text:
Will Egypt's religious parties be banned before the elections?
Egypt is gearing up for parliamentary elections, which begin in October. (File photo: AP)
By Sonia Farid Special to Al Arabiya News Wednesday, 23 September 2015
As Egypt braces for the upcoming parliamentary elections, which begin in phases starting in mid-October, the debate about the participation of religious parties is making a powerful comeback.
According to Article 74 of the 2014 constitution, drafted after the toppling of the Muslim Brotherhood government, political parties cannot be established on religious, ethnic, sectarian, or geographical basis.
This article, together with concerns about another Islamist-dominated parliament, triggered the launch of a campaign called "No to Religious Parties", which has the ultimate aim is getting those parties banned, and thus unable to compete in the elections.
"No to Religious Parties" follows the strategy used earlier by Tamarod, the campaign against former Islamist President Mohamed Mursi, which was based on collecting signatures from anti-Brotherhood Egyptians all over the country.
The latest campaign, which is also available electronically, includes a form entitled "No religion in politics and no politics in religion" and features the logos of parties against which the campaign was launched, a total of nine. While the campaign seems to be gaining momentum among Egyptians, it remains to be seen whether its objective can actually be achieved in such a short time and given the support such parties still enjoy among the Egyptian public.
Dalia Ziada, director of the Egyptian Center for Free Democratic Studies and a co-founder of the campaign, said that religious parties aim to repeat the history seen with the short-lived Muslim Brotherhood government.
"The Muslim Brotherhood used democracy to come to power and once they did, they violated all democratic principles," she said in an interview with the Egyptian satellite channel al-Hayat.
Ziada explained that signatures, which she said have so far exceeded 750,000, are a means of helping the campaign in the legal action it plans to take. "Parties cannot be disbanded without a court ruling so those signatures give us the right to file a request with the elections committee so it can take the matter to court and we already did that," she explained.
Salah Abdel Maaboud, member of the higher committee of the Salafi al-Nour Party, one of the parties targeted by the campaign, argued that since only the court can disband a party, the campaign is pointless. "Is the judiciary expected to be influenced by the number of signatures?" he said in the same interview. "If the campaign is using signatures to prove that people don't want us, why don't we wait till elections prove that? Isn't this what democracy is about?"
But according to Ziada, elections constitute the last phase in the democratic process. "Before elections, it is the state's duty to make proper options available to the people and that this why parties need to meet a set of criteria. For this reason, the state should not allow a party that violates the constitution to run in the first place."
Constitutional violation?
Salah Fawzy, professor of constitutional law and member of the High Legislative Reform Committee, argued that the campaign will not succeed since al-Nour and similar parties do not violate the constitution. "Article 2 of the Egyptian constitution states that Islam is the religion of the state and Islamic law [is] the main source of legislation," he told the Egyptian news website DotMasr. "Therefore, parties based on Islamic principles are constitutional."
According to Fawzi, Article 74 of the constitution does not apply to religious parties. "This article did not ban parties with a religious background, but rather [bans] using religion for political gains."
While supporting the campaign, Hesham Ouf, co-founder of the Egyptian Secular Party, underlined the problem of Article 2, which he believes is the main obstacle to disbanding religious parties. "This article is always used by religious parties to legitimatize their existence and it is because of this article that the court might rule in favor of those parties," he said in an interview with the Egyptian daily independent al-Youm al-Sabea.
That is why Ouf argued that the campaign cannot bear fruit just through collecting signatures. "We need to engage in thorough discussions with constitutional experts to examine the possibility of disbanding political parties in the presence of Article 2," he explained. "If this proves futile then we will have to go for the more radical solution: demanding the removal of Article 2 from the constitution."
Secular parties unconstitutional?
Based on Article 2, calls to disband "non-Islamic" parties have started on the other side. Sameh Abdel Hamid, leading member of the Salafist Call, from which al-Nour Party originated, argued that liberal and secular parties are unconstitutional.
"Religious parties are formed based on Article 2 while this is not the case with secular parties that do not recognize Egypt as an Islamic state and call for separating religion and politics," he said in a statement. Abdel Hamid added that secular parties support values that violate Islamic principles, therefore violate the constitution again. "Those parties promote a Western lifestyle in which homosexuality and other vices are allowed," he said, adding that all parties should have an Islamic background in order to be constitutional.
Former jihadist Amal Abdel Wahab noted that the campaign against religious parties made a grave mistake. "They offered religious parties, especially al-Nour, a golden opportunity to abort their attempts through using Article 2 and even started a counter-campaign," he told the Egyptian news website al-Bawaba News. Abdel Wahab argued that the campaign should not have used the argument that those parties are religious. "They should have rather focused on the history of those parties, their thirst for power, their hidden agendas, and their former alliance with the Muslim Brotherhood."
Last Update: Wednesday, 23 September 2015 KSA 16:26 - GMT 13:26
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Egypt last had a full legislature combined with a civilian executive in February 2011. Back then after having lost ...
Egypt postpones parliamentary polls after ruling on election law
Egypt's election commission on Sunday announced a delay in parliamentary polls after a court ruled that a law ...
The debate about the participation of religious parties is making a powerful comeback


text:
package org.perfclipse.wizards.pages;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

import org.eclipse.jface.viewers.IStructuredSelection;
import org.eclipse.swt.SWT;
import org.eclipse.swt.layout.GridData;
import org.eclipse.swt.layout.GridLayout;
import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Composite;
import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Label;
import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Text;
import org.perfcake.model.Property;
import org.perfclipse.core.model.ModelMapper;
import org.perfclipse.core.model.PropertyModel;
import org.perfclipse.core.model.ValidatorModel;
import org.perfclipse.wizards.WizardUtils;
import org.perfclipse.wizards.swt.ComboUtils;
import org.perfclipse.wizards.swt.events.AddPropertySelectionAdapter;
import org.perfclipse.wizards.swt.events.DelKeyPressedSelectionAdapter;
import org.perfclipse.wizards.swt.events.DeletePropertySelectionAdapter;
import org.perfclipse.wizards.swt.events.DoubleClickSelectionAdapter;
import org.perfclipse.wizards.swt.events.EditPropertySelectionAdapter;
import org.perfclipse.wizards.swt.jface.PropertyTableViewer;
import org.perfclipse.wizards.swt.jface.StringComboViewer;
import org.perfclipse.wizards.swt.widgets.TableViewerControl;

/**
 * @author Jakub Knetl
 *
 */
public class ValidatorPage extends AbstractPerfCakePage {

	public static final String VALIDATOR_PAGE_NAME = "Validator page";

	private ValidatorModel validator;
	private List<ValidatorModel> otherValidators;
	private List<PropertyModel> properties;

	private Composite container;
	private Label typeLabel;
	private StringComboViewer typeCombo;
	private Label idLabel;
	private Text idText;
	private PropertyTableViewer propertyViewer;
	private TableViewerControl propertyControl;

	public ValidatorPage(List<ValidatorModel> otherValidators){
		this(VALIDATOR_PAGE_NAME, false, otherValidators);
	}

	/**
	 *
	 * @param validator
	 * @param otherValidators
	 */
	public ValidatorPage(ValidatorModel validator, List<ValidatorModel> otherValidators) {
		this(VALIDATOR_PAGE_NAME, true, otherValidators);
		this.validator = validator;

		ModelMapper m = validator.getMapper();
		properties = new ArrayList<>(validator.getValidator().getProperty().size());
		for (Property p : validator.getValidator().getProperty()){
			properties.add((PropertyModel) m.getModelContainer(p));
		}

	}

	/**
	 * @param pageName
	 * @param edit
	 */
	private ValidatorPage(String pageName, boolean edit, List<ValidatorModel> otherValidators) {
		super(pageName, edit);
		this.otherValidators = otherValidators;
	}

	@Override
	public void createControl(Composite parent) {
		setTitle("Validator");
		setDescription("Fill in validator type and its id.");

		container = new Composite(parent, SWT.NONE);
		GridLayout layout = new GridLayout();
		layout.numColumns = 2;
		container.setLayout(layout);
		GridData data;

		typeLabel = new Label(container, SWT.NONE);
		typeLabel.setText("Validator type: ");
		typeCombo = new StringComboViewer(container, getPerfCakeComponents().getValidatorNames());
		typeCombo.addSelectionChangedListener(new UpdateSelectionChangeListener(this));
		data = new GridData();
		data.grabExcessHorizontalSpace = true;
		data.horizontalAlignment = SWT.FILL;
		typeCombo.getControl().setLayoutData(data);

		idLabel = new Label(container, SWT.NONE);
		idLabel.setText("Validator id: ");
		idText = new Text(container, SWT.NONE);
		data = new GridData();
		data.grabExcessHorizontalSpace = true;
		data.horizontalAlignment = SWT.FILL;
		idText.setLayoutData(data);
		idText.addModifyListener(new UpdateModifyListener(this));

		propertyViewer = new PropertyTableViewer(container, getNestedCommands());
		data = WizardUtils.getTableViewerGridData();
		data.horizontalSpan = 2;
		propertyViewer.getTable().setLayoutData(data);

