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By AYA BATRAWY Associated Press
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The cellphone of Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos was hacked in what appeared to be an attempt by Saudi Arabia's crown prince to "influence, if not silence" the newspaper's reporting on the kingdom, two U.N. human rights experts said Wednesday. Read more
By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR and AAMER MADHANI Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump appeared to suggest in a television interview Wednesday that he's willing to consider entitlement cuts in the future, a move that would mark a tectonic shift from his stance during his 2016 run for the White House. Read more
By JACQUES BILLEAUD Associated Press
PHOENIX (AP) — A woman arrested on suspicion of killing her three young children told investigators that she suffocated her son and two daughters with her hands, police said in court records. Read more
By KEN MORITSUGU Associated Press
BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese city of more than 11 million people planned to shut down outbound flights and trains Thursday as the world's most populous country battled the spread of a new virus that has sickened hundreds of people and killed 17, state media reported. Read more
By ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writer
Major U.S. stock indexes ended little changed Wednesday after an early rebound rally faded in the final minutes of trading. Read more
By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER and AUDREY McAVOY Associated Press
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii already has some of the nation's strictest gun laws, but the fatal shooting of two Honolulu police officers by a man his lawyer and neighbors believe had psychiatric problems has added new urgency to efforts to close gun control loopholes and bolster mental health care… Read more
By TOM HAYS and MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Harvey Weinstein went on trial Wednesday in a landmark moment for the # MeToo movement, with prosecutors painting him as a sexual predator who used his Hollywood clout to abuse women for decades, while his lawyers sought to portray his accusers as willing participants. Read more
By TRAVIS LOLLER Associated Press
Nashville, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee inmate has chosen the electric chair for his scheduled execution next month, opting like four other inmates in little more than a year for electrocution over the state's preferred execution method of lethal injection. Read more
By THOMAS ADAMSON AP Fashion Writer
PARIS (AP) — John Galliano put on a tongue-in-cheek show for Maison Margiela on the final day of Paris Fashion Week, as Jean Paul Gaultier bid adieu to the Paris couture runway with a fashion show and surprise guest singer Boy George at the Chatelet Theater. Read more
By DAVID KOENIG AP Airlines Writer
Boeing's new CEO said Wednesday that production of the 737 Max will resume this spring, months before the company expects federal regulators to certify the grounded plane to fly again. Read more
DETROIT (AP) — The meteoric rise of Tesla shares that recently pushed the company's value over $100 billion could turn into a supercharged payday for CEO Elon Musk. Read more
By THOMAS BEAUMONT Associated Press
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Pete Buttigieg finds himself in a place that he could hardly have contemplated when he began running for president a year ago: He likely cannot finish lower than second in the Iowa caucuses if he wants to advance in the Democratic presidential nominating campaign. Read more
By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — It's no secret, sports fans. Better games produce better ratings. Read more
NEW YORK (AP) — As Harvey Weinstein goes through his New York trial on rape and sexual assault charges, here's a look at the movie mogul's past and his multiple legal fights. Read more
LONDON (AP) — Britain's Brexit bill passed its final hurdle in Parliament on Wednesday after the House of Lords abandoned attempts to amend it. Read more
By BRIAN SLODYSKO Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Two miles from President Donald Trump's impeachment trial in the Capitol, Michael Bloomberg and Pete Buttigieg are looking to draw a distinction between the improbable and the practical. Read more
AP-NORC poll: Public doubts Senate trial will be revealing
By HANNAH FINGERHUT and AAMER MADHANI Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans are sharply divided along party lines about whether President Donald Trump should be removed from office, and they doubt the Senate impeachment trial will do anything to change their minds, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affai… Read more
NEW YORK (AP) — The head of Hallmark's media business is leaving the company after 11 years, just a month after its flagship Hallmark Channel faced an outcry over a decision to pull an ad with a lesbian couple kissing. Read more
"The days of Noah's Ark in the air are hopefully coming to an end." Read more
Schiff takes conciliatory tone after Roberts' admonishment
By MARY CLARE JALONICK and JESSICA GRESKO Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Adam Schiff, the lead impeachment manager, took a conciliatory tone at President Donald Trump's Senate trial on Wednesday after Chief Justice John Roberts had admonished House prosecutors and Trump's defense team for using language that was "not conducive to civil discourse." Read more
Pennsylvania House Speaker Turzai pondering departure from Legislature, according to media report
By Dave Lemery | The Center Square
Pennsylvania House Speaker Mike Turzai, a powerful Republican lawmaker who has led his chamber for five years, has scheduled a news conference Thursday at a time when many of his fellow legislators are either announcing re-election bids or retirements in advance of a filing deadline. Read more
FMC Corporation Announces Date of 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders
By FMC Corporation
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Read more
By MARK LONG AP Sports Writer
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Marrone didn't really have time to break in a new offensive coordinator. Read more
By LISA MASCARO, ERIC TUCKER and ZEKE MILLER Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats opened arguments in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial Wednesday, appealing to skeptical Republican senators to join them in voting to remove Trump from office to "protect our democracy." Read more
By BILL BARROW Associated Press
MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — The rivalry between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders is deepening as the Democratic presidential candidates are increasingly at loggerheads over their support of Social Security, signaling a battle ahead that could last well beyond the Iowa caucuses. Read more
By JILL COLVIN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday minimized the severity of head injuries sustained by U.S. troops during an Iranian missile strike on an Iraqi air base as he was pressed on why he had claimed no troops were injured in the attack. Read more
By FLORENT BAJRAMI and LLAZAR SEMINI Associated Press
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for talks between Balkan rivals Serbia and Kosovo was in Pristina on Wednesday in an effort to urge both countries to resume negotiations and reach a final reconciliation agreement. Read more
Allentown police investigating armed robbery at cell phone store
The robbery happened at a cell phone store on North 6th Street around 4 p.m. Read more
By MATTHEW LEE and COLLEEN LONG Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is coming out with new visa restrictions aimed at restricting "birth tourism," in which women travel to the U.S. to give birth so their children can have a coveted U.S. passport. Read more
Holding court in Davos, Trump distracted by impeachment
By JONATHAN LEMIRE and DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press
DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — President Donald Trump held court in the snow-capped Alps for two days, showcasing the American economy to world leaders and global elites. But he kept one eye firmly fixed on the impeachment drama back home. Read more

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Diamonds might be a girl's best friend, but pearls might come a close second! At least that's the impression you might get after playing Ocean Oddities. Ocean Oddities is set amidst an adventurous coral-crammed location and is all about players diving for pearls, and getting to meet a few of the more bizarre creatures of the deep.
This slot is playable across a wide variety of platforms from mobile to the PC and is loaded down with fun things to do. It also comes equipped with twenty-five paylines and five reels. In their quest for pearls, players have to explore the deep ocean, with such creatures as a racing snail, a surly crab, fish king, racing fish and coral being seen.
The highest paying symbol is the King Cod with 2500x of the bet line stake up for grabs should players land it. The rest of the featured symbols also have some pretty hefty payouts, which is triggered when five of them come up on a win line. Also, present are the classic card symbols. These are featured in two different win brackets, and the first three of these are worth a maximum of 250x of the line stake. The RTP is from 91%-97% and a couple of progressive jackpots with different payouts are also featured and available to all players no matter the bet amounts.
Acting as the wild and helping the player fish out pearls is a somewhat friendly shark. It pops up on reels two, three, four and five and like other wilds will replace all other symbols save for the scatter to better form winning combos.
As for the scatter, this takes the form of pearls of different colours and opens up the free spins feature.
Ocean Oddities boasts a free spins feature. It is activated by landing two or more scatters and can be reactivated by landing the required number of scatters again, at any time in the round. Once the free spins feature is triggered, players are gifted with ten free spins. During the free spins feature the shark might occasionally put in an appearance and should that happen any winnings will be subject to a 2x multiplier and up to a 16x multiplier should the said shark appear four times in the same round.
Ocean Oddities is loads of fun to play and boasts lighthearted but thrilling graphics, more than decent payouts and great audio effects. Overall, it's a worthy game.
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Basic Dublexo Frej Sleeper Sofa By Innovation Living Inc.
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3.Frode Sleeper Sofa By Innovation Living Inc.
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9.SplitBack Sleeper Sofa By Innovation Living Inc.
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Copyright © Toomsboro Loveseat By Ivy Bronx in Futons All right reserved.


