It occurs to me that while Mastodon is a nice ambient watercooler conversation medium, I'm still missing something, and I think that's something less timely, and slightly more structured. I think that missing thing is Usenet, but with my own server, and peering with others who are doing the same. I'll have to do some research.


text:
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ET Commentary
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Business News›Opinion›Interviews›Will continue to grow ahead of the market: Shekhar Ramamurthy, MD, United Breweries
Will continue to grow ahead of the market: Shekhar Ramamurthy, MD, United Breweries
In an exclusive interview with ET Now, Shekhar Ramamurthy, MD, United Breweries, also says that alcohol prohibition in the country has never worked.
ET Now|
Updated: May 16, 2016, 01.48 PM IST
In an exclusive interview with ET Now, Shekhar Ramamurthy, MD, United Breweries, also says that alcohol prohibition in the country has never worked and ultimately states will have to revoke ban.
ET Now: Walk us through what impacted your numbers this time?
Shekhar Ramamurthy: What I would like to do is actually put these numbers in perspective, if you look at our full year performance, we have had a revenue growth of over 8%, we have had an EBITDA growth of almost 17% and PAT of close to 14%. So I would not look at just the Q4, I would look at the full year results and say that actually our results have been very good or if you look at EBIT margins, our EBIT margins have actually improved over last year from about 11.1% to about 11.8%.
So overall we have had a very good year. Q4 is sometimes is a result of cost pressures we have had and as you know the first three quarters of last year, the cost were under control because commodity prices were, however, and commodity prices are strengthening particularly but if you and you will see little later the price of barley has increased, the price of sugar has increased. So there has been a little bit of pressure on cost. However, overall our results I believe have been very very good.
ET Now: What is the game plan for FY17? And if we have to compromise on one between pricing and volumes, what would you do and do you?
Shekhar Ramamurthy: This is a very classical question, the compromise or the trade off between price and volume and what makes this question more complicated in our business as you know we are state specific business so our prices vary across states. In many of the states our prices are dependent on what the state governments allow us. So in about 60-65% of the markets we sell to the state government who are the first point of sale and they control the price at which they buy from us. Having said that they keep increasing their duties so the consumer pays more but that is not the case for us.
So going back to your specific query this is a classical trade off and it has never one against the other, it is a combination of many factors. We believe that the industry will show modest growth going into 2016-2017 anything about 5%, if again you recall the first half of the last fiscal 2015-2016 the industry was flat actually there was a marginal decline, however, for the full year there has been a modest growth of 3% to 4% and we believe that it will this growth will sustain going into 2016-2017 and we would continue to grow ahead of the market.
Our pricing will depend on, it also depends on a state mix so we are quite confident that we will be able to maintain the balance that we have had over the last several years as you know we are perhaps the only beer company in India which makes the profits all the others make a loss. So we have a healthy mix of states, we have strong brands, we have good pricing and if the volumes grow as we believe they will this year, we will have a healthy combination between volume growth and profit growth.
ET Now: Has prohibition in Bihar or law change in Kerala affected you and are you worried about the fact that more and more state governments now are echoing the fact that there should be complete prohibition that seems to be on the manifesto even of AIDMK?
Shekhar Ramamurthy: Yes, this is indeed a worrying factor. However, I would like to say that all of us who have been in this country for many years that prohibition has never worked. You might recall that two decades ago the then undivided state of Andhra Pradesh had imposed prohibition, however, within two years they had to revoke it. Similarly the state of Haryana had imposed prohibition and within a year they had to reverse the decision and the main reason for that is all the revenues from excise on sale of beer and spirits accrues to the state, the centre does not get any share of that.
By virtue of that a large percentage or proportion of states' revenues comes from the beers and spirits. However, having said that I would like to also state that as the beer industry we are sympathetic and we understand the compulsions that wherein the state governments want to protect the weaker sections of society from abuse of alcohol and herein we believe lies the opportunity for beer we are a low alcohol beverage. In India the per capita consumption of beer is less than 2 per litre whereas the global average is around 30. In fact even a country like Vietnam has a per capita consumption of 40 and therein lies the opportunity wherein states can balance in a responsible way.
ET Now: For FY17, would you within the beer market gather more market share and will that lead to a 15% kind of revenue growth YoY that people are pencilling in right now?
Shekhar Ramamurthy: We do not put out forward looking numbers so I would not like to comment on that. However, it has always been our objective to grow ahead of the market and we will definitely, we are very confident that we will do that which will result in adding share and if we look at our performance over the last five-six years we have consistently delivered revenue growth ahead of volume growth.
Notwithstanding the pressures that may be there in the industry, we recognise that there are headwinds of prohibition. We also believe that whilst there is a big impact in some states we also recognise and believe that most of the state governments will take more pragmatic, more responsible approach to it and the beer industry and I am speaking here as a beer industry welcomes the opportunity to enter into a dialogue with various states and work on progressive excise policies.
United Breweries
Shekhar Ramamurthy
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Ferdinand is een maan van Uranus. De maan is in 2001 ontdekt door Matthew J. Holman, John J. Kavelaars, Dan Milisavljevic en Brett J. Gladman. Ferdinand is genoemd naar zoon van de koning van Napels uit Shakespeares stuk "The Tempest"

Maan van Uranus

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Geekvape is one of the very few companies that transformed itself from 'unknown' to an internationally recognized brand within a year. Its first product Griffin RTA proved to be the game changer and set new standards for other industry players. Griffin 25 plus is also a benchmark RTA and is a big improvement compared to its predecessor in most aspects. The new RTA is bigger, stronger and easier to use and made from superior stainless steel. The new RTA also features a better wicking system and adjustable juice-flow slots. Griffin 25 Plus and its predecessor Griffin 25 may look similar, but it's the internals that have been overhauled and improved. The extra cap on the top is a massive improvement and allows switching the atomizer cap with a basic one.
Starters may not be able to notice many differences between the trend-setter Griffin 25 and its Plus version, but a lot has changed under the hood. The 18.9mm build-deck is significantly larger and offers more space. The massive post-holes allow vapors to use any type of fancy wire they want, while two airflow slots underneath the coils provide vapors the maximum flavor they expect from top-of-the-line RTAs. The new wicking system also works like a charm and ensures zero leaking and gurgling. Setting it up is also easy, but make sure enough cotton is tucked in properly for a better vaping experience.
Geekvape is a well-known brand internationally and Griffin 25 Plus clearly demonstrates why. If you already own a Griffin 25, you may not have too many reasons to upgrade as the trend-setting RTA still remains relevant. Vapors who are looking for a quality RTA atomizer at an affordable price would find Griffin 25 Plus an interesting product that delivers. Although it's a little expensive than most other RTAs, the superb built quality and great performance justifies the small increase in price.
Flagship RTA Griffin 25 Plus is available at a flash sale price at Gearbest for a limited time period. The following link takes to the product page that provides information about shipping and answers any questions you might have regarding the product.
Colorful iGame GTX 1060 (6GB, GDDR5, 192-Bits): Game Ready!


Home ♦ Coffee Shops ♦ Will Sorbetto be back at Starbucks?
Will Sorbetto be back at Starbucks?
Ever since the temperatures started to heat up this summer. I've been eyeing the unused Sorbetto machine that sits, carefully wrapped, on the counter at my local Starbucks. Sorbetto was the name of a yogurt-based slushy drink that was tart, tangy and completely refreshing. It was test-marketed in the LA area last year and the machines have gone unused since.
Anyone know if they're bringing them back anytime soon?


These are some of the aims of psychotherapy.
Psychotherapy has evolved into a complex field with many schools of thought. Integrative psychotherapy draws on a range of psychological theories and therapeutic traditions. It is based on the premise that no single approach has all the answers.
Broadly, my approach is influenced by psychodynamic thinking, which proposes that our lives are shaped by both conscious and unconscious processes. Psychodynamic psychotherapists are particularly interested in the connections between early events and current experience - and the ways in which the past leaves its imprint on the present. They are also interested in the way in which significant relationships and absent friends are internalised and continue to govern our thinking and exert a powerful hold on our personalities.
I also have an interest in attachment theory. This suggests that our earliest attachments remain hugely significant, often reverberating throughout adult relationships and affecting our approach to intimacy, independence, separation, conflict and loss. Attachment-based psychotherapists believe that insight into these formative attachments and their ongoing influence can open up new ways of relating.
Attention is also given to the therapeutic relationship, where the sequel to long-established beliefs and expectations may be replayed. Psychotherapy can assist in understanding habitual ways of relating and allowing more creative responses to dilemmas.
Integrative psychotherapy also seeks to embrace all the various ways in which we express ourselves – be it through thoughts, feelings, behaviour or the body.


