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St. Gertrude the Great, "a very powerful champion of justice and truth – Discerning Hearts
BENEDICT XVI GENERAL AUDIENCE (the entire text translated in English) from vatican.va
St Gertrude the Great, of whom I would like to talk to you today, brings us once again this week to the Monastery of Helfta, where several of the Latin-German masterpieces of religious literature were written by women. Gertrude belonged to this world. She is one of the most famous mystics, the only German woman to be called "Great", because of her cultural and evangelical stature: her life and her thought had a unique impact on Christian spirituality. She was an exceptional woman, endowed with special natural talents and extraordinary gifts of grace, the most profound humility and ardent zeal for her neighbour's salvation. She was in close communion with God both in contemplation and in her readiness to go to the help of those in need.
At Helfta, she measured herself systematically, so to speak, with her teacher, Matilda of Hackeborn, of whom I spoke at last Wednesday's Audience. Gertrude came into contact with Matilda of Magdeburg, another medieval mystic and grew up under the wing of Abbess Gertrude, motherly, gentle and demanding. From these three sisters she drew precious experience and wisdom; she worked them into a synthesis of her own, continuing on her religious journey with boundless trust in the Lord. Gertrude expressed the riches of her spirituality not only in her monastic world, but also and above all in the biblical, liturgical, Patristic and Benedictine contexts, with a highly personal hallmark and great skill in communicating.
Gertrude was born on 6 January 1256, on the Feast of the Epiphany, but nothing is known of her parents nor of the place of her birth. Gertrude wrote that the L ord himself revealed to her the meaning of this first uprooting: "I have chosen you for my abode because I am pleased that all that is lovable in you is my work…. For this very reason I have distanced you from all your relatives, so that no one may love you for reasons of kinship and that I may be the sole cause of the affection you receive" (The Revelations, I, 16, Siena 1994, pp. 76-77).
When she was five years old, in 1261, she entered the monastery for formation and education, a common practice in that period. Here she spent her whole life, the most important stages of which she herself points out. In her memoirs she recalls that the Lord equipped her in advance with forbearing patience and infinite mercy, forgetting the years of her childhood, adolescence and youth, which she spent, she wrote, "in such mental blindness that I would have been capable… of thinking, saying or doing without remorse everything I liked and wherever I could, had you not armed me in advance, with an inherent horror of evil and a natural inclination for good and with the external vigilance of others. "I would have behaved like a pagan… in spite of desiring you since childhood, that is since my fifth year of age, when I went to live in the Benedictine shrine of religion to be educated among your most devout friends" (ibid., II, 23, p. 140f.).
Gertrude was an extraordinary student, she learned everything that can be learned of the sciences of the trivium and quadrivium, the education of that time; she was fascinated by knowledge and threw herself into profane studies with zeal and tenacity, achieving scholastic successes beyond every expectation. If we know nothing of her origins, she herself tells us about her youthful passions: literature, music and song and the art of miniature painting captivated her. She had a strong, determined, ready and impulsive temperament. She often says that she was negligent; she recognizes her shortcomings and humbly asks forgiveness for them. She also humbly asks for advice and prayers for her conversion. Some features of her temperament and faults were to accompany her to the end of her life, so as to amaze certain people who wondered why the Lord had favoured her with such a special love.
From being a student she moved on to dedicate herself totally to God in monastic life, and for 20 years nothing exceptional occurred: study and prayer were her main activities. Because of her gifts she shone out among the sisters; she was tenacious in consolidating her culture in various fields.
Nevertheless during Advent of 1280 she began to feel disgusted with all this and realized the vanity of it all. On 27 January 1281, a few days before the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin, towards the hour of Compline in the evening, the Lord with his illumination dispelled her deep anxiety. With gentle sweetness he calmed the distress that anguished her, a torment that Gertrude saw even as a gift of God, "to pull down that tower of vanity and curiosity which, although I had both the name and habit of a nun alas I had continued to build with my pride, so that at least in this manner I might find the way for you to show me your salvation" (ibid., II, p. 87). She had a vision of a young man who, in order to guide her through the tangle of thorns that surrounded her soul, took her by the hand. In that hand Gertrude recognized "the precious traces of the wounds that abrogated all the acts of accusation of our enemies" (ibid., II, 1, p. 89), and thus recognized the One who saved us with his Blood on the Cross: Jesus.
From that moment her life of intimate communion with the Lord was intensified, especially in the most important liturgical seasons Advent-Christmas, Lent-Easter, the feasts of Our Lady even when illness prevented her from going to the choir. This was the same liturgical humus as that of Matilda, her teacher; but Gertrude describes it with simpler, more linear images, symbols and terms that are more realistic and her references to the Bible, to the Fathers and to the Benedictine world are more direct.
Her biographer points out two directions of what we might describe as her own particular "conversion": in study, with the radical passage from profane, humanistic studies to the study of theology, and in monastic observance, with the passage from a life that she describes as negligent, to the life of intense, mystical prayer, with exceptional missionary zeal. The Lord who had chosen her from her mother's womb and who since her childhood had made her partake of the banquet of monastic life, called her again with his grace "from external things to inner life and from earthly occupations to love for spiritual things". Gertrude understood that she was remote from him, in the region of unlikeness, as she said with Augustine; that she had dedicated herself with excessive greed to liberal studies, to human wisdom, overlooking spiritual knowledge, depriving herself of the taste for true wisdom; she was then led to the mountain of contemplation where she cast off her former self to be reclothed in the new. "From a grammarian she became a theologian, with the unflagging and attentive reading of all the sacred books that she could lay her hands on or contrive to obtain. She filled her heart with the most useful and sweet sayings of Sacred Scripture. Thus she was always ready with some inspired and edifying word to satisfy those who came to consult her while having at her fingertips the most suitable scriptural texts to refute any erroneous opinion and silence her opponents" (ibid., I, 1, p. 25).
Gertrude transformed all this into an apostolate: she devoted herself to writing and popularizing the truth of faith with clarity and simplicity, with grace and persuasion, serving the Church faithfully and lovingly so as to be helpful to and appreciated by theologians and devout people.
Little of her intense activity has come down to us, partly because of the events that led to the destruction of the Monastery of Helfta. In addition to The Herald of Divine Love and The Revelations, we still have her Spiritual Exercises, a rare jewel of mystical spiritual literature.
In religious observance our Saint was "a firm pillar… a very powerful champion of justice and truth" (ibid., I, 1, p. 26), her biographer says. By her words and example she kindled great fervour in other people. She added to the prayers and penances of the monastic rule others with such devotion and such trusting abandonment in God that she inspired in those who met her an awareness of being in the Lord's presence. In fact, God made her understand that he had called her to be an instrument of his grace. Gertrude herself felt unworthy of this immense divine treasure, and confesses that she had not safeguarded it or made enough of it. She exclaimed: "Alas! If you had given me to remember you, unworthy as I am, by even only a straw, I would have viewed it with greater respect and reverence that I have had for all your gifts!" (ibid., II, 5, p. 100). Yet, in recognizing her poverty and worthlessness she adhered to God's will, "because", she said, "I have so little profited from your graces that I cannot resolve to believe that they were lavished upon me solely for my own use, since no one can thwart your eternal wisdom. Therefore, O Giver of every good thing who has freely lavished upon me gifts so undeserved, in order that, in reading this, the heart of at least one of your friends may be moved at the thought that zeal for souls has induced you to leave such a priceless gem for so long in the abominable mud of my heart" (ibid., II, 5, p. 100f.).
Two favours in particular were dearer to her than any other, as Gertrude herself writes: "The stigmata of your salvation-bearing wounds which you impressed upon me, as it were, like a valuable necklaces, in my heart, and the profound and salutary wound of love with which you marked it. "You flooded me with your gifts, of such beatitude that even were I to live for 1,000 years with no consolation neither interior nor exterior the memory of them would suffice to comfort me, to enlighten me, to fill me with gratitude. Further, you wished to introduce me into the inestimable intimacy of your friendship by opening to me in various ways that most noble sacrarium of your Divine Being which is your Divine Heart…. To this accumulation of benefits you added that of giving me as Advocate the Most Holy Virgin Mary, your Mother, and often recommended me to her affection, just as the most faithful of bridegrooms would recommend his beloved bride to his own mother" (ibid., II, 23, p. 145).
Looking forward to never-ending communion, she ended her earthly life on 17 November 1301 or 1302, at the age of about 46. In the seventh Exercise, that of preparation for death, St Gertrude wrote: "O Jesus, you who are immensely dear to me, be with me always, so that my heart may stay with you and that your love may endure with me with no possibility of division; and bless my passing, so that my spirit, freed from the bonds of the flesh, may immediately find rest in you. Amen" (Spiritual Exercises, Milan 2006, p. 148).
It seems obvious to me that these are not only things of the past, of history; rather St Gertrude's life lives on as a lesson of Christian life, of an upright path, and shows us that the heart of a happy life, of a true life, is friendship with the Lord Jesus. And this friendship is learned in love for Sacred Scripture, in love for the Liturgy, in profound faith, in love for Mary, so as to be ever more truly acquainted with God himself and hence with true happiness, which is the goal of our life. Many thanks.
Categories Devotional Prayer, Pope, Purgatory, Saints, Spirituality, The Discerning Hearts Blog, video
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6 thoughts on "St. Gertrude the Great, "a very powerful champion of justice and truth – Discerning Hearts"
I may have found my patron saint! Confirmation this April, so must decide…
Toni Maffeo
My brother is in the middle of a court battle and the system is corrupt. I pray to st Gertrude that justice will prevail amen
shingayirai
My husband was dismissed from work for things he did not do .He wrote an appeal ,I pray to st gertude I want the truth to be revealed so that he can go back to work
Dear friend, I have dealt with that very situation within this year. I hear you and will ask for resolution, comfort, & clarity for you both.
Jofi
I pray to you o saint Gertrude, patron saint of justice forgive my trespasses and fill my heart with your passion for justice. Grant me that I may feel closer to god and safe under his grace. Lately two most unjust events have happened in the life of my husband. He has been sidelined on purpose by an egocentric employee in his company. He blocked all my husbands efforts to do his job and maligned him on purpose. All this drove my husband into a difficult situation. Please prevail over the situation and remedy the situation through your passion for justice. In another instance our personal belongings were removed from us by an official exercising unlawful force and threats. We had to leave the situation harassed and victimized. Please prevail upon this situation and bring the perpetrators to justice. It is not a perfect world we live in, and injustice strikes n different forms and guises. I pray for your grace and blessings and plead for justice . Please be my advocate in the court of god and plead for a resolution in our favor. I turn to in my time of hopelessness and despair, and look to you as a light in the dark. In Jesus name I pray, amen
Dear Saint Gertrude,u know the difficulties I am facing, please I ask for your most powerful intercession and that all the perpetrators will be brought to divine justice. May God's Holy Will prevail in all things.