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Q: Display only the first 3 matching rows from a query via php PDO this is for a homework assigment. I am suppose to: Demonstrate use of the SQL LIMIT clause by displaying only the first 3 matching rows from a query.
the "first 3 matching rows" part is throwing me off a bit. How do I match rows, or should I say find 3 matching rows. I know that in my table none of my rows 'match', its a simple table with 6 columns and 4 rows, I could add matching rows for demonstrating it.
I would be doing this using the PDO method via php obviously while using the sql limit statment to make it only 3 rows.
I figure a basis of the code would look something like this with a different sql statement.
php
        $servername = "localhost";
        $username = "";
        $password = "";
        $dbname = "";

        try {
            $conn = new PDO("mysql:host=$servername;dbname=$dbname", $username, $password);
            // set the PDO error mode to exception
            $conn->setAttribute(PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE, PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION);

            // sql to delete a record
            $sql = "****select * from teams where 3 rows match****";

            // use exec() because no results are returned
            $stmt = $conn->prepare($sql);
            $stmt->execute()
        }
        catch(PDOException $e)
            {
            echo $sql . "<br>" . $e->getMessage();
            }

        $conn = null;
    }

A: $sql = "select * from teams [where condition(optional)] LIMIT 0,3";

where 0 means first row and 3 is number of rows you want
Refer http://www.w3schools.com/php/php_mysql_select_limit.asp

A: Just use SQL LIMIT
   $sql = "select * from teams LIMIT 3";

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Western democracies have declared that their strong stances against the current military regime in Burma* reflect principled stands against the 1988 massacres of pro-democracy demonstrators, the failure of the regime to recognize the results of the 1990 general elections (which resulted in a landslide victory for the main opposition parties), and the regime's continuing human rights abuses. Yet it can be argued that such a strong and sustained position would have been less likely had the Cold War not ended and Burma's importance in the global competition between the superpowers not significantly waned. Lacking any pressing strategic or military reason to cultivate Burma, and with few direct political or economic interests at stake, countries like the United States and the United Kingdom can afford to isolate the Rangoon regime and impose upon it pariah status. If this was indeed the calculation made in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it is possible that the changes that have occurred in the strategic environment since then may prompt a reconsideration of these policies.
Burma lies where South, Southeast, and East Asia meet; there the dominant cultures of these three subregions compete for influence. It lies also across the "fault lines" between three major civilisations-Hindu, Buddhist, and Confucian.1 At critical times in the past, Burma has been a cockpit for rivalry between superpowers. Today, in the fluid strategic environment of the early twenty-first century, its important position is once again attracting attention from analysts, officials, and military planners.2 Already, Burma's close relationship with China and the development of the Burmese armed forces have reminded South and Southeast Asian countries, at least, of Burma's geostrategic importance and prompted a markedly different approach from that of the West.
As the major European empires expanded, however, and geopolitics began to be practiced on a global scale, the world's most powerful countries came to recognize that Burma occupied a geostrategic position of some importance. In 1824-26 Britain annexed the coastal districts of Arakan and Tenasserim; one of its prime motives was to safeguard eastern India and close the gap between Bengal and the Straits Settlements of Penang, Malacca, and Singapore.4 Sixty years later, both the United Kingdom and France were competing for influence in the Burmese court at Mandalay. Indeed, by attempting to balance the rivalry between these two colonial powers the last king of Burma, Thibaw (reigned 1878-85), probably helped precipitate his own downfall.5 The British authorities in Delhi subsequently saw Burma as a bulwark against French westward expansion from Indochina. Burma also represented a possible overland trade route to China.
After the war, Burma continued to figure in the security calculations of key Western policy makers. The Ministry of Defence in London, for example, anxious to retain rights to use Burmese ports and airfields, persuaded the government of Prime Minister Clement Attlee to include such access in its 1947 independence agreement with the Burmese. In the face of rising nationalist sentiment in the Asia-Pacific region and the danger of communist insurgencies in such colonies as Malaya, Mingaladon airfield outside Rangoon became an important factor in British defence planning. It was considered necessary "in connection with His Majesty's Government's air reinforcement route to the Far East, and, in the event of an emergency arising, for the rapid movement of air and land forces, to and through Burma. Burma was strategically important to Britain also as one of the main sources of rice for its Asian dependencies, where food shortages were fuelling anticolonial sentiment. Because Burma was inside the sterling currency area, Britain could purchase rice there for places like Malaya without using its precious reserves of U.S. dollars.
Burma may not have been the most important Southeast Asian country facing communist insurgency at the time, but all these concerns underscored Burma's strategic role in the ideological struggle then being conducted in the Asia-Pacific region.
The secret support of the United States for the Kuomintang helped to confirm the reservations of Burma's leaders about involvement with foreign powers. They felt strongly that Burma could and should manage its own affairs. Prime Minister Nu was acutely conscious of the need to maintain good relations with Burma's powerful neighbor China, but otherwise he strove for strict neutrality in international affairs.19 Burma was desperately in need of external assistance to recover from the war, but Nu preferred aid from "independent" countries like Israel and Yugoslavia; he was a major force behind the creation of the Non-Aligned Movement in 1961.
International interest in Burma's geostrategic position, however, declined even further after the collapse of the Soviet Union and end of the Cold War in 1990. Indeed, as noted, had it not done so, it is unlikely that the United States (and its friends and allies) would have felt able to adopt such strong policies against the new military government in Rangoon. Ironically, it was the imposition of economic sanctions and arms embargoes by Western countries that encouraged the Rangoon regime to develop a much closer relationship with Beijing, something that has in turn prompted other Asia-Pacific countries to reassess their relations with Burma.
The creation of the State Law and Order Restoration Council in 1988 and its subsequent introduction of a range of new policies broadly coincided with dramatic shifts in the global strategic environment. The end of communism in Russia and Eastern Europe led to the emergence of the United States as the world's sole superpower. Accordingly, the agenda of the United Nations became much more aligned to U.S. interests and values, and more interventionist in nature. This in turn prompted a backlash by a diverse group of countries united by a desire to deny the United States a paramount position in world affairs. Also, with the close of the Cold War came the end of the relative stability and predictability of the old power balance. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them greatly complicated management of the strategic environment. Finally, a number of new states and substate actors appeared, and new tensions arose.
As a result of all these developments there now exists much greater fluidity, and thus greater uncertainty, in international relations. In particular, the last twenty years have seen the rise of China, which is now considered a serious challenger to the preeminence of the United States in the Asia-Pacific region.
Perhaps more than any other factor, perceptions of China now generally shape the ways in which regional states are responding to changes in the strategic environment. These perceptions may be based on a selective reading of history and on enduring myths about China's worldview, but in international relations perceptions become realities.23 Governments make national policy on the basis of what they believe to be the case as much as on the objective truth. For example, not since the eighteenth century has China harbored expansionist ambitions toward or engaged in open hostilities with Burma, Thailand, or Laos; China once included parts of these and other states in a list of "lost territories," but this list has been omitted from Chinese public statements since the 1967 Cultural Revolution. Yet regional perceptions of China's long-term strategic intentions are still coloured by the historical evidence of China's support for communist guerrilla movements during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, its war with India in 1962, its (unsuccessful) invasion of Vietnam in 1979, and its more recent occupation of reefs and islands in the South China Sea.24 China's economic growth and military development are being watched closely by analysts in the region, and any signs that China is looking to extend its strategic reach are considered causes for concern.
In this regard, Burma's close relationship with China since 1989, in particular its defence links, has attracted considerable attention. Over the past fourteen years there have been numerous reports in the international media and professional journals to the effect that China has provided the Rangoon regime with a wide range of military equipment, arms production facilities, and training programs.25 There has also been a spate of news items that China and Burma have an intelligence-sharing arrangement and that Chinese military personnel are helping to operate some electronic surveillance equipment reportedly acquired by the Burmese armed forces.26 Some commentators have gone farther and claimed that China has already established a permanent military presence in Burma, one that includes naval and air bases and specialized facilities to replenish Chinese naval vessels (including submarines) during regular deployments to the Indian Ocean.27 Burma has even been characterized as a "pawn" of China, or at least a satellite state.
The Republic of Korea shares some of Japan's concerns. It too is dependent on oil shipments from the Middle East and hopes to develop its "textbook complementary" trade with Burma.37 While President Kim Dae Jung has been a consistent supporter of the Burmese democratic movement, South Korea is keen to see international friction avoided in that part of the world.
At the diplomatic level, the ASEAN countries are probably correct in judging that China sees Beijing's as a sympathetic voice in regional councils. In this regard, Beijing would not have to dictate terms to Rangoon, as the Burmese regime already shares Beijing's views on such key issues as internal security, human rights, and whether other governments and multilateral organization are entitled to involve themselves in a country's domestic affairs.44 In addition, China no doubt welcomes the addition of Burma to that diverse coalition of countries around the world (including Russia, Iraq, Libya, India, and Malaysia) that are concerned about the sole-superpower status and global economic influence of the United States. These countries also distrust the increased willingness of the United Nations since 1990 to intervene in global crises in response to humanitarian sentiment or to promote regional stability. China knows that its position on the Security Council is seen by the Rangoon regime as the ultimate guarantee against a UN-sponsored military operation to restore democracy in Burma or to create autonomous ethnic states, as was done by the multilateral intervention in East Timor.45 In return, China feels it can count on Burma's support in other UN debates on such subjects as human rights and arms sales.
The latter school reflects the deeper understanding of Burmese history. The conclusion that Burma has become a satellite of China and would be a willing ally in any future military confrontation between China and other regional countries should not go unchallenged. Indeed, it can be argued that in many respects it is not Beijing but Rangoon that has the whip hand. The military regime recognizes Burma's considerable debts to China and its vulnerability to a range of Chinese diplomatic, economic, and military pressures, but it believes it can manage the bilateral relationship in a way that preserves Burma's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and freedom of action.50 The regime may have been encouraged by the way that Chinese officials in Burma have kept a low public profile and have learned to tread warily in contacts with their Burmese counterparts. They seem to have behaved in this way so as not to offend the notoriously volatile and unpredictable Burmese leadership and thereby lose the gains China has made since 1988. The Chinese may also retain memories of the violent anti-Chinese riots in Rangoon of 1967, unrest that led to a break in diplomatic relations.
In addition, there are other security issues that are likely to focus international attention on Burma over the next decade. For example, since 1988 the Rangoon regime has implemented a massive military expansion and modernisation program. The Burmese armed forces (known as the Tatmadaw) have more than doubled in size and are now the second largest in Southeast Asia. Should Vietnam continue to reduce its military, Burma's could become the largest. Thanks largely to China, its armed forces are already among the best armed. Since 1988 the Burmese air force has acquired nearly two hundred new combat aircraft, the navy has commissioned more than thirty surface combatants, and the army has been reequipped with a wide range of armoured vehicles, artillery, surface-to-air missiles, and infantry weapons. The Tatmadaw still has a number of serious problems to overcome, but has been transformed from a small, weak counterinsurgency force barely able to maintain internal security into a very large, much more powerful defense force, increasingly capable of major conventional operations.52 While the Burmese armed forces still lack a credible power-projection capability, regional countries like Thailand and India have already expressed concern about Burma's rapidly growing strength and cited it as justification for military acquisition programs of their own.
In such a climate of uncertainty, interstate tension, and incipient instability, Burma's geostrategic position is likely to become more important to regional security than it was in past decades. Burma may also become a player in the wider strategic environment, especially if the current relationship between the United States and China develops into a more overt competition, into which other Asia-Pacific states are drawn, for political and economic influence. In these circumstances, Burma would probably attempt to steer an independent course, while protecting its relationship with China as far as possible. The U.S. government would come under domestic pressure to maintain a hard line against Rangoon, but the realpolitik of great-power rivalry could oblige it to change its policy toward Burma and to seek a more neutral, if not closer, relationship. Should that occur, other Western democracies would find it hard not to follow the American lead.
Andrew Selth is a visiting fellow at the Australian National University's Strategic and Defence Studies Center. He has published widely on strategic and Asian affairs, including Transforming the Tatmadaw: The Burmese Armed Forces since 1988 (Canberra, 1996) and Burma's Secret Military Partners (Canberra, 2000). He has just completed a comprehensive study entitled Burma's Armed Forces: Power without Glory, which is due to be published in the United States later this year. This article is drawn from Burma: A Strategic Perspective, Asia Foundation Working Paper 13 (San Francisco, 2001). A shorter version was presented at the conference on "Strategic Rivalries on the Bay of Bengal: The Burma/Myanmar Nexus," held in Washington, D. C., on 1 February 2001 and sponsored by the Asian Studies Center and Center for Peace and Security Studies, Georgetown University; the Center for Strategic Studies of the CNA Corporation; the Asia Foundation; and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.
This article represents the author's views alone. It has been drawn entirely from open sources and has no official status or endorsement.
Copyright Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Naval War College Spring 2002. Provided by ProQuest LLC. For permission to reuse this article, contact Copyright Clearance Center.


