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Judges 16
Sermon Bible Commentary
PLEASURE AND PERIL IN GAZA
By courage and energy Samson so distinguished himself in his own tribe and on the Philistine border that he was recognised as judge. Government of any kind was a boon, and he kept rude order, as much perhaps by overawing the restless enemy as by administering justice in Israel. Whether the period of twenty years assigned to Samson's judgeship intervened between the fight at Lehi and the visit to Gaza we cannot tell. The chronology is vague, as might be expected in a narrative based on popular tradition. Most likely the twenty years cover the whole time during which Samson was before the public as hero and acknowledged chief.
Samson went down to Gaza, which was the principal Philistine city situated near the Mediterranean coast some forty miles from Zorah. For what reason did he venture into that hostile place? It may, of course, have been that he desired to learn by personal inspection what was its strength, to consider whether it might be attacked with any hope of success; and if that was so we would be disposed to justify him. As the champion and judge of Israel he could not but feel the danger to which his people were constantly exposed from the Philistine power so near to them and in those days always becoming more formidable. He had to a certain extent secured deliverance for his country as he was expected to do; but deliverance was far from complete, could not be complete till the strength of the enemy was broken. At great risk to himself he may have gone to play the spy and devise, if possible, some plan of attack. In this case he would be an example of those who with the best and purest motives, seeking to carry the war of truth and purity into the enemy's country, go down into the haunts of vice to see what men do and how best the evils that injure society may be overcome. There is risk in such adventure; but it is nobly undertaken, and even if we do not feel disposed to imitate we must admire. Bold servants of Christ may feel constrained to visit Gaza and learn for themselves what is done there. Beyond this too is a kind of adventure which the whole church justifies in proportion to its own faith and zeal. We see St. Paul and his companions in Ephesus, in Philippi, in Athens and other heathen towns, braving the perils which threaten them there, often attacked, sometimes in the jaws of death, heroic in the highest sense. And we see the modern missionary with like heroism landing on savage coasts and at the constant risk of life teaching the will of God in a sublime confidence that it shall awaken the most sunken nature; a confidence never at fault.
But we are obliged to doubt whether Samson had in view any scheme against the Philistine power; and we may he sure that he was on no mission for the good of Gaza. Of a patriotic or generous purpose there is no trace; the motive is unquestionably of a different kind. From his youth this man was restless, adventurous, ever craving some new excitement good or bad. He could do anything but quietly pursue a path of duty; and in the small towns of Dan and the valleys of Judah he had little to excite and interest him. There life went on in a dull way from year to year, without gaiety, bustle, enterprise. Had the chief been deeply interested in religion, had he been a reformer of the right kind, he would have found opportunity enough for exertion and a task into which he might have thrown all his force. There were heathen images to break in pieces, altars and high places to demolish. To banish Baal worship and the rites of Ashtoreth from the land, to bring the customs of the people under the law of Jehovah would have occupied him fully. But Samson did not incline to any such doings; he had no passion for reform. We never see in his life one such moment as Gideon and Jephthah knew of high religious daring. Dark hours he had, sombre enough, as at Lehi after the slaughter. But his was the melancholy of a life without aim sufficient to its strength, without a vision matching its energy. To suffer for God's cause is the rarest of joys, and that Samson never knew though he was judge in Israel.
We imagine then that in default of any excitement such as he craved in the towns of his own land he turned his eyes to the Philistine cities which presented a marked contrast. There life was energetic and gay, there many pleasures were to be had. New colonists were coming in their swift ships, and the streets presented a scene of constant animation. The strong eager man, full of animal passion, found the life he craved in Gaza, where he mingled with the crowds and heard tales of strange existence. Nor was there wanting the opportunity for enjoyment which at home he could not indulge. Beyond the critical observation of the elders of Dan he could take his fill of sensual pleasure. Not without danger of course. In some brawl the Philistines might close upon him. But he trusted to his strength to escape from their hands, and the risk increased the excitement. We must suppose that, having seen the nearer and less important towns such as Ekron, Gath, and Ashkelon he now ventured to Gaza in quest of amusement, in order, as people say, to see the world.
A constant peril this of seeking excitement, especially in an age of high civilisation. The means of variety and stimulus are multiplied, and ever the craving outruns them, a craving yielded to, with little or no resistance, by many who should know better. The moral teacher must recognise the desire for variety and excitement as perhaps the chief of all the hindrances he has now to overcome. For one who desires duty there are scores who find it dull and tame and turn from it; without sense of fault, to the gaieties of civilised society in which there is "nothing wrong," as they say, or at least so little of the positively wrong that conscience is easily appeased. The religious teacher finds the demand for "brightness" and variety before him at every turn; he is indeed often touched by it himself and follows with more or less of doubt a path that leads straight from his professed goal. "Is amusement devilish?" asks one. Most people reply with a smile that life must be lively or it is not worth having. And the Philistinism that attracts them with its dash and gaudiness is not far away nor hard to reach. It is not necessary to go across to the Continent where the brilliance of Vienna or Paris offers a contrast to the grey dulness of a country village; nor even to London where amid the lures of the midnight streets there is peril of the gravest kind. Those who are restless and foolhardy can find a Gaza and a valley of Sorek nearer home, in the next market town. Philistine life, lax in morals, full of rattle and glitter, heat and change, in gambling, in debauchery, in sheer audacity of movement and talk, presents its allurements in our streets, has its acknowledged haunts in our midst. Young people brought up to fear God in quiet homes whether of town or country are enticed by the whispered counsels of comrades half ashamed of the things they say, yet eager for more companionship in what they secretly know to be folly or worse. Young women are the prey of those who disgrace manhood and womanhood by the offers they make, the insidious lies they tell. The attraction once felt is apt to master. As the current that rushes swiftly bears them with it they exult in the rapid motion even while life is nearing the fatal cataract. Subtle is the progress of infidelity. From the persuasion that enjoyment is lawful and has no peril in it the mind quickly passes to a doubt of the old laws and warnings. Is it so certain that there is a reward for purity and unworldliness? Is not all the talk about a life to come a jangle of vain words? The present is a reality, death a certainty, life a swiftly passing possession. They who enjoy know what they are getting. The rest is dismissed as altogether in the air.
With Samson, as there was less of faith and law to fling aside, there was less hardening of heart. He was half a heathen always, more conscious of bodily than of moral strength, reliant on that which he had, indisposed to seek from God the holy vigour which he valued little. At Gaza, where moral weakness endangered life, his well knit muscles released him. We see him among the Philistines entrapped, apparently in a position from which there is no escape: The gate is closed and guarded. In the morning he is to be seized and killed. But aware of his danger, his mind not put completely off its balance as yet by the seductions of the place, he arises at midnight and, plucking the doors of the city gate from their sockets, carries them to the top of a hill which fronts Hebron.
Here is represented what may at first be quite possible to one who has gone into a place of temptation and danger. There is for a time a power of resolution and action which when the peril of the hour is felt may be brought into use. Out of the house which is like the gate of hell, out of the hands of vile tempters it is possible to burst in quick decision and regain liberty. In the valley of Sorek it may be otherwise, but here the danger is pressing and rouses the will. Yet the power of rising suddenly against temptation, of breaking from the company of the impure is not to be reckoned on. It is not of ourselves we can be strong and resolute enough, but of grace. And can a man expect divine succour in a harlot's den? He thinks he may depend upon a certain self-respect, a certain disgust at vile things and dishonourable life. But vice can be made to seem beautiful, it can overcome the aversion springing from self-respect and the best education. In the history of one and another of the famous and brilliant, from the god-like youth of Macedon to the genius of yesterday, the same unutterably sad lesson is taught us; we trace the quick descent of vice. Self-respect? Surely to Goethe, to George Sand, to Musset, to Burns that should have remained, a saving salt. But it is clear that man has not the power of preserving himself. While he says in his heart, That is beneath me; I have better taste; I shall never be guilty of such a low, false, and sickening thing-he has already committed himself.
Samson heard the trampling of feet in the streets and was warned of physical danger. When midnight came he lost no time. But he was too late. The liberty he regained was not the liberty he had lost. Before he entered that house in Gaza, before he sat down in it, before he spoke to the woman there he should have fled. He did not; and in the valley of Sorek his strength of will is not equal to the need. Delilah beguiles him, tempts him, presses him with her wiles. He is infatuated; his secret is told and ruin comes.
Moral strength, needful decision in duty to self and society and God-few possess these because few have the high ideal before them, and the sense of an obligation which gathers force from the view of eternity. We live, most of us, in a very limited range of time. We think of tomorrow or the day beyond; we think of years of health and joy in this world, rarely of the boundless after life. To have a stain upon the character, a blunted moral sense, a scar that disfigures the mind seems of little account because we anticipate but a temporary reproach or inconvenience. To be defiled, blinded, maimed forever, to be incapacitated for the labour and joy of the higher world does not enter into our thought. And many who are nervously anxious to appear well in the sight of men are shameless when God only can see. Moral strength does not spring out of such imperfect views of obligation. What availed Samson's fidelity to the Nazarite vow when by another gate he let in the foe?
The common kind of religion is a vow which covers two or three points of duty only. The value and glory of the religion of the Bible are that it sets us on our guard and strengthens us against everything that is dangerous to the soul and to society. Suppose it were asked wherein our strength lies, what would be the answer? Say that one after another stood aside conscious of being without strength until one was found willing to be tested. Assume that he could say, I am temperate, I am pure; passion never masters me: so far the account is good. You hail him as a man of moral power, capable of serving society. But you have to inquire further before you can be satisfied. You have to say, Some have had too great liking for money. Francis Bacon, Lord Chancellor of England, notable in the first rank of philosophers, took bribes and was convicted upon twenty-three charges of corruption. Are you proof against covetousness? because if you can be tempted by the glitter of gold reliance cannot be placed upon you. And again it must be asked of the man-Is there any temptress who can wind you about her fingers, overcome your conscientious scruples, wrest from you the secret you ought to keep and make you break your covenant with God, even as Delilah overcame Samson? Because, if there is, you are weaker than a vile woman and no dependence can be placed upon you. We learn from history what this kind of temptation does. We see one after another, kings, statesmen, warriors who figure bravely upon the scene for a time, their country proud of them, the best hopes of the good centred in them, suddenly in the midst of their career falling into pitiable weakness and covering themselves with disgrace. Like Samson they have loved some woman in the valley of Sorek. In the life of today instances of the same pitiable kind occur in every rank and class. The shadow falls on men who held high places in society or stood for a time as pillars in the house of God.
Or, taking another case, one may be able to say, I am not avaricious, I have fidelity, I would not desert a friend nor speak a falsehood for any bribe; I am pure; for courage and patriotism you may rely upon me:-here are surely signs of real strength. Yet that man may be wanting, in the divine faithfulness on which every virtue ultimately depends. With all his good qualities he may have no root in the heavenly, no spiritual faith, ardour, decision. Let him have great opposition to encounter, long patience to maintain, generosity and self-denial to exercise without prospect of quick reward-and will he stand? In the final test nothing but fidelity to the Highest, tried and sure fidelity to God can give a man any right to the confidence of others. That chain alone which is welded with the fire of holy consecration, devotion of heart and strength and mind to the will of God is able to bear the strain. If we are to fight the battles of life and resist the urgency of its temptations the whole divine law as Christ has set it forth must be our Nazarite vow and we must count ourselves in respect of every obligation the bondmen of God. Duty must not be a matter of self-respect but of ardent aspiration. The way of our life may lead us into some Gaza full of enticements, into the midst of those who make light of the names we revere and the truths we count most sacred. Prosperity may come with its strong temptations to pride and vainglory. If we would be safe it must be in the constant gratitude to God of those who feel the responsibility and the hope that are kindled at the cross, as those who have died with Christ and now live with Him unto God. In this redeemed life it may be almost said there is no temptation; the earthly ceases to lure, gay shows and gauds cease to charm the soul. There still are comforts and pleasures in God's world, but they do not enchain. A vision of the highest duty and reality overshines all that is trivial and passing. And this is life-the fulness, the charm, the infinite variety and strength of being. "How can he that is dead to the world live any longer therein?" Yet he lives as he never did before.
