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Sermon begins at 17:55
A sermon on the Magnificat given on December 12, 2021 at First Presbyterian Church.
If our dear friend Rev. Anderson Porter has taught me one thing, it's this: It is perfectly acceptable to sing in the pulpit.
So here it goes:
I wouldn't let my dear savior in
Praise the Lord, I saw the light
If you recognize that song, you'll likely know that it was written and performed by Hank Williams Sr., an American singer songwriter and country music phenom that died in 1953 at the age of 29. If you were to peak at the autopsy report, you would find his death attributed his to "heart complications." But, if you are a fan of country music, or you know the back story, you would know that Hank Williams led what was considered to be a "rowdy" lifestyle. Williams was a famously heavy drinker. He also struggled with an ongoing dependency on a variety of powerful sedatives. These sedatives, including morphine and a drug called chloral hydrate were known to be lethal when combined with the use of alcohol. A period of consistent abuse of these substances eventually comprised Hank Williams Sr's health enough to lead to his death in the back of his car on the way to a show in Canton, Ohio.
Knowing this little bit about Hank Williams Sr's life and death puts his son's song in a bit of context. Hank Williams Jr wrote the 1979 hit "Family Tradition" as an unapologetic response to criticism he was receiving at the time in regard to his conduct both on and off the stage. In the third and final verse of the song, Williams sings:
Lordy, I have loved some ladies
And I have loved Jim Beam
And they both tried to kill me in 1973
When that doctor asked me
"Son, how did you get in this condition?"
I said, "Hey, Sawbones
I'm just carrying on an ole family tradition"
The Williams' story illustrates the dark side of generational inheritance. In their case, it was literally true that the "sins of the father were the sins of the son."
On the other side of the coin, our passage for today demonstrates the good, the beautiful, and even the prophetic ways a "family tradition" can be handed down from generation to generation.
My wife April and I recently purchased our first home and once we had unloaded the truck and put a few things away, I was about to walk back downstairs when I took a quick break and sat at the top of the stairs. It was late September at the time, but memories and visions of Christmas morning started rushing through my mind. I could remember my childhood staircase and waiting until 7:00 before we were allowed to go and see what Santa had brought us. And while I was sitting on those. Stairs, I could also my own daughter waiting on those very stairs in anxious anticipation of the holy day's festivities.
When I've shared that memory with other people, I've gotten a knowing look, like they too can imagine their own stairs or their own special Christmas morning memories. Somehow memories like that get handed down and the feelings that come with the Christmas season exist in some kind of shared cultural space.
What I think we miss about Jesus is that he too, was a part of family traditions and existed in a time, a place, and a people with their own distinct cultural memories. And that's why this morning, I want to situate The Magnificat, this song of Mary that we just read, as an artifact of this "Family Tradition." Because, this song of Mary isn't entirely original and it isn't unprecedented, and it isn't anything really "new" as far as themes and ideas.
Mary is, as they say, standing on the shoulders of giants when she authors this song that is both soaring in its celebration and achingly prophetic in its longing.
This year's Confirmation class has been meeting over the last couple months and we're discussing topics like God, Faith, Jesus, the Church, and many of the big themes of what it means to live a life of faith. These are eighth and nineth grade students who will have the option at end of the program to join the church as members. One of the themes we've continued to hold up deals with how we read the Bible. The sentence that I like to use is, "We stand in a tradition that has circled around the stories in Scripture to help make sense of life and our encounters with the Divine."
The idea being that part of what it means to claim a Christian identity is to wrestle with the witness of Scripture in community with others as a way of coming to know the God of Love.
I emphasize that because it is so easy to treat the Bible as a finished product that Christians get handed and then try to blindly follow. And everything you need to know is contained withing its pages. But, it makes much more sense to recognize that these people in Scripture, 3500, 2500, 2000 years ago were doing exactly what we're doing today. They were inheritors of a tradition, trying to lead a faithful life in their own specific contexts. For lack of a better phrase, they were "just carrying on the family tradition."
SCRIPTURE TIME
So, I want to dig into that "family tradition," that lineage. What was it that Mary inherited? Where did she find herself? And what led her to pen this remarkable song? What we see with Mary is that, for her, tradition wasn't just tending to cold ashes, but it was the active process of keeping the fire alive. It's going to take a little bit of Bible work, but it helps to read this text next to other writers and faithful tradition bearers in order to see the fire that Mary was keeping alive.
Starting in Exodus 3, we find the foundational story for how the Hebrew people would have understood themselves and their history. This story comes up over and over as an anchor to orient the Jewish people to who they are. When Moses is standing in front of the burning bush, God says,
"I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them."
The God of the Jewish people is a God who listens, who pays attention to the cry of the oppressed. God hears of their suffering, cares deeply about them, and is moved to act on their behalf.
And this isn't a one-time thing.
The Psalmist writes in Psalm 146:
5 Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith forever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the strangers;
he upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
Later, the prophets like Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah, have visions of God that are very similar. Isaiah, reporting God's instructions to the Israelites says this,
"16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your doings
from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
17 learn to do good;
seek justice,
rescue the oppressed,
defend the orphan,
plead for the widow.
Mary isn't even the first woman to sing songs like this. Miriam, Moses' sister, sings of God's liberating justice and Hannah, the prophet Samuel's mom sings this in 1 Samuel:
8 He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.[c]
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's,
and on them he has set the world.
I bring up these passages not to "prove" anything but to draw out the stream that Mary was standing in when she poured her heart into this song. Underlying all of these passages, including our text for today, is a vision of God that cares deeply for the poor, the oppressed, the dispossessed.
It can't be surprising that Jesus picked up exactly where his mom and his tradition left off. When Jesus says, "the last shall be first and the first shall be last," he isn't inventing a new way of seeing the world. He's just carrying on the "family tradition."
When Jesus gave us Matthew 25 and explained that mystical insight where we find "the least of these" is the very place where we see God.
When Jesus announced in Luke 4, quoting another passage from Isaiah,
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
So often, we imagine Jesus delivered from Heaven as if by magic and we forget that he was shaped and formed and brought up inside a community that already had messianic yearnings and in a family that clung to this prophetic stream that dated back to the founding of the Israelite people.
When we sing, "The babe, the Son of Mary," we're proclaiming more than just a genealogy, but we're singing about this prophetic stream that had been flowing for hundreds, if not, thousands of years before Mary and we find ourselves still standing in it today because of faithful women and men like Mary. We stand in this lineage of "love warriors" as Cornel West call them that spoke truth to power and stood in solidarity with the power-less.
So, situated in this legacy of "love warriors", let's zoom in a bit on the actual song that Mary sings. She begins, like so many before and so many after, by celebrating, being thankful, rejoicing in the action and the love of God. She sings of God's mercy, her own blessing, and then moves to God's strength.
The next part of the song contains the challenging, maybe even affronting, lines. We read about scattering the proud, bringing down the powerful, and sending away the rich. These aren't the themes that get carried into warm, cozy, family-oriented holiday commercials. Target doesn't run Christmas ads featuring the new sweater line but with the subtext that the rich can't shop here. And we won't hear national politicians or chair people of large corporations giving up their authority or seats because of their holiday observances.
No, this part of the Magnificat seems easier to conveniently "forget." It would certainly be easier to forget if it wasn't for that pesky tradition that it comes out of. A deep part of Mary's religious upbringing and her community's theological reflection is centered on this very idea that God opposes the proud, the powerful, and the rich and stands with the humbled, the weak, and the poor.
This is indeed a difficult idea to wrap our heads around, especially for middle- to upper class white folks in the richest country in the world. It's interesting, and helpful, to note that Mary didn't exactly find herself in our position when she was became pregnant.
Mary had what the theologian Sallie McFague calls "wild space." Wild space is the areas in our lives that don't match the societal ideal. For example, society still values men and their contributions over and above that of women. So, women can see the world a bit differently because they've experienced this "wild space" where their identity isn't rewarded. It works much the same way for racial and ethnic minorities. All of these areas do seem to be shifting, too slowly, but ask any woman or person of color and they will have examples and stories where their place in the world was impacted by their gender, skin color, or racial background. This also happens along class lines and specifically with the poor. There are resources and social circles available to those with wealth that simply aren't there for those in the midst of poverty.
Mary had an abundance of this wild space. She didn't see the world from Ceasar's palace but from the perspective of a poor, small-town, ethnic minority girl who got pregnant before she was married.
For Mary, the lifting up of the lowly, the filling of the hungry wasn't just a good idea for "those people" over there. This was a deeply personal for her. If, and when God chose to act and to look with favor on this lowly servant would mean dramatic change in Mary's life, not just some third party somewhere else.
Mary wasn't okay with the status quo and longed for massive shifts in power, wealth, and influence because she witnessed first-hand the injustices and the broken ways we relate to one another.
This was exactly the hope of the Hebrew slaves in Egypt. This was the hope of the exiled Jewish people in Babylon. And this was the hope of Mary, the Jewish girl under Roman occupation. If we ask ourselves who the global super powers are today and which groups are and are not being served by their authority and dominance, we might get a peek into what God might be up to today.
Focusing in on this redistribution of power and wealth can appear very political and I'll admit that it can feel uncomfortable to speak of such things in church or in even in public for that matter. One mistake is to keep it in the political realm. Yes, Mary's vision of God is particularly political, but it's grounded in a tradition that knows God to be the one who hears the cry of those at the bottom of our social, political, and economic hierarchies.
We encounter this idea again in the story of the Good Samaritan. The story centers a man who has been beaten, robbed, and left for dead. Several religious leaders of the day simply go on with their business because life seems to be working for them and they likely have important jobs to perform. But a Samaritan, a person with "wild space," like Mary, "looks upon the lowly," and offers to lift him up, and to fill his hungry belly.
Jesus tells us this story to invite and call and compel us not to look away. God isn't mentioned specifically anywhere in the story, but it's clear from a comparison with Mary's song which character is acting out the work, the kingdom of God in the world. I heard a quote on a podcast this week that summarizes nicely what we've been talking about so far, Theologian Chase Tibbs said this, "Christianity compels me to give my life for the well-being of the beloved Creation. In the midst of the forces of death and in light of mass suffering and misery, my faith says that I can't walk on the other side of the road. We are asked as Christians to pick up these crosses together."
And that last line is what I want to focus on as we wrap this up. It is a mistake to imagine that we need to shoulder the weight of this vision of God by ourselves. Mary and Jesus and the Prophets are giant figures to live in the shadow of. Their courage and bravery and compassion seems otherworldly when we read their stories.
It's easy to get into a sort of individualized, moralistic frame where the pressure to live up to these figures is daunting. But this is not meant to cultivate self-judgement and a kind of hopelessness. The good news is that we're not supposed to carry this vision ourselves.
This is precisely where its helpful to remember that we find ourselves in a tradition and in a community that has been articulating and embodying this vision of God for millennia before us.
A few months ago, we held our annual golf outing and this outing functions a fund raiser for the youth program here at First Pres. After the round of golf we gather back at the clubhouse for a meal, prize giveaways, and a chance to talk about and highlight parts of our youth program.
As I was thinking about what I was going to say, it struck me as a bit ironic and funny that I, the person who had been the youth director for 6 weeks at that point was going to describe the youth program to a room full of former volunteers, parents of students who graduated through the program, and people who have been members of First Pres longer than I have been alive. So, I decided to give a day-in-the-life picture of what I did one Sunday.
That Sunday started with Confirmation at 9:00 a.m. After an ice breaker question and some donuts, I asked the question "Who do know, or who have you seen that you would describe as a spiritual person?" One of the girls started talking about her grandfather and how at every beach trip, he prioritizes his first swim and his last swim. Greeting the water and feeling the sense of being caught up in something bigger than himself and saying goodbye with deep gratitude for his life the beauty he saw in the world.
We moved on to another question, and I asked about who they see in the world that needs liberation, freedom, release (riffing on Luke 4 which we mentioned earlier). One eighth grade boy said in a sweet innocent way, "I think LGBTQ people need to know that they're loved."
And later that day, in the afternoon, we had a special guest at youth group. Elgin Bailey who I recently had a conversation with up here joined us to talk about his work with Friends Association and his activism in the community. After a little while I opened the floor for the students to ask him their questions. And several questions in, a sixth grade boy with the most tender heart asked Elgin how he makes sense of the times when he sees people in such unfair situations. Where is God in that?
Obviously, we didn't solve the problem that night, but we held space for the question. We acknowledged this students' heartache over injustice and unfairness and affirmed that we feel that way too. And we looked each other in the eye and acknowledged that there's work to do.
And that's what we do. We do that as a youth group. We do that as a church. We do that as people trying to collectively keep the fire of love and justice burning evermore brightly in the world.
We hold space for the big questions, for the existential weight that comes with being human. We look beauty in the face and thank God for the goodness, love, truth, hope we experience. We look around us for the people left for dead on the side of the road. And we look back to the folks who have wrestled with these very same things. We look back to the tradition Paul and Jesus and Mary and Hannah and the Prophets and the Exodus. We look back to that first experience when the people of God recognized that God is one who hears the cry of the oppressed and acts on their behalf.
We are not left alone to wander in the wilderness of injustice. This is a group project where we're joined by a great cloud of witnesses. Psalm 1 gives the image of a tree firmly planted near streams of running water. Our roots run deep. Our streams are full. Our family tradition is long and it reaches back millennia. The song that Mary sang; expectant, full of dreams and hope, still finds its way into space, and places, and hearts that long for justice.
The theologian Ivone Gebara writes that "Mary is the inheritor and the renewer of a nation's hope." May we take the inheritance we receive from Mary and renew that hope in our time.


