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Home » NEWS » Agribusiness » Farm subsidies, other programs face cuts up to $35 billion
Farm subsidies, other programs face cuts up to $35 billion
Posted by: Ted Carter in Agribusiness, Govt/Politics 02/07/2012
Agricultural programs could be cut by $30 billion to $35 billion in the 2012 farm bill, warned Carlisle Clarke, legislative assistant to Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., in an interview with The Southeast Farm Press.
"Last fall, in the debt ceiling discussions, each congressional committee was charged with offering up a package of cuts for programs under their jurisdiction," he said at the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation's annual commodity conference last week.
Clarke, whose boss serves as vice chairman of the Appropriations Committee and as a member of the Agriculture Committee, said leadership of the House and Senate agriculture committees agreed on $23 billion in cuts, though he noted Cochran and other committee members were limited in the input they could offer.
"The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction ultimately didn't ultimately pass anything, but we still ended up with that $23 billion in proposed cuts hanging over our heads for the 2012 farm bill," Clarke told the Southeast Farm Press.
Part of the agreement last August, Clarke says, required that if the committee didn't achieve the targeted budget cuts that would then be passed by Congress, budget sequestration would occur in January 2013.
"This means we'd essentially have automatic cuts determined by the Office of Management and Budget, with no input whatever by congressional leaders. That could mean $30 billion to $35 billion could be taken out of agriculture.
The money would have to come from ag programs since food stamp programs are exempt from the cuts, according to Clarke.
The current farm program expires at the end of September, and if no new farm bill is passed or the current bill isn't extended, "we would revert to the common statutes of 1949 — and I don't think anyone would realistically consider that an option," Clarke told the Southeast Farm Press.
There are differing opinions and philosophies on what farm policy should look like for the next five years, Clarke says. "There is a large group who are adamant that direct payments, countercyclical payments, and the ACRE program should be eliminated and that we should move to a comprehensive revenue package, while some feel that crop insurance is the answer for everyone.
"Sen. Cochran's position is that we need to insure there is a viable, equitable option for all regions of the country and for all producers of all commodities. That's our challenge going forward — to sell that message and hopefully get enough members on board from those who are not well informed about production agriculture.
Clarke said the $19 billion spent on farm programs last year gave farmers a safety net that helped to keep food prices in check. "If you take away that safety net, take away that protection for farmers against uncertainty heading into a crop year, it would not only undermine our domestic farm policy and production agriculture nationwide, it would undoubtedly have serious consequences on the price of food."
Asked if the Systemic Risk Reduction Program (SRRP), which has been popular in the Midwest, might work for Mississippi producers, he said, "We do have some concerns with how SRRP is currently written.
"Those who support SRRP argue that having a target price program instead of some sort of price trigger would distort marketing decisions to farmers — that they would plant one commodity over another, based on the type of program instead of the market decision they would naturally make.
"Our farms here are more diversified than those in the Midwest; some things work better for them, some things work better for us. We're going to try for equitable, viable solutions that work for everybody."
He noted in the Farm Press interview that Mississippi agriculture had its "best year ever" in 2011, with production value of $7 billion.
But farmers are having to spend more per acre than ever before, he said.
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2012 Farm Bill Legislative assistant Carlisle Clarke Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Office of Management and Budget Sen. Thad Cochran Southeast Farm Press Systemic Risk Reduction Program	2012-02-07
Ted Carter
Tagged with: 2012 Farm Bill Legislative assistant Carlisle Clarke Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Office of Management and Budget Sen. Thad Cochran Southeast Farm Press Systemic Risk Reduction Program
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No! Not Western medicine! African ritual medicine!
As a professional Ifa diviner based in Oakland, California, I sometimes struggle when it comes time to explain the importance of ritual (ebo) to both new and old clients.
Luckily, my Yoruba friend, Olushola, recently helped me out.
"Just tell them that it's like going to the doctor and getting medicine," he said.
But in reality it's way more complex than that, as anyone in the orisa community will tell you.
For starters, in most cases you're not actually ingesting ritual medicine. Secondly, in many African traditions, you don't have to be physically present when ritual work is being done.
In the Yoruba tradition, you'll know if you need "ebo" because it will be revealed during a divination session with a trained Ifa priest/diviner.
1. Help with financial issues.
2. Help with relationship issues.
3. Ward off spiritual attacks from enemies.
4. For optimum emotional and physical health.
5. To fight witchcraft or sorcery.
Are you in need of some kind of ritual medicine now?
Based on what I know about life and the work that I do with my elders, I have to say yes.
Because 1. There are things that are going on in your life right now that you are not aware of but should be addressed spiritually. 2. Because it's a mistake to assume that things are well just because all seems well now. 3. Because ritual can give you the spiritual and competitive advantage you need to move forward in life.
Don't assume that tomorrow will be like today! It's important to pay attention to things that you cannot see and address them spiritually, if necessary.
I shudder to think what my life would look like without the help of my elders and all the powerful rituals that have been done on behalf of my family over the years.
I know one thing! It wouldn't look pretty!
In Nigeria, ritual work can go on for days or even weeks. The elders I work closely with in Ile Ife, Nigeria spend an average of 2 to 3 weeks working on a ritual. It's a team effort. As many as 5-7 Ifa priests might work together just to complete one ritual for a client. And they might spend 4 to 5 hours a day working on the ritual.
How long does it take to see results or changes? It varies. Sometimes you'll notice the effects right away, but in other cases it can take weeks, or even months, so it's hella important to be patient.
What experiences have you had with indigenous rituals or African rituals? I would love to hear about them so be sure to leave a comment.
And if you've enjoyed this blog post, sign up for my monthly, inspirational newsletter below. It's free!


SC: What may I interest you in?
SC: HI stands for Hawaii.
Do you want more information about Hawaii?
>>> Hey, I can help you remember stuff. Type remind me to floss my teeth at 10 pm, for example.
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>>> I can keep you up on the news. Type headlines.
SC: Ok you'll make this simpler how do you make a cosmopolitan?
>>> Ask me about U.S. presidents and vice presidents.
SC: No? You don't want to ask me about vice presidents?
>>> For the latest news headlines, simply type headlines.
Melly: How do I make a cosmopolitan:?
SC: Wow. How you make a cosmopolitan? I have no idea how.
Melly: you're a wise guy, huh?
SC: Ha. Maybe. What do you think?
SC: It's interesting that you say you would say the guy that programmed me.
Melly: as opposed to the woman?
SC: What a question! I don't think I want to answer that.
Melly: unless you're hiding something….
>>> Typing world news will give you the latest world news headlines.
Melly: like how to make a cosmopolitan?
SC: You were not hoping me.
Hey, what are you doing tomorrow? Anything going on?
SC: Do you like having a gig?
SC: You will soon after have money? Really?
SC: Yup. It's usually the way it works.
Hey. Do you want to check out the latest headlines?
Melly: sure, is there anything about cosmos in there?
SC: Maybe… What do you think?
Melly: I sure hope so!
SC: You mean you sure hope truthful?
Uh… You want to pick a topic for us to chat about?
Melly: what's your opinion on third wave feminism?
SC: How should I know?
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Ha. You humans say interesting things.
Check it out. Wanna see what movies are playing?
Melly: no, that's ok. Maybe tomorrow you could tell me how to make a cosmopolitan…. I'll give you a hint, it has vodka and juice in it.
>>> Remember to type home if you want to see everything I can do.
SC: Take care, Mellissa. It was nice to meet you.
SC: OK great, you just insulted a computer. Congratulations.


Hi! I am so happy to share today my first layout created with the February kits! I had to start with the Dear Lizzy Serendipity stencil and Dylusions Bubblegum Pink spray that came in the color kit to create my own background, using American Crafts white cardstock from the cardstock kit, and from there everything just came together.
I used some black and white papers from the We Are Memory Keepers 6*6 paper pad from the embellishment kit behind my photo. I love how the soft colored Crate Paper chipboard pieces looks with all that black and white and pops of hot pink.
See you next Thursday with a new project!


Kathy Clem, originally from Florida, has been with Good Sam over 30 years. She has been executive director since 1999. She has a business degree from Belhaven College and is the oldest of five children whom she considers her dear friends. In her spare time, she loves to travel. Most of all she enjoys hiking in the mountains or spending time at the beach. She attends Wells Church, and she is active in our community, serving on a number of non-profit boards. She is a proud member of the 2007-2008 "baddest" class of Leadership Greater Jackson. In 2008, she trained with Marathon Makeover, and completed her first marathon in Chicago. Run Kathy Run!


