The greatest graduate gift a church can give students is a Senior experience that grounds them in their faith and produces an individualized plan to help them experience God's best in college and beyond.
At Sugar Hill Church, the culmination of our comprehensive spiritual growth plan for students (called Grounded for Life) is the Senior Experience. The Senior Experience serves as a final preparation and launching pad for life beyond high school. Through a co-ed Senior Small group experience, students begin the first semester studying Revelation (its themes and promises are so appropriate for students preparing for an unknown future), then a student version of Financial Peace University (we get the most positive feedback from parents on this).
In their final semester of small group, students are led to write a practical and actual plan for how to succeed beyond high school. We've learned that most students don't plan to fail; most just don't plan not to. That is why we lead them in writing a plan that is based on our nine Grounded for Life biblical principles.
Each student is given a customized Senior Experience journal where students take notes as each biblical principle is taught and Scripture is discussed in smaller groups. They also write down ideas as current college students share their college experience and suggest practical steps to implement the principles in ways that will benefit their life beyond high school. Students develop personal action steps for each biblical principle identified in The Plan, and together as a group the students decide on the most practical and helpful action steps for each principle. At the end of the semester, we take their action steps and have them professionally printed into each class' unique version of The Plan as a physical reminder to carry with them into their next stage of life. We encourage students to keep The Plan somewhere they will see it often and review the wisdom and ideas they took time to craft into their plan.
Before students graduate, we also encourage them to identify a circle of five people that can hold them accountable to their plan during their first year of college. A number of studies have shown that students who have accountable relationships with 3-5 adults while in college are significantly more successful at thriving spiritually than those who do not. We suggest their "5" include a parent (or two), a senior adult, a past or current mentor (such as small group leaders), as well as a peer that they admire spiritually. These 5 have the ability to greatly impact and encourage a student's successful transition to college. We connect these "5" to the student and The Plan at a special celebration.
Another way we celebrate this period of transition is by making a big deal of High School graduation at Sugar Hill Church. We have a special Graduate Recognition Sunday where students are celebrated and encouraged by their church family. As a part of this special day, graduates invite their families, close friends, and their "5" to a banquet where they are further celebrated by our whole Sugar Hill Students team and the rising Senior class. At this banquet, graduates share The Plan booklets with their "5" and begin the process of receiving encouragement to thrive as they enter the post-high-school world. This event puts the exclamation point on our preparation of students to be Grounded For Life!
At the banquet, students are presented with special Challenge coins that we have custom minted for each class. Challenge coins are a long-standing tradition in the military that serve as a symbol of identity, a source of pride, and a reminder of the support that one has behind them. We have these special challenge coins minted for our graduating class to serve as a constant reminder of their identity, values, and the army of support they have behind them in their church family. Some students put these where they can see them daily and some say they carry them in their pocket when they are having a tough day.
We think that's a pretty great graduate gift!
Parenting is tough… but you don't have to do it alone.
The first reminder is that we must make our limited time with students count. Our programming must be excellent. Every minute must count. We cannot afford to do anything halfway or without purpose. Every time students are with us, they must be encouraged, loved, and challenged. While ministry to students should be wildly fun and highly engaging, the end goal must be to help students discover and live God's best for their lives. This is discovered in the Bible, experienced in relationship with Jesus, & expressed in serving. We must make a BIG DEAL of the things that are really a big deal.
Everything that matters begins and ends with relationship. Packing students in a room and "wowing" them with a program makes an impression. Getting involved with their lives and loving them with a relationship makes a difference. We must go where they are. We must understand their world. We must have the relational capital to know where students are and challenge them to something greater. Authentic relationships are the currency of accountability and a catalyst of consistent growth.
The reason small groups are such a big deal at Sugar Hill Church is that relationships matter.
Most importantly, the jar reminds me of the fact that I am not the primary spiritual influence in a student's life. That role still belongs to parents. Like it or not, parents have the awesome responsibility of spiritually training and making disciples of their children. My most important role, then, is to partner with parents and support them in this process. I can offer parents relevant biblical teaching for their students each week. I can offer small group settings for their teenager to build authentic relationships with their peers under the mentorship of loving adults. I can offer numerous experiences monthly for their student to learn about and engage in worship, serving, and leadership.
Like it or not, parents have the awesome responsibility of spiritually training and making disciples of their children.
Although our staff works tirelessly to ensure these things are offered with excellence, the impact of such opportunities falls short if the experiences and lessons learned are not directly tied back to the home. In order for these lessons to really "take root," they must be reinforced and practiced at home.
For this to happen effectively, we (Student Ministries staff) must continue working intentionally to know families and be aware of their needs. Parents must work on continuously being aware of opportunities we offer students, as well as what happens at our programs and events (what is being taught, how students are being challenged, what commitment their students are making, etc.). As we partner and encourage one another, we can truly be teammates in fulfilling the most important responsibility we will ever have.
Such a partnership between a Student Ministry and families can be so effective in offering the best possible opportunities for students to grow in Christ and make a difference for Him. Please know that we are here for you and your family and want to be the best support we can be! You never have to feel alone.
Parenting is tough. Thank God that He never intended for us to do it alone.
*Consider this a personal invitation to check out all Sugar Hill Church offers your family. I'd love to see you on Sunday at the 9:30 or 11:00 service. A great way to see what he have going for students is at our Family Rally dinner this Sunday evening from 5-7pm. Please hit me up for details or click here for more info.
You know what makes me sick to my stomach? When I hear grown people say that kids have changed. Kids haven't changed. Kids don't know anything about anything.
We've changed as adults. We demand less of kids. We expect less of kids. We make their lives easier instead of preparing them for what life is truly about. We're the ones that have changed. To blame kids is a cop out.
This quote has seemed to cause quite some discussion as people consider who and what has really changed in respect to expectations of kids. While the debate is over the details, most seem to agree that things have changed.
I'd like to add to the discussion an article I wrote some time back that seems more timely today than ever.
The concept of "adolescence" is a relatively new idea, only about a century old.
The past 65 years has seen the evolution of "teenage" years and now "tween" years, that have settled between Childhood and Adulthood. With these new eras, have evolved new cultural expectations. Unfortunately, those expectations seem to be spiraling lower for each successive generation.
The process of moving from childhood to adulthood in our culture seems to be taking longer and longer. "In today's world, the assumption that the adolescent years cease and a teen becomes an adult at the age of 18 is no longer valid. New discoveries regarding the human brain, along with a host of cultural forces, like later marriage, extended college education, massive debt, living at home, and delayed maturity have fueled things like extended adolescence and emerging adulthood…"  These terms sound nice, but simply mean that our children are taking longer to grow up. I've even read where some think adolescence extends to the age of 30!
The biggest problem with the evolution of the teenage era and the idea of extended adolescence is the fact that lower and lower expectations appear to be placed on students during "emerging adulthood." While we have students study the lives of such great historical figures as George Washington (land surveyer for state of Virginia at 17, military major at 20) and Thomas Edison (published weekly newspaper at 15, invented light bulb), we often celebrate and reward such things as a made bed or a clean bedroom. We give shiny trophies for participation.
2) Absence of long-term thinking about life and the world.
4) Wanting grown-up things without growing up.
5) Expecting bailouts rather than accepting consequences.
6) Focusing on appearance rather than depth.
Although this adolescent mindset has certainly engulfed our culture, our children do not have to be (and certainly should not be) victims of such a hopelessly situated ideology.
Parents: The most important thing we can give our children is an identity that is rooted in Jesus Christ. So many parents work so hard to give their children things that will be meaningless in a few years. Training our children to have an identity in Jesus Christ should be THE priority in our homes. There is nothing greater you can do as a parent. What ways are you making spiritual discipleship a priority in your home? How are you fostering a love for and commitment to the church of Jesus Christ?
Students: Raise your own bar. Remember the words of Paul to Timothy, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12) You be the one that encourages and challenges your peers (and your generation) to rebel against low expectations. Don't just meet the expectations your teachers, coaches, and parents have for you… shatter them and asked that they be raised.
Students: Fear of failure cripples most students (and adults too) from even trying to fulfill their dreams. However, failure is essential to success. Every time you look at a light bulb, remember that Edison failed 10,000 times before he got it right. Those who give the most to the world won't be stopped by failure.
Parents: So many parents put their primary focus on protecting their children, and lose sight of the goal of preparing them to be disciples of Jesus Christ in this world. A big part of the preparation is allowing children to learn from failure. If children are never allowed to fail while mom and dad are there helping them learn from it, the lessons will be tougher (and carry more consequences) when parents are not there. Raising expectations, even if our children don't initially meet them, will continue to encourage them to be all God has created them to be.
In His last words on earth, Jesus called His followers to be world-changers. Ever since then, the enemy (Satan) has done all he can to make Jesus-followers think this is impossible. Let's remember who we serve. Let's remember that Jesus told his followers, "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." (John 14:12) Let's remember His words, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." (Luke 12:48b) Jesus has great expectations of us. Do we have great expectations for ourselves?
What other resources would you recommend on this topic? Leave a comment below with any suggestions.
Before my children were good swimmers, I remember the days of taking them to the pool and them spending more time standing on the side of the pool nervously looking at the deep water, than they would actually spend in the water. As much as people would try to coerce them to jump the water, it just wasn't happening. Teaching my kids to be the great swimmers they are today was a long and expensive process. One particular day in this process opened my eyes to some valuable parenting truths that I wish I got right more of the time.
One day I was lounging on the pool deck as my little girl was on the side of the pool refusing the pleas of many others to jump. But everything changed when daddy got in the pool. I jumped in the deep end, looked her in the eyes, stretched out my arms and asked her to jump to me. As she saw my eyes locked on her, my arms reaching out to her, hearing me asking her to trust me, she uncrossed her arms… reached them out… and jumped. What happened after that was a wonderful reminder to me about my unique position as a parent. It also serves as a reminder of how I can love my kids well everyday.
It reminds me that, as a parent, I have to get in the water.
I can't attempt to outsource my unique role as a parent. Sure, it's ok to have coaches, Pastors, teachers, etc. to be a part of the team, but as soon as I allow any of them to replace my voice and my presence in my child's life…I lose. And most of all, my child loses. Yes, it's easier (much easier) to parent from the pool deck, but there is absolutely no one or nothing that can take my place in the water with my children.
My presence with my children is where it all begins. (And one thing I've discovered, it's not all about quantity of time as much as it is QUALITY of time with them.) It's about when I'm present, being PRESENT. It's about those moments when I lock my eyes on them and let them know they have me and all of me. How do I love my kids well?
2) I love my kids well by developing trust.
This is done through consistency, honesty, & authenticity. My daughter knew I was not going to drop her because of the consistency with which I caught her jumping off of the bed and the couch. She also knew that I was not going to lie to her. Courtney and I made the decision when our kids were born that we would never lie to them. Now this has led to some interesting conversations. Sometimes we just have to say, "We are not going to answer that question right now." But we want them to know that they can trust the words of their parents. If they can't trust my words, they can't trust me.
I've learned that if I'm committed to such honesty, I have to be committed to authenticity. Some of the best parenting moments I've ever had were in times of asking my kids for their forgiveness. When they heard their dad say, "I'm sorry I reacted that way." Or "Your mom deserved better from me in that moment." Authenticity and honesty paves the way for trust and communicates love in a deep, deep sense.
3) I love my kids well by allowing struggle.
I know this sounds weird, but it's so true. It's pretty obvious in the pool that struggle is a part of learning to swim. Sometimes we forget this out of the pool though. Of course, we want to protect our kids, because we love them. But I love my children enough to want them to learn to swim so they don't drown in the deep waters of life.
We have to remember the goal of parenting is not to simply protect our kids. Our job is to prepare them to responsibly and ably live God's best for their lives as adults. And this preparation involves struggle, discipline, and sometimes even pain. The older my children get, the more I have to be willing to wisely allow them to experience the discomforts of growth.
4) I love my kids well by investing the right things in them.
By giving them what they need, not simply what they want. As my daughter learned how to swim, I constantly reminded her WHY it was important to me that she could swim. I reminded her how precious she was to me and that I would do whatever it took for her to properly handle the dangers of being in & around water. Of course she didn't always want to go to swim practice, but it was something she needed. Having our kids learn to be great swimmers was so important to us, that Courtney & I made it priority…with our time, finances, & presence.
How much more important is it that we make the spiritual growth and development of our children a priority…with our time, finances & presence.
This begins by a right understanding of what my kids need, and a commitment to give them that at all costs.
5) I love my kids well when we have fun!
What made jumping in the pool that day so special for my daughter was not the swim lesson. It certainly wasn't the struggle. It was the moments between lessons where she laughed, splashed, and was thrown high in the air by her daddy. She couldn't fully grasp her need to be a proficient swimmer or the significance of the lessons I was trying to teach. But she did know that she was loved by her daddy that day…and that was fun!
Trust me, I feel like I get parenting wrong a lot more than I get it right. But that one day at the pool serves as a reminder that God has equipped me (just like he has equipped you) to love our kids well.
And I don't know of a better work than daily modeling for our kids the love of an ever-present, trustworthy, loving God who wants the very best for his children. Be encouraged today, and go show your kids this kind of love!
From the Sugar Hill Church Weekday Podcast: Click HERE to check out podcast.


