MSA Sordin Supreme Basic is a slimline electronic hearing protector for hunting and shooting Built-in reproduction of ambient sound protects your hearing without isolating you. Simple technology that provides the most important base features. Both earmuffs are shaped to suit both right-handed and left-handed shooters. The item "MSA Sordin Supreme Basic OD Green Cups, Black Headband" is in sale since Friday, September 14, 2018. This item is in the category "Sporting Goods\Hunting\Range & Shooting Accessories\Hearing Protection". The seller is "csukflorida1″ and is located in Crystal River, Florida. This item can be shipped worldwide.
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Coca-Cola Marks 130th Anniversary with Gift to Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park District
Published in Latest
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed joins Coca-Cola Chairman and CEO Muhtar Kent and the Georgia Historical Society for the dedication of a historical marker at the intersection of Peachtree and Marietta streets, where the first Coca-Cola was served at Jacobs? Pharmacy on May 8, 1886. Kent today announced that Coca-Cola will give $1.8 million to Atlanta?s Centennial Olympic Park District. (Photo: Business Wire)
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--One-hundred-thirty years after Coca-Cola poured its first beverage in downtown Atlanta, The Coca-Cola Company and The Coca-Cola Foundation today announced they are pouring money into improvements throughout the city's Centennial Olympic Park District. "There is no better way to celebrate 130 years of Coca-Cola than to give back to our hometown," said Kent. "While Atlanta has always been and will always be Coca-Cola's home, the Centennial Olympic Park District is our neighborhood. For decades, we have continued to invest in improving the area around our headquarters to support the continued growth of tourism, business and residences right here in our backyard."
Given by The Coca-Cola Company's global philanthropic arm, The Coca-Cola Foundation, the grants announced today include support for five organizations in the Centennial Olympic Park District:
$1 million to the Georgia World Congress Center Authority to support the expansion of green space and updates to facilities within Centennial Olympic Park.
$500,000 to the PATH Foundation to support efforts to connect Centennial Olympic Park to Atlanta's westside neighborhoods, including efforts to reconfigure Ivan Allen Blvd. with new bike and pedestrian trails and improved landscaping.
$250,000 to The National Center for Civil and Human Rights to support Operation Inspiration, an access program that underwrites admission fees for students attending Title 1 schools in metro Atlanta.
$50,000 to the Atlanta Union Mission to empower women living at My Sister's House with vocational training and life stabilization skills.
$30,000 to the Children's Museum of Atlanta to support new exhibits opening in 2016.
Said Mayor Reed: "Since Coca-Cola's birth here at Five Points in 1886, the company has been committed to strengthening our city's core as a major employer, driver of tourism and contributor to transformational initiatives like the development of the Centennial Olympic Park District. Coca-Cola's commitment today to further improve the quality of life in downtown is the latest example of the vibrant private-public partnership we continue to enjoy.
"I often say there is no better global ambassador for Atlanta than Coca-Cola," Reed continued. "Our city had the privilege of loving Coca-Cola first and we are immensely proud of the work the company continues to do to make our hometown and our world a better place."
Since its inception in the early 1990s, Centennial Olympic Park has become a major tourist hub for downtown Atlanta with more than three million people visiting the area each year. 'Pemberton Place,' directly north of the park, was developed by Coca-Cola utilizing land purchased to house Coca-Cola's Olympic City during the 1996 Olympic Games, in combination with land acquired by the company after the Games. In addition to building a new World of Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola donated the land for both the Georgia Aquarium and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights to create a hub for three of Atlanta's major tourist attractions at Pemberton Place.
Over the last decade, The Coca-Cola Company and The Coca-Cola Foundation have invested more than $160 million and tens of thousands of volunteer hours in support of social, economic and environmental programs throughout Atlanta.
Mayor Reed and Kent also were joined by representatives from the Georgia Historical Society who dedicated a new historical marker at the "Five Points" intersection marking the site of Coca-Cola's first pour.
"The Georgia Historical Society is honored to commemorate the birthplace of Coca-Cola with a Georgia historical marker," said Dr. Todd Groce, Georgia Historical Society President and CEO. "Honoring Coca-Cola as part of the Georgia Business History initiative ensures that current and future generations will not only understand the importance of this intersection as the birthplace of one of the world's most successful and recognizable brands, but also the importance of this iconic Georgia company as a key driver in our state's development and growth for the past 130 years."
The text of the marker reads:
"The first glass of Coca-Cola was sold for five cents on May 8, 1886, at Jacobs' Pharmacy, a popular Atlanta soda fountain that was located on this corner. Coca-Cola was created by Atlanta pharmacist John Pemberton in his laboratory just a short walk from this location. Atlanta businessman Asa Candler began to purchase the rights to the formula for Coca-Cola in 1888 and founded The Coca-Cola Company in 1892 as a Georgia corporation to manufacture and advertise Coca-Cola across the country. Candler sold the company in 1919 for $25 million to a group of investors that included Ernest Woodruff. His son, Robert Woodruff, led Coca-Cola for more than half of the twentieth century, expanding Coca-Cola into a global business. Today Coca-Cola is the most widely recognized consumer product in the world."
Coca-Cola's global operations have been based in downtown Atlanta since the beverage was created in Dr. John Pemberton's home on Marietta Street in 1886 and carried to Jacobs' Pharmacy to be served to the first consumers. After outgrowing a series of offices stretching from Edgewood Avenue to Decatur Street, The Coca-Cola Company in 1920 established its current headquarters site on North Avenue. Today, more than 5,000 people work at the North Avenue headquarters campus with 4,000 additional Coca-Cola associates based throughout Georgia.
In addition to today's dedication event, Coca-Cola said 'thank you' to downtown residents and workers handing out thousands of free beverages in Woodruff Park. Tickets for free admission to the World of Coca-Cola were also distributed. "We are grateful to the millions of people who have supported and enjoyed our brands in our hometown and around the world over the years," Kent added. "It is because of them that we are able to stand at this historic site today."
About the Georgia Historical Society
The Georgia Historical Society (GHS) is the premier independent statewide institution responsible for collecting, examining, and teaching Georgia history. GHS houses the oldest and most distinguished collection of materials related exclusively to Georgia history in the nation. To learn more visit georgiahistory.com.
About the Georgia Historical Marker Program
The Georgia Historical Society has administered Georgia's historical marker program since 1998, erecting over 200 historical markers across Georgia on a wide variety of subjects. Now, online mapping tools allow you to design statewide driving routes based on historical markers, while mobile apps give information about markers nearby. Visit georgiahistory.com for more ways to use Georgia's historical markers and experience history where it happened.
About The Coca-Cola Foundation
The Coca-Cola Foundation is the global philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company. Since its inception in 1984, the Foundation has awarded more than $820 million in grants to support sustainable community initiatives around the world. For more information about The Coca-Cola Foundation, please visit www.coca-colacompany.com/our-company/the-coca-cola-foundation. (BusinessWire)
Coca-Cola Marks 130th Anniversary with Gift to Atlanta?s Centennial Olympic Park District
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas has hired a search firm to help find a replacement for president Richard Fisher, who has said he plans to retire next year.
The bank is not releasing the name of the firm.
The Dallas Fed also has formed an advisory group that will advise the search as needed, bank spokesman James Hoard said today. The advisory group is made up of five current and former board members, including Dallas Fed board chairman Mike Ullman, who is CEO of J.C. Penney Co., and Dallas Fed board deputy chairman Renu Khator, who is chancellor of the University of Houston System.
The Dallas Fed nine-member board of directors is the official search group that will select the final candidates, Hoard said. When asked about the timing of a search and the pool of candidates, he said "it's too early in the process to address those issues."
Fisher, 64, told me in December that he planned to retire by April 30, 2015, after 10 years on the job. However, he has not announced an exact departure date.
Fed bank presidents must retire at 65, but those appointed after age 55 can — at the option of the board of directors — remain until 75 or until they reach 10 years of service.
When Fisher emerged in July as a leading candidate for the new chancellor of the University of Texas System, replacing Francisco Cigarroa, he said he planned to stay in his current job through the end of his Fed voting term, which would be the end of this year. UT job rival Adm. William H. McRaven, who planned the raid that killed Osama bin Laden and leads the U.S. Special Operations Command, was selected.
Fisher will be one of two Fed hawks to retire next year, which could put less pressure on the central bank to speed up its plan to raise interest rates. Yesterday, Philadelphia Fed president Charles Plosser, 66, said he plans to retire in March.
Both Fisher and Plosser have criticized the Fed's loose monetary policy and want the central bank to start raising interest rates sooner than the estimated time frame of mid-2015 as the economy continues to improve.
In Fisher's 10-year tenure at the Fed, he has dissented eight times from policy decisions -- including at the central bank's last meeting earlier this month. Plosser has dissented on policy six times in his eight years at the Fed, including at the central bank's last two meetings.


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Pandumaan is een bestuurslaag in het regentschap Humbang Hasundutan van de provincie Noord-Sumatra, Indonesië. Pandumaan telt 1216 inwoners (volkstelling 2010).

