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Family

Pleasant confusion

Civilians take the greatest advantage of the compartment is to reach the real life of India. Very hot weather, the compartment is like Zhenglong, seating is limited, people Jizhe sat together to chat about some irrelevant topic. I train on the whole an exotic face, so they become rare, "the exhibits." The talks are men, women Quansuo on one side only heard neglect, even automatically friendly greetings, they also seem Xiuse unrest.
Strictly in accordance with the demarcation of the two rail tracks on the train, the Federation of people to order, strict, and closed Shou-time impression. India and take the train, may be changed or even to subvert the traditional impression on the train. Laotailongzhong Indian train has an incredible open, free and lax.
Train stop, visitors Fengyongershang, vied with one another on the vehicle, the vehicle did not stand Lieju Yuan invited everyone on the train, passengers who did not line up the concept, each compartment of the car will be staged in front of a riot. Compartments in the provision of services has not Lie Juyuan, all "self-help" - that suffering can not let foreign tourists, the train when no one to go to station, passengers can only have their own Watch what stations, I would be the wrong one,what is the matter ?An early and get off at.
Confusion is the unpleasant, but India train shown by the confusion, the Indians culture, customs, traditions reflect a comprehensive, no wonder it has become world-renowned "pleasant confusion", is the travellers not to be missed A rare experience.

Fun Flea Market at St. Michaels in benefit of The Emlen School

St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, 6671 Germantown Ave., is holding a community-wide flea market, book drive and fun day to benefit the Emlen School on Saturday, July 12 from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm. The rain date is Saturday, July 19.

In addition to the flea market, there will be a barbecue, activities for children, singing, praise dance, and knitting lessons.

St. Michael's is looking for people to rent tables ($10 donation), donate elementary age books (new or used and in good condition), and/or provide bookstore gift certificates or tax deductible cash donations for the school.

This is the second community event and fund raiser that St. Michael’s has organized to benefit Emlen. St. Michael's is concerned about inequities in the education system and decided to partner with its local public elementary school to support its success. St. Michael's hopes to provide mentors for students in the fall. St. Michael's sees the flea market as a way to raise community awareness and show give support to one of our local public schools.

For information about the flea market, to rent a table or make donations: Kathryn Mariani 215-380-0842 or kathrynmariani@aol.com. For information on how to partner with St. Michael’s to support the Emlen School, contact the church office at 215-848-0199.

Baltimore Ave Mommy Meet up June 28, July 12 Clark Park

Baltimore Ave mommy meet up is embarking on its second meeting. Please join us on June 28, 2008, at noon in Clark Park. This is yet another incentive for moms in the area to come to the park. Every Saturday Clark Park host a farmer's market and every month a fleamarket. So grab the kids, stock up on fresh produce, and stop by the mommy meet up. See you then.

ABOUT THE GROUP:
Meet mothers from the West Philadelphia and University City area who frequent or live nearby Baltimore Ave. With the avenues rich diversity and welcoming atmosphere, I find it fitting to create a mommy meet up here. I envision this group tailoring to moms who want to utilize Clark Park as an outside meeting place and a safe place for our children to play. This meet up is particularly for mothers who are interested in becoming educated consumers and long to green our lives and our children. Our future will depend on our relationship with the environment. Do we protect it and respect it? Now more than ever, global warming and climate change are receiving a lot of media attention and we are being taught different techniques to reduce our carbon emission but what does that mean for mothers. It doesn't have to be overwhelming and we can't expect to be able to do everything but every little bit helps. So, what can we, as mothers, do? And how does what we do now impact our children's future? I hope this organization will give you better insight into how the safety and health of our children are tied to the environment.

For more information: http://sahm.meetup.com/2904
sahm-2904@meetup.com

Building Bridges Summer Camp

In connection with the Walnut Lane Bridge’s 100th anniversary, Cliveden (a historic-site in Germantown) will be offering a Building Bridges Summer Camp. At the camp children will learn about Walnut Lane Bridge and its natural surroundings in the Wissahickon Valley. The five-day camp includes daily field trips to local sites including:

- Historic RittenhouseTown

- Awbury Arboretum

- Wissahickon Environmental Center

- Adventure Aquarium in Camden

Campers will take part in hands-on activities and games where they will: build their own bridge, study marine life in the Wissahickon Creek, identify poisonous and invasive plants, learn how to use a map and compass and other self-exploration activities. We will conclude the week with a trip the Adventure Aquarium, where will will take a behind-the-scenes tour of the aquarium. Perfect camp for children interested in nature, architecture or animals!

SPECIFICS:

- Camp runs from July 14 – July 18.

- Campers must be dropped off at 9:30AM and picked up at 3:30PM at Cliveden (6401 Germantown Avenue) daily. *Call for extended hours or early arrival.

- The cost of registration is $100. A $50 deposit is required at the time of registration.

- The balance is due by July 7. Parents receive a $25 discount for each additional child registered.

- Campers must bring their own packed lunch daily. Light refreshments will be served.

