text:
Contemporary Worship Music and Everyday Musical Lives by Mark Porter
David Martin on music at St Aldate's, Oxford
Contemporary Worship Music and Everyday Musical Lives
Routledge £95
(978-1-4724-7207-6)
Church Times Bookshop £85.50
APPLYING the discipline of ethnomusicology to issues of faith and practice is a fairly recent academic exercise. Mark Porter is a serious musician and a committed Christian with an interest in how the standard musical style of a particular Christian community connects or fails to connect with the often passionate tastes of the members of its congregation.
Obviously, this is an important question to explore, whatever the characteristic musical style of a church, and Porter approaches it with great subtlety. It fits into the study of congregations and their dynamics provided by Mathew Guest and Nancy Ammerman. It also complements the comparative study (Monique Ingalls et al.) of the music of very different kinds of Christian group from black churches to Mennonites and Hillsong.
Porter's inquiry lies more in the catchment area of case studies of Hillsong, since it focuses entirely on the version of Evangelical Charismatic religion preached at St Aldate's, Oxford — a church that some might feel marginally Anglican.
For those who don't know, St Aldate's fosters a popular-music culture of soft rock which has some roots in the Jesus Movement and is now widespread in essentially "gathered" Evangelical churches all over the country, some moderately conservative theologically, others very conservative, for example in relation to women and the expression of homosexuality.
Although it advertises itself as three-generational, the interviews quoted suggest a concentration in the twenties and thirties. Seeing that it draws particularly on Oxford students, the congregation is quite cosmopolitan. It is here that I would have liked an ethnography of the church to help out the ethnomusicology, particularly as the respondents were not representative.
The underlying issue is one of ecclesial authority and the choice of a particular rock-music style to provide recognisability, cohesion, and continuity, as against the desire of particular individuals for more variability and the creative expression of their talents and tastes. The choice was at one stage thought by Evangelical leaders to be somehow "neutral". This is a classic sociological dilemma roughly corresponding to the tension between institutional maintenance and Charismatic freedom.
One solution at St Aldate's is the provision of space for continuous prayer on a model set up in Kansas, which seems also to be a space for diverse musical expressions, though I have the impression that diversity extends to traditional hymns only with some difficulty.
Of course, some people are not that musical, which helps: a very non-PC thought. Others cultivate a tolerant indifference for the common good, however "cheesy" they consider what is on offer. Others discern bridges between their responses in church and the spirituality that they experience in secular music gigs. One thought St Aldate's two years out of date musically. Another, who also sang in the Oxford Schola Cantorum, recognised that none of this kind of music was up to much (my own view of popular music generally). For her, the problem was that serious music in the Schola was sung by unbelievers. Difficult.
The Revd Dr David Martin is Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics.
The timeless music of the shepherds
Musical pioneers
Explorations in musical Brazil
Paint, faith, and the everyday
Glorious musical resurrection
Journey through daily Office
Being Human in God's World by J. Gordon McConville
Notice board: booklets
The Reluctant Leader by Peter Shaw & Be a Better Leader by Graham Osborne
God Created Humanism by Theo Hobson
PressUKRegulars
Team Vicar
Are you ALIVE in Jesus? If so, we can offer you an interesting, exciting and rewarding challenge within the context of our evangelical team ministry.
Congleton is a wonderful community into which to minister. We are looking for someone with a passionate missional faith.
Team Rector
This recently-created benefice of three parishes (five churches) straddles the edge of the London conurbation and the beautiful south-west Essex countryside and offers an able and energetic missional priest the opportunity to develop collaborative and creative Christian engagement across the Benefice. Christ-focused and Spirit-filled, the new Team Rector will lead a committed clergy/lay Team as, together, the churches reach out to serve a wonderfully diverse range of communities.
Interim Incumbent
This is an exciting Interim appointment – initially for three years but with the opportunity for the post to become permanent. The parishes and the Diocese will work closely together with the new Interim Incumbent to encourage positive progress across the Benefice. We are all keen to build strong foundations for future ministry in the Knightley Benefice.


