"My wife and I had the last of 3 daily lessons of 2 hours, each with our own teacher. Generally our experience was good. The two teachers were however quite different and I thought Yadira, the extrovert was able to deal better with my idiosyncracies. On whole, I learned, and I also see how much I need to learn to be able to communicate orally. I believe the experience was valuable for me. Thank you".
Thank you Yadira. Very helpful lessons. All I need to do now is practice!!


You are a daughter of the King.
Perhaps it's hard to believe that. You buy some of your clothes at yard sales. Your "chariot" has quite a few miles on it. Your house doesn't look like a castle and it needs remodeling. But you're in temporary quarters now. If Jesus is your Savior, your Father is King of the whole universe—imagine that! And someday you will live with him.
In the meantime, He calls you to be his princess on the inside. Sure, maybe it's a little more of a challenge because no one sees, no one knows, no one necessarily expects you to act like the King's daughter. But that is the best triumph of all—to live like the princess you are when no one else knows, when no one sees, to live like Jesus even when it's not expected.
Frances Hodgson Burnett once said, "If I am a princess in rags and tatters, I can be a princess inside. . .It is a great deal more of a triumph to be one all the time when no one knows it."
Live for your King, your Highness. You are His princess.
My King, thank You for calling me Your own daughter. I love You.


The legal fiction of consent is blatant in the privacy scandal du jour. Both Google and Facebook have been paying people — including minors as young as 13 — to download an app that tracks nearly all their phone activity and usage habits.
Facebook advertised their app on services beloved by teens, like Snapchat and Instagram, seeking participants between the ages of 13 and 35. The sign-up process required minors to get parental consent. (How rigorous? Users simply had to scroll down and click on a check box.) In exchange for participating in what Facebook called a research project, each user received $20 a month, plus referral bonuses.
Similarly, Google's Screenwise Meter app harvested user information in exchange for money. Google was a little more careful than Facebook, barring minors unless they were participating as part of a larger household.
It's unlikely these children understood what they gave up by agreeing to use the app. And even if they'd received proper parental consent, their parents may not have understood what they were giving away on their child's behalf.
But it wasn't the predatory nature of these programs that prompted Apple to disable them on iPhones and iPads. Rather, Apple objected to how Google and Facebook had used a loophole to transmit customer data without having to go through Apple first… People are often startled by what they wind up giving away by clicking on the "yes" button.
They are shocked to find when they connect their Spotify and Netflix accounts to their Facebook account that those streaming services gain access to their Facebook messages.
They are confused and outraged by Facebook's uncanny ability to recommend "friends" that the company shouldn't really know about — say, a social worker's client or a woman's father's mistress. Data is powerful and can inform on us in unexpected ways. Companies learn all about you, but also all about your friends who haven't signed up for these services.
Consumers' confusion about this gives rise to conspiracy theories that phone microphones are secretly snooping on users. According to academics who have done the research, that's probably just paranoia.
The legal fiction of consent is blatant in the privacy scandal du jour.
Facebook advertised their app on services beloved by teens.
Some claimed these programs were of a predatory nature.
Data is powerful and can inform on us in unexpected ways.
Many consumers feel that phone microphones are secretly snooping on users.
There are countless conspiracy theories concerning apps that spy on consumers.
Legislation can mandate transparency about who has your data.
New laws can lay down basic guarantees of privacy.
Google were a little more careful.
Two tech giants didn't read the policy closely enough.
People are often startled by what they wind up giving away.
Facebook have the ability to recommend friends.
Companies learn all about you.
Americans deserve strong privacy protections.
The sign-up process required minors to got parental consent.
Users simply had to scroll down and click on a check box.
Parents may not understand what they are giving away on their child's behalf.
When buying or signing up for apps do you read the digital privacy policies before hitting the "consent" button?
Do you have Facebook or Instagram accounts? How is the service so far?
The article states, "The likely truth is that all the other data you give away is enough to predict what you have said and will say in conversations. Countless devices and internet services now pervade daily life." Do you give away personal data online? If so describe how (e.g., one of the social media sites).
The article also states, "Legislation can mandate transparency about who has your data and can give users the right to stop it from being sold."Rephrase this statement and provide an example of how this would work.


Today, we are improving and expanding our mentor program to offer more support for Lyft drivers.
When we launched driver mentoring in 2013, we immediately got positive feedback from driver applicants. They loved being able to sit down with an experienced driver to ask questions and get tips on driving. What better way to learn than with someone who knows the ropes?
We also realized how important driver mentors would be to grow Lyft across the country. In fact, in the first six months we nearly tripled the total number of US drivers in large part because of our mentor program.
Today, we are expanding our driver mentor program with new improvements and more local support. These changes will get drivers qualified and on the road faster so passengers can continue to rely on affordable, reliable Lyft rides.
One of the things we heard from driver applicants was that coordinating a Welcome Ride was harder than it needed to be. It was slowing them down. So we fixed that. Now applicants can schedule a Welcome Ride quickly and easily right from the Lyft app. This means they can connect with a Mentor faster and get started driving — and earning money — sooner.
We tested these new features over the last few months and found that we were able to decrease the cost of getting drivers successfully onboard. We were also able to increase the number of drivers we activated. A win-win!
The last year has been one of incredible growth for us — five times growth in the number of rides and revenue in 2014. As we continue to grow, we have an opportunity to invest more in the communities where we operate by serving the unique needs of drivers and passengers.
Because of this, we are hiring general managers in key cities. This local support system will help us scale faster while ensuring the best possible experience during each and every Lyft ride.
On the ground, general managers will help drivers with local insights, hyper-local support, and will be a direct touchpoint to Lyft headquarters. For passengers, this will translate into lower average ETAs, more availability, and local promotions that fit their specific area. Ultimately, this will help us continue to grow in the ways that make a Lyft ride fast, reliable, and safe.
These improvements will drive significant progress on our mission to reconnect people and communities through better transportation. Thanks for coming along on the ride with us!


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Starbucks Opens Newest Reserve® Store Featuring Masterpieces by Filipino Artist Patrick Cabral
From their carefully-handcrafted beverages, down to their beautifully-designed interiors, Starbucks has immersed its customers in artistry in every cup and every corner of its stores. The global coffee brand has championed craftsmanship in everything that they do and firmly believe in expressing their love for coffee creatively and genuinely.
Starbucks once again shows its passion for coffee and craftsmanship as it opens the first Starbucks Reserve® store to display the masterpieces of renowned and multi-talented Filipino artist, Patrick Cabral.
Exploring and excelling in everything, from flash design to calligraphy, Cabral constantly reinvents himself and is passionately curious about art in all its forms while staying true to his distinct maximalist style.
One of his most recent ventures which gained him international acclaim was his Endangered Species collection, a series of multi-layered paper sculptures of 11 of the world's threatened species. In contrast to its fragile, lace-like designs, the collection was created with a strong purpose—to shed light on the issue of at-risk animals while a portion of the sales was donated to the cause.
With his artworks gaining local and international recognitions, Patrick Cabral was also chosen as one of the ambassadors for Starbucks' "New Strong" campaign which celebrated modern-day strengths while empowering individuals to break away from the mold and find their own definition of 'strong'. As an ambassador, he created a stunning paper cut typography piece for the campaign.
Sharing the same passion and values with Cabral, Starbucks gladly partnered once again with the young visionary in creating stunning masterpieces for its newest Starbucks Reserve® store at SM North Towers in Quezon City. A visual storytelling of the origin of each Starbucks coffee, the walls of this new Reserve® store displays impressive and intricate paper cuts of the animals symbolic to the coffee-growing regions – the Sumatran Tiger for Asia Pacific, the Kenyan Elephant for Africa, and the Guatemalan Quetzal Bird for Latin America – made through Cabral's precise and perfect strokes.
Aside from the masterpieces mounted on its walls, Starbucks continues to display craft and artistry within the Reserve® store by further elevating coffee experiences through the Black Eagle espresso machine, as well as bold, innovative offerings like the recently-launched Reserve® ice cream and espresso beverages.
Visit the Starbucks Reserve® store at the SM North Towers and delight in a visual and tasteful experience.
Coffee Feature

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Jamie Murray Collapses With Heat Stroke At Australian Open
Jamie Murray collapsed with heat-stroke but battled his way into the second round of the men's doubles at the Australian Open alongside Australian partner John Peers.
Great Britain Davis Cup captain Leon Smith revealed Murray needed extensive treatment after suffering from the effects of the heat in the pair's 7-6 (7/4) 7-6 (8/6) victory over Matt Reid and Luke Saville.
The Scot, also the Lawn Tennis Association's head of men's tennis, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "About 15-20 minutes after the match finished he started to feel unwell and a bit of cramp and that is what the heat has done for him.
Murray and Peers won their first match 7-6 7-6
"But there is a great team in the locker room and they have kept him moving around for a couple of hours and getting the salts back in his body.
Australian Open 2014: Lightning Strikes In Melbourne (PICTURES)
Melbourne Weather: 16 Faces Suffering In The Severe Heat (PICTURES)
Australian Open 2014: So Hot You Can Fry An Egg
"He will be okay but he's got to work hard for the next couple of hours. He'll feel like sitting down but he needs to keep active and getting the right things in his body."
Murray and Peers will will play the Scot's former partner, American Eric Butorac, and South African Raven Kaasen in the second round.
Murray and Peers win
uk sportjohn peersjamie murrayaustralian open 2014leon smith


