Boys/men can be really difficult to buy for. I tend to gift things that I would personally love to receive and that doesn't always work out very well when it comes to buying for my father and boyfriend. I've compiled a range of different gift ideas that will hopefully give you some inspiration when you're buying for the man in your life.
For anyone, any age or gender, books are always a pretty safe option. If your man is a budding chef or likes to take charge of the barbecue in the summer, The Women's Weekly's Outdoor Kitchen is a great gift, that can be paired with an apron or some marinade sauce bottles if you want to make it into a package. If he's a keen traveler, any of the Lonely Planet guides are good ideas, but I've also just found this Lonely Planet Travel Journal in grey that would be perfect for recording trips, either on his own or to create memories together. My other top pick is for the comedic value – The Betoota Advocate, a satirical newspaper from an invented rural Australian town, has released their Betoota's Australia, which is sure to make him smile.
Electronics are also always a great way to go, but I'm terrible at choosing them! If he's a keen photographer, buy him a new lens or a few spare SD cards (won't ever go astray). PC, Xbox or Playstation games are always a winner (I've got Civilization V, because I too have recently been getting into playing the classic PC games!). Gadgets and gizmos like Garmin watches, drones, USB cufflinks (how cool is that?! I should get some earrings) and new fancy razors are sure to have him occupied for AT LEAST a few weeks following Christmas. And then you'll be able to play with them, too.
Getting your man's favourite fragrance topped up or buying travel mini's of his essentials is a pretty safe and easy way to go. Featured in the photos is a miniature travel version of my boyfriend's Ralph Lauren Polo Blue EDT, but you can tailor it to the recipient's tastes. Hair gel like the Urbane Mess Pomade or luxury shaving cream like L'Occitane's Cade Shaving Lotion make great stocking fillers or good gifts for the colleague or friend you might not know so well. If you need an extra special gift, this Tommy Hilfiger watch certainly makes a special and memorable gift (perhaps for a partner) that will remind them of you whenever they check the time. If you're totally stuck, a nice cotton shirt or some gym gear is always appreciated.
I don't know a single man, no matter how old, who wouldn't get excited to receive Lego for Christmas. I've included a few of the more complicated sets in the edit below, with lots of Star Wars to celebrate the upcoming new release. Depending, of course, on the person's interests, I've got a Polaroid camera, a new suitcase, a foam roller and some board games as last resort ideas if you're totally stuck. If he's a keen coffee snob, there are plenty of Australian coffee subscription services (Market Lane and Industry Beans, both Melbourne based, are some of my favourites), or you could treat him to a hand grinder and Chemex to start his home brewing collection off!
That concludes my 2017 Gift Guide for Him (phew!). Keep an eye out for tomorrow's Blogmas post and don't forget to enter my current giveaway HERE!


text:
Jhon Pírez, vollständiger Name Jhon Alexander Pírez Araújo, (* 20. Februar 1993 in Montevideo) ist ein uruguayischer Fußballspieler.

Karriere

Verein
Der 1,87 Meter große Offensivakteur Pírez spielte seit seinem 10. Lebensjahr bei Defensor Sporting und gehörte in der Folgezeit den diversen Jugendmannschaften des Klubs an. 2008 unterschrieb er einen Vertrag beim FC Chelsea, der sich ein vorrangiges Zugriffsrecht bei einem Transfer von Pírez sicherte. Er durfte aber aufgrund von FIFA-Regularien nicht vor seinem 18. Geburtstag in England spielen und verblieb daher zunächst bei Defensor. Insgesamt viermal reiste er anschließend nach England und trainierte teils mehrere Monate bei den Engländern. Er debütierte in der Saison 2010/11 am 5. Februar 2011 im Erstligaspiel Defensors gegen River Plate Montevideo, absolvierte bei den Montevideanern in der Clausura 2011 insgesamt zwei Spiele in der Primera División und schoss ein Tor. Anfang Juli 2011 wechselte er zum FC Chelsea. Beim Klub aus London verblieb er bis Ende Mai 2012. Pflichtspieleinsätze werden für ihn in diesem Zeitraum aber nicht geführt. Sodann wurde er an seinen vormaligen Verein Defensor ausgeliehen und lief für den Klub bis Anfang Juli 2012 in drei Partien der Copa Libertadores Sub-20 auf. Dabei erzielte er einen Treffer. Seine Mannschaft scheiterte erst im Finale am argentinischen Vertreter CA River Plate und belegte somit den zweiten Platz. Bereits im Juli 2012 wurde er seitens Chelsea abermals weiter verliehen. Neuer Arbeitgeber war nun der spanische Zweitligist CD Leganés, für den er in den Spielzeiten 2012/13 und 2013/14 insgesamt 29 Zweitligaspiele bestritt und dreimal ins gegnerische Tor traf. Nach Ablauf des Leihgeschäfts Mitte 2014 schloss er sich schließlich einige Wochen später im Juli 2014 dem FC Getafe an. Für die Zweite Mannschaft des Klubs kam er in der Saison 2014/15 zu 22 Einsätzen (kein Tor) in der Segunda B. Im August 2015 kehrte er zu Defensor nach Montevideo zurück und absolvierte dort in der Spielzeit 2015/16 drei Begegnungen (kein Tor) in der höchsten uruguayischen Spielklasse. Zur Saison 2018 folgte dann der Wechsel in die USA zu den Tulsa Roughnecks.

Nationalmannschaft
Pírez gehörte der von Roland Marcenaro trainierten U-17-Auswahl Uruguays an, die an der U-17-Südamerikameisterschaft 2009 in Chile teilnahm und den 3. Platz belegte. In eine Vorauswahl der uruguayischen U-20-Nationalmannschaft wurde er von Trainer Juan Verzeri ebenfalls berufen.

Erfolge
 Zweiter der Copa Libertadores Sub-20: 2012
 Dritter der U-17-Südamerikameisterschaft: 2009

Einzelnachweise

Fußballspieler (Defensor Sporting Club)
Fußballspieler (FC Chelsea)
Fußballspieler (CD Leganés)
Fußballspieler (FC Getafe)
Fußballspieler (FC Tulsa)
Uruguayer
Geboren 1993
Mann

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The first film by Yorgos Lanthimos, the director of DOGTOOTH and ALPS.
Kinetta. A defunct Greek resort town, inhabited during the off-season by migrant workers.
In this drab off-season resort town, Lanthimos studies the cryptic activities of an inscrutable trio (a policeman, a photographer, and a hotel maid) who barely speak and who pass the time by staging reenactments of murders.
Second Run's DVD of KINETTA will be the first home video release of this extraordinary film anywhere in the world.
Amazon pre-order. Release date: September 29th.
Our KINETTA Scalarama screening just got better!
Delighted to confirm that the film will now screen from director Yorgos Lanthimos' own personal 35mm print!
KINETTA 35mm screening + Director Q&A, Sunday 21st at 5:30pm at Tate Modern. Tickets just £5!!
Appreciated seeing this on 35mm. Thanks!
• Presented from a new HD restoration of the film, approved by the director.
• 'In conversation' - a new and exclusive filmed interview with director Yorgos Lanthimos filmed at London's Tate Modern.
• Booklet featuring a new essay on the film by writer and critic Michael Ewins.
Bikes, is there any chance of Second Run putting up HD versions of some of their films to buy on iTunes?
RossyG wrote: Bikes, is there any chance of Second Run putting up HD versions of some of their films to buy on iTunes?
Unlikely in the very near future, RossyG, but will be under discussion. Rest assured that we will inform everyone well before any such moves are made.
Fortuitously - but unplanned - Yorgos Lanthimos' KINETTA is out today on the date of the Greek voting seismic result!
"A lost masterpiece, to be enjoyed by those who crave something more than just one-way entertainment from a film... this unique and fascinating film"
Great to see Yorgos Lanthimos' new film THE LOBSTER getting raves at Cannes! Can't wait to see it.
Congratulations on the (deserved) Academy Award nominations for Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou for their screenplay of THE LOBSTER.
- it all started with KINETTA !


text:
Inglis Island  (również East Island) – wyspa leżąca w Archipelagu Ritchie, w Andamanach.

Wyspa jest piaszczysta, pokryta wiecznie zielonym, pierwotnym lasem deszczowym i otoczona białymi plażami i rafami koralowymi.

Największą atrakcją jest tutaj otwarty w roku 1987 rezerwat przyrody, rozciągający się prawie na całej powierzchni wyspy.
Do wyspy można dostać się drogą morską z Port Blair. Wyspa nie ma stałego połączenia promowego ze stolicą kraju.

