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Terrible Parenting
My parents used to lock my brother, sister and I in the car while they went to the pub for a "quick one" after work. This quick one might last several hours, during which they would send bottles of Indian Tonic Water to us by way of refreshment.
On one particularly cold evening, bored stupid, we lit a small bonfire on the back seat of the car using the cigarette lighter and the contents of the glove box. We owe our lives to passing winos. (BTW: Please no more Maddie or Jesus gags, they've been done.)
( Scaryduck LIKES EGG, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 8:47)
Pages: Latest, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, ... 4, 3, 2, 1
For the first years of my life, I have hideous memories of being stuck in the back of dog-hole rusty sheds of cars like Austin Marinas whilst my parents chain smoked in the front. I wasn't allowed to open the window because (and I quote):
"That would let the heat out of the car…Don't be so selfish Pooflake"
How I haven't done a 'Roy Castle' by now is a mystery to me. Suffice to say I never took up smoking in adulthood. It's a borderline phobia now.
( Pooflake braces for an onslaught..., Thu 16 Aug 2007, 10:25, Reply)
How do you make a toddler go "Woof"?
Many years ago mum was trying to light the Rayburn in our new house on a windy day while my young brother peered in curiously. As everyone knows, a little drop of paraffin by way of an accelerant can make this an easier task. But not a pint and a half of four-star, as my inexperienced mother used. The ensuing gout of flame turned my brother's head the colour of a tomato and burnt every ginger hair off his head.
(Whizzer, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 10:22, Reply)
I have twin brothers
Whenever one was acting up my Dad would threaten to send him back to the hospital because they'd got a spare.
(Milo Minderbinder, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 10:21, Reply)
On the 'ead son
My father is an active man, always building and repairing the house. That is how he has managed to drop heavy items of building material on the heads of myself and my brother (who spent time in hospital). However, these stories are not so much interesting as they are long, so I shall leave you with the genius that was "The Kids in the Hall" and their brilliant sketch "Daddy Drank".
Daddy Drank:
uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lwfi2r10p_U
Outstanding.
( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 10:19, Reply)
Me! Me! Me! I'm an evil father!
I am a Forest fan. My baby son and I no longer livein Nottingham, however I am determined he will grow up a Forest fan so I can buy us season tickets and go to games with him.
When he was born, he had a Nottingham Forest hat and babygro. He has Forest bibs. And I have just ordered him a baby Away Kit (it's white and very swish!).
I will also be taking him to a game as soon as he is old enough to understand it.
I justify this as being an opportunity to bond with him...
( disasterprone "Pyjamas caused the Holocaust", Thu 16 Aug 2007, 10:18, Reply)
Smoking!
I have never smoked a cigarette in my life. Some may think this unlikely, in view of my lifestyle, but it is true.
The reason for this is not schoolyard brainwashing or anything like that, but is down to my dear old Dad.
When I was about four, I was trying to imitate him, as kids do, and stole his roll up. He asked if I would like to try smoking and naturally I said yes. As my mother stood on, looking and suppressing a chuckle, he put the roll up in his mouth and demonstrated what to do. Then he gave me a cigar, and lit it. I put it betwixt my lips and sucked enthusiastically, taking on board a huge quantity of smoke.
To the accompaniment of my parents' laughter I was prolifically sick, and felt bad for a very very long time (well, several hours). If you don't believe a child can turn green, I'm proof it can.
Naturally, this has put me off smoking.
Perhaps, actually, that was good parenting, being cruel to be kind. That, or my folks have a vicious sense of humour.
I'm a ramblin' man
My dad was not a terribly involved parent as I was growing up. One episode that illustrates this quite effectively is the time, when I was about two or three years old, that he was left in charge of me and my sister while my mum went off with her friend for lunch at a pub in the next village.
On her way back from said pub, my mum looked out the car window and saw a small boy standing by the road. This was about mile and a half or so from our house, next to a large wood.
"Oh look," she remarked casually, "that little boy looks just like reallywittylad."
...a pause...
"Shit, it IS reallywittylad!"
On returning to the house, she found my dad sitting in the lounge reading the paper.
"Reallywittydad, where's reallywittylad?" She asked, innocently.
"Out playing in the garden I expect." he replied, utterly oblivious.
He got the bollocking of his life, of course. It seems I'd wandered out the gate, out of our village and into the wood. After a while I'd been found by a young lad who, since I was too young to be able to remember where I lived, had helpfully deposited me next to a major road in the hope that somebody might recognise me. I suppose I was quite fortunate that someone did.
( reallywittyname veraciously conspues lexiphanicism on, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 10:04, Reply)
After Duke of Edinburgh,
when I still had my bag, my stepdad threatened to beat me up, so I decided to run off.
Mum made me call my auntie to see if I could stay, who then came and picked me up.
THEY RUINED MY RUNNING AWAY.
( ClanSoul, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 10:04, Reply)
Smack my kids up
I'm not one of these lilly-livered liberals who thinks you shouldn't smack kids. In fact I think smacking a kid once in a while would probably do them some good.
I was in the supermarket one day doing my shopping, when I see a mother a bit ahead of me in the aisle. She was pushing a pram, and had a toddler loitering around her.
As she was taking something from the shelf she knocked a can over. She glanced up to see if anyone had seen and noticed that I had.
So she grabs the kid, about four feet away from the incident, smacks him and screams (and I mean screams) "I told you not to touch anything!".
Seemed a little odd. If she was trying to cover up what she'd done (hardly a hanging offence), thinking I'd seen her do it, would she not think that I may also have seen that the kid was nowhere near it?
The kid promptly burst intotears and got the old "stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about" bollocks.
I went home feeling guilty because I hadn't said anything to her, for fear of the same treatment.
Also: my parents had a visit from social services when I was 3 because I ended up in hospital twice in a week as a result of 'falls'... I was a clumsy child, honest.
( Joe Scaramanga with a G-double-O-D vibration, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 9:57, Reply)
totally awesome parenting
(I've posted this before, but I think it's worth looking at twice)
(apeloverage committed the vile act of onanism on, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 9:53, Reply)
Who really cares? I got into my university!
My dad thought it'd be funny to wave a knife around in my face. I backed away. He managed to accidentally slice open my hand.
He denies it when I bring it up.
(ladyintheradiator, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 9:50, Reply)
I love my mum!
Back in the seventies I was pulled over by the police on the M4 and escorted home... after being found driving a go-kart bought by my father and encouraged to play with on the road by my mother because "the pathway was too small". I was five years old at the time.
My mother bought my older brother a second-hand bicycle which had no seat on it, no brakes and a flat tyre (My father told her that it was too dangerous but she always got her own way). She then asked my brother to go up to the shop to get some bread... He came back with a broken nose and a missing tooth.
My mother is fitting into the role of "grandmother" very well, she's already tried to suffocate my baby niece by sticking a plastic bag over her face (her excuse was she had just left it there for a minute whilst she sorted out the rest of her shopping bags... which obviously was much more important than her grand-daughter's need for oxygen). My sons are presented every birthday/christmas with toys that make Mattel look like the pioneers of child safety (I'm just waiting for a box of Lidl steak knives with detachable handles).
My mother also enjoys walking my eldest son into bollards and lamp posts whilst pushing my youngest son (in his pushchair) into the path of on comming traffic - hence why I don't let her near my kids anymore.
Mums like this are one in a million... thankfully.
(mr sheep is down stairs with empty maple syrup jar, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 9:48, Reply)
Oldie but a goodie
When pestered by a kid to buy an ice cream from a passing van, tell the kid, "They only play the music when they've run out".
( abefroman skating on the thin life of modern life on, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 9:46, Reply)
Terrible great-grandparenting
This one doesn't refer to me, but my grandmother. When she was growing up in Liverpool, they lived in real poverty - four kids to a bed, no food, leaving school at 11, that sort of thing. So their main 'treat' during the year was the trips to Blackpool their father took them on.
Unfortunately, their father was an alcoholic. He would take them to Blackpool, walk them into a police station and tell the policemen that he'd found the children roaming the streets. He would then head down to the pub for the next 6 hours and spend the money saved to treat his children to a nice day out, before coming back to the station at the end of the day and reclaiming his children. This happened often enough that the police got to recognise him, but they kept accepting the 'lost' children. I think they realised that if they looked after the kids, they'd at least get fed and looked after, whereas otherwise it was sitting on the pavement outside the pub all day.
Quite depressing really!
(Onion Terror, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 9:43, Reply)
Advertising works
In the Metro Centre, Gateshead, I saw a couple trying to decide which drink to buy from a vending machine for their toddler. I overheard the following exchange which just goes to show the power of advertising on dumb parents and left me shaking my head in disbelief:
Father: We should get Ribena Toothkind
Mother: Ribena Toothkind?
Father: Aye, it's just like normal Ribena but it's kinder to teeth.
Teacher Parents
One evening when I was 11 I was playing on my skateboard at a friends house. Trying tricks that were way beyond me I fell awkwardly on my arm and knew straight away things were wrong. Off I went home and told my parents, who being both teachers and seeing this sort of thing all the time, grabbed my wrist pulled it one way, then the other, causing me to scream in pain, and told me to stop being such a drama queen and go to bed. The next morning after one of the longest nights of my life I found I couldn't hold my spoon to eat my cornflakes. According to them I was procrastinating as I didn't want to got to school. At school that day I couldn't hold a pen and was sent to the nurse. She was obviously from the same stock as my parents as she gave me a pathetic bandage on my wrist which did nothing but cause me more pain. This continued for two more days until I was reluctantly taken to hospital by my dad, who moaned all the way. This confirmed what I knew all along, that I had a nasty break across my forearm and had to be in plaster for six weeks.
Just to top this, the next week my mum gave all my beloved Star Wars figures away to a jumble sale.
Where were social services?
(sparks , oh, I don't know., Thu 16 Aug 2007, 9:31, Reply)
re Legless & Chlamydia below....
There's a gag about a daughter being called Chlamydia in this
www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Book-Penguin-Gynaecology-Beginners/dp/1411675819/ref=sr_1_1/203-3875885-1319909?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1187256345&sr=8-1
Wasn't supposed to come true
( Fathter Puddytat Kill Kill dat widdle boid is mine on, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 9:27, Reply)
Random inconsistent behaviour
When my parents went to the pub, my mum was left in the car with me and Dad would bring out several whiskeys for her and coke (paper straw) for me. I guess the irresponsible bit was when he drove home 5 or so pints later.
At the age of 17 my parents bought me a dress to wear and then refused to let me out wearing it (they were present at the purchase).
Also around that age I was occasionally allowed to go on coach parties to clubs until 3:30am but was not allowed to stay out passed 11:30pm if going out locally
Some years later they asked me and my boyfriend to go and check on their house on the way back from holiday with them (separate beds of course even though we lived together) only to shout at us later for daring to be there alone and unwed.
I'm cheggars at the moment so looking forward to inflicting my own random acts of nonsense.
(lawlam, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 9:25, Reply)
We used to visit theme parks with my mums's 3 friends & their kids when I was young. My mum's best friend Viv was looking after us all on the bouncy castle while my mum & the other two mums went off roller skating. When the ride was done, Viv duly handed back all our shoes to us as we came off the ride. Unfortuantely for her she ended up with a pair of shoes but no child to put in them.
She realised in horror that it was my younger brother (3 at the time) who'd gone walkabout just as my mum & mates returned from the roller rink. According to my mum, Viv was white as a sheet and gabbling apologies when mum pointed out that my brother was stood behind her just a few feet away. Viv's expression at that moment is still something that reduces my mum to giggles whenever she tells the story.
( Lynxkitten, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 9:24, Reply)
This Came Up A While Ago
Several months back I wrote a blog entry about a couple of Chavs I'd bumped into in my local town. I overheard them call their sprog by it's name.
Nokia.
I shit you not. So, I mentioned this on my blog and asked if anyone could beat this. I thought I was on to a winner until my mate, BarBitch, chipped in.
She works with young offenders and one of them had named their kid........ wait for it..........
Chlamydia.
( Legless Mister Stabby - shanks for the memory, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 9:21, Reply)
It's all deliberate
As a parent I see it as my responsibility to be 'bad'.
I've attempted to cultivate a liking for Booze, spliffs and bad music in my son. (Tho' to be honest this is mostly to annoy his mother.)
And that's not counting the time he walked in on me fwapping at my computer.
And there's till plenty of time...
(Mr Steve is jobless and fancyfree!, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 9:21, Reply)
My dad.....
....told me and my brother that toothpaste was poisounous if you swallowed it (my brother used to eat it)....I got so scared that I didn't clean my teeth for years...
Nice one dad!
(jidler changed his name on, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 9:18, Reply)
Is this a Madelene McCann reference?
Tsk.
Mod edit: Crikey! No! What is it with you people? :)
(Glen Moranjie, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 9:09, Reply)
I was served corn beef mash and stew on a regular basis. Now that is bad parenting. I bloody hated mash and stew!!! I was made to eat it!!!
Also if me and my brother where fighting in the car on the way home from my nans, my mum used to stop the car, tell us to walk and the drive off leaving us there!!! It was about 7-8 miles walk, I was about 10 at the time! but she did come back for us though! i did think on a few times she wasn't coming back!!
Nasty mummy!
(Vampiror Nightstalker likes to watch your every move!, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 9:03, Reply)
Forced football fan
On the train home the other day, a Chav mother had dressed her 2 yr old blonde offspring in the latest Newcastle football shirt. (Child is so small, Shirt comes down to ankles).
Now that not being cruel enough, mother has provided said child with matching gold hoop earrings, necklace and braclet. (Elizabeth Duke's finest...probably).
Then as part of final punishment to said blonde toddler. Made child get off at Sunderland station.
(twiceydrinker hmmm is it pint time?, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 9:02, Reply)
used to tell me that if I was bad they'd have me picked up by the knackers.
Now that doesn't mean what you think it means. You see, we lived close to a slaughterhouse (not as bad as it sounds) and the lorries from the local knackery used to come in to pick up the bits left over after the butchers were finished.
I used to be terrified of these lorries. Scarred me for life.
I have never yet been picked up by the knackers, I'm glad to say.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 9:00, Reply)
I'm a parent - there's time for me to wreck his head yet..
Oh, I used to be given cod liver oil. A lot...
(james_tiger_woods is going to start his killing spree on the, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 8:59, Reply)
So many stories......
......but for starters, once me and my sister were fighting over a book ( the title of which escapes me) and my dad stormed into our room. "Arguing over books?" he bellowed, "Thats obscene!" - then picked up the nearest object to hand, which happened to be a massive childrens bible, and chucked it hard across the room. It hit the wall next to me, missing my head by about 2cm.
The irony was lost on my dad, but not me and my sister who sniggered silently once he had stormed outta the room.
(insomniac girl all my best things are in hock, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 8:57, Reply)
My mummy
I just told my mum how I got into the Uni of my choice and also made the "best" page of the QOTW.
Bitch only cared about the Uni.
That's terrible parenting.
(MJPerry was crude but clickable at, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 8:54, Reply)
more like terrible babysitting
my friend lucy was babysitting her 2 year old niece. she took her for a walk. the little girl was screaming and so lucy picked her up to cuddle her.
much to her mingled annoyance and mortification, the little girl's howls and sobs increased in volume and she was purple in the face. only when she set her down again did lucy remember she was still holding a fag. and notice that yes, there was a small, glowing, circular burn on the poor child's arm....
the other thing is, of course, at that age they can talk. which means, busted.
i also found this out in tesco the other day. i normally like (other people's) kids but the one in front of me looked like a cross eyed piglet. and he wouldn't stop STARING. so i stuck my tongue out at him.
at which point he started hiccoughing and sobbing, "mum mum mummeeeee. the bad lady pulled faces at meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee."
shit shit shit!
fortunately the mother was too distracted to care. but god, i normally only have that effect on grown men...
oh yeah, traditional swanking about first post.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Thu 16 Aug 2007, 8:50, Reply)