- Ages 8 - 12

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

- Campers can expect to walk to many places in the neighborhood. Dress accordingly and prepare for inclement weather. Also prepare for daily walking and hiking adventures.

- Many of the activities will be conducted in areas which are not handicap accessible.

- Please inform us of any medical condition or allergies your child may have.

CONTACT INFO:

Please email rfink@cliveden.org or call 215-848-1777 for more information and to have a brochure sent to you.

www.cliveden.org

Prenatal and Mommy and Me Yoga

... featured now at Inner Bliss Yoga at 2nd and Spring Garden. For more information contact kellyoga@comcast.net, 267-236-2783

Why, then...

...what do I have with Chestnut Hill. Well - familiar affairs.

My mother’s franc father went by the name of Nussbaum, that means
chestnut tree. He spent his whole life with doings about the village
where he lived, also greater works when a dam was built in the wider
region (near Aachen, the old franc capital most west in northern
rhenanian Germany). He had six children and died two months before
my birth from Tetanus which he had contracted while working in a
cow stead. A little injury, and he was done for. I didn’t hear much
of that until far in my adult age. In the later times of my wanderings
through Europe and Germany it often so happened that when I had
found a pleasant place in nature where I would want to stay for a
while, I also found one or several chestnut trees about. My grandmother
who bore this name was to become my godmother and it seems that
my relation to physical chestnut trees is that of a human to a godparent
spirit, a thing that may be similarly known with certain indian habits.
Also, in later times when I rested near my home place, I found a
location where to stay, a notable Löss hill on the edge of the Rhine
valley northwest of Cologne, right near the villages of my childhood
and youth. The sight is very fine there, one can nearly see until the
Eifel mountains near Aachen, to the Rhine metropoles of Cologne
and Düsseldorf. Opposite on the other side of the valley a mountain
range is well visible, not high but markedly. The soil of the hill is of
most exquisite Löss that is mixed with marl so that it crunches under
the foot when it’s not so dry as to form marvelously heavy dust,
nearly white, pale. At the Rhine valley side of the hill a chestnut tree
stands, about fifty years old. I found it when I took residence there
and spent much of my days holding and watching a fire
from abundant old wood.
Just recently I came to check about Immanuel Kant the prussian
philosopher of enlightenment. I found that not only has he been an
astronomer but also he whilesomely teached building techniques
of fortresses. However else, this man became the archspirit of prussian
doings in the large, as concerned with moral obligation and reason.
In the wake of the changes Napoleon had brought about, the Prussians
got hold of Rhenania. Prussian thrust in ostentatiously taking party
at the side of deadly insulted Austria brought about the First World War.
What this war was to be is well known, it was a first instance of
engaging mighty America in European and wider affairs. Later in the
war staff decided to build a strategic railroad parallel to the Rhine valley
through our lands, intended to carry support to the front and transport
lignite which is dug up in considerable dimensions nearby to the
cities in the Rhine valley and further. The railway dam was built straight
through our lands, it runs at even level with the fields near my youth
village and cuts through the hill, to form a hollow at the southern end of it
before running on as a rather high dam over the brook that surrounds the
hillside there. When the war was lost the railroad was not yet finished
and its completion was interdicted in the Versailles Treaty. In the 20ies
some bridges were yet built because the landscape had already been
altered but no railway ever existed there. The state uses the land
to plant poplars, and since, short beeches, oaks and lime; beyond
that one has made the place into a riding path and walkabout for people
with dogs and so on. In the 90ies I lived at this dam in a bridge right
beside my youth village, and there I was shown how the spirit of
Immanuel Kant and his like had really instrumented a thing here.
One may see the dam as a kind of fortification. I had very much,
pretty silent times by the fire under the bridge with long nights and
during these meditative times I came to observe that the bow of the
bridge was very finely weighed out with the movements of celestial
lights, especially the moon. At times when that circled low through
the heavens it very finely contoured the edge of the bridge bow,
and when I was very very silent I could even follow its movement
with the open eye, therefore also feel the effect of the centrifugal
force from the rotation of the earth, which in our zones lightens
every particle of matter, also whole bodies, by about 1 / 40 of its
weight, with direction to the celestial equator. This observation
enthusiasmed me, and, as I said: it is just recently that I found
about this fact that Kant with his astronomical background
occasionally teached the building of fortifications. That both came
together at this bridge. Other elements corroborated this picture:
the typical prussian animals were visible: dogs, horses, a very genial
rat that gave me company, also a woman lived nearby who came
from Berlin and had a dog and horses herself. For the french party
a cat appeared that had born six kittens in the wild and when they
were able to move somewhat coherently she brought them to me
and set off without returning; also there was a very spirited night
bird, perhaps a hawk that talked very intensely to me and did really
nice and interesting audio dramas with decided sounds of its very
sharp claws in the foliage at earth. The bridge seemed to be the
border arch in several animal affairs; animals liked to come there
and have things cleared like little turf quarrels they fought out
before me.
The bridge lies about one mile north of the hill, directly besides
the village and especially the mill, which is now an assortment
of silos. After three years of holding fire there I moved to the hill
because things at the bridge had become a bit too crowded.
Over the following time I erected several tents, one after the
other, and lived between the hollow and the chestnut tree. The sky
here also is very peculiar, wide to all horizons and full of clowd
pictures at times, visions all the day. A family of roe lived nearby
who don’t fret before man; they consequently showed me how they
live und sometimes visited me at my tent. We surely had some
fine kind of interaction. Besides that, from the times at the bridge
already, I cared for the cow wherever I found some. Times for
these became bad, however; one farmer after the other abandoned
the job and sold his herd to the slaughterer. This place near the
chestnut tree has its distinctive features. First of all: the animals
like the place and they like to be genial. Several laws seem to be
valid there, one of which is: one suffices, that means when a new
