And everyone thinks about it as a great single essential oil for diffusing and refreshing environments. But I wanted to think outside the box. What are some uses for lemon essential oil that are more unique? Here are ten uses for lemon essential oil in my home.
Confession. I actually don't use that much lemon essential oil, especially in comparison to how much some people use lemon essential oil. But this. This. Removing sticky messes from surfaces. This is my number one use of lemon essential oil. Whether it is left on tape residue on my skin, or a couch, or a wall, lemon essential oil will remove the stick mess that is taunting you.
When I was living in London, the new European office was being built. The walls are all glass, and, for safety reasons, this required that duct tape be added to the walls until the decals were applied. The cleaner complained to me one evening that she was so frustrated because she couldn't get the tape residue off of the wall after the decals were applied. Lemon essential oil to the rescue. All of the residue was gone from every single wall in the office the next day.
I love combining lemon essential oil for with all things kitchen. My cutting board gets a nice rub down with lemon essential oil and coconut oil anytime it looks dull or overly cut. Just mix a couple of drops in with a half teaspoon of coconut oil and wipe the board with a clean rag.
While getting manicures in New York, I noticed that so many salons offer lemon manicures. Lemon essential oil can not only soften cuticles, but it can also promote nail growth by fighting fungus known to slow down nail growth.
You can easily refresh your shower after each shower with a daily shower spray. To make your shower spray combine 2 cups distilled water, 2 T Castile soap, 10 drops lemon oil, and 15 drops tea tree essential oil in a spray bottle. Honestly, I would steer toward a non-BPA hard plastic bottle, especially with children in the household. Glass in the shower is a potentially risky situation, and plastic may be a better option.
Lemon energy is similar to the fire energy of the solar plexus. The solar plexus color is yellow, so the color of lemon is a good match. The solar plexus is where we house our determination, our sense of self, and our internal power. Apply a couple of drops of lemon essential oil around and just above the navel if you have to go into a challenging discussion or a situation that makes you nervous.
I love to put a drop or two of lemon essential oil in my favorite water bottle before heading to the yoga studio. Lemon essential oil has been shown to increase fat breakdown in experimental models. The flavor of the essential oil isn't my very favorite (and a lot of people disagree with me on that point), so I only add in a drop of lemon essential oil. I then add in 2-3 drops of peppermint essential oil, because I love the flavor and the cooling effect of the menthol.
Isolated extracts from lemon essential oil have been shown to protect the skin from lipid peroxidation and free radicals. And both of these have been shown to accelerate tissue damage. It is hypothesized that lemon essential oil has strong antioxidant properties that protect the skin from free radical damage. Combine a drop of lemon essential oil with Vitamin E liquid for a moisturizing and nourishing addition to your skin care routine. Vitamin E also works to fight lipid peroxidation and free radicals, so win-win.
Combine 1/4 cup fractionated coconut oil, 1/4 cup white vinegar, and 10 drops lemon essential oil to create your own leather conditioner. Polish shoes, jackets, and sofas to keep them soft and supple.
You can lighten hair of any shade using lemon essential oil. Combine 15 drops of lemon essential oil, with 5 drops each frankincense and sandalwood in one cup of water. Spray on wet hair before going out in the sun. Shake well before each use. Go easy if you have dark hair as no one wants that orange look for the hair.
Simply rubbing a few drops of lemon essential oil on clothing can help to remove stains before you put them in the laundry. It is especially effective on grease stains. Use caution with dark clothing as lemon essential oil has a natural lightening effect.
Lemon essential oil is so versatile and these are just ten uses for lemon essential oil. Comment below with your favorite way to use lemon. Want to read more Top Ten Lists? Check out this post on lavender essential oil.
For a comprehensive video database of essential oils, supplements, and wellness, Join the Club.


The Tomb has gotten even more fucked up than usual, especially with that weirdo Dave skulking around. I've heard that Nurse Sin and Barbarossa are looking for him, but who knows why? He and Specter seem to have some kind of an understanding, something about the tunnel in his workshop. Grandma Vega seems to have some clue about what's really going on, which might just be a scarier turn of events than all of the cannibalism. He says there's a band of brainers who live out in the Mendy's, and that Dave is one of their emissaries. Now, it looks like they've got their sights set on Akatomi and everyone inside. Can we possibly survive the coming onslaught of brainwashed cannibals and psychos with mind powers?
By Calligraphy's mighty turntables, I hope so!


VR1 offers an Adjustable Start System [product #13051]. The fixed Start Position is a standard and features a typical Start Range. Because each individual has a different range of motion, the adjustable start makes VR1 user-friendly to a wider audience.


Please don't forget to Pray For Haiti and everyone in the world to help Haiti. Please send money please send food or something helpful. Lord, I pray that everyone in Haiti will wake up tomorrow and fond something amazing. A miracle.


The club, which already boasts a long list of growing talent, will use the grant from the 'awards for all' scheme to help support the expanding youth development programme.
After Great Britain's phenomenal success at the recent Olympic Games, cycling has become a much more popular sport and community liaison officer, Dave Rutherford thinks this grant will be a benefit to everyone.
"The funding gives us the opportunity to help kids from some of the worst-off parts of the borough to try their hand at cycling," said the top veteran cyclist.
"There are world champions out there so let's get them on a bike."
And the funding couldn't come at a better time as the club continue to move forward following the opening of the new Tudor Grange Cycle circuit in Solihull.
Since the ribbon was cut the number of young riders has increased to over 70, but this grant is sure to help attract new talent.
Club coach Robin Fox is delighted with the award and the money will be well spent.
"The club can now train more coaches in addition to purchasing equipment and bikes for use in training and racing sessions at the circuit."


text:
Digital Is Not Rocket Science
Pretty Ugly: how will your user interface be remembered?
Posted by BenWagenaar on February 20, 2018 February 20, 2018
Many years ago, I worked on a small intranet project that displayed output from a number of Crystal Reports. Remember Crystal? I spent many happy days working with the late nineties version of their software, which was quite pioneering at the time.
Crystal Reports was the grand-daddy of today's Microsoft PowerBI. You could connect it to a variety of data sources, including using those troublesome ODBC drivers, to pull data from databases then use an interface that was a cross between Word and PowerPoint to lay out content. Its most powerful feature was the way you could group together output into sections, and while fiddly to get everything lined up – before functions like snap-to-grid were invented – it was quite powerful.
Most of the effort between my colleague and I was spent on getting the reports' content correct and then aligned nicely on the page. Design? Styling? Pah, we were coders, not UI specialists. But we did borrow the client's corporate branding – which was green – to style the navigation elements, dropped in a logo, used the secondary brand colours in the right places and after testing we were just about there.
However, in an act of reckless, wanton creativity, my colleague, over a lunch break or less, created a little "home" icon based on the classic house silhouette. Using a little bit of client-side browser scripting, he made the window in the icon change to a yellow colour when the mouse was hovered over the image; like a light coming on in the house.
Our home icon was a little like this. With a window I recall. And it was green
It was such a menial, barely-noticeable change, but it rounded off our modest work nicely. After a few previews and sign-off from our client, we then formally launched it on their intranet. After a few days, some feedback was sought via email. With so much focus and effort on the figures in the report, we expected a deluge of enquiries around the numbers, particularly as they were sales-related, but the actual feedback surprised us.
"Love the little house!" said one. "The light comes on when you click it – brilliant!" said another. Hang on a minute. All that work on the reports, all the testing, working hours with the client's accounts team, tedious editing within Crystal and our core userbase only notices a small UI feature that was merely an afterthought?
Obvious as it might sound, the moral of the tale here is that it may be the smallest details in your digital project that leave the longest lasting impression. Functionality must be delivered evenly with the user interface. Your app might be the last word in content and functionality but if the user experience is poor, it's all your end users will remember.
No doubt this Oracle system is rich in detail and functionality. But how would you remember the user experience?
The user experience (UX) is beyond a key feature of our digital work these days. It's arguably more important than the application itself; however functional it is, it will have no future if it is poor to use.
My own learning from the Crystal Reports story was that our work, while useful, had not moved the game on. On reflection, nearly 20 years later, I think our users could get the data elsewhere if needed and merely accessing it on an intranet wasn't especially fulfilling. The numbers were always well known and documented – the data in Crystal was pulled from another system, after all – so what did our site add? Nothing, which is why its most memorable feature was a swappable GIF image created during a lunchbreak.
Look at your work objectively and consider at length what the defining and thus most memorable aspects of the UX is. It could be all your users remember of it.
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text:
American basketball team
Adam Augustyn
Last Updated: Jan 16, 2020 See Article History
Sacramento Kings, American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, that plays in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The franchise won an NBA championship in 1951 when it was known as the Rochester Royals of New York.
The Royals franchise was founded in 1945 in Rochester as a member of the National Basketball League (NBL). An instant success, the team won the NBL title in its first season in the league (1945–46) and reached the NBL finals in each of the following two years. It joined the Basketball Association of America (BAA) for the 1948–49 season and moved to the NBA before the next season when that league was formed from the merger of the BAA and the NBL. In 1950–51 the Royals, led by three future Hall of Famers—guards Bob Davies and Bobby Wanzer and centre-forward Arnie Risen—won the NBA championship by defeating the New York Knicks in a seven-game series. While this strong group of players did not win another title, the Royals were one of the best teams of the early NBA, reaching the division finals (akin to the modern NBA's conference finals) three times between 1949–50 and 1953–54.
The 1954–55 season saw the Royals post the first losing record in franchise history, and the team finished the remaining seasons of the decade below .500 as the aging members of the Royals roster were replaced by young stars such as forwards Jack Twyman and Maurice Stokes (whose enduring friendship, especially after Stokes became disabled, is one of professional sport's most engaging stories). As the NBA continued to grow through the 1950s, the Royals relocated to the much larger city of Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1957, adding centre-forward Wayne Embry to the roster the next year.
In 1960 the Royals acquired the University of Cincinnati's star guard Oscar Robertson as a territorial pick (from 1947 to 1965 the NBA allowed teams to forfeit their first-round draft choice to select, prior to the regular draft, a college player from the immediate area). Led by the "Big O," the Royals made two consecutive trips to the division finals in 1962–63 and 1963–64, losing to the eventual-champion Boston Celtics on each occasion. Despite the addition in 1963 of forward Jerry Lucas—like Robertson, a territorial pick (from Ohio State) and a future Hall of Famer—the team failed to advance out of the first round of the play-offs in its three other postseason berths in the 1960s.
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Coached by Bob Cousy (1969–73), the struggling Royals were sold to a group of businessmen based in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1971. After playing one final season in Cincinnati, the franchise was relocated to Kansas City before the 1972–73 season and renamed the Kings because the city's Major League Baseball team had already claimed the name Royals. In its first three seasons after the move, the team divided its home games between Kansas City and Omaha, Nebraska, and was known as the Kansas City–Omaha Kings over this period. Although it featured the on-court heroics of all-star guard Nate ("Tiny") Archibald at the beginning of its 13-season tenure in Kansas City, the team was mostly mediocre during this period, qualifying for the play-offs five times and advancing past its first play-off series just once, a surprising run to the 1981 conference finals after a 40–42 regular season. In 1983 the Kings were again sold to an out-of-state ownership group, and, after playing two lame-duck seasons in Kansas City, the franchise moved to Sacramento in 1985.
The Kings had a losing record in each of their first 13 years in Sacramento—finishing in last or second-to-last place 10 times during that stretch—despite the strong play of all-star shooting guard Mitch Richmond for much of the 1990s. The franchise's fortunes began to turn in 1998–99, as the Kings qualified for the first of eight consecutive postseason appearances. The high point of this streak came in 2001–02, when the team, led by forwards Chris Webber and Peja Stojakovic, had the best record in the NBA and reached the Western Conference finals, which it lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in an exciting seven-game series. Since 2006–07 Sacramento has failed to return to the play-offs, and the team became known more for managerial and off-court dysfunction than it was for its on-court play in the following years.
>Sacramento Kings (1987–88), served as a commentator on television broadcasts of NBA games, and continued to remain active in social causes. His autobiography, Second Wind: The Memoirs of an Opinionated Man (cowritten with Taylor Branch), was published in 1979. Russell was inducted into the Naismith…
Jerry Lucas
…the Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings) in the 1962 NBA draft but instead signed with the ABL's Cleveland Pipers after the team offered him an incentive-laden contract that contained a series of stock options and promises of future graduate school funding. The Pipers then tried to use the leverage…
Wayne Embry
…the Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings) of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1958. Nicknamed "the Wall," Embry, at 6 feet 8 inches (2 metres) tall and 240 pounds (109 kg), was a massive presence at centre on Royals teams that featured Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas. Although a…
Jack Twyman
Bobby Wanzer
areas of involvement
Official Site of Sacramento Kings
Britannica Websites
Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
Sacramento Kings - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)


