My husband, my son and I are in a fast food store in Tokushima on the island of Shikoku, about to embark on a pilgrimage to the eighty-eight Buddhist temples which ring the island. This pilgrimage usually takes six to eight weeks to walk. As we only have three weeks we plan to cycle. That should be plenty of time, we think.
The pilgrimage is my idea. I have been obsessed with it for many years. I have, in fact, written a whole novel about a woman who wants to do this pilgrimage. It is counter-intuitive to do it now, when I have already written the book, but I like to mix things up.
"I will not complain if things do not go well while on the pilgrimage, but consider such experiences to be part of the ascetic training," states the oath in our guidebook. As our plan is to ride 1200 kilometres on bikes designed for short urban commutes, this seems ominous.
The commandments in the guidebook are more specific: ""I will not harm life, steal, commit adultery, lie, exaggerate, speak abusively, cause discord, be greedy, hateful or lose sight of the Truth." While we finish our hamburgers we debate whether this means we can't eat meat. We decide that it probably does.
After a couple of false leads, we find the bike hire down in the basement outside the train station. The staff, two friendly gentlemen, seem surprised that we want the bikes for three weeks. We hand over a bond of thirty dollars per bike and set forth with no other identification needed. Only in Japan.
At the first temple I persuade my family that we all need to buy a hakui, or white vest. This identifies us as pilgrims. The writing on the back asks Kobo Daishi, the revered founder of the pilgrimage, to keep us safe. At any rate, it will be good for visibility on the roads.
I also buy a tote bag, paper prayer slips to give to people who help us and a brocade-covered book to be stamped at each temple. There is a range of other paraphernalia which we decline.
Our guidebook says that Tokushima area, our starting point, is the place of spiritual awakening. As we cycle around the island we will pass through the place of ascetic training, the place of enlightenment and, finally, the place of nirvana. That's something to look forward to.
The procedure for temple visits is outlined in our guidebook and, if done correctly, would take quite some time. We distill it to a ten minute version which includes bowing, hand-washing, bell ringing and book stamping.
Despite our efficient temple visits, by the end of day one we are already behind schedule. We've fiddled around with our backpacks—on back or in basket?—dealt with a flat tire and experimented with GPS navigation and riding attire. The walking pilgrims smile and wave at us as we go by. And then again as they pass us again shortly after. I sense we are becoming a running joke.
We had intended to spend the night in the bell tower of temple six, but shortly after temple five it is getting dark and beginning to rain. We find a little henro (pilgrim) hut beside the road and call it a day. The host of the shelter, an old man, drops by and soon returns with two more tatami mats for sleeping. He mimes a squatting action and points at his house to indicate we can use the toilet. We buy pork curry at the convenience store down the road and skulk out, hoping no-one will notice what bad pilgrims we are. The rain patters on the roof and we curl up on the tatami mats in our sleeping bags. Extraordinarily, this pilgrimage is unfolding just as I'd imagined.
The next day brings the start of the osettai—traditional gifts to pilgrims. When I buy some mandarins, an old lady throws in some dried sweet potato. I give her one of my prayer slips and she looks chuffed beyond belief. Throughout the journey we are showered with lollies, hot drinks and fruit. I feel like the whole island is cheering us on.
On the third day we tackle temple twelve, the "pilgrim crusher," named for its location on top of a mountain. We push up a 400 metre pass, then on the long ride down I get a flat tyre and we retire to the nearest village for repairs. Some lovely ladies insist on giving us lunch as osettai and we even manage some conversation. When we eventually make it to temple twelve there is snow on the ground.
After a week we hit Kochi Prefecture, the place of ascetic training, and finally leave the walking pilgrims behind. We stay in henro huts plastered with prayer slips, in free rooms in temples and in our tent. We aim to find campsites with hot baths, a convenience store and a toilet.
We camp next to a ropeway station, on a rocky point with crashing waves, beside a lively frog pond and in a patch of wasteland with a large boat as a wind shelter. After an eighty kilometre ride down the last wild river in Japan, we find a campsite in the dark and set up to a rising orange moon. We sleep in a temple garage and watch sunset bathe the bell tower in a soft golden light.
I learn that singing keeps your spirits up when you're on a narrow ramp in a dark tunnel and that the less you have, the easier it gets. I also learn that large grapefruit will always be received as presents before climbing hills. I think I am becoming a pilgrim.
At temple forty, the furthest point from temple one, we run out of time. Hiring a large car, we dismantle our bikes and slot them inside. We return the car at Takamatsu, one day's ride from Tokushima. Even though we have not reached nirvana, or even enlightenment, I think we have passed our ascetic training with flying colours.
We ride into Tokushima to find that the long-heralded cherry blossom season has at last arrived. Every time the wind blows, petals fall like snow. We wheel our bikes back down into the basement and the rental man seems pleased to see us. After some confusion where we pass money back and forth between us, we establish that there is no more to pay. The deposit was enough. Our bicycle hire had cost us less than five dollars a day.


text:
Expat's desperate plea for help to clear UAE immigration fines
Killing Qassem
Abu Dhabi crown prince to be on new Indonesia capital city steering committee
Reform and repression go hand in hand in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Reserve Fund falls by $1.6bn in October
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Turkey, Russia complete 12th joint patrol in North Syria
US redeploys forces around Syria oil fields
Iraq unrest: PM Abdul Mahdi to resign after bloodiest day in protests
Palestinian teen killed by Israeli fire in Gaza Strip
Israeli troops kill Palestinian near Gaza security fence
Russia condemns Israeli air strikes in Syria
in Economy, Featured, Middle East, National Security, News, Qatar, World News
A desperate expat mother is seeking help to clear immigration fines to sponsor the visa of her three kids who have not been to school for years. She found a job in Sharjah but the immigration penalties have reached around Dh16,000.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Sharifat Mohammad, 42, said life was good when she first arrived to the UAE from Nigeria seven years ago. With an engineering degree, she got a job as a maintenance engineer in a company in Sharjah.
Her husband and three kids followed her to the UAE the following year. She was receiving at least Dh3,000 monthly, and her husband got a job which earned him Dh2,500.
Forecast for Middle East Sees Need for 3,240 New Aircraft Through 2038
Chance of rain in some parts of the UAE today
Weather: Rough sea, waves up to 7ft high to hit UAE offshore
Saudi-UAE joint visa to be launched
New dangerous online challenge surfaces in UAE Web Report
After a while, Sharifat got an offer to work as an administrative manager at a company that promised her a monthly pay of Dh12,000. She took the job because she would be able to put her kids under her sponsorship.
But everything went south after that. The company reneged on its promise and Sharifat said she never received a full month's salary. In early 2015, she lost her job.
Sharifat desperately searched for jobs but failed. "Maybe because of my age, companies did not hire me," she said.
Her visa and that of her kids' expired after some time and another major setback followed when her husband was laid off in 2016.
"My husband went back home to look for a job but was not able to get a stable one," said Sharifat, adding: "I managed to secure a tuition job with a family in Sharjah that paid for our rent and food. But we could barely survive with a very little source of income and eventually we were not able to pay for rent and utility bills."
"I have been shouldering the responsibilities alone with irregular income I sometimes get a tuition class during exams as I can teach mathematics and sciences to high school students. My children, aged 12, 10 and 9, haven't seen the four walls of the classroom in the last three years as I couldn't afford to put them in school but I put them in a madrasa and homeschool them in the evening," Sharifat shared, as tears fell from her eyes.
Sharifat added she tried to avail of the UAE immigration amnesty last year. Her fine was waived but still she was not able to sponsor her kids as the job she got was an office clerk, with a pay of Dh3,500. "I was turned down because there was a previous rule that an expat has to meet a certain job criteria to sponsor family," she said.
"But now with the change in the visa rule, my spirit is lifted and I got hope. I approached the company and told them to process my visa. Now the only hindrance is how I can pay for the Dh16,000 immigration fines," Sharifat noted.
"We do not have any loan, be it personal or credit card. We have been managing our life accordingly until a series of unfortunate things happened. Now, we rely on friends to get our basic needs but there is a chance that we can finally get back our lives and stand on our feet. I'm determined to give my children a good life," she added with conviction.
Like any other devout Muslim parents, Sharifat led her children for prayers on the first day of Eid. "After the prayers and Eid meals, we went straight back home," she said, adding: "We have been living in fear since the end of amnesty. My boys can only go to the masjid. No school, no class, no park as we fear, someone may come after us.
"But I have a strong faith in God and I decided to share my family situation as I believe there is still hope for me and my children. I am really tired of keeping them indoors. All I ask for is to clear the fines and make visa for me and my children so that they can have a normal life like any other kid. Going back home is never an option for us because things are worse there," she continued.
"The UAE has been our home."
Tags: ClearDesperateHelpPleaUAE
Qatar's first snow-themed park opens as Eid activities continue in Souqs and Malls
by qatarherald
United States (13/1). What are the second- and third-order effects of killing Qassem Soleimani? On its face, this is a...
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Darkness demands disciples. Phillip Newton is an avowed student of what occurs outside the light. As the frontman and guiding force of local band The Noctambulant, he's not out to proselytize about his journey but rather chronicle what he sees. The band's most recent release, 2016's Advocatus Diaboli, is a 10-song roar of brutally good melodic black metal. Traveling seems like an apt descriptor; the band's name means "Night Walker" in Latin.
From the opening boom of "Legion," the band—Newton (aka E. Helvete) on vocals and guitar, Chris Bhoff on lead guitar, bassist Lars Goerschafft, and drummer D. Franseth—assures the listener that they aren't playing around.
Recorded at Franseth's home studio, Advocatus Diaboli (Latin for, "Devil's Advocate"), features undeniable collective chops, Newton's fierce vocals, and a high-quality production that creates one powerful metal release.
Tracks like "Evil Calling" and "Take What I Want" blast forth with an unrelenting pummel. They also benefit from some rarely heard harmonic and melodic approaches to metal. Chromatic riffs more akin to avant-garde music and dissonant solo passages set the band even further apart from the pack.
A Jacksonville native, Newton was raised by two now-retired members of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. When speaking about the composition of his music, he speaks eloquently of the unorthodox tonalities and esoteric chords rarely he utilizes, ones generally not used in metal.
The Noctambulant played their first gig at a 2012 Zombie Walk. "That was a mess," Newton laughs. "We played maybe eight songs, and half of those were covers of stuff like Venom." The band tightened up their sound and, starting in 2013, the band released two EPs and a single. The band scored a record deal with D.G. records for Advocatus Diaboli, but due to the album's final mixing, and what Newton feels was an overall bad experience, the band parted ways with that imprint. They've since recorded new tracks with the addition of onetime guitarist John Hoarfrost—including the crushers "Blood Hunt" and "Leviathan"— and are gearing up for their forthcoming full-length. Most recently the band released a cover of Dark Funeral's classic cut, "My Dark Desires." The Noctambulant's music is available on their website, iTunes, Spotify, and Soundcloud.
When asked about other local bands he admires, Newton says nothing. The Noctambulant's success has been mainly not home but abroad. They've toured the States, and tour the states, for months out of the year. Online reviews of their music have been unilaterally positive. Scoring impressive endorsement deals with, among others, ESP guitars and Peavey is a good indication of the support they receive and the faith that many have in them. While the band routinely plays local clubs like Nighthawks, they're just as likely to play two-day metal fests on the other side of the country. Two pro-shot videos of songs from Diaboli are available on the band's YouTube channel.
It would be amiss to not acknowledge other crucial local underground metal bands mining their own divergent metallic, heavy inspirations: Yashira, WØRSEN, and LA-A all qualify in this regard. But while The Noctambulant might be "of" this scene by proximity, they're not truly "in" this scene.
Newton's greater worldview surely guides his creative calling. The 35-year-old Newton describes himself as a LaVeyan, or non-theistic, Satanist. "While that sounds like an extreme ideology to the mainstream, it's basically another way of saying you're an existentialist," says Newton. The existentialist tag makes sense. He graduated from college with a philosophy degree. That education actually led him to explore Satanism. "My grandparents were religious, but my parents really weren't super religious; they took me to church just because they thought I should be exposed to it." Newton eventually found his own beliefs, a faith not contained in the walls of a church. He's an anti-metal preacher's worst nightmare: smart, witty, and devoted to the cause of real metal.
Yet for every troubled, possibly-mentally-ill listener that blows their brains while invoking one last demon from a black magick grimoire, there are legions of other fans that suspend their belief long enough to jump into the music's narrative of cemeteries and sacrifices to clandestine gods, while not drown in the undertow of the music's surely intoxicating sonic and visual elements cloaked in black and white.