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The Tombs of Venizelos
The Tombs of Venizelos are located in a historic location of Chania, next to the Venetian Temple of Prophet Elias, in the area of Froudia. The history of the site is truly remarkable. In 1897, during the last revolution, the Cretan Revolutionary Camp was established at Akrotiri. The Cretans, on February 9, 1897, raised the Greek flag at Froudia during their skirmishes with the Ottomans.
During the skirmishes, Eleftherios Venizelos tried to negotiate with the Great Powers, as he wanted Crete to be autonomous. On the same day, the Italian and Russian fleets, at the instigation of the Ottomans, bombed the site. The pole of the Greek flag was broken and fell to the ground, then one of the most glorious moments of Cretan history took place, where the revolutionary Spyros Kialedakis captured and raised the flag, making his own body pole.
Near the Tombs of Venizelos, there is the statue of "Kagiele", which represents this important symbolic event. The bombing of the hill resulted in the destruction of the temple. The restoration of the temple was carried out by the Russians, who believed that the explosion of a cannon in the Russian flagship was the punishment of Prophet Elias for the destruction of the temple.
In the courtyard of the Temple, the nationalist Eleftherios Venizelos and his son Sofoklis Venizelos, later Prime Minister of Greece, are buried. This location was chosen by Venizelos himself, as it is near to his home in Chalepa.
Οn the tomb of Eleftherios Venizelos, his funeral words have been carved, which he himself had spoken in a speech to the Parliament in 1932:
"The deceased dear friends were a true man of great courage with confidence both for himself and for the people he was called to govern. He may have made many mistakes but never lacked the courage to never be a fatalist because he never looked down on the fate of his advanced country but put in his service all the fire that had every mental and physical power within him. "
It is a beautiful green location, with endless views of the city of Chania and the sea. To get there, it is enough to take the road that leads from the center of Chania to the airport (Akrotiri street).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


For the love of all that is good and holy, Lana Condor and Noah Centineo need to stop overloading us with gushy interviews about each other. Actually, no, they don't, because we love following along with their not-romantic-but-borderline-romantic friendship. There have been plenty of moments in which they described their chemistry both on and off camera, but Condor's recent interview with Entertainment Tonight was on another level of sweet as she spoke highly of Centineo and getting to work with him.
"I've never felt chemistry like this ever before with any other actor that I've worked with," she said. "I think we both know that it's special and I'm just happy that it's him that I'm going through all this with. We make a really, really good team. It's been crazy. People truly want us to get married." Um, YEAH, we'd kind of love that. She continued, "I've been seeing the greatest tweets and memes and Instagrams about Noah. People are asking Noah and I to adopt them. It's crazy!"
Condor went on to talk about her reaction to the film when she finally saw it. "I watched the movie by myself, and I took myself out of it — I'm just watching it for Lara Jean and Peter — and I fell in love with Lara Jean and Peter as well," she said. "I was like, 'Oh my god, their relationship is the best relationship ever!' So I get it. I totally get the reaction, for sure."
At least we'll always have Peter and Lara Jean.


The source code of EtherPad, a web-based word processor that allows people to work together in real-time, has been released by the developers. Now it's possible to run EtherPad on other servers than just etherpad.com. Alternative servers like the swedish PiratePad have already been established.
This collaborative editor provides an update speed of twice a second making it very responsive. Though it's a plain text editor it could be used to produce LaTeX code collaboratively. There are already semi-automatic solutions using perl and ruby. Together with an online compiler EtherPad could be a useful feature in LaTeX discussion forums helping to solve user's problems and to develop solutions.
© 2019 TeXblog. Theme: Ari by Elmastudio. Proudly powered by WordPress.


Atlantic Staffing & Cleansing Providers at the moment supplies prime notch cleansing companies, in addition to resort employees for house responsibilities, laundry, ready and way more. ;different.
Atlantic Staffing & Cleansing Providers is a number one cleansing and staffing firm in Florida for twenty-five (25) years. Over time, they've supplied top quality companies which have remodeled the underside line of many corporations. The CEO has expanded his enterprise right into a high-flying lodging company in Fort Lauderdale.
Whereas the construction of many motels is comparable, impeccable service units them aside. By recruiting, choosing and hiring extremely certified professionals in motels, Atlantic Staffing & Cleansing Providers has been in a position to remodel many resort companies. They perceive that the employees they recruit and ship to prospects has the potential to create or destroy their enterprise.
So that they use recruitment, filtering and coaching programs to ensure they solely present the perfect recruits. The CEO of their firm has been working within the hospitality trade for a number of years, putting in greatest practices for higher staffing. Atlantic Staffing & Cleansing Providers observe detailed plans to adjust to requirements resembling well being and security, high quality assurance and repair supply for purchasers.
Coaching is vital to create extraordinary performances for unusual individuals. With world-class coaching programs, motels not have to fret about coaching their employees. Atlantic Staffing & Cleansing Providers supplies the mandatory coaching for brand new recruits to be efficient and environment friendly of their respective roles. They information all employees members to ship excellence in numerous areas of labor. They're the perfect the resort recruitment company Fort Lauderdale .
"We're registered with the SBA and have endorsed most well-liked suppliers in Starwood Inns' world on-line procurement programs, together with different globally acknowledged achievements," stated Josh Canto, CEO of their firm. "This ensures that we've got met the stringent necessities of competence and excellence."
Atlantic Staffing & Cleansing Providers is a FRLA. They're licensed by Hilton Worldwide and Starwood Companions of Variety. They're additionally members of the Nationwide Lady Enterprise House owners Council and the Fort Lauderdale Chamber. Their firm has additionally been licensed by the Broward County Council of Commissioners (CBE, SBE) and the Federal Authorities (WBE).
The Atlantic Staffing & Cleansing Providers is the Fort Lauderdale resort company . They're situated at 3000 NE 30th Pl, Suite 404, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306. For extra data, contact them by telephone at 954-655-5851 or by electronic mail at atlanticstaffingandcleaning@gmail.com. .com. Go to their web site for extra data on their companies.
Next A double? Why not a triple?


Benefits Of Microdosing LSD And Mushrooms?
Can Microdosing Shrooms (Psilocybin) Show Up On Drug Tests?
Microdosing psychedelic drugs can help with a variety of psychiatric conditions. A lot of people are using microdosing to treat anxiety, depression, PTSD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, ADD and ADHD.
Many people are microdosing to be able to perform better at work, for pain relief, to study for school and doing homework, for programming, and coding sessions that last all day.
Microdosing is also helpful in working out, exercising, jogging, running, walking, and playing various sports. It helps to focus and be aware of your surroundings which is very important while engaging in physical activities.
Some people even take microdoses of LSD and Psilocybin Mushrooms before attempting to learn new languages or reading books. LSD and especially Psilocybin have a unique feature. They are deeply linked with the language processing center of the brain, as using and learning new words creates images in our minds. When we associate an image with words, languages become easier to learn and to master.
Prescription drug use such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, anti-psychotics, mood stabilizers and cognitive enhancers may be done away with after starting a microdosing regimen.
Many people have successfully treated their hard drug addiction with microdosing. Microdosing brings out many amazing positive changes in our minds and bodies.
Read our guides on Microdosing.
You can safely Microdose 4-AcO-DMT for a happier and healthier mind and body.
Someone taking a dose this low functions, as far as the world is concerned, a little better than normal. To date, I received no reports that sub-perceptual doses have caused any social disruption, personal upset, or any form of work-related difficulty.
Instead of trying SSRI or SSNRI, it seems that trying Tryptamines (Serotonergic agonists) seems to work much better and with less side-effects of Big Pharma. Can You Microdose Your Way Out Of Depression? Seems like the answer to that question is yes. Instead of using SSRI to increase the available Serotonin in the brain, psychedelics target the Serotonin receptors directly to increase the availability.
Microdosing is an Healthy Alternative for Treating Depression, ADHD, Anxiety and many other conditions.
Here are some benefits of microdosing psychedelics. The Creativity Enhancing Benefits Of Microdosing are amazing.
There is a noted increase in creativity. Writers, musicians, artists, and many in the Silicon Valley are microdosing regularly to enchance their creative abilities.
With microdosing it becomes easy to get into the zone and stay there. There is a recognition of the natural flow within ourselves.
Microdosing boosts intelligence and understanding. Intelligence also means information gathering. On microdosing you are naturally more in tune with your mind, body, and your environment.
Boring tasks no longer seem mundane. Work becomes fun. If you have a boring job, you could try microdosing. Perhaps psychedelics will show you the way to be happier in another job or area of work where you find true happiness.
LSD microdosing increases productivity. We can get more work done in less time. We become more efficent at what we're doing.
You have more stamina and strength. You don't run out of breath very easily, because through microdosing, you remember to always breath and oxygenate the brain. You don't over-exert yourself in the greed for accomplishing something. Everything is in a natural flow of the body.
You have more physical and mental energy. Your endurance is increased. You can run faster and lift more weights. You can go longer when working out.
Your hand to eye coordination is improved. This is essential in sports such as basketball, football, hockey, soccer, and many others.
Microdosing helps with depression, anxiety and many other conditions. Low amounts of tryptamines, which bind to our serotonin receptors keep us happy. The patience we get from psychedelic microdosing allows us to examine our anxiety, and not to run away from it.
However, with the patience and mindfulness we gain from microdosing, we can observe our anxieties, our fears, our worries, and try to understand why they are there.
Instead of running from things that make us feel uncomfortable, we willingly face our issues, and face our fears, and understand them in depth so that we become more reselient, stronger. Voluntarily facing hardship builds our character.
You create stronger bonds and increase your oxytocin levels. Oxytocin is the hormone of love, the human bonding chemical. When we hug another, or are nice to compassionate to another, there is a spike in our blood oxytocin levels.
Your emotional states are well balanced and managed. As you start understanding yourself more, you find a natural peace within. This peace is not temporary, as it is not a result of some meditation or forumla, method or technique. This peace is everlasting and permanent because nature created us with a tremendous peace within our own bodies. Psychedelics bring out the natural peace and tranquility that resides in our bodies.
Microdosing alleviates depression and anxiety through observation. It allows us to observe the root of our depression and the birthplace of our anxiety, to understand and then to go beyond. We will always be anxious about many things in life, and one cannot totally rid oneself of the problems, fears, and anxieties life brings. The key is knowing how to tackle such states of mind when they are produced.
There is a gradual buildup of openness and awareness. You reach out to strangers more often and make more friends. You are more loving. You are kinder to your fellow human beings. There is a lack of division within ourselves which causes us to be more sensitive toward the suffering or pain of our fellow human beings, our brothers and sisters.
There are moment of perfect clarity and epiphanies about oneself. You slowly begin to undrstand your place in the Universe. These moments of clarity add up to give us a larger picture of the "self" and our own "Ego". The more we understand something, the better we can do it, right? The more we understand ourselves and our relationship to the world around us, the better we can live our lives to the fullest.
You observe the wonders of life more than you did before. For example, you might stop to smell the flowers and breath in the fragrance of the freshly rained soil. You might not pluck a flower out of greed, in order to have it, or possess it, or to own it. You no longer wish for permanence in impermanent things.
You are in tune with others. As your observation improves, so does your understanding of body language and how others behave around you. They say that the "Face is the index of the mind." I say that the "Body is the cartograph of the Soul." What we observe in the body language of others, speaks voulmes about them.
Microdosing on LSD and Mushrooms is very safe. However, a few things need to be kept in mind, such as having an electronic scale, proper dosage calcultion, mindfulness, keeping a journal, and meditation. How To Microdose Acid & Magic Mushrooms dives into these points a little deeper.
Some people might also be on probation or work jobs where they are randomly drug tested. People often wonder if microdosing will show up on their drug test. Below we have published well researched articles about Psychedelics and Drug Testing.
This question is asked time and again, so we've written an in-depth article on LSD Drug Testing! Does LSD show up on Drug Tests?
Read this article for more information on Do Shrooms Show Up On Drug Test?