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Featured Reviews Sample Library Reviews
Spitfire Audio – Spitfire Studio Strings (Review)
Spitfire Studio Strings is Spitfire Audio's latest addition to their roster of orchestral sample libraries and the first product in an entirely new range of symphonic instruments. After having captured most of their orchestral instruments in AIR Studio's spacious Lyndhurst Hall, the developers wanted to break new ground by establishing a fresh range of sample libraries that provides a crisp edge and a more controllable room tone.
Recorded at the medium-sized AIR Studio 1, Spitfire Studio Strings features a 30-piece chamber string ensemble made up of London's top session players. The library's sound is perfectly suited for both modern film scores and contemporary pop music.
Let's find out together, why you would need yet another orchestral string library and what opportunities a comprehensive set of dry samples can bring to your own compositions. For this review, we were given the Professional edition of Spitfire Studio Strings.
First things first: Spitfire Studio Strings is a sample library built for Native Instruments' free KONTAKT Player version 5.6.8+ and is available in two different editions: CORE and PROFESSIONAL. These are the most important differences between the two at a glance:
MEDIUM CHAMBER Ensemble (8 first violins, 6 second violins, 6 violas, 6 celli, 4 basses)
Tree Microphone Position
148 articulations/playing styles
13.2 GB in size
Pricing: $249
Large String Ensemble (16 first violins, 12 second violins, 12 violas, 12 celli, 4 basses)
Two Divisi Sections (4 first violins, 3 second violins, 3 violas, 3 celli)
6 Microphone Positions (Close 1 & 2, Tree 1 & 2, Ambience, Outriggers)
2 Stereo Mixes
232 articulations
210 GB in size
Probably the first fact that leaps to the eye is that the Professional edition of Spitfire Studio Strings contains almost 16 times the content of the Core edition (210 GB vs. 13.2 GB). As you can see above, the Professional edition not only offers quite a few more microphone positions and mixes, it also provides you with three extra ensemble setups, each equipped with a comprehensive set of articulations.
Regarding the string sections, Spitfire Studio Strings is laid out in a modular manner. While the two divisi sections provide you with a strong sense of intimacy and detail, the large 56-piece string ensemble (which is made up from the standard section plus the two divisi sections) allows for grandiose and broad brushstrokes. However as all of the string sections were recorded in a rather dry, medium-sized studio, you'll always retain a sharp and crisp sound that doesn't wash out at the tails.
Spitfire Studio Strings features the very same interface you may know from previous releases like Spitfire Solo Strings or Spitfire Albion One, so if you own another Spitfire product, you will find your way around pretty easily. The main GUI page again provides you with the Easy Mix slider that allows you to blend seamlessly between a close and a far mic position. Depending on the patch you loaded, the bottom row shows you which articulations are available. Furthermore you will find control sliders for Dynamics, Vibrato, Legato Speed and Expression, all of which are assignable to MIDI controls.
The second page (accessible by clicking the wrench icon in the left corner) takes you to the Expert settings tab which allows direct control over all six microphone positions. Here you will also find several control options for CC mapping, round robins and transposition.
The third page of the GUI gives access to Spitfire Audio's trademark Ostinatum panel. The Ostinatum is a mix between a step sequencer and arpeggiator and essentially allows you to create complex rhythmic patterns with your short string articulations.
SPITFIRE STUDIO STRINGS IN USE
Spitfire Studio Strings comes with over 230 different articulations or playing styles for the different instrument sections as well as the four different player configurations. In a typical Spitfire Audio manner, the collection includes all of the bread and butter techniques like various sustains and shorts, pizzicatos, tremolos and trills but also features a good amount of extended or more experimental techniques: glissandi, brushed shorts, super sul tastos and muted measured tremolos are just a few to mention.
As you might imagine, maintaining a proper overview of such a comprehensive set of playing styles calls for a good patch structure. Luckily, over the years Spitfire Audio established a certain file and patch organization scheme that is pretty much consistent across most of their libraries – and therefore makes it quite easy to dig one's way through all of the content provided. The patches and playing styles for Spitfire Studio Strings are split up across five main categories:
ALL IN ONE PATCHES
These multi-articulation patches feature several of the most essential articulations for each instrument. These patches are available for every instrument type (violin, viola, cello, etc.) and for each of the various player configurations. This allows you to load up the main articulations for any amount of players you'd like to arrange for.
Again presented as multi-articulation patches, these presets contain sets of more unusual or extended playing techniques. The patch structure is similar to the All-in-one patches in that you can choose between Core techniques, Decorative techniques and FX techniques for each instrument type and player configuration individually. You will find the Extended techniques folder amongst the following categories by clicking the Advanced folder.
INDIVIDUAL ARTICULATIONS
As the name implies, the Individual articulations folder gives access to every single one of the 232 playing styles for every instrument and player configuration. This allows you to pick and choose just the articulations you need and load them up as individual patches. If you know what you need, this method surely helps saving quite a lot of RAM estate.
LEGATO TECHNIQUES
Here you can find all of the legato articulations for each of the sections and configurations. These patches react to your playing and will trigger slurred legato transitions between notes if you play fast and soaring portamento transitions if you play slowly.
OTHER PATCHES
In the Other patches folder, you can find a collection of multi-articulation patches that are either light on the CPU or contain just a few articulations of a certain category. These include Economic Longs, Economic Shorts, Light Resources and Time Machine patches. The latter makes use of KONTAKT's time-stretching functions and allow you to tailor the length and speed of some of the articulations.
THE POWER OF DIVISI
Probably one of the biggest selling points of Spitfire Studio Strings Professional is that you're able to pick exactly the size of your string ensemble according to the job you need to get done. Whether it's a small 4-3-3-3 chamber string section to spice up your indie rock arrangement or the whole 56-piece shebang for your epic game score, Spitfire Studio Strings Professional can pull off both convincingly.
Also, having access to dedicated divisi sections is something a lot of film and game composers nowadays ask for. It allows you to create more realistic sounding polyphonic arrangements than you could achieve with large ensemble patches. When using – say – an 18 violins sustain string patch, every single key you play is 18 musicians playing the same note. As soon as you hold a three-note chord for example, there's in essence 54 violins playing a chord, which more often than not will yield fake sounding results. However if you're able to split your large string band into smaller sections (divisi), you could assign a note or passage to each of them. When they now play together, you will get a much more authentic and diverse ensemble sound. This is, what I think Spitfire Studio Strings' two divisi sections will be most useful for.
THE SOUND OF SPITFIRE STUDIO STRINGS
Having spent a couple of days now playing with the library and trying different patches or combinations of instruments, it's fair to say that Spitfire Studio Strings offer a very clear and crisp sound all across the spectrum with little to no disruptive noises or pitch inconsistencies worth mentioning. Since the samples were recorded in a much drier room than Spitfire Audio's other symphonic libraries, the instruments in Spitfire Studio Strings have quite a different tone to them. To me, it's one that emphasizes the character of the actual players a little better. Due to the positively unobtrusive room sound and its short reverb tail, it feels like this library brings out the resonance and body of the string instruments and players a bit more which makes for a beautifully detailed and lively sound.
One may wonder if the lack of a lush scoring stage reverb tail results in a bland and small string sound but actually, the opposite is true. AIR Studio 1 surely adds some enjoyable character to the strings, it just doesn't wash their tails out as much. Having dry samples at hand can be of huge advantage as it enables you to add your own reverb tails to the sound and put the string ensemble in any space you like. Or, if you are out for a punchy and direct sound, keep the samples dry and put them into your pop arrangement as is. The tonal flexibility is really one of Spitfire Studio Strings absolute strengths and – for me at least – is the answer to the initial question: "why would I need just another string library?"
Yet again the talented team at Spifire Audio managed to create another superb sounding and easy-to-use sample library. The company's new route of presenting dryly recorded orchestral ensembles will definitely open their products to a new spectrum of potential users who previously had trouble incorporating reverb-heavy libraries into their pop or EDM arrangements.
Of course, is also still perfectly suited to film and game composers, as the tonal flexibility and free choice over both player configuration and reverb size leaves great room for creativity. Taking the six amazing sounding microphone positions and two stereo mixes into account, it becomes clear that Spitfire Studio Strings can surely run for "most flexible string library of the year". The comprehensive collection of different articulations, techniques and string FX is remarkable and will have you covered for most compositional duties. Only the range of short articulations could have used some additional options in my eyes. Other than that, Spitfire Studio Strings makes for the perfect companion to your favorite "wet" string library or could as well be your new go-to composition tool.
Spitfire Studio Strings is available as a digital download via Spitfire Audio's online store. The 13.2 GB Core version is up for $249 while the 210 GB Professional version is offered at $499.
SPITFIRE STUDIO STRINGS WALKTHROUGH
Tagsair lyndhurst • christian henson • orchestral strings • paul thomson • review • sample library • spitfire audio • symphonic

