text:
Is Kira a Serial Killer? Defining Death Note's Light Yagami as a Murderer
It might sound obvious to conclude that Death Note's Light Yagami is a serial killer, but the definition of such might not so easily collude.
However there are also sub-categories of serial killer which may fit more precisely. Not to mention other classifications of murderer, which approach the sheer scale of slaughter committed by Light Yagami through his Death Note and might even address it.
Near denounced Kira as 'just a murderer'. Fine. But would the FBI concur? Or might a more distinct label apply in its casebook? Time to find out if, as most readily assume, the designation serial killer actually does check out when held up against Light.
What is a Serial Killer?
According to Segen's Medical Dictionary (2012), a serial killer is usually - but not exclusively - an individual who:
kills three or more people;
over a period of thirty days plus;
with an inactive (or cooling off) period between each murder;
and whose motivation for killing is largely based on psychological gratification.
The FBI's Behavorial Science Unit (BSU) identifies a proto-typical serial killer (in the US) as:
Caucasian;
Around thirty years old;
Male;
Lower to middle class;
Sociopathic.
That latter grouping is easily dispensed with. So let's quickly get it out of the way first.
Is Light Yagami a Serial Killer?
Comparing the Typical Attributes of a Serial Killer to Light Yagami
There's an issue with the data concerning serial killer attributes. Unlike much of the other information provided by the BSU, this chart doesn't cover international cases. Its criteria solely relates to US citizens. (Read the PDF.) Nevertheless, we'll give it a go.
Since the late 18th century - when racial science first reared its ugly head - there have been a dozen or more definitions of the Caucasian taxon, and which ethnicities it covers. But as our goal is to assess the tag 'serial killer', the only one which matters here is what the FBI meant by Caucasian, when the Bureau made it a point of serial killing criterion.
Ethnologically Japanese, Light Yagami dodges a bullet in the FBI's definition of Caucasian - or 'white' as its literature elsewhere puts it - encompassing those races natively derived from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Kira doesn't count.
However, the notion that most serial killers are Caucasian is subject to fierce debate. Even the FBI's own statistics show Caucasians account for only just over half - 52.1% - of serial killers. The prevailing argument amongst academics is that such murderers, who otherwise fit the profile, may be found throughout all racial classifications. But non-Caucasian serial killers are unlikely to be the focus of blanket media coverage; much less central to several books, biographies, dramatized TV documentaries and finally a major motion picture release. In fact, most are lucky if they're even tagged 'serial killer' by the under-reporting press.
The rule of thumb seeming to be that, in the media, Caucasians may be serial killers, but non-Caucasians are always 'just a murderer'. It's less glamorous.
In short, Light Yagami may be a serial killer - albeit unlikely, as Asians made up just 0.7% of those profiled - but the US press is unlikely to bother with him. Ordinarily anyway. As Kira, he made quite a splash in the world's media. But by the time he got there, Light was deemed Saviour and Messiah, rather than any negative type of mass murderer.
Light Yagami contemplates his options for mass murder by Shinigami notebook
Less open to question are the next two items. Serial killers tend to be aged late twenties to early thirties, and 92.3% of them were male. When he first used the Death Note, Light was seventeen. By the time he was forcibly made to finish killing, he was twenty-four. Atypical then. Nevertheless, he was indeed male.
Without knowing much about Japanese social hierarchies in comparison to what 'lower to middle class' might mean in American society, it's difficult to call the next criterion. Would anyone else like to jump in here? While the final one - was Kira Sociopathic? - is well beyond the scope of this analysis. Hopefully it will be addressed in another article at a later date.
As for the rest of the data, eighty-eight of the serial killers profiled by the FBI came from Japan. We can only assume that once of them was Light Yagami, while the other 87 were despatched by him via his Death Note by and by. Unless, of course, we conclude that Kira wasn't a serial killer. In which case, the latter figure leaps by one and all unanimously become victims of Kira's regime.
This section of classification seemed doomed to be unhelpful from the start. Nor did it disappoint in that. To my mind, the result remains inconclusive in assessment of Death Note's protagonist and his murderous tendencies, though more discussion may pay dividends as regards the last two points.
Nevertheless, we can trust the BSU's serial killer demographics to be internationally pertinent from now on, thus relevant in examining Light Yagami.
Criteria of a Serial Killer in Relation to Kira
By writing the names of his victims into a shinigami's Death Note, Kira certainly kills more than three people over the course of much longer than thirty days. He has access to at least one notebook of death from 2003-2010, a period of seven years.
Within hours of picking up that initial notebook, Light Yagami has written his first victim's name inside the covers.
By the time he's dealing with Ryuk's sudden visibility - five days later - Light has filled whole pages of his Death Note with neatly written rows. Four abreast, each name denotes another slaughter; creating columns stretching down over 40-50 lines.
At the most conservative estimate, a single page holds around 160 murder victims - revealing their identities, as well as representing the mode of their demise.
We will never know precisely how many individuals were killed by Kira, but we can be very sure that it was more than three.
Moreover the time-scale stretches out over that entire seven year period. One of Light's very last acts was the attempted murder of Near. Just two days previously, he'd also written Kiyomi Takada's name onto a scrap of paper ripped from his Death Note.
His killing never stopped.
But to qualify as a serial killer, Kira needs to have incorporated cooling off periods between his killing sprees. There is one very notable time of inactivity, when he was held under L's detention in a prison cell. However, that counts more as enforced abstinence from slaughter. Though voluntarily there, Light felt the caged, 24/7 surveillance to be fundamental to his own survival and continuance as Kira. It was inactivity to ensure future activity. That was all.
Was there any other occasion when Light Yagami paused his usage of the Death Note? Without first setting up a series of secondary Kiras to do his killing by proxy? I'm struggling to identify one. Misa Amane; the Yotsuba Group; Teru Mikami; and Kiyomi Takada; all assisted in maintaining those relentless murders reaching across the globe, at Light's direct or indirect instigation, throughout the entirety of that seven year reign of terror.
It's difficult to see where any cooling off breaks occurred in their midst, let alone those regular enough for Kira to be considered a serial killer.
That would appear to be that. Kira cannot be a serial killer, if he doesn't fit all of the criteria. However, he isn't the first to fail at this part of the classification. It's occurred in reality too - notably with Andrew Cunanan - leading criminal justice historian Peter Vronsky to suggest a hybrid tag of 'spree serial killer' or 'serial rampage killer' could be usefully employed.
And look how he describes this sub-section of serial killing:
There are serial killers who live only one identity - that of killer. They seem to have no cooling-off period; they do not return to a normal routine, but remain focused on evading capture and perpetuating their compulsion to kill.
Peter Vronsky, Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters (2004), p 223
Over the next pages, he goes on to say how spree serial killers suffer some kind of nervous breakdown which traps them in this predatory persona. They cannot stop, hence the lack of a cooling off period. Nor can they retreat - 'they can never return back to their previous lives' (p 224) - they become the serial killer in all regards but inactivity. They become it 24/7.
I think Kira fits the bill right there, completely. Death Note's spree serial killer.
Finally, there's the fourth criterion - did Light Yagami kill for psychological gratification? By which is meant that the motive wasn't material nor honour based (such as robbery, profit, revenge etc), but something much more internally self-fulfilling.
Why Did Light Yagami Kill in Death Note?
A serial killer's motive for murder is typically slotted into four categories, subject to considerable over-lap. Two of which are instantly game over, when we apply them to Death Note to see if psychological gratification was a motive in Kira's compulsion to kill. In order from least relevance, they are:
The Power Controller
Doing it all to feel powerful; subjugating their victims in any way possible, just to have that rush of absolute domination. Light touched here when he had prisoners across the world do strange things before their deaths. But that wasn't really about power and control. It was merely testing his Death Note's capabilities.
The Hedonist
Thrill-seeking; pleasure pandering; killing because they can, and people are expendable. Forensic psychologists further split this group into three sub-sections: comfort, thrill and lust. Comfort hedonists are the closest serial killers get to robbery-based murders. It's all about getting hold of the material possessions of their victims, or eliminating an obstacle to personal power. Thrill hedonist serial killers want the adrenaline rush of causing terror and pain, whilst exerting absolute control over their victims. Lust hedonists are your Jack the Ripper types, getting their kicks from mutilation, torture, dominance et al, but mostly what's implied on the label.
Light Yagami wasn't beyond this category. His elimination of Lind L. Taylor, twelve FBI agents and Naomi Misora established that within the opening chapters of Death Note. But it wasn't his main raison d'être.
The Visionary
This serial killer is on a mission from God, or the Devil, or any other supernatural and/or divine entity. They haven't merely an urge to kill, but a mandate to do it. A duty; responsibility; instructions from something beyond speaking solely to them.
Or else they are the Devil. Possessed and given the right to murder all in their vision, as per ancient entitlement.
Or else they are God of this new world.
Then nothing must be countenanced to stand in their way. They have deified judgement to be exerted as mercy, punishment or whim.
A rationale punctuated with psychotic episodes divorced from reality.
The Visionary Light Yagami was a simple schoolboy less than a week ago,
now he's a serial killer and God
The Mission Orientated Saviours of Society
The world is rotten and the only way to save it from itself is to commit murder over and over again. Weeding out undesirables that society might heal itself and civilisation thrive.
Kill the baddies, so that decent people feel safe to walk the streets without finding themselves beset by murderers, assailants and thieves. Cleanse humanity by sending those deemed sub-human to their deaths.
Improve the world; make it a Utopia without evil.
Mission orientated Light Yagami had psychologically
gratifying motives for serial killing
Strangely these serial killers aren't generally psychotic (unless they have Visionary episodes). They genuinely believe their actions are just, and may even agree that the slaughter is unsavoury. It's a means to an end, that's all.
They have the strength to see their mission to conclusion; mentally prepared to kill everyone on the planet to save it from itself.
I think it goes without saying that we have a winner there. Two in fact, with an option on a third, though overlapping between categories of psychological gratification is usual in the motivation of serial killers.
BSU Serial Killer Background Check and Light Yagami's Life History
In the USA, the BSU studied life histories of known serial killers. Though researchers warned that serial killers could very easily hold down steady jobs, raise families and otherwise seem like fine upstanding members of society, some less savoury factors commonly and frequently arose.
In all likelihood, the background information in a serial killer's profile will include elements from this list:
Alcoholism;
Animal cruelty;
Arsonist/Pyromaniac;
Biochemical/genetic abnormalities;
Bullied in childhood or adolescence by their peers;
Childhood abuse victim;
Compulsive behaviour;
Drug abuse;
Drug addicted or alcoholic parents;
Engaged in petty crimes (like shoplifting or vandalism) for the thrill or because they could, rather than any material need nor as action under peer pressure;
Isolated socially as children or adolescents;
Low self-esteem;
Pathological lying;
Perinatal head injury;
Powerlessness in the face of their own urges to kill/unable to prevent or stop actually killing;
Propensity to retreat into habitual daydreams or a rich fantasy world, as an escape from reality;
Ritualistic behaviour;
Severe memory disorders;
Sexual assault - perpetrator and/or victim in the past;
Sexual deviancy;
Suicidal thoughts/attempts at suicide;
Unhappy childhood, or periods of profoundly interrupted happiness in childhood;
Unstable family life during childhood - broken home; divorced parents; separation from family; or some other breach in the parent/child relationship - commonly seen. Some studies suggest it's all about an absent father and domineering mother.
So how does the profile of a standard serial killer compare to Kira? I have my thoughts, but I'll leave this one open to discussion. Comment if you recognize anything from Light Yagami's past in there; or if you see nothing to fit him there at all. Let's hash it out between us.
But for now, I think it's fairly determined that Kira IS a serial killer, only he's one of the emerging sub-section suggested by Peter Vronsky labelled 'serial rampage killer'. Do you concur?
18/2/2016 19:50:25
I don't believe Light is a serial killer. Although he does have SOME of the characteristics of one. I just cannot justify calling him that. Perhaps my thoughts are screwed. I see justice in what he does. I do however believe that he suffers greatly from a Narcissistic Personality. Which in turn can surely turn him into having a Sociopathic Personality. Light makes me torn, some days I adore him and others I wonder what the hell he is thinking.
Matti (Death Note News)
I can see where the intent for justice lies, I just struggle with seeing the actuality where there is no judge and jury, no right of appeal and the sentence is always death. As an active opponent of the death penalty anywhere in the world, you can see how that sits ill with me.
How is it justice when he killed several law enforcement officers?
I could understand at first, but when he started killing FBI agents and others, he crossed the line from "justice" into cold-blooded murder.
Hadbabits
I don't think there's any question that Light Yagami could be defined as a serial killer.
Also unless I'm super mistake Death Note takes place in Japan and a cursory Google indicates there killers tend to be Japanese, unsurprisingly. So I don't know how relevant the American standard is.
Another thing not taken into account is that Light is dramatically changed by the Death Note. I think it's best displayed when he loses his memory while in captivity. Until he gets his memories back his thoughts show a definitive disgust for Kira's actions; and more revulsion at the thought that he could be Kira. I've always seen Death Note as an 'absolute power corrupts absolutely' kind of tale. In this case turning an snobby highschool twat into (more of) a monster. I actually find that aspect of the show quite comical.
And Kira isn't justice, just judgment. He doesn't know for definite that those he kills are guilty (not to mention those he kills who are just in his way). There have been people exonerated for crimes they didn't commit years after the fact. And testing your death powers on criminals is still a transgression of power. And everything about Light's personality and actions shows that he becomes more and more disconnected from humanity and thinks himself a god, his appointment and actions divine. But as Ryuk says in episode one, it was but an accident.