Plaats in Noord-Sumatra

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Amazon.Com Is one of the world's most famous online marketplaces founded in 1994 to become one of the largest internet retailers in terms of sales and market capitalization. Initially starting out as an online bookstore, Amazon now sells just about anything you care to mention including watches from Invicta, Stuhrling, Skagen, Casio, and Timex to name a few.
Amazon, is an electronic commerce and cloud computing company based in Seattle, Washington. One of the largest Internet-based retailer in the world by total sales and market capitalization, turning its first profit in the fourth quarter of 2001, of $5 million on revenues of more than $1 billion.
This online store that started as an online bookstore, but later expanded its market to include countless products including DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, video downloads/streaming, MP3 downloads/streaming, audiobook downloads/streaming, software, video games, electronics, apparel, furniture, and jewelry.
Today Amazon also produces consumer electronics such as the Kindle e-readers, Fire tablets, Fire TV and the Echo, but still maintains its roots selling certain low-end products like USB cables under its in-house brand AmazonBasics.
Amazon is so large now, it has grown larger than Walmart by market capitalization, employing 305,000 people worldwide with separate retail websites for the United States, the UK and Ireland, France, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Australia, Brazil, Japan, China, India and Mexico.
Its sheer size and robustness coupled with its retail experience make Amazon a trusted long term option that many people turn to.
Ashford.Com is based out of the historic bank building in Brooklyn NY and a highly regarded online watch store. There is an amazing variety of Brands available at the Ashford discount watch store, that includes fashion brands from Calvin Klein and Versace to Swiss luxury brands like Breitling. There are far too many to list here, but take a look their full listings here.
Price Points vary between $100 to well over $10,000.
With significantly lower running costs than a traditional retailer, Ashford can offer great deals and still offer Weekly Deals. Their service comes with a guarantee all products are 100% genuine, free of serial number tampering. Shipped in original boxes with original packing with owner's guide, two-year warranty, and excellent customer service.
The low prices offered by Ashford are possible due to their size. They are big enough to purchase large quantities of inventory taking advantage of the economy of scale.
Their experts excel in buying at the best prices. These saving are passed on to their customers while offering the very best service ready to ship luxury products. They offer breathtaking discounts for some watches so signing up for their newsletter will ensure you'll always up to date.
They pride themselves on always having their offers in-stock. This means if you can add to the online cart they are available.
Ashford also promise they're a safe place to buy from, having an A rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Discountshop.Com has been supplying authentic merchandise for over 15 years now. It started offering discounted prices to internet customers in 2008.
The brand names are vast and extremely varied so the price points are also broad. For example, you can pick up a TW Steel or Invicta for a $100, or go to the other extream and spend over $100,000 on a Jaeger-LeCoultre. View their full brand listings here.
They now serve customers in over 40 countries with a footprint is UK, Netherland, Japan, Hong Kong, and the US. This is a site built with a modest budget in mind, offering Pens, Jewelry, Fragrances in addition to watch brands like Hamilton, Luminox, Seiko, Diesel, Tissot for example. Although the products may be modest to suit a smaller budget, the company itself is relatively large as you can see by their international presence.
The product range of low-cost watches is fine for anyone looking for a genuine high-quality mid-range watch. The packaging is dependable and quick, and payments made by Visa, PayPal and Amazon payments.
There is an expedited delivery service available at the cost of $25 and if you want to return any product it can be returned within 30 days.
All merchandise is 100% authentic. Only genuine brand name products carried. Absolutely NO fakes, counterfeits, imitations or knock-offs.
eBay.Com has been around for 21 years employing 12,000 people with a net income last year of US$7.26 billion making it one of the big players. The main difference between eBay to that of most other businesses is the provision of service, offering both consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales services via the Internet.
Basically, the eBay shop is an online shopping and auction store where anyone can buy from anyone else, whether that is a business or an individual, which makes it both exciting but fraught with the danger of buying inferior goods that were not as described.
That being said, if you are careful when shopping around you can find great products at close to trade prices, including watches of all brands and styles.
An interesting fun fact about the foundation of eBay is the creation of eBay in its first incarnation as AuctionWeb. The first item sold on this site was a broken laser pointer for $14.83 bought by a collector of broken laser pointers. And so the story begins.
The story continues that the owner of eBay was only keeping the site as a hobby util his Internet Service Provider informed him, he needed to upgrade to a business account due to al the traffic his site was receiving. Come 1998 eBay went public and has never looked back.
Gemnation.Com is a family-owned business so understands the importance of integrity and customer service.
Gemnation has one of the most expansive collections with more Fashion brands and Swiss made luxury pieces to mention. A quick look at the list of brand names available will give you the best idea of the size, and go some way to explaining the wide pricing points.
They only deal with honest, reputable suppliers that provide 100% genuine brand new watches and accessories. The good news is all items are inspected for defects before being shipped from their offices. They are Accredited Members of the Better Business Bureau of New York with an A+ rating which should make potential customers feel at ease. Although they are relatively small in comparison to some other discount stores they're one of the best at finding their position in the marketing. Offering lower price value to opened a new Clearance segment that consistently offers approximately 200 models of watches with discounts up to 85% below RRP.
Weekly sales begin on Friday and as you can imagine a good number of offers are snapped up immediately. For those who lose out on the weekly sales, the 'Daily Deal' opens 11 am New York time. But Kudos to Gemnation for securing some of the most interesting brands like Vulcan, Alpina, Carl F. Bucherer, DeGrisongo, Kadloo, Revue Thommen, Paul Picot. These can be somewhat elusive when shopping through different stores, and particularly for offering them at such low costs.
The site has live chat for inquiries about the watches accessibility, delivery times and so forth. Shipping is FREE on all FedEx Insured Standard Delivery taking 2-3 days. International shipping is available although costs will need to be quoted at the time of purchase.
Jomashop.Com based out of Brooklyn NY is considered one of the best online retails in the luxury watches market. Their brands include Tissot, Breitling, Longines, Hamilton, Rolex. They have also been offering fine writing instruments, handbags, fashion accessories, crystal and gift items since 1987.
To understand the true choice of Brands available to you visit the Jomashop brands page here. The choice is so vast and varied including fashion brands and luxury Swiss brands the prices are just as diverse.
Since its founding in 1980 PrincetonWatches.Com located in Newbury, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland has become a leading authorized watch retailer with hundreds of thousands of happy customers. Princeton knows how to make your shopping experience with them a good one.
The brands available may not be as broad as some other discount stores but they carry many brands that are affordable and known for their reliability. Take a look at the Princeton Watches collection here and you'll know what I mean.
In terms of price points, Princeton is one of the better value stores in terms of affordability with price range from under $100 to $2000.
Rakuten is probably the biggest online marketplace you`ve never heard of. Based in Tokyo, Japan Rakuten is an e-commerce platform and the largest e-commerce site in Japan and among the world's largest by sales. Founded in 1997 by Hiroshi Mikitani, Rakuten saw revenues totaling US$4.6 billion in 2012 with operating profits of about US$244 million, and employing more than 10,000 people.
By 2016 Rakuten had signed a $200m deal for global sponsorship with Spanish Club FC Barcelona till 2020 and will replace Qatar Airways for this role.
By any measure, this company is a big concern.
Being Japans largest online shopping mall, it offers customers more than 95 million products from about 40,000 merchants and also offers international shipping. This includes well-known watch brands such as Casio, Timex, and Tissot.
Hundreds of brands and models price points from £20 to $2000.
The Rakuten Group consists in total of around forty businesses & services such as Online Retail, Banking, Credit and Payments, Travel Operations, Hotel booking, Securities providing services such as online securities brokerage, Professional Sports Management, and Entertainment. Development is part of these strategies buying a 15% stake in Tokyo Broadcasting System and expanding to buy New York City based Linkshare to rebrand as "Rakuten Linkshare" to offer performance based online sales and marketing programs.Rakuten is a global power house owning many international concerns too numerous to list here, but to understand its size is to understand it`s reach and capability.
Timepiece.Com is another small fish in a big pond with a nice simple site that's easy to get around. With a simple left side navigation organized by brand, your navigation is a doddle. If you subscribe to their newsletter you not only get the up to date deals but an additional $20 off your first purchase.
Having said that, Timepiece is another site with an impressive range of fashion and luxury brands that you can see here.
Prices run from $100 to many thousands of dollars.
At Timepiece their goal has been to earn the trust and satisfaction of the customers offering competitive pricing. But more than that, they understand that low prices alone can't guarantee success. This is why they're determined to utilize honesty and outstanding customer service to make a difference. Customers can contact the customer services online or pick up the phone and speak to an experienced customer service representatives for more personal experience.
All watches are sourced through legitimate distributors providing authentic merchandise at low prices but still offer a super guarantee.
Payments are made through PayPal and customers details are never shared. Deliveries with USA using PS Ground Shipping or USPS Standard Post are free and for International deliveries, the costs are usually around $20 or more.
Timex.ComThis brand has been with us since 1854 establishing itself as a high-quality affordable watch of the people.
It almost needs no introduction and it probably doesn't need to be on a discount watch store site. However, with a modern collection and a proven track record Timex offer great quality at low prices, so why shouldn't it be on a discount watch store comparison site?
Read my full review of Timex by following the link below or go directly to the Timex site to browse the collection using the link above.
Christopherward.Com was founded by 3 friends Mike France, Chris Ward and Peter Ellis in 2004. Their range of in-house designed and built models include Aviation, Diving, Dress and Motorsport styles.
Prices range between £350, to £3000. Just link here to check out their new releases.
Their aim was to bring premium watches to the widest audience possible, by designing in-house and selling direct from a website to keep costs down.
The WatchShop.Com was established in 1991 and has been selling both watches and jewelry for over 20 years, to become the UK's No.1 online retailer of designer watches and accessories.
This is another, and probably one of the biggest online watch stores around. It's certainly the biggest and best known in the UK and can offer a huge number of luxury fashion brands at great prices. Visit my quick checklist of brands carried at the Watchshop here.
You will be amazed at the choice and the prices that range between €50 and €4000. Don't forget, the GBP is low and you can have a tax refund.
They are the official stockist for all brands of watches for men, ladies and children from famous names like Michael Kors, Casio, Seiko, Citizen and Emporio Armani.
The Watch Shop is not just the UK's most popular watch website, but a well-established brand on the high street, holding a vast stock of over 100,000 watches ready for purchase and immediate dispatch.
They are proud to be the first independent watch retailer to advertise on national television, and of being the owner of the most efficient shopping systems available with communication at every stage.