In the experience of Samson in the valley of Sorek we find another warning. We learn the persistence with which spiritual enemies pursue those whom they mark for their prey. It has been said that the adversaries of good are always most active in following the best men with their persecutions. This we take leave to deny. It is-when a man shows some weakness, gives an opportunity for assault that he is pressed and hunted as a wounded lion by a tribe of savages. The occasion was given to the Philistines by Samson's infatuation. Had he been a man of stern purity they would have had no point of attack. But Delilah could be bribed. The lords of the Philistines offered her a large sum to further their ends, and she, a willing instrument, pressed Samson with her entreaties. Baffled again and again, she did not rest till the reward was won.
We can easily see the madness of the man in treating lightly, as if it were a game he was sure to win, the solicitations of the adventuress. "The Philistines be upon thee, Samson"-again and again he heard that threat and laughed at it. The green withes, the new ropes with which he was bound were snapped at will. Even when his hair was woven into the web he could go away with web and beam and the pin with which they had been fixed to the ground. But if he had been aware of what he was doing how could he have failed to see that he was approaching the fatal capitulation, that wiles and blandishments were gaining upon him? When he allowed her to tamper with the sign of his vow it was the presage of the end.
So it often is. The wiles of the spirit of this world are woven very cunningly. First the "overscrupulous" observance of religious ordinances is assailed. The tempter succeeds so far that the Sabbath is made a day of pleasure: then the cry is raised, "The Philistines be upon thee." But the man only laughs. He feels himself quite strong as yet, able for any moral task. Another lure is framed-gambling, drinking. It is yielded to moderately, a single bet by way of sport, one deep draught on some extraordinary occasion. He who is the object of persecution is still self-confident. He scorns the thought of danger. A prey to gambling, to debauchery? He is far enough from that. But his weakness is discovered. Satanic profit is to be made out of his fall; and he shall not escape.
It is true as ever it was that the friendship of the world is a snare. When the meshes of time and sense close upon us we may be sure that the end aimed at is our death. The whole world is a valley of Sorek to weak man, and at every turn he needs a higher than himself to guard and guide him. He is indeed a Samson, a child in morals, though full grown in muscle. There are some it is true who are able to help, who, if they were beside in the hour of peril, would interpose with counsel and warning and protection. But a time comes to each of us when he has to go alone through the dangerous streets. Then unless he holds straight forward, looking neither to right hand nor left, pressing towards the mark, his weakness will be quickly detected, that secret tendency scarcely known to himself by which he can be most easily assailed. Nor will it be forgotten if once it has been discovered. It is now the property of a legion. Be it vanity or avarice, ambition or sensuousness, the Philistines know how to gain their end by means of it. There is strength indeed to be had. The weakest may become strong, able to face all the tempters in the world and to pass unscathed through the streets of Gaza or the crowds of Vanity Fair. Nor is the succour far away. Yet to persuade men of their need and then to bring them to the feet of God are the most difficult of tasks in an age of self-sufficiency and spiritual unreason. Harder than ever is the struggle to rescue the victims of worldly fashion, enticement, and folly: for the false word has gone forth that here and here only is the life of man and that renouncing the temporal is renouncing all.
THE VALLEY OF SOREK AND OF DEATH
THE strong bold man who has blindly fought his battles and sold himself to the traitress and to the enemy, "Eyeless in Gaza at the mill with slaves," the sport and scorn of those who once feared him, is a mournful object. As we look upon him there in his humiliation, his temper and power wasted, his life withered in its prime, we almost forget the folly and the sin, so much are we moved to pity and regret. For Samson is a picture, vigorous in outline and colour, of what in a less striking way many are and many more would be if it were not for restraints of divine grace. A fallen hero is this. But the career of multitudes without the dash and energy ends in the like misery of defeat; nothing done, not much attempted, their existence fades into the sere and yellow leaf. There has been no ardour to make death glorious.
Every man has his defects, his besetting sins, his dangers. It is in the consciousness of our own that we approach with sorrow the last scenes of the eventful history of Samson. Who dares cast a stone at him? Who can fling a taunt as he is seen groping about in his blindness?
"A little onward lend thy guiding hand
To these dark steps, a little further on.
For yonder bank hath choice of sun or shade;
There I am wont to sit when any chance
Relieves me from my task of servile toil.
O dark, dark, dark amid the blaze of noon,
Irrecoverably dark total eclipse
Without all hope of day":
So we hear him bewail his lot. And we, perchance, feeling weakness creep over us while bonds of circumstance still hold us from what we see to be our divine calling, -we compassionate ourselves in pitying him; or, if we are as yet strong and buoyant, our history before us, plans for useful service of our time clearly in view, have we not already felt the symptoms of moral infirmity which make it doubtful whether we shall reach our goal? There are many hindrances, and even the brave unselfish man who never loiters in Gaza or in the treacherous valley may find his way barred by obstacles he cannot remove. But in the case of most the hindrances within are the most numerous and powerful. This man who should effect much for his age is held by love which blinds him, that other by hatred which masters him. Now covetousness, now pride is the deterrent. Many begin to know themselves and the difficulty of doing great tasks for God and man when noontide is past and the day has begun to decline. Great numbers have only dreamed of attempting something and have never bestirred themselves to act. So it is that Samson's defeat appears a symbol of the pathetic human failure. To many his character is full of sad interest, for in it they see what they have fears of becoming or what they have already become.
What has Samson lost when he has revealed his secret to Delilah? Observe him when he goes forth from the woman's house and stands in the sunlight. Apart from the want of his waving locks he seems the same and is physically the same; muscle and sinew, bone and nerve, stout-beating heart and strong arm, Samson is there. And his human will is as eager as ever; he is a bold daring man this morning as he was last evening, with the same dream of "breaking through all" and bearing himself as king. But he is more lonely than ever before; something has gone from his soul. A heavy sense of faithlessness to one prized distinction and known duty oppresses him. Shake thyself as at other times, poor rash Samson, but know in thy heart that at last thou art powerless: the audacity of faith is no longer thine. Thou art the natural man still, but that is not enough, the spiritual sanction gone. The Philistines, half afraid, gather about thee ten to one; they can bind now and lead captive, for thou hast lost the girdle which knit thy powers together and made thee invincible. The consciousness of being God's man is gone-the consciousness of being true to that which united thee in a rude but very real bond to the Almighty. Thou hast scorned the vow which kept thee from the abyss and with the knowledge of utter moral baseness comes physical prostration, despair, feebleness, ruin. Samson at last knows himself to be no king at all, no hero nor judge.
It is common to think the spiritual of little account, faith in God of little account. Suppose men give that up; suppose they no longer hold themselves bound by duty to the Almighty; they expect nevertheless to continue the same. They will still have their reason, their strength of body and of mind; they believe that all they once did they shall still be able to do and now more freely in their own way, therefore even more successfully. Is that so? Hope is a spiritual thing. It is apart from bodily strength, distinct from energy and manual skill. Take hope away from a man, the strongest, the bravest, the most intelligent, and will he be the same? Nay. His eye loses its lustre; the vigour of his will decays; he lies powerless and defeated. Or take love away-love which is again a spiritual thing. Let the ardour, the reason for exertion which love inspired pass away. Let the man who loved and would have dared all for love be deprived of that source of vital power, and he will dare no longer. Sad and weary and dispirited he will cast himself down, careless of life.
But hope and love are not so necessary to the full tide of human vigour, are not so potent in stirring the powers of manhood as the friendship of God, the consciousness that made by God for ends of His we have Him as our stay. Indeed without this consciousness manhood never finds its strength. This gives a hope far higher and more sustaining than any of a personal or temporal kind. It makes us strong by virtue of the finest and deepest affection which can possibly move us; and more than that it gives to life full meaning, proper aim and justification. A man without the sense of a divine origin and election has no standing ground; he is so to speak without the right of existence, he has no claim to be heard in speaking and to have a place among those who act. But he who feels himself to be in the world on God's business, to be God's servant, has his assured place and claim as a man, and can see reason and purpose for every sharp trial to which he is put. Here then is the secret of strength, the only source of power and steadfastness for any man or woman. And he who has had it and lost it, breaking with God for the sake of gain or pleasure or some earthly affection, must like Samson feel his vigour sapped, his confidence forfeited. Now his power to command, to advise, to contend for any worthy result has passed away. He is a tree whose root ceases to feed in the soil though still the leaves are green.
The spiritual loss, the loss of living faith, is the great one: but is it for that we generally pity ourselves or any person known to us? Life and freedom are dear, the ability to put forth energy at our wilt, the sense of capacity; and it is the loss of these in outward and visible ranges that most moves us to grief. We commiserate the strong man whose exploits in the world seem to be over, as we pity the orator whose power of speech is gone, the artist who can no more handle the brush, the eager merchant whose bargaining is done. We give our sympathy to Samson, because in the midst of his days he has fallen overcome by treachery, because the cruelty of enemies has afflicted him. Yet, looking at the truth of things, the real cause of pity is deeper than any of these and different. A man who is still in living touch with God can suffer the saddest deprivations and retain a cheerful heart, unbroken courage and hope. Suppose that Samson, surprised by his enemies while he was about some worthy task, had been seized, deprived of his sight, bound with fetters of iron and consigned to prison. Should we then have had to pity him as we must when he is taken, a traitor to himself, the dupe of a deceiver, with the badge of his vow and the sense of his fidelity gone? We feel with Jeremiah in his affliction; we feel with John the Baptist confined in the prison into which Herod has cast him, with St. Paul in the Philippian dungeon, and with St. Peter lying bound with chains in the castle of Jerusalem. But we do not commiserate, we admire and exult. Here are men who endure for the right. They are martyrs, fellow sufferers with Christ: they are marching with the cohorts of God to the deliverances of eternity. Ah! It is the men who are "martyrs by the pang without the palm," the men who have lost not only liberty but nobleness, who dragged after false lures have sold their prudence and their strength-these it is for whom we need to weep. He who doing his duty has been mastered by enemies, he who fighting a brave battle has been overcome-let us not dare to pity him. But the man who has given up the battle of faith, who has lost his glory, him the heavens look upon with the profound sorrow that is called for by a wasted life.
And how pathetic the touch: "He wist not that the Lord had departed from him." For a little time he failed to realise the spiritual disaster he had brought on himself. For a little time only; soon the dark conviction seized him. But worse still would have been his ease if he had remained unconscious of loss. This sense of weakness is the last boon to the sinner. God still does this for him, poor headstrong child of nature as he would fain be, living by and for himself: he is not permitted. Whether he will own it or not he shall be weak and useless until he returns to God and to himself. Often indeed we find the enslaved Samson refusing to allow that anything is wrong with him. Out of sight of the world, in some very secret place he has broken the obligations of faith, temperance, chastity, and yet thinks no special result has followed. He can meet the demands of society and that is enough, supposing the matter should come to light. Of the subtle poisoning of his own soul he has no thought. Is the thing hidden then? The law which determines that as a man is so his strength shall be follows every one into the most secret place. It keeps watch over our veracity, our sobriety, our purity, our faithfulness. Whenever in one point our covenant with God is broken a part of strength is taken away. Do we not perceive the loss? Do we flatter ourselves that all is as before? That is only our spiritual blindness; the fact remains.
