Advertised specials for the week of Sunday, July 27 – Saturday, August 2 Office Max

• Schoolio Von Hoolio Crayons, 24 pk……………… $ .01
• Schoolio Von Hoolio 12” Ring Binder Ruler.……… $ .01
• Sharpie Mini Highlighters……………………….…. $ .05
• Office Max Assort. Grips & Erasers…………………. $ .25
• Acme Scissors………………………………….…… $ .25
• All Fashion Notebooks & Composition Books…….. Save 25%
• All Binders & Dividers………………………….….. Save 25%
• Post-It 3×3 5pk…………………………….………… $ .01
• All Bic Pens, Pencils, Correction Tape & Markers….Buy 2, Get 3^rd for $ .01
• All Crayola Crayons, Pencils, Markers, &  Paints……Buy 2, get 3^rd for $ .01
• All Assort. Student Planners & Calendars……………Save 25%

Office Depot

• Office Depot 12” ruler………………………………$ .05
• Wilson Jones 1” Binders…………………………….$ .50
• Office
  Depot
  School Glue……………………………$ .01
• Office Depot Marble Composition Book……………$ .30
• Crayola Colored Pencils, 12 pk………………………$ .50
• TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator……………………..$ 74.99 (after $25 mail-in rebate)
• Assorted Backpacks…………………………………$ 2.99
• Pens, Pencils, Markers & more……………………… starting at $1.99
• Assort. Binders, Dividers, & Sheet Protectors………Save 20%

Target

• 6 pk. Elmer’s glue sticks…………………………….. $1.00
• Writing tools…………………………………………. $2.00
• 10 pk. Portfolios……………………………………… $1.00
• Composition Book…………………………………… $ .50
• Crayola
  School Supplies……………………………… $5.00
• Plan-ahead student planner……………………………. $2.50

Staples

• Slider pencil case……………………………………… $ .01
• Staples mini stapler…………………………………… $ .25
• Accel 1 Subject, 100 sheet notebook…………………. $1.99
• Bic Brite Highlighters, 5 pk…………………………… $ .99
• Bic Atlantis ballpoint pens, 4 pk………………………. $ .99

Walgreens

• 1 subject notebook……………………………………… 3/$ .99
• Composition book……………………………………… 3/$1.99
• Pens…………………………………………………….. 3/$2.79
• Crayons, markers, or pencils…………………………… 3/$1.99
• Paper Mate Mirado pencils……………………………… 3/$1.99
• Poly portfolio…………………………………………… 3/$1.99
• Punch or Glue Sticks………………………………….… 3/$1.99
• Soft Handle Scissors…………………………………….. 3/$1.99
• Mini Stapler……………………………………………… 3/$2.99
• 5 subject notebook………………………………………. 2/$2.99
• Binder……………………………………………………. 2/$4.99
• School supplies………………………………………….. 2/$ .99
• Art Supplies……………………………………………… 2/$1.99
• 2 pocket folders with prongs…………………………….. 8/$1.00
• Memo books……………………………………………… 8/$1.00
• Splash Vinyl Binders…………………………………….. 3/$2.00
•  

School Supply Specials!

Missouri sales tax holiday starts at 12:01am Friday, August 1 and ends at midnight on Sunday, August 3. All school supplies are exempt from sales tax during this period.

Advertised specials for the week of Sunday, July 20 – Saturday, July 26

Walgreens
* 2 pocket folder……………………………… $ .05
* 5 pk. Paper Mate Mechanical Pencils………. $ .05
* Highlighter………………………………….. $ .05
* Mini Composition Book……………………  $ .05
* Crayola markers…………………………….  Free after mail-in rebate
* Gel Ink Pen…………………………………  Free after mail-in rebate
* Erasers……………………………………… $ .19
* No.2 Pencils………………………………… $ .19
* Wood or flexible ruler………………………. $ .19
* Bic Brite Liner Highlighters………………… $ .19
* Stretchable book cover……………………… 2/$ .99
* 3 Subject Notebook…………………………. $ .99
* Crayola colored pencils……………………… $ .99
* Unibal gel pen………………………………. 2/$3
* Binders……………………………………… $3.99
* Paper clips…………………………………… $ .19
* Poly binders…………………………………. 3/$2
* Tab Dividers………………………………… $ .99
* Clear School Box……………………………. 2/$1
* Sharpener or eraser………………………….. 3/$2
* All in one pencil set…………………………..$ .99
* White posterboard…………………………… $ .10
* All purpose school glue……………………… 3/$1
* Penway kids crayons…………………………. 3/$1
* Elmer’s glue stick……………………………. $ .99
* Graphing scientific calculator………………… $19.99