We saved the biggest piece of cake in this 3D pop up card to help celebrate a special 70th birthday. One could never be too old for cake.
Help welcome someone special to their golden years with this Birthday Cake card! We all know, turning 70th is just a "Piece of Cake".
Bright candles and a delicious slice of cake are sure to delight that special birthday person on his or her 70th birthday!
This Happy 70th Birthday Cake 3D Pop Up card is 5 inches wide by 7 inches tall. Comes with one envelope and a protective cello clear bag to give as a gift or mailing.


JDA has a reputation for excellence - we go above and beyond. We can provide this outstanding service because of the dedication of each and every member of our professional team.
If you have a hearing loss, our aim is to enable your home, work and social life to be as independent and fulfilled as possible.
Under the brand Hearing Connect, our highly qualified staff offer a range of services to enable you to become more informed, more socially active, more confident and thereby more connected to those around you.
Highly trained and experienced, Jody is beside parents every step of the way, supporting them emotionally and practically with issues that arise for their children through nursery, school and university life.
Fluent in sign language, JDA's highly skilled support team provide compassionate care and practical help to individuals, ensuring they receive the information, services and support they need to cope with the challenges of everyday life.
JDA's unique programme of activities and outings for older, Deaf and Deafblind BSL users every Wednesday takes a lot of planning and organisation! Our experienced and friendly staff make sure that everyone's needs are met and that Day Centre is stimulating and fun experience for all.
Our Deaf Community Officer organises an exciting programme of activities and events for the entire Deaf community and a separate programme for independent, active Deaf people over 50.
Our community centre is busy five days a week and our community centre staff create a warm, welcoming environment for all, ensuring that each individual's specific needs are met.
JDA receives no statutory funding and we rely entirely on voluntary donations - making the role of our Fundraising Officer integral to JDA.
Freelance professional interpreters, lip-speakers, "hands on" communicator/guides and personal carers are employed as and when required to ensure equal access for all.
The staff team is complemented by approximately 50 volunteers whose contribution is integral to the work of the charity.


XSS Vulnerability found on Sony PlayStation Store Website at https://store.playstation.com/ ,This Vulnerability is posted by someone on a Forum site. The XSS is working on Firefox Browser, Not applicable for Crome Browser. Here in Screenshot you can see that, The backlink Code behind "Back" button has been modified using XSS attack.
2.) Now Click on the Back Button shown at middle of the page. You will be Redirected to Google.com .
This XSS Vulnerability can be misused By hackers for Phishing or any Cyber Crime Activity. We have Notice that, almost 70% Sony's websites are Vulnerable with various Flaws.
Sony Should Fix it as soon as possible, Before any next hack attack.


use to choose what type of aquarium fish to keep.
ammonia they sell. It's usually pure ammonia - no additives or scents.
Swim bladder or something else?
Where do leaks in glass fishtanks come from?
My Fluval 304 is leaking!
used Fluval 304, let me know.