Archipelag Ritchie


I am a Technical Designer, Graphic Artist, Realistic/Cartoon Illustrator, and Entrepreneur from Miami, Florida USA. I am also the owner of Gmoss Designs, LLC, which is a design company. My company also has a line of art, clothing, and accessories based on my illustrated short novel called "The Chronicles of Ann & Lo".
I have over 10 years of experience in the fashion industry. I am a very hard worker and very detailed in design. I have an extremely strong technical sketching ability. I have knowledge of specs, sewing construction, quality control of sewing defects, and more.
thanks you i like your design !


Cover onions with water and bring to a boil, then drain and peel. Combine onions, caulflower and salt, cover with water and let stand for 18 hours. Drain, rinse well and then drain again. Combine sugar, seeds, pepper flakes and vinegar then bring to a boil and cook until sugar is dissolved. Add vegetables, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Pack vegetables in hot sterilized pint jars, cover with hot liquid and seal at once.
Posted to the AZstarnet BBQ Mailing List by RockMc <RockMc@AOL.com> on Apr 18, 1998.


A4 may have the best display we ever have. Its FHD resolution and IPS technology enable you to see a rich, vibrant colour and spectacular details from any angle. The touchscreen is 2.5D curved glass, which gives the phone sleek edges and a display shining like diamond. It ensures an amazing viewing experience whenever you access your gallery, take a photo, record a video,or play a game.
Dual Camera True Bokeh effect.
We set a new standard of what a smartphone camera can do. Both rear and front camera are dual cameras and both support Bokeh effect. Take artistic portraits with clear subject and blurring background. What a DSLR can do, now you can do with a phone camera. Enjoy it and capture and share life with more possibilities and more fun.
Unlock a whole new world.
Everything will be quicker and more secure with a fingerprint sensor. Your fingerprint is the unique password and nobody can steal it. The button is placed on the back of the phone to fit the way you naturally hold it. A whole new world is right there for you to unlock with a single touch.
Quad-core processor and 1GB RAM ensure a smooth and speedy multitasking operation. 16GB memory plus up to 64GB micro SD card provides enough space for photos, files and videos. Do and save whatever you want!
Browse the Web, chat and share on social media whether over fastest Wi-Fi or 4G network. Equipped with dual SIM slots, A4 enables you to switch easily between business and family phone talks. Bluetooth technology allows you to stay connected to Bluetooth headset, external speakers and more.


text:
Ivory Coast: Buying and Selling
Advertising & Marketing E-commerce Distribution Customs Transport Suppliers
Advertising and marketing in the Ivory Coast
Consumer Profile
With a GDP per capita of USD 2,570 (IMF, 2021) and a median age of 20.3 years (CIA Wolrd Factbook, 2020 est.), the average Ivorian consumer is as young as consumers in most other neighbouring countries but richer than all of them except the ones in Nigeria. The average consumer is not well-educated with a school life expectancy of 10 years, compared to 9.3 years in Africa and 12.4 years in middle-income countries (World Bank, latest data available). The country is also marked by economic inequalities, with a Gini coefficient score of 41.5 points (58th worldwide) (CIA World Factbook, latest data available).
Ivorian economy has posted one of the strongest performances in Africa over the last years, with steady GDP growth, stable currency and solid infrastructure, which have all influenced consumer behaviour in the country. Ivorian consumers are still attracted to traditional retailers where bargaining is allowed and products are presented in a simpler form, however international and local retail brands (Carrefour, Bonprix, CDCI) are increasing their market share: 52% of consumers buy most of their grocery needs from open markets as opposed 35% of consumers that prefer supermarkets according to a Nielsen survey (latest data available). Consumers remain price-sensitive (42% of them know the price of most items and realise when there is a price change according to the same survey) and store loyal (46% of consumers rarely change stores). Consumer spending is expected to remain strong in the coming years, while the franc's peg to the euro limits inflation, unlike other African countries with a floating exchange rate regime.
Consumers Associations
List of consumer associations affiliated with FACACI
Associations des consommateurs (only in French)
Main Advertising Agencies
McCann
Havas Worldwide
Océan Ogilvy
NextE-commerce

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Unlocking Economic Opportunity for Maryland: Made-in-America Exports and Manufacturing
FACT SHEET: Unlocking Economic Opportunity for Texans Through Trade
FACT SHEET: Unlocking Economic Opportunity for Ohio Through Trade
The United States trade agenda will unlock opportunity for Texas workers, farmers and ranchers, and businesses – strengthening the American middle class
In 2013, Texas exported a record-breaking $279.7 billion Made-in-America goods to the world – supporting 1.1 million jobs. Texas is the largest exporter of cotton in the United States. In 2012, Texas exported $1.6 billion worth of cotton – 25% of all U.S. cotton exports. Trade is a key driver of Texas' economy, and President Obama's two highest trade priorities, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP), will give Texas and the United States enhanced access to three out of Texas' largest five export markets – Mexico, Canada and the European Union. What's more, T-TIP will include Texas's top 3 sources of foreign investment: the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands (as of 2011, the latest year available).
Exports Support Jobs in Texas and Across the United States
In 2013, Texas goods exports reached a record-breaking height of $279.5 billion, an increase of 183%, or $180.6 billion, from its export level in 2003.
1.1 million jobs were supported by Texas exports in 2013.
In 2011 (latest year available), over one-fourth (26.1 %) of all manufacturing workers in Texas depended on exports for their jobs.
Total exports from Texas helped contribute to the record-setting value of U.S. goods and services exports in 2013, which reached $2.3 trillion.
Nationally, jobs supported by exports reached more than 11 million in 2013, up 1.6 million since 2009.
Every billion dollars of U.S. exports of goods supported an estimated 5,400 jobs in 2013.
Jobs supported by goods exports pay an estimated 13% to 18% above the national average.
Exports Sustain Thousands of Texas Businesses
A total of 40,737 companies exported from Texas locations in 2012. Of those, 37,921 (93.1 percent) were small and medium sized enterprises with fewer than 500 employees.
Small and medium-sized firms generated nearly one-third (30.6 percent) of Texas' total exports of merchandise in 2012.
Texas Depends on World Markets
Texas' export shipments of merchandise in 2013 totaled $279.5 billion.
The state's largest market was Mexico. Texas posted merchandise exports of $100.9 billion to Mexico in 2013, representing 36.1 percent of the state's total merchandise exports.
Mexico was followed by Canada ($26.1 billion), Brazil ($10.9 billion), China ($10.8 billion), and the Netherlands ($9.5 billion)
Texas' exports to our 20 existing trade agreement partners cover 60% of Texas' overall exports ($168.8 billion).
The state's largest manufacturing export category is petroleum and coal products, which accounted for $60.6 billion of Texas' total merchandise exports in 2013.
Other top manufacturing exports are electronic products ($48.2 billion), chemicals ($47.9 billion), machinery ($30.0 billion), and transportation equipment ($24.4 billion).
Texas is the country's 6th largest agricultural exporting state, shipping $6.5 billion in agricultural exports in 2012 (latest data available according to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture).[1] Texas was the largest state exporter of cotton ($1.6 billion), beef and veal ($855 million), hides and skins ($431 million), and the 6th largest exporter of poultry ($323 million).
Texas Will Benefit from the United States Trade Agenda
The Obama Administration's top trade priorities are the negotiations for a Trans-Pacific Partnership with the Asia-Pacific Region and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union – two state-of-the-art agreements that will unlock opportunity in the United States by fostering economic growth, supporting jobs, and bolstering our competitiveness.
Three out of Texas' top five export markets will be covered by the Trans-Pacific Partnership (Canada, and Mexico), and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (Netherlands), making it easier for Texas workers, farmers and ranchers, and businesses to sell more Made-in-America exports to Texas' main customers.
54% of Texas' exports ($150.5 billion) already go to TPP countries.
11% of Texas' exports ($29.7 billion) already go to T-TIP countries.
International Investment Creates Jobs in Texas
In 2011 (latest year available), foreign-controlled companies employed 460,100 Texas workers. Major sources of foreign investment in Texas in 2011 included United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
Foreign investment in Texas was responsible for 5.2 percent of the state's total private-industry employment in 2011.
Texas' Major Metropolitan Areas Benefit from Exporting
In 2013, the following metropolitan areas in Texas recorded goods exports:
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land ($115.0 billion)
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington ($27.6 billion)
San Antonio-New Braunfels ($19.3 billion)
El Paso ($14.4 billion)
Austin-Round Rock ($8.9 billion)
Beaumont-Port Arthur ($8.2 billion)
Laredo ($5.6 billion)
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission ($5.3 billion)
Texarkana ($158 million), portions of this MSA are shared with one or more other states
Brownsville-Harlingen ($4.6 billion)
[1] Estimates of State exports of agricultural products by the U.S. Dept of Agriculture and goods exports by the U.S. Dept of Commerce are based on different methodologies and are not directly comparable.


