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King Arthur Review
By Eric Meyerson
It seemed doomed to fail. Schlock-master Jerry Bruckheimer had thrown a talented but mildly-experienced director at a costume picture, launching it in the heart of the hyper-competitive summer movie season. Surprise! The super-fun Pirates of Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl grossed $300 million, polished Johnny Depp's star, and introduced the world to barely-legal corset goddess Keira Knightley.
Fast forward 12 months. Bruckheimer brings back the costumes, the swordplay, another talented but mildly-experienced director, and his discovery Knightley, this time in a leather S&M get-up. Add the writer of Gladiator. Can the formula work again?
Well, yes, but only for an hour or so. King Arthur, a "historical" version of the British myth, strips away the magic of Camelot for the cold filth of the Dark Ages. Unlike Pirates, it's more epic than big goof, but it runs out of horses right when it needs its biggest boost.
The film begins strongly, pulsing energy from the camaraderie and charisma of the Knights of the Round Table. Sadly, the final act spins into a predictable death spiral of groaner clichés, stock images, and hordes with swords. No longer is King Arthur about a man who became a legend; instead, it's Brave-Troy-Gladiator-Heart of the Rings.
Director Antoine Fuqua, who set some kind of Guinness World Record for ominousness in 2001's excellent Training Day, trades the grit of Los Angeles for a fifth-century Britain that's composed entirely of smoke, mud, dust and ice.
In spite of the bleakness of the landscape, the land is a hot spot for conquering. While Arthur and his special forces venture one last mission before securing their walking papers from the retreating Romans, brutal Saxon forces are sweeping southward, burning every village that stands between them and dominion. This new threat forces the primitive woodland Woads to ally with their former occupiers to defend their home.
Arthur's wild bunch bears a convincing chemistry of very different men who have jelled after years of fighting together. Although they crave their impending freedom from servitude, a particularly nasty lord shatters Arthur's precious Roman ideals as mere myths. The knights' loss of purpose in the face of a massive invading army forces them to choose between fleeing the country they once guarded for a foreign power, or standing up for the people they once controlled.
Clive Owen's (Croupier) Arthur is neither as steely as Russell Crowe's Maximus nor as bombastic as Mel Gibson's William Wallace, but he carries the weight of a man who perseveres even as his world crumbles around him. Rumors currently place Owen as the next James Bond, a role he could fill with refreshing edginess. He's a delight.
The yang to Arthur's vigorous defense of liberty is the genocidal Saxon conqueror Cerdic, played with quiet menace by Stellan Skarsgård (Good Will Hunting). Skarsgård dominates all his scenes with soft-spoken psychopathic fervor and boundless villainy.
The Knights take on the Saxons twice, once brilliantly on a frozen lake, and again at closer range in the obligatory final battle. It's in the last 30 minutes that the movie breaks down. Instead of continuing to twist the Arthurian legend, Fuqua chooses to photocopy countless cheeseball images and story devices from the past decade of plate-armor war epics: The boss gives his requisite pep talk on horseback. Knights ride out from the smoke. The generals go hand-to-hand. Hundreds of arrows fill the air. It's like a clip show for the genre, and it's embarrassing.
The anti-climax leaves a bland aftertaste that drowns out the pleasures of the previous chapters. Even the body-painted Knightley can't save the limp final fracas. But worry not, fans of costume battles. Oliver Stone's Alexander is coming this fall. Now there's a guy who knows how to do violence right. [Oops. -Ed.]
My body art will win this war!
In Theaters: Wednesday 7th July 2004
Box Office USA: $51.7M
Box Office Worldwide: $203.6M
Budget: $120M
Distributed by: Buena Vista Pictures
Production compaines: Touchstone Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Green Hills Productions, World 2000 Entertainment
Fresh: 58 Rotten: 126
Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer
Screenwriter: David Franzoni
Starring: Clive Owen as Arthur, Ioan Gruffudd as Lancelot, Keira Knightley as Guinevere, Mads Mikkelsen as Tristan, Joel Edgerton as Gawain, Hugh Dancy as Galahad, Ray Winstone as Bors, Stephen Dillane as Merlin, Ray Stevenson as Dagonet, Til Schweiger as Cynric, Stellan Skarsgård as Cerdic, Sean Gilder as Jols, Ken Stott as Marius Honorius, Charlie Creed-Miles as Ganis, David Murray as Merlin's Lieutenant, Ned Dennehy as Mental Monk, Phelim Drew as Obnoxius Monk, Des Braiden as Third Monk, Bosco Hogan as Bishop Decoy, David Wilmot as Woad Killed by Lancelot, Lochlainn O'Mearain as Roman Commander
Also starring: Stellan Skarsgard, Jerry Bruckheimer, David Franzoni
King Arthur Movie Site


