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Exorcism of Emily Rose, The
The Case For Religion
Main Cast: Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, Jennifer Carpenter, Campbell Scott
Director: Scott Derrickson
Cleverly written and dramatically presented, this courtroom-horror still pretty much pushes its religion in a positive light, albeit subtly. Based on a "true" story, it details the trial of a Catholic priest (Wilkinson) who took over the care of a young woman named Emily Rose (Carpenter). She, and her family, believed that she was possessed by demons, and the priest was called in to get rid of them. He seemed to fail, and the young woman died.
Heading his defense is Erin Bruner (Linney), an intelligent and dedicated woman who, through the beginning of the movie, calls herself an "agnostic". But methinks the lady protests too much, and indeed she quickly begins to believe the supernatural explanation offered. I must admit that the prosecutor (Scott) is not- forgive the pun- demonized, but shown as just as dedicated. He believes that Emily suffered from purely medical conditions that could have been treated, thus her death was unnecessary. Quite frankly I thought his case was stronger, and- but I won't give the ending away.
Do I recommend this one? It's tough. As a nontheist I don't have an opinion one way or the other. While it obviously tosses out many spooky things and urges you to believe that demons, God, and such exist, it still does leave the door slightly open in that the young woman could have simply been mentally ill. In that I must commend them. Otherwise, it is a skillfully directed and written thriller. In that I can compliment it.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The Math and Science of Crop Circles
Some people look at the mystery of crop circles and see the work of extraterrestrials. But University of Oregon physicist Richard Taylor sees elegant forms derived from sophisticated mathematics, so much so that he decided to do a full study of how circle artists create these formations. His new article on crop circle science proposes that artists might be using more intricate tools—microwave emitters, laser pointers and GPS—to get the perfect proportions and shapes.
By Douglas Main
Steve Alexander
How did you start studying crop circles?
I grew up in the 1980s in the U.K. when these started to appear and was naturally interested by them. But there was one specific night in 1996 when I was traveling around southern England, staying above a country pub. I awoke to noise of these guys talking outside, looking over this big sheet of paper. The next day there were photos of this amazing crop pattern that had appeared in a field just down the road. I wondered if these three guys [were responsible.] As a scientist I began to wonder how people actually do these things.
Sohow do people make crop circles?
Well, the crudest way is to use a stomper, which is a plank of wood with a rope attached to both ends. People hold the two pieces of string and put the plank underneath their foot and knock over plants.
But ever since the explosion of crop circles in the last few decades, there are many patterns that are quite intricate and would be a challenge to carry out in a night with a stomper. In my article, I propose that people could be using portable microwave transmitters, called magnetrons, like ones that can be easily obtained from microwave ovens, to make crop circles. Past research has shown that it's possible to knock over plants with microwaves, which superheat the stem, causing it to expand and the plant to fall over. [Editor href='http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1399-3054.1994.tb05348.x/abstract' target='_blank">One study found evidence that crops knocked down to create crop circles bore evidence of such heating.']
But I should emphasize that I don't know if people are actually doing this. Part of the reason for publishing this article is that I think people are being very blasé about crop circles. This is a major artistic movementone new crop circle appears every night on average around the world. Some of the patterns you see in them require a huge amount of science and math to design and carry out. And they contain mathematical properties that couldn't have appeared by accident.
What sort of mathematical properties are we talking about?
One recurring principle over the years since the early 1990s is fractals. Fractals take the same pattern and repeat it on smaller and smaller scales. It's very clear there's knowledge of science and math behind them.
How do you know some of these crop circles couldn't contain these properties by accidentthat the artist could have unknowingly incorporated them?
This just isn't possible with the more intricate designs. Let's take the triple Julia set [pictured above]. You'd have to use the equation developed by Gaston Julia in 1918 to generate the Julia set, a very specific equation well known in mathematics.
What's the most interesting pattern you've seen?
This exact one, the triple Julia set, which was actually created that very night I overhead the gentlemen in the south of England. That's always my favorite. I also like recent patterns that are organic, like amazing pictures of jellyfish or insects, which contain intricate mathematical properties.
You said researchers have suggested plants within crop circles were knocked over by some form of microwave radiation. Where could the radiation be coming from?
There are two major factions that support different theories. The first group believes that these microwaves come from UFOs. The other group thinks that either the American government or an international consortium of secret agencies is behind itbeaming these waves down from space to test some sort of satellite technology.
Those theories require an awful lot of unproven assumptions to get to the endpoint explanation. What I did was go with simplest possible scenario to explain the facts at hand: that maybe these artists are using handheld microwave-emitting devices, which are easily obtainable, to create these patterns, as well as possibly using laser pointers and GPS to guide them. These would allow you to design something on the computer and carry it out in the field, which appears to be the case in some of these formations.
What's your response to some of the wilder ideas about where crop circles come from?
Many things are possible, but a basic starting point of science is to gravitate toward the explanation with the fewest assumptions. That's a well-known principle called Occam's Razor that all scientists use. The one I'm presentingof humans using microwavesinvolves the fewest assumptions.
How does this relate to your other research?
My research involves how sight works. We develop chips to put in artificial retinas, which treat diseases that deteriorate the back of the eye. In designing that chip, we have to understand how the healthy human eye works. One of [the] main questions is: How do we view natural patterns? Some of our work with neuroscientists has revealed that certain patterns actually reduce stress levels, and we've also worked with artists and various art forms, which I consider crop circles to be.
How long have crop circles been around?
An awfully long time. The first reports of these are from 1600s. Even at that stage the designs were rather intricate. But it didn't really take off until the late 1970s and 1980s in England. Two English guys later admitted to creating many of them with stompers. Walking home from the pub one night, one of the fellows, who was an artist, said to his friend, "Wouldn't it be interesting if we fooled people into thinking that UFOs are landing in the crop fields?"
In some ways that was the beginning of the art movement and why even today the artists are so secretive. Art movements usually have various rules that have to followed. Still today people do their work at night and don't talk about it. The movement is definitely fueled by this desire to convince people that what the [artists] are doing is so clever that it is beyond human capabilities and therefore must be the work of aliens to make something so intricate and unbelievable that people won't believe it's the work of humans And you can see it works on some people.
I've read you receive some hate mail from people unhappy with your research. What's that like?
It's fine. When you stray into these areas, [you] expect that you're going to deal with some of the fringe elements of society. There are also other people who never like when science moves in and explains an artworkthey feel there are certain things that should remain mysterious. But I actually think the more we find out what these people are doing in these crop fields, we will emphasize their talent and how skilled they are.
As for the pro-alien contingent, they can always go ahead if they want to and prove that aliens are doing this. I'm not hindering their research. I'm just offering a more straightforward and simple theory.
Have you had any contact with people who make (or claim to make) crop circles?
Yes, some. There is actually a possibility that I might collaborate with crop circle artists in the future to test some of my hypotheses. It's still unknown who is making some of the better crop circles.
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Take advantage of FREE estimates on our electrical work when you come to our locally owned and operated business.
Contact M Goodman Electric LLC today if you want to see similar electric work done in your home. We offer 24-hour emergency services.