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(HZ) France Concept Cars
Concept cars for future driving at the Paris Motor Show
Dieter Zetsche
The future of driving may be here sooner than you think - that's the message at the Paris Motor Show where out-of-this world concept cars reveal the plans of vehicle makers in the coming years.
Among the avant-garde designs is a car seat inspired by a spider's web, and a new breed of electric vehicles.
This is French car maker Renault's new Trezor concept car.
It's an all-electric Grand Tourer concept, delivering zero to 62 miles per hour in under four seconds.
Giving clues to Renault's future electric strategy, Trezor's high-output all-electric power train boasts 260 kW or 350 horse power.
And there's no need to worry about doors - the one-piece clam shell roof opens like a lid.
Renault says this two-seater electric coupe embodies its new design philosophy, which may not be too distant from reality.
"The car will be electric, fully electric, that's clearly the destination because that's the only way to come to zero emissions in use and that's something the industry needs to do to comply and to solve the issues of pollution and CO2 questions," says Eric Feunteun from Renault.
"Second, it's going to be very connected. We've seen today we are paving the way, but we have more to come. And of course, autonomous. And all those three concepts, electric, autonomous and connected will clearly be linked together."
Daimler's new Mercedes-Benz Generation EQ concept car may look like a far-flung vision of the future, but its makers say it will soon become a reality.
With the design of a sporty SUV coupe, this EQ concept boasts two electric motors with a range of around 500 kilometres.
The 300 kW output allows acceleration to 100 kilometres an hour in under five seconds. Charging is optimised to give enough battery life for 100 kilometres in just five minutes.
Daimler's Dieter Zetsche says it's this kind of technology which will eventually convince drivers to make the jump from combustion engines to all-electric battery power.
"We will be able - based on the progress in technology - to offer that car with a range of more than 500 kilometres practical use with recharging time of less than half an hour and all of that at an affordable price it will be in the range of a good-equipped GLC of our current product line-up," he says.
"And we are convinced with all the additional features this product includes that we really have now the chance, just on a competitive basis, to convince customers to buy these cars versus the cars with combustion engine drive lines."
French brand Citroen is showing off this new CXperience concept car which reveals its ambitions in the upmarket sector.
The saloon with rear-hinged doors gives extra room in this citrus green interior. It's fitted with a plug-in hybrid engine in a bid to combine both performance and efficiency.
That means in the city it can be switched into all-electric mode with a range of around 60 kilometres. But when on the open road the internal combustion engines takes over to deliver 300 brake horse power performance.
"With this concept we want to show that Citroen is able to shave the codes, to overturn the established codes for instance in terms of design, you see that it's a really unique shape," says Richard Meyer from Citroen.
"What we want is that everybody in the street can say; 'Oh, I can see this vehicle, for sure it's a Citroen."
While most automakers here at the Paris Motor Show are looking under the bonnet and incorporating new battery-powered technology, Lexus - Toyota's luxury division - is looking in the cockpit.
The brand's new UX concept features web-like seating in the front.
It's inspired by this Kinetic Seat concept which works to move kinetically with the occupants weight and external forces, this - Lexus claims - helps stabilise head movement caused by the vehicle's motion.
The spider web-inspired design - like an actual spider web - helps disperse the load and closely fit the body shape, meaning a more comfortable experience for long drives.
"The spider web-like pattern like any other spider web in nature the radial strings are responsible to hold the body weight," explains Carlos Gonzalez from Toyota's vehicle engineering development division.
"The perpendicular loading versus the radial strings the closer loops we have in the net, they are responsible for distributing the pressure but also for transmitting the rotational torque that happens in the upper body by having this swing mechanism that we have in the sub frame."
The majority of concept cars at the Paris Motor Show are closer to reality than this Toyota FCV Plus fuel cell vehicle.
That's because car makers are looking into the not too distant future where emission regulations force their hand into producing more battery-powered and greener designs, says Jim Holder from UK-based motoring magazine 'Autocar'.
"Not all the concept cars are electric,but a lot of them are," he says. "The electric movement really is gathering pace, legislation demands that it does and the car makers are starting to see that customers finally are willing to busy electrified cars, whether that's through a hybrid car that combines traditional power train and electrification or full electric, there is a market there now and it's growing and all the manufacturers have to get in on that and sell these cars in order to meet their emissions targets."
The Paris Motor Show opens to the public 1-16 October.
Paris, France - 29 September 2016
1. Wide of Renault Trezor concept car unveil at the Paris Motor Show
2. Various of Renault Trezor concept car
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Feunteun, Head of electric program, Renault:
"The car will be electric, fully electric, that's clearly the destination because that's the only way to come to zero emissions in use and that's something the industry needs to do to comply and to solve the issues of pollution and CO2 questions. Second, it's going to be very connected. We've seen today we are paving the way, but we have more to come. And of course, autonomous. And all those three concepts, electric, autonomous and connected will clearly be linked together."
4. Various of Mercedes-Benz Generation EQ concept car
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG:
"We will be able - based on the progress in technology - to offer that car with a range of more than 500 kilometres in practical use with recharging time of less than half an hour and all of that at an affordable price which will be in the range of a good-equipped GLC ( car model) of our current product line-up. And we are convinced with all the additional features this product includes that we really have now the chance, just on a competitive basis, to convince customers to buy these cars versus the cars with combustion engine drive lines."
6. Various of Citroen CXperience concept car
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Meyer, Head of Production Planning and Future Products, Citroen:
"With this concept we want to show that Citroen is able to shave the codes, to overturn the established codes, for instance in terms of design, you see that it's a really unique shape. What we want is that everybody in the street can say; 'Oh, I can see this vehicle, for sure it's a Citroen."
8. Various of Lexus UX concept car
9. Various of webbing-style seats inside Lexus UX concept car
10. Various of Lexus Kinetic Seat concept with spider web-style design
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Carlos Gonzalez, Vehicle Engineering Development Division, Toyota:
"The spider web-like pattern like any other spider web in nature, the radial strings are responsible to hold the body weight, the perpendicular loading versus the radial strings. The closer loops that we have in the net, they are responsible for distributing the pressure but also for transmitting the rotational torque that happens in the upper body by having this swing mechanism that we have in the sub frame."
12. Various of Toyota FCV Plus concept car
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Jim Holder, Editorial Director, 'Autocar' Magazine:
"Not all of the concept cars are electric,but a lot of them are. The electric movement really is gathering pace, legislation demands that it does and the car makers are starting to see that customers finally are willing to busy electrified cars, whether that's through a hybrid car that combines traditional power train and electrification or full electric, there is a market there now and it's growing and all the manufacturers have to get in on that and sell these cars in order to meet their emissions targets."
14. Various of Mitsubishi GT-PHEV concept car
15. Wide of Paris Motor Show floor
Electric vehicles , Hybrid vehicles , Automotive technology , Automobile manufacturing , Automobile design , Vehicle emissions standards , Car buying , Automotive industry regulation , Industry conferences and trade shows , Pollution laws and regulations , Pollution , Technology , Emissions laws and regulations , Green vehicle technology , Green technology , Environment , Environment and nature , Green technology , Industrial technology , Consumer product manufacturing , Consumer products and services , Business , Automobiles , Lifestyle , Industry regulation , Government business and finance , Government business and finance , Government and politics , Industry regulation , Government regulations , Vehicle emissions standards , Environmental laws and regulations , Environmental laws and regulations , Pollution laws and regulations , Environmental concerns , Emissions laws and regulations , Air pollution , Air quality , Air pollution , Corporate news
Paris , Île-de-France , France
983b334eed3e03ad5df0bd3f1546b2fb
The future of concept cars at the Paris Motor Show
e44b3e996be029b3c7f17c0fefb61c98
MEEX FRA COP21 Solutions
Novel ideas to fight climate change in the 'Solutions Gallery'
LEAD IN
Middle Eastern and North African countries have been doing their bit at on the fringes of the COP 21 negotiations in Paris.
The 'Solutions Gallery' aims to showcase the latest innovative ways to reduce carbon emissions from across the globe.
STORY-LINE
It looks like a very ordinary white car.
But it promises something very different.
From its boot, the car captures CO2 emissions and stores it.
It's been devised by Saudi Aramco, the Kingdom's state-owned oil company.
The product is on show as part of the 'Solution's Gallery' on the sidelines of COP 21 currently taking place in Paris.
Here companies, industries and countries are showing off their innovative green ideas and credentials.
Project Manager at Saudi Aramco, Hashim Mohammed Al-Sada, explains the process behind the carbon-reducing car.
"This is a conventional vehicle. Cars usually you have a combustion engine, where your fuel is being combusted to produce a mechanical energy. That lets the car move."
"Basically what we did, we added a system that will capture the CO2 from the exhaust gas. This system is consisted of three components, CO2 capture - where we are using solvents to capture the CO2 - and compression and storage systems to compress the CO2 and store it on board of the vehicle," he says.
This system is able to capture 30 per cent of the CO2 emitted by a car no matter how long it has been on the road.
But Al-Sada hopes to improve on that number in the future.
"The idea that we are working on is to convert the CO2 into fuel additives as well, so you may use it within the station. So if you convert it into for example ethanol, or alcohol, or oxygenate fuels then you can use it for, within the station, to upgrade your petrol at the station - or your diesel."
The company believes their prototype could be a good alternative to electric cars and hope to be selling soon.
Qatar's stand is showcasing the government-run Tarsheed company.
It distributes electricity and water to the country.
And it's now coming up with ways to reduce energy consumption.
"We have four sections. Each section has a way to make the conservation," explains engineer Fahad Al-Muhaish.
"The first of them is awareness, we are publishing and make speeches about Tarsheed and the conservations and the second one is legal section, they (government of Qatar) give funds for some actions - like for example if someone turn the light, the outdoor light, on on the day time."
"The third section is the technology, Tarsheed. Technology, the conservation technology is to change the LED bulb with the halogen or the normal and the fluorescent also is good. This is one of the things they do. The third thing is renewable energy, we are trying now to set up solar energy and wind energy."
They have several ongoing projects including the opening of a centre to educate about energy conservationism.
Al-Muhaish says they have given themselves five years to reach their targets.
"We try to reduce our consumption of electricity and water. And we have a number which is in 2017, we started from 2012, so in those five years we want to reduce the water (consumption) 35 per cent. And electricity (consumption) 20 per cent."
"Until 2014, which is two years (after the beginning), thank God, we have (reduced) 11 per cent of energy, and 11 per cent of water consumption, so we are on our right way."
Morocco is also experimenting with different ways to become more energy efficient.
Nezha Larhrissi, Morocco's Minister of Energy is at the summit.
"Today we have the collective energy at a national level to come up with a structure for waste management, starting with collecting, sorting and providing the adequate social conditions for street recycle-persons who do a very important job regarding the environment and that too, is something that we're presenting here."
"It shows the Environment ministry has put in place a closed circuit from the manufacturers that create a product through to the manufacturers who recycle these products."
The country has set itself ambitious targets.
"Our ambition with this amazing renewable energy project - not only solar but also wind and hydraulic power - is to reach a self-sufficiency level of 42 per cent by 2020 and get ready to export that energy," says Larhrissi.
Morocco will host COP22 next year.
Le Bourget, France - 4 December 2015
1. Pan from Saudi Arabia stand to car in Solutions Gallery at COP21
2. Close-up on car engine on display
3. Mid of car with a screen showing truck collecting the CO2
4. Wide of CO2 emissions kit in boot of car
5. Close-up of the emissions kit
6. Wide of Toyota car
7. Set-up shot of Hashim Mohammed Al-Sada with car
8. SOUNDBITE (English), Hashim Mohammed Al-Sada, Projects Manager, Saudi Aramco:
"This is a conventional vehicle. Cars usually have a combustion engine, where your fuel is being combusted to produce a mechanical energy. That lets the car move. Basically what we did, we added a system that will capture the CO2 from the exhaust gas. The system is consists of three components, CO2 capture - where we are using solvents to capture the CO2 - and compression and storage system to compress the CO2 and store it on board the vehicle."
9. Cutaway of Al-Sada's eyes
10. Cutaway to car and engine
11. SOUNDBITE (English), Hashim Mohammed Al-Sada, Projects Manager, Saudi Aramco:
12. Tilt-down from people to model of the station
13. Close-up on the factory where the CO2 will be converted
14. Pan of exhibition hall
15. Various of people
16. Pan from woman to the Qatar booth
17. Pan of pictures of Qatar's landscapes
18. Wide of Engineer Fahad Al-Muhaish talking
19. Close-up on Al-Muhaish talking
20. SOUNDBITE (English), Fahad Al-Muhaish, Engineer with Tarsheed:
"We have four sections. Each section has a way to make the conservation. The first of them is awareness, we are publishing and make speeches about Tarsheed and the conservations and the second one is legal section, they (government of Qatar) give funds for some actions - like for example if someone turn the light, the outdoor light, on on the day time. The third section is the technology, Tarsheed. Technology, the conservation technology is to change the LED bulb with the halogen or the normal and the fluorescent also is good. This is one of the things they do. The third thing is renewable energy, we are trying now to set up solar energy and wind energy."
21. Cutaway of Al-Muhaish's eyes
22. Cutaway on the wall written - Reduction of 1043m
"We try to reduce our consumption of electricity and water. And we have a number which is in 2017, we started from 2012, so in those five years we want to reduce the water (consumption) 35 per cent. And electricity (consumption) 20 per cent. Until 2014, which is two years (after the beginning), thank God, we have (reduced) 11 per cent of energy, and 11 per cent of water consumption, so we are on our right way."
24. Various of women sitting at the Qatar booth
25. Pan from the Morocco Solutions stand to exhibition floor
26. Mid of Moroccan booth with visitors
27. Close-up on a screen dedicated to agriculture
28. Various of Nezha Larhrissi, Advisor to the Minister in charge of Environment-Kingdom of Morocco
29. SOUNDBITE (French), Nezha Larhrissi, Advisor to the Minister in charge of Environment-Kingdom of Morocco:
"Today we have the collective energy at a national level to come up with a structure for waste management, starting with collecting, sorting and providing the adequate social conditions for street recycle-persons who do a very important job regarding the environment and that too, is something that we're presenting here. It shows the Environment ministry has put in place a closed circuit from the manufacturers that create a product through to the manufacturers who recycle these products."
30. Various cutaways of Larhissi
31. SOUNDBITE (French), Nezha Larhissi, Advisor to the Minister in charge of Environment-Kingdom of Morocco:
"Our ambition with this amazing renewable energy project - not only solar but also wind and hydraulic power - is to reach a self-sufficiency level of 42 per cent by 2020 and get ready to export that energy."
32. Mid of people walking on the main path of COP 21
33. Various of red model of The Eiffel Tower
Government and politics , Solar power , Energy industry , Alternative and sustainable energy , Wind power , Ethanol fuel , Energy and fuel technology , Air pollution , Energy and the environment , Environment and nature , Environment , Waste management , Technology , Climate change , Environmental concerns , Recycling , Industries , Business , Biofuels , Alternative fuels , Industrial technology , Air quality , Air pollution , Pollution , Climate change , Climate , Eco-friendly practices , Recycling
Qatar government
Le Bourget , Île-de-France , France


text:
import argparse
import networkx as nx
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

from engine.graphFromFile 	import *
from engine.stat			import *
from engine.lpAsynchCom		import *
from engine.test			import *
from engine.save			import *
from engine.modularity		import *
from engine.draw			import *

def main():
    """
	This function will only parse the arguments to get it started :)
    """
    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
    parser.add_argument("-f", "--fileIn" ,help="Name of the file containing the graph", required=True)
    parser.add_argument("-o", "--fileOut",help="Name of the output file", required=True)
    parser.add_argument("-d", "--draw"   ,help="Draw the communities", required=False, type=bool)
    args = parser.parse_args()

    G = graphFromFile(args.fileIn)
    #G=nx.karate_club_graph()
    #getStat(G)
    results = detectComm(G)

    modu = modularity(results, G)
    nbCom = len(Counter(results.values()))

    print " - Number of community:", nbCom
    print " - Modularity of commu:", modu

	#drawing
    if (args.draw == True):
        draw(G, results)