Advertising needs to be emotionally absorbing. Otherwise, it's irrelevant, stale and ineffective. The mind is geared to filter out stimuli, requiring emotion to achieve breakthrough. How big is the challenge of trying to secure the awareness – let alone the enduring emotional engagement – of consumers? Huge, of course. People are awash in information and glad to tune out what they don't need, which is why it is increasingly difficult to create a successful ad.
It may surprise you to learn that outdoor and digital out of home are booming.
In need of business cards and postcards, I searched for a local print shop on Yelp and quickly realized they were few and far between.
The last decade has seen sharp declines in traditional print-based media including magazines and newspapers.
Doritos' hugely successful "Crash the Super Bowl" ad campaign that ran for 10 Super Bowls probably contributed to sleepless nights for many advertising executives who feared for their jobs.


Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur invites prescribed applications from eligible Indian Nationals for recruitment of following faculty positions in various departments. The last date for receipt of application is 3rd August 2017.
Vacancy Departments: Civil, Applied Mechanics, Electrical, Electronics & Communication, Computer Science and Engineering, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Mining, Mathematics, Humanities, Architecture and Planning, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Physics, Chemistry, Centre for VLSI & Nanotechnology departments.
Application in the prescribed application format. The duly completed application form along with the enclosures to The Registrar, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, South Ambazari Road, Nagpur-440010, Maharashtra, India sent by speed/ registered post. (In addition, applicants from abroad are advised to submit a scanned copy of filled in application to e-mail: deanadm@vnit.ac.in). The postal cover superscribed as "APPLICATION FOR THE POST OF ________ DEPARTMENT ________. The last date for receipt of applications is 03/08/2017 up to 5:00 PM.
Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) (Institute of National Importance), Nagpur invites applications in the prescribed format from eligible Indian Nationals possessing consistently good academic record, with commitment to quality teaching and potential for conduct of research, for recruitment of following Faculty positions. The last date for receipt of applications is 15th November 2016.
(1) Department of Civil, Applied Mechanics, Electrical, Electronics & Communication, Computer Science and Engineering, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Mining, Architecture and Planning, Mathematics and Humanities.
(2) Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Physics, Chemistry, Centre for VLSI & Nanotechnology departments.
Minimum Qualification: First Class Post Graduate and Ph.D in concerned Discipline.
How to Apply: The duly completed application form along with the enclosures to be sent by speed/ registered post to The Registrar, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, South Ambazari Road, Nagpur-440010, Maharashtra, India. In addition, applicants from abroad are advised to submit a scanned copy of filled in application to e-mail: deanadm@vnit.ac.in. The last date for receipt of applications is 15/11/2016. The envelope containing the application be super scribed as "APPLICATION FOR THE POST OF ________ DEPARTMENT ________.
Applications are invited from motivated and eligible candidates to work on contract as Junior Research Fellow (JRF) under the DST-SERB sponsored research project titled "Big Video Data Analytics for Surveillance and Security of Bank ATMs in a Smart City" in the Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur. The assignment will be initially for the period of one year and extendable up to three years (solely based on satisfactory performance).
The assignment will be initially for one year which is extendable (solely based on satisfactory performance) up to 3 years/completion of the project, whichever is earlier.
Stipend: ₹ 25000/- pm (consolidated). For eligibility, deadline for sending applications and other terms and conditions, please see the attachment or visit www.vnit.ac.in. The decision of the Director, VNIT Nagpur will be final in all respect.
(2) B.Tech./ B.E. degree in Computer Science and Engineering/ Information Technology/ Electrical and Electronics Engineering/or in equivalent streams with a GATE score.
How to Apply: Interested candidates are requested to submit a detailed CV (highlighting the exposure they have in the desired areas) by post and/or email to the below address latest by 04/11/2016. Complete information with regard to GATE score such as: year of passing, discipline, score, marks. All India Rank and number of candidates appeared should be mentioned in the CV.


