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ASK FATHER: EMHC's at a Communion rail
From a reader…
QUAERITUR:
Can a lay person who is commissioned as an EMHC distribute Holy Communion to communicants kneeling at a Communion rail under the Novus Ordo?
Allow me to remind the readership of the 1997 document which ought to frame every questions concerning "Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion". Everyone involved in that activity should review the Congregation for the Clergy's "ON CERTAIN QUESTIONS REGARDING THE COLLABORATION OF THE NON-ORDAINED FAITHFUL IN THE SACRED MINISTRY OF PRIEST" [HERE]. This authoritative document says that "the habitual use of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion at Mass thus arbitrarily extending the concept of 'a great number of the faithful'" is "to be avoided and eliminated."
In the rubrics (i.e., the "law") the determination of the usefulness of EMHC's is left to the priest to decide. That said, the local bishop could issue a law restricting or delimiting their use.
Is it wrong to use EMHC's at a daily Mass with 10 people, or a Sunday Mass with 150? Yes.
Is it against the law? No.
To the question. EMHC's are allowed by law. Kneeling is an acceptable way to receive, arguably the best way. Nothing in the law says that the "conga line" method is how Communion must be distributed. Nothing in the law say that the ENHC has to stand in one place. I surmise that an EMHC could move along a Communion rail. However, it is one thing for a priest to do this, who has years of experience, and an EMHC who might do this only occasionally. I would say that, if it is determined that EMHC's will used, they would need specific instructions and close oversight.
Again, it seems to me that most of the situations in which EMHC's are employed don't really call for EMHC's.
Meanwhile here is an EMHC at a "Communion rail" at a Pope Francis mega-Mass.
This entry was posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Canon Law, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 and tagged EMHC, Extraordinary Ministers of Communion. Bookmark the permalink.
34 Responses to ASK FATHER: EMHC's at a Communion rail
Frank H says:
Hmm. That "sacred vessel" looks like a styrofoam coffee cup.
Curmudgeon says:
I gotta say that the caption to the photo is a bit unfair. I've been privileged to be at masses celebrated by the last three popes and the 'communion line' has always seemed more like a rugby scrum. And it was always priests giving communion.
So, it has nothing to do with either the current pope or EMHCs. It has more to do with people not being able to form a line and behave themselves.
It is not clear whether the "Communion rail" in the photo is made of metal or people.
ronconte says:
I once attended a daily Mass on Thanksgiving. When it was announced that 7 priests would concelebrate the Mass, the people made a joyful noise. But when it came time for the readings, one laywoman did all the readings herself, other than the Gospel. And when it came time for Communion, many EMHCs went forward to distribute the holy Eucharist. There were only about 100 persons at that Mass. [A clear abuse.]
Alanmac says:
It is common in my parish, in the summer, to receive communion from an EMHC wearing flip flops, short shorts and a tube top.
Rob in Maine says:
Holy Communion should not be like concessions at the Ballpark.
NomenDeiAdmirabileEst says:
I went to a parish I had never been to this past weekend and was surprised to see the rail being used. I was even more surprised, though, when I turned to walk back to my pew and saw another priest and an EMHC distributing Communion in the usual fashion at the center aisle.
More in keeping with this article though, for the past couple years EMHCs have been in use for school masses at St. Agnes in St. Paul, where the rail is used exclusively. They've always been grown men, teachers at the school actually, in cassock and surplice. When they first started (under the current pastor), one of them told me it had to do with the combination of only having one or two priests/deacons available for school masses, 600+ students, teachers, and visitors, and a school schedule that only allots so much time for mass. I've never seen more than one used at a time, though, or at all when there have been three priests/deacons available.
ChesterFrank says:
One thing that I have noticed is that EMHC's (almost always in the ratio of 6 females to 2 males) distribute communion at nearly every Mass I attend, but in parishes with a permanent deacon the deacon never distributes the Blessed Sacrament to the congregation. The other certainty is that the deacon does distribute the Eucharist to the EMHC's before they distribute the same to the congregation. Is the deacon forbidden from distributing Communion to the congregation?
greenlight says:
On a typical Sunday most parishes in my area will have one priest and one EMHC distributing the Host, and four (!) EMHC distributing the Precious Blood. As long as you only have one priest in residence, there's really no way to distribute under both species. The practice is so ingrained that were a pastor to try and rein it in I suspect a significant portion of the laity would take it as a personal affront.
Adaquano says:
What happens at Chester's parish is the same as mine. We have a permanent deacon but only gives the Precious Blood. I normally attend our 830 because it cuts the EMHC used in half. What saddens me is the many churches in my city, that while they still have the communion rail, it is never used.
wised says:
As with many things, familiarity brings a lax performance. In our diocese, EMHC training took place about 10 years ago. There has been no attempt at a refresher certification. I would welcome it. It is long overdue. Our pastor has ignored repeated requests for additional training within our parish to bring everyone onto the same page. Appropriate attire would be a welcome expectation. One should not look like they walked in from the grocery store to be an EMHC. It is bad enough to see what passes for church attire in the pews, but on the altar your better clothing is the only acceptable attire.
Everybody is territorial, even those who are faithful. "Do what's right Father, until you take away my 'right' to give Communion." No one has the right to distribute Our Lord's body, except for ordained ministers.
The best solution is following the law of the Church. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are to only be used under extraordinary circumstances. They never give Holy Communion in my parish. I am the Father and "I feed my sheep."
People have said to me: "Father, you should have help. It's a lot for you all alone." Nonsense, especially with the altar rail. Problem is two things, we are too lazy to do our "job," or we don't want to "offend" anybody, lest they don't like us.
I have EXMs who go to the shut ins on Sunday when I am saying Masses and cannot go.
priest up north says:
It seems to me the "elephant in the room" is the unintended regularity (and now days "expectancy") of Communion under both kinds. Perhaps a good start would be to revisit and act upon that which Sacrosanctum Concilium set forth in regards to the envisioned times for the Precious Blood to be received so as to move toward the real intent (and right rarity) of employment of EMHCs.
majuscule says:
While we had our permanent deacon he would distribute the Precious Blood unless there was a huge crowd and he was need to distribute the Host along with the priest. (It's a really small church and I wonder if that was necessary.) Since he passed away we now have a lay EMHC distribute from the chalice.
There was a parish training a few years ago where it was finally clarified to the EMHCs of our three churches that the priest was to purify the vessels. (Rabbit hole coming up so don't go down it. I just want to get it off my chest…) We have a new pastor who just yesterday told the EMHC that she was to purify the chalice that she used. The good news is that there is a diocesan training coming up noted in the bulletin. Perhaps that will be clarified from the diocesan level.
Joe in Canada says:
I'm interested in how long people would be willing to have Communion last, before they would find use of EMHCs acceptable.
albizzi says:
Instruction "Redemptionis Sacramentum"
[158.] Indeed, the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may administer Communion …/… when the number of faithful coming to Communion is so great that the very celebration of Mass would be unduly prolonged.[259] This, however, is to be understood in such a way that a brief prolongation, considering the circumstances and culture of the place, IS NOT AT ALL A SUFFICIENT REASON.
What means "unduly prolonged"? Is a sunday mass that needs about 1 hour celebrating it, unduly prolonged when it lasts 5 minutes more rhan usually?
Matthew 26:40 "And He comes to the disciples and finds them sleeping, and says to Peter, Thus ye have not been able to watch one hour with me?"
Cincinnati Priest says:
Think some of these points have been brought up before.
But in response to some of the post-ers …
* All other things being equal, in the N.O. Masses, if both species are distributed, the deacon is assumed to distribute the Precious Blood only, not the Sacred Host. (This is mentioned in the instruction for the missal).
* Various liturgical documents specify that the deacon is an ordinary minister of Holy Communion. EMHC's are not. So there is virtually no circumstance where it is acceptable for a deacon NOT to distribute while EMHCs do. (Possible rare exceptions such as physical handicap might prevent — but in that case, perhaps he shouldn't serve at Mass in the first place. Deacons are rarely necessary in N.O. Mass).
* Liturgical documents state very clearly only a priest or deacon may purify the vessels. (Never an EMHC).
* In my parish, I did change from both species to Host-only at most Masses. Yes, there was some wailling and complaining from some (mostly older) parishioners who complained they had a "right" to receive both species. (They don't). Lots of catechesis occurred. Most people OK with it now.
* Without EMHCs, the time for distribution of Holy Communion itself of course takes a little longer, but this is often mostly offset by the time NOT used to distribute the gifts between multiple vessels, purify additional vessels, distribute Communion to EMs, have them purify their hands (which they tend to want to do with massive amounts of sanitizer, applied at the last minute, as if we were in the midst of a plague), etc. So the TOTAL MASS time is rarely reduced significantly by having EMHCs, unless there is a very large congregation. (Sadly not the case very often in this era of declining Mass attendance). But the psychology of parishioners who have long been conditioned to having these Communion "lines" be very short for such a long time now is quite problematic. Because they don't notice the extra time taken for the other items. But do notice the length of the line itself and say, "But Father, we NEED more 'Communion Ministers', because Communion is taking so-o-o-o-o-o long!"