What a pitiful thing it is to see men in this plight trying in vain to go about as if nothing had happened and they were as fit as ever for their places in society and in the church! We do not speak solely of sins like those into which Samson and David fell. There are others, scarcely reckoned sins, which as surely result in moral weakness perceived or unperceived, in the loss of God's countenance and support. Our covenant is to be pure and also merciful; let one fail in mercifulness, let there be a harsh pitiless temper cherished in secret, and this as well as impurity will make him morally weak. Our covenant is to be generous as well as honest; let a man keep from the poor and from the church what he ought to give, and he will lose his strength of soul as surely as if he cheated another in trade, or took what was not his own. But we distinguish between sin and default and think of the latter as a mere infirmity which has no ill effect. There is no acknowledgment of loss even when it has become almost complete. The man who is not generous nor merciful, nor a defender of faith goes on thinking all is well with him, imagining that his futile religious exercises or gifts to this and that keep him on good terms with God and that he is helping the world, while in truth he has not the moral strength of a child. He acts the part of a Christian teacher or servant of the church, he leads in prayer, he joins in deliberations that have to do with the success of Christian work. To himself all seems satisfactory and he expects that good shall result from his efforts. But it cannot be. There is the strain of exertion, but no power.
Do we wonder that more is not effected by our organisations, religious and other, which seem so powerful, quite capable of Christianising and reforming the world? The reason is that many of the professed religious and benevolent, who appear zealous and strenuous, are dying at heart. The Lord may not have departed from them utterly; they are not dead; there is still a rootlet of spiritual being. But they cannot fight; they cannot help others; they cannot run in the way of God's commandments. Are we not bound to ask ourselves how we stand, whether any failure in our covenant keeping has made us spiritually weak. If we are paltering with eternal facts, if between us and the one Source of Life there is a widening distance surely the need is urgent for a return to Christian honour and fidelity which will make us strong and useful.
And there is something here in the story of Samson that bids us think hopefully of a new way and a new life. In the misery to which he was reduced there came to him with renewed acceptance of his vow a fresh endowment of vigour. It is the divine healing, the grace of the long-suffering Father which are thus represented. No human soul needs to be utterly disconsolate, for grace waits ever on discomfiture. Return to me, says the Lord, and I will return to you; I will heal your backslidings and love you freely. Out of the deepest depths there is a way to the heights of spiritual privilege and power. To confess our faults and sins, to resume the fidelity, the uprightness, the generosity and mercifulness we renounced, to take again the straight upward path of self-denial and duty-this is always reserved for the soul that has not utterly perished. The man, young or old, who has become weaker than a child for any good work may hear the call that speaks of hope. He who in self-indulgence or hard worldliness has abandoned God may turn again to the Father's entreaty, "Remember from what thou hast fallen and repent."
We pass now to consider a point suggested by the terms in which the Philistines triumphed over their captured foe. When the people saw him they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hand our enemy, and the destroyer of our country which hath slain many of us. Here the ignorant religiousness and gratitude of Philistines to a god which was no God might provoke a smile were it not for the consideration that under the clear light of Christianity equal ignorance is often shown by those who profess to be piously grateful. You say it was the bribe which the Philistine lords offered to Delilah and her treachery and Samson's sin that put him in the enemy's hand. You say, Surely the most ignorant man in Gaza must have seen that Dagon had nothing whatever to do with the result. And yet it is very common to ascribe to God what is nowise His doing. There are indeed times when we almost shudder to hear God thanked for that which could only be attributed to a Dagon or a Moloch.
We are told of the tribal gods of those old Syrians-Baal, Melcarth, Sutekh, Milcom and the rest-each adored as master and protector by some people or race. Piously the devotees of each god acknowledged his hand in every victory and every fortunate circumstance, at the same time tracing to his anger and their own neglect of duty to him all calamities and defeats. May it not be said that the belief of many still is in a tribal god, falsely called by the name of Jehovah, a god whose chief function is to look after their interests whoever may suffer, and take their side in all quarrels whoever may be in the right? Men make for themselves the rude outline of a divinity who is supposed to be indifferent or hostile to every circle but their own, suspicious of every church but their own, careless of the sufferings of all but themselves. In two countries that are at war prayers for success will ascend in almost the same terms to one who is thought of as a national protector, not to the Father of all; each side is utterly regardless of the other, makes no allowance in prayer for the possibility that the other may be in the right. The thanksgivings of the victors too will be mixed with glorying almost fiendish over the defeated, whose blood, it may be, dyed in pathetic martyrdom their own hillsides and valleys. In less flagrant cases, where it is only a question of gain or loss in trade, of getting some object of desire, the same spirit is shown. God is thanked for bestowing that of which another, perhaps more worthy, is deprived. It is not to the kindness of Heaven, but rather to the proving severity of God, we may say, that the result is due. Looking on with clear eyes we see something very different from divine approval in the prosperous efforts of unscrupulous push and wire pulling. Those who have much success in the world have need to justify their comforts and the praise they enjoy. They need to show cause to the ranks of the obscure and ill paid for their superior fortune. Success like theirs cannot be admitted as a special mark of the favour of that God Whose ways are equal, Whose name is the Holy and Just.
Next look at the ignoble task to which Samson is put by the Philistines, a type of the ignominious uses to which the hero may be doomed by the crowd. The multitude cannot be trusted with a great man.
In the prison at Gaza the fallen chief was set to grind corn, to do the work of slaves. To him, indeed, work was a blessing. From the bitter thoughts that would have eaten out his heart he was somewhat delivered by the irksome labour. In reality, as we now perceive, no work degrades; but a man of Samson's type and period thought differently. The Philistine purpose was to degrade him; and the Hebrew captive would feel in the depths of his hot brooding nature the humiliating doom. Look then at the parallels. Think of a great statesman placed at the head of a nation to guide its policy in the line of righteousness, to bring its laws into harmony with the principles of human freedom and divine justice-think of such a one, while labouring at his sacred task with all the ardour of a noble heart, called to account by those whose only desire is for better trade, the means of beating their rivals in some market or bolstering up their failing speculations. Or see him at another time pursued by the cry of a class that feels its prescriptive rights invaded or its position threatened. Take again a poet, an artist, a writer, a preacher intent on great themes, eagerly following after the ideal to which he has devoted himself, but exposed every moment to the criticism of men who have no soul-held up to ridicule and reprobation because he does not accept vulgar models and repeat the catchwords of this or that party. Philistinism is always in this way asserting its claim, and ever and anon it succeeds in dragging some ardent soul into the dungeon to grind thenceforth at the mill.
With the very highest too it is not afraid to intermeddle. Christ Himself is not safe. The Philistines of today are doing their utmost to make His name inglorious. For what else is the modern cry that Christianity should be chiefly about the business of making life comfortable in this world and providing not only bread but amusement for the crowd? The ideas of the church are not practical enough for this generation. To get rid of sin-that is a dream; to make men fearers of God, soldiers of truth, doers of righteousness at all hazards-that is in the air. Let it be given up; let us seek what we can reach; bind the name of Christ and the Spirit of Christ in chains to the work of a practical secularism, and let us turn churches into pleasant lounging places and picture galleries. Why should the soul have the benefit of so great a name as that of the Son of God? Is not the body more? Is not the main business to have houses and railways, news and enjoyment? The policy of undeifying Christ is having too much success. If it make way there will soon be need for a fresh departure into the wilderness.
The last scene of Samson's history awaits us-the gigantic effort, the awful revenge in which the Hebrew champion ended his days. In one sense it aptly crowns the man's career. The sacred historian is not composing a romance, yet the end could not have been more fit. Strangely enough it has given occasion for preaching the doctrine of self-sacrifice as the only means of highest achievement, and we are asked to see here an example of the finest heroism, the most sublime devotion. Samson dying for his country is likened to Christ dying for His people.
It is impossible to allow this for a moment. Not Milton's apology for Samson, not the authority of all the illustrious men who have drawn the parallel can keep us from deciding that this was a case of vengeance and self-murder, not of noble devotion. We have no sense of vindicated principle when we see that temple fall in terrible ruin, but a thrill of disappointment and keen sorrow that a servant of Jehovah should have done this in His name. The lords of the Philistines, all the serens or chiefs of the hundred cities are gathered in the ample porch of the building. True, they are assembled at an idolatrous feast; but this idolatry is their religion which they cannot choose but exercise, for they know of no better, nor has Samson ever done one deed or spoken one word that could convince them of error. True, they are met to rejoice over their enemy and they call for him in cruel vainglory to make them sport. Yet this is the man who for his sport and in his revenge once burned the standing corn of a whole valley and more than once went on slaying Philistines till he was weary. True, Samson as a patriotic Israelite views these people as enemies. Yet it was among them he first sought a wife and afterwards pleasure. And now, if he decides to die that he may kill a thousand enemies at once, is the self-chosen death less an act of suicide?
If this was truly a fine act of self-sacrifice what good came of it? The sacrifice that is to be praised does distinct and clearly purposed service to some worthy cause or high moral end. We do not find that this dreadful deed reconciled the Philistines to Israel or moved them to belief in Jehovah. We observe, on the contrary, that it went to increase the hatred between race and race, so that when Canaanites, Moabites, Ammonites, Midianites no longer vex Israel these Philistines show more deadly antagonism-antagonism of which Israel knew the heat when on the red field of Gilboa the kingly Saul and the well beloved Jonathan were together stricken down in death. If there was in Samson's mind any thought of vindicating a principle it was that of Israel's dignity as the people of Jehovah. But here his testimony was worthless.
As we have already said, much is written about self-sacrifice which is sheer mockery of truth, most falsely sentimental. Men and women are urged to the notion that if they can only find some pretext for renouncing freedom, for curbing and endangering life, for stepping aside from the way of common service that they may give up something in an uncommon way for the sake of any person or cause, good will come of it. The doctrine is a lie. The sacrifice of Christ was not of that kind. It was under the influence of no blind desire to give up His life, but first under the pressure of a supreme providential necessity, then in renunciation of the earthly life for a dearly seen and personally embraced divine end, the reconciliation of man to God, the setting forth of a propitiation for the sin of the world-for this it was He died. He willed to be our Saviour; having so chosen He bowed to the burden that was laid upon Him. "It pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief." To the end He foresaw and desired there was but one way-and the way was that of death because of man's wickedness and ruin.
Suffering for itself is no end and never can be to God or to Christ or to a good man. It is a necessity on the way to the ends of righteousness and love. If personality is not a delusion and salvation a dream there must be in every case of Christian renunciation some distinct moral aim in view for every one concerned, and there must be at each step, as in the action of our Lord, the most distinct and unwavering sincerity, the most direct truthfulness. Anything else is a sin against God and humanity. We entreat would be moralists of the day to comprehend before they write of "self-sacrifice." The sacrifice of the moral judgment is always a crime, and to preach needless suffering for the sake of covering up sin or as a means of atoning for past defects is to utter most unchristian falsehood.
Samson threw away a life of which he was weary and ashamed. He threw it away in avenging a cruelty; but it was a cruelty he had no reason to call a wrong. "O God, that I might be avenged!"-that was no prayer of a faithful heart. It was the prayer of envenomed hatred, of a soul still unregenerate after trial. His death was indeed self-sacrifice-the sacrifice of the higher self, the true self, to the lower. Samson should have endured patiently, magnifying God. Or we can imagine something not perfect yet heroic. Had he said to those Philistines, My people and you have been too long at enmity. Let there be an end of it. Avenge yourselves, on me, then cease from harassing Israel, -that would have been like a brave man. But it is not this we find. And we close the story of Samson more sad than ever that Israel's history has not: taught a great man to be a good man, that the hero has not achieved the morally heroic, that adversity has not begotten in him a wise patience and magnanimity. Yet he had a place under Divine Providence. The dim troubled faith that was in his soul was not altogether fruitless. No Jehovah worshipper would ever think of bowing before that god whose temple fell in ruins on the captive Israelite and his thousand victims.
Nicoll, William R. "Commentary on Judges 16". "The Expositor's Bible Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/teb/judges-16.html.


