text:
Submissions: Print Edition
The University of Miami Law Review is now accepting submissions for Volume 77, which will be published during the 2022–2023 academic year. The Law Review welcomes articles and essays on a wide range of legal topics, and we give serious consideration to every submission made.
The University of Miami Law Review is indexed in Contents of Current Legal Periodicals, Current Law Index, Index to Legal Periodicals, and Public Affairs Information Service, Inc., and is available on WESTLAW and LEXIS. The Review's International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is 0041-9818.
If you have any questions about submissions, please contact the Senior Articles Editor, at UMLRSeniorArticlesEditor@law.miami.edu, with "Questions About Submissions" in the subject line.
The University of Miami Law Review welcomes submissions of both articles and essays that represent original work of the author. While we do not abide by a strict word limit, preference will be given to articles under 30,000 words and essays under 12,000 words, including footnotes. We will continue to publish articles over 30,000 words if the length is merited.
All submissions should conform to The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (21st ed. 2020). In general, the University of Miami Law Review follows The Redbook: A Manual on Legal Style (2d ed. 2006) for grammar, style, and usage. We prefer submissions to be in word format but will also accept PDFs.
Submissions should be in Times New Roman, no smaller than 12-point font, should utilize footnotes instead of endnotes, and should have numbered pages. All submissions must include (1) a cover letter, (2) a brief abstract, (3) a copy of the manuscript, and (4) the author's most recent résumé or C.V.
All submissions made to the University of Miami Law Review must be made through Scholastica. No other methods of submission will be considered.
Expedited Review
If requesting an expedited review, please indicate the date by which a decision is needed, in addition to identifying all current offers.
Specialty Issues
Symposium Issue
The University of Miami Law Review publishes a Symposium issue each year, which is not open to outside submissions. Panelists from the Symposium write the articles for this issue.
If you have any questions about submissions for this issue, please contact the Symposium Editors, UMLRSymposium@law.miami.edu, with "Questions About Symposium Submissions" in the subject line.
The Eleventh Circuit Issue
Every year, the University of Miami Law Review's fourth issue strives to provide readers with an analysis of current and timely issues pending within the Eleventh Circuit. The Eleventh Circuit issue is unique to the University of Miami Law Review—no other journal publishes an issue like it. As the premier publication for law review articles regarding the Eleventh Circuit, past issues have either provided broad overviews of relevant topics or focused on a single, relevant theme.
If you have any questions about submissions, please contact the Eleventh Circuit Editor, EleventhCircuitEditor@law.miami.edu, with "Eleventh Circuit Issue Submissions" in the subject line.


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The sunshine, warmer days, and extended daylight always have me streamlining our meals. Quicker fixes for big flavor and a nourishing essence take priority because there's always so much to do in this season (out of obligation, but also just for fun).
It's definitely too early for any local produce, so we're still getting the goods from the grocery store—full disclosure! But this orecchiette pasta with broccoli rabe and chive pesto definitely feels spring-y enough for me. It's super green with all of those slightly bitter and fresh onion-y flavours. I keep the pesto nut-free with a sunflower seed base because I honestly enjoy it just as much (see also: my sunflower romesco). We top the pasta with smoky roasted chickpeas and some sunflower-based "cheesy" sprinkle too. Bonus drizzles of good olive oil and chili flakes are highly recommended.
I have a budget coffee/spice grinder almost exclusively for nut and seed-based vegan "parmesan." I just throw whatever nut or seed in there along with nutritional yeast, sea salt, and maybe some garlic powder/other spices if I'm in the mood. I find these cheese-like sprinkles add so much to almost any savoury food. As a result, the grinder is very seriously one of my most-used appliances. I also use it to grind whole spices and a whole lot of flaxseed (for my smoothies and flax "eggs").
NOTES: For my GF friends, use any gluten-free small pasta shape that you like. Proceed with the recipe as written.
-Sauteed zucchini noodles as a grain-free option would be great! There should be enough moisture from the zucchini to make the pesto and noodles come together nicely. If not, just use a splash of water.
-We enjoyed reheated leftovers of this pasta with chopped kalamata olives, extra sautéed broccoli rabe, and some roasted grape tomatoes. It was deluxe and delicious.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat and set aside.
Dry the chickpeas thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel and transfer them to the baking sheet. Toss the chickpeas with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Roast the chickpeas for 17-20 minutes (stirring at the halfway point), or until slightly crispy, browned, and chewy. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium high heatl. Remove and reserve the leaves from the broccoli rabe stalks. Chop the stalks into 2-inch pieces, leaving the floret at the end as a whole piece. Drop broccoli rabe stalks and florets into the boiling water and cook until slightly softened, about two minutes. Drop the leaves into the water as well and cook until they wilt, about 10 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, remove the broccoli rabe and place it on a clean kitchen towel. Reserve the cooking water.
Dry the broccoli rabe and then transfer it to a food processor. To the food processor, add the chives, garlic, lemon juice, 1 cup of the sunflower seeds, salt, pepper, and remaining olive oil. Pulse the mixture until you have a slightly chunky paste. Adjust the seasoning if necessary and set aside.
In a spice grinder (or back into the cleaned out food processor bowl), grind the remaining sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, and some salt until you have a coarse powder that tastes a bit cheesy. Set aside.
Bring the broccoli rabe cooking water back to a boil. Add the orecchiette to the water and cook according to package directions. Before draining, reserve a full cup of the pasta/broccoli rabe cooking water.
Return the large pot to the stove over medium heat. Add the drained pasta to the pot along with the broccoli rabe and chive pesto and a big splash of the reserved cooking water. Season the pasta with salt and pepper and then stir. Add more water if the pasta seems dry. Keep stirring until the pasta is hot and creamy all the way through.
Serve the pasta with smoky chickpeas on top, chili flakes, drizzles of olive oil, and the sunflower parm.
Hope you give the sunflower seeds a try (and that you love it)!
We really earn our spring enjoyment on the eastern end of Canada hehe.
Yes you could make the pesto up to 5 days in advance! After refrigeration, it may need a bit more liquid to loosen up in the pan with the pasta.


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Surface Oncology's Upsized IPO Reels In $108M for Lead Cancer Drug
Xconomy Boston —
Surface Oncology has raised $108 million from an initial public offering to finance clinical testing of its lead cancer immunotherapy.
Cambridge, MA-based Surface priced its offering of 7.2 million shares at $15 each. The company had previously planned to sell 6 million shares in the range of $13 to $15 per share. Those shares are expected to begin trading Thursday on the Nasdaq under the stock symbol "SURF."
In addition to the IPO proceeds, Surface raised another $11.5 million through the sale of 766,666 shares to Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research at the IPO price. The Novartis (NYSE: NVS) unit has been involved with Surface since its early days and was among the investors in the company's $35 million Series A round of financing in 2015.
Surface develops drugs to block a protein that is overabundant on the surface of tumors. This protein, CD47, helps tumors fight off attack from immune cells. In preclinical research, Surface reported that macrophages, a type of immune cell, showed greater tumor-destroying activity in the drug's presence.
A Phase 1 test of lead Surface drug SRF231 began in February, enrolling patients with multiple tumor types. Surface says in its filing that it plans to test the drug on its own, as well as in combination with approved cancer therapies. The company expects to report initial results from the study in the first half of next year.
In addition to its lead drug, Surface's pipeline includes another compound, SRF373. That drug targets a different protein, CD73. Novartis has licensed worldwide rights to that drug, which is expected to begin clinical testing later this year.
In other IPO news, MorphoSys (NASDAQ: MOR) raised $208 million from its offering. According to Renaissance Capital, the Germany-based company is the largest biotech to go public in the U.S. in more than a decade. MorphoSys says in its filing that it has 28 drug candidates in its pipeline, the most advanced of which is in late-stage studies testing it in a form of lymphoma.
TScan Lands $48M for Better, Safer T-Cell Receptor Cancer Therapies
TCR²'s IPO Raises $75M to Bring Cancer Cell Therapy to Solid Tumors
Backed by $50M, Verseau Launches to Reprogram Immune Cells Against Cancer

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


You know that I'm always on the hunt for effective antiaging skincare. As I'm getting close to 40 signs of aging are becoming a real concern, and I want to use skincare products that contain the best ingredients to keep my skin youthful as long as possible. Jan Marini's Transformation Face Cream, a recent addition to my routine, is packed with peptides and antioxidants. Keep reading for my thoughts on this moisturizer!
The Transformation Face Cream comes in a luxurious jar that is made of transparent and silver plastic components. It contains 1 oz of moisturizer, which is a little less than my usual face creams.
The first thing you would notice when opening the pretty jar is that this moisturizer smells like fruit flavored yogurt. The scent is rather strong - it seems to be usual for Jan Marini's skincare products - and while I find it pleasant, it could be a problem for people who are sensitive to fragrance.
The texture of the Transformation Face Cream is light and gel-like, rather than very creamy. It glides well on the skin and penetrates quickly, without leaving a residue on the surface. It packs a good amount of moisture for such a lightweight cream that doesn't feel oily at all! It leaves my skin feeling well hydrated and soft, with just a bit of dewiness.
The patented formula of this Face Cream is interesting and includes a ton of promising ingredients. Jan Marini mentions the presence of growth factor TGF Beta-1 at a high concentration. From my quick research this molecule is a polypeptide, and the cream is indeed packed with a number of peptides. Peptides are fragments of protein, and there's mounting research showing that they can help restore and revitalize skin.
Besides the peptides, the Transformation Face Cream also contains hyaluronic acid, aloe and squalane, three ingredients that provide moisture, yeast, and antioxidant vitamins A, C and E. Jan Marini presents this moisturizer as a way to "go beyond simple hydration" and I think it delivers on its promises. Not only does it hydrate skin very well all day long without feeling heavy, it also contains a cocktail of ingredients that can help protect and repair skin from environmental damage.
Jan Marini's Transformation Face Cream is a good option for someone looking to introduce more antiaging ingredients into their skincare routine. With peptides and antioxidants it provides skin restoring benefits that you couldn't get from a more basic day cream.
The Transformation Face Cream can be found on Jan Marini's website or at Dermstore.
The product featured in this review was sent to me by the brand for consideration. Other than a free product to test I received no compensation to write this post, which only reflects my personal opinion. This post contains affiliate links. I receive a very small commission when you click on those links, and the money generated covers a small portion of my expenses to purchase products for review. Clicking on those links helps ensure that Beaumiroir continues to publish reviews of new and exciting high end French products - at no cost to you!


text:
Q: Pygame logo doesn't change So I tried to change the icon for pygame and it doesn't change, just shows the default snake. I tried it with another logo and it works, but I can't figure out why that one works and the one I want doesn't. Can someone help?
Code:
gameIcon = pygame.image.load('path\\icon.png')

pygame.display.set_icon(gameIcon)

Thanks!
btw image size 200x200, the one that works is 512x512

A: See pygame.display.set_icon():

[...] Some systems do not allow the window icon to change after it has been shown. This function can be called before pygame.display.set_mode() to create the icon before the display mode is set.

Set the icon before pygame.display.set_mode():
gameIcon = pygame.image.load('path\\icon.png')
pygame.display.set_icon(gameIcon)

screen = pygame.display.set_mode((width, height))

A: Okay, so I resized the icon image to 512x512 and it works now. Thank you so much!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Благородний пан і барон Вольфганг Моріц Дельфін фон Плото (; 7 вересня 1879, замок Цербен біля Магдебурга — імовірно 1946, СРСР) — німецький офіцер, генерал-лейтенант вермахту.

Біографія
Син власника лицарської мизи, ландрата і письменника Вольфганга фон Плото і його дружини Бернадіни, уродженої фон Бредов. 6 березня 1899 року поступив на службу в Прусську армію. Учасник Першої світової війни. Після демобілізації армії залишений у рейхсвері. 30 вересня 1929 року вийшов у відставку.

26 серпня 1939 року призваний на службу. Після Польської кампанії призначений комендантом 530-ї тилової області (Варшава). З 1 квітня 1940 року — командир 386-ї, з 12 серпня 1940 року — 269-ї піхотної дивізії. З 15 березня 1941 року — командир 285-ї дивізії охорони. 5 вересня 1942 року відправлений у резерв фюрера, 31 січня 1943 року — у відставку. Існують чутки, що Плото викликав на дуель Юліуса Штрайхера. В 1945 році — керівник частин фолькстштурму в Магдебургу. 17 липня 1946 року викрадений радянськими військами в Шверіні і зник безвісти. Імовірно, помер у полоні.

Звання

 Фанен-юнкер (6 березня 1899)
 Лейтенант (18 серпня 1900) — патент від 30 січня 1900 року.
 Обер-лейтенант (1 жовтня 1909)
 Гауптман (1 жовтня 1913)
 Майор (18 травня 1918)
 Оберст-лейтенант (1 жовтня 1924)
 Оберст (1 лютого 1928)
 Генерал-майор запасу (30 вересня 1929)
 Генерал-майор запасу до розпорядження (1938)
 Генерал-майор до розпорядження (1 вересня 1940)
 Генерал-лейтенант до розпорядження (1 жовтня 1941)

Нагороди

 Залізний хрест 2-го і 1-го класу
 Орден Грифа, лицарський хрест
 Хрест «За військові заслуги» (Мекленбург-Шверін) 2-го і 1-го класу
 Хрест «За вислугу років» (Пруссія)
 Орден Святого Йоанна (Бранденбург), почесний лицар
 Почесний хрест ветерана війни з мечами
 Застібка до Залізного хреста 2-го і 1-го класу

Посилання

 Біографічні відомості.

Примітки

Німецькі барони
Німецькі військовики Першої світової війни
Учасники Другої світової війни з Німеччини
Зниклі безвісти

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
package serene.validation.schema.simplified;

import org.xml.sax.SAXException;

import serene.bind.util.DocumentIndexedData;

public class SDummy extends SMultipleChildrenPattern{
	public SDummy(SPattern[] children,
				int recordIndex,
				DocumentIndexedData documentIndexedData){
		super(children, recordIndex, documentIndexedData);
	}

	boolean isElementContent(){
        return false;
    }
	boolean isAttributeContent(){
	    return false;
	}
	boolean isDataContent(){
	    return false;
	}
	boolean isValueContent(){
	    return false;
	}
	boolean isListPatternContent(){
	    return false;
	}
	boolean isTextContent(){
	    return false;
	}
	boolean isCharsContent(){
	    return false;
	}
	boolean isStructuredDataContent(){
	    return false;
	}
	boolean isUnstructuredDataContent(){
	    return false;
	}

	public void accept(SimplifiedComponentVisitor v){
		v.visit(this);
	}
	public void accept(RestrictingVisitor v) throws SAXException{
		v.visit(this);
	}
	public void accept(SimplifiedRuleVisitor v){
		v.visit(this);
	}
	public String toString(){
		String s = "SDummy";
		return s;
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


A Lupus Foundation of America study of over 3,000 adults with lupus found that 46.5 percent report being misdiagnosed with something other than lupus at the start of their journey with this unpredictable and life-altering disease. Additionally, more than half (54.1 percent) were told that there was nothing wrong with them or that their symptoms were psychological.
The data was included in a cross-sectional study, "Lupus Diagnosis: Process and Patient Experience," released by the Lupus Foundation of America today at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Annual Scientific Meeting (ACR) in San Diego. The study demonstrates the urgent need to shorten the time to obtain an accurate diagnosis – so people with lupus can begin critical treatment that will reduce damage to vital organs, such as the kidneys, heart, lungs and brain.
Previous studies have shown that it takes nearly six years from the time people with lupus first notice symptoms until they obtain a correct diagnosis. Damage caused by lupus increases the likelihood of developing long-term health complications, making early diagnosis crucial for people with lupus – an important strategic objective of the Lupus Foundation of America.
Through this study, the Lupus Foundation of America sought to identify barriers that impede lupus diagnosis and ways to improve its accuracy. Nearly 40 percent of those with lupus waited more than one year from the onset of symptoms to receive an accurate diagnosis. These findings underscore the importance of providing continuing medical education about lupus symptoms to both primary and specialty healthcare providers.
During the ACR Meeting (November 3-8), the Lupus Foundation of America will conduct on-site Facebook Live interviews with lupus researchers and other health professionals about the findings from their research studies. More than 35 Lupus Foundation of America funded researchers will be presenting on findings from their lupus studies. To learn more about the Facebook Live interviews, visit our Facebook event.
I wore my wolf hat a friend made with my lupus sticker button on it yesterday! Everywhere I went I was asked about LUPUS. People ARE interested! Talk about your LUPUS! The more we stand up and get the word out, the more likely additional funding to find a cure! Let's get the conversation started!!! From the words of The Lupus Foundation of America: LUPUS, Help us solve the cruel mystery!!!
Short music video about LUPUS, understanding lupus, support for lupus and info about SLE.
Music Video of the eleven symptoms used as a guide by physicians and the American College of Rheumatology to diagnose Systemic Lupus Erythematosis.


Small 4 Style: Welcome to Galleria Dallas, Belk!
Welcome to Galleria Dallas, Belk!
Wow. That's a lot of star-sightings for one night! The fashion show featuring Belk's brand offerings will be happening at 8:00. 100% of ticket sales will go to Susan G. Komen. Plus, all guests will get a $25 Belk gift card, 5 lucky winners will receive a $1,000 Belk shopping spree, and one guest will take home a guitar autographed by Blake Shelton.
The "official" grand opening (ribbon cutting) is on April 9, but the store did an early opening to the public last weekend. Belk carries lots of brands I love, but I think I'm most excited about the mini Kate Spade store inside Belk. Here are some pictures I snapped the day before the opening.
Looking forward to it.. Coming after Hitched in a Hurry Party but wouldn't miss it. getting ticket now..thanks for the write up..
I totally forgot about that photo haha! I'll be in LA and will have to miss the charity event but will see you at some of the other Belk events soon! Ciao Bella!


Two years ago, my wife bought me a Traeger Pellet Grill for my birthday. Supposedly, you can cook anything and everything on it. Maybe that's true; I haven't tested the theory. At $20 a bag for wood pellets, I tend to be a little bit judicious as to when I crank it up and what gets a spot on the grill rack. That being said, it gets a fresh scoop of wood pellets nearly every weekend and we're eating some of the best smoked meat you'll find anywhere. I'll proudly put the juicy deliciousness that comes off of my smoker up against "Restaurant Quality" food any day of the week. We eat much better at home, thank you. This Thanksgiving I used my #Traeger to create an #ApplewoodSmokedTurkey that I'm certain I'll be doing again and again.
Frozen turkeys take at least a full day to thaw, sometimes longer. If you'd prefer to thaw the turkey in the refrigerator (which isn't a bad idea, as you'll see later), you should plan for a 2-day thaw. I'm a mixture of sink during the day and fridge overnight. I can't explain the fridge overnight part. However you decide to manage your turkey thaw is up to you; I promise not to judge.
Once thawed, you'll need to remove the interior package of organs and the neckbone. You may have a use for this. Personally, we don't eat organs and I've never made neckbone soup, so I put them in a Ziploc bag and keep them in the freezer until trash day.
Wash the turkey thoroughly. Check for stray feather stems that need to be plucked and give the inside a good rinse. This takes a little time, but no one wants to bite into a turkey feather. Stray feather stems are a meal wreck waiting to happen; be forewarned.
Before… let me repeat that… BEFORE mixing your brine, find a glass container large enough for the turkey and brine. You can use a large food-safe plastic bag inside of a metal pot, but do not use the metal pot without the liner or you will pick up the taste of the metal as a result of the 24 hour soak. Another thing that you will want to work out before you get too far into the process is how you're going to get the container into your fridge. This isn't a game of Tetris that you want to play when the pot is full of turkey and brine. At that point, it's going to weigh about twice what the bird weighed when it was frozen. Toy with this aspect up front and make sure that you've picked a shelf that you are confident can support the weight. (Don't overlook the importance of that last little bit of wisdom or you won't sleep well). I favor the bottom shelf, even though I have to empty the bottom shelf of the door and remove the railing.
Another birdbath option is a super clean, high-quality cooler. (I wouldn't use a cheap plastic ice chest for fear of getting some detectible earthy, plastic, sense-of-yuck taste absorbed into the bird. You're not trying to get fish home from the river. You're trying to season your turkey with a memory-making, mouth-watering yummy. I don't want a turkey that has a hint of last summer's trout as an aftertaste.) You can use some Ziploc bags full of ice cubes to help keep things cool during the overnight soak.
Adjust the amount of brine to suit the size of your turkey. Most of the time, I'm just cooking for two, so my turkey is usually in the 12 pound range. If you have a larger bird, you'll need a larger container and a little more brine. The recipe is easily adjusted to suit your needs. For each bottle of water, you're going to use 1 cup of Apple Juice. For every 2 bottles of water, you'll add 1/4 cup of Brown Sugar. The Montreal Chicken Seasoning is measured at 1 teaspoon per bottle of water and the Garlic Pepper at 1 tablespoon for every 3 bottles. The measurements on the seasonings are roundabouts. If you're using 4 or 5 bottles of water, add another half tablespoon of Garlic Pepper. The water to Apple Juice to Montreal Chicken Seasoning is a pretty stable ratio; the Garlic Pepper is an approximant, but don't overdo it.
Heat half of the water and half of the Apple Juice in a pot or sauce pan large enough to give you room for stirring without splashing over the edges. Once heated to a simmer, you can begin blending in the Chicken Seasoning, Garlic Pepper, and Brown Sugar. The pepper won't dissolve into the water/juice mix, but everything else should. At this stage, you can add the remaining bottles of water and Apple Juice to cool the mixture down. Stir the mixture so that you continue to blend the seasonings as you go.
Some of the seasonings are not going to dissolve. Letting the brine stand for a couple of minutes before you pour it into the soaking container will give them time to settle to the bottom. When pouring your brine into the soaking container, retain the last cup or so. This is where the pepper will have settled and you'll want to add it once the bird is in the bath.
If you're using a metal pot, lined with a food-safe plastic bag, be sure to let the heated mixture cool down completely before pouring it to the pot. A high heat could melt the plastic bag and I'm always concerned that even a really warm liquid could cause the plastic to leech a little of its protective coating. It's best to just be patient and wait until the brine has completely cooled. If you're using a glass container for your brine soak, you can pour the brine in at any time without much concern.
I like to put a small stainless steel rack in the bottom of the brine container to keep the bird off the bottom. I put the bird in place breast up and then add the brine, pouring the mix gently over the breast of the bird, but I suppose you could pour the brine in first. Regardless the order, you should end up with a bird either totally submerged or almost totally submerged in the bath. The last step is to give the final cup of brine a good stir and pour it ceremoniously over the top. This is where you can say a few words of thanks and bless the bird, if you so choose. I think the bird is going to taste the same either way, but you only get so many opportunities for pomp and circumstance.
You're ready to store things in the fridge for the soak. I recommend at least 24 hours, but you probably couldn't tell a 22½ hour soak vs a 27 hour bath. Clock management is your call. I suggest that you roll the bird over every 6 hours or so. This stirs up the brine a little and also makes sure that all parts of the bird are exposed to all levels of the brine.
There's a long list of stuffing recipes available on the internet for some reason, so I won't bore you with one here. It's really not that hard to make and there's always Stove Top if you just want a stir and stuff option. My stuffing includes the chopped onion, celery, mushrooms, and sometimes apple. I also lead with broth as my liquid "activator" option. Include some butter, not margarine or Country Crock (seriously, I don't know how they sell that yellow-tinted lab experiment). Sometimes I opt for beef stock over chicken broth for a little bolder flavor. You can also add a tblsp of Worcestershire or maybe just a touch of Sweet Baby Ray's Kickin' Bourbon Sauce to punch it up a little bit. Be judicious with that though, sugar is sweet (and I'm a big fan of Sweet Baby Ray's Kickin' Bourbon Sauce) but too much is too much.
Hopefully you know where to stuff the stuffing. If not, stop reading this recipe now. Return the turkey before you thaw it. The Drive-Thru is forever your friend.
I use a Traeger Pellet Grill with Apple flavored pellets for the first hour and a half, followed by Hickory pellets once we get to the final hours of slow cook. I suppose this could work in a regular oven with a few adaptations and preferably a lot less smoke. You might even try a shallow pan of apple juice and pinch of cinnamon on a rack below the bird, if you're locked into an oven vs a slow smoker.
After I remove the bird from the bath, I allow it to stand on a metal rack in the sink for about 10 minutes to drip dry. I like to leave some standing moisture in place, so I don't pat it down. I give it a very light coating of Lawry's Seasoning Salt, followed by a suitable covering of Montreal Chicken Seasoning. When I say suitable, I'm leaving some margin for piling on by you heavy shakers. Don't overdo it. You're not flowering a chicken for the fryer. It's okay if you can still see some of the turkey's natural skin under the seasoning. You're going to add just a little more later anyway, so don't empty the bottle on it just yet.
I like to load the cooking racks of the grill before I start it up. This is primarily because it's never failed to start and I don't like sticking my face into a smoke cloud while trying to get something situated on the racks. I'm all about put it where ya want it, close the lid, turn the knob, and walk away. The only hitch in that plan is that the grill starts on the "smoke" setting and I want to cook for the first 90 minutes on the setting that is 2 notches higher. I let it run for about 10 minutes, then turn it up one notch at a time with a couple of minutes between adjustments.
Our goal here is to slowly brown the exterior of the bird, which will create a natural seal for the meat and lock in the flavor. The actual cooking part is waiting in the wings… and the thighs, and the legs, and most importantly the breasts. Seriously, the breasts will be the benchmark for when the turkey is sufficiently cooked, but not overcooked to the point of becoming dry. For the first 90 minutes, a temperature that levels off somewhere around 300 degrees, but not over 300, is the target. This is actually easier with the smoker than it is with a conventional oven, as the oven has hot spots. The smoker will fluctuate slowly between 270 and 300, but never give us a reason to check on the progress or rotate the bird because it's 38 degrees hotter in the back left than it is in the front right. If you bake, you know that most ovens have that issue.
The time has expired and your bird should have a golden brown glow. The image that I've provided is our latest bird entering the wrapping stage. Even though I know I'm going to wrap the turkey in 2 layers that run different directions, I still wouldn't attempt this without the extra wide Heavy Duty Reynolds Wrap. Get the right stuff. If you're going to buy the off-brand generic foil because it's $1.29 less, the Drive-Thru is your friend. Stop cooking. In fact, stay out of the kitchen unless you're brewing coffee or making a bowl of cereal (and I'm iffy on your coffee privileges). For crying in the sink, this is a special project; just buy the right stuff – Heavy Duty Reynolds Wrap, 18 inches wide.
If your turkey is 18 inches from the home of the tail feathers to what used to be the lookout point, figure on needing at least 3 feet of wrap to make it all the way around the bird. On each wrap, you want to make it all the way around twice. So, for a bird that is about 18 inches from bow to stern, you'll need about 6 feet of wrap. Surprisingly, the measurement from port to starboard across the thickest portion of the turkey is going to be pretty close to the same. If you're scoring at home, first of all… congratulations, and second… you'll need another 6 feet of wrap for the 2nd metal blanket. You can tear them off the roll as needed, I just wanted to prep you up front because some of you get antsy and race off into "I've-Got-This" euphoria, which could leave you piecing together a metal quilt instead of a nice snuggly wraparound swaddle.
Partially unwrap a stick of butter (not Margarine and just shoot me if you're reaching for a scoop of Country Crock… who are you people that buy that stuff???). Anyway, the foil will still be warm from having the turkey sitting in place and you should see a hint of a footprint (figuratively, it won't look like a foot) that marks the area you want to coat. Be liberal to the left and right, envisioning the bottom half section of the bird, but don't worry too much about getting out to the edges of the foil; a lot of that will overlap. Having rubbed the foil down with butter, give it a light coating of Montreal Chicken Seasoning and Lawry's Seasoning Salt. Again, light is the key. We've soaked the bird in seasoning overnight and given it a good sprinkle prior to the first 90 minutes of cooking. We're trying to enhance the flavor of the bird, not overpower it. If you're that in love with the taste of Montreal Chicken Seasoning, add a spoonful to your batter the next time you make pancakes and have at it. Use good judgment here; you're trying to make something special. After dusting the buttered foil, move the bird back onto ground zero.
Cut off about a 1 inch section of the stick of butter and put the rest back into the fridge. Rub the section you cut loose across the exposed top sections of the bird and down the sides. Once buttered, give this area a sprinkle of seasoning. Having buttered and seasoned with care and glee, wrap the foil around the bird and fold the open ends into place as neatly as you can. Don't wad; you're going to be adding your second layer and you don't want to wrap over unruly lumpiness. Spread out your second metal blanket and position your turkey so that you can stretch a section completely across the top to the point of tucking it. That will keep the foil in place as you pull the remaining section across and flip the bird over to continue the wrap. Fold in the open sides neatly, it makes for easier access when the bird is ready to serve. You'll be able to unfold the sides and cut away the top layer of foil without steaming your fingers.
Before you put your bird back on the grill or in the oven, you need to insert a temperature gauge. A lot of recipes suggest plugging the thigh for some reason. I don't. I'm more concerned about overcooking and drying out the breast meat. It's also easy to pin your temperature gauge against the thigh bone, which will give a false reading. With the tip of a knife, poke a small hole in the foil to clear a path for the gauge. Then, insert the temperature gauge into the middle portion of breast. The target cooking temperature is between 160 and 165 degrees. The bird isn't done at 153 and it will start drying out as you approach 170. I cook on the Traeger smoke setting, which gently fluctuates the temps between 175 and about 200. In a conventional Oven, I'd suggest 200 to 225 degrees and plan to spin the turkey every 30-45 mins for even cooking. Cooking time is somewhere between 4 and 4½ hours. The temperature gauge has the final say as to when I pull the bird out of the smoker.
A turkey is one of those things that you cook once or twice a year. If done right, they're really delicious, but since we don't cook them on a regular basis, the whole process can become a point of anxiety. I hope this recipe helps you enjoy the next time you're called upon to embark on a turkey roasting adventure. Let me know how yours turns out.


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Category: Previews
Early Impressions of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
By Wolf's Gaming Blog on September 28, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous beings with a daunting boss fight, the kind that makes mere mortals tremble in their boots. I'm not talking about some hulking beast, although one does turn up quite quickly – I'm talking about bewildering and terrifying character creation system with its legions of numbers and arcane terms. By the time the game starts proper I already feel like I've had my head kicked in by some demonic foe. In the game's defence it explains everything in detail, it's just that to a Pathfinder noob like me those details might as well be written in Latin. While the visual customization is quite limited, there's approximately 25 different classes, along with sub-classes. There's tons of feats and skills and abilities to choose from. In short, this CRPG where you control a party of six has a lot going on and is probably only going to be for the kind of people who can invest dozens and dozens of hours into playing it.
Warhammer 40K: Battlesector Preview
By Wolf's Gaming Blog on April 20, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )
This latest digital adaption of the Warhammer 40k universe is being handled by Black Lab Games, the same folk behind the rather good Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock. With this established pedigree, I went into Battlesector with excitement and came out the other side feeling reasonably hopeful. The future is…well, I mean, the future is mostly brown with a lot of blood and violence, but by Warhammer standards, that's pretty good. Due to launch next month, I got a chance to get hands-on with this new turn-based tactics title set in a universe of dirt, grit, sweat, blood and massive armour. How's it shaping up?
DiRT 5 Hands-On Preview Of The New Playgrounds Mode
By Wolf's Gaming Blog on August 30, 2020 • ( Leave a comment )
The Dirt series has had a bit of trouble settling on an identity, with DiRT 2.0 being the pure rally sim and then DiRT 4 trying to juggle rallying and a bunch of other stuff on the side. But now it seems like Codemasters might be settling into a rhythm because DiRT 5 is on the opposite end of the spectrum from DiRT 2.0. The colours are vibrant, the music is loud and the focus is on jumps, bumps and wheel-to-wheel racing. We don't even know if there will be any regular rally stages. With around a month until launch, Codemasters offered me a preview build of their newest mode: Playgrounds, a place where you can make your own events and share them with the world.
Warhammer: Chaosbane Preview – Shiny, Shiny Loot
Sometimes it feels like you can't walk a few steps without accidentally tripping over another Warhammer game. They are absolutely everywhere and their quality tends to vary dramatically thanks to Games Workshop handing out the license to anyone that pays them a few Jelly Beans. Thankfully we've gotten some pretty good Warhammer games of late, and Warhammer: Chaosbane is looking to continue that trend. Due to launch in June, I got some time in with Warhammer: Chaosbane during its closed beta. So let's talk about that.
Murderous Pursuits Preview – Murder Most Okay
By Wolf's Gaming Blog on April 5, 2018 • ( Leave a comment )
As I admire a painting while munching on a pork pie I can't but help reflect on the senseless violence that I've been a part of over the years. How many enemy combatants have I gunned down without a second thought? How many people have I run over? How often have I just punched people for no reason except that it was kind of funny? I give a mental sigh and move my avatar over to the balcony of this time-traveling air-ship. Was it all worth it? Is this truly what we humans are? Violent beings whose entertainment must always contain some form of mindless violence? As I smack my target over the head with a blunt object, I wonder to myself, should I go with the sword or the knuckle dusters for the next victim?
In the dead of night, I'm wading through a deep swamp that's hindering my movement, feeling far too vulnerable for my own good. To the right of me I can hear the echo of rifle fire as several players duke it out for dominance, but as a solo player I have to be more careful. Ignoring the gunfire and steadily weaving through the myriad of beasts lurking in the darkness I make my way to the final clue which reveals the location of my quarry; a giant arachnid that's far too realistic for my liking. And that's when I freeze, the nearby ambient noises having changed and alerted me to the sound of other players who are also hunting the beast. Two of them emerge from the treeline, the probable victors of the gunfight I heard earlier. They're unbearably close to me, and for me, it's the tensest moment I've felt in a video game in a long, long time. A 2-on-1 fight won't go well for me, not with these rifles, but at the same time, the temptation to take out the competition is strong. I take aim and…
Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 Preview
By Wolf's Gaming Blog on February 8, 2017 • ( 5 Comments )
Previewing a beta build for a game is always a tricky prospect because naturally it's going to have bugs and problems, and it can be tough to tell how many of those are going to get fixed before launch. In this case, though, Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 is going to be arriving on April, a mere two months in which to fix a game that is quite frankly a mess in its current stage. More importantly not amount of bug fixing is going to turn it into a great game.
We Happy Few Preview – Snug as a Bug on a Drug
By Wolf's Gaming Blog on August 14, 2016 • ( 3 Comments )
We Happy Few takes its cues from the novels like 1984 and Brave New World. This isn't a criticism; both books are wonderful reads and you owe it to yourself to sit down and begin turning those pages. Currently in Early Access you step into the shoes of Arthur, a man who works in a building where they censor articles to ensure that nothing bad seems to be happening. You see, sometime during World War II the Germans successfully invaded Britain, and to repel those invaders something so horrible was done that the entire population ended up taking a drug called Joy which makes everything seem…wonderful. It also has the rather lovely effect of making them forget things. People wear strange white masks with permanent smiles, and while on Joy they have a spring in their step and a friendly greeting for everyone. Joy alters their perception of the world, as evidenced when Arthur is pressured into hitting what a group of people see as a pinata, but is actually the corpse of a rat which they proceed to consume, believing it to be delicious candy. IN reality Britain is a mess, with huge swathes of it eating horrid, rotten food and barely surviving. It's a fascinating world with a heavy atmosphere that feels unique within the world of videgames, although I'm sure someone will hastily correct me. People amble around with creepy white masks on, jumping up and down in puddles and going about their lives with such eery cheerfulness. Damn it, people, this is the UK. People aren't cheerful here.
Dreadnought Preview – It's So Damn Pretty
By Wolf's Gaming Blog on May 28, 2016 • ( 4 Comments )
Most gamers have an understandable sceptisicm when it comes to free-to-play games, and rightfully so. The majority of them turn out to be nothing more than cynical cash-grabs where the developers blatantly try to push people towards breaking out their walleys by making earning in-game items through normal play a tedius grind, and ensuring that things which can only be bought with real money offer powerful advantages. Sometimes, though, we get something that seems to respect its audience by giving them a well designed game, relying on the fans to help support it. Such is the case with Dreadnought, a 5v5 tactical shooter about humungous capital ships clashing in a violent display of destruction. Currently in closed beta I checked the game out and came away feeling pretty hopeful for the full release.


I had been working on my sequel, but now I am taking time out to write a short story. A short story is from 1000 to 7500 words, so this is getting to be a 'novelette' instead. My plan is to make this ebook available for free. The story is somewhat related to my novel and to Tomek and was interesting to write. It still has a week to go I think, and another week if I get it edited, and another week if I try to get some custom book cover illustration.
The central character is a alien woman that has four legs, two arms and is furry all over. Like a cross between a centaur and a dog. Has anyone see any images like that I could use as a book cover?


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Home » Global » 'European Union has full responsibility for Ukraine's civil war'
'European Union has full responsibility for Ukraine's civil war'
By a guest author posted on September 18, 2016
Following is a mid-September interview with Vasilij Volga, chairperson of the Union of Leftist Forces, ex-member of parliament and former head of the State Commission of Financial Services of Ukraine, by Austrian leftist Wilhelm Langthaler.
Wilhelm Langthaler: What is, in retrospect, your position on the free trade agreement between Ukraine and the European Union?
Vasilij Volga
Vasilj Volga: The agreement is actually detrimental to Ukraine's national economic interest. There was a populist element in the propaganda of the forces which staged the military coup like, for example, facilitating visas, etc. We should immediately cancel the trade agreement and rebuild economic ties with Russia and the entire region in order to serve our national interest.
The popular uprising in the east has been directed also against this unjust agreement. If the rebellion had won, if national interest had not been betrayed, civil war could have been averted. Ukraine could have developed its economic forces in a dynamic way as a bridge between Europe and Asia.
WL: What do you think about the current government led by Poroshenko?
VV: It is really criminal and has committed the full spectrum of crimes against humanity. In order to achieve their goals, Poroshenko and his team have been destroying the basic state institutions. They are supporting and promoting radicalism. I could give many examples for that.
WL: Is the Minsk agreement a way towards conflict resolution?
VV: To fulfil the Minsk agreement is only one possibility to achieve peace. We are in steady contact with our friends in Donbass, which is not under Kiev's control. There is, indeed, a chance to bring the region back to Ukraine if autonomy and federation are granted. But this requires the full implementation of the agreement.
A law of amnesty must be passed and the special status of Donbass must be constitutionally fixed. We need an international monitoring mission. We need to fight against any provocation which seeks the division between nations, languages or ethnic groups. The judicial system must be brought back in line with the constitution. It must prosecute the mass media and their owners who have been pushing for this conflict. Step-by-step we will have to reconstruct a common state.
WL: Which role did the EU play in this conflict?
VV: It was the very EU which brought this tragedy into our country. They signed a peace plan with President Yanukovych which they promised to guarantee. Under that agreement, Yanukovych was scheduled to step down after half a year. On the very next day, Germany and France supported and recognised the ultraradical rightist forces. If it was a bad agreement, why did they sign it? If it was a good agreement, why they did not implement it?
If we try to rebuild our country and establish peace, how can we trust Germany and France to play the role of mediators? In any case, the EU has to carry the full responsibility for the conflict — let alone the U.S.
WL: Can you explain the project of the Union of Left Forces?
VV: We are trying to form an alliance of left forces, which are totally scattered as of now. The Ukrainian regime is about to dismantle the last traces of the welfare state. All political forces fighting for social justice are being repressed. This is the sense of the so-called de-communization law under which also the Communist Party was banned. Neither socialists nor social democrats are able to operate. The Union of Leftist Forces wants to provide a legal platform for the left, which is trying to defend and protect the remaining social gains. Key people in the CP joined. So did exponents of the Socialist Party and the Civil Control Organisation (a nongovernmental organization turned into a political formation).
WL: What about the repression against you personally?
VV: My possibilities to express myself are very limited. When I was physically attacked during a press conference in Zaporozhye last spring, many TV channels took footage. So there is plenty of evidence. I addressed the minister of the interior, the presidency and the secret service to initiate criminal prosecution. In a privately conveyed message, Minister Avakov gave a clear answer: Any officer doing so will be sacked. The Supreme Court of Ukraine, however, decided to open investigations but Avakov just laughed at that decision. Nothing has happened so far. Any public activity by our party is attacked by the Asov paramilitaries and no authority can move against them.
WL: How, under these conditions, can you think to run for elections?
VV: I really do not know. People are terrified right now. Physical force is used against us. My wife is under constant psychological terror from phone calls and emails. Given all those problems, we do not know whether we can assume this responsibility.
Vasilj Volga is scheduled to address the No Euro Forum, which will take place in Chianciano Terme, Siena, Italy, from Sept. 16 to 18, 2016.
On the DMZ


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Regions' Ongoing "What A Difference A Day Makes" Program Encourages Volunteerism And Nonprofit Support Throughout Communities Served By The Bank. (Photo: Business Wire)
It doesn't always generate big headlines. It may not light up social media with hot takes and retweets.
Nov 1, 2017 9:00 AM EDT
It doesn't always generate big headlines. It may not light up social media with hot takes and retweets. But there is a lot of good happening in our communities every day. And Regions Bank is launching a new program to make sure more people know about it.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171101005133/en/
The bank's 2017 "What a Difference a Day Makes" program starts today. The program is about more than publicity for nonprofits. It also provides financial and volunteer support for 16 innovative agencies serving people throughout the Southeast, Midwest and Texas.
Those nonprofits will be highlighted during November on Regions' news website, http://regions.doingmoretoday.com. The company will also share the stories of these nonprofits through the @RegionsNews Twitter handle.
The nonprofits reflect a wide range of charities. They perform different services for different people. What they all have in common is they are making life better each day for the people - and the communities - they serve. That means their missions directly align with Regions' mission.
"When people read about the nonprofits on Regions' site, they can then vote once per day for their favorite agency," explained Rick Swagler, head of External Affairs for Regions Bank. "The nonprofit with the most votes at the end of the month will get a $5,000 gift from Regions - along with 100 volunteer hours of service from Regions associates who will help the nonprofit complete an improvement project."
Each of the 16 organizations will win some level of volunteer hours and a financial contribution from Regions. And all of these nonprofits will have their stories shared in a way that helps more people recognize the valuable services they provide in our hometowns.
"The What a Difference a Day Makes program has now been in place for a decade at Regions," Swagler added. "It has always focused on giving all of our associates a paid day off each year to volunteer for nonprofits of their choice. We are still doing that. But we are also using our web and social media channels to make the public a part of this program, too."
Voting is under way now and continues through Nov. 30. The top nonprofits will be announced in early December.
Nonprofits participating in the contest were nominated locally and were chosen based on a variety of factors, including community impact and the ability to effectively use the volunteer hours and financial support Regions and its associates provide.
More information about Regions' community commitment can be found here.
About Regions Financial Corporation
Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF), with $123 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation's largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, mortgage, and insurance products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates approximately 1,500 banking offices and 1,900 ATMs. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.


DEAL ALERT: SheaMoisture Sale Today Only at Target!
ALL SheaMoisture products are on sale at 30% off today only when you use the Target Cartwheel app. There are four separate coupons in the Cartwheel app for baby, body, bath and hair products, which can be used in store only. If you have any of their $2 off coupons you can save even more! Some Target stores carry the SheaMoisture makeup line but I don't think any of these coupons will apply to that unfortunately. I've included some of my fave hair products on the bottom if you're new to this brand. That detangler is my holy grail hair product. It detangles AND moisturizes my curls like no other. I also love their black soap too. Great at clearing up the skin.
Now if you can't make it in today don't fret. In tomorrow's ad there is a coupon for 25% off ALL Beauty and Personal Care items that is for Tuedday, December 1st only. This can be used in store or use promo code BEAUTY for online purchases.


Dental Emergencies can happen to anyone at any time. At North Hill dental we provide emergency appointments to existing and new patients, depending on availability.
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In pain and getting no relief from using pain killers.
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Oromo's Objective is Self-rule of Golden Oromia and/or Shared-rule of Great Oromia! Can Election be the Way?
bilisummaa November 15, 2013	1 Comment
We all have followed the current sad news of Ethiopians/Oromians suffering in Saud Arabia. Jawar Mohammed reacted to these assaults on the immigrants in the Gulf states: "we must take back our homeland to end the Oromo national homelessness." The concervative Abyssinian forces on the other hand tried to capitalize on this situation as usual and started their pro-Ethiopianism/pro-unity propaganda, of course again attacking the Oromo nationalists, including Jawar himself. This event may persuade us to shortly formulate Oromo people's goal and look at it, especially if it contradicts with the genuine unity of nations and peoples. Oromo people's political objective (Kaayyoo Oromoo) regarding a type of Oromia's sovereignty we want to have after achieving national freedom/bilisummaa from any sort of alien rule can be summarized in short as 'self-rule of Golden Oromia and/or shared-rule of Great Oromia'. This is the goal of the people in general, but Oromo individuals and organizations can specify their aim by taking one of the three post-bilisummaa sovereingty of Golden Oromia and/or Great Oromia. For instance, the ODF wants to realize 'self-rule of Golden Oromia and shared-rule of Great Oromia' (multi-national federation); the OLF wants to achieve 'self-rule of Golden Oromia within a United Nations' (independent republic of Oromia); whereas the theoretical OPF (Oromo Patriotic Front), which is active in the so called multi-national organizations, strives to foster shared-rule of Great Oromia' by making sure the transformation and change of the name Ethiopia to Oromia (multi-regional federation).
The three kaayyoo's are not as such disadvantageous for the Oromo, as long as the future rule of political game will be freedom and democracy. That is why the Oromo organizations can confidently forge any sort of alliance against the tormenting TPLF regime. The whole move of the Oromo organizations should be with a purpose to corner the fascist and racist regime in Finfinne palace, so that it will never have a peaceful life in Golden Oromia and Great Oromia. Regarding the post-bilisummaa sovereignty, we can look at six theoretical types of Oromian sovereignty. In the political spectrum of the Oromo Liberation Struggle (Qabsoo Bilisummaa Oromoo = QBO), there are the following theoretical post-bilisummaa types of Oromia's sovereinty:
1) An Independent Golden Oromia (in a form of Gadaa republic of Golden Oromia)
2) Confederation of free nations in Great Oromia/New Ethiopia
3) Multi-national federation of Great Oromia (transformation of the present fake killil-federation to genuine federation)
4) Multi-regional federation of Great Oromia (formation of regional states based on many criteria, not only on languge)
5) Disfederation of Great Oromia (Kenya's model, in which districts, not regions, will have self-adminstration)
6) An Integrated Great Oromia (a unitary state without a self-rule of states or disticts)
Given the public will or popular sovereignty is the highest value, the Oromo nation can have full right to choose one of the alternatives in the spectrum during a process of excercising our self-determination. But, from these theoretical possibilities, only three positions are entertained practically: the 1st, 3rd and 4th. Regarding the practical positions, there are organizations struggling in the name of the Oromo, who are persuing only the 1st and the 3rd possibilities. The 4th position is entertained by certain Oromo individuals, who are organized under the name of Ethiopia within the so called multi-national (hibre-biher) parties. The classical examples are: for the 1st model, the OLF; for the 3rd position, the ODF and for the 4th style, Dr Nagaaso in the UDJ. The common denominator for all the three positions is the struggle for freedom from the Abyssinian system of domination. Their political difference on the type of post-bilisummaa sovereignty can be solved per public verdict in a possible future referendum after liberation. That is why the pro-independence OLF, the pro-federation ODF and the pro-unity UDJ can now work together against the Woyane's system of domination and struggle for freedom in unison.
But in short, we can actually put all the later 5 positions, from 2 – 6, as a goal for "an integrative Great Oromia." That means in short, there are only two main types of post-bilisummaa sovereignty: an independent Golden Oromia chosen by the OLF and an integrative Great Oromia opted by the ODF; the third possibility being the combination of the two – i.e self-rule of Golden Oromia and shared-rule of Great Oromia. Anyways the question yet to be answered is: how can we achieve either of these types of sovereignty? By mere means of being part of the ritual "election"? On the process of preparation to chart the way to freedom, we did observe that Ethiopia's repeated fraudulent "elections" did confirm the necessity of decolonization before democratization, the goal which we can never achieve per ballot under the rule of the present fascist and racist regime. Few years ago, there was a discussion going on regarding Great Oromian democratization (struggle for democracy) vs. Golden Oromian decolonization (national freedom of the Oromo from any sytem of domination), which was firstly initiated by Addis Neger Online. The author of the article demanded that a certain Oromo Obama or Oromo Mandela take the responsibility to democratize the empire and give a lasting solution to the problems of that cursed region. What a nice wish and good demand! But is this the main objective of the Oromo? The author wrote his piece few days before the "election" 2010. He seemed to be optimistic of the ongoing "democratization and election in the empire".
Can such game of "election" lead us to 'self-rule of Golden Oromia and/or shared-rule of Great Oromia? To answer such questions, let me leave the oppression history in the Empire for historians and talk about the present situation under the Woyane rule. No question that the Woyane, the hegemonist caricature of the TPLF, is ruling all nations in the empire with iron fist since 1991. What a pity for the Tigreans who died for the cause of freedom and democracy during their rebellion and struggle against the fascist Derg! Who of them thought that their organization, the TPLF, would be transformed into such a worse fascist and racist organization than the regime they had fought against? Unfortunately, the TPLF is not only transformed from a liberation front into such a fascist hegemonist force, but it also used to be the instrument for the only one dictatorial psychopath till the day of his death. Now there is no more TPLF or any organization from Tigrai ruling the empire, but there was only one psychopath as brutal as Hitler and Stalin ruling the citizens and nations in the Empire with brute force and malicious manipulation. He gathered the very submissive individuals with slave mentality from each nation in the empire to use them as "representatives" of their respective nations. So, he got servants from the Amhara, Oromo, Tegaru, Afar, Somali, Benishangul-Gumuz, Gamballa, Harari and all the Southern nations. Now, the current puppet PM is doing the bidding, while the junior TPLF leaders are manipulating him behind the screen. Is this a better condition for the Oromo to achieve our above mentioned objective – 'self-rule of Golden Oromia and/or shared-rule of Great Oromia? Is taking part in the coming "election" of 2015 the way to accomplish this objective?
The election in May 2010 was one of the situations where the TPLF could show the two bad methods (force and manipulation) for the sake of perpetuating its rule further. Individual citizens and national groups in the empire have been intimidated by force and manipulated by fraud in order to make the dictator and his followers "win" the election. It could "win" almost 100% of the federal and regional parliamentary seats. This election was similar to the elections which took place under dictators like Stalin, Sadam Hussen, Mengistu H/Mariam and so on. So,there was no surprise about the result. Why was the result like this? Why could not the empire experience till now any sort of genuine democratic election? The answer may be as described below, in the following examples. Specially, elections in multinational countries like the Ethiopian empire are the competitions not only among political parties, but also among nations in the country for power and domination. In the empire, the contest for power takes place particularly between the two Habesha nations (Amhara, Tegaru) and the other oppressed nations, specifically the Oromo. The relationship between the Abyssinian ruling class and the Oromo nation is a relationship between colonizers and the colonized, whereas the relationship between the two Habesha nations is a competition between two colonizers, which is similar to the fight between England and France over Africa during their scramble for Africa.
The present situation or the status quo in the Ethiopian empire is comparable, for instance, with a scenario that a smaller nation Denmark would occupy Germany, France and other nations in West Europe, make Paris its capital city, choose German language as a working language of the "federation" it formed, call the whole federation as the Federal Democratic Republic of Europe and foster a government, where only individuals from Denmark take the key positions in the government, military, civil service and security. Is this not absurd? Unfortunately, this is what the Tigreans (our Denmark) are doing today in the region called Ethiopia. They came to Golden Oromia (our France), made their capital city Finfinne (our Paris), their working language Amharinya (our German language) and tell us that the country they do now rule dictatorially is called Ethiopia (our Europe). Then, let's imagine the Denmark people, the Germans, the French people and all other nations in the "European empire" are going to the election under the government of the fascist dictator from Denmark. Can any one imagine that the Germans, the French citizens and other nations of Western Europe under such a dictator vote for the fascist regime dominated by oligarchs from Denmark? Can anyone think that such a fascist dictator from Denmark can allow the election be fair and free? Can we really believe that democratization of such "European empire" dominated and ruled by a minority group from Denmark be possible?
The Ethiopian empire is such a conglomerate of different neighboring nations, which actually deserve their independence and it is only after such freedom of nations from alien rulers that democratization of nation-states can be easier and possible as already practically seen in Europe. The question we need to answer is why do European regimes want us to do, what they actually don't do for themselves and their nations? How can they repeatedly come to observe such almost an impossible election in the empire or the futile attempt of democratization in the colonized (occupied, subjugated and oppressed) nations? To use another example to describe the Ethiopian empire, such an empire with a system of domination is almost similar to the Apartheid of the ex-South Africa. Was it expected that such South Africa can be democratic before dismantling the system? Why then is the Oromo nation, in particular, and other oppressed nations, in general, suffering under the looting, subjugation and lording of Tigrean oligarchs be expected to get our right per sham election orchestrated under the colonizers? The only difference between South Africa and Ethiopian empire is that, nations in South Africa were not colonized (dominated) by other nation from the same region, but by the white minority from Europe. That is why the answer to the Apartheid was not necessarily a decolonization in a form of autonomy for each nation in the region. Being free from the system of Apartheid used by the white minority regime was the sort of decolonization all nations together wanted to achieve. Can Oromo's objective be the same to that of South Africans, which is devoid of national self-rule? Does opting for only shared-rule of Great Oromia be the same to the South African model?
We can see that the first example of "European empire" is more appropriate to describe the situation in the Ethiopian empire. If the "Europe under the Denmark oligarchs" needs to be democratized, no question that the subjugated nations like Germany and France should be liberated first. Then after, the liberated nation-states can have their fair and free democratic election. Of course, after that, the free and democratic nation-states can build a union of free nations as they did in the form of European Union (EU). I think this is the reason for the fact that they supported the "disintegration" of Yugoslavia into free nation states, including the very small nations like Kosovo. These independent and democratic nation-states, with their own self-rule, are today part and parcel of the European union. If this method of achieving national freedom and multinational democracy is right for Europe, why do the European regimes want us Africans move another way which didn't work for them? The legacy of colonialism in the Horn of Africa, in particular, and in Africa, in general, is the artificial division of nations (ethnies), which they like to call "African tribes" per colonial borders. The colonialists either divided one nation to be included into more than two countries or clamped many nations together into one state (country). For instance, the only one nation (Somalia) was divided to be included into five countries (in Djibouti, Ethiopian empire, Kenya, British Somaliland and Italian Somalia) as well as many nations in the Horn like Tegaru, Amhara, Oromo, Afar, Sidama, etc. are put together in only one Ethiopian empire ruled by the Abyssinian elites under the protection of the Western regimes.
Almost all African countries are suffering under the consequences of such arrangement, and yet Africans are accused and blamed by these same self-righteous Western regimes for the lack of democracy. For African nations to be really democratic, they should first get rid of these artificial colonial borders; nation-states based on free will must be established. Only such relatively monolithic nation-states can vote freely during elections in a possible multiparty democracy of the respective nations free from unhealthy competitions among different nations for domination. Otherwise, in the multinational countries, where nations are put together by force like in the Ethiopian empire, there will always be a competition of nations for dominance, not the necessary competition of political parties for power. There can be certain arguments against such suggestion to have nation-states as a prerequisite for genuine democratization, because of the presence of many small nationalities in Africa, which may not be in a position to foster a viable independent state. For such smaller nations, a federal arrangement like that of a genuine Killil-federation (ethnic federalism), which is formally tried in the present Ethiopia, is a good arrangement. It needs only to be genuine, not so fake as it is now. Each nationality can have its own autonomous province (state), zone, district or county within a voluntarily formed multi-nation-country (state), based on its size.
Coming back to the circumstances in the Ethiopian empire, it is just a pipe dream to expect democratization of the empire as long as the Abyssinian colonial system of domination is intact. This system of domination is now under absolute control of the Tigrean elites from the minority nation. Genuine and free democratization means a loss of power for them, which further means a lose of economical advantage they individually, as a group of oligarchs and as a minority nation do enjoy now. It is simply a naivety to expect these individuals and the group allow genuine democratization of the empire, while they do know what the consequence of losing this power is for them. Taking part in elections under such regime is good only in order to use the process as one means of the struggle against tyranny. The participation of MEDREK and others in the 2010 "election" has got only this purpose. If there was anyone who expected the Woyane to give up power per ballot, that was unrealistic. I personally have expected that a sort of FDG = Fincilaa Diddaa Garbummaa (peaceful public uprising) had to follow the already programmed vote rigging. Unfortunately, neither MEDREK nor any other political organization, be it "legal" or "illegal" was ready to call for such an uprising. This made me to ask, what is then the purpose of taking part in the election? Was boycotting not better? Some would say, "it was better to expose the undemocratic nature of the Woyane." Didn't we do this during the elections in 1992 and 2005? Is this anti-democratic nature of the Woyane not known? Can it be different in the coming 2015 "election"? If not different, then how can the Oromo materalize our objective – 'self-rule of Golden Oromia and/or shared-rule of Great Oromia'?
Actually, the best approach against such fascist dictators is only to fight against them without any compromise. Beside the "legal parties," which are accompanying the regime in sham elections, there should be underground organizations and armed forces, which are ready to force such a regime to give up the grip of power it has in Finfinne palace. I had an expectation that the underground movement of Ginbot-7 and the likes in addition to the rebel forces like the OLF and the ONLF could make the public uprising possible following the already known vote rigging. Now it seems, this was just a wishful thinking of the few including me. Where we know that Woyane oligarchs never allow the democratization of the empire and even the reactionary unitarists are not ready to see the domination system of the empire destroyed, what should be the future approach? The few Habesha democrats like those in the UDJ and Ginbot-7 should be determined to make an alliance covertly or overtly with the liberation forces like the OLF and the ONLF in order to dismantle the domination system in the empire (i.e. decolonization of all suffering nations in the empire, including the Amhara and the Tegaru oppressed mass). Let me hope that very few from the conservative parties like the AEUP and the EPRP also follow the same procedure. Now, it is not the time for the opposition forces to talk about democratization, but for all to struggle for decolonization of the oppressed nations together. Interestingly, some Amhara nationals are starting to sense what it means to live under national oppression. Most Tegaru elites actually know it very well, that is why they fought against it until their struggle has been hijacked by the Woyane junta. Now, it is the time for such forces of decolonization from all nations in the empire to come together and figtht for freedom in unison.
What can be the common ground for the decolonization forces from these different nations in the empire to forge a sort of alliance against the Woyane oligarchs? The common ground can not be either the "unconditional independence without union," which is propagated by certain liberation fronts or the "unconditional unitary state without national independence," the mantra which is always prayed by some patriotic forces. The way forward as a common purpose can be a sort of consensus on the necessary union of free nations in the Horn/Ethiopia/Great Oromia, which is the goal of some democratic forces like the ODF and the MEDREK. Hopefully, many of those from the liberation fronts and the patriotic fronts will give up their ultra left and ultra right positions, respectively, and come together in this middle position of some democratic forces. Unfortunately, the Woyane is still instrumentalizing both the left and right poles to make them fight each other and neutralize each other. This makes them not to be a challenge for the Woyane, so that the cunning Woyane could balance the power in the empire for its own benefit. That is why we do hear, see and read the Woyane cadres being camouflaged as either of the two ultra forces to attack the other side so that it could seem as if the main struggle in the empire is between these two, instead of the fighting of all against the evil Woyane. I hope, at the end of the day, when these three forces (pro-independence, pro-federtion and pro-unity) agree on the above mentioned middle position, it will be very easy for such an alliance of all oppositions to engage the Woyane with the appropriate methods to compel it to give up power, without unrealistically expecting that it may give up power per ballot box. In case such consensus on the middle ground is impossible, then to persue one's program and leave the final decision for the public verdict is an alternative, so that one of the three alternative goals in the Oromo's summary objective – 'self-rule of Golden Oromia and/or shared-rule of Great Oromia – can be realized. For the Oromo, even shared-rule of Great Oromia without self-rule of Golden Oromia, but with self-rule of the six traditional regions (Boorana, Baarentu, Arsi, Macca, Tullama and Wallo) is not a lose, as long as it will be decided based on the principle of respecting the popular sovereignty of the Oromo nation.
Such allied and united opposition can easily start the coordinated struggle using three best methods against the fascists: civil disobedience, armed struggle and public uprising. Taking part in the election should only be for the sake of facilitating these methods, not for the sake of taking power per ballot box as if the election is going on in a democratic nation-states. It can not be otherwise in the coming 2015 "election". Democratization of an empire with colonized nations is practically impossible. Let's first decolonize such nations, which are still suffering under the system of domination and, then we can talk about democratization of each nation in a possible union of free nations. Trying to persuade us now to talk again about the democratization process is simply one of the ways used by the Woyane oligarchs just in their attempt to fool us. So, we had enough election processes to expose the Woyane in front of the "gullible" international community, which has either naively or deliberately accepted the Woyane led empire as one of "African nations, which is on the noble road of democratization." The OLF already exposed the undemocratic nature of the Woyane in 1992, just a year after Woyane's takeover of power in the Finfinne palace. CUD and UEDF did the same job of exposing the Woyane in 2005; MEDREK and AEUP repeated it in 2010. From now on, we do not need this job of exposing the Woyane any more. This can not be the purpose of taking part in the "election" 2015. What we need is to come together, forge a necessary alliance based on the above mentioned common ground and then fight against the fascists specially by using the above mentioned effective three methods.
Let's first decolonize the oppressed nations, i.e get our freedom from Woyane, and then democratize all national areas of Great Oromia in the form of multiparty competition. Yes, democratization of the empire is impossible, decolonization should precede democratization, i.e. citizens' and nations' freedom should be achieved in order to exercise democracy. After decolonization (after achieving freedom from the system of domination), we can democratize all the decolonized nations in the region, which can have a possibility to foster a Great Oromian union on the grave of the already existing Ethiopian empire, based on the genuine free will of all the concerned nations. Even if it is necessary, trying to democratize an empire is only a means to disintegrate it, but not the end by itself. As a summary, in this struggle for freedom and democracy, the fact on the ground shows us that there are two lines of the opposition movement against the fascist and racist regime in the empire: the line of multi-national federation as a prelude to an independent Golden Oromia (the ODF-OLF line) and the line of multi-regional federation as a prelude to an integrated Great Oromia (the UDG-G7 line). If the two lines fail to foster a consensus in order to presue one common line, they can agree on a struggle for freedom from the Woyane and for democracy (including referendum on the two lines) after the Woyane. Both routes and their results are not as such disadvantageous for the Oromo people. Can the two camps agree on these common factors (freedom and democracy) and cooperate to remove the worst evil we ever faced in the empire? Time will show us, but the Oromo polity must do every thing under the sun to coordinate the necessary cooperation of the two lines for there is nothing the Oromo people will lose if we follow both lines of the freedom movements. At the end of the day, one of the three components of the Oromo's summarized objective – 'self-rule of Golden Oromia and/or shared-rule of Great Oromia' – can be fulfilled. May Rabbi/Waaqa help us see these three alternative possibilites!
Previous Call for Demonstration at Saudi-Arabien Embassy in Germany,Concerning Human Right Violations against Oromos and Nation and Nationalities of Ethiopians in Saudi Arabia
Next Ethiopian police crackdown on anti-Saudi Arabia protest following migrant worker attacks


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ENT residents start Houston Methodist Hospital tradition
Houston Methodist this summer welcomed its inaugural class of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery residents to the City of Houston in what is the first addition of a new ENT residency program to the Texas Medical Center in the past 50 years. Although a new program for the institution, the residents will experience the depth of learning and history from one of the nation's top hospitals as well as state-of-the-art training facilities and technology. Click here to read a Q& A with the Class of 2027 residents.
"A new program always brings the excitement and buzz about it and the positive energy of starting something new," says Nadia Mohyuddin, MD, FACS, residency program director. "They (the new residents) will be ambassadors of Methodist's ENT program and how we do it at Houston Methodist, helping us build our footprint and tradition for the many years to come." Houston Methodist Otolaryngology Department received ACGME approval in late January 2022 for two new residents each year for the next five years, thus creating the 2027 inaugural class. Program leaders received more than 70 applications, interviewed 20 and decided on two. Kayla Powell comes to Houston from Indiana University School of Medicine and Franklin Wu from Keck School of Medicine, USC. "We could tell these were top-notch students," Dr. Mohyuddin said. "We also were looking at inclusion and diversity for our inaugural class members."
Nadia Mohyuddin, MD, FACS, residency program director
Kayla Powell came with top quality letters of recommendation and mature responses. Like Dr. Mohyuddin, she will be a female in the surgical field that still is dominated by men. "She has a lot of grit," Dr. Mohyuddin said, adding that Dr. Powell is the first in her family to attend college, let alone go on to medical school. Franklin Wu, is a member of the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) medical honor society and is well published, including an article on telemedicine for laryngology-related complaints during COVID-19 — an area where the Houston Methodist department focuses and hopes to make future strides. "Creating an ENT residency program opened our eyes to the unique quality we would have in developing our training from the ground up, start to finish, with the way of learning from Methodist Hospital," Dr. Mohyuddin said, where professionals, scientists and experts at the top hospital have honed and improved training programs, clinical and surgical techniques and medical decision making for more than 100 years. Dr. Powell and Dr. Wu officially begin in July. Rotations will include The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center where residents will focus on cancer at the nation's top-ranked hospital for cancer treatment and a leader in proton therapy research. They also will rotate into Memorial Hermann Hospital and UTMB Galveston where they will manage both adult and pediatric head and neck trauma, as well as care for pediatric otolaryngology patients. At UTMB Galveston, they will study ENT concerns in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison population. Managed care in the Texas prison system is the largest in the country and includes innovative programs for telemedicine and electronic medical records, an area of focus for Methodist even before COVID-19 made the practice imperative. Methodist's inaugural ENT residents will have the opportunity to work alongside residents on rotations from these same institutions as well as residents from Baylor College of Medicine Department of Otolaryngology. "This will be a homegrown institutional collaboration within the Texas Medical Center," Dr. Mohyuddin said. The department's new ENT residency program will join in the regular match program next year and in years to come. Residents also will have the benefit of training at the Methodist Institute for Technology, Innovation and Education (MITIE), a 35,000-square-feet virtual training hospital and hands-on clinical training facility. Its educational mission is focused on enabling residents to acquire new procedural skills and learn new technology. MITIE contains three essential elements housed under one roof – a virtual hospital, a procedural skills lab and a core of research operating rooms. The research core incubates technology advances and innovative ideas including focus on training and uses of robotic surgery and image-guided procedures. Also unique to the Houston Methodist residency program is robot-assisted surgery with the da Vinci Surgical system. These new research ideas and procedures evolve to the simulated patient care environment, then procedural protocols are defined, and efficacy is either proven or sent back to the drawing board for improvement. Techniques and competencies that pass through into best practices eventually are disseminated to actual patient practice. "It's exciting to bring a new training program to the Texas Medical Center that integrates excellence in education, research and innovation," Dr. Mohyuddin said.
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Will you attend? Let us know or sign up now.
We are dedicating Saturday, February 26, 2011 (Spanish) for both pastors and leaders. Type in the discount code MEMBER when registering, and you will only pay $79.00. This gathering is more than a seminar. You will receive coaching, interaction with the JCG team, and pertinent information that will take you to the next level in your cell journey (more information here).The event will be held at the Dallas MCM Elegante Hotel with a special rate of $70.00 per night. The hotel is near the DFW airport and Love Field (Southwest) and the $70.00 price includes free shuttle, breakfast, etc..
If you any questions, please email Jeff Tunnell at jeffryatunnell@verizon.net or call him at 909.856.6260 (you may also call the JCG number at 888.344.2355).
Vas a asistir? Dejenos saber o Regstrase ahora.
Vamos a dedicar el Sábado, el 26 de Febrero de 2011 para los pastores y lderes que hablan en Español. Mario Vega, Joel Comiskey, y el equipo de JCG van a estar presentes en Dallas, Texas para dictar un seminario, consultar, dar material gratuito, etc. No pierdes este evento! Escribe el código MEMBER cuando estás registrando y va a costar solo $79.00. Este evento es más que un seminario. Pasa tiempo personal con Joel Comiskey y Mario Vega. Vas a recibir enseñanza sobre la visión celular y asesoramiento para tomar con éxito el próximo paso en tu jornada.Vamos a realizar este evento en Dallas MCM Elegante Hotel con el discuento especial de solo $70.00 por noche.Este hotel está cerca de DFW aeropuerto y Love Field (Southwest) y el precio de $70.00 incluye shuttle, desayuno, internet, etc..
Si hay preguntas, puedes mandar un email a Jeff Tunnell, jeffryatunnell@verizon.net, o Celyce Comiskey, celycecomiskey@msn.com (habla perfectamente en español) . O puedes llamar 909.856.6260 (Jeff Tunnell) o 888.344.2355 (JCG teléfono).
A passion for winning people to Christ is the single most important factor for growth and multiplication of cell groups. Methods, strategies, and techniques all pale in comparison to members with a God-given and God-directed passion for evangelism. After all, it was this passion that drove the ministry of Jesus from Cana to Calvary. It is the ultimate expression of Calvary love poured through the heart and life of a cell member. It comes from the Holy Spirit who is called the Spirit of Christ in Roman 8, and I believe this God-granted passion resides in every Spirit filled believer.
As I reviewed what I had read, I realized that Elim's requirement of a second cell meeting per week was a great way to prioritize evangelism in the busy lives of my cell members. So, in our next Sunday evening cell meeting I asked those who were willing to meet with me briefly on Thursday evening to plan the next cell meeting. We divided the four parts of the cell among those present, encouraged each other to complete the training track, and most importantly, decided who we were going to invite to the cell from among our unsaved friends and family. The scheduling of this meeting of my core became a filter that allowed those really interested in winning others to express it by attending.
Will it work? Will this be the key that unlocks the potential in my cell members? There are no guarantees, but coupled with my determination to never let another meeting pass without giving the gospel in some form, I have high hopes. And the following cell meeting was attended by two who had not met Jesus and who, although they did not respond, at least heard the good news. Does this idea intrigue you as it did me?
Holidays like Christmas present excellent evangelism opportunities.
At Christmas, Americans are more open to an invitation to worship than at any other time of the year. So in the weeks preceding Christmas we encourage our groups to take some time in their meetings to name and pray for those they want to invite to worship on Christmas Eve. We provide invitation cards they can leave with their friends, and plan the service to make sense to preChristians.
Then group members can follow up with their friends who attended Christmas Eve, and invite them to group. In January we will have an emphasis on getting into a group for the new year, and I will preach on the value of being in a group.
In this way we can leverage the holiday time to reach out both in celebration and cell.
You are going to have to focus more on the needs of the community than the needs of the church…love your community more. How heartbroken are you over the condition of your community?
He journeyed to the Mayor's office with this question: "What geographical area of Salisbury needs salt and light?" Without blinking an eye, the Mayor's representative said, "Princeton Avenue." We planned an evangelistic block party for that area. City officials were delighted with our plans and offered great assistance.
On Saturday, October 16, we went door-to-door in that area distributing flyers in English and Spanish that invited the residents to the block party. We also gave every home a Chick-fil-A coupon as a sign of God's love for them. Firefighters accompanied some of our teams and offered to check the smoke detectors in the homes of the residents, giving smoke detectors to those who had none and new batteries for those who needed them.
On Saturday, October 23, we threw our evangelistic block party from noon to 4:00 p.m. Approximately 500 people attended. We passed out countless quantities of hot dogs, snow cones, soft drinks, and popcorn. The kids enjoyed a wide variety of games. Everyone enjoyed the musical talents of our worship team. We distributed many copies of the New Testament, evangelistic tracts, copies of the "Jesus" film, and invitations to our special worship service (Double Day) on October 31. We also shared our faith in Christ; three persons prayed to receive Christ. A few weeks later we called the people who registered for the door prizes and asked if we could bring Thanksgiving dinner to them. Forty-one families agreed to receive the food.
On Sunday, October 31st, we invited the community to our celebration services. Internally we called this "Double Day." Pastor Bill characterized Double Day as "Friend Day on steroids." The goal of D-2 is to double the number of first-time guests. All year we averaged 5.5 first time guests each week so on this day we were hoping for 11. This doesn't sound like much of a goal but it is harder than you think. We did three things as we prepared for this day. We selected a four part message series designed for our guests called "Peace of Mind at Last," distributed well designed invitation cards and advertised with television, radio, billboards and yard signs.
The results were awesome. On October 31, our first-time guests totaled…51! The total number of registered guests (those we received info on for the first time) was 83. Our attendance was up 100 over our average. Two persons asked Christ to be the Forgiver of their sins and the Leader of their life! Our celebration attendance has not backed off and now we are distributing Christmas gifts to over 200 individuals from the original effort to love our community.
Please keep me in prayer during January as I take two teams to India. I will return to blogging in February. I truly enjoy sharing my experiences with you. God bless you and may He advance His kingdom through you in 2011.
As I wrote on a previous occasion, it is important to connect the work of the cells with the celebration. Cells are an excellent environment for the presentation of the Gospel to the guests, but a good part of those guests will end up believing during the celebration. For this reason, our celebrations on Sundays are essentially evangelistic. Sunday is considered the day to reap the fruit of what has been sown for weeks in the cells.
Both cell work and the celebrations are connected for the salvation of the lost in a consistent way. This is not an effort made occasionally, but cotinually. A cycle is established between cells and celebration that is repeated week after week.
This does not mean that we don't appreciate the work of the evangelist. Evangelists have the gift of attracting large numbers of people to the faith. It is sometimes thought that the evangelizing potential of a cell church is so great that the evangelist is no longer needed.
We at Elim believe the opposite. We view cell work and the ministry of the evangelist as complementary. The church is never better prepared to retain the results of the ministry of an evangelist than when it is a cell church. The cell model allows the church to do follow up and give assistance to dozens or hundreds of people who believe in the Lord.
Las células y el ministerio del evangelista.
Como lo escrib en una ocasión anterior, es importante conectar el trabajo de las células con la celebración. Las células son el ambiente propicio para presentar el evangelio a los invitados; pero, una buena parte de esos invitados terminarán creyendo en la celebración. Por ese motivo, nuestras celebraciones de los das domingos son eminentemente evangelizadoras. El domingo se considera que es el da para recoger el fruto de lo que por semanas se ha sembrado en las células.
Tanto el trabajo celular como las celebraciones, se conectan as para la salvación de los perdidos de manera periódica. Este no es un esfuerzo que se haga ocasionalmente sino el trabajo de todas las semanas. Se establece as un ciclo entre células y celebración que se repite semana tras semana.
Esto, no significa que se desprecien las oportunidades para recoger la cosecha que se presentan eventualmente. Por ejemplo, apreciamos mucho el ministerio de los evangelistas. Éstos tienen el don de atraer grandes cantidades de personas a la fe. A veces se ha pensado que el potencial evangelizador de una iglesia celular es tan grande que puede volver innecesario al evangelista.
Por nuestra parte, creemos todo lo contrario. Vemos que el trabajo celular y el ministerio del evangelista son complementarios. Nunca está mejor preparada una iglesia para retener los resultados del ministerio de un evangelista que cuando es una iglesia celular. El modelo permite que la iglesia pueda dar seguimiento y atención a docenas o centenares de personas que crean en el Señor.
As, aunque el ciclo evangelizador se repite cada semana, no despreciamos sino mas bien apreciamos y aprovechamos la visita de los verdaderos evangelistas para beneficio de aquellos que aun no conocen al salvador.


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Book tackles the problems posed by lost and abandoned chemical weapons
Joseph Bunnett
An enormous quantity of old, lost, and abandoned chemical weapons are scattered throughout the world, posing serious hazards and disposal problems for many nations.
A new book addressing these issues has just been published, coedited by Joseph Bunnett, professor emeritus of chemistry at UCSC, and Marian Mikolajczyk, professor of chemistry and director of the Center of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies at the Polish Academy of Sciences in Lodz.
The book, titled Arsenic and Old Mustard: Chemical Problems in the Destruction of Old Arsenical and 'Mustard' Munitions, is based on the proceedings of a workshop sponsored by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and cochaired by Bunnett and Mikolajczyk.
Bunnett said the book is largely concerned with problems in Europe, where more than 10 million lost chemical munitions from World War I, most still laden with poisons, are estimated to lie buried in old battlefields or abandoned on old military bases.
"They were either fired in battle but burrowed into the earth instead of exploding, or they were abandoned on old military bases, often being buried in a ditch with no record of where or what they are," said Bunnett, who in recent years has put his research on the back burner to focus on the destruction of chemical weapons.
In some parts of Europe, farmers frequently plow up unexploded chemical munitions from World War I, more than 75 years after the end of the war.
Arsenic and Old Mustard provides an overview of chemical weapons disposal issues and includes chapters with detailed descriptions of techniques for dealing with unexploded chemical munitions.
Other chapters address the problem of destroying stockpiles of chemical weapons in the United States, Russia, and other countries that have made internal and international commitments to destroy their chemical weapons.
"The book contains explicit detail on the chemical warfare programs of Germany and the U.S.S.R., in both cases written by senior officials now responsible for clean-up efforts," Bunnett said.