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With the classic adidas 3 stripe logo, adidas Caflaire Lo Men's Casual Shoes are an easy choice for your weekend wear. They feature a comfortable synthetic lining and vulcanised rubber outsole for excellent grip and a sleek look. The heel and toe are reinforced with stylish suede panels for added durability. Vulcanised rubber outsole for traction with a sleek look. Classic adidas 3 stripe design. Heel and toe are reinforced with suede for added durability. Central lacing. Soft, synthetic lining for comfort.


Curious to know whose photography or video blogs you read after you make your very first stop of the day at VSL....???
I'm always curious about new blogs or blogs I have missed that either showcase good photography or have some unique viewpoint about cameras, lenses, lighting and technique. I try to balance topics here but I'm an avid reader of other blogs as well. I suspect you are as well. Please consider sharing fun to read blog resources that you read on a regular basis.
As I am asking the question I guess I'll get the ball rolling.
Help me find more and share them.
edit: definitely list your own blog if you have one!
Reasonable and appropriate lens buying. Part two. A do-everything zoom?
The Nikon 24-120mm f4.0G lens is not big news.
But it may be a good problem solver for event shooters.
I know it's the opinion of many of my friends and colleagues that I should just calm down, buy into one system for the long run, and use the same cameras and lenses, day in and day out, until technology makes big leaps or the market drops dead. But they all know that this is probably not going to happen at the VSL H.Q. I get bored doing the same thing over and over again and I get even more bored doing the same things over and over again with the same cameras and lenses. Lately, I am trying to be a bit more rational and so I've really tried thinking through the cameras and lenses that might be the best fit for two different assignments this week.
Tomorrow I need to go to a technology conference and shoot all of the signage, decor, staging and convention style showcases and demo areas for the production company that's producing the show. No talking heads, not fast moving action, just good documentation of a lot of fun graphics stuff. There are two advantages to this job: one advantage is that the graphics and signage materials are beautifully designed and extremely well implemented, and the second advantage is that the show is mostly contained on three floors of a new, big, shiny convention hotel right in the middle of downtown just across the street from Medici Coffee House. I think I may even be able to ride the bus to this job. How novel!
This kind of shooting mostly involves walking around looking for good shooting angles, staying out the client's way and making exposure choices based on how well lit everything is. In this instance I think flexibility with the gear is important. That and image quality.
I won't have the opportunity to light anything (other than what I might be able to do with on camera flash) and there is a lot to do in a proscribed amount of time, and that led me to start considering a lens that would cover everything from a wide angle point of view to a very tight headshot crop. I used to own a Canon 24-105mm L series lens and found it to be incredibly useful so I started looking for its counterpart in the Nikon lens catalog and came across the 24-120mm f4 (the newest version of three).
The reviews on this lens are decidedly mixed (from the pundits) but the overwhelming number of ordinary consumer reviews on Amazon and B&H Photo are four or five stars. The biggest two gripes are that the lens has a lot of geometric distortion (it does) and that it isn't as sharp at 120mm at it is at the rest of the focal lengths.


text:
Q: Función universal "multiplicaciones aleatorias" En el ejercicio pide que desarrolle una función universal que mostre 15 ejemplos de multiplicaciones aleatorias sin repetirse (desde 2x2 hasta 9x9), ya que multiplicaciones del 1 y del 10 son muy faciles. (2x3 - 3x2 cuenta como repetida).
Este es el codigo pero sin función universal, podrían ayudarme por favor cómo puedo hacer esto. Y qué es una función universal?
import random

productos = [(x,y) for x in range(2,9) for y in range(x,10)]

for (x,y) in random.sample(productos,15):
    print("{} * {} = {}".format(x, y, x*y))

A: Debido a que no se pueden repetir por ejemplo 3 x 2 y 2 x 3 entonces es mejor que lo que busquemos es la duplicidad del resultado de la multiplicación. Con esto, si usamos un diccionario para guardar el resultado de 3 x 2 que es 6, el resultado de 2 x 3 ya no se debería repetir.
Con la siguiente función puedes lograr lo que quieres:
import random

def get_multiplicaciones(inicio, fin):
    resultados = {}
    while len(resultados) < 15:
        x = random.randint(inicio, fin)
        y = random.randint(inicio, fin)
        total = x * y
        if total not in resultados:
            resultados[x*y] = {
                'x': x,
                'y': y
            }
    return resultados

resultado = get_multiplicaciones(2, 9)

for resultado, numeros in resultado.items():
    print("{:>3}  x {:>3}  = {:>3}".format(numeros['x'], numeros['y'], resultado))

El resultado en mi caso sería:
  4  x   8  =  32
  2  x   3  =   6
  9  x   8  =  72
  7  x   6  =  42
  6  x   2  =  12
  2  x   7  =  14
  5  x   3  =  15
  8  x   2  =  16
  9  x   9  =  81
  3  x   6  =  18
  5  x   4  =  20
  3  x   7  =  21
  3  x   8  =  24
  7  x   4  =  28
  9  x   7  =  63

Sin embargo, esta función no es muy "universal", ya que solo lo hace para 15 resultados, ¿qué pasa si quieres 20, o 50, o 1000? En ese caso habría que validar que la cantidad de elementos requeridos no exceda la cantidad de combinaciones posibles.
Me faltó tiempo para revisarla pero por el momento creo que resuelve tu problema.

