Freedom Institute, New York City’s premier outpatient rehab, is pleased to announce the addition of Interventionist Kate Webster, CADC II.New York, NY (PRWEB) June 26, 2012 Freedom Institute has served New York City for over 35 years with interventions, individual/group and family therapy, and outpatient recovery services. The recent addition of leading Interventionist Kate Webster will expand ...
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Freedom Institute Expands Intervention Program with Addition of Kate Webster, CADC II
HONG KONG: In the lead-up to the 15th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule, Channel NewsAsia has been exploring what has changed since the handover.
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Freedom of speech sets HK apart from Chinese cities, say activists
Protesters stand outside the Sandra Day O'Connor Federal Courthouse Friday, March 23, 2012 in Phoenix. during the Stand Up For Religious Freedom Rally. The rally is part of a nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom which is a reaction against the Obama Administrations HHS mandate that will obligate Catholic organizations to provide contraceptive services to their employees.
Matt York, Associated Press
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On June 1, the film "For Greater Glory," starring Andy Garcia, made its debut in U.S. theaters. The movie tells the story of the Cristero War in Mexico in the late 1920s. The popular rebellion rose up against the Mexican government's efforts to throttle religious freedom in order to curb the exercise of religious faith and secularize Mexican society. In the savage clash that followed, Catholic priests and nuns were executed, some even tortured and hanged from telephone poles.
Religious freedom remains at risk today. In Iran, Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani languishes in prison, sentenced to death for allegedly converting from Islam to Christianity. In China, the Shouwang church a thousand-member unregistered "house church" that refuses Communist government oversight of its affairs has met outdoors since Easter 2011 when officials seized its meeting space and placed the pastor under house arrest.
Thankfully, religious believers in America can stand far more confidently on our constitutional foundation of religious liberty. Americans enjoy the freedom not only to worship according to the dictates of conscience but also to express and to live according to those beliefs as we engage in public life.
Such a blessing is extraordinarily rare in the course of human history, and each new generation of Americans has the responsibility to guard it. Just as a homeowner should be concerned about the security of his home's foundation before a river spills over its banks, so we should beware the danger of erosion in the foundation of American freedom as government oversteps its constitutional limits.
In the two weeks leading up to Independence Day, many Americans are calling attention to religious liberty by participating in the "Fortnight for Freedom," a celebration of religious freedom and call to preserve it against erosion.
For months, religious leaders have expressed concerns about recent actions that they claim would undermine religious liberty. In one instance, the administration argued at the Supreme Court that the government can interfere with a church school's freedom to determine who would qualify as a minister to teach the faith. In another, the Department of Health and Human Services refused to renew a Catholic service organization's grant to help human trafficking victims because it refused to refer women for abortions, despite the group's track record of success and high rankings in the application process.
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Tibet's exiled political leader Lobsang Sangay on Tuesday said a spate of self-immolations in China was a strong message being sent by oppressed and desperate people who want to assert their freedom.
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ALBUQUERQUE, NM--(Marketwire -06/25/12)- Lighting up the majestic New Mexico sky, the finale fireworks of the annual Freedom Fourth celebration in Albuquerque are sure to be spectacular and with special deals at prominent hotels in Albuquerque, travelers can easily enjoy all the festivities along with the comforts of gracious accommodations.
Encompassing the entire 360-acre Balloon Fiesta Park, this year's Freedom Fourth will boast an abundance of live music, family entertainment, food and fireworks as Albuquerque celebrates the Fourth of July. Musical entertainment is slated to begin at 4 p.m. featuring a variety of bands and a special Presentation of Colors by the Falcon Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol is set for 7:50. The legendary country band Diamond Rio will take to the main stage at 8 p.m. and the much anticipated fireworks display will conclude the event beginning at 9:15.
Conveniently located next to the festivities, the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North hotel has created a special package in honor of the celebration, making it easy for travelers and locals to share in the excitement as music fills the air and fireworks light up the already brilliant New Mexico sky. Available only for a limited time, this Albuquerque Marriott's "Freedom Fourth" package includes complimentary breakfast for two, a welcome amenity and deluxe accommodations at a rate of just $124.99*. An upgraded package is also available that includes a room with view of the fireworks for just $149.99*.
These distinctive accommodations in Albuquerque are an ideal choice for those planning a Fourth of July stay in New Mexico's largest city and can easily be booked online by using promotional code FOO at http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/abqmc-albuquerque-marriott-pyramid-north/ or by calling 1-800-262-2043.
