THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT SKILL in coaching is asking powetful questions.
An indshe question delivered at just the right moment can be a Ufe..cIianglng experience.
short llSt of handy references.
Tony Stoltzfus, 3101 Barberry Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23453.
the questions that you use that you could share with us?"
head during key moments) with you.
creating a compelling, exciting, energizing picture of the future jump-starts the change process.
be able to construct your own visualization questions, and you won't need a question list.
picture"-I already gave you that one). Hurry up--the client is waiting for your next question!
freeze up or draw a blank.
give you enough cues to spontaneously generate the right question in the moment.
long that you tend to spit them back word for word.
Coaching Questions is a great aid while you're in a formal coach training program.
seconds to review the sample questions, close the book, and then practice it on a peer.
your next question) . And the more confident and effective you are, the faster you'll learn.
step on your asking journey!
in your coaching conversations with powerful, incisive questions.
and explore the tools used in forming the relational alliance with a new coachee.
conversational models, goal setting, exploration, options, and action plans.
life. Built around a life purpose model ofDesign, Passion, Experience and Calling.
making decisions to live a balanced, healthy lifestyle.
challenge, reframing, motivation and more.
individual skills (usually consisting of one to three pages of tools and examples).
that let you easily jump to a different page with more tools or examples for that particular topic.
explore a topic that appears in multiple places throughout the book.
great place to start on the journey of building great asking skills.
are. The more you ask, the more you love.
do they do in the villages? Are they achieving their mission? How is itfontled?
to me, 'Keith, we've got to go--our closs is beginning'; so I said my good-byes.
Dave was amazed when / explained that / had only asked questions. "
coachee always knows far more about the situation than the coach.
from the coach. Asking creates buy-in, and buy-in gets results.
empower people to do things they couldn't do on their own.
the responsibility muscle, and that develops leaders.
changes that are truly transformational.
own during the week with a friend, family member or a client.
Set dates and times for the rest of your sessions and record in your datebooks.
Do the Conversation Starters exercise on page 19.
narrow questions and asking your partner to make them broader.
using the debriefing procedure in the sidebar (at left).
On Your Own: Find three opportunities this week to use a conversation starter.
Prepare to do a practice comp session next week with your peer partner.
coaching each other using the Five Options Technique (pg. 4 I). Debrief.
like to pursue, then coach the person through the Ideal Future Technique.
Take turns doing the Life Wheel exercise (pg. 34) with your partner. Debrief.
Coach each other through creating a one-sentence SMART goal statement (pg.
37) from the agenda you chose with the Life Wheel. Debrief.
On Your Own: Do the Life Wheel with a friend, client or family member.
then debrief. What do you need to improve to be more effective?
using the Obstacle Approach (pg. 41). Debrief.
Try the TransformationalApproach or Thinking Outside the Box (pg. 4243) on the same issue. What new ideas do you come up with? Debrief.
On Your Own: Try one of these approaches with a client this week.
using a practical life issue (pg. 28), then debrief.
0 Evaluate your action steps using the Four Tests (pg. 45) . How well do they fit?
0 On Your Own: Practice using GROWwith at least one person this week.
0 Take 25 to 30 minutes to coach each other through the Coaching Funnel (pg.
30), then debrief. What kind of issues would be best suited to each model?
0 On Your Own: Practice using the Coaching Funnel at least once this week.
extra time, repeat with another issue.
strategies on pages 47 and 48 that you didn't try in your peer session.
feedback on how you did on each of the Top Ten Asking Mistakes (pg. 16) .
find a place to practice implementing the solution given in the exercise.
the Decision Making Strategies exercise on page 70.
each other as you've worked together.
the exercises right in your sessions.
the basics as you go.
Here's a coach trainer's personal list of the top ten asking mistakes coaches make.
closed question as if it were open, too many closed questions in a row shuts people down.
"Is there a way to do that and stili keep evenings for family?"
"Can you realistically take that on too?"
"Could there be any otber ways to approach that?"
"Do you have any other options?"
for adjusting: restate the question, but this time beginning with the word "what" or "how".
"What could you do to still keep evenings for family?"
"How would your life change ifyou take that on, too?"
"How else could you approach that?"
"What other options do you have?"
"Shouldn't you cbeck in with your boss before you act on this?"
"Could you do your jogging with your spouse?"
"Do you think that affirming the person would give you a better result?"
"Can you give her the benefit ofthe doubt on this one?"
question is ''you,'' you're in trouble.
people in your exercise routine?"
3. Se..... III..... Tru. QIIISdoI"
momentum of the conversation is lost.
"You mentioned that _ _ _ _ _. Tell me more about that."
the question, the client is confused about what to answer and any conversational flow is lost.
coaches do this because they are still figuring out what they want to ask while they are asking.
continue to process without you asking any question at all.
coaching moments come when the client doosn't understand what you are asking for!
to join you in a tenminute conversation.
the clock and wishing the day was over." A response like, "How long have you hated your job?"
conversational flow as the person responds to our analysis.
conversation mOving in a productive direction.
'~re you really going to throwaway your career like that?"
"Isn't that just a cop-out?"
"Wouldn't you rather get along with your spouse?"
judgement or developed an attitude about the person you are coaching.
meeting my own needs? What can I do about that?"
two possible scenarios where the coachee's point of view is more valid than your own.
"What potentilli, ability and wisdom do I see in this person? What can sIhe become?
Why am I drawn to coach him/her?"
direction. What response do you think the coach wants in the follOwing examples?
"How would you describe that feeling: discouraged?"
you ready to make a decision on that now?"
"Do you want to stay with this organization you've invested so much in?"
satisfaction. Which one do you want to choose?"
instead of taking the easy way out and just agreeing with you.
this open up doors to get you the kind offamily time you truly want?"
and still change it on the fly without the client ever knowing what happened.
slows progress and blurs your focus.
to openly discuss the rambling issue and secure permiSSion to interrupt when needed.
occasionally to keep us on track so that we can make the most ofour time?"
cultivate as a coach! Are you an interrupter? If you want to find out, here's a revealing exercise.
or her actions--so don't be surprised if slhe gets defensive!
"WIry did you turn down the job?"
BeUer: "What factors led you to turn down the job?"
" W~ do you think she'd respond like that?"
BeUer: "Wbat's causing you to anticipate that response?"
"WIry can't you talk to him about that?"
BeUer: "Wbat do you need to talk to him about that?"
five questions start with your best assets and connect them to felt needs of potential customers.
"What do you excel at? What are your hest skills?"
"What is your niche? Where do you want to focus?"
"What do you do that people are eager to pay for?"
the ways you could up-sell your customers to other related services.
"Who is already attracted to me and sees me as a resource?"
"Who am 1 drawn to and want to coach?"
"Who needs the seroices 1 have to offer?"
congregates where you could connect with them.
m DISnMCTIVlS: WIll Wliid lIIe, want JOur services;' WIllI do_ .....;.
"What are their felt needs?"
"What distinguishes you or makes you credible in their eyes in that area?"
"How does what you do meet those needs? How wiD your seroice benefit them?"
"How wiD people find out about you?"
"How will they learn enough about you to want to hire/buy from you?"
(Le. advertiSing, networking, referrals, speaking, etc). Write out your plan.
"What is my pk;n ofaction?"
"What do 1 need to do first?"
"When willI start designing my practice? By when wiD 1 have k;unched it?"
strategy to launch your practice. Put target dates by the phases of your launch process.
getting the standard replies, take a risk and ask about something you really care about.
question that makes the conversation a little more intimate.
makes today a fine day?"
"What do you do for a living?" Then, "What do you like hest about your job?"
"What's something memorable about you, that f can remember you by?"
"Where are you from?" Then, "What:S been your favorite place to live? Why?"
"How:S your day going?" Then, "What:S been the high point so far?"
significant questions, with examples for each.
• "What's the most significant thing that's happened in your life in the last month?"
"What is on your mind this week? What are you thinking abot~t?"
"What's the growing edge for you as a leader these days?"
''Name one great joy and one sO"OW that you've experienced this year. "
"Tell me a story from your life that would give me a picture ofwho you really are.
What is an event that shaped you as a person?"
"What's been the most interesting spiritual encounter you've had in your life?"
has really influenced your life, and how?"
''Name two or three ofyour best strengths. What are you really great at?"
"What's your dream? Ifyou could do anything with your life, what would you do?"
"What do you want these days? What are you passionately pursuing or longingfor?"
"Ifone burden could be removedfrom you today, what would that be?"
"Ifyou had unlimited resources, what would you most want to do with them?"
"What's your greatest joy right now? Your greatest fear? Your greatest challenge?"
• "What was tbe best thing that happened this month in your sphere ofinfluence?
What one thing would you like to change?"
"What dreams do you have for tbe future ofyour organization?"
"What's the best thing about working with this [company, team, project] ?"
"What's the greatest asset ofyour organization or team? Your biggest challenge?"
what would that be? What led you to choose that?"
"WIry do you care about this organization? What makes your job significant?"
"How does this job bring out the best in you?"
also a wonderful party game). Give everyone a copy of five or six of these questions.
round with a dilJerent person. You can do as many rounds as you like.
Most professional coaches offer a short complimentary coaching session to potential clients.
Connection. Make a personal connection. Find the spark of chemistry with each other.
to pursue, and how you can help.
3. Presentation. Take their specific need, and show how coaching can help meet it.
5. Decision. Ask for a commitment.
people want to work with you.
"Give me a quick sketch of who you are, and I'll do the same for you. "
"What led you to want to pursue a coaching relationship?"
how working with a coach can help make the future they want a reality.
"What are the top three challenges you face right now? The top opportunities?"
he worth to you to make that change?"
"What do you need to reach that objective that you don't have?"
pursue something in your future?"
"What 's your hesitation about starting a coaching relationship?"
"What are you passionate about pursuing, and what are you eager to leave hehind?"
what they want in a coach, explain what you are most passionate about, and explore the fit.
"What would a great coach for you look like?"
"Here's an example ofhow I helped someone like you .. . "
"Here's how I work with that kind ofgoal... "
"Here's what I do best as a coach ... "
"Here's what you can expect ifyou work with me... "
"How do you want to proceed?"
"Wbat is holding you hack from making a decision?"
"What step would you like to take out ofthis conversation to keep movingforward?"
Have the person repeat back to you what you said you have to offer as a coach.
presentation? Why or why not?
Discuss how you approached asking the person to sign up (you did ask, right?).
How could you improve the way you ask for a commitment?
Many coaches ask new clients to provide a personal profile before their first appointment.
• "Sketch out what you know ofyour own life purpose. What were you rruuIe to do?"
• "What is most important to you in life (or in your business)?"
down what you care about most in each area."
"What's Priority fo r you right now?"
Pinder, etc.), what were the results? What did it tell you about yourselj?"
"List at least five important strengths you use often, and three weaknesses."
"What's hest about you? List five things you love about yourself."
"What major changes have taken place in your life in the past six months?"
"Right now Ifeel the gretltest sense ofneedfor ... "
"The problems or challenges I most want to overcome right now are... "
"The things that sap my energy that I most want to remove from my life are..."
