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Artemis worship instigated the restrictions of 1 Timothy 2:9-15
1 Timothy is a letter written to help Timothy navigate the mixed-up, idolatrous ideas that were wreaking havoc on the faith of the Christians in Ephesus. Read more about these problems in this article. In 1 Timothy 2:9-15, Paul placed extreme limitations on the women in the Ephesian church, because the women were especially causing problems. We read in chapter 5 that some women were not only disturbing the households of the church, but were demanding monetary support, and were implanting teaching that Paul calls "satanic" (5:15). In chapter 2, we deduce the Ephesians were praying to the wrong god, with wrong ideas about posture, attitude and apparel. The refusal to learn (2:11), the dominating insistence of women (2:12), and the incorrect teaching about the creation order and fall (2:13-14) were all bound together in these women's fear of dying in childbirth (2:15).
The false teaching that was propagated by the Ephesian women is a mystery until you place these thoughts in their historical and geographical context: Ephesus in the first century. In Ephesus, the pervasive worship of Artemis swayed the church away from the true faith, and Paul's words in 1 Timothy 2:9-15 reflect her influence.
"Great is Artemis of the Ephesians" (Acts 19:28)
(© José Luiz Bernardes Ribeiro / , via Wikimedia Commons)
In 1 Timothy, Artemis is not mentioned by name, but her dominating presence in Ephesus was pervasive, as Paul himself experienced in Acts 19, when a city-full of her worshipers spent two hours shouting "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians," until commanded to disperse. Her temple was described by Pliny as four times as large as the Parthenon,[1] and housed a large idol believed to have "fallen from the sky (Acts 19:35)." She was worshiped by "all Asia and the world (Acts 19:27)." While the Ephesians believers embraced the gospel, "the author of the epistle seems to be combating mixed devotion to Jesus … and to Artemis, whom the converts could not yet abandon altogether."[2] Many of Paul's instructions "overlap with common teachings of the Artemis cult."[3]
There are three distinctions of the Artemis of Ephesus cult that are relevant to 1 Timothy 2:9-15: celibacy, first born status, and midwifery protection.
Artemis was celibate.
(Joseph Paelinck [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)
Artemis was a virgin, served by young, prestigious maids of rank and eunuchs from Ephesian aristocracy.[4] Steven Baugh summarizes her persona neatly.
"The ancient Ephesians themselves presented Artemis Ephesia to the world as the traditional tomboy huntress who stood for chastity and the rejection of marriage."[5]
In the Ephesian church, false teachers were banning marriage (4:3), which Paul condemned. Paul took a different stand on virgins in Ephesus than he did in Corinth (1 Cor. 7:25) where he encouraged singleness, indicating his instructions were culturally directed depending on the social and religious environment. Syncretism with the worship of Artemis might have caused this elevation of the celibate state in Ephesus. And since it was linked to the worship of Artemis, Paul denounced it.
Artemis was the first born twin.
(Briseis Painter [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)
It was popular belief that Artemis was the pre-eminent first born. Apollo, her twin, was subsequent.[6] This birth order gave Artemis dominance over her male twin. She was the big sister in charge. Consider Paul's words in 1 Timothy 2:12-14 in light of the Artemis teaching.
12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 1 Timothy 2
Paul's reference to the Genesis account of creation was to correct false myths concerning the superiority women claimed over men through Artemis.[7] This false teaching would naturally be taught by the women who used Artemis's supremacy to dominate the men of the church (2:12). Paul referenced Genesis, not as proof that women as second-formed are more easily deceived, but as a presentation of the facts without stating ramifications. In 2 Corinthians 11:3, Paul warned both men and women against being deceived, but in Ephesus, it most likely was the deception of the Artemis cult that especially enticed the women. The Genesis reference taught God as creator, Adam as first created; and refuted the very existence of the gods.
Artemis was the goddess of childbirth.
(By Vassil (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)
Artemis was extremely popular throughout the ancient world because she promised to protect women in the most hazardous of all feminine endeavors. Childbirth. Modern readers cannot appreciate the tension of becoming a mother in previous times. The joy of bearing children was tempered by the terrifying fact that childbirth complications lowered the life expectancy of ancient women to 25-30 years of age.
Artemis promised to protect women in childbirth.[8] Although a virgin herself, she had great empathy for laboring women. According to Homer's myth, Artemis witnessed her own mother, Leto, labor nine days to birth her twin brother, Apollo. As well as protecting women in childbirth, she also guarded the city of Ephesus.[10] Strabo says this is because it was her birthplace. When the temple of Artemis was burned to the ground the first time, Plutarch explained that Artemis was away at the birth of Alexander the Great, whose timing coincided with the inferno. When Artemis was present at her temple, Ephesus was invincible. She was painted as a sovereign ruler who was in control of who lived or died.
Artemis Savior, as she was titled, was petitioned for safe deliverance.[9] Women wore amulets to signal their devotion to Artemis. Mothers and fathers wrote letters to her temple asking for safety in child delivery. Women showed their gratitude to Artemis for a happy marriage or safe delivery by presenting the goddess with expensive garments.[11] The statue of Artemis was draped in lavish vestments, and the women petitioned her wearing their own finery.
Remember that 1 Timothy was written to correct false teaching with unified doctrine? Paul mentions salvation for the very thing the false goddess Artemis was famous for: childbirth.
15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control. 1 Timothy 2
Paul corrects the method for obtaining protection in childbirth. It is not through devotion to Artemis, obtained by wearing fine garments, but through devotion to God and faith in Christ Jesus.
5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus… 9 likewise also [in prayer] that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. 1 Timothy 2
When we put 1 Timothy 2:9-15 into the context of combating the false worship of Artemis, we begin to understand Paul's purpose for this passage. It is not to restrict all women, everywhere, forever. So what can we learn from 1 Timothy 2:9-15? Up next.
[1] F.F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free, Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1977, 287n10.
[2] Dr. Frank R. Ames, "Appendix One. The Ephesian Social World Providing the Backdrop for Paul's Teaching in 1 Timothy," in What's With Paul and Women? Unlocking the Cultural Background to 1 Timothy 2, by Jon Zens (Lincoln: Ekklesia Press, 2010), 92.
[3] Sandra L. Glahn, "The Identity of Artemis in First-Century Ephesus," Bibliotheca Sacra 172 (July-September 2015): 316-34. New Testament Abstracts, EBSCOhost (accessed November 29, 2017), 318.
[4] Steven M. Baugh, "Cult Prostitution in New Testament Ephesus: A Reappraisal," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 42 (1999), no. 3: 443-460. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed December 2, 2017), 453-456.
[5] Ibid., 452.
[6] Glahn, "The Identity of Artemis in First-Century Ephesus,"319.
[7] Glahn, "The First-Century Ephesian Artemis: Ramifications of Her identity,"463.
[8] Don Todman, "Childbirth in the Ancient Roman World: The Origins of Midwifery," Midwifery Today no. 85 (Spring 2008): 18-62. Alt HealthWatch, EBSCOhost (accessed December 10, 2017), 18.
[10] Richard E. Oster, "Acts 9:23-41 and an Ephesian inscription," Harvard Theological Review 77 (1984), no. 2: 233-237. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed December 2, 2017), 237.
[11] Franciszek, Sokolowski, "A New Testimony on the Cult of Artemis of Ephesus," Harvard Theological Review 58 (1965), no. 4: 427-431. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed December 10, 2017), 428-429.
February 26, 2018 September 1, 2018 kbonikowsky1 Tim 2, Bible, Creation and Fall, History, History and Culture, Problem Passages, Women
2 thoughts on "Artemis worship instigated the restrictions of 1 Timothy 2:9-15"
Kate E
Dr. Felix Just states that 80% of scholars believe that the Pastoral Epistles and Ephesians were not authored by Paul. In his opinion "judging a particular letter to be pseudo-epigraphic does not mean that it is any less valuable than the other letters, but only that it was written later by someone other than Paul". In my opinion, we leaven the truth with lies when we attempt to incorporate the doctrine found in these writings with Paul's undisputed letters. http://catholic-resources.org/Bible/Paul-Disputed.htm
Unfortunately, Katharine Bushnell, the author of God's Word to Women, believed that "all scripture is inspired" as stated in 2 Tim 3:16. She tried to explain away the inconsistencies as a misinterpretation, when they are in fact "the false pen of the scribes" as Ray Munson states quoting Jeremiah 8:8, calling them "writings attributed to Paul". Munson considers them a perversion of Judaizing teachers which could not succeed in Pauls' day, but now has blinded ministers to try and silence God's ministry through the female sex by changing God's truth into a lie Romans 1:25.
This evidences how challenging it is to find the truth. Not only do we need to study scripture in its original languages and Bushnell recommends, but we need to "test all things" 1 Thes 5:21, "weigh carefully what is said" 1 Cor 14:29, "test the spirits to see whether they are from God for many false prophets have gone out into the world" 1 John 4:1. When we receive the Spirit, it guides us into all the truth John 16:13, which sets us free John 8:32 from sin, leading us to holiness Romans 6: 18 – 22, sanctifying us John 17:17.
Excellent series.Thanks..
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Home Sports Collegiate Bowl Season 2021-22 Schedule Released Full Slate of 44 Bowl Games Returns
Bowl Season 2021-22 Schedule Released Full Slate of 44 Bowl Games Returns
DALLAS (May 27, 2021) — Bowl Season today announced the complete 2021-22 college football bowl schedule, which includes 44 games, beginning December 17. All games will be televised on the ABC and ESPN family of networks, with one bowl on CBS and another on FOX. Two bowl games still have networks and times to be determined.
Bowl matchups will be revealed on Sunday, December 5, following the regular season and conference championship games. Bowl Season culminates with the 2021 College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship, scheduled to be played on Monday, January 10, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on ESPN.
"We are thrilled to have a full slate of bowl games scheduled for next season," said Nick Carparelli, executive director of Bowl Season. "Last year dealt us many challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we have expectations that stadiums will be operating at full capacity again which will undoubtedly mean a memorable experience for student-athletes, fans, universities and communities. College football and Bowl Season is back, and we couldn't be more excited."
While many sporting events were cancelled last season due to the pandemic, 26 of the bowl games were able to remain scheduled and played, mainly due to the flexibility and cooperation of the conferences and bowl partners, and the dedication and commitment of the many players, coaches and team staff.
The complete 2021-22 Bowl Season schedule can be found on the next page.
### About Bowl Season Bowl Season is the collective coalition of the 44 bowl games played in the traditional college football postseason. Dubbed "A Celebration of College Football," Bowl Season promotes the grand tradition of the bowl system and its endearing value to student-athletes. It also highlights the broader university and college communities, including spirit squads, marching bands, athletic staff and fans. A nonprofit, Bowl Season spotlights the distinctiveness of each of the bowl games along with their histories and traditions, embracing and honoring the bowl experience for present and future generations.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Monoplectanum is a genus of monopisthocotylean monogeneans, belonging to the family Diplectanidae.
All its species are parasites on fish of the family Sillaginidae.