text:
2012 Announcements
#	 Article Title	 Date	 Hits
1	 AHI Saddened by Passing of Mr. Roosevelt N. Larigakis 11/08/12	 5293
2	 Athens Presentation featuring Paul Glastris 11/05/12	 5843
3	 11th Annual Future of Hellenism Conference 10/24/12	 8920
4	 Invite to DC Lecture 10/16/12	 5259
5	 Viewing of Cyprus Documentary in Stamford, Connecticut 09/20/12	 7994
6	 Save the Date 11th Annual Conference on the Future of Hellenism in America 09/07/12	 4344
7	 Viewing of Cyprus Documentary in Decatur, Georgia 09/06/12	 4420
8	 Council on Foreign Relations Independent Task Force Report on Turkey 07/17/12	 4718
9	 9th Annual AHI Golf Classic 07/12/12	 5707
10	 Cyprus and the EU Presidency: Institutional, Political, Strategic and Economic Challenges 07/05/12	 4809
11	 AHIF's Foreign Policy Students to Visit Greece, Cyprus at Historic Times for Both Countries 06/16/12	 4591
12	 Athens Dinner Invitation 04/27/12	 5463
13	 Viewing of Cyprus Documentary in Plymouth, Michigan 04/24/12	 4589
14	 Viewing of Cyprus Documentary in Boston 04/23/12	 5171
15	 Athens Hellenic Heritage Achievement Awards Dinner 04/05/12	 4555
16	 Viewing of Cyprus Documentary in San Diego 04/02/12	 5270
17	 Viewing of Cyprus Documentary in Seattle 03/29/12	 4342
18	 The Greek Economic Crisis: Myth and Reality 03/13/12	 5735
19	 Congressional Salute to Greek Independence Day 02/15/12	 6395
20	 Documentary History of Greece [1943-1951] Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan 02/09/12	 6567
21	 Viewing of Cyprus Documentary in New Jersey 02/06/12	 5340
22	 Viewing of Cyprus Documentary in Miami, FL 01/30/12	 4710
23	 37th Anniversary Hellenic Heritage Achievement and National Public Service Awards Dinner 01/17/12	 7402
24	 Policy Forum 01/16/12	 7017
25	 Viewing of Cyprus documentary in Falls Church, VA 01/02/12	 5532

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


COLONY CLUB A2 is a very nice 2-storey apartment, located in Gustavia. This property is ideal for a couple who want to enjoy life in the city centre.
Well located in Gustavia, the charming COLONY CLUB A2 apartment is a few steps from the city's restaurants, bars and shops. Guests can swim in the complex's communal pool or at Shell Beach, which is only a few steps away. Fully air-conditioned, this charming two-storey apartment has a comfortable living room, a kitchen with bar and a covered terrace. The second floor includes a beautiful bedroom with en suite bathroom and a charming balcony to enjoy the view. The panoramic view includes an overview of the busy port. The city's shops and restaurants are all within walking distance.
Large comfortable sofa and chair, coffee table, marine atmosphere.
Very well equipped kitchen. Dishwasher, Kettle, Microwave, Nespresso coffee machine, Toaster, Breakfast bar.
Located on the first floor, 1 King-size bed, Air conditioning, Ensuite bathroom with italien shower, Dressing, Safe in the room, mosquito nets.
Small private terrace with wooden table for dinner. Community swimming pool.


