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Will Trump Reward Amazon's Killer Cronyism?
An ironic thing about government cronyism. Only the hugest companies who need the government help the least – can afford to bribe and buy it.
(This is NOT a call for Little Guy cronyism. We'd like everyone treated equally by the government and the law – per the Constitution's Fourteenth Amendment.)
Continue reading "Will Trump Reward Amazon's Killer Cronyism?" »
Friday, July 19, 2019 at 07:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: Illinois Review
Why Does the Left Loathe the Free-Market System?
People respond to incentives. This is the case regardless of how the politico-economic system in which we live and work is structured. In an important sense, then, we are never outside of the market, because we can never successfully abstract human social and economic dynamics from this fundamental truth that people are sensitive to incentives. Thus, if we propose increased government involvement in the economy or in a particular sector of it, we should consider that government actors are, no more or less than non-government actors, bound to respond to incentives.
Accordingly, we should ask whether we have improved the overall organization and structure of the incentives at play by increasing the state's role. To answer this question requires an understanding of the qualities that define the state, that make it different from other human institutions. Fundamentally, the state is a behavior, and that behavior is predicated upon violence.
Switzerland Has a Budget Surplus
Switzerland has a budget surplus. Here's how, and what the U.S. could learn.
The Revolving Door Didn't Start at Pfizer
The Heartland Institute wouldn't normally applaud Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, but she deserves credit for calling out the crass cronyism among some of the highest level employees of the federal government. Unfortunately, Warren barely scratched the surface on the audacity of unelected and unaccountable executive agency officials who blatantly abuse their positions of power for their own gain.
In a letter, Warren urged former U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner Scott Gottlieb to remove himself from the board of directors of Pfizer, a large pharmaceutical firm and a position Gottlieb joined not even three months after leaving his post atop FDA. Warren implored Gottlieb to resign from his swanky position, calling his hiring a "kind of revolving door influence-peddling (that) smacks of corruption, and makes the American people rightfully cynical and distrustful."
Illinois manufacturer stands against federal minimum wage proposal
WAUCONDA - A Chicago suburban manufacturer says the Democrat proposal in Congress requiring a federal minimum wage of $15 per hour would reverse the progress her company and her employees have made in the past couple of years.
HM Manufacturing President Nicole Wolter says in an op-ed published in the Daily Herald Wednesday that "as a small business owner, I have to point out the truth -- this bill will bring ruin, not prosperity, to the country."
Continue reading "Illinois manufacturer stands against federal minimum wage proposal" »
Wednesday, July 17, 2019 at 04:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Illinois conservatives to meet up August 24 in Bolingbrook
BOLINGBROOK - It's that time of year when Illinois conservatives meet up to exchange ideas and hear from conservative powerhouses fighting the battle against Leftism throughout the US.
The Illinois Conservative Union's 4th Annual ICU Grassroots Activist Conference "Illinois: IN PLAY" will be held Saturday, August 24, 2019, 8 am until 4 pm at the Bolingbrook Golf Club.
Continue reading "Illinois conservatives to meet up August 24 in Bolingbrook" »
In the heat, watch out for Illinois pavement failures ... among other things
CHICAGO - Wednesday, Governor Pritzker's administration sent out an alert for Illinois drivers to be on the lookout for pavement failures due to the July heat.
Don't worry, an IDOT video says, the $.18 per gallon gas tax hike will help pay for to Rebuild Illinois:
Continue reading "In the heat, watch out for Illinois pavement failures ... among other things" »
Six years later, New York follows Illinois to allow non-citizens drivers licenses
NEW YORK - Unhappy Illinois conservatives have found it more and more true that their Midwestern state is one of the most Liberal in the nation - following California and New York's deep Left public policies. Late last month, however, a measure that passed in New York showed Illinois out-Lefting the Empire State on issuing illegal aliens drivers licenses.
Continue reading "Six years later, New York follows Illinois to allow non-citizens drivers licenses" »
Thorner: Mark Kirk's 10th CD now a Democrat haven
By Nancy Thorner -
The 10th Congressional District of Illinois lies in the northeast corner of the state, and mostly comprises northern suburbs of Chicago. It was created after the 1860 census, and has changed dramatically over the last 159 years. The district is currently represented by Democrat Brad Schneider.
As a resident of Lake Bluff, and a constituent of Congressman Schneider, I responded to Schneider's announcement that a town hall meeting would be held in Lake Bluff on Saturday, July 13 in Lake Bluff's Village Hall.
I had no idea when entering the room that as a Republican conservative I would soon feel like an alien seated in a room filled with Democrats, all in step with Nancy Pelosi. Yet I should have realized that Democrat Congressman Schneider was elected as a true, blue Democrat in a seat also once held by Republicans John Porter, Mark Kirk and Robert Dold.
Continue reading "Thorner: Mark Kirk's 10th CD now a Democrat haven" »
Wednesday, July 17, 2019 at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)
Gov't Dependency Plunges Under Trump — Why Aren't We Celebrating?
Dependency is down. John Merline writes:
As of June, there were 5.6 million more people with jobs than when President Trump took office — despite claims by prominent economists that the economy was already at full employment when he was sworn in.
The healthy labor market has resulted in something even more important yet little noticed: A sharp trend away from dependency on federal welfare and other benefits.
Take a look at the numbers:
Continue reading "Gov't Dependency Plunges Under Trump — Why Aren't We Celebrating?" »
Wednesday, July 17, 2019 at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Kinzinger and LaHood applaud $35M for rural broadband in Illinois
WASHINGTON, DC – Wednesday, Congressmen Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) and Darin LaHood (IL-18) applauded the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announcement to authorize more than $35 million for rural broadband deployment and development in Illinois.
The authorized resources from the Connect America Fund includes more than $9.3 million specifically directed to Bureau County and Stark County, which has been designated for 3,825 unserved locations according to the FCC's recent announcement (attached as a PDF and available online here).
Continue reading "Kinzinger and LaHood applaud $35M for rural broadband in Illinois" »
Rossi: America at the Razor's Edge
By Randy Rossi -
Anybody who has studied history knows that the average life of a democracy over the last 2,600 years is only 200 years and America is already 243 years old. As Edward Gibbons, the author of "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" said, "Rome fell because of the insidious poison of free bread and circuses" which today we call welfare and free government programs or socialism.
Continue reading "Rossi: America at the Razor's Edge" »
From The Illinois Opportunity Project -
There were a lot of winners and losers this session as a result of the decisions made by the political class in Springfield. Winners like the teacher's unions who got back their end of career salary spiking to boost their pensions and more power over charter schools. AFSCME, the union representing many state workers was another big winner securing automatic pay raises even though they are already the second highest paid state workers in the country.
But what about groups that don't have the cash to bankroll campaigns and lack the clout to be part of negotiations?
Continue reading "The Forgotten Ones" »
Tammy asks and its okay, just not on 2020 Census
CHICAGO - In a fundraising email last week, Illinois' junior US Senator Tammy Duckworth distributed photos of her and her 4 year old daughter at Chicago's Gay Pride Parade.
"I even brought my 4-year-old daughter, Abigail, who had a blast. I'm so glad I got the chance to show her the importance of being proud of who you are — and that diversity of all kinds is what makes our country great," Duckworth's email said.
Continue reading "Tammy asks and its okay, just not on 2020 Census " »
Monday, July 15, 2019 at 03:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Swing voters see AOC, Leftist newbies as "face of the party"
Portside image - Nov 2018 (Lauren Underwood bottom right of photo)
The political website Axios grabbed hold of a poll that shows crucial swing voters identify NY Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her Squad as the Dems' most identifiable face among crucial swing voters. For the Democrats, that's scary and could seriously impact their hopes in the 2020 elections. From Axios:
Continue reading "Swing voters see AOC, Leftist newbies as "face of the party"" »
Tags: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Illinois Review, Lauren Underwood, Sean Casten
Di Leo: Border Politics and the Risk to Our Nation
By John F. Di Leo -
There is an effort being waged – by politicians, media, and pop culture figures – to convince Americans that we should feel sorry for the illegal aliens on our southern border.
Now, in one way, this is unnecessary, because we already do. As individuals, American are famously generous and compassionate; American citizens give more to charities, both at home and abroad, than the citizens of any other country. If anything, the effort is offensive, because it gives the impression that we don't already feel sorry for them, when we most certainly do. We don't need to be convinced to shed tears.
Continue reading "Di Leo: Border Politics and the Risk to Our Nation" »
Tags: asylum-seekers, border, electorate, illegal aliens, immigration
Thank 32 GOP lawmakers for gas tax hike, millions in pork projects
SPRINGFIELD - The 12 Republican Senate members and 20 GOP state reps that climbed on board the Democrats' 2019 gas tax hike train would be happy if Illinois taxpayers focused their angst towards the Democrat governor, House speaker and Senate president. But despite the President's efforts to boost US fuel independence and make pump prices more bearable, Illinois lawmakers from both parties supported the 19 cent per gallon tax hike and hoped taxpayers would ignore or forget.
Continue reading "Thank 32 GOP lawmakers for gas tax hike, millions in pork projects" »
Thorner & O'Neil: What makes the US so special?
By Nancy Thorner & Bonnie O'Neil -
America has always prided itself on its moral values and pro-family ideals, which many believe is the reason for the success and prosperity of our nation.
In her path-breaking book, Women of the Republic, historian Linda Kerber notes that the family was an important ideological and political institution in the founding of our nation. Kerber points to domestic gender roles, particularly the traditional role of women as models for their children's future and central to the creation of a democratic society. Through the work of historian Stephanie Cronntz, as set forth in her Historical Perspective of Family Studies, we also learn that there was never a "traditional" American family. There has been as much diversity and change in American families as there has been in most other countries' national life.
Continue reading "Thorner & O'Neil: What makes the US so special? " »
Monday, July 15, 2019 at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Tags: Illinois Review, Mark Levin, Pastor John Hagee, traditional values, United States
Wheeling's political rising star Charlie Kirk leaves home
TPUSA's Charlie Kirk with VP Mike Pence earlier this year in Rosemont
WHEELING - Born and raised in north suburban Wheeling, now world-renowned political rising star Charlie Kirk announces in his hometown paper that he's officially moved to Florida. The founder of Turning Point USA writes in the Daily Herald:
This is something I have been contemplating for awhile, but a combination of family, friends, loyalty and simple inertia have held me back from making the move. The results of the 2018 elections in Illinois and the rise to power of those who believe in growing the size of government, increasing regulations and strengthening labor unions -- all at the expense of the individual, entrepreneurs and businesses -- all helped make the choice relatively straightforward for me.
In some ways, I don't feel like I'm leaving Illinois. I feel as though Illinois left me.
Continue reading "Wheeling's political rising star Charlie Kirk leaves home " »
Where's Weyermuller? Joining Mayor Lori Lightfoot at "Safe Haven 5k 2019" To End Veteran Homelessness
By Mark Weyermuller -
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot made a surprise appearance on Montrose Beach Saturday. She was the official starter for the annual Safe Haven 5k to end homelessness for veterans.
Lightfoot spoke on stage before the start for several minutes with her main theme of "equality." Unfortunately, she did not address the major issues that most Chicago residents are concerned about, such as less crime, better schools, less taxes, stemming out migration, bringing in more private sector jobs, and fixing the city's pension mess.
Continue reading "Where's Weyermuller? Joining Mayor Lori Lightfoot at "Safe Haven 5k 2019" To End Veteran Homelessness" »
Tags: Dan Patlak, Illinois Review, Lightfoot
Is Man-Made Climate Change a Settled Science?
There is still a strong dissenting camp to the theory that climate change is caused by the man-made greenhouse gas CO2. This camp argues that the science of climate change is far from settled.
Media coverage is overwhelmingly on one side of this debate. However, the public deserves to hear about scientific discoveries from both sides.
Continue reading "Is Man-Made Climate Change a Settled Science?" »
Here Are 6 Ways a New Report Devastates the $15 Minimum Wage
The real minimum wage is still zero. Rachel Grezler writes:
The Congressional Budget Office report estimated that a $15 minimum wage would lead to 1.3 million lost jobs by the year 2025, with job losses rising over time due to compounding negative impacts.
The exact number of job losses are highly uncertain, but the report says losses would most likely range between zero and 3.7 million, with a not-insignificant chance that losses could exceed 3.7 million. [...]
Continue reading "Here Are 6 Ways a New Report Devastates the $15 Minimum Wage" »
Trump Signs New Law To Protect Innocent Small Business Owners From IRS Seizures
Structuring seizures no longer threaten innocent American business owners. Nick Sibilia writes:
Continue reading "Trump Signs New Law To Protect Innocent Small Business Owners From IRS Seizures" »
America's Monopoly Crisis Hits the Military
Early this year, U.S. authorities filed criminal charges—including bank fraud, obstruction of justice, and theft of technology—against the largest maker of telecommunications equipment in the world, a Chinese giant named Huawei. Chinese dominance in telecom equipment has created a crisis among Western espionage agencies, who, fearful of Chinese spying, are attempting to prevent the spread of Huawei equipment worldwide, especially in the critical 5G next-generation mobile networking space.
Continue reading "America's Monopoly Crisis Hits the Military" »
Did Climate Change Load Tropical Storm Barry Up With Extra Rain?
Hurricanes cause more damage today because there is more to damage. Ronald Bailey writes:
[An article] in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Association, found that "since 1900 neither observed [continental United States] landfalling hurricane frequency nor intensity shows significant trends." Hurricanes hitting the U.S. may be getting wetter and slower, but their winds are not stronger and they are not more frequent. That said, in May the World Meteorological Organization comprehensively reviewed the scientific literature and concludedthat "it is likely that greenhouse warming will cause hurricanes in the coming century to be more intense globally and have higher rainfall rates than present-day hurricanes."
Continue reading "Did Climate Change Load Tropical Storm Barry Up With Extra Rain?" »
Sunday, July 14, 2019 at 06:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
This is Why I Am Not a Socialist
I share a lot of the concerns and goals of those who describe themselves as "socialists." More health care and housing for poor people? Great. More educational opportunities for the least well-off? Absolutely. A cleaner environment? Sure thing. Gender and racial equality? Immediately, please.
Why, then, am I not a socialist? As political and economic ideas go it's So Hot Right Now. It's also cross-generational as political superstars Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez refer to themselves as "democratic socialists."
I think, though, that they are making serious mistakes. To put it simply, people too often mistake the ends for the means and define economic and political systems in terms of their advocates' stated goals rather than the actual characteristics of those systems. With respect to a lot of the goals of the self-described socialists, there is a lot more standing between them and their vision than a failure of political will.
GOP-controlled Indiana (to the east of Illinois) boasts $1.78 Billion budget reserve
INDIANAPOLIS - Just across the border to the east of Illinois, the state of Indiana announced this week they have a budget surplus of $42 million dollars from Fiscal Year 2017. But that's not all ...
That's $42 million more they collected in 2017 than what they spent in 2018.
From the Northwest Indiana Times:
Continue reading "GOP-controlled Indiana (to the east of Illinois) boasts $1.78 Billion budget reserve" »
Friday, July 12, 2019 at 04:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Pritzker Admin enlists Illinois AG to "protect" non-citizens from President Trump this weekend
CHICAGO - Illinois will stand as a "firewall" against enforcing federal immigration laws, Governor JB Pritzker said Friday - anticipating Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities this weekend in Chicago.
"Immigrants are an essential part of what makes this country great. In Illinois, we welcome and protect them, despite threats from President Trump," said Governor JB Pritzker. "In the face of a coordinated attempt by the President to stoke fear, exploit division, and force families into the shadows, Illinois stands as a firewall against the president's attacks on our immigrant communities.
Continue reading "Pritzker Admin enlists Illinois AG to "protect" non-citizens from President Trump this weekend" »