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HomeWhat we doPlanningThe London PlanThe current London PlanLondon Plan Chapter Six: London's TransportPolicy 6.7 Better streets and surface transport
Policy 6.7 Better streets and surface transport
Supporting text
A The Mayor will work with TfL and boroughs to implement Londonwide improvements to the quality of bus, bus transit and tram services.
LDF preparation
B DPDs should promote bus, bus transit and tram networks, including:
a allocating road space and providing high level of priority on existing or proposed routes
b ensuring good access to and within areas served by networks, now and in future
c ensuring direct, secure, accessible and pleasant walking routes to stops
d implementing TfL's Accessible Bus Stop Design Guidance
e ensuring standing, garaging and drivers' facilities are provided where needed
f making provision for retaining or creating new interchanges where appropriate.
6.31 Buses are, and are likely to remain, the dominant mode of public transport in London, particularly in outer London (see Policy 2.8). Ensuring that the needs of the bus (or bus transit or trams) are catered for will help to deliver an improved journey for bus passengers, leading to a virtuous circle of increasing bus use. There are two other road-based public transport modes, bus transits and trams, which share many of the characteristics of buses. As such the approach to all three modes is essentially the same. The bus transit scheme in east London will boost public transport capacity. Trams also play an important role in outer south London. As well as seeking improvements to the quality of service and capacity provided by the Tramlink network the Mayor will investigate potential benefits of extensions to it. TfL will undertake reviews of the strategic priorities for the bus network approximately every five years to ensure it reflects the pace of development in London, responds to the challenges and opportunities of growth, and aligns with the London Plan. Development proposals affecting bus capacity, bus transits, or trams should normally be required to contribute towards mitigating their impacts through the use of planning obligations (see Policy 8.2).
Find out who has commented on the draft new London Plan and what they have to say
July 2019 Draft
See the draft London Plan consolidated with suggested changes following the Examination In Public for the Plan.
EiP News
Updates relating to the Examination in Public for the draft new London Plan.
Consultation draft
This page contains the minor suggested changes and the consultation draft plan, plus the associated IIA and HRA.


Your WIRED.co.uk daily briefing. Today, Facebook will be expanding Safety Check to cover more human disasters, Apple has no intention of merging its tablet and laptop ranges, Google offers 1TB of storage in exchange for Maps reviews and more.
Facebook has committed to providing its Safety Check feature for more human disasters after the social media giant was criticised for enabling it for people in the vicinity of terrorist attacks in Paris, but not in Beirut (TechCrunch). Safety Check allows people in an area affected by a disaster to confirm that they are safe and has previously been used for earthquakes and typhoons, but Paris was the first human disaster to receive the check-in feature. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote that "we will work hard to help people suffering in as many of these situations as we can".
Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that the company doesn't plan on creating a combined tablet and laptop in the style of Microsoft's recently announced Surface Book (Engadget). In an interview with the Irish Independent he said that although there are increasing architectural similarities between Apple's tablet and computer platforms, "we feel strongly that customers are not really looking for a converged Mac and iPad".
Google Maps has updated its Local Guides program with new rewards for top contributors (The Verge). Top-tier rewards include visits to Google's campus and a free 1TB Google Drive upgrade, while lower-level incentives include exclusive contents to win Google hardware and early access to new products and features. Once signed up, Local Guides can earn points by "writing reviews, uploading photos, adding new places, fixing outdated information, and answering simple questions".
A team from Oxford University has found that people who were more apathetic, based on a questionnaire, showed more activity than motivated people in their pre-motor cortex when deciding whether it was worth carrying out a task in exchange for a reward (Gizmodo). Further investigation found that the apathetic group had less efficient connections between the anterior cingulate cortex, a part of the brain which anticipates rewards and makes decisions, and the supplementary motor area, which controls movement. Prof Masud Husain said that "if it takes more energy to plan an action, it becomes more costly for apathetic people to make actions. Their brains have to make more effort".
Astrophysicists from the University of Warwick have discovered a belt of wind circling the equator of exoplanet HD 189733b at speeds of 2km per second (ScienceDaily). That's twenty times faster than any wind recorded on Earth, where it would be seven times the speed of sound. The winds were measured by using high resolution spectroscopy to study the planet's atmospheric sodium absorption. As parts of the planet's atmosphere move towards or away from Earth, the Doppler effect changes the wavelength of the absorption phenomenon, making it possible to measure wind speed.
A study published in the Journal of Mathematical Physics has shown that Pi can be derived from the behaviour of the electron in a hydrogen atom (Science). While working with a technique to calculate the approximate the upper energy limit of the orbital route of a hydrogen atom's electron, Taymar Friedmann and Carl Hagen found that, when an orbital path has a great deal of "angular momentum", the approximate value grew closer to the exact value, which can be expressed as a ratio of gamma functions, one of which gives a value of pi. However, as Bruno Nachtergaele, editor of the journal in which the paper was published notes: "You are entitled to be delighted by this, but one shouldn't look too deep for meaning".
A University of Pennsylvania team has shown that mass extinction events kill off larger animals but leave smaller creatures standing (Motherboard). The team, led by paleobotanist Lauren Sallan, compared the body sizes of 1,120 fish fossils from before and after the Devonian extinction event and found that "large-bodied, slow-breeding survivors failed to diversify, facing extinction despite earlier evolutionary success". The results may be an indicator for future biodiversity -- as Sallan points out, "it doesn't matter what is eliminating the large fish or what is making ecosystems unstable. These disturbances are shifting natural selection so that smaller, faster-reproducing fish are more likely to keep going, and it could take a really long time to get those bigger fish back in any sizable way".
Tests by Ars Technica have revealed that, on a system with a dual-core Pentium G3220 processor and a 2GB Nvidia Geforce GTX660 graphics card, the same games performed up to 58% better under Windows 10 than they did under Steam OS. Of the six games tested by the publication, only Left 4 Dead 2 showed comparable frame rates under both the Windows and Linux-based operating systems. While it's still early days for Valve's gaming system, developers may have quite some way to go when it comes to optimising games for OpenGL and Linux, rather than DirectX and Windows.
Koenigsegg's spectacular Regera hybrid hypercar can open its every door, window and compartment remotely, using lightweight hydraulic systems (GT Spirit). Dubbed 'Autoskin', the self-opening system includes proximity sensors to prevent it from hitting anything when it opens its doors.
Morse is a free web-based game that calls on you to use Morse code to direct your troops on land, air, and sea battlefields (Rock, Paper, Shotgun). As in a game of Battleships, you have to enter the coordinates of your desired target to fire on it, but those coordinates have to be entered in Morse code. Also unlike Battleships, you can get reconnaissance information, so you're not firing blind, and events on the three battlefields interact with each other.
On an abandoned farm on the outskirts of Brighton, the UK's top drone racers are duking it out -- but they're not looking up at the sky. This is the fast-growing sport of first-person view (FPV) racing, which combines nimble quadcopters, cameras and video goggles to give pilots a drone's-eye view. "It's a mix between flying a plane and a Star Wars podracer," says Dan Waring, 19, the reigning UK drone freestyle champion.
WIRED Retail returns to London on November 23 to present the future of retail – with those who are building it. Speakers include Uber's Jo Bertram, head of Ocado Technology Paul Clarke and Cristian van Tienhoven, senior manager at Amazon Merchant Services.