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text:
Are Laptop Stickers Unprofessional?
April 18, 2017 January 11, 2021
A few years ago, I started putting stickers on the backside of my laptop.
When I worked at Deltek's GovWin, we were trying to find a way to get our members to talk to each other and network. GovWin is a networking and business tool that was originally conceived as a "dating network" to get large government contractors to partner with smaller contractors to do business. Yet, government contracting expos tend to be more about who you know and not really a place to brand yourself but a way to sell your company, its past performance and its capabilities. In some ways, it's not unlike a healthcare fair at a local school. Dull but necessary.
The goal was to get more people to sign up for the free service and start networking at these expos. And a healthcare fair-like scenario with a lot of speeches or presentations wasn't conducive for our goals. I snuck into a session and noticed that all the participants were on their laptops on big round tables. For the next expo, we created a simple sticker that identified the laptop's owner as a GovWin member. If I could get a sticker on the back of a laptop for several 45-60 minute sessions, everyone on the table would notice that they weren't a cool kid without that sticker. For current members, we'd simply verify their status on the network and give them a sticker. For those who weren't, they'd signup in the booth and get a sticker. It was a way to tell people that they were ready to do business.
From all reports, we ran out of stickers.
To Stick or Not to Stick?
Not too long ago, I noticed more stickers on other laptops and I named the practice "laptags" as way to merge those who continue to rely on their laptops and their stickers as real-world social media-like hashtags.
There's no best practices for how, where or how to professionally "laptag" your laptop but I've seen some great use of custom stickers informing people of the user's Twitter handle, a Windows sticker on the back of a Mac (they were dual booting), a Slack logo and several tags used for cybersecurity. Laptagging might be viewed like NASCAR logos for the professional world. There will be those who love them and those who will hate them.
Yet, there are several people that I have spoken to who feel that, like the current critical view that LinkedIn is becoming too much like Facebook with more personal messages than professional ones. Most of the execs that I have met, often have sticker-less laptop (often their work rigs) and their personal devices are, for the most part, sticker-less as well.
I'll admit that I have yet to come across an exec who said anything negative about the practice. But it is something to think about as a marketing person. When people align with a brand or product, a laptag can be a very effective marketing technique for the company's brand as well as an amazing networking tool.
Currently my laptop has five stickers: one jokes about the overuse of hashtags, one promotes GamesForChange, one's a funny gamer joke, one is a cool sticker for Reds (very nice ball bearings for my roller skates) and an Ethiopian flag (my daughter's birth country). The flag one has stopped complete strangers to chat for a few minutes, scored me a free cookie once and improved my service at a local restaurant where I frequently used my laptop. Given that I worked in DC, where the highest population of Ethiopians reside outside of Ethiopia, it's not a surprise.
The point is that I am going to experiment as I search for a new job. Can a few laptop stickers help get me land a new role? We'll just have to see. For now, laptag if you want. Think of them like tattoos that you can remove without lasers.
That Entrepreneurial Itch
February 9, 2017 April 18, 2017
Every entrepreneur I've spoken with has told me the same thing, "Your first company is based on that idea you just can't shake."
Yeah, I got one of those. A few years ago after my first layoff, I looked down at my iPhone and came up with an idea for a game that relied on an alternative input for character creation with a heavy social component. I sketched it out, named it, wrote notes for how the company would work, how it would make money and how to scale it.
We'll call it Project A.
After spending a few months stewing on the idea, I was invited out to coffee with the father of one my son's friends. He wanted to hear about my job hunt and we talked about where I might look. As with many conversations, I offer a great deal of ideas or alternative perspectives. He threw a few ideas at me to see what I thought. Turned out that he was a serial entrepreneur and moved into his next question, "What would you create if you had the money?"
So I gave him my elevator pitch on Project A. If I could pull together a team of programmers and others to work on it, he thought that he could get an investment group to help fund it as a beta project. He thought it had great potential to make a lot of money. He moved into a new range of questions: How much would I need to live, how long would it take to create, did I have connections that could do some of the algorithms that would be required, did I have a lawyer looking into getting a patent?
Yet, with a dwindling bank account, no job and a family, my priority turned to keeping a house, putting food on the table and keeping the lights on. Looking for the team would take too much time and finding the ones with the skills to create the technology would be difficult. Project A sits in a notebook.
Unlike most people, I had some experience. At a former job, I had pitched a completely different and unrelated product. We'll call it Project L. When I pitched, I had the concept, awesome product name, built out how it would make money, how the marketing would work and where it would grow. It was my first pitch and I expected to fail miserably.
Halfway through that pitch, despite all my reservations, I got the green light. Research scientists started working on the early math. I was told to get ready to move out of my division as soon as Project L moved ahead. Then, one unexpected day, the CEO ousted all the development teams before the board ousted the CEO. The work stopped. Then a few months later, the company cut a lot of people and I was one of them. Project L was now trapped within the company forever (based on the advice of a law-minded friend who used to work for the company).
I've only pitched Project A to about 10 people and only one thought I was totally insane. What was once a simple idea for an iPhone game has become two related companies in my head. Hopefully my next pitch will be when I can finally give into that itch.
Forget Ultrathin, I Want a 48 Hour Laptop
Consumer laptop technology is the fine art of balancing the needs of a market with the trends they perceive as desirable. Companies put a massive amount of money into researching those trends in the hopes of finding the Holy Grail feature that will get a consumer to buy their laptop.
I'm a consumer who prefers laptops with more CPU and GPU power along with the longest amount of battery life. Yet, while companies have made great strides in creating laptops that have computing power, battery life is still a major limiting factor. That's where the balancing happens. Want more power? Then the GPU and CPU will be mobile chips. As those mobile chips push the laws of physics with their computing power to energy sipping ratios, they're great for basic functions and apps but not for professional level programs and intensive video games.
And I applaud Razer's upcoming Razer Blade ultra laptop that will offer the Razer Core accessory that delivers that option when gamers return home through the power of Thunderbolt. Yet, it can't deliver everything while on the road.
The newer MacBooks seem to show that Apple is listening to consumers. Apple shrank the logic board in its laptops and filled the remaining space with custom batteries that will let it run for up to 9 hours. While I haven't tested one yet, that's impressive. It shows a clear engineering decision to deliver more energy in a smaller package.
Yet, why not have a different option? While laptops get thinner and thinner, why not give people an option to order an ultrathin laptop with a 24 or 48-hour battery? Same specs but no longer ultrathin, a thin laptop that would give those who go on long flights without power cords or those who roam to places without power a different option. Or having such a modular design would allow those who want an ultrathin most of the time the option to swap out the battery base with a longer lasting one when needed.
Power users would likely pay a premium for such an option but for the throngs of people fighting over the only power socket in an airport terminal, why not give power users thin laptops with massive amounts of battery life and the CPU speed they need?
So while I watched The Verge's CES 2016 coverage on the latest in ultrathin laptops, I'm not looking for something thinner, I'm looking for something that's less about a cord and more about the freedom from them. Time to get laptop makers to notice that need.
Hoverboard 2.0 From Amazon, Tesla or Razer?
As CES 2016 opens its doors this week, this is a show typically dominated by appliances and mostly TVs. But one of the biggest commercial successes of 2015 (and the 2015 holiday season) was the unbranded hoverboard. Yes, those Segway-like boards that are best known for catching fire and helping toss a few potential Darwin Awards finalists.
When Amazon decided to pull the plug on hoverboard sales for its vendors, it created a vacuum where consumers ignored the warnings and bought the hoverboards elsewhere, paying hundreds of dollars for a trendy device that is admittedly far cheaper than a real Segway but with a record of danger. In fact, Amazon asked people to toss or recycle boards out of safety concerns.
One of the big expectations in 2016 is that a "hoverboard leader" will finally emerge with safer battery technology and remove the fire danger of its batteries. Given Amazon's push to create itself as a consumer electronics maker and considering the PR backlash from removing hoverboard sales from Amazon.com, it seems that Amazon could make an interesting PR pivot from banning sales to creating a new market for itself by working with its Chinese manufacturing partners to engineer safer hoverboards. Of course, given that the company's consumer devices have incendiary names like Fire and Kindle, it would need to come up with a different naming scheme.
Another potential hoverboard 2.0 leader might come from Tesla Motors. The Tesla is a tech-minded person's car and the company has engineering teams that already specialize in getting the most out of batteries and designing consumer experiences around its vehicles. Plus, Tesla's shopping mall showrooms could offer an elite "Tesla Board" at those locations to increase revenue and interest, it's a great way to build a safer board and massive brand awareness. Who wouldn't want a "Tesla Board" vs. a brand-less board?
Another outlier is Razer. It's a high tech brand that was featured in April 2015's Fortune as "This gaming company is worth $1 billion, and you've probably never heard of it". While the company is still a peripheral maker for gaming consoles, PCs and the growing list of wearables, Razer could easily apply its dark black, male-centric brand to a Razer Board. Given the company's deep roots in gaming culture tournaments and gaming culture's love of hoverboards, Razer has the relationships and engineering to potentially lead or innovate hoverboards into the 2.0 phase.
Of course, this is all speculation. Given the dangers and the legalities of creating a safer hoverboard 2.0, many big tech companies might simply wait for the fires to die down before they decide to enter the hoverboard market. While it might be too soon for hoverboard 2.0 to emerge at CES 2016, it is going to be a topic that's bound to be discussed.
Nintendo's Unlikely Savior — Amazon
Nintendo is not dead, despite all reports. Yet, after three consecutive years of loss, it does appear that Nintendo's leadership is finally willing to admit that all is not well in the house of Mario.
Wii U is not selling and while the DS line of handheld gaming devices continues to sell, Nintendo's reliance on branded hardware, limited first party releases and a denial of market trends may be the three things that end its reign. When tech companies have troubles, tech journalists suggest that the biggest competition will gobble them up whole through acquisition. I have a completely different idea. One that might help it return to profitability in two years or less. Yet, it has to admit several problems before it can do it.
The Software Problem: Nintendo is a for-profit company that needs to maintain its IP, earn revenue from that IP and while it might make more money by creating more titles based on that IP, it doesn't. My suggestion would be to create a program where Nintendo approached game studios with a proposition. Create a stellar game on any IP in the Nintendo library. Nintendo would still need to approve of the IP use but giving a license to any game developer to create the next Mario, Donkey Kong or Wario game would be welcome.