text:
#include "AUEffectBase.h"
#include "CsoundAUBase.h"

using namespace std;

class CsoundAUBase;
typedef CsoundAUEffect CsoundAU;
AUDIOCOMPONENT_ENTRY(AUBaseFactory, CsoundAU)

class CsoundAUEffect : public AUEffectBase, public CsoundAUBase {

public:

    CsoundAUEffect(AudioUnit inComponentInstance);

    virtual OSStatus	 ProcessBufferLists(AudioUnitRenderActionFlags &ioActionFlags,
                                            const AudioBufferList &inBuffer,
                                            AudioBufferList &outBuffer,
                                            UInt32 inFramesToProcess );

    OSStatus Render(UInt32 inNumberFrames,
                           const AudioBufferList &inputData,
                           AudioBufferList &outputData);

    virtual	ComponentResult GetParameterValueStrings (AudioUnitScope inScope,
                                                      AudioUnitParameterID inParameterID,
                                                      CFArrayRef *outStrings);

    virtual	ComponentResult GetParameterInfo (AudioUnitScope inScope,
                                              AudioUnitParameterID inParameterID,
                                              AudioUnitParameterInfo &outParameterInfo);

    virtual ComponentResult GetPropertyInfo (AudioUnitPropertyID inID,
                                             AudioUnitScope inScope,
                                             AudioUnitElement inElement,
                                             UInt32 &outDataSize,
                                             Boolean &outWritable);
    OSStatus GetParentPropertyInfo(AudioUnitPropertyID inID,
                                                   AudioUnitScope inScope,
                                                   AudioUnitElement inElement,
                                                   UInt32 &outDataSize,
                                                   Boolean &outWritable);
    virtual ComponentResult GetProperty (AudioUnitPropertyID inID,
                                         AudioUnitScope inScope,
                                         AudioUnitElement inElement,
                                         void *outData);
    ComponentResult GetParentProperty (AudioUnitPropertyID inID,
                                         AudioUnitScope inScope,
                                         AudioUnitElement inElement,
                                         void *outData);

    virtual ComponentResult	GetPresets (CFArrayRef	*outData) const;
    virtual OSStatus NewFactoryPresetSet (const AUPreset	&inNewFactoryPreset);

    virtual	bool SupportsTail () {return true;}

private:
    CAStreamBasicDescription::CommonPCMFormat mCommonPCMFormat;
};