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USS Navajo (for Poser)
• Created By: theschell
• Uploaded on: 12/21/15
The Cherokee class, originally known as the Navajo class, was a class of Fleet Tugs built for the United States Navy prior to the start of World War II. They represented a radical departure from previous ocean-going tug designs, and were far more capable of extended open ocean travel than their predecessors. This was due in large part to their 205 feet (62 m) length, 38 feet (12 m) beam, and substantial fuel-carrying capacity. They were also the first large surface vessels in the US Navy to be equipped with diesel/electric drive.
USS Navajo (AT-64) was the lead ship of her class. She was named for the Navajo people. Navajo was laid down by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Staten Island, New York, on 12 December 1938; launched on 17 August 1939; sponsored by Miss Olive Rasmussen; and commissioned on 26 January 1940, Lt. Comdr. M. E. Thomas in command.
Following the loss of the first two ships of the class, Navajo and Seminole, the class was renamed from its original name of Navajo-class to Cherokee-class.
The Navajo was en route to San Diego from Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, and was 12 miles outside the Pearl Harbor entrance when the attack occurred. She immediately reversed course once news broke of the attack, and became a critical element of salvage and rescue operations there, as did her sister ship Seminole, in the days following.
Navajo then operated in the South Pacific until 12 December 1942 when she was torpedoed and sunk by the Japanese submarine I-39 while towing gasoline barge YOG-42 150 miles east of Espiritu Santo, 12 December 1943 with the loss of all but 17 of her crew of 80. She earned 2 battle stars for her WWII service.
For more on the U.S.S Navajo please go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Navajo_%28AT-64%29
Included are the main USS Navajo figure, and 3 smart-propped versions of the Anchors (all anchors up, single anchor lowered, and all anchors lowered). Optionally the Anchors may be left out for replacement by other props (such as the available "easy pose" chains and extra items of that nature available from many sources)...
Pose-able features include: working Rudder and Propellers, Main and Secondary Gun Turrets that can rotate with Barrels that can elevate independently, working Deck Crane, and functioning Spot-lights.
U.S.S Arizona
U.S.S Nevada (BB-36)
USS Maryland BB-46
USS Tennessee BB-43
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


On 18 July the State Duma passed a package of governmental draft bills on the so-called "tax manoeuvre" in the oil sector, in a crucial second reading.
This tax reform envisages a gradual abolition of the export duties on crude oil and petroleum products within the period from 1 January 2019 to 1 January 2025. The rate of export duties on crude oil and petroleum products will be gradually reduced from 30% to 0%, within this period. The rate of natural exploration tax will in parallel increase, in the same proportion, over the next six years.
The tax reform is intended to generate additional budget revenues estimated to reach 80 billion roubles in 2019 and then increase at the rate of 75-79 billion roubles a year peaking at 470 billion roubles in 2024. Additional budget revenues from the reform are projected to total 1.6 trillion roubles, for the whole six-year period. Belarus is concerned that the tax reform in Russia will increase Russia's domestic prices for crude oil by up to 50%, which will have a negative impact on Belarus.


European Standards (EN) foster trade and welfare inside as well as outside the European Economic Area contributing to the removal of Technical Barriers to Trade (TBTs).
That is why, we, as a European regional standardization body, have always been open to cooperation/collaboration with other standardization bodies worldwide.
At international level, we signed in 2016 the 'Frankfurt agreement' with IEC, formalizing our strong cooperation with them. We recognize the important role played by the international standards, being strongly committed to the IEC principles.
At regional and national level, we cooperate with other regional standardization bodies as well as with third country National Committees (NCs). Depending on their links with Europe and their interest in European Standardization, we offer different forms of cooperation.


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Public Health Library and Information Center training
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.), Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services., Epidemiology and Analysis Program Office., Division of Library Sciences & Services.	. CDC Public Health Library and Information Center	.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.), Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services., Epidemiology and Analysis Program Office., Division of Library Sciences & Services.	. CDC Public Health Library and Information Center	Less ▲
Libraries/United States
Public Health/United States
"The PHLIC will provide the following courses in 2012. For specific dates, please visit CDC University's School of Public Health Science, Research, and Medicine (http://intranet.cdc.gov/od/hcmo/CDCU/calendar/schoolcalendar.shtml#sophsrm)."
urn:sha256:ab1fb12367e35e7e0c6baef701e99cf1fee258d75cfff08588da5ed88688602c
Public Libraries As Partners for Health
Whiteman, Eliza D.; Dupuis, Roxanne; Morgan, Anna U.; D'Alonzo, Bernadette; Epstein, Caleb; Klusaritz, Heather; Cannuscio, Carolyn C.;
Introduction : Public libraries are free and accessible to all and are centers of community engagement and education, making them logical choices as partners for improving population health. Library staff members routinely assist patrons with unmet h...
Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services : our services. our work. our impact
Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services (U.S.). Division of Laboratory Systems.
CSELS was established at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in October 2013, although the roots of our center are as old as CDC itself. CSELS tracks America's health, strengthens laboratory networks, and helps to identify the most...
Updates from the field…protecting health and building capacity globally ; issue 3, Summer 2011
Center for Global Health (U.S.). Division of Global Health Protection.
Healthcare provider reminder systems, provider education, and patient education : working with healthcare delivery systems to improve the delivery of tobacco-use treatment to patients : an action guide
Partnership for Prevention (Organization). National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (U.S.). Division of Adult and Community Health. Steps Program..
Community health promotion handbook
April 2008 (Updated April 2009) : An Action Guide which describes the process of implementing tobacco dependence treatment within health care systems by developing systems change strategies including provider reminder systems, provider education and ...
Ebola concept of operations (ConOps) planning template
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.). Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response. Division of State and Local Readiness.. United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. Office of Emergency Management. Hospital Preparedness Program..
This Planning Template provides a standard format for creating an Ebola Concept of Operations (ConOps) plan at the state, territorial, or major metropolitan area government level. It provides information on measures local governments, agencies, and o...