On the same idea, developing a program where Nintendo allowed up and coming (or indie) game makers to use its IP would help add new titles to the small online libraries it has. Nintendo would still maintain the distribution but these solutions would do something that Nintendo fans would embrace, a wealth of choice.
The Single Purpose Problem: The Wii can't play DVDs. The Wii U can't either. You can't use the DS to Skype. Sure, you can use Netflix (finally) but adoption of Netflix on those devices can't be high. The Wii U is a powerful device that simply does one thing – it plays a limited amount of games. Players invest in products to use in their everyday lives that have more than one purpose. The phone in your pocket plays games, plays music, plays videos, monitor stocks, watch sports scores… Nintendo needs to finally embrace its Japanese culture. A culture that is addicted to technology because its culture has helped innovate technology worldwide. Now it needs to embrace what its fans want and deliver a device that does more than just play games.
The Hardware Problem: Developing hardware is not a cheap activity and while it helps Nintendo maintain its exclusivity, it hurts distribution. While I am a big proponent of broad releases (like Sega's post-Dreamcast strategy), Nintendo would never go for it. Yet, it would need an innovative, global partner who had the means to stay ahead of the industry, had an already established product line to use as a platform and wasn't Sony or Samsung. While the Wii U has problems, I do think that the Wii U's GamePad is where Nintendo's future will head. It's a smart way to let the less profitable Wii line lessen, move DS gamers to a new platform on a bigger screen and still maintain its exclusivity. Yet, with extremely limited power supply, the GamePad isn't able to keep itself going very long.
The Solution: Nintendo needs a global partner who can take over its hardware development, improve its current hardware, offer security to limit piracy, products that it wants to sell, no gaming competition and access to a high-powered cloud infrastructure and distribution engine. The answer seems obvious….
Amazon. With its Kindle HD line of tablets, the company has a solid platform of tablet devices, a third generation all-digital distribution engine, global marketing and, I believe, would love to have exclusive rights to having Nintendo games on its devices. Amazon has recently been dabbling in the gaming universe but a super-exclusive deal with Nintendo would make Amazon a global player overnight and would allow Nintendo to be creative powerhouse it has always been. And, I think that with Amazon's drive, it could develop that platform in less than two years.
That device, which might be based on parts of the Wii U GamePad design, would get games on the day they released, offer new ways for gamers to communicate, more access to potential add-ons, create an engine for MMO-like titles for games like Pokemon and might help developers come back to Nintendo.
Bash if you must but I think that Nintendo isn't dead. And I think that a deal with Amazon gives Nintendo an unprecedented opportunity to push itself to the forefront of gaming on tablets.
Mr. Iwata, it's time to give Amazon's Jeff Bezos a call.
Resurrecting Your Dead Site With Content Marketing
Business owners typically feel pretty good about their sites. They've spent the money to develop their site, see that it's working, view a list of pictures of the executive staff, display current products and services and a way to contact you "for more information." And without any complaint, those business owners assume that all is well.
I call these graveyard sites because, despite any money used to create them, they serve as a way to tell customers when your business died. Name, catchy phrase, date born, date died and a mound. Take a moment to look at your site.
When did you last update your site? Are there old products still listed? Have you made announcements that aren't displayed? Did you move? And, my favorite, is the date on your copyright this year? I term active sites as "gardens" that show that your business is alive, well and ready to work. Which one is your site?
The bad news for graveyard sites is found in the numbers. These sites usually offer a trickle of customers who seek general information about the company, its products, sales and support. Average sites generally have 5-14 pages. Site metrics show a steady monthly number with a few seasonal or holiday dips but generally average views.
So say a small business had a site with 14 pages (a rough average) created and designed for $5,000. Over the course of a year, there were 5,000 visitors who viewed 1 page. Your acquisition cost for the reader would be $1. Sounds ok, right?
This is where content strategy can change things. Say over the course of that year, you launched a blog with four pieces that helped better position your company as an expert. Smaller companies might have quality writers amongst their ranks but hiring an outside content expert is often a better investment because they can investigate what you do, find where you're not marketing well and offer strategies for better web searches. The better the expert, the higher potential for creating blog posts that will outperform all the other content on the site. Say this costs $1,000.
Your site now has 18 pages with only four blog pieces live. This is where business owners begin to see the value of content. Reviewing web site performance at the end of the year will reveal several things. First, those four pieces will likely be the most viewed stories on your site. Second, your total pageviews will increase. Third, your pages viewed per session rises.
Now say we go with a fairly conservative 7,500 pageviews per year success. Pages per session increases to two pages and the path that happens is often predictable, old customers still use the site for information (for the most part) but new customers use the blog as a way to enter your site and then click on your contact information. These new readers found you because they were searching for a solution, one that you might know how to fix. With the right information, that reader might buy your product or service. Readers who read more than one page are more likely to contact or remember your company when they need it. So at 7,500 pageviews, your cost per reader goes down to $0.80. A lower cost for your website cost and you increased your company's marketability for 20 cents less per reader.
This is simple overview about what content marketing can do for your site that doesn't take into account the potential for people linking to your posts, commenting on them, sharing those links to broadcast your expertise. With those additions, cost per viewer decreases, knowledge about your expertise is raised and your business will improve.
Why Sony Should Make the PS4's DualShock 4 Compatible with PS3
In the upcoming PS4 vs. Xbox One console war, many gamers haven't decided which console they will buy. And the group of gamers that decided on one console have shifted a few times as more information about each platform comes to light (based on conversations that I've had with industry friends). Powered by powerful yet similar platforms, their final decision will come down to the games, not the hardware.
Yet there's a hidden opportunity to sell hardware here. Making the PlayStation 4's new DualShock 4 controllers compatible with PlayStation 3. Both use Bluetooth and reviewers have already shown that the DualShock 4 controller does work with PS3 but not wirelessly. In retrospect, adding Bluetooth functionality to the PS3 was a brilliant idea, one that Sony can capitalize on.
Sony's decision to enable a DualShock 4 on a PS3 would be a software and administrative debate. A basic set of drivers, delivered to PS3 owners before the PS4 launch would allow gamers to start getting used to the new controller. It helps PS3 owners refresh their existing machine. Those drivers might not make features like the Share, Touchpad, Lightbar or headset jack work (although the last would be greatly appreciated) but new is always a desire, especially if a gamer can't afford the new PS4 yet.
Then my marketing side asks, "Why would Sony do this?"
Sony has always supported its older platforms as the newer platforms arrive. Plus, it would also allow Sony to increase sales of the newer controller SKUs as the older controllers become less desirable.
Next, it's about the long tail. If I buy a DualShock 4 controller today, I'm more likely to buy a PlayStation 4 tomorrow as my hands get accustomed to the new design and my technophile brain asks, "I wonder what these non-functional buttons do." Plus, I (as a cheap gamer) want to get more for my $59.99 DualShock 4 investment.
On PlayStation 4's launch day, Sony could cause a riot by dropping the price of DualShock 3 controllers by $10 to $49.99 and announce that the DualShock 4 is compatible with PS3. This will get PS3 fans to go to retail and get a new controller on launch day (hint, hint: when Sony would have the most marketing behind the PS4). A percentile of controller purchasers would also buy a new PS4 in the first few weeks anyways but for those on the fence, this would be a good long tail strategy for giving gamers a taste of PS4 via their PS3 and seeding a future console purchase near the holidays.
How Microsoft Could Win E3 Without Halo
June 4, 2013 January 4, 2016
The first time I reported on Halo, I sat in a room at GameSpot, watched the Bungie team set up for a demo, one that we were told would be great. As fans of the Marathon and Myth series, we anxiously piled into a room to see what Bungie had planned.
We were shown an early scene that looked like a high-resolution photograph. What Bungie's Doug Zartman did next was one of the funniest moments I had seen in gaming; Doug moved the mouse and the ships started moving. The room, a tough room of gaming pros with short attention spans and a long history of being "not-so-wowed" by such demos, stopped talking. The game? Halo.
That was August 6, 1999 (my proof) and that demo was on a Mac. That same demo, not long after, was the darling of the Apple fanbase and a way around Apple's confusing game strategy (cough… Pippen and GameSprockets). And then the impossible happened. Microsoft bought Bungie. Might the impossible be just the thing that gets gamers to the Xbox One and not the PlayStation 4?
Microsoft's recent showing of the Xbox One failed to connect with gamers. I suspected, and had already written, that the intent of the event was to connect with dads (read Xbox One: The All-In-One Dad Box), a group with the disposable capital, a need for fast-switching media features, integrated business features like Skype, access to a new Madden and a new kid-friendly Kinect. CNET's Dan Ackerman agreed.
Gamers, in a word, were pissed. Where's Halo 5? And yet, it gave a hint that was missed by many, Microsoft is investing $1 billion dollars in 15 new games, several of those being new IP. While some of that money will go to the internal studios, it is also an investment in studios that might create the next Halo. This, I suspect is just a part of what Microsoft might be planning for its next media event at E3 2013.
Yet, Microsoft needs to make the right investment, pen the right deals and ensure that it curates Xbox One-only games. Games that will get gamers to leap to Xbox One on day one, despite price. Two names, though controversial, stand out. And while I haven't been part of the global gaming industry for a while, either option would win.
The Options
Option 1: Epic. Given the recent departure of Cliff Bleszinski, Epic is in transition. Epic's still a formidable force with the Xbox-exclusive Gears of War series and the broadly used Unreal game engine. Purchasing Epic would give Microsoft the Gears of War IP, one that it might merge into the media empire that it has been building for Halo under 343 Industries.
Making the Unreal engine Microsoft exclusive would ease current Unreal engine game makers to the new console and would give Microsoft massive strategic leverage in its licensing deals as well. It would take years for developers to create competition for Unreal, years that would make Xbox One huge.
Option 2: Valve. Nothing screams more hardcore than Valve, a company that owns its own IP, IP that would sell consoles. While the company is branching out in a new direction with its upcoming hardware platform (although more reserved now), gamers have been extremely vocal in their need for a new iteration in the Half-Life series. With Microsoft ownership, Valve (founded by former Microsoft employee Gabe Newell) might be asked to create Half-Life 3, a new Left 4 Dead Counter-Strike, and Portal 3 (and hopefully Dota). And Valve's gaming services and distribution engine, Steam, would bring loads of core gamers to Microsoft's console in droves, a clear way to differentiate cores from casuals.
And after Newell's announcement that he was working with J. J. Abrams on transforming Portal or Half-Life onto the silver screen, this might also make it interesting for Microsoft's 343 Industries' growing media power.
I'll admit that either option is wildly speculative. Yet, Microsoft has pulled such a move before. Every company has a price. I first played Halo on a Mac, what console did you play it on?


