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GOVERNOR TOMBLIN DELIVERS
FAREWELL ADDRESS TO STATE LEGISLATURE
CHARLESTON, W.VA. (January 11, 2017)-Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin today
delivered his farewell address to the West Virginia Legislature in the House Chamber at the State Capitol Complex after serving six years as governor and a total of 42 years in public service in the Mountain State.
Information on Gov. Tomblin's accomplishments during his six-year
administration can be found here.
See below for the speech as prepared for delivery:
Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, members of the Board of Public Works, justices of
the Supreme Court of Appeals, members of the Legislature, distinguished guests, and my fellow West Virginians, I stand before you today, after six years in the Governor's office and 42 years in this grand statehouse, with a deep sense of gratitude and reflection and an equally profound hope for West Virginia's future.
Public service has anchored my life's work-from a young 22-year-old in this very House chamber, to a desk across the hall in the State Senate, the Senate President's podium for 17 years and now as your 35th Governor.
It has been the greatest honor-and the greatest reward-to serve the people of this state that we all love. Together, we have put West Virginia first and moved our state forward-even in the midst of tough times, including far-reaching economic shifts, budgetary challenges and historic natural disasters.
West Virginians are strongest in the toughest times. We come together. We lift each other up. And we don't just hope for a better future; we fight for it.
ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION & JOB CREATION
Working hard is exactly what we've done over the past six years to create new economic opportunities for the Mountain State.
We have all seen the dramatic impact of the coal industry's decline in our state. We've seen thousands of jobs lost. Families and communities struggling. People beginning to lose hope.
But I believe in-and have fought to reach-the light around the corner.
Shortly after becoming Governor, I pledged to go anywhere and meet with anyone to grow our state's economy. Across West Virginia, the country and the globe, we have succeeded.
Last year, global giant Procter & Gamble announced it would build its first U.S. manufacturing facility since the 1970s right here in West Virginia in the Eastern Panhandle. This will ultimately be a half-billion dollar investment in the Mountain State and result in hundreds of new jobs.
P&G chose our state after an exhaustive search of many others. And as numerous companies have discovered, I know they will find it to be the best decision they've ever made.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, has expanded continuously-nine times, in fact.
Today, Toyota employs more than 1,600 people. And the company has invested $1.4 billion since 1996.
Manufacturing jobs, like those at P&G in Martinsburg and Toyota in Buffalo, will be among the most critical to our state's economic future.
In my time as your Governor, I have fought for jobs like these and many more. From Amazon in Huntington and Macy's in Berkeley County, to Bombardier Aerospace manufacturing in Harrison County-which just in November announced an expansion of 150 jobs.
Companies are finding that when they invest in West Virginia, it pays off.
In fact, since 2011, West Virginia has seen more than $15 billion in new investments, spanning 275 projects. We have welcomed more than 60 new companies and secured 215 competitive expansion projects.
Over the past six years, investment projects have reached 22 industries and provided West Virginians with more than 12,000 good-paying jobs.
Right here in the Kanawha Valley, we have one of the best examples of that remarkable progress.
Gestamp has grown beyond the bounds of any of our expectations. Since opening in 2013, Gestamp has tripled production and more than doubled its workforce, now employing nearly 900 West Virginians.
I know that one of the fundamental reasons behind their growth has been our ability to transform workforce training in West Virginia for the better.
STRENGTHENING WORKFORCE TRAINING & EDUCATION
For example, the Learn and Earn program which we launched in 2012, gives our community and technical college students classroom instruction and hands-on work experience simultaneously. These students earn a competitive salary while giving employers a cost-effective way to recruit and train new employees.
Joe Atha is one of these students. A former coal miner, Joe is now a student at BridgeValley Community and Technical College where he is also supporting his family by earning a wage through the Learn and Earn program at Gestamp.
Joe is here today with his wife, Rita. Please stand to be recognized... along with Dr. Sarah Tucker, Chancellor of our Community and Technical College System.
Through forward-thinking programs like this, we can make a real, lasting difference for West Virginians.
That's why I personally convened the West Virginia Workforce Planning Council, which has helped us break down bureaucratic silos and better align classroom learning with the workforce needs of our businesses and industries.
We've even started that process in high schools through the Simulated Workplace program.
Today, our career technical education classrooms have been transformed into businesses. Medical classes are now clinics. Hospitality programs are now catering businesses and restaurants.
And instead of just going to a welding or carpentry class, our students are now part of a construction company, complete with job foremen and safety inspectors.
Just last month, we celebrated a heartwarming moment as a result of the hard work of more than 2,000 of these students from 12 high schools across the state.
Together with the Department of Education's Career Technical Education division, the West Virginia National Guard and our Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, we presented keys to tiny homes that were designed and built by these students for survivors of the historic floods that hit our state last June.
REBUILDING FROM NATURAL DISASTERS
Time and again, in the aftermath of this tragic flooding we have seen the selflessness of West Virginians make a difference for one another.
The "Big Hearts Give Tiny Homes" project was a shining example of that West Virginia spirit-one that made an overwhelming difference for 15 families impacted by the flooding, including Brenda Rivers from Nicholas County, whose home was a total loss in the flooding. Brenda now lives in a new tiny home built by students, including Chance Ballard from Spring Valley High School in Wayne County.
Please join me in welcoming Brenda and Chance ... along with Dr. Kathy D'Antoni ... whose visionary leadership at the Department of Education has made Simulated Workplace the success it is today.
Working hand-in-hand with the federal government and local officials, our immediate response to the flooding was quick and effective. We were able to expedite federal assistance to our communities and families in need. And over the past seven months, we have been able to shift our focus to long-term recovery.
Through a public-private approach, we launched the RISE West Virginia program, which in total has provided nearly $2 million to 230 small businesses in the flood-impacted counties-funding that is helping them reopen or continue operations and keep fueling our local economies.
I would like to thank, once again, West Virginia native and champion Brad Smith-the CEO of Intuit, one of the world's leading financial software companies-and his wife Alys for their family donation of $500,000, which gave the RISE program its first, needed boost.
West Virginia has experienced more than its share of disasters during my time as your Governor-this historic flooding, the Derecho, Hurricane Sandy, Winter Storms Thor and Jonas and the water crisis.
Through it all, we have grown stronger, we have improved our emergency response capabilities and we have strengthened public safety.
Adversity demands resilience. That's what we have shown in these challenges and many more-including one of the most trying epidemics I believe the Mountain State has ever faced-with the sharp rise in substance abuse and addiction.
