Nashville-based management working as a consultant InfoWorks has acquired fellow Nashville boutique talking to firm FocusPoint.
The businesses will merge procedures and leadership. FocusPoint Boss Nathan King now leads InfoWorks' Business Intelligence and Statistics Practice.
Professionals with InfoWorks, that was created in 1997 and hosts greater than 90 people, have been trying to expand their business intelligence and statistics abilities.
"Our clients reside in a thrilling time, when more information is available than in the past to achieve understanding of the best way to develop their business, " stated Jim Clayton, chairman and Boss of InfoWorks (and pictured here). "We're dedicated to helping them make the most of their data, quickly and iteratively examining it for insight — in addition to automating their data management processes with technology advances. We acquired FocusPoint's assets due to its abilities to assist our clients rapidly access data making choices."
Both companies have clients across multiple industries, including healthcare and manufacturing.
"It's a privilege to participate InfoWorks, " King stated. "The organization comes with an excellent status for serving its clients well, and, as part of the InfoWorks team, we'll have the ability to use our methods that cause data-driven making decisions in a bigger scale."
Fairfield Greenwich Group is an investment firm founded in 1983 in New York City. The firm had among the largest exposures to the Bernard Madoff fraud.


Phoenix, Ariz. – Integrity Capital LLC. announced today that it structured a $8.2 million loan with Arizona Central Credit Union for the owners of Monterey Vista Village Shopping Center in Chandler. The team at Integrity Capital LLC., led by David Kotter and Tom Hartje, structured the five-year conventional refinance loan at an attractive interest rate.


text:
Litblog Roundup
Posted by Dylan Kinnett | Jul 17, 2016 | Lit Blog Roundup |
Litblog Roundup is a bi-weekly overview of topics, trends and highlights from the literary Internet. This roundup features door-to-door poetry, books delivered quickly to your house, an obligatory reference to Pokemon Go, and more.
Don't Forget to Back it Up
Experimental author and artist Dennis Cooper has been publishing his work on Blogger since 2002. Rather, he was publishing it there until recently when Google deleted his account, and the blog along with it. Google issued a "violation of terms" statement to Cooper, and has offered no further explanation for why his work was deleted. For most of the work on the blog, Cooper didn't have a back-up. It's gone. Don't be like Cooper. Make copies of your work.
Haters Gonna Hate
It's not so surprising that there are people in the world who hate poetry. What is surprising is that it's the subject of a new book. "The Hatred of Poetry" is by Ben Lerner, who is the poetry editor at Harpers. Here's an excerpt from the introduction to an interview with Lerner about the new book.
We hate poetry though not just because it fails in living up to its potential for perfection, but because it makes us, as humans, feel like failures—poetry denotes humanity, and if we cannot understand it, if we cannot create it, then we wonder if a core aspect of our humanity has been taken away. And yet, as Lerner writes, our hatred of poetry only serves to signify its continuing importance. "People getting upset about poetry," Lerner told me, "is a nagging sign of poetry's relevance."
Knock-Knock Poems?
Of course, not everybody hates poetry. Some devote their lives to it, and take on interesting projects. For example, one poet has taken to the streets, as the first "door to door" poet, knocking on doors and composing poetry for people at their homes.
I didn't want to pass up the opportunity to talk about Pokemon Go, one of the trendiest trends trending, in the roundup of trending things on the literary internet, but Pokemon Go isn't exactly literary. Then I found my chance, over on The Digital Reader, in a post about a new startup that promises to deliver books to their customers within the span of one hour, while working with the local bookshops. It's an interesting concept, which has been compared to, you guessed it, Pokemon Go.
"…bookstores love the idea, that's for sure. At Ink@84, Betsy Tobin calls it 'dead easy: an automated phone call asks you to double-check stock is physically there, then press a button to acknowledge. A very streamlined process. My staff person has just drawn an interesting parallel with Pokémon Go, in that people enjoy using tech to track down a product but also like the physical/social process of going out to get it.'"
The Typewriter Project
Inside a wooden shack installed at North 12th Street and Driggs Avenue in Williamsburg's McCarren Park, anyone can sit down at a typewriter and contribute to a collaborative poem unfolding over a 100-foot paper scroll. "The Typewriter Project: The Subconscious of the City," presented by the Poetry Society of New York in partnership with the Parks Department, is a nomadic experiment in engaging the public with writing.
Dylan Kinnett
Dylan Kinnett is the founding editor of Infinity's Kitchen. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland.
Latest posts by Dylan Kinnett (see all)
Litblog Roundup - September 10, 2017
Litblog Roundup - April 30, 2017
Litblog Roundup - March 27, 2017
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Many aspects of society – from telecommunications to television, weather forecasting to global financial systems – rely on space systems or space-based technologies.
However, the sheer scale of space projects makes it impossible for most countries to attempt them alone. So European countries have pooled their technological and financial resources to manage space policy through the European Commission – in cooperation with the European Space Agency (an intergovernmental agency run by 22 European countries).
Copernicus is the most ambitious civil Earth observation programme ever.
It is a set of complex systems that gather data about the earth through satellites and sensors on the ground, in the sky and at sea.
Copernicus will give policy-makers, businesses and the public up-to-date and reliable information about how the planet and its climate are changing. This data will help to predict future climate trends.
Copernicus is coordinated and managed by the European Commission. Satellite infrastructure is run by the European Space Agency, and the sensors are developed by the European Environment Agency and individual EU countries.
The satellite weather data agency EUMETSAT will also provide operational support to the Copernicus marine, atmosphere and climate change services.
Galileo is the EU's global navigation satellite system. It is Europe's version of the American Global Positioning System (GPS) and Russia's Glonass.
Galileo is the first civilian-run satellite navigation system. It will be compatible with the American and Russian systems, but independent from them.
With real-time positioning of 1 metre or less, it will be much more accurate than GPS.
There will be 30 satellites in the network (including 6 active spares), which will be completed by 2020. The first Galileo services will become available in 2016.
time stamping & time synchronisation.
EU investment in Galileo should create new market opportunities and jobs in the satellite signal receivers and satellite-based applications sectors.
EGNOS is a European satellite-based system that improves GPS accuracy to within 2 metres (95%) instead of the 10 metres typically provided by GPS. It also warns users of problems with GPS signals. It was the precursor to the Galileo programme.
EGNOS uses 3 satellites to correct GPS errors and provide more precise positioning data.
Unlike Galileo, EGNOS is pan-European (not global) and is dependent on GPS.
It is a joint project of the European Commission, the European Space Agency, and Eurocontrol (the European air traffic control organisation).
Space exploration is a driver of technological innovation and scientific discovery in fields such as recycling, health, bio-technology, energy management and environmental monitoring.
Space programmes are very costly, so international cooperation is vital.
The EU is actively involved in international discussions on cooperating in space exploration, especially with the USA, Russia and China.
It participates in the International Space Exploration Forum (ISEF), a series of ministerial-level meetings on international coordination and cooperation in space exploration.
The EU is keen to develop a competitive, independent and global European space industry.
Strengthening the European space sector by boosting space research and innovation is vital if Europe is to maintain and safeguard access to and operations in space.
Funding for space research projects is available through Horizon 2020, under the Leadership in Enabling & Industrial Technologies (LEIT) work programme (€13.5 billion).
SME instrument (special help for small & medium-sized businesses).


Owner, Richard had always dreamed of having his own small island since he was a kid. While he doesn't own Grand Turk island, he is doing big things and we're ecstatic to be a part of his rapid success. And needless to say, working with a new luxury vacation company based in the Caribbean has been a ton of fun.
This project has been a full meal deal, create a website with secure reservation/booking function, produce visually stunning content & help grow the business online – and we have.


