sick

my daughter showed this to me tonight

link with full article

Children For Sale On Craigslist
Katherine Chon, Executive Director & Co-Founder Polaris Project

I’m sure most of us are familiar with Craigslist, an online Web community where people post job opportunities, items for sale, and find activity partners. Over the past years, Craigslist has grown by leaps and bounds and now has Web sites representing over 300 U.S. cities. Many of us have used Craigslist to find a garage sale or buy a used couch.

However, despite its millions of users and various social benefits, there’s a dark side of Craigslist that most users don’t see. In the “Erotic” section, human traffickers have found Craigslist to be one of the most efficient, effective (and free) ways to post children and women for sale.


With a bit of research, one can realize just how much of a problem this has become. In one recent case, two Chicago women were charged for selling girls as young as 14 years old on Craigslist. The girls were forced to have sex with 10-12 men per day, and the traffickers made tens of thousands of dollars. A Boston man and his niece were charged with plotting a child trafficking operation with teenagers as young as 13 by selling them on Craigslist to predators from Massachusetts to New York. These cases are just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, law enforcement efforts to fight trafficking nationwide are consistently reporting a spike in online Craigslist ads, and how sex trafficking has “moved online” lately.


In Washington, DC, we see an average of 500 of these such Craigslist ads each new day. Yet, it is important to realize that a significant percentage of these ads on Craigslist do not advertise solely “legal escort services” as Craigslist may like to believe. Instead, a considerable percentage of the ads are a thinly veiled guise for one of the many faces of human trafficking that exists here in the United States. Although Craigslist may convince itself that it has created a beneficial online venue for advertising legal escorts, in effect, what it has done is create a fertile ground for traffickers to further their trade in human misery.

Many of the victims of human trafficking that Polaris Project has served have had their pictures posted on Craigslist. Through serving them, we’ve learned how the pictures on Craigslist hide the pain behind the smile. Maybe Craigslist should ask itself if the marginal benefits of this form of free advertising for the sex trade are worth the far larger human costs.

all I can say is wtf
Not for sale campaign
pray**pray***Pray***Pray**
In a month or so we might have an exciting announcement.

ugghh

Ok, so today was only day 4, it felt like day 10.
I cannot vpn in into work... this is stressful. I know the emails are piling up.
the launndry is piling, the dirty dishes and other things are piling too.
I had a nice dinner with great friends. I miss them and it made me remember why I just like to sit and drink coffee or tea with them.
My niece's wedding is in 10 days.
I am tired.
The convention talks is already old.
Hey, I saw the cspan bus drive into to town today :) woo hoo..
Madonna is suppose to be there.
The conversations with Rick Warren and the candidates were fabulous. Very telling,I laughed a few times.
I am praying.
I am thinking and praying.
God - thank you in advance :)
you are faithful.
You are present.
You are consistent.
You save.
You bless.
You watch.
You live.

The Saddleback Civil Forum on Leadership and Compassion
link
LAKE FOREST, Calif., July 21 – Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama, respective presumed Republican and Democratic presidential nominees, will end the primary season by making their first joint appearance of the 2008 campaign at Saddleback Church on Saturday, Aug.16 at the Saddleback Civil Forum on Leadership and Compassion. Dr. Rick Warren, founding pastor of the 22,000-member Orange County, Calif. mega church and moderator for the event, made the announcement today upon confirmation by both campaigns.

The Saddleback Civil Forum on Leadership and Compassion
link
LAKE FOREST, Calif., July 21 – Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama, respective presumed Republican and Democratic presidential nominees, will end the primary season by making their first joint appearance of the 2008 campaign at Saddleback Church on Saturday, Aug.16 at the Saddleback Civil Forum on Leadership and Compassion. Dr. Rick Warren, founding pastor of the 22,000-member Orange County, Calif. mega church and moderator for the event, made the announcement today upon confirmation by both campaigns.

proverbs 31

8 "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.

9 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

I have one day to do last minute runnning around. (Literally, I have the annual phyisical tomorrow. The PT test.) Wish me luck.
I need to fill the freezer with quick meals, pick up laundry soap, cat food and dog food. Everything else will sustain while I am attending to the needs in Denver. I tried to get a hotel for one of the nights, not a chance all the prices are doubled, I will stay on a cot one night next week and then beginning on Friday night we are secured! My niece's wedding is in two week and I am not going to be able to help with any of the minutes touches. But, I am excited about the big day.
I spoke with my Brigade Commander and we are going to share rides 3-4 of the days. We have formation at 6 am which means we need to meet at 0430.... I am not sure who had that great idea, but I have to roll with it.
Did you get a chance to see any of the interviews on cspan this week? Cried like a little girl only about ten times. I was just so moved.

