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Here's your chance to build the most recognizable spaceship in the cinematic universe: the Millennium Flacon!
Strap on your blaster, call up your fuzzy and furry Wookie sidekick and get ready to blast off with Fun Studio's Star Wars Millennium Falcon Book And Mega Model.
Own your very own downsized Millennium Falcon that you can put together yourself. It's easy.
Simply follow the instructions in the enclosed book. It's a snap!
Pop out the sturdy and thin foam board pieces that are heavily lamented with color. They fit snuggly together with no fuss or muss. It's so easy, even and adult can do it!
While you're constructing the model read through the book that contains the history of the Falcon (along with full-color photos), games, challenges, diagrams, ship charts and fun things to do and learn.
The book and model punch-out sheets come packaged in a heavy-paper-stock and flip cover book binding with a protective, clear-plastic slip cover over the Millennium Falcon Mega Model parts.
Once constructed the Falcon has movable parts and secret compartments-just like the real ship!
The model measures 13.78 inches long by 10.24 inches wide. WOW!
Take the challenge and get ready to load up some contraband in the fastest spaceship freighter in the Star Wars Universe.
Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, Lando Calrissian, R2-D2, C-3PO, Luke, Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi would be proud!
Posted by BAM at 12:44 PM Links to this post
Pearls Takes A Wrong Turn
I find the title of the newest Pearls Before Swine Treasury ironic. I mean, come on, a 'wrong turn?'
Are we talking about the same group of crazy animals and humans that populate Stephen Pastis's hilarious comic strip taking the 'right way?'
Pearls Takes A Wrong Turn is a hilarious collection of some of Stephen's most hilarious, quirky, off-kilter, sometimes controversial and off-the-wall Pearls Before Swine daily and Sunday comic strips.
Inside Stephen recounts his trip to Machu Picchu, the destruction of his home and studio and his oversea escapades (complete with photos).
Stephen provides notes and observations about each strip reprinted in this oversize collection of the best-of-the-best Pearls Before Swine Treasury, courtesy of Andrews McMeel Publishing.
Prepare yourself. Throw common sense out the window, rattle your brain, drink too much caffeine and leave your brain at the door-trust me, you'll thank me later.
This wrong turn turns out to be the right turn.
White Dragon Abyss
Konami's generously provided me with five 1st Edition Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game: Legendary Duelists White Dragon Abyss Booster Packs to review. Five Cards come per Foil Booster Pack.
I've opened one Pack to give readers an example of the type of Cards they can expect to find.
It's time to enter the Abyss and join some Legendary Duelists in this latest, and greatest, addition to the Yu-Gi-Oh! World.
Here's a listing of some of the Cards you can expect to find:
Cards used by Seto Kaiba, Zane Truesdale, Crow Hogan, Kite Tenjo, and Sylvio.
Includes members and/or support for the "Blue-Eyes", "Cyber Dragon", "Blackwing", "Galaxy", and "Abyss Actor" archetypes.
The Card Set of Legendary Duelists: White Dragon Abyss contains 56 Cards:
10 Rares
The Beverly Hillbillies The Official Fifth Season
Back in 1962 producer/writer Paul Henning decided to create a TV show around the theme of a fish out of water.
He decided to take a group of Ozark country hicks, have them discover oil on their property and became extremely wealthy.
Encouraged by their kinfolk they moved to a location more suited to their newfound status and thus was born The Beverly Hillbillies.
Actor Buddy Ebsen played the patriarch of the family: Jed Clampett.
Accompanying him were his daughter Elly May, his mother-in-law Granny and his cousin's dim-witted son Jethro.
Together they managed to set high-society on its ear with their down home wit and wisdom. The family found itself constantly at odds with 'city folks' and their strange ways.
Also in the cast were the Clampett's greedy banker: Mr. Drysdale, his secretary Jane Hathaway and an oddball assortment of Hollywood and high-society types.
The Beverly Hillbillies was one of many gentle, home-town and family-oriented comedies prevalent at that time. For almost its entire run it was the number one show or in the top ten.
It was still at the top of its game in 1971 when its network: CBS, decided to switch programming to feature more 'relevant' and 'contemporary' humor-meaning more sex, violence, foul-language and low morals.
CBS/Paramount presents The Beverly Hillbillies The Official Fifth Season which contains all 30 episodes which are digitally remastered for a clearer picture and better sound quality.
Join the Clampetts as they defend their fortune from con artists, clash with neighbors, try to find a suitor for Elly, discover Jethro's true calling and attempt to fit in and understand their new surroundings, friends, neighbors and high-society.
For good, clean fun the whole family can enjoy be sure to pick up this latest collection of The Beverly Hillbillies TV escapades.
Superfish and Adult Time
Look! Deep in the ocean! It's a clam! It's squid! It's Superfish! Slower than a sea snail! More powerful than a clump of seaweed! Able to swim over small pieces
Sherman the Shark is back in his 23rd Sherman's Lagoon Collection: The Adventures Of Superfish And His Superfishal Friends courtesy of Jim Toomey and Andrews McMeel Publishing.
Join our finny friends as they survive a lawsuit, play poker, paddleboard, save an endangered porpoise, play Twister and take part in some of the most outrageous underwater escapades imaginable.
Something fishy is going on and Sherman is right in the middle of it!
The 35th Baby Blue Collection: Adult Time, by Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott give Mom and Dad MacPherson a break from their hyper-action and high-maintenance kids who always manage to make their lives interesting'.
This time around it's tackling weight lose, exercise, dancing, report cards, library cards and a whole lot of other shenanigans and trials and tribulations of raising kids.
Be sure to look for the special border notes from the Baby Blues creators. The collection includes daily and full-color Sunday strips as does Superfish.
Just imagination all that fun bound up in two oversize paperback books? It's doesn't get any better than this!
Preview, October
Doctor Who The Thirteenth Doctor: The Many Lives O...
Anime Impact and Eating Across America
Dynasty Season One
30 Years Of British Television
Cybernetic Horizon Special Edition
Pat Buttram, Hollywood Goes West and Steve Ihnat
Enough Is Enough!
Super Mario Bros. And Samurai Jack
Movie Pack
Lost In Space, Star Trek, Harryhausen, Special Eff...
Scorpion and Madam Secretary
Villains and Zombies

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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A movie review of DEMOLITION.
Did director Jean-Marc Vallée suddenly take a filmmaking pill? He has moved from overrated prestige pics (WILD, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB, etc.) to deliver something compelling. A winning hotchpotch of tones – dread/pathos/humour – means second-guessing the movie is difficult. Respect. Of course Vallée has skilful allies in terms of Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts and Chris Cooper to channel a story of bereavement. The widower subgenre has the likes of GRACE IS GONE and LA NOSTRA VITA, and DEMOLITION is just as refreshingly different.
Julia (Heather Lind) and Davis chat in their car. Him uninterested. Marriage seemingly on a rote, downward slope for Davis, though his indifference borders sociopathic. When Davis talks about his morning regimen, there is an AMERICAN PSYCHO echo coming to mind (especially so after Gyllenhaal's tour de force in 2014: NIGHTCRAWLER). Don't worry, he is not repeating himself so quickly; there are several dextrous narrative bluffs. Back to that automobile one-way conversation - in the pit of your stomach doom is looming. And comes in the form of a car crash. Awaking in a hospital to father-in-law Phil Eastwood (Cooper) telling him Julia did not make it, reading Davis is not easy. We still don't fathom his state of mind, not till the last few minutes in fact. Concluding this story satisfyingly/unexpectedly could not have been easy, and the feeling of nihilism is tempered (for better and worse).
At the hospital, and wanting a chocolate, the vending machine swallows Davis' money sans delivering the expected snack. Frustrated, and streaming his conflated emotional state, he proceeds to write to the customer services department of the vending machine company. Instead of a brief statement of frustration the letters turn into epic autobiographical epistles (recounted as voice over), frankness brimming over. Such honesty is funnily socially awkward. Not many appreciate such candour, yet Karen Moreno (Watts), who is the entirety of the customer services team, is drawn to him and calls him out of the blue. A stoner, with a 15-year old son, Chris (Judah Lewis), and having an affair with her boss, Karen is not in a particularly good place either. Their glacial burgeoning friendship, devoid of physicality though not frisson, is another feather in the movie's cap.
The title DEMOLITION comes from advice Phil offers Davis, in a restaurant housed in a former bank vault: If you want to fix something, you have to take it apart. Taking this literally and figuratively, Davis starts with a flickering light bulb (metaphorical epiphany akin to Robert De Niro's, in HEAT, during his quandary over Waingro), then his office computer, onto his fridge, and… well… a bulldozer gets bought from eBay. Sundering of property and relationships has a voyeuristic and vicarious catharsis. Through the runtime one wonders: Is Davis going insane, or does he have the answers?