"The place I feel stuck is, ., "
their engagement the night before.
"What's been the highlight (or low-light) ofyour week?"
"What s the most interesting thing that is going on with you right now?"
"What's the most significant thing that's happened with you since we last met?"
"Whats new that you'd like to share?"
steps written down, you'll want to work from the coachee's action list.
"Give me a briefprogress report on your action steps. "
on what needs to be done to keep moving forward.
"Which action steps from last time do we need to create follow-up steps for?"
"Are there any ofthese steps we need to discuss further?"
"What do we need to focus on today to keep you moving toward your goals?"
"What is on your agenda today? What do we need to make sure we talk about?"
send it to the coach.
coaching agenda and develop a new set of action items.
what you're going to do.
"So-what are your action steps for this next week?"
To create a personalized session prep form , just pick a question from each category.
• "What have I accomplished since our lost session?"
• "What are my wins or victories since we lost met?"
• "What am I thankful for this week?"
"What challenges am Ifacing right now?"
"Whats going on in my life right now that I want to talk to my coach about?"
"What obstacles have I run into since we lost met that I want to troubleshoot?"
• "Briefly list your progress on each ofyour action steps. "
• "What did I not get done, but want to be held accountable for?"
• "What tasks have I completed or made progress on? Where did I get stuck?"
• "What do I need to focus on today to keep moving toward my goals?"
• "How do I want to use my coach today?"
• "What do I want to get out ofthis session?"
before your second appointment and make that a part of your normal procedure.
in the area of tools and applications.
a barrier. You can join a tele-class from anywhere, so these programs are tops in convenience.
contact (or the temptation to multi-task during calls!).
structure sounds best for you?
To this point, the standard bearer for credentialing is the International Coach Federation.
weight with your target audience than your coaching credential.
understand what values the school conveys before you sign on.
helping the client develop potential solutions.
moment with the client instead of trying to plot out your next steps while they are talking.
with a friend or peer coach to develop your asking abilities.
person you are coaching. When you are just starting out, that's a handful!
next step on the fly.
job performance, getting organized or starting an exercise program.
processing what's going on in life.
demonstrate and explain what you do to individuals who are unfamiliar with coaching.
repetitions will put you well on your way to mastery.
demonstrating the coaching approach to a prospective client in a short time.
if the goal is vague, you'll have a hard time with the other steps in the GROW model.
• "What outcome would make this conversation a great success?"
• "What do you want to get out ofour time together?"
• "What specifically do you want to accomplish?"
• "What will be different as a result of working on this area?"
• "How can we make that goal measurable-so we know when you've achieved it?"
• "By when do you want to have this done?"
do you want to have accomplished?"
opposed to the person's subjective impressions of reality.
• "What is your weight (or monthly sales, or the state ofyour in-box) right now?"
• "When was the last time that happened?"
"Who else is involved in the situation, and how?"
"What have you tried already? Wbat difference did those actions make?"
"Which factors are most important in this matter?"
"What events or choices led you to this place?"
the client to do the hard work of thinking things through instead of making a lot of suggestions.
See page 41 for a variety of additional techniques for generating options.
• "Wbat could you do about this?"
• "Wbat other potential courses ofaction can you think oj?"
• "Let's shoot for at /east five potential solutions. What else could you do?"
• "Ifyou had unlimited resources and knew you couldn't fail, what would you try?"
• "What if this obstacle was removed? What would you do then?"
• "What could you do to overcome this obstacle? What are your options?"
• "Who could help you?"
• "Wbat have you seen others do that might work for you?"
This step is where you tum the preferred solution into concrete action steps with high buy-in.
obstacles or adjust the deadline of the step to increase the probability of a successful outcome.
• "Which option(s) do you want to pursue?"
• "Turn that into an action step: what will you do by when?"
• "What step could you take this week that would move you toward your goal?"
. What will you commit to doing?"
• "How could we alter that step to turn that 'six' into an 'eight'?"
• 'lire there any obstacles we need to address to make sure this step gets done?"
The book Coachingfor Performance by John Whitmore describes the GROW model in depth.
steps of action to move toward the goal.
"What do you want to accomplish through this coaching relationship?"
"Be specific: what will be different when you've reached this goal?"
"Can you think ofa way to quantify that so we can measure your progress?"
in-what change do you want to have made?"
the choices or actions ofothers?"
internal responses to what is happening (see Probing Questions, pg. 41-43).
"You mentioned that _ _. Can you say more about that?"
"Give me some background: what led up to your being in this situation?"
time that happened, including the details of what was said and done."
"What are the most important factors or players in this situation?"
"It sounds like _ _ is really important to you. Can you explain?"
• "What could you do here to move yourself toward your goal?"
• "What other options can you think oj?"
• "Let's shoot for at least five potential solutions. What else could you do?"
• "What have you done in similar situations in the past?"
toward their goal. Auseful framework is "Could Do>Want to>Will Do" covered on page 44.
generated J. What stands out to you in that list?"
• "Which options do you want to pursue?"
• "Which ofthese options will most effectively move you toward your goal?"
• "Make a choice: what's the hest solution?"
Now we'll tum the course of action the client has chosen into concrete steps with high buy-in.
Clearly verbalizing what will be done creates both commitment and accountability.
• "Let's turn that into an action step: what exactly will you do?"
• "What will you do by when?"
like to make that into an action step?"
hefore you move forward with this step?"
The hook Leadership Coaching by Tony Stoltzfus describes the Coaching Funnel in detail.
agenda they're motivated to work on.
• "Wbat do you most want to talk about today?"
• "What could we work on that would make the most difference for you?"
• "What's going on in life that's got your attention right now?"
• "What do you want more ofin lifo? What do you want less oj?"
to he what you were born to be, what would you be doing?"
ofpeace of mind? Where do you longfor more?"
"Tell me about a big dream that you've always wanted to go after. "
decision, a practical challenge you face, a transition, a dream, you name it. "
"What is getting in the way ofliving the life you want?"
"What do you most need that you don 't have to live a life ofpassion and purpose?"
"Ifone burden could be removedfrom you in the next 30 days, what would that be?"
would that be? What led you to choose that?"
"W1Jere are you stuck or not movingforward? What is frustrating your progress?"
"Wbat area oflife are you most motivated to improve?"
Qwnership. This is the person's own idea, slhe has bought into it and is committed to it.
fassion. There is energy around this goal. The person is motivated to pursue it.
Urgency. This isn't a someday thing: the person feels a strong need to act, now.
~ignificance. This is important, will make a real difference, and is worth sacrificing for.
"What's the growing edge for you as a leader right now? For your organization?"
"Wbat brings you 80%ofyour joy in leadership? Wbat's causing 80% ofyour stress?"
"What three things do you most want to change in the next 90 days?"
"What one thing do you need to focus on to take this organization to the next level?"
"Wbat stands in the way ofyou being the best in your market niche?"
dreams here to be achieved?"
"Wbat changes would make work an adventure again instead ofa drudgery?"
discuss which area to focus on to increase their satisfaction.
"Rank your satisfaction with each ofthese areas oflife from one to ten. "
"What stands out to you as you look at how you ranked these different areas?"
"Which area are you most motivated to work on?"
"Which area could we make the biggest difference with the kast amount ofeffort?"
"What kd you to singk out this category to work on?"
"What would a "ten" look like in that area?"
"What would it take to raise that 'six' to an 'eight'? How about to a 'ten'?"
home or apartment, office, car, etc.
"Be specific: what makes you satisfied/dissatisfied with your work?"
"How does your real-world career path compare with what you expected it to be?"
"Whats most important to you in ajob? How well does your current job supply that?"
• "What kd you to rank 'Money' as a _ _?"
• "What do you care about in this area oflife? What are your money values?"
"What would you like to see change this year in your finances?"
"How do the things you own enhance your life? And how do they detract from it?"
''Name some 'things' (i.e. somethingyou'd buy) you think would make you happy.
Which ones will really make the most difference?"
"What in your environment bothers you or drains your energy?"
"Ifyou could make one change in your living environment, what would it be?"
"What's the cutting edge for you right now in personal growth?"
"What skills, attributes or areas ofexpertise do you want to develop this year?"
"Where are you motivated to improve yourselfor your abilities right now?"
"What are you tolerating or coping with in this area?"
"Where do you need to take better care ofyour mind, emotions, or body?"
"Describe your social lifo for me. How satisfied are you with that?"
"What do you most want in afriend? Where are those kind ofpeople in your lifo?"
"How do you want to be involved in your community? What's your contribution?"
"Where are you serving others freely, just to give life away?"
"How do you experience your family/marriage right now?"
"Paint me a picture ofwhat a great marriage or family lifo would look like to you. "
"What are you committed to in this area?"
"Describe your relationship with God. What is it like?"
"What do you aspire to in this area? What is your ideal?"
"What is the gaP? What's missing?"
"How do you think God wants to meet you or relate to you?"
"What is the most important problem you want to solve?"
"What would make a !<lsting difference and not just a temporary one?"
"If making this change was easy, you'd have done it already, and without my help.
"What obstacles to change have you run into in the past in this area?"
the way you want it to?"
"Is this the first time you've dealt with this challenge, or have you faced it hefore?"
something you struggle with a lot?"
"What I'm hearing you say is that you can do this ifyou are just more disciplined.
Be honest with yourself has that workedfor you here in the past?"
of changing our situation-particularly when we don't control what's going on around us.
"Do you need to change your situation, or change the way you respond to it?"
"On a scale ofone to ten, how would you rate your attitude in this situation?"
better align your responses with your values?"
• "So far I've heard you talk about what others need to change for things to get better.
Just for the sake ofargument, let's say they never change. What would you do then?"
• "What in this situation is within your control, that you can realistically change?"
"What would it look like to conquer this once andfor all?"
naturally as breathing? Take a few moments and envision that with me. "
"What do you believe about your own ability to change in this area?"
energy behind that. What causes you to junction this way?"
hecause you choose to do so. What's leading you to make that choice?"
a great exercise to do with a peer coach and work through with each other.
you think the agenda should be. For the client, it is an important touchstone for staying focused.
discipline of developing clear, timed, important and reachable objectives.
"You said you want a 'more balanced life': define what you mean by 'more. '"
"How could you state this objective so your progress toward it is measurable?"
"Is this goal within your capabilities? Is it reasonably possible?"
'~re there any barriers or circumstances that preclude reaching this goal?"
" ~ is this important to you?"
"What are you wi/Jing to let go ofor cut from your schedule to work on this goal?"
"On a scale ofone to ten, how important is it to you to reach this goal?"
"By when wi/J you reach the goal? (Or by when will this he an established habit)?"
structured way will bring the solution, without even looking at options.
Aquestion that can't be answered with a simple "yes" or "no"
because we want to be led by the coachee's sense of what is important, not our own. A"Broad"
broad questions is a very efficient way to move the conversation onto the key agenda.
through a disagreement at work. Which of the follOWing two queries is broadest?
"What did you say in reply?"


