It may seem strange to speak of a "problem" of forgiveness. After all, as Christians don't we rejoice in our forgiveness, freely given to us in and by Jesus Christ our Savior? Certainly we do. Yet all of us from time to time have problems with this free forgiveness.
One problem we have is that we don't clearly focus on the difference between objective forgiveness and feelings of forgiveness. Yesterday we saw that there is a difference between true moral guilt and guilt feelings. Similarly, there is a difference between objective forgiveness and feelings of forgiveness.
Sometimes people feel forgiven when in fact they are not forgiven because they have not confessed their sin to God. For the Christian the reverse is often the problem. We want to feel a certain way—to have an experience of release from guilt feelings—before we will accept the fact that we are objectively forgiven. In fact, though, if we have confessed our sin, God has forgiven us, and that is true whether we feel it or not.
The second problem Christians have with forgiveness can be illustrated by a story. A man once told me that he had confessed a sin to God over and over again, and yet he did not feel forgiven. I told him that he needed to confess a different sin: the sin of arrogance. He needed to confess the fact that he had arrogantly refused to accept God's objective forgiveness, which God had already given him. All of us are proud, and so there is a part of us that does not want to receive a completely free forgiveness. It is humbling to have to admit that there is absolutely nothing I can do about my own sin.
If we worry that maybe God has not forgiven us after we have confessed our sin, that worry can turn into a second sin of disbelief. Does today's lesson describe any area in your life? If so, go to your knees now and tell God that you believe His Word despite nagging feelings to the contrary, and that you accept His forgiveness. If doubts come to your mind during the day, argue with yourself from 1 John 1:9. God's Word is true; our hearts are often liars.


text:
Home Energy Energy Storage Tesla Motors will fly high unless it fails to reinvent the world, says dueling stock analysts
Tesla Motors will fly high unless it fails to reinvent the world, says dueling stock analysts
David Herron July 21, 2015 July 21, 2015 Energy Storage, EV Sales
Whether Tesla Motors will fly or flail has always seemed to me uncertain. The goals Tesla Motors is out to achieve are big, very big, nothing shorter than ending fossil fuel consumption. Which of course will be incredibly hard, and has meant a chorus of naysayers singing about the impossibility of that goal, and others who are actively trying to obstruct and delay. Today's news contains two articles giving completely different analyses, one that Tesla Motors will flail horribly, the other that its success will justify the astronomical price for Tesla's stock.
At issue is the proper valuation for TSLA, the company's stock. At the current price Tesla Motors has a market capitalization rivaling the full scale automakers and other large companies. But, Tesla doesn't have the income, profit, or product depth to directly justify its current stock price.
According to a stock research piece published this week by UBS, and reported by ibtimes.com , the price for TSLA – okay, there may be irrational exuberance at play – incorporates the expectation that Tesla will have selling 1 1/2 million cars a year by 2025, or 30x the company's current sales. Achieving that sales volume will require Tesla to build at least two more car factories, and at least one more gigafactory, requiring perhaps $9 billion in investment. UBS believes that's beyond Tesla's capability, and therefore the company will flail.
Note that UBS doesn't try to predict whether Tesla will get close to that goal, but fail to hit the exact numbers, or whether Tesla will simply fall apart and be a complete failure. We have to consider the history of Tesla Motors, and that while they've named off some significantly big goals, and while they've generally reached the goals, they've generally not met the goals at the initial prediction. In other words, Tesla Motors suffers from the over-achiever syndrome of believing they can reach the moon at the snap of a finger, only to find it was harder than expected.
Case in point is the Tesla Model X – original estimates were it would have been on the market last year, instead Elon Musk told us a few days ago they're on track to begin shipping the Model X in two months. A goal that's two months out I can believe that Tesla's prediction will be accurate, and that in late September or early October I'll be writing something about the Model X shipping.
In the same announcement Musk said the Model 3 would be shipping in almost exactly 2 years, which fits the repeatedly made prediction of "late 2017". I'm not so confident they'll hit that target. I'm confident the car will go on the market someday, simply not confident it'll be in 2017. The later Tesla is to market with the Model 3, however, the more risk there is to the whole company because GM and Nissan and others are gonna come out with 200+ mile range electric cars of their own.
That was the negative stock analyst report – that Tesla would flail because it won't be selling 1 1/2 million cars a year by 2025. I agree this is a risky goal that Tesla Motors might not hit. But I believe they could be selling over 1 million cars a year in that time frame – which would require additional factories.
For a positive outlook we turn to a piece on the Motley Fool website about the Tesla Energy storage business . In that case the author visited a winery where some Tesla Powerpack units have been installed alongside a photovoltaic array. The services of EnerNOC have been employed to manage the system.
As the author of that article noted – there are very clear services that large grid energy storage units can offer, and those services can earn significant revenue while making solar power more feasible.
For example – Peak Shaving. Utility companies will impose Demand Charges on customers whose electricity demand goes above a limit. The peak shaving service means the ability to eliminate power demand peaks, and therefore avoid demand charges. Hence, an energy storage unit can save a company gobs of money they would otherwise have spent paying demand charges to the utility company.
With a grid energy storage unit other services become available – power arbitrage, buying electricity when it's supremely cheap for use at times of the day to avoid expensive electricity – demand response, or reducing electricity draw from the grid if the grid operator wants it reduced – etc.
Another issue that's beginning to come up regarding solar power is that the grid isn't always able to absorb excess energy. Say it's a nice clear day and all the solar power plants are running at full blast, there could easily be too much electricity on the grid for the current demand. Such a situation isn't good for grid stability, and it's the grid operators primary function to keep the grid stable.
As a result some regions are calling for or demanding the ability to limit electricity export from solar power sites. In some cases the phrase is "net zero energy export" meaning the site has to consume all the electricity it produces. Which then gives an opening to grid energy storage units, which can store electricity generated on site and with the right electrical gizmos on-site use that electricity on-site without exporting it to the grid. Or to sell the electricity to the grid when it's more advantageous.
The Motley Fool article makes the case that grid energy storage and energy storage services will be a big big big market in the coming years. Like $2 trillion big. Tesla Motors only needs to gain a few percent of that market to make it big.
Tesla Energy, Tesla Motors, Tesla Powerwall. Bookmark.
Extreme weather, driven by climate change, disrupting California's highways as I-10 washes out
Solar power adoption could be limited without common monitoring/administrative reporting standards
Tesla Autopilot under US Dept of Transportation scrutiny

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Natural caffeine is abundant in our modern, high-energy society. The sun never sets on the Starbuck's empire. And talk about teas, once we discovered antioxidants and EGCG, variety in the tea market went through the roof.
No longer do we choose from black tea to sip and black tea to ice. We've got green tea, white tea and tea in everything from carbonated beverages to ice cream. Antioxidants have also increased the popularity of chocolate — another popular source of natural caffeine — moving it from once-decadent dessert indulgence to guiltlessly healthy snack.
We must be in need even of more energy, because caffeine-laden "energy" drinks fill the coolers from grocery stores to gas stations. Many of these energy drinks are spiked with synthetic caffeine. Others use caffeine from decaffeinated coffee (which still is natural). But there's another source of natural caffeine in the energy drinks hitting the market with force. It's a special seed called guarana.
Guarana comes from the Paullinia cupana plant, a shrub or small tree native to Brazil. It's a member of the family of shrubs called soapberry plants that thrive in the tropics. The name guarana is derived from the Tupi-Guarana word wara'ná. The indigenous Tupi and Guarana tribes believe it to be a magical plant that can cure g.i. complaints and aid in the recovery of strength and vitality.
Some of that "vitality" comes straight from caffeine: Gaurana seeds are 2.5 to 7 percent caffeine, compared to 1 to 2 percent in a coffee bean. The natural caffeine in guarana, often called guaranine, stimulates the central nervous system, and hence brings with it both perceived pluses and minuses of the more familiar drinks. Caffeine can quicken perceptions, aid endurance and reduce appetite. It can also increase blood pressure and heart rate, which can make you feel jittery, prevent sleep, and increase visits to the bathroom.
There is concern that gaurana, in combination with drugs or other caffeine-containing substances that target the sympathetic nervous system, may have additive effects on blood pressure. Conversely, there is interest in some of the potential positive aspects of this complex plant.
Guarana happens to be a rich source of tannins (up to 16 percent in the dry berries). Some tannins have earned a reputation as potential defensive components against DNA damage. Various tannins, such epigallocatechin-3-gallate from green tea, theafulvins and theaflavins from black tea and procyanidins from grape seeds are believed to be protective against certain forms of cancer.
An animal study recently published in the Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology suggested guarana is protective against DNA damage induced in the liver. In this study, guarana appeared to protect against a specific type of DNA damage to liver, as long as the dosage was relatively low. Previous studies using much higher doses suggested guarana could be toxic and actually act as a potential mutagen, increasing risk of aberrant cells.
However, a 1998 animal study from Ireland, published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacolocy, indicated that even at high doses, tissues remain unaltered. Furthermore, guarana, when supplied at low concentrations in water, inhibited lipid peroxidation. In other words, the science behind guarana indicates that, as with most compounds, a little can go a long way.
Another 1998 animal study indicated guarana may help protect against ulcers – at least for those who imbibe in alcoholic beverages. The research, reported in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology and conducted in Brazil (where guarana is native) revealed that guarana reduced lipid peroxidation, even in small doses. Lipid peroxidation has the potential to damage cell membranes. This may help to explain why guarana protected the animal models in the study from gastric ulceration induced by the administration of ethanol (and the drug indomethacin).
Other attributes of guarana have been highly touted. For example: Guarana is presented as a weight-loss aid. There are studies that suggest this, but none prove guarana to act in a manner any different from caffeine or other stimulants.
The big selling point of many guarana-containing products these days hinges on suggestions guarana may aid memory and slow down memory loss.
In 2004, a study published in the Journal Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, reported improved cognitive performance in human volunteers given guarana extract.
The study evaluated speed of attention, speed of memory, accuracy of attention, secondary memory and working memory. Other measures included logical reasoning and sentence verification. The results showed a significant positive effect on speed of attention, reaction times, and secondary memory (delayed word and picture recognition, and immediate and delayed word recall). The low dose of guarana in these experiments suggested the cognitive effects were due to more than the caffeine.
At present the food applications for guarana have been restricted to mostly soft drinks and energy drinks. It is a natural food with a long tradition in Brazil. But there are many questions about its use, mostly related to the amount of natural caffeine. Much study is needed to learn whether the other potential benefits come out from under the caffeine shadow. It's not a miracle ingredient, or a quick weight-loss solution. Guarana is, however, a reasonable and marketable alternative to other ways of spiking energy drinks.


text:
Die Puppenspieler ist ein 1993 veröffentlichter historischer Roman von Tanja Kinkel. In der im 15. Jahrhundert in Augsburg, Florenz und Rom spielenden Geschichte eines jungen Mannes geht es um Hexenverfolgung, Intrigen der Mächtigen und die Hochzeit der oberitalienischen Renaissance.

