It's been a major trend in furniture and interior design – and, now, the wood tones we're loving in our homes and offices are extending into another space: drinkware. Our new collection of insulated wood tone tumblers are taking a page from this comfy, cozy and completely chic trend – and we can't get enough.
Our advice? Dive into this trend now.
Mixed wood tones and wood grains are the interior trend for 2019 – so consider these tumblers a little piece of home whether you're stuck in the car or stuck in the conference room. Inspired by the organic finishes everyone's opting for, consider these tumblers your cue to make yourself at home anywhere.
One of the reasons the wood grain trend has gained such momentum is that it has a very natural, very organic richness – and the same goes for this tumbler collection. These tumblers look as sleek and sturdy as they are, without looking busy or over-the-top.
While we're all about branded drinkware, we've seen some that are a little too aggressive. If that's your brand persona, great, but if you're looking for something more polished, more sophisticated and more established, these wood tone tumblers make sense.
With brands like S'Well® and Corkcicle® pushing their collections to retail – and let's not forget the iconic Mercedes-Benz® wood grain tumbler – your customers have no doubt been craving one of these cool cups. Getting one from you will solidify their perception of you and your brand.
4. Because they're high quality insulated tumblers – and who doesn't want that?
Beyond the cool factor, these tumblers are high quality, high performance products that keep drinks cold for up to 12 hours and hot for up to eight. Check out the classic 20 ounce Vacuum Insulated Wood Grain Tumbler, the tapered 20 ounce version and the 10 ounce Wine Tumbler, all with this on-trend wood finish.
We're hearing this is just the beginning of the wood grain trend – and we can't wait to see what's next. Get in touch with us, The Promo Know-How People, to learn more and start customizing your tumbler order.
Wood grain is a popular home and furniture trend – and now, with this collection of wood grain drinkware, the hot trend can promote your brand too.
Looking for more of our top picks and best sellers? Click here. Love keeping up with the latest promo trends? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linked In and Pinterest!


The Parlour, a coffee lounge/ice cream parlour serves fabulous coffee and locally sourced food. Handmade sandwiches and toasties, warming soup, children's menu and gallons of ice cream. Enter our monthly design a sundae competition and you could win scooping and eating your sundae on us. We have plenty of comfy space, perfect if you need to book us for children's parties.


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Pitt Basketball: Panthers Win Big Over Maryland Eastern Shore
By CardiacHill@AnsonWhaley Dec 18, 2010, 9:32pm EST
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Pitt had little trouble rebounding from its ugly loss to Tennessee a week ago, beating up on Maryland Eastern Shore, 97-64. The 97 points tied a season-high and was the third time the Panthers nearly got to 100.
Leading the way was Gilbert Brown, who had a career-high 28 points. It's not like Gil isn't capable of doing this more often and it makes it a bit frustrating knowing the talent he has.
As I mentioned in the recap over at SB Nation Pittsburgh, when Gil plays like this, Pitt is on another level. There are so many things he can do - spread the floor, get guys like Ashton Gibbs open looks, and get to the basket on his own.
Gary McGhee also had a nice game for Pitt, getting his third double double of the season. But, meanwhile, Brad Wanamaker had one of the worst games of his career, going scoreless. He still managed to contribute a bit, though, notching six assists, three rebounds, a block, and a steal.
Pitt actually allowed Maryland Eastern Shore to hang around a bit, leading only 26-22 with about six minutes left in the first half. But they opened up a 15-point halftime lead, then proceeded to hit 17 of their first 20 second-half shots.
As expected, Maryland Eastern Shore hoisted a ton of threes. They averaged about 15 per game coming in, and tonight took 32 of them. But as their shooting percentage is only 31% from that range, it wasn't a big deal. They shot exactly that percentage tonight and with Pitt outrebounding the Hawks tonight 47-19, that gave them little hope of keeping the game close.
Pitt will take on American University on Wednesday.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The CHS - Intensive Stimulation Center in Neurology, is located in Braga and has na area of approximately 8,000 m2, including various specialized gyms for adults and children, where daily applies the therapeutic protocol MIIP - Multi-factorial, Integral , Intensive and Customized.
This center provides assistance to people with special needs, with a specialized and hierarchical, medium and low complexity structure of high skilled professionals, and support of complementary diagnostics and therapeutics, as well as the implementation of specific programs or courses of treatment equipment.
MIIP - Multi-Factorial, Integral, Intensive and Costumized, our therapeutic protocol is specially planed and designed and to suply the individual needs.
The universe of health care and services that we offer is fully adapted to the different needs, characteristics of various age groups, allowing interventions from 18 months of age.
In CHS the architecture of our clinical space express, also a holistic view with different atractive areas and highly functional. Was aimed , as intrinsically defined, to provide an environment to revive the dignity of the person, regardless of age or social status. Added to excellent facilities, is a humanized, holistic approach in providing care to our clients.
The wellbeing as the main and most important foundation of our practice.
Humanization is essential to provide the necessary comfort to patients and their family bond, allowing us to use the following maxim: ". Being Human is our Mission"
"Combining the highest level of clinical and therapeutic assistance, research and training to ensure quality care, personalized attention and a deep respect for the dignity of each person and build a referral organization in the provision of health care through the practice of a humanized, excellent and innovative medicine."
- Attention Holistic, Interdisciplinary and not Discriminatory.
The CHS is a unique clinical-therapeutic unit in origin, design and development as organizational project, being noticeable in its vision and action throughout the organization and, in particular, in its values, as dynamism, sense of group, involvement, integrity and trust.
The entire power generated by these attributes must have, the ability to raise and firm in pacientes the recognition of who we are and what we do, with the actual knowledge that the vision and principles that guide our business translate in acts that create quality of life.
While emblem of our conduct, with its own personality, four people come together forming a rosace in an act of intimacy and sharing, something so essential in human life. The circular shapes and color tones convey the harmonious relations between people,pacients and health professionals.


As a new established organization, USIM's library is actively carrying out efforts to strengthen its collection. Acquisition of information materials is mainly done through purchasing and subscribing activities. However, the library also welcome contribution of reference sources from individuals and organizations. All contributed materials will be managed by Technical Division of the USIM library.
Materials that can be contributed may comprise of monographs (academic and general books, proceedings), serials and multimedia materials. All the materials will undergo a screening process before being considered as the library collection.
Currently, the library has developed 4 Individual Collection especially for Prof. Madya Dr. Wan Chik Ibrahim (USIM's lecturer), the late Tuan Haji Mashadi Salamon (former Magistrate of Mahkamah Syariah Wilayah Persekutuan), Y. Bhg. Tan Sri Dato' Abdul Kader Talip (former Mufti of Wilayah Persekutuan) and Y. Bhg. Dato' Hj. Mohd. Mortadza Hj. Daud (former Mufti of Sarawak).
USIM's Library welcomes public contribution as an effort to increase the collection for the library.
Library Fund is one of the fund-raising activities for the library. This program aims to facilitate USIM staff to contribute money to the library as a charity-based concept of Waqf (Endowment) and donation (Charity). Participants can give their contribution through payroll deduction on a monthly basis. Contribution made will be channelled to the fund and will be used to purchase library materials.
Please click here to download Borang Kebenaran Untuk Membuat Potongan Gaji Bulanan Sebagai Sumbangan ke Tabung Perpustakaan.


The recipe calls for one flax egg. Most likely you won't have these hanging around. To make one flax egg combine 1 Tablespoon of flaxseed meal (grind whole flax seeds in a coffee or spice mill just before using) and 2 1/2 Tablespoons of water. Let sit for about 5 minutes and use in place of an egg.
2 large apples, cored, peeled diced Original recipe calls for Granny Smith. Honeycrisp etc. is also good.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line muffin tin with paper liners or generously spray with PAM.
Steam apples until tender in a microwave with a tablespoon of water, or covered on your stove in a non-stick frying pan. Time will vary so start with 30" and test with a fork. Watch carefully and add water if necessary.
To flax egg add canned pumpkin, almond milk, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. Gently mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, place in your sifter and sift over the wet ingredients.
Add apples and oats. Stir gently, just until mixed.
Divide batter into 12 muffin cups, sprinkle with a little extra oats and cinnamon if you prefer.
Bake 18-22 minutes. Test with a toothpick. Cool, place in an air-tight container and refrigerate.
If batter seems too thin? Add extra flour or oats. If it seems too thick, thin with more almond milk.


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King Named "Heartbeat Champion" For Work On the Heartbeat Abortion Ban
Faith2Action named U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, a recipient of the "Heartbeat Champion Award" for his work on the fetal heartbeat abortion ban.
Louisiana Democrats Buck National Party on Life
Faith2Action,
fetal heartbeat abortion ban,
Steve King
WASHINGTON – Faith2Action, a pro-life organization based in Ohio, named U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, a recipient of the "Heartbeat Champion Award." King will be given the award during the organization's "Heartbeat Victory Party" in Cleveland, Ohio following the state's passage of a heartbeat abortion ban.
"It is an honor to be recognized as a 'Heartbeat Champion' by those who have been the most dedicated to ensuring that 'Heartbeat' legislation becomes law throughout the county," said King. "The effort I led in the last session of Congress on the federal Heartbeat Bill gathered 174 cosponsors, and it showed the country that there was broad support for the principle that when a heartbeat is detected, a baby shall be legally protected.
"We reached a plateau in Congress, so I turned my attention to Iowa. With the cooperation of my State Senator, Jason Schultz, and others, we used my federal Heartbeat bill as a template that we customized for Iowa and passed into law. Our success in Iowa and Washington, D.C. inspired those seeking to enact legislation in at least seven other states.
"The Heartbeat Bill has given pro-life advocates momentum, and I am optimistic that the work Janet Porter, Faith2Action, and I are doing on both the federal and state level will ultimately lead to the reversal of Roe v. Wade," he added.
King introduced the federal "Heartbeat Bill" in January of 2017 during the 115th Congress, where it gained the support of 174 cosponsors. As part of his advocacy efforts on behalf of the legislation, King as Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice when introduced the testimony via ultrasound of Lincoln Glenn Miller. Lincoln, who was a pre-born baby boy of only 18 weeks of development, became the youngest witness ever to testify before Congress.
In 2018, King's federal legislation was the base language for Iowa's state heartbeat legislation. King personally worked with members of the Iowa Senate to write the language which became law in Iowa. He also made scores of phone calls to undecided legislators to advance the bill. The Iowa heartbeat bill ultimately passed Iowa's Senate and House and was signed into law by Gov Kim Reynolds. It was later blocked in state district court.
King has reintroduced the federal heartbeat legislation, HR 490, in the current session of Congress.
Could Prosecute Is Not the Same as Should Prosecute
Shane Vander Hart: Democrats latching onto Mueller's statement that the president "could" be prosecuted upon leaving office are reading into what he meant.
Grassley Sworn In As Senate President Pro Tempore
U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) was sworn in as Senate President Pro Tempore for the 116th Congress and is now third in line of presidential succession.
Senate Democrats Block Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act
Senate Democrats blocked a motion for unanimous consent to pass the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act sponsored by U.S. Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE).
Grassley: Where's the Outrage Over Child Exploitation at Border?
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley expressed concern about the lack of public outcry being paid to child exploitation at the southern U.S. border.


