Struggle as I might, I could not escape Pascha's grasp. I even tried to change the shape of my clay, to slip amorphously from his fingers, but whatever changes I made he stymied with changes of his own. His fingers were hot as coals. I did not remember his flesh being so hot.
"Let me go, Pascha," I said, for the hundredth time, and for the hundredth time, he only laughed at me. His horse's legs churned over the earth below, trampling moss and ferns, dislodging rocks, somehow managing to avoid every tree. The canopy was closing tighter and tighter over our heads the further we traveled, and I felt certain that we were going to Baba Yaga's house.
I twisted my head to look behind us, but there was no sign of Gabi. We had lost her quickly. She had not even changed her shape to chase us.
"I have nothing to bet with," I said, though it was not quite true- I had ten ban.
"It doesn't really matter, either way," Pascha told me, and tossed me from one palm to the other. I grabbed his thumb as I landed, startled by my sudden flight. He was not holding onto the reins, but then again, why would he need to?
I ducked, narrowly avoiding a branch that whipped past my shoulder; we were still moving very fast.
Pascha gave me a heavy sigh, and shook his head in a solemn and irritating way.
I turned around- we had been moving so fast that I had not even realized we were approaching Baba Yaga's house until we were in the same clearing. There was the hut, so unassuming-looking in the daytime, with the fence made of bones all around. And there was more now, too- the earth just beside the hut was scorched and blackened and free of trees, and a more ordinary fence ringed it. There was a large white horse standing within.
Pascha leapt over the bone gate and came to an abrupt stop, a kind of dead stop that a real horse would never have been able to make. He wound up his arm and tossed me, without warning, against Baba Yaga's front step. I was flattened by the force of the impact.
Without waiting for me to pick myself up and reshape myself, Pascha wheeled around and jumped into the little paddock with the white horse. As soon as he cleared it, the man version of him on the horse's back began to fade away, and only a reddish stallion, shaking his mane, was left behind.
"Shh!" said the white horse, and went to nip the red stallion. Pascha snorted softly and kicked out into the air.
I was going to ask why he had hushed me, but got my answer before I could. The wood under my feet suddenly rattled, and Baba Yaga's door shuddered in its frame. From within the house there came the sound of a tremendous snore. The witch was at home.
Pascha came to the paddock fence and put his nose over it.
The white horse nipped him again.
"Don't listen to him," it said, and I realized that I recognized the voice- it was Zakhar. He looked a good deal healthier than he had the last time I had seen him, though at times he shimmered slightly at the edges, like a mirage.
I felt it would be better to obey his advice, especially since I did not have any idea what Pascha's meant. I marched determinedly down the steps (determinedly as one could when each step spanned half one's height) and back to the skeletal gate. I noticed that the eyes of the skulls that rested on each post were not glowing anymore. Did it mean that the skeletons were asleep? Did skeletons even need sleep?
I got my answer when I tried to duck underneath the gate. With a clatter, the bones moved and blocked my path. I jumped back and tried to circle around, but they shuffled with me, stubbornly forming a wall too small even for me to slip through. I tried to push them, to no avail- they were stiff as iron bars. When I stepped back, defeated, they sprang into their proper places once more.
"Pascha," I hissed angrily, but he had his back turned and appeared to be ignoring me. Zakhar was watching me, but when I called his name he only turned one ear back and made no response.
I looked back towards the fence, and the bones quivered warningly. It seemed that I was trapped within for the moment until I could figure out a way to get them to move. Perhaps Gabi would catch up to us soon and help me. If she had even followed me. I still was not sure if she had tried. It might be better for both of us if she did not.
The thought made me feel sad and sour, like unleavened bread.
Another snore rattled the hut behind me, and the whole thing shifted. I caught just a small glimpse of one of the scaly legs tucked underneath as the thing resettled itself into the ground.
The door swung open, and I flattened against the step. But I need not have bothered. The one that stepped out was not the witch, but a young woman with fair hair carrying a bucket. She poured the bucket out on the side of the steps, wrinkling her nose.
I recognized her- I had met her here before, though I had completely forgotten about it. It was the woman I had helped with the sieve. She looked even thinner and dirtier now since the last time that I had seen her.
Quickly I got up and ran towards her, for she was already turning to go back inside the hut.
She jumped at the sound of my voice, and looked all around, but she was looking too high. I scrambled up the step and tugged at the bottom of her skirt.
She clutched at her skirt and looked down, her expression one of fear and bewilderment.
The woman glanced behind herself, and then carefully shut the door and knelt before me on the steps, tucking her long skirt over her knees.
Pascha had said something to a similar effect, I recalled. I looked at the paddock again and saw that he and Zakhar were lying down on the scorched ground together.
"What about the witch?" I asked. Her snores had not let up during our discussion.
"All right," I said, though in truth I would have preferred staying outside. But I did not want to sit on the step and wait for someone who might not come for me.
"My name, by the way, is Vasilisa," said the woman, holding out her hand.
I took one of her fingers with a burst of both happiness and sadness, because now I knew her name, and because I had only now realized that she looked a little bit like Kezia's Christian girl.
"I am glad to have your name," I said, and she smiled as I climbed onto her palm.
"I'm only glad to finally be able to give it to someone who is so kind," she said, and rather than grasping me, as Gabi had done, she put me up on her shoulder. I steadied myself with one hand on her pale neck.
Vasilisa put a finger to her lips, and then opened the door to the hut.
It felt like we were stepping through a kind of palpable wall of anxiety, going into that place, though it might have just been the way I felt her tensing up beneath my feet. I myself was unsettled by the fact that it was very dim within the hut, the only light coming from the dying fire in the earthen stove, and in the gloom there were odd reflections everywhere. It was cluttered as before, but now I saw that there were several long, spindly objects cris-crossing the whole of the room, and there was something about the contortion of them that made me feel a kind of sick discomfort. And then, as Vasilisa drew closer, and the walls rattled from another tremendous snore, I realized why that was. I was looking at the arms and legs of the witch.
Baba Yaga, in her sleep, was singularly unpleasant to look at. She spanned one corner of the hut to the other, her arms and legs impossibly long and thin and bony, with sagging old skin that looked like it would curl and crack like old parchment. They folded and bent and tucked into the corners in more ways than seemed right or possible, and her toes were nearly as long as her fingers, and her fingernails were nearly as long as her toes. But that was not the real worst of it, for though her limbs were long and bony, the body of Baba Yaga was fat and swollen in her bed, the curve of her nose covering up her eyes, her mouth open just enough to show four wide-spaced teeth. She reminded me of a crane fly, or a long-legged spider, and though her sleep looked deep I felt with certainty that one brush against her appalling limbs would rouse her in a fury.
Vasilisa ducked under Baba Yaga's left leg much more calmly than I would have managed to, though I supposed that she had had to get used to it after being her so long. The witch did not wake up, though she took a deep breath, and it almost seemed like the walls of the hut moved outwards and inwards with the rise and fall of her chest.
We came to what I thought of Vasilisa's corner, the pile of dirty straw beside the oven. I could smell, very faintly, the scent of roasting meat from within, and hear the sizzle of fat along with the whine and pop of the flames.
Mutely, she shook her head; her expression, very close to me, seemed disturbed.
Vasilisa pointed to the wooden tub beside her meager bed, the one that I had helped her fill with the sieve, and I saw that it now had a twin. Only this one was filled with sand instead of water.
I leaned out from her shoulder to have a better look and saw that she had made a very tiny pile of seeds on a handkerchief standing on a bureau (the very one where Zakhar's chamber pot had once rested) that looked like nothing in comparison to the heap of sand she had left to sift through.
"Why does she make you do these things?" I asked, forgetting to keep my voice down in my outrage. Vasilisa tried to hush me, but it was too late: the witch's long, terrible legs moved, and her breath stopped midsnore.
Vasilisa snatched me at once and thrust me behind her back, so that I could not see Baba Yaga anymore, but I did hear the creak of her movements, and her voice: an old dry rasp, punctuated by sucking noises around her few teeth.
"No one, Mistress," stammered Vasilisa.
I felt the tension all through Vasilisa's hand, but then she slowly seemed to relax herself.
"It- I only spoke to my doll, Mistress," she said, and drew me back around to show the witch. I held perfectly still.
The witch had drawn her skinny knees to her chest, and rested her bony elbows on them, and her long, tangled white hair made a sort of cloak over it all, so that the proportions of her almost looked all right, if you squinted, but her wide eyes- black and wide and staring, they were, with chips of blue and white and greater darkness the longer you looked at them- her eyes were unmistakably the eyes of a witch.
She turned them on me now, and I found myself sinking into the depths of those eyes, and I wanted to cover my face with my hands. In fact, I almost forgot myself and did just that, because I had a wretched feeling that the longer I looked into her eyes, the less I would want to look away.
"I've never seen you carry an ugly thing like that before," said the witch, finally bringing her eyes back up to Vasilisa.
Vasilisa executed a nervous curtsy, the hand around my waist beginning to sweat, and set me down on the bureau so that she could have both hands free to drag a massive spatula out of the oven. I had been expecting, from the smell, to see something like neatly-trimmed shanks or loins, but what had been roasting was little more than crude lumps of flesh, covered in blackened skin. It was impossible to tell what they had once been. Some of the ones on the far end of the spatula still leaked blood.
Vasilisa staggered under the weight of it all, and the witch reached out one of her bony arms and thrust a low table before herself for Vasilisa to deposit the meat onto. The little thing audibly groaned under the weight of it all.
Baba Yaga rose from her bed to hover over the table, still covered by her blanket and hair, so that only glimpses of her thin white limbs and black shining eyes peeped out. She flicked her hoary fingers at Vasilisa, who gratefully withdrew to the wall beside the stove. She glanced at me, though I was still frozen, playing the doll.
She picked up the nearest bit of meat, curling her fingers around it so that the juices squeezed out, and thrust it into her mouth. Vasilisa winced, and I would have liked to as well. The witch chewed with her mouth open, and there came a horrible symphony of sucking, grinding, crunching noises with it, and blood and juices spattered all over her emotionless face. I wondered how it was that she could chew the tough stuff with so few teeth left in her mouth, but I did not want to wonder too hard, for it meant I would have to look at the blackened spots on her gums where the missing teeth had been.
Baba Yaga finished her first piece of meat and picked up the next, tearing it off a splintered bone with her lonely fangs.
Vasilisa made no response to this, and did not even act surprised. I could not say the same for myself; how I wished I was bigger and stronger! Baba Yaga took another gigantic bite before she spoke again.
Her laugh was sickly and wretched-sounding. Vasilisa picked up the bit of bone and silently turned it over in her hands.
"No, Mistress, I have not," said Vasilisa, with an edge to her voice that made Baba Yaga's eyes light up. She dragged the next piece of meat across the table to herself and slapped it down for emphasis.
"Please, give me but one more day, Mistress," said Vasilisa, in a dull way. The fire in Baba Yaga's eyes seemed to dim at this, and she sat back and thrust the meat into her mouth.
To this Vasilisa responded with a sharp frown, one that looked to me frighteningly insolent, but it only seemed to amuse the witch, for she gave a thick-sounding chuckle and gathered up yet more meat.
"Don't forget that I have seen your fate," she said, mashing a handful into her mouth. She chewed, wiped herself with her wrist, then clapped her thin hands: to my surprise, three creatures like spiders crawled up onto the table and began clearing the remains of her meal away again. But they were not spiders- they were the disembodied, purple-tinged hands I had seen mounted on the wall before. I remembered Zakhar's warning and tried not to look at them.
"I think that you are hiding something from me, Vasilisa," said Baba Yaga, very suddenly, and I saw Vasilisa twitch and swallow. I myself tried to hold more still than I had ever held before. I tried to imagine that I was stone.
"I hide many things from you, Mistress," said Vasilisa, after a moment of silence.
"Ah, I see," said the witch, and she shed her blanket, rising taller. She wore the simplest of clothing, and it was all tattered and threadbare, with long, trailing sleeves gray from years of washing. The walls of the hut seemed to suddenly flex outwards slightly, as Baba Yaga adjusted herself, her body coming somewhat into proportion, so that she could have passed for an ordinary old crone. Except for those eyes.
With those frightening words, the door slammed open all by itself, making Vasilisa jump. Baba Yaga swept out of the hut with her mortar and pestle in hand, gurgling and cackling, kicking over a broom as she passed. The door slammed back shut behind her and the latch clicked into place.
There were about three beats of complete silence, and then with a long sigh Vasilisa sank down with her back to the wall and put her head in her arms.
At once I clambered down from the bureau, using the drawers for handholds, so that I could stand by her knee and put a hand on it.
I did not know what a devil was, but I did not feel that it would be prudent to ask at the moment. Vasilisa kept speaking.
"The first one was filling the sieve with water?" I guessed, and she nodded.
"And the second is separating the seeds from this sand. I tried to think of a clever solution like the one you first gave me, I did, but I've only managed to pull them out by hand… I even used my stocking, you see." She pulled up her skirts and showed me a bald patch on her stocking where it looked like a piece had been cut out.
She reached out and stroked my head with one finger.
She looked at me for a moment, then rubbed her cheeks, so that a little color came back into them.
Vasilisa still seemed hesitant, and looked as though she might want to protest some more, but then her brow furrowed, and she said, softly, "What worse can she do if I do not finish her work for her? I'm not one of her servants; let them do it." She shot a hard glance towards the three hands, which had mounted themselves back on the wall.
"Yes," I agreed, though uncertainly: I did feel that there might be a little bit worse that Baba Yaga could do to her. But some iron had come into Vasilisa's back, and she rose from the ground, her skirts trailing over my head, and walked to the bed.
She paused, for she had lifted the blanket, and was staring down at the bare mattress. Her expression changed, and I wished I was at an angle where I could see what she was seeing, for it had become quite interesting. Slowly she replaced the blanket and went back to her straw-filled corner.
"Best not get too far ahead of myself," she said to the air, which only made me wonder even more what was under that blanket. But I had best not get too ahead of myself either.
It did not take Vasilisa very long at all to fall asleep curled up in her little pile of hay. She must have been terribly tired, for I could not even imagine being able to fall asleep in such a damp, dirty place. I wondered if she was cold, and wished that I had something to cover her with.
But I did not, and I was not going to pretend that I had a very long time to spend thinking about other things besides Vasilisa's task. I very much did not want her to be asleep when the witch returned.
So I turned my gaze to the tub of sand and poppy seeds. It was not very clean-looking sand, and in fact was full of black specks that could have been seeds or could have been other mystery substances. I climbed up a little stool beside the tub and stuck one hand in it- then withdrew it, covered in little particles. It seemed that my sticky body would not help me complete the task by hand.
But I was very certain that there was a simple way to solve this problem. I did not think that she would be allowed to assign an impossible task by her own rules, though it was possible that I was misunderstanding how she worked. I did wonder what Pascha had been trying to accomplish by bringing me here. He had said that I should speak to the girl- did he mean for me to help Vasilisa?
I could not say that I would have expected him to do that out of the kindness of his heart, though. Perhaps by helping Vasilisa, I would be helping him. I did not mind helping either of them, to be honest, though it would have been nice if he had asked me instead of kidnapping me. But maybe the witch would have been suspicious if he had done that. I did not know; I was thinking in circles, and I should have been focusing on the task at hand.
I brushed the particles of sand off of my arm and looked around the area. In Vasilisa's corner were clustered the stove, the bureau, her pile of hay, and the wooden tub with the sand in it- and the other tub, the one that she had filled with water from the sieve.
As soon as I looked at that second tub a thought occurred to me, and I scrambled down the stool and dragged it the short way across the floor to the second tub so that I could peer down inside. Yes- it was still filled with the water Vasilisa had carried in for the witch. It was surprisingly clear for being in such a filthy, dusty house. I saw a shadow of my reflection on the bottom, a little clay nubbin with empty eyes.
I turned around and sat down on the stool with my chin in my hands, kicking my feet as I pondered. The idea in my head seemed too simple to be true, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense that the two tasks Vasilisa had been assigned would be connected in some way.
But I was not sure, and if I was wrong, I risked ruining her chances altogether. I had to be very careful. I got down from the stool again and went over to the table, which loomed above me, still dripping at the sides from Baba Yaga's messy meal. On the floor beside it was a basket of cutlery (untouched), including a tin spoon.
I tilted the spoon over the water's surface and knew at once that my idea had been correct, and it was all worth it. The sand sank.
An hour or two must have passed by the time I woke Vasilisa again, by gently patting her cheek. She sat up with a gasp and a flurry of straw.
Vasilisa pushed her hair back from her forehead with one hand and nodded slowly. Her hand made another dirty smear across her face.
"I always dream strangely when I sleep here," she said.
"Did you have bad dreams?" I asked. I had never had a dream, but I knew that they could be good or bad. I supposed that the visions I had taken from Kezia were what dreams were like: memories of things that had never happened to you.
I did not. But I thought that they still sounded like bad dreams.
At this she looked down at me with a nervous, quavery smile, and I wished I could smile back- no, I could, I could change how my face looked, I could do it, only she had looked away again by the time I realized this. She got up to peer down into the tub and then covered her eyes with her hands.
I climbed up onto the stool beside her, trying not to puff out my clay chest. At the bottom of the tub was a pile of poppy seeds, completely free of the sand- though slightly damp. Once I had figured out a system, it had not taken me long at all to move the mix into the water and then skim the floating seeds off the surface. I suppose that even as a very small golem I was good at getting work done.
At this Vasilisa pulled down her hands from her face, and very slowly shook her head, though at what I was not certain. Then she knelt down and gave me a very soft little kiss right at the top of my forehead.
"I will repay you, Kezia," she said, solemnly, looking me directly in the eyes. "I don't know how just yet, but if I ever do get out of here… Oh, there's only one more task left!" She buried her face in her hands and started weeping loudly, and I was at a loss for what to do, but luckily she did not cry for very long and moved her hands again to gaze at me seriously.
"I do not mind helping you again," I said.
I found I could not have argued with her if I tried, so I let her wipe her tears away and put me back on her shoulder.
"I suppose it does not," I said.
"But perhaps we can get out another way. I have been thinking recently that her servants do not like her very much." She said this to me gravely, as though she was imparting a grave secret; I was not sure what to do with it.
"His name is Pascha," I supplied.
"I… suppose." She was talking quite fast now; I felt that she might need more sleep. She prattled on, her eyes overbright.
"And she really does treat them dreadfully; have you seen how worn they are? And that gate creaks like anything. I wonder if…" She hesitated, then took the handkerchief of poppy seeds that was still on the bureau and squeezed it in her fist.
"No- but I have done it before, and something most peculiar happens. I thought it was a coincidence." She shook the seeds out of the handkerchief and leaned down to hand it to me. I folded it up like a sheet to carry it tucked underneath one arm.
"If you want that to happen you must not give up again," I told her, and she smiled.
She opened the door for me, and I slipped outside, blinking in the suddenly-bright sunlight. It felt somehow wrong to leave her trapped in the grimness of the witch's hut, but I did not think that there was much else I could do to help her and besides (I reminded myself) I needed to find Gabi. Though outside the hut I still saw no sign of her.
The forest around me was green and silent, the air absolutely still, not a leaf moving. The spot where Vasilisa had dumped out the witch's midden stank in the sunshine. I looked over at the paddock and realized that it was empty: Pascha and Zakhar were gone. Perhaps the witch had taken them with her.
I took the handkerchief from under my arm. It had been warm from being clenched in Vasilisa's hand, but the heat was fading quickly against my clay flesh. The poppyseed oil she had squeezed into it had no scent, though it did offer the cloth a slight dark sheen.
I made my way down the witch's front step and back to the bone gate, holding the handkerchief out in front of myself like a flag. The bones trembled in their places as I got closer, but they did not jump up to block me as before. Vasilisa had been on to something.
There were two hinges to the gate, each made of a collection of very short, small bones: finger bones? I was not quite sure as I had never spent much time studying a skeleton. I started on the low hinge first, working the handkerchief between the gaps. When that was done I climbed up to the second one, handkerchief draped over my head. The gate seemed to space its space marginally wider to accommodate me, so that I could brace myself between two long bones as I worked on the top hinge.
I had only barely gotten started when a rattling noise made me look up. The skull that was perched on the post beside me was looking down at me with glowing eyes. It chattered its teeth at me and spoke in a soft, tiny voice.
I hesitated, rag in hand, entirely unnerved. It was one thing to see a skeleton move and then a whole other thing to hear it speak. And it was still speaking.
Click, click, click went the skull's broken teeth- I realized it was laughing silently. The voice rose up out of it again, a fragment, a whisper.
The bones suddenly clenched up against me, and I dropped the handkerchief and squirmed free, slipping and sliding down their pockmarked surfaces until I hit the dirt. The skull rattled condescendingly.
I decided to stay where I was for the time being, and pulled the fallen handkerchief into my lap.
My words were followed by a long silence. A slight wind ruffled some of the leaves above our heads, making the shadows on the ground dance. The gate creaked with them.
With these ominous words, the bone gate slowly creaked open.
"Hurry," was the only response. The wind was picking up, and the treetops were starting to whirl. I pulled the handkerchief tighter around my shoulders and ran back into the woods.
"Vasilisa staggered under the weight of it all, and the witch reached out one of her bony arms and thrust a low table before herself for Vasilisa to deposit the meat onto. The little thing audibly groaned under the weight of it all." you use 'under the weight of it all' twice in 2 consecutive sentences.
"The gate seemed to space its space" space what?


jFX Studio is a digitally–based, multi–room recording studio located in Marietta, Georgia. It's conveniently located with easy access to I–75 and the greater Atlanta area. Our main area of expertise is in music recording. We can handle bands' and individuals' projects from start to finish, or assist in the completion of any portion of your project. jFX can also handle voiceover work, music–on–hold, media/format conversions and more.
We will be happy to arrange your music, hire additional musicians and help produce your project. We can also see you through the potential pitfalls inherent in mastering, CD production, Web site production and print production. Please ask us if you need assistance with these things.
jFX Studio is based around an automated Mackie D8b mixer, has a good collection of mics and other gear, a Mac–based Digital Performer Pro DAW, with a good collection of audio plugins. Joe Nottoli, the head engineer, has years of musical experience (begun in the hard–knocks of 4th grade band class!), playing several different instruments. Bass guitar has chosen him – both fretted, fretless and extended–range. He has played in many rock, pop, jazz and pit bands. His major emphasis is contemporary Christian music in churches. He also has a long track record in creative Web and traditional print design and production.


Lugerian: language spoken by the citizens of Lugera – The People Republic, abounding in positive words.
The first manifestation of positive attitude was found in 1996, at Trencin, Slovakia, where a brave Dutch, Gerard, and two Slovak warriors, Lubos and Rasto, made the first step into setting new standards in business.
The nonconformist mixture of fun and business rapidly seized 8 countries: Armenia, Croatia, Poland, Romania, Netherlands and Ukraine… all of them being conquered by the irresistible new approach.
Romania was one of the first states to say YES to the challenge, in 2001 and shortly made it to the top of the HR service suppliers.
Climate: Warm all year round! Ideal for Business with a smile!
Each State is represented by a High Councillor, coordinating Internal and External Affairs. Get in touch with your local Consulates in the Romanian State: Bucharest, Brasov, Ploiesti, Cluj, Timisoara, Pitesti, Iasi, Craiova.
We value long term partnerships and we make everything possible by creating a pleasant business environment. Follow us through Central and Eastern Europe!
Furthermore, we aim at straightening relations with the Middle East Countries and the USA through wonderful projects and at expanding our representation worldwide.
We're building a world of great possibilities where business finds no boundaries, but wonderful resources!
Transport: Infrastructure suitable for various types of services and for all career purposes. Walk with us in our Service Cities, on every avenue, on every street… in all our wonderful districts.
Since 2009, we have been ranked Number 1 HR Agency in Romania, with 50.000.000 euro turnover in 2011, 14000 temporary employees in 2011, 20.000 payroll slips calculated in 2011 and outstanding results in outplacement, recruitment and mass recruitment projects.
Population: More female than male.
Large communities: of English, Czech, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Russian, Slovak, Armenian, Chinese and Japanese speakers.
Education: Individual coaching, training-on-the-job conducted by internal or external trainers.
Outstanding Software solutions: Lotus Notes, TalentBase®, HUMAN (Payroll SW), Charisma.
Arts & Traditions: Flexible, accommodating, hardworking, pleasant, communicative, professional, practical, precise, ambitious, highly creative, target oriented, loyal, non-traditional, supportive and pro-active... Furthermore: top calibre, smart, funny, modest and with good overview.
Cuisine: Fresh blend of exquisite services, seasoned with tailor-cut solutions for all types of HR or outsourcing related business matters. Wide selection of resources available brewed in top calibre performance.
Traditional costumes: Casual with smart accents of positive attitude and big smiles.
Multiple entrances, granted for long..., longer..., life-time term. Citizenship applications welcome!
We have many, and upon request, we are more than happy to send you a selection of our customers you can contact. In the mean while please see a short list here.


text:
Posted May 7, 2013 by Bill Carr in Homiletical Helps 3425
Pentecost • Acts 2:1–21 • May 19, 2013
By William Carr
What in the world is going on?
English versions seem so pedestrian, e.g., "When the day of Pentecost arrived" (ESV) or, simply, "came" (NIV and others). Though the verb συμπληροω occurs only three times (Lk 8:23; 9:51; and here), there is more to the arrival of Pentecost than flipping the calendar to a new page. Pentecost is more than a day; the day ushers in an era or an age. (Notice the variant in "D," which makes this passage echo Luke 2.)
We cannot fully absorb or explain the phenomena; the descriptions of wind and fire are couched in similes (ὡσπερ, ὠσει). What happens in the house is only a prelude to what happens in the public square. Ἰουδαιοι (2:5, 11 and 14) has religious signification: "devout men" (ESV) are not simply "Judeans" (see 2:9–11; compare Ἰουδαια vs. Ἰουδαιος). Peter may ramp things up when he uses the phrase "Israelitish men" in 2:22, but "Jews" here signifies believers, and "dwellers in Jerusalem" signifies everybody else.
The arc from Parthia through Mesopotamia is the "Old (Testament) World;" the rest of the list (through verse 10) describes the "Mediterranean basin," the "New (Testament) World" with Rome as its outermost part. "Jews and proselytes," i.e., lifelong believers and converts, are religious not ethnic or national categories. Are "Cretans and Arabians" simply place/people names, or might they constitute a merism of seafarers and nomads? In any event, the "whole world" has converged in Jerusalem, and is hearing "the mighty works of God" (2:11, ESV).
What are these "mighty works"? It would be easy to say, "They were telling people about Jesus." They might well have been doing that, but Luke doesn't say so. In fact, Peter's audience won't hear the Jesus story until (according to the lectionary) next Sunday!
Peter goes along with the gibe of drunkenness, but quickly corrects the misunderstanding. He quotes Joel (2:28–32 in English; 3:1–5 in MT and LXX), though not verbatim. Some differences seem minor: He adds λεγει ὁ θεος; this clarifies that God was the speaker in the original passage. It may be rhetorically important that Peter says "God" (θεος) and not "Lord" (κυριος), because the latter, the LXX rendering of הוהי (reading adonai), might be too particular; what Peter has to say comes from the Hebrew Scriptures, but is for all to hear. He also adds the word "signs" (σημεια) (cf. Jl 2:30). And his inclusion of the adverbs "above" and "beneath" reflect the wording in, e.g., Exodus 20:4 and Deuteronomy 5:8; Deuteronomy 4:39; Joshua 2:11; and 1 Kings 8:23. In short, Peter does more than "recite a memory verse."
Of more significance, however, is that the apostle eschatologizes the prophetic utterance. God announces, in Joel, that he will pour out his Spirit "after this" (cf. MT, LXX), i.e., after he restores the "grain and wine and oil" (Jl 2:19) that locust and drought had destroyed; there is no explicit eschatological value. Now, however, under the influence of the poured-out Spirit, Peter perceives the promise in salvation-historical perspective. "The kingdom of God," "the day of the LORD," "the last days," are now but also, still, not yet.
While Peter has added to the utterance of Joel, he has taken nothing away. The Spirit is being poured out "on all flesh," and, at present, the apostle says more than he realizes—he will not grasp the referent of "all flesh" until later (Acts 10). But one particularity, with its "scandal," is being erased. In the Old Testament, the Spirit of the LORD is mentioned rather infrequently (mostly in the Former Prophets); Yahweh speaks of "my Spirit" slightly more often in the writing prophets, especially Isaiah and Ezekiel. This suggests that the Spirit's "operation" is more particular than universal. Now, Peter declares, all that has changed. The Spirit's work can no longer be seen as restricted—as if it ever, actually, could have been.
This text may be awkward for Lutheran preachers. There is no "law," in our usual manner of speaking. Neither is there "gospel," if we insist on the particular language of the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, and the atoning sacrifice and active obedience of Christ. But it is gospel that God pours out, has poured out, his Spirit on all flesh, because this too signifies that God has come to his people—the people he made for himself in creation. We who believe in Jesus—the Spirit has called and gathered, is enlightening and sanctifying, and will keep. There are others, however, whom he is calling and desires to gather. No one is out of range of the Spirit's work; he targets every human heart. We may encounter "closed doors," our testimony may be rejected, but the Spirit of the LORD, the Holy Spirit, keeps going about his work and will continue to do so, unceasingly, until the very last day.
There is nothing in the texts we are expressly to do. There are mission implications and applications, but Peter gives us no "instructions." To be sure, that doesn't mean we are to do nothing. But we are reminded that the "mighty works" are God's, not ours. Count on the poured-out Spirit. What he gives you to say, say. That's always been the main work of a prophet. And Moses's wish will come true: "Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!" (Nm 11:29, ESV).
Tags: Acts 2, epistles, Pentecost, Series C, William Carr
Bill Carr
Pr. Joe Fremer	May 8, 2013
As to your first point, I think συμπληροω does in fact have a matter-of-fact tone to it; Pentecost was, after all, a long-standing Jewish holiday. The verb συμπληροω was used, I think, because the day is a number: the 50th day arrived by way of a count-up, thus was filled up. Yes, "there is more to the arrival of Pentecost than flipping the calendar to a new page. Pentecost is more than a day" to us downstream from the event, but I think the modern versions are correct in reflecting the point that it started out, for most Jerusalem dwellers anyway, to be just another Pentecost day come round.
Your point about Peter substituting θεος for κυριος is excellent and I believe you're spot on. YHWH was God's covenant-name given to/through Moses; the fledgling church would have a fair bit of thinking, and some revelation too (e.g., Peter's vision before being summoned to Cornelius' house) before it would understand that the Sinai covenant with descendants of Abraham would also expand to the Gentiles. Of course, Peter's "substitution" was the Holy Spirit's inspired expansion, for Peter was in full sail (ὑπὸ πνεύματος ἁγίου φερόμενος).
I think it's hilarious that a modern American idiom for drunkenness is "three sheets to the wind," but it just happens to be a fair descriptor of what 120 believers experienced on the birthday of the Church.
Thanks for a fine article, brother.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Visit Blake at 'The Voice'!
Sugarland's 'Stuck Like Glue' Is 2010's Biggest Country Dance Hit
Stephen L. Betts
If you spent any time dancing in country-music clubs in 2010, chances are your feet were 'Stuck Like Glue' to the dance floor. Relax, that's not a comment on your dancing skills, it's the Sugarland toe-tapper that topped the survey of 240 club owners, DJs and dance instructors, culminating in a list of the year's Top 10 most requested country dance-club songs.
'Stuck Like Glue' finished at No. 1 on the chart, which was compiled by Nashville-based country music dance venue marketing company, Marco Club Connection. It's the seventh annual ranking of club hits, which can be a vital part of a new country artist's career.
"As country music continues to incorporate more and more of a pop element, the dance clubs can be a very important tool in breaking an artist," says Club Connection Venue Marketing Specialist Bobbe Morhiser, citing singer/actress Laura Bell Bundy as proof. "'Giddy On Up' was huge in the dance clubs, and for a brand new artist to place in Club Connection's Top 5 at the end of the year is very impressive."
This year's chart-topper marks the first time a female singer (the duo's Jennifer Nettles) has finished at No. 1. Previous year-end No. 1's were the Zac Brown Band's 'Toes' in 2009; 'Good Time' (Alan Jackson, 2008); 'Firecracker' (Josh Turner, 2007); 'Brand New Girlfriend' (Steve Holy, 2006); 'Honkytonk Badonkadonk' (Trace Adkins, 2005) and 'Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)' (Big & Rich, 2004).
The Top Ten Country Dance Club Hits for 2010
1. 'Stuck Like Glue' - Sugarland
2. 'All About Tonight' - Blake Shelton
3. 'Hillbilly Bone' - Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins
4. 'Need You Now' - Lady Antebellum
5. 'Giddy on Up' - Laura Bell Bundy
6. 'Country Done Come to Town' - John Rich
7. 'Roll With It' - Easton Corbin
8. 'Why Don't We Just Dance' - Josh Turner
9. 'Turn On The Radio' - Reba McEntire
10. 'Pretty Good at Drinkin' Beer' - Billy Currington
For a look at the complete archive of Club Connection's Top 10 Country Dance Club Hits, check out their official website. Sugarland will no doubt have fans up and dancing during their live shows throughout the coming year. The duo announced they are extending their Incredible Machine tour into 2011 beginning in March.
if(typeof AOLVP_cfg==='undefined')AOLVP_cfg=[];AOLVP_cfg.push({id:'AOLVP_390914587001','codever':0.1,'autoload':false,'autoplay':false,'displaymnads':true,'playerid':'89761511001','videoid':'390914587001','width':476,'height':357,'playertype':'inline','stillurl':'dynamic','videolink':'#','videotitle':'dynamic','videodesc':''});
Download Sugarland Songs | Buy Sugarland Albums
Filed Under: Alan Jackson, big and rich, BigAndRich, Billy Currington, BillyCurrington, Blake Shelton, country dance clubs, CountryDanceClubs, Easton Corbin, EastonCorbin, Josh Turner, JoshTurner, Lady Antebellum, laura bell bundy, LauraBellBundy, Reba McEntire, Steve Holy, SteveHoly, Sugarland, Trace Adkins, Zac Brown Band, ZacBrownBand
2019 The Boot is part of the Taste Of Country Network, Townsquare Media, Inc. All rights reserved.


November is a funny month: it's the beginning of the holiday season and so the calendar is filled with C-list celebrities learning the true meaning of Christmas (SPOILER: single moms will find true love; working moms will learn that they really should be less ambitious/spend more time at home), but it's also a sweeps month, so the networks pull out all the stops and by "all the stops" I mean half-naked supermodels (see: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show). American culture!
Aside from the glut of Christmas movies and cheap ratings gimmicks, here are some shows to look forward to: Top Chef: Texas premieres and snubs Houston; Project Runway All-Stars pits Austin Scarlett against Mondo; Regis leaves daytime television; AMC debuts Hell on Wheels, its attempt to do a Western; and, of course, The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. You have to watch The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It's the law.
Oh, and while I'm not necessarily endorsing watching this program, special recognition must go to Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer, for having the Best Television Series Title of the month. Congratulations!
Anydoodles. Here is your television calendar for the great month of November. Note that I will be posting a Holiday Calendar in a couple of weeks — once the networks finally decide when, exactly, they are going to air Rudolph and that one movie where Jennie Garth learns the true meaning of Christmas (a husband). Red = finales; Green = premieres; Blue = Specials, Brown = Sports. I've highlighted the programs that I happen to think deserve your attention. All times and dates subject to change.
Dirty Soap: 9:30 pm E!
Kourtney and Kim Take New York: 9 pm E!
After Lately: 10 pm E!


text:
Q: How to solve "NullPointerException" with "Server.processing" error while we are using Flex Builder 3 and BlazeDS? I am using Flex builder 3, BlazeDS, and Java with Spring and Hibernate framework. I using the remote object to load a string from spring's configuration files. But in testing, I found this fault event like this:

RPC Fault
  faultString="java.lang.NullPointerException"
  faultCode="Server.Processing"
  faultDetail="null"

I have checked the configuration in remote-config.xml and services-config.xml. But it looks good. Some people have talked about this problem around the Internet and I think you can help me and them.
I am using these environment:

*

*Flex Builder 3

*BlazeDS 3.2.0

*JBoss server

Full stacktrace:

[RPC Fault faultString="java.lang.NullPointerException" faultCode="Server.Processing" faultDetail="null"]
 at mx.rpc::AbstractInvoker/http://www.adobe.com/2006/flex/mx/internal::faultHandler()[C:\autobuild\3.2.0\frameworks\projects\rpc\src\mx\rpc\AbstractInvoker.as:220]
 at mx.rpc::Responder/fault()[C:\autobuild\3.2.0\frameworks\projects\rpc\src\mx\rpc\Responder.as:53]
 at mx.rpc::AsyncRequest/fault()[C:\autobuild\3.2.0\frameworks\projects\rpc\src\mx\rpc\AsyncRequest.as:103]
 at NetConnectionMessageResponder/statusHandler()[C:\autobuild\3.2.0\frameworks\projects\rpc\src\mx\messaging\channels\NetConnectionChannel.as:569]
 at mx.messaging::MessageResponder/status()[C:\autobuild\3.2.0\frameworks\projects\rpc\src\mx\messaging\MessageResponder.as:222]

A: The java.lang.NullPointerException indicates an error being thrown on the server. To debug this, active debug logging on BlazeDS in the services-config.xml file. You should see detailed debug information in the server console.

A: When using the BlazeDS/Spring integration take care that you will need to use a custom exception translator in order to obtain meaningful exceptions. Please read this document http://static.springsource.org/spring-flex/docs/1.0.x/reference/html/ch02s08.html
In your case the error is not related to some configuration problems, it seems that is thrown inside your java method. Use a debugger in order to diagnose properly.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


서 광 모 부동산. 정직, 근면, 성심껏 봉사합니다.
We specialize in Gwinnett County homes and commercial properties.
K.M. Suh Realty be your first and last stop in finding your "home sweet home."
For business owners, K.M. Suh Realty offers a specialized suite of services. Are you looking to acquire land for commercial development? Do you need to secure a warehouse, retail space, storefront or office? Let us be your guide.
Learn more about our mission, neighborhoods and cities served, and the suite of real estate-related services we offer.
Ready to take the next step? Request a complimentary consultation with K.M. Suh Realty today.
(c) 2019 K.M. Suh Realty | All rights reserved.


text:
More Sport
Tennis Video
South Africa Today – Sport
Nadal Hits 800 Straight Weeks In Top 10
Korda's Next Move After Delray Beach Run: 'I'm Going To Go…
De Minaur Beats Goffin To Reach Antalya Final
Jellyfish, Llamas & Unicorns: Inside Ariel Behar's Wardrobe
Fabio 2.0: Why Fognini Is Focussing On Calm & Patience
Stillwater Sports' 2021 Trail Running Calendar Announced
Magalies Monster and Platinum Trail Run welcome Fedhealth as title sponsor…
AfricanX Trailrun entries open this week with an Early Bird Special
Runners ready for a 'PINK themed' Friday 5K Pop Up Run…
Stillwater Sports announces the return of the AfricanX Trailrun in 2021
Race Across South Africa spirit encapsulated in short film
Stillwater Sports releases a stellar 2021 Mountain Biking Calendar
Top mountain biker Hill shows versatility with first road race win
Sarah Hill pulls off powerful comeback at Sabie Xperience
Greyt Escape rides on new and different trails for 2021
Home More Sport Games honour for Madibaz Sport boss
Games honour for Madibaz Sport boss
Full Stop Communications
Madibaz Sport director Yoliswa Lumka has been appointed chef de mission for the World Student Games and the CUCSA Games next year. Photo: Supplied
Madibaz Sport director Yoliswa Lumka will oversee an important year for South African student-athletes after being appointed chef de mission for two competitions in 2021.
She will first head up the delegation for the World Student Games in Chengdu, China, in August and then take charge of the national squad for the Confederation of University and Colleges Sports Associations (CUCSA) Games in Lesotho in December.
After a difficult year when the Covid-19 pandemic decimated university sport, Lumka said there was a widespread feeling of excitement at competing in these events.
"Definitely, excitement is in the air because for most of them it will be their first time qualifying for the Games. The competition is very tough as they are all pushing to make the team."
She said they were looking at a strong contingent for these Games.
"We have some of the athletes who were with us in Italy [for the 2019 World Student Games] who won a variety of medals and they will be aiming to defend their titles."
Having that talent available, she said, would help them to try to achieve their objectives.
"In Italy, when I was the deputy chef de mission, we finished 10th. The target for China is to give an opportunity to individual sport codes to either maintain that or do better."
Lumka said the vision for the CUCSA Games was to give the sport codes that were not selected for the World Student Games an opportunity to start their preparations for the next cycle, culminating in the 2023 World Student Games in Russia.
"We also plan to maintain our dominance in the southern region by again finishing in overall first place."
The Madibaz Sport boss said it was an honour to be chosen to head the country's delegation for events of this magnitude.
"It shows that the hard work I have been putting in over the years is being noticed and recognised. The responsibilities that come with this position are that I have to make sure that the teams are ready to compete and produce good results."
Lumka added that it was also a feather in the cap for the Port Elizabeth university.
"It's very important that, as a sport department, we make sure that we not only have personnel who are excelling locally, but who are capacitated to grow to make a contribution at a national level.
"It means we are moving in the right direction and that our student-athletes are supported by well-trained experts in their specific fields, whether administrative or technical."
She said the World Student Games represented the highest pinnacle a student-athlete could achieve.
"We regard them as our student Olympic Games and, as universities in South Africa, we need to give the young men and women the platform to showcase their talents and achieve their dreams.
"It will be an honour to represent Madibaz as an ambassador on the national and international stage and we will do our best to make the country proud."
Tennis4837
More Sport575
World Cup518


Onyx Denture and Implant Clinic is a full-resource denture centre located in the friendly confines of Okotoks, Alberta, just a short drive south of Calgary. We provide a full range of denture care and services for patients who reside in Okotoks, Calgary and the surrounding communities.
Our team of dedicated professionals at Onyx Denture and Implant Clinic is unwavering in our commitment to extend the highest standard of care to every Onyx patient. We firmly believe that comprehensive denture care, coupled with 100% patient satisfaction, provides an ideal environment to help denture wearers recapture any interpersonal or dietary aspects of their lifestyles that may have been affected by the state of their natural teeth.
Part of that commitment is our emphasis on continuous improvement through our efforts to remain current with the latest advances in denture technology and denture techniques. This allows the Onyx team to offer our patients leading-edge care for all of their denture needs.
Dentures that are constructed properly and fit comfortably should provide benefits in terms of functionality and self-assurance.
Onyx Denture and Implant Clinic offers leading-edge denture care and services aimed at enhancing your lifestyle across all of these lifestyle needs by identifying and delivering the best solution to address your personal situation and requirements.
Your lifestyle should not be impacted by the condition of your natural teeth. We can help you re-establish the enjoyment that you might be missing from your meals and diet, social interactions, and conversations with family and friends by creating dentures that provide the best solution to meet those needs. Call the Onyx Denture and Implant Clinic today at 403-995-0852 or contact us to arrange your no-obligation consultation.


text:
Why Declassify
DECLASSIFY 9/11
News »How Veterans Were Allegedly Tricked Into Lobbying for Saudi Arabia
How Veterans Were Allegedly Tricked Into Lobbying for Saudi Arabia
"In its initial registration statement, Capitol Media Group reported being paid $365,000 from the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia to organize veterans' trips at a base fee of $30,000 each plus expenses to lobby against JASTA."
Center for Responsive Politics (OpenSecrets.org) is an organization whose mission is to provide nonpartisan and independent research tracking money in U.S. politics. Their online news piece, Inside the controversial operation that allegedly tricked veterans into lobbying for Saudi Arabia, details how Capitol Media Group made a foreign operation using veterans to lobby against Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) possible.
Read more: bit.ly/ControversialOperation
Sign the Letter


A beautifully designed and printed version of your chosen words - a poem, lyrics, wedding reading, or perhaps even something you have written yourself.
There are so many ways to give this product! For example, a framed wedding reading or poem print makes a thoughtful wedding present for a couple or partner especially on the first paper anniversary.
Each order comes with a proof. As professional poets we can be trusted to proof read your text and set it out appropriately. We have created thousands of these prints for happy customers.
- Delivered within 7 working days of us receiving text.
- Proof emailed within 5 working days.
- Item posted First Class as soon as proof approved.
Your words should ideally be no longer than 30 lines (A4) or 50 lines (A3). Email us with the text if you are not sure.
Please note that your chosen words may be subject to copyright. If it is less than 70 years since the death of writer, or they are still living, we suggest that you contact the writer/estate to get permission to reproduce the work.
We may suggest a different size or design if we feel that may work better.
Comes unframed and in two sizes, A3 and A4. Wooden hangers available for A3 prints only.
Your order is printed in our studio on the highest quality white paper (250gsm) using Dura-Bright waterproof ink.


This is a full quality version of episode. However, you'll be asked to give your credit card, even though it isn't required and won't be charged.
However, if you would like to download a lower-quality preview version without being asked to enter your credit card, click here.


we would like to present you our new music record. As its name says, it´s the best of record, which presents hitherto works of the brass band Hornobojani. The band Hornobojani has come a long way, has gone through many personnel modifacitions and in my opinion has also improved its quality. You can judge it yourself because this above mentioned music record includes records from former brought out CD´s. All these records are original. As bonus the record includes two new compositions which were recorded in contemporary cast. The first bonus is a flourish of our home village Horní Bojanovice composed by our principal composer Antonín Osička and the second bonus is a waltz called "Už sa scházajů", music is also composed by Antonín Osička, lyrics by Pavel Kubíček who cooperates with our band in a lot of ways for a long time. This music record is available at our performance or at e-mail address hornobojani@seznam.cz.I wish you a pleasant listening.


Making sure that your family is financially secure in unforeseen circumstances is the corner stone of effective financial planning.
We believe in finding our clients the most comprehensive protection for their family at the right price. We achieve this by searching as many insurers as possible to find the most appropriate protection for our client's individual needs. We also regularly review the advice we provide to ensure that it continues to meet a family's ever changing needs.
In order to provide appropriate protection advice we need to discuss your individual requirements and get to know more about your family circumstances.
We will take the time to ask the right questions to ensure that any recommendations made provide the family protection you need. Whether you would like to insure your life, protect yourself against suffering a critical illness or protecting your monthly income should you be off work for a long period, we can provide the protection advice you require.
We can also provide appropriate trust documents to ensure that, in the event you were to make a claim any policy proceeds needed to maintain your family's standard are available at the earliest opportunity.
We are insurance intermediaries who offer products from a range of insurers based on a fair and personal analysis of the market for, Life Assurance, Critical Illness Cover, and Income Protection Insurance.


text:
Home/Science/Australia passes world-first new law forcing Facebook and Google to pay for news
Australia passes world-first new law forcing Facebook and Google to pay for news
DUK Editor Team Send an email February 24, 2021
Australia has passed a world-first law to make Google and Facebook pay media organisations for hosting their news content.
Both tech giants have already agreed multi-million-dollar deals with some of Australia's biggest news companies – and more negotiations are under way.
The bill passed on Thursday with bipartisan support after the government made some last minute changes when Facebook blocked news in Australia in protest.
Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan
The changes give the tech companies extra time to negotiate deals with publishers and allow them to dodge the rules if they make a 'significant contribution' to journalism by handing over enough cash.
Facebook agreed to re-instate Australian news pages after the amendments were announced on Wednesday.
Critics said the government had 'buckled' to bullying from big tech but Rod Sims, the head of the country's competition watchdog, said the changes simply clarified some of Facebook's 'misconceptions'.
'If what the government's done is give things that mean a lot more to Facebook than they do the government, then that's how good deals are done,' he said.
Facebook's Vice President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg, former UK Deputy Prime Minister, welcomed the changes which allow mediation between a tech platform and a media company for two months before final-offer arbitration.
'Thankfully, after further discussion, the Australian government has agreed to changes that mean fair negotiations are encouraged without the looming threat of heavy-handed and unpredictable arbitration,' he wrote in a blog post.
Australia's new law was designed to tackle the huge power imbalance between big tech companies which dominate their markets and soak up the lion's share of advertising revenue by forcing them to pay for the news content they host and reveal some of their closely-guarded algorithms and data.
Google and Facebook had led opposition to the changes, fearing it would create international precedent that would threaten their business models.
Initially, Google threatened to pull its search engine from Australia altogether – but backed down last week and began doing deals with media outlets.
Facebook went further, blocking all news content in a hastily-organised ban that also brought down charity pages, emergency services providing Covid information, domestic violence shelters and missing persons groups.
The ban even brought down the site's own page for a short time.
Facebook agreed to restore news and negotiate deals similar to the ones Google has struck, but will do so with increased bargaining power after changes were agreed.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg (right) hailed the news as a victory and said Facebook will negotiate with Australian publishers over their content
Google has been told about the changes and has described them as 'sensible.'
Facebook and Google still face the prospect of having to agree deals with media around the world, as the European Union, Canada and other jurisdictions move to regulate the sector.
Since their emergence around the turn of the century, Google and Facebook have been largely unregulated and have grown into two of the world's largest and most profitable companies.
But a string of scandals about misinformation, privacy violations, data harvesting and their virtual monopoly on online advertising has triggered the attention of watchdogs.
For every $100 spent by Australian advertisers online today, $49 goes to Google and $24 to Facebook, according to the country's competition watchdog.
Facebook last week blocked all news content in Australia in protest at the new laws, sparking international outcry and calls for tougher regulations
Critics of the law have said it is punishing successful companies and amounts to a money grab by struggling but politically connected traditional media.
They also lament that there is no requirement in the law that money gained by the media companies from Facebook and Google be spent on expanding public interest journalism rather than just boost profits.
Thousands of journalism jobs and scores of news outlets have been lost in Australia alone over the past decade as the sector watched advertising revenue flow to the digital players.
Facebook's news ban last week sent shockwaves around the world and sparked campaigns to delete the app.
'Delete Facebook', 'Boycott Zuckerberg' and 'Facebook We Need To Talk' began trending on rival site Twitter.
David Cicilline, a Democrat politician from Rhode Island in the US, even went so far as to say 'Facebook is not compatible with democracy' as users were also urged to give up Instagram and WhatsApp because Facebook owns them.
British MP Julian Knight said Facebook appeared to be using Australia as a 'test case' for how democracies would react to having news banned, and called for legislators around the world to bring the tech giant 'to heel'.
Among those urging users to delete the app was Stephen Scheeler, former Facebook Australia CEO, who slammed the 'alarming' move and accused Mark Zuckerberg of being motivated by 'money, power, and not [by the] good.'
Critics also said Facebook's ban would lead to the proliferation of conspiracy theories and misinformation – which the platform claims to be tackling.
The ban appeared rushed and spectacularly botched – as it brought health services providing Covid information, charities, food banks, and even Facebook's own homepage.
Australian ministers (Prime Minister Scott Morrison, right, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, left, and Communication Minister Paul Fletcher, rear) have agreed to make four concessions to the law which will make it more beneficial to Facebook
Instead of seeing posts from the social media giant, users clicking on its own Facebook page were instead met with a message saying 'no posts yet'.
In a spectacular case of buck-passing, Facebook then attempted to blame the errors on the Australian government, saying it mirrors the 'broad and vague' definition of 'news' in its new law.
Since their emergence around the turn of the century, the tech platforms have been largely unregulated and have grown into two of the world's largest and most profitable companies.
Mr Frydenberg and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher drew up Australia's law after a three-year inquiry by Australia's competition regulator, the ACCC, which found Google and Facebook have 'an imbalance in bargaining power' when dealing with news companies.
The code was intended to apply to Facebook NewsFeed and Google Search – but other services such as Instagram and YouTube can be added if a bargaining power imbalance arises.
In addition to payment for content, the measures would also force transparency around the closely guarded algorithms that tech firms use to rank content.
The code will require Google and Facebook to give publishers 14 days notice of any algorithm changes that are likely to have a significant impact on their traffic.
Under a two-way value model, the payment for content would take into account the value that Google and Facebook provide to news organisations by driving traffic to their sites.
What is the bargaining code and why is it needed?
Google and Facebook derive a benefit from the ability to make Australian news content available to their users.
Australian news businesses have had to accept commercial deals with the platforms that are less favourable than they would otherwise agree to.
Intervention is needed to address this imbalance because of the public benefit of news and the importance of a strong independent media in a well-functioning democracy.
WHAT IS THE CODE?
The government wants good faith commercial deals to be struck outside the code.
But if the platforms and news organisations are unable or unwilling to reach an agreement 'final offer arbitration' will take place.
The arbiters will take into account the benefits traditional news media businesses get by having eyeballs on their product.
The digital platforms will also need to adhere to a series of minimum standards.
WHO IS INCLUDED?
* Facebook and Google.
* ABC, SBS and Australian commercial news media organisations.
Source: AAP
dailymail Mark Zuckerberg news
Hacks for Achieving Healthy Gums and Teeth | Gum Disease Fix
Giovanna and Tom Fletcher's son Buzz rushed to hospital after fracturing his wrist in bike accident
San Diego Zoo is forced to euthanize a two-day-old male giraffe calf named Masai
Nature: Branching worm from Japan is named after Godzilla's three-headed nemesis, King Ghidorah
Sir Keir's Electioneering is Child's Play
Belarus is forcing Afghan migrants over the Polish border at gunpoint
Operations carried out by male surgeons increase the risk of dying for women by almost a THIRD
Scientists identify sleep-like slow waves as responsible for daydreaming and… sorry, what were we talking about again?
5 talking points from Arsenal's bore draw against Crystal Palace


O T H E R - T H I N G S Click on any of the images to get a larger picture.
All of the photos on this site have been made by Gerard Visser in Almelo Holland, unless stated otherwise. All copyrights remain with him. These photos may not be used in any commercial way. If you wish to use them in a non-commercial way, email the author and ask for an approval by email or writing. If you want a picture in a higher resolution: ask for it !


There are many kinds of tacos, some piled high and overstuffed and some more minimal, meant to be more a snack than a meal. These little tacos are in the second category, similar to what you might find in a Mexican market for a quick bite. Savory black beans and roasted poblano chiles make a satisfying vegetarian version. Fresh soft corn tortillas, hot off the griddle, are essential.
Drain beans, put in medium pot, add water to cover and bring to a boil over hight heat. Add onion, bay leaf, epazote and salt and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 1 hour, longer if necessary, adding water occasionally if liquid falls below surface of beans. When beans are tender, taste and adjust salt. Keep beans warm in their broth.
Meanwhile, roast poblano chiles over a charcoal grill, under the broiler or directly on a gas stovetop burners until skins are completely blackened and blistered. Set chiles aside to cool, then split lengthwise. Scrape away skins and seeds with a paring knife. Cut cleaned chiles into 1/2-inch ribbons, transfer to small bowl and season lightly with salt.
To serve, warm the tortillas on a hot griddle or cast iron pan over a burner. Put 2 warm tortillas side by side on a small plate. With a slotted spoon, place 2 tablespoons beans on each tortilla. Top with a few shreds of mozzarella and 2 or 3 strips of poblano. Crumble a little queso fresco and drizzle about 1 teaspoon crème fraîche on each taco.


View timeshare information for Los Lagos Resort in United States, Arkansas, Hot Springs Village. View more information about the Los Lagos Resort timeshare and start your booking today!
Hot Springs Village in Arkansas is the perfect place to visit if you enjoy golf, the beauty of nature, and peaceful countryside. The Los Lagos Resort timeshares are located less than a half an hour from Hot Springs National Park and its invigorating springs. There's plenty of fantastic hiking, fishing and swimming to enjoy, and there are excellent horseback trails if you want to explore the area in the saddle. The Los Lagos Resort boasts an excellent golf course, tennis courts, 3 pools (1 indoors), and a childtren's play area.


Don't forget to enter the COUPON code in your cart, to see your EXCLUSIVE PRICING.
Vitamix doesn't make the every-once-in-a-while margarita mixer that's stored away nine months out of the year. We make use-mine-every-day, can't-live-without-it, commercial-grade blenders. So when you're ready for an upgrade, we'll be right here—in the same place we've been since 1939. Whether they're making healthier family meals or more inspired restaurant menus, Vitamix owners (and most chefs) love and recommend their blenders.
To purchase, complete the online order form using the coupon code BUVITAMIX20. Your product will be shipped directly to the indicated address. Please allow for up to 2 weeks delivery.
Click Here to see other Brands offered at exclusive Prices to Brock University Alumni Perks Members.
Enjoy our newsletter to stay updated with the latest news on Red Corner Store. We promise, no spam in your mail inbox: only interesting news and updates for our special sales!


text:
Die Teufelspitze, auch Teufelspitz, ist ein  (laut ÖK ) hoher Berggipfel im Tauernhauptkamm der Granatspitzgruppe im Norden Osttirols bzw. Südosten Salzburgs. Die Erstbesteigung erfolgte am 21. Juli 1926 durch W. Brandenstein, Henriette Hurych und F. Waldmann über den Südanstieg.

Lage
Die Teufelspitze ist eine schmale Gipfelschneid im nördlichen Zentralbereich der Granatspitzgruppe. Er befindet sich am Tauernhauptkamm an der Landesgrenze zwischen Tirol im Südwesten und Salzburg im Nordosten bzw. an der Grenze zwischen den Gemeinden Matrei in Osttirol und Mittersill. Die Teufelspitze liegt zwischen dem Riegelturm  im Westen und dem Riegelkopf  im Südsüdosten, wobei die Teufelspitze vom Riegelturm durch die Riegelturmscharte  getrennt ist. Östlich der Teufelspitze liegt der Amertaler See.

Aufstiegsmöglichkeiten
Für den Aufstieg über den Südanstieg wird die Riegelturmscharte südlich nach Osten umgangen, wobei der Aufstieg in einer Rinne links der Südostkante erfolgt (UIAA III-). Eine weitere Klettervariante bietet die auch als Teufelskante bezeichnete Nordostkante, die erstmals am 6. August 1931 von R. Klose und F. Liederer erklettert wurde. Hierzu steigt man vom Schoppmanntörl nach Osten ins Finsterkar zum Fuß der Nordostkante ab und steigt unter anderem über eine Blockrinne und einen Kamin in die Scharte zwischen Vor- und Hauptgipfel auf (UIAA IV-).

Einzelnachweise

Literatur
 Willi End: Alpenvereinsführer Glockner- und Granatspitzgruppe. Bergverlag Rother, 11. Auflage 2011, ISBN 978-3-7633-1266-5, S. 606.
 Granatspitzgruppe. Alpenvereinskarte Blatt 39, 1:25.000. Österreichischer Alpenverein, Innsbruck 2013, ISBN 978-3-928777-75-9.

Weblinks

Granatspitzgruppe
Berg in den Alpen
Berg in Osttirol
Geographie (Mittersill)
Geographie (Matrei in Osttirol)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Avoid overlapping rows in inline element with a background color applied I got a CSS question related to this fiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/r584e/
Here the relevant screenshot

Sometimes I've got to style an inline element in a such way, trying to almost avoid space between rows and applying a background only under the text. As you can see, the first paragraph has a link inside, in which I set line-height: 1em . The paragraph on the right has instead a line-height: 0.8em;. (Note: I know in this way I could roughly cut some letters - like q,g,p,... but the text is uppercase so it's not really a problem)
In the second paragraph rows are actually closer (as I want) but unfortunately each row is also partially overlapping the previous one (unless you remove the background color applied) and this is not good (e.g. see the word «uppercase» on the bottom), so here my questions:

*

*how can I get the rows closer (like paragraph on the right) without them overlapping each other and defining a background color (no matter the element in which it is applied but it has to stay under the text, not fill a whole block)

*Optionally there is a way to add an horizontal padding to each line of text?

Feel free to change the CSS and/or markup. I'm looking for a pure CSS workaround.
An optimal solution should work on modern browser and, if possible, at least from IE8+
Thank you in advance. =)
Edit:
About 2nd question, using @thirtydot solution I can add space (to the right) using white-space: pre-wrap applied on the span element

A: Simply add a wrapper element inside the em, such as a span, and apply position: relative.
See: http://jsbin.com/axefaf

    This is an uppercase multirow text inside a link element

span {
    position: relative;
}

This works in all modern browsers and IE8, but does not work in IE7.


text:
CarePage Business Crowned Joint Winners of Best Software Development at Aged Care Awards
By HelloCare - Journalist Team. Mar 3, 2020
Day one of yesterday's ITAC 2020 conference featured a number of distinguished guest speakers including CarePage's Lauren Todorovic, who spoke candidly about the important role that data collection and analytics play in improving the quality of life of aged care residents.
After a day full of interesting insights from IT experts, the event culminated in an awards dinner that celebrated and acknowledged the most innovative IT initiatives throughout the Australian aged care sector over the last 12 months.
There were a number of candidates vying for awards in different categories, including CarePage that was crowned the joint winner of the best software development and/or deployment award alongside Procura.
Lauren Todorovic, CEO, and Founder of CarePage says, "We are very proud to have won this award for our work delivering real-time feedback technology with Allity Aged Care.
"This is a really pivotal moment as we see the role of customer and team experience measurement being recognised by the sector"
CarePage's winning entry focused on the successful roll-out of real-time customer experience technology across Allity Aged Care homes.
"With 45 homes across the country, Allity approached CarePage as a software partner in the development and application of their customer experience strategy.
"With a focus on making every day the best it can be, Allity wanted better insights to support the delivery of great experience for residents," says Ms Todorovic.
"Allity wanted to quickly get a baseline measure of customer experience from which to drive continuous improvement in services.
"CarePage software provided them with a real-time feedback solution that was flexible, efficient and allowed for the gathering of feedback across the customer journey," says Ms Todorovic.
Ms Todorvic said that CarePage developed its feedback software to give providers the tools and meaningful insights required to improve services and deliver positive experiences for aged care residents and their family members.
"An industry-wide shift towards consumer outcomes has seen a number of forward-thinking organisations look to obtain evidence-based insight into the experiences of their residents.
"Organisations, such as Allity, who have really embraced customer and team feedback have seen how they can harness technology to address potential problem areas and deliver improvements for residents within a short space of time," says Ms Todorovic
CarePage would like to congratulate all the other winners at last night's awards who are doing great work improving the lives of older people and people living with disability.
Other winners from last night's awards included:
BaptistCare – The best solution that achieves integration across multiple platforms and across different stages of their time with a provider.
Skedulo – The best solution that manages the tracking of clients' or workers' interaction with an organisation.
McLean Care – The best solution that provides ongoing consumer independence.
Ozcare – The best workforce efficiency or quality improvement solution.
Register of Senior Australians (ROSA) – The best application of business intelligence to leverage value from big data.
IRTgroup – Best innovative development.
Endeavor Foundation – Meritorious development.
McLean Care – Overall winner.
Sydney aged care worker contracts coronavirus
HelloCare - Journalist Team
HelloCare is Australia's premier source of aged care content and daily news crafted specifically for the Australian senior audience. We produce fresh content on a daily basis across all forms of media, covering a wide variety of topics that resonate with our audience, shining a light on elderly issues with expert opinions from those within the industry. Here at HelloCare we believe that self-worth is derived from the value that others place on you and your issues, and we are committed to ensuring that elderly Australians and those within the aged care industry have a reliable and trustworthy hub for online news, education and entertainment. We believe the elderly are undervalued, and we are doing everything we can to change that perception.
By Rianna Manuel Mar 3, 2020
The artificial intelligence tool designed to diagnose dementia in minutes
According to the Japanese health ministry, as of 2012, around 4.62 million Japanese people were living with dementia. By 2025, that number is expected to rise to more than 7 million. But working out of Tokyo, data analysis company, Fronteo, is aiming to begin clinical trials of a new artificial intelligence program that could drastically cut down dementia diagnosis time. As soon as early next year, the diagnostic tool will be used to analyse five - ten minutes...
By Alayna Hansen Mar 3, 2020
"What would happen if I was unconscious or can't talk?": meet the smartwatch that calls for help after a fall
This article is sponsored content With her furry friend Pebbles by her side, Emmy feels safe and independent in her own home, thanks to a new addition, an innovative smartwatch that detects when she has a fall. Emmy has an active lifestyle and generously donates her time and skills to others. Often out and about in her local community, she wanted a wearable personal alarm that she could rely on at all times and especially when she has a...
By HelloCare Mail Mar 3, 2020
Is My Aged Care worthy of its Good Design Award?
The Australian government's gateway to the aged care system has been awarded a gold Good Design Award, despite the website having several problems that have been recognised by the royal commission. My Aged Care was entered in the 'web design and development' category of the Good Design Awards, and was judged on the basis of its design, usability, creativity and innovation, content and quality, and commerciality. A 'gold' award is granted to those that 'exceed the criteria for good...
HelloCare Mail Mar 3, 2020
French language students connect with lonely older people in France
Learning a new language is always going to be easier when you have someone to practice with. Thanks to a new initiative, this is now possible. Share Ami is connecting French learners with isolated French older people to chat via a video call each week to practice their conversational skills. Share Ami, which translates to Friend Share, aims to "create intergenerational links by connecting students learning French and elderly living in France over video chat," according to their...


text:
LCS Member Portal
ASPR
Accreditation Application
Change of Status Form
CE Tracker
Educator Certification
Preschool Inspection Form
Inspector Mileage Form
ILCS
FLOCS
Student Performance Data Diagnostic
1 Document Uploads
2 Assessment Quality
3 Test Administration
4 Quality of Learning
5 Equity of Learning
Upload Documents*
Upload the Student Performance Data Document and the Data Disaggregation Worksheets here.
Assessment Quality*
Review all options and select the one that best describes your school.
The array of assessment devices used by the institution to determine students' performances is sufficiently aligned so that valid inferences can be reached regarding students' status with respect to the entire set of curricular aims regarded as high-priority, "must accomplish," instructional targets. The documentation provided in support of this alignment is persuasive. All of the assessments used are accompanied by evidence demonstrating that they satisfy accepted technical requirements such as validity, reliability, absence of bias, and instructional sensitivity.
The array of assessment devices used by the institution to determine students' performances is sufficiently aligned so that valid inferences can be reached regarding students' status with respect to the majority of those curricular aims regarded as high-priority instructional targets. The documentation provided in support of this alignment is relatively persuasive. Most of the assessments used are accompanied by evidence demonstrating that they satisfy accepted technical requirements.
The array of assessment devices used by the institution to determine students' performances is sufficiently aligned so that valid inferences can be reached regarding students' status with respect to some of those curricular aims regarded as high-priority instructional targets. The documentation provided in support of this alignment is less than persuasive. Some of the assessments used are accompanied by evidence demonstrating that they satisfy accepted technical requirements.
The array of assessment devices used by the institution to determine students' performances is not aligned and thus valid inferences are unlikely to be reached regarding students' status with respect to those curricular aims regarded as high-priority instructional targets. No documentation in support of alignment has been provided or, if provided, it is not persuasive. Few of the assessments used are accompanied by evidence demonstrating that they satisfy technical requirements.
Test Administration*
Review all options and select the one that best describes your institution.
All the assessments used by the institution to determine students' performances, whether externally acquired or internally developed, have been administered with complete fidelity to the administrative procedures appropriate for each assessment. In every instance, the students to whom these assessments were administered are accurately representative of the students served by the institution. Appropriate accommodations have been provided for all assessments so that valid inferences can be made about all students' status with respect to all of the institution's targeted curricular outcomes.
Most of the assessments used by the institution to determine students' performances have been administered with reasonable fidelity to the administrative procedures appropriate for each assessment. In most instances, the students to whom these assessments were administered are essentially representative of the students served by the institution. Appropriate accommodations have been provided for most assessments so that valid inferences can be made about most students' status with respect to most of the institution's targeted curricular outcomes.
Some of the assessments used by the institution to determine students' performances have been administered with modest fidelity to the administrative procedures appropriate for each assessment. In some instances, the students to whom these assessments were administered are fairly representative of the students served by the institution. Appropriate accommodations have been provided for some assessments so that valid inferences can be made about some students' status with respect to some of the institution's targeted curricular outcomes.
Few, if any, assessments used by the institution to determine students' performances have been administered with fidelity to the administrative procedures appropriate for each assessment. The students to whom these assessments were administered are not representative of the students served by the institution. Appropriate accommodations were not provided for assessments so that valid inferences cannot be made about students' status with respect to any of the institution's targeted curricular outcomes.
Quality of Learning*
Evidence of student learning promoted by the institution is well analyzed and clearly presented. In comparison to institutions functioning in a similar educational context, students' status, improvement, and/or growth evidence indicates that the level of student learning is substantially greater than what would otherwise be expected.
Evidence of student learning promoted by the institution is acceptably analyzed and presented with reasonable clarity. In comparison to institutions functioning in a similar educational context, students' status, improvement, and/or growth evidence indicates that the level of student learning is at or above what would otherwise be expected.
Evidence of student learning promoted by the institution is indifferently analyzed and presented with little clarity. In comparison to institutions functioning in a similar educational context, students' status, improvement, and/or growth evidence indicates that the level of student learning is below what would otherwise be expected.
Evidence of student learning promoted by the institution is poorly analyzed and is presented unclearly. In comparison to institutions functioning in a similar educational context, students' status, improvement, and/or growth evidence indicates that the level of student learning is substantially below what would otherwise be expected.
Equity of Learning*
Evidence of student learning indicates no significant achievement gaps among subpopulations of students, or the achievement gaps have substantially declined.
Evidence of student learning indicates achievement gaps exist among subpopulations of students, and these achievement gaps have noticeably declined.
Evidence of student learning indicates achievement gaps exist among subpopulations of students, and these achievement gaps demonstrate a modest decline.
Evidence of student learning indicates achievement gaps exist among subpopulations of students, and that minimal or no change has occurred in these achievement gaps.
Which area(s) are above the expected levels of performance?*
Describe the area(s) that show a positive trend in performance.*
Which area(s) indicate the overall highest performance?*
Which subgroup(s) show a trend toward increasing performance?*
Between which subgroups is the achievement gap closing?*
Which of the above reported findings are consistent with findings from other data sources?*
Which area(s) are below the expected levels of performance?*
Describe the area(s) that show a negative trend in performance.*
Which area(s) indicate the overall lowest performance?*
Which subgroup(s) show a trend toward decreasing performance?*
Between which subgroups is the achievement gap becoming greater?*
membership@ilcsonline.com
Copyright © 2021 LCS Member Portal. All rights reserved.