		EditPropertySelectionAdapter editPropertyAdapter = new EditPropertySelectionAdapter(getNestedCommands(), propertyViewer);
		propertyViewer.getTable().addMouseListener(new DoubleClickSelectionAdapter(editPropertyAdapter));
		propertyControl = new TableViewerControl(container, true, SWT.NONE);
		propertyControl.getAddButton().addSelectionListener(
				new AddPropertySelectionAdapter(getNestedCommands(),
						propertyViewer, validator));
		DeletePropertySelectionAdapter deletePropertyAdapter =
				new DeletePropertySelectionAdapter(getNestedCommands(), propertyViewer, validator);
		propertyViewer.getTable().addKeyListener(new DelKeyPressedSelectionAdapter(deletePropertyAdapter));
		propertyControl.getDeleteButton().addSelectionListener(deletePropertyAdapter);
		propertyControl.getEditButton().addSelectionListener(editPropertyAdapter);

		setControl(container);
		super.createControl(parent);
	}

	@Override
	protected void fillCurrentValues() {
		if (validator.getValidator().getClazz() != null)
			ComboUtils.select(typeCombo, validator.getValidator().getClazz());
		if (validator.getValidator().getId() != null)
			idText.setText(validator.getValidator().getId());
		if (properties != null){
			propertyViewer.setInput(properties);
		}
		super.fillCurrentValues();
	}

	@Override
	protected void updateControls() {
		if ( getValidatorName() == null || "".equals(getValidatorName())){
			setDescription("Select validator type.");
			setPageComplete(false);
			return;
		}
		if ("".equals(getValidatorId())){
			setDescription("Fill in validator id.");
			setPageComplete(false);
			return;
		}
		if (!isValidatorIdUnique(getValidatorId())){
			setDescription("Validator id is not unique. Please enter another ID.");
			setPageComplete(false);
			return;
		}
//		if ("".equals(getValidatorValue())){
//			setDescription("Fill in validator value.");
//			setPageComplete(false);
//			return;
//		}
		setPageComplete(true);
		setDescription("Complete!");
		super.updateControls();
	}

	/**
	 * Checks if id is unique
	 * @param validatorId
	 *
	 * @return True if id is unique. False otherwise
	 *
	 */
	private boolean isValidatorIdUnique(String validatorId) {
		if (otherValidators == null)
			return true;
		for (ValidatorModel v : otherValidators){
			//if edited validator is not null and it is same instance as
			// validator v then continue
			if (validator != null && validator == v)
				continue;
			if (v.getValidator().getId().equals(validatorId)){
				return false;
			}
		}
		return true;
	}

	public String getValidatorName(){
		IStructuredSelection sel = (IStructuredSelection) typeCombo.getSelection();
		return (String) sel.getFirstElement();
	}

	public PropertyTableViewer getPropertyViewer(){
		return propertyViewer;
	}

	public String getValidatorId(){
		return idText.getText();
	}

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The number of homes being built in communities operated by a homeowners' association (HOA) is rising. But not all the folks who purchase those homes realize what they are getting themselves into.
Common-interest developments – in which HOAs run the properties after builders sell out all their lots, houses or apartments – are the country's fastest-growing form of housing. And whether you like it or not, you must join your association upon purchasing such a home. You can't opt out just because you don't use the pool, tennis courts or other community amenities.
According to the Census Bureau, 61 percent of all new single-family houses completed last year were in HOA-run properties, up from 48 percent in 2010. The Community Associations Institute (CAI) says 69 million Americans now reside in such places.
These associations are created to sustain property values, maintain common areas and enforce the rules that govern their communities. Some associations ban owners from parking business vehicles on their driveways, for example. Some HOAs say you can't park any kind of truck in their communities, even in your own garage.
Keep your garage doors closed, while you're at it. Make sure your draperies are all the same color and material as your neighbors'. Plant flowers here, but not there, and only this kind of plant. Good luck putting in a window air conditioning unit. Thinking about replacing your roof with a lighter shingle, or painting your front door red? Think again.
Those, of course, are some of the strictest rules an HOA might put into effect. Most rules are fairly benign. According to CAI, a national sampling of HOA residents rated their associations as either positive (64 percent) or neutral (26 percent). Only 1 in 10 had grievances, mostly involving how their particular complaint was handled.
Most HOA rules are in place for good reason. But once in a while, you run into an overzealous volunteer board or paid management company, and that's when the gloves can come off.
In Virginia, a 90-year-old Medal of Honor winner placed a flagpole in his front yard, only to be told that it wasn't allowed. The HOA relented, but only after the issue went public and the veteran received support from members of Congress, the White House and the American Legion.
A California man was flagged for having too many rosebushes on his 4.5-acre property. A judge ruled that he was in violation of the community's architectural design rules. He offered to scale back his plantings, but was still forced to pay the HOA's $70,000 legal bill, and eventually lost his home to the bank.
"For Sale" signs are illegal in many communities. A Tennessee woman was forced to move her lawn sign to her window, even though the builder, still active in the neighborhood, had signs all over the place.
When a Florida resident couldn't afford to re-sod his lawn because the cost of his adjustable-rate mortgage had jumped markedly, his HOA sued him. He lost, and when he ignored the court's order, he was put in jail.
A wounded combat vet in Georgia was set to receive a newly built house, compliments of Homes for Our Troops, when his HOA balked because his slightly smaller house might have lowered property values for his neighbors.
One California condo doesn't allow pets' feet to touch the floor in any common space, so a 61-year-old resident who walked with a cane was forced to carry her spaniel through the lobby every day. When she could no longer do so, she was fined $25 every time, and was eventually forced to move.
Rabid HOAs don't always win, though. In Florida, a man whose commercial vehicle didn't fit inside his garage was nabbed for parking the truck on his driveway. The HOA took him to court, even though he had been parking in the driveway for years. He won, the HOA appealed and he won again. This fracas cost the HOA about $300,000.
A Virginia HOA bankrupted itself in a battle over political yard signs. During the four years the case dragged through the courts, the association boosted the HOA fee from $650 annually to $3,500 – meaning everyone had to pay for their board being on the wrong side of an argument.
And in another case, the Department of Housing and Urban Development has charged a New Jersey condo association with discrimination after barring an elderly resident from using the front door with her service pet. The woman, who has severely limited hearing and sight, was required to use the service entry – a violation of the Fair Housing Act, according to HUD.
The takeaway: Living in an HOA-led community is fine for some people, but it's not for everyone. Before you buy, ask for a sit-down with a member of the association board to discuss how things are run. And look over the rules carefully to make sure you can live with them.


text:
Soccer Million have already undertaken several large projects with several clubs of the non league, details of which can be viewed on the News page. As the campaign progresses, many more clubs will benefit from funding created by the participation of the club itself and see those funds invested back in to that clubs current projects and goals.
Come along for the ride and register your email on the home page, choose your team and you will be directed to your specific club page, that is where you will find the work we have already done at your club or the work we are looking to fund with adequate participation, this is also where you will find our focus brand and details on how to engage to secure your club vote, we can transform non league football improving facilities and standards along the way so lets get started!
At the present time the website has not been fully activated. We are working closely with many clubs agreeing sponsorship deals and funding projects and we thought rather than just have a holding page in place, we would make the "How it Works" page and the "News" page live so they could be shown to the clubs in question during our initial consultation.
Whilst the site is not currently available for fan engagement with the brand we market, you are able to keep up with any deals we may complete or projects we may be working towards on the News page. Once available, you will find a comprehensive set of step by step instructions on how to participate and what is required to secure a vote for your team, until then, the "How it Works" page is designed to give you an idea of the concept.
You can follow us on Twitter using @SoccerMillion where you can also keep up with announced club deals.
Top Voted Teams
Rhostyllen FC
Llay Welfare FC
Saltney Town FC
Brymbo FC
Chirk AAA
Northwich Victoria FC
FC Queens Park
Cefn Mawr Rangers FC
Brickfield Rangers FC
Rhydymwyn FC

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
PCMag UK Computers & Electronics Mobile Phones
New Report Tips Nexus Phone From Huawei
byAngela Moscaritolo Jun 19, 2015
Chinese smartphone maker Huawei is looking to make a bigger name for itself in the U.S., and it's found a partner that can definitely help with that — Google.
According to IBTimes UK, the companies have teamed up to develop a new Nexus smartphone, which is slated to arrive later this year. Details of the new handset are scant, but an unnamed source who works for Huawei reportedly told the news outlet that the Shenzhen-based firm is "working closely" with Google on the new handset.
The source would not reveal any specifics about the device, or say when it's expected to launch beyond later this year. IBTimes UK reckons that the handset will run Android M and arrive alongside the new mobile operating system.
Google has already worked with handset makers like HTC, LG, Samsung, and Motorola on its Nexus devices, most recently with Motorola on the Nexus 6 (pictured) and HTC on the Nexus 9 .
Google is also reportedly working with LG on a second new Nexus smartphone. Android Police said last month that Google will release two new Nexus phones in 2015 rather than a phone and a tablet, a first for the search giant.
Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The rumored partnership comes after the U.S. House Intelligence Committee in 2012 warned U.S. companies to be wary of doing business with Huawei, arguing that the firm may be using its entrance into the U.S. market as a way to spy for the Chinese government. Huawei, however, denied those allegations, and said it has never been approached by or spied for government officials.
Nothing Teases US Launch of 'Premium' Phone (2) in 2023
Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus 2 Will Feature on Samsung's Galaxy S23 Series
Realme Teases a 'Really Refreshing' Coca-Cola Smartphone
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023: What to Expect
About Angela Moscaritolo
I'm PCMag's expert on fitness and smart home technology, and I've written more than 6,000 articles and reviews in the 10-plus years I've been here. I unbox, set up, test, and review a wide range of consumer tech products from my home in Florida, often with the help of my pitbull Bradley. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.
More From Angela Moscaritolo
Peloton Alternatives: The Best Exercise Bikes for 2023
The Ultimate Guide to Health and Fitness Tech for 2023
The Best Robot Vacuums for 2023
Amazon Astro
Brush, Sleep, and Pee Your Way to Better Health: The Best Fitness and Wellness Tech of CES 2023