Friday, July 12, 2019 at 03:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (16)
Thorner: Reparations -- a traditional tax-and-spend policy, otherwise known as bribes
Reparations for slavery is the idea that some form of compensatory payment needs to be made to the descendants of Africans trafficked to and enslaved in this nation as a consequence of the Atlantic slave trade.
In Colonial times the term "triangle trade" was used to signify three major ports of call arranged in such a way to form a triangle. It operated from the late 16th to early 19th centuries and resulted in bring African slaves to our nation. It operated in this fashion:
From England, textiles, rum and manufactured goods were shipped to Africa.
From Africa, slaves were shipped to the Americas.
From the Americas, sugar, tobacco, and cotton were shipped to England.
Continue reading "Thorner: Reparations -- a traditional tax-and-spend policy, otherwise known as bribes" »
Was Jesus a Socialist?
Did Jesus support socialism? Do the teachings of Jesus Christ condemn the accumulation of wealth while pushing for the equal distribution of resources? Lawrence Reed, president of the Foundation for Economic Education, explains the misconceptions surrounding one of history's greatest figures.
State Rep. McDermed will not run for re-election in 2020
MOKENA - State Rep. Margo McDermed (R-Mokena) announced Wednesday that she will not be seeking a fourth term serving the 37th District in 2020.
"It is with a heavy heart that I share the news I will not be seeking re-election next year. I'm getting older and after 30 years as a corporate lawyer, followed by 14 years as an elected official, it's time to retire again," McDermed said in a statement on her Facebook page.
Continue reading "State Rep. McDermed will not run for re-election in 2020" »
IL State Rep confronts Pritzker staff on cutting Confederate Railroad from DuQuoin Fair lineup
CHICAGO - While the Southern rock band Confederate Railroad's name and use of Confederate flag was offensive enough to cancel the band's performance at the DuQuoin State Fair next month, Snoop Dogg's album cover featuring the rap artist standing over a lifeless-appearing Donald Trump is not enough to cancel Snoop Dogg's appearance at the State Fair.
That's what State Rep. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) reported on her Facebook page after meeting with two high-ranking members of Governor Pritzker's staff earlier this week.
"I have been trying to sort truth from fiction in the issue of entertainment decisions at our two State Fairs. I know people are polarized on the issue, but it is always important to get facts. While in Chicago today to attend a hearing I was able to secure a meeting with two high-ranking members of Gov. Pritzker's Exec. Staff," she wrote. "I also asked Rep. Tim Butler to join us as he represents the State fairgrounds in Springfield."
Continue reading "IL State Rep confronts Pritzker staff on cutting Confederate Railroad from DuQuoin Fair lineup" »
Wednesday, July 10, 2019 at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)
Tags: Confederate Railroad, DuQuoin State Fair, Illinois Review, Terri Bryant
Duckworth urges donations to Kentucky Dem to oust Mitch McConnell
CHICAGO - Illinois' junior Democrat Tammy Duckworth isn't just voting with the radical Left in the US Senate, she's actively promoting a challenger to oust US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The Democrat Duckworth says she's "so excited about" is Kentucky Democrat Amy McGrath, who announced her bid Tuesday to oust McConnell in 2020.
Continue reading "Duckworth urges donations to Kentucky Dem to oust Mitch McConnell" »
Tags: Amy McGrath, Illinois Review, Mitch McConnell, Tammy Duckworth
Census Bureau Data: Non Citizens Earn $9K More Per Year Than Black Americans
According to U.S. Census Bureau data (in full below), it appears that black Americans are the most harmed by immigration.
In fact, the median income of "Non Citizens" is more than $9,000higher than black Americans. Overall, Hispanics earn nearly $10,000 more than than black Americans.
"Claims that immigration enforcement equals racism ignore the reality that the group most likely to benefit from a tougher approach to immigration enforcement is young black men, who often compete with recent immigrants for low-skilled jobs," noted the Los Angeles Times last year.
America's Biggest Issues: Environment
In the 1970s, Americans were told we were in a global cooling crisis and if something weren't done, we'd enter a new ice age.
When that didn't happen, a few decades later we were told that entire nations could be wiped off the face of the Earth by rising sea levels if the global warming trend was not reversed by the year 2000. Despite the consistent failure of these apocalyptic warnings, that hasn't stopped climate change alarmism.
We're now being told we only have 12 years to combat climate change and the solution is to fundamentally dismantle the system of free enterprise. That means Washington controls things like how we produce our energy, what food we eat and what type of cars we drive. The question is, even if we believed their alarmist, catastrophic predictions, would their proposals work?
The Heritage Foundation's Nick Loris helps dispel some environmental myths, and explains how America can ensure affordable, reliable, and cleaner energy by keeping our economy growing.
Record 60 million Hispanics in US, 52% of population growth
The U.S. Hispanic population surged another 1.2 million last year and now is a record 59.9 million, according to newly released U.S. Census Bureau population estimates.
The percentage of Hispanics as part of the overall U.S. population also jumped to 18%.
A Pew Research Center analysis of the new data also found that between 2008 and 2018, "Latinos accounted for about half (52%) of all U.S. population growth over this period."
Federal $15 Minimum Wage Would Eliminate 1.3 Million Jobs, CBO Says
Implementing a $15 federal minimum wage would result in the elimination of some 1.3 million jobs, according to a report released by the Congressional Budget Office Monday.
"About 1.3 million workers who would otherwise be employed would be jobless in an average week in 2025," the report reads. "That decrease would account for 0.8 percent of all workers and 7 percent of directly affected workers who would otherwise earn less than $15 per hour."
The report scores legislation introduced by Representative Bobby Scott (D., Va.) that would gradually phase in a $15 minimum wage over five years and would eliminate the minimum-wage exemption that currently applies to workers who receive tips.
Users On Wikipedia Are Trying To Quietly Edit Out Democratic Connections In Epstein's Bio
The sensational case surrounding billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein hasn't just stopped at Epstein. People are turning it into a political fight due to Epstein's habit of being connected to big political names such as Bill Clinton and Donald Trump.
As people in our society will do, when they want to learn who somebody is they'll hit up America's number one source of information, Wikipedia. The site is open sourced, meaning anyone can come in and make changes to a page. This can be used to update references, correct information, or in some cases, rewrite history for malicious reasons.
6 Chicagoans killed, 69 wounded over 4th of July weekend
CHICAGO - Over the 2019 4th of July weekend, six Chicagoans were killed and 69 wounded - much worse than US gunfire casualties overseas this past weekend, but less deadly than holiday weekends in Chicago in years past.
Continue reading "6 Chicagoans killed, 69 wounded over 4th of July weekend " »
Can Republicans win back Illinois' 6th CD?
6th CDs late Cong. Henry Hyde w/ fr. Cong. Peter Roskam | Daily Herald photo
WHEATON - The late Henry Hyde's district slipped away from former Congressman Peter Roskam and is now in the oily hands of the U.S. Congress Democrat majority, represented by freshman Sean Casten.
Casten's 5-point win over Roskam was a part of the Democrats' anti-Trump Blue Wave that hit in 2018, leaving the DuPage County-centered 6th CD up for grabs in 2020.
Continue reading "Can Republicans win back Illinois' 6th CD?" »
Monday, July 08, 2019 at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (15)
Tags: Democrat, Evelyn Sanguinetti, Henry Hyde, Illinois Review, Peter Roskam, Republican, Sean Casten
#Monday Memory: Will Co activists declare independence from Chicago corruption
WILL COUNTY - An effort to declare independence from Chicago and Cook County corrupt politics is gaining momentum throughout Illinois as more and more the state's "red" counties declare public opposition to Chicago policies.
The anti-Chicago corruption movement goes back at least seven years - starting in Will County, Illinois.
Continue reading "#Monday Memory: Will Co activists declare independence from Chicago corruption" »
Tags: Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, Illinois Review, independence, Will County
Beckman: Colleges love their Left Wing Criminals
By Hank Beckman -
In April I posted about a DePaul University publication that described an unrepentant terrorist, Oscar Lopez Rivera, as a legitimate political prisoner, as if the gang to which he was a member, the Puerto Rican separatist group FALN, was the moral equivalent of Gandhi or Martin Luther King.
If you think this was an isolated incident, an anomaly in the culture of the modern American university, you might be in for a rude awakening.
Various institutions of higher learning, some quite prestigious, have exhibited no reluctance in hiring former criminals guilty of offenses ranging from burglary to bombings to felony murder—as long as they are politically left-wing.
Continue reading "Beckman: Colleges love their Left Wing Criminals" »
Thorner: Are tariffs really bad for the US economy?
Tariffs were once regarded as right and necessary for this nation as protective measures necessary for economic growth. As a matter of historical fact, protectionism was the position of almost all the Founding Fathers. By the early part of the 1800s, there was not what would today be termed a "free trader" in the bunch.
Continue reading "Thorner: Are tariffs really bad for the US economy? " »
The Era of the Ungrateful American
Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. I can't fathom the ingratitude of American soccer star Meghan Rapinoe's attitude toward America.
Writer Warner Todd Huston notes, "Rapinoe raised eyebrows in the 2018 season by taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem even though she is playing for the U.S. Women's National soccer team. Her taking a knee only came to an end starting in the 2019 season because the team passed a rule requiring players to stand during the anthem. But she right away said that she would never sing the 'Star Spangled Banner' again, nor would she place her hand over her heart because she hates America."
Sadly, she is by no means alone. There are millions of ungrateful Americans today.
Rep. Miller: The high tax era is over; Springfield says they mean it this time
By State Representative Chris Miller (R-Oakland) -
Like Lucy promising to let Charlie Brown kick the football, career politicians in Springfield are again promising that this time will be the last time we have to raise taxes. We just have to "trust them…"
Pardon me, but haven't we heard this one before?
Continue reading "Rep. Miller: The high tax era is over; Springfield says they mean it this time" »
Tags: Chris Miller, Illinois Review, taxes
Beckman: Herman Wouk's "The Winds of War" continues to resonate
Herman Wouk died last month.
Just 10 days shy of his 104th birthday, he simply went to sleep one night and never woke up, the way we should all check out should we be blessed with such a long, productive life.
Born in New York into a religious family, Wouk was educated at Columbia University and served as a naval officer in the Pacific during the Second World War. He began his career writing jokes for radio comedian Fred Allen, but soon switched to novels, becoming one of the first popular writers to explicitly describe the everyday lives of Jewish Americans.
The man once described as "The Jackie Robinson of Jewish American fiction" gave us the classics "Marjorie Morningstar," the story of a Jewish girl from the Bronx who dreams of stardom only to finally settle for a middle-class "normal" life; "The Caine Mutiny," for which he won a Pulitzer Prize, a gripping narrative of an unstable ship's captain that ends in a court marshal of the officers behind the mutiny. He also wrote non-fiction, concentrating on Judaism in "This is My God," and "The Will to Live On," both of which sought to describe and explain Judaism in terms of its religious, historical, and cultural significance.
But if critics and literary historians are reasonably fair, he will be best remembered for "The Winds of War," and its sequel, "War and Remembrance," the sweeping two-part historical romance set during the Second World War.
Continue reading "Beckman: Herman Wouk's "The Winds of War" continues to resonate" »
Tags: Herman Wouk, Illinois Review, Winds of War
Under Medicare for All Plan, Many Hospitals Would Be Forced to Close—Especially in Poor, Rural Areas
Medicare for All Plan would threaten rural hospitals. Peter Suderman writes:
It's probably an overstatement to say that every single hospital would close. But [...] under a single-payer plan paying current Medicare rates, some, and perhaps lots, almost certainly would. And many of the hospitals that stayed open would likely shed staff and services.
Medicare pays far, far less than private rates, and the higher rates from private payers is part of what keeps hospitals afloat financially. One estimate found that providers would take something like a 40 percent pay cut under the Sanders plan. And that cut would take place very quickly, as the Sanders plan calls for the elimination of most private insurance in just four years. [...]
Continue reading "Under Medicare for All Plan, Many Hospitals Would Be Forced to Close—Especially in Poor, Rural Areas" »
US Air Quality Is Not Slipping, Actually Improving
On June 18, The Associated Press published a story under the byline of Seth Borenstein and Nicky Forster with the troubling headline "US Air Quality is Slipping After Years of Improvement." While there are grains of truth in both the headline and the story that follows, there's also a great deal of deception and ignorance in the tale Borenstein and Forster attempt to fashion.
The truth is that the changes in air quality cited are statistically insignificant, largely driven by wildfires, and do nothing to contradict claims that America's air is as clean as it has ever been. ...
...Trump is absolutely right when he says our air is as clean as it ever has been, at least in the industrialized era. To anyone without an ax to grind and the proper skill-set to do the analysis, the data speaks for itself.
2020 Election Meddling by China, Iran, N. Korea Likely, Administration Officials Warn
Russia isn't the only threat to election security going into 2020, as Trump administration officials say they are preparing for meddling from Iran, China, and North Korea.
The federal government anticipates that Russia will again meddle in the U.S. election in 2020 through "Russian-controlled or influenced English-language media, false-flag operations, or sympathetic spokespersons," a senior intelligence official said.
China's government finances English-language media outlets in the United States to influence U.S. perceptions on various issues, such as trade, the senior intelligence official told reporters during a briefing on election security.
"No surprise to you: Iran is increasing their use of social media to promote strategic goals and perspectives to the American public," the official continued. "Its influence campaigns have included denigrating U.S. decisions to leave [the Iran nuclear deal], downplaying the effectiveness of sanctions, and promoting pro-Iranian interests."
New Supreme Court Ruling May Start Checking Power of Federal Bureaucrats
The Supreme Court stumbles toward doing its job. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court signaled that it was prepared to look more critically at administrative agency's interpretations of their own rules. In Kisor v. Wilkie, a case involving Department of Veterans Affairs denials of a disability claim, the court placed new limits on a doctrine of judicial deference known as Seminole Rock/Auer. That doctrine held that courts should defer to agency interpretations of their own rules as long as those interpretations are not plainly erroneous or inconsistent with the regulation. Elizabeth Slattery writes on the decision:
Writing for the majority, Justice Elena Kagan took the "plainly erroneous or inconsistent" standard of Seminole Rock and Auer and recast it into a multi-step test instructing lower court judges whether and how to grant deference.
First, using "all the 'traditional tools' of construction," a judge must determine if the applicable regulation is "genuinely ambiguous." If there is genuine ambiguity, then the judge must consider whether the agency's interpretation is a reasonable one.
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Why is 7th Sense the best?
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A psychic reading allows you the opportunity to connect with someone who has a heightened connection with the spirit world. Through a variety of means - including tarot cards, angel cards, astrology - psychic readers can provide insights into your life that you would not normally get. A psychic reading, more than anything else, is about giving you a fresh perspective on where you are now and where you are capable of going in the future. Use a psychic reading to ask questions and find answers that are not accessible elsewhere - about your love life, your financial circumstances, your career prospects - anything that preoccupies you.
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By talking to a psychic reader, you allow yourself the space to move away from the everyday thoughts that can often confine your actions and motivations. By answering your questions, a psychic reader allows you see your life from a position that is outside yourself. That can be extremely empowering. For example, you can explore if your partner is the right person for you, if your business idea will take flight or if your financial circumstances are liable to improve. A psychic reader can help you avoid the pitfalls of life and seize the opportunities that you might otherwise overlook. In short, psychic readers may be able to provide the direction that your life is sorely lacking at a particular time.
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Psychics have a terrible reputation as being fakes.
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text:
Sopwith 3F.2 Hippo byl prototyp britského dvoumístného stíhacího letounu vzniklý v době první světové války. Jednalo se o jednomotorový dvouplošník s výrazným negativním stupněním křídel. Typ nebyl úspěšný, jelikož Royal Flying Corps dal přednost již vyráběnému Bristolu Fighter.