Master's in Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Africa – Pretoria University. Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, is now accepting applications from eligible Africans for its 2019 LLM/MPhil (Sexual & Reproductive Rights in Africa) degree scholarships.
The deadline for submission of applications for the University of Pretoria LLM/MPhil (Sexual & Reproductive Rights in Africa) Scholarships is June 30, 2019.


17 August 2016 - Denver, Colorado-based contact management platform provider FullContact has acquired Colorado-based business development service Conspire, the company said.
In addition to expanding access to its network, Conspire is now also the first ever crowd-sourced professional network with the addition of editable profiles.
Honeywell Safety Products introduced two new styles of protective eyewear, Conspire and Relentless.
Matt's other champions are a cook and a bodyguard, who conspire to save him from a fate of being harvested for organs for El Patron.


text:
horse photos
Kim Jong-un & His Wife Spotted Horse Riding Together; See Pics
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un rode a white horse up a sacred mountain on his second symbolic visit in less than two months, state media reported Wednesday, as his country is threatening provocation if the United States refuses to make concessions in nuclear diplomacy by year's end.
December 4, 2019, 11:40 am explore: World
13 Animal Amputees Who Walk Again - In Photos
We bring you the pictures of animals who're able to walk again with the help of advanced technology. Take a look...
July 1, 2019, 11:41 am explore: Tech
Offbeat Photos of the Month: October 2018
The not-so-ordinary photos from the month of October 2018.
October 30, 2018, 11:17 am explore: India
In Pictures: 20 Cloned Animals Through the Years
A look at cloned animals through the years, from Dolly the sheep to Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua the long-tailed macaques.
October 4, 2018, 11:57 am explore: India
Revelers Getting Down and Dirty at Brazil's Mud Party
People covered in mud dance amid orange smoke in the traditional "Bloco da Lama" or "Mud Block" carnival party in Paraty, Brazil. Take a look at the pictures…
February 12, 2018, 1:35 pm explore: World
Saint Anthony Bonfire Festival in Spain; See Pictures
A man rides a horse through a bonfire as part of a ritual in honor of Saint Anthony the Abbot in San Bartolome de Pinares, Spain.
January 17, 2018, 4:36 pm explore: World
17 Most Captivating Animal Pictures of 2017
The most captivating animal pictures of 2017.
December 26, 2017, 3:50 pm explore: World
Meet 7 days of Animal Stars
Say hello to the paws, claws and more from this week
June 25, 2017, 1:03 pm explore: World
Warrnambool Racing Carnival in Australia
Warrnambool Racing Carnival on May 3, 2017 in Warrnambool, Australia.
May 3, 2017, 2:03 pm explore: Lifestyle
Hollywood Friday: Vidhu Vinod Chopra makes his Hollywood debut with 'Broken Horses'
May 4, 2015, 6:29 pm explore: Movies
Hollywood Friday: 'LOL' and 'War Horse'
February 27, 2015, 10:59 am explore: Movies
In pics: Oscar nominees for Best Supporting actor and actress
In pics: The Oscar nominees for Best Picture
In pics: The Oscar nominees for Best Actress
In pics: The Oscar nominees for Best Actor
In pics: Meet the Academy Award nominees
In pics: Luxury buys of 2010
February 26, 2015, 11:02 pm explore: India


; In the past few years, speech interaction technology has experienced a new wave of development. The performance of speech interaction technology has been greatly improved. And a lot of products of speech interaction technology have been developed. Speech recognition is the front-end processing module in the speech interaction system. Its performance is very important to the performance of the speech interaction system. However, there are still some deficiencies in the traditional speech recognition, which can not meet the needs of new products. For example, its interactive content is transcript; there is a problem that some information is lost. Its input method is to press or click; there is a problem that the operation is inconvenient and not natural. And its output method is that the transcript is outputted after the whole speech was completely inputed and fully recognized; there is a problem that the response is not fast enough. The less interactive content and the unnature interaction methods are not good to the user experience.
Therefore, this paper aims to improve the friendliness of speech interaction. It focuses on the two aspects, which are the enrichment of the interactive content of speech recognition, and the more convenient and natural way of interaction. The main work and contributions are as follows.
For text information based intonation recognition, proposed a global lexical information based method. The idea is that, first, modeling the relations between global lexical information and intonation by different segment-level of sentence, then, combining these models using multi-layer perception, final, classifying intonation. Results indicate that, the proposed method outperforms the HELM based and CRF based methods using local lexical information, and also outperforms RNNLM based method.
For audio information based intonation recognition, proposed a tone features and vowel features based method. This paper first anlysised the speech features, prosody features and intonation features, then proposed a new method based on tone features, vowel features and feture selection. Experimental results show that the new features and feature selection both can increase the performance.
For speech activity detection, proposed a subspace Gaussian mixture model and phoneme combination based method. This method is efficient, small and can utilize speech recognition corpus directly. Results indicate that, the proposed method results in a half of baseline's frame error rate.
For the unstability problem in incremental speech recognition, proposed a new method based on the stable-time prediction. It predicts the probable stable-time of the current best partial result in the future, using the acoustic score information of N-best paths of successive frames. So it can determine whether to output the current best partial result in advance. Results indicate that, the proposed method outperforms the baseline. It can reduce lags and improve performance.
For pitch extraction, proposed an improved autocorrelation function based pitch extraction algorithm for speech processing. The method uses three measures to rectify the weight and proportion of right pitch values in the search space. Experimental results show that the proposed method has a great increase in performance over the other algorithms.
GB/T 7714 陈萧. 口语语音交互关键问题研究[D]. 北京. 中国科学院研究生院,2016.


FREE TO ALL LIVE OAK FAMILIES!
Join us on September 7th for a Back to School Movie Night, featuring Hotel Transylvania 2.
Celebrate back to school at Live Oak by reconnecting with friends at our PTA Family Movie Night on Friday September 7, 2018 in the MPR.
We are featuring Hotel Transylvania 2, a recently released animated film perfect for the whole family. The entire family is invited to attend.
This event will sell out fast. This is not a drop off event. A parent or guardian must attend with student(s).
Kids are welcome to come in pajamas and are encouraged to bring a sleeping bag or blanket to sit on the floor. We will have a limited number of lunch tables (for dinner seating). Please do not bring chairs to this event.
Please note: photos may be taken at all PTA events.