A perfect opportunity for creating a summer getaway, guests of this stylish lodging in Albuquerque find themselves not only near Balloon Fiesta Park, but located on I-25 in the Journal Center Business Complex with easy access to popular Albuquerque attractions including Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway, Historic Old Town and award-winning golf courses.
For added enjoyment, this Albuquerque hotel with indoor pool features the Sandia Grille for full menu breakfast, lunch and dinner options; the High Desert Lounge located inside the hotel's spacious atrium which features a relaxing two-story waterfall; a well-equipped fitness facility and full-service business center.
*Rates are per room per night and valid only 7/1/12 through 7/9/12 based on availability at the time of reservation. Offer is not valid for groups of 10 or more rooms and may not be combined with any other discount or promotion.
About the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid NorthThe Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North welcomes guests with warm and vibrant accommodations set against the picturesque Sandia Mountains, attentive service and luxurious amenities. While the hotel offers an array of spacious guest rooms and well-appointed suites, this sophisticated Marriott hotel property also houses 27,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space, ideal for business meetings, corporate conferences and elegant social gatherings.
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Freedom Fourth Celebration Lights the Sky Near Lodging in Albuquerque
IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Fuel Freedom Foundation Co-Founder Yossie Hollander told the first TEDx audience at Chapman University on June 21st that American consumers could have $2-a-gallon transportation fuel tomorrow if alternative fuels like natural gas, methanol, ethanol and electricity were allowed to compete at the pump with gasoline.
More than 750 people attended the TEDxChapmanU conference, an independently organized event licensed by TED. An additional 11,000 people registered online to watch the event and Hollanders address, Ending Our Oil Addiction, streaming from the campus in Orange, CA. Hollander was among a group of speakers, including automotive innovator Henrick Fisker and Freedom Writers founder Erin Gruwell, who spoke at the event, titled: Icons, Geniuses and Mavericks.
Your car right now could be converted for $100 or less to run on liquid replacement fuels that cost $2-a-gallon, said Hollander. But it is not legal. Fuels exist today that are cheaper and cleaner than gasoline, are available and will generate American jobs. What we need is competition, like we have in every other market. I can buy whatever television I want, whatever cell phone I want. Americans should be able to buy whatever fuel they want to power their cars.
Standing in the way, Hollander said, are a closed fuel distribution system and outdated regulations. He noted, for example, that the electric carmaker Tesla Motors had to pay a $275,000 fine to the EPA because it didnt have an emissions certificate. Apparently, you need to test emissions for an electric car as well, Hollander said to widespread laughter. Electric vehicles, of course, produce no exhaust.
Hollander pointed out that the breakneck pace of urbanization in China, India and other developing nations will keep global oil prices high despite dramatic increases in domestic U.S. drilling and efforts to conserve oil use and make gasoline engines more efficient. The only way to lower gasoline prices significantly and permanently is to open the markets to competition from replacement fuels, he said.
About Fuel Freedom
The Fuel Freedom Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to breaking the U.S. economys oil addiction through the development of cheaper, cleaner, American-made fuels. Americans could easily convert their cars to run on replacement fuels for gasoline, but outdated regulations and entrenched commercial interests stand in the way. The Fuel Freedom campaign aims to remove barriers to competition so that natural gas, methanol, ethanol and electricity can compete on equal footing with gasoline at the pump and at the dealership. Achieving Fuel Freedom will lower fuel prices, create jobs, spur economic growth, reduce pollution, and improve national and global security. For more information go to the Foundations website at: http://www.fuelfreedom.org; Facebook: FuelFreedomFoundation (https://www.facebook.com/FuelFreedomFoundation); and Twitter: @FuelFreedomNow.
About TEDx
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)
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Winnie Chong
Monday, June 25, 2012
Press freedom in Hong Kong has worsened since Donald Tsang Yam-kuen became chief executive in 2005.
That is the belief of four in every five journalists, according to a survey by the Hong Kong Journalists Association.
It found that 86.9percent of the 663 reporters, photographers, editors and management polled in April believe the situation has worsened.
That is 28.5 percentage points more than those who thought the same at the last survey in 2007.
Nearly two in five (35.9 percent) admit they or their supervisors practice self-censorship - six percentage points more than in 2007.
Nearly everyone - 92.7percent - said media coverage is being hindered because government officials exert tighter control over the flow of information.
About seven in 10 (71 percent) said self-censorship exists in the industry, as management plays down negative news of big corporations that wield strong influence over advertising (40.3 percent), information unfavorable to the central government (37percent), and news reports which tend to favor individual chief executive candidates (33.6 percent).
More than 67percent of respondents believe the central government liaison office is exerting political interference over press freedom.
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An overwhelming majority of journalists say press freedom has deteriorated significantly under Chief Executive Donald Tsang’s administration, according to a recent survey. The Hong Kong Journalists Association’s latest survey on self-censorship found that 86.9% of journalists have felt a tighter grip of information by the government, a 28.5% increase from a similar survey in January 2007.
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Hongkongers' Press Freedom Threatened By China's Creeping Influence
Cash-strapped businesses should look to incentivise staff by giving them a degree of autonomy.
How do you incentivise your staff without paying them more money?
It is a question that is keeping a growing number of owners of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) awake at night as they grapple with poor growth prospects and the impact of a double-dip recession.
According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, less than a third of SME employers are expecting to give pay rises to their employees in 2012.
For companies that have traditionally used the carrot approach of dangling the prospect of pay rises, promotions and bonuses in front of employees to spur them on, the realisation that the cupboard is bare is especially daunting.
One possible solution to the problem is to give a delayed monetary incentive in the form of share options, but that will only work if you give them to all employees, otherwise resentments will fester.
Realistically it will also only be an option for certain types of business. And if the current growth prospects for the business really are negligible, then it is debatable just how much of an incentive a tiny sliver of a future theoretical pot of gold will really be.
The good news for cash-strapped SME owners is there are many non-monetary ways to incentivise and motivate staff. The even better news is that these may well turn out to be even more effective than a pay rise would have been.
Indeed, using money as a way of motivating employees is actually not nearly as effective as people generally think.
Non-monetary factors, such as being given some autonomy over how tasks are carried out, the freedom to make decisions about issues that affect them and having achievements praised and acknowledged, have been repeatedly shown to be far more effective in motivating people. Flexible working arrangements and being given time off are equally valued.
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Copyright 2010. The Associated Press. Produced by NewsOK.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
A religious gathering punctuated by fiery speeches and standing ovations brought Catholics and Protestants together Saturday, united against a common enemy.
Frank Cargill, Superintendent of the Oklahoma District Council of the Assemblies of God, speaks during an ecumenical rally for religious freedom at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City, OK, Saturday, June 23, 2012, By Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman
Rally for Religious Freedom speakers, including a Roman Catholic archbishop, a Pentecostal leader and a Southern Baptist pastor, said threats to religious liberty should trouble all people of faith.
The rally at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City was hosted by a group of Catholic laity called St. Peter's Fellowship, and it drew about 3,200 people. Organizers said it was held in conjunction with the Fortnight For Freedom, a faith initiative born out of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' outrage over a U.S. Health and Human Services mandate that effectively requires faith-affiliated organizations to pay for contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs.
In his speech that kicked off the rally, the Most Rev. Paul S. Coakley, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, said the broader and most troubling concern about the federal mandate is what the U.S. bishops see as the federal government's infringement on religious liberty.
The government has picked this fight, and we cannot afford to back away from it. There is simply too much at stake for us all, Coakley said.
He reminded those in attendance that the Fortnight For Freedom is a rallying cry for the faithful to pray against threats to religious freedom, to help educate others about the issues at hand and to stand with American bishops in their battle against the mandate.
The government has no business defining religion or religious entities, Coakley said, adding that the religious freedom issue is not a partisan issue.
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Catholics, Protestants rally in Oklahoma City for religious freedom
The official brochure presented by The Austin Area Chamber of Commerce says June 30, but for many listeners of KAUS Radio the magic moment comes at 7:35 a.m. Monday when the first clue in the Golden Duck Treasure Hunt is announced.
Although he doesnt know what the clue will be, KAUS Radios John Wright assumes it wont provide much to go on. The clue is important, however, because it will likely have a bearing on the next clue and the one after that, he explains. Its more fun when the game lasts.
Clues are provided by the 'Clue Crew,' he said, and we dont even know who they are.
What is certain is that the Golden Duck has become a solid fixture of the Freedom Fest program.
Its been going on longer than Ive been here, Wright said. I know it goes back to Cedar River Days. They dont even ask us if were going to do it anymore.
Hes also sure of the rules: The duck must be hidden on public land and inside the city limits; he or she cant be under water; cant be buried; and cant be more than five feet off the ground.
The rules are there to make sure that the hunt is safe, Wright said.