Vznik a vývoj
Sopwith Aviation Company v létě 1917 navrhla dvoumístný stíhací dvouplošník, označený 3F.2 Hippo, s možným cílem nahradit Sopwith 1½ Strutter ve francouzských leteckých silách. Typ nebyl objednán britskou komisí pro vojenské letectví Air Board, která společnosti Sopwith pouze udělila oprávnění ke stavbě prototypu ve vlastní režii.

Hippo byl navržen s cílem poskytnout co nejlepší výhled pilotovi i pozorovateli-střelci, čemuž byla podřízena celá konstrukce letounu. Křídla s dvoukomorovým systémem vzpěr měla značné negativní stupnění (2 stopy a 3 palce, ~0,69 m), s kokpitem pilota před náběžnou hranou horního křídla a stanovištěm střelce za jeho zadním nosníkem. Trup vyplňoval mezeru mezi křídly, a hlavy obou členů osádky byly v jedné rovině s horním křídlem, v jehož náběžné a odtokové hraně byly výřezy pro zlepšení zorného pole pilota i střelce.
Pilot ovládal dva synchronizované 7,7mm kulomety Vickers, zatímco střelec měl dva kulomety Lewis stejné ráže, lafetované samostatně na výkyvných závěsech v přední a zadní části kokpitu. Pohonnou jednotku představoval jedenáctiválcový rotační motor Clerget 11, vybraný pravděpodobně protože nebyl příliš užíván jinými typy.