species appears at the place there is always a decent place for
just one exemplary of it, for certain, but for more, nothing is sure.
Another law seems to be the theme of uncomparable companions.
So once a very large and a rather small dog appeared there,
promenading alone, then the very genial goshawk and a small
hawk one time showed me a little artistic figure together in which
the goshawk serenely flew some curves between the poplar trees
and the hawk flew with him, accompaniying him, straightly flying
in perfect correspondence directly and precisely three hands over
the other’s tail. And they blinked to me while doing it! Another time
yet I wondered whether the owl chases the bat. Only three days
later I was standing at the edge of the hollow and the field on the
high of the hill, and silently the owl passed, the bat flying coolly
at his left side, wing tip at wing tip.
The chestnut tree is forked in height of the thigh into two strong
branches. That seems to be a verse on the landform there. The
hill, about a half mile in diameter, pure heap of löss down to the
foundations, is curvy so and so at all sides. The brook comes from
the south through a near village, literally runs into the hill at a point
where the distance to the Rhine valley is just a third of a mile -
there the brook bends sharply to the left and surrounds the hill foot
on the south and west side. The hill’s surface on the Rhine side
swings in two parallel grooves down into the valley. These two
grooves unite farther down and form thus a fork, which fact is
obviously reproduced in the fork shape of the tree. The land forms
a kind of cushion between the grooves, and out of this cushion the
tree draws this certain special smoothness and sweetness that is
to be tasted from its fruit. When I took residence there I soon detected
a serious flaw: the dam cut is drawn thus through the hill that it cuts
through both these grooves. The grooves are discreet waterlines.
In the original state water trickled from the high side of the hill
through them and perhaps came out visibly farther down, where
the fork of the grooves unites. However, now the dam cut is there,
the water that would normally seep down unseen, breaks down
into the open at the upper side of the cut, especially at the more
southward, greater groove whose cut-off upper part forms a pan
in which the water gathers. This business was a severe sacrilege.
The animals too, roe and hare, sometimes commented on this.
Which leaves us to remark that Immanuel Kant has best to be
understood out of his time when people started to gather in
permanence and therefore had to learn how to behave properly
in questions like when to take leave from duty in order to decently
have a leak. This also is depicted in this construction. It could
apparently not be avoided - but sanctioned, like in the Versailles
Treaty.
Upside on the hill top they now place tree plantations which are
very hotly accepted by the roe who like places to hide and rest.
Beyond, all the hillside is used agriculturally. On the crest between
the valley side of the brook and the southern slope of the greater
groove a small plantation of fir grows where the roe familiy used
to stay. There is sharp hunt but they gladly seem to know the
calendar - whenever shooting appears in the near, they will have
certainly been absent for at least a day.
Animals mark the east-downward slope into the Rhine valley.
First I found a dropping of the fox who lives not far from here
and seems to like the place. Then I found one piece from the roe.
I picked it up and kept it, to be used in a certain transaction:
At the lowest point of my home village, directly besides the brook,
a historic site is to be found. A pit hole is dug out there in the
dimensions of a moat that in former times, so so from the 6th
to 14th century, circled a small watercastle with four towers.
The people from this castle seem to have been known well enough
in the Empire. The castle has long since gone and a four-sided farm
house stands in the moat, surrounded by an old and sweet meadow
well known by all grazing animals in the land. There is perceptably
a special force with this place: once in an evening when a strong
southwest wind was blowing, I was out in the fields over the brook.
The atmosphere in the brook valley is very subtle, at ideal times
there tend to be tiny clouds in the way of some vents where the
slightly humid air from the brook blows up over the fields around.
In this windy evening now I saw a whole row of such tiny clowds
hover high like poplar tops over the southern edge of the moat.
And the best is: the really strong wind did not blow them away,
they did not move such a bit. I concentrated on watching this play
of nature, but really, they remained like riveted.
In former times the farm in the moat had been a normal place with
cow and hen and dog and swine, but one day the cowstead burned
off and so only the dog and hen and swine remained, then swine
and dog, at last only a tribe of hogs. That was not quite ideal.
Three years then I had good play with troups of beautiful and
spirited heifers, timewise the young from the herd over there that
got skipped because of plague fears. Beautiful people, I can tell.
Cow can be very charming. These heifer groups apparently
laid siege to the hog heaven of the farm quarter. I had much to do
with them and I could follow the goings on. The cow kids once
even engaged me as a go-between to the hogs. When I had found
that roe dropping, a fine, dense cylinder of matter, I thought it
could help in this. Also, I knew some more - I went to a Kiosque
somewhere and bought a pulp novel with the title “The lost soul”.
With this and the roe dropping I went to the Pigstead in the farm.
I showed to a sweet friendly pig that was near what this issue was -
it behaved a little strangely, ducking away like morally fearful under
its ears. But the essence of the gesture seemed clearly understood.
I stuffed the volume at the side of the muck the swine lived in and
added the piece of roe dung. That would have to make it.
Beyond that, the heifers played their little manoeuvres arond the
house and some meditated the unseen swine in the stable.
And right: things changed with the owners, the son would not
like to raise hog anymore so the stead was cleared out of them,
but since then also the meadow outside is in no use anymore,
the siege has ended, the cow can only stay away.
As for the roe, they like to do similar magic: one day I came along
the dam to the smaller groove, I mounted there on the valley side
and found a roe standing right ahead of me at the border of the field.
Roe can spurt off like that when found in the wrong moment but they
do not the least fear man that they know for good. So this sweet
animal just stayed where it was, twelve steps ahead; before it there
was a puddle in the margin of the field planted with sugar beet.
And now the animal did a bit of its magic: it dipped its nose very
slightly onto the puddle, then, before a long neck, it made little
throwing movements with its nose like dealing singular drops to
singular plants before it. I watched. It dipped its nose once more
and repeated the gesture. O.k., I saw, all was fine - I turned
around and went, not wanting to disturb such spirits.