hwriggles4 says:
My mother is an EMHC at her parish. A few years ago, there was an incident on a summer day (I live in Texas, where 90 degree days are normal from April to September) where a host fell into a college age girls underwear. Yes, this is true, and I will spare the details. It was embarrassing for all parties involved, and after the incident the good pastor reiterated how important proper attire is for Mass.
yatzer says:
Our parish priest decided against having EMHCs a while back. I didn't even notice for some months; not sure what that means.
un-ionized says:
Joe in Canada, of course you want to hear that Communion should take as long as it takes, unfortunately in some places they need to clear the parking lot, hence the 55 minute Mass.
DavidR says:
@Joe; as long as it takes. Where could you possibly need to hurry off to that could be as important as Mass?
bombcar says:
If the time delay is so important, let's go back to the REALLY traditional form, and have only the Priest's communion during Mass; the people who want to receive can approach after Mass, and those that are in a hurry to leave can leave.
Philmont237 says:
I saw this done surprisingly well at St. Bonifacious in Wiesbaden, Germany.
wendyquade says:
A priest can distribute under both species. It's called intinction.
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Deacon Jason says:
To answer your question: as ordinary ministers of Holy Communion, deacons (permanent or otherwise) are not only allowed, but required to distribute communion to the faithful before EMHCs are used — the same as applies to bishops and priests.
As for whether we distribute the Body or the Blood, that is up to the practices of the locale and parish. For instance, in my parish we always serve the Body at the front of altar next to the president during a normal Sunday mass.
That being said, there is a special liturgical relationship between the deacon and the chalice that makes serving the precious blood especially fitting…so for major liturgies at our cathedral, the priests are assigned the Body and the deacons are assigned the Blood. But that is not liturgical law in any fashion, just a fitting custom.
Father, to pick a small 'nit' with your first point, the wording in the GIRM regarding deacons distributing communion is:
"At Mass the Deacon has his own part…in distributing the Eucharist to the faithful, especially under the species of wine…" (GIRM #94)
This gives a preference for the deacon distributing the Blood (it is indeed fitting), but does not seem to be a hard limitation/prohibition of any kind. In other words, the presider violates no liturgical norms for the Mass if he assigns a deacon to distribute the Body.
Father, I humbly retract my precious comment…I forgot about the wording in #182 that makes the requirement more clear.
That is what I get for late night commenting…alas, there is no delete!
Update: ignore my second paragraph (see my response to Cincinnati Priest below) unfortunately there is no edit functionality for errant comments!
Gabriel Syme says:
On Saturday I attended a Pontifical High Mass, offered by Cardinal Burke during a visit to my City. It was magnificent.
The Church was full to bursting, every seat was taken and I think there were even screens set-up in the Church hall where there was over-flow seating. I had never been in such a busy Church. I don't have a figure for the attendance, but wouldn't be surprised to learn it was over 1,000 people.
The Cardinal and 2 priests distributed communion at the altar rails (mobile wooden kneelers, as the Church lacks proper altar rails) and this did not take overly-long. Perhaps 10-15 minutes at the most.
Later that day, I had the dubious pleasure of sitting through a novus ordo (vigil) mass as I was asked to make an appeal afterwards, on behalf of a Catholic charity I am involved in.
I do not take communion at novus ordo masses anymore, for a myriad of reasons, but I noted that the priest had FIVE lay people helping him issue communion (both kinds) to a congregation which was probably less than one tenth of that at the Cardinals mass.
I was mildly encouraged to see some people ignore the lay people clutching chalices, given we receive Christ whole and entire from the hosts alone (distributing the precious blood needlessly is just another way in which the modern Church copies the protestants – although what the protestants distribute is NOT the precious blood, of course).
In my opinion, the abuses involving EMHCs is an example of how the modern Church quite intentionally says one thing but does another. I do not think I have ever seen a genuine need for EMHCs, for example, there was an additional priest present at the novus ordo mass I mention (not that it was impractical for the celebrant to issue communion alone).
The argument that Communion "takes too long" if the priest doesn't use EMHC is bogus. It didn't "take too long" for 2,000 years and in any case, what could be more important to a sincere (and properly disposed) Catholic than receiving Our Lord? And so what is a few minutes wait? If someone feels than have somewhere more important to be than the communion line, I think they have to ask themselves a few questions.
The role of EMHC, and their over-use by some priests, is – again in my opinion – a means by which the modern Church seeks to glorify lay people: this is because the modern mass is centered on the lay people, not on God.
I also believe that EMHCs (and lay readers – of which I used to be one) are means for the modern Church to have female "almost-priests" while saying women cannot be priests. In many parishes, women do everything bar read the Gospel and do the Consecration. This situation denigrates and marginalises the role of Priest.
I can well imagine Pope Francis, or other modernist, solemnly reminding us that women cannot be priests, while winking and nodding toward the women speaking from the lectern and issuing communion.
The mainstream Church wont get itself out of the hole it has dug itself into, until it starts doing what it's own documents say and stop this situation of doublespeak which has lasted decades.
I go to the SSPX on a Sunday and the district superior had a note in the latest newsletter criticising the following:
– late coming to mass
– people wearing casual clothes to mass (skintight red trousers and bare shoulders drawing particular ire)
– women not covering their heads at mass
– people chatting in Church*
– people rushing off after mass without staying to offer a prayer of thanks to God for the mass
– too few volunteers to clean the Churches
Before wading in, he noted that as the relevant authority he had the duty to correct error and disorder wherever it appears. That's what the mainstream Church needs to do, lay down the law to lay people and errant clergy alike.
(*I used to go to a Jesuit Church where a priest told the congregation it was acceptable to chat with your neighbours in Church. That was one of the earliest red flags for me).
Dear Joe in Canada,
That is an interesting question. I have already asked myself that, and while it would be difficult to prove what I am going to say from clear principles in an easy manner, I do believe that it is from a sound Catholic instinct that I answer the following:
– five minutes, on a weekday, if the Mass altogether due to singing or a sermon reaches at least 45 minutes even with such a short Communion,
– ten minutes on a weekday otherwise,
– twenty minutes on a Sunday or holiday of obligation or a Saturday evening Mass fulfulling the Sunday obligation, and on Ash Wednesday Evening, Mass of the Last Supper, and Good Friday; also the Easter Vigil, because it is that long anyway;
– thirty minutes in the chief Mass of a Sunday or a Holiday of Obligation (with, for Christmas, one chief Mass in nocte and one chief Mass in die), provided the rest of the Mass takes at least one hour but not much more.
Dear DavidR,
I'm afraid that our principles must be theoretically practicable. So, there must be a theoretical answer to the question: what would a pastor of a 5000 souls parish (having no assistant) do if 4500, presumably after having Confessed, would show up for Mass (which they have to) and Communion (which, in the circumstances described, they are entitled to) and not only the 500 that he maybe can expect to actually show up on a normal Sunday. And I'm afraid that while much more length can and should be tolerated than is at present, there still is a limit, and if (say) he can give Holy Communion to fifteen people per minute (which I guess is fast), that makes five hours of Communion Service on, if the rest of the Mass is very long, a six-and-a-half-hour Mass; and it is quite obvious that this would be both disproportional and too much of a burden on the faithful.
And no, this situation cannot i.m.v. be dismissed with "in practice this doesn't happen". This would mean to count on the great majority of Catholics breaking the third Commandment, or else being in a too sinful state to receive Holy Communion.
Keep in mind that at times the pastor has little authority to decide where Holy Communion is distributed. In one of my parishes a previous pastor instituted receiving Holy Communion at the rail only to be forbidden by our bishop.
As an instituted minister (acolyte), and thereby an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion by right of institution, I am always more than happy to step aside for an ordained minister (deacon or concelebrating priest). That is as it should be. As far as stepping aside because too many lay men and women were scheduled… not so much.
Anyway, occasionally a communicant will kneel on the stone floor to receive Holy Communion from my most unworthy hands. It is a moment of humility, not only from them, but for me. Kneeling communicants is a good reminder to both ordinary and extraordinary ministers of what is really happening, as we can often "forget" due to laziness, routine, etc.
TWF says:
Here in Vancouver our cathedral is a shining example of NOT overusing EMHCs. At all Masses (7 on Sunday and 4 on weekdays), priests who are available come in from the Rectory just before communion time to help the celebrant with distribution (at the altar rail I might add – you always have the choice to receive standing in the centre aisle or kneeling at either side along the rail – I would say it's 50/50 at all Masses). When an EMHC is required, if an insufficient number of priests are "hanging out" in the Rectory, the EMHC walks along the altar rail.