První prototyp Sopwithu Hippo vzlétl poprvé 13. září 1917 Během letových zkoušek bylo zjištěno, že dosahuje horších výkonů a je náročnější na ovládání než Bristol F.2 Fighter, který již byl zaveden do služby. Navzdory těmto výsledkům, které znamenaly, že Royal Flying Corps o typ neprojevil zájem, společnost Sopwith prototyp přestavěla, se zvětšeným vzepětím horního křídla, stupněním sníženým na 1 stopu a 9⅜ palce (~ 0,54 m), a zvětšenou svislou ocasní plochou. Původní lafetace pohyblivých kulometů Lewis byla nahrazena obvyklejším oběžným kruhem Scarff s jedním kulometem téhož typu. Přestavěný prototyp vzlétl poprvé v dubnu 1918 a druhý jej následoval v červnu téhož roku. K další výrobě nedošlo.

Specifikace
Údaje podle

Technické údaje
 Osádka: 2 (pilot a střelec)
 Délka: 7,46 m (24 stop a 6 palců)
 Rozpětí křídel: 11,81 m (38 stop a 9 palců)
 Výška: 2,85 m (9 stop a 4 palce)
 Nosná plocha: 31,6 m² (340 čtverečních stop)
 Prázdná hmotnost: 673 kg (1 481 lb)
 Vzletová hmotnost: 1 177 kg (2 590 lb)
 Pohonná jednotka: 1 × jedenáctiválcový rotační motor Clerget 11Eb
 Výkon pohonné jednotky: 200 hp (149 kW)

Výkony
 Maximální rychlost: 185 km/h (100 uzlů, 115 mph) ve výši 3 050 m (10 000 stop)
 Praktický dostup: 5 200 m (17 000 stop)
 Stoupavost: 5,1 m/s (1 000 stop za minutu)
 Výstup do výše 3 050 m (10 000 stop): 13 minut 25 sekund

Výzbroj
 2 × synchronizovaný kulomet Vickers ráže 7,7 mm
 1 × pohyblivý kulomet Lewis ráže 7,7 mm na oběžném kruhu Scarff

Odkazy

Poznámky

Reference

Literatura

Související články
Související vývoj
 Sopwith Bulldog
 Sopwith Dolphin
Letadla podobného určení, konfigurace a období
 Bristol F.2 Fighter
 Hanriot HD.3

Externí odkazy
 Sopwith 3F.2 Hippo na www.valka.cz
  Sopwith Hippo na British Aircraft Directory