On Christmas Eve, 1800, three men conspire to assassinate Napoleon as he rides by on his way to the theatre. The plot is foiled and Napoleon lives to rule another day – but it's up to Chief Inspector Roch Miquel to find the culprits. Under pressure from his boss, the famous Minister of Police Fouche, Roch has to weed fact from fiction on a heart-stopping deadline even as the lives of the ones he loves the most are at stake.
This was my first Read-a-thon choice, which generally means I sped through it and actually won't have much long-term memory of the book. Still: a few impressions that will hopefully guide the curious into deciding whether or not they would choose to read it themselves.
First of all, this is actually a perfect historical fiction read for the Read-a-thon. It's nicely short, so it can be finished in a speedy amount of time, and the story has enough tension and mystery to help keep those pages turning even later at night, I suspect. Roch is under a lot of pressure as the story progresses, and I really do mean a lot, with his loved ones carted off to jail and his professional expertise called into question even when he doesn't deserve it.
The story is split between several different viewpoints, although they vary when they appear and generally Roch's search drives the plot. The beginning of the book is brilliant – I felt immediately drawn into Napoleonic Paris's dirty streets, fully aware of the hustle and bustle around the Emperor's path as people jostled to see him. Then, the aftermath of the explosion, which didn't kill him but did affect many others, was an excellent way to draw readers into the story and keep them wondering about these strange men who so clearly want to kill Napoleon. Not that many people didn't want to kill Napoleon – but it becomes immediately personal.
Surprisingly, the book even manages to squeeze in a little bit of romance amongst all of this investigating, and some treachery too. It's very well-rounded with quite a lot going on. I'd definitely recommend For the King as a fast yet absorbing and atmospheric historical read.
All book links to external sites are affiliate links. I bought this book.
I completely agree with your review! It was a book that had a bit of everything yet didn't feel overwhelming or choppy for the length… couldn't wish for anything more.
I remember liking this one. I thought mix of historical fiction, police investigation, and romance was good.
This might be a good historical fiction book for me to try since it's short and full of tension.
A period I haven't read much fiction in. Sounds good. And I love historical fiction that isn't padded.
I read this author's first book, and was quite pleased with it, so I am also hoping to love this one too. It's good to hear that the writing pulled you in so quickly and that it was well done. I will be adding this one to my list. Thanks for the great review!
I have been meaning to read this author for a while, but never got around to her. Good review!
I have this book. I need to read it. I've not been attracted to much historical fiction lately. I think I might have overdosed or something. Must. Get. More. Involved.