Hauptfiguren
 Richard Artzt – wissbegierig, verschlossen, besessen von dem Wunsch, den Tod seiner als Hexe verbrannten Mutter zu rächen
 Jakob Fugger – kühl und genial, das Finanzgenie seiner Zeit, Richards Mentor
 Sibylle Artzt – Richards Tante, Jakobs Ehefrau, intelligent und schön
 Saviya – ein mysteriöses Zigeunermädchen, das sich in Richard verliebt
 Mario – Richards bester Freund, ein Mönch aus Florenz
 Zobeida – Richards Mutter, Hebamme und zum Tod auf dem Scheiterhaufen verurteilt

Inhalt
Deutschland im Jahre 1484. Papst Innozenz VIII. hat soeben die Bulle Summis desiderantes affectibus erlassen. Kurz darauf wird Zobeida Artzt, Sarazenin mit Tscherkessenblut, der Hexerei angeklagt und zum Tode auf dem Scheiterhaufen verurteilt. Durch dieses Urteil wird der zwölfjährige Richard Vollwaise. Die sterbende Mutter vor Augen hat er sich geschworen, eines Tages der Kirche ihren Irrtum zu widerlegen, da er fest davon überzeugt ist, dass es keine Hexen gibt.

Verwandtschaftsbande bringen den intelligenten Knaben nach Augsburg zu Jakob Fugger. So kommt Richard in ein weltoffenes und zukunftsorientiertes Haus, eines der aufregendsten des Heiligen Römischen Reiches Deutscher Nation. Fuggers Handelsbeziehungen reichen in die ganze Welt. Jakob Fugger wurde durch seine geschickte Geldpolitik zum Hausbankier des deutschen Königs und Kaisers Maximilian I. und beherrscht den europäischen Erzhandel und damit das Münzwesen. Richard lernt Sprachen und Naturwissenschaften und nimmt dank seiner raschen Auffassungsgabe auch vieles von den Vorgängen im Herzen des fuggerschen Handelsimperiums auf. Jakob Fugger, dem nicht nur seine Neider nachsagen, er betrachte Menschen nur als Investitionsgut, Puppen, deren Fäden er fest in der Hand hält, prüft und fördert den Zögling gezielt. Und dann öffnet sich für Richard das entscheidende Tor: Jakob Fugger schickt ihn nach Italien, das Land, von dem der Handel mit dem Morgenland seinen Ausgang nimmt, das Land, in dem gerade die Geisteswelt der Antike und des Orients neu entdeckt wird, aber auch das Land, in dem die Kirche fast überall und mit allen Mitteln Einfluss nimmt.

Auf dem Weg dorthin rettet er der jungen Zigeunerin Saviya das Leben. Sie treten in Blutsbrüderschaft und verlieben sich ineinander, doch aufgrund ihrer völlig verschiedenen Ansichten – Saviya betrachtet sich selbst als Hexe – kommt es immer wieder zu ernsten Spannungen zwischen den beiden.

In Florenz lernt Richard Lorenzo de Medici kennen, den mächtigsten Mann in Florenz. Er trifft dort auch Mario Volterra, einen Augustinermönch, freundet sich mit ihm an und schreibt mit ihm ein Buch, das die Hexenprozesse verurteilt. Schließlich gelingt es Richard mit Jakobs Hilfe, sich am Mörder seiner Mutter, dem Inquisitor Heinrich Institoris, zu rächen, indem er ihn wegen Missbrauch des Ablasshandels bei dem im Jahre 1492 neu gewählten Papst Alexander VI anzeigt.
In  Rom entgeht er jedoch nur knapp einer Vergiftung durch Vittorio de Pazzi, einem Feind aus seiner Zeit in Florenz.
Saviya, die in Rom einer Bande von Gesetzlosen angehört, wird beinahe von der Inquisition als Hexe verbrannt. Richard rettet sie im letzten Moment mithilfe des Papstsohnes Cesare Borgia, der mit Saviya ein Verhältnis hatte.

In Florenz ändern sich derweil die Zustände drastisch; Lorenzo stirbt und der fanatische Prediger Girolamo Savonarola hetzt die Bevölkerung gegen die Reichen auf. Im Zuge dieser "Kulturrevolution" wird Mario schwer verwundet und stirbt, nachdem er sich von Richard verabschiedet hat. Dessen Trauer führt ihn endlich mit Saviya zusammen.

Verfilmung
2017 wurde die Geschichte in zwei Teilen von der ARD verfilmt.
Samuel Schneider verkörperte hierbei die fiktive Figur des Richard, Herbert Knaup war als Jakob Fugger und Helen Woigk als Saviya zu sehen.

Literatur
 Tanja Kinkel: Die Puppenspieler. Roman. Goldmann, München 2003, ISBN 3-442-45673-8.
 Tanja Kinkel: Die Puppenspieler. Random House Audio, Köln 2003, ISBN 3-89830-493-0 (7 CDs, 530 Min.)

Einzelnachweise

Puppenspieler, Die
Puppenspieler, Die
Puppenspieler, Die
Puppenspieler, Die

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
"He Said He Was Sure Glad His Kid Wasn't a Detective-story Fan"
"Lone Bandit."
By Dennis Wiegand (?-?).
First appearance: Astounding Science Fiction, June 1954.
"The autopsy report shows the guy was so full of lead it must have taken four men to carry him on a stretcher out of his shack."
Is a man or a Martian responsible for these crimes? While somebody, referred to in the
press as the Lone Bandit, is knocking over banks with the greatest of ease, a large cast
of characters struggles to cope with that mind-boggling, whiz-bang piece of technology
the Bandit is using to make his "withdrawals"; in the final analysis, it's the kind of
conundrum only a kid addicted to TV space operas could solve . . .
- FictionMags credits Dennis Wiegand with only three SFF stories, the remainder being almost entirely detective fiction.
"Maximum setting. If you had fired, you'd have vaporized me."
"It's my first ray gun."
— Somewhere on the Final Frontier


U.S. Paywizard.org - find here the federal tax income tax rates for 2012, including the deductions and exemptions - Social Security Tax and Medicare Tax.
Tax return due: Monday April 15, 2013, unless you file an extension with form 4868 by October 15, 2012.
How does it work? For example: a single without children pays income tax above a filing threshold (see below) of $9,500. This threshold is - not for 65 or older, qualified widower and if you don't itemize your deductions - the Standard Deduction (see below) of $5,950 plus the Personal Exemption (see below) of $3,800. So, a single would actually pay 0% over the first $9,750 of income. After subtracting this amount from her or his income, the brackets start to work. Over the next $8,700 a single pays 10% tax; 15% over the amount between 8,700 and $35,350 and so on.
2012 Exemptions: for yourself (personal exemption), spouse (if you are married) or your dependents: $3,800 per person.
In tax year 2012 there is no limit on itemized deductions for higher income tax payers. Unless Congress acts to further extend the elimination, the limitations will be reinstated in the tax year 2013.
Self-employed persons are allowed to deduct half of the Medicare tax as an adjustment to income. They pay their Medicare tax when filing their personal tax return as part of the self-employment tax.
Note: when you have more than one job in a year, each of your employers must withheld Social Security taxes from your wages without regard to what other employers may have withheld. You may then end up with Social Security taxes withheld that exceed the maximum. In that case you can claim a refund of the too much paid Social Security taxes when you file your personal income tax return.


text:
Q: Wiriting 'JSON.stringify' generates an error when Vue component loads I am writing a Vue plugin, but anytime I try to add JSON.stringify to it I get a runtime error in the browser and the page goes blank. Anywhere in the Plugin file I write JSON.stringify I get the error:

Uncaught TypeError: Cannot assign to read only property 'exports' of object '#'

If I write JSON.stringify to a component directly (in the 'created' lifecycle hook, for example), nothing happens.
This is not an error during the webpack compilation, it happens only in the browser inside an eval. The line where the error occurs looks like this:
eval("/* WEBPACK VAR INJECTION */(function(module) {Object.defineProperty(__webpack_exports__ ....")

This is what is written in the plugin file
var MyPlugin = function () {

}

JSON.stringify({})
MyPlugin.secret = 'vue-plugin-secret'

MyPlugin.install = function (Vue, options) {

}

module.exports = MyPlugin

// export default MyPlugin

And this is how I get it in the component:
var MyPlugin = require('./MyPlugin')

If I comment the JSON.stringify line the error stops.
@edit
did what @Saurabh suggested, used 'import' so I had to change the export form of the plugin
//MyPlugin.js
export default MyPlugin

And in the .vue component I did
import MyPlugin from './MyPlugin';