Do you have a few hours in Bologna and you'd like to discover the essence of the historical city centre? Or maybe you'd love to have an expert professional guide at your service to help you unlock the secrets of this medieval city? Then this is the perfect tour for you! Discover Bologna in two story-packed hours so you can experience the porticos, monuments and towers of what UNESCO has defined the best preserved medieval centre in the world. HIGHLIGHTS Walking tour of Bologna with an expert local guide See the main monuments, including the Due Torri, the Compianto by Niccolò dell'Arca and the Teatro Anatomico Learn about the city's past and present WHEN: Every day TIMES: First tour: 10:30am every day Second tour: 3pm on Monday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays Except for 25th December MEETING POINT: Bologna Welcome Tourist information and incoming services point Piazza Maggiore 1/e - 40124 LENGTH: 2 hours LANGUAGES: Italian/English INCLUDED: Skilled Italian/English speaking tourist guide Entrance to the Anatomical Theatre and Stabat Mater hall Entrance to the Compianto by Niccolò dell'Arca ITINERARY: Piazza Maggiore, San Petronio church, Piazza della Mercanzia, the ancient market area, Santa Maria della Vita church (Compianto by Niccolò dell'Arca), Archiginnasio, Due Torri (The itinerary is subject to change based on locations' closures/opening) RATE: € 15.00 per person Free for Bologna Welcome Card holders Free for children under 12 CANCELLATION POLICY: If you cancel at least 1 day in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee. If you cancel later, you will be charged the entire price of the tour.
Visit the Asinelli Tower, the taller of the two sisters: 97.2m high, leaning a noticeable 1.3° off-centre. It was built between 1109 and 1119 as a symbol of grandeur for the family by the same name. It then passed into the hands of the municipality the following century. The tower was a lookout and defensive stronghold. Its military purpose is evidenced by the lower loggia, also called rocchetta or mini fortress, that was built around the square base in 1488 as headquarters for the tower's sentinels. Bologna is an extraordinary city and the Tower is its beating heart. The view from atop the Torre Asinelli is breathtaking, and the journey upwards is unique and unforgettable. Ready? RATE Full price: € 5.00 per person Reduced: € 3.00 (under 12 and over 65; school trips; university students; groups of minimum 20 people; Card Musei Metropolitani holders) Free for holders of Bologna Welcome Card PLUS and guides with a group of minimum 20 people WHEN: Every day TIMES: From 1 March to 5 November 09:30am – 7:30pm - Last entrance 6:30pm Timeslots: entrance every 45 minutes From 6 November to 28 February 09:30am – 5:45pm - Last entrance 5.00pm Timeslots: entrance every 45 minutes LENGTH: 45 minutes MEETING POINT: Piazza Ravegnana – Tower entrance YOUR TICKET INCLUDES: Introductory pamphlet about the Tower visit Entrance fee CANCELLATION POLICY: If you cancel or modify your booking at least 1 hour before the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee. If you cancel later, you will be charged the entire price of the tour.
Discover one of the countless unique places in the city of Bologna! Did you know that the Valverde Cistern, erroneously called Bagni di Mario (Mario's Baths), is actually a cistern dating back to the Renaissance period (1563) built to supply the Fountain of Neptune? The cistern structure consists of a main room, a secondary room and some tunnels. The guided tour takes place most of all in the main room, in which we find an octagonal cistern and eight small tanks for the water decanting system. Above the cistern, there is a wide dome with a central Oculus. During the visit, it will be possible to explore all the viable tunnels, one of which is characterised by an aeration chimney entirely covered in calcareous incrustations formed over the centuries. In the secondary room, it will be possible to admire a second smaller cistern called the "Conservetta". HIGHLIGHTS Guided tour with an expert local guide Discover the hydraulic curiosities of the city Visit one of the places that made Bologna the city of water RATE Full price: € 10.00 per person Reduced: € 5.00 for children aged 10 to 18 Free: for children aged 6 to 10 (booking required) The tour is not suitable for children under the age of 6. WHEN Every Friday (from 26 January to 28 December 2018) TIMES 6pm LENGTH 1 hour LANGUAGE Italian/English MEETING POINT Via Bagni di Mario 10 NOTES: Number of visitors : min 1 - max 15 It's suggested not to wear high heels CANCELLATION POLICY: Reservation is compulsory. If you cancel at least 1 day in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee. If you cancel later, you will be charged the entire price of the tour.
Prestigious and powerful, the medieval towers of Bologna keep watch from their perch above the rooftops, silently witnessing the passage of centuries. These iconic remains of times past, some still very present and others just ghosts, now tell their story. Come to observe Bologna's towers up close and discover their mysteries. After winding our way through the checkerboard of towers and well-worn passages through the city center, we'll pause to admire the view from the dizzying height of the Prendiparte Tower; at 60m, it is second only to the Asinelli Tower. From the tower's terrace the panoramic view is undeniably stunning. HIGHLIGHTS Walking tour with a local, expert guide which will talk about: Accursi, Arengo, Scappi, Galluzzi, Carrari, Alberici, Asinelli, Garisenda, Uguzzoni, Azzoguidi, Prendiparte Reserved visit on the terrace of rocchetta of Torre Asinelli (not available April 2019 for restoration works) Access to the privately owned Prendiparte Tower Enjoy a stunning, bird's eye view of the city WHEN: Every Saturday From 13 April to 28 December 2019 TIMES: 3:30pm LENGTH: 2 hours LANGUAGES: Italian/English MEETING POINT: Bologna Welcome Tourist information and incoming services point Piazza Maggiore 1/e - 40124 INCLUDED: Skilled Italian/English speaking guide Reserved visit on the terrace of rocchetta of Torre Asinelli Entry to the Torre Prendiparte RATE: € 15.00 per person € 12.00 per child from age 5 to 12, Bologna Welcome Card holders (Visit not recommended for children under 5) CANCELLATION POLICY: If you cancel at least 48 hours in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee. If you cancel later, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.