5  // Package plan9obj implements access to Plan 9 a.out object files.
16  // A FileHeader represents a Plan 9 a.out file header.
26  // A File represents an open Plan 9 a.out file.
33  // A SectionHeader represents a single Plan 9 a.out section header.
35  // through the object file.
42  // A Section represents a single section in a Plan 9 a.out file.
46  	// Embed ReaderAt for ReadAt method.
48  	// to avoid having Read and Seek.
51  	// with other clients.
56  // Data reads and returns the contents of the Plan 9 a.out section.
66  // Open returns a new ReadSeeker reading the Plan 9 a.out section.
69  // A Symbol represents an entry in a Plan 9 a.out symbol table section.
81  // not have the correct format for an object file.
97  // Open opens the named file using os.Open and prepares it for use as a Plan 9 a.out binary.
112  // Close closes the File.
114  // Close has no effect.
133  // NewFile creates a new File for accessing a Plan 9 binary in an underlying reader.
134  // The Plan 9 binary is expected to start at position 0 in the ReaderAt.
206  		// Symbol type, value.
256  // returning an in-memory representation.
304  // Symbols returns the symbol table for f.


text:
2011 Billboard Music Awards – Beyonce Kills It! 'Run The World (Girls) – VIDEO
Beyonce took over the show with her performance of Run the World (Girls) tonight at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards. She was honored by First Lady Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Bono, Barbra Streisand, Stevie Wonder, and more!!! Her momma Tina Knowles and nephew Julez presented her with the Millennium Award. Yeah… she rocked….
WATCH: Britney Spears and Rihanna ROCK 'S&M' at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards – VIDEO
2011 Billboard Music Awards WINNERS – Complete List


The Joint Health Management Board strives to ensure its members are informed and responsible health care consumers, in the most cost-effective and efficient manner. To that end, we have streamlined the benefits information we provide to both active employees and new hires to the District. The information is this section reflects the plan information as of the date it was published. To review the latest plan amendments, click on the "Full Plan Booklet and Plan Amendments" tab below.
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REMINDER: The information is this booklet reflects the plan information as of the date it was published. To review the latest plan amendments, click on the "Full Plan Booklet" tab above.
The Joint Health Management Board (JHMB) is pleased to provide you with the Fresno Unified School District Employee Health Care Plan Booklet. This Plan Booklet includes the most current benefit and vendor information under the three Medical Plan Options that became effective April 1, 2012 including Plan clarifications up to August 1, 2012, and the most recent Plan Amendments.
The Plan Booklet primarily describes the benefits applicable to individuals enrolled in Medical Plan Options A and B offered by Anthem Blue Cross; however, it also describes important information for all participants, such as Contact Information, Employee Assistance Program, Chiropractic Care, Dental Benefits, Life Insurance, and General Plan Provisions relating to contributions and eligibility including termination of benefit provisions. You may download the entire Plan Booklet or download the section of the Plan Booklet for each specific health care benefit.
Participants in Plan Option C, Kaiser Permanente option, should review a separate Evidence of Coverage brochure describing benefits offered through Kaiser Permanente and applicable sections of this Plan Booklet to familiarize yourself with all provisions of the plan of benefits offered through the District.


text:
Celebrity , Entertainment
[THE WEEKLY READ] About Those Sherri Shepherd Comments...
Sherri Shepherd
By #TeamEBONY | January 23, 2014
When I first heard that Sherri Shepherd had offered some sort of variation of "the love the sinner, hate the sin" soundbite regarding homosexuality in a recent interview, I assumed she conveyed the sentiment in some asinine way—just another stop on her "Damn, I Did I Say Something Stupid Again?" tour. Then I actually watched the clip in question and had no desire to tag myself into her online pouncing. If anything, I saw it as an opportunity to have meaningful dialogue that might help the Jesus Freak and Hedonist Homosexual sects of humanity come together.
But then I remembered what planet I lived on and what field I currently earn a living in. Having a conversation that might actually move us forward is cute and all, but nobody's clicking on that. Hell, I'm surprised some of these sites didn't go with the header: "SHERRI SHEPHERD SAID GAY PEOPLE AIN'T S**T AND NEITHER IS BEYONCÉ! #BEYHIVE"
So what did Sherri Shepherd say that caused so many people to want to beat her with her Bible?
Well, when asked what she felt was the biggest misconception about her, she said, "I think people don't know my heart. I think people feel I'm very judgmental. I think people feel I'm very homophobic. If they knew me, and knew my heart… You grow up being a Christian and you grow up believing homosexuality is a sin (and that) you're going to hell if you're a homosexual. This is something that they teach in churches. So it's something that I grew up believing."
Heavens to Murgatroyd: Sherri Shepherd just described the majority of our experiences.
She added: "I might not agree with your lifestyle, but I love you. You may not agree with my lifestyle, but you love me…I don't say it's a choice. If you tell me, 'Sherri, I was born gay,' OK. I'm not gonna argue with you, because I can't tell you how you feel and what's going on inside. I'm trying to make it into heaven by the skin of my teeth…I don't know who I'm gonna see. So if you tell me you're born [gay], I'm not gonna argue with you. And I absolutely respect you for that. I just ask that people respect how I feel, [I] respect how you feel and and we can have a great dialogue."
She's since apologized in light of how her views her presented, but I'm not sure if that was necessary. Now had Sherri said something to the effect of, "You booty chasing mistakes of God, may you and your cooter for cooter like minded abominations spend all of eternity in Satan's sauna," then perhaps I might've had the urge to shake the table. However, this is probably one of the more thoughtful explanations I've ever heard her give, especially when it comes to her faith.
Sherri Shepherd sat there and said she was raised a certain way, but doesn't challenge people on whether or not they were born gay as it is not her experience, and then followed that with a call for respectful dialogue. So what did she get in response? Much of it was "you had a baby out of wedlock," "you are on your second husband," blah, blah, blah, "you're going to hell with me, heifer."
Although I understand and share the occasional urge to hope a lightning bolt hits the forehead of a so-called Christian who uses their faith as a weapon, I also believe that some people have to accept that another person's point of view on dogma is not necessarily them calling for a certain kind of sinner's total damnation.
Sherri reminds me of so many people in my life, including my own mother. I love my mama dearly, but she does not agree with my "lifestyle choices" either. We do not discuss my sexuality, and for the foreseeable future, it's best that we don't. She wants me to go back to being a regular churchgoer who goes on to fall in love with a woman (other than Beyoncé) and produce grandbabies. Meanwhile, I called Sunday's Seahawks vs. 49ers game the "Bae Bowl." (Hey, Russell Wilson, and good morning, afternoon and night to you, Colin Kaepernick.) Needless to say, this particular prayer of my mother's shall go unanswered.
In any event, while I don't agree with her or Sherri, I genuinely believe neither hates me. Both of them are like many Christians who have not figured out how to reconcile what they've been taught to believe with the gay people who they care for or who are a major part of their lives. And while Americans are now more tolerant of gay people than ever before, there is no immediate mobilization to have this great spiritual debate on how to reconcile Christian doctrine with "the gay." At best, there are only some progressive clergymen and Christians here and there doing their part.
If I knew Sherri Shepherd, I'd advise her to start her search for a better understanding with the documentary For The Bible Tells Me So, which challenges the perceived conflict between homosexuality and Christianity. Then she can go seek out more knowledge with our BFF, the Google, where I'd hope she got a refresher on allegory and metaphor along with one of my favorite terms, "Biblical literalist of convenience."
You would think a Black woman would figure out that it's probably not the best idea to be a Biblical literalist considering its support of slavery and shade of her gender, but that is conditioning at work and it takes work to shake that off. We can't necessarily carry the load for the Sherri Shepherds of the world, but if they're asking for help in understanding, why not offer it?
Oh, and for those White people who sensationalized Sherri Shepherd's commentary: Spare me your righteous indignation. Some of you may have evolved, but don't act like us Black folks came over here with "WWJD" bracelets. Playing the role of pedant isn't helpful either.
Michael Arceneaux is the author of the "The Weekly Read," where tough love is served with just a touch of shade. Tweet him at @youngsinick.