I use Ladders. What does the integration look like? How do I enable it?
With this integration, users will be able to source, access, engage, and track candidates from Ladders.
Choose My Account from the user menu dropdown.


text:
Plymouth Hoe
Smeaton's Tower being pebble-dashed for ease of maintenance
She's going to look a real bobby-dazzler by the time we've finished with her, says site foreman
Scaffolding covers blow off Smeaton's Tower during Storm Dennis (Image: Erin Black/Plymouth Live)
Plymouth Hoe's iconic Smeaton's Tower is now being pebble-dashed to make it easier to maintain in the future, Plymouth Live can exclusively reveal.
Scaffolding went up around the landmark lighthouse at the end of last year, with the massive monolithic monument to the city's maritime memories getting a makeover in time for the Mayflower 400 commemorations next year.
As part of the project to celebrate Pilgrim Pete setting sail from Home Park and fathering all of America, the lighthouse was going to be spruced up and repainted in its traditional red and white striped livery, 'using special paint and protective treatment'.
However, with one eye firmly on the future - and the increased likelihood of severe weather events due to climate change - the plans have now been changed, in an attempt to find a more weather-resistant, hard wearing, low-maintenance finish.
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"We've decided to pebble-dash Smeaton's Tower rather than paint it," site foreman Olaf Poril proudly told Plymouth Live.
"But don't worry - she's going to look a real bobby-dazzler by the time we've finished with her.
"We'll be keeping the distinctive red and white stripes.... Well, sort of. We've had to improvise a bit - but we're confident the solution we've come up with will blow people's socks off."
Mr Poril said he and his team were finding it difficult to source the correct materials.
Smeaton's Tower is surrounded by scaffolding (Image: Penny Cross)
"The problem is, red stone chippings are rarer then hen's teeth at the moment - there's been a surge in global demand for the stuff," he said.
"It's particularly popular in Outer Mongolia.
"They're building huge new housing estates on the Mongolian Steppe and every house has to be a deep blood red colour, in honour of Genghis Khan. It's a bold design choice by the Mongolians, but history and heritage is pretty important, I guess.
"Anyway, we've found an even better alternative for Smeaton's Tower - pink quartz. It's a bit pinker than we would have liked, but it really does sparkle when the sun hits it.
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"We're going to pair this with white quartz, for the white stripes - not the band by the way, although we're hoping we can book them to come and play at the unveiling ceremony. Don't tell anyone that yet though - were still waiting for confirmation.
"What was I saying?
"Oh yeah. So, we've got 6,473,232 tonnes of pink and white quartz chippings being dropped on site next week by helicopters - so if you see more Chinooks hovering over the Hoe than usual, that'll be why.
"We'll then smother Smeaton's Tower in wet cement and spend the next few months carefully and skilfully chucking the chippings at her.
"The chippings should, when the sun's out, sparkle like millions of pink and white diamonds.
"People are going to lose their minds, in a good way, when we unveil her.
"But they should probably wear those funny goggles people have when using sun beds, just to be on the safe side.
"If it's sunny. Which, let's be honest, it probably won't be."
*Just in case you hadn't realised, this is an April Fool!
Shelby TribbleShelby Tribble ashamed of how she looks because of social mediaThe new mum has candidly shared her own experiences with others just two months after giving birth
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Plymouth pub saved and owners eyeing up epic return
PubsStonehouse publicans Holly and Ali have thanked the community and the council for their support