The greatest community of chestnut trees, I read, is to be found at a
side of the Tianshan Mountains in westernmost China and beyond.
It is knowm that chestnuts disperse from their leaves a sort of
poison that inhibits most other plants to grow under the tree.
At my hill this can clearly be seen. The tree grows on a strip of land
about three steps broad between the edge of the dam ditch and
the outlaying field. This strip is densely grown with stinging nettle.
Three years I also spent clearing this place from rampaging hollies
and blackberry bush. Under the tree that towers half over the strip,
half over the field, one can easily see the poison work; also in the
field under the tree nothing grows. For some while I had an
agreement with a little animal I have never seen. Wenn all the nuts
were fallen from the tree, the animal would appear and eat all the
nuts on the strip, but it wouldn’t touch those in the field. Thus,
we about parted the treasure by half and both came off gladly.
I tried to transplant a

Oh yeah now I see I was all in an error - of cause my people, my
spirit and all are WALNUT. It goes on like this: I dug out a little
chestnut plant at a famous chestnut alley having been planted
by Napoleon or for Napoleon, at least in that time, I transplanted
it to the strip on the border of the acre but shucks, it just would
not grow. Year after year goes and it remains as tiny as a hand and
a half. The stinging nettle held themselves before this little plant
but once they should have grown over it it will be done for. Also,
the majestic alley near a fine castle nearby where I took it from
has been cut down, as I hear.

Teehee. What can I say now - perhaps this: Phillyfuture the name
of this here blogomatic could well be seen with reference to the
title of Philadelphia as groundstone of american historical existence.
I should suppose a switch with which to return at the beginning
of all this and see everything that has happened since as in the
future of that place in time. And everything that still is going to happen
is also placed in that frame of reference. Is that how Philadelphians
feel about the future, any future?

I find it very appealing that the state of Pennsylvania has “Virtues”
as a state parole. That, I think, is the word missing in all the great
declarations that founded the US. Fine that at least one state at all
should not forget it. My sympathies to you, therefore.

Besides all that, there ARE Chestnut trees at the hill but not on top
but at the brook where it has passed through a tunnel under the dam
where that comes out of the hollow. Anyway...

And fate - New England is an atlantic zone. One time I could see
how the great wind demon of the Atlantic keeps balance. A great
storm had been in the eastern US and after that they showed a
picture of a very huge, strong tree in Hope, Arkansas that hat been
kicked over by the wind. Normally, when something has happened over
there it takes about a week until the spoils, of Hurricanes for instance,
can be felt here with us. Also, our little Highland over the Rhine valley
can experience considerable winds - therefore the mill, and I myself
have seen how a wind that missed the mill broke over a poplar tree
some yards further. But here this Hope storm was an extra one.
When its response hit home with us I wasn’t there but returning
I found the wind had broken my delicious Lalique tree, a normally
rather elastic being that was my joy because I could sit inside its
span, the sphere of its ornamentally curled twigs around me, seeing
the eastern Sky thus decoratively fragmented. I have had my joy,
mad fury had to take it away...

My, the world will have to do without it, like it shall have to do
without me someday. Greetings to all philosophers, I think this
stuff will but have to do now. Ciao folks.

