text:
.class Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;
.super Landroid/view/View$BaseSavedState;
.source "AbsListView.java"

# annotations
.annotation system Ldalvik/annotation/EnclosingClass;
    value = Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView;
.end annotation

.annotation system Ldalvik/annotation/InnerClass;
    accessFlags = 0x8
    name = "SavedState"
.end annotation

# static fields
.field public static final CREATOR:Landroid/os/Parcelable$Creator;
    .annotation system Ldalvik/annotation/Signature;
        value = {
            "Landroid/os/Parcelable$Creator",
            "<",
            "Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;",
            ">;"
        }
    .end annotation
.end field

# instance fields
.field checkIdState:Landroid/util/LongSparseArray;
    .annotation system Ldalvik/annotation/Signature;
        value = {
            "Landroid/util/LongSparseArray",
            "<",
            "Ljava/lang/Integer;",
            ">;"
        }
    .end annotation
.end field

.field checkState:Landroid/util/SparseBooleanArray;

.field checkedItemCount:I

.field filter:Ljava/lang/String;

.field firstId:J

.field height:I

.field inActionMode:Z

.field position:I

.field selectedId:J

.field viewTop:I

# direct methods
.method static constructor <clinit>()V
    .locals 1

    .prologue
    .line 1730
    new-instance v0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState$1;

    invoke-direct {v0}, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState$1;-><init>()V

    sput-object v0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->CREATOR:Landroid/os/Parcelable$Creator;

    return-void
.end method

.method private constructor <init>(Landroid/os/Parcel;)V
    .locals 7
    .param p1, "in"    # Landroid/os/Parcel;

    .prologue
    .line 1676
    invoke-direct {p0, p1}, Landroid/view/View$BaseSavedState;-><init>(Landroid/os/Parcel;)V

    .line 1677
    invoke-virtual {p1}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->readLong()J

    move-result-wide v5

    iput-wide v5, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->selectedId:J

    .line 1678
    invoke-virtual {p1}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->readLong()J

    move-result-wide v5

    iput-wide v5, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->firstId:J

    .line 1679
    invoke-virtual {p1}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->readInt()I

    move-result v5

    iput v5, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->viewTop:I

    .line 1680
    invoke-virtual {p1}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->readInt()I

    move-result v5

    iput v5, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->position:I

    .line 1681
    invoke-virtual {p1}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->readInt()I

    move-result v5

    iput v5, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->height:I

    .line 1682
    invoke-virtual {p1}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->readString()Ljava/lang/String;

    move-result-object v5

    iput-object v5, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->filter:Ljava/lang/String;

    .line 1683
    invoke-virtual {p1}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->readByte()B

    move-result v5

    if-eqz v5, :cond_0

    const/4 v5, 0x1

    :goto_0
    iput-boolean v5, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->inActionMode:Z

    .line 1684
    invoke-virtual {p1}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->readInt()I

    move-result v5

    iput v5, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->checkedItemCount:I

    .line 1685
    invoke-virtual {p1}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->readSparseBooleanArray()Landroid/util/SparseBooleanArray;

    move-result-object v5

    iput-object v5, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->checkState:Landroid/util/SparseBooleanArray;

    .line 1686
    invoke-virtual {p1}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->readInt()I

    move-result v0

    .line 1687
    .local v0, "N":I
    if-lez v0, :cond_1

    .line 1688
    new-instance v5, Landroid/util/LongSparseArray;

    invoke-direct {v5}, Landroid/util/LongSparseArray;-><init>()V

    iput-object v5, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->checkIdState:Landroid/util/LongSparseArray;

    .line 1689
    const/4 v1, 0x0

    .local v1, "i":I
    :goto_1
    if-ge v1, v0, :cond_1

    .line 1690
    invoke-virtual {p1}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->readLong()J

    move-result-wide v2

    .line 1691
    .local v2, "key":J
    invoke-virtual {p1}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->readInt()I

    move-result v4

    .line 1692
    .local v4, "value":I
    iget-object v5, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->checkIdState:Landroid/util/LongSparseArray;

    invoke-static {v4}, Ljava/lang/Integer;->valueOf(I)Ljava/lang/Integer;

    move-result-object v6

    invoke-virtual {v5, v2, v3, v6}, Landroid/util/LongSparseArray;->put(JLjava/lang/Object;)V

    .line 1689
    add-int/lit8 v1, v1, 0x1

    goto :goto_1

    .line 1683
    .end local v0    # "N":I
    .end local v1    # "i":I
    .end local v2    # "key":J
    .end local v4    # "value":I
    :cond_0
    const/4 v5, 0x0

    goto :goto_0

    .line 1695
    .restart local v0    # "N":I
    :cond_1
    return-void
.end method

.method synthetic constructor <init>(Landroid/os/Parcel;Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$1;)V
    .locals 0
    .param p1, "x0"    # Landroid/os/Parcel;
    .param p2, "x1"    # Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$1;

    .prologue
    .line 1653
    invoke-direct {p0, p1}, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;-><init>(Landroid/os/Parcel;)V

    return-void
.end method

.method constructor <init>(Landroid/os/Parcelable;)V
    .locals 0
    .param p1, "superState"    # Landroid/os/Parcelable;

    .prologue
    .line 1669
    invoke-direct {p0, p1}, Landroid/view/View$BaseSavedState;-><init>(Landroid/os/Parcelable;)V

    .line 1670
    return-void
.end method

# virtual methods
.method public toString()Ljava/lang/String;
    .locals 3

    .prologue
    .line 1719
    new-instance v0, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    invoke-direct {v0}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;-><init>()V

    const-string v1, "AbsListView.SavedState{"

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    invoke-static {p0}, Ljava/lang/System;->identityHashCode(Ljava/lang/Object;)I

    move-result v1

    invoke-static {v1}, Ljava/lang/Integer;->toHexString(I)Ljava/lang/String;

    move-result-object v1

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    const-string v1, " selectedId="

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    iget-wide v1, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->selectedId:J

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1, v2}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(J)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    const-string v1, " firstId="

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    iget-wide v1, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->firstId:J

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1, v2}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(J)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    const-string v1, " viewTop="

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    iget v1, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->viewTop:I

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(I)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    const-string v1, " position="

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    iget v1, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->position:I

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(I)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    const-string v1, " height="

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    iget v1, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->height:I

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(I)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    const-string v1, " filter="

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    iget-object v1, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->filter:Ljava/lang/String;

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    const-string v1, " checkState="

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    iget-object v1, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->checkState:Landroid/util/SparseBooleanArray;

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/Object;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    const-string v1, "}"

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    invoke-virtual {v0}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->toString()Ljava/lang/String;

    move-result-object v0

    return-object v0
.end method

.method public writeToParcel(Landroid/os/Parcel;I)V
    .locals 6
    .param p1, "out"    # Landroid/os/Parcel;
    .param p2, "flags"    # I

    .prologue
    const/4 v3, 0x0

    .line 1699
    invoke-super {p0, p1, p2}, Landroid/view/View$BaseSavedState;->writeToParcel(Landroid/os/Parcel;I)V

    .line 1700
    iget-wide v4, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->selectedId:J

    invoke-virtual {p1, v4, v5}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->writeLong(J)V

    .line 1701
    iget-wide v4, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->firstId:J

    invoke-virtual {p1, v4, v5}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->writeLong(J)V

    .line 1702
    iget v2, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->viewTop:I

    invoke-virtual {p1, v2}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->writeInt(I)V

    .line 1703
    iget v2, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->position:I

    invoke-virtual {p1, v2}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->writeInt(I)V

    .line 1704
    iget v2, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->height:I

    invoke-virtual {p1, v2}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->writeInt(I)V

    .line 1705
    iget-object v2, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->filter:Ljava/lang/String;

    invoke-virtual {p1, v2}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->writeString(Ljava/lang/String;)V

    .line 1706
    iget-boolean v2, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->inActionMode:Z

    if-eqz v2, :cond_0

    const/4 v2, 0x1

    :goto_0
    int-to-byte v2, v2

    invoke-virtual {p1, v2}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->writeByte(B)V

    .line 1707
    iget v2, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->checkedItemCount:I

    invoke-virtual {p1, v2}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->writeInt(I)V

    .line 1708
    iget-object v2, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->checkState:Landroid/util/SparseBooleanArray;

    invoke-virtual {p1, v2}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->writeSparseBooleanArray(Landroid/util/SparseBooleanArray;)V

    .line 1709
    iget-object v2, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->checkIdState:Landroid/util/LongSparseArray;

    if-eqz v2, :cond_1

    iget-object v2, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->checkIdState:Landroid/util/LongSparseArray;

    invoke-virtual {v2}, Landroid/util/LongSparseArray;->size()I

    move-result v0

    .line 1710
    .local v0, "N":I
    :goto_1
    invoke-virtual {p1, v0}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->writeInt(I)V

    .line 1711
    const/4 v1, 0x0

    .local v1, "i":I
    :goto_2
    if-ge v1, v0, :cond_2

    .line 1712
    iget-object v2, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->checkIdState:Landroid/util/LongSparseArray;

    invoke-virtual {v2, v1}, Landroid/util/LongSparseArray;->keyAt(I)J

    move-result-wide v2

    invoke-virtual {p1, v2, v3}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->writeLong(J)V