ARTICLES BOOK & LITERATURE REVIEWS What's with Paul and Women?
This book is a serious attempt to grapple with the implications of the cultural-religious background of the local Christian church in Ephesus, the words of Paul and their interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:11-12 regarding the 'roles' of women and men in the wider Christian church. In fact, Jon Zen's argues there is a significant misinterpretation of Paul's statements. He particularly focuses on the cult of Artemis, which saturated the mindset of the Ephesians where Timothy is seeking to resist false teaching (1 Timothy 1:3). And it is to Timothy that Paul writes. Most of the gender argument interpreting such passages revolves around whether Paul's words can only be applied in the particular context of Ephesus or whether they apply for all time and all local churches. Though there is a 'foot in both camps approach', John Zens appears to fall into the former group.
It is important to note that Jon Zen's appears to have a 'high' view of the authority of Scripture. He does not question the integrity, reliability or the nature of the Scriptures as 'special' communication by God to man. Many interpeters who do not wish to apply such passages to women in the churces today often do so by undermining the veracity of Scripture. But not Jon Zens. He approaches the Scriptures as God's inerrant written word.
Drawing upon his own extensive linguistic research as well as other research and teachings he challenges specific gender theology that has plagued the church in the post-apostolic era when the early church fathers began to supplant the clear example of Jesus and the works of His apostles with pagan philosophical influences. Many commentators have demonstrated how these have destructively perverted the important role of women in the churches. Jon Zens therefore, believes 1 Timothy 2:11-12 has been used inappropriately to silence women in the church for over 1500 years and proceeds to expose the fallacies of this interpretation. Additionally, Jon Zens in his appendices engages with Biblical teaching more widely by going into 1 Corinthians 14:34-36 and also engaging with some modern theological though, particularly arguments by John Piper.
In short, Zens believes the instructions are intended for the local Christian community in Ephesus only in it's struggle against the Artemis cult. He provides one possible way to understand an alternative to the more common, conservative approach to the chapter in particular, and the question of gender roles more generally. Jon Zen's courage and scholarship is well worth reading.


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I'm A Celeb crew hard at work to fix set for TOMORROW after Storm Arwen
I'M A Celebrity's crew and other tradies have been working around the clock to get the set ready for the show to be back on air tomorrow night.
The Welsh set was bustling with tradespeople as they frantically rebuilt the set after it was ravaged by Storm Arwen last week.
Tradespeople worked frantically to repair the I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here setCredit: Maverick Photography
Hosts Ant & Dec will be back on TV fronting I'm A Celeb from Tuesday night
The popular reality series was forced off air after the storm caused a 48-hour blackout and extensive damage to the set.
ITV was forced to cancel this weekend's episodes of the hit reality series, and confirmed the stars had been relocated.
Tradies were spotted in cherry pickers heading up to the damaged roof of the production village.
While tall cranes and tractors were brought in to help clear out rubble caused by the storm.
The extensive damage to the production village prompted fears this year's I'm A Celeb would be cancelled.
But The Sun revealed yesterday the show will be making a comeback on Tuesday, meaning the crew and tradespeople have had to work around the clock to get the site up and running again.
GET THEM IN THERE
I'm A Celeb WILL return – after being axed again tonight amid storm fears
'bit s***'
Top Gear fans gutted as Freddie Flintoff goes AWOL and brand show "rubbish"
'too easy'
Anton Du Beke shocks Strictly fans with savage dig at John Whaite
UNDIES-IRABLE
Frankie Bridge begs I'm A Celeb bosses to wash knickers due to FISH smell
I'm A Celeb's fight to get back and campers were SAFE within castle
SOLID PLAN
Lauren Goodger reveals why she's weaning baby Larose at four months old
t, and the public vote for who'll take it on will open in tonight's show, with Ant and Dec presenting live from the castle.
"Production worked round the clock to get the site back up and running after Storm Arwen caused substantial damage over the weekend," a source says.
Instead of I'm A Celebrity, Freddie and Jamie's DNA Journey aired on Sunday night.
Despite not getting several episodes to air, I'm A Celeb will not be having an extended season to make up for the missing episodes.
ITV confirmed it will not be making up the episodes that they were forced to axe due to Storm Arwen.
Reps for the show have now said that the series will still end on the same date as originally planned, and they won't be making up for lost time.
The campmates will return to the castle once the show's entire production is safely re-established, with the quarantine conditions for the celebs the same as they were before they joined the show.
If they come into contact with anybody outside of I'm A Celeb's secure Covid bubble, they won't be allowed to return to camp – with Richard Madeley forced out of the show after just four days due to a hospital dash.
It was previously reported that the show's production area "looks like a bomb has hit it", with "terrified" crew almost blown off their feet.
Pictures show marquees ripped to shreds, and roofs and canopies ripped from structures after gales ravaged the location.
While ITV bosses were sure to take extra precautions to keep their celebrity campmates safe, the surrounding area was devastated by the weather.
And this afternoon, bosses confirmed that they are not able to get this weekend's episodes to air as planned.
A statement read: "Owing to technical difficulties caused by extreme weather conditions in the area, there will be no new episodes of I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! this weekend (Saturday and Sunday).
"I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! will be replaced tonight and tomorrow night in the ITV schedules by compilation shows (voiced by Ant & Dec) featuring best moments from previous series."
The current series has only been on air for less than a week but has already suffered devastating dramas.
The latest chaos comes after a difficult couple of days that saw Richard's medical scare get him removed from the castle for good.
Damage from Storm Arwen forced the show off air as it wreaked havoc on the production villageCredit: Maverick Photography
The roof of the production village had to be repaired to allow the crew to do their workCredit: Maverick Photography
The tradies have to work around the clock on the Welsh set to get the show ready for TuesdayCredit: Maverick Photography
The next live trial will be on Wednesday as ITV confirmed the series will not be extendedCredit: Maverick Photography
I'm A Celeb's most dramatic walk-outs from Katie Price to Gemma Collins' diva tantrums and Spencer Matthews' steroids row
Email digishowbiz@the-sun.co.uk or call us direct on 02077824220 .
カテゴリー: cta | タグ: after, Arwen, celeb, storm, tomorrow | 投稿日: 11/30/2021 | 投稿者: ct
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Who does the baby look like?
I pulled some pics from our baby albums to compare with our children.
Raimo again- hello little Finn!
Neither of us were that beautiful as a baby! Narrow mouth like mom, oval face like Raimo and almond eyes like Raimo.
I was surprised how different Raimo's and my face were from age to age. We changed a lot. Our kids definitely have a "family" look to them (as my friend said about Berrett- another Laitinen baby!) but their features are all pretty unique.
People tell me all the time.. Oh they look just like Raimo. OR they look just like you. So there you have it!


The Olympics have been a particularly special thing for the two of us in our married life. Two significant events, over the past 5+ years of marriage, have occurred simultaneously with the Summer Games, forever sealing in our memories a media connection with important life events. The first event was our honeymoon and it was fantastic timing. We had a great routine down that included watching some competitions in the morning, getting out of the condo for the afternoon, and then returning in the evening to see the final broadcasts of the day. The second event was the packing and cleaning of our house in preparation for moving out and leaving the country. In those several solid days of sorting, purging, packing, and cleaning we had the TV on morning to night, hearing if not seeing, all of the action we possibly could. At the end of each night we'd sit down around 11pm in front of the TV, exhausted from the day and try to keep our eyes open so we could see the last bit of daily excitement.
They don't pay him enough.