Event teaches kids safe cycling skills

Does your child know how to wear a bike helmet correctly? How to check if his or her bike is safe to ride? How to ride safely and predictably on the road? These are just a few things children will learn at the second annual Bike the Lake set for 10 a.m. to noon, April 19 at Sailor’s Point, Peace Valley Park, Doylestown.
The first 100 children will receive free event T-shirts and goodie bags. Activities will include helmet checks, bicycle safety checks and maintenance tips, safe cycling rules of the road, a bike handling and skills course and—the event highlight —a guided six-mile ride around Lake Galena, led by experienced members of the Central Bucks Bicycle Club and leaving every half hour.
“Children need to understand that a bicycle is not a toy. It really is their first vehicle,” says Bob Ruddy, Central Bucks Bicycle Club president. “Bicycling is a fun family activity and it’s great aerobic exercise, but it’s important that everyone knows and follows the safety rules.”
Nationwide, bicycles are associated with more childhood injuries than any other consumer product except the automobile, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC According to the National Safe Kids Campaign, SafeKids more than 80 percent of bicycle-related deaths among children younger than 15 are attributed to bicyclists riding against traffic, running stop signs and other traffic violations. Head injury is the leading cause of death in bicycle crashes, accounting for more than 60 percent of bicycle-related deaths and more than two-thirds of bike-related hospitalizations.
Also at the event, representatives of Neighborhood Bike Works, NeighborhoodBikeWorks a West Philadelphia nonprofit organization that helps urban youth through bicycling activities, will be on hand to accept donations of outgrown children’s bikes.
Bike The Lake is co-sponsored by the Central Bucks Bike Club, Cycle Sports of Doylestown, HighRoad Cycles, the Bucks County Department of Parks and Recreation, Bucks County Highway Safety Department, the Bucks County Emergency Department and Neighborhood Bike Works.
For more information, e-mail BikeTheLake@cbbikeclub.org or call the Bucks County Department of Parks and Recreation at 215-489-5132.
The Central Bucks Bicycle Club is a nonprofit organization that promotes recreational cycling and long distance bicycle touring in the Bucks County region. The club organizes rides for cyclists of all abilities and levels of experience from casual recreational riders to competitive racers. Regular activities include: group evening and weekend bicycle rides throughout the year as well as occasional overnight bicycle trips and week-long excursions. The club’s premiere event is the annual Covered Bridges Ride in the fall which draws thousands of cyclists. For more information visit CBBC

Group protests cross-dressing in school.

Calling it cross-dressing might be stretching it a bit, though technically the term is correct.
The kids were taking part in a school function called Wacky Week.
The week before Wacky Week, the kids voted on how they should dress up each day.

The last day of Wacky Week, the vote was to dress as either Senior Citizens,
or have the boys dress as girls, and girls dress as boys.

It was Wacky Week, get it? A time for the kids to have fun.
It brought the whackos out instead.

Kids

Story Link: Playing dress-up

Cartoon from Sid in the City

Shut the Duck Up! Protest Time!

Here is the newest update regarding the Shut the Duck Up! campaign.

Shut the Duck Up! is a running campaign to quiet down those annoying Duck Tours that literally ruin the beautiful nostalgia in Philadelphia. On April 4th at 10 am, our campaign efforts will be shown through a large protest at the Philadelphia Ride the Duck Tours Penn’s Landing water entrance (Where Race Street meets the water).

Over the past few months the local Philadelphia community has positively responded with arms wide open. In addition to the public and community, the local media has shown an enormous amount of support. Our petition has received over 100 signatures, and since the release of the Shut the Duck Up! Documentary video on YouTube, there has been over 2700 views.

If you would like to join us in our fight to preserve our beautiful city of Philadelphia, and send those ducks back to their pond, please attend the Shut the Duck Up! protest. We will be standing strong and demanding hard so that this mission can be considered a success.

For more information as well as updates please visit the Shut the Duck Up! website at http://shuttheduckup.blogspot.com/. I hope you will help us get the word out!

Best,

Walt Sherman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpynoYuFEBw
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/shut-the-duck-up

The Big Picture

The Big Picture is the Veggie Tales and small children worship coming to St. Michael's Lutheran Church...for more information, please call the church office 215-848-0199 and leave a message for Pastor Ingram!

"Taken" in Philadelphia - A Music Video

Please watch this music video on YouTube about Breaking the Cycle in Philly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DvWaDNDXmM

Thanks!

Update on a dog post....

Are dogs possessions or members of the family? Do puppy lemon laws mean anything?

Look, this topic of irresponsible dog breeding, dog hoarding, pet abuse is a topic that makes me sick to my stomach. A long time ago, I put up a post called "ANOTHER PA Dog Breeder violates Puppy Lemon Laws....". The post has stayed a bit active...recently, someone claiming to be the breeder in question has posted comments. I have no problem with that, but her lawyers might as it puts her ever so out there...in the comments, whomever this person is said they would replace "defective" puppies?

Dogs are not shoes they are members of our families, so ...to some people what was suggested is fine, but to others, that is like trading in a defective child. And that leads me to an interesting question: what do these breeders do with "defective" puppies that people return? Where do unwanted puppies go?

So anyway, I found the following on the web:

January 29, 2008
Bullie Pups R Us case still pending

I've received quite a few comments and e-mails about the status of the Pennsylvania Attorney General's lawsuit against Bullie Pups R Us and its owner Traci Murai.

