text:
Heresy in the Hood II: Witchcraft among Children and Teens in America
by Linda P. Harvey
Linda P. Harvey is editor and publisher of Mission: America, a quarterly Christian newsletter and Internet web site at www.missionamerica.com. Mrs. Harvey founded the organization in 1995 to address tough cultural issues within a Christian context. With over twenty years' experience in advertising and public relations, Mrs. Harvey is the recipient of over fifty communication awards and has started ten publications. She is graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and has held executive positions in the fields of health care and insurance. She is a frequent guest on TV and radio shows, and has been especially active in addressing the issues of homosexuality and radical feminism.
Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect more up–to–date information. The original article can be found here: Heresy in the Hood: Teen Witchcraft in America.
It's a different America today from the relative innocence of 1999, when I first wrote about witchcraft among American youth.
That was the year Harry Potter burst upon the American scene. The year before, Teen Witch: Wicca for a New Generation by Silver Ravenwolf was published, offering how–to instructions specifically to curious adolescents about the beliefs and practice of sorcery. The book has sold over 150,000 copies, according to its author.{1}
Harry Potter was just an imaginative story, advocates claimed, and few kids were seriously drawn to witchcraft. Any alarms were pure hysteria.
Well, here we are three years later, and a review of current TV shows, children's games, the latest titles from mighty Scholastic Books, a visit to any local Borders or Barnes and Noble bookstore, or a review of popular youth Web sites, should more than confirm our initial warnings. Sorcery and witchcraft have become the hottest themes in youth culture and education for the first time in modern Western civilization.
It's past time for alarms; if we care about the spiritual integrity of our children, the hour may have come for panic.
When the Cat's Away
Is witchcraft still the fastest–growing religion in America today, as I quoted a proponent who appeared on the teen–popular "E" cable channel back in 1999? If pop culture and my own e–mail traffic is any reflection of the trends, then the answer would have to be a resounding 'yes.'
Since "Heresy in the Hood: Teen Witchcraft in America" was published in 1999, the number of young self–professed witches and pagans who send e–mails has grown steadily. By far most of them strongly disagree with my views and the article, which took a conservative Christian view of witchcraft and outlined the growing pop media fascination with this subject.
Just a few excerpts from these e–mails is revealing. (I've left the original wording and spelling intact.):
"Wouldn't this be a better world if you and people like you could stop being so bigotted and open your hearts to those that are different than you. I am a pagan I don't believe in heaven or hell, god or the devil."
"First of all, we DONNOT WORSHIP SATAN! And we DONNOT feed on christian children…. You tell people how to catch and kill wiccans but you probably have never met a true wiccan." [Note: There is nothing in the article about feeding on children or catching and killing Wiccans, or anyone.]
"I am reminded of a saying from Deuteromotry…Judge not lest ye be judged. And also, a verse from the New Testament (sorry I forgot the chapter and verse number)…where Jesus of Nazareth speaks, saying, 'Know that in my Father's house there are many mansions, and many paths to the One Truth.' Something to bear in mind, eh?"
And my personal favorite e–mail: "Have a bad day."
Most of the e–mails are insulting in tone and question the very existence of an article like "Teen Witchcraft." Borrowing from the "gay rights" playbook, these young people are somewhere learning that serious debate about the issue of witchcraft is a form of hate. A similar veil of indoctrination has also blinded most adults who would be gatekeepers to screen sorcery out of the gardens where our young play. Without protectors, the profit–driven media is both responding to interest in witchcraft and creating it in a rapid feedback loop.
Sorcery Chic
With Hollywood churning out occult–themed programs and movies at a frenetic pace, the interest of youth has been kept high. A burst of movies and TV shows featuring witchcraft has targeted young viewers, among them Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, which has developed an almost cult–like following; WB's Charmed; and the sappy Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Young fans are feeding their occult appetites further by snapping up these shows' companion paperbacks. Followers of Sabrina can purchase one of the 45 paperbacks now available, and Charmed buffs can choose from fourteen.
Buffy fans can purchase not just novels featuring the show characters, but DVD's of three seasons of programs, scripts, and other novelties like calendars and school planners. Never mind that Buffy plots have included her attempted rape by her love interest, Spike, or her death and then "resurrection" as she climbed back out of the grave.{2} Many parents nonetheless let their offspring immerse themselves in such irreverent nonsense. Buffy has a campy, tongue–in–cheek style that invites dismissal of objections, sneaking past all but the most discerning parental concerns.
Cartoon characters and games are replete with sorcery, from the much–publicized Pokemon to Yu–Gi–Oh! and other anime, a world where conjuring, demon battles and spell–casting are the order of every player's move and collector's wish. Even Scooby–Doo has taken its once light–hearted approach to the scary and spooky to a serious level in its feature–length movie released in 2002. The bad guy in the plot plans a voodoo ritual, but the movie also manages to cast Wiccans in a positive light as "healers." One Web site mourns the lost innocence of Scooby–Doo: "It's cheap and desperate. There's no place for demonic possession and Busta Rhymes in a Hanna–Barbera production."{3}
Soap operas popular with teens have incorporated more and more occult story lines. On NBC's Passions, recent plot elements included spells, potions, zombies, animated human–like dolls, and bringing the dead back to life, all pivoting around a witch character played by actress Juliet Mills.
Youth interest has been stoked steadily by one–sided movies over the past decade. The Craft in 1996 featured teen sorcerers. That same year, The Crucible created an almost laughable Hollywood version of 1692 Salem, where Winona Ryder smears blood on herself in the opening scene depicting a voodoo ritual inspired by the Jamaican servant, Tituba. Would Puritan girls, even those who actually dabbled in the occult, ever have done such a thing? Practical Magic featured Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman fulfilling every girl's fondest wish—obtaining Mr. Right—by using spells and enchantment. An array of recent movies dealing with occult themes along with the two Harry Potter movies are persuading most youngsters (and many parents) to see sorcery as simply the product of a creative mind or a tool for personal empowerment.
Ripe for Spiritual Deception
Why the explosion of interest, and why now? Ever since playwright Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible in the 1950's to parallel the McCarthy hearings, a "witch hunt" has become one of the left's favorite epithets to intimidate the devout, who are, of course, merely unenlightened dullards.
The truth is that witchcraft is real, and so is the unchanging Christian prohibition against it. Any power other than God is forbidden, starting with the First Commandment, and attempting to do "magick" exposes one to contact with demonic power, whether or not one names it as such. There is no difference between white or black witchcraft; neither involve the biblically revealed Creator or Christ as Savior, so both are elements of rebellion used for selfish, not Christ–centered purposes. Humans do have access to divine power, but it is through prayer to God and Him alone, not other named or imagined spirits. And, God's will determines the final outcome; rituals or other works of humans do not.
Ironically, God is in charge even if the fictional Harry Potter or his friend Hermoine cast "spells." Yet Potter fans will never hear about God's real, omnipotent power by reading the Christ–less Rowling books or seeing the Potter movies. One of the biggest and most artificial aspects of these stories is this pretense. In this sense, they truly are fantasies.
It may be part of the tactics of Satan to intentionally reveal the blueprint for the enchantment of our youth for all who have eyes to see. Satan and his army of demonic spirits are genuine and referenced frequently in the Bible. His main goal is to separate humans forever from fellowship and eternal life with God through Christ. So he uses whatever works: deception, distraction, or destruction. One aspect of the deceit is hiding in plain sight. " Ha, ha! Satan? Just a figment of overworked fundamentalists' imaginations! They're just frustrated because they're too repressed and fearful to get into something really creative—like witchcraft!" So goes the ironic snare of spiritual deception.
For those watching, the growing obsession of our culture with something so "non–existent" can become a potent testimony to the truth of the gospel, where Christ dealt with spiritual darkness as a daily reality, casting out demons more than thirty times in Scripture.
Unfortunately, without enough courageous Christians vigilantly protecting children from witchcraft, the framework for bondage is in place. Now, sadly, it seems we are heading into the final construction phase of their spiritual prison.
No one has to hunt for witches anymore; they may own the house next door. Children are being lovingly primed to embrace paganism by movies, games, TV, the Internet and countless sorcery–friendly books. There is certainly no parallel in current pop culture to the Harry Potter books. Not only the books themselves but a plethora of offshoots abound, from The Sorcerer's Companion: A Guide to the Magical World of Harry Potter by Allan Zola Kronzek and Elizabeth Kronzek, to The Everything Kids' Witches and Wizards Book by L.T. Samuels.
