Empowerment of Young Women through the Youth Delegates to the United Nations Programme: Fostering Active Participation in Decision Making Bodies

The Side Event on the Youth Delegates to the United Nations Programme was presented by Fundacion Global Democracia y Desarrolla (FUNGLODE)/Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD), The United Nations Association of the Dominican Republic, and the Permanent Mission of the Dominica Republic to the United Nation. The event took place on July 2, 2010 at the UN Headquarters in New York.

The objectives of the event were to discuss the impact and influence that this type of UN participation can have on the youth delegates, on the UN and on the Nations that support these programs. As H.E. Ambassador Federico Alberto Cuello Camilo, Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the UN in New York, stated in his opening statement, the UNYDP has a “tremendous impact” on the delegates, on the states that participate in the program and on the United Nations programs and policies.

The first speaker, introduced by Ms. Kerry Stefanyck, Representative of ECOSOC in New York, FUNGLODE/GFDD, was a Swiss Youth Delegate, Ms. Anik Kohli. She spoke eloquently about the Swiss program and her personal experience working as a Youth Delegate. Ms. Kohli first gave a brief history on the development of the Swiss program, noting that Switzerland only recently joined the United Nations. Originally advocated by the youth Foundation and supported by the Foreign Ministry, the Swiss program has quickly become a popular and well-supported experiential and educational experience for the delegates and also the Swiss youth in general.

The Swiss program, said Ms. Kohli, is an opportunity for three delegates (ages 18 – 25 years) to represent the Swiss youth in national and international discussions, to provide these audiences with the perspectives and viewpoints of a younger generation and to inform and sensitize the delegates’ compatriots on international relations and cooperation. In turn, the program provides the delegates with the opportunity to impact the national outlook and international awareness of their fellow youth citizens. The program, according to Ms. Kohli, is an opportunity for the young ambassadors to gain exposure to the United Nations and is also an opportunity to expose their fellow youth citizens to the programs, policy, and benefits of the United Nations and international cooperation.

Swiss Youth Delegates spend the first of two years working with other UN delegates and diplomats and play an active part in the Swiss UN delegation. They work alongside other delegates and diplomats on the planning and organization of conferences; they participate in panel discussion and make their own presentations; and are a part of the wrap up and review of the events and conferences. During the second year, according to Ms. Kohli, the delegates return to Switzerland and spend the next twelve months mentoring new delegates and work on campaigns to raise awareness of Untied Nations and international cooperation. This often includes writing for journals and daily newspaper, by talking to the Swiss youth about their own experiences and more recently using social media to talk about their thoughts and experiences.

For Ms. Kohli, on a personal level, her Youth Delegate experience was an opportunity to gain exposure to and to network with United Nations representatives and diplomats, become adept in the procedures and protocols of working in an international, cooperative organization, as well as becoming familiar with and a part of the culture of the UN. Ms. Kohli has gone on to participate in the foundation of a think tank; she gained an internship with an organization based in NYC and is now employed back in Switzerland. For Ms. Kohli, the Youth Delegate experience was an empowering and powerful opportunity.

Ms. Fruzsina Straus, the Communications and Programs Officer at the World Federation of UN Association, discussed the issues and challenges of starting, advocating for and forming National Youth Delegate Programs. Developing youth delegate programs, from the perspective of promoting peace and security, is an opportunity to educate and expose younger generations to multi-lateral cooperation and international policy issues, said Ms. Straus. Only about 26 countries participate in the program and there are no guidelines or protocols on how to lobby governments to support a youth delegate program. In response, WFUNA has begun compiling various tips, guidelines, and assistances and will be launching the Handbook on Establishing National Youth Delegate Programs in September. The Handbook, available on the WFUNA website, will present core information on and a history of the Youth Delegate Programme and will provide ideas on how to establish, finance and advocate governments to sponsor a national program. Finally the Handbook will present diverse sets of case studies that present the benefits of the program and reasons for national governments to support the implementation the program in their own countries.