The brutal massacre had taken place on April 13, 1919, when, in the backdrop of the tyrannical Rowlatt Bill which aimed to curtail civic liberties and the subsequent Satyagraha launched by Mahatma Gandhi Ji, thousands had come to Amritsar to celebrate Baisakhi. The crowd had assembled peacefully at the Bagh to condemn the arrest of two national leaders Satya Pal and Saifuddin Kitchlew when they were fired indiscriminately by tyrant British General Dyer and his men. The shooting had continued for ten minutes claiming 379 lives as per government estimates, though the figure is believed to be much higher.


text:
The U.S. Army, in conjunction with the Israeli Ministry of Defense's Israeli Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) took a critical step toward fielding the first of two RAFAEL-made Iron Dome Defence System-Army (IDDS-A) Batteries. IDDS-A will defend supported forces within fixed and semi-fixed locations against sub-sonic Cruise Missiles (CM), Groups 2&3 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), and Rockets, Artillery, and Mortar threats.
Maj. Gen. Brian Gibson, Director AMD CFT said, "It's important to understand that implementation for the U.S. is about the ability to integrate this system into our Air Defence picture. We need to integrate this into our U.S. Architecture, and to give confidence to our Regional Commanders that we can integrate this system safely into what they have."
Brigadier General (Res.) Pini Yungman, Executive Vice President and Head of RAFAEL's Air & Missile Defense Directorate said, "Once again, the Iron Dome has proven its effectiveness and operational capabilities in combat scenarios. As part of the U.S. Army's Operational Training, American troops operated the system which functioned with optimal effectiveness against a variety of threats and intercepted targets from different ranges. RAFAEL is proud to continue proving itself as a world-leader in developing the most Advanced Defence Systems, which have proven themselves time after time."
U.S. Marine Corps Successfully Tests Iron Dome Based Air Defence Prototype
A major breakthrough for the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) integration of RAFAEL's Iron Dome Ground Launcher and Tamir Interceptor Missile into U.S. Marine Corps' Medium-Range Intercept Capability (MRIC) Prototype with the USMC G/ATOR Radar and CAC2S Battle Management System (BMS).
A live fire test at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico proved the USMC has Iron Dome Defence Capabilities; Iron Dome was successfully integrated into the USMC Architecture; The system performed exactly as was predicted by a USMC Simulation prior to the test itself. "This demonstration proves that we do now have a relevant capability," said Don Kelley, Program Manager for GBAD at PEO Land Systems, immediately following the successful test.


text:
<?php

/**
 *
 * @package CRM
 * @copyright CiviCRM LLC (c) 2004-2015
 * $Id$
 *
 */
class CRM_Mailing_Form_Subscribe extends CRM_Core_Form {
  protected $_groupID = NULL;

  public function preProcess() {
    parent::preProcess();
    $this->_groupID = CRM_Utils_Request::retrieve('gid', 'Integer', $this,
      FALSE, NULL, 'REQUEST'
    );

    // ensure that there is a destination, if not set the destination to the
    // referrer string
    if (!$this->controller->getDestination()) {
      $this->controller->setDestination(NULL, TRUE);
    }

    if ($this->_groupID) {
      $groupTypeCondition = CRM_Contact_BAO_Group::groupTypeCondition('Mailing');

      // make sure requested qroup is accessible and exists
      $query = "
SELECT   title, description
  FROM   civicrm_group
 WHERE   id={$this->_groupID}
   AND   visibility != 'User and User Admin Only'
   AND   $groupTypeCondition";

      $dao = CRM_Core_DAO::executeQuery($query, CRM_Core_DAO::$_nullArray);
      if ($dao->fetch()) {
        $this->assign('groupName', $dao->title);
        CRM_Utils_System::setTitle(ts('Subscribe to Mailing List - %1', array(1 => $dao->title)));
      }
      else {
        CRM_Core_Error::statusBounce("The specified group is not configured for this action OR The group doesn't exist.");
      }

      $this->assign('single', TRUE);
    }
    else {
      $this->assign('single', FALSE);
      CRM_Utils_System::setTitle(ts('Mailing List Subscription'));
    }
  }

  /**
   * Build the form object.
   *
   * @return void
   */
  public function buildQuickForm() {
    // add the email address
    $this->add('text',
      'email',
      ts('Email'),
      CRM_Core_DAO::getAttribute('CRM_Core_DAO_Email',
        'email'
      ),
      TRUE
    );
    $this->addRule('email', ts("Please enter a valid email address."), 'email');

    if (!$this->_groupID) {
      // create a selector box of all public groups
      $groupTypeCondition = CRM_Contact_BAO_Group::groupTypeCondition('Mailing');

      $query = "
SELECT   id, title, description
  FROM   civicrm_group
 WHERE   ( saved_search_id = 0
    OR     saved_search_id IS NULL )
   AND   visibility != 'User and User Admin Only'
   AND   $groupTypeCondition
ORDER BY title";
      $dao = CRM_Core_DAO::executeQuery($query, CRM_Core_DAO::$_nullArray);
      $rows = array();
      while ($dao->fetch()) {
        $row = array();
        $row['id'] = $dao->id;
        $row['title'] = $dao->title;
        $row['description'] = $dao->description;
        $row['checkbox'] = CRM_Core_Form::CB_PREFIX . $row['id'];
        $this->addElement('checkbox',
          $row['checkbox'],
          NULL, NULL
        );
        $rows[] = $row;
      }
      if (empty($rows)) {
        CRM_Core_Error::fatal(ts('There are no public mailing list groups to display.'));
      }
      $this->assign('rows', $rows);
      $this->addFormRule(array('CRM_Mailing_Form_Subscribe', 'formRule'));
    }

    $addCaptcha = TRUE;

    // if recaptcha is not configured, then dont add it
    // CRM-11316 Only enable ReCAPTCHA for anonymous visitors
    $config = CRM_Core_Config::singleton();
    $session = CRM_Core_Session::singleton();
    $contactID = $session->get('userID');

    if (empty($config->recaptchaPublicKey) ||
      empty($config->recaptchaPrivateKey) ||
      $contactID
    ) {
      $addCaptcha = FALSE;
    }
    else {
      // if this is POST request and came from a block,
      // lets add recaptcha only if already present
      // gross hack for now
      if (!empty($_POST) &&
        !array_key_exists('recaptcha_challenge_field', $_POST)
      ) {
        $addCaptcha = FALSE;
      }
    }

    if ($addCaptcha) {
      // add captcha
      $captcha = CRM_Utils_ReCAPTCHA::singleton();
      $captcha->add($this);
      $this->assign('isCaptcha', TRUE);
    }

    $this->addButtons(array(
        array(
          'type' => 'next',
          'name' => ts('Subscribe'),
          'isDefault' => TRUE,
        ),
        array(
          'type' => 'cancel',
          'name' => ts('Cancel'),
        ),
      )
    );
  }

  /**
   * @param $fields
   *
   * @return array|bool
   */
  public static function formRule($fields) {
    foreach ($fields as $name => $dontCare) {
      if (substr($name, 0, CRM_Core_Form::CB_PREFIX_LEN) == CRM_Core_Form::CB_PREFIX) {
        return TRUE;
      }
    }
    return array('_qf_default' => 'Please select one or more mailing lists.');
  }

  /**
   *
   * @return void
   */
  public function postProcess() {
    $params = $this->controller->exportValues($this->_name);

    $groups = array();
    if ($this->_groupID) {
      $groups[] = $this->_groupID;
    }
    else {
      foreach ($params as $name => $dontCare) {
        if (substr($name, 0, CRM_Core_Form::CB_PREFIX_LEN) == CRM_Core_Form::CB_PREFIX) {
          $groups[] = substr($name, CRM_Core_Form::CB_PREFIX_LEN);
        }
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    CRM_Mailing_Event_BAO_Subscribe::commonSubscribe($groups, $params);
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}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Designed specifically for 1:450 scale by Scalescenes for Tgauge.com, you can now easily download, print and build unlimited rows of realistic looking terraced houses.
Kit comes with Stone and Brick options, a pavement and yard base as well as extra doors and rendered front walls to customise your build.Detailed instructions are also included as part of the kit.
When you purchase a kit you will receive two PDF files by download. One of these files is the kit, which comprises (2x) A4 (210x297mm) full colour pages. The other PDF contains easy to follow illustrated A4 colour instructions. Simply print out these PDF files and then, mount them on to thicker card as specified in the instructions.