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Number of Americans who used ecstasy (MDMA) in the past year 2009-2019
Published by John Elflein, Sep 22, 2020
This statistic shows the number of people in the U.S. who have used MDMA, or ecstasy, in the past year from 2009 to 2019. It was found that in 2019 approximately 2.54 million people had used MDMA in the past year.
Number of people in the U.S. who used ecstasy (MDMA) in the past year from 2009 to 2019 (in 1,000)
Number of people in thousands
base: around 70,000
Figures from 2014 to 2017 were taken from the previous year's report.
Figures from 2009 to 2013 were taken from the 2015 National Drug Threat Assessment Summary.
* Not comparable due to methodological changes.
U.S. population with usage of prescription drugs by age 1988-2016
Lifetime prevalence of drug use within grades 8, 10 and 12 in the U.S. 1991-2019
Lifetime prevalence of hashish use within grades 8, 10 and 12 in the U.S. 1991-2019
Lifetime prevalence of cocaine use within grades 8, 10 and 12 in the U.S. 1991-2019
John Elflein
Research expert covering health and health care
Statistics on "Drug use in the U.S."
Global use of illegal and legal drug types as of 2017
Global population share of illicit drug use by drug 2018
Illegal drug users - Global prevalence 1990-2018
Global lifetime drug use of select types of drugs as of 2017
Number of illicit drug users worldwide by drug 2010-2018
Global drug users seeking emergency medical treatment for select drug use as of 2017
Number of U.S. Americans who used illicit drugs in their lifetime 2019, by drug type
Number of Americans who used illicit drugs in past year 2019, by drug type
Number of Americans who used marijuana in their lifetime 2009-2019
Number of Americans who used ecstasy in their lifetime 2009-2019
Number of Americans who used cocaine in their lifetime 2009-2019
Number of Americans who used crack in their lifetime 2009-2019
Number of Americans who used methamphetamine in their lifetime 2009-2019
Number of Americans who used heroin in their lifetime 2009-2019
U.S. students who have used hallucinogenic drugs 2017
U.S. students who have used cocaine at least once 2019
30-day prevalence of drug use within grades 8, 10 and 12 in the U.S. 1991-2019
Availability of LSD as perceived by U.S. 12th graders 1975-2019
Availability of cocaine as perceived by U.S. 12th graders 1975-2019
Drug overdose death rate U.S. 2018, by state
Number of U.S. drug overdose deaths in 2018, by state
U.S. drug overdose deaths number from 1999 to 2018, by gender
Number of U.S. drug overdose deaths 2015-2017, by age
U.S. drug overdose deaths among those aged 15 to 24 years from 1999 to 2017
Number of U.S. drug overdose deaths in 2017, by drug type
U.S. drug overdose death rate in 2017, by drug type
U.S. cocaine related deaths 1999-2018
Number of substance abuse treatment facilities in the U.S. by state 2019
Number of substance abuse treatment clients in the U.S. by state 2019
Number of substance abuse treatment facilities in the U.S. 2003-2019
Share of substance abuse treatment facilities in the U.S. by type 2019
Share of substance abuse treatment facilities in the U.S. by type of care 2019
Drug control spending on treatment and prevention in the U.S. 2008-2021
U.S. costs due to abuse of tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs, prescription opioids 2020
Amount of cocaine manufactured in the U.S. 2014-2018
Illicit drug use disorder among U.S. adults by level of mental illness 2019
Suicide thoughts among U.S. adults by substance dependence or abuse 2019
Total federal drug control spending in the U.S. 2012-2021
Number of Americans who used ecstasy in the past month 2009-2019
MDMA/ecstasy users in England and Wales in 2018, by age
Number of Americans who used heroin in the past year 2009-2019
Number of Americans who used cocaine in the past month 2009-2019
Number of Americans who used crack in the past year 2009-2019
Number of Americans who used cocaine in the past year 2009-2019
Number of Americans who used methamphetamine in the past month 2009-2019
Number of Americans who used marijuana in the past year 2009-2019
Number of Americans who used methamphetamine in the past year 2009-2019
Number of Americans who used heroin in the past month 2009-2019
Number of Americans who used crack in the past month 2009-2019
Number of Americans who used marijuana in the past month 2009-2019
Number of Americans who used illicit drugs in past month 2019, by drug type
Share of selected drugs used by young adults in Finland 2016
School children who have taken drugs ever in England 2018, by age and gender
Drug related NHS hospital admissions in England 2003-2019
NHS hospital admissions for drug poisoning in England 2007-2019
Quantity of ecstasy tablets seized in Europe 2017
Drug driving: Important road safety issues in the United Kingdom (UK) 2009-2013
Adolescent drug use in the U.S. Alcohol and health College student health in the U.S. Opioid use in the U.S. Opioid epidemic in the U.S.
SAMHSA. (September 11, 2020). Number of people in the U.S. who used ecstasy (MDMA) in the past year from 2009 to 2019 (in 1,000) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved January 19, 2021, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/611689/mdma-use-during-past-year-in-the-us/
SAMHSA. "Number of people in the U.S. who used ecstasy (MDMA) in the past year from 2009 to 2019 (in 1,000)." Chart. September 11, 2020. Statista. Accessed January 19, 2021. https://www.statista.com/statistics/611689/mdma-use-during-past-year-in-the-us/
SAMHSA. (2020). Number of people in the U.S. who used ecstasy (MDMA) in the past year from 2009 to 2019 (in 1,000). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: January 19, 2021. https://www.statista.com/statistics/611689/mdma-use-during-past-year-in-the-us/
SAMHSA. "Number of People in The U.S. Who Used Ecstasy (Mdma) in The past Year from 2009 to 2019 (in 1,000)." Statista, Statista Inc., 11 Sep 2020, https://www.statista.com/statistics/611689/mdma-use-during-past-year-in-the-us/
SAMHSA, Number of people in the U.S. who used ecstasy (MDMA) in the past year from 2009 to 2019 (in 1,000) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/611689/mdma-use-during-past-year-in-the-us/ (last visited January 19, 2021)


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He sat astride over the main door. In regard to the internship system in the United States I availed myself of part of Miyumi Tanaka's work "Making doctors in Harvard" (Igaku-Shoin Ltd.) as a reference. She ironed her hair. Can't you tell right from wrong? I racked my mind to find a solution to the riddle but eventually failed to find one. Am I the only one worried that Daryl is going to be late? I can't thank you enough for all you've done. Are any seats still available? His biggest dream is being able to speak like a native speaker. The police were able to link Stacy's DNA to the crime scene.
Those students are in the classroom. Would tonight be soon enough? Trying to do such a thing is a waste of time. Was that your question? They say that Zen strengthens our mind. It's going to be OK. I kind of hope it doesn't rain. You've been practicing, haven't you? The older girl helped set the table. Somebody might've followed you.
I don't know what's going on around here. I've had an extremely stressful day. I forgot how sensitive Kimmo is. I went to see them. Oil and water do not mix. Have you had lunch? I watch television. I still don't know what your name is. Luc narrowly escapes with his life. Did you kill Brandy?
Please don't smoke cigarettes no matter what. The work had been finished by six. I'm hanging the calendar on the wall. It is free of charge. He has been ill in bed for a week. Was anybody else there? The girl had flowing hair. When I woke up, there were four inches of snow on the ground. I met a lot of nice people. It was the first gold medal that she had won.
Kristin spoke in French at the meeting. You are not a doctor. Even if I had enough money, I wouldn't buy one of those. You can go to the bus station. The new drug will be tested in Vaxgen's laboratory. I'm a normal girl. I don't have any superpowers. Miles's girlfriend is quite a bit younger than he is. I burst out laughing in spite of myself. I'm not angry with any of you, except Jeanne. It's better than it was before.
I'm tired, but I still can't go to sleep. She is at most 18 years old. He got well acquainted with the history of Japan. That dog made for me. Freedom is the breath of life. She hadn't spoken French. Hitoshi gave up the idea of going to Boston. I don't want him to get sick. I watched television during a break in my studies. Richard said he had a great time with you.
He was always getting in trouble with the Old Bill. Can we meet February 28, around 3:00 pm? I tried to tell Walter. Maybe Presley will give me a job. We enjoy watching TV. Matti does the best he can. Our school accepted three Americans as exchange students. They're mistaken. She's only a child. I'll tell you the truth now.
All of them agreed to the proposal. There are many bridges in this city. Would you lend me your dictionary? Why are you working for her? What'll you do after this class? Comfort them. She did not agree with him. The official languages of the United Nations are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. There's nothing I can do to dissuade him. I've come all the way from Boston.
I'll be happy if you will come with me. This is the house in which I was born and brought up. I tiptoed to avoid waking the baby. Anything is possible. The child has got the fidgets today. I will buy a new car next month. San Francisco is on the West Coast of the U.S. These are really just excuses. It's really sad. He stopped reading newspapers.
This beefsteak smells good. Water bleeds through paper towel is if it were a sieve. I tried to get him to show what his true nature was, but I couldn't. "Who are you?" "Ross, I'm your father!" Pilar seems a little disoriented. My favorite fish is carp. Let's give her some privacy. I want to learn to speak Hawaiian, so I can impress my girlfriend. I got this one for $300. We lost sight of each other.