Album Review: Simon Scardanelli – What In The World?
Review of Simon Scardanelli's newly re-released 1981 debut album: What In The World?
Time and its passing are no one's friend. It's a fleeting mistress whose seduction of your youth soon leaves you withering on the branch and you stare back behind you and wonder how the futures you planned became the memories of the past. Why, I hear you say, should I speak so coldly about this passing of the years? Well, to my mind time has moved too swiftly for the undeniable musical talents of Simon Scardanelli. Too long ignored, it seems inconceivable that 35 years have passed since What In The World?, his 1981 debut album release. It is a great injustice in the musical firmament that greater notice has not been taken of the brilliance of Simon Scardanelli. In 2016, he released the wonderful Make Us Happy, perhaps his best album to date. Now he is sticking his head above the parapet again, in his own belligerent and self-determined fashion, by re-releasing this long forgotten album.
I know he had second thoughts about re-visiting this so many years later. As is Simon's way, he never felt the original album back in 1981 was good enough but maybe hoped it could be a springboard to the next chapter. Falling out with the studio over the mixes and not co-operating with its promotion didn't help sales, and so the album came and went. After the ice had thawed he managed to regain control of the recordings, and presented here for the first time is his take on the record with his preferred mixes and track listing which both differ from the original vinyl release. Mind you, I think you may be hard pressed to remember the original LP unless you are the die hardest of die hard fans.
For those that don't know, after this album Simon went on to play keyboards in mid-'80s band the Boomerang Gang, and then in 1988 he formed, with his Canadian compatriot Shark, the duo Big Bam Boo who signed to Polygram and released the album Fun, Faith, & Fairplay.
Anyway, this is all 30-odd years ago, and much musical water has flown under the bridge. Simon has made many great albums, and his current style is far removed from what he was doing back in '81, so I think it is very brave to go back and release a debut album that may confuse some listeners. Actually though, if you are a fan of Simon's work, then you will find something tantalising in this time capsule.
Remember this was the time of Kraftwerk, Talking Heads, Bowie's German period. A transition from '70s prog rock to new wave synth pop. If you take this album with those thoughts in mind, you can see how it would stack up.
It opens with the track "Astral Suicide," a slice of lunacy and pomp that immediately sets the bar. It is quickly followed by a crazily catchy song "A Pocketful of Spies," something that could easily have been charted by someone like "The Thompson Twins." Both these songs have all the hallmarks of embryonic Scardanelli. If you are familiar with his later releases you can hear that unique voice starting to warm up to what it will later become. You can hear the non-conformist lyrical style developing and the ear for a good tune. You can sense he is on to something and time will set it free.
The track "Day After Day" is proto synth city. I know that Paul McCartney was credited as being ahead of his time with his use of the then-new synth technology on his 1980 album McCartney II. Here on this track, Simon shows similar pioneering spirit, and some of the sounds did put me in mind of the outakes on that McCartney album.
There are many contemporaries that you can hear in the music, maybe Bowie in particular. But I know that Simon did not listen to much other music for fear of being influenced. This is why, most likely, he has never conformed to a genre or style throughout his career. The album was recorded in Germany, and a lot of free reign was given to the creative process. I think that a lot of fun was had in the studio pushing the technology and creating the layers that so identify this music with that time. Simon and studio engineer Nigel Jopson hired Kraftwork's sequencer only to find it so complicated they didn't use it in the end. You can picture the size of the equipment then, the wires, patch bays, knobs and generally unwieldy nature of the technology.
There is a bridge developed through this album between the last gasp of prog rock and the emergence of New Wave. As you get nearer to the end of the album you hear that prog rock influence in tracks "Those In Peril" and "You and I." There are momentous crescendos of dynamic pomposity, sweeping you up and taking you back to those memorable musical times.
The album is an exhausting but pleasurable listen. It is relentless in its voracity with a brief moment of calm on the piano ballad "Lately," which seems to juxtapose the rest of the album.
The final title track of the album "What In The World?" is maybe the closest you get to more familiar Scardanelli. Driving guitars and layers of synth lines make the audio connection to Big Bam Boo and then possibly even to his band venture Dr. Scardo in 2013. It is a fitting end to the album and both fascinating as a time piece and enjoyable as an album of music.
Any filmmaker or TV ad man that is looking for good genuine '80s music that hasn't become hackneyed by overuse should take note. This is a real gem of undiscovered '80s music. Fresh, authentic, and at times exceedingly catchy. For fans of '80s music it is a definite must, and for fans of Simon Scardanelli it is a revealing and rewarding listen.
This entry was posted in Album Reviews and tagged Album Review, James Morris, Simon Scardanelli. Bookmark the permalink.


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Nüwa
Nüwa (Traditional Chinese: 女媧; Simplified Chinese: 女娲; Pinyin: nǚwā, also Nü Gua or Nügua) is a goddess in ancient Chinese mythology best known for creating mankind and repairing the wall of heaven.
1 Primary sources
2 Various roles
2.1 As repairer
2.2 As creator
2.3 As wife or sister
2.4 As a Miao goddess
3 In history
4 Appearance in Fengshen Yanyi
Nüwa was referred to in many poems and books of songs. Below are some of the common sources that describe Nüwa, given in chronological order. (The following does not include material of local tribal stories or modern reinterpretations, such as often adapted for screenplay.)
In Shan Hai Jing (from the Warring States period to the beginning of the Han Dynasty), Chapter 16, it is said that Nüwa's intestines scattered into ten spirits.
In Liezi (c. 475 - 221 BC), Chapter 5 "Questions of Tang" (traditional Chinese: 卷第五 湯問篇), author Lie Yukou describes Nüwa repairing the original imperfect heaven using five-colored stones, and cutting the legs off a tortoise to use as struts to hold up the sky.
In Songs of Chu (c. 340 - 278 BC), Chapter 3 "Asking Heaven" (simplified Chinese: 问天), author Qu Yuan writes that Nüwa molded figures from the yellow earth, giving them life and the ability to bear children. After demons fought and broke the pillars of the heavens, Nüwa worked unceasingly to repair the damage, melting down the five-coloured stones to mend the heavens.
In Huainanzi (c. 179 - 122 BC), Chapter 6 "Lanmingxun" (traditional Chinese: 覽冥訓), author Liu An tells that in remote antiquity the four poles of the Universe collapsed and the world descended into chaos; the firmament was no longer able to cover everything and the earth was no longer able to support itself; fires burned wild and waters flooded the land; fierce beasts ate common people, and ferocious birds attacked the old and the weak. So Nüwa tempered the five-colored stones to mend the heavens, cut off the feet of the great turtle to support the four poles, killed the black dragon to help the earth, and gathered the ash of reed to stop the flood. (In a variation of this tale, the four corners of the sky collapsed and the world with its nine regions split open.)
Nuwa and Fuxi as depicted from murals of the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD)
In Shuowen Jiezi (c. 58 - 147 AD), China's earliest dictionary, under the entry for Nüwa author Xu Shen describes her as being both the sister and the wife of Fuxi. Nüwa and Fuxi were pictured as having snake like tails interlocked in an Eastern Han Dynasty mural in the Wuliang Temple in Jiaxiang county, Shandong province.
In Duyi Zhi (traditional Chinese: 獨異志; c. 618 - 907 AD), Volume 3, author Li Rong describes in the account "Opening of the Universe"[citation needed] a brother and a sister living on the Kunlun Mountain. The sister's name was Nüwa. The brother and sister wished to become husband and wife but felt shy and guilty about this desire. So the brother took his younger sister to the top of the Kunlun Mountain and prayed, "If the heavens allow us to be man and wife, please let the smoke before us gather. If not, please let the smoke scatter." The smoke before them gathered together; thus Nüwa came to live with her elder brother. She made a fan with grass to hide her face. (The present custom of women covering their faces with fans originated from this story.)[citation needed]
In Yuchuan Ziji (simplified Chinese: 玉川子集 c. 618 - 907 AD), Chapter 3 (traditional Chinese: "與馬異結交詩" 也稱 "女媧本是伏羲婦"; pinyin: "Yu Mayi Jie Jiao Shi" YeCheng "Nüwa ben shi Fuxi fu"), author Lu Tong describes Nüwa as the wife of Fuxi. (Note the late date.)
In Siku Quanshu (simplified Chinese: 四库全书; traditional Chinese: 四庫全書; c. 618 - 907 AD), Sima Zhen provides commentary on the prologue chapter to Sima Qian's Shiji, "Supplemental to the Historic Record: History of the Three August Ones," wherein it is found that the Three August Ones are Nüwa, Fuxi, and Shennong; Fuxi and Nüwa have the same last name, Feng (traditional Chinese: 風). Note: Sima Zhen's commentary is included with the later Siku Quanshu compiled by Ji Yun and Lu Xixiong.
In the collection Four Great Books of Song (c. 960 - 1279 AD), compiled by Li Fang and others, Volume 78 of the book Imperial Readings of the Taiping Era contains a chapter "Customs by Yingshao of the Han Dynasty" in which it is stated that there were no men when the sky and the earth were separated. Thus Nüwa used yellow clay to make people. But the clay was not strong enough so she put ropes into the clay to make the bodies erect. It is also said that she prayed to gods to let her be the goddess of marital affairs. (Variations of this story exist.)
An ancient painting of Nüwa and Fuxi unearthed in Xinjiang.
Since Nüwa is presented differently in so many myths, it is not accurate to tie her down as a creator, mother, or goddess. Depending on the myth, she is responsible for being a wife, sister, man, tribal leader (or even emperor), creator, maintainer, etc. It is not clear from the evidence which view came first. Regardless of the origins, most myths present Nüwa as female in a procreative role after a calamity.
As repairer
The earliest literary role seems to be the upkeep and maintenance of the Wall of Heaven, whose collapse would obliterate everything.
There was a quarrel between two of the more powerful gods, and they decided to settle it with a fight. When the water god, Gong Gong, saw that he was losing, he smashed his head against Mount Buzhou (不周山), a pillar holding up the sky. The pillar collapsed and caused the sky to tilt towards the northwest and the earth to shift to the southeast. This caused great calamities, such as unending fires, vast floods, and the appearance of fierce man-eating beasts. Nüwa cut off the legs of a giant tortoise and used them to supplant the fallen pillar, alleviating the situation and sealing the broken sky using stones of seven different colors, but she was unable to fully correct the tilted sky. This explains the phenomenon that sun, moon, and stars move towards the northwest, and that rivers in China flow southeast into the Pacific Ocean. (this account is similar to the Huainanzi account; it was added as The Upkeep and Maintenance of Heaven[citation needed] )
Other versions of the story describe Nüwa going up to heaven and filling the gap with her body (half human half serpent) and thus stopping the flood.[citation needed] According to this legend some of the minorities in South-Western China hail Nüwa as their goddess and some festivals such as the 'Water-Splashing Festival' are in part a tribute to her sacrifices.
As creator
The next major role of Nüwa is of a creator deity. However, not many stories ascribe to her the creation of everything; they usually confine her to the creation of mankind. It is said[citation needed] that Nüwa existed in the beginning of the world. She felt lonely as there were no animals so she began the creation of animals and humans. On the first day she created chickens. On the second day she created dogs. On the third day she created sheep. On the fourth day she created pigs. On the fifth day she created cows. On the sixth day she created horses. On the seventh day she began creating men from yellow clay, sculpting each one individually, yet after she had created hundreds of figures in this way she still had more to make but had grown tired of the laborious process.
So instead of hand crafting each figure, she dipped a rope in clay and flicked it so blobs of clay landed everywhere; each of these blobs became a common person. Nüwa still laboriously crafted some people out of clay, who became nobles.
As wife or sister
By the Han Dynasty, she is described in literature with her husband Fu Xi as the first of the San Huang, and often called the "parents of humankind". However, paintings depicting them joined as half people - half serpent or dragon date to the Warring States period.
As a Miao goddess
Nüwa and Fuxi are also found under different names as originators of mankind through an act of incest after the Flood in legends and myths of the Miao people.
Paintings of Nüwa, and her consort Fuxi, date to the Warring States period.
Herbert James Allen erroneously translated Tang dynasty historian Sima Zhen's interpolated prologue to the Han dynasty Sima Qian's Shiji. In one of his more serious flaws, Nüwa was described as male even though the Nü (女) in the name means female and the wa (媧) also contains the female radical.
Appearance in Fengshen Yanyi
Nüwa is featured within the famed Ming dynasty novel Fengshen Yanyi. As featured within this novel, Nüwa is very highly respected since the time of the Xia Dynasty for being the daughter of the Jade Emperor; Nüwa is also regularly called the "Snake Goddess". After the Shang Dynasty had been created, Nüwa created the five-colored stones to protect the dynasty with occasional seasonal rains and other enhancing qualities. Thus in time, Shang Rong asked King Zhou of Shang to pay her a visit as a sign of deep respect. After King Zhou was completely overcome with lust at the very sight of the beautiful ancient goddess Nüwa (who had been sitting behind a light curtain), he would write a small poem on a neighboring wall and take his leave. When Nüwa later returned to her temple after visiting the Yellow Emperor, Nüwa would see the foulness of King Zhou's words. In her anger, she swore that the Shang Dynasty will end in payment for his foulness. In her rage, Nüwa would personally ascend to the palace in an attempt to kill the king, but was suddenly struck back by two large beams of red light.
After Nüwa realized that King Zhou was already destined to rule the kingdom for twenty-six more years, Nüwa would summon her three subordinates—the Thousand-Year Vixen (later becoming Daji), the Jade Pipa, and the Nine-Headed Pheasant. With these words, Nüwa would bring destined chaos to the Shang Dynasty, "The luck Cheng Tang won six hundred years ago is dimming. I speak to you of a new mandate of heaven which sets the destiny for all. You three are to enter King Zhou's palace, where you are to bewitch him. Whatever you do, do not harm anyone else. If you do my bidding, and do it well, you will be permitted to reincarnate as human beings." Thus, with these words, Nüwa would never be heard of again, but would still be a major indirect factor towards the Shang Dynasty's fall.
Chinese mythology in popular culture
Allan, Sarah (1991), The shape of the turtle: myth, art, and cosmos in early China, SUNY series in Chinese philosophy and culture, SUNY Press, ISBN 0791404609, http://books.google.com/books?id=QlEZd4x9LUAC
* Ancient Myths: Nüwa makes men and mends the sky
Chinese goddesses
Creation myths
Creator goddesses
Mother goddesses
Mythological queens
Fritz X
Nüwa — repara el cielo, en el Clásico de las Montañas y los Mares (山海经; shānhǎijing) de la Dinastía Qing. Nüwa (Chino Tradicional: 女媧; Chino Simplificado: 女娲; Pinyin: nǚwā) es un ser (normalmente una mujer) de la mitología china que suele formar parte… … Wikipedia Español
Nuwa — répare le ciel ; édition Qing du Shanhaijing Nuwa (c.t. : 女媧 c.s. : 女娲 pinyin : nǚwā), est un personnage de la mythologie chinoise dont l'origine remonte à l'antiquité. Déesse créatrice, elle a façonné les premiers hommes avec … Wikipédia en Français
Nüwa — Nuwa Nuwa répare le ciel ; édition Qing du Shanhaijing Nuwa (c.t. : 女媧 c.s. : 女娲 pinyin : nǚwā), est un personnage de la mythologie chinoise dont l'origine remonte à l'antiquité. Déesse créatrice, elle a façonné les premiers… … Wikipédia en Français
Nüwa — (mit Zirkel) und Fuxi mit Winkelmaß Nüwa (chinesisch 女媧 / 女娲 Nǚwā), auch Nü Wa oder Nü Gua, ist in der frühchinesischen Mythologie nach der Erschaffung der Welt die Schöpfergöttin des Menschen … Deutsch Wikipedia
Nuwa — or NUWA may refer to: Nüwa, a Chinese creator goddess. 150 Nuwa, an asteroid. National Workers Union of Afghanistan. Nuwa (comics), Marvel Comics character. This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an … Wikipedia
Nuwa — ist der Name eines Asteroids, siehe (150) Nuwa einer Gestalt in der chinesischen Mythologie, siehe Nüwa Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer mit demselben Wort bezeichneter Begriffe … Deutsch Wikipedia
Nuwa (comics) — Nuwa Publication information Publisher Marvel Comics First ap … Wikipedia
Nuwa (Asteroid) — Asteroid (150) Nuwa Eigenschaften des Orbits Orbittyp Hauptgürtel Große Halbachse 2,979 AE Exzentrizität 0,131 … Deutsch Wikipedia
(150) Nuwa — Nuwa Descubrimiento Descubridor James Craig Watson Fecha 18 de octubre de 1875 Elementos orbitales … Wikipedia Español
(150) Nuwa — Nuwa. Asteroide nº 150 de la serie, descubierto el 18 de octubre de 1875 desde Ann Arbor por James Craig Watson (1838 80). Nombrado por un personaje de la mitología china, la diosa Nüwa (en chino tradicional: 女媧 en chino simplificado: 女娲 Pinyin:… … Enciclopedia Universal