Opuntia semispinosa is a coastal prickly pear cactus from southern California and Mexico that has been variously lumped into O. occidentalis, O. littoralis, or even other opuntias of coastal California. We accept it as a stand-alone species.
Plants my reach 1 or 1.4 m tall and 1 or 2 m wide. Originally the plants grew in great thickets, but land use eroded this habit and this opuntia now often grows singly or as a few individuals. This prickly pear can present as an untidy collection of branches and irregular cladodes because the branches are angular. Some plants are compact whereas others spread. Segments of this Opuntia may be oval or obovate and or even pointed at both ends (almost rhomboid). Spines are white, but larger centrals may darken to brown at the base. Larger spines are often angular and twisted. Interestingly, areoles can sometimes be wider than long, 5 mm wide and 6-8 mm wide.
Flowers are yellow but may have a tinge of orange. Filaments are yellowish or pale green and the style is red and large, up to 8 to 10 mm in diameter. The stigma is pale green. The outer sepals are often recurved in bud. The fruit is 35 x 50 mm and obovate with a flat umbilicus. The fruits of this prickly pear are spiny.
O. semispinosa was initially collected at Santa Barbara, CA, San Pedro, CA, and near Tija Juana, Mexico. See the original citation.
At one time there was much interest in the plant as a possible source of spineless Opuntia germplasm because some pads are spineless over part or all of the of the pad (hence "semi" spinosa), but this hope was not realized. O. semispinosa is not a prickly pear generally found in gardens due to its size.


text:
In the days since the insurrection at the Capitol, many of those arrested and charged for their roles have said they were simply following Trump's orders.
Keya Vakil	January 15, 2021 4:01 pm EST
Crime	Bipartisan Rebuke for Trump, Who Is the Only President To Get Impeached Twice
Trump was impeached for inciting a terrorist attack at the Capitol building in an effort to overturn the presidential election and remain in power.
Meghan McCarthy	January 13, 2021 4:33 pm EST
Breaking	Trump Takes No Responsibility for Terrorists as House Gets Ready for Wednesday Impeachment Vote
Trump faces a charge of "incitement of insurrection" for the deadly terrorist attack on the Capitol building.
Associated Press	January 12, 2021 4:00 pm EST
Crime	Some Companies Say They Won't Donate to Republicans Supporting Terrorism. Others Inexplicably Cut Off All Donations.
And that isn't the only money troubles Republicans are facing. If they financed the terrorists who attacked Capitol Hill, they could become un-bankable.
Elle Meyers	January 12, 2021 1:56 pm EST
Breaking	READ: Articles of Impeachment Against Trump Charge 'Incitement of Insurrection'
"President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government. ...He will remain a threat to national security, democracy, and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office."
Associated Press	January 11, 2021 11:25 am EST
Coronavirus	COVID Vaccine Hesitancy Is a Very Real Concern in Communities of Color. Black Doctors Are Doing Something About It.
Education	'The Gap Widens': Black and Latino Parents on the Challenges of Pandemic Learning
Politics	How VP Kamala Harris Expands the Definition of Who Gets to Hold Power in American Politics
Elections	She Was in the 6th Grade the Last Time She Watched an Inauguration. Here's Why She Tuned in for Biden's.
Crime	DC Officials Answer Questions About the Lack of Arrests
In June 2020, police made 194 arrests during Black Lives Matter protests. They made less than a third of that Jan. 6.
Brian Carlton	January 7, 2021 5:37 am EST
Economy	How Fraudsters Are Ripping Off Unemployed Americans — Even During a Pandemic
Amid the pandemic-driven economic recession, fraudsters continue to find ways to scam unemployed Americans out of their money.
Mikhal Weiner	January 4, 2021 8:59 am EST

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Bathing water quality of Tanjung Aru Beach, Sabah
Ong, Qi Hong (2010) Bathing water quality of Tanjung Aru Beach, Sabah. Universiti Malaysia Sabah. (Unpublished)
ae0000002645.pdf
Download (11MB) | Preview
This study was carried out to determine the status of bathing water quality in Tanjung Aru Beach, Sabah. Ten sampling stations were selected and two replications were taken at each sampling station. The sampling was done three times in December 2009. Station A was the freshwater point source drainage and station B was the seawater sampling station. Five stations were selected for freshwater point source and seawater bathing area respectively along the coastal area. Temperature, turbidity, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), oil and grease (OG), total coliform (TC) and fecal coliform (FC) were the parameters selected for this study. The in-situ parameters namely temperature, turbidity, salinity, pH and DO were measured using portable Hach 2100P Turbidimeter and DO Meter and Hanna MultiMeter Hi9828. OG, TC and FC were analyzed in the laboratory. For OG analysis, partition gravimetric method was used. Membrane filtration technique was used to identify the amount of TC and FC. Data obtained were compared with the Interim National Water Quality Standards (INWQS) and Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC). The values for each parameter recorded in this study were: temperature (28.90°C-31.90°C), turbidity (3.52NTU-90.17NTU), salinity (0.53ppt-37.97ppt), pH (6.52-7.81), DO (4.50mg/l-7.13mg/l), OG (0.04mg/1-0. 34mg/l), TC (16.S0cfu/l00ml-52.33cfu/100ml) and FC (6.67cfu/l00ml- 30.50cfu/100ml). Results showed that all the physicochemical parameters complied with the INWQS. OG, TC and FC also complied with the limit stated by Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC). One-way ANOVA analysis and Tukey test showed that the parameter of temperature, turbidity, salinity, pH, DO and FC had significant differences (p < 0.05) among the sampling stations. The correlation test showed the relationship between: OG with TC (r=0.836), FC (r=0.672) and salinity (r=-0.666); TC with OG (r=0.836), FC (r=0.889), temperature (r=-0.657), salinity (r=-0.847), pH (r=-0.844) and DO (r=-0.812); FC with OG (r=0.672), TC (r=0.889), temperature (r=-0.692), salinity (r=-0.831), pH (r=-0.813) and DO (r=-0.819). Based on the two water quality standards, Tanjung Aru Beach, Sabah was suitable for recreational purpose and use with body contact.
bathing, water quality, partition gravimetric method, water pollution
SCHOOL > School of Science and Technology
http://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/11669


우리는 중국에서 태양광 배터리 제조 업체 및 공급 업체 / 공장 전문화되어 있습니다. 태양광 배터리 중 하나 인 Shenzhen Grenergy Technology Co.,Ltd 중국 유명 브랜드 중 하나 인 저렴한 가격 / 저렴한 가격으로 고품질의 태양광 배터리 도매업.
Wholesale 태양광 배터리 from China, Need to find cheap 태양광 배터리 as low price but leading manufacturers. Just find high-quality brands on 태양광 배터리 produce factory, You can also feedback about what you want, start saving and explore our 태양광 배터리, We'll reply you in fastest.