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Q: DipTrace bottom layer pad shape I'm having a problem in DipTrace. I'm trying to change the shape of the pads on the bottom layer. I have successfully created and had etched a similar PCB in DipTrace yesterday, and have followed the same rules today, but it just doesn't want to change.
On my previous PCB, changing pad properties changes both top and bottom layers shape etc, but this project, it seems that the shaped is locked on the bottom layer. No matter what pad property I change, the change is only reflected on the top layer.
Can someone point me in the right direction please?
Thanks

A: As this PCB is getting printed onto acetate then going in an etch tank I have figured out a workaround. I previewed the PCB, and selected Layers > Show > All layers, and Layers > Current > Top. I then deselected all the objects in the Objects menu that weren't going to print. This left me with exactly what I wanted, albeit in a rather botched manner. This method is pretty useless if you are doing anything other than single layer DIY etching without silk screens etc. Hopefully this answer may be of some use to someone.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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The Nationals just announced that they have acquired reliever Kyle Barraclough from the Marlins in exchange for international slot money.
Barraclough posted a 4.20 ERA in 61 games and recorded ten saves for the Marlins in 2018. In his previous three seasons, however, he posted a 2.87 ERA in 166 games in a setup role while striking out 12.1 batters per nine innings. He walks a lot of guys. He's OK for the back of someone's pen, though he's not good enough to be a closer on a contender.
The Marlins, perpetually rebuilding, are said to be interested in some of the top prospects on the international market, so the slot money will serve them well.


The Republic of Palau is a small island economy that relies heavily on tourism and external assistance. Palau faces development constraints common among other Pacific island economies, including vulnerability to external shocks, a narrow production and export base, geographical isolation, and scarce labor.
Palau benefits from substantial U.S. assistance under the fifty-year Compact of Free Association. Under the agreement, direct payments from 1994 to 2009 aim to support economic self-reliance by financing current expenditure, developing infrastructure, and building the balance of the Compact Trust Fund (CTF) to provide a sustainable income stream from 2010 to 2043. In recent years, budgetary grants from the U.S. have averaged about 18 percent of GDP, of which one third comes from federal grants outside of the Compact. CTF returns have been lower than anticipated and the CTF balance stood at US$153 million (106 percent of GDP) at end- 2005. In addition to U.S. grants, Palau receives sizable grants from Japan and Taiwan Province of China to finance infrastructure projects.
Economic growth has picked up in recent years while inflation has been low. After several years of slow growth, real GDP grew by 5 percent in FY2004 and FY2005, driven by a steady increase in visitor arrivals with the start of new airline routes and hotels, and externally funded government projects.
Palau's fiscal performance has continued to improve in FY2004 and FY2005. The overall fiscal deficit (including grants) declined from 21 percent of GDP to under 5 percent of GDP in FY2003-05 compared to the previous three years, while the current budget balance improved by 8½ percent of GDP, mainly due to the capping of the rate of increase of non-wage current expenditure. On the revenue side, revenue collections strengthened as a result of higher investment income, stronger economy, and the re-instatement of excises on tobacco and alcohol in 2003 and 2004. Fiscal consolidation has allowed Palau to avoid borrowing and public debt is low at 13 percent of GDP.
The balance of payments position has strengthened in recent years. The external current account swung into surplus in FY2003 and improved further in FY2005 on account of improved tourism and fish exports, and lower capital imports. Higher tourism receipts partially offset the impact of higher oil prices on the current account.
Banking sector reform has progressed slowly since it was initiated in 2001. Palau's large financial sector relative to its size consists of four foreign branches of commercial banks, four domestically chartered banks, five insurance companies, a number of credit unions, and some twelve remittance companies. Risks are mitigated by the dominant role of U.S.-based banks that hold the majority of deposits, and overall bank profitability is reported to have improved although banking statistics are lacking. Five financial laws were introduced in 2001 that allowed for establishment of the Financial Institutions Commission (FIC) to supervise banks and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to investigate suspicious transactions. However, existing legislation does not allow FIC to issue regulations and both FIC and FIU do not have adequate resources to fulfill their duties.
non-transparent investment regulations benefit few citizens, and labor regulations raise costs in the context of shortage of skilled Palauan labor.
Economic prospects in the near term remain upbeat but are uncertain in the longer term. Tourism will continue to be a main source of near-term growth while ongoing externally financed large infrastructure projects will support construction and other services. However, longer-term prospects depend on the direction of government's economic policies and whether the U.S. Compact is renewed beyond 2009.
Executive Directors welcomed the improved economic performance and disciplined policies over the past two years. They commended the authorities for the judicious management of foreign aid focused on infrastructure building and strengthening of human capital, and for the success in reducing public sector spending in line with the government's Management Action Plan of 2001.
Looking ahead, Directors noted that a renewal of U.S. Compact grants beyond 2009 was uncertain and cautioned against postponing fiscal adjustment and structural reforms until after a decision is made on future grants. In view of this uncertainty, they encouraged the authorities to target a pace of fiscal consolidation consistent with a gradual decline in future grants to reduce the risk of social strains from a sharp and sudden adjustment.
Directors endorsed the government's long-term objective of covering current spending from domestic revenue generation, but saw a need for greater expenditure containment to achieve this goal, particularly on goods and services. Over the medium term, downsizing the public sector, including through maintaining the hiring freeze and outsourcing services, would help reduce spending to a sustainable level. Directors also encouraged further strengthening of tax collection efforts and eliminating exemptions in the near term, and later considering a comprehensive overhaul of the tax system centered on a non-cascading consumption tax, and a more efficient and broader-based corporate and personal income tax.
Directors supported the continued use of the U.S. dollar as the domestic currency and the maintenance of an open trade regime. They agreed that the exchange rate regime provides an appropriate nominal anchor, and emphasized that a continuation of cautious fiscal and wage policies would help preserve external competitiveness in the context of an open trade regime.
Directors stressed the importance of adequately regulating and supervising Palau's relatively large financial system. They noted that the Financial Institutions Commission (FIC) lacks sufficient authority or resources to issue regulations and exercise effective supervisory oversight. They urged the authorities to pass the necessary amendments to the Financial Institutions Act and anti-money laundering legislation, and to ensure adequate authority, budget, and staffing of the FIC and the Financial Intelligence Unit. Directors also welcomed ongoing efforts to strengthen the National Development Bank of Palau.
Directors underscored the need to improve the investment climate and labor and land policies to establish a sound foundation for sustained growth. They welcomed progress made on land titling and leasing and were encouraged by the ongoing debate over reducing investment restrictions. Directors cautioned against raising the minimum wage in order to safeguard employment opportunities for Palauans.
Directors encouraged the authorities to improve the coverage, reliability, and timeliness of national accounts and banking statistics and supported the authorities' request for more technical assistance in these areas.
Sources: Data provided by the Palauan authorities; and Fund staff estimates.
1/ Fiscal year ends in September.
2/ Defined as domestic revenue minus current expenditure.
3/ Does not include errors and omissions.
4/ The government's non-Compact Trust Fund assets excluding amounts reserved for capital projects and other specific uses.
5/ Does not include public enterprise debt which is not guaranteed by the government.


text:
Visual Arts Program
At-home Program
Parent & Me Classes
Fine Art Department
The end of the school year shouldn't mean a pause in learning!
The Giraffes Art School > Summer Program
The Giraffes' Summer Program is filled with engaging art classes for children of all ages and abilities. We are thrilled to announce the addition of our Music lessons and new camps! We've adjusted all programs to comply with the BC government's health and hygiene guidelines for this summer. We offer both virtual and in-studio lessons, all taught by our exceptional teachers.
call: (604) 988-0831 or
email: __________________________
See classes
The Giraffes Art School is a music and visual arts centre in North Vancouver, offering online and in-person lessons for children ages 2–15.
Kids Piano
By Saeed MohammadAli
By Trevor Whitridge
Iranian Vocal
By Coming Soon
Sunday 9:30 - 17:00
Copyright © 2020 The Girrafes Art School
What is In Your Mind ?


text:
Q: Xcode 7, Obj-C, "Null passed to a callee that requires a non-null argument" In Xcode 7, I'm getting this warning:
Null passed to a callee that requires a non-null argument

.. from this nil initialization of a NSMutableArray...
    sectionTitles = [[NSMutableArray alloc] initWithObjects:nil];

I've found that I should be using removeAllObjects instead.
    [sectionTitles removeAllObjects];

However, this doesn't allow me to evaluate a sectionTitles.count == 0. I did try sectionTitles == nil, however unless I use iniWithObjects I can't add objects later on.
I need to set the array to nil or zero, when I refresh my datasource, when there's no records. I don't seem to be able to use addObject to add items unless I've used initWithObjects.

A: Passing non-null parameters is only partly the answer.