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The experiences in three Chesapeake Bay states—Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia—which enacted mandatory nutrient management plan regulations in the late 1990s, provide important lessons for all six Bay states as they choose strategies to meet the new Bay water quality goals for nitrogen and phosphorus. A series of fish kills on the eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay in 1997 that drain the Delmarva Peninsula were linked to agricultural sources of nutrient pollution, specifically poultry manure. The fish kills were associated with Pfiesteria piscicida, a toxic microorganism which caused skin lesions on fish and health problems for fisherman and scientists studying the problem. Though the Pfiesteria diagnosis remains controversial to this day, the fish kills became a focusing event for the on-going and long-time plight of the Bay and prompted sufficient concern for all three states to augment their voluntary approaches to agricultural environmental management with new regulatory mechanisms.
All three states required farmers to obtain and follow field-specific nutrient management plans that "optimized crop yield by minimizing environmental losses of nutrients." Plans prescribed the rate, form, timing and method of application of commercial fertilizer and manure sources of nitrogen and phosphorus. In addition, the states decided to officially lower their university recommendations for poultry manure application rates from a nitrogen-based rate to a phosphorus-based rate to address the build-up of excess soil phosphorus in cropland in poultry production areas.
This article provides highlights from research (Perez, 2010) examining the Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia initiatives based on interviews with 60 farmers and over 60 policy stakeholders in the three states and other data. It examines the results of these initiatives according to two compliance criteria, administrative compliance and adherence compliance. The former is concerned with whether farmers obtained the required plans and filed the required annual implementation reports. The latter is concerned with whether farmers are following the application rates in their plans and implementing nutrient management practices. In addition, the article explores how implementation issues related to the policy processes in each state affected the outcomes.
Maryland responded first to the fish kills. Its policymaking approach to regulating farmers was contentious. Under the leadership of a high-profile governor who was recognized as an environmental "policy entrepreneur," Maryland debated the causes of the fish kills and the possible policy responses under national news coverage. The media spotlight exacerbated the belief by farmers and farm trade associations that they were wrongfully attacked for causing the fish kills. They reported feeling alienated from the policymaking process and believed they had less influence than the environmental stakeholders. Maryland chose a very aggressive implementation schedule requiring almost all farmers to have a plan within three years of the law despite a shortage of State-certified individuals to prepare the plans and not having finalized their new policy on phosphorus management or the computer model used to calculate the plan recommendations. Maryland also required the poultry integrator companies such as Tyson and Perdue to add an enzyme, phytase, to their chicken feed to lower the phosphorus content of the poultry manure and to pay for 50% of the cost-share to transport excess manure off of farms.
In contrast, Virginia's business-oriented governor took a "go slow" approach, preferring to see if the fish kills would occur near the Western Shore of the Bay closer to the Virginia mainland, and to conduct their own medical analysis of the humans affected by the event. Despite leadership from a member of the state General Assembly who argued that a comprehensive regulatory response was warranted given that poor Bay water quality continued to cause harm to his seafood industry constituents, the Virginia General Assembly disagreed that regulating all farmers was necessary. Instead, Virginia chose to regulate only poultry growers—as the largest dairy and beef industries were already regulated. Crop and grazing lands were untouched. But because most poultry growers did not grow crops, Virginia provided very little cost-share to help farmers obtain a nutrient management plan nor did they establish a manure transport program as most of the manure was already moving from poultry farms to crop-only farms. In the end, environmental stakeholders in the state complained that the agricultural industry had the upper hand in the policy-making process. This resulted in a law that in effect, required very few farmers to make behavior changes that would result in significant nutrient reductions.
Because Delaware has no Bay frontage, the State waited to see how Maryland and Virginia would respond to the fish kills. Delaware's governor reached out to leaders in the agricultural community and asked them to discuss options for policy responses. They concluded that a comprehensive regulatory response was necessary by the state legislature but that a quasi-governmental commission comprised mainly of farmers be created to write, implement, and enforce the regulations. Thus, Delaware was highly inclusive of farmers and their farm trade association representatives in the policymaking process, to the point where they were seen by some as dominating the process. Delaware's policy deliberations largely occurred outside the media glare and behind closed doors. Delaware chose a very slow implementation schedule allowing farmers to come in voluntarily to obtain a plan within three years after the law or be called to comply in groups of 20% of the farming population over five years after the initial voluntary period. Though virtually all farmers were regulated, similar to Maryland, Delaware opted for a simpler and more straightforward phosphorus policy—a 3-year crop removal rate—which does not require field-specific measurements like Maryland's Phosphorus Site Index approach. Delaware provided farmers with cost-share funds to hire certified private sector planners if they chose to do so and established a publically funded manure transport program.
Farmers in Maryland and Delaware reacted very differently to their state's regulations. While all Maryland farmers were required to develop a nutrient management plan by the first deadline in 2001, only 30% did so. In contrast, only 20% of Delaware farmers were required to obtain a plan by the state's first deadline in 2003, but over 40% of the eligible acres did so. Thus, while most Maryland farmers were "digging in their heels" according to many interviewed policy stakeholders and farmers, Delaware farmers were coming in early.
By 2008, however, the story changed. After years of sending warning letters and levying small fines to farmers who had not obtained a nutrient management plan, Maryland was able to gain virtually total compliance with farmers obtaining a plan and filing short, two-page Annual Implementation Reports. In contrast only 70% of the eligible acres required to come into compliance in Delaware had done so in the fifth and final year of implementation of the Delaware law. In addition, less than 40% of the expected Annual Reports have been submitted. In both instances, the Delaware Commission has made little effort to compel noncompliant farmers into compliance and only a "handful" of fines were levied. Thus, Delaware's seemingly more farmer-friendly approach did not achieve the same level of compliance over the longer term as Maryland's stricter approach.
Virginia's administrative compliance story is uneventful as virtually all poultry growers were in compliance by the law's 2001 deadline. Part of the ease of gaining near complete compliance was the fact that most growers didn't need to have a nutrient management plan written for them as they were not growing crops but only needed a manure transfer plan indicating which crop farmer was receiving his/her poultry manure.
In addition to the differences in administrative compliance statistics between states which can be attributed to the different state policy making styles and regulatory choices, there were also differences in farmer attitudes about their plans and their state regulations. The majority of regulated Maryland and Virginia farmers interviewed were critical of required nutrient management plans, believing they were too strict and that they would reduce yields. In contrast, the majority of Delaware farmers reported the opposite feelings; that they would be satisfied if they followed their plan; that their recommendations were not too conservative and the regulations were not too strict. It is uncertain whether farmers in Delaware have plans that are significantly different from farmers in Maryland and Virginia which may account for the different views on the plans by each group of farmers.
Despite objections to the requirement for a nutrient management plan, many farmers across all three states indicated they have improved various aspects of their nutrient management behavior since the regulations were enacted. Among the most important improvements reported by farmers are: a) reduced purchases of commercial phosphorus fertilizer, b) reduced nitrogen concentrations in their purchased fertilizer mixes, c) reduced poultry manure application rates, and d) increased use of soil nutrient and manure nutrient testing. Even the Virginia crop farmers who use poultry manure but are not required to implement a nutrient management plan said that they have "a greater awareness of nutrient management" because of the laws applied to their poultry grower neighbors.
However, many basic nutrient management practices that have been encouraged for decades by each state's University Extension Service and federal Conservation Districts are still not being used by a majority of the farmers. These include: a) not taking residual nitrogen credits for previous legume crops or applied manure; b) not implementing a riparian set-back from ditches or streams when driving manure spreaders—resulting in manure deposition into waterbodies; c) disposing of manure during winter months when no crops can absorb the nutrients, making them subject to significant environmental losses; and d) not calibrating manure spreaders at least annually.
In addition, most farmers disagreed with the scientific consensus that "agriculture is the largest source of nitrogen and phosphorus loads to the Chesapeake Bay." Previous research has found that farmers have to believe that a problem exists before they accept that best management practices are justified and are willing to take action (Ribaudo and Horan, 1999).
Each state experienced difficulty during on-farm inspections in detecting adherence with the nutrient management plans and resorted to using mathematical calculations based on fertilizer receipts and manure transport counts to determine compliance. Virginia committed to inspect all regulated poultry growers, and on average they accomplished a 90% inspection rate and about an 80% compliance rate. Both Maryland and Delaware set a 10% inspection goal and both fell short, Maryland inspected about 8% of regulated farms per year and Delaware inspected only two percent. Delaware found that about 80% of the inspected farms were in compliance while Maryland found that only about 65% were. The majority of the noncompliance was attributed to having an outdated plan which indicated that a third of the inspected farmers were not valuing their plan sufficiently to update it.
Finally, there is some concern about evasion of the law. During my interviews, about 15% of farmers in all three states happened to use the same three private crop consultants who are certified by the states to write nutrient management plans. These farmers and one of the crop consultants described several ways they are actively evading their state laws. For example, several farmers told me they are keeping "double books"—one nutrient management plan to show inspectors and one plan to use themselves. Other farmers said they were setting their crop yields higher than their average yields in order to justify higher nutrient application rates and several farmers said they knew they were applying higher manure rates than they should be. This anecdotal evidence for the ease of noncompliance with a mandatory plan underscores the herculean challenge before state policy makers. Given the nonpoint source nature of nutrient pollution, the challenge of detecting and attributing nutrient pollution to individual farm fields and farmers, the challenge of determining the validity of a plan, and the challenge of detecting adherence with a valid plan, the only way for governments to ensure with some certainty that farmers are following their plans is if farmers believe it is in their best economic interest to do so.
What does this mean for the Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)?
As the EPA and the six Bay states grapple with how to accomplish the new TMDL cap on nutrient and sediment pollution to the Bay, which will likely involve even more intensive management and edge-of-field practices by the agricultural sector, several policy recommendations for the Bay States can be drawn from these experiences.
First, states should better understand the top reasons why some farmers do not follow university-standard nutrient management plans, including: a) poor acceptance of the links between agricultural activities and water quality problems, b) disagreement over the approach to setting yield goals: optimizing versus maximizing, c) disagreement over the Maintenance versus Sufficiency nutrient application philosophies, and d) poor acceptance of crop and soil nutrient science concepts—such as soil phosphorus concentrations and soluble phosphorus.
Given that the majority of farmers across all three states indicated that they were "interested in receiving more educational materials about nutrient management-related topics" and that they "believe that protecting the environment is part of what it means to be a farmer," there is an opportunity to address perspectives that result in unintentional nutrient losses from agricultural production. A better understanding of their contribution to water quality problems in the Bay may make farmers more willing to be active collaborators in the Bay clean-up process.
In order to encourage adoption of nutrient management practices and to facilitate compliance, state university scientists and economists should collaborate with Soil Conservation District personnel, state regulatory agencies and other appropriate parties such as farmer peer-to-peer exchange networks to confirm whether the aforementioned problems are those hindering compliance with nutrient management plans or adopting good practices. Then, these stakeholders should develop unprecedented, specifically tailored education campaigns, including economic analysis that shows the savings and costs from adhering to university recommendations and other good practices. Policy stakeholders should consider coupling these tailored outreach campaigns with focused financial assistance to help improve farmer nutrient management behaviors.
Second, since over a decade has passed since the laws were enacted, it is time for states to evaluate if their approaches for gaining farmer compliance are effective. All three states should consider more frequent and effective farm inspections and significant fines to make noncompliance more costly than compliance.
Third, states should recognize that since the solutions to nonpoint source agricultural pollution largely involve behavioral changes rather than "end-of-pipe" technology solutions, states should focus on gaining buy-in from farmers for the new level of environmental management needed to achieve the new clean water goals. Note that such a collaborative process could be voluntary or regulatory in nature. However, states have to balance the goal of gaining buy-in from farmers and farm associations with the goal of achieving the new level of environmental management needed to meet the new clean-up goals.
Fourth, regardless of whether new regulatory options or new tailored outreach and voluntary programs are considered, states should opt for achieving changes that will have a major environmental impact, as was the case with requiring the addition of phytase to chicken diets. In addition,states should attempt to disaggregate the new Bay nutrient pollution reduction goals into smaller goals achievable at a watershed-scale for groups of farmers to accomplish and even at farm or field scales for individual farmers.
Fifth, if a regulatory approach is chosen, states should opt for easily monitored and verifiable practices to reduce the uncertainty of detecting compliance during on-farm inspections.
Sixth, financial assistance to implement regulations will likely be critically important to fully implement new rules. However, given the current budget crisis, states should prioritize cost-share funds for activities that are the most cost-effective.
Finally, whatever new policy approaches states engage in to meet the new clean water goals, states should establish realistic implementation schedules that reflect government and private sector capacity to deploy the new programs.
Ribaudo, M.O., and Horan, R.D. (1999). The role of education in non-point source pollution control policy. Review of Agricultural Economics, 31(2), 331-343.
Michelle Perez (mperez@wri.org) is Senior Associate, World Resources Institute, Washington D.C.


