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Forging ties with China suits Locke
Originally published September 8, 2006 at 12:00 am Updated September 8, 2006 at 3:59 pm
While he was the country's first Chinese-American governor, Gary Locke traveled to China to open doors for Washington state. Less than two years...
Kristi Heim
While he was the country's first Chinese-American governor, Gary Locke traveled to China to open doors for Washington state. Less than two years after leaving office, he's become another kind of power broker, opening doors for big-name clients like Microsoft and Starbucks.
Locke has parlayed his experience and ancestry to an elevated perch at the apex of power in a country where politicians still have a heavy hand in business.
Witness his central role in helping to arrange Chinese President Hu Jintao's April visit to the U.S., a trip that included stops at Boeing and Microsoft. More recently, Locke sat down for a one-on-one meeting with Premier Wen Jiabao, whose stature in China is outranked only by Hu. The two met for more than an hour inside the walls of Zhongnanhai, the central government's leadership compound in Beijing.
In these and other situations, Locke is crafting an influential position in his post-government life, one that could produce a legacy of greater impact than his terms as governor.
"In many ways, what I'm doing now is an expansion of one of my many jobs as governor — to promote Washington," said Locke, a partner in the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine.
But China has been the biggest draw for the 56-year-old Locke personally, and success there has come easier than in Olympia. As he straddles a role between business and diplomacy, he hopes the trans-Pacific opportunities he uncovers will show China's growth doesn't harm Americans.
Locke's emerging role took shape in his visit with Wen in July. Locke used the opportunity to bring up issues important to his clients, such as intellectual property. He listened intently to Wen talk about China's development strategy, and then mentioned Microsoft, Starbucks, Weyerhaeuser and other local companies he thought could help.
During the six-day visit, Locke also met with three government ministers and China's top banking and securities regulators. He handed out $40 bottles of Chateau Ste. Michelle merlot; China's foreign minister gave Locke a book of poetry he'd written himself.
Locke said he made the trip to build upon ties cemented during Hu's visit. It was a handsome reward to Locke and his firm for helping bring Hu to Seattle and ensuring a smooth visit, despite protests over China's human-rights record and other concerns. Face time with a Chinese president or premier is rare.
"It speaks volumes," said Joseph Borich, president of the Washington State China Relations Council. Such meetings are reserved for people who are "extremely well-liked and/or very influential. I think it reflects well on Gary and the state of Washington and the appreciation the Chinese leadership feels."
It also reflects a desire by China's leaders to cultivate allies at a time when political relations between the United States and China have soured, observers said.
"There are few statesmen these days on either side when it comes to U.S.-China relations," said James McGregor, a Beijing-based consultant and author of the book "One Billion Customers: Lessons From the Front Lines of Doing Business in China." To fill the void, he said, "it would make sense for them to cultivate former Gov. Locke."
Or, as Locke himself recently told a gathering of the state China Relations Council: "Government ties have reached their limit. Neither country is willing to give the other an inch on major issues."
As a result, Chinese leaders are looking toward people like Locke to serve as a bridge to the U.S., where they hope to invest, said Norm Page, co-chair of Davis Wright Tremaine's China Practice Group, who accompanied Locke on the trip.
Break for a bank?
Such high-level schmoozing has payoffs. In July, Locke met with China's top banking regulator to discuss opening the industry to increased outside investment and competition.
One of Locke's clients, a large, multinational company, owns a banking subsidiary that wanted to open a bank in China. But the bank didn't meet China's conditions of assets over $10 billion and a two-year history of operating there, Locke said.
"At the end of the conversation, I did bring up the name of this company," Locke said. "I said we'd love to work with you in finding a creative way to achieve your objectives as well as help this company." He suggested that regulators make an exception, since the bank's parent company met the requirements.
"If the commissioner who oversees the banking industry is receptive, then those people underneath him will be receptive," Locke said. "If you just go to a midlevel bureaucrat, they're just going to go by the letter of the law and say no, no, no."
The meeting turned out well, Locke said: "The chairman of the banking commission said great. So we're going to follow up."
A frequent flier
Locke said he has been traveling to China five times a year helping U.S. companies, and now he's taking on Chinese clients that want to establish themselves in the state, though he won't identify them.
Locke, who speaks "a little bit" of the southern Taishan dialect but uses English and an interpreter on his trips, said his firm represents companies in financial services, technology, transportation, investment guidance, medicine and education. (Davis Wright Tremaine also represents The Seattle Times on First Amendment and other legal issues.)
Last year, Starbucks invited him to the grand opening of its store at the Great Wall.
In July, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Peking University.
"There's so much affection for Washington state institutions. … We can use it as an opportunity to make further progress," he said.
During the meeting with Wen on July 10, the premier was "still beaming and talking about [Hu Jintao's] visit," Locke said. "They were all very elated over the great reception Washington state accorded them."
Locke commented to Wen that he and the Seattle organizers should have handled Hu's visit to the White House, too. "He had a good laugh at that," he said.
While Hu received hugs at Boeing and a dinner at the home of Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, a series of gaffes followed in Washington, D.C.
There was no state dinner at the White House, and an announcer mistakenly called his country the Republic of China, the official name of Taiwan. Later an activist from the Falun Gong movement who had been given press credentials heckled Hu's speech at the White House.
Issues beyond business
Yet some say the focus on business opportunity in Seattle overlooked human rights, Internet censorship, unease about China's growing influence and other critical issues.
"It was all about promoting ties and figuring out ways to ensure that the patterns of cooperation get deepened without confronting the fact that there are legitimate reasons why people are concerned about China," said David Bachman, a University of Washington political-science professor who participated in the Seattle events. "The business point of view is one point of view."
Indeed, one reason Chinese leaders reach out to Locke may be because they can avoid uncomfortable conversations. "They trust Gary, and they trust him not to bring up the most difficult issues in the relationship, or to keep them in a very compartmentalized part of the dialogue," Bachman said.
Locke said he's never refrained from bringing up hard questions. But he prefers encouragement to criticism. "I very much want greater freedoms and democracy in China," he said. The U.S. should allow more Chinese to visit "so they can see how our democratic forms of liberties actually enhance our quality of life."
While enthusiastic about the possibilities, Locke has not revealed any breakthroughs or deals five months after Hu came to Seattle.
What he or anyone else in the state can achieve is limited by larger factors such as U.S. visa policies, export controls and issues involving Taiwan, North Korea and Iran.
"The issues related to security and world order will continue to come in from time to time. That will limit how effectively business can lobby for future expansion of the relationship," Bachman said.
Fears getting in way
But Locke's efforts could help ease fears about China.
Two decades after the Japan-bashing of the 1980s, China is often portrayed as yet another rising Asian giant and a potential threat, said Robert Kapp, former head of the U.S.-China Business Council who now runs a consulting firm in Port Townsend.
Such perceptions can quash deals potentially beneficial to Americans, he said.
"The Chinese are rich with foreign exchange and they want to do something with it," Kapp said. "Every governor and every mayor in the U.S. is saying bring your money here. It's important that Washington state be as receptive as it possibly can."
At the same time, in a political atmosphere charged with "almost morbid sensitivity over China's emergence as a global economic power and increasingly as a military power," Kapp said, "you don't want to come across as whitewashing or apologizing or making the Chinese look great.
"We must never lose sight of the fact that being close to China has to coexist with a clear perception of the political sensitivities in the U.S.," he said.
Trade as a starting point
Locke said he believes trade opens the door to political cooperation.
"I'm an American through and through," he said. "I believe it's in the interests of the United States politically and economically to forge a strong partnership with China.
"If the Chinese can't buy U.S. products, they'll buy them from European countries and then develop stronger economic ties with France and Germany and perhaps side more with those countries when international issues flare up."
At an impasse with the U.S. on many issues, the Chinese said they are waiting to see who the next American president will be in 2008, according to Locke.
As a high-level intermediary, Locke may envision a greater political role for himself now than when he was governor.
"If Locke uses his unique stature as America's most prominent ethnic Chinese politician shrewdly, he will have access to the top in China, and he could become a statesman from the Democratic side in regard to China issues," McGregor said.
But that probably wouldn't happen if he lived in Iowa. "Washington state gets special attention from the Chinese for two reasons," he added. "Boeing and Microsoft."
Kristi Heim: 206-464-2718 or kheim@seattletimes.com


