I just took delivery of my black/black M35x today (Journey, Tech with Sirius). I need AWD with the winters around here so the V6 was it -- plus, as a long time SUV driver, I am just downright sick of the gas mileage. It was time to go back to a sedan and so I decided to do it in style. The Infiniti M is an absolutely gorgeous ride. All the right features and gadgets for me. Like many others, I looked at Acura, Audi, Benz, Lexus, BMW, and what not -- the only thing coming close was the Acura RL, but the performance on the highway was absolutely anemic.
I just took delivery of my black/black M35x today (Journey, Tech with Sirius).
Congratulations! Oh and yes, the pics are mandatory.
Congratulations and welcome to the forum. I've had my 35X since March and love it. I, like you, drove everything else out there and found the M had the best combination of performance, luxury, and fun-to-drive character. Enjoy !
However, depending on what SUV you came from, the mileage may not be much better.
AWD and 4000 lbs. will take its toll on gas mileage in any car.
I will be posting pics here later this afternoon... I'm going to give it the innaugural waxing today.
Congratulations! Nothing quite as beautiful as Black/Black, but it would be a killer here in So. Florida. Anyway, nice ride!
Am I missing something? Did Needles post his photos yet? I'm not seeing them.
Thanks for the pics. I see you have the chrome wheels. I wish I had gotten those. I'm having problems with the regular wheels being stained by brake dust because I went through a car was and the wheels were hot. Now I can't get them clean! Also, I traded my '03 FX35 and the gas mileage on my M35x isn't much better.


text:
St Pancras Renaissance Hotel
The Family that built Gothic Britain – part 1
Treasury and Foreign Office, London
Giles Gilbert Scott: Liverpool Cathedral
Churches Conservation Trust's 2015 Annual Lecture
Pupils assistant
Sculptors Craftmen
In Warwickshire
Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
"In January 1928 Elisabeth Scott won the international competition for the new Shakespeare Memorial Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon. The only woman in a field of more than 70, she was still too young to vote. Yet three eminent architects, two English, one American, had picked her to design one of England's most prestigious public buildings. The press went mad. "Girl Architect Beats Men", "Unknown Girl's Leap to Fame", "Doctor's Daughter"– and much more in a similar vein"
Elisabeth ScottPublic buildings
Red Telephone Box
Christ Church, Southgate
The Prince Albert Memorial
St Pancras Hotel
Hello I'm Robert. I am the great great grandson of Sir George Gilbert Scott. I hope you enjoy browsing my blog.
My sister and I manage our family business Watts & Co (which was founded by George Gilbert Scott Junior).
Some facts about the Scott family
The Scott family have designed cathedrals on 5 continents including Africa, Asia, Europe, North America & Australia.
Two members of the Scott family feature on the new British passport. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and Elizabeth Scott.
Sir George Gilbert Scott is buried in Westminster Abbey in a grave, which he would have been pleased to learn, unearthed some of the earliest Roman remains discovered in the Abbey
The iconic red telephone box was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott who took inspiration from Sir John Soane's wife mausoleum.
Sir George Gilbert Scott at the age of just 33 built the tallest building in the world (At the time, St Nicholas's Cathedral in Hamburg)
Abbeys (15) Adrian Gilbert Scott (10) Bodley (5) Books (5) Bridges (4) British passport (6) cathedral (1) Cathedrals (46) Churches (523) Domestic buildings (32) Elisabeth Scott (7) Elizabeth Hoare (3) Factories and Power Stations (4) Gavin Stamp (1) George Gilbert Scott junior (43) Hospitals (10) John Oldrid Scott (43) Memorials (23) Other Architects (9) Priories (3) Public buildings (206) Pupils Assistants (1) Red telephone box (15) Richard Gilbert Scott (16) Schools and Universities (52) Scott Homes (6) Sir George Gilbert Scott (791) Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (62) Watts and Company (9) Workhouses (42)
© 2018 GilbertScott.org

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Turkey's leg of the Silk Road could be smoother
Fehim Tastekin November 5, 2017
Turkish officials are playing up the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway as a segment of the new Silk Road linking Beijing to London, but there are many bumps yet to come along the way.
YouTube/NewsNews
A map shows the route of the BTK railway, taken from a screenshot from video uploaded Oct. 30, 2017. It goes from Baku, Azerbaijan (seen on the map as Azerbaycan), through Tblisi, Georgia (seen on the map as Tiflis, Gurcistan), to Kars, Turkey. Some organizations did not participate in BTK financing because the shortest route through Armenia (the unnamed country on the map below Georgia) was bypassed in favor of Tblisi for political reasons.
Turkish politicians and the media tend to quote staggering numbers when discussing strategic equations, as they are doing now regarding the BTK railway project connecting Baku in Azerbaijan, Tblisi in Georgia and Kars in Turkey. The 527-mile leg contributes to China's work in progress, the Silk Road route to connect Europe and Asia.
The BTK, which has been in the works since 1993, was finally inaugurated Oct. 30 in the new Port of Baku at Alat, actually 55 miles from Baku. The presidents or prime ministers of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Georgia attended the ceremony. No doubt, this is not a project to ignore. It may offer new economic opportunities to the countries using it.
But from the official bombast, one would think these trains, instead of rolling on rails, might be flying. Some of the claims include:
The BTK railway is the most important leg of the nearly 7,500-mile Silk Road project.
Thanks to the BTK, there will be a single-track railway from Beijing to London. Trains traveling from Beijing will reach Europe via Istanbul, bypassing Russia and the various sanctions usually associated with it.
This route for the Silk Road will cut land transit time to 15 days from two months.
The project will handle 1 million passengers and 6.5 million tons of cargo annually. By 2034, the capacity will increase to 3 million passengers and 17 million tons of cargo. China currently sends 240 million tons of cargo to Europe annually.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeated these figures in his speech at the ceremony to officially launch the project, saying it will provide not only economic benefits, but will contribute to peace, security and stability. "We are hereby declaring the opening of an uninterrupted railroad track from London to China," he said.
What is the real situation of the "unbroken, uninterrupted" railroad from Asia to Europe? Can it really be an alternative to the Russian route?
There are still some difficulties on the BTK leg. Cargo departing from China faces the first interruption when it reaches the Caspian Sea via Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Here, trains are transferred to the Port of Baku at Alat via roll-on/roll-off ferries. Then by rail they pass through Georgia to reach Turkey. Trains halt at Istanbul's Pendik district before reaching Istanbul's city center.
There are also unsolved problems in the passage from Asia into Europe. Turkey's project to upgrade the Sirkeci-Halkali line on the European side has been dragging on for 13 years. There simply is no line operating yet on the 47-mile route. There are financing problems, and it appears nobody knows when it will be completed.
And then there are questions about whether the 8-mile-long Marmaray Tunnel under the Bosporus will be able to handle heavy cargo trains. In the meantime, nobody is mentioning the infrastructure problems between Kars and Ankara in Turkey. Lots of upgrades and repairs are required on this single-track route. Of course, such connection and infrastructure issues can be overcome over time, but today a train from Beijing cannot reach London without interruptions.
Moreover, the claim that the BTK will be an alternative to the Russian route is exaggerated. Today, trains from Beijing can already reach London in 17-18 days via Russia. On the unbroken Russian route, trains are guaranteed a transit speed of 621 miles per day.
Although Turkey touted the BTK as the most important leg of the Silk Road, China did not participate in the inauguration, and nobody asked why. China was clearly signaling it was distancing itself from the BTK project. Although China contributes to financing of various segments of the Silk Road project, which it calls the "Belt and Road," it stayed away from BTK financing.
Some think China's reticence stems from its discomfort with Turkey's position involving the Uighur issue in East Turkestan (in China's Xinjiang province). Some think China finds the BTK route not feasible and economically inefficient. Turkey's persistence on routing the BTK via Georgia's capital of Tblisi instead of Armenia's Yerevan because of political tensions between the two countries also discouraged European financing sources. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank decided not to participate. Skirting Armenia made the route longer.
China is not without an alternative. The 7,456-mile London-Beijing connection became operational via Russia in April. This route follows Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France and completed its first trip in 17 days. The line splits in France, with one leg heading to Britain and the other to Spain. In other words, under current conditions, China is reaching Europe without interruptions anyway. Academic Muhdan Saglam told Al-Monitor that China uses sea, air and rail for its shipments, with the railway via Russia being the only current rail connection. China prefers to make progress on its own "Belt and Road" project. It is already building a port in Pakistan for its own use.
Saglam noted there are still some questions about the BTK leg after Turkey. "For example, wheat from Kazakhstan reaches our Mersin port. How will it be trans-shipped to Europe? By road, by sea or railway?"
Regarding claims that the BTK is a challenge to Russia, she said, "Yes, it may help countries such as Georgia and Azerbaijan that do not have warm relations with Russia. They may see this as a way to diminish their dependence on Moscow. Then there is that exaggerated claim that there is an alternative to Russia in the China-Europe trade. Russia is a key country in massive trade while also being an important market itself."
Saglam added, "Some claim that US-European sanctions against Russia bring restrictions on transport of Russian agricultural produce, thereby making the BTK the alternative route. But this is a premature analysis. For one thing, nobody knows how long these sanctions will remain in force. It is also important to know how much cheese China buys from France and how many apples from Poland. China may not be willing to bypass Russia, which is a strategic actor for Beijing. Finally, you should not overlook the national railroad capacities of the countries on the BTK route."
The BTK railway no doubt will contribute to Turkey's commerce with the southern Caucasus region and central Asia. However, China can be expected to use the BTK not to reach Europe's markets, but Turkey's.
Found in: Economy and trade
Fehim Tastekin is a Turkish journalist and a columnist for Turkey Pulse who previously wrote for Radikal and Hurriyet. He has also been the host of the weekly program "SINIRSIZ," on IMC TV. As an analyst, Tastekin specializes in Turkish foreign policy and Caucasus, Middle East and EU affairs. He is the author of "Suriye: Yikil Git, Diren Kal," "Rojava: Kurtlerin Zamani" and "Karanlık Coktugunde - ISID." Tastekin is founding editor of the Agency Caucasus. On Twitter: @fehimtastekin
European powers trigger Iran deal dispute mechanism
Intel: US uses Uighur crisis to sideline China in MidEast
Iran's Rouhani under fire over 'peace time' promises
Egypt's military adds new factory to industrial portfolio
Sell-off in Oman reveals privatization with regional characteristics
Mideast rivalries plague fledgling Muslim summit in Malaysia