text:
Communications & Telecommunications
A History of Teletherapy
By Hannah Zeavin
Foreword by John Durham Peters
Psychotherapy across distance and time, from Freud's treatments by mail to crisis hotlines, radio call-ins, chatbots, and Zoom sessions.
Review Small Arrow
"In the last year and a half, plenty of people have experienced the world of virtual therapy. But teletherapy has a long history that predates Zoom being ubiquitous, and Hannah Zeavin's new book The Distance Cure offers a comprehensive look at that history. Technology and mental health have a long shared history, and this helps put that into perspective."
Inside Hook
Award Small Arrow
One of New Statesman's Books of the Year
Endorsement Small Arrow
"The Distance Cure is a work of pure brilliance. Hannah Zeavin is that rare scholar who connects past and future, distance and absence, external and internal, in compelling and vital ways. She writes powerfully and lucidly about the complexities of psychotherapy and its discontents. The result is arguably the most important book about the history of helping relationships, and the forms of communication on which they depend, in decades. Drop whatever you are doing and read this vital book: you will be better for it."
Jonathan Metzl
Center for Medicine, Health, and Society, Vanderbilt University; author of Dying of Whiteness
Therapy has long understood itself as taking place in a room, with two (or more) people engaged in person-to-person conversation. And yet, starting with Freud's treatments by mail, psychotherapy has operated through multiple communication technologies and media. These have included advice columns, radio broadcasts, crisis hotlines, video, personal computers, and mobile phones; the therapists (broadly defined) can be professional or untrained, strangers or chatbots. In The Distance Cure, Hannah Zeavin proposes a reconfiguration of the traditional therapeutic dyad of therapist and patient as a triad: therapist, patient, and communication technology.
Zeavin tracks the history of teletherapy (understood as a therapeutic interaction over distance) and its metamorphosis from a model of cure to one of contingent help. She describes its initial use in ongoing care, its role in crisis intervention and symptom management, and our pandemic-mandated reliance on regular Zoom sessions. Her account of the "distanced intimacy" of the therapeutic relationship offers a powerful rejoinder to the notion that contact across distance (or screens) is always less useful, or useless, to the person seeking therapeutic treatment or connection. At the same time, these modes of care can quickly become a backdoor for surveillance and disrupt ethical standards important to the therapeutic relationship. The history of the conventional therapeutic scenario cannot be told in isolation from its shadow form, teletherapy. Therapy, Zeavin tells us, was never just a "talking cure"; it has always been a communication cure.
$35.00 X ISBN: 9780262045926 328 pp. | 6 in x 9 in 8 b&w illus. August 2021
Hannah Zeavin is a Lecturer in the Departments of English and History at the University of California, Berkeley, and is affiliated with the University of California, Berkeley, Center for Science, Technology, Medicine, and Society. She is a Visiting Fellow at Columbia University's Center for Social Difference and Editorial Associate at The Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in American Imago, differences: A Journal of Feminist Cultural Studies, the Los Angeles Review of Books, Real Life Magazine, Slate, and elsewhere.
John Durham Peters.
"An enticingly written and thoroughly researched monograph by Hannah Zeavin – a lecturer in the Departments of English and History at the University of California, Berkeley - is the first ever academic foray into the history of modern teletherapy."
E & T: ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE
"Well-researched and enormously confident with the materials at hand"
"Zeavin's book begins with Freud and then moves on to survey different forms of therapy conducted from a distance: letter-writing, radio call-in shows, advice columns, therapist-simulating computer programs, and "concierge" smartphone apps that connect people with therapists, for a price."
"This book is a fascinating, groundbreaking history of therapy, told from the perspective of the communication technologies that have long enabled it. A must-read for all scholars of technology, health, and communication."
Mar Hicks
Associate Professor, Illinois Institute of Technology; author of Programmed Inequality: How Britain Discarded Women Technologists and Lost Its Edge in Computing
"In a world of over-mediated hyper-communication that has left us all feeling adrift and isolated, Zeavin's The Distance Cure gives us the history that we need to catch up with our future. Of course psychoanalysis, from the very beginning, played with the frame, with technology, with experimental configurations, to explore unknown, maybe even unknowable, forms of intimacy. We need to remember that this is possible—before amnesia sets in. Zeavin is ready to be your reminder.
Jamieson Webster
author of Conversion Disorder: Listening to the Body in Psychoanalysis
https://sicp.mitpress.mit.edu/books/distance-cure


About 20,700 people live in Millbrae, California. Situated in San Mateo County, Millbrae is a part of the San Francisco Bay metropolitan area. The city is convenient to the San Francisco International Airport. Your Millbrae home or condo will be located near San Andreas Lake, which is southwest of the city.
Many recreational areas exist near Millbrae. Try visiting Sharp Park, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the San Pedro Valley County Park, or McNee Ranch State Park, all of which are west of Millbrae. These sites make wonderful places to visit during the weekend, especially if you like to hike, go cycling, or have a picnic there. Communities near Millbrae include South San Francisco, San Bruno, and Burlingame.


Columbia Gas of Ohio plans to hire an additional 125 workers to handle construction and maintenance of its pipelines, the company said today. About 36 of the openings are in central and southeast Ohio.
Columbia Gas of Ohio plans to hire an additional 125 workers to handle construction and maintenance of its pipelines on top of a similar number already employed to work on the project, the company said today.
About 36 of the openings are in central and southeast Ohio.
Columbia will spend $2 billion on about 4,000 miles of pipeline in Ohio in the next 20 or so years.
"It's huge, pretty much unprecedented," said Jack Partridge, Columbia Gas of Ohio president.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved the spending in 2008. The costs will be passed through to Columbia customers, as is normal for utility infrastructure projects.
This project represents a shift in the company's maintenance strategy, replacing the oldest parts of its pipeline system rather than fixing problems as they arise.
"We can't afford to not be proactive," he said.
In the long run, he thinks this approach will cost less than fixing leaks as they occur.
Theproject will "ultimately lead to better service for customers," said Todd Snitchler, the PUCO chairman, in a statement.
Columbia Gas, based in Columbus, is the rate-regulated gas provider for 61 of 88 counties in Ohio, including the Columbus and Toledo areas. The company has about 1,800 employees in Ohio.
Those interested in applying can get more information at www.nisource.jobs , a website operated by the parent company, NiSource Inc.


Kenyans go to the polls to endorse or reject a new constitution.
Turn out is expected to be high. (4 August 2010 is a national holiday in Kenya.
The introduction of a new constitution is part of what is called as Agenda 4 following the mediation between the parties after Kenya's 2007 Post- Election violence where over 1500 people died and over 300000 were dispaced (lost their homes or were forced to move out by other ethnic groups.
The Reds – also known as the "No" vote. This group consists of mainly Christian groups who are opposed to certain key issues in the draft constitution. Key Kenyan personalities in the Red camp are Philip Ruto ( Higher Education Minister) and former Kenya President Daniel Arap Moi. The group want Kenyans to reject the draft constitution until the key issues are ironed out.
What key issues are the Reds opposed too?
This entry was posted	on Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010 at 8:59 pm	and is filed under Kenyan Democracy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.


Senate House is in Bloomsbury next to the British Museum and Russell Square. The building is a Portland stone art deco skyscraper – nevertheless, it can be easily missed when walking nearby.
The entrance to Senate House is under the central tower. Go in to the South Block entrance, through the revolving door and take the lift or stairs to the 4th floor.
Before 9:30 AM the lift will only travel to the third floor – please take the stairs to the fourth floor from there if you arrive early.
The University of London provides a map of the Bloomsbury campus (PDF) showing Senate House.
See directions to Senate House provided by the University of London.
There will be some disruption to travel in the City and Westminster on Saturday due to the Prudential RideLondon event. This is likely to be light disruption only, but check the TFL website for details.
Euston, King's Cross and St. Pancras stations are within walking distance of Senate House.
There are several sets of stands around Senate House where you can lock your bike. The stands within the Senate House car park on the Russell Square side are recommended.