The Utah Supreme Court has charged the Office of Professional Conduct ("OPC") with the responsibility of investigating all information coming to its attention, which, if true, would be grounds for discipline against an attorney.
If you have concerns about an attorney, the first step is to complete a Request for Assistance Form.
The information provided using this on-line Request for Assistance form will be submitted to the Utah State Bar's Office of Professional Conduct (OPC) for investigation, and where appropriate, referral to the Utah State Bar's Consumer Assistance Program (CAP). CAP is designed to help clients resolve problems they have with their attorneys that may not rise to the level of a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
If your case is referred to CAP, the CAP Attorney will review the information provided and contact you to more fully discuss the problem.
The CAP attorney cannot give you legal advice.
The goal of this program is to facilitate resolution of problems with an attorney. The CAP Attorney often communicates with the attorney by letter, explains the concerns, and requests that the attorney resolves the issue. After the matter is concluded the CAP file is closed and the contents are destroyed.
please visit the discipline process page.
Please fill out the request form completely and to the best of your knowledge.
We do not accept anonymous requests for assistance. If you do not provide a full name and a complete address and phone number where we can reach you, the information you provide may not be considered a request for assistance and you may not be entitled to further information in the event an investigation is opened.
Also, we generally cannot properly address your concerns without documentation to support your claims. The online form requires you to upload documents and submit them with your request.
IF YOU DO NOT ATTACH SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS YOUR SUBMISSION WILL NOT BE SENT AND NO CASE WILL BE INITIATED.