Imagine taking a trip to a foreign land; one where you don't know anyone, can't speak the language, and haven't a clue how to get around. You wander the streets just making random turns, hoping to find your hotel or some sort of sign that you are going in the right direction. That kind of travel is disorienting and frustrating. It's also exactly how most people approach marketing.
I'm all for adventure but being totally rudderless doesn't sound appealing to me. When I'm visiting a new place, I like to do my research. The same is true for how I approach my business. Rather than rocketing through the air toward the unknown, I like to go in with some knowledge of a destination and develop a plan of action in advance.
Research is the foundation on which your marketing plan is built yet many people don't see the value in investing in such a worthy endeavor. Instead of taking the time to look into their business, their market, and their goals, they pack their bags and set off for uncharted territories. That's a mistake. No matter how well you think you know your business and your industry, skipping the "let's draw a map" step sets you up for a scramble.
The most natural place to start is with, well, where you're starting. The first step in research is to assess what you've done in the past and what did or did not work. It's also important to look at your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. In other words, perform a SWOT analysis. I know that some people think that approach is outdated but it works. Once you understand your current standing, you're primed to draw a map to your ideal future.
Decide on where you're going.
No one jumps in their car and declares, "I'm going north!" They usually have a destination in mind like Chicago or Toronto. Researching attainable goals and objectives for your organization is the linchpin that holds your entire marketing plan together. It's what keeps you and your team from wandering aimlessly and wasting time on things that are less important. One great way to understand your goals is to empower your internal stakeholders. Interview the people who work for you, who sit on your board, or who have patronized your business for a long time. They are likely to have insights that you never thought of.
Market research is just a fancy way of saying, "What's the outside world think of this?" Investigating what exists in your industry and what people want, need, and care about is the best way to see if your goals are on the right track. If your goal is for everyone to have a beeper in their pocket and it's 2015, you might need to adjust your focus unless you're in the 1990s party rental business.
You know where you've been, you know where you want to go, and you have a good idea about the terrain ahead. Now what? Now, it's time to plan. Using your newly minted goals, this is the point in which you start coming up with action steps based on your research.
Determine how you'll measure the journey.
There's no use counting miles if kilometers are the standard measurement. Find out exactly how you'll measure the success of your plan by looking into what the most important metrics are for your goal. If you want to increase awareness of your brand, look at impressions on social media and visitors on your website instead of sales numbers. If you're looking to increase sales, look at conversions from advertising. Once you know what you're measuring, it's easier to set up systems to track this data from the get-go thereby saving you a lot of backtracking in the future.
As T.S. Eliot said, "The journey not the arrival matters." Take the time in advance to do research before you start your marketing journey and your rewards will be far greater than if you stumbled forward happenstance.
Aimee Woodall is the owner of the Black Sheep Agency, a Houston-based strategic brand shop specializing in cause-driven marketing, public relations, social media, and community outreach. You can contact Amy by phone at 832-971-7725, by email at [email protected], or visit the website at www.theblacksheepagency.com.