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A car is likely to be one of the most expensive purchases you ever make, so it pays to make sure you get it right.
Read our guide on how to buy a car, including what to look for and where to buy one, and compare your car loan options below.
With the number of cars on the market, it can be hard to find the one that's right for you. Before you start comparing vehicles, it's important to understand how much you can spend, as well as the features you're looking for.
How much are you willing and able to spend on a car? Ideally, you'll be able to set yourself a clear price ceiling and decide straight away whether you're looking for a new or used car.
If you have a limited budget, you may want to consider a used car or demonstrator model.
If you're flexible on price, you might try listing your must-have features first.
You should have a general idea of how you plan on using the car, and the features you'll therefore need. These include:
The number and size of seats. Many sports cars are limited to two seats, and some smaller cars may be too cramped to comfortably fit five people. If you want more than five seats, you can narrow your search down a lot further and look at SUVs or people movers (some will seat up to 8).
Fuel-efficiency. Hybrid, electric and smaller vehicles tend to be more fuel-efficient, which can help keep your driving costs down.
Storage space. Hatchbacks and smaller cars will have limited boot space, which may be an issue for families or those looking to use the car on trips away.
Where you'll use the car. If you're planning on going off-road you might limit your search to 4WD or AWD vehicles. If you will mainly be driving in the city, a hatchback or smaller car may be more appropriate.
Additional features. While most new cars will come with aircon and power windows, there are other features such as Bluetooth, parking cameras and in-car screens that may be worth considering.
By working out the features you need, you can narrow down the type of vehicles you'll want to compare. Once you've identified a shortlist of potential cars, you'll want to research them further, by checking out their specs and reading car reviews.
There are a number of places you can buy a car, but most vehicles are bought from car dealerships or from private sellers.When you're buying a car from a licensed dealership, the seller is legally required to disclose any major issues with the car and will often be required to solve defects or problems with cars they sell.When you're buying a car elsewhere, it's generally your responsibility to inspect the car thoroughly in order to make sure there aren't any serious issues with it.
Dealership (new car) Walk onto a car lot and shop for a new car Good for checking out a wide range of options, test driving each of them and getting some expert advice.
If you want a new car and want to see a lot of options in one place, this might be the best choice for you.
Dealership (used car) Visit a used car dealer to see what's available Good for finding a lot of relatively affordable options all in one place.
If you're after a used car but want the flexibility to shop around on the lot, or you're not confident going to a private seller, then this might be the best option for you.
Private seller (used car) Buy a used car directly from a private seller, typically the previous owner If you're after the best price possible, then buying used from a private seller is often the way to go.
Make sure you know how to check the car thoroughly before buying, including its service history.
Demonstrator vehicles Buy a lightly-used newer model vehicle that's been used for test drives, demos and other light purposes by a car dealership This might be a good option if you want to buy almost-new rather than brand new and want to get a good price on a recent make and model.
However, the savings can vary and your options will naturally be more limited, and demo cars might be fitted with extras that you don't necessarily want but will have to pay for anyway.
Imported cars Import a car from overseas It's safe to say that this will never be the cheapest option as it involves a range of additional taxes and expenses. However, sometimes it might be the only way to get a vehicle that isn't available in Australia.
Car auctions Bid on vehicles at an auction This can be one of the most affordable ways to buy a car – it's so good that car dealers often buy their stock at auctions.
The downside is that the quality of auctioned vehicles and the quality of their discounts can vary, so you need to have a good sense of how much a car is worth and how to properly inspect it in order to get a good price. Also, you typically won't be able to take the car for a test drive.
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How to get the best deal
The number one tip is to know how much a car is worth. Look up the value of the make and model beforehand, so you have a ballpark figure to work with. If someone asks for more than that, you can ask why it's so expensive and haggle for a better price.
From there, familiarise yourself with the different options and features you can get with the car. Decide which ones you want and which ones you don't and make sure to ask the seller if the car has any of the features you're after.
Consider some of the extras you're likely to find
Learn how to haggle and when the best time to buy is
Know how to spot and avoid car dealer tricks
Keep an eye out on all the EOFY car sales
What's the best time to buy a car?
End of financial year (EOFY)
May/June can be a great time to look for a car because of the EOFY sales. Deals around this time can see you saving a heap on optional extras. Dealers also often slash the price of the actual cost of the car and you might be able to take advantage of interest-free deals. Ex-demonstrators are also sold off, which can sometimes save you tens of thousands of dollars, if you don't mind a car that's been driven by a few people before you (on test drives from the dealership or occasionally as a courtesy car). Listen out for EOFY dealership ads around this time to find out what's available, the run-up starts in late April to early May.
The end of the month or quarter
Car salespeople have targets to reach and these are evaluated at the end of the month or quarter, depending on the dealership. Negotiating a better price around this time can be easier as salespeople want you to sign on the dotted line to help them meet their targets. Plus, most sales people will be on a commission, so they earn a bonus for each car sold.
The beginning or end of the year
Car stock becomes harder to sell towards the end of the calendar year because of the new stock that arrives at the beginning of the year. This means salespeople will be more willing to negotiate with you to get the vehicle out the door.
For the cars arriving in the new year, it comes down to cars having two plates. A build plate shows the VIN and the year and month of manufacture, whereas the compliance plate shows when the car was approved for sale. Due to the delay of cars being shipped to Australia from overseas, there can be a stark difference between these two dates. Find out the build date of the car and compare it to the compliance date; salespeople are more willing to negotiate prices on "brand new" cars that were built a while ago.
Model run out time
When new cars are released, buyers often run out to get the latest and greatest. Salespeople won't budge too much on these prices because they know the new models will move quickly. After this initial "rush" demand has been met, upgraded models start arriving and can cost the same price as the original model. Because of this, you can negotiate a lower price for the original model than you would've paid when it was first released.
A Monday or a Tuesday
Saturdays and Sundays are salespeople's busiest days, not making it an ideal environment for negotiating. Mondays and Tuesdays tend to be slower, allowing you more time to play hardball and see how low you can get the price.
If you're buying a new car, you might just need to do a test drive to check that it's right for you.For a used car purchased from a private seller, you're going to want to give it a thorough inspection, or take it to an independent mechanic for a check before buying.
Checklist for inspecting a used car
You're looking for anything you'll have to fix yourself, any damage that means it's a dud and any red flags that might indicate that the seller isn't being honest.
There are no signs of previous accidents, hail or other damage, and no chips or imperfections in the paint. You should know about every scratch on the car before buying.
For improper sealing: Pop the hood, open the trunk and try all the doors and windows. It should all work smoothly and evenly.
For panel irregularities: All body panels and doors should be flush.
On the inside:
Pay special attention to the electronics and check that all the functions work.
Check the condition of all the upholstery.
Check that all the lights are functioning.
Ensure that the windows, air conditioning, audio and all other electronics are working.
Where possible, lift the carpets and look inside the doors for any signs of damage or repairs.
Other things to look for:
Paint. A new paint job on an old car might be hiding something and you're generally better off with the original paint. Watch out for any signs of painted-over imperfections, bubbles under the paint and mismatched paint on adjacent body panels.
Tires. If you'll have to replace the tires after buying, then factor that into the cost and don't pay too much for the car. Tires should also wear down evenly. If they're not evenly worn then there may have been a previous accident or the car might have other problems.
Glass. This can be expensive to replace, so pay special attention to any chips or cracks in the windows, indicator lights, mirrors and anywhere else.
Under the car. Don't forget to inspect under the car. Rust often starts here, so look out for any signs of corrosion or other damage.
Turn on the engine to test it properly.
Warm up the engine by letting the car idle for a few minutes, then give the accelerator a quick push. If you see a puff of smoke then you might be looking at piston or valve stem problems.
Let the car stand for a while and check for oil drips or wet surface residue on the surface of the engine and under the car.
Check the water in the radiator. It should be clean and free of oil.
Check the oil filter caps. A creamy white substance there probably means a cracked cylinder head or leaking gaskets.
The test drive
As you drive, check that:
You can change gears smoothly and quickly.
The engine power is appropriate for the car.
The car tracks in a straight line and doesn't drift. The car shouldn't pitch on corners and the steering wheel shouldn't pull or try to straighten itself unduly.
The brakes respond effectively.
The electrics, dials and other interfaces are all working properly and the speedometer is working accurately.
The temperature dials, car engine light and all other indicators are not showing problems.
There is no irregular engine noise.
You've paid attention to the suspension and transmission.
The exhaust emissions are reasonable.
All the headlights, tail lights and interior lights work.
The documents and information to get
You'll want to get:
The car's CTP insurance details. You should not test drive a car on public roads if it doesn't have CTP insurance or is unregistered. Ask to see the certificate before taking it for a test drive and check that the certificate details match the vehicle.
The VIN. This unique 17-digit code will generally be on the inside of the driver's door. Record it for later if you plan on buying in order to check the car's history.
Checking the car's history
If a car passes the inspection and test drive, the last thing to do before buying is to check its history. Unfortunately there's a very good chance it won't pass a history check. But that's exactly why you need to do it.
You're checking two things in particular. The first is whether there's any finance owing on the vehicle and the second is its service history, including previous repairs and whether it's ever been reported stolen or written off.
PPSR check. This is how you check whether a vehicle is encumbered. With the car's VIN number you can easily do it for free. If a vehicle is still under finance it usually means the seller bought it with a car loan and is now trying to sell it before the loan is paid off.
Service history. You can also do this yourself for free, but you may not be able to get the full results.
If you don't want to DIY, you can pay a car history service to check these for you. It generally doesn't cost much and usually includes both a PPSR and service history check.
Making the purchase
When buying a used car from a private seller, you'll need to transfer ownership to make it official. You should generally get all relevant documents at the time of purchase, including:
A PPSR notice if applicable
The seller will need to inform the state road authority that they've transferred registration and ownership of the vehicle and you will need to accept the transfer. This can generally be done online through your state motor authority.
A new car should be pretty much perfect. If a brand new car has any flaws, that should at least entitle you to a discount, or the dealer should offer a solution.If you find any damage in a used car, you'll have to decide whether you can live with it or if you'll need to get it fixed. A scratch might not bother you, but any mechanical problems, worn tires or anything else that needs fixing might be a deal-breaker.Factor in any repair costs that you'll need to pay and add them to the "sticker price" to get a sense of how much you'll really be paying. If it comes out too high and the seller won't budge on price, it might be time to walk away.
If it's a problem that the seller has tried concealing, such as if you spot any painted-over rust spots, then you'll want to think twice about whether or not you really know what you're buying. Similarly, you probably don't want to buy a car from a private seller if they refuse to let you take it to an independent mechanic for an inspection.
If a car is under finance then the seller should mention this. Ideally, you won't buy an encumbered vehicle, but you can if you want. You'll need to have a plan for the finance, however, it's not your problem until you buy the car so the ideal option might be to make sure the seller takes care of it.
If a car has previously been written off then you shouldn't buy it, even if it seems fine. It's almost certainly not as fine as it seems.
You have a lot of choices when it comes to financing your car. Sometimes you'll sort it out before finding your vehicle and sometimes you'll pick out your car and then sort out the finance.There may end up being thousands of dollars difference between financing options, so it's important you understand how each option works before committing.
Find out what finance options are available below and compare the pros and cons.
Paying for the car outright
You can use your existing savings to cover the cost of the car.
There's no need to pay interest when you pay it all upfront.
You need to have enough saved.
Dealership finance
You can fund your car directly through the dealer. The dealer secures finance on your behalf and you then make regular repayments to cover the purchase of the vehicle.
It can be convenient to get finance from the same place that you buy the car.