Species of Monoplectanum are special among diplectanids in that they have only one squamodisc (generally two in species of other genera), hence the name of the genus.

Species
According to the World Register of Marine Species, there are only two species in the genus:

 Monoplectanum australe Young, 1969  (type-species)
 Monoplectanum youngi Hayward, 1996

References

Diplectanidae
Monogenea genera
Parasites of fish

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Do you have shabby kitchen walls? Is your kitchen pipe leaking? Are you cabinet doors dysfunctional? Do you need a bigger countertop? If you are familiar with most of these issues, it means that you need to renovate your kitchen….
Are you thinking of renovating your home? But you are worried as to how this backbreaking and challenging task will be accomplished? We, at Las Vegas Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling, can simplify the process by providing the right Remodeling Contractors….


Team Suzuki Press Office – March 2nd.
• Blistering pace from Andrea Iannone at the top.
• Consistency and confidence continues for Alex Rins.
• Team begin to switch focus onto race set-up.
Although rain spots in the early afternoon caused difficulty for all the riders at the beginning of Day 2 in Qatar, Team SUZUKI ECSTAR pushed on with their hard work and both riders were able to complete a very successful day.
After concentrating on confirming the efficacy and feel of new components on the opening day at Losail International Circuit, the focus on the second day shifted to race set-up ahead of the first Grand Prix of the season on March 18th.
While focusing mainly on finding base race settings, Andrea Iannone was able to string together a run of 15 highly consistent and quick laps. The Italian confirmed the fast pace he showed on the first day, and was once again the strongest rider through sector T2 and T4. All of this, combined with a boost in confidence and a comfortable feeling with the bike, earned him the fastest time of the day and he ended the session on the top of the time sheet with a 1:54.586.
Meanwhile Alex Rins put in several laps on used tyres and spent most of the day working on his base race set-up. He enjoyed the same positive feelings felt on the first day of the Qatar test, and was again able to prove his promising pace, finishing 5th overall – just +0.381 seconds behind his team-mate.


Announced by Karpos Multimedia. The forthcoming Wanderland Music and Arts Festival will return in March 2019. And it promises the festival-trotters with one of a kind of live music experience from the internationally-renowned and homegrown talents. Check out the names below.
Good news, our Filipino readers! The annual outdoor music and art festival Wanderland confirms its return, on Saturday-Sunday, March 9-10 2019 at Filinvest City Event Grounds, Alabang. For its 7th year, the festival is ready to blow your mind with its new theme—"Magic", and the wave 1 artists.
To satisfy the ears of indie rock fans, an Irish indie-rock group Two Door Cinema Club will take the stage with their Gameshow. And, of course, they'll also be bringing along their former hits like "Cigarettes in the Theatre", "Undercover Martyn" and "Eat That Up, It's Good For You".
For R&B and jazz fusion fans, I'd say congratulations to you all! As the 7th edition of this 2-day art installations and live music showcases, the stage will get to welcome some decent acts from a Jamaican-American musician Masego and American singer-songwriter JMSN.
Meanwhile, the electronica fans will have your satisfaction escalated by the works of this rising London-based DJ and producer SG Lewis. The artist will take the stage with his moody and atmospheric sounds.
Aside from the international acts, the crowd are also promised with the legit showcases from the Philippines' very own talents. So far, the confirmed ones are alt-rock band Sandwich, ballad/psy-rocker Unique, indie-pop artist Reese Lansangan, folk talent Clara Benin and jazz group Dayaw.
Tickets, available as 2 Day pass only, will go on sale through Wanderland this Friday (Oct 12). For individual tickets, prices are PHP7,000 / PHP10,000 (perks included). Meanwhile, the prices for bundle tickets are PHP30,000 (5 tickets) / 40,000 (5 tickets + perks).


After being in the fitness industry for over a decade you learn many things. You learn that every body moves differently. You learn some people LOVE to work out, and some people do it because it is good for them (but they really don't like it). You also learn that every workout is more than JUST a workout! Workouts are loaded with many different thoughts and lessons we can learn from. Most of the time they are more than just about fitness and wellness. Workouts teach us to be humble in many ways. They also help us realize what is really important. And probably the coolest thing they do is, help us realize what we are actually capable of.
Fitness is extremely humbling in for a lot of us. This does not have to mean CrossFit, it can be kick boxing, running, swimming, etc. It is humbling because we may see a workout that looks like something we should crush, then it crushes us. Maybe you sign up for a 5k run, after your done it feels like someone took your lunch money. Working out lets us know where we are at physically and mentally. When we are humbled by fitness in some regard, it is not a bad thing at all. It is actually a HUGE learning experience!
Working out also really helps us look at what is really important. Most of us that workout are competitive in some way, shape or form (yes we are!). I hear it all the time, "I am not competitive" but then two seconds later the same person is telling me how the person next to them beat them by two reps. You are competitive! Which makes it even harder to take a step back and realize what is really important. It is not the person next to you, not the leaderboard and it is not the weight you move. It is always about YOU! It is about your goals and how you need to get there. The weight you move, your time for the workout, the person next to you do not dictate your goals and where you are at! Remember this the next time you are frustrated with a workout or someone else.
When you realize that the workouts you do are about you it allows us to learn what we are actually capable of! We as human beings are capable of so much. Fitness allows us to realize that whether it is physical or mental. Working out teaches us that we are more powerful than we can imagine. It might be getting your first pull up, your first two double unders or realizing that you CAN workout and live a healthy lifestyle. We are capable of much more than we give ourselves credit for. Realizing this can help change your mindset immensely!


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News / Politics / Iran Election 2020
Iran MP: High election turnout will improve national security
Saturday, 21 December 2019 9:06 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 02 February 2020 3:03 PM ]
Iranian MP Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi
An Iranian lawmaker has stressed the importance of people's participation in the upcoming elections, saying it will strengthen the country's security.
In a phone interview, Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi, who represents Mashhad and Kalat electoral district at Iran's parliament (Majlis), predicted "a warm and strong" turnout at the 11th parliamentary polls scheduled for February 21, 2020.
"Naturally, because the establishment is a democratic one arisen from people's votes, the people's participation [in the elections] and support for the establishment will help increase its power and will also improve national security."
He said people created "the Islamic establishment," so they should support and preserve it.
As long as people's support continues, "the enemies' efforts to disrupt the country's situation will fail," he added.
Ghazizadeh Hashemi also noted that the Iranians have always actively participated in elections because of the important role the parliament and the government play in their lives.
The parliamentary elections, which are the 11th since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, will be held in over 200 constituencies across the country's 31 provinces.
Earlier this week, government spokesman Ali Rabiei said 16,033 candidates had registered for the polls, out of which 848 had submitted their withdrawal.
From the remaining 15,185, he added, the election boards affiliated to the Interior Ministry approved the competency of 13,849 parliamentary hopefuls, 91 percent of the total.
Iran starts registering candidates for parliamentary elections
Candidates begin filing their nominations for the 11th Iranian parliamentary elections scheduled for February 21, 2020.
The candidates will further be screened for their qualifications by Iran's vetting body, the Guardian Council.
The Iranian parliament has 290 members who are elected by public vote for four-year terms.
February 21, 2020 will also feature an interim election for Iran's Assembly of Experts, whose members are directly elected to office by the people for an eight-year term.
The assembly elects and oversees the activities of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, and is in a position of authority to either appoint or dismiss the Leader.
Iran MP parliament parliamentary election elections
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Major figures sign up for Iran parliamentary votes
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Shukyu Magazine: Future Issue
SHUKYU Magazine was first published in May 2015, but thanks to you, we have decided to publish the 10th issue. We would like to thank the many people who have supported the magazine so far.
The theme of the 10th issue, which is a milestone, is "future". Two years have passed since the COVID-19 pandemic declaration, and while the mask life continues, the world is changing at a dizzying pace. Given what has happened in the world over the last two years, even the future one year from now is unpredictable, but in this issue I would like to think about what football should be like in the future.
SHUKYU Magazine has consistently covered the cultural and social aspects of football since its inception. The theme of each issue has changed, but looking back, I feel that people who are always looking at the "future" in the future have participated. Therefore, it may be natural to have the theme of the future at this timing.
Today's soccer world symbolizes modern capitalism, such as the unusually high transfer fees and the concept of the European Super League, but for those who believe in the power and potential of soccer in society, this issue Then I heard the story.
How do you connect the paths you received from the past to the future, like Arsene Wenger's words, "The path is for the future. It is neither the past nor the present." It's up to us who have the ball now. Let's create the future together.