text:
Latest platform for Syria's president: Instagram
BEIRUT - Syria's embattled president already has a Facebook page, Twitter account and a YouTube channel. Now Bashar Assad is turning to the popular photo-sharing service Instagram in the latest attempt at improving his image as his country burns, posting pictures of himself and his glamorous wife surrounded by idolizing crowds.
The photos show a smiling Assad among supporters, or grimly visiting wounded Syrians in the hospital. He is seen working in his office in Damascus, an Apple computer and iPad on his desk. His wife, Asma, who has stayed largely out of sight throughout the conflict, features heavily in the photos, casually dressed and surrounded by Syrian children and their mothers.
The sophisticated PR campaign is striking for an isolated leader who has earned near pariah status for his military's bloody crackdown on dissent.
It is also in stark contrast to the machinations of other dictators at the center of Arab Spring revolts. While the ousted Egyptian and Libyan leaders relied on antiquated methods such as state-run media to transmit stilted propaganda, Assad - a 47-year-old British-trained eye doctor - has increasingly relied on social media to project an image of confidence to the world.
The result is an efficient, modern propaganda machine in keeping with the times - but one that appears completely removed from the reality on the ground.
More than 100,000 people have been killed since the uprising against the Assad family's decades-old iron rule began in March 2011. The revolt has transformed into an insurgency and civil war that has seen the country break up into sectarian and ethnic fiefdoms, uprooting millions of people from their homes.
"These are all dismal and useless attempts at polishing up his image," said Mamdouh, a Syrian activist based in the northern province of Idlib, who declined to give his full name, for fear of retaliation.
"I wish he would turn his attention to more important things, such as saving the country," he said, speaking via Skype.
This week's launch of the presidency's Instagram page is Assad's latest attempt at burnishing his image.
"Welcome to the official Instagram account for the Presidency of the Syrian Republic," says the greeting on the page, which in just a few days has collected more than 5,200 followers.
The 73 photos posted so far show Assad in situations that portray normality, compassion and confidence: Talking earnestly to a group of workers in hard hats, clutching the hand of a wounded man swathed in bandages in the hospital, being kissed on the cheek by a little girl with blond curls.
Asma Assad, her hair twisted casually in a bun, is seen serving meals to the elderly, holding a baby as she chats with a group of mothers and talking to schoolchildren in a science class lab.
The same photos are on the presidency's Facebook page, where quotations from Assad's interviews and speeches are posted. A YouTube channel keeps track of the president's public appearances.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf called the postings "nothing more than a despicable PR stunt."
"It's repulsive that the Assad regime would use this to gloss over the brutality and suffering it is causing," she told reporters in Washington. "To see what's really happening right now in Syria, to see the horrific atrocities in Homs and elsewhere, we would encourage people to take a look at unfiltered photos of what's actually happening on the ground."
The pages are professionally managed by censors who appear to work around the clock to keep off offensive remarks. A few do slip past - or are allowed to remain to give the impression of tolerance.
"See you at The Hague," reads one comment under a picture of Assad among crowds, visiting the ancient Omayyad Mosque in Damascus in February. "Go to hell," says another, posted beneath a picture of a smiling Assad during a visit to Raqqa in November 2011, just months after the uprising began. The opposition seized Raqqa in March, the only provincial capital to fall into rebel hands.
But the overwhelming majority of comments are from die-hard fans who profess their love and admiration.
"A true Lion," reads one, playing on the word Assad, which means lion in Arabic.
Others gush at images of Syria's first lady, asking for God to protect her and her husband.
"I doubt you would ever see a picture of Mrs. Obama so humble. God Bless Mrs. Assad," reads a comment beneath a picture of Asma Assad at a Mother's Day function in March, feeding an elderly Syrian woman.
Assad inherited power in 2000, raising hopes that the lanky, soft-spoken young leader might transform his late father's stagnant and brutal dictatorship into a modern state. Many hoped the younger Assad, who led the Syrian Computer Society before his father's death, would help reform the country.
As a couple, Assad and Asma, who grew up in a west London suburb, did not fit the mold of dictator and wife, making surprise public appearances to the delight of their supporters. But the regime's ferocious crackdown on the uprising quickly shattered their image as a glamorous, reform-minded couple who could help bring progressive values to a country that has been ruled by the Assad family dynasty for more than 40 years.
While he was often dismissed by critics as too weak to fill his father's shoes, Assad has dealt with the war with surprising tenacity, holding onto power with a mix of brute military force and a portrayal of the conflict as one spearheaded by al-Qaida-linked Islamic extremists bent on destroying the country.
Although he has lost large swathes of territory to the rebels, his troops have recently gone on the offensive in the country's heartland and around the capital, Damascus, seat of his power, pushing the opposition fighters back from strategic areas.
The propaganda offensive has extended to Syrian state-run media, with Syrian TV devoting long segments to trying to show how life goes on as normal. In one, a Syrian anchor wearing a black T-shirt with the words "I Love Syria," is seen interviewing people in Damascus restaurants and souks as they speak of their love for the president and the army.
Throughout the conflict, Assad has succeeded in maintaining support drawn largely from his Alawite constituency and other minorities in Syria, who fear the alternative to his rule would be the chaos of an Islamic state.
But for many, the message Assad is conveying is provocative.
"Kill the people, destroy their homes, and then visit them in hospital. Yes, well done," read a comment left under a picture of Asma Assad visiting a wounded Syrian woman.
Associated Press writer Barbara Surk contributed to this report.
Follow Zeina Karam on twitter.com/zkaram


In addition to being one of the world's premier asset managers, Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) has a long-standing reputation for providing advisors and their clients with clear and relevant market data. This is extremely helpful for us in the financial planning profession as we need quality inputs whenever we create a financial plan, retirement income plan or investment program.
DFA has published their Matrix Book since 1982 and the latest edition just arrived at our offices. The cool thing about it is that for virtually any asset class, including inflation, we can easily see the average return for a given time frame, such as in the example below.
And for some interesting commentary on this latest update, here are three short videos from DFA entitled "Lessons from the Matrix Book."


Tolerance recognizes the universal human rights, fundamental freedoms, and dignity of others. People are naturally diverse; only tolerance can ensure the survival of mixed communities in every region of the globe. As people have moved within the United States or from other parts of the world, our communities have changed. Division within societies and wars between them are often fuelled by intolerance for differences. What might we achieve in the United States and around the globe if we adopt tolerance as a guiding principle?
What is the difference, if any, between tolerance, understanding, and acceptance?
Have you experienced being the target of intolerance? What happened?
Is there risk in tolerating those different from you? If so, what is the risk?


text:
Home / Motorsport / US F1 races threatened
US F1 races threatened
By Daniel Johnson in Sao Paulo • 12/11/2015
Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, a popular circuit but future US Grand Prixs there are in doubt. Picture/AP.
US Grand Prix organisers say they have been 'screwed'
The future of Formula One in the United States is in serious doubt -after organisers in Austin, Texas claimed that they had been "screwed" by a substantial cut in state funding for the event.
Bernie Ecclestone, the sport's chief executive, who has spent years trying to establish it in America, suggested that next season's race at the Circuit of the Americas could be off after the state subsidy was reduced by 20 per cent.
The popular circuit has been on the calendar only since 2012, and was the venue at which Lewis Hamilton won his third world championship last month.
Bobby Epstein, the circuit chairman, said yesterday: "To use a technical term, I think we're screwed. The state clearly made promises. I think we made a deal and we lived up to our end of the deal. It's like if you go to a restaurant and order a dinner, and then after you've eaten the meal they change the price."
Ecclestone has spoken of staging four races in America, but there is a real chance that there could be none in 2016.
Hurricane Patricia caused chaos this year, making for a "financially -devastating weekend", according to Epstein.Qualifying was postponed from Saturday to Sunday morning, while the return of Mexico to the calendar a week later also hit ticket sales.
Austin is the first purpose-built Formula One circuit in the US.
Meanwhile, Mercedes insist that Hamilton will race this weekend in Brazil, despite falling ill and -delaying his travel plans by a day on doctors' orders.
Hamilton has a -fever and flew to Sao Paulo yesterday, rather than on Tuesday as originally planned.
"No, he's not going to miss the race," a team spokesman said.
"He's going to be a day late. The doctor advised him to cancel the earlier flight, so he missed a press conference today."
Hamilton is bidding for his first victory at Interlagos, something he believes would be a "salute" to -Ayrton Senna, his great hero.
-The Daily Telegraph·


The North of Africa burned after Italy declared war. From 1940 until 1943, the Italians and their German allies fought to control colonial interests from the previous century. These hand painted military miniatures depict the many different vehicles and troops employed by the Afrika Korps and its famous commander Erwin Rommel in its attempt to stop the Allied advance. Not even 'The Desert Fox' himself could have anticipated the British 'Ultra' code-breaking device that would prove to be the key to the campaign. For a closer look at our First Legion military miniatures depicting the troops, vehicles and tanks that formed DAK, click one of the items below.


It's important to stay well-informed about your Impala - and especially important for DIY types to have accurate recalls data.
ALLDATA gives you all available recalls, updated frequently to meet changing factory service and repair information. We are the leading source of Professional Diagnostic and Repair Information used by over 75,000 repair professionals. You can purchase access to the Impala data in one or five year segments starting at $26.95 for full permissions.


text:
Q: Will these links on my site affect search engine indexing negatively? I have my site set up so that users can type in the name of a bar as the URI, and the links within my site are built the same way.
For example, instead of triadbarspecials.com/bars.php?id=234546456, I have the links set up as triadbarspecials.com/somebarname.
I'm using .htaccess to direct to the proper page. Is it best to use the first url above in my site's links, or will search engine robots be able to handle the second url above?

A: Search engines will be able to handle the second variation perfectly fine. Actually, using such "speaking" URLs is usually referred to as "search engine friendly URLs". This is due to the user seeing what's behind some URL just by looking at the URL. In a similar way, a search engine can use the path as keywords.
Just ensure that most (or if possible; all) URLs are unique. The more pages serving the exact same content (the search engine usually won't see a redirect to the same page) the worse this can be for your page. As long as the content is unique and/or different, this is perfectly fine (and as mentioned; more or less recommended).