The obsession with the Potter books seems odd, however. Again, why now? It's not as if they are something totally original. Jane Yolen's Wizard's Hall, published in 1993, features a boy named Henry, age 11, who goes to a school for wizardry, and has a smart girl and a redheaded boy as his best friends. It's the kind of place where they give you a new name, where the pictures wink at you and there are star maps in the dark on the ceilings of your bedroom. This whimsy will sound familiar to Potter readers, for in addition to the plot similarities, such elements recall the style of J.K. Rowling, the author of the Potter books.
It is difficult to fathom why Rowling's yarns became such hits when the Yolen books, while successful, have managed to stay out of the superstar realm. Did superior publisher promotion account for the difference? Is the length of the Potter books appealing to a wider audience including adults? Or, could the reason lie with a culture that has developed a taste for "magick" and is now ready to pluck the whole fruit, no matter the cost?
The top–selling Potter books, in spite of denials by its author and other advocates, do inspire follow–up interest in sorcery and the occult among children. Consider this passage said to be written by a 13–year–old on the popular Internet site, The Witches' Voice (www.witchvox.com):
"You're 12 years old, and have stumbled upon the book 'Teen Witch' by Silver Ravenwolf at this very odd and interesting section of Borders called 'Magickal Studies.' Next to Teen Witch is the book, 'Wicca, a Guide for the Solitary Practitioner' by Scott Cunningham. You have never heard this term before—'Wicca'—but naturally you're a huge fan of 'Charmed' and 'Harry Potter', so you immediately open to the middle of this interesting book, Teen Witch. What's the first thing you see? Spells! Tons of them! 'Oh cool! Now I can be a real witch' you say, as you take this fascinating book to the checkout line…."{4}
Yet, most parents don't see any danger in this, because many are buying the secular spin on the occult, that it's an aspect of one's imagination and therefore a dimension of human nature. So, when ten–year–old Madison starts casting spells from her room, we should see it as just a harmless alternative to playing with her Barbies.
The Potter series also uses real names of sorcerers and mythological monsters, according to some experts. Medieval alchemist Nicholas Flamel is a figure in the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. He actually did exist, born in 1330. Fluffy the three–headed dog is like Cerberus, a Greek monster who guarded the entry to Hades, and like Cerberus, Fluffy is calmed by soft music.{5} Who says children immersed in the Potter books aren't being tutored in neopaganism?
Harry is the perfect hero for a self–obsessed culture: a miserable home life and low self–esteem can be overcome with the wave of a wand and the "discovery" that one has secret powers. Why not make every kid feel "special," no matter the method?
The Kiddy Lit Occult Gold Mine
The profit incentive for children's publishers can't be discounted as a major driver behind the sorcery explosion. Parents in times past would never have dreamed of drenching their innocents in spell–casting and fortune–telling. The Christian roots in our culture were too deep for people to let kids wander into such hazardous territory. But current biblically illiterate generations of parents often see nothing wrong with ritual and magick, and some are in fact dabbling in such activities themselves.
Following the Potter books, publishers of young teen fiction have introduced a wide array of witch–themed paperbacks, so that young Potter fans can grow into more "age–appropriate" sorcery. We chose three to read from among the many now available (far more than in 1999). There is the "Witches Chillers" series by Silver Ravenwolf (Llewellyn Publications, 2000); the "Circle of Three" books by Isobel Bird (Avon Books, 2001); and the "Daughters of the Moon" series by Lynne Ewing (Hyperion Books for Children, 2000). Whatever happened to Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys? Even the silly Babysitters Club books would be a welcome change.
In these standby novels, girls fret over friends, popularity, sports, parents, boyfriends, jobs and homework—or a neighborhood "mystery." But in this new darker world, girls don't simply ask a friend's advice, hang out at the soda shop or give the team their best effort. That would be too boring and too passive. Today's girl takes charge, even in the heavenlies—these young priestesses cast spells. The paperbacks are laced with actual spells and rituals suited to many teen occasions. They are also packed with sexual innuendo and activity; alternative dress and lifestyles; and questionable role models in parents. They also continue the dissemination of pro–witch and anti–Christian propaganda.
Ravenwolf says she concocted the idea for the "Witches Chillers" from imagining the teens on the cover of Teen Witch to be real adolescents. She named them and came up with the idea for the series. Her involvement goes further than books. Besides creating the eighteen titles and the Teen Witch Kit, complete with spells, talismans and other ritual equipment, Ravenwolf says she has thirty covens in eleven states.{6} More offerings by major bookstores for boys and girls include a series from Pocket Pulse based on the TV show "Angel" about a guy who fights vampires, demons and such through his Angel Detective Agency. Author R.L. Stine has contributed the controversial Goosebumps series for grade school kids, and more recently, the Fear Street series for adolescents, lacing the teen world of cheerleading and sports with supernatural evil.
There is often little else on the shelves to choose from. There's Witch Child and Sorceress by Celia Rees (Candlewick Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts).The Book of Shadows, the first in the "Sweep" series of fourteen books by Cate Tiernan (Puffin Books), offers this preview on its back cover: "I never chose to learn witchcraft. But I'm starting to wonder if witchcraft is choosing me." This notion of being "chosen" is a troubling recurring theme in story lines, including Harry Potter . It's a seductive method of manipulating human envy by ensnaring naïve youth: if you're a misfit, it's not because you are lacking something; it's because you are "above" the rest in a unique way.
One of the biggest names in children's literature is giant Scholastic Books. Teachers distribute sales flyers for Scholastic publications in classes to schoolchildren, a system set up through the company's ongoing close relationships with the American educational establishment. Now Scholastic, being the U.S. distributor of the Potter books, plays a particularly formidable role in the promotion of sorcery to children. It has expanded its offerings beyond the Rowling books and the Goosebumps series to T*Witches, about the twin daughters of two very powerful witches, and Midnight Magic, which uses Tarot cards, a fortune–telling device popular with Wiccans.
As adolescents peak in self–absorption, our panacea is to hand our offspring the sorcerer's wand to wave away all troubles. They can use it to raise that already inflated self–esteem. Not only can they pick up how–to books like Teen Witch, or Wild Girls: The Path of the Young Goddess by Patricia Monaghan (Llewellyn, 2001), now they can obtain instruction from a number of Web sites friendly to teens on this subject.
Bypassing the Parent Filter: The Internet's Role
Not only has the Internet provided a way for "pagans" to network and share ideas, beliefs and spells, it's a neat and clean way for curious youth to avoid the scrutiny of parents while exploring once–forbidden subjects. Any Web–savvy child can be indoctrinated into a pagan worldview and start casting spells before a parent catches on to this new interest.
A 15–year–old on the Web site, Witches' Voice, writes:
"A friend told me about a religion that worships both a male and a female deity. I was interested and she gave me Silver Ravenwolf's book, Teen Witch. I started reading and never put it down. I got on the internet and learned more and more. I finally did a devotion ceremony and I considered myself to be Wiccan. Then I remembered, 'What am I going to do about my parents?!' I then decided to keep it a secret until I could tell them in a proper time and place. Bad idea…."{7}
She then goes on to describe how she refused to go to church with her Catholic parents one Sunday morning, blurting out the news about her altered "faith." After the uproar subsided, her parents eventually became resigned to her beliefs because (she says) they observed a lowered stress level in her behavior. Such is the advice given to curious youth by more experienced teens, with anecdotes to give any novice "courage" to delve into the Craft. "After all, she seems to have it together. Maybe it's fine for me, too."
The Internet resources on witchcraft are vast and growing daily. Some are tailored specifically to teens and younger aged–children. Teen Witch (www.teenwitch.com) has expanded greatly since I first learned about it several years ago. There are now spells for every occasion. Witches' Voice (www.witchvox.com) has a special teen section. Silver Ravenwolf has her own Web site with material tailored to teens. There are other tutorial sites (www.witchschool.com); there are pagan book sites (www.isisbooks.com); there are sites for supplies (www.realmagicwands.com). Too numerous to mention are sites specific to role–playing games like Dungeons and Dragons and toys, CDs, DVDs and video games with occult themes. Potter–spawned discussions and books have generated a whole Internet culture, as well. Is there any avenue of modern information where children are not subject to spiritual seduction?
One Web site has taken a strong stand against this promotion of witchcraft to teens. Kathi Sharpe has a site called Ex–Witch at www.exwitch.org . She recommends boycotting Scholastic Books because of its promotion of witchcraft and sorcery to kids. "Nearly every school district in the U.S. has a Scholastic Book Fair several times yearly," she writes. "Today we are urging parents and educators to prayerfully consider a general boycott of Scholastic materials in homes and schools country–wide." Kathi, a former witch who is now a Christian, has strong opinions about the Potter books. "Anyone who allows their children to read these books and participate in related activities is allowing their children access to the occult." She stresses that the activities Harry and his friends so casually engage in are all forbidden in the Bible "…and with good reason: they are dangerous, and serve to draw people away from Him. Furthermore, the power behind spells and divination is demonic."
