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text:
<?php
/**
 * Moving Code
 *
 * Move code or entire statement up/down.
 *
 * Move line up/down:
 * Shift+Alt+Up / Down (Windows/Linux/Mac OS X)
 *
 * Move statement up/down:
 * Shift+Ctrl+Up / Down (Windows/Linux)
 * Shift+Command+Up / Down (Mac OS X)
 */

namespace Editing3\JetBrains;

class MovingCode {
    // 1. Order the lines using move line up / down.
    public function moveLine() {
        $numberFive = 5;
        $numberOne = 1;
        $numberThree = 3;
        $numberTwo = 2;
        $numberFour = 4;
    }

    // 2. Order the if statements using move statement up / down.
    public function moveStatement() {
        if (2 == 2) {
            // ...
            echo 'Number two';
        }
        if (1 == 1) {
            // ...
            echo 'Number one';
        }
        if (3 == 3) {
            // ...
            echo 'Number three';
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
namespace blink {

class ContextLifecycleObserver;

// Notifier interface for ContextLifecycleObserver.
class PLATFORM_EXPORT ContextLifecycleNotifier : public GarbageCollectedMixin {
 public:
  virtual void AddContextLifecycleObserver(ContextLifecycleObserver*) = 0;
  virtual void RemoveContextLifecycleObserver(ContextLifecycleObserver*) = 0;
};

}  // namespace blink

#endif  // THIRD_PARTY_BLINK_RENDERER_PLATFORM_CONTEXT_LIFECYCLE_NOTIFIER_H_


text:
Itinerary: The Culture and Cuisine of India
By Staff Writer Published September 27, 2018 Last Updated October 19th, 2018
Immerse yourself in the beauty of Peninsula India on this 16-day journey through the gentler, more relaxed southern states of this kaleidoscopic sub-continent. Prized for its aromatic spices, natural resources and cultural treasures, India's beautiful south remains a feast for the senses with all the right ingredients for an unforgettable trip. Throughout your journey you will stay in award-winning, cultural luxury accommodation.
Arrive in Chennai where you will be met by A&K and transferred to your hotel. Situated on the Bay of Bengal, Chennai is a major centre for music, art and culture, revered for its classical dance and Hindu temple. You will stay at the luxury hotel Taj Coromandel which is one of Chennai's best-known landmarks and is a member of Leading Hotels of the World. A broad choice of dining options is available including the award-winning Southern Spice, the fine dining Golden Dragon for an appetising mix of Sichuan and Cantonese flavours, and the stylish bar Chipstead is the perfect way to unwind with a cocktail.
Stay at Taj Coromandel (Taj Club Room)
Begin the morning with breakfast before your sightseeing of Chennai. Once the most important seaport for the East India Company, and recognised as Southern India's cultural, culinary and artistic hub, Chennai is a fascinating mix of old and new with a collection of urban villages and neighbourhoods and a new cosmopolitan appeal. Your tour will visit the city highlights including the ancient Shiva Temple, the San Thome Cathedral, where the remains of St. Thomas are said to be housed, Fort St. George, built in 1653 by the British East India Company and the Government Museum which is home to one of the finest collections of bronze sculptures in the country. Conclude the night with a welcome dinner held in the hotel.
Chennai – Mahabalipuram – Pondicherry
This morning you will head southwest to Pondicherry, with a visit en route to the ancient Pallava capital of Mahabalipuram to see its Group of Monuments, which was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy a lunch of southern Indian delicacies before proceeding to Pondicherry. Then this afternoon you'll wander through the 18th century French Quarter which is full of colonial mansions, tree-lined bicycle routes, parks, cafés and boutiques. Once you arrive at your hotel, the courtyard pool is the perfect place to cool off and the hotel's Ayurveda centre offers a range of herbal massages and therapies.
Stay at Palais de Mahe (Standard Room)
Today you will tour Pondicherry, starting with Sri Aurobindo Ashram, founded by the Indian philosopher, yogi, guru, poet and nationalist Sri Aurobindo in 1926. The ashram is home to 1,200 devotees, including the 400 students of the Centre of Education, who live and work in the complex. You will also visit Manakula Vinayagar Temple, more than 300 years old and dedicated to the elephant-headed deity Ganesha. Over 5,000 devotees flock to this site every day. You will then tour the Pondicherry museum home to a superb collection of sculptures in the Bharathi Park. Lunch will be served at the hotel, and is followed by a walk through the French Quarter, where the strong French influence in Pondicherry is most evident. The roads are lined with elegant Mediterranean style houses and the bakeries are certainly worth a visit.
This morning, visit Auroville, just outside Pondicherry. This experimental, New Age community was founded in 1968 and attracts devotees from over 45 nations who come to follow the teachings of the great Indian philosopher and long-time Pondicherry resident Sri Aurobindo. Later, visit Mohanam Cultural Centre, designed to bridge the gap between the old and the young, traditional and modern. Cultural events and festivals are conducted here throughout the year, aiming to protect and preserve the rich cultural heritage of South India. You will have lunch at local restaurant and then have the afternoon to explore at your own leisure. To conclude the evening, dinner will be served at the hotel.
Pondicherry – Thanjavur
Begin today with a drive further south to Thanjavur (formerly Tanjore), the ancient Chola capital, stopping on the way in Chidambaram to visit the vibrant Natraja Temple, famed for its bronze dancing Shiva and one of the holiest of all Shiva sites. Observe the daily Brahmin rituals at shrines throughout the 40-acre complex before continuing our journey to Thanjavur. You will arrive at your accommodations where there is a luxury spa, gym and yoga centre on site plus a choice of restaurants serving southern Indian vegetarian food prepared from organic ingredients by trained specialist chefs.
Stay at Svatma (Millennium Deluxe Room)
DAY 7: Thanjavur
Thanjavur is the home of one of India's most spectacular temples, the ochre-coloured granite Brihadisvara Temple, which we'll visit this morning. After that, you will visit the magnificent 14th century Tanjore Palace built for Maratha royalty and surrounded by huge fortress walls. Wander through its huge corridors, spacious halls and decorated rooms, and admire its beautiful stucco works, frescoed wall paintings and intricate carvings. Lunch will be at a local restaurant before an afternoon drive to Trichy for a tour of this thriving riverfront city in the heart of Tamil Nadu. You will then visit Srirangam, famous for its massive Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, which has 49 separate shrines dedicated to Vishnu and is so large it feels like its own city. You also view the Rock Fort Temple, a spectacular monument perched on a massive rocky outcropping that towers over the old city. End the night by returning to Thanjavur.
Day 8: Thanjavur – Madurai
After breakfast, drive to Madurai, one of the oldest cities in South Asia, where the hilltop Gateway Hotel will be your base. En-route, you will visit a Chettinad village and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. The city Madurai is famous for its temples built in the Dravidian style of architecture. It is also one of India's prominent Hindu pilgrimage centres. Arrive at your luxurious accommodations with breathtaking views of the Meenakshi temple's towers, and soak up your surroundings at 'The View' restaurant, offering local Indian and international cuisine in a relaxed informal atmosphere.
Stay at The Gateway Pasumalai (Executive Room)
Day 9: Madurai
This morning, enjoy a half day city tour of Madurai. The temple town of Madurai is known as the 'Athens of the East' with its rich cultural heritage spanning more than 2,500 years. Madurai is also home to a maze of markets and museums. After your city tour, return to your hotel with the afternoon at leisure. Then this evening, witness a Hindu prayer ceremony ('aarti') at the 12th century Meenaskshi Temple, a multi-tiered, technicolour wonder of a building, heaving with carved mythical figures and devoted pilgrims.
Stay at The Gateway Pasumalai
Day 10: Madurai – Thekaddy (Periyar National Park)
After breakfast, travel overland into the state of Kerala to Periyar. Your journey takes you into the Western Ghats, a lush mountain range that rises parallel to India's Arabian Sea coast. Late this afternoon, visit a local spice plantation where you will enjoy the sights and smells of fresh spices and learn about their cultivation process. You can even pick some fresh spices to take home. Your cottage accommodation at Spice Village was inspired by the native tribesmen of Periyar, the Oorali and Mannan, who lived in similar dwellings. A number of comforts have been added, however, to make your stay a luxurious one.
Stay at Spice Village (Standard Villa)
Day 11: Thekaddy (Periyar National Park) – Kumarakom
After a leisurely breakfast, proceed to Periyar National Park. The scenic Periyar Lake in the middle of the sanctuary is a great place for boating and watching the elephants frolic. Later, descend a dramatic escarpment as you journey overland to the village of Kumarakom. Stop en route for lunch at a local restaurant in Kanjirappally, considered the entrance to Kerala's hill country. Upon arrival, you will check in to your beautiful lakefront resort. With a tranquil setting on the lake, Kumarakom Lake Resort has a wonderful feel. The infinity pool is a delightful place relax, and there are rice boats, fishing trips, spa treatments and farm visits also available.
Stay at Kumarakom Lake Resort (Meandering Pool Villa)
Day 12: Kumarakom
This morning you will visit a local farming family and experience their way of life with a cooking demonstration and lunch. A tour of their spice plantation is an extremely sensory experience, the aromatic winding pathways can be a truly relaxing experience. Complete the experience with a delicious meal made using these fresh spices. The taste and the memories are sure to stay with you for a long time. Later, return to the resort, where you will have the rest of the day at leisure to relax and enjoy the many resort activities.
You will have this full day at your own leisure. Relax at the resort with a rejuvenating Ayurvedic treatment (extra charge), walk or cycle down to the local village, or try a spot of fishing. While you may enjoy the many activities the resort has to offer, some activities are at additional cost.
DAY 14: Kumarakom – Alleppey – Kochi
After a morning at leisure, board a traditional houseboat for a day cruise on the beautiful backwaters of Kerala. Glide through canals and lagoons shaded by coconut palms and pass sleepy rural villages. You are treated to a lunch of local specialties as you cruise. Then disembark this evening and journey overland to Kochi, also known as Cochin, where you check in at your hotel. Tonight is at leisure, or you may wish to visit the Greenix Theatre for a performance by the extravagantly-costumed Kathakali dancers (optional, additional cost). The hotel has its own private jetty, which doubles up as a 'café' overlooking the pool garden and the sea.
Stay at Brunton Boatyard (Standard sea view Room)
DAY 15: Kochi
Spend the day exploring the tropical coastal city of Kochi, where you will discover an intriguing mix of cultural influences. Visit one of the oldest Jewish synagogues in India, decorated with blue ceramic Chinese tiles and surrounded by an aromatic spice market. You will see the story of Ramayana depicted in the wonderful murals at charming Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace) and visit St. Francis Church, both of which were erected by the Portuguese in the 16th century. This evening you may choose to take complimentary harbour cruise from the hotel before a farewell dinner.
Today, your tour arrangements come to a conclusion as you are transferred to the airport for your departure flight.
India Culture and Cuisine Tour
Travel Dates 2018
Feb 23, 2019 – Mar 10, 2019
Oct 10, 2019 – Oct 25, 2019
AU$9,895 per person
For more information and to enquire about this tour visit: www.abercrombiekent.com.au
1 thought on "Itinerary: The Culture and Cuisine of India"
Resorts in Kumarakom says:
This is very interesting and informative. Thanks for sharing..
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
All The Threads Are Coming Together
October 1, 2017 October 1, 2017 S.C. BarrusProduction Note, Update
Words added last month – 14,295
Total word written – 42,812
Named Characters – 24 (give or take a couple)
Drafted Chapters – 11
Drafted Scenes – 58
Paperback pages – 215
"It sucks feeling small, doesn't it?"
Nat nods.
"And doing what we do, it makes us big. Just like you said, alone you can't do anything. Nobody listens, nobody cares, everyone is dying and everyone knows it. I've seen people dying everywhere in slow and ugly ways. Nothing I can do about it. What I do now makes a difference. Makes a big difference. People all over are scared of me. They don't know it's me they're scared of, but they're all frightened of my shadow, of my influence, of the threat that my existence brings. Not just the surface dwellers, not just the undercity, all of 'em. You, the girls, everyone. And if you don't think so, it's because I haven't had a reason to show you yet."
Above is a snippet from a recent scene written in Grim Curio. It's been a while since I shared a proper update, so let's dive in.
Threads are Coming Together
Grim Curio has a decently complex narrative. There are three separate threads that affect each other both directly and indirectly as the story progresses, eventually all merging into a single thread. At times it gets difficult to write in a way that everything makes logical sense and is fun to read, so the further I get, the slower progress is coming. Right not I'm in the thick of it as all three narratives are coming together, but once that's complete I expect my progress to pick up again.
I've also shared the first four chapters on /r/DestructiveReaders, a subreddit I frequent in order to improve my writing and get feedback from readers while the book is still in progress. Feedback has been great!
Three or four months ago I shared these same chapters in an earlier form, and the critiques prompted me to overhaul the style (you can read about the decision to rewrite everything I'd written here). I'm glad I did because readers are responding much more favorably to GC now, with feedback focusing on specific elements rather than the broad strokes.
By the way, I wrote a blog post on how to use critiques like these to improve your writing. If you're interested in improving your prose, read my critique feedback loop strategy here.
Become Part of the Process
Some readers have approached me with a desire to become part of my writing process. There are actually lots of ways to do this, so I thought I'd share them with you.
Become an alpha reader
You may have heard of beta readers, but with my GC I've been taking it one step further with alpha readers. While beta reading is a structured process with a predefined set of readers giving regular feedback, alpha reading more free form. You can learn the differences here.
I share chapters on /r/DestructiveReaders, and you read and either leave comments in the Google Doc, and/or write a short summary of your thoughts. If you want to be notified whenever a new chapter is released, go to the contact page and send me a message. I'll email you whenever a I share a new chapter.
That's what's been going on with me and my book lately. We're chugging along. If all goes according to plan, I expect to finish the novel by the end of the year. Want to be notified when Grim Curio is released? Sign up for my mailing list so you don't miss out!
Aaron Burden
Tagged amwriting, character, critique, destructive readers, Grim Curio, novel writing, production note, quote, S.C. Barrus, update, writing
Quick Overview On The Many Kinds of Editors
Find Inspiration, Generate Ideas, & the Myth of the Perfect Concept
http://awayandaway.com/update/all-the-threads-are-coming-together">