Tell us what you think of the website. We welcome all comments, questions and compliments, so that we can continue to improve the site.
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text:
Home / Legal News / Sheriff defends hiring of convicted killer (UPDATE)
Sheriff defends hiring of convicted killer (UPDATE)
By: Associated Press	January 7, 2016 12:35 pm
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin sheriff has defended his decision to hire a man convicted of killing and dismembering his girlfriend nearly 40 years ago in Texas.
Rafael George Macias has worked as a radio technician for the Sheboygan County Sheriff's Department since 2011 after performing similar duties as a contract employee for 10 years.
Macias was a 20-year-old airman at Carswell Air Force Base in North Texas when he pleaded guilty to killing and dismembering his live-in girlfriend, Julia Adams, in 1977. Macias was sentenced to 40 years in prison, but released after 13 years.
While at the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville, Macias earned an associate degree as a radio technician. He eventually moved to Wisconsin and ended up working at his cousin's radio shop.
Macias told The Associated Press on Thursday that he never lied about his past and was upfront with Sheriff Todd Priebe when he wanted to bring him on as a regular employee. Details of the case resurfaced when an anonymous letter was sent recently to media outlets, including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, questioning why Sheboygan County employees had to work with someone who committed such a horrible crime.
Macias said he's not sure what the motivation was in bringing up his crime to the media, but knows he has Priebe's support.
"You can't change what happened. It happened," Macias said. "What you can do is change what you do in the future and don't put your life to waste."
Priebe said Macias has proven himself as a trusted employee and is a rehabilitation "success story."
Macias said through faith, anger management counseling and maturity he has become a better man.
"As far as I'm concerned, that guy is dead," Macias said referring to his younger self, adding, "It was a fit of rage."
Priebe said he will meet with the county board's law committee at its request to discuss the hiring, but the committee does not have the authority to overrule his decision.
12:35 pm Thu, January 7, 2016 Wisconsin Law Journal - WI Legal News & Resources
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header.h File Reference
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#include "mk4.h"

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text:
Home > Videos > roger rodas
Diesel Speaks, Race Theory Nixed: 7 New Developments In The Death Of Paul Walker
Dec. 3 2013, Published 9:53 a.m. ET
RadarOnline.com has a comprehensive look at the latest breaking details in the death of actor Paul Walker, who perished at 40 Saturday in a crash with pal Roger Rodas in Santa Clarita, Calif.
7. Death Car Examined
With the actor's death, CNN took a closer look at the 2005 Porsche Carrera GT, the high-performance car he perished in, explaining the difference between it and your average automobile. Among them: Only 1,300 of the cars have been produced; the $450,000 car has a V10 engine in the middle, eclipses 600 horsepower, and can go up to 208 mph, with oil changes costing about $900, experts told the network. Las Vegas mechanic Todd Trimble called it "a very hard car to drive." Online reports early Tuesday pointed to a possible mechanical failure, or leaking of steering fluid, as to possible reasons why the crash occurred.
Watch the video on RadarOnline.com
6. Studios Walk The 'Fine Line' With Posthumous Releases
Universal Pictures has announced it will delay the release of the actor's final film, Fast & Furious 7, working toward releasing the film in a tasteful manner in the wake of Walker's shocking death. Walker was slated to travel to Atlanta this week for further filming, as well as Abu Dhabi in January, for another shoot, leaving filmmakers with the quandary of reworking the film in a respectful manner, particularly due to its' chief car-racing storyline tragically intersecting with the actor's death. Exhibitor Relations Jeff Bock told the AP the movie's producers "are going to have to walk that fine line of recognizing the tragedy without exploiting it. Characters have died in the franchise, and it deals well with the issue of death and tragedy -- but this is real life, and fans are feeling a real loss."
5. Copycat Racers
Officials in Santa Clarita, Calif., reacting to reports of hotrod copycats racing near the crash site, have issued a warning against motorists "burning rubber" in the area. Santa Clarita sheriff's office spokesman Richard Cohen said deputies were dispatched to the area Monday "after police started getting reports of drivers burning rubber and spinning tires at the site." While not arrests had been made, Cohen said, officers were stationed "there to stop that behavior if it happens again." California Highway Patrol Sgt. Rick Miler called the area "a hot spot for street racers," due to its' terrain and isolation.
4. Final Thoughts On Fatherhood
Walker spoke with the AP two weeks before his Nov. 30 death, in a promotional interview for his upcoming movie Hours, a Hurricane Katrina-themed drama in which he played an expectant father. In a candid chat, Walker, who is survived by a 15-year-old daughter named Meadow, opened up about his own jagged path of parenthood -- and seemed optimistic he was getting better with age. "My baby wasn't planned. I wasn't married, out of wedlock, the whole bit, finding my step with it," he said. "I'm still finding my step. I think you always are. I'm five times the father that I was five years ago. Your head's more in it. Your heart's more in it. You can't force it. You want to be better at it, just something hasn't clicked yet." The film is slated to hit theaters Dec. 13.
roger rodas
Not Giving Up! Widow Of Paul Walker Death Crash Driver Files Appeal In Porsche Lawsuit
Paul Walker Car Crash Battle: Porsche Slams Widow Of Driver In Nasty Lawsuit
Lawsuit Bombshell: Paul Walker Was Alive For Over A Minute Before He Died 'Engulfed In Fire,' Daughter Claims -- Read The Gruesome Details
3. Cashing In?
As Walker's name continued to dominate newswires and social media Tuesday, many eBay auctions sprouted up, with some bidders willing to pay big bucks for a memento of the beloved star. Among the items commanding interest: A signed Fast & Furious cast poster for more than $1,500; a signed 8x10 of Vin Diesel and Walker for more than $200. One ambitious seller listed a shirt Walker wore in the films starting at $10,000 -- with a buy-it-now price of $25,000 -- while another was offering Walker's high school yearbook for almost $700.
2. Officials: No Race Occurred, Autopsy Results Forthcoming
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Monday debunked reports claiming the actor and friend Roger Rodas were racing in the moments preceding the tragic crash Saturday. Investigators "have received eyewitness statements that the car involved was traveling alone at a high rate of speed," police said, adding that "no eyewitness has contacted the (department) to say there was a second vehicle." Elsewhere, Los Angeles County Coroner spokesman said dental records to identify the remains of the victims would likely be available Tuesday.
1. 'An Angel Up In Heaven'
Vin Diesel addressed fans and mourners at the Santa Clarita, Calif. crash site Monday, calling his longtime Fast & Furious co-star "an angel up in heaven." The choked-up action star spoke to the crowd from a Sheriff's Department car, saying, "If my brother were here today … and if he saw all the love you were bringing here … if he could see for himself that shown my brother love." Diesel, who played Dominic Toretto alongside Walker's character Brian O'Conner in the series, told the crowd, "Thank you for coming and showing that angel up in heaven how much you appreciated him."
More from RadarOnline
Paul Walker And Friend Roger Rodas Are Killed In Tragic Car Crash
Celebs Who Died Young
Stars Who Died In Bizarre Ways


What is the secret to the disappearances at one of the city's movie theaters? And will Sophie ever stop chasing Sword around? Remember, if you like this article and 5 Point Discussions please share it on Facebook or Twitter. And if you have any questions or comments, please hit me up on Twitter @SageShinigami!
1. To illustrate the kind of series Garo usually is, in five episodes I never questioned where Sword actually lived. It sounds crazy, but in a largely episodic, "hero on a mission" series like this it's rare that you even think to ask a question like that. I just pictured him riding around on Motorbike!Zaruba, making his bed where ever he can, before waking up bright and early the next morning to start hunting down Horrors. The negative emotions of Man constantly fuel the Horrors, making them cross from their realm into ours and turning his mission into a neverending blah blah blah.
Instead, Sword's life is pretty regular. He lives above a Chinese restaurant and stays there for free in a rather spacious room that looks like the kind of place a musclehead like him would hang out: giant, spending his mornings cooking for the restaurant to pay his rent, even though he mooches off their food and doesn't pay his tab. It's hilarious, but it also sets Sword apart from the usual edgelords and angry kids that run rampant in the GARO franchise. He's nowhere near as detached from society as the guys we're used to, and because of that he's able to reach out to members of society in ways most Makai Knights fail to.
2. I can't decide if Sophie's tenacity is cute or incredibly annoying. After Sword finishes up his "chores" at the restaurant, he heads to the diner to see about a meal and a possible mission. As usual, he runs into Sophie who's still looking for information on El Dorado. Of course he hasn't found very much, so the discussion changes to figuring out where he lives. He points out that he'd rather not share that with her, which is the right of any person regardless of their relationship with another person.
But that's not good enough for Sophie, so she plants a tracker on him and follows him back to his place. The only reason you don't find this creepy is because Sword's a mountain of a man and Sophie's a teenaged girl, but it's still a disgusting invasion of privacy. If someone doesn't want to let you into a certain part of their life, that certainly isn't OWED you, so seeing her track him down kinda set me off.
At the same time though, because it's an anime, they immediately off-set that by having her help out at the restaurant, taking orders and doing the cooking and apparently being even MORE useful than Sword was. And ultimately the only reason Sword's able to help out against the Horror this episode is because of her as well. This is a very dangerous game the writers are playing–eventually she's going to have to come down on one side or the other.
3. Luke makes a return this week, and that he really doesn't like anyone getting involved with the Makai Order's business, as he reminds Sword that he's really doing more harm than good by letting Sophie get so close to their world. He's not necessarily wrong, but it's such a hardline stance that you begin to wonder where he got it from, so of course it's this episode that gives us Luke's tragic backstory. His father was a member of the Makai Order and trained him to be a future Makai Knight. Seemingly though, Luke's body didn't quite make the cut under the harsh physical training required to become a Knight, forcing him to settle for being a Makai Alchemist instead.
As for Luke's mother, well…she was killed in front of his eyes as a child, presumably by a Horror. Taking that a step further, it's probably a good guess that she wasn't involved in their world at all, leaving him to become closed off emotionally in order to protect innocent humans…and his own heart. This means Luke is Batman with a more fantastical origin, explaining why he's so obsessed with being a loner rather than teaming up with Sword more consistently and shutting down twice the Horrors in half the time.
4. During Luke's flashbacks to his past, his father references the Golden Armor of Garo. If I haven't brought it up yet, Garo is the head of all the other Makai Knight armors. It's the most powerful, and only goes to a specific chosen one, which explains why Luke is so at odds with Sword. Ultimately, Sword was chosen OVER Luke, and given how intense the guy is, that's a fact that probably sticks in his craw. He's haunted by the memory of his father demanding that he be the strongest, and yet every time Sword armors up the proof that Luke will never be that, it is always right in front of his face.
5. Vanishing Line continues to take advantage of being animated in order to bring us some of the more unique Horrors that you'd think would be more difficult to do in live action. This week, the Horror is literally an entire movie theater! Rather than offering power to any one human, this horror instead preyed on those with damaged emotional connections who chose to sit in a specific seat. It's honestly so specific that it's almost harmless; Luke attends a movie there once entirely without incident, and it's only when he figures out that the Horror only attacks people in seat L13 that he's even confronted. I guess that's why they made its particular MO so insidious: it only consumes those who have lost important loved ones, so it's like it's taking advantage of people just feeling extreme sadness? Gross.
Garo: Vanishing Line is available for streaming on Hulu and Crunchyroll.