You've heard of superfoods — nutrient-rich fare like broccoli, salmon, kale, and sweet potatoes, celebrated for packing big-time health and fitness benefits.
We recently got to wondering: if superfoods are a thing, what about superexercises? Are there underappreciated or undiscovered movements lurking out there in the nation's top gyms that deliver serious boosts in strength and muscle in relatively little time?
According to the six top trainers we talked to, the answer is yes. Some exercises made the list because they stimulate new growth by making your muscles work in new ways; others because they engage an oft-neglected muscle group — which in turn helps those muscles function better, in and out of the gym.
Muscle by muscle, here they are — along with why they should have a permanent place on your exercise menu.
• Assume a plank position: forearms and balls of your feet on the floor, shoulders directly above your elbows, body straight from your head to your heels. This is the starting position.
• Without bending or rotating your torso, lift your right arm off the floor and hold it directly out to your side for 5 to 10 seconds.
• Return to the starting position, and repeat with your left arm.
• Continue alternating. Do equal reps on both sides.
Why it made the list: Your obliques — the muscles along the sides of your waist — are just as important for back health, function, and whole-body strength as your six-pack muscles, but often get short shrift in core workouts. This move changes that: "You can really feel your obliques if you drive your knee up and forward as you lower into straight-arm plank," says Kobrinsky.
From a push-up position, raise your hips into a downward dog position, keeping your body straight from hips to wrists and your legs straight while pressing your heels toward the floor. This is the starting position.
Keeping both knees straight and your upper body still, raise your right leg behind you as high as possible.
Without rotating your hips, slowly drop into a single-leg push-up position and draw your right knee toward the outside of your right elbow.
Return to the starting position, and repeat the movement on your left side.
Continue alternating. Do equal reps on both sides.
Secure a pull-up band (also known as a "looped resistance band" or "powerlifting band") to a stable, immobile object a few inches above head height.
Facing the anchor point, hold the band with an overhand grip, hands about six inches apart.
Step back to create tension on the band, allowing your arms to extend fully in front of you. This is the starting position.
Why it made the list: "The pecs thrive from being trained out of a stretched position under heavy loading," says Rusin. "The slight decline allows the shoulders to remain in a strong and stabilized position while extending the bottom range of motion." Simultaneously, the feet-up position keeps your upper back from overarching while in a decline position and ensures you find the right angle from which to attack the pecs.
Elevate one end of a flat exercise bench on two or three 45-pound weight plates.
Lie face-up on the bench, with your head at the lower end, holding two heavy dumbbells at arm's length above your chest.
Place your feet flat on the bench. This is the starting position.
Lower the dumbbells slowly to the sides of your chest.
Pause, and then press the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
Feel too unstable? Perform the move with your feet on the floor, making an effort to keep your lower back as flat as possible on the bench. If you can't perform the move without arching your back, use lighter dumbbells.
Why it makes the list: "The biceps don't just flex the elbows," says Nick Tumminello, 2016 NSCA Personal Trainer of the Year and author of Your Workout Perfected. "They also rotate your palm upward, a movement known as supination." By holding the dumbbells with an offset grip, he explains, the dumbbell provides resistance for both flexion and supination. "You're hitting the biceps in two ways," he says.
Grab two medium-weight dumbbells with an off-center grip (the thumb side of each hand should touch one of the heads of each dumbbell), and hold them at arm's length by your sides, palms facing in.
Keeping your elbows close to your sides, simultaneously curl the dumbbells toward your shoulders and rotate your palms upward.
Pause, and then reverse the move to return to the starting position.
Why it made the list: "In a regular triceps kickback, there's no tension on the muscle at the beginning of the move," says Tumminello. "Here, there's resistance throughout the muscle's entire range of motion." The result: More "time under tension," which is a key growth stimulus.
Secure one end of a resistance tube with handles to a stationary object about six inches off the floor (the leg of a couch works well).
Holding the free end of the band in your right hand, hinge forward at your hips until your torso is roughly parallel to the floor, and tuck your right elbow to your side.
Step forward or backward so that there's light tension in the band. This is your starting position.
Keeping your right elbow pinned to your side, extend your right hand behind you.
Squeeze your right triceps as hard as possible for a one-count, and then slowly return to the starting position.
Perform equal reps with each arm.
Loop a mini band around your legs, just above your knees.
Standing with your feet shoulder width apart and keeping your back flat, hinge your torso forward slightly at your hips.
Shift your weight fully onto your left foot, bending your left knee slightly, and raise your right leg behind you.
Now bend your right knee and raise it out to your side (like a dog, ahem, "utilizing a fire hydrant).
Keeping your hips level, hold the position for 45 seconds. That's one rep. Do two to three, switch legs, and repeat.
Why it made the list: "The resistance of the band matches the strength curve of the movement," says Waterbury. Translation: It's toughest where your muscles are strongest. That ensures that the lats become stronger through their full range of motion.
Secure a resistance tube with handles to a stable, immobile object just above head height (a door works well if you have an attachment kit for the resistance tube).
Grab the handles, and step back until there is tension with your arms are fully extended in front of you, palms facing down. This is the starting position.
Keeping your chest up, shoulders down, and arms straight, simultaneously pull both handles down to your sides.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and position a barbell across your upper chest. You can either support the weight on your fingers (palms up, wrists extended) or cross your arms and hold the weight in place with your palms facing down. This is the starting position.
Keeping your elbows up, back flat, core braced, and weight on your heels, push your hips back and lower your body until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor.
Pause, and then drive explosively back up to the starting position.
No barbell? Perform the same move holding two kettlebells or dumbbells in the rack position—elbows bent and tucked at your side, hands in front of your shoulders, palms facing in (if you're using kettlebells, their bodies should rest on the tops of your forearms).
Can't squat low enough? Just go as low as you can without compromising perfect form (described above). If you're limited by poor ankle mobility, you can elevate your heels on 10-pound weight plate to gain some range of motion.
Pause, and then reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
Why it made the list: Most people perform the calf raise with their knee(s) straight, which places more of the load on the gastrocnemius, one of the two muscles that comprise each calf. The other muscle, the soleus, is more involved in extending the ankle when the knee is bent. "So if you want to build balanced, rock-solid calves, you need to include both versions of the exercise in your training plan," says Trevor Thieme, C.S.C.S., Openfit's senior fitness and nutrition content manager.
Hold a dumbbell in your right hand at arm's length by your side and place the ball of your right foot on a raised surface, such as a step, a 25-pound weight plate, or the base an incline bench.
Holding onto something stable with your left hand (e.g., a wall, weight rack, or the backrest of the incline bench), cross your left ankle behind your right, bend your knees, and lower your right heel toward the floor. This is the starting position.
Keeping your knees bent, raise your right heel as high as you can.
Pause, and then lower yourself back to the starting position.
Do all of your reps, switch sides, and repeat.