It might not be the most cost-effective choice. Dealers will be looking to make money on the deal, and you may be able to get a better deal elsewhere.
Regular car loan
You can apply for a car loan with a range of banks, credit unions and non-bank lenders. You borrow what you need to buy the car and then repay the loan over a set term, plus interest.
There's a wide range of options. For example, a good credit applicant might get more competitive rates, or you might choose to borrow only the amount you need and pay the rest with savings. You can also consider the loan terms and conditions at your own pace, outside the car dealership.
You'll need to meet certain eligibility requirements. Most lenders will require that you're over 18 years old, an Australian citizen or permanent resident and currently employed.
Finance from a car loan broker
You can also use a broker to help find you a car loan through their network of lenders.
They will find loans that are suitable for your situation. For example, bad credit applicants who keep getting knocked back by lenders might have more luck going through a broker.
Brokers generally charge additional fees for their services.
Pre-approved car loan
This when you get approval from a lender for a certain amount before selecting a vehicle. You can then use the funds to cover the cost of the car you want.
It helps you to know where you stand and how much you can borrow.
You might borrow too much or too little. If the car you choose won't be covered by the loan amount, you'll need to find additional funding, and if you borrow too much, you'll be stuck paying unnecessary interest.
A finance option for employees that allows them to lease a car using their pre-tax salary.
You will reduce your taxable income and save on tax.
Your employer will need to approve the lease.
This is a business vehicle finance option that lets you lease a vehicle while taking immediate ownership.
Chattel mortgages may be more flexible and provide tax benefits.
It's only available for business vehicles.
The sticker price of the car itself is the main expense, but not the only one. You'll also want to make sure you have enough to cover all related expenses, both during and after purchase.
Additional costs when buying
Stamp duty: This is a type of tax. When you buy new or used from a dealer it's generally built into the sticker price, but when you buy from a private seller, stamp duty needs to be paid when transferring ownership. You'll typically see this as a "dutiable value" field on the transfer documents. The amount can vary widely, but for a typical used car, one might expect to pay around 3% in stamp duty. See how it works in each state to find out how much you'll have to pay in stamp duty.
Extras and modifications: The price you get at a dealer will depend largely on which features and extras are thrown in. This can turn the price thousands of dollars either way. Generally, it might be a good idea to turn down any extras you don't want in order to keep costs down. The same might be true when buying used from a private seller with a modified car. If you don't care about the mods, you might want to give it a miss to avoid overpaying.
Registration: For new cars, you'll have to pay a fee to register it. And if you're buying used, you'll need to pay a fee for the transfer of registration/ownership (generally around $20 to $30 depending on the state). The cost of renewing your registration or registering a new car varies widely depending on your state, whether you can get any concessions and other factors.
Additional costs after buying
CTP insurance: Compulsory third party (CTP) insurance is the mandatory car insurance to help cover the cost of injuries sustained on the road. It works differently and costs vary depending on your state. In all states except NSW, it can be attached to your car registration and built into the cost of new and renewed registrations. In NSW your CTP insurance takes the form of a separate "green slip" and you can shop around for better prices from different insurers.
Additional car insurance: It's not mandatory, but additional car insurance is generally a good idea. The cost can vary widely depending on the type and quality of cover, the insurer and your personal circumstances.
Maintenance and fuel: It's worth planning for operating costs. The cost of fuel and routine car maintenance will depend on the type of car and how much you drive.
Car loan repayments: If you're not careful these might become a major headache. You should know how much the repayments will cost before taking on a car loan.
In some situations, you're likely to encounter other miscellaneous expenses too. For example, the luxury car tax (when buying a particularly expensive car), licence plate transfer fees (if you're buying the plates from the old owner – more if they're custom plates), stamp duty on the cost of your car insurance (built into your insurance payments) and more.
It's always a good idea to understand your consumer rights when making a big purchase.The main ones to know are:
Cooling off period. This is how long you have to change your mind and get a refund after buying a car. It works differently in each state.
Your car warranty rights. All cars bought from a licensed dealer in Australia, both new and used, will come with a consumer warranty to cover defects and failures shortly after purchase.
Cooling off periods
If you change your mind after buying, such as if you realise you can't afford the financing or that you just got a bad deal, then you have a limited time to contact the dealer in writing, cancel your agreement and get a refund.
This period of time is the "cooling off period". It works differently in each state, but in all cases, the cooling off period will only apply to purchases from licensed car dealers. It is not available when buying at an auction or from a private seller.
NSW – New South Wales
The cooling off period is one day and usually ends at 5pm the day after purchase.
It only applies to cars purchased under linked finance. This is when the financing is provided or facilitated by the car dealer. For example, if they either offer a loan themselves or refer you to a third party.
It is waivable. You can agree not to have a cooling off period if you want.
A fee of the lesser of either $250 or 2% of the purchase value applies if you cancel within the cooling off period.
It is available for both new and used cars.
VIC – Victoria
The cooling off period is three days from the day of purchase, excluding weekends and public holidays. You can terminate your agreement within this time period by contacting the seller in writing.
It applies to most personal motor vehicle purchases made from licensed motor car traders.
However:
The cooling off period will end immediately once you take possession of the car.
A fee of the greater of $400 or 2% of the purchase value applies if you cancel within the cooling off period, or $100 or 1% for a sale that takes place off-site, such as if a dealer delivers the car to your workplace.
It's only for personal purchases. There is no cooling off period for vehicles purchased in the name of a company or a body corporate, or if it's classified as a commercial vehicle.
ACT – Australian Capital Territory
You have three days from the date of purchase to change your mind. Termination of the agreement must be done in writing.
The cooling off period only applies to purchases from licensed dealers.
Deposits may not be fully refundable.
The dealer is entitled to keep the greater of either 1% of the purchase value or $100.
QLD – Queensland
In Queensland, the cooling off period only applies to used cars purchased from licensed dealers.
It is for one business day and ends as soon as you drive away with the car (except if you're just test driving it, or taking it to a mechanic for an inspection). Within this time, you can cancel your agreement in writing, in person, by mail or by fax.
There is no cooling off period for new cars.
It ends at 5pm the day after purchase or as soon as you take possession of the car. If the dealer closes before 5pm, it's pushed back a day.
There is no fee for exercising the cooling off period. Instead, the dealer can charge a non-refundable deposit of up to $100. If you go ahead with the sale then this amount is taken off the purchase price. If you cancel the contract then the dealer may keep some or all of the deposit.
There is no cooling off period on consignment vehicles. This is when the dealer is selling a car on behalf of someone else (generally the previous owner). The dealer must tell you that it's a consignment vehicle and that the cooling off period doesn't apply.
If you've traded in your old car as part of the agreement, the dealer will have to return it to you if you exercise your cooling off period rights.
SA – South Australia
The cooling off period is two business days. It only applies to second-hand cars and demonstrator vehicles. During this time you can cancel the contract in writing.
If you want to take possession of the car immediately you can waive your rights to the cooling off period by signing a waiver form.
There is no cooling off period when purchasing new vehicles, buying at auctions or purchasing from private sellers.
The dealer can ask for a deposit of 10% of the purchase price. If you cancel the agreement under the cooling off period, the dealer can keep an amount equal to the lesser of either 2% of the purchase price or $100.
During the cooling off period, the seller cannot demand any payment other than the 10% deposit.
WA – Western Australia
There is no cooling off period on motor vehicle purchases in Western Australia.
NT – Northern Territory
There is no cooling off period on motor vehicle purchases in the Northern Territory.
TAS – Tasmania
There is no cooling off period on motor vehicle purchases in Tasmania.
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You'll receive a fixed rate from 3.69% p.a. depending on the lender you are approved with
Apply for up to $250,000 and use cash or trade in a vehicle to use as a deposit. Optional balloon payment available.
NRMA New Car Loan
Purchase a new or used car up to 3 years old and benefit from a fixed rate and no monthly fees. Pre-approval available within 5 business hours.
NAB Personal Loan Unsecured Fixed
You'll receive a fixed rate between 6.99% p.a. and 18.99% p.a. ( 7.91% p.a. to 19.83% p.a. comparison rate) based on your risk profile
Borrow from $5,000 to $55,000, with 1 to 7 year loan terms available. This loan comes with no fees for extra repayments and no early exit fees.
Symple Loans Personal Loan
Borrow up to $50,000 to pay for what you need.
SocietyOne Car Loan
You'll receive a fixed rate between 5.45% p.a. and 21.49% p.a. based on your risk profile
A loan from $5,000 to use for a range of purposes. Benefit from no ongoing fees and no early repayment fee.
OurMoneyMarket Car Loan
You'll receive a fixed interest rate from 5.35% p.a. to 14.99% p.a. based on your risk profile.
Borrow between $2,001 and $75,000 to finance a new or used car up to 7 years.
Latitude Personal Loan (Secured)
Lock in a competitive fixed rate when you offer security. Loan can be used for any purpose and repayments are flexible. You can check your interest rate before applying with no impact to your credit score.
NRMA Used Car Loan
Finance a used car with NRMA and benefit from a fixed rate term and no monthly fees. Pre-approval available within 5 business hours.
Choice of Repairer
Agreed or Market Value
Budget Direct Comprehensive
Finder Award
Agreed or Market
Finder's summary: Awarded the 2021 Finder Award for Car Insurance - Value in QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA and Car Insurance - Features in NSW, VIC, WA, this policy offers solid coverage at a low cost. Budget Direct's claims service has received a 4.2/5 based on nearly 5,000 customer reviews.
⭐ Current offer: Get 15% discount on first year's premium when you take out a policy online. T&Cs apply.
Who it might be good for: People who want a comprehensive policy without breaking the bank.
Coles Comprehensive
Finder's summary: With Coles comprehensive car insurance, you could earn double flybuys points at Coles supermarkets and you can get $10 off your Coles grocery bill every time you redeem 2,000 Flybuys points. If your car is damaged, you could benefit from a one-week turnaround on repairs.
⭐ Current offer: Get 10% off your first year's premium when you take out a policy online. T&Cs apply.
Who it might be good for: Coles customers and Flybuys collectors.
Youi Comprehensive
Finder's summary: Youi Comprehensive Car Insurance is one of the few providers to include roadside assistance in its policy. You'll also get access to YouiRewards which gives you discounts on furniture, parking and more. Youi also has a live chat feature on its site to talk through any questions.
Who it might be good for: People over 25 who want comprehensive cover with a focus on customer service.
QBE Comprehensive
Green Company
Finder's summary: QBE is a sustainable insurance company and also Finder's Green Insurer of the Year 2021 award winner. This policy offers the highest level of protection available from QBE including three-year new car replacement.
⭐ Current offer: Save $75 when you purchase a new comprehensive policy online. T&Cs apply.
Who it might be good for: Those that are looking for a more environmentally friendly insurance choice.
Qantas Comprehensive
Finder's summary: You'll be able to choose how comprehensive you want your cover to be with optional extras like choice of repairer and the option of agreed or market value.
⭐ Current offer: Earn Qantas Points for joining and paying your premium. Sign up today and earn up to 20,000 Qantas Points (points awarded will be based on your premium). T&Cs and eligibility apply.
Who it might be good for: People who'd like to earn Qantas Points.
Huddle Black Comprehensive
Finder's summary: Huddle's black comprehensive is its cover with highest limits and exclusive benefits. It includes roadside assistance. You can also get up to $2,000 for emergency travel and accommodation and up to $30 million legal liability cover.
Who it might be good for: Someone who wants a 24/7 claims processing.
Bingle Comprehensive
Finder's summary:Bingle consistently comes up as one of the cheaper insurers out there. It only covers the basics. You don't get to choose your own repairer, you're not covered for personal items in the car and unless you add it as an option, you won't get a hire car if your car is stolen. But this keeps its premiums low.
Who it might be good for: Someone who wants a low-cost option that covers them for the basics.
ahm Comprehensive
Finder's summary: ahm comprehensive car insurance lets you choose higher excess to reduce your premiums. Its Fixed Kilometre Plan can save you up to 30% compared to its standard comprehensive cover.
⭐ Current offer: Sign up for ahm car insurance and you'll enjoy a $50 Visa e-gift card*. Offer ends 30 Jan.
Who it might be good for: People who drive less than 15,000 km per year.
Ben Gribbin is an experienced automotive writer and life-long car enthusiast with a passion for restoring classic vehicles. He brings many years of experience working with and writing about cars to Finder.
How to buy a motorcycle
Car Loan Offers
Important Information*
A low minimum borrowing amount of $2,000 that you can use to purchase a new car or one up to two years old.
Beyond Bank Low Rate Car Loan "Special Offer"
Take advantage of a competitive rate, pre-approval and no early repayment fees when you finance a car under two years old.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
$('a.top').click(function () {
  $(document.body).animate({
    scrollTop: 0
  }, 500);