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Danielle Smith-Llera - Danielle Smith-Llera's former life as a teacher led her to write books for young people. She has taught literature, writing, history, and visual arts to students ranging from elementary school to college. Danielle studied English and Visual Arts at Harvard University and exhibits her artwork internationally. As the spouse of a diplomat, she and her family have lived in Washington D.C New Delhi, India and Kingston, Jamaica.


text:
Vice President Highlights ``Greening the Government`` Achievements
For Immediate Release April 22, 2000
VICE PRESIDENT HIGHLIGHTS "GREENING THE GOVERNMENT" ACHIEVEMENTS AND ANNOUCES NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER TO REDUCE TOXICS AT FEDERAL FACILITIES
Washington, D.C. – Vice President Gore today announced the signing of a new Executive Order setting tough new environmental goals for the federal government. The Executive Order, part of a series of "Greening the Government" initiatives, sets a course for the federal government to enhance performance in environmental management, environmental compliance, public right-to-know. The Order will achieve reductions in toxic chemical releases, the use of toxic chemicals, hazardous substances, and other pollutants.
In addition, the Vice President announced a new report, "Greening the Government: A Report to the President on Federal Leadership and Progress," that highlights the progress Federal agencies have made in response to six of President Clinton's previous "Greening the Government" executive orders. Those orders have directed Federal executive agencies to take concrete steps to conserve energy and natural resources, prevent pollution, reduce waste generation, eliminate usage of ozone depleting substances, purchase recycled, energy-efficient, and environmentally preferable products, and reduce usage of toxic substances.
"Our Administration's series of "Greening the Government" Executive Orders illustrates how the federal government can operate cleaner while spending less," said the Vice President. "This new Executive Order will mean cleaner communities and safer places to live, particularly for our children."
Over the last seven years, Federal agencies have made major changes and accomplishments in sustainable procurement, energy efficiency, and other greening practices, that demonstrate the significant impact and leadership the Federal Government can make. The report highlights key accomplishments, including:
Federal facilities have reported an almost 60 percent decrease in releases of toxic chemicals since 1994.
Energy consumption in government buildings for FY99 decreased 20.5 percent since 1985, saving the taxpayer $2.2 billion in energy costs.
Federal agencies and government contractors have dramatically increased their purchasing of recycled content products from 5 to more than 50 since 1993.
To build on these environmental gains, the new Executive Order announced today sets a goal of reducing toxic releases from federal facilities by an additional 40 percent between 2001 and 2006. Based on current levels, this could mean even further reductions of millions of pounds of toxic chemicals a year at Federal facilities in communities across the U.S.
The new Executive Order also sets goals for federal facilities on pollution prevention and employing environmental management systems. Under the Order, the federal government will aim, by 2006, to halve its use of select chemicals that pose a potential risk to human health and the environment and for which there are proven substitutes that are less environmentally harmful. The Order also calls for the federal government to phase out purchasing of certain ozone-depleting substances by 2010.
In addition, the federal government will begin employing environmental management systems by the end of 2005-- a management tool borrowed from the private sector and used to ensure that environmental issues are incorporated into the basic operations and planning processes of an agency.
Additional efforts aimed at improving the environmental management of federal facilities include developing or updating pollution prevention plans, auditing facilities for compliance with environmental regulations, employing budgeting and accounting practices that take environmental costs into consideration and providing necessary training for federal employees. These efforts not only reduce risks to human health and the environment, they control cleanup costs and promote the use of cleaner technologies.
"The federal government has made great strides over the last seven years in reducing impacts to the environment, but we can do more," said Vice President Gore. "Today, we are saying that the federal government is going to lead by example when it comes to pollution prevention."
The President also announced two new executive orders today in his Earth Day radio address. The first order improves fuel efficiency by requiring the Federal government to reduce fuel use in its vehicle fleets by 20 percent over the next five years. The second order will offer Federal workers incentives to use public transportation, cutting congestion, fuel use and the pollution that contributes to climate change.
The "Greening the Government" report can be viewed on the web at www.ofee.gov.
Environmental Leadership on the 30th Anniversary of Earth Day