Tom Hunt has been chosen to fight the Ipswich parliamentary seat for the Conservatives at the next general election.
Mr Hunt, currently chief of staff to the elected mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, was chosen ahead of Alex Deane and Joel Charles at a special meeting of the town's Conservative Association on Thursday night.
He lives in Ely and fought Doncaster Central at the last general election. He was a campaigner for Vote Leave during the referendum campaign in 2016.
Now he will be fighting to try to overturn Labour MP Sandy Martin's 831 majority at the next election.
Each candidate gave a prepared speech and answered questions from the Conservative Party members at the meeting. This was a "closed selection" – only party members were able to take part unlike the open selection when Ben Gummer was chosen to fight the seat 11 years ago.
After all three candidates had had their turn in front of the audience there was a vote which ultimately led to the selection.
For a full interview with Mr Hunt see this website later on Friday.


Need a little technical help.
What do i call this? This 'contamination' is found on the inside glass, the outer glass (front and back) are clear and clean of any blemishes. Sadly, after contacting Canon professional services, they told me they can no longer service this. Is there a technical term for what this stuff is, cause i'm having a hard time describing it hah.
Im gonna try contacting KEH and B&H next to see what possible option i have with them.


10 May 2018 – With the SAB U21 National Championships fast approaching, SAFA Tshwane will be hosting trials for the Gauteng squad that will represent the province at this year's championships. Gauteng were crowned champions of the tournament after defeating defending champions USSA at the Nike Training Centre in Soweto last year.
The purpose of the selection is to identify players for the regional squad which will represent Tshwane in the Provincial trials that will be held later next month. The provincial team will then be selected to represent Gauteng in the National Championships.
The selectors will be highly experienced coaches who hold CAF B License badges and will be looking for exceptional talent that will represent the province.
Try outs will start at exactly 09h00 on Sunday, 13 May at the Caledonian Stadium in Pretoria.
Players must be registered with Tshwane LFAs or Tshwane SAB teams.
The players must have been born on 01 January 1997 or after.
Players will be required to produce original ID Book/card and player registration cards.


Ball possession: Strasbourg: 40%, Lille: 60%.
Strasbourg is in control of the ball.
Rafael Leao is leaving the field to be replaced by Boubakary Soumare in a tactical substitution.
Ludovic Ajorque from Strasbourg heads the ball to a team mate.
Ball possession: Strasbourg: 47%, Lille: 53%.
Lille is trying to create something here.
Thiago Maia from Lille crosses the ball, but it goes out for a goal kick.
Thiago Mendes from Lille swings in the corner from the right.
Jonathan Ikone is leaving the field to be replaced by Reinildo in a tactical substitution.
Jeremy Pied from Lille tries to pick out a team-mate in the area but his cross is blocked by an opponent.
Sanjin Prcic from Strasbourg swings in the corner from the right.
Adrien Thomasson from Strasbourg tries to pick out a team-mate in the area but his cross is blocked by an opponent.
Kenny Lala from Strasbourg crosses the ball but it is nowhere near the intended target.
Ibrahima Sissoko from Strasbourg heads the ball to a team mate.
Pablo Martinez sends a long ball upfield.
Ball possession: Strasbourg: 46%, Lille: 54%.
Anthony Goncalves is leaving the field to be replaced by Samuel Grandsir in a tactical substitution.
Jonathan Ikone of Lille passes the ball to a team mate.
Jonathan Bamba is leaving the field to be replaced by Luiz Araujo in a tactical substitution.
Rafael Leao from Lille directs a ball squarely in the box, but it's intercepted by an opponent player.
Strasbourg is trying to create something here.
Ball possession: Strasbourg: 45%, Lille: 55%.
Youssouf Kone from Lille crosses the ball, but it goes out for a throw-in.
Nicolas Pepe of Lille passes the ball to a team mate.
Jonathan Bamba of Lille passes the ball to a team mate.
Kenny Lala could cost his team a goal after a defensive blunder.
Adrien Thomasson provided the assist for the goal.
G O O O A A A L - Anthony Goncalves with the goal!
Adrien Thomasson of Strasbourg passes the ball to a team mate.
Anthony Goncalves from Strasbourg tries to pick out a team-mate in the area but his cross is blocked by an opponent.
Anthony Goncalves from Strasbourg heads the ball to a team mate.
Jonathan Bamba from Lille swings in the corner from the left.
Thiago Maia from Lille passes the ball in the box, but it's intercepted by an opponent player.
Jonathan Ikone tests Matz Sels with a long range shot, which is parried back into play!
Lamine Kone could cost his team a goal after a defensive blunder.
Strasbourg with an attacking substitution here.
Youssouf Fofana is leaving the field to be replaced by Lebo Mothiba in a tactical substitution.
Anthony Goncalves from Strasbourg crosses the ball, but it goes out for a goal kick.
Anthony Goncalves of Strasbourg passes the ball to a team mate.
Ball possession: Strasbourg: 44%, Lille: 56%.
Lille is in control of the ball.
Ball possession: Strasbourg: 43%, Lille: 57%.
Sanjin Prcic from Strasbourg passes the ball in the box, but it's intercepted by an opponent player.
Dangerous challenge by Ludovic Ajorque from Strasbourg. Gabriel on the receiving end of that.
Rafael Leao provided the assist for the goal.
G O O O A A A L - Jonathan Ikone with the goal!
Rafael Leao of Lille passes the ball to a team mate.
Ludovic Ajorque from Strasbourg tries to head the ball to a team mate, but it's intercepted by an opponent player.
Nicolas Pepe sends a shot inches wide. Close!
Jonathan Ikone from Lille crosses the ball, but it goes out for a goal kick.
Youssouf Kone goes for goal, but his effort was never close to hitting the target.
Ludovic Ajorque from Strasbourg passes the ball, but his team mate can't benefit from it.
Anthony Goncalves from Strasbourg crosses the ball, but it goes out for a throw-in.
Jonathan Bamba from Lille sends a deflected cross into the box.
Jonathan Bamba from Lille takes a free kick, but it ends up nowhere near the goalframe.
Ball possession: Strasbourg: 50%, Lille: 50%.
Sanjin Prcic from Strasbourg swings in the corner from the left.
Kenny Lala from Strasbourg tries to pick out a team-mate in the area but his cross is blocked by an opponent.
Kenny Lala from Strasbourg swings in the corner from the left.
Youssouf Kone from Lille crosses the ball but it is nowhere near the intended target.
Ball possession: Strasbourg: 42%, Lille: 58%.
Jonathan Bamba from Lille tries to pick out a team-mate in the area but his cross is blocked by an opponent.
Youssouf Kone from Lille directs a ball squarely in the box.
Ball possession: Strasbourg: 54%, Lille: 46%.
Obstruction as Ibrahima Sissoko cuts off the run of Youssouf Kone. A free-kick is awarded.
Strasbourg kick-off, and the game is underway.
Welcome to Stade de la Meinau, the match will start in about 5 minutes.