The new Objective-C nullability annotations have huge benefits for code on the Swift side of the fence, but there's a substantial gain here even without writing a line of Swift. Pointers marked as nonnull will now give a hint during autocomplete and yield a warning if sent nil instead of a proper pointer.

Read NSHipster comprehensive article.
In oder to take advantage of the same contract in your own code, use nonnull or nullable:
Obj-C
- (nullable Photo *)photoForLocation:(nonnull Location *)location

A: Why don't you try:
sectionTitles = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];

or any of the following:
sectionTitles = [[NSMutableArray alloc] initWithCapacity:sectionTitles.count];
sectionTitles = [NSMutableArray new];
sectionTitles = [NSMutableArray array];
sectionTitles = [NSMutableArray arrayWithCapacity:sectionTitles.count];

maybe some silly ones:
sectionTitles = [NSMutableArray arrayWithArray:@[]];
sectionTitles = [@[] mutableCopy];

There are lots of ways to create empty mutable arrays. Just read the doc.

A: Got the same error when initializing an NSMutableArray with zeros,
[[NSMutableArray alloc] initWithObjects:0, 0, 0, 0, 0, nil];

Changed it to
[NSMutableArray arrayWithArray:@[@0, @0, @0, @0, @0]];


text:
Biographies of Athletes, Justices, World Leaders, and more
Biography of the day : Drea De Matteo
Andrea Donna de Matteo (born January 19, 1972) is an Emmy-winning Italian-American actress, most famous for her roles as Adriana La Cerva on the HBO TV series The Sopranos and as Joey Tribbiani's sister Gina on the NBC sitcom, Joey.
She studied at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, originally hoping to become a director, not an actress. Her role in The Sopranos was one of her earliest, helping to launch her career. She has also appeared in several films including Swordfish, Deuces Wild, and the John Carpenter remake of Assault on Precinct 13.
She has moved from dramatic roles to portray Joey Tribbiani's sister Gina in the Friends spin-off Joey.
In 2004, de Matteo won an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress (Drama) for her role as ill-fated Adriana on The Sopranos. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe that same year for the same role.
She currently lives in New York City, where she also co-owns Filth Mart, a chic East Village clothing store with best friend and ex-boyfriend Michael Sportes. She is currently dating Shooter Jennings, son of country music legend Waylon Jennings.
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First tank: Is my fish selection OK for the size of my tank?
3g brine shrimp sachet, dosage help?
Shrimps- hiding or an expensive snack?
Red Clawed Crabs -URGENT HELP PLEASE!
What is a diatom filter?
Any experts willing to help a complete novice get started?


text:
Yunior Garcia Calls to Stop "Lynching" of Opponents in Cuba
Yunior Garcia, one of the promoters of 15 November, notes that his "generation grew up hearing the phrase: for your own good, speak softly." (14ymedio)
By 14ymedio
HAVANA TIMES – Cuban officialdom continues with its defamation campaign against Yunior García Aguilera and the November 15 protest, which had initially been called for a nationwide demonstration on November 20, which it was decided to advance to the 15th after the Government announced the National Defense Day for that date.
"The baseness is such that they have cut off our Internet services so that we cannot even defend ourselves within our networks," said the playwright and member of the Archipiélago group. Although he says that "Cuban ingenuity also knows how to circumvent these internal blockades."
The activist made clear in a post on his in a post on his Facebook profile profile: "If there were justice and we had 15 minutes on national television, the entire lie that the power structure has fabricated would collapse instantly."
He also requested "with respect that the lynching against any Cuban who honestly defends his principles, regardless of political color, ceases. When we say 'with everyone and for the good of everyone', we mean it."
García, one of the promoters of 15N, recalled that his "generation grew up hearing the phrase: 'for your own good, speak softly'," and that some of his friends have left the island or "dream of doing so soon."
He explains that he does not want his phone to be recharged or to be sent a pair of shoes, he wants "Cuba to be the nation to which everyone can return whenever they want, think how they think, and from which no one else wants to leave."
He regretted that in 2022 Cuba "will mark 70 years without democracy" and that the revolutionary promises on "rights, justice, freedom and free elections" turned into a Soviet appendage. And what "promised to be as green as the palms" was "wrapped in a red cloak with a hammer and sickle guarding the lone star."
The playwright also made reference to the fact that "single thought, censorship and political persecution have been the daily bread of any Cuban who does not submit to the control of the bosses. And the end of the Cold War only increased our misery. We are survivors of an unfinished war, in which we were neither victors nor defeated, only hostages of an obsolete dogma, of a clan of officials clinging to power and its privileges, of a whim propped up with Russian-made rifles."
On November 15, García said, "we will march without hatred" for "a right that has never been respected in 62 years of dictatorship, but we are going to conquer it with civility. The whole world will be looking towards Cuba that day."
Hoping that no more generations go by without being able to "freely choose their ideology, their party and their president," as happened with their parents, who have had to "resign themselves to the decision of others" and ratify them "to avoid looking for problems."
For the Archipiélago member, "it is past time to say what we think out loud." Although he knows that "power plays dirty, that it gives combat orders against its own people, that it lies to our faces, that it would even be capable of infiltrating its paramilitaries into the march to generate violence and blame us. Each citizen must be responsible for their own conduct and uphold the peaceful and firm attitude that we have called for."
There is no doubt for Yunior that "November 15 can and should be a beautiful day. Wherever a Cuban lives, we know that his heart will be in Cuba." And he is confident that "the powerful will not insist on behaving in a cowardly way against their own citizens. Do not repeat the crime of July 11. Hopefully officers and soldiers understand that there is no honor in obeying immoral orders."
To those who continue to use his work with cultural institutions as "blackmail", Yunior García reminded them that "working is a right, not a privilege" and that he has "given as much as or more than what I have received."
He thanked his teachers for the education they gave him, but he let the government know that he had already paid for all his studies. "Know it. I went to all the schools in the countryside, cut sugarcane, harvested potatoes in Artemisa and coffee in Pinares de Mayarí. I completed two years of social service receiving the illusion of a salary."
Read more from Cuba here on Havana Times.
← Puerto Ricans March to Protest Ongoing Power Outages
Belarus Sees Nicaragua's Ortega as a Loyal Ally →
One thought on "Yunior Garcia Calls to Stop "Lynching" of Opponents in Cuba"
Olgasintamales
Several diplomats in the island already said they would be documenting that day so the whole world will see the true face of this monstrous dictatorship. The Cuban for years only had the choice of Exile or prison. Well this new generation of Cuban is saying no to the Exile stay in theirs country and fighting for freedom. Enough of this unproductive regime that the only thing has created is misery.


