The Dota 2 International 5 came to a close this weekend in possibly some of the finest showcases of Dota 2 we've seen at an International. On Saturday evening we had just three teams left in the The International: Evil Geniuses, LGD Gaming and CDEC Gaming. Nobody wanted a repeat of last year's International, East vs. East, so rooting for Evil Genius in the Loser Bracket Final was the only way.
As mentioned above, the last thing I wanted to an East vs. East Grand Final. You could say I was some what terrified by what happened last year, the final being incredibly boring. With this in mind, I joined in the chants "USA! USA! USA!" and backed EG all the way.
The draft allowed both teams to grab up some of their signature heroes. We had SumaiL on his Lina, Aui_2000 on the Enigma, xiao8 on Clockwerk and of course the Sylar Gyrocopter. Noting their dominance from the middle position, LGD immediately applied pressure to SumaiL in an attempt to shut him down early. Unfortunately this was not as easy as it seemed as he continued to stay ahead, and prove just how good he really is. Game one was extremely close, some fights came down the to the hair with a few clutch plays from the supports. Captain of EG, ppd, dropped nail-biting Shallow Graves on numerous occasions to keep SumaiL and Fear alive. The most important pick for LGD was their Silence, played by MMY, and it was the stressed importance of the Silence ultimate which should have granted LGD safe passage to victory. Unfortunately from an early stage in the game EG already had the items to negate a successful Global Silence. SumaiL had his early Eul's Scepter, Fear had his Diffusal Blade, and UNiVeRsE (if timed well) could snowball through it. This unfortunately lead to a few thwarted team fights for LGD, and even though MMY was able to pick up a Refresher Orb, the Global Silence unfortunately did not have the same effect.
After an extremely close game, Evil Geniuses were able to clinch the win, and again SumaiL on his Lina proved to be too strong for LGD Gaming.
Following suit, game two was just as close with our favourite players grabbing up their favourite heroes once again. Leshrac, I'm 100% on the statistics, has been one of the most banned heroes at TI5. The drafting process versus EG is always an interesting one. There were comments that Fear has a limited hero pool, but at the same time there was one hero that teams would ban against EG, which they wouldn't normally ban against other teams – The Goblin Techies. I think the fact that EG have showed promise with this menace in the past is a major advantage for them, not because they can play it well, but because it takes up an important banned slot for their opponents.
Once again we were treated to an extremely close game with trades all over. Again SumaiL was the hot topic for LGD as the tried to thwart his efforts in mid. Facing off against Maybe's Shadowfiend was no easy feat, but SumaiL managed to keep up on his Leshrac ahead of all LGDs efforts. Fear, on Clinkz, went for early rotations, returning fire on Maybe in the solo mid and catching out MMY! on rotations. LGD took an early lead with Sylar's Gyrocopter grabbing up a few kills to get things going. Sylar grabbed a few multi-kills, but as soon as Fear began roaming and picking up the odd kill the composition and initiating power of EG proved too much. If there's one Clockwerk player who might just be a bit better than xiao8, it's UNiVeRSe. When I mention initiating power it was basically the UNiVeRSe show and after an extremely tight game two Evil Genius managed to secure the win and knock LGD out 2-0.
CDEC were the Cinderella Story of TI5. They came from the Wildcard Playins, absolutely destroyed in the Group Stages and had an undefeated run to the Grand Finals. This is where a lot fans of Dota 2 were split. Do we back the team who have impressed us all? Or do we back EG, where Old Man Fear deserves the win? It was really was a conflict of emotions, but nonetheless we were about to be treated to some of the best Dota 2 we've seen in ages.
The Grand Final kicked off and once again we were treated to an interesting ban/pick phase. UNiVeRSe was allowed his Clockwerk, SumaiL his Storm Spirit and of course Fear on his Gyrocopter. On the other side of the river CDEC snagged up the ever so popular Leshrac on Garder, Winter Wyvern on Q and Shiki playing the Queen of Pain. From the early stages CDEC's strategy became clear. They were going to completely shut down SumaiL in the middle, and hit EG where it hurts. When SumaiL could no longer take the torment of gangs in the solo mid, he opted to move into the jungle to handle some stacked neutral camps, which ppd had been stacking up for him. This allowed SumaiL to grab an 18 minute Orchid Malevolence despite being down 0-3. It was then when it became clear that shutting down SumaiL was unfortunately not the answer to defeating EG.
Evil Geniuses pulled ahead early on, and ran away with the game. It was then we thought we might have 3 quick games as the first one ended 27-8 to Evil Geniuses.
CDEC picked up Leshrac once again in the draft phase, with EG almost mirroring their picks from game one. Why fix what's not broken? The only difference is that the Wind Ranger was picked for SumaiL, and the crowd's roars seemed to agree with the choice. There was one pick which completely threw EG off – The Broodmother on Xz. What threw them off even more was the laning choices of CDEC. They sent the Broodmother into the solo middle to take on SumaiL, while sending an "Agressif" lane top with Queen of Pain and Tuskar. Early on EG realized they could not handle the top lane, while middle was under assault as well, and the rotations were a clear indication that EG might be in a spot of trouble in game two.
Top lane was lost early on, UNiVeRSe got little to nothing bottom lane, and middle was unfortunately not going as great as usual. CDEC applied the pressure with split push power coming from the Broodmother, while their composition of four-man assaults still proved deadly. The burst from Leshrac and Queen of Pain proved too strong and EG lost game two 29-17.
Leshrac featured once again for CDEC while EG went for the Gyro and Clockwerk. EG changed things up and went for the Undying on ppd and Ember Spirit for SumaiL. We also saw our first taste of Slark and Lion, an interesting choice for CDEC. Honestly, sounding like a broken record, this was once again the SumaiL show as his Ember Spirit was played to perfection. It seemed every spell in CDECs arsenal was no match for the Slight of Fists on SumaiL's Ember Spirit. He managed to dodge almost perfectly and once again EG pull ahead with an early lead and took game three.
At this point we could feel it. EG were one game away from taking the championship, and after two one sided maps in their favour it was time to seal it off. Again Fear played Gyrocopter, SumaiL played Storm Spirit and the Naga Siren finally made an appearance on Aui_2000. Garder managed to grab up the Lina, with Agressif getting his hands on Phantom Lancer.
Evil Geniuses took an early lead against CDEC with glimpses of hope from Agressif on his Phantom Lancer. You could see the pressure was on both teams as we saw the First Blood arrive at the latest it has this tournament. SumaiL dominated in the Solo mid against the Dragon Knight, but the game was relatively quiet. Agressif decided to Boots of Travel into Diffusal Blade, his favourite choice, and already we could see the direction in which CDEC were going. When the Dragon Knight picked up a Blink Dagger, it became clear that CDEC saw SumaiL as a major issue.
After a few team fights were EG and CDEC traded evenly, EG continued to pull ahead and this force CDEC to do something risky, go for a Roshan kill. Once they picked off Storm Spirit in the middle they decided if they had any chance of getting back into the game they had to take Roshan, right now. The were down on gold and experience, but the Aegis of the Immortal would have secured at least two tier two towers and the beginning stages of a Heart for Phantom Lancer. Being one man down EG couldn't really contest the Roshan, or so we thought, but they attempted to at least delay it with Ancient Apparition and Earthshaker. EG knew they were in Roshan, but CDEC might a fatal mistake stacking together, and we got to see one of the best plays in TI history.
Fittingly,that was the biggest dunk at the Key Arena, to date. EG managed to secure Aegis of The Immortal and apply the final pressure needed to secure the grand final. CDEC did not give up and fought with everything they had right up until the last second, but it was not enough and EG won The International 5 with a score of 3-1.
Evil Geniuses, the first American team to win The International, raised the Aegis of the Immortal as your 2015 Champions. $6.6 million placed the five players at the top of the eSports earning's list and gave them all millionaire status.
The only thing I could think about after watching the final was this moment during Valve's Free To Play documentary.
Previous article Can you feel it? First international TV spot for STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS!