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text:
Gerard Stewart News
Executive Search Firm Gerard Stewart Recruits Lesa Francis as CEO of Supplemental Health Care
ATLANTA, June 27, 2016 – International executive search firm Gerard Stewart announced it has placed Lesa Francis as President and Chief Executive Officer of healthcare workforce solutions company Supplemental Health Care. The search and placement was led by Gerard Stewart Founder and Managing Partner Lisa Maxwell.
Francis most recently served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Staffmark. She is one of the highest rated CEOs nationwide, according to Glassdoor. Francis is consistently named to Staffing Industry Analysts' 100 most influential people in staffing, and currently chairs the American Staffing Association.
Francis' placement at Supplemental embodies the growing trend of recruiting across industry lines. A staffing industry veteran, Francis will now lead an influential and growing healthcare workforce solutions business.
"We are very excited to secure for Supplemental such a respected, well-known leader in staffing," said Maxwell. "Lesa is an absolute powerhouse. We knew with her track record and capabilities she could easily transition to and apply those skills for a leading healthcare company. Lesa is poised to deliver great things at Supplemental Health Care."
About Gerard Stewart
As an international leader in executive search, Gerard Steward focuses on recruitment for leading outsourcing and professional services firms and senior level positions within the human capital industry.
The team at Gerard Stewart advises client companies on recruiting and retaining outstanding leaders and helps mitigate the risks involved with senior level appointments. The firm has completed engagements across the broad human capital landscape. Its prestigious client list includes firms in staffing, workforce management, human capital consulting, information technology services, vendor management software and human resources outsourcing. Gerard Stewart leverages deep industry expertise and an extensive network of human capital executives to ensure access to leading candidates in chosen markets.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Gerard Stewart has offices in London and Menlo Park, Calif. For more information, visit www.gerardstewart.com.
Ann Warren
ClearEdge Marketing
Email: awarren@clearedgemarketing.com
Gerard Stewart Founder and Managing Partner Lisa Maxwell Named to 2019 Global Power 150 Women in Staffing List
November 18, 2019 – Gerard Stewart founder and managing partner Lisa Maxwell has once again been named to Staffing Industry Analysts' Global Power 150 Women in Staffing list. This year marks the fifth year Maxwell … Read more.
CFO Executive Search Completed by Gerard Stewart for ADVANTIS Global Inc.
JUNE 28, 2019 – Shaun Porter has started as the chief financial officer of ADVANTIS Global, a privately held staffing group headquartered in San Francisco, CA. The executive search was successfully completed by Gerard Stewart, … Read more.
Kerry Barrett Named as Chief Operating Officer of Advanced Group, Executive Search Completed by Gerard Stewart
MAY 15, 2019 – Kerry Barrett has started as the new chief operating officer of Advanced Group, an industry-leading diversified professional staffing, consulting and outsourcing organization headquartered in Chicago. The executive search was successfully completed … Read more.
GET IN TOUCH WITH GERARD STEWART
U.S. // U.S. Email | East: 404-474-4090 | West: 415-806-7404
UK // UK Email | +44 (0)870 405 0100
© 2019 Gerard Stewart | All Rights Reserved


text:
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Weekly Newsletter - September 16, 2019
Monday, September 16 • 11 am – 8:00 pm
Free The Children, Close the Camps: A Day Of Action
Join this Day of Action to protest the caging of children and migrant families. Protest the crisis at the border and the detention of young children and adults in a inhumane conditions! Close the Camps! Free the Children! Amnesty Now! The day kicks off with an 11:00 am rally, a noon march to S.F. City Hall, a 3:00 pm protest at ICE, then back to 24th & Mission for a closing celebration and protest. Sponsors include A Day Without Immigrants San Francisco and other Mission organizations.
Location: 24th Street BART Station, City Hall, ICE building, San Francisco
Tuesday, September 17 • Morning, exact time TBD
Trump is Coming to Town - Action
Trump is making his first Bay Area appearance as president next week (to raise money from his corporate cronies). We want to send the message loud and clear that our movements are more powerful than his dollars, and we will defeat his racist, misogynistic, xenophobic agenda. Join Bay Resistance to take action on Tuesday morning (low-risk). If you sign up for either option we will send you more info soon! But in the meantime feel free to email info@bayresistance.org with questions.
Location: Provided upon registration
September 20 – 27
Strike for Climate Justice Week of Action
Join young people across the U.S. and the world as they demand transformative action to address our climate crisis. Their call for a global strike and a week of action will include hundreds of events globally and across the United States. Millions of children, Indigenous people, people of color, rural and urban frontline communities, and citizens are rising up around the world to ensure a safe, healthy, and sustainable future for ourselves and generations to come. Bay Area activities include:
September 20 • 10:00 am – 1:00 pm • SF Bay Area Youth And Allies Climate Strike March Starts at the San Francisco Federal Building, 90 7th St. San Francisco and goes to different government, finance, and energy targets that are contributing to climate breakdown.
September 25 • 7:00 am – 5:00 pm • Strike for Climate Justice Meet at Market and Montgomery, San Francisco. Organized by Extinction Rebellion, Idle No More, Diablo Rising Tide, among others.
Monday, September 23 • 7:00 – 9:00 pm
An Evening with Land & Water Protectors
Join Climate Justice SF and Intertribal Friendship House for an evening of conversation with Anne White Hat, Cherri Foytlin, and Mark Tilsen to hear firsthand accounts from years of Indigenous led resistance to pipelines. Come hear from three of the most effective organizers on Turtle Island about ongoing work fighting back against Energy Transfer Partners, community resiliency in the Gulf South and visions and plans for how to fight back. We will be touring with Mutual Aid Media's film "L'eau Est La Vie From Standing Rock to the Swamp." There is no charge for this event. Donations for the speakers are appreciated.
Location: Intertribal Friendship House, 523 International Blvd, Oakland
Wednesday, September 25 • 5:00 – 6:30 pm
SURJ National Webinar: 10 Years of Racial Justice
Join SURJ National for a webinar with Patrisse Cullors, Makani Themba, Carla Wallace, and Pam McMichael to discuss the past, present, and future of SURJ as it relates to the broader movement for racial, economic, social, and environmental justice. Pam McMichael and Carla Wallace are long time movement organizers and co-founders of SURJ. Patrisse Cullors and Makani Themba are revered movement leaders who will share their perspective of how SURJ's work fits in a broader context and what is needed moving forward. This is a public call, open to all. Register today.
Location: Online webinar
Saturday, September 28 • 3:00 – 5:00 pm
Stop Massacres in Haiti! Stand with Lasalin!
Join Haiti Action Committee and the National Lawyers Guild SF-Bay Area for the release of a new report, The Lasalin Massacre and the Human Rights Crisis in Haiti. The event kicks off a week of action to support the call by Haiti's grassroots movement to terminate the presidency of US-imposed kleptocrat Jovenel Moise. The event also commemorates the 1991 coup against the democratically-elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, as well as the September 11, 1988 massacre at Father Aristide's church, located in Lasalin, a Port-au-Prince neighborhood with a centuries-long history of resistance to enslavement and empire. Donations $10 - 20 - no one turned away for lack of funds.
Location: Eastside Arts Alliance, 2277 International Blvd., Oakland
September 16 – October 31 • Weekly Meetings • Choice of Days
SURJ Study & Action 6-Week Series
Are you looking for a learning community to challenge racism? Do you want to learn more so that you can become a resource for your community? Would you like to find out how to take action locally and be accountable? Join us as we examine white supremacy and resistance movements to build skills to challenge racism and take action in our communities. Through weekly reading and facilitated groups, we study the histories and systems of that which we resist, we deepen our understanding of injustice, and learn to take strategic, effective action to dismantle white supremacy and support Black and people of color-led organizations fighting for racial justice. Study & Action is free, but you must RSVP for your choice of 1 of 4 days.
Saturday, October 5 • 10:00 am – 1:30 pm
SURJ Workshop - What White People Don't See: Applying the Lens of Privilege
You believe in making a difference, but when it comes to racial justice, are your actions aligned with your beliefs? The work begins with looking in the mirror. Without intentional learning and reflection, white people may uphold beliefs and systems that perpetuate injustice. Join SURJ for an intimate and interactive workshop in which we will unpack how whiteness has shaped our lives and discuss how white people who care can take action for racial justice. Sliding Scale $15-$65. No one turned away for lack of funds. Space is limited so pre-registration is required. Learn more and get tickets.
Location: Movement Strategy Center, 436 14th Street, Suite 500, Oakland
Wednesday, October 9 • 6:45 – 9:00 pm
Intro to SURJ Meeting
Want to get involved with SURJ Bay Area? Come learn about our current work and activities. SURJ moves white people to act for justice, with passion and accountability, as part of a multi-racial majority. You will hear about SURJ's pathways for entering the work, including committee work, upcoming workshops, and events. We'll answer your questions and share how you can get involved in the movement for racial justice. Register today!
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From 8 July 2018, all College email accounts will have been moved to use Office 365.
(eg. jbloggs@princeofpeace.qld.edu.au — previously you would have used eg. internal\jbloggs), then use your College network login password which has been left unchanged.