The discussion moved on from there with questions from the audience on the difficulty and challenges to starting national programs. Two obvious financial challenges were offered as major stumbling blocks. Although the delegates offer their time as volunteers, their travel and housing must be provided for and for the governments there are fees and administrative costs when adding additional delegates to their UN delegation. And while the audience seemed to appreciate these financial considerations, when Ambassador Camilo spoke of the political issues, this audience member felt that he was getting to the heart of the matter. By providing youth access to and exposure to the workings of the UN, governments are essentially adding support for UN policies and national involvement in multi-lateral conversations and decision-making bodies. Often governments are resistant or lack interest in supporting the politics of international cooperation, one need only consider the past political attitudes of the United States toward participation in the UN. Additionally, pointed out Ambassador Camilo, not all organizations that work with and benefit from the UN are open to the idea of new constituencies being added, or supported by national governments. Some within these organizations may view the youth delegate programs as sources for position holders and a new wave of job competitors. In promoting the Youth Delegate Program, nations are supporting a new generation of diplomats and policy makers. It took the President of the Dominican Republic, Ambassador Camilo told the audience, to spearhead support for the youth delegates and began the movement in the DR as his own policy as the only real way to get the program started.

As one delegate in the audience described, the relationships that develop between youth delegates of different countries during their time at the UN can’t help but create strong, well founded relationships between future diplomats. Support of the Youth Delegate Program is support for a stronger, well formed and founded diplomatic core with a history of working together and a dedication to those relationships. And thus a dedication to international cooperation. Alternatively, as the delegates return to their home countries their experiences spread infectious attitudes of the benefits of international relationships and enthusiasm for the work of the United Nations. The Youth Delegate Program may be a shining, optimistic hope for a true international community.

The Green Debate

A few weeks back I went out for burgers and beers with a few friends and when one of us returned from the bathroom, of all places, a conversation on sustainability and all things green unfolded. The bathroom trip had followed with a moan extremely annoying blow-dry hand driers. While no one debated the undesirability of air-drying our hands, a debate ensued on whether using all that electricity was more or less green than the proverbial paper towels. And when some suggested cloth towels someone else (myself) objected arguing the high carbon footprint that would occur when a huge cleaning house cleaned all those towels with industrial strength cleaners and electricity. Although we did not come to a consensus it started me thinking about what is actually green and how to figure such questions out.

For those of us looking to do our part moving society toward sustainability the question of green can become a very confusing quandary. I’ve been in a continual debate on plastic vs. paper grocery bags. I mean sure, the best bet is to take your own cloth bag with you every time you go shopping, but hey, let’s admit, most of us just don’t have it together enough. Unless you’re carrying a big enough or multiple bags with you at ALL times (I mean pleesse) chances are the bags will pile up. I’ve got a bag full of bags under my sink. Un-f’n-inevitable. Which suggests the question, should all stores switch to paper, instead of the all too familiar plastic? At the heart of the ongoing debate my girlfriend and I toss around is a debate of landfill vs. tree loss. Although we both have very compelling argument (with MINE being right and hers being WRONG) the complete answer is much more complicated.

And, of course the list goes on: clean coal vs. NOT (this one drives me absolutely insane – I mean do NOT get me started; the viability of wind power vs. the cost and necessary infrastructure, buying a new Prius vs. buying a used car, i.e. recycling such things as cars, TV’s etc and…your own additions & debates. Please let us know of any that you feel strongly about.

Finally, I want to point you all towards Jeffrey Sachs’ monthly articles in Scientific American and his many other public appearances. Sachs is the director of Columbia University’s Earth Institute and what I love about this guy is his high visibility, bringing the sustainability debate into the public sphere. Try googling him and be warned the man has got a strong, well developed, and well founded view on sustainability in US and global public policy. To see his latest article and links to past opinions click on http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=still-needed-a-climate-plan.