The Ludwig LE2482R student percussion kit features a 13″ wood snare drum, 2.5 octave bells, tunable practice pad, multi-purpose snare and bell stand, drumsticks, mallets, and music rack. The 651R is an identical kit without the snare drum. Both kits include a nylon carrying case with durable rubber wheels, telescoping handle, and heavy duty zippers.


text:
Training with correctness
- Jen Hamilton -
Words and Images: Show Circuit
Jen Hamilton is one of the most widely respected coaches in North America and has been a regular visitor to New Zealand over many years. Her compelling, no-nonsense teaching delivers a range of strategies that riders can take away and apply to their ongoing training at home. She enjoys teaching intelligent, self-motivated riders, and then encourages them to train with correctness to form a strong base of good habits. "Every time you ride, you are forming habits – good or bad. Why not form good habits?"
Jen has observed that New Zealanders are very fortunate because due to the frequency and relatively low cost of shows, riders can take advantage of show facilities to enhance their training. As a result, many competitive riders do not have a training facility of their own, as they train almost exclusively at shows.
The negative for North America is that the shows are incredibly expensive. Therefore, riders train at home, and then they test the training programme at the shows. These different philosophies both seem to work to a certain level.
She would like New Zealand riders to learn from the mistakes made in the US jumper scene. "We took the cowboy out of the rider – we should have just tamed the cowboy."
Jen Hamilton is forthright and direct. From the outset, it's clear that she is dedicated to making whatever corrections are necessary for riders to train their horses to be the best athletes they can be. Her business card says it all – "I didn't get up this morning to watch you fall off, stop, cry or whine!"
The session starts with work on a large circle to assess Hypo's state of training and rideability. Jen says that the hardest part of jumping a course is getting to the jumps, and this requires very good and correct flatwork.
"Correct training makes the horse rideable," Jen explains. "It gives the rider options, and the more options you have, the safer you are."
Hypo is typical of a young Thoroughbred off the track – he is keen and forward, and also quite sensitive. Jen encourages Emma to maintain a consistent leg position to foster relaxation and to maintain control, from front to back and from side to side.
To start with, Emma rides the circle in trot, asking for transitions within the pace – from a bigger trot to a shorter trot, using half circles to the inside to change direction. Jen emphasises the importance of riding with purpose and direction on a definite track and riding from the inside leg to the outside hand.
To encourage accuracy, Jen then asks Emma to alternate between trot and canter on the circle – ten strides trotting and ten strides cantering, looking for neat and accurate transitions both upwards and downwards.
Poles and grids
Jen is a big fan of using placing poles in her training courses, saying that poles and grids are gymnastic work for the horse, helping to develop strength and balance and promote confidence in both horse and rider. These exercises also help the rider to feel and interpret the horse's stride length to get better distances.
Ideally, she prefers planks on the ground to poles, as there is less danger of the horse injuring himself – if he steps on a pole it may roll, whereas a plank is more likely to stay in place.
For the first exercise, Jen has three poles on the ground on the long side of the arena, spaced at 13.5 metres (or 45 feet). She asks Emma to ride the line in canter, with either three strides or four strides between each element. She stresses that whether Emma chooses three strides or four strides, she must be consistent – if she rides three strides between the first and second elements, she must ride three strides between the second and third elements. Once she has completed the first ride through, she will ride through the line in the opposite direction, using the alternate striding.
Jen explains that the distance from the centre line of the arena to the first pole is Emma's 'set-up'
time, during which she can make any necessary corrections to steady the pace or lengthen the stride, and the distance from the last pole to the centre line of the arena is her 'recovery' time.
"Every time you make a turn, make it the best turn of your life. When riding a line, set it up, ride it and make corrections."
Emma and Hypo have no difficulties when they progress to cantering through a small grid – a crossed rail, an upright, and another crossed rail. This helps keep Hypo straight, and once he understands the exercise, the small jumps can be raised. For variety, Emma also jumps each of the first and last elements of the grid on an angle.
Placing poles
Jen explains that when used in conjunction with a jump, a pole in front of the fence teaches the horse to rock back and curl over the jump. It also helps to promote strength, flexibility and jumping technique.
In front of the oxer, Jen uses a placing pole 9m out. This distance demands two connected strides to the oxer.
"The horse has to go into the base and then open up," she says. "Riders are tempted to see the long-distance rather than maintain a consistent stride. The pole encourages impulsion versus speed.
"A pole after the fence teaches the horse to keep the correct arch. Over a vertical, the highest point of the horse's arch should be directly over the jump. A lot of horses like to overshoot the arch – that's caused by a lack of strength to rock back and sit."
Hypo jumps confidently off a good, well-controlled stride, so Jen is able to increase the complexity of the questions. A short course of related fences requires Emma to adjust the canter for accurate striding, the line requiring four strides, then three, then five strides to a placing pole and a further five strides to the final jump.
Jen cautions Emma to maximise her time on the short side of the arena to organise her lines, and to finish up neatly with a correct halt.
"Think about your turns and lines the whole time," she reminds Emma.
For the final part of the lesson, Jen incorporates both oxers and verticals into a course.
"Jumping from an oxer to a vertical is a harder challenge than jumping a vertical to an oxer. You need to keep control after the oxer and not let him get long and flat after the oxer to the vertical. Use your outside rein and position to rebalance the horse."
"Every time you ride, you are forming habits - good habits or bad habits. Train with correctness to form good habits so that you can be a star at competitions."


Jantz Canada is proud to offer its line of sanitary design line shaft conveyors. Leading the industry in easy clean design and construction methods, our line shaft systems are built entirely from stainless steel and food grade components and as such are suitable for wet wash down environments.
They are also ideal where the customer desires a custom solution that will match in functionality and appearance existing plant machinery.
Line shaft conveyor from Jantz Canada is an elegant solution in an area traditionally serviced by utility designed off the shelf systems which no longer meet current sanitary design best practices.


You can find their popular steaks in the display cellar. The highlight is a 75-day old Whiskey-aged Steak available only for October 17th and November 3rd.
My favorite from the starters is the flamed-torched black Angus carpaccio, seasoned with sea salt and capers for that nice texture, then paired with the sweetest sugar tomatoes from Shizuka, Japan and whipped homemade ricotta to smoothen everything out.
Note: The sugar tomatoes from Shizuka are probably the best tomatoes in the world, which are seven times more sweet than strawberries!
The scallops were perfectly cooked and bursting with umami flavors from the shio konbu.
Note: The sauce is so good that the chef even suggested we get a piece of bread and wipe the sauce off clean with it.
I loved the tropical twist on this foie gras dish. You get that smell and taste of coconut from the lambanog (coconut wine) and Malibu rum. The sweetness and crunch from the caramelized pineapples and Tunisian spiced cashew nuts go well with the creamy foie gras!
For seafood lovers, try this perfectly grilled Atlantic salmon with the skin cooked to a crisp. I love the simple flavors from the preserved lemons and light mayo.
This cauliflower dish goes well with the fish and meats.
This is my favorite steak because of the tender beef, substantial portion, and a long-lingering beefy finish.
The steak is char-grilled so you also get a hint of smokiness to it.
I like this dessert for its Asian feel, thanks to the coconut espuma and tapioca pearls. Underneath is a lychee agar with kiwi inside, with a bit of crunch from the caramelized almonds. There's a little bit of a bite from the combination of the Malibu rum and the sweet pineapples.
This was savory-sweet and very dense.
My favorite is this new take on the to-die-for Ruby Jack's signature cheesecake! It's baked twice to give it a unique roasted cheese texture, which you can pair with the coriander ice cream.
I like my desserts light after eating a heavy meal such as steaks.
This looks like a garden salad garnished with seasonal fruits–segments of mandarin, strawberries, and kiwis–paired with cucumber slices and soaked in golden syrup overnight. Plus the cucumber ice cream tastes like Melona (Korean ice cream).
It's a clean dessert…very refreshing and healthy!
While you can still enjoy Ruby Jack's all-time favorite steaks, oysters, and salads, their latest menu items are definitely worth a try.
The Black Angus Carpaccio, Teppan-grilled Atlantic Salmon, John Dee Angus Beef, Pimm's #1 Garden Salad, and Sizzling Cheesecake were the most memorable items for me. I especially liked the fun and adventurous take on the dessert where they incorporated alcoholic, fruity, and savory elements.
Congratulations to Ruby Jack's on their all-new upgraded menu!
Disclosure: Our dinner was courtesy of Ruby Jack's Manila. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.


From humble beginnings in 1983, Print4Sports has grown to become one of Southern California's premiere printers of high school media guides. Each and every season we produce hundreds of programs for dozens of schools throughout Orange and Los Angeles Counties. Football, baseball, basketball, water polo, volleyball, hockey, lacrosse, cheerleading yearbooks, band competitions – you name it and we've probably printed it at some point over the past 25 years.
Our goal at Print4Sports is to make the creation and production of your media guide as easy and efficient as possible. As a full service print shop, we can handle the entire production of your guide from start to finish, freeing you from the stress of overseeing such a large project. Our experienced staff will offer direction along the way, and will partner with your booster board to ensure that your media guide reflects the excellence of your athletic programs. Once we arrive at a design you are delighted with, we will employ the latest in digital print technology to create a book that will stand far above the competition – just as your teams do on the field!
Although we specialize in media guides, Print4Sports' expertise extends far beyond sports programs. Whether you're looking for posters, calendars, buttons, player cards, large format schedules, or anything else under the sun, Print4Sports can meet your printing needs. If you can dream it, we can print it!


"The scale and visual impact of David Stark's installations rival those by many contemporary artists at the Whitney Biennial or any Chelsea gallery."
"To do what David does, he has to be a consummate politician, a shrink, an accountant, and a brilliant visual artist, with the unshakable calm of a Zen master. He is all that and more. He has great taste, a fabulous sense of humor, and is blessed with an uncanny sixth sense about how to present an event so that everyone knows when they walk in the door that they are in for an unforgettable experience."
"When we asked David to help plan and design HuffPost's Pre-Inaugural Gala in Washington D.C., a free-wheeling party for over 3,000 of our closest friends, we knew we were setting the bar high. He more than cleared it. His innovative visual ideas and elegant designs were magical. He brings the same creativity and passion to this stylish new book."


