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Pocketbook Guide To Bulawayo – Zimbabwe's City Of Kings.
Bulawayo, covering an area of about 1,707 square kilometres, is the second largest city in Zimbabwe, and the largest city in Matabeleland. The city was founded around 1840 as the kraal of Mzilikazi, the Ndebele king then rebuilt by the first white settlers. It earned city status in 1943. In the past, Bulawayo was the main industrial hub of Zimbabwe hence the nickname 'kontuthu ziyathunqa' meaning 'smoke arising' in reference to the steam and smoke that rose from the huge cooling towers of the coal-powered electricity generating plant situated in the city center.
Bulawayo City Center. Mike cc
The name Bulawayo comes from the Ndebele word 'kobulawayo' meaning 'place where he is being killed'. It is believed that there was a civil war during the formation of the city.
Bulawayo is a good location to get to by air, bus or by car. Visitors can fly in from Johannesburg, Harare and once a week on Air Zimbabwe from Victoria Falls. When self-driving, the journey from Harare to Bulawayo by road is about 432 km and takes around five hours. The road from Harare goes past Norton, Chegutu, Kadoma, Kwekwe, Gweru and Shangaai. From Victoria Falls, via the A8, one takes around 4 hours 50 minutes driving on the 439.7 km road, passing Hwange, Lupane and Kenmaur. From Mutare, on the A3 and A5, one goes past Nyazura, Dorowa, Murambinda, Chivhu, Mvuma, Lalapansi, Gweru, Shangaani and Insiza. The journey is 561 km long, taking up to 6 hours 30 minutes. There is also another route on the A9 and A6 going through Nyanyadzi, Nyika Growth Point, Masvingo, Mashava, Zvishavane, Mbalabala, Mulungwane and Esigodini. One can also go through Harare though this is the longest route of 698 km, taking 8 hours 33 minutes.
There are also coaches that travel to Bulawayo from Victoria Falls, Harare, Mutare and other cities. Commuter omnibuses are also another convenient means to get to the city.
There are several taxis and car hire services found at the airport and both means are safe. Hotels and tour operators also usually provide transfers to and from the airport so one needs to check during bookings. One can go around the city centre on foot but when they need to go to areas like Khami Ruins, they need to rent a car or hire a taxi as the commuter omnibus option is usually best for locals who know their way around.
Bulawayo has a wide array of accommodation that meets every traveller's needs, from exclusive hotels, lodges, cosy Air BnB homes as well as backpacking hostels. Among these is the Cresta Churchill, conveniently located close to many of Bulawayo's cultural and historical sites including the Natural History Museum, the Railway Museum and the Khami Ruins which are at a comfortable driving distance of 32km. The hotels has chic yet comfortable rooms, a swimming pool, a cocktail bar, conference rooms for business travelers and the famed Inglenbrook Restaurant which offers continental and full English breakfasts, as well as a la carte menus.
Rooms at Cresta Churchill
Another hotel, close to Bulawayo city centre, is the tranquil Holiday Inn Bulawayo. The hotel, set among blooming gardens, offers an outdoor pool and squash, tennis and basketball courts for visitors who need to exercise. The Phumulani restaurant serves hearty breakfast buffets as well as themed buffet dinners with traditional delicacies like Mopane worms. The KoBulawayo Cocktail Bar offers a wide of beverages from the cold, refreshing ones to excellent late-night cocktails.
There is also the Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel, the Hillside Manor, Glen Lodge, Motsamai Guest Lodge, Lalani Hotel and Conference Center and more.
Grocery stores are found at most shopping centers around the city with shops like Bon Marche, Spar and Pick'n'Pay offering fresh produce.
Apart from the restaurants in the hotels, there are also restaurants serving amazing food around the city. For breakfast, one could pop into the Indaba Book Cafe at corner Josiah Tongogara Avenue and 9th Avenue where there is great food, refreshing juices and a very friendly staff. One could also opt for Deja Vu Restaurant and Coffee Shop Cafe on Townsend Road, serving well cooked and presented breakfast foods including the decadent strawberry cheesecake.
For lunch, there is Earth Cafe at River Estate, Rooster's Pub and Grill on Hillside Road, offering good food and a great ambiance. The place if famed for its Rib Eye Steak and Pork Chops. Bean There Restaurant Bulawayo at the BAC Bowls Club is a good place to have dinner as is Canela on Yellowood Lane, Woodlands.
There are a number of several conventional shopping areas in and around the city and these can be found at Ascot, Bradfield and Zonkizizwe Shopping Centres as well as along Fort and Main Streets. For beautiful handicrafts, one can visit Fife Street the National Gallery's Sabona Shop on Main Street, Mthwakazi Crafts at on Samuel Parirenyatwa Street, Induna Arts on Josiah Tongogara Street, Mzilikazi Art and Craft Centre on Taylor Avenue and more.
Bulawayo is a relaxed city but there are lots of things to see and do. Its major draw card though is the Matobo National Park popular for the Matobo granite hills and rock formations as well as sightings of wildlife. Here, visitors can barbeque, see Rhode's grave as well as watch the sun set over the hills.
Maleme Dam in Matobo National Park
The National History Museum on Leopold Takawira Avenue is another great place to go to view the taxidermy African animals, especially the enormous elephant taxidermy, that serve to educate people on wildlife conservation. Other historical and cultural places worth visiting include the Railway Museum and the National Gallery, Bulawayo.
Khami ruins is 30 minutes from Bulawayo
Visitors can also visit Chipangali Wildlife Orphanage off the Johannesburg Road, explore Khami Ruins, go to Centenary Park and view the amphitheatre, manicured lawns and the large fountain or visit the Hillside Dams Conservancy, among many.
Bulawayo usually enjoys good weather with pleasant average temperatures ranging from 20°C Celsius to 25°C during the period from April to August. In the months of November to February, there is a high chance of precipitation whilst March to October is the dry period. On average, the warmest month is October, the coolest month July, the wettest month December and the driest month August.
One may want to avoid the wet months of December and January or the very hot months of September and October. If one decides to visit during the winter months, they ought to remember to pack warm clothing and if they do decide to come during the summer, they need to carry with them sun block, light clothing, wide brimmed hats and good pairs of glasses. The month of March is a great month for keen cyclists to visit as this is the period when the Matobo Heritage Mountain Bike Challenge is held. There is also the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair to look for at the end of April and the Intwasa Arts Festival in September.


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Q: trouble with background img in bootstrap 3.1.1 with parallax I am having major trouble adding a background image to my bootstrap site. I am trying to create a parallax site using stellar.js so far the site works ok, I have some text on each slide, the links scroll to the correct slides etc etc...but the images wont seem to load up. I have looked through this site, youtube and many others but I just cant seem to get the bastard image to display lol
I got my background images in the following folder. img/slide1bg.jpg so its only up one dir. Maybe I am missing something, but I have attempted to combind the tutoiral from here: with bootstrap...the following code worked fine for background images, but within bootstrap it doesnt seem to like it.
my HTML:

            //text here

my CSS:
html, body{
width: 100%;
height: 100%;
padding: 0;
margin: 0;
}

.slide{
position: relative;
background-attachment: fixed;
width: 100%;
height: 100%;
}

#slide1{
color: pink;
background: url('./img/slide1bg.jpg') no-repeat;
background-size: cover;
    -webkit-background-size: cover;
    -moz-background-size: cover;
    -o-background-size: cover;
}
.slidetext{
padding-top: 70px;
}

A: Have you tried to add a dot (.) at the begin of the URL?
This is what you have typed:
background: url('./img/slide1bg.jpg') no-repeat;

try this
background-image: url('../img/slide1bg.jpg') no-repeat;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


2047 Covenant Hack not work for me but worked on my friends pls help.
Thanks for creating such an awesome 2047 Covenant Hack. I am from romania and it also works for me.
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Advising on high value and complex work, Toby Higginson is a Partner in RPC's Financial and Professional Risks team.
Toby has extensive experience of advising insurers on a variety of claims including financial institutions, D&O, and professional indemnity claims, often involving parties in a number of jurisdictions and complex coverage issues.
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Chavista Assembly Members Demand Dissidents be Jailed
Pro-Chavez National Assembly Members José Albornoz (PPT) and Ismael García (Podemos) are asking the Prosecutor General to jail Sumate's leaders.
Their crimes? Usurping the CNE's prerogative by seeking to organize a primary election outside the state's control and incitement for publicly airing their views on CNE.
Still more proof that chavismo, as an ideology, has no room for the idea that some matters are not the state's business - that there are spaces where citizens can and should come to make decisions without the state's interference. We already saw this in 1999 when chavismo insisted that labor union elections had to be organized by CNE, and in 2003 when they said that signature-gatherings had to be run by CNE.
The notion that citizens can use whichever method they deem best to select their candidate for election is beyond them. The concept of civil society - of a sphere of social life that is both public and outside the state's control - is deeply alien to their understanding of the good society. By this reasoning, voting for Miss Venezuela will end up having to be organized by CNE.
Extremism? What extremism?
▼ July 9 - July 16 (9)
The Extremely Abridged History of Venezuela
How to win with crime...
Making Crime Pay
Chavista Assembly Members Demand Dissidents be Jai...
On the nature of verbal agression
Chavista Extremism: Scarier and scarier...
The 2006 PSF D'Or goes to...
Skypecast: Francisco Rodríguez on Venezuela's Econ...
Talk vCrisis here...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Anyone riding from the Burke VRE station / pit stop tomorrow to or near Old Town Alexandria ? I saw this proposed route which looks ok, a couple of parks/trails. I am thinking about riding my mtn bike as opposed to my road bike.
I have tried the route along Fairfax County Pkwy and have gotten as far as Franconia Springfield metro in the past but would like to try the above route as an alternative.