text:
Love Me Actually
Reality 2019 Viki
Available on Viki
Up until now, there has not been a club like this one. The Love Me Actually club is a unique gathering of five, charming, single men, still in their quest of finding that genuine love. The five men meet other single women that join the club voluntarily to escape their dull and jaded lives. The club takes them to different destinations all over the country and gives them a chance to get to know each other. And who knows, maybe exploring new places might unknowingly spark that love they all desire. The five eligible bachelors consist of the comic Heo Kyeong Hwan, the business savvy entrepreneur Park Sung Kwang, the rapper from INFINITE Dong Woo, the irresistible smiley Yang Se Chan, and the youngest of them all, the up-and-coming star actor Kim Min Gue. Join them and the hosts in this real romance variety show and experience the endless laughter, the awkwardness, and the affection each one of them has to offer. Maybe you should volunteer to join. Who will be the one to make your heart flutter?
The five charming men meet each other for the first time, and later, get to meet their four very engaging female members of the club. Their first impressions get off to an awkward, nail-biting start, but each gets their chance to introduce themselves. Two weeks later, they meet up in two separate groups and head to their first destination, a beautiful condo in Daesung-ri! Watch to see which couples form, and who seems to be the odd man out!
1 hr 46 min Mar 12, 2019
The members play an intense game to decide who will cook dinner. As the first night of the trip deepens, the members get closer and slowly start to express their hearts. The female members cast their vote for the Bachelor King. The Bachelor King gets to choose a female member to go on a 1-on-1 date. Who will be the first Bachelor King? Stay tuned to find out!
It's the last day of the members' first trip. They start off the day with Partner Dodgeball. They then get a mission to take couple photos with their partners. The couple with the best photo gets a chance to get on a hot-air balloon by themselves. By the end of the trip, the members seem to have gotten a lot closer to each other. Stay tuned for the last day in Daesung-ri!
The members head to Jeju Island for their second trip. They head to the beach and have a sprint race. The male and female winners each get a wish card. At night, Min Gue's wish from the first trip is granted. They head to a spooky house to find different items in pairs. The members are a lot more expressive with their feelings than the first trip. Stay tuned for this week's episode!
The three pairs get a chance to make chocolate together. While Min Gue and Ji An, Sung Kwang and Seon Yeong seem to be enjoying a double date, Kyeong Hwan seems to be distant with Se On. After Yoon Mi and Se Chan come back from the peak, the members enjoy an exciting buggy ride and a fantastic dinner. Before the last night on Jeju Island passes, the members play the Truth Game to find out each other's hearts. Stay tuned!
It's the last day on Jeju Island and the second Bachelor King is revealed. As the second trip nears the end, the members try their best to express their feelings to each other. The members with the wish cards finally make their move. After the second trip, the club members go through unexpected changes. Two new members appear on their third trip. Stay tuned to find out who they are!


