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Anticipating the cultural aspects of sharing for SDI development
Abbas Rajabifard1, Ian P Williamson2
Centre for Spatial Data Infrastructures and Land Administration
Department of Geomatics, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
http://www.geom.unimelb.edu.au/research/SDI_research/
Deputy Director and Research Fellow
Phone: +61 3 8344 0234 Fax: +61 3 9347 2916
Director, Professor of Surveying and Land Information,
The complexity of communications and relationships between sectors and agencies to achieve a common
understanding of spatially related issues across a jurisdiction is paramount for any economy, management of
the environment, social issues and security. On the other hand, the need to create multi-participant, decisionsupported environments to address the issues of sustainable development and improving the quality of life
creates a growing need to organise data across disciplines and organisations through different forms of spatial
data infrastructure (SDI). This infrastructure is fundamentally a concept about facilitation and coordination of the
exchange and sharing of spatial data between stakeholders from different jurisdictional levels in the spatial data
This paper reviews the role that human nature plays in any endeavour based on interaction and sharing makes
cultural and social factors important to the acceptance of the SDI concept and its alignment with spatial industry
objectives. Cultural aspects and social factors influence the complexity and dynamics of developing SDIs.
Therefore, positioning to consider these aspects and factors are important elements in design and development
of SDIs. Further, the importance of establishing a culture for sharing as well as understanding the dynamic
partnerships necessary to support such a culture is highlighted. It is argued that by better understanding and
promoting a culture for sharing spatial data, any level of SDI development can gain support from a wider
community of both government and non-government data users and producers.
KEYWORDS: Culture, Sharing spatial data, Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI), SDI Hierarchy, Social and cultural
SpatialSciences2003
The growing need to organise data across different disciplines and organisations has resulted in the concept of
spatial data infrastructure (SDI). SDI is an initiative underpins the design, implementation and maintenance of
mechanisms that facilitate the sharing, access and utilisation of spatial data across different communities to
better achieve their objectives. With this in mind, many countries are developing SDIs to better manage and
utilise their spatial data by taking a perspective that starts at a local level and proceeds through state, national
and regional levels to the global level. This has resulted in the development of different forms of SDI at and
between these levels and giving more attention to the SDI hierarchy which assist in decision making. However,
many research still shows that the despite considerable interest and activities, the development of an effective
and comprehensive SDIs are hampered by a lack of support from members of the communities and their
willingness for cooperation and sharing spatial data which results in these initiatives remaining—in many
cases—very much an innovative concept.
Based on this situation, this paper aims to address the minimisation of this problem based on the results of a
case study and survey research on Regional SDI development in the Asia–Pacific region. It is proposed that this
problem can be minimised by better understanding of the significance of human and community issues, as
much as technical issues; increasing the level of awareness about the nature and value of SDIs; understanding
the dynamic partnerships which are necessary to support a culture for sharing; and by identifying key factors
that facilitate development based on the complexity of the interaction between social, economic and political
To achieve this aim, the concept and nature of SDIs is reviewed in order to facilitate their development and
progressive uptake and utilisation by different jurisdictions. The paper then reviews the role that human nature
plays in any endeavour based on interaction and sharing which makes cultural and social factors important to
the acceptance of the SDI concept and its alignment with spatial industry objectives. The argument here is that
developing a successful SDI within a jurisdiction must be seen as a socio-technical, rather than a purely
technical, exercise as the communities concerned are expecting to reap benefits from their investment in SDIs.
Further, the importance of establishing a culture for sharing as well as understanding the dynamic partnerships
necessary to support such a culture is highlighted. Finally, the paper discusses different SDI development
issues follows by addressing three major classes of factors to facilitate the development of an SDI initiative. It is
argued that by better understanding and promoting a culture for sharing spatial data, and the adoption and
implementation of key factors, any level of SDI development can gain support from a wider community of both
government and non-government data users and producers.
Spatial data infrastructure—nature and components
Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) is fundamentally a concept about facilitation and coordination of the exchange
and sharing of spatial data between stakeholders from different political/administrative levels. In principle, SDIs
underpin the design and development of mechanisms that facilitate the creation of multi-participant, decisionsupported environments to address the issues of sustainable development and improving the quality of life.
Therefore, SDI is whole about people and data in which people includes the data users and suppliers and any
value-adding agents in between, who interact to drive the development of the SDI.
An SDI encompasses the policies, access networks and data handling facilities (based on the available
technologies), standards, and human resources necessary for the effective collection, management, access,
delivery and utilisation of spatial data for a specific jurisdiction or community. Within the context of SDI
components, Georgiadou and Groot (2002) noted that there is a complex relationship between technological,
institutional, organisational, human, and economic resources which interact with one another. Further, they
argued that SDIs are the intermediate mechanisms underpinning the supply of jurisdictional public goods, due
to the various components of SDIs that also exhibit public goods characteristics to a larger or lesser extent.
Viewing the SDIs components, Rajabifard et al. (2002a) suggested that different categories of components can
be formed based on the different nature of their interactions within the SDI framework. Considering the important
and fundamental role between people and data as one category, a second can be considered consisting of the
main technological components: the access networks, policy and standards. The nature of both categories is
very dynamic due to the changes occurring in communities (people) and their needs, as well as their ongoing
requirement for different sets of data. Additionally, with the rapidity with which technology develops, the need
for the mediation of rights, restrictions and responsibilities between people and data are also constantly subject
to change. This suggests an integrated SDI cannot be composed of spatial data, value-added services and
end-users alone, but instead involves other important issues regarding interoperability, policies and networks.
According to this view, anyone wishing to access data must utilise the technological components.
Discussion of the SDI concept also initially focused on nations as an entity, while the last few years have seen
more attention given to understanding the SDI hierarchy, which is made up of inter-connected SDIs at local,
state or provincial, national, regional and global levels (Rajabifard et al, 2000). In general the various levels in
the SDI hierarchy are a function of scale with the local government and state level SDIs usually concerned with
large and medium scale data, whereas National SDIs tend to be medium to small scale with regional and Global
SDIs adopting the small scale for their activities. With an improved understanding of the SDI hierarchy has come
the challenge to improve the relationships between SDIs in different jurisdictions as well as between different
spatial data initiatives.
The key to building successful SDIs is in the establishment of these relationships, especially through mutually
beneficial partnerships, which are both inter- and intra-jurisdictional within the SDI hierarchy. This is illustrates
the existence of other form of relationships within the SDI hierarchy. In addition to the vertical relationships
between different jurisdictional level of SDIs, there are also complex relationships between SDIs within a
political/administrative level, at an horizontal level, which need to be realised as well. The vertical and the
horizontal relationships within an SDI hierarchy are very complex, and this complexity is due to the dynamic,
inter- and intra-jurisdictional nature of SDIs (Rajabifard et al, 2002b). In order to map these relationships and
take the benefits of SDI hierarchy, it has been argued that any SDI practitioners need to understand the role of
dynamic partnerships as they are essential to develop any SDI initiatives.
Partnerships are formed to create business consortia to develop specific data products or services for strategic
users, by adopting a focused approach to SDI development. It is also important to identify and understand the
human and community issues as they help to better define and arrange relationships through the partnerships
Human and community issues
As discussed above, SDI is whole about sharing data and cooperation between different people within and
across different disciplines in spatial data communities. It is essential that SDI practitioners to understand the
significance of human and community issues as much as technical issues, as they determine and contribute to
the success of SDI developments. Community issues determine the long running success of an SDI innovation.
SDI, therefore, can no longer be regarded, or taught, primarily as just a technical matter. Developing a
successful SDI initiative depends at least as much upon issues such as political support within the community,
clarifying the business objectives which the SDI is expected to achieve, sustaining a culture of sharing,
maintaining reliable financial support and enlisting the cooperation of all members of the community, as upon
technical issues relating to spatial data access, networking, and standards. Therefore, developing a successful
SDI within a jurisdictional level must be seen as a socio-technical, rather than a purely technical, exercise; the
communities concerned are expecting to reap benefits from their investment in SDI in terms of improved
corporate performances and cooperation.
For example, for improving the success rate of an SDI initiative the attention needs to be paid to understanding
the community and organisational issues within which SDI is supposed to be developed. Campbell and Masser
(1995) noted that the technological imperative leads us to believe that the adoption of new technology is
inevitable and the sooner we adopt the new products the greater will be our advantage. Thus, like any new
technology, any community which adopts SDI sooner, will experience greater advantages. In response to this
recognition, Petch and Reeve (1999) believe a socio-technical viewpoint has increasingly been adopted with
the definition of an information system being expanded to include not only the hardware and software, but also
the people involved.
Socio-technical view is as relevant to the development of SDI initiatives, which suggests the need to focus on
people, alongside technical and institutional components, in the definition and design of SDI initiatives. Based
on this view, a shift is suggested from a techno-centric position to a socio-technical position within a spatial data
community. By this adoption, the focus of practitioners will be more on 'people and technology' instead of just
'technology' (Table 1).
From a techno-centric position to a socio-technical position
Spatial data community
Techno-centric view
(Focus on Technology)
Socio-technical view
(People and Technology)
Demand pull
Because it's possible
Because it's needed
Specified by technologist
Specified by users
Static in nature
Dynamic in nature
Source: adopted from Petch and Reeve 1999.
According to Table 1, the shift from techno-centric to the socio-technical position would suggest practitioners to
consider the demand pull instead of technology push, in the adoption of a new technology and technological
initiative—like an SDI. In this type of community, users will specify the needs for a new technology. Also, the
design characteristics of such a technology will be justified by user needs. However, in a techno-centric
community, technology dictates the ability to use a new system. Technologists (rather than users) specify the
adoption of such a system.
Another aspect is the difference between the nature of both communities. The socio-technical community is
dynamic and this is due to the various disciplines and applications, commonly dealt with by people in this type
of community. However, in a techno-centric community the nature is relatively constant due to the fact that
advancement is driven by the technology push rather than demand pull. The dynamic nature of the sociotechnical position within the broader society assists practitioners to better serve the growing diversity of users,
and also makes society more reactive in meeting their needs.
As a result of the socio-technical environment, people become more interested to cooperate with each other
and more willing to share their datasets. Therefore, these attitudes bring a unique culture—culture for sharing—
for the community.
Culture for sharing information
All communities and societies have a culture—a system of shared meaning (Langdon and Marshall 1998).
Similarly, any initiative or function, including the sharing of information, also has a specific culture which needs
to be promoted to prepare the environment for developing/pursuing the specific activity. Whether that culture is
weak or strong is important to both a coordinating agency and individual parties. Therefore, sharing knowledge
and information requires a specific culture—a culture for sharing.
Culture is the integrated system of learned patterns of behaviour, ideas, and products characteristic of a
society. It is also the ideas people have about their world. In this sense, culture is our mental map of our world
and it is also a map for determining action and it becomes a guide for behaviour and decision making. Langdon
and Marshall (1998) view the organisational culture as a shared system of beliefs and values, as evident in
rituals, stories, myths and often a specialised language, that fosters a feeling of belonging. Cultural differences
have persisted between countries at similar stages in industrialisation, and it has been suggested that national
culture had a pervasive influence even upon institutional, productive and managerial structures that had
formerly been cited as instrumental in international organisational convergence (Neal 1998). Along this line,
many researchers also suggested that national cultural differences have an important impact upon the
relationship between different countries within a region and their cooperation (Bartlett and Ghoshal 1990,
