in on the dets over thanksgiving?

    Lots of love,
    Yael and Daniel

  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

  4. You are an amazing person Ella :)

  5. Hi Ella, I went to GA with your dad and have been following your blog. You *are* amazing, and funny (I know where you got that trait!), and resilient, which I've learned is perhaps one of the most important qualities a person can have. Thanks for sharing your story so honestly. Licia H.


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Caprese, a Mediterranean Grill

Savor the contemporary interpretation of Mediterranean cuisine available at Caprese Italian restaurant in Alexandria, VA. Step inside our elegant, inviting dining room and experience a menu that reinvents traditional ingredients and recipes in delicious ways, right here in Old Town Alexandria.

Classic favorites are reinterpreted, such as the Caprese salad made with thick cuts of ripe heirloom tomatoes, creamy burrata mozzarella cheese, and the chef’s specially made Balsamic reduction, or the Mediterranean seasoned sea bass with orzo pasta and a medley of pear tomatoes and spinach.

Relax on our spacious patio and taste many different wines from around the globe - from the beautifully crafted Sangiovese from Tuscany to the crisp French Chardonnay. The full dining room menu is also available on the patio.

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Embassy Suites Alexandria - Old Town Hotel, VA - Caprese Restaurant

Discover a Caprese salad made with thick cuts of ripe heirloom tomatoes and burrata mozzarella which brings a new dimension of flavor to this classic dish, served with chef's specially made Balsamic reduction. Indulge in fresh jumbo scallops set atop a creamy yet crispy shelled risotto cake, complemented by a sweet fig hash, with a drizzle of a Spanish inspired port wine reduction, or the carefully seasoned peppercorn-crusted grouper served with the soft textures of a fusion of Mediterranean vegetables poached in extra virgin olive oil on a bed of al dente orzo.

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Embassy Suites Alexandria - Old Town Hotel, VA - Caprese Patio

Our Alexandria, VA restaurant with outdoor seating is the perfect place to share an appetizer or delicious flatbread while sipping on a glass of your new favorite wine. Dine alfresco on our spacious patio with plenty of outdoor seating available for lunch and dinner.

Atrium Lounge

Embassy Suites Alexandria - Old Town Hotel, VA - Lounge

Join us at our open air lounge in the atrium, where you’ll find an eclectic selection of wines and local ales by the draft. Try the popular Monumental IPA, brewed at Port City which is just 5 minutes from the hotel. The cocktail menu reflects the ethos of the kitchen, offering traditional cocktails with a Mediterranean flair. The Cool Cucumber martini takes the sweetness of Sambuca and elderflower and shakes them up with a floral gin—garnished with a refreshing cucumber slice, it’s a perfect digestif.


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Emdashes. Modern Times Between the Lines.

Best of Emdashes: Hit Parade
A Web Comic: The Wavy Rule
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Ask the Librarians archive

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The Infinite Summer of David Foster Wallace

Filed under: The Squib Report   Tagged: ,

Martin Schneider writes:

Summer began yesterday, and with it began Infinite Summer, a massive book club project (sort of) in which the only book is David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest, and readers have until the autumn (September 21) to finish it. The pace is 75 pages a week (not including the associated endnotes), which isn't very hard, and readers are rewarded with all sorts of commentary and opportunities to discuss! (Here's the schedule.)

I'm using the Kindle version, which should make it doubly fun (and also make navigating the endnotes a breeze). I read about 300 pages of it when it first came out, and then stopped, and then developed a block about cracking the book ever again. Until now!

I'll be sure to let you know how it goes!

I’m shocked that no one’s thought of this before. It seems so easy, almost too easy. With this kind of support I might actually make it.

Post a comment

(If you haven't left a comment here before, it may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Thanks for waiting.)

2008 Webby Awards Official Honoree
Inkleaf Studio illustration


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Welcome to at Emmaline Bride

Gray Chevron Clutch

Spotted: a zig zag clutch worthy of gifting to bridesmaids! This grey chevron clutch by Toriska, recently added to The Marketplace, features a sideways zig zag chevron pattern in white and gray. The inner lining is made of gray cotton with a stiff layer so it keeps its shape; magnetic snap closure.