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Home » Kiosk » Kiosk Book » How Do You Know It's True?
How Do You Know It's True?
Superstition still requires that many buildings have no floor numbered thirteen. More than 25% of Americans say they believe in astrology. Knocking on wood is an almost universal habit. Are these harmless notions – or dangerous delusions? Unfortunately, "fairy-tale thinking" is still the greatest enemy of progress, and education often bypasses the teaching of cognitive skills young readers can use to think independently.
How Do You Know It's True? will provide young readers with an understanding of the basic nature of science, not just as a body of knowledge, but as a way of thinking. Hy Ruchlis addresses the main theme by contrasting the Cinderella fable with the way scientists establish facts; he describes the scientific method and how it has been applied to increase human knowledge. In subsequent chapters, Ruchlis demonstrates the unobservable nature of superstition, illustrates the dangers of magical thinking using the example of the Salem witch trials, explores the contradictions of such elaborate superstitions as astrology, and shows how astonishing events can be analyzed and explained using rational methods.


Whatever you can do, whenever you can.
(The titles are the links to the respective websites).
SPCA needs help with mailouts, dog walking, kennel cleaning and manning the shelter phones. They also need public relations officers and adoption counsellors.
Volunteers must be at least 17 years old and be able to commit to a minimum of 4 consecutive months on a weekly or fortnightly basis.
WRS, a parent company of the Zoo, Bird Park and Night and River Safaris, invites anyone over 15 years to become Conservation Ambassadors to conduct guided tours of exhibits.
The parks also need Docents who can volunteer once a month for at least a year – you need to be over 21years and be passionate about nature.
Wildlife Buddies – after training you become a wildlife guide for your 'buddies'. Sign up as a class or with a group of like-minded friends. Volunteers are interviewed when they apply.
This animal protection organisation has a number of programmes that depend on volunteer help such as wildlife rescue and rehabilitation and community outreach programmes on humane practices.
Volunteers in the guardians programme help by taking care of rescued animals and in the daily operations of Acres.
They must be at least 16 years old, be vaccinated against Hepatitis A and B and have had their tetanus shots before they are accepted for training.
Those interested in the rescue of native wildlife can join the Wildlife Rescue Team which is on call 24/7. They must be over 21 years in age and must commit their time at least twice a month.
Ad hoc opportunities include design, IT and legal expertise – all welcome.
This society, dedicated to the conservation, research and appreication of the island's natural environment, need help during different projects such as the Horseshoe Crab Research and Rescue in the Mandai mudflats and a study on butterfly feeding behaviour.
Plenty of ad hoc opportunities that do not require a long term commitment.
Check out the oppotunities to volunteer in Fort Canning Park, HortPark, Pasir Ris Park, Pulau Ubin, Singapore Botanic Gardens and the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.
They welcome help with gardening, manning park information booths, park conservation and coastal clean-ups, guided walks and educational workshops.
Anyone can volunteer to help people with disabilities develop their skills towards becoming as independent as they can.
Fund raising, administration, tuition, sports, friends, reading coaches, rehabilitation programmes … there are many areas where a little goes a long way.
Volunteers can help maxmise the skill and social development of people with mental disabilities. A 'Befriender' spends three hours every weekend leading fun activities that teach basic life skills.
Volunteers must be at least 18 years old. No prior experience required, but a firm commitment on a weekly basis is necessary.
Professionals can offer skills and services in medicine, dentistry, music, art and drama therapy classes.
Volunteers are required to interact with children, run arts and crafts groups and ward entertainment programmes. Its Caring Clowns programme, for example, is staffed with volunteers who make monthly visits to paediatric wards to entertain and cheer children through storytelling, crafts and magic.
Bi-lingual volunteers preferred, and people over 25 with experience in handling babies and can commit to a year of helping once or twice a week for two hours each time are needed for the baby-feeding programmes.
Friends of SGH volunteer to help with ward entertainment – such as music performances and art & craft classes, fundraising for offsetting medical expenses and retail – selling handicraft and gift items.
Also required are guiders or volunteers to assist elderly patients in and around the hospital, to work in two four-hour shifts, at least one shift a week, either at 9.00 a.m. or 1.00 p.m.
Volunteers need to attend a 3 hour orientation programme.
Granting the wishes of chronically and terminally ill children is challenging and rewarding, and the foundation needs assistance in fundraising, entertainment, photographers, videographers, administrators, technical support and wish granters or people who use their networks and know-how to make childrens' wishes come true.
Most volunteer work is on an ad hoc basis and all volunteers are required to undergo an orientation programme, a reference check and an interview.


Himself had not revealed it to us. There is in that sense a coming down of God to us, of Him "who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen nor can see." (1 Timothy 6:16) Yet, this revelation takes place under the veil of Faith, and as such, it is open only to the humble and the pure of heart that He has chosen. Those under the sway of the various secular ideologies and social fads ("the world" in biblical language), to a great extent, will not accept His revelation. They are blinded to spiritual realities by their indoctrination in the principles of Atheistic Naturalism, anti-Supernaturalism, Humanism, and Relativism.
Throughout the history of His chosen people, the revelation of God's mysteries has been gradual, reaching its climax with the coming of God Himself in the flesh, "the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints." (Colossians 1:26) The Son has become man, and, in a way which escapes our full understanding, has shown the wholeness of His Father.
This principle has a social application as well as spiritual. As Christ revealed to us His divinity, and as the Church makes Christ's mystery known to any who hear, likewise the Kingdom message of the Gospel is, in an analogical manner, a manifestation or revelation of Christ's mystery. This is what living the Christian Faith properly is: the manifestation of the principles of Christ's present and future Kingdom through the social body of the Church. It is a shadow of the future earthly Kingdom of God where He will reign over all nations and peoples.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not simply a "religious" or spirituaal message, but a social fabric in which Christianity penetrates down to the last corners of our temporal lives (customs, uses, games and work), a counter-culture in which the temporal is unceasingly infused by the eternal. Concretely, it is the ensemble of peoples who want to live publicly according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ to their absolute fullest measure.
In this Gospel of the Kingdom, there is the certainty that Faith and life, united, form an indissoluble whole. Without deserting the world in a monastery, but without losing sight of the true sense of life, it ordains the whole of human existence towards a unique goal, towards intimate social fellowship with God, being convinced that outside Him there is no lasting peace, either for the heart of man or for society or for the community of nations.


text:
#include "config.h"
#include "PlatformScreen.h"

#include "NotImplemented.h"
#include "Widget.h"

#include <Ecore_Evas.h>
#include <wtf/text/CString.h>
#include <wtf/text/WTFString.h>

#ifdef HAVE_ECORE_X
#include <Ecore_X.h>
#endif

namespace WebCore {

#ifdef HAVE_ECORE_X

#define CALL_WITH_ECORE_X(ECORE_X_CALL)                                 \
    do {                                                                \
        int success = ecore_x_init(0);                                  \
        if (success) {                                                  \
            Ecore_X_Screen* screen = ecore_x_default_screen_get();      \
            if (screen)                                                 \
                ECORE_X_CALL;                                           \
            ecore_x_shutdown();                                         \
        }                                                               \
    } while (0)                                                         \

#endif

int screenHorizontalDPI(Widget*)
{
    notImplemented();
    return 0;
}

int screenVerticalDPI(Widget*)
{
    notImplemented();
    return 0;
}

int screenDepth(Widget*)
{
#ifdef HAVE_ECORE_X
    int depth = 24;
    CALL_WITH_ECORE_X(depth = ecore_x_default_depth_get(ecore_x_display_get(), screen));
    return depth;
#else
    return 24;
#endif
}

int screenDepthPerComponent(Widget* widget)
{
    if (!widget)
        return 8;

    int depth = screenDepth(widget);

    switch (depth) {
    // Special treat 0 as an error, and return 8 bit per component.
    case 0:
    case 24:
    case 32:
        return 8;
    case 8:
        return 2;
    default:
        return depth / 3;
    }
}

bool screenIsMonochrome(Widget* widget)
{
    return screenDepth(widget) < 2;
}

FloatRect screenRect(Widget* widget)
{
#ifdef HAVE_ECORE_X
    // Fallback to realistic values if the EcoreX call fails
    // and we cannot accurately detect the screen size.
    int width = 800;
    int height = 600;
    CALL_WITH_ECORE_X(ecore_x_screen_size_get(screen, &width, &height));
    UNUSED_PARAM(widget);
    return FloatRect(0, 0, width, height);
#else
    if (!widget || !widget->evas())
        return FloatRect();

    int x, y, w, h;
    ecore_evas_screen_geometry_get(ecore_evas_ecore_evas_get(widget->evas()), &x, &y, &w, &h);
    return FloatRect(x, y, w, h);
#endif
}

FloatRect screenAvailableRect(Widget* widget)
{
    notImplemented();
    return screenRect(widget);
}

void screenColorProfile(ColorProfile&)
{
    notImplemented();
}

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Thomas served with the 40th Regiment of Foot, and was killed at the seige of Monte Video in Uruguay, in a covert action by the British against the Spanish supporting a local uprising against Spanish rule. He has a fine sculptured monument by Bacon in Odell Church with exquisite detail illustrating the seige.
Ref Rev David Streater Vicar of Odell 2003.
LIEUTENANT OF THE 40TH REGT. OF FOOT.
In the Moment of Victory.
And his display of early Virtues was embellished by the promise of great professional Talents.
In the Service of his Country.
OH LORD RECEIVE HIS SPIRIT.
Born 21 Feb. 1784 Died 3 Feb. 1807."