play4innovation – 2day Un-Conference on Creativity and Innovation in a playful way, Nov 10-11 2017 – Crea Germany e.V.
Yes! We are doing it again: A co-creative, open space event in Berlin in November!
We would like to invite you to play4innovation 2017, our 2day UnConference for creativity and play experts, facilitators and coaches. It will take place November 10th and 11th in Berlin.
open space format every participant is invited to share and explore how to nurture creativity and innovation in individuals, teams and organisations through play and/or how to playfully inspire and enable people for more creativity and innovation. The two days in Berlin will be filled with field trips, workshops, inspiration, exchange and fun.
The concept and design of play4innovation is meant to appeal to both, professionals in creative problem solving and design thinking as well as professionals using playful methodologies to help clients and teams. One of the purposes of play4innovation is to create a space of exchange, co-design and networking between these two communities.
play4innovation 2017 will recreate the spirit of connectedness and fun of CreaJamDays and CreaKIX of the last years. As in the years before we will be in the beautiful 330 square meters of Gebrüder Fritz and our private chef Daniel from Daniel's Eatery will spoil us over the day. It will be a non-profit event, organised by StrategicPlay® and CREA Germany e.V. to which we will donate all profits if they happen.
With your participation in play4innovationyou will benefit from two days of inspiration, learning networking and fun! Don't think about it too long, we have half of the tickets left. And feel free to share with like-minded people!
Previous articleAllgemeinCrea Germany macht Schule!


text:
Dekaloog, twee (Pools: Dekalog, dwa) is een Poolse televisiefilm uit 1988. Dit tweede deel van de Dekaloogserie van regisseur Krzysztof Kieślowski gaat over het tweede gebod: Misbruik de naam van de HEER, uw God, niet.

Verhaal

Een oudere arts werkt in een ziekenhuis en woont alleen in een appartement. Hij heeft regelmatig gesprekken met zijn huishoudster en hij vertelt onder meer hoe hij zijn twee kinderen en zijn vrouw heeft verloren tijdens de oorlog.

Dorota, een vrouw van in de dertig, woont in hetzelfde huizenblok. Haar man Andrzej heeft kanker en ligt op de afdeling van de arts. Ze gaat naar de arts en wil van hem weten of Andrzej zal blijven leven of zal sterven. Dorota is in verwachting van een kind van een andere man. Ze houdt echter ook van Andrzej, en ze wil het kind waar ze naar verlangt alleen houden als haar man overlijdt. Daarom vraagt ze de arts om een definitief oordeel te vellen over het leven van Andrzej, wat hij weigert.

Daarna ziet de arts op basis van nieuwe onderzoeksresultaten dat de kansen op Andrzej's herstel afnemen. Bij een nieuwe ontmoeting met de arts vertelt Dorota over de geplande abortus. De arts zegt haar om er niet mee door te gaan, omdat Andrzej stervende lijkt te zijn vanwege verdere uitzaaiingen. Dorota wil dat de arts zweert. Hij zweert dat Andrzej zal sterven.

De laatste scène toont een nog zwakke maar herstellende Andrzej in de kamer van de arts. Hij bedankt hem voor de behandeling en beschrijft hoe zijn bijna-doodervaring zijn kijk op de dingen heeft veranderd. Hij zegt blij te zijn dat zijn vrouw zwanger is en vraagt aan de arts of hij weet wat het betekent om een kind te krijgen. De arts antwoordt: "Ja, ik weet het".

Rolverdeling
 Krystyna Janda als Dorota
 Aleksander Bardini als arts
 Olgierd Łukaszewicz als Andrzej
 Artur Barciś als laboratoriumassistent
 Stanisław Gawlik als postbode
 Krzysztof Kumor als gynaecoloog
 Krystyna Bigelmajer als verpleegster
 Karol Dillenius als patiënt in Andrzej's ziekenhuiskamer
 Jerzy Fedorowicz als Janek, vriend of Andrzej

Externe link

Film uit 1988
Poolse film
Televisiefilm
Film van Krzysztof Kieślowski


Founder and CEO of Geekbears. Co-founded SchooLinks. Grew team to 8 in-house software engineers. SchooLinks raised ($1.5 USD Million) in funding and won an incubator program (Capital Factory). Currently UC Berkeley's Entrepreneurship Association VP of Tech.


text:
<?php

namespace Iti\BlogBundle\Entity;

use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping as ORM;
use Symfony\Component\Validator\Constraints as Assert;
use Doctrine\Common\Collections\ArrayCollection;

/**
 * Comment
 *
 * @ORM\Table()
 * @ORM\Entity(repositoryClass="Iti\BlogBundle\Entity\CommentRepository")
 */
class Comment
{
    /**
     * @var integer
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="id", type="integer")
     * @ORM\Id
     * @ORM\GeneratedValue(strategy="AUTO")
     */
    private $id;

    /**
     * @var string
     * @Assert\NotBlank()
     * @ORM\Column(name="comment", type="text")
     */
    private $comment;

    /**
     * @var \DateTime
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="createdAt", type="datetime")
     */
    private $createdAt;

    /**
     * the post of the comment
     * @var \Iti\BlogBundle\Entity\Post $post
     * @Assert\NotBlank()
     * @ORM\ManyToOne(targetEntity="\Iti\BlogBundle\Entity\Post", inversedBy="comments")
     * @ORM\JoinColumn(name="post_id", referencedColumnName="id", onDelete="CASCADE", nullable=false)
     */
    private $post;

    /**
     * the user of the comment
     * @var \Iti\UserBundle\Entity\User $user
     * @ORM\ManyToOne(targetEntity="\Iti\UserBundle\Entity\User", inversedBy="comments")
     * @ORM\JoinColumn(name="user_id", referencedColumnName="id", onDelete="CASCADE", nullable=true)
     */
    private $user;

    public function __construct() {
        $this->createdAt = new \DateTime();
    }

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     *
     * @return integer
     */
    public function getId()
    {
        return $this->id;
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     * Set comment
     *
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    public function setComment($comment)
    {
        $this->comment = $comment;

        return $this;
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     *
     * @return string
     */
    public function getComment()
    {
        return $this->comment;
    }

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     * Set createdAt
     *
     * @param \DateTime $createdAt
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     */
    public function setCreatedAt($createdAt)
    {
        $this->createdAt = $createdAt;

        return $this;
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     * Get createdAt
     *
     * @return \DateTime
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    public function getCreatedAt()
    {
        return $this->createdAt;
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     * Set post
     *
     * @param \Iti\BlogBundle\Entity\Post $post
     * @return Comment
     */
    public function setPost(\Iti\BlogBundle\Entity\Post $post)
    {
        $this->post = $post;

        return $this;
    }

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    public function getPost()
    {
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     *
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    public function setUser(\Iti\UserBundle\Entity\User $user)
    {
        $this->user = $user;

        return $this;
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    public function getUser()
    {
        return $this->user;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Registration for Admissions Open House is now OPEN! Please click the link below to access the registration link. RSVP TODAY!
KIS Summer Program will take place this summer and enrollment is now open! There are separate programs for KIS students who will be in grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8 for the 2018-2019 school year. There are two separate two-week sessions, June 18-29 and July 2-13, and children can enroll in both or either one, if preferred. All program information including schedules, the online registration form, payment information, and busing options can be found on this website by clicking below….
To KIS Families, Monday, February 12th through Friday, February 16th, is Lunar New Year vacation and there will be no school. Please enjoy Lunar holiday with your families. We look forward to seeing everyone return on Monday, February 19th, 2018 when school resumes.


Typically, on the day of an event installation, all the vendors involved to pull together the spectacular affair are rushing about and working independantly of one another. Oftentimes, I don't get to see or meet any of these various players and yet magically, all the gorgeous details fall into place.
Creative styled shoots are a wonderful opportunity to meet other vendors in the industry and witness first hand their amazing talent. A chance to see the models transform under the steady hand of a makeup artist, watch as gorgeous gowns are steamed and accessorized and eye with envy, the incredible lenses and equipment a photographer lugs around to get that perfect shot. When I'm setting up a wedding, my timeline typically falls just after the caterer has placed all the linen and dinnerware and just before the DJ arrives to set-up and check the sound system. So to see an entire space get transformed and to watch all the gorgeous models in their beautiful dresses was such a treat.
More images from this fantastic shoot can be found on Style Me Pretty ....