Hippo
Britská stíhací letadla
Dvouplošníky
Letecké prototypy

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
GM Troy Weaver banks on aggressiveness forged in AAU to rebuild Detroit Pistons
·Columnist
Back in the 1990s, Troy Weaver was working at a Washington, D.C., rec center while finishing his degree at local Bowie State. Weaver had played a little junior-college basketball, and in his early 20s, he was teaching the game to some kids. A few of them were invited to play in an area AAU tournament. Weaver went along to watch.
He was unimpressed with the coaching. The guys who ran the team offered him the job. Instead, he went one better, joining up with a friend to start his own program.
That team — D.C. Assault — quickly became a national powerhouse, churning out Division I talent.
At the time, AAU ball was scorned as the sport's Wild West — a barely tolerated, much derided segment of the game.
Weaver stood out, though. So much so that a respected, veteran coach, Pittsburgh's Ralph Willard, hired him as an assistant. He later joined Jim Boeheim's staff at Syracuse, where he famously recruited a Baltimore kid named Carmelo Anthony and the Orange won a national title.
A clear path to a college head coach job was in front of him. However, Weaver had two goals growing up: "Help young men," he said, "and work in the front office of a professional team, either the NBA or NFL."
Troy Weaver, then Oklahoma City Thunder vice president and assistant general manager, holds a jersey with forward Josh Huestis. Weaver is now in his first season as the Detroit Pistons' general manager. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
So when the Utah Jazz offered him a chance to learn the pro game as a scout, he surprised many by taking it. He was soon promoted to director of player personnel. In 2008, Oklahoma City made him an assistant general manager.
Then came June, when Weaver, who started with zero connections on perhaps the bottom rung of the basketball career ladder ascended to the top when the Detroit Pistons hired him as their general manager.
He's believed to be the first former AAU guy to hold such a job.
"I love a good story. I love start-ups," Pistons owner Tom Gores told Yahoo Sports. Gores, as a child, immigrated with his family from Lebanon to outside Flint, Michigan, where he worked his way into a self-made billionaire.
"The story isn't why we hired Troy though," Gores said. "Troy's ability to evaluate talent was the No. 1 reason. He is concise in how he sees talent. He sees it on a micro-level. I've met a lot of executives who know basketball. Troy is just on a whole different level."
The Pistons are, to say the least, in need of help. The proud franchise has won three NBA titles, but not a single playoff game in a dozen years. Last season, with a 20-46 record, it didn't even qualify for the Orlando bubble.
Weaver prefers to be optimistic by calling the challenge a "restoring" or a "retooling," not a "rebuilding."
There is no blueprint to becoming an NBA general manager. Although, especially in the past, the most common route was to be either a former NBA player or coach, or the son of a former NBA player or coach. As analytics have become more prominent, the pool has widened.
Still, there is no one quite like the 52-year-old Weaver, a distinction he mostly shrugs off.
"I'm grateful and thankful for my journey," he said. "I wouldn't do it any other way."
As might be expected of someone who took a long and unlikely route to the top, Weaver isn't content in just easing into the job. You don't go from a rec center to the NBA by being passive. You constantly redefine what people think of you and what they think you are capable of accomplishing.
"The biggest thing is setting a structure where everyone can be themselves inside of the system," Weaver said. "Once people buy into it, then you really get going. You have to have a system, but people have to be individuals inside of it."
As for being himself, aggressiveness is what got him here, and aggressiveness is what will keep him here. It's why lowly Detroit, perhaps years from contention, was one of the most active teams this offseason.
Weaver's first move was to let about half the roster loose, signaling a new day. Then on draft night, Weaver made three trades to turn one first-round pick into three (led by seventh overall selection Killian Hayes), plus a second-rounder and an additional few players (Josh Jackson has looked notably improved in preseason play).
Detroit Pistons rookie Killian Hayes protects the ball from New York Knicks point guard Dennis Smith Jr. during a preseason game at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, on Dec. 13, 2020. (Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
He moved up. He moved down. He believes he brought the potential core of a playoff team down the line.
"I wasn't going to be cautious; that's not who I am," Weaver said.
This season may not yield a ton of victories (which is fine if it yields a top pick). However, young talent is in place with veteran players to guide them. Additional cap space will open in a couple of years, when the Pistons might be on a real upswing. Essentially, Weaver is building the support cast for a future star to fit around, rather than the other way.
"We were absolutely going to be aggressive, but only because we have a plan," Weaver said. "I'm never going to be aggressive without a plan. We have a very determined plan, and hopefully in a few years, it will yield a fortune."
Gores said what has impressed him about Weaver is that he wasn't trying to just get draft picks, but certain players. The team owner sees a general manager who determines who can and can't play and doesn't worry about what conventional wisdom has to say. He just gets his guys.
"He can really size up whether someone has it or not," Gores said. "I know he shook things up [on draft night]. But I would say it was smartly aggressive. Troy and I spoke about the moves, and you're trying to transform things. It may not be perfect, but you want to move in the right direction. What's most important is the direction.
"If we are getting the kind of players we think we are, then we moved toward a change in culture."
Essentially, if Weaver's picks work, then the Pistons will work. If not, then they won't.
Pistons fans, who have been mired in mediocrity, have responded well. A blueprint is there, and that alone is reassuring. Detroit talk radio has already branded him "Trader Troy" a nod to the nickname given to the general manager of the Bad Boys teams who was extremely active in constructing a championship roster.
"Jack McCloskey," Weaver said, understanding it's a significant compliment locally.
"I mean, they are going to call you something," Weaver said, laughing. "So if it's 'Trader Troy,' then I'll take it."
He is the first to say that nothing has been accomplished, nothing won. There is a ton of work ahead. When you've come as far as Troy Weaver has, however, when you've forged a new path to the top, all you want is an opportunity.
"We are going to stay aggressive," Weaver promised.
"He's owning this," Gores said. "Whenever we talk to our executives [in any of Gores' companies], we want them to think things through and be confident that if mistakes get made, it wasn't because there wasn't a plan. Troy is doing that.
"He is a winner, he's a fighter and he wants to compete. He wouldn't be here if he wasn't."
Paylor: No easy way out of AFC East purgatory for Patriots
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Robinson: Time for Belichick to make unprecedented QB move
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WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to lead the intelligence community, Avril Haines, promised Tuesday to "speak truth to power" and keep politics out of intelligence agencies to ensure their work is trusted. "When it comes to intelligence, there is simply no place for politics — ever," she told the Senate Intelligence Committee. Haines, a former CIA deputy director and former deputy national security adviser in the Obama administration, would enter the job as director of national intelligence, or DNI, following a Trump administration that saw repeated pressure on intelligence officials to shape intelligence to the Republican president's liking. The committee's lead Republican, Marco Rubio of Florida, and its ranking Democrat, Mark Warner of Virginia, both indicated they expect Haines to win confirmation. Her hearing kicked off a series of Senate confirmation hearings Tuesday, including those for Biden's picks to lead the State Department, the Pentagon, and the departments of Homeland Security and Treasury. While most of those nominees are unlikely to be confirmed by the time Biden takes the oath of office at noon Wednesday, some could be in place within days. A former director of national intelligence, Dan Coats, who served in the Trump administration, introduced Haines with an emphasis on her commitment to de-politicizing the job. He called her an "exceptional choice" for the position. Also testifying Tuesday at his confirmation hearing was Alejandro Mayorkas, Biden's nominee for secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. He would be the first Latino and first immigrant to lead the agency. In opening remarks, Mayorkas addressed the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. He said in prepared remarks released ahead of the hearing that the Jan. 6 pro-Trump riot is "horrifying" and the authorities still have much to learn about what happened that day and what led to the insurrection. The Senate typically confirms some nominees, particularly the secretaries of defence, on Inauguration Day, though raw feelings about President Donald Trump four years ago led to Democratic-caused delays, except for James Mattis at the Pentagon. This year, the tension is heightened by Trump's impeachment and an extraordinary military presence in Washington because of fears of extremist violence. Putting his national security team in place quickly is a high priority for Biden, not only because of his hopes for reversing or modifying Trump administration policy shifts but also because of diplomatic, military and intelligence problems around the world that may create challenges early in his tenure. The most controversial of the group may be Lloyd Austin, the recently retired Army general whom Biden selected to lead the Pentagon. Austin will need not only a favourable confirmation vote in the Senate but also a waiver by both the House and the Senate because he has been out of uniform only four years. The last time a new president did not have his secretary of defence confirmed by Inauguration Day was in 1989. President George H.W. Bush's nominee, John Tower, had run into opposition and ended up rejected by the Senate several weeks later. Also facing confirmation hearings were Biden confidant Antony Blinken to lead the State Department, and Janet Yellen as treasury secretary, another first for a woman. In prepared remarks, Blinken said he is ready to confront challenges posed by China, Iran, North Korea and Russia and is committed to rebuilding the State Department after four years of atrophy under the Trump administration. Ahead of the Blinken hearing, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Robert Menendez of New Jersey, said he expects the committee to vote on the nomination on Monday. Blinken will tell the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday that he sees a world of rising nationalism and receding democracy. In remarks prepared for his confirmation hearing, Blinken will say that mounting threats from authoritarian states are reshaping all aspects of human lives, particularly in cyberspace. He'll say that American global leadership still matters and without it rivals will either step in to fill the vacuum or there will be chaos — and neither is a palatable choice. Blinken also promises to bring Congress in as a full foreign policy partner, a subtle jab at the Trump administration and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who routinely ignored or bypassed lawmakers in policy-making. He called the Jan. 6 insurrection on Capitol Hill "senseless and searing" and pledged to work with Congress. Austin was testifying later Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee, but the panel will not be in position to vote until he gets the waiver. Republicans are expected to broadly support the Austin nomination, as are Democrats. Biden's emerging Cabinet marks a return to a more traditional approach to governing, relying on veteran policymakers with deep expertise and strong relationships in Washington and global capitals. Austin is something of an exception in that only twice in history has a recently retired general served as defence secretary — most recently Mattis. Austin, who would be the first Black secretary of defence, retired from the military as a four-star general in 2016. The law requires a minimum seven-year waiting period. Doubts about the wisdom of having a recently retired officer running the Pentagon are rooted in an American tradition of protecting against excessive military influence by ensuring that civilians are in control. When he announced Austin as his pick in December, Biden insisted he is "uniquely suited" for the job. Lindsay P. Cohn, an expert on civil-military relations and an associate professor at the U.S. Naval War College, said at a Senate hearing on the subject last week that an Austin waiver raises worrying risks. "Choosing a recently retired general officer and arguing that he is uniquely qualified for the current challenges furthers the narrative that military officers are better at things and more reliable or trustworthy than civil servants or other civilians," she said. "This is hugely problematic at a time when one of the biggest challenges facing the country is the need to restore trust and faith in the political system. Implying that only a military officer can do this job at this time is counterproductive to that goal." Some Democrats have already said they will oppose a waiver. They argue that granting it for two administrations in a row makes the exception more like a rule. Even so, a favourable vote seems likely. The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., on Friday introduced waiver legislation for Austin. ___ Associated Press writers Ben Fox, Eric Tucker and Martin Crutsinger contributed to this report. Robert Burns, Lolita C. Baldor And Matthew Lee, The Associated Press
The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (all times Eastern): 10:50 a.m. Prince Edward Island is reporting two new cases of COVID-19 today. Chief medical officer of health Dr. Heather Morrison says the new cases involve a woman in her 40s who is a contact of a previously reported case, and a woman in her 20s who recently travelled outside Atlantic Canada. There are now seven active reported cases in the province. P.E.I. has reported 110 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. --- 10:35 a.m. Ontario is reporting 1,913 new cases of COVID-19 today, likely under-reported due to a technical error in Toronto. Health Minister Christine Elliott says that Toronto is reporting 550 new cases of the novel coronavirus. Over the past three days, Toronto reported 815 new cases, 1,035 new cases and 903 new cases. There were 46 more deaths linked to the virus in Ontario. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 19, 2021. The Canadian Press