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Professional travel blogger, New York-based Drew Goldberg, has been travelling the world since 2012. His website The Hungry Partier is all about having a good time!
Drew says he loves Asia and in particular Vietnam, a nation he's visited three times. He likes it because he finds the people friendly, he enjoys the laid back lifestyle and affordable food and accommodation.
Listen to Drew sharing his travel experiences and advice as he chats with Keri Jones on the Great Destinations Radio Show.


College-age and older adults are encouraged to apply for a paid summer position. Our heart in this ministry is to see God's creation reunite with Him, discover truth and experience fun and love in the Body of Christ!
The summer ministry of LWBC is designed not only for the campers but also for the counselors, our summer staff. We know that God not only challenges us to serve Him by loving the campers, but He also challenges us to find and follow Him in every act of service, every weakness and every strength we have.
…that's alright, you completed the first step and that's obedience, you came. The apostle John talks a lot about true love and obedience is a sign of true love. Every ounce of energy and willingness you give to the Lord will be well spent on building your relationship with Christ.


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More Nanny Nonsense
by Dr Joe | Sep 24, 2018 | Modern Life, Nanny State, Personal Responsibility | 0 comments
Just when you thought the world could not get much crazier, along comes the Clarence Council in Tasmania that wants to ban beach cricket unless you have a permit. Beach cricket is a traditional Australian summer pastime that bears some, but not a lot, of resemblance to the more formal game. It is generally played with a tennis ball or beach ball and a plastic bat.
What next? Perhaps a permit to bring a beach ball or to open a beach umbrella at the beach?
Sadly, there is a pattern here of councils, whose job it is to collect the garbage once a week and maintain the parks, being well above their station. Councils like to express opinions on foreign affairs and national affairs. As individuals, these councilors have the same rights as anyone else to an opinion, but as custodians of rate payer's money they should not be entitled to run their own agendas at rate payers' expense.
We have previously seen councils force cubby houses to be taken down because they don't comply with the building code. And seeking to ban exercise in parks as it apparently "wears out the grass".
A study from New Zealand compared teenagers today with their parents. Weight, height and physical fitness were compared of those who were 15 in 1986 and their children at age 15. The girls were on average 3mm taller and 8kg heavier. The boys were 11kg heavier. Physical fitness was 24% lower in girls and 14% lower in boys.
This is hardly a surprise and reflects the changes in diet and exercise patterns since the 1980s. In particular in the early 80's we had the introduction of low-fat dietary guidelines which have coincided with the major increase in obesity and type two diabetes since that time.
Governments spend significant amounts of our money telling us to exercise more. Clearly, they want us to exercise more, other than at the beach and in parks. And god forbid a child plays in a tree house or cubby house instead of playing x-box.
The Clarence Council's actions are in keeping with the relentless rise of the nanny state where no action by the individual is to insignificant not to attract the full weight of the law.
In my home state of WA there is the beginning of a push back. Aaron Stonehouse has established a committee to inquire into and report on the economic and social impact of measures introduced in Western Australia to restrict personal choice 'for the individual's own good', with particular reference to —
(1) risk-reduction products such as e-cigarettes, e-liquids and heat-not-burn tobacco products, including any impact on the wellbeing, enjoyment and finances of users and non-users;
(2) outdoor recreation such as cycling and aquatic leisure, including any impact on the wellbeing, enjoyment and finances of users and non-users; and
(3) any other measures introduced to restrict personal choice for individuals as a means of preventing harm to themselves.
For those who want to make a submission, click the link here.
This is a breath of fresh air. In a free society, laws exist to protect us from the actions of others, not the choices we make about our own lives. The most egregious example is the laws on vaping where smokers risk a fine of $45,000 for using a method of quitting smoking that is at least 95% less harmful then smoking.
This makes absolutely no sense!
Europe manages to have far more bike riders than Australia without compulsory helmet laws. There is no evidence that their rates of head injury are any greater than here. The key point is not whether one should wear a helmet in certain circumstances when riding a bike (for example on a busy road with cars) but whether it needs to be compulsory in all circumstances.
The fundamental problem is that the elites sipping latte in green inner suburban enclaves do not like or trust the rest of us. Hence, they feel the need to get paid to tell us what to do.
It is time we rose up against them.
Thriving Without Nanny
Mad Nanny
More Danger!
Life Is More Than Medicine
Why Older Men Should Do More Housework


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76 Companies Urge Supreme Court to Support LGBT Workplace Protections
Google Inc., Apple, Uber Technologies, Facebook Inc. and others stake positions against Trump's Justice Department.
By Erin Mulvaney | October 11, 2017 at 12:51 AM | The original version of this story was published on Legal Times
Major U.S. companies and organizations, including tech giants, financial institutions and sports teams, are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to create uniform federal protections for gay, lesbian and transgender employees.


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NSHB
9-10 Band
11-12 Band
Northshore Honor Band
Guest Conductor (9-10 Band)
Brian Logan has led band programs, from grade school through college, for more than four decades. Upon retiring from Wheeling HS in District 214, Mr. Logan worked for VanderCook College of Music, creating their One City Jazz Program for underserved Chicagoland students. He also worked with the Chicago Public Schools Advanced Arts Program. While in District 214, Mr. Logan led the Wheeling High School wind ensemble to four performances at the Music for all National Concert Band Festival and numerous performances at U of I's Superstate Concert Band Festival. Mr. Logan's Jazz Ensembles performed at The Midwest Clinic numerous times and toured Europe twice, with performances at the Umbria and Montreux Jazz Festival's, among others. Mr. Logan has been awarded the John Paynter Lifetime Achievement Award from Quinlan and Fabish Music, the Illinois Band Master of the Year Award from Phi Beta Mu and the District 214 Friend of the Arts Award. Mr. Logan's work has been recognized by the United States Congress, Illinois State Senate, Township High School District 214, Wheeling High School, East Maine School District 63, and the Village of Wheeling, IL. The National Band Association has awarded Mr. Logan 19 "Citation of Excellence" awards. He also received a Paul Harris Fellow from the Rotary Foundation International. Mr. Logan was selected as the SBO Magazine State Representative in their "50 Directors That Make a Difference" issue, and received the Mr. Holland's Opus Award from Bob Rogers Travel. He is also the recipient of VanderCook College of Music's Distinguished Alumni Award. Mr. Logan received a Bachelor of Music Education from VanderCook College of Music and a Master of Educational Administration from Northeastern Illinois University. He is a member of ILMEA, NAfME, NBA, JEN, and is also an active clinician and guest conductor.
1. Rocketship, Kevin Day
2. Mazama, Jay Chattaway
3. Resplendent Light, Tyler Grant
4. Quicksilver, William Owens
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Celebrating Over 20 years Of Showcasing Superior Student Musicianship In Chicago's Northern Suburban High Schools
© 2014 by Matthew P. Bufis


2. A girl finds the prince on the rive after the Little Mermaid saves him, but, in the movie, Max and Grimsby finds him.
7.If she doesn't get the l'amour of the prince, she will turn into sea foam, considering that merfolk, do not have souls. In the movie, if she doesn't get the l'amour of the prince, she will belong to the sea witch.
9.The Little Mermaid turns into a daughter of the air instead of sea foam because she strove with all her cœur, coeur to gain a soul. With many good deeds par helping children, she will finally gain a soul. In the movie, the Little Mermaid, never has a chance of turning into sea foam.