FIGHTING SUBSTANCE ABUSE
That's why in 2011, I issued an Executive Order to create the Governor's Advisory Council on Substance Abuse, made up of representatives of substance abuse prevention, behavioral medicine, law enforcement, child and adolescent psychology, the legal system, residential treatment facilities, the public school system, the faith community and health care.
My vision for this Council was a community-driven, ground-up approach to tackling this epidemic. Through community-based task forces in six regions across the state, we have made significant progress and enacted life-saving reforms.
We now look at substance abuse as an illness-not a crime.
We have decreased the number of meth labs across the state as the result of making it more difficult to obtain pseudoephedrine.
We have expanded access to the life-saving drug Narcan to first responders and family members of those struggling with addiction. Last year alone, hundreds of lives were saved as a result.
We have substance abuse prevention services in all 55 counties. We have expanded and improved community-based treatment options and recovery services. Across the state, we have 188 crisis detox beds in residential treatment facilities with more sites under development.
We have 118 beds designated for youth and postpartum treatment as well as short-term and long-term residential treatment. And we have over 1,000 beds for those seeking help and support through peer and provider recovery homes and facilities.
We are working closely with our prisons and correctional facilities to ensure all West Virginians are provided access to substance abuse rehabilitation.
In fact, the Division of Corrections operates nine residential substance abuse treatment units in correctional centers across the state and we have expanded this model to our regional jail facilities as well.
And-through Justice Reinvestment-we have successfully worked to address substance abuse, which is the root cause of many crimes.
Because of that work, we have expanded drug courts, substance abuse counseling and greater supervision after release.
And ultimately, we have better controlled incarceration rates, which prevented our state from having to build a new $200 million prison that was projected to be needed because of our previous rising prison population.
Just this week, we announced the news that West Virginia reached settlements with two additional drug wholesalers totaling $36 million, which resolves allegations by our state regarding the distribution of controlled substances in West Virginia.
This brings the total amount of drug settlement money paid to our state by drug wholesalers to $47 million, which will expand our efforts even further for more law enforcement diversion options, more treatment recovery services and many more efforts to fight this epidemic.
I am also deeply proud of the work we have done in creating the state's first 24-hour substance abuse call line, 844-HELP-4-WV, which has received nearly 8,500 calls since it launched in September 2015.
The help line provides referral support for those seeking help and recovery services. It's an opportunity for people who are struggling to talk with someone who cares, get connected to treatment options and begin the road to recovery.
No caller is ever placed on hold and they are immediately connected with treatment staff representing the best and most appropriate treatment options for them.
Administered by First Choice Health Systems of West Virginia, the help line is staffed by certified professionals, many who have overcome addiction themselves and want to help others turn their lives around as well.
One young gentleman I met did just that because he picked up the phone.
A.J. Walker, a recovering alcoholic and addict, was given the help line number by his brother.
A.J. said when he called, he was treated like a person-not like a drug addict-and he found hope. They got him into a detox facility and into recovery, and the help line staff called and checked in on him every step of the way.
Today, A.J. is employed by the treatment facility that helped him and he's in school studying to become a substance abuse counselor.
A.J. is here today with his brother, Andrew, and Vickie Jones ... Commissioner of our Bureau of Behavioral Health and Health Facilities.
A.J. we are so proud of you. And today ... you are giving hope to so many.
When I hear stories like A.J.'s, I am incredibly optimistic for West Virginia's future. With economic changes, job losses and families struggling, we have to seize every opportunity before us to become stronger as individuals and as a state.
One such opportunity lies in Boone and Lincoln Counties, where I believe we have the chance to revitalize Southern West Virginia and make the Mountain State stronger.
EMBRACING THE FUTURE
It was here in this chamber, one year ago during my State of the State Address, where I announced plans for the largest development project in West Virginia's history at the former Hobet surface mine site.
Since last year at this time, we have worked every day and we have made tremendous progress on this project, which is now known as Rock Creek Development Park.
We have worked with local landowners, who are generously donating land that will result in more than 12,000 developable acres for Rock Creek, which is the size of the city of Huntington.
The West Virginia National Guard-Rock Creek's first tenant-is on the ground with newly-expanded operations for maintenance work and training.
And we have a long-term strategic plan now in place, which looks at demographics and market trends to help us identify the best investment opportunities for Rock Creek.
For generations, our coal miners, workers and their families have kept West Virginia strong. Now, it's our turn to help them.
By realizing the full potential of Rock Creek Development Park for job creation and economic diversification, we can build up a region of our state hard hit by the downturn in the coal industry.
My vision for Rock Creek started many years ago as I rode my four-wheeler around the hills of Southern West Virginia and saw the possibilities that such an enormous site-with such a great amount of flat land-could have.
Embracing opportunities like this takes careful thought and planning, and this public-private project will require some investment by the state. But I believe wholeheartedly that the returns will vastly exceed our investment.
That isn't something I say lightly.
Throughout my 42 years in public service, fiscal responsibility has been at the heart of every project I've undertaken, every policy I've fought for and every decision I've made.
GOVERNING RESPONSIBLY
As a result of much hard work, over the years we have decreased taxes, embraced responsible spending, made great progress toward paying off the state's unfunded liabilities and controlled growth of the state's budget.
We have realized milestone tax reforms, including progressive elimination of the food tax, saving West Virginians $162 million each year.
We have gradually eliminated the state's business franchise tax and decreased the corporate net income tax-changes that make West Virginia more attractive for business investments.
As a result of responsible reforms, last year the National Council on Compensation Insurance filed the 12th reduction in workers' compensation premiums in 12 years. And West Virginia employers have seen a savings of more than $352 million since we privatized the program in 2006.
We addressed our Other Post Employment Benefits by dedicating $30 million annually to pay off the $5 billion unfunded liability, which was caused by previous promises that became too expensive to maintain.
As I did last year, I present to you today a budget that is balanced, but a budget that requires difficult decisions and thinking about the next generation rather than the next election.
I continue to be proud of the fiscal responsibility we have shown not just for the past six years, but over the last generation. Our commitment to paying down our long-term liabilities has not wavered and we have responsibly reduced taxes on both our employers and our employees.
Because of our improved fiscal policies, we have been able to refinance bonds that pay for schools, water and sewer lines, college campus improvements and roads to save more than $100 million in the past six years.
So when people ask me why I'm so concerned with maintaining our Rainy Day Fund and our bond rating, that's why. It means more schools, more roads and more homes with clean water.
As part of tough decisions during tough economic times, we have cut more than $600 million from our budget in the past five years. While we all continue to hope that the coal industry will rebound, that hasn't happened quickly and it likely won't ever return to the levels that we once saw.
We continue to work to diversify our economy and I know the improvements we've made will pay long-term dividends in job growth and investment.
But we're not there yet, and part of being fiscally responsible means making sure that we can pay our bills without taking the Rainy Day Fund to dangerously low levels or cutting services to the point where we cannot care for our people or educate our students.
Therefore, the budget I present to you today includes a 1 percent increase in the consumer sales tax to raise $200 million and elimination of the current sales tax exemption on telecommunications services-a move that would make our system the same as 80 percent of the country.
I understand these taxes will not be easy, but asking people to pay a few dollars more now is a far better choice than seeing PEIA cards not accepted by medical providers or going back to the days when we couldn't finance school and road improvements, or even pay the gas bill at the Governor's Mansion.
I urge you to consider these responsible actions to balance the budget until the brighter economic picture that we all expect comes into focus.
CLOSING
I believe the thing that compelled each of us to public service is our love for West Virginia. And that is the very thing that should compel us to work together.
When I became your Governor, I said that we must put West Virginia first.
That's what we have done. And I encourage you to continue working together out of that deep devotion to our beloved state-in the coming year and beyond.
I am proud of the work that we have accomplished. I look forward to the leadership of Governor-elect Jim Justice and I thank all of you who have worked with me over the years.
I thank my cabinet members and agency directors. And I thank my dedicated staff members who have worked every day-not for me, but for the people of West Virginia.
It has been the honor of my life to be your Governor-to be West Virginia's Governor. Joanne and I thank the people of West Virginia for your abiding trust, counsel and support.
And we look forward-with the greatest hope and optimism-to an even stronger West Virginia.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the great state of West Virginia.
###
Photos available for media use. All photos should be attributed “Photo courtesy of Office of the Governor.”
GOVERNOR TOMBLIN DELIVERS
FAREWELL ADDRESS TO STATE LEGISLATURE
CHARLESTON, W.VA. (January 11, 2017)-Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin today
delivered his farewell address to the West Virginia Legislature in the House Chamber at the State Capitol Complex after serving six years as governor and a total of 42 years in public service in the Mountain State.
Information on Gov. Tomblin's accomplishments during his six-year
administration can be found here.
See below for the speech as prepared for delivery:
Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, members of the Board of Public Works, justices of
the Supreme Court of Appeals, members of the Legislature, distinguished guests, and my fellow West Virginians, I stand before you today, after six years in the Governor's office and 42 years in this grand statehouse, with a deep sense of gratitude and reflection and an equally profound hope for West Virginia's future.
Public service has anchored my life's work-from a young 22-year-old in this very House chamber, to a desk across the hall in the State Senate, the Senate President's podium for 17 years and now as your 35th Governor.
It has been the greatest honor-and the greatest reward-to serve the people of this state that we all love. Together, we have put West Virginia first and moved our state forward-even in the midst of tough times, including far-reaching economic shifts, budgetary challenges and historic natural disasters.
West Virginians are strongest in the toughest times. We come together. We lift each other up. And we don't just hope for a better future; we fight for it.
ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION & JOB CREATION
Working hard is exactly what we've done over the past six years to create new economic opportunities for the Mountain State.
We have all seen the dramatic impact of the coal industry's decline in our state. We've seen thousands of jobs lost. Families and communities struggling. People beginning to lose hope.
But I believe in-and have fought to reach-the light around the corner.
Shortly after becoming Governor, I pledged to go anywhere and meet with anyone to grow our state's economy. Across West Virginia, the country and the globe, we have succeeded.
Last year, global giant Procter & Gamble announced it would build its first U.S. manufacturing facility since the 1970s right here in West Virginia in the Eastern Panhandle. This will ultimately be a half-billion dollar investment in the Mountain State and result in hundreds of new jobs.
P&G chose our state after an exhaustive search of many others. And as numerous companies have discovered, I know they will find it to be the best decision they've ever made.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, has expanded continuously-nine times, in fact.
Today, Toyota employs more than 1,600 people. And the company has invested $1.4 billion since 1996.
Manufacturing jobs, like those at P&G in Martinsburg and Toyota in Buffalo, will be among the most critical to our state's economic future.
In my time as your Governor, I have fought for jobs like these and many more. From Amazon in Huntington and Macy's in Berkeley County, to Bombardier Aerospace manufacturing in Harrison County-which just in November announced an expansion of 150 jobs.
Companies are finding that when they invest in West Virginia, it pays off.
In fact, since 2011, West Virginia has seen more than $15 billion in new investments, spanning 275 projects. We have welcomed more than 60 new companies and secured 215 competitive expansion projects.
Over the past six years, investment projects have reached 22 industries and provided West Virginians with more than 12,000 good-paying jobs.
Right here in the Kanawha Valley, we have one of the best examples of that remarkable progress.
Gestamp has grown beyond the bounds of any of our expectations. Since opening in 2013, Gestamp has tripled production and more than doubled its workforce, now employing nearly 900 West Virginians.
I know that one of the fundamental reasons behind their growth has been our ability to transform workforce training in West Virginia for the better.
STRENGTHENING WORKFORCE TRAINING & EDUCATION
For example, the Learn and Earn program which we launched in 2012, gives our community and technical college students classroom instruction and hands-on work experience simultaneously. These students earn a competitive salary while giving employers a cost-effective way to recruit and train new employees.
Joe Atha is one of these students. A former coal miner, Joe is now a student at BridgeValley Community and Technical College where he is also supporting his family by earning a wage through the Learn and Earn program at Gestamp.
Joe is here today with his wife, Rita. Please stand to be recognized... along with Dr. Sarah Tucker, Chancellor of our Community and Technical College System.
Through forward-thinking programs like this, we can make a real, lasting difference for West Virginians.
That's why I personally convened the West Virginia Workforce Planning Council, which has helped us break down bureaucratic silos and better align classroom learning with the workforce needs of our businesses and industries.
We've even started that process in high schools through the Simulated Workplace program.
Today, our career technical education classrooms have been transformed into businesses. Medical classes are now clinics. Hospitality programs are now catering businesses and restaurants.
And instead of just going to a welding or carpentry class, our students are now part of a construction company, complete with job foremen and safety inspectors.
Just last month, we celebrated a heartwarming moment as a result of the hard work of more than 2,000 of these students from 12 high schools across the state.
Together with the Department of Education's Career Technical Education division, the West Virginia National Guard and our Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, we presented keys to tiny homes that were designed and built by these students for survivors of the historic floods that hit our state last June.
REBUILDING FROM NATURAL DISASTERS
Time and again, in the aftermath of this tragic flooding we have seen the selflessness of West Virginians make a difference for one another.
The "Big Hearts Give Tiny Homes" project was a shining example of that West Virginia spirit-one that made an overwhelming difference for 15 families impacted by the flooding, including Brenda Rivers from Nicholas County, whose home was a total loss in the flooding. Brenda now lives in a new tiny home built by students, including Chance Ballard from Spring Valley High School in Wayne County.
Please join me in welcoming Brenda and Chance ... along with Dr. Kathy D'Antoni ... whose visionary leadership at the Department of Education has made Simulated Workplace the success it is today.
Working hand-in-hand with the federal government and local officials, our immediate response to the flooding was quick and effective. We were able to expedite federal assistance to our communities and families in need. And over the past seven months, we have been able to shift our focus to long-term recovery.
Through a public-private approach, we launched the RISE West Virginia program, which in total has provided nearly $2 million to 230 small businesses in the flood-impacted counties-funding that is helping them reopen or continue operations and keep fueling our local economies.
I would like to thank, once again, West Virginia native and champion Brad Smith-the CEO of Intuit, one of the world's leading financial software companies-and his wife Alys for their family donation of $500,000, which gave the RISE program its first, needed boost.
West Virginia has experienced more than its share of disasters during my time as your Governor-this historic flooding, the Derecho, Hurricane Sandy, Winter Storms Thor and Jonas and the water crisis.
Through it all, we have grown stronger, we have improved our emergency response capabilities and we have strengthened public safety.
Adversity demands resilience. That's what we have shown in these challenges and many more-including one of the most trying epidemics I believe the Mountain State has ever faced-with the sharp rise in substance abuse and addiction.
FIGHTING SUBSTANCE ABUSE
That's why in 2011, I issued an Executive Order to create the Governor's Advisory Council on Substance Abuse, made up of representatives of substance abuse prevention, behavioral medicine, law enforcement, child and adolescent psychology, the legal system, residential treatment facilities, the public school system, the faith community and health care.
My vision for this Council was a community-driven, ground-up approach to tackling this epidemic. Through community-based task forces in six regions across the state, we have made significant progress and enacted life-saving reforms.
We now look at substance abuse as an illness-not a crime.
We have decreased the number of meth labs across the state as the result of making it more difficult to obtain pseudoephedrine.
We have expanded access to the life-saving drug Narcan to first responders and family members of those struggling with addiction. Last year alone, hundreds of lives were saved as a result.
We have substance abuse prevention services in all 55 counties. We have expanded and improved community-based treatment options and recovery services. Across the state, we have 188 crisis detox beds in residential treatment facilities with more sites under development.
We have 118 beds designated for youth and postpartum treatment as well as short-term and long-term residential treatment. And we have over 1,000 beds for those seeking help and support through peer and provider recovery homes and facilities.
We are working closely with our prisons and correctional facilities to ensure all West Virginians are provided access to substance abuse rehabilitation.
In fact, the Division of Corrections operates nine residential substance abuse treatment units in correctional centers across the state and we have expanded this model to our regional jail facilities as well.
And-through Justice Reinvestment-we have successfully worked to address substance abuse, which is the root cause of many crimes.
Because of that work, we have expanded drug courts, substance abuse counseling and greater supervision after release.
And ultimately, we have better controlled incarceration rates, which prevented our state from having to build a new $200 million prison that was projected to be needed because of our previous rising prison population.
Just this week, we announced the news that West Virginia reached settlements with two additional drug wholesalers totaling $36 million, which resolves allegations by our state regarding the distribution of controlled substances in West Virginia.
This brings the total amount of drug settlement money paid to our state by drug wholesalers to $47 million, which will expand our efforts even further for more law enforcement diversion options, more treatment recovery services and many more efforts to fight this epidemic.
I am also deeply proud of the work we have done in creating the state's first 24-hour substance abuse call line, 844-HELP-4-WV, which has received nearly 8,500 calls since it launched in September 2015.
The help line provides referral support for those seeking help and recovery services. It's an opportunity for people who are struggling to talk with someone who cares, get connected to treatment options and begin the road to recovery.
No caller is ever placed on hold and they are immediately connected with treatment staff representing the best and most appropriate treatment options for them.
Administered by First Choice Health Systems of West Virginia, the help line is staffed by certified professionals, many who have overcome addiction themselves and want to help others turn their lives around as well.
One young gentleman I met did just that because he picked up the phone.
A.J. Walker, a recovering alcoholic and addict, was given the help line number by his brother.
A.J. said when he called, he was treated like a person-not like a drug addict-and he found hope. They got him into a detox facility and into recovery, and the help line staff called and checked in on him every step of the way.
Today, A.J. is employed by the treatment facility that helped him and he's in school studying to become a substance abuse counselor.
A.J. is here today with his brother, Andrew, and Vickie Jones ... Commissioner of our Bureau of Behavioral Health and Health Facilities.
A.J. we are so proud of you. And today ... you are giving hope to so many.
When I hear stories like A.J.'s, I am incredibly optimistic for West Virginia's future. With economic changes, job losses and families struggling, we have to seize every opportunity before us to become stronger as individuals and as a state.
One such opportunity lies in Boone and Lincoln Counties, where I believe we have the chance to revitalize Southern West Virginia and make the Mountain State stronger.
EMBRACING THE FUTURE
It was here in this chamber, one year ago during my State of the State Address, where I announced plans for the largest development project in West Virginia's history at the former Hobet surface mine site.
Since last year at this time, we have worked every day and we have made tremendous progress on this project, which is now known as Rock Creek Development Park.
We have worked with local landowners, who are generously donating land that will result in more than 12,000 developable acres for Rock Creek, which is the size of the city of Huntington.
The West Virginia National Guard-Rock Creek's first tenant-is on the ground with newly-expanded operations for maintenance work and training.
And we have a long-term strategic plan now in place, which looks at demographics and market trends to help us identify the best investment opportunities for Rock Creek.
For generations, our coal miners, workers and their families have kept West Virginia strong. Now, it's our turn to help them.
By realizing the full potential of Rock Creek Development Park for job creation and economic diversification, we can build up a region of our state hard hit by the downturn in the coal industry.
My vision for Rock Creek started many years ago as I rode my four-wheeler around the hills of Southern West Virginia and saw the possibilities that such an enormous site-with such a great amount of flat land-could have.
Embracing opportunities like this takes careful thought and planning, and this public-private project will require some investment by the state. But I believe wholeheartedly that the returns will vastly exceed our investment.
That isn't something I say lightly.
Throughout my 42 years in public service, fiscal responsibility has been at the heart of every project I've undertaken, every policy I've fought for and every decision I've made.
GOVERNING RESPONSIBLY
As a result of much hard work, over the years we have decreased taxes, embraced responsible spending, made great progress toward paying off the state's unfunded liabilities and controlled growth of the state's budget.
We have realized milestone tax reforms, including progressive elimination of the food tax, saving West Virginians $162 million each year.
We have gradually eliminated the state's business franchise tax and decreased the corporate net income tax-changes that make West Virginia more attractive for business investments.
As a result of responsible reforms, last year the National Council on Compensation Insurance filed the 12th reduction in workers' compensation premiums in 12 years. And West Virginia employers have seen a savings of more than $352 million since we privatized the program in 2006.
We addressed our Other Post Employment Benefits by dedicating $30 million annually to pay off the $5 billion unfunded liability, which was caused by previous promises that became too expensive to maintain.
As I did last year, I present to you today a budget that is balanced, but a budget that requires difficult decisions and thinking about the next generation rather than the next election.
I continue to be proud of the fiscal responsibility we have shown not just for the past six years, but over the last generation. Our commitment to paying down our long-term liabilities has not wavered and we have responsibly reduced taxes on both our employers and our employees.
Because of our improved fiscal policies, we have been able to refinance bonds that pay for schools, water and sewer lines, college campus improvements and roads to save more than $100 million in the past six years.
So when people ask me why I'm so concerned with maintaining our Rainy Day Fund and our bond rating, that's why. It means more schools, more roads and more homes with clean water.
As part of tough decisions during tough economic times, we have cut more than $600 million from our budget in the past five years. While we all continue to hope that the coal industry will rebound, that hasn't happened quickly and it likely won't ever return to the levels that we once saw.
We continue to work to diversify our economy and I know the improvements we've made will pay long-term dividends in job growth and investment.
But we're not there yet, and part of being fiscally responsible means making sure that we can pay our bills without taking the Rainy Day Fund to dangerously low levels or cutting services to the point where we cannot care for our people or educate our students.
Therefore, the budget I present to you today includes a 1 percent increase in the consumer sales tax to raise $200 million and elimination of the current sales tax exemption on telecommunications services-a move that would make our system the same as 80 percent of the country.
I understand these taxes will not be easy, but asking people to pay a few dollars more now is a far better choice than seeing PEIA cards not accepted by medical providers or going back to the days when we couldn't finance school and road improvements, or even pay the gas bill at the Governor's Mansion.
I urge you to consider these responsible actions to balance the budget until the brighter economic picture that we all expect comes into focus.
CLOSING
I believe the thing that compelled each of us to public service is our love for West Virginia. And that is the very thing that should compel us to work together.
When I became your Governor, I said that we must put West Virginia first.
That's what we have done. And I encourage you to continue working together out of that deep devotion to our beloved state-in the coming year and beyond.
I am proud of the work that we have accomplished. I look forward to the leadership of Governor-elect Jim Justice and I thank all of you who have worked with me over the years.
I thank my cabinet members and agency directors. And I thank my dedicated staff members who have worked every day-not for me, but for the people of West Virginia.
It has been the honor of my life to be your Governor-to be West Virginia's Governor. Joanne and I thank the people of West Virginia for your abiding trust, counsel and support.
And we look forward-with the greatest hope and optimism-to an even stronger West Virginia.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the great state of West Virginia.
###
Photos available for media use. All photos should be attributed “Photo courtesy of Office of the Governor.”
VCAD's Art and Design diploma programs cover the fashion, graphic design, interior design, game development and animation industries.
Watch VCAD videos online:
www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=VancouverVCAD
Visual College of Art and Design
500 - 626 West Pender St.
Vancouver, BC, V6B 1V9
Saviour is sadly too late for this ex Tysons of Caldbeck mini-coach, but any assistance in identifying it would be appreciated.
It sits atop a pile of scrap at Clay Flatts Auto Spares in Workington.
A plate on the internal steps reads "Kirkby" and the registration was GDZ934?, by the look of the first shot below;
Assistance may be required for the bus behind, however.
Former South Yorkshire Dennis Dominator NKU165X, latterly the Howgill Playbus, sits in the yard and would appear to have been "weighed in".
Let's hope not.
A helper set shoves a loaded unit coal train east along the Pittsburgh Line toward the Laurel Highlands and beyond to Allegheny Summit.
helpjapan project
the black stripes 黒縞屋 × Helpjapan
Charity Live
on April 17th 0 am Sun (JPT)
April 16th 8 am Sat (SLT)
at chirihama sim
slurl.com/secondlife/Chirihama/213/73/330
calm and peacefull small music event
Black Stripes黒縞屋公式ブログ「StoneAge Entertainment」
soundhuman.bandcamp.com/track/lucid-dream
down load this charity song by150jpy to donate japan red cross
Hello every,
Please help us to #provide food and milk for poor people and their children to relieve them from #hunger and to stop #starving #deaths of the poor people and their #children, and to fight against the #coronavirus.
Please any #help, your #contribution will help food and milk for the poor people and their children. No fees on this fundraiser of Indian GoFundMe (Ketto) see for more: bit.ly/394TU99 ❤️
#StandWithChildren #Help #ShareForSupport #GivingHope #SampathiFoundationCharity #HelpingHands #Children #Fundraising #Coronavirus #Hunger #DonateFoodForPoor #FightAgainstCorona #StopStarvingDeaths #SupportUs
We have all been affected by Hurricane Sandy, some more than others. The Z Club NY team will come together, and join forces to help those in need during the recovery period, by organizing a Zumbathon® for Hurricane Sandy Relief on Saturday November 17th. Please bring your family and friends, and come dance with us from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. We guarantee that you will not feel time fly by with 12 of our instructors, raffle prizes, complimentary Bai5 drinks, and an unforgettable Zumba® party.
Z Club NY will donate 80% of the proceeds from ticket sales to the American Red Cross. We thank you in advance for your support and participation.
Let’s dance up a storm and help our community on Saturday, November 17 from 4:30 – 6:30 pm @Studio 19 on 39-47 West 19th Street (bet 5th and 6th ave).
Who:
A line up of 12 fantastic Z Club NY instructors:
Shahidah Ansari
Edmee Cherdieu d’Alexis
Roxanne Carrano
Monica Grau
Sarah Grimaud
Wilson Gutierrez
Lashawn Jones
Irena Meletiou
Emily Naim
Irina Peschan
Brittany Rappise
Chris Vo
THANK YOU SO MUCH :)
Eucalyptus caesia, commonly known as caesia or gungurru, is a species of mallee that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has smooth reddish brown bark at first, later shedding in curling flakes, lance-shaped, sometimes curved adult leaves, club-shaped flower buds covered with a waxy, bluish white bloom, pink stamens with yellow anthers and urn-shaped fruit.
Description
Eucalyptus caesia is a mallee that typically grows to a height of 2 to 14 metres (6.6 to 45.9 ft) and forms a lignotuber. The bark is smooth reddish brown at first and is shed in curling longitudinal flakes known as "minnirichi". Young branches are shiny red, covered with a waxy, bluish white bloom. Young plants and coppice regrowth have thick, glossy green, heart-shaped leaves 25–80 mm (0.98–3.1 in) long and 25–60 mm (1–2 in) wide that have a petiole. Adult leaves are lance-shaped to curved, mostly 80–110 mm (3.1–4.3 in) long and 15–25 mm (0.6–1 in) wide on a petiole 10–35 mm (0.39–1.4 in) long. The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups of three on an unbranched peduncle 15–35 mm (0.59–1.4 in) long, the individual flowers on pedicels 15–22 mm (0.59–0.87 in) long. Mature flower buds are oval or pear-shaped, covered with a whitish waxy bloom, 17–30 mm (0.67–1.2 in) long and 10–13 mm (0.39–0.51 in) wide with a conical operculum. Flowering mainly occurs between May and September and the flowers have pink stamens with yellow anthers on the tip. The fruit is a woody bell-shaped or urn-shaped capsule 15–25 mm (0.59–0.98 in) long and 18–23 mm (0.71–0.91 in) wide on a peduncle 13–33 mm (0.51–1.3 in) long.
Taxonomy and naming
Eucalyptus caesia was first formally described in 1867 by George Bentham from a collection made by James Drummond in 1847 and the description was published in Flora Australiensis.
In 1982, Ian Brooker and Stephen Hopper described two subspecies, but the Australian Plant Census accepts these as synonyms:
Eucalyptus caesia subsp. caesia grows to a height of 6 to 9 metres (20 to 30 ft) with smaller leaves, buds and fruit than the other subspecies;
Eucalyptus caesia subsp. magna grows to a height of 15 metres (49 ft) with pendulous branches and larger leaves, buds and fruit.
The specific epithet (caesia) is a Latin word meaning "bluish grey" referring to the waxy cover of the small branches, flower buds and fruit.
Distribution and habitat
Caesia grows in crevices at the base of granite outcrops in scattered inland areas of the south-west, including in the Avon Wheatbelt and Mallee biogeographic regions. The species is known to be drought tolerant.
Ecology
Despite persisting as very small populations, this species does not seem to exhibit effects of inbreeding depression. Associated species include Eucalyptus crucis, Eucalyptus loxophleba, Allocasuarina huegeliana and Acacia lasiocalyx.
Use in horticulture
A form known as 'Silver Princess' is described as a "graceful weeping tree" that has an irregular and weeping form.
Propagation is from seed, which germinates readily.
My best guess is that she had something in her eye. They were standing under the misters, set up to help people keep cool on a hot day.
Mary Blair (Animation & Imagineering)
Inducted 1991
An imaginative color stylist and designer, Mary Blair helped introduce modern art to Walt Disney and his Studio, and for nearly 30 years, he touted her inspirational work for his films and theme parks alike. Animator Marc Davis, who put Mary's exciting use of color on a par with Matisse, recalled, "She brought modern art to Walt in a way that no one else did. He was so excited about her work."
Animator Frank Thomas added, "Mary was the first artist I knew of to have different shades of red next to each other. You just didn't do that! But Mary made it work."
Walt connected with Mary's fresh, childlike art style. As Disney Imagineering artist Roland Crump once told animation historian John Canemaker, "The way she (Mary) painted - in a lot of ways she was still a little girl. Walt was like that... You could see he could relate to children - she was the same way."
Born in McAlester, Oklahoma, in 1911, the inherently gifted artist won a scholarship to Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles. After graduation in 1933, at the height of the Depression, Mary took a job in the animation unit of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) rather than pursue her dream of a fine arts career.
In 1940, she joined The Walt Disney Studios and worked on a number of projects, including the never-produced "Baby Ballet," part of a proposed second version of "Fantasia." (Walt's original idea was to periodically re-release "Fantasia" with new sequences.)
In 1941, she joined the Disney expedition that toured South America for three months and painted watercolors that so captured the spirit of the Latin countries that she was named art supervisor on "The Three Caballeros" and "Saludos Amigos." Mary's unique color and styling greatly influenced such Disney postwar productions as "Song of the South," "Make Mine Music," "Melody Time," "So Dear to My Heart," "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad," "Cinderella," "Alice in Wonderland," and "Peter Pan." She also contributed to special shorts, including "The Little House" and "Susie, the Little Blue Coupe."
Walt asked Mary to assist in the design of the It's a Small World attraction, which is pure Mary Blair in its style and concept, for the 1964-65 New York World's Fair. Over the years, she contributed to the design of many exhibits, attractions, and murals at the theme parks in California and Florida, including the fanciful murals in the Grand Canyon Concourse at the Contemporary Hotel at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Mary Blair died July 26, 1978, in Soquel, California.
The bio comes from the Official Disney Legends Home Page - legends.disney.go.com/legends/index
HELP!!!! I'm in ENA overload!
How could anyone possibly resist posting this one of such a lovely little girl? Just look at that fluffy neck & chest. She's gorgeous.
Tama Zoo, Tokyo.
EF 300mm f/2.8L IS 11.
Is there a list on Flickr that shows you who is following
you?
I can see who I am following but not who is following me.
I would like to add everyone who has added me, but I
can’t seem to figure out the easiest way to do that.
Thanks for any help and happy Friday! :)
Image shot with Canon EF 85mm f1.2
See the same review but with more images here drewportfolioblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/testing-canon-ef-8...
I just got the chance to test out the Canon 85mm f1.2 and 50mm f1.2. I also tested out the new Sigma 85mm f1.4 which is another lens I have been very interested in and that has been getting a lot of great praise.
These are two Canon lenses that I have always wanted to add to my kit (not just because of the red ring). The price though is the reason I have not yet decided to jump at them. I have read a lot of different reviews online saying that the 85’s focus is slow, the 50 has some focussing issues and that the sigma gives the same image quality of the canon at £1000 less. The following is just a short review and my thoughts on these lenses. I am not going to focus on the technical specifications or any of that as I really couldn’t care less about charts and numbers, I want to look at the practical uses and if the lenses will work for me and in the situations that I personally shoot. Oh and the camera used was my Canon 5D mark 2.
Canon EF 85mm f1.2
When I tested the Canon 85 I was surprised to find the focus was actually pretty fast, considering the size of glass it has to move, I have used much slower autofocus lenses in the past. I also read that the manual focus is quite annoying to use but I personally really liked it. The manual focus ring is quite loose feeling but I prefer this to a stiff focus ring. I have previously owned the Canon 50mm f1.8, most people hate the manual focus ring on that but I loved it, it was loose and I could move it with one finger, I could always focus much more accurately and quickly, this goes against most people’s views but hey different strokes. I tend to trust my eye more than the autofocus on a machine so being comfortable with the focus ring is very important to me. I took a couple of portraits of my girlfriend at 1.2 and was blown away by the images, the sharpness, the DOF and overall feel was outstanding. The weight actually wasn’t too bad, don’t get me wrong it is pretty heavy but its a nice solid heavy. I think that if you shoot any kind of portraits and can reach the price of the 85 f1.2 then it is simply the best thing out there. It is not an all purpose lens but for portraits it is simply amazing! I still cant get over the sharpness at f1.2. I think I would use this lens for portraits and gigs, I have heard that the focus hunts too much in low light but I am very comfortable with manual focus and actually get more keeper shots using my own eye and hand rather than relying on the camera and mechanisms.
Now the price of this lens is insane at around £1700 but after using it I now know why. I truly believe that this lens is a great investment for your business, providing you shoot at this focal length a lot and are very serious about your images. I’m not just saying this for the amazing creamy background that it produces as I have seen many boring images made with this lens where the photographer has simply relied on the blurred background (Bokeh) to make the image interesting. I think that in the hands of a photographer who can make great images regardless of lens and then incorporate the power and beauty of this 85 into their images it will be a revelation.
Canon EF 50mm f1.2
Through my time with photography I have used the Canon 50mm f1.8 and now for the past year the Canon 50mm f1.4. The 1.8 for the money (I got mine at around £90) is a great lens and an amazing introduction for people wanting to get into prime lenses or low light photography. I used this to shoot a lot of bands and most of my early portraits as I loved the shallow depth of field created at 1.8. The problem with this lens is the construction, when I was a kid I had toys that were made better than this. It really does feel like crap and if you drop it, it will probably break, but then it is only around £100 so you can’t expect the best. The image quality was really nice so I couldn’t really complain. The autofocus was virtually unusable, I shot mostly in low light and it could never find focus so I was on Manual 100% of the time. After a year the autofocus just stopped responding all together and I decided to upgrade to the Canon 50mm f1.4.
The 50 f1.4 was a great upgrade, the ability to shoot at 1.4, the reliable and fast autofocus and the colour was just superior in my experience to the 1.8. It helped so much with shooting bands and shooting in low light in general. My images started to get better and the lens would just respond and render images the way I needed. The build was far superior and I didn’t feel like I had to baby it as much, it just worked and worked very well. The 1.4 is still my workhorse lens and I use it about 70% of the time but I have recently been thinking about upgrading to the 50 f1.2. My reason is that there are a few times I have found the f1.4 not fast enough(aperture) for some lowlight situations in pubs, venues and other places where I had no artificial lighting available. I know that the difference between 1.4 and 1.2 is not much but if you have been in the situation where you could use that little bit of extra light then you know that it would be invaluable. Also for portraits that background at f1.2 would be nice.
When I put the 50mm f1.2 on my camera it felt awesome. It was light, not as light as the other 50’s though, it felt solid and to be honest just looked damn good. The autofocus was quick and accurate, the manual focus ring was nice to use and the construction is really nice. I tested this after the 85 1.2 and I instantly liked the wider view (I am used to the 50 view so thats probably why). Again I shot my girlfriend and the images were incredible. The sharpness on the eye, the background blur (Bokeh), the focus accuracy and the colour. I was amazed at the colour straight out of the camera. This was by far superior to my 50 f1.4 in all aspects. It wasn’t as sharp as the 85 f1.2 but this isn’t a problem for me as they have very different uses. This 50 in my opinion would be a great documentary, wide/group portrait and band/gig lens.
I really wasn’t expectimg this lens to perform as well as it did, so many people online were bashing it but I can say that for me anyway this is the best Canon 50 out there. This lens does cost a lot at around £1250 compared to the £299 of the 50 f1.4 so I think you really have to know you need it before purchasing. Like I said about the 85 I really think that investing in this lens will give you a return as the images will stand out so much more if used correctly and to its full potential.
Sigma 85 f1.4
The last lens I tested was the Sigma 85 f1.4 which is a lens I have seriously been looking at as it is about £1000 less than the Canon 85 f1.2 and people have been saying that it rivals the quality of Canon. I thought I would test it for myself.
The lens felt nice and was quite heavy, It has some big glass in it, I liked the shape and it looked good when mounted to the camera. One thing I instantly noticed is that the AF/Manual switch sticks out quite a lot and could easily be knocked accidentally and looks…..well….quite crap, but I’m looking for image quality and can deal with these niggles if it delivers in the final images. The focus was very fast, I would say faster than the Canon 85 and it was also very accurate. I have heard a lot of focusing problems with the sigma lens line but this one was dead on. The sharpness was good, not as good as the Canon but pretty good and the colours were good. The background blur at 1.4 was also very nice. One big problem for me was the manual focus ring which was very stiff and just didn’t feel good when moved which is kind of a deal breaker for me as I manual focus a lot. I only tested one lens so i’m not sure if this is the same on all or just this one but something did not feel right with the manual focus ring.
The thing I found with this lens is that it was good, not great but good. Well apart from that damn manual focus ring, really disappointed with this but other people may like it. The images came out nice but not as good as the Canon 85, the bokeh was good but again not as nice as the Canon’s and also the colour straight out of camera wasn’t quite as nice as the Canon’s. I have to take into account that there is a £1000 price difference here too which is massive. If there is no way you can afford the Canon then the Sigma would be a great alternative but Canon also do a 85 f1.8 which is highly regarded by many pro’s and is around £320 which is a lot less than the Sigma. You could save the money and buy the Canon 85 f1.8 then save up for the Canon 85 f1.2. I think If I couldn’t get the Canon 85 f1.2 I would go that route as the Sigma is a little pricey for a stop gap lens, I would have to want the Sigma and want to use it for a good few years instead of the Canon 85 f1.2 which just isn’t the case.
I would like to test another copy of the Sigma as I have heard that qaulity can vary from lens to lens and I would like to try the manual focussing ring again to see if it was just that copy that was really stiff. So Sigma if your reading, feel free to send me a copy of the 85 f1.4 and I’ll do another review.
Conclusion
I really enjoyed testing out these three lenses which I have been very interested in buying. I feel it is much better to get your hands on the items and test them for yourself, you might find that one just feels right.