  return false;
});

//
Back to top

// Changing the scrollTop value changes where you wants the scrollbar to land.
// All you're really doing is animating the body of the document throughout the course of 500 miliseconds until it scrolls all the way to the top of the document.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Highline Wellness is a premium, direct-to-consumer CBD company based out of New York City. Built upon the basic principles of price, convenience, transparency and consistency, Highline Wellness is on a mission to change the way consumers purchase full spectrum CBD products through their core values, simple packaging and reliable results. Feeling good is no longer out of reach.


text:
Latest stories, photos and videos about Scarlett Johansson
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BAGDAD NIGHTS is a photonovela about a dream come true.
Instead she obeyed her parents, learned to cook and sew, got married and had children.
But her dreams remained lurking in the secret crevices of her mind and imagination.
while ironing and folding laundry and she would happily dance on the green plush carpets with the vacuum cleaner.
She was content but not totally fulfilled.
Something was pulling her to explore other avenues.
she dared to do what was necessary to achieve her desires.
She went across town to unknown territory to take her first belly dance lesson.
Following will be a series of vignettes telling and reliving those times. Other people will also help tell the story.More will be added periodically - including photos donated by other Bagdad artists.


text:
Q: How can I store and display my json information in a List Tile each with its respective elements in a format. Flutter/Dart If there is a better way to store the list I have made, please do help.
The objective is to display the information in each List Tile in the format of :
Code: LE-0000000002,
Description: test_01,
Organisation Unit: 01_01_04_01_SA - Shah Alam,
Date Reported: Date Reported: 18/09/2020,

This is the code to obtain and store the list :
onTap: () async {
                  var newMessage = await (ReadCache.getString(key: 'cache1'));

                  var response = await http.get(
                    Uri.parse(
                        'http://192.168.1.8:8080/HongLeong/MENU_REQUEST.do?_dc=1658076505340&reset_context=1&table_id=25510&id_MenuAction=3&path=%3Cp%20class%3D%22x-window-header-path%22%3ELoss%20Event%3C%2Fp%3E&ViewType=MENU_REQUEST&gui_open_popup=1&id_Window=17&activeWindowId=mw_17&noOrigUserDate=true&LocalDate=20220718&LocalTime=00482500&TimeZone=Asia%2FShanghai&UserDate=0&UserTime=0&server_name=OPRISK_DATACOLLECTOR&key_id_list=&cell_context_id=0&id_Desktop=100252&operation_key=1000184&operation_sub_num=-1&is_json=1&is_popup=0&is_search_window=0&ccsfw_conf_by_user=0&is_batch=0&previousToken=1658069547560&historyToken=1658076505339&historyUrl=1'),
                    headers: {HttpHeaders.cookieHeader: newMessage},
                  );

                  LossEventResponseModel lossEventResponseModel =
                  LossEventResponseModel.fromJson(jsonDecode(response.body));

                  final listNode = lossEventResponseModel.response.genericListAnswer.listNode;

                  List<Map<String, dynamic>> incidentList = [
                    for (final json in listNode.map((x) => x.toJson()))
                      {
                        'Code': json['field'][0]['field_value'],
                        'Description': json['field'][1]['field_value'],
                        'Organisation Unit': json['field'][46]['field_value'],
                        'Date Reported': json['field'][18]['field_value'],
                      }
                  ];

                  final List<String>values =  [];

                  for(final item in incidentList){
                    values.addAll(item.values.map((e) => e.toString()));
                  }
                  await WriteCache.setListString(key: 'cache4', value: values);

                  Navigator.of(context).push(
                      MaterialPageRoute(builder: (context) => LossEvent()));
                }

This is the code to read and display the list :
body: Column(
        children: [
          Expanded(
            child: FutureBuilder(
              future: ReadCache.getStringList(key: 'cache4'),
              builder: (context, snapshot) {
                if (snapshot.hasData) {
                  return ListView.builder(
                      itemCount: snapshot.data.length,
                      itemBuilder: (context, index) {
                        return Padding(
                          padding: const EdgeInsets.all(5.0),
                          child: ListTile(
                            title: Text(
                                snapshot.data[index],
                                style: GoogleFonts.poppins(
                                  textStyle : const TextStyle(
                                    fontWeight: FontWeight.normal,
                                    fontSize: 20,
                                  ),
                                )
                            ),
                            tileColor: Colors.blueGrey[200],
                            shape: RoundedRectangleBorder(
                                borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(10)),
                          ),
                        );
                      });
                } else {
                  return const Text("No Data");
                }
              },
            ),
          ),
        ],
      ),

Instead it is displaying everything in its own list tile separately which isn't the objective here and this is what it is displaying now :

A: The problem could be the addAll here:
                  final List<String>values =  [];
                  for(final item in incidentList){
                    values.addAll(item.values.map((e) => e.toString()));
                  }

Maybe you want something this instead:
                  final List<String> values =  [];
                  for(final item in incidentList){
                    values.add(item.values.map((e) => e.toString()).join("\n"));
                  }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
ELS (Ensemble de Lancement Soyouz) ist eine Startrampe des Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG) bei Kourou in Französisch-Guayana, von der aus Raketen des russischen Typs Sojus gestartet werden können. Der erste Start vom ELS erfolgte am 21. Oktober 2011 mit einer Sojus ST, auch Sojus STK genannt, und zwei europäischen Galileo-Navigationssatelliten als Nutzlast. Insgesamt wurden 27 Raketen gestartet, der letzte Start war am 10. Februar 2022.

Standort
Das Startgelände befindet sich im nordwestlichen Teil des CSG. Die Entfernung von der Stadt Kourou beträgt 27 km, 10 km von der aktiven Ariane-Startanlage ELA-3 und 18 km von der Gemeinde Sinnamary, auf deren Gelände sich das ELS befindet. Es befindet sich nördlich der Straße RN1, so dass ungehindert nach Norden über das Meer gestartet werden kann. Insgesamt ist das ELS-Gelände 1,2 km² groß, wovon 20.000 m² überbaut sind. In die Startrampe wurde bei der Grundsteinlegung 2007 ein 20 kg schwerer Stein von der Sojus-Startrampe in Baikonur eingebaut, von der Juri Gagarin 1961 zum ersten bemannten Weltraumflug startete.

Aufbau
Das Gelände ist in zwei Bereiche aufgeteilt: den Vorbereitungsbereich (Zone de Preparation, ZP) und den Startbereich (Zone de Lancement, ZL).

Am Rand des Vorbereitungsbereichs befindet sich der Leitstand (Centre de Lancement, CDL). Sein Dach besteht aus einer 2 m dicken Betonschicht. In der Mitte des Vorbereitungsbereichs, etwa 625 m vom Startplatz entfernt, befindet sich das Integrationsgebäude MIK (Montazhno-Ispitatielniï Korpoussagrandi). Es ist 92 m lang, 41 m breit und 22 m hoch. In ihm werden die Sojus-Rakete, die Fregat-Oberstufe und die Booster der ersten Stufe vorbereitet. Wie in Russland und Kasachstan üblich lagert die Rakete dabei waagrecht und wird anschließend auf Schienen zur Startrampe transportiert.

Am Startplatz angekommen, wird die Rakete in die Senkrechte gebracht und in vier radiale, nach oben schwenkbar gelagerte Stahlausleger (die Tulpe genannt) eingehängt, welche die Rakete tragen und nach der Triebwerkszündung freigeben. Bei der Sojus-Startanlage in Baikonur ist das Untergestell dieser Arme drehbar, um verschiedene Abschussrichtungen zu ermöglichen, was für die älteren Sojus-Versionen mit analoger Flugsteuerung notwendig war, die nicht den Azimut der Bahn anpassen konnten. Im CSG werden nur Sojus-Versionen mit digitaler Flugsteuerung mit aktiver Azimutanpassung verwendet, so dass das Untergestell von 16 m Durchmesser und 300 t Masse fest montiert werden konnte.

Der mobile Montageturm MBO (Mobilnaïa Bachnia Obslouzhivania) umfasst die Rakete vor dem Start. Er ist 53 m hoch, 29 m tief, 24 m breit und hat eine Masse von 800 t. Er ermöglicht auf 11 Etagen den Zugang zur Rakete. Von ihm aus wird die Nutzlast montiert. Abweichend von dem auf den russischen und kasachischen Startplätzen praktizierten Verfahren, die Rakete einschließlich Nutzlast in horizontaler Lage vollständig zu montieren, wird die Fregat-Oberstufe zusammen mit der Nutzlast mit ihrer Verkleidung am ELS erst nach dem Aufrichten des Trägers mit den Stufen 1 bis 3 auf dem Starttisch in vertikaler Position aufgesetzt.

Außerdem befinden sich auf dem Startgelände noch vier große Masten, die als Blitzableiter dienen, sowie Lagertanks für die flüssigen Treibstoffe.