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Down the Shore
Seaside Heights music festival lineup announced
Justin Auciello
Sunset at the June 2015 Gentlemen of the Road Stopover music festival in Seaside Heights. (Photo: Justin Auciello/for NewsWorks)
A mix of pop, indie, rock, and electronic bands will take the stage during a one-day music festival this June in Seaside Heights.
The Shadow of the City festival is set for Saturday, June 18, featuring headliner The 1975, an alternative rock bank from Manchester, England that recently earned its first number one album on the Billboard chart.
The lineup also includes Carly Rae Jepsen, BØRNS, Steel Train, Frnkiero and the Cellabration, Bishop, Shamir, and Hana.
Tickets are on sale. Options include VIP ($150), premium beach ($85), and general admission ($65).
The festival is the brainchild of Bergen County native Jack Antonoff, who debut the event last September at the Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park. In addition to numerous musical acts, the festival featured food trucks, carnival-style attractions, arcade games, and more.
Antonoff, the frontman of the indie pop group Bleachers, told Rolling Stone last June that the festival's name is significant because he wants New Jersey to be seen as an artistic hub separate from New York City.
"The title is really special to me. I grew up in New Jersey, and it's one of those places where you spend your life trying to get out. It's funny because it's one of the most incredible places in the world. The term 'shadow of the city,' specifically, means what it sounds like," he told the music magazine. "New Jersey is such a unique place because it is literally in the shadow of the greatest city in the entire world. So that creates an unmistakable feeling, good and bad. You're the constant younger brother. You're constantly looking through the window at the party. You're always less."
Seaside Heights is quickly building its reputation as a beachfront musical destination, attracting British indie-folk rockers Mumford & Sons, Alabama Shakes, The Flaming Lips, Jenny Lewis, and more across two days last June during the Gentlemen of the Road Stopover music festival.
Brought to you by Down the Shore
About Justin Auciello
@auciello auciello@gmail.com


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The San Francisco Republican Party unanimously approved a resolution supporting allowing the SFPD to carry tasers.
At its May 3, 2017 meeting, the San Francisco Republican Party unanimously approved a motion supporting the Geary Merchant's lawsuit to oppose the radical alteration of Geary Blvd's bus stops and streetscape with minimal public input.
At its April 5, 2017 meeting, the San Francisco Republican Party unanimously approved the following resolution regarding San Francisco's participation in the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
At its February 14, 2017 meeting, the San Francisco Republican Party unanimously approved the following resolution regarding Sanctuary Cities.
The San Francisco Republican Party condemns the attack on our national heritage by the School Board. We stand by Columbus Day, and George Washington High School.
Donate and HELP US FIGHT!


Writing about the abuse scandal within the Church is probably the topic I would least like to write on. Still the recent stories regarding McCarrick (now Archbishop and left off intentionally) and the investigative grand jury report in Pennsylvania make is necessary.
I started blogging in 2002, so this crisis has been with me the whole time to some extent. I am rather annoyed at myself when I analyze my own reactions to this continuous news cycle. Annoyed that I often feel more about the black eye it gives the Church than the horrific stories of lives severely damaged by abuse and coverup. Maybe partially this is fatigue from the sheer number of stories and how this has replicated itself across the world. Still I know I should be more affected by these tragic stories. This total betrayal of Christ. The bad news that has been preached by the examples of clerical abusers and those who helped to keep this in the dark. These sins that cry out to Heaven for relief.
It amazes me when I hear stories of such abuse, and yet that person remained faithful to the Church. It is easy for me to intellectualize my faith and that I believe the Catholic Church is the one holy and apostolic church, not having been through such a trial. Yet the coverups and business-as-usual attitudes that have repeated themselves world-wide is what scandalizes me the most. Treated either with bureaucratic-indifference or active attempts to conceal crimes.
This is like a perfect storm for Satan. The world needs what the Catholic Church teaches. So many sins and errors of our time could find comfort in the truth of what the Church teaches. Yet the world will shout HYPOCRISY! when people within the Church who don't practice what the Church teaches and do otherwise. I think it was author Neal Stephenson who referenced that hypocrisy is the last remaining sin in a world of moral relativism.
It is a cold comfort to know that much of this abuse happened over a specific period of time and that it seems to have trailed off. Although I am skeptical as to whether this is indeed the case. Reporting of abuse is often long delayed and so only time will tell if this is actually the case.
This story, like most stories, is going through a narrative filter. Hobbyhorses are mounted with solutions fitting the horse's mouth. Some try to make it a conservative/liberal bishop divide even though there is much shame to be shared across this divide. Or increased calls for a married priesthood.
This is not one of those "The Church should do X" posts. Mainly because I can not fully grasp what specifically are the steps forward. Exactly how do you reform diocese to eliminate the attitudes that made the happen? New rules, programs, workshops, training, etc are unlikely to diminish a diocesan culture that enabled this. They may only be steps in the right direction.
My own hobbyhorse would be what I perceive as a loss of mission focus at every level. Never seen a mission statement at a parish that talked about salvation of souls. A plethora of buzzword initiatives with little mention of Jesus' salvific mission to save us from our sins. A diocesan culture that is more concerned about PR than actual scandal and the damage done to those who trip over that stumbling block. Sure this very pattern has been reflected across all human activity, yet shouldn't we be more spiritually aware of this hubris? Still I know that my hobbyhorse is too narrow and not a "if only the Church did this" action plan.
Really there are no easy fixes and reform is a never ending process. It requires eternal vigilance since even when you take positive steps to irradiate one problem, the whack-a-mole of human sinfulness keeps popping up. This does not mean that I am hopeless in regards to this. There is a lot of anger right now and I do pray that some of this heat will also emit as light. That platitudes and corporate-speak from the USCCB and individual bishops just isn't going to cut it.
One thing that really needs to be addresses is how McCarrick not only rose, but was a power player in selecting new American Cardinals. There had to be a lot of enablers along the way that looked away from his not-so-private life. I still remember this story from 2005 on the now-disgraced archbishop. Two years ago the recently deceased investigator Richard Sipe Tried to Warn Us – But No One Was Listening when he tried to work with the current bishop of San Diego. I expect white washed tombs in regard to this. Please prove me wrong.
Some patience is of course required. This is not a problem to solve overnight and their are serious difficulties in regards to investigating various diocese – canonical and otherwise. Any actual investigative efforts must come from the Pope and the Vatican. The skeptic in me sees a punt on this like the LCWR investigation. Again please prove me wrong.
As a pessimistic/optimist I straddle the fence emotionally. Not that happy to say "told you so" and not disappointed to be wrong (once again). Besides whenever my focus turns towards negativity I try to evaluate "what can I do" besides blowing off steam on a blog post. I can pat myself on the back for praying for the Pope and the Bishops, but no doubt can also slap my forehead for when I fail to advance in holiness. I know conversion starts with myself.
The only way this is going to change is if the faithful refuse to donate. Like you, I don't know exactly what change should look like. "Clericalism" has to be buried, and the laity have to have an oversight role. But I don't know exactly how that should happen.
Thank you for motivating me to direct our Pastoral Council to prayerfully discern a complete revision of our parish mission statement. Your blog is powerful and inspiring evidence of the Holy Spirit purifying the Church.
Amen. As news of the grand jury's report surfaced, I was hurled back to 2002 when the first reports of the abuse by clerics came out. In my parish, our priest directly addressed it in a homily. He also enlisted a psychologist who specialized in sexual abuse cases to come to the parish and meet with all who were interested in what was happening. It was a eye opening experience. Many there raised the issue of homosexuality in the seminaries. Others decried the failure of the bishops to truly lead. At one point, the psychologist asked for a raise of hands of all who had been sexually abused. I was stunned at how many people raised their hands. Mine included. Since that time, I have found out my own son was sexually abused at a summer camp at at prominent Jesuit university. I now know why my son has the psychological issues that were never discovered by the multiple counselors trying to find out why he was so unhappy.
My only solace is that each day as I commute to my work, I pass a barley field that is almost mature. In that field there are weeds scattered here and there. In our Church there are weeds.