I was secretly hoping that the Sigma was going to blow me away and match the Canon’s quality and at £1000 less but i’m afraid it didn’t. The extra money on the Canon 85 f1.2 in my eye’s at least does give you that something more, that something special in the images. £1000 is a lot of money but sometimes the difference between good and great is very small and the Canon just has that little something extra that I feel is very important It will last you a long time and it’s resale value will stay high if you ever decided to get rid of it for whatever reason.
A surprise though was that the lens I liked best out of all three was the 50mm f1.2. I originally wasn’t going to test this one as I was looking for a 85mm focal length, I just decided on a whim to give it a go. It’s not as sharp as the 85 f1.2, it’s probably on par if not better than the Sigma. I really liked the colours it rendered and the ability to shoot at f1.2 for low light and would be great for 3/4 portraits on location.
I am not stinking rich and can only choose one lens out of the three, I think I will try and get the Canon 85 f1.2 as I need a portrait focal length more than any other at the moment for my business. I already have the Canon 50mm f1.4 which is a great lens and I am happy with its results so buying the 50 1.2 would be more of a luxury than a needed purchase. Although if you are looking for a 50 and are considering the canon 1.2 I say go for it and never look back.
UPDATE!
Since doing these tests and this review I decided to give the Sigma another chance and tried a second copy. True it is not quite as sharp as the Canon 1.2, nearly but not quite, the Sigma does not have 1.2 which would be nice but 1.4 would be fine for most low light situations and for this price you cannot complain. The thing i loved this time round is the focus speed which is very fast, I would say about twice as fast as the Canon 1.2. the focus on this copy is very accurate even in low light. The lens is nice and weighty and looks good on the camera, it looks like a nice Nikon lens to be honest. The manual focus ring is still too stiff for my liking and can be a pain to use but with auto focus this decent I might not need to revert to it nearly as often. Most importantly images that it produces are really really nice. I am very impressed with this lens after spending a bit more time with it. I did a test by putting a few images taken with the Canon 85 1.2 and the Sigma 85 1.4, I processed them as I usually process my images (white balance and contrast adjustments) and put them into a slideshow, I got a few people (including myself) just to watch these images loop around in the slideshow and the results were very interesting. They could not tell any difference in the images, this is after about ten minutes staring at them. When I looked at them closely I also could not see any difference, now that is amazing considering the Sigma is £1000 cheaper. Now I really was going to go for the Canon 85 1.2 but after spending more time with the Sigma I have changed my mind. I would like the Canon purely because of its image quality, good looks and the 1.2 but if I (and a good few others, who are also quality freaks) cannot tell the difference in the images between the Canon and the Sigma, the Sigma has much better autofocus, it is a bit lighter and costs around £1000 less then Its a no brainer in my opinion. I actually now think that overall the Sigma is the better lens, that was not easy to say. I actually liked the Sigma so much that today I purchased one and have been shooting with it all day. and with £1000 extra still in the bank to spend on another lens, maybe the Canon 135 f2. In the end the quality of the images I deliver to clients is the most important thing and you can't go wrong with either the Sigma or the Canon.
I hope this helps anyone that is in the same position as I am at the moment.
andrew@drewportfolio.com
Mio: Help me up, I fell down! It's dark and scary here!...
Poor Mio... But now you've seen her crying and embaressed face xD She's smiling now again thoo! C:
Bought this cute little teacup a while ago. Really match with the lovely summer weather we have here in Sweden now. Thehe ~
Please chek this link and see for urself how brutally the poor dogs at Bangalore,India are being killed........... we need help and we must protest against this.....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVLv_Qh4Sdw
If there is anyone out there with even the slightest bit of compassion for these animals, please, I plead to you to join in the ptotest against this "sin" and do what you can to help stop the massacre.
Please mail your concern to the following addresses.
1) Dr. Elly Hiby
Head of Department
Companion Animals
WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals)
WSPA 89 Albert Embankment
SE1 7TP
London
United Kingdom
e-mail; wspa@wspa.org.uk
Tel : 00442075875000
2) Call/mail/parecel/fax PETA on the following addresses :
United States
PETA
501 Front St.
Norfolk, VA 23510
757-622- 7382
757-622-0457 (fax)
e-mail- www.animalactivist.com/ideas.asp
e-mail- MediaInfo@peta.org.
United Kingdom
PETA Europe Ltd
PO Box 36668
London
SE1 1WA
England
020 7357 9229
020 7357 0901 (fax)
e-mail - Info@peta.org.uk
3) Write to Michael Hooper (CEO)Commonwealth Games Federation (body responsible for Commonwealth Games),
E-Mail him at = m.hooper@thecgf.com
Call him up at = 0044 2074918801
Courier/Parcel him at =
Commonwealth Games Federation
2nd Floor
138 Piccadily,
London
W1A7NR
United Kingdom
4) Oprah Winfrey
e-mail : www.oprah.com"
5) ACTAsia
e-mail - info@actasia.org
I want crawfish!
This is a shot from a boil my brother and parents did for me last Spring.
The crawfish had not been cooked yet, thus they were ALIVE.
Psalm 121:
"1 (A Song of degrees.) I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,
from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and
earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee
will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor
sleep.
5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy
right hand.
6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve
thy soul.
8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in
from this time forth, and even for evermore."
________________________________________________
"Unto the hills around do I lift up"
Lyrics: John Douglas Sutherland Campbell (1878-1883)
Music: Charles Henry Purday (1799-1885)
Unto the hills around do I lift up
My longing eyes;
O whence for me shall my salvation come,
From whence arise?
From God the Lord doth come my certain aid,
From God the Lord, who heav’n and earth hath made.
He will not suffer that thy foot be moved:
Safe shalt thou be.
No careless slumber shall His eyelids close,
Who keepeth thee.
Behold, He sleepeth not, He slumbereth ne’er,
Who keepeth Israel in His holy care.
Jehovah is Himself thy keeper true,
Thy changeless shade;
Jehovah thy defense on thy right hand
Himself hath made.
And thee no sun by day shall ever smite;
No moon shall harm thee in the silent night.
From every evil shall He keep thy soul,
From every sin;
Jehovah shall preserve thy going out,
Thy coming in.
Above thee, watching, He whom we adore
Shall keep thee henceforth, yea, for evermore.
A Humvee convoy carrying Rangers and medics from the 82nd Airborne passes under a sign pointing out a refugee camp and their plea for help. In the month following the January 12th earthquake, signs such as these are common sights. On an intel recon mission, the convoy continues in search of those camps that have yet to be found, and actually need emergency help. Read the full PopularMechanics.com story here: www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military_law/4346988....
Copyright 2010, Benjamin Chertoff