Daily Mass is celebrated at St. Isidore's on Monday, Tuesday, at 9:00 a.m. and on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. at St. Elizabeth unless there is a funeral Mass scheduled. Exceptions as announced.
9 a.m. at St. Isidore Church and 7 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Church.
Baptisms are celebrated by appointment during a Vigil or Sunday Mass. Please contact the pastoral associate for available dates and to make arrangements.


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Die Diakoniekirche Bad Kreuznach ist ein denkmalgeschütztes Bauwerk auf dem Gelände der Stiftung kreuznacher diakonie (Denkmalzone "Evangelische Diakonieanstalten").

Geschichte

Die Diakoniekirche wurde zusammen mit dem Mutterhaus der damaligen Diakonieanstalten nach Plänen des Architekten Friedrich Langenbach gebaut. Der Baubeginn war 1897, der Rohbau wurde 1898 fertig. Die Einweihung der Kirche erfolgte am 27. Mai 1903. Im Zweiten Weltkrieg wurde die Kirche schwer beschädigt. Die Wiederherstellung der Kirche erfolgte unter anderem wegen des gravierenden nachkriegsbedingten Mangels an Handwerkern durch die Diakonissen und Bewohner der Anstalt.

Nach ihrer Wiederherstellung wurde die Kirche am 6. November 1949 wieder eingeweiht. Bei der Wiederherstellung wurden Kanzel und Orgel über dem Altar angeordnet. Von 1979 bis 1980 erfolgte eine grundlegende Neugestaltung des Raumes durch den Architekten Heinrich Otto Vogel aus Trier. Es wurden dabei eine halbrunde Apsis eingefügt und neue Kirchenfenster nach Entwürfen des Glasmalers Alois Plum eingebaut. Die Ausstattung wurde durch ein großes Kreuz aus Bronze nach einem Entwurf von Ulrich Henn und einer weiteren Orgel aus der Werkstatt Rudolf von Beckerath ergänzt. 1981 wurde der Turm mit einer neuen Turmspitze versehen.

Kirchturm
Im Kirchturm leben seit über 50 Jahren Dohlen, Schleiereulen, Turmfalken, und Fledermäuse. Bei der Renovierung des Kirchturms nach dem 2. Weltkrieg wurde von den Diakonissen, Öffnungen für die Tiere gelassen. In den achtziger Jahren wurden zudem Nistkästen installiert. Inzwischen werden die Nistkästen vom Naturschutzbund NABU Bad Kreuznach betreut. 2007 wurde der Kirchturm mit der Plakette Lebensraum Kirchturm ausgezeichnet.

Kirchenvorplatz

1989 wurde auf dem Kirchvorplatz der Diakoniekirche ein Mahnmal von Thomas Duttenhoefer eingeweiht, welches an die Opfer der Krankenmorde in der Zeit des Nationalsozialismus erinnert. Pfingsten 2019 wurde die Bronzestatue einer Diakonisse von Gernot Meyer-Grönhof auf dem Gelände vor der Kirche installiert.

Kirchenmusik
Die Kirchenmusik an der Diakoniekirche wird  seit 1903 durch die Kreuznacher-Diakonie-Kantorei gepflegt. Erster Chorleiter war August Stern. Von 1914 bis 1919 wirkte Gisbert Enzian als Chorleiter. Seit 1987 ist Kantor Helmut Kickton hier tätig. Unter seiner Leitung entwickelte sich die Diakoniekirche zu einem einflussreichen Zentrum der chorischen Aufführungspraxis.

Orgeln

Hauptorgel

Die Orgel wurde 1981 von der Werkstatt Rudolf von Beckerath Orgelbau errichtet. Das Instrument verfügt über 20 Register, die auf zwei Manuale und Pedal verteilt sind. Die Trakturen sind mechanisch, die Windladen als Schleifladen ausgeführt. Die Disposition lautet wie folgt:

 mechanische  Koppeln: II/I, I/P, II/P
 Spielhilfen: Elektronische Setzeranlage mit 4 Kombinationen

Der Klang der Orgel ist in zahlreichen Mitschnitten auf YouTube dokumentiert. Uraufgeführt wurden hier verschiedene Orgelwerke des amtierenden Kantors, darunter Rockludium und Diptychon. Eine der ersten deutschen Einspielungen des Prélude et fugue en si majeur von Marcel Dupré fand ebenfalls auf dieser Orgel statt.

Chororgel

Die Chororgel wurde 1954 von Rudolf von Beckerath gebaut.

Literatur
 Diakonie-Anstalten Bad Kreuznach (Hrsg.): 100 Jahre Diakonieanstalten Bad Kreuznach. 1989.
 Lebenswirklichkeiten – Gründer und Erbauer : 150. Geburtstag von Pfr. D. Hermann Hugo Reich. 100 Jahre Mutterhaus in Bad Kreuznach. 100 Jahre Kantorei Kreuznacher Diakonie. Verlag Matthias Ess, 2004, ISBN 3-935516-23-1
 Ulrike Winkler: 125 Jahre Stiftung kreuznacher diakonie (1889–2014)
 Jin-Soo Chae: Organ. ISBN 89-88793-42-0

Anmerkungen und Einzelnachweise

Weblinks

 Stiftung kreuznacher diakonie
 Klangdateien der Orgel auf YouTube

Kirchengebäude im Landkreis Bad Kreuznach
Diakoniekirche
Krankenhauskirche
Kirchengebäude der Evangelischen Kirche im Rheinland
Neugotisches Bauwerk in Rheinland-Pfalz
Neugotisches Kirchengebäude
Erbaut in den 1890er Jahren
Disposition einer Orgel

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


hopefully getting Kevin onstage with them!
There are times when travelers on different paths meet at a crossroads and discover they have been brought together for a purpose. Connections are forged because each knows the road ahead is right and true. Such is the case with the band the Ne'er Duwels: four accomplished musicians who have joined together to create a solid recording. Ken O' Malley from Dublin, Ireland, is the lead singer of the band. Ken has entertained audiences for over 30 years, and is one of the most well-known and beloved Irish folk singers working today. His rich voice and skillful guitar work are fueled by deep passion for his people and their history. Ken pours his soul into every word he sings, every measure he plays, and the music of the Ne'er Duwels laughs, breathes, and aches with his dedication.


Finn and Jake help an over-sized snail named Snorlock threatening to wreck their home by trying to find him a mate.
After being teased by some knights for his lack of armor, Finn sets out on a quest for the Armor of Zeldron, which is supposed to be *chick, chick*.
There's a new king in Ooo, The nIce King, and most of the princesses are falling over themselves to win his heart, but why does this new king look strangely familiar?
Is Jake secretly a monster that has been stealing gold from village after village?
Finn and Jake meet the legendary Billy. Unfortunately, he's given up the hero game.
A funeral brings the cast of Horsin' Around back together and sends them off on a treasure hunt. Princess Carolyn talks her way into a jam and into the paws of Mr. Peanutbutter who decides to have some fun at her expense.
Finn and Jake capture the Ice King at Princess Bubblegum's order.
Finn starts working for the Vampire Queen. Jake tries to rescue him, but needs to overcome his fear of vampires first.
Finn and Jake attempt to rehabilitate Donny the Ogre, who is a real jerk.
Finn and Jake get their first visit from Magic Man.
Princess Bubblegum asks Finn and Jake to take out a Duke.
Finn tries exploring a dungeon without Jake.
Finn creates a Never Ending Pie-Throwing Robot (NEPTR) but a wayward Ice King spell causes it to come to life.