Your choice of three: lamb, beef, chicken or vegetable. Served with your choice of sauce.
Six. Fig and apricot chutney with toasted almonds. Vegetarian.
Hummus, tabouleh, falafel, Jerusalem salad and grape leaves. Vegetarian.
Spinach, carrots, basmati rice and raisins with yogurt sauce. Vegetarian.
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Mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, grilled vegetables, red onions and feta cheese with preserved lemon vinaigrette. Vegetarian.
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Sweet potato, grilled vegetables, cucumbers, tomatoes and mixed greens with preserved lemon vinaigrette.
Goat cheese, artichoke, portobello mushrooms and roasted shallots with a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. Vegetarian.
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NCAA says it 'firmly and unequivocally' supports transgender student athletes
As dozens of states start enacting anti-trans legislation, the NCAA released a statement making their stance on transgender student athletes clear
Emily Larson,
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN)- In a statement released on Monday, the NCAA made it clear that they "firmly and unequivocally" support transgender student-athletes receiving the opportunity to compete in college sports.
"Inclusion and fairness can coexist for all student-athletes, including transgender athletes, at all levels of sport," the NCAA's Board of Governors said in their statement.
According to the board, the NCAA has a long-standing policy "that provides a more inclusive path for transgender participation in college sports."
SEE ALSO: Huskers preparing for different-look NCAA volleyball Tournament
"Our approach — which requires testosterone suppression treatment for transgender women to compete in women's sports — embraces the evolving science on this issue and is anchored in participation policies of both the International Olympic Committee and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee," the statement said.
This statement comes as dozens of states across the country are considering measures to prevent transgender women and girls from participating in women's sports and other anti-trans legislation.
This year South Dakota, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee have enacted sports bans. Arkansas also passed a law that prohibits doctors from administering gender-affirming treatments to trans patients under 18 years of age.
MORE: Minnesota officer who fatally shot Wright resigns
The National Center for Transgender Equality was pleased with the NCAA's statement.
"Every child deserves the love and support of the family and community. Dangerous proposals around the country are putting transgender young people at risk. The harm is real and is felt very personally by transgender kids just trying to live their lives as who they really are," said Deputy Executive Director Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen in a statement. "The NCAA is making it clear that their Board of Governors supports transgender athletes, and the board should hold those states passing these harmful laws accountable."
In its statement, the Board of Governors also said that championships should only be held in locations where "hosts can commit to providing an environment that is safe, healthy, and free of discrimination."
"We are committed to ensuring that NCAA championships are open for all who earn the right to compete in them," the board statement said.
Categories: National Sports, News, US & World
Tags: NCAA, Transgender, transgender students
Husker athletes teach Lincoln kids about Black History Month
New location for Lincoln's Special Victims Unit will help it enforce law and order
State senators push to lower insulin prices in Nebraska
Gunman killed at Target in west Omaha, police say
Some Nebraska workers would be making less than minimum wage if new bill passes
Midday Interview: Tada Theatre set to kickoff 15th anniversary season

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing – great side dish or lunch or light dinner. Makes a wonderful recipe for the holiday season too, for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
What makes this salad really special is the homemade dressing, made with mayo, sour cream, a touch of Dijon mustard, honey, and poppy seeds! It's delicious!
Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing - great side dish or lunch or light dinner. Makes a wonderful recipe for the holiday season too, for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
In a medium bowl, combine all dressing ingredients. Whisk until well combined. Add salt, to taste.
In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients. Add salad dressing and toss to coat. Add salt, to taste.
I don't eat mayo, could you substitute anything for mayo?
Sour cream or Greek yogurt. Maybe add a little bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
I used the Greek yogurt with a bit of lemon juice along with the sour cream and a small amount of Mayo. I used sesame, chia, flax and kemp seeds. Dressing was super. Love this salad…. so easy and yummy….Making for a party of 8 tomorrow… serving with baguette bread.
What a great idea to use seeds in the salad dressing! Love it! Serving with baguette bread sounds so delicious!
This is a wonderful salad. Like others, I added celery. I also toasted the pecans. Loved the dressing!
Pretty and delicious! It was great on top of a halved avocado and amazing on a croissant! I put a bit of chopped celery in it for extra crunch.
This is one fantastic salad. Love it.
Made this for a party. Served on Wassa crackers and leftover on multigrain toast. Excellent!


Help! Natural Deodorant gives me a rash!
We'd like to take a moment to thank all the brave men and woman who risk their lives daily to protect our freedom. Words can not express how grateful we are for you! Thank you!
In honor of Memorial Day we would like to treat some of the brave service men and woman to a Siena Soap Company care package. For every order placed today over $50, we will donate an All Natural Care Package to a soldier in your name!
We get a lot of requests for a patchouli bar this time of year, so we decided to put a fun summer twist on it. LIME! Go ahead, bring out that inner hippy within you with this all natural and handcrafted bar of soap! Just the scent of this bar takes many on a stroll down memory lane and do we ever love all the stories that go with it!
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Natural Deodorant gives me a rash!
Why do I get a rash from natural deodorant?
Our all natural deodorant works great in the fight against odor due to one it's most effect ingredients, aluminum free baking soda. This powerhouse ingredient also happens to be alkaline. That can be fine for most skin types because the skin in most cases is able to adjust it's own pH within 30 minutes of application. Unfortunately some people's skin struggle with this adjustment over time. That's why it doesn't bother most people to wear all natural deodorant and for a few if us it does.
When your skin struggles to adjust to it's own pH simply apply a little acidic base to your arm pits before using your All Natural Deodorant. We prefer a quick spritz of diluted organic Apple Cider Vinegar. Give your arm pits a good wash in the shower and then apply a quick spray of diluted apple cider vinegar, let it dry and your good to go.
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MHA Facts & Myths
Affordable Housing >
Parks / Open Space / Tree Canopy >
Tree Canopy >
Homeless Position
HALA / Comp Plan / Zoning >
Proposed MHA Upzones
Real People Real Stories
Affordable to whom?
The Mayor formed the HALA committee (Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda) to address the growing gap in affordable housing in Seattle, one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. The HALA committee made 65 recommendations to try to address this gap, but we believe there are serious problems with some of their assumptions.
First, the City Council should define "affordability," "workforce housing" and "livability," since HALA did not. Workforce housing, in particular, must start at minimum wage and include strategies to house those in service-sector jobs ($11 to $18/hr. or 30% to 60% of Area Median Income/AMI). HALA-proposed tax breaks to developers who provide a small amount of their new housing to renters at 50% to 60% of AMI in exchange for an extra floor is one piece of the Grand Bargain, but does not address lower income individuals who make 0% to 50% of AMI.
We are short 40,000 units of very low-income housing--which explains the increase in homelessness.
Most of our new housing is built for people with high salaries in new high-tech jobs. And in building these new luxury apartments, townhomes, and rowhouses, many previously affordable apartments and single-family homes are being demolished or rehabbed up, resulting in displacement and gentrification throughout the City, and specifically in some of our more diverse neighborhoods.
The HALA lacked a specific plan for preserving these older multifamily buildings that are at risk. It recommended two funding sources: a preservation tax break for developers that was rejected by the Legislature, and a Growth Fund-restoring a former bond fund financed by growth in the City's income. So far, the Mayor has not lent his support to restoring the Growth Fund, despite its being a HALA proposal that he accepted in principle. Preserving older, unsubsidized buildings is key to maintaining a supply of moderately affordable apartments.
Meanwhile, rents in older housing continue to rise to "meet the market." And according to All Home (http://allhomekc.org/), for every $100 increase in rent, there is a 15% rise in homelessness.
To truly ensure affordable housing for all, the City should consider:
Enabling homeowners to age in their homes by encouraging mother-in-law apartments.
Supporting landlords of older, affordable apartments to maintain their units with low-cost loans in exchange of limits on rent increases.
Requiring developers of new apartment complexes to set aside a reasonable proportion of their units for apartments at 50% to 60% of AMI, as opposed to paying a fee in lieu, which delays the creation of low-income housing by three to four years.
Restoring the Growth Fund for preservation of moderately affordable older buildings.
For specific details on affordable housing as it relates to Area Median Income, see the following.
Seattle Fair Growth
2442 NW Market Street, Box 487
sfg@seattlefairgrowth.com


A federal judge in Manhattan this week signed off on the terms of the SEC's final judgment against Samuel E. Wyly and the estate of Charles J. Wyly, Jr. in the agency's long-running securities fraud case against the two brothers. Depending upon the outcome of a future Internal Revenue Service (IRS) finding, the Wylys may end up paying a combined total of between $198 to $299 million (SEC v. Wyly, February 26, 2015, Scheindlin, S.).
According to an opinion by Judge Shira A. Scheindlin, a key issue in reaching the final judgment had to do with whether the SEC might get paid twice. The SEC argued that it should get any amount paid to the IRS above that imposed by a December 2014 court order. The Wylys objected that the agency's plan violated the doctrine of election of remedies.
But Judge Scheindlin found this doctrine inapt because she had forged consistent, alternative payment scenarios in a pair of orders she issued last year. A September order allowed for disgorgement based on taxes the Wylys avoided, and a December order set the disgorgement amount based on the difference between the Wylys' trading profits and the gains of an ordinary buy-and-hold investor. The December order's measure of disgorgement would apply only if an appeals court vacated the September order.
Moreover, Judge Scheindlin resolved issues regarding the structure of the offset and the language of the payment terms. Sam Wyly is permanently enjoined from violating the federal securities laws cited by the SEC in its case against him. He is also permanently barred from being an officer or director of a company that is registered or reports to the SEC under the Exchange Act.
Judge Scheindlin's final judgment also deals with bankruptcy issues, including use of the automatic stay, and clarifies the court did not view the final judgment as a "collection" by the SEC against Sam Wyly. Still other terms govern how the final judgment applies to Charles Wyly's estate and to the bankruptcy filing of his widow, Caroline D. Wyly.
The case is No. 10-cv-5760.
Attorneys: Daniel Staroselsky and David J. Gottesman for the SEC. David Leon Kornblau (Covington & Burling LLP) for David Matthews. Donald P. Lan, Jr. (Kroney Morse Lan, P.C.) for Samuel E. Wyly.