Last night we had Michael over for a few hours, my daughter picked him up.
She said he walked into the house, straight to the kitchen, straight to the refrigerator and announced it was time for a bottle....arghh...


The garden produced zucchini and collards greens this week. Both were delicious. Three peppers were ready for picking, but they had some odd brownish red spots. I cut around them and they were pretty good. I think we will continue to get a few more squash over the next couple of weeks and the greens are plentiful. The cucumbers got off to a slow start, so I am not sure what they will produce.

I need stop at the library and the post office.

public service announcement of the week

U.S. Provides Humanitarian Assistance to the People of Georgia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAugust 11, 2008 Press Office: 202-712-4320Public Information: 202-712-4810 http://www.usaid.gov/
WASHINGTON, DC - The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), have provided an initial $250,000 in emergency assistance for the people of Georgia in response to the crisis situation. This funding will be used for emergency relief supplies that can assist up to 10,000 people. In addition, the U.S. Embassy has released pre-positioned disaster packages in the capital of Tbilisi with emergency shelter items and medical supplies which include tents, blankets, bedding, hygiene items, clothing, beds, cots, and medical supplies.
The U.S. Embassy issued a Disaster Declaration on Sunday, August 10, in response to the crisis. The Government of Georgia has requested humanitarian assistance, specifically medicines, medical supplies, emergency shelter items and food. In addition, the Georgian Minister of Refugee and Accommodations is expecting approximately 3,000 internally displaced persons to be brought to Tbilisi and the surrounding area. They are in need of emergency shelter items to include tents, blankets, beds and bedding.
"We are closely monitoring the situation," said USAID Administrator Henrietta Fore, "and stand ready to provide additional humanitarian assistance to help the people of Georgia."
In response to the situation, USAID's Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance has augmented its Washington regional team to coordinate U.S. humanitarian response activities, maintaining close contact with the U.S. Embassy and partners on the ground. USAID is coordinating response efforts with the European Commission Humanitarian Affairs Organization and UN OCHA, as well as NGO partners and the Government of Georgia.

great idea

We thought.
Last night we decided to ride our bikes to the local farmers market about 5- 6 miles - really not too far.
We have 3 bikes and but two were flat. My husband quickly pumped up the one and we took off.
Half way down my daughter my daughter was riding the one recently aired. She noticed the front tire was acting weird so we switched.
We made it to the market with no problem. And it was pretty decent. We picked up green beans, Anaheim green chile, an eggplant, 6 chicken tamales and a fresh loaf of bread.
On the way home things fell apart.
the tire went completely flat. There was slight grade increase making in completely not capable of riding the flat front tire bike. So, we began to walk. About 2/3 of the way home the rubber part of the tire completely fell off the metal rim.
At that point we decided to drop the bike and walk to grandma's...
My husband later recovered the bike.
I guess we will laugh about that one for awhile. We got in some cardio between the incline and laughing so darn hard.
This morning the hubby and I are taking the chicken tamales to work. I made a PB&J for the daughter with the yummy bread and I will kick up some of the veggies tomorrow.
Next time, we prepare better and we take more money.

OK CSPAN ...

I love it and this week they are having an amazing report.
Conversations with Iraq War Veterans
Monday thru Thursday, August 11-148pm ET each evening on C-SPAN
In 2005, C-SPAN interviewed four returning Iraq war soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital. They were recuperating from injuries they received in Iraq. Each of the soldiers had lost on appendage; some were double amputees.Earlier this year, we located all four people and travelled to their homes to interview them again.This series is a side by side comparison of these two interviews.To contact the soldiers or the series' producers, e-mail us at iraqwarvets@c-span.org

link to watch on the web or more details

nice

We have him for the weekend.
Last week we did not get to keep because I was busy at the puzzle palace and had a busy week to boot.
He ran to me when I walked in. He said "Debbie" over and over. I think he missed me.
He grabbed one of my fingers and began to explain to me we needed to get his shoes and get out there! Of course this is was in his own little twenty month old jibberish and way.
We found the shoes and visited with grandma for a few minutes. She sent kimchi home with me... which was very sweet. He will make it through the weekend. :)
We read a few books and I let him have a bottle. I know I am bad aunt. BUT he is only 20 months... in my book he still has four good months of bottle left. He nestled in lap while I read to him.
Ok, I spoil him. But it is ok. His outfit is snug today. Fits him like a glove. I will have to keep an eye out for sizes at the thrift stores. He is growing. I will snap some pics this weekend.
He looks just like my brother in law and just like my husband.