text:
using System;

namespace GuruComponents.Netrix.WebEditing.Styles
{
	/// <summary>
	/// Controls how the backgroundImage property of the object is tiled.
	/// </summary>
	public enum BackgroundRepeat
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// Default. Image is repeated horizontally and vertically.
        /// </summary>
        Repeat,
        /// <summary>
        /// Image is not repeated.
        /// </summary>
        NoRepeat,
        /// <summary>
        /// Image is repeated horizontally.
        /// </summary>
        RepeatX,
        /// <summary>
        /// Image is repeated vertically.
        /// </summary>
        RepeatY,
        /// <summary>
        /// The value is not set. If assigned as value the attribute is being removed.
        /// </summary>
        NotSet
	}
}


text:
Prehistory3000000 BCE - 5001 BCE
Antiquity5000 BCE - 399 CE
Middle Ages400 CE - 1500 CE
Age of Reason1500 CE - 1879 CE
Modern Times1880 CE - 1980 CE
500000 BCE :
Flints Galore
60000 BCE :
Not Just Cave Dwellers
Rhinos in Samaria
7000 BCE :
Masking Death Prehistoric City
What would you like, Egyptian or Philistine ?
4,000 Year Old Jerusalem Tomb: a Treasure Trove of Decapitated Toads
Where did the Philistines come from?
Is This Ziklag?
800 BCE :
Horses in the rain Ruin of Samaria!
Which Isaiah? How many clerks ?
Temple Off the Mount
Stamped by the Mayor
Signs of Destruction
Who are You, Samaritans?
Esther – the Persian Version
Nehemiah on the Wall
Forgotten Archive
A Brief History of the Hasmoneans
Pools and Palaces
Fighting for Heart and Soul The Youngest Maccabee
Telltale Tremor
Cast a Giant Shadow
A Dig Full of Holes
אוצר ממצולות ים Anonymous Hasmonean
20 BCE :
Mystery of Caesarea's Disappearing Port Jerusalem Potters
Paving the Past
0 BCE :
Nabateans in the Bible Lords of the Desert Pilgrim City
40 CE :
Wanton Destruction on a Calamitous Scale Golden Nostalgia
King's Canopy in Shilo
Don't Call Me Joseph Dead Sea DNA
Romans on the Roofs of Gamla
130 CE :
Backs to the Western Wall
Bar Kokhba in Jerusalem
Bathing Rabbis
Trio in Togas
Washed Out by the Rain
זה השער
Blessed Wine
Shofar – Blasting Away Pilgrims' Riches Playing with Water? Byzantine Cistern in Jerusalem Playground
Georgians in Ashdod
The Fire of Faith
What's a Jewish Menorah doing on early Islamic coins and vessels ?
Whose Head is it Anyway? Potter's Treasure
Cave of Revenge
1096 CE :
Heroes on the Walls of Haifa
Locking Horns at the Battle of Hattin
Z-rated: For Forties Plus
Mystery of the Zohar Zohar Unzipped
Ancient Ring in the Flowerbed
Ready for Elijah
Divinely Plagued
A Widow in Print
Once Bitten, Twice Shy – Portuguese Jewry
Portuguese Messiah at the Stake
Salonika's Mystic Quartet
Who Was David Ha-Reuveni?
Kabbalists in Salonika
The Price of Dissent
Was 'The Jewish Bride' Really Jewish? Messianic Mania
Newton's Fourth Law In the Service of the Czar Haman's Pockets Trying to Belong
Groping for Truth
Napoleon's Jewish Court
Red Rose of Petra
A Soul Divided
Blackface Minstrel Shows
With Thanks from Damascus
Charlotte Rothschild – First Jewish Female Artist
The Angry Convert
Jewish? French? Italian!
Matza – More Than Just Crumbs
Mum's the Word Mum's the Word
Hungarian Schism
A Man unto Himself The Kaiser's Cap
The Many Faces of Maurycy Gottlieb Shtreimel Variations: The History of a Hat
Off the Boat
Fastest Jew in the West
The Jewish Girl who Set the Wild West Ablaze
Kafka – Too Short A Story
The Original Zionist Congress
Place in the Sun
Marc Chagall – the Surrealist Jew
New York – A Community in Flux
PIONEER POET
When Shakespeare Spoke Yiddish
Herzl's Psychodrama Egypt's Jewish Molière
Zionist with Cello
The Jewish Father of French Impressionism The Congress that Founded the Jewish State The Pied Piper of Yom Kippur
Healing Minds with Sigmund Freud
The Saga of a Budapest Family Sukka
The Jewish American Secret Police
One Hundred Good Years
Planting Seedlings Mark Gertler – Nothing but Art
Did Jew Know? Tomorrow's War Ticket to Riches
Albert Einstein's Quantum Leap Forgotten Jews of Bisan
Amedeo Modigliani – Jewish Expressionism
The Gateway The Viscount of Megiddo Return of the Spies Guard Down Long Before Balfour
Luboml City Post Dying in Vain
Isidor Kaufmann – Jewish Ritual Beauty My Son, the Gangster The Fourth Commandment and the Eighteenth Amendment
Make Art, Not War
God Save the Dutch Queen It Takes a (Hasidic) Village
Painter of Jerusalem Breaking the Sound Barrier No Business Like Show Business
Painting Propaganda
The Wedding That Wasn't
Haifa and Salonika – the Jewish Ports
Gefilte Jazz
Megilla with a Secular Twist
A Beautiful Mind 9 Things You Didn't Know About Hedy Lamarr
Flowing But Not Forgotten All-American Rebbe
Fight for the Spirit Spark of Rebellion Drawing for Dear Life
Damned If You Do Lights, Camera, Zionism!
United Nations Vote – 29 November 1947
Posting Independence The Battle on the Hill Sky-Heist Scent of Freedom The Best Defense Cable Car to Jerusalem
Shmuel Zanwil Kahane and the Legend of the Holy Ashes
Lost in Eilat Eilat's Treasures Strength in Numbers The Shrine on the Mountain Voice Behind the Iron Curtain
Curator or Creator
The Night of the Murdered Poets
The Hitchhikers' Guide to Jew York
Shmuel Zanwil Kahane's Map of Holy Sites
Jewish as Can Be
1967 Declassified Comments Through Lions' Gate De-Classified Comments New Life in Jerusalem's Old City
Faith Under Fire
TORAH FROM SIDON
Home / Middle Ages / Divinely Plagued
Plague after Plague
Panic and Chaos
The Soul's Farewell
Deathbed Rites
By: יעקב בן זאב
Identifying perhaps more with the plague-ridden Egyptians than with liberated Israel, the scribe of the prized Wolff Haggada referred readers to his epic testimony concerning the horrors of the Black Plague and how he reconciled them with his faith // Yaakov Ben-Ze'ev (Simkovitz)
Seldom can any individual distill the defining events of his sojourn in this world into a single sentence. Yet sometimes a few words from a familiar, seminal text can evoke just such a sense of identification and déjà vu.
As Umberto Ecco commented in his Name of the Rose, " […] this explains why we often find in the margins of a manuscript phrases left by the scribe as testimony to his suffering."
Such is the heartbreaking marginal note recorded during the last decade of the 14th century in the illuminated Passover Haggadah handwritten by Yaakov ben Shlomo Ha-tzarfati. One can easily picture him weeping over the page in his haggada on which he'd carefully inscribed the names and mnemonic of the Ten Plagues of Egypt, including that of dever (pestilence), which in the Exodus narrative killed only cattle but in the 14th century denoted the Black Plague.
Within months, the "Black Death" had consumed three of Yaakov's progeny, leaving him inconsolable. Unable to complete his handiwork without some mention of how he, too, had been stricken by one of the plagues of Egypt, Yaakov ben Shlomo referred readers to the end of his magnum opus, Yeshuat Yaakov (Jacob's Salvation).
Whoever wishes to truly know, without dissembling, why Rabbi Yehuda gave this mnemonic and none other [for the Ten Plagues – detzakh, adash, be-ahav], the answer is given in a book I authored, which I called Jacob's Salvation. (Wolff Haggada)
There, in a treatise entitled Evel Rabbati (Great Mourning), he'd recalled his children's tragic, painful deaths during the resurgence of the Black Plague in Avignon in the autumn and winter of 1382-3.
Vain attempt to avoid contagion? Bound by the Hippocratic oath to provide hope and healing despite personal risk, doctors wore masks when venturing out to treat the sick. This copper engraving, entitled Dr. Beak, dates from a much later outbreak in 17th-century Rome
Evel Rabbati records the final moments of Yaakov ben Shlomo's daughter Esther (Trina), in the spring of 1383. Only a few months earlier, Yaakov himself had almost died of the Black Plague. He'd recovered only to find that his son Yisrael (known in French as Monriley) had also been infected. Yaakov buried Yisrael amid the holiest days of the Jewish year, in Tishrei 5143 (October 1382). Shortly afterward, a second child, Sara, whom her father described as possessing "wisdom of the heart, intelligence and knowledge," succumbed on her first wedding anniversary, roughly a week before Purim, on 5 Adar (February 8, 1383). Esther's death was the last straw. Thus, the note found in the Wolff Haggada, as Yaakov's masterpiece has become known (see Lost, Found, and Fought Over, pp. XX), obliquely refers us to the devastation of the Black Plague as the story of his life.
I tell everyone that because of this plague, all my days are pain. Even on Sabbaths and holidays, I sigh and weep with grief, and even now I write in tears […]. (Evel Rabbati, p. 84)
Nuremberg Chronicles, 1493
Accused of trapping spiders, poisoning wells, and all other means of spreading plague, the Jews of terrified Europe were defenseless scapegoats in the chaos. Jews in discriminatory headgear, burning to death.
Yaakov ben Shlomo had been born into the chaos accompanying the first outbreak of the pandemic known as the Black Plague, in 1348-9. Little is known of his early years or of the traumatic events he surely experienced. Europe plunged into darkness as Church control slipped and religious movements such as the Flagellants overran the continent, seeking scapegoats and massacring Jewish communities. In all likelihood, Yaakov's parents found refuge in the papal states of southern France. A contemporary chronicle describes the devastation:
In this and the following year [1348–9] there was a general death of people throughout the world. It began first in India, then it passed to Tharsis, thence to Saracens, Christians and Jews in the course of one Easter to the next […]. In one day there died 812 people in Avignon according to [a] reckoning made by the pope. […] 358 Dominicans died in Provence in Lent; in Montpellier only seven friars were left from 149 […]; at Marseilles only one Franciscan remained of 150 […]. (Knighton's Chronicle 1337–1396, ed. and trans. G. H. Martin [Oxford University Press, 1995], p. 94)
The plague can indeed be traced to Mongol invaders and caravans of merchants sweeping across Asia, who transmitted the disease via rats and fleas. Before succumbing themselves, these men resorted to one of the first instances of biological warfare at its most literal, catapulting their dead over the walls of the besieged Black Sea port of Caffa. Sailors and refugees fled in Genoese trading vessels, bringing the scourge to the Sicilian port of Messina in October 1347.
Photo: British Librar
The sumptuous Golden Haggada was written and illuminated in Catalonia, Spain, around 1320, before the "Black Death" hit Europe. It describes scenes illustrating the tenth plague, the death of the firstborn
Those gathering at the docks to meet the incoming ships were horrified at the sight of the dead and dying. Though the Sicilian authorities hastily drove the ships away, the damage had been done. Plague spread throughout Europe within the year, killing over a third of the population – some twenty million people. Both clergy and laymen desperately attempted to liquidate the purported source of the outbreak: the Jews. Herman Gigas, a Franciscan friar from the German region of Franconia, recorded both the hearsay and its horrific consequences:
In 1347 there was such a great pestilence and mortality throughout almost the whole world that in the opinion of well-informed men scarcely a tenth of mankind survived. The victims did not linger long, but died on the second or third day. The plague raged so fiercely that many cities and towns were entirely emptied of people. In the cities of Bologna, Venice, Montpellier, Avignon, Marseilles, and Toulouse alike, a thousand people died in one day, and it still rages in France, Normandy, England, and Ireland.
Some say that it was brought about by the corruption of the air; others, that the Jews planned to wipe out all the Christians with poison and had poisoned wells and springs everywhere. And many Jews confessed as much under torture: that they had bred spiders and toads in pots and pans, and had obtained poison from overseas; and that not every Jew knew about this wickedness, only the more powerful ones, so that it would not be betrayed.
As evidence of this heinous crime, men say that bags full of poison were found in many wells and springs, and as a result, in cities, towns, and villages throughout Germany, and in fields and woods too, almost all the wells and springs have been blocked up or built over, so that no one can drink from them or use the water for cooking, and men have to use rain or river water instead.
God, the Lord of vengeance, has not suffered the malice of the Jews to go unpunished. Throughout Germany, in all but a few places, they were burnt. For fear of that punishment many accepted baptism, and their lives were spared.
This action was taken against the Jews in 1349, and it still continues unabated, for in a number of regions many people, noble and humble alike, have laid plans against them and their defenders, which they will never abandon until the whole Jewish race has been destroyed. (Chronicle of Herman Gigas [1349], quoted in Rosemary Horrox, The Black Death [Manchester University Press, 1994], p. 207)
The initial outbreak of the Black Plague in Yaakov's early years caused wholesale panic, depopulating entire towns. Crops were left to rot unharvested, resulting in famine and starvation. Those infected were isolated, often locked within their sealed homes to die painfully alone. A letter written by one Louis Sanctus of Yaakov's native Avignon and dated April 27, 1348 provides graphic illustration:
It has come to pass that, for fear of infection, no doctor will visit the sick (not if he were given everything the sick man owns), nor will the father visit the son, the mother the daughter, the brother the brother, the son the father, the friend the friend, the acquaintance the acquaintance, nor anyone a blood relation – unless, that is, they wish to die along with them at once. And thus an uncountable number of people died without any mark of affection, piety, or charity – who, if they had refused to visit the sick themselves, might have escaped. […]
To be brief, at least half the people in Avignon died; for there are now within the walls of the city more than seven thousand houses where no one lives, because everyone in them has died, and in the suburbs one might imagine there is not one survivor […]. (ibid., p. 43)
The last rites – and particularly confession – could no longer be administered by the Church. Ralph of Shrewsbury, bishop of the English town of Bath, documented the extent of this calamity in his diocese:
We understand that many people are dying without the sacrament of penance, because they do not know what they ought to do in such an emergency […] if, when on the point of death, they cannot secure the services of a properly ordained priest, they should make confession of their sins […] to any layperson, even to a woman, if a man is not present. (ibid., p. 271)
Miniature from the Toggenberg Bible, Switzerland, 1411, depicting the plague of smallpox
Dying a "good death" is of paramount importance for a Christian. A person's last moments in this world are considered a crucial test, passed only when the departing soul has been prepared for the next life by a priest. Prolonged illness or old age allow ample time for the confession and penance that secured salvation. The souls of those who die suddenly, on the other hand, with no priest to administer the rites of penitence, the Eucharist, and Extreme Unction (Final Anointing), are doomed to everlasting torment in Hell. The Black Plague thus left the masses terrified of being deprived of the rituals safeguarding their ascent to Heaven.
Our scribe's depictions of his daughter Esther's last moments, in the pandemic of 1383, could not paint a starker contrast.
Stricken by the plague after her father's near fatality and the deaths of her brother and sister, languishing on her deathbed a few weeks after Purim (26 Adar 5143), Esther requested the traditional rite of Viddui (confession). First her hands had to be washed, then she recited the prayer in the presence of all those gathered around her. Apparently, however, Esther spoke much more than the formal Viddui text as we know it today. As Yaakov wrote of her final words:
It would have been unbelievable had it not been heard by the crowd of men, women, and children standing in the antechamber. Those who came to console me heard a speech inspired by the Almighty. (Evel Rabbati, p. 76)
In the outbreak of 1383, unlike that of 1349, loved ones were no longer abandoned to their fate. Perhaps by now, the survivors were accustomed to the recurring plagues of the 14th century and no longer reacted with terror and panic. In this light, the fact that Esther's last moments were witnessed by family and friends is highly significant.
The bereaved father highlighted his daughter's erudition:
[She] knew how to read the Bible and could eloquently pronounce the verses with the requisite accents and vocalization, without stammering. (ibid., p. 77)
He noted Esther's determination to observe every detail of Jewish tradition even in her final hours. Despite her terrible agony, she issued clear instructions. Her money was to be given to charity. Her uncle Moshe – whose priestly status forbade him proximity to a corpse – was to leave the room immediately, as she was about to die. She asked that candles be lit, signifying the departing soul, and reminded her husband not to touch her, for she was ritually impure as a result of her menstrual period. In addition, despite past fears of contagion, she bequeathed her clothes to the needy.
Photo: British Library
Women clean for Pesach, reaching up to ceilings and down to skirtings, while men search hidden crevices by candlelight for crumbs, each playing their part in the ritual of removing leaven from the home. Illustration from the Golden Haggada, circa 1320
With virtually her last breath, Esther ordered a pregnant woman to keep her distance lest she miscarry or fall prey to infection. Esther's thoughts then turned to her recently deceased sister, Sarah, and to her own burial, requesting to be laid to rest with her wedding ring and the "pure, white headscarf" of a married woman. At the same time, she wisely suggested precautions to prevent embarrassment later:
Indeed you will cry for Sarah, my lady, my sister, the fairest among women, my dove, and my undefiled one. Beside her, make a place to bury my body, because she taught me knowledge. And you, my beloved [father] and master, please remove the rings from my fingers […] so they won't fall off or become lost, and you won't suspect any innocents as the grieving crowds lament like Philistines. But on my little finger, leave the ring with which my husband married me and designated me his own among women. This you will do, and furthermore, place the pure, white headscarf on my head to set an example, and as a good omen for the life of my man, my husband. (ibid., p. 80)
Having dealt with these details, Esther faced the future. Still childless, having been married for only a year, Esther knew that her husband, Natan, would remarry. Should a daughter be born, the dying woman asked that the infant be named in her memory,
so you, my father and teacher, will find a little pleasure. And after I am gone, my mother will be somewhat consoled by dandling her on her knees. (ibid., pp. 78–9)
Esther rebuked her aunt for suggesting that her younger sister, Yentish, step into her shoes as Natan's wife, pronouncing the girl too young for her "great and mighty Natan" (p. 79). She requested that an influential family friend, Don Comfort, resolve a financial dispute between Natan and Astrug of Carcassonne, his former partner, lest their case wind up in a non-Jewish court, contrary to Jewish law. Dispensing peace as well as wisdom with her final breath, she instructed her father to reunite his household with Natan's family, that the in-laws should once again "eat bread at one table, as at first" (ibid.).
Knowing that immediately upon her demise, the women present would begin purifying her body for burial, Esther asked them to allow her father to remain by her deathbed awhile before they covered her corpse and placed it in the casket.
Yaakov ben Shlomo declared that his daughter's last confession would atone for all who heard it.
Even if she had no testimony on her behalf other than the movement of her lips, the pleasantness of her voice, and the loveliness of her speech as she prepared for death, these would be sufficient grounds for showering her with praise. (ibid., p. 77)
Unlike the Christian superstitions surrounding the last rites, the deathbed confessions of the Jews of Provence as reflected in Evel Rabbati evidently had nothing to do with ensuring a soul's entry into the "world to come." Judging by Ben Shlomo's account, his contemporaries had no specific format for Viddui or any other prayer to be recited prior to death. The Talmud, for instance, discusses deathbed rites only in general terms, without indicating whether Viddui should be a private affair or if a prayer quorum is required:
Our rabbis taught: If one falls sick and inclines toward death, he is told, "Confess," for all put to death make confession. (Shabbat 32a)
In a mid-14th-century halakhic work from Provence, however, Yeruham ben Meshulam expanded the Viddui tradition, basing his rulings on Nahmanides (1194–1270, Spain and Tiberias) and Aaron Hakohen of Lunel (circa 1300, Narbonne). His Sefer Toledot Adam Ve-Hava (1350) is discussed in depth by scholar Elliot Horowitz, who concludes that Viddui became a formal ceremony only in the 1300s:
Rabbi Yeroham [sic] not only prescribes the washing of hands before the recitation of pre-death confession, but insists also that this be done with ritual blessing. The dying Jew is also instructed to don his prayer shawl before reciting confession. (Elliot Horowitz, "The Jews of Europe and the Moment of Death in Medieval and Modern Times," Judaism 44, no. 3 [summer 1995], p. 274)
Aside from being the scholarly author of Yeshuat Yaakov (which examines the divine nature of miracles) and a master scribe, Yaakov ben Shlomo was a Paris-trained physician and may well have been the same Yaakov ben Shlomo described as the doctor attending to the family of Pope Clement VI. Nonetheless, other than Ben Shlomo's attempt to feed Esther broth (which she could no longer even swallow), Evel Rabbati mentions no medical treatment. Yaakov regarded the plague as an act of God against which medicine was useless. Evel Rabbati thus attacks the "philosophers," as Ben Shlomo calls those who dismiss the biblical plagues and other wonders as mere allegory:
They maintain […] that the tales recorded in the book never happened at all, save as an allegory for the enlightened. And the reason [for their doubts], they aver, is the length of time [that has passed] since those early days, so that all has been forgotten and no memory remains of what was then [to be passed down] to those coming afterward. (Evel Rabbati, p. 86)
Medieval family celebrates the Seder together. Each man has a haggada; the women turn to listen while tasting the food. Known as the Sister Haggada for its illustrations' similarity to those of the Golden Haggada, this volume was also crafted in 14th-century Spain, though a few decades later
In the margin of his haggada, Yaakov ben Shlomo immortalized the sad epic of his plagued life next to the acronym of the Ten Plagues, specifically pestilence. For him, his tragedy proved that the suffering of Job, for instance, actually occurred. The rationalists, in contrast, "who abandoned the literal meaning of the Hebrew Bible, were also those scholars who repudiated the notion of plague as divine punishment, interpreting it instead according to the laws of natural science" (Susan Einbinder, No Place of Rest: Jewish Literature, Expulsion, and the Memory of Medieval France, Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2009, p. 113).
With understandable trepidation considering his medical background, Yaakov records how Esther kissed her family goodbye:
And I kissed my sweet one, my daughter, on the familiar lip. And she seized me and kissed me, until I feared that disaster would overtake me and I would die. Then she kissed [her husband's] brothers and relatives, and her relatives, with kisses of the mouth that were sweeter than honey. Afterward she lost her breath and nearly died with a kiss.
When her soul departed, word spread throughout our community that she had died, and people were aghast. Young and old, their hearts went out to her, for she was no more: Esther was taken away to the house of the King, the Lord of Hosts. (Evel Rabbati, pp. 81–2)
Life and death in the hands of the Almighty. God reaches down from heaven to stay the hand of Abraham, raised to smite his son Isaac upon the altar. Hispano-Moresque Haggada, circa1300, central Spain; among the earliest known illustrated haggadas
In view of Esther's strict observance of Jewish law, it is surprising that she kissed her male relatives. This gesture, the stuff of Hollywood melodrama, would surely be censored by most observant Jewish communities today. How is it that Esther's last act was a kiss? Why did she not choose to die like Rabbi Akiva and other martyrs, with a prayer on her lips?
For Esther, a "good death" meant leaving this world in an orderly fashion, expressing her deep love for her family. Perhaps she also sought to differentiate her end from those of the many martyrs preceding her, butchered or burnt at the stake as in Herman Gigas' account above. "Hear O Israel," the affirmation of God's oneness, was their final, defiant denial of the Christian Trinity.
But for Yaakov ben Shlomo, Esther's death too was fraught with meaning. To die of the Black Plague was to die by the hand of God. Like her father, Esther apparently accepted her calamity and trial of belief with a whole heart. Her confession was a model of Provençal Jewish tradition. Even her tender kisses were biblical allusions, drawn from metaphors of devotion in the Song of Songs. And in Jewish exegetical tradition, Moses himself relinquished his soul to God's kiss, signifying the ultimate human dissolution in the divine. The lesson Yaakov Hatzarfati took from his daughter's deathbed and inscribed in the margin of his haggada was a bold affirmation of Jewish faith and observance in the face of utter tragedy.
"And Miriam answered them: Sing unto the Lord" (Exodus 15:21). Miriam singing while her companions grasp lute and timbrel; illustration from the Golden Haggada. Unlike the lavishly illustrated haggadas of Spain, which abound with human images despite the biblical prohibition, Yaakov ben Shlomo's volume from Avignon was embellished only by enlarged, colored lettering
Susan Einbinder, No Place of Rest: Jewish Literature, Expulsion, and the Memory of Medieval France (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2009), pp. 112–36; Einbinder, "Theory and Practice: A Jewish Physician in Paris and Avignon," AJS Review 33, no. 1 (April 2009), pp. 135–53; M. Garel, "The Rediscovery of the Wolff Haggadah," Journal of Jewish Art 2 (1975), pp. 22–7; Elliot Horowitz, "The Jews of Europe and the Moment of Death in Medieval and Modern Times," Judaism 44, no. 3 (summer 1995), pp. 271–81; Rosemary Horrox, ed. and trans., The Black Death (Manchester University Press, 1994), pp. 41–4; Barbara Tuchman, A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous Fourteenth Century (Random House, 1987), pp. 92–125.
Dedicated by the author in memory of his mother, Esther bat Yaakov
black death, Golden Haggadah, Passover, smallpox, Wolff Haggadah, Yaacov ben Shlomo
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Tag: Tyndall Air Force Base
PMO, USACE partner to rebuild Tyndall
After Hurricane Michael hit Tyndall Air Force Base in October 2018, the Air Force and Army forged a partnership with a single vision in mind--to build the "Installation of the future." The Tyndall Project Management Office is rebuilding the base and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers became an important ally as the rebuild moved forward. With crucial partners like the USACE working alongside the PMO, Tyndall is on track to become a 21st century leader for the Air Force.
Air Force Chief of Staff outlines risks of budget uncertainties
Funding for the entire U.S. government expires Nov. 22 at 12:01 a.m. unless Congress acts. While progress on forging a budget agreement has been slow, congressional aides say there is movement toward approving a short-term spending plan that keeps the government running into December.
Hurricane Michael: One year later
By wind and water it came. Before leaving, Hurricane Michael nearly took with it what had taken more than 70 years of history to build. In its wake, the category 5 storm left behind a historic tragedy – although 12 months have passed, remains evident. The day of the storm began with a Tyndall Air Force Base, several nearby towns and the people who live and work there, intact. By dusk, life had dramatically changed. The base and surrounding communities took a direct hit from the third-largest hurricane to strike the continental United States. The storm damaged 95 percent of installation buildings and 100 percent of housing, many beyond repair.