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Posted tagged 'global RPO'
Kenexa's Analyst Day and 7th World Conference – A Winner: Part 2
For the last couple of years, Kenexa has been rapidly growing its RPO client base globally and 2012 has been no exception.
Recent RPO wins include BOSCH, FMC, and BT, all of which have been multi-country awards. It also has two additional RPO contracts pending. Reasons cited by the clients for selecting Kenexa for the new contracts include:
Quality of hire
RPO experience including engineering and technical recruiting
Cultural fit with Kenexa
Flexibility of solution design.
Further information on the pending contracts will be released soon on NelsonHall's website.
The customer panel at the analyst event included United Healthcare (UHC), AMD, and Fluor.
AMD:
Issue: AMD's global salesforce and internal formal training were not meeting its needs.
Solution: Kenexa implemented its social LMS, which helped employees gain access to experts quickly.
Result: AMD went from 39 separate websites of products and training to one LMS with Kenexa that is hosted to eliminate IT and technical issues.
UHC:
Issue: UHC had a decentralized team, poor technology, low hiring manager satisfaction, and other metrics did not exist. It was hiring ~11,000 employees per year and wanted to standardize services and deploy a consistent system, starting with non-exempt hiring for a call center and extending into some exempt level recruitment.
Solution: Kenexa is using a hybrid delivery model of service center and onsite employees. Monthly and quarterly business reviews are conducted that include reviewing metrics such as on-time delivery within 26 days, acceptance rates, class fill rates, and candidate and hiring manager satisfaction.
Result: UHC is expanding the contract from the U.S. to include Europe (U.K., Ireland) and APAC (Philippines).
Other developments at Kenexa include:
A new RPO COE in Raleigh, NC (others are in Shanghai, Dubai, Buenos Aires, Krakow, Vizag (India), and Frisco (TX))
Fit Compass, which includes an interview guide that the hiring manager receives with custom questions tailored to each candidate based on the outcomes of the Fit Compass Assessment and an onboarding tool, Personal Fit Planner, to ease the transition from candidate to employee. It can also be used for development, career planning, and team building.
With each RPO engagement, Kenexa begins with an analysis of the client's culture; it then trains its recruiters on educating the candidates and what it's like to work for the employer. Some clients also include additional services. For example, Whirlpool's contract also included a career site, social media, employment branding, and marketing.
At the Kenexa World Conference on October 17th, I attended two sessions:
Improving Quality of Hire at the Entry Level: A Strategic Application of Assessment, by Home Depot: Home Depot screens hundreds of thousands of candidates each year for hourly in-store positions and needed a more strategic method. It implemented Kenexa's large library of assessments and Kenexa's 2x BrassRing to improve the quality of hire and efficiency.
RPO 2.0: Creating the Hybrid Model, by PAREXEL: PAREXEL's original five year contract with Kenexa was to end in 2011, but it renewed and implemented a hybrid model. Kenexa's services include sourcing, screening, and candidate interview management; PAREXEL retained strategy, candidate relationship, job offers, and reference checks. The two companies work effectively side-by-side meeting with hiring managers to understand their needs; outsourcing is transparent to the client and SLAs have mutual accountability.
In sum, it was a fulfilling analyst day and World Conference. I look forward to the next IBM Kenexa Analyst Day, which will include a smarter workforce track.
Categories: Analyst Day, Kenexa, Kenexa World Conference, recruitment process outsourcing, rpo
Tags: 2x BrassRing, AMD, assessments, BOSCH, BT, candidate interview management, candidate relationship, career site, employment branding, Fit Compass, Fit Compass Assessment, Fluor, FMC, global RPO, Home Depot, hybrid delivery model, Hybrid RPO model, IBM Kenexa Analyst Day, Improving Quality of Hire at the Entry Level, interview guide, job offers, Kenexa, Kenexa World Conference, marketing, multi-country RPO, onboarding tool, PAREXEL, Personal Fit, Personal Fit Planner, recruitment process outsourcing, reference checks, rpo, RPO 2.0, RPO COE, screening, smarter workforce, social LMS, social media, sourcing, United Healthcare, Whirlpool
The Trajectory of Change for HR and HRO
The 15th Annual PwC Global CEO Survey of 1,258 CEOs in 60 countries shows what CEOs want now from HR that transcends country and industry. PwC summed it up as:
Protect the home market from uncertainty
Attack new and emerging markets for growth.
Hockey legend Wayne Gretsky said that he skated to where the puck would be, not to where it was, anticipating the trajectory of change. This is hard for HR, which often takes years to complete a major change and looks to HRO with a focus on price and improving operational efficiency. Skating to where we needed to be yesterday is hard enough; how do we skate to where we need to be tomorrow?
CEOs Top Concern: Talent
For the last two years, the number one concern of CEOs in the PwC survey is talent. CEOs are personally concerned with developing leaders and the talent pipeline. Why? Because CEOs see that talent constraints and mismatches are already limiting opportunities. CEO talent concerns include:
Talent-related expenses rising more than expected
Not being able to innovate effectively
Not being able to pursue a market opportunity
Cancelling or delaying key strategic initiatives
Not achieving growth forecasts in overseas markets.
Talent Gaps
Availability of key skills is a concern in every market outside of North America, especially for the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. This matches well with the drive to increase the global coverage of RPO.
Talent gaps are greater in some areas. In addition to global talent concerns, it is harder for some industries such as technology and pharmaceuticals / life sciences to find needed skilled talent. Of heightened concern is middle management talent. Will RPO best fit at the level of volume and skilled talent hires? Or will RPO further encroach into middle management recruiting?
The future is also about talent management and proof of HR's business impact. This supports the movement we are seeing to strengthen talent management (TM) capabilities through M&A. Examples include:
SAP and SuccessFactors
Oracle and Taleo
IBM and Kenexa.
CEOs Want Proof
Proof of business impact is part of HR metrics and advanced analytics. Even what should be the basics in workforce information is not considered comprehensive enough by most CEOs; they would like more data including the return on human capital investments, the cost of turnover, and staff productivity. HRO is ready with HR analytics as one of the newest components of HRO offerings.
Today, most HRO remains pressured on price rather than on value delivered. In hockey, someone must put the puck into play. In HR and HRO, someone must pay to develop the capabilities CEOs say they want. In the meantime, HRO is doing a good job of getting ready to skate to where business needs are going.
Categories: HR, hr outsourcing, hro, PwC Global CEO Survey, rpo, Talent, Talent gaps
Tags: advanced analytics, Africa, developing leaders, global RPO, global talent concerns, HR, HR analytics, HR metrics, hro, IBM, Kenexa, Latin America, life sciences, Middle East, middle management recruiting, middle management talent, North America, operational efficiency, Oracle, pharmaceuticals, PwC, PwC Global CEO Survey, return on human capital, rpo, SAP, skilled talent hires, staff productivity, SuccessFactors, talent, talent constraints, talent gaps, talent management, talent mismatches, talent pipeline, Talent-related expenses, Taleo, technology, workforce information
Kenexa and Aon Hewitt New Product Offerings Help Clients Hire, Engage, and Retain Talent
By Gary Bragar, HRO Research Director, NelsonHall
Kenexa's RPO business has been growing, including globally as evidenced by its five year RPO contract with Eli Lilly to provide services in Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Americas.
Kenexa has been expanding its business with new service offerings including those focused on talent management. Two new product offerings that help clients hire, engage, and retain talent include:
Fit Compass
Career Bull's Eye.
Kenexa calls these offerings Performance Accelerators.
Fit Compass: helps clients determine the quality of the hire by providing managers with an interview guide to help probe for candidate strengths, work styles, and challenges of how they would fit into the culture of the organization. Fit Compass can also be used for employee development and career planning, team building, and team effectiveness.
Career Bull's Eye: determines an employee's level of engagement by assessing their purpose, passion and pay. It then helps business leaders identify where in the organization they need to focus by finding out causes of disengagement so it can make improvements and reduce turnover. It can also be used when onboarding new hires to ensure that they are engaged to avoid turnover. Results are shared during quarterly business reviews with the client. Both products are available as standalone services or can be bundled with other RPO service offerings.
Aon Hewitt provides RPO as both a part of its HR BPO offering and as a standalone service. Aon Hewitt's RPO business has been growing globally as well. Examples include its HR BPO contract with BP where it provides RPO in North America and EMEA, and its recent contract award with a professional services company to provide RPO as a standalone service in EMEA and North America. Aon Hewitt has two new products that help organizations transform their hiring process:
SourceSprint
Digital interviewing capabilities.
SourceSprint: keeps applicants in a talent community for possible placement with other opportunities. Often when an organization fills a job requisition, other applicants are lost after the new hire comes on board. While the applicants may not have gotten the job they applied for, they may be good candidates for other opportunities. But, finding them again is problematic. SourceSprint changes that by using social media, optimization of search engines, and mobile communications to keep these prospects in a talent community. It remembers how applicants were originally found and their preferred communication.
Digital interviewing capabilities: improves the efficiency and experience of the hiring process for both candidates and hiring managers. Through its partnership with HireVue, Aon Hewitt clients can use the HireVue Digital Interview Platform to ask candidates scientifically validated questions that will ensure consistency and objectivity across interviews. Candidates then use a webcam to record their answers. Since it is not a live interview, candidates can respond from anywhere at their convenience, and hiring managers can watch and share the recorded interviews with colleagues anywhere.
Given these types of continuous innovative offerings, it's no surprise to me that RPO has been rapidly growing as clients seek to attract, engage, and retain talent, while improving the efficiency of the recruitment process at the same time!
Categories: Aon Hewitt, Kenexa, recruitment process outsourcing, RPO Offerings, Uncategorized
Tags: acquisitions, Americas, and retain talent, Aon Hewitt, Asia-Pacific, attract, BP, candidate strengths, Career Bull's Eye, career planning, Digital interviewing, disengagement, Eli Lilly, EMEA, employee development, engage, Europe, Fit Compass, global RPO, HireVue, HireVue Digital Interview Platform, hiring manager, HR BPO, innovative offerings, interview guide, Kenexa, level of engagement, mobile communications, new service offerings, North America, onboarding, partnerships, Performance Accelerators, recruitment process outsourcing, reduce turnover, rpo, RPO contract, scientifically validated questions, social media, SourceSprint, standalone RPO services, talent community, talent management, team building, team effectiveness, work styles
RPO Edging Toward Global
As a follow-on to my November 22 blog on the happenings at the recent HRO Europe Summit, a question posed by an audience member to me and my fellow RPO panelists Alexander Mann Solutions, SourceRight Solutions and a professor from Lancaster University deserves a deeper look. The question was, "We hear about RPO going global. How should global RPO be defined, as compared to how people are using this term, and is a shift occurring?"
NelsonHall defines global RPO as hiring in two or more continents. And in that context, on the panel I said very few global RPO contracts have been awarded to date. There have been some multi-country contracts awarded within a given region, and a few North American contracts that include some hires in Central, Latin and South America, but not much beyond that. But, in a "we're getting there" moment, I was able to cite that just two days earlier: 1) FutureStep was awarded a truly global RPO contract by Cummins Inc. to provide RPO services in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific and South America; and 2) Allegis Group Services and Talent2, in partnership, were awarded a multi-continent RPO contract by an unnamed global financial services company to provide RPO in several locations in North America and Asia Pacific.
And just last week, Manpower was awarded a large global RPO contract by Rio Tinto to provide approximately 11,000 hires per year in North America (US, Canada), Asia Pacific (Australia, India), Europe (France, U.K.), Middle East, South Africa and South America. Granted, three is not a crowd when it comes to critical mass of contract type indicators, but I do think we're finally beginning to see RPO edging toward global.
As I identified in my 2009 RPO report, one of RPO buyers' top vendor selection criteria is the ability to provide global delivery, including in-region recruiters. Subsequently, my critical success factors recommendation was that if providers did not already have a global presence, it would be prudent to begin pursuing a global recruiting partnership with vendors that could provide recruiters in countries and regions where new hires are needed. Since then, we've seen a number of such partnerships emerge, including the December 3, 2010 announcement of Adecco and the Beijing Foreign Enterprise Human Resources Company (FESCO) establishing a joint venture to take advantage of the emerging markets growth potential in China, and provide global RPO to multi-national corporations based in China per Adecco's presence in 60 countries.
I believe we will see continued demand by global clients to have one provider manage all of their recruitment needs, and that, in turn, we will see many more global RPO contracts signed in 2011. However, getting buy-in and cooperation from business leaders in local countries is a massive change management issue requiring significant attention, care and effort. Providers can help prospective clients during due diligence to quantify current costs, time to hire, hiring manager satisfaction, attrition and other metrics to help make the case.
Buyers and providers will be watching the success of these new global deals; and if they are indeed successful, they will create the impetus for increased global RPO demand in 2011 and beyond.
Gary Bragar, Lead HRO Analyst, NelsonHall
Categories: hr outsourcing, hr outsourcing research, hro, HRO providers, hro research, nelsonhall, recruitment process outsourcing, rpo, rpo contracts, RPO providers, rpo research
Tags: Adecco, Alexander Mann, Allegis Group, Futurestep, global RPO, hr outsourcing, hro, hro research, nelsonhall, recruitment process outsourcing, rpo, rpo contracts, RPO service providers, SourceRight, Talent2
Top Topics at Last Week's HRO Europe Summit
Although a working trip for me – as a learning session co-presenter with Raytheon, and on two panels, one on learning and one on RPO – I can easily say last week's HRO Summit Europe got great marks in my book. About 40 percent of participants were buyers – a rare occurrence at conferences these days – with the balance being presenters, providers, analysts, press, researchers, staff and others. Discussions were lively and engaging, and…need I say anything about the beauty of Amsterdam, especially its architecture and canals?
My co-presentation with Raytheon, a learning outsourcing session called, "Bridging the Customer-Provider Divide," was immediately followed by the learning panel, and witnessed buyer questions including: 1) What role does the retained HR learning organization play, including the role of the retained learning director, HR business partners and governance team?; 2) What lessons learned should a buyer that has just implemented a learning BPO contract incorporate?; 3) Why we are seeing more selective LBPO contracts and less full LBPO contracts?; and 4) What role does LBPO play in retaining knowledge as more employees will inevitably begin to retire?
While tracks and presentations covered the HRO gamut, two of the major focuses were talent issues and RPO. Dr. Peter Cappelli, Director of the Center for Human Resources at the Wharton School of Business, opened the conference with a keynote entitled, "A Question of Talent." He began by discussing that, in the 1950's and 1960's, 24 years of service with just one company was the average tenure per employee. At the time, companies invested heavily in continuous training, and believed in lateral and upward mobility. He then moved to the sobering stats of today's workforce. Companies of course still want loyal employees, yet very few do little to give their employees in-turn loyalty, and only one in four of succession plans are utilized. The result is organizations spending thousands of dollars in employee development, only to lose them to competitors.
It almost feels as if organizations accept this as a looming cloud norm in today's workforce environment. But I vehemently oppose that viewpoint. If you look at the pure financials alone, conservative estimates are that it costs one and a half times as much of an employee's salary to replace that individual due to the cost of recruitment, development, learning curve, etc. How can that possibly be perceived as good business? I am feeling like an evangelist as I've written about it so many times in my blogs, but employee satisfaction and robust initiatives focused on talent retention are vital to competitive advantage and business growth.
One of the largest and most well attended tracks at the conference was on RPO. I was also a member of an RPO panel discussion entitled, "Deep Dive: Driving the Future State of RPO," along with Alexander Mann Solutions, SourceRight Solutions and a professor from Lancaster University. One question posed by a buyer member in the audience was how RPO has evolved. Each panelist, of course, had its own answer. Mine, not surprisingly as an industry analyst, is that by providing what I call "value-added services" or what I consider to be the "richer RPO services," you are a true end-to-end RPO provider. This means: 1) services on the front end in workforce planning, talent strategy and employment branding to ensure the right employees with staying power are hired; 2) services in the middle to manage internal recruiting/mobility; and 3) services on the back end, including robust onboarding and ongoing, bi-directional employee engagement.
There are other shifts occurring, including interest in global RPO, and I will cover more on that and learning outsourcing issues discussed at the conference in upcoming blogs!
Categories: hr outsourcing, hr outsourcing research, hro, HRO contracts, hro research, lbpo, learning outsourcing, nelsonhall, outsourced learning, recruitment process outsourcing, rpo, rpo contracts, RPO providers
Tags: Alexander Mann Solutions, employee engagement, employment branding, global RPO, hr outsourcing, hro, HRO Europe Summit, hro research, lbpo, learning outsourcing, nelsonhall, outsourced learning, Raytheon Professional Services, recruitment process outsourcing, rpo, SourceRight Solutions, talent management, talent strategy, workforce planning
Partnering for Multi-Geo and Global RPO Capabilities
As we identified in our 2007 RPO market analysis and reaffirmed in our May 2009 RPO report, the ability to deliver RPO services on a global basis is a critical success factor for the provider community in order to serve the needs of buyers looking for recruiting support beyond domestic regions and to buoy their own revenue growth.
While some RPO providers have acquired others to expand their geographic delivery capability, we are also seeing a handful of partnerships forming among pure play RPO, and RPO and multi-process, providers. Examples include KellyOCG and IBM, Spherion's RPO division and Spring Group's RPO division – named hyphen – and Pinstripe and Ochre House.
The most recent announcement came from U.S-based The RightThing, which on July 14, 2009 announced it partnered with U.K-based Alexander Mann Solutions to enhance its global RPO delivery capability. The RightThing is immediately leveraging this new partnership by expanding its existing contract with Medlmmune, headquartered in the U.S., to provide hiring services for the company's Cambridge and Liverpool (U.K.) and Netherlands locations.
As buyers look to reduce costs and the number of suppliers they work with, we'll see an increasing number of global RPO RFPs. We'll also see an expansion of existing domestic-only RPO contracts into more geographies, if buyers are happy with their existing provider and it can offer a multi-geo or global solution.
Therein lays the opportunity, and the rub, for RPO providers. To meet the increasing need for global RPO capabilities, domestic-only suppliers that want to expand will need to determine where and when to do so, and whether organically or via partnerships.
Would-be global RPO providers considering the partnership approach must carefully balance the benefits of lower start-up expenses, quickly obtaining the requisite knowledge on local laws and legislation, and insights into how to best source talent in the region with the inherent risks including how to ensure consistency and quality of services and technology integration into a virtual single platform.
We don't anticipate seeing more than a few additional large partnerships forming in the next year. But perhaps there will be more niche partnerships, such as Kenexa's partnering with R&J Management Consultants in April 2009 – forming Shanghai Kenexa – to extend its RPO presence in the Chinese market. In the meantime, global RPO by partnership should be explored and entered into cautiously by providers and buyers alike.
Categories: hr outsourcing, hr outsourcing research, hro, HRO providers, hro research, recruitment process outsourcing, rpo, rpo contracts, RPO providers, rpo research
Tags: Alexander Mann, global RPO, IBM, KellyOCG, Kenexa, Ochre House, Pinstripe, rpo, service provider partnerships, Spherion, Spring Group, The RightThing


This page will list the changes that have been made to this site, with the most recent at the top. The "Go There" links will take you to the changes. If this jumps to the middle of a page, you can easily scroll up to understand the context of the new information a bit further.
Amnesty International have a great new site on Child Rights. Lots of powerful imagery and information that has to be checked out! Go There!
Two new resources for more information on the rights for women and other gender issues have been added... One is from ID21 which has links to a lot of research papers and the other is Womankind, a development agency... Go There!
Want to see a map of the world where the US has sold arms? A new source of information on Arms Trade has been added that shows how US arms sales have occurred in places where known human rights violations occur, where there is a conflict or an insurgency... Go There!
Is NATO action in Kosovo legal? This question is largely ignored in mainstream media. NATO should get authorisation from the UN Security Council before using force. Forget force, their peace pressure tactics have also come under scrutiny by some... Go There!
Iraq is still being bombed almost everyday... A couple of good sources of information on the crisis has been added... Go There!
Demobilisation of Child Soldiers and reintegration into society is often difficult and overlooked. Go There!
Child Labour needs to be erradicated gradually, rather than quickly as many families rely on the income their children bring in. A link to more information is also provided by Boes.org... Go There!
When regulations are applied corporations just move to places where there will be less pressure from the government or unions etc to provide fair working conditions... Go There!
What does it mean to be poor, developed or developing? Social expenditure, like health and education, are vital to a strong economy and healthy society, yet these very things are being cut back in the name of economic reforms which can reduce living standards and increase poverty if the people cannot afford alternatives... Go There!
A new section about the Biosafety Protocol that just ended in Colombia has been added. It was to tackle the safety issues of living modified organisms. However, just six countries, headed by USA who is not even a signatory to the underlying Biodiversity Convention, was able to undermine it in the interests of free trade... Go There!
Many conflicts today and in the future are over resource scarcity. People are fighting for basic needs... Go There!
Water, People, Land & Conflict is a good source of information, from the Center for Defence Information, about population strains and conflicts, etc with maps and transcripts about hot spot regions... Go There!
Tiger numbers have declined by a huge 95 percent in the last century. Some fear that they could be extinct by the year 2010... Go There!
A link to a general source for more information has been added. Activist Net is a huge web site with hundreds of links to web sites about many of these global issues and more... Worth checking out... Go There!
Turkey, a NATO ally, can get away with human rights violations. The recent eruptions in Europe regarding the arrest of a Kurdish guerilla leader has highlighted some of the problems the Kurds have faced there... Go There!
India and Pakistan meet to discuss important issues... India is also considering buying more military equipment, some of which will no doubt be used in and around Kashmir and the Pakistani border... Go There!
An additional source of information on Child Combatants has been added. This one is from the Center for Defence Information... Go There!
The Banana Wars in the Caribbean give us an indication of how free trade will affect many developing nations... Go There!
An additional source of information on poverty and debt has been added. This one is a link to the Jubilee 2000 campaign... Go There!
Monsanto has a lot of influence in Washington D.C and people in USA are less aware of some of the issues surrounding GE Food compared to other regions, like Europe... Go There!
The issue of genetically engineered food has seen another round of intense debate in Europe... Go There!
An additional source of information about GE Food has been added. This one is a link to a Guardian Newspaper section on this issue... Go There!
Food production can be important to preserving peace, according to a recent study... Go There!
A great quote from Bertrand Russel has been added. This one is about how people react to a piece of information. (Note that new quotes appear at the end of the list.) Go There!
The military budget of USA ($270 Billion, approximately) is larger than that of the remaining G7 countries combined. Over the next 6 years, the Clinton Administration has proposed to increase it by a huge $112 Billion... Go There!
Long after an internal conflict has ended, Small Arms contribute to a devastating role that hampers attempts to recover... South Africa has taken a positive step by attempting to tackle the problem which it has also contributed to itself... Go There!
What should be the future of NATO? Given that the Cold War is over, then the role of NATO is perhaps over too... Another issue is the authorisation to use military force and whether this decision should legally rely within the UN Security Council... Go There!
Transnational Corporations (TNCs) exert enormous influence in the World Trade Organisation (WTO)... Go There!
Multilateral Agreement on Investment -- some additional sources of information on this controversial trade proposal has been added... Go There!
The same causes of Global Warming also affects water. Most people, in fact, do not have access to fresh water. It is a political problem, and given the continual population increase, also a major social issue too... Go There!
Environmental damage from industrial waste can be extensive. The gold industry, for example, has created many environmental and social problems... Go There!
Human rights violations in East Timor continue... Since the invasion by Indonesia in 1975, people have estimated a conservative figure of 200,000 deaths in many massacres. It has taken a while for real reports to get out of East Timor, but slowly people are becoming more aware... Go There!
Tunisia's web site on human rights achievements was strongly criticised by Amnesty International, who therefore created a counter-argument web site! (The URL of the Tunisian site looks like it is a site that Amnesty International would have created.) Go There!
The Augusto Pinochet predicament shows some of the problems that something like the International Criminal Court would have to face... Go There!
Corporations and human rights violation stories are slowly becoming more and more frequent. A link has been added from Corporate Watch who provide an excellent feature on the links between the two. It has a great editorial page on the front of the section, too... Go There!
The Terminator technology will prevent farmers from saving their seeds for the following year's harvest, a traditional practice of over 12,000 years... Go There!
While the origins for AIDS may have been found, a cure may be harder to find. Extensive logging of the forests where the immune Chimpanzees (believed to be the cause) live, is leading to a slaughter of these animals and a destruction of their habitat, preventing further study... Go There!
A great quote about Freedom has been added. (New ones appear at the bottom of the list of quotes) Go There!