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This yacht is ideal for all types of event, enjoy Manila Bay's skyline and surrounding views with Aicon 56ft for a yacht party so lavish, it's going to be hard to forget.
In case of bad weather, yacht may not be able to cruise and your package will be converted to one of the following: 1-hour cruise = 2-hour dock or 1-hour cruise = 3-hour function room.
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Adding another yacht will replace your existing yacht and it's other packages that's in your current event.
The Party Yacht aims to offer the best of the best luxurious yacht rentals in the metro.
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text:
I Love You but I've Chosen Darkness
Watkins, Claire Vaye
"From "the most captivating voice to come out of the West since Annie Proulx" (Vogue), the furious, hilarious, soul-rending story of one woman's reckoning with marriage, work, sex, and motherhood. Since my baby was born, I have been able to laugh and seethe funny side of things. a) As much as I ever did. b) Not quite as much now. c) Not so much now. d) Not at all. Leaving behind her husband, Theo, and their young daughter, Claire, a writer, gets on a flight for a speaking engagement in Reno, not carrying much besides a breast pump-and a creeping case of postpartum depression. But what begins as a temporary escape from domestic duties and an opportunity to reconnect with old friends soon mutates into an extended flight from the confines of marriage and motherhood, and a seemingly bottomless descent into the depths of the past. Deep in the Nevada desert where she grew up, Claire meets her ghosts at every turn: the first love whose suicide still haunts her; her father, a member of the most famous cult in American history; her mother, whose native spark dims with every passing year until all that remains is a smoldering addiction. Claire can't go back in time to make any of it right, but what exactly is her way forward? Alone in the wilderness, she finally finds a way to make herself at home in the world. Bold, tender, and often darkly hilarious, I Love You but I've Chosen Darkness reaffirms the "brutal kind of beauty" (Los Angeles Times) and "mercilessly sharp" vision (NPR) that established Watkins as one of the signal writers of our time"--
FICTION/Family Life/General
FICTION/Feminist
Penguin USA


He was very reliable and went over and above with what we wanted. He was very professional, the price was right and I would recommend him to my family and friends.
Nick is the man... he was on time and took a lot of pictures and he also provided a second shooter. Nick was very flexible with us. His company is valuable, respectful and the quality of his work outweighs the price. If my wife and I had to do it all over again, we would choose Nick.
Dear Nick, Thanks so much for being apart of our wedding day! We are so happy to have met you and we can't wait to see the photos. Thanks to you, we will now be able to cherish these memories for the rest of our lives.
I just had to send a note to say the photos are amazing!!! They exceeded our expectations. Thank you, you are awesome! Yet again you have done a phenomenal job and we could not be happier.
For those of you who don't know me I am Nick Wallace, a wedding and portrait photographer based in Newark Delaware. Photography for me, just like many other photographers, began as a hobby. I was just a young kid traveling around photographing everything in sight ! But as life continued to develop for me, I saw that God had a greater journey and calling for me, and that is to capture the happiest moments of people throughout life !


text:
Q: How do I search for "text" then traverse the DOM from the found node? I have webpage that I need to scrape some data from. The problem is, each page may or may not have specific data, or it may have extra data above or below it in the DOM, and there is no CSS ids to speak of.
Typically I could use either CSS ids or XPath to get to the node I'm looking for.  I don't have that option in this case.  What I'm trying to do is search for the "label" text then grab the data in the next  node:

    Name:
    Joe Smith

In the above HTML, I would search for:
doc.search("[text()*='Name:']")

to get the node just before the data I need, but I'm not sure how to navigate from there.

A: next_element is probably the method you're looking for.
require 'nokogiri'

data = File.read "html.htm"

doc  = Nokogiri::HTML data

els  = doc.search "[text()*='Name:']"
el   = els.first

puts "Found element:"
puts el
puts

puts "Parent element:"
puts el.parent
puts

puts "Parent's next_element():"
puts el.parent.next_element

# Output:
#
# Found element:
# Name:
#
# Parent element:
#
#     Name:
#
#
# Parent's next_element():
# Joe Smith
#

Note that since the text is inside  tags, you have to go up a level (to the found element's parent ) before you can get to the next sibling. If the HTML structure isn't stable, you'd have to find the first parent that is a  and go from there.

A: require 'nokogiri'

html = '

foo

    this text

bar

'

doc = Nokogiri::HTML(html)
doc.at('p:contains("foo")').next_sibling.text.strip
=> "this text"

A: You can do the entire search in a single statement using xpath's parent / following_sibling syntax:
>> require 'nokogiri'
=> true
>> html = <<HTML

    Name:
    Joe Smith

HTML
>> doc = Nokogiri::HTML(html)

>> doc.at_xpath("//*[text()='Name:']/../following-sibling::*").to_s
=> "Joe Smith \n	"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


My mother and father both came from large family farms. This meant on weekends and school holidays when visiting grandparents, I spent as much time as possible wandering in nature. I took long walks by myself to relax my mind. I felt at home on the earth and focussed mainly on walking up hills and down them again. I hopped over fences and stepped onto stones to cross streams. My hands enjoyed feeling the rough texture of trees. Sometimes on these jaunts, I found the softness of clay soil to melt into. I soaked up the relief of hearing nature, inhaling fresh forest air, and feeling my tightly spun nervous system soothed.
I spent time absorbing the stillness of land left alone to do its own thing, as there were still pockets of this to find. Here was Nature at its most mysterious and engaging. The wilderness meant that I could be wild and feel that freedom too. I didn't have an easy childhood, and neither of those farms are still in my family, but those times of carefree wandering have strongly shaped me.
I meditated often as a young child, going somewhere by myself, eager for silence, I would feel my mind drop into absorption, then expand and explore consciousness. I loved this feeling of magical union. Later when I was a teenager, my mind would feel such pleasure when meditatively writing, that my mind would burst into a tower of fiery bliss. But sometimes it was a bit like operating a flame thrower on full throttle and I had trouble keeping safe in such big energy. Somehow I knew I just had to wait and would meet a group of special people, a spiritual family, who would "understand me". And this premonition came true.
In my late teens, a man named Silananda would talk to me in the magazine store I worked at on Ponsonby Road. I saw he had a look in his eye and thought, he knows something. He shared skills on how to be with emotion in healthy ways. He introduced me to his teacher, Tarchin Hearn. I went on a weekend retreat taught by Tarchin, then on a weeklong retreat with him, where we did a lot of sitting and walking meditation. I could already meditate, but could I be trained? Could I be teachable? And the answer was yes, with a whole lot of internal struggle.
Through Tarchin Hearn, I met Bonni Ross. In my early 20s, I was on a two month Green Tara traveling retreat with Bonni that finished with an intensive at the Wangapeka. It was my first time to the centre, which I had heard a lot about, and it seems fitting that it was Green Tara that delivered me onto the property. At the Wangapeka, there was space to walk out the tension. Like in my childhood on the farms, at the centre there was time to wander, to feel at peace, and get a reprieve from very strong emotions. I could focus again on greenery and the ground under my appreciative feet. I have a great love of nature because I felt its great love of "me". Many times I have felt it love me back together, whole.
Bonni Ross will be teaching a Green Tara retreat again this year at the Wangapeka, 20 years after my first retreat there. So perhaps it is fitting that it is now time that Green Tara moves me on from the role of creating communications for the Wangapeka, work I've been doing for the past ten years. I have often found myself somewhat obsessively tapping away, glaring into the brightness of a screen, many times long into the night, crafting materials to promote and support the work of the Wangapeka.
Because I love the land and I know that it can be lost. We have been given a gift as a community to look after it, to care for it, this incredibly healing piece of land. But it's not just the land.
It's the teachings that have sprung from it, that belong to it.
Perhaps I never would have come to the Wangapeka if this Canadian, Bonni Ross, hadn't been teaching on Green Tara, this wonderfully rich meditation practice on the feminine energy, and it was so helpfully explained with such detail and precision. Bonni Ross, a mother, teaching on mothering the earth.
To see a woman teaching a class and cracking jokes in our meditation hall, the Whare, was deeply inspiring. This modelling offered a life path I had maybe not been able to see before, one with a lot of challenge, and one which I ultimately decided to take on for myself.
Because I love these teachings and I know that they can be lost.
In my mid 20's I met Lama Mark Webber, who taught esoteric practices with tremendous academic, practical and experiential clarity. I also received teachings from Leander Kane, Chimé Shore, Cecilie Kwiat, Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Senseis and Lama Sonam Gyatso, amongst many others in this stream of incredibly vast teachings.
And there was Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche – what a huge presence. When I first met him, he looked at me and smirked with recognition, and my body went into instant purification, trying to align with his consciousness as quickly as possible. My eyes watered, my nose ran, I started sneezing, even my ear wax melted. When I went up for a blessing from the Karma Kagyu from Namgyal Rinpoche, he pressed my head down hard with his hand – flooding connection into me. It was the same hand that touched me years later during a Hayagriva wongkur with an all-encompassing tenderness. When he was alive, Namgyal Rinpoche would visit my dreams and mental scape often, teaching, empowering, answering questions. When he died his last instruction to me was to practice White Tara, so I did, for years.
Why do I mention teachers? Because that is why I was drawn to being part of the centre, and the lovely community of friends who were devoted to the same thing.
Why do communications for ten years? I wanted to give back; I wanted the centre and the land to be available to those younger than me. I wanted others to have the same respite and have the same opportunity I had been given.
So this has been a long article to say goodbye to this role. It was very important to me to craft a style of communication that aimed to be accessible and welcoming to a diverse range of people. The Wangapeka is unique in this world, I find it comparatively progressive. I'm openly out as a feminist queer woman and this will be my fifth year teaching two meditation retreats per year at the Wangapeka. Just as Bonni Ross has been a role model for me as a teacher who is a woman and someone who has brought up children, I hope to be a role model for those who may be a minority, or not often have a voice in the room. I feel it is helpful to be able to teach in response to the range of different experiences and conditioning people may be working with.
My partner of two years, Nicola, comes with me on each retreat. This role models a different style of meditation teaching from a norm that is often celibate and male. The Western Mystery tradition has been kept alive by creatives, romantics and "householders" and I've found this a good fit for the focus of my life. There is a very loveable core group that comes to every retreat who keep me on my toes with their questions.
Now I'm a mother, with a ten-year-old son and a seven-year-old daughter. My kids come to the family retreat that I teach, that has been running annually since 1994 when it was started by Tarchin. I'm glad he started the family retreat because my kids love the Wangapeka. Just as my younger self did, they play on the swings and run through the forests and listen to teachings and through all these things they learn to calm their minds.
My children and the other children who attend GOM get to have what I had: a place to roam peacefully. As I move on from my role with Wangapeka communications, I am sure that it will continue to flourish and give, through countless people's generosity and the beauty of the land itself.
Banner photo of Mira taken just before her ten-year stint of Wangapeka Communications.
As a seven year old on my mother's family farm.
Traveling through India in my 20's up in Ladakh (Little Tibet).
Experiencing family life in my 30's.