text:
package ClusterHW;

import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.PrintWriter;
import java.util.ArrayList;

public class Fitness {

	private static void checkInput(Kmean kMean) {
		if (kMean==null || kMean._clusters==null) {
			throw new IllegalArgumentException("Null input or null field");
		}

		if (kMean._clusters.isEmpty()) {
			throw new IllegalArgumentException("Empty clusters");
		}
	}

	/**
	 * get the average variance across all clusters in a kmean object
	 * @return double
	 */
	public static double getAvgVar(Kmean kMean) {

		checkInput(kMean);
		double avgVar = 0;
		int k = kMean._clusters.size();
		for (Cluster c: kMean._clusters) {
			avgVar += c.getVar();
		}
		return avgVar/k;
	}

	public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {

		PrintWriter writer = new PrintWriter(
				"C:\\Users\\Penghao Chen\\Desktop\\NYU\\Computing in Finance\\Cluster HW\\Comparison results.txt", "UTF-8");

		//Kmean
		ArrayList<Point> k1pts = new ArrayList<>();
		for (int i=0; i<100; i++) {
			for (int j=0; j<100; j++) {
				k1pts.add(new Point(new double[] {i,j}));
			}
		}
		Kmean k1 = new Kmean(k1pts);

		//Kmean2
		ArrayList<Point> k2pts = new ArrayList<>();
		for (int i=0; i<100; i++) {
			for (int j=0; j<100; j++) {
				k2pts.add(new Point(new double[] {i,j}));
			}
		}
		Kmean2 k2 = new Kmean2(k2pts);

		for (int n=0; n<100; n++) {

			k1.kMeanGo(500);
			k2.Kmean2Go(500, 20);

			writer.print("Kmean Avg_Dist_Var:" + Fitness.getAvgVar(k1) + "; ");
			writer.print("Kmean2 Avg_Dist_Var:" + Fitness.getAvgVar(k2));
			writer.println();

			k1._clusters.clear();
			k2._clusters.clear();
		}
		writer.close();
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Last edited by Balkree
Thursday, August 13, 2020 | History
3 edition of The Times atlas of the world found in the catalog.
The Times atlas of the world
Published 1972 by Times Newspapers in London .
Atlases.
Duplicate legend sheet inserted.
Statement produced and published by The Times in collaboration with John Bartholomew & Son Ltd., Edinburgh.
Contributions Times Books (Firm), John Bartholomew and Son.
LC Classifications G1019 .B395 1972
Pagination xl, 272 p. :
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


During her time in Atlantis, Lady Portia worked as one of the high priestesses in the temple of Poseidon. She had highly developed spiritual gifts that could scan and check if they had lied or deceived themselves or others and help them to see the truth. Her Aura was so strong that it shone like an orb of golden light.
In the 11th Century, Lady Portia was part of the Italian Royal bloodline. She saw mistreatment of the people, causing great problems, she spoke out and said "this must stop and that the people should have a justice system and that everyone must be fairly tried, we are sending too many people to slaughter". With that Lady Portia placed in her hand the scales to bring justice for humanity. She wrote manuscripts for the senate on justice for people that are still in our laws today.
Lady Portia presents the 7th Ray on the Karmic Board and is spokesperson for divine justice. Lady Portia helps you when you have had an unjustified situation in your life, you can call on her to release the situation and hand it over to the Karmic board for release. She will do this especially around clearing ancestral lines. Using pure gold energy to radiate through the consciousness and to release the 13 strands of DNA and bring you back into rejoice.
Lady Portia is shown with her red hair and warm eyes. Her 3rd eye clear and radiating light, she is wearing the crown of justice. The heart chakra is in balance of justice of Mother Father God. The blue represents her divine communication for us to the Karmic board. The golden ray of light into our lives shines above her head while the pure white orb of purification is for release.