You might be happy to hear that since I first came to your office about 4 months ago, with great pain and discomfort – due to your excellent care and treatment I am ready to report great improvement in my condition! Being 85 years old, this is a great achievement! I feel comfortable at every movement, the constant pain in my leg is a great deal less!!! For this good result, I am happy and truly thankful to You.
Dr. Pine has allowed me to live pain free with my herniated disc! Both Dr. Pine and his staff are friendly, helpful, care about my health!
Dr. Pine is the best hands down can't get any better. I would definitely recommend his services. His staff is wonderful and very polite.
Excellent experienced chiropractor. Will spend time and explain what he is doing. Cares about his patients!


After an inquiry, Oracle Racing and Ben Ainslie Racing were found to have used illegally modified boats in America's Cup World Series races held between June 2012 and last April.
The AC45s that were used to race are a class of 45-foot training yachts used in previous world circuit regattas, and they have not raced since Naples in April. They are distinct from the AC72 yachts (72-footers) that are being raced in this year's Louis Vuitton Cup and the America's Cup.
The issue came to light when the AC45 fleet was being prepared for the Red Bull Youth America's Cup event. It was reported that one of the forward kingposts on one of the boats seemed unusually heavy.
Inspection by the measurement committee discovered that it was filled with "a resin/ballast slurry of some type." Further investigation revealed that the other two Oracle AC45s had received similar modifications, in their case bags of lead shot in the kingpost.
Oracle Racing said it will return the trophies the teams won and it issued a statement that said, in part, "The withdrawal is in spite of the fact that the modifications had no impact on the performance of the boats.
Click here for the report by Yachting World.


Yea... I understand... I've since moved to Redmine 3.1 myself.
14:42 Hooks Manager Bug #2384 (In Progress): Redmine v3?
Will you be releasing a version of 'Hooks Manager' that's comparable with Redmine 3.0?
I would like to suggest a new feature for the Project Selection Custom Field.
I'll be back at work on the 26th and will give it a try then.
> Is a Redmine 3.1 version imminent?
* Added new Redmine hooks -- "Preferences" bottom on own account and user account pages.
First: Thank you very much for the research you've made! It's helpful!


10 GPM MDEA Amine Plant for the removal of H2S and included Acid Gas Injection for acid gas disposal in New Mexico.
Inlet gas stream of 12 MMscfd containing a H2S concentration of 2,200 PPM. Expanded to accommodate 25 MMscfd. Duties include: installation, startup and maintenance.
270 GPM DGA Amine Plant for the H2S removal from natural gas stream in Wyoming and included Acid Gas Injection for acid gas disposal.
Inlet gas stream of 12 MMscfd with a H2S concentration of 230,000 PPM reduced to pipeline spec of 4 PPM. Duties include: installation, startup, maintenance, and operations.
Removed 300 ppm H2S from varying amounts of gas during well tests at several locations.
160 GPM MDEA Amine Plant for the removal of H2S and Cryogenic Gas Processing Facility.
Inlet gas stream of 100 MMscfd containing an H2S concentration of 12-15 PPM. Facility included dehydration and hydrocarbon liquid recovery. Duties include: maintenance and operations.
110 GPM DEA Amine Plant for the removal of H2S and natural gas Refrigeration Processing Plant.


Pure Diesel Power has the accessories to keep your Duramax looking better then that selfie you took last night. We have fender flares, running boards, grille gaurds, and much more. Check below or use the filter to the left to narrow your search.


COUNCILLORS in Wargrave have again called for a drain to be moved amid safety concerns.
Earlier this year, Councillor Marion Pope complained that when it rains the water does not drain properly on the corner of East View Road.
Wokingham Borough Council agreed to move the drain but has not done so.
Cllr Pope said a large puddle had formed again recently after heavy rain.
Parish clerk Stephen Hedges said he would remind the borough council.


The next pivotal novel in the unfolding Warcraft saga is now available for pre-order! Written by fan favorite New York Times bestselling author, Christie Golden, Tides of War raises the stakes between the Alliance and Horde and sets the stage for World of Warcraft's newest game expansion, Mists of Pandaria. We are also proud to reveal the stunning cover art by Glenn Rane.
The renowned sorceress Jaina Proudmoore has long struggled to maintain a lasting peace between the Alliance and horde.
The destruction wrought by the Horde's brazen attack irrevocably transforms Jaina, propelling the kindhearted diplomat down a path of grief and vengeance that will alter not only her destiny – but the destiny of Azeroth itself.
Pre-order your copy today on Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com.


Some two million Ford F-150 pickup trucks are being recalled by the company after more than 20 reports of smoke or fire coming from the seat belts.
The recall, which was announced Thursday, applies to certain Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab vehicles from model years 2015-18.
The two Koreas have set a date for a new summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, even as U.S. diplomacy with North Korea has stalled.
The Korean leaders will meet in Pyongyang from Sept. 18-20 in what will be their third meeting since April.
"The North's official media said today that Kim Jong Un has reaffirmed his commitment to a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and the suspension of all future long-range missile tests," NPR's Rob Schmitz reported.
For the first time since a devastating earthquake and tsunami triggered meltdowns at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant in 2011, the Japanese government says a former plant worker has died as a result of radiation exposure.
The country's health and labor ministry has said the man's family should be paid compensation, according to state broadcaster NHK.
It's a long shot for most any football player to make a final NFL roster. But Efe Obada, who found out Saturday that he made the Carolina Panthers' 53-man roster, has been through more obstacles than most.
As he has recounted, the Nigerian-born defensive end was 10 when he was brought to London "by a stranger that was supposed to look after me and my sister" – then, the children were almost immediately abandoned and left to take care of themselves.


On the heels of a seventh indictment for the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry as well as the murder by illegal aliens of Border Patrol Agent Javier Vega Jr, Tucker Carlson asks what is going on at the border.
His guest is Retired Border Patrol Agent Zack Taylor, who says it's worse than a free-for-all at the border, that they "are experiencing a general lawlessness" throughout the nation. Taylor says it started at the border long before Brian Terry was killed by weapons involved in Eric Holder's Fast and Furious gun-running operation.
Taylor reminds the audience that in the year prior to the murder of Brian Terry, there had been three other shootings involving Border Patrol agents in that same area. On the night of his murder, Terry had been ordered to use bean bag rounds in his shotgun.
Taylor is then asked if he feels like there is an effort on the part of the White House to soften or reduce our security at the border in order to make it easier for illegals to enter.
He adds, "The agent has to have the discretion because it is his life on the line, not the guy sitting in Washington DC fiddling around with his computer.
Did The Clinton Obama Mobsters Get To Julian Assange?