Witchcraft hides among the rushes on other teen sites. On the questionable sexuality dimension, Planned Parenthood's Teen Wire at www.teenwire.com goes beyond its teen sex territory to explore aspects of "spirituality." One article on the site is entitled, "Life as a Witch." A teenager named Torprme writes, "I am a sophomore in high school and I am a witch." Another article describes witchcraft in general terms after deceptively luring teens to the page with the title, "Buffy's Tale." The author, Patricia Telesco, has written several other articles on the PP site, one about horoscopes and another called "Winter Festivals." It describes winter solstices, native American winter ceremonies and Yule traditions of Christmas. This article was all that surfaced after a search of this site using the keyword "Christian," dispelling any thoughts of genuine inclusivity.
Teen Wire, of course, promotes the general Planned Parenthood philosophy that abortion is an ethical, safe and viable option. Sex–heterosexual or homosexual—is perfectly appropriate whenever one is "ready," no matter the age. Any risks involved are only a matter of proper management through contraception and "choice." The heartbreak of early pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, now at epidemic levels in our country, are as usual ignored in this adult–generated site aimed at exploiting the young for commercial purposes.
The "Empowered" Young Feminist
As an adjunct to the spiritual deception taking place among adult women as a part of radical feminism in America, witchcraft is increasingly being adopted as a practice in ostensibly Christian churches. This trend is filtering down to teen girls. Ravenwolf in Teen Witch attempts to paint "Wicca" as an alternative practice that is powerful yet positive, and compatible with most religious beliefs. She writes, "WitchCraft is a nature–based, life–affirming religion that follows a moral code and seeks to build harmony among people, and empower the self and others. If you think about it, we could use that statement for almost any positive religion, couldn't we?" (p. 4).
Like my e–mail correspondents, Ravenwolf seems to single out biblical Christianity. "Our only animosity toward Christianity, or toward any other religion…is...that these institutions have claimed to be 'the one true right and only way.' …Witches are sick and tired of people in other religions passing judgment and spreading lies about our belief system just because they are either insecure in their own faith or don't realize that many paths to God exist in our universe" (pp.7–8). After numerous classroom and cultural messages about 'tolerance,' frequently with orthodox Christians set up as the bad guys, many teens will naturally embrace Ravenwolf's ideology as a positive, progressive alternative.
Thus, Teen Witch reinforces the ample doses of nature worship girls are already receiving throughout the culture, including at school, while justifying ignorance about and hostility toward Christianity. And it is all set within a framework that appears to be an extension of tolerance and compassion, and in fact, even a part of "civil rights."
Taking a chapter from the feminist and homosexual playbook, "pagan pride " is set to burst upon the American scene with its accusations and demands. Groups are springing up like the Witches Anti–Defamation League, Witches Against Religious Discrimination and the Alternative Religions Education Network, taking refuge under the constitutional protections on religious freedom. With the "witch hunt" chapter already written, sorcerers playing victim to 'evil' Christians is a believable role in the eyes of many Americans.
So the activist organizations and legal defense are falling into place. The ACLU defended a girl in a Detroit high school several years back who was asked to stop wearing a necklace with a pentacle (a witchcraft symbol). A settlement was made in the teen's favor which required the school to change its policies on witchcraft symbols and attire. The ACLU defended a local teen in a case Oklahoma as well, and other witch defense groups threatened to sue a middle school in Colorado Springs in 1999 after a vice principal questioned a group of twelve–year–olds who were rumored to be casting spells. The school backed off after the "rights" groups organized a publicity and letter–writing campaign.{8}
And if your teen isn't an activist or practitioner in middle school or high school, college is a fertile field for the growth of witch sympathies. Your daughter or son who takes a religion or women's studies class at a non–Christian college can expect to be exposed to the benefits of alternative religions, mostly occultic, in overcoming the "oppression" of the entrenched Christian mainstream. This is maintained all the while any hope of an authentic study of Christianity should probably be abandoned.
My daughter, a senior at a small liberal arts college in Ohio, tells numerous tales of occult bias in her classes. Her class on "Women in American Religion" required reading the Cynthia Eller book, Living in the Lap of the Goddess, which dwells extensively and positively on witchcraft as a liberating faith for women. In the class, pairs of students were assigned to develop their own "rituals" and lead the class in carrying them out. In other words, they were assigned the task of casting spells for college credit.
Why Witchcraft is Wrong
When one does not know the genuine, the counterfeit is easy to accept. So a limited knowledge of Christianity plays right into the hands of promoters of witchcraft in America. There is no power and authority outside oneself, witchcraft maintains. The "goddess" and her male consort honored in many witchcraft beliefs may be conceptualized by a Wiccan practitioner as nature–based deities, but most operate as if the power they are invoking is just an extension of the "higher" self. This lie from Satan is as old as Genesis. "You shall be as gods," the serpent told Eve. If you are "as gods," you can make your own rules. Forget parents! Forget teachers! We'll just live for the moment, the latest sensation and party on down. So witchcraft is a perfect fit for a paganized, pleasure–centered, shallow America.
Christ was just a nice teacher, so the thinking goes. A dumbed–down, uninformed view of a saviour–less "Christ" becomes a tool to clobber traditional Christians. Didn't Jesus say "Judge not?" But it wasn't to discourage people from realization of sin and the need for Him as Savior. It was to keep us honest about our own failings while we are keeping each other accountable as Christians. Christ was always and still is, not just a nice guy, but our Savior from sin. That's what He said, over and over.
And sin is always defined by God, not man, who would change the definitions endlessly to fit the occasion. Yes, there are many aspects of Christianity that fit the "nice guy" image of Christ—compassion for the unfortunate, food for the hungry, healing for the sick—but witches tend to forget about those other Christian principles that are part of the whole fabric. These include belief in one God, repentance of sin, Christ as Savior. That's what the New Testament is all about. That is the hope of the gospel.
Another important revealed truth is the reality of Satan. Christ cast out demons because He has authority over Satan, who is only allowed access to humans as we allow it either deliberately or through casual spiritual dabbling. If a good supernatural divine power exists as revealed through Scripture, why not also supernatural evil? There is no logical reason to reject Satan as a possibility except wishful thinking. What do we imagine those voodoo spirits in Haiti are, in reality?
Once one has really understood that the God of the Bible exists, the revelation of Scripture makes so much sense. He is truly all–powerful, perfectly just, as well as merciful through Christ. Then, how can so–called Christians be thoughtlessly disloyal to Him, violating the first and second commandments, by casually exploring witchcraft or letting their children anywhere near it?
Many who are seduced into the pseudo–spirituality of witchcraft and neopaganism buy into the lie that the Bible's claims are questionable. And from that belief, any spiritual cohesiveness disintegrates. Ironically, one of the major claims of Wiccans is that the "goddess" and earth–centered religions existed before Christianity. Yet, Christians maintain that God created everything and Christ has been eternally part of the Godhead, present from the beginning.
But if we are debating claims of antiquity, nothing is more ancient than the prohibitions against witchcraft and sorcery, and this is just one more way the Bible (if one takes the trouble to read it) reveals timeless knowledge. There is nothing "progressive" about these practices, and nothing in them to surprise God. He's known about them since the Creation. There are numerous descriptions of pagan practices in Old and New Testament writings. Spell–casting, witchcraft, astrology, goddess–worship, fortune–telling, worshipping the moon, sun or stars—all are there in the ancient Near East. And all reflected in Old Testament times, just as they do today, an attempt to override the one true God and "discover" different truths, those that just happen to support our own self–interest, when God has our highest self–interest in mind all along.
When we deliberately or neglectfully allow witchcraft to have access to our precious children, we show God how little we truly value the little ones He has placed in our care. Those who truly respect and honor God's Creation and the stewardship entrusted to us, will not willingly hand their children over to seducing spirits.
When God gave us the First Commandment, it should come as no surprise to anyone that He meant it.
{1}. See Web site: www.silverravenwolf.com.
{2}. "Must See Metaphysics," New York Times Magazine, September 22, 2002.
{3}. "Innocence Lost: The Spaying of Scooby–Doo," by Meg van Huygen, at www.thestranger.com/2002–06–13/film3.html
{4}. www witchvox.com/teen/teen_2002/teen_parents04.html
{5}. "The Lore of Harry Potter," by Claudia Puig, USA Today, November 16, 2001, Section E.
{6}. www.silverravenwolf.com.
{7}. www.witchvox.com/teen/teen_2002/teen_parents02.html
{8}. www.witchvox.com/cases/abrahamsen.html
© Copyright 2002, Linda P. Harvey. All rights reserved.
God's Simple Plan