Weblinks
 Sojus und Sojus-Startkomplex auf der Website des CSG (englisch)
 L'Ensemble de Lancement Soyouz (ELS) au CSG (französisch)

Einzelnachweise

Raketenstartplatz (Raumfahrt)
Europäische Weltraumorganisation
Sinnamary
Raumfahrtzentrum Guayana

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Home AFRICA SOUTH AFRICA Safari in South Africa: a life changing experience
Safari in South Africa: a life changing experience
When talking about a safari in South Africa, the first thing that comes to mind is the wildlife. Indeed, being near wild animals renowned by their ferocity, speed, and strength is mind-blowing. However, being in that corner of the globe goes beyond that. It means not only being face-to-face with savage creatures, but also getting to know local people and their customs, getting in touch with nature, and being mesmerized by the spectacular scenary. It was one of the most delightful adventures we've ever had!
A driver was waiting for us when we landed in Nelspruit. We drove for two and half hours to the Elephant Plains Game Lodge, located in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, an estimated 100,000-acre preserve, adjacent to the Kruger National Park. After passing the town of Hazyview, the ride became quite bumpy, and we still had another hour to the reserve. An "African massage" according to our driver. Definitely a funny man! Along the way, there were big plantations of banana and macadamia, as well as mango, avocado, eucalyptus, and oranges.
Like most African wildlife lodges, the Elephant Plains Game Lodge includes accommodations, all meals, game drives, and bush walks. However, the staff went above and beyond that. From the moment we arrived until the time we left, we found exceptionally friendly and helpful folks. I must say that it was one of the best hotel experiences of our lives.
The lodge itself is a lovely place. Our room was unbelievably gorgeous: large, with a good-sized bathroom, indoor/outdoor shower, and a private deck overlooking a waterhole where animals would come to quench their thirst. At one point we saw a herd of eighteen elephants drinking from the waterhole just outside our porch. We also saw lions, wildebeests, and hundreds of impalas. It was an Africa-only special gift.
Some lodges do not welcome children on safaris. At Elephant Plains Game Lodge, our daughter was welcomed on the game drives, but not to the bush walk since she is under 16. Instead, a ranger would take her on a walk around the property. She learned a lot about different plants, but she was a bit disappointed because she couldn't come with us.
When it came to meal time, they provided excellent quality and wonderful choices (breakfast and lunch were buffet style). In the morning, we could have warm dishes from the kitchen, if requested. The restaurant had an open view to a balcony and trees where monkeys would be waiting for a chance to steal our food if we left it unwatched. Every night, the Boma-style plated dinners (chosen from two options) were a treat, especially with the chance to roast some marshmallows on the campfire in the center of the area. It also gave us the opportunity to chat with other guests.
Every aspect of our three-day stay left absolutely nothing to be desired. The staff were genuinely friendly. We had a chance to chat with some of them during our stay and heard that many of them have been with Elephant Plains for many years.
The Game drives
When we arrived, they gave us the choice to relax and have a meal, or join the afternoon game drive. The group had already left, but we quickly threw our things down, grabbed some fresh fruits that they packed for us, and joined the afternoon safari. An employee drove us to meet the group. Dawie, our ranger for the next three days, welcomed us with a big smile. We jumped out of our car and joined the other guests in the 4×4 safari jeep.
We had two game drives a day, one in the early morning and one in the late afternoon. The hardest part of the safari was to get up at 5:15 am in cold weather, but the wakeup calls were always on time, and we made sure we made every one. Yes, it was cold (around 30° F), but they took good care of us. Prior to our departure, we would get coffee and a small bite, just to hold us until our return and have a full breakfast. As soon as we got in the jeep, they would give us hot thermal bags and blankets for our comfort. Although we thought we came prepared, we had to buy winter hats in the gift shop located in the lobby of the hotel.
The jeep holds eleven guests, plus the ranger and tracker. As the ranger drove around, the tracker sat in an elevated chair on the front-left corner of the car, where he would have a better angle to spot any animal in the bush. We were not allowed to stand up in the car or put our hands out. Also, when close to the animals, it was recommended that we keep our voice low and not make any abrupt move. Our experienced tracker and ranger made us feel totally safe all the time, but still very adventurous. Dawie was capable of reading Africa's wild animal movements and behavior, and back up the jeep if necessary. He was able to find an animal just by looking at the fresh tracks on the road. We couldn't count on what we would see, but they did maximize every sighting. They did an amazing job.
Each day after breakfast we had a bush walk. The bush walk was focused on flora and small creatures more than the larger animals. However, we learned how to track an animal on foot just by checking its footprint. We saw a hippo in a pond, some warthogs, and of course, more impalas – they were everywhere.
Five animals are classified as the Big Five, meaning the five most difficult African species to track and hunt on foot: lions, leopards, elephants, black rhinoceros, and African cape buffaloes. On our first game drive, we saw three: elephants, black rhinos, and cape buffalos. The next morning, we saw the other two: lions and a male leopard. The three male lions walked so close to our vehicle that if we had stretched our arms out, we could have touched them. It blew our minds! An hour later we saw a female leopard who got bumped off a tree by a male leopard for her prey, an impala. The male leopard eventually came down from the tree and we got a few good photos of him. Very impressive.
We noticed that some guests, who were there only for a day, seemed to be very stressed to see the "Big Five," while those who were there longer seemed more relaxed. We were very lucky to see all of them in less than 24 hours. Yet, I would recommend staying for at least three days to fully experience the wildness of Africa and its beauty without tension.
During the next two days, the schedule was the same. Sometimes the game drives were very exciting, with many animals sighted. Once, we saw a group of ten lions with their cubs after the sun went down. We also saw hyenas, giraffes, wildebeests, hippos, baboons, dik-dik, kudus, many birds, warthogs, and hundreds of impalas.
We had slow game drives as well – after all, it is the wild and there is no schedule when animals will show up. When it happened, we made a stop for a quick drink along the way, coffee in the morning, and a glass of wine in the afternoon – my husband would have a whiskey – enjoying the sunset in the African horizon. Fantastic!
Our daughter was fascinated by watching wild animals roaming freely in the bush, when all she knew previously were those same creatures behind zoo bars. She was extremely engaged in the game drives. We got her a pair of binoculars, which was helpful. During the drives, she was searching for animals in the bushes, and happily pointing them out to our ranger.
We hit the jackpot on our last morning in the reserve. After seeing more animals that we had already seen before, including another leopard (only creature of the Big Five that we had seen only once), we saw a big group of wild dogs fighting some hyenas. According to Dawie, our ranger, only 300 wild dogs exist in the 7,500 square mile Kruger National Park (about the size of New Jersey). Thus, they are extremely rare to see! All others we saw multiple times. Sadly, we didn't get to see any zebra.
Every afternoon, once the sun went down, the temperature quickly dropped. Returning to the hotel, we would clean up and go to the bar for a drink, where we had a chance to talk with other guests about the day. Later, a small bell would ring to tell us dinner is ready; along with other visitors, we would meander over to nicely set tables around the campfire.
A nice ending was watching six lions drinking from the waterhole just outside of the hotel. We were checking out when an employee ran to tell us about them. What a great send off!
There is no doubt that our modern life style brings a number of advantages: easy travel to the other side of the world, machines to do things for us, advanced science to cure diseases, and so on. At the same time, we live in big cities, technology demands more from us, heavy traffic becomes normal, and desk jobs stress us out.
By all means, a safari in South Africa brings one to a different world. The only hurry is to get up on the first ring of the wakeup call to not miss a game drive. Instead of a quick breakfast, have a pleasant meal overlooking a quiet, green field. No traffic jams, except for wild dogs and elephants crossing the dirt road. Outside of the lodge, no headlights or streetlights, but shining stars above our heads. And above all, meters away from our jeep, savage animals rested, drank, fought, and killed. It was the wild! It was Africa!
Why we didn't have a good time in Cape Town
Visiting Victoria Falls: what to expect
Elephant interaction: what you need to know
How to spend 48 hours in a paradise called Hermanus


Navid's research interests include systems sciences and applications of system dynamics modeling in various managerial and policy contexts such as service enterprises, higher education, science policy, and health policy. His research has been supported by various organizations such as NIH, and corporates such as Dell, Inc. Navid is currently the Associate Editor of the System Dynamics Review. He is the winner of various awards including the College of Engineering's excellence award for outstanding new Assistant Professors. Prior to joining Virginia Tech, Navid was a postdoctoral researcher at MIT, Engineering Systems Division.
Productivity Data Analysis for Science Workforce Modeling. Sponsor: NIH. Role: Co-I. Share: $183K. June 2016 - May 2018.
System Dynamics Modeling of Market Growth for the SupportAssist Program at Dell. Sponsor: Dell, Inc. Role: PI. Share: $240K. January 2016 - December 2017.
A Model-Based Examination of Behavioral & Social Science Workforce: Improving Health Outcomes. Sponsor: NIH. Role: Co-I. Share: $543K. February 2015 - January 2019.
System Dynamics Modeling for Understanding Complexities of Post-Traumatic Stress. Role: Co-I. Share: $134K. January 2014 - September 2015.
Ghaffarzadegan, N., Ebrahimvandi, A., and Jalali, M. 2016. A Dynamic Model of PostTraumatic Stress Disorder for Military Personnel and Veterans. PLoS ONE 11(10), e0161405.
Hur, H., Ghaffarzadegan, N., Hawley, J. (2015) Effects of Government Spending on Research Workforce Development: Evidence from Biomedical Postdoctoral Researchers. PLoS ONE 10(5): e0124928.
Ghaffarzadegan, N., Hawley, J., Larson, R.C., and Xue, Y. (2015). A Note on PhD Population Growth in Biomedical Sciences. Systems Research and Behavioral Science 32(3): 402-405.
Larson, RC, Ghaffarzadegan, N., Xue, Y. (2014). Too Many PhD Graduates or Too Few Academic Job Openings: The Concept of R0 in Academia. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 31(6): 745-750.
Ghaffarzadegan, N., Hawley, J., Desai, A. (2014). Research Workforce Diversity: The Case of Balancing National vs. International Postdocs in U.S. Biomedical Research. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 31(2): 301-315.
Ghaffarzadegan, N., Epstein, AJ, Martin, EG. (2013). Practice Variation, Bias, and Experiential Learning in Cesarean Delivery: A Data-Based System Dynamics Approach. Health Services Research, 48: 713–734.
Ghaffarzadegan, N., Lyneis, J., Richardson, G.P. (2011). How Small System Dynamics Models Can Help the Public Policy Process. System Dynamics Review, 27(1): 22-44.