gray chevron clutch


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North Carolina Hotel Deals
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Things to do in North Carolina
Asheville - discover delightful Biltmore
The Biltmore Estate is one of America’s most unique private estates and is where the largest home in America is located. In addition to the splendid rooms within the house, which you can explore and tour, there are also over 8,000 acres of grounds to look around either on foot or on horseback. Adjacent to the estate is the Antler Hill Village which contains superb dining opportunities as well as shopping and historical exhibits from the region.
Charlotte - experience the great views at Chimney Rock State Park
Perched way above Hickory Nut Gorge Chimney rock has been offering spectacular views of the surrounding countryside for over 100 years. Over the years different facilities have been added to the site to make visiting more enjoyable and fun. In 2010 the trails were upgraded to make the trip to the summit of Chimney Rock more accessible. The rock is located within the North Carolina State Park and offers some of the best views to be seen og the surrounding countryside.
Charlotte - visit the NASCAR hall of fame
NASCAR is an American institution up there with baseball and American Football and the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte opened in 2010 to share its history and to bring the experience of NASCAR closer to the general public. There are over 50 interactive exhibits to enjoy, including racing simulators and pit crew equipment. Along with details of all the inductees in to the Hall of Fame there are also several historic cars to look at as well as more recent variants of the NASCAR franchise.
Durham - take the family out to Little River Regional Park
Little River Regional Park in Orange County offers great opportunities for family picnicking and for those taking part to enjoy and marvel at the beauty of the region. With over 7 miles of biking and cycling trails, a bird trail and a butterfly farm you can be sure to find something to keep every member of the family interested. There are camping facilities available nearbyand over 390 acres of woodland and meadowland to explore. The park is exceptionally, especially beautiful in the fall, when the trees turn magnificent shades of red, orange and brown.
Greensboro - take a walking tour of historical downtown area
There has been a town at Greensboro for over 230 years, making it one of the oldest setttlements in North Carolina. A walking tour around downtown, allows you the opportunity to look back over its history and take in the breathtaking architecture. It is filled with museums, historic buildings as well as over 1,000 retail shops and businesses. Look out for the Blandwood Mansion as well as the Children’s Museum and Cultural Center, and try to make some time to look around their interiors.
Raleigh - explore the State Capitol
The State Capitol of every state is impressive but completed in 1840 the building that once housed the North Carolina legislature is the best example of Greek revival architecture in the United Sates. It cost over 3 times the State’s annual income, to build at the time so it is no wonder that it is so well preserved. Tours of the grand insides are available but should be booked at least 2 weeks in advance. During the tour you will likely see the Rotunda, Governor’s office, which is simple yet beautiful. .
Raleigh - learn through play at the Marbles Kids Museum
The people that run the Marbles Museum in Raleigh believe that the best way to learn is through play, so therfore nearly all of the exhibits in this remarkable museum are interactive. There is a reduced sized town for the kids to play as mayor or chief of police, an area where you can learn about the power of water, and even an area when they can use their imaginations to make buildings and vehicles of the future.
Statesville - tour the Fort Dobbs historic site
North Carolina was in the forefront of the French and Indian War between 1754 and 1763 and the Fort Dobbs State Historic Site is the only remaining location in the state that pays tribute to this period. Tours of the site show you the remains of the fort, its water well, plus there is a replica log cabin, which houses a gift shop. For a really exciting day out visit when one the many re-enactments of the attack by the Cherokees on the fort take place, and relive the “Last of the Mohicans”.
Wilmington - view and smell the flowers at Airlie Gardens
At over 100 years old the Airlie Gardens in Wilmington have been an important sanctuary for flowers and also wildlife. Located by the sea there are a range of themed gardens, sculptures, walking trails and historic buildings to discover and explore. With over 67 acres of gardens and 10 acres of freshwater lakes there is something here for everyone. The gardens are particularly renowned for their collection of over 10,000 Azaleas which are at their best when they are in bloom between winter and early spring.
Winston-Salem - snap at picture at the Shell gas station
Back in the 1930’s the Quality Oil Company built 8 unique gas service stations in the shape of a large shell, representing the company whose oil they were selling – Shell Oil. Over the years 7 of these were demolished and the last remaining one can be found in Winston-Salem and is now home to the North Carolina State Preservation Society where you can learn about its history and other interesting places in the area to visit. This is a good opportunity to have a photograph taken in front of this unusual, original, well preserved structure.
Introduction of North Carolina
The state of North Carolina is located in the United States' southeastern part on the Atlantic Seaboard and offers travellers a huge spectrum of fascinating things to see and do, from the mountainous regions to the beach areas. All over the district the scenery is stunning. Hotels in North Carolina can be found in the main cities such as Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, Charlotte, Burlington, Concord, Wilmington and Fayetteville. Visitors will also find plenty of accommodations, motels, motor lodges, inns, campsites as well as bed and breakfast establishments throughout the rural regions. Most of the four-star and five-star rated establishments can be booked in advance via one of the numerous online reservation services, which often offer the most lucrative deals. The state is rich in history boasting many historical monuments and landmarks while recreational outdoor activities are widely available as well. Coastal North Carolina attracts many beach lovers.


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• Rugby League World Cup

Wembley will give England the advantage - O'Loughlin

ESPN staff
November 18, 2013
O'Loughlin knows New Zealand will provide tougher opposition than Ireland © Getty Images

Sean O'Loughlin believes playing at Wembley in the World Cup semi-final will give England the advantage over New Zealand.

England face the defending champions on Saturday as they bid to reach the final for the first time since 1995.

And after a lacklustre quarter-final performance against France, loose forward O'Loughlin knows his side must improve.

"We know we can get a lot better and I think playing at Wembley will get a lot more out of everyone," he said.

"I think the venue itself can get the better of you sometimes.

"But there are a lot of players in the squad who have been there - the Wigan, Warrington and Leeds lads have all played there [in Challenge Cup finals].

"I wouldn't say they're familiar with it, but they've been there and I think it could be a bit of an advantage."

New Zealand, who beat Australia in the final four years ago, eased through the group stage with victories over Samoa, France and Papua New Guinea before thrashing Scotland in the quarter-finals.

They are the tournaments leading scorers with 186 points, scoring 34 tries in the process.

"They're probably the most impressive team in the tournament," 30-year-old O'Loughlin added.

"If we perform like we did against France, we will probably get more points put on us than we did on Saturday. It was still a convincing win, but it was a bit disappointing performance-wise.

"We will have to raise our performance if we want to get to the final. We scored some nice tries but we gave up too much ball and at times we didn't defend well enough."

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