text:
Home » Academics » Mary Miller Library » Career Resources and Assessments
Career Profiler Program
This unique career testing program is currently a 'Hesston College EXCLUSIVE'. With it you can identify your Bulls'Eye CareerTM. It is offered by TestEts.com at a 15% discount to all Hesston students. Includes three assessments and five individual consultations with a career expert. Costs less than a 1 credit course. Takes the trial and error out of choosing a career. Yes, you can "Know What to Be With Certainty"…. Get your discount coupon to start.
My Next Move is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor with loads of up-to-date career information. Select "Tell us what you like to do" to reveal your three letter Holland Code and a list of occupational options which match your interests.
A nationally recognized source of career information, designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives. The Handbook describes what workers do on the job, working conditions, the training and education needed, earnings, and expected job prospects in a wide range of occupations.
Dictionary of Occupational Titles
Revised fourth edition, as supplied electronically by the US Dept. of Labor, provided, as a public service.
Ferguson's Career Guidance Center
A comprehensive resource for career exploration and planning that allows users to quickly find the valuable career information they need, whether it's industry and professions articles, school planning resources, or skills and career advice. The material draws from a range of authoritative sources, including Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance.
Provider of information and solutions for professionals and students who are pursuing and managing high-potential careers. Delivers the timely and actionable insider information and advice that allows them to define and achieve personal success at every stage of their careers. Includes information about jobs, resumes and cover letters, salaries and reviews, as well as career blogs and videos.
Becomeopedia
Information on more than 300 careers in 18 different categories.
CareerBliss
Free career community that empowers job seekers with jobs, reviews, and salaries, along with hundreds of great career advice articles. Has the goal of providing transparency in the workplace, a transparency that effectively lets users find happiness in the workplace by getting an inside look at the reviews and salaries for over 100,000 employers.
Job & Career Accelerator (LearningExpress)
Explore detailed information on over 1,000 different occupations; match your interests and skills with the career that's best for you; search over five million up-to-the-minute local and national job postings; create professional resumes and cover letters; practice and master interviewing skills; get invaluable tips and advice every step of the way–from your initial search to accepting an offer; conveniently organize and track your job-search progress.
ZipRecruiter's Free Career Resource
ZipRecruiter is a job search platform that also offers career advice, resume tips as well as salary data. All of ZipRecruiter's resources are free for students! ZipRecruiter is rated #1 job search app on Android and IOS – a great career tool for those who are on the go.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
La numeració tailandesa és la tradicional a Tailàndia. Es fan servir unes xifres especials tot i que les xifres més usades al món que són les àrabo-índies són també les més corrents a Tailàndia actualment.