You must purchase the Original 8x10, Original Digital File, or pay the Original Photo Surcharge before you can order reprints from that photo. A Cancelation Fee is due on any photo not purchased. Please see "Policies" and "Ordering" and Terms of Media Use License under Policies. All photographs are copyrighted and MAY NOT be copied from this website. Date Code: 11/24/17 Montgomery Kennel Club day 1, see photos 17P301 to 17P354. 11/25/17 Montgomery Kennel Club day 2, see photos 17P401 to 17P486. 11/26/17 Cahaba Valley Kennel Club, see photos 17P601 to 17P657. Specialties are loaded with the respective all-breed.


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Mismaloya comes from Nahuatl: [michmaloyan] "place where they grab fish with their hands" is a small village, located on the coast of the Bahía de Banderas in the Mexican state of Jalisco [Xalixco] "on the surface of the sand". Mismaloya lies on Highway 200, south of Puerto Vallarta.

Climate

Mismaloya has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen Aw) featuring stable, warm temperatures all year round, with two distinct seasons, a dry season from November through May, and a wet season from June through October. UV radiation levels are high all year round, ranging from 7 January and December to 11+ between April and September. Heat and Humidity is high from December to April and it can reach extreme levels between July and August.

The temperature of the sea is quite stable, with lows of  in March, and a high of  in August.

Film location

Mismaloya is most famous as the site where the 1963 film The Night of the Iguana was filmed. The set and crew quarters rise up the hill on the south side of the Mismaloya cove. The set is only ruins now, and the once-famous John Huston Cafe is an empty shell on top of the hill.  Huston once wrote that he was the only person who cared for the place. The movie made Puerto Vallarta famous, but the set has been forgotten.  On the other side of Highway 200 from Playa Mismaloya is El Eden, a jungle setting where parts of the movie Predator were filmed.

Tourism
The beach at Playa Mismaloya is located in a lovely cove, with a full view of Los Arcos sea rocks - a great place to snorkel and scuba dive. There are boats which tourists can rent, and the beach is home to several restaurants and trinket peddlers, as well as the Hotel Barceló, a beautiful Zoo and La Jolla De Mismaloya Condominiums, also you can reach Vallarta Botanical Gardens by 15 minutes bus ride.