FASHION STORIES LLC is an entity registered at KINGS county with company number 4856123. FASHION STORIES LLC located at the address 244 Fifth Avenue Suite #b272 New York, New York, 10001. Company is incorporated on November 16, 2015. Current status of the company is active.
THE USA DREAM TOURS INC.
COBB ACCOUNTING & TAX, INC.


text:
QCrime: Ryan Murder Accused's Bail Plea Rejected & More
Top crime stories of the day.
1. Bail Plea of Juvenile Accused in Ryan School Murder Rejected Again
A Gurugram court, on 8 January, rejected the bail plea of the 16-year-old student accused of killing 7-year-old Pradyumn Thakur at the Ryan International School in September 2017.
The Gurugram court was supposed to pronounce its order after the defence counsel claimed the chargesheet in the matter was not filed within one month as prescribed in the Juvenile Justice Act, and he was not given the required documents. Opposing the contention, the CBI said that under CrPC provisions, the mandatory period for filing a chargesheet is 90 days.
Read the full story on The Quint.
2. Man Held for Rape-Murder of 60-Year Old Widow
A man has been arrested in Puducherry for allegedly raping and murdering a 60-year old widow last month, police said on Monday, 8 January.
Prakash (30) was arrested, on Sunday, by a special police team headed by Superintendent of Police (north), Rachna Singh, investigating a complaint lodged by the woman's daughter stating that her mother was missing since 25 December.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Rajiv Ranjan in a release said that after extensive search operation the team recently traced the body of the woman in a decomposed condition in a coconut grove in New Saram near Puducherry. There were stab injuries on the body and the autopsy confirmed the woman was strangled and stabbed to death.
(Source: PTI)
3. Bengaluru Fire: 5 Dead After Fire Breaks out in Kailash Bar and Restaurant, Two Held
One of two owners and the manager of a bar and restaurant in the old city area of Bengaluru were arrested on Monday after a fire that occurred on the premises in the early hours of Monday killed five workers sleeping there.
Owners of Kailash Bar and Restaurant, on the ground floor of the 70-year-old Kumbara Sangha building in a vegetable market, were arrested after the police filed a complaint of culpable homicide under Section 304 of the IPC.
The arrested persons are owner V R Prakash (60) and manager S Somashekar (59). Licence holder for the bar, co-owner V R Dayashankar (58), and owners of the building are yet to be arrested.
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. Man Killed by Unidentified Persons at Choudwar
A man, who was scheduled to get married on Wednesday, was allegedly killed by unidentified persons near a river barrage at Choudwar in Cuttack, police said on Monday.
All arrangements for the marriage of 28-year-old Nirjhar Behera of Choudwar on Wednesday were over. But on Sunday evening he received a phone call and left home to meet the caller at nearby Birupa barrage.
When he did not return and his mobile repeatedly went unanswered, his anxious father Kamal Behera went searching for him only to locate Nirjhar's body lying in a pool of blood near the barrage gate with sharp cutting wounds in his forehead, police said.
"Prima facie, it appears that some acquaintances of the victim are behind this act", said City DCP Akhileswar Singh.
5. Two Arrested for Murder of Former Shiv Sena Corporator
Two people were arrested, on Monday, in connection with the murder of former Shiv Sena corporator Ashok Sawant in suburban Kandivali. Sawant was stabbed to death on Sunday night near his residence in Thakur Complex while he was returning home with a friend.
Narrating the sequence of events, police said that Sawant was riding home with a friend, Vinod Sonwane, when an autorickshaw came along and one of its occupants kicked the motorcycle they were on. Both Sawant and Sonwane fell and while the latter ran after the person who kicked their two-wheeler, a man got out of the autorickshaw and stabbed Sawant several times, police said.
Police, on scouring the CCTV footage of the area, managed to zero in on the autorickshaw's driver, Ganesh Jogdand, who then was arrested from Dahisar. Police said Jogdand's interrogation led them to his accomplice Sohail Dodhia was not at the scene of crime but had given the contract of killing Sawant to Jogdand on behest of the main accused.
6. Hounded for WhatsApp Text Saying She Likes Muslims, Girl Kills Self; BJYM Activist Held
A local leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) from Mudigere region in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka, Anil Raj, has been arrested and several other Hindutva activists from the region are being tracked by the police following the suicide of a 20-year-old girl, who was allegedly harassed for her posts on social media.
Dhanyashree, a first year BCom student, was allegedly hounded by youth activists from Hindutva groups like Bajrang Dal and BJYM, after she reportedly said on a WhatsApp group that she liked Muslims. She committed suicide on 6 January.
7. Daughter, Boyfriend 'Push' Man to Death
A 48-year-old man fell to his death on Sunday morning from the third floor balcony of his house in Sector 27 after allegedly being pushed by his daughter and her boyfriend when he got into a fight with the latter. His daughter has been arrested, while her boyfriend is on the run, police said.
Vishwanath Sahu, who later died of injuries he suffered in the fall, had found his 21-year-old daughter with her boyfriend Dharmendra in her room around 4 am on Sunday.
(Source: The Times of India)
8. Delhi Thieves Inspired by the Movie 'Gone in Sixty Seconds' Held With 22 Bikes
Inspired by Hollywood movie Gone in Sixty Seconds, two men, who were arrested on Sunday with 22 motorcycles, had set a target of stealing a two-wheeler everyday.
South East district police on Sunday said it had arrested two men – 25-year-old Manmeet and 18-year-old Sumit – for their alleged involvement in a spate of such thefts since November. Earlier, the two were in jail for theft and had been released on bail in November. "Once Manmeet was released, the two regrouped and decided to go on a stealing spree. They both were fascinated by movies on thieves and used to watch such movies. They were especially fond of Hindi dubbed version of Hollywood movies with such plots and looked for innovative ways to steal," said DCP south east Chinmoy Biswal.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
9. Bail Plea of Accused in the Murder of Prime Witness in Asaram Rape Case Rejected
A local court, on Monday, rejected the bail plea of the main accused in the murder of a prime witness in rape case against self-styled godman Asaram.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Gopal Tiwari rejected the bail plea of the main accused Kartik Haldar. A charge sheet has been filed against Haldar. He was in judicial custody and lodged in Karnal jail. A prime witness in the rape case against Asaram, Akhil Gupta was shot dead in Muzaffarnagar in January 2015.


This is the sixth year of Power Reporting and as always we will be bringing some of the best names in the industry to teach at the conference: James Myburgh, Caroline Southey, Dario Milo, Sam Sole, Adriaan Basson, John Perlman, Izak Minaar, Alon Skuy.
Joshua Prager, journalist and author of The Echoing Green, will open the strong story telling theme to the conference; there will be an emphasis on climate change, in preparation for 2011, when South Africa hosts the next round of talks that were so badly dented at Copenhagen; and we look at the rich and the poor – how to investigate the rich and report on the poor.
From across Africa we have Chief Bison Etahoben, Eric Mwamba, Olukayode Thomas, Fatuma Noor. Eva Flomo and Solomon Adebayo.
International speakers and trainers include Philip Beresford, editor, the Sunday Times Rich List, Brant Houston of the Global Investigative Journalism Network, Elena Egawhary from the BBC. Ron Nixon of The New York Times, Luuk Sengers from Denmark and Emmanuel Kala from Ushahidi, Kenya.
This year Power Reporting has joined forces with frayintermedia's Narrative Journalism Conference, featuring some of South Africa's top journalistic storytellers: Mandla Langa, Melinda Ferguson, Leonie Joubert and Angie Kapielanis.
Full refunds are offered for cancellations made on or before 18 October 2010. No cancellation refunds are offered after this date. Places are transferable.