Description: SAL'S TATTOO & BARBER SHOP is a business categorized under miscellaneous personal services, which is part of the larger category personal services. SAL'S TATTOO & BARBER SHOP is located at the address 429 Spadina Avenue in Toronto, Ontario M5T 2G6. The Owner is Greg Kidd who can be contacted at 416-593-4161.


text:
Raj Tahil '81 and Mary Jo Wrenn
ByIshu Mishra	 December 22, 2021
Raj Tahil credits MIT for boosting his entrepreneurial spirit. "I learned to look at problems as interesting opportunities," says President of Torpac Capsules, which specializes in custom capsules and pharmaceutical equipment. In the spirit of creating opportunities, Tahil and his wife, Mary Joe Renને, have created the MIT Donor-Advisable Fund (DAF) – an increasingly popular way to facilitate charitable giving.
Benefits of DAF. MIT DAF enables the donor to establish a charitable account managed and operated by MIT Investment Management Company, from which it can be distributed to MIT as well as other charities. For Tahil and Ren, the speed at which DAF funds could be utilized came at a crucial time: in the spring of 2020, they met Professor J. Christopher Love, Raymond A. And distributed DAF in Helen Eney's lab. . Laurent Chair in Chemical Engineering to support lab work on the inexpensive Covid-19 vaccine.
A global perspective on the environment and health. The couple returns to MIT in a variety of ways, including fellowships to help graduate students doing research to improve the environment through scientific, engineering or public policy solutions. Tahil especially appreciates MIT's research on environment and medicine. "MIT is contributing to a better world by bringing its holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to problems in a variety of areas," he says.
Help MIT build a better world. For more information, contact David Woodruff: 617.253.3990; daw@mit.edu. Or visit give.mit.edu.
Improving access to healthy, fast-casual food
Jurors are deliberating for a second day in the trial of Elizabeth Holmes.
Western Digital's journey to build business resiliency through cloud and ERP transformations
ByIshu Mishra	 January 14, 2022
Thank you for joining us on "The Cloud Hub: From Cloud Chaos to Clarity". Read this exclusive story featuring Jahidul Khandekar, CIO of Western Digital, who is part of Infosys Cobalt, taking advantage of Infosys Solutions on Oracle Cloud, talking about how Infosys transformed Western Digital after the merger and the acquisition of two other…
Read More Western Digital's journey to build business resiliency through cloud and ERP transformationsContinue
The hacker-for-hire industry is now too big to fail
ByIshu Mishra	 January 8, 2022
The NSO group has been plagued by criticism and allegations of abuse for years. In 2016, Ahmed Mansour, a human rights activist, was caught using the NSO Group's Pegasus in the UAE, a tool that exploits software flaws to hack iPhones and give NSO Group customers control. In that case, the UAE government was seen…
Read More The hacker-for-hire industry is now too big to failContinue
Cassandria Campbell, MCP '11, explores her interest in food in her first summer job working with food projects on farms in Lincoln, Massachusetts and Roxbury, where she grew up. She recalls, "I really enjoyed the experience of seeing things grow, and I admired how much Roxbury is changing by bringing people together and turning spaces…
Read More Improving access to healthy, fast-casual foodContinue
The Blue Technology Barometer | MIT Technology Review
About the index The Blue Technology Barometer ranks 66 coastal countries and territories on their progress and commitment to protecting the stability of the oceans. It measures the degree to which economies are prioritizing the protection of marine health through sustainable maritime activity, blue innovation and policy implementation. Method The Blue Technology Barometer measures the…
Read More The Blue Technology Barometer | MIT Technology ReviewContinue
How a Russian cyberwar in Ukraine could ripple out globally
Inadvertent results? Knock-on effects for the rest of the world may not be limited to deliberate retaliation by Russian operatives. Unlike the old-fashioned war, cyber warfare is not confined to borders and can go out of control more easily. Ukraine has been at the end of a decade of aggressive Russian cyber operations and has…
Read More How a Russian cyberwar in Ukraine could ripple out globallyContinue
El Paso was "drought-proof." Climate change is pushing its limits.
While farmers rely on the Rio Grande for irrigation, much of the water that El Paso residents drink actually comes from deep underground aquifers. These critical water sources are also at risk. In 1979, the Texas Water Development Board estimated that El Paso would run out of groundwater by 2031. At that time, each resident…
Read More El Paso was "drought-proof." Climate change is pushing its limits.Continue


Maere horror game download. But unlike ordinary walkthroughs cheats, we show you just the hints you need so your game is never spoiled. The UHS gives you just the hints you need to solve many games.
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Our company registered address is as above. astrologycollege.com is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Company number 04511241.


text:
Filters: First Letter Of Title is K [Clear All Filters]
Isbell, Robert, and Arthur Tilley. The Keepers : Mountain Folk Holding on to Old Skills and Talents. Winston-Salem, NC: J. F. Blair, 1999.
Ogintz, Eileen. The kid's guide to the Great Smoky Mountains. Guilford, Connecticut: Globe Pequot, 2016.
Lilley, Kathryn. A Killer Workout. New York, N.Y.: Obsidian, 2008.
Stewart, Bruce E., and Durwood Clay Dunn. King of the Moonshiners: Lewis R. Redmond in Fact and Fiction. University of Tennessee Press, 2008.
Knoxville, city of the Great Smokies. Knoxville, TN: Thompson's, 1941.
Hoots, Diane, and Juanitta Baldwin. Kudzu, the Vine to Love or Hate. Suntop Press, 1996.
Miller, Benjamin V., Michael W. Bradley, and Teresa L. Brown. Karst Hydrogeology of Tuckaleechee Cove and the western Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee and North Carolina In 2018 GSA Southeastern Section Meeting. Boulder, CO: The Geological Society of America, 2018.
Burghardt, Gordon M., Ronald O. Hietala, and Michael R. Pelton. Knowledge and Attitudes Concerning Black Bears by Users of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park In Bears: Their BIology and Management; International Conference Bear Research and Management. 23th ed., 1972.
Adams, Gerald Drayson, Gene Nelson, and Sam Katzman. Kissin' Cousins. MGM Home Entertainment Inc. and Turner Entertainment Co., 1997.
Anonymous. Kids waving goodbye from Sevier County School Bus.. The University of Tennessee Libraries Digital Collections: From Pi Beta Phi to Arrowmont, 2000.
Cochran, William Cox. King's cabin. Mt. Nebo. The University of Tennessee Libraries Digital Collections: William Cox Cochran Great Smoky Mountains Photographic Collection, 1886.
Thompson Brothers Commercial Photographers. Kinzel Springs. The University of Tennessee Libraries Digital Collections: Thompson Brothers Digital Photograph Collection, 1920.
Huff, Jack. Kitchen on top of Mt. LeConte. J.H. 4 Mt LeConte Series.. The University of Tennessee Libraries Digital Collections: From Pi Beta Phi to Arrowmont, 1925.
Cochran, William Cox. Knob on Chilhowee R. The University of Tennessee Libraries Digital Collections: William Cox Cochran Great Smoky Mountains Photographic Collection, 1886.
Cochran, William Cox. Knoxville E. Tenn. University taken August 11/86. The University of Tennessee Libraries Digital Collections: William Cox Cochran Great Smoky Mountains Photographic Collection, 1886.
Tennessee Valley Authority. Knoxville Tourist Bureau on Tennessee Highway 71, 1938. National Archives and Records Administration, Atlanta: Kodak Negative File, 1938.
Serota, Cornelia Ann. "Karyotypes and Morphological Variation in the Sessile-flowered Trilliums of North Carolina." Canadian Journal of Botany 47, no. 8 (1969): 1223-1232.
Alford, R.. "Keeping the Great in the Great Smoky Mountains." Appalachian Journal 37, no. 1-2 (2009): 13-14.
Xiao, Yang. "The Kinda Long March." Outside (2011): 52, 54-55, 101.
Radwell, Andrea J., Ashley P. G. Dowling, Ian M. Smith, and Vamsi Kaliki. "Kongsbergia Robisoni, N. Sp (Acari: Hydrachnidiae: Aturidae) from the Interior Highlands of North America Based on Morphology and Molecular Genetic Analysis." International Journal of Acarology 37, no. Supplement 1 (2011): 194-205.
Mohr, David W., and R. C. Newton. "Kyanite-Staurolite Metamorphism in Sulfidic Schists of the Anakeesta Formation, Great Smoky Mountains, North Carolina." American Journal of Science 283, no. 2 (1983): 97-134.
O'Connell, Kim A.. "Keeping Transportation on Track." National Parks 77, no. 3-4 (2003): 35-37.
Mize, Jim. "Killed in a Raid." Smoky Mountain Historical Society Journal and Newsletter 28, no. 4 (2002): 16-19.
Cummings, J. Hoyt. "Knife Torture in the Tourist Camp." Real Detective April (1950): 36-41, 73.
Thomas, James Caul. "Kodak Milling Company." Smoky Mountain Historical Society Journal and Newsletter 36, no. 1 (2010): 7-12.


This 1970s German-made Hoyer 50603 has a body shape strangely reminiscent of certain Guild guitars (e.g. this one), and is one of those designs that I look at and say to myself, "Is it ugly? Is it attractive? I can't decide!"
The guitar features a pair of DiMarzio Super Distortion humbuckers (as was fashionable at the time) with a volume and tone control for each and a pair of switches, one of which will be the pickup selector, but as for the other... Anyone out there know? Coil top or phase inversion, maybe?
This guitar is currently located in Berlin, and is listed on eBay.de with a Buy It Now price of €799.


text:
terrorism / counter-terrorism
LEAGUEOFJUSTICE
Nigeria arrest dozens of pro-Biafran protesters
Dozens of pro-Biafran protesters were arrested on Wednesday across Nigeria's southeastern region,, as authorities tried to frustrate calls for a sit-in to mark the 51st anniversary of the country's civil war.
A police spokesman Ebere Amaraizu said at least 21 pro-Biafran protesters were rounded up in the southeastern town of Enugu because they hoisted the outlawed flag of Biafra, a breakaway republic of ethnic Igbo whose unilateral declaration on May 30, 1967 touched off the 30-month civil war in which nearly 2 million lives were lost. The victims were mostly ethnic Igbo.
"The Enugu State command of the Nigeria Police Force through its operatives today nabbed the leader of the Biafran Zionist Movement identified as one Benjamin Onwuka alongside with some of his members numbering about 21," Amaraizu told reporters.
At least 11 other pro-Biafran protesters were also arrested in other towns where businesses were completely shut down as residents complied with the sit-at-home directive of the secessionist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualization of Biafra (MASSOB).
The two groups, backed by a motley of others, want a separate homeland for Nigeria's ethnic Igbo -- a bid that has pitted them against the government.
Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB chief who is standing trial for treason, has not been seen in the past year following a military raid on his residence in response to his alleged raising of an army and other activities the government considered unlawful.
Banks and schools were also shut in various parts of the region to mourn people killed in the war that followed the Biafra declaration of independence.
But the sit-in failed in other parts of the region especially in the Abakaliki and Awka towns where businesses opened.
By Rafiu Ajakaye
UN orders Malawi to release Trapence, Sembereka
The brave women fighting Boko Haram in Nigeria
AU envoy mediates Sudan crisis as protesters slam military
Dozens killed in major Boko Haram attack on Cameroon island
Copyright © 2017 leagueofjusticeonline.com


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Tools for Advocates
List of Resources / Tools for Advocates
Child Welfare Policy Primer [Updated: April 2017]
In April 2017, SPARC released Child Welfare Primer: A Guide for Advocates, Policymakers, and Others Interested in Child Welfare Policy Reform. Although the child welfare field has made significant strides over the past few decades, advocates, policy makers, and other leaders across the country continue to push for new reforms to lead to better outcomes...
Toolkit: Support Medicaid to 26 for Foster Youth
Youth aging out of the foster care system face unique challenges that can inhibit their ability to thrive and succeed as adults. Recognizing this, Congress included a provision in the Affordable Care Act that allows youth who age out of foster and enrolled in Medicaid to remain eligible for Medicaid coverage until the age of...
Effective Implementation of the Medicaid Coverage to Age 26 for Former Foster Youth Provision of the Affordable Care Act: A Checklist for State Advocates
This checklist, from SPARC and the Juvenile Law Center, help states determine if they are implementing the Medicaid coverage to age 26 for Former Foster Youth (FFY) provision in a way that maximizes the number of young adults who have insurance coverage and maintain it at least until age 26. It aims to help states...
Briefs / Tools for Advocates
NACAC State-by-State Adoption Fact Sheets
NACAC produced the following adoption fact sheets for the State Policy Advocacy and Reform Center (SPARC) to help inform adoption community members and adoption advocates. The fact sheets, derived mostly from 2012 AFCARS data, have information about the number of waiting children, the length of time children spend in care, the race of waiting and...
Federal Fiscal Year 2015 Final Budget
This chart details the federal budget in key children's and child welfare areas.


text:
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So, I'm sick. Really sick. My entire body seems to be oozing some sort of fluid and it's all pretty disgusting. My eyes are runny, my nose is a sore, congested mess and my lungs are trying really hard to keep air in them. It's not easy with all the coughing and sneezing I'm doing.
I blame this illness for the obsession that has taken over me. It started innocently enough with my hubby mentioning that he'd love homemade bread. I went online and watched a video where a calm, serene man kneaded dough into submission and made beautiful bread effortlessly. It seemed so easy, so simple and so lovely that I had to try it.
First, I had to buy the machines to make such bread. I opted for a Dutch Oven.
This is a dutch oven. I had no idea these things even existed.
So I got flour and threw in the ingredients. Well, first of all, my dough didn't look at all like the well-behaved, even sphere I had seen on the video. Mine was a messy, sticky goo that seemed determined to ooze its way through the kitchen but, hey, what did I know? Time to bake! In it went and out it came…looking as thick and heavy as a brick.
My lovely hubby, innocently tried a piece and chewed and chewed before finally swallowing the mess. It tasted nothing like bread.
Anyone else would have probably shaken it off, realized you can buy freshly baked bread at the store and moved onto better projects but not yours truly. I was, and still am, pretty sick and one cough after another, I was going to bake something! So, on came attempt number two (where I doubled the amount of salt).
Second attempt was even heavier than the first. The dough didn't even pretend to rise.
The second attempt was even more depressing than the first. See the above? It's about as light as cement and feels like that in your stomach. Ugh.
But did I give up? Nope. I went back to the store and bought a new contraption.
A baking stone will sort everything out!
Well, I haven't actually used this one yet. I'm in the middle of production.
Guess what's under that kitchen cloth? That's right! More dough.
In my desperate attempt to not create another 'bread-brick' I'm going to knead this thing like there's no tomorrow and let it rise overnight! Let's see if that makes any difference. Oh and I've switched from white to whole wheat flour because hubby said 'The whiter the bread, the sooner you're dead'. So who am I to contradict him?


New York City in the 1980's was a dirty dangerous place, with a city virtually bankrupt there wasn't much money to fight crime with. So after many violent incidents on the subway people took matters into their own hands. Guardian Angels, self appointed vigilantes patrolled the streets & subways. This painting comes from the memory of time spent in New York and seeing the Angels. People were re-assured by their presence and undoubtedly were safer.
Please enter your email and we will email you further information about Guardian Angel: Brother to you.
17" x 24" Image 15" x 22"


text:
Kahnoptimistic about German prospects
Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn is confident of Germany winning the World Cup even though he admits that Brazil have got the better individual players.
"I have all due respect for Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo, who are fantastic players, but they still have to beat me," he said.
Kahn has emerged as arguably the leading goalkeeper in the world after conceding just one goal in the competition and producing a series of vital saves.
"I've got a feeling telling me that we will be the world champions I can't really explain why," Kahn said.
"Brazil are probably the best team in the world in terms of individual players with exceptional people in every position," he admitted.
"But the team with the most gifted players do not always win." Kahn's words were echoed by Germany coach Rudi Voller, who added:
"If the best team always won the World Cup, then Brazil would have won it 14 times, not just four. But expecting a festival of fluent, attacking football on the Yokohama pitch on Sunday might be too much to ask for.
"Finals are often decided on small things, sometimes on luck. It may be that the teams will neutralise each other, like what happened in 1994."


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Why Princess Diana's Engagement Ring Choice Irked the British Royal Family
Back in February of 1981, Prince Charles proposed to the 20-year-old Lady Diana with a big blue sapphire-and-diamond ring that the future princess got to pick out herself. According to the editors of Vogue, some members of the British royal family fumed at Diana's choice — not because it featured an unconventional center stone, but because it was a stock item from the Garrard catalog.
Founded in London in 1735, Garrard was the official crown jeweler of the UK from 1843 until 2007. The distinguished company that had been entrusted with the upkeep of the British Crown Jewels was the logical source for Diana's bridal jewelry.
So, in the lead-up to their engagement, the 32-year-old Prince Charles presented his bride-to-be with a bunch of design options from Garrard. Her favorite was an 18-karat white gold ring set with a 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire surrounded by a halo of 14 round white diamonds.
In Diana's eyes, the ring was perfect. She loved it so much that she didn't request any modifications or customizations.
In the eyes of her critics and some members of the royal family, the ring was sub-standard because it was hardly unique. Critics called the Garrard stock item a "commoner's ring" because any non-royal with $60,000 to spend could purchase the exact piece.
Nevertheless, Diana's sapphire and diamond engagement ring would become one of the most recognizable and imitated engagement rings of all time. Gerrard still features a sapphire ring with a halo of 12 diamonds in its "1735 Collection." (The ring seen, above, is a replica with 16 accent stones.)
Diana wore the ring throughout her marriage and even, on some occasions, after her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996.
After Diana died tragically in 1997, her sons, then 15 and 12, were given an opportunity to select a keepsake from their mom's possessions.
Prince William picked a Cartier watch that his mom received on her 21st birthday and Harry got the sapphire engagement ring.
But, wait… Didn't Prince William famously propose to Kate Middleton in October of 2010 with his late mother's sapphire ring? Well, yes. We learned in April of this year, that the sapphire ring proposal was made possible by the selfless act of William's younger brother, Harry.
According to Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell, the princess's ring was in Harry's possession for 12 years. When William broke the news to his brother that he was about to propose to his long-time girlfriend, Kate, the younger brother said, "Wouldn't it be fitting if she had mummy's ring? Then one day that ring will be sat on the throne of England."
William accepted his brother's generous offer and the rest is history.
Credits: Princess Diana photo by John Mathew Smith [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons. Engagement ring replica by Ann Porteus from Tasmania, Australia [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons.


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https://www.realtor.com/news/celebrity-real-estate/slava-kozlov-selling-atlanta-mansion
Hockey Legend Slava Kozlov Skating Away From $3.8M Atlanta Mansion
Former NHL star Slava Kozlov has put his brick mansion in Atlanta's coveted Buckhead neighborhood on the market for $3.8 million.
Nicole Slaughter Graham, provided by
Published 12:10 pm PDT, Monday, July 8, 2019
Photo: Mike Stobe/NHLI Via Getty Images
Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood is sought after for golf and luxury living—making it a hot spot for the rich and famous.
Russian hockey legend Slava Kozlov made his home in Buckhead during his eight-year stint with the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers, but now he's ready to skate away. The winger has put his brick mansion on the market for $3.8 million.
The 6,500-square-foot estate is over the top and ornate down to the very last detail. The front entrance sets a lavish tone, and the exterior is completely covered in gorgeous brick. The rounded entryway with brick columns makes for a regal entrance into a home that's just as fancy.
Each room is covered in customized finishes: You'll see detailed crown molding, custom fixtures, ornate railings, and high-end appliances designed specifically for the home. There's also an impressive wine cellar, wet bar, media room, and gym. The gym comes with a sauna and steam shower.
The master suite is completely outlandish. There's a breakfast kitchen in the room, and the bathroom is equipped with a steam shower and soaking tub. There's also a two-story (!) closet.
Built in 2010, the home is wired for 2019's buyers and features the latest in smart home technology.
Outside, there's a full kitchen, which is part of a covered veranda that leads to a pool and spa.
The second floor of the home features a full balcony with ornate railing and a staircase leading down to the pool. Outfitted with an outdoor fireplace, the backyard is set up for entertaining year-round.
A path from the pool area leads to a clay tennis court. This 1-acre property also features beautifully and meticulously maintained gardens.
Koslov, 47, was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 1990 and made his NHL debut in 1992. He helped lead the Red Wings to the Stanley Cup in 1997 and 1998. He also starred for the Thrashers for nearly a decade before departing the NHL in 2010. He returned to Russia to finish out his pro career, then retired in 2015.
The post Hockey Legend Slava Kozlov Skating Away From $3.8M Atlanta Mansion appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.


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Q: Equivalent sequences and exponentials Prove or find a counterexample: if $a_n \sim b_n$, then $2^{a_n} \sim 2^{b_n}.$ Similarly, is $\log a_n \sim \log b_n$?
For the first one,
$$\frac{2^{a_n}}{2^{b_n}} = 2^{a_n - b_n} = 2^{b_n(a_n/b_n - 1 )}.$$
If $b_n$ were bounded, then I could easily conclude that the sequences are equivalent, so if there is a counterexample, one of the sequences has to be unbounded. If we let $a_n = n + 1$ and $b_n = n$, the ratio is always 2, so the statement is false.
For the second one,
$$\left|\frac{\log a_n}{\log b_n} - 1 \right| = \left|\frac{1}{\log b_n}\right| \left| \log a_n - \log b_n\right| = \left|\frac{1}{\log b_n}\right| \left| \log \frac{a_n}{b_n}\right|.$$
Since $\log$ is continuous, the second factor tends to 0, so if the statement were false, we would necessarily need $1/\log b_n$ to be unbounded. For the simplest case, $b_n = e^{1/n}$ implies the $n$th term of the former sequence is $n$. Since $b_n \to 1$, we can choose $a_n = 1$. Then
$$\frac{\log a_n}{\log b_n} = 0.$$
Are these counterexamples right? It seems like a lot of guesswork to find the counterexamples after limiting what sequences could possibly work. I feel like I got lucky (which certainly wouldn't happen on an exam), so are there any general tips to tackling these problems? Any classic counterexamples?

A: Your method of finding them is perfectly fine. In general, you just need to set $\def\nn{\mathbb{N}}$$(b_n)_{n\in\nn} = (a_n c_n)_{n\in\nn}$ for some sequence $(c_n)_{n\in\nn}$ such that $c_n \to 1$ as $n \to \infty$, and usually it works, and then figure out what you need $(a_n)_{n\in\nn}$ to be. For the first case, You want to falsify $2^{a_n} \sim 2^{a_n c_n}$ which is equivalent to $2^{a_n(c_n-1)} \sim 1$ as you found, which means you just need $a_n$ to grow faster than the discrepancy of $c_n$ from $1$ shrinks, which gives the same counter-example that you got. For the second case, you want to falsify $\log(a_n) \sim \log(a_n c_n) = \log(a_n) + \log(c_n)$, which is equivalent to $1+\frac{\log(c_n)}{\log(a_n)} \sim 1$, and so using $a_n = c_n$ already produces a counter-example.

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Максим Картошкин (род. 17 мая 1989, Москва, СССР) — российский хоккеист.

Биография
Воспитанник московского «Спартака». В 2008 году дебютировал в КХЛ за чеховский «Витязь». Провёл 2 сезона в континентальной лиге, после чего 1 сезон отыграл в МХЛ за «Русских Витязей». В 2011 году подписал контракт с пермским «Молотом». Во время сезона 2012/13 перешёл в «Саров». Сезон 2013/14 начинал в «Сарове», закончил в тверском ТХК. В 2014 году подписал контракт с польским клубом «Тыхы». В составе клуба стал чемпионом Польши 2014/15. Сыграл 7 матчей за польский клуб в Континентальном кубке 2016 года. По итогам сезона 2015/16 команда не попала в плей-офф польской лиги, поэтому в играх на вылет Картошкин сыграл за «Чарко Санок». Сезон 2016/17 начал в бытомской «Полонии».

Примечания

Хоккеисты России
Хоккейные нападающие
Игроки ХК «Витязь»
Игроки ХК «Русские витязи»
Игроки ХК «Молот-Прикамье»
Игроки ХК «Саров»
Игроки ХК «Тыхы»
Игроки ХК «Чарко Санок»
Игроки ХК «Полония» Бытом
Игроки ХК «Орлик»
Игроки ХК «Рязань»
Игроки ХК «Торун»