text:
LULU BELLE & SCOTTY 'The Sweethearts Of Country Music' BACM-330
As stars of the very popular National Barn Dance (heard over
WLS Radio in the 1930s and 40s), Lulu Belle & Scotty became some of the best
known country performers across the nation, thanks to their talent and the
strength of WLS Radio (owned by Sears Roebuck). Both were natives of North
Carolina, which gave them a more southern, rural sound than most of the Barn
Dance's other acts, most of which were from the mid-west. After an early
recording career with the American Record Company in the 1930s, the duo
continued to make records for several small labels such as London, FM, and
Truetone, and that is basically what this British Archive album consists of. (It
also includes 6 songs they cut for the Mercury label). (The duo also made records
later for the Starday label). Their recordings consisted of novelty pieces, some
gospel songs, some ballads, and songs written by Scotty (Wiseman), which
include the well known REMEMBER ME and HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY
THAT I LOVE YOU. Some of the other songs here include BANJO SAM,
PRECIOUS MEMORIES, BEYOND THE STARRY SKY, KICKIN' MULE,
and I'D RATHER LIVE BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. There are 26 tracks
here. $ 15.00
As stars of the very popular National Barn Dance (heard over WLS Radio in the 1930s and 40s), Lulu Belle & Scotty became some of the best known country performers across the nation, thanks to their talent and the strength of WLS Radio (owned by Sears Roebuck). Both were natives of North Carolina, which gave them a more southern, rural sound than most of the Barn Dance's other acts, most of which were from the mid-west. After an early recording career with the American Record Company in the 1930s, the duo continued to make records for several small labels such as London, FM, and Truetone, and that is basically what this British Archive album consists of. (It also includes 6 songs they cut for the Mercury label). (The duo also made records later for the Starday label). Their recordings consisted of novelty pieces, some gospel songs, some ballads, and songs written by Scotty (Wiseman), which include the well known REMEMBER ME and HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY THAT I LOVE YOU. Some of the other songs here include BANJO SAM,PRECIOUS MEMORIES, BEYOND THE STARRY SKY, KICKIN' MULE,and I'D RATHER LIVE BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. There are 26 tracks here. $ 15.00
THAT'S ONLY HALF OF IT
EACH TIME YOU LEAVE
SHENANDOAH WALTZ
YOU'RE THE SWEETEST MISTAKE
NEW LOVE WALTZ
CAROLINA CABIN
GOOD OLD USA
I'M DYIN' FER SOMEONE TO LOVE ME
WE'LL WALK IN THE SUNSHINE
KICKING MULE
BANJO SAM
I'D RATHER LIVE BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD
DOWN BY THE RAILROAD TRACK
SPEARMINT OF THE BEDPOST
TELL HER YOU LOVE HER TODAY
YOU DON'T LOVE ME LIKE YOU USED TO
BEYOND THE STARRY SKY
BARN DANCE POLKA
HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY THAT I LOVE YOU
SALLY IN THE VALLEY
IF I HAD MY DRUTHERS
MY PRETTY LITTLE INDIAN NAPONEE


text:
Texas clinics' lawsuit over abortion ban 'effectively over'
Thread starter nota bene
Paul Weber and Jamie Stengle, Associated Press:
The Texas Supreme Court on Friday dealt essentially a final blow to abortion clinics' best hopes of stopping a restrictive law that has sharply curtailed the number of abortions in the state since September and will now fully stay in place for the foreseeable future.
The ruling by the all-Republican court was not unexpected, but it slammed the door on what little path forward the U.S. Supreme Court had allowed Texas clinics after having twice declined to stop a ban on abortions after roughly six weeks of pregnancy.
It spells the coming end to a federal lawsuit that abortion clinics filed even before the restrictions took effect in September — and were then rejected at nearly every turn, and in nearly every court, for six months.
"There is nothing left, this case is effectively over with respect to our challenge to the abortion ban," said Marc Hearron, attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights, which led the challenge against the Texas law known as Senate Bill 8. https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-texas-0b4ed1808ed44d176bf6c86e6646a718
The article notes that going online to obtain abortion pills has "risen sharply."
BlueTex
Slightly Liberal
nota bene said:
In California, a new bill has been introduced...
This bill would create a private right of action for any person against any person who, within this state, manufactures or causes to be manufactured, distributes, transports, or imports into the state, or causes to be distributed or transported or imported into the state, keeps for sale or offers or exposes for sale, or gives or lends any firearm lacking a serial number required by law, assault weapon, .50 BMG rifle, or firearm precursor part, subject to certain exceptions, as specified. The bill would make these provisions inoperative upon invalidation of a specified law in Texas, and would repeal its provisions on January 1 of the following year.
Bill Text - SB-1327 Firearms: private rights of action.
Reactions: Patriotic Voter
Gateman_Wen
Official disruptive influence
Middle of it all
On the flip side that means things look good for CA gun law.
California Moves Forward With Gun Control Bill That Mimics Structure Of Texas Abortion Ban
The legislation would allow private citizens to sue gun makers and distributors if they violate the state's assault weapons ban.
Reactions: Patriotic Voter, PeacefulWarrior and BlueTex
Gateman_Wen said:
The claim will be that the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act will exclude lawsuits. While the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act protects manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and importers of firearms or ammunition products, and their trade associations it does NOT protect anyone who might lease property to a gun shop, ship guns or ammo, etc.
Reactions: Lursa and Gateman_Wen
Sad for the women of Texas, and for the law generally. We are being encouraged to be snoops and rats against our neighbors who are engaged in lawful activity we personally don't like. Not a place we should go, imo.
Reactions: weaver2 and Scrabaholic
Women in Texas need to pack their bags and move to a state that won't take their freedoms and liberty from them.
The people of Texas need to vote these anti freedom far right radical extremists out of office.
Reactions: Scrabaholic
I'm sure other states such as CA & NY are protecting aborting rights. CO wants to ensure protection of unrestricted abortion rights, which is what we have now.
Democratic bill to ensure unrestricted abortion access in Colorado gets first hearing at Capitol
Colorado wants to make a national statement when it comes to abortion: It is legal at all times.
www.axios.com
Reactions: HangLow
Integrityrespec
There is a fundamental difference.
The Constitution (Bill of Rights) specifically names the right to bear arms as a protected right in the nation. Abortion however is not specifically named as a right in the country. On the contrary, the 10th amendment specifically says that the right to determine the status of abortion rights lie with the states, as abortion rights is not specifically given to the federal government. I believe that is where the SCOTUS is headed and It believe it to be the constitutionally correct ruling.
Yes, by all means, move to a baby killing state. In addition be sure to take the transgender women who want to compete unfairly against biological women and girls. Put all the rotten eggs in one basket as they say. I'm sure that Progressives and extreme liberals will be much happier living in states that allow every perversion they can dream up.
HikerGuy83
More than half the people voting them into office are women. And expect a number of these "anti freedom far right radical extremists" are, in fact,.......
Scrabaholic
certified batshit crazy
Near Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Who didn't see that coming?
They aren't overly bright in TexASS.
Integrityrespec said:
"Rotten eggs" ..... thanks for letting us know how you feel about women.
HikerGuy83 said:
How do you know who votes for them?
reflechissez
Demon said:
My state did that 30 years ago in 1992.
It was a ballot initiative that said no matter what any judge says, no matter what any politician says, Roe V. Wade remains the law of the land in my state.
It passed with a good margin. I voted with the majority.
There is absolutely nothing anyone can do to reverse that law.
Women have been and will forever be protected in my state.
Reactions: choiceone and Demon
I got as far as your first coma then stopped.
I certainly don't advocate for any woman to stay in a state that has laws that will end up murdering any woman.
The laws of Texas will result in women being murdered for the only reason that her pregnancy went wrong and no doctor would help her much less save her life.
Meanwhile, those of us in states that follow the constitution, our medical privacy laws, allows freedom and liberty aren't killing anyone.
So stop with the lies.
I sure do hope women in Texas start leaving that state before they start being murdered.
CaughtInThe
texas men (in 20-30 years) will probably look back on this era and realize that it's exactly when texas women started their migration to the democratic party.
So? Your point?
And I don't buy that.
Texas is so severely gerrymandered anyone who has an open mind and isn't a far right radical extremist has lost their vote because of that gerrymandering.
If the state wasn't so gerrymandered Texas would not have such laws being written, passed and signed into law.
According to every poll ever taken, the majority of Americans don't want Roe V. Wade repealed and that includes 53% of republicans.
So I wouldn't be surprised if most of the women in Texas don't support this law and don't want Roe V. Wade repealed.
I wouldn't be surprised that when women and girls start dying because they were denied an abortion things will change in Texas.
That is IF the women in Texas haven't already realized that voting republican has been a very big mistake and votes those republicans out of office.
Most Republicans Support Keeping Roe v. Wade With a Few Exceptions, Poll Shows - Florida Daily
For years, the Republican Party has supported pro-life positions in their party platform but a poll released last month on abortion may have some conservatives worried According to a Fox News survey from September, around two-third of voters–65 percent–support keeping abortion legal. For the...
www.floridadaily.com
Fox News Poll: A record 65 percent favor keeping Roe v. Wade
Two-thirds of voters want to keep the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 abortion decision Roe v. Wade in place, according to a new Fox News survey released Thursday.
There is NO right for a firearms manufacturer to not be sued in the constitution. A GOP CONGRESS passed a federal law protecting them from lawsuits, however, it only protects a small number of people who can potentially be sued by creating a private right of action like Texas has done. For instance, one could sue the person who leases a store to a firearms dealer or the shipping company that ships the firearms in California if the proposed law is passed. Of course, a future congress can remove the protections provided by the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.
A constitutional challenge would unprotect them if found against it.
So your fourth comment is incorrect.
Roe vs. Wade isn't the Texas law.
Gerrymandering.....? Stay on topic.
About 55% of women in Texas opposed the law. About 40% were in favor.
So "most" isn't an accurate statement. Normalizing this would be 58% to 42%
And most of the really active pro-life groups are led by women.
Yes, call us when women and girls start dying in Texas.....hyperbole much ?
The GOP is going in the wrong direction.....for you. In 2022, you are going to get creamed in the elections according to just about every poll out there. State houses will follow....which the GOP already holds many more of than the democrats. Texas will be more red then than now and recent rulings indicate that the Texas law is going to be around a while.
So, what wouldn't surprise you isn't going to matter much.
I'm guessing that's what's going to happen here, since Dems are in charge, and abortion restrictions have always been turned down by the voters here.
Scrabaholic said:
1. 42% of women in Texas supported the law.
2. Women lead most, if not all, of the pro-life groups at a national and state (Texas) level.
That's the great thing about allowing states to make their own choices.
That was the travesty of Roe.
Once again, the SCOTUS pushing state authority out of the way in a decision that made no sense and was a real POS (in terms of legal explanation).
Harry Blackmunn should be tarred and feathered for his pathetic rendering.
beefheart
Ice Cream for Crow?
42 is < 50
Reactions: Scrabaholic and Bodi