Rev. Jonathan Parsons (1705-1776) graduated from Yale in 1729, and was the minister at the First Church in Lyme, Connecticut from 1729/30 to 1745. He was heavily influenced by the Great Awakening, particularly by the evangelists Gilbert Tennent and George Whitefield, the latter of whom became his personal friend. Rev. Parsons was subsequently compelled by traditionalist parishioners to leave his parish in Lyme. George Whitefield personally recommended him to the new Presbyterian Church of Newburyport, Mass., and he took up ministry there from January 1745/6 until the end of his life. The volumes below consist of notes for sermons delivered by Rev. Parsons. These include a variety of handwritten notes for sermons preached in his home parish of Newbury, and a published print copy of a sermon originally delivered at the funeral of George Whitefield, who died suddenly "of a fit of asthma" in Newburyport in 1770.
This volume contains handwritten notes on five sermons given by Rev. Parsons between 1735 and 1750.
Matthew 6:7-8 – "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking …"
Psalms 2:6 – "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion…"
1 Thessalonians 4:8 – "He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God…"
Psalms 84:6-7 – "Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God…"
This volume contains handwritten sermon notes on the book of James, chapters 3, 4, and 5, and the book of Hebrews, chapter 12. Rev. Parsons expounds on each chapter in its entirety.
This volume contains two handwritten sermons on 1 Chronicles 29:11 and 1 John 2:1-8.
This is a published copy of a sermon originally delivered by Rev. Parsons at Newburyport for the funeral of the Rev. George Whitefield in 1770, who died suddenly while visiting the town. Also included are handwritten sermon notes on 2 Thessalonians 3:3.
This volume contains two handwritten, undated sermons on Ephesians 4:26 and Canticles 5:16.
Ephesians 4:26 – "Be angry and sin not…"
Canticles 5:16 – "This is my beloved, and this is my friend…"


Development of strategic energy action plans that deliver greater impact based on solutions that have strong and realistic prospects for implementation.
Development of strategic energy action plans that promote more integrated solutions with greater efficiency and improved economic pay-back.
Strategic energy action plans that are actively supported by key stakeholders and that are aligned with their objectives.
City energy plans that are robust and can respond to changing circumstances. Improved implementation, monitoring and ongoing revision of city energy plans.
Fundamentally the role of this work package is to create and enhance the city energy action plans, by integrating analysis of the city energy systems and selecting appropriate measures based on strategic thinking with a strong focus on economics and stakeholder involvement. This work package works together closely with WP4 to ensure the identification and delivery of high quality, high impact projects - and assist the prioritisation and integration of these projects.
This work package is delivered in each city by teams of local partners,supported by key experts and organisations in our international partnership.


River Road closed to all through traffic starting Wednesday August 22, 2018 for three days. River Road traffic is to follow posted detour using Churchill Line, Highway 40 and LaSalle Line. No through traffic will be permitted to allow for paving operations. Local Residents and employees are asked to access the area from the south using LaSalle Line Emergency vehicles will have access.
Waterworks Road will be closed to north bound traffic at lakeshore Road for sewer maintenance starting August 23 at 7:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. South bound traffic on Waterworks Road to Lakeshore Road will not be affected by this closure.


This leaflet gives information on travelling for adults who were born with a heart condition (congenital heart condition). Having a congenital heart condition doesn't mean you can't travel but it may require a bit of advance planning.
It is a good idea to talk to your GUCH Specialist Nurse or GUCH Cardiologist about your travel plans.


text:
FTTH Council wants FCC to launch gigabit challenge
by Sue Marek |
The Fiber to the Home Council Americas wants the Federal Communications Commission to launch a "Gigabit Communities Race to the Top" program and jumpstart the development of ultra-high speed applications for gigabit connections. The FTTH Council modeled the program after the Obama Administration's Race to the Top education initiative and calls for matching grants of up to $10 million for projects in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets.
According to the FTTH Council, the Race to the Top program will complement the FCC's E-rate program. Last week the commission called for a modernization of the E-rate program. Specifically, the FCC said it wanted increased broadband capacity, cost-effective purchasing, and streamlined program administration.
Launched in 1997, E-rate has connected 97 percent of U.S. libraries and schools to the Internet, the FCC reports. But many need to update those connections to meet 2013 demands.
The FTTH Council said its Race to the Top program will provide competitive grants to support deployment and innovation in areas of the country left behind. In addition, it will advance the goals of the National Broadband Plan as determined by former FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.
Here are the specifics of the program:
The FCC would select the most meritorious proposals and provide winners with up to $10 million in funds, to be matched by state and private sources.
The program would be funded by unused support in the Connect America Fund programs targeting areas serviced by price cap local exchange carriers and would be distributed each year for five years beginning in 2014.
Applications would have to provide symmetric gigabit service to anchor community institutions and neighboring areas in a given area.
Projects will be favored if they serve a broad range of anchor community institutions and provide interactivity between the institutions as well as surrounding neighborhoods.
- see this press release
FCC approves move to revamp E-rate funding program
5 wireline issues Wheeler will face if he becomes FCC chairman
Fatbeam's EMAN acquisition ups Washington State fiber presence
Verizon renews MSA contract with MiCTA
Windstream lights up 1G fiber network for Richmond, Va. school district
FCC considers revamp of E-rate funding program
IDC: Organizations of all sizes tapping into containers
Despite some challenges, organizations of all sizes are using containers in more of their initiatives, including AI and machine learning.
by Mike Robuck Jul 17, 2019 3:41pm
FCC approves more funding to build out rural broadband
On Monday the FCC announced that it had it authorized more than $563 million in funding to expand rural broadband services in 24 states.
by Mike Robuck Jul 17, 2019 11:55am
Coherent DWDM revenue to hit $16B by 2023 - report
Driven by 200 Gbps wavelength shipments, coherent DWDM revenue will reach $16 billion by 2023, according to a report.
Sue Marek


text:
Jeffrey Epstein Shouldn't Expect to Wriggle Free Again
Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast / Photos GettyJustice has seemed elusive these past three years. One of the most discouraging themes has been the pattern of powerful white men who seem to get away with sexual misconduct and even criminal behavior toward women and young girls: Donald Trump, Roy Moore, Brett Kavanaugh, among them. Some days, it feels like the idea of "justice" is nonexistent when it comes to this type of powerful perpetrator and conduct. The case of billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, thus far, is one of the most egregious examples. Epstein actually got caught: He was arrested and charged last decade by federal authorities for running a sex-trafficking operation in which minor girls experienced horrible sexual abuse and rape in Florida. But then Epstein was given a slap-on-the-wrist deal in 2008 from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida and some of his co-conspirators were shielded from prosecution. To make matters even worse, that deal seems to have been the product of some serious gamesmanship by a cabal of other powerful white men, including Alex Acosta, then-U.S. attorney and now secretary of labor. Jeffrey Epstein Arrested for Sex Trafficking of MinorsBut, finally, it looks like justice will be served to Epstein in the form of new sex-trafficking charges filed by the formidable U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York. Epstein has reportedly been arrested for trafficking dozens of minors in New York and Florida between 2002 and 2005. And this time, Epstein shouldn't expect the ridiculous sweetheart deal he got the first time around. Charges of federal sex-trafficking carry mandatory minimums of 10-15 years on each count. Mandatory means mandatory. In other words, short of a cooperation agreement with the government—which in the SDNY famously means full cooperation against all possible other subjects and targets—Epstein will serve at least 10-15 years in prison (possibly more depending on the number of counts) if convicted. In addition, in my experience as a prosecutor involved in trafficking cases in the SDNY, that office is not in the practice of giving slap-on-the-wrist deals to sex offenders and will prosecute the case fairly but with appropriate zeal. The fact that the FBI also reportedly executed a search warrant at Epstein's New York residence suggests either that they had probable cause to believe there was more recent conduct that occurred there and/or that evidence from his past crimes was likely to be found there this many years later. That search could yield important new evidence. There are already many important questions about this prosecution. First, how could Epstein be prosecuted this many years later? Because since 2006, under federal law, there is no statute of limitations for child sexual exploitation cases of this type. So as long as Epstein's conduct was still chargeable under the prior statute of limitations in 2006, he can be prosecuted for those crimes today. Second, what should we make of reporting that Epstein's prosecution is being overseen by the Public Corruption Unit of the SDNY? Short answer: It's too soon to say. It could mean that a public official is being investigated or will be charged with Epstein. That could be a minor public figure or a major one. It could mean that SDNY is investigating misconduct in the plea that Epstein was given in 2008. Or it could mean none of those things. I Tried to Warn You About Sleazy Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 2003Third, could Epstein cooperate and implicate other powerful men who were involved in this sex trafficking, both Republicans and Democrats? Yes—but the SDNY will not cooperate a child predator like Epstein easily (for good reason in my view). In my 16 years as a prosecutor, I am only aware of two instances in which someone convicted of a crime of this nature was offered a cooperation agreement. That means Epstein would have to have some very valuable and verifiable information to trade for a cooperation agreement. Fourth, could Attorney General Bill Barr run interference on this case? Yes. He is the head of the whole Justice Department, even the "Sovereign" district, as SDNY is sometimes playfully called. And while it pains me to say this, given Barr's conduct in the past acting more as a defense attorney for Trump than an overseer of justice, I am concerned that Barr might interfere if he thought that Epstein might implicate Trump, who was friends with Epstein. Barr did say in his confirmation hearings that he might recuse himself on overseeing matters with respect to Epstein because of his (Barr's) affiliation with a law firm, Kirkland & Ellis, which was part of the Florida plea debacle. Now would be a good time to know if Barr followed through on that. So, there are many open questions and twists and turns that this case will follow. But, for now, in a world in which justice has seemed so elusive, I think we should take a moment to applaud the fact that it appears justice is being served to Jeffrey Epstein and for the many young victims of his horrendous crimes.
Boston suburb reflects broad changes in US immigration
Indictment Alleges Jeffrey Epstein Created 'Vast Network' of Underage Sex Victims as Young as 14
Iran makes new nuclear threats that would reverse steps in pact
Elon Musk says free self-driving chip upgrade could come to older Teslas this year
UK Trade Minister to apologize after leaked cables call Trump 'inept' and 'clumsy': report
Heather Mills receives apology and payout in phone-hacking case
World No 1 Ashleigh Barty crashes out of Wimbledon to Alison Riske
Pro-Brexit Labour MP Kate Hoey to stand down at next election
13 Nigeria civilians killed in air raid targeting jihadists: sources
'If not now, when?' Jews in America see echoes of the Holocaust in immigrant detention centres
The Incredible Guts of Thae Yong-ho
The Latest: China blames US for Iran crisis
Global stocks steady after big Asia falls post US payrolls
F-22s vs. F-35s: Who Wins When the 2 Deadliest Stealth Fighters Fight?
Trump White House 'uniquely dysfunctional', says UK's ambassador in Washington
Rainbow flag again set on fire at New York gay bar
Tens of thousands in Hong Kong take message to mainlanders
Hundreds of thousands march across Europe for Gay Pride
Trump attacks Britain's ambassador in Washington after leaked memo branded president 'dysfunctional'