text:
Q: How to implement a test that checks the reliability of the internet connection I am working on a project that needs to test some feature of android and mobile networks.
one of them is to check Reliability of the internet connection to do that i should first check the Internet connection itself and then check the Reliability
Is there any Algorithm or library to find out the Reliability of Internet Connection

A: Perhaps you can send a request to a known site to check if the internet connection is stable enough to get back with the response in given time.
public boolean checkInternet(){
        ConnectivityManager cm = (ConnectivityManager) getSystemService(Context.CONNECTIVITY_SERVICE);
        NetworkInfo netInfo = cm.getActiveNetworkInfo();
        if (netInfo != null && netInfo.isConnected())
                try {
                        URL url = new URL("http://www.google.com");
                        HttpURLConnection urlc = (HttpURLConnection) url
                                                 .openConnection();
                        urlc.setConnectTimeout(3000);
                        urlc.connect();
                        if (urlc.getResponseCode() == 200) {
                                // Means response is available within 3 seconds
                                // So, return true or do something else.
                                return true;
                        }
                } catch (MalformedURLException e1) {
                        // TODO Auto-generated catch block
                        e1.printStackTrace();
                } catch (IOException e) {
                        // TODO Auto-generated catch block
                        e.printStackTrace();
                }
        return false;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Festival of Fools is three days of extraordinary fun and entertainment, entirely free to the general public. It does, however, cost a lot to put on. We are hugely grateful to our sponsors and funders for their continued support, particularly Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Belfast City Council and Department for Communities.


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You are here: Home > HEi Know > HEi News > University admissions hit record high
University admissions hit record high
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A record number of students found places on full-time undergraduate courses this autumn, with more students from low income households entering higher education than ever before.
The End of cycle 2013 report from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service shows that overall 495,596 students were accepted onto degree courses -- 6.6 per cent more than last year and 0.7 per cent higher than the previous record in 2011-12 before tuition fees were increased.
However, among the largest institutions accounting for 97 per cent of acceptances, 61 per cent took in a total 11 per cent fewer students than in 2011-12. Both medium and lower tariff institutions overall failed to return to 2011-12 intake levels.
Acceptances for students from other EU countries increased by 5.5 per cent to 24,500 after a dip in 2012, but remained below the 2010 and 2011 cycles. Acceptances from outside the EU increased by 5.8 per cent to 37,500, close to the high of 38,300 in 2010.
An 18 per cent rise in the number of 19-year-olds finding places in 2013 redressed a dip last year and pushed the numbers to their new high.
UCAS Chief Executive Mary Curnock-Cook said this showed that predictions of a reduced appetite for higher education following the tuition fee rise were "premature", and that "the dip in demand in 2012 was perhaps a pause for thought".
But she warned that the UK is still facing a decline in its young population, and this combined with a declining number of pupils taking A levels compared to vocational qualifications is "changing the pipeline for recruitment to higher education".
Get the full picture from HEi-know: Briefing Report 120
© 2013 Media FHE, all rights reserved

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Have your polished concrete floors lost their shine? Concrete burnishing can make them "pop." Foot traffic has a 400 to 500 grit abrasive impact. This will cause polished floors to dull. Burnishing is a noninvasive process that can be completed in an occupied facility.