We rejoice at the birth of John the Baptist a wonderful gift from God. Zechariah his father discovered God's plan for him in his Annunciation. He is told that he and Elizabeth will be gifted with a son and they will call him John. John means gracious gift and the choice of name was a grateful acknowledgment of the unexpected goodness of God in a gift of a son to them. When John is officially named, Zechariah's speech returns and he gives praise to God. The neighbours and friends are filled with wonder and awe and they ask what will this child turn out to be?
It is a natural question for any parent to ask with the birth of their child. Who are they like and what will they become? The people could see the hand of God was with him and he is blessed in his parents whose fidelity and faith is rewarded. He is to be the Elijah whose is to prepare the way of Jesus. John grew to maturity and through the example of his parents, love and faith he is prepared for mission. His elderly parents may not have been around to see him die but had witnessed his commitment as he grew up.He leaves home dressed in camel skin and living on locusts and wild honey. His life in the desert is one of self denial, integrity of life and purpose and an uncomprimising prophetic voice of the old pointing to the new. His voice was a sharp edged sword as he cried out in the wildernness.
Prepare the way of the Lord and he preached a baptism of repentance. He was calling the people back to a relationship with God. He would baptise with water but Jesus would baptise with the Holy Spirit. It didnt bring him glory and honour on earth. It brought him to a sad a lonely reality in Herod's dungeon as he stood for the truth.
John's whole life was to lead others in the right direction. His life was to serve God and lead others to God. His feast relates to the Summer solstice when the days become short reminding us He must increase and I must decrease. His life was not about serving himself or trying to make people happy. His life was about serving God and it is inviting us to think of what are we doing with our life? Where do I need to decrease in my life so that Jesus can increase. In the moments I spend by myself, can I do so for the Lord? In the moments I spend serving others can I do so for the Lord? In the moments I have difficulty loving people around me or even myself, can I do so for the Lord. What can I do daily so that my life points less to me and more to Jesus. Our feast today is pointing us to a better way of life and to give thanks for those who have helped us to become who we are meant to be.
Today we meditate on the second Servant Song from Isaiah. In this song Isaiah emphasises God's call to the servant from before birth. Have you noticed that, by selecting this text, the Church draws our attention to the Baptist's dedication to God while still in his mother's womb rather than to his subsequent ministry? Before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother's womb he has spoken my name. God is at the centre of the Baptist's whole life. God alone is his strength, and in God the whole world is his mission. Can we say something similar about our own lives? Where is God for us today? What is God asking us to do?
LORD, Adonai, your servant heard your call before he was born. You made his tongue like a sharpened sword, his life like a polished arrow. The shadow of your hand covered him as he called your people and the whole world back to you. Even though he felt like a failure he remained faithful. May we too respond to your loving call. May we, too, let your light shine in the world around us. May we, too, remain faithful. May we honour you and praise you. Now and forever. Amen.
Psalm 139 paints a glorious picture of God's beauty, power, presence and vision. Our God searches everything. Every moment and every action unfold in God's sight. The psalm also celebrates our human existence in all its dimensions as fully centred on God. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. In God's loving presence we come to know ourselves not only as lovingly known but as awesomely and wonderfully made. Do you see the connection to the Baptist's story? Do you see the reasons for prayerful gratitude and praise?
LORD, Adonai, how beautiful you are, how glorious! Your works are wonderful! You knit me together in my mother's womb. You are familiar with all my ways. You know me and search me afresh every day! All my comings and all my goings are open books before you. Even darkness is as light to you. You know me and hear me! You are with me and lead me! And so, with joy in my heart I lift my songs of thanks and praise to you. I glory in the wonders of your creation. May the whole world rejoice in the wonders of your glorious presence. Now and forever. Amen.
Today we turn our attention to one of the great speeches in the Acts of the Apostles. It takes the form of a sermon on the life and ministry of Jesus. The section from which it comes recites the main events of salvation history: Egypt, David, the Baptist, Jesus. Note how the story of Jesus begins with John the Baptist rather than Jesus' own birth. The Baptist is portrayed as the Precursor. The Venerable Bede puts it like this: The great forerunner of the morn, the herald of the world is born. The tradition also pictures the Baptist as prophet, voice, lamp, herald, friend of the bridegroom, baptiser of the Saviour, forerunner of the king, martyr. John stood for justice and lost his life. Where do we stand?
Lord Jesus, thank you for sending your message of salvation to us today. How awesome the workings of your Spirit in the history of the world, preparing the way before you. Thank you for John the Baptist whose birth we celebrate today. Thank you for his prophetic ministry. Our forebears honoured him as your prophet, voice, lamp, herald, friend, baptiser, forerunner and martyr. He stood with courage for justice and salvation. Raise up many men and women today with similar courage and qualities. May we stand with you. May we, too, like you and the Baptist, care for the poor and the oppressed. Now and forever. Amen.
The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had shown her so great a kindness, they shared her joy.
Now on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother spoke up. 'No,' she said 'he is to be called John.' They said to her, 'But no one in your family has that name', and made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. The father asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, 'His name is John.' And they were all astonished. At that instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God. All their neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea. All those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. 'What will this child turn out to be?' they wondered. And indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.
Meanwhile the child grew up and his spirit matured. And he lived out in the wilderness until the day he appeared openly to Israel.
The gospel tells the story of the birth, circumcision, and naming of John the Baptist. Elizabeth's neighbours and relatives rejoice with her because she had been childless. With the words, the Lord magnified his mercy upon her, Luke emphasises the central role played by God's grace in the story of John the Baptist. According to custom, circumcision took place eight days after birth and the child was named at that time. It was common for the wider community to participate in the naming process. But Elizabeth and Zechariah surprised those present by insisting that the new-born was to be called John. Not surprisingly, the return of Zechariah's voice was viewed as miraculous. With God's grace so obviously at work, the scene was set for the events that would later unfold during John's ministry. And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel. Are you ready to be a light with him?
Lord Jesus, we, too, share Elizabeth's joy. We, too, rejoice at the birth of the one who prepared the way before you. Open our lips as you did for Zechariah. Grant your Church the courage to witness to your great love and compassion, especially in difficult times, and in times of danger. Give us a share in the Baptist's work, a share in his vision. Share with us his grace-filled commitment to you from the very first moments of his existence. May your hand be with us! May your light guide us! May our oneness with you grow deeper! May your compassion inspire us in all we do and say! Now and forever. Amen.
"I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of woman, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen" (Mt 11,11). There could not be any testimony more worthy of belief than that which comes from the mouth of Jesus. The Church today, in celebrating the birth of this man, a prophet of God and the precursor of the Messiah, is honouring the esteem and devotion that Jesus had for him. And we have good reason: Christians of our day can learn something very profound about God from the life of John the Baptist. His figure and his destiny remind us of his mission to the world, and help us to understand its consequences.
When her time was due. Elizabeth gave birth to a son about whom many extraordinary things were already being said. Her pregnancy was extraordinary, since she was barren, and consequently it brought even greater joy than usual. The participation of neighbours and relatives in the joy of the birth was normal. God is at the origin of all life and it was evident that this needs to be celebrated. The joy was limited to family and friends, and was not shared by all the people. Their messiah had not yet come.
The law prescribed circumcision on the eighth day (Lev 12,3). On receiving the sign of the covenant (Gen 17,11) the child became part of the chosen people and heir to God's promises. In the beginning, the child was named at birth (Gen 21,3). Later the naming came to coincide with the ceremony of circumcision. It was not usual for the child to be given the father's name, but he received his name from the father (Ruth 4,17). Contrary to all expectations and contrary to custom, in this case it was the mother who announced the name that God had revealed to her husband. Elizabeth was acting in accordance with the will of God. The family were unaware of this and it was not unreasonable for them to disagree and ask the father to intervene. He cannot speak and, as if he were also deaf, they made a sign to ask his opinion. The father is entitled to the last word. He wrote the name on a tablet of wood. All present were amazed that the parents agreed on the name, but they did not realize the deep significance of what was happening. Zechariah gave the child the name that God had given (Lk 1,13)!
As soon as he obeyed, Zechariah's speech was restored. The man who became dumb when he did not believe, received his voice again when he obeyed God's word. Without giving any explanation of what had happened, he began to bless God. He recovered his voice in order to praise God again. Despite the fact that he had not believed God, he was able to obey him and then to praise him. Here we see a perfect example of the journey that leads to the praise of God – he returns from incredulity and his silence is transformed into prayer.
Fear is the normal reaction when a miracle is foretold. Those who witness the divine power are afraid at the time, but they later become witnesses for the whole region (Lk 1,39). All who came to know of what had happened, took it seriously. The believer is not satisfied with overcoming amazement, but tries to find the meaning of the event, and acknowledges that hand of God behind what has happened. This inevitably leads to questions about the future of the child (Lk 1,80).
John's birth marks the fulfilment of God's promise. The incredulous father is changed into a man of prayer, when he submits to the divine will. It is only then, after the relatives and neighbours have assisted with joy at the event, that they perceive the hand of God at work in what has happened. Elizabeth comes to know the name that God has given the child and Zechariah accepts the name, at the same time accepting this child as a gift from God. The relatives sense something special, and their joy at the new life prompts them to search for its significance. Without understanding fully, they are already preparing to discover the hand of God in the history of his people.
Doubt took away the father's speech. Obedience restored it. Naming the newborn child was an exercise of his authority as father, and it implied recognizing this child as his son. The prophecy of the birth of a son took him by surprise. Now this child will have a name, and a mission that surpassed all his father's hopes. His birth was a sign of God's mercy and his name would recall God's mercy forever more. Nobody knew yet what God intended by the birth of this child, but the child's father knew that he was the fruit of God's grace. Something great was to be expected of him since his life had begun in such extraordinary circumstances. Zechariah had learnt one thing – God's plan must be obeyed. Unfortunately we continue to put obstacles in the way of God's kindness towards his people, as Zechariah did before the birth of his son. We are unable to believe that God could love us so much, and so we refuse to obey. God cannot be more merciful towards us, because we do not pay him enough attention, and we are afraid to obey him because we do not know where our obedience will lead. And so we are lost.
We still have something to learn from God, we who today are celebrating the birth of John the Baptist. Like his father Zechariah, we should understand that God wants to find obedience in the people he chooses to become partners in his plan. When he comes near his people, God looks for those who are always obedient to his will. All the years of their marriage, before their son was conceived, Elizabeth and Zechariah had desired and often prayed for a child. When God showed that he was ready to answer their prayer, freeing them from the opprobrium of childlessness, they could not believe it – they did not trust God. God had made them wait so long that, when he did grant them a child, they thought it was no longer possible. God had not forgotten their wish. He was slow in responding so that it would be clear that the son that was born to them in their old age was not the fruit of their desires but proof of God's kindness.
The father's doubt led to his loss of speech, and only obedience could restore it. He did not trust God and he remained dumb, but when he gave the newborn child its name, he recovered his speech. The son, whose birth came as a surprise, will now have a name and a mission in life, contrary to all expectations. His birth is proof of God's mercy and his name will recall God's mercy forever. His name had to be John because his life was a gift from God, and he could have no other purpose in life than to offer it to God. None of his family knew yet what God intended to do with this child, but his father knew that he was the fruit of God's grace and he could not remain silent. He wrote the name on a tablet and as a result he recovered his speech. Zechariah, who could not speak when he started to doubt, recovered his speech when he returned to being obedient.
What happened to Zechariah should serve us as a warning and an example. The father had to learn something which he either did not know or did not want to know, even though he was a strong believer and a zealous priest. God normally helps those who ask for his help, but in order to act God must make servants of those who ask. Every plan of God requires people who will do his will. When God gives his grace he expects to find obedience. Refusing to obey transforms us into mute spectators of his salvation.
The worst thing of all is that – like Zechariah before the birth of his son – we continue to prevent God showing kindness to his people, because we are incapable of believing that he loves us so much. God cannot be more merciful to us because we pay him so little attention. We do not allow him to give us what we desire most, because we are not ready to have him as our only Lord. We lose interest in him and we ignore his demands for further obedience. And so, foolishly, we lose the grace of God, and our world loses the forerunners of Christ that God planned to send.
The really tragic thing is that anyone who remains silent about the grace that God has shown him, or hides the gifts he has received from God, is not only guilty of disobedience and ingratitude to God, but also becomes a dumb and therefore useless witness to the world. It serves God little if those who receive his gifts do not have the courage to make them known. In order to convince the world, God still needs believers who speak what they know and bear witness to God's goodness towards them. For as long as those of us who have received grace from God continue to opt for silence, the world around us will not know that it can count on a God who is all mercy. Our world is missing people like John the Baptist who will devote their whole lives to telling the world how good God is.
This is precisely the mission of every Christian. Jesus still has need of witnesses who, like John the Baptist, will go before him proclaiming that God is still interested in us, that God desires that we become better, and he wants to be even closer to us than he is at present. It should be clear to us in today's world that God is present among our contemporaries, but he is so much undervalued by us that fewer and fewer of those who do not believe go to the bother even of denying his existence. We find it hard to believe in God's goodness because we are so aware of our own evil. This makes it all the more urgent to find believers who take God and his mercy seriously. Nowadays, Christians are like Zechariah who remained silent about the gift God had given him. We close ourselves in our silence, choosing to keep to ourselves what we know about God. We refuse to be God's witnesses and forerunners of his Son in the world.
God gains very little by being good to us if we then keep quiet about it. When Jesus began preaching the Kingdom of God, he found the road prepared, because John the Baptist had gone before him, calling the people to conversion and offering the grace of God. John was able to do so because he knew that life was a gift from God, and a chance to receive God's grace and forgiveness. John did not keep quiet about the grace he had received. He did not keep it to himself. He went around preaching, preparing the people for the one who was to come. That is what we celebrate today, the reason for our celebration. Unlike his father, Zechariah, John did not keep quiet about the grace of God. He wanted all the people to receive what he had received. It was not enough for him to know that God had been good to him. He dedicated himself, body and soul, to ensure that his people would know the goodness of God. He felt an urgent need to become the forerunner of Jesus in the proclamation of the Kingdom.
If we bear witness to Jesus privately only, if he is absent in our families, if God has not yet become present in our lives, if his Kingdom is still to come, then we have all the pre-requisites to start proclaiming what we know of God. As long as God is still absent in the lives of people around us, and Christ has not yet come again in our world, we, as Christians, have an obligation to go before him and prepare a way for him. Jesus came into our world for the first time when John the Baptist had prepared the way. He is waiting now for us to take seriously our mission so that he can come again into the world. Why then are we waiting? Why do we not devote ourselves wholeheartedly to what God wants of us, to become witnesses of his Son … until he comes again?
Who we are meant to be? from Salesians of Don Bosco Ireland on Vimeo.