Struggling Home Owners Share Stories: HELP REALLY IS ON THE WAY. IT'S OFFICIAL!
$4 BILLION DEAL REACHED WITH JP MORGAN/CHASE FOR MISLEADING INVESTORS.
"JPMorgan sold $33 billion in mortgage securities to Fannie and Freddie between 2005 and 2007 . . . that was the second-most sold to those agencies ahead of the crisis, behind only Bank of America. The securities soured after the housing bubble burst in 2007, losing billions in value."
This $13 billion settlement is the largest sum a single company has ever paid to the government.
The articles goes on to say that JP Morgan will pay about $2.74 billion to Freddie and $1.26 billion to Fannie for the securities it sold. The bank is also paying $1 billion for home loans it sold to Fannie and Freddie ahead of the crisis.
UPDATE: Newswires today (Nov. 19, 2013) reporter the JPM settlement has now been signed. Struggling homeowners, including those who had refinanced with Washington Mutual, will be receiving some relief in the way of mortgage principal forgiveness or a lower rate of interest, resulting in many of us having to pay only a third of our income toward mortgages rather than the two-thirds that so many of us are struggling with today (and have been doing so for several years).
The Associated Press article goes on to state: "The magnitude of the payout reflects a broader strategy shift within the Justice Department to hit Wall Street where it hurts most: the bottom line. Once content to extract multimillion dollar fines that critics dismissed as little more than a slap n the wrist, prosecutors ave signaled to the nation's biggest banks that the billion-dollar mark is a floor rather than a ceiling."
There will be a third party administrator to see that qualifying homeowners obtain some relief. More information is expected from the Obama Administration on Tuesday, November 26, 2013.


text:
Q: An application of Schwarz Lemma to $g(z)=f(z)+zf'(z)$ Let $f(z)$ be holomorphic in the unit disk, with $f(0)=0$, and $|f(z)+zf'(z)|<1$. Show that $|f(z)|\leq |z|/2$.
So this should be an easy problem, but I got stuck. I defined $g(z)=f(z)+zf'(z)$ which is holomorphic in the unit disk and satisfies $g(0)=0$ so by an application of Schwarz lemma we have $|f(z)+zf'(z)|\leq |z|$ for all $z$, and I can also conclude $|f'(0)|\leq \frac{1}{2}$, but I have been unable to get the desired inequality from here.
Any hints on how to proceed? Thanks in advance!

A: Isn't $g(z)$ the derivative of $z\mapsto z f(z)$ ?

A: Put: $g(z)=(zf(z))'$. We have $g(0)=0$. By Schwars lemma:
$$|g(z)\leqslant |z| \Rightarrow (zf(z))'\leqslant |z|\quad (*)$$
We can write:
$$zf(z)=zf(z)-0f(0)=\int_0^z(tf(t))'dt\displaystyle\mathop{\leqslant}^{(*)} \int_0^{|z|}tdt=\dfrac{|z|^2}{2}$$
So
$$|zf(z)|\leqslant \dfrac{|z|^2}{2}\Rightarrow |f(z)|\leqslant \dfrac{|z|}{2}$$

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I decided to try putting together a collection of wildflower photos using the bright field lighting technique. The flowers are isolated against a field of all (or nearly all) white background. It's a bit of a challenge to get the lighting right without blowing out fine details of the flower, stem, and leaf parts. For example, the following full-resolution section of one of the images shows how individual fine hairs on the stems are still visible without being totally overwhelmed by the bright white background.
Full-res crop of a bright-field photograph shows fine detail maintained.
The background diffusion screen was positioned far behind the subject to minimize it's participation in the subject illumination.
A longer focal length lens was used and the camera positioned to just frame the extent of the diffusion screen and have the subject fill the frame for optimum detail.
The exposure was tested and adjusted carefully to make sure the background was just at or near blowing out and the subject lighting was appropriate for a normal exposure. Essentially, two independent zones of light were calibrated to achieve their respective goals.
Once the lighting and framing were ready, it was just a matter of going out into our field to collect unsuspecting subjects and shoot the photographs before they started sagging noticeably. In some cases, there is only a couple minutes to get the image made before the flowers start wilting. Sort of like human subjects.


Norman is a bulldog that made appearance in Mutts.
When Mooch and Earl were waiting for Butchie to give food to them, Norman walked in Fatty Snax Deli, which surprised Mooch and Earl. Butchie saw him and gave him food. Mooch wondered why this happened and Earl answered that it's because he has a pretty face.


In the 21st century, the speed of transformation in Southeast Asia is perhaps beyond anything experienced by preceding generations. Because of this prompt change, the air pollution is so big in Asia that a giant brown cloud blocks the sunlight over our planet from India to China. The Asian brown cloud has reduced sunlight by more than 10% in huge swaths over planet Earth. Extreme weather events are costing governments and citizens billions each year. Science, Technology and Art are key words for every Change Of The World. Our Art & Science project focuses on these three key words and on the brown cloud phenomenon. In our drawing below, we propose a translucent cave where a "Cloud Room" and a "Touching The Cloud Screen" are enclosed. . In the cloud room we install a 20cm diameter sky-disc made out of NASA's nanomaterial silica aerogel. Inside this sky-disc there is a brown cloud. A white LED light projector will orbit around the rotating sky-disc, generating thus a giant golden-hue shadow, scanning it on a semicircular back projection screen. (shadows visible only from the outside of our installation, cf. simulation cello video and photos attached) On the opposite side of our projected shadows there is a second rear projection where Biennale's spectators can see someone's finger trying to touch the brown cloud… Searching where this projection is coming from, (s)he could enter our cave and discover how we can communicate with a cloud.


Is Christ set forth as a divine being in Holy Writ?
"But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." Hebrews 1:8,9.
Did Christ exist before He was manifested in the flesh?
"And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." John 17:5.
By what agency was His incarnation effected?
"And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." Luke 1:35.
Did His incarnation annul His divinity?
"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." 1 Timothy 3:16.
How does Christ Himself speak of His relation to the Father?
"I and My Father are one." John 10:30.
How does He show what He means by being "one with the Father?
"And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are." John 17:11.
NOTE: One in purpose, spirit, work, etc.; and the same is true of those who have truly learned of Christ.
How was He manifested on the earth as a Saviour?
"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:10,11.
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth." John 1:14.
Why was He thus made known?
"Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." Hebrews 2:17.
How was He recognized by the Father while here?
"And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Matthew 3:17.
How was the divinity of the Son of God shown?
1. In His creative power.
2. By His power to perform miracles.
"And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go." John 11:43,44.
3. By His right to lay down His life and take it up again.
"Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again." John 10:17.
4. By His being recognized as God.
"And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom." Hebrews 1:7,8.
5. By what He endured for a race of rebels.
"Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Isaiah 53:10-12.
How does Paul speak of Christ's relation to the Father?
"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." Colossians 2:9.
What is our privilege in view of what this precious Saviour has done?
"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:15,16.


text:
A³
Asexual, Aromantic, Agender
About A³
Apology Statement
It's More Like Calculus
Bonus Stage: Unrequited
On January 3, 2016 March 12, 2019 By LibIn Uncategorized
[For January 2016 Carnival of Aces topic "Relationship Stages"]
I really, really don't like romantic comedies. I think they paint an unrealistic picture of what relationships look like.
I'm pretty sure that I'm 99.99999999999999999999999999999% aromantic. There's only been one instance in my entire life where I've had that "I want to date you" feeling. When I realized that I liked this person in my head it was sort of like popping the cork off a champagne bottle and all these feelings came rushing out. The strongest feeling, however, was "Oh, shit." The person was my boss at the time and they were already in a relationship. The odds of my feelings amounting to anything were literally impossible.
A friend of mine is hopelessly romantic; She would have advised me (if I were dumb enough to spill the beans) to "fight" for this person's affection and "win" their heart because if you've ever seen a romantic comedy, that's what people do apparently. What made the situation for me trickier was the nature of our job meant that my coworkers, my boss, and I all lived together as roommates.
Actually that sounds exactly like the set up for a romantic comedy. It's my worst nightmare, I'm cliché.
But it wasn't like I could turn off my feelings like a light switch. As I mentioned this person was already in a relationship and there were rules about fraternization within our organization. My friend would
have said "screw the rules", but I was not going to jeopardize our jobs like that.
Being a mature adult about the whole thing really, really sucked.
So I might have been less mature about it than I could have. The first thing I did was tell myself that the person they were already dating was absolutely perfect in every way. Like "one true love" perfect. And I made it my life's mission to avoid ever meeting them so my delusion wouldn't be shattered. Once I accepted that I was no competition I just decided to have
fun. I liked this person and I liked being with this person. Just being with them even in just a professional manner made me happy.
It was the first time that just the physical presence of another person was enough to brighten my day. They gave me something to look forward to just by being there. I wish I could have turned off the "I want to date you" feeling, and kept things
strictly platonic but feelings don't work like that. I still made the experience fun for me by flirting a little bit (but not enough to cross the line) and engaging in some figurative "pigtail-puling". Mostly I just basked in the warm, happy feelings I got to have.
I cried when they were transferred to another team and spent the weekend absolutely miserable with grief. We weren't friends or close enough to keep in contact after the transfer. I still tried. I sent them an inexpensive birthday gift a year later, but after that I let the matter go. "Bittersweet" is the best way to describe the memory.
One thing I wish to express is that unrequited love is NOT tragic. Just because my feelings weren't returned doesn't mean they weren't real. Just because I choose to label myself as aromantic doesn't mean that I'm scarred by this experience. I choose to label myself as aromantic because I don't believe in having "another half". I'm whole exactly as I am. I would love to have a relationship, actually. I don't believe that this person was the only
person out there for me even if they are the one I've felt the strongest for thus
far.
I'm looking forward to meeting someone and building up to that level of emotion and perhaps even surpassing it. Even if it means I experience a different, perhaps strictly platonic, kind of love to do so. Being part of the asexual community has taught me that love comes in all shapes, sizes, and
shades. That makes me happy. If/when I find love again the thing I hope for the
most is that it will be unscripted and completely unexpected. Even if it's unrequited.
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