The average Dodge Caliber is on the road 4 or more days every week.
Dodge Calibers love the great outdoors.
And most of the drivers of Dodge Calibers are male*. There's nothing wrong with bucking a trend though.
Alongside is an indication of the premium range for Youi customers for comprehensive car insurance on Dodge Calibers.


"Wraith: Welcome to Christmasland" is one of the creepiest comics I've ever read, and it's because somehow Joe Hill knows which nerve ending to apply pressure on. In short, it's a fabulous first couple of issues.
Wraith is one of the creepiest comics I have ever read, and it's because somehow Joe Hill knows which nerve ending to apply pressure to.
IDW Publishing is releasing the hardcover bound edition which collects all the issues of this stunning miniseries, and if you're a horror fan and you haven't read this title yet, picking up the hardcover affords the perfect way to see what the buzz over this title has been about.
In the first issue contained in this volume, the particular pressure point he's tweaking is children. Being a father of two girls, when I see a frame of a little Francine Flynn in the backseat of Charlie Manx's 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith, weeping her eyes out while he smiles and tells her about Christmasland… well, it's enough to make my skin crawl, my hair stand on end, and above all: keep reading.
This is actually a prequel story to Hill's excellent novel N0S4A2 – a pun from a car license plate that you can probably figure out (but just in case, click here if not). Charlie Manx is a horrifying monster who is gifted with unusual abilities, but also with an obscene and unnatural fondness for children. If you've read N0S4A2, then I'm sure you already know more about Charlie Manx than I'm letting on, but if you haven't, then the first story in this volume gives you more than enough information to read about Manx with sufficient distaste.
Artist Charles Wilson III portrays Manx as a wiry, rat-like creature with a mouthful of menacing teeth. While the title of the comic obviously refers to the car that Manx drives, it's clear that Wilson has also incorporated some of the title into Manx's appearance. The art is shaky and undefined in some places, but then again, so is Manx. Without reading N0S4A2, Wilson appropriately envisions Manx as a leering predator who is able to somehow exist in one world while managing to enter another.
What makes this comic even scarier is that, somehow…the children smile.
The second chapter in this volume is a totally different story. In this issue, we meet three convicts in a van being transported to their new correctional facility.
This is a different slice of pie. Whereas the first issue was a character piece, setting us up to fear Charlie Manx, the second issue is the first part of a larger story. The main villain is Denis Sykes, carnival geek extraordinaire, and he has a plan. In the meantime, there's a lot of other different characters and backstory: the teacher, convicted of a crime we have yet to hear about; the film director who raped a teenager and who knows someone who can contribute to Syke's master plan; and the two correctional officers who get more than they bargained for. It's a slow burning start that is linked back to the first chapter at the end.
The third chapter is where the action finally becomes centered in Christmasland, basically a nightmarish combination of the Neverland from Peter Pan and Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch. This is where Wraith pulls out all the stops and goes from the creepy foreboding in Chapter/Issue 1 to a no-holds-barred horror freak show. Rest assured that if you're a reader who is unimpressed with much of what passes for "horror" in comics, this will horrify you (in the best possible way).
But Wraith is not without heart either. There's something about the earnest manner in which Hill brings his heroes together in the midst of hell, and then has them bump minds to figure out a way to exploit a weakness in the monster that torments them, that evokes the work of his father, Stephen King (yes, in case you didn't know).
In short, Wraith is a fabulous volume of gooseflesh-inducing terror, and if you're not already acquainted with the mind of one of the premier writers in both comics and literature today, this is an excellent way to do so.
Ding ding. Someone serve me up another slice of Hill please?


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Ronaldo Goal
StoryRONALDO IS THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PLAYER IN CHINA
Submitted by content on Tue, 03/28/2017 - 04:12
Real Madrid soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has been reported as the most influential footballer online in the Far East.
The 32-year old Portugal international beat his club-mate Gareth Bale, England and Manchester United skipper Wayne Rooney and others to the sport, CNN reports.
The four-time Ballon d'Or winner is a dominant force in the world of football, but the report affirms this and goes on to prove that his popularity extends to the digital space.
China is a growing economic player in world football. With a huge youthful population keen on soccer and with government backing to make the nation a powerhouse in the sport, China is one of the biggest forces in the digital soccer world.
Consultants in the country reported that Ronaldo has at least ten times more online engagement compared to other stars. They used eight different metrics such as engagement, digital presence, number of active follower et al to analyse the biggest clubs and players in Europe – football biggest continent.
The report of the analysis showed that Premier League outfit Manchester United was the most influential club in China, while German side Bayern Munich had the best digital presence – mainly due to the live stream of Bundesliga in China.
Ronaldo's achievements, his figure, being unmarried and his popularity – having played for the biggest clubs in Europe – made him easily clinch the Most Influential spot. Ronaldo's super agent Jorge Mendes is also quite popular in China. He has a strategic partnership with a Chinese conglomerate in the country that would favour the Ronaldo brand. Anyways, Real Madrid has the highest number of top-ranked players that hold huge influence in China.
On the flip side, Lionel Messi does not enjoy such privilege. The 29-year old does not have an official Twitter account and his social media presence is not high in China – hence he ranks outside the top five.
Cristiano Ronaldo Signed
http://www.cristianoronaldo7.com
http://www.cristianoronaldofanclub.net
http://www.kaka-brazil.com

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


If you are in any one of the cities in Rajasthan, you ought to have been mesmerized by the locally produced variety of art and craft. Hanumangarh, like most of the other cities in the state, is famous for its artistic appeal. In this context, we provide you with a list of the most well known carpenters in the city, who have enjoyed a fair share of reputation for excellent craftsmanship.
Vijay Kumar Bhati Carpentry Works Pvt. Ltd.


Decorative bindings have always been tough for us to list online, because they usually require several pictures. So, we sell a lot in the stoers. We've recently discovered, however, that Etsy is an effective online marketplace for them.


· Government estimates the damage that tropical storm Ondoy (international codename: Ketsana) and typhoon Pepeng (international codename: Parma) at P12 billion.
· Ondoy's damage reached P6.8 billion while Pepeng's was estimated at P5 billion.
· Around 365,884 hectares of farm lands were affected, damaging 559,629 metric tons of palay worth P9.6 billion.
From an initial 60,000 has, damaged plantation is now at 106,189 hectares.
· Agriculture department will not meet the 3.5% farm output growth target for 2009.
· Agriculture output downgraded to 2%-2.5% this year, lower than the 4.68% growth in 2008.
· Finance officials estimate that typhoon damage would trim 0.2% points to Philippine GDP growth.
· Philippine central bank said a net inflow of foreign direct investments (FDI) worth $347 million was recorded in July.
· This is a reversal from net outflow of $133 million recorded in June.
· On a yearly basis, net inflows for the July 2009 were 8.1% more than year ago's $321 million.
· Year-to-date net inflow of $1.2 billion is 33.8% higher than the same level in comparable period last year.