There is a blind spot in contemporary philosophy for a variety of knowledge that is irreducibly p. Proponents of mode accounts like John Searle reject this and embrace group mindedness as irreducible, but are also dismissive of collective subjects out of fear of group minds. It explains how group mindedness ties the group members together so that they can jointly be the subjects of intentions and other attitudes. I conclude by sketching an account of groups as subjects of intentions that responds to Ludwig's criticisms of Searle and Gilbert. In my paper I will offer some supplementary criticisms of the traditional view, but also a way of reconceptualizing the force-content distinction which allows us to preserve certain of its features, and an alternative response to the Frege point that rejects the notion of force cancellation in favor of an appeal to intentional acts that create additional forms of unity at higher levels of intentional organization: acts such as questioning a statement or order, or merely putting it forward or entertaining it; pretending to state or order; or conjoining or disjoining statements or orders. Yet others have given accounts of collective intentionality which are explicitly restricted in scope, for example to small-scale cooperative activity Michael Bratman. In contrast, the Frege point confuses a lack of commitment to with a lack of commitment or force in what is put forward.
Many theories routinely appeal to social or collective rules such as rules of language even when. Some naïve realists seem reluctant to acknowledge such states, presumably because they worry that these might insert themselves between subject and world and become epistemologically foundational. Slides available in the Talk section Can we give a machine consciousness and free will by giving it the capacity to reflect on its rou. Various materialist and dualist responses are shown to be inadequate. His alternative explanation is based on his notion of a preintentional, nonrepresentational background.
How are we aware of ourselves and the contents of our minds and how do we express this awareness. It brings together leading scholars from philosophy, psychology, and the law to elucidate this theoretically and practically important topic from a variety of theoretical and disciplinary approaches. The book presents the first comprehensive survey of limits of the intentional control of action from an interdisciplinary perspective. In this paper I criticize this explanation and the underlying account of the background and suggest an alternative explanation of the normativity of elementary social practices and of the background itself. This is shown on various levels of collective intentionality. A subject of we-intentions is essentially plural, while both the notion of a group mind and the content account try to reduce it to something singular.
So bad cases can only be thought of as deviations from good cases. I argue that in any posture — intentional state or speech act — we do not merely represent a state of affairs as what we believe, or intend etc. A group has minds, not a mind. They are only different forms of ontological fundamentalism — physics fundamental-ism and consciousness fundamentalism — that lead to ultimately meaningless meta-physical constructions. What is the relation between consciousness and self-consciousness? Searle, Gottfried Seebaß, Gisela Trommsdorff, Felix Thiede, J.
Instead I propose a kind of externalism from a 1st person point of view, according to which we can only understand the contents of our minds in relation to objects in the world that we know. Acting Intentionally and Its Limits: Individuals, Groups, Institutions. In this paper I criticize theory-biased and overly individualist approaches to understanding othe. The philosophy of collectivity is still often driven by fear of group minds. In the final section of the paper, I use the account developed to answer two important questions Bernhard Schmid has raised about group speech acts, namely whether there are 1st person plural Moore-sentences and a 1st person plural form of 1st person authority, arguing that the singular and plural cases can be treated in parallel. These are some of the family of experiences connected to action and its authorship: experiences of deliberating, intending, of active and purposive bodily movement, of perceiving entities as objects for and results of action. While practical knowledge is fundamentally different from theoretical knowledge in terms of mind-world relations, the practical and theoretical domains are still parallel in terms of justificatory and inferential relations, they are like mirror images of one another.
This interest in turn is at heart an interest in the limits of rationality in controlling behavior, since intentions are or at least can be the products of processes of practical rationality, of practical reasoning. I outline a version of naïve realism designed to put such worries to rest. It brings together leading scholars from philosophy, psychology, and the law to elucidate this theoretically and practically important topic from a variety of theoretical and disciplinary approaches. Imagine further that they jointly form intentions to meet regularly, that they evolve a narrative, a body of beliefs about how their group and their game came about, and negotiate a set of rules for it, which is passed on in the oral tradition. Among the authors: Clancy Blair, Todd S.
The dissertation defends the thesis that the mind-body problem arises against the background of t. It brings together leading scholars from philosophy, psychology, and the law to elucidate this theoretically and practically important topic from a variety of theoretical and disciplinary approaches. I argue that the notion of force cancellation is faced with a dilemma and offer an alternative response to the Frege point, which extends the act-theoretic account to logical acts such as conditionalizing or disjoining. Proponents of mode accounts like John Searle reject this and embrace group mindedness as irreducible, but are also dismissive of collective subjects out of fear of group minds. How can people function appropriately and respond normatively in social contexts even if they are. Der achte Abschnitt skizziert in groben Umrissen ein alternatives Bild. Forming implementation intentions has been consistently shown to be a powerful self-regulatory strategy.
But contemporary self-described naive realists often have trouble acknowledging that both the good cases of successful perception and the bad cases of illusion and hallucination involve internal experiential states with intentional contents that present the world as being a certain way. First, the boundaries of the concept of intention have shifted at various points in that history. Members of such collectives represent each other as co-subjects of such positions and thus represent the world from the point of view of the collective. Among the authors: Clancy Blair, Todd S. Cole, Anika Fasche, Maayan Davidov, Peter Gollwitzer, Kai Robin Grzyb, Tobias Heikamp, Gabriele Oettingen, Rachel McKinnon, Nachschon Meiran, Hans Christian Roehl, Michael Schmitz, John R.
This is reflected in the fact that much of the literature, especially the philosophical literature, is concerned with defending or battling viewpoints still skeptical of the significance of a distinctive phenomenology of agency or even of its very existence. A subject is never just aware of the world, but also always of its position relative to it and thus of itself. It must recognize that perceptual experiential relations to the world can only obtain in virtue of contentful experiential states of the perceiver, and that such states are also involved in the bad cases of misperception. This position has temporal, spatial and causal, but also theoretical, epistemic or practical dimensions. The E-mail message field is required.


text:
Press Shop Operator shut down Back to previous
Press Shop Operator
Do you have experience operating machines and would you like to learn how to operate several vinyl presses simultaneously? Then we have an interesting job for you at Record Industry in Haarlem! To expand our team, we are looking for a:
32 - 40 hours per week
As the demand for vinyl is huge, we want to continue growing. We are looking for a new colleague with a feel for technology.
Press Shop
The press shop is the heart of the company, where thousands of kilos of vinyl are pressed to manufacture around 50,000 records a day. Besides black vinyl, we also press records in all kinds of colours. Together, 18 operators, 2 supervisors and 4 assistant supervisors ensure the best quality every day. Another 30 presses are ready to start running soon. This is what we need you for!
As a Press Shop operator, you ensure that several presses run optimally, in which respect you always give priority to the quality of the end product. You are responsible for setting up new orders on the press. Resolving small malfunctions and keeping your workplace clean are also part of your daily work.
A colleague who is keen to learn, with some technical insight, problem-solving ability and perseverance.
Experience in operating machines or as an operator is a plus.
Ability to function well both independently and in a team.
Willingness to work in 2 shifts from 06.00-14.30 and from 14.30-23.00.
Use of personal protective equipment, such as work clothing and hearing protection (will be provided by Record Industry).
Flexible attitude towards working hours and work.
Command of the Dutch language. Do you speak English? That's no problem for us. We will make sure that we understand each other and will be happy to help you with that.
Stress resistant and good ability to concentrate in a dynamic working environment.
Living in or near Haarlem.
A challenging position in a social, informal working environment where commitment and thinking in solutions are appreciated.
A part-time or full-time (32 - 40 hours) fixed-term contract with the prospect of permanent employment.
The minimum salary is € 2,000 (as of 21 years of age) excluding shiftwork allowance and a maximum of € 2,500 per month based on 40 hours, depending on age, knowledge and experience.
A shiftwork allowance of 14% of the gross salary.
25 holiday days per year.
Variable, result-dependent bonus payment.
Bicycle plan.
Pension Scheme.
Are you interested? Please mail a short application letter and your CV to personeelszaken@recordindustry.com. If you have any questions about this position, please call 023 551 11 15 and ask for Reinier Lefeber.
Record Industry is a gramophone record pressing company, located in Haarlem. We are one of the largest record pressing plants in the world and press for record companies and artists at home and abroad. Classical music, pop, rock and dance, from Mozart to Lady Gaga: we produce something for everyone. What makes us special is that we manufacture everything under one roof. We process the order, cut the audio, galvanise the press moulds, press the records, print and glue the sleeves and package the product. We even have our own recording studio in the building. A vinyl production plant the size of a football pitch, where we press and package around 11 million records per year with a team of almost 140 people. In the press shop there are 32 machines that press around forty to fifty thousand records every working day. Another 30 machines will be added in the near future.
Correspondence address: Postbus 9554 2003 LN Haarlem · Visiting address: Nijverheidsweg 36 2031 CP Haarlem +31 (0) 23 551 11 15 · personeelszaken@recordindustry.com · www.recordindustry.com
Open Positions from Record Industry
Packaging Department Operator
Company: Record Industry


text:
package org.apache.storm.metric;

import org.apache.storm.metric.api.DataPoint;
import org.apache.storm.metric.api.IClusterMetricsConsumer;
import org.slf4j.Logger;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;

import java.util.Collection;

/**
 * Listens for cluster related metrics, dumps them to log
 *
 * To use, edit the storm.yaml config file:
 *
 * ```yaml
 *   storm.cluster.metrics.register:
 *     - class: "org.apache.storm.metrics.LoggingClusterMetricsConsumer"
 * ```
 *
 */
public class LoggingClusterMetricsConsumer implements IClusterMetricsConsumer {
    public static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(LoggingClusterMetricsConsumer.class);

    static private String padding = "                       ";