De deu a un milió
La base és 10. El nombre u seguint un múltiple de 10 passa a ser et. Els nombres de vint a vint-i-nou comencen per yee sip.

Per exemple cent trenta-dos (๑๓๒) es diu neung roy saam sip song. Les paraules roy, phan, etc. no es fan mai servir sense que les precedeixi una xifra. Cent per exemple es diu neung roy i no pas roy.

Més enllà del milió
En aquest cas es fa servir el prefix laan com multiplicador. per exemple, deu milions es diu sip laan, i mil millards (1012) es diu laan laan.

Enllaços externs
 Los números en tailandés

Sistemes de numeració

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
\chapter{Fundamentos Teóricos e Conceptos Previos}

O desenvolvemento dunha aplicación web non é algo trivial e máis se temos en conta todas
as peculiaridades que este proxecto contén. Para a súa comprensión é preciso coñecer unha
serie de conceptos teóricos que se expoñen a continuación:

\section{Arquitectura web}
	No proxecto séguese unha Arquitectura Web baseada no modelo cliente-servidor, que
	consiste nun lado servidor que distribúe os recursos como poden ser o contido multimedia
	(vídeos, imaxes, etc) ou as páxinas web ao outro lado, o cliente, que tipicamente corre
	nun navegador web interpretando as páxinas HTML e o código javascript asociado a estas.

	Neste caso a parte servidor estará dividida en dúas compoñentes claramente diferenciadas,
	o sistema para a análise do comportamento e a aplicación web que permitirá o acceso a este,
	os fundamentos de ámbalas dúas partes pódense ver no diagrama
	\ref{fig:ArqSistemaSimplificado} e os fundamentos nos que están baseadas explícanse a
	continuación.

    \begin{figure}[htp]
    \begin{center}
        \includegraphics[scale=0.45]{figures/ArqSistemaSimplificado.pdf}
        \caption{Diagrama simplificado da Arquitectura do Sistema}
    \label{fig:ArqSistemaSimplificado}
    \end{center}
    \end{figure}

\section{Análise do comportamento}
	É un dos campos de investigación mas activos hoxe en día. A idea principal na que se
	centran estes sistemas como o que nos ocupa é a de detectar calquera acción levada a
	cabo polos obxectos involucrados nunha escena de vídeo. Un obxecto é calquera cousa
	que debe ser seguida, polo que dependendo do tipo de problema estes obxectos poden
	ser dunha natureza ou doutra.
	O tipo de accións a detectar tamén depende da tipoloxía do sistema, xa poden ser
	comportamentos individuais( camiñar, correr, loitar...) ou grupais (reunirse, abandonar
	un grupo de persoas...).

	Tanto neste proxecto como nos sistemas para a análise do comportamento en xeral,
	pódense discernir tres tarefas importantes que colaboran entre si \cite{brais-thesis}:

	\begin{itemize}

		\item{\textbf{Detección de Obxectos:}}\label{cap:DeteccionObxetos} Partindo dunha secuencia de vídeo como
		entrada obtéñense os distintos obxectos que aparecen en cada fotograma da escena.
		Para este fin empréganse técnicas de visión por computador.

		%Aqui podríame extender falando da Substracción de Fondo, o Fluxo Óptico e os Sistemas de alto Nivel

		\item{\textbf{Seguimento de Obxectos:}} A partires da información obtida na detección, asígnanselle
		identificadores a cada obxecto detectado no vídeo, agrupando se procede distintos
		obxectos baixo o mesmo identificador en caso de considerarse que estes obxectos forman
		parte de un grupo ou unha mesma detección.

		% Aquí podría falar das aproximacións por apariencia, filtro de Kalman, filtro de Partículas ..

		\item{\textbf{Análise do comportamento de Alto Nivel:}} Unha vez obtida a información dos
		dous pasos anteriores pódese catalogar o comportamento de cada detección empregando
		técnicas de recoñecemento de patróns.

	\end{itemize}

	Os resultados máis destacables destas técnicas cos que a aplicación terá que traballar serán:
	\begin{itemize}
		\item A lista de obxectos detectados para cada un dos fotogramas e a súa posición neles
		\item A traxectoria de cada un dos obxectos detectados
		\item O grao de anormalidade da traxectoria seguida por un obxecto en cada un dos fotogramas
	\end{itemize}

	Estas tres tarefas agrúpanse baixo un mesmo sistema ao que chamaremos Sistema de Recoñecemento
	e que xunto co servidor web, apoiado nos fundamentos que veremos a continuación, forman o lado
	servidor deste proxecto.

\section{Programación Web}

	A programación web de aplicacións de carácter empresarial require do coñecemento da rede, ademais
	do de unha serie de ferramentas e estratexias para chegar a un deseño sostible e de calidade.

	A arquitectura clásica das aplicacións web pódese ver no gráfico \ref{fig:ArquitecturaAppWeb},
	ela contén unha parte cliente que se executa no navegador do usuario, e unha parte servidor que
	á súa vez acostuma a dividirse nunha BD (Base de Datos) que almacena a información precisa, unha
	capa modelo que reflexa o modelo de negocio da nosa aplicación tipicamente nalgunha linguaxe
	de programación e por último unha capa de IU Web (Interface de Usuario Web) que se encarga de
	transformar os datos da capa modelo a un formato web comprensible polo cliente e viceversa.

	\begin{figure}[htp]
	\begin{center}
		\includegraphics[scale=0.35]{figures/ArquitecturaAppWeb.png}
		\caption{Clásica arquitectura dunha aplicación web empresarial}
	\label{fig:ArquitecturaAppWeb}
	\end{center}
	\end{figure}

	As técnicas e estratexias máis importantes á hora de construír unha aplicación web relátanse nos
	puntos subseguistes:

	\subsection {Desenvolvemento Áxil}
		Para reducir custos e poder proporcionar solucións rápidas é preciso que as
		aplicacións web's de carácter empresarial se leven a cabo en pouco tempo e con
		bos principios de enxeñaría, a isto contribúen en gran medida as estratexias de programación
		que se explican a continuación e que se ven no diagrama \ref{fig:fundamentos}.

    \begin{figure}[htp]
    \begin{center}
        \includegraphics[scale=0.4]{figures/fundamentos.pdf}
        \caption{Diagrama sobre os conceptos de programación}
    \label{fig:fundamentos}
    \end{center}
    \end{figure}

        \subsubsection{Soporte para transaccións}
            Unha transacción nun Sistema Xestor de Base de Datos (SGBD) é un conxunto de ordes que
            se executan formando unha unidade de traballo, de forma invisible e atómica.
            As transaccións cobran gran importancia nas aplicacións web debido á inestabilidade
            da rede e á concorrencia dos distintos clientes conectados, polo que é axuda a un
            desenvolvemento moi áxil que a tecnoloxía traia a súa xestión integrada.

        \subsubsection{Object-Relational Mapping (ORM)}
            Os mapeado obxecto-relación é unha das técnicas de programación que máis velocidade imprimen
            na construción de web's, xa que converte os datos dunha linguaxe Orientada a Obxectos (OO) a
            datos de un sistema relacional no que son persistidos e viceversa, aforrando ao programador
            o traballo de ter que programar o código para esta tarefa. É desexable pois que a tecnoloxía
            a empregar dispoña dun mapeador obxecto-relacional ben integrado, algúns exemplos disto poden
            ser: a combinación Java+Maven+Hibernate, o EF(Entity Framework) de Microsoft ou os
            Models de Django.

        \subsubsection{Xestión de Layout}
            Tamén resulta moi practico dispoñer dunha linguaxe de plantilla que permitan xerar contido
            HTML ben estruturado dinamicamente. Algúns exemplos son o Sistema de Templates de Django, o
            Sistema JSP de Spring, a libraría Thymeleaf ou os compoñentes de ASP.NET. Todos eles axudan
            a xerar contido HTML de xeito sinxelo e escalable que logo será enviado ao cliente. De
            tódolos xeitos esta parte cliente as veces precisa comunicarse co servidor sen que sexa
            preciso unha recarga da páxina e para elo empregase AJAX.