text:
Home / Entertainment News / Latest News / Borat actor: Facebook, Google, Youtube and Twitter are 'greatest propaganda machine in history'
Borat actor: Facebook, Google, Youtube and Twitter are 'greatest propaganda machine in history'
byanca November 22, 2019 0
British actor Sacha Baron Cohen, in character as a Kazakh TV reporter known as 'Borat'
Reuters | David Gray
British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen blamed tech giants Facebook, Google and Twitter and their leaders for giving a megaphone to hate groups and allowing lies to proliferate, in a blistering speech before the Anti-Defamation League on Thursday.
Baron Cohen is best known for his lead roles in "Borat," about a documentary filmmaker supposedly from Kazakhstan, and "Da Ali G Show," a satirical TV series. His style is to trick real people into interviews and steer them into revealing their own biases, sometimes using offensive language and scenarios.
The speech comes as Big Tech companies are under increasing scrutiny from governments on antitrust and privacy matters and abuse of their platforms. Several U.S. presidential candidates, led by Elizabeth Warren, have called for Facebook and other tech companies to be broken up.
Meanwhile, the companies have been grappling with how to handle political advertising ahead of the 2020 presidential election, with Facebook taking a lenient stance and allowing political ads with false claims, and Twitter opting to ban all political ads.
In his speech before the ADL, a group that fights anti-Semitism, Baron Cohen noted that hate groups and divisive rhetoric are rising all around the world, and he blamed Big Tech for providing "the greatest propaganda machine in history."
"Think about it. Facebook, YouTube and Google, Twitter and others — they reach billions of people. The algorithms these platforms depend on deliberately amplify the type of content that keeps users engaged — stories that appeal to our baser instincts and that trigger outrage and fear. It's why YouTube recommended videos by the conspiracist Alex Jones billions of times. It's why fake news outperforms real news, because studies show that lies spread faster than truth. And it's no surprise that the greatest propaganda machine in history has spread the oldest conspiracy theory in history — the lie that Jews are somehow dangerous."
Baron Cohen was particularly critical of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who recently promoted freedom of speech to students at Georgetown University. He responded to several points in Zuckerberg's talk, including the idea that Facebook should not police speech for fear of causing a crackdown on free expression.
"If a neo-Nazi comes goose-stepping into a restaurant and starts threatening other customers and saying he wants [to] kill Jews, would the owner of the restaurant be required to serve him an elegant eight-course meal? Of course not! The restaurant owner has every legal right and a moral obligation to kick the Nazi out, and so do these internet companies."
Facebook should be regulated like any other publisher, and there should be some sort of automated pause between the time material is uploaded and when it actually appears online, Baron Cohen said, so that violent videos are not automatically allowed online. He continued:
"There is such a thing as objective truth. Facts do exist. And if these internet companies really want to make a difference, they should hire enough monitors to actually monitor, work closely with groups like the ADL, insist on facts and purge these lies and conspiracies from their platforms."
Baron Cohen also coined the term, "The Silicon Six," referring to the leaders of these companies, including Zuckerberg, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, and four executives from Alphabet: Co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki.
A Twitter spokesperson said in a statement that the company has permanently suspended the accounts of 186 groups. "Our rules are clear: There is no place on Twitter for hateful conduct, terrorist organizations or violent extremist groups," the company said.
Representatives from Facebook, Google and YouTube did not respond to requests for comment.
Read the speech here.
WATCH: Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes calls for the breakup of the company