We are posting this profile for our daughter Name Visible on Login. We lived in Canada from 1982 to 1997 and the following 21 years in Maryland.
Name Visible on Login was born in Canada and moved to US when she was 10 and has lived in Maryland since then. She went to the University of Maryland where she majored in economics with a minor in art history. She currently works as manager, business analysis for an online retailer (one of the well ranked companies to work for in the area).
She has learned Carnatic music for about 10 years. She has been to India many times with her parents and has love for the country and extended families. She is active, cares about social issues and well-organized. She has a taste for good things and we consult her on many household decisions.
Her father is a finance professional and mother is a homemaker. She has one brother who is a lawyer in DC and is married.
"Work-life balance is very important to me. In my free time I like working out, trying new restaurants and following my favorite sports teams. My favorite thing to do is travel. I am extremely close with my family and have the best time with them always. "
.Thanks for visiting and good luck.
We belong to an upper middle class, nuclear family having moderate outlook. Her father is a working professional while her mother is a homemaker. She has one brother, who is married.


text:
Lulesamiska
Abisko National Park is in the municipality of Kiruna, about 100 kilometres west of the community of Kiruna. The national park is easy to get to by train, bus or car from Kiruna or Narvik.
Both European route 10 and the railway go through the national park. The railway station in the national park is called Abisko Turist. The tourist station and Naturum visitor centre are right next to the highway and railway station.
County transit buses also go to the national park. The bus trip from the Kiruna bus station to the Abisko tourist station takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Bus timetables in English (Länstrafiken Norrbotten's website)
Train tickets in English (SJs website)
Road directions to Abisko National Park
From Kiruna (Google Maps), about 95 kilometres, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
From Narvik (Google Maps), about 77 kilometres, about 1 hour 10 minutes.


text:
Q: Selecting data Ajax I would like to select streamitem_id from my insert.php and add it to my existing post div. I'm needing the id of the post made so I can add it into my div so later when I add my delete button it will delete the post and the div that holds it. Hope I've made sense and I can do this with what I have as I'm trying to learn but it is a difficult language like any when first starting out.
AJAX

INSERT.PHP
$check = "SELECT streamitem_id FROM streamdata WHERE streamitem_id=$user1_id";
        $check1     =    mysql_query($check);
        $check2     =    mysql_num_rows($check1);
    echo $check2;

A: In your javascript should be
       $.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: "insert.php",
            data: {toid:content, newmsg: newmsg}, # pay attention to this line
            success: function(data){
                $("#homestatusid").prepend("

"+newmsg+"

");
            }
        });

PHP
$toid = isset($_POST['toid']) ? $_POST['toid'] : null;
$newmsg = isset($_POST['newmsg']) ? $_POST['newmsg'] : null;

And do not use mysql_* since it deprecated

A: success: function(response){
    $("#homestatusid").prepend("

"+newmsg+"

");
}

A: The first argument passed to the success callback is the responseText from the AJAX call. Modify your jQuery code to this:
success: function(responseText){
    $("#homestatusid").prepend("

"+newmsg+"

");
    // I'm assuming that insert.php returns just the ID you're interested in
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The mechanism of entropy, corruption, economic collapse and the drug empire in Afghanistan, there is little doubt anymore. Forces well outside any political system envisioned by the Founding Fathers control America, forces capable of side-stepping or overruling any elected official or any law, up to and including, even especially, the Constitution of the United States of America.
Normally, the "shadow government" covers its tracks we, as members of the 9/11 Commission have been shouting from the rooftops for years. Even when it doesn't, secrecy and censorship step in, always "protecting" the public from the problems created by, well, created by censorship and secrecy.


Don't get me wrong, I love my kids, but I look forward to their future.
Erm ... just for the record, Jax: one definition of a "kid" (perhaps archaic by now) is a young goat; you weren't talking about them, I presume?
I know for myself, I highly look forward to when my son is older. I am still growing myself, and never got the chance to fully do the things I needed too. I am ready for that chance.
Well... Them too Gando... But I was referring to the two legged variety!!
Agreed Aranel. I kind of see it the same way.
I haven't been able to get on here lately. Lot has happened, my cousin called me with a job opportunity for a business he is starting has a contractor/ many other things. I accepted so I had to move from Wyoming to Nebraska where he graciously had me move into his basement all within a span of a few days. Huge adjustment but it's been ok, lot of work though. So with all that said I'm not sure on when I will get a chance to do the campsite again, will see.
Good luck with the new job, Boromir.
Wow, that is a big change in a short time! Hope the new job turns out good, though! What kind of business is he starting?
I hope you will still be able to get on the forum regularly, and hopefully you will get to the campsite at some point as well. If not, I guess we will manage, but I do look forward to you sharing the pictures if and when they come.
It's been another year, and HERE I AM AGAIN. I am still thrilled that you are all still here! I lived out my middle school/high school years on this site - I am amazed and pleased it's still kicking! Hey guys!
I'm a sort of newbie (compared to you very much so) who joined just over a year ago, in March 2017. I'll dare to speak for the veterans that we are happy about all and any returnees (and further newbies, too). But I'm sure their more authoritative "voices" will be heard here shortly via post.
Hey! Welcome back! Good to see you around once more.
Thanks, we do anything from building fences to roofing to landscaping plus interior house work like kitchens and flooring and more. So it's a pretty broad list. Yeah I'm hoping I can with both things. I am off for this week so if I can get some support and help from a few of the group I may be able to set it up for a little bit this weekend. We will see, no guarantees sadly.
Good to see you pass through!
Awesome! Sounds like a neat business to get into. Sure hope it works out for this week! If not, ah well, I guess. Either way, good to hear an update on how things are going with you.
Thanks, yeah sadly it didn't happen. But I'm holding out hope still that I can sometime this year, at least once. Would love to get some pictures now that I have the Boromir bracers.
Aw, shucks. :/ Well, here is hoping for the future. I remember you posted the bracers, that would be a great addition to the outfit! Hopefully it works out at some point.


text:
До́брое () — деревня в Кобринском районе Брестской области Белоруссии. Входит в состав Городецкого сельсовета.

По данным на 1 января 2016 года население в деревне отсутствовало.

Упразднена 29 мая 2018 года.

География
Деревня расположена в 39 км к юго-востоку от города Кобрин, 19 км к югу от станции Городец и в 83 км к востоку от Бреста.

На 2012 год площадь населённого пункта составила 0,03 км² (3 га).

История
Населённый пункт известен с 1563 года как урощище—остров села Челищевичи. В разное время население составляло:
 1999 год: 1 хозяйство, 2 человека;
 2005 год: 1 хозяйство, 2 человека;
 2016 год: 0 хозяйств, 0 человек.

Примечания

Литература
 Добрае // Гарады і вёскі Беларусі: Энцыклапедыя ў 15 тамах. Т. 4, кн. 2. Брэсцкая вобласць / Рэдкалегія: Г. П. Пашкоў (галоўны рэдактар) і інш. — Мінск.: БелЭн, 2007. — 608 с.: іл. — C. 141. ISBN 978-985-11-0388-7.

Ссылки
 Городецкий сельсовет на сайте Кобринского райисполкома.

Населённые пункты Кобринского района
Городецкий сельсовет (Кобринский район)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
El Rezat Franconio es un río de la región de Franconia Media, en el estado de Baviera (Alemania), de 77 kilómetros de longitud. Junto con el Rezat Suabo, es uno de los cabeceras del río Rednitz —el cual a su vez junto con el Pegnitz, es uno de los cabeceras del Regnitz (afluente izquierdo del Meno que a su vez, y poniendo fin a esta lista de ríos, es afluente derecho del Rin)—.

Referencias

Enlaces externos

Afluentes del Rin de Alemania (Baviera)


What do you say which one to buy?
What to buy really depends on your budget. The OnePlus 6 costs Rs. 34,999 for 6GB RAM/64GB variant, Rs. 39,999 for 8GB RAM/128GB variant. The Samsung Galaxy S9 is priced at Rs. 57,900, Rs. 61,900, and Rs. 65,900 for 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage options, respectively. The iPhone X costs Rs. 89,000 for 64GB model and Rs. 1,02,000 for 256GB option.


text:
Hundreds hit with £80 litter fines in Nuneaton and Bedworth in just one year
But the hunt is still on to find out who will give out fines in the future
Claire Harrison
Almost 700 litterbugs across Nuneaton and Bedworth were hit with fines in just one year – but the hunt goes on to solve enforcement in the future.
It has been revealed that in 2016/17 there were 695 littering Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) issued across the borough and 29 people went on to be prosecuted for not paying the fine.
Anyone spotted dropping litter by an authorised officer will receive an on-the-spot fixed penalty notice and fined £80, or can face prosecution, which carries a maximum fine of £2,500 if convicted in a Magistrates Court.
Cllr Barry Longden, cabinet member for the environment, released the figures after being quizzed by Councillor Ian Bonner about what the future plans are for education about littering as well as what enforcement plans are in place.
This follows the news, revealed by the Telegraph back at the start of January, that the deal that led to a squad of robo-cop style litter and dog mess wardens patrolling the streets of the borough was over.
The relationship between Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council and NSL ended, meaning that there is now no dedicated team of litter wardens patrolling the two towns.
But Cllr Longden has said that the council is working with Keep Britain Tidy to undertake street cleansing monitoring, training for waste officers to monitor and grade the litter, which will help pin point hot spot areas to maximise limited resources.
"We are currently exploring environment enforcement options to ensure we offer the best service available to us, either internal provision or entering into another partnership with an external provider who will be able to offer significantly more enforcement options," he explained.
Litter bin
Council pays £6,000 A MONTH to firm responsible for long-awaited town centre regeneration
In terms of education about littering, Cllr Longden said: "Education in schools has been tried and young children respond well, however, when they get older they appear to fall back into old habits.
"The litterers are in the minority and most people either use the bins provided, or take their litter home.
"It does seem to be a very British disease compared to most of Europe where people seem to have a culture of pride in where they live and are virtually litter free, especially in the towns about the same size of our borough.
"Irresponsible dog owners only make things worse, unfortunately the law in this area is not very helpful, but we will prosecute offenders every time when they are caught."
'Your budget is absolutely crazy' - new Council Tax bill set at stormy Nuneaton Town Hall meeting
Search for jobs, motors and property, or place an advert or family notice here
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council


CHICAGO – Carmelo Anthony said emphatically Bulls superstar Derrick Rose shouldn't come back this season if he's not "110 percent'' and wishes fans would be more patient with him.
Rose, who tore his ACL on the same day as Iman Shumpert last April 28, is under intense scrutiny in Chicago, fans angry that he hasn't returned with the playoffs starting in 10 days. It's looking more and more as if Rose is done until next season. He was cleared for 5-on-5 scrimmages in late February.
Shumpert returned Jan. 17th but only recently regained his rookie form. But Mike Woodson said he wishes Shumpert would be nastier on the defensive end. He's been shooting lights out from the 3-point line – 40.4 percent.