this fixed the error, but what is the reason for this? some webpack configuration? (I'm using the default webpack configuration of vue-cli)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Search Truthout
Economy & Labor
Support Truthout
Truthout on Facebook
Truthout on Twitter
Truthout on Instagram
Truthout RSS Feed
© 2021 Truthout
White House Attempting to Railroad Obamacare Repeal Through Executive Order, After Congressional Embarrassment
Sam Knight,
The District Sentinel
Share via Facebook Share via Twitter Share via Email
Downplaying Trumpism Is Dangerous
Biden Calls for $15 Federal Minimum Wage With Pandemic Relief Package
QAnon Trump Supporter Jacob Chansley Seeks Pardon From Trump for Capitol Breach
2020 Is Tied for the Hottest Year on Record, NASA Says
What to Expect in the Final Days of Trump's Fascist Reign
Homeless Encampment Evictions Highlight the Cruelty of Capitalism Amid COVID
Donald Trump signs an executive order on health care in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, DC on Thursday, October 12, 2017. (Photo: Jabin Botsford / The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Editor's note: President Trump has now announced he will end a key set of Obamacare subsidies that helped lower-income enrollees pay for health care.
President Trump is attempting to relax healthcare rules by fiat after failing repeatedly to pass an Obamacare-rollback law through Congress.
Uncompromised, uncompromising news
Get reliable, independent news and commentary delivered to your inbox every day.
The President signed an executive order on Thursday in an effort to allow the propagation of health insurance plans without key requirements mandated by the Affordable Care Act.
"Every congressional Democrat has blocked the efforts to save Americans from Obamacare along with a very small, frankly, handful of Republicans," Trump said.
The White House rolled out its decree at a ceremony featuring an introduction from one of those Republicans — Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.).
During the Obamacare repeal debate in Congress, the lawmaker made headlines for repeatedly rejecting fellow conservatives' proposals, claiming they left too many regulations in place.
"When you get Rand Paul on your side, it has to be positive," Trump joked.
Thursday's executive order — if upheld by a judge — would allow the sale of plans that don't include some essential healthcare benefits required by the ACA.
It would also relax rules on the formation of business associations, enabling the purchase of insurance across state lines. The order would also permit more reliance on short-term plans with limited benefits.
Democrats reacted to the decree by calling it "sabotage""sabotage" of the Affordable Care Act. If the order is deemed legal, it could lead to higher premiums for ACA-compliant plans — if fewer people sign up for them.
Public opinion polls have shown a majority of Americans throughout the year preferring Obamacare to Republican alternatives.
Meanwhile, about half the country currently wants to implement a single-payer healthcare system — like the sort proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). About one-third of Americans oppose single-payer.
A recent Republican proposal to change federal healthcare expenditures — by changing them into block grants to states — was only approved by 20 percent of the country, according to a CBS poll. Trump said Thursday that he hoped the reform would eventually be approved by Congress.
"I believe we have the votes to do block grants at a little bit later time," he remarked.
Sen. Paul praised Trump's efforts to allow more interstate commerce in insurance markets, calling Thursday's order the "biggest free market reform of healthcare in a generation."
Cross-state deregulation also occurred in another financial industry, in recent decades — in banking, starting in the early 1980s.
Since the move to allow inter-state banking and since the implementation of other free market reforms, the US has played host to three major financial catastrophes — the Savings and Loan Crisis, the Dotcom Bubble, and the Subprime Mortgage Meltdown.
With everything going on in the White House, the media must maintain relentless pressure on the Trump administration. Can you support Truthout in this endeavor? Click here to donate.
We're furious.
White supremacists, conspiracy theorists, and far right extremists have gone unchallenged long enough. The armed rampage at the U.S. Capitol on Jan 6th was not the end of their attacks on democracy.
We urgently need to do more to fight against the far right and its violence — while we still can.
Please join us in our fury and help us amplify the voices of the authors and activists fighting for our future.
Sam Knight
Sam Knight is a reporter, editor and cofounder of The District Sentinel, a news co-op reporting on Washington and federal policy for the left.
Trumpcare May Well Be Collapsing, but the Health Care Fight Is Far From Over
The McConnell-Ryan health plan collapses as conservatives bolt — but progressives have no victory to celebrate.
Heather Digby Parton,
Subscribe Truthout's Latest
Our daily email newsletter will keep you up to date.
Truthout is a nonprofit and depends on your financial support.
Follow @truthout
Follow us for first access to the latest news and analysis.
Truthout on Youtube
©2021 Truthout
To donate by check, phone, bitcoin, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.
Subscribe to Truthout
Get daily news, in-depth reporting and critical analysis from the journalists, activists and thinkers who are working to improve our world..


TORONTO - Dynamic Women of Faith and the Archdiocese of Toronto are joining together to initiate fellowship groups for mothers in parishes across the Greater Toronto Area.
Dorothy Pilarski, founder of the Dynamic Women of Faith conference series, had hosted monthly mothers' group meetings in her kitchen for years. She began the Dynamic Women of Faith conference to expand the message to more women and now she wants to bring it back home. Better yet, she wants to bring it back to the parish.
Pilarski — author of Motherhood Matters, a Catholic Register Books publication — said she is on a mission to "revive the vocation of motherhood." She will be spending this year meeting with "mom leaders" across the archdiocese to initiate groups in about 12 parishes. She reached out to her network of Catholic mothers and said the response has been encouraging.
Ezman said when she was raising her young children, she spent a lot of time on the Internet reading books and blogs, like CatholicMom.com, but she said she still craved that human connection with other women of faith. This is what she hopes to create for the group at her parish.
Pilarski met with a handful of mothers in late April at St. Vincent de Paul Church to brainstorm what their particular parish community needed. They met at 10 a.m. when the older kids are at school and the church is quiet.
Liz Nicassio said she is looking for a spiritual friendship that will help her explore what it means to be a Catholic mother in today's society.
Nicassio and Liz Santoro both expressed topics they want to learn more about in their vocation of motherhood. They wanted to know how to keep their kids Catholic and how to keep their marriage holy. They also suggested more practical topics such as natural family planning and protecting their children from dangers online.
Pilarski has many big dreams for this new project. She said the project is in its early stage, but she is excited to meet again with Fr. Ivan Camilleri, chancellor of spiritual affairs for the Archdiocese of Toronto, to discuss the kind of support the archdiocese will provide moving forward.
This summer, she is also working to have a web site to provide resources and communication for parishes. She is looking at logos, social media campaigns, connecting with guest speakers, collecting resources and sources of spiritual inspiration.
How is this a new thing? If parishes made groups like these and included single Catholic women then that would be a new, praiseworthy thing. We don't appear to matter, however, and are treated like crap by Catholic moms.


Explore the Midora at Woodmont floor plans below. We offer large 1 and 2 bedroom apartment homes with hardwood floors, solid surface countertops, large walk-in closets, modern kitchens with energy efficient appliances, just to name a few. Contact us today!
Midora at Woodmont apartment homes located just off of I-95 and the Florida Turnpike in Tamarac, FL, offers many amenities such as a complimentary coffee bar, bark park, playground area, lakeside swimming pool, outdoor lounge, on-site clubhouse, boat/RV storage and much more! Come visit us today and let us show you how to "Live the Difference!"
Welcome home to Midora at Woodmont located in Tamarac, FL. A picturesque lakeside community nestled within the quiet residential neighborhood of Woodmont, we are conveniently close to Woodmont Country Club and Golf Course, Broward Mall, Coral Square Mall, University Hospital, Tamarac Elementary School, Lauderdale by the Sea, and Pompano Beach. I-95, the Florida Turnpike, and the Sawgrass Expressway are all just minutes away, making commuting around the greater Fort Lauderdale area a breeze.
Comments: Midora at Woodmont is a pet-friendly community; we love our furry friends! There is a one-time, non-refundable pet fee of $450 for the first pet and $250 for the second pet with a monthly pet rent of $15. Breed restrictions apply.
This apartment community is located on 7790 NW 78th Ave in the 33321 zip code. Browse through 1 Bedroom Apts or 2 Bedroom Apts with floorplans ranging from 762 Sq.Ft to 1038 Sq.Ft.The Hawthorne Residential Partners property management company will verify your lease application and send you a timely response. Once you become a resident of Midora at Woodmont, you will be able to pay your rent online, submit maintenance requests, and get community news by logging in securely to your Resident Portal.
Hi, I found the listing for Midora at Woodmont on RENTCafe.com and I am interested to find out more or schedule a visit.


text:
Another Summer of Strategy! Big Brother Renewed for Season 23
By Mike Bloom Parade @AMikeBloomType
More by Mike
A Milestone Season! Everything We Know About Dancing With the Stars Season 30, Including When it May Premiere
Are You Tough as Nails? Here's Everything to Know About Tough as Nails Season 2, Including the Full Cast
Dancing With the Stars' Witney Carson and Lindsay Arnold's New Babies Have Their First Playdate
Big Brother host Julie Chen Moonves. (Courtesy of CBS)
Though we'll be bidding farewell to the Big Brother house for another year tonight, it looks like we'll be seeing it again in 2021, as the CBS reality series has been renewed for another season.
CBS announced the renewal hours before the two-hour finale of season 22, airing tonight from 9 to 11 p.m. ET. The episode will see one of its three remaining returning houseguests—Cody Calafiore, Enzo Palumbo and Nicole Franzel—walk away with the $500,000 prize and accompanying confetti.
"At Big Brother, we always say 'expect the unexpected,'" said Mitch Graham, senior vice president, alternative programming, CBS Entertainment, in a statement. "But 2020 gave us our biggest challenge to date! We could not be prouder of the entire team who delivered a fantastic season under such extreme circumstances. It feels fitting for this unprecedented season to conclude with an announcement of the show's return next summer."
Related: Everything to Know About Big Brother 22 (Including Who's Been Evicted)
This season's all-star season—the first for the franchise since 2006—required a strict protocol for the health and safety of its cast and crew, including cycles of quarantine and constant coronavirus tests. And the results speak for themselves. According to CBS, the Big Brother Live Feeds have been up double-digit percentage points over last season in both total streams and time spent. The season has also seen a bump on social media, with a 75% increase in social interactions from last season.
Related: Check Out the All-Star Comic Lineup for Big Brother 22
While season 22 aired later than normal due to the quarantine process, the announcement for season 23 has confirmed it will return in its proper slot in the summer. Julie Chen Moonves will serve as host, having filled the role since the very first season in 2000. Little is known outside of that, including whether the season will feature all new houseguests, or even what the world will look like next summer. But considering the storm Big Brother has weathered, it looks like clear skies for the summer series.
Next, check out our interview with Big Brother 22 fourth-placer Christmas Abbott.