A: This is common practice, although normally the URL is masked so you never see the ID number.
As long as you use the proper htaccess redirect (see this guide or this one) then you won't have any issues with that.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


As the mercury dips and the wind picks up, it's time to get yourself a new coat. You'll be wearing it most days so you don't want anything too lairy – but that doesn't mean sticking to a navy pea coat. View the gallery for some choice offerings.
Personalisation of products is always a draw for luxury shoppers and the latest project from Valextra puts a playful spin on this notion. The Milanese leather-goods house, founded in 1937 by Giovanni Fontana, has developed a new line called #Nologomylogo, in which bags are emblazoned with a customer's monogram. It's an appealing initiative from the brand, which has tended to shy away from using its own logo liberally on products.
The process is straightforward: clients choose between 15 styles of bag (such as the soft tote, the Iside mini-bag or the Iside cross-body bag, all pictured) and a range of colours before registering their initials. Valextra's in-house graphic designers then formulate two designs to choose from. Once selected, the bag is assembled and, within three months, is delivered to the shopper's home. "With this project Valextra stays true to its graphic aesthetic," says Sara Ferrero, the brand's CEO. The designs are eye-catching but the initials don't shout too loudly: it's a subtle way to inject something personal into your bag.
Nomos Glashütte's Orion model has been a bestseller since its release in 1992, shortly after the brand was founded in Germany's historic watch-making capital of Glashütte, a town in Saxony. Nomos Glashütte is known for its quietly elegant designs and the Orion – which has traditionally come with a white face – represents the pinnacle of this aesthetic.
Now, the model has been released in a couple of fetching new colours: olive (top, with gold hands) and navy (left, with silver hands). Both styles are assembled by hand in Glashütte and are furnished with a cordovan-leather strap, a stainless-steel case – and a healthy dose of style.
It took moving house for me to become a minimalist – of sorts. This crusade has picked up lately, brought into the public eye by Japanese tidy-titans such as Marie Kondo and Fumio Sasaki. Sasaki recently told MONOCLE that he owned just 20 items of clothing. Meanwhile, in Seoul, families are moving into traditional hanok houses that have been renovated, taking only enough clothes for seven outfits, one for each day of the week.
I'm hardly alone in my travails. Movinga, a removal company, has collected data on the question: what percentage of people's wardrobes have not been worn in the past 12 months? According to the 18,000 households polled globally, in several nations people hadn't worn more than 80 per cent of their wardrobes. Belgium, the US and Italy were the worst offenders.
I have no delusions about the fact I'll continue to buy. So, how to keep my percentage of wardrobe worn respectable? I asked friends for solutions: the best came from one who throws out an item each time he makes a purchase.
High-end brands are trying to help: they're telling us to buy fewer but better-quality garments that will last longer. Which is commendable. But it doesn't scratch that itch of wanting new things. Perhaps our salvation is the rise of initiatives such as Atelier & Repairs, a cool LA studio that twists customers' clothes into fresh pieces by adding denim patches to trousers or gingham pockets to shirts. Everything old is new again, and all that.
It's the season to come in from the cold and make the most of your interior: so get your tape measure out and put on those sturdy knits and durable fabrics.
A nod to the older model, plus artistic scents and new jackets for your autumn wardrobe.
In the rough and tumble of Japan's wash-and-go laundry market, we visit a drycleaner that values service over speed (your shirt will be back in three weeks).


Want to Give the Gift of a Book This Holiday Season? A Gift Guide for All Kinds of Readers.
It's Back! The Page-a-Day Calendar to Make Your Days Happier.
Need a Good Gift for Mother's Day? Guess What I'll Suggest.
Interested in Habits? Want a Free Bonus Gift? Of Course!
Need an Idea for a Holiday Gift?
Want Personalized Bookplates for Holiday Gifts? Don't Delay!
Want a "Tips for Happiness in Your New Home" Card To Accompany a Gift? Or For Yourself?


Generation Kill was formed by current Exodus frontman Rob Dukes and Rob Moschetti (ex-Pro-Pain, M.O.D.) The original concept of the band was to break away from the current formula. By embracing their roots and incorporating them into the project Generation Kill is a true crossover band. Each song has its own identity, and mood, which gives the band its original sound without abandoning their influences.
Read more about Generation Kill on Last.fm.


text:
Previous (Hamlet)
Next (Hampi)
c. 1795 B.C.E. (middle)
King of Babylon
Samsu-Iluna
Hammurabi (Akkadian from Amorite ˤAmmurāpi, "the kinsman is a healer," from ˤAmmu, "paternal kinsman," and Rāpi, "healer;" (c. 1795–1750 B.C.E. middle chronology) was the sixth king of Babylon. He became the first king of the Babylonian Empire, extending Babylon's control over Mesopotamia by winning a series of wars against neighboring kingdoms. He was a very efficient ruler, giving the region stability after turbulent times, and transforming what had been an unstable collection of city-states into an empire that spanned the fertile crescent of Mesopotamia.
A great literary revival followed. One of the most important works of this "First Dynasty of Babylon," as the native historians called it, was the compilation of a code of laws. This was made by order of Hammurabi after the expulsion of the Elamites and the settlement of his kingdom. A copy of the Code of Hammurabi was found in 1901 by J. de Morgan at Susa, and is now in the Louvre. This code recognized that kingly power derived from God and that earthly rulers had moral duties, as did their subjects. It laid out Hammurabi's task "to bring about the rule of righteousness in the land, to destroy the wicked and the evil-doers" and to fear God. Hammurabi's code was one of the first written codes of law in recorded history. These laws were written on a stone tablet, or stele, standing over six feet tall.
2 Code of laws
Although his empire controlled all of Mesopotamia at the time of his death, his successors were unable to maintain it.
Map showing the Babylonian territory upon Hammurabi's ascension in c. 1792 B.C.E. and upon his death in c. 1750 B.C.E.
Hammurabi was a First Dynasty king of the city-state of Babylon, and inherited the throne from his father, Sin-muballit, in c. 1792 B.C.E.[1] Babylon was one of the many ancient city-states that dotted the Mesopotamian plain and waged war on each other for control of fertile agricultural land.[2] Though many cultures co-existed in Mesopotamia, Babylonian culture gained a degree of prominence among the literate classes throughout the Middle East.[3] The kings who came before Hammurabi had begun to consolidate rule of central Mesopotamia under Babylonian hegemony and, by the time of his reign, had conquered the city-states of Borsippa, Kish, and Sippar.[3] Thus Hammurabi ascended to the throne as the king of a minor kingdom in the midst of a complex geopolitical situation. The powerful kingdom of Eshnunna controlled the upper Tigris River while Larsa controlled the river delta. To the east lay the kingdom of Elam. To the north, the Shamshi-Adad I was undertaking expansionistic wars,[4] although his untimely death would fragment his newly conquered Semitic empire.[5]
The first few decades of Hammurabi's reign were relatively peaceful. Hammurabi used this time to undertake a series of public works, including heightening the city walls for defensive purposes, and expanding the temples.[6] In c. 1766 B.C.E., the powerful kingdom of Elam, which straddled important trade routes across the Zagros Mountains, invaded the Mesopotamian plain.[7] With allies among the plain states, Elam attacked and destroyed the empire of Eshnunna, destroying a number of cities and imposing its rule on portions of the plain for the first time.[8] In order to consolidate its position, Elam tried to start a war between Hammurabi's Babylonian kingdom and the kingdom of Larsa.[9] Hammurabi and the king of Larsa made an alliance when they discovered this duplicity and were able to crush the Elamites, although Larsa did not contribute greatly to the military effort.[9] Angered by Larsa's failure to come to his aid, Hammurabi turned on that southern power, thus gaining control of the entirety of the lower Mesopotamian plain by ca. 1763 B.C.E.[10]
As Hammurabi was assisted during the war in the south by his allies from the north, the absence of soldiers in the north led to unrest.[10] Continuing his expansion, Hammurabi turned his attention northward, quelling the unrest and soon after crushing Eshnunna.[11] Next, the Babylonian armies conquered the remaining northern states, including Babylon's former ally Mari, although it is possible that the "conquest" of Mari was a surrender without any actual conflict.[12] In just a few years, Hammurabi had succeeded in uniting all of Mesopotamia under his rule.[6] Of the major city-states in the region, only Aleppo and Qatna to the west in Syria maintained their independence.[6] However, one stele of Hammurabi has been found as far north as Diyarbekir, where he claims the title "King of the Amorites."[13]
Vast numbers of contract tablets, dated to the reigns of Hammurabi and his successors, have been discovered, as well as 55 of his own letters.[14] These letters give a glimpse into the daily trials of ruling an empire, from dealing with floods and mandating changes to a flawed calendar, to taking care of Babylon's massive herds of livestock.[15] Hammurabi died and passed the reins of the empire on to his son Samsu-Iluna in ca. 1750 B.C.E.[16]
Code of laws
The upper part of the stele of Hammurabi's code of laws
Hammurabi, first King of the Babylonian Empire, is best known for his laws - the Code of Hammurabi - which were inscribed on a large stele for all to see
Hammurabi is best known for the promulgation of a new code of Babylonian law: The Code of Hammurabi. This was written on a stele, a large stone monument, and placed in a public place so that all could see it, although it is thought that few were literate. The stele was later plundered by the Elamites and removed to their capital, Susa; it was rediscovered there in 1901, and is now in the Louvre Museum in Paris.[17] The code of Hammurabi contained 282 laws, written by scribes on 12 tablets. Unlike earlier laws, it was written in Akkadian, the daily language of Babylon, and could therefore be read by any literate person in the city.[18]
An inscription of the Code of Hammurabi.
The Code consists of rules and punishments if those rules are broken. The structure of the code is very specific, with each offense receiving a specified punishment. It focuses on theft, agriculture (or shepherding), property damage, women's rights, marriage rights, children's rights, slave rights, murder, death, and injury. The punishment varies depending on the class of offenders and victims, with upper classes, who are expected to be more responsible, receiving harsher punishments.
The punishments tended to be harsh by modern standards, with many offenses resulting in death, disfigurement, or the use of the "Eye for eye, tooth for tooth" (Lex Talionis "Law of Retaliation") philosophy. Putting the laws into writing was significant because it suggested that the laws were immutable and above the power of any earthly king to change. The code is also one of the earliest examples of the idea of presumption of innocence, and it also suggests that the accused and accuser have the opportunity to provide evidence. However, there is no provision for extenuating circumstances to alter the prescribed punishment.
A carving at the top of the stele portrays Hammurabi receiving the laws from the god Shamash, and the preface states that Hammurabi was chosen by the gods of his people to bring the laws to them. Parallels to this divine inspiration for laws can be seen in the laws given to Moses for the ancient Hebrews. Similar codes of law were created in several nearby civilizations, including the earlier neo-Sumerian example of Ur-Nammu's code, and the later Hittite code of laws.[19]
Under the rules of Hammurabi's successors, the Babylonian Empire was weakened by military pressure from the Hittites, who sacked Babylon around 1600 B.C.E.[20] However, it was the Kassites who eventually conquered Babylon and ruled Mesopotamia for 400 years, adopting parts of the Babylonian culture, including Hammurabi's code of laws.
Because of Hammurabi's reputation as a lawgiver, his depiction can be found in several U.S. government buildings. Hammurabi is one of the 23 lawgivers depicted in marble bas-reliefs in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives in the United States Capitol.[21] An image of Hammurabi receiving the Code of Hammurabi from the Babylonian sun god (probably Shamash) is depicted on the frieze on the south wall of the U.S. Supreme Court building.[22]
↑ Marc Van De Mieroop, King Hammurabi of Babylon: A Biography (Blackwell Publishing, 2005, ISBN 1405126604), 1.
↑ Van De Mieroop, 2005, 1–2.
↑ 3.0 3.1 Van De Mieroop, 2005, 3.
↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Bill T. Arnold, Who Were the Babylonians? (Brill Publishers, 2005, ISBN 978-9004130715).
↑ Van De Mieroop, 2005, 15–16.
↑ 9.0 9.1 Van De Mieroop, 2005, 18.
↑ 10.0 10.1 Van De Mieroop, 2005, 31.
↑ Albert Tobias Clay, The Empire of the Amorites (University of Michigan Library, 1919).
↑ James Henry Breasted, Ancient Time or a History of the Early World, Part 1 (Kessinger Publishing, 2003, ISBN 0766149463), 129.
↑ Breasted, 2003, 129–130.
↑ Arnold, 2005, 42.
↑ L.W. King, The Code of Hammurabi (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012, ISBN 978-1470100896).
↑ Breasted, 2003, 141.
↑ W.W. Davies, Codes of Hammurabi and Moses (Kessinger Publishing, 2003, ISBN 0766131246).
↑ Lukas DeBlois, An Introduction to the Ancient World (Routledge, 1997, ISBN 0415127734), 19.
↑ Architect of the Capital, Hammurabi. Retrieved July 8, 2008.
↑ Supreme Court of the United States, Courtroom Friezes. Retrieved May 18, 2008.
Arnold, Bill T. Who Were the Babylonians? Brill Publishers, 2005. ISBN 978-9004130715.
Breasted, James Henry. Ancient Time or a History of the Early World, Part 1. Kessinger Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0766149463.
Clay, Albert Tobias. The Empire of the Amorites. University of Michigan Library, 1919. ASIN B003TSERAE
Davies, W.W. Codes of Hammurabi and Moses. Kessinger Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0766131246.
DeBlois, Lukas. An Introduction to the Ancient World. Routledge, 1997. ISBN 0415127734.
King, L.W. The Code of Hammurabi. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012. ISBN 978-1470100896.
Van De Mieroop, Marc. King Hammurabi of Babylon: A Biography. Blackwell Publishing, 2005. ISBN 1405126604.
All links retrieved July 26, 2017.
A Closer Look at the Code of Hammurabi (Louvre museum)
Etymology of the word 'Hammurabi'
Preceded by:
Sin-muballit Kings of Babylon
Succeeded by:
Hammurabi history
History of "Hammurabi"
Retrieved from https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Hammurabi&oldid=1005827
Politics and social sciences
History of Asia