A: Definiciones de Función Universal hay varias según el propósito, pero supongo que el ejercicio se refiere a una función que recibe como argumento otra función que será la que describa la operación a realizar.
En tu caso, la operación de multiplicar tiene que entrar como argumento, y la función universal tiene que servir tanto para multiplicar como para cualquier otra operación binaria.
Partiendo del código que has puesto, una idea sería:
import operator
import random

def ufunc(op):
    pares = [(x,y) for x in range(2,10) for y in range(x,10)]

    for (x,y) in random.sample(pares,15):
        yield (x, y, op(x,y))

for (x,y,res) in ufunc(operator.mul):
    print("{} x {} = {}".format(x, y, res))

Podríamos aprovechar la función universal para crear otros tipos de tablas:
for (x,y,res) in ufunc(operator.add):
    print("{} + {} = {}".format(x, y, res))

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Ridge Pointe is a wonderful sidewalk community in West Columbia, SC. Lots and homes are available in this neighborhood with lot prices starting at $23,500. The homes have prices ranging from $111,000 to $127,000 with square footage between 1260 feet and 1675 feet. While most of the homes have three bedrooms, some homes do have four bedrooms. Lexington Two is the school district for Ridge Pointe. Common area maintenance is included in the association fees.
Just off of Fish Hatchery Road, the neighborhood of Ridge Pointe is twenty-five minutes from West Columbia. Ridge Pointe is also near Interstate 26 and the Hidden Valley Golf Club. The town of Gaston is roughly seven miles away.


You know those people that come into your lives that you immediately feel like you've known forever? That was this family of 4. They arrived at their session, their kiddos dressed in their PJ's (to avoid winkled carseat clothing), tousled hair and grimaces on their faces. They had fallen asleep in the car on the way to their session. Normally, any other day, this would not be a time they would ever fall asleep.
Their oldest was having nothing to do with wanting to change, wanting to take photos, and of course this strange location with some strange new lady.
Between Mom, Dad and me, we managed to get them changed, snuggled and eventually, we got them both on board with photos — I have a few tricks up my sleeve that I need to grab from on occasion. Luckily for all of us, they worked like a charm!
This family. So much love. I'm telling you. I would have been freaking out if my kids came to their session grumpy and tired, but not these two. They just loved on them, were so patient and, honestly those are my favorite photos of all time. Because that is what being a parent is — being flexible, being loving, being patient. Those kids are surrounded by the some of the most loving people!
Good luck trying to narrow these down – I couldn't even do it for your blog post.
What a pleasure to be a part of someone's life in the most memorable times. This family reached out for a maternity session last summer and we clicked immediately — I laughed so hard during their Maternity Session and found myself laughing at random times over the next few days just remembering silly moments. I couldn't wait to see them again.
My next meeting with them would be at the hospital for Coleman's Fresh 48 Hospital Session. Man oh man, this little boy was striking at less than 48 hours old! Those dimples —- and he didn't get them from Mom or Dad, he was just blessed by them!
So, when they arrived for his newborn session, I couldn't wait to hang out again! Coleman was perfect!
We incorporated some of Dad's favorite hunting items, including a special set of antlers. I loved Coleman's custom made "Coleman" hat, which he also wore at the hospital.
Spending time together with families over multiple sessions is nothing short of awesome. I love getting to know people and the relationship just naturally unfolds. I cannot wait to watch this little boy grow!


16Come join other married couples in a delightful Catholic experience designed to put more romance back into marriage! This retreat workshop affirms, energizes and frees husbands and wives to 'live in love' the way they always dreamed they would. Parish couples will handle all needs, including facility set up, presentation of talks, and providing a Saturday night meal. The atmosphere is relaxed and uniquely "male friendly." The content is refreshingly relevant. Guaranteed to remind you of everything you find attractive and lovable about your husband or wife and get you back in touch with why you got married in the first place, whether that has been 6 months or 60 years.
Living in Love will be held at St. Joseph parish in the Formation and Koenig Ctrs., beginning on Saturday morning, October 10th and ending mid-afternoon on Sunday, October 11th. Couples will return home to sleep on Saturday night. The cost for the weekend is only $ 100 for parishioners and $125 for non parishioners, which covers all the expenses, including materials and dinner on Saturday night. Mark your calendars now and plan to participate. There is limited space available. Register early!


text:
Nintendo Switch's Core Pokemon RPG Will Let You Use Your Older Monsters
"We do have plans to find ways to let players use their Pokemon in the next game."
By Kevin Knezevic on October 17, 2018 at 10:16AM PDT
One of the inherent appeals of the Pokemon series is collecting the eponymous pocket monsters, but moving your Pokemon between games has always been complicated by the fact that the franchise spans multiple generations of hardware. Developer Game Freak has made strides in simplifying this process with the Pokemon Bank service and Poke Transporter tool, allowing players to store all of their monsters in one place and access them across every mainline 3DS Pokemon title.
With the upcoming Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee games for Nintendo Switch, the Pokemon series is once again jumping to new hardware. While the titles support connectivity with Pokemon Go, giving you the ability to transfer certain monsters from the mobile game for the first time, it remains to be seen if you'll be able to carry the Pokemon you capture in Let's Go over to the next Switch Pokemon RPG slated to arrive in 2019. Asked whether Game Freak was looking at allowing Pokemon to move between Let's Go and the next core entry, Pokemon director Junichi Masuda assures that the development team is working to make that possible.
"We're definitely always thinking of that kind of forward-moving functionality, especially since we've introduced Pokemon Bank," Masuda told GameSpot through an interpreter. "Now, up to Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, you're able to store your Pokemon, and we know they're very important to everyone. I mean, obviously, people would be very sad if they couldn't use their Pokemon in a future game. So, it does get complicated when you talk about the details and we're still figuring it out, but we do have plans to find ways to let players use their Pokemon in the next game."
We still know very little about the 2019 Pokemon game, but The Pokemon Company announced it will release in the latter half of that year. Unlike Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee, both of which streamline some of the series' mechanics to make it more accessible to newer and younger players, the 2019 game will be a "core" title more akin to those that released on 3DS, which presumably means that some of the elements that were removed from Let's Go--such as abilities and held items--will return.
Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee launch for Switch on November 16. The pair take the series back to the Kanto region and feature the original 151 Pokemon, but players will be able to get one new creature, Meltan, by linking the titles with Pokemon Go. Here's how you can catch one. We talked with Masuda about a number of other topics, including why Pokemon rivals are much friendlier now and if we'd ever see Pikachu's lost evolution, Gorochu. You can read our hands-on impressions of Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee here.
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Out of boredom I sent child to the basement to grab a car that's cool, in the package. So she grabbed this. And she was more interested in the scissors he brothe was playing with ( cutting the heads off of clover floweings). So I had her open it and then gave to brother who played with it immediately in the dirt. After being enclosed for over 15 years and to go straight to dirt within minutes must have been heaven do this unimog.


text:
Q: stream_context_set_params vs. stream_context_set_option What The Documentation Says
From reading php.net it seems to me that stream_context_set_params pretty much does the same thing as stream_context_set_option. ie.
http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.stream-context-set-params.php
bool stream_context_set_params ( resource $stream_or_context , array $params )

http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.stream-context-set-option.php
bool stream_context_set_option ( resource $stream_or_context , array $options )

stream_context_set_option supports additional parameters that stream_context_set_params doesn't but otherwise it seems like they're doing the same thing. At least in theory.
What My Tests Show
My own testing would suggest otherwise and actually leaves me wondering what stream_context_set_params actually does (if anything).
Using stream_context_set_params...
<?php
$ctx = stream_context_create();
stream_context_set_params($ctx, array('zz' => array('zz' => 'zz')));
print_r(stream_context_get_options($ctx));

That prints out the following (which surprises me):
Array
(
)

Using stream_context_set_option...
<?php
$ctx = stream_context_create();
stream_context_set_option($ctx, array('zz' => array('zz' => 'zz')));
print_r(stream_context_get_options($ctx));

That prints out the following (as I'd expect):
Array
(
    [zz] => Array
        (
            [zz] => zz
        )

)

So I really have no clue. Any ideas?

A: bool stream_context_set_params ( resource $stream_or_context , array $params )
on this time it's just take 'notification' param key, and used by stream_notification_callback.
you can see the list of Supported Context Parameters here:
http://php.net/manual/en/context.params.php
<?php $opts = array(
        'http'=>array(
            'method'=>"GET",
            'header'=>"Accept-language: en\r\n" .
                "Cookie: foo=bar\r\n"
        ),
    );

    $context = stream_context_create($opts);
    stream_context_set_params($context
        , ['notification' => 'your_call_back_notification']
    );

    var_dump(stream_context_get_params($context));

Output:
Array(
[notification] => your_call_back_notification
[options] => Array
    (
        [http] => Array
            (
                [method] => GET
                [header] => Accept-language: en
                            Cookie: foo=bar

            )

    )
)

You may have an warning error for notification call back, it must be a valid callable.
look at http://php.net/manual/en/function.stream-notification-callback.php for more info.