    # Now we will need to save the output communities within the specified output file :)
    if saveCom(args.fileOut, results, nbCom, modu):
	print " ********************************************************************* "
	print " \t Communities detected ! "
	print " ********************************************************************* "
    #print list(asyn_lpa_communities(G))
if __name__ == '__main__':
    print " ********************************************************************* "
    print " \t\t\t NSD PROJECT "
    print "  Developped by :\n"
    print "  - HAMMOUTENE ANIS"
    print "  - SAIDI TARIK\n"
    print " ********************************************************************* "
    main()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Take a random n number array of elements and insert them in a specified element I have a list of books that are embedded frame elements. I'm wanting to return three of those books and insert them into a div I've already defined. I'm trying to utilize the shuffle method, but something isn't going right as I can't get the elements to display or randomize.
The code below is the example I'm trying to work with.
Javascript
   function randomBooks(arr, count) {

   var arr = [ // list of books
   '',
   '',
   '',
   '',
   '',
   ''

   ];

   var insertDiv = document.getElementsByClassName("bookFrame"); // Div I want elements inserted

   var shuffled = arr.slice(0), i = arr.length, min = i - count, temp, index;
   while (i-- > min) {
       index = Math.floor((i + 1) * Math.random());
       temp = shuffled[index];
       shuffled[index] = shuffled[i];
       shuffled[i] = temp;
   }

   var returnedValue= shuffled.slice(min, 3);
   insertDiv.innerHTML(returnedValue); // inject 3 random book elements

   alert( randomBooks(arr, 3)); // Checking

   };

HTML

A: There are multiple errors in this code.
First, the alert( randomBooks(arr, 3)); // Checking appears to be inside the function randomBooks itself, so clearly it will never be called..
Secondly, you can't do insertDiv.innerHTML(returnedValue); as 'innerHTML' is a string, not a function. And the return value of getElementsByClassName is a list and not a single element, so it should have been something like:
insertDiv[0].innerHTML = returnedValue;

There might be more errors, it looks like this code never really ran, so I suggest you start executing it and see how it goes first.
Just a tip: for testing purposes, instead of adding random calls and alerts to the code you could use the developer console (in chrome its F12, go to the console tab and just call randomBooks() from there to see what it returns).

A: Things might not have been working for a few reasons.  There were a bunch of little errors in the code.
Your randomBooks() method accepts an argument arr, but you then overwrote it with your own.  I think you might have wanted to pass in the array of books into your randomizer so I did that in my example.
Secondly, getElementsByClassName() returns an array.  You might want to take the first element of it or switch to querySelector() if you know that you want the first of selector found.
Finally, el.innerHTML is directly assigned to.  You have used it more like how jQuery's $el.html() method works.

function addBooks(target, bookIds, count) {
  // -----------------------------
  // A classic array shuffler (inplace).
  // -----------------------------
  function shuffleArray(array) {
    for (var i = array.length - 1; i > 0; i--) {
      var j = Math.floor(Math.random() * (i + 1));
      var temp = array[i];
      array[i] = array[j];
      array[j] = temp;
    }
    return array;
  }
  // -----------------------------

  // -----------------------------
  // Get 3 random books.
  // -----------------------------
  shuffleArray(bookIds);
  var selected = bookIds.slice(0, 3);
  // -----------------------------

  // -----------------------------
  // Construct some HTML for the 3 books.
  // -----------------------------
  var html = selected.map(function(bookId){
    var retval = '';
    return retval;
  });
  // -----------------------------

  // -----------------------------
  // inject 3 random book elements
  // -----------------------------
  document.querySelector(target).innerHTML = html;
  // -----------------------------
};

var bookIds = [
  'B00ARFNQ54',
  'B00AFH1TBC',
  'B005GSYZRA',
  'B00ARFNQ54',
  'B00AFH1TBC',
  'B005GSYZRA'
];

addBooks(".bookFrame", bookIds, 3);
iframe { width: 150px; height: 200px; max-width:100%; }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Default ordering for m2m items by intermediate model field in Django I have an unusual problem. Let's consider such models (taken from django docs):
class Person(models.Model):
    name = models.CharField(max_length=128)

    def __unicode__(self):
        return self.name

class Group(models.Model):
    name = models.CharField(max_length=128)
    members = models.ManyToManyField(Person, through='Membership')

    def __unicode__(self):
        return self.name

class Membership(models.Model):
    person = models.ForeignKey(Person)
    group = models.ForeignKey(Group)
    date_joined = models.DateField()
    invite_reason = models.CharField(max_length=64)

Now, let's say we've got 2 Beatles members in out Beatles band (following the example in django docs for intermediate models):
>>> beatles.members.all()
[<Person: Ringo Starr>, <Person: Paul McCartney>]

The above code will return members sorted by default ordering for Person model. If I specify:
>>> beatles.members.all().order_by('membership__date_joined')

the members, are sorted via the date joined. Can I somehow set this as default behavior for this ManyToMany field? That is to set default order of related items by field in the intermediate model? The ManyRelatedManager seems to have an init argument core_filters, but I have no vague idea how to access it withous subclassing the whole m2m field in django. Any creative ideas? :)
Thanks in advance :)
I've opened a ticket in django trac.

A: Here is a dirty-hack method to achieve this (look at Group model):
class Person(models.Model):
    name = models.CharField(max_length=128)

    def __unicode__(self):
        return self.name

class Group(models.Model):
    name = models.CharField(max_length=128)
    _members = models.ManyToManyField(Person, through='Membership')
    @property
    def members(self):
        return self._members.order_by('membership__date_joined')

    def __unicode__(self):
        return self.name

class Membership(models.Model):
    person = models.ForeignKey(Person)
    group = models.ForeignKey(Group)
    date_joined = models.DateField()
    invite_reason = models.CharField(max_length=64)

Didn't bother to create a set property decorator, but it should be quite easy to mimic the setting of original field. Ugly workaround, but seems to do the trick.

A: I think this should work:
class Membership(models.Model):
    ...

    class Meta:
        ordering = ['date_joined']


text:
Q: Issue with train.next_batch in Tensorflow I am currently facing an issue with the next_batch function. When I try to implement it with the code I have below, I get this error.
AttributeError: 'str' object has no attribute 'nextBatch'

I am suspecting that the issue is stemming from the next_batch function. I have tried to create my own implementation of the function from the tensorflow example. I have based my code for this Logistic Regression model on the example below.
https://github.com/aymericdamien/TensorFlow-Examples/blob/master/examples/2_BasicModels/logistic_regression.py
I have based the code for the next_batch function on a previous StackOverflow post.
how to implement tensorflow's next_batch for own data
Thanks for the help in advance.
from __future__ import print_function
import tensorflow as tf
import os as os

from LogRegModel import csvToTrainTF, csvtoTestTF

dir_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
filename1 = dir_path + "/TrainData2.csv"
filename2 = dir_path + "/TestData2.csv"

filenameTrain = 'TrainData2.tfrecords'
filenameTest = 'TestData2.tfrecords'

trainData = csvToTrainTF(filename1, filenameTrain)
testData = csvtoTestTF(filename2, filenameTest)

learning_rate = 0.01
training_epochs = 20
batch_size = 32
display_step = 1

x = tf.placeholder(tf.float32, [None, 9])
y = tf.placeholder(tf.float32, [None, 2])

W = tf.Variable(tf.zeros([9,2]))
b = tf.Variable(tf.zeros([2]))

pred = tf.nn.softmax(tf.matmul(x,W) + b)

cost = tf.reduce_mean(-tf.reduce_sum(y*tf.log(pred), reduction_indices = 1))

optimizer = tf.train.GradientDescentOptimizer(learning_rate).minimize(cost)

init = tf.global_variables_initializer()

with tf.Session() as sess:

    sess.run(init)

    start = 0

    for epoch in range(training_epochs):
        avg_cost = 0.
        total_batch = int(992/batch_size)

        for i in range(total_batch):
            batch_xs, batch_ys = trainData.nextBatch(batch_size) # Error is occurring in the train.next_batch call? Could you please tell me how to write out the function?
            _, c = sess.run([optimizer, cost], feed_dict={x: batch_xs, y: batch_ys})

            avg_cost += c/total_batch

            if (epoch+1) % display_step == 0:
                print("Epoch:", '%40d' % (epoch+1), "cost=", "{:.9f}".format(avg_cost))

    print("Optimization Finished")

    # Test model
    correct_prediction = tf.equal(tf.argmax(pred, 1), tf.argmax(y, 1))
    # Calculate accuracy
    #I am not sure if this is the correct way to print out the accuracy. Could you please check this?
    accuracy = tf.reduce_mean(tf.cast(correct_prediction, tf.float32))
    print("Accuracy:", accuracy.eval({x: trainData[0:9], y: trainData[10]}))

Above is the code for the main function
Below is code for next_batch
def next_batch(self,batch_size,shuffle = True):
    start = self._index_in_epoch
    if start == 0 and self._epochs_completed == 0:
        idx = np.arange(0, self._num_examples)  # get all possible indexes
        np.random.shuffle(idx)  # shuffle indexe
        self._data = self.data[idx]  # get list of `num` random samples