In Upton Sinclair's landmark 1906 book, The Jungle, the author exposed unsanitary working conditions and how the meat industry was putting consumers at risk for disease. Sinclair published his exposé in the form of a novel, as readers had become sensitized and experienced in judging the exaggerated and fake stories written during the era of "Yellow Journalism." Sinclair wanted his readers to ask if the accurate, yet horrific, descriptions of meat processing in his novel could be true.
Most of the significant changes in food quality, labeling, and safety policies share a commonality: the voice of victims and their families. Their emotional stories help communicate the true burden of disease. In a time of "alternative facts," faces and families are hard to question.
Victims' families from the 1993 "Jack in the Box" E. coli outbreak helped USDA bring about significant changes in food inspection policies, labeling, and consumer education. Packages of raw meat and poultry gained safe-handling instruction labels as a direct result of the collaboration between USDA and the work done by parents who lost children during the outbreak. Some would even go on to serve as USDA inspection policy committee members.
After the 2006 spinach E. coli outbreak that sickened more than 200 people across 26 states, California growers established the Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA) to train for and ensure the safest processing methods. To do this, LGMA worked with a victim advocacy group to produce a training video on "The WHY Behind Food Safety". This award-winning video incorporates the first-person stories of two victims from the E. coli outbreak to communicate how all participants in the food industry play a critical role in food safety.
This landmark case resulted in long prison sentences that shocked not only the victims, but also corporate America. The recent CNBC show "American Greed" chronicled the case, and it, too, leveraged the voices of victims to tell the whole story.
Victims from the Salmonella peanut outbreak and other foodborne illness outbreaks tied to produce and other foods played a successful role in persuading legislators to pass the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in 2010 and then-President Obama to sign it into law in 2011. Consumer advocacy groups later helped foodborne illness victims from across the country visit Capitol Hill to ask their Congressional representatives to support the full funding and implementation of FSMA. In many cases, these personal accounts came not from parents, but from young survivors who are still suffering the long-term impacts of illnesses tied to adulterated foods such as cantaloupes and spinach.
Today, many food companies that prioritize food safety continue to involve victims and advocates to support the mission of mitigating outbreaks and recalls. Corporate training at some organizations has evolved to include annual "Food Safety Day" events for all employees with victims and advocates sharing the real stories behind data and policies. National associations in the food industry and regulatory agencies at the federal, state, and local levels also leverage first-hand accounts of victims to emphasize the urgency of mitigating recalls and outbreaks.
While today's claims of "fake news" and "alternative facts" can be compared to the "Yellow Journalism" of more than a century ago, perhaps one instrument to clear any doubts about the need to prioritize and invest in food safety is the use of victims' stories. Charts and graphs may catch audience's eyes, but emotional accounts from children or grieving parents impact audience's emotions (as illustrated by this issue's article on "Allergen Risk Management: Putting a Face to the Risk.").
Students, regulators, policymakers, and those who work in all corners of the food industry are finding that victims' stories help separate fact from fiction and truths from untruths. There will never be an end to foodborne pathogens, but we can continue to minimize the quantity and the scale of failures in food quality and safety with the use of consumers as a part of our modern version of Hercules.


It's been 4 days and I took a walk and did some light exercises. Don't feel bad and do have energy, but have that "porcupine" feeling I think Calaquendi described. Feel guilty about the kratom. Just took it. Just looking for a feeling of motivation and some joy in doing job. I really like what i do, or at least in the past I did. Been doing it for 30 years. I guess we'll see how it goes.
Kratom didn't help at all--done with that. Lifted some light weights for a bit and that helped. I think my main problem is that I am so out of shape. Have exercised more in the past two days than more than a few years. Been eating better also. Nutrition and exercise are my focus. Hope to hold the road with this focus. Thanks.
Oh that is good to hear, I know that Kratom can be very addictive as well, I would stick to the exercise and healthy eating, I know your energy is low, it may be for some time, but if you keep off the opiates, and are healthy, it will come back eventually.
I am very new to the world of Nootropics. I am also a bit of a ganja man, so I have also struggled with focus post flood.
I am on day 2 of Noopept, and I have never had focus like this.....read up. It could blossom the month....It doesn't give me energy, I still drink caffeine. However, I drink less caffeine because I am so focused. Energy is great, but no need to be jittery and spiraling more out of focus. I am putting most of my eggs in the Noopept basket right now for making the most of each day.


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HomeCommunityDowntown Business Throws a Block Party- July 21
Downtown Business Throws a Block Party- July 21
July 21, 2010 Community 0
Culver City is famous for the summer block parties. Many neighborhoods have them on Memorial Day or the Fourth of July. Now, the Downtown District has opted to have one every third Wednesday of the summer- So, July 21, (that's today!) is the one at the top of the calendar. Figure out your ride share/parking plan/designated driver stuff and make your way downtown tonight. Be really revolutionary, and ride a bike. Launch a new paradigm and take the bus ! Show off your Culver City street cred, and walk there. But even if you have to drive, don't miss it (just don't park in the neighborhoods- the valet is happy to help, and there's always a space at the top of the Ince structure-)
There will be specials, freebies, discounts and lots of friends hanging around, so come and enjoy. A list of all the participating business is available at downtownculvercity.com , but the street performers, art exhibits and spontaneous fun can't be cataloged; they have to be experienced. Bring your neighbors to the block party downtown tonight. From 5 to 9 p.m.
culvercity
It's Up to You – Frances Talbott-White
"M" Cafe Features New Summer Menu
All Hail Broke Loose
Culver City was pelted with hail this afternoon, Jan. 22 at about 11:55 a.m. It brings to mind "The Wizard of Oz" quote from the Cowardly Lion – "Unusual weather we're havin', ain't it?" Photo …[READ MORE]
The Great Culver City Scavenger Hunt is Coming Up
Where in Culver City can you…See a piece of the Berlin wall? Fly a kite with a view from Malibu to downtown L.A.? Find a diner in an alley? See rivers next to a creek? …[READ MORE]
Auditors Reach End of Contract with Redevelopment Agency
While no problems have been found in the audits that Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C. completed for the Culver City Redevelopment Agency, the firm is at the end of the contract. According to a press release …[READ MORE]