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text:
Posted on March 4, 2019 by John Hinderaker in Climate, Energy Policy
Biomass: Another "Green" Fraud
I would have said that nothing could exceed the folly of wind and solar energy, but biomass may come close. This Vox article is headlined: "Europe's renewable energy policy is built on burning American trees." You no doubt have heard of "biomass," but likely don't know what it actually means. As the headline suggests, it mostly means American trees.
In the lowland forests of the American southeast, loblolly pines and cypress trees are grabbing carbon dioxide from the air right now. Using power from the sun, they release the oxygen and bind the carbon, building trunks, barks, and leaves.
But much of that carbon won't stay there. As it turns out, millions of tons of wood from these forests each year are being shipped across the Atlantic, and burned in power plants in countries like the UK and the Netherlands, in the name of slowing climate change.
This chart is revealing, to say the least. I had no idea that burning trees played such a large role in Europe's "green" energy initiative:
This "green" energy story is all about economics:
[I]n 2009, the EU committed itself to 20 percent renewable energy by 2020, and put biomass on the renewables list. Several countries, like the United Kingdom, subsidized the biomass industry, creating a sudden market for wood not good enough for the timber industry. In the United States, Canada, and Eastern Europe, crooked trees, bark, treetops, and sawdust have been pulped, pressed into pellets, and heat-dried in kilns. By 2014, biomass accounted for 40 percent of the EU's renewable energy, by far the largest source. By 2020, it's projected to make up 60 percent, and the US plans to follow suit.
What goes on a "renewable" list depends entirely on political influence. Nuclear energy isn't on the list, even though it emits no carbon dioxide. Hydroelectric isn't on many "renewable" lists, either.
There are few bigger players in the biomass industry than Drax Group, whose flagship power plant in the north of England sucks up nearly a quarter of global wood pellet production, about two-thirds of it from the US. The UK has bought big into biomass, and Drax powers 10 percent of the British electric grid, in large part thanks to massive government subsidies: about $1.2 billion a year.
As always, the "green" world depends on subsidies.
Burning wood emits carbon dioxide, of course, but not as much as coal. (Much more, on the other hand, than nuclear or hydroelectric.) At the same time, trees absorb carbon dioxide–it is called photosynthesis, and when I was young, kids learned about this in junior high school. So biomass is doubly questionable if you believe the global warming hype.
The Vox article takes for granted all of the hyperbole about global warming, but points out that the premise on which burning wood is "carbon neutral" is the assumption that all wood will eventually decay and release CO2 back into the atmosphere. That might be true (it isn't, actually, which is why we have oil and gas) but only on a time scale that is too long to be helpful if you think the world is facing a climate crisis.
To quote an infamous Congresswoman in an entirely different context, it's all about the Benjamins. Whether an energy source is denominated "green" or not depends on the political clout of the companies that profit from its use.
This discussion of biomass reminds me of how retrograde "green" technologies are. Wood burning? Yeah, that was a great idea in 1000 AD. Wind energy? It works intermittently, at a low level. When I was growing up in South Dakota, every farm had a windmill. They were used mostly to drive pumps for wells, I believe. But they became extinct as better, more reliable sources of energy became universally available. Do today's greenies have any understanding of how hopelessly old-fashioned their policies are? I doubt it.


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Julia Šimić interview: Dancing under the green and white lights – How Wolfsburg midfielder got her keys to the show
by Christian BrookesPosted on May 10, 2017 February 3, 2018
instagram.com/simicjulia
Moving up through Germany's youth national teams and becoming one of the Frauen-Bundesliga's foremost midfielders over a number of years meant that Julia Šimić's 2016 entrance to the full international show was almost as long-awaited as it was welcome. However, feeling eager anticipation with a stage in her sight is not all that unfamiliar for the current VfL Wolfsburg performer.
In the career of Julia Šimić to date, her name has gone beside that of premier clubs FC Bayern Munich, Turbine Potsdam, and in most recent times, VfL Wolfsburg. Despite making her midfield presence felt at the top level over the past decade, and earning national team inclusion at one point, the Nuremburg product had been largely overlooked during Silvia Neid's long reign at the Germany helm.
Plenty of people had brought Julia's name into the conversation, but she had been five years away from the senior team when Steffi Jones called her back into the reckoning late last year. The joyful moment that most, if not all, players dream of finally presented itself when she took to the field in the October friendly with Austria, coming on for Lina Magull in Regensburg's Continental Arena.
The 27-year-old's international credentials have been demonstrated by a club career in which competing for trophies has been the norm. A three-time DFB-Pokal (German Cup) winner and part of numerous UEFA Women's Champions League and Frauen-Bundesliga title challenges, Julia's star actually shone brightly in tournament play way before all that.
She would of course end up playing for stadium crowds herself, but as a youngster on this particular occasion, her football performances took her to the sideline of a show where the major players were a little different.
"As a child, maybe 12 years old, I was invited to 'THE DOME' in Munich as a prize of a youth tournament where I was selected as the best player," Julia explained. "I went there backstage and could meet some stars like Blue, Snap! and even Shaggy."
Although it sounds like a venue, 'THE DOME' was a show that brought together various German and well-known international artists and was held for 15 years around Germany until 2012. Julia's own aforementioned VIP experience was in February 2003 at Olympiahalle, while Munich was of course the city in which she received her first big break in football.
She spent eight years as a Bayern player before leaving for Turbine Potsdam in 2013, and in one of those many funny ways that football brings things back around, it was away to Bayern that she returned last September from five months out with an ankle syndesmosis ligament tear, with Wolfsburg winning 2-1. Many pivotal factors have enabled Julia to become the player she has and while it may be hours of practice with the ball or even dedicated fitness and nutrition that comes to mind, getting lost in her own sacred world of sound is every bit a vital ingredient in her athletic routine and story.
"Music is a big part in my life. I need music to motivate myself during the gym and I'm listening to it before the game, when we're sitting in the bus driving to the stadium.
"It helps me to concentrate and to forget everything around me, but sometimes I prefer the silence; in this time I don't like any noise or any music."
Those are the possible avenues for Julia to roam down as she searches for her ideal match-day mindset, although beneath the business of tactics, preparation and competing, the lighter touches to the game are always waiting to be enjoyed. That was exactly the case for Julia and her Wolfsburg teammates earlier this year, on the final evening of their winter training camp in Portugal, as they let loose on the dancefloor.
The motivational mix for Ralf Kellermann's team can come in many forms and Julia paints the picture of the scene often found within the walls of the home dressing room at AOK Stadion, or wherever Die Wölfinnen's tour bus may have stopped on that game day.
"Usually there are three or four people playing the music and deciding on the songs, so we don't have just one DJ in the team. I am one of those people and I have different playlists.
"Sometimes everyone is in a calm, concentrated mood, and on other days, there's kind of a party mood inside the locker room, so it depends a little on the atmosphere and the mood what we are going to play. The playlists are filled with contents of pop charts and r&b/hip-hop.
"For example: Jessie J, Usher, Coldplay, Shawn Mendes, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and many, many more!"
Julia is a midfielder who has worked on bringing a varied set of qualities to her game, which has certainly included the ability to break forward and onto the scoresheet over the years. In her engine-room position on the field, she can see and affect much of the game, and while injury may have deprived her of an appearance in her first Champions League final last May, she took up a higher vantage point in the broadcast booth.
Not being able to have any impact on the clash with Lyon (ultimately won by the French side on penalties) wasn't what she wanted, but providing German TV analysis for Eurosport was a privilege all the same. In addition to approaching her football from a range of angles, Julia describes how the same can also be true with her listening choices.
"To be honest, I like various music styles and directions, so that makes it hard for me to choose only a few, but I'll try. I really like the music from Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Emeli Sandé or Rihanna.
"Also songs from Sam Smith, Usher or Ed Sheeran…who doesn't?! I love the voices from James Bay and Adele.
"I think music often depends on your mood and emotions."
That mood has been tested more than a few times along the way as Julia has contended with injury frustration, the most recent of which has been thigh trouble holding her back in the opening segments of 2017. Even despite that, it's hard to dull the sparkle of a bright personality like her, so has she ever had to draw on that in order to navigate her way through a singing initiation when she first joined a new team?
"Luckily, I have never had to do it. If I have to sing once, I would maybe choose a Bavarian song that no one knows!"
Often it may be best to leave the singing to the pros, although there are seemingly more and more footballers who appear every bit as at ease with playing instruments as they are at playing the beautiful game. There are also the smooth vocalists and the sharp movers, with the women's game containing many credible and other light-hearted examples of each.
There is one performer from Julia's old club who wasn't afraid to reach for the limelight, although it may not be quite the one you would expect.
"I can't remember a funny teammate in this way, but the funniest singer and dancer was our Doc in Potsdam. He was so self-confident that he tried to dance every time, unless everybody was laughing.
"Last year, we were at a live concert from Justin Bieber with the team. The show was crazy and we had so much fun."
During the most recent Christmas/New Year period, Julia headed over the Atlantic to New York and Miami. For any footballer who wants to cross international borders, whether literal or just in terms of the audience they are able to reach, being able to communicate in different languages is hugely advantageous.
This interview conversation was in English, which is a language that the Julia of the late 90s and early 2000s was, by her own admission, freestyling with! She shared her recollection of this as she was asked if she could remember the first album or single she ever had.
"Oh, I really have to think about this question. I guess I was around about nine or ten years old and it was a CD from the Backstreet Boys – so typical for a young girl at this time.
"I knew every song; not the right lyrics, but my own style of speaking English. Then there came the time with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, but I also liked the Spice Girls and Eminem."
As part of Germany's 2008 team at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Chile, Julia scored in the third-place playoff with France as Maren Meinert's side won 5-3 to make their campaign a bronze effort. She also played under Meinert as the Under-19s won the UEFA European Championship in Iceland a year previous and she decided in this next question that she would like to link up once more with one of her teammates from that U20 adventure in South America.
Separated by just eight days in age from this current Germany defender, Julia was the number 15 to her 14 at that World Cup, and she nominated her as the career teammate she would want to record a song with, which they have actually already had some practice at!
"I would definitely choose Verena Faißt. She's now playing for Bayern, but the years before, we played together for Wolfsburg and we were always singing together.
"Once we made a cover song from Adele's 'Hello' in a small group. The result wasn't the best, but we had so much fun recording the song."
Switching back to idols on the pitch, Ronaldinho was once Julia's favourite player, with the dancing Brazilian number 10's Barcelona peak coinciding with Julia starting out at Bayern. While her role isn't quite as positionally advanced or as creatively demanding as that, she can always offer an element of attacking threat, as shown in the early stages of the 2014 Champions League semi-final second leg.
It would only be a matter of months before she swapped Turbine Potsdam blue for Wolfsburg green and she hammered home a message to her future employers. The tie was goalless from the first leg in Potsdam eight days earlier, but seven minutes in at the Volkswagen Arena, Genoveva Añonma found Julia on the edge of the box and she killed the pass with an expert first touch, before finding the far corner with her left foot with a shot that Almuth Schult could barely get fingertips to.
It was a game that swung toward the visitors again before Wolfsburg wrestled it back to win 4-2, but Julia had certainly made a memorable impression. As we discussed which player from all-time (male or female) she would want to practice shooting with on the training field, she came up with two world-class, Bavarian-based suggestions.
"The hardest shot from all female players I've played with has definitely been Melanie Behringer from Bayern Munich. If I could choose one male player, I would probably take Arjen Robben.
"When I was playing for Bayern, I often watched him improving his left foot, and I can say from ten shots on the goal, he scored eight times. He shoots the ball exactly where he wants it to be, it's crazy."
Despite rupturing her cruciate ligament twice during her time at Bayern, Julia was part of the DFB-Pokal-winning run and also played in the last 16 of the Champions League in 2009/2010 as they suffered an agonising 1-0 extra-time defeat to French club Montpellier. When she made the decision to move on in 2013, she talked about leaving a comfort zone after having so many experiences in Munich, including studying and graduating.
Each of Julia's three club spells represents varying achievements and obstacles, but looking back over it all, it is the latter of those she firmly believes gave her the most to take forward and apply the lessons from.
"To be honest, I would say I've learned the most at the times I was injured. I ruptured my ACL twice and last spring I had a surgery on my jumping joint.
"After the times of rehabilitation, you appreciate being back on the pitch and just enjoy being healthy. So I would say to the younger me: enjoy playing soccer every second and be thankful that you are healthy and that you can play without any restrictions."
When Julia headed to Wolfsburg over the 2014/15 season's winter break, she said she hoped the switch to Lower Saxony would see her become more involved in the style of play, though she was also quick to thank Turbine Potsdam, the supporters, and also coach Bernd Schröder for his faith in her. In just over two years at Wolfsburg, she has seen Die Wölfinnen win two more domestic cups, with her appearance in the 2015 final seeing her contribute to a 3-0 success over Turbine.
Missing out on the league title by one point in May 2015, Wolfsburg came 2nd to Bayern again last season, while in Europe it has also been a case of 'so near, yet so far' up to now. Having played both legs of the narrow 2015 Champions League semi defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, she missed the 2016 final loss to Lyon through injury and the same opponents ended their run at the quarter-final this year, despite a 1-0 victory in the second leg in France.
Currently working on returning to action, Julia scored twice in a February win over Sporting de Huelva, which came during the Portugal training camp that also saw them beat Arsenal, 1-0. As well as the work, the trip also gave her another chance to refine her golf swing during the downtime, but the downside of 12 days abroad meant being away from a special companion.
"Oh my favourite free-time activity is to spend time with my little dog, Coco; she is a Beagle and a very faithful friend and I really like the walks with her. On the other hand, I love to go shopping; not all this expensive stuff, just fancy things sometimes to change my style from day to day, or to meet with friends for lunch or dinner."
Julia and Coco
Julia has also been studying sports science, while back to her expert subject of playing, she harbours hopes of adding to her two international caps, having earned the second in a win over the Netherlands in October. One of the team successes in her career you may not hear quite so much about was winning the DFB-Hallenpokal der Frauen with Turbine Potsdam back in 2014.
The competition was an indoor tournament which Frauen-Bundesliga teams used to compete in over one day during the league's annual winter break. As FIFA decided that official indoor tournaments required futsal competition rules, it left the clubs to decide that it would not be the same kind of game if they were to do that, and so January 2015 was the last edition, with Bayer Leverkusen triumphing at GETEC Arena in Magdeburg.
A slightly magical thing about the tournament was how fans got to see the players and kits they knew so well, but with a totally different setting and lighting. There were those street football elements of the play itself, as well as the charming details like a bunch of international players waiting eagerly at the side for their turn to go on and play.
In the concluding part of our interview, Julia got to place herself back in this kind of fast-paced, fun scenario, although just in fantasy terms, as she selects four of the career teammates she would want alongside her in a 5-a-side line-up. For this one, the game doesn't necessarily need to be indoor; it could even be played on a beach (Miami Beach if Julia was choosing).
Here is the clan Julia would be rocking with, as she introduces her German/Swiss/Belgian crew!
"As a goalkeeper, I would choose Almuth Schult, our goalie from Wolfsburg. She's saving incredible shots and has good skills with her feet, too.
"As a defender, I take Stefanie Mirlach. She's my best friend and we have played together many years at Bayern München and also at Turbine Potsdam.
"The best midfielder and also a really good person I have played with is probably Ramona Bachmann, who is now playing for Chelsea in London. She has incredible skills combined with an extraordinary speed.
"As a forward, I would choose my really good friend and roommate from Wolfsburg, Tessa Wullaert. I just like to stand on the pitch with her, because she often thinks similar to me and so it's easy to play together.
"I think this would be a very good team!"
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Posted in InterviewsTagged Frauen-Bundesliga, German women's national team, Julia Šimić, VfL Wolfsburg
Prev Jeffrén interview: A Belgian bloom for the Barça boy – Eupen forward and the rhythm of rediscovery
Next Steve Zakuani interview: 'Let's take it back to the concrete streets…' – Sounders favourite's original beats for an emerald playground