Staples
* Higlighters…………………………………….. $4.39
* Five-Star Notebook, 1 subject………………… $4.79
* TI-83 Graphing Calculator……………………. $89.99
* Pencil Boxes…………………………………… $1.20
* No. 2 yellow pencils, 6 dozen…………………. $3.49

Office Max
* Tops Composition Notebooks, 100 sheets…….. $ .50
* Glue sticks……………………………………… $ .25
* Poly binders……………………………………. $ .25
* 12” flexible ruler……………………………….. $ .01
* Avery 1” Heavy Duty Binder………………….. 2/$10
* All 1” Canvas Binders…………………………. 2/$8
* Pilot G2 gel pens, 2 pk…………………………. 2/$7
* Crayola markers, pencils, & paints……………… 2/$5
* Wireless 1 subject notebook……………………. 2/$3
* Lunch bags……………………………………… $2.99-7.49

Target
* TI-83 Graphing calculator………………………. $88.99
* Writing tools…………………………………….. 2/$6
* 2 pk. Elmer’s glue……………………………….. $ .20
* Wood ruler………………………………………. $. 20
* 2 ct. pink eraser………………………………….. $ .20
* Pencil sharpener…………………………………. $ .20
* 12 ct. #2 pencils…………………………………. 2/$3
* 12 ct. colored pencils……………………………. $ .88
* 70 sheet, 1 subject notebook…………………….. 2/$3
* 3×3 post-it note cubes…………………………… 2/$3
* 3 pk. Scotch Magic Tape………………………… 2/$3
* Avery 1” 3 ring binder…………………………… 2/$3

Walmart
* 70 sheet notebook………………………………… $ .05
* Elmer’s glue or 2 pk. Glue stick…………………. $ .22
* Bic 10 pk Blue pens……………………………… $ .88
* Trapper 70 sheet notebook……………………….. $ .88
* Trapper poly portfolio……………………………. $ .88
* Crayola 10 ct. markers…………………………… $ .88
* Twin pocket paper portfolio………………………. $ .15
* 1” Economy 3 ring binder………………………… $ .97
* 1” Durable 3 ring binder………………………….. $2
* Composition notebook……………………………. $ .50
* Five Star 5 subject notebook……………………… $3.97
* Book cover………………………………………… $ .74
* 12” flexible ruler………………………………….. $ .97
* Scientific calculator……………………………….. $9.97
* Crayola 12 pk. Pencils…………………………….. $ .88
* Crayola 24 pk. Crayons……………………………. $ .22
* Bic 10 pk. Mechanical pencils…………………….. $1.82
* Highlighters, 4 pk………………………………….. $1.74
* Pink pearl 2 pk. Eraser…………………………….. $ .97

Office Depot
* Backpacks (starting at)………………………………$ 5.99
* Translucent 2 pocket poly portfolio………………… $ .01
* Notebook filler paper………………………………… $ .15
* Scholastic crayons…………………………………… $ .25
* 1” vinyl binder………………………………………. $ .50
* Color view binders…………………………………… $3
* Insertable tab dividers……………………………….. $4
* TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator……………………… $74.99 (after mail-in savings)

Drought and Conflict in Somalia: Two large issues both unnoticed by the world

By Erin Schmidt

 By Blake Gilmore

Cesar Figari is on a mission: find someone who’ll cover George Williams’ shift while he’s on vacation.  This is a surprisingly daunting task.  As reigning king of the front desk for the past 20+ years, George sets a high precedent.  He knows everything about the Institute- who’s in the building, the services the institute offers, who the computer class teacher was in 1992.  He handles potentially chaotic incidents with adroitness and a smile that would soften Kim Jong-Il.  George has big shoes to fill, and it shows in fellow employees’ aversion to doing so.  As a lowly intern, though, I had no clue what his occupation entails.  “The job is tough,” Cesar tells me, his Spanish accent adding spice to his words, “You have to ring the bells, answer the phone, sign out the keys, and be here at 8:00AM every day.  You must always keep your eye out for anyone suspicious.  Are you prepared for this?”  Seems simple enough, I think.  How hard could it be? 

Flash-forward to my first stint as front-desk girl.  People of wide-ranging ethnicities gather by the counter, armed with questions I probably can’t answer.  Just as I assign a young mother a morning class registration number, the phone rings.  Then, rushing to answer it in 3½ inch heels, I slip and dramatically plop onto the floor.  Laughter ensues- apparently the hilarity derived from others’ small misfortune is universal.  Swiftly recovering from my embarrassing faux pas, I grab the receiver and attempt to play it off as if nothing happened.  “Good morning, International Institute.  How may I help you,” I cheerfully greet, masking the fact I’ve repeated this about fifty times this morning.  “Jasmina!  Please!  JASMINA,” the woman on the other end clamors in a thick Bosnian inflection.  She sounds distressed.  I skim the extension list for the name as the phone rings again.  A tiny red light flashes, pulsating with the sound of the ring.  “Jasmina A— or Jasmina J———-,” I ask.  “OK,” shouts the woman hastily.  I search through the four pages of type-written notes I collected from George’s training session for an answer.  Nothing.  I take a guess and transfer the woman, accidentally hanging up on the next caller.  As I notice I’m late on chiming the bell, yet another call comes in.  “Good morning, International Institute, how may I—no, George isn’t here.  He’s out until Wednesday, but I can probably help… hello?  Sir, are you there?” 

It’s now obvious why staff members run for their cubicles when asked to cover George’s shift.  Thankfully, however, I figured out the technical aspects by the end of the week.  This allowed me to focus on the enjoyable features of the job.  Yes, it carries a great deal of responsibility, but it’s accompanied by a sense of accomplishment.  The greatest part about working the front desk, though, is what you gain from interacting with clients and staff members from around the globe.  As George so poignantly articulates, “This is the only place where you can see the whole world without ever leaving your chair.”  I’m grateful for the knowledge I’ve garnered from this experience, but happy I will no longer have to endure headaches from irate foreigners yelling into their phones. 

Post and photo by Erin Schmidt, Advocacy Intern 

The International Criminal Court  (ICC) in the Hague, Netherlands charged two Congolese militia leaders with war crimes last Friday, June 27^th. The International Criminal Court is the world’s first permanent war crimes court. It is currently hosting the Special Court for Sierra Leone. The trial underway at this time is that against Charles Taylor former leader of Sierra Leone.  These charges represent the beginning of the second case launched by the World Court since its creation in 2002. The first trial conducted by the court was also of another Congolese militia man, Thomas Lubanga. This case has been suspended over issues related to evidence withholding from the defense. 

The two men charged are Germain Katanga (Head of Patriotic Forces of Resistance of Ituri) and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui (Head of Allied Front of Nationalists and Integrationists militia). Both are accused of “planning and ordering an attack, in which more than 200 villagers were allegedly killed”. The incident was part of the overall Ituri conflict. The conflict raged on after the peace accord ended Congo’s 1998-2003 war. During the conflict, militias from the Hema and Lendu ethnic groups were pitted against one another. (www.worldbank.org/drc)

Witness reports claim that the victims of this crime were burned and many women were forced to become sex slaves, these are both crimes against humanity and thus cause for International Criminal Court indictments. The Court began its “confirmation of charges” Friday June 27^th, in which evidence will be presented to support the charges including: murder, sexual slavery, rape, inhumane acts, and recruiting child soldiers. After this there will be 60 days in which the court will decide whether or not to go to trial http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7477702.stm.

I have personally had the opportunity to visit the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands and visited the Special Court for Sierra Leone’s case against Charles Taylor this spring. I found the court to be very interesting and a real hope for future justice for the millions of people in the world that are affected by such crimes. The Court however, is complex in its evidence collection and case research, the main reason why there has only been one case so far. There are challenges to the International Criminal Court, but hope is alive and well that it will continue its pursuit for global justice in our complex world and can help serve as some small sense of justice for those from the region. The International Institute St. Louis, currently is serving clients from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

For more information on the International Criminal Court please go to http://www.icc-cpi.int/home.html&l=en Or for information on the DRC and how you can help, go to http://www.theirc.org/special-report/congo-forgotten-crisis.html