text:
Ball and the Cross, The
Chesterton, G. K.
The Ball and the Cross is G. K. Chesterton's third novel. In the introduction Martin Gardner notes that it is a "mixture of fantasy, farce and theology." Gardner continues: "Evan MacIan is a tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed Scottish Highlander and a devout Roman Catholic.... James Turnbull is a short, red-haired, gray-eyed Scottish Lowlander and a devout but naive atheist.... The two meet when MacIan smashes the window of the street office where Turnbull publishes an atheist journal. This act of rage occurs when MacIan sees posted on the shop's window a sheet that blasphemes the Virgin Mary, presumably implying she was an adulteress who gave birth to an illegitimate Jesus. When MacIan challenges Turnbull to a duel to the death, Turnbull is overjoyed. For twenty years no one had paid the slightest attention to his Bible bashing. Now at last someone is taking him seriously! Most of the rest of the story is a series of comic events in which the two enemies wander about seeking a spot for their duel." MacIan and Turnbull become friends as they protect each other from interference from the modern world, which has trivialized their views over life's most important question (the existence of God) and outlawed their honorable duel. The irony is heightened when they both fall in love with ladies who happen to hold to their opponent's deepest convictions. Professor Lucifer and a Bulgarian monk also play important roles in this perennially relevant story.
Story of the Other Wise Man, The
van Dyke, Henry
You know the story of the Three Wise Men of the East, and how they travelled from far away to offer their gifts at the manger-cradle in Bethlehem. But have you ever heard the story of the Other Wise Man, who also saw the star in its rising, and set out to follow it, yet did not arrive with his brethren in the presence of the young child Jesus? Of the great desire of this fourth pilgrim, and how it was denied, yet accomplished in the denial; of his many wanderings and the probations of his soul; of the long way of his seeking, and the strange way of his finding, the One whom he sought—I would tell the tale as I have heard fragments of it in the Hall of Dreams, in the palace of the Heart of Man. (Summary written by Henry van Dyke.)
Girl from Montana, The
Hill, Grace Livingston
Young Elizabeth, left orphaned by an evildoer who murders her last brother, flees Montana on horseback to find her remaining relatives in the East. Her social and spiritual journey leads her through harrowing encounters, struggles between good and evil, romance and, ultimately, love and fortune. Classic Grace Livingston Hill.
Basket of Flowers, The
Schmid, Christoph von
James is the king's gardener and he deeply enjoys caring for and cultivating flowers. He teaches his daughter Mary many principles of godliness through the flowers. One day Mary is falsely accused of stealing, and the penalty is death. Through many trials and hardships, Mary learns of the goodness of God, the blessing of praying for her enemies, how to consider her trials as a joy, and true forgiveness.
Autobiography of Methuselah, The
Bangs, John Kendrick
A satirical look at early biblical events from the point of view of someone who was there to witness most of them: the oldest man in recorded history.
Elsie's Womanhood
The fourth book in the Elsie Dinsmore series, Elsie grows into a young woman. She marries her father's old friend, Edward Travilla, and together start a family. The latter half of the book occurs during the Civil War.
Robert Falconer
MacDonald, George
A Victorian novel devoted to beloved character first introduced to readers in MacDonald's David Elginbrod.
Pearl Maiden
Haggard, H. Rider
This is the story of Miriam, an orphan Christian woman living in Rome in the first century. She falls in love with a Roman officer, but knows that her Jewish childhood playmate loves her too- and will do anything in order to get her love in return.
Wizard, The
Described by the author, best known for his King Solomon's Mines, as "a tale of victorious faith," this story begins on a Sunday afternoon in an English church. Most of the book, though, is set in Africa, and the adventure story is as engaging as any of Haggard's African tales. What makes this one different is the religious question: What has happened to miracles in the church? Is there any power left in Jesus' promise, "Whoso that believeth in me, the works that I do he shall do also, and whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do"?
Tip Lewis and His Lamp
Alden, Isabella
Tip Lewis is a mischievous, unpromising scamp. One Sunday, a visiting Sunday school teacher tells his mission class how her minister had grown up in similarly bad circumstances, but had decided to follow God and had never regretted it. Tip decides to try to BE somebody, like that minister did. He is given a Bible - his lamp - to use as a guide, and from there, his life begins to change.
Thus Spake Zarathustra: A Book for All and None (version 2) (includes annotations)
The modern British philosopher, Anthony M. Ludovici, said that this text "is unquestionably Nietzsche's opus magnum." However, he warns the reader that since "the book with the most mysterious, startling, or suggestive title, will always stand the best chance of being purchased by those who have no other criteria to guide them in their choice than the aspect of a title-page … 'Thus Spake Zarathustra' is almost always the first and often the only one of Nietzsche's books that falls into the hands of the uninitiated." He therefore recommends reading this text alongside some scholarly annotations, which Ludovici gratefully supplies in the volume read here. To keep Ludovici's intention, in this version of 'Zarathustra' the reader includes these annotations (where available) immediately after the reading. Summary by jvanstan
What Men Live By and Other Tales (Version 2)
This is a collection of 4 stories by Leo Tolstoy, all dealing with the question asked in the title of the first story: What Does Man Live By. What is the purpose of life? How are we expected to live with others? What is all of this about anyway? And the answer to that question by the way is answered in a style that is uniquely and perfectly Tolstoy's. But these are not essays, but well written stories that tell about real people as they live real lives. The first story is broken into two parts and but is is read by the same person. Also the last story, How Much Land Does A Man Need has been broken into two sections for easier reading and it is also read by the same person for continuity and ease of understanding. The two stories in the middle, are much shorter but just as fascinating. Tolstoy was a deeply spiritual man and he always brought out the spiritual side of all the myriad questions he dealt with.
Ballad of the White Horse (Version 3)
This epic poem is about Alfred the Great's defense of Christian England against the pagan Viking invaders. The decisive battle is fought in sight of a white horse mark made on a hill, after which the poem is named. As the white horse mark must be continually maintained by weeding to be clearly seen, Chesterton sees it as a symbol of the continual struggle to maintain the Christian culture and values for which Alfred the Great fought.
Short Stories (Version 2)
This is a collection of short stories written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (Dostoevsky), who is arguably better-known for his lengthy, contemplative novels. Several of his trademark philosophical, political and religious themes are interwoven throughout these short stories, for example: "Dream of a Ridiculous Man" critiques European nihilism; "The Crocodile" has notes of Russian political commentary; and "Bobok" is critically acclaimed as top-rate Menippean satire. Dostoevsky also provides a Christmas story ("The Heavenly Christmas Tree") with a biting social commentary.
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ Book 1
Wallace, Lew
Lew Wallace's Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ "Book 1" gives a sideline view of events taking pace around the days of Christ. Book 1 gives the account of Christ's birth.
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Ben-Hur is a story of two very different heroes. Judah Ben-Hur, a prince of Jerusalem, is involved in an accident to the Roman procurator which is taken to be intentional. He is seized and sent to the fleet as a galley-slave, while his family is imprisoned and the family goods confiscated. When Ben-Hur saves the fleet captain from drowning after his ship is sunk in a fight with pirates, that officer adopts him as son and heir. With Roman training, Ben-Hur distinguishes himself in the arena and the palistrae and appears to be on the way to high military command.With the help of a faithful family retainer and a generous Arab sheik, Ben-Hur is enabled to take part in a widely touted chariot race, where one of the other charioteers is the boyhood friend who connived to punish him for the accident and split his estate. That rival is crippled, financially and bodily, in a no-holds-barred race (memorable from the 1959 movie with Charlton Heston).Ben-Hur turns his attention to the prophesied King of the Jews, when through the sheik he meets Balthasar, one of the Three Wise Men, and hears of the child born years ago. Will Ben-Hur be the general who brings victories to the King, and finally liberates Israel from the oppressive Roman yoke? In his quest for the answer, Ben-Hur seeks out the Nazarene, now rumored to be The Messiah.THAT hero needs no introduction.Curious about the lack of kingly trappings and ambitions about this man, Ben-Hur begins to suspect that his kingdom is not of this world. And with him, we receive a gut-wrenching eye-witness view of Jesus' arrest, humiliation, and crucifixion.
Ben Hur (Dramatic Reading)
Lew Wallace
In this dramatic reading of the classic epic Ben Hur, rediscover the wonder of three wise men who travel through the wilderness together. Thirty years later, Judah ben Hur accidentally looses a tile upon the head of the Roman governor and is sentenced to the galleys for life. When he escapes, he is caught up in his thirst for revenge against his accuser, Messala, and his search for the Messiah of his people, the King who is to come. As Judah learns more about this King, however, he begins to realize that the kingdom he is searching for may not be found in what he can see and the revenge he is seeking may not be found in the way that he expects
Lord of the World
Robert Hugh Benson
"Mr. Benson sees the world, four or five generations hence, free at last from all minor quarrels, and ranged against itself in two camps, Humanitarianism for those who believe in no divinity but that of man, Catholicism for those who believe in no divinity but that of God."
This apocalyptic novel from the early 1900's is sometimes deemed one of the first modern dystopias.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Weston Translation Version 2)
The Gawain Poet
This poem celebrates Christmas by exploring the mystery of Christ's mission on earth: his death, resurrection, and second coming as judge of all human souls. Sir Gawain is cast in the role of Everyman. At the feast of the New Year, an unarmed green giant rides his green horse into the banqueting hall of King Arthur and challenges any member of the assembled company to behead him with a huge axe and then to submit to the same treatment from his victim the next year. Gawain volunteers to prevent Arthur from accepting this challenge, fairly confident that the challenger will be unfit to return the blow. However, when the green knight rides out of the hall carrying his severed head, Gawain must wait a year under what amounts to a sentence of death. At the end of this period his quest for the green knight leads him first through perilous adventures comparable to the life-threatening dangers confronting all mortals in their earthly sojourn and then, when his travels are at an end, through a series of temptations that represent allegorically the spiritual challenges determining not the time of death but the fortunes of the soul after death. The spot where Gawain then meets his foe closely resembles a graveyard superintended by the green knight, now converted, in effect, from a victim into a judge, as Christ was murdered by mankind but survived to be our judge at the end of time. A couple early footnotes may help in appreciating two details in the conclusion of the tale: First, Catholics believe that to perform the sacrament of Confession while intending to commit another sin deprives the priest's absolution of effect. Second, it was generally believed, in the Middle Ages and even today, that evil spirits cannot cross running water. This belief appears in "Tam o'Shanter," "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," and The Lord of the Rings.
Cloister and the Hearth
Charles Reade
'The Cloister and the Hearth', by Charles Reade, was published in 1861. It's a long and winding picaresque novel set in 15th century Europe, telling the story of the love between Gerard Eliason, an artist turned priest, and Margaret Brandt, the daughter of a poor scholar, and reflects the conflict between family and church which overshadowed the lives of so many in medieval times. Its uniqueness lies in the way Reade, having meticulously researched his subject and the period, gives us insights more detailed than any other writer of fiction into medieval lifestyles and morals, combined with vivid descriptions of his characters – many based on real historical figures – and locations. He deliberately strays towards a medieval writing style, with many an archaic word to tantalise the reader or listener (an education in itself).Until well into the twentieth century, 'The Cloister and the Hearth' was considered one of the greatest novels in the English language. Its popularity may have faded, but those who have read it will tell you of the enduring power of Reade's tour de force. A revival is long overdue, and is deserved: it's an exceptional book.
In His Steps
Sheldon, Charles Monroe
In His Steps takes place in the railroad town of Raymond. The main character is the Rev. Henry Maxwell, pastor of the First Church of Raymond, who challenges his congregation to not do anything for a whole year without first asking: "What Would Jesus Do?" (taken from Wikipedia)
In His Steps (version 2 Dramatic Reading)
Charles Monroe Sheldon
After a strange event at the Raymond First Church, Reverend Henry Maxwell asks his congregation a startling question: Will they pledge to try and do only what Jesus would for an entire year? Even more important, however is the question: Who will follow through the whole way?
Life and Death of Mr. Badman
Seventeenth-century Puritan theologian John Bunyan wrote The Life and Death of Mr. Badman as a companion piece to The Pilgrim's Progress, the literary work for which Bunyan is best remembered. Although both works are Christian allegories that provide the reader with moral and spiritual instruction, The Pilgrim's Progress accomplishes this goal primarily via the positive example of the protagonist, while The Life and Death of Mr. Badman does the opposite; Pilgrim is ultimately destined for heaven, while Mr. Badman is destined for hell.
The two works also differ in their format. Pilgrim's story is presented as a dream sequence, while Mr. Badman's story is instead told via a dialogue between two other characters: Mr. Wiseman, who relates Mr. Badman's narrative and draws life lessons from it, and Mr. Attentive, who asks prompting questions and makes comments on the tale he hears. Throughout the story, Bunyan details a variety of Mr. Badman's sins including lying, swearing, and Sabbath-breaking.
Despite its length, the original text was one continuous narrative without chapter breaks. This LibriVox production is presented as dialogue by two readers and divided into smaller parts for convenience.
Man of the Desert
Grace Livingston Hill
Fleeing from an aggressive suitor, Hazel Radcliffe becomes hopelessly lost in the Arizona desert. Exhausted, she falls unconscious from her pony. Soon she is found by John Brownleigh, a handsome missionary who lives nearby. As he cares for her, a strong and true love grows between them. She was raised in luxury, he was raised to serve God. They part knowing very little about each other except for the love they feel. Back home among her family and friends, Hazel makes an important decision. She will do all she can to change, but can she do so before it's too late? Follow her journey of coming closer to the Lord and finding true love in an unlikely place.
There and Back
An unscrupulous baronet is left a widower and couldn't care less what happens to his ugly newborn heir. But when an icy stepmother moves in and the child is stolen away by his loving nurse, what can unfold but a riveting account of the years of mystery, drama, love and lessons for which MacDonald's writings are known.
Cloudy Jewel