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Before Accepting a Job, Run a Reference Check On Your Potential Boss
Image: Getty Creative Gary Waters
Adrian Granzella Larssen for The Muse 2014-07-23 10:45:04 UTC
Follow @dailymuse
When interviewing for a new job, most of us are pretty good about analyzing the ins and outs — the responsibilities, the company culture, the growth opportunities, the commute and so on. But I've noticed there's one thing that many people tend to gloss over: who, exactly, we'd be reporting to in the position.
And while maybe your boss isn't the most important factor in whether or not to sign on for a new gig, I'd argue that it's pretty darn high up on the list. If you've ever had a great boss (or a bad one), you know the impact that person has on your promotion prospects, your assignments, and your day-to-day happiness.
HBR's David Reese recently offered up a tip that'll help ensure your next boss is of the career-boosting variety: "reference checking" this person before accepting a position. Much like an interviewer does a background check of sorts on you by calling your previous employers and contacts, Googling you, and making sure everything you've said in the interview process checks out, he recommends taking the time to scope out your boss before accepting an offer.
So, what does this look like? While Reese tells the story of candidates who have asked for actual reference lists from potential managers, for most companies, a more subtle approach will work just fine. Here are a few ways to find out more about your new boss:
Ask the Right Questions
During the interview process, it's totally OK to ask things like, "What's your management style?" and "How much do you typically interact with your direct reports?" While no one's going to come out and tell you, "I'm the biggest micromanager in the world!" you can glean a lot from responses like, "I'm pretty hands-off" or "I make sure to check in with everyone hourly."
Similarly, if you're able to interview with peers or your manager's other direct reports, don't be afraid to ask, "So, what's it like working for Steve?" Again, everyone will likely be on their best interview behavior, but 10 minutes of gushing about what a great boss someone is says a lot more than, "It's good."
Look for LinkedIn Clues
Head on over your future boss' LinkedIn profile. Does he or she have recommendations from current or former direct reports? Has he or she recommended any of those people? These are both great signs that he or she has built strong relationships with other team members. (On that note, maybe you should recommend a few of your favorite bosses or employees — here's how.)
Ask Around
Try to find a couple people you know — even if they're second degree connections — who work for the company, and ask for 10 minutes of time to pick their brain. People will likely be more than happy to help if you shoot over a simple: "I've been offered a position at Discovery, in the communications department, reporting to Jane Phillips. I'm excited about the position and just doing my due diligence — would you have 10 minutes to chat with me about your experience there?"
Yes, this is an extra step in the interview process, especially when all you want to do is negotiate that big salary and sign on the dotted line. But, as Reese puts it, "Your job hunt should never be thought of as anything but a two-way decision. You will be investing your time, skills, and passion into a company and spending untold hours and energy working with a future boss. Make sure you're making a good investment by asking the right questions and doing the right research."
How New Grads (and Everyone!) Can Discover Their Strengths at Work, From a Top HR Executive
10 New Companies on The Muse Hiring Right This Minute
Work From Home? Here's How to Keep Work From Taking Over Your Personal Life
Practical Advice for Transgender and Nonbinary Folks Navigating the Job Search
This article originally published at The Muse here
Topics: Business, job interview, Jobs, LinkedIn, management, reference


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Alexis Delahante (1767–1837) was a French painter and antiques and art dealer, most notable for his advice to European aristocrats in London and elsewhere before and after the French Revolution.