Well I have always wanted a rifle in 22LR in a lever action. I did it!! Henry has a promotional deal for instructors and I ordered 2 of the H001T octagon barrel 22LR about a week ago!! They came in yesterday and are just beautiful!! Factory direct to me and I will have to transfer one at a time each week to avoid having to report the sale of multiple rifles to the Gestapo!!! LMAO!! I will use them for the students to shoot in my Basic Rifle Class with NRA so they are truly a training aid!! At least that is what I told her!! LMAO!! I always need additional training aids!! I have a gun class (TX CHL) Saturday and will be on the firing range. After the students qualify I will get to shoot them for a few minutes before it gets dark and I will let you know how they shoot right out of the box!! I will also get a couple of pictures while I am there. Gosh they are too pretty to shoot!!! JMHO!!
I believe the shipping label said Bayonne NJ! Factory direct to my office!! I love it!!!
And they do a pretty good business as I understand it!!! LMAO!!
They have infomercials up here in the wee hours and on weekends the have a commercial.
I have seen their infomercial a couple of times. Looks like they run a tight ship! The thing that impressed me was the Pres of the company sent me the literature about the instructor program they run. I am sure he has better things to do but he took the time to do a nice letter and put a package together that I read and looked at everything in it. I was most impressed with their approach and very appreciative of their stance about instructors. Must be a pretty good company when the main man in the program takes an interest to do those things for someone who has never bought from them before and ordered a couple of rifles on a discount program! I really was impressed and will show them in every one of my NRA classes. We will use them for training in the Basic Rifle course so they will get some exposure out of this deal!! I really do like the guns though and will keep them from now on!
They look like they got their stuff in a row.
Sure make some nice rifles!! JMHO!!
Yes they do, I had the oppertunity to shoot one in 45-70 last year. I was sweet shooting and the machine work was nice, with some mild engraving on it. Pretty rifle.
After getting the plinkers, my next mission may be to get on in 44M!! I already have dies and reload for my handguns and that might be a welcome addition! I am beginning to really like and enjoy my rifle carbines!! Lever actions area just fun!!
I love my Browning 44M lever. Just remember to use flat nose bullets and a good seated primer. a more pointed bullet will ingnite in the magazine upon firing a round. My Browning can kick like a mule, but it is quite enjoyable to shoot otherwise.
All my 44M reloads are RNL or flat nose lead. Those seem to work well in all my guns that are 44M and are pretty reasonable as far as cost! They also work pretty easy to reload with. I will start another thread next week cause I am going to upgrade from my RockCrusher finally and have to think about what to reload with a new press. Don't know for sure which way to go yet but we will talk about it next week.
Have you looked at the Dillon line? They look interesting. I will you my Lee loader for now but in the future I will upgrade. I am looking forward to your thread.
I am torn between the Dillon and RCBS! I want a progressive press. I can continue to pump out rounds on my RCBS Rockcrusher that is 40 years old from now on but I want to be able to sit down for an hour or so and pump out 8 to 10 boxes of 45's or 44's and be able to load some rifle cartridges with some speed and accuracy! The Dillon 650 with the case and bullet feeder has my attention but if you step up to that the 1050 it is not that much more! The RCBS 2000 progressive really has my interest also and I am thinking about staying with the green stuff!! I am going to buy one or the other within the next few weeks cause it is getting cooler and I will begin to reload in the cooler weather!
Either one they are nice. What about this setup???
That is the press I was talking about and I did not know they hooked one of those drives up to it!! That is awesome! Talk about an ammunition factory!! LMAO!! You could really crank out some ammo with that thing!!
You could add the drive yourself. All you need is a small DC motor with a DC controller that you can make yourself with a transformer to reduce and convert AC voltage to DC voltage and a proper sized potentiometer to regulate the speed of the motor. The a couple of tie rod ends to make the crankshaft to accuate the reloader. Pretty simple. You have the video so you can figure out the dimension that is needed for the crank. It would make a nice rig. Cost would most likely be below or around $300, I'm guessing.
That would surely make the thing put out some ammo quick!!! Really nice!!
I like it. I saw this type of rig months ago and has been etched into my noggin. I will do one of these when I can come up with the initial exspence of the reloader.
I been looking for a long time and wishing! I think it is next up on my list!!
I'll go a little longer, there's a couple of other things on my list. Maybe a 6.8 upper, or a Saiga 12.
Watched a video of a 1050 today that had the bullet feeder, case feeder and drive motor on it!! I guesstimated around $2900 with a couple of caliber changes complete!!! But darn, 1200 to 1300 rounds per hour!!! What a factory for ammo!~!! I tumble 2500 cases in my cement mixer, store between 3K and 15K cases per caliber that I shoot and reload for so 12 to 13 hundred bullets per hour is not out of reason!!! I don't think it would be!!! LMAO!! My goal is to reach at least 10K loaded rounds for each caliber I shoot! Last count I had 14 different caliber dies in the boxes waiting to reload!!! DAMN!!! That is a bunch!! Oh, I have an 8 pound keg for pistol powder that I use the most of and also an 8 pound keg of rifle powder that I use the most of!! If my house ever caught fire, the boys at the FD know not to approach!! GGG!
That is one sweet set up. If anyone shoots alot, it's the only smart way to get it done.
I really liked the looks of it but I still am not decided on which one I need to get into!! I really like the 8 station press!! Pretty darn cool and impressive!!!