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
9 Uveitis and Ocular Inflammation
Chapter 10: Infectious Uveitis: Bacterial Causes
Ocular Involvement
The spectrum of ocular findings in patients with LD varies with disease stage. The most common ocular manifestation of early stage 1 disease is a follicular conjunctivitis, which occurs in approximately 11% of patients; less commonly present is episcleritis (see BCSC Section 1, Update on General Medicine, and Section 8, External Disease and Cornea, for further discussion and the differential diagnosis).
Intraocular inflammatory disease is reported most often in stage 2 and, less frequently, in stage 3 disease; it may manifest as anterior uveitis, intermediate uveitis, posterior uveitis, or panuveitis. Intermediate uveitis is one of the most common intraocular presentations. Vitritis may be severe and accompanied by a granulomatous anterior chamber reaction, papillitis, neuroretinitis, choroiditis, retinal vasculitis, and exudative retinal detachment (Fig 10-8).
A distinct clinical entity of peripheral multifocal choroiditis has been described in patients with LD; it is characterized by multiple, small, round, punched-out lesions associated with vitritis, similar to those present in sarcoidosis. Choroidal involvement may lead to pigment epithelial clumping resembling the inflammatory changes that occur with syphilis or rubella. Retinal vasculitis, found in association with peripheral multifocal choroiditis or vasculitic branch retinal vein occlusion, may be more common than previously known.
Neuro-ophthalmic manifestations include involvement of multiple cranial nerves (II, III, IV, V, VI, and, most commonly, VII) unilaterally or bilaterally, either sequentially or simultaneously. Optic nerve findings include optic neuritis, papilledema associated with meningitis, and most commonly papillitis. Horner syndrome has also been reported.
Keratitis is the most common ocular manifestation of stage 3 disease; much less common is episcleritis. Both may present months to years after the onset of infection. Typically, infiltrates are bilateral, patchy, focal, and stromal; subepithelial infiltrates with indistinct borders, peripheral keratitis with stromal edema, and corneal neovascularization can also occur. The keratitis is thought to represent an immune phenomenon rather than an infectious process because it responds to topical corticosteroids alone.
Figure 10-8 Fundus photograph revealing dense vitreous cells and haze in Lyme disease vitritis.
(Courtesy of John D. Sheppard Jr, MD.)
Excerpted from BCSC 2020-2021 series: Section 9 - Uveitis and Ocular Inflammation. For more information and to purchase the entire series, please visit https://www.aao.org/bcsc.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Generate a while loop I'm trying to create a while loop for my code. The idea is not to use so many "for" loops to put it into a function
int_list = [[[1]],2,[[[[3]]]]]

for i in int_list:
    if type(i) != list:
        list_of_lists.append(i)
    else:
        for a in i:
            if type(a) != list:
                list_of_lists.append(a)
            else:
                for j in a:
                    if type(j) != list:
                        list_of_lists.append(j)
                    else:
                        for h in j:
                            if type(h) != list:
                                list_of_lists.append(h)
                            else:
                                for r in h:
                                    if type(r) != list:
                                        list_of_lists.append(r)

Expected Output
list_of_lists = [1,2,3]

A: One way to reduce for loop is to create a recursive function.
The function recursively calls itself on that sublist(i) by passing it as an argument to helper(). The resulting list is then extended to the result list using the extend() method.
If it's instance is not a list. it runs else part. appending value into the lis
Code:
def helper(lis):
    res=[]
    for i in lis:
        if isinstance(i, list):
            res.extend(helper(i))
        else:
            res.append(i)
    return res

int_list=[[[1]], 2, [[[[3]]]]]
list_of_lists=helper(int_list)
print(list_of_lists)

Output:
[1,2,3]

A: A recursive function is the ideal way to flatten a list like this.  If you really want to do it in a single while loop, though, it is possible, by creating a stack to help you keep track of where you are in each sublist.
This happens automatically for you when you define and call a recursive function; every call to the function puts all the function's local variables onto a "stack", just like the code below puts the current list and index onto a list called stack every time a new sublist is discovered.
int_list = [[[1]],2,[[[[3]]]]]

flat_list = []
stack = []
i = 0
while True:
    if i >= len(int_list):
        # We're at the end of this sublist,
        # so go back to the stack to pick up where we left off.
        if not stack:
            break  # all done!
        int_list, i = stack.pop()
    elif isinstance(int_list[i], list):
        # Keep track of the current list and the next item
        # for us to look at, and then start looking at this sublist.
        stack.append((int_list, i+1))
        int_list, i = int_list[i], 0
    else:
        # We found a scalar item!  Add it to the flat list.
        flat_list.append(int_list[i])
        i += 1

assert flat_list == [1, 2, 3]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Here we have my partially restored, 1981, 6'3", single fly, swallow tail, vee bottom, Timpone twin fin with color work done by M.Townsend. Jeff Timpone began his shaping career in a Laguna Beach garage in 1968. He began working at Russell Surfboards in Newport Beach in 1971 along side JP and Shawn Stussy before opening Timpone Surfboards in Huntington Beach in 1980 around the same time Shawn also left to start Stussy.
I took it for a ride on a bumpy, windy day at Swami's. Thinking that the added length and width would help smooth out the chop. As expected, the volume made paddling a breeze and it caught waves with ease. It was quick and loose but if I had my feet out of position slightly it would slide out due to the wide tail area.
Big 'ol beak that allows a lot of foam to be carried up to the nose area.
This allows for excellent wave catching ability and ease of paddling.
The little man insisted I use his new 'cotton curtain tie' leash system.
Wide fin base with extreme, long raked tip.
"Hey Damion, Yeah Shawn Stussy shaped for Russell from the mid 70's through the early 80's. He even had some influence on the current Russell logo we use. (look close at the S and you can see it). He made shirts under his own logo like most other shapers did and after a surfboard trade show he sold way more shirts than surfboards he decided to pursue his clothing line."
I have a Timpone 6'3 board in good not excellent condition that I want to sell. I can not find a price on the internet anywhere.Can anyone give me some idea of what a good asking price would be?


text:
Bill would give disabled vets free TSA Precheck
by: Raquel Martin
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — A new bill backed by U.S. Army Reserves veteran Sen. Tammy Duckworth would waive the TSA Precheck fee for veterans with disabilities.
Duckworth, D-Illinois, is a Purple Heart recipient who lost both her legs in combat in Iraq, so she personally understands the problem.
"I've been taken into a separate room to strip so that they can see my devices," she recalled. "It was a full pat down every single time. And for a while, they were X-raying our limbs."
"I got a pretty thorough pat down," Sherman Gillums, another veteran who uses a wheelchair, described. "I was very uncomfortable. It was out in public. … It got to a point where I had to file a complaint."
Duckworth said X-rays are no longer routine, but getting through Transportation Security Administration checks at the airport is still a hassle and it's time to make it easier for those who have served.
"I figure if you've been wounded in the defense of this country, you probably should be given a little bit of a break," she said.
TSA Precheck allows approved flyers to speed through security without waiting in line or pat downs. But it costs money: $85 for a five-year plan. Duckworth's bill would waive the fee for about 300,000 veterans with disabilities.
"I think it's the right thing to do," she said. "Many of our veterans are unemployed, especially our disabled veterans, and they need a little bit of a help."
"We want those men and women to get out of their house and see the world if that's their desire and for the world itself to be more accommodating," said Gillums, who's with veteran service organization AMVETS.
A veteran of the U.S. Marines, he was paralyzed 17 years ago during a training exercise.
"In this small way, there's a chance to show veterans that they're appreciated," he said. "It's not a lot to ask to spend a little more on the people who suffered loss at the hands of defending freedom."
Duckworth said her bill has bipartisan support. She hopes it will pass Congress by the end of the year.
More Washington-DC Stories
by Kate Winkle and Anna Wiernicki / Jul 15, 2019
WASHINGTON (Nexstar) — A provision related to drug pricing control is proving to be a sticking point in the proposed trade deal between the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Democrats in Congress, including Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett, recently sent a letter to the United States' trade representative, asking to have a provision that would limit the ability to lower drug prices removed from the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
by Brie Jackson / Jul 15, 2019
WASHINGTON (Nexstar) - The White House held its 3rd annual Made in America Showcase on Monday. From heavy duty military equipment to small marbles, American made products from every state were on display.
"We are so proud to be made in America. America's past time is baseball. Where else should ball gloves be made?" said Laura Baraznik, with the company Nokona.
Democrats push bill to combat PFAS contamination
by Raquel Martin / Jul 12, 2019
WASHINGTON (Nexstar) — Ignoring President Donald Trump's veto threats, House Democrats included a plan to clean up toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, in the next year's Department of Defense spending bill.
"We have a job to do. We don't work for the president," said Rep. Dan Kildee, a Democrat from Michigan. "This says we're going to protect public health. This is a step in the right direction


http://www.vcsutton.org.uk This link will open a new window.
Could you spare some time to brighten up the week of an elderly person or vulnerable adult in the London Borough of Sutton who has found themselves lonely and isolated?
We're looking for volunteers who could commit to befriend someone over the phone for 20 minutes a week. You'd be a friendly voice to an isolated individual, providing a point of regular contact and social interaction.
Our Sutton Befrienders team will train you to support and build a meaningful relationship with someone who really needs it, so that they feel less lonely and more connected in their community. We have lots of experience, having run a befriending project for several years in the Borough.
No formal qualifications or experience is needed - we're just looking for volunteers with 'people skills' (see below) who are reliable, punctual, trustworthy, patient, tolerant and who have some common sense.
*Our service users may have found themselves isolated for many reasons, e.g. bereavement, illness or family migration or perhaps no other family members. Some are young people who have been in the care of the local authority but who now no longer qualify for assistance due to age. We also assist those members of the community who are disabled, (physical or sensory) and with mental health issues such as depression, panic attacks, anxiety or stress related issues.