text:
AJBlogCentral
Terry Teachout on the arts in New York City
"The ability for non-activity"
January 16, 2017 by Terry Teachout
Mrs. T and I arrived on Sanibel Island nine days ago, a week later than we'd originally planned. Despire the unraveling of our expectations, the same thing happened to me that's been happening ever since we first started going to Florida each January: I started to unwind as soon as we drove across the long bridge that links Sanibel to the mainland, and within a matter of hours I felt almost like a different person. Almost, you understand: I haven't arrived quite yet, but I'm well on the way.
Since then I've seen a play in Fort Myers and written a couple of Wall Street Journal pieces. Exclusive of that, I've done no work at all, at least not of the deadline-driven sort. Instead, I've been tinkering with the script of my second play, whose premiere will be announced in this space and elsewhere at some point in the next couple of weeks. In addition, I've read a short stack of books purely for pleasure—four Patrick O'Brian novels and biographies of Leadbelly and Fredric March—and Mrs. T and I went to Sanibel's lone movie house over the weekend to see Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester by the Sea, a rare treat for us (we saw a grand total of three films in a theater in 2016).
I can't remember the last time I was so deeply moved by a film—or a play, for that matter—as I was by Manchester by the Sea. I'm in awe of Lonergan's ability to move without apparent effort from the stage to film and back again. I wonder whether there has ever been a writer-director who worked with equal force and assurance in the two media. Nor can I think of another work of art that is truer to the real-life experiences of death and mourning. I can't imagine what it would feel like for a parent to see such a film. It put me forcibly in mind of Gloucester's terrible line in King Lear: As flies to wanton boys are we to th' gods. As for me, I rank Manchester by the Sea right alongside Horton Foote's Tender Mercies. It's one of those rare works of dramatic art that makes me want to work harder than ever to be a better artist.
What else have I done? Well, I've sat on the back porch every afternoon and gazed at the water. I've taken Mrs. T to dinner, or brought it back to our beach bungalow, every evening. And on Thursday we took a sunset cruise around Captiva, Sanibel's neighboring island, and watched a school of dolphins frolic in the Gulf of Mexico. Mrs. T loves dolphins, and I love to watch her watching them, almost as much as I love being on the water. I grew up in a small, land-locked town in southeast Missouri, and my belated discovery of the sight and sound—and smell—of oceans has been one of the supreme pleasures of my middle age.
Our cruise came equipped with a memento mori of sorts: the sound system of the boat on which we cruised around Captiva Island played moldy oldies. One of them was the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young cover version of Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock," which was recorded in 1970, the year I turned fourteen, an age at which it is still possible not to wince at lines like "We are stardust/We are golden/We are billion-year-old carbon." As it played not-so-softly in the background, I leaned over to Mrs. T and whispered, "This is our generation's nostalgia music, God help us." And so it is: "Woodstock" is to the baby boomers what "Moonlight Serenade" was to my late parents. Somehow I don't think we made on the deal.
Even so, I have no other complaints about the week just past, save that it wasn't twice as long. I doubt I would have been able to say as much fifteen years ago. As I've mentioned more than once in this space, it was hard for me to learn in adulthood the precious, indispensable art of leisure. I'm pretty sure I know why:
I've decided to blame this idiosyncrasy on my late father, who planned the family vacations of my youth on the mistaken assumption that the point of going somewhere is to do something. An anxious, restless man, he was never much good at doing nothing, whereas it seemed self-evident to me from childhood onward that the whole point of taking a vacation was to do whatever you wanted—including nothing—whenever you wanted.
Between my father's unfortunate example and the fact that I have the good fortune to do something for a living that I love, I've become something of a workaholic—but not a degenerate one. It took long enough, but experience has finally taught me the value of doing nothing in particular. Not only does leisure recharge my creative batteries, but it is, as Josef Pieper reminds us, good in and of itself: "Unless we regain the art of silence and insight, the ability for non-activity, unless we substitute true leisure for our hectic amusements, we will destroy our culture—and ourselves."
I wish I'd learned that lesson sooner, but I'm so glad I know it now that I feel no need to repine. To sit in a rocking chair on the back porch of a beach bungalow, alternately reading and looking out at the Gulf of Mexico: that is heaven. It reminds me of something Dr. Johnson said to Boswell: "If I had no duties, and no reference to futurity, I would spend my life in driving briskly in a post-chaise with a pretty woman." I'd most likely spend mine on Sanibel Island with Mrs. T, who is both pretty and excellent company.
Anyway, that's what I've been up to since you last heard from me: nothing in particular. I'll be driving up to Sarasota on Sunday afternoon to review another show, but otherwise my plan is to continue as before, at least until I'm recaptured by the tentacles of dailyness—and even then I won't give up without a fight. Sufficient unto the day is the leisure thereof.
To read a New Yorker profile by Rebecca Mead in which Kenneth Lonergan talks about the making of Manchester by the Sea, go here.
The trailer for Manchester by the Sea:
A scene from Blake Edwards' 10, in which Dudley Moore and Brian Dennehy talk about the music of their youth:
Filed Under: main
Terry Teachout, who writes this blog, is the drama critic of The Wall Street Journal and the critic-at-large of Commentary. In addition to his Wall Street Journal drama column and his monthly essays … [Read More...]
About "About Last Night"
This is a blog about the arts in New York City and the rest of America, written by Terry Teachout. Terry is a critic, biographer, playwright, director, librettist, recovering musician, and inveterate blogger. In addition to theater, he writes here and elsewhere about all of the other arts--books, … [Read More...]
About My Plays and Opera Libretti
Billy and Me, my second play, received its world premiere on December 8, 2017, at Palm Beach Dramaworks in West Palm Beach, Fla. Satchmo at the Waldorf, my first play, ran earlier this season at New Orleans' Le Petit Theatre. It previously closed off Broadway at the Westside Theatre on June 29, … [Read More...]
About My Podcast
Peter Marks, Elisabeth Vincentelli, and I are the panelists on "Three on the Aisle," a bimonthly podcast from New York about theater in America. … [Read More...]
My latest book is Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington, published in 2013 by Gotham Books in the U.S. and the Robson Press in England and now available in paperback. I have also written biographies of Louis Armstrong, George Balanchine, and H.L. Mencken, as well as a volume of my collected essays called A … [Read More...]
To read all three installments of "The Long Goodbye," a multi-part posting about the experience of watching a parent die, go here. … [Read More...]
@Terryteachout1
Tweets by TerryTeachout1
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Short but sweet
A ghost walks
Just because: Pentangle performs "Willy O' Winsbury"
Almanac: Sidney Lumet on melodrama
Permission to laugh


When planning for their stand at TEFAF New York, Daniel Crouch Rare Books turned to RCL for a lighting solution that could provide a convenient set-up with excellent performance while minimising risk to the works exhibited.
The show in New York featured 94 renowned dealerships and art authorities from 14 different countries, demonstrating TEFAF's global role as a champion of fine art. Pieces exhibited ranged from antiquity, to the modern day, and reflected a wide body of disciplines.
Daniel Crouch, who previously worked with RCL for the lighting of the dealership's St James's gallery in London, were exhibiting pieces from their collection including antique atlases, maps, plans, sea charts and voyage accounts dating from the fifteenth to the nineteenth centuries.
Given the value of the works on display, Daniel Crouch wanted to avoid the risk of damage that would come with ladders or working at height when focusing light on the pieces. Thirty remote controlled DRX1 spotlights from RCL provided a convenient answer to this challenge. Controllable in pan, tilt and dim level from ground level using a remote control, the luminaires could be focused quickly with ease once the works had been arranged on the exhibition stand.
The DRX1 were supplied with three different beam angles, including a narrow 6° spot, allowing Daniel Crouch to focus on pieces with appropriate distributions of light for each individual piece for best effect. The LEDs used in the DRX1 deliver 90+CRI, excellent for representing each work's true colour, ideal for high-value items with subtle shifts in colour.
Uniquely, with the global commands available with the RCL luminaires, it was possible for the gallery's team to dim all fixtures except for those pieces which they wished to draw an interested buyer's attention to, for a high contrast affect, before returning these to the pre-set focus and intensity with scene controls using the DRX1's on-board memory.
It is this flexibility through such advanced features that has led to RCL fixtures being installed in numerous galleries, both commercial and public, thanks to the advantages offered to the sector.


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Kp, for your inexperienced, stands for "kitchen authorities".
Thousands of argumentative essays are written on these sorts of topics and you mightn't possibly write an original discussion for all these subjects. Remember to think about your purpose, audience, in addition to your subject whilst writing an article.


text:
namespace ash {

class ASH_EXPORT DisplayLayoutStore {
 public:
  DisplayLayoutStore();
  ~DisplayLayoutStore();

  void SetDefaultDisplayPlacement(const DisplayPlacement& placement);

  // Registeres the display layout info for the specified display(s).
  void RegisterLayoutForDisplayIdList(const DisplayIdList& list,
                                      scoped_ptr<DisplayLayout> layout);

  // If no layout is registered, it creatas new layout using
  // |default_display_layout_|.
  const DisplayLayout& GetRegisteredDisplayLayout(const DisplayIdList& list);

  // Update the multi display state in the display layout for
  // |display_list|.  This creates new display layout if no layout is
  // registered for |display_list|.
  void UpdateMultiDisplayState(const DisplayIdList& display_list,
                               bool mirrored,
                               bool default_unified);

 private:
  // Creates new layout for display list from |default_display_layout_|.
  DisplayLayout* CreateDefaultDisplayLayout(const DisplayIdList& display_list);

  // The default display placement.
  DisplayPlacement default_display_placement_;

  // Display layout per list of devices.
  std::map<DisplayIdList, scoped_ptr<DisplayLayout>> layouts_;

  DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(DisplayLayoutStore);
};

}  // namespace ash

#endif  // ASH_DISPLAY_DISPLAY_LAYOUT_STORE_H_

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Towards the end of 2014 this year, 2015, was designated by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to be The Year of Light. The purpose of this designation was to create a global initiative to highlight the use and necessity of light in our daily lives. As a result, this year has been filled with a number of events centered around light and its many uses.
Coming up on May 20th, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in the United Kingdom will be dedicating their event, World Metrology Day, to this UNESCO initiative. World Metrology Day's theme this year will be based around how metrology (the science of how things are measured) relates to light-based technologies.
This begs the question: How are light and metrology linked? The very basic principle behind the relationship between light and metrology is that more accurate measurement methods mean greater efficiency in both measuring light and producing light-based technologies. When metrological science and light science harmonize, they create greater energy efficiency. As a result, researchers are able to create better performing instruments, products, and improve energy conservation efforts.
In fact, World Metrology Day organizers hope to increase awareness regarding how metrology and light-based technologies hope to transform and improve the growing energy challenges, contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases.
During the event there will be a series of short lectures on subjects like: how the National Physical Laboratory uses light to measure a range of items from distance to time, how we are using lasers to see sound, and additional information about the NPL's TRUTHS Project which hopes to use the sun as a reference in order to improve climate change models. NPL will also be opening up some of its laboratories to give demonstrations to those attending, like their Dimensional, Time & Frequency Labs.