Unlike our other trend posts, this one will have basically no value in terms of the upcoming season. Indeed, it will have the feeling of a port-mortem more than anything else; still, I didn't want to just skip Indiana, so we'll take a look at the past five seasons for the Hoosiers anyway.
Sampson brought serious offensive improvement to Bloomington in his two years, and the defense was also better than it had been.
Indiana's shooting improved slightly this past year, but the surprising thing to me is how well they shot it in 2005-06, led by Robert Vaden, Marshall Strickland, and Marco Killingsworth. That overall offense wasn't outstanding because they had a turnover problem and rarely got offensive rebounds.
Indiana actually committed more turnovers than it forced last season, which is pretty surprising considering they were a top 25 offense. Turnovers and 3-point shooting were the only real chinks in their offensive armor last year, and they were especially awful in either.
If there's one thing that Kelvin Sampson truly seemed to bring to Bloomington (other than his cell phone), it was offensive rebounding. Indiana wasn't a great offensive rebounding team under Sampson, but they were solid, which is a lot more than you can say about the previous years. Defensive rebounding was a bit less consistent under Sampson, but still good.
In these two charts, we see the Eric Gordon effect. If Gordon was exceptional at one thing, it was getting to the line and knocking 'em down. In fact, only Psycho T made more free throws than Gordon last year. And yes, this is most definitely a skill, despite the amount of head-shaking I do when I watch Duke.
This is an area where Gordon actually didn't help (33.7%). Shooting from distance was Indiana's worst offensive category in 2008, after being a real strength the previous two seasons.
This was all Eric Gordon and D.J. White, and, after free throws, was the other big driver of Indiana's offense.
You can see the impact of D.J. White here - 2006 was the season he lost to injury.
Despite the improvement, Indiana was still mediocre in 2008 at getting steals, ranking 135th in the nation. Steals obviously weren't a big part of IU's defense.
The downward trend in shooting threes bucks the overall NCAA trend, but it shows smart strategy on IU's part when you consider what the team's strengths were. You actually could argue that Indiana still shot too many threes, as they were middle of the road nationally in attempts per 100 FG.
As noted previously, this statistic shows us more about the style of a team than anything else. IU ranked 235th nationally last year in this category, meaning they didn't share the ball much. For anyone that watched D.J. White and Eric Gordon hunt their shots last year, this shouldn't be a big surprise.
That should just about do it. Up next, we'll get back to looking at trends that actually have some relevance to this season (plus the effects of a coaching change!), with the Iowa Hawkeyes.


text:
Home Featured Iran is Two Months from Nuclear Bomb
Iran is Two Months from Nuclear Bomb
by Touchpoint Israel August 30, 2021
Tehran is two months away from nuclear weapons capacity, warned Defense Minister Benny Gantz as he called for the international community to create a new prevention plan that did not involve reviving the 2015 Iran deal.
"Iran is only two months away from acquiring the materials necessary for a nuclear weapon," Gantz told a gathering of 60 ambassadors in Tel Aviv.
He spoke just one day before Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is scheduled to present such an alternative plan to US President Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday.
Biden has been in favor of reviving the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action designed to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions, which the US exited in 2018.
Indirect talks brokered by the European Union have faltered and have allowed for Tehran to ramp up its uranium enrichment needed to produce nuclear weapons.
"We do not know if the Iranian regime will be willing to sign an agreement and come back to the negotiation table – and the international community must build a viable 'Plan B' in order to stop Iran in its tracks toward a nuclear weapon," Gantz said.
The preferred option, he said, is a diplomatic one.
"At the end of the day, the goal is to reach a 'longer, stronger and broader agreement than the previous one," Gantz said. An "Iranian nuclear program could incite an arms race in the region and the entire world."
Nevertheless, he hinted at military action if needed. "The State of Israel has the means to act and will not hesitate to do so – I do not rule out the possibility that Israel will have to take action in the future in order to prevent a nuclear Iran," Gantz said.
Weekly Inspiration – Isaiah 60:1
Weekly Inspiration – Psalm 18:28


text:
Why this major champion thinks the PGA Tour needs an off-season
By: Jessica Marksbury November 22, 2021
The PGA Tour's 2021-22 season schedule features a whopping 48 events, meaning there's rarely a time when golf isn't being played somewhere around the world.
Most Tour players tee it up an average of 20 to 30 events each season, which can create a dearth of top names at a significant number of events each year. Players have to rest at some point, after all.
The emergence of competing tours like the Premier Golf League and the rumored Greg Norman-led league has brought scheduling to the forefront of the PGA Tour's issues. And who can blame golf's biggest names for perhaps finding a compact schedule with guaranteed money more appealing than the current model?
On this week's episode of Off Course with Claude Harmon, 2016 PGA champion Jimmy Walker gave his take on the Tour's ultra-packed schedule.
Here's what it's like to be in the zone, according to a major champion
By: Jessica Marksbury
"I think that they've just got so many moving parts right now, I think we need a break again. I think guys are ready for that," Walker said. "And I can't say that I have not benefitted from the wraparound season. I think I was the first guy to really like — I think it was the year that I won where they started all that stuff. I've benefitted from it. But I think that you need time off. Guys need it. Even the young guys. They're playing their butts off, they practice hard. They're putting themselves through the wringer. Having a two-and-a-half, three-month break at the end of the year is awesome.
"Football needs it, baseball needs it. All these sports need it," Walker continued. "Go take the average guy and have him play five straight days in a row, and bang balls and practice like we do, they're going to feel like they got hit by a truck."
Walker said that thanks to his five-year exemption status, he's one of the lucky ones who can choose to give himself an off-season.
"I don't have to play in the fall," he said. "I still play golf at home and I still and enjoy it, but it's letting your mind take a break. You're not out there having to compete. You can come home and enjoy a round of golf with your buddies. It's refreshing and it just helps rejuvenate your body and rejuvenate your mind, about yeah, I've had a couple months off, I'm ready to go back out and start crushing it again, crushing people and getting after it. But having that break is nice."
For more from Walker, including why he considers himself an underachiever and what it feels like to be in the zone, check out the full interview below.
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My predictable movement of routine robotic.
And I know I've slipped.
But the gram is sweet and easy to follow.
A sugary diet convinced I should swallow.
I thought that this suited me.
Am stuck in my ice as I row in December.
And this hypnotist's soulless intent?
To the depository he went.
And saves me from this near miss.
If I nap and forget the snap-.
Say "I am" and ignore the -gram.
And so I turned it off.


text:
This article is more than 11 years old
Controversial Anne Frank musical hits the right note with Spanish audiences
Paul Hamilos in Madrid
Sat 23 Feb 2008 05.10 EST First published on Sat 23 Feb 2008 05.10 EST
A controversial Spanish musical telling the story of Anne Frank has its world premiere next week in Madrid, despite protests from her only surviving relative and the foundation that protects the rights to her diary.
But, if preview audiences are anything to go by, its producers - like the eponymous stars of Mel Brooks's comedy - look like they have an improbable hit on their hands about life under the Nazis.
The Diary of Anne Frank: A Song to Life has caused upset from the outset, leading to a split between the two organisations responsible for protecting Frank's memory.
The Anne Frank Foundation, which looks after the museum based in the house in which the Franks hid out in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, has given its support to the show, which will run at Madrid's Calderón theatre. However, the Basel-based Anne Frank Fund, headed by her only surviving relative, cousin Buddy Elias, has refused to cede rights to the diary, and called for the musical to be halted. "The Frank family was living in hiding for two years, which ended in tragedy - that's no theme for a happy evening of song and dance," said Elias.
The musical has been playing to packed preview audiences, receiving standing ovations each night, with the warmest applause reserved for Anne, played by the 13-year-old Cuban-American Isabella Castillo. But her strong performance is let down by the weakness of the material as the show does not have the rights to use Frank's actual words.
The writer and journalist Leopoldo Alas says the message is not very sophisticated: the Nazis were bad, and being Jewish under Nazi occupation was not very nice. But, he says, it goes no further than that: "It's a superficial product, well made, but without much intelligence."
But the Wednesday morning matinee performance for schoolchildren has already sold out until May, suggesting that it has a strong educational appeal in a country that did not take part in the second world war.
Alas questioned the point of making the musical at all, although he felt that the backing of the Anne Frank Foundation gave it some credibility. "I went along with a prejudice about the idea of making a musical about Anne Frank's diary. Is it really necessary to do this? I don't think so. What does it add to our understanding?
"In the end, the production is fine - neither too frivolous nor too dramatic, but essentially mediocre. It could well be successful because musicals are popular at the moment," he said, adding that many would support it because it is one of the first Spanish musicals in Madrid not to have been translated from English.
Sara, 27, who had come with her mother to see one of the previews, said she thought the show deserved to be a big success. "I really enjoyed it," she said, "though it was very sad, and musicals are normally very happy. I thought it dealt with the Nazi theme very sensitively, but with an optimistic outlook."
Others felt that Castillo was undoubtedly the star of the show. "She was fantastic. What a star. Her voice is amazing," said one member of the audience. But some felt the songs themselves were not particularly memorable. Anita, who had read the diary when she was a teenager, said: "It was faithful to her story, but the songs were a bit too much the same. There wasn't really one you would be able to sing afterwards."


Chef Ballon opened the Castle Street Cafe in 1989. Prior to moving to Great Barrington, Ballon cooked for over 10 years in New York City. While there he was Executive Chef at Lavin's, Sofi, Wood's, The New York City Bar Association, and Plum's, a full service catering company. Ballon is also The Roundtable Chef on WAMC Public Radio, where he hosts a bi weekly cooking show which is broadcast over a large area of new York State and western New England.
Mill River Farm is a beautiful certified organic farm in Mill River, MA. At the farm you will find laying hens, goats, honeybees & broad array of vegetable gardens. You can enjoy their produce on a weekly basis by being part of their CSA Program. They offer farm tours and an onsite farm store.
For years, Mary McGinnis has had a passion for carrot cake, attempting to perfect her personal recipe. McGinnis, along with family, friends and coworkers on the Respiratory Care Unit at Berkshire Medical Center, taste-tested the carrot cake through trial and error until her current, prize-winning recipe was formed. Stop by Mary's Carrot Cake and try a slice for yourself.
In Categories: The Berkshires Blog. Tags: #TasteBerkshires, Castle Street Cafe, Mary's Carrott Cake, and Mill River Farm.