text:
SAS New Experience
Photo: The Whitby Hotel
New York's top hotels for design lovers
If you want to stay on trend in New York, make sure to book a room at one of these ultra-hip design hotels.
There is something magical about New York City. The city positively vibrates with creative energy and frenetic activity at every hour of the day and night.
Apart from being home to some of the best shopping, food and cocktails in the world, New York also offers a spectacular array of unique, avant-garde and quirky accommodation options – from the minimalist urban-chic boltholes to opulent art-deco retreats and edgy post-industrial hideaways.
There is something for every design taste in New York, stretching from the Upper East Side to Brooklyn, and everything in between:
Old-world opulence
Situated on the ultra-elegant Upper East Side, The Lowell is one of New York's chicest boutique hotels. Designed by renowned interior designer Michael Smith, the space is stylish and luxurious, packed with bespoke artworks and massive displays of fresh flowers. The Lowell is a great choice for guests who value the impeccable service and discretion of a top five-star hotel. Rooms are individually decorated with sumptuous furnishings, while common areas boast an eclectic collection of works by a notable artists – from 18th-century prints, to 19th-century sculptures and 20th-century photography. Last but certainly not least, chic Marjorelle restaurant serves up some of the finest Moroccan-inspired French cuisine money can buy.
The Lowell Hotel
lowellhotel.com
28 East 63rd Street, New York
Foto: The Whitby Hotel
Contemporary art and comfort
Designed and owned by British husband-wife duo Tim and Kit Kemp of Firmdale Hotels, The Whitby describes itself as "a celebration of contemporary art and design", featuring 86 individually designed bedrooms and suites, a leafy terrace, a book-lined drawing room and a gorgeous orangery. The elegant property is full of fun, quirky pieces of modern art including a colorful piece by Joe Tilson called Proof and 40 illuminated porcelain pots by Martha Freud, each etched with a New York landmark.
The Whitby Hotel
firmdalehotels.com/hotels/new-york/the-whitby-hotel/
Rummet "Deluxe Room" på The New York EDITION. Foto: The New York EDITION
Sophisticated minimalism
EDITION hotels are known for delivering outstanding comfort, unpretentious and unobtrusive service, and understated, but sophisticated, design. The New York EDITION is no exception. Situated on Madison Square Park, steps away from the Flatiron building, it invites guests to explore New York at their own pace. Design is characteristically minimalist, punctuated with some standout pieces: furniture by the likes of Christian Liaigre and Alvaro Aalto, the spiral staircase for which EDITION hotels are famous. Throughout the hotel, a series of striking black-and-white photographs adorn the walls – some depict classic New York City scenes, while others are from Melvin Sokolsky's iconic 1963 "Bubble" series.
marriott.com/hotels/travel/nyceb-the-new-york-edition
Photo: Soho House Manhattan
Post-industrial flair
One of the world's most elite private members' clubs is renowned not only for its extensive roster of celebrity guests, but also for its era-defining design. The 23 houses around the world all reflect the unique characteristics of their location, while sharing certain common features: lavish textiles, meticulously curated furniture and art, and some of the most stunning rooftop terraces known to man. Located in a former warehouse in the Meatpacking District, Soho House Manhattan is the epitome of contemporary post-industrial chic, with 30 uniquely decorated rooms featuring hardwood floors, exposed brickwork and carved-wood beds, combined with 300 thread count cotton sheets, rainfall showers and plush velvet armchairs.
Soho House Manhattan
29-35 9th Avenue, Manhattan
sohohouseny.com
Photo: citizenM New York Bowery
Compact practicality
Compact hotels are all the rage in New York, a city where the square-meter cost of accommodation can be daunting for the average traveler. A compact hotel does exactly what it says on the tin – delivering no-frills functionality and comfort in a condensed format. citizenM New York Bowery has got the concept down to a tee – combining vibrant common spaces, including a cool 24-hour café and buzzy rooftop bar, with clean, colorful and marvelously practical rooms with barely enough room to swing a cat. The hotel is also a street art museum, featuring local graffiti artists on every floor of its interior stairwell.
citizenM New York Bowery
189 Bowery, New York
citizenm.com/destinations/new-york/new-york-bowery-hotel
Rustic industrialism
Gentrification – or the progress of transforming a neighborhood to make it less edgy and more middle class – is a word that gets bandied about a lot these days. No New York neighborhood characterizes it more profoundly than Williamsburg, a former gritty, crime-heavy industrial district turned hipster haven. Experience this evolution first hand at the Wythe Hotel – a disused factory from 1901 converted into an ultra-trendy, industrial-chic boutique hotel. The hotel takes its legacy seriously - working hard to support and highlight the local creative community: common spaces are packed with specially commissioned street art and bespoke design pieces, while every room features original artwork from a local Brooklyn artist.
The Wythe
80 Wythe Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Contemporary elegance
You can't throw a stone on Williamburg's Wythe Avenue these days without hitting a luxury hotel but, of all the upscale properties on this now-fashionable strip, none can rival The Williamsburg in the chic stakes. Designed by Michaelis Boyd, the London-based architects behind Soho House Berlin and London's Groucho Club, the design combines hardwood floor and exposed brickwork with textured velvet armchairs and bursts of color to create a distinctly contemporary vibe. The crowning glory is the achingly hip rooftop terrace and pool, which is undoubtedly the place to see and be seen on New York summer afternoons.
The Williamsburg
thewilliamsburghotel.com
Isabelle Kliger
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Clara Stanton Jones, ABLS '38
First African-American and first woman to head a major metropolitan library, the Detroit Public Library, and first African-American to serve as President of the American Library Association. Alumna in residence 1971.
Martha Boaz, PhD '55
First woman to earn a PhD in library science at U-M. Longest serving dean, USC School of Library Science (1955-1978). Alumna in residence 1971.
Erik J Spicer, AMLS '59
Youngest person to hold the position of Parliamentary Librarian of Canada (1960-1994). The first professionally trained Parliamentary Librarian to hold that position and Canada's longest-serving deputy minister. Distinguished Alumnus in Residence, 1979.
Dudley Randall, AMLS '51
Founder of Broadside Press and the 1981 Detroit Poet Laureate. Distinguished Alumni Award 1987.
Kenlee Ray, AMLS '68
First Law Librarian of the World Bank. Distinguished Alumni Award 2008, External Advisory Board member.
Nancy Gwinn, AMLS '69
Director of the Smithsonian Libraries, the world's largest museum library system (1997-2020). Alumna in Residence 1972.
Ruth Person, PhD '80
First woman Chancellor of the University of Michigan - Flint (2008-2014). Distinguished Alumni Award, 2006.
Elaine Didier, AMLS 1971, PhD '82
Director, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum (2005-present). Distinguished Alumni Award 2010.
Valeda Dent, MILS '92
Acting Provost, Vice President, Hunter College, New York (2020-present). Co-founder of the Rural Village Libraries Research Network (Africa). Distinguished Alumni Award 2013.
Michelle Light, MSI '99
Director of Special Collections, Library of Congress (2019-2021). Distinguished Alumni Award 2014.
Dr. Paul Poon, PhD '82
University of Macau University Librarian (2004-2018); City University of Hong Kong University Librarian (1984-2004). Distinguished Alumni Award 2015.
Loretta Parham, AMLS '77
CEO and Library Director, Robert W. Woodruff Library of the Atlanta University Center (2005-present). Distinguished Alumni Award 2016.
Nancy Pearl, AMLS '67
"America's Librarian." Executive Director of Washington Center for the Book, Seattle Public Library (1993-2004); Library Journal Librarian of the Year 2011. Distinguished Alumni Award 2017.
Lisa Carter, MLIS '94
Vice Provost for Libraries and University Librarian, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Distinguished Alumni Award 2020.
Aalap Doshi, MSI '09
Director of Design & Innovation, Michigan Medicine (2019-present). Rising Alumni Award 2020.
Nate Oostendorp, MSI '09
Co-founder of Sight Machine and Slashdot.org. Entrepreneurial and Innovation Award 2013.
Emily Puckett Rodgers, MSI '10
Space Design and Assessment Librarian, U-M Library. Library Journal Mover and Shaker 2013. Entrepreneurial and Innovation Award 2014.
Sameer Halai
Co-Founder and CEO, WeHealth and Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer, Jirav. Entrepreneurial and Innovation award 2015.
Louis B. Rosenfeld, MILS '90
Co-author of Information Architecture for the World Wide Web; "Father of Information Architecture." Founder and publisher of Rosenfeld Media. Alumni Achievement Award 2008.
John F. Szabo, MILS '92
City Librarian, Los Angeles Public Library (2012-present). Alumni Achievement Award 2010.
Peter Morville, MILS '93
Co-author of Information Architecture for the World Wide Web; "Father of Information Architecture." Founder and president of Semantic Studios. UMSI Alumni Achievement Award 2008; UMSI Entrepreneurial and Innovation award 2016.
Josie Parker, MILS '96
Director, Ann Arbor District Library (2002-2022). UMSI Early Achievement Alumni Award 2008.
Clara Stanton Jones
Martha Boaz
Erik J Spicer
Dudley Randall
Kenlee Ray
Nancy Gwinn
Ruth Person
Elaine Didier
Valeda Dent
Michelle Light
Dr. Paul Poon
Loretta Parham
Nancy Pearl
Aalap Doshi
Nate Oostendorp
Emily Puckett Rodgers
Louis B. Rosenfeld
John F. Szabo
Peter Morville
Josie Parker