Hennart 1989)
One common lesson propounded by all the researchers is that the relationship between culture and economy is
an interdependent: a particular form of economy can only persist if it is sustained by a validating culture(s); on
the other hand, a particular form of culture can only persist if its ideological and institutional needs are met by a
particular form of economy. Further Neal (1998) reported that, managers find that they are unable to isolate the
cultural factors in the diffusion of a new technology and therefore have real problems in trying to manage it. This
is not surprising for in targeting national cultural orders, the complex social factors that are collapsed into the
notion of national culture go unaddressed. Cultural problems are the result of complex social dynamics at the
interactive and institutional levels. Attempting to manage such problems by targeting transcendent cultural
orders overlooks the reasons for these problems.
Influencing factors and issues for SDI development
There are a number of important factors and issues related to SDI development from conceptual, technical,
socio-technical, political, institutional and financial perspectives. Therefore, the challenge of designing, building,
implementing, and maintaining an SDI draws on many different disciplines and requires examination of such
factors and issues.
It is noteworthy that influencing factors and issues involve in the design and the development of SDIs should be
considered in the long term in order to achieve sustainable and ongoing development of SDIs. Therefore, in
order to develop a functioning SDI efficiently in any jurisdiction, any SDI coordinating agency must manage the
diversity of the issues within the community and the jurisdiction in order to gain the support necessary to meet
their objectives. By identifying human and community factors as well as the technical factors within classes of
potential users, therefore SDI coordinating agencies will be able to better define and develop their strategies to
achieve their objectives. Identifying critical social factors and processes in the acquisition, implementation, and
utilisation of a technology can facilitate the management of the diversity of the issues.
Having said that, the research conducted by authors, in Asia and the Pacific region, has identified three major
classes of factors, which are influencing and contributing to the development of an SDI initiative. As illustrated in
Figure 1, the three classes of factors are Environmental Factors, Capacity Factors, and SDI Organisation
Factors.
Development Issues
External Factors
Internal Factors
Capacity Factors
SDI Organisation Factors
Factors influencing the development of SDIs
Based on this figure, and as Rajabifard et al. (2002b) argued, these three classes of factors together can effect
on the participation rate for SDI development.
A) Environmental Factors: the environment by definition here means the overall structure within which the social
system operates and this environment is characterised by internal and external factors. Therefore, the different
characteristics of social systems, or communities, adopting the SDI concept can be attributed to a number of
environmental factors, including the different cultures of the communities, political factors, and development
issues. The external factors are those factors outside the border of the social system which affect, or could
potentially affect, the performance of an organisation. These factors impinge more on management levels. The
internal factors are those factors inside the border and affect both management and member levels. Therefore,
determining an appropriate social border for study and analysis of a social system is very important. Some
examples of external factors are Globalisation (global market, global economics, other global initiatives); the
GSDI initiative; and the global environment. In terms of internal factors, examples include the political climate;
political structure and procedures; relationships with regional organisations; technological pressure; financial
stability of each member nation; organisational structure of the coordinating agency; market pressure; and the
degree of culture of data sharing.
B) Capacity Factors: it is generally accepted that capacity building as a concept is closely related to education,
training and human resource development (HRD). This conventional concept has changed over recent years
towards a broader and more holistic view, covering both institutional and country specific initiatives (Enemark
and Williamson 2003). With this in mind, Capacity Factors are those that cover technology, economic factors,
partnerships, and human factors and thus encompass technological capacity, human capacity, and financial
capacity. Some examples of Capacity Factors are: the level of awareness of values of SDIs; the state of
infrastructure and communications; technology pressures; the economic and financial stability of each member
nation (including the ability to cover participation expenses); the necessity for long-term investment plans;
regional market pressures (the state of regional markets and proximity to other markets); the availability of
resources (lack of funding can be a stimulus for building partnerships, however, there should be a stable source
of funding); and the continued building of business processes.
C) SDI Organisation Factors: there are a number of important factors and issues that are related to the way that
an SDI is defined, designed and implemented. This mainly includes the factors and issues which can fall into
each SDI core components, including technical and institutional issues such as access policies, access
networks, data and standards, and the SDI conceptual model. Some examples of these factors are the
suitability and degree of complexity of the SDI conceptual model; the availability of spatial data and metadata;
the interoperability, integration and inter-flow of datasets from different parties (this has important implications
for the ownership and control of information); access networks; and multiple trusted data sources (quality and
the content of data).
There are also a number of other issues and challenges which have been identified and reported by Williamson
et al. (2003) which do not fall into SDI components categories. These challenges and issues are reflected in
global trends and which are impacting on the development of SDI models and which will continue to influence
the evolution of the SDI concept. They are: expanding technologies market demand, changing business
models, e-government and participatory democracy, and sustainable development. These issues crystallise the
following challenges for SDI coordinating agencies: accelerated development of SDI-compliant fundamental
datasets; defining the role of dataset sponsors and custodians in a distributed SDI model; defining the role of
the private sector in designing, developing and using an SDI; jurisdictionally consistent data access and pricing
policies; as well as monitoring and evaluating the objectives of SDI development and the relativity of their
outcomes.
The factors and issues discussed above must all be taken into account as part of the interrelationship of SDI
development at any level, from local to global, as these can no longer be considered in isolation. They have to
be considered as part of the SDI hierarchy. However, there is still a need for descriptions to actually represent
the discrepancies between the role and deliverables of an SDI and thus contribute to a simpler, but dynamic,
understanding of the complexity of the SDI concept. To this end, Rajabifard et al. (2002b) suggested, that the
roles of SDI have been pursued through two different approaches: product-based and process-based models,
which contribute to the evolution, uptake and utilisation of the SDI concept in different ways. The main objective
of product-based model is to link existing and potential databases of the respective jurisdictional levels of the
community. Whilst, the objectives of the process-based model, are to provide better communication channels
for the community for sharing and using data assets, instead of aiming toward the linkage of available
databases.
Based on these two SDI development models and the factors and issues discussed here, it is possible to
classify different levels of an SDI hierarchy, according to the roles played within different political/administration
levels and their similarities to the organisational structure. This classification will help to simplify the
understanding of the relationship between development models for SDI hierarchy levels.
Relationships between SDI hierarchy, factors and different models of SDI
All the factors and issues and SDI development models listed above together influence the strategy chosen for
SDI development and its effectiveness. How then does a state, country or region decide on the best SDI model
to accommodate these issues recognising that they differ between jurisdictions and levels in the SDI hierarchy,
as well as between developed and developing countries. As a result, some SDI development initiatives exhibit
characteristics of different SDI development models, or of being in a transitional stage—developing a more
process-based approach while having product-based origins. This has begun a process of looking beyond a
single focus for strategic SDI development to the broader issues contributing to the context of any SDI initiative.
Therefore, understanding of the relationships between different SDI jurisdictions, knowing more about SDI
development issues and knowing about the potential and applicability of each SDI development model are
important for effective SDI development and driving the flexibility required in the second generation of SDI
development.
In order to facilitate understanding the relationship between development models for SDIs, an organisational
classification of hierarchy levels enables the characterisation of their dominant organisational structure. The
relevance of this approach is that each layer of the organisational structure has distinct information
requirements and hence demands support from a specific SDI level. It is thus possible to classify different levels
of an SDI hierarchy, according to the roles played within different jurisdictional levels and their similarities to the
organisational structure (Figure 2).
Global SDI
Regional SDI
National SDI
State SDI
Local SDI
Corporate SDI
Similar Organisational Pyramid
SDI Hierarchy
Relationships between SDI hierarchy and their similarities to the organisational
According to the above figure and based on the nature of SDIs, any multi-national SDI (regional or global), can
be considered similar to the strategic tier of an organisational structure. Due to the important roles that a
National SDI plays within an SDI hierarchy, an SDI at a national level can have characteristics of both
managerial and strategic tiers. Similarly, state-level SDIs can emulate management or operational organisational
tiers, or both due to the wide ranging responsibilities many have in a nation which is a federation of states. The
local and corporate levels of an SDI hierarchy are similar to the operational tier of an organisational structure.
Both management and operational tiers tend to adopt product-based models due to their key roles in data
development. Only the strategic tier and nations with federal systems tend to adopt the process-based model of
SDI development. The main reason multi-national and federated nations can benefit more from using a processbased model is that SDI participation at these levels of SDI hierarchy is voluntary.
Whatever SDI model is adopted, whether it is product or process based or is somewhere on the continuum
between, the model which is best for the individual jurisdiction will need to consider all the complex issues and
factors which are discussed above if an infrastructure is to be established which facilitates the ongoing
development of the SDI concept.
Development of a spatial data infrastructure is a challenging task, as it requires identification and examination of
a large number of factors and issues. Based on this, this paper discussed and presented the key factors and
issues influencing the development of an SDI, which has been part of the outcome of ongoing research. The
paper first reviewed the nature and the concept of SDIs, including the SDI hierarchy, which helped to build
understanding about the importance of the relationships within different levels of SDI, to support the interactions
and dynamic nature of partnerships of spatial data communities. Then, it discussed human and community
issues which are important in long running success of an SDI initiative. As part of this discussion, two different
types of communities are reviewed, and a shift from techno-centric to the socio-technical positions is
highlighted. It is argued that the socio-technical community would suggest practitioners to consider the demand
pull instead of technology push, in the adoption of a new technology and technological initiative—like an SDI.
The paper then discussed the culture for sharing information followed by discussion on key factors and issues
which are influencing the development of SDIs.
Finally, based on two SDI development models, the product and the process based, the paper presented a
classification for different levels of SDI hierarchy, using the roles they played within different
political/administration levels and their similarities to the organisational structure. This classification been
introduced to simplify the understanding of the relationship between SDI hierarchy, factors and SDI
development models. It is argued that the adoption and implementation of influencing factors and the selection
of a proper model can assist the SDI coordinating agencies in such a way that they improve participation rate
and speed up their progress in the development of the SDI initiative.
The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the University of Melbourne, Land Victoria, the Permanent
Committee on GIS Infrastructure for Asia and the Pacific (PCGIAP), and the member of the Centre for Spatial
Data Infrastructures and Land Administration at the Department of Geomatics, the University of Melbourne, in
the preparation of this paper and the associated research. However, the views expressed in the paper are those
of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of these groups.
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Campbell, H. and Masser, I. (1995). GIS and Organizations, London, UK; Bristol, PA, Taylor & Francis.
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Langdon, A. and Marshall, P. (1998). Organistional Behaviour, Published by Addison Wesley Longman,
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Macmillan Press, London.
Petch, J. and Reeve, D. (1999). GIS Organisations and People, a socio-technical approach, Published by Taylor
& Francis, UK.
Rajabifard, A., Feeney, M., and Williamson I.P. (2002a). Future Directions for the Development of Spatial Data
Infrastructure, Journal of the International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences, ITC, Vol.
4, No. 1, The Netherlands, PP 11–22.
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SDI Marketing is hiring outgoing Brand Ambassadors to work at one
South Africa - Agora.mfa.gr
Spatial Linked Data Infrastructure - INSPIRE
Marketing and Promotion for Libraries: Big and Small by
International marketing and communications
Abstract - GRUMETS
Importance and potential benefits of Sustainability Indicators
AP World History - Stamford High School
LUMO Series - Grass Valley