    # go to the next batch
    if start + batch_size > self._num_examples:
        self._epochs_completed += 1
        rest_num_examples = self._num_examples - start
        data_rest_part = self.data[start:self._num_examples]
        idx0 = np.arange(0, self._num_examples)  # get all possible indexes
        np.random.shuffle(idx0)  # shuffle indexes
        self._data = self.data[idx0]  # get list of `num` random samples

        start = 0
        self._index_in_epoch = batch_size - rest_num_examples #avoid the case where the #sample != integar times of batch_size
        end =  self._index_in_epoch
        data_new_part =  self._data[start:end]
        return np.concatenate((data_rest_part, data_new_part), axis=0)
    else:
        self._index_in_epoch += batch_size
        end = self._index_in_epoch
        return self._data[start:end]


The company is trying to regain ground lost to rivals Google and Microsoft during the past few years.
Chicago – Apple is adding the ability to use a digital pencil to draw and write on its cheapest iPad model in an attempt to make the tablet more compelling for creating, teaching and learning.
Apple's pencil previously worked only on its more expensive iPad Pro line.
The company unveiled its latest iPad Tuesday in a Chicago high school to signal a renewed emphasis on education. Apple's products have been losing ground in U.S. classrooms to Google and Microsoft during the past few years.
Besides the new iPad, Apple is rolling out a new educational app called Schoolwork to help teachers make assignments and monitor their students' progress.


text:
Headmaster's Bulletin 13th September 2019
Another busy but successful week at the school is coming to an end following a series of important events, including the Year 12 'Meet the Tutor Evening' and the Y11 Geography Field Trip to Swanage.
At the beginning of the week the school received the fantastic news that multi-national and hugely successful packaging firm DS Smith have agreed to award the school £10,000 from their Charitable Foundation to support NSB in developing a highly efficient circular economy. DS Smith are world renowned for their work in this area and their expertise and financial input will help transform the efficiency of our approach to supporting the environment at NSB. More details of the project will be delivered in a forthcoming press release.
On the back of such an enjoyable week, I wore a broad smile this morning when I read part of a press report sent through to me by Mr Bryant regarding the Northampton Saints rugby fixture at Franklin Gardens last night:
`Northampton 26 – 34 Leinster: Saints' second-half comeback falls just short
'Connor Tupai took advantage of a Leinster knock-on and surged up the middle, with Ollie Sleightholme then sending a grubber-kick through for Tom Collins to touch down.
James Grayson's subsequent conversion from the touchline was beautifully hit, securing another two points.'
For those of you who are avid rugby followers you will probably have realised by now that all four of the players mentioned are recent NSB students! The school has strengthened its partnership with the Saints still further this year and I anticipate many more NSB students will run out for the club professionally in the future.
The Y7 students are to be congratulated on both their start at the school and on the tremendous enthusiasm that they have displayed towards the extra-curricular life of NSB. As an example, the number of students participating at the wide ranging sports trials this week has been quite staggering and I know that this level of involvement has also been replicated in the Expressive Arts.
I would also like to take the opportunity in this bulletin to congratulate Michael Ellis, MP for Northampton North on his additional promotion to Solicitor General for England and Wales. Michael has given the school fantastic support in recent years, notably in his previous role of Minister for the Arts, and the school wishes him well in his new post.
The annual Headmaster's letter to parents has been slightly delayed and will now be released at the beginning of next week.


text:
Demystifying the Life and Death of Andy Irons
Business & Media
Tetsuhiko Endo
The Inertia Senior Contributor
In life, Irons' rock star combination of savant surfing and personal brashness polarized the surf community like few others, so it's grimly fitting that his death should do the same. Photos: ASP/Robbo/Rowland
On Friday, June 10th the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's office released the toxicology report for Philip Andrew "Andy" Irons. It states that his primary cause of death was a sudden cardiac arrest associated with coronary artery disease with a 70-80% stenosis (abnormal narrowing) of one of his arteries. It further states that his secondary cause of death was "acute mixed drug ingestion." According to the report, the following drugs were found either on his person or in his system: Alprazolam, (Xanax) Zolpidem, (Ambien), cannabinoids (marijuana) naproxen (anti-inflammatory), cocaethylene (a chemical produced in the body when cocaine and alcohol are mixed that's linked to causing heart attacks in people under forty), methamphetamine, methadone, and cocaine. The report includes a lengthy "comments" section explaining how cocaine and methadone can impede the work of the heart – thereby making their presence in Irons' body "significant." It concludes with the following: "the primary and underlying cause of death is ischemic heart disease due to coronary artery pathology (heart disease). Drugs however, particularly, methadone and cocaine, are other significant conditions contributing to death but not resulting in the underlying cause."
Some, like Dr. Vincent Di Maio, an award-winning forensic expert and media stalwart hired by the Irons family, believe that drugs did not contribute to Irons' death. Others, like the numerous doctors anecdotally consulted for this piece, side with the Medical examiners in Tarrant County citing the myriad and well-documented ways that prolonged drug use can debilitate the heart. In life, Irons' rock star combination of savant surfing and personal brashness polarized the surfing community like few other public figures, so it is grimly fitting that his death should do the same.
The premature death of a famous and monetarily influential person is always a tragedy, but never just a tragedy. It is many things to many people: a PR nightmare, the scoop of a lifetime, an inconvenience for a tour that seeks legitimacy, the instant canonization of his legend, a damning comment on celebrity culture, a cautionary tale, the tragic loss of a father, brother, husband and son, an ode to self destruction, an episode better left forgotten, an opportunity to change.
What makes Irons unique is not that he self destructed; it's that he did so in full view of his sponsors, the media, and his fans – while he was still one of the best surfers in the world. His story presents an interesting study in the way the surfing world, and action sports cultures in general, function as they mature into full-blown consumer industries.
Perhaps the most telling aspect of the way Irons' death has been officially handled is the pregnant silence and, in some cases, apparent misdirection that has come from those in a position to clarify incongruous facts and events surrounding his death. A Billabong Executive declined to comment on the record for this story, and the day Irons was discovered dead in a Texas hotel room, Billabong's Director of Media (who may have been acting independently on behalf of the family – it was unclear at time of reporting) distributed the following press release, titled "3-Time World Champ Andy Irons Dead From Deng (sic) Fever" to journalists involved in the surf world:
HONOLULU – (November 2, 2010) — The world of surfing mourns an incredibly sad loss today with the news that Hawaii's Andy Irons has died. Andy was a beloved husband, and a true champion. Irons, 32, withdrew from a professional surfing event in Puerto Rico last weekend due to illness and passed away during a layover en-route to his home in Kauai, Hawaii. He had reportedly been battling with dengue fever, a viral disease. At this time the family thanks his friends and fans for their support, and asks that the community respect its privacy. The family also asks to not be contacted so their focus can remain on one another during this time of profound loss.
Media outlets diffused the Dengue fever hypothesis until Brad Melekian published his now-famous article in Outside Magazine stating that Irons was apparently well enough to stop in Miami and party with friends. The toxicology report rules out Dengue entirely. It is still unclear who, if anyone, diagnosed Irons in Puerto Rico. Billabong Media representatives have not responded to repeated interview requests, and in December ASP officials refused to pass along contact details for the medical staff that allegedly diagnosed the disease.
A few weeks before the toxicology report was released to the media, I interviewed ex-pro surfer Christian Fletcher whose career, like Irons' was marked by equal parts brilliance and self-destruction. His take is unequivocal: "Let's say it comes out that he did have this drug or that drug in his system. If that is the case, they really did try to do a big cover up," he says.
He then pauses and asks rhetorically: "What the fuck were they lying for? You can create a positive from such a shitty thing happening. If you have a problem like that and you came out and released a statement about it, there wouldn't have to be people like you calling people like me to get dirt on the situation."


Your credit card interest rate directly influences the cost of carrying a balance on your credit card. You can start with a low interest rate on your credit card, but your rate may not always stay the same for the life of your credit card. Your credit card issuer can increase your interest rate in certain circumstances, but they don't always have to notify you in advance.
There are a few situations where a credit card issuer is required to send advance notice of an interest rate increase.
Banks must send an interest rate increase notice at least 45 days in advance of the increase. This is a requirement of the Truth in Lending Act, a Federal law that protects consumers against lenders.
You don't have to accept the higher interest rate. During this 45-day period, you'll have the opportunity to opt-out of the interest rate increase if you would rather pay off your balance with the current interest rate. Opting-out will allow you to pay off your balance at the existing interest rate. However, if you choose to opt-out, the creditor may close your account.
If you don't respond to the interest rate increase notification at all, the credit card issuer can apply the new interest rate to any new purchases made beginning 14 days after the notification was sent.
Credit card issuers don't always have to send an interest rate increase notice before increasing your rate.
If the rate increase is due to a delinquency or default, the creditor doesn't have to warn you of a rate increase. Typically, these penalty increases are outlined in the fine print of your credit card agreement. For example, if you are at least 60 days late on your credit card payment, your card issuer could increase your interest rate without sending an interest rate increase notice or giving you a chance to opt-out.
The credit card issuer also doesn't have to give you notification if your interest rate increased because a promotional rate expired.
Most credit cards these days have a variable interest rate that's tied to an underlying rate, like the prime rate or LIBOR. If that underlying interest rate increases, your credit card APR may also increase. Your credit card issuer doesn't have to send advance notice before raising your rate in this circumstance; your credit card agreement will outline which rate your APR is tied to and how it responds to changes in the index rate.
Contact your credit card issuer about an unexplained increase in your interest rate. They'll be able to explain why your interest rate was increased. If the rate increase was an error, you may be able to have your old interest rate reinstated.
You can submit a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau if you believe your credit card interest rate was increased in error or the credit card issuer raised your rate without giving proper notice.