text:
SMC alumna discusses political career
Martha Reilly | Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Becki Jeren
SMC alumna London Lamar describes the path her career in political science has taken at the Rice Commons at Saint Mary's on Monday.
Saint Mary's graduate London Lamar returned to campus Monday, and discussed the benefits of her political science degree and encouraged students to make the most of their time in college.
Lamar, who graduated from the College in 2013 and currently serves as president of the Tennessee Young Democrats, said she recognizes the importance of remaining true to her passions.
"I've always been involved in politics," Lamar said. "I decided to expand on my interests when I came to Saint Mary's. I wanted to see my personal platform be expanded."
According to Lamar, students should view college as an opportunity to experiment with different classes and interests.
"If you're not sure where you want to go in life, dabble here at Saint Mary's so that when you jump out into the world, you have a more clear idea of where you want to go," Lamar said. "Then once you find out what you like, go into it with full force."
Lamar said she attributes her success to her time at Saint Mary's, as well as her semester in Washington, D.C., which provided her with the hands-on experience necessary to stand out.
"I took advantage of a lot of the opportunities I had here at Saint Mary's, which has really helped propel my career," Lamar said. "It's really hard to get a job after college. You have to be able to distinguish yourself from the rest. You have to make yourself be a shining star."
Lamar said that people should not rely solely on academics and experience, though, because networking serves an equally valuable role.
"It's not about what you know," Lamar said. "It's about who you know. Make sure you build connections with people who can help set you apart and get you where you want to go."
According to Lamar, social media plays a larger role than ever, so she advised students to market themselves and portray themselves in the best light possible.
"I cannot express how critical your social media is," Lamar said.
She observed firsthand the competitive nature of her profession when she ran for the Tennessee Democratic Party State Executive Committee in 2014, Lamar said. Although she did not win, she said the experience only strengthened her desire to succeed.
"It was really hard because I had to go out there and convince people to vote for me against people who are way older," she said. "In a competitive workforce, you always want to be number one. That experience empowered me. It created a fire in me."
Lamar said her achievements would not be possible without the foundation she established while at Saint Mary's, so she encouraged students to work hard and become involved.
"I have crafted my path to leadership based on the brand I started at Saint Mary's," she said. "I really want to stress how important taking advantage of experiences is."
She said she understands that college is a busy time but encouraged students to rise to the occasion and always extend their best effort.
"Put yourself out there to be better than the rest," Lamar said. "Right now, you have a lot of opportunities to be great. Be great."
Tags: political science, SMC, Tennessee Young Democrats
About Martha Reilly
Martha is a senior majoring in English literature and political science. She currently serves as Saint Mary's editor but still values the Oxford comma in everyday use.
Contact Martha
SMC prepares for student body presidential elections
Tickets for student government "Big Board" and Class Board elections at Saint Mary's were...
Panelists discuss creation of "Sisters of Selma"
Saint Mary's breaks ground on athletic facility
Panelists discuss next steps for American liberalism


text:
/**
 *
 */

dojo.require("dijit.form.TextBox");
dojo.require("dijit.form.Button");

function readContext() {
	dojo.byId('messages').innerHTML = 'reading context...';
	var deffered = cfx.proxy.getContextData();
	deffered.addCallback(function(result) {
		var output = '';
		for ( var prop in result) {
			console.log(prop + " = " + result[prop]);
			output += '' + prop + ' = ' + result[prop] + '
';
		}
		dojo.byId('contextItems').innerHTML = output; //dojo.toJson(result);
		dojo.byId('messages').innerHTML = '';
	});
	deffered.addErrback(function(result) {
		dojo.byId('messages').innerHTML = dojo.toJson(result.message);
	});
}

function setContext() {
	var deffered = cfx.proxy.setDelimitedContext(dojo.byId('items').value);
	deffered.addCallback(function(result) {
		dojo.byId('messages').innerHTML = 'context set...';
	});
	deffered.addErrback(function(result) {
		dojo.byId('messages').innerHTML = dojo.toJson(result.message);
	});

}

function setSurvey() {

	dojo.byId('messages').innerHTML = 'setting survey response';

	var deffered = cfx.proxy.setSurveyReason('clientPage',
			dojo.byId('reason').value);
	deffered.addCallback(function(result) {
		dojo.byId('messages').innerHTML = 'survey response set';
	});
	deffered.addErrback(function(result) {
		dojo.byId('messages').innerHTML = dojo.toJson(result.message);
	});
}

try {
	cfx.ready(function() {

		readContext();
		dojo.style(dojo.byId("formDiv"), {
			display : ''
		});

		//remove default of behavior of reloading entire page.
		dojo.unsubscribe(cfxContextUpdatedHandler);
		cfxContextUpdatedHandler = dojo.subscribe('cfxContextCouponUpdated',
				readContext);
	});
} catch (ex) {
	console.info(ex);
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


including SOFTlab, StudioMode, and Yo_Cy.
For 'Aura' we will be presenting elements from the Garden of Earthly Delights a collaborative piece we created with photographer, Timothy Saccenti. The reception will be held on August 12th from 6pm to 8pm.
The Business of Aura- Opening August 12th at the Elga Wimmer Gallery.
The concept of aura has myriad associations in art and design history, from the Frankfurt School to New Age Spiritualism. All too often, however, the term is read in its narrowest sense- the aura that Walter Benjamin mourned the loss of in his famous essay Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, now 75 years old. Rather than taking up the terms of that debate, asking whether or not art today has lost its aura, this collection aims to reclaim a broader understanding of aura in contemporary practices today.
In popular culture, aura is generally defined as a symptom of altered visual or sensual states. Reflecting this, the current exhibition includes works that produce visceral affect-based responses. These works operate through material richness, surface tactility, striking geometry, animate form, and light. Also included are works that encompass an inventive reading of aura. In this context, the exhibition models creative studio practice as a general force that extends beyond boundaries and containers- the aura here is not so much a property of an object that can be sensed, but rather a conceptual ambition to start with the everyday and then expand beyond it, producing new structures, symbols, or social interactions.
Other works look at an interior aura- they focus on individual subjects who are lost in an environment, engrossed in their own world. Through narrative, these works look at the psychological potential of aura to produce new experiences of reality. Linking the works is the "business of art- the buying and selling of designed objects located within a market". As much as art relies on creating "otherness", the art market is ultimately about the desire of the intangible, the aura of the work. The art business provides a stage for aura. The exhibition is a testimony to a multitude of perspectives, showing that the Business of Aura remains as intangible yet present today as it was seventy-five years ago.


text:
In an anticlimactic end to a twenty month Federal investigation into Lance Armstrong, the office of the federal prosecutors issued a quiet statement on the Friday before the Super Bowl stating that they have abandoned their investigation. Somewhere along the way, someone determined that this wasn't a case worth pursuing. I've taken a couple days to digest this news and had a good conversation with Martin Hardie, Lecturer in Law at the Deakin University and anti-doping researcher.
Martin Hardie was never involved in case and is often just as polarising to people as Lance Armstrong is, but he has a wealth of knowledge about the law and anti-doping. I truly believe his head and heart are in the right place, so I value his opinions. The first thing that Martin teaches his students is that the law is not justice. I think we've all seen enough evidence of that throughout our lives.
I'm not going to try to convince you that Lance did or didn't use PED's to win seven TdF's. You most likely already have your mind made up and I won't change that. I too have my mind made up and I'm afraid that you'll find this post tainted with bias.
First thing to understand is that federal prosecutors have closed their investigation of Lance Armstrong without filing charges. There was no ruling. Authorities are under no legal obligation to explain themselves and the news caught everyone involved in the case by surprise. Announcing the decision on the eve of the Super Bowl was convenient timing for the news to be pushed to the back pages of the papers.
People can only speculate as to why the Federal prosecutors chose to close the investigation. Mr. Hardie understands from people close to the case, "there was an enormous breadth and depth of crushing evidence. The doping evidence was clear cut."
It's important to understand that the prosecutors did not build a case around doping charges. Doping in sport is not federal crime in the US and the case was built around tax fraud and other charges related to the violation of the USPS sponsorship contract which prohibited doping.
Unlike Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens who testified before a federal grand jury and were accused of lying under oath, Armstrong was not called to testify. However, Yaroslav Popovych, Tyler Hamilton, George Hincapie, Levi Leipheimer were subpoenaed to testify under oath and according to Martin Hardy who has spoken to people close to the case, they all "spilled the beans". They also had Dr. Ferrari's computer records which were damning.
Like Goldman Sachs and Citibank, is Lance and Livestrong too big to fail? Are too many hearts and wallets at stake? There will be speculation that there was pressure put on the attorney general's department from high up and outside to make this investigation go away. Lance is no stranger to the world of politics. Armstrong's lawyer is Mark Fabiani who was Bill Clinton's counsel for the Whitewater scandal. Lance golfs with Bill Clinton, goes mountain biking with George Bush, gets on well with Mike Rann, and has announced his political aspirations himself.
Lance has far more political power than Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens. If you put together all the difficulty they had with those cases, the potential of this drawing out forever and the amount of money that Lance would throw at it, plus the political connections and pressure Lance could put behind it, the Federal Prosecutor may have concluded that this is just too hard.
The USADA has formally announced their intentions to continue their investigation into the doping allegations. Although USADA does not subpoena power, they have seen some of the evidence in the federal investigation and try to bring out more. Will previous testimonies go public? It depends how the USADA goes about it. If they have a public hearing it may all come about.
What can come out of this? If the USADA concludes that Lance used PED's, then it's up to the UCI to decide whether or not to take away his victories. You can already see that they've set the ground with statements about "let's not live in the past." Whatever conclusion the USADA comes to, it will largely be symbolic.
There could still be a civil whistleblower case brought under the False Claims Act that goes forward (possibly by Floyd Landis with the claim of past fraud committed against the federal government). This will again bring up the question of whether or not the $32 million in sponsorship contracts towards the USPS cycling team was spent on systematic doping.
What this signals is that there will be more of the same. Those who are connected to the right power centers in cycling are going to continue to get away with doping. The ones who are dispensable will fall.
You might think that from what I've said in this post that I'm a Lance Armstrong hater. The truth is that he doesn't polarize me in the same way he does to many.
I suppose for me it's a bit like when I was a kid and the slow realisation that Santa Claus wasn't true. My parents didn't need to pull me aside and tell me. Over the years I put 2+2 together, figured it out something wasn't right, kept my mouth shut to my younger sister, and know that the truth doesn't hurt anyone. If you've been a cyclist and a fan for a long time you'll be able to put 2+2 together as well. I have a lot to thank Lance Armstrong for. He inspired my obsession in road racing which has given me a tremendous amount of joy. He helped bring road racing to the level of popularity we enjoy to this day. He has done a lot for cancer, even though it's debatable if the money is put to good use. I don't lose any sleep over what I think the truth is. It is what it is, and we're not going to turn back time if anything is revealed. No matter what the truth is, I cannot deny the excitement that Lance brought to the sport which had me fixated on the Tour for seven years and on the edge of my seat. Whatever happens, my memories of that will not diminish.
That said, I believe the USADA still needs to proceed with their investigation so the people who still work inside the sport from the U.S. Postal era are exposed. They are the future which harm the sport.
#doping
#Lance Armstrong
#Tour de France
Running a doping program could soon be a criminal offense in the US
Tour Daily Podcasts: Listen to every episode here
Tubed clinchers just won their first Tour de France road stage since 1992
Video: Bikes of the Tour de France
Your guide to greatness in the CyclingTips Fantasy Competition
Watch live: The Tour de France team presentation


In the beginning, God gave to mankind the freedom to choose their own thoughts, actions and attitudes. We were never free to choose the thoughts, actions or attitudes of others. Freedom never meant freedom from responsibility or to choose the consequences of our actions; external laws and circumstances will affect us whether we want them to or not. For example, if I choose to jump out of a tree, I will be acted upon by gravity and run the risk of injury. I cannot choose that gravity will not apply to me. I am held responsible for my actions and for the potential consequences of my actions. If I desire to experience a particular consequence, then I ought to make a choice that is likely to lead to that consequence.
When sin came into the world, things changed. To put it simply, without engaging in a theological debate, mankind lost the power to fully resist the power of sin's control over him. He found himself doing what he did not want to do and not doing what he knew he ought to do. In other words, he lost the fullness of his freedom to choose for himself.
There may come a time when I am not physically free. I may be unjustly imprisoned or constrained by physical ailment. But in the midst of captivity, I can choose my thoughts, my attitudes and my actions. In Christ, it is possible to respond with gentleness and patience in the face of persecution, to respond with kindness in the face of hatred, to honestly forgive those who wrong me and to pray for the welfare of those who mistreat me. It is possible to not only consistently display this attitude outwardly, but to experience it inwardly. This kind of freedom only comes through Jesus Christ.
However, it doesn't happen automatically. It comes as a consequence of pursuing Jesus, of knowing and choosing, in the moment, what He says is true: "If you continue in My word… you will know the truth… if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." In other words, in any given circumstance, I remember what Jesus tells me is true about this circumstance and I consciously choose to think and act in accord with that truth. He breaks the power of sin over me and empowers me to carry out the right thoughts and actions I have chosen.
This is not a one-time choice, because God never takes away from me the right to choose my own thoughts, actions and attitudes. He simply offers to empower me, in the moment, to carry out my choices without the interference of sin.
We are creatures of habit. This can be both a blessing and a curse. What I mean is that God has so designed mankind that repetitive actions tend to become habits and habits become second nature. This is good when we practice good habits, because as habits are developed, those actions become second nature, meaning I don't have to consciously think about them so much or work at them so hard. But when we need to break old habits and develop new habits, it can be hard.
When you have made the choice not to follow the path of sin, acknowledge the Spirit's presence in your heart and embrace what He says is true. If the truth requires you to take positive action, don't put it off, do it!
Soon you will find yourself living with a new sense of freedom in Christ!
I love how you went back to the beginning & tied it to the saving grace of Christ.
Thanks for this message. Thought-provoking and just what I need.
Spiritual lust makes me demand an answer from God, instead of seeking God… The meaning of prayer is that we get hold of God, not of the answer.


Stack cards to build the four stacks in ascending order from aces to kings.
Stair Fall 2 Deluxe: Throw your stickman down the stairs!
Necronomicon 2: Battle against the Cthulhu Mythos in this single player card game based on the work of HP Lovecraft. Go up ranks and unlock cards as you play.


text:
SINGAPORE'S MULTIPLE AWARD-WINNING SECURITY PROVIDER
Concorde Security is established since 1997 and has recently transformed into a state-of-the-art technology company.
The Company is recognized for its bold and disruptive innovation with its integrated monitoring of properties, assets and building service systems under 24/7 surveillance, ensuring complete security and business efficiency. This is done through a suite of smart security solutions called "I-Guarding Solutions". The first of these solutions is its patented I-Man Facility Sprinter ("IFS") – a revolutionary mobile vehicular platform providing security and facility maintenance services.
Having set a new industry standard, Concorde is acknowledged for spearheading change in the recent Industry Transformation Map for the sector.
Additionally, its technologically enabled solutions upgrade its workers' salaries, skill-sets and working conditions and redefine the business proposition for the whole industry.
Mr Alan Chua
We provide the below innovative and cost-saving security services for your premises and increased peace-of-mind.
I-Guarding™ Solution
I-Man Access Control System (I-MACS)
Secured Aerial Viewer (-Viewer)
TV White Space
Guarding Services
We have innovated, designed, built and installed cost-saving solutions which have increased security efficiency within multiple industries. These include logistic parks, hotels, residential buildings, offices, commercial buildings and schools. These have become hallmarks of security innovation in Singapore.
In 1997 Concorde Security was founded
More than 100 locations secured with I-Guarding and IFS
Happy clients enjoying peace of mind
SMF - BMI Awards 2014
SiTF Awards 2015
APICTA Awards 2015
NIA Awards 2016
2017 Concorde Security UK branch office founded
WIPO - IPOS IP Awards 2017
Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2017 - Mr Alan Chua
Featured in Security Industry Transformation Map
I-Guarding Global Alliance MoU signing
I-Man Access Control System (IMACS) official lunch
Read more +05 October 2018 By Concorde in News, Press
Read more +31 July 2018 By Concorde in News
Alan Chua is the Executive Director of Concorde Security Pte Ltd ("Concorde"), a security agency which he founded in 1997. Under his strong leadership, Concorde has grown steadily and has established an excellent track record of responsible, responsive and reliable services of high quality and ethics values. Alan also oversees the Company's financial activities i.e. overseeing the finance department, reviewing the budget management, performance reporting and compliance of the Company and liaison with external stakeholders. With a fairly lean management team, Concorde currently provides a unique range of solutions and services to more than 100 corporate clients in Singapore. Over the years, Alan has expanded the business into the areas of building facility services, security technology and electrical engineering works. The group's annual revenue has been in excess of S$12 million. Alan's goal is to transform the company's revenue model so that 90% of its revenue comes from its technology offerings. In 2013, inspired by the Singapore government's clarion call to build a 'Smart Nation', and spurred by demands of socio-economic challenges, Alan and his team spearheaded an initiative to create new solutions that will resolve the problems faced by the man-guarding industry. The 'fruits' of his efforts were a matrix of innovative intelligent solutions that are designed to achieve higher productivity and higher level of service with lean manpower. These inventions include the I-Man Facility Sprinter (IFS), the I-Man Access Control System (I-MACS), Secured Aerial Viewer and Secured Cruise Vessel. Alan's long-term vision is to transform the security industry through the use of technologically-driven security solutions from man-guarding to man-less guarding. These security innovations, especially the first innovation, IFS, have garnered the inaugural Singapore Manufacturing Federation's Business Model Innovation Awards 2014, the NTUC May Day Model Partnership Awards 2015, the Mobility Technology Merlion (Gold) Awards 2015 for Security Sector, Asia Pacific ICT (Merit) Awards 2015 and Most Innovative Use of Infocomm Technology for Private Sector-SME (Winner) Awards 2016. Concorde's innovative success story has attracted significant media interest and global attention. Alan is a graduate from Singapore Polytechnic (SP) with a Diploma in Building. He is also a Fellow with the Chartered Management Institute, U.K., incorporated by Royal Charter. Alan is also an inventor of leading security solutions with Certificate of Grant of Patent recognized by Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
Mr Lam Joon Khoi
Lam Joon Khoi has had a decorated career with the Singapore Armed Forces. When he left SAF, he held the rank of a Brigadier-General and had taken on key positions such as the Director of the Joint Operations and Planning Directorate and Chief of Staff of the General Staff (Army). He received the Public Administration Medal (Silver) (Military) in 1996. Joon Khoi returned to the Singapore Administrative Service as the Deputy Secretary (Policy) in the Ministry of Education and later also held senior positions in the Ministry of Finance, National Environment Agency, Singapore Land Authority, and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources. Before joining Concorde as Senior Advisor, he was the Secretary-General of Singapore Manufacturing Federation. Joon Khoi graduated from the Imperial College London with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in First Class Honours. He attained his Masters of Science in Management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sloan School of Management and completed Advanced Management Programme at the Wharton School.
(United Kingdom)
Mr John Naughton
John Naughton has over a decade of experience in the security industry in the UK and was previously with Securitas UK and UNIPART holding key management positions in sales, marketing and business development. He leads Concorde's efforts in its expansion in UK, Europe and later Middle East and Africa. He holds a Higher National Diploma Business Studies (Media Design and Communication) and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Mr Chow Siew Chong
Chow Siew Chong started his career with SRI International, a renowned worldwide research and development institute and has over 25 years' experience in research, consulting, finance, business development and general management. He assists Alan in developing technology partnerships, strategic planning, corporate and business development. He holds a B.B.A degree from National University of Singapore and has worked in diverse industries such as infocomm technology, consumer goods, corporate finance and aviation.
Mr Stanley Ng
Stanley Ng has more than 15 years' experience in key management positions with the Genting Group, Microsoft, and Hewlett-Packard. His experiences include managing business and product innovation in hardware, software, cloud services, supply chain, loyalty and intellectual asset licensing. Stanley is a qualified trainer, assessor and curriculum developer and is a Certified Professional Intellectual Asset Manager by Malaysian Institute of Management (MIM). He holds a B.B.A degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Oklahoma, U.S.A and has completed QB3 biotechnology Entrepreneurship Programme (UCSF).
Mr Benjamin Ng H.A.
Benjamin Ng H. A. was previously with Global Knowledge Network, a unit of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) and also held an Assistant Director position at Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA). He has many years of experience as an entrepreneur involved in start-up businesses in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, unified communication technologies and call centre businesses. He spent 10 years in the U.S. working in Washington D.C. area. He is a graduate of University of Maryland, College Park with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science.
EXECUTIVE MANAGER I
Ms Sharifah Said
Sharifah Said has been with the company since the beginning and oversees the administrative operations. She is responsible for organizing and coordinating office operations and procedures ensuring the success of the company through organizational effectiveness and efficiency. Sharifah has a Diploma in Business Administration and a Private Secretary's diploma.
EXECUTIVE MANAGER II
Ms Belinda Ng
Belinda Ng has been with the company for over 7 years and is in charge of day-to-day operations of the company including finance. Graduated from Malaysia University of Science with a degree in Management (Finance), she is instrumental in assisting the transformation process of Concorde.
CORE VALUES, VISION & MISSION
Concorde focuses on responsibility, responsiveness, reliability and providing welfare for its officers whilst holding values as ethics and professionalism.
Our Core Values:
Health and Safety Focus
Excellent Teamwork
Good Service and Project Knowledge
Concorde Security Services was established in September 1997. Since then, we have successfully secured and maintained security guarding services at many locations in Singapore.
These include Singapore's leading automobile company, Asia leading industrial developer, MNC, Statutory Boards and many more.
The Company was subsequently converted into a Private Limited entity in 2005.
Our IFS Solution helps to achieve corporate social responsibility by helping our security guards to only work short working hours to enjoy a work life balance while transforming their career path so that they are able to have a better future & career prospect.


Oamaru has again lost its air service - the fourth time an airline has pulled out since 1990.
Mainland Air, which started return flights to Christchurch in June, has now decided to end the service from Sunday.
''It was something we had to try, but if there is not the work we cannot afford to carry on,'' Mainland chief executive Shirley Kean said yesterday.
Last month, flights were reduced to the most popular days and the situation was to be reviewed before the end of this month.
If the flights had been breaking even or in profit, the company would have continued, she said.
The Piper Chieftain aircraft used on the Oamaru-Christchurch route was in demand for other tasks for the company and pilot Sven Thelning, who knew the Oamaru flights were a trial, had another job.
Mrs Kean said the company had flown charter flights from Oamaru before it started the service, and would continue to do so.
The company would continue to monitor the situation in the future but ''without bums on seats'' could not maintain a service, she said.
Bookings had slowed down on the reduced schedule over the past few weeks and caused the decision to end the service.
There had been some criticism on social media about the cost of flights and the destination to Christchurch instead of Wellington.
However, Mrs Kean said lowering the price of tickets was never an option and flying to Wellington would have cost even more, as well as placing Mainland in competition with Air NZ's flights from Timaru.
Mainland introduced morning flights from Oamaru at 7.30am, arriving Christchurch at 8.10am and returning to Oamaru at 8.45am.
Afternoon flights left Oamaru at 4.30pm, returning by 6.10pm.
A Sunday flight left Oamaru at 4pm.


Apply now for Desktop Support Analyst jobs in Information Technology. 4,547 positions are currently open at eFinancialCareers.
Information Technology, Desktop Support Analyst: currently 4547 jobs.The latest job was posted on 21 Apr 19.


text:
/** @jsx jsx */
import { Box, Button, Input, Flex, jsx, Label, Radio } from "theme-ui";
import { Button as MenuButton, Wrapper, Menu, MenuItem } from "react-aria-menubutton";
import { useClipboard } from "use-clipboard-copy";

import { ProjectVisibility } from "../../shared/constants";
import { IProject } from "../../shared/entities";
import { updateProjectVisibility } from "../actions/projectData";
import Icon from "../components/Icon";
import store from "../store";
import { style as menuButtonStyles, invertStyles } from "./MenuButton.styles";
import Tooltip from "./Tooltip";

const style = {
  input: {
    border: "none",
    borderRight: "1px solid",
    borderRightColor: "gray.2",
    borderRadius: 0
  },
  description: {
    pb: 3,
    lineHeight: "1.4"
  },
  inputWrapper: {
    borderRadius: "small",
    border: "2px solid",
    borderColor: "gray.2"
  },
  label: { mb: 0 },
  menuItem: {
    flexDirection: "row"
  },
  radio: {
    width: "space.6",
    flex: "none"
  }
} as const;

enum ShareMenuKeys {
  Private = "Private",
  Visible = "Visible",
  Published = "Published"
}

interface ShareProps {
  readonly invert?: boolean;
  readonly project?: IProject;
}

const ShareMenu = ({ invert, project }: ShareProps) => {
  const clipboard = useClipboard({ copiedTimeout: 2000, selectOnCopy: true });

  const onVisibilityChanged = (shareMenuKey: string) => {
    store.dispatch(
      updateProjectVisibility(ProjectVisibility[shareMenuKey as keyof typeof ProjectVisibility])
    );
  };

  return (
    <Wrapper
      sx={{ position: "relative", pr: 1 }}
      closeOnSelection={false}
      onSelection={onVisibilityChanged}
    >
      <MenuButton
        sx={{
          ...{ variant: "buttons.ghost", fontWeight: "light" },
          ...menuButtonStyles.menuButton,
          ...invertStyles({ invert })
        }}
        className="share-menu"
      >
        <Icon
          name={
            project?.visibility === ProjectVisibility.Visible
              ? "link"
              : project?.visibility === ProjectVisibility.Published
              ? "eye"
              : "lock-locked"
          }
        />
        Share
      </MenuButton>
      <Menu
        sx={{
          ...menuButtonStyles.menu,
          ...{ width: "350px", p: 3 }
        }}
      >