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text:
A Theory of Change for improving children's perceptions, aspirations and uptake of STEM careers
Carol Davenport, Opeyemi Dele-Ajayi, Itoro Emembolu, Richard Morton, Annie Padwick, Antonio Portas, Jonathan Sanderson, Joe Shimwell, Jane Stonehouse, Rebecca Strachan, Leanne Wake, Gary Wells, John Woodward
Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering
Computer and Information Sciences
Geography and Environmental Sciences
There is concern about the low numbers and diversity of young people choosing careers and study subjects in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) at university and beyond. Many interventions aimed at addressing this issue have focused on young people aged 14+ years old. However, these interventions have resulted in little improvement in the numbers and diversity of young people progressing into STEM careers. The aim of this study is to ask "What are the affordances of a Theory of Change (ToC) for increasing the diversity and number of young people choosing a career in STEM post-18?" An innovative ToC is introduced which provides the theoretical underpinnings and context for the complex mix of interventions necessary to lead to a significant change in the number and diversity of those choosing STEM careers. Case studies of interventions developed using the ToC are presented. This approach, and associated ToC, is widely applicable across STEM, education and public engagement fields.
Research in Science Education
RISE-D-19-00104_R2Accepted author manuscript, 1.77 MB
Advance online versionFinal published version, 667 KBLicence: CC BY
Final published versionFinal published version, 647 KBLicence: CC BY
Dive into the research topics of 'A Theory of Change for improving children's perceptions, aspirations and uptake of STEM careers'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
career Social Sciences 100%
university Social Sciences 14%
Davenport, C., Dele-Ajayi, O., Emembolu, I., Morton, R., Padwick, A., Portas, A., Sanderson, J., Shimwell, J., Stonehouse, J., Strachan, R., Wake, L., Wells, G., & Woodward, J. (2021). A Theory of Change for improving children's perceptions, aspirations and uptake of STEM careers. Research in Science Education, 51(4), 997–1011. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-019-09909-6
Davenport, Carol ; Dele-Ajayi, Opeyemi ; Emembolu, Itoro ; Morton, Richard ; Padwick, Annie ; Portas, Antonio ; Sanderson, Jonathan ; Shimwell, Joe ; Stonehouse, Jane ; Strachan, Rebecca ; Wake, Leanne ; Wells, Gary ; Woodward, John. / A Theory of Change for improving children's perceptions, aspirations and uptake of STEM careers. In: Research in Science Education. 2021 ; Vol. 51, No. 4. pp. 997–1011.
@article{88a858c39181480e970dee7df67a8252,
title = "A Theory of Change for improving children's perceptions, aspirations and uptake of STEM careers",
abstract = "There is concern about the low numbers and diversity of young people choosing careers and study subjects in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) at university and beyond. Many interventions aimed at addressing this issue have focused on young people aged 14+ years old. However, these interventions have resulted in little improvement in the numbers and diversity of young people progressing into STEM careers. The aim of this study is to ask "What are the affordances of a Theory of Change (ToC) for increasing the diversity and number of young people choosing a career in STEM post-18?" An innovative ToC is introduced which provides the theoretical underpinnings and context for the complex mix of interventions necessary to lead to a significant change in the number and diversity of those choosing STEM careers. Case studies of interventions developed using the ToC are presented. This approach, and associated ToC, is widely applicable across STEM, education and public engagement fields.",
keywords = "children and young people, diversity, STEM education, careers, Theory of Change, Science Capital",
author = "Carol Davenport and Opeyemi Dele-Ajayi and Itoro Emembolu and Richard Morton and Annie Padwick and Antonio Portas and Jonathan Sanderson and Joe Shimwell and Jane Stonehouse and Rebecca Strachan and Leanne Wake and Gary Wells and John Woodward",
note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the Higher Education Funding Council of England (HEFCE) under a Catalyst Fund Grant (PD006) and the Reece Foundation.",
pages = "997–1011",
journal = "Research in Science Education",
Davenport, C, Dele-Ajayi, O, Emembolu, I, Morton, R, Padwick, A, Portas, A, Sanderson, J, Shimwell, J, Stonehouse, J, Strachan, R, Wake, L, Wells, G & Woodward, J 2021, 'A Theory of Change for improving children's perceptions, aspirations and uptake of STEM careers', Research in Science Education, vol. 51, no. 4, pp. 997–1011. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-019-09909-6
A Theory of Change for improving children's perceptions, aspirations and uptake of STEM careers. / Davenport, Carol; Dele-Ajayi, Opeyemi; Emembolu, Itoro; Morton, Richard; Padwick, Annie; Portas, Antonio; Sanderson, Jonathan; Shimwell, Joe; Stonehouse, Jane; Strachan, Rebecca; Wake, Leanne; Wells, Gary; Woodward, John.
In: Research in Science Education, Vol. 51, No. 4, 01.08.2021, p. 997–1011.
T1 - A Theory of Change for improving children's perceptions, aspirations and uptake of STEM careers
AU - Davenport, Carol
AU - Dele-Ajayi, Opeyemi
AU - Emembolu, Itoro
AU - Morton, Richard
AU - Padwick, Annie
AU - Portas, Antonio
AU - Sanderson, Jonathan
AU - Shimwell, Joe
AU - Stonehouse, Jane
AU - Strachan, Rebecca
AU - Wake, Leanne
AU - Wells, Gary
AU - Woodward, John
N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the Higher Education Funding Council of England (HEFCE) under a Catalyst Fund Grant (PD006) and the Reece Foundation.
N2 - There is concern about the low numbers and diversity of young people choosing careers and study subjects in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) at university and beyond. Many interventions aimed at addressing this issue have focused on young people aged 14+ years old. However, these interventions have resulted in little improvement in the numbers and diversity of young people progressing into STEM careers. The aim of this study is to ask "What are the affordances of a Theory of Change (ToC) for increasing the diversity and number of young people choosing a career in STEM post-18?" An innovative ToC is introduced which provides the theoretical underpinnings and context for the complex mix of interventions necessary to lead to a significant change in the number and diversity of those choosing STEM careers. Case studies of interventions developed using the ToC are presented. This approach, and associated ToC, is widely applicable across STEM, education and public engagement fields.
AB - There is concern about the low numbers and diversity of young people choosing careers and study subjects in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) at university and beyond. Many interventions aimed at addressing this issue have focused on young people aged 14+ years old. However, these interventions have resulted in little improvement in the numbers and diversity of young people progressing into STEM careers. The aim of this study is to ask "What are the affordances of a Theory of Change (ToC) for increasing the diversity and number of young people choosing a career in STEM post-18?" An innovative ToC is introduced which provides the theoretical underpinnings and context for the complex mix of interventions necessary to lead to a significant change in the number and diversity of those choosing STEM careers. Case studies of interventions developed using the ToC are presented. This approach, and associated ToC, is widely applicable across STEM, education and public engagement fields.
KW - children and young people
KW - diversity
KW - STEM education
KW - careers
KW - Theory of Change
KW - Science Capital
JO - Research in Science Education
JF - Research in Science Education
Davenport C, Dele-Ajayi O, Emembolu I, Morton R, Padwick A, Portas A et al. A Theory of Change for improving children's perceptions, aspirations and uptake of STEM careers. Research in Science Education. 2021 Aug 1;51(4):997–1011. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-019-09909-6