Arizona's recent passage of a law vastly expanding the power of local law enforcement agencies to detect and detain possible undocumented migrants has helped spark national debate on immigration policy. Currently, the centerpiece of that policy—in which nearly every party on every side says fails to address the fundamental economic and social issues that lead to migration in the first place—involves the building of border barriers that attempt to physically prevent frontier crossings. About a dozen variations of the "Border Fence" are currently in use; here's a list—and a quick evaluation—of six of the most popular types.
The Landing Mat is the oldest border fence still in use. Construction is corrugated steel, usually about 10 feet high, and the raw materials and name come from the former life of the fence panels—they were used as portable touchdown pads for helicopters operating in Vietnam. The Landing Mat can be easy to foil, since Border Patrol agents can't see what's going on on the other side. Cutting a hole in the Landing Mat with a power saw is a relatively easy job, and the inefficiency of the style means that the Landing Mat is high on the list for replacement by high-tech types, though it remains in use in every border state except Texas.
SBINet stands for "Strategic Borders Initiative—Networked." This is the much promised, and so far undelivered, "virtual" fence. Built by Boeing and employing buried sensors and camera towers all linked to central control centers, SBINet is designed to detect and track border crossers and automatically dispatch field agents to intercept. The problem? At least $1.1 billion has already been spent on different iterations of the virtual fence, and none has worked. False positives, slow radio response and problems with wind led Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano to question the worth of the entire project last January. Despite this, the latest generation of tower—with a promised increase in effectiveness—is now being tested south of Tucson.
Frustrated residents of border states, as well as pressure groups, including the so-called Minutemen, say that official fence types are inefficient and too expensive. That has led to a series of projects ranging from conventional barriers on private, border-adjacent property to high-tech monitoring systems (some of which use hobbyist remote-control aircraft for monitoring.) The type recently got a level of official blessing when Texas governor Rick Perry joined with local law enforcement agencies to construct a network of cameras, designed to be monitored by the public via the Internet.
Though not entirely for looks, aesthetic fencing is designed primarily to soften the symbolic and visual impact of a barrier on both sides of the border. Examples of this include a fence with windows in Nogales, Mexico, and a proposed art-decorated wall that would adjoin the University of Brownsville in Texas.
Bollards are the fence style the average person is most likely to encounter, though in a different guise: They're the stubby, concrete-filled barriers that protect office buildings and shopping malls across the U.S. The bollard's sole purpose is to prevent vehicles from crashing through. Wildlife, whose habitat often spans both sides of the border, can easily pass. So can people.
Normandy fences are crisscrossed posts, lined with barbed wire or mesh, that were used during both World Wars to protect soldiers in foxholes. Modern Normandy designs use heavier steel and bollard-like filled posts. Designed to discourage both humans and vehicles, though fairly easy to circumvent by building an up-and-over wooden ramp.
This fence type is the latest nonelectronic barrier used by the Border Patrol, and it is gradually replacing less sophisticated types. The fences are higher than the Landing Mat—which can be circumvented by pulling a van up alongside and having people jump from the roof—and are buried 6 feet deep to prevent tunneling. The fence is tested to withstand a 10,000-pound vehicle traveling at 40 mph and claimed to be virtually impervious to cutting.


Surrender at 20: Red Post Collection: Be Victorious, One for All returning soon, Worlds Hub & Merch, new /ALL Chat, & more!
Red Post Collection: Be Victorious, One for All returning soon, Worlds Hub & Merch, new /ALL Chat, & more!
Today's red post collection includes a look at the BE VICTORIOUS teaser, a look at the October 1st patch update, L4T3NCY on the upcoming return of One for All: SR, Lyte with a Q&A on player behavior, a look at the in-client Worlds hub, a reminder on the new Worlds merch, a new episode of /ALL CHAT, and more!
Warden Jax and Karma & Marauder Alistar and Olaf now available!
10/2 PBE Update: Experimental Riven Changes Reverted, One for All: SR on PBE, more tentative balance changes.
Q&A about Player Behavior Systems, Chat Log Reviews, and Feedback!
/ALL Chat | Are You TOO Competitive?
With the end of the season coming up, we have a teaser for this year's Victorious skin and confirmation that the 2015 ranked season will end on November 11th!
"Over the course of the season, you felt both sides of a stolen Baron. You carried hard and took the occasional ride in a teammate's backpack. The struggle is real, but victory is sweet. Now it's time for one last push.
Make your mark and be Victorious before November 11."
Remember, the Victorious skin is a ranked reward for Gold and higher players at the end of the ranked season! Victorious skins are for champions with a high impact on ranked and professional play throughout the season and it has been confirmed this 2015 Victorious skin will be for a marksman. With this new teaser and those clues in mind, we're predicting this year's skin will be for Sivir!
"Right now the main criteria is impact in professional and ranked play during the season. We also look to fill out team comps if possible, so not picking two jungles two seasons in a row. As others have stated "impact" in the season can vary from person to person, so X champion may not feel like the right choice to some number of players."
There's been quite a few new champions (and many others reworked) since the last time we did OFA. We'd like some help from you guys specifically testing out the following champions here on PBE before the mode goes live. We'll be temporarily disabling all other champions in OFA for the first few days on PBE, just to help focus the initial testing on these below champs.
To reiterate, when OFA goes live, ALL champions will be available to play. We're just limiting the pool here on PBE to help focus testing on the newer script-worked champs.
Thanks guys. Now to try out that matryoshka Tahm Kench. :D"
"We've kept the core mechanic the same for this one, so nothing in particular.
All the above listed champs have also been made to work though, with all the crazy self-synergies you'd expect. ^_^b"
"This is the original version of OFA, where each team picks their own champion (e.g. 5 Shen vs. 5 Zed). Mirror matches are possible if both teams happen to vote for the same champion."
What if Tahm eats a Tahm who eats a Tahm who eats a Tahm who eats a Tahm who eats a Tahm who eats a Tahm who eats a Tahm who eats a Tahm who eats a Tahm.
"They'll all get their own spawns. Chimes that aren't yours should appear kinda inactive."
"Only the last Morde to apply the buff get's a Dragon. :P"
"Zileans can detonate allied Zileans' bombs with their own bombs."
As of the October 2nd PBE Update, One for All is back on the PBE and ready for testing!
The official 5.19 patch notes have been updated to reflect a fix for ranked teams that went out on Oct 1st.
THERE'S A PUN IN HERE SOMEWHERE - Fixed a visual bug where progress toward ranked team ward skins appeared to be reset. Your points were not lost."
"We believe Eve should be somewhat more mana gated than she is at present, now that Runeglaive's in the game. We don't want to create a situation where she's OOM all the time, but adding some cost (as opposed to the current free) to the W, thereby limiting either its use or her use of other spells a bit, is we think appropriate.
Power wise we also believe Eve's too strong at present in regular (non professional) play. We don't make changes driven purely by statistics (we aim for data informed, not data driven's). Eve's certainly right up there in terms of raw win rate though, with from memory the 4th or 5th highest winrate in the game at present when comparing champions as played by people with substantial experience on them. Eve's got a pretty steep mastery curve, so if her overall performance looks average it often means that her performance when played well is excessive even for someone on a champion they've played a lot (a phenomena also strongly demonstrated by other champs like Azir and Le Blanc who, if they're showing a 50% win rate in solo queue, are almost certainly very overpowered)."
As you may have noticed, there is a new Worlds Hub you can switch to by clicking on the Worlds icon to the left of your homepage. Here you'll find articles, schedule, and more now that the 2015 World Championship is underway!
As of this patch, the client now includes a Worlds hub in a new tab. It includes links to everything, schedule, countdown and articles. Will it be possible to keep that as an "Esports" tab for regular season?
Or maybe add that to the new client whenever it comes out?
Good to know! This is just one way we're experimenting with new ways of serving up content in the client. We're really interested to see how players interact with the in-client Worlds Hub, since it's the first time we've done something like this, and we're hoping to learn some things that will inform ways of serving up content in the future (be it for esports or other types of experiences)."
As you may have noticed, there are also notifications (which can be disabled) that pop up as each game of the World Championship start up!
Next up we have Lyte jumping on the boards to host a Q&A on recent player behavior systems and more!
1) We introduced Intentional Feeder Detection to the Instant Feedback System for the first time, and now intentional feeders can be banned within 15 minutes of matches. We've started the settings relatively conservative to start because figuring out whether a player is intentionally feeding or just having a bad game is a tough problem, so we're not catching ALL intentional feeders today.
2) We introduced Reform Cards in the client, and for Chat Restrictions for the first time. Reform Cards are basically summaries that show evidence for behaviors that led to your ban, whether it's match histories for Intentional Feeders, or chat logs for Restrictions/Bans.
However, if a player is showing more severe behaviors, it is possible to be escalated straight to the 3rd Offense Tier, and immediately get a 14-day ban for your first offense. This also means that if you get another offense after that (even if it's a less severe behavior!) you will be escalated to a permanent ban. By showing neutral or positive behaviors, it is possible to improve your account standing and drop punishment tiers as well.
So what are we doing here? Well, because player behavior systems have changed A LOT over the years, there's a lot of questions about what's current, what's coming in the future and what's no longer true for player behavior systems in League. We're also getting questions to review chat logs for players who believe their punishments are undeserved. Neurocat and I will be happy to answer any questions about player behavior in this thread, so let's get started!
IMPORTANT CAVEAT: If you ask a question related to your penalty (Restriction/Ban), you will be consenting to us discussing your chat logs or in-game data publicly. Please use Player Support tickets if you wish to have your questions answered privately."
Have you ever considered penalizing someone by reducing their IP (influence points) as a punishment system for toxic behavior?
Not exactly, but we're considering bonuses to IP for positive players. This is part of a feature in the new Tribunal voting system that we'll talk more about in the future.
Lyte, how well has your intentional feeder detection system been working post 5.18 release? What does it take into account to determine is someone is actually intentionally feeding?
The intentional feeder detection system is tuned pretty conservatively right now, so it's just catching the more egregious intentional feeders. Not surprisingly, there aren't many true intentional feeders in League anymore like the ones that buy 5 Zeals and just run down mid over and over. Sure, some players find examples and post them on Reddit, but you only see a dozen or so of these in a game with 67+ million players playing games nearly everyday.
The system isn't tuned yet to perfectly catch the more nuanced feeders, who play normal 80% of the game, then suddenly walk into towers or run away from a team fight on purpose. These more nuanced behaviors will require more research and advanced machine learning to tease apart, and are being punished by Rioter manual reviews today.
Can a player really bypass the system by intentionally feeding but keeping their behavior in chat positive?
More specifically, I decide that my team needs to have a bad day, so I walk down mid and "tower dive" the enemy laner, then commend them for skillfully outplaying me a few times.
No, intentional feeder detection doesn't ignore in-game behaviors just because chat is positive.
I asked on Reddit once, but the Rioter wasn't 100% sure: I use "report unskilled" as a way to vent after having a bad teammate. Does this lower my report weight, or is this in anyway a bad thing to do?
We're in the process of re-making the Report System and cleaning up the report categories, so apologies for some of the jankiness in the current system. But, reporting for Unskilled Player does not affect your report weights, and the report is never used to directly punish or ban a player. However, Unskilled Player reports are used by the matchmaking system to tune the system and help us figure out weird cases where a player was accidentally propelled to an inappropriate skill level."
As a side note: I LIKE having a way to "vent" my frustration that isn't actually taking it out on a player. Is there a way to leave something like this in when you make the new system, or find a new way for this to happen? If not, it's not a big loss, just figured I'd ask.
We definitely understand the need to "vent" and how filing a Report helps resolve some of the frustration of playing in that particular game. We have some elements of the new system that help players understand more about where their reports are going and their impact, to help players feel better about what just happened."
Speaking of the new tribunal, how much longer do you think until we can take a stab at jury duty again?
To be honest, we are on the finish line for the new Champ Select and the 2016 Ranked Season, so we're going to focus on that for a little bit, then re-focus our energies to launch the new Tribunal voting system. Because of this, I don't think we'll finish Tribunal voting until post-new Champ Select launch."
Does this have any effect for ARAM? Given the complete randomness of champions, some people end up getting champions they rarely ever play and don't always do too well with them.
No, matchmaking in ARAM isn't tuned as aggressively for competitive as the other queues."
"Not reforming to a degree other players were happy with." That sounds like an issue for another day. Also I hear you never lose the strikes against you, is that true? If so why is that a thing and players are treated eternally like excons? If a player has been good for a year they should lose a strike obviously since they "reformed."
As mentioned in the original post, it's definitely possible to improve your account standing and basically fall back down to a "clean" account."
"This isn't true. It's possible to go from Tier 3, and fall back down to Tier 1, or even Tier 0 (clean record)."
A question for you Lyte, have you ever had to talk to a Rioter for being Toxic in game? No need for names, I just find it hard that all of them are positive every single game.
Yes. Sometimes Rioters have bad days too, and go a bit off rails. We take it pretty seriously though, so there haven't been many cases."
Yes, we can check chat logs from pre-game and post-game lobbies."
"1) I cuss like a sailor. Does the system flag generic, non-derogatory curse words in chat if you happen to be reported that game for an illegitimate reason (eg, you picked Teemo and laugh sometimes)?
2) Can we get access to our scorecards so we can improve our behavior before we're punished for it? I would rather reform if I need to reform, but I don't know if I'm alright or heading for trouble (see point number 1).
3) I send a lot of reports because I think it's a way to improve the community. Any chance we can get access to the figures on whether our reports are substantiated? Not case by case, just figures for total reports, actionable reports, and false reports. If, for example, most of my reports were considered invalid and behavior I dislike is considered acceptable, I'd rather be aware of that and adjust my settings accordingly from the outset."
1) No, the system doesn't flag words if you aren't reported for verbal offenses.
2) To us, the first tier 10 chat restriction is the warning sign that you should begin reforming. It's a light punishment, and you get a Reform Card for it.
3) In the Tribunal voting system, you can see the effects of your votes. We'll see how those features affect voting behaviors, and see if there's something we want to do with reports in-game too. But for now, no plans."
Why doesn't RIOT try a regular cycle of game modes on a monthly or weekly basis? Then ppl could play modes like URF, hexakill, or brawlers casually then they wouldn't become the main thing played for an event, and would be criticized as harshly.
This is something we've been considering for a while (many of us like the base idea of rotating modes). I think some time would be needed to hammer out the specifics, but we're certainly not opposed to it."
The new world championship merchandise is now available for purchase from Riot's online shop, including the Worlds jacket, Championship Thresh Figure + online code, two Worlds shirts, five new shirt designs, a plush Gnar, and a plush Draven Poro.
Head on over to the shop to pick up the new gear. Click the flag in the top corner of the shop to switch to your appropriate regional shop - a list of Countries Riot ships to available here.
"Due to high demand Champ Thresh is sold out online. A restock will happen during worlds and we will message the date/time in advance."
"Heading to Worlds? All products will be made available at all worlds events even if sold out online as we allocated stock for each stage."
Last up we have a new /ALL Chat, Riot's community show packed full of community creations!
"ALL Chat wants to know: how far will you go to win? And how far is too far? We've got artist extraordinaire Sade with us for Summoner Showcase, Facebook stickers and a BM or GG that will no doubt cleave the comments in two.
We're also excited to introduce Jimmy Wong, a new ALL Chat host who will join us when we need a helping hand, like when James is in Europe for Worlds. We miss you, James. Give Jimmy a warm welcome!"


Now that NASA has confirmed the existence of Kepler-22b, the super-Earth that could possibly, maybe, perhaps hold life 600 light years away, it's going to need a catchier name. Here are some names to avoid at all costs.
Hmm. Maybe Kepler-22b isn't so bad after all.
Posted in science and tagged Kepler-22b, science. Bookmark the permalink.


Hayat & Co. Solicitors specialise in assisting those who have overstayed their visa or face deportation.
An illegal immigrant is an individual that has an expired UK visa, has no visa or has breached UK visa conditions or immigration laws. In short a person who has no 'legal right' to be in Britain. The Government has recently announced that there will be no amnesty for illegal immigrants in UK territories.
The Government is clamping down on Illegal Immigrants in UK territory & visa overstayers. Recent advertising campaigns and spot checks at a number of UK transport hubs are putting the pressure on illegal overstayers to return home voluntarily or face arrest and deportation.If deported, you could be banned from Britain for up to 10 years. Deportation is the enforced removal of immigrants who have breached UK immigration rules.
Facing removal or deportation from the United Kingdom can be a very frightening and stressful experience. Our Immigration lawyers can provide help and assistance to those who may be detained in the Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs).
If you are facing removal or deportation from the United Kingdom, our London-based team of Immigration lawyers can help prevent this. We will also seek bail or temporary release from detention on your behalf. Sadly, this is not an easy task. Immigration Officers are not very forthcoming with information, and the demand for assistance from within detention centres is high.
For a person who is detained, it can be almost impossible to find any legal assistance without outside help from family and friends. Such assistance is essential, not least because time spent in detention could be unlawful. There is an added possibility of a mandatory ban of up to 10 years being imposed if a person is removed or deported from the UK.
The UK Border Agency have an obligation to follow their own internal policies on detention and must not detain people beyond a certain period of time without good reason. Additionally, family members of those who are due to be removed or deported may also have their Human Rights breached if such action takes place.
When the consequences of an unsuccessful application or appeal are so dire, it is essential to seek legal advice from specialist Immigration lawyers at an early stage. This will prevent the wrong course of action being taken when removal may be imminent and deadlines are fast approaching.
Our team of experienced and professionally qualified immigration solicitors and immigration barristers are able to able to adviseas to all of the forms of relief and representations available to fight a deportation or removal order. We can assist you in challenging or appealing your deportationor removal order and consider the ways that you may stay in the UK or avoid a ban on you re-entering the country.
Both deportation orders and removal orders can be challenged by way of appeal to an Independent Immigration Judge if it is contrary to the United Kingdom's obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention or the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).An illustration of this isArticle 8ECHR (given effect by the Human Rights Act 1998) whichcan be divided into two parts. The first part states that everyone has the right to respect for his or her private and family life. The second part states that public authorities (such as the Home Office) must not interfere with this right unless to do so would be necessary, for specified purposes and in accordance with law. Regard may also be given to other relevant factors which constitute exceptional circumstances.
Hayat & Co under the immediate supervision of our principal solicitor Amar Hayat have in the last ten years submitted approximately 300+ immigration Judicial Review applications almost all but a handful have been successful and for its size has probably dealt with more Judicial Review applications than any other firm whilst enjoying possibly one of the best success records of any firm. We are therefore highly experienced in both recognising cases that have merit and dealing with applications in the High Court. This is not something most firms can stake a claim to.


How do you distinguish yourself if everyone else is doing it? If you've been following this series, we've talked about the all-important Golden Rule, moving beyond simply pointing-and-shooting and we've explored how Instagram can be used along with hashtags.
Hipstamatic – It was one of the first apps in the mobile photography sphere and after a time away I returned to using it when they premiered their Foodie Snap Pack. It's now my favorite way to snap meals, ingredients and culinary details.
Filterstorm – It's one of the most useful apps made for a mobile device, featuring even more tools than Adobe's PS Express. Think of this like Photoshop for an iPhone. Use it to simulate a narrow depth of field which can make a photo of a plated meal look more appealing, use it as your preferred color balance app, or even crop if you didn't get the most pleasing composition to begin with. Another useful, full-featured app is Snapseed.
VSCO CAM – If you just can't stay away from filters on your food photographs, this features very subtle coloration and offers manipulations that are simple to use on the go.
Incredibooth – Consider telling a story about your food experience by making a photostrip, with each image in the set highlighting a different portion of your meal or of the steps in the creation of a meal shared with friends.
Diptic – Similar to the way Incredibooth creates a photostrip, this allows you to make a collage of several images. Use the app to create a story and highlight more than one image in a single file. The bonus with this tool is you aren't required to shoot within it, you can bring in photographs you created in other apps.
Postagram – Send photographs of your most memorable meals consumed while traveling back to jealous friends and family by making a postcard right from your mobile device that is then mailed for you at a very reasonable rate.
Over – Add text to your images with this simple and very intuitive app. Before you know it you'll be creating viral memes based around your favorite dishes. Or, you'll remember what you ate later on when time has dulled the memories.
Noir – Don't use this app as much to edit photographs of food, instead, capture the whole scene of a very memorable dinner with friends or a great meal you had at a Michelin restaurant. Scenes such as these always look best when shot in (or edited to be made) black and white.
Instagram – If you're going to use it to edit your food photographs, not just to share them, think about sticking with very minimal filters such as, 'Sierra.' And then by all means add the #FoodPorn hashtag!
Olloclip – This lens system for the iPhone 4 and 4S has macro, wide angle and fisheye glass. It's not mandatory for food photography but the more you get into mobile photography of any sort, the more uses you will find for a tool like the Olloclip.
Battery powered LED video light – This is useful for those times you simply have to capture food without natural light. Look for one that has a dimmer so you don't have to use it at full power.
Tripod – If you can't carry around a portable tripod for your mobile device, consider resting your camera in a glass. Anything that will enable your device to be steady, above food, will come in handy more times than you'd imagine. The Joby Gorillapod is sold in multiple sizes, is very flexible and super durable. Get a Glif and you can use the iPhone easily with any standard tripod.
Diffuser – If you really want to get creative with light, though I don't recommend this at a 50 Best Restaurant, carry around a collapsible cloth diffuser from a company like Westcott. So now that I've recommended enough apps and accessories to break the bank, it's time to get out and start practicing what you've learned in this series. Stay tuned for a way to share what you're creating with Fine Dining Lovers on twitter! Mobile and social are the new standard in this technologically advanced world so we look forward to connecting with you and being inspired by your favorite culinary adventures.
For me the best app by a mile is Snapseed. It does so much more than some of the other apps and you can share to the likes of instagram from it.