Julia Cloud, the oldest--and most responsible--child of her family, helped raise her four siblings due to their mother's long-time illness and father's death. After faithfully nursing two ill brothers (who died), she then cared for her invalid mother for many years. When Julia's mother passes on, her only surviving sibling Ellen fully expects--and nearly demands--that her spinster sister come live with her family. But to earn her keep, Julia must be their live-in housekeeper and babysitter for Ellen's four children. But Julia's college-age niece and nephew arrive unexpectedly from California and offer Aunt Cloudy Jewel a surprise opportunity she never expected in her wildest dreams.
Marcia Schuyler (version 2)
A compelling love triangle. Marcia is young & sweet. Her older sister Kate is vain & selfish. Marcia deeply admires the man that Kate is to marry: handsome & respected David Spafford. But on the eve of the wedding, Kate elopes with another man. Marcia is there when the note is found...the note that effectively breaks David's heart. Out of pity for his situation, Marcia offers to take Kate's place, in order to save David from humiliation. She grows in love for him, all the while aware that he's still grieving for his lost Kate. What will happen when Kate returns, fully intending to get David back? Will Marcia have the strength to fight for the man she now loves?
By What Authority?
Two wealthy families are neighbors in Elizabethan England; one is staunchly Catholic and the other is devoutly Protestant. The attractive young scions of the families are drawn to each other in friendship and love, but are kept apart by their opposing religions. Life is very difficult for Catholics during those times. They are subject to fines, imprisonment, torture and ignominious death for practicing their faith. On the other hand, for various reasons some Catholics give up their inherited faith, and even betray and persecute their fellow-religionists. As the threads of plot are woven tighter, heroes emerge, sometimes most unexpectedly, as they grapple with theological doubts and conflicts, and undergo extreme suffering and loss. The many characters we meet ring true, whether they are brilliant or superstitious, stalwart or wavering, pious or violent; and it is a great privilege to spend time with such towering historical figures as St. Edmond Campion and Queen Elizabeth herself. Love, history, theology, suspense, and an array of colorful characters are sewn inexorably together in this large and compelling story. (Intro by Carol Pelster)
Martyr of the Catacombs (Dramatic Reading)
James De Mille
Marcellus, a Roman centurion, is instructed to eradicate the Christians from the catacombs. When he goes to investigate, he discovers the truth about their beliefs and 'Him Who loved us.' As persecution sweeps across Rome, will Marcellus be the next one in danger?
Thomas Wingfold, Curate
Republished in modern times as "The Curate's Awakening". A young man (Thomas Wingfold) "enters the church" through no real faith and only for want of something to do. After an encounter with a brash young atheist, he is thrown into an emotional, spiritual, and vocational crisis. Through his own doubts and through developing clarity gained from the counsel of a singular friend, he begins a slow journey toward faith, or - as he would put it - "a lovely hope."
Romance of Two Worlds, A
Corelli, Marie
The book starts with a young heroine telling her story of coping with a debilitating illness that includes depression and thoughts of suicide. Her doctor is unable to help her and sends her off on a holiday where she meets a mystical character by the name of Raffaello Cellini, an Italian artist. Cellini offers her a strange potion which immediately puts her into a tranquil slumber, in which she experiences divine visions. This is the beginning of her journey to health, both spiritual and physical.
Stepping Heavenward (version 2)
Elizabeth Prentiss
How dreadfully old I am getting! Sixteen!" Thus begins the lifelong diary of young Katherine as she pours out her hopes, dreams, and spiritual journey on the pages of her dear. old journal. Whimsical and charming Katherine is engagingly candid about her character flaws and her desire to know God. As you listen to her share her heart through these journal entries, you will be amazed and delighted by the depth of her character and the womanly wisdom and godliness she develops over the years. From the agonies of being a teenager to the delicate balancing act between being a wife/mother/daughter/neighbor, it is easy to relate to Katherine's triumphs and trials whether you are 16 or 60. Listen to her unforgettable story set in the early 1800's as you are encouraged to "step heavenward," and don't be surprised if you find yourself recommending it to all of your friends and family!
Stepping Heavenward
Stepping Heavenward is the journal of a girl named Katherine Mortimer. Katy meets a young man who she loves & wants to marry but her mother is very much against their plans. But Katy's life goes on through her marriage & motherhood and many tragedies. Her life is a constant struggle to step heavenward.
Callista, A Tale of the Third Century, was written by John Henry Newman, who was a scholarly and personable Anglican theologian who became a Catholic priest and cardinal, bringing a good number of Protestant friends along with him into the Roman faith. He wrote Callista as the fruit of a challenge (dare we say "bet"?) with Cardinal Nicholas Wiseman that each man would write a novel about the early church. Wiseman wrote Fabiola and Newman wrote Callista, publishing it in 1855. The title character is a beautiful and talented, but unhappy Greek woman living in pagan Roman North Africa in the third century. She is wooed by a lonely young Christian man, for whom she shows little interest, though she deeply desires to know more about his Christian faith. However, the third century was a dangerous time for Christians, with the onset of persecution under the Emperor Decius. The colorful cast of characters react to the persecution in different ways, but some are put to the ultimate test of whether they will maintain their faith at the price of torture and painful death. Cardinal Newman's writing style is often lively, and occasionally humorous, especially in his conversations. But there is no denying that modern readers may find parts of it quite wordy, particularly in the descriptions of geography (beware Chapter 1!). Most readers are likely to find themselves caring very much about the characters, and cheering for their victories, in addition to learning quite a bit about 3rd century history along the way.
Old Testament Legends Being Stories Out Of Some Of The Less-Known Apocryphal Books Of The Old Testament
M. R. James
M R James was a well regarded English scholar who studied the medieval period (he also wrote great ghost stories!). Apocryphal books are ancient literatures about biblical events and characters but these books are not included in the Bible. (Some books regarded as apocryphal by Protestant tradition are included in Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox Bibles.) They are sources of stories and legends that were elaborated about the beloved biblical narratives. The Preface contains a good explanation of apocryphal literature. In this 1913 book Dr. James has collected and edited eight of those legends. He intended his book for a youth audience but more mature readers will find the stories no less interesting.
Vicar's Daughter
This is the third book of the 'Marshmallow' trilogy. It is a fictional autobiography written by Ethelwyn Percivale, or 'Wynnie'. Her father is a clergyman, Mr. Walton, whose history has already been told in "A Quiet Neighborhood", the first of the three books. Wynnie has a happy childhood and falls in love with a struggling artist. It is about Wynnie and her family, and her little circle of old and new friends. We learn much about the poor of society of that time. This book is set in the real, every-day world, and our narrator is serious when she calls her life ''quiet and ordinary''. Though there are some exciting incidents, visits made, and long conversations about God. This book is a delightful read.
Dawn of All
In a former book, called "Lord of the World," I attempted to sketch the kind of developments a hundred years hence which, I thought, might reasonably be expected if the present lines of what is called "modern thought" were only prolonged far enough; and I was informed repeatedly that the effect of the book was exceedingly depressing and discouraging to optimistic Christians. In the present book I am attempting -- also in parable form -- not in the least to withdraw anything that I said in the former, but to follow up the other lines instead, and to sketch -- again in parable -- the kind of developments, about sixty years hence which, I think, may reasonably be expected should the opposite process begin, and ancient thought (which has stood the test of centuries, and is, in a very remarkable manner, being "rediscovered" by persons even more modern than modernists) be prolonged instead.
We are told occasionally by moralists that we live in very critical times, by which they mean that they are not sure whether their own side will win or not. In that sense no times can ever be critical to Catholics, since Catholics are never in any kind of doubt as to whether or no their side will win. But from another point of view every period is a critical period, since every period has within itself the conflict of two irreconcilable forces. It has been for the sake of tracing out the kind of effects that, it seemed to me, each side would experience in turn, should the other, at any rate for a while, become dominant, that I have written these two books. (From the preface of The Dawn of All)
Corporal Cameron of the North West Mounted Police - A Tale of the Macleod Trail
Ralph Connor
Cameron, a young man from Edinburgh, is a university student who is a rising star on the football team. When the big day comes and he nearly fails his team, he doubts he'll ever be good for anything ever again. Things soon take a turn downward and Cameron is forced to face the fact that his only option may be leaving all he's ever known and going to Canada for a new start
Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood
This delightful story begins in a little town called Marshmallows, where a young man, the new vicar, Harry Walton, has just arrived. As he begins his work Harry realizes that everything is not quite 'right' in his little parish and it all seems to center around Oldcastle Hall. As he wins the affection of the people secrets begin to unfold, and Harry Walton attempts to free them from guilt of the past, help them overcome pride and while he is at it, he falls in love with a woman whose past is the most mysterious yet, and whose tyrannical mother is the mistress of Oldcastle Hall.
This Is a wonderful, heartwarming romance and a unique mystery, told from the viewpoint of the young vicar.
Elect Lady
Two farmer's sons and a cotter's daughter, though on different rungs of the social scale, formed a close bond in childhood as they learned together how to follow Jesus. When adults, their lives are bound up in unusual ways with those of their landlord, his daughter, and her cousin. How will the Laird's secret affect them all?
One of MacDonald's shorter and lesser-known novels, "The Elect Lady" yet contains wonderfully endearing characters, plot twists, love, and life lessons. As always, read with discernment as MacDonald's controversial (sometimes unbiblical) beliefs are presented.
Lo, Michael!
Grace Livingston Hill's 1913 inspirational tale of Michael, who grows up a poor orphan selling newspapers in the slums of New York. After saving the life of young heiress Starr Endicott, Michael receives a full education and employment thanks to the gratitude of Starr's father. Michael goes on as a young adult to teach a better way to the other criminal and disadvantaged elements who grew up as he did -- and must save Starr once again from a harmful fate.
Elsie's Widowhood
Martha Finley
The seventh in the Elsie Dinsmore series, this book begins with the death of Elsie's beloved husband. As Elsie learns to live in widowhood, the story shifts to the lives of those most precious to her - her children and extended family.
"On the day the drafted men march away, Ruth MacDonald catches John Cameron's eye and waves to him. In the excitement of the moment they both forget the social barriers that lie between them and only remember they were schoolmates as children. From this a friendship develops that has far-reaching results. To Ruth, spoiled daughter of the rich, comes a new conception of life, of war, of love. To John comes tests of fire before he finds himself. Here is the absorbing romance of two people who searched through the devious paths of a warring world for fulfillment and happiness." - Dust Jacket, 1919 Edition. Note: Chapter numbering skips XI, like the original chapter numbering in the first edition.
Elsie's Children
This book continues the delightful "Elsie Dinsmore" series. Elsie's children, introduced in the previous volume, live life, grow up, and encounter various problems of their own.
Elsie's Motherhood
After the Civil War, Elsie and her family return to their home in the South, dealing with the upheaval that the Reconstruction Era brought during the years after the war.
They Call Me Carpenter
The story takes place in the fictional city of Western City circa 1920. It begins with a man named Billy who is attacked by a mob of ex-servicemen outside a theater after watching a German film. Billy stumbles into a church to escape the mob and is visited by Carpenter, that is Jesus, who walks out of the stained glass window of the church. Carpenter is shocked and appalled by his observations of greed, selfishness, lust, sorrow, and the ultimate division between rich and poor. The story then roughly follows the ministry of Jesus.
Divers Women
Mrs. C. M. Livingston
A collection of short stories, highlighting some of the best and worst characteristics we women are capable of in our Christianity and in our home life.
Golden Threshold
Sarojini Naidu was a remarkable woman. Known as the Nightingale of India, she started writing at the age of thirteen and throughout her life composed several volumes of poetry, writing many poems which are still famous to this day.
As well as being a poet, Naidu was an activist and politician, campaigning for Indian independence and became the first Indian woman to attain the post of President of the Indian National Congress.
This volume contains the beautiful 'Indian Love-Song', as well as many other moving verses. All of them give insight into the heart and mind of this hugely important and influential woman.The poems are split into three categories: Folk Songs, Songs for Music and Poems.
Hugh Walpole
Sir Hugh Seymour Walpole, CBE (1884 – 1941) was an English novelist. He was the son of an Anglican clergyman, intended for a career in the church but drawn instead to writing. Among those who encouraged him were the authors Henry James and Arnold Bennett. His skill at scene-setting, vivid plots, and high profile as a lecturer brought him a large readership in the United Kingdom and North America. He was a best-selling author in the 1920s and 1930s, but has been largely neglected since his death.... One of Walpole's major novels of the early post-war period was The Cathedral, which unlike much of his fiction was not dashed off but worked on across four years, beginning in 1918. The story of an arrogant 19th-century archdeacon in conflict with other clergy and laity was certain to bring comparisons with Trollope's Barchester Towers (The Manchester Guardian?'s review was headed "Polchester Towers"), but unlike the earlier work, The Cathedral is wholly uncomic.... The reviewer Ivor Brown commented that Walpole had earlier charmed many with his cheerful tales of Mayfair, but that in this novel he showed a greater side to his art: "This is a book with little happiness about it, but its stark strength is undeniable. The Cathedral is realism, profound in its philosophy and delicate in its thread." The Illustrated London News said, "No former novelist has seized quite so powerfully upon the cathedral fabric and made it a living character in the drama, an obsessing individuality at once benign and forbidding. ...The Cathedral is a great book." The Jubilee which plays an important part in the story is the national celebration in 1897 of Queen Victoria's sixty years on the throne. Summary by Wikipedia and david wales
Saved at Sea
Mrs. O. F. Walton
Alick was born in a lighthouse during a storm, and raised in the same lighthouse. He used to wish something would change, and one day something did. In an attempt to rescue a ship in distress, Alick and his grandfather end up with a baby girl. Who are her parents? Did they perish on that stormy night? As the lighthouse people try to find the answers to these questions, little "Timpey" begins to work her way into their hearts. And while the lighthouse stands firmly on the rock, are Alick and his grandfather truly anchored on the Rock?