Whether you are preparing for a special event, looking for a new hobby, or want to impress your friends, the Arthur Murray Dance Centers in Princeton and Montclair, NJ are here with expert instructors to get you out on the dance floor. Our instruction is customized to meet you at your dance level and help you reach your goals.
Dance is a form of expression through movement and here at the Arthur Murray Dance Centers you are sure to find the styles that perfectly fit each and every sentiment. We will take you beyond the fundamentals and help you master the Smooth, Rhythm, Swing, Country or Specialty dances.
These are considered the 'classic ballroom dances' and are characterized by sweeping, graceful movements, complimented by strong stance of elegance and poise. This style of dance includes the Tango, Foxtrot, Waltz, Viennese Waltz, and Quickstep. Although these are considered the classic dances, they are by no means out-of-date and continue to be favorites on the dance floor.
The Rhythm or Latin dance style remains truly popular due to the resurgence of partnership dancing in nightclubs. Characterized by compact, rhythmical movements, these dances can be enjoyed no matter how much, or how little space you might find on the dance floor. The speed and flavor of the music dictates the dance in this category which includes the Rumba, Samba, Bolero, Merengue, Mambo and Cha Cha, as well as the contemporary favorites – Bachata and Salsa. The Latin dances are an excellent choice for dancers looking to stand out in their local nightclubs, or at festivals or parties.
Over the years and across the country, there have been over one hundred 'dialects' of Swing. Jitterbug and Lindy Hop, West Coast and Hustle, just to name a few; these fun, energetic dances have developed over the decades alongside American music. No matter if you love Big Band or Jazz, Rock or Disco, the Swing style of dancing allows the dancer to incorporate the rhythms of the music with the freedom of personal expression.
Country dancing is alive and well! Country Western nightclubs have traditionally been known for their spacious dance floors since everyone who goes, goes to dance! This dance style includes Two-Step, Three-Step, Country Western Waltz, Texas Two-Step, Shuffle and Triple (also known as the Polka). These dances share a lot in common with their Ballroom and Swing counterparts, which allows a good dancer to learn multiple styles at the same time.
The styles of the Specialty dances are a varied as the dances in this category, including Nightclub Two-Step, Argentine Tango, Milonga, Tango Vals, Zouk, and Samba de Gafieira. These dances draw from the other styles as well as from a variety of cultures and time periods to bring new flavors to the world of dance. The professionals here at the Arthur Murray Dance Centers are always broadening their dance knowledge as new dances become popular or old ones regain popularity.
Ballroom dancing classes have seen an upsurge with the broadcast of shows such as "Dancing With the Stars." These partner dances were forgotten about by many, but their newfound popularity has people clamoring for lessons. Arthur Murray Dance Studio has operated for Over 100 years with the mission of teaching the world to dance. Our dance studio instructors are carefully selected to help you achieve your goals in a fun, friendly environment. Call us today if you are ready to get started!
Many people think of couples dancing as ballroom dancing. While the lines have been blurred a bit in modern times, typical ballroom dancing is more selective in the actual dances it incorporates. Most often, the term ballroom dancing refers to the 10 dances incorporated within the Standard Ballroom set. This includes the Slow Waltz and Viennese waltz, as well as the Tango, Foxtrot, Quickstep, Samba, Cha-Cha, Rumba, Paso doble, and Jive.
Many American dance studios also incorporate the East Coast Swing, Bolero, and Mambo. Each type of dance is set apart by the amount of bars per minute and the signature dance movements of the style. For instance, the Tango is danced 31–33 bars per minute in 4/4 time, while the Samba is 50–52 bars per minute in 2/4 time.
At Arthur Murray Dance Studio, we specialize in teaching the East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, West Coast Swing, and Foxtrot, as well as three types of waltzes. The waltzes featured in our ballroom dancing classes are the Slow Waltz, Viennese Waltz, and Country Western Waltz. These dances are great basics to perform at your wedding and can also serve as a base for more competitive dancers, or those who want to take their ballroom dance classes to the next level.
With studios in Princeton and Montclair, Arthur Murray Dance Studio is able to meet to your schedule. Visit our listing of events to learn more about our ballroom dancing classes and special pricing for the location closest to you!
Call today or get started immediately with our introductory special. We can't wait to introduce you to our wonderful program of ballroom dance classes!
This dance of love originated at the very beginning of the Cuban and Latin American dance crazes. The romantic music and movement was inspired by a fusion of African rhythms and Spanish melodies making the Rumba the base for all Latin dances including Mambo, Cha-Cha and hip action and, of course, spins and dips. It replaces the 8th grade sway of yesteryear in a whole new way! Because of the slow, sultry beat it's easy to learn a variety of body movements, spins and turns at a comfortable pace. When you're ready, you can interrelate those same patterns in the faster Latin dances with ease and confidence.
Feel stiff or awkward on the dance floor? Not only is the Rumba easy to learn, it gets your body active and builds your dance confidence.
The Cha-Cha adds fun to your dancing through its syncopated steps and many open movements. The pulsating Latin rhythms make this dance so fascinating. The energetic rhythm of the Cha-Cha encourages you to cut loose and let your personality show.
Swing is known as the most uniquely American of all the dances. Characterized by swing-outs, kicks, jumps, and spins, this buoyant Big Band dance is certainly contagious. Since the birth of "Swing" music in the mid 1930′s, the Swing dance craze, which is also known as Lindy, Jitterbug and East Coast has been an American icon. Not only is this dance a staple at weddings, but you can find it anywhere from smoky blues clubs, to the fast paced Big Band sounds of Glen Miller and Benny Goodman. You can't go wrong big splash on the big screen and in night clubs everywhere – the last on, often featuring the sounds of the Brain Setzer Orchestra, popularized the 40′s style Lindy. Movies like Swing Kids and A League of Their Own put Swing dancing on the top of the "need to know" list!
Learning to dance the Swing is fun and easy! Get ready for your upcoming wedding, reunion or cruise by learning to dance today. You'll be spinning across the floor in no time at all!
Merengue is sure to get you feeling the motion right away on the dance floor. It develops Cuban Motion and is the simplest Latin dance to learn. The beats get your hips moving in no time to any Latin rhythm.
Its uncomplicated timing makes it easy to feel the music and adapt to any partner. It is the only Latin dance that combines one-step timing with Cuban Motion and therefore is a help to all Latin dances. The march type beat sharpens timing & coordination and the proper use of the accent will develop a clearer interpretation of musical rhythm.
The Hustle gives us the fusion of Swing and Disco. You will encounter the hustle at weddings and nightclubs.
Hustle originated in the 1970′s Disco Era and was popularized by John Travolta in the movie "Saturday Night Fever." Both the music and the dance swept the country like wildfire, and although the white suits and gold chains have faded away, the dance has stayed. It is one of the easiest dances to learn. There are lots of turns and spins which make the hustle exciting and full of energy.
West Coast Swing is a flirtatious dance that combines the mood of the blues with the spontaneity of swing.
This stylized Swing dance popular west of the Mississippi from Kansas to California. Danced to slow or medium tempo Swing or Disco music and characterized by slot movements, taps and shuffles, coaster steps, and push and pull action of the dancers.
In the 1940's with the wild abandonment of the Jitterbug being banned from dance halls due to too many injuries, Arthur Murray developed and documented several swing steps that he later called "Sophisticated Swing".
Sometimes called the South American Waltz, the Samba dance pulsates to a unique Latin rhythm.
The Samba is the national dance of Brazil.
Samba improves the flexibility of the body and helps achieve easy movement and lightness. The Samba rolling action teaches the body to be supple. To move lightly, quickly, and smoothly without effort takes study but only at the start. Although considered a good exercise, Samba should be danced smoothly and in a relaxed manner giving the appearance of effortless movement. Today's Samba music is influenced by Jazz and Latin rhythms.
The wild exciting music and rhythmical body movements make the earthy Mambo irresistible.
The overall flavor of the dance is contained in the translation of the word Mambo which means "shake it" or "say it".
The mambo allows you to develop your own feeling and expressions and is a very popular dance at many night clubs. Because Mambo is such a fun dance, good Mambo dancers are always popular and in demand as partners.
Born from a fusion of Cuban and American dancing, the music is characterized by a stirring Afro-Cuban beat.
This fun, fast-paced Latin dance has been sweeping the nation for several years now! Travel to any city, in almost any country and you'll see that a good Salsa club is never hard to find, and a good Salsa dancer is always in demand. Composed of quick foot switches and multiple spins and turns, this dance is a must have in your repertoire.
There are indications the term "Salsa" (the Spanish word for "sauce" denoting a "spicy" and "hot" flavor) was coined by radio disc jockeys in Puerto Rico as early as the 1960′s. Later it became associated with a New York sound developed by Puerto Rican musicians. Many of it's patterns are closely related to Mambo and Cha-Cha. Salsa is considered the national music and dance of Puerto Rico. The fusion of an Afro-Cuban beat with enhanced jazz textures results in an aggressive high energy pulse which has become popular everywhere.
Learning to dance the Salsa is fun. Our dance professionals can have you spinning across the floor in no time at all!
Swing is known as the most uniquely American of all the dances. Characterized by swing-outs, kicks, jumps, and spins, this buoyant Big Band dance is certainly contagious. Since the birth of "Swing" music in the mid 1930′s, the Swing dance craze, which is also known as Lindy, Jitterbug and East Coast has been an American icon. Not only is this dance a staple at weddings, but you can find it anywhere from smoky blues clubs, to the fast paced Bid Band sounds of Glen Miller and Benny Goodman. You can't go wrong big splash on the big screen and in night clubs everywhere – the last on, often featuring the sounds of the Brain Setzer Orchestra, popularized the 40′s style Lindy. Movies like Swing Kids and A League of their Own put Swing dancing on the top of the "need to know" list!
The Bolero is a smooth, sophisticated, sentimental love dance. The slower music to which it is performed enchances a feeling of romance. It is the slowest of the Latin dances. It combines controlled movement with dramatic expression of the music.
In 1913, Harry Fox, a vaudeville comedian, introduced a trot to a ragtime song that pushed other trots into the background. It became America's most popular "get acquainted" dance and remains one of the standards of social dancing to this day. The Foxtrot can be danced to a variety of tempos from slow and bluesy to the faster paced sounds of Frank Sinatra and the Brian Setzer Orchestra. A staple at weddings, big band events, and gala balls, the Foxtrot teaches smooth movement, rhythmical timing, and maneuverability.
Get ready for your upcoming wedding, reunion or cruise by learning to dance the Foxtrot today. You'll be gliding across the floor in no time at all!
Known as the dirty dance of its time, its elegance and grace is a timeless classic. Perfect for your first dance as husband and wife or for that elegant black-tie affair you can't go wrong learning this flowing movement. Characterized by sweeping turns and gliding movements, when you really learn how to Waltz you'll feel as though you're floating across any dance floor.
Do you want to sweep her off her feet? The Waltz is not only beautiful; it teaches amazing balance, control, posture, and grace. Getting married? Have the first dance you envision by learning to dance today.
The Tango was stylized by the Gauchos of Argentina where they danced it circling the bar tables after a hard day's work. It became the rage in 1921 after Rudolph Valentino brought its romance and allure to the silent screen in "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse". Its passion and excitement has most recently been captured in movies such as True Lies, Scent of a Woman and Shall We Dance? The Tango is known as one of the most powerful and dramatic dances, characterized by staccato movements, dips and gancho flicks. It's commonly referred to as the "dancer's dance" where the men get to be men and the women love it! Creating amazing leading and following skills, it's truly a favorite for all that learn it.
Picture Cinderella and Prince Charming whirling around the dance floor. Her beautiful ball gown sways back and forth as they both lose themselves in the magic of the moment. This is what dancing the waltz looks like. There are several variations of the waltz, one of which is known as the Viennese waltz, which is danced twice as fast. Step foot into the ballroom and sign up for Viennese waltz dance lessons at Arthur Murray Dance Studio.
Even though the Viennese waltz has been around for more than three centuries, the elegant spins and turns never seem to get old. Today, it's actually one of the oldest forms of ballroom dance still practiced. It traces back to 1700s Europe, but it wasn't until the 1800s when the world really fell in love with the Viennese waltz. That's when Austrian composer Johann Strauss, known as the "Waltz King," created beautiful dance music, like The Blue Danube, and other composers followed suit.
In the Viennese waltz, dancers pair up and move in a circular motion across the dance floor. In a hold, they do a series of spins and twirls, making the movements look graceful. It has a fast ¾ time and a 1-2-3 rhythm. While there is some rise and fall, like the waltz, it's danced with less vertical movement. Because the Viennese waltz is faster, it takes practice to make it look as natural as possible.
If you're not an experienced dancer, it might be hard to imagine yourself taking Cinderella's place in the ballroom. But with the help of professional instructors, you, too, can learn how to dance the Viennese waltz. Arthur Murray Dance Studio uses a unique teaching style that helps make learning fun. From mastering the basics of dance to learning how to frame, step and turn, you're sure to enjoy the process from start to finish.
So whether you sign up for private lessons, group classes or wedding dance lessons, we'll be by your side as you learn at your own pace.
Experience the thrill of dancing the Viennese waltz today. Sign up for waltz dance lessons at Arthur Murray Dance Studio, and take advantage of our new student offer. Contact our Princeton location or our Montclair location to get started.
Ready to start Two-Stepping? Arthur Murray offers Progressive Two-Step sessions six days a week with any of our professional instructors. Private lessons can be scheduled at your convenience Monday through Friday from 1-10pm and Saturday's by appointment from 11am to 4pm.
Country Western Waltz is mainly a progressive dance, moving counter clock wise around the dance floor. Both the posture and frame are more relaxed, and not exaggerated like the arm gestures of some ballroom styles. Couples may frequently dance in the promenade position, depending on local preferences.
In the old Western days when women were not allowed to dance with men, men danced together and that is the reason for the hand on the shoulder holding a can of beer and the other hand to the side. Two-step is a Western dance whose popularity has spread all over the United States.
Two-step can be danced to contemporary country music and is a very popular dance at many country western clubs and social events.
Call us now to schedule an appointment with one of our expert instructors contact us now.


Do not specify their components or hide behind glorified names for plastic. PP#5 or polypropolene is plastic, Tritan® is plastic, etc.
Paint their plastic silver to look like steel – just because it is silver does NOT mean it is steel.
Incorporate a steel shell that surrounds a plastic plug lid – but your beverage is still in contact with plastic.
WHAT OTHER NASTY SECRETS ARE HIDING IN YOUR BOTTLES?
But with scant legislation, little to no regulation around chemicals in commerce, and undislosed ingredients, it's nearly impossible for consumers to ascertain whether or not a product may cause harm to their families. What's worse, consumers are forced to navigate a sea of greenwashing with meaningless claims like "green" or "eco". While some turn to single-chemical claims like "BPA-free" or "phthalate-free", no single trusted protocol has existed to signal consumers that products are truly free from chemicals that can harm their health. Fortunately, that has now changed.
THE SIMPLE SOLUTION – GET RID OF PLASTIC!


Officers investigate complaints based on the risk to public health. They take enforcement action according to the Council's Food and Safety Enforcement policy, operating procedures, statutory codes and guidance.
For further information, please contact the Commercial Team on foodandsafety@eastcambs.gov.uk or telephone 01353 665555.
What if I believe food made me unwell?
Please see Food poisoning for more information on food poisoning. Let us have all the details of what, when and where you ate the food that you believe led to illness. We will ask you to visit your GP for a stool specimen to support an investigation.
What if I buy food past its 'Best Before' date?


So here we are in 2019 and STILL dealing with the "your cattery is out of food" message? Seriously? The only way to not see the message, which spams you at least 5 times a day, is to turn off the "view offline IMs" which would mean all of my offline IMs would be turned off and some of these I actually need to see. I only use my cattery for boxes and aged out kittens that can't be/haven't been perma petted yet. I'm not about to stuff them all in my inventory and run the risk of SL eating them and a good chunk of them can't be transferred to an alt b/c they are LEs that are no trans. It really shouldn't be that hard to create a "turn off notification" option. A lot of us have been asking about this "feature"/issue since 2013 and KC has come up with some amazing features and interactions in those 6 years so why has this particular feature/issue been ignored?
We appreciate your feedback! I will make sure our development team is aware of your post.
The Cattery should only send a notification once every 12 hours (and only if there are live cats in the Cattery.) If it seems like the notifications are building up, there's a few things people can do. Storing cats in an alt's Cattery under a different email might be helpful. Setting a filter on email to automatically archive/delete Cattery messages could also help.
I realize this may not be an ideal solution to this issue. It may be that implementing a feature like this isn't as easy as one might think, But it's certainly something we can look into going forward!


A florida title agency for Reliable and Accurate Title Search and Title Insurance when purchasing Real Estate in Florida. Title Services Atlantic Beach, Fl Title Insurance Dewey Park, Fl public laws. bills and joint resolutions that have been enacted as public laws appear on this list.


text:
..It's a good thing if that's what you're after. It's a club for the pub crowd who like to go out, get drunk, get nostalgic. It's not what we're about,
Pacha London musical director Craig Jenson on School Disco (Mix Mag)
Written by Jessica Alici (1st July, 2020)
Luke Thomas aka BaseTwelve has been DJing and Producing since long before it was considered 'cool'! Heralding from Brighton in East Sussex, the town was paramount in plenty of chance meetings that opened up many windows for him in the scene. We decided to find out more about these serendipitous events; ahead of his upcoming debut release on Onhcet Republik! [FULL STORY]
Raising Awareness through the Power of Music!
Reported by PSYLICIOUS (6th November, 2020)
50 Spins Around The Sun...
Launching: 12PM GMT on 19:12:20 @ Psylicious Radio
Leading you into Winter Solstice 2020 Psylicious Radio airs it's final show of the year, a 36 hour celebration for a good cause featuring some of the most respected names in Psytrance!
It's an online party celebrating EarthAliens 50th Spin Around The Sun and to raise awareness for a charity very close to his heart...
The Myelin Project...
The British Trust for The Myelin Project is a registered charity, no. 1000614.
It was founded in 1990 and since then has been dedicated to funding research in to
demyelinating diseases such as Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), Adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Augusto and Michaela Odone created the Myelin Project for their son Lorenzo who suffered from ALD - a rare genetic [FULL STORY] Stuck for things to do during lockdown?


text:
Q: Mule3: RabbitMQ XML schema error? I try to use mule to receieve message from RabbitMQ, and call remote REST service. My configuration:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<mule xmlns:http="http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/http" xmlns="http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core"
  xmlns:doc="http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/documentation" xmlns:spring="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
  version="CE-3.4.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:amqps="http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/amqps"
  xmlns:amqp="http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/amqp"
  xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-current.xsd
http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core/current/mule.xsd
http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/http http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/http/current/mule-http.xsd
http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/amqps http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/amqps/current/mule-amqps.xsd
http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/amqp http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/amqp/current/mule-amqp.xsd.xsd">

  <amqp:connector name="amqpLocalhostConnector" virtualHost="localhost" username="test" password="abc123"
    activeDeclarationsOnly="true" />

  <flow name="amqpChoiceAckNackService" doc:name="amqpChoiceAckNackService">
    <amqp:inbound-endpoint queueName="my-queue" connector-ref="amqpLocalhostConnector" />
    <http:outbound-endpoint exchange-pattern="request-response" host="localhost" port="8081"
      method="POST" path="rmqtest" doc:name="HTTP" />
  </flow>
</mule>

And I added the mule-transport-amqp-3.4.0-SNAPSHOT.jar into the classpath, and I checked the schemas, there is definition of connector, but I still got the following error:
Caused by: org.xml.sax.SAXParseException; lineNumber: 14; columnNumber: 37; cvc-complex-type.2.4.a: Invalid content was found starting with element 'amqp:connector'. One of '{"http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":annotations, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":description, "http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans":beans, "http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans":bean, "http://www.springframework.org/schema/context":property-placeholder, "http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans":ref, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":global-property, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":configuration, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":notifications, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":abstract-extension, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":abstract-mixed-content-extension, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":abstract-agent, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":abstract-security-manager, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":abstract-transaction-manager, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":abstract-connector, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":abstract-global-endpoint, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":abstract-exception-strategy, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":abstract-flow-construct, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":flow, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":sub-flow, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":abstract-model, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":abstract-interceptor-stack, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":abstract-filter, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":abstract-transformer, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":processor-chain, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":custom-processor, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":invoke, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":abstract-global-intercepting-message-processor, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":custom-queue-store, "http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core":abstract-processing-strategy}' is expected.
  at org.apache.xerces.util.ErrorHandlerWrapper.createSAXParseException(Unknown Source)
  at org.apache.xerces.util.ErrorHandlerWrapper.error(Unknown Source)
  at org.apache.xerces.impl.XMLErrorReporter.reportError(Unknown Source)
  at org.apache.xerces.impl.XMLErrorReporter.reportError(Unknown Source)
  at org.apache.xerces.impl.XMLErrorReporter.reportError(Unknown Source)
  at org.apache.xerces.impl.xs.XMLSchemaValidator$XSIErrorReporter.reportError(Unknown Source)
  at org.apache.xerces.impl.xs.XMLSchemaValidator.reportSchemaError(Unknown Source)
  at org.apache.xerces.impl.xs.XMLSchemaValidator.handleStartElement(Unknown Source)
  at org.apache.xerces.impl.xs.XMLSchemaValidator.emptyElement(Unknown Source)
  at org.apache.xerces.impl.XMLNSDocumentScannerImpl.scanStartElement(Unknown Source)
  at org.apache.xerces.impl.XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl$FragmentContentDispatcher.dispatch(Unknown Source)
  at org.apache.xerces.impl.XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl.scanDocument(Unknown Source)
  at org.apache.xerces.parsers.XML11Configuration.parse(Unknown Source)
  at org.apache.xerces.parsers.XML11Configuration.parse(Unknown Source)
  at org.apache.xerces.parsers.XMLParser.parse(Unknown Source)
  at org.apache.xerces.parsers.DOMParser.parse(Unknown Source)
  at org.apache.xerces.jaxp.DocumentBuilderImpl.parse(Unknown Source)
  at org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.DefaultDocumentLoader.loadDocument(DefaultDocumentLoader.java:75)
  at org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.XmlBeanDefinitionReader.doLoadBeanDefinitions(XmlBeanDefinitionReader.java:388)
  ... 23 more

EDIT:
I use mule studio, check the picture below.

A: The AMQP transport is available as a Studio Plugin through the MuleStudio Cloud Connectors Update Site.
By installing it from there you should be able to address the problem. If you need a newer version (i.e. 3.4.0-SNAPSHOT) you can clone the project for its github location and package it with maven.
This way you will generate the update site for the transport yourself

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


**This post was written by Glenys Nellist. She's the Coordinator of Children's Ministry at the West Michigan Conference of The United Methodist Church. Learn how you can submit an idea to our website.
Last year I met Sierra. She is 8 years old. Sierra lives in a tiny house with her three older siblings. Her mother is an alcoholic. Her father is an illegal immigrant, living under the constant threat of deportation. Sierra is in 3rd grade, but her reading is at Kindergarten level. She struggles because English is not her native language. She does not like school, because she finds it hard to learn. Even though her home and school are in the inner city, you could say that this little girl lives in a desert, a desert that is dry and parched, a desolate place where there is very little to look forward to.
Except on Wednesdays. Because on Wednesdays, she gets to visit our church, her little oasis in the desert, where she is met with love, and smiles; where she is fed, and tutored; where she gets to hear about Jesus, and learns that there truly are good people in the world.
Sierra is one of 30 lucky children who are fortunate enough to participate in our Community Ministries Program. Funded partly by our church, and partly by grants from various organizations, this program is a life-line for so many children in our community. Maybe your church is not in a position to offer such a program, but every church should be able to do something to impact the lives of the children around them. Because there are Sierras living in your community too.
1. Set up a meeting with the school Principal, to find out areas of need that your church may be able to help with.
2. Establish a Prayer Group, to pray for the children and teachers.
3. Collect winter wear clothing at church for your school children.
4. Have members of your church tutor in school, or arrange to have tutoring at church.
5. Begin an After School Program at church, just one day a week.
6. At Christmas, organize a gift shop, made up of articles donated by your church, where children can come and choose and wrap gifts for their family.
7. In September, organize a Back to School Barbecue. Hand out backpacks filled with school supplies.
If your church were to adopt at least one of these ideas, think what a tremendous impact it would have on the children and parents in your community. Establish a relationship with your local school. It may just be like planting a flower in the desert of a little child's life.
If you enjoyed article, leave a comment below. You can also visit Glenys on her blog. You can also follow her on Google+.
Tony Kummer (Editor) reviewed & updated this page on : November 8, 2018 at 10:57 pm. All our content is peer reviewed by our readers, simply leave a comment on any post suggest an update.


text:
She Don't Know
by Usher
Usher Raymond IV (born October 14, 1978), who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit, "Nice & Slow". The al…
You know every super hero gotta have theme music right?
It's the one!
This how we doin' it
This that new Usha'
Y'all niggas catch up
Yeah man
S dot
We don't stop
She don't know that she makin' me want her (yeah)
The more she tryna keep me from her
She don't know that she makin' me me love her (yeah)
The more she tryna keep me from her (yeah)
Girl that's so cold (yeah)
She know what I know (yeah)
But she keep her mouth closed (yeah)
She's so sexual, and she knows
She don't know it's killin' me inside 'cause I want her body
She don't know it's killin' me inside cause I want her body
Ha ha, Luda!
Get me bodied like Beyonce
I beat it up like Bangladesh, Shondrae (hey!)
"Can you smell what I'm cookin?" like The Rock say
Smells like a feast and you lookin' like the entre (bon appetite)
These other women just whore hors d'oeuvres
I picked you and that's what's gettin on these whores' nerves (ha!)
'Cause I be at like subpoenas when the court serves
Give me, give me love like Serena when the court serves (woo!)
'Cause she don't know that she got me wanna get frisky
'Cause pineapple juice with Conjure, got her tipsy (ow!)
And so I order more bottles of that good stuff (yeah)
It's Ludacris, women call me Mr. Good Stuff (yeah)
So I'm a take her to the rooftop, rooftop
Girl's so cold I need a flu shot, flu shot
She said she want me to take her to the shoe shop, shoe shop
And I told her "keep her head up", Tupac, Tupac
Girl, I'm gonna deal with this dilemma the best way that I know how
'Cause your killin' me with it, your just a problem that I can't put down
'Cause every time
You get too far away
She can tell I got something missing it be all up in my face, yeah
Oh, oh oh
Girl that's so cold, she know what I know
But she keep her mouth closed
Written by: Christopher Bridges, Usher Raymond, Shondrae L Crawford, Justin Ellington, Sean Garrett, Ebo Taylor
Lyrics © THIRD SIDE MUSIC INC., BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
© Lyrics.com


Airabin Justin led the girls track and field teams the past two seasons to Division I state titles at North Canyon but is out as football coach.
Phoenix North Canyon has decided to part ways with football coach Airabin Justin after two years leading the program.
"Simply put, we decided to go in a different direction," Athletic Director Jake Kluch wrote in an email to azcentral sports, after confirming Justin was no longer the coach. "AJ has been a big part of NC athletics and the school in general.
"He has done a lot of great things for NC, which I greatly appreciate and thank him for. We decided that we wanted a new direction for our football program and we are ready to start the difficult decision-making process of bringing in a new coach."
Justin, who did not immediately return a message, led the North Canyon girls track and field team to the past two Division II state championships.
But his football team was 2-8 this season after going 4-6 in his first season in 2017.
North Canyon will be looking for its fourth head coach since 2012.


text:
Patrick Sookhdeo: Why the Barnabas Fund's founder should keep silence – Christian Today
August 13, 2015 by Fulcrum
The founder of a major Christian charity is convicted of a sexual assault and on two charges of intimidating witnesses. He's given three-month community sentences for each offence and told to pay costs and a victim surcharge. At his conviction, the judge said: "You will be hugely punished by these convictions and your life will change for good."
Mark Woods. Christian Today 11 August 2015
Psalms in the palm of your hand
Gods of our age: Mars (War and Conflict)
1 thought on "Patrick Sookhdeo: Why the Barnabas Fund's founder should keep silence – Christian Today"
Andrew Chapman
I largely agree with this. It seems outrageous for the Barnabas trustees to set themselves up as an alternative court of appeal, and expect the Christian public to just accept Patrick's word against the woman's. So I think he does need to resign, so as not to sully the reputation of the ministry. On the other hand, I think it is going too far to demand that he repents of what he says he has not done, before he can be restored to ministry. We only have two testimonies, so far as I know, and it is entirely possible that the court came to the wrong decision. Is it right that a possibly innocent man should have his ministry ended for ever?


This paper is based upon a talk given at one of the inaugural meetings of the Fellowship of Word and Spirit. The reason that this subject was high on the agenda when this fellowship began was that it gave us an opportunity to discuss a topic on which many Christians differ in today's church, and yet which all would agree remains of outstanding importance. Differences of opinion and emphasis emerged the discussion which followed the reading of the paper. However, all were agreed that our understanding of the kingdom of God should affect our understanding of how we live in and relate to this world, of how we evangelise, of the place of the church and, above all, of the sovereignty of God. This paper, therefore, seeks to stimulate thoughts and discussion on the subject but also reflection upon what difference our attitude to the kingdom makes to our daily service of the King.
These days there is a great need for a carefully considered proclamation of what some have called a 'biblical world and life view'. That is, we need to proclaim the rule of the King over every area of life. In order to do this, we need carefully to study the whole Bible. Here we can only skim the surface of that study, but we will have achieved our aim if further reading and thought about the practice of the Christian life is provoked. Because it is from within the biblical view of God's rule and sovereignty over this world that we as his people must seek to work out these implications for our day-to-day lives, we begin with an overview of the subject in the Old Testament.
Yahweh has established his throne in the heavens and his kingdom rules over all (Psalm 103:19). They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and tell of thy power, to make known to the sons of men thy mighty deeds, and the glorious splendour of thy kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion is from generation to generation (Psalm 145:11-13).
How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and his dominion is from generation to generation.
For dominion belongs to Yahweh, and he rules over the nations. Yea, to him shall all the proud of the earth bow down; before him shall bow down all who go down to the dust (vv 28-29).
Of course in many other places, especially in some of the psalms, Yahweh is addressed as King. The prophets and other parts of Scripture also use other themes which point towards the universality of the kingdom of God as his dominion over all that he has created.
However, when Yahweh is addressed as King, sometimes the references are specifically localized to the children of Israel. In this sense. God is King of Israel - he has a special relationship with his people.
This is part and parcel of God's covenantal working with Abraham, Moses and David. It is expressed in the covenant with Abraham in terms of God's ability to promise dominion to Abraham's offspring, and also in the eternal nature of that covenant. God's relations with his covenant people as King are seen in the Mosaic and Davidic covenants. He is King, therefore Israel should have no king, a point made in 1 Samuel 8 when the Israelites ask for a king. God says to them: "They have rejected me from being king over them.' The point is not that God no longer has dominion, but that he is not being acknowledged in his rule. The special covenantal relationship depended upon acknowledgement of God as the one true God and King - Yahweh ruling over all.
What is interesting here, yet is often misunderstood, is that God never ceased to have dominion even when the Israelites rejected him. What happened when they rejected their King was that the covenantal relationship was being spoiled. Again, the prophets enable us to see this. When Israel turned from acknowledging Yahweh as King, she was equated with Edom, Moab, and any other nation in the world. Her special relationship with God was disrupted, but God's rule was still over her and, in this case, was witnessed in terms of judgment, even in terms of exile.
1) The Jewish insistence on monotheism is quite deliberately reflected in a truth repeated regularly in the Old Testament, that Yahweh's kingdom is over all that he has created. It was a lesson that the Israelites found hard to learn; it is a lesson that many Christians find hard to learn today. We tend to think that he is only King over us, or only King over the church, or will only be King when Christ comes again. But he is actually King over all.
A third point to note before leaving the Old Testament is that increasingly, as God revealed more and more of his plans for his world and the redemption of his people, a future glorious kingdom was expected. Yahweh's kingship is eternal, and yet many texts begin to look for a full revealing of the King. Particularly in later prophecy this comes to the fore. But it is also there in Isaiah, chapters 24 to 27, and in the prophetic words of comfort in chapters 40 onwards.1 It is impossible to look at the great variety of prophecy involved. Some of it points to a golden age under the Davidic King, whilst other passages look right forward to an imperishable, everlasting salvation, after judgment on the nations, when a new heaven and a new earth will exist (Isaiah 60,65,66). In Isaiah 26:19 we even read of the resurrection of the dead. Here again, however, the end result is the establishing, for all to acknowledge, of the universal rule of God. It is a time when other nations will finally acknowledge the truth (Micah 4:lff).
It is not possible, on the basis of what we have seen, to talk in any meaningful sense of some people being 'inside' the kingdom and some 'outside'. It is possible to talk of being in or among those who acknowledge Yahweh's covenantal rule, and have a special relationship with their King.
There is, then, a development in Hebrew thought about the final expectation, as God gradually reveals more and more of his purposes for his people. In the prophets there is the expectation of a day, not when God reigns for the first time but when he is acknowledged by all and when he judges evil, thus finally bringing everything and everyone who remains back into the full and perfect service of the King.
It is only with this developing background in mind that we can hope to understand Christ's own discussion of the kingdom. Christ's talk of the kingdom of God is not intelligible without the prior revelations of Yahweh's kingly rule and dominion. Christ comes in 'fulfilment' of that prior revelation. Christ comes in a manner that is based upon the great monotheistic confession that Yahweh is now King over all, but his coming is also based upon prophetic anticipation that the King, acknowledged by some, will come in a specially personal and definite way.
We have no time or space here to examine this body of literature, but it is important to note that 'kingdom of heavens' became a phrase used, although rarely so, to describe the rule of kingdom of God. Again it can refer both to a universal rule of God, and to the special covenantal relationship between Yahweh and those who acknowledge him as King. Under an increasing influence of Greek dualistic thought, some writers began to think of God's kingdom as revealed only in the heavens and not here on earth - a way of thinking that, as we have seen, is far from the thought of the Old Testament.
Generally, though, in writings like Enoch and the Psalms of Solomon, the kingdom of God is more and more closely related to the Messiah's coming, when the already existing universal rule of God will be revealed to all people.
Suffice it to say that two things can be noted from this period: i) there was still reference to the universal rule of God, and ii) dualistic thought was becoming evident - something which, as we shall see, is very common in the twentieth-century church.
We must be careful not to take only one strand of Old Testament background when we seek to interpret the coming of Christ - a point made forcefully by Ridderbos.2 Because Christ and the New Testament writers also refer to a future kingdom, and to some 'inside' and some 'outside' the kingdom, we must be careful not to deny what is also present in the proclamation of the Gospel of the kingdom of God: its present and universal reality and significance.
First let us begin by affirming that there is no ground for separating Matthew's favourite phrase, 'the kingdom of heaven', from his use, or the use in other gospels, of the term 'the kingdom of God'. Matthew's phrase is probably used in deference to his Jewish audience, who would have preferred not to mention the name of God.
Secondly, we must also be careful to note that, as in the Old Testament, 'kingdom of God' is not a realm; it is in fact God's rule - his dominion. The 'realm' in which God rules (if we can ever talk meaningfully of this when dealing with God who is omnipresent) is, in both the Old and New Testaments, heaven and earth. The kingdom of God is the kingly power and dominion that he has. It is very important that we understand this. If I may take some examples from those offered by G E Ladd,3 I think you will see what I mean.
When we are told to seek God's kingdom and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33) what is the object of our quest, asks Ladd. The church? Heaven? No, we are to seek God's righteousness - his sway, his rule, his reign in our lives.
What we learn from a careful study of the Scriptures is that the kingdom is not synonymous with the church or with a place called heaven, but that it has to do with God's eternal and absolute authority and rule.
Matthew is perhaps especially the Gospel of the kingdom, and I now want to look briefly at the subject through his writing.
For Matthew, the kingdom of God, or of the heavens, had to do in various ways with God's rule. This was a rule acknowledged by some and not by others. It had to do with the working out of God's purposes for the world, and it had to do with the future.
repentance. Repentance is not, thereby, any the less important but only makes sense to people when they have first come to understand that they are under the rule of God. The 'Good News' (Gospel) is the news of the kingdom. When faced with this news of the rule and dominion and power and authority of God, men and women can make a response to the one about whom they have learned something. Repentance is the right response in the presence of the King.
Acknowledgement of Christ is, of course, part of the message of the kingdom, for the proclamation of the kingdom concerns telling people about the place of Christ in the structure of history and of God's dealings with mankind.
So what then does Matthew tell us about the kingdom? Let us ask again whether it is the church? The answer to that is a definite 'no'! The church is part of the kingdom, but it is not the essence of the kingdom.
Matthew tells us many things about the kingdom. It can be spoken of as present here on earth, and as future and coming in glory. It can be 'near at hand' and yet 'among' us. But we begin by referring to it as something which existed even before Christ's coming.
Whatever interpretation Jesus was giving to it here, the kingdom was in principle something that had existed prior to this point and concerned Israel, the people who had been given authority to work for the kingdom and to deal responsibly with it through proclamation and witness, and by living and acting according to its rules. These people had failed in their mission. They had actually rejected the authority of the King and his messengers, his ambassadors. Clearly Jesus expects us to understand this in terms of the rejection of his kingly word spoken through the prophets.
So there is continuity with the past. The kingdom was already an understandable concept when Jesus came, and, although he changed its focus, what Jesus proclaimed can be seen to be in line with Old Testament thought about the kingdom.
Something of this continuity is also seen in the healing of the centurion's servant (Matthew 8:11-12). What does Jesus mean when he says that 'the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out'?5 Some have suggested that this phrase can only mean potential sons. It is a difficult point, because everywhere else, in the understanding of the New Testament, it seems that 'sons' are definitely "sons'! They are members of the inner chamber, as in Mark 2:9 ('the sons of the bridechamber').
'Sons of is a Semitic (Jewish) idiom which talks of relationship and dependence. It is not merely an opinion on the part of the individual that he or she is such a 'son' in a way that in fact bears no relationship to the truth. In other words, the use of 'son' means that this is what the person is. It is a certainty, not something that is simply potential. To talk of Old Testament people as 'sons of the kingdom' therefore poses a problem, because it means that they were just that. So we cannot interpret this verse as speaking of those Jews who thought of themselves as sons of the kingdom, only to discover that after all they were not! Rather the reference must be to the theocratic earthly kingdom of Israel. In other words they were real sons of the kingdom, as covenant members of the theocracy of Israel. Here the kingdom is being seen in terms of the special covenantal relationship with the King that we noted in the Old Testament texts.
This is all rather complicated, but it is very important to understand what Jesus indicates is happening here. He is saying something extremely radical: genuine and definite membership of the theocratic kingdom of Israel did not guarantee genuine and definite membership of the kingdom of the Messiah. In this sense, one type of kingdom gives way to another. In the words of Jesus it can quite legitimately be said, therefore, that the kingdom will be taken away from one group and given to another (Matthew 21:43).
Yes, there is continuity, but there is also a radical discontinuity in the people involved, and a quite incredible understanding that now even Gentiles, like the centurion, could be included as the sons of the kingdom - as those who receive a share in the rule of the saints of the Most High, acknowledge the true King, and are in a special relationship with him.
The main emphasis in Matthew is on a future completion or consummation of the kingdom and some of these verses remind us of the apocalyptic 'Son of Man' texts. But very few of the texts can be said to have an exclusively futuristic application. In Matthew 8:11 we find Abraham and others having a secure place and Gentiles also being drawn in, at a time which is clearly subsequent to the resurrection of the dead and part and parcel of the final judgment. Matthew 25 (vv 31ff) also expresses the future-ness of the kingdom. Here, connected to one of the Son of Man sayings, the final consummation of the kingdom in all its future glory is in view.
However, when we look elsewhere at the many references to the kingdom, although there is regularly a future aspect, there is also something fundamentally 'now' about the concept. In Matthew 24:30 we have a future 'Son of Man" saying, but the present constitution of the kingdom is also in view, because this Son of Man is not creating something entirely new - rather he is coming to collect his elect.
One other parable which needs comment is that of the wheat and tares in Matthew 13. It is not about the church and the world, but concerns the relationship between the kingdom, viewed in its general sense, and God. There are those who acknowledge God's kingdom and those who do not. The kingdom - the field - contains both. At the harvest there will be a sorting out, when it will be seen that what appeared as virtually irrelevant to many - the rule of God - is in fact all-encompassing. That which was so small in terms of those who acknowledged it, will be revealed as vast. That which apparently had such a small beginning with Christ's work among the disciples, will end with the massive revelation of truth. The kingdom is present now both in its general sense and in its specific sense.
The specific sense in the New Testament is often seen in terms of salvation for the elect. The Messiah, son of David, is King and has come to save. Although we cannot enter into the subject here, we find the same thing with salvation as with the kingdom. It is here now in Christ, but it is also future.
Matthew wrote at a time when the kingdom was in a real sense already here. The 'last days' had already arrived. Of course, the presence of the kingdom is now bound up with the work of the church, and Matthew's is the only gospel to spell out carefully some of the implications of this.
Let us be very careful to understand that this is not in any way to suggest that the church and the kingdom are the same thing. If they were, then the kingdom would, for most of us, be a very imperfect and rather disappointing thing.
salvation. Peter and his confession, and his particular task of bringing the new covenant Gospel to the world, are seen in terms of the administration of the kingdom here on earth. The church demonstrates on earth now the presence of kingdom decisions and kingdom living: that is, living under the rule of God, what is involved, and what the king wants of his people. Its business is to proclaim the good news of the kingdom, that the King is Jesus Christ, and that history is progressing towards a great climax of his return in glory.
Its business is to proclaim the need for repentance and acknowledgement of this kingdom before it is too late. Its task is to show clearly to the world that this good news carries with it bad news for those who fail to respond. When the Son of Man returns finally and fully to establish his rule, he will have power not only over his elect, over his faithful people, but he will also cast out those who have not acknowledged him as King and Lord.
In one sense, then, the future-ness is not something new. Rather it is the glorious revelation of the truth, both universally and specifically, in covenant blessings. However, the presence of the kingdom is to be found supremely in the person of Jesus himself and his mission as Matthew describes it.
In the synagogue Jesus reads Isaiah 61:1-2 and says that this is fulfilled today. When John the Baptist wants to know whether Christ is really the coming one, Jesus responds by saying that he is even now fulfilling the messianic prophecy of Isaiah 35:5-6 (Matthew 11:2-6).
In Matthew 12:28 we read that demons were cast out. This is proof of the presence of the kingdom of God. This sort of text shows very clearly that Christ is talking about 'rule': the rule of God. Some scholars have tried to argue that the Greek word for 'has come' really implies that it is nearby. But just as in English 'has come' does not mean 'nearly come', so in Greek this is virtually an impossible understanding of the text.
So what is present? It is not the final coming in glory. As we have seen, Jesus regards that as future and as a coming of the Son of Man which is distinct from his present earthly position. What is present is an actual working of God's rule. The kingly power of God is not just a confession of faith, but is seen to be at work in the present in Christ's actions. In Jesus, the kingdom of God is seen in its power, and in its ability to overcome even areas where Satan apparently rules. The kingdom in this case, as in every other case, cannot be limited to the church. There is 'kingdom' even in an area previously regarded as the special territory of Satan.
The Old Testament teaching of the kingdom is now being clearly revealed. Just as men and women of faith in the Old Testament saw God's rule over every area of life and not just over the small territory of Israel, Jesus was demonstrating quite clearly that, as the king, he does have power in every area of life, including over those demons. But Jesus' presence was temporary, and the manifestation of that eternal truth of God's kingdom was limited to just a relatively few exorcisms and healings. The full manifestation has yet to come. But it is with us now. Of course Satan still has a certain limited freedom to do as he wills, but in principle we have already seen the reality of the kingdom in our world today. Jesus has broken the work of Satan (Matthew 12:9). Satan is bound.
The presence of Jesus, even with his power, continues in this age in which we now live, through the Holy Spirit, and this comes out in John's gospel more clearly. This is where the church fits the picture in Matthew. For it is in the church that the power and the works and the words of Jesus are proclaimed. In other words the church is the very special place in which is shown the rule of God. Here is an area, a group of people, who acknowledge the truth about the world and its history: God rules and man is to obey.
Does this mean that the church, or the Christians in the church, constitute the kingdom? Absolutely not. They are the King's subjects who reveal the truth about the King's rule. There are other subjects of this King, just as there were in the Old Testament, who do not acknowledge the King. They will not inherit the kingdom's blessings, the blessings that go with living in accordance with the rule of God, the sort of blessings outlined in the Beatitudes. But they will stand under the judgment of the King who will cast them out and destroy them.
The church experiences and acknowledges the rule of God. The church's duty is to proclaim the news of the rule of God, of which it has personal experience through Jesus Christ and his Holy Spirit. This is good news to those who respond, but terrible for those who refuse to acknowledge the Lord.
in which we have any say at all into obedience to the rule of God. We are to be the salt of the earth and that means what it says: we are so to cause the law of God to be obeyed, that his universal rule will be felt and tasted by all people - even those who do not acknowledge him. This, specifically, is what we must now address.
It has generally been the case that theologians within the Reformation tradition have strongly emphasised the kingdom of God. They have done this, I believe, because they have tried to be straightforward with the Scriptures, and above all they have recognized the rule of God as sovereign over the whole earth. Unlike some Roman Catholic thought, the church has not been equated with the kingdom of God. Unlike some strands of evangelical thought, 'heaven' has not been equated with the kingdom of God.
Rather there has been a stress on the wholeness and all-encompassing nature of the kingdom. Under Calvin and the continental Reformers, a theology was developed very quickly which we may well describe as 'holistic'. Just as we have seen that the kingdom describes God's rule and authority in every area of life, so it came to be understood that the preaching of the good news of the kingdom involved speaking to every area of life.
Time and again Reformed theology down through the ages has had to challenge a dualistic Christianity which basically owes more to Greek thought than to biblical thought. For those of us in the Fellowship of Word and Spirit, here is the heart of our thinking. Here lies our desire to work in the late twentieth century, but here also lies much of our distinctiveness as a group.
As we have seen, the biblical view of the kingdom is not dualistic. It does not teach that the kingdom is to be found in some other-worldly sphere, whether it be the church or heaven itself. It stresses God's rule and action in every area of life. The Bible does not preach the good news of the conversion of some redeemable spirit as opposed to irredeemable flesh or body. That is Greek dualism, and Jewish and biblical thought never speak that way. Certainly the good news of the kingdom means that Christ is to come again, that there will be a new heaven and a new earth, and that we shall be raised with incorruptible bodies. But this is not dualism; this is not on two separate levels of spiritual and non-spiritual existence. Spiritual existence is also to be enjoyed now 'in Christ': not in all the glorious fulness of the time after the resurrection but, nevertheless, truly spiritual as Christ's Spirit himself dwells in us. Equally, bodily existence is to be enjoyed in the future for, as Christ was raised bodily, so shall we be. This is not dualism: this is 'whole person' (monistic) theology. The Gospel message must also, therefore, address the whole person, spirit and body. People must be shown that Christ does reign, and rightly makes demands of every area of life, for he rules over everything.
So what are the implications for a holistic theology of the kingdom of God?
1) We must be totally committed to the sovereignty of God - that has already been stated.
2) Every area of life (and there are no exceptions) in which men and women are involved may be used either for the promotion of the ways of darkness and Satan or for the kingdom of light - the kingdom of God. This is fundamentally an acknowledgement of the fact that the King created all that we have around us.
3) Closely linked to this understanding, that every area of life must be brought into obedience to the kingdom of God, is the emphasis found in Reformed theology on the 'cultural mandate'.
This idea of the cultural mandate looks back to the commands that God gives to men and women concerning how they are to subdue the earth and use it to 'glorify God and enjoy him forever.'6 It recognizes, for example, that culture itself need not be regarded (as in much traditional pietistic evangelical theology) as essentially evil, or at least essentially negative. Rather culture, like the rest of creation, was created 'good'. It was not simply introduced to keep the Fall within bounds. In that people do not acknowledge the rule of God we may expect them to distort this area of life through their sin, just as much as any other area, but it is the Bible-believing Christian's responsibility to cause that culture to be conformed to scriptural principles - to acknowledge the rule of God.
The Lausanne Covenant has been criticized by many evangelicals (and perhaps if we look behind the scenes there may be some reason for that) but, on the whole, under the influence of a number of Reformed theologians like, for example, Francis Schaeffer, the original work of that congress picked up some of these issues well. In that covenant there is an interesting assertion that no one culture, as we know it, is presupposed to be superior, 7 but that each will vary, depending upon where and in what age God has placed men and women. All cultures must therefore be evaluated biblically. Obviously this is a particularly difficult task, especially for those who have grown up seriously believing that we live in a Christian culture. It means stepping back from our culture and evaluating it without the usual prejudices which we shall all feel in favour of certain aspects of our background. The problems involved in this evaluation are immense.
Have I moved too far from what I was saying about the kingdom of God? I think not. We are here on earth and we are within the kingdom of God, in both the general and the particular senses. We are generally under God's rule and we are in the specific covenantal relationship with the King. It is, therefore, our duty to proclaim what the King wants of his creation in every area of life. Yes, we must work hard for new converts. We must, with the Spirit's help, work towards seeing more and more people acknowledging the King in their own lives, and repenting of their sin before him. But we must also recognize that God's rule extends over all his creation and we must speak to all these areas of life.
For the sake of provoking discussion let me say that if we really believe the Bible when it says that if a man will not work he shall not eat, then part of the proclamation of God's rule in which we find ourselves involved must include a biblical attitude to work and the providing of jobs. Reformed theology at its best has always taught this. Possibly in the light of the 'modernist' or 'social gospel' theology of this century, many evangelical Christians would even now say that I am illegitimately embarking on 'polities'. Such a reaction is understandable. Both modernism and contemporary forms of the social gospel are, at best, reductionist in their presentation of biblical truth, but we cannot allow ourselves also to be forced into a reductionist position. We must not be tempted to reduce the presentation of the kingdom of God from a full-orbed. God-affirming, creation-affirming call for obedience in every area of life, to a solely individualistic appeal for salvation of a person's 'spirit'.
Difficult as it may be, we must acknowledge that culture (such as education, arts and literature) and politics (structures and rules developed to facilitate coexistence) are produced by sinful men and women. To suggest that these areas are not to be addressed by us is to be dualistic in the worst Greek sense. It is to suggest that the salvation of the individual's spirit is all that the kingdom of God is about.
In fact we are to be, like Christ, a light to the Gentiles. We are to strive to see justice and righteousness introduced in every area of life, because that is what God wants. We are to strive to introduce the world to 'God thoughts', to God's expectations of how the lives of all human beings should be run and structured. To ignore the culture of our day and not to present a positive Christian alternative, is to believe that the Gospel we proclaim only speaks to one or two areas of life rather than every area.
Calvin's Geneva may not work today, and it had all sorts of problems in its own day, but we would do well to note that in a time of extreme unemployment and poverty, when the kingdom of God was taken seriously then employment was created, the poor and orphans were taken care of, a minimum wage was introduced, and even a centralized sewage system was introduced for the first time in Europe. Why? Because they firmly believed that the kingdom of God addressed every area of life - nothing was excluded.
In a different period, for a different culture. Reformed biblical theology has other things to say. At the turn of the century in Holland, Abraham Kuyper addressed the situation in his country and had such an effect that even today that small country gives more of its gross domestic product to the third world than any other country in the world. Christians can send their children to good schools which teach Christianity (at the expense of the taxpayer), rather than remain limited, as we are, to the education system where basically only a humanistic scheme is available to the normal child.
I have deliberately introduced controversial issues. I would never expect everyone to agree with all that I have said. Certainly I am not advocating a 'Calvinistic' or 'Kuyperian' England, but I am trying to force us all to think about what applied biblical theology might mean in our society.
We preach the Gospel of the kingdom of God. It must be the whole Gospel and not just part of it.
Typically there are two ways of erring in this proclamation. Sadly, I believe both types of failure are to be found in different parts of the evangelical camp.
Firstly, some evangelicals are far from 'holistic', for they emphasize the need for redemption of structures and political systems without acknowledging the need for individual repentance by sinful men and women, and the need for each individual to acknowledge God's rule through Christ, in their own lives. That is not 'holistic'.
Secondly, others emphasize individual salvation and neglect any further consideration of that individual's cultural and societal relationships.
Typical of the former group are those evangelicals who seem to spend most of their time as ministers of the Gospel speaking of the need to reform structures and criticizing governments without ever a mention (when finally they get media time) of the need for individuals to look to Christ in repentance and for eternal life. Representative of the latter was the German pietist movement, and others we would call pietists. Much of modem evangelical Anglicanism remains in this camp. There is, of course, nothing wrong in attempting, with the Spirit's help, to be as pious as we can before God. Indeed, God calls us to holiness and to a life of prayer and meditation on his Word. The problem arises when we do not use that relationship with the Lord as a basis for getting embroiled in the world in which God has called us to work.
What, then, is the Fellowship of Word and Spirit about? We would like to be known for at least trying to present a truly biblical and Reformed 'holistic' theology. No doubt we shall fail time and again.
We are committed to the proclamation of the rule and kingdom of God, and the need for individuals to acknowledge that rule through Christ the King.
We are also committed to an educated church; one which then goes on to continue the proclamation in all its fulness; one that is not dualistic and pietistic in a wrong or exclusive sense but which prepares men and women to stay in the world; one which will seek to help them reform culture and their environment in a biblical way.
Such work will give temporary blessings even to those who do not acknowledge the King. In the words of Hebrews, perhaps people out there in the world will even get a taste of the work of the Holy Spirit. They will taste the true kingdom, and with the Spirit's regenerating work we pray that they will come to acknowledge Christ. If they do not, then the work of the kingdom serves to reinforce their final condemnation.
Finally, let me apply this more broadly. There is a tremendous attraction these days in Islam, Marxism and even the 'New Age' philosophies. Many evangelicals have failed to understand why this is so. I believe that at least one rather simple fact contributes to the appeal of such philosophies. These great world-embracing philosophies have a full world-and-life view. They have their views on art, on politics, and on a person's role in society. They address every single area of life - and people want that. How much more then should we who have the truth be offering a full proclamation of that truth. We must go ahead as a group stressing not a dualistic view of the person - not a view that divides earthly existence now from an awaited salvation of the 'spirit' - but a view in which we urge that people be converted to Christ, that they then remain in that situation and that they are seen to bring those cultural, economic, and even political structures around them more and more into line with God's revealed will.
Such a person's faith will not lead him simply to a position in which his soul communes with the Lord, like some medieval mystic who has left the world behind, but, feeding on that vital personal communion with the Lord, his or her whole life will be aimed at bringing to bear the rule and will of God in every area of life with which he or she is in contact. Truly we shall be the salt of the earth.
Paul Gardner, the author of this booklet, used to teach New Testament at Oak Hill College, London. He studied at King's College, London and at Reformed Theological Seminary in Mississippi, USA, before training for the ministry at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. Ordained in 1980, he served in Cambridge before moving to Oak Hill in 1983.He is now senior pastor at a Presbyterian church in Atlanta.
1 We recognise that the dating of Isaiah is debated by scholars today, but here an early (eighth century) dating is assumed - a position which is taken because it appears to be the one proposed by the book itself, but also because other suggestions of dating are, in our opinion, ultimately lacking conviction.
2 Ridderbos, The Coming of the Kingdom(Presbyterian Reformed Publishing Co., New Jersey, 1962).
3 G E Ladd, The Gospel of the Kingdom(Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1959).
5 The phrase 'sons of the kingdom' is used again in Matthew 13:38.
6 Westminster Shorter Catechism, question 1.
7 Lausanne Covenant (1974), para. 10.