text:
Q: Creating an 'order' model made up of 'products' and 'quantities' [rails] I have a specific question that is also quite general.
I want to create a database entity called 'order' which is made up of 'products' and quantities of the products. I think I have the first few steps done:
First I will create the order and product models
rails g model product
rails g model order
rails g migration createJoinTableProductOrder product order
rails db:migrate

How can I seed the database with the following:

*

*Orders that are associated to many products

*Information about the quantity of each product in each order

The seeds should be something like this:
Product A
Product B

Order 1 has 3 of Product A and 2 of Product B
Order 2 has 1 of Product A and 1 of Product B

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

A: Let me explain with example
class Product
  has_and_belongs_to_many :orders
end

class Order
 has_and_belongs_to_many :products
end

Creating Order and products
order_1 = Order.create(:name => "Order1")
products_a = 3.each{|i| Product.create(name: "Product_A_#{i}")  }
products_b = 2.each{|i| Product.create(name: "Product_B_#{i}")  }
order_1.products << products_a
order_1.products << products_b

Now for order 2 repeat step
order_2 = Order.create(:name => "Order2")
product_a = Product.create(name: "Product_a")
product_b = Product.create(name: "Product_b")
order_2.products << products_a
order_2.products << products_b

3rd table Products_orders will automatically be populated. Let me know if you need more explanation. just write same in seed to work. you can add further checks is products or user already exits etc.
Thanks


text:
Tour de France TV Schedule
Snow Summit Announces Bike Park Grand Opening this Weekend
IMBA Announces Eight New Trail Accelerator Grant Recipients
Organizers of Campagnolo Gran Fondo San Diego Gear Up for Eighth Year of Popular Ride
Topical EDGE Event Introduces Performance Potential
World's Best Mountain Bikers Set to Compete in Utah's Red Bull Rampage
Photos and Report: Cannondale Pro Cycling Team Launched Hollywood Style
SoCalCycling.com's Fun Ride & Gran Fondo Calendar Offers Great Fall Events
SoCalCycling.com September 7, 2016
EventsMountain BikingNews
Red Bull Rampage Airs on NBC this Saturday
Red Bull Rampage, the jaw-dropping mountain biking competition featuring the world's most prestigious free riders, will air for the first time as a full-length two-hour broadcast on NBC, Saturday, December 8 at 2 pm ET/11 am PT.
As part of the Red Bull Signature Series, the most daring riders traveled to the backcountry of Utah to push their personal limits. Cameras captured unique views of the high drops and high drama that occur when the best freeride mountain bikers mix cliffs and tricks, and descend down 1,500 feet of vertical obstacles. This marks the first national television airing of Red Bull Rampage, 10 years after the first event was held for the core freeride mountain biking community.
Red Bull Rampage is hosted by Sal Masekela, who this week signed a multi-year extension with Red Bull Media House (RBMH) to be the voice of the Red Bull Signature Series and a diverse set of global sports properties and US television programs produced by the company.
The Red Bull Signature Series is made up of one-of-a-kind programming on NBC and NBC Sports Network. Red Bull Media House and Alli Sports, a division of the NBC Sports Group, have created the most progressive and innovative action sports property, including snowboarding, mountain biking, freestyle motocross, ice cross downhill, skiing and BMX events, showcased on custom courses from the inspiration of the athletes themselves. Go to redbullsignatureseries.com for web videos, photo galleries and see more of the action that makes up the Red Bull Signature Series.
December 2012featuredFreeride Mountain BikingMountain BikingNBCRed BullRed Bull RampageRed Bull Signature Series
BikeFlights Buck Up For Bikes Program Donates $16,000 for 2022
Atherton Racing Rides Full Speed Ahead
Danny MacAskill Reimagines San Francisco in Breathtaking Video
Video: Watch Lachlan Morton's Colorado Trail Ride
Video: Brett Rheeder Delivers a Win at Red Bull Rampage


That could prove fatal for the Alliance, with the Liberal and Center parties repeatedly ruling out a deal with the far-right.
If the right-wingers were included in the conservative bloc, there would be a large conservative majority in this election, but so far the Sweden Democrats have not formed any coalition.
Moderate MEP Christofer Fjellner predicted Sweden "will be governed by the Alliance... there are three blocs and then you sit in the middle and govern".
The SD, widely tipped to make gains in the election, won about 18 percent support, jumping almost five percentage points since the last elections four years ago.
Jimmie Åkesson, Sweden Democrats leader, promised to wield "real influence" in parliament after the modest gains. While the Social Democrats initially welcomed immigrants with open arms, party officials have recently hinted at support for restricting immigration.
Overseas votes, which could make a slight change to the outcome, have not yet been counted and the final result is not expected until Wednesday.
Prime minister and party leader of the Social Democrat party Stefan Löfven waves at an election party in Stockholm, on Sunday.
The party, with roots in the neo-Nazi movement, called the arrival of immigrants to Sweden a threat to the country's culture, European news network The Local reported. The Sweden Democrats hotly deny these claims. Sweden now looks set for some complicated talks about which side can form a workable goverment.
The Sweden Democrats rise comes after widespread discontent over immigration, particularly the massive influx of refugees which started in 2015.
The Sweden Democrats will likely continue to influence the country's politics as talks begin for forming the next government.
But centre-left and centre-right parties face an uphill battle in trying to form a viable coalition government, following decades of acrimony between the two blocs that have defined Swedish politics for decades.
The election had been watched closely for signs about the extent to which a cascade of anti-immigrant fear could hit even Sweden, which has always been one of Europe's most open nations toward refugees.
Mattias, a Stockholm resident at an election night party in the city, said he was "extremely concerned" about the far right's steady climb since it entered parliament in 2006 with 5.7 percent. If he loses that, the speaker of parliament presents a new candidate to become prime minister. Among other things, the party no longer advocates for reintroducing the death penalty or for limiting the adoption of non-Nordic children.
At the same time, the SD is a one-issue movement, nearly exclusively focusing on immigration - and demanding a much stricter approach to it.
Many voters are also concerned about violence. Instead, it told a more subtle but increasingly familiar tale now seen across a variety of European parliamentary systems and perhaps further afield, too - that of increasing political fragmentation and the slow decline of dominant political parties.


text:
package com.google.appengine.tools.mapreduce.impl.shardedjob;

import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;

import com.google.appengine.tools.mapreduce.impl.IncrementalTaskContext;
import com.google.appengine.tools.mapreduce.impl.IncrementalTaskWithContext;

/**
 * A simple intermediate tasks object to be used in unit tests.
 *
 */
public class TestTask implements IncrementalTaskWithContext {
  private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
  private final IncrementalTaskContext context;
  private final int valueToYield;
  private byte[] initialPayload;
  private int total = 0;
  private int slicesRemaining;

  public TestTask(int shardId, int shardCount, int valueToYield, int numSlices, byte... payload) {
    this.context =
        new IncrementalTaskContext("TestMR", shardId, shardCount, "testCalls", "testCallsMillis");
    this.valueToYield = valueToYield;
    slicesRemaining = numSlices;
    this.initialPayload = payload;
  }

  byte[] getPayload() {
    return initialPayload;
  }

  @Override
  public void prepare() {
  }

  @Override
  public void run() {
    assertTrue(slicesRemaining-- > 0);
    total += valueToYield;
    context.getCounters().getCounter("TestTaskSum").increment(valueToYield);
  }

  @Override
  public void cleanup() {
  }

  @Override
  public boolean isDone() {
    return slicesRemaining <= 0;
  }

  public Integer getResult() {
    return total;
  }

  @Override
  public IncrementalTaskContext getContext() {
    return context;
  }

  @Override
  public boolean allowSliceRetry(boolean abandon) {
    return false;
  }