text:
Arthur Awards
Life after your star act
Host: Anna Grace, IQ Magazine / ILMC (UK)
Panellists: Mark Bennett, MBA Live (UK) | Barnaby Harrod, Mercury Wheels @ Live Nation (ES) | Geoff Meall, Paradigm Talent Agency (UK) | Dan Silver, Value Added Talent (UK)
The premise of this session was to talk to industry professionals about the fallout after losing a significant client, and the lessons learned from such experiences.
"It definitely hurts, but there's also something to learn from each act you lose – the bottom line is that we all make mistakes and nobody is infallible," said Meall. Bennett told the room, "The first act you lose definitely hurts the most. For me it was SG Lewis and I did not handle it well – I'd put a lot of work into learning about his world. But then, last year I lost my entire roster, so I can now definitely put things into perspective."
Recounting when he lost Depeche Mode, Silver said, "I'd taken them from nothing to 60,000 tickets in the Pasadena Rose Bowl, and I'd put my heart and soul into it, so that really hurt. But the nature of this business is that there are always others who promise to do a better and cheaper job for the act. But you find an inner resource and you end up thinking, 'I'll show you, you bastards!'"
Silver recalled that in his younger days he'd also lost a couple of acts to agents working for the same company as him and that became a catalyst to form his own agency in 1983.
The panel's sole promoter, Harrod, had his own tales of woe, and spoke about his early days of working with Moby when he was playing to 2,000-cap venues. "He was vegan, so I decided to ask the local Hare Krishnas to do the tour catering. Moby loved it, but when the next tour was announced, we were not involved and that taught me that I need to professionalise the company."
The agents agreed that often they can take on an act too early, which can lead to them being fired, while a change in artist management commonly leads to wholesale changes as well, if the new manager has existing relationships with other agents or agencies. "You can also, quite rightly, get fired for fucking things up," said Meall. "Us agents do sometimes get things wrong and I've been fired a number of times because I deserved it."
Silver also told the tale of client Vince Clark, who left The Assembly to form a new band, Erasure, and decided to go with a different agent. "It's highly unusual, but give him his due, Vince called me up to say he'd made a mistake and I took him back. Actually it's the only example I have of an act admitting they'd got it wrong." He added, "Losing acts is just part and parcel of what we do – the business now is really predatory – it's a million miles removed from what it used to be… as an independent, it's really tough to compete with the big agencies, but it's a test of your skills to see how creative you can be."
Acknowledging the predatory nature of the agency world, Meall nevertheless said the business in London is more amicable than in North America. "Here, agents are friends with agents at other companies. I'm not sure that exists in the United States." With pressure being a key element in the industry, Harrod said he had started meditating when he went through a rough patch a few years ago, while Silver revealed he goes for a walk when he's struggling with a business problem.
Bennett concluded, "In the last couple of years, the conversation about mental health has opened up, so we are making progress, but it's sad that people are feeling that they have to leave the business because of the toll that pressure is taking on them."
ILMC 32 | 3 - 6 March 2020
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TRAVEL VLOG | Corpus Christi- Family Vacation | Corpus Christi Rocks!
We're back with a long overdue video! We took our first vacation as a family, just the three of us. And Caleb got to visit the beach for the first time. Enjoy!!
Earn off your next booked trip when you sign up for Airbnb using my link!


Finding My Stitch: A Couple of Things . . .
I love diyideas.com. So many wonderful ideas floating around that place! I get the newsletters to my one email address and I always love looking at all the cool project ideas, I would love to try so many of them! Too bad I never have the free time. Sigh...some day I really will try them out. Really!
Also, I thought I'd share this fun stop-motion video I made for my art class last semester.
I made this video using one of the first few dresses I made. I called it my "bed sheet dress" because, as with many of my dresses, I made it out of an old bed sheet of ours. (I like to be resourceful!) I made it so many years ago it was getting too small to actually wear, sadly, so I decided to sacrifice its life for this video. I created the whole thing backwards, with the last pictures being the first ones I took, and actually tore the dress apart as I went. After 840 pictures and many troubles to get them in the right order, this is the result. It's a little rough in a couple of spots, but I'm pretty happy with it. Enjoy!


text:
Q: How to store richtextbox content directly to ftp in C#? Guys this the code to store file on ftp. Can any one reconfigure this code so that it stores the contents of the richtextbox in windows forms I'm writing anything on richtextbox when I click button it should store directly ftp.
{
    Stream requestStream = null;
    FileStream fileStream = null;
    FtpWebResponse uploadResponse = null;
    try
    {
        uploadUrl = "ftp://ftp.personalwebars.com/ATM/";
        fileName = txtTitle.Text + ".txt";
        FtpWebRequest uploadRequest = (FtpWebRequest)WebRequest.Create(uploadUrl + @"/" + fileName);
        uploadRequest.Method = WebRequestMethods.Ftp.UploadFile;
        //Since the FTP you are downloading to is secure, send
        //in user name and password to be able upload the file
        ICredentials credentials = new NetworkCredential(user, pswd);
        uploadRequest.Credentials = credentials;
        //UploadFile is not supported through an Http proxy
        //so we disable the proxy for this request.
        uploadRequest.Proxy = null;
        //uploadRequest.UsePassive = false; <--found from another forum and did not make a difference
        requestStream = uploadRequest.GetRequestStream();

        byte[] buffer = new byte[1024];
        int bytesRead;
        while (true)
        {
            bytesRead = fileStream.Read(buffer, 0, buffer.Length);
            if (bytesRead == 0)
                break;
            requestStream.Write(buffer, 0, bytesRead);
        }
        //The request stream must be closed before getting
        //the response.
        requestStream.Close();
        uploadResponse =
          (FtpWebResponse)uploadRequest.GetResponse();
        lblAuthentication.Text = "Your solution has been submitted in txt Mode. Thank You";
    }
    catch (WebException ex)
    {

    }
    finally
    {
        if (uploadResponse != null)
            uploadResponse.Close();
        if (fileStream != null)
            fileStream.Close();
        if (requestStream != null)
            requestStream.Close();
    }
}

A: Try this, extract the string from the text box and pass it in as the content parameter,
public void Send(string url, string fileName, string content, string user, string password)
{
    byte[] bytes = Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(content)
    var request = (FtpWebRequest) WebRequest.Create(new Uri(url + @"/" + fileName));
    request.Method = WebRequestMethods.Ftp.UploadFile;
    request.UsePassive = false;
    request.Credentials = new NetworkCredential(user, password);
    request.ContentLength = bytes.Length;
    var requestStream = request.GetRequestStream();
    requestStream.Write(bytes, 0, bytes.Length);
    requestStream.Close();
    var response = (FtpWebResponse) request.GetResponse();
    if (response != null) response.Close();
}