text:
VOX POPULI: 'Oya-gacha' is far more than just a new buzzword
Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a daily column that runs on Page 1 of The Asahi Shimbun.
Takayoshi Doi, a professor of sociology at University of Tsukuba (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
Children don't get to choose their parents. Life is like a lottery, in that winning or losing depends entirely on who your parents are. In fact, the game is over the moment you are born.
This is the understanding implied in the Japanese slang term "oya-gacha," which has come into such extensive circulation recently that it is now one of the top contenders for this year's "new words/ buzzwords grand prize."
"Oya" means parent, while "gacha" is short for "gachagacha," the nickname of Japan's ubiquitous capsule toy vending machines.
"As a fad word, oya-gacha superbly captures the sense of near-resignation with life felt by young people today," noted Takayoshi Doi, 61, a professor of sociology at University of Tsukuba.
The expression has been in use on social media since a few years ago, he added.
When Doi posted his thoughts online this past autumn, he was astounded by the overwhelming reaction he received.
Initially, many of the responses were critical of young people for "being spoiled" or "not trying hard enough."
However, more sympathetic comments gradually began to come in, as there is no denying that social disparities do exist.
"During the period of the nation's rapid economic growth, people could expect to be rewarded a lot more for the efforts they made," Doi observed. "But during slow-growth years, the cost-performance index for the efforts you put in persistently declines."
That is when people feel they are better off accepting this as fate, rather than holding onto unrealistic expectations.
I asked people around me how they felt about oya-gacha and roughly 70 percent were critical toward young people, versus 30 percent who weren't.
Still, I cannot write young people off simply as spoiled crybabies.
Their efforts go unrewarded and if they whine about their predicament, they are reminded of their own responsibility. If this is how they have been treated since childhood, how can they be blamed for deciding to just roll with the punches and stop expecting anything more?
It has been quite a while since people have stopped using traditional expressions such as "risshin shusse" (getting on in the world) and "seiun no kokorozashi" (having great ambitions).
I am convinced that young people are identifying with the concept of oya-gacha because it is no longer just a buzzword. It cuts sharply and deeply into the social anomaly created by their parents' generation.
--The Asahi Shimbun, Nov. 30
Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
VOX POPULI: Being kind to a dog today could well save your life tomorrow
VOX POPULI: Library in an apartment setting an idea catching on fast
VOX POPULI: Living up to our climate rhetoric means accepting higher oil prices
VOX POPULI: Return of JAXA's astronaut testing rekindles interest in spaceflight
VOX POPULI: CDP leadership debate's lack of fireworks a good omen for party
VOX POPULI: Lost for words, lawmakers rely on ghostwritten speeches


Luxury gullet sailing holidays in the Croatian Adriatic with Krila VII !
At 23.7 meter long, gulet KRILA VII is not the largest or the most luxurious traditional wooden motor sailor available in the Adriatic. The layout with 6 en suite cabins for up to 12 adult guests does not make it de-luxe either. She is however one of the most popular luxury gullet for sure. With many repeat clients returning year on year, always to experience best of sailing itineraries in Croatia and to be pampered by a professional yet friendly crew of three, this very reasonably priced luxurious sailing yacht is an ideal recommendation for your first visit to the Croatian Islands.
Your typical superyacht itinerary will take you around islands such as Brac, where you can do some windsurfing and sunbathing on Bol, Island of Hvar for fine dining, celebrity spotting and entertaining nightlife, Island Mljet for access to the most beautiful nature in the region and former Republic, the city of Dubrovnik, for history lessons and beautiful architechture.
Built in 2006, SY KRILA VII is regularly maintained, refitted every few years, and is always kept in excellent condition. Apart from best value pricing, she is also has plethora of water toys, additional fairly priced food options and an all-inclusive drinks option, not available on many other gulets.
SY KRILA VII will be available for private luxury gulet charters in Croatia, with option to sail to Montenegro and Bosnia as well, from only 9,000 Eur/week including local PDV/VAT. Low season rates from beginning of May to beginning of June are 10,680 Eur, from June to July and from end of August to end of SEPTEMBER, they are 11,890 Eur and throughout July and first 3 weeks of August, they are 14,500 Eur. Food and drinks options are obligatory and described below. Lastminute offers, day charters, special requests, long term charters and one ways can be requested and negotiated. We look forward to receiving your enquiries.
Captain & crew of 2 (chef + hostess/deckhand), passenger personal injury insurance (while on board the boat), water and electricity, towels & bed linen, fuel for 4 hours cruising a day, 4 hours generator use per day, water skiing (excluding fuel for outboard motor) and use of all recreational equipment onboard.
Cocktails & drinks from the bar (unless you take the all-inclusive drinks offer), National Park entrance fees, fuel for the outboard motor when used for water skiing, harbour fees & tourist taxes and scuba diving equipment (this can be hired by the hour or by day - please ask for rate. In Croatia unqualified divers are allowed to dive only under the supervision of a diving instructor). Harbour fees & tourist taxes can be between €350 and €750 per week, depending on the ports you are visiting, the time of year and the number of guests in your group. The overall cost can be reduced considerably by mooring for a few evenings outside the ports, such as in a cove, as this is free. YOu will also need to buy either a half-board (lunch and breakfast) or full board (half-board plus dinner) at a cost from around 320 Eur/person/week and 420 Eur/person/week respectively. Fish only menu would cost additional 60 Eur per person/week.


There are more courses on offer in Germany than in your home country. The Deutschkolleg intensive courses for all levels begin eight times per year.
After that you can join the next course level without a break. At Deutschkolleg, without previous knowledge, you will need about ten months to reach the level of the German certificate for third level. With previous knowledge of course, it will take less time.
Compare with your home country!
In the early morning, even before the course starts, you hear German. After the course ends as well. In Germany you are immersed in German: you use the language learned immediately, and thus retain more.
Your fellow participants come from all over the world. For that reason German will quickly become your common language, in the classroom, in the breaks and during common activities.
Time is money. You will have to pay less to reach your goals if you learn quickly and effectively.
The German courses and life in Germany are surprisingly cheap compared to other countries.
Your later university studies in Germany are affordable and as a student you can enjoy advantages such as cheap lodgings in a student hostel, value for money food in the university canteen, or term tickets for local public transport.


text:
Q: Подключение стилей Да. Вопрос, может, и простой, но тем не менее...
Проект работает на WebApp2. Там все стили после компиляции через App Engine работают.
Но если этот же самый проект запустить локально, то стили не подключаются. Открывал код страницы - проверял пути подключения и существование файлов - все также...
Но, не подключаются CSS-стили. В чем может быть проблема? Может есть еще способ посмотреть что-то?
Дополнение:
 <link rel="stylesheet" href="static/src/css/main.css" type='text/css'/>-->


Funfairs and some puzzling penguins, Weekend takes a look at this week's family events in Hull and East Yorkshire.
The G-Force, waltzers, and Cliffhanger are among the thrilling rides primed for this funfair, which opens this week at the Humber Bridge car parks. When you buy a £6.99 wristband, all the rides are free, with children's rides also among the fun.
Follow the puzzling penguin trail and solve the clues hidden around The Deep with this half-term event, where you can also make your own penguin ID bracelet. There'll also be the chance to see the daily talks, dive shows, touch pool sessions and feeds.
This free children's day of fun craft activity, inspired by the history and stories of the Humber Estuary, is running at the Treasure House in Beverley.
You can become a Winter Olympic hopeful at William's Den, the adventure centre, with events including the Downhill Snowball Challenge and an Alpine Dog Race, where medals The centre's Winter Olympic events start on Friday, February 9, with an opening ceremony at 4.30pm.
Get inspired by the wealth of art at Ferens Art Gallery to create your own masterpiece with the latest Time Troopers event for young people.
Strictly Come Dancing performers Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace perform their latest show – joined by a cast of 10 dancers and some West End singers – to Hull New Theatre.
Take to the track with these arrive and drive go-karting sessions at Hull Raceway. After your briefing you'll get to drive 30 laps of the track at their Stockholm Road centre.
Experience a story time with a difference at Bugtopia, at Hornsea Freeport, where children can see, touch and hold the characters. Aimed at the under 5's, the sessions take place every Tuesday.
Tuesdays, 11am. Hornsea Freeport, Rolston Road, Hornsea. Tickets £4 for an adult and an under 5. To book, call 01964 204240.
There's free entry to the grounds and gardens at Sledmere House, Tuesdays to Sundays, to enjoy the emerging snowdrops.


First and foremost a sending your child of to a public school is free. Public schooling is the oldest education system in the educational system.
1 for apartments in Seoul and. To solve the housing problems and to eliminate the illegal or substandard living conditions, the Korean government can take..
These two sets of data will be analyzed to determine if there was a difference between the first measurement and the second measurement for each..
definitely pathological cases of the Outside View. Initially, all of the smartest people headed to Tower One. Even people who honestly know about a fixable case of dead babies cant emit a trustworthy request for attention By this point in our civilizations development, many honest buyers and sellers have left the indignation market entirely; and whats left behind is not, on average. So the honest sellers with reliable cars start to leave the market, which further shifts upward the probability that any given car for sale is a lemon, which makes me less willing to pay for a used car, which incentivizes more honest sellers to leave. Read the Disability Documentation Guidelines.
When Warren Buffett proves really good at stock-picking, everyone rushes to give him their money. If a piece of research will clearly visibly yield lots of citations with a reasonable amount of labor, and make the grantmakers on the committee look good for not too much money committed, then a researcher eager to do it can probably find a grantmaker.
Instead, you should identify other people who are even more rational than you (on the matter at hand) and maybe Outside View with them, but no one else. This is a failure of Outside-View-ing. The second argues against overuse of the Outside View. We could say, to make the example more precise, that the field is collectively opportunistic in 2 citations per workdayif theres any clearly visible opportunity to do 40 days of work and get 80 citations, somebody in the field will go for. Or: suppose you thought that health care is inefficient and costs way too much. To be very uncharitable, Eliezer seems to be making the same mistake as an investing book which says that you should always buy stock. I didnt think.