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


What was the posture and attitude of the leper before Jesus?
The posture and attitude of the leper before Jesus is that of humility and brokenness. So he falls with his face to the ground and begs Jesus, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." It's this total recognition that he doesn't deserve a thing, so that though he is a grown man, he is willing to beg, fall with his face to the ground, hoping that Jesus would hear his cry.
He's someone who sees himself clearly, that he doesn't have anything else he can hope in, he's desperately in need of help. He's a leper, an outcast, banished, exiled, isolated, and in need of deep physical and psychological healing. And so it makes sense that he comes with this humility and sense of clear acknowledgement that he doesn't deserve a thing.
I think we often start off our Christian walk with this kind of humility and acknowledgment that we don't deserve God's mercy and grace. Personally, I'm reminded how important it is to keep that clear picture of who I am before God, through my willingness to acknowledge my own need before God, to honestly admit the reality of my sin each day, and the fact that my only hope is God's willingness to have mercy on me. This is the sense I need to keep very clear so that I do not lose this proper posture before Him.
What is the significance of the words "if you are willing"?
The leper is clear about the fact that receiving healing is not something he deserves or is entitled to, but entirely dependent on Jesus' mercy and willingness. He knows it's not a likely request, but he's probably heard of Jesus and how He has healed, and so the leper has that confidence that Jesus is able to. The main issue is whether or not Jesus would be willing to heal him.
What is the significance of Jesus touching the leper in response to his request?
In that society, lepers were complete outcasts. They were not allowed to come into any human contact. In fact, they were required by law to do the humiliating thing of crying out "Unclean! Unclean!" wherever they went… So for Jesus to reach out his hand, to touch the man, was such a loving, tender, unbelievable thing to do because it was completely unnecessary. Jesus could have easily just said the word, and to grant this man healing would be more than enough. It would be beyond the leper's wildest dreams. And yet, not only does Jesus grant this, but He does it in the most loving, connecting way. The leper was probably used to receiving looks of fear and disgust at anyone who came near, and yet, Jesus, this man who he had heard about, was not only willing to come near him, to hear his cry, but to reach out and actually touch him, must've been such an unbelievable moment for the leper. It showed Jesus' total love, care, compassion, His willingness to draw near no matter what the issue. Indeed this is such an amazing picture of Jesus' heart, love, and compassion that he has for everyone of us, and the confidence that I can have as I bring myself before Him.
Who brought the paralytic to Jesus? What obstacles needed to be overcome for the paralytic to come before Jesus?
"Some men," probably good friends of the paralytic, brought him to Jesus. But they faced many obstacles – first it might have been the willingness of the paralytic to be brought before Jesus, maybe fighting against his cynicism, his pride/ego of being the one on the mat, his defeatist mentality that there's no hope, etc.
There was the huge crowd that was there, so that they could not even enter into the house to lay him before Jesus. Instead, they think outside of the box, realize the only way is through the roof. This means they have the obstacle of having to figure out a way to get onto the roof, figuring out a way to make a hole into the tiles big enough to get their friend through, while still stable enough to safely get their friend through the tiles without dropping him. They need to position it just right so that their friend gets lowered right in front of Jesus and not straight into the crowd. There's the obstacle of their own thoughts of how crazy this is, or the kind of trouble they will get into for ruining someone's roof. But they are desperate for their friend and willing to go to whatever lengths and face whatever obstacles in order to bring their friend to Jesus. I think there were many opportunities and points at which they could have said this is too hard, this is too crazy, and they could have easily been defeated by the different obstacles presented to them and just chosen to give up, but these too were feelings that they had to overcome throughout the process.
To what extent do I go about helping someone to come before Jesus?
Indeed I have experienced many obstacles in bringing people to come before Jesus. But I think all too often, I'm quick to give into my default worst-case-scenario thinking, and be filled with discouragement or cynicism of what can happen. But one thing we can learn from these men is that just because you get through one obstacle, it doesn't mean the battle is won. In fact, the reality is, it takes facing obstacle after obstacle, and that persevering spirit to help bring anyone before Jesus.
As I remember my own story, this is so true. As I think of my spiritual leaders, Pastor Ed, Kelly, Eunice, Sunny, the word that comes to mind is perseverance. They refused to give up, in midst of many obstacles. I don't think I was necessarily outwardly the most rebellious, but I was so unresponsive, unwilling to take my life seriously, unwilling to take the Word of God seriously, and in that way, I put up fight after fight. And yet, they continued to persevere, continued to plead with me, point me to God's word, and through that, enabled me to come before Jesus, to experience His healing touch, and to receive new life.
I'm reminded of some messages we listened to recently that the reality of ministry is that we are each hardened and rebellious sinners who prefer to remain in our darkness. And so, as we are in the business of trying to bring as many as we know before Jesus, these are the kind of obstacles and perseverance I must be willing to have. It's an ongoing process, and I need to be willing to face any obstacles in order to bring one person before Jesus.
As we minister to students in Taiwan, we've faced many different obstacles from ancestor worship, family opposition, culture that encourages them not to think, people who've never even heard of the Gospel, or just plain unwillingness to talk about anything spiritual, etc. But I've tasted the joy of pushing through these different obstacles, many difficult talks, a lot of pushback, discouraging situations, battling through prayer, and experiencing people receiving salvation and healing from their sin. And that much more, I want to commit to doing whatever I can to help people come before Jesus, to fight against my fears, my what-if thoughts, and to instead face whatever obstacles come my way–like these men, being willing to think outside of the box, to consider each person's story, background, struggles and think through different ways that we can bring them before Jesus.
I think it's also significant that it was a group of them bringing the paralytic before Jesus. Sometimes the task of bringing people before Jesus seems pretty impossible, but the thing is it's not up to me on my own. Even the recent salvations we've been able to experience here in Taiwan was because of many of the previous missionaries' labor and tears that were poured into this person; it's the prayers lifted up throughout all of our churches; it's the guidance and wisdom we receive from our leaders that allow us to even have this church; and, it's the body of Christ together pouring out, that enables us to do all that we do.
In his mind, the leper had a big "IF" – will this Jesus heal me? Will this Jesus respond to my request? After being so banished by society, separated from family, being an untouchable, subject to the scorn and disgust of others and completely ignored for so long, the leper held onto a host of doubts. Will I continued to be left alone? Will I be healed? Will Jesus have pity on me? Is there any hope?
From another aspect, the leper did not have a sense of entitlement. He did not expect necessarily or think that he deserved to be healed. And even though he might have had some doubts or fears, the amazing thing was that the leper knew that Jesus had the ability to heal him, "you can make me clean." He did not ask him whether it was in his power, whether he can, but whether he was willing. He had the courage to approach Jesus and humbly ask to be cleaned.
Jesus could have remotely healed the leper. He could have just said, "All right, your request is granted." Yet as powerful as Jesus was, as much as he was able to heal and do the seemingly impossible, he was also very personal. He engaged the leper. He responded with the leper's own words "I am willing" much like a parent would imitate his child's words or tones to relate. The leper was numb to touch and sensation, he must have been wide-eyed and shocked to see Jesus reach out to touch him. As he was being healed, he personally felt Jesus' touch, perhaps physically and definitely in his heart. How he must have longed to be touched all these years. That sensation of warmth, connection, the power of touch eased all his fears and doubts. And it must have brought healing to his heart as well.
Also, as Jesus touched the leper, he conveyed his love and compassion for this man; he was ultimately interested in his complete healing.
Some men brought the paralytic on a mat. The obstacles that needed to be overcome include the obvious obstacle that he could not walk. First, the paralytic had to be willing to be allowed to be placed on the mat by these men. He could have resisted, been adamant, refused. And then when these men tried to take him to the house, it was so crowded. At that point, the men could have all said, forget it. It's hopeless. Jesus is too busy today. There's no way we're going to be able to push through this crowd. There must have been so many voices that they had to push against, so many temptations to just give up and go home. Yet, these men persevered, and they even boldly went up the roof, lowered this paralytic through the tiles. They did not care what others would think, and they took great risks to themselves physically as well to bring their friend before Jesus.
I think oftentimes I am not as willing to go to such extent to help someone to come before Jesus. I quickly listen to the voices within – ah, these people are not so interested in Jesus. Ah, it's not the right time. Ah, they are too stubborn and resistant. I also fall into complacency – I think this is enough – or want to settle with the shortest, bare minimum amount of my energies and efforts. I settle for comfort and don't want to push myself. I lack that kind of creativity and thinking outside of the box… what would it take for this person, how can I bring this person before Jesus? What do I need to do? I am so challenged by these men, who were willing to do whatever it takes, to put in that extra effort to bring this paralytic to Jesus. I have to see myself, along with my co-laborers in Christ as these men, and see the people around us as paralytics who need to come before Jesus, to receive forgiveness and healing. Together, we can overcome these voices of doubts and our passion can spur one another on and push ourselves to labor in love.
What kind of authority does Jesus have?
Jesus had the authority to forgive sins.
What is more amazing to me: forgiveness of sins or healing of paralysis?
Though I have never witnessed the healing of paralysis, I would think seeing a paralytic get up and walk would be quite an amazing sight. Yet to me, the forgiveness of sins is much more amazing. As I think about when I first encountered Jesus and his promise to forgive me of all my sins, I remembered how it captured me. Could Jesus really forgive me for all that I have done? All the shame, the guilt, the regrets? As I looked into the darkness in my own heart, and how it was so impossible to let go of the tiniest of grievances or forgive someone who has hurt me deeply no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't forgive and failed miserable – the fact that Jesus would forgive me was amazing indeed. When I became Christian and experienced Jesus forgiving of my sins, I also experienced the power of release in my own heart, that I too was able to forgive others who have hurt me. In the early years, as I failed again and again as a Christian, I went through so many doubts, could Jesus forgive me for the nth time, but time and again, his response was, "Yes, I forgive you." As far as the east is from the west, so far have I removed your transgressions from you. And now, over ten years as a Christian, my amazement for Jesus' forgiveness of sins never ceases and only grows more and more because I see the ugliness, the horror, and the depth of my sins. I experienced the depth of his grace and mercy.
Lord, thank you that you have reached out to me, and touched me, that you were more than willing to love an unlovable person like me and extended your forgiveness to me. How amazing is this forgiveness and now you give me this opportunity to bring others before you. I thank you Lord, that you place me in a church full of people like the paralytic's friends, these co-laborers. That together, we have this amazing privilege to bring people to you so that they too can experience your love and forgiveness. I thank you for their passion and commitment, and I pray that I would go to further extent, giving all my energy and pushing pass all the voices within to help others come to know you and experience you personally.
The leper fell before Jesus, his face was to the ground and he was begging. He was contrite and desperate in his asking for healing.
It demonstrates a particular lowly and yet honest view that the leper had of himself. He's heard of this Jesus doing miraculous things and healing people. But his disfigured body and rejection from society was his greatest reality and identity. Perhaps he was thinking that this Jesus could heal him. But why would Jesus want to? If you are willing, Jesus, you can change me. If you are willing to get near me, if you are willing to talk to me, if you are willing to look beyond my disfiguration, if you are willing to associate with me, Jesus, even though everyone around me is horrified by me… This man understood his condition; he was leprous. He had nothing on which to base his self worth. This picture is a picture of the reality that I often face when in honest reflection. If people truly knew me, if they knew my thoughts, if Jesus or others got closer to me, maybe they too would run away, horrified by my sins. It is an approach that I have had before God and others as a result of my sins.
This is a huge act of love and acceptance that Jesus demonstrates by touching the leper at his request. By doing so, Jesus himself does the unthinkable and publicly makes himself unclean by touching an unclean man. The law was very clear regarding social norms around lepers, and everyone understood what their roles were when an unclean man comes onto the scene. Avoid the man at all cost. They were to shun the man, despise him, and consider him a curse. It would be anathema for anyone, let alone a religious leader and public figure, to physically touch any leper. Jesus, knowing full well the implications, embraced the man and pulled him closer and healed him. This man had his greatest problem fixed, but for the first time, perhaps in years, experienced being touched and this began the process of another greater healing, the reacceptance into a community. But as a result, this encounter ends with Jesus withdrawing to lonely places to pray. Almost as if a swap in roles, Jesus experiences and takes on what the leprous man had to endure, isolation, banishment. This foreshadows what Jesus would ultimately do on the cross. Jesus took on the consequences of my sins and experienced death, brokenness, separation from God and others, but through it, I myself am able to experience being healed from my sins, reestablished in a relationship with God and others around me. And like the leprous man, I am able to have this second chance at life by being forgiven and having the greatest issue of my life addressed in a tangible and historical way.
The paralytic's friends brought him to Jesus. There were so many obstacles that these men and the paralytic had to overcome. They had to physically carry the man on the mat. Who knows how far they traveled? Then, the house was blocked by so many people that these men couldn't go in. So they had to carry him up the roof, dig through the roof, find a rope or mechanism to lower the poor man. And just the sheer awkwardness of the scene, for the friends and for the paralytic, must have been an obstacle.
I am often easily discouraged in my desire to help someone come before Jesus. My pessimism will get the better part of me and I'll assume that the person won't want to come before Jesus. I've been so thankful to have many older people in my life committed to me and have been a tangible model for me to see what it is to bring me before Jesus. I am able to grow in this area of loving others by concretely bringing them before Jesus.
His authority is amazing; he has the authority to do the impossible by physically healing people, but also pronouncing forgiveness from God of people's sins.
Both are simply awesome! To witness something like an instant physical healing is amazing. It is full of shock and awe! But on a deeper level, I must say that what amazes me the most is forgiveness of sins. The act of true forgiveness, even the concept of forgiveness is amazing. For someone willing to say that they were wrong and for the other party to acknowledge that and pronounce forgiveness, for the sake and preservation of the friendship is so sweet. But for God to actually take on the burden of forgiving me of my sins is one of the greatest things that I have come to truly appreciate. As I get older, I find that a relationship can often grow colder simply because of sins and an unwillingness to forgive. Yet, God does this out of his commitment to love me despite being unlovable. That is truly amazing.