Sources
 Sylvain Cordier, 'Inventing and selling historical furniture: The taste and the career of Alexis Delahante, painter, expert and curio dealer', Revue de l'Art 184(2):63-74 - June 2014

French art dealers
1767 births
1837 deaths
18th-century French painters
19th-century French painters

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
https://profreg.medscape.com/px/getpracticeprofile.do?method=getProfessionalProfile&urlCache=aHR0cHM6Ly9lbWVkaWNpbmUubWVkc2NhcGUuY29tL2FydGljbGUvMjMyMjQ0LW1lZGljYXRpb24=
Yellow Fever Medication
Prior to the development of a vaccine, passive immunization was utilized in the prevention and management of yellow fever. This posed many challenges because of difficulty in obtaining sufficient amounts of human serum and subsequent serum sickness; its use was discontinued in 1936.
Present day supplies of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) have been found to contain high titers of yellow fever antibodies. In 2000, an unpublished case of a patient being treated with IVIG to prevent illness prior to a trip to the Amazon was reported. Vaccination was contraindicated in this individual, who had chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Despite this event, no published reports exist of off-label use of IVIG in the treatment of yellow fever.
Currently, no approved antiviral drug against yellow fever is available. To date, nonclinical testing of antiviral agents has yielded modest results. Ribavirin, given at high doses to hamsters challenged with yellow fever, has been shown to reduce mortality when administered as late as 120 hours after infection. However, in studies of nonhuman primates, ribavirin treatment did not prolong survival. Interferon-α has also been found to reduce mortality when administered to monkeys with yellow fever; however, it was only effective when given within 24 hours of infection. A long list of novel small molecules have shown activity against yellow fever and other flaviviruses in vitro or in animal models, but none is currently available clinically. [14] These findings suggest that antiviral therapies may only be effective early in the course of disease, when clinical symptoms are nonspecific and indistinguishable from other viral infections.
Adjunctive measures include nonhepatotoxic antipyretics to reduce fever and pain and gastric acid suppression to prevent gastric bleeding. Use of heparin for documented cases of DIC is controversial. In a retrospective analysis of patients with yellow fever vaccine–associated viscerotropic disease accompanied by shock, 3 of 4 (75%) case-patients who received stress-dose steroids survived, compared with 2 of 7 (29%) patients who did not receive stress-dose steroids. [14]
Drugs to avoid include the following:
Drugs that act centrally, including phenothiazines, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines, because they may precipitate or aggravate encephalopathy
Drugs dependent on hepatic metabolism
Salicylates because of risk of bleeding
The live attenuated virus (17D) vaccine was created by serial passages of yellow fever virus through chick and mouse embryo cells. Dr. Max Theiler of the Rockefeller Institute developed this vaccine in 1937. Since 1945, more than 200,000,000 doses have been administered.
The WHO, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Bank have recommended that yellow fever vaccine be added to the routine Expanded Program on Immunization in developing nations. However, poor financing remains a problem and a major reason for low vaccination rates among residents of endemic areas. In the United States, the yellow fever vaccine is available at designated state health departments and selected travel clinics.
Up-to-date information on yellow fever vaccination and travel requirements may be obtained by contacting Health Information for Travelers, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, fax (404) 332-4265, document number 220022#, phone (404) 332-4559.
Yellow fever vaccine (YF-VAX)
This vaccine should be administered to residents of and travelers to endemic areas. The seroconversion rate for adults and children receiving the vaccine is 99%. Protective antibodies form within 7-10 days, and protection lasts for at least 10 years. The vaccine is safe and effective in asymptomatic adult patients with HIV and CD4 counts of greater than 200/μL. The vaccine appeared ineffective when administered to 1-year-old infants who were HIV positive (CD4 count >200/μL).
The yellow fever vaccine has been regarded as one of the safest and most effective vaccines in use. Nonetheless, the live-attenuated 17D vaccine has been shown to cause wild-type disease in a subset of patients. [12] Between 1952 and 1959, 15 cases of postvaccination encephalitis were reported after administration of vaccine [7] ; since 1945 a total of 28 cases have been reported. Sixteen of these cases occurred in infants younger than 6 months. This resulted in the restriction of vaccine use in children younger than age 6 months and in limited use in patients aged 6-9 months.
The syndrome of YEL-AND is characterized by fever, headache, and focal or generalized neurologic dysfunction. YEL-AND has been described in primary vaccinees with a reported rate of 0.25-0.8/100,000 vaccine doses. Symptomatic onset ranges from 4-23 days after vaccination. In addition to encephalitis, cases of disseminated encephalomyelitis and Guillain-Barré syndrome have been reported. Case-fatality rates are less than 5%; most individuals recover from YEL-AND without sequelae. [3, 22]
YEL-AVD is characterized by fever, jaundice, and multiorgan system failure similar to the wild-type strain. YEL-AVD has been described in primary vaccinees with a reported rate of 0.25-0.4/100,000 vaccine doses. Symptoms begin 2-5 days after immunization; they are usually mild but can be fatal. As of August 2006, more than 30 cases of YEL-AVD had been described worldwide; it has occurred only in nonimmune, first-time vaccinees. Unlike YEL-AND, YEL-AVD has been reported primarily in individuals of advanced age. [3]
The proposed cause of vaccine-associated disease is an unsuited host response to the live-attenuated 17D vaccine. Individuals younger than age 6 months and those older than age 60 years, persons with a history of thymic disease (eg, DiGeorge syndrome, thymomas, and post-thymectomy), and those with a cell-mediated immunodeficiency status (eg, cancer, transplant, human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]) are all considered to be at a greater risk of developing YEL-AND and YEL-AVD with its subsequent sequelae. [27] A careful medical history to exclude the above should be obtained before the vaccine is administered.
These agents are useful as an adjunctive therapy to prevent gastric bleeding. H2-receptor antagonists are highly selective, do not affect the H1 receptors, and are not anticholinergic agents. These are potent inhibitors of all phases of gastric acid secretion. They inhibit secretions caused by histamine, muscarinic agonists, and gastrin.
Ranitidine (Zantac)
Ranitidine competitively inhibits histamine at the H2 receptor of gastric parietal cells, resulting in reduced gastric acid secretion, reduced gastric volume, and reduced hydrogen concentrations.
Famotidine (Pepcid)
Famotidine competitively inhibits histamine at the H2 receptor of the gastric parietal cells, resulting in reduced gastric acid secretion, reduced gastric volume, and reduced hydrogen concentrations.
Nizatidine (Axid)
Nizatidine competitively inhibits histamine at the H2 receptor of gastric parietal cells, resulting in reduced gastric acid secretion, reduced gastric volume, and reduced hydrogen concentrations.
Cimetidine (Tagamet HB)
Cimetidine competitively inhibits histamine at H2 receptors of the gastric parietal cells, resulting in reduced gastric acid secretion, reduced gastric volume, and reduced hydrogen ion concentration.
Gastric acid suppression, using H2 receptor antagonists or proton pump inhibitors, is recommended to decrease the risk of gastric bleeding.
Pantoprazole (Protonix)
Proton pump inhibitors suppress gastric acid secretion by inhibiting the parietal cell H+/K+ ATP pump
Esomeprazole (Nexium 24HR, Nexium)
Omeprazole (Prilosec, Prilosec OTC)
Treatment of yellow fever is symptomatic and supportive. Bed rest and mild analgesic-antipyretic therapy often help to relieve associated lethargy, malaise, and fever. Salicylates should be avoided because of bleeding risk.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol, Aspirin-Free Anacin, FeverAll, Cetafen)
Acetaminophen inhibits the action of endogenous pyrogens on heat-regulating centers. It reduces fever by direct action on the hypothalamic heat-regulating centers, which, in turn, increase dissipation of body heat via sweating and vasodilation.


You are worthy of a good life.
You are worthy of feeling safe.
You are worthy of a second chance at happiness.
You are worthy of an advocate.
You are worthy of meaningful relationships.
You are worthy of feeling beautiful and pure.
You are worthy of feeling like someone is watching out for you, and we are. We are fighting for you and we will not stop until the whole world starts listening to your voice.
And someday you will join the ranks of survivors and warriors, of the ones who found their voices and began to speak for their pain and for the pain of every child who lies awake at night and wonders if the world has forgotten them.
Natalie, you speak words that acknowledge and validate the experiences a child should never have to go through, yet you say it with compassion and love. These words speak life and encouragement to those who have not yet spoken. Please continue to speak love into these lives, to wake up those around to be tender hearted and to walk alongside them.
Doug Wilson will pay in eternity because the Bible says that the leaders of God's flock are held to a higher standard! Wm. Paul Young says that sexual abuse is the worst thing you can do to a child because it shatters your life in a million pieces all over the floor. He still feels the Lord putting back pieces although he has healed to a great extent! I still feel pieces being put back and am thankful for every one!


The winner of the first Lost Days netbook… laptop… portable computer thingie!
Here is the video of the results of the first drawing for the computer. It was shot in my palatial garage… studio.
This entry was posted in Fun Videos, Lost Days Book, My Books and tagged computer drawing, free computer, free stuff, lost days, win a computer. Bookmark the permalink.


Would you explain why the underlined part says, "things" rather than "a thing"? I believe this "such things" refers to "the athletic rivalry between the Tri-angle area's two largest universities" so it should be "such a thing."
It's a general reference to other athletic rivalries.
Jewish Christmas - Is There Such A Thing?