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Case study: How foodpanda is overcoming the matter of people working "systematically long hours"
In the August edition of Human Resources (Singapore), we explored the concept of work-life harmony in a special feature involving a range of stakeholders from foodpanda and Go-Ahead Singapore for their take on what integrating work and life really means.
In this case study, Priya Sunil focuses on the views of the employer, a line manager, and a Millennial, from foodpanda.
At foodpanda, the on-demand international food delivery service, Managing Director, Singapore Luc Andreani, represents the employer's demographic for this case study.
He believes that in the company's fast-paced tech/e-commerce environment, it is crucial to have the right measures to ensure employees achieve a balance between their work and personal lives. If not, they are at risk of experiencing burnout and the company could potentially lose its best employees.
In line with that, the company has implemented a series of initiatives. It offers benefits such as flexible working hours and two days of work-from-home per month. He shares: "What we are proud of is that these benefits do not just apply to full-timers, but are also available to part-timers and interns.
"Beyond that, we also organise interdepartmental team bonding activities to encourage employees who usually wouldn't work together to get to know each other."
Further, employees tenured for more than a year are entitled to courses under its 'Panda Learns' programme, which are paid for by the company.
Sri Hadisti, HR Manager at foodpanda Singapore, who represents the line manager's demographic, notes the importance of such initiatives, as they prioritise work-life balance as one of the key ways to improve organisational productivity, competitive advantage, morale and even efficiency.
She adds:
With the right strategies in place, employees will be able to enjoy an enhanced sense of job satisfaction and increased motivation at work.
"This, in turn, will translate into creating a workplace environment that your employees enjoy coming into, and strengthening their loyalty and commitment to the organisation."
However, maintaining work-life harmony hasn't always been easy for staff. Take Darryl Chua, Regional Operations Manager, foodpanda APAC, for example, who represents the Millennial's demographic. In the past, he faced challenges managing the expectations of different stakeholders, which in turn, took a toll on his mood and ultimately affected his work performance.
"It took me a while before I realised that there was nothing wrong in asking for help or advice when managing my workload or when I feel like my personal needs are also being affected, as it will ultimately affect my work as well. This a vicious cycle that is not easy to break out off, but acknowledging it and getting the right advice is key," he says.
In such cases, he reinforces the importance of being more involved in the programmes, and leading by example. He explains: "Even when a company might have a good programme in place, it will fall through because the managers are not adopting it or playing an active role in it, even though they are encouraging the employees to do so.
"It doesn't send across the right message that it's OK for more junior staff to take part in these initiatives."
Talking about the priorities ahead, Andreani says the company is looking to overcome the matter of people working "systematically long hours". In order to address this, the team has identified two root causes – employee inefficiency and organisational inefficiency, with the former being an immediate priority.
[ALSO READ: Case study: How Go-Ahead Singapore moves forward with flexibility for employees]
For tackling employee inefficiency, foodpanda is planning to put in place time-management training for all employees, not just for individuals that might be facing this issue.
"You'll never know when you might feel overwhelmed at work and we want to make sure that our team has the resources to make them feel empowered at what they are doing," he explains.
The company has also done away with employees having to clock-in or out, removing unnecessary stress on employees.
As for organisational inefficiency, he foresees a slightly longer period for changes to take effect, but the team is nonetheless committed to making them. For a start, the leadership team has made it a point to expand the tech team in anticipation of the support needed for the six to 12 months ahead – a strategy that it is looking to apply to all teams.
Last, he shares that the company is also inculcating an office culture that values output more than input, or hours, so as to focus on results rather than the amount of time taken to achieve that desired result.
Through these conversations, it is apparent that work-life harmony can be achieved in many ways, but not through a one-size-fits-all policy. In fact, these policies should be tailored to both the organisation's and overall employees' needs.
Flexibility is also favoured across the board, and ultimately, it cannot be stressed further that at the end of the day, with each implementation, it all boils down to output over input – the quality of work produced, over the number of hours clocked in.
Both foodpanda and Go-Ahead Singapore are adopters of the Tripartite Standards (TS). TS consists of a series of good employment practices that are important for all employers to implement and allows organisations to differentiate themselves as progressive employers.
Visit tafep.sg to find out more on the Tripartite Standards.
This case study first appeared in the August issue of Human Resources magazine (Singapore). Read the full feature in the magazine, or online!
Photos / provided (From L-R: Luc Andreani, Managing Director, foodpanda Singapore; Sri Hadisti, HR Manager, foodpanda Singapore; Darryl Chua, Regional Operations Manager, foodpanda APAC.)


The New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) is a 13-team collegiate summer baseball league founded in 1993 and sanctioned by the NCAA and Major League Baseball. Each NECBL team plays an eight-week, 44-game schedule during June and July, with a playoff in early August. Like the Cape Cod Baseball League and other amateur leagues, the NECBL is a showcase for top college-level players, giving professional baseball scouts a chance to see prospective pros playing against each other. Along with the Cape Cod Baseball League, Northwoods League, and Coastal Plain League, it is considered one of the top summer leagues in the country and is a part of the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball.
Founded in 1993, the NECBL began its direction under George Foster, former Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets All-Star and Major League Baseball home run leader, and Emmy Award-winning television producer/director Joseph Consentino. Play started in 1994 and today the NECBL has become a strong twelve-team league that plays in all six New England states. It recruits players attending U.S. colleges from New England, the other 44 states, and foreign countries, provided that they come from NCAA-sanctioned colleges or universities, are in good academic standing, have completed at least one year of athletic eligibility, and have at least one year of eligibility remaining. The NECBL became a 13-team league in 2013 with the addition of teams in Rhode Island (Ocean State Waves), Massachusetts (Plymouth Pilgrims) and New York (Saratoga Brigade) (the league's first team to operate outside New England), but reverted to 12 teams after the Brigade folded. On October 30, 2015, the league announced the formation of an expansion franchise based in Hartford, Vermont that would begin play in 2016, bringing the league size back up to 13 teams. The league reverted to 12 teams after the Plymouth Pilgrims ceased operations at the conclusion of the 2018 league year. In 2019, the League expanded back to 13 teams with the addition of the Martha's Vineyard Sharks, a former member of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League.
The NECBL's current commissioner is Sean McGrath, former general manager of the North Adams SteepleCats. McGrath replaced Mario Tiani, who retired following the 2012 season.
Rhode Island Gulls (baseball) Cranston, Rhode Island Cranston Stadium 4,500 1998–2000 Became the Newport Gulls.
For the current season, the league is divided into two six-team divisions, the North Division and the South Division. During the regular season, teams play in-division opponents a total of six times, three games at home and three away. Teams play out-of-division opponents twice, one game at home and one away. These games make up the 42 game regular season schedule. When doubleheaders are scheduled due to inclement weather, NECBL rules dictate that they are two seven-inning games. Until the end of the 2016 season, NECBL regular season games had 2 umpires, while All-Star and playoff games have 3 or 4 umpires. As of the 2017 season, all NECBL regular season games have 3-man umpiring crews. The top four teams from each division qualify for the playoffs. In the division semifinal round the first seeds play the fourth seeds and the second seeds play the third seeds, respectively, in best-of-three series. The winners of the division semifinals advance to the division finals, where they play a best-of-three series against their fellow division finalist. The division champions advance to the NECBL championship series, where they face each other in a best-of-three series to decide the NECBL champion.
In the NECBL's history, the most successful team is the Newport Gulls, with six league championships and eleven championship series appearances (including one championship appearance as the Cranston, Rhode Island-based Rhode Island Gulls). The defunct North Shore Navigators franchise had four league titles. The Keene Swamp Bats have four league titles. The Vermont Mountaineers have three league titles. A pair of franchises have won two championships, the Sanford Mainers and the defunct Central Mass Collegians. The Mystic Schooners won a single championship, when the team was known as the Eastern Tides in the league's inaugural 1994 season.
The following former NECBL players have gone on to play in Major League Baseball. Former NECBL players have reached the major league rosters of all thirty MLB teams, the thirtieth team being the Philadelphia Phillies when, in September 2015, Brian Bogusevic debuted with the team.
All NECBL games are broadcast online through the NECBL Broadcast Network, with Pointstreak providing both audio and video for all games.
On May 14, 2010, the league signed an agreement with Pointstreak. Pointstreak provides "real-time scoring, official statistics, and administration services" to the NECBL. A highlight of Pointstreak's services is Game Live, a real-time statistics feature providing play-by-play for every NECBL game.
^ Rogers, Kendall (July 20, 2007). "Kendall's Mailbag: Ducks in a row". Rivals.com College Baseball. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
^ Nation, Boyd (September 21, 2010). "Talent Levels for the 2010 College Summer Leagues". Boyd's World. Archived from the original on February 21, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2012. Overall, other than the clearcut win for the Cape, this leaves me a little fuzzy as to who's second, or to even who the second tier is. Overall, the NECBL, Jayhawk, and Northwoods leagues look good, but if you pay less attention to the D1% column (which may be reasonable, given the strength of the California JC ranks, for example), the California and West Coast leagues may join them.
^ "2012 Baseball Season Preview Part 1: Q&A with Head Coach Brett Boretti". GoColumbiaLions.com. Columbia University Athletics. February 23, 2012. Archived from the original on March 4, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
^ "NECBL Goes with 10 Teams for 2012". BallparkDigest.com. February 11, 2012. Archived from the original on February 21, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
^ "on Pointstreak Sports Technologies". Pointstreak Sports Technologies. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
^ Wolcott, David. "Plymouth Pilgrims baseball franchise ceases operations". Wicked Local Plymouth. Retrieved 2018-11-25.
^ "NECBL Alumni". NECBL. New England Collegiate Baseball League. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
^ "League". NECBL. New England Collegiate Baseball League. Retrieved 16 April 2017.