I detest clutter. It feels bad, almost suffocating. Tangible or intangible, it's all the same to me, space clutter and mind clutter. One leads to the other and a fog sets in that traps precious energy, stalling progress, making forward motion feel like walking through quicksand.
In order to write freely, I need to clear away distractions as much as possible. It takes conscious effort to maintain clarity of space and freedom of mind, and it's a quest I feel is worthy of writing about. I especially notice how simplifying my environment improves my writing, as if the space in my home invites the muse to come in and move my pen across the page with ease. My mind is open to inspiration, words sweeping through me, uninhibited by too much stuff.
Creativity comes through the empty spaces, the open heart, the uncluttered mind and room. It is in this space that we can get creatively messy.
My three daughters grew up going through their clothing every season, passing down whatever no longer fit. They did it all together and it was a fun time for them, a chore that felt like play. We also made a game out of going through toys, handing them a bag for goodwill and asking them to "find ten things they don't play with anymore." Simplifying was a way of life, a joyful way to make room for something new, not necessarily in the material realm.
I get excited for anyone who tells me they're cleaning out their garage or a closet. I know what it will do to their mind, how the clearing out will invite the flow of something good, something nourishing that finds the opening and begins to trickle in. Call it an obsession or a passion, but I'm harnessing it and letting it manifest into these words, from me to you.
To dive into the stillness, the emptiness, and poke around, is to invite the extraordinary. In the void, we stand a chance of churning out something new. Maybe it won't happen that moment or that day, but eventually it will burst through as an idea, a creative urge, or the solution to a problem, fresh and stunning.
Clutter free is my goal but I am definitely a work-in-progress :-) Thanks for the encouragement!
You're welcome. It can take time if it's not second nature to you, but I promise the rewards will be worth it!


Mark D. Johns, 51, of 695 N. Troy Road, was charged Tuesday with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and cited for driving under suspension.
He was stopped around 10:25 p.m. after witnesses reported an erratic tow truck driver who was driving left of center on Main Street near Auburn Avenue.
He was stopped on Auburn Avenue near Elm Street. Upon contact with Johns, officers of the Bellefontaine Police Department detected an odor of alcohol when he told them he was looking for "208 S. Auburn." Officers asked him to clarify as Auburn runs east/west, not north/south. He returned to his truck to retrieve paperwork and stumbled on his way.
He declined to take field sobriety tests or submit a breathalyzer sample.


Because I got enough to spare.
'Cause you haven't got a prayer.
I'm gonna come on sing the praise.
We got innocence for days!
Everybody burn the house right down.
Take this to my grave.
Kick me like a stray.
like you never gave a care.
It's a compliment, I swear.
'Cause they're never gonna leave you alone!
'Cause they're never gonna find you a home!
You see me creepin' up these halls.
Tell me I'm a bad, bad, bad, bad man.
My Chemical Romance - Dead!


The work of independent inspectorates is rigorously monitored by Ofsted on behalf of the Department for Education. This results in an annual letter from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector to the Secretary of State for Education.
(1) The Chief Inspector [of Ofsted] must, at intervals of no more than a year, prepare and send to the Secretary of State a report about independent inspectorates.
(2) In preparing a report under this section the Chief Inspector must have regard to such matters as the Secretary of State may direct.
(b) the form and contents of a report.
The annual monitoring letters are available here.


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Moderates in the Conflict Ridden Cameroons to Come to Terms with Reality
Posted by TheObjectif | Sep 28, 2019 | Perspectives | 0 |
Watching Southern Cameroonians like the Nick Ngwanyams, Munzus, the Ni Johns, Akere Munas, the Tumis, Agbor Nkonghos – Kah Wallas, Kamtos and several others in the East Cameroons smartly articulate and fight for the benefits of a federation or a confederation, one can not help but admire their tenacity.
These are some of the best, most honorable, venerated people in their field of expertise, who still believe against all odds that the merger between the Southern and East Cameroons could still be salvaged. Salvaged to bring an end to the conflict that has ravaged the Southern Cameroons into ruins.
In one week, the national dialogue in the Cameroons would be over. Perhaps their dreams of the Cameroons becoming a two state federation, a great country, with students striving to go to the moon will be realized.
If the build up to the national dialogue is anything to go by, they are about to come to stark contrast with reality. No dictatorship survives in a federation. That zero survival is at the core of a federation.
The fundamental question to ask is really simple. Does the dictatorial regime of Paul Biya want to survive? If the answer is yes, you know a federation is just wishful. That is the whole reason the federal status of the Southern Cameroons was unconstitutionally abolished in the first place with the stroke of a pen.
After these many years of perseverance, navigating the tides, going even against their own people to push for a federation, will the federalists now say at least they tried and have to now push for the next obvious option? Or will they cower and hope for another national dialogue?
Federalists are seeking constitutional changes in a dictatorship, but do not have the enthusiastic masses to beat the pavements and demand it. Their foundational position has been that the separatists are radicals, war is horrible, we are the next best option between separation and decentralization.
Obviously, any reasonable and rational group of people will find that easy to adopt. The people want peace, they will jump at a chance to freedom, it will build enthusiasm, good will and everyone wins.
Apparently, these folks are yet to be introduced to the French idea of zero-sum game when it comes to colonization. One party wins what the other side loses.
Some have called the federalists naive, sellouts, compromised. Compromised seems to be a big number in Ambazonian circles. It is the word lobbed at individuals who are not seen adequately as restorationists or separatists.
To a seasoned dictator like Paul Biya, there is little difference between the federalists and the separatists. Federalists are only a tool for him to quash the separatists. To Biya, the federalists want to strip him of his power and the separatists want to strip him of a territory. So, the greedy dictator sees both as enemies to be crushed.
Mr. Biya's call for a national dialogue was very specific. It was about improving his version of decentralization and nothing more. His prime minister Dion Ngute is charged with creating a commission to implement decentralization.
Biya's governors in the labelled North West and South West provinces after their visits with the prime minister re-emphasized the position of the government to the media. The appointed governors who both hail from East Cameroon indicated they were speaking on behalf of the people of the Southern Cameroons. They said they had come to express that the wish of the Southern Cameroonians is decentralization. That wish will be examined in Ngute's commissions.
For experienced bureaucrats, if you want to kill an idea, you create a commission for it. Then you frustrate the commission with countless meetings, resolutions and finally pull the plug on the budget on the premise that the commission spent too much money. Blame the commission for the failure and create a new one. If the idea ever comes out, it is broken and disfigured.
Ambazonians say the future of the Southern Cameroons is not something for commissions anymore. Previous independent commissions had already developed tangible and credible proposals before. They say it is past the time for new commissions.
The separatists are far from excited about the national dialogue and with good reason. A significant percentage of the people invited to the dialogue have very little interest in the conflict. They have no sway as to the direction of the conflict. These by all accounts are outsiders.
Even the now unelected members of parliament in the Cameroons will be part of the dialogue. One would have imagined that as representatives of a deliberative body, they would have called for discussions and even drawn up their own resolutions as to the way forward. That has never happened in the 3 years of war.
These old members of parliament are more scared of the dictatorial regime than the teenage boys and girls fighting for a free state. Reason why they have remained silent as the conflict has claimed the lives of thousands of their fellow citizens and sent hundreds of thousands to seek refuge in dense forests. They lack even the courage to visit the regions and see the devastation firsthand.
As for the moderates and federalists, many separatists are waiting to sound the trumpet on "I told you so" after the national dialogue. Naivety is what will define the federalists if they fail to get the most moderate position in the Ambazonian war of independence; a two state federation that recognizes the original sovereignty of the Southern Cameroons.
The moderates and federalists will only have themselves to blame. They represent little to no interest group. Apparently, they have had honest intellectual and rational debates with themselves about what they think is good for society. They don't just have anyone willing to buy them, there doesn't seem to be a marketplace for their great ideas. Time will tell if they were far ahead of their generation or were too slow to catch up.
Ambazonians claim the Biya dialogue is a pep rally for the regime to sell the federalists on an even worse option, a watered-down federation called Decentralized Autonomous Regions. Most likely to be headed by elected officials and in another year these officials will be subject to appointed super officials.
Southern Cameroonians have learnt this lesson the hard way. When opposition parties won mayoral positions before, government delegates or super mayors were appointed by and answerable to the president only. That dealt a terrible blow to the local mayors.
Every local success was attributed to government delegates and of course to the president. Government bureaucratic failures were the responsibility of the mayors. And, in the next election cycle, the mayors were all kicked out in favor of staunch dictatorship supporters. Welcome to the French zero-sum game.
Perhaps it is time for the moderates to stop dreaming and start acting. Mr. Biya might have had a childhood dream of taking the Cameroons to the moon, but even at 86, a sound individual would know it is time to put the interest of your people first, at least for once.
Anglophone Cameroonians Reckon with the Reality of War
After 1 year of engaging the Cameroonian military, Anglophone Cameroonians with the Free Ambazonia movement…
PreviousIn Cameroon's National Dialogue, Religion Takes Centre Stage
NextEast Cameroon's Dialogue Yet to Recognize the Sovereignty of the Southern Cameroons
Paul Biya's Call for a National Dialogue Is Just Another Ruse To Do Nothing
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East Cameroon's Dialogue Yet to Recognize the Sovereignty of the Southern Cameroons
In Cameroon's National Dialogue, Religion Takes Centre Stage


A Georgia police department issued a warning to residents after they found a stun gun concealed as a cigarette pack during a traffic stop. The Kennesaw Police Department took to Facebook to share a clip of the stun gun. In the video, an officer can be seen pressing the button of what appears to be a pack of Newport cigarettes, announcing it puts out a strong shock.
The department explained the circumstances that led to finding the stun gun in another post. This item was found in a vehicle during a traffic stop. While the officer was talking to the driver outside of the car, the driver frequently asked to have a smoke which was located inside the vehicle. The answer was no. The only "smokes" found was the item in the video. You would be amazed by the type of weapons that have been made to look like "normal items".
So, forgive us when we seem to act "too rigid" and "mean" when we say no to your request to "smoke" or "make a phone call" with your phone, etc… We're just trying to make it home at the end of our shifts like everyone else out here.
Stay safe, everyone- its another beautiful day in Kennesaw!
The post soon went viral, with many expressing outrage over the fact that someone would threaten police officers with a weapon like a stun gun that's so stealthily disguised.
Some felt the overall political climate had led to pressures between police and citizens.
Our police go out of their way everyday to ensure our safety and welfare. Our previous President, that inappropriately used the podium of the President to falsely condemn police without the facts, based on race alone, has created a hostile environment for our police nationwide.They are husbands, fathers, wives, mothers, brothers and sisters. They want to go home alive and well at the end of the day too. If people would just follow orders, ALL of these situations would not have happened. Just sit still, shut up, and follow orders.