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2016 Season Preview
Patrick Vieira praises New York City's diverse talents, awaits a "really good test" on Sunday
On Thursday's media conference call, the gaffer expressed confidence in his squad while acknowledging the significant challenges inherent in MLS.
By Sam Dunn@RealFakeSamDunn Mar 4, 2016, 9:10am EST
Share All sharing options for: Patrick Vieira praises New York City's diverse talents, awaits a "really good test" on Sunday
Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
Patrick Vieira's NYCFC side exited preseason play with five wins and just one loss. But none of those results matters a lick. The only thing that matters? Sunday, March 6th in Chicago.
"I think the first game will be a really good test for us, to see where we are," the head coach said Thursday, "because we are going to be playing against a well-organized team that's got some really good players."
Of course, Vieira was quick to volunteer that he's got some quality on his own roster as well.
When asked about what to expect from his midfield rotation, for instance -- in which Andrea Pirlo is the only lock to start, with Frank Lampard nursing an injury -- Vieira beamed that he has seven players to choose from, and they all have something big to offer.
"It is very good that I have so many different types of players in the midfield, some of them with experience, some of them with good a physical side, some of them comfortable with the ball, some of them clever technically," he said. "When you look at the way Poku played last year, he did really well. Mix [Diskerud] is a really talented player. Tommy McNamara is a player that I really like, because he's really clever, he's really smart when he's on the field. He's always [making] the right movement. You have Mikey [Lopez], who's a really young player, full of energy. We have Federico Bravo from Argentina, who's got really good experience. "
Well, then. Could it perhaps be a problem to have so many useful talents in the middle of the pitch?
"Of course, the selection will be difficult," he conceded. It might even require playing out of the unorthodox 3-2-2-3 formation, as we often saw if preseason: "[W]e played three at the back, and we had two holding midfielders, and we had to players in front of them, too. I didn't make a decision yet of which system we will use in the first game on Sunday, but there is the possibility that we will play three at the back [Sunday] as well."
Selection issues aside, Thursday's media call was just as concerned with two players who aren't available on Sunday at all: veteran ace Frank Lampard and teenage scion Jack Harrison, both of whom will miss opening day due to injuries. While Vieira praised Lampard's work ethic and determination to get back onto the field and help his teammates, the subject of Harrison caused more of a stir.
When asked about a recent rumor suggesting that Harrison's hip ailment might be worse than advertised -- so much that he could miss the entire 2016 season -- Vieira was unequivocal in his refutation.
"No, no, no, no. That was the wrong information you had," the manager replied.
"We knew what to expect with Jack. We knew it would be an injury [for which] we would have to be patient. We are really pleased because we drafted one of – if not the best – young players. And Jack will have a massive part to play this year. He's feeling much better," adding that the Wake Forest University star is set to return "much earlier than you think."
With a number of international journalists on Thursday's call, Vieira was asked from multiple angles about the challenges MLS imposes on overseas talent, whether players or coaches. The gaffer was bullish about the present and future of the North American league.
"The MLS, I think, is going up really well. When you look at the MLS, where it was ten years ago and where it is now, it is going up really fast, and I think it is going up in the right way," he said, comparing the current state of the league to that of England's Premier League a decade ago: before it achieved hegemonic dominance worldwide, the English top flight often missed out on top players who opted for the glory of Italy or Spain.
Unfortunately, Vieira fully understands that, unlike the English game, MLS's shortcomings are the product of self-imposed restrictions.
"One of the problems, I believe, in the league, is, of course, the salary cap," noting that the recent spike in top overseas talent moving to China is a product of that league's complete lack of reservation about spending big on player salaries.
But don't think these challenges have soured Vieira's outlook on 2016 in the least.
"We had a really good preseason training camp," he said. "I'm really pleased, I'm really happy."
On Sunday in Chicago, you've got to think that New York City's head coach plans to let the good times roll.


thanks Xavier for your donation - sites - Unnamed repository; edit this file 'description' to name the repository.
-* Jason Thigpen donates a slicehost server, which hosts the source code and the tarballs of our projects.
* Anselm R Garbe donates domains and backup servers.
+* Jason Thigpen donated a slicehost server, which hosted the source code and the tarballs of our projects.


Flat tire again? Got locked outside of your car? Not a big surprise, we have all been there. And we hated it. For most of us, driving our car is a daily action and its part of our daily routine. Unfortunately, our car is a big and complex machine that sometimes can cause us serious headaches. In the worse scenarios, it might be dangerous and can lead to injuries or even worse. That is why you have to make sure that you have the number of a reliable and professional towing service provider saved on your phone, preferably on speed dial. 'Trio Auto Transport ', located in Jacksonville Florida, is the answer to the problems that we've mentioned and the company that you need to remember when in need.
Trio Auto Transport is an established company which started as a small business that helped the local drivers with their problems on the road. Over the years, we had gained experience and reputation, and have become a well-known business that provides towing services for any driver in the area that suffers from failures and problems with their car.
If you experience any kind of accident with your car, get a flat tire, or even just find yourself in need of gas delivery, we will send one of our professional teams to help you quickly and smoothly overcome your ordeal.
If your car broke down in the middle of the night or your battery died at 5 AM in the morning, our company is available for your needs – 24/7. If you need a hand in Jacksonville and the area, Trio Auto Transport will provide any required service for your problems, with a guaranteed 30 minutes response time. We don't want you to feel lost, and our goal is to respond to your needs as fast as we can.
Our company's standards are the highest in the market. Our employees are well trained and have years of proven experience. Each one of the guys on our team is a professional technician that went through the proper training, and knows exactly what to do no matter what's the case. The team is also a group of friendly guys that will provide the best service with the best attitude.
Trio Auto Transport started as a small business in our small town of Jacksonville, when our goals from the beginning were the benefit of the community. A lot of our employees are from our hometown, and they also have become a part of the big family. Most of our clients are obviously from the area, and we are more than pleased to provide them with the best services in the market. All you have to do is contact us at (904) 417-7604 and we'll do the rest!


If all that talk of links got you confused, don't worry. Links are confusing, and that's one of the best reasons to use Dreamweaver. If you can navigate to a document on your own computer or anywhere on the Web, you can create a link to it in Dreamweaver, even if you don't know the first thing about URLs and don't intend to learn.
The Property inspector provides three ways to add links on a Web page.
In the document window, select the text or image you want to use for the link.
You can select a single word, a sentence, or an entire paragraph. When this process is over, the selected words will show up blue and underlined (depending on your visitors' Web-browser settings), like billions of links before them.
In addition, you can turn a picture into a link—a great trick for adding attractive navigation buttons.
In the Property inspector, click the folder (Browse for File) icon.
Alternatively, choose Modify Make Link or press Ctrl+L ( -L). In any case, the Select File dialog box opens (see Figure 4-3).
Navigate to and select the file you'll want the link to open.
The file should be a Web page that's part of your Web site. In other words, it should be in the local root folder (see Section 1.3), or in a folder therein.
If you try to link to a file outside the root folder, Dreamweaver alerts you to this problem, and offers to copy the file into the root folder. Accept the offer. Remember: For a Web site, the root folder is like the edges of the known universe; nothing exists outside it.
The Select File dialog box looks slightly different in Windows (top) and Mac OS X 10.3 (bottom), but either way, it lets you browse your computer to select the file you wish to link to.
From the Relative To pop-up menu, you can choose what type of link to create—Document or Site Root relative. Since root-relative links may not work when you preview your pages on your computer, choosing Document from the pop-up menu is almost always your best bet.
Whichever you choose, Dreamweaver remembers your selection and uses it the next time you create a link. Keep this quirk in mind if you suddenly find that your links are not working when you preview your pages. Odds are you accidentally selected Site Root at some point, and Dreamweaver continued writing site root-relative links.
From the Relative To menu, choose the type of link—Document or Site Root.
Get in the habit of double-checking this pop-up menu. As discussed in Figure 4-3, Dreamweaver remembers your selection and uses it the next time you create a link. If you inadvertently choose Site Root here, Dreamweaver will quietly continue to use Site Root-relative paths for creating hyperlinks and inserting graphics. Furthermore, you may not realize your mistake; depending on your Preferences setting (Section 4.1.4), root-relative links may work just fine when you press F12 to preview your pages in your Web browser. However, if you were to open your Web site directly using your Web browser's Open command, the same root-relative links and graphics would suddenly stop working. To avoid such confusion, use document-relative links in Dreamweaver.
Click Select (Windows) or Open (Mac) to apply the link.
The text or image now links to another Web page. If you haven't yet saved the Web page, Dreamweaver doesn't know how to write the document-relative link. Instead, it displays a dialog box saying that it will assign a temporary path for the link until you save the page—see the box on Section 4.3.
After you apply a link, graphics don't look any different, but linked text appears underlined and colored (using the color defined by the Page Property window, which is shown in Figure 1-11). If you want to take the link for a spin, press F12 to preview the page in your browser, where you can click the link.
You can also create links in Dreamweaver by dragging from the Property inspector to the Files panel (shown in Figure 4-4). If your site involves a lot of links, learning the Point-to-File tool will save you time and energy.
To use this trick effectively, position your document window and Files window sideby- side, as shown in Figure 4-4.
What's the Target menu in the Property inspector for?
The Target menu has nothing to do with the accuracy of your links, nor with shooting ranges. Instead, it deals with how the destination page appears when you click a link.
The new page can appear (a) right in the browser window, just the way most links work; (b) in a new browser window (choose the _blank option); or (c) in a different frame on the same page (see Chapter 9).
Drag the Point-to-File icon from the Property inspector onto a Web page in the Files window (see Figure 4-4).
Alternatively, you can Shift-drag the selected text or image in the document window to any Web page in the Files panel—a method that bypasses the Property inspector altogether.
In this figure, the text "Horoscope" is selected in the document window (left). To link to another page, drag from the Point-to-File icon in the Property inspector to a Web page in the Files panel (right). In this example, Dreamweaver creates a link to the Web page called index.html inside the horoscopes folder. You could also Shift-drag from the text "Horoscopes" to the page mowers.html in the Files window.
After dragging over the correct Web page, release the mouse button.
The selected text or image in your Web page turns into a link to the file you just pointed to.
If you need to link to another Web site, or you feel comfortable with how document- relative links work, you can also simply type the URL or path to the page in the Property inspector. Note that this is the only way to add a link to a page outside of the current Web site.
In the document window, select the text or image you want to make into a link.
In the Property inspector, type the URL or path to the file in the Link field (see Figure 4-1).
If the link leads to another Web site, type an absolute URL—that is, a complete Web address, starting with http://.
An easier approach is to copy a complete URL—including the http://—from the Address bar in your browser window. Then paste the address into the Link field.
To link to another page on your own site, type a document-relative link (see Section 4.1.4 for some examples). You'll be less prone to error if you let Dreamweaver write the correct path using the browsing or point-to-file techniques described above; but typing the path can come in handy when, for instance, you want to create a link to a page you haven't yet created.
If you're adding an absolute link to a Web site without specifying a Web page, always add a final / to the address. For example, to link to Yahoo, type www.yahoo.com/ . The final slash tells the Web server that you're requesting the default page (home page) at Yahoo.com.
Although leaving out the slash works too ( www.yahoo.com ), the server has to do a little extra work to figure out what page to send back, resulting in a slight and unnecessary delay.
Also include the slash when you provide a link to the default page inside a folder on a site like this: www.sawmac.com/dwmx2004/ .
The text or image now links to another Web page.
Dreamweaver MX 2004 provides yet another way to add a link. The Hyperlink object on the Common tab of the Insert bar lets you insert a link with many optional properties (see Figure 4-5).
Dreamweaver makes it easy to add innovative commands and tools—including those written by independent, non- Macromedia programmers—to your copy of the program. You can read a lot more about these add-on programs, called extensions, in Chapter 20.
When you're working with links, one extension that really comes in handy is called QuickLink. Created by renowned Dreamweaver guru Tom Muck, this extension instantly turns text into either a mailto or an absolute URL. You can find QuickLink at www.basic-ultradev.com/extensions/ .
Once you've installed the extension, here's how it works. Suppose you paste the text, "You can download the free PDF viewer at www.adobe.com ." To turn www.adobe.com into a real link, you can either select the text and then go to the Property inspector and type www.adobe.com/ —or, with QuickLink, simply select the text and choose Commands QuickLink. QuickLink writes the proper code in the Property inspector, including the initial (and mandatory) http://, even if those characters were missing from the original text.
QuickLink also converts email addresses into proper mailto links: just select the email address (missing@sawmac.com, say), apply the QuickLink command, and watch as the extension automatically inserts the correct code (mailto: missing@sawmac.com) into your page.
Unfortunately, only Internet Explorer 6, Mozilla, Netscape 6, and later versions of these actually understand all of these additional properties, and you can only use the hyperlink object to create a new text link. You can't use it to add a link to an image or to text you've already placed on the page.
Choose Insert Hyperlink or click the icon on the Insert bar.
The Hyperlink dialog opens (see Figure 4-5).
Type the text you want to appear in the Text box.
This is the text that you'll see on the page, and that your audience will click to follow the link.
Click the folder icon and search for the page you want to link to.
Alternatively, you can type a URL in the Link box.
Set the target for the link.
If you want the link to open in the same window, like most links, don't select anything. The targeting option works just like a regular link (see Section 4.2.2).
The last three options are more interesting.
In the Tab Index box, type a number for the tab order.
In most newer browsers (Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Safari, and Opera to name a few), you can press the Tab key to step through the links on a page (and boxes on a form). This feature not only provides useful keyboard control of your Web browser, but it's also important for people who can't use the mouse due to disability.
Normally when you press Tab, the browser highlights links in the order in which they appear in the HTML of the page. The Tab Index, by contrast, lets you control the order in which links light up as a visitor tabs through them.
For example, you can make your main navigation buttons the first things to highlight when someone presses Tab, even if the buttons are not the first links on the page.
For the first link in order, type 1 here; number other links in the order you want the Tab key to follow. If you aren't concerned about the order of a particular link, leave this option blank or type 0. The Web browser will highlight that link after the visitor has tabbed through all links that do have a Tab index.
Type a title for the page you're linking to.
This property is optional. Some Web browsers, like Internet Explorer for Windows and Netscape 7, display this property in a small tooltip window when you move your mouse over the link. Many Macintosh Web browsers, on the other hand, don't display this title at all.
Type a key to define an access key.
An access key provides a way to trigger a link from the keyboard. Internet Explorer, Netscape 6 and later, and Mozilla understand this property in conjunction with the Alt key. For example, if you type h in the Access key box, a visitor to your page could press Alt+H to mouselessly open that link. Of course, unless those who visit your site are psychic, it's a good idea to provide instructions by adding the access key information to the link: Home Page (Alt+H). In addition, the Macintosh doesn't recognize access keys at all, so no Mac browsers can use this feature.