Connect with us on campus! Join us for an upcoming event and explore our two campuses in Rockville, MD! From open houses and information sessions to events for preschoolers and summer camp fairs, we have something for everyone!
We also encourage you to join us for a personal tour at your convenience. Submit our online inquiry form or email admissions@cesjds.org to set up your tour!


This morning we will walk on the the oldest, largest and best preserved city walls in China, Xian City Wall which is rectangular in shape and has a total length of 14 kilometers. As one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world, it was constructed with a moat, drawbridges, watch towers, corner towers, parapet walls and gate towers. Next we will visit Shaanxi History Museum. Considered one of China's most exceptional museums, this museum's exhibits range from ancient bronze tools to Ming and Qing dynasty artifacts. Later we will walk along the square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda. As the symbol of Xian, Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a well-preserved ancient building constructed in 652. Fly to Guilin late in the afternoon. Guilin is world famous for its serene landscapes and mysterious limestone formations which make Guilin one of the most photographed city in China.
This morning we will cruise the Li River. Cruisng the 83-kilometer-long waterway from Guilin to Yangshuo is like traveling along a traditional Chinese painting. The landscape is decorated with startling hills, steep cliffs, fantastic caves and farming villages, and is lined with bamboo. In a Chinese poem it is written: "The river is a green silk ribbon, and the hills are jade hairpins". Upon arrival at Yangshuo we will walk along the famous West Street. Back to Guilin in the afternoon we will visit the Two Rivers & Four Lakes Scenic Area. These lakes and rivers are linked up and formed Guilin's central round-the-city water system which make Guilin just like a grand beautiful park.
We will visit the Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill in the morning. The Reed Flute Cave got its name from the verdant reeds growing outside it, with which people make flutes. Inside this water-eroded cave is a spectacular world of various stalactites, stone pillars and rock formations formed by carbonate deposition. Illuminated by colored lighting, the fantastic spectacle is found in many variations along this 240-meter-long cave. Elephant Trunk Hill gets its name because its shape resembles an elephant's trunk drinking up water from the Li River below. being one of Guilin's most popular sights, the Elephant Trunk Hill is regarded as the symbol of Guilin. Fly to Chongqing and board Victoria series cruise ship after diner in Chongqing.