I’ve listed a few websites that may be of assistance in some debates, and I hope that as we all move towards green, sustainability these types of questions will have easily sourced answers. Until then, beware of those advertisements and websites that want to sell you the next, best thing in green, cause not all of the products out there are actually green. These companies are just looking to plunder you well meaning wallet and improve their amount of cash.

A few helpful sites full of helpful, interesting ideas and advice:

http://www.treehugger.com/

http://www.worldwatch.org/

http://www.scientificamerican.com/report.cfm?id=earth3

The Sandwich Guru

The Guru's Review

Our funked out and heartfelt reviews of local Williamsburg eateries, sandwiches, bars and any other happening we feel like editing. Please let us know of any place you would like to see reviewed or just go ahead and post your own review.

The Guru's Links to All Things Food and Drink and Fun:

Chicken Parm Hero, Barosa Delivers: the best chicken parm in all of East Williamsburg, or within walking distance of our offices.

Sunday Brunch at The Lodge: the what-makes-a-good-brunch is considered, quantified and eaten.

Sushi & Saki: hidden within the swampy lagoon of Bushwick and Montrose avenues is a treasure of sushi delights.

Thai Deluxe: a review of the proverbial Thai restaurant, a necessity for many New Yorkers. Sandwich Guru: The Short List: our running list of reviews and info on Williamsburg's eateries, drinkeries and all around grooveries.

How to Go Green in Five Easy (& Cheap) Steps or Tips for a Sustainable World

I recently asked the owner my local deli to switch the take out coffee cups from the Styrofoam he was using to paper cups. He looked at me a little askance but when I pleaded for the planet, drew visual images of landfills covering the earth and offered to pay a few cents more per cup of coffee, he smiled and nodded his head. When I came in the next morning, his smile was bigger than usual as he nodded toward the new stack of paper coffee cups. I haven’t seen Styrofoam since.

There is a lot of talk these days about going green and at the same time there’s been a lot of talk about "being green" as a privileged experience, a luxury purchase. But there are actually many things we can all do to help heal our planet, keep our carbon footprint down and work toward sustainability. Below are five things you can do that may even save you money.

(I thank the many people involved to help get this information.)

• Recycle EVERYTHING. Recycling can be time consuming, messy and inconvenient. You will need to clean out containers, separate different parts of packaging, and keep multiple receptacle cans. But you would be amazed at the amount of items you can recycle and the effects are huge and long term.
• Stop flushing your toilet. No I don’t mean forever, but have you ever considered the amount of water used to flush a toilet? There is a saying, “if it’s yellow it’s mellow if it’s brown flush it down.” Words to live by.
• Buy a metro card instead of a gas card. I’ve been living in NYC for a while and it never occurred to me that all kinda fools were driving cars around this fair city of ours. I mean hey, have any of you heard of the subway system? I know it’s not always as convenient or pleasant. I mean, seriously, where else can you blast your 70’s classics? But the carbon footprint you leave behind every time you drive that bad boy down the street, well let’s just say if every New Yorker flushed their car keys down with their brown, we’d be much closer to a sustainable society.
• Read a book. Our televisions use up so much electricity that keeping the boob-tube off an hour more every day can have a significant impact on the environment, your electricity bill, and though its not for me to say, but I will, on your brain.
• Reuse it until it refuses. Instead of throwing things out: put your trash in those plastic deli bags that are impossible not to amass; utilize scrap paper – do you really need a new piece of paper for the grocery list? and instead of buying plastic containers for storing food reuse that container that came free of charge with your Parmesan cheese.
• Can you come up with any others?