text:
Mick Foster: Live At The Vortex
Thomas Fletcher
We've had to wait eight years since Mick Foster last released an album but if there was ever an appropriate time to bring out a record, it would seem to be now. Many of us at home have been forced to play our record collections on repeat. Foster's club date gives us a sense of hope we might be able to listen to live music once again.
Recorded in 2018 at The Vortex Jazz Club in London with an unchanged group from his previous album Four Views (Hainault, 2012), the quartet showcases guitarist Dominic Ashworth, Tom Farmer on bass and drummer Tristan Mailliot. With Foster's previous release being a collection of favoured standards, Live At The Vortex demonstrates his ability to write seven original compositions.
The opening track, named Quinta Quinta, is an opportunity for us to experience the warm tone of Foster's baritone saxophone sound. What starts off as a simple melodic theme develops into a contrapuntal tapestry with melodies weaving between each other.
One can only assume that For Astor is dedicated to Astor Piazzolla. Ashworth begins with a romantic solo cadenza before the rest of the musicians enter. Foster this time performs on the alto saxophone which seems to fit appropriately.
Grasshopper is a light-hearted track clearly with a spring in its step. There's a chance for Mailliot to let loose as he trades solos with Ashworth and Foster, all three communicating with flair and expression.
Live At The Vortex shows us that Foster is creative in his writing with a diverse range of compositional styles and influences. These works are then enhanced by an inspirational rhythm section that display ingenuity and intelligence. Aside from his compositional skill, there can be no doubt of Foster's ability to switch effortlessly and convincingly between three contrasting instruments. This is a highly satisfying journey, which operates at a high level in the art of jazz composition. Any young compositional enthusiast like myself can find a wealth of inspiration from this recording.
Quinta Quinta; May Daze; For Astor; Feverish; Sea Change; Candlemas; The Grasshopper (53.43)
Foster (bar, as, ss); Dominic Ashworth (g); Tom Farmer (b); Tristan Mailliot (d). Vortex Jazz Club, London, 2018.
Hainault Records HNT 0015
This is a highly satisfying journey, which operates at a high level in the art of jazz composition. Any young compositional enthusiast like myself can find a wealth of inspiration from this recording.
Previous articleAlex Bird & The Jazz Mavericks: Whisky Kisses
Next articleJoshua Jaswon Octet: Silent Sea
Gwilym Simcock: Near And Now
Gareth Thomas - 09 June 2019
Gwilym Simcock's versatility as a musician has seen him perform with singers, big bands and orchestras. With his latest album, Near And Now – recorded for solo piano at...
Eddie Henderson: Shuffle And Deal
Dominic Ingham: Role Models
Mike Clark, the Oakland Groove behind Herbie, Chet and Charlie Brown /2
Mark Youll - 14 July 2020
By 1967, and with a great deal of playing experience to his credit, Clark turned 21 and moved to Oakland. Adding to his already impressive resumé, he was now...
Lionel Hampton: an abiding inspiration /2
Paul Booth: 'What matters is whether it's good or not'
Mike Osborne, powerful and passionate
Jazz Journal - 14 January 2019
It was good to see Barry Witherden's piece on Mike Osborne. Ossie was one of a select group of unique and original players who graced the British jazz scene...
Still Clinging To The Wreckage 07/20, part 2
JJ 12/80: Sonny Rollins at Royal Festival Hall
Jazz Journal - 31 December 2020
From the opening bars of the first number Sonny Rollins achieved instantaneous rapport with the capacity audience whilst also revealing his complete physical absorption in the act of playing....
JJ 04/70: The Problem of Pop, by Richard 'Dig' Fairweather
Leon Nock - 10 March 2020
I learned everything I know about Buddy Bolden from Hear Me Talkin' To Ya, the one indispensable book about jazz from soup to nuts, co-edited by Nat Hentoff and...
Bill Evans: Time Remembered – The Life And Music Of Bill...


text:
In vitro production of distinct dendritic-like antigen-presenting cells from self-renewing hematopoietic stem cells
Rebecca A Hinton, Helen C O'Neill
A novel CD11c(lo)CD11b(hi)MHC-II⁻CD8α⁻ dendritic-like cell (L-DC) develops in cocultures of bone marrow over splenic stroma. L-DCs are distinct from other DC subsets and have potential importance in spleen for immunity to blood-borne antigens. As production is maintained in cultures for >12 months, L-DC development evidently depends on self-renewing progenitors. To improve this culture system, highly purified HSCs were sorted from bone marrow and used to establish cocultures. Nonadherent cells produced were analyzed for surface marker expression and capacity to activate/inhibit T cells. Cocultures produced a pure population of L-DCs for up to 12 months, which were strong activators of CD8⁺ T cells. The in vitro production of a pure population of L-DCs from HSCs--in numbers amenable to in vitro assays of function and development--therefore represents an important advance.
Journal of Leukocyte Biology
https://doi.org/10.1189/jlb.0611302
Antigen-Presenting Cells
Coculture Techniques
Hinton, R. A., & O'Neill, H. C. (2012). Technical advance: In vitro production of distinct dendritic-like antigen-presenting cells from self-renewing hematopoietic stem cells. Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 91(2), 341-6. https://doi.org/10.1189/jlb.0611302
Hinton, Rebecca A ; O'Neill, Helen C. / Technical advance : In vitro production of distinct dendritic-like antigen-presenting cells from self-renewing hematopoietic stem cells. In: Journal of Leukocyte Biology. 2012 ; Vol. 91, No. 2. pp. 341-6.
@article{fea2802ed3ff4bc39dbe8ff44230c5cb,
title = "Technical advance: In vitro production of distinct dendritic-like antigen-presenting cells from self-renewing hematopoietic stem cells",
abstract = "A novel CD11c(lo)CD11b(hi)MHC-II⁻CD8α⁻ dendritic-like cell (L-DC) develops in cocultures of bone marrow over splenic stroma. L-DCs are distinct from other DC subsets and have potential importance in spleen for immunity to blood-borne antigens. As production is maintained in cultures for >12 months, L-DC development evidently depends on self-renewing progenitors. To improve this culture system, highly purified HSCs were sorted from bone marrow and used to establish cocultures. Nonadherent cells produced were analyzed for surface marker expression and capacity to activate/inhibit T cells. Cocultures produced a pure population of L-DCs for up to 12 months, which were strong activators of CD8⁺ T cells. The in vitro production of a pure population of L-DCs from HSCs--in numbers amenable to in vitro assays of function and development--therefore represents an important advance.",
author = "Hinton, {Rebecca A} and O'Neill, {Helen C}",
doi = "10.1189/jlb.0611302",
pages = "341--6",
journal = "Journal of Leukocyte Biology",
publisher = "FEDERATION AMER SOC EXP BIOL",
Hinton, RA & O'Neill, HC 2012, 'Technical advance: In vitro production of distinct dendritic-like antigen-presenting cells from self-renewing hematopoietic stem cells', Journal of Leukocyte Biology, vol. 91, no. 2, pp. 341-6. https://doi.org/10.1189/jlb.0611302
Technical advance : In vitro production of distinct dendritic-like antigen-presenting cells from self-renewing hematopoietic stem cells. / Hinton, Rebecca A; O'Neill, Helen C.
In: Journal of Leukocyte Biology, Vol. 91, No. 2, 02.2012, p. 341-6.
T1 - Technical advance
T2 - In vitro production of distinct dendritic-like antigen-presenting cells from self-renewing hematopoietic stem cells
AU - Hinton, Rebecca A
N2 - A novel CD11c(lo)CD11b(hi)MHC-II⁻CD8α⁻ dendritic-like cell (L-DC) develops in cocultures of bone marrow over splenic stroma. L-DCs are distinct from other DC subsets and have potential importance in spleen for immunity to blood-borne antigens. As production is maintained in cultures for >12 months, L-DC development evidently depends on self-renewing progenitors. To improve this culture system, highly purified HSCs were sorted from bone marrow and used to establish cocultures. Nonadherent cells produced were analyzed for surface marker expression and capacity to activate/inhibit T cells. Cocultures produced a pure population of L-DCs for up to 12 months, which were strong activators of CD8⁺ T cells. The in vitro production of a pure population of L-DCs from HSCs--in numbers amenable to in vitro assays of function and development--therefore represents an important advance.
AB - A novel CD11c(lo)CD11b(hi)MHC-II⁻CD8α⁻ dendritic-like cell (L-DC) develops in cocultures of bone marrow over splenic stroma. L-DCs are distinct from other DC subsets and have potential importance in spleen for immunity to blood-borne antigens. As production is maintained in cultures for >12 months, L-DC development evidently depends on self-renewing progenitors. To improve this culture system, highly purified HSCs were sorted from bone marrow and used to establish cocultures. Nonadherent cells produced were analyzed for surface marker expression and capacity to activate/inhibit T cells. Cocultures produced a pure population of L-DCs for up to 12 months, which were strong activators of CD8⁺ T cells. The in vitro production of a pure population of L-DCs from HSCs--in numbers amenable to in vitro assays of function and development--therefore represents an important advance.
U2 - 10.1189/jlb.0611302
DO - 10.1189/jlb.0611302
JO - Journal of Leukocyte Biology
JF - Journal of Leukocyte Biology
Hinton RA, O'Neill HC. Technical advance: In vitro production of distinct dendritic-like antigen-presenting cells from self-renewing hematopoietic stem cells. Journal of Leukocyte Biology. 2012 Feb;91(2):341-6. https://doi.org/10.1189/jlb.0611302
10.1189/jlb.0611302Licence: Free to read


rootaction.net » Book Swap Goodness, maybe!
Home » Book Swap Goodness, maybe!
They use some sort of point system, you accrue points based on books you have that people want. Then you spend them on books you want, and pay only the shipping.
← Ert Þu að læra ͍slensku?


The Development of Hippocampus: Epileptogenesis and Interneuron Dendrite.
The Effect of Pentoxifylline on IL-1beta and TNF-alpha mRNA Gene Expression in Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury of Immature Rat.
Psychosocial Assessment of Children with Epilepsy.
Role of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone Secretion in Hyponatremia associated with Febrile Convulsions.
Pathogenesis and Correlations of Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid Zinc Levels in Febrile Convulsions.
Levels of Sodium and Zinc Concentration in Febrile Convulsion.
Analysis of Brain Evoked Potential Study in Cerebral Palsy Patients.
Intracranial Hemorrhage in Late Hemorrhagic Disease of the Newborn: Brain Computed Tomographic Findings.
A Clinical Study of Comorbidity of ADHD.
Deletion of the Long Arm of Chromosome 6 Associated with Arachnoid Cyst and Brain Atropy.
A Case of Acute Motor Axonal Neuropathy.