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By: Charles Dickens
Narrated by: David Timson
Categories: Literature & Fiction, Anthologies & Short Stories
A Classic Tales Christmas
By: O. Henry, Charles Dickens, Hans Christian Anderson, and others
Narrated by: B.J. Harrison
All of your favorite Christmas stories in one fantastic collection. From heartfelt stories such as O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" to tales of mystery from G. K. Chesterton and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Here is a treasure trove of tales from some of the best writers in the world, narrated by the voice of the Classic Tales: B.J. Harrison. Each story is presented unabridged.
Excellent if you Understand What These Are
By Jason Ellinger on 05-29-18
By: O. Henry, and others
A Vintage Christmas: A Collection of Classic Stories and Poems
By: Charles Dickens, L. M. Montgomery, Mark Twain, and others
Narrated by: full cast
During the hectic Christmas season, slow down with these heartwarming stories from some of literature's most beloved writers. In this collection, listeners will discover lesser-known but tender stories and poems from classic authors they know and love. Each selection celebrates the beauty, mystery, and joy found in the season that commemorates Christ's birth. A Vintage Christmas includes stories from Louisa May Alcott, Charles Dickens, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Mark Twain, and many more great writers....
By Deborah K. Fite on 02-01-19
By: Charles Dickens, and others
Christmas Radio Classics
By: Original Radio Broadcast
Narrated by: Jack Benny, Vincent Price, George Burns
Come back to the tradition and warmth of Christmas in the Golden Age of Radio, with the great performers and shows of yesteryear. Go shopping with Jack Benny. Go to the snow covered woods with Johnny Dollar. Go to Bethlehem with Family Theater. The voices of Vincent Price, George and Gracie, Bergen and McCarthy, Abbott and Costello, Red Skelton, Jimmy Durante, and more are lifted in story and song. They celebrate the yuletide with equal parts hope and hokum, silliness and sacrifice, merriment and mystery....
By Christine McIntyre on 12-05-18
Classic Christmas Stories
A Collection of Timeless Holiday Tales
By: L. M. Montgomery, O. Henry, Willa Cather, and others
Narrated by: Cris Dukehart, Phil Gigante, Natalie Ross, and others
Catch the holiday spirit with this magical collection of beloved Christmas tales. Christmas favorites from L.M. Montgomery, O. Henry, Willa Cather, Hans Christian Anderson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Bret Harte and Anthony Trollope are lovingly recorded and presented here in one enchanting volume.
Dark Christmas Tales
By pinkfitnessgirl on 12-17-15
By: L. M. Montgomery, and others
Dombey and Son
Dombey and Son is vintage Dickens and explores the classic themes of betrayal, cruelty and deceit. Dombey's dysfunctional relationships are painted against a backdrop of social unrest in industrialized London, which is populated by a host of fascinating and memorable secondary characters. The complete and unabridged novel is brought spectacularly to life by veteran reader David Timson.
A Hidden Dickens Gem
By: Washington Irving
Narrated by: Phil Paonessa
Warm and delightfully festive, this charming and long forgotten holiday classic was inspired, in part, by Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and other celebrations of old-time Yule. Splendid suppers, rural churches, cheerful dances, and hearty spirits imbue this short novel with the magic of the season.
A classic tale- well read
By Nancy & Greg on 01-02-20
Charles Dickens was a master of the macabre. His stories of madness, murder and revenge, often imbued with a sympathetic moral undertone, have continued to thrill and chill fans ever since they were written. Here then are 15 tales that display the full range of Dickens' Gothic talents. "The Signalman," perhaps the most well-known, is a chilling story about a mysterious figure and its deathly omen. "The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain" shows the consequences for those who make deals with the dead. Listen for more.
Finally a definitive Dickens ghost story collectio
By Miss Martian on 10-25-19
The Book That Inspired the Hilarious Classic Film
By: Jean Shepherd
Narrated by: Dick Cavett
The holiday film A Christmas Story, first released in 1983, has become a bona fide Christmas perennial, gaining in stature and fame with each succeeding year. Its affectionate, wacky, and wryly realistic portrayal of an American family's typical Christmas joys and travails in small-town Depression-era Indiana has entered our imagination and our hearts with a force equal to It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street.
Poor Jean Shepherd
By Jimmy on 05-28-11
By: J. R. R. Tolkien
Narrated by: Derek Jacobi, John Moffatt, Christian Rodska
Can you imagine writing to Father Christmas and actually getting a reply? Every year, the children of J.R.R. Tolkien would write to Father Christmas, and the letters they received told wonderful stories of his adventures at the North Pole. These humorous tales are brought to life by Derek Jacobi as Father Christmas, John Moffatt as Polar Bear, and Christian Rodska as Ilbereth the Elf, complete with specially composed music.
A fun little read.
By James on 06-30-14
The Christmas Stories of Louisa May Alcott
By: Louisa May Alcott
This audiobook includes: "Gwen's Adventure in the Snow"; 'Rosa's Tale"; "What Polly Found in Her Stocking"; "A Hospital Christmas"; "A Hospital Christmas (continued)"; "A Country Christmas."
Good but for the narration
By India Humphrey on 05-15-20
A Literary Christmas
By: Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Rudyard Kipling, and others
Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson, Simon Callow
Read by Juliet Stevenson and Simon Callow, A Literary Christmas is a seasonal anthology that collects together poems, short stories, and prose extracts by some of the greatest poets and writers in the English language. Like Charles Dickens' ghosts of Christmas Past and Present, they are representative of times old and new - from John Donne's Elizabethan hymn over the baby Jesus to Rudyard Kipling's "Christmas in India", from Thomas Tusser counting the cost of a Tudor feast to Laurie Lee's "Cider with Rosie".
Marvelous, with one very avoidable flaw
By Conguirk on 12-03-14
Mr. Dickens and His Carol
By: Samantha Silva
Narrated by: Euan Morton
Charles Dickens is not feeling the Christmas spirit. His newest book is an utter flop, the critics have turned against him, relatives near and far hound him for money. While his wife plans a lavish holiday party for their ever-expanding family and circle of friends, Dickens has visions of the poor house. But when his publishers try to blackmail him into writing a Christmas book to save them all from financial ruin, he refuses. And a serious bout of writer's block sets in.
Ultimately worth it
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus [Classic Tales Edition]
By: L. Frank Baum
Narrated by: B. J. Harrison
The architect of The Wizard of Oz delves into the mythological beginnings of the jolly old elf himself. Baum created a mythological world in which the magical forest of Burzee, created at the beginning of time, is the main source of all otherworldly magical power. Ak, the Master Woodsman ruled the forests; Kern, the Master Husbandman of the World, ruled the food crops; Bo, the Master Mariner of the World, ruled the seas. All other immortals are subject to these three.
BJ Harrison is a superb narrator! (not Librovox!)
By Darlene Vile on 12-30-18
The Cricket on the Hearth
Narrated by: Jim Dale
The holidays are upon us, and this year Audible is very happy to present to our members one of Charles Dickens' most popular Christmas stories, The Cricket on the Hearth. This holiday classic (original subtitle: "A Fairy Tale of Home") tells the innocent, picturesque, and charming story of a poor family and their would-be guardian angel; in short, a delightful vision of Victorian Christmas. As always, a great story calls for a great voice, so we've brought in legendary actor and record-breaking Audie and Grammy award-winning narrator Jim Dale ( The Night Circus). Happy holidays and happy listening!
Last Paragraph Missing?
By T. Brennan on 01-01-16
Jacob T. Marley
By: R. William Bennett
Narrated by: Simon Vance
"Marley was dead to begin with...." These chillingly familiar words begin the classic Christmas tale of remorse and redemption in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Now R. William Bennett rewinds the story and focuses the spotlight on Scrooge's miserly business partner, Jacob T. Marley, who was allowed to return as a ghost to warn Scrooge away from his ill-fated path. Why was Marley allowed to return? And why hadn't he been given the same chance as Ebenezer Scrooge? Or had he?
This is my favorite book! I listen to it all year
By Lyle K Holden on 08-07-17
or The Two Nations
By: Benjamin Disraeli
Narrated by: Tim Bentinck
While on a visit to the manufacturing towns of the north, aristocrat Charles Egremont encounters beautiful Sybil Gerard singing in the grounds of Marney Abbey. Graceful and angelic, Sybil Gerard is a symbol of religious purity. He also meets her father, a working-class radical, who tells him about the division of England into two nations: the rich and the poor. Moved by the episode, Egremont investigates the conditions of the working poor and witnesses the disturbing after-effects of the Industrial Revolution.
Almost great
By Carolyn on 08-09-19
Sleep Stories for Adults
83 Relaxing Bedtime Stories for Stressed Out Adults to Reduce Anxiety, Stress, Overcome Insomnia and Help Fall Asleep Fast by Deep Sleep Hypnosis Guided Relaxing Meditations
By: Calm Theraphy Centre
Narrated by: Tippy Robinson
What if you can't even sleep tonight? You can't sleep during this period, and you are losing your mind. Sleepless nights watching the ceiling and counting the sheep and then days full of commitments, between work, home, and family, and you don't know what to do; you risk a hysterical crisis. But what else can you do? You have tried to drink herbal teas before sleep, take relaxing pills, but nothing.
A very satisfying book
By Nicolas Baldwin on 06-29-21
The Adventures of Pinocchio (AmazonClassics Edition)
By: Carlo Collodi
Once upon a time, there was a talking, walking, dancing piece of wood. His name was Pinocchio, the marionette created from an enchanted log by Tuscan woodcarver Geppetto. The miraculous puppet dreams of being a real boy, but he has a mischievous streak. Pinocchio fights, kicks, lies, and runs away before Geppetto can teach him the lessons of life.
This original is a must read for any parent
By Hallie on 07-18-20
Charles Dickens was a major contributor to the romantic revival of Christmas traditions that occurred in the Victorian era. With their heart, humor and good morals, Dickens' Christmas stories have made the author's name synonymous with the season. Here we present four charming novellas to complete his series that began with "A Christmas Carol", with echoes of sleigh bells throughout. The stories include "The Chimes", "The Cricket on the Hearth", "The Battle of Life", and "The Haunted Man" - the perfect companion for the yearly celebrations. David Timson has directed, produced and read a great number of Naxos AudioBooks recordings, and is an authority on Dickens in particular.
Download the accompanying reference guide.
Public Domain (P)2016 Naxos AudioBooks
Short Stories Classics Anthologies & Short Stories
A Christmas Carol: A Signature Performance by Tim Curry
A Tale of Two Cities [Tantor]
On War
What listeners say about Christmas Stories
Tad Davis
A delightful collection, and the perfect companion to whichever performance of A Christmas Carol you prefer. Two of the stories here - The Chimes and The Cricket on the Hearth - are readily available elsewhere; but the other two, The Battle of Life and The Haunted Man, are harder to come by. And David Timson is the Dickens narrator nonpareil, and even if you have other versions of the stories, his interpretations are always a treat.
Not Christmas stories
These are not Christmas stories. These are little short stories by Charles Dickens but I have no idea why they're referred to as Christmas stories.
R. Davis
Well performed collection of Dickens
This is a nice collection of Dickens' other Christmas tales. The performance is very good and the pace of the audio is good relative to the English pronunciations and word choices of the Dickens era. Only word of caution, this collection DOES NOT include the famous Christmas Carol.
Excellent Reading
Riveting. Thought Provoking. Inspiring. Charles Dickens Masterfully Brought To Life These Exquisitely Written Christmas Novels.
Lab Girl
Not my cup of tea
These were probably good stories for the time they were written. But IMHO these just don't translate well into the twenty first century.
My advice to someone interested in this audio book is to borrow it from the digital library first. If it's something you will return to each Christmas season, purchase a copy for your personal library.
I recommend: A Christmas Carol, By Charles Dickens. A wonderful classic. Listen to a sample of each offering until you find a narrator you like.
The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry
And: The Christmas List, by Richard Paul Evans. Destined to become a new classic!
Listening to this collection might drain the holiday spirit from your soul. I usually love Dickens; however now I know why these short stories aren't his most popular and lauded. Overwritten clunky prose performed earnestly leads to somnolent listener.