    \subsection{AJAX}
		AJAX ou Asynchronous JavaScript And XML é unha tecnoloxía da web empregada para crear
		aplicacións interactivas, estas aplicacións execútanse no navegador dos usuarios mentres
		manteñen unha comunicación asíncrona co lado servidor en segundo plano. Normalmente
		empregase javascript coma linguaxe para a realización das chamadas asíncronas en combinación
		con algunha linguaxe para a definición de obxectos como XML ou JSON, para as que ademais os
		propios navegadores adoitan a facilitar ferramentas de parsing.

	\subsection{Outras cuestións da web}
		A maiores existe toda unha gama de outras funcionalidades que cobran importancia cando deseñamos
		e construímos unha web como o manexo de erros nos formularios, internacionalización (i18n),
		visualización de grande cantidades de datos (en listas ou táboas), seguridade...

\section{O Vídeo}
    O vídeo permite gravar, procesar, almacenar e transmitir información en forma de
    imaxe en movemento, esta imaxe en movemento soe estar composta por unha serie de imaxes
    estáticas chamadas fotogramas, que se manexan a unha velocidade alta causando o efecto de que o
    que se está a ver está en movemento.

    Non obstante o vídeo en formato electrónico non almacena necesariamente todas as imaxes de forma
    individual xa que isto suporía moita información redundante. En lugar disto empréganse técnicas
    de codificación-decodificación (codec's) que comprimen e descomprimen os datos para facilitar o
    seu manexo.

    \subsection{Codec's}
        Os codec's teñen como función principal a de transformar unha sinal de vídeo para que poida
        ser visto. A maioría dos codec's provocan con cada transformación unha perda de información
        para conseguir un tamaño final o máis pequeno posible, estes codec's chámanse lossless (con
        perdida) e a pesares de que perden calidade soe compensar pola cantidade de espazo que
        aforran ao comprimilo vídeo.

        A parte de este fenómeno da compresión tamén cobra moita importancia outros aspectos
        relacionados co vídeo como a reprodución e sincronización de son, os subtítulos do vídeo,
        as imaxes representativas deste... Todo isto depende do formato no que se almacene o vídeo.

    \subsection{Formato de Vídeo}
        O formato dun vídeo determina como se almacenan os distintos tipos de información involucrada
        como as imaxes que poden estar codificadas en varios codec, o son, os subtítulos...
        este formato correspondese cunha extensión específica do arquivo que o contén, como por
        exemplo:

        \begin{itemize}
        \item \textbf{AVI (Audio Video Interleaved):}
            Sendo un dos formatos máis famosos pode conter un vídeo dunha calidade excelente pero
            soe requirir dunha gran capacidade. Os codec's que se soen empregar neste formato pola
            súa capacidade de compresión e calidade aceptable son DivX e XviD, inda que tamén se
            permiten outros como DV(Digital Video), CinePak...

        \item \textbf{MKV (Matroska):}
            É un formato de código aberto que basea o seu nome nas clásicas bonecas Matrioskas. Ten
            capacidade para conter tanto vídeo, son e subtítulos en diferentes idiomas, empregándose
            como códec de vídeo normalmente algunha implementación de H.264, como por exemplo x264.
            Mentres que para o son é habitual empregar o codec de audio Vorbis.

        \item \textbf{ WebM (Google, 2010):}
            Un dos formatos máis recentes é o WebM (WebMovie), un proxecto lixeiramente baseado en
            Matroska adquirido e liberalizado por Google en 2010 co obxectivo de empregalo con HTML5
            como estándar libre. O formato ten un excelente rendemento e xunto ao codec VP9, motivo
            polo cal forma parte dos recomendados pola W3C.

        \item \textbf{Formato OGG (Xiph.Org, 1993):}
            O formato contedor OGG é un formato libre deseñado para incluír vídeo, son,
            subtítulos e metadatos. O vídeo en este formato soe estar codificado co codec Theora,
            que se basea nunha versión liberada de VP3. Tamén se emprega para este tipo de
            empaquetado a extensión .OGV, mais o que marca o estándar é a extensión .OGG.

        \item \textbf{MP4 - MPEG (Moving Pictures Expert Group):}

        O  Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) é un grupo de expertos da ISO (Organización
        Internacional de Normalización) e da Comisión Electrotécnica Internacional (IEC) para
        crear estándares en canto ao mundo do audio e o vídeo.

        Froito do traballo deste grupo naceron os formatos MPEG-1 (calidade CD), MPEG-2 (calidade
        DVD), MPEG-3 (orientado ao audio MP3) e MPEG-4 que é o que máis nos interesa xa que vai
        enfocado á compresión de vídeo e son na web, podendo incluír tamén subtítulos ou imaxes de
        referencia. O ficheiros de este último formato teñen extensión .mp4.

        \end{itemize}

    \subsection{Streaming de Vídeo}
        Dado que este proxecto está centrado no tratamento de vídeo, é de especial importancia ver
        de que xeitos podemos distribuílo e reproducilo a través da rede. A estes efectos existen dúas
        grandes alternativas que varían en canto ao seu grao de escalabilidade, dificultade de
        implementación, e calidade final do servizo:

        \subsubsection{Pseudo Streaming ou Descarga Progresiva}
            Consiste na descarga do vídeo por fragmentos, tipicamente empregando o protocolo HTTP.
            Neste formato, o reprodutor vai acumulando fragmentos de vídeo ata obter os precisos como
            para comezar a reprodución, mais se o ancho de banda fose insuficiente, o vídeo remataría
            por pararse. Este sistema é o empregado por servizos como YouTube, Vimeo, DailyMotion...

            Será a opción empregada por motivos de simplicidade, mais compre explicar tamén o verdadeiro
            Streaming, xa que é a diferenza do pseudo-streaming pode ser empregado para a emisión de
            contido en directo como o dunha cámara de seguridade.

        \subsubsection{Streaming}
        \label{sec:streaming}
            O verdadeiro streaming ( do inglés True Streaming) consiste na emisión en directo do
            contido multimedia a través da rede, que o reprodutor reproduce no momento que recibe.
            Este outro xeito de distribuír vídeo, apoiase en axustar a calidade do vídeo ao ancho de
            banda do que dispón o cliente, evitando así interrupcións na reprodución.

            O protocolo máis destacable á hora de empregar este tipo de streaming é RTSP (Real-Time
            Streaming Protocol) que operando a nivel de aplicación permite controlar un ou varios fluxos
            sincronizados de contido multimedia como se pode ver na figura \ref{fig:RTPS-diagram}.

            Por unha parte RTSP soe empregar o Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP) sobre UDP(User
            Datagram Protocol) para o transporte de contido multimedia, maximizando así o emprego
            da rede pero sen garantir un mínimo na calidade do servizo.

            E por outra parte RTSP emprega o Real-time Control Protocol (RTCP) sobre TCP(Transmission
            Control Protocol) para a transmisión periódica de paquetes de control da sesión, o
            diagnóstico de fallos e o control de la calidade da transmisión.

            \begin{figure}[htp]
            \begin{center}
                \includegraphics[scale=0.6]{figures/RTPS-diagram.png}
                \caption{Diagrama conexión RTPS}
            \label{fig:RTPS-diagram}
            \end{center}
            \end{figure}

            RTSP asemellase a HTTP no formato das peticións/repostas e na sintaxe, pero dispoñendo
            dun estado que permite tanto a clientes como a servidores facer peticións.