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text:
Public vs. Private Devotion
Home › Forums › Public vs. Private Devotion › Public vs. Private Devotion
Tagged: #7769
This topic has 43 replies, 23 voices, and was last updated 2 years, 8 months ago by Dean Riley.
April 7, 2019 at 6:18 pm #7521
jlchamberlain
While churches became more and more ornate and impersonal those who had the means invested in private devotional objects and spaces. How do we see these dual impulses coexisting during the Gothic period?
April 15, 2019 at 3:04 pm #7710
Laura Barber
The moralized bibles, such as Bible moralisée and the Saint Louis Bible, were essentially illustrated bibles that gained popularity during the Gothic period, but were not accessible to most due to the high cost required to make them. Typically, royal family members were the only ones who could afford to buy them.
Numerous books also began being published during this time period. For the common folk, many of whom were illiterate, reading these books wouldn't have been possible. This provides yet another means with which the upper class was able to attain additional religious objects for themselves alone.
Perhaps it was the increasing ornateness and impersonal nature of the churches of the time that drove wealthy nobles to seek out additional devotional objects and personal spaces for praying/studying the bible. It became a matter of status and exclusivity for those who could afford those rare and difficult to attain religious objects.
Miranda Jackovich
To Laura Barber
I thought you made great points about how elites and nobles would use decorated religious objects to further stratify themselves from lower ranked social classes. Do you believe that these wealthier individuals took advantage of the adornment of these objects to further establish their social status?
I agree with you Laura that the use of these illustrated bibles was used as a physical demonstration of wealth by the nobility. I wonder how many of the nobles were actually able to read or if they were just ornaments of their social position.
rdnelson4
I agree that the cast system was very harsh and unforgiving. The class and social status you were born with was rigid and most often the one you died with as well. During this time period being able to afford food was difficult, much less extravagant art and religious texts that are only good for those with an education. Religion did seem to be a sign of social status during this time period. Sad that it seems with each new step forward in history, those who are already on top seem to be the ones who are benefitting.
It was common during the Gothic period for an individual of any social ranking to carry some sort of religious item. When a person was unable to attend church the object(s) would be used for personal prayer and practices. It's not surprising to see that elites and nobles used these symbols to reflect their status and wealth. 'The Sainte Chapelle, Paris' (1239-1248 CE) demonstrates on a larger scale how status and wealth affects private devotional objects and spaces. The king, his family, and court had a personal chapelle built into the palace. The king and queen also had their own personal quarters to worship in private. It's important to recognize the influence the church had on all walks of life, and how personal religious objects were widely used amongst everyone.
Re: Miranda
Very interesting post! It's interesting to see what wealthy people use to flaunt/cement their status in society. It also removes them from the very public, almost common, act of going to church. Perhaps this was one more reason why they did things such as building their own private worship areas.
Miranda Johansson
Miranda – what an interesting connection between religion, devotions, and social status! Such an odd notion to show off social status through religion, but this was really not uncommon during this time period, as you state. Thank you for bringing this up!
Lacey Miller
Private devotional objects were actually very widespread. Devotional prints could be owned by almost anyone at the time. Little idols and crosses and such were a little more sparse, but also a commonality amongst society. The higher classes that could afford their own private alter or prayer space, likely felt a bit more likely to lock in a spot in heaven. Not only did it become a competition of riches but also that of divinity. I suppose it could just be looked at as yet another facet to class or status
Hah I like that 'Lock in a Spot in Heaven'. Were there heaven-ticket scalpers? Probably! That's what the whole indulgences thing was iirc. I'd be curious about some of the cheaper and more personal things that people created to remind them of their faith in their everyday lives. Of course the largest, most expensive items are what have been most well-preserved through time, but I wonder if people made little crosses out of wood and straw and carried them around, or something like that. Of course we still see 'Holier than the Joneses' in our society too! Do ornate Christmas light decorations count? Or is that something different lol.
April 25, 2019 at 9:35 am #7906
Lucas Warthen
Hey Lacey,
I think you're right – it was definitely a competition of divinity and the riches that required it were just another set bar to become one with that divine level. However, while also just being a facet of their status, I think the rich thought these things helped show their dedication to God – the more worldly goods they spent on their devotion meant the further they would get in the afterlife; the less they cared about worldly possessions the more they would get in the afterlife (or something to that extent). So yes, I think it is definitely a divine competition even though it is not outright stated or proven.
ckocsis
Lacey-
Interesting points! It's interesting that they thought the more they spent on their faith the more faithful they were and more likely to get into heaven. I wonder where that idea started!
Miranda-
Interesting to think the palace had its own private church.
Gothic architecture is the most 'public' manifestation of the period. Giant, mind-blowingly ornate Cathedrals were stationed in major cities. The stained glass and stonework, for instance jam sculptures, all told the holy stories from Abraham through the acts post-Christ saints. These provided a method for anyone visiting and viewing these sites to have a religious experience, however each visitor had essentially the same experience.
More personal techniques did exist at the time – the Moralizing bibles were intensely detailed illustrated texts, and were also incredibly expensive. Nothing else like them existed at the time though, so the owners and readers of such texts were likely in awe of what they saw. This allowed them to absorb the holy stories, and pray etc. without engaging with the throng at the Cathedrals (perhaps this was an anticipation of the Gutenberg bible and the philosophies of the protestant reformation). Another instance of more personal devotional art was the Book of Hours. Thousands of these books were produced that had illustrations and sets of prayers to be recited throughout the day. Here was another way to make the religious practices of Christianity more personal in one's life.
Gabe,
I like the imagery you use describing the cathedrals and how you stated everyone essentially had the same experience. If everyone should be on the same level anywhere, in should be in a church. Of course, some people *cough cough rich snobby people cough cough* would probably have a problem with mingling with such inferior beings and of course the only solution would be to throw massive amounts of money into building one's own private place of worship. Even though that's pretty much exactly the kind of thing God says he hates in the Bible.
I think this is an interesting concept. The moralizing bibles and the private chapels for worship are two of the examples we see of private devotion. I do wonder what the motivation behind the private devotions were. After all the Bible doesn't say god loves the rich more than the poor, so I wonder if the rich simply used private devotion as means to show off their wealth, or to avoid intermingling with lower social classes. Or if they truly thought private devotion and spending immense amounts of money would lead to winning more approval from god than the people attending the public church services.
Miranda I like how you pointed out how great of an influence religion had on every walk of life regardless of social class. I think it makes sense the king and royal family would have a private chapel, their safety was most likely a matter of concern. But I wonder how true to intentions were behind the other wealthy families who went about buying the extravagent moralizing bibles and other religious items for private devotions
I think that some of the rich and nobility sanctioned religion in ways that not only glorified God but glorified themselves. The Book of Hours is an excellent example of the disparity between what the wealthy used and what the lay people had. A religious text that was used to develop a prayer sequence. Thousands of these books were created from 1250 until 1700. The prayers and prayer sequence began with praise for the Virgin Mary and eventually was known as the Hours of the Virgin. Patrons could have the basic model or if they wanted could expand upon the illustration. Supporters were found who wanted to not only support their own religious activities but demonstrate their wealth. It is easy to understand how these economic factors drove the creation of more ornate plates and fonts. They often included images of the family and embellished favorite psalms or saints of the church. The nobility could take great comfort in knowing that their names and efforts were associated with Holy works and words.
Maggie May
Often the possession of large, ornate, expensive private devotional or religious objects were both a display of wealth and religious devotion. Although smaller religious objects were common, larger, more expensive commissions, such as illustrated bibles or private worship spaces, demanded vast financial resources. These may have been ascertained in avoidance of the rather impersonal church spaces of the time, or rather as displays of religious devotion, which might help others to see them in a more positive light or help them to gain favor in the eyes of God.
As churches constantly become more and more beautiful and intricately designed in the Gothic period, many wealthy families invested in things such as moralized bibles. These bibles were made of up thousands of illustrations of the stories and values found within scripture and they also included commentaries. These bibles would have been extremely costly, therefore would not have been accessible by the commoners. Being able to have these items would have only been a possibility because of rank. Though, there was also a growing access to various written devotionals for commoners called the 'books of hours'. These books would have becoming increasingly more available to those who were less fortunate as the gothic period went on. Each of these books would have been unique. Inside would be a number of prayers that the individual could read and specific times of the day. In many ways this shift began as the Christians valuing of personal piety grew.
RE Mirand
Great points! It is interesting to me how different expressions existed amidst the various classes. The more wealthy individuals would have had beautiful buildings crafted and moralized bibles made, while the less fortunate would have been so grateful for much smaller, less costly items in order to expression their own devotion to God.
Tamara Toy
Private devotion was definitely something for the higher classes. These cost a considerable amount of money alone, not counting any personal religious relics that may have been owned. This was possibly so that the higher ranking classes had a better and more personal relationship with the Divine, therefore ensuring their place in Heaven. Meanwhile, the lower ranking classes had little choice but to practice their devotions in a more public, impersonal setting, however, this relationship was probably more of a comforting one than those of the higher ranking classes due to the idea that they were not worshipping out of self-preservation.
Tamara – you make an excellent point about worship and self-preservation. It really was crazy how those of a higher social rank believed that they could "buy" their salvation. I agree that the churches were lower class members went to worship were probably not impersonal, because their point of worship and devotion was from a completely different perspective than those who did it to "show off" their riches. Thank you for this post!
tmbergan