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Data Record
Heit el-Ghurab
GIV (Area)
Main Observation
Descriptions (2)
Descriptive Variable
Value(s)
Area Name Gallery Set IV
Description and Bibliography
The so-called galleries, or "barracks," form the core of the Heit el-Ghurab site. They are enclosed to the west by a large stone wall, and to the north by a monumental structure known today as the Wall of the Crow (Heit el-Ghurab in Arabic). There is an entrance in the western enclosure wall. Four sets of galleries were fully revealed during the major "millennium project,"20 each with 9–12 individual gallery buildings (numbered west-east). Most of the area has only been investigated minimally. The overall "footprint" plan was revealed by removal of the overburden layers, and a few small interventions were conducted, but Gallery Set III Buildings 3 and 4 (GIII.3, GIII.4) have been excavated along their full length.21 Three "streets" run east-west: North Street runs between Gallery Set I and Gallery Set II; Main Street runs between Gallery Set II and Gallery Set III, terminating in the east in area MSE (see below); and South Street runs between Gallery Set IV and the South Street magazines. At the west end of each street there is a "gatehouse" (see NSGH, MSGH, and SSGH below).
Generally speaking, all of the galleries appear to have been set out following a uniform plan, even if the entrances are located in different places. Excavations in Gallery III.3 and III.4 revealed a set of smaller rooms in the south end that were apparently used for food preparation, cooking, and some small craft jobs such as (possibly) copper tool repairs, but the majority of the space in each gallery building is open, with evidence for columns (probably wooden) running along the center. In both Gallery III.3 and III.4 there was a raised bed platform near the northern door, possibly for an overseer or guard.
One hypothesis is that these spaces were used as a communal sleeping space for crews or work "gangs" of men. The identity of these crews is unknown, but over the years we have postulated that they may have been workers involved in pyramid construction, or expedition crews on their way north out of Egypt, or those crews involved in shipping goods and materials to the construction site from elsewhere in Egypt.
Gallery Set I (to the north) was heavily damaged by repeated flooding events, and during the Late Period a major cemetery grew up in this area, south of the Wall of the Crow. The full east-west extent of Gallery Set II is known but at present there has been no focused investigation other than in the far east end in the Manor (see below). Gallery Set III is the best known, due to the fact that two of the buildings, Gallery III.3 and Gallery III.4, have both been fully excavated, and in its east end the so-called Hypostyle Hall (as well as a set of small buildings between the Hypostyle Hall and Gallery Set III) have also been investigated (HH, see below). Gallery Set IV is also known only from the "footprint" plan, with the exception of the bakeries on the east end (see above, Area A7-B).
20M. Lehner, 'Interim Report from the Field: A Royal Plan Emerges', AERAgram, 3.2 (2000), 1 & 6–10; M. Lehner, 'The First Year of the Millennium Project: Unveiling a Royal Plan', AERAgram, 4.1 (2000), 1–2 & 6–7; M. Lehner, 'Great Giza Galleries! Year Two of Millennium Project', AERAgram, 4.2 (2001), 1–2 & 6–7; 'The Gift That Worked: The Millennium Project', ed. by W. Wetterstrom, AERAgram, 6.1 (2002), 1–2.
21Abd el-Aziz in Giza Reports. The Giza Plateau Mapping Project. Volume 1. Project History, Survey, Ceramics and Main Street and Gallery III.4 Operations, ed. by M. Lehner and W. Wetterstrom (Boston: Ancient Egypt Research Associates, 2007), pp. 193–234; For botany see Murray in Lehner and Wetterstrom, Giza Reports. The Giza Plateau Mapping Project. Volume 1. Project History, Survey, Ceramics and Main Street and Gallery III.4 Operations, pp. 257–58; 'A Gallery Unveiled', ed. by W. Wetterstrom, AERAgram, 6.1 (2002), 4–5; 'The Gallery Complex Gives Up Some Of Its Secrets', ed. by W. Wetterstrom, AERAgram, 16.1 (2015), 12–16.
Property or Relation
[Standard: Dublin Core Terms] Old Kingdom
[Standard: UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology]
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Claire Malleson, Rebekah Miracle. "GIV from Egypt/Giza/Heit el-Ghurab". (2018) In Giza Botanical Database. Claire Malleson, Rebekah Miracle (Eds.) . Released: 2018-10-22. Open Context. <http://opencontext.org/subjects/533988be-8abd-471b-963c-1da5d92064ca>
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More vintage lace of which I do not know the date. I love these little triangles. The sides are approximately 5″ long and the top is a little over 7 inches wide. The design is nice for filet crochet, except the finished piece would be huge, unless really small thread and hook were used. It is hard to get open squares that small though. Maybe cross stitch would be better. Anyway these lace corners are special. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to get fine laces like these nowadays?
This entry was posted on Monday, March 9th, 2009 at 3:50 pm and is filed under Lace and Vintage. Tagged: Lace, Vintage. You can feed this entry. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