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Exit: Sandman and Spiritual Southpaw Part 1
It doesn't happen often, but I love it when I read an article or a book and something prompts me to laugh out loud. Perhaps it is because the silence of reading isn't the medium by which I expect to find humor. I almost find myself looking around to see if people notice...is anyone else laughing too? Humor is social and needs to be shared. And as much as I love finding a good laugh in literature, a big part of me loves to be brought to tears, too. In this week alone, two tributes to two gentlemen in baseball has done just that.
I read the Sports Illustrated tribute to the great Mariano Rivera, "Exit Sandman" while on the plane coming home from Notre Dame. I couldn't turn off the waterworks. In this instance, I didn't look around to see if the man next to me was crying too. I was trying to dry my tears as quickly as possible and yet, I wanted to let them flood the cattle car. I wanted others to know about Mo. I hadn't thought that this tender emotion was social. In this instance, there's no question it was.
Tom Verducci, the author of "Exit Sandman" and one of my favorite writers, used the cover story to commence "the oral history" of the 43-year old pitcher (44 in just two months!). Joe Torre said "Probably not since Koufax have we seen anyone leave the game with so much respect." It captures why the son of a Panamanian fisherman is so beloved. And it illustrates what I believe the motto AMDG—for the greater glory of God—means; a motto that is ascribed to the uniforms of all the athletes at St. Ignatius.
Mottos and acronyms are pointless unless they are connected with a person or an experience that gives flesh to the ideal. Rivera's former teammates, coaches and managers capture through personal testimony his talent and more importantly, his spirit. The two I have featured below reveal the very prayer of St. Ignatius, known as "The Prayer of Generosity." And, as we let the Sandman exit, we know what the greater glory of God can do—on a baseball diamond and beyond.
Enjoy...and although their egos would allow for both of them to appear on the same posting, this one will focus on #42. The Spiritual Southpaw: Barry Zito is tomorrow....
Both men debuted in 1995 and have remained teammates for 19 seasons!
Dr. Fran Pirozzolo, psychologist, Yankees mental-skills coach from 1996 to 2002: I have worked with elite performers ranging from Navy SEALs, U.S. Secret Service, NASA astronauts, to athletes. Mariano Rivera may be the single most impressive performer and leader I have ever known. He is the exemplar that I point to when I discuss the mental attributes of champions. If we accept that an operational definition of leadership is the effect you have on others around you, then Mo rates among the most powerful leaders in any domain.
Most of us have deployed all of our attention to ourselves and to our own needs, with little left over for the needs of others. Mo has a presence that creates an atmosphere of teamwork, of an impossibly high regard for the integrity and worth of the people around him.
Rivera has received retirement gifts from every MLB team. He has also given gifts to those in every park, beyond his gift of pitching.
Rivera thought about retiring last season, but when he blew out his knee shagging batting practice fly balls in Kansas City on May 3, 2012, he vowed he would not leave baseball on the back of a cart. Knowing this would be his final season, he approached Zillo with an idea: In each road city he wanted to personally meet "behind-the-scenes" people who had dedicated their lives to baseball or had known illness or tragedy. While baseball wanted to say goodbye to Rivera, with the attendant going-away gifts and photo ops, Rivera wanted to say goodbye to baseball, which for him meant all the people who toil in anonymity.
On May 11, Rivera met Ryan Bresette, his wife, Heather, and their three sons, Joe, 13, Sam, 9, and Tyler, 6, in the media room at Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium. (The Bresettes' daughter, Anna, 14, was unable to attend the pregame gathering because of a soccer game.) Bresette worked as a clubhouse attendant for the Royals from 1982 to '94 and had never met Rivera.
On March 22 the Bresettes, while returning home from a vacation in Florida, had been standing next to a mammoth flight-status display board in the -Birmingham, Ala., airport when the board, estimated to weigh more than 300 pounds, fell on the family. Luke Bresette, their 10-year-old son, was killed. Heather suffered two broken legs. Sam suffered a broken leg and head injuries.
As evidenced by the Bresette family
baseball can bring joy to our lives.
Ryan Bresette: It was only seven or eight weeks out from the accident. My wife was in a wheelchair. Getting around was difficult. But we decided this would be a huge bright spot. It was an opportunity to put smiles on our kids' faces, which is the Number 1 priority in our lives. It was three or four hours before the game, and there were probably three or four other families there. Mariano came in and just lit up the room. That big smile, the bright eyes. . . .
People started talking and introducing themselves. I said, "We're the family involved in the Birmingham, Alabama, accident and lost our son."
He said, "I know. God bless you." I started to get emotional and couldn't talk anymore. My wife took over and said, "Luke would have loved this. Luke loved baseball. He loved all sports, but baseball was his very favorite sport." And then she started to get choked up.
Then our son Joe blurts out, "But Luke hated the Yankees!" The room erupted with laughter. Mariano just loved it. It broke the ice and the tension in the room.
Mariano addressed each one of our children and said, "Luke will always be with you. There is a plan for everything. We don't always know what it is, but we have to keep putting one step forward at a time. My situation is nowhere near what you are going through. I had an injury right here in Kansas City and overcame it to play again. My only message is you have to keep on trying and keep on giving effort."
I just asked my wife, "What would you want to say about what that day was like?" She said, "Mariano provided hope and inspiration at a time when they needed it the most." The best part, and it never made the papers, was after the meet and greet was over my nine-year-old said, "Mariano, if you pitch tonight, would you give me the ball from the last out?" Mariano looked at him and said, "You got it. It's yours."
Our seats were all the way in rightfield behind the foul pole, to accommodate the wheelchair. Mariano came in to pitch the ninth. By the time we packed up, with three kids and a wheelchair, I said, "We're never going to make it around the concourse [to the Yankees' dugout]. Let's just go home."
I'm literally pulling out of our parking spot when I get a call from the Royals. They ask, "Can you come back in?" I said, "Why?" They said, "As soon as Mariano got into the dugout his first question was, 'Where is the family I promised the ball to?' "
The Royals meet us, and they take us to the clubhouse level. Mariano comes out and says, "Sam, what did you ask me before the game?" Before he answered I said to myself, He remembers Sam's name!
Sam answers, "If you pitched would you give me the ball from the last out?"
Mariano says, "That's right." He opens up a bag and says, "Here it is." You could tell by the sticker on it. It had been authenticated by MLB. I just looked at Mariano and I said, "Thank you very much. You have no idea how much this means."
About six weeks later I got a call from [the Royals]. It had dawned on Mariano that he had not autographed the baseball. They put me in contact with a lady from his charitable foundation. Mariano wanted me to send the ball back to him so he could sign it and send it back.
This is something I haven't told too many people. When Mariano came over to me, I stuck out my hand to shake his hand, and he gave me a hug, pulled me close and whispered in my ear, "You're a stronger and braver man than I ever could be."
Lord Jesus, teach me to be generous;
teach me to serve you as you deserve,
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to seek reward,
except that of knowing that I do your will.
St. Ignatius--pray for us.
Mariano Rivera--Thank you.
all from
Game, Set, Match: Serena 32 Years in the Making
If you haven't watched it, stop reading
an add to your Netflix queue now
The documentary "Venus and Serena" states that "the great enemy of every athlete is age." The irony is that the subjects of the film defy that very truth. Today, September 26, 2013 is Serena Williams 32nd birthday. She is the oldest woman number one player in the Women's Tennis Association's (WTA) history.
I don't need a reason to write or continue a conversation about Ms. Williams. She is the subject of a story no one could contrive. Only one of two African American women to be number one in the world, she shares that title with no one else but her older sister, Venus. I celebrate her gift to tennis, the United States and athletics today.
Game: The impact she has had on the game is astounding. It's worth reading the introduction on her Wikipedia page as it captures the sheer magnitude of just how dominant a player she has been and remains (I will reference that here because it frames her success in a narrative; the WTA features listings of titles, by year, etc.)
Williams holds the most Major singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles combined amongst active players, male or female. She is the only player to have achieved a Career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles. Her record of 32 Grand Slam titles ties her for eighth on the all-time list: 17 in singles, 13 in women's doubles, and 2 in mixed doubles. She is the most recent player, male or female, to have held all four Grand Slam singles titles simultaneously ('02–'03) and only the fifth woman ever to do so. Her total of 17 Grand Slam singles titles is sixth on the all-time list,[9] and fourth in the Open Era, behind Steffi Graf (22 titles) and Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova (18 titles each).[9] She has won 13 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister Venus Williams and the pair are unbeaten in Grand Slam finals. She has four Olympic gold medals.
Honestly, I could include more information. But for the purpose of this blog I simply want to reiterate (in addition to her manifold achievements listed above) the wonder of God's creation, I see in Serena Williams. The game is more exciting, more fun to watch and more athletic because of her. Her serve has been clocked at 125 mph. Although the average player on the women's tour is 24 (among women in the top 10), Serena has only gotten better, faster and stronger.
Richard Williams: Genius or Madman?
Set: Before they were born, Serena's father and coach Richard Williams was set on one thing—his daughters would become number one in the world. He wrote an 80-page "manifesto" if you will, outlining how he would raise his daughters—born just 15-months apart to dominate tennis.
Why tennis? Richard Williams, admitted it was because he wanted to make money. The prize money, salaries and earnings in other professional female sports pale in comparison to what tennis can provide. Vocal and unapologetic, Richard Williams is as complicated a character as Serena appears to be. In describing him to a friend, I could not help but wonder, Is he a genius or a madman?
I just love this photo
His daughters' success is because of that genius. They learned fundamentals of the game par excellance coupled with an unconventional training regime he created. Venus and Serena took Jazz dance and boxed to develop fast footwork, they learned to throw the football because it simulates the service motion. Mr. Williams even went so far as to find players that another coach knew were cheaters; he knew that type of player would challenge their mental cool.
The Williams grew up on the public courts of Compton, CA. They were largely homeschooled and driven by their father to focus everything on tennis. Venus said "we never went to parties or did things that most children do." But their father's dream for his daughters came to fruition. Serena Williams net worth is now over $100 million dollars. They have faced racial prejudice in their sport on the circuit and from tennis fans. Every step of the way, Richard Williams has been by his daughters side being Richard Williams. What he set out to achieve is what and who we watch today.
Joy in action.
Match: Venus is Serena's match. Serena says she played tennis because she wanted to be just like her older sister. Everything Venus did, she wanted to do. And yet, Serena never indicates, articulates or reveals that she wanted to do it "better." Today, Venus, who is currently ranked #63 in the world, if often sitting in the stands, cheering for Serena. And you know what? she looks as happy for her to win and when she won.
In 2002, when Serena defeated her sister for her first Wimbledon title, Venus ran to a camera man to take a picture to capture the moment. She is the calm to Serena's chaos. She is a tall drink of water whereas Serena is a muscle machine. Her career has been affected by a rare auto-immune disease but she continues to participate in the game that she loves and can't want to imagine a life without tennis. She doesn't want to.
I make a point of looking for "joy in action." Watching those two sisters play doubles tennis together, one can't help but notice how much they love each other and the game that has defined them.
The number one and number two tennis players in the world (at the time of this photo!)
Serena: Serena Williams has overcome health issues, racial discrimination, poverty, and more. She has also allowed herself to be the subject of drama, discipline (or lack of it) and dynamism. I'm grateful she is on the tour and I hope she breaks the record as the all-time winningest female athlete. Game, set, match: SERENA.
Young Venus and Serena
Double Win
Joy in action
Father-Daughter
Report from an ND Home Game Part II
Whether or not it's your first visit back to campus in ten years or your third in five years, what Notre Dame alumni and fans should know that what they see today, will not be here tomorrow. The University's "Campus and Development"report states
Never a campus to be accused of "dreaming too small," Notre Dame has $300 million to $400 million of campus development projects in progress or on the horizon. They include a center for executive education, a social sciences building, a student activities building, two residence halls, a multi-disciplinary research building, and an art museum.
My immediate reaction says "that's a lot of money." My friend was right—the University is rolling in money these days. But I also believe after my visit this past weekend for the Michigan State game that it's soul is not for sale; it will not be bought or sold. If they do it right, and I think they will, Notre Dame can and will only get better.
And yet, I say that with humility. My basis for judgement is not scientific. I hope that my experience as the co-leader of the Catholic Identity Accreditation for WASC qualifies for something--anyone? anyone? But I'll also be the first to admit, I am not a professional consultant. I did not work for Arthur Andersen as many of my classmates did upon graduation (remember the full page ad in The Observer they had congratulating their new ND hires?). But everywhere I go, I wear the lens of sport and spirituality. And ND is rife with growth in both domains.
State of the Holy Family
It's easy to report just how many new buildings and structures have sprung up on campus. And the athletic department has benefitted as much, if not more than others. Although I have often heard about the new softball, soccer, track and hockey facilities, no one has once commented on the increased amount of religious art on display throughout Notre Dame's 1,250 acres.
A sculpture of the Holy Family stands at a central intersection. A replica of The Visitation by Holy Cross priest and sculptor, Anthony J. Lauck, CSC is appropriately placed next to the Eck Visitor's Center. Outside of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart stands a statue of Our Lady in remembrance of the unborn. And a beautiful Sant'Egidio Icon hangs inside as a reminder of our call to ecumenism. In 2009, Pope Benedict met with artists to affirm their talents as gift from God and the importance of their trade. He said "Sacred art is a living catechesis. The richness of religious art, shows that the Church has always been a source of inspiration." Notre Dame has affirmed this sentiment.
And yet, what I love about Notre Dame is the integration of the holy or sacred into the ordinary. Every classroom, every dining room and yes, even every athletic facility has a cross that hangs to bless the space and to identify what we believe. God, Country, Notre Dame aren't just words on the north door of the Basilica, it is echoed in the signs and symbols that hang in every athletic facility.
One dedication that I found particularly intriguing is the "Homage of Holy Cross" placard that hangs in the Compton Family Ice Arena. Everyone who has been to this state of the art facility for the ND hockey team has told me I have to see it. Even though I'm not a big hockey fan, I am glad I did. WOW. Perhaps the appropriate word here is—legion?! It may serve as a different take on Mother Teresa's maxim "something beautiful for God" and yet, it certainly is. In a small way, I think it was made even more beautiful by the message of gratitude to the members of the Congregation of Holy Cross to foster the community that is Notre Dame.
The changes and growth at Notre Dame aren't without oversight. For example, when I saw the newly constructed towers on the football practice fields, I knew why they were there. In 2010, Declan Sullivan tragically died when the cherry picker the team had used for taping practice collapsed in a wind storm. I wish the University had placed words in memoriam to Declan Sullivan outside of the football gate. I hope they will...
I hope someday these fields will be dedicated to Declan Sullivan
T.S. Elliot wrote "home is where we start from" and returning to Notre Dame reminded me of what started there. No matter how many new building or statues rise and fall, the spirit of Notre Dame is constant. Why? because of its roots. I think my experience and the words of theologian Ron Rolheiser affirm that belief. He writes "The pain of transience and impermanence in our lives also helps point us toward the things that don't change, namely, faith, hope and love. These can never be bulldozed under, replaced by grain fields, burnt down by fire, expropriated and knocked down to make way for a new freeway, or rendered obsolete by newer software. In this world, Scripture tells us, we have no lasting city, but we are already inextricably bound up with things that do last forever. No wonder we sing "and our hearts forever, love thee Notre Dame!"
Report from an ND Home Game: Part I
I just came back from my first home football game at my alma mater, the University of Notre Dame since 2002. It was a weekend I will never forget as I shared it with one of my closest friends and her wonderful, loving, enthusiastic, spirited and FUN family. Alumni who return to campus after an extended period of time are frequently overwhelmed with the amount of building and development. Dormitories, academic building, heck—entire quads exist where open space once loomed large.
"Friends are the jewel of life!" with the Davis & McGuire families
Occasionally, this change is met with suspicion. One friend quipped, the University (by the looks of the campus) seems to be rolling in cash these days. Something bothered me about all of it. Has ND sold its soul? I have been back to ND many times in the summer and on non-football weekends, so my experience of campus is less jarring than others who may have been away for ten, fifteen, even twenty years. And yet, I appreciated her question. In fact, it was one I took with me as I visited in both June and this past weekend. And for the purpose of this blog, I am happy to provide my all too biased report.
Great photo of this time period. Notice the uneven bench and lack of shrubbery. No chance of that today
Notre Dame looks awesome. Make no mistake about it. There is no den of iniquity, no area of disorder to be found (remember that fountain behind Hayes Healy where Zahm's hazing, err "initiation" once took place? There stood weeds, uneven bricks, bad plaster. You won't find the likes of that anywhere today). Campus is alive and blooming. Flowers, mulch, greenery, shrubs grow as they should in a place that gets that much rain. Life is about trade-offs, right?
The University has supported its claim of the importance of on-campus life with stay-halls (dormitories) that are beautiful and unique. In its Admissions report, it states
At Notre Dame we develop community in our every interaction. We come here to pursue truth and as we do so, we live in the process of building relationships. Undergraduate students form strong bonds by sharing space within their residence hall communities, expressing themselves through an impressive network of student activities, playing together on a wide array of athletic teams and by supporting each other throughout the growth and change that occurs during their four years here.
One need not look far to see that each one seeks to promote community in invitational and creative ways. This is self-evident, even in a 48-hour visit when and where a football game is of the highest priority.
Carroll Hall: Home of the Vermin. One word: impressive.
Farley, Sorin, Duncan and Alumni. These places among others are where school spirit is alive and kicking. For example, Zahm hung a green and white banner that extended the entire length and height of the east side of the building. I marveled at how they were able to construct such a placard. And we thought we were talented when we used two bedsheets to promote Pop Farley. Indeed, I am not surprised that "80% of Notre Dame's 8,300 undergraduates choose to call the Notre Dame campus their home."
On campus still stand a strong number of basketball courts above and beyond those at Stephan. I love to discover those that are tucked away in unlikely places (the half court next to St. Ed's and another close to Carroll Hall by the lake). There is an affordable a 9-hole golf course, a stone's throw from Pangborn and Fisher in addition to the championship Warren Golf course just a mile away. I smiled as I saw more sidewalk and trails for running than ever before. Variety is the spice of life! And in case you were worried, the fields for inter-hall football are still with us. Recreation at Notre Dame appears limitless as I gaped at the list of classes and intramural opportunities provided by RecSports.
And yet, the commitment to sport is matched by a commitment to spirituality.
Geddes is today's "Center for Social Concerns"
On Gameday, I attended a talk entitled "Saturdays with the Saints" with about 150 other people at Geddes Hall. I learned ever more about the lives and significance of the four churchwomen who were martyred in El Salvador in 1980. After the football game, I joined 200 others in Siegfried's chapel for Sunday mass. Indeed, each hall has its own chapel dedicated to a different saint. Students serve as Eucharistic ministers, lectors, musicians and greeters. It is a wonderful thing to pray with and for one's community.
And that is my report on the "stuff" that is easy to quantify. Tomorrow, I will conclude with the integration of sport and spirituality in an unlikely way—once again, as evidenced from an ND home game. Go Irish.
Carroll Hall
Outside Hayes Healy
Why I Am Now Writing About Tim Tebow....
This book surpassed my expectations
One component of my students' final project in RS 475: Sports and Spirituality is for them to "name the athlete, a religious/spiritual person, author, or guest speaker you "met" in class who has inspired you most?" Manute Bol, the 7'7" Sudanese basketball player and devout Christian as well as Eric Liddell the Scottish runner and subject of Chariots of Fire are perennial favorites. And to my surprise, so is Tim Tebow—but not because they "met" him…but rather, because we didn't.
I thought including Tebow into the curriculum was unnecessary—his example too obvious, his faith too vocal. I believed that young people found his devotion too strong and un-relatable. Instead, they were intrigued by his story and drawn to learning more about his beliefs and his life.
Even though he has been cut from the New England Patriots, he will be included in the 2013-2014 school year curriculum. This year's class will"meet" him. In 2011, I wrote a blog posting "Why I'm not writing about Tim Tebow" and now I am. Here's why.
Tebow's autobiography "Through My Eyes" has made quite an impression on me. To be honest, my expectations were low. I have read some incredible biographies about athletes, most of which were written after their retirement from professional sports. I questioned what a high profile athlete in his early 20s could offer by way of wisdom, perspective, overcoming adversity and more. What the reader will not find in a typical biography is trumped by what you will find. For example, every chapter begins with a passage of scripture that is something much more than words he has memorized. The fullness of his chosen passage serves as a testimony of his life.
Words and numbers written in eyeblack are now forbidden, but prior to that Tebow would include a verse of Scripture. This is most likely a reference to Ephesians 2:8-10. Worth looking up and praying with!
Here are but three examples that every athlete, their parents, coaches and administrators might consider.
Tim Tebow is the youngest of five children. His two older brothers Paul and Robby were his first teammates and competitors. They also met athletic success at an early age. Therefore, from the age of 5 on, his parents decided to institute a rule.
Tebow writes, "we were forbidden from talking about our accomplishment, unless asked first by someone else. If someone specifically asked us how the game went or how we played, we could answer, we couldn't volunteer the information. They based this new rule on the admonition found in Proverbs 27:2
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, not your own lips.
Superman from a young age on....
I think the Tebows are on to something. Our society often defines us by what we accomplish; athletics puts our achievements on display like little else does. But a humble spirit begets other virtues such as gratitude, kindness and joy. Such virtues yield spiritual fruit—even when the shots don't fall and the wins don't come.
Tebow admitted it was a lesson he had to learn and has continued to work on.
It's not a bad rule for parents either (to implement with regard to their own child's athletic success).
The Family that Plays Together Stays Together
It will serve as a surprise to no one that one of the greatest gifts a parent can give their son or daughter is time. And Tebow is proof that it can not only strengthen the bond between parent and child, it can also help him or her in athletics.
his parents, Pamela and Bob Tebow
"My dad never coached us formally in a team setting because of international trips and his irregular schedule. What he did was spend lots of time with us, teaching us not only to hit, but also to throw."
Reading his words reminded me one of my former students, a two-year starter on the boys' varsity basketball team. Johnny didn't play on an AAU traveling team, he wasn't the tallest or even the strongest shooting guard but he earned all league honors and still holds a WCAL record (most free throw points in a game). A rare profile in today's game, everyone wondered, "How did he do it?"
Every single night, Johnny would practice shooting with one person—his father. His dad did the grunt work—rebounding and passing, advising and encouraging so his son could learn, improve and succeed. I like to think that their time together—strengthening the fundamentals—was a sacred time for they two. And the beauty of this story is that when I last saw Johnny, he excitedly told me his brother was the best athlete. When I asked "How's that?" his response came as no surprise. "My dad has more time to play with him now."
For those parents who can—play with your son or daughter. For those who cannot, maybe it's another family member, like an aunt or uncle who can. Or, like Bob Tebow, perhaps there is some element of the game you can share.
Tim Tebow is the youngest of 5 children
When life gets busy—and it does—it's natural to consider What obligations can I eliminate? Sunday mass (or services) shouldn't be one of them, but unfortunately it is.
Tebow wrote, "Between football, homeschooling and farm labor, I was busy. And when I wasn't doing any of those things, I was busy at our church. My family attends First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, and I was involved in their plays and youth meetings and activities whenever and as much as possible. Every Sunday morning we were all there, and the other times in the week were a bit more sporadic, weaving things in with a regular schedule of sports, which was often easier said than done. But, every Sunday—we were there."
Always time for prayer and praise.
We are careful to calendar practice and game times, when to lift, team meetings and more. The same should apply to our faith. My parish offers Saturday and Sunday vigils. There are four Sunday morning masses and even a "last chance" mass at 9:00 p.m. in the evening. I think it's important to recognize how Catholic Church has made concerted efforts to accommodate the demands on our time; athletics is certainly one of them.
Sunday services are important because the spiritual journey isn't one we walk alone. We come together to remember Jesus' life, death and resurrection. In that gathering, we are called to deepen our relationship with the Lord.
Tebow proclaims St. Paul's words to the Philippians, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." And we need that strength—not only in sports, but also in life: relationships are demanding, humility doesn't come easy. We are make the team one year, we are cut the next.
And no one knows that like Tim Tebow. Through his eyes, our God is one who can be known in reading the Bible and seeking to truly live its teachings. It is affirmed at home, on the field and within a faith community. I challenge you in your role at school to do the same.
Tebow Family 2011
US Open 2013: Delight and Confusion
It may seem a little weird, but every time a player I really like takes the trophy at the finals of a Grand Slam, I get teary eyed. I can't help but laugh and cry in delight; a satisfaction for a tourney well done.
When Serena Williams won her second straight US Open (and fifth overall), it wasn't exactly waterworks, but I was relieved and thrilled that she regrouped and pulled off a definitive third set to secure the win.
Williams has earned over $9million in prize money this year alone.
As she held her trophy high, my tears were crowded by another emotion—confusion. Serena was awarded with a check of $2.6 million dollars for her feat. Her reaction was priceless. She gave a playful smile and eye roll that said "yeah, baby." I'm glad she did. You can say that prize money is well-deserved, that she is the best of the best (and I hold no doubt that she is. I believe she is the best female athlete in the United States. I can't think of another woman who comes close. None. NB: this is fun to debate). But I also think that prize money is absurd.
I know that sports is a multi-billion dollar business. I am aware that athletes in their own way are entertainers and they too receive millions for what they do. I understand that her check from the United States Tennis Association is for winning the entire tourney, but it upsets me that we have this amount of money to award to someone who plays a game.
Williams is now tied with Everett with 18 Grand Slam titles.
That sounds like a cheap shot, no? In his autobiography "Open," Andre Agassi wrote "Part of my discomfort with tennis has always been a nagging sense that it's meaningless." His claim stayed with me because on some level it's true. And yet, pursuing one's passion and striving for excellence is not without meaning. Athletics is where I found my passion. It is where I see excellence on display in physical and mental contests, man against the game/ clock, skill versus talent, heart against head. It keeps us awake at night. It is the "stuff" of great memories. It has kept me smiling and heck, even crying for days. That is not meaningless.
So why the confusion? Why the complaint about $2.6 million dollars. I just don't understand the law of economics. Somewhere along the way, we decided it was okay to pay our athletes millions as prize money and exponentially more for branding. I know I can't do a single thing about the fact that Tiger Woods makes more money in one round of golf than a worker in Jakarta who has been subcontracted by Nike will make in his or her entire life, but it still upsets me. It blows my mind that there is that much money to extend and yet there is great need. Dire need. It is my conscience qualm.
I can hear the retorts now...he's the very best as what he does...but it still leaves me uncomfortable. Fortunately, my question is not in vain. In the article, "Good Sport" Luke Hansen, SJ writes:
Maybe at one time sports fans could simply enjoy the helmet-smashing hits and record-breaking home runs and look the other way when our favorite team benefited. Those days are over. This raises important questions: Is it enough for me to be a passive consumer, simply looking for entertainment, with little concern for the internal business of these sports? Or must I now become a more conscientious and responsible consumer? Sports are big business, of course—the N.F.L. brings in more than $9 billion annually, and baseball is close behind ($7 billion)—and fans drive this machine by spending big bucks on game tickets and team apparel and by sending television ratings and advertising revenues through the roof.
Do fans have the power to help shape professional sports? Remember the swift resolution of the labor dispute between the N.F.L. and its locked-out officials in September 2012. In a nationally televised "Monday Night Football" game, replacement referees affected the outcome with a botched call on the final play. Fans decided they had had enough. That night the league office reportedly received 70,000 voice mail messages demanding an end to the lockout. Within 48 hours, league officials and the referees reached a tentative agreement, and the regular referees were back on the field.
This mass action makes me wonder what else might be possible if sports fans become genuinely concerned about player safety and are willing to do something about it or are able to channel their outrage constructively over the continued use of P.E.D.'s.
I have a hard time believing anyone is going to rally around paying professional athletes a just and fair wage. I know it's market driven. But it's another question worth considering within the wide world of sports.
In the meantime, I hope Serena enjoys the $1 million dollar bonus she received for winning the US Open as Emirates Airline US Open Series champion.
Williams wins
The Spiritual Spoils: The Face of Madrid
The poet Mary Oliver's first Instruction for Living a Life is "pay attention." Every so often...I do.
Out of the corner of my eye, I overheard one teacher extend her sympathies to another. Sansei, our beloved Japanese teacher from outside of Tokyo, was discussing the 2020 Olympics with Carlos a Spanish teacher from Madrid. Both teachers were aware of all that their respective motherlands had lost / gained. I don't think I could have scripted this scene had I tried.
As Carlos mentioned the high unemployment rate in Spain and how the Olympic games would have served as a moral and economic boost for their struggling economy, another colleague lifted his iPad to show me his lesson plan. In "El Deportes" section of "El Pais" Alvaro Garcia captured the same sentiment that Carlos was wearing thousands of miles from his home town.
"Madrid, Spain's capital and largest city, now faces a new challenge, as it scrambles to reduce $9.2 billion in debt as it figures out what to do with some of its half-built or underused sports centers" (New York Times)
Indeed, spoils go to the victor! We sports fans love the glory, but with every win comes a loss. And as I looked at each photograph, I saw something much more than a group of disappointed Madrileos. The images created a photo-essay that speaks to theologian Ron Rolheiser's definition of spirituality.
Spirituality does however admit of different moods and faces. Sometimes it hits us as pain-dissatisfaction, frustration, and aching. At other times its grip is not felt as painful at all, but as a deep energy, as something beautiful, as an inexorable pull, more important than anything else inside us, toward love, beauty, creativity, and a future beyond our limited present. Desire can show itself as aching pain or delicious hope.
Spirituality is, ultimately, about what we do with that desire. What we do with our longings, both in terms of handling the pain and the hope they bring us, that is our spirituality.
I have used his words before, but they go to show that one need not understand the text beneath each photo to recognize the hope they held (Madrid has lost the bid twice before) and the pain of the verdict (80% of the facilities have already been constructed). What Madrid and its people do with that desire—that is their spirituality. That is the story that is waiting to be told.
For whatever reason, to me, this one says the most...
My co-worker Ray thanked me for building a cross-curricular connection; I thank him for showing me another provocative, honest, colorful yet triste face of spirituality. Here's to 2024? And Rafa's second US Open win. Vamos!
all from El Pais
Food is Fuel: Don't Let it Go to Waste
For the past week, I have been on the high school version of "yard-duty." Every teacher has a 3-week obligation that requires us to stand in an area where students eat their lunch. This year, I decided to complete the task early; it's proven to be a nice way to reconnect with students. That is, until I saw one of my former students putting her trash in the garbage can.
This should have been something I was happy to see. Trash finding its way to its proper receptacle isn't a given. On one of the plates was a beautiful, fresh turkey, lettuce and tomato sandwich. If it had a bite taken out of it, I didn't see it. In a firm but rather neutral tone, I asked my student "whose sandwich is that?" Slightly startled, she looked at me in silence. At long last, she said "I don't want to rat my friend out." I said "I don't want to know who threw it out. That's ok. Let's talk about this."
I walked over to where her group of friends were sitting and I asked the same question. "Hey, who threw that sandwich out? Please don't answer. I don't want to know. But that sandwich looked delicious and I have a hard time seeing food go to waste, especially when there are so many people going hungry in the world. You throwing your sandwich out isn't going to solve hunger, but I think the issues are related. (At this point, they're most likely convinced I'm weird or mean...or both). In the future, can we reconsider what to do with a sandwich like that? Wrap it up and save it for later? Give it to a friend? Thanks."
At this point two thoughts were burning my brain. The first was from an article I read entitled "Pope Francis says that wasting food is like stealing from the poor." One need not read the article to understand its message, but Pope Francis stands firm.
"This culture of waste has made us insensitive even to the waste and disposal of food, which is even more despicable when all over the world, unfortunately, many individuals and families are suffering from hunger and malnutrition," the Pope said.
"Once our grandparents were very careful not to throw away any leftover food. Consumerism has led us to become used to an excess and daily waste of food, to which, at times we are no longer able to give a just value.
"Throwing away food is like stealing from the table of the poor and the hungry," he said.
It haunted me because I see it everyday on a large scale and school and as much as I try not to, in my own home. Am I called to evangelize while on yard duty? I think so. Part of me says "ugh" and the other part of me knows how I felt when I saw that sandwich go to waste.
The other thought that haunted me was in regard to the Thursday Morning Comfort Run. How can I ask my athletes to make sandwiches when they can't even finish their own?
As mentioned in An Important Way to Think About Health: Caring for the Poor, my hope is that every sports team at SI will prepare sandwiches for our weekly food run that feeds the hungry. In that post, I quoted Rolheiser who writes "We need to give to the poor, not because they need it, though they do, but because we need to do that in order to be healthy." Athletic training demands fitness and health. We train and educate to ensure the best of both. But the disconnect bothered me. We are making sandwiches and handing them out to people who line up for them and yet we turn a blind-eye to our own waste.
I sat with this question in prayer. I let it bother me. I decided it was better to feel sad with this reality for a bit than shrug it off. And in that prayer time, God did what God does. God kneaded, God prodded and created a simple and humble offering that I think I can only extend to my student athletes.
A good habit to form: not wasting food.
A nutritionist will once again speak to the cross country team and we will continue to stress the importance of eating right and hydrating with our athletes but this year I will extend the conversation to include gratitude. More than thinking of food as fuel, can we think of it with thanks and appreciation. Can we say "I'm blessed to have so many fresh fruits and colorful vegetables." Every time we eat a sandwich, can we remember to pray for the men and women who we give the sandwiches to? Can we make more of an effort to finish what we have or share it with others so it doesn't go to waste?
A good time to have this conversation might be before a team makes the sandwiches. We can pray over what we make in the same way that we pray a grace before meals. And we can pray for the subtle reminder that in those moments we forget, or are tempted to just "throw it away" that we either find a solution or at least offer a prayer for someone else who goes hungry.
Heart Potato
Food is Fuel


Alta Vista Drive 0.32 and 0.47 Acre Lots.
Two house lots that share the same rear boundary. These lots are part of a large quiet residential subdivision with nice homes. Located near the western end of the island on the Bluff. Lots being sold together. Build on both or one and keep the other as an investment or for the next generation.


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"What's Wrong with Secretary Kim" has shared some fun looks behind the scenes from their filming!
The hit tvN drama is wrapping up with its final episode on July 26, but it made sure to say goodbye to fans with the gift of a glimpse of its cast both hard at work and having fun on set.
The photos include not only the drama's leads Park Seo Joon and Park Min Young, but also actors in the show's beloved supporting cast, including Lee Tae Hwan, Kang Ki Young, 2PM's Chansung, Hwang Bo Ra, Pyo Ye Jin, Kang Hong Seok, and more. The actors study their scripts, rehearse, and laugh together between takes. Park Seo Joon is also seen chatting with director Park Joon Hwa, who also holds a fan up for him in another shot.
More photos were also recently shared of Park Seo Joon both looking serious as he focuses on preparing for his scenes and also showing his famous sense of humor as he smiles right at the camera and laughs on set.
Watch the first episode of "What's Wrong with Secretary Kim" below!


NSNOA – "Nova Scotia Naval Officer's Association"
Why people cheat on their spouses?
This is literally impossible to answer. Every person knows that cheating on their spouses can create a mess in their life. The number of cheaters, however, never wanes. The general thought is, unhappily married people are the ones who cheat. It might surprise you, but people with a happy marriage can also cheat for some of the simplest reasons. Are you afraid that behind those innocent flirtations of your spouse hides some ugly truth? Check the following information gathered by the professionals, such as Toronto cheating spouses, to help the distraught spouses like you.
What should be considered as Infidelity?
While getting married, everybody thinks that their partners will be loyal to them for the rest of their life. Life is cruel and you don't always get what you want. Thus, infidelity depends on the terms that you and your partner have decided upon. Let's say you feel that your partner should not get emotionally attached to another person. According to cheating spouses Toronto, getting emotionally attached is not exactly cheating but it can surely be considered as infidelity.
The major decisions about life are often taken depending on the extent of cheating. If you are suspecting your partner as an infidel, then your next step can be marriage counselling. If you feel that your partner is cheating, then the divorce can be your next step. Depicted below are some common telltale signs of infidelity.
As lawyers dealing with cheating spouses Toronto will tell you, legally cheating means getting sexually involved with another person while being married to someone else. The real life is far different than this simple definition. There are many forms of cheating which can wreck a marriage. Some of the common cheating is depicted below.
Humans are emotional beings. Thus, this kind of affairs hurt people more than sexual affairs. Forming an emotional relationship means the relationship has gone beyond the line of emotional intimacy. Treating the relationship as a romantic one and sharing personal details often fall under this type.
This means that both parties are involved in various types of sexual behavior with mutual consent. According to the cheating spouses Toronto, there are many forms of physical affairs that can be counted as cheating. Some of them are one night stands, revenge cheating, long term affairs, and online affairs.
The law treats the infidelity of marriage differently than you. It feels unfair. However, to take legal steps against your spouse, you should know some of the legal aspects. For example, the law does not consider emotional affairs as binding.
Ultimately, fidelity typically depends on what you and your partner consider as being faithful. The best way to deal with the situation is to have a heart to heart talk with your partner to understand what the breaking point of your marriage is. The cheating spouses Toronto is always there to help you out in any stages of struggle in your marriage. To get more insight read here !
Do I really Need Immigration Lawyer?
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An affordable fee as compared to black market.
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Before applying gunship in Toronto first you need to understand the categories of Gun ownership in Canada. What ground you will get approval to own a licensed Gun. Professional Criminal Lawyers Toronto provides you complete support till the end when you secure the arms license. Minimum criteria to hold a gun you must be 18 years old. In Toronto, firearm regulations divided into three major categories to own a gun.
Non-restricted Gun includes regular rifle and shotgun, which mainly used for personal safety.
Any Gun with a barrel shorter than 470 mm and can fired with certain telescopic length is coming under restricted Category. You need to have a criminal lawyers Toronto and experts before applying.
This category mainly includes automatic weapons as well as sawed-off shotguns and rifles under prescribed length. Handguns that fires 25 to 32 caliber bullets also come into this category. You need to have a professional criminal lawyers Toronto to get all the details about the rules and regulations of firearm license.
You must have 18 years old, but minors between 12-17 years can use a restricted gun under the supervision of an adult who has a license. But you need to apply for a minor's license. You need to pay 80$ to as a license cost fee. For carrying and transporting your license gun on the different location you need to apply an additional license for the same.
In order to have your firearms license, you need to first join in the Canadian restricted firearms safety course. This course is mainly designed for the safe use of guns and firing techniques under normal conditions. You also need to pass a multiple examinations during the course. Any time if you found not the right candidate for holding a gun license or fail to pass any text your application straight away rejected by the government.
Your social values, employment, and marital status need to disclose during applying. You have strong reason to prove that you have a serious need of gun and firearm license. If you are a rich person and having threats that your wealth became stolen, then you can apply for the license. If you want to hassle-free process and quick turnout you need consult with a criminal lawyers Toronto. He works for you and makes your case even stronger if you are legging somehow.
Short-tempered, careless and easily get violent during normal conditions. You must assure that you need guns for your safety not to harm others and frighten others. Sometimes you will wait for a month to obtain a license. You need to produce medical reports from professional doctors before applying for the license. You need to under continuous screening and supervision even after securing your gun license to check your criminal behavior.


Email Marketing – Are You Doing It Right? Why Not?
You are here: Home » Blog » Email Marketing – Are You Doing It Right? Why Not?
Email marketing has a history of being something that is done "last minute, hair in fire, chasing a deadline" for most businesses.
This absolutely baffles me, because it is the best converting form of online marketing you can do. Spending money on Pay Per Click marketing is fine, but if you could do something that cost less and converted as well, or better, than a paid advertisign campaign, woudl you try it?
I found the following email marketing statistics in the Econsultancy blog.
Almost two-thirds (61%) of marketers rate their email campaign performance as 'poor' or 'average', while just 4% would rate themselves as 'excellent'.
The findings come from the new Econsultancy/Adestra Email Marketing Industry Census 2013 which surveyed more than 1,300 agency and client-side respondents.
The results show that 62% of marketers spend two or more hours on design and content on an email campaign, while 18% spend more than eight hours.
71% have basic to non-existent email optimisation strategy for mobile devices, while 22% regard optimising emails for mobile as one of their top priorities.
For something that has so much potential, why do so many businesses spend so little time getting it right. At Ignitor, we work hard to increase our client's open and conversion rates. We employ tactics that meet industry spam-free standards, and are designed to maximize the client's exposure in email marketing.
ALL of our email blasts are mobile friendly – with more than 40% reading email on mobile devices, sending a blast that is NOT mobile friendly is a waste of opportunity.


text:
Ifjabb Jan Brueghel (ejtsd: bröhel) (Antwerpen, 1601. szeptember 13. – Antwerpen, 1678. szeptember 1.) flamand tájkép-, virág- és állatfestő.

Élete
Idősebb Jan Brueghel és Isabella de Jode fiaként született. Anyja a gyermek kétéves korában meghalt szülés közben. Apja 1605-ben feleségül vette Katharina van Marienburgot, nyolc gyermekük született. Jan nem volt jó kapcsolatban mostohaanyjával. Apja egyszer panaszkodott Borromeo érseknek, barátjának és mecénásának, hogy fia itáliai útja során írt leveleiben soha nem küldött üdvözletet anyjának. Mint elsőszülött fiúnak, folytatnia kellett a családi hagyományokat: képzése már tízéves korában elkezdődött apja műtermében.

1622-ben Itáliába indult, ahol Genovában megismerkedett Anthony van Dyck-kel. Szicíliába, majd egészségügyi okokból Máltára utazott. 1625 elején kapta meg a hírt apja és három húga haláláról. Torinón, Lyonon és Párizson keresztül tért haza, s fiatal kora ellenére egy népes család feje lett. 1625 augusztusában vált a Szent Lukács-céh tagjává, és 1626-ban feleségül vette Anna Maria Janssenst, a neves festő, Abraham Janssens lányát. A tanúja nagybátyja, ifj. Pieter Brueghel volt. Tizenegy gyermeke született, a hét fiú közül öt festő lett: Jan Pieter, Abraham, Ambrosius, Philip és Jan Baptist. 1630-1631-ben a Szent Lukács-céh dékánja volt, ezek voltak legsikeresebb és legszerencsésebb évei. Élete ezután nehezebbé vált, de még egyszer nyilvános elismerésben részesült: 1651-ben az osztrák császári udvartól érkezett megbízatás, amelyet sógora közbenjárására kapott meg. Ifj. Jan Brueghel 77 éves korában halt meg antwerpeni házában.

Jegyzetek

További információk
 Ifj. Jan Brueghel festményei - TerminArtors.com

1601-ben született személyek
1678-ban elhunyt személyek
Antwerpeniek
Flamand barokk festők
Állatfestők

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Brexit sparks movements that could lead to break-up of USA.
The schedule of public holidays in the United States is largely influenced by the schedule of federal holidays,. and Hinduism) collectively make up about 4% of the adult population, another 15% of the adult population claim no religious affiliation, and 5.2% said they did not know, or they refused to reply. According to a 2012 survey by the Pew forum, 36 percent of Americans state that they.
Is the United States Headed for a breakup? 100% Say Yes 0% Say No Totally heading for a Breakup. When the dollar finally gives way the United States is going to head for a collapse, which will likely result in martial law, high taxation etc will only discourage states from remaining part of the union. A revolution will require the unification of the many diverse, powerful and large non.
Divided We Stand The country is hopelessly split. So why not make it official and break up? By. it is easier to imagine breaking up the United States than figuring out how to make it work.
How to Prepare for a Break Up. You may feel pressure from your friends and family to just break up and move on, but we know it's never that simple. Here are some things to keep in mind when thinking about breaking up: The person you're dating has probably become a huge part of your life. You might see more of them now than you do your.
This is a list of treaties to which the United States has been a party or which have had direct relevance to U.S. history. This is an incomplete list. For an official list, updated at least, annually, of U.S. treaties and international agreements currently in force (i.e., excluding those, some of which are included on this page, that are no longer in force, and that are signed but not.
Public urination and defecation In the United States, public urination and defecation is illegal and very much frowned upon unless you are in a wilderness area-it is considered a health hazard and potential scenario which will anger locals, since they do not even allow dogs to defecate unless the mess is cleaned up. For example, if two parents encourage their young child to drop his trousers.
Here are 8 empowering insight generators to help you decide if you should break up or make up: 1. Set aside time to talk with your partner about both your childhoods—the good, the bad, and the.
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It's Time For The United States To Divorce Before Things.
If we had no holidays, even if we just took away the summer holidays, we'd have no time to go on trips, go oversees, and see relatives. Sometimes the weekend just isn't long enough! Taking away the summer holidays would HUGELY hinder students' performance, they'd be tired, stressed, and miserable. If you really want your kid to do work during the holidays, then if they are willing, send them.
The United States is made up of many different regions and subregions. Government agencies have different ways of grouping the states based on geography, culture, or other factors.
Each of these three new states would have more than 10 million people, making each of the three new states still among the ten biggest in the resulting nation of 52 states (a powerful reminder of.
We present the narrative of this report and the recommendations that flow from it to the President of the United States, the United States Congress, and the American people for their consideration. Ten Commissioners-five Republicans and five Democrats chosen by elected leaders from our nation's capital at a time of great partisan division-have come together to present this report without dissent.
What we forget is that 13 percent of the people living in the United States were born abroad, and immigrants make up 16.3 percent of the U.S. workforce. These immigrants are already a part of our.
The United States' Time Zone History. The US was divided into 4 standard time zones on November 18, 1883, and jurisdiction for the zones was given to the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC). Since 1967, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) has been responsible for governing time zones in the country. Time zones in the USA are defined in the U.S. Code, Title 15, Chapter 6, Subchapter IX.
I'm a republican and my gf is a democrat we're in love. should being different political parties break us up? Wiki User 2008-07-04 04:13:08. It depends how important it is to you. If you are both.
Is There a Break-up of the United States in its Future.
In the event of a nuclear exchange with the United States, the country's heavy bombers and ICBMs could prove relatively vulnerable to pre-emptive strikes as their locations are known and can be.In this lesson, you will learn about the 5 main regions of the United States and what makes each one special. Regions of the United States Most of us know that the United States is made up of 50.The answer is we can split the USA, but it hasn't happened yet because of myths like secession is illegal and secession leads to war. Can lines be drawn on a map so that most Democrats will no longer have people like Trump as their President? The.
United States - United States - World War II: After World War I most Americans concluded that participating in international affairs had been a mistake. They sought peace through isolation and throughout the 1920s advocated a policy of disarmament and nonintervention. As a result, relations with Latin-American nations improved substantially under Hoover, an anti-imperialist.Still current at: 24 June 2020 Updated: 23 June 2020 Latest update: Information on further restrictions on certain visas put in place from 24 June to limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).


The 69th AIPS Congress in Doha opened with Mr.Gianni Merlo – President of AIPS greeting the delegates present as well as the members of the Qatar Organizing Committee and other distinguished guests.
Mr.Charles Camenzuli, as General Secretary informed the delegates on the Congress procedure followed by the first day roll call where 86 countries were present.
However before passing on for the agenda both the General Secretary as well as the President asked the Congress for a minute silence in remembrance of the three former AIPS General Secretaries who passed away lately namely Mr.Massimo della Pergola, Mr.Matti Salmenkyla and Mr.Istvan Gyulai.
Mr.Merlo mentioned the qualities, abilities and integrity these three people always showed for the benefit of AIPS and the sport media. The AIPS has also remembered the passing away of Honorary Member Lucien Tshimpumpu of DR Congo.
As the Agenda and programme of the 69th Congress had already been circulated and no amendments to it were asked, they were Approved by the Delegates.
The General Secretary informed that the minutes of the 68th Congress held in Marrakesh, Morocco on the 12th -14th May 2005 were circulated. As no amendments were received by the Secretariat they were also approved.
There were no matters arising from the said minutes of the 68th Congress.
Addressing the 69th Congress, AIPS President Mr.Gianni Merlo thanked the members of the Executive Committee present as well as the delegates for the record number of countries present in Doha.
AIPS President made reference to the 69th Congress as this had to be yet another milestone for AIPS not only for the number of countries attending but also as during the Congress the updated and re-written Statutes and By-Laws of AIPS were to be presented.
In a detailed visual presentation, the President gave an update account of what the AIPS went through since the last Congress in Marrakesh.
Mr.Gianni Merlo gave details of the meetings held with Dr.Francois Carrard in Lausanne, Switzerland and explained the changes which were made to the Statutes. The President also introduced Dr.Carrard who was present to the Congress and who later gave his views and details of the changes made to the Statutes.
Details were also given with reference to the meeting held in Budapest with the AIPS internal auditors Mr.Steen Ankerdal and Mr.Bartolome Hunger who together with AIPS Treasurer Mr.Jorge Ribeiro examined the AIPS finances.
Prior to the Congress, Mr.Hunger was also present in Vigevano to go through the accounts held at the President's Office.
The President presented his detailed report which included the magazine and website development, the current situation of the membership cards, the new communication systems, the setting up of a marketing office with respect to which the President introduced Mr.Gianluca Martinelli who was appointed by the Bureau as the person responsible for the marketing of AIPS.
Reference was also made to the positive relationships held with the organizers of the AIPS Congress in Doha and future Congresses as well as with international federations. Particular reference was made to the Winter Olympic Games in Torino Organizing Committee, to the grant of 80,000 Euros and for the star studded reception held during the Games.
Mr.Merlo referred to the relationships with the international Federations as a healthy sector for AIPS and which proved the constant respect AIPS holds.
As for the trip to Teheran for the 4th Islamic Women's Games, the President pointed out that further details would be given during the Congress in a specific 2-hour seminar to be conducted by Vice President Laima Janusonyte.
Mr.Merlo made also reference to the fact that by the end of 2006, AIPS will have its own Secretariat office in Lausanne in the House of Sport situated in the heart of the city. Mr.Merlo showed in detail how the Office would look like and how the operations from Budapest and Vigevano would be carried out in order not to have an impact on the day-to-day administration of AIPS.
The President also noted that even if some might consider that this can involve some expenses he is positive that being in Lausanne, the contact with the international federations will increase and eventually also the financial aspect will have a positive result for the whole operation.
The Congress approved this idea and the various initiatives to be taken in order to modernize the AIPS operational system.
The President thanked everyone who was instrumental in order that certain targets in the AIPS new image projection be reached.
The Report of the President was approved unanimously by the Congress Delegates.
The General Secretary, Charles Camenzuli presented his report which had also been circulated in advance and which as usual included all aspects as far as the general administration of the Secretariat is concerned.
The report was also supported by a visual presentation where an account of the AIPS presence in major sports events was given, details of the Executive Committee and Bureau meetings held since last Congress as well as the relations with the Continental Sections, the member associations and the Specialists Commissions.
The Secretary pointed out that most of the matters would be dealt with during the Congress.
The Congress was also informed of the presence of AIPS at the AGFIS Congress in Seoul where AIPS First Vice President Mr.Garcia took part and at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne with the participation of Mr.Camenzuli.
The General Secretary mentioned that together with the President and the Treasurer AIPS was present at the UEPS Congress which was held in Dublin and where Mr.Jerzy Jakobsche was elected as President.
The Report of the General Secretary was also approved unanimously by the Congress Delegates.
AIPS Treasurer, Mr. Jorge Ribeiro gave a detailed account of the financial situation of AIPS following the handing over after the 68th Congress in Morocco. Mr.Ribeiro gave an account of the various meetings held with the Bureau and the AIPS Executive Director in order to clarify certain matters. Reference was also made to the meeting held with the internal auditors of AIPS Mr.Steen Ankerdal and Mr.Bartolome Hunger who had presented a detailed internal report to the Executive Committee.
Mr.Ribeiro emphasized that this internal report had been circulated among the Executive Committee members and it showed various matters which needed to be clarified in particular to certain items that were full responsibility of the former AIPS President Mr.Togay Bayatli and of the current AIPS Executive Director Mrs.Agnes Gergelyi.
The Treasurer gave also a visual presentation and comparative study of the AIPS actual financial situation compared to that of the last year and to the expenses incurred.
Mr.Ankerdal addressed the Congress pointing out that certain financial items were not clear enough and that more accurate checking is to be done and for this particular reason he suggested that a professional auditing company would be appointed and that it would go through the accounts of the last 2 or 3 years in order to have a better picture of the AIPS financial situation.
Mr.Ankerdal made also reference to the meeting he had in Budapest prior to the Congress and as he had reported to the Executive Committee he expected that Mrs.Agnes Gergelyi, AIPS Executive Director was to be there for a longer time as she was present for just an hour during their whole day at the office.
Mr.Ankerdal noted the tremendous work done by the Treasurer.
As internal auditor with Mr.Hunger he pointed that he was not in a position to completely approve the accounts for the period January 2005 – 31st December 2005.
A debate on the matter developed and following also the intervention of AIPS Legal Advisor, Dr.Francois Carrard it was suggested that during the Congress, the Report of the Treasurer and auditing of Mr.Ankerdal covering the period June 2005 – December 2005 would be approved and as for the January – June 2005 period this would be referred to the next Congress following the report of an auditing Company.
Dr.Carrard suggested and stressed that a Professional Firm of auditors would be appointed to go through the AIPS finances.
The AIPS President confirmed that this would be done immediately and that Mr.Ankerdal and Mr.Hunger together with the Treasurer will form part of the AIPS Finance Committee.
With reference to the new affiliations to AIPS the General Secretary informed the Congress that all documents from Bahrein, Guinea Ecuatorial, Mali, and Togo were received in due time and of these only Guinea Ecuatorial was not present in Doha.
These new members were presented officially during the Congress.
The AIPS has now 148 member associations in total.
AIPS President gave a brief account of the reasons for these Statutes to be updated and modified and to the meetings held with Dr.Francois Carrard who took the task of re-formulating the Statutes in a more modern and updated version.
Mr.Merlo gave details of the meeting held in January 2006 in Lausanne at the office of Dr.Carrard where together with him, EC officials Charles Camenzuli and Yannis Teodorakopoulos discussed with Dr.Carrard the necessary changes which had to be done and which were eventually approved by the AIPS Bureau and the AIPS Executive Committee.
Dr.Francois Carrard informed that these Statutes had already been circulated among the member associations and discussed in detail with the Bureau and Executive Committee.
Dr.Carrard examined all articles of the new Statutes and saving minor changes these were approved by the Congress.
Certain points were also clarified following various interventions by the delegates present.
The Congress approved unanimously the new AIPS Statutes whose final version will be circulated to all member associations.
The AIPS President thanked Dr.Carrard for the work done and interest shown.
The AIPS Secretariat had received only one motion to the Statutes and this was received from Sports Journalists Association of Turkey.
As most of the contents of this motion were already included in the new Statutes, the motion was withdrawn by Mr. Murat Agca on behalf of the SJA Turkey.
With reference to the next Congresses, the AIPS President gave details of the recent meetings he had with officials from the Organizing Committee of the 2007 Austria-Switzerland Congress.
Full details were to be given during the Congress in the detailed presentation to be held before the handing over of the flag.
Regarding the 2008 Congress, China is still interested in organizing the Congress and following the Executive Meetings held in China in October 2005 in Nanjing, the President was sure that in 2008 it will be another great Congress for AIPS few months prior to the Beijing Games.
Reference was also made to the AIPS Card Situation details of which were given by the General Secretary and included in the Congress Documents.
At this stage the President emphasized the most encouraging number of cards issued as well as the procedure adopted for African countries where AIPS is charging them only 5$ per card. As for other nations which fall under ASPU, FEPEDA or UEPS, the Secretariat will be asking them to provide an official list of the countries that are currently facing financial difficulties.
The Treasurer also gave his views on the matter that irrespective of the new system of issuing Cards, not only was their number encouraging but also higher compared to the same period of the last term of card issuing.
On the same matter, the General Secretary gave a detailed account of the Card situation: with the new system the rhythm has increased and the number of cards registered to date was by far higher than the one recorded in the respective former card same period. 6733 cards were ordered of which 5828 were sent until 23 April 2006.
This number is to increase as most of the countries ordered more cards during the Congress.
With reference to the (Specialist) Commissions' Reports (whose name changed into 'Commissions' with the new AIPS Statutes) while the President informed that the Bureau would be discussing the possibility of organizing a meeting specifically for the Commissions, the Commissions present in Doha were allocated 5 minutes each in order to present their reports.
Regarding the AIPS Magazine and AIPS website, AIPS President gave follow up details with reference to what was presented at the EC Meetings in Nanjing.
Mr.Merlo gave details of the impact the magazine made with international federations in particular during the Winter Olympic Games held in Torino.
Together with the General Secretary he urged all National Associations to send articles and news supported by relative photos in order that both the website and the magazine remain the main source of reference for all AIPS card holders.
As for the Sports Journalists Day, Mr.Merlo noted that through the information we received both for the magazine and for the website there are various activities organized by national sports journalists associations and we should see that these activities will be given all necessary publicity to promote AIPS and our profession.
The Executive Committee urged that the Continental Sections will do their utmost and see that within them Seminars, meetings, day activities etc. will be held.
With reference to the Best Press facilities and athletes of the Year the General Secretary noted that although the system used by online voting was relatively new, there were still an encouraging number of members who voted.
It was noted that as for this year further promotion within the National associations would be made in order that these Awards have a bigger and better profile and publicity.
Besides update with reference to the Doha Asian Games.
Another main item during the Congress was the Seminar ' Women in Sport' addressed by AIPS Vice President Ms Laima Janusonyte and with interventions from Dr.Aneesa Al-Hitmi – Chairperson of the Qatar Women's Sports Committee and Kenyan journalist Omolo Evelyn Akoth.
This Seminar was held following the experience a delegation from AIPS and the international media had during the Women Islamic Games held in Teheran in 2005. A video presentation on the same topic was presented to the Congress by AIPS Vice President Mr.Manoucher Zandi who was the main co-ordinator in Teheran for this experience to materialize.
The Congress officially came to an end with AIPS President Mr.Gianni Merlo thanking the Organizing Committee which was in charge of the 2006 Congress in Qatar in particular to Mr.Mohammed Al Malki, Mr.Abdulla Al-Mulla and Mr.Jaber Al Harami as well as all those who have the international sport media at heart and who did their utmost in order that the new AIPS administration be able to achieve the results already obtained in less than a year.