Preparations for Mahavir Jayanti continue with great enthusiasm!
As the practices and efforts continue, we thank all the volunteers and sponsors in helping make this event a success. We have some sponsorships open and need more volunteer signups as well. Please consider pledging and volunteering for this auspicious occasion.
We have some important updates in our "Announcements" section this month - happy reading!
April 30th is the mandatory dress rehearsal in the HSNC Cultural Hall. Please arrive by 5:30 pm so you can have dinner and we can start the rehearsal by 6:15 pm.
Mahavir Jayanti is one of the largest events sponsored by JSCNC, is open to everyone, and demonstrates the unity and generosity of the JAIN community. Last year's event attracted a record turnout of approximately 450 participants, volunteers and guests!
The stage is set and the countdown has begun! Don't miss out on the 7 performances by 70 participants. Save the date and come prepared to cheer your friends and family. Thank you to all the volunteers and participants for their time and dedication.
We have a total of 51 participants for the Puja and 4 High schoolers for Shanti Kalash this year.
If an adult would like to volunteer for puja please contact Mr. Paresh Gondalia or Mrs. Shweta Shah.
The following is an update on sponsorships. Big thank you to all our sponsors! We still have $600 budget gap that needs to be fulfilled. Please contact Mr. Pratyush Mehta or Mr. Ritesh Salot if you are interested.
* - Amounts are approximate - Sponsors have pledged full amount based on actual cost. Donation amount over $250 are listed in the above table.
The JSCNC Facebook page (Link) is live and continue to grow! The Facebook event for Mahavir Jayanti (MJ) has been visited by over 270 people. So click the link above if you haven't done it yet and check out the detailed schedule for MJ. Your suggestions for improvement are always welcome - please reach out to Ketan Kuruwa or one of the JSCNC Committee members.
We are transitioning all JSCNC communication to come from "Jain Study Center of NC" to keep it streamlined as committee members change over time.
Food served during monthly meetings and special events has played a vital role in building our community over the years. It has enabled us to spend quality time to learn Jainism and socialize with other fellow Jains without having to worry about our usual lunch/dinner planning that day. This wouldn't have been possible without the hard work and monetary donations from several individuals. We are extremely grateful for their efforts and thank them for their continued contributions.
Please contact our food coordinator, Mr. Rajan Chheda @ (978) 408-7284 for any questions / details.
Food Table Team - please continue to refer to the below link for your assignments.
Note the Tithis shown in the table. Please ensure proper rules are followed and contact the Food Coordinator Rajan Chheda for clarifications or concerns.
Please take a moment to thank the following individuals for volunteering and/or sponsoring food items for the March monthly meeting lunch. Thank you!


We are Boston's premier diving education center for Search & Recovery Diving Classes and other scuba lessons in Massachusetts and New England!
The Search & Recovery Course is designed for divers looking to expand their navigation skills both with a compass and line navigation. These techniques are optimal for search & recovery procedures. Six specific search techniques will be discussed and practiced to always have the best search to use in any situation. Recovery tools will also be reviewed including proper line handling techniques and how to choose the right reel for the job. Lift bags are the general tool of the trade to bring objects to the surface that are too heavy to safely lift on your own. We have a large assortment of lift bags to discuss selection, attachment, and lifting techniques. For the final evaluation, you will perform the different searches in the water as you navigate between different checkpoints until you find the last item that will need to be lifted to the surface using the lift bag techniques discussed in class.
Search and recovery training includes a class session at the shop, a pool session and then dives on a later day. To find out more about the online signup process click around the tabs to find out more. Remember, if you get stumped or if you have questions that aren't answered by the website you can always call (617) 277-2216 or shoot us an email at Brookline@ecdivers.com and we'll do our best to help!
Before Class you will also have to complete some online training. The online training is going to be done through SSI on their website. Within 36 hours of filling out the pre-class form you should receive a log-in and be registered for the stress and rescue online training. If you are not, please don't hesitate to call or email the shop.
The Search and Recovery course often runs in conjunction with the Advanced Navigation course. If you would like to take the two classes together you can sign up for the Advanced Navigation course as well.
The Class will take place at the Shop in Brookline (213 Boylston Street) and the open water session will be dependent on weather. A couple of the popular ones can be found in the directions tab above.
Can't make any of the scheduled courses?! You're in luck! We offer private courses! So grab a friend or two and sign up for a private to complete the training on your own schedule!
The search and recovery course has an in-water portion that requires a full set of gear. If you have your own gear then you should make plans to carry all of that gear along with you.
Only available for certified divers.
All SEARCH & RECOVERY DIVING specific equipment is provided.
One day of diving performing search procedures and object recovery.
Performance of skills such as line handling techniques, multiple search procedures, Proper lift bag deployment as well as all the other essential safety information and more.


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text:
An open letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
This latest article from 'Outback Berean' brings us up to date with Kerri's open letter to our Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison.
We here at CWC have shared Kerri Ferguson's story about the pastoral mishandling of a very traumatic sexual abuse scandal and its victim, her son. This latest article from 'Outback Berean' brings us up to date with Kerri's open letter to our Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison.
Kerri writes:
The nation sat and listened to you, Prime Minister, this week as you stood and said "sorry"to the victims of child abuse following the findings of the recent Royal Commission.
Your words must have been a comfort to many Mr. Morrison but how seriously could the nation take your address in the Parliament? Just how sincere are you about putting your heartfelt apology into action in your own life Mr. Morrison? Your comprehensive oration included those who had "covered up" child abuse. I find those words very confusing Mr. Morrison.
One of the people who gave evidence to the Royal Commission was one Brian Houston of the Hillsong church. Under questioning he revealed a sordid tale of becoming aware of his own father's many disgusting and vile sexual acts against young boys. Frank Houston, the founder of the organisation which Brian Houston inherited admitted to his own part in this cover up of his father's crimes against children and even reiterated events which revealed his own treatment of victims when they sought recognition of their hurt. Do you think Mr. Morrison that speaking to victims in such a cruel and dismissive way as admitted on the stand by Brian Houston in his own words is something that is acceptable in any civilised society? Were Brian Houston's actions and those of the leaders of Hillsong who were involved in this cover up of Frank Houston's disgusting crimes and the moving of Houston Sr. to another congregation, allowing him further access to innocent people, with full knowledge of his sickening deeds, deeds which he had by then admitted to, on your mind when you apologised to the nation yesterday, Mr. Morrison?
When I approached Brian Houston for assistance because the rape of my own child had been covered up by a leader in a Christian church, he told me he didn't believe me and turned his back and walked away leaving me sobbing in the crowded foyer of his church. This too, has all been given in evidence to the Royal Commission.
Now, the reason I question the sincerity of your words in your address of apology to the nation Mr. Morrison is that you have publicly claimed that Brian Houston is your "mentor". I am sickened at the thought that you, the Prime Minister of our country, would call any man who has this attitude to child abuse and who has behaved in this way, a "mentor". Is it that you consider an individual who calls a woman a liar when she comes to him for assistance over the rape for her child, turns his back on her and walks away, the kind of man you consider your "mentor"? Do you consider telling a victim of Frank Houston's sexual abuse is the fault of the victim, is acceptable behaviour by someone you regard as your mentor? Do you consider a man who has sworn on the Bible to be truthful and then found to give testimony which is not truthful to be someone you consider a mentor? Do you consider someone who has been criticised by the Royal Commission's own report for his actions in such serious matters as a suitable "mentor", Prime Minister?
Notwithstanding any other misdeeds, Brian Houston has publicly stated that he doesn't believe the Hillsong church owes the victims of his father anything in the way of compensation. Such empathy Mr. Morrison. Is it your view, as it is that of your mentor's, that an organisation which enjoys all the benefits of calling itself a "church" should ignore the cry of help from those in the community who are so badly damaged and hurt, some carrying serious scars from disgusting acts committed by its own leader?
Are you prepared Prime Minister, to now, in the light of your words in the Parliament, to publicly disassociate yourself from Brian Houston? Or were your words this week just for "show" and just part of a political game?
Your Christian ethics and adherence to your faith should override any misguided loyalty you feel towards this man given his disgusting behaviour in the past. I take it that your apology didn't include me and the others whom your "mentor" has treated so abominably.
I remain disgusted
Kerri Ferguson
Source: Kerri Ferguson, 'Outback Berean' blog, https://outbackberean.wordpress.com/2018/10/23/open-letter-to-prime-minister-scott-morrison/?fbclid=IwAR2-gEkv2xH2L0PDFRuojrRkqdsfu-VWS5Emtt8fyOrV-gFINcfddJaE4J0 Published Oct 23, 2018. (Accessed Oct 24, 2018.)
Another Hillsong paedophile scandal: Brian caught lying and trashing victim
Email all comments and questions to c3churchwatch@hotmail.com
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"Deceived no more" – a testimony of God's amazing grace.