References

External links

 Mismaloya Area Information
marinamismaloya.com

Populated places in Jalisco
Puerto Vallarta

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Books by Silent Eye Writers
Blog – personal views from the Directors of the School
The School – The correspondence course, what it is and how it works
Brochure – PDF download
Teaching – About the Silent Eye, the course and methods.
The Enneagram – What is it and how do we use it?
Coffee with Don Pedro – A fictional encounter with a mysterious man by Steve Tanham
The People – Who are we?
The Journey So Far
My Spiritual Journey by Steve Tanham
Spirit y'all? – Stuart's journey
Are we there yet?… Sue's journey
EVENTS: New Workshops, talks and events 2020/2021
Previous Events – Take a look at some past Silent Eye workshops and talks
River of the Sun – the Silent Eye Weekend Workshop 2015
The Light and the Eye of the Cobra – River of the Sun 2015
The Birthing – A vision of the birth of the School
Walk and Talk – a glimpse of one of our informal events
Land of the Exiles 2014 – a vision of the hillside ritual
"Find the path and stay on it…" – From the Harvest of Being weekend 2014
Gallery – photos from Silent Eye events
The Feathered Seer. Weekend Workshop April 2017
The First Time… What is it like to attend your first workshop?
Contact The Silent Eye
January 13, 2019 January 12, 2019 | Sue Vincent
"I need to do something." Clinging to a lifestyle in which they felt themselves to be stuck, the person concerned said that a change was needed… a break in the pattern of their days, for to break just one link in a chain is to break free of it. But where to start? What if it wasn't enough? The fear of failure was holding them back from taking even the smallest step forward that could potentially change everything.
I know that feeling. I imagine that most of us have felt it at some time in our lives. Change and failure can be two of the scariest monsters we have to face and maintaining even a painful status quo can feel like a far better option than scaling a mountain of fear. Still, you never know what you can do until you try…and you cannot take a second step until you have taken the first, no matter how small a step it may be.
I remembered climbing a mountain a couple of years ago. At fifteen hundred feet, it just about graduates from a hill to a mountain and to my eyes, it looked like one… especially as our route would take us up very a steep incline. I really wanted to visit a stone circle I had heard a lot about, but, recovering from a serious chest infection, I wasn't sure I would make it. I was at that stage where I could walk easily on the flat, but any kind of climb, be it hill or stair, left me fighting for breath with heart pounding. Standing at the bottom of a slope that appeared to be almost vertical, I was quietly convinced I would fail… and afraid that in doing so I would let my companion down and spoil the day.
It was hard going, especially as it was a hot and sunny day. Every few yards I had to stop and gasp for breath under the pretext of taking pictures. It wasn't just me, though, my companion was struggling too… and in an odd way, that made me feel better. The slope seemed endless, and even when we reached level ground, the hill still climbed steadily in front of us. We managed to lose the footpath and had to clamber over rough ground, climb a rickety gate wrapped in barbed wire and, at one point, found ourselves wading through a field strewn with bones.
And yet… we were in a landscape that was incredibly lovely, with bright blue sky above the hills and deep blue sea below. The heather was in flower, the sheep were purest white and there were wild horses watching as we climbed. After the initial climb, the going was easier, even though it was all uphill, and, when we arrived at the plateau below our destination, it was sheer beauty that took my breath away.
It had been worth it. The last climb brought us to a superb stone circle, with panoramic views… and not only that, there were other circles and stones all around us. Not only did we see what we had come to see, we were showered with so many other wonders, from the stones to the hunting hawk that we watched… gifts we could not have expected rewarded us for our efforts. And the way back would be all downhill…
I remembered too taking my younger son up Ben Nevis when he was a boy. We knew before we started that we would fail to reach the summit that day; there was no way we would make it to the top in the few hours we had at our disposal, but we would at least get a feel for the mountain and see beauty we would never have seen had we not made the attempt.
I thought back too, to the first time I had attended an event with an esoteric school similar to those run by the Silent Eye. I was scared stiff of what I might find or whether I would fail to fit in… and was met with open arms and hearts, laughter and friendship. Or the time I had arrived at the Gare du Nord in Paris, terrified, owning nothing more than the clothes in my suitcase. I had left everything behind… home, friends, family, language… and was about to embark upon an unknown future. It could have been a disaster… and yet my years in France became the happiest I have known until recent years.
Whenever I feel fear of change or failure weighing me down, I look back at all those times I have taken that first, small step. It can be as simple as a phone call, a break in a routine, or the determination not to let someone down. It need not be a big thing at all. Yet, as soon as you have taken it, one foot in front of the other, your world and your view of it has already changed. Even if you fail, you will have seen and experienced something new along the way… and going back to the starting point for another attempt or a different route is always easier 'downhill'.
There are so many possibilities for wonder out there and we never know what the next step may show us. The only guarantee that we have is that we will not see them at all unless we take that first step beyond fear…
October 23, 2018 October 23, 2018 | Sue Vincent
The soft colours of dawn were painting the sky as I left for work. The village streets, preternaturally quiet now that the schools were on holiday, were, for once, easy to negotiate. Parked cars take up half the width of every street and, on a school day and with oncoming traffic, getting out of the village becomes a slalom exercise in courtesy and patience.
By the time I reached the long stretch into town, the sun was cresting the horizon, setting fire to the skyline and casting long shadows across the road. Another mile, a bend in the road, and the brilliant disc had revealed itself in all its golden glory. I, and every other motorist in the now-queuing traffic, hit the brakes, dazzled by the low-lying orb on a road that runs due east.
There is, I thought, such a thing as too much light.
As the traffic crawled into town, I thought about that from another perspective. Is there ever such a thing as too much Light on the spiritual path? That Light could be said to be our goal, and so you would not immediately think so, and yet I concluded that yes, it was entirely possible.
As far back as I can remember, aspects of the spiritual path were part of my life. I was brought up in a family whose members each found their own way towards a shared goal. Their paths took many forms, encompassing the magical, mystical, spiritual and religious, but their goal seemed essentially the same, and whether they sought to attain the Christian Heaven, a Buddhist Nirvana, or a more abstract Union, each saw Light… formless, timeless and ineffable… as a perfect symbol for what drew and guided them. How could there be too much of that?
The car in front came to an abrupt halt, brake lights blazing. I saw the driver pull down the sun visor. He could not see the road ahead nor its hazards, any more than I could and had reacted by almost causing an accident.
That's the problem with too much Light. The road we travel through life has hazards enough as it is, without our eyes being so firmly fixed on the Light that we fail to see them. We are, I believe, here for a purpose. Whether we are an incredible accident of Nature as evolutionary science would have us believe, or part of the design of some Cosmic Intelligence, we are here for a reason and with a purpose to fulfil, whether we are thinking at species level or as individuals.
If you accept that we are part of the design, and that there is a spiritual purpose to that design, there comes a point when you have to ask yourself, "Why right here? Why right now?" And, if there is indeed a purpose to our individual presence here and now, surely we need to be paying attention to where we are? This is practically impossible if your eyes are fixed firmly on the dazzling Light ahead and are blinded to all else.
The true mystic sees that Light and seeks to become one with it. Worldly considerations cease to matter… all else is but a shadow. While this is a rare and beautiful path to follow, it is a path for the few who feel called to that life. Those who follow the esoteric path see the Light and seek to align themselves with it, moving towards it while moving through the world with attention. This path is open to all. No path is better than another, as long as you are following the one that speaks to your heart.
My personal belief is that we may need the mystics to show us the way, but that for most of us, paying heed to the lessons, possibilities and opportunities of this life is more likely to answer the need of the inner self, allowing us a chance to learn why here and why now. Few of us are able to divorce ourselves from the mundane business of living, but that need not mean that we cannot address those needs with due regard to spirit.
The spiritual path should not need to separate us from the earthly and physical life we have been given; it should enhance our awareness of it and bring us to an understanding that shows us that living is a spiritual journey.
A little care…
The narrow village street is busy with rush hour traffic. The lorry coming towards me on the other side of the road is respecting the speed limit, the impatient driver behind him is not. Without warning, the car pulls out onto my side of the road, overtaking the lorry and coming straight at me. In that scintilla of clarity that happens at these moments, I realise there was nowhere for me to go. I could turn into the path of the lorry…but that is hardly a good choice. I could wrench the wheel to the left and plough into the schoolchildren waiting at the bus stop… and that is no choice at all. Or grit my teeth, hold the wheel, and slam the brakes on, hoping the cars behind me are going slow enough to stop.
I hit the brakes… so does the lorry… and the impatient driver hits the accelerator, raising one obnoxious finger to the world, squeezes through the gap with millimetres to spare, racing off to whatever destination is more important to him than the lives of others.
I am not a timid driver and I don't scare easily… but this brief incident left me shaking all the way to work. It had been close.
Sadly, it is the kind of scenario that happens every day on our increasingly busy roads. This time, tragedy was averted by the quick reactions of several drivers. It is not always so, and the toll of death and destruction on the roads rises daily. Accidents happen often enough, both on and off the roads, but many are not accidents at all, they are simply the result of heedless or selfish behaviour and, when lives are lost to such causes, it is tantamount to murder.
How would the lorry driver have fared emotionally, as well as legally, had I turned my car beneath his wheels? How would I have lived with my actions had I instinctively turned away and hit the children? How would either outcome have affected others… witnesses, those who care about us, the parents of the children? How many lives would have been injured, broken or lost? In both cases, the road would have been clear for our impatient motorist to speed away and possibly remain unaware of what he had done.
I could not help reflecting on the fragility of life. This gift that we are privileged to share can be torn away at any moment, by any number of unforeseen circumstances and there will be nothing left of us but a memory. Our emotional lives are just as fragile and can be broken by just such a lack of care as was shown by the reckless driver. We may be the guilty party, the one who causes harm… sometimes through a genuine misunderstanding or error, sometimes through a lack of empathy or care… yet because we move forward with our own lives, we may not see the devastation we leave behind.
Our society is increasing the distance between us in many ways, even while it brings us closer in others. It is easier than ever before to keep in touch and to watch events unfolding across the globe, yet it is probably easier than ever before to remain isolated, touching the world only through the medium of keyboard and screen. It is our responsibility to ensure that we do not lose our ability to care… that, although we are undoubtedly the central point of our own consciousness, we do not learn to see ourselves as the sun in a universe of lesser satellites.
Consideration, empathy and kindness are social skills, and without social interaction, we can forget how central they are to allowing society to function. We see the effects of isolation every day and how quickly and insidiously these essential skills can be forgotten. Awareness and care for others can be unconsciously replaced with a false, but inalienable sense of self as the central point for all things. When one person's journey…in their own eyes… becomes worth more than that of any other, tragedy will not be far behind.
It costs nothing except a moment's thought and feeling to consider the impact of our actions. We will not always get it right, regardless of how well-intentioned we may be, but a little care goes a long way towards making sure that we do not go too far wrong. We cannot always avoid disaster, but if we can take responsibility for our own actions and open ourselves to the needs of others, we may not only be helping them, but saving ourselves untold heartache too.
The peripatetic ant
August 7, 2018 August 7, 2018 | Sue Vincent
The ant crawled across the windscreen of the car, right in my line of vision. Ever since the spider-bite incident, I am wary of creatures that have any kind of personal arsenal hitching a ride, so my first thought was to defenestrate the little blighter. It was only a split second later that I realised how far he was from home.
I had been driving a good half an hour without stopping, so he had probably hopped aboard before I left. Ants are social creatures, pretty much defined by their role within their community. What, I thought, would a lone ant do if he suddenly found himself in unfamiliar territory, miles from home?
Would his sense of belonging be so decimated that he would curl up and die? Would he find another community… and if he did, would he be accepted or slain as an intruder? Or would he begin the long trek home, drawn by some unseen force to the place of his beginnings?
I couldn't do it. I left him to wander the dashboard, hoping he would understand that all he had to do was let the journey take him where it would, before it carried him home.
I thought about him a lot as I drove, wondering what his reception would be after the journey? What tales might he communicate to his nest-mates about the big, wide, world out there and all the things he had seen. Could they believe him? Like the fantasy hero who steps into a magical time and place, he would have been gone no more than an hour or two from his home, yet his odyssey would have carried him as far as a worker-ant might walk in a dozen ant-lives. Would they accept his fantastic story or think him delusional?
Ants who had never set foot outside the colony would almost certainly dismiss his tale. Those who had ventured out, but only within the known confines of their territory, might doubt. Some would be envious, others would scoff. The likelihood is that only those who had themselves risked stepping beyond known ground, exploring the world on behalf of the colony, would see the glimmer of truth and recognise an echo of their own explorations in the traveller's tale.
And what of the little ant? Was he afraid of the unknown, or excited to explore new and unimagined realms? Did he recognise the landscape that flew by at such speed as being akin to his home, or did he feel as if he had been plucked out of his world and transported to some magical otherworld by a giant with a roaring steed? How would he see life-after-journeying? Would it seem flat and boring, or safe and comfortable? Would he cower in corners, afraid of stepping outside his comfort-zone ever again? Would he 'dine out' on his travels, boring is nest-mates with tales of 'when' and 'where'? Or would the change in his circumstances and perspective have been so dramatic that he would spend the rest of his life pondering existential questions or striving to be worthy of the privilege he had been accorded?
Such musings occupied my mind until we once again reached home and I set him down on the grass beside my parking space. Like the ant, I had taken a journey, within the journey that is my life. Because this was 'my' world, the destination and the route were both familiar to me, though there are always unknowns on the way and no-one can predict what will happen, or how the comfort-zone of familiarity will be challenged… especially when you look at life as a journey.
There is beauty to be witnessed, there are mysteries and magic to be found; we never know when or where, nor do we know how we will greet them or how others will react if we try to share such experiences with our own community.
I watched the tiny creature scurry away into the grass. I suddenly wondered what I had done and whether my interference, though well-intentioned, had produced the right effect. Had I set him down anywhere near his home? What if he'd been with me a while… had come from my son's home or the supermarket… and was now lost in some strange landscape? Had my intervention caused more harm than good? Or was he destined to be a blackbird's breakfast no matter where he wandered?
To some questions we will never have answers, but I felt a keen sense of kinship with the ant as he disappeared beneath the grass. We are both on a journey. It will carry us where it will and we will experience what we must… and we are both on a greater journey still, finding the way back to the beginning.
All in the feeling?
April 8, 2018 April 8, 2018 | Sue Vincent
It was a beautiful morning. I had watched a barn owl glide across the field as dawn limned the horizon with gold and palest pink. The sky was beginning to turn blue and the drive to work on almost-empty roads was accompanied by birdsong. It was one of those mornings where it felt good to be alive…. even though, I realised with a start, I wasn't sure I really knew what that meant.