text:
import cuid = require('cuid')

var result: string = cuid();

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Slicing dataframes using ipywidgets I am trying to create an interactive plot using IPywidgets and Plotly.
I have created and defined the plotly.go output that I would like as a method, and have validated this works using text variables, but I am now looking to define the inputs using IPywidgets.
The buttons have been defined and show up as expected, but the output underneath returns an error for the Plotly graph : AttributeError: 'str' object has no attribute 'loc'
The error points to the first line of the method, where I use an unput to create a slice from the DataFrame. Should I take this to mean that the DataFrame is being parsed(?) as a string file rather than as a DataFrame? How do I fix this?
I won't post all the code as it is quite long (unless deemed neccessary), but have summarised it below:
Code used to create the interactive plot:
# define a list of analytes to be used for the button
analyte_list = df['ANALYTE'].unique()
first_value = analyte_list[1]

# define buttons to be used on blank plots
sort_options = widgets.ToggleButtons(options = ['HOLEID', 'SAMPLEID'], description = "Sort Samples By:", disabled = False,
    button_style = "success")
analyte_options = widgets.Dropdown(options = analyte_list, value = first_value,   description = 'Analyte', disabled = False)
detection_limits_select = widgets.FloatText(value = 10, description = 'Detection Limits:', disabled = False)

widgets.interact(blank_plots, df = df, element = 'Ce', sort_by = sort_options, dl = detection_limits_select)

Code at the beginning of the method that is causing issues:
def blank_plots(sort_by, element, dl, df = pd.DataFrame):

    # create dataframe for selected analyte
    #dfa = df[df['ANALYTE']==e].copy()
    dfa = df.loc[df["ANALYTE"]==element].copy()

And the error output:
     16     # create dataframe for selected analyte
     17     #dfa = df[df['ANALYTE']==e].copy()
---> 18     dfa = df.loc[df["ANALYTE"]==element].copy()
     20     # define units
     21     units = dfa['UNIT'].unique().tolist()

AttributeError: 'str' object has no attribute 'loc'

Any advice welcomed, and I will answer any questions I can.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Betty-Anne Daviss travels the world training healthcare providers in vaginal breech birth, which often isn't attempted when a baby is breech, or feetfirst.
In the 40 years since she attended her first birth in Central America, Daviss has traveled all over the world — from the Northwest Territories in Canada to Germany to Afghanistan — to study, among other things, childbearing practices.
Aside from her unique journey to becoming a midwife, what sets Daviss apart from many other healthcare providers who specialize in childbirth is her expertise in vaginal breech birth. That means delivering a baby that's feet- or bottom-first instead of headfirst vaginally instead of by cesarean delivery, commonly known as C-section.
In some ways, Daviss, who also teaches in the women and gender studies department at the University of Carleton in Ottawa, might be considered a bit of a radical.
Last year, she helped publish a study that found there were significant benefits to a woman giving birth to a breech baby in an upright position — kneeling, on hands and knees, or standing —compared to lying on her back.


text:
MIT has a radio station!? by ARTalk
[by Shelby Heinecke '13] Yes, it's true!
[by Shelby Heinecke '13]
Yes, it's true. Believe it or not, MIT has its very own radio station, run by the students for the students (and for the rest of Cambridge/Boston to enjoy!). It's located in the cozy yet unfamiliar basement of Walker Memorial. It was one of the first places I visited during my CPW, and I encourage you all to visit it as well. Ever since I stepped foot in the station during CPW, I knew that I wanted to get involved with the radio station and have my very own show—and that's precisely what I did!
My show is called "Peaceful Purgatory" and it airs on Tuesday nights from 11pm – midnight (sounds late, but this is prime psetting hour = more listeners). You're probably wondering why my show has this name and where the heck it came from. You see, the name of my show conveys the unique combination of music I play; that is, hard rock/metal and classical music.
Here is a sample playlist:
"Quartet No. 1" by Sofia Gubaidulina
"Am I Evil?" by Metallica
"Children of the Grave" by Black Sabbath
"Violin Sonata No. 3" by Brahms
"Ciaconna in D Minor" by Bach
"Pathetic" by Lamb of God
"Achilles Last Stand" by Led Zeppelin
Hopefully you can see how the name of my show is relevant now! Not only do I play eclectic works, but I also give away concert tickets on air and sometimes I invite friends to chat on air or just to hang out in the control room with me. It's great to be able to have this hour of airtime, an hour of freedom. I can play any songs or pieces I wish, the sky is the limit. My radio show is a highlight of my chaotic week—it's a time where I'm forced to sit down, relax, and enjoy music. And you too can have a radio show at MIT. It's as simple as applying for airtime and preferencing your ideal timeslots. There are also perks with having a radio show, such as having full access to the entire record library. That's right, the ENTIRE library (think about the new music and artists you'll be exposed to! I've discovered quite a few interesting bands since I've been a member at the station). Besides the library, you also have access to free concert tickets, definitely one of the coolest benefits. There are literally concerts in Boston/Cambridge everyday of the week, and you can potentially see these great artists for free. Feel free to listen to WMBR streaming live on www.wmbr.org. The shows are also archived, so you can even listen to previously aired shows. Enjoy the great music of WMBR. Rock on!
P.S. Photos coming soon!
12 responses to "MIT has a radio station!?"
DUDE AWESOME MUSIC
+first xD
mukhe pakka 14 says:
haha! pathetic too eh? i will be your loyal listner, if that is, i get into MIT. We too have a great radio programme precisly at 11 around here. treat! you should move on to jazz too hehehe.
Really cool mix of genres. Classics and rock are awesome
P.S I hope I'll have a pleasure of listening MIT radio the next 4 years…))
Mei Z says:
Cool taste in music Shelby! Zeppelin and Bach are some of my psetting faves!!
Piper '12 says:
Trivia – WMBR, the name of the station, expands to Walker Memorial Basement Radio. I believe it was the first college radio station in the US.
Peaceful purgatory is the best thing about my Tuesday night!
jamesmgg says:
That is awesome. That is awesome. <3 Bach!
Piper – Hate to be a stickler, but WMBR was far from the first college. That Honor goes to WHA at Univ. of Wisconsin in Madison, which pre-dates the ancestor of WMBR, the low-power station WMIT, by 32 years. (1914 vs. 1946) By some accounts WHA was the first radio station, period.
Matto says:
this sounds totally incredible
i would play beirut and chopin all day. hahaha
Amethyst ('14?) says:
Shelby, if you've never heard of Apocalyptica, you might like them. Classically trained cellists (one of whom has/gave up a lifetime seat in the Helsinki Philharmonic orchestra) who turned to playing metal. Now they write their own songs, too–an interesting combination of classical and metal. I like your music choices If I get into MIT I will be a loyal follower of Peaceful Purgatory…Cheers!
martin('14?) says:
Awesome. I love your choices.
Sharon Rubin says:
My dad was the second ever general manager, program director, music director, and technical director of this radio station way back starting from 1967 until 1973 when he used to go to MIT. It's pretty cool to read this and see how much music has evolved while still keeping its roots at the same time. It's also cool to bond with my dad and talk about the old days haha.
Oh and I totally agree with Matto, Beirut all the way! And maybe some Yeasayer, Belle and Sebastian, and whoever else.
About ARTalk
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You are at:Home»Hot Toys»Movie and TV Toys»Prometheus lives up to expectations
Prometheus lives up to expectations
By Brian Vaughn on	 June 14, 2012 Movie and TV Toys
Prometheus could have gone either way…really good or really bad. It went really good, despite what you might read elsewhere.
I talked about my high expectations for Prometheus a couple of weeks ago before its release. I can thankfully and happily say that the movie lived up to what I thought it would be. It wasn't perfect but it did everything it needed to do to entertain the audience while keeping sci-fi nerds like myself happy.
The tagline for Prometheus is "They went looking for our beginning. What they found could be our end." And that couldn't be a more appropriate phrase because that's exactly what happens. A band of scientists lands on a planet looking for the answer of why and how humans were created. Obviously they find something a little different and chaos ensues. I'm not going to go on in detail about the events because you can get all that (and probably already have) in other reviews. Instead I'm going to outline what I thought was done right, what I loved and what could have been better.
The following does contain spoilers so you might not want to continue unless you've already seen the movie…or unless you don't really care.
More than just eye candy
One of things I was looking forward to the most in Prometheus was the world created by the visuals and style…and there are zero disappointments. Everything in Prometheus is gorgeous and looks exactly like it should. A lot of time is spent in a spaceship and in the alien cave but every scene was delivered wonderfully. The CG in the film is blended wonderfully with the live action, which is where I feel many films still fall short. The weapons, the suits, the spaceships and all the aliens fit the sci-fi bill exceptionally well.
Beauty is definitely Prometheus' strong point
But movies don't live or die by their visuals. Story and characters do make a difference, and both are well executed in Prometheus. Noomi Rapace is a perfect fit as a somewhat "modern day" Sigourney Weaver if for no other reason in that she comes off as a very tough woman that doesn't sit around and wait for someone to help her. I think that type of role and emotion is hard to pull off convincingly but she does it wonderfully. I also think it helps that Noomi isn't quite an A-List celebrity so you're not really challenged to suspend your disbelief that she is who she is supposed to be.
On the other side of that coin, I think Michael Fassbender might just be a robot. His android performance in Prometheus proved worthy of all the hype in the weeks leading up to release, but for Alien fans it was all about how David the android would fit into the story. In Alien the android went berserk and tried to kill people. In Aliens the android was a good guy. So how would the android be played in Prometheus? The whole time you feel he's kind of doing his own thing but does that mean he is gaining emotions and learning? Or was it some sort of pre-programmed instruction? Maybe he himself is evolving? Even at the end of the movie I'm not real sure…but that's okay! A few of the reviews I read about Prometheus criticized the movie's lack of answering all the riddles that existed both in and outside of the movie, but I welcome those questions because it makes you think about the film rather than just take it at face value. Don't get me wrong, I'll be the first in line to enjoy a mindless romp through an action film, but I'm all for getting deep with a movie if that's not all it is. Being deep for deep's sake is wasted on me. Prometheus delivers a good balance of thriller/suspense, eye candy and social commentary…and for once, I think the commentary is the best part of the movie.
Fassbender's android steals the show but Noomi Rapace is a worthy Signourney Weaver heir.
The whole premise of Prometheus is origins and evolution. Humans are trying to find out where they came from, and along the way, we not only get that answer, but also learn about the aliens themselves, which we can then take and think about how Prometheus evolves into the other Alien movies. Looking at the trailers before seeing Prometheus it's easy to say this movie is just rehashing the old movies but it's really not. The scene in Prometheus where they find the giant head and cylinders looks a lot like the egg scene in Aliens which makes a lot of sense once you learn that those aliens evolved from the Prometheus aliens. There are a lot of events like this in Prometheus that make you think back (or really ahead) to the other Alien movies, making them even more enjoyable. The aliens, the android, the spaceships, the "evil" corporation…they're all in Prometheus and they all get you thinking about the timeline in this universe and it's a lot of fun.
Prometheus might create more questions than it answers, but that's okay
However, even though I feel Prometheus is a wonderful example of what good science fiction can be, there are a few places where I would have loved to see and learn more. On top of that list is the Weyland character that funds the entire expedition. Much like in the movie Contact, Weyland comes off as this bored billionaire who had nothing else to do with his money, so why not help some eccentric scientists achieve their unbelievable goal? Plus I think they severely underutilized Guy Pearce in the role. He is a great actor that can do so much more than act like a crazy old person. To fall in line with the theme of the movie, I would have liked to see some evolution of his character. There was a promotional vignette on YouTube that featured Guy Pearce as Weyland at a TED talk in the "not too distant future" which kind of primed the pump but I have to say that I was not expecting to see him as a 90+ year old man in the movie.
Prometheus does a wonderful job at setting up what becomes the Alien universe. The movie is exciting, beautiful and well played. The end result is a movie that gives you Blade Runner-esque questions but doesn't suffer from the same slow pacing. There's not a lot of action in Prometheus but the film never drags, it keeps you looking for the next big event. In some ways those big events never come to fruition but all the energy you invest into those emotions will come out AFTER you leave the theatre and spend hours discussing what you saw with your friends.
alien Aliens blade runner featured Michael Fassbender movies noomi rapace prometheus ridley scott
Brian Vaughn
Brian is a staff writer at TMA. He races Hot Wheels at RedlineDerby.com while watching cartoons with his kid. You can follow @morningtoast on Twitter.
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Two Valleys fresh produce was founded in May 2011 by John & Ella.
We started out selling fresh pork & beef from our family farms in Slaithwaite & Holmfirth by way of a home delivery service & local markets/festivals. In 12 months we came a long way and bought our first shop in which to sell the produce from. This shop (formerly R&J Lodge) already had it's own excellent reputation and we now aim to keep the good name and build on this.
A little bit about the farms & family background….
The Bamforth family have been farming in the Colne Valley for over 60 years & in the Holme Valley for over 15 Years.
The two Family Farms are nestled within the hills of the two valleys (hence the company name) which are now being run by the 2nd & 3rd generations of the family. On the farm we pride ourselves on the welfare of the animals we breed & we certainly know how to breed them for the tastiest of flavours.
Until May 2011, the family farming business consisted of breeding & rearing the cattle & pigs for the wholesale market only & also a milk round covering a wide area of Huddersfield. We then decided to branch out and diversify the family business & Two Valleys was born.
As you can see we have a wealth of farming expertise behind us & with this combined with the knowledge & expertise of an award winning pie making champion, definitely makes for some excellent produce.
Besides the produce from our farms, we believe in stocking the freshest local produce in our shop and aim to stock only local (wherever possible).


In the jailbreak store known as Cydia, apps and tweaks are distributed by means of independent repositories. These 'repos' serve as distribution channels for offering Cydia packages to customers from different companies and developers.
iRepo, by Itay, is a $1.99 Cydia app that lets you host your very own repo from the iPhone. You can upload .deb files for other Cydia users to install, and you can share packages with friends that would be too large to email otherwise.
The best part about iRepo is that you don't need to know the technicalities of how repos and Cydia packages work. The iRepo UI and setup is easy for beginners, and anyone can host their own packages. We will note that we've run into trouble with iRepo's general usability, and it seems to be hit or miss. Hopefully the app will be improved with future updates.
Once you've purchased iRepo in Cydia, the app will install itself on your iPhone's homescreen. You can then enter the app and configure your repo's settings and details to start hosting. There's also the option of adding a password to keep your repo's access limited to only certain people.
When the details are entered, tap "Save" and then "Enable Repo." Then you'll need to SSH into your iPhone through your favorite desktop client to add your .deb files. To learn how to SSH into your iPhone, refer to our detailed tutorial. Refer to our tutorial on how to manually install .deb files for more information on that topic.
Jeff didn't have a very good experience with the package, but perhaps your experience will be different.
Let us know what you put in your own Cydia repo. How will you be using iRepo to host packages? Also, feel free to leave any questions or comments below.


We provide a professional cleaning and pressure washing service covering Portsmouth, Southampton, Chichester and surrounding areas. Using the most advanced pressure cleaning equipment available, we can clean and restore exterior surfaces to a standard that very few companies can match.
Whether residential or commercial we are always careful to use the right amount of pressure and proper environmentally friendly chemicals. We take particular care of all our customers ensuring the highest standard of work is carried out at all times.
Hover over the images to see before and after pictures of our work.
© 2019 ProDrives & Design Ltd.


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Work continues on eternal flame
There's a "Fake" Flame at JFK's Gravesite
While the Real Flame Is Rehabbed
The eternal flame, the iconic symbol that has marked President John F. Kennedy's grave since his burial in November 1963, is at the moment basically a fake flame. The real flame is undergoing rehab. The Arlington National Cemetery public affairs office uses the term "temporary" in explaining the current status of the flame. It is only the second time a temporary flame has been used at the site. The cemetery spokesperson says the permanent flame will be reinstalled in mid-October.
Visitors to the site will notice that the permanent flame site is capped with a metal plate. Behind it is a gray box with a flame.
The initial symbolic flame was lit by Jacqueline Kennedy on November 25 at her husband's funeral ceremony, three days after he was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. That flame was also temporary and eventually replaced by a permanent flame, composed of natural gas and air to achieve a distinctive and consistent color and shape. According to the website for the gravesite, the flame employs "a constantly flashing electric spark near the tip of the nozzle [that] relights the gas should the flame be extinguished by rain, wind, or accident."
There have been occasional flame malfunctions, and a major repair began early this year. An initial upgrade included installing new gas lines, automated controls, and a new electrical conduit and cable, according to the US Army Corps of Engineers, who oversee the technical maintenance. The current flame upgrade is additional work.
Our inquiry with Arlington Cemetery received this reply: "We have a temporary flame out right now while we continue to repair the [permanent] flame. We expect the [permanent] flame to be placed back in the mid-October timeframe." The temporary flame is propane gas. The spokesperson says the permanent flame "will use natural gas and the gas line will be underground."
In addition to John and Jacqueline, two of the couple's children are also buried at the gravesite: Patrick Bouvier, who died soon after birth, and an unnamed daughter who was stillborn. JFK's brothers, Robert and Ted Kennedy, are buried nearby and there's also a marker for their older brother, Joseph Patrick Kennedy.
Posted by Joseph Backes at 5:10 AM


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Home to all things comedy from the Upright Citizens Brigade
Josh Covitt
Josh Covitt has been studying and performing at the UCB theatre since 2006 and currently performs with the Harold team, Outside Dog. He's so proud to call UCB his home-stage and is pleased as punch every time he gets to perform there. Other UCB credits include: The Ruckus (Harold Team), Kirkland's Signature (Maude Team), The Attack!, Shovitt, Hubble Telescope, Sketch Cram, Under the Influence, Tricia & Johanna's Lady Parts, Quick and Funny Musicals, Glum!, Dirtiest Sketch in LA, and The UCB Variety Hour.
In 2010 Josh was a performer in IO West's "The Ultimate X-ecution: The Search for LA's Best Improviser." Josh was voted the winner of the competition after 16 weeks, becoming the third UCB performer to win it after Heather Anne Campbell and Dave Theune.
Josh also co-founded the sketch group, The Attack!, who's videos have been featured on the front pages of YouTube, CNN.com, The Huffington Post, UCBComedy, Funny or Die, Crackle and Break. His work in viral comedy videos has amassed over 150 million views collectively, including the hits "Talk to Kids PSA," "Clumsy Best Man Ruins Wedding," "Undercover Karaoke With Jewel," and "Ryan Gosling Stole My Best Friend."
Outside of sketch comedy and improv Josh has appeared in dozens of commercials, many of which where he plays a dumb husband or boyfriend. Although he did once play a heroic FedEx delivery guy who was stuck in an action movie... but he's usually a dumb husband.
Performer >
NY Hell's Kitchen
NY At SubCulture
UCB In The Press


Friv They Came From Planet X!
Friv Games February 15, 2015 Fun game friv They Came From Planet X, this game is in the category Arcade & Action Friv Galaxy Defense needs your help. Hostile Planet X Alliance marauders have been spotted in the beta sector near base #4432. They came from Planet X and they want to destroy the galaxy! Pilot through the invaders and defend the base from attack. Use the arrow keys to move your ship and the space bar to fire. Purchase upgrades to enhance your fighting power. Now is the time for all good fighters to come to the aid of their galaxy. Do you accept the mission?
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Buffalo Mountain Grille was opened in 1997 by Pam & Lin Phillips.
The Buffalo Grille opened its doors on Valentine's Day 1997. Pam & I, young and impetuous and in our mid-20's decided to take our youthful exuberance and apply it to a trade in which we both had plenty of experience. Fortunately, our customers were forgiving through all the hard lessons we learned. And in the years since, we have striven to improve your experience and service every year. Through it all, there was one lesson we never had to learn, and that is quality comes first.
Serving the Finest Food & Spirits Since 1997!


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Q: How to insert row in sql sever table if table contains only two columns one is identity and other one is default constraint create table schedulerdatetime(
id int identity(1,1),
entry_date datetime default getdate()
);

How to insert row in sql sever table if table contains only two columns one is identity and other one is default constraint


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Pradeep Zoology Volume 1 & 2, Sem. 5 & 6 (P.U.) by P.S. Dhami & J.K. Dhami Edition 2020
Zoology Volume 2, Sem. 5 & 6 (P.U.) by P.S. Dhami & J.K. Dhami Edition 2020
Pradeep Zoology Volume 1 & 2, Sem. 5 & 6 (P.U.) by P.S. Dhami & J.K. Dhami Edition 2020 quantity
Categories: BSC(Sem5&6), College Books(P.U.), Science.
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Understanding Biochemitry Biomolecules by Akhlash P Singh
Kalyani E-Commerce Revised Edition for B.C.A, 6th Sem., (P.U.) by Sushil Bhardwaj & Puneet Kumar, Edition 2021
Unimax Elective English grammer for B.A. Part 1 (P.U.) Sem. 1 & 2 Section B by Varinder Kumar Setia & Tajinder Kaur Edition 2020Arts, BA Sem 1, School, College Books(P.U.)
Administrative Theory by Dr. C.M. Mahajan & Ajay Kumar Sharma Edition 2020Arts, BA Sem 1, School, College Books(P.U.)


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Major Lazer and Marcus Mumford enlist artists across the world for 'Lay Your Head On Me' visual
April 24, 2020 Giorgia Whyte Entertainment
Major Lazer has released a collaborative new music video to accompany the group's recent Marcus Mumford collaboration "Lay Your Head On Me." The artists enlisted director Filip Nilsson for the video, which is comprised of 177 clips from 28 different countries. Nilsson reached out to artists with a simple request: "Do your best, it doesn't need to be perfect. Be yourself. We like you as you are." They then cut together a video with people dancing from all over the world, separated by clips of Mumford playing the guitar and singing.
"When we started working with this simple idea over a month ago COVID-19 had just started to get a grip of the world," Nilsson says. "During these weeks we have seen tapes from people all over the world. The response was way more than could have been expected and it was amazing to see the different interpretations of what we requested from people. It's so touching that all these people took the time to learn the dance routine or to play the music in such a short amount of time. The positivity and honest love they shared is something I really wanted to come through in this video."
The video is a colorful collection of people all over the globe dancing and celebrating in the midst of a difficult time. Major Lazer's recent folk-inspired crossover cut, and its new video, serve as the perfect mood lifter as we continue to socially distance ourselves across the globe. Watch below.
Tags: covid-19major lazerMarcus Mumfordmusic video
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Material & careMaterial: Metal, Glass Diameter of gemstones/pearls: 1.0 " (Size One Size)Konplott Wo..
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Stine Goya's focus on feminine silhouettes combined with bold patterns is made evident with this stretch-jersey Joel dress. Featuring flattering stripes in blue, green, orange and white hues, this stylish offering features a slender bodice that falls into a voluminous skirt from the gathered waistline. For a contemporary, off-duty ensemble, wear it with a pair of sneakers and a cross-body bag.
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Bayelsa govt fumes as militants attack NSCDC personnel
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15 Killed As al-Shabaab Militants Storm Somali Town
Emmanuel Yashim Sep 8, 2020 0
At least 15 people were killed on Tuesday when heavily armed al-Shabaab militants stormed government offices and military checkpoints around the strategic town of Bal'ad. SEE ALSO: Gunmen Invade Community in Nassarawa, Kill Traditional…
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Aregbeshola Isaac Aug 22, 2020 0
Suspected Islamist militants killed 13 people during raids on two villages in eastern Congo, the army and a village chief said, the latest in a spate of attacks the United Nations says may constitute war crimes. SEE ALSO: Burger King…
3 militants killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir gunfight
Babatunde Abdulfatah Jul 18, 2020 0
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Babatunde Abdulfatah Jun 28, 2020 0
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Troops Raid Militants Hideout in Rivers, Recover Cache of Arms
Sumaila Ogbaje May 17, 2020 0
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Yahaya Isah Aug 21, 2019 0
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Four militants, including a Taliban local leader were on Tuesday killed in a clash in Afghanistan's northern Takhar province, according to a local source.According to Abdul Khalil-Khalili, the press officer of Afghan army acting on a…
Afghan forces kill 17 militants in eastern province
Halima Sheji Jul 4, 2019 0
No fewer than 17 militants loyal to the Taliban were killed and five others wounded following a clearance operation in Qarabagh district of the eastern Ghazni province in Afghanistan, an official said Thursday.Afghan special force…
"We will declare Niger Delta Republic on June 1" – Militants
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A group of Niger Delta militants has threatened to declare the region as being a sovereign republic, come June 1.In the statement which was released by its Director of Information, Maxwell Dan, the militants stated that the reason for…
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Former agitators in the Niger Delta region have made some bold statements, threatening to embark on a protest that will disturb activities in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.They explained that the Federal Government has refused to…
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Prof. Charles Dokubo, Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), on Wednesday, promised that trained Niger Delta Ex-agitators would be reintegrated through effective empowerment for development of the country.Dokubo gave this…
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4 Ex-Niger Delta Militants Employed As University Lecturers
Owolabi Oluwasegun Mar 18, 2017
Four of the former Niger Delta militants who were part of the Presidential amnesty programme aimed at adding value to lives of youths of the oil rich region have been employed as lecturers.Four of the former militants were revealed to…
Human Skulls, Calabash Of Blood Found In A Church In Imo State
Jide Feb 4, 2017
The Arch of Covenant Ministry located at Ububo -Alia, Awara in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo state and headed by Pastor Ngozi Odika has been discovered to be used as a spiritual ground for militants who patronize him for…
IS militants abduct 13 lecturers in eastern Afghanistan
Islamic States militants have abducted 13 lecturers at a religious school in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday, an official said."The teachers were busy taking examinations from students in Shpoly area when they were…


If you've acquired a facility with stained glass that needs replacement, consider repairing and reusing it elsewhere. There are many ways to reuse old glass in new church facilities, helping to establish the purpose of the building and create a sense of community. Some of the old glass could be adapted and used in entryways as sidelights or as transoms over doors. They could be joined together as a divider or partition in the common areas. Damaged or old stained glass can be affixed against larger windows or illuminated in church offices or Sunday School rooms. They could be used in smaller meeting spaces such as a chapel, library or prayer room. The old, sacred stained glass will help distinguish a new facility from a school auditorium or theater.
If you do not want to reuse the stained glass in your facility, there are ways of selling it to other churches or antique stores for similar reuse. It can also be offered to the congregation for reuse, some members may be able to proudly display the glass in their homes or workplaces.
Organs can be moved and refurbished with proper care. If you have an organ that is no longer useful to you, it can often be sold or donated to another church or the local community center. The assessment of the strength of the case for relocation will sometimes be obvious and on other occasions delicately balanced. If you would like to place an advertisement, be sure to include the organ's dimensions, age, and photographs. A full report should be made of an organ before it is dismantled, both when it is going straight to a new home and when it is not. Putting an organ into storage is very much a last resort and is generally not advisable, buyers want to see and hear what they are getting.
Do you have pews that no longer meet the needs of your congregation? The friendliest option is to donate or sell them to another local church in need of new seating. Pews are also commonly trimmed down and sold to the congregation and community for reuse as benches in residential homes. They can also be donated to the local community center or senior citizen center for use in large meeting areas. Although the wood won't hold up outdoors in some climates, pews donated to local governments can provide comfort at bus stations or community gardens. Another option is to sell them to a rental company – many outdoor weddings are attempting to blend the feeling of a traditional church service with nature and wooden pews are a trending request.
If your congregation has been blessed with new bibles or hymnals, take a second thought before disposing of your discarded books. Offering them to your congregation for home use is a viable way to reuse worship materials. Books can also be donated to other local churches or shelters.
Just as you do at home, think first before throwing something out from your place of worship. Although a purpose may not be immediately evident, items from your church have the ability to serve and please others for years to come.


text:
BooksToggle Dropdown
Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History Chronological, geographical, and thematic exploration of history of art from around the world, as illustrated by Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.
Smarthistory Interactive art history website -- browse by time, style, artist, or theme. Includes video files. Smarthistory is the result of a collaboration of more than 300 art historians, archaeologists, curators and academics who want to make the highest-quality art history resources freely available to a global audience.
These are just a few of the books on art history topics available in print and online through Plough Library.
The Art Atlas by John Onians An invaluable guide to world art from prehistory to the present, complete with over 600 maps and illustrations and a searchable CD.The Art Atlas is the first work to present the art of the entire world from ancient to modern times through extensive use of specially commissioned maps.
Call Number: 700.9 O94 2004
The Brilliant History of Color in Art by Victoria Finlay
Call Number: 701 F56 2014
Critical Terms for Art History by Robert S. Nelson (Editor); Richard Shiff (Editor) (Credo eBook) Consists of essays that cover a wide variety of "loaded" terms in the history of art, from sign to meaning, ritual to commodity. Each essay explains and comments on a single term, discussing the issues the term raises and putting the term into practice as an interpretive framework for a specific work of art.
World Art History and Its Objects by David Carrier (EBSCO eBook) David Carrier, a philosopher and art historian, does not attempt to write a world art history himself. Rather, he asks the question of how an art history of all cultures could be written—or whether it is even possible to do so. He also engages the political and moral issues raised by the idea of a multicultural art history.
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Next: Images >>
URL: https://libguides.cbu.edu/art
Subjects: Arts, Images
Tags: art, artists, graphic design, images, painting, photography, sculpture, visual art


I've asked myself this question many times throughout my life and I am perplexed at the answer. I believe God created us for specific reasons, and I know one of my spiritual gifts is to encourage those that God has placed in my path who needs uplifting in their time of need. However, I often wonder why me and why this particular spiritual gift? Nevertheless, I believe that's how God designed us in order to help others. If we're too busy focusing on ourselves, how can we help those in need?
After researching my gift of exhortation, I learned why I react to people who talk to me about hurtful matters in their life. Exhortation means to come along side of someone with words of encouragement, comfort and consolation. Sometimes, I can become so passionate and ready to give people encouragement and friendly advice in order to help them through their personal situation. It feels so natural and I'm happy to share and encourage others. Therefore, why not me when its part of who I am.
Many times throughout my life, I have felt overwhelmed trying to encourage others through their personal dilemmas. We all have problems we have to deal with and to be honest, I also have a lot piled on my plate. Somehow, my God uses some of those experiences to counsel and help those he's placed in my path. It's a labor of love more than anything else at times. It keeps me focused on what really is important in this life. I'm passionate when helping and giving of myself to others in spite of my own circumstances. I now understand, when God gives you a gift, it's not something you hold onto, it's something you have to share or give away. That's why it's considered a gift. We all have different spiritual gifts that was meant to help human kind whether its helps, teaching, giving, leadership and so on.
One of my closest friends I met several years ago went through difficult experiences during her lifetime. Her mother died of cancer and she found it very hard to cope. Then her father, a year later was also diagnosed with cancer. Feeling overwhelmed and distressed, she turned to me for encouragement and prayers. We spent a lot of time together as I tried to counsel her through her particular situation. Then she was diagnosed with cancer and couldn't let go of the disharmony in her life. Later on, one week after her father died, she also passed away after battling cancer for more than one year. I thank God I was able to be part of her life during her personal struggles. Not only did I try to encourage her through those storms, but I also learned about friendship, life and death .It was the worst of times yet I know God was in control.
I was saddened by the turn of events, but I was thankful God allowed me to be part of her life, even for a brief moment in time. I was there for her when she needed me for support. Why me or why any of us? I believe God demands our best and he has placed in everyone the ability to help those in need using our natural God-given gifts. Do you know what your spiritual gift is and how you can help others?


Arsenal need a centre back, luckily there're three Premiership ready models available this summer. But out of Gary Cahill, Phil Jagielka and Christopher Samba who should Arsene turn to?
If you ask anyone who knows football is a game played with your feet they'll tell you Arsenal have been crying out for a no nonsense stopper at the back since Sol Campbell considerable back side shuffled out the door of the Ashburton Grove.
Bolton's Gary Cahill, Everton's Phil Jagielka and Blackburn Rovers' Christopher Samba are three Premiership ready centre backs available this summer for the right price, but who will be best suited? We've put together a matrix, ran the players through it so we can find out once and for all.
All three can be described as no nonsense. Gary Cahill is probably the most technically proficient which is a big thing when you play for Arsenal. Cahill is also very mobile, comfortable defending anywhere on the pitch. However he's not as mobile s Phil Jagielka who's the fastest of the three and is best suited to play 'out of position' able to do a sterling job at left back or midfield if called upon. As for Chris Samba he's big, like Sol, powerful, like Sol and has decent pace, like Sol. He's also more cultured than Campbell but I suspect he can't do as many kick ups as the other two.
Gary Cahill: 9/10 Technical proficiency gives him the edge.
Phil Jagielka: 8/10 Speed is important to Arsene Wenger. The quickest of the three.
Samba: 8/10 Apes many of the qualities that made Sol Campbell so important to the Gunners.
They all play for teams that used to pride themselves on being hard to beat but Bolton and Blackburn are moving away from that. This time last year going on the way his team mates were set up to play Samba would be the least suitable to join Arsenal's ranks. However since Steve Kean took over Blackburn try and keep it on the floor more often than Sam Allardyce's midfield bypassing hoofs up field. Bolton are even further along in their rebranding. Owen Coyle has them playing the most expansive style closest to the way Arsenal play. Jagielka has enough quality players around him in the Everton squad but it's rare more than a couple of them are fit at anyone time also these days the Toffees are set up to play the most agricultural football of the three.
Gary Cahill: 7/10 Of the three his team plays in a style closest to Arsenal.
Phil Jagielka: 6/10 Everton play the furthest from Arsenal's style.
Christopher Samba: 6/10 The style of play may suit but the quality of teammates doesn't.
None of them have played in a cup final or international tournament but all have had to step up during a relegation dogfight. Christopher Samba has played in three countries whereas the other two haven't moved too far between clubs and have never played for a team south of Birmingham.
Gary Cahill: 6/10 Played 139 Premier League games over 7 seasons and has 3 International caps. The least experienced but at 25 he is the youngest.
Phil Jagielka: 7/10 Played 151 Premier League games over 5 seasons and has 8 International caps. The most Premier League appearances.
Christopher Samba: 8/10 Played 145 Premier League games over 5 seasons and has 20 international caps for the mighty Congo. Life experiences give him the edge he can also speak French.
They are all fit and tactically aware and communicate well with their back lines. They're also good in the air. Their differences in make up are all much of a muchness. For example what Cahill makes up in technical ability Jagielka has in speed. But the chances are Samba could beat them both up.
Christopher Samba: 9/10 Strength. Of the attributes that set them apart strength is the one Arsenal need most.
Arsenal aren't the biggest side so will need some help from their lumps at the back. This is where Samba has the edge. He's the biggest threat at set pieces and generally causes mayhem whenever he ventures into the opponents box and of the three he's best suited to play as an auxiliary or emergency striker, if Wenger ever considered using one. The stats don't bear it out with Cahill and Samba lurking around the same number of goals, but big Chris sheer presence makes him more of a scoring threat. Jagielka on the other hand used to get amongst the goals in his midfield days but since moving to the back rarely scores. In fact he's scored fewer goals for Everton than Phil Neville, which is frankly rubbish, although his only goal last season was the winner against Newcastle, which is pretty cool.
Gary Cahill: 7/10 3 goals last season including a brace of equalisers in 3-2 victory over his old side Villa in March.
Phil Jagielka: 6/10 1 goal and 1 assist last season. His goal was the winner against Newcastle way (where Arsenal drew in the same fixture).
Christopher Samba: 8/10 4 goals last season, no assists but often the catalyst in a way the stats don't show.
All three have a 'defend first double drag back later' attitude to their job. Cahill, Jags and Samba are all solid defenders. You'd think playing in the most expansive side would leave Cahill vulnerable to mistakes, as he's likely to have the ball at his feet the most, but fortunately for Bolton that's not the case. Jagielka has the most clean sheets but unlike the other two has three own goals to his name including two last season.
Gary Cahill: 8/10 Kept the fewest clean sheets (5) but it's harsh to penalise him on what is rarely directly his fault.
Phil Jagielka: 7/10 Presided over 9 clean sheets but scored more goals against his team than for them last season.
Christopher Samba: 8/10 No nonsense defending means he's unlikely to put his team in trouble from being too cute. Also loves a block and has been a hero more than once with his goal line clearances.
All three are the senior defender at their clubs. Jagielka and Samba have experience as captains with both of them having worn the armband by the time they were Gary Cahill's age.
Gary Cahill: 5/10 Will experience as the senior defender be enough for Arsenal's back line?
Phil Jagilleka: 9/10 A captain at his previous club. Having overseen the most clean sheets suggests Jags knows how to marshal a defence.
Christopher Samba: 7/10 Has worn the armband when club captain and vice captain have been on the field. Was given the captaincy for Blackburn's push for survival at the tail end of last season.
Despite there not being a great deal in it Christopher Samba is the best suited of our three auditionees to play in Arsenal's defence next season. It's hardly surprising as he is the most like Sol Campbell the man Arsene Wenger hasn't been able to replace. All three would make an excellent partner for Vermaelen and are more than capable of bailing out Koscielny. Cahill has longevity on his side and if for whatever reason Wenger ignores this advise and goes for him would be a fixture in the Arsenal defence for years to come. Jagielka would contribute to the quickest back line in Premier League history and has the most Premier League experience of the trio. But there is something a bit tasty about the combination of style and steel in a Vermaelen Samba partnership. With that blend of skills it's hard to think of too many strikers who'll consistently get the better of them.


Welcome aboard Chuck. Glad to have you here. The Columbus Flight Leader is "The Cowman AKA Ken", he is setting up some game days in Columbus. Stop by Reporting for Duty and say hi to everyone. Also check out the File section, lots of stuff in there.


text:
package org.apache.logging.log4j.core.appender;

import org.apache.logging.log4j.Level;
import org.apache.logging.log4j.LogManager;
import org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger;
import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.LoggerContext;
import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.config.Configurator;

/**
 * Tests https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/LOG4J2-272
 *

 * Running from a Windows command line from the root of the project:
 *

 *

 * java -classpath log4j-core\target\test-classes;log4j-core\target\classes;log4j-api\target\classes;%HOME%\.m2\repository\org\fusesource\jansi\jansi\1.14\jansi-1.14.jar; org.apache.logging.log4j.core.appender.ConsoleAppenderAnsiStyleJira272Main log4j-core/target/test-classes/log4j2-272.xml
 *

 */
public class ConsoleAppenderAnsiStyleJira272Main {

    private static final Logger LOG = LogManager.getLogger(ConsoleAppenderAnsiStyleJira272Main.class);

    public static void main(final String[] args) {
        // System.out.println(System.getProperty("java.class.path"));
        final String config = args.length == 0 ? "target/test-classes/log4j2-272.xml" : args[0];
        try (final LoggerContext ctx = Configurator.initialize(ConsoleAppenderAnsiMessagesMain.class.getName(), config)) {
            LOG.fatal("Fatal message.");
            LOG.error("Error message.");
            LOG.warn("Warning message.");
            LOG.info("Information message.");
            LOG.debug("Debug message.");
            LOG.trace("Trace message.");
            try {
                throw new NullPointerException();
            } catch (final Exception e) {
                LOG.error("Error message.", e);
                LOG.catching(Level.ERROR, e);
            }
            LOG.warn("this is ok \n And all \n this have only\t\tblack colour \n and here is colour again?");
            LOG.info("Information message.");
        }
    }

}


text:
Tag: solutions
Confronting the inner teabagger
By MinistryOfTruth
Read the article at HuffPo yesterday, got pissed and wrote something angry, then went to work. While at work I read some comments, though, admittedly, not all of them, and realized why so many people have a beef with HuffPo. I'm not trying to throw HuffPo under the bus, writing in anger leads to this, and I wrote in anger and put too much trust into a single source. Just because you are using a BIG NAME for a source doesn't mean that source is right, they are just as likely to misinterpret something as you are. That is human. But there is a difference between misinterpreting and deliberately misconstruing, and since our political guard is always up about deception, and since many of us are partisans, we often frame things within our own pre-made narrative. All of these things I have been guilty of, but who among us can plead innocent among such charges?
More below the fold
anger, energy, greed, Hate, Hope, ideas, information, inner, learning, left, lies, love, Rage, right, solutions, teabagger
Thoughts on Reading Chris Hedges, With Poll
By banger in Meta, Philosophy, Politics
About America of the past:
It could be cruel and unjust if you were poor, gay, a woman, or an immigrant, but there was hope it could be better. It was a country I loved and honored. It paid its workers wages envied around the world. It made sure these workers, thanks to labor unions and champions of the working class in the Democratic Party and the press, had health benefits and pensions….It honored basic democratic values and held in regard the rule of law, including international law, and respect for human rights.
The country I live in today uses the same civic, patriotic, and historical language to describe itself, the same symbols and iconography, the same national myths, but only the shell remains. The America we celebrate is an illusion. America, the country of my birth, the country that formed and shaped me, the country of my father, my father's father, and his father's father, stretching back to the generations of my family that were here for the country's founding, is so diminished as to be unrecognizable.
I use this poignant observation because it has a deep emotional resonance. Unlike me, Hedges has deep roots in this country. His life is far more deeply shaped by America than mine could ever be. I can tell when I see him on videos and hear him interviewed how much he is in pain. His last book is angry and bitter as he looks around him without flinching. When you've seen a lot of death–you don't flinch so much. Once you decide to see things squarely, you can't stop just because the thought of seeing your country being flushed down the toilet by fucking criminals haunts you. Worse, for Hedges (and me) is to see people who call themselves Americans degrade into a cowardly group of junkies living in fantasies.
America, Chris Hedges, Culture, information, morality, solutions
Farting in the car
By Mr Horrible
You're riding in the car, and you and your friends are having a good time, laughing, four of you out on a ride… and then the conversation stops.
There's an embarrassed pause, as the stink spreads; silence, then either a confession or accusations of who caused the stench. Sooner or later, a window is opened, and the offending fart is gone.
The fact is, one person farted, but EVERYBODY in the car is affected. There isn't anybody wearing an air filter on their nose, so the experience is shared by everyone.
It's like that with the situation in the U.S.A. and the world right now; there's nobody OUT THERE; we're all IN HERE. A person gets shot in Pennsylvania, or Iraq, and we all suffer.
I have a cousin who is very, very rich, we're talking MEGA- and guess what? She has problems. Problems that make her heart bleed, that cause the kind of pain that makes grown people go to another room so you can't see them crying. Problems, strangely enough, very much like yours and mine. It's true, she's not in Darfur; but she still has to survive in this life, just like you and me.
I see people on the street begging, and I can tell that some of them, like me, are veterans- people who served their country but didn't marry beer heiresses. They gave of themselves, and a horrible system pumped on greed sold them the idea of patriotism, then spat them out onto the street when it had used them.
I guess what I'm trying to get across is that when there's suffering, we all suffer. We all suffer from the greed of the weapon makers, the board of directors of companies that make all the hardware necessary for modern war. Pharmaceutical companies that sell a drug for a hundred times what it really costs. Intelligent people who sell the idea that it's cool to be ignorant.
The most ignorant manifestation of this is people who pollute the environment for profit, thinking that the air they breathe is not polluted with what their factories spew out.
Republicans, Democrats, Independents, rednecks, hippies, plutocrats, beauty queens, smack freaks, presidents, the bottom line is that we're all in this car together; and finding the solutions to our common problems is more important than fighting over who made the mess. When finally the accusations get old, somebody will have to open a window… so to speak.
So enjoy the sideshow, the electoral race, but don't forget that after it's over you are going to HAVE to cooperate with that neighbor with the political sign on his lawn, in order to save your family, HIS family, all your neighbors, and all the people in the world. Save your energy; WE're going to need it.
Ben Franklin said it very well:
"We must hang together, gentlemen…else, we shall most assuredly hang separately."
2008 elections, problems, solutions
Fire + Fire = More Fire
By MindWideOpen
(Cross posted from DailyKos)
The Dhammapada teaches
Conquer the angry man by love.
Conquer the ill-natured man by goodness.
Conquer the miser with generosity.
Conquer the liar with truth.
While most of us understand the logic of this approach in theory, it far too rarely spills over into practice.
The world is becoming an increasingly scary place. Torture and extraordinary rendition are being committed by the United States government, and through other governments' forces as proxies. Mercenary armies such as the infamous Blackwater are on the rise and already operating within the United States, marking potentially the most horrifying trend in the commercialization of violence. Blackwater is even slated to begin involvement with the enforcement of prohibition, making the "War on Drugs" moniker seem increasingly ominous. Prohibition itself is a travesty of epic proportion that has lead to the incarceration of staggering numbers of non-violent citizens, caused suffering throughout the world, and halted virtually all progress in fascinating avenues of research that bear the promise of more effective medical treatments as well as breakthroughs in understanding of the brain. The U.S. Military now has a presence in nearly every country in the world, and there are countless cases of injustices committed by soldiers against innocent members of the local populations. Our healthcare system is in shambles leaving the demographic most in need of the wealth we possess struggling to afford a standard of care that should be guaranteed to all U.S. citizens. Don Siegelman, and so many others, have been wrongfully persecuted on an ideological basis while the crooks doing the persecution have thus far avoided being brought to justice. Despite refusing to serve a subpoena pertaining to the Siegelman case, Karl Rove remains a free man. George Bush has issued more signing statements than all prior presidents combined in mockery of American ideals of justice and balance of power. Pondering these things can be pretty overwhelming to say the least.
Its easy to get angry when contemplating the state of the world we live in. One could argue that anger plays an important, even necessary, role in the cycle of change. While I do believe that stoking the flames of our moral outrage plays a indispensable role in that it is a powerful impetus for beginning to work in earnest for change, we must all remember that anger is an emotion of limited utility valuable only when properly channeled and devastating when not. Anger can be one of the greatest enemies of reason. Actions born from even the most righteous sense of moral outrage so often have calamitous results. It is my argument that rather than acting out of anger, it is our duty as people of conscience to constantly strive to act compassionately. If we truly wish to change the world for the better, we must transmute our anger into compassion.
First let us consider that as bad as the state of the world appears, it has been worse. Overall violence is experiencing a sharp decline on a global scale. As much as we as a species are doing wrong, we're clearly doing something right. During the early periods of human history when anarchism and tribalism were the primary forms of social organization, there were powerful evolutionary and cultural imperatives to establish restrictive categories of who is and is not deserving of compassionate and altruistic action. Establishing an "us vs them" mentality proved to be a highly effective survival strategy in the perilous and unforgiving natural world. However with the maturation of the goals of human society, what was once a vital tool for survival has become a blight on the flower of our civilization. Nevertheless evolution has equipped us with tools necessary to progress beyond our current limitations and bring into realization the ultimate goal of a society based on reason and compassion. Contemporaneous to the development of our tendency to divide the world into "us vs them" was the development of our immense potential for compassion to those we consider to be within our group. Thus I feel the solution is ultimately fairly simple: we must all work towards recognition of the inherent unity of the human family. This is of course far more simple in theory than in practice, but as reflected by trends in the decline of violence, this process of boundary dissolution has already begun.
Now the question becomes, how do we consciously expand our circle of compassion, and perhaps, more importantly, how do we encourage others to do so as well? Fortunately encouraging others to expand their circle of compassion may be as simple as nurturing our own compassion. In Tibet the Buddha's teachings are traditionally called the lions roar, for just as the lions roar awakens the other animals of the jungle, spreading and, more importantly, practicing teachings of compassion and mindfulness gradually awaken the closed hearts of beings throughout the world. The most fundamental step in cultivating compassion is to simply learn to smile more. Religious traditions from the Christians, to the Buddhists, to the Taoists, to the Hindus have long known that simply smiling more throughout the day leads to a more joyous experience of living and more pleasant interactions with other people. In fact medical science has recently caught up and discovered that even the physical act of smiling improves mood. We can take this basic knowledge and extrapolate it further to expand our practice of compassion. Be more polite to people you encounter throughout the day, don't take the services of other people for granted because they are profiting from providing them, be more willing to offer your time and energy to others, and so forth. Once the habit of practicing these small deeds of recognition of the inherent value of other people has been ingrained in your daily life, I am confident you will be amazed by the sense of mental peace and clarity that develops as a result. The hardest and most important habit to cultivate is embracing those with ideas that you find offensive. We must recognize that humans have an extraordinary capacity for unconditional love, even if it is deeply buried under a haze of ignorance and conditioning. It is far more productive to forgive people for their ignorance and try to transfer your understanding to them in a non-hostile way than to take offense and respond in anger, further expanding the rift of misunderstanding. As a final suggestion for the practice of cultivating compassion, even a few minutes a day of loving-kindness meditation in a quiet place with minimal distraction can provide immeasurable benefits.
In closing, fighting fire with fire is a futile gesture. If we wish to ensure that the culture of violence that has plagued humanity since time immemorial does not regain its foothold, we must practice small acts of compassion in our daily life, spread our wisdom through conversation and blogging, and participate in peaceful activism. As compassionate ideals begin to take root, the fear that has so long been exploited by those with greed for power will begin to wither and die, and we can finally achieve the desired fruit of our fore fathers and leave a peaceful world full of opportunity for posterity.
Activism, Culture, first diary, injustice, op-ed, pacifism, Peace, solutions, violence, war crimes