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Kolblog - Jeff Kolb's blog
Nobody Should Abide
This weekend the Wright County Republican Party held its endorsing convention. The surprising news to come out of the convention was that State Representative David FitzSimmons (R-30B) withdrew his name from consideration for endorsement for re-election.
That FitzSimmons' career in public office (at least for now) would come to an end at an endorsing convention is a case of either poetic justice or sweet irony, depending on your preference for overused clichés.
Until being elected in his own right in 2012, FitzSimmons' primary political accomplishments were securing the endorsements of Tom Emmer for Governor in 2010, and Kurt Bills for US Senate in 2012. FitzSimmons had gained a reputation for understanding and exploiting the mechanics of endorsing conventions.
The losing Emmer and Bills campaigns are cited often by those who feel that the Minnesota Republican Party's endorsement system is broken, so it's fitting that we get to add FitzSimmons' own endorsement to the list.
I would contend that the recent Wright County convention is a text-book example of our broken process.
By most accounts the opposition to FitzSimmons centers on his vote to legalize same-sex marriage in the 2013 legislative session. Depending on who you talk to, the opposition is either rooted in the fact that people are ideologically opposed to same-sex marriage, or that FitzSimmons lied about his intent to vote for the measure. For the purposes of this discussion, the root cause is irrelevant. The key point is that a small part of FitzSimmons' constituency was mad about one of his votes.
I argued in a recent post that our system of endorsing candidates, while "respecting the will of the delegates," disrespects the vast majority (typically 90%+, varies a bit by year and district) of the electorate who vote in Primary elections but don't attend endorsing conventions.
About 160 delegates voted in the 30B convention this weekend. In 2012, 950 voters showed up to vote in the Republican Primary election in district 30B. There were over 12,000 Republican votes for FitzSimmons in the general election. So the 160 delegates who attended the convention represent about 17% of the primary electorate and 1.3% of the general election population.
These 160 people, or more accurately the 120 who voted for FitzSimmons' opponent, decided for the 12,000 other Republican voters that FitzSimmons should no longer be the Republican candidate for their district. But they did it with the help of one key supporter- FitzSimmons himself. When FitzSimmons agreed to abide by the endorsement and drop out of the race, he deprived those other Republicans a choice, and allowed a small but vocal minority to have an outsized impact on our electoral process.
According to the Star Tribune, FitzSimmons may be backing away from that position, and looking at a primary.
Local political conventions are typically filled with the most diehard and unforgiving activists. FitzSimmons said he would likely fare better with the more diverse pool of GOP primary voters, who might focus more on his unwavering opposition to taxes and abortion.
I, for one, welcome his battle field conversion. Who better than FitzSimmons, twice the beneficiary and now a casualty of our unrepresentative, easily manipulated, broken system, to carry the torch of reform?
There is near-constant talk about how to make the Republican Party more inclusive and attractive to the general public. Not allowing small groups of the most extreme element of the party select our candidates for us would be a great start.
Labels: mngop
Minnesota is Already a Primary State
There is an ongoing debate within the Republican Party in Minnesota about the relative merit of primaries vs. endorsements.
One thing that I hear too often among activists is people asking whether or not Minnesota will become a "primary state."
The truth is that Minnesota is already a primary state. Minnesota holds a partisan primary for major political parties, currently in August. The winner of the primary election, by party, goes on to be the general election candidate for that party. (This is true for all partisan races except U.S. President, which I will set aside for another post.)
An endorsement is a function of a political party. There is nothing in law that requires a party to endorse a candidate for any office. When a party does make an endorsement, there is nothing in law that requires any other candidate to drop out of the race. To the contrary, state law actually prohibits coercing a candidate to drop out if they are not endorsed.
By tradition, politicians in Minnesota running as a member of a major political party have usually abided by the endorsement of that party, meaning they drop out of the race after a convention. There have always been exceptions to that rule- Mark Dayton being a recent high profile example.
There is nothing within law that needs to be changed for Minnesota to become a "primary state." To do so would just require abandoning tradition, which is something I would advocate the MNGOP do post haste.
What's wrong with endorsement?
For starters, endorsement is an exclusive process that fails to give the majority of voters a say in which candidates will represent them.
Candidates are endorsed by delegates at a political party's convention. These delegates are selected first at caucus, on caucus night, and then later at conventions.
Delegates are elected at the precinct level on a ratio, based on the number of votes the "top of the ticket" race got in the last statewide election.
For example, in my district in 2014 we allotted one delegate for every 60 votes Mitt Romney received in 2012. This means we were able to elect up to 286 delegates. We actually elected 145.
In theory every 60 voters "delegated" their vote on who should be endorsed to one of those delegates. Because of our failure to elect a full slate, those ratio is actually closer to one per 118.
I question whether those other 59 (or 117) Romney voters are aware of the fact that by failing to run for a delegate spot at caucus, they have effectively given up their right to decide who the local, congressional, and statewide Republican candidates will be. Based on recent conversations, many are not.
Caucus attendance varies greatly from year to year, but the number of people who turn out for a caucus on a non-presidential year is usually about 7% of the people who vote in a primary election. On a "great year" (2010) it reached 15%.
When compared to the general election, caucus-goers represent about 1-2% of the total number of people who will vote for the Republican candidate for Governor in that year.
Primary election turnout also varies greatly, but during recent non-presidential years Republicans have turned out between 130,000 and 207,000 primary voters. This is in contrast to the 12,000 to 20,000 people who attended caucus. (Interestingly enough 2010 had the highest number of caucus attendees, and the lowest number of primary votes.)
I will note that in each year several hundred thousand Minnesotans turned out to vote in primary elections- despite the fact that their candidates had already been decided for them by the endorsement process!
Without a history of competitive GOP primaries it is impossible to say how many (if any) additional voters would turn out if they actually had a choice to make. We can look to the DFL, however, who saw their primary turnout increase by over 30% when they had a competitive primary in 2010.
There are those who argue that the caucus going population is reflective of the primary electorate, which is a specious claim made on pure assumption. Because we have not given the primary electorate any meaningful choices to make, we have no idea how they would vote.
What we do know is that the general population of caucus-goers aren't even reflective of the delegates who will eventually endorse a candidate, as evidenced by the straw poll being such a poor predictor of the endorsed candidate. In the last two competitive gubernatorial races, the straw poll winners (Brian Sullivan and Marty Seifert) were not endorsed at convention.
There is a lot of talk amongst the activist ranks about "respecting the will of the delegates." I would argue that any candidate who agrees to abide by a party endorsement in a contested race actually disrespects the broader population of voters. Delegates are free to participate in a primary election along with everyone else. The inverse is not true.
Why should Republican voters who do not have the time or inclination to attend caucus and several conventions be deprived of the opportunity to select a candidate?
In addition to the fact that endorsements are unrepresentative, they are also easily manipulated. Because endorsements happen at conventions, they are subject to convention rules. Those rules can (and are) tweaked by campaigns, their representatives, and political parties to achieve the outcomes that they want.
The DFL gave us a great example of this in the 2013 Minneapolis Mayor's race when delegates from a campaign left the convention hall to have pizza on the sidewalk, denying the convention a quorum.
If you think these types of things don't happen at GOP conventions, then you obviously haven't been to a GOP convention. Michael Brodkorb has a fascinating write up of convention rules over at Politics.MN that you should check out, if you're into that kind of thing.
I lived in Arizona for a few years, and was very involved in the political process there. Like Minnesota, Arizona is a primary state. Their "grassroots" system is a bit different than ours, but they have equivalents to our conventions.
The bylaws in AZ also allow for endorsements, however their delegates reject that option, and see it as an imposition of the will of the few on the many primary voters. Endorsements are rarely granted, and when they are, they are met with deep resistance. A party endorsement can actually hurt a candidate there.
The Minnesota Republican Party's endorsement process exemplifies the old "smoke filled back room" days of a few powerful people making decisions for the rest of us. It's time to end it.
Next time I'll tackle the Presidential side of the equation, which is even more silly.
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Retractable safety barrier with options for 2.3m or 3.65m length webbing, that is available in a choice of colours. Made by Tensator, you can be sure this barrier is made from high quality materials with safety in mind. The 4 way tamper resistant connector and centrifugal belt braking system make the barrier ideal for queues and areas with heavy footfall.


This story goes nicely with strange sounds in the attic. A family gives up small town life and buys a bargain house in a good Boston neighborhood. They find out why it was so cheap when strange things happen in the empty lot next door and then right in their house itself. A good ghost story, I will certainly read more in this collection. A Gutenberg gem.
During the slow read discussions and podcasts of Fresán's The Invented Part, I became enthralled by this author. I put Kensington Gardens on my wish list as a high priority item. And someone gave it to me for my birthday. I'm so glad this giver knows that I don't mind used books as gifts. This is a wonderful interwoven tale of J.M. Barrie/Peter Pan and a fictional author and his character (Peter Hook/Jim Yang). Fact and fiction blend smoothly and it doesn't matter what is real and what is invented. Go with the flow.
Bilingual editions of poetry translated from languages I have some familiarity with always fascinate me. They teach me so much about what I don't know. If I were to sit down with this collection of poems, my minimal knowledge of Spanish and a good dictionary or two I could probably decipher some meaning of the text but the result would hardly be poetic and certainly not fifty-one Petarchan sonnets. I would totally miss the point and give up early on. A collection to make one appreciate the Cuban-American experience, poetry, and the art of fine translation.
Free review copy from publisher through LibraryThing giveaway.
These strange short stories seemed to go perfectly with the strange noises coming from the attic. I almost expected the workmen to come downstairs and tell me they had found some weird artifacts from the 178 year history of the house. No such luck so I had to be startled by the odd goings on in this Gothic collection. The cover, by the way, is deceptively calm for the the sharp, sometimes brutal, world view in the stories.


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Laguna de Ñocarime är en 5.6 km2 stor sjö strax väster om Nicaraguasjön, dit den rinner ut geneom en dryg kilometer lång å. Sjön är känd för sitt bestånd av tropiska bengäddor.

Referenser

Insjöar i Nicaragua
Geografi i Rivas (departement)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Date Archives October 2008
Post LITA presentation video
presentations 2008-10-23
The fine folks from the Lita Forum asked me a few questions on video after my presentation. I'm grateful that they managed to edit out much of my incoherence. I held it together quite well during the session, but afterward ... well, not so much. I'm in the second half, if you care to look.
Justifying violence: Situated context
games 2008-10-18
Just War games are fairly straightforward. The player fills the role of the "good guy". Ethically complex Just War games may give reasonable grounds to doubt whether the violence is truly justified, but in general the dominant social norms are respected. Situated context games take a murkier approach. In these games society may or may not find the violence justified, but the player is given a grounding in a character for whom the violence can be understood if not approved of. Games of this sort solve the "how do I justify simulating mass murder and carnage" question by giving a reason that can be strongly identified with even if it runs counter to the rules we govern our societies with. Examples can be seeking revenge for a grevious wrong, being a member of an unfairly oppressed group, or simply setting the game outside of a recognizable social order where nature is red in tooth and claw.
The Grand Theft Auto (GTA) games are the most popular examples of this group. They have received a lot of public attention for their violent and anarchic content and for their refusal to justify the violence according to rules that established society would find acceptible. I purchased the GTA series recently in large part so I could include them in this post. That experience was moderately successful, in that I played enough of GTA: San Andreas to get a feel for how the game was situated. It was less successful in that interface and control issues kept me from enjoying the game to play more than a few hours. I want to emphasize that my lack of enjoyment for this game was due more to trouble configuring an Xbox 360 controller to work on the PC than my dislike of the setting or the role I was playing in the story.
In the game I took on the role of a former gang member who returned to his old neighborhood after a prolonged absence. He discovered that the police were corrupt and his friends and family were set upon by police, crack dealers, and rival gangs. Through violence and intimidation the character achieves respect in his 'hood and sets about restoring the status and fortune of his old gang.
From one point of view, GTA: San Andreas is more honest than many just war games. That is, it doesn't offer up a simplistic view that the world is in a conflict between 100% good forces and their 100% evil enemies. Instead, one views the world of San Andreas as us verus them, and success is a zero sum game. I'm not in a position to say whether or not the violent anarchy portrayed in San Andreas is an accurate retelling of life in Compton in the early 90's, but I can say that while I empathized with the plight of the people in the game, I still can't say that they are good by most measures.
San Andreas doesn't attempt to tell the player that the violence is right, it shows the player that the violence exists in a context and allows players to engage in a violent fantasy of letting their will to power run unchecked. In the end, one's opinion on the justification of violence in San Andreas probably corresponds to one's opinion of whether such fantasy is a release or a sin.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion escapes much of the public critique that the GTA games have enjoyed. Largely, this is because this particular role playing game is clearly fantasy and does not closely simulate actual Earth-like conditions. Still, one has the option of engaging in many of the same sort of violent acts that GTA portrays. One can choose to play a straight-arrow or one can choose to play an amoral killer-for-hire. Oblivion gives the player some freedom to create their own context and the player can choose the rules they will obey. For example, if a player chooses to play a hero-type character she can take quests that have her rescuing innocents and punishing wrong doers. On the other hand, players can also choose to murder indescriminantly as long as they avoid the eye of the authorities.
Criticism of this kind of contextual violence can range from outrage that the game does not filter its content through the current dominant ethical framework to noting that for all the "freedom" touted in this kind of game, the player really doesn't have the choice not to be violent. At best they can choose a particular set of violent acts they approve of.
From my perspective, Oblivion is rather empty when it comes to ethical content. It takes few stands and the choices offered the player lack substance. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the game and played a few different kinds of characters and enjoyed most of them. I just didn't find that it made me think about my choices in very interesting ways. It avoids most kinds of ethical conflict merely by being bland.
On the other hand, playing GTA: San Andreas raised a lot of questions not all of which I have answers for. This is the source of its potential ethical impact on players, as they find themselves playing a man trapped in a savage lifestyle, they confront situations that do not have easy (if any) ethical solutions. I certainly did not get the perception that playing GTA games will help anyone to act more ethically outside of the game world, it does cause players to think about issues in a complex way that avoids the simplistic rhetoric of just war games. This may not make it good, but it does make it interesting and thus useful.
Justifying violent content: the just war
Just looking at my shelf of games and my collection on Steam, a disturbing number of titles that I have played simulate violent acts. There are entire genres of games called shooters. In strategy games, by and large, one strategizes in order to kill one's enemies. Role playing games tend to focus on combat. Even sandbox or open world games seem to offer open worlds where one can kill and destroy on a whim.
One very popular way that games makes violent acts seem acceptible is to frame their action in settings that reasonable people would agree justify violence. This can be done with varying degrees of success and requiring varying degrees of willful suspension of disbelief. Let's call this way of justifying violence the Just War Doctrine.
Using one of 2007's top shooters: Call of Duty 4. The Call of Duty series has had a lot of success simulating World War II (the good war). One would have a difficult time arguing that the old chestnut of killing Nazis isn't justified by the crimes against humanity committed by the Third Reich. Not only is the player justified by simulating a soldier for a nation at war, but they are additionally justified by fighting against the perpetrators of the holocaust. The 4th installment in this series moves the setting from WWII to modern warfare. The player still has a cloak of justification given by wearing the uniform of a country. (Players switch back and forth between playing a British S.A.S. soldier and a member of the U.S.M.C.) Why is it ok to play a game where the object is to shoot and kill one's enemies? It is ok because the violence has been sanctioned by a democratic government.
To the credit of Infinity Ward, the creators of the Call of Duty games, they do raise ambiguous and troubling questions. In one memorable mission, I played an S.A.S. soldier raiding a freighter at sea carrying a rogue nuclear weapon. When the announcement comes over the radio "weapons free. Crew, expendable" My squad opened fire on the unsuspecting and unaware mechant sailors navigating the boat. The emotional impact of this was very different than fighting the so-called terrorists on the ship who were armed and opened fire on us.
Deliberately simulating violence that is less easy to justify than fighting against the Nazis doesn't mean that COD4 leaves the just war doctrine behind. Successfully completing that mission saves the world from a nuclear device in the hands of extremists willing to use it against civillians. The cost may be high, but in the end the balance sheet shows the violence as justified.
Many other games don't come anywere near the line between justified and unjustified violence. Whether the enemy are ravenous orcs, hordes of zombies, xenophobic aliens, or demons from hell, game designers go to great lengths to de-humanize the violence by having the players fill the role of humanity's last hero fighting unhuman evil bent on destroying all of us. After all, what is the ethical response to an undead invasion bent on eating humanity's brains? Load your shotgun and grab your crow-bar!
Some may make the valid observation that simulating even justified violence has a negative effect on the player. This point is well taken, even though some studies show that children who game are at least as well adjusted as children who do not. Looking at the games themselves, many at least put a veneer of justification on violence and simulated carnage by creatively finding situations that many reasonable people would say justifies violence.
Next up: games that don't offer a justification for violence, but ask the player to simulate the context of people driven to violence by their situations. We may not be able to say these actions are good, but we may come to understand how people can find themselves doing horrific acts.
Video games and encouraging reading
I suppose articles like this recent one in the NY Times and their reactions are a sign that video games are, in fact, becoming a rival of the accepted media formats. They still annoy the hell out of me. So I'm going to rant. (I'll return to my series on violence and ethics in games, but I've been playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and I'm changing my mind about a few things. More on that later.)
The article discusses video games as the future of reading and outlines some literacy outreach programs in libraries to hook the young on reading. In the end, both the article and the reader reaction missed the point. By a mile. The problem is not that video game advocates are not critical about their chosen medium or that public libraries have either lost or abandoned the book-centric sense of purpose they once had. Both of these things are happening and in some cases they are flaws. However, the real issue is that we don't have a clear idea of why reading or literacy is important.
Is there something about accessing information via visually decoding words on a page that is inherently superior to accessing information through watching an image or through listening to someone speak it? I don't think so. At least, I don't think the differences are as great as the complaints about the NY Times article make them out to be. My first evidence for this is completely personal. I have a LOT more patience for a crap book than I do for a crap television show or a crap video game. I like to read and I rarely will stop reading a book because it is too simplistic. I am VERY quick to give up on a videogame or tv series if that is case. (Yes, I'm looking at you Sanctuary and KOTOR II. I'll stop reading a book because I don't want to work hard at understanding it, but I'll reread pulp novels just to stop my head from thinking for a few hours. It is entirely possible that I'm an outlier and there is a greater concentration of quality in written material than exists in other media, but the days are gone when writing was the only choice for preserving information for the future.
What I think is happening is that many people mix up reading with higher level reasoning. I agree that our society benefits from having its members being able to read and understand complex ideas, but I think we can go farther. Our society also benefits from visually literate members who can "read" complex cinematography and understand them in context. Our society benefits from music literacy as well. Not just because decoding dots on a five-lined staff into sounds is a stimulating mental activity, but because the intellectual activity of interacting with music in and across cultures enriches us all. Reading is important to musicians but it is secondary to the sound and ideas in the music itself. I think we should look at reading texts in the same way. That is to say, reading words and understanding their meaning is important, but it is a secondary activity to engaging with the thoughts and emotions that the words convey.
In order for us to understand the impact of video games on literacy, we need to remember why we think reading is so great in the first place. I am a reader. I'll get sucked into a book more quickly than I will into a television series or a video game. I am also a teacher and I know that if I can entice student to interact with a new idea by listening, speaking, and acting as well as by reading it, that idea has a much greater chance of taking root. In the classroom, I'll assign a reading if I think it has the highest chance of leading to student learning. If another media has better odds of leading to learning, I try to choose it over reading. For the kind of library instruction I teach on a regular basis, let me tell you, I don't have them read "How to search a database" manuals. That would waste everybody's time.
So when it comes to public outcry over libraries choosing games over books, I get annoyed. Certainly games tend to be juvenile and simplistic, but they can be a lot more. If juvenile and simplistic games are the problem, the answer isn't a blind push for books. The answer is an informed push for developing gaming and new media literacy.
How do games justify their violent content?
As I've mentioned, I've been reluctant to write about the ethics of violence in games. However, last week, Jack Thompson was disbarred in Florida and that changes the landscape of the conversation significantly. Mr. Thompson's presence in the debate meant that it was all too easy to reduce any conversation about violence and ethics in the gaming media down to a shouting match between: "video games are the gravest assault upon children in this country since polio" and "first-amendment violating, thought-crime, fascist!"
Now that reason has temporarily triumphed, I want to look at violence and ask how certain games justify it in their narrative. I do this in hope that in asking these questions we can learn something useful and reach conclusions without the polarized rhetoric. The first question I want to ask is: how do games frame violence in their narrative and storytelling?
Looking at the games I've played and going so far as to purchase and play some familiar examples of violent games, I've stumbled upon three broad categories that generally describe how games justify violent content. First games situate their violent content in a justified situation. I call this the "just war" doctrine. Using socially accepted justifications for violence: gamers simulate soldiers in a just war, police protecting society from criminals, or the last defense of human civilization from genocidal aliens. These games present violence as justified, necessary, and good. "Personal context" games are another set of games takes a less black and white approach to violence. Rather than presenting the player as fighting for good, they situate the violence in a context. Role-playing games in particular situate action and player choices in a character. Thus a player simulating a "terrorist" in a game can see the charachter's choices in context and perhaps justify the actions as being a "freedom fighter" or perhaps not justify them any further than an extension of the characters will to power. A third option is games that do not attempt to justify violence at all. Games that refuse to justify violent acts either in a socially acceptable context or in a personally justified context raise different kinds of questions. For a "just war" game, it is relatively easy to judge whether or not the violence is ethical. If a person accepts the conflict simulated as being just, then the violence is justified. In personal context games, the ethics of the violence can be judged according to how identifies with the simulated context, i.e., if one can find empathy for the character one can understand why the violent acts were committed. This third set of games risks undermining social constraints against violence by not seeking to justify or condemn it. They also, if they are well designed, offer the player insights into understanding the nature of violence and its effects that other games do not.
I'm at risk of running on here, so I'm going to describe each of these three categories in future posts. In order to examine the just war justification I will look at the games Call of Duty, Doom, and Swat. Situated context games will be explored in Grand Theft Auto, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and Oblivion.
For unjustified violence, I will examine The Witcher and Deus Ex.