During the holidays, I find myself rushing all around trying to get the house together for guests. Here are some simple tips on how to decorate your home and table for the holidays in style. I am super excited to share this sponsored post with you about all the awesome items I found at BJ's Wholesale Club. I love what I was able to create for my Thanksgiving guests this year, but love even MORE that I will be able to use all the items again for my Christmas guests as well.
Start by decorating your home with the entry point at the front door. For Thanksgiving, I added a few pumpkins and gourds right in front of the door and for Christmas, I add fake lanterns and mini Christmas trees. I like to make the front entrance festive, but not obtrusive. You can also add a cute fall wreath or Christmas wreath to the door as well. BJ's Wholesale Club has a huge selection of wreaths and ornaments, including their exclusive Berkley Jensen Shatterproof Ornaments. BJ's helps Members save on high-quality and affordable holiday décor options, without breaking the bank.
During the holidays, I like to add a little festive light to my table with a nice centerpiece. I found a Veraflame TrueFlame 6-Pc. Flameless Candle Set and it is the best thing that ever happened to my table. When I had my daughter, I stopped lighting candles in the house, but I still love the look of a candle. These candles look realistic without the need worry about anyone getting hurt. It is fantastic. I have seen some unrealistic flameless candles but was extremely impressed with the Veraflame technology that creates a visible realistic faux flame that dances like a real flame. They looked beautiful on my Thanksgiving table this year and they will be perfect for Christmas too!
After being hosted by my friends with perfect tablescapes and no plastic ware on the table, I was inspired to take my entertaining skills up a notch. I found a ton of chic and stylish serving ware at BJ's. They have everything you need to make your table look fantastic and they have it in my favorite color – white! The color white is the best choice for serving because it can remain neutral so that the food stands out and the decor of the table can coordinate with it. As you can see, the table looked very fall festive because of the pumpkin setup. I found a fantastic hors d'oeuvres lazy Susan, an 8-piece serving set with square and rectangular bowls, and a 4 pack of serving bowls. All of the serving ware is made by Berkley Jensen – one of BJ's exclusive brands – and all the ceramic items are dishwasher- and oven-safe.
The 6-piece Berkley Jensen Lazy Susan can serve a variety of hors d'oeuvres, chips and dip, or fruits and veggies to guests. With the rotating turntable, guests will have easy access to their favorite snack without reaching over the table. The bowls are easily refillable, and let you remove each piece without taking the whole tray back to the kitchen.
This Berkley Jensen 8-Pc. Ceramic Serving Set with Bamboo Board features rectangular and square dishes with an elegant bamboo board. Arrange the dishes to create an elegant display that's perfect for both casual and refined dining. The set includes a tray, 4 square bowls, 2 rectangular bowls and one wooden board.
The Berkley Jensen Serving Bowls can be used to serve salad or all kinds of sides. You can even enjoy cereal, soups, pasta, vegetables and more from these unique stoneware bowls.
Members can get everything they need at BJ's to whip up a winning holiday party, including fresh deli platters, wine, beer or liquor, fresh meat, frozen appetizers and serving ware.
For serving drinks, I like to have beautiful glassware. BJ's has Mikasa brand crystal wine glasses for a reasonable $19.99. This Mikasa 4-piece wine glass set features clear elegant European crystal that will shine beautifully in the light. These high-quality crystal wine glasses will coordinate beautifully with any dinnerware or flatware pattern and will make every occasion special. Choose from white or red wine glasses, or get both for a complete set! I also found this Mikasa Infinity Carafe that you can use to serve water or juice for your guests that don't drink wine.
When you are hosting a party, preparing all the food can feel overwhelming. I like to cook a main dish and supplement with appetizers. BJ's helps Members save time and stress during the holidays with easy party planning platters. They have a huge selection to choose from and make it easy to host people over the holidays. I bought the Wellsley Farms Cheese Cube Party Tray for my guests, and told my husband and daughter that it was for the party so they would leave it alone. The Wellsley Farms Cheese Cube Party Tray is a great selection for entertaining guests and is 48 oz. of cheese for only $9.99. Each cheese tray offers a variety of cheeses for your occasion including mild cheddar, Monterey Jack with jalapeno, and Swiss cheese cubes. There was plenty of cheese to fill up the platter, and it comes in a serving dish so that you can just display it in the container if you want.
Apparently, more than a quarter of Americans (26%) need at least 24 hours to completely prepare their home for a holiday party. This is hilarious because I normally need at least 3 days and someone else helping me. BJ's makes hosting a party less stressful by being the one-stop shop for all party needs by offering everyday low prices on fresh food, holiday décor, gifts and entertaining needs.
Do you have any other tips on How to Decorate your Home & Table for the Holidays in Style?


text:
Accident Crime Disaster Immigration Law National Politics Rights
Congress to start toll-free helpline for women in Goa
Panaji, June 8 (IANS) Claiming that women are not safe in Goa, the Congress on Friday announced the launch within a fortnight of a toll-free helpline for women in distress, including victims of sexual and domestic abuse.
"It is sad that women in Goa have no one to protect them… law and order in Goa is really slipping in the absence of the Chief Minister, who also holds the home portfolio. We are going to launch a toll-free helpline operated by Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress to help women in distress," All India Mahila Congress General Secretary Netta D'Souza told the reporters here.
D'Souza, who is in charge of the party's Goa affairs, said that her party was "forced to step in" because there was no effective administration in place to protect women, especially in the absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. who is undergoing treatment abroad.
She also decried what she called "increasing crime against women in Goa", including last week's gang rape of a 20-year-old woman by three tourists at a popular beach in South Goa.
D'Souza also criticised Goa BJP leader Sulakshana Sawant, who last week was reported saying that the state could not provide security to each and every individual in Goa.
"It is really sad that women of Goa have no one to protect them. Crime against women is at the highest. The BJP (women wing) President says that it is not the government's duty to take care of women. We (Congress) cannot protect women but we will ensure that we take up their cases and that justice is delivered," the Congress leader said.
Reliance Infrastructure's Mumbai Metro One turns four
Move HC, SC tells man seeking CBI probe into Purulia killings