    .line 1713
    iget-object v2, p0, Lcom/tencent/qrom/widget/AbsListView$SavedState;->checkIdState:Landroid/util/LongSparseArray;

    invoke-virtual {v2, v1}, Landroid/util/LongSparseArray;->valueAt(I)Ljava/lang/Object;

    move-result-object v2

    check-cast v2, Ljava/lang/Integer;

    invoke-virtual {v2}, Ljava/lang/Integer;->intValue()I

    move-result v2

    invoke-virtual {p1, v2}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->writeInt(I)V

    .line 1711
    add-int/lit8 v1, v1, 0x1

    goto :goto_2

    .end local v0    # "N":I
    .end local v1    # "i":I
    :cond_0
    move v2, v3

    .line 1706
    goto :goto_0

    :cond_1
    move v0, v3

    .line 1709
    goto :goto_1

    .line 1715
    .restart local v0    # "N":I
    .restart local v1    # "i":I
    :cond_2
    return-void
.end method

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Lesson avoidance has been confirmed and the student finds the self battling the other to prohibit further lesson presentation. The goal for the student has become to achieve victory over the other, rather than integrating the lesson. This approach guarantees lesson failure. Recognition of the lesson has failed; the student is now pursuing confirmation of the self's rightness and the other's wrongness. The focus has shifted from the lesson to the battle for victory. The student becomes least like the self at this time; guerilla tactics, in the form of damaging actions and words, are often utilized.
Identify the behaviors that are recognizable to the self when battling another.
The student must recognize that battling another is merely battling the self; ego will encourage the battle, knowing that lesson failure is imminent, for the lesson has been lost due to the shift of focus. Recognizing the arrival of these behaviors indicates that the student has been tricked by the ego into battle, abandoning the lesson, once again. As soon as recognition has been achieved, the student need hesitate, calling forth the soul, to assist the self with lesson recognition, reaching higher for better conclusion, thereby achieving lesson integration. Hesitation provides the student with the opportunity to achieve field disconnection at any stage of lesson avoidance; opening the self to the other, asking for assistance with identifying the lesson, subsequently modifying the behaviors that support lesson failure, to those that support lesson integration. Failure to hesitate continues the battle, propelling the student forward to the next segment of lesson avoidance, the retreat.
Scoring for this survey is available at www.thepathtohealing.com.


WILL THE U.S. CONGRESS INCREASE ITS MILITARY SPENDING TO WARD OFF CHINESE POWER IN THE PACIFIC?
Jim Talent has produced a sobering (and indeed eye-opening) account of Chinese designs complete with graphs showing how American military power has radically diminished in comparison to the Chinese. Talent's article offers a major survey of what America is up against at this very moment. No wonder there were so many photos of President Xi Jinping smiling when he met with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
Anastasia Lin is an extraordinary beauty queen. She is also an actress. And a human-rights advocate.
She earned that designation from these monsters: She has spoken out against their crimes — their persecution, their killing, their organ-harvesting — and has acted in films depicting those crimes.
After she was crowned Miss World Canada, her father, who still lives in China, was subjected to terrible pressure. Evil is the regime that breaks up families, or tries to. Evil is the regime that holds a population in the grip of lies, and tries to smash any truth-teller.
At the Oslo Freedom Forum, I recorded a Q&A with Anastasia Lin. For that podcast, go here. She has profound things to say about, among other subjects, the West's constant appeasement of the Chinese Communist Party.
Do we have to be complicit in the CCP's crimes? No. It's that we choose to.
Some Christian lawyers are simply disappearing! Full story here.
China has arrested the leader of "Lawyers for Protection of the Cross." The group defends churches whose crosses have been forcibly removed amid a government campaign to strip skylines of Christian symbols.
Zhang Kai is the latest of more than 250 attorneys, pastors, and human rights activists detained or arrested since July in connection with the 400 to 1,200 crossremovals in the eastern province of Zhejiang, a Christian stronghold.
On August 25, police in Wenzhou, a coastal city known as "China's Jerusalem," jumped a wall at Xialing Church and arrested Zhang Kai and his intern, Liu Peng. The arrests occurred on the eve of a scheduled meeting with David Saperstein, the US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.
According to China Aid, Zhang and Liu are being held for six months in a so-called "black jail," one of several detention facilities outside the established penal system. Torture is common in such centers, where prisoners may be held without trial, China Aid said.
Others that spoke at the hearing, led by Congressmen Chris Smith, (R-N.J.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), included Anastasia Lin, actress, human rights advocate and Miss World Canada 2015; Rebiya Kadeer, president of the World Uyghur Congress; and Losang Gyatso, service chief of Voice of America's Tibetan service.
During the Xi Administration, and particularly in the past 18 months, religious freedom abuses have reached a level not seen since the Cultural Revolution. Not only have house churches continued to experience intensifying persecution, but now "Three-Self" churches, that is, government-sanctioned churches are being subjected to government-sponsored persecution campaigns. The Chinese government's persecution of Tibetan Buddhists, Uyghur Muslims, and Falun Gong practitioners has also worsened. The Chinese government perceives religious practitioners as being guided by "foreign influence" and has subsequently pursued absolute control over religious communities.
he persecution of Christians has reached an all time high in China and the government is contributing to the suffering of the faithful, according to the 2014 annual report released last week by Christian human rights organisation China Aid.
Based on the report, there were 572 documented cases of persecution against individuals from different religions last year compared to 143 cases in 2013, equating to a 300 per cent increase.
The report told of government sanctioned modifications or demolitions of Christian property under the guise of eradicating illegal structures.
"The increase in government-sanctioned persecution against religious practitioners and human rights lawyers and advocates reflects the overall political transformation that is occurring within the Communist Party in China (CPC), namely an orchestrated effort to consolidate power and suppress dissent and any perceived threats to the Chinese government, including the growth of religion in China," China Aid stated.
As for the number of religious practitioners who suffered from abuse, 17,884 reported being persecuted in 2014 compared to the previous year's 7,424. The number of persecuted church leaders also rose to 2,682, compared to 800 in 2013.
Based on the statistics, one of the most alarming changes reported was the huge increase in the number of 'dissidents' sentenced by the government, from just 12 people in 2013, to a total of 1,274 individuals in 2014.
- The Family Research Council declares "Today We Are All Hoosiers" and asks people to sign a petition in support of Indiana Governor Mike Pence.
After litigating religious liberty issues for more than 20 years, I'm used to utter hysteria erupting on the Left when Christians try to assert conventional and traditional religious liberty rights. . .
So what's really going on here? A toxic combination of anti-Christian bigotry and sexual revolution radicalism. It is simply uninformed and bigoted to believe that Christians are somehow lurking in the shadows, ready to deny food, shelter, and basic services to their gay fellow citizens — blocked from such vicious actions only by the strong arm of the state. In my entire life as an Evangelical, I've never met a fellow Christian who wouldn't gladly serve a gay customer. If there are exceptions to that nearly-universal rule, they are so marginal (and marginalized) in the Christian community that they're irrelevant not only to Christendom but also to the body politic.
But the Left, ever-vigilant against group-based slights on behalf of favored constituencies, is only too eager to label orthodox Christians as threats to the public. This bigotry has a purpose. It serves to demonize the last significant constituency standing in the way of sexual revolution radicalism. After all, unless you demonize your opposition, the general public will have little appetite for forcing Christians to pay for abortion pills, forcing Christian groups to open up to atheist leadership, or forcing Christian bakers or photographers to help celebrate events they find morally offensive. After all, there's no clamor for requiring Kosher delis to stock pork or requiring gay lawyers to represent the Westboro Baptist Church. While RFRAs protect people of all faiths, from peyote-smoking Native Americans to Bible-toting florists, the Left's outrage is narrowly targeted — against the Christian people whose livelihoods they seek to ruin, whose consciences they seek to appropriate, and whose organizations they seek to disrupt. #BoycottIndiana isn't a cry for freedom. It's nothing more than an online mob, seeking to bully those it hates.
The U.S. economy is the largest economy in the world.
But it wasn't always the largest.
And it's unlikely to remain the largest economy for much longer.
The chart above comes to us via Deutsche Bank's Jim Reid.
"As Alexander, Rome and Britain fell from their positions of absolute global dominance, so too has the US begun to slip," Reid writes in a new note to clients. "America's global economic dominance has been declining since 1998, well before the Global Financial Crisis. A large part of this decline has actually had little to do with the actions of the US but rather with the unraveling of a century's long economic anomaly. China has begun to return to the position in the global economy it occupied for millennia before the industrial revolution."
One look at the chart and it's pretty clear that it may not be very long before we start saying the U.S. is No. 2.
"Based on current trends China's economy will overtake America's in purchasing power terms within the next few years," Reid continued. "The US is now no longer the world's sole economic superpower and indeed its share of world output (on a PPP basis) has slipped below the 20% level which we have seen was a useful sign historically of a single dominant economic superpower. In economic terms we already live in a bi-polar world. Between them the US and China today control over a third of world output (on a PPP basis)."
Reid offered this prescient quote from Napoleon Bonaparte: "Let China sleep, for when she awakes, she will shake the world."
Jim Talent writes, "The U.S. Giant Slumbers: The U.S. could check China, but our leaders need to wake up to the threat."
The leaders of the Chinese Communist party (CCP) want China to achieve hegemonic control over East Asia extending at least throughout the East and South China Seas. They have claimed sovereignty over those waters and the islands they contain, and they are developing the means to enforce their claims by a massive military buildup that is shifting the balance of hard power in the western Pacific. I wrote yesterday on the features of that buildup and in particular on how it is strategically designed to exploit the vulnerabilities in America's military posture.
PETER BURGER - "IS THE CHINESE REGIME CHANGING ITS POLICY TOWARDS CHRISTIANITY?"
Famed sociologist of religion Peter Berger reflects on the widely-reported government demolition of a prominent church in the Southeast city of Wenzhou and reads the tea leaves. His article is must reading for followers of Christianity in China.
UK TELEGRAPH - "CHINA ON COURSE TO BECOME 'WORLD'S MOST CHRISTIAN NATION' WITHIN 15 YEARS"
I found this article to be a fair, balanced, informative assessment of Christian faith and its growth in China.
. . . "By my calculations China is destined to become the largest Christian country in the world very soon," said Fenggang Yang, a professor of sociology at Purdue University and author of Religion in China: Survival and Revival under Communist Rule.
-- Read on for much more, including mention of underground house churches, government concerns, and future prospects.
Not since the Olsen twins had something so big hit New York University. In May of last year, Chen Guangcheng arrived there from China. Now he is being asked to leave, and the question is, "Why?" Is it merely because his fellowship has expired? Or is he being forced out, because the university wishes to please Beijing?
Chen, recall, is the "blind peasant lawyer" who is one of the bravest people in the world. He blew the whistle on China's forced abortions and sterilizations. He endured four and a half years in prison, being subjected to the usual horrors the state visits upon its political prisoners. Then there was a year and a half of house arrest, which included equal horrors. Last year, Chen and his wife, Yuan Weijing, escaped to the U.S. embassy. After about a month of negotiations, they were allowed to fly to America.
Chen's main patron was Jerome A. Cohen, a veteran China scholar and law professor at NYU. The university was undoubtedly good to take Chen in. At the same time, the university got something out of the deal too: A genuine world hero was in its midst. Now there has been a bitter split.
China's Christians felt a noticeable rise in persecution in 2012 as the Communist government began the first of a three-phase plan to eradicate unregistered house churches, a new report says.
Incidents of persecution of Christians rose by about 42 percent last year compared with 2011, according to the report by human rights group China Aid. Many of these incidents involved groups of Christians. In total, the number of individual persecuted Christians rose by roughly 14 percent and total individual detentions increased by nearly 12 percent. China Aid said overall total persecution in six categories was about 13 percent worse than in 2011-though China Aid termed its statistics just "the tip of the iceberg."
At least 132 incidents of persecution affecting 4,919 Christians-442 of whom were clergy-were reported in the country last year, according to China Aid's annual report. The Texas-based group tracked detention of at least 1,441 Christians, the sentencing of nine of them, and the abuse (verbal, mental and physical, including beatings and torture) of 37 Christians.
Beijing, administered directly under the central government, witnessed the highest number of persecution cases, at 62, affecting 934 Christians; Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in northwest China followed with at 11 cases involving 382 Christians. Persecution was also high in central China-comprising Henan and Hubei Hunan provinces-where 1,056 Christians were affected, and in east China, which includes Shandong, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Jiangxi provinces, which witnessed harassment of 750 Christians.
CHINESE CONSUMERS: MODERN IN THEIR TASTE, BUT NOT BECOMING "WESTERN"
(...) But don't be deceived by appearances. Consumers in China aren't becoming "Western." They are increasingly modern and international, but they remain distinctly Chinese. . . .
Understanding China's consumer culture is a good starting point for understanding the nation itself, as it races toward superpower status. Though the country's economy and society are evolving rapidly, the underlying cultural blueprint has remained more or less constant for thousands of years. China is a Confucian society, a quixotic combination of top-down patriarchy and bottom-up social mobility. Citizens are driven by an ever-present conflict between standing out and fitting in, between ambition and regimentation. In Chinese society, individuals have no identity apart from obligations to, and acknowledgment by, others. The clan and nation are the eternal pillars of identity. Western individualism—the idea of defining oneself independent of society—doesn't exist. . . .
Read it all. I found it informative.
WILL OBAMA STAND UP TO CHINA ON BEHALF OF CHEN?
The fate of blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng was injected into the US presidential election on Thursday after Republican challenger Mitt Romney described the incident as "a day of shame for the Obama administration".
Mr Romney joined a series of Republican lawmakers who piled criticism on the Obama administration after an agreement to allow Mr Chen to remain in the country appeared to collapse.
The Obama administration was forced into damage limitation after Mr Chen said he had changed his mind and now wanted to leave China, one day after the state department announced a deal with the Chinese authorities to allow him to reunite with his family and attend law school.
In a telephone interview with the FT, Mr Chen said that he wanted to leave on the same aircraft as Hillary Clinton, the secretary of state, who is in Beijing for an annual economic and security summit.
Mr Chen, a 40-year-old self-taught lawyer, took refuge in the US embassy last week after making a dramatic escape from house arrest in a rural area 300 miles from the capital.
Mr Romney said that it appeared US officials had "sped up" Mr Chen's departure from the US embassy in Beijing because of the summit meeting being attended by Mrs Clinton and had not put in place measures to assure Mr Chen's safety once he left the embassy.
"If these reports are true, this is a dark day for freedom," he said. . . .
The administration also came under intense criticism from Republican lawmakers and some human rights groups at a specially called congressional hearing on the case. Christopher Smith, a Republican congressman from New Jersey, said that the administration had "dropped the ball significantly" and that it would be "scandalous" if the US did not do everything it could to protect Mr Chen.
Me: Now, it seems to me, is a test of the importance President Obama places on freedom and human rights. Is anyone brimming with confidence?
China Aid reports that in 2011, the number of Christians detained for their religious beliefs had soared 131.8% from 2010.
A new government practice last year was targeting churches and individuals who were significantly impacting society, like Beijing's Shouwang Church and leading legal activists such as constitutional law expert Dr. Fan Yafeng, who has been under house arrest since December 2010, and award-winning human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who disappeared into official custody for 20 months before being sent to a remote prison in far western China in December 2011 to serve a three-year sentence.
The report also highlighted the worrying increase in the use of torture against detainees, citing a 33.3% increase over 2010 in the number of cases of abuse of all kinds, including torture.
Update 2/17/12 - Here's a great interview with Lin's pastor, Stephen Cheng, who has known Lin since he was 13. The interview is titled, "Faith, Sin, and Jeremy Lin."
(Original post) - I don't much follow professional basketball, but after hearing about Jeremy Lin's incredible playing ability, I think the world (and I) will be watching more of the New York Knicks in the same way we began watching the Denver Broncos because of Tim Tebow. The two have a lot in common, including their Christian faith.
The Palo Alto native whose success with the New York Knicks over the last week has catapulted him to international acclaim credits his Christian faith with carrying him to where he is today, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
A faith in God, kindled at Chinese Church in Christ in Mountain View, has carried Lin through the NBA's Development League, to three teams just this season alone, through his bench-warming days when he slept on couches because his contract wasn't guaranteed, to today, when his jersey is the NBA's best-seller and when folks in Taiwan and China stay up late to watch Knicks broadcasts.
"I've surrendered [needing to prove himself] to God," he told the newspaper. "I'm not in a battle with what everybody else thinks anymore."
Lin was known to study the Bible and hang out with his family following high school games on Friday nights. He confided in his pastor after being waived by the Warriors and then the Rockets, home in the Bay Area at Christmas this year instead of on an NBA roster.
He repeated a Bible verse to himself: And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose. — Romans 8:28.
And watch this next brief video. Have you ever seen anyone more cool under pressure?
Lin is the first Asian-American in the NBA since 1947 and his success fuels pride not only in the Asian-American community, but also overseas in Taiwan and China as well. I find that news spectacular and wonderful.
Lin's stunning success with the Knicks over the last week and a half has captured the imagination of the Chinese, from Communist Party bosses to the often-persecuted Christian minority. He has been particularly popular here in northern Zhejiang province, from which his maternal grandmother fled to Taiwan in the last days of China's civil war in the late 1940s.
Lin is commonly described in the United States as Taiwanese-American because his parents grew up in Taiwan before moving to the United States, where Lin was born. But mainland China is already starting to claim him as its own, part of an incessant rivalry across the Taiwan Strait.
2011 can be regarded as China's "year of political and religious persecution" or "year of Beijing terrorism." Last year saw the revival of extreme leftist ideology and a severe deterioration of the rule of law, bringing with it not only the most severe deterioration in political and religious freedom for the Chinese people since the 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution and the 1989 military crackdown on the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement, but also blatant human rights violations and a worrying economic crisis. Because of the Arab Spring Jasmine Revolution in 2011, a systematic crackdown on churches and prominent Christians that was launched in the second half of 2010 was extended and lasted for the whole of 2011.
China Aid just published the Top 10 Cases of Persecution of churches and Christians in China.
ChinaAid's selection of the top 10 persecution cases for 2011 is based on the severity, impact and significance of each incidence of persecution and is a highly representative list. These cases occurred in different parts of China and involved both urban and rural house churches, as well as "Three-Self" churches and Catholic churches. The victims included pastors, human rights lawyers, political dissidents and artists.
In 2011, Beijing Shouwang Church, a well-known house church in Beijing with more than 1,000 members, was forced to hold its worship services outdoors. The government's persecution of the church has lasted for 38 weeks nonstop and is ongoing. This large-scale and persistent crackdown on Shouwang Church is part of the government's widespread suppression of house churches in 2011 and can be viewed as a continuation of the persecution that started with the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Shouwang Church was established in Pastor Jin Tianming in 1993 as a Beijing college students fellowship. According to its March 27, 2011 "Beijing Shouwang Church Announcement to the Congregation" and its April 14, 2011 "Beijing Shouwang Church's Further Explanation on Outdoor Services," the church began in 2005 to rent office building space for its Sunday services, and in 2006 applied to the government for permission to register, which has never been granted. On May 11, 2008, taking advantage of the pre-Olympic Games "rectification" of society, the religious affairs bureau, the police and other government departments of Beijing's Haidian District burst into a Shouwang meeting and tried to close down the church, to no avail. In August 2009, under repeated pressure from the government, the landlord of Huajie Building where the church had been meeting terminated the lease with Shouwang Church, and the church was forced to hold worship services outdoors on Nov. 1 and 8 in Haidian Park, after which the government allowed the church to hold its activities indoors. On Dec. 22, Shouwang Church purchased the 1,500-square-meter (16,145-square-foot) second floor of the Zhongguancun Daheng Technology Building, paying in full the price of 27 million yuan (US$4.27 million). However, due to government pressures behind-the-scenes, the seller has not handed over the keys, nor given any explanation for refusing to do so. In May and August of 2010 and in March 2011, Shouwang Church made three attempts to rent indoor venues but met with failure each time due to government interference.
At the end of March 2011, Shouwang Church was no longer able to hold its Sunday services at its leased premises in the "Old Story Club." So Shouwang Church, which had adopted as its vision and mission to be a "city on a hill," was left with no recourse but to hold its April 10, 2011 Sunday worship service outdoors. At 8:30 a.m., more than 200 believers showed up at the third-level platform of Zhongguancun Plaza, which is located south of the Beijing Zhongguancun Dinghao Building and southeast of Zhongguang Building, and connected to the Jiangnanfu Theme Restaurant. More than 160 church members were taken into police custody. All were released within 24 hours with the exception one pastor and his wife, who were detained for 48 hours.
In the 37 weeks that followed―until the last Sunday of 2011, which was Christmas Day―the same basic scenario played out every Sunday. Shouwang Church members would go to the designated location every Sunday for their outdoor worship service, and police and Domestic Security Protection guards would take them into custody. They would be sent to different police stations where they were usually detained for no more than 48 hours and released singly or in small groups. During the 38 weeks of outdoor worship, a total of more than 1,000 church members were taken into police custody, including a few believers from other churches who joined them in a show of solidarity. Several hundred other church members were placed under house arrest by police and Domestic Security Protection guards. During this time, some believers were verbally and physically abused while in detention, and some lost their jobs or were evicted due to government pressure on their employers and landlords. The church's pastors and elders were confined under house arrest the entire time and deprived of their liberty.
Shouwang's pastors and believers have endured unimaginable pressure and paid a heavy price. This protracted act of obeying God rather than man and of upholding the vision of being "a city on a hill" is still ongoing―as is the government's illegal persecution.
For the other nine representative cases of persecution, click "continue reading" below.
If economic growth is supposed to enhance people's welfare and therefore satisfaction, China in 2011 is a conundrum. The economy is on track to grow more than 9%, yet this has been a year of rising discontent.
On the Chinese equivalents of Twitter, criticism of the government is exploding, despite fierce censorship. A recent poll by Tsinghua University and the magazine Xiaokang found that 40% of Chinese are unhappy with their lives, while another survey by the magazine Outlook and Peoples University found 70% of farmers dissatisfied, mainly because of land seizures. Some 60% of the rich are emigrating or considering doing so, according to a survey by the Hurun Report and the Bank of China. Even the People's Daily warned last week that there is a "crisis of confidence" in government.
HUGH HEWITT INTERVIEWS HENRY KISSENGER "ON CHINA"
Saturday July 9 marks the 40th anniversary of Henry Kissinger's secret trip to China that began the process of opening the relationship between the United States and the People's Republic and culminated in Richard Nixon's visit to Beijing in February, 1972.
The second purpose is aimed at the Chinese.
Whether this second purpose is accomplished only Chinese officials can tell us, but Kissinger's first mission is fully achieved and the result is alarming. . .
Read Hewitt's interview with Kissenger about the book. It makes for fascinating reading.
A group of 19 Chinese Christian leaders has drafted and sent a petition to their Communist government asking that it honor the Chinese Constitution's assurance of religious liberty. "For the last six decades, the rights to liberty of religious faith granted to our country's Christians by the Constitution of the People's Republic of China have not been put into practice," they wrote. The Chinese government is continuing its campaign of repression against the so-called "unofficial" Chinese churches, whose members number as many as 70 million believers. According to China scholar Dr. William Jeynes in a lecture at FRC, the Chinese government realizes that Christianity fosters personal morality and economic growth, but "unofficial" Christians make the government "nervous." Why? Because the government can't control people whose first commitment is not to the state, but to Christ.
One of America 's great champions of religious liberty, Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), held an important hearing earlier this month on China's ongoing assault on "unregistered" churches. "Because the Chinese government demands that religious organizations serve the aims of the state," he said, "religious organizations must receive government approval to operate... However, many religious observers adhere to the tenet that they must 'render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, but unto God what is God's,' and as a result, they are persecuted." For up-to-the-minute reports on the crisis of Christian faith in China, go to FRC's RealCompassion.org website and click over to Voice of the Martyrs.
JAY NORDLINGER STRONGLY RECOMMENDS "GANG OF ONE"
Ten years ago, I wrote a piece about an amazing woman named Youqin Wang, who dedicated her life to memorializing the Cultural Revolution. If you'd like to read it, go here. Also, I reviewed a book called Gang of One: Memoirs of a Red Guard. That was in 2004. (For the review — which comes after two others, in a single piece — go here.) The author is a man named Fan Shen. Frankly, his memoirs are among the best I've ever read.
I feel like I know a secret — like I know about a masterpiece, hidden from the world. "Gang of One" is the kind of book that might be read hundreds of years from now. Really. Odd to say, but I feel it true. The publisher is a humble one, the University of Nebraska Press. As far as I'm concerned, they are in possession of a literary, and human, diamond.
I'm making a note of this recommendation.
OSLO — Norway used to be China's top fresh salmon supplier, sending steadily growing volumes to exclusive restaurants in Beijing and Shanghai.
But since the Norwegian Nobel Committee gave the Nobel Peace Prize to imprisoned Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, Norwegian salmon exporters say their fish is being held up for days or even weeks by Chinese food safety inspectors — devastating its freshness.
Gao Zhisheng - Christian human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng was kidnapped over 740 days ago. He resurfaced briefly in the March of 2010 (read the AP report of his interview), but disappeared in April and has not been heard from since. The Chinese embassy has repeatedly rejected the petition to free Gao, signed by nearly 150,000 people worldwide. His whereabouts are still unknown. Bob Fu recently called for Gao's release at a press conference with Congressman Frank Wolf on January 18, 2010 (watch video report). Visit FreeGao.com for more.
Alimujiang Yimiti - In far western China's Xinjiang region, authorities sentenced Uyghur Christian Alimujiang to 15 years in prison on trumped up charges of leaking state secrets. In a welcome development last December, Xinjiang's People's High Court agreed to review the case. No decision has yet been announced. ChinaAid continues to support Alimujiang's family and to fund his legal defense, and will continue to do so until he is free. Visit FreeAlim.com to learn more about his case.
Dr. Fan Yafeng - Dr. Fan, a leading advocate of constitutional democracy and the head of Christian Human Rights Lawyers of China, the Shengshan (Holy Mountain) Culture Research Institute and the Shengshan (Holy Mountain) Church, remains under house arrest since his return home from police detention on December 18, 2011. During his arrest he was tortured for several days. Nineteen Beijing lawyers have written a letter protesting the torture of Fan and Gao.
Last week, ChinaAid received a breathtaking hour-long video about Chen Guangcheng, the blind self-taught human rights lawyer who exposed 130,000 mass forced abortions and forced sterilizations in Linyi County, Shandong Province, in 2005. Chen was released at the end of a four-year jail term on September 9, 2010, but has since been under daily house arrest.
The video shows Chen, his wife and daughter living in miserable conditions, cut off from all outside contact, and detained illegally in their home. Chen describes being monitored daily by three shifts of agents with each shift consisting of 22 people.
Chen and his wife Yuan speak with unfailing spirit and brave hearts to expose their inhuman treatment from the Chinese government. He thanks supporters from around the world, and he indicates that he will never stop fighting for justice and rule of law.
Since its release, the video has received more than 33,000 hits on YouTube.
Soon after the video's release, ChinaAid learned that Chen Guangcheng and his wife were beaten by the police for releasing the video. They were beaten so severely that they were unable to move from their bed, and they were denied the right to go to the hospital for medical care.
"By taking further brutal action against this family," said Bob Fu, "the Chinese government has not only shown total contempt for the rule of law in China, but also its determination to continue this absolute wrong path toward more disregard of its own citizens' basic rights and freedom. We call for the leaders of the free world, especially the US and the European Union, to take immediate steps to help this family before more tragedies occur."
Visit Free Guangcheng, a primarily Chinese website, for information on writing to Chen.
CNN - Chinese Activist Truly Free?
Visit China Aid to learn how to help.
What did he play? Most notably and significantly, he played a famous anti-American propaganda song. Famous in China, that is. Wei Jingsheng, the great Chinese democracy leader, exiled in the United States since 1997, wrote a letter to Congress and Secretary of State Clinton. He said, "I listened to that music with a big shock." Wei explained that the song, "My Country," or "My Motherland," comes from "the best-known Communist propaganda movie about the Korean War," depicting the Chinese army's fight with the Americans. The movie is called "The Battle of Triangle Hill." Wei said that the movie is as well-known in China as "Gone with the Wind "is here.
The song refers to the Americans as "wolves" or "jackals," and says that the Chinese will use weapons to deal with them. Wei commented, "Is that not an insult to the USA to play such . . . music at a state dinner hosted by the US President? No wonder it made Hu Jintao really happy." Yes, no wonder. As Wei pointed out, Hu is not ordinarily given to public emotion, but he emotionally embraced Lang Lang.
In a below post, I mentioned Gao Zhisheng, one of the best people in all of China — I believe he is still alive. [Me: See my earlier post on Gao Zhisheng here.] With the PRC, the government we Americans are honoring this week, you never know. Gao has been incredibly brave: He has defended Falun Gong practitioners, "house church" activists, and other people targeted by the government for arrest, torture, and death. Gao has paid very, very heavily for his principles.
The head of the government that has done this to Gao, we are honoring at the White House, our American home. Isn't that wonderful? Are you proud?
"Honorable members of the U.S. Congress, please help me support my husband, lawyer Gao Zhisheng, so that the evil forces will know that there is resistance against persecution; so that the millions of Chinese suffering this despotic rule will know that the United States is concerned about their human rights situation, and will not give up. My husband would be more resolute because of this, the Chinese people would feel inspired because of this, and China and the world would eventually transform because of this!
"Your concern"? Our concern?! I'll tell you what our concern is, lady: to make money and go with the flow.
At the beginning of this administration, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, traveling in Asia, said that human rights would not be allowed to "interfere" with such urgent issues as "the global climate-change crisis." This week's pomp in honor of Hu Jintao proves that the administration is true to its word: Human rights sure as hell aren't interfering.
This is a fascinating story. Some believe the growth of 'third-kind" churches in China, composed largely of young urban professionals, will play an increasingly significant role in the evolution of the Chinese church and its impact on senior levels of Chinese society. May it be so. Meanwhile, all is not rosy. China Aid keeps the world up-to-date on the persecution and hardship that Christians endure in many parts of China. Special attention needs to be paid to the kidnap and torture of Christian human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng and the Uyghur Christian convert from Islam Alimujiang Yimiti, now serving an outrageous and unjust 15 year prison sentence. I previously wrote about him here. For more details click here and here.
Seasoned China watcher, David Aikman, for many years Time magazine's Beijing bureau chief and author of Jesus in Beijing, was interviewed Dec. 27, 2010 by Compassion Radio. A Dec. 28, 2010 interview with Bob Fu, a student participant in the 1989 Tinnamen Square uprising and founder of the human rights organization, China Aid Association, can be heard here. Both interviews provide current updates on the situation in China.
Readers might find the book, Chinese Intellectuals and the Gospel (edited by Samuel Ling and Stacey Bieler) of interest. Regarding the Chinese Communist government's common hostile attitude towards Christianity, it should be noted that it refused permission for 200 invited Chinese Christian leaders to attend the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelism held in Cape Town, South Africa last October.
Update 1/6/11 - Elizabeth Kendall produced a tremendously valuable and comprehensive report on Christianity in China on September 29, 2010. It remains a "must-read" analysis.
"Saturation missile strikes could destroy U.S. air defenses, runways, parked aircraft, and fuel and maintenance facilities. Complicating this scenario is the future deployment of China's anti-ship ballistic missile, which could hold U.S. aircraft carriers at bay outside their normal operating range."
Opposite Taiwan, China's missile force has reached 1,600.
Also - China's New Drones Raise Eyebrows . . .
Chuck Colson notes that Chinese thinkers recognize more and more that the West's success has been due to its Christian roots.
[...] The Chinese government is studying the impact of Christian entrepreneurs and Christian-run businesses. A professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences told Landau that it's clear to him that the growth of Christianity and economic prosperity are taking place simultaneously in Wenzhou—a city deeply influenced by Christian missionaries in the past.
An American sociologist named Rodney Stark would not be surprised at this finding: He's been saying the same thing for years. Stark is the author of a wonderful book titled the Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism, and Western Success.
Stark writes that without Christianity's commitment to "reason, progress, and moral equality . . . today the entire world would be about where non-European societies were in, say, 1800." This would be a world "lacking universities, banks, factories, eyeglasses, chimneys, and pianos"—not to mention scientists.
A few days ago I posted Mark Steyn's reflections, "The U.S. is in the Express Lane to Declinistan." Posting such an article gives me no pleasure. Quite the opposite. I want to see the U.S. flourish and function as a shining beacon of hope for the rest of the world. Anyone with eyes open, however, sees the rot and corruption and irresponsibility taking over the nation and its governance.
Which brings me to David Murrin's new book, Breaking the Code of History: A Map for the Future. I had never heard of Murrin before reading a John Derbyshire post over at the Corner. Murrin granted CNBC a 7 minute video interview which is MUST VIEWING. Murrin believes in cycles of history and projects the West's rapid decline. Especially noteworthy is how rapid he foresees the change taking place. Contra Mark Steyn, he sees China as the rising colossus. I agree with Murrin.
One year ago today, Gao Zhisheng was "disappeared." He is the Chinese human-rights lawyer who, in his life, has endured a great deal to bring a touch of decency to China, and to let the broad world know of the depredations of the ruling Communists. On February 4, 2009, they snatched him, and just disappeared him. As I noted in a column last week, the Chinese Foreign Ministry was recently asked about him. Its spokesman said he "is where he should be." And where may that be? A dungeon? A grave?
There is a website called Free Gao: here. And to read a letter his wife sent to Congress last April, go here. It does not make for easy reading — but, in my view, it makes for important reading. Gao Zhisheng is one of the great men in the world today, and should not be forgotten, especially by the United States.
Me: I signed the petition at www.freegao.com website and read the letter Gao's wife sent members of Congress last April. This man has been brutally tortured time and time again, and has not been heard from in over a year. The Chinese government refuses to report where he is being held and under what conditions. ChinaAid, a Christian organization monitoring persecution of Christians in China, posted a new press release yesterday. Signing the petition and keeping this man(and his family) in our prayers may be one of the most important things you and I do today.
Twenty years later, the vivid memories are coming back. Thousands of students protesting in the streets—and gathering at Tiananmen Square. And then, on June 4, the Chinese government turning its guns and tanks on its own people.
This week, we have heard commentators discuss the consequences of the crackdown. One of the comments I found most intriguing came from a Chinese pastor who last night spoke at the National Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C. His words demonstrated once again how God can bring good out of evil.
This is a sobering evaluation.
I think it's pretty clear that the Olympics have been a big success for China — for the CCP (the Chinese Communist Party, which runs the place). The Olympics have enhanced the party's legitimacy, buttressed its authority — prettied up its image. A few months ago, Wei Jingsheng, the great dissident, told me that if the Olympics were a success for the Communists, they (the party) would have another 20 years. And so they will, I suppose.
Anne Applebaum reports on "the first proper history of China's Great Famine, a catastrophe partly engineered by the Chinese Communist Party and its first leader, Mao Zedong."
"I call this book Tombstone," the author, Yang Jisheng, writes in the opening paragraph. "It is a tombstone for my father who died of hunger in 1959, for the 36 million Chinese who also died of hunger, for the system that caused their death, and perhaps for myself for writing this book."
"Tombstone" has not been translated. Nevertheless, rumors of its contents and short excerpts are already ricocheting around the world (I first learned of it recently in California, from an excited Australian historian). Based on a decade's worth of interviews and unprecedented access to documents and statistics, "Tombstone" -- in two volumes and 1,100 pages -- establishes beyond any doubt that China's misguided charge toward industrialization -- Mao's "Great Leap Forward" -- was an utter disaster.
In addition to the Applebaum article, see this article, linked in the quote two paragraphs above.
Add one more China Olympic Prayer Band to the 500,000 given by Voice of the Martyrs supporters to raise awareness of persecuted Christians. Just a few days ago, President George Bush received a prayer bracelet from Bob Fu, president of China Aid Association. Read the official White House story.
Bob and four other Chinese human rights advocates met with President Bush in a room usually reserved for diplomats. White House officials said President Bush organized the historic 45-minute meeting to "discuss his concerns about human rights in China," ahead of the Olympic Games next month. "The President seems very concerned about the worsening situation for human rights in China," Bob Fu said. "I gave him five China prayer bands for his family to wear and four house churches addresses and told him he would be welcomed to attend their Sunday service when he is there next week."
The President told Bob that he will talk to the press and the Chinese people about the importance of religious freedom. He also promised to tell China's leaders that they cannot use the Olympics as a pre-text to further crackdown on human rights. Please pray President Bush will be successful in advocating for the persecuted church to Chinese leaders. Pray the President will heed Bob's request to intercede for house church Christians in China such as Zhang Rongliang, who is currently serving 7 1/2 years in prison.
China has secretly built a major underground nuclear submarine base that could threaten Asian countries and challenge American power in the region, it can be disclosed.
China is spending 35 times as much on crude oil as it did eight years ago, and 23 times as much on copper.
As it builds gleaming skyscrapers on its fields, China alone consumes half the world's cement and a third of its steel.
What is happening is so extraordinary that economists have had to invent a new word for it - this is not an economic cycle, but a supercycle, a shift in the world economy of historic proportions.
Me: I can remember in the early 70's certain of my friends and I clearly saw the future belonging to Asia. If Christian faith continues to grow in China and India, then there can be added to these cultures some of the West's most positive heritage - a concern for the freedom of the individual, the sanctity of life, and human rights in general. I hope it will be so.
Both China Aid and the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China agree that the religious crackdown is becoming more pronounced in the months leading up to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The cases of persecution against house churches are up more than 25 percent from 2006, and the number of individuals harassed or imprisoned grew from 665 to 788, including unprecedented antagonism against foreigners.
Oh brother! Talk about a kow tow to tyranny and an abject overthrowing of free speech!
British Olympic chiefs are to force athletes to sign a contract promising not to speak out about China's appalling human rights record – or face being banned from travelling to Beijing.
The move – which raises the spectre of the order given to the England football team to give a Nazi salute in Berlin in 1938 – immediately provoked a storm of protest. . .
Should a competitor agree to the clause but then speak their mind about China, they will be put on the next plane home.
Linyi (AsiaNews) – Police in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong have arrested 270 Protestant pastors from house Churches for taking part in an "illegal religious gathering" in the district of Hedeng near the city of Linyi. At present about 150 Christians are still in a state prison, this according to a US-based NGO, the China Aid Association (CAA), which lobbies for freedom of worship in China.
The arrests took place last Friday at around 1.30 pm local time. The Protestant clergymen had met to study the Bible when about 50 policemen from 12 different towns stormed the meeting place, blindfolded and handcuffed them two-by-two, and then taken them to a local police station for questioning.


The origins of this name are unkonwn.It could possibly have been given because the smugglers conducted their activity at night. Maybe they communicated warnings to their group members by imitating an owl's hoot. There was also a crime against the public trade of 'transporting wool or sheep out of the Kingdom.' Again the offenders normally carried this out at night, so Owlers could also refer to this.
The writer, Parliamentarian and social blogger of his day, Narcissus Luttrell's report (in his diary) of 1699 was one of the first documents to use this term. The diary is also a record of major events in Parliament, diplomacy and the arts.


Overnight... Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s. Light and variable winds, becoming west around 10 mph.
Thursday... Partly sunny. A chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 70s. Light and variable winds, becoming southwest around 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Thursday Night... Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers. Lows in the mid 50s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph.
Friday... Showers likely in the morning, then showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Breezy. Near steady temperature in the upper 50s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph, increasing to northwest 20 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 90 percent.
Friday Night... Partly cloudy with a chance of showers in the evening, then mostly clear after midnight. Breezy, cooler with lows in the lower 40s. Northwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Saturday Night... Partly cloudy. Lows around 50. Highs in the upper 60s.
Sunday... Partly cloudy. Lows around 50. Highs in the upper 60s.
Tuesday... Mostly cloudy. Highs in the lower 70s. Lows in the mid 50s.
Tuesday Night... Mostly cloudy. Highs in the lower 70s. Lows in the mid 50s.
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text:
Home News Kamala Harris...
Kamala Harris' father said she disgraced her Jamaican family by using a 'fraudulent stereotype' to joke about smoking weed
Sinéad Baker, Business Insider US
Sen. Kamala Harris.
Sen. Kamala Harris' father criticized a joke she made referring to her Jamaican heritage in response to a question about marijuana, according to the news website Jamaica Global Online.
When Harris was asked on a radio show last week whether she had smoked marijuana, she said jokingly, "Half my family's from Jamaica – are you kidding me?"
Donald Harris, a professor emeritus of economics at Stanford University, said in a statement to Jamaica Global Online that the senator's grandparents "must be turning in their graves."
Kamala Harris last year said that "making marijuana legal at the federal level is the smart thing to do and it's the right thing to do."
Sen. Kamala Harris' father accused her of disgracing her family by using a "fraudulent stereotype" to say that she had obviously smoked marijuana because she is part Jamaican, according to the news website Jamaica Global Online.
Harris was asked on the radio show "The Breakfast Club" on February 11 whether she had ever smoked weed. She jokingly responded, "Half my family's from Jamaica – are you kidding me?"
She said she smoked a joint in college. "And I did inhale," she said, laughing. "I just broke news."
Her father, Donald Harris, a professor emeritus of economics at Stanford University, criticized his daughter in a statement to Jamaica Global Online last week.
"My dear departed grandmothers (whose extraordinary legacy I described in a recent essay on this website), as well as my deceased parents, must be turning in their grave right now to see their family's name, reputation and proud Jamaican identity being connected, in any way, jokingly or not with the fraudulent stereotype of a pot-smoking joy seeker and in the pursuit of identity politics," he said.
"Speaking for myself and my immediate Jamaican family, we wish to categorically dissociate ourselves from this travesty."
Harris discussed the legalization of marijuana on the "Breakfast Club" radio show in February.
YouTube/The Breakfast Club
Donald Harris previously wrote a piece for the outlet called "Reflections of a Jamaican Father" about his family's history and Kamala Harris' connections to Jamaica.
"To this day, I continue to retain the deep social awareness and strong sense of identity which that grassroots Jamaican philosophy fed in me," he wrote. "As a father, I naturally sought to develop the same sensibility in my two daughters. Born and bred in America, Kamala was the first in line to have it planted."
Kamala Harris' parents separated when she was young and divorced a few years later, according to Politico. She and her sister were raised by their mother, though their father remained in their lives, the site said.
Harris launched her 2020 presidential bid in January with a rally in her hometown of Oakland, California.
Katie Canales/Business Insider
Harris, California's former attorney general, had stayed quiet on whether she supported marijuana legalization until last year, when California legalized recreational use and Harris cosponsored a Senate bill to end the federal prohibition on the drug.
"Making marijuana legal at the federal level is the smart thing to do and it's the right thing to do," she tweeted in May.
Making marijuana legal at the federal level is the smart thing to do and it's the right thing to do. Today, I'm announcing my support for @CoryBooker's Marijuana Justice Act. pic.twitter.com/cOh3SjMaOW
— Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris) May 10, 2018
Harris' campaign told Politico that it had no comment on her father's statement.
2020 democrats
News UK

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Home Entertainment Celebrities Sir Elton John officially married David Furnish, in England
Sir Elton John officially married David Furnish, in England
"We'll do it very quietly. But we will do it and it will be a joyous occasion and we will have our children," he said. He was very happy to share this momentum. "Having our civil partnership was an incredible breakthrough for people that have campaigned for a long time — through the '60s and the '50s in England when it was so hard to be gay and hard to be open about it. And it was a criminal act. So for this legislation to come through is joyous, and we should celebrate it." Actor Hugh Grant, Victoria and David Beckham ,pop star Ed Sheeran, comedian David Walliams, pop star Kate Bush, singer Lulu and many celebrities took part at the ceremony. Hundreds fans transmitted kind messages to stars at their wedding.
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Fall/Winter 1996 | No. 15
Special Anniversary Issue
Celebrating a decade of The New Theater Review in this special double issue: Sigourney Weaver, Christopher Durang, Jules Feiffer, Arthur Miller, Richard Howard, Duma Ndlovu, Mbongeni Ngema, Athol Fugard, Nadine Gordimer, Garson Kanin, Marian Seldes, John Guare, Andre Bishop, Bernard Gersten, Daniel Sullivan, Philip Bosco, Laurence Luckinbill, Schuyler Chapin, Tony Walton, Hugh Hardy, Robert Whitehead, Inge Morath, James McMullan, Veronica Geng, Anatoli Smeliansky, Isabel Wilder, Graciela Daniele and Ntozake Shange.
Lincoln Center Theater gratefully acknowledges The Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Foundation as Founding and Sustaining Donor of The New Theater Review.
Special thanks to the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation for supporting The New Theater Review.


Why only semi? Among the biggest problems with drop-shipping is keeping product costs down. Products that are purchased cheaply can create a hefty profit for the seller as soon as they're marked up. This is exactly how Wal-Mart makes billions of dollars from seemingly low-priced goods.
The next step is significantly simpler: sellers sign up with Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and send all their merchandise there. At that point, Amazon stores the inventory for those sellers along with markets, sells and ships it. Thus, Amazon becomes the true drop-shipper.
How are high profit margins generated? By convincing customers that the product has very substantial price and is in limited supply. Therefore, the ASM training doesn't just comprise the 8 week program but added value-added items like the Vegas trip and life forum membership.
Some affiliates have reported being guaranteed up to 50% commission on their own ASM earnings, or about $2K. With such high profits and profit margins promised to prospective affiliates, it is clear to see why ASM has eliminated as fast as it has. 1 need only perform a quick search on Google to find reams of affiliate marketing sites touting the advantages of this application.
But, I noticed they were doing something I have never seen before. They're moving past the 30 days refund warranty and supplying a 6-month purchase back guarantee.
What this signifies is that, if you get the program and buy stock, promote it, and do not make money after their approaches, ASM will refund you the total cost of the program and they will refund you for any money you spent on inventory up to $10,000.
Case in point: Jessica Larrew of Amazon Boot Camp. Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income interviewed Jessica and her husband/business spouse Cliff and the couple appear to apply all the principles outlined in ASM except that they don't supply their product from China or other overseas countries (nope, they obtain their deals at places like Walgreens).
Jessica posts training materials online that are very affordably priced. What is more, the training materials are segmented by company; for instance, if you would like to test out health and beauty merchandise drop-shipping, Jessica provides an ebook on the topic for just $27. Alternately, you can even buy the total Amazon Boot Camp for $299.
But let's say you are hoping to buy larger lots of wholesale items and should find out what's available through offshore nations like China. Skip McGrath provides a comprehensive 350-page printed training manual named The total Amazon Marketing System for $127. He also throws in a good deal of free bonuses like a 30-minute training telephone and life membership to his wholesale sourcing website.


Sometimes the path of spiritual development can be a rocky road, especially if you are actually afraid of the spiritual experiences that come your way. For example, some people are terrified to meditate for fear it might lead to a psychic opening. Or perhaps you have fallen prey to a cult or charismatic spiritual leader who abused their power. Despite any perceived benefits it can be frightening to open the spiritual floodgates.
It is also important to use psychic skills responsibly. People become over-awed by spiritual counselors, healers and guru figures and can be led astray. If you wish to use spiritual guidance and intuition in true service to others, it's especially important to use your skills wisely and in connection with moral values. "Do no harm," essentially. For the Highest benefit of all concerned is my motto.
Monkshood can heal past trauma that makes spiritual opening terrifying, especially in cases of past trauma (like an unintegrated near death or past life experience) or abusive spiritual or cult experiences. It can aid in developing clairvoyance healthily and help you be a positive and courageous spiritual leader should that be your calling.


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Brave New Law
Ireland publishes Data Protection Bill 2018 in advance of GDPR
Ireland's Data Protection Bill 2018 was published in early February. This text, which may be subject to change by the Irish Parliament, will amend the current Irish Data Protection Acts, 1988 and 2003. The Bill contains two exemptions of particular relevance to insurers.
Ireland's Data Protection Bill 2018 was published in early February. This text, which may be subject to change by the Irish Parliament, will amend the current Irish Data Protection Acts, 1988 and 2003.
When enacted, the Bill will bring into Irish law the General Data Protection Regulation 'GDPR' (EC/2016/679) and the Law Enforcement Directive (EC/2016/680). The Bill addresses the powers of Ireland's Supervisory Authority, the Data Protection Commissioner and enacts the separate Law Enforcement Directive into Irish law.
The draft Bill establishes a Data Protection Commission in place of the current Data Protection Commissioner, Helen Dixon. Up to three Commissioners may be appointed by the Irish government to form the new Commission.
The controversial exemption of public bodies from the administrative fines remains in the Bill, except where these public bodies are acting as an "undertaking" (providing goods or services alongside private bodies).
Liability for individuals who contravene data protection requirements continues to be in force in line with the present Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003, with fines of up to €50,000 and potential custodial sentences of up to five years. Company directors, managers and other officers also may be held individually liable for contravening the Bill's requirements, once it can be proved an offence was committed with the consent of such an officer.
The Bill contains two exemptions of particular relevance to Insurers. The existing Section 41 states that the processing of special categories of personal data, which includes data indicating racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, health, genetic or biometric data, shall be lawful where the processing is necessary 'for the purposes of, or in connection with, legal claims, prospective legal claims … or is otherwise necessary for the purposes of establishing, exercising or defending legal rights'.
Section 44 establishes a new lawful processing exception in Ireland and is intended to address processing concerns raised by insurers during the Bill's consultation phase. Under this draft Section, 'health data' may also be processed where necessary for policies of insurance, life assurance, health insurance and pensions.
The GDPR permits criminal convictions and offences data to be processed only under the control of official authority or for specified purposes under national law. In line with this authority, the new Bill provides examples of such processing under official authority and specifies five purposes where processing is permitted in Section 49. Insurers presently process data relating to criminal convictions and offences to more accurately assess risk and help prevent fraud. Under the draft Bill, this processing must remain under the control of official authority in Ireland (ie An Garda Siochána) and in compliance with the Irish Commissioner's existing June 2013 Code of Practice on Data Protection for the Insurance Sector.
The Bill is expected to be enacted prior to 6 May 2018, which is the deadline for the introduction of the Law Enforcement Directive into national law.
Visit our GDPR Hub
DWF advises RSM on sale of Bonmarché to Purepay Retail Ltd 15 Jan 2021
Global legal business DWF have advised Damian Webb and Gordon Thomson of RSM Restructuring Advisory, the administrators of BM Retail Limited, on the sale of high street retailer Bonmarché.
Brexit and MiFID II rules on "reverse solicitation" 15 Jan 2021
On 13 January 2021, the European Securities and Markets Authority (the "ESMA") issued a public statement to remind firms of Directive (EU) 2014/65 (the "MiFID II") rules on "reverse solicitation" in the context of the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union (the so-called "Brexit").
Court of Appeal guidance on enhanced relief where a claimant beat its own Part 36 offer 15 Jan 2021
By making an early Part 36 offer which the defendant did not better, Telefónica ultimately received additional compensation, costs and interest thereby increasing its overall recovery in the proceedings.
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text:
Total War: Three Kingdoms shows Sega, like Nixon, can go to China
Sega's strategy developer is back with more battles for you to re-create. Creative Assembly announced Total War: Three Kingdoms today with a cinematic trailer. This latest entry in the real-time military sim series will put players in charge of managing armies of fighters in 190 CE China. It maintains the dynamic battle system that has kept Total War relevant since it debuted in 2000.
Total War: Three Kingdoms is due out this fall on Steam. These games have always had a dedicated audience with sales between 1 million to 3 million for each game, according to data-tracking service SteamSpy. But its new backdrop could give it a chance to succeed in the massive and growing Chinese gaming market. That could attract a significant number of new fans.
It tells the story of China as the Han Dynasty falls into the hands of the cruel and ambitious warlord Dong Zhuo. In respond, three heroes band together their families along with other powerful clans to challenge Zhuo. You can expect an epic story brimming with betrayal and friendships and, according to the trailer, dope martial-arts sequences.
Since this first trailer is only a cinematic, we haven't seen any gameplay yet. But the game will continue enabling players to feel what it's like to control a live-action battle where hundreds or even thousands of soldiers go up head-to-head against one another. While you can find plenty of strategy games on PC, Total War is still doing these massive battles better than anything else.
This is also a return to a historic setting for Creative Assembly. The studio's last two games were Total War: Warhammer and Total War: Warhammer II, which take place in a fantasy world with elves and lizardmen. Three Kingdoms should not have any lizardmen because they did not show up and begin controlling all world governments until the 1970s.


In some cases where credit, income, or the property do not fit well with conventional lenders, private lending can be a good options. Rates are higher than traditional lenders because the risk is higher to the lender. There are also fees to the broker as this is one of the few cases where the broker is not compensated for sourcing the business for the lender. Ideally, private mortgage financing is a short-term solution until we can move the client back into a conventional lender.
We also work with private lenders so that we can facilitate private mortgage borrowing for our clients that need it. Our private lenders invest in individual mortgages (Select is not a Mortgage Investment Corporation), with the lender's interest in the property registered directly on title. Each private lender is sent property and client details and can make a decision on whether to invest on a file by file basis in keeping with each investor's preferences. Contact us for more information.


Is there anything weirder than a childless 34-year-old watching a program designed to ease pre-schoolers into the world of toilet training? Well, yeah � there are lot of spooky things out there! Still, never did I think I�d find myself screening such a show.
However, that�s exactly what I did. Potty Time With Bear arrived on my doorstep and I figured I�d give it a look. While I clearly don�t fall into the series� intended audience, I found my prior experience with the show � Party Time With Bear - to be a reasonably entertaining experience, so I didn�t object to a little more time in the Big Blue House.
Each episode of the series follows a pretty standard format. At the very start of the program, we enter the Big Blue House and meet our host Bear (voiced by Noel McNeal). He tells us how we smell � in a more pleasant way than one might fear � and enter the show�s theme. At some point, we almost always see an encounter between Bear and Shadow (voiced by Tara Mooney), and the episodes always end with a chat between Bear and Luna (Lynne Thigpen), the moon, who settle us down for the evening.
Despite the title of the DVD, only one of the episodes deals with toilet habits. In �When You've Got To Go�, Tutter the mouse (Peter Linz) has some potty-related anxieties, so it�s up to Bear to help guide him through the process and understand the ways of the world. Despite the iffy subject matter, the show handles it gently and with taste.
The other episodes don�t stick with a central focus, though I suppose there�s a loose theme of �growing up� to be found in the three shows. When we move to �If At First You Don't Succeed�, the emphasis moves to learning that not everything comes easily. Ojo (Vicki Eibner) wants to be a big bear, and Bear helps her realize that it takes time and practice to get better at activities.
Finally, we find �Call It A Day�. This one offers a more generic focus as we go to the end of the day. Bear looks back on all of its events. The program doesn�t provide a general theme as much as the others; it just shows us all of the fun Bear and the gang encountered.
While I clearly don�t fall in the target audience, to my small surprise, Bear is actually a decently entertaining program for adults. Don't take that as an endorsement that anyone over eight or so will want to plop down and spend an hour or so with Bear and his friends, because it's not something I'd choose to watch for its own merits. However, it does appear much more fun and charming for all audiences than I'd expect, so don't freak if your kids want you to watch it with them.
Because my childhood days are long gone, I can't really estimate Bear's appeal to that crowd, but I'd guess it should play well. The characters are sweet and friendly and all offer distinctive and gently witty personalities, and the shows encompass a small scope but keep the pace moving at an acceptably quick pace.
All three shows are pleasant and charming. Although the proceedings remain low-key for the most part, they provide some fun and laughs for kids throughout the program. The scripts are relatively clever and even though the songs are very derivative, they still have some bounce and spark. (Is it just me, or do Pip and Pop sound a lot like the Beastie Boys when they do their hula-hoop rap during �If At First�?) Will I ever watch Bear again? Not a chance, but if I had kids, I'd be more than happy to let them view the show; it seems like a very well produced children's program.
Sign of the times: about 30 years ago, All In the Family shocked audiences when it featured the sound of a flushing toilet. Now we find a childrens� program in which we watch a little blue mouse take a dump. Is that progress?
Bear in the Big Blue House: Potty Time With Bear appears in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1 on this single-sided, single-layered DVD; due to those dimensions, the image has not been enhanced for 16X9 televisions. Of the three Bear DVDs I�ve seen, Potty Time was the most attractive by a modest margin.
Sharpness seemed consistently fine throughout the program, with very little softness on display. The picture consistently remained crisp and distinct with no decided problems. Moir� effects appeared to a minor degree, but jagged edges were not a significant concern. The videotaped program showed no noticeable source flaws, as it looked consistently clean and fresh.
Colors were a strong point of this DVD. As one might expect from a kids' show, hues were bold and brilliant, and they looked quite nice at all times. The nature of the original videotape source kept them from appearing truly terrific, but I found them to be very solid. Black levels came across as reasonably deep and distinct, while shadow detail looked clear and appropriately opaque. Overall, this was a fine presentation that accurately displayed the source material.
The stereo soundtrack of Bear was decent but fairly unambitious. Most of the audio seemed to be essentially monaural, with almost all dialogue and effects emanating from the center channel. Music spread nicely to the side speakers but still remained pretty centered much of the time.
Quality seemed fine adequate. Speech appeared warm and relatively natural speech; I heard no concerns related to edginess or intelligibility. Effects sounded nicely clean and distinct, with no problems in regard to distortion; they were a minor aspect of the mix, but they seemed adequate. Music showed nicely broad and lively tones, and the score and songs boasted some fairly solid bass response at times. I was surprised that the DVD didn't include at least a Dolby Surround mix, but the existing track appeared fine for the program.
�Your Potty Chair�, �The Toileteers�, �Hello Song� and �What�s That Smell?� These take the scenes from the show and superimpose large, kid-friendly lyrics that fans can follow.
On its own, Bear in the Big Blue House: Potty Time With Bear doesn't hold much appeal for adults, but it seems like a fun program for kids, and adults who want to watch along with their little ones will probably find the experience to be enjoyable. Picture and sound are both very good, but the DVD lacks substantial extras. Nonetheless, Bear is a good choice for younger viewers or older ones who still poop their pants.