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Jabera Assembly constituency is one of the 230 Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) constituencies of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. This constituency came into existence in 2008, following delimitation of the legislative assembly constituencies. Before delimitation, the area covered by this constituency was part of the erstwhile Nohata constituency abolished in 2008.

Overview
Jabera (constituency number 56) is one of the 4 Vidhan Sabha constituencies located in Damoh district. This constituency covers the entire Jabera and Tendukhera tehsils of the district.

Jabera is part of Damoh Lok Sabha constituency along with seven other Vidhan Sabha segments, namely, Pathariya, Damoh and Hatta in this district, Deori, Rehli and Banda in Sagar district and Malhara in Chhatarpur district.

Members of Legislative Assembly

See also
 Damoh district

References

Damoh district
Assembly constituencies of Madhya Pradesh

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Our "Sport" design tailpipe enlarges the exhaust outlet from 60 to 90mm and comes beautifully finished in chrome with an etched AC Schnitzer logo.Fits all 114i - 118i, 114d - 120d and M135i (two supplied). Please choose the correct model option...
AC Schnitzer 90mm Sport chrome tailpipes (each) for BMW 1 series (F20/F21) 114i - 120i
AC Schnitzer 90mm Sport chrome tailpipes (each) for BMW 1 series (F20/F21) M135i (2 pack)
AC Schnitzer AC1 anthracite alloy wheel sets 18" for BMW 1 series (F20/F21)
With the new AC1 rims, AC Schnitzer has reinterpreted the classic twin-spoke design. The spokes taper towards the rim, perfect for showing off high performance brakes on M Sport cars, and also draw your attention to the AC Schnitzer pentagonal centre cap...
AC Schnitzer AC1 bi-colour alloy wheel sets 18" for BMW 1 series (F20/F21)


text:
The Bounded-Storage Model in the Presence of a Quantum Adversary
König, Robert T. and Terhal, Barbara M. (2008) The Bounded-Storage Model in the Presence of a Quantum Adversary. IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, 54 (2). pp. 749-762. ISSN 0018-9448. http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:KONieeetit08
Use this Persistent URL to link to this item: http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:KONieeetit08
An extractor is a function ${ssr E}$ that is used to extract randomness. Given an imperfect random source $X$ and a uniform seed $Y$, the output ${ssr E}(X,Y)$ is close to uniform. We study properties of such functions in the presence of prior quantum information about $X$ , with a particular focus on cryptographic applications. We prove that certain extractors are suitable for key expansion in the bounded-storage model where the adversary has a limited amount of quantum memory. For extractors with one-bit output we show that the extracted bit is essentially equally secure as in the case where the adversary has classical resources. We prove the security of certain constructions that output multiple bits in the bounded-storage model.
© Copyright 2008 IEEE. Reprinted with permission. Manuscript received September 13, 2006; revised March 21, 2007. [Posted online: 2008-01-22] The work of R.T. König was supported by the European Commission through the FP6-FET Integrated Project SCALA, CT-015714. The work of B.M. Terhal was supported by the NSA and the ARDA through ARO Contract W911NF-04-C-0098. The material in this paper was presented at QIP 2007, Brisbane, Australia, January 2007. R.T. König wishes to thank Ueli Maurer and Renato Renner for interesting discussions about bounded-storage cryptography. He would also like to thank IBM T.J. Watson Research Center for their hospitality during his stay there. B.M. Terhal would like to thank Yevgeniy Dodis and Roberto Oliveira for many discussions on the security of the bounded-storage model. The authors wish to thank Ronald de Wolf for helpful comments, in particular in relation to Remark 1. They also thank Yevgeniy Dodis for the suggestion to consider independent randomizers, and the reviewers for their detailed and helpful comments.
Bounded-storage model, cryptography, extractors, locking, privacy amplification, quantum information theory, quantum key distribution, quantum memory, security proofs, universal composability
CaltechAUTHORS:KONieeetit08
http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:KONieeetit08
http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TIT.2007.913245


text:
The Popular Electric Low-Speed Vehicle – Cenntro Metro, Soon To Be Launched In The U.S.
The Cenntro Automotive Corporation METRO compact utility vehicle (CUV) will be soon brought to the U.S. market. as Troops Technologies managed to secure investments of $1.2 million, aimed at developing the dealer network for the company's electric low-speed vehicle (E-LSV).
This was achieved within just 10 days.
Transporting people on campuses or in communities, transportation of maintenance crew and local delivery are the purposes for which the model is already popular in Europe and Asia. The model is all-electric and is a highly flexible vehicle due its modular CUV which is best suited for urban transportation.
The popular all-electric compact utility vehicle was helped in its design and development stages by Tropos Technologies which is a marquee distributor of the Cenntro METRO. $1.2 million in funds was recently obtained by the company to enable it to get the electric low-speed vehicle to the U.S. market.
"This new funding will help us grow our network of E-LSV dealerships and service centers, enabling us to distribute vehicles across the U.S., while supporting start-up EV manufacturers," said Tropos CEO John Bautista. "We're grateful for the support of our partners involved in this funding round. Their confidence in us is a testament of our rapid growth in the EV market."
Tropos had helped Cenntro to secure the California Air Resources B Board (CARB) certification which requires meeting some of the strictest health and safety codes, apart from helping out the auto company with the development of the METRO, because Tropos `is the marquee distributor for the vehicle in the U.S. The Cenntro Metro has already been cleared as a zero-emission vehicles by the CARB which has also declared it eligible of being sold in California and all 15 Clean Air Section 177 States. a low-speed vehicle truck and a neighborhood electric vehicle is how the Metro was classified as by the board.
"As a multi-discipline service provider focused on alternative transportation, the expertise of the Tropos team in all-electric and range extended drivetrains and vehicles is amongst the best in the industry," said Peter Wang, CEO of Cenntro Automotive. "Tropos is one of few companies to have vehicle assembly on both the East and West coasts, and its extensive contract manufacturing capabilities made it an ideal partner for managing METRO sales, distribution and service in the U.S. We look forward to working with Tropos to scale its manufacturing activities in America."
While being safe despite being low cost, the Metro is considered to be a versatile vehicle that is ready to work.
Tropos Technologies Inc. is a firm that is completely focused on designing, development and delivery of alternative transportation.
(Source:www.prnewswire.com)


In this session you will practice various reclined twists in order for you to discover which twist does wonders for your spine. As everyone has a different body, different bones and different tension, nobody experiences a yoga pose in the same way. You will be able to find out which pose or poses, with or without props give you the most release in your spine, chest, shoulders, hips and neck. You will start calming your mind and do Kegel exercises to work your pelvic floor. José explains what the effects are of different Kegel exercises. Then you start to release tensions in your whole back by twisting and bending. This session will leave you feeling energetic, detoxified and opened up at the same time. Everyone can benefit from this session - also great for women who had a baby. Needed props: belt, blanket, blocks, bolster and/or pillow.