    @Override
    public void prepare(Object registrationArgument) {
    }

    @Override
    public void handleDataPoints(ClusterInfo clusterInfo, Collection<DataPoint> dataPoints) {
        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
        String header = String.format("%d\t%15s\t%40s\t",
                clusterInfo.getTimestamp(), "<cluster>", "<cluster>");
        sb.append(header);
        logDataPoints(dataPoints, sb, header);
    }

    @Override
    public void handleDataPoints(SupervisorInfo supervisorInfo, Collection<DataPoint> dataPoints) {
        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
        String header = String.format("%d\t%15s\t%40s\t",
                supervisorInfo.getTimestamp(),
                supervisorInfo.getSrcSupervisorHost(),
                supervisorInfo.getSrcSupervisorId());
        sb.append(header);
        for (DataPoint p : dataPoints) {
            sb.delete(header.length(), sb.length());
            sb.append(p.getName())
                    .append(padding).delete(header.length()+23,sb.length()).append("\t")
                    .append(p.getValue());
            LOG.info(sb.toString());
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void cleanup() {
    }

    private void logDataPoints(Collection<DataPoint> dataPoints, StringBuilder sb, String header) {
        for (DataPoint p : dataPoints) {
            sb.delete(header.length(), sb.length());
            sb.append(p.getName())
                    .append(padding).delete(header.length()+23,sb.length()).append("\t")
                    .append(p.getValue());
            LOG.info(sb.toString());
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


In the Penetration Testing with Metasploit training you will learn hands on skills that come in to play on real pentests. The class focuses on using Metasploit and supporting tools in each phase of penetration testing. Students will study multiple ways of exploiting both Windows and GNU/Linux systems from both a network and application perspective. Jumping off of basic topics we will cover advanced pentesting skills such as social engineering and client side attacks. We will study the basics of exploit development, fuzzing and developing an exploit for a vulnerable application from scratch, and then porting the exploit into a working Metasploit module. This class is ideal for anyone who wants to brush up on the skills that work on real pentests as well as seasoned pentesters who would like to add the Metasploit Framework to their arsenal.
The training is conducted by Georgia Weidman. She is a penetration tester, security researcher, and trainer. Georgia holds a Master of Science degree in computer science, secure software engineering, and information security as well as holding CISSP, CEH, NIST 4011, and OSCP certifications. Her work in the field of smartphone exploitation has been featured in print and on television internationally.
This entry was posted on September 25, 2012 at 18:53. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.


For me, visiting Gentle World was the beginning of my journey, but I was so impacted by the peaceful sanctuary and the amazing people who live in it, that I decided to come back to end my time in New Zealand there.
My intention upon arrival was to learn about farming, but what I learned instead is a way of life. One that lives in harmony with sentient beings; one that doesn't inflict pain and suffering onto others; one that rises above the overwhelming stress and distractions which are the focus of the world I came from, and reaches a level where the focus becomes the integrity with which one chooses to live, day to day. I had never dreamed that living simply in nature and according to my conscience could make such a difference in how I think and feel.
The vegan message is the most important lesson I learned. Although the diet is just a part of it, it made an enormous impression on me, because of the sad truth of what I had been eating. In my whole existence I had never debated my diet. I always imagined a meal to be not complete without some sort of meat. It seemed stupid to even believe that I could live a life without it. My last birthday party was a bacon party. I practically worshipped meat. Now I can't believe my mind was so fixated on the thought that I had to have meat, just a few months back.
It felt like my mind completely shifted from a dense cloud to an aura of light, as I became, more and more, inspired to live vegan. I look forward, upon my return home to the states, to friends and family asking me in astonishment, "Why the change?" I'm glad that I had previously convinced them that I would never become vegetarian (let alone vegan)… so much so that the people I have already told do not believe me. What is more, I'm thankful to have come to this realization at my early age. And the most amazing part is that it wasn't even hard.
A new leaf has turned in my life. I was once a boy of ignorance. I'm now a man of integrity. I choose my own way without doubt, because I know that my path is righteous. Having rid myself of many years of guilt, I feel like a great weight has been lifted from my conscience.
Gentle World "showed me the light," and in that light I see myself and my world with a clarity I could never have imagined before.
Coming to Shangri-La, I had no idea what to expect. What I discovered was a beautiful, magical world filled with equally beautiful, inspiring people. It has been such a pleasure and an honor getting to know each and every one of you. Thank you so much for your inspiring stories, snippets of wisdom and your generous spirits.
I have learned so much about myself here. Even though I quickly discovered that a week was not nearly enough time to spend in Shangri-La, I have thoroughly enjoyed every second of my time.
I greatly appreciate the time you took to educate me about the dairy industry from a strong feminine point of view. I strongly pray and hope that this new insight will give me the strength to boycott dairy once and for all; that I will no longer be a part of an industry that rapes and demoralizes beautiful beings and deprives them of their basic desire to protect and nurture their children.
I am quite shy when it comes to meeting new people, but you allowed me to feel completely comfortable with who I am. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, for that is something I have needed for a long time.
I am very sad to go, but I am extremely happy in the knowledge that I will most definitely see you all again in the not too distant future!
I just wanted to reach out and say that the Gentle World family have been a reoccurring theme of my musings and meditations since our last encounter some short months ago. I often dwell on the significance you all played in catalyzing the metamorphosis that took place during those summer months half a year ago. The indelible impression softly etched onto the foundation from which I stand, glows luminous as the one year anniversary of my adoption of veganism approaches. So, naturally, I want to thank everyone who wielded the hammer and chisel during my stay.


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Bourne, Richard ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1559-7762 (2020) "Mercy Triumphs over Judgment: Intrusive or Enabling Mercy". In: Millie, Andrew, (ed.) Criminology and Public Theology: On Hope, Mercy and Restoration. Bristol, Bristol University Press, pp. 171-198
Christie, Ann (2012) Ordinary Christology: who do you say I am?: answers from the pews. Farnham, Ashgate Publishing Limited
Christie, Ann (2013) Responding to ordinary Christology. Journal of Adult Theological Education, 10 (1). pp. 38-49.
Cross, Susan Beverley (2022) From 'mission-shaped' to 'Jesus-shaped': Locating the place of hospitality in the Church of England. Doctoral thesis, York St John University.
Jagger, Sharon (2023) Presiding Like a Woman: Menstruating at the Altar. In: Cocksworth, Ashley, Starr, Rachel and Burns, Stephen, (eds.) From the Shores of Silence. 1st ed. London, SCM (In Press)
Lorenz, James ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7681-8103 (2022) The Eschatological Rhythms of Beauty in Jean-Louis Chrétien's Phenomenology. In: Gonzales, Philip, (ed.) Finitude's Wounded Praise: Responses to Jean-Louis Chrétien. Wipf & Stock (In Press)
Maunder, Chris ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4664-6777 (2019) Introduction. In: Maunder, Chris ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4664-6777, (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Mary. Oxford, Oxford University Press, pp. 1-17
Village, Andrew ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2174-8822 (2022) Attitude Toward Virtual Communion in Relation to Church Tradition during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Journal of Empirical Theology, 35 (1). pp. 95-117.
Village, Andrew ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2174-8822 (2012) The Charismatic Imagination: Clergy Reading Mark 9: 14-29. PentecoStudies: An Interdisciplinary Journal for Research on the Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, 11 (2). pp. 212-237.
Village, Andrew ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2174-8822 (2021) Stewardship: Solution or problem? Rural theology, 19 (2). pp. 110-119.
Watson, Nick J., Parker, A. and Swain, Spencer ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2191-0041 (2018) Sport, theology and dementia: reflections on The Sporting Memories Network, UK. Quest.