I am a Mormon man and have been for some time.
I remember when the logo for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was all in the same sized font. I remember when there wasn't a logo.
I go to church on Sunday and sometimes on Wednesday when my youngest daughter Anne is in charge of New Beginnings or some other Young Women program, and I go to as many of my teen boy's church basketball games as I can.
I am a home teacher. I am often so late in the month that I am early.


The season event which we liked and choose to predict is going to be again from UEFA, Champions League between the teams of Dynamo Kyiv and Ajax. The next interesting game which we found in the daily football schedule will be held at NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kyiv, Ukraine. The main referee who will be involved in this amazing contest is Damir Skomina, Slovenia. Moreover, the average yellow cards in this one are 4.23, therefore we have to expect a lot of cards but we don't think so, our first recommendation is Under 3.5 cards.
Dutch champions play very attacking football and this can lead to many corners in the match. On the other hand, the Ukraine champion made 8 corners in their first leg game against this solid opponent. Dynamo Kyiv had many opportunities to score two more goals but failed to find the opponent's net.
The guests have scored at least two goals in their last six appearances in UEFA Champions League. There have been over 2.5 goals scored in Ajax's last four matches in UEFA Champions League. Also, the Dutch team is undefeated in the previous seven games in UEFA Champions League.
Usually, both teams are playing very offensively and we think that will result in the final score. We believe also that we are going to see many goals here. Both teams have three head-to-head games in all competition. We are expecting a huge battle between these two teams, so we will go for a both of team to score.