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules for participating in this meme..
"Evil is targeting my family." She kept walking, just ahead of us. "Pierre's death is only the latest harm done. We are cursed and I do not know who is responsible."
This is about 23% into the book.
"Yes, I am. I wanted to memorize my copy of 'How to Please your Man in 20 Simple Steps, All of Them Involving Inconvenience and Discomfort to You', but I used it to club my ex-husband to death and the police confiscated it."
"That's a shame. It sounds like the type of book that would be helpful to you. Now go fetch me some coffee, and don't put any of those frilly girly things in it like cream and sugar."
Located about 4% into the book.
It truly sounds like breakfast at my house.
Hope you enjoyed my teasers. Please leave a comment with either where we can find yours or ,(if you are not participating in the blog hop), a teaser from whatever book you are reading. I love finding out about books I haven't found on my own. So please, however you got here, leave a comment and let me know what you are reading!
The first one sounds a bit spooky. I like.
Great teasers! The Schlockumentary sound hilarious!
I like them! Especially the ones from A Fit of Hissy.
Awesome teasers, especially the second one! Thanks for stopping by today--I'm glad to have a book buddy in Alaska now! I'm following you, too! I'm sure you already know all about Dana Stabenow, but she's the only Alaskan author that comes to mind and I've heard her books are great!
The second teaser rocks lol love it.
Thank you for all stopping by and commenting! I love visiting each of you.
Love the title "A Fit of Hissy." Thanks for visiting!
A new one! I may have to check this book out!
ROFLMAO!!!! OMG the second one is absolutely hilarious!!!
Thank you all for stopping and commenting. Both of these books are really good reads.
Ouch! Being stalked by evil is never a good thing.
It was a good read. Thank you for stopping by.


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var dir = path.resolve(argv.dir)

try {
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} catch (e) {
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  console.error('Invalid config file.')
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}

uncanny(config, argv)

if(argv.serve) {
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}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
2011, Features, Interviews	— July 8, 2011 at 4:36 pm
Buz McGrath of Unearth
"We just try to make it look like it's going to come crashing down at any minute you know, its out of control, just mosh mayhem off stage and you'll see us having a good time and hopefully that translates to the people viewing it."
Unearth have just unleashed their new album of pure Metal, their fifth studio album and their first in three years entitled Darkness In The Light and it's heavy! They're also heading back Down Under as part of the spectacular Soundwave Revolution festival tour in September and October. We had the chance to talk to guitarist Buz McGrath about the new album, their prospective new drummer, their appearance at Soundwave Revolution and about his love of twitter.
Firstly congratulations on the new album, it's so heavy! I love it.
That's great thank you.
Explain to me where the title 'Darkness in the Light' came from…
You know it probably just came from one of the lyrics that was rattled in Mr Trevor Phipps' head, I guess it could mean different things to a different person, like for me personally it's like with my life when everything seems good and bright there's always something looming in the background that kind of fucks up your whole plan. So that's kinda what the meaning is that I get from it.
How did the songs come together for this new record?
Well basically just Ken and I throwing together riffs, Ken did a lot of demoing of songs and then I would go over to Ken's house and show him a riff and a new programmed drum beat for it cause we didn't have a drummer at the time of writing it which was a new experience. So we just built the songs up that way and pretty soon they started coming together just like a puzzle does and the next thing you know we had a record and when we recorded the drums for it we told Justin Foley that 'look, these drum beats were written by us so they may not be the best drum beats' but he really put his stink on it and added a nice touch the record.
There are some killer riffs and solos on this album, what's your method of creating the perfect guitar part?
You know sometimes you accidentally stumble upon it, for me, to be in a room with an amp and just riffing out whatever comes in your head. It may not even be riffs, just noting around and next thing you know you stumble upon a pattern that you think that sounds tasty, let's refine that and see where it goes.
What is it that sets the new album apart from previous efforts?
Well I think for one, the drums definitely have more flavour than any of our other albums and just the song writing is the best that we've been able to do. So it's on a nice level there and I think the songs are just way catchy and they stick in your brain meat for a long time. Like when I was just rehearsing and stuff I was thinking man I just can't get this song out of my head, like it haunts me.
One word I saw used to describe it was 'honest' would you consider that be a fair assessment?
Honest? Yeah I guess so. I mean how is an album honest? I guess it's honest to our sound, we didn't try and change anything or try to do anything that we didn't want to do to make the album sound a certain way I guess. But yeah I guess that's a fair adjective in this case to describe it, most of it anyways.
You worked with Adam Dutkiewicz from Killswitch Engage as producer on the album once again, did he bring anything different to the table this time compared to the previous albums he's worked on?
Um, you know, vocally he may have but as far as guitar wise, we have a formula that has been working for us with him and we just stick to that, I called him the Dr Dre of metal, he comes in and he's got that, you know he makes things happen, he takes the songs and he has no emotional attachment to anything so its good to have him come in and say 'This doesn't work' and 'This is going to be great' and 'We've got this all done.' So he's the sixth member of Unearth, or the fifth member in this particular albums case.
You've toured Australia a few times, how do the metal crowds here in OZ differ to those around the world?
People wear flip flops and they're more attractive people, metal fans around the world are pretty ugly folk but I think Australia just has some handsome men and beautiful women down there so I guess that's one of the things that immediately noticeable, and people are just in party mode, they come out and its all over the top and they rage, it's awesome.
You're of course heading back down here to Australia for the Soundwave Revolution shows in September / October, what can people expect from your show this time around?
You're in some amazing company on the tour, anyone in particular you're pumped to see?
Obviously Van Halen which I've never seen before that's going to be interesting, but other than that, a lot of friends bands are playing, like Whitechapel, The Acacia Strain, Times of Grace, Every Time I Die, just to name a few of the bands we've grown up with over the years and just get to hang out with and play some shows together.
So basically it's one big party for a few weeks?
Drummer wise, at the moment you're out with Justin Foley, will he be coming to Australia with you?
No he's going to stop short there, he's doing the Mayhem festival tour of the States and he's doing the Europe run with us and then from there he goes home and we go to Australia and guy by the name of Nick Pierce from Seattle Washington area is coming in to start playing, he may be our new guy its still kind of the try out mode right now just to feel him out but I think he's a rad drummer, got tonnes of skills, he's hungry, he's an animal, that's kind of what we're looking for. I mean we played a couple of shows with him already; he did great so it's looking good.
Is he from any other bands or just a new guy?
Not really any notable bands, he played with a band called The Faceless briefly and he played on kind of a local band and that was it, he's kind of under the radar right now.
As a guitarist, who would you sight as some of your biggest influences?
Definitely, In Flames, you know that really influenced the sound of my riffing, Yngwie Malmsteen is something that I chase after, the sounds that he makes with the guitar maybe not so much his over the top persona but his guitar playing touches me in weird places.
The scalloped frets always freaked me out, I could never understand that…
Yeah I think it kinda makes it harder to play, it just keeps bending it out of tune but hey it's cool
Speaking of harder to play, you play an 8 string for a while.
On the last record yeah there was a couple of songs with the 8 string, that was a lot of fun
Is it hard to play?
No not really, I picked it up and sat on the couch for an hour with it and thought this thing is a lot of fun, it's like playing a snowboard, it's awesome. I haven't broken it out for a while, I break it out every once and a while, it's a fun guitar to play low, slow death metal on you know.
So what's the string set up? It's a low B but what's the one below that?
It's a G, well it's F# but I took mine and tuned it up to G. So it's like G, I don't know, whatever else comes after that ha ha
What are your thoughts on the metal scene these days?
You know, a lot of people still keep paying attention to genre labels, like it's Metalcore or it's Deathcore, it's like whatever, people being divided over it. I think its all metal and even if it's a kind of metal that you're not into, I think people should support all things heavy. I used to hate on all these bands that were coming up with these silly haircuts and doing just a weird style, but you'd hear they were heavy and you'd be alright, they're playing heavy, they're making heavy go forward, so I back it. Even if the song isn't that great, as long as it's heavy.
Unearth has been a band now for 13 years and this is your fifth album, looking back over this time, has there been a stand out moment over your career that you can share with us?
I think for me, the fact that we're still here doing it, we were at a photo shoot a while ago when everything was starting to start up I was looking around like, 'wow, we're here doing this somehow' and that was to me, this happened a few weeks ago and I was proud that we were still here and people still care enough to wanna be here to play for people. But as far as an event goes, or a show, I remember playing Ozzfest '04 that was a really big thing and touring with Slayer was definitely a milestone for sure.
Now the album has just been released, what's the reaction been like?
It's been great, it's overwhelming. I can't believe how many people have contacted us about how they feel about the record. On one hand I'm nervous because it's like, well I'm not nervous but it's like this thing seems to be going pretty well, but on the other hand I'm like maybe I'm just over reacting, maybe it's just because people were this excited last time but I just didn't because there wasn't so many social media outlets that we have. Like with people posting on the facebook and twitter and I didn't really pay attention to that last record, so I don't know if people are as psyched for this one or more excited. I'm thinking they're more excited, from all the reviews I've been getting and friends calling me and this and that. It's an exciting time.
You talk about social media and a few years ago it was nowhere as big as it is now, how much of a difference has that made on the band?
I mean, its such a great tool, just to get to people and you can respond to people easily especially through Twitter, you don't have to write a long explanation. You know, someone hits you up and you've got time, you can respond to fans. It's a direct link between bands and the fans that want to know what's going on and then you have a buddy that may be in another band that has 20,000 followers or his buddy's band or however many and they retweet to that and messages can just get sent definitely a cool and beneficial to all.
I follow you on Twitter and it's just cool to see what you get up to.
Yep, I follow like a lot of other dudes I know in bands and friends but people that you don't get to see all the time, maybe once a year you cross paths, and you just check in on what they're doing like 'oh cool, Jamie is in Romania playing a show' and he posts a pic and it looks really cool.
Then you can follow Charlie Sheen and don't care what he does a month later.
Ha ha yeah everyone was on his nuts for two seconds and then he just disappeared, its hilarious.
Lastly, do you have a message for your fans out there?
Just have a good time, all the time.
Thanks Buz, see you at soundwave in September.
Sick, thanks man.
From: USA
Band Members: Trevor Phipps – Vocals, Buz McGrath – Guitar, Ken Susi – Guitar, John Maggard – Bass
Websites: www.unearth.tv
Latest Release: Darkness In The Light – (2011, Metal Blade)
Tags Buz McGrath Darkness In The Light Metal Blade Unearth


Master Box Dimension : 27" X 21" X 23"
Summer is back, it's time to grill delicious meals!. Kids can grill indoors or take the set outside and grill just like mom and dad. A grill side and a griddle side, to fit with every tastes. The perfect Cook 'n Play Outdoor BBQ for both girls and boys! This Cook 'n Play Outdoor BBQ is great for creative and imaginary play, while promoting social interaction for everyday fun.


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package ch.frontg8.lib.crypto;

import android.content.Context;

import java.security.KeyStore;
import java.security.cert.X509Certificate;

import javax.net.ssl.SSLContext;
import javax.net.ssl.TrustManagerFactory;

public class LibSSLContext {

    public static SSLContext getSSLContext(String certificatePath, Context context) {
        SSLContext sslContext = null;
        X509Certificate cert;
        try {
            cert = LibCert.loadX509CertificateFromFile(certificatePath, context);
            KeyStore ks = KeystoreHandler.createFromCertificate(cert);

            //TODO; refactor to trustStore instead of keystore
            String tmfAlgorithm = TrustManagerFactory.getDefaultAlgorithm();
            TrustManagerFactory tmf = TrustManagerFactory.getInstance(tmfAlgorithm);
            tmf.init(ks);

            sslContext = SSLContext.getInstance("TLS");
            sslContext.init(null, tmf.getTrustManagers(), null);
        } catch (Exception e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        return sslContext;
    }

}


The world's literati know that some of the greatest writers have also been some of the greatest satirists. Jane Austen and Jonathan Swift come to mind. So does Kurt Vonnegut. But this year marks the semi-centennial of one particular master of sarcasm and satire. And that would be the inimitable Walker Percy.
Percy's first and most widely acclaimed novel, The Moviegoer, won the National Book Award and has been ranked as one of the "100 Best English-language Novels from 1923-2005" and again as one of the "hundred best English-language novels of the twentieth century" by Time Magazine and Modern Library, respectively (1)(2). To celebrate it's fiftieth birthday, LSU Press is publishing a collection of essays that draw on the various fields of philosophy, theology, media studies, and music, literature, and film studies to illuminate The Moviegoer's impact on the world today. We are particularly excited about this book because one of the authors contained in its pages is also a contributor to this journal. Professor Read Schuchardt of Wheaton College has coauthored with Jonathan Potter an essay entitled "Binx at the Movies, Percy at Play: The Moviegoer's Cinematic References Revisited." It is an incredibly useful and practical essay that anyone who is (a) interested in Walker Percy and (b) younger than 35 should read. If you were wishing there was a Sparknotes to The Moviegoer to help make sense of its many allusions, then you can start thanking the Lord now, because here it is.


text:
Q: Python extracting a value from a string Assuming I have this string:
TEST = 'GAMES HELLO VAUXHALL RUNS=15 TESTED=3'

if the text 'RUNS=' exists in TEST, I want to extract the value 15 into a variable, nothing else from that string.

A: You can use re module:
import re

s = "GAMES HELLO VAUXHALL RUNS=15 TESTED=3"

m = re.search(r"RUNS=(\d+)", s)
if m:
    print("RUN=... found! The value is", m.group(1))

Prints:
RUN=... found! The value is 15

A: Just split the line and check if one of the items starts with your desired string:
TEST = 'GAMES HELLO VAUXHALL RUNS=15 TESTED=3'

def extract(s: str):
    for i in s.split():
        if i.startswith("RUNS="):
            return int(i.split("=")[1])

print(extract(TEST))

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Techi » Nokia
Nokia has sold its HERE mapping business for $3.2 billion
August 3, 2015 50 sec read
When Nokia announced that its HERE mapping business was up for sale, everyone and their mother jumped in to talk about an acquisition, but it looks like the company has settled on a final buyer. Confirming rumors and speculation that have been popping up for the last few weeks, a consortium of German automakers consisting of Audi, BMW, and Daimler has agreed to acquire the business for $3.2 billion.
A consortium of German premium carmakers has agreed a deal to buy Nokia's mapping business HERE, two people familiar with the matter said on Sunday, in a push to extend the reach of automakers into digital services for connected cars. The consortium of Daimler BMW and Volkswagen's premium division Audi, has agreed to pay close to 2.9 billion euros ($3.2 billion), one of the people said. The sources said the deal was likely to be announced on Monday. Daimler declined to comment while BMW, Audi and Nokia did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Intelligent mapping systems are the basis on which self-driving cars linked to wireless networks can perform intelligent functions such as recalculating a route if data about a traffic jam or an accident is transmitted to the car. In the future, such mapping systems will have a role to play in collision detection and other features of self-driving cars. Autonomous and connected car services could become a $50 billion market, analysts at Exane BNP Paribas have estimated.
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22 LISTS Great Moments in GamingLists about the levels and scenes you'll never forget.
Goriest, Most Brutal Moments Gaming's Most WTF Endings Twists That Blew Your Mind Even the Best Games Can Be So Frustrating Opening Levels You Never Forget Scariest Bone-Chilling Moments Theme Songs from Classic Games Most Influential Starting Levels The Creepiest Things in Classic Video Games Most Compelling Storylings The Greatest Video Game Soundtracks Haunting Ghost Stories in Games Unforgettable Demises Great Moments in Game Griefing Worlds You'd Want to Live In The Most Fun Things to Collect Unsatisfying Endings Most Annoying Types of Levels Hidden Levels You Never Played Isn't That a Little Sexist?
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Button Mash Insane Achievements In Video Games That Take Forever To Complete
Zack Howe
1.6k votes 488 voters 52.9k views 16 items
List Rules Vote up the achievements that require a god-like amount of patience.
Gaming runs the gamut from simple rewards to crazy difficult achievements that take time, patience, and incredible skill to obtain. Kirby's Dream Land is one of the easiest games to 100% complete; it's a great place to start for beginners looking to jump into trophy hunting, or game completion in general. Though it may be easier and more enjoyable to go the easy route, it's much more rewarding to complete the more strenuous or difficult video game achievements. These are the achievements that go beyond the mundane of simply beating these insanely hard video games, or just achieving 100% completion in a tough game. Some of these achievements can be absolutely infuriating.
While the hardest achievements usually require hundreds of hours, there are some that can be completed in less than a minute (if you're supremely skilled). Still, most require a combination of both time and experience, and nearly all of them are an exercise in self-inflicted pain.
Ranker may collect a commission from links on this page.
"My Kung Fu Is Stronger" In 'Mortal Kombat'
Photo: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment/Amazon
The "My Kung Fu Is Stronger" achievement in Mortal Kombat requires at least 672 hours of gameplay. That's a long time to commit to anything, especially a fighting game. To achieve it, you have to win 100 fights, perform 100 fatalities, execute 150 x-rays, and spill 10,000 liters of blood for each of the 28 fighters. On top of that, you must play as each fighter for a full 24 hours. So even if you complete all those tasks before the 24-hour mark, you're forced to keep on fighting until you've sacrificed a full day of your life to every single character.
see more on Mortal Kombat
The Hardest Video Games To Complete
You Can Be "Mr. Perfect" In 'Mega Man 10'
Photo: Capcom/Amazon
"Mr. Perfect" is an achievement in Mega Man 10 that you'd have to be crazy to attempt. There's nothing complicated about it, though, at least conceptually: just beat the entire game without getting hit once. To clarify, it's not beat the game without dying once, it's beat it without getting hit a single time. No matter how far into the game you are, you have to restart if you're hit once. It is the video game equivalent of banging your head against the wall.
see more on Mega Man 10
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Literally Be The "World Champion" Of 'Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter'
Photo: Ubisoft/Amazon
To be the "World Champion" of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, you literally have to attain a #1 ranking on the global leaderboard. Obviously, it's multiplayer only for this reason, but it's another achievement that requires you to be the best in the world at the game, even if it's only for a little while.
see more on Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
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'Dead Rising' And "The 7 Day Survivor"
After you beat Dead Rising, you unlock Infinity Mode. In this mode, your health constantly depletes, which requires you to continually consume food, even if you're not getting attacked. For reference, if you were to let your health drain, you'd die in 20 minutes. To earn the "7 Day Survivor" achievement, you have to survive for 14 hours straight with no ability to save. You have to survive 14 hours straight in a setting that would kill you 42 times by starvation alone in that amount of time. Plus, you have to deal with ravenous zombies.
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There are numerous ways to increase your odds at bingo. In the following article, we will reveal simple methods that you can use any time to win big pots at lottery games such as bingo and keno. Plus links to free bingo games to play online.
Many gamblers tend to neglect the auto-daub option. However, this is one of the most interesting strategic maneuvers that you can make. When you feel tired, when you are busy doing something, activating the auto-daub function will help you to stay focused on the game and play the maximum number of bingo cards available. For UK players wanting to try this on casino games based in their region, then click the free online bingo link and try this yourself.
For sure, playing more than one card will cost you more. But you have to keep in mind that playing several cards concurrently is maybe the safest way of increasing your odds and, alternatively, to win more money. Before you would want to do that, remember to compare the price of each card and think of evaluating what it the prize pool at stake.
When you want to play several cards at the same time, you also want to use the exact same format of card. Even though scattering out the number of cards may keep you within the game longer, always using the same card –no matter what its number is, is a good opportunity for you to hit the jackpot!
Even though the virtual bingo rooms that welcome fewer players may pay less, betting your money on them gives you a bigger possibility of a victory. In fact, the less the competition, the more chance you have to hit the prize. You should try to sign in during down hours given that fewer gamblers seem to be logged in at that very specific time of the day (in the early morning or very late at night).
You should always go after the biggest prizes. Chasing huge jackpots will of course enable you to cash in more money into your account in case of victory. But it is also very rewarding. Indeed, you are very often compelled to face a great number of rivals which means that your victory has a special taste. In other word, this is good for the ego!
One perk you may find online is that when you are already involved in a specific bingo game, you can still play other games at the same time. Chat room games are really funny and exciting and they can provide you with a few bonus euros or dollars. Some additional money is always welcomed!
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The Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit is urging parents, guardians and carers to prevent their children doing the "dirty work" of drug dealers.
So-called 'County Lines' crime involves criminal networks bringing in illegal drugs into one or more area(s) using dedicated mobile phone lines.
The criminals will often use and exploit young children and vulnerable adults to commit the crime and will use violence (and sexual violence) and weapons to get what they want.
And the Regional Crime Unit – which covers West, North and South Yorkshire and Humberside is urging people to know the signs so they can prevent criminals from taking advantage of their loved ones.
" 'County Lines' crime cuts across many different types of serious crime which impact directly on the communities we serve.
"At the centre of it are victims who are often either children or vulnerable adults. We know about county lines crime and action is carried out, mainly behind the scenes, to bring those responsible for it to justice.
"We are looking to educate people so they know the signs so they can stop their loved ones becoming trapped.
"Our campaign focusses on the 'Trapped – Find a way out' campaign which supports work to stop children being criminally exploited. In September we held a conference to spread awareness amongst front line staff and partners about the #findawayout message.
"This was a very successful conference which involved officers and support staff with safer schools, safeguarding and community support work teams.
"We have also developed a safer schools educational package which is being delivered in schools across the region.
Regularly going missing, unknown whereabouts during school hours.
Leaving home with no explanation.
Items and money which cannot be accounted for.
Excessive receipt of text messages and phone calls, multiple mobile phones.
Association with others who have been exploited.
Association with Organised Crime Groups and being involved in criminality.


Quick (kinda) 2015's The Best Of Podcasts Primer!!
Starting off 2015 let's do a lightning quick primer on what podcasts are, how you listen to them, and quick recommendations on some good podcasts to start subscribing to. Cool? Let's begin!
Simplest definition they are the radio programs of the 21st century.
Almost 100 years ago radio (the medium, the invention) was the mass media wunderkind and juggernaut and technological cutting edge of the world. It united the world and united disparate geographically separated people in a way that was largely inconceivable just generations before. It redefined communication, but more it redefined entertainment.
No longer did you have to go to New York or LA or London to see the greatest and most exciting acts of the day, the comedies, the dramas, the concerts, the debates, but now with radio the greatest acts in the world, this sea of entertainment, and news, and interests… with a flip of a switch, comes to you.
Radio of a hundred years ago was a watershed evolution in the way people communicated, it expanded the width of our collective conversation, even if lessening to some degree the depth of the impact of the individual and the local community on that conversation.
TV tends to get the hype, but is nothing more than an extrapolation of that model that radio defined, radio being the true 1st evolutionary leap of the 20th century. The next real evolutionary dialog changer of the 20th century would come at the end of that century, with the mass adoption of the WWW, the Internet. The Internet into the 21st century has been the evolutionary next leap in communication from the medium Radio.
That brings us to podcasts and VOD. In a world where traditional terrestrial radio and television just doesn't meet the needs of a 21st century audience, the on demand nature of podcasts and VOD platforms such as Amazon Prime or Netflix, perfectly fits the needs of an internet age that wants to "watch what it wants whenever it wants".
And podcasts (recorded audio files on a near infinite range of topics, available for streaming or download or subscription through select syndication hosts) particularly are dear to me, as someone who grew up on the idea of radio drama, the theater of the mind, and loving shows like THE SHADOW, ESCAPE, SUSPENSE, and recognizing the intimate power of the audio format to move you in a way that television rarely does, I'm thrilled to see the flourishing of audio drama and audio commentary in the 21st century.
So that in a horribly non-brief way is what podcasts are and why they rock. But now how do you get them?
1- Get a tablet. My personal preference is Android 10″. Android OS because I don't want to put up with the gatekeeping of Apple or Microsoft, and I like the bang for the buck I get. Your preference may be different and that's perfectly fine, just telling you what works for me. As far as 10″ , I like reading books, magazines, and comics on the tablet, so that form factor works great for me. All this to say you do your homework, you can end up with a great tablet for around Ebook prices.
2- Find an app to use to subscribe to podcasts: Being tech savvy, I have tried MANY, MANY apps looking for the most useful, least obtrusive podcast app (also known as a podcatcher) and most of them are ultimately disappointing. The exception, and my current podcatcher of choice is PODKICKER. You can easily stream shows or you can download shows you want to keep for posterity, the "WTF Robin Williams" episode comes immediately to mind. Have been using PODKICKER for most of 2014, and still using it in 2015. Highly Recommended!
3- And now last but not least… choose podcasts to start your 2015 off right. Just type the following into your podcatcher search engine to subscribe to them, and job done.
Start with those few, guys and gals, as they were all shows I consumed voraciously in 2014, and will remain in rotation in 2015 as new shows are discovered.
Hope this primer has been helpful!
NOISY LOVE SONGS by Okkyung Lee – Is undeniably noisy and I'm almost positive that portions of its scathing sound stage begins to liquefy my frontal lobe, but that's a negotiable price to pay for cellist Okkyung Lee and her eight part ensemble's ability to take sound and music far past normal.
A challenging but revelatory listening experience that you need the full sonic range that a good CD will provide, to adequately hear and experience. Grade: B+. Strongly Recommended!
Noisy Love Songs… price your cd here!
Solidly mediocre. Only two songs worth a relisten, BLACK SKINHEAD and NEW SLAVES.
LATE REGISTRATION has 21 tracks and only two of them I would rate as worth listening to frequently, the addictive GOLD DIGGER and the blues powered GONE. The album is a fail, but those two songs are worth a listen.


Thirteen years had passed since he was sold as a slave by his brothers, but Joseph had persevered under trial, and God delivered him, and rewarded him for his righteousness. Joseph matured in his faith, and his hardship strengthened his relationship with God. All things given to Joseph were blessings from God. The exaltation of Joseph was to the glory of God. Once Joseph was stripped of his robe by his brothers, but now, God gave him new fine clothes of royalty. Joseph had been sold and forced into a caravan, but now God placed him a chariot of Pharaoh's, with men clearing a path before him. Joseph had been a slave and a prisoner, but now he was adorned with gold necklace and signet ring from the most powerful man on earth. Joseph had been humbled by his experience, and God exalted him before all to see, even in the midst of a foreign nation.
Priests were pagan men of high status worshipping a variety of false deities, none of which could help the Pharaoh. In allusion to this, Joseph was given the daughter of an Egyptian priest to be his wife by order of the Pharaoh. It was an acknowledgement that the God of Joseph was greater.
The seven years of abundance came as God said it would. Joseph implemented the plan God revealed to him, and was successful, because God was with him. More than enough was provided, even in Joseph's own life. Joseph's past was painful and stressful physically and emotionally. He came from a troubled family, but God did not abandon him, and rewarded him with his own family, and provided for him greater than he could have ever imagined. With the birth of his sons, he reflected on God's grace and kindness to him. The names of his children would honor God, and serve as a reminder to him of God's kindness to him.
The famine came as God said. The people were suffering and cried to Pharaoh, but what could Pharaoh do? HIs own magicians and priests had failed him. It was Joseph, by his faith in God, who had saved them. Therefore, the people were sent to the stores Joseph had prepared. The grain was sold, not given away foolishly or without accountability.
Trials are periods of refinement. They strengthen our character and faith in God. Under trial we mature spiritually if we learn to trust God. God will restore to us that which evil takes from us. Our blessings glorify God. We should not forget to honor God for all he has done for us. God speaks only truth. All things God has spoken will come to pass. We should listen to God and heed the warnings he has given to us in his word.


The screen sizes for responsive is entirely up to you. Custom 'break' points can be set in the CSS.
We accept the below image formats as part of the HTML: bmp, gif, jpeg, jpg, png.
These images can be uploaded via the CKEditor or linked from your Resources.
We also support some simple css3 animations.
For Custom CSS we allow using Class, but not ID.


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Aggie baseball team gives back to community
By Kendall Hogan |
Posted: Sat 8:28 PM, Aug 24, 2019
BRYAN, Tex. (KBTX)- The Texas A&M baseball team gave back to the community Saturday during its 14th annual Aggie Paint-a-thon.
Every year, the team finds a family through local churches who needs work done on their home.
This year, more than 60 players, coaches, and staff came to Cordia Hanks home in Bryan to help paint her home, fix baseboards, and clean up the yard.
The team's coach, Rob Childress, says they are in season during Texas A&M's annual community charity 'The Big Event' and are unable to participate. So, when coach Childress started at A&M, he also brought with him the idea to have the team's own way to give back.
All of the supplies used are paid for by the money donated to the team by boosters and sponsors.
Hanks's daughter, Evelyn Ross, says that they are immensely grateful for what these young men were able to do in just one day.
"The neighborhood has dwindled down a whole lot, so to restore this means a lot," said Ross. "I mean, hopefully, somebody will think 'maybe I can go back to the neighborhood', and if that doesn't work, we will be here."
Coach Childress says it means the world to him when he drives by the other 13 homes they have remodeled and looks forward to continuing to help the community, one house at a time.
Walker County DA drops charges against former USA Gymnastics trainer
Win a Whatawedding this Valentine's Day


Cottage tenements of Crosby, Minnesota, were also known as Honeymoon Row. The cottages are under construction, with horses and buggies parked outside. These four-room cottages, built by the mine owners, rented for $12 a month including sewer, water, electric lights and a sanitary closet.


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Hillary Clinton tells UN: No human progress without abortion-on-demand
Fully enshrining reproductive "rights," says Clinton "remains the great unfinished business of the 21st century."
Thu Mar 13, 2014 - 5:15 pm EDT Sat Jun 19, 2021 - 11:54 am EDT
NEW YORK CITY, March 13, 2014 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is expected to be the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016, believes it is a "bedrock truth" that abortion restrictions hamper human progress, and any efforts to improve women's rights must begin with increased access to contraception and abortion.
Addressing the United Nations for International Women's Day, Clinton told her audience, "There is one lesson from the past, in particular, that we cannot afford to ignore: You cannot make progress on gender equality or broader human development, without safeguarding women's reproductive health and rights. That is a bedrock truth."
Expanding access to so-called 'family planning services' like contraception and abortion, Clinton said, "must be the starting point for work today" when it comes to women's rights.
Clinton said that even the United States, which has some of the most lenient abortion laws of any developed Western nation, falls short when it comes to giving women free access to abortion-on-demand.
"This remains the great unfinished business of the 21st century," Clinton said. "No country in the world, including my own, has achieved full participation."
Abortion access as a fundamental human right has long been a core principle for Mrs. Clinton. On the very first day of her husband Bill Clinton's presidency in 1993, which nearly coincided with the 20th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, she pushed him to sign five executive orders authorizing federal funding for and involvement with abortion – both of which had been banned under Presidents Bush and Reagan.
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While her husband's staff thought it was too soon to make such a controversial move, Mrs. Clinton strongly disagreed. Biographer Carl Bernstein wrote in his 2007 book A Woman in Charge, "The milestone anniversary of Roe v. Wade, in Hillary's view, was the perfect opportunity to move the new presidency on course unambiguously in terms of women's rights, signal the religious right that its decade of dominance in regard to such personal questions was over."
As first lady, Mrs. Clinton chaired the task force overseeing the development of the president's ultimately disastrous attempt at transitioning the U.S. into a universal health care system. She promised that under the Clinton plan, abortion "would be widely available," even promising federal funding for the controversial new abortion drug RU-486 – which she had been instrumental in fast-tracking through the FDA approval process. Mrs. Clinton was also instrumental in making Plan B, the so-called "morning-after pill," legal in America.
At a 1994 UN conference on population and development in Cairo, the Clintons stacked the U.S. delegation with pro-abortion representatives who pressured world leaders to include access to abortion in their definition of "reproductive health care," which was about to be declared a fundamental human right. Ultimately, the push failed, and the Cairo document went forward without abortion enshrined in its definition of basic reproductive health care. But the following year, Mrs. Clinton made world headlines with her speech at the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing, in which she again spoke strongly in favor of "choice."
More recently, as Secretary of State, Clinton told the 2012 Rio+20 United Nations conference in Rio de Janeiro that she was disappointed they had once again failed to enshrine abortion-on-demand as a basic human right. "While I am very pleased that this year's outcome document endorses sexual and reproductive health and universal access to family planning, to reach our goals in sustainable development we also have to ensure women's reproductive rights," Clinton said.
She promised that with or without UN backing, the U.S. would continue to lead the charge to expand access to elective abortion around the world.
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For a limited time only you can receive a 10% discount on all HAVi products from Shawcity. This includes HAVi tool timers, watches, management kits and charging docks.
How the United States Postal Inspection Service are staying safe with the OHD Quantifit.
A key customer in the US using OHD's Quantifit fit testing system is the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Find out why their 400+ specially-trained Dangerous Mail Inspectors rely on this simpler, quicker fit testing system to protect them during package screening.
Shawcity, the UK's leading specialists in monitoring instrumentation for the Health and Safety, Occupational Hygiene and Environmental markets, has just announced a new addition to the Sales Team who support its ever-expanding customer base.
The new smartphone application helps the user in calculating the insulation in accordance with ISO 16283.
Our customers regularly approach us looking for assistance with accurate and compliant monitoring for increasingly prevalent issues such as protecting the hearing of their employees, HAVS and WBVS prevention, construction works causing vibration near existing buildings or dwellings, noise nuisance and pollution or even a combined solution involving two or more of these elements.
Today's gas detection technology offers better protection than ever before but one often-overlooked issue in the industry is the regular bump testing of instruments and, crucially, how many users are unaware of the importance of this simple procedure or unsure how to do it.
Introducing the Quantifit Respirator Fit Tester, the industry breakthrough in portable mask-fit technology which uses Controlled Negative Pressure (CNP) instead of traditional aerosol particle counting.
The TwinTown Challenge is back for the Spring Bank Holiday weekend 25-28 May 2018 and Shawcity are delighted to announce their sponsorship of Safety, Health and Environmental for the event.
As City Technology's EMEA strategic channel partner, Shawcity is pleased to announce that the latest H2S Sensoric sensor from this world-leading provider - the H2S 3E 2000 S – is now available.
At Shawcity we pride ourselves on high customer service and attention to detail.
Neil O'Regan, Managing Director of Shawcity, will be completing the 2017 London Marathon in support of SpecialEffect.
Matt is currently undertaking a Level 3 Apprenticeship in Electronic Maintenance and Electrical Principles, so he attends college one day a week and works four days a week in our in-house workshop. He has already gained a Level 3 BTEC Diploma in Engineering and is exploring the possibility of extending his study further after this course, with higher education options.
Provectus have recently replaced an old photoionsisation detector (PID) with the Ion Science VOC monitor from Shawcity.
There are several reasons our customers choose to hire a monitoring instrument. Sometimes they would like to try a product before committing to a purchase or may only require the instrument for a short period of time. Frequently, we have customers who send their own instrument in to us for an annual service and need an interim replacement.
Shawcity announce not one but two next generation products from two of the world's leading manufacturers in gas detection, both designed to push the boundaries of personal, always-on gas detection.
Intrinsic safety has for a long time been a recognised term in gas detection, however, in line with expanding requirements new and affordable IS technology is now available for other detection applications.
In conjunction with our key manufacturing partners at 3M, Honeywell and TSI, Shawcity are pleased to announce the launch of SITEsentry, our brand new multi-parameter modular logging system suitable for various environmental site applications.
Shawcity are delighted to announce that following further investment, we have just extended our GasClam hire fleet by 14 brand new instruments, making it the largest in the UK.
Our new, five year long-life oxygen sensors now deliver unrivalled longevity and stability for the life of your instrument.
On Tuesday 8th November 2016 Shawcity hosted their final seminar of the 2016 series for the occupational hygiene, health and safety and environmental industries.
The remediation of contaminated land sites can prove to be a challenging undertaking. There is considerable risk of chemical exposure to both the onsite workforce and to surrounding communities.
Shawcity Seminar 2: Confined Spaces and Gas Monitoring.
The second seminar of the series hosted by Shawcity took place on Wednesday 13th July at Wrag Barn Golf and Country Club with a focus on Confined Spaces and Gas Monitoring.
Shawcity Seminar 1: Occupational Dust Monitoring, RCS and Diesel Fume.
June saw the first of the 2016 seminars hosted by Shawcity, which offer an independent focus on key issues facing those who work in occupational hygiene, environmental monitoring and health and safety.
TSI have just launched their brand new SidePak AM520 Personal Aerosol Monitor this week and Shawcity are delighted to be able to take orders with immediate effect.
Months of preparation and weeks of planning have finally come to an end as the Shawcity team have completed this year's Twin Town challenge and raised the £2,000 target set for SpecialEffect in 2016.
Please be advised that the following products have been, or will shortly be, discontinued by their respective manufacturers.
The TigerLT is exclusively available from Shawcity in the UK.
Specialist provider of monitoring instrumentation for Health & Safety, Occupational Hygiene and Environmental monitoring across a wide range of industries.
What makes a safe working environment?
I have asked several highly qualified Occupational Hygienists, what is a 'safe working environment?' ..
Loss of hearing can be incredibly distressing..
The correct handling of mercury is of great importance to ensure workers are not exposed to health risks. Mercury is a neurotox..


We've been working with local businesses for many years. In fact, many of our business clients have been with the firm for several generations.
We understand the delicate balance of our local mixed economy, and we're familiar with the way people like to do business. Our specialists can help you manage, protect and grow your business, act for you when it comes to a business restructure or a sale of part or whole of the business, and help you manage the people within it.
We also understand that budgets need to be managed. That is why Temple Heelis have developed a range of services and offer, where possible, a fixed fee proposal.
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Richard Riot to meet Zahid over statement on foreign workers
Thursday, 20 Oct 2016
KUALA LUMPUR: Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot (pix) has denied making any statement in the Dewan Rakyat that "40% of foreign workers in Malaysia are undocumented".
"You can quote me on this. For every 10 legal workers, there are seven illegal workers...that's all...I had never mentioned any other figures except that figure.
"I stick to that..this should be in the hansard (in Dewan Rakyat) and you can check it..some reporters love to spin," he told Bernama after the opening session of the Emerging Leaders Dialogues' Asia 2016 at the British International School here Thursday.
He was responding to reports that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi would ask Riot for his explanation on the matter claimed to have been uttered by him in the Dewan Rakyat two days ago.
Riot was quoted as saying that an estimated 40% of foreign labour workforce in Malaysia was undocumented, hampering the Government's efforts to reduce dependence on foreign workers by 2020.
When asked whether he would meet Dr Ahmad Zahid to clear the air, Riot said "well he is my boss, I will definitely meet him...soon? We will see."
Earlier, in his speech, Riot said the dialogue would be a good platform to address issues of reskilling leaders on various leadership roles in times of changing economy.
"Malaysia is an upcoming emerging economy in Asia and it is timely such dialogues of this scale is held in this country," he said. – Bernama
Tags / Keywords: Richard Riot , Ahmad Zahid , foreign workers


Our Gina leather hobo bag is a great bag for those who love the feel of soft leather. In general, such bags are a bit more practical as their form can adjust to your needs somewhat. Of course, we do not recommend bending and stretching it too much, as leather may wrinkle permanently. However no harm will come from doing it from time to time. In addition, it comes in multiple colors for your choosing.
Gina leather hobo bag is made of full grain leather. It was diligently used for the exterior to ensure durability, classy look and comfort. The interior is covered with 100% cotton. It makes sure that the bag's practicality is at the highest level possible. Therefore, in addition to easy and convenient storing, searching and navigating within, it also becomes easy to maintain and keep it clean.
The color of the hobo bag is extracted by a method called vegetable tanning. The whole process includes the use of hands and requires nothing less than the highest quality of natural dyes. We guarantee that the dyes are pure and natural, containing NO unethical and/or harmful ingredients. This method allows us to retain the natural look of leather while adding the uniqueness and authenticity to each and every bag. In addition, vegetable tanning method gives the leather natural smell of earth, which makes it even greater.
You will also find a dust bag included in the package. It is necessary in case you have to store your hobo bag. The dust bag will keep it in the best possible shape while protecting it from sun, dust, accidental stains and scratches.
This hobo bag is made in Italy from pure and genuine leather. Once crafted, it underwent strict and careful quality controls. As the result, it allows us to offer you a 24 month warranty. However, small imperfections such as color variations cannot be avoided completely – which is in fact a value, and not a fault. That is so due to the handbag being made and tanned by hand, which makes it authentic and exclusive.


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Gambling Affiliates Trade Body Backs UKGC Proposal for Further Advertising Restrictions During Covid-19 Lockdown
Fri 3 Apr 2020 13.08 Daniel Williams
The Responsible Affiliates in Gambling (RAiG) has welcomed the proposals that have recently been made by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) in terms of the affiliate advertising restrictions. The standards body, which has recently been established, has reiterated its support for the collaborative measures that were published by the key regulator of the British gambling sector.
As Casino Guardian has recently reported, the UKGC revealed a series of new measures and directives in collaboration with work-groups of industry officials, with the measures being coordinated by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC). The move was made as part of the regulator's strategy aimed at enhancing the existing UK gambling codes on high-roller customers' programmes, product designs and protection regarding gambling advertising.
The Chairman of RAiG, Clive Hawkswood, confirmed that the standards body backs the collaborative approach of the gambling regulatory body on forming industry directives. Mr Hawswood shared that RAiG supports the introduction of the additional measures to protect the most vulnerable members of communities, including underage and socially or economically disadvantaged people, especially when it comes to gambling advertising.
RAiG's Chairman further noted that the trade body believes that such proposals should be comfortably made alongside a number of initiatives that have already been undertaken by the standards body of the gambling affiliates in the UK.
Special Codes of Practice for Affiliates to Be Developed
Furthermore, Mr Hawkswood also revealed that RAiG has already started discussions with the Betting and Gaming Council to develop special codes of practice for affiliates. The project is currently gathering opinions and evidence which are the most critical marketing areas to address in the sector, but the standards body's chairman urged both regulatory stakeholders and gambling operators to consider affiliates and the specific marketing services offered by them a critical component of the country's gambling industry.
The chairman also revealed that some affiliates in the gambling sector could be worried about a code being forcibly imposed on them but they still try to remain hopeful that the move would turn out to be more of an opportunity rather than a danger to their performance.
So far, more than 20 Members of Parliament have insisted that the Government and the UKGC must unveil stricter measures in regard to the gambling industry at the time of the coronavirus lockdown. The MPs have insisted on implementing stricter measures on gambling advertising, saying that the voluntary measures of the betting industry were not strong enough.
Last week, the BGC issued a 10-point pledge, saying that it would take some further measures to make sure that gambling companies do not take advantage of vulnerable people, such as children or gambling addicts who may be at risk of finding it hard to control their gambling while staying at home for a long period of time.
Daniel Williams
Daniel Williams has started his writing career as a freelance author at a local paper media. After working there for a couple of years and writing on various topics, he found his interest for the gambling industry.
Casino Guardian covers the latest news and events in the casino industry. Here you can also find extensive guides for roulette, slots, blackjack, video poker, and all live casino games as well as reviews of the most trusted UK online casinos and their mobile casino apps.
January 18, 2021 Daniel Williams
NSW Crime Commission Warns of Possible Pokies-Related Money Laundering Following Covid-19 Crisis
Kieran Trippier Resumes Playing in Spain Despite FA Gambling Ban
UK Government Rejects Racing Sector's Levy Review Request
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I love that for one month each year, we all wake up and realize that no matter what, we all have something to be thankful for. Isn't it sad though that the rest of the year, we get so caught up in "doing" that we forget about "being"? What would happen if all of us embraced this season of thankfulness and lived it every day, not just when we look at the calendar and see that Thanksgiving is quickly approaching?
Diana at Fearfully and Wonderfully Made shared her entire 30 day series on Thankfulness. In it, she echoed my own prayer.
Yes Lord, I want to be thankful.
Why can't I be better at thankfulness?
I had to pause and let that sink in.
If I can choose to be thankful, then I can certain choose to be … unthankful … ungrateful. I flipped back again to that scripture from 1 Thessalonians.
Rejoice. Choosing Joy. As I've written previously with great passion – Joy is a choice.
But I'm still not ready for Thanksgiving.
If, like me, you just rolled your eyes and said "but sometimes there's just so much BAD that it's hard to be thankful" then Lynnae has some words of wisdom for you.
I can't wait to see what God wants to teach me in the next installment of the Journey to Thanksgiving!


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