My entry on English bulldogs hitting the AKC top 10 breeds is what stirred the pot on this issue.

I had been trying to get a comment from Attorney General Tom Corbett's office for about two weeks and finally got some information today.

According to Nils Frederiksen, deputy press secretary for the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office, the Bullie Pups R Us lawsuit is an ongoing civil case. The Reading Eagle had published a story when the case was filed, back in April of 2006

Reading Eagle Paws Blog

Press: The Attorney General's Press Office - Pennsylvania Office ...

Better Business Bureau Reliability Report

Kennel Shut Down For Selling Sick Bulldogs

Thoughts on Paws: April 2006 Archives

PetAbuse.com

Classified Ad Online

Reading Eagle Paws Blog

next day pets ad

bulldogs from russia

Is this the breeder website? BulliePupsRUs Legal Info

NOTE: OFFERS FOR SALE ARE NOT VALID TO RESIDENTS IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

Refund/Cancellation policy
NO REFUNDS in part or in full will be given for ANY reason. ONLY full credit for another puppy will be given for any and all reasons.

If you are unhappy with your puppy for any reason that is not covered under the contract, and that we feel is valid, we will possibly work with you on getting a second puppy at a siginifigant discount. We review each case individually and retain the right to refuse a discount for another puppy at any given time.

Additional important links... Please check to see if your state has a Puppy Lemon Law.

Currently 11 states throughout the USA have Puppy Lemon Laws. Know your rights!

Is this breeder now only selling OUTSIDE of the Commonwealth of PA? Do the people buying these dogs know that probably invalidates at least some of their rights under puppy lemon laws? (I am not a lawyer, but a lawyer told me possibly "yes") If you breed good dogs, why all the random registries? (non AKC)

www.bulliepupsrus.com/forsale

redorbit.com: amity kennel is sued by state

dog channel

news story (related)

k9 stud

k9stud

Publication:Reading Eagle; Date:Mar 14, 2007; Section:Berks & Beyond; Page Number:B3
Police log

District judges

(All information was obtained through records in the Berks County Courthouse.)

Before Victor M. Frederick IV: Cases waived into court:

Traci Murai, 36, of the 300 block of West Morlatten Road, Amity Township, forgery and tampering with records.

awarenessday.org

bulliepupsrusattorneygeneral.blogspot.com

PA false AMBER Alert triggered - How the Amber Alert Child ID Kit can help in an emergency

AMBER ALERT CHILD ID KIT – Unlike Any ID Kit You Know.
A modern, convenient and secure way to update and manage vital information.

A false AMBER Alert was recently triggered in Trumbauersville, Philadelphia for a young girl aged 7-9. Although this child was found not to be missing there still lives the real fact that children are abducted and that serious harm can be done in a short amount of time. What is needed from a parent in this situation? How do police officers gain information on a child that is missing, lost or abducted? Is a parent or guardian always prepared with their child or children’s most up-to-date picture, medical information, physical description? Even more importantly, is this information handy at all times?

According to the most recent case study by the US Department of Justice regarding a missing child scenario, non-family abduction, a child is usually dead within 3 – 3 ½ hours. It is also stated that it takes law enforcement a minimum of 2 hours to gather the necessary information from a parent or guardian. That leaves very little time to create and send an AMBER Alert as to inform and solicit help from the general public, law enforcement, and the media.

My company created the Child ID Kit, a modern, convenient and secure way for parents to store and manage their child’s or children’s information. It’s been designed specifically for parents to easily transfer information to law enforcement. The Child ID Kit is software developed to securely store hundreds of images, profile information, online information, medical information, and much more. The software and all stored information is password protected and encrypted.

The software is held on a USB flash drive which makes the information portable, transferable, more secure, and updatable. The main purpose of the Child ID Kit is to shorten the time it takes to transfer information from parent to law enforcement so action can be taken quickly to find or rescue a missing child. Amber Simshaw from Montana says “I would recommend it to anyone who has children in their lives”.

Other features include its ability to store contact information on anyone that interacts with your child – babysitter, boyfriend, teacher, ex-spouse, etc. In addition, ALL information can be downloaded from the device with a simple click of a few buttons including all images in a digital format, intended for law enforcement or to keeping a record.

Most likely a parent will not ever have to use it, but it brings peace of mind to those who have it. It’s a one time buy and lasts a life time. We sell both a Single Child Kit and Family Child Kit (1-5 children). Best of all each kit is equipt with the ability to interchange between English and Spanish. It can be found on www.amberalert.com/idkit online store for $29.95 and $44.95. Also, the Child ID Kit won the iParenting Media award for Outstanding Safety Product 2007. It went through vigorous testing and was highly regarded by many judges. Fantastic!

The Child ID Kit is also great for fundraisers. It is a product that adds value to lives of parents and children. It also makes a great gift or give-away for events or for employee appreciation day. For more information visit www.amberalert.com/idkit. Finds from the Child ID Kit helps us continue to provide our AMBER Web Portal, technology for alerting abductions, to participating states for free. In 2006 all of our abduction alerts from our Web Portal resulted in a 100% recovery! Help keep it going.