            Tamén existen outros protocolos propietarios como MMS (Microsoft Media Server)ou RTMP
            (Real-Time Messaging Protocol) e RTMFP (Real-Time Media Flow Protocol) de Adobe.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I know, I know, it's been weeks since my last post!
I have a good excuse though!
I have been traveling around New Zealand with my husband on our honeymoon!
New Zealand is wonderful. The weather has been great everywhere we have been. It is summer down here after all!
The people are friendly. There is so much to see and do. We've seen so much wildlife — it's magical.
I have been jotting down notes. I have been snapping photos. You bet I will have the blog posts cranking out on the regular when I am back home.
Previous postOff to New Zealand!
Hey we've all been there. I stopped writing for 18 months. OOPS. Enjoy NZ it's an amazing place.


I wanted to know if Alfresco repository is OAI PMH compliant. I tried to google it and found a very old link "http://forums.alfresco.com/forum/developer-discussions/technical-architecture-discussion/oai-pmh-support-07192006-1716" but it is not answered yet.
Would be grateful if some one could help with the information, on any links that I could refer to.
How to achieve OAI-PMH in alfresco community 5.1?


For the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost on July 29, 2018.
We also pray for the family of Dave Stuck who died on July 24. Dave was a brother-in-law of Dan and Jeanette Lutrick.
WELCOME: We welcome Terry and Ann Ross and their sons James and Elliott into membership at Trinity. Terry and Ann were confirmed last Sunday and Terry and the boys were baptized at Trinity in June.
Voter's Meeting: The quarterly voter's meeting will be TODAY, Sunday, July 29 at 1:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall in Creston.
Another thank you was sent from Matura to the members of Trinity to thank all for the donation of food items for the Matura Outreach Pantry.
Due to lack of enrollment and available help and after discussion with those at Mount Ayr, it has been decided to cancel VBS at Mount Ayr for this year. We will revisit the possibility of VBS next summer.
We are looking forward to continuing to build on the mission of Confirmation, Sunday School, Bible Class and Divine Service that will continue in Mount Ayr!
The LWML is requesting donations for items of the Life Care Clinic Baby Bundles, which either gender can wear in newborn sizes. In June, when we met briefly, we voted to keep the bundles as an on going project for the Lutheran Women In Missions. In order to do this, we need all of the following items (1) Diapers (2) Sock/booties (3) Long sleeved sleeper (4) Burp Bib (5) Onesies (6) Cap (7) Receiving blankets. The long sleeved sleeper is the most difficult item to get, probably because it costs more than some of the other items. If it is more convenient, a check can be made to the LWML and write Baby Bundles in the MEMO. It can be placed in the large MITE box or given directly to Maggie Dory at any time. A Bible, Prayer Book and Mustard Seed Devotion are also included in each bundle. We sincerely thank all of you for the continued responses to the LWML and being able to Serve The Lord With Gladness.


In today's "networked world", the most effective way to reach out and to create a buzz is through the online media. Online PR helps what Finese PR firmly believes in: It says "Goodbye Monologue: Welcome Dialogue". Online PR helps the clients connect with its audience more closely and receive feedback, which is not possible with the traditional PR tools.
At Finese PR, we were amongst the early adopters and have worked on the online campaigns for clients since 2004. We have put in place an effective online campaign format where we look at not just web-releases but web-articles and web-content as well. Creating a buzz around your offering online means reaching out to the social networking sites, blogs, micro-messaging and Finese PR has the wherewithal to give your brand the digital push.


against the latest Oracle Linux Security Advisory, ELSA-2018-4270.
on OL7 install these updates.
* KPTI enablement for Ksplice.
* RDS RDMA cancellation failure with IPv6 addresses.
* Out-of-bounds access when initializing Broadcom NetXtreme-C/E driver.
* CVE-2018-14610: Denial-of-service due to invalid BTRFS chunk block mappings.
* CVE-2018-14611: Use-after-free when reading invalid BTRFS chunk.
filesystem could use this flaw to potentially escalate privileges.
* Kernel crash in Infiniband uverbs initialization.
uninitialized variable, leading to a kernel crash.
* Denial-of-service in BTRFS hard link log replay.
* Hang during RDS non-blocking sendto call.
MPRDS connection is not yet up.
* Deadlock in NFS server during client initialization.
initialization can result in a deadlock.
* CVE-2018-17182: Privilege escalation in VMA cache flushing.
use this flaw to escalate privileges.
* Guest hang in VHOST SCSI error recovery.
could result in timeouts and guest hangs under error recovery.
* Improved fix for CVE-2018-3639: Speculative Store Bypass information leak.
incorrectly be disabled upon a return to userspace.


text:
Year 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
Decarbonization of Industrial Clusters Initiative Gains Global Momentum
DAVOS, Switzerland; Jan. 19, 2023 – Nine leading industrial clusters in China, Indonesia, Japan, Spain and the United States have joined the World Economic Forum initiative, Transitioning Industrial Clusters towards Net Zero, to help industries reduce emissions. The initiative is supported by Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and EPRI. The latest members were announced today at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023.
Alarmed by Speed and Scale of Disruption, CEOs Embrace Sustainability to Build Long-Term Resilience, According to UN Global Compact and Accenture
NEW YORK; Jan. 12, 2023 – CEOs are facing an enormously challenging global context, with the vast majority (93%) experiencing 10 or more simultaneous challenges to their businesses and 87% warning that current levels of disruption will limit delivery of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), finds the largest CEO study on sustainability ever conducted by the UN Global Compact and Accenture (NYSE: ACN). While CEOs are increasingly concerned about these headwinds, nearly all (98%) agree that sustainability is core to their role, a sentiment that has grown 15 percentage points over the last 10 years of the study.
Oil and Gas Leaders Taking Holistic Approach to Reinvention by Balancing Energy Security and Sustainability, Accenture Report Finds
NEW YORK; Dec. 8, 2022 – As recent events, including threats to energy supply in Europe and uncertainty about commodity prices, have led the majority of oil and gas companies to increase their focus on energy security, the more progressive firms are accelerating reinvention plans with a holistic approach to balance energy supply with adopting low-carbon initiatives, according to a new report from Accenture (NYSE: ACN).
Accenture and Planet to Collaborate on AI-Powered Geospatial Intelligence Tools for Sustainability, Traceable Supply Chain and Climate Risk Solutions
NEW YORK and SAN FRANCISCO; Dec. 6, 2022 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN), through its Accenture Ventures Project Spotlight initiative, has entered into a collaboration agreement with Planet Labs PBC (NYSE: PL), a leading provider of daily data and insights about Earth, to help power decision-making at organizations across myriad industries including agriculture, consumer packaged goods, energy, forestry and government.
Accenture Collaborates with Toshiba to Drive Green Transformation Across the Enterprise
TOKYO; Sep. 26, 2022 — Accenture (NYSE: ACN) is collaborating with Toshiba (OTCMKTS: TOSYY) to provide consulting services to support green transformation (GX) efforts of the companies' clients. The collaboration will target industries with high greenhouse gas emissions and other organizations with urgent needs to improve energy efficiency.
Accenture Intends to Acquire Stellantis' World Class Manufacturing Training & Consulting Business in Italy
MILAN; Sept. 13, 2022 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has disclosed its intention to acquire Stellantis' World Class Manufacturing Training & Consulting business, a center of excellence that supports process optimization in manufacturing and the supply chain.
Accenture Acquires Leading Carbon Emissions and Climate Change Strategy Consultancy Carbon Intelligence
LONDON; Sept. 1, 2022 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has acquired Carbon Intelligence, a leading carbon and climate change strategy consultancy, adding more than 160 professionals to its rapidly growing group of data scientists, consultants and sustainability experts. Carbon Intelligence is focused on helping global businesses understand their overall carbon footprints, and ways to reduce them, using Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) strategies that lead to transformational rethinking of clients' business models and value chains.
Accenture Named a Leader in Sustainability Enablement Technology Services by Everest Group
NEW YORK; Aug. 24, 2022 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has been recognized as a Leader in the inaugural "Sustainability Enablement Technology Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2022" report, by industry analyst firm Everest Group.
Accenture Helps Swisscom Advance Its Environmental Ambitions with Sustainability Roadmap
NEW YORK and BERN, SWITZERLAND, Aug. 3, 2022 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) collaborated with Swisscom (OTCMKTS: SCMWY) on a climate strategy to reduce the telecommunications company's emissions and help its customers reduce their emissions by one million tons of carbon by 2025 — equal to 2% of Switzerland's total carbon emissions.
Sustainable Technology Strategy Critical for Achieving Business Growth and ESG Performance, According to New Accenture Report
NEW YORK; June 7, 2022 – As businesses set more ambitious environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, their sustainability and technology strategies need to become more tightly aligned to gain competitive advantage, financial value and a lasting positive impact on society and the environment, according to new research from Accenture (NYSE: ACN). However, only 7% of respondents have fully integrated their business, technology and sustainability strategies today.