text:
By The Citizen on April 26, 2018 No Comment
Ray Silas Cooley
COLCHESTER – Ray Silas Cooley, 87, passed away peacefully Saturday, April 14, at the VNA Respite House in Colchester with his wife and family by his side. He was the second of three sons born to William and Marian (Unwin) Cooley growing up on a farm in Montpelier.
Ray joined the Army at 17 during the Korean War and honorably discharged returned to Barre and married Lillian Clark with whom he had three daughters.
In his 20s, he and older brother Ronald started a paving company in Barre, his brother Reginald, a.k.a. Spade, would join them later. Cooley Corp. became well known throughout New England and New York doing paving, site work, sewer and water systems, closing landfills, building bike paths and doing state highway projects. The company later purchased an asphalt plant in Newburgh, N.Y. which led to the paving of Stewart Air Base and other contracts in New York.
During the 50s, Ray was a top stock car driver at dirt tracks in Vermont and New Hampshire and as president of Cooley Corp., he partnered with Ken Squier of WDEV radio in the building of Thunder Road Speedway in Barre and Catamount Stadium in Milton. He was the first president of Thunder Road and so proud to have been part of what is still popular today.
His interests were many and varied. He was a president of the Charlotte-Shelburne Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellowship recipient. He initiated and chaired their first annual Car Raffle Fundraiser and chaired the first Hot Air Balloon Festival on the grounds of Shelburne Museum including a welcome party aboard the Ticonderoga for over 200 guests.
He enjoyed golf at the Burlington Country Club, was a member of the Ethan Allen Club where he played cribbage and a member of Shelburne United Methodist Church. In early years, he was a member of the Civil Air Patrol and a water commissioner in Shelburne. He and family and friends boated on Lake Champlain and beyond, and he enjoyed motorcycling with friends. Ray was a Shriner and member of Mt. Sinai Temple in line to have been the youngest Potentate. He was a member of the marching patrol, co-chaired the annual VT/NH annual football game in Hanover and started a motorcycle drill unit for parades comprised of 10 members on Honda 250 bikes. He also dabbled at cooking, took saxophone and organ lessons and was a pilot with over 2,000 hrs.
After retiring from construction, Ray worked for The Automaster for ten years driving shuttle, delivering parts and doing dealer swaps. He retired at 79. On his 80th birthday, he was given a surprise party with a banner that read "A Man of Many Hats and a Dry Martini" – his beverage of choice.
He is survived by his wife Sherry of 47 years; four children: Judy, Cindy, Wanda (husband Kim) and Steve (wife Kara); nine grandchildren: Jeremy Grenier (wife Lori), Shawn Semperbon (wife Missy), Shane (wife Jessica), Jamie Semperbon, Dustin and Heather Perry, Lucien Laurendeau and Keegan and Riker Cooley; great grandchildren: Ryan, Emilee, Olivia, Justin, Jordan, Jack, Sienna and Aiden.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, May 1 at 11 a.m. at the Shelburne United Methodist Church with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests any donations be made to either Shelburne United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 365, Shelburne, VT 05482, the Shriners (LoveShriners.org) or the VNA Respite House, 3113 Roosevelt Highway, Colchester, VT 05446.
Corbin and Palmer Funeral Home, 9 Pleasant St., Essex Junction, Vt., is assisting with arrangements.
Obituary added by The Citizen on April 26, 2018


I am showing a handful of small prints in this upcoming exhibition at the Chicago Printmaker's Collaborative. This is the 29th year that this show has been in existence and the third year in a row that I have participated. Please stop by during the opening for cider, snacks, and of course amazing affordable art. More information about the event is listed below. Hope to see you there! Check out the Facebook event here.
Regular Gallery Hours: Fridays & Saturdays 12-5pm and by appointment.
I just wanted to share a couple of great print events I was able to be a part of this fall! Back in October I traveled to NYC to participate in Print Week. I assisted Jennifer Melby at her booth at the Editions/Artists' Books Fair as well as exhibited some of my own work published by Cannonball Press at the fair. Working with Cannonball, I created two new black and white prints that I have featured below. It was an honor to be able to participate and exhibit in such a prominent art fair in New York City.
Following the EAB Fair, I participated in the 3rd Annual Chicago Printers Guild Publisher's Fair. Hosted by Constellation, it was the CPG Fair's largest event to date. I got to exhibit with some of Chicago's finest, and it was a great day to be a Chicago printmaker! I debuted two new fish prints I had been working on which can be seen below. Thank you to the Chicago Printers Guild administration for organizing the fair for the third year in a row.


The use of Pascal is becoming more widespread every month if the number of magazine articles and advertisements about Pascal and Pascal products can be used as an indication. Pascal began as a teaching language. It is recognized to be an excellent first language for programming students because the structured features of Pascal make it possible for the student to learn efficient programming techniques. Now more and more business applications written in Pascal are beginning to appear on the market.
I had been studying Pascal from a manual with no computer to try it on. Then Abacus Software (PO Box 7211, Grand Rapids, MI 49510) announced the availability of a PET and APPLE version of Tiny Pascal. This version is based on the Yuen/Chung series in the September-November, 1978 issues of Byte Magazine. The Abacus Software system is produced through a licensing agreement with SuperSoft of Champaign, Illinois.
A line editor for developing and maintaining Pascal source programs.
A compiler for compiling the source code into p-code.
An interpreter to interpret and execute the p-code.
The editor and compiler are written in BASIC and the interpreter is written in 6502 assembler. Source programs and p-code files can be saved on either disk or tape in the PET version. The APPLE version requires disk operation.
First the Pascal source program is written using the line editor. The compiler is used to convert the source code to p-code. The p-code is then run interpretively using the interpret program. The p-code program executes much faster than a BASIC Program performing the same function.
Inexpensive. At $35.00 for the disk version and $40.00 for the tape system, it's a good buy for anyone who wants to try Pascal.
Simple to use. Excellent documentation including both the source code and p-code for two sample programs. Step-by-step operating instructions make it easy to learn.
Abacus Software provides excellent customer support.
Like other "tiny" language implementations, this version is an integer-only implementation. The only data types are integer and integer array.
There are no built-in functions. None of the usual Pascal functions such as SQR (square) and SQRT (square root) are available.
Rather slow. In the limited testing that I've done, I've found that the compiler takes three to four seconds to compile each line of source code into p-code.
Poor I/O facilities. There is no provision for disk or tape input or output during program execution.
There is also no way to direct program output to a printer.
The listing shows a sample Pascal program that was developed and run under this system. It was the first Pascal program that I wrote and thus the coding is probably far from optimum. It is an integer square root routine based on the method described in my previous (November, 1979) MICRO article "Performing Math Functions in Machine Language". The reader may either refer to that article or may discover the algorithm for himself by following through the coding.
A brief description follows for those of you who are not familiar with Pascal.
Line 1: A remark line. Not executed.
Line 2: Defines the carriage return character. All constants must be defined in a CONST section.
Line 3: Declares all variables that will be used in the program. All variables must be declared in the VAR section.
Lines 4 to 15: This function is the actual square root routine. X is the dummy argument which is passed to the function from the calling statement in line 22.
Lines 16 to 25: This is the main section of the program. Line 20 prompts for an integer, line 22 calls the function, and line 23 displays the answer.
Recall that this is an integer Pascal. You will always get just the integer part of the answer. For example, you will (correctly) get 25 as the square root of 625, but you will also get 25 as the square root of all numbers from 626 to 675. To get more accuracy, you must develop multiple precision routines just as you would have to do in machine language.
The listing was printed using the line editor. Other functions of the editor are append, delete, list, change, replace, load, and save.
After weighing the advantages and disadvantages listed above and using the system for a few days, I have concluded that this program is well worth the price. It is quickly becoming one of my favorite software packges. Those of you who are not used to structured languages will find it interesting to solve program design problems without the use of a GOTO statement.


Meet Charlie, one year old boy. Charlie was taken out of the local shelter by volunteers and lives with the foster family currently. Charlie is very friendly with kids and loves to be with people and other dogs. No food aggression. Charlie is neutered and has all the required shots up-to-date. Charlie is waiting for his own home. Come to meet Charlie.


Heinz Roemheld (May 1, 1901 – February 11, 1985) was an American composer.
Born Heinz Eric Roemheld in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he was one of four children of German immigrant Heinrich Roemheld and his wife Fanny Rauterberg Roemheld. Heinrich was a pharmacist, but all the members of the family were musical. Heinz's brother Edgar (1898-1964) became a conductor, while sister Irmgard (1904-1995) became a well-known Milwaukee music teacher and radio broadcaster.
^  "Born Heinrich Erich Roemheld in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he was one of four children of German immigrant Heinrich Roemheld and his wife Fanny Rauterberg Roemheld."
^ "Milwaukee-born Heinz Roemheld followed a circuitous route to a career as a film composer. At age four he was identified as a piano prodigy; he later studied with Ferruccio Busoni and Egon Petri in Berlin, and performed as a guest soloist with the Berlin Philharmonic at 23."