If you were tuned into this blog last summer, you may remember our exploration of the world of classic rock in "Summer School of Rock." This summer, I'd like to do something a little different.
That's why I'm declaring this the "Summer of 80's Movies." The goal is simple: pop some popcorn, watch as many 80's movies as possible in the next month, blog about them, and hear your comments. And of course movies are more fun with friends, so you are more than welcome to pull up a chair and watch them with me if you're so inclined.
I was born in 1982, so I only vaguely remember a handful of 80's movies from my childhood. That means that I need your help in choosing a movie list. I will do my best to get through them all this summer, but I'm sure there will always be more movies than time. They don't all have to be "classics" either, just reminiscent of that era.
Just post your suggestions and I'll get started this weekend.
First up: Karate Kid, parts 1, 2, & 3.
I think the series started in the late 70's but spilled over into the 80's...Death Wish. These movies feature bowl-shaggy haired cut, cheesy Charles Bronson as a ridiculous vigilante. They feature comically terrible acting, dialog and script but all this simply makes them WILDLY ENTERTAINING. I am currently looking to purchase all 3 of them as we speak. A must see.


De Tierra Vineyards - Blog - Why Drink Monterey County Wines?
Monterey County, with over 40,000 acres of vines planted, is an up and coming wine region. The region has a history with grapes dating back to two hundred years ago. The Mission of Soledad was the first to plant grapes in Monterey County, although the region didn't start booming until the 1960's. Despite the long history with grape growing, many people around the world still aren't familiar with Monterey County and the beautiful wine region that flourishes here. With many other large wine producing regions in the world, Monterey has to compete, so why should you drink Monterey County wines?
First, Monterey County started out as a grape growing region, selling the majority of its grapes to other regions throughout California. Monterey has come a long way since then, most of the grapes being grown here stay here now! Just recently, the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association has helped pass Bill 394; On February 27th, 2015 Governor Jerry Brown signed the Bill to go in effect in 2019. Bill 394 requires wineries to put "Monterey County" somewhere on the label in addition to the sub-region where the grapes are grown, also known as conjunctive labeling. This will help create regional awareness and recognition; branding Monterey as the reputable wine region that it has become.
Monterey County is unique, it is the only wine region affected by an underwater canyon, known as the Blue Grand Canyon. The Blue Grand Canyon is one of the many reasons that sets Monterey apart from other growing regions. At sixty miles long and two miles deep, the Blue Grand Canyon is one of the world's deepest marine canyons. The cool water in the canyon supports the famous Monterey fog that hangs out in vineyards throughout most of the region. As a direct result of the Blue Grand Canyon, Monterey has a thermal rainbow. The ocean breeze cools the vineyards down at night, and can make the growing season longer. The thermal rainbow creates a forty-degree temperature difference from the Northern region of Monterey all the way to the Southern region.
Monterey County has many different microclimates, making it easier to grow a variety of grapes throughout the region. There are currently nine designated growing regions (AVA's) within Monterey County, each have their own unique climates. AVA stands for American Viticultural Area; these are designated areas or microclimates the government declares as a growing region. Monterey has climates that are comparable to Napa, Sonoma, Champagne, Burgundy, and Bordeaux. The cooler regions which are North and closer to the ocean are known for growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; while the warmer regions in the South and farther inland are known for growing heavier varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. As a result of the many microclimates, there are forty-two varietals currently being grown here in Monterey County!
With over sixty tasting rooms and eighty-five vintners, Monterey County has a wine for everyone. Come visit us in our tasting room, and remember to drink Monterey!


anyone know how to stop a fork? I made a menu for a game and set the thing so that when I click a GUI button, the whole this clears and it shows a little screen saying game over. This is only a a menu not a game. So... I click it and it does everything but the forks keeping going at it. I've tried doing some googles (searches) but nothing on how to stop forks. Any help? I'm at school and class is over... I'll post the source code when I get home if You really need it to fix the program.
you can set a flag variable in the process and change its value when you want to quit. then right when the loop begins again in the process, you check the variable if you need to quit or not.