How does it feel to be alive? It is not as if most of us have anything to compare it with. It is an either/or situation and anything in between is actually neither, for consciousness seems to be elsewhere. What we think of as 'feeling alive' is really feeling emotion and sensation. It is hard to even separate thoughts, emotions and perceptions from who we are and how it feels to be us, here, now.
How did I feel? When I looked at it from this new perspective, I could not answer. Take away the sensation of sitting in a car… the pressure of seat and wheel, the thrum of the engine, the warmth of the morning rays through the glass, the faint tang of petrol and the sound of birds. Take away the emotions that react to movement, to the start of a day's work, to spring mornings and the first cherry blossom… and what is left?
Were my body unable to feel, see, hear or otherwise engage the senses, I would still be alive. If heart and mind were so numbed that I was dead to emotion, or if consciousness were lost, I would still be alive. It would be no kind of life from our normal perspective, but it would still be life. How would that feel?
It is odd that we use that word, 'feeling', for so many different purposes, from emotion, to touch, from opinion to health…as if we cannot dissociate our idea of being alive from feeling in some form or another.
I slowed to watch a hunting hawk, feeling the discomfort caused by the pressure of foot on pedal, wishing, for a moment, that my body still behaved as it had when I was young. Could I remember what it felt like to be young? Not the thoughts, physical sensations or even the uncertain, unconfident emotions of youth, but what it actually felt like to be young? No, I realised, I could not. Nor could I even say, in those same terms, what it felt like to be older. Yesterday and today are too vague. There is only what I feel like now.
I could catalogue sensation, emotion and reaction, but that is all just a processing of sensory and social input. If the body is the interface between the world and the brain and the brain the interface between body and mind, mind must be the interface between the brain and… what? Consciousness? Being? Spirit? Soul? What was the next link in the chain… Where is the 'I' in all of that…and is there even an 'I' at all?
Caught in the limbo between home and destination, yesterday and tomorrow, there was only the road and the moment and both were part of a journey, a process in a constant state of change, but not without purpose.
For a moment, there was a glimpse beyond normality to Mystery. For a moment, I almost understood. But such things cannot be grasped, only, for want of a better word, felt. All that remained to put into thought was the consciousness of a road that leads to a somewhere that is everywhere. A somewhere that makes no distinction, no separation, between the road, the traveller and the destination. Only the journey is.
There is an odd sort of serenity in that. The vehicle may break down, the traveller may not know the way and the road may fail, but the journey is always itself, carrying us forward with purpose.
Unhappy bunny?
July 19, 2015 July 13, 2015 | Sue Vincent
Life gets a little odd sometimes. Just when you have come to terms with the way things are working out, it gets turned on its head and a myriad possibilities open before you. Or you could say instead, that just when life is looking settled and predictable, suddenly nothing is familiar and you don't know what is coming next.
Both are true. It all depends on how you look at life. Is your glass half empty or half full? Do you see the emptiness as full of sparkling possibility, a space just waiting to be filled? Or as something forever gone and worthy of grief?
Most of us will lean towards one view or the other… but things are not, as they say, always set in stone. The most negative of pessimists will sometimes see the blaze of hope, while the most optimistic will have a down day.
I had been up early. Way too early considering it had been a late night again. Five o'clock had seen me shivering in the sodden fields with the dog. I couldn't sleep. While Ani chased shadows my thoughts were a little glum. Tiredness does that sometimes. It was no better by the time we got home, cold, damp, muddy and distinctly miserable. A review of any situation, in that state of mind, will produce little but further reasons to feel sorry for yourself. Wonderful possibilities may be dangled tantalisingly just beyond your reach and the bite of sharp necessity will have its teeth firmly in the cheeks of your nether regions. And if you think that's a sorry picture, you should see the rabbit of negative euphoria gnawing at your heels…..
"Sometimes our light goes out, but is blown again into instant flame by an encounter with another human being." ― Albert Schweitzer
The phone rang. It was a call from another unhappy bunny… rabbits, of course, being well known for their propensity for breeding. We discussed the relationship between fear and hope; how hope can seem like the Holy Grail perched on a mountain top and how, when you stand in the foothills, you have no idea if you will make it to the summit. We talked of how the fear of failure is exponential to that vision of hope. And of course, how it is so much better to see that hope, that brilliant shard of possibility, than to wallow, blind in the darkness.
Suddenly, the possibilities seemed a little brighter than the problems.
The phone rang again. Laughter ensued. Perspective was restored and the night shadows banished for both of us. Yes, the same problems exist and need to be faced and dealt with. But just look at the adventure that could be! Who knows what could be found on the way up the mountain? The possibilities of the journey are endless and exciting.
The inbox had delivered an unexpected treat that had me smiling a few moments later and the lights, went on again inside. My thoughts turned to something I had read recently. The Sufi philosophy speaks, I think, deeply to most of us if we listen. The imagery of love speaks of the journey of the soul into awareness, of the journey of the heart and mind and body into living with passion. I was reminded that without the contrast we would not see the joy, without the shadows that haunt us there would be no fierce embracing of Light. When things are about to change and move forward, the old has to be left behind and that leaving can have us feeling as if we are being torn apart. But no birth is painless, no beginning comes without an ending of a phase of life. From a single point in time we can either look back at what might have been and grieve for the losses, or we can walk forward into adventure and live it with passion.
"When a true lover appears calamities blaze up. I like a heart that can stir the seven seas fearlessly withstanding the waves. I like a lover with a fiery heart burning even hell to ashes. I like a heart that can wrap the universe around its hand, catching the eternal light hanging it like an icicle. I like a lover with a heart as large as the world who fights like a lion, not only with others but with himself, a lover who shatters the veils of all hearts with the blazing light of Truth." – Rumi
Inner whispers
Every so often there is a shift in a life's pattern that leads you off at a new tangent. Sometimes these are things you have worked for, dreamed of and created for yourself… an opportunity seen and grasped. Sometimes these events simply land in your lap and you have to choose whether or not to accept them and go with them… and sometimes there simply is no choice.
Occasionally these new directions may leave people questioning your sanity… why would you take such a risk after all, when there is no real reason to do so that is obvious to the outside world. You are doing okay, everything seems to be in order and life is pootling along quite nicely, thank you very much. Suddenly you pull the metaphorical rug from under your own feet and start behaving in what the world might see as an unusual manner.
'Mid-life crisis', say some, 'lost the plot' say others… and there are unkinder epithets available too, as well as the slightly envious, or respectful ones of those who want to break free of their own routine and Do Something.
Of course, you may well launch into one of these ventures… or adventures… and find things seem to unfold in their own way, regardless of the nice, tidy plans you have made where you thought you had everything under control and your vision of the future ran between nice, neat lines of predictability. Then you wake up one morning and realise that while you were sleeping the universe, as is its wont, has seen a vessel shaped to its need and rushed in to fill it.
At this point you realise that you are running along merrily with a cup filled to the brim with something unfamiliar, unplanned and suddenly very easy to spill. It demands a more considered approach and some major readjustments in thinking. You might, it is true, simply empty out the cup and start again to your own plan, or you can accept the gift and begin to learn what it will need from you in order to grow into what it could… perhaps should…be. It was such a scenario that saw the birth of the Silent Eye… a desire that became an imperative that has become both response and learning curve for those of us involved.
We are lucky, we are none of us on our own in this and we each have the companionship of the others to check, teach and learn from, for we really are the first students of the School. We have to be…anything else would be hypocrisy. You cannot teach what you are not first prepared to learn although that learning may be damnably uncomfortable at times, as we learn to look into the mirror of self and see ourselves without mercy, but with justice, love and understanding. It is a necessary process and a valuable one, as from those personal lessons we learn to teach from experience, not mere theory.
There are other gifts and shifts along the way too, and every so often you pull up short and wonder about everything, up to and including your own sanity in following these pathways into an unknown that is yet not unknowable, especially when the going gets rough. Learning to trust that the path knows where it leads isn't always easy. But there are treasures to be found along the way and some of them are the people who drop into your life at just the right time, with just the right understanding and experience to restore your faith in your sanity and allow you to hitch up your backpack and follow the path forward. They are not always obvious, these gifts; for although sometimes they stand in a clear light, easy to see, at others they are like the ragged beggar or the beast in the fairy stories that turns out to be the hero or the sage in disguise, but they await on our journey if we have eyes to see.
Our individual journeys as human beings, though, are not fairytales, they are our lives and each of us encounters these moments of choice and self doubt in the quiet of our own minds. There is, deep within us all a part of us that observes and Knows, shaking its head fondly at our errors with love unconditional and a clarity of vision we might call conscience, but which goes beyond that to a deeper understanding of our self, our motives, our strengths and our frailties. On the surface we may be as children, fingers in our ears in our refusal to hear a truth we already know, yet learn we must and grow we will, like it or not, one day.
That inner knowing pulls together all the threads of being and manifests as that inner voice of the heart and that, perhaps, is our best guide through the journey of life if we can simply learn how to listen and act on its whispering song.
February 24, 2015 | Sue Vincent
The red kites lit the sky with their grace, but the weather did the landscape no favours. I drove away from the damp grey of Buckinghamshire without a qualm on Thursday, heading north for the monthly meeting of the Silent Eye… and a days of freedom from the constraints of necessity. I had plenty of time so planned a leisurely meander up the A5 which, for much of its course, follows the old Roman Iter II, better known by its Anglo-Saxon name of Watling Street. The rain would make travelling on the motorway hazardous with the spray and the inevitable lunatics, and I'd rather take the back roads any day.
I also thought I should probably, and finally, call at Lichfield Cathedral. I will have to at some point, but I am always too early on the way back and on the drive up I am usually too hungry for the hills. So that was decided. I would visit the Norman Cathedral with its odd spires en route. I should have known better than to decide anything. It doesn't seem to work like that. We long since realised that we go where we are guided when the time is right… and I thought I could make plans?
It was not to be. Watling Street was closed and barred by a large lorry. I was obliged to reroute and take the motorway, grumbling to myself as I turned the wheel. For the next hour I submitted to poor visibility and lousy conditions. My nice shiny car was now coated in liquid dirt and the habitual muscular tension of modern life had a firm grip on my shoulders.
Even so, my mind was free to roam; the external conditions of fast moving and uncontrollable traffic could not restrain the imagination. It occurred to me how similar that was to the way we move through the world… no matter what the day brings or how our plans are scuppered, we are obliged to adapt to the moment as it unfolds. And regardless of what happens outside or how mud-splattered we may get, our inner being is still our own and affected only by what we choose to allow to write its name upon our minds and emotions.
The rain was sheeting across the windscreen, with visibility barely see more than a few yards in the terrible weather. The concentration required for safety left little room to notice anything else and the driving was tiring. I left the motorway at the earliest reasonable opportunity, intending to cut across country on a fast road and pick up the lanes I love through the Derbyshire Dales. It was only then, with the motorway mere yards behind, that you realised that the teeming rain was a false impression, churned up by the wheels of others. All the sky really held was a gentle spring shower. The local conditions of the motorway were, in truth, an illusion… but none the less real for all that. They still had to be navigated and addressed while you were caught within them. And that too seemed to mirror the human journey.
I had, unfortunately, left the motorway a junction too early for the road I intended to take. I had to smile at that… yet another accident of the road. I couldn't check the map while driving so I would, once more, have to rethink. The road took me through Breedon where the church that perches high above the village holds a treasure trove of carved stones. Oddly enough 'Don' and 'Wen' had used some of them in their 'correspondence'. I wasn't calling there again though… that would wait till Stuart was with me one of these days.
Still, it meant I knew roughly where I was. I followed the road, heading towards town I knew lay in the general direction I needed to be until I saw a sign for Repton. That rang a bell, though I couldn't remember why… until I followed the winding lane that took me to a signpost pointing to 'the ancient capital of Mercia'. That was it. I had looked for Repton and failed to find it when I had been to Breedon. So having found it by accident I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I parked near the market cross and headed off to explore the ancient church, grinning to myself at how these things have a life and agenda all of their own.
It was a considerable time later when I finally crossed into 'my' patch of Derbyshire, where the lanes are now as familiar as home. I cursed as I saw the huge buzzard perched on the lamppost… there was nowhere for me and the camera to stop just here. But it didn't really matter… as a guardian of the way and welcoming committee he was a welcome sight.
A few miles further on I cursed again as the distant snake of stationary traffic warned of roadworks. Drawing closer something caught my eye above the green fields and suddenly the curse became a prayer that the lights would change to red and halt my progress. The prayer was answered and I watched the buzzards for a good five minutes until the traffic moved once more. I even got a picture or two. Which just goes to show that even in apparent setbacks and delays there is room for the gift of joy.
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Through a combination of classroom discussion and activities, this course introduces residents to cultural and ethical issues relevant to dental school clinics and private practice. In a small group environment, residents have the opportunity to discuss school culture and intercultural relationships, preparing them for experiences with a diverse school culture and patient pool. Ethics, along with state and federal regulations, are introduced as they apply to dentistry practiced in dental school clinics and private practice.
Demonstrate the ability to incorporate ethical reasoning and actions that promote culturally competent oral health care to individuals and populations.
Utilize common ethical principles to respond to common ethical issues as it relates to practicing pediatric dentistry.
Understand how pain is perceived.
Use pharmacologic methods to reduce or eliminate the pain perceived.
Understand the pharmacologic impact of the medications used to reduce pain.
epidemic and facilitate a nimble and targeted response. **New 2019 rules and regulations for PDMP usage and prescription giudelines!
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Rosa canina is native to Britain, Europe and parts of western Asia. The scented flowers are very variable in colour and have resulted in several cultivated hybrids. These include Rosa canina (Abbotswood) which was found in the garden of Irish engineer, Harry Ferguson, who founded the tractor company which made the famous 'Little Grey Fergie' which changed the face of Scottish agriculture forever.
Robert Burns (1759-1796) also makes over 60 references to it in his many songs and poems as it was clearly one of his favourite flowers.
Shrouded in mythology and strongly linked to the Christian faith, the dog rose is symbolic of purity, love and marriage, it was also linked to the prediction of death, as it was once thought that if you were ill and dreamt of roses you would die!
The bright red hips which are produced in the autumn were once used to make medicinal syrup; they were also thought to give protection from sorcery and witches. This is perhaps why it often features in medieval and gothic architecture and works of art, especially, the wood and stone carving found with ecclesiastical buildings.
On the authority of the Court of the Lord Lyon the rose is recorded in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland and in the Matriculations of Arms of Chiefs as being the official plant badge of the Clans Borthwick, Erskine and Lennox.


Hi there, i need to get a 19-35mm wide angle lense with a tight of budget of $280-$330(max). I have found three lenses: Vivitar 19-35mm f3.5-4.5 ($280), Cosina 19-35mm f3.5-4.5 ($330), Soligor 19-35mm f3.5-4.5 ($280). I would be grateful if anyone can give me some comments on which is a better choice? Its a hard decision because they have about the same spec.s, it just whether which is a reliable brand.
its a wonder anybody uses this newsgroup anymore.
vivitar cosina soligor all probably come from taiwan or thailand.
-- morejoy (morejoy@visto.com), November 28, 2000.
-- Teo (vincere3@yahoo.com), July 26, 2001.
$300 is a waste for a Cosina. It is cheaper at Fotoguide.
-- Andrew (nospam@nospam.net), August 10, 2001.
-- Sheldon Wee (eastave5@hotmail.com), September 13, 2003.


With a steel skeletal framework over-molded with high-tech polymer, the lightweight Benelli Nova Pump Field shotgun offers unsurpassed strength and weather resistance. The Nova features a forend shell stop button, one solid unit stock and receiver, grooved grip surface, and a mid-bead and red bar front sight. Available in 12 and 20 gauge.


text:
name: setnetworkactive
btcversion: 0.17.0
btcgroup: network
permalink: en/doc/0.17.0/rpc/network/setnetworkactive/
---

setnetworkactive true|false

Disable/enable all p2p network activity.

Arguments:
1. "state"        (boolean, required) true to enable networking, false to disable

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I know, the answer is no, but I would like to think Best Buy, Target or Wal-Mart will have "Westworld" in their ten bucks Black Friday sale.
I'll eventually get Cars 3 on BD/DVD for under $10.
Would have to be like $5 for me to purchase it come Thanksgiving/Black Friday week.
Cars 3 is at the bottom of my list of Thanksgiving/Black Friday week BD/DVD purchases.
Westworld - a friend of mine would love to get that - $10 and under somewhere Thanksgiving/Black Friday week.
Last edited by LaxBandit; 11-05-17 at 08:44 AM.
This release is far too new - the same month as BF. I would very much like it so. But I don't think it will happen.


