http://www.wissendesign.com/sharpei/
Whether it is losing five pounds or getting organized, change can be downright hard. We challenge all concerned to endorse an ethical rescue culture that respects the boundaries of the law and nature, and to focus on the dogs we can honestly help to give them the best start for 2012! Shar-pei Network has replace the site previously known as USA Shar-pei Rescue Network.
Here is Fred’s latest creation: A kitless fountain pen in Blue-Gray swirl. All pen parts, threads, and polyester resin blank were handcrafted. Please email me at fred@luv2turn.com with any questions.
Polymer clay is a sculptable material based on the polymer polyvinyl chloride (PVC). It usually contains no clay minerals, and is only called “clay” because its texture and working properties resemble those of mineral clay. It is sold in craft, hobby, and art stores, and is used by artists, hobbyists, and children. Tina uses polymer clay to create these “one of a kind” patterns as seen below in any pen style that we have available. The polymer clay blanks are baked, sanded, and sealed with a durable, long lasting finish, so there is no extra care needed to enjoy this unique material. Please visit http://www.luv2turn.com/polymerclaypens.html for more information on this pen style.
| Attributed to Clement Clark Moore (1822) | |
| More probably written by Major Henry Livingston, Jr. (1808) | |
’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;  The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap, When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; “Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!” As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too. And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack. His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle, But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.” |
OUR MISSION: While in our hearts we will always remain strong advocates of animal rescue, serious issues found within the rescue community have drastically altered our public mission. Our main focus is now organization ideology, with balanced interests in animal welfare and non-profit ethics.
What is Animal Welfare?
Animal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals. The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights. There are also various means of measuring animal welfare, including (but not limited to) health, productivity, behavior, and physiological responses. We hope this information will help all organizations stay focused on their mission of animal welfare.
What is best for the animals remains murky and controversial. There are numerous perspectives on animal welfare that are influenced by a person’s values and experiences. The more “altruistic” rescuers believe in saving all animals from “kill” shelters that are forced to limit the amount of time an animal has at finding a new home, regardless of the animal’s adoption potential. The more “realistic” rescuers focus on those pets with higher placement capacity and less financial and liable burden. The differential gap between these two ideologies continues to cause grief and despair to many, creating a devastating split within many rescue communities. What does remain clear is there are no easy decisions or solutions to pet overpopulation.
The advancement of animal welfare includes any purpose directed towards the prevention or suppression of cruelty to animals or the prevention or relief of suffering by animals. Ensuring animal welfare is a human responsibility that includes consideration for all aspects of animal well-being, including proper housing, management, nutrition, disease prevention and treatment, responsible care, humane handling, and, when necessary, humane euthanasia. When an animal is in a good state of welfare if (as indicated by scientific evidence) it is healthy, comfortable, well nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and if it is not suffering from unpleasant states such as pain, fear, and distress. Decisions regarding animal care, use, and welfare shall be made by balancing scientific knowledge and professional judgment with consideration of nonprofit ethics and societal values.
What are Non Profit Organizations?
Nonprofit organizations are “public benefit” corporations; the purpose of their existence is to benefit the public as opposed to the private interests of their board members, staff or even of individual clients. The mission of any charitable nonprofit expresses the particular way that the organization will fulfill its public benefit purpose.
Despite faint signs of relief from the pain inflicted by the shredded economy, financial strain continues for nonprofits, making it essential that nonprofit organizations keep assessing and adjusting their business model and focusing on their mission. Many groups have looked hard at the way they operate and made tough decisions to tweak or drop programs and operations that do not work, to boost those that do, and to find partners that truly want to work together. Increasingly, regulators, charity watchdogs, and the media have raised their voices and thus the pressure on nonprofits to act ethically by forcing nonprofits to be transparent in their financial dealings and also to be responsive and accountable when complaints surface about their conduct. Please visit National Council of Nonprofits for more information.
Every nonprofit should strive to cultivate a culture of accountability and transparency. Accountability and transparency are demonstrated by these diverse practices:
1. Respecting a donor’s intent is an ethical issue and also a legal matter. It is not only ethical to be transparent with donors about the receipt of their gifts, but it is also a legal requirement for certain gifts.
2. Fundraising activities should not only be ethical, but legal; organizations must be honest in solicitation materials and truthful and clear in communications with donors about how donors’ gifts will be or have been used.
3. Posting financial information about the nonprofit on the nonprofit’s website to ensure adherence to all applicable local, state and federal laws and regulations including submission of all public financial information. Please visit Guidestar.org for more information.
PLEASE LEARN BEFORE YOU DONATE OR PROMOTE YOUR LOCAL CHARITY!
“The greatest threat to the not-for-profit sector is the betrayal of public trust, the disappointment of public confidence. Virtually all knowledgeable observers of the not-for-profit scene believe that an overwhelming proportion of not-for-profits are honorably run…that admirable context, however, does not provide much protection to the sector when a sequence of highly publicized disgraceful not-for-profit misdeeds occurs.” Joel Fleishman, Scholar, Author, Professor of Law and Public Policy, and Director of the Heyman Center on Ethics, Public Policy and the Professions, Duke University.
Happy Thanksgiving – For beauty in nature, Your glory we see For joy and health, friends and family, For daily provision, Your mercy and care These are the blessings You graciously share. So today we offer this response of praise With a promise to follow You all of our days. –Mary Fairchild
Connect with us on LinkedIn.com -
Fred – http://www.linkedin.com/pub/fred-wissen/14/815/35a
Tina – http://www.linkedin.com/pub/tina-wissen/3a/74b/75b
Tina was recently recognized as a new member of Golden Key International Honour Society on October 30, 2011 in the Big Blue Room of Ted Constant Convocation Center.
Please visit http://www.luv2turn.com/siliconemold.html for more information.
“Tube-In” Casting Molds: The tube-in casting molds allow you to case objects on your tubes such as labels or snakeskins, or anything else you can imagine. These molds use stoppers that go through the side of the mold to plug the tube. The stoppers are reusable for multiple casts and provide a good seal for the tube. These molds can be used under pressure without fear of leakage passed the stoppers, and are somewhat universal (if the tube size is “close” in size to the named style).
Block Style Molds: These molds are used to make blocks of resin that can later be cut into pen blank sizes.
Bottle Stopper Molds: These molds hold two different dimensions used to make up to four bottle stoppers at a time.