45 min Trafficking press brief from June and etc...

I am going to miss Condi...
I know many have mixed feelings, but she is articulate and means well. Ans heck she works for the State Department....

I watched this today...

and pulled this from the transcript... she choked me up a little.

QUESTION: Madame Secretary, as the conventions get closer, have you been vetted as Senator McCain's VP yet? (Applause.)

SECRETARY RICE: No. I don't need another job in government. I really don't. (Laughter.) I just have to tell you, there's something to be said for fresh blood. The - Senator McCain is a tremendous patriot. He would make a wonderful president. He has a great array of people who can serve as Vice President, and I'm sure he'll make a good choice.

But I also know that - well, two things. First of all, I didn't run for President of my high school council. I have a lot of admiration for people who do that; I'm probably not one of them. And secondly, I'm quite serious about new blood. It - this has been the greatest experience of my life, and I think Madeleine can probably tell you - George Shultz told me once, Madeleine, there's no better job than Secretary of State. And he was right about that, because you get to travel and represent this great country. And I love this country. This country is extraordinary. (Applause.)

You know, as you go around the world, you realize that what is admired about America - I fully admit, they may - people may not always like our policy. But what's admired about America, deep down inside, is that this is a country that brings people and attracts people from every walk of life, from every country in the world, from every color, from every nationality. And we live here, not just tolerating each other, but thriving together. And in a world in which difference is still a license to kill, that's just really extraordinary.

And moreover, it is also a country where, for the most part, it really doesn't matter where you came from; it matters where you're going. Circumstances don't have to be an impediment to success. (Applause.)

So when I go back, I really - and I will go back. I belong west of the Mississippi, and being here has reminded me of that. When I go back, I really will spend some time thinking about and worrying about and being concerned about, frankly, some of the things that kept me going before I came. Those are what I'll call the fundamentals of America's strengths - our need to continue to attract people from all over the world and to integrate them here. I'm deeply worried about our immigration policies. I think we will do ourselves great harm if we start closing ourselves off .

I will - (applause) - I will go back and I will be very concerned about the state of education in this country. Because you know, what holds us together is the multi-ethnic - (applause). What holds us together as a multi-ethnic democracy is that if you're not doing all that well, you really do believe your children will.

And every country in the world has a national myth. And a myth is not something that isn't true. It is a way of defining yourself. It's a way of thinking about who you are. It's a tradition, an oral tradition. And ours is the log cabin, that you can grow up in a log cabin and you can be President. And you know, for so many Americans, that has been, in fact, the case. When I stand in front of a Stanford class and right there is a Stanford fourth-generation legatee, and the next kid next to him is an itinerant farm worker's son, then I know we're doing this right. And I worry that if we don't do something more about the state of public education, about higher standards for our children, about not warehousing these kids who can't read. You know, if I have any envy of anybody, it's my colleague Margaret Spellings, because she gets to get up every day and think about those issues.

We've got to get this right, and right now it's not right. And ultimately, if the United States of America is not confident in its fundamentals, its ability to integrate people's from all over the world, and the log cabin myth that is, in fact, true -- if we're not confident of that, we're not going to lead. We're going to turn inward. We're going to be fearful. We're going to be protectionist. We're going to shut other people out. And that will be a tremendous, tremendous danger for the world. So that's what I care about these days.

(Applause.)

more

Action To End Modern-Day Slavery
The 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report on 170 countries is the most comprehensive worldwide report on the efforts of governments to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons. Its findings will raise global awareness and spur countries to take effective actions to counter trafficking in persons.
The annual Trafficking in Persons Report serves as the primary diplomatic tool through which the U.S. Government encourages partnership and increased determination in the fight against forced labor, sexual exploitation, and modern-day slavery.


ok - the summary is huge, but it is very informative.

help = hope

My daughter and I are getting invovled in the fight against Human Trafficking.

Over 27 million children and adults exist as labor, sex, and war slaves globally today. 100,000 exist in the U.S. alone. 30,000 more are smuggled through the U.S. as they travel to other international destinations. Human Trafficking is the 3rd most profitable illegal trade. The U.S. Department of Justice has prosecuted criminals of the slave trade in 91 cities throughout the U.S. and in almost every state of the nation.

A symposium is being held in our area on September 20th. HTA symposium - Please try to attend and educate yourself more than anything.

Last night we met as a group to watch Trade the Movie.
I was left with so many emotions. Watch it if you have a chance.

The practice of slavery in the US is something most people think ended with the 13th Amendment in 1865, but in recent years it has returned in an even more virulent form. Fueled by the collapse of the Soviet Union and other eastern European countries, new technologies like the internet, and sieve-like borders, the traffic in human beings has become an epidemic of colossal dimensions. The State Department estimates that as many as 800,000 people are trafficked over international frontiers each year, largely for sexual exploitation. Eighty percent are female and over fifty percent are minors. Many people in this country push this atrocity out of their minds, believing that it only occurs in faraway countries like Thailand, Cambodia, the Ukraine and Bosnia. The truth is that the United States has become a large-scale importer of sex slaves. Free the Slaves, America's largest anti-slavery organization estimates that at least 10,000 people a year are smuggled or duped into this country by sex traffickers.

change of the guard (literally)

So, as of last week I am official nlyot an Army spouse.
No more Family Care plans. No more dual military.
He through in his towel for the Guard. His retirement was officially July 30th. I am the spouse of a retiree.
They are going to send me some sort of document signed by the governor that congratulates me on my support.
I wish I could send a rebuttal, but I will take it and tuck it way with the hundreds of pages we have collected over the last 20 years in our military careers.

On a side note yesterday I was able to give blood. The last few times my iron was borderline and they would not allow me to give, but yesterday was good to go. The nurse was telling me about a horrible motorcycle accident and the blood supply was very low. Sometimes it is the small things.

of interest...

Measured Response
posted by Josh Goodman
Colorado may have 18 ballot measures on the ballot this year, which would be a record for the state. As the Denver Post notes, normally the more ballot measures you have, the less likely they are to pass:
Competing campaigns flush with cash mean one thing for voters: A glut of advertising, said Denver political analyst Floyd Ciruli.
"The public will be overwhelmed," Ciruli said.
So many proposals on one ballot could also work against all of them, said Ciruli and other analysts, who point out that an overwhelmed voter is more likely to vote "no" straight down the line.
I suspect the supporters of Referendum O are thrilled by this development, however. That's the measure to make it harder to put initiatives on the ballot. If voters are overwhelmed, limiting direct democracy might suddenly sound like a good idea.

light memoir read

The House on First Street My New Orleans Story. By Julia Reed. 201 pages. $23.95. Ecco/HarperCollins Publishers.

memoir review

Granted I probably have nothing in common with the author Julia Reed. I have never visited New Orleans and have had no real desire, but she adds so charm to the city and her description of the foodies in the town sound wonderful.

A marathon of weeks.
Last week was draining, my boss was in town and we had two days of meetings. The kind you hole yourself in a room with two other people and no one leaves all day long. A few times it was heated and I think she was surprised I do not have the yes ma'am mentality. I am glad the meetings are finished and I can move on with the real day to day activities, the things that actually make our business work. This weekend was long as formations were at 0530 both mornings.. Saturday morning I left my house at 0345 to be there. Saturday I opted to just sleep on a sleeping bag in an office. I will be up there for almost two weeks at the end of the month. I am sure that will prove to be interesting. Some of the guys I am working with now are obnoxious pigs and arrogant to boot. In an odd turn of events the Brigade Commander and I have it off. She is maybe a few years older than I am and lives not far from me. I ran into one of my old bosses and gave him the plea, "if you have any open positions, please call" After this exercise, I am officially seriously looking.
My daughter is set for school, we just need to go pick up granola bars and the like for lunches and we are all set. Relatively painless this year.


40 min bike ride this morning :)

Friday I watched the live feed for Christopher Laurie son of Greg Laurie.

There is just a snippet of it on You tube.

Continue to pray for the family.
His wife, his daughter and his unborn daughter.
For more info go here ...continue to pray