text:
COMMONWEALTH vs. BRIAN J. GABORIAULT.
439 Mass. 84
Present: MARSHALL, C.J., GREANEY, IRELAND, SPINA, & COWIN, JJ.
Practice, Criminal, Admissions and confessions, Appeal, Findings by judge, Voluntariness of confession, Assistance of counsel, Competency to stand trial, Medication of defendant during trial, Capital case. Evidence, Admissions and confessions, Sanity, Expert opinion. Constitutional Law, Admissions and confessions, Waiver of constitutional rights, Assistance of counsel. Waiver. Mental Impairment. Insanity. Homicide. Malice.
A police officer's three recitations of Miranda warnings to the defendant in a murder case were not, in the circumstances, rendered inadequate by the officer's description of them as a "formality"; nor did the record at trial support the defendant's contention that an alleged past relationship with the officer, when coupled with the "formality" statement, created a highly coercive environment that eviscerated the voluntariness of the confession; consequently, the judge at the defendant's trial for murder in the first degree did not err in denying the defendant's motion to suppress his statement to police. [87-89]
At the trial of indictments for murder in the first degree, defense counsel's tactical decisions in withdrawing the issue of criminal responsibility from the jury's consideration [90-93], failing to pursue a sleep deprivation defense [93-94], failing to examine one of his own expert witnesses concerning the expert's opinion of the criminal responsibility of the defendant [94-95], and failing to secure, and to appraise the defendant of, his right to appear at trial in an unmedicated state [95-96], were not manifestly unreasonable.
INDICTMENTS found and returned in the Superior Court Department on August 22, 1996.
The cases were tried before Raymond J. Brassard, J., and a motion for a new trial, filed on September 11, 2000, was heard by him.
David P. Hoose for the defendant.
Sharon L. Sullivan-Puccini, Assistant District Attorney, for the Commonwealth.
IRELAND, J. The defendant, Brian J. Gaboriault, was tried
before a jury on two indictments charging murder in the first degree. He was found guilty based on theories of deliberate premeditation and extreme cruelty or atrocity. He appeals from his convictions and the denial of his motion for a new trial, asserting several claims of error. First, the defendant claims that the Miranda warnings he received prior to his confession were defective and his waiver was not knowing, intelligent, or voluntary. Thus the defendant claims the trial judge erred in denying the motion to suppress his statement to police. Second, the defendant claims that his trial counsel was ineffective in (1) withdrawing the issue of criminal responsibility from the jury's consideration; (2) failing to retain a sleep deprivation expert; (3) failing adequately to examine one of his own expert witnesses concerning the expert's opinion of the criminal responsibility of the defendant and; (4) failing to secure, and to apprise the defendant of, his right to appear at trial in an unmedicated state. Finally, the defendant also requests that we exercise our extraordinary power under G. L. c. 278, § 33E, to order a new trial or reduce the defendant's degree of guilt. Because we find no merit to the defendant's claims of error and no substantial likelihood of a miscarriage of justice, we decline to exercise our § 33E power. We affirm the defendant's convictions and the order denying his motion for a new trial.
A. Facts.
We recite the facts in the light most favorable to the Commonwealth, reserving certain details for discussion in conjunction with the issues raised. The facts of the defendant's brutal murders of eighteen year old Jennifer Pike (victim) and their infant son are largely undisputed. At the time of the murder, the defendant resided with the victims and his mother in an apartment in Fairhaven. The victim had begun dating the defendant two years earlier and had been living with the defendant for about one year. Their relationship was marked by the defendant's possessive and controlling behavior, and culminated in the victims' leaving the apartment in the days preceding the murders.
On July 6, 1996, while the defendant was at work, the victim took their baby and moved out of the apartment. The move was precipitated by increasingly disturbing behavior and threats by
the defendant. [Note 1] When the defendant heard that the victim had moved out, he became extremely agitated, asked friends to help look for her, and eventually arrived unannounced at the victim's sister's house looking for her. At some point, one friend heard him say that if the victim left him, he would "kill them all." On July 8, after arriving at the victim's parent's home and having dinner, the defendant talked to the victim about "getting back together." He promised her that he would receive counselling for his anger problems, and even had made an appointment for the next day.
Around 9 P.M., the defendant, his mother, and the victims returned to the apartment. Shortly thereafter, the victim told the defendant that, "[f]or the short time they were apart she felt like she was out of prison." Prior to returning home, the defendant had taken a large knife, wrapped it in a shirt, and placed it underneath a chair. During his confession to police, he explained that it was his plan "to take their lives" once they returned to the house.
While his mother was outside talking with a neighbor, the defendant began to stab the victim viciously. His mother heard the victim's screams, rushed in to find her being stabbed, and heard her say, "I'm dying. You're killing me." The defendant's mother proceeded to run out of the apartment and yell for someone to dial 911. After stabbing the victim seventeen times, the defendant left the room, and approached his baby lying on a bed in another room. He proceeded to stab the eight week old infant twice, the second time with such force that the knife remained lodged in the infant, impaling him to the bed. [Note 2] It later took four officers to remove the dying infant from the bed, as the knife was firmly lodged in the mattress.
After removing his socks so as not to leave a bloody trail, the
defendant fled the apartment. He next stopped at a friend's house and had a glass of juice with his friend's father, and eventually found his way to the cemetery where his own father was buried. [Note 3] Police found him there on the morning of July 9. He received Miranda warnings from the officer who found him, Lieutenant Donald Joseph, who then contacted an officer known to the defendant, Detective Glenn Souza. [Note 4] During the ride to the station, the defendant indicated he wished to give a statement regarding the murders, but Detective Souza said to wait until they arrived at headquarters. On arrival, he was again given Miranda warnings. Immediately before, however, Detective Souza referred to the Miranda warnings as "just a formality." The defendant signed the Miranda form, stated that he understood his rights, and was willing to speak. However, the video camera in the interrogation room was not functioning properly and the interrogation was moved to another room, where the defendant was once again advised of his rights immediately before giving his full statement. In all, the defendant received his Miranda warnings three times prior to the videotaped confession in which he admitted to stabbing the victims.
B. Discussion.
1. Miranda warnings. The defendant first claims that the Miranda warnings were rendered inadequate by Detective Souza's description of them as a "formality." He claims that this word undercut the purpose of the rights, and relegated them to a mere preliminary ritual, devoid of substance or meaning. Additionally, the defendant claims that the word "formality" rendered the subsequent recitation in the second interrogation room invalid as well, as it created a notion in the defendant's mind that the rights were void of significance. We disagree.
In reviewing a judge's determination regarding a valid waiver of Miranda rights and voluntariness, we "accept[] the judge's
subsidiary findings of fact absent clear error, give[] substantial deference to the judge's ultimate findings and conclusions of law, but independently review[] the correctness of the judge's application of constitutional principles to the facts found." Commonwealth v. Vao Sok, 435 Mass. 743 , 751 (2002), quoting Commonwealth v. Mello, 420 Mass. 375 , 381 n.8 (1995). Additionally, in Commonwealth v. Mavredakis, 430 Mass. 848 (2000), we held that the "history of art. 12 [of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights] and our prior interpretations of its self-incrimination provisions . . . lead to the conclusion that art. 12 provides greater protection than the Federal Constitution does." Id. at 859.
The judge found that immediately prior to the second recitation of the Miranda warnings to the defendant, Detective Souza indicated that the rights were a "formality." [Note 5] The circumstances surrounding this interrogation, taken as a whole, demonstrate that the use of the word "formality" did not render the Miranda warnings constitutionally inadequate. The defendant was read his Miranda warnings three times, and after all three readings, indicated a willingness to speak with the officers. The defendant also signed a Miranda card acknowledging the rights he was given, and prior to his statement never asked for an attorney or whether he could make a telephone call. Additionally, he was given more time to reflect on his waiver because of the malfunctioning video equipment in the first interrogation room. When he was brought to the second room, and read his Miranda warnings for the third time, he once again waived them. Although any use of words that characterize or minimize a suspect's Miranda rights should be avoided, we agree that in this situation, using the word "formality" did not coerce or mislead the defendant as to the rights he was waiving. [Note 6] We therefore find no reversible error.
Additionally, and closely related to the preceding claim of error,
the defendant also contends that the entire Miranda procedure, when taken as a whole, rendered his waiver invalid. The defendant's waiver of his Miranda rights must be voluntary, knowing, and intelligent beyond a reasonable doubt. See Commonwealth v. Magee, 423 Mass. 381 , 386 (1996), quoting Commonwealth v. Edwards, 420 Mass. 666 , 669 (1995) (Commonwealth has burden of proving validity of Miranda waiver beyond reasonable doubt). See also Commonwealth v. Rodriguez, 425 Mass. 361 , 366 (1997), and cases cited (court must examine totality of circumstances surrounding voluntariness of Miranda waiver). The judge's findings on voluntariness are entitled to substantial deference. See Commonwealth v. Brum, 438 Mass. 103 , 113 (2002); Commonwealth v. Jackson, 432 Mass. 82 , 85 (2000).
While making extremely thorough and well-reasoned findings, the judge carefully considered the totality of the evidence and concluded the defendant's waiver was voluntary, knowing, and intelligent. Based on the videotape recording of the defendant before, during, and after his statement, and also on witness testimony, the judge found that the defendant was coherent and not under the influence of any drug or alcohol. The judge also found that the defendant was given his Miranda warnings three times, that there was no evidence of coercion or trickery on behalf of the officers, and finally, that there was no evidence of inappropriate or inordinate psychological pressure. Additionally, the judge found that although the defendant had a somewhat below average intelligence, [Note 7] he maintained employment and a home. The record does not support the defendant's contention that his "past relationship" with Detective Souza, [Note 8] when coupled with the "formality" statement, created a highly coercive environment that eviscerated the voluntariness of the confession. As a result, we decline to disturb the judge's ruling to admit the defendant's statement to the police.
2. Ineffective assistance of counsel. This court is granted substantial power under G. L. c. 278, § 33E, to review an appeal from a conviction of murder in the first degree. In evaluating a defendant's claim of ineffective assistance of counsel in a capital case, we consider whether there was error at trial and, if so, whether that error was likely to have influenced the jury's conclusion. See Commonwealth v. Wright, 411 Mass. 678 , 682 n.1 (1992). See also Commonwealth v. Harbin, 435 Mass. 654 , 656 (2002) ("In evaluating a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel in a case of murder in the first degree, we begin by determining whether there was a serious failure by trial counsel. If so, then we determine whether the failure resulted in a substantial likelihood of a miscarriage of justice"). This standard is more favorable to defendants than the constitutional standard. See Commonwealth v. Wright, supra at 682 ("substantial likelihood" standard of § 33E more favorable to defendant). We will, however, give trial counsel's tactical decisions due deference. See Commonwealth v. Fisher, 433 Mass. 340 , 354 (2001), and cases cited. We have previously held that "[a]n attorney's tactical decision amounts to ineffective assistance of counsel only if it was manifestly unreasonable when made." Commonwealth v. Coonan, 428 Mass. 823 , 827 (1999), quoting Commonwealth v. Martin, 427 Mass. 816 , 822 (1998).
a. Withdrawal of a defense of lack of criminal responsibility. The defendant now claims, in essence, that he was denied a meaningful defense because trial counsel abandoned a McHoul defense. Commonwealth v. McHoul, 352 Mass. 544 (1967). [Note 9] In his opening statement, trial counsel conceded that the defendant killed the victims, [Note 10] but indicated that he was not criminally responsible. [Note 11] Trial counsel presented two expert witnesses in order to show that the defendant either was not responsible for
his actions or suffered from a diminished capacity at the time of the murders. The first witness, Dr. Chet Lesniak, was hired primarily to conduct a battery of neuropsychological tests on the defendant and to report the results to the other expert witness, Dr. Marc Whaley. Dr. Whaley was hired as the primary defense expert witness to use Dr. Lesniak's results to form an opinion whether the defendant was criminally responsible for the murders. Unfortunately for the defendant, his own expert witness opined that, although Dr. Lesniak's tests indicated a possible organic brain disorder, the defendant was not completely lacking in criminal responsibility.
Once it was determined by the defendant's own witness that he would not meet the two-pronged McHoul test, an alternative strategy for counsel was to pursue a claim of diminished capacity. Trial counsel attempted to show that the defendant had a diminished mental capacity at the time he stabbed the victims, thereby "render[ing] him unable either to form the specific intent to kill or to premeditate." Commonwealth v. Laurore, 437 Mass. 65 , 70 (2002). See Commonwealth v. Gould, 380 Mass. 672 , 683 (1980). While there is no diminished capacity defense in Massachusetts, the Gould case stands for the proposition that the defense may produce psychiatric evidence that would allow a jury to consider whether the defendant lacked the mental capacity to premeditate the killing. Id. See Commonwealth v. Hardy, 426 Mass. 725 , 730 (1998); Commonwealth v. Parker, 420 Mass. 242 , 245 n.3 (1995) (there is no "diminished capacity" defense in Commonwealth); Commonwealth v. Grey, 399 Mass. 469 , 470 n.2 (1987).
Moreover, malice is a necessary element of both murder in the first and second degrees, and "[m]alice is established by proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant specifically intended either to kill the alleged victim or to cause grievous bodily harm." Commonwealth v. Azar, 435 Mass. 675 , 681-682 (2002). Malice may also be inferred "if, in the circumstances known to the defendant, a reasonably prudent person would
have known that according to common experience there was a plain and strong likelihood that death would follow the contemplated act." Id. at 682, quoting Commonwealth v. Grey, supra at 470 n.1. These are commonly referred to as the three prongs of malice. See, e.g., Commonwealth v. Sirois, 437 Mass. 845 , 858 (2002). Only the first prong of malice, specific intent to kill, may satisfy murder in the first degree by deliberate premeditation. Commonwealth v. Simpson, 434 Mass. 570 , 588 (2001). Commonwealth v. Judge, 420 Mass. 433 , 441 (1995). While the first two prongs of malice have a specific intent requirement that may be negated by mental impairment, the third prong has a knowledge requirement that may also be negated by a defendant's mental impairment. See Commonwealth v. Hardy, 426 Mass. 725 , 730 (1998), citing Commonwealth v. Sires, 413 Mass. 292 , 299 (1992) (evidence of intent and knowledge relevant to whether murder was committed at all). [Note 12]
Trial counsel was therefore faced with a situation where he had experts that would testify toward a diminished capacity claim, but not lack of responsibility. His tactical decision to focus on diminished capacity was therefore logical and cannot be seen as depriving the defendant of an adequate defense. See, e.g., Commonwealth v. LaCava, 438 Mass. 708 , 716-718 (2003). The judge did instruct the jury on lack of responsibility as outlined by the McHoul case, as defense attempted to elicit lay witness testimony regarding the defendant's behavior in the days leading up to the murders. See Commonwealth v. Guadalupe, 401 Mass. 372 (1987) (expert testimony not required to raise insanity defense). Finally, as the judge found in denying the defendant's motion for a new trial, counsel's closing argument "did not constitute an abandonment of the insanity defense," however he did shift "the emphasis away from that defense, which was supported only by lay witness testimony, to the more promising one of inability to premeditate." Accordingly, we do not second guess this tactical decision of trial counsel, and find no substantial likelihood of a miscarriage of justice.
b. Failure to retain a sleep deprivation expert. The defendant now alleges that trial counsel was aware that the defendant had gone without sleep in the days leading up to the crime, and has submitted an affidavit from an expert on sleep disorders (Dr. John Christian Gillin) regarding the potential effects of sleep deprivation on the actions of the defendant. Based solely on information provided by appellate counsel, Dr. Gillin concluded that Dr. Whaley did not adequately consider sleep deprivation and thus rendered his analysis "substandard and unreliable."
Despite the fact that there was testimony from the defendant's mother regarding his lack of sleep preceding the murders, none of the experts retained by trial counsel recognized sleep deprivation as a viable tool that would help the defendant at trial. The judge found that counsel was not ineffective for "failing to recognize the defendant's lack of sleep as a critical issue," when his own experts did not do so. In fact, although it is not
clear whether a sleep deprivation theory was ever discussed with either Dr. Lesniak or Dr. Whaley, both experts had available to them the information regarding the defendant's behavior in the days before the murders. Additionally, the evidence of sleep deprivation was mainly derived from the defendant's own statement and his mother's testimony.
There was also evidence available to rebut the claim that the defendant suffered from sleep deprivation at the time of the murders. The videotape recording of the interrogation revealed the defendant was able to recount the killings in detail and clarity. A friend testified that he and the defendant lifted weights the morning of the killings and that the defendant appeared to be behaving normally. The defendant also appeared normal to the father of another friend immediately after the killings, as he sat and drank a glass of juice with him. [Note 13] It would therefore be a reasonable tactical strategy, even in hindsight, not to pursue this claim given the self-serving nature of the only evidence to support it. Coupled with his own experts' failure to raise a sleep deprivation issue, trial counsel was not ineffective for failing to pursue this defense, and the possibility of such a claim does not allow us to conclude that a substantial likelihood of a miscarriage of justice has resulted.
c. Failure to seek an opinion on criminal responsibility from Dr. Lesniak. The defendant also alleges that his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to elicit an expert opinion from Dr. Lesniak regarding his assessment of the defendant's criminal responsibility. Dr. Lesniak was hired by the defense on the advice of Dr. Whaley to assess the defendant's brain functioning through the interpretation of neuropsychological testing. Dr. Whaley was particularly interested in what the tests would reveal about the defendant's intellectual capacity, capacity to solve problems, and ability to control impulses. Dr. Whaley viewed Dr. Lesniak's role as limited, because he was not going to be provided with all of the information relevant to determine whether the defendant was criminally responsible at the time of
the killings. Dr. Whaley briefly discussed his ultimate findings with Dr. Lesniak, but never asked Dr. Lesniak his opinion on the final determination of criminal responsibility. The judge found that "it would not be common practice to do so." Although Dr. Lesniak was well aware of the nature of the case, he never volunteered any additional information or opinion on whether the defendant was criminally responsible. Dr. Lesniak now offers an affidavit that if he had been asked, he would have opined that the defendant was unable to conform his behavior to the requirements of the law as a result of his organic brain disorder and chronic affective disorder.
At the time of trial, Dr. Lesniak had never conducted a criminal responsibility examination, nor had he testified at a murder trial. We agree with the judge that given the limited scope of Dr. Lesniak's purpose for the defense, and given that Dr. Whaley was the primary defense expert on criminal responsibility, it was not a manifestly unreasonable decision for trial counsel not to review the ultimate finding of criminal responsibility with Dr. Lesniak. Thus, we agree with the motion judge that it is unnecessary to determine whether Dr. Lesniak even would have been qualified to issue such an opinion at trial.
d. Right to appear at trial in an unmedicated state.
Finally, the defendant claims that the blunting effect of his "daily pharmacological cocktail" denied him of his right to appear unmedicated in front of the jury. It is well established that the jury may consider the defendant's court room demeanor when the defendant's sanity is at issue at trial. See Commonwealth v. Smiledge, 419 Mass. 156 , 160 (1994); Commonwealth v. Louraine, 390 Mass. 28 , 34 (1983). The rationale is that, if "the defendant appears calm and controlled at trial, the jury may well discount any testimony that the defendant lacked, at the time of the crime, substantial capacity either to appreciate the wrongfulness of his conduct or to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law." Commonwealth v. Louraine, supra at 34-35. That right, however, is not unrestricted, and should be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. See Commonwealth v. Gurney, 413 Mass. 97 , 103 (1992). In some cases, the defendant's demeanor in an unmedicated state may not be relevant. Id.
In this case, the judge found that the defendant was treated for depression and anxiety, with medications that did not have the drastic effect of undermining his defense of lack of criminal responsibility. Furthermore, the defendant requested and voluntarily took the medication to combat depression and sleeplessness. [Note 14] We take into account trial counsel's testimony at the hearing on the motion for a new trial that he never discussed the option of the defendant's appearing unmedicated at trial; we do not find this to be a manifestly unreasonable action by trial counsel.
C. G. L. c. 278, § 33E, review.
After a review of the entire record, we conclude the verdicts of murder in the first degree are supported by the evidence. We therefore decline to order a new trial or reduce the defendant's degree of guilt.
Judgments affirmed.
Order denying motion for a new trial affirmed.
[Note 1] In November or December of 1995, the defendant hit the then-pregnant victim across the face during an argument. In June of 1996, he told her that if she left, he would kill her. Two weeks before the murders, the victim telephoned a friend and asked for a ride. The defendant grabbed the telephone and told the friend that if she came over to give the victim a ride, he would "fuck [her] up." Later, he told the same young woman that sometimes he felt like killing the victim. Finally, on July 5, the defendant became angry when the victim wore a bikini.
[Note 2] The defendant later confessed that he stabbed the baby because he did not want him to grow up in foster care without his parents.
[Note 3] According to the defendant, he made his way to the roof of a building that would allow him access to a radio tower. His plan was to climb the tower and then jump off. He could not, however, bring himself to do it.
[Note 4] At the hearing on the defendant's motion to suppress, Detective Souza testified that he had questioned and arrested the defendant on previous occasions, and that the defendant had indicated to Lieutenant Joseph that he would feel more comfortable speaking with Detective Souza, given their past contact.
[Note 5] In making this finding, the judge relied on a videotape of the booking procedure that came to light just before trial. In making the rest of his findings, the judge heard testimony from Detective Souza and other officers, and scrutinized the videotape of the interrogation.
[Note 6] The defendant previously had been arrested by Detective Souza, thus further indicating his knowledge of the Miranda warnings from at least one other occasion. See note 4, supra.
[Note 7] Neuropsychological testing by the defense expert demonstrated that the defendant's I.Q. fell in the low average range, while on previous occasions the defendant had tested in the average range. On cross-examination, the defense expert conceded that depression could decrease an individual's I.Q score on the standardized test.
[Note 8] There is no substantial evidence presented that the defendant and Detective Souza had any relationship other than that of a police officer and suspect.
[Note 9] Commonwealth v. McHoul, 352 Mass. 544 , 546-547 (1967), states that in order to constitute a defense, the defendant must have had a mental disease or defect that deprived him of the substantial capacity to appreciate the criminality of his actions or conform his conduct to the requirements of law.
[Note 10] Trial counsel had no choice. In addition to the confession, there would be undeniable evidence presented that the defendant killed the victims; his own mother was going to testify that she walked into the room and saw the defendant stabbing the defenseless victim.
[Note 11] The defendant suggests that, because trial counsel knew prior to trial that his expert witness would not be able to render testimony concerning lack of criminal responsibility, it was improper to allude to such a claim during his opening argument. The opening statement was proper, as sufficient evidence was presented by lay and expert witnesses regarding the defendant's sanity and ability to premeditate to warrant counsel's tactical decision.
[Note 12] In his brief, the defendant claims that trial counsel's diminished capacity strategy provided no defense to murder in the second degree. Because the jury convicted him of murder in the first degree by both premeditation and extreme cruelty and atrocity, the merit of this argument is largely irrelevant, as the jury's finding of premeditated murder in the first degree demonstrates that they believed that the defendant had the specific intent to kill. This court has previously stated, however, that a defendant's mental impairment is relevant to intent and knowledge. See Commonwealth v. Sires, 413 Mass. 292 , 299 (1992); Commonwealth v. Sama, 411 Mass. 293 , 297-298 (1991) (evidence of intoxication bears on knowledge requirement of third prong of malice). Thus trial counsel's strategy to focus on the defendant's mental impairment did not concede his guilt of murder in the second degree.
Under G. L. c. 278, § 33E, we review the entire record, and it is appropriate to mention parts of the judge's jury instructions. The judge did not repeat his proper instruction regarding mental impairment in conjunction with his charge on murder in the second degree and merely summarized the elements of the three prongs of malice. There was no substantial likelihood of a miscarriage of justice, especially where the jury convicted the defendant of murder in the first degree. Finally, the judge instructed the jury on the first two prongs of malice during his charge on deliberate premeditation. This is error, as only a finding of the first prong of malice may warrant a return of premeditated murder in the first degree. Commonwealth v. Simpson, 434 Mass. 570 , 588 (2001). We have consistently held, however, that this error may be cured by a proper instruction on premeditation "insofar as it emphasized that the jury must specifically find an 'intent to kill' in order for them to convict." Commonwealth v. LaCava, 438 Mass. 708 , 717 n.9 (2003). The judge did in fact instruct the jury regarding premeditation, that the defendant must have made a "decision to kill," and have had a "resolution to kill." Therefore, "the erroneous malice instruction . . . raises no substantial likelihood of a miscarriage of justice." Commonwealth v. Daye, 435 Mass. 463 , 478 (2001), and cases cited.
[Note 13] Although none of these facts forecloses the applicability of a sleep expert's testimony on the effects of sleep deprivation, we must review trial counsel's decision on the facts available at the time of the trial. Cf. Commonwealth v. Johnson, 374 Mass. 453 , 465 (1978).
[Note 14] The doctor's instructions were for administration of the medication as needed. The defendant testified at the hearing on the motion for a new trial that the medication was usually brought to him, he never refused it, and if it was not brought to him, he would request it.


If WaterNow Alliance's 2nd Water Summit is any indication – interest in sustainable water strategies among water leaders is strong and growing. Fostering Resilience: Leading on Sustainability was held at the Orange County Water District (OCWD) October 25-26, in collaboration with the Mayors Innovation Project (MIP), a learning network among mayors nationwide committed to high road sustainability policies, among other objectives. We could not have asked for better partners than OCWD and MIP. OCWD is on the cutting edge of sustainable groundwater management and MIP works with innovative mayors from across the country, allowing us to reach a broader national audience of water leaders – over 75 leaders attended the Summit representing 15 states from across the nation.
The specific purpose of this Summit was to explore opportunities for thinking synergistically about water solutions across municipal priorities. Often referred to as the "One Water" approach, the concept is to examine options for treating water from all sources — whether drinking water, stormwater, groundwater or recycled water — as a fully integrated resource and explore new opportunities for broader community benefits. The objectives of Fostering Resilience were to engage and empower water leaders to look more seriously at sustainable water approaches and potential applications for One Water solutions in their own communities, as well as to highlight opportunities for potential collective action.
We were very fortunate to have several inspiring keynote speakers, including former Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, who told the compelling and inspiring story of his city's success and innovative water management. Tucson City Councilmember Paul Cunningham and Inland Empire Utilities Agency's Martha Davis brought One Water to life, showing how water providers are increasingly finding it critically important and valuable to think about water at all points in the water cycle and how communities like Tucson are leading the way in deploying these sustainable strategies at scale.
Fostering Resilience brought together an extraordinary group of presentations and discussions – from LA's Adel Hagekhalil presenting on the City's extraordinary track record of stormwater recapture projects, to De'Sean Quinn outlining King County, Washington's 14 Determinants of Equity as they relate to water, to EPA's Jim Gebhardt on the federal alphabet soup (WIFIA! SRF!) that can unlock meaningful financial opportunities at the local level.
We'll be providing blogs detailing these sessions over the next few days, following up on all the incredible momentum we feel and are already looking ahead to our next summit in the Denver Metro area this Spring.
Check out our photo album here.
Special thanks to our collaborating partners the National League of Cities, American Rivers, the Local Government Commission and our corporate sponsors Rachio and Cascadia Consulting.
Cynthia Koehler is Executive Director and Co-Founder of WaterNow Alliance.


