The hidden wealth of some of the world's leaders and celebrities has been revealed in one of the biggest leaks of confidential documents in history, which shows the numerous ways the rich can exploit secretive offshore banking regimes.
More than eleven million documents were leaked from the database of the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, the world's fourth biggest provider of offshore services. Company director Ramon Fonseca has denied any wrongdoing. He said the firm had suffered a hack on its database and described the leak as "an international campaign against privacy", according to Reuters.
Located between Costa Rica and Colombia, Panama straddles the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and is around 30,000 square miles in area. Its mountainous scenery, sun-drenched Caribbean coastlines and modern, lively capital have boosted the tourism economy, but Panama is also of huge strategic importance. It is home to the Panama Canal, one of the greatest engineering achievements of the 20th century, and thanks to a combination of financial secrecy and little to no tax, it is one of the world's biggest tax havens.
Strict financial laws and regulations have turned the small country into one of the most established tax havens. It has a territorial tax system, meaning that it exempts all income earned outside of Panama. This zero-taxation policy of foreign income applies to resident individuals residing in Panama, as well as Panamanian firms. There are also extensive laws to protect corporate and individual financial privacy. Offshore finance, manufacturing and a shipping registry generate jobs and tax revenues.
A 2014 investigation by US journalist Ken Silverstein in Vice explains how Panama came into being with help from the US. "In 1903, the administration of Theodore Roosevelt created the country after bullying Colombia to hand over what was then the province of Panama," Silverstein writes. "Roosevelt acted at the behest of various banking groups, among them J. P. Morgan & Co., which was appointed as the country's official 'fiscal agent', in charge of managing $10 million in aid that the US rushed down to the new nation."
Nicholas Shaxson, a British journalist and author, delves further into the US' influence on Panama in his 2012 book Treasure Islands: Tax Havens and the Men who Stole the World: "The history of Panama as a tax haven started in 1919 when it began to register foreign ships to help Standard Oil escape US-American taxes and regulations. Offshore finance followed in 1927, when Wall Street interests helped Panama introduce lax company incorporation laws, which let anyone start tax-free, anonymous corporations, with few questions asked."
Panama's tax haven status was developed further in the 1970s, when the country adopted the standard tax haven model of banking secrecy, abolishing currency controls and setting up tax exempt companies. Fundamentally, Panama became the new Switzerland.
There was a boost in interest in Panama and areas like the British Virgin Islands after 2003, when the European Union Savings Directive was first developed. The directive, which came into force in 2005, aimed to counter cross-border tax evasion by individuals by collecting information about foreign resident individuals receiving savings income outside their resident state. It led to more people wanting to open bank accounts outside of Europe.
Despite an overall reduction in poverty, Panama still faces several challenges - from shaking off its reputation as a transit-point for cocaine from South America heading to the States to money-laundering and social inequality. Over the past decade, the country has had one of the fastest growing economies worldwide. But while the capital gleams with new skyscrapers and state-of-the-art infrastructure, Panama has one of the most obvious disparities of wealth in Latin America, according to the World Bank. In the Indigenous Peoples' territories - the comaracas - poverty is above 70%.
Who is Sergei Roldugin, Vladimir Putin's cellist best friend at centre of money network?
What is Mossack Fonseca, the law firm involved in the biggest leak in history?


As of now, the varsity basketball team is 18-7 over twenty-five games played. Despite a loss to Jefferson in the Morris County Basketball Tournament, the team still has more games left in the season.
For the first time in more than twenty years, the basketball team played a home game for the New Jersey Non-Public North A State Tournament. The Paramus Catholic Paladins, who were 11-13 on the season, came to Delbarton on February 26 in one of Delbarton's most anticipated basketball games in the last several years. The Paladins were seeded ninth overall in the tournament and the Green Wave held the eighth seed. Senior Jaedon Khubani led the Green Wave to their first state home win in recent memory, as he contributed with twenty-five points in the game.
Highlights of the season so far include two wins over neighboring school West Morris Mendham High School. In fact, the Green Wave opened up the season with a thrilling game against the Minutemen which concluded with a Delbarton victory of 61 to 58. Yet again, the basketball team defeated the Minutemen in another three-point game later in the season. Make sure you get out and support the Green Wave basketball team in their upcoming games as they look to extend their season throughout the Non-Public A North tournament.


Love, love, love it! As an old school type teacher, I love chalkboards and hate dry erase boards.
I agree! Dry erase markers are always running out or drying up. At least with chalk what you see is what you get!


Paramount has set a release date for the next Friday the 13th movie, which will find Pamela Voorhees' beloved son slashing teenage campers on Friday, March 13th, 2015.
No other details have yet been revealed about the film, including a writer or director, but ShockTillYouDrop notes Platinum Dunes, who produced the 2009 remake, will again produce the picture.
That film was a notable success, which made it a surprise when a sequel failed to quickly materialize. There were some complicated issues involving the rights of the film, but Paramount is now a part of the film, committed, as a co-producer, since they held rights on the original film.
In an "only in Hollywood" scenario, Paramount got the full rights to make and release the next Friday the 13th movie on their own (along with a new South Park movie) as part of the deal that brought Warner Bros. in as a partner on Christopher Nolan's next blockbuster film, Intersellar.
Paramount only has the rights to Jason Voorhees for the next five years, which can explain why they're in a rush to get it out to the public. What's still unclear is the storyline of this upcoming film or how it will connect to the rest of the series. Is it a direct sequel to the 2009 film? Or will it be rebooted and turned into a "found footage" scenario?


The recent hacking of various celebrities' Apple iCloud accounts (aka Celebgate) teaches everyone a valuable lesson about working in the cloud. It's important for any consumer and business to fully understand what type of data is stored in the cloud and what security measures have been put in place by the vendor to ensure data doesn't get into the wrong hands.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the celebrities' accounts were compromised by hackers guessing the celebrities' security questions correctly, giving them access to the accounts without the victims knowing. Apple has taken additional steps to keep hackers out of user accounts, including: iCloud users will now receive email notifications when someone tries to change an account password, restore iCloud data on a new device or when a device logs in to an account for the first time.
Tier Out Your Data: This balances the risks involved with placing it in someone else's data center. Some data simply cannot go to the cloud due to security and compliance concerns. For this type of sensitive data, Egnyte has an option for sharing and storing data without the cloud.
Email Notifications: Similar to what Apple has recently added, Egnyte sends alerts to users when their passwords or email addresses are changed. Admins are alerted whenever a user attempts to reset a password or is locked out due to too many failed login attempts. We will also soon be adding alerts when users access their accounts from new devices.
Two-Step Login Verification: Your account can be configured to require a second authentication factor when logging in. This second factor can be a passcode sent via SMS, a phone call or a push notification sent to your smartphone.
Account Lockout: User accounts are locked out after a configurable number of failed login attempts. Lockouts can be for a specified duration or until explicitly unlocked by an administrator.
Don't bare it all to hackers and the outside world. Keep your data safe by educating yourself and your teams on the security of the services you use to store your files. For more information on what Egnyte offers from a security standpoint, click here.
We also have a webinar on this topic scheduled for next Thursday, 9/25. Learn more and sign up here.


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Japanese Geek Is World's Biggest Super Mario Fan
By Spooky onMarch 10th, 2011 Category: Funny, News
Mitsugu Kikai, a 25-year-old from Tokyo, Japan, has received the title of World's Biggest Super Mario Fan, for his giant collection of Mario-themed memorabilia.
I'm not saying it's fate, but Kikai was born the same year Nintendo released their first Super Mario video game, and he says one of the first things his parents bought him was a Super Mario cereal bowl. He was too young to remember it, but as soon as he grew a little older he started collecting everything Mario. Now, at 25 years old, Mitsugu Kikai has amassed an impressive collection of over 5,400 Super Mario items, and he's not planning on stopping anytime soon.
"I never tried to become a number one collector, but as I loved Mario since I was little, the collection gradually grew. Now, I believe you can't find more Mario items anywhere else in the world." Kikay says. He currently lives in a two bedroom apartment in Tokyo, and one of the rooms is used just to house his giant collection, not to mention he left many other items behind, at his parents' house.
Pixelated Princess Peach Built Out of Plastic Bottle Caps
By Spooky onSeptember 17th, 2010 Category: Art, Pics
A real Super Mario fan spent months collecting plastic bottle caps in order to build a pixelated portrait of the lovely Princess Peach.
After saving her from the clutches of the evil dragon, several times, Instructables user skeplin decided to create a tribute to Princess Peach. With the help of his family, he managed to collect around 1,000 plastic bottle caps, in a few months time. His children were in charge of washing them, while skeplin prepared the 26 colors needed to complete the project.
He used a little bit of Perl and ImageMagick to figure out all the colors, then hand-painted every bottle cap using a dowel rod. Once that was done, he set and glued the bottle caps in place, on a 28×35 grid, and completed a lovely pixelated portrait of Princess Peach that now hangs proudly in his home.
It all sounds easy enough, but once youc check out all the steps, on Instructables, you'll think twince before having a go at it, yourself. Video at the bottom.
Makeshift Mario Museum in New York
By Spooky onNovember 19th, 2009 Category: Events, Pics
To celebrate the release of the "New Super Mario Bros" video game for the Nintendo Wii gaming system, a makeshift Super Mario Museum popped up at the Nintendo World Store in Rockefeller Center, in New York.
Remember all that Mario every day stuff that came out throughout the years. we're talking about Mario shampoo, Mario lunchboxes, cooking pans, paintings and even Super Mario adverts. All were showcased at the temporary Super Mario Museum, outside the Nintendo World Store, in New York City.
Thousands of fans gathered outside the establishment waiting to admire all the priceless memorabilia, compete in Super Mario video-game challenges and get their hands on a copy of the new video-game starring the popular Mario and Luigi duo.
If you haven't had the chance to check out the Mario Museum on site, Wired offers you a set of photos revealing most of the Mario items on display:
LEGO Mario – The World's Largest Super Mario Replica
By Spooky onNovember 3rd, 2009 Category: Art, Pics
So you think you're the world's biggest Super Mario fan, eh? Well, I don't care how many Mario games you've played, or how many Super Mario items you have used to decorate your room, you can't be as big a fan as Dirk VH.
The man proved his love for the world's most popular video-game character by building his biggest replica out of LEGO bricks. Using 40,000 LEGO pieces he created a 5-foot, 9-inches LEGO statue that weighs 50 kg. And the most amazing thing about his masterpiece is that it looks absolutely amazing.
The "Game Mania" pedestal took 25 hours to make and the actual Mario statue, was finished in 160 hours. The whole process took Dirk VH 16 hours to complete. Now that's a real Super Mario fan!
Check out the high-speed making-of video at the bottom.
via technabob.com