text:
Health groups try new ways of increasing access to prenatal care in Bexar County
By Brittney Martin, Staff Writer Dec. 24, 2016 Updated: Dec. 24, 2016 5:01 p.m.
Health groups try new ways of increasing access to...
1of14Sarah Williams picks up her son Lucas Williams from day care at the Grace Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas on December 9, 2016. Sarah had trouble getting prenatal care until late in her pregnancy with Lucas.Photo: Carolyn Van Houten / Carolyn Van Houten
2of14Sarah Williams plays with her son Lucas Williams at their home in San Antonio, Texas on December 9, 2016. Sarah had trouble getting prenatal care until late in her pregnancy with Lucas.Photo: Carolyn Van Houten / San Antonio Express-News
5of14Sarah Williams plays with her son Lucas Williams at their home in San Antonio, Texas on December 9, 2016. Sarah had trouble getting prenatal care until late in her pregnancy with Lucas.Photo: Carolyn Van Houten / Carolyn Van Houten
7of14Sarah Williams stands for a portrait with her son Lucas Williams at their home in San Antonio, Texas on December 9, 2016. Sarah had trouble getting prenatal care until late in her pregnancy with Lucas.Photo: Carolyn Van Houten / Carolyn Van Houten
8of14Sabrina Duron holds her son Rudy Silvia Jr., 16 months, at their home in San Antonio, Texas on December 14, 2016.Photo: Carolyn Van Houten / Carolyn Van Houten
10of14Sabrina Duron reads to her son Rudy Silvia Jr., 16 months, at their home in San Antonio, Texas on December 14, 2016.Photo: Carolyn Van Houten / Carolyn Van Houten
When Gabriela Rubinchak gave birth for the first time at 16 years old, she ended up in the hospital for a week after an emergency Cesarean section and two blood transfusions.
Near the end of her pregnancy, Rubinchak had high blood pressure and severe anemia, leading to a low red blood cell count. Fearing the reality of becoming a teen mom, she'd kept her pregnancy a secret for five months, expecting to miscarry, as she had twice before.
She didn't see a doctor during those months. Had she received prenatal care then, her anemia likely could have been managed early on by increasing her iron intake, and doctors could have recommended healthy diet and lifestyle choices to prevent or control her high blood pressure.
Experts recommend that all women see a doctor as soon as they find out they are pregnant, if not before, to begin prenatal care. Women who get prenatal care after the first trimester, or forgo it entirely, put themselves and their babies more at risk of serious complications and death. Each medical crisis drives up the cost of health care, some of which can fall on taxpayers.
Rubinchak is one of almost a quarter of all pregnant women in Bexar County who receive prenatal care late in their pregnancies — about 6,200 in 2014 alone. In addition, almost 4,000 women didn't get any prenatal care that year, according to the most recent numbers from the Department of State Health Services.
Combined, they made up about 37 percent of all live births in the county.
In January, a three-part series in the San Antonio Express-News examined the state of prenatal care, described as "a travesty" by one local pediatrics professor. The series, "Behind from the Start," pointed out a steep rise in the rate of women in Bexar County not getting any prenatal care: one in seven in 2014, up from one in 40 just three years earlier, according to slightly adjusted numbers from the state. Bexar County's rate of 14.3 percent was almost three times the average in Texas.
None of the health experts interviewed for the series could explain the increase after it was brought to their attention.
In response, Metro Health officials said they would convene a work group, which over the past year has taken steps to identify and begin breaking down the barriers San Antonio women face when trying to access prenatal care. The department started a pilot study at six area women's clinics and placed more emphasis on early entry into prenatal care.
"The positive impact of the article was that it drove an increased focus within the department and community on prenatal care and data collection," Metro Health wrote in a report titled "Access to Prenatal Care."
Metro Health later would determine the sharp increase was due to a change in the way birth certificates are coded.
"Behind from the start" series by the San Antonio Express-News, published January 2016
Prenatal care crisis puts Bexar County babies at risk
Why some women aren't receiving early prenatal care
What can be done to help women receive prenatal care
"Upon close examination, the data actually showed a change in the way hospital staff coded whether a woman had 'no' prenatal care or an 'unknown' amount of care," Metro Health wrote in its report. "The number of women coded as 'unknown' went down, while the number coded as 'no prenatal care' went up."
That means the number of women receiving no prenatal care in Bexar County likely has been high for years, but that fact was hidden until recently.
Getting to a doctor
In February, Metro Health led a meeting of health and community officials to identify obstacles women face in getting care. They came up with more than two dozen, including transportation, wait times, insurance coverage and immigration status.
Sarah Williams now is a case manager for San Antonio Healthy Start, a federally funded program within Metro Health aimed at reducing infant, fetal and maternal mortality and premature births and promoting healthy families. But when she got pregnant in 2012, she wasn't a citizen.
She had a green card, but was unable to get coverage through Medicaid. Instead, she signed up for Amerigroup, a health plan in the Texas Children's Health Insurance Program perinatal program.
She was in Spain when she found out she was pregnant and received some initial prenatal care there. But when she returned to the U.S., she said she was unable to find a doctor who would take her Amerigroup plan.
Finally, when she was almost six months along, she found one who would. At the initial appointment, she and her husband were thrilled to find out they would be having a boy. But afterward, the clinic administrator said the office could not accept Williams' insurance, and that she would have to pay for the visit and sonogram out of pocket.
"I said, 'What are you talking about? I triple checked before I made the appointment,'" Williams said. "And she was like, 'Oh, well, between the time you scheduled your appointment and today, we stopped accepting it.'"
Feeling helpless, Williams reached out to a friend of a friend who told her she could switch to a different CHIP plan provided by Community First. Williams said by the time she called, she was told it was the very last day she would've been able to make the change.
After that, she started to see a doctor on a regular basis for the remainder of her pregnancy.
"Now, as a case manager, I can help somebody avoid what I went though," Williams said. "Because it was such a stressful situation for me."
https://readymag.com/467261
Rubinchak found out she was pregnant with her second child in March, less than a year after giving birth to her son, Jacob. Again, she waited five months to seek care.
"I found out and I kept it a secret from everybody until I was about five months," Rubinchak said. She most dreaded breaking the news to her mom. "I was like I can't tell her, she's going to be so mad at me."
It's not uncommon for teenagers to conceal their pregnancies and delay prenatal care. Teens are one of several groups of women less likely to get early prenatal care, along with women who are poor, African-American, Hispanic, unmarried and lack high-school diplomas.
In the past year, Metro Health said it increased its focus on prenatal care through Healthy Start and its campaign called "Go Before You Show." The program pairs women in targeted areas of the city with case managers — like Williams — who visit women at home and provide counseling and guidance during the first two years of the baby's life. Case managers monitor the baby's development and provide information about proper birth spacing and family planning.
Rubinchak meets regularly with her case manager, who was one of the first people she told when she found out she was having a second child. She plans to finish high school next year and then attend college to become a surgical nurse. She was inspired, she said, by the nurse who held her shaking hand as she was poked, prodded and sliced open during the birth of her son.
Though it may be years before officials are able to measure the success of Metro Health's initiatives, Dr. Sanjie Garza-Cox, Mednax neonatologist and chief of staff at Children's Hospital of San Antonio, said she and other health officials are watching for even slight declines in the rates of women receiving no prenatal care and giving birth prematurely.
"We are going to see a very small change at a time, simply because a pregnancy takes nine months," Garza-Cox said. "As long as every year we see a decline (in) the percentage, then eventually, in about 10 years or so, we should see a significant decline."
Learning new ways
The Prenatal Care Task Force met in March, with officials from University Health System, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, CentroMed, March of Dimes, Bexar County Health Collaborative, Healthy Futures of Texas and the Nurse-Family Partnership invited to participate.
After that meeting, Metro Health elected to fold the task force into an existing March of Dimes committee working toward a similar goal to avoid duplicating efforts. The March of Dimes Maternal Child Health Impact Committee is made up of 31 members of Bexar County's health and outreach communities.
"We got a lot of feedback from people saying that we seemed to have competing meetings that were talking about similar things," said Kori Eberle, program manager of San Antonio Healthy Start and a member of the committee.
Eberle serves on a three-person subcommittee, formed in May, that focuses specifically on improving the rate of women in the city getting early prenatal care.
The subcommittee, Early Entry to Prenatal Care, spearheaded a pilot program in October during which six area clinics try a number of established best practices to get more pregnant women into prenatal care during the first trimester.
First, three clinics within the University Health System and three CentroMed clinics are gathering information about the number of patients receiving early prenatal care, the length of time to make an appointment or see a doctor and the barriers to access, as described by the women themselves.
Then, Ginie Paszkowski, maternal and child health director for the March of Dimes in San Antonio, said the organization will help the clinics analyze the data and make recommendations that will most benefit each clinic.
"Sometimes they don't know their numbers, or they may not look at their numbers regularly," Paszkowski said of clinic administrators. "Based on the statistics they are providing, they'll be able to see gaps right away for themselves."
March of Dimes is working on developing a tool kit of solutions that health-care providers can use to improve the number of women in early prenatal care.
Dr. Eugene C. Toy in Houston developed the pilot program in January 2012, starting with a meeting of providers, administrators, schedulers, patient educators and ultrasound technicians at Legacy Southwest Community Health Clinic, where Toy was a physician.
"During that hourlong meeting, we first came up with identifying the barriers to early prenatal care, and then ideas on how to overcome those barriers," Toy said.
The team's solutions included educating schedulers and receptionists to ask how far along patients were in their pregnancies and giving priority to those women whose pregnancies were beyond or near the end of the first trimester. Ultrasound technicians were also instructed to make appointments the same way. Clinic providers agreed to double book and open up their schedules in order to see women nearing the critical first trimester threshold.
The solution with the greatest impact, though, was the decision to see women even if they did not have confirmation of health coverage. So, if a woman was likely to qualify for Medicaid but hadn't yet enrolled or was waiting for approval, the clinic agreed to treat her. The practice is called "presumptive eligibility," and clinics expect to recover the cost of their services after the woman is officially enrolled in Medicaid.
After making the changes, more than 70 percent of the clinic's pregnant patients received prenatal care during the first trimester, up from 34 percent in 2011.
The clinic also recovered 97.5 percent of payments for services granted to women deemed presumptively eligible.
"Presumptive eligibility" would have been helpful for Sabrina Duron, 26, when she was applying for Medicaid coverage during her third pregnancy. She was told she needed proof of her pregnancy to apply, but couldn't see a doctor to get proof without insurance coverage.
"I kept going to the Medicaid office and they were telling me that I still needed proof, and I'm like, 'Well, I can't see the doctor unless I get the Medicaid,'" Duron said.
Near the end of her first trimester, her sister told her about a free pregnancy testing center on the South Side. At the center, operated by Southwest General Hospital, women can get the free test and meet with a Medicaid contractor on site to enroll in the program, if eligible.
Duron, now pregnant with her fourth child, went straight to the free pregnancy testing center this time around. She saw a doctor and began receiving prenatal care by her ninth week of pregnancy.
San Antonio is the second city to participate in the pilot program. Metro Health estimates the project will conclude in October.
"If they continue to see that success, they hope to expand across the state and then look at branching out beyond Texas," said Jennifer Robinson, March of Dimes spokeswoman for the South Central Region.
bmartin@express-news.net
Twitter: @beedotmartin


text:
The Offering of Isaac
1Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 2Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you." 3So Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place of which God had told him. 4On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. 5Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey, and I and the boy will go over there; and we will worship and return to you." 6And Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. 7Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." And he said, "Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" 8Abraham said, "God will #Lit seeprovide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." So the two of them walked on together.
9Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10And Abraham reached out with his hand and took the knife to #I.e., following prescribed ritualslaughter his son. 11But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 12He said, "Do not reach out your hand against the boy, and do not do anything to him; for now I know that you #Or revere; lit are a fearer of Godfear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." 13Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by its horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering in the place of his son. 14And Abraham named that place #Heb YHWH-jireh; lit the Lord will seeThe Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, "On the mountain of the Lord it will #Lit be seenbe provided."
15Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16and said, "By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your #Or descendantsseed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand, which is on the seashore; and your #Or descendantsseed shall possess the gate of #Lit histheir enemies. 18And in your #Or descendantsseed all the nations of the earth shall #Or bless themselvesbe blessed, because you have obeyed My voice." 19So Abraham returned to his young men, and they got up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived in Beersheba.
20Now it came about after these things, that Abraham was told, saying, "Behold, Milcah #Lit she alsoalso has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 22Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel"— 23and it was Bethuel who fathered Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother. 24His concubine, whose name was Reumah, #Lit she alsoalso gave birth to Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE® NASB®
Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977,1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation
A Corporation Not for Profit
www.lockman.org