Tamara, that's a really interesting idea that they would have more of a relationship with the Divine. Do you think some of them may have liked having private areas for devotion to show off their wealth and "devotion' to the faith to make some people feel jealous of it?
I don't think I would say that churches were becoming more impersonal. If we look at Christianity and Judaism throughout history, early churches and places of worship were sectioned off to where the most holy place of God was separate from the "common" place of the building. In the Gothic cathedrals, there is such a sense of openness and availability of being close to God, that this is almost the opposite of impersonal. Instead of having a relationship with God through the priest or pastor, God is available for personal relationships with this new architecture.
The fact that people would invest in private devotional objects is another key point to show how much more personal religion had become. We have moved away from the Bible only being in Latin, to the Bible being available to even those who were not literate. Just because churches and devotional spaces were becoming more ornate this does not necessarily mean it was becoming impersonal.
The churches becoming more and more ornate was a very obvious phenomenon that overshadowed the creation of devotional objects and spaces for those who could afford them. Stained glass became extremely prominent as seen in Sainte-Chapelle of Paris and flying buttresses came coupled with those (as the walls needed extra support that stained glass could not provide). The buttresses, while being beautiful, allowed for the amount of light that came in to remain constant while also providing needed support for the building.
The devotional objects, especially the moralized bibles, were completely separate of the church, as people that owned these objects had no reason for attending a church. Churches were most likely filled with pilgrims and devotees and people that could afford the moralized bibles were far from that.
The beautiful churches and moralized bibles coexisted during this time because neither of them knew they existed – they never came in contact with one another during their time period because those that attended them never experienced the other (if that makes sense… hope it does).
Lucas, I think that makes sense! The wealthier people had their own private devotional objects that kept them from having to go to the churches, and the commoners likely never saw these objects so they might not have even realized at the time that the private devotion was a thing. Great post!
Sam Saccomen
I would say private would be a good word to describe the Gothic period. Individuals had personal devotional objects and those who could afford it had private devotional spaces. Some individuals of the Gothic period carried small crosses or other religious items with them. Some people had moralized bibles but only the wealthy could afford these books because they were expensive at the time. The Book of Hours also became popular. Many individuals started to have the Book of Hours as the Gothic period continued. These books although they had numerous pictures throughout them, many individuals of this time period were still illiterate making it almost impossible for them to fully understand the Word of God. That brings questions to my head? Were these items and space a way to show class, a way to get away from the lower classes, or did private worship become popular? I believe it was another way to show class because again lower classes were unable to purchase these moralized books and all still went to the churches to worship. All the upper class was able to worship in their own homes with these moralized bibles at hand and private devotion spaces. I believe it was a way to separate classes once again.
Good questions. Maybe private devotion became popular because of the slow trend toward humanism and individuals that would become the Renaissance? I think the rich would want to separate themselves from the poor during any era of suffering. Nobody wants to be around depressed people for too long, and the rich probably wanted to keep their air of perfection – which you can't keep if people get to look at you too closely.
Lacey, I also liked your clever statement "lock in a spot in heaven" because I believe this was very important in the Gothic period and still now. I really liked your statement about riches and divinity because the rich were building places of worship in their houses and buying expensive moralized books, while low class was still only about to afford to go to church and worship because of their lack in wealth. This to me proves that the higher classes believed they were locking in their spot over those of the lower class. Overall, your post was short and sweet but got your point across!
Jessi Willeto
As always, the higher classes will have the advantages of being able to purchase or commission religious objects and things for their devotional purposes. However, the lower glasses and common people were also known to have some sort of object related to their religion; be it rosaries, idols, tapestries. What we see is the rich being able to afford specific spaces for devotional purposes (like the private chapels), as well as having the advantage of being able to read ornate bibles and such. Christianity almost seemed like a trend at this point because many things were manifested to prove higher worship than another. In a way, it is reminiscent of previous eras where nobility would liken themselves unto the divine.
csayreswoody
I can agree when you said that Christianity seems to be a trend, even in todays time it seems to be that way. However now its not just Christinaity but other religions as well.
RE: sjsaccomen
That's a good point you brought up. It's almost a religious monopoly where the disadvantaged will not have the same opportunities as those with wealth or power. We see this still happening to this day, I think, but it also shows the innovation of the lower classes with the objects they created as well.
RE: Lucas Warthen
It makes sense! They were both created with the same need of devotion, but just created for different people and needs. Regardless, I'm glad both exist as a testament to the gothic era.
Aalieyah Creach
Looking at the material given, i do not think these two parties coexisted but instead they found a way to part with each other by class. In a way they kinda coexisted but in actuality they just did their own thing instead of trying to be able to come together. the rich would buy their private spaces and objects while the poor did what they could to be apart of there devotion.
Although the churches remained large and open for all individuals to come and visit, we see that a lot of wealthy people in the Gothic period began investing in different forms of private devotion. With their wealth and literacy, they were able to get books of hours and moralized bibles that the commoners wouldn't have been able to understand. Another interesting thing that I noticed looking at this week's artwork was the fact that a lot of the noble families would also get a stained glass window with their coat of arms. A lot of the stained glass that we saw would usually occur in churches to tell more of the stories, but wealthy families were able to make it more private by getting it in their homes, some of them even changing it so that instead of telling biblical stories it would tell their family's stories.
Great post and I agree that the wealthy definitely seemed to have an advantage with obtaining religious items. It seems that throughout history, no matter the religion or time frame, those with money were able to obtain more things for their faiths and likely felt they were more spiritual. Even in cultures where religion wasn't as common, it still seems that wealth brought the status and ability to show off one's own accomplishments.
Just as any other thing through these eras, the higher classes were able to partake more in a private devotion than those of a lower class. The wealthy had the funds and means to be able have private spaces, spiritual objects, and bibles to be able to be apart and do devotions on a daily bases where as the lower class was only able to get their devotions in when they could. Even though the two classes had to go about different ways for their devotions they both was able to be apart devotions which is a plus in my eyes. It was like they didn't care how or where they was going to get their devotions from but as longs as they did and as longs as others saw that they did.
Most of the ornament in Gothic churches went into the architecture itself. The stonework became light and airy, looking like a holy gingerbread house with an emphasis on letting light in. The statuary no longer took center space, but was used to highlight the beautiful windows. Carvings surrounded the arches, and sat atop the gabled spaces above arches. All of this was public artwork.
Rulers and the rich were able to have their own churches built, or donate holy objects to existing churches. Louis IX built the Saint-Chapelle to house his own collection of relics in Paris, and a piece of the Virgin Mary's linen was donated by Charlemagne to the Notre Dame. Royal families commissioned Moralizing bibles to be illustrated for the masses, sort of like getting your kid into reading by givivng them comic books.
There is a lot of art representing the relationship between the church and the current king. The statue of the Virgin Mary outside the Reims Cathedral wears a large crown to show the connection, Christ is shown to be a descendant of ancient kings in statuary atop the church, and inside Melchizedek gives communion to Abraham.
I feel like there are definitely differences in how social class separations enabled people to worship in different ways but I'm not sure I see it as impersonal. Wealthy followers were able to buy more ornate objects to show their devotion. Wealthy individuals also could spend the money on fancy stained glass windows and other religions items. Those unlucky enough to not afford those items simply didn't have the option to show their religious devotion in the same way. I don't see any of these types of followers as necessarily being impersonal though. The Christian faith was based on a relationship with their God and although the wealthier could show off their faith better, ultimately everyone was given the chance to have a personal relationship. Those who were illiterate likely had the hardest path simply because they couldn't read the teachings and religious documents themselves.
I think private devotional spaces were a way for the upper class to avoid mingling with the common people, and I definitely don't think going to church was impersonal. Even though the churches were getting larger and more ornate, people who were going to church were celebrating their faith with other people who shared their beliefs, which I think would enhance the experience rather than detract from it. It seems like the upper class were competing with each other on who was the most devote and had the nicest religious items, while the lower class was going to church to actually show their devotion.
As the name suggests, the Age of Cathedrals was one of splendor and magnificence. While religious extravagance was in part out of reverence and worship, I am certain there was an amount of pomp and circumstance as well. The wealthy upper class flaunted their wealth by commissioning expensive and intricate works of art, such as RÖTTGEN PIETÀ OR JEAN PUCELLE'S THE HOURS OF JEANNE D'ÉVREUX. Moralized Bibles were also very expensive, so only wealthy families could afford them. I think to a certain extent religion became a symbol of social status; the wealthier you were, the more you could afford to spend on religious art, texts, and worship.
Much like today, personal devotional objects were very popular among all social classes. Everyone had something to use or a space to go and worship if they could not make it to a mass service. The wealthy also had special versions of the bible made accessible to them and they used this to let others know of their social status as well as their wealth. People that had a large influence on the church, such as Kings and Queens, often times had their own rooms of worship as well as special sections within the main halls of the church to attend mass without having to mingle with their subjects.
Dean Riley
I feel that the more wealthy thought that the more ornate their worship items were, the closer to God that they were. And if you could afford to have your own alter at you place of residence then you were truly close to God. Things such as a moralized Bible would also have been a worship item that was unavailable to those of limited means that would have separated the wealthy from those of lower social status.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub