text:
Christmas album roundup 2018
If you're looking for some fresh festive music to help set the mood for your party, tree trimming, wrapping presents, baking cookies or other activities, here are some new Christmas release suggestions…
Hey! Merry Christmas
(Thirty Tigers/Mono Mundo)
In 2007, Raul Malo, front man for The Mavericks, put out a solo album called Marshmallow World & Other Holiday Favorites. It was one of the best seasonal albums of that year. So, it's no surprise that Malo has come up with another winner alongside the band.
Hey! Merry Christmas! contains eight eclectic and memorable blues, jazz and swing-styled originals, plus a pair of old classics - "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" and "Happy Holiday." The musicians colored them with organ, mellotron, glockenspiel and Tubular bells. Regular Mavericks touring horn section/backing vocalists The Fantastic Five, saxophonist Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band) and noted singers The McCrary Sisters all joined the quartet in the studio.
Standouts include the fun, upbeat opener "Christmas Time Is (Coming 'Round Again)," bolstered by Malo's rich voice, the jaunty and sax-fueled "Santa Does," romantic Tex-Mex of "It's Christmas Without You" and "I Have Wanted You (For Christmas)." Then there's the naughty "Santa Wants to Take You for a Ride," that's filled with plenty of double entendres. An extra shout out goes to keyboardist Jerry Dale McFadden, who handled the art direction and ultra-cool illustrations by Rik Catlow – reason enough to get the physical version.
(New West)
The acclaimed roots rock musician from Oklahoma crafted 10 original songs on Socks that wouldn't have sounded out of place on a transistor radio in the 1950s. Opening track "All the Gifts I Need" swings and a chugging "Bad Kid" has some memorable twangy guitar. The humorous jump blues of "Hey Skinny Santa!" describes how Santa needs to gain some weight before Christmas, while the equally amusing slinky title track finds McPherson singing about how socks were "the worst gift I ever got…why'd you waste the paper." Both are standouts, along with the doo wop vocals, twinkling piano and tasty guitar solo on "Santa's Got A Mean Machine." Socks is definitely a keeper.
(Surfdog)
For the frequently bluesy Happy Xmas album, old Slowhand chose lesser-known titles co-written by the likes of Sonny James, Anthony Hamilton, Booker T. Jones and others to go along with a half dozen classics ("White Xmas," "Merry Xmas, Baby") and a heartfelt original ballad he did with longtime collaborator Simon Climie ("For Love on Xmas Day").
Clapton dedicated an EDM lite take on "Silent Night" to the late AVICII and his family members contributed vocals. The solid blues of "Xmas Tears," Dixieland-styled "Xmas in My Hometown" and slinky groove of "It's Xmas" fare best. The legendary singer/guitarist is joined by ace musicians like drummer Jim Keltner, guitarist Doyle Bramhall II and bassist Nathan East, a string section and choir. Clapton did the cover art as well.
Wonderful Christmas Time
(UME)
This regal 20-track collection includes a handful of selections featuring the London Symphony Orchestra. From the sweeping, jazzy medley of "Sleigh Ride/Jingle Bells," the sleek, old school styled "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" and a few spiritual numbers to the lush cover of Bacharach & David's "What the World Needs Now," John Lennon & Yoko Ono's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" and the Stevie Wonder popularized "Overjoyed," Wonderful Christmas Time is classy all the way. Just what you'd expect from Ms. Ross.
An Aaron Watson Family Christmas
(Big Label)
The neo-traditional country singer, best known for the hits "Outta Style" and "Run Wild Horses" off 2017 album Vaquero, enlisted his wife and young children to help sing on the charming An Aaron Watson Family Christmas. Watson has said it has "a Frank Sinatra on the farm kind of feel; we hope it is something families can enjoy during the holidays for years to come." Among the selections: "Lonestar Lonely Christmas," a nod to his Texas roots, "Christmas Time is Here" from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and the pleasant, violin-led "The Christmas Waltz."
Also available: Kaskade/Christmas (Columbia) - a deluxe digital version of the popular American house music DJ's 2017 album with four new tracks ("Jingle Bells," "Auld Lang Syne," "Little Town" and "Jesu Parvule"); Mitch Ryder/Christmas Take a Ride (Golden Lane) - The Sixties rocker from Detroit tackles "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer," "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" and several classics.
Posted by newwavegeo at 12:07 PM
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text:
"May Mother Ganges Bless You Today"
_ ДНЕВНИК СТРАНСТВУЮЩЕГО МОНАХА :, _ Том 15, (Проповедь, @Аскетичность, \Ганга, \Индия
Дневник странствующего монаха – Том 15, глава 1
"Да благословит тебя сегодня мать Ганга"
https://iskconnews.org/may-mother-ganges-bless-you-today,6862/?fbclid=IwAR1N9ir1jet9VR8bkOQEB3veCcGMmJ7JyJ5Qnqsm6RCW0zHB11sJQFpGH38
Ever since becoming a devotee of Lord Krishna in 1970, I have been fascinated with the Kumbha Mela festival. This year I decided to join millions of other pilgrims in the journey to the Ardha Kumbha Mela where, from January 15th to March 4th, ISKCON devotees were to follow in Srila Prabhupada's footsteps by bringing his books, the Holy Names and prasadam to the festival.
Kumbha Mela is the largest religious gathering in the world. Estimates anticipated that 120 million pilgrims—nearly double the population of England and France combined—would visit the Mela over seven weeks. The Mela takes place four times within a twelve-year period on the banks of four of India's most holy rivers: the Godavari River in Nashik, the Shipra River in Ujjain, the Ganges River in Haridwar and the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati Rivers in Prayagraj (formerly known as Prayaga ).
This year's Mela was to be held at the confluence site at Prayagraj. The point of convergence is called "Triveni Sangam." Bathing in any of the sacred rivers has a purifying effect, but it is said that the purification is increased a hundred times at the sangam and a thousand times at the sangam during Kumbha Mela.
Srila Prabhupada writes:
"Bathing during the month of Magha at the Magha-Mela [Kumbha Mela] still takes place. This is a very old Mela (assembly), dating from time immemorial. It is said that ever since the Lord in the form of Mohini took a bucket of nectar and kept it at Prayaga, holy men have gathered there every year and observed the Magha-Mela. Every twelfth year there is a Kumbha-Mela, a great festival, and all the holy men from all over India assemble there. Bathing at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna, near the fort at Allahabad (Prayaga), is mentioned in the revealed scriptures:
"maghe masi gamisyanti ganga yamuna sangamam
gavam sata sahasrasya samyag dattam ca yat phalam
prayage magha mase vai try aham snatasya tat phalam
"If one goes to Prayaga and bathes at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna in the month of Magha, he attains the result of giving hundreds and thousands of cows in charity. Simply by bathing for three days there, he attains the results of such a pious activity."
[ Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya 18.145 ]
I had a special desire to attend Kumbha Mela this year as the main bathing day, February 4th, was on Mauni Amavasya, which creates a special tithi that appears only once every 200 years. However, my main motivation to go was to meet with the holy men Srila Prabhupada describes in his above purport, and to share with them the glories of Lord Caitanya and His movement of chanting the holy names which He inaugurated just over 500 years ago. My experience in India is that most people are aware of the 10 primary incarnations of the Lord—the das avatars such as Lord Ramacandra, Varaha, Kurma, Matsya and so on. But very few are aware of the avatar of this age, Lord Caitanya, whose appearance is predicted in ancient scriptures like Srimad Bhagavatam:
krsna varnam tvisakrsnam
sanopangastra parsadam
yajnaih sankirtana prayair
yajanti hi su medhasah
"In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Krsna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krsna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions." [ Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.32 ]
The origin of Kumbha Mela is mentioned in the Vedic scriptures. It is stated that in bygone ages, the demigods and demons assembled together to churn the ocean of milk to produce the nectar of immortality. Mandara Mountain was used as a churning rod, and Vasuki, the king of serpents, became the rope for churning. The demigods took Vasuki's tail and the demons his head, and they churned the milk ocean for one thousand celestial years. Among many other amazing things, a pot of immortal nectar was produced. The demigods were fearful that the demons would take advantage of it, so they stole the pot and hid it in the four places on Earth where the Mela is held. During the act of hiding, a drop of immortal nectar spilled from the pot at each of the four places. Kumbha Mela is held at the time when, according to astrological calculations, the immortal nectar is most readily available to those who bathe in the sacred rivers.
Approaching the festival site, we pulled over at a small hill that provided a panoramic view of the Mela. The magnitude of the site testified to the pilgrims' enthusiasm to be liberated from the material world through contact with the nectar of immortality. Witnessing the vast landscape of tents, I was fascinated by the thought that so many people were coming simply for spiritual purposes.
Prabhupada said:
"At the Kumbha-Mela, millions of people come to take bath in the Ganges because they are interested in how to become spiritually liberated from this material world. They travel thousands of miles to take bath in the Ganges at the holy place of Prayaga." [ Room conversation with Pusta Krsna das ]
From our vantage point on the hill, I could see thousands upon thousands of people pouring into the Mela. These people were prepared to travel long distances and tolerate many discomforts, including sleeping in austere conditions in very cold weather. Some arrived on overcrowded trains. Others came by bus, car and even ox carts. While the rich and famous flew into Prayagraj on chartered flights, the multitudes came on foot carrying all their necessities—food and a couple changes of clothes—in bundles on their heads. But whether rich or poor, everyone had the same agenda: to bathe in the sangam at the auspicious moment and attain passage back to the spiritual world. I could hear many people glorifying the Ganges with cries of "Ganga Ma ki jaya! All glories to Mother Ganges!"
Sastra supports their glorification:
nimna ganam yatha ganga
devanam acyuto yatha
vaisnavanam yatha sambhuh
purananam idam tatha
"Just as the Ganga is the greatest of all rivers, Lord Acyuta the supreme among deities and Lord Sambhu [Siva] the greatest of Vaisnavas, so Srimad-Bhagavatam is the greatest of all Puranas." [ Srimad Bhagavatam 12.13.16 ]
I knew that as Westerners, we would be a tiny minority at the Mela, but we were not the first foreigners to take part by any means. A seventh-century diary written by Hiuen Tsiang from China mentions Kumbha Mela. He writes that he witnessed half a million people gather on the banks of the Ganges at Prayagraj to observe a celebration for 75 days. He even mentions that a king was present with his ministers, scholars, philosophers and sages, and that he gave away huge amounts of gold, silver and jewels to acquire pious credit and assure himself a place in heaven.
The current rulers of India, likewise, were taking part in the Mela by facilitating many of the logistical details. The government had been working on the services and accommodations for an entire year, and the statistics were mind-boggling. Over 6,000 religious and cultural organizations had been allotted land, including our International Society for Krsna Consciousness. The Mela site sprawled over 32 square miles, an area equivalent to a large town. There were 4,200 premium tents, 300 kilometers of roads, 122,000 toilets, 20,000 dustbins, 10,000 policemen and 30,000 military personnel. They had provided row upon row of simple tents for free accommodation. There were lost-and-found centers dotted throughout the Mela, intended mainly for helping people find their lost family members and friends. In 2013, thousands of people—mostly women and children—went missing in the huge crowds. The entire cost of this year's Kumbha Mela was estimated at 400 million dollars.
There were many ashrams and camps distributing free food throughout the Mela, including our ISKCON camp. Overall, 5,384 metric tons of rice, 7,834 tons of wheat, 3,174 tons of sugar and 767 kiloliters of kerosene were allocated to the food distribution centers. 160 dispensers of clean drinking water were available throughout the Mela.
A 100-bed hospital and ten smaller hospitals staffed by 200 doctors and 1,500 health professionals were set up throughout the event. 80 practitioners of Ayurveda were also available. There were elaborate plans for waste management too. Every one of the 122,000 toilets were geo-tagged to help tackle any problems. Talk about organization!
Meeting India's Spiritual Leader
It is generally very difficult to meet famous spiritual personalities in India due to strict security policies, but luck was on my side. My good friend Pundrik Goswami of the Radha Raman temple in Vrindavan invited me to stay with him at a camp where many of the principal spiritual dignitaries would be staying. It was called, Guru Karishni Camp, and was run by Swami Sharanandaji Maharaja, a prominent figure in Vrindavan. I considered this to be a golden opportunity to network with these personalities, most of whom would be unlikely to visit our ISKCON camp at the Mela or ISKCON temples elsewhere in India.
Once I arrived at the camp, Pundrik Goswami lost no time introducing me to the spiritual leaders present. His introduction followed a standard format: he would begin by glorifying Srila Prabhupada and explaining how he took Krsna consciousness to the West and how ISKCON has become a worldwide spiritual organization. Then he would introduce me and share some of the results of my service in different parts of the world. His introduction acted as an endorsement whereby India's spiritual leaders gained confidence and respect for my humble self and, through me, Srila Prabhupada's movement.
Over several days I had enlightening talks with numerous personalities. These included:
· Sri Ravi Shankar, the head of the Art of Living Foundation: I shared with him the work of ISKCON in communist countries like Russia and China. I told him of how Srila Prabhupada went to Russia in the 1970s and of the success of our movement there since that time. He was so touched that he gave me a beautiful silk chaddar as a gift.
· Swami Chidananda of Parmarth Niketan from Rishikesh: he wasn't staying at the Guru Karishni Camp, but like many other sadhus, he visited to associate with prominent spiritual leaders. We had lunch together on two occasions. After I spoke to him about the glories of Srila Prabhupada, he offered to help renovate holy places in Vrindavan. He was especially eager to give money towards cleaning Radha Kunda so that pilgrims could drink the water from it, as well as establishing a large evening arotika on the banks of that sacred lake.
· Keshav Prasad Maurya, the deputy chief minister of UP: he had some misconceptions about our movement which I was happy to resolve to his full satisfaction.
· Swami Avdeshanand, the leader of one million Naga Babas and head of the Juna Akhada: Naga Babas (translated literally as "naked yogis") are worshipers of Lord Siva. With their ash-covered bodies and matted dreadlocks, even their physique resembles his. They take vows of celibacy, renounce societal norms and live in the Himalayas. Swami Avdeshanand is such a respected leader that he is given the honor of being the first person to bathe at Kumbha Mela. After our talk he took my hand and said, "Your movement is creating a spiritual revolution all over the world!"
· Sri Rajendra Das Ji Maharaja, a well-known sadhu with a big ashram in Vrindavan: moved by Srila Prabhupada's voyage to the USA and his introduction of Krsna consciousness in almost every country of the world, he invited me to visit him for lunch in Vrindavan.
· Lokesh Muni, leader of the Jains in India: this was the third time I have met him over the last few years. He invited me to spend time with him at his headquarters in Rajasthan.
Lost At The Mela
Going anywhere outside the Guru Karishni Camp was a challenge because there was a veritable flood of humanity outside its confines: an estimated 64 million people were descending upon the Mela to bathe on February 4th, the most auspicious bathing day.
I woke up early that morning which was an austerity in itself. It was mid-winter and it was cold in the tent where I was staying. I bathed quickly in an improvised bathroom which was without hot water, and then went out into the cold foggy morning.
"How in the world are 64 million people going to bathe along the river bank?" I wondered. And then a doubt entered my mind. "Will I actually be able to bathe in the river myself?"
The previous night I had searched the internet for all the information I could find on the three sacred rivers, the Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati. A recent BBC article described the Ganges as the world's sixth most polluted river. It said that 3,000 million liters of untreated sewage are pumped into the river every day; the figure didn't include the industrial waste poured into the Ganges as it descends from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal. By the time it reaches Prayagraj, a town that also contributes untreated sewage to its waters, the Ganges, the article said, becomes a sewer.
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, claimed that cleansing the Ganges was nothing less than a mission from God.
"Ma Ganga has called me," he told the crowd at his victory celebration some years ago when he was swept to power in a landslide victory. "She has decided some responsibilities for me. Ma Ganga is screaming for help; she is saying 'I hope one of my sons gets me out of this filth'. It is possible it has been decided by God for me to serve Ma Ganga."
He pledged serious money to his Clean Ganga Mission – more than $3 billion dollars.
This was sobering and disturbing information. I turned away from Google to the Srimad Bhagavatam and the purports of my spiritual master for guidance. My doubts were resolved when I read this:
yat pada sevabhirucis tapasvinam
asesa janmopacitam malamdhiyah
aadyah ksinotyanvaham edhati sati
yatha padangustha vinihsrta sarit
"By the inclination to serve the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, suffering humanity can immediately cleanse the dirt which has accumulated in their minds during innumerable births. Like the Ganges water, which emanates from the toes of the lotus feet of the Lord, such a process immediately cleanses the mind, and thus spiritual or Krsna consciousness gradually increases." [ Srimad Bhagavatam, 4.21.31 ]
In his purport, Srila Prabhupada writes:
"In India, one can actually see that a person who takes a bath in the Ganges waters daily is almost free from all kinds of diseases. A very respectable brahmana in Calcutta never took a doctor's medicine. Even though he sometimes felt sick, he would not accept medicine from the physician but would simply drink Ganges water, and he was always cured within a very short time. The glories of Ganges water are known to Indians and to ourselves also. The river Ganges flows by Calcutta. Sometimes within the water there are many stools and other dirty things which are washed away from neighboring mills and factories, but still thousands of men take baths in the Ganges water, and they are very healthy as well as spiritually inclined. That is the effect of Ganges water. The Ganges is glorified because it emanates from the toes of the lotus feet of the Lord. Similarly, if one takes to the service of the lotus feet of the Lord, or takes to Krsna consciousness, he is immediately cleansed of the many dirty things which have accumulated in his innumerable births."
Elsewhere, Rupa Goswami writes that the Ganges is always pure, regardless of its seeming pollution:
drstaih svabhava janitair vapusas ca dosair
na prakrtatvam iha bhakta janasya pasyet
gangambhasam na khalu budbuda phena pankair
brahma dravatvam apagacchati nira dharmaih
"Being situated in his original Krishna conscious position, a pure devotee does not identify with the body. Such a devotee should not be seen from a materialistic point of view. Indeed, one should overlook a devotee's having a body born in a low family, a body with a bad complexion, a deformed body, or a diseased or infirm body. According to ordinary vision, such imperfections may seem prominent in the body of a pure devotee, but despite such seeming defects, the body of a pure devotee cannot be polluted. It is exactly like the waters of the Ganges, which sometimes during the rainy season are full of bubbles, foam and mud. The Ganges waters do not become polluted. Those who are advanced in spiritual understanding will bathe in the Ganges without considering the condition of the water." [ Nectar of Instruction, Text 6 ]
Reading these instructions, I decided to follow the advice of my spiritual master and the Srimad Bhagavatam. I remembered a key verse:
yasya deve para bhaktir
yatha deve tatha gurau
tasyaite kathita hy arthah
prakasante mahatmanah
"Only unto one who has unflinching devotion to the Lord and to the spiritual master does transcendental knowledge become automatically revealed." [ Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.23 ]
"I'm going," I said to myself out loud, with full conviction. "Whatever it takes, I will bathe at the Triveni Sangam at the auspicious time."
The arrangements to travel to the sangam were made by Pundrik Goswami.
"Maharaja," he said to me, "you'll come with me and the spiritual leaders in a van, and your assistants, Narottam das, Vikram and Kartamashi das, can go in another. It will take us around four hours to reach the sangam."
"That's a long time," I said. "How far away is it?"
"It's 12 kilometers from here," Goswami said.
"So we'll be traveling at a rate of three kilometers an hour?" I asked.
"Well, remember there are 64 million people vying for that little space at the sangam," he said. "The police say that since midnight last night 32 million people have bathed. But we'll make it. We have a police escort."
I sat on the floor of the van, relinquishing the seats to six elderly sadhus who were joining us on the journey. Wanting to focus on the purpose of our journey, I read aloud the following verse from Caitanya Caritamrta:
mahattvam gangayah satatam idam abhati nitaram
yad esa sri visnos carana kamalotpatti subhaga
dvitiya sri laksmir iva sura narair arcya carana
bhavani bhartur ya sirasi vibhavaty adbhuta guna
"The greatness of mother Ganges always brilliantly exists. She is the most fortunate because she emanated from the lotus feet of Sri Visnu, the Personality of Godhead. She is a second goddess of fortune, and therefore she is always worshiped both by demigods and by humanity. Endowed with all wonderful qualities, she flourishes on the head of Lord Siva." [ Caitanya Caritamrita, Adi Lila 16.41 ]
When the sadhus heard me chanting the Sanskrit glorifying Mother Ganges, they all smiled broadly.
"May Mother Ganges bless you today!" one said, placing his hand upon my hand.
Our van crawled through the dense crowds. Seeing the sadhus inside, people folded their hands in respect, and some touched the van and then touched their heads. When they saw me crouched on the floor of the van, many smiled and called out, "Hare Krsna!"
"You Western vaisnavas are keeping our spiritual culture alive," one of the sadhus said to me.
We finally arrived at the river confluence hours later. The bank seethed as people tried to move towards the water while others tried to move back after bathing.
"Alright! We're here!" Pundrik Goswami called. "Everybody out!"
I hesitated. "Out where?" I thought. There was not an inch of free ground.
I quickly changed into a small red gamcha (thin cotton waist towel) and slung a small towel around my neck. Kicking off my sandals, I grabbed my cell phone and placed it in a small plastic bag. "Just in case!" I thought. Finally, I tucked my bag containing my passport and money safely under the seat. For a moment I contemplated taking a sweater because it was so cold outside.
"No," I decided. "I'll just take the bare minimum. The river is only meters away and we'll be back in a flash!"
Without warning, the sliding door I was leaning on opened and I fell out of the van and onto the ground.
"I'm going to get trampled!" I thought. The crowd surged over me and around me. I pushed myself upwards to gasp for air; all I could see was waves of people for kilometers in every direction. When I finally managed to steady myself on my feet, I saw I was 20 meters behind the sadhus. They were intrepidly pushing their way towards the water, the policemen guarding them on all sides. The crowd was squeezing me and it was hard to breathe.
"Wait for me!" I yelled, trying to recover the distance between us. My cries merged into the tumultuous noise created by the pilgrims as they strained forward to bathe in the nectar of immortality.
I managed to rejoin the sadhus just a few meters from the Triveni Sangam where the Ganges flows alongside the Yamuna and the mystical Saraswati River joins them from beneath the ground. We were also joined by Vikram and Kartamashi, who was trying to take photos in the midst of it all. His face was ashen.
"I thought I was going to be crushed to death!" he blurted out.
The roar of the crowd at the sangam was deafening as thousands of people simultaneously achieved their goal of bathing. Cries of "Ganga Ma ki jaya! All glories to Mother Ganges!" reverberated everywhere.
Far away in the river, separated from the throng, I saw a small group of four sadhus standing motionless in the water, their hands folded in prayer. Their long, matted hair was tied up in topknots on their heads. Though thin, they were not emaciated; in fact, they were effulgent, almost glowing. Seeing their gravity and obvious devotion, the hair on my arms stood up for a moment.
"That's the mood I'm seeking," I thought. I remembered a verse that encapsulated my aspirations:
tvayi me 'nanya-visaya
matir madhu-pate 'sakrt
ratim udvahatad addha
gangevaugham udanvati
"O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else." [ Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.42, "Prayers by Queen Kunti" ]
As if hearing the verse I had just remembered, the sadhus I was with sat down together to do puja, their attention single-pointed on the sacred sangam, oblivious to anyone else.
"Here and now?" I thought. I watched in disbelief as they took out all sorts of paraphernalia and, in a peaceful reverie, began offering arotik to the three rivers. Hundreds of people directly behind us were straining to see the sadhus do their puja, while the build-up of people further back caused the line to bulge. People fell to the ground because of the weight of the crowd behind them.
I heard Vikram calling, "Maharaja! Maharaja!" Over to my right, the intense pressure of the crowd was pulling him away. Then he simply disappeared into the mass of people.
Suddenly the crowd surged forward with such force that all of us were thrown into the river. I clutched my phone in the plastic bag as I fell into the cold water. I swam up to the surface, gasping for air. There was transcendental chaos everywhere as people splashed each other in great joy. The glorification of Mother Ganges reached a frantic pitch: "Ganga Ma ki jaya! Ganga Ma ki Jaya! Ganga Ma ki jaya!"
Surrendering to the moment and remembering the four effulgent sadhus, I stood with my hands folded and prayed to Mother Ganges for loving devotion to the Supreme Lord. Then, following the prescribed method for bathing, I dunked three times into the cold water. When I came up the last time, one blissful sadhu jumped on me and we both tumbled back into the water. Coming up, he again pulled me under, this time going deeper into the water. We splashed each other in great fun, and more sadhus joined our little melee.
"Maharaja," I heard a voice shout. I saw Vikram swimming towards me. "I finally found you!" he said. "Our group is back on the bank of the river and is preparing to leave. You must come now."
As I prepared to get out of the water I saw Kartamashi on the bank taking photos. I raised my arms in bliss, and he took a last photo before being pushed from behind. He and his camera just escaped falling into the river.
I glanced back to catch a last glimpse of the four sadhus. They were nowhere to be seen.
"How is that possible?" I wondered. "There's no way they could have moved through all the people bathing in the sangam back to the bank. It's very peculiar." I remembered something I had read a few days before:
"Prabhupada said that although a number of the saints and sadhus present [at Kumbha Mela] were inauthentic, many were perfect yogis, some of them three and four hundred years old. These yogis, from remote parts of India, would come out for the Mela and then return to seclusion. 'I have personally seen,' he said, 'that they take bath in the Ganges and come up in the seven sacred rivers! They go down in the Ganges and come up in the Godavari River. Then they go down and come up in the Krsna River, and go down, like that. The devotees, therefore, should respect everyone who attended the Mela.'" [Srila Prabhupada lilamrta, Volume 4, Every Town and Village]
It took me a good half an hour to make it back to the van. Somehow we had acquired a number of additional sadhus for the ride back to the camp, so I offered to ride in the smaller car with Narottam, Vikram and Kartamashi. Always concerned about my welfare, Pundrik Goswami reluctantly agreed. I started to push through the crowd away from the van when I realized I had forgotten my bag with my passport in it.
"I left my bag under the seat," I called to Goswami. "I'll get it when we're back."
"Sure, Maharaja," he called. He held the bag up so I could see it. "I've got it."
Confident that the smaller car was nearby, I made my way inch by inch to where I had seen it parked some distance away. But to my astonishment, it was gone. I made my way as quickly as I could back to where the van was parked, only to find it had left as well.
I stood there, momentarily bewildered. I was alone in a crowd of 64 million people, dressed only in a small wet gamcha with a damp towel around my neck. I had no dhoti, no kurta, no shoes, and, perhaps most alarmingly, no jacket to protect me from the cold. I had no clear idea where I was. All I knew was that the camp I was staying in was in Sector 7, and that that was 12 kilometers away. 12 kilometers through a mass of humanity pressing its way along the 300 kilometers of roads crisscrossing the Mela site. I had no map, and there were no signs giving directions in Hindi, much less English. I glanced at my watch. It was 4 p.m. and sunset was imminent.
Then I remembered I had my phone clutched in my hand. I unwrapped it from its plastic-bag covering and turned it on. To my dismay I saw there was no service available, and my battery had only 3 % left in it. I hurriedly turned it off.
"How in the world do people know where they're going?" I wondered. Then, laughing to myself, I thought, "I'm probably the only person in this crowd of 64 million people who doesn't know where he's going!"
Knowing for sure that the direction to proceed was not behind me, I started walking forwards through the thick crowds surging towards the river. An hour later, I made it to a crossroads, turned left and began walking down a dirt road with a myriad of shops and ashrams on either side. Each ashram was festooned with colorful banners advertising the resident guru and his teachings. Speakers blared music from inside. As it was now getting dark, bright lights illuminated the temporary city built on the sandy banks of the Ganges.
People gawked at me curiously, and I understood why. I was the only white person to be seen, and I was practically naked. Several times I was approached by Naga-Babas who, thinking me to be one of them, pulled me into their tents and offered me a chillum of hashish to smoke! Each time I declined they seemed perplexed.
I knew I needed to get directions, but to my dismay I couldn't find a single person who spoke English. There were many different languages being spoken around me because there were pilgrims from every part of India, but not one of those pilgrims was speaking English. There were policemen on every street corner, but they too could make no sense of what I was saying. On a couple of occasions, they literally pushed me away, apparently thinking me to be insane.
A real blow came when I heard a young Indian man say to his friend, "Isn't that Indradyumna Swami?" But before I could say anything, his friend pulled him away saying, "Come on! Are you crazy? That's not Indradyumna Swami!" They disappeared back into the crowd before I could confirm my identity and ask their help.
Every now and then I would turn my phone on to see if I was in range. Each time I wasn't, and each time the battery drained a little more.
By 8:00 pm it was quite cold. From time to time when I got too cold to continue, I slipped into an ashram where a program was going on and sat amongst the crowd for warmth. On one occasion, while sitting in a chair and watching a bhajan on stage, I was approached by one of the ashram leaders.
"Are you in need of anything?" he asked.
"Yes!" I replied enthusiastically, surprised and relieved that I had found someone who spoke English. "I am lost in the Mela and trying to find my way back to my camp. It's in Sector 7. Can you help me to get there? I have been wandering around for four hours now. Is it far away?"
"Yes, it is," he said. "It's about 12 kilometers away at the far end of the Mela site. At the moment you are 50 meters from the bathing spot at the sangam."
My jaw dropped. I had walked in a big circle, coming back to the exact place I had started. The ashram leader could see my disappointment.
"Why don't you rest here for a while?" he said. "I'll get you a blanket."
"Thank you," I said. Once I was wrapped in the blanket, I succumbed to my exhaustion and started to drift off to sleep in the chair. I awoke with a start when my entire body began to itch. The blanket was full of fleas and they were ruthlessly biting me. I threw the blanket to the side and quickly left the ashram, determined to reach my destination.
I started out in a different direction. Two hours later, around 10 p.m., I realized that I couldn't keep going unless I had something to eat. I had learned the hard way not to eat food that I wasn't 100% sure of in India, but this was an emergency. I joined a line of pilgrims waiting to be served prasadam at one of the food kitchens. It took 45 minutes for me to reach the front of the line. I was given a leaf plate and 2 leaf cups, and was served kichari, a subji, two warm chapatis and a cup of tea. Some smiling pilgrims waved at me to join them as they ate their meal in a circle on the ground. Several times I heard the word "Angreji" which means "English person". They were kind and sympathetic to me, probably because of my paltry attire.
Hungry, cold and tired I devoured the prasadam. "This is some of the tastiest prasadam I ever had!" I thought, laughing to myself. Once I finished, I thanked the pilgrims and continued on my way with renewed vigor.
I began wondering what Pundrik Goswami, Narottam, Vikram and Kartamashi were thinking.
"Surely, they realized quite quickly that I had been left behind," I thought. "They must be frustrated and worried, being unable to contact me or find me. But actually, I'm fine," I realized. "There's no real danger and it's only a matter of time until I get back to the camp, whether it's today or tomorrow. And I am meeting so many nice people! Krsna played a little trick on me just so I can see how the mass of people experience Kumbha Mela. He's also teaching me how to fully depend on Him. Wonderful!"
Just then I felt a rock whiz past my ear. Then another and another. Looking back I saw a group of children laughing at me.
"Pagal baba! Pagal baba! Pagal baba!" they yelled. I knew the what the phrase meant: "Crazy sadhu!"
I walked quickly away but they followed me and continued throwing stones.
"I can't blame them," I thought. "I must look pretty crazy—a barefoot white guy with a dishelved sikha wandering around half naked." Then one of the rocks hit my elbow causing me to yell out in pain. A policeman saw what was happening and yelled at the group of children to leave me alone. Then he came over and spoke to me in Hindi.
"No Hindi," I said. "English." I got down on my hands and knees and wrote "Sector 7" in big letters in the sand.
"There," I said, pointing. "I need to go there."
He looked puzzled and took me by the arm to an ashram just a few meters away. He sat me down on a mat and disappeared. Ten minutes later he came back with a man who offered me a hot cup of tea. I gladly accepted it and then both of them went on their ways. I curled up on the mat and fell asleep. When I jolted awake, I checked my watch; I'd slept for 10 minutes. I got up and continued on my way, first checking to make sure the group of children was not around.
At 11:30 p.m. I checked my cell phone again. I was in range! But I was alarmed to see there was only 1 % battery power left.
"I have enough power for one phone call," I thought. "If the person doesn't answer, I won't be seeing any of my friends tonight."
I choose to call Narottam. He picked up immediately.
"Hello! Hello! Gurudeva, is that you? Hello?" Narottam sounded both excited and worried.
"Yes, it's me!" I said.
"Good Lord! We've been so worried. What happened? Where are you? I've been out looking for you for hours!"
"I'm not sure where I am," I said. "I've been walking around in circles since we were separated. But I'm fine. Just a little cold and tired. Can you find a car and come to collect me?"
"It's almost impossible to find a car at this hour, but I'll try," he said. "The main thing is that we need to figure out where you are." He was silent for a moment, thinking. "OK, here's an idea. Take a photo of where you are and send it to me on WhatsApp. I'll go to a police station and ask for their help in finding your location."
"Brilliant idea!" I said. And without even saying goodbye I hung up and quickly took a picture of the scene in front of me. I sent the photo on WhatsApp and my phone immediately died.
It took Narottam just 30 minutes to find me. It turned out that his search had led him quite close to where I was, and the nearby police kiosk was quickly able to identify the junction where I was waiting. When he finally arrived, I jumped into the car and sat as close as I could to the heat coming out of the vents on the dashboard. Just as the car was pulling away there was a loud bang and it stopped in its tracks.
"What was that?" Narottam asked.
"The driver dropped his transmission," I said with a wry smile.
"Basically, it means we aren't going anywhere in this car," I said, getting out.
"Now what?" Narottam asked.
"Lots of walking!" I said. "Let's go!"
"Where are we going?" he said.
"Sector 7 of course!" I replied.
With Narottam at my side, we were in a much better position to make it back to our camp, simply because he speaks Hindi. He asked people for the directions to Sector 7 and after a short time he had a good idea how to get there.
"How long will it take to walk there?" I asked.
"Through this crowd," he replied, "Maybe 2 or 3 more hours."
I looked at my watch. It was 12 p.m. For the first time that day I became a bit despondent.
And then a taxi came around the corner.
"Narottam, stop that taxi!" I yelled. He literally jumped in front of the taxi, surprising the driver, who screamed at him in Hindi.
"What did he say?" I asked.
"He said he's not working now. No way."
"Yes, he is," I said. "Give me 1000 rupees."
I opened the back door of the taxi and jumped in. The taxi driver looked shocked.
"Out!" he screamed in Hindi.
"Bhai sabh, brother!" I said. "This is for your trouble."
He smiled when he saw the money. "No problem!" he said in English.
At 1 a.m. we pulled into our camp. Everyone was fast asleep, but I saw the light was still on in Pundrik Goswami's room. I knew he would be worried about me. His eyes opened wide when he saw me standing there barefoot in my red gamcha, the cold wet towel still around my neck.
"Maharaja, I am so sorry!" he said.
"Nothing to be sorry about," I said with a big smile. "Tonight, I experienced Kumbha Mela first hand, much like Hiuen Tsiang from China probably did in the 7th century. But whereas he walked amongst half a million people for 75 days, I walked amongst 64 million people for 9 hours. It was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life!"
We left the Mela around noon that day. When we drove out of our camp, I was surprised to see the streets were mostly deserted.
"Where is everyone?" I asked Narottam.
"Many of the people you saw yesterday came just to bathe in the sangam," he said. "The majority were leaving on foot late last night when I was looking for you. More people will come again for other important bathing days in the next few weeks. Did you enjoy your visit, Gurudeva?"
"It was most satisfying," I replied. "I feel as though the sadhu's benediction upon me has come to pass, for I indeed feel as though Mother Ganges has blessed me. I was able to bathe in the Triveni Sangam in the association of advanced souls at the most auspicious moment to occur in 200 years. I spent time with the masses and, most importantly, I was able to share Krsna consciousness with a number of important spiritual leaders of the country. I feel very fortunate to have visited this sacred place on such an auspicious occasion."
"There are several places in India. One of them is this Naimisaranya and another very important place is called Prayaga, generally known as Allahabad. But the original name is Prayaga. That is considered to be one of the most sacred places in India. Still every year there is a fair called Magha-Mela. Magha means during the month of January, February, a fair takes place in which all the sages, saintly persons, come from all over parts of India. They gather and take their bath at the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna. That is a very nice place. If you visit India, you should see all these nice places."
[ Srila Prabhupada lecture, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.6. London, August 26, 1971 ]
February 26, 2019 /0 Comments/by Raja-kumari dasi
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xSlzU0FM0pxRtvlr76gZ6GZBEodPlcheBwhjBo8-oC6s8T8cjNQl_QBR8Bcs5dyV67XcfGkSl_DcR-KQCYb7DQqbEcA=s300 0 0 Raja-kumari dasi https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xSlzU0FM0pxRtvlr76gZ6GZBEodPlcheBwhjBo8-oC6s8T8cjNQl_QBR8Bcs5dyV67XcfGkSl_DcR-KQCYb7DQqbEcA=s300 Raja-kumari dasi2019-02-26 17:05:312019-03-19 04:51:49"May Mother Ganges Bless You Today"

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Home » Stock » Advanced Micro Devices Stock » Advanced Micro Devices Stock Forecast: Bullish Momentum for 2019
https://www.profitconfidential.com/stock/advanced-micro-devices-stock/advanced-micro-devices-stock-forecast-2019/ Advanced Micro Devices Stock Forecast: Bullish Momentum for 2019 John Whitefoot, BA Profit Confidential 2018-12-13T10:52:47Z 2018-12-13 10:52:47 AMD Stock Forecast 2019 Advanced Micro Devices Stock AMD stock NASDAQ:AMD Advanced Micro Devices The AMD stock price was hurt during the market-wide sell-off, but Advanced Micro Devices is still the top-performing stock this year on the S&P 500. That momentum should continue into 2019. Here's why. Advanced Micro Devices Stock https://www.profitconfidential.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/iStock-1076507398-300x200.jpg [caption id="attachment_137760" align="alignleft" width="300"] iStock.com/m&m[/caption]
Advanced Micro Devices Stock Forecast for 2019
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) is a good example of what a well-run penny stock tech company that addresses an unmet market can do. For years, AMD traded for under $5.00 a share. Then, in 2016, its share price broke out, closing the year at around $12.00 per share. The semiconductor company traded in a tight range in 2017 and then broke out again in 2018. Trading at around $20.75, AMD's share price has advanced 98.5% since the start of the year. There's good reason for investor optimism; AMD is on the verge of launching its new 7-nanometer processing chip, one that offers a higher transistor density than Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC). Yes, you can already find Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AAPL) 7-nanometer chip in its "iPhone," but Advanced Micro Devices has differentiated itself, and is targeting the PC and server markets. That's why a bullish share price forecast of $35.00 in 2019, representing upside of 68%, is entirely within reach.
AMD Stock Analysis of 2018
Before we delve into why Advanced Micro Devices' share price could explode in 2019, let's look at its performance so far, in 2018. Suffice it to say, it's been a good year to hold AMD stock. The company entered the year trading at $10.42 and hit an intra-day high of $34.14 on September 13, representing a stellar gain of 227%. If you take an isolated look at AMD's chart, it looks like things took a drastic turn for the worse at the start of October. But it looks worse than it is. The entire market experienced a well-deserved sell-off. Some stocks have fared better than others. For the most part, though, the tech sector continues to face headwinds. Trading at around $20.75, AMD's share price is down 39% over its September highs. However, it's still up 98.5% year-to-date and is the best-performing stock on the S&P 500. By comparison, the S&P 500 is up a princely 1.7% year-to-date and the Nasdaq is up a miserly 0.35% since the start of the year.
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com AMD's share price was bullish from late April until early October, when the markets experienced a sell-off. The company's share price traded well above the 50-day moving average and volume was strong. With a market cap of around $20.5 billion, Advanced Micro Devices isn't a small tech company but it certainly isn't a giant like Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), which has a market cap of $837.5 billion. So it's not a total surprise to see that it didn't weather the downturn as well as its much larger brethren. That said, it tested support near $16.00 per share, which is also the company's 200-day moving average. Since then, it has rebounded in a measured way. And the company's outlook remains bullish.
Advanced Micro Devices Stock Financials
On October 24, the Santa Clara, California-based semiconductor company announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30. Third-quarter revenue inched up 4.4% year-over-year to $1.65 billion; operating income was up $31.0 million at $150.0 million; while net income advanced 70% to $102.0 million or $0.09 per share. (Source: "AMD Reports Third Quarter 2018 Financial Results," Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., October 24, 2018.) "We delivered our fifth straight quarter of year-over-year revenue and net income growth driven largely by the accelerated adoption of our Ryzen, EPYC and datacenter graphics products," said Dr. Lisa Su, President and CEO. "Client and server processor sales increased significantly although graphics channel sales were lower in the quarter. Looking forward, we believe we are well positioned for further market share gains as we continue making significant progress towards our long-term financial targets." Recently, AMD's corporate highlights include:
Microsoft announced a new "Azure H-Series" cloud instance for high-performance computing workloads powered by AMD "EPYC" processors.
Dropbox Inc (NASDAQ:DBX) announced plans to use the AMD "EPYC 7351P" one-socket processor platforms to support future growth and refresh its existing infrastructure.
Xilinx, Inc. (NASDAQ:XLNX) reported a new world record for inference throughput of 30,000 images per second, achieved by a system using, in part, two AMD "EPYC 7551" CPUs
Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL) announced the launch of new AMD EPYC-powered services on "Oracle Cloud Infrastructure" for general purpose cloud computing workloads and Oracle applications.
Looking ahead to the fourth quarter, Advanced Micro Devices expects revenue of approximately $1.45 billion, give or take $50.0 million. This represents a year-over-year increase of eight percent. It expects non-GAAP gross margins to climb 41%, driven by sales of its "Ryzen," EPYC, and datacenter GPU processor sales. Advanced Micro Devices will be reporting its results for the fourth quarter sometime around January 23, 2019.
Why AMD Stock Could Reach $35 in 2019
There are a number of good reasons why investors should remain bullish on AMD in 2019 and could be rewarded with a $35.00 share price.
Strong Fundamentals
Some investors were disappointed by AMD's third-quarter results. Third-quarter revenue was only up 4.4%—investors were clearly hoping for more. On the other hand, revenue for the first nine months of 2018 was up 30% year-over-year. Third-quarter earnings came in at $0.13, which beat analyst estimates by a penny. Year-to-date net income was $299.0 million, or $0.28 per share, an improvement over the $14.0 million loss, or loss of $0.01 per share, reported in the first nine months of 2017. (Source: Ibid.)
Diversified Product Portfolio
AMD has a diversified product portfolio of award-winning microprocessors. Consumer Technology Association named the AMD "Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX" the CES 2019 Innovation Awards Honoree in the Computer Hardware and Components category. (Source: "2nd Generation AMD Ryzen Processors Win Prestigious Industry Awards for Technology Innovation and Consumer Value," Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., November 8, 2018.) Advanced Micro Devices also won two prestigious Trusted Reviews Awards 2018 in the categories of "CPU of the Year" for AMD Ryzen 7 2700X and "Value CPU of the Year" for AMD "Ryzen 5 2600." (Source: "Trusted Reviews Awards 2018: All the year's best tech revealed," Trusted Reviews, October 22, 2018.) In the recently completed third quarter, AMD said that revenue from its Computer and Graphics segment increased 12% year-over-year to $938.0 million. AMD said its year-over-year revenue growth was driven primarily by strong sales of Ryzen desktop and mobile products. As a side note, the global high-performance computing market, of which AMD is a key player, is expected to grow to around $718.9 billion by 2026, with an anticipated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.2%. (Source: "High Performance Computing Market Global Size Worth USD 718.9 billion by 2026," Digital Journal, December 11, 2018.)
7-nanometer Chips
AMD is on the cusp of launching its new 7-nanometer processing chips. Again, other big tech companies are using 7-nanometer chips in their phones, but AMD is differentiating itself by focusing on the PC and server markets. The company expects to launch its 7-nanometer datacenter GPU in the current quarter and ship its 7-nanometer CPU in the second quarter. The company has already secured a number of datacenter wins, so expect the company's new hardware to be a serious revenue drivers. Case in point, in November, AMD announced that its EPYC server processors are being used by Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) for its "Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud" (EC2). EC2 is part of "Amazon Web Services" (AWS), which is itself, the largest cloud provider, with 52% market share. (Source: "AMD Announces EPYC Processors Now Available on Amazon Web Services," Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., November 6, 2018.) AMD will have no trouble keeping up with demand for its 7-nanometer chipset since it has a supply agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg. Co. Ltd. (NYSE:TSM).
Analyst Take
Should you consider Advanced Micro Devices for the long term? Our price target of $35.00 is certainly bullish, but Wall Street is equally optimistic about AMD over the next 12 months. Of the 29 analysts following AMD stock, the average price target is $25.00 and the high estimate is $40.00 per share, representing a 92% upside. There is reason to be optimistic about AMD in 2019. The company has strong financials and in-demand, award-winning products—and it's launching its 7-nanometer chipset. The smaller, more powerful chips should help make this one-time, overlooked penny stock a global leader in the tech world.
By John Whitefoot, BA
John Whitefoot, BA
Advanced Micro Devices Stock Forecast: Bullish Momentum for 2019
By John Whitefoot, BA Published : December 13, 2018
iStock.com/m&m
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) is a good example of what a well-run penny stock tech company that addresses an unmet market can do.
For years, AMD traded for under $5.00 a share. Then, in 2016, its share price broke out, closing the year at around $12.00 per share. The semiconductor company traded in a tight range in 2017 and then broke out again in 2018.
Trading at around $20.75, AMD's share price has advanced 98.5% since the start of the year. There's good reason for investor optimism; AMD is on the verge of launching its new 7-nanometer processing chip, one that offers a higher transistor density than Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC).
Yes, you can already find Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AAPL) 7-nanometer chip in its "iPhone," but Advanced Micro Devices has differentiated itself, and is targeting the PC and server markets. That's why a bullish share price forecast of $35.00 in 2019, representing upside of 68%, is entirely within reach.
Before we delve into why Advanced Micro Devices' share price could explode in 2019, let's look at its performance so far, in 2018. Suffice it to say, it's been a good year to hold AMD stock. The company entered the year trading at $10.42 and hit an intra-day high of $34.14 on September 13, representing a stellar gain of 227%.
If you take an isolated look at AMD's chart, it looks like things took a drastic turn for the worse at the start of October. But it looks worse than it is. The entire market experienced a well-deserved sell-off. Some stocks have fared better than others. For the most part, though, the tech sector continues to face headwinds.
Trading at around $20.75, AMD's share price is down 39% over its September highs. However, it's still up 98.5% year-to-date and is the best-performing stock on the S&P 500. By comparison, the S&P 500 is up a princely 1.7% year-to-date and the Nasdaq is up a miserly 0.35% since the start of the year.
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com
AMD's share price was bullish from late April until early October, when the markets experienced a sell-off. The company's share price traded well above the 50-day moving average and volume was strong.
With a market cap of around $20.5 billion, Advanced Micro Devices isn't a small tech company but it certainly isn't a giant like Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), which has a market cap of $837.5 billion. So it's not a total surprise to see that it didn't weather the downturn as well as its much larger brethren.
That said, it tested support near $16.00 per share, which is also the company's 200-day moving average. Since then, it has rebounded in a measured way. And the company's outlook remains bullish.
On October 24, the Santa Clara, California-based semiconductor company announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30.
Third-quarter revenue inched up 4.4% year-over-year to $1.65 billion; operating income was up $31.0 million at $150.0 million; while net income advanced 70% to $102.0 million or $0.09 per share. (Source: "AMD Reports Third Quarter 2018 Financial Results," Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., October 24, 2018.)
"We delivered our fifth straight quarter of year-over-year revenue and net income growth driven largely by the accelerated adoption of our Ryzen, EPYC and datacenter graphics products," said Dr. Lisa Su, President and CEO.
"Client and server processor sales increased significantly although graphics channel sales were lower in the quarter. Looking forward, we believe we are well positioned for further market share gains as we continue making significant progress towards our long-term financial targets."
Recently, AMD's corporate highlights include:
Microsoft announced a new "Azure H-Series" cloud instance for high-performance computing workloads powered by AMD "EPYC" processors.
Dropbox Inc (NASDAQ:DBX) announced plans to use the AMD "EPYC 7351P" one-socket processor platforms to support future growth and refresh its existing infrastructure.
Xilinx, Inc. (NASDAQ:XLNX) reported a new world record for inference throughput of 30,000 images per second, achieved by a system using, in part, two AMD "EPYC 7551" CPUs
Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL) announced the launch of new AMD EPYC-powered services on "Oracle Cloud Infrastructure" for general purpose cloud computing workloads and Oracle applications.
Looking ahead to the fourth quarter, Advanced Micro Devices expects revenue of approximately $1.45 billion, give or take $50.0 million. This represents a year-over-year increase of eight percent. It expects non-GAAP gross margins to climb 41%, driven by sales of its "Ryzen," EPYC, and datacenter GPU processor sales.
Advanced Micro Devices will be reporting its results for the fourth quarter sometime around January 23, 2019.
Some investors were disappointed by AMD's third-quarter results. Third-quarter revenue was only up 4.4%—investors were clearly hoping for more. On the other hand, revenue for the first nine months of 2018 was up 30% year-over-year.
Third-quarter earnings came in at $0.13, which beat analyst estimates by a penny. Year-to-date net income was $299.0 million, or $0.28 per share, an improvement over the $14.0 million loss, or loss of $0.01 per share, reported in the first nine months of 2017. (Source: Ibid.)
AMD has a diversified product portfolio of award-winning microprocessors. Consumer Technology Association named the AMD "Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX" the CES 2019 Innovation Awards Honoree in the Computer Hardware and Components category. (Source: "2nd Generation AMD Ryzen Processors Win Prestigious Industry Awards for Technology Innovation and Consumer Value," Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., November 8, 2018.)
Advanced Micro Devices also won two prestigious Trusted Reviews Awards 2018 in the categories of "CPU of the Year" for AMD Ryzen 7 2700X and "Value CPU of the Year" for AMD "Ryzen 5 2600." (Source: "Trusted Reviews Awards 2018: All the year's best tech revealed," Trusted Reviews, October 22, 2018.)
In the recently completed third quarter, AMD said that revenue from its Computer and Graphics segment increased 12% year-over-year to $938.0 million. AMD said its year-over-year revenue growth was driven primarily by strong sales of Ryzen desktop and mobile products.
As a side note, the global high-performance computing market, of which AMD is a key player, is expected to grow to around $718.9 billion by 2026, with an anticipated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.2%. (Source: "High Performance Computing Market Global Size Worth USD 718.9 billion by 2026," Digital Journal, December 11, 2018.)
AMD is on the cusp of launching its new 7-nanometer processing chips. Again, other big tech companies are using 7-nanometer chips in their phones, but AMD is differentiating itself by focusing on the PC and server markets.
The company expects to launch its 7-nanometer datacenter GPU in the current quarter and ship its 7-nanometer CPU in the second quarter. The company has already secured a number of datacenter wins, so expect the company's new hardware to be a serious revenue drivers.
Case in point, in November, AMD announced that its EPYC server processors are being used by Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) for its "Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud" (EC2). EC2 is part of "Amazon Web Services" (AWS), which is itself, the largest cloud provider, with 52% market share. (Source: "AMD Announces EPYC Processors Now Available on Amazon Web Services," Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., November 6, 2018.)
AMD will have no trouble keeping up with demand for its 7-nanometer chipset since it has a supply agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg. Co. Ltd. (NYSE:TSM).
Should you consider Advanced Micro Devices for the long term?
Our price target of $35.00 is certainly bullish, but Wall Street is equally optimistic about AMD over the next 12 months. Of the 29 analysts following AMD stock, the average price target is $25.00 and the high estimate is $40.00 per share, representing a 92% upside.
There is reason to be optimistic about AMD in 2019. The company has strong financials and in-demand, award-winning products—and it's launching its 7-nanometer chipset. The smaller, more powerful chips should help make this one-time, overlooked penny stock a global leader in the tech world.
Subject: The $2 Silver Stock Every Investor Should Own!


You may set up one-time or recurring contributions from a checking account or with a debit card. Click here to give online.
You may place cash or checks in the offering baskets during any of our Sunday morning services. If you give cash and wish to receive credit for tax purposes, you will need to use a giving envelope and include your name and address on the envelope.


Born on May 26, 1974 .
Passed away on March 28, 2011 .
it is only 2 months since u where suddenly taken from us son. there is not 1 day's with out you in my throught's and this is so heart breaking for me son i never throught this would ever happen...I Love You so much and miss you !!!!!
This is to my son who is gone now on this very special day for him...... HAPPY BIRTHDAY SON I MISS YOU SO MUCH i'LL LOVE YOU FOR VERY !!! I think of u everyday we all love ya hun and miss u alot !!!!
I lite this candle in memory of my husband and father of our four little ones he was taken way before his time. We love and miss you so much.


After announcing the launch of five Kaby Lake G CPUs with integrated Radeon RX Vega M graphics, Intel has revealed some new NUCs based on the chipsets. The company says that the NUC 8 Enthusiast—codenamed Hades Canyon—is the smallest VR-capable system ever made.
While previous NUC (Next Unit of Computing) mini-PCs have their uses, they've never been what you would call gaming machines. With the two NUC 8 Enthusiast models, however, it seems this is no longer the case.
The first machine, the $999 NUC8i7HVK, comes with overclockable Vega M GH graphics and a 100W quad-core 8th-gen i7-8809G CPU clocked at 3.1 GHz, which can be boosted up to 4.2 GHz. Intel says that the Vega M GH should be an improvement over Nvidia's GTX 1060 GPU—currently the most popular card among Steam users.
The other model, the $799 NUC8i7HNK, features a 65W Core i7-8705G clocked between 3.1GHz and 4.2Ghz, and the less powerful Radeon RX Vega M GL GPU. Intel says it can still outperform the GTX 1050, which means it should manage 60fps at 1080p in many games.
As with previous NUCs, buyers have to add their own memory, accessories, and storage. The new models can accommodate 32GB of dual channel DDR4 and feature two M.2 slots.
The NUCs come with plenty of connectivity options, too. There are two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports at the back, along with two Gigabit Ethernet connections, two Mini DisplayPorts, four USB 3.1 Type-A connections, HDMI 2.0a (which supports 4K at 60fps and HDR content), and a hybrid 3.5mm/optical audio jack. The front, meanwhile, features USB-C, USB Type-A, USB Type-A for charging, HDMI 2.0a, a headphone jack, and an SDXC slot.
All of this tech comes packed into a tiny 1.2 litre, 221 x 142 x 39mm box and ships with a VESA mount. Both models should be available by this spring.