Save time and money on maintenance, labor and hassle with VIBCO Hydraulic Vibrators. They are the perfect choice for heavy-duty, dirty jobs like construction equipment, farm equipment, mining, construction and other applications in wet, muddy, or dusty conditions. They are an ideal OEM solution or a great after-market replacement.
All VIBCO Hydraulic Vibrators operate on pressures up to 3000 PSI.
VIBCO understands that long lead times cost you money — that's why all of VIBCO's standard products are available to ship the same day or very next day we receive your order. We also make sure that you receive the factory support that you need by having live, friendly customer service agents available to assist you from 7:30am — 8:00pm EST, and 24 hour technical support.


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Enhanced Analytics and Communications Functionality in Predictive Solutions Latest Workplace Safety Software Release
By OHS
Predictive Solutions Corporation announced today that version 9.0 of its SafetyNet software, used to predict and prevent workplace injuries, is now available to its customers.
"The enhancements in this upgrade are some of the most significant we've released in the last several years and are largely based on customer feedback," said Griffin Schultz, Predictive Solutions' general manager. "Each improvement helps users to better predict and prevent workplace injuries using data analytics, and then communicate those predictions across the organization so that injuries can be prevented."
With this software release, which boasts an updated look and feel, users will have the ability to access SafetyNet via all the major Internet browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari. Other features of the release include:
Enhanced safety analytics and reporting including trending and ad-hoc analytics
More detailed prediction model feedback to ensure more focused preventive measures
Functionality that supports complex, multi-level organizations for more targeted analysis and communication
"Our customers continue to prove through their results, that if we can predict workplace injuries, they can prevent them," Schultz added. "We are excited to bring them this latest software release that is loaded with enhancements that will help them to keep their workers safer."
To learn more about SafetyNet 9.0, visit www.predictivesolutions.com/learning-center/.
About Predictive Solutions Corporation Predictive Solutions Corporation, formerly DBO2, saves lives by predicting workplace injuries. Its software solutions help track, trend and analyze safety related data and incidents. They also employ proprietary models that predict the likelihood, frequency and location of workplace injuries using its customers' safety observation data. In addition, Predictive Solutions delivers consulting services that drive culture and process change within organizations to create sustainable safety processes that reduce injuries. With more than 140 million observations and 45,000 reported incidents from more than 15,000 worksites around the world, Predictive Solutions has emerged as an industry leader in predicting injuries before they occur. Predictive Solutions, based in Pittsburgh, Pa., was founded in 2001 and became an Industrial Scientific company in 2008. Its employees, along with those of its parent company, are dedicating their careers to ending death on the job in this century. For more information, visit www.predictivesolutions.com.
About Industrial Scientific Corporation Industrial Scientific Corporation is the world's leading provider of Gas Detection as a Service. With more than 965 people working in 22 countries, Industrial Scientific is dedicated to eliminating death in the workplace by the end of this century. Achieving this goal requires dedication to delivering highest quality and best customer service in all transactions. Industrial Scientific also focuses on providing analysis of data from equipment use and maintenance to identify problems before they happen. Industrial Scientific has operations based in Pittsburgh (USA), Arras (France), Dortmund (Germany) and Shanghai (China). The company provides technical services to customers from local service centers around the world, and has additional offices in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Czech Republic, India, Indonesia, Italy, Netherlands, Panama, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Industrial Scientific is the parent company to Oldham (www.oldhamgas.com) and Predictive Solutions Corporation (www.predictivesolutions.com). For more information, visit www.indsci.com.
Media Contacts: Chris Lange Director of Marketing, Americas & EMEA, Industrial Scientific 1-800-DETECTS (788-4353) clange@indsci.com Candace Adrian Marketing Communications Specialist, Industrial Scientific 1-800-DETECTS (788-4353) cadrian@indsci.com
Predictive Solutions to Participate in Webinar on the Use of Predictive Analytics to Prevent Workplace Injuries
New White Paper Available on the Use of Predictive Analytics in Workplace Safety
Predictive Solutions to Present at the 2013 National Safety Council Congress & Expo
Predictive Solutions Dr. Chuck Pettinger to Present at OSHA Safety Day 2013
Special Electronics & Designs Inc./Rescom Sales Inc.
Kincardine, ON
EcoLog News
Enmet Canada Ltd. – Div. of Arjay Engineering
New job safety analysis and construction safety awareness programs
New safety and diversity training titles from Dupont Sustainable Solutions


Even if not a single picture is never published, they exist. And that means that we are recording the history of the human race. If that's all your doing, it still a very very worth while profession to be involved in.