Jersey Shore native Wendy Williams was rushed to the hospital Monday night, according to reports.
Williams was allegedly found drunk on Monday, soon after reports had surfaced that the woman her husband, Kevin Hunter, had been having an affair with had given birth to a child.
The Asbury Park Press and the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey have been unable to confirm these reports.
Williams was given IV fluids and still showed up to the set of her talk show the next day, according to reports.
This all comes just weeks after Wiliams returned to her daytime talk show after two months and told her viewer that she had been staying in a sober living house.


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text:
Wordless Wednesday: Seeing the Auburn Football Game Through a Five-Year-Old's Eyes
October 26, 2016 By Kara Kennedy
Niece on the Jumbotron at the Auburn football game.
I have mentioned before why attending Auburn home football games is very important to me. Attending the games are important mainly because I attend the games with my dad to spend time with him, time I cherish dearly. This past Saturday, however, the I got to witness the next generation Auburn fan when my five-year-old niece attended her first game. True I my other sister's children started the 4th generation Auburn fandom when they first attended the Auburn games years ago, however, I did not get to attend their first game because I was living out of state. It was fun for me to be with my niece last Saturday to her reaction to the game through her young eyes.
My grandparents started our Auburn football game tradition when my dad began as a freshman in 1957. I was probably 7 or 8 years old when I attended my first Auburn game. My dad coached at Opelika High School when I was a child, so it was easy for us to go to the games because Opelika was the town slightly east of Auburn. The game experience then was nothing like the game experience now. College football games are geared towards the "fan experience" making them truly an event one should take part in, if only just once.
Filed Under: Family, Football Tagged With: Auburn, college football, Football, SEC Football
Football Saturdays Are A Family Tradition
This entry is a modified post of an entry from last year. I am grateful every year that I get to continue to take my dad to the Auburn football games.
There is no question that SEC football is a way of life in the South, watching football, SEC football in particular, seems to be a way of life for most southern women I know. This is especially for women who have grown up in the state of Alabama. In Alabama, you are born to wear either the colors of Auburn, orange and blue, or the colors of Alabama, red and white. There are no other teams or color choices.
Most people in my immediate family were born into the orange and blue side, and fall Saturdays were always spent in stadiums. I learned the cheers at an early age and my grandmother on my dad's side was a huge fan because her sons went to Auburn. My dad is a former coach. He's always loved sports, in fact, he played baseball at Auburn University. He spent 30 plus years coaching in public schools in Alabama. My sisters and I were exposed to sports early on, so my love of football comes honestly. I grew up going to the football fields on Friday nights for games and to the gym on Tuesdays and Fridays for basketball games. My dad began his coaching career in 1963, coaching B-Team football and B-Team track at Phillips High School in Birmingham, Alabama. He eventually coached baseball and basketball at Phillips. When I was in second grade, we moved to Opelika, Alabama where he coached basketball, tennis and golf at Opelika High. He got the job as head basketball coach at Minor High School in Birmingham after spending a few years at Opelika. While at Minor he started the Magic City Classic Basketball Tournament with his coaching colleague, Coach Willie Scoggins, at Jess Lanier High. The tournament was held during the Christmas break every year. He also started what he called the 'Top 20 Ranking of Teams and Players in Basketball' and was often interviewed by the media about his rankings. My dad had 47 players that went on to play in college. I know that my dad has been a great influence on a number of the players he coached because some have told me over the years. I also remember specifically the love and compassion my dad had for his players, and the help he and my mom gave to some of those players who were in need.
I really didn't realize how big a fan I was of football until I moved out of Alabama to Washington, D.C. Most people in other parts of the country cannot relate to the fandom of the South, collegiate sports and SEC Football. Pro Football is a mainstay in most parts of the country, and I get how dedicated their fan base is, but for me adjusting and trying to enjoy the game at the pro level was not as easy as I thought it would be. Luckily for me, Washington D.C. had the Metro Auburn Club, so I joined and watched the games with fellow Auburn alums at the Crystal City Sports Pub in Arlington, VA. Just for those few hours I got to spend time with fellow fans who had the same love of Auburn football as I did. It was a welcome venture for one who was trying to adjust to living outside of the Deep South.
Once I moved home back to Alabama in 2006 I decided I was going to purchase Auburn season football tickets. For me purchasing the tickets brought back so many childhood memories: my grandmother's love of Auburn, my dad coaching high school football and basketball and going to the Auburn games with my dad as a child. When I started buying tickets in 2006 I had not purchased them in many, many years so had to learn the process. The sole purpose of buying season tickets is to take my dad to the games. We go together to most all of the home games which has been our tradition going on 10 years now.
Some critics of college sports complain that college sports and football have gone the way of big business, however, I have a different point of view. I have personally lived and witnessed how sports changed the lives of those athletes my dad coached and helped. It means a lot when you care enough for your students to help them grow and prosper. He did and does. My dad impacted and changed lives of many young people throughout his life and years of coaching. Hopefully that is a trait I have inherited. Football is not only a southern tradition, it's a family tradition a tradition, I get to enjoy every fall with my dad.
Filed Under: Family, Football, Life Tagged With: Auburn, Auburn football, college football, SEC Football


text:
EJJP urges senior European Union officials not to attend the so-called Global Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism
European Jews for a Just Peace (EJJP) writes to Director O'flaherty of the European Union's Fundamental Rights Agency and Vice President Jourova of the European Commission, urging them not to attend the so-called Global Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism. The letter t alerts him to the nature of the organiser, the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement (CAM). Not only does CAM propagate the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism that creates a bias against fundamental criticism of Israel, it also misrepresents the definition in such a way as to exacerbate the bias.
Neither the Director nor the Vice President should lend the credibility of their position to such an organisation or its conference.
EJJP's letter to the Director is below. The letter to the Vice President is similar.
Michael O'flaherty
Director, Fundamental Rights Agency
Dear Director,
We are writing to you about the Global Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism today, which you are scheduled to attend. We want to alert you to two characteristics of the organiser, the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement (CAM), which you may not be aware of.
The CAM Advisory Council numbers three very senior Israeli politicians, including a former Leader of the Israeli Labour Party, a former Deputy Prime Minister and the last Ambassador to the UN. The staff includes a former Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs and Public Diplomacy. It is evident that CAM is concerned as much with protecting Israel from criticism as with combating antisemitism.
More worrying still is CAM's presentation of the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism, which features prominently in the published list of conference subjects. Looking up the reference to the definition on the CAM website reveals something distinctly odd. It doesn't quote the whole Working Definition, as would be expected, but only quotes some of the examples "of contemporary antisemitism" from the Working Definition.
Moreover, it omits the conditional wording related to the examples which says that the context of a comment or statement has to be considered before it can be judged antisemitic in terms of an example. That is a significant misrepresentation of the Working Definition, which must have been designed to bias people towards misinterpreting much justifiable criticism of Israel as antisemitic.
You have to use the link to the IHRA website, and then read the Working Definition carefully before you realise the examples are meant to be conditional, not presumptive. Mos attendees will only be aware of the Working Definition in a general way and will accept what the CAM website presents at face value.
(EJJP is on record as opposing the Working Definition because of its many inadequacies as a definition and its bias towards interpreting criticism of Israel as antisemitic. The conditionality is the only thing that enables it to be used at all objectively as a test of antisemitism.)
We do not believe that you, as Director of the FRA, should give CAM or this conference the credibility of your attendance. We are therefore asking you to withdraw. We realise this is very short notice, but we only became aware of your attendance in the past few days.
For your information, we have also attached our letter to the attending mayors, the list of 17court rulings overturning bannings of BDS advocacy events and a brief introduction to EJJP.
Dror Feiler, Chair, EJJP, member Judar for Israelisk-Palestinsk Fred (Stockholm).
Arthur Goodman, EJJP, Diplomatic and Parliamentary Liaison Officer, JFJFP (London)


The Institute for Learning's Self-Study Suite of Tools allows educators to study the IFL's Principles of Learning in order to better understand and use the decades of research incorporated in the principles. Educators with busy professional lives and unpredictable schedules can study at their own pace whenever and wherever it's convenient. The Self-Study Tools, materials, and activities focus squarely on the instructional core and the preparation of students for college and careers. Self-Study Tools are for teachers, coaches, content-area specialists, and school and district leaders.
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Information about the ferry "The Bessie James" that plys the route from Fowey to Mevagissey in south Cornwall.
Equipment: Navman 24 mile radar MD 3404; 2 x Navman colour plotter / sounder 8120; icom M505 DSC radio.
Fowey to Mevagissey passenger ferry - one of Cornwall's best loved south coast ferry journeys.
Information about the chic south coast shopping and dining destination of Fowey, where the ferry travels to and from.
Information about the popular Cornish fishing village of Mevagissey, where the ferry travels to and from.
Information about the fabulous Lost Gardens of Heligan, close to Mevagissey and well worth a visit.
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text:
Ben Affleck Has New Girlfriend 3 Months After Divorce from Jennifer Garner
The actor is reportedly dating a Saturday Night Live producer
Ben Affleck reportedly has a new girlfriend, and reports say that the new relationship is "more than just a summer fling."
E! News is reporting that the 44-year-old actor is in the "early stages" of a relationship with Lindsay Shookus. Shookus is a producer for NBC's Saturday Night Live.
While the relationship is in the early stages, sources say that they care for each other very much. For now, however, they say they're just having fun and taking things pretty slowly.
Ben Affleck is dating Saturday Night Live producer Lindsay Shookus just 3 months after divorcing Jennifer Garner: https://t.co/wwBFkCP7h4 pic.twitter.com/y8WbTrq1xx
— E! News (@enews) July 7, 2017
Shookus reportedly visited Affleck in London recently while Affleck was there for work. Plus, they were spotted out together in Los Angeles last night (July 6). E! has photos from their dinner date.
Neither Shookus nor Affleck have publicly commented on the new relationship.
Affleck and his ex Jennifer Garner filed for divorce this April after two years of separation. Affleck and Garner remain focused on co-parenting their three children, according to all parties involved.


This week's learning focus is on addition and subtraction facts.
Previous learning: Please make sure you keep practising previous learning to keep these skills fresh in your mind.
Can I locate numbers on a number line?


The "turtleneck" top is made with stretch fit material with long sleeves making it perfect to wear for the colder seasons. Available in different sizes and designs.
Our super soft cotton turtleneck will keep him comfy and always stylish.
This turtleneck is a classic go-to this season, in a graciously designed profile. The Merona Women's Ribbed Long Sleeve Turtleneck Top has a stretchy fabric that makes it a perfect fit. Full-length sleeves add drama to your look, while the ribbed lines gently hug your figure. Ribbed hem falls below waistline. Perfect for pairing with jeans or a skirt with boots and a beautiful background for your favorite necklaces.


We are contracted by NHS England to provide NHS domiciliary eye care services in West London. See areas covered section for more details.
Do I have to be referred to have an eye test at home.
I don't receive an NHS eye test. Can I still benefit from your service?
We do provide home visits at a private fee of £60 if you are not entitled under the NHS.
I am in hospital and need an eye examination. Will you come to me?
Yes, we can see you for an eye test during your stay in hospital. However, you will need to pay the private sight test fee as we are unable to provide an NHS sight test there.
Call 08000 470 425 and we will take some details and book you in. The waiting time is between 2 days and 1 week.
Do you do home visits on the weekend?
Do you provide glasses or only an eye test?
We provide you an NHS funded sight test and glasses if needed. You will choose these at the time of your eye test and they will be sent to you in 2 to 3 weeks depending on the type of lenses.
I have pets. Can you still visit me?
Yes, we can visit. However, we would ask you to keeps pets in another room. Do to equipment hygiene requirements we cannot allow pets near our equipment.
Please give 1 hour for the appointment. Some can be quicker depending on what we find.
I am a Diabetic. Can you examine my eyes for Diabetes?
If you are a diabetic we will dilate your eyes using drops after which you will be given a thorough examination of your retina to pick signs of diabetic eye disease. We not only use a hand held instrument but also a handheld fundus camera with which we give you a video examination. It uses a special colour light that specifically highlights leakage of blood that occurs in diabetic eye disease.
I have Glaucoma. Will you check my eye pressure?
We will check your eye pressure using a handheld device which uses 'puffless' technology to measure your pressure. However, you should try to maintain any hospital appointments at the glaucoma clinic as much as possible.
I have blepharitis/ meibomian gland dysfunction. Can you treat me using your BlephEx service and how much does it cost?
Can I have a family member or friend present?
Yes, we always encourage a family member or friend to be present. Please see our Chaperone policy.
Your glasses will take between 2 to 3 weeks to arrive, depending on the lenses. For example, varifocals can take longer but reading glasses can be quicker.
Will you remind me when I am next due a test?
Yes, we will call you closer to the time of your next appointment.
The glasses need adjusting. What can I do?
Call us on 08000 470 425 and we will arrange an appointment to have them adjusted.


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← Reading The Red Book (13)
From Lascaux Cave Paintings to Greta Thunberg →
Posted on December 1, 2019	by Symbol Reader
"Underneath all our conditioning, hidden in the crypt of our being, near the waters of life, the Black Virgin is enthroned with her Child, the dark latency of our own essential nature, that which we were always meant to be."
Ean Begg, "The Cult of the Black Virgin"
The Black Madonna of Vilnius
Our world needs the dark goddess. We live in yang, daytime culture, which values above all a clear sense of purpose, logical solutions, single-minded focus and clear-cut distinctions. With the ever-increasing light pollution, we have lost touch with the dark sky and the dark earth. Most of humanity still live under the cultural spell of monotheistic religions, which deny divinity to the feminine. The patriarchal monotheism of Judaism and Christianity, symbolically reduced women "to nothing but mute matter, a mere body;" (1) the body which is portrayed as an instrument of devilish temptation, rather than a sacred conduit of divine wisdom. The word "sacred" itself does not stir any emotion in most; locked away in churches, it sounds abstract and irrelevant.
Twenty-one Taras
No wonder that the collective shadow is so palpable, the divisions and conflicts so stark, with the most primitive emotions brewing under the lid. The archetype of the dark goddess – the Black Madonna in her multi-hued robes (see the Black Madonna of Einsideln below), her skin brown, black or reddish, the twenty-one aspects of Tara in the whole array of colours ranging from white to black – is waiting to bring awakening and liberation. In our times the Saviour will be feminine – the Sanskrit name Tara, which in Tibet is Drolma, means "a female who liberates," the Female Buddha. The Dalai-lama assures that the Madonna, especially the Black one, is her avatar in the West. Though officially Madonna's status is nowhere near as high as that of Tara in Buddhism, the devotion and adoration that she attracts persists despite the reticent attitude of the church. The church fathers have always striven to put her in a low and humble place. They say she is nothing but a mediator between the faithful and God; she can at best plead our case to the masculine Godhead.
I was recently at an exhibition devoted to the Black Madonna in Einsiedeln, Switzerland, organized by the monastery. Two assertions of the devout curators caught my attention: firstly, they said, we must realize that the whole cult of the Black Madonna should centre on Jesus because he is far more important than her; secondly, her blackness is irrelevant, being merely a result of the exposition to candle smoke or age-old dirt.
The orthodox narrative sounds quite defensive, which suggests that Her growing power stirs fear. "I long to liberate Mary from the Catholic Church," (2) writes China Galland in her jewel of a book, in which she traces the archetype of the Dark Mother through Tibet, Switzerland, France and Poland. Like her, I too was born Catholic in a home with images of the Polish Black Madonna adorning the walls. Like her, I have since left the faith, yet I have never left the Black Madonna. Looking at her likenesses, be it paintings or statues, I always wondered at how luminous they seemed, despite being black. China Galland illumined the etymology of the word "black" to me, which, astonishingly enough, comes from the Greek word phlegein, which means "to burn," possessing at its root words such as "to shine," and "to flash." Hers is the radiant black of the truth, affirms Galland, reminding us that in Tibetan Buddhism black is the colour that comes just before enlightenment. This blackness is the emptiness (shunyata) of the womb, it is Tara the Liberator, who, like Mary, was born as a mortal woman. Her name was Yeshe Dawa, which means Wisdom Moon. Seeing her specialness, the monks were lamenting that she was not a man, because in that case she would reach enlightenment quicker. They were expressing the views of the conservative Tibetan monastic tradition. Wisdom Moon's response was to make a vow:
"I will remain in the woman's form until reaching enlightenment and thus I will turn the wheel of Dharma, working for the benefit of all living beings, until the world of samsara is empty and all suffering ended." (3)
The Green Tara
Buddha Shakyamuni would not have reached enlightenment if he had not taken refuge in Tara.
It seems that within every religious or spiritual tradition there are two currents: the exoteric, official one, and the most conservative, and a hidden esoteric one, which carries revolutionary ideas; these ideas feel threatening to the mainstream. Christianity is much more opposed to female leadership, not to mention female divinity, than most Eastern spiritual traditions. But in the alternative Christian wisdom, such as Gnosticism, Jesus is portrayed as treating men and women as equals when it comes to their ability to absorb his teachings. Gnostic Gospels reveal that Mary Magdalene was his most prominent disciple, which was objected to by Saint Peter the Apostle. Ean Begg claims that even in orthodox verses the hidden truths can be fathomed. He analyzes the Litany of Loreto, in which Mary is called on (among others) as Mirror of Justice, Seat of Wisdom, Spiritual Vessel, Mystical Rose, Gate of Heaven, Morning Star, Tower of David and Tower of Ivory. (4) Tower of Ivory is a reference to the Song of Songs and the beauty of the neck of the Black Shulamite. When ivory is "calcined in a closed vessel, …, it yields a fine soft pigment from which the shiny ivory-black paint is made." (5) While it is fairly obvious that the Tower of David can only be "Jerusalem, home of the Temple," the Greek word for ivory – elephantinos, invokes the Egyptian city of Elephantiné, connected with Gnosticism. Begg muses:
"… what we see are the church of Peter, catholic, orthodox, male dominated and victorious, and the rival church of Mary, Gnostic and heretical, worshipping a male/female deity and served by priests of both sexes." (6)
Not only does Black Madonna connect to Mary Magdalene, but her roots go deeper and further back in time. Pagan goddesses, especially Isis, Artemis of Ephesus and Cybele are considered her precursors. She can also be traced back to earth goddesses as well as Inanna and Lilith. Black was the colour in which goddesses of fertility were traditionally depicted. As a matter of fact, black Madonnas are frequently implored in matters related to fertility.(7) We see the Black Madonna in the famous statue of Artemis of Ephesus, which
"… shows her with black face, hands and feet, multiple breasts, on her head a mural crown or tower, and on her dress images including bulls, goats, deer and a bee.(8)
Artemis of Ephesus
France is the country with the largest number of Black Madonna likenesses in the whole world. Black Madonnas found there frequently come from a lineage of dark pagan goddesses, for example the cult of the Black Madonna of Marseilles replaced the cult of Artemis of Ephesus, which was vibrant in the city, thanks to the Greek colonists from Phocaea, who had brought her there. Lyons was the city of Cybele right to the 3rd century AD. Cybele, the Phrygian mother goddess, was originally worshipped as a black meteorite stone. Begg writes:
" Her name is etymologically linked with the words for crypt, cave, head, and dome, and is distantly related to the Ka'aba, the cube-shaped holy of holies in Mecca that contains the feminine black stone venerated by Islam."
Cybele in a chariot drawn by lions
Another fascinating French example is the Black Madonna of Chartres, which before the advent of Christianity was the centre of Druid worship. The cathedral of Chartres, which has two Black Madonnas, one of which was whitened in a recent restoration, was erected on a sacred Druidic place, most probably a burial mound. The first Black Madonna is housed in the main church and is now white, while the second, The Black Madonna of the underground, is located in the crypt and is still black. The connection of the Black Madonna with death and the underworld is quite notable. Another outstanding example is the Black Virgin of Mont-Saint-Michel, which used to be called Mount Tomb, since it was another Neolithic burial site. The dark goddess has always been venerated as the dark earth and the night from which all life arises and into which it vanishes. The chapel of the Black Madonna of Einsideln in Switzerland was constructed directly above the martyred hermit Meinrad's cell, whose skull is buried beneath her feet. Saxena links this fact with Mary Magdalene and Tantric Buddhism:
"…most famous paintings of Mary Magdalene present her with a skull which connects her with the Tantric traditions that focus on meditating on death and connects her directly with the Black Madonna." (9)
Georges de la Tour, "Magdalene with the Smoking Flame"
But the most powerful of all pagan goddesses worshipped in France was Isis, who was "the true goddess of France," as Begg notes. She was the true universal goddess, who said in The Golden Ass of Apuleius:
"I am Nature, the universal Mother, mistress of all the elements, primordial child of time, sovereign of all things spiritual, queen of the dead, queen also of the immortals, the single manifestation of all gods and goddesses that are. … Though I am worshipped in many aspects, known by countless names, and propitiated with all manner of different rites, yet the whole round earth venerates me. The primeval Phrygians call me Pessinuntica, Mother of the gods [Cybele]; the Athenians, sprung from their own soil, call me … Artemis…; for the … Sicilians, Stygian Proserpine; and for the Eleusinians their ancient Mother of the Corn. 'Some know me as Juno, some as Bellona of the Battles; others as Hecate, others again as Rhamnubia, but both races of Ethiopians, whose lands the morning sun first shines upon, and the Egyptians who excel in ancient learning and worship me with ceremonies proper to my godhead, call me by my true name, namely, Queen Isis."
Shrines to Black Madonnas are famous for their notable healing powers. The statues and paintings of Black Virgins are believed to be wonder-making images. Votive images showing stories of miraculous healing are a frequent sight at all pilgrim destinations. The healing power comes from both the image and the place where it was found. For example, in Montserrat, Spain the monastery had to be constructed around the statue, which apparently refused to be moved. There are numerous stories, in which the Black Madonna obstinately refuses to be removed from her place. China Galland quotes Peter Lindegger, Swiss scholar and Tibet researcher, in her book,
"One cannot make the ground holy, it simply is. Knowing this, one culture would incorporate the sacred sites of the preceding cultures, building one temple over another temple or calling the same statue by a different name. If you didn't do this, the people would worship there anyway." (10)
The Black Madonna of Montserrat
The symbolism of the Black Madonna is rich, virtually inexhaustible. Pagan revivalists, alchemists, hermeticists, Gnostics, Jungians, Buddhists, and plain Christians, all lay claim to her. China Galland quotes Gilles Quispel, author of The Secret Book of Revelation, who claims that the Black Madonna is the only living symbol of Christianity. What is more, "unless men and women alike become conscious of this primeval image of the Black Madonna and integrate it within themselves, humankind would be unable to resolve the problem of materialism, racism, women's liberation, and all that they imply."
The first wisdom brought by the Black Madonna is the wisdom of the body and its integrity. The dark mother has always sustained the physical processes of birth, death and rebirth. She helps to "break rigid masculine rules, " writes Begg. She heals the sick and reveals the pangs of childbirth. She supports the equality of the sexes and liberation of women. She embodies the Biblical phrase "Love Thy Neighbour," which was recently invoked in Poland when those who used her image, adorned with a rainbow, in the campaign against homophobia were persecuted by the conservative Catholics. She is also on the side of freedom in all things political. The Polish Black Madonna has long been associated with freedom and independence of the Polish state. She was the most fervently worshipped when Poland was under partitions, during the second world war and in the times of Communism.
The LGBT rendition of the venerated image
The second wisdom is connected with alchemy and the inner spiritual work. In The Mystery of The Cathedrals, Master Alchemist Fulcanelli wrote these words about the Black Madonnas:
"They represent in hermetic symbolism the virgin earth, which the artist must choose as the subject of his Great Work. It is first matter in mineral state, as it comes out of the ore-bearing strata, deeply buried under the rocky mass. It is, the texts tells us, 'a heavy, brittle, friable black substance, which has the appearance of a stone and, like a stone, can shatter into minute fragments.' Thus it appears to be the rule that the personified hieroglyph of this mineral possesses its special colour and that the subterranean parts of temples are reserved as its dwelling place."
Ean Begg says that the Black Madonna is both the beginning (nigredo) and the end of the alchemical process:
"She is the ancient wisdom of Isis-Maat, the secret of eternal life that is the gold at the end of the alchemical process, as well as the initial blackness. In short, she is the spirit of evolutionary consciousness that lies hidden in matter."
Thus the Black Virgin is the Gnostic Sophia, Goddess of Wisdom, hidden in matter, whose luminosity we seek in our own darkness and ignorance. Caitlin Matthews calls her the primal manifestation of the Divine Feminine. (11) Similarly, a renowned student of C.G. Jung, Erich Neumann, author of The Great Goddess, wrote:
"The Great Mother remains true to her essential and eternal darkness, in which she is the center of the mystery of existence." (12)
The third and final wisdom is perhaps the most elusive and brings us back to Tara. Saxena beautifully describes the dark goddess as "pregnant nothingness." She encompasses the whole cosmos, beyond space, beyond time. She is both empty and full, as the womb from which all forms arise. As can be read in The Heart Sutra, form is emptiness (shunyata), emptiness is form. But it is the emptiness, which is the mother and the ultimate essence of all phenomena. In her blackness all distinctions, all dualities, disappear. Her ultimate wisdom is the negation of separation, of anybody or anything existing separately. The whole material world pulsates with this luminous wisdom. China Galland, herself a practising Buddhist, concludes:
"This is darkness to the thinking mind, to the ego that grasps and holds that there is such a thing as 'mine.' This goes beyond thinking mind, beyond the world of appearances, into the vast direct experience of being. This is not ordinary reality. This is the black of starless midnight, imminence, that comes before the pre-dawn of enlightenment, the 'clear light,' a state of translucence or transparency that is beyond dark and light. This is a radiant black. …Thus emptiness can be said to be dark or black to us. This is the womb of enlightenment. This is Wisdom. This is the Mother of All the Buddhas, this is Tara."
Meinrad Craighead, "Crow Mother Over the Rio Grande"
(1) Neela Bhattacharya Saxena, Absent Mother God of the West: A Kali Lover's Journey into Christianity and Judaism
(2) China Galland, Longing for Darkness: Tara and the Black Madonna
(3) Ibid.
(4) Ean Begg, The Cult of the Black Virgin
(7) "In Quest of the Black Virgin: She is Black Because She Is Black," by Leonard W. Moss and Stephen C. Cappannari, in: James J. Preston, ed., Mother Worship: Themes and Variations
(10) China Galland, Longing for Darkness: Tara and the Black Madonna
(11) Caitlin Matthews, Sophia, Goddess of Wisdom, Bride of God
This entry was posted in The Black Madonna, The Dark Goddess, Uncategorized and tagged alchemy, archetypes, Artemis, Black Madonna, body, Buddha, Buddhism, C.G. Jung, Chartres, Christianity, Cybele, Dark goddess, darkness, death, Einsiedeln, enlightenment, Ephesus, fertility, Gnosticism, goddess, isis, Lyons, Mary Magdalene, Montserrat, nothingness, paganism, Paris, Shulamite, shunyata, Songs of Songs, Sophia, Soul, spirituality, symbolism, symbols, tantra, Tara, Underworld, wisdom, womb. Bookmark the permalink.
6 Responses to A Reedeming Darkness of The Black Madonna
Danah Blanco Yoga says:
I loved this post so so much. I hear her loud and clear in my life in her different forms, thank you for sharing 💜
Thank you 💜 So do I
Deborah Gregory says:
Wow! This is such an impressive post about the Black Madonna! Thank you Monika for sharing this (your) dazzling and revealing marriage of words and images with us. The depth of wisdom and insights offered about Her redemptive darkness will be helpful and healing for many readers I sense.
Today, I've returned for a second read because one cannot digest such richness in one sitting alone! Such a perfect post for the month of December and the dark cavern we find ourselves in. Thank you for enlightening us all in these cold, dark times! Warm & wild blessings, Deborah.
Dear Deborah, thank you from the bottom of my heart🙏 She keeps returning to me – I sense this is not the last time I've written about Her
Every now and again I come across something truly wonderful…


On your birthday, all you wanna do is kick back, eat some cake, and remind everyone that on this day, it's all about you. This dog knows what's up. Look at that cute little guy -- either he's stoned (his eyes are a tad bloodshot) or just completely at ease knowing nothing's gonna bring him down.