            <MenuItem value={ShareMenuKeys.Private}>
              <Flex sx={style.menuItem}>
                <Box sx={style.radio}>
                  <Radio
                    name="project-share"
                    value={ProjectVisibility.Private}
                    onChange={e => onVisibilityChanged(e.target.value)}
                    checked={project?.visibility === ProjectVisibility.Private}
                    aria-describedby="project-share-private"
                  />
                </Box>
                <Box>
                  Private
                  <Box sx={style.description} id="project-share-private">
                    Only you can view
                  </Box>
                </Box>
              </Flex>
            </MenuItem>

            <MenuItem value={ShareMenuKeys.Visible}>
              <Flex sx={style.menuItem}>
                <Box sx={style.radio}>
                  <Radio
                    name="project-share"
                    value={ProjectVisibility.Visible}
                    onChange={e => onVisibilityChanged(e.target.value)}
                    checked={project?.visibility === ProjectVisibility.Visible}
                    aria-describedby="project-share-visible"
                  />
                </Box>
                <Box>
                  Only share with link
                  <Box sx={style.description} id="project-share-visible">
                    Anyone with the link can view
                  </Box>
                </Box>
              </Flex>
            </MenuItem>

            <MenuItem value={ShareMenuKeys.Published}>
              <Flex sx={style.menuItem}>
                <Box sx={style.radio}>
                  <Radio
                    name="project-share"
                    value={ProjectVisibility.Published}
                    onChange={e => onVisibilityChanged(e.target.value)}
                    checked={project?.visibility === ProjectVisibility.Published}
                    aria-describedby="project-share-published"
                  />
                </Box>
                <Box>
                  Published
                  <Box sx={style.description} id="project-share-published">
                    Anyone on the DistrictBuilder website or with the link can view
                  </Box>
                </Box>
              </Flex>
            </MenuItem>

          {(project?.visibility === ProjectVisibility.Visible ||
            project?.visibility === ProjectVisibility.Published) && (

              Shareable link
              <Flex sx={style.inputWrapper}>
                <Input
                  ref={clipboard.target}
                  value={window.location.toString()}
                  readOnly
                  sx={style.input}
                />
                <Tooltip content="Copied!" visible={clipboard.copied}>
                  <Button
                    onClick={() => {
                      clipboard.copy();
                    }}
                    sx={{ variant: "buttons.quiet" }}
                  >
                    <Icon name="clipboard" />
                  </Button>
                </Tooltip>
              </Flex>

          )}

      </Menu>
    </Wrapper>
  );
};

export default ShareMenu;


Go fish is a classic game that is fun for players of all ages. Sit down at the table and take a good look at your cards. Then begin asking around to complete sets of four cards to earn points. If the person you request a card from does not have that card, then you'll have to go fish and pick up another card. The goal of this game is to collect as many pairs as possible until there are no more cards left to draw. Pay close attention to who has what, and strategically ask your opponents for the cards you need to earn a high score in this fun online card game for kids!


text:
A Carnival Of Losses: Notes Nearing Ninety
Former poet laureate of the United States Donald Hall's final collection of essays, from the vantage point of very old age, once again "alternately lyrical and laugh‐out‐loud funny."* *(New York Times) "Why should a nonagenarian hold anything back?" Donald Hall answers his own question in these self-knowing, fierce, and funny essays on aging, the pleasures of solitude, and the sometimes astonishing freedoms arising from both. Nearing ninety at the time of writing, he intersperses memories of exuberant days in his youth, with uncensored tales of literary friendships spanning decades—with James Wright, Richard Wilbur, Seamus Heaney, and other luminaries. Cementing his place alongside Roger Angell and Joan Didion as a generous and profound chronicler of loss, this final work is as original and searing as anything Hall wrote during his extraordinary literary lifetime.
Release Date Jul 31, 2018 (US)
Author(s) Fatima Farheen Mirza


text:
A Welcome New Yardstick for Measuring CEO Greed
Sam Pizzigati,
OtherWords
Should corporations in America have to annually reveal how much they pay their most typical workers compared to how much they pay their CEOs?
In 2010, Congress embraced that idea. Lawmakers plugged into the landmark Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a provision that requires major US corporations to publicly disclose the ratio between what their CEOs and typical workers take home.
But top executives at major American corporations hated that provision. After Dodd-Frank's passage, their armies of lobbyists worked overtime to keep mandated pay ratio disclosure from going into effect.
This lobbying blitz had an impact. The Securities and Exchange Commission, the federal agency responsible for writing the regulations necessary for implementing pay ratio disclosure, gave corporate objections to the mandate far too much credence. For five years, SEC regulators dithered.
But average Americans pushed back. Over a quarter-million of us urged the SEC to end the foot-dragging and put ratio disclosure into effect. Early in August, SEC commissioners finally acted. By a three-to-two margin, they adopted a formal rule that requires major US corporations to start compiling CEO-worker pay ratio figures in 2017.
In the debate right before that SEC vote, the two commissioners opposed to ratio disclosure could barely conceal their contempt. The SEC majority, dissenting SEC commissioner Michael Piwowar charged, was giving in to the "bullying" of "Big Labor."
Why all this angst from cheerleaders for Corporate America? The data from disclosure, Piwowar's fellow dissenting commissioner fulminated, would be "highly likely to be misused." In what way? Lawmakers, Piwowar warned ominously, might tie real consequences to a corporation's CEO-worker pay ratio. In fact, he added, that's already starting to happen.
In California last year, state senators debated taxing corporations that pay their CEOs over 400 times what their workers make at a higher tax rate than corporations with CEO-worker pay ratios of 100 or less. In Rhode Island, senators this year considered legislation that would have given companies with a CEO-worker pay ratio of 25 or less preference in the procurement process for government contracts.
President Barack Obama, an alarmed Piwowar noted, has already issued an executive order that mandates a higher minimum wage for companies with federal government contracts. With Dodd-Frank's disclosure mandate in effect, the angry commissioner asked, what's to stop the President from issuing an executive order that uses pay ratios to put in place a maximum wage for CEOs?
For America's high-flying corporate CEOs, an executive order along those lines would, of course, be a nightmare. For the rest of us, a ratio-based executive order that limited CEO pay would make complete sense. We need to press Obama — and the candidates running to succeed him — to have the government deny federal contracts and tax breaks to companies that pay their CEOs more than 25 or 50 times what they pay their workers.
Back in America's much more equal 1950s and 1960s, few corporations paid their top execs much more than 30 times what their workers were making. Today, by contrast, CEOs of major US corporations are averaging well over 300 times more than typical US workers.
Our tax dollars shouldn't support inequality this staggering, either directly or indirectly. The government shouldn't award lucrative contracts to corporations that manufacture vast mega-million fortunes for their top execs and leave their workers struggling to get by.
We actually have a precedent for linking federal procurement decisions to CEO-worker pay ratios. Over a generation ago, we decided as a nation to deny government contracts to companies that practice racial or gender discrimination in their employment practices. Our tax dollars, Americans agreed back then, shouldn't subsidize companies that increase racial or gender inequality.
Our tax dollars shouldn't subsidize corporations that increase our economic inequality either.
Sam Pizzigati
Veteran labor journalist and Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) associate fellow Sam Pizzigati co-edits Inequality.org, the Institute's weekly newsletter on our great divides. He also contributes a regular column to OtherWords, the IPS national nonprofit editorial service. Sam, now retired from the labor movement, spent two decades directing the publishing program at the U.S.'s largest union, the 2.8-million-member National Education Association, and before that edited the national publications of three other U.S. trade unions. Sam's own writing has revolved around economic inequality since the early 1990s. His op-eds on income and wealth concentration have appeared in periodicals all around the world, from The New York Times to Le Monde Diplomatique.


Anyone who invites 8 people will win 20 points and will also become a mini moderator! But dont create more accounts yourself, because I can tell if 2 accounts have the same IP address!
I have just enabled the Reputation System. This is the system through which you can vote for a member. Next to every person's avatar in their vote you will see a + sign, and a - sign. If their vote is helpful or useful to you, then click the plus sign and they shall gain a vote. If their vote is offensive, abusive, etc, you may click the minus sign.
Please put a line through a swear word (e.g:swearword) or put *censored* or replace the letters with '*'s as we have a number of young members.
If you argue with a Moderator or an Admin, you will be given a warning.
Please argue with other members through PMs; we do not want to read your arguments.
I would like to inform all our members that once we get 50 members I will start announcing the member of the month.
Due to inactive members, i have decided that within 2 weeks of account activation it is cumpulsory to have atleast 5 posts. Members who do not reach this landmark shall be removed.Any members who are inactive for over 2 months shall also be deleted.
This is good news. I have started giving awards to members who deserve them. i have created an awards section, In which I will announce who gets which award. The award will simply be a catchy phrase in sparkly text and members will be awardes 2 points for each award they gain. i will start a topic for each member and everytime they win an award i will edit the message and add the award.
As you have noticed, there is a warnings bar next to each persons post and in thier profile. everytime you break one of the rules, you will get a warning which will show up on your warnings bar. After 5 warnings, if you continue breaking the rules you will be banned for a week or more.


"Something I can't live without is a Diet Dr. Pepper. Gotta have at least one every morning to get the motor running."
Fixing things. I' ve always been a tinkerer ever since I was a kid. I always find something around the house or have some new home project I am working on. You name it and I will attempt it . I have to admit though, I am getting a little tired of yardwork.
Fly, so I wouldn't have to deal with the TSA.
You can't have a last picture if you haven't taken your first.
Go on a cruise in the fjords of Norway.
Finish any job you start regardless of circumstances.