Finally I’ve attached this link so that you can calculate your green-fluence: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/greendex/calculator.html

The Argument Against Pro-Civil Union Democrats

I recently read an op-ed piece in the New York Times, “Why I Now Support Gay Marriage” (June 12, 2009). The writer, a Long Island Catholic Democrat (go figure), tells us why he switched his stance in the gay marriage debate from “yeah, civil unions” to the enlightened view that all couples (gay and yes, even straight) should have the right to be married by the State of New York. Many “gay-friendly” Democratic-voting (aka Liberal) folks are all for civil unions for their gay friends. Yet when it comes to gay couples getting the right to marry, the freedom-loving-rights-for-all Democrats wonder why gay marriage is necessary – given the historical and religious connection around The Word marriage – you know, respecting the faithful and heterosexual shit involved. A few years back my very wonderful, very liberal uncle gave me a similar reaction when I seemed just a little too adamant about the whole issue: the “I mean really, is this necessary” type of response. And I had a hard time not walking across the room and giving the guy a swift kick on his freewheelin’ ass.

I get this exasperated feeling when I fear that we’ve forgotten some basic good ‘ole American rights (i.e. the Constitution of the United States of America, the Bill o’ Rights, the civil liberties of every American citizen). Hmm, lets’ see if I can come up with a couple of important tags for ya’ll.

First, we’ve got the heavy weight contender, the 1st Amendment, that much lauded Separation of Church and State. Why should the laws of the United States & the rights of its citizens be converted into Christian doctrine? Hey, I don’t want to get married to my (female) partner in your church, man.

Second: hey Dems remember separate but equal? Take a real close look at the rights within a civil union and then take a look at those found within a marriage (or just go talk to a good estate lawyer). ‘Cause my friend as the saying goes, shit floats and those rights you all feel so righteous about “giving” me? Well, they float. And while it may irk my personal being that I can have equal rights just as long as they aren’t the same as yours, the most important and damaging issue facing you civil union junkies is the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution. There’s this little Equal Protection Clause that requires states to provide Equal Protection Under the Law for ALL of its citizens. I mean who gets to decide which rights are shared and which rights belong to a Chosen Few?

So, please, go study your legal bible and don’t be telling me about the nice little civil union package you’ve dealt up as a gift or loving letter of acceptance to all of us gay folks. The main issue is not your acceptance or the sanctity of your church or even your historical affiliation and tie to The Word marriage. The main issue involved in the civil union vs. marriage debate is the Law of the Land. It’s time for us to throw the book at ya’ll: you can’t fight justice, no matter how hard you try. In the end the civil rights of the homosexual community will far out way the Sentimental needs of the heterosexual majority.

Don't Take Them to Time Square

On Sunday I met my doctor/artist (no joke, he has two careers) brother-in-law, Peter, at the Frick Museum. I had never actually been inside the Frick, honestly the $15 just felt like too much of a commitment, but, I was informed, the Frick has pay-what-you-want hours on Sundays. Free hours, on a Sunday afternoon, get out! But, yep from 11 – 1 the Frick is donation priced; we traded a penny each for tickets and I spent a couple of hours wondering around a very beautiful museum, gazing at a fabulous self-portrait by Rembrandt and other sumptuous pieces to goggle at (pun intended).

Which brings me to the topic of today’s dish: have you ever googled “fun things to do in NYC” when some fool has decided to visit for the week? Well I have and came up with nadda. I mean, please, do you consider Rock Center and those damn double decker buses real options? Yet it seems when under pressure (visitors always put me in a state of panic) I can’t think of a single thing that won’t cost a fortune and doesn’t include bar hopping. So, now that I’m calm, cool and collected (no visitors insight) I’ve come up with a few ideas; maybe they'll start a revolution in your mind too.