Imagine eighty-year old Moses, tending sheep on a mountainside, just as he had for the previous 14,600 days (forty years)—give or take a few. He had absolutely no reason to think this day would be different from the thousands before.
"I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt, and I have heard them crying out because of the slave drivers. I know how much they're suffering. I have come to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and to bring them from that land to a good land with plenty of room [for everyone]. It is a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:7-8, GWT).
According to Acts 7:6, God's people had endured slavery for four hundred years. That's 146,000 days—give or take a few. God saw their misery, heard them crying out, and was concerned about their suffering.
So why would God wait so long? Think of the generations who prayed for deliverance and the answer did not come.
They never knew. Even now, although Bible scholars have speculated, we have no definitive answer. God chose not to tell them/us.
But the experience of the ancient Israelites, as well as those of countless others through the centuries, prove: even in the Christian life, questions go unanswered, uncertainty can become a constant companion, and doubts linger in the shadows.
What's to be done when the answers don't come?
1. Reaffirm what we know to be true.
God has good reason to be silent or he wouldn't do it. Whether he ever reveals the reason(s) is up to his discretion. But one reason is certain: If he answered every request immediately, we'd become very spoiled and never develop our faith. And faith is very important to him (Hebrews 11:6). Our trust in his always-perfect capabilities is to our benefit.
Consider that at this very moment you are traveling 67,000 miles per hour. (And you thought you were sitting still!) The whole planet is orbiting the sun at that mind-boggling speed. Just as we forget we're flying through space, so we sometimes forget that God is moving, always working on our behalf (Romans 8:28)—even when there's no evidence of the fact.
"His silence is the sign that he is bringing us into an even more wonderful understanding of himself" – Oswald Chambers.* In the silence we seek him with more diligence.
I have unconfessed sin in my life.
He's given me direction but I have yet to follow. He's waiting for me to cooperate.
I'm trying to work things out on my own, creating such a racket of busy-ness I can't hear his gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:12).
He's growing my faith (Isaiah 50:10) and building my character (James 1:2-4) to make me more useful for his purpose. Fulfilling his purpose will satisfy my soul also, on a level unknown to me now (Luke 6:38).
He's accomplishing a purpose only he knows about at present.
Rely on scriptural fact, not emotions. God is loving, faithful, and present with us. He never overlooks a child, and will see us through whatever he deems best (Psalm 145:8, 13, 18, 20 and Psalm 23:4).
Take encouragement from Bible promises, even pray them back to God. But hold onto them with a light grasp because we are subject to God's plan for fulfillment and his timetable. Good thing, too. He is the all-wise One in total, proficient control of everything.
Even as I wait in the silence for your intervention, Lord God, I praise you for your sovereignty and affirm: you know the best way and the best time to fulfill your plan. I thank you for your strength that empowers me to persevere, and the assurance of ultimate victory in the end as I rely upon you.
Is there a scripture, quote, or thought you find helpful when the answers don't come? Please share in the comment section below!
*My Utmost for His Highest, Dodd, Mead, & Co., 1966, p. 285.
Some years ago I started keeping prayer cards instead of a prayer list. A 3x 5 gives plenty of room to record updates and answers. Another benefit: It's easy to rotate through the stack, praying for six to ten people/organizations per day.
One card in the stack trips me up. At the top is written the name of "a difficult person." He's arrogant, dishonest, and unreliable.
So I finally did some reading on the subject of difficult people, to find out how to pray for such individuals. Below are several suggestions I found helpful. If you have challenging folks in your life, perhaps you'll find these thoughts useful also.
Open the heart of this person to the error(s) of his ways.
Reveal the truth of the gospel to him—that Jesus is the only Way to salvation.
Grant the person self-awareness so he'll see how his choices and behavior negatively impact others.
Curtail his influence so that innocent people might be protected.
Bring godly people into his sphere, to exemplify the God-enhanced life.
Cause circumstances that draw his attention to God.
Reveal the difference to him between godly wisdom and human foolishness.
He is sovereign over all—even difficult people.
He can cause positive outcomes—in spite of erroneous judgments.
"Mistakes" on their part can actually produce God-ordained benefits.
it's easy to lose sight of my own sinfulness.
I have not lived free of pride, dishonesty or unreliability either.
I fall short of your desires for me.
to become a better version of myself.
it is with deep humility I pray for Mr. X.
I am no better than he is.
and the reality of salvation through your Son, Jesus.
I pray Mr. X will seek the Light of your wisdom to guide his way.
and reveal to him the full, true consequences of his behavior.
Guide him to change course to your ways.
to draw him to you.
and using that sovereign power to curtail his influence.
to produce positive outcomes even through difficult people.
The story of Joseph is one example.
can actually produce just and righteous benefits.
*Ralph Sockman,The Higher Happiness, Pierce & Smith, 1950, p. 107.
How do you pray for difficult people? Please share your insights in the Comments section below!
(Art & photo credits: www.fotosearch.com; http://www.pinterest.com (5), http://www.ourdailyblossom.com; http://www.pinterest (2).
Yesterday, our church worship service ended with three baptisms. (Seven more took place at two other services.) What a heart-warming delight to celebrate the symbolism of new life with each participant!
One of those baptized was the pastor's son. As he rose up from the water, he smiled broadly and hugged his dad. Tears filled my eyes to witness a young boy committing himself to life with Jesus.
But how do we access a shelter that is invisible? By centering our thoughts on God.
Even amidst the business of each day, we can pause now and then and imagine a personal refuge with him (on a quiet beach, under a sturdy tree in the forest, by a lake in view of mountains–those are a few possibilities).
First, we breathe in the peace of his presence. Yes, just the simple act of taking a deep breath while whispering such words as, "Prince of Peace, I welcome you," can create a shift from tension to tranquility.
Then, like the psalmist, we reaffirm our trust in the Most High God, the Almighty–the One whose kingdom rules over all (Psalm 103:19b), yet he knows the number of hairs on each of our heads.
A pantry full of groceries is useless unless the food is consumed. Similarly, the great storehouse of inspiration and counsel in the Bible is of no use unless we read it, believe it, and live it out. The abundant, God-enhanced life of contentment and joy comes to those who taste of God's character, promises, and wisdom—all found within the pages of scripture, ready to put into practice.
Strong—though not all at once, any more than a tree reaches maturity overnight. Growth occurs day by day, bit by bit, as we cooperate with the Spirit.
Green-leafed—radiant with health, reflecting the Lord's glory, his goodness and character (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Full of fruit—a natural by-product of the Spirit's presence. "Every good tree bears good fruit," Jesus said (Matthew 7:17). Examples include humility, purity, and selflessness.
Familiar to many of us is the spiritual "armor" that Paul described (Ephesians 6:11-17). A worthy addition would be a garment of praise (Isaiah 61:3). Like a favorite sweater worn at every opportunity, praise of our Father should accompany us everywhere.
This is certain: God is more than able to provide for our every need—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.
The almighty God rules from his throne in heaven, a throne he established before the beginning of time (Psalm 103:19a).
He's got this–and everything else.
Pretend you're on an ocean liner that has embarked from New York City and is sailing to England. You and several thousand other passengers enjoy your days at sea, free to choose from dozens of activities—games, shopping, shows, sports, crafts, and more. You can eat anytime you like, sleep whenever you feel drowsy, make friends among the other passengers, or remain solitary. In other words, you make many choices during the voyage, but all the while the ship is headed towards its predetermined destination.
A.W. Tozer gave us this illustration in his classic, The Knowledge of the Holy (Harper & Brothers, 1961), to help us understand God's sovereignty: 1) Our all-powerful God has total authority in the universe, just as the shipping authorities exercise sovereignty over the course of a ship. 2) We have been given much freedom, within the confines of God's sovereignty, to move about and make choices.
Now some folks take issue with God's control. They want to direct the course of their life-ships. I, for one, find great comfort in the numerous, reassuring scriptures about God's sovereignty.
For example, everything in heaven and earth belongs to Him. He is the glorious head over all, the ruler of all things (1 Chronicles 29:11-12). That includes us–those who know Jesus and belong to the family of God. As our Heavenly Father, he provides for our needs, guides us through decisions, bestows many blessings, and more. What encouraging truth! The Almighty God of the universe is in charge of our lives, as we submit to him. We don't have to navigate alone.
The key, however, is submission. God is a gentleman and will not force himself upon us. He has chosen to limit his sovereignty, to allow man free choice.
Another reassuring truth: God is totally competent. We've all known inept leaders who could not fulfill their responsibilities. But our Ruler is supremely capable. Nothing is too hard for him (Jeremiah 32:17). As we focus on his complete sufficiency, our worries shrink in significance.
In addition, no plan of God's can be thwarted (Job 42:2). What God says, happens.
His sovereign plan is efficient and goal-oriented. He works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his perfect plan (Ephesians 1:11).
God's sovereignty is also employed with infinite wisdom (Job 12:13). No foolish decisions come from God's throne!
And contrary to appearances, he does maintain over-arching rule on mankind (Jeremiah 32:27). That would include the barbaric Babylonians of Jeremiah's day, who destroyed Jerusalem, murdered the nobles of Judah, and took thousands of Jewish captives to Babylon. God's over-arching rule also applies to the wicked forces creating havoc in our day.
Good people are often hurt in the process, and it breaks our hearts. Every century has had its martyrs for the faith. And our questions of why God allows bad things to happen to good people don't always get answered. We're not privy to everything God knows or to all the reasons behind his decisions (Romans 11:33-36).
What we do know is this: Evil never wins in the end. Every evil empire of history that rose in prominence and power eventually fell in ruin. Our sovereign God knows what he is doing. He will have the last word.
So when the squeaky wheels of worry, doubt, or fear begin to spin in your head, and you wonder, Is God in control?, apply the oil of gladness in who God is—our all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, and yes, in-control God!
Take joy in the knowledge that "If God is for us, who can be against us" (Romans 8:31)?
And rest in the affirmation that "from him and through him and to him are all things" (Romans 11:36, emphasis added).
Sovereign Lord of the universe, we bow in worshipful wonder of your magnificence. Your greatness shatters all boundaries! We stand in awe of your vast power and infinite wisdom, always at work in the world.
"And when I cannot understand" [your plan or your ways], "help me just to stand" (Selwyn Hughes).
(This is the last new post until July 3. As most of you know, Steve is retiring from the pastorate, after serving forty years in Florida. Mid-June we move to the Midwest, to be close to our sons. And if our daughter and her family would just move east from Washington State, life would be near-perfect!
Packing and unpacking are time-consuming tasks, as you know, so I'll put the blog on hold for a few weeks.
God will do the right thing at the right time.
"I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly" (Psalm 75:2).
But we do sometimes wonder why our ideas of the right thing don't seem to match his idea.
And we do unabashedly wonder about his idea of right timing.
We also wonder why there's not even a hint of progress toward that right thing we desire. We wonder why God is silent.
But God's silence is not like that of people. He doesn't give us the silent treatment in some petty game of payback. And it's not a case of forgetfulness either.
More than likely God is working on other matters rather than that one we're focused on– other matters such as perseverance, faith, and spiritual maturity. These character traits and others don't grow so well if we're always getting what we want when we want it.
We can rest assured there is purpose in the pause.
And just knowing that can ease our impatience.
One of my favorite promises is Isaiah 65:24.
"I will accomplish all my purpose" (46:10b).
God is not only working in our behalf now, he foresaw our need and began working toward its fulfillment before we uttered the first prayer. He started arranging events and bringing together people and resources so that at just the right time the right thing will happen.
Notice the "I will" in each of those verses above. Isaiah did not record God's good intentions. These are promises of the Almighty God of the universe, our always-truthful, always trustworthy Heavenly Father.
I praise you, Heavenly Father, for being reliable and trustworthy. I can't imagine life without you as my foundation. Thank you for every promise in your Word that gives me support. Once again, I avail myself to your plan, so you can do the right thing at the right time—without the interference of my impatience or doubt!


text:
Russia Risks «Political…
Russia Risks «Political & Economic Isolation»
Vice President, Joe Biden, said that if Russia continues on its «dark road» it faces «political and economic isolation», during his visit to Lithuania on Wednesday.
«Russia has chosen to respond with military aggression, a referendum virtually rejected by the entire world, illegal efforts to annex Crimea and now reports of armed attacks against Ukrainian military personnel and installations in Crimea,» he said.
«I want to make it clear: we remain firmly with our Baltic partners in support of the Ukrainian people against the Russian aggression.» While Russia goes down this dark path they will face a growing political and economic isolation».
Biden spoke a day after the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, signed a treaty to annex the region of Crimea to Russia.
The United States and other nations have qualified it as violation of international law.
According to the Vice-President, the United States has the responsibility, covered by the Treaty from NATO, to defend Member Nations «very, very, seriously».
Biden met Wednesday with the President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite, President of Latvia, Andris Berzins.
Tags: 2014 Crimea Europe Latvia Lithuania NATO News President Vladimir Putin Russia Ukraine United States Vice President Joe Biden


Robert Ward receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
If you listen to the first ever gravitational wave signal (below) you can hear the wave-chirp itself, accompanied by a rumbling hiss (the audio is shifted to a higher frequency to make it easier to hear).
That hiss is noise in our detector. It's what limits our ability to find gravitational waves, and it also limits our ability to infer properties about their sources.
It's a bit like if you're standing in the kitchen and you want listen to birds singing outside, but you can't really hear them because the dishwasher is running too loudly.
A theoretical, noiseless version of the first gravitational wave signal (GW150914).
Much tuning remains to be done to get the detectors in optimal shape, but it is a real delight when something so complex goes well right from the start.
With these first detections, we have begun to explore the population of black holes in the universe, heard the merger of neutron stars, and probably witnessed the birth of a new black hole.
With the upgrades under way, we will study these objects with better clarity, hopefully understand where they came from, and maybe even find something completely new and unexpected.