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Turning unwelcome downtime ...
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Turning unwelcome downtime into a maintenance opportunity
Pauses in production have been thrown into the spotlight with the pandemic. Yet, says Chris Johnson of SMB Bearings, they offer useful opportunities for factory maintenance...
An unexpected factory shutdown can have a profound impact on the company operating the facility and its bottom line.
In 2017, it was estimated that downtime cost the country's manufacturers £180 billion annually. Actually, the true cost of downtime goes far beyond the financial data, and can wreak havoc in multiple areas of a business.
An alternative way of looking at shutdowns is that they are a fantastic opportunity to conduct preventative maintenance, make incremental equipment upgrades, or even invest in staff development opportunities.
Preventative maintenance and condition monitoring procedures ensure that downtime associated with equipment failure can be kept to an absolute minimum. Gathering machine data through the use of an automated system can help facility managers plan and foresee production disturbances far more accurately.
However, if an unavoidable shutdown does occur, then how should plant managers respond?
Opportunistic maintenance
It might not be possible to accurately predict the length of a production disturbance, so it isn't advisable to implement lengthy maintenance tasks. Instead, manufacturers should focus their efforts on projects that can be completed in a single day, so that the facility can be back up and running if circumstances change.
Opportunistic maintenance to prevent future equipment failures is an ideal undertaking in this scenario, taking advantage of unscheduled pauses in production to replace components, improve system availability and reduce production losses.
An alternative way of looking at shutdowns is that they are a fantastic opportunity to conduct preventative maintenance
However, for opportunistic preventative maintenance to be successful, managers must be aware of when, and where, replacement components are needed in order to gain the most cost-effective improvement. For instance, if a machine has been idle for some time, temperature changes and condensation may create moisture within the system. Therefore, changing the oil to remove contaminants before start-up is cost-effective, if it prevents future equipment failure.
Equipment upgrades
Aside from part replacements, an unexpected production disturbance can be an ideal opportunity to undertake unscheduled equipment upgrades.
Take bearings for example. As a critical machine component that keeps manufacturing processes running and rotating smoothly, bearings may require relubrication, realigning or for the equipment balance to be addressed to avoid premature equipment failure.
By replacing a standard bearing with a smart bearing, this can provide operators with a real-time overview of the bearing's performance and health. Installing a smart sensor, or a bearing with a sensor integrated into the component's housing, is a simple facility upgrade that is both cost-effective and easy to integrate into existing systems. The self-diagnosing bearing can then send signals to an external condition monitoring unit, which can notify the operator when an action is required.
Having a reliable computerised maintenance management system (CMMS), or a database of unscheduled equipment upgrades, means that plant managers can make decisions quickly and use the downtime period more effectively.
A pause in production can also be a fantastic opportunity to train and upskill employees. Especially as, according to a study, nearly a quarter of unplanned dowtime in manufacturing is due to human error. If a course is tailored to a specific job role or skillset, then the worker can develop a deeper understanding of the installation, programming and maintenance of specific pieces of equipment.
Shutdowns needn't be something to dread but, rather, an opportunity for manufacturers to seize unexpected opportunities and gain competitive advantages.
Chris Johnson is managing director at SMB Bearings
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Musina Mayor, Cllr Mihloti Muhlope and Chief Whip Fistos Mafela congratulate the Passing The Ball Team from Makhado Municipality after they took the first position during the golden games at Madimbo Sports Centre.
A 75-year-old granny, Elisinah Mammegwa from Makhado Municipality was the toast of sports lovers when she won her 100 metres race with a wide gap during the Vhembe District Golden Games competitions that were held at Madimbo sports centre, under Musina Municipality. Mammbegwa, together with other winners, has guaranteed herself a space in the provincial games that will take place in Polokwane. Only senior citizens who are 60 years and above are allowed to take part in these games.
After local competitions, teams from the four local municipalities in Vhembe sent their crop of the cream winners to compete in these district games. The municipalities that participated in various sporting codes and athletics are Musina, Makhado, Thulamela and Collins Chabane.


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15.8 Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that, in case any license to use any IP Rights granted to Topcon by a third party shall terminate or cease to exist for whatever reason, such termination may result in the (immediate) termination of the IP Rights License granted by Topcon to Purchaser. Topcon shall not be liable for any damages, losses, liabilities, costs and expenses (including advisor's fees) incurred or to be incurred by Purchaser as a result of any termination of the IP Rights License.
promotional and marketing activities, finances and other business affairs, Topcon products and anything else created or developed by Topcon in connection with the agreement and the Products and/or Services. Purchaser will not remove or destroy any proprietary markings or restrictive legends placed upon or contained in the Products, Service and/or related materials.
16.2 The Receiving Party will not use the Confidential Information of the Disclosing Party for any purpose other than as necessary to fulfill its obligations or to exercise its rights under the agreement, and by Topcon to improve the Products and/or the Service (the "Purpose"). The Receiving Party will not disclose Confidential Information of the Disclosing Party to any third party; provided that the Receiving Party may disclose Confidential Information to its partners, officers, directors, employees, contractors, affiliates, agents, advisors, or representatives who need access to such Confidential Information for the Purpose and who are subject to written confidentiality obligations at least as stringent as the obligations set forth in this article 16. Each party accepts responsibility for the actions of its partners, officers, directors, employees, contractors, affiliates, agents, advisors and representatives, and will protect the other party's Confidential Information in the same manner as it protects its own valuable confidential information, but with no less than reasonable care. The Receiving Party will promptly notify the Disclosing Party upon becoming aware of a breach or threatened breach hereunder and will cooperate with any reasonable request of the Disclosing Party in enforcing its rights.
16.3 Confidential Information does not include information which: (i) is known by the Receiving Party prior to receipt from the Disclosing Party, without any obligation of confidentiality; (ii) becomes known to the Receiving Party directly or indirectly from a source other than one having an obligation of confidentiality to the Disclosing Party; (iii) lawfully becomes publicly known or otherwise publicly available, except through a breach of the agreement; or (iv) is independently developed by the Receiving Party without use of or access to the Disclosing Party's Confidential Information. The Receiving Party may disclose Confidential Information pursuant to the requirements of applicable law, legal process or government regulation, but only after it notifies the Disclosing party (if legally permissible) to enable the Disclosing party to seek a protective order or otherwise to contest such required disclosure, at Disclosing Party's expense.
17.1 Topcon as a controller. Each party acts as an independent controller of any personal data it processes in connection with the Products or Services, whether or not obtained from the other party. Purchaser shall at all times comply with any obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation (EU 2016/679) and any other relevant data protection laws and regulations, each as amended, superseded, replaced or supplemented from time to time (the "Privacy Laws"). Purchaser shall (i) take appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect the confidentiality of the personal data provided by Topcon; (ii) inform Topcon, on Topcon's request, about the technical and organizational security measures taken in respect to the foregoing; (iii) notify Topcon of any personal data breach affecting personal data provided to you by Topcon without undue delay, and any event within 48 hours of discovering such breach; and (iv) provide Topcon with such assistance or information it requests in order to respond to either (a) rightful requests or complaints made by data subjects; or (b) any enquiry or investigation by a supervisory authority. In the event that Topcon acts as a data controller and Purchaser as a data processor, Topcon and Purchaser will agree upon the necessary data processing agreement.
17.2 Topcon as a processor. Under specific circumstances Topcon may and shall process Personal Data only as a data processor acting on behalf of Purchaser in order to perform its obligations under a specific agreement .
17.2.1 In connection with the sale of a Product and provision of the Service, Topcon may, from time to time, collect, maintain, process and use Purchaser's company name, User's name, address, email address, credit card information, login credentials (user name, password), IP address and related information.
17.2.2 Topcon will process Personal Data in accordance with the terms of the agreement and its Privacy Policies(https://www.topcon-medical.eu/eu/pages/11-privacy-policy.html). The parties agree that the Purchaser's complete and final instructions are set out in this Terms and Conditions. Processing outside the scope of these instructions (if any) will require prior written agreement between Purchaser and Topcon with additional instructions for processing. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policies, the terms of this Terms and Conditions will prevail with respect to the Subscription being purchased under this Terms and Conditions.
17.2.3 Topcon has implemented and will maintain and follow appropriate technical and organizational measures intended to protect Personal Data against accidental, unauthorized or unlawful access, disclosure, damage, alteration, loss, or destruction. Notwithstanding the above, Purchaser is responsible for its secure use of the Products and Services, including protecting and securing of Personal Data.
17.2.4 If Topcon becomes aware of any unlawful access to any Personal Data stored on Topcon equipment or in a Topcon facility, or unauthorized access to such equipment or facilities resulting in loss, disclosure, or alteration of Personal Data relating to the Purchaser (each a "Data Breach"), Topcon will (1) promptly notify Purchaser of the Data Breach (provided that such notification may be delayed as required by a law enforcement agency); (2) take reasonable steps to address any Data Breach and prevent any further Data Breach; and (3) at Purchaser's request and cost, take commercially reasonable steps to assist Purchaser in complying with its obligations under Applicable Privacy Laws pertaining to responding to a Data Breach.
17.2.5 Notification(s) of Data Breach will be delivered to one or more of Purchaser's administrators by any means Topcon selects including via email. It is Purchaser's sole responsibility to ensure Purchaser's administrators maintain accurate contact information. Topcon's obligation to report or respond to a Data Breach under this Section is not an acknowledgement by Topcon of any fault or liability. Purchaser must notify Topcon promptly about any possible misuse of its accounts or authentication credentials or any Data Breach related to the contract.
17.2.6 Topcon may transfer Purchaser Personal Data to its affiliated entities in connection with the performance of its obligations under the agreement. For a list of Topcon locations, please see company locations found at https://www.topcon-medical.eu/eu/#selectCountry. Purchaser expressly acknowledges that Personal Data may be transferred to the United States and/or Japan, and Purchaser authorizes Topcon (where applicable) to transfer Personal Data to and process it in the United States or any other country as set forth above, which may not have the same level of data protection as the country from which the Personal Data originated. Based on one of the safeguards as provided under Privacy Laws, Topcon warrants that these sub-processors have adopted the same level of protection as Topcon.
17.2.7 Purchaser represents and warrants that it has the authority to provide the Personal Data to Topcon for processing as contemplated by these Terms and Conditions. If any applicable law requires a data subject to receive notice of or to provide consent to the processing and/or transfer of his/her Personal Data, Purchaser will provide such notice and obtain such consent from the applicable data subjects.
17.2.8 Topcon will abide by Applicable Privacy Laws pertaining to any relevant individual's exercise of his or her rights to access, correct, or object to the processing of Personal Data. Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise required by Applicable Privacy Laws, Topcon will promptly notify Purchaser if Topcon receives a request from a data subject to have access to Personal Data or any other complaint or request relating to Purchaser's obligations under Applicable Privacy Laws. Topcon will provide reasonable assistance to Purchaser to facilitate Purchaser's ability to respond to such request or complaint (including, without limitation, by allowing data subjects to have access to their Personal Data if such access is required by the applicable data protection laws, and where the Personal Data is not already available to the Purchaser).
17.2.9 Purchaser consents to Topcon engaging third party sub-processors to process the Personal Data for the permitted purpose provided that: (i) Topcon maintains an up-to-date list of its sub-processors which is available upon request; (ii) Topcon imposes data protection terms on any sub-processor it appoints that require it to protect the Data to the standard required by Applicable Privacy Laws; and (iii) Topcon remains liable for any breach of this Section that is caused by an act, error or omission of its sub-processor. Purchaser may object to Topcon's appointment or replacement of a sub-processor prior to its appointment or replacement, provided such objection is based on reasonable grounds relating to data protection. In such event, Topcon will either not appoint or replace the sub-processor or, if this is not possible, Purchaser may suspend or terminate the agreement (without prejudice to any fees incurred by Purchaser prior to suspension or termination).
17.2.10 If Topcon believes or becomes aware that its processing of Personal Data is likely to result in a high risk to the data protection rights and freedoms of data subjects, it shall inform Purchaser and provide reasonable cooperation to Purchaser (at Purchaser's expense) in connection with any data protection impact assessment that may be required under Applicable Privacy Laws.
17.2.11 Purchaser only will provide Topcon with the Personal Data necessary for Topcon to perform its obligations under the agreement.
17.2.12 Following termination or expiry of the term of the Agreement, Topcon will, where required by Applicable Privacy Laws and at the option of the Purchaser, return to Purchaser or securely delete all Personal Data processed in connection. This requirement shall not apply to the extent that Topcon is required by applicable law to retain some or all of the Personal Data, or to Personal Data, in which event Topcon shall securely isolate and protect from any further processing except to the extent required by such law.
17.2.13 If there is new guidance or a change in the Applicable Privacy Laws that renders all or part of the Subscription illegal, Topcon may notify Purchaser of such modifications to this Section 17 as it reasonably deems necessary in light of such new guidance or change in Applicable Privacy Laws. If the Purchaser does not wish to accept the new terms in this Section 17, the Purchaser may terminate the agreement within 15 days of the date such notice is given.
18.1 Dutch law shall be applicable to all legal relationships between you and Topcon. The provisions of the Vienna Convention on the International Sale of Goods (1980) shall not apply to the legal relationship between Topcon and the Purchaser.
18.2 All disputes arising under or in connection with (the performance of) any agreement between you and Topcon as well as any disputes regarding these Terms and Conditions shall be brought exclusively before the competent court in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.