• Brooklyn Bridge day-tripper: both fun and free with superb views and all the NYC historic-tourist-hoopla a person can handle. On a sunny day, this is a great treat for your visitors and yourself. And, during the summer months, if you walk from the Manhattan side to Brooklyn you can end your day at the free outdoor movies in DUMBO. With the Manhattan Bridge as a backdrop and one of the best movie lists in the city this is a great evening option for you and your guests.
• An evening on the Brooklyn Promenade. This used to be one of my favorite things to do when I visited NY as a kid. Although it has changed (by leaps and bounds) this is actually a good thing. If you start on the southern end (while pointing out the bridges, gawk at the Manhattan skyline, etc) you will arrive at a park (below the Brooklyn Bridge) that serves up yummy finger food with a beer/wine selection and a great view of the bridge lit-up.
• The all time show stopper, the Staten Island Ferry. This round-trip tour of the NY harbor provides great views of downtown Manhattan, the Stature of Liberty, Ellis Island, etc along with the ferry's own real-life charm. Definitely pick a sunny day or dry evening so that you can stand outside and lean against the rail. (DO NOT sit inside; this will crap-out the whole adventure.) Oh, and did I mention the fee for this tour? Free, no charge, no bill fold/wallet necessary, oh and no plastic accepted.
• A pic-nic at The Cloisters. Part of the Metropolitan Museum this beautiful old monastery houses great tapestries and other period appropriate artwork. But, to be honest, I have never spent much time inside. I head straight for the garden and then out to the grounds. With a view of the Hudson River and the quiet (yup, I said and mean quiet) surroundings, the lawns are a great way to spend the afternoon with the Sunday Times and blanket and good company. My advise is to take the bus (at least for the latter part of the trip) which can be a great way to see the sights of upper Manhattan, giving your visitors a better view than the inside of the subway tunnels and will drop you off right in front of the entrance.
• The 72nd Street boathouse. I'm not sure about the food but the view is nice, the marina is cool and the strolls in this area of Riverside Park are pretty deluxe.
• Gallery hop. This is a free way to see great art, but is also an entertaining way to show your guests different neighborhoods. It gives a purpose to the trip while really investigating NYC. Williamsburg has some great galleries and is also a really fun area to walk around, and of course the many other areas, including Chelsea, that are full of galleries waiting to be discovered.
• So they want to go to a show? Well, skip the Broadway shows. Off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway plays are, overall, better options. The performances are actually good, the experience of traipsing to the theater more interesting, the cost is less and the choices for pre or post dinner are definitely better. There are also great dance and live music venues that really shouldn’t be missed (& I don’t mean Madison Square Garden). You may have to look a bit harder for the good stuff, but I guarantee avoiding the crap, the crowds (where everyone else is from out-of-town) and the cost is a lot easier.
• Finally, I’m going to include my one of my personal favorites, entitled, “Walking Tour of NYC's Deluxe Bathrooms.” Museums often have great bathrooms, as do the swankier bars and restaurants but one of the best resources for a bathroom tour is the department-store-lined Fifth Avenue. The key here is to do a little window shopping, step inside an appealing store, try on, ask about, man-handle a few of the pricey items and then (CASUALLY) head for the toilet. One of my all time favorite resting rooms is located on the second floor of Tiffany’s. Ah, to be Queen for A Day.

So, I hope these teaser ideas get your brain going; the list is endless and if you try to conquer New York with your neighborhood and borough in mind I guarantee you’ll come up with a ton of fun, non-traditional, tourist-traps.

Pitch Letter

Dear Mr/Ms. Editor, I am interested in contributing an article in XXX Publication that discusses mistakes middle and high school students often make when preparing for end of the year exams. As the summer vacation approaches students tend to lose their academic focus, even with tests on the horizon. By highlighting common errors, students are better able to identify and avoid them. The article will also provide practical tips on how students can best approach and be successful in preparing for their exams.

The proposed article will include:

• A list of top 10 common mistakes
• Hints on how to avoid these mistakes
• How to successfully prepare for exams
• Content that is geared towards students in the 7th through 10th grades

My personal experience is that of an [removed for privacy reason] Brief bio of writer's relevant experience. Again, I am interested in contributing to XXX Publication and am available to discuss other article ideas and submit samples of my writing.