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WATCH: Look at what's happening just outside our doors
2019-01-04T15:28:34+01:00Fri, 4th Jan '19, 15:28|
Please watch this New York Times documentary "How Europe Outsources Migrant Suffering at Sea". This is what happening in the Sea that surrounds us. And our governments are unwilling to do anything about.
Guest Post: Undying loyalty?
By a guest writer known to me who in the past served in positions in the PN. A moral dilemma is exactly that: a situation pregnant with ramifications, torn between equally-important principles or values. Finding oneself in such a situation can be challenging. This is what came to mind when I read the latest litany [...]
When in doubt, sing.
Adrian Delia has made a habit of bursting into song every time conversation runs dry. His poems (pronounced poy-eems) are largely of a uniform theme: a Saint Sebastian rolling his eyes in ecstatic fervour grateful for the arrows puncturing his supple body releasing his hot martyr's blood to demonstrate his status of the victim. When [...]
Repubblika: Alliance between party TVs is choking free speech
This is a statement by Repubblika issued earlier today: The Labour Party and the Nationalist party are using their TVs and their media to suffocate free speech and crush the right to protest. Repubblika is deeply concerned by the disproportionate and unfair retaliation of the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party that have used and are using their media to carry lies and [...]
Women's rights activists say domestic violence claims must be investigated. And Simone Cini?
The Malta Confederation of Women's Organisations made a statement last night saying it does not matter who is involved, any claims of domestic violence should be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated. "It takes a lot of courage for survivors of Domestic Violence to lodge a claim and try to bring an end to it. For [...]
14 days alone at sea
If you think you're cold right now, you should try to imagine what it's like at sea. Thirty-two children, women and men, saved from drowning out at sea, have been stuck on the boat that saved them since before you bought your turkey. They're just over our horizon, stuck there because no government in Europe [...]


Effective Feb. 25, community safety services will go to a 24-hour service delivery model.
Officers had been working shifts that left a four-hour hole between the hours of 8 a.m. and noon. Now they will be able to respond to calls for tenants and work with internal staff and community partners to provide safety services, said CSS director Nathan Hoedeman.
Seven full-time staff, two part-time staff and one coordinator will be working every day.
"The new shift rotation was favourably voted on by CSS members and therefore we are excited to have it implemented," said Hoedeman, adding it will allow for more daytime coverage and align CSS with tenant experience operations and community development initiatives.
As part of the shift in service delivery, the CSS department will be moving to the Caldwell office in the coming months.
The move makes sense because it puts officers in the communities they serve. Caldwell was picked because it's geographically position to make it easier to travel to other sites.
"I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the creation, approval and implementation date (of the new 24-hour schedule)," Hoedeman said.


I wonder if all the other packages you never received are hidden away at the package office.
That was a quite a video. It gave some great information on the conflict. My close friend Brigitta immigrated from Yugoslavia when she was 8 years old.
I'm glad things are peaceful where you are. I hope they remain so.
Thank you for making contact again. I received your acceptance of my Google+ circle; but, alas, I don't really use that. Facebook and email are my means of communicating electronically.
I just found these two latest posts from November. I plan to save the hour you suggested to watch the video. I've read two books on the wars in the Balkans since 1990 and, as you point out, what an agonizing struggle for all.
I was called for an interview with the PC Placement Office. The interviewer did a wonderful job of getting at precisely what she wanted to know in a very pleasant way. We finished after 2 1/2 hours. She set out for me the timeline from here: know by March 1; if invited, departure by September 13, 2016. As Vatche had suggested, I am taking advantage of all the time between now and September 1 to do the things with the people in the places that are important to me – great advice. I realized once I got into that mindset that we should live our entire lives as though we had to behave this way.


Allow the turkey to come to room temperature before cooking. Preheat oven to 200C.
Press stuffing loosely into turkey cavity – it will swell with cooking so don't pack it in too tightly. Use a toothpick to close the opening and tie turkey legs with kitchen string.
Cover with foil and roast – allow 20 minutes per 500g, a total of 2 hours 40 minutes. Every 30 minutes remove foil and baste turkey with cooking juices, then replace oil. Remove foil for last 30 minutes to brown the breast.
Increase the oven temperature to 200½C and cook the legs for another 30 minutes.
Don't forget to thaw the bird – a whole bird may take up to 2 days to thaw in the refrigerator.
To make your own cranberry sauce, place 175g craisins in a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave for 30 minutes. Drain, and place craisins in a saucepan with 1/2 cup port, zest and juice of one orange and 1/2 cup redcurrant jelly. Simmer for 6-8 minutes over low heat, and then set aside to cool.


Limestone Technologies first introduced the ability to auto-fill report templates in 2007 and we have further built on this platform by offering examiners the new Report Builder+. The Report Builder+ allows examiners to enter their organization's standardized reports into the Polygraph Pro Suite Report Templates folder where they can be auto-filled following each polygraph examination. This time saving feature takes the information entered into the customizable Session Information utility and auto-fills it into any selected Report Template with the click of a button. You will be required to create your Polygraph Report Template once and afterwards it will always be available for future use. For information on how to customize the information in the Session Information utility please refer to How to – Customize the Session Information Utility.