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How To: Your One-Stop Guide to Secure, Encrypted Messaging
By Christopher Smith
Now that smartphones have ensured that we're connected to the internet 24/7, online privacy has become more important than ever. With data-mining apps hoping to sell your information for targeted ads, and government agencies only one subpoena away from knowing every detail of your private life, encryption has become our last line of defense.
It was recently revealed that iMessage, the iPhone's default messaging app, can send some bits of data to Apple, even though messages were previously thought to be fully encrypted. Other popular platforms have unforeseen security issues, too, so end-to-end encryption is only part of the story.
But which encrypted messaging app is the most secure, and truly the most private? Below, we break down some of the most popular options available right now, and highlight their strengths and weaknesses. This list may expand as new companies integrate encryption in the near future.
For an Up-to-Date Guide: Check Out the 4 Best Apps for Private, Encrypted Messaging on Android & iOS
WhatsApp has been a heavy favorite worldwide for its ease in sending and receiving instant messages, including audio, video, and documents. It currently boasts a user base of one billion, and had recently finished rolling out end-to-end encryption for everyone, and WhatsApp claims to not have access to these encrypted messages at all.
Users on older versions of WhatsApp might not have encryption enabled, so make sure to always stay updated with the current version. If you want to verify that you have end-to-end encryption with another user, you can use a QR code and 60-digit passcode to do so.
The drawbacks to this? The privacy is maintained only if the user endpoint devices in the chat are fully secure themselves, an issue that does plague some Android users. Users also have to ensure that they're running the latest updated version of the app, and that means you and the people you're communicating with.
On top of that, WhatsApp recently reworded their privacy policy with some new terms and conditions indicating that the popular messaging platform will now share some data with Facebook, even if you're not registered with the social media site. Your conversations themselves are still off limits, but the new privacy policy is something you should be aware of nonetheless.
WhatsApp for iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch
WhatsApp for web
Signal Private Messenger
Signal has been well received by those very sensitive to digital privacy issues, most notably by Edward Snowden himself. Created by Open Whisper Systems (who also lent assistance to WhatsApp in their implementation of end-to-end encryption), Signal offers private messaging and phone calls via their mobile and desktop apps, both of which were made available to the public after an invitation-only beta program earlier this year.
What Signal offers is end-to-end encryption based on free- and open-source code, as well as added layers of security verification. The setup is easy and the layout offers large enough text within the interface. In order to contact someone through Signal, both parties need to have the app installed and then go through a security check involving correctly identifying random words to make sure you're connecting with the right person. At present, a major draw for Signal has been the full encryption of phone calls with no hitches.
Like WhatsApp, they claim to have zero access to your messages.
Signal for iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch
Signal for Android
Signal for desktop (via Chrome)
The VoIP and instant messaging app Viber made the recently announced end-to-end encryption for all chat conversations whether they're group-based or one-on-one as well, as for all calls. This goes into effect immediately where Viber's developers are located in Belarus, Israel, Brazil, and Thailand, with a global rollout over the next few weeks. Users looking to take advantage would then need to update to the latest version of the app and then use a QR code to re-authenticate themselves.
This latest move by Viber also includes a Hidden Chats feature that lets you protect certain chats with a four-digit PIN code. There is also a color-coded security system that users can utilize to verify how secure their chats are, which can come in handy given that Viber does support up to 200 users on a group chat conversation if needed. One feature that Viber hopes will attract more users is the enhanced delete feature which allows you to simply erase any evidence of a chat from your device and that of whoever else was on the chat with you.
What could be tricky for those interested in the newest version of Viber? For starters, you do have to make sure you're upgraded to the latest version on your device, which could leave those with older operating systems and devices left out, including those on PCs, who'll need Windows 10. Another thing to take a wait and see about is the company's plan to introduce bots into the app as a way to expand its appeal to businesses and to incorporate other services like gaming.
Viber for iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch
Viber for Windows
Viber for desktop
ChatSecure
ChatSecure is another solid option here, as it provides Off-the-record (OTR) encryption for all messages, which is a top-notch security protocol designed by cryptographers Ian Goldberg and Nikita Borisov. ChatSecure is fully open-source, and the fact that it uses the OTR encryption standard means that it's cross-compatible with other OTR messaging clients.
ChatSecure for iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch
ChatSecure for Android
ProtonMail stands out as an ancestor of sorts when it comes to the wave of end-to-end encryption services that are being provided. Created by a group of scientists from MIT and CERN, ProtonMail offers end-to-end encryption of email and is highly dependent on the user to create and remember a password to gain access to them. Users can also send and receive emails to those not using ProtonMail and still enjoy the protection of the service by manual encryption. There's even an option to give your emails an expiration date before sending them out.
ProtonMail may not be as attractive to users who want to apply end-to-end encryption across all their platforms, but it still is considered a good traditional system to communicate with full privacy and does allow for users to upgrade to a premium account which lets them use a custom domain.
ProtonMail for iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch
ProtonMail for Android
ProtonMail for web
Google Allo (Incognito Mode)
On the surface, a messenger app with Google's new Assistant giving you tips and search results while you're carrying on a conversation might sound like the farthest thing from secure. However, Google kept privacy-focused users in mind while developing Allo, so full end-to-end encryption is possible here.
For truly secure messaging, you'll simply need to start an "Incognito Mode" chat in Allo. Once you do that, your messages will be fully encrypted from the time they leave your phone until they arrive on the recipient's device. You'll lose out on some of the cooler features with Incognito Mode, but you can get those right back by opening a non-secure chat for more lighthearted conversations.
Google Allo for iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch
Google Allo for Android
Facebook Messenger (Secret Conversations)
Similar to Allo, Facebook Messenger now supports a fully encrypted communication mode. By default, your conversations are only encrypted as the messages move from Facebook's servers to either person's device, so Zuckerberg & Co. have a chance to analyze texts along the way.
However, using the new "Secret Conversations" feature, your messages will be 100% encrypted, and you can even opt to have the messages disappear from both devices after a period of time. Again, though, end-to-end encryption is only available when you start a "Secret Conversation."
Facebook Messenger for iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch
Facebook Messenger for Android
Threema has gotten a little bit of buzz, mainly among those in its origin country of Switzerland. Its user base in comparison to the others listed here is small (at last report, 3.5 million), but what's drawn people to Threema is the company's policy on protecting your metadata as well as using on an open-source code based on the NaCI Library. Plus, there's end-to-end encryption for all message types.
Threema also offers a unique user ID generated by the initial app launch, and the ability to verify other users by QR code as an added layer of protection. Users can't make phone calls, but they can send voicemails, texts, and multimedia files. The company has also made it possible for businesses to send messages to clients who have the app installed in a gateway system similar to SMS gateways.
Threema for iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch
Threema for Android
Threema for Amazon
Threema for Windows
LINE, the communications app that got its start in Japan due to a natural disaster, has grown to be used by close to 400 million worldwide. LINE is unique because their end-to-end encryption is enabled within the "Letter Sealing" feature between users in all chat room messages. However, you need to activate this feature manually, and all parties in a conversation must enable this feature also for it to be truly private.
Just like Viber, it also has a Hidden Chat feature, as well as a time-limited messaging feature. And LINE claims that "no LINE employee or third party, besides the chat participants themselves, will be able to view [messages]."
LINE for iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch
LINE for Mac OS X
LINE for Android
LINE for BlackBerry
LINE for Windows
LINE for Chrome
Telegram has emerged as a hefty rival to WhatsApp, and has been working on improving their suite of offerings to users. Included among its newer features is a new video player for iOS users, as well as a revamped chat interface for Android users.
The standout feature is centered on their "Secret Chats" end-to-end encryption which users can switch on. They can then verify each other's identity with visual-based keys.
The encryption Telegram offers has gotten some dubious attention due to terror groups creating secure channels with it, but the company has been vigilant in eliminating those channels once detected by their personnel. Telegram also claims to be more secure than WhatsApp and LINE.
Telegram for iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch
Telegram for Windows Phone
Telegram for Firefox OS
Telegram for desktop (Windows/Mac/Linux)
Telegram for web
Telegram for Chrome
Dust is a fairly new entry to the encrypted messaging app game, and comes from business titan and digital maven Mark Cuban. What makes Dust unique is that messages sent through the app never come in contact with the company's servers. In addition, messages don't get stored on a user's device and once they're read, they vanish. That alone is mind-blowing.
Dust, available for iOS and Android users, was crafted with the emphasis on communicating quickly without leaving a trace, and initial reactions have gotten great feedback. Cuban has stated that future plans for the app will include expansion to other sources and a version for the Web.
Cyber Dust for iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch
Cyber Dust for Android
Surespot
Surespot is less known, but has been rising in usage due to its encryption based on a public-key cryptography system and reliance on 256 AES-GCM. It offers encrypted offline backup through iTunes and local storage on Android devices. Another intriguing feature is the ability to create and use multiple identities for business purposes or regular means.
Surespot claims that their servers never see the private key, so they have no way of decrypting messages from their end. Your username is also not associated with an email or phone number, which gives you even more privacy. Unfortunately, this is also a bad thing, because your password for Surespot can never be recovered or reset.
Surespot for iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch
Surespot for Android
Popular Apps Without End-to-End Encryption
There are others that offer encryption, but not end-to-end. So if you're using these extensively, bear in mind the conditions each app has in terms of privacy.
Google Hangouts: Like iMessage, all messages through this service are encrypted, even on their servers. But if legal authorities request it, Google can hand those messages over.
Kik: Their messages aren't encrypted, but the company does ensure that they're erased from their servers once they're delivered to someone's device.
Twitter: There's no end-to-end encryption when it comes to their direct messages, and they can be subject to review and seizure by law.
Snapchat: Yes, snaps do get erased from their servers once their recipients open them up on their devices. However, those that don't get opened stay on the servers for 30 days and can be subject to review by legal authorities despite being encrypted.
Skype: Their instant messages aren't encrypted and can be seized by the law if requested.
WeChat: The messages aren't encrypted and can even be tracked via GPS according to some accounts.
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text:
Get Woke Coven
A place of reclamation, reckoning, and voice.
What is the meaning of the name 'Get Woke Coven'?
AM: Get Woke refers to the social activist play on words that has been in the media in recent years. Basically a call to awaken, to increase your awareness to encompass a greater understanding of yourself, "others", to become sentient, particularly with issues that might be outside of yourself secondary to privilege. By expanding your sense of self, your connection to "others", your awareness about impactful issues (environment, social justice, etc) you are more educated, you turn on your light, you awake, and you can awaken others. That is a personal goal of mine – to See into issues, to learn more, to help right wrongs, and to awaken/aid others.
Shakiyla Love: Thanks for getting us started, AM. I love this play on words. For me, "Get Woke Coven" resonated with the somewhat playful and complimentary African-American colloquialism of being "woke" or "getting woke". Being "woke" means having a level of social and cultural consciousness that is clear seeing (as opposed to distorted), awake/engaged (as opposed to asleep), and knowing (as opposed to uninformed). Similar to what LR offered, we wanted the name to serve as a call or invitation to ourselves and others to awaken into deeper and broader awareness, seeing, and knowing about self, each other, and the social and physical world. Indeed, these are challenging times that demand that we be 'woke' and engaged rather than asleep and shut-down.
The word coven may also feel rather loaded, as it usually refers to a gathering or community of witches. The word 'witch' conjures a lot of meanings and connotations for different people – some negative and some positively reclaimed. While we don't shy away from this word, we are mostly using it to mean a gathering of like-minded, powerful women. It feels important to name this explicitly for both political and energetic reasons. Specifically, the feminine (note: it is crucial to distinguish between female and feminine) has been revered, reviled, and subjugated throughout history. We wish to support and promote the reclamation of the feminine as a necessary counterbalance to the masculine, and more specifically to the toxic manifestation of masculinity (as opposed to a healthy manifestation) that has been in power in more recent human history. So, we use the word coven as a signal to the importance of calling out and gathering the feminine. For me, it also is a reminder that I cannot become 'woke' or do the work of waking up and becoming more aware alone. I need my sisters around me to both hold and challenge me. It is a reminder that being woke is both a personal path and commitment, but it must be done in community. For true impact and planetary change, we must get woke together.
What's with the word coven? Are you witches? What does witch mean?
AM: I hesitate to take on a word that is so charged, without first defining it for myself. A witch is a woman who has stepped into her power (see Burning Woman by Lucy H Pearce). I am in the process of giving myself voice and claiming my own power by getting to know my inner world and awakening to myself. I utilize techniques for my self-care that some might associate with the occult or witches, such as shamanic journeying, meditation, ritual and ceremony; all are for the purpose of self-inquiry and healing.
We use the word coven because that is a word for a group of women. We are a group of women writers, 2 founders, plus guests that we will feature to expand our coverage of topics as well as allow other women voice and an outlet when they might not have that ability otherwise.
Shakiyla Love: Yes, AM, what a charged word. I have referred to myself and have been referred to as a witch before. Sometimes I still use it. I like it because it is a sort of reclamation of a lost history of women unashamed and grounded in their own, each other's, and nature's power.
What is the intent of GWC?
AM: The intention of GWC is healing and creation of community. We heal by creating a space for voice, evolution, reclamation, and reckoning on salient issues that impact all of, including sexism, racism, class, the political, the spiritual, and environmentalism. We will write on resonant topics, as well as post pieces by friends to encompass greater perspective, foster community, and allow others to heal through voice.
Shakiyla Love: Yes! All of this! And I believe our intent is to support our own and others' awareness/awakeness, which is a quality that must be constantly cultivated and supported within inclusive, diverse community. We hope to cultivate a community of connected, socially-conscious, critical, and compassionate folk who are committed to being in inquiry around and growing together in our understanding and engagement of the big challenges of our time that LR mentioned. These are difficult times filled with complexity and ambiguity. We do not yet have the capacity – individually or collectively – nor the answers to address the problems of our times. But I believe that together, we can learn and grow into greater capacity to meet these challenges. GWC is our love offering toward this. It will be imperfect and insufficient, but it is a start.
Who are you? Background information on the founders of GWC
AM: There are 2 of us that started this group. We have known each other since 2007 and share similar ideas and values in terms of where we see current social issues, progress that needs to be made, and our desire for change. At this time, I reserve the right to use my full name, initials, or a pseudonym in writing to allow me more freedom. I am a mother in my 30s with a background in yoga instruction and 2 graduate-level degrees. My degrees are not in or specific to law, social justice, or gender studies – all topics I will be writing on; however, I do have the privilege of time and an insatiable appetite for reading and knowledge. Rather than using my time, knowledge, and inquisitiveness for my personal self, I'd prefer to share it with others to foster change, community, and collective healing.
Shakiyla Love: I am a yogi, reiki practitioner, and tree hugger. I am a daughter, sister, and friend. I am also a 40 something black woman who grew up in Philadelphia during the 1980s crack epidemic. I have a Masters in Public Health and have been working in violence prevention for 15 years. I also have a doctorate in Adult Education and most of my practice and scholarly work is in the area of adult learning and development, action inquiry, and learning about how we grow in and through relationship and community.
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Fox Sports 1 Set for August Debut
By Mark R. Smith 08 July 2013
Fox Sports 1's engineering and operations crew includes (L to R): Mike Wilken, vice president, Todd Daly, executive vice president and Richard Friedel, executive vice president and general manager.LOS ANGELES—When founding a sports network, it's helpful to be able to start the build-out as a division of a legendary, multi-billion dollar media entity that's been a pillar of the industry since what seems like the beginning of time. Those are the circumstances for the execs at Fox Sports' Los Angeles headquarters, who are finding that scenario has helped to facilitate the founding of its new sports channel, Fox Sports 1, which is being created as Fox Sports' answer to ESPN.
While the arrangement has offered some economies of scale, the project remains a huge undertaking, requiring the renovation of more than half of the 250,000-square-foot Fox Network Center in Century City, Calif.
But the ramp-up has progressed well and Fox Sports 1, and its flagship show, "Fox Sports Live," are on schedule to debut the program on a platform near you—be it in your living room, on your desk or in the palm of your hand—on Aug. 17.
EARLY PLANNING
"Fox Sports Live" will air from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. eastern time and will be refreshed hourly; the most recent hour will be repeated overnight, with breaking news as it happens. The network will also air other programming during those day parts, based on its seven pillar sports: college basketball and football, NASCAR, soccer, UFC and ancillary programs about the NFL, with Major League Baseball to become part of the schedule in 2014.
Among the programming will be "Fox Football Daily" and "Crowd Goes Wild," a one-hour talk show to be hosted from New York by Regis Philbin that will air on weekday evenings.
The Fox network engineering and operations trio of Richard Friedel, executive vice president and general manager; Todd Daly, executive vice president; and Mike Wilken, vice president, are in charge of the buildout for the sports news operation, which will emanate from an 8,400-square-foot full production set known as Studio B; with a working, on-camera newsroom located on another floor.
While there has been some consolidation of services at the Fox Network Center, which came online in 1997, some complications arose due to the fact that the building cannot physically be expanded.
Therefore, to accommodate Fox Sports 1, the center (which is located on the Fox movie/television production lot and houses playout functions for Fox's national cable channels, including FX, National Geographic Channel and others), has been "retrofitted, in spots, to make room for about 200 new employees," said Friedel, who runs engineering and operations, noting that "some old offices were ripped out" in the process.
Fox Sports 1 will emanate from an 8,400-squarefoot full production set, known as Studio B; with a working, on-camera newsroom located on another floor.FROM THE INSIDE
Fox had already purchased most of its new equipment and was finalizing installation at press time. The updated roster will include multiple cameras, with Grass Valley LDK 8000 cameras operating in Studio B and three of the latest Ikegami HDL 50s in use in the working newsroom.
The network has also expanded its existing Quantel server-based production system, with additional ingest ports and editing capabilities. In addition, Fox is deploying a sports content management system using Dalet and Brio ingest servers to enhance production workflow. Fox Sports is also implementing the Ross OverDrive system in its automated control room to support news production and breaking news.
"The entire news operation is heavily automated, where appropriate," said Friedel, "such as in the production of news breaks," and Fox Sports is in the midst of expanding the internal video distribution system to more than 200 channels.
That equipment roster and the correlating expansion were designed to meet certain goals, according to Daly. "The creation of Fox Sports 1 meant an incredible increase of production, so the new equipment additions will give us maximum flexibility to handle that dramatic increase in volume and handle more production on our new, tighter schedule," he said. "In addition, it will allow us to react to new production requests that arise with any new channel."
Wilken echoed that thought. "We have a large facility here," he said, "but to accommodate Fox Sports 1, almost every system that was already here had to be expanded."
That's because "we're doing more editing and have added additional Mac graphic systems for design, Vizrt for sophisticated playback, added a full control room and are upgrading others, thus expanding our remote acquisition," said Friedel, also noting expanded bandwidth of the Fox fiber network. "We're very lucky that we're on Vyvx POP here at the broadcast center. That's allowed us to add additional transmit and receive capacity to handle the increased volume that Fox Sports 1 will create."
"Studio production is increasing four fold, while transmission receive and transmit capabilities are also expanding with inbound receive capability nearly doubling to accommodate our expanded news operation," Daly added.
'THE WORK NEVER STOPS'
With Fox Sports 1's space and equipment equations just about solved, next comes "the final technical preparation and operator training for as many as 300 production employees" with about a month to go before its early August debut, Friedel said. "We're creating completely new workflows, evaluating everything and improving whatever we can, wherever possible."
The idea, he said, was to understand the importance of providing better service capability for the producers, who will need more tools to make better decisions upstream in the production process. "We expect that this will make us more efficient," said Daly, adding that Fox is also automating repetitive processes in the production chain, such as moving files through the plant.
And the setup of any project of this size, especially given the construction parameters, will have reverberations throughout a facility, even one the size of the Fox Network Center.
"The challenge is that this is such a large increase in production for us that it's having effects on other parts of the company," said Friedel. "On the bright side, it's hastened the modernization of our facilities."
And in any big network center, "there are always upgrades," he said. "The work never stops."


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