text:
require_relative '../../spec_helper'

describe "ENV.rassoc" do
  before :each do
    @foo = ENV["foo"]
    @baz = ENV["baz"]
  end

  after :each do
    ENV["foo"] = @foo
    ENV["baz"] = @baz
  end

  it "returns an array of the key and value of the environment variable with the given value" do
    ENV["foo"] = "bar"
    ENV.rassoc("bar").should == ["foo", "bar"]
  end

  it "returns a single array even if there are multiple such environment variables" do
    ENV["foo"] = "bar"
    ENV["baz"] = "bar"
    [
        ["foo", "bar"],
        ["baz", "bar"],
    ].should include(ENV.rassoc("bar"))
  end

  it "returns nil if no environment variable with the given value exists" do
    ENV.rassoc("bar").should == nil
  end

  it "returns the value element coerced with #to_str" do
    ENV["foo"] = "bar"
    v = mock('value')
    v.should_receive(:to_str).and_return("bar")
    ENV.rassoc(v).should == ["foo", "bar"]
  end

  it "returns nil if the argument is not a String and does not respond to #to_str" do
    ENV.rassoc(Object.new).should == nil
  end
end


text:
var async = require('async');

module.exports = function(req, res) {
	var where = {};
	var filters = req.query.filters;
	if (filters && typeof filters === 'string') {
		try { filters = JSON.parse(req.query.filters); }
		catch(e) { } // eslint-disable-line no-empty
	}
	if (typeof filters === 'object') {
		req.list.addFiltersToQuery(filters, where);
	}
	if (req.query.search) {
		req.list.addSearchToQuery(req.query.search, where);
	}
	var query = req.list.model.find(where);
	if (req.query.populate) {
		query.populate(req.query.populate);
	}
	if (req.query.expandRelationshipFields && req.query.expandRelationshipFields !== 'false') {
		req.list.relationshipFields.forEach(function(i) {
			query.populate(i.path);
		});
	}
	var sort = req.list.expandSort(req.query.sort);
	async.series({
		count: function(next) {
			query.count(next);
		},
		items: function(next) {
			query.find();
			query.limit(Number(req.query.limit) || 100);
			query.skip(Number(req.query.skip) || 0);
			query.sort(sort.string);
			query.exec(next);
		}
	}, function(err, results) {
		if (err) {
			res.logError('admin/server/api/list/get', 'database error finding items', err);
			return res.apiError('database error', err);
		}
		return res.json({
			results: results.items.map(function (item) {
				return req.list.getData(item, req.query.select, req.query.expandRelationshipFields);
			}),
			count: results.count
		});
	});
};


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#104608919 - child is fishing. Summer vacation of little boy fishing on river.


Erica is a minimal and beautiful military boot designed by ATP Atelier.
Erica is a flat, black ankle boot with laces by ATP Atelier. It is a kind of military boot but finer, simple and clean. ATP Atelier also adds a playful feature to Erica with its contrast white laces. Erica brings a replacement pair of black laces too for a total black outfit. It has also a zip on the inside of the feet so the boot is easier and quicker to put and remove. It also has a small white pull flap on the back inner side of the boot. The toe is rounded and the 10mm thick rubber sole can be seen all around the boot. The sole employed for Erica is an Italian rubber sole called Vibram. These are traditionally used for climbing boots but now they have stepped into the world of fashion. The best thing of these rubber Vibram soles is that they are non-slippery, with high resistance to abrasion and they protect from cold and humidity. The leather employed in Erica is Italian, vegetable tanned vacchetta. This is the signature leather employed in ATP Atelier. It is just beautiful. It doesn't remain pristine and sleek but rather ages beautifully over time. Also its production process is more sustainable that the chemical tanned. The fit of Erica feels comfortable, it is a boot for the everyday batles. It looks great with skinny trousers or miniskirt.
This style feets true to size. We recommend to take your regular size.