Every vote truly does count.
In an article in the Catholic Weekly on the 20th January 2019, Monica Doumit highlighted the importance of the Upper House vote in the NSW State Election this year.
In November 2017, a bill to legalise euthanasia and assisted-suicide was introduced to the NSW Upper House. This Bill was voted down 20 to 19. One single vote could have allowed precious individuals, when they are at their most vulnerable, to terminate their life. A life that is precious to Jesus. A life He bled and died for.
In her article, Monica highlights how the Rev. Hon. Fred Nile and I have held the balance of power, and how our vote helped stop this Bill from passing. And how differently the vote could have gone if our seat was held by another member who was for euthanasia. We would, along with Victoria have legalised State assisted suicide. Every vote truly does count.
With any election, the media reports predominately on candidates running in the Lower House, with very little attention given to those running in the Upper Houses of our Governments. Our attention is focused on our local electorate, who will promise the most for us, and the large piece of paper for the Upper House is a quick after thought.
I encourage you to prayerfully consider how you will vote in both the Lower and Upper Houses in the coming elections. I encourage those of you who feel strongly about issues such as euthanasia to contact your local members and Upper House representatives and tell them your concerns. Let them know what you expect of them, because after all it is you, our constituents who we represent.
When the new Government is formed after the 23rd of March this year, it will matter how you voted. With Mark Latham running as a One Nation candidate and federal Senator David Leyonhjelm making a move to the NSW Upper House, the agenda of the new Parliament could make way for assisted suicide and euthanasia in NSW.
So I encourage you, like Monica Doumit, to make this the "year we must fight", and God willing we can continue to keep Christian values at the forefront of the agenda for the next NSW Government.


Jordan is a Scottish actor, trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
He played the leads in both East of Berlin at the Southwark Playhouse and in Fleeto at the Adelaide and Brighton fringe festivals, the latter winning the Brighton Fringe Emerging Talent Award and the Adelaide Critics Circle Award.
Jordan appeared in an episode of Loch Ness for ITV.
Jordan McCurrach will play Niall Swift in murder mystery Loch Ness, for ITV.
The series, directed by Brian Kelly, will shoot in July 2016.
Jordan McCurrach played the lead in East of Berlin, by Hannah Moscovitch at the Southwark Playhouse, directed by Blythe Stewart.
Jordan McCurrach played Charles Shannon in A Picture of John Gray, by CJ Wilmann, at the Old Red Lion Theatre, directed by Gus Miller.


How to keep a kid happy? Just put him in our game room! Basketball, Ping Pong, Air Hockey, Table Tennis, Jumbo Jenga, Jumbo Connect Four, Bowling Alley, just to name a few… Hours and Hours of unlimited fun!
With our own state-of-the-Art video consoles, kids and teens of all ages find themselves VERY entertained! Playstation, Nintendo, Xbox and Wii make for very happy gaming!
Find everything for our youngest guests here! From toy strollers, to little tikes cars, kitchen sets, and dollhouses, puzzles, and legos, at Pesach with Bordeaux, everyone is well taken care of!
MAGIC WITH BEN – LEARN TO PERFORM TRICKS!
Our incredible in-house magician, Ben Cohen, teaches the children how to perform their own magic tricks in a hands-on magical workshop!
Imagine how delighted your children will be when an array of delightful farm animals join us on Chol Hamoed! As you and your children frolic with our farm animals or take a pony ride, you will create the memory of a lifetime!
Take a walk on the wild side with our Exotic Animal Show. The show is very interactive and consists of lots of amazing creatures for a once in a lifetime experience for all your guests. It's not everyday that you get to hold a 6 foot snake!
When the carnival comes to town at Pesach with Bordeaux, we mean it! Booths, prizes, cotton candy,slush, hotdog stands, rides, ponies, you name it! It's a full day celebration!
Whether we visit the bowling alley, New Roc City, a trampoline park, bumper cars, or other local attractions, every kid comes home smiling after a day out and about!
Our kids programming is full of all kinds of fun and exciting shows, games, and events. At Pesach with Bordeaux we know that a busy kid is a happy kid!


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5 Bolt Hub Kit 1-1/16"


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Home/News/One in Five U.K. Schools Says Students Have Broken.../Full Text
ACM TechNews
One in Five U.K. Schools Says Students Have Broken Into Computer Systems
By ZDNet
A cybersecurity audit by the U.K.'s National Cyber Security Center and the London Grid for Learning found 21% of surveyed U.K. schools had their computers, networks, or servers hacked by students.
Credit: theexpertinstitute.com
A cybersecurity audit by the U.K.'s National Cyber Security Center and the London Grid for Learning found 21% of 430 U.K. schools had their computers, networks, or servers hacked by students.
Moreover, 83% of U.K. schools have suffered at least one cyberattack, like phishing, malware, and spoofing, while 11% cited unauthorized staff use of computers, networks, or servers. Just 4% noted unauthorized outside use, and 3% admitted to leaks of confidential data from online systems.
More positively, 95% of schools audited reported implementing firewalls, antivirus, data backups, and regular software patches.
Up to 85% of the schools had a cybersecurity plan, yet only 41% had a business continuity plan, and use of strong cybersecurity practices was relatively low.
From ZDNet
Abstracts Copyright © 2019 SmithBucklin, Washington, DC, USA
Facebook Gets Closer to Letting You Type With Your Mind
Internet Immunity and the Freedom to Code
Eric Goldman
If We Want Women to Persist in Computing, Teach Them Programming – At Any Age
Mark Guzdial
VBScript: Introduction


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Hurricanes and Climate Change (credit: Meteorologist Margaret Orr and CNBC News)
DISCUSSION: Recently, the internet has been abuzz with the question of whether we can blame climate change for catastrophes like Harvey and Irma.
The short answer is yes and no – and here's why.
Climate and weather are two very different things. Climate is the long-term pattern of atmospheric conditions, while weather changes day to day. Hurricanes are weather phenomena. They are caused by waves in air circulation patterns off the west coast of Africa, and gain strength travelling over warm water. So, no, climate change did not directly result in the formation of dangerous hurricanes like the ones we've seen recently.
However, we can say that the effects of anthropogenic climate change made the impacts of these storms worse for two reasons:
1: Warmer air and sea surface temperatures
Air/water temperature is really a measure of the energy of the molecules of the air/water. Warmer temperatures mean more molecular motion which means more energy - the energy that hurricanes feed off of. As a hurricane travels through an area of warmer air and water temperatures, its wind speeds increase. Also, because the air is warmer, it can hold more water vapor – which means more rainfall. The observed increase in both air and ocean temperatures in recent years means that conditions have become increasingly favorable for strong tropical cyclones like Harvey and Irma to form.
2: Sea Level Rise
It's harder for flooding to happen if the level of the ocean starts out at a lower point. This is especially evident in cities like Miami, which already experiences a number of flood days throughout the year, regardless of whether it's a sunny day or a strong hurricane is coming through. This is due to rising sea level. With Miami flooding already from sea level rise, storm surge and rain just make it worse. This is also true for small island countries in the Caribbean that don't have the infrastructure to deal with rising sea levels.
Currently, there isn't enough data to conclusively say how climate change will affect hurricane development. However, we do have enough evidence based on the basic principles of how these storms work to say that climate change will "load the dice" in favor of stronger, more severe, more dangerous hurricanes. We can also say that climate change made the storms of fall 2017 warmer and wetter than they would have been without climate change.
To learn more about other tropical cyclone-related events and issues from around the world, be sure to click here!
©2018 Meteorologist Margaret Orr
Relation of Ocean Temperatures to Tropical Cyclones (Photo credit: NOAA)
DISCUSSION: Tropical cyclones derive their energy from evaporation from the sea surface, and warmer water allows for greater evaporation. In addition, liquid water has an enormous heat capacity, meaning it takes a lot of energy/a long time to change its temperature. Thus, sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and related phenomena (e.g., the El Nino Southern Oscillation [ENSO]) can be used in longer term forecasting of tropical cyclone activity or other types of weather.
The figure above shows the SST anomalies in the western hemisphere valid on 7 June 2018 from the NOAA Office of Satellite and Product Operations website. The blues show cooler-than-normal water, while yellows/oranges indicate above-normal temperatures. The NOAA Climate Prediction Center (CPC) indicates that conditions in the tropical Pacific are currently ENSO-neutral. If you were to draw a box across the equator in the east Pacific shown above, the combination of slightly below-normal SSTs south of the equator and slightly above-normal SSTs north of the equator, would probably combine to give near normal SSTs there, consistent with the CPC. Looking at the tropical Atlantic in an area stretching from the coast of Africa to ~60W and from ~5-20N (where the strongest tropical cyclones in the Atlantic basin tend to develop), predominantly below-normal SSTs exist. El Nino (La Nina) tends to inhibit (intensify) tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic basin, while ENSO-neutral conditions don't provide a strong forcing for or against Atlantic tropical cyclone activity. However, the cool SSTs in the tropical Atlantic are not favorable for storm formation. Based on the discussion above, we may expect these cool Atlantic SSTs and ENSO-neutral conditions to persist for at least the next month or two.
The CPC has predicted a normal to slightly above-normal tropical cyclone season in the Atlantic this season (for more information on this forecast click here). An important question to ask is whether the information above, specifically the cool Atlantic SSTs, is inconsistent with the CPC's outlook. The answer to that question is not necessarily. Many of the strongest storms tend to form in the area indicated above off the coast of Africa, but destructive storms can also develop in the Gulf of Mexico and off the eastern seaboard of the U. S. where water is currently warmer than normal. In addition, three months from now in the climatological peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, the waters may warm up in the main development region. Hence, despite the cooler waters in the tropical Atlantic today, if you live in a hurricane-prone region around the Atlantic basin, it is still important now to prepare for whatever this season brings.
To learn more about other tropical cyclone related stories from around the world, be sure to click here!
© 2018 Meteorologist Dr. Ken Leppert II
Importance of Grasping a Tropical Cyclone's Storm Surge (credit: Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz)
DISCUSSION: As we get deeper into the 2018 tropical Atlantic hurricane season, many people living both across the United States and around the world often have many questions regarding various aspects and dangers both directly and indirectly related to tropical cyclones. Among such questions, often includes a curiosity for a what the definition of storm surge is and why it is so important to understand what a storm surge physically is. It is so important understand what a tropical cyclone's storm surge physically is because a storm surge is typically the most destructive force tied to a landfalling tropical cyclone both across the tropical Atlantic Ocean (and often in any tropical cyclone-producing basin around the world).
A storm surge is best characterized as the above-normal rise in sea-level height both in advance, during the potential landfall of, and during the aftermath of a given tropical cyclone due to a nasty combination of both stronger regional atmosphere pressure differential and strong onshore winds. This destructive combination of factors (especially in stronger tropical cyclones with maximum sustained winds of at least 100 miles per hour or 44.7 meters per second) often will lead to an increase in the localized sea-level in the immediate vicinity of the storm. This localized increase in the average sea-level height near and within the tropical cyclone region is due to the presence of the substantially lower atmospheric pressure tied to the core of the given tropical cyclone. This notably lower minimum central pressure creates a stronger pressure gradient between the inner-most parts and the outer-most parts of the given tropical cyclone; thereby creating larger wave actions and swells. As a consequence of this large wave and swell production by a more intense tropical cyclone and a potential landfall situation characterized by a higher mean sea-level height along with anomalously larger waves/swells, this creates the infamous aspect of tropical cyclones which is observed as the tropical cyclone's storm surge.
When in the path of an intensifying tropical cyclone (and especially if you or family/friends live and/or are visiting a vulnerable coastal region), it is imperative to always communicate such tropical cyclone threats well ahead of time so there is adequate time for action. The reason for this is because in cases involving much larger tropical cyclones (i.e., in terms of their total spatial coverage in terms of square miles and total diameter from side-to-side), such as Hurricane Katrina (2005) or Hurricane Ike (2008), a substantial storm surge began impacting many coastal towns/cities well ahead of the core of each respective tropical cyclone landfall. Therefore, in these such cases, waiting until there was a sense of greater reactive urgency made it too late for any action to do any real good. Thus, it is always critical to respect the natural power of tropical cyclones the natural imposing threat created by an increasing storm surge both prior to, during, and sometimes even after landfall due to the wrap-around the tropical cyclone's wind field.
© 2018 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz


Doing comparison shopping by scanning the barcodes of items with your cell phone camera is a great idea which has seen a good implementation on the G1 and also some work on Windows Mobile. Woabi is another service, unfortunately specific to Germany, which allows comparison shopping using just this technique.
While their data base is not yet fully comprehensive, it does include most popular products, and the service is completely free. The service works either via an app on your phone or via SMS, with the 13 digit barcode numbers being entered manually.
If you register for the service your scans get saved, and one can even set up the service to inform you when a scanned item hits a target price point, allowing one to be an even smarter shopper.
Hopefully the service will expand beyond Germany soon, but in the mean time for our German readers read more about the service and download the free client here.
Thanks Muris for the tip.


What Does It Mean to Awaken in the Body?
You can learn to utilize mindfulness of the body as a way of training yourself to stay present in this very moment. It's quite a feat to stay mindfully present in your body despite the pressures and responsibilities in your life, not to mention all your anxieties and uncertainties. Most people are mindful of their own embodied presence for only brief moments, usually around specific functions; more often than not, they are lost in the past or the future or in escaping altogether through disassociation or distraction. But if you are not mindfully present, you are missing the unfolding of your precious human life and you are forsaking any chance to consciously participate in how it unfolds.
Through mindfulness of the body, you begin to see why the Buddha began with the First Noble Truth, dukkha, the stress and anxiety interwoven in all life. You can also experience in your body the Second Noble Truth, since you cling to getting and keeping what is pleasant to the body and removing or avoiding what is unpleasant to it. Through the body you can also discover the liberating insight of the Third Noble Truth: you have choice. In this very body, in this very moment, you can choose not to succumb to reactions to the arising of pleasant and unpleasant.


SpectraScience, Inc. (SpectraScience) is a medical device company, which undertakes the design, development, manufacture and marketing of light-based technology products. SpectraScience offers its proprietary WavSTAT Optical Biopsy System to diagnose tissue health optically by using light. This system is mainly used in diagnosing colorectal cancer and also plans to extend its application to esophageal, bladder, lung and other cancers. The company has developed two products, namely, the WavSTAT mobile console and optical biopsy forceps based on this technology. It markets its WavSTAT System in the international markets through a distribution agreement with PENTAX Europe GmbH. SpectraScience is headquartered in San Diego, California, the US.
SpectraScience, Inc. (SCIE) – Medical Equipment – Deals and Alliances Profile provides you comprehensive data and trend analysis of the company's Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As), partnerships and financings. The report provides detailed information on Mergers and Acquisitions, Equity/Debt Offerings, Private Equity, Venture Financing and Partnership transactions recorded by the company over a five year period. The report offers detailed comparative data on the number of deals and their value categorized into deal types, sub-sector and regions.


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BizAv Trip Planning: Spanish F1 Grand Prix 2016 – Part 2: Permits, Fuel & Hotels
By Gonzalo Barona Jr
PT 4 M minute read
This is a post by author Gonzalo Barona, Jr. Gonzalo is the Madrid station manager for Universal Aviation Spain, which has aircraft ground handling facilities in Madrid, Girona, and Barcelona. Gonzalo is an expert on business aircraft operations in Spain and can be contacted at gonzalobaronajr@universalaviation.aero.
This business aviation blog post continues from our article last week, titled "BizAv Trip Planning: Spanish F1 Grand Prix 2016 – Part 1: Airport and Parking Options."
For those planning to fly to the Spanish Grand Prix (May 13 – 15, 2016), it's important to consider increased traffic and congestion at both Barcelona (LEBL) and Gerona (LEGE) and to be mindful of lead time requirement for charter permits, fuel uplifts, and customs, immigration, and quarantine (CIQ) requirements.
The following is an overview of what you need to know:
1.	Spain landing permits
Landing permits are not needed for private non-revenue flights, but they are required for charter (non-scheduled commercial) operations to Spain. If a charter operator is only making a tech stop in Spain, no permit is required unless passengers embark/disembark the aircraft. Permits are processed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Spain, and a minimum of 30 business days prior notice is needed, according to regulation. Normally CAA working hours are Monday-Friday, but CAA will be available 24 hours for permit issues over the Grand Prix period. Permits, in practice, can often be processed with just over 48 hours lead time. However, note that if you request a charter landing permit with less than 48 hours' notice your request will not be considered. To request a permit you'll need to complete a landing permit application and attach copies of your airworthiness and registration certificates, worldwide insurance, crew medicals, and ATP licenses. Approved permits have validity of +/- 48 hours.
2.	Permit revisions
It's important to notify CAA of any changes to permit approvals, even for crew/passenger adjustments and schedule changes within the permit validity period. While such items are notification only, CAA wants to be aware of all changes to permit approvals. There's no minimum lead time to consider when making these small permit changes. For larger revisions, including changes to schedule outside the permit validity period or origin/destination changes, the permit needs to be reconfirmed by CAA, and the minimum lead time for change requests is 48 hours.
3.	APU limitations at LEBL
Be aware that LEBL restricts running of auxiliary power units (APUs) to 10 minutes after blocks on arrival and 10 minutes before blocks on departure. To run your APU on the ground any longer than this, you'll need to obtain prior permission from airport authorities. Your ground handler can request this permission for you, but it's important not to run APUs longer than the permitted time until you've obtained approval. Airport authorities at LEBL are strict on enforcing APU restrictions. If a follow-me truck driver observes you running your APU for more than 10 minutes you'll be given notice to shut it down.
4.	Fuel uplifts
Fuel delays can be expected at either airport when making an uplift request during or shortly after the Grand Prix period. LEGE has no fuel trucks dedicated to GA, and delays can be expected for all uplifts during the Grand Prix period due to heightened traffic movements. Unless you're planning to depart a few days after the event, we recommend uplifting fuel a day prior to departure. Normal fuel uplift delays at LEGE are up to 30 minutes, but delays may run up to three-four hours during the Spanish Grand Prix period.
LEBL has dedicated fuel trucks for GA; however, during large events—such as the Grand Prix—these trucks may also be used to fuel scheduled commercial operations. For the Grand Prix period, we recommend scheduling fuel uplifts one day prior to departure, unless you plan to depart LEBL several days after the race.
5.	Hotel availability
Hotel room pricing in Barcelona, Gerona, and close to the race circuit will be higher than normal, with extended cancelation policies likely in place during the Grand Prix. Currently, the average price for 4-star crew accommodations is running 250-300 Euros, but this will likely increase as we get closer to the event.
6.	CIQ clearance and visas
LEBL has a general aviation terminal (GAT) where CIQ can usually be cleared in less than five minutes. However, LEGE has no GAT or fixed-base operator (FBO), and you'll clear CIQ within the main terminal. This clearance process is done in a separate area from scheduled commercial clearances and generally takes less than five minutes. If you require visas for Spain, based on your nationality, these must be obtained prior to arrival. Those who land in Spain without required visas will not be permitted into the country.
7.	Local transport
Pre-paid transport (car with driver) is recommended for travel to/from the race circuit from Barcelona or Gerona. We do not recommend rental vehicles for most crew transport purposes as vehicle parking will be extremely difficult in the city centers and at the race venue. Helicopter transfers can be considered, to and from the airport and the race track, but there are no options for helicopter services between the city centers and the track. As helicopter transfers will be in high demand over this period we suggest requesting these services as early as possible.
As this popular international race event is occurring in the very near future it's important to consider crew accommodation and local transport arrangements without delay. As this will be a busy period for the region, fuel uplifts will likely encounter delays at both airports. Also, for charter operators it's important to keep in mind the landing permit requirements.
Universal and Universal Aviation are not associated in any way with the Formula One group of companies. F1, FORMULA ONE, FORMULA 1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX, and related marks are trademarks of Formula One Licensing B.V.
If you have any questions about this article or would like assistance planning your next trip to Spain, contact me at gonzalobaronajr@universalaviation.aero.
Got a question for Gonzalo about this article?
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Gonzalo Barona Jr
Universal Aviation Spain – Madrid Station Manager Gonzalo Barona Jr. has been immersed in the aviation industry for 10 years. His areas of expertise include slot coordination, flight plans, CDM, ground handling support and administration. Clients appreciate Gonzalo's ability to fine tune slot requirement and revisions – facilitating short notice requests and last minute schedule changes. An engineer by education Gonzalo is fluent in English, French and Spanish with some Italian and Portuguese.
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text:
Warriors have another game removed from national TV schedule
Sporting Green // Golden State Warriors
Connor Letourneau Jan. 4, 2020 Updated: Jan. 4, 2020 6:33 p.m.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, right, talks with Draymond Green against the Phoenix Suns during an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Friday, Dec. 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
As if it wasn't already clear, the Warriors are no longer must-see TV.
The NBA has removed Golden State's Jan. 10 game against the Clippers at Staples Center from the national TV schedule, replacing it with the Lakers-Mavericks game. This marks the fourth time this season a Warriors game has been removed from national TV.
With Stephen Curry (left hand surgery) and Klay Thompson (left knee surgery) sidelined, the Warriors have struggled, entering Saturday's game against the Pistons with the league's second-worst record at 9-27. At the moment, however, Golden State's Jan. 8 game against the Bucks is still slated to be broadcast by ESPN.
By Connor Letourneau
Steve Kerr voices concern that U.S. is on verge of...
Warriors' D'Angelo Russell, Kevon Looney out vs. Pistons
Warriors clear Stephen Curry to travel with team
Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cletourneau@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @Con_Chron
Connor Letourneau
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Connor Letourneau moved to the Golden State Warriors beat in September 2016 after a year covering Cal. Previously, he spent two years covering the Oregon State Beavers for The Oregonian. Letourneau is a University of Maryland alum who has interned for The Baltimore Sun and blogged for The New York Times. A Portland, Ore., native, he is interested in telling the stories that extend beyond the field or court.
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Forty years later, advocates are still pushing courts to consider alternatives to setting bail, which effectively leaves poor women in detention pretrial. During the last few years, a number of reports have been published to encourage the use of alternatives to pretrial incarceration, particularly to address the needs of the rising number of women in the system. This comment illustrates how collaborations with community-based programs can potentially reduce the mass incarceration of women in jails across the country. First, I consider the consequences of defaulting to pretrial detention in women's jails. Second, I argue that community-based pretrial support for people who would otherwise be in detention is one of the most effective paths towards reducing mass incarceration. Finally, I examine how to close gaps in the provision of social services in order to facilitate effective long-term improvements in women's lives. As local jurisdictions trend toward exploring pretrial services for women, we must consider how the lessons of local community-based alternatives can minimize detention for all.