I look forward to speaking with you. Kind regards, Author: Gretchen Kail

Winter Greetings

Greetings, As our days get shorter and colder I thought it would be a good time to send out a friendly hello. We are getting ready for the New Year by launching our new website. I hope you will take a moment to review our new and ongoing services. We are also publishing a newsletter that will be composed of articles helpful to our many clients. We think you will find them informative and interesting.

Furthermore, as one year comes to an end and a new one begins we are looking to extend our welcome to new clients. Please let us know if there is a patient under your guidance who may need some extra attention with testing, counseling or referral assistance.

We look forward to a long relationship with you as the winter months arrive.

Sincerely, Author: Gretchen Kail

Press Contact

Dear Ms. XYZ, I have been a regular reader of your writing and I was particularly interested in your article XXX. I sent out a copy of the article to many of the families that I work with; I thought the information would be helpful for them. I appreciate the way in which you break down both the arguments for and against reward and the reasoning for each. As an educator I am often torn between the two viewpoints. I see an advantage to teaching students that through hard work they can achieve financial or societal recognition. Yet this type of acknowledgement cannot overshadow the necessary function and importance of internal reward systems.

The difficulty for many parents lies in the balance between the two. In the future it might be interesting to discuss specific ways and means for parents to provide for both types of reward. I think it would be helpful for families to have a practical guide on how to encourage internal reward and yet provide external encouragement for work well done.

Thank you for the useful information and I look forward to reading your future articles. Please let me know if I can ever be of use as a source. As an educator and parent teacher liaison, my focus is on the students and their families and their academic process.

Kind regards, Author: Gretchen Kail

Design Ideas For Working With a Budget

As we enter into a new year and prepare for the downturn in the economy to settle in for some time, most of us have become increasingly cautious about spending. At such times renovation plans tend to be put on hold for a brighter day. While caution and thinking twice about how to spend is always wise, when it comes to the comfort of your home and family life we suggest that there are solutions to getting the job done while staying within a slimmer than expected budget.

With some forethought and inventive design planning you can go forward with your home design project even in the current market.

Key considerations to keep in mind before you begin:

• Ask yourself what type of return are you expecting or need to accomplish with your home improvement? Are you renovating your home in order to create a more livable space for your family or are you looking to improve the selling value of your home? Many people have called in the last few months asking us how they can make their current home more livable and better suited for a growing family. Our response has always been and still is: Have a clear idea of your budget as you begin to make the plans for your design project. Creating a design plan in tandem with your budget will save you time, limit aggravation and prevent disappointment if you have to scale back mid way through your project.
• Be realistic about the value of your home and the amount of changes you need or want to make. Look to similar houses in your area for selling prices, so you know what your house is currently worth. If you have the opportunity to re-finance consider taking advantage of the current low mortgage rates and use the additional cash to help with the costs of your renovations. The money you spend to redesign or renovate is a long-term investment that will ultimately raise the value your home. More importantly, you will be able to finance the home that you want to live in now.
• As you begin researching your options for an interior designer and general contractor be wary of offers that are too good to be true. Hungry design teams may turn out to have their own financial troubles. Instead, interview design teams by asking them how they can creatively help you accomplish your plans within your budget.

As you move forward think about the following ideas:

• If you are looking to add additional space to your home consider remodeling the space that you already have. For example, consider moving interior walls to create rooms that are more usable or that will improve movement within your home. This may prove just as effective yet will cost less than an expensive addition. Most homes we’ve seen can be greatly improved by simply reapportioning the space.
• Try to break your project into phases. If you do not have the budget to complete your design plans in their entirety your design team can help you to prioritize and create a construction plan that can be done in complete and distinct phases.