text:
Ninja Scroll: The Series
Ninja Scroll: The Series Episode 8 English Subbed at KissAnime
Fourteen years after defeating the immortal warrior Himuro Genma and thwarting the Shogun of the Dark's evil plans, Kibagami Jubei continues to roam all over Japan as a masterless... More info
Ninja Scroll: The Series Episode 8
Ninja Scroll: The Series ep 8 english sub
Where to watch Ninja Scroll: The Series Episode 8
Ninja Scroll: The Series anime Episode 8 free online
Ninja Scroll: The Series Episode 8 KissAnime
Fairy Tail Series 2
Episode 102 2014 TV Series
The Grand Magic Games reaches its climax following Natsu Dragneel and Gajeel Redfox's stunning victory over Sting Eucliffe and Rogue Cheney of the Sabertooth guild. This success pushes the Fairy Tail guild closer to being crowned the overall champions, but obtaining victory isn't the only challenge they face. A mystery…
Ninja Slayer from Animation
Ninja... Ninja were... merciless demi-gods, ruling Japan with their karate in the age of ninja tranquillity. But, "some" committed a forbidden form of hara-kiri storing their souls at Kinkaku Temple for future resurrection. Their lost history was falsified and concealed and the truth about these ninja was long forgotten.…
Apparitions, oddities, and gods continue to manifest around Koyomi Araragi and his close-knit group of friends: Tsubasa Hanekawa, the group's modest genius; Shinobu Oshino, the resident doughnut-loving vampire; athletic deviant Suruga Kanbaru; bite-happy spirit Mayoi Hachikuji; Koyomi's cutesy stalker Nadeko Sengoku; and…
Genres: Comedy Supernatural Mystery
Shakugan no Shana S: OVA Series
Find out what happens when Yuji accidentally triggers a found Treasure Tool while it's pointed at Shana! Then, Yuji teams up with Wilhelmina to stalk their fiery friend—whose secrecy has become unsettling. Finally, in a two-part special, Shana tracks a Denizen's trail by sorting through a Torch's memories for clues. Her…
Genres: Action Drama Fantasy
Blue Literature Series
Ningen Shikkaku A high school student seeks solace in narcotics to escape the dispiritedness that has come over his life. As he goes through the different stages of his life, it culminates in the questioning of his existence in the world.Sakura no Mori no Mankai no Shita The adaptation of Ango Sakaguchi's literary work…
Genres: Drama Historical Psychological
Senran Kagura: Ninja Flash! (Dub)
The Hanzo Academy is a prestigious prep school with a secret known only to a select few. Behind its walls is a training course for shinobi; trained spies and assassins that centuries ago had served the shoguns for their political and military needs. Today the tradition continues with five young female trainees with diverse…
Genres: Action Comedy School
Ninja Senshi Tobikage
Ninja Senshi Tobikage tells the story of a boy named Joe Maya. One day, Joe, who lives on Mars, witnesses a battle between aliens. Those from Planet Zaboom are attacking the princess of Planet Radorio, she has escaped from the emperor of Zaboom who is scheming to conquer the universe and has crash landed on mars. Joe stumbles…
Genres: Adventure Sci-Fi Shounen
Tsubasa Chronicle 2nd Series
Syaoran, Sakura, Kurogane, Fai and Mokona's journey through to different world's continue as they search for Sakura's feathers. The fated journey slowly becomes more complicated for our travelers, as they find themselves diving deeper into more dangerous worlds. Takes place immediately after the first season. Based on…
Hetalia World Series
The third and fourth seasons of the Hetalia Axis Powers anime. A continuation of the first 2 seasons under a new name, still adapting the online webcomics drawn by Himaruya Hidekaz. Based on a popular web-released manga series by Hidekazu Himaruya, this has been described as a "cynical gag" story set in Europe in the years…
Genres: Comedy Historical Parody
Jubei-chan the Ninja Girl: Secret of the Lovely Eyepatch
Jiyu Nanohana is an ordinary schoolgirl until she runs across a scatterbrained 300 year old samurai who tells her that she is the reincarnation of Yagyu Jubei. With the help of the "Lovely Eyepatch" she transforms into the legendary swordsman whenever she needs to use his awesome fighting ability, which she needs to do…
Jubei Chan the Ninja Girl 2: The Counterattack of Siberia Yagyu (Dub)
Three hundred years ago, in the frigid land of Siberia, Jubei Yagyu engaged in a fierce battle with Kitaretsusai of the Northern Yagyu clan. The duel was costly, as his daughter Freesia was frozen in suspended animation. As a result of global warming in the present day, Freesia breaks free from her icy grave and moves…
Genres: Adventure Comedy Drama
NARUTO Spin-Off: Rock Lee & His Ninja Pals
Welcome to the Hidden Leaf Village. The village where Uzumaki Naruto, star of the TV show "Naruto" makes his home. Every day, countless powerful ninjas carry out missions and train to hone their skills. Our main character is one of these powerful ninjas...but it's not Naruto! It's the ninja who can't use ninjutsu, Rock…
Genres: Action Comedy Parody
The Story of Saiunkoku Second Series
Shuurei needs to deal with more obstacles in the new series. More danger comes her way but at the same time meeting friends who will help her with her work as an official.
Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow
Naruto Uzumaki and his squadmates, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno, are sent on a mission to escort a movie crew on its way to film in the Land of Snow. They soon find out that they are accompanying a famous actress, Yukie Fujikaze, who persistently refuses to travel there, making the trip far more difficult than originally…
Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie
Returning home to Konohagakure, the young ninja celebrate defeating a group of supposed Akatsuki members. Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno, however, feel differently. Naruto is jealous of his comrades' congratulatory families, wishing for the presence of his own parents. Sakura, on the other hand, is angry at her embarrassing…
Genres: Action Adventure Martial Arts
Ninja Scroll: The Series Anime Online Episode 8 - KissAnime


My friend Alexandra recommended this product to me, even though she wasn't yet seeing results after a couple of weeks of use. But on the strength of its ingredients, she suggested I give it a try, as Ive been plagued by upper lip lines since my mid-thirties. I've only been using the product for a few days, but Alex tells me that she's finally seeing a great change after three weeks. She's delighted, and having seen her recently, I'm impressed. Just wanted to share this update on the product's effectiveness - I hope it will work as well for me, but I'll be sure to be patient! Based on Alex's results, I'm giving it an overall 5-star rating.
Started using this cream twice daily over two weeks ago, and have yet to see any results. I'm in my late forties, and the vertical lines on my upper lip, while becoming more pronounced, are not deep. Tried this product in a hopeful way, and will continue to do so, but I'm not yet seeing any improvement at all. I was surprised to read the instructions to avoid getting the product directly on the lips, as including the lip line seems crucial. As careful as I am about avoiding applying the cream directly to my lips, and even more careful about then eating, drinking or touching my lips with my tongue, I notice a slight taste on the tip of my tongue after applying the product. It has some great, highly effective ingredients, so I will continue to use this product and hope for some visible improvement.
I used this a few times on my upper lip and each time broke out really bad. I've tried a few lip line treatments and this is the only one that made me break out.
Great initial results!! Helps lip line bleeding and noticed a difference in fine lines in only a few weeks of use!
This is the best upper lip cream I have found out there! Tried alot at 48yrs old and it softens and helps the discoloration of the space between your nose and lip. Excellent!
I have tried a lot of products to address "upper lip aging" and have not been too happy. This product, however, is impressive after two weeks of use. No irritation, no lipstick bleeding and I do notice some fading of lip lines. Based on these early results I expect improvement to continue. I would have rated it 5 stars but will give it a minimum of 6-8 weeks which I think is realistic when using these "lip" products. I would defintely recommend it based on my initial results.
Recently, I was dismayed with the noticeable changes I saw in my face. The vertical lines above my upper lip and the tiny wrinkles on my chin. After seeing this product and reading the reviews I had to try it. I have applied it twice so far and in less than 12 hours I can already see an improvement, even in the perioral area which were not bad. This product is wonderful and a answer to a prayer. It will definitely remain part of my daily basic regiment!
I am soooo happy that I got this. I smoke 5-6 cigarettes a day (I know it's awful but I'm addicted) and have lip lines and nicotine stains. The constant inhale/exhale has formed the lines and the yellow staining has caused my upper lip to look shadowy. In less than 2 months I can see a considerable difference, my husband has noticed and so has my dermatologist. It has made my lips look good again.
I purchased this product 3 weeks ago, and saw an immediate difference. It worked so well, my husband even noticed that my fine lines disappeared, and my lips looked better.