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Home » News » Caravan of migrants grows ahead of push into Mexico
Caravan of migrants grows ahead of push into Mexico
TAPACHULA, Mexico (AP) — Thousands of Central American migrants hoping to reach the U.S. were deciding Monday whether to rest in this southern Mexico town or resume their arduous walk through Mexico as President Donald Trump rained more threats on their governments. After blaming the Democrats for "weak laws" on immigration a few days earlier,…
admin	October 22, 2018 5 0
TAPACHULA, Mexico (AP) — Thousands of Central American migrants hoping to reach the U.S. were deciding Monday whether to rest in this southern Mexico town or resume their arduous walk through Mexico as President Donald Trump rained more threats on their governments.
After blaming the Democrats for "weak laws" on immigration a few days earlier, Trump said via Twitter Monday: "Every time you see a Caravan, or people illegally coming, or attempting to come, into our Country illegally, think of and blame the Democrats for not giving us the votes to change our pathetic Immigration Laws!" He apparently sees the caravan as a winning issue for Republicans a little over two weeks ahead of midterm elections.
In another tweet, he blamed Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador for not stopping people from leaving their countries. "We will now begin cutting off, or substantially reducing, the massive foreign aid routinely given to them," he wrote.
A team of AP journalists traveling with the caravan for more than a week has spoken with Hondurans, Guatemalans and Salvadorans, but has not met any Middle Easterners of the sort Trump suggested were "mixed in" with the Central American migrants.
It was clear though that more migrants were continuing to join the caravan.
José Anibal Rivera, 52, an unemployed security guard from San Pedro Sula crossed into Mexico by raft Sunday and walked up to Tapachula from Ciudad Hidalgo to join the caravan. "There are like 500 more people behind me," he said.
He vowed to reach the U.S. border, still nearly 2,000 road miles away at its closest point. "Anything that happens, even if they kill me, is better than going back to Honduras," he said.
Ana Luisa España, a clothes washer and ironer from Chiquimula, Guatemala, joined the caravan as she saw it pass through Guatemala.
'The goal is to reach the (U.S.) border," she said. "We only want to work and if a job turns up in Mexico, I would do it. We would do anything, except bad things."
Isis Ramirez, 32, a mother of three from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, awoke Monday morning on a square of sodden cardboard in Tapachula's town square, her swollen feet stretched out in front of her, wrapped in bandages applied by paramedics. Blisters had formed on her feet from the cheap plastic sandals she wears.
"There are more sick people. It's better that we rest today," she said.
Nearby, Julio Asturias, 27, a migrant from San Juan, El Salvador charged his cellphone from a dangling wire.
"I want to return to Arizona, and when I heard that the caravan was passing, I joined it," he said. He said he was deported a couple of months ago after police pulled him over for a burned-out tail light.
On Sunday thousands of migrants stretched out on rain-soaked sidewalks, benches and public plazas in Tapachula, worn down by another day's march under a blazing sun.
Keeping together for strength and safety in numbers, some huddled under a metal roof in the city's main plaza Sunday night. Others lay exhausted in the open air, with only thin sheets of plastic to protect them from ground soggy from an intense evening shower. Some didn't even have a bit of plastic yet.
"We are going to sleep here in the street, because we have nothing else," said Jose Mejia, 42, a father of four from the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula. "We have to sleep on the sidewalk, and tomorrow wake up and keep walking. We'll get a piece of plastic to cover ourselves if it rains again."
Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador suggested Sunday that the United States, Canada and Mexico work out a joint plan for funding development in the poor areas of Central America and southern Mexico.
"In this way we confront the phenomenon of migration, because he who leaves his town does not leave for pleasure but out of necessity," said Lopez Obrador, who takes office Dec. 1.
The migrant caravan, which started out more than a week ago with fewer than 200 participants, has drawn additional people along the way and it swelled to an estimated 5,000 Sunday after many migrants found ways to cross from Guatemala into southern Mexico as police blocked the official crossing point.
Later in the day, authorities in Guatemala said another group of about 1,000 migrants had entered that country from Honduras.
In interviews along the journey, migrants have said they are fleeing widespread violence, poverty and corruption in Honduras. The caravan is unlike previous mass migrations for its unprecedented large numbers and because it largely began spontaneously through word of mouth.
Migrants received help Sunday from sympathetic Mexicans who offered food, water and clothing. Hundreds of locals driving pickups, vans and cargo trucks stopped to let them clamber aboard.
Civil defense officials for Mexico's southern state of Chiapas said they had offered to take the migrants by bus to a shelter set up by immigration officials about 5 miles (7 kilometers) outside Tapachula, but the migrants refused, fearing that once they boarded the buses they would be deported.
Ulises Garcia, a Red Cross official, said some migrants with injuries from their hard trek refused to be taken to clinics or hospitals, because they didn't want to leave the caravan.
"We have had people who have ankle or shoulder injuries, from falls during the trip, and even though we have offered to take them somewhere where they can get better care, they have refused, because they fear they'll be detained and deported," Garcia said. "They want to continue on their way."
Garcia said he had seen cases of swollen, lacerated and infected feet. But "they are going to continue walking, and their feet won't heel as long as they keep walking," he said.
Jesus Valdivia, of Tuxtla Chico, Mexico, was one of the many who pulled his pickup truck over to let 10 or even 20 migrants hop in at a time, sometimes causing vehicles' springs to groan under the weight.
"You have to help the next person. Today it's for them, tomorrow for us," Valdivia said, adding that he was getting a valuable gift from those he helped: "From them we learn to value what they do not have."
Passing freight trucks were quickly boarded by dozens of migrants, and straining tuk-tuks carried as many as a half-dozen.
Brenda Sanchez of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, who rode in Valdivia's truck with three nephews ages 10, 11 and 19, expressed gratitude to "God and the Mexicans who have helped us."
Category 5 Hurricane Willa threatens Mexico's Pacific coast