I've always felt that my students have as much to teach me as I do them! These two tips came in recently from blog subscribers who were happy to share them with you!
This first tip is from Patricia Lewis and I think it is an ingenious idea!
As I was working on a scarf project today, it occured to me that I should share my method of keeping track of which stitches need to be transfered. I use "Avery Removable Coding Labels"in the 1/4" size, which are just the perfect size of dots to stick on the LK 150 needlebed. I place the dots just above or below the numbers on the number strip.
The color coded dots indicate to me which stitches need to be hand manipulated. I also place a matching color coded dot on the pattern text to remind me of what that dot means!
In the photo attached, you will see several different colored dots, this is allowing me to switch between working on several different projects without losing time to figure out all of the charting all over again.
These little dots are a "God send" as they are so easy to stick on the machine, do not interfere with the carriage & are easy to remove with no residue left behind. I can pick them up at Walmart here in Canada and I assume you can get them in the USA Walmart as well.
The second tip is from Carol Olson and will make it even easier for you to work the K2P2 bind off I posted a while back. She knits two rows of ravel cord before scrapping off the work, but knits each one in a different color so she avoids any confusion of which stitches to work! Makes it easy to distinguish the knits from the purls in the rib. Wish I had thought of that!
Author Susan GuagliumiPosted on November 16, 2016 November 9, 2016 Categories Neat tricks, Newsy and NoteworthyTags keeping track of stitchesLeave a comment on A Great Tip!


The Company has become aware that several shareholders may have received the wrong proxy card in their proxy materials. The Company has taken steps to resolve this issue. A second set of proxy materials has been sent out to all shareholders. Please watch for the new packet in the mail. Shareholders may also choose to vote online at www.iproxydirect.com/CPFH. If you choose to utilize this method of voting, please use the control and request ID on the card that you received.