Salesforce has revealed its revamped Lightning Experience user interface - but how has it fared? ComputerworldUK's Charles Stevenson provides a first look review of Lightning Experience.
Salesforce unveiled the new desktop user interface for its core CRM platform in a live webcast earlier this week. Known as 'Lightning Experience', the new interface is a dramatic overhaul of the look and feel of the world's leading CRM system and addresses criticisms that Salesforce had fallen behind rival CRM platforms in terms of visual appeal and ease of use.
Lightning Experience - which will be made available free of charge to customers as part of the next scheduled software release - has been described by Salesforce as the most significant update to the desktop interface in its 16-year history.
However it is not entirely new. Lightning Experience is a project that Salesforce has been working on since at least 2013, and we have already seen the technology on the company's mobile apps. So it is not surprising that the new desktop interface shares a lot of the visual features in common with the mobile experience.
The existing Salesforce desktop user interface is looking rather tired compared with more modern websites and mobile apps. Users' expectations have risen as enterprise apps have started to catch up with consumer-facing websites and apps. Consequently, the appearance of Salesforce seems to have fallen behind the best.
Salesforce Lightning Experience review: What's new?
Cosmetically, the Lightning Experience interface is much more modern looking, with a more flexible layout, and more emphasis on displaying information visually, rather than heavily relying on text and numbers.
But probably the most striking difference is that the whole interface is much more dynamic. In the old 'Classic' interface, each screen is essentially a static HTML web page, and generally only gets updated if the user refreshes the page. Lightning Experience screens, on the other hand, behave much more animatedly. For example, if you change a number the screen immediately updates any totals or charts, without you needing to reload the page.
As well as giving the interface a more modern appearance it allows more dynamic interactions such as drag and drop, animations and instant visual feedback.
Screens are more focused around what a user needs to do, so administrators can design layouts that bring relevant information into a single screen, rather than making users jump from page to page, which should help with productivity, as well as user training and adoption.
Pipeline Board - Allows users to see their pipeline and drag and drop opportunities between various Sales Stages to immediately see the effect on their forecast.
Sales Path - Guides users to keep an opportunity moving forward with customised information for your organisation's sales process. Ideal for new starters.
And a completely new analytics engine means much prettier charts, reports and dashboards, and those components appear in more places, so screens have more visual variety with animated graphics.
The entire reporting engine has had a complete overhaul, inheriting a lot of the technology from Salesforce's recent Wave analytics system. The look and feel is a huge improvement on the existing interface. By way of example, the number one requested feature from the user community over the last eight years has been to allow more than three columns in a dashboard.
The vendor's webcast demonstration this week showed components being dynamically resized to allow four or more smaller components, or fewer large components. Those charts are also animated which may sound slightly gimmicky, but certainly gain your attention and look clearer and better formatted.
Another feature Salesforce is clearly proud of is the 'Pipeline Board'. This view of your open opportunities displays them as a set of cards in columns, based on what stage in the sales process they were. It looks similar to Kanban boards, and is a very neat logical view to clearly show at a glance where your deals are.
But even nicer, is the ability to drag and drop those opportunities from column to column, which automatically updates the records, as well as updating the totals on the board.
Clearly Lightning Experience is a big deal for Salesforce and it recognises that it will also be a big change for their customers, so it is going to be an optional switch-over. The existing interface will continue to exist and it is something that the vendor proposes should be tested carefully to understand if it is right for your organisation yet.
Salesforce expects everyone to use the Lightning Experience eventually, but it recognises that this won't be right for everybody immediately. Not least, because the Winter '16 release only covers the Sales Cloud, so users of the Service Cloud or Sales Console will have to wait for future releases before they will be able to take advantage of the new interface.
And there are actually quite a few features of the Sales Cloud that are not directly supported in the new interface and those features may be deal-breakers for some organisations. For example Quotes, Forecasting and Campaigns stand out as potentially critical features for lots of companies, so you may choose to wait for a future release before switching it on.
The new interface is based on standard modern web technologies and should make it easier for developers to develop for multiple devices and screen sizes. In theory, new Lightning development written for the desktop should work on mobile, tablet and smart watches without needing to be re-written.
On the desktop, Chrome and Mozilla browsers are supported but only the latest Internet Explorer (version 11) and Safari (version 8). This may be an issue for IT departments with strict desktop software policies.
Certainly, you will need to do some work to take advantage of the new interface, and product launch demos always gloss over the teething problems that you should expect from such a big technology update. So organisations should treat this as having significant impact, and should test and evaluate before rolling out to everyone. It is going to be possible to trial the new interface with pilot groups of users, and Salesforce are keen to emphasise that it is easy to switch back and forth between the two interfaces as required.
Overall, Lightning Experience looks very impressive. The old interface has felt extremely dated compared to rival CRM systems so the new look and feel should really help with user adoption.
New customers who are evaluating CRM systems, should now see the Salesforce user interface as good as, or better than, the competition, which has not been the case for a few years now.
I also think existing customers will see this as a very positive move by Salesforce. This release is not the finished article, with several restrictions and limitations so many companies will choose to wait for a future version, but Salesforce has a good track record of supporting backwards compatibility, so even if you are not able to switch to the new interface immediately, you should not be negatively impacted in the meantime.


America Saves for Young Workers (ASYW) is an initiative of America Saves that promotes workplace savings for young adults. We are beginning our work in this area with a large and vulnerable population, young first-time summer workers from low-income households. These young people are inexperienced about personal finance and are less likely to save any of their earnings. Employment for this group of 16- to 24-year-olds reached nearly 20 million in July 2013, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
America Saves is pleased to make America Saves for Young Workers their commitment to action as part of the Clinton Global Initiative. CGI America commitments are new, specific, and measurable plans to address economic recovery and growth in the U.S. America Saves' commitment to action seeks to encourage first time workers to save by introducing them to direct deposit and automatic saving during their employee orientation. Learn more at https://www.clintonfoundation.org/clinton-global-initiative/commitments/america-saves-first-time-workers-program.
America Saves provides a free research-based program for financial institutions that can support and motivate youth to save effectively. The program focuses on 16-22 year olds and starts with youth taking the America Saves Pledge. Research shows that those with a financial plan are more likely to spend less than they earn and save the difference than those without a plan. The Pledge does just this. Youth choose a goal, and amount to save, and a time frame to save for – creating the most basic of savings plans. Once they have completed the Pledge, they will receive an automated electronic program that provides ongoing support, resources, and motivation to save regularly through email and/or text messages from America Saves. Click here for the program.
Social Security along with America Saves, the American Savings Education Council, the Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement, and the US Department of Treasury, launched the "Campaign for a Secure Retirement: Helping Millions of Americans Plan and Save for Retirement." The campaign is a joint national educational retirement campaign to encourage retirement planning and saving and promote the online Social Security Statement, available through my Social Security, as an important retirement planning tool. Read the press release.
America Saves launched a new text message service, as part of Financial Literacy month, to keep savers motivated to save through text message tips and reminders. America Saves uses the goal savers choose when they take the America Saves pledge to help them find money to save and remind them to save for their specific goal.


Our definition of "finished" is much shallower than Jesus' definition.
I am a list maker and I love to cross things off when I complete them. In fact, sometimes I'll write something I planned on doing today and have already done just so I can cross it off the list! It's finished!
Jesus' understanding of being finished is not the same as crossing something off a to-do list. His words are not a to-do item. They are not a cry of defeat. Jesus is completing his life purpose; his reason for coming as a human being to earth. Jesus has completed what he started.
But what is the "it" he has completed? This is an important question because it gets to the meaning of the crucifixion. For Christians, the cross is a sign that says we follow Jesus. But what does the cross mean? For me, it's a reminder that Jesus die for me, for you, for all of humanity.
Jesus compares himself to a wheat kernel that falls to the ground and die. Jesus is the seed that will die but then can become many seeds.
On the last night of his life, Jesus shows his great love for the disciples when he washes their dirty, yucky feet. By doing this job, usually reserved for a servant, Jesus teaches the disciples to wash others feet and demonstrate love.
Jesus calls himself the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. This concept comes from the Jewish Passover Meal. Waiting for Pharaoh to release them from Egypt, the Jews kill a lamb and paint their doorposts with lamb blood. The angel of death passes over their homes and does not kill the eldest child because the lamb represents the eldest child. For Christians, Jesus is our sacrificial lamb. Just as the Israelites were liberated from slavery with the lambs' blood, Jesus liberates us and frees us with his blood.
By combining these and many other metaphors Jesus used to explain his work and purpose, we find not one reason Jesus came to this world and die; we find a whole bunch of reasons. Through metaphors, Jesus helps us create a larger and more complete understanding of his purpose.
But Jesus' life is more than a metaphor. It's more than logic. The reason he came needs to become personal and emotional. Want to know why Jesus said, "It is finished?" Hold up a mirror. Look at the person you see reflecting back. The reflection you see is a sign of Jesus' wondrous love for you. Stare at the reflection until you feel it.
On the cross, we find our brokenness and our need to be loved. When we begin to see God's deep love for us, we see the world in the light of the cross. When Jesus said, "It is finished," he meant all of these things and so more. What does the cross mean to you? This Holy Week, I encourage you to discover this for yourself.
Let us pray: It is finished, the battle is over. It is finished; there'll be no more war. It is finished, the end of the conflict. It is finished and Jesus is Lord. Amen.


Author(s): Wanjekeche, T. ; Nicolae, D.V. ; Jimoh, A.A.
Multilevel topologies have emerged as a viable technique for medium and high voltage inverters but in the low voltage range they have failed to attract much interest due to their increased cost associated with the additional components and complicated control. This paper proposes a new and simplified control strategy for a nine- cascaded Neutral-Point -Clamped (NPC)/H-Bridge PWM inverter. The new control strategy is achieved by decomposing the nine level output into four separate and independent three- level NPC PWM output. By combining the three- level NPC PWM back to back using DC sources and properly phase shifting the modulating wave and carrier a simplified control strategy is achieved with reduced number of components. The control strategy is applied on cascaded NPC/H-bridge inverter that combines features from NPC inverter and cascaded H-Bridge inverter. A theoretical harmonic analysis of the proposed control is carried out using double Fourier principle. Verification of the analytical results is done using MATLAB simulation.


MANCHESTER UNITED have reportedly enquired about four Real Madrid players as talks continue over David De Gea.
De Gea looks set to leave United this summer after rejecting a new contract at Old Trafford.
Real are keen to bring the player back to La Liga but will have to agree a fee with United unless they want to wait for his current deal to expire in a year's time.
And while a £30million fee has been mooted, United are interested in getting at least one player back in any deal, according to reports in Spain.
According to AS, United have asked about the availability of four Real stars.
It is claimed the Red Devils have asked about Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Raphael Varane.
As keen as Real are to land De Gea, however, they have told United that none of the quartet are currently available as part of negotiations.
United raided Real for Angel Di Maria last summer but their hopes of landing another big-name player from the Spanish capital this summer appear to have hit a road-block.


who cares about every pain, every tear, every longing.
Here we are. We're in the homestretch.
Keep breathing cause you're almost to the end.
Welcome to the last month of school.
We are all a little tired.
We are all a little emotional.
We are all a little scattered.
We are all a little anxious that next school year's to-do list is going to look a whole lot similar to the one we put together at the beginning of this year…because… well…life.
We are all trying to work some serious calendar magic to fit in all of the year-end field trips, spring concerts, living wax museums, class parties, and sporting events.
Remember the start of the year? You determined that you'd surprise your kiddo for more lunches, you'd volunteer in the library, chaperone every field trip, and write encouragement notes regularly to your school staff.
So you fell short. Forgive yourself and move on. Holding disappointment against yourself only means it's more likely you'll look for things to hold against others.
Can we please make a pact? Can we agree to see each other with compassion especially as our raggedness reveals even more of our imperfections? Can we agree to be quick to offer grace and slow to offer judgment?
Instead of judging the parent whose child stumbles out of their car still nibbling on a cold pop tart with untied shoes and an unzipped backpack, can we first remember that it's the last month and applaud their effort to get to school?
Instead of wondering how another parent could send their child to school in pants that are two inches too short and a shirt that's inside out, can we remember the stuff that really matters?
Can we make eye contact with those parents and smile with a smile that kindly acknowledges how we've been there too?
Instead of being angry at your child's teacher for making a mistake on the graded schoolwork that was sent home, can we agree to take a breath and think of all the correctly graded papers sent home before this one? Can we remember that for every paper that comes home in our child's folder, there are 25 other folders with those same graded papers?
Can we heap grace on the teachers who have lost the pep in their step and need four cups of coffee instead of their normal two to get through the day? And can we remember how challenging the previous part of their race has been?
Instead of denying your child the opportunity to spend the evening playing outside with friends, can we just skip the AR reading for the night and let them have a little freedom? It is the last month of school.
My kids are whining more. They are tired. They've had tests, and projects, and experiments, and standards to meet. They consistently wake up before the sun. They desperately want a string of days to sleep in. AND honestly, so do I.
Can we remember that the teachers, administrators, parents, and students are all working really hard to cross the finish line? And can we remember that we are all on the same team as we move toward that finish line? Teachers, administrators, parents, students.
Track meets may be one of my favorite sports to watch. It feels like there is little attention on who you are "against". Whether you are the one coaching, the one running, or the spectator, your focus is on your team. You spend your energy doing what you can to see that your team crosses the finish line. Teammates cheer for one another. They encourage. They remind each other that they are proud of them.
My niece runs like a gazelle. It's beautiful irony that she was actually born in Kenya. It is a joy to watch her run. She is very specific about what motivates her when she is running. She wants people to shout things like "you are awesome", "you are doing great", and "I am so proud of you". She gets extra motivation when we shout "I love you, Hannah." When she is in the race and focused on getting across the finish line, she wants to know that we see her efforts and are proud of how hard she is working.
Aren't most of us like that? Especially when we are frayed and weary and just trying to cross the finish line. I know I am.
You are in the homestretch.
I see your effort and know that you are working hard to cross the line.
Now, go find your teammates. They need you as much as you need them.
Are You in Need of Spring?
I have lived all my life in the Midwest. Summer, fall, winter, spring. Summer, fall, winter, spring. Seasons are distinct. I am grateful for the contrast between them.
Winter is cold, snowy, sometimes muddy, and often grey. Generally by the end of winter, my body, mind and spirit are longing for the first signs of spring.
There is a patch of landscaping twenty feet outside my front door that is packed full of perennials. As the temperatures rise and as the sun begins to consistently show itself, my eyes are drawn to that patch of landscape when I walk past it. I scan the dirt, looking for spikes of green to poke up through the ground. I have confidence that it will come. The new life will eventually emerge, I am certain. It always does.
But as I look for sign of new life, I do not know when it will appear…I just know that it will. It eventually does…after every winter. So I keep looking. And the first time I spot the tiniest spike of green, I am grateful. It's like the weight of the winter begins to fade at the sight of spring as I take in the hope of what's to come.
I have experienced many winters in my life. Literal winters. Figurative ones. Times where all I can see is the cold, the muddy, the mess, and the grey. Experiences that have felt lonely, dark, filled with sadness and crushed hope.
I have friends and family who are currently feeling the impact of winter. They have experienced death. They have experienced loss. Disease has stolen from them. Broken promises have left their hearts shattered. They're experiencing uncertainty. They are weary of the grey. Their energy is gone. They are tired but they can't rest.
They are in desperate need of spring.
It's okay to hope for spring. It's okay to look for it's signs. In the dead of winter, we may feel as if the grey will never end. That the bitter cold will linger and linger and linger. But of this I am certain…the winter will not last forever. It never has.
Recently, God has been reminding me that he doesn't waste a thing.
Not one winter in my life.
And with that knowledge, I am looking for the signs of spring. I am looking for new life. I am looking for the sun to shine. I am trusting that the God who makes the green things grow, does not desire to leave us abandoned in the greyness of winter. I am trusting that the God who makes beautiful things out of dust and pulls us up out of the ashes, is more than able to do it over and over again in all of our lives.
You are almost there. We know you are weary. You have every reason to be. Keep hanging on. We see you and recognize there are a million and one reasons these days before break probably each feel like their own marathon. Know that there are so many of us cheering for you.
As I have engaged with more and more teachers over the years, I have only grown increasingly fond of you…as individuals and as a collective group. You have much to be proud of. You are shaping the minds of our future generations. Educating our future world changers. Planting seeds. Shaping dreams and paths of life. You are calling forth what is good and valuable in our children and encouraging those things to shine. You are modeling relationships and teaching about love and tolerance and forgiveness. You are providing a place that is safe and consistent. It is like a second home to our children.
You are like a mother, like a father, like another family to them. Your hearts are for them. All. Of. Them.
I see the way you want to provide the best for your students. You are fighting on their behalf. All of the budgeting of resources, of time, of money is for their benefit. A constant quest for what is best for them. A longing to ignite their minds while caring for their physical and emotional being.
I see the way you carry the worries of your students. While I know the struggles of one of your students (my own) and a handful of others, you know the struggles of an entire classroom and sometimes a good portion of the school. It must feel so heavy at times.
You've heard about mom's illness. You're pretty sure the cancer has come back with a vengeance. You make special efforts to make eye contact with your student and remind them that they are not alone.
You've heard about the yelling and fighting. You've learned that your student is staying with grandma "for a few days". One of their siblings is with another family member. You greet them by name every time they comes into your room and remind them that the class just wouldn't be the same without them.
You know about all of the appointments. All of the tests. You make arrangements to gather the assignments and help your student understand what they may be missing when they are gone. You wonder and wait for answers as to why the symptoms keep coming back. You do what you can to help them feel like a part of your class even though they are gone so often.
You see the little guy who walks into the classroom late most mornings. You know there are reasons. It disrupts the flow of your routine. You see him staring at the ground when he walks in. You know he is embarrassed and wished he could be on time like everyone else. You resist showing your frustration because you know that there are a multitude of factors outside of his control. You smile at him and tell him you're glad he's joined you.
You've read about the factory closing in town. The little guy whose dad works there sits in your front row. He tells you he's sad because his dad no longer has a job and his mom is worried about their bills. You tell him that you're sorry and attempt to convince him that parents always have a way of figuring things out.
You see the little gal whose joy has turned to sadness. You know how she used to practically dance as she walked down your hallways. You know something has changed but no one has shared with you the why. You wonder. You share jokes with her here and there in a quest to bring out the laughter you once heard from her.
You are teachers. You chose this profession years ago because you wanted to change the world…one child at a time. You are doing it. And sometimes changing the world in the ways you do, must feel really hard.
We see your hearts. You have loved them well. Thank you doesn't seem quite adequate.
Now rest. It's okay to let it go. To release the worries that you have carried for these children that you have poured into day after day. It's okay to release yourself from their struggles. It means no less of the compassion you hold for them. As you leave for the holidays, it is okay to close the door to your classroom….literally and figuratively.
That you might be able to let go.
In the laughter o your home.
In the beauty of the snowfall.
In the connection with those you love.
In the story we celebrate.
And in the quiet of the night.
This morning, I ended up with some unexpected time to walk the track at my local gym. This image was what I had the privilege of witnessing. A man and a woman caring deeply for one another. I walked for a long time. And so did they.
They gently held one another's hand as they circled around and around the track. At one point, the husband had to let go of his wife's hand to shed his sweatshirt since he had started to heat up a bit. And you know what he did once he put down his sweatshirt?
He reached right back out and held her hand again.
I'll admit, my eyes filled with tears multiple times as I wondered about their journey together. Neither appeared as strong or as upright as I imagine they once were. I could see that their hands were gripping one another's, but likely not as firmly as they once had because of their now tight and achy joints. Their pace was likely not as fast as it once was. Their gait was likely not as fluid. They leaned into one another to share thoughts as it seemed that their hearing also was not what it once was.
At one point, I walked beside the couple and shared that I was blessed by observing their interactions with one another. They both smiled and the wife said, "We hold one another up to keep from falling." We exchanged a few more words and I affirmed that their kindness and gentleness toward one another was inspiring.
Then, I walked away and my eyes began to fill again.
Maybe she had just shared with me her key to a strong partnership. Maybe she had just spoken truth about how we are to act toward one another.
Their message will stay with me.
The message from our brief verbal exchange, but even more so, the message from witnessing their gentle, protective, loving, compassion for one another.
"We hold one another up to keep from falling".
I am so grateful my eyes were open to see this beauty displayed right in front of me today.
May my eyes and ears remain open…looking…listening.
And may we heed the wisdom from this lovely lady and all find ways to hold one another up to keep from falling.
My all-time favorite musical is Les Miserables. And while Hamilton has entered the race for the top, Les Mis continues to be in the lead. Repeatedly, I am moved to tears as I watch the story of pain and redemption and longing and fulfillment unfold in this incredibly beautiful narrative.
The empty chairs at the place where Marius would gather with his community reminded him of what he had lost. His heart ached for another opportunity to sit and dream and connect with his people.
Conversations with friends and clients remind me that many of us have our own empty chairs. Holiday gatherings tend to shine a spotlight on them. For my family, there are the literal chairs where most of us can envision my aunt, my grandfather and my father sitting.
My aunt would stroll in with her veggie pizza, homemade potato salad, and cream cheese-filled pumpkin rolls. She'd talk about her excitement for Christmas decorations and Christmas movies. I can imagine the spot she'd most often choose to be. She'd sit there and tell stories about her most recent surgery, about the drama at work, or about her plan of attack for Black Friday shopping. There was often laughter coming from the area where she'd be stationed for the day.
My grandpa would show up with his store bought can of cranberry jelly. It was his favorite turkey topping and everyone knew this. He'd sit at the kitchen table most of the day. He wouldn't say a whole lot and would eventually doze off. Inevitably, we'd eventually see him jump, awakened by his own sleep-snort-snore. He had a habit of getting up and heading home without really announcing that he was leaving. At some point, it all became a little endearing.
My dad would be carving the turkey when everyone arrived. He and my mom made it a joint effort most years. He'd always pull out summer sausage and jerky from the deer he had shot that season. Looking back now, I think he felt great pride in being able to offer it to our family. He'd sit in the living room where most of the family would gather. There was a specific green chair that most often was claimed as his. He loved listening to the conversations around him and throwing in jokes every now and then. Some of the jokes made us laugh and others made us wonder what he was even talking about. At some point, the football games would be turned on and he'd be right there cheering.
Most of us have our own empty chairs. Maybe they are newly abandoned or maybe they have been empty for decades. Faces and memories flash through our minds as we prepare for the celebrations. Sometimes we just don't know what to do with the emotions that accompany it all. And so we may be tempted to stuff it down, ignore it completely, or absolutely pretend.
Please know that you have permission to feel. Find a safe way to do so. Let someone in. Allow others to share in the memories with you. Give them permission to feel just as you are giving it to yourself. Ask others to pray for you. Let them in. Allow them to carry the burden with you.
Create space to remember. Before rushing from one engagement to the next to the next, sit and be still. Think about what it was like to have them there. Think about what they contributed to the celebration. Think about how they added laughter. Think about how they served in the seen and unseen ways.
Think about the others that will be gathered with you who have loved and lost as well. Know that the clumsy and awkward grief journey you are on, likely feels clumsy and awkward for them as well. Know that you're on the journey together even though at times it may not feel so.
Give yourself grace for the waves that may come crashing in. Remember that grief is like the ocean…and sometimes the waves are shallow and sometimes they feel intense. It's normal even though it may feel a bit uncomfortable when it hits. Speak kindly to yourself…avoid wondering what is wrong with you or what others must be thinking. Grief should not be allowed to fuel shame.
Know that the empty chairs do not feel less empty when we pretend they do not exist. In fact, for most, this only makes the chairs feel more empty. It's okay to acknowledge what was once there.
May you be blessed as you do.
Something had shifted. It wasn't that her life had magically become easier. It wasn't that the struggles had disappeared. The shift was one towards hope. Her answer was "great" because she had grabbed a hold of the possibility of something different. Having walked so much of the difficult road with this individual, I found myself fighting back a flood of tears watching her so bravely step into something unfamiliar to her. But at the same time as I was fighting back tears, I was also suppressing my urge to jump around the room in excitement. Knowing how vulnerable she felt, I chose to temper my reactions just a bit and landed somewhere between the two.
She had just stepped into a new territory of possibilities of good and hope and healing and being "great". And while for some of us, that territory is the norm, for others it can feel as unsettling as standing in front of a crowd of people in your underwear.
Change is uncomfortable. Change means to make or become different. It is removing yourself from what you have most often known…from what has become familiar.
I see my friend moving into the "uncomfortable." She's stepping into change. She's not getting a new job, moving into a new neighborhood or going back to school. But she's doing something that takes just as much, if not more, courage.
She's wondering what people will think of her if she smiles more, laughs more, holds her head up more, talks more or tells them she is 'good' instead of just 'alright'.
She wants to walk in the light and no longer hide in the shadows. She is afraid of looking clumsy and awkward. She's seen much of life through sadness and disappointment and controlling fear. Feeling good and the actions and words that accompany it do not feel natural to her. They cause her to feel that she is on display.
She wants to celebrate the change, but she feels timid. She wonders what people will expect from the her that is taking hold of the possibility of good and taking hold of the hope. She is afraid that she will disappoint and fall again.
She has grown familiar with assuming that her identity is her struggle. Without it, she is concerned that she will not know who she is. She is afraid that others will not accept or believe the changes in her…even when they are good. She wonders if there's grace if some days aren't quite "great".
Tired. Grieving. Depressed. Lonely. Disappointed. Hurting. Sick. Broken-hearted.
Many of us have been there. We know what it's like to feel stuck in it. We know what it's like to walk around assuming these labels are plastered to our forehead. We can lose sight of the truth that the struggles do not equal who we are…even when we have grown oh-so-familiar with them.
Change is one of the bravest things I have witnessed. Embracing a new way of thinking and behaving and feeling takes audacity. Finding ways to express that you are walking in a new direction takes boldness. Experimenting with new language communicating hope and expectancy takes guts.
It's okay. Just take one step at a time towards the change. And if you find that you feel like running towards it…go for it.
Even though you may not believe it now…you are brave.
You are seen and you are loved and you are not alone.
When I was a 10 year-old girl, I lost a battle with a pot of boiling oil. In an attempt to make homemade corndogs, things went horribly awry and I ended up in a fight with an exploding grease fire. While it was incredibly scary to me at the time, I have grown to understand that the damage could have been exponentially worse.
My parents were at work. They were likely assuming their girls were enjoying the day off of school, the always-welcomed benefit of harsh Midwest winters. I am sure they didn't expect the call from their frantic daughters who were at that point uncertain of the extent of the damage.
My parents rushed home, breezed past the lingering smoke, blackened ceilings and shriveled kitchen curtains, and found me with my hands submerged in water in the bathroom sink. After quickly assessing the situation, we jumped into the car and sped our way to our family doctor. I left the office knowing that the fire had miraculously missed my face while singeing my eyebrows, eyelashes, and bangs. About 40% of the top of my right hand received 2nd and 3rd degree burns. There were some additional spots up my arms but the major damage was to my right hand.
The next few weeks were full of pain and tears. My dad took on the job of changing my bandages. He had been a factory worker all of his adult life and had helped mend lots of minor cuts and burns throughout his time there. So it made sense for the task to land on him.
Since my father died in August of 2016, it seems that one of the strongest memories of my father is how he cared for me during those days following the grease fire. I remember day after day sitting on the couch with him. I'd cry and at times, I'd scream. He'd tell me he was sorry for the pain as he pulled away the gauze that seemed to be almost glued to the raw burned surface of my hand. He would blow cool air on my skin to ease the pain. He knew that the process was hurting me but he sat with me and cared for me nonetheless. I remember that he had to remove the bandage, allow it to air out for 20-30 minutes, apply the prescribed salve, and rewrap my hand. Over those 3-4 weeks, my father spent a lot of time focused on taking care of me and comforting me. I later learned how hard those days were for my dad and how many tears he fought back through the process.
Other vivid childhood memories with my father include times when he entered into the pain of my disappointment after not being chosen for a high school team…and when he entered into the pain of my sadness when some longtime friends started playing pranks on me that they thought were funny but I did not…and when he entered into the pain of my loneliness during the downward spiral of my first significant relationship.
My dad wasn't a man of lots of words. His gift was always his presence. He showed up time and time again. He showed up for the exciting times…when I had lead roles or received awards. But he also and maybe more importantly showed up for the hard times…when my hands were burned…when my heart was broken…and when I needed to feel safe. He didn't say much. Not that I recall. I just remember knowing that he was there when I was hurting.
These memories have impacted my parenting. They've caused me to consider what matters most to my own children.
As parents, I imagine that a lot of us at one time or another have assumed it is our responsibility to keep our children from pain. While, inarguably, I do believe we have a great responsibility to protect our children and provide safety and security for them, pain will inevitably enter the picture at some point. No one seems to be immune to pain. Maybe you have seen pain enter your child's world through an unwelcomed diagnosis, through peer conflict, through a parent's illness, through academic struggles, or through negative comments directed their way.
As parents, we can have the tendency to obsess about the ways we are falling short. Sometimes, we may even interpret our children's pain as a result of our failure. Getting stuck in these beliefs will most likely lead you to being lost in your own shame and emotionally unavailable for your children.
Your child does not need your perfect words. They do not need your perfect answers. They do not need your perfect solutions. They do not live in a perfect world…and I am coming to learn more and more that the expectation of perfect words, perfect answers, and perfect solutions distracts us from what they do actually need from us…presence.
What I remember most about my dad are the times that he entered into my pain. I am grateful that he didn't pretend that the pain didn't exist. That he didn't excuse the pain away as "not all that bad". That he didn't offer quick solutions. That he didn't say a lot of "You should of's". What I remember most was his presence, and the comfort I felt from being seen in times of celebration and in times of heartache.
What I am saying is this…my dad was enough. He wasn't perfect but his steady presence in the face of my emotional pain was enough. It was actually all I needed from him in those times. They are the memories I cling to now that he is gone.
The good news for us is this: What you have to offer your children is enough. You are enough. You will not keep them from the experiences of pain but you can offer them a place where they are seen and known and loved regardless of the bumps and bruises they display. Being a safe place when they experience pain today, means that they will grow in the confidence of knowing that you will be a safe place for them in the future. Once you find a safe place, don't you always want to go back?
In my time as a therapist, some of my most enjoyable and at times, most frustrating clients, have been teenagers. Sometimes they enter my office so deeply guarded. They are afraid to be open, afraid to disappoint, afraid to express emotions that they have worked so hard to bury. And then there is this beautiful transformation that can happen as they learn to trust the relationship and trust the process.
Teenagers want a place to belong.
Without exception, every teenager that has sat in my counseling office wants that place to be their literal home. Yet, I have talked to many teens who struggle to feel like they actually belong at home. When this doubt exists, teens search for an alternative place where their need for belonging will be met. I have seen teens search to fulfill their belonging needs through sports, through good grades, through questionable peer groups, through premature romantic relationships, through social media, and more. While I am not saying engagement in all of these areas is negative, I am saying a teen's effort to fulfill their core belonging needs through these means often leaves them hungry and longing for something deeper.
I have sat with high achieving teens that have struggled with classes and have wondered if they will still be accepted in their family. I have sat with teens that have experienced the fracture of friendships or romantic relationships and believe that no one else will ever want them. I have sat with teens that no longer feel the drive to continue with the sport to which they have dedicated much of their life, and they wonder if they have any other contributions for this world.
When your teen feels like their world is crumbling, my hope is that they will know that home is awaiting them…a home that feels safe and a home where they know they are undeniably loved. This is their hope. And I am confident that it is your hope as well.
I do not take lightly the open view I am given into the hearts and minds of the teens that venture into therapy. They are so brave and have such wisdom to offer. They have spoken to and have influenced this momma's heart without even knowing it. There are needs they wish they could express and messages they wish they could speak. I want to give a voice to them…because they matter…because I want you to possibly benefit from their wisdom as much as I have.
Here is some of what they are sharing. And in my opinion, some of the keys to creating an atmosphere of belonging.
Teens want to know that you want them around. They want to know that you are willing to be distracted from what is in front of you to engage with them. They crave your smile. They still want to see that look in your eyes when you see them come into the house…the one that says, "It is so good to see you." They want to know that their stories make you laugh and smile more than an article, group text or Facebook post.
Teens want to know that you are not only willing, but also desire to enter their world. They want you to listen to their music without it always producing your opinion or your judgment. They want you to watch their shows without the obvious signs that you'd rather be doing something more productive. They want you to ask about their latest sketches, doodles, unfinished poems, and daydreams.
Teens want to know that you care about their hearts and their dreams and not primarily about their accomplishments. They don't want to primarily talk about their "future self"…you know, the "future self" when they are a college athlete (on a full/partial scholarship), the "future self" when they are living the dream of a successful career, or the "future self" when they are making lots of money so that they can return the favor and send you on extraordinary vacations. Make sure your teen knows you are proud of who they are today. Some teens mistaken your excitement for the future as delaying approval for who they are today. Be mindful that your words do not imply that you will be more proud of them once they get that scholarship, that perfect pass, that outstanding grade, or that dream job.
Teens want to have confidence that imperfection is acceptable. They want to tell you about their shortcomings and mistakes without feeling the disappointing glare that many of us are pros at demonstrating. Even more, they want to tell you about their shortcomings and know that even still, you are proud of them.
They want to know that you know you are not perfect. Truth be told…the teens I talk to are aware that their parents aren't perfect. However, conflict arises most often with the teens that tell me their parents think they are perfect. So again, teens want to know that YOU KNOW you are not perfect. In appropriate ways, tell them about your mistakes. Tell them when you were late for a meeting, how you got lost on your way to a friend's house, or how you became impatient in the store. Take ownership for your own shortcomings without blaming it on the person who distracted you on the way to the meeting, incorrect GPS directions, or a slow cashier. Demonstrate through your words that we are all growing and learning…and imperfect.
Teens know when their environment is tense. They know when their home is unsettled. When they lack the confidence that the tension will resolve, many teens find ways to disconnect or escape emotionally or physically. While, just like we individually are not perfect, we cannot expect our most intimate relationships to be free of conflict. However, I want you to know that your teens (and children for that matter) are observing if/how the conflict will resolve. They can tell when you are pretending even if you think you are a master at doing so. They pick up on the glares, the irritated tones, and the times you are ignoring your partner. But even more importantly, they also pick up on the smiles, the hugs, the genuine "I'm sorries", and the "I Love You's" that are also exchanged with your partner following conflict. When you demonstrate an atmosphere of resolution, grace, forgiveness and connection with your partner, this atmosphere infuses the home, creating a space where teens are more likely to believe they belong.
Teens LOVE to see their parents laugh. They LOVE to laugh with you. They LOVE when the entire family unit is a part of it. I learned long ago that LAUGHING together releases Oxytocin. Oxytocin is the same hormone that is released when a mother nurses her infant and through the process of being released, it creates a bond between the mother and infant. HOW AMAZING IS THAT!!! The same hormone that produces the bond established during the nursing process is also released in humans when they laugh!! When families share laughter, they create a connection. Genuine connection creates a sense of belonging and a sense of safety. Dance together, read jokes together, watch funny animals videos on YouTube together, Hula Hoop together, play charades, sing at the top of your lungs. P.S. That same hormone is also released during hugs.
As I consider the insights that I have gained from the teens in my office, I am full of hope. Full of hope for them and full of hope for you. They are giving us ways to grow, ways to respond, ways to succeed. Most of the wants they express are within our scope of control. We can effect the change they are looking for. They want what we want. They want the same connection, emotional safety, and acceptance that we desire for ourselves and for them. Be encouraged. Small changes today can lead to significant impact tomorrow.
Several years ago, I had a fight with God. There were turned backs, words, tears, crossed arms and clenched fists. It was raw and not what I wanted to do. In the end, the fight changed me. Vulnerably, I am choosing to share a part of my story. I do not pretend to know the journey you are on, and while it likely looks different than mine, maybe you'll connect on some level.
Twelve years ago, I gave birth to a beautiful daughter, Zoe Dawn Smith. She was my first. Through years of infertility, we had dreamed, hoped, and prayed for that day. She had brown wavy hair like mine and deep blue eyes like her daddy. Her skin was soft and 100% kissable. She had 10 fingers, 10 toes, thin lips, a cute button nose and squishy ears. She squeezed my fingers and we looked into each other's eyes like you only do with those that completely know you. She'd regularly reach her tiny arms out in front of her in a manner that looked like she was trying to fly. When she'd do that, daddy and I would refer to her as "Super Zoe".
At 17 weeks gestation, David and I learned that Zoe had a genetic condition called Trisomy 13. If you are unaware of this condition, know that "severe physical abnormalities and mental abnormalities" and "incompatible with life" were some of the words the doctor used to help us understand the diagnosis.
For the 18 weeks that remained in my pregnancy following this news, I spent most of my days holding my breath…unable to process the weight of her diagnosis. At times, fear would violently pull me out of my avoidant breath-holding state. We'd attend OB appointments every week. Sometimes we'd receive positive feedback of organs developing and water decreasing from her brain. These moments were what allowed me to come up for air just long enough to go back to holding my breath again.
In all honesty, through the remainder of my pregnancy, I was a shell…only sustained by God's grace, faithful prayers of friends, and hope that at some point, I would have the chance to touch my daughter.
On September 13, 2005, I DID get to touch Zoe. Seeing her and touching her were as precious as I had imagined. Her physical presence awakened me and for a time, I breathed again.
Three days following Zoe's entrance into this world, I prayed over, sang over, and held my baby girl as she took her final breaths. David and I wept over her, cradled her, kissed her, changed her diaper and clothing and eventually called for the doctor to roll her and her bassinette to wherever it is they take the babies that have forever left their mark on their parent's hearts in this devastating way.
And then, I went back to holding my breath.
Unanticipated tearful breakdowns in public places.
Blank stares in the middle of conversations with friends.
And attempts to pick up the remaining pieces in an effort to move forward.
We'd go to work. David a pastor. Me a counselor. Somehow trying to pastor and somehow trying to counsel. Because life goes on and the work of grief and the work that pays the bills often have to happen at the same time. Emptied of ourselves, I humbly hope that people still grew under our care.
The years following Zoe's death were filled with ups and downs. Grief changed me. For quite a while, I felt significant numbness. At times, numbness seemed like my method of conserving the remaining energy left due to the toll loss had taken on me. My husband, friends and family were left with remnants of me.
I've been a Jesus girl for a lot of my life. Praying, reading scripture, singing and looking to His life as the example. But let me tell you…there was a definite coldness between me and God for quite some time following my daughter's death. However, because I'm also a bit of a rule follower, I kept pushing through the "good Jesus girl" motions as best as I could. I eventually learned that reluctantly doing the "right things" with my arms crossed was not connecting me to my creator.
Just keep pretending that you are "okay" with how everything is going down.
Trust in His sovereignty and move on.
But here was one of the major problems. I wasn't actually trusting in His sovereignty. I was just pretending to trust because that's what I thought a "good Jesus girl" was supposed to do.
It wasn't until years after Zoe's death that I realized what I had been doing. I was sometimes crossing my arms in anger afraid to question Him. And I was sometimes hanging my head in discouragement because I started to believe I was no longer a "good-enough-Jesus-girl" to figure out a way to feel okay after the pain. Truth is, I was a broken-hearted daughter who had some unanswered questions for her Father. I needed to uncross my arms and open up about my coldness. I realized that unless I stopped being controlled by the "who am I to question God" belief, I was going to remain stuck between the disconnected anger and the self-shaming discouragement.
There were lots of conversations that followed, but I want to tell you about the one that stopped me in my tracks. The one that finally caused me to uncross my arms and lean in close enough to listen.
It was her birthday…a day that usually involves deeper aches and more tears. This would have been her 5th. I was sitting in the chair in my bedroom. As I write these words and remember that day, I can feel my lips tightening like they do when there is something you really want to say but you don't think you should and the only way to keep from saying it is to literally clench your jaw and press your lips together so that the sound doesn't accidently slip out. Yep, that's what it was like on that day.
But then, I opened my mouth and said it…OUT LOUD.
And then I heard Him. As clear as you hear these words in your head as you read this article…I heard Him…full of compassion…full of love…free of frustration…free of judgment.
I know what is best.
I know what is best for her.
Ugh. That's when I paused. That's when my arms fell down to my sides. That's when I started to weep. That's when I imagined Zoe safe in the arms of Jesus. That's when I imagined Him caring for her in all of the ways that are best for her. That's when I felt Him calming this mama's heart. That's when I actually began trusting Him again. That's when I believed that He does know what He is doing and He does know what is best for her. That's when I realized that the pain I experience in this life does not equal a God who doesn't care. That's when I realized that believing I have no right to question God only kept me distant from knowing His comfort. And while my heart still aches at times, I do have a solid peace that has led me back to trusting Him. As I have released other loved ones into the arms of Jesus, I am reminded of those words that He whispered to my heart that day and I can rest in trusting that He does know what is best for them.
My standoff with God could have continued. I felt like I had every right in the world to be mad. You might feel that way too. I didn't realize giving Him my anger and my questions would actually allow me to connect deeper with His love for me. But it did.


Wave analysis is efficient for investigating the interior of objects. Examples are ultra sound examination of humans and radar using elastic and electromagnetic waves. A common procedure is inverse scattering where both transmitters and receivers are located outside the object or on its boundary. A variant is when both transmitters and receivers are located on the scattering object. The canonical model is a finite inhomogeneous string driven by a harmonic point force. The inverse problem for the determination of the diffractive index of the string is studied. This study is a first step to the problem for the determination of the mechanical strength of wooden logs. An inverse scattering theory is formulated incorporating two regularizing strategies. The results of simulations using this theory show that the suggested method works quite well and that the regularization methods based on the couple of spaces (L2; H1 ) could be very useful in such problems.