The technique that Paolo shares with us in this episode is not only useful to tackle the Friday challenge (understand the system as a whole), but it is a versatile technique that we all should include in our toolbox. It is such an important tool that we end up spending the episode talking about many tools we can use to implement this technique and focus on one specific technique: Event Storming by Alberto Brandolini. Do you want to know what is this technique? Listen in.
Paolo is a passionate agile developer. He spent hist first years of "agile" learning the technical practices but with time he understood that people, culture and values always come first.
Paolo practices and recommends the adoption of eXtreme Programming. In the projects he has worked on so far he has experienced the benefits of building small and big systems adopting practices such as Pair Programming, Test Driven Development, Continuous Delivery and infrastructure automation.
You can link with Paolo D'Incau on LinkedIn and connect with Paolo D'Incau on Twitter.


We've planted a seed, an ever growing wonder to a beautiful tree. Grow.
Each branch outstretched and different from the last.
Where the old have broken, some easier than the last.
The right ones have grown in to fill in the gaps.
And all are equal in love and trust.
And all are a part of something so much bigger than this.
Through the trials our tongues are tied, to trying times, so many unsaid lines.
Our lives were over at so many moments, so many.
And now they're all just beginning.
I have never been so consumed and I have never loved it more.
To be devoted to letting all see what it is to live in the love of others.
To live in the love of my brothers.
And spilling back all that anyone has ever spilled for me.
To show that to those who have never seen.
Four years ago we planted a seed.
Found that foundation that we need.
Strived for the perfect balance, to show love and show compassion.
And our vision for this world will not die when we are dead.
My future started with the first note I ever played.
The first note that was ever sang.
Every day I live this future.
General CommentThis song is pretty simple: four years ago they founded the band, and now thats all they need. they will live long after they die through their fans & music.
General CommentI am absolutely in love with this band.
My InterpretationSo I'm pretty sure this song is about them starting a band and spreading their messages and stories through their music. And that they're messages will always live on through their songs and their fans.
Song Meaningjust expanding on the other comments, i think the "branches" are a metaphor for the band members and how some leaving were easier than others, but the current members were there to "fill in the gaps"
General Commentwcar is coming out with a new album called "undertsanding what we've grown to be" so save up!
We do not have any tags for To Plant A Seed lyrics. Why not add your own?


Sonoff smart switches provide you with perfect intelligence control solutions for your home or workplace.
Sonoff 4CH can connect 4 household appliances or electrical devices, so you can remotely control 4 devices at the same time.
Multi timing modes smart switch, including single, repeat, delay, circle timing.
Made of ABS plastic, with lightweight, tough and durable features.
Fits for various home appliances, such as lamp, washer machine, etc.
Share control supported, energy saving.
Max. Current: AC 250V 10A.
The RF Remote is not included, please order separately.
produto conforme especificações. funcionou perfeitamente.
very fast shipping 15 days to algeria. excellent product. works perfectly with google home.
Great product that shipped very very fast. Be careful of the product description. This is the WiFi only model. If you want the 433MHz RF you need to buy the Pro version.
Not tested yet but at first look everything is fine. Very fast shipping.
Доставка 20 дней. Качество отличное. Рекомендую.
Product excactly as described. Deleviery amazingly fast! Thank you!


38,975 new and resale homes closed escrow in California during June 2011, down 11% from one year ago when 43,964 sales closed escrow. Combined home sales rose 10% from their May 2011 numbers. Little overall change from 2010's numbers is expected through the end of 2012.
Absentee homebuyers (a group generally composed of speculators and investors) accounted for 24% of Southern California (SoCal) sales and 22% of sales in the Bay Area, remaining almost unchanged from May, and near the historic records of 26% and 23%, respectively, set in February 2011.
"Jumbo loans" (loans over the old conforming limit of $417,000) accounted for 17% of sales in SoCal, down less than 1% from one year earlier, and 35% of Bay Area sales, rising from May's numbers back to 2010 levels. 2010 saw a sharp rise over 2009 in the use of Jumbo loans, likely attributable to an increase in foreclosures among high-tier properties and the Federal Housing Administrations (FHA's) increase of their loan insurance ceiling to $724,000. Jumbo use remains far below its height in the boom times of 2006 and 2007.
FHA-insured loans made up 31% of SoCal mortgages recorded, a drop from 34% in May and 38% one year earlier. This is the lowest percentage of FHA-insured loans since August 2008. FHA-insured loans made up 21% of Bay Area mortgages, a drop from 25% recorded one year earlier. first tuesday forecasts this percentage will continue to drop in the future, as other government agencies and private mortgage insurers now guarantee almost all conventional loans, including loans with lower down payments and down payments from unconventional sources (such as gifts). The combined rate of interest and private mortgage insurance (PMI) is currently lower than the combined rate of FHA-insured loans, making the FHA loan less appealing.
Editor's note — Wall Street investors have also begun to purchase Jumbo ARMs in the Bay Area for resale in the mortgage backed bonds (MBB) market. The MBB market for jumbos has been dormant for three years. This small opening will make it easier for sellers of high-tier property in the Bay Area to get a higher price.
Cash purchases represented 28% of Southern California and 25% of Bay Area sales in May 2011. Although these numbers are down slightly from February 2011's record high, they remain abnormally high in both districts, indicating speculators are still at work.
The ongoing spike in cash purchases indicates that speculators are still optimistic about a potential recovery in real estate sales volume and pricing. Both have slipped since late 2010; not a good sign for speculators, who require very high profits to be successful.
For more extensive history and analysis of monthly and annual home sales in California, see the first tuesday Market Chart, Home Sales Volume and Price Peaks.
NextJust think positive and be happy?


Fools, not sages, think themselves wise. A truly wise man is little in his own sight, whereas the fool is "wise in his own conceit" (Pro 26:12). Being wise in one's own eyes is a form of pride, which is "a high or overweening opinion of one's own qualities, attainments, or estate, which gives rise to a feeling and attitude of superiority over and contempt for others; inordinate self-esteem" (OED). A proud man will never become wise because he thinks he already is. Those who are wise in their own eyes demonstrate such by not seeking counsel or asking advice of their elders, by doing far more talking than listening in conversations, and by always ending their sentences with periods rather than question marks.
When looking for a man who is wise in his own eyes, three men come to mind: the young man, the formally educated man, and the rich man. The young man is idealistic, thinking the world should work in accordance with his conceptions of reality. He is confident because of his vigorous youth and his lack of understanding of the hard realities of life, and therefore he sees no need to seek counsel from those older and more experienced than he. The formally educated man has letters behind his name that assure him that he is wiser than those who don't. And having paid a small fortune for those letters and having spent many years of his life obtaining them, he certainly doesn't need to bother asking for advice from those whom he deems less intelligent than himself. The rich man equates wealth with wisdom and assumes that anyone that has not the former lacks the latter. He could not be more wrong according to the scriptures which declare that "the rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out." (Pro 28:11).
The man who "think[s] himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself" (Gal 6:3). Being wise in one's own eyes is meaningless if one is not wise in God's sight, "for not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth" (2Co 10:18). "The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain" (1Co 3:20), and He pronounces a "woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight" (Isa 5:21). Christians are exhorted to "mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits" (Rom 12:16). David, who was no simpleton, left Solomon a good example of a wise, rich, and powerful man who was humble enough to write: "LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me" (Psa 131:1). As the old saying goes, "better to keep silent and have men think you a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." It is a mark of wisdom to recognize when one is engaged in a discussion of a topic that is too high for him and to thus bow out humbly rather than pressing on proudly.
Fear the LORD, and depart from evil. The Almighty's antidote to being highminded is to fear Him and depart from evil, which includes the evil of pride that God hates (Pro 16:5). Departing from evil is only possible when a man fears God and His judgment of it. Proverbs 8:13 tells us that "the fear of the LORD is to hate evil," and the first two evils listed are "pride, and arrogancy" which brings us back to being not wise in our own eyes.
When a man fears the LORD, he does so in part because of the awe-inspiring, infinite knowledge and wisdom of God (Psa 139:1-6; Psa 147:5; Rom 11:33-34). Recognizing the limitlessness of the wisdom of God will quickly reveal the utter paltriness of his own, causing him to "be not wise in [his] own eyes."
For the previous blog in this series, click here: Proverbs 3:6.
For the next blog in this series, click here: Proverbs 3:8.


Every so often a project comes along that is truly a labor of love.
The San Jose Mission Clinic is a free clinic run by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Petersburg. The clinic primarily serves a Spanish-speaking population, many migrant workers who would otherwise have very limited access to healthcare. I (Jill) began volunteering at the clinic in the Fall of 2015, shortly after making the decision to pursue a career in medicine.
This Spring the clinic was able to expand into a new building on the property, to better accommodate the patients they serve.
It was the perfect opportunity for us to leave a lasting mark on the community that has touched me so much, so I asked Nate to design and paint a special scene in the new clinic's waiting area.
Working closely with the program's director, Sister Sara Proctor, we designed a scene using colorful inspiration from Oaxaca, Mexico. The hope was that the mural would brighten patients' days with vivid imagery and iconic elements from home.
Spreading the mural across a corner of the room helps to make it feel more immersive. From the right viewpoint, you can almost hear the church bells and smell fresh mango from the fruit stand.
With our move to Chicago this summer, I know will greatly miss the San Jose Mission Clinic and all of the wonderful people I met throughout my time there. I'm glad that we were able to leave behind just a bit of beauty and color.