text:
Front Page > Swindon Life > Glorious is on the right track for its new home
swindon pub guide
eat swindon
swindon shop & style
leisure/sport
swindon life
the legend of the moonrakers
your number's up
skies over swindon
east street
guide to swindon
swindonweb A-Z
Date added: 15 June 2007
Glorious is on the right track for its new home
Inch by inch, minute by minute, one of Swindon STEAM Museum's most familiar sights has set forth for a new home back on the tracks.
The class 50 diesel, No. 50033, named Glorious, is leaving Swindon to be used for a pioneering project called 'RailSchool'.
A new initiative, based in London, where young people can learn about the railway industry, including discovering how diesel Locomotives are designed and operate.
On its way:
Glorious is manouvered out of the STEAM Museam
"It's brilliant that Glorious will be a vital part of the RailSchool project," commented STEAM curator, Felicity Jones, "but we're sad to see her go."
"Swindon is delighted to be involved with this worthwhile as innovative venture and Glorious will be given a new lease of life as a working Locomotive."
Glorious's move from STEAM
"We're deeply moved by the generosity of STEAM," said Neil Howard, RailSchool Project Director, "this project is about creating a working railway that will launch thousands of new recruits into life-long careers over the next few years."
Glorious, which will travel to it's new home via the M4, will be practiced on a disused line, between North Woolwich and Custom House, which closed last year.
Glorious is on the right track for its new home - 15/06/2007
STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Courtesy of the New Yorker Festival
French, French-Canadian, italian, Jewish, literary festival
by New York Latin Culture Magazine on September 1, 2017
New Yorker Festival 2017 gets writers and thinkers talking
The New Yorker Festival is a literary festival produced by The New Yorker magazine.
2017 New Yorker Festival
At multiple venues in Manhattan Friday – Sunday, October 6 – 8, 2017.
Italian-American filmmaker Sofia Coppola talks with Richard Brody about the substance of style at the MasterCard Stage at the SVA Theatre in Chelsea, Manhattan at 10pm. $59
Fearless! Life on the edge brings together American rock climber Alex Honnold, Italian skydiver Roberta Mancino, French New Yorker high wire artist Philippe Petit, and American long distance swimmer Diana Nad. Moderated by Deborah Triesman. MasterCard Stage at SVA Theatre in Chelsea, Manhattan at 10am. $49
French-Jewish-American chef Anthony Bourdain talks with Patrick Radden Keefe about parts known and unknown at the Society for Ethical Culture in the Upper West Side at 10pm. $79
Italian-American actor John Turturro talks with Hilton ALS about New York character at the MasterCard Stage at SVA Theatre in Chelsea, Manhattan at 10pm. $59
Sunday, October 8
French-Canadian illustrator Barry Blit talks with French New York designer Françoise Mouly about the cover image at the MasterCard Stage at SVA Theatre in Chelsea, Manhattan at 4:30pm. $39
Get tickets at festival.newyorker.com
The media of record for world-class Latin American, African, Indigenous and European culture in New York City, the capital of the Latin world. Working for Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, New York City Center, Live Nation and more of New York City's leading cultural organizations since 2012.


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Eoin Morgan: England will have aggressive approach against Pakistan in amazing Ageas Bowl atmosphere
England captain Eoin Morgan is looking forward to putting on a great show at the Ageas Bowl against Pakistan. Picture: Gareth Copley/Getty Images
With the Ageas Bowl's Royal London ODI between England and Pakistan fast approaching, England captain Eoin Morgan is looking forward to the upcoming 50-over series ahead of this summer's ICC Cricket World Cup.
Tickets for the highly-anticipated 50-over clash have been in extremely high demand and the bumper crowd will no doubt create an electric atmosphere as England begin their preparation for their biggest summer yet against Sarfaraz Ahmed's side.
All remaining tickets and hospitality packages for England v Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl can be purchased online viawww.ageasbowl.com, over the phone on 0844 847 1863 or in person from the Ageas Bowl Ticketing and Membership Office during normal working hours.
Eoin Morgan is banking on a very positive approach from the team on the south coast for the match on Saturday, May 11.
He said: 'The Ageas Bowl certainly holds a special place in my heart, we've had great success here and it's a great place to come. Every international I've played here has been an amazing atmosphere.
'The identity of the team is that we play positive, aggressive, smart cricket and we give absolutely everything when we go out onto the field and that's identifiable in every game that we play.'
A host of free, family-friendly activities will be available on-site at next weekend's fixture, all of which can be enjoyed for free, with a climbing wall, giant inflatables, laser quest, power-hitting net, catching challenge and kids coaching, as well as post-match entertainment all featuring.
Similar activities have been installed on-site for England's Internationals at the venue for the previous five years, and the provision demonstrates the Ageas Bowl's continued efforts to introduce International cricket to the next generation of fans.
The venue was recognised for its outstanding family experience at last December's ECB's Business of Cricket Awards, taking home the 'Welcome Families Award' for its commitment to delivering unforgettable family days out.
The Ageas Bowl's Head of Customer Experience, Greig Stewart said: 'We're committed to inspiring the next generation of cricket fans and offering a whole range of family-friendly activities once again at this summer's ODI highlights this. These activities will help offer a fantastic experience to all families visiting our venue for what's sure to be a thrilling spectacle.'


History Boleslawiec (Bunzlauer) stoneware originated as folk art in the early 1800's in the German province of Silesia. The name Bunzlauer comes from the name of the then German town of Bunzlau, which is now part of the Polish town of Boleslawiec. This city is located on the Bobr River in southwestern Poland near the German and Czech border. This entire region has a history of pottery making dating back to the early 7th century. Early pieces from the 1700's and 1800's were used by farmers as storage pieces and had a chocolate colored glaze. At the end of the 19th century, the potters of Bunzlauer began to introduce new lines of pottery intended for use in the parlor.
Bunzlauer pottery experienced a renaissance in the early 1900's that introduced the "Jugendstil" movement - - the German equivalent of Art Nouveau. During this time, the "Pfauenauge" or Peacock's Eye" became the universally accepted trademark decoration now produced in the area. The 1920's brought a trend towards more colors in response to the Art Deco movement. After World War II, the region of Silesia was annexed to Poland and the majority of the German population was expelled. After the war, the region was rebuilt and pottery factories soon reopened.
Today in the small village of Boleslawiec, Poland, skilled artists still individually handcraft and hand paint each piece of pottery using a hand-stamping technique and free-hand design.
Today's Traditional Patterns are the evolution of the original efforts of J.G. Altman. Using the "punching" technique of hand stenciling, highly skilled artists create an array of designs and colors inspired by the local environment and culture, as well as nature. Unlike the series of patterns, there is no limit in production for these patterns, and the largest pool of artists combine to satisfy the demand. Their prices represent the base price for our selection of Polish pottery. Considering the value, Traditional Patterns are a great place to start or enhance a collection.
Unikat (meaning "Unique") Patterns take artistry to the next level, not only for the consumer, but for the artist as well. As an artist's skills progress, they are encouraged to progress to a higher level with the challenge of the Unikat patterns. These designs display more intricate detail and incorporate a greater number of elements and colors. Identified by the "UNIKAT" stamp on the bottom, sometimes above the artist's initials or name, these patterns are more time and labor intensive, involving greater stamping skills and in many cases, hand painting. Our selection of Unikat patterns is affordable at the mid-level price point.
Artists achieving the highest level of artistic accomplishment, the true "masters" of their art, earn the privilege of creating their own designs from beginning to end. Since these artists are responsible for the painting of every piece produced with this design, it limits the supply, making them treasured collector items. Signature Products bear the UNIKAT stamp on the bottom along with the signature &/or initials of the artist. The painstaking attention to detail and design is evident in the beauty of each Signature piece. Each piece is a work of art and shows the finest designs currently coming from the Bolesławiec ceramics community. Our selection of Signature patterns are still reasonably priced and represent the highest level of useful and collectible pieces.


64 GB variant is totally worth it.. The performance and the response time of this phone is amazing..
All people who are criticising this phone for its size need to understand that not everyone wants a huge phone with big screen. Some of us want a small phone with powerful specs and for us this phone makes a lot of sense. Because before this phone came to market we the few compact phone lovers were just left out by all manufacturers and we had to adjust with phones which lacked powerful hardware. But things have changed with this phone.
It has been over 2 months since I bought the product and as expected the product is working properly with no defects or flaw experienced as to whatsoever.
The features showcased has lived up to it's words.
About the delivery, it was delivered to me on the date requested and in a good and neat condition.
P.S- Please buy a cover immediately with the product due to its slippy aluminium body.
This is not good for coustemer.. iphone se 64 gb 43,000 price is so bad. Showe room price is 27,000. Tis is vry vry bad flipkart sevice..
Q:which is best between iPhone se and iPhone 6 ???
A:Yes battery backup amazing and good backup.full charge 100% after one day Sufficient all out going &in coming call ,net use.and good mobile.
Q:can i write on this with my finger?
Q:Can I connect my JBL Bluetooth ear phone.


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3 Burmese towns in Top 10 fastest growing destinations: Agoda
September 13, 2016 in Lead Story, News280by DVB
The Burmese towns of Moulmein, Hpa-an and Hsipaw are among the fastest growing destinations in Asia for European tourists, according to online travel reservation giant Agoda.
In a press release today, the Singapore-based hotel and flight booking agent announced a list of its top ten Asian destinations that are seeing the fastest growth in visitors from Europe over the past 12 months, based on booking data from millions of Agoda.com customers.
Among the top ten were three cities in Japan, Siquijor Island in the Philippines (listed as number one), a resort each in Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia, and the three towns in Burma, officially known as Myanmar.
"Bookings in Mawlamyine [Moulmein], capital of the Mon State, nearly doubled from 2014," said the press release. "The town is known for its colonial period architecture and bustling waterfront, while the charming town of Hpa-an, surrounded by picturesque mountains, saw bookings by Europeans up 85 percent versus last year."
The third Burmese destination, Hsipaw, is situated among the tea plantations of Shan State, and is famed for a cliff-hugging railway journey from Mandalay. In recent years it has become popular with hikers and nature enthusiasts.
"Some amazing destinations in Myanmar are slowly opening up thanks to improving infrastructure. The traditional tourist loop – which used to include just Yangon [Rangoon], Mandalay and Bagan – is expanding," said Errol Cooke of Agoda.
Burma's tourism authorities are taking strides to entice greater visitor numbers. Less than two weeks ago, the Ministry of Immigration announced that three border checkpoints are now open to foreigners entering from Thailand with e-visas.
The new border crossings will allow overland access to Moulmein, Hpa-an and Hsipaw, which are each located in ethnic regions of eastern Burma.
agoda Hpa-an Hsipaw moulmein tourism travel
Burma pledges to relocate hotels from Bagan archaeological site
Rangoon–Moulmein railway upgrade on track
Hsipaw court returns items confiscated from 3 journalists
Family members visit detained DVB journalist
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North American Surveillance Systems, (NASS) is expanding its capabilities with new simulator training designed specifically for the world's top-selling ISR cameras.
NASS has now added this very specialized training for pilots and operators to maximize their skills with the FLIR Star Safire and L-3 WESCAM MX Series EO/IR sensor systems, according to company officials.
"The simulator provides pilots and operators with realistic EO/IR experience before beginning instruction in the aircraft and can also supplement aircraft training. They can train in basic ALE, Counter-Sniper, Counter-IED, SAR, VIP Protection scenarios," said Richard McCourt, NASS President.
The NASS simulator will enable pilots and operators to "train to proficiency," he said.
The system is deployable, facilitating instruction at clients' locations worldwide as well as at NASS' hangar and operations facility located at the Deland Municipal Airport just north of Orlando, Florida.


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42°35'N 80°15'W
Long Point. 24/05/82; Ontario; 13,730 ha; 42°35'N 080°15'W. Biosphere Reserve; National Wildlife Area. A sandy spit, of marshes, wet meadows, wooded swamps, beaches and dunes. The microclimate has led to the development of unusual plant associations. Many plant species occur at the extreme northern limit of their range and include 3 endemic and 42 species rare in Ontario. A major resting and feeding area for migratory waterbirds. Up to 30,000 Cygnus c. columbianus pass through in spring, and more than 10% of the world populations of Aythya valisineria and A. americana congregate in spring and fall. An important stop-over point for migratory land birds, bats and the butterfly Danaus plexippus. 26 species of reptiles and amphibians occur in the area, including several threatened species. A research facility exists and there is managed duck hunting. Ramsar site no. 237. Most recent RIS information: 2001.
Administrative region:
Global international designation:
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
National legal designation:
national wildlife area
environmental protection area
Last publication date:
Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS)
CA237RIS.pdf
Archived RIS
CA237RISformer1993_EN.pdf
Additional reports and documents
Other published literature
CA237lit1999_EN.pdf


bstract: A woman-centred psychotherapist talks about what it takes to become a phenomenal, strong, and empowered woman. The key? Speaking your truth regardless of what other people do or say.
The inspiration for this article came to me after I watched a video of a speech Marianne Williamson gave on Feb 17th, 2005, at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. Some anonymous blessed soul e-mailed me the link and I thank you whomever you are.
Ms. Williamson is one of my favourite phenomenal women, and I own a copy of nearly every recorded talk she�s given and listen to them regularly. But my Goddess, this particular speech, given to hundreds of women in a very important spiritual landmark in the USA, absolutely blew me out of the water and is definitely of the �goosebump� variety. The only thing I can compare it to in terms of electrifying intensity and deep resonance is the feeling I get when I listen to Aretha Franklin�s live recording of �Amazing Grace�. I get shivers up and down my spine and goosebumps everywhere.
You see, the difference between the divas/queens in question and myself is that they have given up the terrible habit of second-guessing themselves all the time and �shrinking so that other people won�t feel insecure around them� (a fabulous line from a famous Marianne Williamson poem). To put it simply, THEY OWN THEIR POWER AND USE IT TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
What separates the princesses from the queens? I would say it�s one thing and one thing only: GUTS. Being a queen and speaking your truth take guts; otherwise known as COURAGE. It takes guts to speak your mind when others disagree and will try to knock you down. It takes courage to protect yourself and your children from harm by saying �NO� when you are threatened with financial ruin, abandonment, and loss of approval from others.
I have a theory and I�m sure it�s not unique. However, many of my clients find it helpful. Here it is: women get stronger, more resilient, and wiser with age and as they do, old fears begin to melt away and they find their true voice and stop pretending to be the �perfect� wife, daughter, mother, sibling, friend, etc. that they thought they had to be. In other words, they no longer care so much about what others think about them. To me, this sounds like Nirvana indeed!
I find this especially true of women going through menopause. I am blessed to have many of these fabulous women as clients and they teach me so much. I can�t tell you how many times I�ve heard a menopausal client tell me that they�ve come to a place in their lives where they�ve finally given up trying to be �liked� by everybody and that basically, those around them can �like it or lump it� (i.e., the new woman they�ve become).
I tell you, I cannot wait for that day! I�m sick and tired of caring so much about what others think about me or how they see me. Granted, hot flashes don�t sound so great, nor does lying in bed every night unable to sleep staring blankly at the ceiling, but the sense of coming into one�s own so profoundly sure does.
And at the age of 36, I am well aware that menopause may be a long way off. So in the meantime, I am doing my very best to become more courageous by giving words to my convictions more and more. I do this in baby steps but am so proud of myself when I succeed. I also encourage my clients to do the same and they too, are experiencing more confidence and pluck as a result.
A recent example is of a very-pregnant woman who wanted to have her baby with just her husband and midwife and doctor there whose family insisted on showing up to the impending birth. With some support and coaching, she was finally able to tell these family members that this arrangement �wasn�t going to work� for her and her husband and prevented a catastrophe from happening. Even though they didn�t like it, they are honouring what she has asked for. She is feeling a lot calmer and in control as a result.
Try pretending you don�t care what others think of you or say about you behind your back - your brain doesn�t know the difference. In other words, �fake it �til you make it�.
Surround yourself with courageous women who have walked the same path and come out the other side (hint: women who have gone through menopause can be great role models).
Take a stand and speak your truth even if it scares the $%@& out of you. Start off small with people who don�t totally intimidate you and work your way up from there.
Lastly, give yourself a pat on the back when you follow through with acts of courage and tell yourself you�re on the right path; that this is only the beginning of greater things to come.
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text:
ACCEPTED

#### According to
Index Fungorum

#### Published in
Trans. Am. microsc. Soc. 84: 505 (1965)

#### Original name
Stictina lechleri Müll. Arg.

### Remarks
null

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Hodgesia psectropus är en tvåvingeart som beskrevs av Edwards 1930. Hodgesia psectropus ingår i släktet Hodgesia och familjen stickmyggor. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Stickmyggor
psectropus

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Filtering and grouping rows in one DataFrame, by another DataFrame I have two DFs. I want to iterate through rows in DF1 and filter all the rows in DF2 with same id and get  column"B" value in new columns of DF1.
data = {'id': [1,2,3]}
df1 = pd.DataFrame(data)

data = {'id': [1, 1, 3,3,3], 'B': ['ab', 'bc','ad','ds','sd']}
df2 = pd.DataFrame(data)

DF1 - id (15k rows)
DF2 - id, col1 (50M rows)
Desired output
data = {'id': [1,2,3],'B':['[ab,bc]','[]','[ad,ds,sd]']}
pd.DataFrame(data)

def func(df1):
    temp3=df2.merge(pd.DataFrame(data=[df1.values]*len(df1),columns=df1.index),how='right',on=
    ['id'])
    temp1 = temp3.B.values
    return temp1
df1['B']=df1.apply(func,axis=1))

I am using merge for filtering and applying lambda function on df1. The code is taking 1 hour to execute on large data frame. How to make this run faster ?

A: Are you looking for a simple filter and grouped listification?
df2[df2['id'].isin(df1['id'])].groupby('id', as_index=False)[['B']].agg(list)

   id             B
0   1      [ab, bc]
1   2      [ca, as]
2   3  [ad, ds, sd]

Note that grouping as lists is considered suboptimal in terms of performance.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Arthur Haas (1969) is a concept artist from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He specializes in environment design and concept art for the entertainment industry and has a passion for science fiction. Arthur works as a freelance artist for major Hollywood film studios and international book publishers.


text:
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Howard Stern to Induct Bon Jovi Into Rock Hall of Fame
"I am so honored that you asked me. I am thrilled to do it," shock jock tells rocker Wednesday
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Howard Stern will induct Bon Jovi into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at a ceremony this April in Cleveland.
Theo Wargo/Getty
Howard Stern will induct Bon Jovi into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the Hall's annual ceremony this April in Cleveland. Jon Bon Jovi visited The Howard Stern Show Wednesday morning where he revealed why the shock jock was his top choice.
"The truth is, I had hoped this day was going to come and … initially you think about these big rock stars and the truth is I only had one choice," Bon Jovi said. "Our careers have paralleled in a lot of ways – whether it was the ups or the downs – we've come through everything together and we do this at this point because we love the people we work with … and the truth is nobody knows not only me but the members of the band as well as Howard."
"I am so honored that you asked me. I am thrilled to do it," Stern said.
The Rock Hall's Class of 2018 also includes Nina Simone, Dire Straits, Moody Blues, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and the Cars. The 33rd annual induction ceremony will take place April 14th at Cleveland's Public Hall. The ceremony will be broadcast on SiriusXM as well as HBO.
On Tuesday night, Bon Jovi appeared on the Late Show With Stephen Colbert to talk the Rock Hall honor. "It truly does me a lot. We had been looked over a couple times, and it's really an honor to consider you being in the same building as the greatest of the greats, whether it's Elvis or the Beatles or the Stones," Bon Jovi said. "Just the idea that the music that you made has been known to generations of people makes you feel good."
In This Article: Bon Jovi,	Howard Stern,	Rock and Roll Hall of Fame


text:
You are at:Home»CEE News»Cracow Scientists Created A Substance That Strongly Inhibits Coronavirus
Cracow Scientists Created A Substance That Strongly Inhibits Coronavirus
By Tetiana Shataieva on April 13, 2020 CEE News, COVID-19, In Poland
A team of scientists from Jagiellonian University developed a substance that is unique in the world and might cure the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection.
It's already been tested on animals and shown no toxicity.
The researchers are looking for a commercial partner to continue with the study.
The substance was created by scientists from the Małopolska Center of Biotechnology of the Jagiellonian University under the supervision of prof. Krzysztof Pyrć and dr Aleksandra Milewska and from the Faculty of Chemistry of the Jagiellonian University under the supervision of prof. Maria Nowakowska and prof. Krzysztof Szczubiałka.
Moreover, the research was conducted in cooperation with scientists from the University of Gdańsk, the Silesian Center for Heart Diseases and research teams from China.
The substance developed by scientists is a chemical compound called HTCC. It was created on the basis of chitosan – a compound obtained from shrimps or mushrooms – and binds to the spike protein that forms the virus 'crown', blocking its interaction with the cell receptor and, as a consequence, the virus entering the cell.
'We have developed an effective inhibitor of the coronaviral infection, which blocks the entry of the virus to the host cell. The inhibitor has been tested for most of the human coronaviruses (MERS-CoV, HCoVNL63, HCoVOC43, HCoV-229E, HCoVHKU1) and some animal coronaviruses (e.g., feline infectious peritonitis virus, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus) and was highly effective in all the cases,' Head at the Laboratory of Virology and ABSL3 Animal Facility prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Pyrć said.
It strongly inhibits SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection, but also its no less dangerous cousin MERS-CoV.
The work was carried out using not only the standard cell model but also an advanced system modeling the fully differentiated epithelium of the human respiratory system. This is one of the most perfect models that allow the analysis of the infection in the human body.
'We have tested the effectiveness in two model systems – in vitro using cell lines and ex vivo, using reconstituted 3D human respiratory tract epithelium organ cultures (HAE cultures), the likes of which usually undergo a process similar to freeze drying (through machinery like that seen on www.sciquip.co.uk/products/freeze-dryers-and-lyophilizers) to preserve and give them longevity. The compound was not tested in the clinic yet. However, we've already tested the compounds in rats, and after oral delivery, there was no toxicity observed.'
Virologist Prof. Krzysztof Pyrć stated that the innovation created by their team is unique in the world.
The project is supported by the subsidy from the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education for the research on the SARS-CoV-2 and a grant from the National Science Center.
The technology is owned by the Jagiellonian University and protected by a patent.
Further studies still have to be conducted.
Before the developed substance can be given to patients, it must be approved for human use. Until now, HTCC has only been tested on animals. These preliminary studies showed that the administration of the substance by inhalation to rodents did not cause toxicity or deterioration of lung function. Nevertheless, research into the safety of HTCC for humans is needed.
The team of researchers needs a commercial or institutional partner for further development and clinical trials.
'We already have some interested parts, but no decisions are taken so far. We would like to go for the ADME-Tox and will aim for months not years,' added prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Pyrć.
The scientists believe their results are a promising first step towards drug development. The report, showing HTCC anti-virus activity, can be found here.
coronavirus covid-19 covid-19 cure drug Cracow Jagiellonian University Polish scientists scientific research
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text:
University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL)
The table to the right includes counts of all research outputs for University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) published between 1 October 2018 - 30 September 2019 which are tracked by the Nature Index.
Cell 1 0.06
Cell Host & Microbe 2 0.12
Ecology Letters 2 0.25
Immunity 1 0.11
Journal of Biological Chemistry 4 1.78
Journal of Neuroscience 1 0.13
Nature 2 0.12
Nature Genetics 1 0.03
PLOS Biology 2 0.63
PLOS Genetics 4 2.03
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 7 1.66
Proceedings of the Royal Society B 3 1.42
Science 1 0.05
The Plant Cell 1 0.10
eLife 1 0.18
Earth & Environmental Sciences 28 3
Chemistry 52 20.05
Physical Sciences 133 27.02
Soil nematode abundance and functional group composition at a global scale
Recent increases in tropical cyclone intensification rates
Antarctic ice-sheet sensitivity to obliquity forcing enhanced through ocean connections
Origin and evolution of the octoploid strawberry genome
Nature Genetics
Magnetospheric Signatures of STEVE: Implications for the Magnetospheric Energy Source and Interhemispheric Conjugacy
Geophysical Research Letters
International vs. domestic collaboration by Share
39.5% Domestic
60.5% International
Note: Hover over the graph to view the percentage of collaboration.
Top 10 domestic collaborators by Share (271 total)
University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), United States of America (USA)
Domestic institution
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), United States of America (USA) (6.74)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), United States of America (USA) (4.76)
University of Pennsylvania (Penn), United States of America (USA) (4.46)
Cornell University, United States of America (USA) (3.54)
Stanford University, United States of America (USA) (3.30)
University of California, Davis (UC Davis), United States of America (USA) (2.91)
Princeton University, United States of America (USA) (2.90)
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), United States of America (USA) (2.62)
Brown University, United States of America (USA) (2.52)
University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison), United States of America (USA) (2.41)
Top 10 international collaborators by Share (620 total)
Foreign institution
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), China (7.02)
National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), Italy (5.26)
Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres, Germany (4.09)
Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT), China (3.82)
Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), China (3.48)
Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), China (3.44)
European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Switzerland (3.20)
French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), France (3.17)
National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore (2.89)
Southeast University (SEU), China (2.84)
Note: Collaboration is determined by the fractional count (Share), which is listed in parentheses.
Center for Advanced Land Management Information Technologies (CALMIT), UNL
Center for Biotechnology, UNL
Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior (CB3), UNL
Center for Nanohybrid Functional Materials (CNFM), UNL
College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR), UNL
Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, UNL
Department of Biochemistry, UNL
Redox Biology Center (RBC), UNL
Department of Food Science and Technology, UNL
Department of Plant Pathology, UNL
Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR), UNL
Center for Plant Science Innovation, UNL
Department of Animal Science, UNL
College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), UNL
Department of Chemistry, UNL
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, UNL
Department of Mathematics, UNL
Department of Physics and Astronomy, UNL
Department of Psychology, UNL
Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience (NCMN), UNL
School of Biological Sciences (SBS), UNL
College of Education and Human Sciences (CEHS), UNL
Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences (NHS), UNL
Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders, UNL
Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design (TMFD), UNL
College of Engineering (CoE), UNL
Department of Biological Systems Engineering (BSE), UNL
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, UNL
Department of Civil Engineering, UNL
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, UNL
Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering (MME), UNL
Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction, UNL
Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, UNL
High Plains Regional Climate Center (HPRCC), UNL
Holland Computing Centre, UNL
National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC), UNL
Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication (NCIBC), UNL
Nebraska Center for Virology, UNL
Nebraska Food for Health Center, UNL
Nebraska Water Center, UNL
Office of Research and Economic Development, UNL
School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VBMS), UNL
University of Nebraska State Museum, UNL
Avian Phylogenomics Project, China
Committee on Institutional Cooperation, United States of America (USA)
DØ Collaboration, United States of America (USA)
Future Circular Collider Design Study (FCC), Switzerland
Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), United States of America (USA)
The CMS Collaboration, Switzerland
The Pierre Auger Collaboration, Argentina
Pass the bacteria, please
Zhejiang University (ZJU)
Statistical standoff for estimating shared genes
Monitoring brain waves of the slow variety
Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)


