CONFESSION by ELyssa Durant, Ed.M. || AutismAid

CONFESSION

by Elyssa Durant, powersthatbeat.blogspot.com
February 7th 2011
I'm going to say this with a bit of caution and a bit of pride-- I had an "interesting week" to say the least-- i have had a crash course in #ILLUMINATI #NWO #ZIONISM #BlackOps #PsyOps and #Mossad-- they are gone now [sorta] but while this was happening a DEAD BODY was found next door. Let me assure you, I am neither dead nor missing-- and unless you hear it from ME - don't let town criers throw #FalseFlags. Furthermore, these people mean business. I have never been more sure of that than I am right now. And they are all over Twitter AND FaceBook. I asked Michael to remove someone from this group beuause he was creating a distraction and false flags on twitter, Michael complied, and for that I am grateful.

See Video:

My bloodline-- Illuminati or not-- is almost irrelevant here-- but what I can tell you-- WHAT YOU MUST KNOW-- is that I have aspergers syndrome. My body language may seem a little off-- my voice may be a little too loud-- BUT during the Nazi Mind Control experiments what they learned is that even when "doctors" induced trauma they COULD NOT MIND CONTROL [eg #Monarch programmming / #MKULTRA] people with #autism or #aspergers. These people will be back-- of that I am certain-- and I do hope you will bring your concerns to me directly rather than believe everything you read. My writing is consistent-- my message is clear.
Can I get 10-4 / OVER from anybody?

I AM NOT MIND CONTROLLED -- and I will not steer you wrong -- unless you deserve it ;-)

Just me,

@ELyssaD

xoxo,

See Video:

Original Page: http://powersthatbeat.blogspot.com/2011/02/confession.html

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Expectations, Acceptance And The AutCom Conference || AutismAid

Expectations, Acceptance And The AutCom Conference

emmashopebook.com | Sep 28th 2012

I am in the midst of preparing the presentation I plan to give at the AutCom conference Saturday, October 6th.  There will be lots of visuals and (hopefully) some humor. I intend to talk about our  journey from diagnosis to terror, despair, anger, determination, discovery, acceptance and HOPE!  I will keep it personal and hope that our story might resonate for other parents, while also explaining why and how the words and voices of Autistic people have so completely changed our lives.  (I use the word ‘our’, because it is not just my life that has changed, but Richard’s and by extension both our children’s too.)  I hope to illustrate the ripple effect of our actions, all of our actions and how important it is (to me) to do everything I can to change the way Autism is perceived.

I have found that in talks such as the one I am about to give, one walks a fine line between trying to share one’s personal experience and ‘lecturing’ or being seen as dictating to others how they should or shouldn’t behave.  I don’t know that I’ve always gotten that balance right, in fact, as I write this, I know I haven’t.  But there are a couple of points I know are universally important.  Things I can do and try to do – be honest and hold myself responsible for my actions.   While also being hyper aware of what Emma would say were she in the audience.  Am I saying anything that would wound?  Am I saying anything that might make her feel badly about herself?  If she were there, would she object?

On this blog I have shared all kinds of things about my past, my personal struggles, things that happened long before I ever had children because it’s important to me that people reading this blog understand, my “issues” are not caused by my husband or either of my children.  My issues are what cause me to react the way I do.  It is this baggage, some of which I’ve unpacked, some of which I continue to struggle with, that cause me to trip up and behave the way I do.  Neither my husband nor my children CAUSE me to lose my temper, feel sad, fearful, depressed or impatient.   I felt all those things long before I was fortunate enough to have a family of my own.

When I am feeling disgruntled about my life it is not because of my husband or children or anyone’s specific neurology, it is because I have expectations that have gone unmet.  Until I am able to fully embrace and accept myself, my life and everyone in it fully, I will grapple with feelings of discontentment and despair.  My level of annoyance and dissatisfaction are in direct proportion to my unmet expectations.  This is my life’s work.  This is what I need to be vigilant about.

Given all of this, it is particularly fitting that tonight Richard and I are going to a meditation workshop with our two favorite Buddhist teachers, Ezra Bayda and Elizabeth Hamilton at the Open Center.  Their lecture is appropriately entitled –  Freedom From Fear: A Zen Perspective.

Nic does the NYTimes crossword – April, 2002

Emma ‘reads’ the NYTimes – 2003

Original Page: http://emmashopebook.com/2012/09/28/expectations-acceptance-and-the-autcom-conference/

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More Social Security Money Withheld Because of Unpaid Student Loans

by SUSANNA KIM, abcnews.go.com
August 17th 2012 6:00 AM

About twice as many Social Security recipients are not receiving all of their Social Security payments this year because they have unpaid federal student loans, according to a report by SmartMoney.com.

According to a 1996 law, the federal government has the authority to withhold portions of Social Security payments if defaulted debt is owed to the government, including federal student loans.

“It’s quite extraordinary because normally Social Security benefits can’t be touched by creditors,”  said Deanne Loonin, a staff attorney with the National Consumer Law Center.

From January through August 6 of this year, the government reduced the size of about 115,000 retirees’ Social Security checks, almost double the department’s enforcement in 2011, according to data from the Treasury Department. In 2007, there were 60,000 cases and in 2000, there were only six cases.

While the amount that the government withholds can vary,   at least $750 a month must be left untouched.

“When you think about it, $750 a month is less than the poverty line. It’s not a lot of money for people to have,” said Loonin.

Loonin said she has worked with people who are often older and have their Social Security benefits withheld. They are delinquent on a range of loans, including those federal student loans parents  took out  for their children.

Many federal loans allow borrowers to request a reduction in loan payments or suspension based on hardship, such as total permanent disability.

The National Consumer Law Center in Boston has set up a website to assist borrowers to avoid default and to outline steps to take if they do default on a loan.

Original Page: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/2012/08/more-social-security-money-withheld-because-of-unpaid-student-loans/

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The College Rankings Racket - NYTimes @Harvard @columbia @princeton WE ROCK-IT 

The College Rankings Racket

by Joe Nocer, nytimes.com
September 28th 2012

The U.S. News & World Report’s annual college rankings came out earlier this month and — knock me over with a feather! — Harvard and Princeton were tied for first.

Room for Debate

Colleges, by the Numbers

Are the annual rankings in U.S. News a useful guide or too simplistic? How could they be improved?

Connect With Us on Twitter

For Op-Ed, follow @nytopinion and to hear from the editorial page editor, Andrew Rosenthal, follow @andyrNYT.

Followed by Yale.

Followed by Columbia.

It’s not that these aren’t great universities. But c’mon. Can you really say with any precision that Princeton is “better” than Columbia? That the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (No. 6) is better than the California Institute of Technology (No. 10)? That Tufts (No. 28) is better than Brandeis (No. 33)?

Of course not. U.S. News likes to claim that it uses rigorous methodology, but, honestly, it’s just a list put together by magazine editors. The whole exercise is a little silly. Or rather, it would be if it weren’t so pernicious.

Magazines compile lists because people like to read them. With U.S. News having folded its print edition two years ago, its rankings — not just of colleges, but law schools, graduate schools and even high schools — are probably what keep the enterprise alive. People care enough about its rankings to pay $34.95 to seek out the details on the U.S. News Web site.

And they imbue these rankings with an authority that is largely unjustified. Universities that want to game the rankings can easily do so. U.S. News cares a lot about how much money a school raises and how much it spends: on faculty; on small classes; on facilities; and so on. It cares about how selective the admissions process is.

So universities that once served populations that were different from the Harvard or Yale student body now go after the same elite high school students with the highest SAT scores. And schools know that, if they want to get a better ranking, they need to spend money like mad — even though they will have to increase tuition that is already backbreaking. “If you figure out how to do the same service for less money, your U.S. News ranking will go down,” says Kevin Carey, the director of education policy at the New America Foundation, a nonpartisan research group. The rankings encourage trends that ill-serve the country.

There is something else, too. The rankings exacerbate the status anxiety that afflicts so many high school students. The single-minded goal of too many high school students — pushed by parents, guidance counselors and society itself — is to get into a “good” school. Those who don’t land a prestigious admission feel like failures. Those who do but lack the means often wind up taking on onerous debt — a burden that can last a lifetime. And U.S. News has largely become the measure by which a good school is defined. “U.S. News didn’t invent the social dynamic,” says Carey. “What it did was very accurately empiricize them.”

As it happens, Carey has been working for a number of years with The Washington Monthly to compile a different kind of college ranking. (I was an editor at The Monthly in the late 1970s.) Instead of trying to serve as a gauge of status, The Monthly’s rankings attempt to gauge more useful measures: social mobility, for instance, or “bang for the buck.” Its top-ranked national universities this year are the University of California-San Diego and Texas A&M. Neither is ranked in the top 30 by U.S. News. All they do is graduate a higher percentage of students than you would expect given their populations — at a reasonable price.

Yes, The Washington Monthly’s rankings are yet another list compiled by magazine editors, inevitably flawed. But the point the magazine is trying to make is that this is the model of higher education we should be encouraging. Can you really disagree? I have no doubt that you can obtain a very good education at Texas A&M. As you surely can at many other institutions that don’t crack the top of the U.S. News rankings.

Not long ago, I saw an article written by a recent graduate of Stuyvesant High. Stuyvesant, widely considered the most prestigious public high school in New York, has just been through a cheating scandal — one driven in no small part by the imperative of its students to get into a prestigious college.

The author, who was not part of the cheating scandal, had succeeded in getting into a “Desirable University,” as she put it, but her parents had been unable to afford the tuition. She wound up, deeply embittered, at a state school. Whenever people would bring up the subject of college, she wrote, she would “mutter something about not wanting to talk about it.” Although she claimed to have made her peace with her education, she ended her article by vowing to save enough so that her children wouldn’t have to suffer the same fate.

How sad. Maybe someday she’ll understand that where you go to college matters far less than what you put into college. Maybe someday the readers of the U.S. News rankings will understand that as well.

Original Page: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/29/opinion/nocera-the-silly-list-everyone-cares-about.html?src=me&ref=general

LMAO! I still have the rankings memorized from 1995!

Number 1! 

Fuck yeah!

#TRAPWIRE 

e

Uncut, Unleashed 9/30/12

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With new list, counties again prepare to check voter eligibility | Florida News

With new list, counties again prepare to check voter eligibility

by Matt Dixo, m.jacksonville.com
September 27th 2012 5:24 PM

News Service of Florida:

Local elections supervisors will again begin checking names of some registered voters to see if they're eligible to cast ballots, using a new list from the state aimed at culling non-citizens from the rolls.

The Florida Division of Elections this week sent the names of 198 registered voters to the supervisors of elections in the counties where those voters live, after using a federal homeland security database to pinpoint those who might not be citizens.

Local elections supervisors contacted Thursday said they would wait for further documentation from the state as to why the names were included in the list for possible removal.

Once they receive that, if local officials agree that there may be an ineligible voter, they will begin the process of locating the person. They'll send a certified letter asking the person to prove citizenship and give 30 days for a response.

In most cases, the counties have already checked the eligibility of at least some of the people identified. The state earlier this year sent a bigger list of suspected ineligible voters, and some counties tried to verify their eligibility until a lawsuit was filed and the effort was suspended. At the time, the state dropped its push for the checks, waiting for access to the homeland security data to try to refine the list.

For example, Orange County elections officials were sent 12 names this week, all of which had been sent to the county in a list of more than 80 names earlier this year. Back then, the county was able to determine that five of those 80-some-odd voters were ineligible and those five people have been removed from the voter rolls. Those five names were among the 12 sent to Orange County this week, said a county deputy supervisor of elections, Linda Tanko. Of the other seven, the county had likely tried to find them before, but had stopped trying when the effort was suspended, and now will begin the effort again.

Collier County Supervisor of Elections Jennifer Edwards said it appears the names sent to her were all part of the earlier list that her office had already checked. In the earlier effort, the southwest Florida county removed 26 people from the rolls.

"It's the same names we've already taken action on," Edwards said. But if any of the 15 names on the new list weren't removed already or haven't proved their citizenship, the county would again start the process of trying to determine their eligibility, once it receives the supporting documentation, she said.

Julie Marcus, deputy elections supervisor in Pinellas County, also said the new list includes the names of people the county had already checked, including two that it removed from the rolls before the first phase of the purge effort was suspended.

Marcus said the mere existence of a name, voter registration number and birth date is not enough for local officials to remove a voter without getting more information and going through the process of determining eligibility.

"The bottom line is that the integrity of the process is critical, but you just can't start pulling people's names off the voter rolls," Marcus said.

The list sent to local officials this week is an abbreviated version of an original list of 2,600 names that the state sent earlier this year. Local supervisors had said that list contained a number of errors, and several voters turned out to be able to prove their citizenship.

The new, smaller list was produced once the state got access to the Department of Homeland Security database, which tracks residency status and is thought to be more reliable than the earlier target list.

State officials have repeatedly said that the effort even if it only turns up only a relatively small number of ineligible voters is important.

"We have a responsibility to ensure Floridas voter rolls are current and accurate," Chris Cate, a spokesman for the state Division of Elections, said Thursday. "The process to identify potential non-citizens has been a careful, thorough and legally-sound process to uphold the integrity of Florida elections by making sure ineligible voters cant cast a ballot."

But the exercise has drawn criticism from voting rights groups, which have said the effort to trim the rolls unfairly targets minority voters and newly naturalized citizens.

Advocacy groups have charged the push is an attempt to disqualify and intimidate Hispanic and other recent immigrants who may be more likely to vote for Democratic candidates.

Florida, a critical swing state in the upcoming presidential election, is among a handful of Republican-led states that have passed laws in recent years to tighten voter requirements.

"Many of these people are citizens," said Katherine Culliton-Gonzalez, director of voter protection for the Washington D.C.-based Advancement Project. "They came to the United States in search of the American dream and are now being targeted."

The controversial endeavor has been challenged in court. On Monday, a federal judge in Fort Lauderdale is scheduled to hear arguments in a lawsuit by voting-rights groups to block removal of possibly ineligible voters from registration rolls before the November elections.

Five groups and two individual plaintiffs are seeking an injunction against the effort, contending that federal law bars the state from taking voters off the rolls within 90 days before an election.

Many likely won't be able to be removed before voting begins anyway. Once counties decide to pursue possible removal of a voter, they still will send that person a certified letter starting a 30-day clock for response. Even if they don't get a response or the letter is returned, in many cases the counties will continue to try to locate the person anyway, several supervisors said.

Most of the names on the new list, by far, are from one county. Of the 198 names, 82 of them are from Miami-Dade. Another 23 are from Broward County and 21 are from Bay County, which includes Panama City. Fifteen names are from Collier County, which includes Naples, 14 from Palm Beach County, 12 from Orange County, which includes Orlando, and fewer than 10 each from a handful of other counties.

Original Page: http://m.jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/matt-dixon/2012-09-27/new-list-counties-again-prepare-check-voter-eligibility

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A Terrifying Way to Discipline Children

by BILL LICHTENSTEIN, nytimes.com
September 8th 2012

Editors' Note Appended

IN my public school 40 years ago, teachers didn’t lay their hands on students for bad behavior. They sent them to the principal’s office. But in today’s often overcrowded and underfunded schools, where one in eight students receive help for special learning needs, the use of physical restraints and seclusion rooms has become a common way to maintain order.

It’s a dangerous development, as I know from my daughter’s experience. At the age of 5, she was kept in a seclusion room for up to an hour at a time over the course of three months, until we discovered what was happening. The trauma was severe.

According to national Department of Education data, most of the nearly 40,000 students who were restrained or isolated in seclusion rooms during the 2009-10 school year had learning, behavioral, physical or developmental needs, even though students with those issues represented just 12 percent of the student population. African-American and Hispanic students were also disproportionately isolated or restrained.

Joseph Ryan, an expert on the use of restraints who teaches at Clemson University, told me that the practice of isolating and restraining problematic children originated in schools for children with special needs. It migrated to public schools in the 1970s as federal laws mainstreamed special education students, but without the necessary oversight or staff training. “It’s a quick way to respond but it’s not effective in changing behaviors,” he said.

State laws on disciplining students vary widely, and there are no federal laws restricting these practices, although earlier this year Education Secretary Arne Duncan wrote, in a federal guide for schools, that there was “no evidence that using restraint or seclusion is effective.” He recommended evidence-based behavioral interventions and de-escalation techniques instead.

The use of restraints and seclusion has become far more routine than it should be. “They’re the last resort too often being used as the first resort,” said Jessica Butler, a lawyer in Washington who has written about seclusion in public schools.

Among the recent instances that have attracted attention: Children in Middletown, Conn., told their parents that there was a “scream room” in their school where they could hear other children who had been locked away; last December, Sandra Baker of Harrodsburg, Ky., found her fourth-grade son, Christopher, who had misbehaved, stuffed inside a duffel bag, its drawstrings pulled tight, and left outside his classroom. He was “thrown in the hall like trash,” she told me. And in April, Corey Foster, a 16-year-old with learning disabilities, died on a school basketball court in Yonkers, N.Y., as four staff members restrained him following a confrontation during a game. The medical examiner ruled early last month that the death was from cardiac arrest resulting from the student’s having an enlarged heart, and no charges were filed.

I saw firsthand the impact of these practices six years ago when my daughter, Rose, started kindergarten in Lexington, Mass. Rose had speech and language delays. Although she sometimes became overwhelmed more quickly than other children, she was called “a model of age-appropriate behavior” by her preschool. One evaluation said Rose was “happy, loves school, is social.” She could, however, “get fidgety and restless when she is unsure as to what is expected of her. When comfortable, Rose is a very participatory and appropriate class member with a great deal to contribute to her world.”

Once in kindergarten, Rose began throwing violent tantrums at home. She repeatedly watched a scene from the film “Finding Nemo” in which a shark batters its way into a tiny room, attempting to eat the main characters. The school provided no explanation or solution. Finally, on Jan. 6, 2006, a school aide called saying that Rose had taken off her clothes. We needed to come get her.

At school, her mother and I found Rose standing alone on the cement floor of a basement mop closet, illuminated by a single light bulb. There was nothing in the closet for a child — no chair, no books, no crayons, nothing but our daughter standing naked in a pool of urine, looking frightened as she tried to cover herself with her hands. On the floor lay her favorite purple-striped Hanna Andersson outfit and panties.

Rose got dressed and we removed her from the school. We later learned that Rose had been locked in the closet five times that morning. She said that during the last confinement, she needed to use the restroom but didn’t want to wet her outfit. So she disrobed. Rather than help her, the school called us and then covered the narrow door’s small window with a file folder, on which someone had written “Don’t touch!”

We were told that Rose had been in the closet almost daily for three months, for up to an hour at a time. At first, it was for behavior issues, but later for not following directions. Once in the closet, Rose would pound on the door, or scream for help, staff members said, and once her hand was slammed in the doorjamb while being locked inside.

At the time, I notified the Lexington Public Schools, the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families and the Department of Mental Health about Rose and other children in her class whom school staff members indicated had been secluded. If any of these agencies conducted a formal investigation, I was not made aware of it.

Rose still has nightmares and other symptoms of severe stress. We brought an action against the Lexington Public Schools, which we settled when the school system agreed to pay for the treatment Rose needed to recover from this trauma.

The physical and psychological injuries to children as a consequence of this disciplinary system is an issue that has found its way to Congress. Legislation to ban these practices has been introduced in the House and the Senate, but no vote is expected this year.

Meanwhile, Rose is back in public school and has found it within her to forgive those involved in her case. “They weren’t bad people,” she told me. “They just didn’t know about working with children.”

Bill Lichtenstein is an investigative journalist and filmmaker.

Editors' Note: September 16, 2012

An opinion essay on Sept. 9 criticizing the use of seclusion and restraint to discipline students described an episode on Jan. 6, 2006, in which the writer’s daughter, then a kindergartner, was kept in an isolation room at her school in Lexington, Mass. Several details of that episode have since been disputed.

The girl wet herself while being confined in a closet for misbehaving. But school officials, and a 2008 deposition by the girl’s mother, state that she was then cleaned up and dressed while her parents were notified — and that it was not the case that the parents found her standing alone, unclothed, in her urine.

The article incorrectly described the closet where the girl was confined. It was on a mezzanine between two classroom levels, not in the basement.

While the girl’s parents sued the Lexington school district in 2007, and obtained a settlement in 2008, the writer did not notify two Massachusetts state agencies — the Department of Children and Families and the Department of Mental Health — “at the time” of the episode, according to state records.

The girl’s parents divorced in 2007. If The Times had known before the article was published that the writer’s ex-wife was now the girl’s custodial parent, it would have contacted her.

Original Page: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/09/opinion/sunday/a-terrifying-way-to-discipline-children.html

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Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz Calls MTA New Advertising Rules ‘Plain Dumb' & 'Unconstitutional'

Legal Scholar Alan Dershowitz Calls MTA‘s New Advertising Rules ’Plain Dumb’ & ‘Unconstitutional’

by Sharona Schwartz, theblaze.com
September 30th 2012 7:23 AM

Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz is slamming new rules New York City’s Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) has adopted in the wake of its legal battle against blogger Pamela Geller and her anti-terrorism ads, calling the MTA move “plain dumb” and unconstitutional.”

On Friday, TheBlaze reported that the MTA changed its guidelines on what advertising it will accept from now on after losing in court to Geller and her group, the American Freedom Defense Initiative, thus being forced to display the ads which read: “In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat Jihad.”

Specifically, the MTA has set a new litmus test for ads and will no longer display those which the MTA “reasonably foresees would incite or provoke violence or other immediate breach of the peace, and so harm, disrupt, or interfere with safe, efficient, and orderly transit operations.”

Prof. Alan Dershowitz, a staunch defender of Israel and a political liberal, is calling the new rules bad policy that will have the unintended consequence of encouraging violence. He spoke to the New York Jewish newspaper The Algemeiner:

“A. it’s clearly unconstitutional” he said, and “b. it incentivizes people to engage in violence. What it says to people, is that if they don’t like ads, just engage in violence and then we’ll take the ads down.”

“It’s very bad policy,” he continued, “and it’s just plain dumb, because it is going to encourage violence.”

Dershowitz believes the new rules will only energize those with an axe to grind like Mona Eltahawy, the Egyptian-born activist who was arrested after spray-painting one of Geller’s ads in a subway station.

The Algemeiner writes:

Referencing the incident, Dershowitz said, “what the transit authority is doing, is giving people like Mona, the power to censor.”

Referring to the recent uptick in violence in the Middle East, Dershowitz added, “It is the worst possible approach to dealing with radical Islam.”

“In the age of radical imams whipping up reactions, it just gives them more encouragement to do it. So if somebody wants to put up a picture of Mohammed in the subway, all people have to do is threaten violence and its censorship comes into effect,” he said.

Dershowitz believes the rules should be challenged legally:

“It will be challenged, there is no question about that,” he confirmed, “if the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) doesn’t get into this case immediately, they are going to have to write to me several times for my contribution this year. This is a perfect case for the ACLU, the ACLU should be in there, opposed to the MTA.”

“I would hope the ACLU would get behind the organization that put up the ads even though I’m sure they disagree with the content of the ads, as do I,” he concluded.

The Algemeiner asked the MTA about the constitutionality of its decision. MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan told the paper the organization believes the new guidelines are “are firmly planted in the bedrock of the constitution, specifically the First Amendment.”

Original Page: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/legal-scholar-alan-dershowitz-calls-mtas-new-advertising-rules-plain-dumb-unconstitutional/

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Conservative’s Anti-Jihad Subway Ad Leads to New MTA Policies: NYC Authority Can Now Ban Ads That Could ‘Incite or Provoke Violence’

Conservative’s Anti-Jihad Subway Ad Leads to New Policies: NYC Authority Can Now Ban Ads That Could ‘Incite or Provoke Violence’

by Billy Hallowell, theblaze.com
September 28th 2012 1:49 PM

The epic battle between American Freedom Defense Initiative executive director and blogger Pamela Geller and The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) culminated with a court decision that forced the transit authority to permit the display of controversial ads about radical Islam. But the story didn’t end there. As TheBlaze reported this morning, Geller’s case caused the MTA to rethink the manner in which it handles First Amendment issues, leading to the adoption of some potentially-controversial measures.

(Related: Read TheBlaze‘s initial report about the MTA’s changes here)

On Friday, TheBlaze spoke with a spokesperson who confirmed some of the details surrounding the case, while clarifying the new changes that passed on Thursday. As noted, one of the emergent provisions that was added into the public company’s advertising standards in the wake of the Geller debate allows the MTA to deny ads it believes could incite violence (this was not mentioned in the press release the agency put out about the changes).

As previously noted, a document, reflecting yesterday’s changes, was provided by the MTA to TheBlaze this morning. It highlights the transit authority’s advertising standards and reads, in part, “The licensee (‘advertising contractor’) shall not display or maintain any advertisement that falls within one or more of the following categories.” One of the category sections reads:

The advertisement, or any information contained in it, is directly adverse to the commercial or administrative interests of the MTA or is harmful to the morale of MTA employees or contains material the display of which the MTA reasonably foresees would incite or provoke violence or other immediate breach of the peace, and so harm, disrupt, or interfere with safe, efficient, and orderly transit operations.

'); //]]>

It is the portion presented in bold that is new to the regulations. It’s inclusion is interesting for a number of reasons. On the surface, it appears oddly placed in the list of grievances that could lead to the banning of an advertisement. Furthermore, there is some ambiguity regarding what led to the inclusion of the “violence” reference in the first place.

Here’s a screen shot from the official document:

In an e-mail reply, MTA spokesperson Aaron Donovan told TheBlaze that the change was among the “outstanding issues” that the agency was looking to tackle in the new regulatory document.

“Since we hadn’t updated our advertising standards in 15 years, we used this opportunity to address several outstanding issues or potential hypothetical situations,” he wrote. “This is one of them.”

TheBlaze responded with additional questions about the motivations for the change, asking how, in particular, the MTA’s court battle with Geller impacted the new restriction on violent ads. Donovan responded, admitting that the dilemma did play an integral role in the decision to make the change.

“The ad, and more specifically the litigation surrounding it, caused us to think about a variety of potential scenarios and review our standards more carefully within a prism of First Amendment law,” he commented.

Considering that the MTA has made its opposition to the ad’s message known in the past — and taking into account continued calls for bans on blasphemy and offensive messages — the natural question is: Will this new regulation serve as a backdoor method for banning controversial ads that take aim at specific faiths, like Islam?

To gain a better perspective, TheBlaze asked who would be involved in the process of defining which messages incite violence and what the metrics for doing so would be.

“It would go through the same process we currently use to determine whether ads meet the overall guidelines,” Donovan explained. “Ads are submitted to our advertising contractor, CBS Outdoor, for posting and approval.”

Once the ads are submitted, Donovan said that CBS then decides which ones need to be scrutinized more closely to ensure they meet guidelines. Considering the other MTA regulation that was adopted on Thursday — the requirement that political, religious and morality-based ads include a disclaimer separating their ideals from the agency’s — the spokesperson said that CBS would also be involved in flagging ads for that purpose.

“The MTA’s final determination is made by the MTA’s Director of Real Estate, in consultation with CBS Outdoor (our ad contractor), the MTA’s General Counsel, the Chairman, and others he may choose to consult with,” he continued, highlighting how potentially-violent ads will be assessed.

Still, considering these elements, the issue needs further exploration. The language seems fluid enough to present further First Amendment battles in the future — especially considering the guidelines’ subjective nature.

Original Page: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/conservatives-anti-jihad-subway-ad-leads-to-new-policies-nyc-authority-can-now-ban-ads-that-could-incite-or-provoke-violence/

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Google Shuts Down Search in China - Censored

Google raises stakes in China censorship row

guardian.co.uk | Mar 22nd 2010

See Video:

Google shut down its search service in the Chinese mainland last night after a two-month standoff with Beijing over online freedom and an alleged intrusion by hackers.

But Chinese authorities attacked the internet giant as "totally wrong" for its decision to shift its Chinese-language offering to Hong Kong.

The move allowed the firm to stop self-censoring the service, although the government's filtering system would still prevent mainland users from seeing the results of many sensitive searches.

Google shocked the industry when it announced in January that it would end four years of self-censorship in China, acknowledging it might mean withdrawal.

The furore highlighted the challenges of doing business in China for western companies and drew a line under the era of unfettered optimism about the internet's ability to change the country.

The company now believes it has found a legal way out, and said it intended to maintain its research, development and advertising sales business in China - which has the world's largest internet population, of almost 400 million.

But it acknowledged that authorities could block the Chinese search service.

An unnamed official at the State Council Information Office – one of the bodies overseeing internet controls – said Google was "totally wrong" and had "violated its written promise" in remarks carried by the official news agency Xinhua. The swift response was highly unusual given that news of the decision broke in the middle of the night in China.

Google.cn now redirects visitors to google.com.hk – where they are greeted by a message reading: "Welcome to Google search in China's new home."

But the Chinese government's internet filtering system, "the Great Firewall", prevented results being returned when searches were conducted using sensitive words and phrases such as "Tiananmen Square 1989" on google.com.hk. The internet connection was reset.

Although Hong Kong is part of China, the "one country, two systems" framework means it operates under different laws. Google already had a search service there using the territory's traditional characters, but has added a simplified Chinese service for mainland users.

"We believe this new approach of providing uncensored search in simplified Chinese from Google.com.hk is a sensible solution to the challenges we've faced," said the company's chief legal officer, David Drummond.

"We hope the Chinese government respects our decision, though we are aware that it could at any time block access."

Acknowledging concerns about the repercussions of angering authorities, Drummond added that all the decisions had been "driven and implemented by our executives in the United States, and...none of our employees in China can, or should, be held responsible for them."

Rebecca MacKinnon, visiting fellow at Princeton's Centre for Information Technology Policy, said: "It appears they are not doing anything that violates Chinese law … What they are doing in Hong Kong is in bounds of the law there."

But Xiao Qiang, director of the China Internet Project at the University of California, Berkeley predicted that Google would find it hard to continue doing business in China.

On Twitter, prominent blogger Michael Anti described Google's move as a wake-up call for Chinese internet users, adding: "We are not 2nd class. Like all, we deserve an uncensored Internet."

Google said in January that its decision to stop censoring followed a cyber-attack, originating from China, that it believed was aimed at gathering information on Chinese human rights activists as well as intellectual property. Its statement also cited growing internet censorship.

Sergey Brin, Google's co-founder, told the New York Times that he believed efforts by governments such as China to control online speech were likely to fail, adding: "I think that in the long term, they are going to have to open."

Original Page: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/mar/22/google-china-shut-down-censorships

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Why Apple Had To Release Its Terrible Maps App Now

forbes.com | Sep 29th 2012

Apple Maps is the worst-received new product to come out of Cupertino since the 1993 launch of the Newton, its first touch-screen device. Maps is the child of a nasty divorce between two of the world’s most powerful companies, and it has many industry observers trying to understand how Apple could enter the mobile maps market so late with a product that is so bad.

There have been several partial answers, most of them coming from people like me who have no real access to inside information to two of the most tight-lipped technology companies of the Conversational Age.

All Things D seems to have been among the few with any real access. It reported that Apple decided to make its own maps after it ran into a dispute with Google over voice-guided directions.

The result is not without irony. The recently released Apple maps does indeed provide voice-guided directions, but they seem more likely to guide you off a bridge as to get you where you want to go.

Consensus is pretty universal that Apple Maps are inferior, not just to Google maps, but to every other mobile map you can think of. People wonder why Apple didn’t just leave Google and cut a deal with Yahoo!, Microsoft or some other vendor.

Users of Apple mobile devices have been forming fast migrations to alternative mapping. Many have started using Waze, which allows users to share commuting data as they experience it and, by the way, has voice-guided directions. I’ve played with it and have been growing fond of it, but it is designed mostly as a commuter’s tool and my commute is from our master bedroom to my home office and I can find my destination even without morning coffee.

Primarily, I am one of many former users of Google Maps on the iPhone who found a simple way to return to Google Maps on my iPhone and iPad. All you need to do is go to maps.google.com on your device. A pop-up will offer to save to your desktop. Click on it, and it creates an icon identical to a mobile app from the Apple Store. Works fine, it’s free, but now if you click on a location-based ad, Google shares no revenue[RL1] with Apple.

I hadn’t heard about the back-door bickering that John Paczkowski reported on in his excellent All Things D piece, and I’m sure it is entirely accurate, but there are more things going on here than just a feature feud between two powerful partners who have simultaneously become bitter rivals.

Walter Isaacson reported, in his authorized Steve Jobs biography, that Jobs felt betrayed by his erstwhile friend Eric Schmidt, Google chairman, who sat on the Apple board. He felt that Android was a direct rip-off of the iPhone and it resulted in Schmidt’s having to resign from the Apple board.

Jobs is gone, but the perception of Google as its worst marketplace rival is said to live on among Apple executives. That alone could have set off this recent, unfortunate separation.

The problem is that so much of Apple’s marketplace strength–and hardware-pricing strategy–is based on product elegance, and few people see anything elegant about the new Apple Maps. In fact, most people call it what Steve Jobs was fond of calling most competing products: “crap.”

But this time around, the word is not being used by Apple, but about Apple. The new maps are crap. There is speculation at industry gatherings, among analysts, among editors and in the social networks about what Steve Jobs would have done, and the consensus is he would never have allowed Apple to introduce such a not-ready-for-prime-time product. He would have badgered and humiliated employees to make something better, and to get it done in time for a press conference scheduled to meet deadlines set by marketing–not product-based decisions.

Page 2 of 3

I think if Steve Jobs were alive today, Apple Maps would have been introduced at the same time, in the same place and in the same shoddy condition.

Here’s why:

Mapping is probably the most complex of all mobile apps. You need mountains of data, which needs constant revision in near real-time if your product is to be credible. Mistakes on maps are worse than typos in a Forbes column. If your mobile map steers you into road construction or toward a washed out bridge while you are driving alone in the rain at night, your safety may be at risk and your unhappiness with the mapping application will be long-lasting.

Mapping is increasing exponentially in importance. In Age of Context, our book-in-progress, Robert Scoble and I name maps as one of the five forces driving the next era of technology. More and more mobile apps must know where you are, what you want to do or where you are going. Location is an essential part of most new social networks and mobile wouldn’t matter if location wasn’t involved.

“Without location, mobile apps have no ground. They lose their context.” Caterina Fake, founder of the soon-to-launch Findery.com, recently told me in an interview for our book.

Map applications cannot be built in a day. They require huge teams, spending enormous amounts of time, to map the world square inch by square inch, and it takes even more than that to keep all the data current. Maps never had to be close to real time before mobile took off. They could be revised every few years when they were still on paper, less than a decade ago.

Google has a team of about 7000 people worldwide working just on maps. The result is a product that remains imperfect, but is pretty darn good and most of us trust what we see. Waze is creating a community of people who travel similar routes and update automatically, so fellow travellers see changes almost as they occur.

Apple has a mere 20,000 employees worldwide. Few of them are mapping experts. A majority remains hardware-oriented. But in the longterm, hardware becomes a commodity and commodities do not maintain high margins of profitability.

Like all other providers of end-user products, the revenue will be increasingly tied to software and maps will be essential to that revenue. As we move further into contextual areas, most users will get ads, offers, and info based on their location. Much of it will be tied directly to maps and much of the remainder will be tied indirectly to them.

Apple, in the long term, cannot possibly continue to partner with Google, which is its most threatening competitor. It would be unwise to give Google revenue and data from its users and more important it cannot share its most secret product plans and strategies.

Google, as the voice-guided directions issue reveals, was moving to make maps better on Android phones than on iOS phones. As the hardware between the two companies becomes closer to equal, mapping becomes more strategically important. As the world becomes more mobile and applications become more contextual, Apple has to ensure that its future does not rest in the hands of an enemy.

And in that there is a rub. You cannot get data for your maps until millions of people are using and sharing them and reporting back new or better data. Google started several years ago with maps. It, too, produced crude products in the beginning.

Page 3 of 3

I can recall using an early mobile Google map to find a hotel late at night in a remote area, in heavy fog. The map got us to the point where we could see the Hotel light 100 feet in front of us. What it did not tell us was there was a river crossing our path and there was no bridge.

We were not pleased and we went back to paper maps for another two years.

Apple is taking a big hit right now. In a surprising and unprecedented move, Apple CEO Tim Cook apologized on Friday for the poor quality of Apple Maps and recommended Apple customers use rival products including Google Maps.

Apple has a long way to go, but it absolutely needed to choose the path it has taken. If it partners with another mapping company, Apple will once again be caught by the shorthairs longterm and no leadership company will abide by that. It will need to scramble to catch up. I am in no position to speculate, but the company is sitting on tons of cash and has a history of attracting shiny talent.

It also may have a few surprises hidden under its kimono. There are multiple reports that Apple Maps are better than any others available in China, the world largest and fastest-growing technology market. While we are accustomed to products working best at first in the US and Western markets, Apple may have cleverly embarked on a differed strategy. One that we in the West may have completely ignored. Start in China, where the need for mobile maps is probably greater than in any other modern country, then build West.

Apple has has another additional advantage in China, where Google and the government have a relationship that falls far short of cordial. Google keeps tweaking the nose of China’s censors, to the obvious annoyance of those in power.

What would Jobs have done? We can only speculate. But my guess is he would have gritted his teeth and done precisely what Apple has done from a product standpoint—but he would have found a way to present the case better.

Original Page: http://www.forbes.com/sites/shelisrael/2012/09/29/apples-maps-strategy-china-today-tomorrow-the-world/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mediaredef+%28jason+hirschhorn%27s+Media+ReDEFined%29

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My last goodbye || to be released on November 1, 2012  Exclusive Pre-release Copy

Wake me up when September ends...

Can't be sure I will have power, Internet, phone or a place to go if I step outside or if I am even safe here right now and the lease was modified by hand and I was forced to sign under duress. 

Releasing this while I have the opportunity. 

Wish me luck. Hopefully my message is getting through.

With love,

Just me,

e

@ELyssaD™

September 30, 2012

Subject: My last goodbye || to be released on November 1, 2012

MY BENEFITS ARE UNDER REVIEW.  I CHANGED ADDRESS TO FLORIDA SINCE MY SECURITY HAS BEEN COMPROMISED AND ELECTRICITY AND CIRCUIT COURT OF PALM BEACH COUNTY WERE NOTIFIED BY SETH 9/20/12 THAT WITH NOTARIZED EMBOSSED SEAL THAT  I WAS APPROVED AS TENANT.

You lied to them and told them I was living with you for the last 8 years. That is not true. However, since you claimed me as a dependent through 2009 you got LUCKY that I have clean record and passed Background check.

You rushed the interview and told them I was moving in on the 22nd. You told them I was graduate student at Vanderbilt when you know damn well that Columbia has offered me a spot that in the Fall 2012 class.

You asked me to give YOU the money instead of paying tuition.

You have made ridiculous requests and asked me to forgo spending money on personal items including medication and demanded that I give you the money instead.

The lease has been put into a private file along with the other documents that YOU filled out.

Rather than using MY references, or people such as Doreen who know me personally, you chose to list people I have never met before. Like Bonnie, or Lisa?

I am 39 years old.

You pulled this shit when I was 12, 17, 22, 29, 36 by disconnecting my phone from family plan I selected!

You refused to transfer number so all my benefits got fucked up because no one could reach me during the months of the Flood in Tennessee.

You insist upon repeatedly telling me how to behave, dress, look, and what YOU deem acceptable conversation.

You create a new drama everyday and go bat shit crazy with complete disregard for how it affects the people around you.

You may be crazy, but at least you are predictable.

I anticipated and made back up plans based upon your past behaviors, and as it turns out, I was spot on the money.

Too bad I didn't place a bet, because I would be a very rich woman.

IF you do not change the way you talk AT me and about me, you will find that I am a more reliable source than you will ever be.

I don't care how "pretty" you are or what you think of me or anyone else for that matter. You have alienated everyone from your family and no matter how many times you change your name, you are still the same pathetic woman who blames everyone else for your problems.

I am not your scapegoat or lifeline.

Any credit that you take for MY achievements, rest assured that my brilliant analytical mind and keen observations of human behaviour are from watching you pull the same "poor me" bullshit and histrionics since I was a small child.

You don't deserve a medal for making me into the person that you love to hate. If you have a problem with my behaviour or the way I feel about you then take a look in the mirror because clearly you failed as a parent.

It's too late to turn back now, and no matter how many times you apologize or tell me that you love me and want me in your life, you are so needy and hysterical that you create disasters just for attention.

I simply do not have the time or energy to let you play games with my health or well being when so many doctors and professionals have placed emergency alert on my files stating that you are NOT the loving mother or "qualified" therapist you pretend to be.

You are blocked from all my medical and legal records for a reason. Because you consistently try to interfere with my health and cause more damage than good.

I have tried to work with you. I have provided you with basic fact sheets and information about Autism Spectrum Disorders and you do not care enough to modify your behavior to control your vicious and abusive actions.

I realize you are unable to control yourself and you actually believe your revisionist history despite IRS, CID, SSA, Court Records and expert medical reports that have been filed by people who have evaluated me AND the evidence that paints a very sad picture of the "real" Karen Rose Baker Durant Berlin Weisbart Kahn.

Truth be told, as hard as I try to "forgive" your horrific actions in the past, I feel sorry for you, but simply do not care enough to be the target of your next scam or psychotic breakdowns and want no part of it.

THIS is how I feel. THIS is how much I care. I care enough to walk away.

Find somebody else to pretend to rescue because if this is your "inheritance" gift to me before you die, you have an awful lot of stipulations and conditions to protect YOU and your SO-called "Trust"

I will not lie for you. I will not change who I am to make you "look" like a good parent. The truth is, I'm better off without you.

THAT is how much I love the person I have become. Too much to let trample all over the projects and opportunities that are before me.

I hope it was worth it. Because you are betting AGAINST me and that is obvious by your paranoia, your attempt to alienate and isolate me from the people and things I love, and the insurance policies and legal stipulations you demanded that I sign against legal and medical advice.

This is what YOU have created.

Nothing.

Goodbye.

Elyssa


Yom Kippur, 2012

I guess you have another person to grieve for. Too bad you only have one candle because you have two children who would rather be dead than let you control, manipulate and destroy anything and everything that gets in your way.

9:22 pm



FaceBook backup download

Amazon return file cabinet

Voter registration (check status)

Police Report: Records Dept

Package from Mom

Medical Appointment

Transportation

Verizon Dispute TOS

Weigh pros cons re: Netbook

Order Files (wishlist)

Traci Appointment

Door locks

Confirm Pest Control Schedule

Remember this is GO TIME!

Stay calm

Stay focused

^ed


אל

Karen KAHN-TACT ?? --> Elyssa's benefits 8/20/2012

On Aug 20, 2012, at 2:54 PM, Karen Kahn <karenkahn@ymail.com> wrote:

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Dana Campbell" <dana@urbanhousingsolutions.org>
Date: August 20, 2012 12:26:11 PM EDT
To: "Mom Kahn" <karenkahn@ymail.com>
Cc: "Rusty Lawrence" <rusty@urbanhousingsolutions.org>
Subject: Elyssa Durant's Section 8 benefits

Mrs. Kahn,

I apologized for not contacting you back on Friday, please forgive me!  Here’s where we stand with Elyssa’s section 8 benefits. We emailed Elyssa’s case manager(Vanessa Jordon) on 8/6/12.  Inquiring to why haven’t we received subsidy payments for Elyssa yet.  She replied back the same day and said that she’s been really behind and the next deposit date was on 8/15/12 and she promised to be caught up with all of her relocates.  She also asked us if we sent the lease and utility confirmation (which we did months ago). We’ve received the HAP payment on 8/15/12 and Elyssa’s payments were not reflected in the deposit.  I’m going to be emailing Vanessa Jordan again today so I will keep you posted by email.

Dana L. Campbell

UHS-Director of Property Management

822 Woodland Street

Nashville, TN 37206

615-726-2696 ext 131

615-726-3794 fax

Email: dana@urbanhousingsolutions.org

=

AutismAid™ || Aware to Care, Aware to Share (c) 2012 @ELyssaD(R) 9/15/12 Witness Report

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Anonymous" Confidential Power of Attorney
Date: September 15, 2012 10:24:34 PM EDT
Subject: Re: AutismAid™ || Aware to Care, Aware to Share (c) 2012 @ELyssaD(R)

All hell's breaking loose there...major shit going down..her mom's packing Elyssa's stuff saying she has to leave...her husband physically threatened her...pulled her phone line out of the wall..she may wind up at the airport ...but Elyssa's  working on it. (She IS tough!)

On Sep 15, 2012 8:42 PM,  wrote:

Won't load? Got another link?

On Sep 15, 2012, at 8:36 PM, PowersThatBeat > wrote:

>
>
>
> אל

Kahn Artist - September 16, 2012

Begin forwarded message:

From: Karen Kahn 
Date: September 16, 2012 10:26:55 PM EDT
To: PowersThatBeat 
Subject: Re: The Powers That Beat: Study Sheds Light on Parents' Fears, Anxieties: Critical Supports Needed to Raise a Child with Autism

Elyssa,

I made my decision and have not swayed from it. I know you are going through a very difficult transition and I have faith that you are a strong person and will get through it. You have survived a great deal and I feel confident that you will find this move beneficial to you in every way. We are looking at several more days until you are in your new home--safe and sound. After you move I promised you that I will help you unpack, but I will take your cues.  You'll let me know when you are ready. I will do what I can to make the week bearable for both of us.

I will be leaving tomorrow (Monday ) at 10:00am. If you would like to go with me, I only ask that you be ready on time. I have an appointment at your new place at 11am but after that I will take you to petco for a new collar for Spotty.

Mom

Sent from my iPad

On Sep 13, 2012, at 11:54 PM

http://thepowersthatbeat.blogspot.com/2012/09/study-sheds-light-on-parents-fears.html?m=0

You have a decision to make. If this is such a sacrifice and drain on you financially, I can still go back to Nashville.

I survived far worse, and I can still transfer my Section 8 to another property. I am NOT a child. And I did not ask you for a 2000 bed or top of the line anything.

I asked to be treated with respect and dignity. THAT is NON NEGOTIABLE.

אל

20 parenting suggestions || Even my father took time to read this !! Sent days ago

From: Karen Kahn 
Date: September 29, 2012 9:17:18 PM EDT
To: PowersThatBeat
Subject: Re: 20 parenting suggestions || Even my father took time to read this !! Sent days ago
Reply-To: Karen Kahn <karenkahn@ymail.com>

I read rhis but it doesn't give me any clue to your viciousness or relentless attacks on me.  Your personal hygiene is the very least of my concerns.

Karen

From: PowersThatBeat 
To: Kahn Mom 
Cc: Durant El  
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2012 1:46 PM
Subject: 20 parenting suggestions || Even my father took time to read this !! Sent days ago

Aspergers and Poor Personal Hygiene

myaspergerschild.com
A common behavior characteristic in Aspergers kids is the dislike of grooming and personal hygiene habits. Aspies of all ages seem to have difficulty establishing sound hygiene routines in the areas of bathing/showering, brushing hair, changing clothes, haircuts, cleaning teeth and washing hair.

Some Aspies tend to feel that showering or bathing isn't necessary. I remember asking my grandson with Aspergers if he was going to shower. He said “no” …he didn't have time for that. He then asked for an orange. I told him he could after he showered. That worked the ONE time. Then I started to find the peels and seeds in the shower. When I asked him about it, he said it was faster to do both at the same time.

The source of the problem stems mostly from the sensory sensitivities associated with Aspergers (particularly with tactile sensitivities) rather than from “laziness.” The nervous system of Aspies is always on high alert, and their brains interpret touch in unexpected ways (e.g., instead of being calmed by a gentle hug, they may become agitated or tense). Sometimes even anticipating being touched can trigger a meltdown in a child with Aspergers.

Here are some of the main reasons children with Aspergers seem to avoid practicing good personal hygiene:

• Using deodorant is potential area of discomfort for kids with Aspergers. The shock of the cold spray on their warm armpit coupled with the quite high-powered aerosol delivery causes genuine alarm and discomfort. Most deodorants are strongly scented, which also bombards a sensory sensitive Aspie.

• Some Aspies fear falling over if they shut their eyes, thus you can imagine the potential anxiety experienced by simply washing their face in the shower.

• Poor vestibular system functioning means Aspies often feel wobbly on their feet and suffer from gravitational insecurity (e.g., dislike of being upside-down, being suspended in mid-air or having their feet off the ground). Thus, the simple act of bending forward or backward over a sink or in the shower can create dizziness, anxiety or mild panic.

• Getting dressed and feeling comfortable in clothing is another area of distress for kids with Aspergers. Irritations can occur from loose fitting clothing touching the skin, tags or labels scratching, and clothes that are too stiff or too tight.

• Brushing teeth can be a challenge (e.g., not liking the taste of toothpaste, experiencing burning or stinging from it, having sensitive teeth and gums).

• Brushing hair or getting a haircut can be a challenge, because Aspies usually have very sensitive scalps.

Below are 20 tips to minimize the Aspergers child’s distress over grooming procedures:

1. Allow your Aspie to try several brands of toothpaste until he finds one he is comfortable with.

2. Be sure to put down a secure bath mat to prevent any slips on the wet floor when he’s done.

3. Being empathetic and talking with your Aspie about his discomfort in the grooming process will help him develop better personal hygiene habits.

4. Cut out tags and buy seamless socks and garments if your Aspergers child is sensitive to seams.

5. Experiment with unscented roll-on deodorants or natural crystal antiperspirant.

6. Get him into the habit of flossing, and if he has bad breath, have him gently scrape the back of his tongue with his toothbrush. Get a fun timer to help him brush longer, like a cool little hourglass filled with blue sand.

7. Goggles protect eyes from shampoo and water.

8. If your youngster finds a shirt that he is comfortable in, buy a couple in bigger sizes and put them away.

9. If your youngster has balance problems, consider a shower chair for use while washing hair.

10. Minimize temperature variations when bathing.

11. Provide a soft bristled electric toothbrush and bland tasting toothpaste.

12. Remind him not to touch his eyes or mouth or to pick his nose. Germs can easily enter the body through the mucous membranes of the eyes and through the nose and mouth.

13. Remind him to wash his hair if it looks oily, and teach him how to clean his face and under his nails.

14. Set up regular bath times. Many moms and dads find that evening baths are a nice way to relax their Aspergers youngster before bed. And bathing the night before can help ease the morning rush. Some Aspies prefer showers, which can also save a lot of time on a busy school night or morning. Showers can also save water.

15. Teach your child to wash his hands, especially after coming home from school or playing outside and before eating. Hand washing is, without a doubt, one of the best ways to prevent the spread of germs and illnesses.

16. Teach your child to cover sneezes and coughs. Germs can travel far and wide on a sneeze or a cough. Get him into the habit of covering his mouth and nose with a tissue (or his arm if he can’t reach a tissue fast enough) when he sneezes or coughs.

17. Try to keep your child’s hair and clothing fashionable (even if he doesn’t care, his peers do).

18. Use a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner to reduce time spent in the shower.

19. Use simple clothing. Look for things like elastic waists, pullover shirts, Velcro fastenings and slip-on shoes.

20. Using visual reminders/timetables to encourage the completion of daily grooming tasks can be helpful in establishing good routines.

Whether your Asperger child is 4 or 24, personal hygiene and grooming may continue to cause distress through his sensory sensitivities. Being mindful of these sensitivities, and be prepared to compromise.

Original Page: http://www.myaspergerschild.com/2011/01/aspergers-and-poor-personal-hygiene.html

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Project Palm  Final Countdown

Updated Upon Receipt

MY property. Updated Inventory and claims information TBA

Depends on how she behaves today and if she continues to stalk, harass and threaten me, all bets are off! 

Clearly I have to do this to stop my own mother from withholding my most basic human needs.

My health and safety are NON NEGOTIABLE. 

Now, quit your bitching and shut the fuck up. 

The end.

"I love you SOOO much... "

You love THINGS. Not people or anything of value or substance. 

Goodbye.

See you never! 

From: PowersThatBeat 
Date: September 26, 2012 4:38:51 PM EDT
Subject: Project Palm  Final Countdown

Project Palm  Final Countdown

Serial Numbers for Warranty

@ELyssaD™ DBA DailyDDoSe™ 

SHIPMENT INFO: KAHN

Bill of Lading 82107240 

Contact Lynn Taff

(800-550-0217)

e-machines

Model No: E180HV

S/N EYQ3WOD0011

36075508502

SNID: 13603003285

HEC TV/DVD

Model HLTC15DC

S/N 0610001086 

Epson Perfection V30 Color Scanner B001P3PSVC 

10/12/11 Order ID 103-2345566-4714616

Serial No. LLGW060769

Product No. B11B193141

Acer Aspire One

P/N LU.S050B.228

Model No: ZG5

S/N LUS050B2289090E8A62457

P/N LU.S050B.228

SNID: 90905955825

Windows XP Home

Microsoft Product Key J4HTY-JCPY4-HC762-YP6BD-H88B3

#WhyRoaming #FuckJude

Acer Aspire One M55DQkk

S/N LUSDJD0195005CD51601

SNID 05002376516

Product Key: MHPYP-PBKH7-BB6DK-3P26V-BB2P6

OS Windows 7 Starter 32 Bit

Microsoft Office 2010 (purchase product key to activate)

SpottyX flodderspottyx dizzy

Stanley / Stuxnet420 Admin

Totally Twacked

Larry Furnival (Ubuntu) lrf10@columbia.edu

HP Deskjet D1520

S/N ??? 

Brother MFC-240C

S/N U61568A7F415314

GPX Boombox With AM/FM Radio 0105508635AA

Sony SRS A212

Serial No. 2054797

Sony Model ICF-C05iP

FM Clock Radio

0059522

iHOME 1-800-288-2792

Service No: iB967-A-A

S/N 0708299380

Logitech Cordless Desktop EX100 w Speakers

820-001170 SY949UK

Toshiba Satellite A205-S5825

Part No. PSAE3U-06X024

Serial No. 49189893L

LAN MAC 001EEC35DC8A

Wireless LAN 001B9E-C45358

Windows Vista 00148-104-246-157

Microsoft Product Key 2KGJX-CQPWR-HBGFB-MJMP-T6TFD

#WhYroamimg #FuckJude

GPX Model HC221B

0106119341 BA

Craig Wireless Touchscreen Tablet Model CMP738B

C110700783

866-321-7191 

Amazon Kindle Fire

AQ22-9FAVZE-KADUT

6067-3076-7932-2451

Amazon.com

ELyssaD 

Powersthatbeat@kindle.com

Www.amazon.com/myk

order ID 105-7115729-0338038 B0051VVOB2

814916013890 

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Coverage Amount $199

LG Portable Super Multi Drive

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In her own words- Kahn Artist 9/27/2012

Begin forwarded message:

From: Karen Kahn 
Date: September 27, 2012 9:26:21 PM EDT
To: PowersThatBeat 
Subject: Re: The Powers That Beat: Study Sheds Light on Parents' Fears, Anxieties: Critical Supports Needed to Raise a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Yes Elyssa , I have many fears about your well being in life which is exactly why I am doing all I am able to to make your life better. I am extremely hurt by being so attacked and unappreciated by you after I have made sacrifices for you that will effect the rest of my life.  I don't know why you think I have a lot of money. I've lived a very modest life as a social worker for the past 20 years and worked for a non profit so I have no pension. I have squirreled away money for myself so that I can hopefully have a stress free retirement. Now I have dipped into my life savings to provide a decent and safe home for you. Your constant vicious attacks have worn me down each day. I had only the best intentions to give you a good life. You have not even expressed the slightest appreciation and have only attacked me every step of the way. I am continuing to see it through, but with a broken heart and broken spirit. I didn't expect a perfect relationship with you by any means, but I had hoped it would be workable. I no longer have any expectations of having a relationship of any quality with you. I am sorry that you have twisted all my good intentions. I do not have the strength or inclination to fight with you any longer. I have done what I could, and what I thought would make you feel loved, safe and secure. I have now run out of options. I will always be open to a change of attitude from you. I've done what I've done with the condo out of nothing but motherly love and the hope that it will help you turn your life around. I cannot do anything more than that. I wish you well and hope that you find happiness, peace and meaning in your life.

Mom

Sent from my iPad

On Sep 27, 2012, at 7:09 PM, 

Study Sheds Light on Parents' Fears, Anxieties: Critical Supports Needed to Raise a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorders

http://thepowersthatbeat.blogspot.com/2012/09/study-sheds-light-on-parents-fears.html?m=0

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Yay me! Swing state!

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Shoq value - LoL!!

Look at this crap! Ahh... The
Power of Twitter!

Take down hall of shame. How I love to see them go. One more time in case you forgot!! I TOLD YOU SO! Next?

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Subrogation

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Role Playing

Displacement

All the time!

Displacement

Now you're just fucking with me!

Displacement

Contract for Renovations $6,500

Happy birthday to me! You can only file a certain number of claims under each policy within two-three years. She is already blaming me for destroying HER other condo that she previously blamed on previous renters! I'm not going down for this bitch.

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Recap Claims Paid to Two Cons!

ALL of the same shit they are filing under another claim SAME PROPERTY! MARBLE tiles - MBR ? "I never bought marble in my life." -Karen CON 9/29/12 Something really expensive is being delivered / installed won't be in until Tuesday.

I may talk a lot, or multitask, but I hear EVERY WORD. I have a LONG memory. I don't HAVE an MBR! I don't HAVE guest bath. Check cut 11/1/2010. Now we know WHY THE RUSH!

Duplication of benefits. She took out multiple policies using MY social security number, made herself the beneficiary. It covers NONE of my equipment or publications in progress.

Marc. My. Words. Happy Birthday to me!

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TRUST FUND !!! Two Cons!!

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Concealment or Fraud - False Statements

Done. B'bye Kahn artists

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Obama, Romney Camps Fight for Omaha Area's Electoral Vote

kptm.com | Aug 29th 2012 11:04 PM

Nicole Ebat

OMAHA(KPTM)--Most states pick the president on a winner-take-all basis, but Nebraska does things a bit differently.

Nebraska is one of two states in the country that split its electoral votes.

In 2008, that meant Nebraska voted for both John McCain and Barack Obama. The one area that split the state's five electoral votes was the Second Congressional District, made up of the Omaha metro.

"As a Democrat in Nebraska the second congressional district obviously had an advantage over the rest of the state and if we can use that advantage to help the president and get one more electoral vote that could be the difference between 269 and 270 votes," said Chris Carithers with the Douglas County Democrats.

A recent poll from the We Ask America polling company has Mitt Romney leading Omaha with 47% of the vote. The president is trailing behind at 43% and 9% of the 1200 people polled said they were undecided. There was a margin of error on the poll of +/- 3.

"The republican party is confident of our ability to earn that electoral vote in the second district," said Bruce Dickes on the phone from the Republican National Convention. "We think it belongs to us and we want to make sure it stays with the Republican party."

The Democrats response to that statement: "No one owns it. It's the people's vote and what we're trying to do is let the people get back to the one person, one vote," said Carithers.

Both Omaha's Romney and Obama offices say they'll be hitting the airwaves and pounding some pavement in hopes their message is the one people vote for.

The tight Omaha numbers only have volunteers on either side revved up and ready for a fight.

About a dozen volunteers for the Lee Terry campaign spent a portion of their evening on the phone banks Wednesday night.

Many were gathered to watch Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan's speech from the Republican's convention.

"We use that get out the vote strategy, you know if we call people, remind them that this is a big election and that people in their community are supporting Republicans we think that it'll have a big impact on how they vote in November," said Bob Leddy, one of Terry's volunteers.

Some of Obama's volunteers said they saw themselves more as voting "facilitators" in that they make sure people who are already likely to vote for the president know how.

"If we're doing our job then we're going to be able to get this vote," said Matt Tilden.

"It's up to us to defend the dot. It's ours to keep and I'm going to do everything in my power to do that," said Martha Wight.

It's one thing both sides can agree on: Omaha is up for grabs this election and our one electoral vote could decide the next president.

Original Page: http://www.kptm.com/story/19413389/obama-romney-camps-fight-for-omaha-areas-electoral-vote?clienttype=generic&mobilecgbypass

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Electoral College tie becomes a growing possibility

by Scott Bomboy, blog.constitutioncenter.org
November 30th -0001

The chances of a tied presidential election in the Electoral College seem as remote as the odds of the Titanic hitting an iceberg. But there are at least six scenarios that could drive the Obama-Romney contest into overtime.

By one account, the odds were 1,000 to 1 of the huge ocean liner striking an iceberg in 1912 and sinking. The rest was history.

In 2012, there are now three plausible scenarios that would each give Barack Obama and Mitt Romney 269 electoral votes in the November election. A candidate needs 270 votes to become president.

And there are two even more bizarre twists. If the Democrats retain control of the Senate in the general election and the presidential candidates are tied, Mitt Romney would likely become president and Joe Biden would be his vice president.

But if Barack Obama gets the most votes in Nebraska’s second congressional district, which covers Omaha, he will get one electoral vote–which he did in 2008. The heavily Republican state is one of just two states (the other is Maine) that award electoral votes by congressional district, so winning Omaha means winning one of the state’s five electoral votes.

Thanks to the 12th Amendment, a tie in the presidential race is sent to Congress once the electors from each state cast their votes in December. If a candidate doesn’t have a majority of the electoral votes, the House picks the president and the Senate picks the vice president.

So in 2012, a tie is as good as a win for Mitt Romney, since the GOP controls the House. The Democrats currently control the Senate, and if they retain control after November, Biden would win a subsequent vice presidential vote in the runoff election.

The 12th Amendment sought to clean up the convoluted election of 1800, when Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr tied in the Electoral College, and tie-breaking vote by Congress resulted in an awkward pairing of rivals John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. The amendment was ratified in 1804, and its rules decided the 1824 election, when the House picked John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson when neither candidate had a majority.

But the passage of the 23rd Amendment changed the electoral math. When that amendment awarded three electoral votes to the District of Columbia in 1961, the total number of electoral votes became 538–an even number that can be split exactly in half.

The three plausible tie scenarios

As we move through September, most political experts agree that nine states are toss-up elections that are too close to call. Two other states—Michigan and Pennsylvania—could come into play.

So quite simply, there are various combinations of those nine states’ votes that come out to a 269-269 vote tie between Obama and Romney.

Politico has an app that lets you test your own combinations, in a kind of Electoral College Sudoku, to find the ties yourself.

But here are the mostly likely deadlock combinations.

Scenario 1: Romney takes Florida and Ohio, and four other swing states

If the GOP contender can take Florida and Ohio, the two biggest swing-state prizes, then all bets are off. Add North Carolina and Wisconsin, and then either Iowa or Nevada, and Romney has exactly 269 electoral votes.

North Carolina and Wisconsin (Paul Ryan’s home state) are definitely possibilities for Romney. In current polling, Romney leads in North Carolina and Obama has small leads in Wisconsin and Iowa.

Image source: http://electoralmap.net

Scenario 2A and 2B: Romney takes Florida and Ohio, and five other swing states

This scenario also requires that Romney take Florida and Ohio, and then he has two possible combinations: Colorado, Iowa, Nevada, and Wisconsin; or North Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, and Iowa.

Both combinations give Romney 269 electoral votes. New Hampshire and Colorado seem like longer shots for Romney, but he remains in striking distances in those two states, according to recent polls.

Scenario 3: Romney loses Ohio but gains Michigan

Stranger things have happened in elections, but substituting Michigan for Ohio could be a big win for Romney. Then, the GOP needs to take Florida, Virginia, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Iowa or Nevada. The result: 269 electoral votes!

Scenario 4: Romney loses Ohio but gains Pennsylvania

It would be a long shot, but Pennsylvania is on the edge of being a swing state. Add Florida, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Nevada, or Iowa, and the results come to 269 electoral votes.

A lot of things need to go right for Romney to win Pennsylvania, including a low voter turnout in the Keystone state and a swell of grassroots support west of Philadelphia. This is definitely a longer shot than the three scenarios we mentioned above.

Scenario 5: Hey, don’t forget about Omaha!

So what if President Obama takes just Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Carolina? Then the total results become 270-268 for Romney. But then President Obama wins the one vote in Omaha, and it moves back to a tied election.

Want another combination? How about Florida, Ohio, Colorado, Virginia, and Wisconsin for Romney? That also gives Romney a total of 270 electoral votes, before that Omaha adjustment and the race becomes a tie.

Or try out this scenario: Obama takes Florida and Ohio, and loses every other swing state and Michigan. The result: Romney has 270 electoral votes, and an Omaha vote for Obama ties the election again!

The bottom line: Omaha is the deciding factor in our first three scenarios, which show a tied election if Romney can win Florida and Ohio, and the right combination of four or five of the remaining swing states.

Obama then breaks the tie if he takes that one electoral vote from Omaha, with its population of 570,000 people (which is about half the size of Palm Beach County in Florida).

Of course, Nebraska and Maine are the only two states that divide their electoral votes by congressional district, and that has only happened once since both states changed their laws.

That was in 2008, when candidate Barack Obama took Omaha from John McCain.

A local TV station in Omaha says local polling shows Romney with a 4 percent lead over Obama in the city, as both sides spend heavily.

A Democratic official told Fox 42 News both sides were aware of the significance of that one electoral vote.

“As a Democrat in Nebraska the second congressional district obviously had an advantage over the rest of the state and if we can use that advantage to help the president and get one more electoral vote that could be the difference between 269 and 270 votes,” said Chris Carithers with the Douglas County Democrats.

Table: The Top Three Scenarios

Scott Bomboy is the Editor-in-Chief of the National Constitution Center.

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Eight counties that could swing the presidential election
Ali to join elite company with Liberty Medal
10 fun facts about the Constitution and Constitution Day

Original Page: http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/2012/09/electoral-college-tie-becomes-a-growing-possibility/

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