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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2018 DOUBLE EXPOSURE PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION WINNERS ANNOUNCED
(Tuscaloosa, Ala.) The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa is pleased to announce the Junior Division winners of the 2018 Double Exposure Juried Photography competition. Open to photographers from the state of Alabama only, the annual event is now in its 15th year.
Artists were allowed to enter up to three works in either Adult or Junior categories, and any photographic media was accepted. Tuscaloosa photographer Michael Moore served as the judge.
Awards were contributed in part by Buffalo Rock Pepsi of Tuscaloosa.
Junior Division:
$250 Best of Show: Ashley Johnsen, Hoover, for "White Noise"
$125 Cash Awards:
Jordan Clayton, Montgomery, for "Spider Man"
Jordan Clayton, Montgomery, for "Through My Brother's Eyes"
Mimi Davis, Birmingham, for "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not"
Frances Wilson, Birmingham, for "Dancers"
Amrita Lakhanpal, Birmingham, for "Second Self"
Heli Patel, Pike Road, for "All American"
The Junior Division exhibit is currently on display at the Bama Theatre's Junior League Gallery and will end with a closing reception and awards ceremony on Feb. 11, 2018 from 2-3 p.m. The Junior League Gallery is open weekdays from 9 a.m.-noon and 1 p.m.-4 p.m. and also during Bama Theatre events. Enter through the PARA Building, located adjacent to the theatre, during daytime hours.
The Adult Division exhibit will be on display at The Arts Council Gallery in the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center. An opening reception and awards ceremony will be held on Feb. 2 from 5-8 p.m. during First Friday with the exhibit closing on Feb. 23. The Arts Council Gallery is open weekdays from 9 a.m.-noon and 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Adult Division winners will be announced the week of Jan. 29.
The Bama Theatre and Dinah Washington Cultural Center are located on the 600 block of Greensboro Avenue in downtown Tuscaloosa. For more information about The Arts Council or Bama Theatre, patrons should LIKE the Facebook page "The Arts Council – Bama Theatre – Cultural Arts Center" and follow tuscarts on Twitter. Call 205-758-5195 or visit tuscarts.org for further information.


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Гульнара Абдулаевна Дусматова (род. 5.11.1964, Алма-Ата) — советская и казахстанская киноактриса, Заслуженный деятель Казахстана (2011).

Биография
Родилась 5 ноября 1964 года в Алма-Ате. Мать — экономист, отец — инженер. Актрисой мечтала стать с детства. Училась в русской  школе,окончила с золотой медалью. Окончила филологический факультет Казахского государственного университета им. С. М. Кирова в 1989 году.

Творчество
В кино с 12 лет. Дебютом стала роль юной Айгерим в фильме Абдулы Карсакбаева «Погоня в степи» (1979). Фильм имел огромный успех.

В 1982 году Гульнару пригласили работать диктором на телевидение. Впоследствии она много снималась в различных телевизионных проектах, была бессменной ведущей международного музыкального фестиваля «Азия дауысы».

С 1985 года – штатная актриса киностудии «Казахфильм» им. Ш. Айманова.

В 1985 году за роль в фильме «Человеческий фактор» была удостоена Главного приза за лучшую женскую роль на XVIII Всесоюзном кинофестивале в Минске, многие другие фильмы с её участием являются призёрами самых престижных международных кинофестивалей.

С 1991 года – член Союза кинематографистов Казахстана.

В 1996 году вышел спектакль «Фрёкен Жюли» по Стриндбергу осуществленный студией «Театральный ангажемент», где сыграла главную роль.Это стало событием в театральной жизни Казахстана.

Особенно Гульнара заполнилась зрителям по выступлениям на ретро-фестивалях «Алма-Ата — моя первая любовь», «Караганда – город юности моей».

В 2008 году принимала участие в озвучивании фильма Мустафа Шокай (Россия, Казахстан) :: Мария Горина-Чокай.

В 2009 году была членом жюри на 31-м Московском международном кинофестивале.

С 2009 года ведущая телевизионной программы «Территория кино» (производство киностудии «Казахфильм» и Агентство «Хабар»).

В 2000 году была признана «Актрисой года» согласно опросу, проведённому социологической группой фестиваля-конкурса «Выбор года в Казахстане».

В 2010 году участвовала в телевизионном проекте"Екі жұлдыз".Позже была солисткой группы «Апашки»продюсером трио стала Динара Адам .

В 2011 году в эфире «Седьмого канала» приняла участие вместе с мужем в телешоу «Сорок миллионов тенге».Где супружская пара выиграли 2 миллиона тенге.

Указом Президента Республики Казахстан от 7 декабря 2011 года награждён почетным званием «Заслуженный деятель Республики Казахстан» за заслуги и достижения в кинематографии Казахстана.

Личная жизнь
 Была замужем за сыном Народного артиста Казахской ССР, лауреата Государственной премии Казахстана Сабита Оразбаева композитором Адилем Оразбаевым, брак продлился 5 лет;
 от этого брака имеет дочь Айшу (род. в 1986).
 Пара имеет дочь по имени Аружан.

Фильмография
 1979 — Погоня в степи (каз.«Бандыны қуған Хамит») — Айгерим
 1981 — Провинциальный роман — в эпизоде
 1981 — Три дня праздника — Акбота — главная роль
 1982 — Красная юрта — Батима
 1983 — Искупи вину — Сая
 1983 — Непобедимый (художественный фильм) — Лайло
 1984 — Человеческий фактор — Дария Каратаева
 1988 — Пейзаж глазами спринтера — Мээрим
 1991 — Бегущая мишень
 1992 — Сон во сне (Казахстан)
 1993 — Кодекс молчания 2: След чёрной рыбы (Россия, Узбекистан) — Гезель, секретарша (в титрах Г. Дусметова)
 1995 — Кардиограмма (Казахстан) — медсестра Гуля
 1996-2000 — Перекресток (сериал, Казахстан) — Гаухар Султанова, адвокат
 2001- 2003— Саранча (сериал, Казахстан) — Жибек, загадочная женщина
 2007 — Человек-ветер (Казахстан) — Ханума
 2007 — Застава (сериал) — Ситора, жена Надир-шаха
 2009 — Откройте дверь — я счастье (сериал, комедия; Казахстан, Россия) — Шолпан
 2009 — Кто вы, господин Ка? (Казахстан) — голос за кадром
 2010 — Астана — любовь моя (сериал, Казахстан, Турция) — Айгуль, мать Маржан
 2010 — Последняя песня | Фильм № 14
 2010 — Гаишники (Россия, Украина) — Мэй Линг, певица
 2010 — Рывок (Казахстан) — мать Каната
 2011 — Возвращение в «А» (Казахстан, Россия) — Сауле в наши дни
 2011 — Ликвидатор (Казахстан) — жена Марата
 2012 — Книга легенд: Таинственный лес (фэнтези, комедия; Казахстан) — богиня Умай
 2012 — Братья 2 (сериал; Казахстан) — не был завершен
 2012 — Сердце мое — Астана (фильм, киноальманах, Казахстан, Россия)
 2012 — Моя вечная любовь (Казахстан) — мама Амана
 2012 — Дорога домой (Казахстан) — Жанна
 2014 — Перекресток в Астане (телевизионная новелла, сериал; Казахстан) — Акайша, жена Бауржана
 2015 — Несломленный (мини-сериал; Казахстан)
 2015 — Игра на вылет (мини-сериал; Казахстан) — Дина
 2015 — История одного отката (cериал, криминальная драма; Казахстан) — Гаухар Султанова
 2015 — Навстречу мечте (мини-сериал; Казахстан)
 2016 — Моя чужая (Казахстан, Узбекистан) — мать Айлин
 2016 — Районы (Казахстан) — мать Арсена
 2017 — Келинка — тоже человек (Казахстан) — Гульсара

Примечания

Заслуженные деятели Казахстана
Выпускники Казахского национального университета имени аль-Фараби
Персоналии:Казахфильм
Киноактрисы Казахстана

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The ultimate toolkit for designing and actioning a life you love in 2019 and beyond!
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A guide for designing a life you love in 2019… and beyond!
Goodbye 2018, Hello 2019 is an end-of-year guide that helps you to say a proper farewell to 2018 as it comes to an end, and to create a vision and a plan for the year to come. Through a series of questions and exercises, you'll be guided to get clear on the life you want to live in 2019, the dreams you want to bring to life, and a simple plan of how you're going to make it all happen. Find out more here.
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Goodbye, Hello is brought to you by Project Love which is fast being the go-to platform for people looking for heartfelt, practical guidance on love and life. The guide is written by life design coach and co-founder of Project Love, Selina Barker who has over 10 years of experience helping people create lives they love. Over 2,000 people have been through her life design courses and coaching programmes, and her private coaching clients have included A-list musicians and senior staff at Google, Apple and UN Women.


1.5 HOW TO CHECK YOUR VTU RESULT?
VTU Results Last Updated On: 13-09-2017 @ 06:00 PM.
7th and 8th sem revaluation result announced.
M tech 4th and 6th semester (old scheme) announced.
Results of B.E 5th & 7th Crash/Extricating Semester announced for all regions.
5th and 6th Sem results announced for all regions.
Results of 3rd and 4th Sem (CBCS and NON-CBCS) announced for Belagavi, Mysuru, Kalaburgi & Bengaluru.
Updated Results of 1st and 2nd Sem CBCS announced for Mysuru and Bengaluru region.
VTU Results of 6th Sem MCA (NON-CBCS) announced for all regions.
June / July 2017 Examination Results of I & II Sem B.E. / B.Tech CBCS announced for Belagavi region.
Results of 1st & 2nd Sem B.E. / B.Tech CBCS announced for Kalaburgi region.
Results of 7th & 8th Sem B.E. / B.Tech Non – CBCS declared for all regions.
Today's update if you were getting invalid USN but your semester result is already announced. Please check your result again, the database is updated there is a possibility of your result announced now. To check your result click here. If it's still showing invalid result then your results will be announced along with crash course result. Want to know more then contact vtu registrar here are the numbers 08312498136, 08312498147.
5th and 6th Sem results are further delayed due to as usual some technical problem. 8th and 6th Sem crash course results are not announced yet because of the mix up of answer scripts of bar codes and non-bar code answer scripts. VTU VC said that all the results will be announced within the next week.
Will VTU announce results of the 6th semester before the 7th and 8th semester of crash students? That's not likely though. They always announce final year results before any other semester because 8th sem exams are over before the start of 6th sem or any other semester.
VTU VC said that the Crash course results of 5th sem would be along with their 6th-semester results release. The same thing was said to final year crash semester students, but that did not work that way. Hopefully, let see if there will be any change for 5th sem crash course students. They already went through a lot, but VTU is not happy despite. 6th sem results expected to be announced in the first week of September.
4th and 3rd-semester CBCS students don't have to though all that crash course and other BS. We completely had forgotten the last time when VTU announced the results on time. VTU will declare the results of 3rd and 4th sem results once they cover up the mess of higher semester. Maybe a week after the crash course results.
There are reports that 1st and 2nd-semester valuation are over long back but the real question is will VTU announce the result before the higher semester, we have no idea about that. All we can do is wait for VTU to give an announcement date like previous semester.
VTU Results announced for all the regions and branches of 8th semester. After few hours VTU has announced the results of the 7th semester of all the regions and departments too.
HOW TO CHECK YOUR VTU RESULT?
Check for your semester in the table.
Also, don't forget to check your respective region and branch.
Enter your University Seat number USN provided from the college.
Results marked "TO BE ANNOUNCED LATER" will get updated shortly.
Can i get the vtu 8th sem toppers list of 2017 pass out batch please.


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https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/highschool/article/Dow-tennis-claims-fourth-straight-state-6973648.php
Dow tennis claims fourth straight state championship
Published 9:00 pm EDT, Saturday, October 20, 2012
GRAND BLANC — For the fourth year in a row, coach Terry Schwartzkopf's Dow High tennis team is the Division 2 state champion.
The Chargers won with 35 points, easily outdistancing second-place Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, which had 23 points, and third-place Portage Central, which ended up with 22.
"The boys performed as well as I could ask for," said Dow coach Terry Schwartzkopf. "It is really neat to win four championships, but what impressed me most was that I saw my guys picking up trash, cheering whoever was still playing, making sure everyone was fed and hydrated, and being respectful to their opponents. The quality and character of these kids touched my heart and that's what it means to be a champion."
Dow captured championships at five flights, winning at No. 2 singles, No. 3 singles, No. 4 singles, No. 1 doubles, and No. 3 doubles.
Overall on the day, which included the semifinals and finals for each flight, the Chargers posted an 11-3 record.
"This year has obviously been memorable," Schwartzkopf said. "This year is the most complete team (of the past four years). It's the closest and most supportive group. They are always there for each other. I've had close teams before, but this team was like a family. My seniors are walking away with four state titles and four (Saginaw Valley League) titles. They left an indelible mark on this program. It's going to be difficult to move forward, but they've made my job easier (for next year), because the kids coming up want to maintain the integrity, character and success of the program."
At No. 2 singles, Dow's Austin Woody extended his Michigan High School Athletic Association record singles winning streak to 80 straight matches with a 6-3, 6-0 victory in the semifinals over Eric Yu of Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, and a 6-2, 6-3 win over Rob Stevens of Portage Central in the final.
"Austin had developed his game since he was a freshman, and his maturity and growth are remarkable," Schwartzkopf said. "Austin did this by playing the best in all divisions. He's beaten everybody in his flights; so in my opinion, he had success in spite of the hardest schedule."
Woody said he somewhat jokingly guaranteed four straight championships when he was a freshman. Now, as a senior, he's thrilled to actually help the Chargers pull it off.
"Well, actually, I kind of made a promise to Schwartzkopf that we were going to get four in a row, so I guess I kind of followed through on that promise," Woody noted. "I made that promise when I was a freshman, and it was more of a cocky thing (than a serious promise). To actually follow through on it was (exciting)."
Woody admitted that Saturday was satisfying but also bittersweet.
"It feels good, but it's also sad that I won't be playing (with these same guys) next year," he said. "We all play together not only in high school, but also outside of high school (with the Midland Community Tennis Center's Tennis Academy). They're all my friends, and obviously it'll be sad not to see some of the guys anymore. I'm just happy it ended on a positive note."
Woody added that his winning streak seems kind of surreal in retrospect.
"It's kind of hard to believe. I can't even imagine playing 80 matches (all over again)," said Woody, adding that he is considering playing next year at Grand Valley State, Ferris State, or Northwood. "It's crazy to think of playing 80 matches and winning all of them. It's definitely a little jaw-dropping."
Dow's Juli Guerra won the title at No. 3 singles with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Cameron Babas of Battle Creek Lakeview in the semis and a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Portage Central's Trevor VanderKlok in the final.
At No. 4 singles, Dow's Michael Szabo topped Birmingham Seaholm's Alec Tropea in the semis 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4), and then beat Forest Hills Northern's Justin Minzlaff 6-4, 6-1 in the final.SClBAt No. 1 singles, Dow's John Templeman fell in his semifinal contest against Davis Crocker of Kalamazoo Loy Norrix by a score of 6-3, 6-0.SClBJason Chang and Vikram Shanker at No. 1 doubles won in the semifinals with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Forest Hills Central's Sam Kozulis and Greg Andrews, then earned a 6-2, 6-4 win over Mat Denison and Stan Lassen of Battle Creek Lakeview in the final.
"Going into the season, we knew we had a great team," said Shanker. "We're all great friends off the court and we knew we had something special. This was my third year at No. 3 doubles, but my first year to win (an individual state title). Jason and I have played together for a long time and we went 37-0 (this season). He's a perfect person to win with."
At No. 3 doubles, Dow's Patrick Eschbach and Mark Gorte won in the semis 6-7, 6-1, 6-3 over Danny Harwood and Ethan Beattie of Bloomfield Hills Andover, then defeated Forest Hills Central's Amey Vrudula and Nico Finelli in the final 6-3, 6-1.SClBAt No. 2 doubles, Dow's David Goslin and Colin Angell won in the semis against U-D Jesuit's Jimmy Hoffman and Marty Nagle 5-7, 6-7, 6-2; then lost in the final to Birmingham Seaholm's Zach Tayler and Griffin Neel by a score of 6-4, 6-4.SClBDow's No. 4 doubles team of Andrew Camp and David Read lost in the semis to Forest Hills Central's Joey McClure and Matt Gebhardt 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6).


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text:
Parliament attack:...
Parliament attack: Afghan lawmakers hail security, blame Pakistan
| 24 Jun 2015 12:00 AM GMT
Kabul, June 23: The Afghan parliament on Tuesday praised the security forces for their efforts in foiling Monday's Taliban suicide attack on the parliament complex here, while some members accused Pakistan of being involved in the dastardly assault, media reported. At least seven militants on Monday attacked Afghanistan's Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament). One militant detoted a car bomb at the gate while others tried to storm the building. However, alert security forces maged to prevent them from entering.
Five people were killed and 31 others were injured in the brazen attack. All the Afghan lawmakers inside the parliament complex escaped unhurt in the assault.
Despite damage to the parliament building, lawmakers returned on Tuesday to the tiol assembly for a special sitting to discuss Monday's attack, TOLONews reported. The parliamentarians praised the security forces' efforts, but a few members criticised the government over its meetings last month with Pakistani security and intelligence officials.
"Pakistanis are killing our sons every day but we remain silent. Government officials should give us details about what they discussed at these recent meetings," parliamentarian Daoud Kalakani said.
Another member, Almas Zahid, said Monday's "attack was organised very well and they knew from which side to attack", adding that "our security forces are committed to fighting off the attackers. But security officials should be asked how they (Taliban militants) attacked the House of the People".
A number of lawmakers also accused certain government officials of being behind the recent upsurge in Taliban insurgency in the northern parts of the country where marauding Taliban elements have made sigl advances in the northern Kanduz province. They accused these officials of plotting the insurgency claiming it was a "project" of theirs.
Monday's attack took place at about 10.20 a.m. — minutes before second vice president Mohammad Sarwar Danish was to introduce minister of defence nominee Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai to the lawmakers for a vote of confidence. (IANS)


text:
Tarampuk (, also Romanized as Tarāmpūk) is a village in Kahir Rural District, in the Central District of Konarak County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 24, in 9 families.

References

Populated places in Konarak County


text:
9 Things You Definitely Didn't Know About Agatha Christie
Marie Claire September 15, 2015 12:29 pm
Agatha Christie Credit: Rex Features
Agatha Christie, doyenne of crime fiction, wearer of tightly-curled hairdo and author of 66 detective / mystery stories, would have been 125 on September 15th. But turns out, there's a lot more to her than we first thought...
She wrote chick lit. Kind of. Although she's world-famous for her crime and mystery novels, Agatha Christie also wrote six romances under the pseudonym of Mary Westmacott.
Her detectives live on. Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple have graced our screens since 1928, when a film called The Passing Of Mr Quinn hit cinemas across the country. In fact, most of her books have been adapted for either TV, film, comic books and even video games. Tommy and Tuppence Beresford have recently been on our screens courtesy of David Walliams and Jessica Raine.
In fact, over 30 films have been made of her books. The most famous are Murder On The Orient Express and Death On The Nile. But it wasn't just faraway locations that were deemed dangerous places. Unpopular socialites were just as likely to get bumped off in art deco hotels in Devon (Evil Under The Sun). The TV adaptation of the film was shot in the rather beautiful Burgh Island Hotel at Bigbury on Sea, a place where Agatha Christie herself actually stayed, and which inspired possibly one of her most famous tales, And Then There Were None (see below).
She's been accused of racism – frequently. Anyone who isn't English is 'foreign/exotic' or makes someone feels 'uneasy'. While she has many English villains in her books, Johnny Foreigner is always under suspicion from the start (and nobody seems to challenge this). Her best-selling And Then There Were None was originally published under the titles of Ten Little Indians, and even Ten Little N-words… Seriously.
She's the only woman to have ever had three plays running in London's West End simultaneously. Mousetrap, the world's longest-running theatre production, is in its 63rd year and looks set to continue more or less forever.
She starred in her own mystery. Like a character in her own book, Agatha Christie went missing from her Berkshire home for 11 days in 1926 and never offered an explanation of where she was. At 9.45pm on the evening of Friday 3rd December, she kissed her daughter goodnight and drove off in her Morris Cowley. The car was later found down a slope near Guildford. The press went into a frenzy and it even made the front page of The New York Times. As the world speculated about what had happened to her, various scenarios were picked over. Had she drowned herself in the nearby pool? Was her unfaithful husband, former first world war fighter pilot Archie to blame? Or was it simply an elaborate publicity stunt?
She was eventually found in a spa in Harrogate, under an assumed name. Agatha never offered an explanation, but today it's thought she may have been in the grips of a fugue state, a sort of trance brought on by depression or trauma. (Some think she'd planned the whole thing to thwart her husband's plans to spend the weekend with his mistress in a house nearby. We much prefer that version.)
She was a poison aficionado. During the Second World War, Christie worked in the pharmacy at University College Hospital, where she gained a real insight into poisons and their effects. She used the info in her post-war novels.
She was investigated by the MI5 in 1941. One of the characters in her thriller, N or M?, was called Major Bletchley and, so realistic was the story and writing, the intelligence service thought perhaps she must have had a spy in their codebreaking centre, Bletchley Park.
Poriot was a class act to the end. When Christie killed him off in Curtian: Poirot's Last Case in 1975, he was given a full page obituary in The New York Times. Christie herself died the following year
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text:
Home » Monogram Club Spotlight: Taylor Emery – VT hokiesports.com
Monogram Club Spotlight: Taylor Emery – VT hokiesports.com
A long odyssey brought Taylor Emery to Virginia Tech to play basketball. Even though her basketball career came to a close, that odyssey is far from over.
"I remember when I was younger and I told people 'I want to be a professional basketball player and a veterinarian,'" said Emery. "They would always ask 'How would you do that?' and I said back 'I don't know, I'll figure it out!'"
To young Taylor Emery's credit, she did figure it out.
"After I went to a junior college, I was choosing between four different schools that had a veterinary medical program," said Emery. " I chose Virginia Tech because it was a great fit for me basketball-wise and it also set me up for a really good veterinary program after."
The former Hokies guard from Tampa, Fla. always had her career post-basketball locked in focus even when she carved out a successful legacy at Cassell Coliseum. After attending Tulane University and Gulf Coast State College, Emery immediately fit into head coach Kenny Brooks's scheme in Blacksburg. The prolific shooter scored over 1,300 points in just two years as a Hokie and finished with All-ACC honors both years of her tenure.
"I actually majored in homeland security at Tulane," Emery said, who spent just her freshman year with the Green Wave. "I said 'This isn't what I want to do" and when I transferred to Tech, I actually got my degree in Creative Writing and took my pre-reqs for vet school."
Her time at Virginia Tech propelled her for multiple pro basketball opportunities domestically and internationally. The Minnesota Lynx invited Emery to participate in their training camp, and the guard played overseas in both Poland and Israel. Still, she wasn't content with just a career in basketball.
"After a while, I realized it wasn't really feeding my heart the way I thought it would," Emery said. "It was awesome and I made a lot of friends in the process, but it wasn't exactly what I wanted to do when I was older."
Emery returned to campus after being accepted into the prestigious Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. The rigorous schedule keeps her in lectures and labs for almost eight hours a day, but it's all in the pursuit of realizing her dreams in a field she's loved since childhood.
"I want to work in the non-profit sector and find a way to help both people and animals," Emery said, who also spearheaded her own clothing brand "MerikiTay" while impressively balancing the life of a vet-med student. She has three and a half more years of schooling before being able to graduate from VAMC.
As far as keeping up with the current Virginia Tech Women's Basketball team, Emery finds ways in her hectic schedule to keep in touch with the players and staff. She is constantly studying at one of the premiere veterinary schools in the country, but still speaks highly of the staff headed by Brooks.
"When I was a player we were really close because we saw each other every day. Now it's more of an adult relationship. I don't have to speak to the staff everyday, but when I do, they make me feel at home."
About the Monogram Club
The Virginia Tech Monogram Club is a membership organization that seeks to honor and engage former and current letterwinners through networking and fellowship events, in order to celebrate the traditions and promote the value of the Virginia Tech student-athlete experience. We seek to reconnect with all monogram winners in all past and present sports and support area students (managers, trainers, and video staff members) at Virginia Tech and have each of these become a connected and engaged member of the Monogram Club! Honor the Past, Celebrate the Present, and Support the Future!
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text:
Q: how to customize product zoom feature in standard magento ce 1.9.2? I would like to do some customization in product zoom feature of standard magento ce 1.9.2.1
I see elevatezoom subfolder in the js folder of rwd default theme, and there is jquery.elevatezoom.js file which contain configuration options near the end of the file as below:
enter code here
......
$.fn.elevateZoom.options = {
        zoomActivation: "hover", // Can also be click (PLACEHOLDER FOR NEXT VERSION)
zoomEnabled: true, //false disables zoomwindow from showing
preloading: 1, //by default, load all the images, if 0, then only load   images after activated (PLACEHOLDER FOR NEXT VERSION)
zoomLevel: 1, //default zoom level of image
scrollZoom: true, //allow zoom on mousewheel, true to activate
scrollZoomIncrement: 0.1,  //steps of the scrollzoom
minZoomLevel: false,
maxZoomLevel: false,
easing: true,
easingAmount: 12,
lensSize: 100,
zoomWindowWidth: 300,
zoomWindowHeight: 400,
zoomWindowOffetx: 10,
zoomWindowOffety: 0,
zoomWindowPosition: 1,
zoomWindowBgColour: "#fff",
lensFadeIn: 500,
lensFadeOut: 500,
debug: false,
zoomWindowFadeIn: 500,
zoomWindowFadeOut: 500,
zoomWindowAlwaysShow: false,
zoomTintFadeIn: false,
zoomTintFadeOut: false,
borderSize: 4,
showLens: true,
borderColour: "#888",
lensBorderSize: 1,
lensBorderColour: "#000",
lensShape: "square", //can be "round"
zoomType: "window", //window is default,  also "lens" available -
           containLensZoom: false,
lensColour: "white", //colour of the lens background
lensOpacity: 0.4, //opacity of the lens
lenszoom: false,
tint: false, //enable the tinting
tintColour: "#333", //default tint color, can be anything, red, #ccc, rgb(0,0,0)
tintOpacity: 0.4, //opacity of the tint
gallery: false,
galleryActiveClass: "zoomGalleryActive",
imageCrossfade: false,
constrainType: false,  //width or height
constrainSize: false,  //in pixels the dimensions you want to constrain on
loadingIcon: false, //http://www.example.com/spinner.gif
cursor:"default", // user should set to what they want the cursor as, if they have set a click function
responsive:true,
onComplete: $.noop,
onZoomedImageLoaded: function() {},
onImageSwap: $.noop,
onImageSwapComplete: $.noop
;

})( jQuery, window, document );

I did some changes in the option parameter such as lenSize, zoomWindowHeight etc..but there is no effect in the zoom function.
Then i modify the app.js file in the js folder, creating var zoomOptions {...} then pass the zoomOptions into   image.elevatezoom() as code snipet below:
enter code here

// ==============================================
// PDP - image zoom - needs to be available outside document.ready scope
// ==============================================

var ProductMediaManager = {
    IMAGE_ZOOM_THRESHOLD: 20,
    imageWrapper: null,

    destroyZoom: function() {
    $j('.zoomContainer').remove();
    $j('.product-image-gallery .gallery-image').removeData('elevateZoom');
},

var ZoomOptions = {
    // set tint background
    tint:true,
    tintColour:'#F90',
    tintOpacity:0.5,

    // Size
    lensSize: 100,
    zoomWindowHeight: 300,
    zoomWindowWidth: 400,
    borderSize: 0,

    // Position
    zoomWindowOffetx: 10,
    zoomWindowOffety: 0,

    // Additional settings for Zoomer positioning.
    // zoomWindowPosition: 1,
    // zoomType: "inner",

    // Fade-in speed settings
    zoomWindowFadeIn: 500,
    zoomWindowFadeOut: 500,
    lensFadeIn: 500,
    lensFadeOut: 500,

    // Ability to zoom by using the mouse scroll.
    scrollZoom : true,

    // inertia - my favorite one
    easing: true

},
createZoom: function(image) {
    // Destroy since zoom shouldn't be enabled under certain conditions
    ProductMediaManager.destroyZoom();

    if(
        // Don't use zoom on devices where touch has been used
        PointerManager.getPointer() == PointerManager.TOUCH_POINTER_TYPE
        // Don't use zoom when screen is small, or else zoom window shows outside body
        || Modernizr.mq("screen and (max-width:" + bp.medium + "px)")
    ) {
        return; // zoom not enabled
    }

    if(image.length <= 0) { //no image found
        return;
    }

    if(image[0].naturalWidth && image[0].naturalHeight) {
        var widthDiff = image[0].naturalWidth - image.width() - ProductMediaManager.IMAGE_ZOOM_THRESHOLD;
        var heightDiff = image[0].naturalHeight - image.height() - ProductMediaManager.IMAGE_ZOOM_THRESHOLD;

        if(widthDiff < 0 && heightDiff < 0) {
            //image not big enough

            image.parents('.product-image').removeClass('zoom-available');

            return;
        } else {
            image.parents('.product-image').addClass('zoom-available');
        }
    }

    image.elevateZoom(ZoomOptions);
},

......
The result then the zoom not functioning at all.
Please somebody help, how to get this zoom config parameter get rightly passed and result expected modification.
Thank you

A: This an old question but in case someone else comes later...
This can be done by creating a new JS file with the following content (adapt it with your desired options):
var zoomOptions = {
    zoomWindowWidth: 420,
    zoomWindowHeight: 365,
    zoomWindowPosition: 3
};
for (var attrname in zoomOptions) {
    $j.fn.elevateZoom.options[attrname] = zoomOptions[attrname];
}

And this file should be added to the layout (local.xml for ex):
<catalog_product_view>
    [...]
    <reference name="head">
        <action method="addItem"><type>skin_js</type><script>js/zoomconfig.js</script></action>
    </reference>
    [...]
</catalog_product_view>

Make sure your zoomconfig.js file is loaded after ElevateZoom JS file.
This way, default ElevateZoom options will be override with yours.
And this is a correct way, because none of Magento file is modified.

A: Magento uses Minimized Javascript, so you have to edit this file instead:
./skin/frontend/rwd/default/js/lib/elevatezoom/jquery.elevateZoom-3.0.8.min.js

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
ACCEPTED

#### According to
Index Fungorum

#### Published in
Bull. Soc. mycol. Fr. 8(2): 52 (1892)

#### Original name
Crinipellis africana Pat.

### Remarks
null

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Color still sells in October!
Posted on September 30, 2016 at 2:44 pm.
The calendar may say it's October, but customers still buy and want color in the landscape. We still have the ability to deliver color to your door. Talk to your salesman and he will help you add some color onto your next order.
Fall digging of Trees and Shrubs and Evergreens, Oh My!
Posted on September 23, 2016 at 7:00 pm.
Most of the inventory is in the availability at this point and when you review the Complete list you will see we have trees, shrubs and evergreens to dig from now up to the winter freeze. Don't dawdle! As you will see, some items are in short supply and going fast.
Posted on September 19, 2016 at 2:13 pm.
Fall is an excellent time to plant ornamental grasses to add to a landscape. They are full with their plumes waving in the wind and looking great. We have plenty to add to your next order.
The Best Hydrangea you have ever seen!
Posted on September 9, 2016 at 6:35 pm.
We have plenty of Hydrangea #5 that look fantastic. I have never seen Hydrangea m. 'Endless Summer', Forever Pink, the 'Let's Dance' series, All Summer Beauty, Nikko, Mousmee, and 'Twist-N-Shout' look as good and big as they do this year. They will have unbelievable impact on the job or in the yard. The paniculata 'Limelight', 'Goliath', 'Phantom', 'Pink Diamond', 'Pinky Winky', 'Tardiva' and 'White Lace' look great too. Add some to your order as a quick moving truck filler.
Posted on September 2, 2016 at 4:56 pm.
Cooler nights and shorter days means the Fall planting season is under way! It's time to start planting trees, shrubs and perennials around the hardscapes you installed when the weather was so hot and dry. You did remember to put an evergreen screen in the project didn't you? After all, you want the customer to use the outdoor living space as much as possible with some privacy. They will let everyone who is invited to enjoy the space with them know who installed the fantastic addition to their outdoor entertainment area.


Characterized by its slender profile, the black Lumix G 20mm f/1.7 II ASPH. from Panasonic is a compact, slightly wide 40mm equivalent prime for Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras. Its bright f/1.7 maximum aperture offers notable control focus for working with shallow depth of field techniques and also benefits working in difficult lighting conditions. The optical design incorporates a pair of aspherical elements to suppress spherical aberrations and distortion for high sharpness and accurate rendering, and individual elements have also been multi-coated to control surface reflections and flare for improved contrast in strong lighting conditions.
Slightly wider-than-normal prime is designed for Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras and offers a 40mm equivalent focal length.
Bright f/1.7 maximum aperture benefits working in low-light conditions and also affords greater control over depth of field for working with selective focus techniques.
Two aspherical elements are used to reduce spherical aberrations and distortion in order to realize greater sharpness and resolution.
Individual elements have been multi-coated to effectively reduce lens flare and ghosting for improved contrast when working in strong lighting conditions.
Autofocus motor supports camera's contrast detection for precise focusing performance. AF can also be manually overridden for more fine-tuned control.
Pancake form factor measures just 1"-thick, making it ideal for everyday and travel use.


text:
Antonio Banderas Says He's Tested Positive For COVID-19 But Feels 'Relatively Well'
Antonio Banderas is marking his 60th birthday in quarantine, telling fans he's tested positive for COVID-19.
The Spanish actor, who has starred in "The Mask of Zorro" and "Evita," opened up about his diagnosis on both Twitter and Instagram Monday alongside a throwback photo of himself as a child.
"Hello everyone, I want to make public that today, August 10, I'm forced to celebrate my 60th birthday following quarantine, having tested positive for COVID-19," Banderas wrote in Spanish. "I would like to add that I feel relatively well, just a little more tired than usual and confident that I will recover as soon as possible following the medical indications that I hope will allow me to overcome the infection I'm suffering that is affecting so many people around the planet."
He added, "I will take advantage of this isolation to read, write, rest and continue making plans to begin to give meaning to my recently debuted 60 years, to which I arrive full of desire and enthusiasm. A big hug to everyone."
Banderas, who scored an Oscar nomination for "Pain and Glory" earlier this year, joins a growing list of A-list stars ― including Tom Hanks and Idris Elba ― to test positive for COVID-19 since it was declared a global pandemic.
In 2017, the actor revealed he'd suffered a heart attack.
He later said the experience had influenced his performance as a film director grappling with physical and mental ailments in "Pain and Glory," which also starred actor Penélope Cruz.
"I had a heart attack two and a half years ago and it changed me in certain ways, yeah, and [director Pedro Almodóvar] detected that, and he saw it, and he says, 'You know, don't hide this thing,'" he told The Associated Press last year.
"I knew exactly what he was talking about, because after you have a heart attack you receive a lot of information on what life is all about that is very difficult to describe in words, but it just set up a new way of understanding life itself," he added. "You become more raw. You eliminate things you thought were important in your life, you erase them out of your life."
Calling all HuffPost superfans!
Sign up for membership to become a founding member and help shape HuffPost's next chapter
Don't cover up Covid-19 related deaths, Kagwe warns doctors – Nairobi News
Fantasy football Draft-Day Manifesto – The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Drafters


text:
Juxtaposition is the placing of two things side by side, especially for comparison or contrast. A sports car and a dump truck placed side by side are in juxtaposition. A Great Dane and kitten side by side are in juxtaposition. Advertisers use such images because they cause us to stop and take notice. But real-life juxtapositions are even more powerful. A Richmond Times article on former President Jimmy Carter showed the late Anwar Sadat and Menachim Begin, former leaders of Egypt and Israel respectively, standing together in a peace accord brokered by Carter. It was and remains an unusual thing to witness. The juxtaposition of opposites has great power to reveal the essence of those opposites. It helps us see things we didn't see before.
January 22nd always holds an unusual juxtaposition for me. Two things occurred on that day that, when seen side by side, clarify the meaning and purpose of my life. January 22nd is my mother's birthday. (I'm not sure she'd want you to know the year, so I'll leave you guessing). January 22nd is also the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in this country. Because of Mom's birthday, I have a birthday. Because of Roe v. Wade, over 40 million children never did. World Magazine reports an estimated 862,320 American lives were lost to abortion in 2017 alone. I urge you to read their report in this month's issue.
Think of it. With one stroke of a legal pen America lost many times more than all the people she lost in all her wars put together. Most of those wars were fought against oppression of one kind or another. They were fought to preserve the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, not only for our-selves, but also for other nations. I wonder sometimes, what would the men and women who fought to free us from English tyranny, Nazi oppression and Communist domination think of what we've done with our freedom? What does God think?
The Lord Jesus liked juxtapositions. He said, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Matt. 17:20)
We need to remember that when we think of abortion. The size of the problem compared to our ability to fix it is downright laughable. But my Mom's birthday and your Mom's birthday have given us the opportunity to do some mustard seed living. Here are some practical things you can do. Support your local Crisis Pregnancy Center. We'll be hearing from a representative of the Selah Center in Clarkesville in our worship service this week. They help young women make it through to a life-giving conclusion to their crisis. Write your Congressmen and Senators and tell them if you support restrictions on abortion. Become a Mentor/Role Model for an "at risk child." These kids are more at risk for having abortions and other life-threatening choices. Encourage and vote for the streamlining of adoption laws. Vote for pro-life candidates in this year's elections. Finally, pray, that all children will have the joy of celebrating their own birthdays, and their Mom's.
By daneskeltonin abortion, Life, Motherhood, pro-life, Uncategorized, Women January 15, 2020 553 WordsLeave a comment
7 PRO-CHOICE ASSUMPTIONS and why they are wrong
The pro-life laws passed in nine states this year have released an avalanche of pro-abortion media, entertainment, and political pressure on lawmakers and voters alike. Some of the pressure is pure power play, like Netflix's CEO's threat to pull production from Georgia over its new law. But much of it comes from cleverly crafted messaging designed to play on our sympathies and sense of fair play.
It's hard to be rational when our emotional levers are being pulled. But some common assumptions underlie most of these messages. I've boiled them down to seven and attempted to provide answers from a biblical worldview. I hope you find them helpful.
First assumption: Man, not God, is the measure of all things. Life is only sacred under certain conditions, conditions chosen by man.
But if a thing is sacred only under certain conditions, then it is not sacred at all.
Second assumption: Because man is the center of the universe, society is able to optimize conditions for everyone everywhere at all times, and has the responsibility to do that for every unplanned pregnancy.
But are we really that powerful? Does anything in human history teach us that we can rescue everyone every time, especially when they don't want to be rescued? And does our inability to achieve moral perfection in one area justify blatant immorality in another? Does the fact that we are unable to optimize conditions for every person mean it's OK to kill them?
Third assumption: that the natural environment is the most significant determinant of the well-being of children and that human beings can end war, spend the money on improving social well-being, and create environmental Utopia.
Three responses are required.
First, all reliable research shows that the most significant predictor of successful development for children is a home with a mom and a dad in a traditional marriage. That is true across the board, from criminally polluted Shanghai to environmentally pristine Washington State.
Second is another worldview assumption: that humans will one day stop fighting one another and all wars will end. Five thousand years of human history tell us otherwise. The best that can be hoped for is that the strong will protect the weak from the predators that have been with us since Tubal Cain.
Third, life has no value if the Utopian ideal for society cannot be achieved. This reveals the dark thread that runs through the entire pro-abortion argument: Anything short of perfection as we define it justifies death for the unborn.
Got a problem with the world as it is? Just kill the kid. Problem solved.
The fourth assumption: That somehow society is responsible to provide comprehensive and responsive healthcare, a decent standard of living and economic opportunity for everyone so that every child will be provided for.
In the real world, economic opportunity is created by entrepreneurial risk-takers who put their own well-being on the line to found successful businesses that employ others with a living wage and pay taxes that enable all the elements of a decent standard of living.
But if we somehow fall short of that Utopian ideal? Never mind, just kill the kid. They don't have any rights anyway.
Fifth assumption: The LGBT argument for abortion. Pro-abortionists know that no one is arguing against moms and dads of any and all ethnicity having children. They know that Asian-Americans have the same rights as African Americans who have the same rights as every other American couple that wish to have children. But the LGBT argument for abortion says that if same-sex couples can't have children then we've failed as a society and that justifies abortion.
The thing is, life is never born to two men, or two women. It's a biological impossibility. A man and a woman are always necessary for the creation of a child. A child born of surrogacy is a child robbed of its ancestors.
But that's OK, if we disagree with the LGBT agenda, just kill the child. They won't know the difference.
Sixth assumption: we should stop spending money on war machines and the people that use them because they are only and always about ending life. They aren't. In the right hands they are about protecting civilization by ending the lives of aggressors.
Again, five thousand years of history tell us one thing: nations that do not provide for their own defense cannot provide peace, equality, justice, education, healthcare, or a clean environment for anyone. They must be well-regulated and accountable to civilian authority and just-war ethics. But until Christ returns, warriors and the weapons they employ are necessary evils.
But in the pro-abortionist worldview, and in America since Roe v. Wade, the most defenseless of all have no right to be defended by anyone.
Seventh assumption: If we didn't intend for a human life to be created, or if that life is somehow defective according to someone's standards, then it's OK to kill it.
This one requires four separate responses.
First, pro-abortionists don't come right out and say this, but the way the argument is cast makes it sound as if most abortions are due to rape, incest, failed birth control devices, or some form of coercion i.e. religion. The facts are otherwise, and they know it.[1]
Second, pro-abortionists nurse a Utopian view of technology and a truly naive view of human sexual passion when they argue that birth-control methods can somehow be made 100% effective. Life has a way of overcoming every barrier and the effectiveness of all of them (short of surgery) depend on some level of self-control.
Third, pro-abortionists routinely recommend death for Down Syndrome children and others with birth defects. The reason is that they come with special challenges for the parents to raise and life-long challenges for the child to overcome. Granted. But have you ever asked the parents of a Down Syndrome child if they wish the child were dead? And are they somehow less than human because of their defects? Is that what makes it OK to kill them? I have friends who've lost limbs and been brain-injured in accidents. Are they somehow less human? Is it OK to kill them?
Where does it stop? That's the real problem. It doesn't end there. Once we decide one form of human is less-than-human and therefore disposable, we are only a step or two away from the Nazis, the Hutu's, the Turks, and every other civilization that justified genocide.
Fourth, pro-abortionists pound away on the word choice, as if most of the women who get pregnant have no choice in the matter. But barring sexual assault, addressed above, all women have a choice in the matter. In fact, they have more than a choice, they have tremendous power in their relationships with men. But that power lies in an understanding of their person-hood and sexuality that has been systematically dismantled over the last sixty years.
This isn't popular, but it is truth: Women have the power to demand mental, emotional, financial and physical support—in short faithfulness—from men in the covenant of marriage. Within that covenant, all their rights are protected, and all their children are provided for.
But the new sexual orthodoxy teaches women that sex is for play, marriage is optional, and babies are disposable.
And we wonder why depression and anxiety disorders are on the rise.
Abortion is almost never necessary. It is always a choice based on assumptions, all of them bad. Choose life.
[1] 1.5% of abortions are due to rape or incest. https://www.focusonthefamily.com/socialissues/life-issues/dignity-of-human-life/abortion-statistics
[2] http://www.breakpoint.org/2019/05/breakpoint-the-bedroom-and-the-pew
By daneskeltonin abortion, Abortion; homosexuality; same sex marriage; idolatry; pro-life;, Life, Marriage, Motherhood, pro-life, Uncategorized, Women June 5, 2019 June 5, 2019 1,282 WordsLeave a comment
DEALING WITH ANTAGONISTS
One day a farmer, who was a Quaker, was having trouble with his mule. He was trying to plow his field, and the mule was being unusually stubborn. He wouldn't move. So, the Quaker decided to talk to him 'reasonably'. "Thou knowest that I am a Quaker. Thou knowest that I canst not curse thee. Thou knowest that I canst not whip thee. What thou dost not know is that I can sell thee to my neighbor down the road. He is no Quaker, and he can beat the living daylights out of thee."[1]
All of us can identify with that Quaker. We face opposition. There are things we would like to say or do. Then there are things that we can do and still call ourselves Christians.
Nehemiah chapters four thru six are a study in how to deal with opposition. The first six verses of chapter four teach us three things about handling that antagonism.
Antagonism often manifests as ridicule. All of us are vulnerable to it because all of us have glaring weaknesses. Shine the light on them and we get discouraged. Nehemiah's enemies pointed to five: their competence, their faith, their hope, their resources, and their potential.
All of us feel incompetent at some time or other. Never more than when we're about to try something new. And we fear the name "fanatic" because it isolates us from our peers. Every task feels bigger when our hope is undermined. We're easily intimidated when our resources are thin. And our confidence is shaky when we the risks of failure are high.
What to do when we face that kind of antagonism?
Let me give you an encouraging thought here. When someone is ridiculing your work it probably means that they are afraid you might succeed. The best thing that you can do then is…succeed!
Notice Nehemiah's threefold reaction.
He Does Not Respond in Kind
We can waste a lot of energy trying to right every wrong that is spoken of us. Or we can take the same energy and invest it in doing good work and let the work speak for itself. Keep reminding yourself that people ridicule you because they are afraid of your success.
He Prays
And what a prayer! "Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives."[2] But what a problem for Christians! Aren't we supposed to pray for our enemies, offer blessings instead of curses? Yes. But we live with two realities that Nehemiah did not have: The death of Christ and the life to come.[3] We know that we too are sinners, capable of injustice and slander. And we know for certain, because Jesus promise was validated by his resurrection, that all injustices will be made right by God in the end. So it is not wrong to pray for justice as long as we leave its execution to God.
The final thing Nehemiah did is the most powerful thing anyone can do in the face of ridicule.
He Got on With It
On September 18,1939 the British radio public began hearing a steady stream of ridicule from Lord Haw Haw. He was actually William Joyce, an American born Irishman who as a senior member of the British Union of Fascists, had escaped to Germany before he could be jailed. Every evening Joyce, broadcasting from Hamburg with the voice of an upper-class Englishman, ridiculed Great Britain's losses to Germany, her lack of preparation, her hopeless situation before Germany's superior military might. Many British subjects fell under his spell. But most did not. Most believed and followed Churchill.
Lord Haw Haw kept right on broadcasting until April 30, 1945, when British soldiers overran Hamburg.
The British did what Nehemiah and the Israelites did. They ignored the ridicule, went to work, and finished the job.
You know what happened to the Nazis. And William Joyce? They hanged him for treason on January 3, 1946.[4]
What to do in the face of ridicule?
Do not return evil for evil
Pray, allowing God to sort through your emotions and guide your convictions.
Ignore their words and do your work – perseverance pays dividends in the end.
[1] Boice, James Montgomery; Commentary on Nehemiah, pg. 50
[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ne 4:4). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
[3] Brown, Raymond; The Message of Nehemiah; The Bible Speaks Today Commentary pg. 74.
[4] Wikipedia.org
By daneskeltonin Anxiety, Christianity, Men, Oppression, Relationships, stress, Success, Uncategorized, Victims, weaknesses, Women May 22, 2019 May 22, 2019 747 WordsLeave a comment
ABORTION SURVIVOR'S LAMENT
The details are vague now, so many decades hence. He sat on a curb or was it a granite ledge? outside the downtown clinic. Either way it was cold, barren, like his heart. The girl—yes, still a girl only 17—was inside, had disappeared into the sterile glass door of the nondescript building. She had found the place, or had he? He couldn't remember. Either way, it hadn't been there long, a new edition to the healthcare—cruelest euphemism—landscape. But he had found the money. Oh yes, that he clearly recalled. He found the two hundred dollars it took to end the life in her womb. In blind, self-centered cowardice he thought he was solving a problem, keeping their secret. But the cold reality of what he'd done began unconsciously seeping into his soul that day like the humid chill coming through the concrete. He paid the doctor to kill his son.
How could he have done that? How could he not see? The evil was obscured in those days. "It's just a blob of cells," they said. But he should have known.
Little did he know in 1977 that he was only a grain of sand in the mammoth cultural landslide that was the sexual revolution. Free love never was victimless. Roe V. Wade, that revolution's greatest victory, remains the longest bloodbath in history with the longest trail of traumatized survivors.
Time moved on and so did he until about a decade later, when his first child was born. Something clicked, a window opened inside, and he began to see. Life is precious! He should have taken the blow, not the girl. Not the child. He should have taken the guilt and shame with her and provided for them both. That's when he started attending the annual pro-life march downtown on January 22nd. It was the least he could do, the only thing he knew to do besides giving to crisis pregnancy centers, to publicly repent and repudiate his past. To do something about the future.
It wasn't enough. At least, it hasn't been so far. The Pro-Choice propaganda political action machine continues to cover the selfish cowards—yes you men, I'm talking to you not the girls, not the women; you are the ones God holds responsible to protect the defenseless and provide for your children—among us. It did so again this week when forty-four Senators refused to back the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, the one that requires doctors and nurses to save the life of a baby who survives an abortion.
How could they? How could they be so blind? So selfish? So cold and hard? How can the doctors and the nurses, sworn to "first do no harm" stand aside and watch them die? They can no longer hide behind youthful ignorance or scientific uncertainty. They know. They KNOW what we are doing. They know the landslide has killed millions of innocents and yet they refuse to protect and defend.
In his forties a young man walked into his life. Energetic, intelligent, eager to serve alongside and be mentored. It took a while because he was so busy with family and work, but finally it clicked. Another window opened. "The timing is about right," he thought. "This could be my son." A strange wave of grief and gratitude washed over him. "God you are so good to me. I don't deserve this privilege, but I accept it as a gift from your hand." Many more surrogate "sons" have come and gone since, and slowly the wound has healed.
"Perhaps," he wondered, "perhaps now, with the evil so blatant that they celebrate infanticide, this new generation of brave young men and women will finally have done with the death dance. Perhaps now, if enough of us will tell the truth of what we did and what it cost and how merciful God is—perhaps now they will ignore the propaganda, listen to the still small voice of conscience, and end this revolution for good."
By daneskeltonin abortion, Abortion; homosexuality; same sex marriage; idolatry; pro-life;, Brokenness, children, Fatherhood, Grief, Guilt, Healing, Life, Marriage, Men, Motherhood, pro-life, sexuality, teens, Uncategorized, Women February 27, 2019 February 27, 2019 679 WordsLeave a comment
7 KEYS TO LIFE-LONG LOVE: Valentine Advice for Women
"Dear Pastor,
Please help. My man has gone into a shell and I can't get him out. He used to be attentive, warm, and affectionate, but now he lives in his own world.
Don't get me wrong. I know he loves me. He works hard and pays the bills, and helps around the house, and takes the kids to soccer practice, but he's just, I don't know, gone somehow. He walks with God and has good friends, but he is distant from me, operating at an emotional remove; civil, but not engaging, polite, but perfunctory. I long for the connection we had in our first years together. Is he having an affair? I don't think so, but something is wrong. What can I do?"
That lover's lament is fictitious, but close enough to similar stories I've heard in counseling to make the point: long-term romantic success isn't easy. Worse, many women have no clue about the things motivating their man's behavior. (Hint: neither does Cosmo).
Thus, today's Valentine advice for women: Seven ways to build long-term love.
First: Validate his need for masculine approval.
"One motive … compels men like few others," wrote Patrick Morely, "It is foundational, perpetual, and insatiable:" A man's need for his father's affirmation. You might wish your approval would be enough, but it isn't. If your man has unresolved issues with his dad that have caused pain for him, gently encourage him to seek peace and reconciliation.[1] If his father is absent, as is the case for many men, encourage him to let God be his father and let men of the church be his mentors. He will love you for it.
Second: Validate his need for accomplishment.
Every man has "an intense desire 'to do,' to master his world, to shape the course of events. Every man has a desire for significance, meaning and purpose; to accomplish something with his life, especially in his work. [2]" Validate that. Pray for him to find his purpose, be his greatest cheerleader in it, and celebrate each step he takes toward fulfilling it. He will thank you for it.
Third: Validate his financial pressure and don't increase it.
The pressure to achieve a higher standard of living is relentless and stress inducing. The best thing you can do is understand the pressure he feels to provide you with the best of everything and let him know that a used car is OK, that cheap dates are just fine, and that you can wait for that expensive honeymoon until you've been working long enough to afford it. Do that and he will dig for ways to spend money on you.
Fourth: Be a loyal companion.
Men are notorious loners. They learn early to keep their guard up lest someone take advantage of a vulnerability. They need a partner in life that they can trust with their weaknesses as well as their strengths. That kind of trust takes time to build and is easily broken. Ridicule him or betray his vulnerabilities and you will lose him. Keep his secrets. Prove that he can trust you, that you will not take advantage of his vulnerabilities, and he will kill himself to show his appreciation.
Fifth: Speak his love language.
Most women can talk rings around most men. It's just the way we're wired. Unsurprisingly, many women say that their love language is words of affirmation and many men—most in my counseling experience—that theirs is physical affection. "Whatever there is of me resides in my body," writes Gary Chapman in his bestseller, The 5 Love Languages. "To touch my body is to touch me. To withdraw from my body is to distance yourself from me emotionally." You may have many reasons not to touch him, but he is only hearing one thing: "she doesn't love me." Whatever the language, learn to "fill his love tank" with it and he will reciprocate.
Sixth: Feed him.
But you knew that.
Seventh: Let him lead.
Laura Doyle, author of The Surrendered Wife, "used to think that communication was the key to a better marriage. But that wasn't how it turned out … Even though I have a degree in communications, trying for years to "communicate" with my husband never got me the connection I craved, but the principles of surrender did. One of those principles is that a surrendered wife is trusting where she used to be controlling."
Interestingly, Doyle didn't plan it that way, but like many strong-willed, strong-minded women, she realized she had to make a choice to let her man be in charge. For example, men will not prioritize a task list like women or do things in the same order when they get to the task. She wants it done her way right now so, she does it now. The man thinks, "OK, I'm not needed here, won't go there next time." Soon, a pattern emerges and next thing you know the woman is leading and the man is disengaging from the relationship.
The need to control is generated by impatience, sometimes, and fear, but not trust. The Apostle Peter wrote: "For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope (or trust) in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear," (emphasis added).[3]
Ladies, don't let the words "submissive" and "master" throw you off. In our context it means follow the leader. If you're in a relationship with an abusive man do not submit to it and do not make excuses for him. But if you're a woman who is destroying her romance by over controlling her relationship I encourage you to let go of your fear, trust God, and let your man lead. You will be amazed at the results.
[1] Patrick Morley, What Husbands Wish Their Wives Knew About Men, p. 16 & 30.
[2] Ibid, pgs. 35 & 46.
[3] 1 Peter 3: 5-6
By daneskeltonin Friendship, Love, Marriage, Men, Relationships, Uncategorized, Women February 14, 2018 February 14, 2018 1,032 WordsLeave a comment
Can We Hear Them Now?
Facebook, 2018: A young father shared the moment he felt his daughter in her mother's womb.
"I'd only briefly felt this baby move before. I tried to feel her move again and again to no avail. But finally, lying there last night next to her mom, snuggled up close because of the cold, I felt kick after kick. Long after my lady had gone to sleep, there was our little one still kicking away. There ain't words to truly describe what my heart felt."
I read that post and smiled, remembering what it was like to be a young father many years ago, when before my daughters had voices they spoke to us with kicks.
Another story I saw this week took me back even further, to the moment the world stopped hearing the voiceless words of children in the womb.
Dr. Richard Selzer, an enlightened surgeon, fully committed to the latest medical philosophies, and desiring to learn the best techniques, wanted to watch a new procedure. He'd heard of it, but never seen one performed so he asked a fellow physician if he could attend.
The patient was 19 weeks pregnant, lying on the table, prepped for the procedure. The surgeon took a syringe filled with a prostaglandin solution, sank the needle up to its hub into the woman's belly, pushed the plunger down and left it there for a few moments.
Selzer described what happened next. ""I see something other than what I expected here. … It is the hub of the needle in the woman's belly that has jerked. … Once more it wobbles, is tugged, like a fishing line nibbled by a sunfish."
Slowly, the desperate fight for life faded. The needle stopped jerking. The voiceless screaming ceased, but not in Selzer's head. "Nothing can argue against the truth of what I saw that day."
That story, "What I Saw at the Abortion," originally appeared in Esquire in January 1976, and appeared most recently in Marvin Olasky's World Magazine interview with pro-life feminist Frederica Matthews-Green.*
The trajectory of Green's life was changed by that brief paragraph in Esquire. Up until then she sported a bumper sticker that read, "Don't labor under a misconception. Legalize abortion." Now she is known by her most famous quote: "No woman wants an abortion like she wants an ice cream cone or a Porsche. She wants an abortion like an animal caught in a trap wants to gnaw off its own leg."
Would that the trajectory of the world had changed with her.
Ideas have consequences and, as John Stonestreet says, they also have victims. The two greatest victims of the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 70s were women, who lost the protection long afforded to them by traditional mores and the covenant of marriage, and children, who lost the protection not only of a two-parent home, but of the womb. Both suffer in abortion. Both need our help.
The women were voiceless until 2017, stifled by fear, or powerful men, or both. Now they are speaking and the nation is listening. Maybe in the context of so much truth-telling those other heretofore voiceless victims will also speak.
*Marvin Olasky, "Path to Pro-Life: Overcoming Pro-Abortion Peer Pressure with Facts." Interview with Frederica Matthews-Green by Marvin Olasky in World Magazine, January 20, 2018. https://world.wng.org/2018/01/path_to_pro_life
By daneskeltonin abortion, Christianity, Fatherhood, Grief, Marriage, Motherhood, Sexual Assault, Sexual revolution, Uncategorized, Women January 17, 2018 January 17, 2018 567 WordsLeave a comment
THE MEMORY TREE
The tree appears like magic every year, the day after Thanksgiving. Rising from the floor to its full seven feet, strung with lights and nothing else, a green canvas of branches waiting to be adorned by the master artist I married.
From old boxes emerge simple ornaments, each a reminder of years and blessings past. First the forty, communion cup ice cream sundaes, created the year we met. Then twenty-five Nut Cracker characters, crafted from clothes pins our first year of marriage when we were poor as church mice. Twenty decorative fans follow, formed from folded Christmas cards and glue-on lace that second year of seminary poverty. Cross-stitched frames with our girls' names find their favorite branches, gifts from Grandma's hand. Miniature presents from the "My Gift is Me" story, wrapped in metallic green, red, blue, silver, and purple are accompanied by popsicle-stick sleds the girls made with Mom.
A starfish Santa that came from the lady who had a Christmas tree in every room – "Can we do that?" my dear decorator asked.
But she could make driftwood Santa's to keep the solidified starfish company, and she did, along with thirty of our fifty-odd nativities, made of cloth, flower pots, fabric, wooden spoons, and everything you can think of. An angel from our missionary friend, a star from Sandie, in our then-new pastorate. And finally, on winter's first whisper, sixty hand crocheted snowflakes, gifts from another pastor's wife, because snow can't fall till it gets cold.
I gaze with greater wonder each year. How does she do it? There is no plan, no scheme, no blueprint or photo of where to place each ornament. Even if I had one I couldn't do it, not without her. She has the eye, the perspective, the balance of all the elements in her head. By themselves in a box they are just pieces of paper, thread, and popsicle sticks. Stuff other folks would throw away. But in her hands, they come together to form something money cannot buy: beauty.
Simple, lovely, one-of-a-kind, a memory tree never exactly the same from year to year, but always a powerful visual aid that the Creator-Redeemer can take whatever we give him, no matter how plain or simple, and arrange it into something beautiful.
By daneskeltonin Christianity, Christmas, Marriage, Motherhood, Uncategorized, vacation, Women December 20, 2017 386 WordsLeave a comment


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Visiting Townsville: North Queensland's Coolest City
*I am a member of the Booking.com and Amazon Associates Affiliate Programs, which allows me to earn from qualifying purchases. Read my disclosure for more info.
Visiting Townsville turned out to be a pleasant surprise. This small city on the coast of North Queensland was filled with palm trees, street art and patios. I walked only by foot, marveling at the history behind nearly every corner.
Townsville is located in the North Queensland region on Australia's East Coast. It's about a 4.5 hour drive south of Cairns and around 3 hours north of Airlie Beach. The city has one airport, which offers flights to several domestic and international destinations.
Greyhound Australia operates 3 coach trips to Townsville each day from Cairns (5-6 hours) and from Airlie Beach (4-5 hours), making it a great place to stop if you're traveling Australia's East Coast by bus.
The Spirit of Queensland, operated by Queensland Rail, stops in Townsville five times per week on its journey between Cairns and Brisbane.
Pier at The Strand | Image © Expat Alli
WHAT TO DO ON YOUR VISIT TO TOWNSVILLE
Townsville is a great place to spend a few days, though it's still possible to enjoy your time in the city if you're only here for 24 hours! Here are some great ways you can enjoy your visit to Townsville on any budget:
EXPLORE THE STRAND
The Strand is a beautiful area along the waterfront that has it all - beaches, playgrounds, bbq areas, restaurants and even a swimming pool. At one end is lovely Anzac Park, which features some historically significant monuments, such as the WJ Castling Memorial Drinking Fountain, constructed in 1908, and the more recent First World War and Battle Of The Coral Sea memorials.
Beyond Anzac Park are pathways along the coastline with views across the water to Magnetic Island. Walking all the way to the other side will take at least 30 minutes, but if you're anything like me, you'll take your time and stop several times along the way.
The Strand | Image © Expat Alli
CLIMB CASTLE HILL FOR THE BEST VIEWS OF TOWNSVILLE
Originally called Cootharinga by the local Indigenous people, Castle Hill is a fantastic place to get breathtaking 360-degree views of Townsville. Standing over the city at over 280 metres high, the heritage-listed site offers a lookout as well as several hiking trails for various fitness levels.
Castle Hill | Image © Expat Alli
SEE SOME UNIQUE QUEENSLAND ART
The Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, named after a former mayor of Townsville and housed in a lovely heritage building, showcases an ever-changing collection of artwork related to the tropics of North Queensland. My visit introduced me to some beautiful pottery as well as an abstract explosion of colour called Cockatoo Cavern Fever.
The gallery is free to enter and is open Monday to Friday 10AM - 5PM and Saturday & Sunday 10AM - 2PM.
Cockatoo Cavern Fever exhibit | Image © Expat Alli
DELVE INTO TOWNSVILLE'S MILITARY HISTORY
Jezzine Barracks, at the end of The Strand, is a fantastic place for history lovers and is one of the best free things to do while visiting Townsville. The Kissing Point Lookout features two large guns that were used to protect the coast in previous times of war. The lookout is wheelchair-accessible, and offers beautiful views of the water and surrounding area.
Next to Jezzine Barracks is the Army Museum of North Queensland, which is open Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and is free to enter.
Jezzine Barracks | Image © Expat Alli
GO FOR A SWIM AT THE STRAND ROCKPOOL
The Strand Rockpool is an outdoor swimming area near the Jezzine Barracks. This little man-made lagoon is a great place for families to relax, with a grassy park that features a play area for kids. There are also restaurants with patios overlooking the pool.
The Strand Rockpool is open every day except Wednesdays and is free to enter. Lifeguards are on duty every day from 9AM until 5PM.
The Strand Rockpool | Image © Expat Alli
TAKE A DAY TRIP TO MAGNETIC ISLAND
A highlight on every visit to Townsville is a trip to Magnetic Island, a beautiful tropical paradise just a 20-minute ferry ride from the city. Located in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, the island offers tons to see and do over the course of one day, or a couple. There are many walking trails on the island, including the Forts Walk, which takes you through historically significant sites from WWII and offers amazing views from the top.
For animal lovers, the Bungalow Bay Koala Village offers a 2-hour guided tour through their wildlife park 3 times a day. They also offer the chance to hold a koala for an extra fee, though I encourage everyone to consider the ethics of this activity - Alice at How Wild It Was To Be gives a good account of her experience cuddling with koalas in Queensland.
The island also has some great snorkeling off some of the beaches, but for those that want to enjoy the water without being it in, Magnetic Island Sea Kayaks offers a morning kayak tour, as well as a sunset one at dusk.
Magnetic Island | Image by Robert Waghorn via Pixabay
DISCOVER TOWNSVILLE'S STREET ART
Townsville is full of amazing street art by local and visiting artists. If you'd like to wander off the tourist path and explore a different side of the city, make sure you pick up a map of the best street art locations for a self-guided walking tour of the inner city. You can also download the 2019 Townsville Street Art Guide.
Image © Expat Alli
LEARN ABOUT THE LOCAL AREA AT A MUSEUM
Because of its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef, it's only fitting that the largest indoor collection of living coral is located in Townsville. Reef HQ allows visitors to learn more about the marine life located off the coast of Queensland, and is also dedicated to protecting sea turtles at their Turtle Hospital.
Located next door to Reef HQ is the Museum of Tropical Queensland. The museum houses both permanent and temporary exhibitions that will allow you to learn more about the history and ecology of Queensland, including an exhibit on the HMS Pandora, which was sent to recover the HMS Bounty after its famous mutiny.
Townsville's Reef HQ Aquarium | Image © Expat Alli
WHERE TO EAT & DRINK IN TOWNSVILLE
Townsville has no shortage of great patios and cozy bistros. Whichever area of the city you're in, you're sure to find a great place within a short walk. However, here are a few suggestions:
SHAW & CO
This trendy steakhouse in City Lane is a great place for meat-lovers to stop for lunch or dinner while exploring the city. They also offer a few options for vegetarians, though their highlight is their beef. The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating.
Open 12 PM - LATE, 7 days/week
383 Flinders Street, Townsville CBD
Housed in a colonial-style heritage building, this popular restaurant offers great open-air dining from its balcony, which overlooks other heritage buildings on Flinders Street. The menu includes breakfast and vegan options, which are available all day.
Open 9 AM - 2 PM, Monday & Tuesday
& 7:30 PM - 2 PM, Wednesday-Sunday
ARMATI'S AT THE RAMBUTAN
The Rambutan isn't just a hotel, it's also got a great restaurant. The instagrammable space offers pool views on one side and city views on the other, and it's a great place to enjoy a unique DIY taco kit and a jug of one of their best cocktails.
Open 9 AM - 2 PM, Monday-Thursday
& 9 AM - 12 AM, Friday-Sunday
113-119 Flinders Street, Townsville CBD
LONGBOARD BAR & GRILL
This casual surf-themed restaurant is located beside C Bar on The Strand, and offers similar views from the large deck. The menu features Tex-Mex cuisine with an Aussie twist, and even if you're not eating it's a nice place to relax with an ice cold 'Mexican Chelada' (beer & lime juice).
Open 11 AM - LATE, 7 days/week
Gregory Street Headland, The Strand
C BAR
C Bar is a great place on The Strand with a patio that has views of the coastline and Magnetic Island. The restaurant is open for breakfast and has a large selection of options, including breakfast, seafood, burgers and even curry.
Open 6 AM - 10 PM, 7 days/week
This seafood restaurant is in a beautiful location overlooking Breakwater Marina. It includes vegan options in its menu and reservations are recommended, as the dining hours are different depending on the day of the week.
Breakfast Hours: 8 AM - 10:30 AM, Sunday
Lunch Hours: 12 PM - 3 PM, Friday-Sunday
Dinner Hours: 5 PM - LATE, Monday-Saturday
Sir Leslie Thiess Drive, Townsville
Longboard Bar & Grill | Image © Expat Alli
WHERE TO STAY IN TOWNSVILLE
NOTE: The following are affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you click through to book a hotel room (there is no extra cost to you). Please note that I only partner with brands and companies that I use and believe in.
AQUARIUS ON THE BEACH
This hotel is located right across the street from The Strand and features an outdoor pool. All rooms have a kitchenette and balconies, most with amazing views of Cleveland Bay and Magnetic Island.
75 The Strand, Townsville CBD
Oaks Gateway Studios is located near the Maritime Museum, just across the bridge from the CBD. Suites are clean and modern, and the building features a jacuzzi and infinity pool looking towards the harbour.
2 Dibbs Street, South Townsville
The Rambutan is a trendy, yet affordable hotel located within walking distance of The Strand. The accommodation features a lovely pool area, a great rooftop restaurant and a downstairs cafe.
MERCURE TOWNSVILLE
The Mercure is a great option for those who don't mind being a bit further from the city center. This hotel is in a beautiful setting beside Lake Curralea and features a large swimming pool, jacuzzi and on-site restaurant.
166 Woolcock Street, Currajong
One of Townsville's historic buildings | Image © Expat Alli
Children's waterpark on The Strand | Image © Expat Alli
View of the Srand Rockpool from Kissing Point | Image © Expat Alli
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Alli is a travel writer from Vancouver who is passionate about helping others find amazing places to explore around the world. She has sung opera onstage in Canada, swam with sharks in Africa, danced by a campfire in Wadi Rum and crafted lattes 35,000 ft in the air. She is currently based in Fiji, where she enjoys drinking rum on the beach and cuddling with stray cats.
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I'm a travel writer from Vancouver who loves helping others find amazing places to explore around the world. I've sung opera onstage in Canada, swam with sharks in Africa, danced by a campfire in Wadi Rum and crafted lattes 35,000 ft in the air. I'm currently based in beautiful Fiji. [MORE]
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