Now to deciding on the details of your plans:

• Ask your interior designer and contractor to work together to advise you on less expensive materials and methods that will allow you to keep the look you want to achieve.
• One of the best ways to economize is to spend less on materials. The materials you choose are the easiest variable to adjust without adjusting your vision. Reconsider your finishing options. Marble and exotic woods may not be necessary to create the interior feel you are after.
• Professional craftsmanship is an important element and a highly skilled professional can do wonders with less expensive materials.
• On kitchen and bath renovations consider cabinetry and fixture options. You may want the look and feel of a custom built kitchen from the turn of the century, but not the cost that goes with it. You can create that look with modern frameless cabinetry, as long as door styles, proportions and other details are carefully thought out. Built-in affordable designs can create functional areas out of small spaces while adding value.
• Utilize design stores such as Ikea. They carry great selections for all members of your family and for transitional needs such as a temporary home office. Purchases are relatively inexpensive so you can plan for transitions as you progress with your remodeling plans or as your family life changes.

Finally, create a design plan that you can stick to. Then commit to those plans. Mid-stream changes will prove costly and can result in an expensive, budget destroying renovation. Work with your designer and general contractor to find creative approaches that will enable you to accomplish the design plans you envision while respecting your financial limits.

Upcoming Test Changes: the SAT

Beginning in March 2009 students sitting for the SAT will be able to utilize a new score-reporting system called Score Choice. Score Choice, which is optional and free of charge, allows students to pick which scores he or she would like the College Board to send out to colleges. This will allow students to take the test multiple times and pick his or her best score. So, if a student takes the test three times, she can choose to report her best score and only that score. But, she cannot pick and choose sections from separate tests. Reported scores must come from a complete exam.

Although on the surface Score Choice seems like a great option, its true value is up for debate. College Board’s reason for implementing Score Choice was to alleviate students’ anxiety; since any given test can be excluded the stakes are not as high. But by encouraging students to retake the test multiple times Score Choice can actually cause more anxiety. Even if students know colleges will not necessarily see the score, sitting for the SAT is always a grueling and stressful experience. Taking the exam multiple times means multiple such experiences. And, there is a major loophole: individual colleges can choose to opt out of Score Choice. Thus a student may choose to have only one score sent to schools, but a given college will ask for and receive reports from all of her multiple testing dates. And they can do this. Stanford, Cornell, Pomona, UPenn and USC have already stated they will opt out of Score Choice and many others are still considering their own policy. So be warned: check with each college you are applying to before you get excited about Score Choice. You may actually have no choice.

Finally, it might be helpful to know that in previous years admissions offices used the best score for each section from a student’s multiple test reports to create an official test record. The admissions committee then used the created test score during their deliberations. According to Dartmouth College’s Dean of Admissions, a fairly large number of schools, including Dartmouth, used this process. Therefore, by choosing to use the College Boards’ Score Choice a student will not benefit from this type of score consolidation. In the end, "students may be doing themselves a disservice by suppressing scores that could be beneficial,” says Steve Thomas, admissions director at Colby College. So take heed and think carefully before making a decision on whether or not to use Score Choice.

Reviews of New York State Lawyers

The following were written for a website that publishes reviews of professionals in various industries across the United States.

In upstate New York among the waterfalls and tree laden hills resides personal injury lawyer, Peter N. Littman, Esq. He will defend you if your company has stolen your design ideas or academic research or if you need to assert your employee rights in the maelstrom of incompetent or malicious institutional decision making. Or perhaps someone side-swiped you on the main street of Ithaca and really doesn't want to accept responsibility for the damage they have caused. You may want to call upon Mr. Littman for the legal advice you need. In the past he has won many cases and, like many attorneys working within local, relatively small town personal injury law, he has lost some. The experience is there and a client can be comforted with the knowledge that Mr. Littman has played the law field with expertise and smarts. He and the attorneys who work with him will help you out with pretty much any legal assistance you may need in the realm of personal injury. And he will perform honestly and fairly to defend you and your grievances.

Judith Livingston, a Senior Partner of Kramer, Dillof, Livingston & Moore, appears to be the prestigious and successful trial attorney she presents herself as. She is indeed one of the glass ceiling breakers; a trial lawyer achieving excellence in a field not generally associated with female attorneys. Apparently, women just don’t feel comfortable duking it out with the good ole boys in the courtroom. According to Ms. Livingston young girls are not encouraged to compete in combative-type sports. (It appears she is unaware of lacrosse or field hockey, two sports historically known to bring out the beast in many a young girl.) Nonetheless, Ms. Livingston is a trial lawyer who represents clients injured by incompetent medical residents serving out their terms in local hospitals, because, as she tells it, her father treated her like a boy. And now as an adult she is well equipped for election into elite, male dominated organizations for the esteemed trial attorney.

About Lottie Domingue

The research and development of Pro Cure began when Lottie was a young girl. In a small town in Western Pennsylvania she had her first lessons in the art of hair styling by helping out in her aunt’s basement beauty salon. While handing out magazines and pop she learned to give a shampoo and condition and later to do press and curls, curly perms and relaxer and color processes. Starting when she was thirteen she began braiding her friends’ and neighbors’ hair, spending afternoons on her front porch enhancing and developing the styles of the 1970’s and ‘80’s. Throughout her schooling as a young stylist, she began to understand the effects the processes had on the hair; the roots, the scalp and the locks themselves were often damaged from the chemicals that were necessary to produce the desired effects.

Later, after she had graduated from the Wilfred Academy and received her cosmetology license, Lottie opened a salon in her kitchen where she provided a much-needed service to a small black community in a small town in northern New Jersey. She had built a large and loyal client base when she joined forces with a local barbershop owner. It was from this savvy businessman that Lottie learned her first lessons on the importance of listening to her customers. She discovered that her job was not only to style her clients’ hair but also to listen to their stories, sorrows and joys, problems and successes. Through these discussions Lottie developed the art of listening while integrating their concerns regarding styling needs and the damage to their hair the processes produced. It was the 1980’s and styling hair was full of funky fashions such as Mohawks, hot top fades, Gumby cuts and a fun array of colors. In creating these fashionable styles, she took a careful survey of the harsh effects the multiple chemical processes had on her clients’ hair.

Through a national stylist association, Lottie began taking courses in both psychology and cosmetology She gained in depth knowledge of salon etiquette, human resources, and business development. She became highly skilled and knowledgeable of the traditional hair styling processes and by the time she had secured her degree, Lottie’s clientele and reputation had grown. But it wasn’t until an associate approached her with a new product that used an innovative hair straightening technique, that Lottie began to develop her own vision.

The product was different from any other being used at that time. It involved an alkaline mineral process to straighten and control hair without any chemical relaxers. Traditional relaxers use a form of hydroxide to change the composition of the hair. By restructuring the composition of the hair the relaxer created a straightened look. Alternatively, the natural salt minerals work by softening and hydrating the hair in order to create the same desired effect without damaging the hair. Lottie believed that the use of alkaline minerals was a revolutionary way to style hair without damaging it. In fact, she believed the alkaline or salt process was healthy for hair and could be used to improve the condition of it. She began taking courses on the process and became a skilled technician in the use of it. Eventually she refused to use any other product on her client’s hair and began selling and teaching the process full time.

It was at this point that Lottie began the final phase of her research and development of Pro Cure. She had discovered a process she believed was the next generation for hair styling. She had spent years listening and learning from her clients and now when using the process she asked for the feedback and input she had been trained to listen to. And by dedicating herself to teaching the technique to other professionals Lottie had the opportunity to learn from the inside what worked and what needed to be improved upon. Soon Lottie's ideas for creating her own line began to take root. By using her extensive library of lessons, skills and knowledge she had been building upon since she was a young girl, Lottie worked to create a product unlike any other on the market.

The result is Pro Cure. A healthy alternative for hairstyling, Pro Cure hair products use the Alkaline Mineral Process as well as the knowledge of all that Lottie has integrated during her life and career.