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Shriya Saran Marriage Photos Going Viral
Published on March 20, 2018 by Karthick Rajkumar
Confirming the relationship between Shriya and Andrei, they tied knots on March 19, 2018, in Udaipur in Rajasthan.It was actually a secret ceremony.As a highlight of the.
Actress Shreya Saran is well-known in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada film industries.
After a huge success of the 2007 Tamil blockbuster "Shivaji", in which the actress played a heroine role, Shriya Saran became popular in all South Indian cine industries. She acted in a 2015 hit Hindi film "Drishyam" with Ajay Devan and a debuted in a Hollywood movie "The Other End of the Line" earlier but the movie received negative reviews, unfortunately.
Her last movie "Gayathri" was released in February 2018. Director Madhan had directed the movie in Telugu.
Already there had been a gossip about Shriya's boyfriend and also, her boyfriend photos were seen often in social media. Confirming the relationship between Shriya and Andrei, they tied knots on March 19, 2018, in Udaipur in Rajasthan. It was actually a secret ceremony and only a few of her family and close friends have been called for the wedding.
The marriage between the 33 years old actress and the Russian entrepreneur cum Tennis player took place according to traditional Indian style.
The actress' marriage photos have become viral now in social media and she was seen in full bridal attire which is red in colour along with Andrei who was in deep blue attire. As a highlight of the ceremony, it is said that the groom had recited a Hindi song to the gorgeous bride.
The actress' fans had much awaited for an official announcement from Shriya Saran but it is definitely a surprise for them.Shriya saran's are anticipating that whether the actress would act in films after marriage.
EntertainmentAndrei and Shriya, Gayathri movie, latest cine news, shriya age, shriya boyfriend, shriya marriage photos, shriya saran marriage videos, shriya saran wedding, tollywood latest
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Pre owned Jaguar F-Type R for sale in Sharjah by Exotic Cars Tr.. 8 cylinder engine, white exterior and automatic transmission. Comes with 19″ wheels and red interior. 11,500 kilometers on the odometer, GCC specs.
15x Aston Martin V8 Vantage N430 - BRAND NEW - UNDER MAIN DEALER WARRANTY! GREAT DEAL!
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Registration Fee: $75 / teacher; $350 / school (up to 10 subscriptions). Registration includes13 Teach the Election issues (available November 2015 - November 2016). Each issue includes original content, selected primary sources, and teaching suggestions, connecting our current election cycle to elections of the past. Registration also includes 7 Election Briefs - short and student-friendly resources to help students understand and engage with the election, including candidate bios, how-to guides, and in-depth explanations of election-related issues.


Sept. 10 2008 XBLA Release: Japan Invades… bowling allies?
The official list was just released: look out for bushido brawlers in "Samurai Shodown II." Experience a chess-like game with a few twists in "Shotest Shogi." And get your fix of extra-terrestrial sports with "Rocket Bowl," – an old Flash game that people just can't get enough of.
I'm looking forward to "Shotest Shogi." I played the demo of this a few weeks ago and have been trying to get a handle on it ever since. I'm bad at chess, but this game is simply very fun! I can't wait to give it another go.
Posted in GamingTagged XBLALeave a Comment on Sept. 10 2008 XBLA Release: Japan Invades… bowling allies?
I was browsing for interesting stories, like I do, and found this one. Austin, Texas residents will have a chance to compete in multiple games and win some great prizes. Madden 08, Rock Band 2, Super Smash Brothers, and even I-Play Bowling will all be played at this charity event being held on September 17th, in Austin. Your $20 entry fee will be donated directly to The ESA Foundation, which has a program that provides game development scholarships. Sounds like a fun event to attend, if you're going to be in the area. I certainly wish that I was!
The site sells a majority of PC Hardware, but in this auction, you have a chance to bid on a Guitar Hero X-Plorer controller, designed specifically for this charity event, and autogrpahed by Ciji (find out more about this superstar on her myspace, youtube, website, Gotcast, and her GamerTag).
Posted in GamingTagged Charity, Guitar HeroLeave a Comment on Girl Geek auction: 1 of a Kind X-Plorer on eBay!
Posted in GamingTagged Panels & Papers, PAXLeave a Comment on A Girl's Guide to getting your Girl into Gaming!
See that tiny picture of that big idiot? That's James Orry. He writes for VideoGamer.com. He wrote an article about the upcoming multiplatform game "Sky Gods." The article is headlined: "HALO insertion game confirmed for PS3, 360, and PC." While HALO is a term used for parachute deployment, and the like, using the word "Halo" in the video game industry causes specific expectations. Using "Halo" and "PS3" in the same headline? Simple hit-grabbing.
The game looks good enough without James' lame attempt to steal headlines. Leave marketing to the professionals.
Posted in GamingTagged Halo, PS3, Sky Gods, xbox 3601 Comment on VideoGamer.com uses decveptive headline to nab hits! Halo on the PS3?


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Q: Ag-Grid Angular 2 keyboard navigation in cellEditing mode I built my own cellEditor like in the example from https://www.ag-grid.com/ to make a Cell only accept number input. This works fine, but now the keyboard navigation behavior is different to a normal text-cell without own cellEditor. If I hit the left or right key it cancel EditMode, leaves the cell and select another instead of walk through all chars step by step in input field. I tried different things but I cant get it to work. How can I achieve this normal behavior in a own cellEditor?
import {Component, ViewContainerRef, ViewChild, AfterViewInit} from '@angular/core';

import {AgEditorComponent} from 'ag-grid-ng2/main';

@Component({
    selector: 'numeric-cell',
    template: `<input #input (keydown)="onKeyDown($event)" [(ngModel)]="value">`
})
export class NumericEditorComponent implements AgEditorComponent, AfterViewInit {
    private params: any;
    public value: number;
    private cancelBeforeStart: boolean = false;

    @ViewChild('input', {read: ViewContainerRef}) public input: any;

    agInit(params: any): void {
        this.params = params;
        this.value = this.params.value;

        // only start edit if key pressed is a number, not a letter
        this.cancelBeforeStart = params.charPress && ('1234567890'.indexOf(params.charPress) < 0);
    }

    getValue(): any {
        return this.value;
    }

    isCancelBeforeStart(): boolean {
        /*return this.cancelBeforeStart;*/
        return false;
    }

    // will reject the number if it greater than 1,000,000
    // not very practical, but demonstrates the method.
    isCancelAfterEnd(): boolean {
        /*return this.value > 1000000;*/
        return false;
    };

    onKeyDown(event: any): void {
        if (!this.isKeyPressedNumeric(event) && !this.isKeyPressedArrow(event)) {
            if (event.preventDefault) {
                event.preventDefault();
            }
        }
    }

    // dont use afterGuiAttached for post gui events - hook into ngAfterViewInit instead for this
    ngAfterViewInit() {
        this.input.element.nativeElement.focus();
    }

    private getCharCodeFromEvent(event: any): any {
        event = event || window.event;
        return (typeof event.which == "undefined") ? event.keyCode : event.which;
    }

    private isCharNumeric(charStr: any): boolean {
        return !!/\d/.test(charStr);
    }

    private isKeyPressedNumeric(event: any): boolean {
        var charCode = this.getCharCodeFromEvent(event);
        var charStr = String.fromCharCode(charCode);
        return this.isCharNumeric(charStr);
    }

    private isKeyPressedArrow(event: any): boolean {
        console.log("isKeyPressedArrow");
        var charCode = this.getCharCodeFromEvent(event);
        console.log(charCode);
        var bol = this.isKeyArrow(charCode);
        console.log(bol);
        return this.isKeyArrow(charCode);
    }

    private isKeyArrow(charStr: any): boolean {
        return /^37|38|39|40/.test(charStr);
    }
}

A: Take a look at the MoodEditor supplied in the ng2-examples repo: https://github.com/ceolter/ag-grid-ng2-example/blob/master/systemjs_aot/app/mood-editor.component.ts
If you look at the onKeyDown method there you'll see that it's looking for left/right keystrokes and if found does some business logic and then stops prog
onKeyDown(event): void {
    let key = event.which || event.keyCode;
    if (key == 37 ||  // left
        key == 39) {  // right
        this.toggleMood();
        event.stopPropagation();
    }
}

The main part for you would be to add event.stopPropagation(); to onKeyDown


The Russian military has figured out how to jam some U.S. military drones in airspace over Syria, NBC News reported on Tuesday, citing four officials.
"The Russians began jamming some smaller U.S. drones several weeks ago, the officials said, after a series of suspected chemical weapons attacks on civilians in rebel-held eastern Ghouta. The Russian military was concerned the U.S. military would retaliate for the attacks and began jamming the GPS systems of drones operating in the area, the officials explained," NBC reported.
Russia has stepped up its offensive in Syria and has grown increasingly concerned that the U.S. will retaliate. Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia on Monday warned the U.S. of "grave repercussions" if it attacks Syrian government forces over reports of a deadly chemical weapons attack.
At least 40 people died last week in a chemical attack in the southern city of Douma, according to the White Helmets, a volunteer relief organization that conducts searches and rescues and medical evacuations in Syria.
Trump has warned of a "big price to pay" for the deadly attack, and on Monday, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the council that Washington "will respond" to the attack.
According to Dr. Todd Humphreys, the director of the Radionavigation Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin, Russia blocking or scrambling a drone's reception of a signal from a GPS satellite "at the very least it could cause some serious confusion."