text:
Popular Travel Destinations
Australia has a multicultural population practising almost every religion and lifestyle.
A piquant mixture of British, French and aboriginal influences, Canadian culture is uniquely three-dimensional.
China's cultural heritage is one of the world's oldest and most intricate with a history spanning over 5,000 years.
Croatian culture is the product of fourteen centuries of history, as can be seen by visiting its cities and monuments.
The Czech Republic has a rich cultural heritage and has given the world some renowned artists.
Danish culture is characterised by simplicity, minimalism, egalitarianism, good manners and propriety.
French culture is derived from an ancient civilization composed of a complex mix of Celtic, Greco-Roman, and Germanic elements.
Mexico is a country of colourful celebrations with traditional dances and music.
The culture of New Zealand is a heterogeneous mixture of the native Maori culture, along with European and American influences.
Norway established its own distinct brand of culture as early as the ninth century when the Viking shipbuilders bequeathed the place with their strong artistic traditions.
Scandinavian 20th century design is renowned and exported to countries all over the world.
Switzerland is well known for its cleanliness, punctuality, discipline and high degree of consciousness about the environment.
The culture of Thailand has been greatly influenced by Buddhism and Hinduism. But cultural influencers also include neighbouring Myanmar Laos, China and India.
Turkey's unique and very strategic location has had an impact on almost every aspect of its vibrant, often mesmeric, culture.
United Arab Emirates' culture bears a striking resemblance to that of its neighbouring Arab countries and the larger Arab culture.
The culture of the United States of America is made up of many influences of different tribes and races who have inhabited the place from historical times.
South Africa is a multiracial society with a culture as diverse as it comes.
Need to order foreign currency? Find out more


Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored two goals to lift the host Los Angeles Galaxy past the Philadelphia Union 2-0 on Saturday night.
In the 27th minute, Ibrahimovic headed home a cross from Jørgen Skjelvik for a 1-0 Galaxy lead. It was the third straight game in which Ibrahimovic has scored.
Philadelphia's Alejandro Bedoya had a strong scoring opportunity in the 54th minute, but fired a shot from inside the box off the crossbar.


The Wearwolf product is a wear monitoring tool for the mining and construction industries. It allows tracking and monitoring the wear rates of machines and components, in order to better plan an schedule maintenance servicing. PJL Group wanted a standalone product logo to help market their product and build brand awareness in the wear monitoring product category.
A complex concept was supplied to us, along with some examples of other product logos and imagery. We stripped down the very literal and complicated idea to a much more simplified and easily recognisable mark.
We used a heavy, strong, hexagonal enclosure. It conveys strength, efficiency, (the best torque in mechanical engineering), load distribution, machinery and tools, etc. [It's also perfect for use as an app icon – as it's equally proportioned]. It's a modern, innovative, yet timeless shape.
The wolf is watching – monitoring – and sees the fractures / frictions in the machine in front of it. The yellow background symbolises warning, it also suggests headlights / floodlights, as in underground mining machinery – the red eyes say stop – time for maintenance. The typeface is solid, reliable, and familiar to machinery signage. A grey enclosure works on a dark or light background.


Toyota Crown Hybrid with Stock Number: ALH33992, is now on sale from Japan Yokohama. It was manufactured in Year 2019 with 2,500 CC engine, CVT transmission along with Right Hand Steering and 2wd. This Sedan is available in Black color with 5 seats, Hybrid fuel and 4 doors.


I received a letter yesterday. I didn't open it right away because it was from one of the schools I had applied to. My name is Stephanie Lancaster and I USED to be a teacher. I didn't like my job, well who am I kidding I loved it but luck didn't play in my favor. My husband Rick was a gambler, and eventually, bet all of our vacation money, which was ridiculous because we didn't have much of that. Then he lost his job, I broke up with him... blah blah blah. I am going to spare you all the details. The point is that before that, I applied to some schools and now I am in front of this envelop and I have no idea what to do.
The school of Sudden Death wants to congratulate you. You are now a part of our staff. You will be as it's written in your recommendation the teacher of 8th grade. To this is attached the link to your schedule. Classes start at 8 am and finish at 3 pm. If you could please contact the head of the school, Miss Lecter for further information and to schedule an appointment to see a little bit the school.
Yes, I know the name is weird but I applied to all the schools possible and only this one responded. Anyways, I am so happy I can finally teach again. I sat at my office chair and started to write a letter to Miss Lecter, the principal saying that I am so happy and that I would be glad to set up an appointment with her. Surprisingly, she responded within the minute. She wrote that we could meet up right now if I wanted to.
Author Notes: I hope you liked it!!!