Heathkit it still the King ...... for now!
This month's poll on my Website posed the question: "Which of the following kit types have you built?"
I was a prolific Heathkit builder; and in fact towards the latter part of their existence, I qualified for inclusion into their "Master Kit Builder" program or whatever it was called. I not only built a ton of Amateur Radio gear; but most of my sound system was Heathkit product, also. I think I had my own personal UPS truck route between Benton Harbor and my house back in the day!
This is how the voting rounded out, with 73 votes having been cast. I guess this was a popular topic!
Elecraft (11 votes) for 15.07% of the poll.
Small Wonder Labs (8 votes) for 10.96% percent of the poll.
Emtech (3 votes) for 4.11% of the poll.
Oak Hills Research (9 votes) for 12.33% of the poll.
Wilderness Radio (3 votes) for 4.11% of the poll.
Steve Weber KJ1DV kits (5 votes) for 6.85% of the poll.
Ten Tec (6 votes) for 8.22% of the poll.
Kanga Kits (3 votes) for 4.11% of the poll.
"Other" (9 votes) for 12.33% of the poll.
So Heathkit, Elecraft, Oak Hills Research and Small Wonder Labs were the top four vote getters and between the four of them, they accounted for 60.28% (over half and almost 2/3 !) of the poll.
Personally, I have built Heathkit, Elecraft, Small Wonder Labs, Emtech, Oak Hills Research and Steve Weber kits - currently working (very slowly) on an ATS-3.
It's good to see such an interest in QRP and such an interest in kit building. Now I have to think of a topic for February ..... hmmmmmmm. Check my Website tonight for a new vote!
Ever since I earned my Amateur Radio license, I have always subscribed to three periodicals. From the very beginning, I have always received QST, CQ and WorldRadio. For a time I was also a subscriber to 73 magazine; but I kind of gave that up when I just couldn't take Wayne Green's conspiracy theories anymore.
From the get go, WorldRadio was always my favorite followed by QST and then CQ. CQ was always a journal devoted to contesting; or so it seemed to me. WorldRadio had all the neat "here is what Amateur Radio is doing for the world" type of stories; while QST was always the flashiest. CQ was CQ and I think I used to get it just to get it.
Over the years, my tastes have changed and perhaps, the magazines also. My favorites now are CQ and still WorldRadio. WorldRadio is a friendly constant. I know I am going to enjoy each issue and I always have a good time reading it. CQ Magazine has changed a lot in my mind; or maybe I have. I'm still not pulled to the contesting content so much; but there is so much more in CQ than there ever was before (at least in my humble opinion).
I love the editorials by Rich Moseson W2VU. Rich is clearly a common sense kind of guy. I may not always agree with his point of view; but once you've read a few of his editorials, it's clear that he has the best interests of Amateur Radio at heart. And perhaps even more importantly, it is obvious that he still loves and is passionate about the hobby.
CQ also has one writer who I hope never moves on or goes away. Dave Ingram K4TWJ is perhaps the best part of CQ magazine. He covers various topics ..... QRP, CW (you can tell why he's my favorite!), new products and other special features. From his articles, you'd have to be totally unaware to fail to miss how much he loves Ham radio. His articles are always entertaining, educational and his enthusiasm is infectious. I've had the opportunity to talk with Dave a few times on the air and a couple of times on the telephone. He is one of the most gracious and sincere gentlemen that you could ever want to meet.
QST is QST. It has some good stuff in there from time to time; but it just doesn't pull me like it used to. I get it every month without fail as a Lifetime Member of the ARRL (I'll go into my feelings on THAT in a future post). Most of it is over my head; but every now and then they have a construction article that I can sink my teeth into. But when I come home from work and look at the mail on the dining room table; and I see that the new issue of WorldRadio or CQ has come ....... now THAT makes my day!
It's a link to a Dilbert cartoon video. I think you'll enjoy it if you don't get annoyed by the association of Ham Radio operators to geeks. One of the hazards of loving a technical hobby that most folks don't understand.
No way I could do this!
The following link appeared on QRP-L today, courtesy of Charles, W3KC.
I love antennas just as much as the next Ham; and I realize that this is a commercial installation; but there is NO WAY that I could do this! I really have to respect the guys who can, though.
Even though it's a commercial for Coca-Cola .... enjoy the visuals! What got to me was the footage of the birds flying!
Maybe I'm just in a dour mood.
The Report and Order by the FCC removing the requirement for a Morse Code examination in order to allow an Amateur Radio operator to operate below 30 MHz was published in the Federal Register the other day. Thus, 30 days later on February 23, 2007 the long standing tradition that Ham radio operators must know Morse Code to get on the HF bands will be history.
I question the wisdom of this action. I question the wisdom of any action where standards are lowered and tradition is chucked out the window in favor of expedience. I fear we will suffer from the consequences of this some day, perhaps sooner than later. But the Genie is out of the bottle and I doubt anything will ever be done to stuff it back in and reinsert the cork.
What boils my onions is that the ARRL is so damned happy about it! On their Website, in the pages of QST, in the ARRL bulletins there is, in my opinion, a underlying level of giddiness akin to a youngster finding presents under the tree on Christmas morning. This is sad. The motives for the League's position on the issue were always suspect to me. Now, the harsh light of daylight is showing them for what they truly were. It was never about the "advancement" of Amateur Radio; it always about the money. Somewhere I read of their breathless announcement of how on the day the R&O was released they had 500 inquiries on how to become acquire an Amateur Radio license. Wow ...... 500 more opportunities to sell license manuals, CDs, books, etc. The old advice of "follow the money" never seemed truer than it turned out to be in this case.
I doubt that the elimination of the Code will mean a long term and dramatic increase in the number of Amateur Radio licensees. There will probably be a short term increase; but I doubt it will be the sustained growth spurt that the League touts as their reason for wanting the elimination of the Code requirement. All the doom-sayers who have Amateur Radio dead and buried think that the Code was an obstacle to the growth of the hobby. I think that's just a bunch of hooey; just another urban myth that took on a life of its own. Amateur Radio numbers are just about as high as they've ever been. Just because the influx of new Hams tends to be from an older demographic doesn't necessarily mean the end days of the service. Furthermore, if it is truly the "Amateur Radio Service" then I think the attitude and focus should be on quality and not quantity. An Amateur Radio license should not be regarded as a birthright. It is a privilege earned by study, hard work, desire and discipline. One of my bosses once warned me that when a customer receives something for free, then that item or service no longer has any value. It's not something that was end result of work; it becomes a trinket that was just freely given and loses whatever intrinsic value it once had held.
The bottom line seems to me to be that the FCC is just doing whatever they can to make the Amateur Radio service less work for them; and that ARRL is doing its part to make the Amateur Radio service into a moneymaker for them.
After "Monk", I settled in for a few QSOs. One was of particular interest. Bob K8CCG answered my CQ on 80 Meters, right in the vicinity of the QRP "watering hole" of 3.560 MHz. Bob lives in Muskegon, Michigan and he was using a home brewed transmitter. Bob was putting out 500 mW (1/2 a Watt) to a dipole. He had a very good 569 signal into New Jersey which actually peaked up at 589 when the QSB would go away. Bob had a very tiny bit of chirp on his signal which was not objectionable at all; but still was not a perfect tone note. I'm definitely no radio Einstein; but I think that Bob was suffering from some kind of parasitic oscillations in the oscillator section of his transmitter. He was monitoring his own signal; so he actually informed me about them.
I hear guys like Bob, putting their own home designed and built equipment on the air; and I just give out a heavy sigh! I wish I was talented and knowledgeable to do stuff like that. Maybe this year I should concentrate on building a few simple items from scratch instead of concentrating on kits. I do have a Tuna Tin 2 to build; and I ordered all the parts I need from Mouser to homebrew a 40 Meter receiver. Not my own design; but it will be my own construction from scratch. I guess everybody's got to start somewhere ..... right?
There was a pleasant surprise in today's e-mail. The latest issue of the e-zine, "The K9YA Telegraph" was witing for me in my e-mail inbox.
"The K9YA Telegraph" is written for Amateur Radio ops who happen to be aficionados of Morse Code and CW. The publication, which comes out monthly, has a whole slew of articles written about interesting topics that relate to Ham Radio and CW. Best of all, it's free! How can you beat that?
This month's issue includes articles about veteran Amateur Radio ops memories about operating during the Cold War in an article fittingly entitled "Cold War Tales"; as well as a great article about straight keys called "The Black Bouncer". Each issue contains about 3 or 4 subjects and I guarantee that you are in for a good read!
and subscribe today. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain! You can even print out copies of the issues in case you have a burning need to take them into "The Library" with you!
Tonight was the beginning of the second half of the Foxhunt season. I shared 80 Meter duty with Randy K7TQ. It was a strange night. As the Foxhunts start at 9:00 PM local time, here in New Jersey, I went down to the shack to turn everything on and get everything going with about 20 minutes to go. 80 Meters was nice and quiet. A faint hiss was all the background noise I was getting, which was leading me to think that it was going to be a great night. With 10 minutes to go - same thing. I'm getting real confident now. At this point, I came upstairs to bring a glass of water with me to sip on during the Foxhunt. I picked up the headphones, plop them on my head to just to hear an S5 background noise level! What happened! In just a few minutes, 80 Meters went from sublime to a wreck!
I called "CQ Fox" and was greeted by nothing but noise. That I didn't hear my first Hound until four minutes into the hunt was not a good omen. It turned out that the entire 90 minutes became a struggle between me and the QRN. It was not the fun night that I hoped it would be; and I was doubly disappointed as I did not exceed my QSO total from the first hunt. That was my goal. I used every trick in the arsenal to pull out signals from the noise. That I worked 34 stations in the 90 minutes is probably very good under the circumstances. However, I expected more out of myself and am a bit disappointed. Sometimes, I'm my own worst enemy.
Everyday, I read John Shannon's (K3WWP) "diary" or blog with intetrest. I noticed that in the entry for January 21st, he writes about corresponding with a Ham who seems to have no luck whatsoever with QRP.
I always kind of marvel at that, now. I can understand it though, because when I was first getting into QRP I also found it hard to wean off the dependency of 100 Watts. But as you make more and more QRP QSOs, you realize that it's not so much the Watts; but what it is that you do with the Watts you have.
While 5 Watts to a bedspring might cut it during a sunspot maximum, it's definitely not going to during a sunspot minimum. A decent antenna makes life easier. It doesn't have to be a monoband Yagi at 100 feet! Regular ol' vanilla wire antennas do a great job. Even attic antennas for those who are covenant restricted will do a decent job with a bit more patience.
But I think one of the major factors is that QRP is a mindset. If you have it in your brain that you will make QSOs, you will! One should not try QRP expecting to fail. If you think you're going to fail; then you will get easily frustrated and you most undoubtedly will.
The most successful QRPers are the ones who know their equipment inside and out. They know how to use it to its full advantage. They understand propagation (even if it's only the basics) and they use that knowledge to their advantage. They have patience and skill; but most of all they know that 5 Watts is not a serious handicap or limit and they operate that way. And boy, do they have the QSO tallies and contest awards and operating awards to show for it!
QRP is not for everybody, especially those who are totally dependent on instant gratification. But if you put your mind to it; I think you'll be quite surprised with the results you get.
Watching the 10:00 PM News, I see where the State of New Jersey is stepping into the public schools and will remove all "junk food" from any vending machines present in the school buildings.
You can't have M&Ms or potato chips with your lunch; but you can get an abortion without your parents ever finding out. In this state, if you have a headache in school, the nurse is not allowed to give you an aspirin without your parent's permission; but you can walk into the principal's office and get free condoms.
Is this state totally screwed up, or what?
It seems the only section of the country that was getting Winter was the Rockies and Plains with the serious snows that they have been getting. Winter here in the NorthEast has been more like Spring! Christmas felt more like Easter and most of January felt like March or April.
That was until a few days ago. As I sit here typing this, my indoor/outdoor thermometer is letting me know that it's only 19 degrees outside. However, if you dare go outside, it feel more like zero; or below. The wind is bad; and the wind chill effect is dramatic.
We have been fortunate to have such good weather so far. It has been so much warmer than normal. However, after experiencing that, these normal or even slightly below normal temperatures feel a ton worse than they would any other year! I am constantly trying to stay warm. I have layers on and am for the most part, pretty comfortable. But my hands are another story. Trying to keep them warm is a battle. And sending code is just a bit of a struggle when the digits are not toasty warm.
We keep the house at 66 or 67 degrees. The shack, which is in the basement is at about 63 or 64 degrees. I can't stay down there too long in weather like this without coming upstairs for frequent warm-up breaks.
Last summer, I bought a used Dell Inspiron laptop from where I work. The intention was to upgrade my laptop situation in the shack. I have been using an old Toshiba Satellite laptop; which I had also bought used, for a song. While the price was minimal, I was reminded that you get what you pay for. I should have known I was in for a less than optimum experience as the previous owner had a sticker of a picture of a snail stuck on the top half of the computer, near the screen. Shortly after I purchased the Toshiba, the sound card failed so I couldn't even use the computer for the digital modes.
The Dell was a step up; but I screwed it up totally, right after buying it. I thought I had turned the computer off and I folded it up and put it in it's case, to bring it home. When I got it home, I realized that the computer had been left on and it was very, very, very hot! Trying to turn it back on again yielded nothing. I must had damaged the power connection on the motherboard as the computer wouldn't even run off the AC adapter. This was definitely a Homer Simpson moment.
A few weeks ago, I put the computer on eBay for parts; and I sold it "as is". I got a goodly amount for it, much to my surprise. In turn, I scoured eBay and bought a Dell Latitude, which is a lesser model. I ended up getting it for about 10 bucks less than what I sold the Inspiron for. It's not as fancy as the Inspiron; but it works and it has a working sound card. Now one of these days, when I actually get some time, I will load up Spectrogram and will finally really nail the alignment of my K2's filters.
The computer has a 10 Gigabyte hard drive. It's running Windows 2000, which has chewed up a large chunk of that hard drive; but there is more than 5 Gigabytes left. For the few Amateur Radio programs that I will be putting on there, that's more than enough space. It came with a detachable floppy and a CD ROM drive. All in all, it's a good little laptop and will serve my purposes well.
Tonight was the monthly North American QRP CW Club (NAQCC) Sprint. Band conditions seemed to be excellent! 40 Meters was quiet with only very small amounts of local noise. 80 Meters was even better. So why did I manage only 28 QSOs in the two hours?
I just couldn't seem to get into a groove. At least twice, I started running a frequency, only to have another station stomp all over me and take over said frequency. Hey, doesn't anyone listen or send a "QRL?" before they put hand to key, anymore ???? I thought that most members of the NAQCC were of the highest caliber; but sadly I am becoming disappointed.
I realize that folks get caught up in the moment of competition; but that's no reason to stop extending common courtesy.
In any event, the whole evening seemed out of kilter after that. I never got a good rhythm going and ended up wasting too much time "searching and pouncing" or looking for a clear frequency. I know, sounds like whiney excuse making; but that's just the way it was. Maybe next month will be better.
Saturday January 6th was the Twelfth Day of Christmas. Since I've grown up, this day which is the Feast of the Epiphany, is also known as "Little Christmas". This is the day Christians celebrate the visit of the Magi to the manger in Bethlehem. In many eastern Christian cultures, THIS is the day for celebration and gift giving.
It was an appropriate day, then, that the USPS delivered my LTA SKCC straight key from Morse Express in Denver, CO. This was the straight key that my wife Marianne had given to me as a Christmas gift.
It is a beautiful key! Since I already own an LTA Cootie key, I had an idea of what the quality of this key would be even before it arrived. I was not disappointed. The construction is beautiful; and the 18K gold plating makes this instrument shine.
But this key has what it takes beyond good looks. I was able to adjust it to my preferred settings quite easily. I like the contact gap to be just a titch wider than the thickness of a few pieces of paper. I get a more positive sense of key closure this way, without it being so wide that using the key becomes tiresome. Same thing goes for spring tension. I like the key to be tensioned so that the key opens very easily; but at the same time, it doesn't take me a whole lot of effort to close the contact. That would make for choppy dits and is unacceptable to me.
The bottom line is the key looks wonderful and operates the same way. There is a distinct but gentle "clackiness" in using the key that is pleasant and doesn't become bothersome. The engraving of the Staright Key Century Club logo on the key's arm was done quite well. Mine also has the engraved serial number "33", meaning it was the 33rd key maunfactured in however long the SKCC series lasts.
Ward Silver, NØAX writes the ARRL's "Contest Rate Sheet". Ward has been so very helpful to me in aiding me to get the word out about "Runs For the Bacon" and the NAQCC Monthly Sprints. This eloquent essay on Morse Code, by Ward, appeared on the Straght Key Century Club e-mail reflector, earlier today.
Regarding the end of CW testing and the future of CW on the airwaves, I thought this statement from Paul W9AC was worth consideration, "An artist does not stop painting because cameras can more accurately capture an image." Nor does a fly fisherman stop fishing because there are fish in the store or a sailor scrap his sailboat because a power cruiser can go faster.
Morse will be a part of ham radio for a long time, as long as someone wants to use it. Well, as long as TWO people want to use it. The question is whether it will drift off into obscurity or stay healthy. For inspiration, we can look to RTTY - the fastest growing contest mode of all! Who would have thought ten years ago that would be the case today? RTTY required an external gadget, cables everywhere, strange filtering, and so forth. Today, with a simple audio interface, a computer sound card, and free or cheap software, anybody can get on RTTY. Wow! Looked at the RTTY contest scores lately?
In the CW universe, high-speed Morse competition based on RUFZ and other programs is attracting some good young operators. The speeds are ridiculous - 200 wpm has been reached - and I don't expect to hear dots and dashes flying by quite that fast on 40 meters. In fact, I can't hear dots and dashes AT ALL at 200 wpm. It's like bar code! Nevertheless, there is plenty of interest to be tapped.
That's where you come in, of course. Lift that chin up and let's see if we can't actually make a compelling story out of Morse on the airwaves. I can say for sure that we won't convince a single person to take it up by loudly claiming that the hobby is all "dumbed down." When a prospective customer hears that sort of talk, the chances are pretty good that they'll just keep their money in their pocket as they walk on down the street.
Bravo, Ward - from your "pen" to God's ear!
A California radio amateur played a part in an international effort to rescue a US sailor attempting to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe. Miguel ''Mike'' Morales, KC6CYK, of Riverside, told ARRL he was able to contact fellow radio amateurs in Chile to obtain and relay reassuring information to the family of Ken Barnes, whose 44-foot ketch Pivateer was foundering off South America. A Chilean trawler, Polar Pesca 1, rescued Barnes from his disabled vessel on January 5. Upon learning of Barnes's predicament on January 2, Morales said he contacted the sailor's fiance, Cathy Chambers.
Morales speaks fluent Spanish and has visited Chile and knew ''the way things operate down there.'' As a result, he says, he was able to obtain credible reports via his 10-meter contacts as to what was happening.
Morales said he was able to gather information via his Chilean ham radio contacts from the Polar Pesca 1. He relayed information about Barnes's location and when he was going to be rescued. Morales said he felt it was important for the family to know Barnes's situation and how the rescue plans were playing out.
Barnes, who's 47, left Long Beach, California, late last October, hoping to be the first person to sail around the world from the West Coast. A severe storm dismasted, badly damaged the vessel and soaked his supplies.
The Chilean Navy dispatched one of the CP3 Orion aircraft Chile uses to patrol its 200-mile-offshore territorial claim. The plane spotted the foundering vessel, photographed it and even attempted to drop a life raft that missed its mark. The Chilean Navy coordinated the operation and recruited the Polar Pesca 1 to undertake the actual rescue, although Morales says the US Coast Guard agreed to cover the expense. At that point he was able to pass along news to the family that the trawler was en route to Barnes's location.
Barnes is scheduled to return home to California this week, and Morales will be among those on hand to welcome him.
This is just one instance out of thousands in Amateur Radio's long history, where life and limb have been saved due to the efforts of "Joe Ham". It makes you pround to be an Amateur Radio op.
Well, even if the ARRL and the FCC have given up on Morse Code, it seems the National Security Agency hasn't. At their Website, they have a game featured to get the youngsters excited about learning Morse Code.
will get you there. Click on "Operation Dit-Dah" when it comes up near the bottom of the screen. I had a good time with it; and oft times I've been accused of being "just a big kid"; so if this big kid liked it, your little ones should, too.
Thanks, NSA! It's nice to see that the "grown-ups" are still behind the scenes taking care of things. The FCC and the ARRL would do good to start taking notes!
I was out in my backyard working out the bugs in QRP portable setup.
There was a table on my patio that I setup my station on. Then I tossed my combo 20 meter half wave, 40 meter 1/4 wave up in the tree and sat down at the table. Turned on the K1, tuned up the antenna on 20 meters and listened around for QRP stations. Nothing on as it was pretty late in the afternoon. Tuned up the antenna on 40 and then over to 7.040 I went. Heard a loud station and called him when he finished his QSO. We had a nice chat and wished each other a Happy New Year.
That's when the beauty of CW hit me. I had been working a lot of digital and even posted here that digital would eventually dominate CW. However there is going to be something lost when that happens. Something about those CW signals on the air. Having to actually listen to them and copy down what is sent. Sending back with a keyer in response. Working them through the noise and QSB at times. Out on a patio, woods, a park or at a home station I have thoroughly enjoyed working those stations. Not just clicking on a signal on a computer screen in total silence. So while I still think wide scale use of CW will come to an end some day. It will be a sad day when that happens.
Jeff, I agree with most of your post. I enjoyed reading of your appreciation for the mode. I disagree, however, that CW will ever disappear. On that matter, Paul W9AC posted this today, in answer to Jeff's post: "An artist does not stop painting because cameras can more accurately capture an image. " And I totally agree! Maybe while not in the majority, there will always be people who like to tie their own fishing flies, fabricate their own musical instruments, restore and use classic cars. There is a romance and magic to CW that will not let it disappear, will never let it die. There will always be people engaging in activities just because they are a little more difficult or a little more unique, or a little "different", or perhaps just darned more enjoyable!
nominations for election to the QRP-ARCI 'QRP Hall of Fame'.
First off, before I go off on a rant here; let me state for the record that I really, really like the QRP-ARCI. I have a relatively low membership number (4488) and I joined up when the organization was dedicated to keeping output power at 100 Watts or less. That was a long time ago. An overhwelming number of people that I have met via the QRP-ARCI are some of the nicest people I have ever known. I will continue to be a member; but with that all said ....... as far as the above announcement goes ........ I say "Harumpffffffff !!!!"
A while back I nominated someone for the QRP-ARCI QRP Hall of Fame. And a friend, unbenownst to me, nominated another. Well, we found out about it and seconded each other's nomination. I won't divulge the name of the nominees; but let me say this, if you've been into QRP for any significant amount of time, you will instantly recognize the names of the two folks we nominated. We felt and continue to feel that both these folks have done a lot for the QRP community and the QRP art; and that they are both very deserving of being HOF members.
Neither one was selected. Okay, I know, it sounds like "sour grapes"; but really it isn't. I was somewhat disappointed that neither got in; but was ready to move on and forget about it for then. What upset me was a private e-mail that I received from a QRP "insider", shall we say. Again, I will not divulge who this "insider" is. That secret will go with me to the grave; but again, if you're into QRP for any significant amount of time, you would know who this was instantaneously.
Basically, I had "The Facts of Life" explained to me. I was informed that the selection process was not solely based on merit; but as usual, is somewhat political, too. Merit is not all that it takes. Among other considerations, appearances at the major QRP confabs; such as FDIM, or Atlanticon, Pacificon, Lobstercon, Ozarkcon, etc. are also taken into account. That alone floored me! What does appearing at QRP conventions have to do with being a member of the QRP Hall of Fame? I would think the accumulated body of work should be enough! What a person has designed, what services a person has offered, what things a person has taught, how much a person has shared with the rest of the QRP community - THESE are the things that should go into determining the Hall of Fame members!
I guess I am just idealistic, simplistic and naive in things like this. I always thought that merit and accomplishments alone should be the qualifier. The other superfluous things just kind of turn it into a clique, as far as I'm concerned. Revelations like this leave one jaded and disappointed. It will probably be a long, long time before I ever consider nominating a person for the QRP Hall of Fame again.
Now, before I close, I want to state emphatically that there is NOT one single, solitairy person that is currently in the Hall of Fame that doesn't belong there, in my opinion. Everyone who has been selected is most deserving of the honor. It's just my humble opinion that there are other deserving people who also belong; and are not being considered perhaps for the wrong reasons.
As always, I had a ton of fun on Straight Key Night. It was so good to hear so many signals that one actually had to go looking for a clear frequency! I wish it could be like that all the time. One would think that if so many folks had such a good time then they would want that to carry on throughout the year, no?
I ended up with 6 QSOs for the event. They were all nice. The folks that I worked were Jim N3JV, Hank K8DD, JIm WG1L, Mike W4KAV, Lynn WA2DAC, Keith K1Y/1.
I tried to say on and linger in each QSO as long as I could. Some folks wanted to hang around longer than others; but all the contacts were good No shorty "599 TU" types of contacts, which was great! I finally left the airwaves when my wife got home from work. Spending time with her to see the New Year in at Midnight was my A#1 top priority.
I used the 2006 Christmas Key from Morse Express that my lovely wife got for me for Christmas. I have a picture posted because I want to give you all a frame of reference for how really small this key is. Yes, that is it sitting on top of the cover of my Elecraft Hex Key. However, as tiny as it is, it is a trooper! It's designed in a way so that as you "pound" this piece of brass (actually it's gold plated), you are concentrating your effort right onto the center of gravity. The benefit of that is that there is absolutley no wandering or wabbling of the key around on the operating surface. I sent for over two hours with this key on New Year's Eve without any pain or fatigue. Maybe that's just the technique I use for sending; but I think the quality of this little gem had something to do with that.
I actually like the action on the 2006 key better than the 2005 key; but from now on, when my wife asks me what I want for Christmas, I'll have a ready answer for her. These small straight keys by LTA in Spain are the best!
My SKN report will be heading into the League soon. I will be getting a soapbox report in tonight or tomorrow on the ARRL Website. I really hope they get avalanched by SKN reports this year! All you FISTS, NAQCCers and SKCCers - get your reports in and more importantly, your Soapbox comments uploaded! The ones that are already up are excellent; but we need a ton more. Even if you only made one QSO, don't be embarassed - let the world know about it!