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Today i.e Thu 14 July is the Maha Samadhi day of Swami Sivananda who was one of Modern India's greatest spiritual sage and coincidentally 14 July is also the day I started my Yoga journey in the late 90s and ever thankful to my Yoga Guru Swami Sivananda for putting me on this path and guiding me through his grace .On this day I want to share the experience of Former President of India Dr.Abdul Kalam when he met Swami Sivananda in Rishikesh in 1958 utterly dejected because he was not selected for the Airforce .How Swami Sivananda consoled him and gave him hope and told him to defeat his defeatist tendency is mentioned here by Dr.Kalam himself and this message is not just to Dr.Kalam but to all of us .
Today ( 27 July 2016 ) if the first death anniversary of Dr.Abdul Kalam ( former India President ) and I am sharing this piece ( meeting of Dr.Abdul Kalam with Swami Sivananda in 1958 at Rishikesh ) as a reminder to one of India's best and most Popular People's President and most improtant is the message of Swami Sivananda which is not just meant for Dr.Abdul Kalam but also to all of us which is "defeat the defeatist tendency " . I have shared this before but felt worth sharing again .
- the religion of love, of peace.
There is one message, the message of Ahimsa.
Ahimsa is a supreme duty of man.
Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya -Chanting by Swami Chidananda to his beloved holy master Swami Sivananda.
Sadhana is spiritual movement consciously systematized. Sadhana is the purpose for which we have come to this place.
Abhyasa and Sadhana are synonymous terms. The object of Sadhana is to release life from the limitations with which it is bound.
Sadhana is a lifelong process. Every day, every hour, every minute, is an onward march. Obstacles are innumerable in this great voyage. But, so long as you hold God as thy guide, there is nothing to worry about. You are sure to reach the other shore.
Some people have curiosity for the spiritual line. They have no real thirsting for liberation. They think that they will get certain powers or Siddhis (psychic powers) if they do some Yogic practices. When they do not attain the powers, they lose patience and give up the practices, abandon the spiritual path, and pooh-pooh the Yogis and Yoga.
Mere curiosity will not help you to attain any spiritual progress. Curiosity-mongering is more abominable than mischief-mongering. Introspect. Analyze your thoughts and find out whether you have real spiritual hunger or mere curiosity-mongering. Transmute curiosity-mongering into real thirsting for salvation by constant Satsang (association with the wise), study of good religious books, prayer, Japa, and meditation.
You must have interest and liking in your Sadhana. You must understand well the technique and benefits of Sadhana. You must select a Sadhana that is suitable for you. You must have the ability and capacity to do Sadhana. Then alone you will have joy in do ing the Sadhana and full success in it.
Good intentions alone will not do. They must be backed up by good actions. You must enter the spiritual path with the best intention of attaining Atma-Jnana (Self-knowledge), but unless you are vigilant and diligent, unless you do intense and rigorous Sadhana, unless you guard yourself against lust, anger and egoism and selfishness, the good intentions alone will not enable you to achieve success.
Moral purity and spiritual aspiration are the first steps in the seeker's path. Without a strong conviction in moral values, there can surely be no spiritual life, or even a good life.
Stern self-discipline is absolutely essential. Self-discipline does not mean suppression, but taming the brute within. It means humanization of the animal and spiritualization of the human.
You will have to break the virgin soil before you sow the seed. The seed breaks itself before it sprouts out as a plant. Destruction precedes construction. This is the immutable law of nature. You will have to destroy your brutal nature first before you develop divine nature.
The spiritual path is rugged, thorny, and precipitous. The thorns must be weeded out with patience and perseverance. Some of the thorns are internal; some are external. Lust, greed, wrath, delusion, vanity, etc., are the internal thorns. Company with evil-minded persons is the worst of all the external thorns. Therefore, shun ruthlessly evil company.
During the period of Sadhana, do not mix much; do not talk much; do not walk much; do not eat much; do not sleep much. Observe carefully the five 'do-not's'. Mixing will cause disturbances in the mind. Talking much will cause distraction of the mind. Walking much causes exhaustion and weakness. Eating much induces laziness and sleepiness.
During the period of Sadhana, avoid the company of women (or men in the case of women). You must never mix with young ladies (or men), however strong you may be. Maya works through under-currents so stealthily that you may not be aware of your actual downfall.
Keep the mind fully occupied with spiritual pursuits. Keep yourself at the farthest distance from everything that would stir up your passions. Then only you will be safe.
Do not live with householders. Do not test your spiritual strength and purity when you are a beginner on the spiritual path. Do not rush into evil associations when you are a spiritual neophyte to show that you have the courage to face sin and impurity. It will be a serious mistake. You will be running into a grave danger. You will have a quick downfall. A small fire will be very easily extinguished by a heap of dust.
Mind has a great power of imitation. This is the reason why a spiritual aspirant is prohibited from mixing with householders. His mind will try to imitate the minds of worldlings. Downfall will ensue.
If an aspirant moves with rich people, Zamindars, and Rajas, his mind begins to imitate the luxurious habits of these people and, ere long, he gets an unconscious downfall. Certain bad habits creep in him unconsciously. And he finds it difficult to tear out or remove these bad habits.
An aspirant can live only for a short time in his native place if there is an urgent call. Yogic rules and laws cannot permit him to stay there for a sufficiently long period, however suitable the place may be and whatever may be the degree of Vairagya of the aspirant. The force of impressions is tremendous. Unless all the Samskaras are thoroughly burnt through Nirvikalpa- Samadhi, it is not safe for one to stay for a long time in one's own native place. He is still within the danger zone.
The spiritual path may, in the beginning, appear to be very hard, thorny, precipitous and slippery. Renunciation of objects gives pain at the outset. If you struggle hard to tread the path, if you once make a strong determination and firm resolve, then it becomes very easy. You get interest and new joy. Your heart expands. You have a broad outlook of life. You have a new, wide vision. You feel the help from the invisible hands of the Indweller of your heart. Your doubts are cleared by themselves by getting answers from within. You can hear the shrill, sweet voice of God. There is an indescribable thrill of divine ecstasy from within. There is deep, abiding, everlasting joy and unruffled peace. There is ineffable, unabating, undiminishing, undecaying spiritual bliss. This gives new strength. The footing in the path becomes firmer and firmer. The Jivanmuktas, Yogins, Nitya- siddhas, Amara -purushas, and Chiranjivis lend their helping hands to the struggling aspirants. The aspirants feel this actually. The feeling of loneliness and of being neglected and forsaken vanishes entirely.
You are backed up at all times by a mighty power that works everywhere in the cosmos. Therefore you have nothing to fear. Take care of the details in Sadhana. The major factor will take care of itself.
Some aspirants leave Sadhana after some time. They expect great fruits quickly. They expect many Siddhis within a short time. When they do not get some, they give up the Sadhana. There are several ranges of consciousness between the ordinary human consciousness and the supra-consciousness of Brahman. Different veils have to be torn down on the way; many lower centres have to be opened up; many hurdles have to be crossed before the final goal is reached.
You have to plod on and scale many hills. You cannot climb the Everest in one jump. There is no jumping on the spiritual path.
Self-realization is not like a six-year post-graduate course. It is the result of intense protracted Sadhana.
There is no short-cut in the spiritual path. There is no royal road to the kingdom of immortal bliss. There is no half-measure in the divine path. Strict, hard discipline is wanted. Then alone you can conquer Maya. Only then can you control the mind.
Saints and Yogins will never think that they have controlled the mind. Only the deluded Sadhaka will imagine he has controlled the mind and get a terrible downfall. It is the very nature of life, mind, and Prakriti to be constantly in motion. When there is the idea in the mind that the highest goal is yet to be achieved, you will always move towards it. If you imagine that you have got to the top, you will anyhow have to move, and that movement will be downward. You will have a downfall. Aspire for higher realization till the breath ceases in the nostril.
Spiritual progress is slow, as the spiritual Sadhana is difficult and laborious. It is like the spiral. In the beginning, great striving is needed. Gradually, the circle becomes smaller and smaller. So also, the striving becomes less and less. The aspirant gains spiritual strength slowly. He marches faster and faster. Finally, he does not go by furlongs after furlongs. He proceeds by mile after mile. He gallops and gallops. Therefore, be patient; be persevering; be steady.
The gradual inward progress is mostly silent and unseen, like the quiet unfolding of a bud into a flower in the hours of the night. Therefore, do not be dejected. Do not depress yourself with the idea that you are not progressing. Real spiritual progress is really and accurately measured by the peacefulness, serenity, and calmness that you manifest in waking state. You will have a healthy body and mind, the excretions will be scanty, the voice will be sweet, the face will be brilliant, the eyes will be lustrous. You will be ever calm, tranquil, and poised; you will be ever cheerful, fearless, and contented. You will be dispassionate and discriminative. There will be no attraction for the world. Things that used to upset you before will not upset you now. You will have an unruffled mind. You will have introversion. Things that used to give you pleasure produce disgust or a reverse effect now. You will have a one-pointed, sharp, subtle mind. You will be longing to have more meditation. You will experience lights, visions, divine smell, divine taste. The idea that all forms are forms of the Lord will get stronger and stronger in you. You will feel everywhere the presence of God. You will experience the nearness of God. You will have a very steady Asana. You will develop a burning desire for selfless service.
Watch whether you are stationary in the spiritual path, retrogressing, or advancing. If your Japa, meditation or Vedantic Vichara thickens your veil and fattens your egoism, it is not then a spiritual Sadhana. Remember this point well. It is only a kind of occult practice. Watch, introspect. Practice self-analysis and kill ruthlessly this formidable egoism. This is important Sadhana. Egoism will lurk like a thief and assume various forms like a chameleon or a Bahurupi (a dramatic actor).
Do not stop the Sadhana when you get a few glimpses of realization. Continue practice till you are fully established in Bhuma, the unconditioned Brahman. This is important. If you stop practice and move about in the world, there is every likelihood of a downfall. The reaction will be tremendous. Examples are not lacking. Numerous persons have been so ruined. A glimpse cannot give you perfect safety. Do not be carried away by name and fame. You can renounce your wife, children, parents, house, friends, and relatives. It is very, very difficult to renounce the intellectual pleasure, the pleasure from name and fame. I seriously warn you. A man who can draw happiness from the Atman within, will never care a jot for this trivial, paltry affair. The world is a mighty big thing for a worldly man. It is a straw for the Knower of Brahman. It is a mustard, a pin's point, a dot, a bubble, an airy nothing for a Brahma-jnani (Knower of Brahman). Be circumspective. Ignore all these trivial things. Be steady with your practice. Never stop the practice till the final beatitude is reached. Never cease Sadhana till you can constantly dwell in full Brahmic consciousness.
Do not let failures discourage you, but go on doing your best. Do not brood over your past mistakes and failures, as this will only fill your mind with grief, regret and depression. Do not repeat them in future. Be cautious. Just think of the causes which led to your failures and try to remove them in future. Strengthen yourself with new vigour and virtues. Develop slowly your will-power.
Every temptation that is resisted, every evil thought that is curbed, every desire that is subdued, every bitter word that is withheld, every noble aspiration that is encouraged, every sublime thought that is cultivated, adds to the development of will-force, good character, and attainment of eternal bliss and immortality.
Every bit of Sadhana done is surely recorded without fail in your hidden consciousness. No Sadhana ever goes in vain. Every bit of it is credited immediately towards your evolution. This is the law. Think not negative thoughts, but calmly go on with the Sadhana. Be regular at it. Without missing a single day, proceed onward with your spiritual practices. Little by little, the power accumulates and it will grow. Ultimately, the cumulative force of all the continuous earnest Sadhana done perseveringly and patiently over a long period of life has its inevitable grand consummation at the supreme moment when it bears fruit in the form of blissful Realization.
Let the Sadhana be regular, continuous, unbroken, and earnest. Not only regularity, but also continuity in Sadhana and meditation is necessary if you want to attain Self-realization quickly. A spiritual stream once set going does not dry up, unless the channel-bed is locked, unless there is stagnation. Be vigilant eternally. Meditate regularly. Annihilate the under-current of Vasanas.
Sometimes the aspirant gets stuck up. He cannot proceed further in his path. Sometimes he is side-tracked through Siddhis. He loses his way and walks in some other direction. He misses the goal. Sometimes he is assailed by temptations and various oppositions. Sometimes he gets false contentment. He thinks he has reached his goal and stops all Sadhana. Sometimes he is careless, lazy, indolent. He cannot do any Sadhana. Therefore, be eternally vigilant, like the captain of a ship, like the surgeon in the operation theatre.
The spiritual path is full of hurdles. If you conquer one obstacle, another obstacle is ready to manifest. If you control the sense of taste, another Indriya is simply waiting to assault you with redoubled force and vigour. If you remove greed, anger is waiting to hurl you down. If you drive egoism through one door, it enters through another door. Great patience, perseverance, vigilance, and undaunted strength are needed.
Be frim, steady, and steadfast. People will mock at you; be silent. People will insult you; be silent. People will spread evil rumours about you; be silent. Stick to the spiritual path. Do not swerve. Seek the truth wherever it may lead you to, and whatever be the cost and sacrifice.
Act now. Live now. Know now. Realize now. Be happy now.
Every death is a reminder. Every bell that rings says, "The end is near". Every day robs off from you one part of your precious life. Therefore, you should be very earnest in plunging yourself in constant Sadhana.
Never fall a victim to fruitless regret. Today is the best day. Today is the day of your new birth. Start Sadhana now. With folded palms, bid good-bye to past mistakes and faults. You have learnt your lessons. March forward now with new hope, determination, and vigilance.
Waver not. Fear not. Doubt not. Do something substantial in the path of Sadhana instead of wasting your time in idle pursuits and lethargy. You have infinite strength within you. There is a vast reservoir of power within you. Therefore, do not lose heart. Obstacles are stepping stones to success. They will develop your will. Do not allow yourself to be crushed by them. Defects remind you of perfection. Sin reminds you of virtue. Chose the positive path.
If you think, "I will take a bath when all the waves of the sea subside", this is not possible. The waves will never subside and you will never take a bath. Even so, if you think, "I will start spiritual Sadhana or meditation when all my cares, worries and anxieties cease, when all my sons are fixed up in life, when I have ample leisure after retirement", this is not possible. You will not be able to sit even for half an hour when you become old. You will have no strength to do any rigorous Tapas when you are in advanced senility.
You must start vigorous spiritual practices when you are young, whatever your conditions, circumstances and environments may be. Then only you will reap a rich spiritual harvest when you become old. You will enjoy the everlasting peace of the Eternal.
Repeat this formula very often and with intense faith: "The Lord is my strength, my support and my stay." Thus you will derive strength, power and peace.
God knows what is best for you and He does what is best for you. His ways are mysterious - know His ways and become wise.
Slay egoism and desire, they are the enemies, the obstacles of self-surrender. You may accuse God and say: "He is not just; He is cruel. Vicious persons are thriving I am virtuous and yet I suffer. There is no God." Later on you will realise that He has done the best thing for you.
Do not pray to the Lord for the removal of sufferings. Pray to Him to grant you power of endurance and patience to bear all calamities.
A devotee remains unaffected by adversities, trials and tribulations. He knows and feels that they are all karmic purgations and are the real messengers of God. He welcomes them calmly.
A devotee alone gets troubles and adversities; because this is his last birth, many karmas have to be worked out and he must be united with the Lord in this very birth.
God gives immense strength and patience to His devotee to bear troubles and calamities. The devotee is ever calm and cheerful - he is not affected by them as his mind ever dwells in the contemplation of the Lord. He is not body-conscious.
Murmur not. Grumble not. Even a leaf cannot fall without the will of God. What is destined to take place as willed by God, takes place. Face the difficulties, the battle of life with a smile. Become a brave soldier. Difficulties come to intensify your faith, to strengthen your will and power of endurance and to turn your mind more and more towards God.
Pain is the great eye-opener. It is your silent teacher. It will make you remember God. Kunti prayed: "O Lord Krishna, give me pain always so that I may ever remember you." The more troubles and adversities you get, the stronger and firmer will be your faith in God. They will mould you into a divine being. Welcome them.
Seek God's grace through self-surrender and He will show you the way. Transient are all mundane things! Evanescent are all earthly forms! Seek the immortal and attain bliss eternal.
1. Get up at 4. a.m. daily. This is Brahmamuhurta which is extremely favourable for meditation on God.
3. Japa: Repeat any Mantra as pure Om or Om Name Narayanaya, Om Namah Sivaya, Om Name Bhagavate Vasudevaya, Om Saravanabhavaya Namah, Sita Ram, Sri Ram, Hari Om, or Gayatri, according to your taste or inclination, from 108 to 21,600 times daily.
5. Have a separate meditation room under lock and key.
6. Charity: Do charity regularly, every month, or even daily according to your means, say six paisa per rupee.
7. Svadhyaya: Study systematically the Gita, the Ramayana, the Bhagavata, Vishnu-Sahasranama, Lalita-Sahasranama, Aditya Hridaya, Upanishads or Yoga Vasishtha, the Bible, Zend Avesta, the Koran, the Tripitakas, the Granth Sahib, etc., from half an hour to one hour daily and have Suddha Vichara.
8. Brahmacharya: Preserve the vital force (Veerya) very, very carefully. Veerya is God in motion or manifestation?Vibhuti. Veerya is all power. Veerya is all money. Veerya is the essence of life, thought and intelligence.
12. Japa Mala: Have Japa Mala (rosary) round your neck or in your pocket or underneath your pillow at night.