"which I believe will please every body;and I hear that the Duke and his Lady themselves are not much troubled by it" They were married in September and the child was born in October and dies 7 months later; of their 8 children only 2( the future Queens ) survived; what I don't understand is why is everybody so pleased?
'twas from wrong side of the bed. Everybody was counting the days.
This is an extension of Sam's earlier statement about James, only applied to the offspring. The Protestant population lived in fear of a royal return to Catholicism. Thus the gladness he expressed earlier that Charles would soon marry (and produce an heir, so he thought) is continued when another potential Catholic heir is lost. The child's death, leaving only girls, reduced the danger ... so much for the best laid plans.
Eric: True, return to Roman Rule was more dangererous than the Protesting Bishop rule. It would be hard for the City Merchants to be paying off the Vatican and King.
Little did they know that Charles 2nd was a closet Catholic, something he was clever and politically astute enough to hide until his deathbed I believe.
The baby was born under a question mark. At the time, the marriage was under dispute and the Duke of York had persuaded friends to lie and say that they'd had affairs with Anne Hyde. The timiing was too tight and, given that the child was in line for the throne, could have caused problems.
Politically it was helpful that the child died. Personally, it was probably more of a disaster to the couple.
It now appears Sam and company had their own coach (someone commented on this the other day), otherwise Mr Creed would not have ridden.
"much troubled to see no more work done in my absence than there was"
Now that sounds about right--it was probably a good idea for Sam to be at home watching the workmen as much as he has been.
Amplifying Stephen's comments: Charles II was probably a Catholic for less than an hour of his life.
In a scene worthy of a Jacobean morality play, he was converted on his deathbed by the same Catholic priest who had played a key role in helping his escape after the Battle of Worcester.
Aside from the several witness to the deathbed conversion — and if he was a Catholic before, why have a conversion rather than simply extreme unction? — there is actually no evidence to suggest that he was personally an 'unofficial' Catholic before then - or even that he had fundamentally Catholic beliefs. He began his life fairly ignorant of the differences between Protestant (Anglican) and Catholic doctrine, and spent his latter reign mainly quelling mobs who equated Popery with royal absolutism. His conversion, like Jefferson's deathbed emancipation of his household slaves, seems to have come upon him as a flash of inspiration when, for that brief time, he could cease being a political leader and ask himself a question I suspect he had, up to then, dared not ask himself.
"which I believe will please every body"
At this date, not even James, Duke of York, is a Catholic (speculation is he converted in 1672). Though his good lady Anne was a commoner, she was the daughter of firmly Royalist, firmly Protestant, Edward Hyde, Charles II's faithful and effective Lord Chancellor. The child's legitimacy is questionable because James and Anne were formally married on 3 Sep 1660, but may have been married in Breda the year before. As to whether Sam is projecting, he is close enough to the royal household that the DUke and Duchess's views may well have been common knowledge.
Sam's only been gossiping with Lady Batten.
I understand the political implications and everything, and I realize that this "timely" death has removed a possible source for trouble later on. And there was already some discussion on the role of children in 17th century society. And still: the report of this and of the parents reaction does sound extremely cold. If this were Shakespeare and fiction (and not Pepys and real life) I would assume that some foul play had to be part of it. The parents don't seem to be troubled, and everybody is better off politically. Except the poor baby.
... Sam's been gossiping, and the rumor he hears is that the Duke and Duchess of York "are not much troubled by it." Again, with the position Sam (and society) seems to hold of James, the drift of the rumor serves to play into and magnify his lack of feeling and character, making the King's brother ever more unfit for the role of monarch.
It is noteworthy that Sam, as chronicler, makes sure once again to record the context as hearsay rather than simply stating, "They didn't care one whit about the boy."
"He began his life fairly ignorant of the differences between Protestant (Anglican) and Catholic doctrine,"
There was a "lively" debate on this issue ref. the diary entry for 1 January 1660/1661.
Equally, he was prepared to undertake to return to the Catholic church at some unspecified time in the future (Secret Treaty of Dover, 1670) in order to secure financial and material support from France in the conflict with The Netherlands. It's noteworthy that the treaty nowhere promised that Charles would bring England back into the Catholic fold; he promised only for himself and, eventually, fulfilled his promise. In the event, the Treaty of Dover brought him less advantage than he had hoped for.
Unfortunately I believe this to be untrue. There was also James Edward, decried by many around the time as the 'warming pan baby' who was nevertheless almost son and heir to James II. Political expediency won the day in the end though…….
"of their 8 children only 2 (the future Queens) survived...". Unfortunately, Stephen, you are the one in error here. James Edward was only a half-brother to the two Queens as the future James II remarried.
The survival rate of the Royal Nursery was shocking. Basically, the higher in society a baby, the more that the doctors of the time tried to medicalise those first few years of life. Unfortunately, the doctors knew next to nothing then and seemed to kill their patients as often as not (the way Charles II eventually met his end is sobering in this regard).
When James Edward was born, his doctors decreed that the most poisonous thing that could possibly be given to the newborn was a woman's milk and tried to wean him immediately onto a gruel-based mixture, while dosing him with large doses of medicine for the good of his health. He survived because his mother insisted against the protest of the doctors that a wet nurse had to be found. The doctors all protested that any newborn should be fed anything so dangerous to his health as milk.
The death rates in the rooyal household had a significant effect upon events n the near future. Mary and Anne only survived because daughters were less important than sons, so their first years were less subject to doctors.
Also, the royal nursery was open to the public and even in times of smallpox people walked in and out at will. Several babies died of plague as not even the doctors thought that people who'd been exposed to disease should be kept from mixing with the royal children.
Big egos and little knowledge doth prove dangerous.
It is certainly true that many Anglicans today consider themselves Catholics (and many others consider themselves Protestants, and some, like me, consider themselves something of both). However, this is all following the Oxford movement and the Anglo-Catholic revival of the 19th Century. I am quite sure that 17th Century Anglicans would loudly "protest" that they were Protestant. For example, I found on the 'net, the text of the English Coronation Oath from 1689, wherein the monarch swears to maintain the "Protestant reformed religion established by law" (i.e. the Church of England).
It's been wisely said that the Church of England saved the English from Chrisrianity (attributed to William Empson, though I can find no documentation).
Re David Smith's 2004 post: If memory serves, Jefferson freed only 5 of the approximately 150 people he owned.


Housing Options appointments take around 45 minutes so please ensure that you allow yourself enough time to complete the application.
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I'm an existing tenant - can I apply for a home transfer?
If you're an existing tenant who'd like to apply for a transfer, you should contact your Housing Officer. They'll arrange an appointment for you to attend your local office to complete an application form.
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Please note that transfers are subject certain property condition standards. If the property doesn't meet the standard expected, then transfers may be refused until the property is brought up to a suitable standard. This will be agreed at the property inspection visit.
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Cameras have been around for quite some time now. There are several new cameras today that offer crisp and lifelike images and videos. If you own any of the new cameras out there, you would know about something known as a gimbal. These are accessories that help you keep your camera in a steady position while recording action videos or photos. We're going to talk about a few gimbals today in the hope that you get to pick the best one suited for your liking.
Bear in mind that some of these gimbals are fairly expensive, so this is only meant for those who don't mind shelling out upwards of $500 on a camera accessory. We're also going to talk about a gimbal that won't break the bank much, but will still offer the same utility as a regular video stabilizing gimbal.
Cost aside, gimbals are a great investment and can completely transform the way you record videos from your camera. So without waiting any further, let's get right to our list.
This is a lightweight and effective gimbal that can hold your camera well in place with a sturdy grip to ensure you don't drop it. This particular gimbal supports all mirrorless cameras out there, so you have nothing to worry about as far as compatibility is concerned. Since this gimbal is used by DSLR professionals, it should handle any regular camera with relative ease. Something known as the Sport Gear Mode allows you to quickly capture amazing images and videos in an instant.
There's a standalone OLED display on board to give you details on the battery level, device connectivity status and a bunch of other metrics. This display also comes with a joystick to help you pan the gimbal around. A single button on the gimbal allows you to start shooting videos or photos conveniently. The company offers a 30-day money back guarantee along with a 12-month warranty for manufacturing defects and other issues. You will have to shell out $575 for this camera gimbal on Amazon.
This is a slightly unconventional offering on this list as it doesn't come with the form factor of a traditional gimbal. It is small, and can be operated with one hand. However, it doesn't have the attachments to record videos or snap photos for prolonged intervals. It does its job perfectly, though, and that's pretty much what everybody wants. The form factor of the Roxant Pro allows for one handed operation, which can be handy with a smaller camera and not necessarily with a bulky DSLR.
In the company's words, this gimbal offers the ability to shoot videos in "pro style" and can offer better image stabilization compared to other products on the market. It can hold cameras of up to 2.1 lbs, so the bulkier DSLRs are probably going to struggle with this gimbal. Be sure to refer the user manual for additional instructions on the product. Warranty information hasn't been mentioned by the seller, but we're assuming a standard 12-month warranty applies for this product. Given the smaller size, this handy gimbal is only priced at $64.95 on Amazon, making it one of the cheapest gimbals on this list.
With a payload of up to 5.5 lbs, this can handle pretty much any standard or DSLR camera on the market. The design of the a2000 accommodates continuous video recording, making this ideal for filmmakers among us. There's a small cable that connects the gimbal with the camera. This allows the camera to be operated using the buttons onboard the gimbal. If you're too intimidated with the big handle on the gimbal, you will be pleased to know that it can be removed, allowing you to use the gimbal with just one hand.
It is imperative that you calibrate your camera well before you use the gimbal to get the best results. The gimbal is ready to use as soon as you unbox it from the retail packaging, so there's no requirement for an elaborate setup process. What I personally like about this gimbal is the add-on accessory that allows you to use it two-handed. Not many gimbals provide this by default. The FeiyuTech a2000 $549.99 and can be purchased via Amazon.
One of the popular gimbals for DSLRs, this one works perfectly well with most cameras as well (mirrorless included). What's amazing about this gimbal is that it can work for about 18 hours on a full charge, which is enough time for a day's worth of shoot. There's an OLED display on board to give you details on the various parameters of your camera. It can take up to 7 lbs of payload, which makes it ideal to be used with a number of cameras, including DSLRs.
The gimbal is pretty well built, so you have nothing to worry about as far as durability is concerned. The company offers 1-year of warranty with the gimbal, with an additional 6-month warranty provided by the company. So you can be assured of the device's quality and performance for the duration of its life. The Crane 2 is currently unavailable on Amazon, but is expected to get back in stock shortly.
It's impossible to keep DJI out of the action given the popularity it enjoys in the gimbal game. Unlike other bulky gimbals, this one is easy to handle and suitable for single-handed operation. This works with a number of DSLRs and Sony mirrorless cameras, so you shouldn't have a problem finding a compatible camera. The gimbal comes with all the controls necessary to pan and rotate your camera. Given the ease of use, this gimbal can be used by both amateurs and professionals.
The Ronin-S charges over a USB C cable, with one provided with the gimbal. It allows you to have three profiles to use the best one suited for your liking, and switching between profiles is not too hard either. This handy gimbal will set you back by $899 on Amazon.