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Is a chart a table or a figure?
Posted on June 7, 2021 by Jack
Visual elements are referred to as either Tables or Figures. Tables are made up of rows and columns and the cells usually have numbers in them (but may also have words or images). Figures refer to any visual elementsgraphs, charts, diagrams, photos, etc. that are not Tables.
How do you list tables and figures in a dissertation?
Click on the Reference tab.Click on Insert Table of Figures in the Captions section.Under General, make sure that Caption label is set to Table.Also make sure that Include label and number is unchecked.Click on Options.Check the Style box, and select Table title in the dropdown box.Click OK.Click on Modify.
What is the difference between a table and a figure in a document?
Tables are numerical values or text displayed in rows and columns. A Figure is any type of illustration (chart, graph,photograph, drawing maps …) other than a table.
How do you present a figure in a dissertation?
SHSU Guidelines:Figures must appear in the text as near as possible to the discussion relating to them. DO NOT insert a table in the middle of a sentence. Figures must be numbered consecutively using Arabic numbers throughout the thesis, as should tables, examples, and illustrations.
How should figures and tables be numbered?
Figures should be labeled with a number preceding the table title; tables and figures are numbered independently of one another. Also be sure to include any additional contextual information your viewer needs to understand the figure.
Do tables or figures come first?
In general, start each section on a new page. However, the order of pages is flexible in the following cases: tables and figures: Embed tables and figures within the text after they are first mentioned (or "called out"), or place each table and then each figure on separate pages after the references.
What is legend in a table?
Legends identify the different groups of data on the graph. Tables include statistical information for the graph variables. For example, the following probability plot has both a legend and a table. Legend. The legend identifies the visual elements used to distinguish different groups of data on the graph.
What does a table legend look like?
Table legends go above the body of the Table and are left justified; Tables are read from the top down. Figure legends go below the graph and are left justified; graphs and other types of Figures are usually read from the bottom up.
What is a table of figures in a report?
In addition to the Table of Contents, a Table of Figures and Tables is usually required in a report. It is situated immediately after the Table of Contents. It contains a list of figures, statistical tables, diagrams and graphs, including their titles.
How do you introduce a table in a report?
Referring to Tables and Figures in MLA Style. Introduce the table in the text first. Throughout the paper, you will number figures and tables consecutively, each in its own group, for example: "Figure 1, Table 1, Table 2, Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 4, Table 3…" Use the label and the number.
How do you describe a table?
TipsStart by saying what information is shown. In the second paragraph give an overview of the most important features of the information.Be selective and choose the key observations and trends. Divide your observations into paragraphs about different aspects of the data.
How do you describe a table chart?
As with all graphs and charts, when describing tables: Do not describe all the data presented – present the main points of each feature (you should make sure you mention each feature though) Look for significant data; e.g. the highest, the lowest etc.
What are the characteristics of a good table?
Guidelines for good tablesHave a reference to the table (such as a table number) in the text.Title should describe 'what, where and when'Make sure that rows and columns are clearly labelled.For easy comparison put numbers most likely to be compared with each other in columns.Bold totals in tables.
What is a trend give an example?
Trend is defined as to go in a general direction or to have a tendency to go in a certain way. An example of trend is for a plain to stretch westward across a state. An example of trend is when the number of murders in a city reduce downward.
How do you calculate a trend?
Key Equation Note: Trend percentages are calculated as the current year divided by the base year (2006). For example, the net sales 2010 trend percentage of 146 percent equals $35,119 (net sales for 2010) divided by $24,088 (net sales for the base year 2006).
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I learned a new word today: agglutinative. Little did I know that there exists an impressive word for what I have always called smush words. It describes a characteristic of the Finnish language where you can create more detailed meaning by building directly onto the root word. This may explain the fewer but longer words in a Finnish sentence. Let's take the photo above. Two smaller words have been smushed into one: keittiö (kitchen) and tölkki (jar).
What would take a whole sentence in English to express – I wonder if I should sit down for a while? – can be handled quickly with one word in Finnish.
Now that is Finnish efficiency.


text:
Q: d3 on.click function argument, version 5 vs 6 When upgrading from d3 5 to 6, I noticed that the function argument to the clicked function in
.on("click", clicked)

changes to a MouseEvent. How to get the object that was previously passed. (Not sure what it is exactly.)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


After making a tough immigration policy the "tentpole" of his presidential campaign, Donald Trump is now significantly shifting his stance on the issue, Charles Krauthammer said on Special Report.
In town hall events with Sean Hannity, Trump said he could "soften" his policy on deporting illegal immigrants already in the country.
He said last night to Hannity that, if elected, he may be open to "working with" otherwise law-abiding illegal immigrants who are in the country.
"Can we go through a process or do you think they have to get out?" he asked the audience.
"Tell me. I mean, I don't know, you tell me."
Krauthammer, reacting to what Trump said at Tuesday night's event, said that Trump is not just 'evolving' on the issue of immigration, but rather doing a "complete turnabout" in his policy proposals.
"If this is evolution, it's like a platypus going to sleep and waking up a pussycat," he joked.
Krauthammer pointed back to Trump calling the country a "divided crime scene" in his RNC address and speaking about the porous Mexican border allowing rapists and drug dealers into the country a year ago.
He argued that now Trump is "undermining" everything he has said throughout his campaign.
"Now he tells us, 'oh, the laws are wonderful. I don't want to change any of it. I'll be a little more energetic,'" said Krauthammer, asking whether Trump's earlier pronouncements about the border and immigration were simply designed to win over Republican primary voters.
"You have to question: did he ever mean it? I think the answer is probably no."
Meantime, Trump is now taking heavy criticism from Ann Coulter, who's been a vocal supporter of his immigration proposals throughout his campaign.
Well, if it's "hard," then nevermind. Trump: "... to take a person who's been here for 15 or 20 years ....It's a very, very hard thing."
Watch the full discussion above and let us know your reaction.


text:
begin
  require 'puppet_x/cisco/cmnutils'
rescue LoadError # seen on master, not on agent
  # See longstanding Puppet issues #4248, #7316, #14073, #14149, etc. Ugh.
  require File.expand_path(File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), '..', '..',
                                     'puppet_x', 'cisco', 'cmnutils.rb'))
end

Puppet::Type.newtype(:cisco_vdc) do
  @doc = "Manages VDC configuration.

  ~~~puppet
  cisco_vdc { '<title>':
    ..attributes..
  }
  ~~~

  `<title>` is the title of the vdc resource.

  Example:

  ~~~puppet
    cisco_vdc { 'default':
      ensure                        => present,
      limit_resource_module_type    => 'm1 m1xl',
    }
  ~~~

  "

  ###################
  # Resource Naming #
  ###################
  def self.title_patterns
    identity = ->(x) { x }
    patterns = []
    patterns << [
      /^(\S+)/,
      [
        [:name, identity]
      ],
    ]
    patterns
  end

  ##############
  # Parameters #
  ##############

  apply_to_all
  ensurable

  newparam(:name, namevar: true) do
    desc "The name of the VDC. Valid values are String or keyword 'default'"
  end

  ##############
  # Properties #
  ##############

  newproperty(:limit_resource_module_type) do
    desc 'Restrict VDC to specific module-types. Valid values are a String '\
         "containing a list of module-types ('m1 m1xl'), or keyword 'default'"

    munge do |value|
      value = value.to_sym if value == 'default'
      value
    end
  end
end