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The Sunday of Othodoxy
Given on the Sunday of Orthodoxy 1903 in the San Francisco Cathedral during St Tikhon's tenure as Bishop of the Aleutian Islands and North America, this sermon has been very slightly modified for use exactly one hundred years later in England on the Sunday of Orthodoxy 2003.
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
This Sunday, brethren, begins the week of Orthodoxy, or the week of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, because it is today that the Holy Orthodox Church solemnly recalls its victory over the Iconoclast heresy and other heresies and gratefully remembers all who fought for the Orthodox faith in word, writing, teaching, suffering, or godly living.
Keeping the day of Orthodoxy, Orthodox people ought to remember that it is their sacred duty to stand firm in their Orthodox Faith and to keep it carefully For us it is a precious treasure: we were born and raised in it; all the important events of our life are related to it, and it is ever ready to give us its help and blessing in all our needs and good undertakings, however unimportant they may seem. It supplies us with strength, good cheer and consolation, it heals, purifies and saves us.
The Orthodox Faith is also dear to us because it is the Faith of our Fathers. For its sake the Apostles bore pain and laboured; martyrs and preachers suffered for it; champions, who were like unto the saints, shed their tears and their blood; pastors and teachers fought for it; and our ancestors stood for it, whose legacy it was that to us it should be dearer than the pupil of our eyes.
And as to us, their descendants – do we preserve the Orthodox Faith, do we keep to its Gospels? Of yore, the prophet Elijah, this great worker for the glory of God, complained that the sons of Israel had abandoned the Testament of the Lord, leaning away from it towards the gods of the heathen. Yet the Lord revealed to His prophet, that amongst the Israelites there were still seven thousand people who had not knelt before Baal (3 Kings 19).
Likewise, no doubt, in our days also there are some true followers of Christ. "The Lord knoweth them that are His" (2 Timothy 2:19). We do occasionally meet sons of the Church, who are obedient to Her decrees, who honour their spiritual pastors, love the Church of God and the beauty of its exterior, who are eager to attend to its Divine Services and to lead a good life, who recognize their human failings and sincerely repent of their sins.
But are there many such among us? Are there not more people, "in whom the weeds of vanity and passion allow but little fruit to the influence of the Gospel, because of the increase of their sins, who renounce the gift of the Lord and repudiate the grace of God" (a quotation from the Service of Orthodoxy). I have given birth to sons and have glorified them, yet they deny Me, said the Lord in the olden days concerning Israel. And today also there are many who were born, raised and glorified by the Lord in the Orthodox Faith, yet who deny their Faith, paying no attention to the teachings of the Church, they do not keep its injunctions, do not listen to their spiritual pastors and remain cold towards the divine services and the Church of God.
How speedily some of us lose the Orthodox faith in this country of many creeds and tribes! They begin their apostasy with things which in their eyes have but little importance. They judge it is "old fashioned" and "not accepted amongst educated people" to observe all such customs such as praying before and after meals, or even morning and night, to wear a cross, to keep icons in their houses and to keep church holidays and fast days. They even do not stop at this, but go further: they seldom go to church and sometimes not at all, as a man has to have some rest on a Sunday … in a pub); they do not go to confession, they dispense with church marriage and delay baptizing their children. And in this way their ties with the Orthodox Faith are broken! They remember the Church on their deathbeds, and some don't even do that!
To excuse their apostasy they naively say: "this is not the old times, this is today, and consequently it is impossible to observe all the demands of the Church." As if the word of Christ is of use for the old times only and not for always. As if the Orthodox Faith is not the foundation of the world. "Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel into anger" (Isaiah 1:4).
If you do not keep the Orthodox Faith and the commandments of God, the least you can do is not humiliate your hearts by inventing false excuses for your sins! If you do not honour our customs, the least you can do is not to laugh at things that you do not know or understand. If you do not accept the motherly care of the Holy Orthodox Church, the least you can do is to confess you act wrongly, that you are sinning against the Church and behave like children! If you do, the Orthodox Church can forgive you, like a loving mother, your coldness and slights, and will receive you back into her embrace, as if you were erring children.
Holding to the Orthodox Faith, as to something holy, loving it with all their hearts and prizing it above all, Orthodox people ought, moreover, to endeavour to spread it amongst people of other creeds. Christ the Saviour has said that "neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candle stick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house" (Matthew 5:15). The light of Orthodoxy was not lit to shine only on a small number of men. The Orthodox Church is universal; it remembers the words of its Founder: "Go ye into the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Luke 16:15), "Go ye therefore and teach all nations" (Matt. 28:19). We ought to share our spiritual wealth, our truth, light and joy with others who are deprived of these blessings, but often are seeking them and thirsting for them.
Once "a vision appeared to Paul in the night, there stood a man from Macedonia and prayed him, saying, come over into Macedonia, and help us" (Acts 16:9), after which the apostle started for this country to preach Christ. We also hear a similar inviting voice. We live surrounded by people of alien creeds; in the sea of other religions, our Church is a small island of salvation, towards which swim some of the people, plunged in the sea of life.
Are we to remain deaf and insensible to them? God save us from such a lack of sympathy. Otherwise woe unto us, "for we have taken away the key of knowledge, we entered not in ourselves, and them that were entering in we hindered" (Luke 11:52).
But who is to work for the spread of the Orthodox Faith, for the increase of the children of the Orthodox Church? Pastors and missionaries, you answer. You are right; but are they alone? St Paul wisely compares the Church of Christ to a body, and the life of a body is shared by all the members. So it ought to be in the life of the Church also. "The whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love" (Ephesians 4:16).
At the beginning, not only pastors alone suffered for the faith of Christ, but lay people also, men, women and even children. Heresies were fought against by lay people as well. Likewise, the spread of Christ's faith ought to be near and precious to the heart of every Christian.
In this work every member of the Church ought to take a lively and heartfelt interest. This interest may show itself in personal preaching of the Gospel of Christ. And to our great joy, we know of such examples amongst our lay brethren. Needless to say, it is not everybody among us who has the opportunity or the faculty to preach the Gospel personally. And in view of this I shall indicate to you, brethren, what every man can do for the spread of Orthodoxy and what he ought to do.
The Apostolic Epistles often disclose the fact that, when the Apostles went to distant places to preach, the faithful often helped them with their prayers and their offerings. Saint Paul sought this help of the Christians especially. Consequently, we can express the interests we take in the cause of the Gospel in praying to the Lord that He should take this holy cause under His protection, that He should give its servants the strength to do their work worthily, that He should help them to conquer difficulties and dangers, which are part of the work, that He should not allow them to grow depressed or weaken in their zeal; that He should open the hearts of the unbelieving for the hearing and acceptance of the Gospel of Christ, that He should impart to them the word of truth, that He should unite them to the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church; that He should confirm, increase and pacify His Church, keeping it forever invincible.
We pray for all this, mostly with lips, but seldom with the heart. Don't we often hear such remarks as these: "What is the use of these special prayers for the newly initiated (the catechumens)? They do not exist in our time; let them pray for such where there are any; as to us, such prayers only needlessly prolong the service which is not short by any means, as it is." Woe to our lack of wisdom! Woe to our carelessness and idleness!
Offering earnest prayers for the successful preaching of Christ, we can also show our interest by helping it materially. It was so in the primitive Church, and the Apostles lovingly accepted material help to the cause of the preaching, seeing in it an expression of Christian love and zeal. In our days, these offerings are especially needed, because for the lack of them the work often comes to a dead stop. For the lack of them preachers cannot be sent out or supported, churches cannot be built or schools founded, the needy amongst the newly converted cannot be helped. All this needs money and members of other religions always find a way of supplying it. Perhaps, you will say, these people are richer than ourselves. This is true enough, but great means are accumulated by small, and if everybody amongst us gave what he could towards this purpose, we also could raise considerable means.
Accordingly, do not be ashamed of the smallness of your offering. If you have much, offer all you can, but do offer, do not lose the chance of helping the cause of the conversion of your neighbours to Christ, because by so doing, in the words of St James, you "shall save your own soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins" (James 5:20).
Orthodox people, in celebrating the day of Orthodoxy, you must devote yourselves to the Orthodox Faith not in word or tongue only, but in deed and in truth.


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O Slottsparken ou Parque do Palácio é um parque público no centro de Oslo, capital da Noruega em torno do Palácio Real de Oslo. É de 22 hectares (54 acres). Foi construído durante a década de 1840 e foi projetado por Hans Ditlev Franciscus von Linstow, que foi o principal arquiteto do palácio. Dois mil árvores foram plantadas em 1848, mas desde então o parque foi reconstruído várias vezes, tornando-se mais simples com caminhos maiores e cada vez menos riachos.

Atrações turísticas da Noruega
Parques da Noruega
Parques de Oslo