Description of Services: Wilkes Developmental Day School serves children with and without special needs. Our goal is to meet the individual needs of each child. Tools used for assessments are observations, Creative Curriculum assessment, and Early LAP (Learning assessment profile). Children with special needs or those who are showing delays are formally evaluated with parental consent by the public school system or the CDSA (Children's Developmental Services Agencies). Individual goals are created and teachers incorporate the goals in the daily routines including as needed: Physical Therapy, Special Education, Occupational Therapy, Early Intervention, Speech Therapy, Resources for Families, and Homebound and Community Services.
Ages served: All children ages birth to five years.


text:
Q: Jersey web service returns 204 no content Environment:

*

*Spring 4.2.2

*Jersey 1.19

Description:
AOP Configuration
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
       xmlns:aop="http://www.springframework.org/schema/aop"
       xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
       xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
       http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans.xsd
       http://www.springframework.org/schema/aop
       http://www.springframework.org/schema/aop/spring-aop-4.2.xsd
       ">
    <!-- Aop Bean -->
    <bean id="wsChecker" class="xn.safephone.webapp.aop.AopWebServiceChecker"/>
    <!-- Aop Configuration -->
    <aop:config>
        <aop:aspect id="aopWsChecker" ref="wsChecker">
            <aop:pointcut id="aopWs" expression="execution (* xn.safephone.webapp.webservices.*.*(..))"/>
            <aop:around method="doAround" pointcut-ref="aopWs"/>
        </aop:aspect>
    </aop:config>
</beans>

web.xml
<servlet>
    <servlet-name>REST-Servlet</servlet-name>
    <servlet-class>com.sun.jersey.spi.spring.container.servlet.SpringServlet</servlet-class>
    <init-param>
        <param-name>com.sun.jersey.config.property.packages</param-name>
        <param-value>xn.safephone.webapp.webservices</param-value>
    </init-param>
    <load-on-startup>1</load-on-startup>
</servlet>
<servlet-mapping>
    <servlet-name>REST-Servlet</servlet-name>
    <url-pattern>/ws/*</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>

Jersey Web Service Class
@GET
@Path("test")
@Produces("text/plain")
public String test() {
    return "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx";
}

AOP Class
public class AopWebServiceChecker {
    public void doAround(ProceedingJoinPoint joinPoint) throws Throwable {
        System.out.println("1");
        joinPoint.proceed();
        System.out.println("2");
    }
}

Result:
if I run the web service with AOP, there is no error, but the client returns "204 No Content". if I disable AOP, everything is well. so that why?
Thanks a lot!

A: The problem is that with an around-advice, you are expected to return a value; the value being the return value from the actual advised method invocation. The reason is that an around-advice allows you to modify the return value if need be.
Currently you are returning void, which has the affect of the resource method invocation returning null. The default behavior for Jersey when returning nul is to just send a 204 No Content with no data, because there is no data.
The result of invoking joinPoint.proceed() on a method return a value, will be the return value of that method invocation. So just get a reference to the value and return it.
public Object doAround(ProceedingJoinPoint joinPoint) throws Throwable {
    System.out.println("1");
    Object retValue = joinPoint.proceed();
    System.out.println("2");
    return retValue;
}

See Also:

*

*Around Advice (from Spring docs)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: How can Tensors produce Vectors (and higher order Tensors) if they, by definition, produce elements of a Field? I understand that by definition, a Tensor is a map (multilinear) that sends the Cartesian product of an arbitrary number of vectors and covectors to real numbers (I'd like to keep everything here in terms of finite-dimensional, real vector spaces). So how can the result of a tensor (given an arbitrary number of vector and covector inputs) be anything other than a real number (which I'm presumably calling a scalar)?
Clearly it can, because in engineering we always talk about "tensors" acting on "vectors" to produce other "vectors". For instance, the result of the Cauchy stress tensor (a (1,1) tensor??) acting on the normal vector of a plane is a traction vector. Or going even further, the elasticity tensor (a (2,2) tensor?), takes the strain tensor ((1,1)) as input and gives you back the stress tensor (another (1,1) tensor).
Am I missing something very trivial or fundamental about the definition of Tensors that allows for all of these results to be possible? Can anyone give me examples? Thanks!

A: Suppose one has a $(1,1)$ tensor $T$. The initial definition of this is that it is a multilinear map $V^* \times V \to \mathbb{R} $, as you say, i.e. one feeds it a covector $\omega$ and a vector $v$, and it outputs a scalar $T(\omega;v)$.
What happens if we take this map, and feed it just a vector? We get $T(-;v)$, which is a map that takes a covector as an argument and gives a scalar, i.e. $T(-;v): V^* \to \mathbb{R}$. So $T(-;v)$ is actually a linear functional on $V^*$, i.e. an element of $V^{**}$. But of course $V^{**}$ is canonically isomorphic to $V$, and so linear functionals on $V^*$ can be identified unambiguously with vectors. Hence $T(-;v)$ is a vector, $T_v$, say. Unpacking this, the map $v \mapsto T_v$ is therefore a linear map $V \to V$.
Exactly the same idea applies to higher rank tensors, although obviously the permutations possible increase considerably with the rank.


The Nominating Committee of the Vestry has nominated Tish Goodman, Ben Hargett, Allison Harris, and Mary Gregory Porter for election to three year terms at our Annual Parish Meeting on Sunday, January 20. In accordance with our by-laws, nominations for vestry by petition may be made to the rector until Sunday, January 6, provided that the petition be signed by four confirmed communicants of Nativity who are not currently members of the Vestry.
In addition, the Nominating Committee has also nominated Dean Kidd for election to a two-year term as Junior Warden, and Peter has nominated Perry Whites for election to a two-year term as Senior Warden. Thank you to all those who are willing to stand for election and serve in these roles!


I hope and pray that you have had a great summer! The seasons are changing, school has started, football is about to start again. The only thing we can count on staying the same is our Lord. He doesn't change. He loves each of us as much today as last week, or last month, or last year. That's a very good thing.
We will have the September Community meeting at St. Joseph's Catholic Church again. It will start on Thursday, September 3rd, right after Send-off for the Young Women's Chrysalis Journey. Send-off will be at 6:45 or 7:00. Please bring food as always. Instead of eating together, we will share it with the caterpillars and team of the Journey. Don't forget to come to Candlelight Saturday night at 8:00 at St. Joseph's. If you have never experienced a Chrysalis Communion service, you will be blessed.
But that's not all! There will be a Young Men's Chrysalis Journey two weeks later starting September 17th. Come support them. They need caterpillars for both Journeys and it won't cost them (or you if you sponsor any, unless you are lead to donate) anything.
But that's not all! There is a Men's Walk the week after that, starting September 24th. They also need pilgrims.
Please bless a young, college age woman or young, college age man or adult man by sponsoring them for a Chrysalis or Walk. Christ can change their life on that weekend!
But that's not all! We were sent an email from a Community in Australia asking to help fill their prayer vigil slots. If you are led to do so, click on the link in the email below and you can sign up. When you think about it, it's pretty cool to be praying with folks halfway around the world for Jesus to bless a group of pilgrims.
As Coordinators of the 72 Hour Prayer Vigil, we are contacting you on behalf of the South East Queensland Chrysalis Community Girl's Flight #61/Boy's Flight #62 to be held from 25-27 September 2015.
At this stage we have many prayer slots available to be filled. Our time zone is GMT +10 hours. Could you please ask your Community to help us by inviting them to visit the The Prayer Vigil and it should pop up and you can select a time slot (the ones with the blue 'sign-up' box) and fill in the details.
Thank you so much for your support. May God bless you greatly as you serve Him in this way.
Paul, Stephanie and Damian Larcombe.
But that's not all! Just kidding – that's all. See you at Send-off!


From the imaginative and expansive Scribblenauts Unmasked - A DC Comics Adventure, come the World's Greatest Superheroes and Villains in Scribblenauts style. Collect all 8 different 2 1/4-inch tall mini-figures (some rarer than others), including Swamp Thing, Harley Quinn, Deathstroke, Gold Flash, John Stewart Green Lantern, Alloy, Gold Flash and more!
This Scribblenauts Unmasked Blind Box Series 5 consists of 18 individually blind-packaged mini-figures (subject to change).


My holiday Netflix binge included six full seasons of "The Great British Baking Show." As a decades long Francophile and mother of a baker, we were enthralled at the elaborate creations on the show including mille feuille, tartes, and éclairs, which fancy to us were nearly basic to these bakers.
During the rains earlier this month, I suggested to my daughters that we venture to Moulin Bistro in Laguna Beach. After over 60 episodes of drinking wine and munching store-bought cookies while watching others bake, I was ready to experience this in person. Moulin's Instagram feed is awash with patisserie photos of the day's freshly baked goods, and I hoped they'd have some wine to complement.
Although it had poured that Saturday morning, the sun had burst out to blue skies, creating the epic postcard scene as we ventured down Forest Avenue in Laguna Beach. As I had hoped, the bistro was oozing French charm, down to the French music playing overhead and staff with thick accents. While my daughters ogled the patisserie displays, I hovered over the wine wall of all French imports casually displayed in wooden crates. Given the accessibility of good French wine, I declared this a full-blown lunch rather than a dessert soiree. We went tres classique with orders of Croque Monsieur, frites, and French onion soup. I already tend to drink French red blends of affordable Bordeaux and Rhone wines, so I was seeking a unique Moulin pour. I was elated to find a yummy Sancerre poured by the glass for $10.
I'm an avid sauvignon blanc consumer, but greatly appreciate the smooth, flinty qualities of a Sancerre over, say, a more acidic Australian pour. In the summer months, I'm all for the overly tart Australian version, but on a January weekend, a finessed, slightly smoky Sancerre was scrumptious with my French onion soup. As most old-world wines, the label denotes the region it is grown rather than the varietal. Sancerre is the specific classification for sauvignon blanc grown in the Loire Valley. Sancerre can also encompass pinot noir from the Loire but is more distinctly known for the sauvignon blanc. The Loire Valley is smack-dab in the middle of France, with the winding Loire River and historic castles as great attractions along with the chateaux.
We lingered over our lunch and began eyeing the pastries to close out our Moulin getaway. None of us wanted to leave, though so a second glass of Sancerre was ordered, a chicken pesto sandwich on a fresh baguette to go for my husband, and relaxed, fun chatter with my girls unfolded. I contemplated a glass of champagne alongside our tarte citron, raspberry Napoleon, and coffee éclair but decided to save it until my next jaunt to Moulin, which is expanding to San Clemente!