Parents and Teens chat:6 ways to communicate clearly with your teens

Hi Parents,

How would you like to have a closer relationship with your teen again?

Your ability to communicate effectively with your teen is one of the most precious skills you can develop to achieve this goal.

When we think of communication, we tend to think only of the way we can express ourselves. While that is certainly important, listening is the single most crucial of all communication skills.

As a mother of two teenage boys, I know that it isn't always easy to communicate well with your teen.

It's particularly frustrating when they aren't talking to you. However, when I started applying these techniques to our lives, I found that we started getting along better almost immediately.wow goldwow goldWith less arguing between us, our relationship became stronger.

1. Make Your Teen Your Focus

Give your teens your full attention. I know that this is a toughie, because we tend to be so busy. It seems as if we are always multi-tasking. However, it is important in clear communicating that you make a point of stopping what you are doing and really listen to your teens (rather than just hearing him). wow gold

When you give your teens your undivided attention, they will know that you care, because you took the time to listen, thereby increasing the chances that they will listen to you.

2. Get the Details

Hear what your teen is really saying! Teens tend to give terse answers to questions,wow goldleaving out details that may be important. It's up to you to be able to get them to open up and draw them into a conversation.

Here is an example:

Teen: "I hate my teacher!"
Parent: "Oh, you don't really mean that!"
Teen: "Yes, I do. I double hate him!"
Parent: "Well, I don't want to hear that kind of talk. I am sure you don't really hate him!" wow goldTeen: "Yes, I do so. I hate all teachers!"
Parent: "Do you think hating your teachers is going to get you a good mark?"

And on and on the arguing goes….

Here’s an alternative:

Teen: "I hate my teacher!"
Parent: "Wow,World Of Warcraft powerlevelingWorld Of Warcraft powerlevelingyou don't normally hate anybody. What did he do to get you talking like that?"
Teen: "A couple of kids didn't have their homework finished again today, so he decided to punish all of us by giving us a math test tomorrow!"
Parent: "That doesn't sound very fair!"
Teen: "No, it isn't fair at all. I wanted to go over to Rachel's tonight to hang out and listen to music. Instead I have to study for that stupid test. I am so mad at my teacher! He ruins everything!"
Parent: (Just listening.)

This teen was able to express herself, and she felt validated by her parent.

You will notice that the parent didn't argue about the feelings the teen had. The parent listened and was not judgmental. You don't have to agree with your teen’s feelings. World Of Warcraft powerlevelingYou only need to acknowledge them. There is no such thing as a wrong feeling. We can’t help what our teens may feel. We should set limits, however, on behaviors that don’t conform to what we consider to be appropriate behavior.

Expressing one's feelings is a healthy thing; although negative expressions of one’s feelings should be avoided,World Of Warcraft powerlevelingsuch as screaming or name calling. A good way to avoid this is using time-outs--wait and continue the conversation when everybody has calmed down.

3. Open-Ended Questions

Questions can be crucial to communicating with your teens. Ask questions that they can't answer with only a yes or a no.

For example in the above scenario the parent could ask the teen, "What could you do to help your teacher change his mind about the test?"

Teen: "I am not sure. This guy is so stubborn!"
Parent: "What if you talk to him and come up with better ways for him to deal with the kids that aren't doing their homework?"
Teen: "Mmhhh, maybe I could give it a try."

4. Criticize Behavior, Not Your Teen

Moving from the listening to the talking part of communication, your focus shifts. When you want to see a change in your teens’ behavior, using the following structure can be very helpful. “When you______, I feel______, because I need______.” This wording (known as “I“ message) doesn't attack your teens’ personality. Instead it merely talks about an action of theirs that you'd like to change and why.

Here is a scenario you might relate to: World Of Warcraft powerlevelingThe chores were not done. Your teen went out instead. This example does not show the best way of communicating. It is a personal attack and makes statements you may not stick to anyway.

Parent: "You didn't do your chores! You are such a lazy slob! You never do your chores, and I always have to do them for you. World Of Warcraft powerlevelingNext time you don't do them, I am going to ground you for a week!
Teen: (Feels pretty lousy.)

Now here is an example using the “I” technique:

Parent: "When you didn't do your chores before going out, I felt really mad. We had an agreement about chores being done before going out, and I need you to do
your part of the chores, or I am stuck doing them for you.”
Teen: (Thinking.) “I guess that makes sense.”

Remember when you start a sentence with
“You are such and such,” you aren’t
communicating. You are criticizing!

5. Let the Consequence Fit the Action

A fairly big problem that parents run into is looking for suitable punishment for broken rules.wow powerlevelingHowever, the penalty applied usually isn't related to the teens’ action. As parents, we need to show our teens that each choice they make has consequences, but the discipline needs to be appropriate.