Very feminine fashion of skirt - tailored from seven fabric pieces - is ideally fitted in waist and beautifully flared below hips line. Uplifted waist is underlined with wide belt in contrast colour, what connected with half-calf length makes whole body looking longer and slimmer. This fashion fits most of body shapes, yet is especially recommended for ladies with wider hips because nicely balances body proportions by masking bigger width of hips with flared A line. This model is made of high quality fabric in elegant grey jeans colour, no lining.


text:
Q: Adminer does not support accessing a database without a password, using mongodb This is my yaml for the adminer:
kind: Service
metadata:
  name: adminer-1598029219
  labels:
    app.kubernetes.io/name: adminer
    helm.sh/chart: adminer-0.1.5
    app.kubernetes.io/instance: adminer-1598029219
    app.kubernetes.io/managed-by: Helm
spec:
  type: NodePort
  ports:
    - port: 8000
      targetPort: http
      protocol: TCP
      name: http
  selector:
    app.kubernetes.io/name: adminer
    app.kubernetes.io/instance: adminer-1598029219
---
# Source: adminer/templates/deployment.yaml
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: adminer-1598029219
  labels:
    app.kubernetes.io/name: adminer
    helm.sh/chart: adminer-0.1.5
    app.kubernetes.io/instance: adminer-1598029219
    app.kubernetes.io/managed-by: Helm
spec:
  replicas: 1
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app.kubernetes.io/name: adminer
      app.kubernetes.io/instance: adminer-1598029219
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app.kubernetes.io/name: adminer
        app.kubernetes.io/instance: adminer-1598029219
    spec:
      containers:
        - name: adminer
          image: "dockette/adminer:full"
          imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
          ports:
            - name: http
              containerPort: 80
              protocol: TCP
          env:
          - name: ADMINER_PLUGINS
            value:
          - name: ADMINER_DESIGN
            value: pepa-linha
          - name: ADMINER_DEFAULT_SERVER
            value:
          resources:
            {}
          livenessProbe:
            null
          readinessProbe:
            null

And this my yaml for th mongoDB
kind: Service
metadata:
 name: mongo
 labels:
   name: mongo
   app: mongo
spec:
 ports:
 - port: 27017
   targetPort: 27017
   name: web
 clusterIP: None
 selector:
   role: mongo

---
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: StatefulSet
metadata:
 name: web
spec:
 selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: mongo # has to match .spec.template.metadata.labels
 serviceName: "mongo"
 replicas: 3
 template:
   metadata:
     labels:
       app: mongo
   spec:
     terminationGracePeriodSeconds: 10
     containers:
       - name: mongo
         image: mongo
         command:
           - mongod
           - "--replSet"
           - rs0
           - "--smallfiles"
           - "--noprealloc"
         ports:
           - containerPort: 27017
             name: web
         volumeMounts:
           - name: mongo-persistent-storage
             mountPath: /data/db
 volumeClaimTemplates:
 - metadata:
     name: mongo-persistent-storage
     annotations:
       volume.beta.kubernetes.io/storage-class: "fast"
   spec:
     accessModes: [ "ReadWriteOnce" ]
     resources:
       requests:
         storage: 1Gi

So my problem is that i can't log in into mongod becuse i get this from Adminer :
Adminer does not support accessing a database without a password. Is there any simple solution to this problem where i can log into my mongod?
P.S i run kubernetes

A: The answer to your question can be found in Adminer's documentation:

Accessing a database without a password
Adminer 4.6.3 and newer does not support accessing a database without
a password. The reason is that a forgotten Adminer uploaded on a place
accessible by an attacker could have been used to access a database.
There are these options:

*

*Set up the database server to require a password. This is possible with all databases except SQLite and SimpleDB.

*Use the  login-password-less
plugin  to set up a password
required by Adminer but not passed to the database
(example).

*Use the  login-ip
plugin  to check the IP address
and allow an empty password.

*Implement the  login method  to add your custom
authentication.

You may find this answer helpful as well. It describes the whole process in a great detail.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


It looks like we do not have any campgrounds in our database for camping in Burt, Michigan.
We did however find 11 campgrounds within 25 miles of Burt. You can also find a list of cities with campgrounds or RV Parks near Burt in the left hand column.


text:
Sunday, July 13 2014 @ 01:30 am ACST
Contributed by: Troy Thompson
Peter Cresswell is a Kiwi who found footy in Auckland and is glad he did, his story below originally appeared on The Footy Almanac website earlier this week.
I didn't see my first game of footy until just before my twenty-first. No wonder. There wasn't a lot of it about in Greater Auckland.
With cartilage falling off the inside of my knees in great chunks, the quack had said "No more contact sport for you, son," which seemed to rule out any more rugby, league or soccer. And a mate had said, "I'm playing Rules on Sunday. D'you wanna come out and take a look." The idea of something involving 'rules' didn't sound too appealing to a bloke whose idea of a good night out was pogoing to loud punk bands. But that was how the game was known in Greater Auckland.
So I went, and I laughed.
I laughed like all hell. I laughed at the leaping boundary maggots chucking the ball in backwards over their heads, and the short-shorted field maggots sprinting absurdly back to the centre after every goal; at the white-coated goal umpires playing fast draw and waving flags of surrender for no apparent reason, and the coaches delivering half-time sprays of Aussie invective to huddled masses mostly on their knees, nodding sagely while savagely clutching gaspers.
Read the rest of the story on The Footy Almanac site here.


David Haley, Building Contractors - General, listed under "Building Contractors - General" category, is located at Serving your area Emerald Beach NSW, 2456, Australia and can be reached by 0266561638 phone number. David Haley has currently 0 reviews.
Browse all Building Contractors - General in Emerald Beach NSW.