text:
ScullyVision
The words and work of Dan Scully
MovieJawn
Phindie
Cinema76
Don't Worry Darling review – Olivia Wilde's thriller falls short but stands tall
Film Reviews Writing
September 22, 2022 Dan
Neither as bad as you want it to be nor good as it wants to be, Don't Worry Darling is ultimately a solid, if obvious thriller, that is certainly worth your time. Ignore the wonky press tour (which I personally believe is the result of a spontaneous on-set orgy that left everyone feeling weird about one another) and just enjoy the thrills and style. Whatever you have to say about Olivia Wilde (I think she's cool), there's no denying that she's a thoughtful, energized filmmaker. In the case of her latest, she takes a respectably huge swing. It's a line drive to second, all told, but she's got a grand slam in her that I don't want to miss.
Don't Worry Darling takes place in the town of Victory, California. It's an experimental living situation run by a powerful businessman (Chris "Best Chris" Pine). Existence is idyllic if you're into 1950s chic. The mores are dated as well: in Victory, the men go to work every day in their classic convertibles, while the women housekeep, cook, and, when all is done, take the trolley downtown to do some shopping. At night it's dancing and cocktails. All seems pretty peaceful overall, despite the brewing frustrations of our protagonist Alice (Florence Pugh), mostly stemming from her growing disinterest in her daily grind. Isn't there more?
That right there is a question. In Victory, the questions should be left up to no one. Don't ask em. In fact the following passage is written on every surface of public transportation:
What you see here
What you do here
What you hear here
Let it stay here*
But one day Alice wanders away from her routine and discovers that Victory might not be the sorta-paradise it appears to be. And when those around her start acting aggressive in the name of the status quo, she must use her wits to figure out how to proceed.
It's a hard movie not to spoil in a plot sense, even if the reveal doesn't ultimately matter. Don't Worry Darling's big problem comes from its big plot: the WHY of its all is so apparent outright that by the time the HOW of it all comes into play, it's weightless, adding only to plot and not at all to theme. Midway though the film, a fantastic dinner sequence involving Alice and Chris Pine's Frank threatens to kick off an extremely interesting act, but this thread is abandoned almost immediately. Still, even with these shortcomings in play, the film finds its hook through its characters. The more we learn about Alice and her friends/family/neighbors, the more we care about her well-being and what it might mean for other characters under threat.
Pugh, as always, is fantastic, outclassing pretty much everyone around her. Harry Styles, as her husband, is fine. Neither great nor terrible — merely a victim of "no matter what he does, people gonna hate." He's fine and he'll probably get better and I'm here for it. It's hard to look good when you're acting alongside Pugh and Pine. Oh and Wilde herself plays a small character who is good for a lot of laughs and a few super intense moments. Nick Kroll doesn't get to do much here, but it's just so nice to see him in stuff.
Wilde once again directs with a high energy that only intermittently falls of the visual rails, but it's an "early filmmaker" problem if there ever was one. There is no denying that she's got a vision worth realizing. Short of a few dizzying conversational scenes and a generally speedy edit, Don't Worry Darling is quite a sight to behold, sturdily shot and powerfully staged. Even if the thematic weight hasn't much stuck with me, many of the images have.
Hopefully the absolutely ridiculous press tour discourse won't damage this highly entertaining flick. Even if it doesn't quite make it across the finish line, I'll take a hearty, strange attempt at something new over a pre-packaged chunk of content any day of the week.
*Once you know what's going on, this detail becomes nonsensical.
Directed by Olivia Wilde
Written by Katie Silberman, Carey Van Dyke, Shane Van Dyke
Starring Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, KiKi Lane
Rated R, 122 minutes
don't worry darling, film, films, florence pugh, harry styles, movie, movies, nick kroll, olivia wilde, review, reviews, thriller
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One thought on "Don't Worry Darling review – Olivia Wilde's thriller falls short but stands tall"
JC Murphy
September 28, 2022 at 6:38 pms Reply
You've hit it right on the head. It's a good movie. A few obvious flaws, but by no means a failure.
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New finishing technology enables Harbec, Ontario, NY, to dramatically reduce post-processing time and costs for 3D-printed parts.
Manufacturers, just like people, have unique outlooks and personalities. Though all are in business to be successful and profitable, the path traveled varies greatly. Suffice to say that Harbec, an Ontario, NY, maker of prototypes, tooling, machined components and injection-molded parts, not only followed a less-traveled path, it swung the scythe and carved the path itself. And, just as the personalities of manufacturers often take on the personalities of their owners, there's no doubt that Harbec has done that, too.
Bob Bechtold, Harbec's founder, has had a unique outlook on life and work from his early years. As detailed by FuzeHub, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program Center for New York State, Bechtold as a child was fascinated by "the magic of energy," as he put it, and tinkered with kites, airplane models and magnifying glasses to capture the sun's rays. After high school, he became just as interested in toolmaking, taking on an apprenticeship and growing his toolmaking skills through a three-year U.S. Army hitch followed by work as a journeyman toolmaker. He then used his knowledge and experience to teach college and trade-school courses in machining and precision measurement. Witnessing firsthand the growing influence of NC and then CNC machining, he reasoned that the toolmaker of the future not only would need a toolbox, but a computer as well.
His vision of a smart, tech-savvy future led him to launch Harbec in 1977. He would operate a traditional business in a decidedly untraditional way. From its markets to its products to even its energy-conservation and sustainability efforts, Harbec continues, successfully, to carve a unique path.
In 50,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space, the company's 135 employees work across three shifts in a unique setting that includes leading-edge air/energy-reclamation systems and electricity-producing windmills. Now in its 41st year, Harbec performs primarily injection molding, CNC machining, mold building and 3D printing of metal and nonmetal parts. Adding to its forward thinking, the company has adopted a new automated part-finishing concept, which promises quicker and higher-quality post-processing of 3D-printed metal parts.
Harbec entered the additive-manufacturing (AM) arena about 25 years ago, according to Keith Schneider, its general manager, bringing in a machine for prototyping to supports its plastics division.
Today, Harbec 3D prints a variety of material, using two EOS machines for metal alloys, and Stratasys and 3D Systems units for plastics, along with some smaller desktop printers. Delivered to Harbec in 2005, a metal-part-producing EOS M 270, recalls Schneider, was one of the first such machines installed in the United States.
On the metal-AM side, Harbec produces tooling inserts to support its injection-molding operations, as well as parts for outside customers across a number of markets.
This direct-metal-laser-sintering machine builds parts that route to an adjacent surface-finishing machine at Harbec. Simple installation and quiet operation make the finishing-machine's location ideal, according to Harbec officials.
Finishing operations can represent a huge bottleneck in the 3D-printing process when creating parts, especially metal parts. Unfortunately, the term 3D printing has fostered the idea that the process is as easy as using an ink printer: Simply "print" a part and off you go. As we have come to know, there's so much more to producing parts via AM, and much of that involves the meticulous finishing process. Adopting the latest finishing technology is a no-brainer for Harbec, which also rides the leading edge on so many other processes and technologies.
Schneider sees a part as halfway done after printing.
"We CNC-machine 85 percent of the parts that come off of our machines, just for accuracy," he says. "Tolerances may be ±0.005 in. coming out of the machine, and our aerospace customers, for example, want less than ±0.001 in. So initially we look at the geometry and figure out exactly what areas must be machined to tight tolerances. We add additional stock to those areas. And, if we have surface-finish requirements, then we plan on tumbling the parts to meet those requirements.
In tune with the importance of rapid, accurate finishing, in 2015 Harbec brought in a prototype finishing (tumbling) machine from PostProcess Technologies (www.postprocess.com), after meeting the company's founder, Daniel Hutchinson, at an AMUG conference.
Edge rounding was Harbec's biggest concern with tumble finishing.
With what can be best described as smart technology, PostProcess' machines employ algorithms that control energy distribution. The algorithms work in combination with the chemistry of cleaning agents, the material properties of the cleaning media, and hardware that enables the entire system to function efficiently and quietly.
In 2017, Harbec brought in a new PostProcess Milli machine, incorporating newer technology and designed to practically eliminate noise. Harbec stations the machines directly next to its metal printers. During 3D Metal Printing's visit, we saw it positioned adjacent to an EOS M 290 direct-metal laser-sintering system. Only a 120-V electrical hookup is required to power the Milli, and like all of PostProcess' finishing equipment, the machine at Harbec rests on coasters for simple movement to wherever needed. The finishing machine's proprietary AutoMat3D software computes cycle times with detergent dosing based on the software's preprogrammed recipes, built from hundreds of benchmarked parts of almost every 3D-print material on the market. The Milli features a noise-suppression enclosure and single-button operation. It is self-contained, with premixed chemicals poured in, parts added, and the machine set to its programmed cleaning regimen with chemicals dispensed into the cleaning media automatically. Then, finishing can be forgotten as operators return to printing or other duties.
In operation, the machine combines vertical motion with PostProcess' reportedly environmentally friendly consumables to achieve the required surface finish. The Milli, ideal for larger parts with its 28 by 10 by 12-in. work envelope, can employ a divider to run two smaller-envelope sizes with different abrasive media.
PostProcess, claiming to be the first and only provider of automated and intelligent post-processing for 3D-printed parts (see Smart Finishing Takes Shape subhead), estimates that using its technology can provide cost savings of 90 percent as compared to full-manual-labor finishing, with an average ROI of 17 weeks.
Employing the automated surface-finish technology required only a short learning curve, according to Schneider.
Located adjacent to a metal-AM machine, this surface-finishing unit smartly and quietly does its job.
Now, while cycle times for finishing vary based on part geometry and materials used, the process does not hold up Harbec's manufacturing processes in any way, reports Schneider.
Before obtaining the new post-processing technology, Harbec performed "a lot of hand finishing, and everyone hated it," says Schneider, with a chuckle. "Or, we would intend to machine-finish the entire part and just print near-net on 100 percent of the dimensions, followed by CNC machining. That's still an option, but placing parts in the surface finisher and walking away is a much-less-expensive option.
Analyzing various methods for producing a part, stresses Schneider, is one area that sets Harbec apart.
Paralleling its flexible approach to customer needs, Harbec cross-trains its employees and can shift resources between processes as required.
It's clear that Harbec readily welcomes technologies and processes that can deliver better options for its customers. As hinted at earlier, this approach is part and parcel of the company's culture—unique among traditional manufacturers and fostered by Bechtold's long-time embrace of innovation. This includes environmental awareness, which began for him when he installed a windmill at home in 1980.
Today, two onsite windmills provide for 60 percent of the facility's energy needs, according to Schneider. And, the company reportedly was one of the first in the world to install a combination heat/power plant powered by microturbines. Here, as explained in a Rochester City Newspaper article, generators burn natural gas to create electricity, with steam produced during the process used for plant-wide heating and air conditioning. This provides another 20 percent of the company's required energy. The remaining 20 percent—only via carbon-free sources—is purchased from the grid. To offset Harbec's carbon emissions and those of company vehicles, the company purchases carbon offsets.
Conservation does not end there, however, as Harbec, through water recycling and rainwater retention, relies on municipally supplied water only for handwashing and drinking.
For his part, Bechtold, who once sought funding and acceptance of environmentally friendly initiatives based on a green philosophy, found much greater success pitching its real economic benefits.
Following years of interrogating radar systems for the U.S. Navy in addition to a background in engineering and additive manufacturing, Hutchinson, PostProcess Technologies' founder, president and chief technology officer, had an idea. Why not interrogate 3D-printed parts to better perform critical yet often overlooked post-processing? While design and build have garnered considerable attention during the ascension of AM, post-processing mostly was stuck in the past, with manual finishing—a 150-yr.-old task—the most common route for newly printed parts. According to the company's own research, in more than 95 percent of cases, printed parts have supports to be removed, and more than 60 percent require surface and/or other finishing. Seeing that labor-intensive manual finishing could be transformed via technology and automation, he got to work and in 2015 PostProcess was born.
Traditional finishing operations may house labs of employees, all with different skill levels, performing the somewhat mundane job of hand sanding. Companies may spend much time and money to recruit, train and retain these employees, and still, from part to part and batch to batch, finishing results will vary.
In developing the company, Hutchinson saw the need to educate the 3D-printing community on his belief that AM is an integrated process with design, build and post-print intertwined. By taking into account each of these three facets along with the others, a better total project outcome may be possible. Focusing strictly on AM parts and envisioning an integrated process, Hutchinson identified a culture that would drive machine development.
"Culture, machines, software, consumables—these four set us apart," he says.
Last September, PostProcess Technologies moved into its new Buffalo headquarters, which includes expanded space for the company's Finish3D lab. The lab houses R&D, customer-benchmarking and training activities, and offers product demonstrations.
In its facility, the company develops, refines and sells a suite of products, including support-removal, surface-finish and hybrid machines in various sizes, as well as wastewater-treatment technology. Key to machine performance is development of proprietary software that takes into account material properties, part geometries and finishing requirements to optimize agitation intensity and direction as well as the introduction of detergent.
Cleaning solutions and abrasive media can be selected to match the given materials and requirements. Together, these developments represent a first in finishing technology for 3D-printed parts, according to company officials.
Given its integrated-process culture, PostProcess often advises manufacturers on design and build issues that can affect post-processing, according to CEO Jeff Mize.
The company's equipment for removing the supports uses proprietary technology to check material density—in many cases, material density differs across supports and across parts—and remove supports while leaving the part intact.


1. How to create an elevator pitch from agent Rachelle Gardner. I always get tongue-tied when someone asks me about my novel, so it's probably good to have something prepared.
2. Things to consider when thinking about writing a sequel, from Amparo Ortiz's blog, No Rest for the Lazy, Sequels: What I Like as a Reader.
3. How to take a step beyond reading middle grade books and learn more from them, from a guest post by Carmelo Martino called Reading Like a Writer on agent Mary Kole's blog KitLit.
We send our work out to see if an agent, editor or publisher is interested and they respond with a "yes" or a "no thank you."
They are not rejecting us or our work, they are simply responding to us.
5. You'll never get a "Yes" if you don't keep trying.
I read a comment on someone's blog with this message (sorry, I didn't get the source, and the wording was slightly different) and it has stuck in my head. I'm going to put it on one of my computer stickies. Sometimes writing can be so discouraging, because it's hard. But the more writing and submitting I do, the stronger my writing gets. I am definitely deepening my understanding of what it means to be persistent.
I hope you had a great week. Did you learn anything interesting this week?
Between the ages of 9 and 14, kids are starting to explore relationships with people outside their families. They're thinking about how to be a good friend, who is not a real friend, and which friends they want to hang with. Someone might be your best friend for one day, and then not the next.
How can you use friends to develop your middle grade story?
Create conflict. Tension between friends increases conflict. For example, in Leslie Margolis' novel, Girl's Best Friend, dog-walker Maggie Brooklyn gets stuck working with her ex-best friend to solve a mystery. Talk about conflict! Other ways to create tension? Being too busy for friends, wanting friends when you don't have them, jealousy of a good friend...there are so many. Brainstorm for your own unique friend-related conflict.
Sidekick or support. Friends don't always mean conflict. They can help solve a mystery or provide support on an adventure (think about Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson books). Supporting friends make the main character seem more well-rounded, emotional or empathetic. They can also add humor or depth as part of a subplot. What if the sidekick always messes up? Or bails out the main character?
Provide information. A friend's different point of view can be a way for the author to add things that can't be shown through the main character. Conversations between a character and a good friend are one way to add in some backstory without creating an info dump. Something a friend has noticed might be an important clue. Just be sure not to rely on the friend too much or too often; the main character should take centre stage.
Beware of cliches. In books where the main character is a boy, one of the good friends is often a girl, to the point where it's almost becoming a formula. I think this is much less common in real life than in the world of books, because authors want the book to appeal to girls as well as boys. Watch out for stereotypes like the Hermione effect (smart girl sidekick).
Friends aren't always people. Middle graders have strong feelings for pets, other living creatures and even inanimate objects, so you can be create in the friendships you choose to include in your novel. For example, Bobbie Pyron's A Dog's Way Home focuses on the relationship between a girl and her dog. In Drizzle by Kathleen Van Cleve, the main character has a unique relationship with a plant.
Friends change with the situation. In real life, kid's friendships may be related to the activities they do. They may have one group of friends at school, but a different group of friends on their soccer team or at dance class.
Be realistic. According to at least one reader I talked to, it's annoying when a character in a book has only one friend. In real life, kids interact with many different peers in different ways. Capturing the flavour of that complexity in your story, even in a simple way, might add to the story believability.
Do you have any tips or suggestions for using friendships to strengthen a story? Have you read any good books where a friendship was essential to the story?
*As usual, if you have any links to other posts or resources on this subject, I'd be happy to add them to the list for our reference.
At Plot to Punctuation, there's a great post on using a sidekick character in your writing.
At Fuel Your Writing, freelancer Kolina gives some tips on how to use your own friends to improve your novels.
Three Good Things Giveaway Winner!
It's been such fun writing clues for the "mystery" book giveaway and giving away free books! I'm almost sorry to see it end. I'll have to do this again sometime.
I'm contacting Jen to let her know she's won. Sorry if your name didn't come up, but I hope you had fun playing.
For more fun and games, fellow blogger Susanna Hill is starting a game called "Would You Read It? Wednesday" that sounds like it will be fun. Tune in this Wednesday and check it out.
FYI, I'll be getting back to blogging as usual on Wednesday with a new post my series on The ABCs of Writing Middle Grade Fiction.
I've been participating in Deana Barnhart's Gearin' Up to Get An Agent blogfest through the month of July, and wow! Have I learned a lot! This is our last week, where we're posting the beginning 200 words of a novel for feedback (you can see what the other participants are writing by checking out the blogfest link). It's nerve-wracking, but exciting.
At the edge of the trash heap, Maya stood ready to run, her eyes fixed on the huge metal doors on the other side. Scrounging was the worst part of her day. The stench of rot and chemicals blocked the food smells that escaped from the city walls, ruining her game of guessing what they were cooking inside. The stink made it hard for her to imagine what she'd cook, if she had the ingredients. But since she'd turned thirteen, scavenging trash was her job.
Brushing away a buzzing fly, Maya tightened her grip on her gathering bag. She wasn't about to let a thief take advantage of her small size. The ground trembled as the doors clanged open. The trash machine rolled out, its giant black wheels grinding on the rusty track as it brought the huge metal bin outside the stone city walls. Around Maya, people edged closer, ready to pounce. Maya's feet twitched. Not yet, she thought. Wait for it.
The side of the bin closest to the doors started to rise, tilting higher and higher. An acidic smell exploded into the air. The contents of the bin poured out. Everyone darted forward, hands grabbing for garbage.
Today is the last day to enter to win Book #3 of the Three Good Things Giveaway. Leave a comment here or guess the book title from the clues for your chance to win a "mystery" middle grade novel.
The winner of the third book will be announced on Monday.
I don't know if you've noticed, but I have a page (and usually a spot on my sidebar) for Cool Blog Quotes. When I'm cruising around reading blogs, I sometimes find something that sticks in my head, either as a great piece of writing advice, or just something that inspires me to do better.
"...we need to surprise the reader. We need to make them see the moon in a different way, from a different angle, so that it will mean something to them again, so it won't just be background. In a way, we have to trick readers into really seeing the moon again."
Jeff Hirsch, Writing Tips: Seeing the Moon for the First Time, The League of Extraordinary Writers, July 20, 2011.
Three Good Things Book Giveaway Continues...and a Winner!
Did you guess the title of last week's "mystery" book?
It was Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord.
If you didn't win a free book this time, you still have another chance. The giveaway goodness continues!
Today I'm announcing the clues for the third and final "mystery" book in my three good things giveaway.
For a chance to win, all you need to do is comment on this blog post. To make it a little more fun, you can get more chances to win by guessing the book title from the clues below. Are you ready?
Comment on this blog post (1 entry).
1. The opening: "All I've ever wanted is for Juli Baker to leave me alone. For her to backoff—you know, just give me some space."
2. You may have seen this book as a Rob Reiner film, with actors Madeline Carroll and Callan McAuliffe (and the giveaway copy of the book includes photos from the movie).
3. The author of this book wrote The Running Dream (also on my 100 book list this year), is well-known for her girl detective Sammy Keyes, and is an avid runner.
*Remember, all of the books are fresh new copies of ones I've read so far for my 100 book challenge.
The deadline for entering this giveaway is Saturday July 23, 2011.
Over the past couple of weeks, I've returned to one of my earlier novels to work on bringing out the narrator's voice. One of the biggest challenges I'm finding is keeping it consistent. Sure, there are times when it all flows naturally, but then I read other parts and know they aren't quite there yet.
1. Re-read previous sections. By reading over a section of the story where you feel confident you've captured the voice you want, it helps you get the right "sound" for the character's voice into your mind.
2. Think about internal ways your character reacts. Like people, characters have their usual way of reacting or thinking about events. When this comes out in the story, it helps to strengthen their voice. For example, some characters tend to ask themselves mental questions. Others might make snappy interior comments. What does your character do?
3. Consider less common words. When you come to a larger, less common word in your writing, think about why you've used it. Would your character use that word? If not, what would they say instead?
4. Write a note from your character. If you're having trouble capturing your character's voice, try to put yourself in their shoes. Write a letter to another character, explaining any problem (doesn't have to be a problem in your story). This can help you discover the way the character puts words together, without the pressure of thinking about how it fits into the novel.
Do you have any other tips for creating a consistent character voice?
Three Good Things Book Giveaway!
It means a lot to me that you're reading what I have to say. I hope I give you some useful tips for writing once in a while. But, in addition to that, I'm giving back.
I'm giving away 3 "mystery" middle grade novels, and there are still two more books to give away! You can still enter to win this week's prize! Get your entry in by the end of today!
And watch for my announcement of the winner and the clues for the third book in the contest on Monday.
Last night, I saw the last Harry Potter movie -- what an awesome experience! [Don't worry, I'm not going to reveal anything about it in this blog post.] The Harry Potter series has been such a huge part of my childrens' lives, both through the books and the movies. Even at ages 15 and 12, they still play "Potions class" in the backyard with mysterious kitchen ingredients and potions kits made from spice bottles from the dollar store, and we have an impressive collection of Harry Potter themed Lego. I think we're all a little sad, now that we've seen the last movie.
Harry Potter for Writers is an entire blog dedicated to learning from the Harry Potter books.
Maybe now that I've read the series a couple of times, I can read it again with more of an eye towards learning. Have you learned anything from reading any of the Harry Potter books?
This week, I'm participating in Deana Barnhart's "Gearing Up to Get an Agent Blogfest" and we're having fun creating a story chain. My job is to: Let us know what the MC's flaw is (the thing she tries to work through throughout the story), using these words: justify, bookcase, nostril.
To see the part that came before mine go to Fiction and Film.
Was she crazy? Dio shook her head, as if that would make the noise go away. Then she kicked the computer. The whine subsided. Stupid junk! Why couldn't her parents spring for a newer model? As she started to type her password, it came to her. She'd make up a new name and a new personality. She could be someone else online, anyway. Someone with a better name, who'd have lots of friends. Someone who wasn't such a freak.
To be totally convincing, she'd need help.
Racing down to her father's study, she strode over to the bookcase. Where was it? It could be the solution to all her problems. It wasn't really stealing if she just borrowed it for a while. There! The one with the purple cover. As she pulled it out, a rotten egg smell filled the air, making her nostrils burn.
"Ow, make it stop!" she cried, rubbing her nose.
Don't think you can justify your existence by claiming to be popular. I know what you're really after.
To see the next part of the story, go to Meghan Kirkland.
Happy reading! I can hardly wait to see how this turns out!
Three Good Things Book Giveaway Continues -- and a Winner!
Did you guess the title for my first "mystery" book giveaway?
I'll be sending an e-mail to get the scoop on how to send her the book. But, if you didn't win that one, don't give up!
I'll be giving away two more middle grade books, one "mystery" book a week for the next two weeks. For a chance to win, all you need to do is comment on this blog post. To make it a little more fun, you can get more chances to win by guessing the book title from the clues below. Are you ready?
1. From the backcover copy: Wishes are slippery things. You have to be very specific or you can get exactly what you wished for and still end up with nothing.
2. A couple of the sayings from this book are "Never whistle on a boat" and "It's bad luck to change a boat's name."
3. Other books by the same author include: Happy Birthday, Hamster; Hot Rod Hamster; and Rules.
The deadline for this week's giveaway is Saturday, July 16, 2011.
1. Tasting yummy, whipcreamy, sweet strawberry shortcake for the first time this season -- a real summer treat.
2. Drawing! I haven't done any sketching for a long time, but it's so cool to have the time to do something I really enjoy. I should make time for it more often.
3. Hearing the familiar voice of an old friend I haven't heard from in a long time.
4. Writing a bunch of new ideas in my writing notebook. It seems like since I've been on holidays, there's more space in my mind to be creative. Do you ever notice that? I think I've gotten at least one new idea each day.
5. Selling some things we didn't need and reclaiming the space they took up -- yeah!
6. For a writing-related smile, check out my post, 5 Tips for Revising a Novel, over at MiG Writers.
Did you do anything that made you smile this week? What would you like to have time to do that you just can't manage to make work?
How Do You Get High Stakes in Your Novel?
I'm so excited to be part of Deana Barnhart's Gearin' Up to Get an Agent Blogfest!
One of the things I've been thinking about lately is related to plotting and stakes. I know it's essential to have something at stake for your main character. That is, something the character wants that motivates their actions. One of the comments I often get from my critique partners is that my character's motivations don't seem strong enough. I know this seems pretty basic, but I'd like to know more about creating "high stakes".
My question is: How do you know if the stakes are high enough? Do all the characters need some kind of stakes, or just the protagonist?
Sorry, this is really two questions (I'm an overachiever), take your pick!
Three Good Things Giveaway & a Blogfest!!
Just a reminder that my three good things giveaway has started! I hope the clues aren't too challenging.
And while I'm thinking about giveaways, Deana Barnhart has some great prizes to go along with her Gearin' Up to Get an Agent blogfest. I've signed up to participate and I'm really looking forward to it!
Enter to Win: Three Good Things Book Giveaway!
They say that good things come in threes and I'm celebrating three good things: reaching 100 followers, the start of my summer holidays, and finishing a solid round of revisions on Novel #4. I'm so excited, I want to pass along the goodness!
1. The first line of the book is: "It looks like a one-winged bird crouching in the corner of our living room."
2. A quote from the main character: "I like things in black and white. Black and white is easier to understand. All that colour is too confusing."
3. This book won the National Book Award in 2010 and the author's initials are K.E.
*All of the giveaway books can be found on my 100 Book Challenge list for this year.
The deadline for entering to win mystery book #1 is Saturday, July 9, 2011. The title of the mystery book prize (and the winner) will be revealed on Monday July 11th, along with the clues for mystery book #2.
It's Friday. It's Canada Day. And it's the first day of my summer vacation! Woohoo!
I'll be back to my regular blogging about writing on Monday. Today I'm off to Toronto's Centre Islands to watch the Dominion Day Regatta.


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Davis Cup: Great Britain lead Germany in quarter-finals after Dan Evans winon November 30, 2021 at 4:34 pm
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The "pork pie plot" is just the latest in a long line of attempted Westminster coups.
The radio station bringing worried Tongans togetheron January 20, 2022...
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NI to scrap Covid passports in pubs and restaurantson January...
Stormont ministers agree to drop the use of vaccine passports in hospitality settings from Wednesday.Image source, EPAStormont ministers have agreed to drop the use...
Carhartt facing calls for boycott over vaccine mandateson January 20,...
The US work wear maker says it is sticking to its Covid jab policy, sparking a conservative outcry.
Great Britain make the perfect start in their Davis Cup quarter-final as Dan Evans thrashes German opponent Peter Gojowczyk in the opening rubber.
Previous articleRay Kennedy: Former Liverpool and Arsenal midfielder dies aged 70on November 30, 2021 at 4:41 pm
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Covid bereaved families 'sickened' over No 10 Christmas partyon December 2, 2021 at 11:39 am
Business - December 2, 2021 0
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Man City 2-1 Paris St-Germain: Mauricio Pochettino left envious of "complete package"on November 25, 2021 at 12:01 am
Manchester City outplayed Paris St-Germain and with Mauricio Pochettino struggling to impose his style the Manchester United talk will not go away, writes Phil...
Sajid Javid says MPs should set example over wearing maskson October 20, 2021 at 8:31 pm
The health secretary is asked whether MPs should wear face coverings in the House of Commons chamber."Leaders need to lead by example and with...
Apple regrets confusion over 'iPhone scanning'on August 13, 2021 at 5:16 pm
Business - August 13, 2021 0
The iPhone-maker will introduce tools that can detect child sex abuse images uploaded to iCloud.image sourceReutersApple says its announcement of automated tools to detect...
Oprah's Legacy
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Queen to carry out first major royal duty since Philip's deathon May 11, 2021 at 7:05 am
The monarch will attend the State Opening of Parliament, a month after the death of her husband.The monarch will attend the State Opening of...
UK inflation jumps to 2.1% in Mayon June 16, 2021 at 6:44 am
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Real Madrid make a £137m bid to sign Paris St-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe.
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Contaminated blood inquiry: Matt Hancock to give evidenceon May 21, 2021 at 2:18 am
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Princess Beatrice expecting baby in autumnon May 19, 2021 at 9:28 am
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India orders 300 million unapproved Covid jabson June 4, 2021 at 4:19 am
The vaccine, currently in Phase 3 trials, is being developed by Indian firm Biological E.The vaccine, currently in Phase 3 trials, is being developed...
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Category: Sold Items. Tags: antique vaporizer, attics of vermont, atticsofvermont, barn owl vintage, barnowlvintage, vapo cresolene, victorian era medical device, victorian medical equipment, vintage medical equipment.
This is an antique lamp style vaporizer, complete with original box and liquid. Complete condition. Called the Vapo Cresolene, this device would warm the medicine to help relieve discomfort.
In aged condition. The vaporizer has no chips or cracks. The vaporizer measures 6.25 inches tall x 3.5 inches wide.


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Ephesiella peripatus är en ringmaskart som först beskrevs av Claparede 1863.  Ephesiella peripatus ingår i släktet Ephesiella och familjen Sphaerodoridae. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Havsborstmaskar
peripatus


Katie Price has sparked debate on Instagram yet again but this time it's over something REALLY unexpected.
The mum-of-five – who has just returned from a trip to Barbados with Kieran Hayler – proved on Wednesday that she's caught up on the news now that she's home by joking about a jar of Marmite.
Katie, 38, posted a snap of the product in front of a loaf of bread following recent speculation that there could be a shortage of the spread due to Tesco temporarily not stocking it over a price war with Unilever.
'Omg I better make the most of what I have left 😭,' Pricey jokingly captioned the snap.
It wasn't her current affairs-based quip that got her fans talking though – it was in fact the BREAD.
The loaf has a sticker on it reading 'still fresh', a label commonly used on reduced items in shops such as the Co-op, and so the fact that wealthy Katie is apparently buying cut-price items sparked a backlash from some of her followers.
Many Katie fans came to her defence in the bizarre row though and argued that everyone is entitled to buy reduced goods.
Katie hasn't responded to the slightly bonkers row but she's never been shy about her humble shopping habits.
The glamour model opened up about her 'normal' lifestyle in 2014, explaining on her FUBAR Radio show: 'My life isn't what people will think it will be.
So there you go, Katie Price = normal bargain-hunter.


There are only five importers – Egypt, Kuwait, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Israel – of LNG in the Middle East. Bahrain is expected to join the group this year.
Gas finds in Egypt and the UAE reduced the need for the liquefied fuel, and Jordan increased cheaper pipeline imports. "Domestic gas resources have been the main reason for LNG imports being subdued," said Fauziah Marzuki, a senior associate at BNEF.
Imports of LNG in the Middle East are dwarfed by Asia. Supply of the fuel – driven by the US, Qatar and Australia – is expected to rise almost 18 percent by 2030, and demand will grow more than double that rate. Even Kuwait, the region's biggest importer, barely registers in global terms. Its imports are even less than the smaller markets in Asia such as Thailand, Bangladesh and Pakistan.


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Home Soccer Leagues English Premier League Manchester United sack the special one after the poor start
Soccer Leagues
Soccer Top Teams
Manchester United sack the special one after the poor start
Samrat Dutta
The special one has been sacked by Manchester United following their disappointing start of the season in EPL.
The special one becomes the sacked one.
Under the Portuguese manager Manchester United have won last two games of their eight games and at this stage they are sitting at the sixth position,11 points off the fourth placed team.
That follows the earlier transfer window which the Portuguese complained about lack of signings for the Red Devils.
Jose Mourinho always continued drops the hint that he wasn't happy with the club's decision not to spend big in the transfer window and bag few big names in his squad, and now he leaves after two and a half years,with his final match in charge where his team bite the dust against Liverpool by 3-1 goals.
A united statement read: "Manchester United announces that manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect,"
"The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future.
"A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager."
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The Three Sisters chandelier was commissioned by the LGA Architectural Partners Firm for the Interior Design Show 2006. It was created for the Masco Corporation boot. Masco provides plumbing supplies and products, this inspired me to actually use plumbing parts to create the chandelier. While the base is steel the decorative parts are made from new and vintage plumbing parts. There are three "flowers" that are balanced like a giant mobile and responds to the air flow in the space as it slowly turns. The materials I used were hundreds of feet of shower hose, 1000 feet of ball chain, toilet handls, faucet handle, chandelier crystals and of course lights, it is 16 feet in diameter.
Originally made as a one off, it is now available for purchase and would be perfect in a large foyer in a condo or large home or ???


Five agriculture scientists attached to the e-Extension Centre of the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University have developed an exclusive mobile app for farmers.
The team was led by C. Karthikeyan, Professor of Agri e-Extension Centre, and the National Agriculture Development Project has funded Rs. 20 lakh for this project.
The mobile app is an extension of the web-based solution provided to the farmers. Earlier, farmers could access the information on web through the desktop or laptop computers. Now, they can access information related to five crops and animal husbandry enterprises on their mobile phones.
The app provides information on five crops namely paddy, sugarcane, banana, coconut and ragi. The materials are available in Tamil and English.
The app can be downloaded from google app store or from the website of the National Mobile Governance Initiative of the union government. Farmers have to follow the app step by step to identify the disease or the pest comparing the visuals or the video clippings provided for the purpose and the remedy for the same instantly.