There are a few folders and files in the installation that you need to know about.
On Linux it will be a directory named KapowKatalyst_9.4.9 in the directory where you extracted the archive.
contains all executable programs for Kapow Katalyst.
contains files and documentation related to the Kapow Katalyst Integration APIs.
contains the Kapow Katalyst plugins.
contains the installed JDBC database drivers. These are drivers that will always be available in Kapow Katalyst applications. Normally, you should manage JDBC drivers as described here, though.
The project folder must contain a single folder named Library.
Make sure that the user running Kapow Katalyst has read and write access to the folder.
contains the HTTPS certificates known by Kapow Katalyst. See the Certificates section for more information.
contains configuration files, which are maintained as described in the section Configuring Kapow Katalyst.
contains the embedded Derby database used by the Management Console (except when installed as a web application in a Tomcat web server).
contains the Development Database which is used in the Management Console Beginner Tutorial, and which you can also use in "toy projects" during your introduction to Kapow Katalyst.


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6 Trends In Social Enterprise And Impact Investing In 2020
As this dreadful year comes to a close, it's time to look back and assess what happened. Here are six trends of note that occurred in the world of impact entrepreneurship and investing during 2020.
Social Entrepreneurs Rise to the Occasion Impact enterprises targeting low-income and underserved communities—people most severely hurt by the pandemic—found themselves uniquely positioned to help those populations cope.
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Being a 21st-century entrepreneur is a demanding and exciting challenge. This is because the world is growing and changing so rapidly that it requires innovative thinking skills of an entrepreneur to stay ahead of their competitors. The 21st-century entrepreneur has to be highly organized and flexible. This means that a 21st-century entrepreneur is constantly thinking and planning. One way to do this is by creating and maintaining effective business plans. Furthermore, a good entrepreneur should also have excellent communication skills, leadership capability and the ability to lead others effectively.
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The economic upheaval caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has created a once-in-a-generation surge of startups across the U.S. According to government data and a Goldman Sachs report, the share of Americans starting new businesses has risen sharply in 2020.
This new business creation tends to veer away from legacy industries and toward cutting-edge sectors such as information technology and biotech. These industries need up-front capital, and angel investors -- high net-worth individuals who fund startups in exchange for convertible debt or ownership equity -- have played a key role in supporting entrepreneurs in 2020.
These Were The Largest Funding Rounds of 2020 – Crunchbase News
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, many speculated there would be a slowdown in funding for the remainder of 2020. But while the markets felt the initial shock of the pandemic, funding picked back up and several companies were able to raise billion-dollar rounds.
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6 Lessons Most Entrepreneurs Only Learn On The Street - Startup Professionals Musings
In my role as a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I find that most have the technical challenges well understood, but many are a bit short on some basic street smarts, or basic business realities. Thus I often recommend that before you kick off your own business, you join another startup or existing business to see how things really work. Even the best college degree is not a substitute.
U.K. Authorizes Covid-19 Vaccine From Oxford and AstraZeneca - The New York Times
LONDON — Britain on Wednesday became the first country to give emergency authorization to the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, clearing the path for a cheap and easy-to-store shot that much of the world will rely on to help end the pandemic.
8 Business Lessons You Need To Learn Before Repeating - Startup Professionals Musings
How many entrepreneurs do you know that "almost" made it big? Startups are very risky, and most fail. Yet entrepreneurship is one of the fastest growing trends in business today. Surveys show that entrepreneurs are among the happiest people in the world, despite the challenges. Yet it would pay real dividends to know at the start what separates the "also-rans" from the winners.
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This one was a banner year for remote work, but 2021 is poised to be even bigger, and better, for those who continue to enjoy a flexible work arrangement.
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I can't tell you how many times I've heard the word "sustainability" come up in conversation lately. The word seems to be all the rage. That straightforward construct here undoubtedly needs no elaboration, no explanation.
Not so with climate, another buzzword, catch-phrase of this modern era we're living in. While the number of times I hear climate is let's just say, innumerable – cannot be counted – there is more to climate than just its connection to meteorology. Don't forget there is such thing as political climate, social climate, etc.
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One of the biggest challenges in any business, large or small, is overcoming the natural human preference for status quo, or fear of change. It means that most team members and executives alike have a natural tendency to prefer killing innovations rather than implementing them. Even customers, while they all want the next big thing, want it to happen with minimal new learning.
'Startup City': Accelerated Growth Strains Austin - WSJ
AUSTIN, Texas—A few years ago, some blocks of Austin's South Congress Avenue featured a castle-themed wax museum and comic book shop, a neighborhood bar with $1 taco deals, an auto shop and, in season, a Santa Claus on horseback.
Then, as at so many other places in Austin, the construction cranes came.
Novavax Candidate COVID-19 Vaccine Moves into Phase III Trial
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) announced the commencement of the Phase III trial (NCT04611802) of the Novavax investigational COVID-19 vaccine, in a press release issued on Monday, December 28, 2020. The trial will evaluate the effectiveness, immune response, and safety of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by Novavax, Inc., of Gaithersburg, Maryland, called NVX-CoV2373, and is estimated to complete data collection by March 31, 2021.
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