The start of the new school year is always an exciting time for young children. The idea of seeing friends again after the long summer holiday, exploring a new classroom, meeting teachers and of course, acquiring more knowledge.
While public schools do supply learning material for students, most don't provide any stationery. As we know from experience, both these types of academic materials go hand in hand, and learning is impossible without the use of a pen and paper. Stationery costs are annually inflated which makes even the most basic of supplies too expensive for many less fortunate families.
Muslim Hands SA understands the value of education and strives to support young learners from low-income homes in any way possible. They held a stationery drive in January 2018, calling upon the local Capetonian community to donate funds in aid of underprivileged school kids. Donors were more than happy to contribute to this worthy cause and an astounding R80 000 was collected through the Muslim Hands Stationery Drive.
On 21 January 2018, stationery packs were distributed to financially disadvantaged children from the Cape Flats. 500 young beneficiaries began their 2018 school year on the right path, stocked with the required stationery and eager to learn. For many of these bright minds, this will be the only new set of stationery they will receive this year.
The stationery pack for each child included writing books, scissors, a glue stick, flip files, pens, a pencil, ruler and eraser, as well as sellotape.
Items in these handy stationery packs were carefully selected to suit both primary and high school students.
There are few things more heartwarming than seeing the smile of child who is given something this practical – and often taken for granted – and yet they treat it like a luxury.
Thanks to the Muslim Hands SA team for continuing to fuel academic opportunities for our country's youth.


text:
Air Canada suspends flights to U.S. after extension of border closure
Canadian Press Apr 21, 2020 11:11 AM Apr 21, 2020 11:35 AM
MONTREAL — Air Canada says it will cancel all flights to the U.S. after Ottawa extended its border closure with the United States by 30 days.
The country's largest airline says scheduled service south of the border will be suspended from April 27 through May 21.
The Montreal-based company is waiving flight-change fees for affected customers.
Since mid-March, Air Canada has cut its capacity by more than 90 per cent, cancelling thousands of flights as borders closed and travel demand fell off a cliff.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed that Canada would continue to restrict non-essential travel across the border.
The border was originally closed on March 21 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2020.
Companies in this story: (TSX:AC)
More National Business
ODSP earning exemption increases but it's not as beneficial as it seems: advocates


text:
Q: How to detect camera existence with `AVFoundation`? Now iOS devices has 0~2 cameras. How to detect them?

A: You iterate through the video devices...
NSArray *videoDevices = [AVCaptureDevice devicesWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeVideo];
AVCaptureDevice *captureDevice = nil;

for (AVCaptureDevice *device in videoDevices) {
    if (device.position == AVCaptureDevicePositionFront) {
        //FRONT-FACING CAMERA EXISTS
    }
}

Of course you could also do this a bit quicker with a predicate, but i'll leave that for you to work out ;).... (HINT: use the filteredArrayUsingPredicate: method on the devicesWithMediaType:)


British electronic music band Clean Bandit is heading to Israel next month. In case you don't recognize the name, you surely know this song – it has been viewed over 1.8 billion times on YouTube alone!
Did the BDS movement pressure you not to come to Israel?


text:
Q: Parametric solving a nonlinear equation and plotting answer I want to get x and y as a function of z in below nonlinear equations and plot f[x]=Sqrt[x] as a function of z, but my code does not work.
sol1 = NSolve[x == z + 1 - 0.7104*Sqrt[x + 0.0259*Exp[(x - 1.9098)/0.0259]], x]
sol2 = NSolve[y == z + 1 - 0.7104*Sqrt[y + 0.0259*Exp[(y - 3.9098)/0.0259]], y]
Plot[Sqrt[y]], {z, 0, 2.5}]

please help me to correct it. Thank you.

A: soly[z_?NumericQ] :=
 NSolve[y == z + 1 - 0.7104*Sqrt[y + 0.0259*Exp[(y - 3.9098)/0.0259]], y,
   Reals][[1]]

Note the form of the result, i.e., it is a Rule
soly[1]

(*  {y -> 1.21647}  *)

Plot[Sqrt[y] /. soly[z], {z, 0, 2.5},
 AxesLabel -> (Style[#, 14, Bold] & /@ {z, Sqrt[y]})]


*child rates are 0-11.Rates change by season; please see booking page for exact seasonal rates for your chosen dates.
Get up close and personal with a Sevengill Shark!
Check out Half Dome, El Capitan, and waterfalls from Tunnel View!
Visit some of the most iconic places in California with a trip to beautiful Yosemite, Alcatraz Island, and the Aquarium of the Bay!
Yosemite is a magnificent wilderness only a few hours' drive from San Francisco. A Yosemite Day Tour from San Francisco will complete your trip to Northern California.
Your day in Yosemite park includes a guided tour of Yosemite Valley with our informative and professional guides providing history and insight into one of the earth's best examples of a glaciated valley.
You will stop to photograph Yosemite's amazing rock formations, expansive skylines, and astounding waterfalls. You will also have free time alone to walk, hike, bike, swim and reflect on the beauty and grandeur of this natural wonder.
From door step to door step, the breathtaking beauty of one of California's most unique landscapes will give you memories to last a lifetime!
Alcatraz tickets are subject to limited availability, so book your tickets today!
You've crossed the bay, now see what's swimming below!
On the first day of your tour, you'll visit the 20,000 animals living in the Aquarium, from 8-foot native seven gill sharks, to eels, rays, and jellies – all of which can be found in the San Francisco Bay.
The Aquarium of the Bay is the ONLY aquarium dedicated to the diverse marine life of the the San Francisco Bay and its watershed. Like us, Aquarium of the Bay is a certified San Francisco Green Business, doing its part by educating guests about endangered animals and habitats, participating in ongoing research, distributing information about sustainable seafood sourcing, and partnering with America Cup's "Healthy Ocean Project" to educate about marine protected areas and the effects of marine debris and plastics.
It is just as fun and entertaining for the whole family as it is educational, and you'll definitely walk away learning something new about our Bay and its ecosystems!
The Aquarium of the Bay is at Pier 39, and you may spend as much of your day there as you like. When it's time for your Alcatraz Cruise, make your way to Pier 33 in Fisherman's Wharf to pick up your Alcatraz tickets from the Group Services Window and meet the ferry. You may pick up your tickets any time the day of your tour, but they MUST be claimed no later than 30 minutes prior to the tour departure. You will need a valid ID and your paid voucher to pick up the tickets.
Board your ferry and ride across the San Francisco Bay to Alcatraz Island. See the San Francisco Skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Angel Island from the ferry! Depart the ferry at Alcatraz and follow your guide up into the prison.
Enjoy the audio tour "Doing Time" with commentary from inmates and guards that experienced the prison when it was operational. You may take as much time as you'd like on the island; the ferries return to SF approximately every 30-40 minutes.
BONUS: If you are departing for the Alcatraz Night Tour, you'll have access to areas of the island that are not open to the public on the day tours.
6:15 – 7:00am: Pick up from San Francisco hotels.
7:00 – 10:00am: Heading east across the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge offers great views of the San Francisco skyline, Alcatraz Island, Fisherman's Wharf, and the Golden Gate Bridge. En route to the park we cross through the Central Valley, the largest agricultural region in the United States and famous for its rich volcanic soil. The section we drive through is best known for specialty fruits and nuts such as almonds, walnuts, cherries, and strawberries. We will make a stop at a fruit stand where you can experience the local produce. After this quick rest stop, we drive into the rolling foothills of the Sierra Nevadas.
10:00am – 11:30am: Continuing into the mountains brings us to California gold country and through towns that began during the gold rush before we wind our way into Yosemite National Park. Your guide will provide history, stories, and practical information as you enter Yosemite's glaciated valley. Because of our small group size, we can incorporate multiple photo stops into our tour so you can better enjoy your time in the park.
12:00pm: During the tour you will see Yosemite Valley from a number of great vantage points, perhaps the best of which is a photo stop at Tunnel View. At 4,500 feet above sea level, this viewpoint gives you a spectacular view looking east into the valley.
12:45pm: From the drop off location, you will have approx. 3 hours of free time to explore the valley as you choose. You can walk to the base of Yosemite Falls, check out the visitor center, visit the Ansel Adams Gallery, stop in at the Ahwahnee Hotel, rent a cruiser bike, or hike some of the trails that originate from the valley. Although you could spend three weeks in Yosemite, the three hours you get on your own is enough time to understand why Yosemite is one of America's most popular national parks.
3:30pm: Regrouping again in the late afternoon, we head back to San Francisco, stopping for a short break before arriving back in the city.
Aquarium of the Bay hours are from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Your Yosemite Tour on DAY 2 will pick up from most SF hotels between 6 a.m. – 7 a.m.
Duration: Alcatraz Day Tour and Alcatraz Night Tour: ~ 3 Hours Round Trip.
Transportation: Comfortable, eco-friendly biofuel mini-coach to Yosemite. Hybrid Ferry to Alcatraz Island.
Discover more about the natural wonders of Yosemite by extending your stay!
The ultimate Sierra Mountain adventure! Spend 4 FULL DAYS hiking & exploring some of the lesser-traveled areas of Yosemite, Mammoth Lakes, and Lake Tahoe.