text:
Getting stuck in heavy Traffick, all the way to the US of A! by Marnie Riches
If you're a UK reader, you'll perhaps know that it's 3.5 years since The Girl Who Wouldn't Die came out in Britain, won a Dead Good Reader Award and hit the Kindle top 40. Time flies when you're having fun with derring-do, criminals galore and more murderers than you can count in your troubled sleep. Well, I'm delighted to say that I get to be a debut all over again as The Girl Who Wouldn't Die is released in the US and Canada. How cool is that? A whole continent of new readers get to discover George McKenzie's fascinating academic world in both Amsterdam and Cambridge and her darkest family secrets. Above all, to these readers, her nail-biting, page-turning challenges, where she must help Van den Bergen track down a crazed murderer before more victims' lives are brutally claimed, will be brand spanking new! And that twist…
The series will be released in the US and Canada – one title per month – over the coming six months. Daunting for me, as pre-launch prep and the launches themselves take an awfully big bite out of writing time. Great for readers though, as there won't be the usual wait of six months, up to a year, to find out what happens next…
Whether you're new to the series as a UK reader or as a reader from across the pond, the George McKenzie novels should resonate with you. All you need is an interest in the causes and effects of organised crime and a fascination with the dangerous types involved in it. Why? Well, the entire series has trafficking as its overarching theme – be it the movement of drugs, people, organs or weapons across international borders. It doesn't get more criminal than trafficking, and it affects everyone!
In The Girl Who Wouldn't Die, what starts out as an investigation of a suspected terrorist
attack, takes a detour down the cut-throat alleys of the criminal underworld, where sex and drugs are sometimes legitimately but often illegally for sale. In a place like Amsterdam, with its state-regulated red light district and coffee shops, the boundaries are fascinatingly blurred. As George helps to track down an apparent serial killer, we question which red-lit booths contain prostitutes who are trafficked from the Far East or Eastern Europe? Are the working girls there of their own volition? And how much of the Dutch-manufactured drug, ecstasy, not to mention the dazzling smorgasbord of cannabis varieties, end up being smuggled into the UK illegally?
I guess some American or Canadian readers might wonder how the George McKenzie thrillers could be pertinent to their experience, so many miles across the Atlantic. But the truth is, the US famously has its own problems with drugs coming into the country from South and Central America – issues which are tackled in George's fourth outing, The Girl Who Had No Fear. Neither North American country is untouched by the movement of trafficked labour and sex-workers, coming from as far afield as Africa and the Far East, as well as good old Europe. Trans-national trafficking simply knows no boundaries. Where there's a market and profit to be made, traffickers will travel. So too does the narrative in my The Girl Who… books, incorporating scenes set not just in the UK and the Netherlands, but also in the US, Cambodia, Maldives, Germany, Somalia, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Thailand… As a linguist and keen traveller myself, writing these five books has been a creative delight.
If deeper themes aren't your thing, on a basic level, I penned The Girl Who Wouldn't Die as a gripping serial killer thriller crossed with a police procedural. My aim was to create a heroine who would rival Lisbeth Salander, a cop who could give Nesbo's Harry Hole a run for his money and a narrative that was reminiscent of The Silence of the Lambs, which I read frequently when honing my crime-fiction writing skills – Harris is a master in executing a story in the genre perfectly!
Only time will tell if US and Canadian crime-fiction fans grow to love the vivid world and fast-paced life of George McKenzie. Let's see if she travels quite as well as those traffickers!
The Books can be bought here on Amazon.com and on Amazon.ca.
More information about the author can be found on her website. You can also follow her on Twitter @Marnie_Riches and find her on Facebook.
Posted by Ayo Onatade at 06:00 No comments:
Labels: Crime books, Crime Fiction, Marnie Riches, Series, Thrillers, United States
Harvill Secker Acquires Stunning Literary American Thriller in Pre-Frankfurt Deal
Debut The Stand-In by Tanen Jones will publish in February 2020.
In a pre-Frankfurt acquisition, Harvill Secker Editorial Director for Crime & Thrillers Jade Chandler has snapped up UK & Commonwealth rights to a stunning literary thriller from debut American author Tanen Jones from Lorella Belli at the Lorella Belli Literary Agency Ltd on behalf of Erin Harris and Melissa Sarver White at Folio Literary Management. The Stand-In will be published in February 2020.
The Stand-In follows the story of estranged sisters Leslie and Robin Voigt who must reunite in order to claim a substantial inheritance from their recently deceased father. However, there's a problem: Leslie tracks down her sister, only to find her dead.
When a chance encounter brings Mary, an aspiring actress, who spends her nights waitressing at a seedy restaurant, and Leslie together, they strike a risky bargain: Mary will impersonate Robin for a week, and in exchange, Mary will receive Robin's half of the cash. But once Mary steps into the life of a dead woman, she quickly discovers Leslie is not the person she claims to be.
A tangled web of deception and betrayal, The Stand-In's dramatic twists and shocking conclusion leave the reader chilled to the bone.
US rights were sold to Ballantine, an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group, with
auctions for other territories on going.
©Rachel Thalia
Jade Chandler, Harvill Secker Editorial Director, says: 'I was completely hooked from the opening line of Tanen's outstanding debut novel. The story she weaves is clever, complex and utterly chilling, with huge twists that I didn't see coming. If you loved The Girls by Emma Cline, or Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, then this is for you. I'm delighted to be publishing Tanen Jones from the start of what promises to be long and lustrous writing career.'
Author Tanen Jones says: 'I couldn't be happier to join Harvill Secker's incredible list of crime and thrillers. Thank you to Jade and the rest of the team at Harvill Secker for putting your trust in The Stand-In – this is a dream come true.'
Labels: Crime books, Crime Fiction, debut, Frankfurt, Harvill Secker, Literary thriller, Tanen Jones
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STAINED GLASS | Surviving A Disordered Mind.
I often like to perceive my life as a Stained Glass window.
I look at the myriad of colours & patterns that have decorated my life.
I like to look through each colour & see the different stages & my perceptions via each coloured glass piece in respect to my life.
My fears & my experiences & my whole life are all contained in each piece depending on which one I choose to look through.
I often think that I have stood on the wrong side of the coloured glass many times with no light.
Especially in times of great inner turmoil, pain or trauma.
You need to go inside to see the stained glass properly or hold a light up to it to see it's full glory. When you look at stained glass from within, the light dapples across you like a rainbow & the patterns & colours come alive.
If darkness falls & there is no illumination of light, the beauty of the Stained Glass is dark & foreboding.
I think of souls like this. Illuminated from within so, that the colours & light can be seen. The true beauty is fully displayed when lit up & the light must come to allow the stained glass to be observed & appreciated.
Each piece of my coloured glass tells a story that is unique. As I look at each colour I see red for passion, gold for strength, green for envy, purple for spirit, blue for mood, pink for love, orange for guidance, yellow for warmth & the metal that holds it together is my skeleton, my frame.
Each colour is representative of my journey & sometimes I draw on them all to meld together in unison to form my story. Imagine a serene scene of beautiful colour or a mess of abstract coloured pieces, all still forming something wonderous.
In order to heal our minds & bodies & spirits we must light up from within so that our own true colours can be seen. We then reflect our individual rainbow of colours that are our essence & that are our soul.
If only everyone could see how they light & reflect such beauty from within &, not keep looking outside of themselves for others to colour their world.
Bring your own colours & form a beautiful montage of your person.
A unique & individual vista of colours that make the kaleidoscope of life that unites us all. We are all Stained Glass.


On Monday 17, 2013, the newly formed Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa presented their first budget of Rs. 344 billion for the fiscal year 2013-14. During the budget presentation Finance Minister of KPK Siraj Ul Haq said that priorities of KPK Government are elimination of corruption and good governance.
KPK government will not implement any new tax in KPK provincial budget.
One percent tax proposed on Afghan transit trade.
The Finance Minister announced the lunching of Rescue 1122 service in Swat.
In the KPK budget 2013-14 Rs. 118 billion allocated for 983 developmental schemes.
Out of 983 projects 565 projects are in progress, whereas the remaining 351 projects will be launched in near future.
KPK government allocated Rs. 22.87 billion for health sector in the province.
Allocation of fund for education is Rs. 66.6 billion.
The Finance Minister Siraj ul Haq stressed on education and to attain the objective Education Advisory Commission will be formed.
KPK government takes a positive step for increase government employees salary by 15% (Grade 1 to 16).
Above Grade 16 i.e. (Grade 17 to 20) 10% increase is proposed in the salary.
15% increase will be application in the retired government employees' pension.
Rs. 200 Million allocated for needy and deprived children of KPK.
Bacha Khan Rozgar Schemes will be replaced with loan scheme for youth of the KPK in the near future.