Mercer's latest analysis of directors' compensation shows median total direct compensation increased 3% – the lowest year-over-year change in years – for directors at S&P 500 companies.
For the S&P 500, the median cash retainer increased from $65,000 in 2010 to $75,000 in 2012. The largest increases were at the 400 smaller companies ($60,000 to $75,000), while the median at the S&P 100 increased from $85,000 to $90,000.
From 2010 to 2012, the prevalence of companies paying meeting fees declined from 42% to 33%. Among the S&P 100, the prevalence is even lower (30% in 2012). For those companies that pay them, the fee has remained at $2,000 for the past three years.
As meeting fee use declines, companies are shifting variable pay into fixed retainers. The shift away from meeting fees underscores a change in the way boards work.
Equity compensation is paid at approximately 95% of the S&P 500 companies. About 80% determine the equity portion as a fixed value, rather than a fixed number of shares. From 2011 to 2012, the value of equity compensation increased at 57% of companies and decreased at 39% (3% eliminated equity compensation altogether).* Median equity compensation rose from $120,000 in 2010 to $130,200 in 2011 and $135,000 in 2012.
As with general board service, committee meeting fees are becoming a minority practice, declining from approximately 40% of organizations analyzed in 2010 to 35% in 2012.
Audit committee members are more likely to receive a cash retainer (38% in 2012), while 25% of Compensation committee members and 24% of Governance committee members receive a retainer. The value of the cash retainer for Compensation and Governance committee members is on the rise. Since 2010, pay for Compensation committee members increased $2,000 (to $10,000) and pay for Governance committee members increased $1,000 (to $7,500). The retainer for Audit committee members remained at $10,000.
Mr. Shelor points to more critical investor and regulatory scrutiny of compensation decisions as a key dynamic in the rising pay for Compensation committee work. "Managing say-on-pay and the related optics is becoming increasingly demanding, so companies are recognizing the considerable efforts put forth by Compensation committee chairs and members," he noted.
Mercer's analysis is based on proxy statements filed with the SEC between 2011 and 2013. The peer group was the S&P 500 as it was comprised on January 1, 2013. Median 2012 revenues for this group were $8.422 billion. For more information about executive rewards programs, visit http://www.mercer.com/what-we-do/workforce-and-careers.html.
Mercer is a global leader in talent, health, retirement, and investments. Mercer helps clients around the world advance the health, wealth, and performance of their most vital asset – their people. Mercer's more than 20,000 employees are based in 42 countries, and the firm operates in over 140 countries. Mercer is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE: MMC), a global team of professional services companies offering clients advice and solutions in the areas of risk, strategy, and human capital. With over 53,000 employees worldwide and annual revenue exceeding $11 billion, Marsh & McLennan Companies is also the parent company of Marsh, a global leader in insurance broking and risk management; Guy Carpenter, a global leader in providing risk and reinsurance intermediary services; and Oliver Wyman, a global leader in management consulting. For more information, visit www.mercer.com. Follow Mercer on Twitter @MercerInsights.


Vilnius Comes up on top on this travel list. Lithuania's capital is also known for its picturesque medieval old town, baroque architecture, hip street art and varied history.
The Post Office reports that in Lithuania that you can travel to and from the city's airport for just £1.75, plus two nights' accommodation in a three-star hotel for two adults will set you back just £70 ($91). The total cost, the Post Office reports, is £147.35.
At the other end of the spectrum, Reykjavik, Iceland's capital, is Europe's most expensive city.
That'll be little surprise to anyone who's visited. Iceland's known for being pricey -- all in all, you'll spend roughly £462.61 for a weekend in the land of ice and snow.
Other budget options are Belgrade, Serbia -- where Soviet architecture sits adjacent to Art Nouveau buildings, and a bottle of the local beer will cost you just £1.89.
Eastern Europe is one of the cheapest regions in Europe, the barometer suggests -- a trip to Warsaw in Poland, number three on the list, will cost £160.35, while Bucharest in Romania, listed as number five, will cost an approximate total of £167.74.
Bratislavia in Slovakia, Moscow in Russia and Prague in the Czech Republic round out the top 10, while Budapest in Hungary slides in at number 11.
If you're after some sun and sea, Porto, in Portugal, is number six and the country's capital, Lisbon, is number 14.
The barometer also lets you know entry prices for the city's top tourist attraction, top museum and top art gallery.
In some cases, they're free -- take Cardiff (number 29) which offers free entry to its Story Museum and National Museum, and Edinburgh, Scotland (number 30) where you can tour the National Museum and National Galleries free of charge.
Meal costs in Greece are the lowest in Europe for the second year running, so you can opt for the hummus platter and have enough left over for a glass of the local wine, without your budget taking a hit.


Regular visits to your dentist and good oral hygiene are the first defence against tooth decay, but sometimes your teeth need intervention with a filling or crown. If your dentist at Horizon Family Dentistry finds a brown or black spot on a tooth, he will take an X-ray to confirm if that spot is dental decay – a cavity.
If the cavity is very small, we may check it later to see if it has grown, or we can fill a small cavity right then to play it safe. If you have a large cavity, a dental filling is necessary before the decay worsens and causes pain.
If you have a filling that is loose or broken, it needs to be replaced as soon as possible.
At Horizon Family Dentistry, our dentists can take care of your cavities with one of two kinds of fillings: a metal filling or a tooth-coloured filling.
Tooth-Coloured Fillings: Some people prefer composite fillings or fillings made out of glass ionomer cements because they are the same colour as your natural teeth. Your dentist will be glad to discuss the filling appropriate for your needs.
Metal Fillings: Metal fillings made of dental amalgam are the most common fillings used in Canada today. Your dentist can use another type of metal filling depending on your tooth's condition or your health needs.
If you have a large filling, have needed a root canal, or have broken a tooth, a dental crown may the solution to restoring your damaged tooth. If you have not lost the affected tooth, a crown – also known as a cap – will cover your tooth to protect it from more damage or decay. It will also restore its natural shape and functions like a natural tooth.
Some patients choose a crown as cosmetic dentistry to cover a badly shaped or stained tooth.
When you return for your final crown, the dentists checks the fit, shape, colour and bite before cementing it permanently into place. If you need special gum treatments or a root canal, you may need more than two and longer dentist's visits before you receive your permanent crown.
Not all crowns are made from the same material, and your dentist in Lindsay and Havelock will offer a crown appropriate to the affected tooth's placement and function.
Porcelain crowns: People choose porcelain crowns for their natural look. Your dentist may not place a porcelain crown on a back tooth because the material is somewhat brittle and may chip under pressure.
Composite crowns: Dentists choose composite crowns because they look natural and won't chip as easily as porcelain crowns. Composite crowns may wear more quickly and lose their polished surface, which leads to staining.
Crowns made of porcelain fused to metal: These crowns have the advantage of looking natural and being less likely to chip than both porcelain and composite crowns. However, if you have thin gums or your gums shrink, the crown's metal base may show.
Gold crowns: Usually lasting a long time, gold crown doesn't chip or break, with an added benefit of being gentle to the opposing natural teeth. Gold crowns are generally used on back teeth since its colour doesn't look natural.
If you take care of a dental crown, it can give you 10 or more years of effective use. All you need to do is treat crowns like natural teeth; brush and floss regularly, don't crack ice or hard objects with them, and never open stubborn packaging or containers with your teeth.
Do you have tooth pain or think you might have a cavity? Don't put off a visit to the dentist. You might need a simple filling, but pain can be a signal that you need a crown to preserve a decayed or cracked tooth.
Call Horizon Family Dentistry for an appointment. Our dentists in Lindsay and Havelock are now accepting new patients.