Who are our Circle Leaders? Why do they do it? Who better to hear from than Circle Leaders themselves.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and why you started a Policy Circle.
I was born and raised in Illinois and chose to raise my family here. Sylvie and I started the first circle in our neighborhood because we wanted an outlet for intelligent discussion on issues that mattered to us. Apparently others felt the same way because before we knew it we were at 60 women having these conversations every other month. And these were women we just knew from around the neighborhood, most of whom were not engaged in politics or any sort of local activism.
What do you like to do outside of the Policy Circle?
Walking, playing tennis, reading and working with local anti-poverty organizations. I also love writing and editing and get to put those skills to work editing the briefs for Policy Circle. I have also recently started working with friends on some local issues, which has led to engaging with people both locally and nationally.
What is the best book you've read lately?
Steve Pemberton's A Chance in the World. An inspiring story of how people overcome insufferable odds and the human capacity for resilience and healing. I'm also half- way through Hidden Figures – there is much more to that story than is in the movie, which I also loved.
Go into each day saying "thank you, thank you, thank you." It makes for a content heart and helps turn problems into opportunities.
What is advice would you give a prospective Circle member or leader?
Just do it. Identify a few friends, send them a brief, then gather to have a glass and discuss. That's really how we started.
Also, keep it simple at your meetings and don't worry about women not talking. I have yet for that to be an issue. There is plenty of discussion material in the Policy Circle Briefs library. Or read a book or attend a local speaker or think tank event together. One of our best outings was to hear Condoleeza Rice who came through town on a book tour. We all got tickets and met up afterwards to discuss. It was a nice complement to our regular Circle discussions.
What is something that surprised you about being in The Policy Circle?
I never thought of myself as having much to say, but I do — and I think every woman does. Each person's life experience enriches the dialogue in ways you can't imagine. It's one of favorite parts of our discussions; while we discuss policy, we really hear about how life is being lived and how policy affects it. Those nuggets of experience are priceless.
I grew up on a family farm and live with my husband on our family farm in Indiana. I started my career in politics then transitioned into the agriculture industry. I started a Policy Circle in my community because I want women to feel more confident talking about policy issues. Every issue is a woman's issue and I want more women to be engaged in the political and policy processes.
I enjoy world travel, bird hunting, writing my blog, staying connected to my community and engaged with civic and political issues.
I like mentoring young women and men and helping them connect with various people and industries to help them and our communities succeed.
You can do it all, just not all at the same time.
Don't be afraid to invite women you do not know to your Circle and never be afraid to speak up if you have a different opinion! Our differences are what makes the world go 'round.
As the daughter of a confident, involved woman and being one myself, I am still surprised at how many women lack the confidence to speak up about an issue but yet are so passionate. I hope The Policy Circle will help give them the confidence to engage in the discussion and get more involved!
Tell us a little about yourselves, how you met and why you started a Policy Circle together.
Petra: I am native Midwesterner turned New Yorker who got "lured" to a Policy Circle meeting by a friend, given my interest in politics and policy and my desire to be conversant and convincing. Ellen and I didn't know each other, but having met, decided to march forward in a common cause and bring our two personal networks together!
Ellen: Petra and I were set up by friends who were both very active members of their local Policy Circles. Petra and I met for a "blind brunch" and decided to take the plunge to start the first Policy Circle in NYC— and it's been incredibly rewarding so far! We are learning a lot from each other and sharing our networks well.
How did you become a believer in what human creativity can accomplish in a free market economy?
Ellen: I started studying economics when I was living abroad in Egypt because I was so fascinated by the role it plays in everyday lives. I had a front row seat as Egypt struggled to create new, free market-based economic policies following the 2011 Revolution. Later, going to graduate school for economic and financial policy, and now working in the Financial Services industry, I have strived to understand how policy and free markets can support one another. It's a never-ending struggle to perfect policy, but I truly believe the creative minds in the world today will come together to create change that will work for everyone.
What's your circle's relationship with the free-market think tank in your state?
Petra: We work with two think tanks: Reclaim NY and the Empire Center. We now hold our meetings at Reclaim's offices which are centrally located. We are building quite a good relationship with Reclaim and want to give a special shout-out to Candice there.
Ellen: And Candice has now become a very active Policy Circle Member, offering her network and expertise for research and guest speakers. It's an incredible think tank – a non-partisan organization promoting data-driven policy research, which we feel coordinates well with our Policy Circle mission.
Any words of wisdom for new circle leaders?
Petra: Do what works for your group and local geography. Get input on what issues people are interested in, speakers they think would be interesting — make members feel this is THEIR group!
Ellen: And don't worry too much about repeat attendance or getting active members in the first year—people are busy and have crazy schedules. Each meeting has its own individual fire, and even inspiring one person on one day, you've made a difference.
What's your latest circle conversation about?
Petra: Taxes!! We have the Empire Center presenting–as you know our jurisdiction is one of the most heavily taxed in the United States. It is important to understand what is proposed in Albany and locally in City Council as well as what may happen in Washington and the impact on us.
Ellen: Going to be very timely given the season!
What's your favorite part about your circle meetings?
Petra: Watching a very diverse group of women (ages, professions, backgrounds) come together, learn and share their views. They walk out at the end of the evening better educated and engaged in the subject matter. Plus we do have some fun!
Ellen: Meeting new women with incredible backgrounds and stories, watching our members break through the "policy not politics" wall, being educated and taking the time to understand policies that affect me and my family, and learning how to get involved and hold our elected officials responsible.
Petra: Public housing will be our next subject!
Ellen: Yes, and our May meeting will cover an overview of the 2017 NY legislative session, which will have finished by that time. Citizens are really paying attention to what politicians are saying and doing these days, and it's important to hold them accountable, at the local level especially. I think if our locally-elected officials don't create policy that actually moves our state forward this year, we will start to see a new level of activism – and look forward to Policy Circle being a part of that!
Tell us a little about yourself and why you started a Policy Circle.
The Policy Circle has given me hope.
I first learned of it through Angela Braly, who I've known and respected for nearly 20 years. After a close review of the Policy Circle I became convinced of the importance of the movement. Not only did I know it would enrich my life personally, I could see the larger picture of how engaged women could change the course of our communities and restore the personal freedoms and concept of Liberty that is the envy of the world. Together with my co-leader, we created "Libertas", the first Policy Circle group in St. Louis, inviting women we knew to be thought leaders in the community.
I grew up in what you might call an "underserved area" in western New York where generational poverty is the norm. People who live there survive with a check from the state, one way or another. I knew at an early age that I wanted to find the American dream. Between studying political philosophy in college and following Jack Kemp's free market movement I became convinced that the key to the American dream was not a check from the state, but the opportunities created by the free market. While living in Washington, DC for eight years after I left Buffalo, I quickly learned that I could control much of my destiny by working hard — I had the freedom to choose where I lived and for whom I worked. It was incredibly liberating to be in control of my future and not dependent on the state for my livelihood.
The Show Me Institute has been on the forefront of promoting policies that encourage free markets and personal liberty in Missouri. The Policy Circle formally connected our Circle with the Show Me Institute for state-level content and local events to attend. I couldn't have asked for a better local partner; not only do our philosophies align, they have been incredibly responsive to any and every request for Missouri-specific economic data. I've also been able to leverage this resource to provide educational "field trips" for our circle members: whenever the Show Me Institute offers a speaker or program I include the event in our circle feed.
For prospective leaders, I would recommend carefully considering the makeup of your founding circle members. The respectful exchange of diverse viewpoints is key to a meaningful conversation. Once your circle is established, start adding to your numbers in a way that will ensure your culture is preserved.
What's your latest circle conversation?
We've tackled Poverty and Health Care. Next up is Civic Engagement. We plan to invite several prospective new circle leaders to this meeting and hope that the topic will stir up the desire to form additional circles.
I was surprised how engaged all of our members have been, considering I had not really had previous policy conversations with them individually. We decided to try meeting over the lunch hour and that has worked well for this group. I envision another circle might form in our area with a nighttime option.
Becoming engaged through the Policy Circle has been highly rewarding. I'm excited to see additional circles be formed throughout Missouri. It is heartening to see women find their voices in the discussion of free market solutions.
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