  @Override
  public void jobCompleted(Status status) {
    initialPayload = null;
  }
}


ASTM A276 / A479 / A182 / ASME SA276 / SA479 SA182 Stainless Steel F 304 Instrumentation Tube Fittings, Stainless Steel 316 Bulk Head Female Connector, Stainless Steel 304 Bulk Head Hydraulic Union Adapter Fittings, SS 304 Front & Back Ferrule Manufacturer & Supplier in India.
Stainless Steel 304 / 316 / 904L Needle Valve, Stainless Steel 304 / 316 / 904L Male Connector Stockist, Stainless Steel 304 / 316 / 904L High Pressure Ball Valve Supplier, Stainless Steel 304 / 316 Union Tube Elbow, Stainless Steel 304 / 316 Manifold, SS Reducing Union Tee Leading Manufacturers.
As an acclaimed undertaking of the business, Nufit Piping Solutions is associated with offering an immense range of Stainless Steel 304 Instrumentation Tubing and Fittings as a producer, stockiest and provider to our local and worldwide customers. We hold mastery in offering our customers with a prevalent quality scope of these items. We offer the same at exceptionally sensible cost to the customers.
In the interim, it has a portion of the finest components, for example, they are Completely tried, Reliable, Best quality, High rigidity, Accurate measurements, Anti-destructive body, and many more. Concerning national and global nature of crude materials, we likewise offer these SS 304 Instrumentation Tubing and Fittings in tweaked sizes and thicknesses according to particular requests by our regarded customers at advertise driving costs.
Specifications ASTM A-269, A-268, A-213, A-789, ASTM A276 / A479 / A182, Equivalent to ASME, EN, JIS Etc.
Nufit Piping Solutions India have exported Stainless Steel 304 Instrumentation Fittings to over 60 countries including Sudan, UAE, UK, Iran, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Spain, Serbia, Kuwait, Peru, Nigeria, Poland, South Africa, Denmark, Turkey, Egypt, Venezuela, Kuwait, Madagascar, Angloa, Srilanka, etc.


text:
Q: Sending and receiving a file via WinHTTP from Lotus Notes I am trying to send a document file from Lotus Script to a web server and save it there. Unfortunately the file transfer does not work. I have a Lotusscript agent to get the document and this part is working ( str_filecontent contains the correct xml file ), but the file transfer or saving is not working. Here is my Lotusscript agent:
Option Public
Option Declare

Sub Initialize
    'Declare long
    Dim lng_resolveTimeout, lng_connectTimeout, lng_sendTimeout, lng_receiveTimeout As Long

    'Declare integer
    Dim int_serverCredentials As Integer

    'Declare variants
    Dim var_submitObject As Variant

    'Set values
    int_serverCredentials = 0

    lng_resolveTimeout = 120000 'miliseconds = 2 minutes
    lng_connectTimeout = 1200000
    lng_sendTimeout = 1200000
    lng_receiveTimeout = 1200000

    'Create HTTP object
    Set var_submitObject = CreateObject("WinHTTP.WinHTTPRequest.5.1")
    Call var_submitObject.SetTimeouts(lng_resolveTimeout, lng_connectTimeout, lng_sendTimeout, lng_receiveTimeout)

    'Standards for this post
    %REM
Content-Type: multipart/form-data; boundary={boundary}
{boundary}
Content-Disposition: form-data; name="data"; filename="{filename}"
Content-Type: text/plain
{contents}
{boundary}--
    %END REM
    Dim str_url As String
    str_url = "http://.../upload.php"
    Dim str_AUTH As String
    Dim str_boundary As String
    Dim str_filecontent As String

    str_filecontent = get_data()
    Dim submitHTTP
    'Set post parameters
    Call var_submitObject.open("POST", str_url, False)
    Call var_submitObject.setRequestHeader("Accept", "application/xml")
    Call var_submitObject.setRequestHeader("Authorization", "Basic " & str_auth)
    Call var_submitObject.setRequestHeader("Content-Type", "multipart/form-data; boundary=b1")
    str_boundary = |--b1| & Chr(13) & Chr(10) &_
|Content-Disposition: form-data; name="data"; filename="name.txt"| & Chr(13) & Chr(10) &_
|Content-Type: text/plain| & Chr(13) & Chr(10) &_
    str_fileContent & |b1--|
    'Send the HTTP request
    Call var_submitObject.Send(str_boundary)
    'Wait for the answer and set object as returned value for further validation
    Call var_submitObject.WaitForResponse
    Set submitHTTP = var_submitObject
    'Clear memory
    Set var_submitObject = Nothing
End Sub

%REM
    Function get_data
    Description: Comments for Function
%END REM
Function get_data() As String
    Dim session As New NotesSession
    Dim doc As NotesDocument
'   Dim db As NotesDatabase
    Dim exporter As NotesDXLExporter
'   Set db = session.CurrentDatabase
    Dim workspace As New NotesUIWorkspace
    Dim uidoc As NotesUIDocument
    Set uidoc = workspace.CurrentDocument
    Set doc = uidoc.Document
'   Set doc = SESSION.CU
    Set exporter = session.CreateDXLExporter
    get_data = exporter.Export(doc)
    Print get_data
End Function

Here is my web server PHP to receive and save the file:
<?php

define("UPLOAD_DIR", "/temp/");

if (!empty($_FILES["data"])) {
    $myFile = $_FILES["data"];

    if ($myFile["error"] !== UPLOAD_ERR_OK) {
        echo "
An error occurred.
";
        exit;
    }

    // preserve file from temporary directory
    $success = move_uploaded_file($myFile["tmp_name"],
        UPLOAD_DIR . $name);
    if (!$success) {
        echo "
Unable to save file.
";
        exit;
    }

    // set proper permissions on the new file
    chmod(UPLOAD_DIR . $name, 0644);
}
?>

Thanks for your time!


Well, I didn't actually fall off the planet. It's just that I went out of town for a week, the publisher took vacation and I got a week off, and then there was Thanksgiving. So, now I'm charged with almost a month's worth of epiphanies in one column. Here goes.
As I mentioned, I left Dallas for Shreveport earlier this month to spend a few days with long-time friends from my college days. On the drive over, Interstate 20 came to a full stop due to an 18-wheeler having caught fire and completely blocked the highway. We were stuck for well over two hours while firefighters and tow trucks came to clear the road. Now, I had never been in a situation like this, so I tried to get in that "zen" frame of mind I use for flying.
And then about two hours into this ordeal, the passenger door of the car ahed of me swung open, and a woman practically flew down the embankment to get to the "watering hole." Her trip seemed neither casual nor natural; it was desperate. Suddenly, the issues about men, women and gender in society were taking a back seat to something more basic.
Getting home from my wonderful time in Shreveport, I found Democrats doing what Democrats do best—fighting with each other. After flipping the House, the conversation turned to Nancy Pelosi and whether she should be restored as Speaker. And on top of that, some trial balloons were out about Hillary Clinton in 2020. As it has turned out, no one came forward to challenge Pelosi, and it's anyone's guess what Clinton will do.
It just strikes me as somewhat disingenuous to suggest that Pelosi, 78, and Clinton, 71, are past their sell-by dates when it has been suggested that Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 85, be encased in bubble wrap so she can continue serving on the Supreme Court until the Second Coming. Of course, it was just a few years ago when there were calls for the notorious RBG to step aside so that Obama could get a new, younger justice to replace her. So maybe it's not ageism, particularly used against older, powerful women. Maybe it's just political expediency—of the not fully thought out variety.
There's just one more little epiphany to share before the 2020 campaign gets into full swing. Earlier this week, the Washington Post published a piece entitled, "To win in 2020, Democrats need a young nominee." The author of that column gets into the weeds with the average age of Presidential candidates going back to 1860. (The whole thing kind of touched my inner math nerd.) But I would offer that, to win in 2020, Democrats need a charismatic nominee.
Since we don't know whether Samuel Tilden was more charismatic than Rutherford B. Hayes back in 1876, I'll restrict myself to the Presidential elections I personally observed. As it stands, 2020 probably will be a campaign of one party trying to wrest The White House away from an incumbent President of the other party seeking a second term. That has happened successfully twice in my lifetime. A Republican did it (Ronald Reagan), and a Democrat did it (Bill Clinton). Arguably, Reagan and Clinton are two of the most charismatic politicians of the modern era, and they defeated incumbent Presidents (Carter and the first Bush) who didn't hold charisma as a long suit.
Now let's look at the candidates who didn't make it. On the Democratic side, that would be George McGovern, Walter Mondale, and John Kerry. The Republicans offered and lost with Bob Dole and Mitt Romney. Do you see the pattern?
Certainly few would have recognized at this point in 2006 that Barack Obama, having been in the Senate less than two years, would be elected President in less than two more years. That's charisma. And closer to home, who would have thought in 2016 that Beto O'Rourke, the virtually unknown congressman from El Paso, would be able to mount a Senate campaign that would outraise the incumbent Ted Cruz (remember he took second place in the Republican presidential primaries that year) in the costliest Senate campaign in U. S. history? Charisma indeed.
Now before anyone infers that I think Beto should run in 2020, that's not what I'm saying—even if he is on a first name basis with half of Texas. Part of what I learned this month from these epiphanies is that it's not up to tell Beto, or Hillary, or almost anybody else what to do. The only advice I would offer to anyone at this point is quite simple.
Carry an empty water bottle in your car at all times.


As a symbol, the Grail is a miraculous provider of food and drink, of abundance. Perpetual youth is the reward for those who serve the Grail. It represents appearing and moving about without visible means; great radiance; the cup of Christ's blood on the Cross; the waters of life.
The Quest for the Grail is the search for the mystery of life.