text:
Rethink needed on legal aid
Commenting on Lord Neuberger's speech published yesterday, Chair of the Bar Andrew Langdon QC has said that a complete rethink on the availability and sufficiency of legal aid is needed in order to prevent excluding those who cannot afford its protection.
In a speech published yesterday, the President of the Supreme Court analysed what has gone wrong with Legal Aid over the last 20 years. He said,'many people [are faced] with the unedifying choice of being driven from the courts or having to represent themselves.'
Explaining that the ever increasing complexity of the law renders the need for access to legal advice all the greater, Lord Neuberger pointed out that it'verges on the hypocritical for governments to bestow rights on citizens while doing very little to ensure that those rights are enforceable.'
In the end, this is a rule of law issue, he said:'The two fundamental functions of any government are the defence of the realm and the maintenance of the rule of law. Historically, these were the only two functions of government and even today, while social security, health and education may attract more attention and more money, they would be of little value if the government failed to defend the realm or to maintain the rule of law.'
Andrew Langdon QC, Chair of the Bar, said:
"Lord Neuberger's words have added considerable weight to the concerns voiced by the Bar Council and an increasing number of legal professionals that the decline of legal aid since 1999 poses an increasing threat to the rule of law at home.
"There needs to be a complete rethink on the availability and sufficiency of legal aid to prevent a dislocation of the law from the very many who cannot afford its protection."


text:
Committee for the Republic of Canada
Comité pour la République du Canada
www.committeerepubliccanada.ca / www.comiterepubliquecanada.ca
News / Brèves
Chinese-Finnish Joint Project on New Arctic Cable
EIRNS—The publication of China's "Polar Silk Road" strategy a week ago is accompanied by several other flanking initiatives, one of these being that China and Finland have begun to design the project of a new trans-Arctic sea cable along the Scandinavian-Siberian coastline, planning to also recruit Japan and Norway into the project. A glimpse into it is provided by the Maritime Executive industry journal which reports that "a trans-Arctic sea cable cuts the distance between Asia and Europe by roughly 40%. The shorter the physical cable distance, the lower the latency (total round-trip data transmission time)....
"To date, two Arctic routes have been touted, yet only one has made it to the development stage. The first route treks along the Northwest Passage, along Canada's Arctic coastline. This cable links data from London to Tokyo and is well into development...." Originally a Canadian venture, this project was acquired by the Alaska-based firm Quintillion. "In late 2017, the first phase of the network was completed. The 1900-m phase along the Alaskan coast is to be followed by the Asia-Pacific segment....
"The second route follows the Northern Sea Route along the Northeast Passage, hugging Russia's coastline. Named ROTACS (Russian Optical Trans-Arctic Cable System), the route links London to Tokyo via branches in Russia and Beijing. It is approximately this route that Finland and China have revived and rebranded to meet the expected rise in Europe—Asia data transfer needs."
Rainer Apel


Portland is lucky to have a community-spirited guy like Cornelius pushing for this. Even though I've been a journalist for many years, I feel like I could learn a lot from the Portland Media Lab. Can't wait to see how it develops.


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