Career Guidance program – Help students help themselves!
In today's scenario the opportunity for growth are many fold than in the past. Students should be aware of all the available options in the area of their interest. This will help them work single mindedly towards their dreams.
Especially students in rural settings are least aware of career options. Hence many do not cross a particular threshold of growth. In fact many of the rural students we come across today seem to a first generation literate. That complicates things further as they do not have anyone to guide them.
Our career path program is designed to give details of various courses available. Knowledge of these options is the first step towards a better future.
Follow up sessions to clarify any further doubts students have.
Have few career mentors trained and deployed full time to guide students.
For bright poor students bank loan guidance also pursued.
Look forward to a day where we would have counseling centre's in all districts.
Empower communities, retired teachers to take up career guidance , ensuring long term sustainability for our mission.


text:
Q: how to hide shipping Method Block from Cart page I am Creating New Shipping Method In magento and follow below tutorial.
http://inchoo.net/magento/custom-shipping-method-in-magento/
But it display Shipping method on Checkout/cart page also.
I want to display my custom shipping method only on Onepage Checkout.
I am using Magento 1.9.2.4.
Anybody Can tell me how can i do that ??

A: 1) If you want to hide shipping Method Block from Cart page you can edit checkout.xml layout file, you can find that file in frontend/your_package/your_theme/layout/checkout.xml, then look for the
<checkout_cart_index translate="label">

tag and remove or comment the following line within reference name content
<block type="checkout/cart_shipping" name="checkout.cart.shipping" as="shipping" template="checkout/cart/shipping.phtml"/>

2) You can hide specific shipping method on magento cart by editing cart's shipping.phtml. It's located in frontend/your_package/your_theme/template/checkout/cart/shipping.phtml
Find the following lines:
<?php if (($_shippingRateGroups = $this->getEstimateRates())): ?>
<form id="co-shipping-method-form" action="<?php echo $this->getUrl('checkout/cart/estimateUpdatePost') ?>" class="co-shipping-method-form">
    <dl class="sp-methods">
        <?php foreach ($_shippingRateGroups as $code => $_rates): ?>

and add some code after the second foreach to skip shipping method you want
<?php if ($code == 'your_shipping_method_code') continue; ?>

p.s. If files located in base package default theme, make sure to copy that file to your package theme first.

A: You can also hide the shipping method from cart page by using the style sheet.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Work & Travel USA Participants Visit U.S. Navy Memorial in D.C.
InterExchange Work & Travel USA participants and staff, Amanda Polychronis, Production Chief of the D.C. Navy Band, and Danielle Loewy, Director of Events at the U.S. Navy Memorial & Naval Heritage Center[/caption]
On August 13th, 2013, the InterExchange Work & Travel USA team hosted a cultural event in Washington, D.C. at the U.S. Navy Memorial and Heritage Center. This free tour was a great opportunity for international students to learn about the history and heritage of the men and women of the United States Navy, while also exploring the capital city.
Just off the Memorial plaza, participants enjoyed informative interactive exhibits in the Gallery Deck. The Media Resource Center also provided a library of printed, audio and video historical documents on the U.S. Navy Memorial and Heritage Center. The Navy Log room even had touch-screen kiosks to register and search for Sea Service members and veterans. Inside the Navy Burke Theatre, students watched a short film about the U.S. Navy and maritime strategy around the world.
Students were given name wordpress_tags, t-shirts, wristbands, bike lights and lunch vouchers to Potbelly Sandwich Shop.[/caption]
After the U.S. Navy Memorial and Heritage Center tour, students were given a map of D.C. and enjoyed a self-guided walking tour of the capital before the free concert by the Navy Band.
At 7:00 p.m., participants took their seats for the Navy band concert. The Navy ensemble sang songs from around the world including songs by Shakira and the 'Circle of Life' from "The Lion King". InterExchange participants were highly impressed by the ensemble and were especially excited to see the Color Guard give a Navy drill team demonstration and 50-state flag presentation.
Participant with her D.C. walking tour map[/caption]
Work & Travel USA participants had a great time and were thankful for the experience.
Ani Kington
Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Ani is a fan of exploring new places through photography and the local cuisine. After earning her BFA in photography from NYU and gaining communications experience at International Planned Parenthood Federation, she joined InterExchange in 2012, and worked as the Marketing Producer until 2016.
Wednesday August 28, 2013
Work & Travel USA
Experience American culture while working and exploring the USA
Call us +1-212-924-0446
Work Travel USA
Work and Travel in the U.S.
InterExchange will be your sponsor for an unforgettable cultural experience as you work, earn money and boost your resume with our unparalleled support and experience!


I am sorry for your family loss.May the Almighty God of comfort gives you peace through prayer during this difficult time.Please read Phillipians 4:6&7.
Sincere condolences the family of Carcel Wright. It is a time of grief but please take comfort in the scripture at Acts 24:15 which give us the assurance that our loved ones will be resurrected. So it is possible for us to see Carcel again.
Sincere condolences to theWrighr's family. Losing a loved one in death is not easy to bear but here are some comforting words found at Acts 24 : 15. It promises a resurrection for our dear loved ones. Thanks to Jehovah the God of True Comfort.


The Deck & Door Company specializes in designing & building custom decks to meet our customers lifestyles. For over 20 years we've acquired a strong reputation for quality service & excellent customer care. With our experience we can promise to build a beautiful, useful, & affordable addition to your home.


My favourite stories have always been the ones that reveal their author's vulnerability and show something of our shared humanity. They remind me I'm not alone and have offered solace during my own difficult times. I appreciate that shared space and hope that my own stories may be of some help to you too. Here you'll find stories of grief, false starts, love, pregnancy, family, nomadism, working on the road, frustrations, freelancing, confusion, trying to start a business, and the good, bad and ugly side of travel. Thank you for following along.
From day one I've been convinced I'm having a girl. Steve too. We talked for hours about names and barely touched on the boy's list, while the girl's list grew and grew. So when we went to our 17-week … [Read more...] about It's a…gender reveal cake!
I have big news! This little family is becoming three! On 26 January 2018, Steve and I are expecting a baby! As readers of this blog will know, it's taken a while to get here – 18 months in fact – … [Read more...] about Big news! We're having a baby!