Parents tend to punish their teens by taking away something the adolescent enjoys, World Of Warcraft powerlevelingfor example no TV for a week. Let’s take the earlier example of the chores not being done, such as the laundry left in a heap. It would be more beneficial to the development of your teen if you base the penalty on a natural connection between his action and the punishment. A good way of showing the consequences to his action in this instance would be having him do your laundry as well as his next time,world of warcraft power levelingsince you had to do his this time. When following such a step, you are practicing "silent communication". This means letting him experience the natural consequences of his actions. This technique speaks louder than any words ever could. It illustrates to all people that they will be held accountable for what they do.

As they grow, teens tend to receive more privileges from parents. It is important for them to realize that more responsibility goes along with the extra freedom.

6. Using Descriptive Praise

We all praise our teen sometimes. We tell them, "You are a smart kid.” Perhaps you might say, "You are a good piano player.” We mean well, but unfortunately this kind of praise doesn't bring the desired effect of making your teen feel good about himself. wow power levelingWhy is that? It is because what we are doing is evaluating their actions. With this type of praise, we aren’t giving evidence to support our claims, and this makes the praise fall flat and seem empty and unconvincing.

We need to describe in detail what they are doing. As your teen recognizes the truth in your words, he can then evaluate his actions and credit himself where he feels the praise has merit.

Here is an example with evaluating praise:

Teen: "Hey, Ma, I got a 90 on my geometry test!"
Parent: "Fantastic! You are a genius!"
Teen: (Thinking) "I wish. I only got it 'cause Paul helped me study. He is the genius."

Here is an example with descriptive praise:

Teen: "Hey, Ma, I got a 90 on my geometry test!"
Parent: "You must be so pleased. You did a lot of studying for that test!"
Teen: (Thinking) "I can really do geometry when I work at it!"

Describing your teens’ action rather then evaluating them with an easy "good" or "great" or labeling them with "slow learner" or "scatterbrain" isn't easy to do at first, because we are all unaccustomed to doing that. However, wow power levelingonce you get into the habit of looking carefully at your teen's action and putting into words what you see, you will do it more and more easily and with growing pleasure.

Adolescents need the kind of emotional nourishment that will help them become independent, creative thinkers and doers, wow power levelingwho aren't looking to others for approval all the time. With this sort of praise, teens will trust themselves, and they won’t need everybody else's opinion to tell them how they are doing.

Another challenging problem concerns when and how we criticize our teens. Instead of pointing out what's wrong with your teen’s actions, wow power levelingtry describing what is right followed by what still needs doing.

Example: Your teen hasn't done his laundry yet.

Parent: "How is the laundry coming?
Teen: "I am working on it."
Parent: "I see that you picked up your clothes in your room and in the family room and put it in the hamper. You are half way there."

This parent talks with encouragement,wow power levelingacknowledging what has been done so far, rather then pointing out what hasn't been done yet.

For more helpful information and examples on good communication with your child, I highly recommend a book by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish called How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So They Will Talk, published by Harper, ISBN 0380811960.

There’s a teen version of the book called How to Talk so Teens Will Listen, ISBN 0060741252.

"Parents need to fill a child's bucket of self-esteem so high that the rest of the world can't poke enough holes in it to drain it dry."

- Alvin Price

Another great place to find stories that support and encourage your Teen is in the Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul book series authored by Mark Victor Hansen and Debbie Reber.!

Calling All Young Artists: Sketch Stormwater for a Prize

The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary is now accepting entries on behalf of the Philadelphia Water Department for the 2008 “Clean Water Begins and Ends With You” Drawing Contest, an annual art competition for kindergarten through 12th-grade students throughout the City of Philadelphia.

For the past nine years, the nonprofit National Estuary Program has partnered with the Philadelphia Water Department to hold this popular contest, the purpose of which is to educate thousands of children every year about stormwater runoff pollution, the leading cause of water contamination throughout the Delaware Estuary.

First-place drawings from four age categories will be featured on car-card advertisements celebrating the 38th anniversary of Earth Day. These, along with 12 other award-winning entries, will be published in a calendar available for free to the public. Other prizes to be awarded at a ceremony in April include framed certificates, a variety of art supplies, and gift cards ranging from $25 to $100.

“Each year we honor the winners and their teachers at the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center,” said Ed Grusheski, general manager of public affairs at the PWD. “It’s a great setting in which to reward these youngsters for their artistic achievements in an effort to educate the public about protecting the region’s valuable water resources.”

The first school to submit 100 qualified entries or more by the February 22 deadline will receive a $500 gift card for school supplies. And each teacher of a winning student will receive a $25 gift card toward the purchase of art supplies.

Stormwater runoff occurs whenever water from rain or melted snow flows over watertight surfaces such as driveways, sidewalks, and streets. Rather than naturally soaking into the ground, this stormwater picks up debris, chemicals, and other pollutants on its way into storm drains. It is then frequently discharged directly into the water bodies we use for swimming, fishing, drinking water and more.

To learn more about this form of non-point source pollution and the “Clean Water Begins and Ends With You” Drawing Contest, please call Dee Ross at (800) 445-4935, extension 106. Entry forms and additional details can be found at www.DelawareEstuary.org.