We all need fiber to stay healthy. Fiber keeps us satiated and helps in maintaining a healthy digestive system. Also, if you are trying to lose weight, eating fiber rich food can really help you by boosting the weight loss process.
Since fiber is essential for a good health, you ought to know the foods rich in fiber. Fiber is responsible for moving the foods through your digestive tract in a smooth and hassle-free manner.
Doctors suggest men and women should take the following amount of fiber on a day to day basis.
Without further ado, let's take you through the list of foods which are enriched with fiber.
When it comes to being a food rich in fiber, quinoa is undoubtedly a powerhouse. Plus, it contains additional nutrients such as Iron, Vitamin B6, potassium and magnesium.
Fiber Content: 5.2 gms of fiber per one cup of cooked quinoa.
Avocados are such versatile fruits that give you the best of vitamins as well as fibers. Include avocados in your diet for a fiber boost and also to improve your overall health.
Pro Tip: Also, avocados are a great weight loss food and keep you satiated for longer periods of time.
Fiber Content: Avocados contain 10.1 grams of fiber per cup of serving. Now, that's a lot of fiber!
Nuts and dry fruits are a healthy way of increasing your daily fiber intake. Other than containing high quality fiber, nuts are enriched with protein, Vitamin E, manganese, magnesium, riboflavin and Omega 3 Fatty Acids.
Pro Tip: Snacking on nuts every evening is one of the best ways to increase fiber intake.
Fiber Content: Nuts contain about 7.8 grams of fiber per cup of serving.
Peas are an excellent source of fiber. They are also rich sources of Vitamins, manganese, folate and protein. Eating Green Peas do not add any fat to your body and thus makes it one of the best fiber rich foods for weight loss.
Fiber Content: A serving of cooked peas contains 8.8 grams of fiber.
If you are looking forward to a food which is really high in fiber, then you should probably consider black beans. These beans are also rich in protein, thiamine, magnesium, phosphorus and folate.
Fiber Content: Black beans contain 15 grams of fiber. As you can see, this is the food with the highest fiber content per serving.
When it comes to a fiber rich food, lentils is definitely one among them. With the goodness of protein, iron, folate and manganese, you should definitely include lentils as a part of your daily diet.
Fiber Content: 15.6 grams of fiber per serving.
The last one to be a part of our list is chia seed. Apart from being rich in fiber, they are rich in Minerals and Omega-3 fatty acids too!
This makes chia seeds very dynamic and an important food that is to be consumed.
Fiber Content: Chia seeds contain 10.6 grams of fiber per ounce of serving. This is a good amount of fiber for a healthy body.
You need good amounts of fiber if you want to stay healthy. Eating these fiber rich foods are a great way to increase your fiber content in the body. Also, since fiber keeps you satiated, it indirectly helps you from eating unhealthy snacks frequently. Most of the foods rich in fiber are also rich in other important nutrients apart from fiber. These include protein, Omega 3 fatty acids, important vitamins and minerals.
Plan your diet wisely by including these powerful foods. You are then sure to stay healthy and thereby have a strong digestive system. Regular intake of these fiber rich foods also helps to prevent constipation problems in the first place.
What's your take on this read? How do you manage to meet your fiber intake goals? Let us know in the comments below!


text:
Decision in estate of James Brown a sign that charitable trusts are to be respected
On behalf of Michael A. Manna & Associates | Mar 9, 2013 | Trusts
More than six years after the death of legendary soul singer James Brown, the South Carolina Supreme Court issued a critical ruling that may finally allow a legal dispute to wind down. At his 2006 death, Brown left a detailed will and trust indicating that he wanted his personal and household possessions divided between his six adult children, two million dollars to go to a trust for the education of his grandchildren, and the rest going to a charitable trust.
The charitable trust-Brown was a charitable man-was intended, to be used for education assistance for poor children and young adults attending schools in either South Carolina or Georgia. The documents indicated that he did not want anyone else to benefit, including past or future spouses, or others who may or may not be his children, and instructed his trustees to fight anybody who contested his wishes. So what happens after his death? His heirs and a woman claiming to be his wife challenge the validity of his will and trust!
In 2009, a settlement was eventually approved by the probate judge after a series of court hearings, and two acting trustees of the charitable trust were removed. They later appealed, arguing that the settlement was not in accord with Brown's wishes. Nearly four years later, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that the settlement was inappropriate and unjust.
The ruling was an important one for those who leave money to charitable trusts. It is a signal that the legal system will take their stated wishes seriously and enforce them when heirs and other claimants seek to ignore them.
Source: Complete Music Update, "James Brown estate agreement overturned," March 4, 2013


text:
The Explorers a segment of The Canoe a film by Goh Iromoto. Painted Land Nine years of research and exploration
to locate,document and map the
landscapes immortalized in the paintings
by these internationally renowned
Canadian artists. In Search of the Group of Seven Creating The
Lake Superior Water Trail Completing the National Dream Creating the 1000 km section of The Great Trail by
Trans Canada Trail. Gary and Joanie McGuffin are honoured
to be National Champions of the Great Trail. Great Lakes Journey Paddling over the same waters traversed
by people for thousands of years, the
McGuffins take us on a 3-month
voyage with their 3-year-old daughter
and their Alaskan Malamute. Using
traditional technology (paddles and
canoes) and modern technology
(SAT phones and digital cameras),
they share a Great Lakes still
wild and beautiful! Exploring the Heritage Coast Quetico: Into the Wild Exploring Ontario's Oldest Provincial Park Celebrating 100 years through four seasons of travel. Where It All Began Gary and Joanie McGuffin are renowned adventurers,
nature photographers, writers, and conservationists.
Click here to understand why they are passionate about
The McGuffins
From our earliest years, Gary and I have spent our lives in the outdoors, the wild outdoors. For both of us, we'll claim the most influential part of our education and upbringing was the contrast provided by a school year city life and a summertime northern life. We each grew up on the outskirts of a city where our wild space was defined by a path of a river cradled in a valley of Carolinian forest and wildflower fields. Fall, winter and spring, this was the place where we searched for secret caves, climbed trees and made forts, and skied down forest trails. We waded the creeks upturning stones, had stick boat races, and started bird watching. When summer arrived, our parents took us north to cottages they had built. We swam, fished, canoed, camped, explored and learned the ways of the animals. We enjoyed a kind of freedom that combined with encouragement and courage from our parents, has been our deepest source of motivation to pursue our dreams.
"Inspiring people to re-connect with the natural world."
For over 30 years, we have been a voice for the landscapes we know and love, particularly Canada's North, northern Ontario and the Lake Superior watershed. Human beings are a part of this landscape as they have been for thousands of years. We often depict human participants in our images, and our journey stories aim to inspire people to want to go on their own self-propelled adventures whether for a few hours, a few days or a few weeks. Humans are both problem and solution, and in our efforts to be part of the latter, we helped found the international land trust, the Lake Superior Watershed Conservancy. The broad mission of the Conservancy enables the organization to build a foundation for the future long-term health of the lake, its ecosystems and its people.
Group of Seven Heritage Landscapes
The tangled wilderness of Algoma and Lake Superior's expansive North Shore inspired Canada's most famous artists – The Group of Seven. One hundred years later, their paintings retain a powerful hold on Canada's visual imagination. But where exactly were these iconic masterpieces created? The passage of time has erased the memory of where Lawren Harris, J.E.H. MacDonald, Arthur Lismer, Franklin Carmichael, A.Y. Jackson, A.J. Casson, and Franz Johnston captured these rugged landscapes. Joanie McGuffin, Gary McGuffin and art historian Michael Burtch have spent years researching, canoeing, portaging and bushwhacking up cliffs to find the vistas that inspired The Group of Seven.
Explore the Group of Seven Heritage Landscapes
The 12th Annual Beaver Club Gala Saturday, October 19, 2019
We are hosting the 12th Annual Beaver Club Gala on Saturday, October 19th, at the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough ~ Come and Join us! For tickets, go to Beaver Club Gala


Take a tour of various hurdles that IT professionals must face when implementing enterprise resource planning projects with this ERP infographic.
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is often the backbone of a business. Without the value it provides, some businesses simply would not function properly. While ERP software in the past has typically referred to applications that managed a manufacturing warehouse floor, the definition has expanded broadly to now include financial, customer relationship management (CRM), business analytics and even social applications.
This ERP infographic explores the many pain points and hurdles that IT professionals must handle when implementing a new ERP package or upgrading their existing one.
What has been the biggest pain of your ERP project?
fluctuating resource commitment due to lack of aligned understanding about the investment vs. strategic business outcome the ERP will yield. in short, a lack of READy-AIM-FIRE.....too often it is FIRE, AIM, READY(too late).
One of the biggest pains I've observed is that the ERP simply doesn't have the functionality that the differing groups need.
Engineering wants function A, R&D wants function B, and ops needs function C. Finding an ERP that combines all the functionality into a seamless unit is difficult indeed.


For years, thick clouds hovered over the nation's housing market, casting a pall of gloom over homeowners and sellers. But recently, the sun has broken through with mortgage rates being at an all-time low and prices appreciating again.
That is good news. But don't get too excited, cautions J. Andrew Hansz, director of the Gazarian Real Estate Center at California State University in Fresno.
Hansz says it will be "a very long time" before prices return to 2005 levels, and warns that the market is likely to see many ups and downs in the future. He expands on those thoughts in the following interview.
As home prices rise, do you think they'll ever go back to the levels seen in 2005 during the housing boom?
Yes, we will someday see the 2005 prices, but it (will) be a very long time, and (there will be) many more ups and downs in the real estate market. The 2005 prices were fueled by extraordinarily lax lending standards -- standards that I hope we do not see again.
As the inventory of homes for sale shrinks, many homebuyers are willing to pay more than the asking price. However, the appraisal doesn't always support the price the buyer is willing to pay. How big of an obstacle do you think this is for the housing recovery?
Appraiser(s) have a heck of a time in rapidly appreciating markets. Appraisers need to document today's (higher) values using yesterday's (lower) closed sales. The solution is cash. A seller can wait for a cash offer, or a buyer can put more cash into the deal.
Many real estate experts say there's never been a better time to buy a home, as mortgage rates are near record lows, home prices remain attractive and rents keep rising. Do you agree with that notion? Do you think those who keep renting will miss an opportunity to buy low if they don't shop for a home soon?
The key to this issue is expected tenure. Housing transaction costs are expensive. If there is a good chance you will have to move again in one to five years, renting is usually the best option financially. If you expect to be in the property for the long term, low interest rates and current housing prices make purchasing an attractive option.
I don't think "flipping" has ever disappeared. I know of plenty of cash investors who have been taking advantage of deeply discounted distressed properties throughout the housing market downturn. It is when property prices are increasing that flipping becomes popular and a lot of people get into it as a sideline.
Are bidding wars coming back? What should a buyer do if a bidding war erupts over a house -- participate in the impromptu auction, or find another house to make an offer on?
The Fresno, Calif., housing market currently has just 1 one half months of inventory, so we are seeing multiple offers, or "bidding wars." I recommend that buyers be patient -- real estate markets fluctuate and the market will change. Visit a few new-construction developments in the meantime.
We would like to thank J. Andrew Hansz, director of the Gazarian Real Estate Center at California State University in Fresno, for his insights. Holden Lewis, assistant managing editor for Bankrate.com, contributed the questions for this interview.