text:
The Epidemiology of Psoriatic Arthritis Over Five Decades: A Population-Based Study
Paras Karmacharya, Cynthia S. Crowson, Delamo Bekele, Sara J. Achenbach, John M. Davis, Alexis Ogdie, Alí Duarte-García, Floranne C. Ernste, Hilal Maradit-Kremers, Megha M. Tollefson, Kerry Wright
Objective: To determine the incidence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in a US population and describe trends in incidence and mortality over 5 decades. Methods: The previously identified population-based cohort that included Olmsted County, Minnesota residents ≥18 years of age who fulfilled PsA criteria during 1970–1999 was extended to include patients with incident PsA during 2000–2017. Age- and sex-specific incidence rates and point prevalence, adjusted to the 2010 US White population, were reported. Results: There were 164 incident cases of PsA in 2000–2017 (mean ± SD age 46.4 ± 12.0 years; 47% female). The overall age- and sex-adjusted annual incidence of PsA per 100,000 population was 8.5 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 7.2–9.8) and was higher in men (9.3 [95% CI 7.4–11.3]) than women (7.7 [95% CI 5.9–9.4]) in 2000–2017. Overall incidence was highest in the 40–59 years age group. The incidence rate was relatively stable during 2000–2017, with no evidence of an overall increase or an increase in men only (but a modest increase of 3% per year in women), compared to 1970–1999 when a 4%-per-year increase in incidence was observed. Point prevalence was 181.8 per 100,000 population (95% CI 156.5–207.1) in 2015. The percentage of women among those with PsA increased from 39% in 1970–1999 and 41% in 2000–2009 to 54% in 2010–2017 (P = 0.08). Overall survival in PsA did not differ from the general population (standardized mortality ratio 0.85 [95% CI 0.61–1.15]). Conclusion: The incidence of PsA in this predominantly White US population was stable in 2000–2017, in contrast to previous years. However, an increasing proportion of women with PsA was found in this study.
Dive into the research topics of 'The Epidemiology of Psoriatic Arthritis Over Five Decades: A Population-Based Study'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Psoriatic Arthritis Medicine & Life Sciences 100%
Incidence Medicine & Life Sciences 35%
Population Dynamics Medicine & Life Sciences 10%
Mortality Medicine & Life Sciences 9%
Age Groups Medicine & Life Sciences 6%
Karmacharya, P., Crowson, C. S., Bekele, D., Achenbach, S. J., Davis, J. M., Ogdie, A., Duarte-García, A., Ernste, F. C., Maradit-Kremers, H., Tollefson, M. M., & Wright, K. (2021). The Epidemiology of Psoriatic Arthritis Over Five Decades: A Population-Based Study. Arthritis and Rheumatology, 73(10), 1878-1885. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.41741
The Epidemiology of Psoriatic Arthritis Over Five Decades : A Population-Based Study. / Karmacharya, Paras; Crowson, Cynthia S.; Bekele, Delamo; Achenbach, Sara J.; Davis, John M.; Ogdie, Alexis; Duarte-García, Alí; Ernste, Floranne C.; Maradit-Kremers, Hilal; Tollefson, Megha M.; Wright, Kerry.
In: Arthritis and Rheumatology, Vol. 73, No. 10, 10.2021, p. 1878-1885.
Karmacharya, P, Crowson, CS, Bekele, D, Achenbach, SJ, Davis, JM, Ogdie, A, Duarte-García, A, Ernste, FC, Maradit-Kremers, H, Tollefson, MM & Wright, K 2021, 'The Epidemiology of Psoriatic Arthritis Over Five Decades: A Population-Based Study', Arthritis and Rheumatology, vol. 73, no. 10, pp. 1878-1885. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.41741
Karmacharya P, Crowson CS, Bekele D, Achenbach SJ, Davis JM, Ogdie A et al. The Epidemiology of Psoriatic Arthritis Over Five Decades: A Population-Based Study. Arthritis and Rheumatology. 2021 Oct;73(10):1878-1885. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.41741
Karmacharya, Paras ; Crowson, Cynthia S. ; Bekele, Delamo ; Achenbach, Sara J. ; Davis, John M. ; Ogdie, Alexis ; Duarte-García, Alí ; Ernste, Floranne C. ; Maradit-Kremers, Hilal ; Tollefson, Megha M. ; Wright, Kerry. / The Epidemiology of Psoriatic Arthritis Over Five Decades : A Population-Based Study. In: Arthritis and Rheumatology. 2021 ; Vol. 73, No. 10. pp. 1878-1885.
@article{c56f09732e4b4ad99e14087c5ea54bde,
title = "The Epidemiology of Psoriatic Arthritis Over Five Decades: A Population-Based Study",
abstract = "Objective: To determine the incidence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in a US population and describe trends in incidence and mortality over 5 decades. Methods: The previously identified population-based cohort that included Olmsted County, Minnesota residents ≥18 years of age who fulfilled PsA criteria during 1970–1999 was extended to include patients with incident PsA during 2000–2017. Age- and sex-specific incidence rates and point prevalence, adjusted to the 2010 US White population, were reported. Results: There were 164 incident cases of PsA in 2000–2017 (mean ± SD age 46.4 ± 12.0 years; 47% female). The overall age- and sex-adjusted annual incidence of PsA per 100,000 population was 8.5 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 7.2–9.8) and was higher in men (9.3 [95% CI 7.4–11.3]) than women (7.7 [95% CI 5.9–9.4]) in 2000–2017. Overall incidence was highest in the 40–59 years age group. The incidence rate was relatively stable during 2000–2017, with no evidence of an overall increase or an increase in men only (but a modest increase of 3% per year in women), compared to 1970–1999 when a 4%-per-year increase in incidence was observed. Point prevalence was 181.8 per 100,000 population (95% CI 156.5–207.1) in 2015. The percentage of women among those with PsA increased from 39% in 1970–1999 and 41% in 2000–2009 to 54% in 2010–2017 (P = 0.08). Overall survival in PsA did not differ from the general population (standardized mortality ratio 0.85 [95% CI 0.61–1.15]). Conclusion: The incidence of PsA in this predominantly White US population was stable in 2000–2017, in contrast to previous years. However, an increasing proportion of women with PsA was found in this study.",
author = "Paras Karmacharya and Crowson, {Cynthia S.} and Delamo Bekele and Achenbach, {Sara J.} and Davis, {John M.} and Alexis Ogdie and Al{\'i} Duarte-Garc{\'i}a and Ernste, {Floranne C.} and Hilal Maradit-Kremers and Tollefson, {Megha M.} and Kerry Wright",
T1 - The Epidemiology of Psoriatic Arthritis Over Five Decades
T2 - A Population-Based Study
AU - Karmacharya, Paras
AU - Crowson, Cynthia S.
AU - Bekele, Delamo
AU - Achenbach, Sara J.
AU - Davis, John M.
AU - Ogdie, Alexis
AU - Duarte-García, Alí
AU - Ernste, Floranne C.
AU - Maradit-Kremers, Hilal
AU - Tollefson, Megha M.
AU - Wright, Kerry
N2 - Objective: To determine the incidence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in a US population and describe trends in incidence and mortality over 5 decades. Methods: The previously identified population-based cohort that included Olmsted County, Minnesota residents ≥18 years of age who fulfilled PsA criteria during 1970–1999 was extended to include patients with incident PsA during 2000–2017. Age- and sex-specific incidence rates and point prevalence, adjusted to the 2010 US White population, were reported. Results: There were 164 incident cases of PsA in 2000–2017 (mean ± SD age 46.4 ± 12.0 years; 47% female). The overall age- and sex-adjusted annual incidence of PsA per 100,000 population was 8.5 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 7.2–9.8) and was higher in men (9.3 [95% CI 7.4–11.3]) than women (7.7 [95% CI 5.9–9.4]) in 2000–2017. Overall incidence was highest in the 40–59 years age group. The incidence rate was relatively stable during 2000–2017, with no evidence of an overall increase or an increase in men only (but a modest increase of 3% per year in women), compared to 1970–1999 when a 4%-per-year increase in incidence was observed. Point prevalence was 181.8 per 100,000 population (95% CI 156.5–207.1) in 2015. The percentage of women among those with PsA increased from 39% in 1970–1999 and 41% in 2000–2009 to 54% in 2010–2017 (P = 0.08). Overall survival in PsA did not differ from the general population (standardized mortality ratio 0.85 [95% CI 0.61–1.15]). Conclusion: The incidence of PsA in this predominantly White US population was stable in 2000–2017, in contrast to previous years. However, an increasing proportion of women with PsA was found in this study.
AB - Objective: To determine the incidence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in a US population and describe trends in incidence and mortality over 5 decades. Methods: The previously identified population-based cohort that included Olmsted County, Minnesota residents ≥18 years of age who fulfilled PsA criteria during 1970–1999 was extended to include patients with incident PsA during 2000–2017. Age- and sex-specific incidence rates and point prevalence, adjusted to the 2010 US White population, were reported. Results: There were 164 incident cases of PsA in 2000–2017 (mean ± SD age 46.4 ± 12.0 years; 47% female). The overall age- and sex-adjusted annual incidence of PsA per 100,000 population was 8.5 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 7.2–9.8) and was higher in men (9.3 [95% CI 7.4–11.3]) than women (7.7 [95% CI 5.9–9.4]) in 2000–2017. Overall incidence was highest in the 40–59 years age group. The incidence rate was relatively stable during 2000–2017, with no evidence of an overall increase or an increase in men only (but a modest increase of 3% per year in women), compared to 1970–1999 when a 4%-per-year increase in incidence was observed. Point prevalence was 181.8 per 100,000 population (95% CI 156.5–207.1) in 2015. The percentage of women among those with PsA increased from 39% in 1970–1999 and 41% in 2000–2009 to 54% in 2010–2017 (P = 0.08). Overall survival in PsA did not differ from the general population (standardized mortality ratio 0.85 [95% CI 0.61–1.15]). Conclusion: The incidence of PsA in this predominantly White US population was stable in 2000–2017, in contrast to previous years. However, an increasing proportion of women with PsA was found in this study.