Same problem. Wrote to Universal on Saturday, using Larry's link, and got the reply today about the replacement procedure. I included my address & telephone # in the e-mail to save a step in the process.
I noticed that sites like Amazon, Deep Discount, Circuit City and Best Buy are now listing it as Backordered.
For anyone who's been getting duplicate discs with their Fearless: Director's Cut, one option you guys might want to consider is ordering from a Canadian website like Amazon.ca.
I live in Canada (Toronto to be specific), and the copy of the Director's Cut I recently bought from Best Buy was ok. After watching the entire movie, I can confirm that the first disc of the Canadian version of "Fearless" does indeed have the longer extended cut. The minute the movie started with the Michelle Yeoh scene (which was added back in), I knew there wasn't any problem with it.
A friend of mine bought his copy from FutureShop in Toronto and his DVD contains the extended cut on Disc 1 as well. So, no problems here in Toronto.
Not sure if it might have to do with the fact that the movie is distributed in Canada by Alliance Atlantis rather than Universal. I'm guessing our copies (which were manufactured here in Canada) didn't encounter the same problem with ones printed in the U.S.
I'm sure that if you order from Amazon.ca, you would most likely get an Alliance Atlantis-distributed copy, not the American version distributed by Universal.
Not sure how long it will take Universal to address this quality control issue and offer exchanges, but for those of you in the U.S. who haven't bought the movie yet for fear of running into the same problem, at least you have the option of getting a working copy for yourself which definitely contains the extended director's cut.
Hope that helps you guys!
Last edited by Dairugger; 07-15-08 at 05:41 PM.
Don't miss out on a great movie because of Universal Studios mistake!
It has been confirmed that JET LI'S FEARLESS: DIRECTOR'S CUT, Universal's highly anticipated re-release of Ronny Yu's Huo Yuanjia biopic promising nearly 40 minutes of additional footage is missing the director's cut. Released July 8th, it promised three versions of the movie, one of which was supposed to be the complete two hour and 21 minute director's cut. However, upon inspecting the two-disc release purchased from Walmart today both discs contain only 103-minute international and theatrical versions. Other readers have been e-mailing and posting messages on this site stating the same problem which suggests this defect is widespread.
Additionally, both discs appear to function erratically in my player. Disc two displays nothing but pixels and disc one periodically will not start up. I was only able to confirm the contents of disc two by using a disc burning tool. Both discs appear to be identical and the director's cut is no where to be found despite what the back cover clearly states.
Universal was unavailable for comment at the time of writing and an e-mail sent Thursday has so far gone unanswered.
At this point I would suggest that anyone who is considering buying this release to not do so until Universal releases corrected discs and issues a statement, preferably along with a recall.
For those who have already purchased the defective FEARLESS discs and are unable to return them to the store, try contacting Universal direct during normal, weekday business hours. You may also want to notify your local retailer.
Thank you for contacting Universal Studios Home Entertainment. We strive to provide the highest standard in product quality and customer care.
Please let us know your shipping address and daytime telephone number, and we will send you a postage paid envelope in which to return your "Jet Li's Fearless Director's Cut" disc #1 for replacement. In the envelope, please send the original disc #1 only, along with a copy of this correspondence.
Please allow 1 - 4 weeks to receive your replacement.
We appreciate your patronage and hope that you will continue to enjoy this and future Universal releases.
Just to further confirm what Dairugger said, the Canadian release seems ok. I just bought this at HMV in Newfoundland and the directors cut is in-tact.
I know from work which copies are the nondefective versions, with working for Kmart I had to send back all previous versions of Fearless. On the corrected dvds, Look for a dot on each side of the number on the dvd spine. I hope this helps.
I was wondering if anyone who has received the postage paid envelope from Universal could help me out. I live in Canada but bought the DVD from Amazon.com, and because I do not live in the United States, Universal will not send me the postage paid envelope. I was hoping if I could get the address they are using for the returns, I could send mine in and include my own postage paid envelope for them to return the corrected copy to me in Canada.
So, would someone mind posting the address that Universal is using for the returns?
i just sent mine out yesterday, sorry. but i think it would be less hassle just to return it to amazon and then order it from amazon.ca. you'll get a full refund from amazon and won't have to endure the cost of the postage paid envelope to warner. you would also get the correct dvd from amazon.ca much faster bc warner stated that the disc would take 2-4 weeks (expect at least a month).
Got my replacement DVD today. Only took a week from when I sent it back. I'm on the Right Coast, they're on the Left.
Checked the disc and it is indeed the Director's Cut. Yippee!!!!!
I just received my replacement disc.
Checked it really quick and although it has English subtitles come up during the English language portions (should have been removed seeing as though there is a legit SDH subtitle on the disc), the DVD does correct the small error on the Edko disc which reversed the order of two subtitle lines.
Anyway, even though it's obvious it wasn't going to be a problem, the English subtitles on the Director's Cut disc are legit.
I hope your right as I saw copies at Walmart today for $14.96, which I purchased. Considering this release includes the Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor movie voucher, it's a no brainer purchase.
I bought Fearless: The Director's Cut today and I'm surprised that they didn't recall and replace them.
Just emailed them and asking for replacement disc.
I grabbed this during the $6.99 sale at best buy tonight and it did have the DC on disc 1. There weren't any numbers on the dvd spine but there was a small black dot sticker on the back...maybe that's the new identifier for correct discs?
Check other 2nd disc to see if it's not similar with first disc. When I bought it, the two discs inside was very identity.
I played both and the discs are indeed different. It's just strange that Universal took the previous release and stuck it in with the director's cut. The studio didn't even bother to label it Disc Two.
i have a question, are the subtitles on the dc indeed dubtittles like the original universal dvd? Also does it subtitle the english too? I have the region 3 edko directors cut with dts 6.1 sound and its amazing, but it subtitles the english parts too which is a tad annyoying.


text:
Directions/Teachings
The Warriors of the Holy Sword of Mary
Precious Blood Devotion
The visionary, Barnabas Nwoye, began receiving messages from Jesus in July 1995, in Enugu State, Nigeria. He was only a teenager then, when on the first week of July 1995, he heard at the hour of Divine Mercy (3 pm) a voice calling him interiorly. This experience repeated many times until in June 1996, when he was praying, he fell into a trance and witnessed the whole Passion of Jesus from Gethsemane to the end. Jesus gave Barnabas a mission, to revive the devotion to the Precious Blood. Since then Barnabas has received visions of Jesus, Mary, Angels and various Saints. With his fellow Precious Blood devotees, he started the Apostolate of the Precious Blood in 2000 in Nigeria.
His book of messages was approved by Rev. Stephen Obikuwu in July 1999, and has received an official Nihil Obstat. The official book of prayers dictated to Barnabas by Jesus, received an Imprimatur from the Rev. Dr. Ayo Maria Atoyebi, Bishop of Illorin, on June 17, 2001. Barnabas still receives messages from Jesus, Mary and Saints to this day.
Copies of the Devotion to the Most Precious Blood as well as other books and sacramentals may be purchased from the website http://preciousblooditnl.com/home and from Queenship Publishing.
NIHIL OBSTAT:
Rev. Fr. Stephen Obiukwu
Censor Deputatus
Chairman, Doctrine and Faith Committee
Archdiocese of Onitsha, Anambra State 430001
1st July, 1999
IMPRIMATUR:
Ayo-Maria Atoyebi, O.P.
Bishop of Ilorin Diocese
Ilorin, Kwara State 240001
17th June, 2001
BishopStatementReBarnabusNwoye.pdf
DirectorOfApostolateReconfirmed.pdf
Bishop's Statement Regarding Precious Blood Messages to Barnabus Nwoye
Reconfirmation as the Director of Precious Blood Apostolate


text:
Chombo's properties a shock
This may mean that Chombo is no longer regarded as a sacred cow and may even be on his way out of the favour of the powers that be in Zanu (PF). What is amazing about the disclosures is the fact that the minister of Local Government has property in virtually all the urban areas of this country. The properties range from commercial stands to low density mansions in all reputable residential areas of our major cities.
He also has at least two commercial farms and a lot of farm equipment. He has a lot of vehicles, even though some of them are non-runners.
The question the general public would like to be answered is how Mr. Chombo managed to acquire all these properties on a minister's salary. Before joining government Chombo used to work for the University of Zimbabwe, which also pays slave wages that could not have been used to amass the properties he now owns. So, where did he get the money to acquire all these properties?
The second question that needs to be answered is whether, in fact, he paid any money for these properties. Is it possible that as minister of Local Government he may have just grabbed these properties and the relevant authorities were too scared to challenge him to pay for them? Worse still, was he allocated these properties by some local authorities as part of the usual Zanu (PF) looting scam?
The third question that begs an answer is why Robert Mugabe does not appoint a commission of inquiry into the acquisition of these properties by one of his ministers. With this third question we can speculate on some of the possible reasons why the President is reluctant to have Chombo investigated.
First, the two are home boys since they both come from Zvimba, and Mugabe would not like to be seen as undermining or exposing his "homie" in that fashion. Second, in this era of a compromise government, it would be politically costly for Zanu (PF) tom have one of its senior politicians investigated for corruption.
The third possible explanation is may be that what has been exposed about Chombo is but only a small part of what the majority of these Zanu (PF) looters have amassed over the years. I suspect that some of Chombo's colleagues in the rotten party laugh their lungs out when they see the properties listed under his name. They may even express, "Is this all that he has acquired?" In other words, the nation could be shocked if the lists of all the properties that these looters have acquired were to be published.
It is sad that at his age, Mugabe no longer has the capacity to institute measures aimed at good governance in this country. I strongly suspect that soon after reading about these scandals perpetrated by his underlings, the President conveniently forgets the stories and fails to do anything about them.
This makes it rather difficult to believe that the 86-year-old young man is still governing this nation. Some say he spends most of his time snoozing while we think he is running the country. However, he wakes up very quickly whenever someone mentions that he could travel to some foreign country for whatever reason. May God help us all.
30 000 cattle lost to diseases, drought
Kombi driver jailed for killing pedestrian
Airzim receives new plane from Malaysia
Tuesday rally still on: Chamisa
Minister's son torches family farmhouse
3 things giving Mthuli sleepless nights Jan 20, 2020
ZTA to exhibit at Spanish fair Jan 20, 2020
Mthuli Ncube end-game is nigh


Are all vaccines bad? Believe it or not, the jury is still out on so many different types of vaccines, it may be safer to avoid them.
But what is less controversial is the emerging studies that continue to cast doubt on the safety and efficacy of so many vaccines, on so young a patient.
Before we are able to answer once and for all if vaccines outweigh the dangers of the diseases they are meant to treat, we at least need to be honest about the crazed aggression in our current vaccination schedule on newborns and infants. Mary and Dr. Jack have put together this special podcast to guide new parents, or anyone interested in this controversial topic, as they wade into the waters of modern vaccination politics.
This entry was posted in Podcast and tagged autism, immunity, vaccinations, vaccines.
Amen! What an excellent podcast! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and research.