Neat is the brainchild of Matt Parfitt and Jo Wallis in the UK, who set out on a personal drive to achieve a clean, nutritious and gluten free diet. It's something they have put into practice and noticed significant improvements on their own health and wellbeing. They wanted to take this one step further and share their passion by creating ready prepared gluten free meals, that empower people to eat well without gluten, chemicals or impact on the environment.
The target consumer is anyone looking for great tasting gluten free meals, that are nutritionally balanced. People who are time poor and enjoy the convenience of ready prepared food, with the added choice of fresh ingredients to compliment each meal. The brand also has appeal to the environmentally conscious with a commitment to minimal waste packaging and eco friendly materials.
Our solution included a brand identity, packaging and brand world. The identity has an approachable feel with a sense of wit, with the counter of the 'A' changing according to each touchpoint. A secondary typeface is a nod towards paper cut letters, and together with the uncoated craft paper and hand drawn illustrations creates an eco-friendly and approachable personality for the brand. The products will be sold exclusively online via the website and app in the coming months.


Flit, flutter and captivate everyone in this beautiful blue monarch butterfly costume. A butterfly-print overlay in hues of blue floats over the full-skirted dress, while an array of butterflies flutters over your magical headpiece. Morph completely into character with all the magical accessories. Shown with petticoat. Polyester. Blue Monarch Butterfly costume for girls is imported.
"Dress is beautiful and very well made. - The dress is beautiful and very well made. The wings are awkward and my daughter wore them for five minutes before removing them. They don't stay on very well either. - I recommend this product."
"Beautiful dress! - I purchased this costume for my granddaughter for her Halloween costume! She issure that she is the prettiest butterfly ever!!!!! - I recommend this product."
"Very cute costume - I purchased the costume for my Granddaughter for Halloween. Fits well but the wings are on covered wire. It is a little dangerous if she moves around while wearing the wings as the ends of the wire could potentially poke someone. I took the wires out a - I recommend this product."
"Beautiful dress and accessories, terrible wings - I bought this for my 7 year old daughter. She was super excited to receive it, but the wings are absolutely terrible. They definitely don't stand up like the ones in the cute pictures. They hang down sadly, and the fabric is just hot glued onto the end - I would not recommend this product."
"great dress; poor quality wings - The dress was beautiful; the wire was poking out of the wings when we opened the package. - I would not recommend this product."
"Dress and Wings Fell apart Day 1 - This is a one-time use costume. It will not be something you can use as dress-up or hand-me-down. Had this costume last year (2015). In the 2 hours of the school Halloween party (first time wearing it), the black monarch overlay on the bodice detached. Sh - I would not recommend this product."


Buddha Weekly is delighted to report the great Zen Monk and teacher Thich Nhat Hanh woke from a weeks-long coma. After he opened his eyes and smiled, doctors declared him no longer comatose. He has been in a coma since November 11, after being treated for a brain hemorrhage.
"Thay [the Vietnamese term for master] has gradually emerged into wakefulness, and has his eyes open for much of the day, to the point where the doctors can now say that he is no longer in a coma," reads a statement on the Plum Village website.
Affectionately known as Thay, Thich Nhat Hanh recovered from a weeks-long coma. Although unable to speak, currently, he is able to smile and respond.
He is able to recognize people, and respond to spoken words, although currently is unable to speak. Doctors are watchful, but hope he will soon recover his voice.
Thich Nhat Hanh, 88 years old, is an internationally renowned peace-activist and Buddhist leader, author of more than 100 books. He founded six monasteries and many practice centres in Europe and America. There are over a thousand of his sanghas (mindfulness centres) around the world.
We hope people around the world will continue sending healing energy.


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text:
Animal of the Issue: Chimney Swifts
November 6, 2014 Ronald Hanaki Science 0
A group of Chimney Swifts can be called a "flock," a "box," a "swoop," or a "screaming frenzy." Photo Courtesy / John Schwarz
A group of Chimney Swifts can be called a "flock," a "box," a "swoop," or a "screaming frenzy."
Photo Courtesy / John Schwarz
By Briana Magistro
Imagine walking around campus and seeing hundreds of flying animals circling the big smoke stack on the Facilities Management Complex. This is what Thomas Counterman, a plumber on campus, saw one night at work.
"It was right at dusk, and I saw what I thought were bats flying out of the main chimney of the facilities plant. At last two or three hundred circling the top of the chimney," Counterman said.
He continued, "My partner and I, Matt, walked down toward the chimney and then we realized they were birds."
He decided to talk to Dr. Master, the ornithologist on campus, about what he saw.
"The following night, I made it a point, right at dusk, to watch them come back again. I thought it was a bat fly-out, and here it was a bird fly-in. They were coming to roost in the chimney. It was almost like a scene in a crazy horror movie! I didn't realize there was anything that could live in a chimney like that!"
Dr. Master was able to identify these birds, called Chimney Swifts, which roost on campus.
Chimney Swifts are in a group of birds called aerial insectivores, which gather their insect prey while in flight. Barn swallows and whippoorwills are other examples of birds in this group.
"There are about four or five of these birds that live around here, and the Chimney Swift may be the most common," Dr. Master pointed out.
The Swift's main food source comes primarily from beetles and flies, and they feed a few hundred meters off the ground.
They are most common above cities, due to the air currents, which lift insects high into the air. "If you look at maps of Pennsylvania, concentrations are located mostly above cities," he commented.
Chimney Swifts typically roost inside chimneys, hence the name Chimney Swift, which makes it normal for them to be seen in cities.
"The original resting sites were things like caves, or abandoned woodpecker holes. By 1770, they were virtually all roosting in chimneys," Dr. Master said.
He continued, "This is a species that benefitted from settlement in North America. They almost exclusively nest in chimneys, cisterns, and smoke stacks."
Although Chimney Swifts originally benefitted from human development, new agricultural techniques may be causing the start of a decline.
"The thought is that insecticides are reducing insect populations," Dr. Master stated about the species' decline. It is possible that the development of wide-use insecticides, which were produced in the 1970s, may only have just begun affecting the bird's population.
This same decline has also been documented in other aerial insectivores.
Another reason for their decline is the disappearance of chimneys in modern architecture.
"There's been a change in heating from coal and oil to electric, which is more efficient," Dr. Master said.
Chimney Swifts are one of the smallest and lightest birds of its group. They are most closely related to hummingbirds. The bend of the wing is close to the body, so that the birds can hover.
"It also increases their speed," Dr. Master added.
In early May, Swifts arrive in our area, as well as on the entire eastern US, after having traveled across Mexico from their winter roosts in South America.
"Males and females build the nest together. They go in and hang in a spot together. This becomes the nest site. They build a nest with tiny twigs that they apparently break off by flying through branches," Dr. Master explained.
A typical Chimney Swift nest contains four to five eggs.
On their way down to South America in the winter, Chimney Swifts have been known to venture right across the Gulf of Mexico.
When asked about the Swifts' natural predators, Dr. Master said, "They're pretty fast!" Some hawks, like the Sharp-Shinned Hawk, and owls, some of which we have on campus, are natural predators.
If you are out around dusk on campus, keep a lookout for the population of Chimney Swifts returning to their nests in the stacks.
Before long, they will make their big trip to South America, and we won't see them again until the spring.
Email Briana at:
bmagistro@live.esu.edu
Briana Magistro
John Schwarz
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