While there are 22 events listed in the Chamber program for Freedom Fest 2012, two will be new to most people.
The Raptor Center of the University of Minnesota has promised Festival Director Jeff Baldus that it will bring an American Bald Eagle to Family Day in the Park at Bandshell Community Park on July 3. The Centers 45-minute shows are set for 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Kids Game Area.
And the Austin Fire Department has challenged fire departments from the surrounding area to a battle of the barrel from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on July 4 at Ninth Place S.W. The contest decides who can best handle a fire hose to move a barrel down a cable. After the battle, kids will have an opportunity to give it a try.
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We believe this is one of the times when your asset allocation should tilt foreign and overweight the handful of countries with high economic freedom. Although many economists acknowledge that freedom matters, few investment strategies take advantage of this fact. Foreign investments has fallen recently as European sovereign debt problems have sucked down the global ...
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BOCA RATON, Fla. -- A man accused of terrorizing two women at gunpoint in a shopping center parking lot is behind bars tonight.
Police say he went on a crime spree in Boca Raton and Delray Beach. One of the women he victimized has been living in fear the past two months, and tonight she is talking exclusively to CBS 12's Lynn Gordon about the arrest.
RAW: Watch the full interview with burglary victim
Three separate crimes in the parking lot of the Kmart on Palmetto Park Road. Now the armed robber accused of holding up two women at gunpoint is behind bars.
Carmen Rowe: I'm glad they caught him, especially if he did it to me and other victims.
It's been nearly two months since the attack that left Carmen Rowe fearing for her safety.
Carmen Rowe: It's taken a bit of the freedom I used to feel when I would go out shopping in the middle of the day. I get very nervous to walk back to my car.
That's because the Boca Raton woman had her purse stolen at gunpoint in the parking lot of the Palmetto Park Square Plaza May 2, while putting her shopping bags in the trunk of her car.
Carmen Rowe: The freedom, that I used to go out and not think anything was going to happen to me.
Now the man police say robbed Rowe is behind bars. 30-year-old Derrick Ivery of Delray Beach was arrested Tuesday after police set up surveillance to catch a suspect who had broken into a car in the same Kmart plaza June 1.
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Freedom Lost: Boca woman speaks out after terrorizing armed robbery
ByAaron Carter/Special to MLB.com|06/22/12 6:06 PM ET
Imagine relying on a wheelchair to navigate your environment, living in a world customized in most communities to fit the needs of everyone else, a world where looking up a flight of stairs might seem like looking up a mountain.
"It's difficult, because a stair is a barrier for a person like me," said Jennifer Doherty, 38, who was born with cerebral palsy and is a resident of Project Freedom's Lawrenceville Township location.
Project Freedom is a non-profit organization that provides barrier-free housing, which enables individuals with disabilities to live independently.
As part of the New York Yankees HOPE week initiative (Helping Others Persevere and Excel), players and personnel from the Double-A affiliate Trenton Thunder visited residents and staff in Lawrenceville, N.J.
Project Freedom co-founder Norman Smith and executive director Tim Doherty -- Jennifer Doherty's father -- will be honored for their service to the community before Friday night's Thunder game.
"Project Freedom is freedom for people with disabilities," said Jennifer Doherty.
Doherty is able to live alone because her apartment has amenities like lowered countertops, accessible cabinets and roll-in showers, although she sometimes utilizes aides from outside agencies for anything she can't do on her own.
That independence is exactly why Smith co-founded the organization in 1984, along with his friend Frieda Applegate. Smith also uses a wheelchair because of cerebral palsy that affects his speech and motor skills. He responded to MLB.com's interview questions via email.
"Project Freedom started in my bedroom," Smith wrote. "I returned from graduating from Long Island University to my elderly parents' home facing a life of depending on parents. My options in the '80s were going into a nursing home, where I couldn't go to work, or to a group home."
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Shawn Poole, a contributing writer for Backstreets, says fans should honor the late Clarence Clemons by understanding the roots of racism.
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Freedom Friday: Honoring Clarence Clemons by opposing racism
STUART, FL--(Marketwire -06/21/12)- While America celebrates the Fourth of July as the day the country declared its independence, freedom also rings at Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort & Marina, where they're pledging to free guests from high travel fees and delight them with a deal that's as sizzling as a sparkler.