text:
RELEASE BLITZ: "A Leap of Faith" by Mel Gough
Post category:Gay Book Promotions / Release Blitz
Book Title: A Leap of Faith
Author: Mel Gough
Publisher: Red Dog Press
Cover Artist: Red Dog Press
Genre: Historical MM romance
Trope: Forbidden love
Themes: Struggle with societal norms
Length: 77 500 words
An evocative tale of love, fear and duty, set against the backdrop of the nineteen fifties, with the emergence of apartheid in South Africa and the criminal nature of homosexuality in the UK.
South Africa, 1953 – Father Daniel Blakemore is happy on his missionary secondment in a small, rural Providence Hospital on the Eastern Cape. Being away from England makes it easier for him to conceal his homosexuality – a secret that would destroy everything he's ever worked for.
But when Doctor Eddie Raleigh takes up his new position at Providence, the two men are instantly drawn to one another. Their liaison represents both Daniel's deepest desire and his worst nightmare. If the archdeacon in London learns of his true nature, Daniel's life in the church will be over.
Broken-hearted, Daniel breaks things off with Eddie. And to get away from his sorrows, he leaves his beloved missionary work behind, and returns to Stepney.
Will time and distance alleviate Daniel's pain, or will happiness be forever elusive? Or will love, finally, find a way?
Doctor Eddie Raleigh and I met for the first time on an unusually hot day in January. At the time, my head was inside the end of a VW bus, and my arms and shirt were covered in motor oil. The bus, which doubled as our ambulance, had sat uselessly in the hospital's courtyard for weeks, and I was determined to do something about it.
"I can't see what the problem is." I wiped my brow with an oily sleeve. "That bolt's tight, but this pipe is still dripping… Anton, hand me the other wrench?"
Without taking my eyes off the engine, I stretched out a hand in the direction of the half a dozen boys who were watching my futile attempt at vehicle repairs with great interest and many unhelpful comments. When the tool wasn't forthcoming, I glanced up. All I could see of the boys were their narrow backs, clad in an array of cast-off shirts. They were looking at something I couldn't see.
I straightened, narrowly missing cracking my head on the open engine hatch.
A stranger stood at the front of the bus, holding a small leather suitcase in one hand and a white trilby hat in the other. He was tall and slender, with a shock of reddish hair that brushed the collar of his tailored shirt. He was in shirtsleeves; a summer coat hung in limp folds over the suitcase. He gave an impression of the slightly rumpled elegance seen in the well-to-do traveller.
The boys remained still as salt pillars, so I took charge. "Hello there. Can we help?"
He approached, looking relieved about the friendly break of the stand-off. Close up, a fine spray of freckles dotting his nose and cheeks captured my attention. He had high cheekbones, and laughter lines around the eyes. His jade-green gaze gave me a sudden jolt, like I'd missed a step while hurrying down a flight of stairs. He smiled, his face lighting up with an openness that was rare and refreshing. The way his mouth quirked at one corner made my cheeks burn.
"Do you need assistance?" I attributed the uncharacteristic edge in my voice to the forward way his gaze still held mine fast. Instantly, anxiety washed over me. Did he think me rude? But his smile was unwavering.
"I'm Edward Raleigh." His voice was low and pleasant. "The new doctor." He extended his hand. At the last moment I remembered the engine grease on my fingers. I grimaced, holding my arm rigidly by my side.
"You don't want to get grease all over you." In lieu of a handshake I put all the warmth I had into the words. "How do you do. I'm Father Daniel Blakemore. Welcome to Providence Hospital, Doctor Raleigh. We're very glad to have you on board."
"It's good to be here at last." From his tone, it wasn't difficult to deduce the relief of a journey finally completed. He smiled that bright smile again. "And to be so promptly appreciated."
"You'll want to see Mr Hogarth." That was the hospital's director and head surgeon. I sized up the boys. "Anton, take Doctor Raleigh to the administrative offices."
"Thank you, Father." Raleigh's smile was just for me this time. Until he turned to Anton, at least. "Ready when you are."
The boy looked proud to be entrusted with this important task. "This way." He set off towards the hospital, his back straight, his eyes twinkling with curiosity. I tried to see the white, two-storey building with its gabled red roof through the eyes of the elegant doctor. Hopefully, Raleigh would be too busy digesting his unfamiliar surroundings to notice the cracks in the walls and the peeling paint.
"Clinic's just finished for the day." Anton's voice carried from halfway across the deserted courtyard. He seemed to be responding to a question from Raleigh. "Don't get used to the quiet. It doesn't last."
Something in the doctor's response made Anton grin. He hurried to hold the door to the Casualty department and let Raleigh precede him. A smile stole onto my face. Despite his elegance, I had an inkling that Raleigh would fit right in.
"The new doctor is very tall."
I turned my attention to the boys still crowding around the bus. The speaker, a small, wiry lad of about ten, grinned at me.
I chuckled. "So he is." Turning back to the engine with its intractable tangle of wires and pipes, I gave a sigh. "Gentlemen, back to it. Someone hand me the flat-blade screwdriver, please."
Mel Gough has self-published eight contemporary and historical romance novels and novellas. She was shortlisted for the inaugural Selfies Award with her romantic suspense novel He is Mine. A Leap of Faith was longlisted for the Bridport Award 2019 and shortlisted for the First Novel Award in the same year. Mel lives in London.
Website: Red Dog Press Mel Gough
Facebook: Red Dog Press Mel Gough
Twitter: @reddogtweets @melgough_writer
Instagram: @red_dog_press @melgoughwriter
Tags: Historical MM Romance
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