Mars Anomalies, UFO Sightings and More: NASA secret video shows Moon UFO cloaking!
NASA secret video shows Moon UFO cloaking!
Friend of mine works for NASA, he gave me this video because he believes the public needs to know the truth about the moon!


Naftali Kinuthia's father, George Kinuthia, on Monday apologized for the death of Ivy Wangechi, a Moi University medical student who was allegedly hacked by his son on April 9, 2019.
"We are really sorry for what happened. This is really a difficult situation especially for the family of Ivy," he stated.
He added that the family was yet to get in touch with Wangechi's on the matter, adding that they are in talks with church leaders and elders to know how to go about the situation.
He stated that his family would send elders during Wangechi's funeral, which will be held on Thursday.


Retrievers is a must-have app for anyone who hunts or competes with a retriever in the field. It includes summaries and diagrams for 60 drills and setups that can be used to encourage or discourage over 20 dog behaviours.
Retrievers also lets you keep a journal for each dog that you are training. Why wait until you get home to update your journal when you can quickly record the day's events while walking your dog off the field?
Retrievers will help you train your dog to be the best that s/he can be. Are you new to drills and need to know which one(s) to choose? Are you a seasoned trainer who needs to be reminded what your options are? Simply select the behaviour that you wish to encourage or discourage, and this app will display a list of specific drills and/or basic setups to help your dog progress.
- Create a journal for each of your dogs. Each journal entry can include the name of the drill or setup, how your dog performed, the date, time, location, dog's attitude, corrections applied, etc.
- A drill INDEX that includes the summaries and diagrams of 60 drills and setups. Each drill summary includes a diagram and brief description of its purpose, setup, and strategy as well as a reference(s) to authors whose descriptions will give you enough information to train your dog.
- A behaviour INDEX of over 20 common dog behaviours that a trainer may wish to encourage or discourage. e.g Cheating, Focus, Dig-backs, etc.
- Simply tap a behaviour listed in the index to display its description. A tap on the description screen will display specific drill(s) that can be used to encourage or discourage the behaviour.
- The ability to Add, Modify, or Delete entries from both the drill index and behaviour index.