Tell what "Embed Codes" are.
There are no ads on OurVideoSite. If you would like your video to play on your site with no advertisements, just place your video's Embed Codes into your web site. You can find your Embed Codes under your video's "Edit and other options". OurVideoSite will host your video and take care of all the bandwidth requirements for you. If you don't know how incorporate Embed Codes into your site, ask the person who maintains your web site to do it for you. If that's too much of a hassle, contact us about having us host your web site for free.
I personally have no active videos on OurVideoSite - tell me how to make money.
Create a free account on OurVideoSite. A new User to OurVideoSite would need to be on your User Profile page as they click "Sign Up" for your accounts to be associated together for your 2 x 25% commission structure to become active. You literally need not ever spend one penny on our service, and you can make perpetual passive residual income. However, it does require a little more initial work as compared to having an inventory of videos active on OurVideoSite, or by hosting your video on your site using OurVideoSite Embed Codes, where random referrals are just more likely.
Tell about the "Silent Referral".
You can receive paid referral commissions without saying a word to anyone! Let's say a new User to OurVideoSite is looking at one of your videos when they decide to click "Sign Up". They automatically become associated with your account. You receive 25% of the profit from business done by them, and you receive 25% of the profit from people they refer to OurVideoSite. Or, if a new User is simply looking at your OurVideoSite User Profile when they decide to Sign Up, your accounts will become permanently associated. Best of all, if you are using OurVideoSite Embed Codes to host your video on your own site, and a new User clicks thru and signs up, your accounts will become permanently associated without any additional work on your part.
Tell how much I make.
Full disclosure: It is best for you to make many people aware of this service. Since it's a two level commission structure, it is true that the more people you refer, and the more people they refer, the more commission credit you will receive. You receive a 25% referral commission whether it's from someone you directly referred or from someone they referred. One credit currently costs $10.
25% of $10 sounds like $2.50, but there are Paypal costs involved. When someone buys a credit, Paypal charges 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. That means OurVideoSite receives $9.41. 25% of $9.41 is $2.35. When OurVideoSite sends you your $2.35, Paypal will again take 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. Bottom line: Once your direct or indirect referral source uses a credit, you will receive $1.98 per video per month.
Well, you will receive a bit more if there is more than one video on which you are receiving commission, because part of PayPal's fees are $0.30 per transaction, even if you are being paid commission on multiple videos. We're working on a improving the system to give you the option of receiving your commission check only after a certain goal has been achieved. For instance, if you decided, it would be only after you have accumulated $20, $50 or $100 that you would get paid. If you are ok with $0.37 of your $2.35 commission going to PayPal (netting you $1.98), that's ok. Eliminating those $0.30 per transaction fees results in a total of $3.20 to PayPal on a $100 commission (netting you $96.80). A much smaller percent in fees goes to PayPal if you wait a while.
Tell if this is MLM.
There is no sign up fee, no product to buy, no inventory to keep, no phone calls or meetings to attend, and no perpetually pestering people. You do, however, make passive residual income for referring the right kind of people. The right kind of people are those in business, looking for a quick, easy and inexpensive system to improve their competitive advantage using video on the web. So is this MLM? You decide.
Tell why you didn't call it a 50% referral commission.
Because it has the potential to be a lot more than that. Let's say you refer a key person in an organization, for instance, the owner of a real estate agency (your 1st level referral). You receive 25% of the profit from the paid videos that she creates to help sell her real estate. You will make a lot more money when she has all of her agents using OurVideoSite (your 2nd level referrals). Month after month, as long as they are using the service, you are being paid.
Tell what a 2 x 25% commission referral is.
This is the OurVideoSite internal marketing plan. We would like to split the profits with you rather than anyone else. You receive 25% of the profit from business done by someone you refer to OurVideoSite. You receive 25% of the profit from people they refer to OurVideoSite.
Tell why I can't do this for free.
You can. Just upload your video 10 times to ten different sites, and then host your video on your own site. OurVideoSite will just save you tons of time and aggravation: one easy upload, ad-free hosting.
Tell why are there no ads on OurVideoSite.
Ads are annoying and intrusive. Sitting thru a 30 second pre-roll ad just to watch a 2 minute video is obnoxious. OurVideoSite is geared towards people selling a product or service who don't want other people's ads pre-rolled, rolled-over, or post-rolled over their content. Simple, high quality, easy and inexpensive. It makes for a more enjoyable User experience.
Tell what happens after 30 days.
Your video has been distributed to your accounts on the top video hosting and social networking sites. Your video will stay there, because those sites are ad-supported. OurVideoSite has no ads. Your video IS the ad. After 30 days, your video will become inactive on OurVideoSite, unless you apply another credit.
OurVideoSite distributes your keyword-laden video to the top video hosting and social networking sites to increase the Search Engine Optimization of your product or service. OurVideoSite will then host your content for playback on your site with NO ADS. You can sell your product or service right from this site by adding a PayPal button - sales go right to you. And, you can make $$ by referring other people to this site.
Tell the cost of this service.
It's free to register. You get a free credit to "try before you buy", which entitles you to a free distribution of your video to the top video hosting and social networking sites AND to 30 days of ad free hosting and live Embed Codes on OurVideoSite. After that, one credit currently costs $10.
Tell why not to use TubeMogul.
TubeMogul is a great service for some people. They are free for non-commercial accounts only, but offer a very limited quantity of free services. A free account specifically bans any advertising on your part, allowing no "commercially oriented content" to be uploaded by you. But they will hit you with their ads: "... the Services may include advertisements and that these advertisements are necessary for TubeMogul to provide the Services." A free account does not host your video and does not provide ad-free playback of your video on your site. Does not provide mapping of your location, or have any referral commission structure. They don't offer the ability to sell your product or service using PayPal with your video. To distribute commercial content, they require $600 ($50/month and a one year commitment). You should check it out and see if it's appropriate for you. OurVideoSite is a quick, easy and inexpensive service that provides far more benefits at less expense to you.
Tell some specific application examples.
- Travel Destinations. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a thousand pictures. Inspire your client with videos. OurVideoSite has lots of examples of Travel Destination videos showing Real People having Real Fun. Just click on the Browse page and explore!
- Company contests. For instance, a Cruise Line can hold a contest asking their clients for their best cruise videos. Prizes are awarded as the Cruise Line sees fit (free trip, upgrades, onboard credits, etc). The company now has a library of User-generated content to help in a web-wide marketing campaign. Company-appropriate key words are inserted before the videos are distributed. For zero production costs and $10 per video distribution and hosting, any brand name company can increase their online presence and SEO quickly and legitimately. This is not spoofing the search engines, this is generating multiple site instances of high quality content. OurVideoSite will be happy to set up a special sub section of the site for this type of campaign. Contact us with your requests.
- Hotel room differentiation. Hotels all look the same in words, and pretty similar in pictures. Some hotels are more expensive than others. Would people have an easier time deciding on one hotel brand over another if they could see what the room looks like, and hear it described? How about the room(s) with a view? What about the qualities of the surrounding area? A video walk thru is more appealing than those distorted mute fisheye lens views you sometimes get. Bill Marriott, for instance, could invite all 3,000 of his properties to use the OurVideoSite service to promote the benefits of each Marriott property in a keyword-laden video. This video would be unique to the property, produced in a manner only possible by the team on the ground. Mr. Marriott is the referring party, and can donate his 2 x 25% commission to any of the environmental conservation projects or other green initiatives in which he is heavily involved. The individual property invests a really small amount of money to keep their videos embedded on Marriott.com, as well as all across the internet. It's win/win.
Tell why to use map coordinates.
If you are selling real estate, or promoting a travel destination, the answer to that question should be pretty obvious. For a generic answer, consider that Google Earth may map you if it knows where you are, but will certainly not map you if it doesn't.
Tell how this helps my Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
SEO is an ever-changing algorithm. Nobody can guarantee results. But, it seems reasonable: multiple instances of high quality content across the web is a good thing. Having the key words associated with your video on the top video hosting and social networking sites is a good step in the right direction. Especially in niche markets, where there is not a lot of competition, your content will be extremely relevant to those searching for it.
Tell why not to use Embed Codes from YouTube or some other site.
Almost all other video hosting sites offer free embed codes. If you don't mind the ad-supported model, the perpetual annoying advertisements for your competition's products on your video, then go for it and use their free codes. Using OurVideoSite, your video IS the message, without other distractions, without other ads. Also, OurVideoSite presents your video in the "source resolution", which means the best possible quality is presented to your audience. Lastly, using OurVideoSite Embed Codes to host your video on your site gives you more opportunities for Silent Referrals.


Lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot is a kind-of new musical with a book by Eric Idle and an entirely new score for the new production, (well, almost) created by Eric Idle and John Du Prez.
Spamalot tells the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and features a bevy (or possibly a brace) of beautiful show girls, witch burnings (cancelled due to health and safety) not to mention cows, killer rabbits and French people. The show features fantastic tunes more magical than a Camelot convention, including He Is Not Dead Yet, Knights of the Round Table, Find Your Grail and of course the Nation's Favourite Comedy Song (Reader's Digest Poll 2010 - before it went bust), Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.


Each month I have the honour to represent the BC Groundwater Association at the Okanagan Basin Water Board's Water Stewardship Council meetings (yes another meeting). I've been on the Council for about 3 years now, and over this time, and now with the Water Sustainability Act (WSA), I've realized the value of a watershed-sized water governance. The Board's entire focus is on water in this watershed, and the Council is made up all representatives from the main water users, including BC Cattlemen's Association, BC Fruit Growers Association, some of the larger Cities and all three Regional Districts.
The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) is funded in part by tax dollars from all of the local governments, which is obviously pretty huge. But, its two main strengths are getting all the water users in a room together to talk about common interests and challenges, and also, to have a staff of four to get things done. There are many grant opportunities out there, and the staff, along with guidance from the Council, are able to create successful partnerships and projects that are a win-win for many potential funders all the way from the Federal Gas Tax, to local partnerships with BC Wildlife Fund and schools.
One of the main projects that the OBWB led, and that seems even more fundamental to me now with the rollout of the WSA, is the Okanagan Watershed Water Supply and Demand Project. Every single square inch of land in the Okanagan has been assigned to an aquifer recharge area, and each aquifer has basic properties estimated from borehole logs and geological maps such as gradient, hydraulic conductivity, size, and recharge and discharge values. These aquifer properties have been connected to surface water values, and a full water supply and demand balance has been realized for the watershed. This has helped to focus future research in key areas, because we now can rank aquifers by size, and vulnerability to changes in climate or population growth.
Going forward with the WSA, I can't see how we can issue licenses without understanding something as basic as a water budget at a watershed level, and at the very least, mapping and assigning of all lands to an aquifer within a local watershed, not just where there is data. Sometimes, when assessing groundwater recharge and discharge, it is easier, and cheaper to assess all the other components to a water budget (surface water inputs, and water use, for example) than it is to estimate groundwater parameters, and groundwater becomes the "remainder" of the sum of all the other water budget inputs. Without watershed boundaries, and aquifers mapped across the entire watershed, a water budget is not possible. The problems we need to solve are too big for individual ranchers, or small local governments to solve. We need to pool our resources (a nice way of saying taxation) at a Watershed scale to solve these problems.
I have a map of all the watersheds in BC. There are 9 "Level 1 Watersheds" in the Province: Mackenzie River, Fraser River, Columbia River, Skeena River, Nass River, Stikine River, Taku River, Yukon River and Coast and Vancouver Island (which discharge directly to the Ocean). While I'm sitting in the Council meetings, I think: how can the lessons learned from the OBWB help the other Watersheds in BC to better understand their water resources and does BC need to move to a Watershed-scale governance model to manage water woes and help roll out the WSA across BC?


What's the secret of selling your home fast, and for top dollar? Keeping your house looking fantastic, of course! To achieve that, most successful home sellers have certain key habits in common, whether it's clearing out their mail pile every day or doing a monthly deep clean.
So if you've resolved to sell your home this year, listen up: Here are the best habits you can adopt to proactively maintain your home all the way to a successful sale.
"I recommend my clients create a daily checklist of what to quickly tidy up before they leave for the day, so they can be prepared for last-minute showings," says Jessica Creel, a real estate professional in Phoenix. The checklist will help you get into the habit of making sure beds are made, clutter is put away, countertops are wiped down, blinds are left open, and fliers are left on the table.
Prepare yourself by figuring out in advance what you will and won't accept. This includes the lowest offer you will take and what contingencies you'll allow.
"When a client approaches me about wanting to list their home, the first thing I tell them to do is go through closets and get in the habit of donating unwanted items every month," says Beverly Burris at William Means Real Estate in Charleston, SC. "Closet and storage space is extremely important to buyers, and a seller needs to make them look as spacious as possible." Getting into the habit of eliminating clutter will make it easier for you to keep your closets show-ready.
Establish the routine of ensuring your home's stellar appearance by replacing outdoor light bulbs and cleaning the front porch. Freshen up exterior paint, get a professional window-cleaning and plant new landscaping if needed. "Most buyers fall in love with a house before they even enter," says Molly Lasater, an agent in Midland, Texas, at soldwithmolly.com, so this area is especially important to maintain on a regular basis.
Even though you'll regularly be in touch with your real estate professional on the progress of your home sale, get in the habit of having a monthly review. You'll want a breakdown of the activity going on in your neighborhood and on your property in particular. This will keep you alert to anything that needs to be recalibrated, such as changing the price or marketing if you aren't seeing the results that you would like, says Burris. The routine of checking in can also help drive an overall strategy to sell your home.
Once you know a sale is in your future, it's time to get a presale home inspection, so you can get in the habit of keeping your property in shape until you list it. An inspection will allow you time to make any major repairs, meaning that you'll be able to keep the negotiation power on your side instead of the buyer's, says Shawn Breyer of Atlanta's Breyer Home Buyers.


I have been MIA on TaraRunsTheWorld for the last month. I have told people that inquired I am tired, or bored, or various other excuses because explaining the real reasons seem a bit too long-winded. Here is the space to explain the real reasons. The real reason for a blogging cut back? Time is a limited resource and I found it consuming far too much of it to take photos, write about it, and share it around. I also found it made me focus too much on myself, which in balance is important, but I didn't like the way it was making me feel when I have many other people, hobbies, and outlets to put my limited energy. Last but not least, it made me like running less. I haven't felt like that. Ever. I found documenting all my thoughts about running sucked some of the joy out of it for me. I can't have that.
With all that in mind, I figured I could do it more sparingly and still find the good—so many people wrote me to say they had started running after reading some of my posts. That makes me super stoked. The reflection process has also been a positive side-effect to my running.
You know, a little bit.
My son practicing his picture-taking skills before the race.
I have done a few races since I last blogged, the Sarajevo Half Marathon being one that I had had on the docket for quite some time. I did this one last year, meaning I knew to expect a few hills and higher temps due to a later start than one would consider normal for a half marathon.
It was exciting to see so many people from our little expat community with laced-up running kicks. There were quite a few parents and a couple of other teachers running the half marathon. There were also lots of students running the 4 km with their parents– my son, daughter, and husband included. For me, it is a fairly rare occurrence to be among like-minded runner types. It was nice to not have to explain what I was doing getting ready to run 21 km. They knew.
I have put some work into getting some personal records in the recent past, so for this race, I just ran for enjoyment. I did put effort into it, but I had no plans of anything beyond running and having fun at the event. Which I did.
Europe has some seriously good runners. Many were at this race. I watched them in awe fly by me in their sponsored racing kits. Speaking of awesome runners, this was the day in history that Eliud Kipchoge broke the marathon's world record at the Berlin Marathon at 2:01:39. Sort of made my half marathon time of 1:47 minutes feel pretty wimpy, but I know, I know, we only compete against ourselves. Even Kipchoge?
Feeling strong at the finish.
There were thousands downtown Sarajevo–both to cheer on the runners and those that were participating in either the 4 km, the relay half marathon, or the half marathon. They closed down the streets, most of the town came out to watch and support the runners, and it was a really well-organized race going through the most beautiful parts of Sarajevo.
Lady H in her chariot while Little G and Mr. G rock the 4 km.
After, we laid around the park and drank our complimentary electrolyte beverages for a while until the kids got restless.
No race is complete without a beer…I mean, medal.
Then we moved on to the after party barbecue downtown at Kutcha . If you haven't already, check it out. It has an artsy vibe, fantastic burgers, craft beer, green space to kick back, and good music. Lady H celebrated with her signature dance moves.
Dance it out, little one.
Happy running and stay rad, my friends!
Thanks! Felt good to write a little.