'Ello, 'ello, ello, what 'ave we got 'ere then? It's only the stunning Ms Rochelle Wiseman of the Saturdays walking down the aisle with Mr gorgeous Marvin Humes from JLS. Don't they make a delicious couple. We're so proud of Kirstie Taylor of our sister company Flo & Percy who made Rochelle's hair accessory, a beautiful diamante brooch surrounded by Art deco beading.
Huge congrats to the Humes – check out their uber glam wedding pics in the latest issue of Hello! magazine.
Introducing THE FACE of Kitty & Dulcie's 2014 collection……..


We welcome all enquiries for baptism of children or adults. There are no baptisms in Lent when the font is emptied of its waters. We set aside Sundays during the year for baptism. Baptism always takes place during a celebration of the Eucharist because it is the sacrament of becoming a member of Christ's Church. The only preparation for baptism is coming to church!
In some branches of the Christian church only those who can make a statement of faith for themselves are baptised. Sometimes I hear people say they are not having their child baptised because they have decided to let the child decide whether or not to be baptised when the child is old enough to make that decision. All this raises the question of what we think is going on in baptism. Is the person being baptised declaring their faith and so they then become members of the church? Or is the church proclaiming that the child or adult is a member of the church because of God's faithfulness to us?
For those of us who baptise infants the second answer is right. It is not the faith of the child or even of the parents or the sponsors (god-parents) that matters. It is God's faith in us and for us that is operating. God creates us and all the world and God's purpose is to bring us and all the world to life. In the liturgy the parents and godparents declare their faith, their turning to Christ and then the whole congregation affirms their faith as we say the Creed but this is not a test. This is a statement of the world-view into which the child is now included. The parents, the sponsors and especially the parish will now provide the place for the child to grow into the life that Christ has shown us. The child will be drawn into the way of life that the church declares to be real life, abundant life, the life of those who are children of God.
We learn how to live this life by 'putting on Christ' just as we put on a baptismal robe. We are dressed in the clothes of the kingdom. We are called out of the darkness of the self-centredness and selfishness into the light of justice, love and peace. We are marked as Christ's own and called to live as little Christs, as those who follow after him, learning the way of self-giving, self-sacrifice and life in relationship to others.
A Christian is a disciple of Christ, that is a person with "L" plates. We are not proclaiming in baptism that we are already saved, on the right team, have a seat in heaven. We are setting out on the journey of life, helped by one another, nourished by the church, fed on the Word that is proclaimed in the Scriptures and that comes to us in bread and wine. Our baptismal life means that we are growing in the things of the Spirit, that is becoming more and more human in the image of Jesus the fully, wholly human one.
Funerals are for the living…….
When people we love die, we are not in the best place to be making decisions about funerals. Often we go blank, freeze over from the shock of our loss. There are good ways and not so good ways of organising funerals. One of the things we need to keep in mind is that funerals are for the living. The dead are safe in the loving hands of God. It is we who mourn who need care. Funerals should care for us, comfort us, carry us and give us hope.
If someone you love dies remember that the church is always available. It doesn't matter if the person who died didn't come to church or as people often say 'wasn't very religious.' Those who mourn are welcome to come to church and bring the person they love here.
For those of us who worship week by week here, this is the place to be when we die! If someone you love dies and they have in their life been a communicant, bring them to church for a Thanksgiving Eucharist. This means that the family of the person and their parish family gather together around the table of the Lord for one last time with the body of the person they have loved. They are with Christ in heaven. Christ is with us at the Table so we are all together. We can also have a funeral service here at church which is not Eucharistic. People often choose this if the person who has died has not been a member of the church but those who mourn need the prayer and support of a Christian funeral.
There are lots of good practical things about having a funeral here at church. There are no time limits here as there are at chapels at cemeteries and funeral companies. If the body of the person is to be cremated those who mourn can gather here for a funeral, and then the body can be farewelled and go to be cremated. There is no need to go with the body. It is simply being prepared for burial. The people can remain at the church and have refreshments in the hall. This means that the people who have come to the funeral stay on to be with those who mourn. If the funeral moves off to Pinnaroo or Karrakatta some people won't go. Others will not come back. There is nothing to be done at the crematorium that has not already been done here at church. When the ashes are ready the family and friends can gather to bury them. If the ashes are being buried here in our Memorial Garden it is often good to do this after the Sunday Eucharist when people from the parish can easily be there with you.
If the body of the person who has died is to be buried then the gathered friends and family need to complete the journey and bury the body. The funeral takes place at the church, then hopefully all go to the place of burial and then back to the church or family home for refreshments. The important thing I have found is to make it as easy as possible for those who have gathered to stay together and complete the rituals. Part of the ritual of a funeral is the gathering afterward over food and drinks. The tradition of the wake is a necessary part of the journey. Those who mourn are carried and comforted by the people who gather with them both to remember, pray, give thanks and to talk and eat and drink!
Sometimes there are reasons to have funerals at chapels at the funeral company or at the cemetery. The service is the same as a non-Eucharistic church service. It's a time of remembering, praying, listening to some scripture readings and gathering together. The service is tailored to meet the needs of the family. I am always available for funerals. If the person who has died is from the parish or connected to someone here we make all efforts to notify the parishioners. In this way people who know you can come and support you. The presence of people who care about us is a very powerful thing when we go through the grief and loss that comes with the death of those we love.
I would always advise against private funerals. Sometimes people leave instructions thinking this will be a no-fuss sort of funeral but in my experience this sort of funeral is very difficult for those who are grieving. We need our friends and parish family if we have one, around us when we face the death of those we love. People who care about us carry us and support us just by being with us. The parish and your friends want to be with you at such times.
It is good to see the person you love who has died. If the person dies at home or in hospital there is no need to rush. Spend some time sitting quietly or talking with one another and just being with the person. The funeral directors can be contacted when you are ready. The body can also be viewed before the funeral. It's good to do this a day or so ahead of the funeral. If this is done on the day of the funeral it usually means people are very upset at the funeral. There is nothing wrong with shedding tears but some space is good so that those who mourn can be present to the healing words and actions of the funeral service. There is also the practical question of putting the lid on the coffin and I don't think this is a helpful thing to be done just before the service while people are gathering. Another way of doing this is the tradition of bringing the body to the church the night before. This is called a vigil. There are prayers and readings and people can gather with their friends and face the death of the person they love and receive a blessing for all that will happen the next day. If there are children involved it means that they have already seen the coffin in place before they come for the service.
Sometimes people feel that they are unable to speak at the funeral of someone they love because they are too upset. In some cases this is true. Mostly I have found it isn't. It is a special time to talk about the person who has died. Sometimes it's good to talk about the person's life and tell the story. Other times it is good simple to say what we are thankful about, what we have been given, what we have become because of the person. Sometimes there are hard things, things to forgive and things to accept as part of our human frailty. It's good to be honest and real. It is good to have a number of people say something – children, grandchildren, other family members, friends. People don't need to have a lot to say but just something from the heart. It is one way we give thanks for a life. We sit and listen and just dwell in the moment.
A Christian funeral holds together the grief and reality of death, and the hope of resurrection. When we come together to farewell someone we love it will be an Easter moment. We light the Paschal Candle. This is the candle we light in the darkness of Easter morning as we proclaim that Christ is risen from the grave. We light this candle at baptisms and funerals. It is the light of Christ which dispels the darkness of sin and death. We sprinkle the body with water from the font and we may honour the body with incense as a sign of our prayers rising to heaven. We sing Easter hymns. We gather around the Table of the Lord. The church is where we are at home. The place is alight with candles and filled with flowers. It is a beautiful space for us to be. It is a graced space. The Lord is here and it doesn't matter whether those who gather are believers or not because God believes in all of us. God is faithful to everyone and reaches out to heal and to comfort through the prayers, through the people gathered and through all the things we do.
There are no rules about funerals. There are times when less than perfect decisions must be made but I want to share with you in this leaflet the things the church can offer, the things that I have found work well and the things that don't work so well. At the end of the day a funeral must care for the living. Phone the office for a time to talk with me if you need any help or advice.
It has been found that living funerals are an excellent way to get relatives together for a family reunion before the solemnity of the funeral taking place later.
Please I want to know if it is against the Anglican Communion doctrine for a sponsor to marry one who did an adult baptism, who he sponsored?
Please see updated Service Times page – this is also the new home for our Calendar of upcoming events!


Dr. Chaosheng Zhang received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Peking University, and PhD degree from Institute of Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.
Dr. Chaosheng Zhang is Director of International Network for Environment and Health (INEH), School of Geography and Archaeology, National University of Ireland, Galway. He was the founding and former head of Ryan Institute GIS Centre. He teaches Geographic Information System (GIS) courses at the University. Dr. Zhang's academic background covers both GIS and environmental geochemistry. His research focuses on spatial analyses of environmental variables, especially metals and nutrients in soils and soil organic carbon, using GIS, geostatistics and other spatial statistical techniques, to identify hotspots and quantify spatial variation, providing scientific bases for environmental management and precision agriculture. With collaborators, he also works on the novel technology of DGT (diffusive gradients in thin films) for assessment of bioavailability of chemicals in the environment. One of the current research directions of Dr. Zhang is spatial analysis of environment and health. Dr. Zhang has published more than 150 papers in peer-reviewed journals (Google Scholar H-index: 40; SCOPUS H-index: 36). He is a reviewer for more than 60 international journals.
Dr. Zhang has research experience in China, Sweden, USA, Australia, Jamaica and Ireland. He was a University Fellow of Hong Kong Baptist University in 2013. Dr. Zhang is chair and organizer of several internationally leading conferences in environment, health and GIS: SEGH 2010 International Conference and Workshops on Environmental Quality and Human Health; SESEH 2012 Sino-European Symposium on Environment and Health; ISEH 2016 & Geoinformatics 2016, Joint International Conference on Environment, Health, GIS and Agriculture; ISEH 2020 International Conference on Environment, Health, GIS and Agriculture.
(2007) Soil Geochemical Atlas of Ireland Teagasc and Environmental Protection Agency, Wexford, Ireland.
(1992) Spatial Autocorrelation Analysis of Trace Elements in Soils of Tianjin and Shen Zhen. Assembly of Abstracts of Master's Degree Theses, Peking University, Science edition. Vol. 12. 164-165. (abstract of master's degree thesis, in Chinese).
(1992) A method for rapid locking and unlocking files. Magazine: Microcomputer and Applications 1992(2). p.43-44.
(1991) A simple method for dissolving systematic viruses. Microcomputer and Applications. 8, pp.44,46. (in Chinese).
(2014) 30th International Conference of SEGH (Society for Environmental Geochemistry and Health) 2014.
(2015) GIS spatial analyses in environmental studies, University College Cork, March 4, 2015.
(2008) Data Analyses in Geography. Irish Postgraduate Training Conference, Glencree, Feb. 8-10, 2008.
(2007) Data Analyses in Geography: Probability distribution and outlier identification. Irish Postgraduate Training Conference, Glencree, Feb. 9-11, 2007.
(2003) GIS: Geography and IT. IT Department, NUI, Galway. 2003-02-26.
(2001) GIS and its applications. IT Department, NUI, Galway. 2001-10-17.
(2013) Special Issue: Selected papers from SESEH 2012 Sino-European Symposium on Environment and Health. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 35(5).
(2012) Book of Abstracts: SESEH 2012 Sino-European Symposium on Environment and Health, 20-25 August, 2012. National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
(2011) Selected papers from SEGH 2010 conference on environmental quality and human health.
(2010) Book of Abstracts: SEGH 2010 International Conference and Workshops: Environmental Quality and Human Health, Galway, Ireland, June 27- July 2, 2010.
(2019) Towards spatial machine learning for identification of hidden spatial patterns and relationships in big data of environmental geochemistry. Wuhan University, March 27, 2019.
(2019) Towards spatial machine learning for identification of hidden spatial patterns and relationships in big data of environmental geochemistry. Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resource Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, March 25 (morning), 2019.
(2019) Towards spatial machine learning for identification of hidden spatial patterns and relationships in big data of environmental geochemistry. Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, March 25 (afternoon), 2019.
(2019) Towards spatial machine learning for identification of hidden spatial patterns and relationships in big data of environmental geochemistry. Health and Family Planning Information Centre of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, March 12, 2019.
(2019) Towards spatial machine learning for identification of hidden spatial patterns and relationships in big data of environmental geochemistry. Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, March 7, 2019.
(2019) Towards machine learning for identification of hidden spatial patterns and relationships in big data of environmental geochemistry. Geography Dept., Maynooth University, February 21, 2019.
(2018) Spatial variation of soil geochemistry at different scales in the big data era: potential links with social economics. Xi'an University of Finance and Economics, July 24, 2018.
(2018) Spatial variation of soil geochemistry at different scales: New challenges and opportunities in the big data era, Chengdu Technological University, May 9, 2018.
(2018) Spatial Hotspot Analysis of Geochemistry in the Era of Big Data, International Centre on Global Scale Environmental Geochemistry, Langfang, China. May 17, 2018.
(2018) How to Write a Scientific Paper? Henan University, April 28, 2018.
(2018) Spatial variation of soil geochemistry at different scales. Policy Lab, NUI Galway, Jan. 9, 2018.
(2018) Spatial variation of soil geochemistry at different scales in the big data era, Guiyang Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, Aug 6, 2018.
(2018) Advanced GIS spatial analyses: Possible tools to reveal potential links between environment and health in the big data era, Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu. Aug. 7, 2018.
(2018) How to Write a Scientific Paper? Chengdu Technological University, Aug. 13, 2018.
(2018) Spatial variation of soil geochemistry at different scales in the big data era. Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Aug. 14, 2018.
(2018) Towards machine learning for identification of hidden spatial patterns and relationships in big data of environmental geochemistry. Medical School, Peking University, Beijing. Oct. 19, 2018.
(2018) Towards machine learning for identification of hidden spatial patterns and relationships in big data of environmental geochemistry. Henan University, Nov. 7., 2018.
(2018) Spatial variation of soil geochemistry at different scales in the big data era, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Aug. 23, 2018.
(2017) Spatial variation in soil geochemistry at regional, field and micro scales: New opportunities and challenges. Beijing Normal University, July 10, 2017.
(2017) Use of GIS to identify soil pollution in South Park on Galway Coast. Seminar for a group of visiting students from Oldenburg, Germany. Dept of Geography, NUI Galway. March 7, 2017.
(2017) Spatial analysis in geochemistry at regional, field and micro scales: New opportunities and challenges. 30 years EuroGeoSurveys Geochemistry Expert Group and 20 years IUGS Commission on Global Geochemical Baselines Meeting at the "Geologische Bundesanstalt" (GBA) in Vienna, 20 & 21 April, 2017.
(2017) Spatial variation in geochemistry at regional, field and micro scales: New opportunities and challenges, FarmEye Stakeholder Workshop, Technology Transfer Office, NUI Galway. May 12, 2017.
(2017) Spatial variation in soil geochemistry at regional, field and micro scales: New opportunities and challenges, UNESCO International Centre on Global-Scale Geochemistry (ICGG), Langfang, China, July 7, 2017.
(2017) How to Write a Scientific Paper, UNESCO International Centre on Global-Scale Geochemistry (ICGG), Langfang, China, July 28, 2017.
(2017) Towards practical applications of measurements of labile P, As and metals in soils and sediments based on a novel passive sampling technique of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT), Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, July 15, 2017.
(2017) Spatial variation in soil geochemistry at regional, field and micro scales: New opportunities and challenges, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, July 15, 2017.
(2017) Spatial variation in soil geochemistry at regional, field and micro scales: New opportunities and challenges, Sichuan University, Chengdu, July 17, 2017.
(2016) Bioavailability assessment of P, As and metals in soils and sediments: Development of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) as a passive sampling technique. Institute of Geography, Hebei Academy of Sciences. April 26, 2016.
(2016) Advanced GIS spatial analyses in environmental studies. Lanzhou University, July 17, 2016.
(2016) Advanced GIS spatial analyses in environmental studies. . Institute of Geography, Hebei Academy of Sciences. April 26, 2016.
(2016) Advanced GIS spatial analyses in environmental studies. Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Oct. 20, 2016.
(2016) Bioavailability assessment of P, As and metals in soils and sediments: Development of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) as a passive sampling technique. Lanzhou University, July 17, 2016.
(2016) Advanced GIS spatial analyses in environmental studies. Jiangxi Normal University, Oct. 19, 2016.
(2016) Bioavailability assessment of P, As and metals in soils and sediments: Development of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) as a passive sampling technique. Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Oct. 20, 2016.
(2016) Bioavailability assessment of P, As and metals in soils and sediments: Development of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) as a passive sampling technique. Henan University, Oct. 21, 2016.
(2016) Advanced GIS spatial analyses in environmental studies. Henan University, Oct. 21, 2016.
(2016) Bioavailability assessment of P, As and metals in soils and sediments: Development of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) as a passive sampling technique. Jiangxi Normal University, Oct. 19, 2016.
(2015) Bioavailability assessment of P, As and metals in soils and sediments: Development of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) as a passive sampling technique. Institute of Soil Science, CAS, Nanjing, May 8, 2015.
(2015) Towards GIS spatial analyses in environmental and health studies. University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, May 5, 2015.
(2015) Bioavailability assessment of P, As and metals in soils and sediments: Development of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT). Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, CAS, Chengdu. May 4, 2015.
(2015) Variation of As concentration on surfaces of CCA-treated wood planks in a park and its field influencing factors. Nanjing University, May 7, 2015.
(2015) Bioavailability assessment of P, As and metals in soils and sediments: Development of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) as a passive sampling technique. Nanchang University, June 15, 2015.
(2015) Advanced GIS spatial analyses in environmental studies. Central South University of Forestry & Technology (CSUFT), Changsha, June 17, 2015.
(2015) Advanced GIS spatial analyses in environmental studies. Institute of Subtropical Agriculture Chinese Academy of Sciences (ISA), Changsha, June 17, 2015.
(2014) Variation of arsenic concentration on surfaces of cca-treated wood planks in a park in china and its field influencing factors. Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Guangzhou, China. July 23, 2014.
(2014) Towards GIS spatial analyses in environmental and health studies. Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, July 29, 2014.
(2014) GIS and DGT: Advanced techniques for environmental studies. Nanchang University, July 14, 2014.
(2014) Diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT): An emerging technology for measurements of bioavailable phosphorus and metals in sediments and soils. Ryan Institute Lunchtime Seminar, National University of Ireland, Galway. Jan. 10, 2014.
(2014) Variation of arsenic concentration on surfaces of CCa-treated wood planks in a park in china and its field influencing factors. Sichuan University, Chengdu, Aug. 5, 2014.
(2014) DGT: An emerging technique for bioavailability assessment. Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, July 29, 2014.
(2013) Use of GIS to identify potential contaminated land. Chinese University of Hong Kong, March 14, 2013.
(2013) Towards spatial analyses of environment and health. Hong Kong Baptist University, March 12, 2013.
(2013) Advanced spatial analyses in environmental studies. Hong Kong Polytech University, March 6, 2013.
(2013) Advanced spatial analyses in environmental studies. Chinese University of Hong Kong, February 22, 2013.
(2013) Use of GIS to identify potential contaminated land. Southwest University, Chongqing, China, March 29, 2013.
(2013) Diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT): An emerging technology for measurements of bioavailable phosphorus and metals in sediments and soils. South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Guangzhou, May 8, 2013.
(2013) Diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT): An emerging technology for measurements of bioavailable phosphorus and metals in sediments and soils. Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, May 7, 2013.
(2013) Diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT): An emerging technology for measurements of bioavailable phosphorus and metals in sediments and soils. South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, May 7, 2013.
(2013) Diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT): An emerging technology for measurements of bioavailable phosphorus and metals in sediments and soils. Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, May 6, 2013.
(2013) Diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT): An emerging technology for measurements of bioavailable phosphorus and metals in sediments and soils. Hong Kong Baptist University, May 30, 2013.
(2013) Diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT): An emerging technology for environmental monitoring of bioavailability. Jiuzhaigou National Park, Sichuan, China, May 14, 2013.
(2013) GIS and DGT: Advanced techniques for contaminated land research. Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Hangzhou, China, May 22, 2013.
(2013) Diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT): An emerging technology for measurements of bioavailable phosphorus and metals in sediments and soils. Sichuan University, Chengdu, China, May 17, 2013.
(2013) Zhang, C.S., 2013. Environmental Pollution and Health: Environmental Problems in Jiuzhaigou National Park. Jiuzhaigou National Park, Sichuan, China, July 28, 2013. (Public lecture).
(2013) Towards GIS spatial analyses in medical geology. Introduction to Medical Geology Short Course. MEDGEO 2013: The 5th International Conference on Medical Geology & 2nd Symposium on Advances in Geospatial Technologies for Health, 25–29 August 2013, Hilton Crystal City Hotel, Arlington, Virginia, USA. (As One of Workshop Leaders).
(2012) Environmental monitoring: Portable XRF analyzer for metals in soils. Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway. March 16, 2012.
(2012) Preliminary analyses of scientific research methodologies. Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. April 19, 2012.
(2012) Toward spatial analyses of environment and health. Nanjing University, Nanjing, China. Nov. 12, 2012.
(2012) A Novel Approach for Measurement of Dissolved Reactive Phosphorus and Its Significance in Eutrophication Monitoring in Jiuzhaigou National Park. Jiuzhaigou National Park, Sichuan, China. Nov. 25, 2012.
(2012) Toward spatial analyses of environment and health. Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment (IMHE), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China. Nov. 27, 2012.
(2012) Advanced GIS Spatial Analyses in Environmental Studies. Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China. April 13, 2012.
(2012) Advanced GIS Spatial Analyses in Environmental Studies. Guiyang Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, China. April 25, 2012.
(2012) Advanced GIS spatial analyses and their potential applications in grassland research. Sichuan Grassland Science Academy, Chengdu, China. Aug. 2., 2012.
(2012) Advanced GIS Spatial Analyses in Environmental Studies. Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences ,Guangzhou, China. April 27, 2012.
(2012) Advanced GIS Spatial Analyses in Environmental Studies. Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES), Beijing, China. April 6, 2012.
(2012) Advanced GIS Spatial Analyses in Environmental Studies. Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences (RCEES), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. April 5, 2012.
(2011) Advanced GIS spatial analyses of contaminated land. South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Guangzhou, China. Aug. 1., 2011.
(2011) GIS Spatial Statistical Analyses in Environmental Studies. Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China. July 18, 2011.
(2011) Advanced Spatial Data Analyses in Environmental Studies. Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China. July 8, 2011.
(2011) Use of spatial analyses to link environment and health. Department of Environmental Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. Aug. 2, 2011.
(2011) Spatial Analyses in Environmental Studies. National Centre for Geocomputation, NUI Maynooth. March 24, 2011.
(2010) New Development of Applications of GIS in Environmental Monitoring. Guangdong Provincial Center for Environmental Information, Aug. 8, 2010.
(2010) Use of geographically weighted regression to map soil organic carbon contents in Ireland. Department of Environmental Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. Aug. 6, 2010.
(2010) New Development of Applications of GIS in Environmental Protection. Jiuzhaigou National Park, Sichuan Province, China. July 30, 2010.
(2010) Identification of Potentially Contaminated Land using Spatial Statistics. State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China. July 15, 2010.
(2009) Use of spatial statistics to aid identification of potential contaminated land. Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. July 24, 2009.
(2009) Use of spatial statistics to aid identification of potential contaminated land. Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. August 14, 2009.
(2008) GIS and its applications. Jiuzhaigou National Park, Sichuan Province, China. July 18, 2008.
(2008) Applications of neighbourhood statistics in environmental sciences: Analyses of spatial variation and hotspots. Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. June 30, 2008.
(2007) Seminar series: (1) Applications of statistics and GIS in studies of urban soil pollution; (2) Two problems in using statistics: Probability and outliers; (3) Optimal GIS mapping in national soil database of Ireland. Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. July 2-4, 2007.
(2006) Using multivariate analyses and GIS to identify pollutants and their spatial patterns in urban soils in Galway, Ireland. Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. April 8, 2006.
(2006) Spatio-temporal change analyses and hazard assessment using GIS and geostatistics. Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. April 10, 2006.
(2006) Data Analyses in Environmental Geochemistry: Problems and Solutions. Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. April 14, 2006.
(2006) Spatio-temporal change analyses and hazard assessment using GIS and geostatistics. Macaulay Institute, Aberdeen, Scotland. Dec. 5, 2006.
(2006) Spatio-temporal change analyses and hazard assessment using GIS and geostatistics. National Centre for Geocomputation, NUI, Maynooth. Jan 19, 2006.
(2005) Applications of GIS and statistics in geosciences, Institute of Geographical Science and Natural Resource Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. 2005-7-8.
(2004) Detecting spatio-temporal changes and assessing hazards using environmental measurements. Centre for Environmental Research, University of Sussex, UK. 2004-10-21.
(2004) Detecting spatio-temporal changes and assessing hazards using environmental measurements. School of Environment, University of Brighton, UK. 2004-10-19.
(2003) Contaminant distributions in the lower Mississippi River area. Dept. of Geography, NUI, Galway (presented by F. Manaheim) 2003-03-27.
(2003) New aspects in GIS mapping: Spatial outliers and spatial uncertainty. Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU), Sweden. 2003-06-12	.
(2003) Data quality assessment using statistics and GIS __ An example of chemical elements in sediments from Leinster area. Environmental Change Institute, NUI, Galway. 2003-11-27.
(2002) Using GIS and geostatistics to study the changes of carbon contents in Irish soils. Geography Department, NUI, Galway. 2002-03-14.
(2002) Making research in geosciences easier with the aid of quantitative methods. USGS Eastern Mineral Resources, Reston, VA, USA. 2002-07-31	.
(2002) Risk assessment of heavy metals in soils of a mining site using geostatistics and GIS. Dept. of Geography, NUI, Galway. 2002-10-07	.
(2002) Let the data speak: Applications of quantitative methods to geosciences. USGS, Reston, VA, USA. 2002-08-11.
(2001) GIS and its applications in Geochemistry. Zhongshan Universoty, Guangzhou, China (Organized by Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences). 2001-11-06	.
(2001) GIS and its applications. Geography Department, NUI, Galway. 2001-10-18	.
(2008) A review of fractionations of rare earth elements in plants.
(2002) Using local Moran's I to detect spatial outliers in soil organic carbon concentrations in Ireland. In: Levine, N., CrimeStat II: A Spatial Statistics Program for the Analysis of Crime Incident Locations. The National Institute of Justice: Washington D.C., May 2002. p. 293. (one page short summary).


Location in website: Home » What's New? » News » Laggan Wolftrax Cafe has been accredited as a Living Wage Employer!
We are extremely happy to announce that we have been accredited as a Living Wage Employer!
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Home » Eemax Sells Record Number of Miniature Electric Tanks for Portable Handwashing Stations at Makeshift Hospitals Across America
Eemax Sells Record Number of Miniature Electric Tanks for Portable Handwashing Stations at Makeshift Hospitals Across America
Americans need to wash their hands, now more than ever. Eemax, a leading manufacturer of water heating solutions for more than 30 years, has received record orders from across the United States for its miniature tank water heater EMT (Electric Mini Tank). EMT is a compact water heater (available in 1-, 2.5-, 4- and 6-gallon models) which provides warm water for handwashing. It has been implemented in various mobile handwashing stations, which can be used at makeshift hospitals, testing sites, homeless shelters, grocery stores, industrial plants, construction sites, restaurants, retailers and schools in the fight against COVID-19.
EMT 6 was installed in portable handwashing stations at the makeshift hospital at the Jacob B. Javits Convention Center in New York City.
Eemax sent a shipment of EMT 4 to UMC, a mechanical engineering and construction company in Washington for use in the company's touch-free wash stations. The stations feature two or four sinks basins, each equipped with a touch-free faucet, soap dispenser and comfortable, warm water for handwashing. The sinks are spaced six feet apart to meet social distancing requirements. The two-sink version can accommodate up to 120 washes per hour and the four-sink version up to 240 washes per hour.
PJ Dionne, a commercial plumbing and HVAC contractor in Boston, has also been implementing the EMT in its various mobile handwashing units.
Additionally, Eemax is supplying the EMT 4 to plumbing supply houses that have been busy manufacturing mobile handwashing units to sell to their customers. A plumbing supply house in New Jersey has introduced a portable handwashing unit featuring a GFI-protected EMT 4. Features include a stainless steel sink, two-handle faucet, piped drain, gallon bottle, and pump bracket — all fully assembled and ready to use. The stations are being used at jobsites to keep employees following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for increased handwashing. Eemax EMT 4 easily attaches to a hose or external water supply and requires a power source for operation.
Eemax has been busy assessing the most pressing needs of their customers to provide convenient and energy efficient hot water solutions for those in need.
Business Contractors & Installers Engineers & Specifiers Hands-free Health Care Industry Community News Plumbing Wholesalers & Distributors COVID-19 Industry Announcements Health and Safety
Grocery Store Keeps Customers and Employees Safe with UMC Handwashing Stations
Eemax Delivers Safe, On-Demand Hot Water for Handwashing During COVID-19 Pandemic
UMC Designs and Fabricates Portable Wash Stations During COVID-19 Pandemic


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Covid-19 Booster Shots Targeting Omicron Authorized
The Wall Street Journal 8/31/2022 Jared S. Hopkins, Liz Essley Whyte
© EMILY ELCONIN/REUTERS
U.S. health regulators cleared use of retooled Covid-19 vaccines that target the latest versions of Omicron, in preparation for a fall booster campaign that could start within days.
The action by the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday permits people 12 years and older to receive an additional shot of the vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE, and people 18 and older to receive a Moderna Inc. booster at least two months after their most recent dose.
The clearance marks the first changes to the composition of the Covid-19 vaccines since their distribution began in the U.S. in December 2020.
The action also makes the booster doses widely available, rather than limiting them to people who are at high risk of developing severe disease, as earlier booster authorizations had done.
"As we head into fall and begin to spend more time indoors, we strongly encourage anyone who is eligible to consider receiving a booster dose with a bivalent Covid-19 vaccine to provide better protection against currently circulating variants," FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said.
The shots are known as bivalent vaccines because they target both the original strain of the virus that emerged in China in late 2019 and the Omicron subvariants.
Health authorities have been preparing to roll out the rejiggered boosters to protect people from the virus in the fall and winter, a period when cases have often ticked up as people spend more time indoors.
To better defend against the elusive Omicron variant dominant in the U.S., the authorities in late June directed the vaccine makers to tweak their shots to target Omicron's BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, as well as the virus's original strain.
FDA officials said the goal for the altered vaccines is to protect people for a longer period of time and more fully—even against symptomatic infection—than the original vaccines would have if given again as boosters.
The reformulated vaccines targeting the now-dominant BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants are likely to be a closer match to future variants that may evolve this winter, said Peter Marks, who heads the FDA's vaccines division.
"In terms of trying to stave off serious outcomes and symptomatic disease, one needs to refresh the immune system with what is actually circulating," he said.
Yet many people might resist seeking another shot, partly out of weariness with getting repeat inoculations. Another possible factor: The FDA cleared the doses without waiting for results from the kinds of clinical trials conducted before earlier authorizations.
The trials aren't necessary to be confident the vaccines will work safely, many vaccine experts have said, because the changes simply update proven shots. The process is similar to the development of annual flu shots, which are given without testing them in people.
"The FDA has extensive experience with strain changes for annual influenza vaccines," said Dr. Marks. "We are confident in the evidence supporting these authorizations."
Both vaccines are based on gene-based messenger RNA technology. The quick turnaround time to produce them in a few months was a new test of the plug-and-play potential of the technology.
"It is, of course, very important to have adaptive vaccines," BioNTech Chief Executive Ugur Sahin said. "The reason is the virus is really rapidly evolving, and Omicron has collected a lot of mutations—in the meantime, additional mutations, in BA.4\5—and we have to catch up."
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla called the authorizations "another important milestone in our ongoing efforts to provide protection against this virus."
Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said the company's new booster will provide broader protection against forms of Omicron.
The authorities have looked to the updated shots to provide stronger protection against BA.4 and BA.5, after research found that current vaccines weren't as effective against the subvariants as they had been against earlier versions of the virus.
Before people can begin to receive the shots, a panel of vaccine experts advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is scheduled to meet Thursday and Friday to discuss the FDA's authorization.
Many hospitals, pharmacies and other vaccination sites would start providing the shots after the panel and then the CDC director signs off.
The vaccine makers have said they are prepared to ship doses of the shots shortly after the FDA's blessing. The U.S. government recently secured 66 million doses of Moderna's vaccine and 105 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech shot for the fall campaign.
The vaccines are slated to be available where people can currently get shots, including hospitals, doctors' offices and pharmacies. States are already eligible to preorder supplies.
People would be able to get the shots at no charge, as has been the case to date in the pandemic.
The new versions of the shots would be available as boosters, but people seeking an initial series vaccine would continue to receive the original shots. The FDA is no longer authorizing the original formulations of the vaccines as boosters for people 12 years and older.
The FDA sanctioned a two-month gap between the new boosters and a recipient's last vaccine dose, Dr. Marks said, to maximize the immune response to the shots and reduce the rare risk of the heart inflammation condition known as myocarditis.
Public-health experts have expressed hope that the updated shots could improve the country's booster rate, which has remained static the past few months.
More than 108 million people have received at least one booster shot, just under half the number of people who received an initial series, according to the CDC.
Boosters of the original vaccines are available to people as young as 5 years old in the U.S. Second boosters are available to adults at least 50 years old and people who are at least 12 years old and have weakened immune systems.
Yet the inoculation campaign faces challenges, including fatigue from many in the U.S. who are tired of getting shots.
Some 57% of vaccinated people surveyed in July said they wouldn't get a booster because they believed their initial vaccination or a prior infection provided enough protection, the Kaiser Family Foundation said. Meanwhile, 52% said they just didn't want a shot.
Health authorities have expressed hope that they could increase uptake by combining Covid-19 boosting with the medical visits people make to receive annual flu vaccinations. Updating vaccines, according to health experts, could also encourage people to get their boosters.
Moderna, as well as Pfizer and BioNTech have started separate trials testing their shots in people.
Pfizer and BioNTech said studies in animals found a booster dose of the modified vaccine generated a strong immune response against the original strain, BA.5 and other Omicron subvariants. Moderna said testing of a shot modified to target the original strain and Omicron's BA.1 subvariant found a stronger neutralizing antibody response against BA.5 and other subvariants compared with the company's current vaccine.
While the vaccine makers tested other bivalent vaccines targeting the original Omicron variant, the FDA instead asked the companies to tweak their booster shots to target the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. The action came after research found that current vaccines weren't as effective against the subvariants as they had been against earlier versions of the virus.
Pfizer and BioNTech plan to ask the FDA to green light a retooled vaccine for children 5 years to 11 in October and are in talks with the agency to prepare a request for children under 5, the companies said. There will be a pediatric group in the clinical study, a spokeswoman said. Moderna plans to ask the FDA to authorize its retooled vaccines for adolescents and children in the coming weeks, a spokesman said.
Authorizations for children of younger ages are expected by the end of October, a person familiar with the matter said.
Write to Jared S. Hopkins at jared.hopkins@wsj.com and Liz Essley Whyte at liz.whyte@wsj.com
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Players: 16. Matches: 35. Club: Dynamo TTC. State: New York (NY). Country: United States (USA). Director: Zalesskiy, Oleg. Sport: Table Tennis. Event ID: 17452. Submitted/revised: 2015-05-21 2:03 pm EDT. Last processed: 2019-04-18 5:49 pm EDT.


The Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board has reached a deal to buy 40 percent of Glencore's agricultural business, which includes Viterra, for US$2.5 billion.
Glencore Agri's asset network includes more than 200 storage facilities, 31 processing facilities and 23 ports around the world, including Viterra's grain handling facilities in Canada and Australia. The company employs more than 12,000 people and operates in more than 30 countries.
After buying Canada's largest grain handler at the time, Viterra, for approximately US$6.2 billion in 2012, the deal values 100 percent of the equity in Glencore Agri at US$6.25 billion.
Both sides have agreed to an initial four year lock-up period subject subject to a carve-out for Glencore to sell up to another 20 percent stake. Either the CPPIB or Glencore may also call for an initial public offering of Glencore Agri after eight years from the date of closing.
The deal is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2016, with the proceeds going to reducing Glencore's debt.
After closing, the CPPIB would appoint two directors to the board of Glencore Agri. They would sit alongside two Glencore-appointed directors and the CEO.


The Activities Director compiled data on our 2011 Rides and Activities. Click here to see how many rides the club had in 2011.
Details: 9 bikes, 1 passenger. Overcast and chilly but no rain and not too cold. Nice long ride (110 miles) along some good, scenic roads. Good lunch at the restaurant.
Details: 9 Bikes, 1 passenger. The group welcomed two new members on the ride: John and Kathryn Garrow. Cool start but warmed up nicely. Great sandwiches at Famous Phillies.
Beautiful fall ride through the Ocala Forest to Lake Weir and Gator Joes. Great way to spend the day: On two wheels with good friends. Doesn't get much better than that.
Details: 18 bikes, 4 passengers, 4 guests.
The post-meeting ride to Callahan was a good test for RCC George Howard who was making his final qualifying ride and he passed with flying colors. A good mix of city streets and country roads with plenty of opportunities for using group riding skills. Overcast but mid-70s. A good ride and good food and service at The Pig.
Beautiful afternoon ride to south to St. Augustine and then north along the ocean to Jacksonville Beach and Billy's Boathouse Grill. Temp in mid-70s. Billy's was crowded but had set aside four tables for us out back so we could listen to the live music.
Coolish start (mid 50s) but a nice ride on back roads. Good food and more than ample portions at Mojo's. Chili and gumbo were big hits on a crisp fall day.
Good trip down to Daytona and once there everyone went their own way to enjoy Biketoberfest.
Road Captain: Brian Brannon; Tail gunner: Steve Lee; RCC: George Howard. No photographer.
Ride to Sliders in Fernandina Beach cancelled due to rain.
Another beautiful fall day. Hit more than our share of red lights at the start of the ride, but once in the countryside it was a great trip. Jacket weather has returned.
Details: This was the second annual OPHOG Bug Run where the rider with a bug closest to the target on the headlight won lunch courtesy of Road Captain Brian Malek. And the winner was: Duane "Ski" Zeleski. 120 mile, 3 hr ride. Beautiful fall weather. 14 bikes, 1 guest.
Details: 8 bikes, 1 passenger. 90 miles, including a start that took us through downtown Jacksonville. Light traffic so no problems. Then US 17 all the way to Spankys. Good ride. Good weather.
Details: 10 bikes, 1 passenger/guest. 50 mile post-meeting loop ride from Fleet Reserve to LaNopolera Mexican restaurant.
Road Captain: DrD; Tail gunner: Mark Stevens.
Details: 10 bikes, 1 passenger, 1 guest. 120 mile ride in good weather. Country roads, along the beach and through some nice Ormond Beach neighborhoods. Good food at Pagano's.
Details: 14 bikes,1 passenger, 2 guests. Good day for a ride. Slightly overcast and pleasant temps. Nice ride along the ocean to start then up US 17 to St. Simons. Creative menu at Saltwater Cowboys and everyone enjoyed lunch.
Road Captain: Jack Morris; RCC (final qualifying ride): Lori Morris; Tail Gunner: DrD; Photographer: Tara Galaydick.
Details: 12 bikes. Hot ride–upper 90s. But a great route of 140+ miles. Good food. Everyone agreed the ride was worth doing again, but in the fall or spring.
Details: 6 Bikes. Good ride and good barbeque at the end of it.
Destination: Sunset Grill, St. Augustine.
Details: RC: Russ Prothero; TG: Butch H.
Details: 12 bikes, 3 passengers and 1 guest made a morning ride to Cedar Key on the Gulf of Mexico. 1 bike returned to OP and the rest spent the weekend in Cedar Key. Good weather with typical August heat and humidity. Nice condos at Natures Landing.
Details: 10 bikes, no guests, no passengers. Early start at 8:30 and cool along the river for the first hour but it heated up by the time we went through the Ocala National Forest and reached our destination at 11:30. But a good ride and the final qualifying ride for RCC Jack Morris.
Details: 11 bikes, 2 passengers, 2 guests. Beautiful 130 mile ride through scenic horse country. This was the final qualifying ride for RCC Steve Lee who chose the destination and plotted the route. A sign of good rides to come. Hot and humid with some showers on the return trip.
Details: 6 bikes and 1 passenger/guest.
Details: 13 bikes and 1 passenger showed up at the Jax Beach Pier for the 6:38 a.m. glorious sunrise then rode to St. Augustine for breakfast at the Village Inn. This is always a great ride and especially so when the weather was as perfect as it was for this ride.
Details: 13 bikes. 70 miles to the airport restaurant. No better way to spend Sunday than on two wheels under blue skies. Good route and everyone enjoyed the food at High Jackers.
Road Captain: Steve Coleman; Tail gunner: Rick Burger; Photographers: Susan Coleman & DrD.
Details: 5 motorcycle riders and 2 passengers (including new members George and Helen Howard) braved the threat of rain for the post-meeting ride to Harvey's Bar B Q (fka Tailored BBQ). A couple drops on the way there and some road splash on the way home, but managed to miss the worst of the rain and had a good time and good barbeque at Harvey's BBQ.
Details: Post meeting ride from the Fleet Reserve. Approximately 16 bikes and 4 passengers. 70 miles. Blue skies and HOT.
Road Captain: Butch Hubbard; Tail Gunner: Tom Bott; Photographer: Linda Meador.
Details: Started at 9:30 a.m. but still warm as 5 riders made the trip to Georgies Diner for brunch. Gravy & Biscuits was the order of the day. Short (50 miles) ride, but some nice country roads and a ride along the river. This was Brian Brannon's Road Captain Qualifying Ride; he planned the ride, rode a pre-ride, and conducted this one: He's now officially an OPHOG Road Captain.
Road Captain: DrD; RCC: Brian Brannon; Tail gunner: Mark Stevens.
Details: 15 bikes again this week and two passengers took an interesting 70 mile route to Backwoods Barbeque that included some new roads for many in the group. Temp in the 80s with blue skies but smoke from forest fires was pretty heavy in a couple of places. It was a good ride. And everyone liked the BBQ, again.
Details: Early start didn't deter 15 riders and 2 passengers who left at 7:30 a.m. for the 70 mile ride to Wellborn and a blueberry pancake breakfast. Vendors, craftspeople, a parade and, of course, blueberries. Good weather and a good trip.
Details: On a beautiful Memorial Day Weekend, 17 riders and 2 passengers (and 2 guests) turned out for a leisurely ride to Conestoga Restaurant (destination of the chapter's first ride in January 2009). Moderate traffic until we left the metropolises of Orange Park and Middleburg, then a smooth ride. Conestoga was ready for us and food and service were good.
Details: 16 bikes, 4 passengers, 2 guests and 2 cars made the 38 mile ride to Lake Fretwell at Cecil Commerce Center and joined approximately 40 other OPHOG members for the annual PIGNIC. Motorcycle games, followed by food, followed by severe thunderstorm.
Details: 11 bikes, 1 passenger. 62 miles, one way. Paynes Prairie is a 21,000 acre state preserve established in 1971 to save some of Florida's remaining natural areas. A short hike (3 miles round trip) saw scores of alligators, some wild horses in the distance and a variety of other wild flora and fauna. An interesting and worth while trip.
Details: 13 bikes, 4 passengers. An experiment in the middle of the week. Free pie at the Village Inn was the enticement and seemed to work well. A short ride (35 miles, 50 minutes) but a nice ride through the countryside after work.
Details: 20 Bikes, 4 passengers, 2 guests. Another gorgeous day. A little windy, but temps in the 70s-80s and blue skies. 123 mile ride with two stops on nice back roads. Picnic at St. Simons was a hit. Some took food, some bought food enroute, and some just went along for the ride.
Destination: Sugar Mill Restaurant at DeLeon Springs State Park.
Details: 13 Bikes, 2 passengers, 1 guest. Beautiful cloudless sky and very light traffic on an early morning ride. 89 miles with one stop. DeLeon State Park is an old style "Florida Roadside Attraction" with swimming, paddle boats, picnic areas and the Sugar Mill Restaurant where you cook your own pancakes on a built-in griddle at your table. The 1 hour wait gave time to look around the park and, as it turns out, to venture out on a paddle boat.
Details: 8 bikes. 1 passenger. Post meeting ride. 25 miles. Route went through downtown Jax and along the dock area.
Road Captain: Tom Martin; Tail Gunner: Billy Schofield.
Details: 11 bikes. Some clouds on the way there kept it cool, but a good ride. Beautiful farm country west of Lake City. 100 miles one way and Sister's Cafe was worth the ride. Good country food buffet style. Lots of second trips to the buffet.
Details: 14 bikes, 1 passenger. This ride was held in conjunction with JaxHOG and Rolling Thunder. There were approximately 50 bikes total and two chase vehicles loaded with clothes, TVs, and toiletries for the 128 residents at the domicile. This annual event is always a treat with a chance to say THANK YOU to men and women who served in uniform. We appreciate all they did and the appreciate the visit. Everyone wins. Good ride in good weather. Lunch for most OPHOG at Ken's BBQ after a tour of the facility.
Details: 12 bikes, 3 passengers, 1 guest. Blue skies and warm temperatures. Riding doesn't get much better than that. Took the long way to Palatka on the east side of the river. River road was nice as always. Good food and service at Corky Bells.
Details: 13 bikes, 2 passengers, 2 guests. Cool 8:30 a.m. KSU but warmed by late morning. Nice route with more curvey roads than average. Unfortunately, the group was twice slowed by vehicles going 10-15 mph below speed limit with no opportunity to pass and that put us behind schedule. Mid-course correction changed the destination, but everyone was happy again with JJ Fins and lunch on the deck listening to live music. Beautiful blue skies.
Details: 9 bikes, 1 passenger. 54 miles one way. Another nice day for a ride. Jackets needed, but not cold. Good ride and good food.
Road Captain: Billy Schofield; Tail Gunner: Tom Martin.
Details: Nearly two dozen OPHOG members met for fun and food at Buffalos. Butch hung a plaque in Buffalos with the chapter's colors.
Details: 14 bikes, 2 passengers. Typical early spring day in NE Florida. The long route to Daytona covered a little more than 100 miles and included a road new to most: John Anderson in Flager Beach. Two stops and everyone went their own way to check out all the goodies at Bike Week.
Details: 10 bikes, 1 passenger. Another gorgeous day and another chance to ride more new roads, this time CR 15A northeast of Hilliard. Beautiful back roads, courtesy of Road Captain Russ Prothero. Good lunch at Pablo's; cool but warm enough to eat outside.
Details: 13 bikes, 2 passengers. Beautiful weather for the post-meeting ride. Once again, Road Captain Rick Kirtley found a stretch of road that many had not ridden before since few of us have business at the prison at Raiford.
Details: 15 bikes, 2 passengers.
Destination: Gainesville, Hoggetown Medieval Faire.
Details: RIDE CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN.
Details: 12 bikes, 2 passengers. Another crisp winter morning, about 49° at KSU with blue skies. Glad to have a couple of passenger guests along. We definitely took the long way to St. George (99 miles), but our resourceful Road Captain had found some back roads that most of us had not seen. Really nice ride.
Details: 11 bikes. Crisp winter morning, about 47° at KSU, but everyone was layered and stayed warm except for some cold fingers. Brian M's recommendation for Mike's Cafe & Grille was a good one. Can't remember the last time a H.O.G. group ate at a place where the chairs had arms and there was art besides dogs playing poker on the walls. Good food, too. A place to remember for future rides. Ski won the "most Harley Davidson logos" contest with 58 and got a free lunch.
Details: 7 members, 1 passenger guest. Post meeting ride to Taylor'd BBQ in Macclenny. Mid to upper 50s, blue skies. Nice long ride to Macclenny (66 miles). First time for everyone at Taylor'd BBQ. Everyone liked the food and said we should go back again.
Details: 7 members rode 80 miles one-way under blue skies and crisip temps in the high 50s. Always a nice ride through the Ocala Forest.
Details: 20 bikes, 4 passengers, 78 miles one way.
No better way to start the New Year than on two wheels under blue skies with good friends. This was a great ride on scenic–and largely empty–backroads to a great southern-style buffet.


Germany's vision for Islam in the West?
Acceptance, but at a price.
Their argument that a "German Islam" or "European Islam" would be a "contradiction of the universality of Islam which illuminates all ages and places at the same time." is the most interesting to me.
The only question is, are they preaching "Turkish Islam", or simply "Islam"? Are they contradicting their own claim at universality? And who decides whether a qualifier is needed?
Just questions, without knowing what "German Islam" or "Turkish Islam" actually entail beyond a few specifics in the article.
This isn't acceptance, it is an attempt by the German Govt to control the Imams and leaders of the Muslim communities so they could steer them toward their secular agenda.
They are trying to turn Germany into another Egypt or KSA where the secular government determines everything that goes on in the masjids, from what subjects they talk about, don't talk about during khutba to who is on the board of directors. They want to make Islam into a 'State Religion' as Christianity and Judaism have become. This would be a big disaster for the Muslim communities in Germany.
The only way us Shia have been able to avoid falling into this trap is that the system of khums is not dependent on any government and it is given directly by the people and given directly to the Marjaa' without having to go 'through' the hands of corrupt government officials.
They are trying to turn Germany into another Egypt or KSA where the secular government determines everything that goes on in the masjids, from what subjects they talk about, don't talk about during khutba to who is on the board of directors. They want to make Islam into a 'State Religion' as Christianity and Judaism have become. This would be a big disaster for the Muslim communities in Germany.
But according to the article, the Turkish government essentially controls 900 of the 2400 mosques. Should the German government be ok with that?
European countries do not know how to handle their Muslim populations, so it makes sense they would try to regulate mosques in various ways. How effective this will be is another question.
I agree that it can have negative consequences for the Muslim community, but it is a predominantly non-Muslim society with its own laws, with the limitations and contradictions therin.
Muslim countries themselves have similar set ups with mosques, churches and synagogues, right?
Some people will probably say, 'Oh you're only saying this because you're Shia and those leaders are Sunni and if, for example, the Iranian Govt did some act of oppression or injustice you wouldn't say anything'. What I would say to that is, show me the specific act of injustice, and bring evidence for it from 'non biased' sources and sources that are not well known for fabricating evidence and I will examine it, and if it is legitimate I will condemn it and also the government. I have the freedom to do that because I am not paid by the Iranian government and I have no financial or personal stake in this government's success or failure. Because as a Muslim, and follower of Ahl Al Bayt((عليه السلام)), this is our wajibat, and this is more important than any government or political system which is temporary, and these come and go.
But when a government starts to pay Imams and leaders in the Masjid, unless that government is headed by a Masoom or at least a leadership that are followers of Ahl Al Bayt((عليه السلام)) and their only goal is Amr Bil Maroof....wa Nahiya Al Munkhar, then you will see very quickly that those masjids and those leaders begin to modify their message according to the wishes of the government because their livelihood is at stake. This is an extremely negative thing for the community and the cause of misguidance for most Muslim communities on Earth at the present.
This is, btw, the same process by which the original message of Prophet Isa((عليه السلام)) became corrupted. In the beginning, Prophet Isa((عليه السلام)) had disciples (hawariyeen) who were honest and sincere and tried their best to preach and stick with the original message which was taught by Prophet Isa((عليه السلام)) according to the Injeel. It was only when some of the preachers who never knew Prophet Isa((عليه السلام)) , I.e. Paul of Tarsus (la), went toward the Roman State (the secular state), that the message of Prophet Isa((عليه السلام)) became the 'State Religion' under the Roman Emperor Constantine, that the message of Prophet Esa((عليه السلام)) became corrupt and all sorts of innovations(bida') were introduced that were not in the original mesage, for example, the made up concept of 'Trinity'. This was done because Emporers, such as Constantine and their modern day equivalents (characters like Trump, May, and Merkel) are only interested in maintaining their power. They couldn't care less about a thing like 'Truth' or 'Justice'. The epic battle that all the Prophets(may peace be upon all of them) and their sincere followers have fought from Day 1 was with this group of Emperors and power hungry individuals.
One thing I like about living in the US is that the US Government does not give one penny toward the masjids, so they are free in what they say, at least to a greater extent than most other places. So you routinely hear condemnation of US government policy in strong ways from the minbar, when this policy or policies harms Muslims or harms humanity in general, which is the way it should be. Also, when the government does a policy which is good and actually helpful (not very common these days, unfortunately) you also hear praise for this policy, but this is genuine praise that comes from a perspective of thought and contemplation, rather than from an official government memo, as it is in most places.
I was born in Belgium. I am proud of my roots but I also know that once a piece of metal is bend it cannot be straightened as it was before. Metaphorically speaking of course. I don't bother with such politics when the sides are so different. I mean Europe and Islam are very different from each other.
I await for the emergence of the Imam of our time (May Allah subhana wa tala) hasten his appearance soon so we can witness the wonderful barakah of a Utopian peaceful world on Earth. I long to see that day but I may never witness it in my lifetime.
To its credit, and almost counter-intuitively, the IRI has not been in the business of sponsoring multiple places of worship at a state level.
As you correctly point out, the Germans are only offering to do what secular Muslim regimes have been doing, so they are not best placed to criticise the Germans.
Might be different in the US but this is not true here. Twelver organizations are as much quiet on touchy issues such as LGBT or zionist agendas as Sunni ones.
I personally blame all those in charge for making akhlaq or Muawiyah recurrent topics while occulting current issues that are perverting our souls. Such compromise goes against the revolutionary spirit of Shiism and would make Imam Mahdi ashamed of us.
Look at what happened to Sheikh Sekaleshfar when he got kicked out of his center and sent back to Iran. Now everyone got the message and everyone is scared.
Funny you speak of Khums, I think it has almost become a scam to collect a tax and not fulfill your duty towards the community.
Look at what happened to Sheikh Sekaleshfar when he got kicked out of his center and sent back to Iran. Now everyone got the message and everyone is scared.
Funny you speak of Khums, I think it has almost become a scam to collect a tax and not fulfill your duty towards the community.
Salam as I know he kicked out from Germany because he explained Islamic ruling about punishment of Hemosexuality that is red line for germany like as holocust but Germany doesn't has about collecting Khums by him because it makes Shia Islamic center of Hamburg as greatest Shia center until now but it because founded with revolutionary Iranian before succession revolution in Iran ,germany & Europe afraid from its affection on European Muslims but they don't have any problem by collecting Khums by Khoei foundation because ithe doesn't relate to Islamic revolution but both centers have minimum affect on Shia of Europe if both centers were active like as Turkish mosques & wahabi mosques all Muslims in Europe were Shia Muslims even Muslims with sunning roots that migrated to europensure would become Shia like as whathe hapend in Belgium by affect of Islamic revolution of Iran even we had a martyr from Belgium that foughthe for Iran , during Iran-Iraq war that he was a sunning then converted to Shia & came to Qom for further studie's buthe after start of Iran -Iraq war he can't stand at hawza & rushed to battlefront & became a martyr.
To be more precise Sheikh Sekaleshfar got kicked out of Australia. No center I know of spoke against that injustice whether Khoeist or Khameneist.
As an Iranian living in Iran you have to know how things are here. This revolutionary spree may have been true in the 80s, but nowadays you either follow the rules or leave. Unfortunately many scholars choose the first option.
I didn't know about the Belgian shahid, but I know of French Jerome Kamal Courcelles who was a student in Qom and was martyred during an operation against MEK in Kurdistan.
It's true I made mistake on his nationality but Islamic revolution had great rule for converting many Zaidis & sunnies to twelvers that Ahlul Bayt TV made a documentary about them .