text:
Ecological Resilience Glossary
Lesson: Ecological Resilience
Current: page 0: Glossary
The capacity of a system to withstand disturbances without changing function.
Alternative Stable State
Alternative Stable State or Regime: One out of multiple different forms of existence or organization for a system; the system may transition to any of its alternative states if the appropriate environmental conditions are met.
Ball-and-Cup Model
A conceptual model used to visualize and understand ecological resilience. This is outlined in detail in another module, however the visualization is of a ball, representing the current state of a system, on a 3D plane that has different "basins" or points at which there is concavity. This visualization is meant to represent the states a system is drawn to (the ball being drawn into a basin) and the potential for shifting from one state, or basin, to another with movement of the ball caused by perturbation.
Basin of Attraction
Part of the ball-in-cup model. Represents a stable state in which a system can exist. The system can move from one basin of attraction to another, which represents a system shifting from one state to another. See regime shift
The capacity of an ecosystem to withstand disturbances without altering established processes, functions, and structures. This concept can be applied to other systems such as economies, governments, or companies, despite the term "ecological".
Services and products that humans receive from ecosystems. For example, water filtration by wetlands, air purification by forests, food production by croplands, pollination by pollinators, etc.
When a change in one aspect of a system causes a change in an earlier aspect of the same system, whether positive or negative, and can be self-reinforcing. For example, rising temperatures can cause ice cover to decrease through melting. This exposes more land to the sun, which heats up the land near the ice and causes more melting, creating a positive feedback loop.
The general idea that the path out of a situation is different from the path you took to get into the situation. This can occur in ecosystems. See lake eutrophication example in the resilience and hysteresis modules.
The ability for components of a system to maintain relationships in the face of outside forces that cause change.
Perturbation (or Disturbance): An event or input to a system that causes a loss of the system's capital. It may cause a regime shift. For example, wildfire in a forest, ocean acidification and coral reefs, woody encroachment in a grassland.
A state in which a system exists. Consider it as the status quo, which can be altered by forces that cause regime shifts.
Regime Shift
Regime Shift (or Regime Change): The transformation of a system from one stable state to another. These changes often occur in response to disturbances. For example, a volcanic eruption on a Hawaiian island can shift a tropical forest ecosystem into bare volcanic rock.
Threshold of Change
Threshold of Change (Tipping Point): The point at which a system shifts from one state to an alternative state.
Overview and Objectives
Introduction - What Is Resilience?
Description - How Can We Visualize Resilience in the Real World?
Concept Use in Management - Lake Eutrophication
Example - Cities and Hurricanes
Summary - Why Is Resilience Important?


text:
The Artist: Céline Chapus
Fantasy & romance art, with an emphasis on cute and sexy
A Fairy Tale
Rumor has it Céline was hatched on a rooftop in old Paris one cold January morning.
She was then delivered to a dashing French gentleman and a beautiful Vietnamese lady, and that parentage pretty much guaranteed she'd be a dreamer and a romantic for the rest of her days.
Céline has been drawing for as long as she can remember, finding inspiration in just about anything, from manga to sculptures in the Musée du Louvre.
She's also terribly fond of bookstores, fine Swiss chocolate, and all things purple, including but not limited to Victorian men's headgear.
"It is my goal to create engaging and approachable character based fantasy art, drawing inspiration from mythology, fairy tales, comics, manga, and other artists whose work allowed me to dream in the first place. As an artist, I aim to explore relationships (with others and within oneself) through the lens of sensuality and emotion. As a human being, I hope that my vision of the world brings you strength, joy, comfort and a measure of playfulness."
A Few of Her Favorite Things
A few of her favorite things:
Morcheeba, Prince, Janet Jackson, Guns N' Roses, Citizens & Saints, V.A.S.T, Ellie Goulding, Within Temptation, Ghost Ship, Texas, Tori Kelly, Mylène Farmer, Lady Gaga
"La Femme Fardée" Françoise Sagan, "The Sundered" Ruthanne Reid, "The Artist's Way" Julia Cameron, "Pride & Prejudice" Jane Austen, "It" Stephen King
Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain, 28 Days Later, that Captain America trilogy, Deadpool <3,Gladiator, Ever After, Train to Busan, Louis de Funès films, Tangled, Moana, basically a whole lotta Disney
Stranger Things, ZNation, The Walking Dead, Marvel's The Defenders, American Horror Story, Luke Cage, Daredevil, Prison Break (season 1)
Manga/Anime:
Dragonball and DBZ, Hellsing, Bastard!!, Saint Seiya, basically, old school shōnen. Oh. And Sailor Moon XD
purpletophat
Hey hey, it's been wild and scary, but I hope you'
I didn't get a chance to post these earlier but h
🦄 The Unicorn -- 8x10 watercolor on cold press
Taking a couple days off working the commissions l
I early voted like a bandit two weeks ago but here
Hope everyone had a safe and Happy Halloween! Spen
Golden pumpkin patch hour! . . #pumkpin #pumkpinp
Commission for @aberhulk ! I still have a handful


A boolean NSNumber that contains true if this item's data has been uploaded to iCloud storage, false otherwise (read-only).
When waiting for an upload to complete, do not poll this key from within a block passed to coordinate(readingItemAt:options:error:byAccessor:), because the coordinated read required to obtain this value cannot be performed until that block completes and returns. Instead, use NSMetadataQuery or an NSFilePresenter delegate to asynchronously notify your app when the status changes.
A boolean NSNumber that contains true if this item is in iCloud storage, false if it is a local item (read-only).
A Boolean indicating whether a call to startDownloadingUbiquitousItem(at:) has already been made to download the item. The value of this key is read-only.
A boolean NSNumber that contains true if this item is being downloaded from iCloud, false otherwise (read-only).
An error object that indicates why downloading the item from iCloud failed. See Foundation Constants for possible error codes.
The current download state for the item, indicating whether a local copy exists and whether that copy is the most current version of the item. The possible values for this key are described in URLUbiquitousItemDownloadingStatus.
Values that describe the iCloud storage state of a file.
A boolean NSNumber that contains true if this item is being uploaded to iCloud, false otherwise (read-only).
An error object that indicates why uploading the item to iCloud failed. See Foundation Constants for possible error codes.
A boolean NSNumber that contains true if this item has conflicts outstanding, false otherwise (read-only).
A string containing the name of the item's container, as it is displayed to the user.


If you're going to use the phrase 'bivalves' throughout the term to describe invertebrates such as clams, oysters and mussels, then please, for the sake of my sanity, do not start using a different word to describe them in the sample questions for the final exam. Because the word you used (Lamellibranchia) was not a word that ever showed in the class notes. And I just about thought I was losing it (or, even worse, had LOST some of my notes) because I did not recall this word or was able to find it.
And then I put the word into a search engine and it came up with a dictionary definition that said that the Lamellibranchs are clams, oysters, mussels.
P.S. You're just lucky that I filled out my professor evaluations before I read that question.
OOh that's no fun! I used to have an English 101 teacher in school that would make up words. *Example* New Orleans is the partyingest city in Louisiana.
He would then proceed to grade our papers and if we had any misspelled or incorrect words we'd get marked off.


text:
Houghton could miss Norway clash with England captain declared a 'major doubt'
Ben Spratt
Norway v England
The England captain suffered an ankle injury late on against Cameroon and faces a battle to be fit for the World Cup quarter-final on Thursday
England centre-backs Steph Houghton and Millie Bright are both "major doubts" for their Women's World Cup quarter-final against Norway, head coach Phil Neville has revealed.
Captain Houghton was the on the end of an awful tackle from Alexandra Takounda late in the ill-tempered last-16 clash with Cameroon, subsequently skipping her post-match media duties to immediately receive treatment.
The Manchester City skipper's status for the Norway match on Thursday remains uncertain and the Lionesses are also set to be without defensive partner Bright, who is suffering from a virus.
"Both are major doubts - Steph because of the tackle," Neville told a pre-match news conference. "We're hoping she takes part in some of the training today. That's the key for Steph.
"Millie has got a virus that's going a little bit through the camp. She's probably more of a doubt than Steph, so we're going to give them right until the last minute to be fit."
But Neville has no qualms about bringing in Leah Williamson and Abbie McManus, explaining that his rotation of the squad has paid off.
"You guys [the media] have had an obsession with my rotation for the last 18 months," he said. "What I would say is the players that we've played are for moments like this.
"We can just say no problem, Steph, Millie, whoever, we can just bring two people in who know the system, know the style and have got utter belief and confidence in each other. It's a seamless transition.
"You plan for these moments. I said six months ago, 'You don't want to get to the quarter-final of a World Cup and throw a young kid in or someone we haven't tested, haven't tried, who doesn't know our system'.
"There's been a plan behind it for moments like this. I'm totally relaxed.
"When I got into management, I said from day one, only worry about those that can get on the bus - and those that can get on the bus are the fit ones. Unfortunately, in situations, you're going to have injuries and it's opportunities for others.
"I'd put my life on Leah Williamson and Abbie McManus, if they're called upon, to be the best two players on the pitch."