Guests of the AAA Three Diamond resort, located in the heart of southeast Florida's Treasure Coast, will go "fourth" this year with Hutchinson Island Marriott's "'FREEdom" vacation package. Promising patron's liberty (one free-night stay) and happiness (additional nightly rates starting from $149), the offer includes a complimentary night stay on the eve of July 4th for guests of the Treasure Coast resort staying a minimum of four nights between the dates of July 1 and July 7.
Fourth of July travelers will be further ignited with glory as they experience an old fashioned, all-American celebration in downtown Stuart, where Independence Day festivities that include live music, family activities and a fireworks show over the St. Lucie River are scheduled to take place. These events, offering free admission, start at 4 p.m. and the fireworks begin at 9 p.m.
With a sizzling holiday Stuart, FL hotel deal in a laidback, humble beach-side town, vacationers can enjoy it all, from "free" to shining sea.
For reservations visit http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/pbiir-hutchinson-island-marriott-beach-resort-and-marina/ and use the rate code HL1 or call 1-800-775-5946 and mention the package. The promotional offer is valid for reservations on a minimum 4-night-stay, July 1 - July 7, 2012. Rates are per room, per night and based on availability at the time of reservations.
About Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort & MarinaAs an exclusive island oasis at the heart of southeast Florida's Treasure Coast, the Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort & Marina, a AAA Three Diamond hotel in Stuart, FL, is a 200-acre retreat flanked by the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal waterway. Set in a serene, coastal-chic environment, it offers unspoiled beaches and deluxe accommodations, including 70 oceanfront Sandpiper Beach Villas. Its unique amenities include an executive 18-hole golf course; a 77-slip marina; recreational activities and water sports in South Florida, such as deep-sea and river fishing, jet skiing, tennis, kayaking and biking; four dining options; three outdoor pools; and over 25,000 square feet of flexible meeting facilities.
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NEW YORK Roman Catholic groups on Thursday embarked on a two-week campaign of prayer vigils, rallies and other events to draw attention to what they consider government attacks on religious freedom.
Called the "Fortnight for Freedom," bishops organized the education campaign during liturgical feasts for martyred defenders of the faith. Independent advocacy groups such as CatholicVote.org and Women Speak For Themselves, have joined the effort with TV ads, videos, Facebook appeals and petition drives.
While the religious freedom campaign includes protests against state laws and policies, the bishops' immediate target is the mandate President Barack Obama announced in January that most employers provide health insurance that covers birth control. Federal officials said the rule was critical to women's health by helping them space out pregnancies.
Critics have accused the bishops of organizing the campaign as a partisan assault on Obama in an election year. But church leaders insist they have no partisan agenda and blame the timing on when federal officials approved the rule.
"In only the past few years, we've experienced rampant disregard for religious beliefs in this country," wrote New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, in an e-book released for the "Fortnight" effort. Among the examples he cites are approval for embryonic stem cell research, legal justification for torturing prisoners and support for same-sex marriage.
"We can see that there is a loss here of a sense of truth and objective moral norms_rules of conduct that apply always, to everyone, everywhere_an infringement of religious liberty and an 'eclipse of the sense of God and of man,'" wrote Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Opponents are unconvinced. "This bishops' project isn't about religious freedom it's about privilege," said the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. "They are asking for preferential treatment from the government, and if they are successful, it would undercut the rights of millions of Americans."
The "Fortnight for Freedom" schedule kicked off Thursday night with a Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption in Baltimore, celebrated by Baltimore Archbishop William Lori. Local activities are planned across the country leading up to Independence Day.
The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Fla., plans Masses and repeat screenings of the film "A Man for All Seasons," about Sir Thomas More, the 16th-century martyr whose feast day is this week. The Kansas Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the state's bishops, plans a June 29 religious freedom rally at the Statehouse in Topeka. The Archdiocese of Detroit plans Masses and lectures by religious liberty experts in English and Spanish. The Archdiocese of Denver has asked Catholics to fast on the two Fridays during the initiative.
Lori leads the bishops' new religious freedom committee. The panel was formed last September in response to what church leaders viewed as inadequate religious exemptions in many state laws that authorized gay marriage and mandated contraception coverage in employers' health insurance or prescription drug plans.
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Catholic bishops enlist parishioners in religious freedom fight that critics call partisan
KUALA LUMPUR (June 21): Freedom of association must be driven by demand and needs, not compulsion through legislation according to the three independent Bars of Malaysia. In a joint press r
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Freedom of association must be driven by demand and needs, not legislation
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Roman Catholic groups on Thursday embarked on a two-week campaign of prayer vigils, rallies and other events to draw attention to what they consider government attacks on religious freedom.
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