The University of Southampton greatly values its exchange links with some of the world's highest ranked universities. Every year our University welcomes around 450 students from our partner institutions who take part in study exchanges and work placements and we are pleased to send out many University of Southampton students on exchange placements.
All our exchange partners have been listed in the discipline and country tabs below.
Use our interactive map to find out how we are working with partner organisations all over the world, including business, industry and other universities.
If you have any questions about our exchange partners or about how to apply as an exchange student, you can contact the Study Abroad and Exchange team.
Exchange partnerships are agreements between the University of Southampton and a partner university. The agreement may apply to a specific academic subject, to an entire faculty, or to the whole University. Exchange partner universities available to students studying any academic discipline are detailed under the University-wide Programmes.
The language/s of instruction is shown beside the universities name, for example: English (EN), French (FR), Spanish (ES), Italian (IT), German (DE), Dutch (NL).
Please be advised: There are some degree programs which do not allow for a period of exchange. If you are unsure whether or not your course allows for an exchange, please contact your exchange coordinator.
Japan - Kyoto University (UG) (EN) The University of Tokyo (UG) (EN) Single semester exchanges in semester one to our Japanese partners will not be possible due to a clash with academic calendars.
(Outgoing students: The below exchange partners are applicable for students studying a programme under the Electronic and Electrical Engineering (EEE) discipline only).
Japan - Kyoto University (UG) (EN), The University of Tokyo (UG) (EN) (Not Geography) Single semester exchanges in semester one to our Japanese partners will not be possible due to a clash with academic calendars.


Here's a snippet from Sebastian Reckless & The Long-Forgotten Kings, Part 2. It was tough to find a portion of the story that didn't give anything away, but let's give this a shot. In this excerpt, Sebastian and Tessa, along with their new Egyptian friend Ottah, have just dealt with a plague of locusts and an arena full of giant crocodiles, which were all distractions from the far more important problem of the atomic bomb that's about to go off. They are deep underground inside a series of chambers that once belonged to a lost civilization called Neph.
There was such alarm and hopeless doom in her tone that Sebastian hurried to see what dreadful thing it was that she had discovered. He hustled across the arena, jumped out one of the holes in the wall, and was instantly there at his partner's side.
Standing before them were six mummies — six living mummies.
They were hideous things to behold — the bandages that wrapped them from head to toe were halfway eaten up by mold and decay. As the creatures moved, those wrappings fell away from their limbs, revealing the flesh beneath in all its ugliness. It could hardly be called "flesh," it was so dry and withered. Instead, it looked like some cracked, dusty, thousand-year-old, brown paper that some sloppy craftsman had stretched over a bony frame. Every twitch of the wrinkled, prune-like muscles could be seen as they shifted and shuddered under that thin, rotten skin.
The most unsettling feature of each one was, of course, the face. With most of the flesh rotted off; no lips to hide their chipped, brownish teeth; and bare patches of skull visible here and there, it was a good thing that most of their heads were hidden by bandages.
These six creatures were standing by the six open holes in the floor that had been their sleep cells, the lids of those cells having been shoved to the side. Obviously, Sebastian's enemy had awoken these ancient sleepers before leaving, just to provide another crisis for the hero to face, if he happened to escape from the coliseum full of crocodiles.
Tessa wondered why those creatures were so disgusting to behold. Why would they be so withered and decayed? Wasn't their several centuries of sleep supposed to leave them healthy and young again? After all, wasn't it called a Sleep of Healing? Sebastian figured (and rightly so) that something must have gone wrong during the last hundred years. To him, it appeared to be a simple malfunction in the sleep process. But he and Tessa would have to save their questions and answers for a later date. They had more serious matters to worry about, for the equipment that they needed was in the hands of those mummies.
The monsters' bony fingers were digging around in the pouches of the heroes' equipment-belts, playing curiously with their energy-pistols, and inspecting their helmets inside and out.
Even so, this wasn't the worst part. The most horrifying development was the fact that the lids of all the other sleeping cells were sliding sideways with a chorus of stone-on-stone scraping noises. And, as those ninety-four casket lids were slowly pushed aside, ninety-four additional mummies were rising up out of their compartments in the floor.
The mummies turned curious expressions at the three intruders. The monsters' eyes peering out from the shadowy slits between their ancient, moldy bandages seemed to wonder, "Who are these people invading our sacred resting place?" Their snarling mouths filled with broken, rotten teeth seemed to be casting out threats such as, "Don't you know that we slaughter anyone who disturbs us?" But what those mummies had to say was difficult to understand, for their voices were dry and cracked — hardly working at all — and their muttered threats were spoken in the lost language of Neph.
"What are they saying?" asked Tessa.
Ottah was just frozen — unblinking, and mouth hanging open. He was too terrified to respond.


Many 'souvlakis' were had in Melbourne. These are 2 of the few that had a chance to be photographed before being eaten. If they look a little small I think that's because… they were. Apparently that's traditional. The price isn't though. Still delicious.
What Melbournians call a souvlaki is actually a gyros or yeeros (in Sydney). A gyros by any other name smells just as sweet. But don't ever call it a doner kebab. Ever.
← Older: Chi and Co.


Mondays are bad for me and they are bad for my spiritual practices.
Because my husband and I cherish the weekend as a rest-and-relax time, on Saturdays and Sundays we put the brakes on to-do lists unless it's absolutely unavoidable. That makes Monday the dumping ground for the previous week's unfinished tasks plus the staging area for whatever the rest of the busy week might hold.
What this means is that we both usually get dumped into Monday screaming and on fire, both of us kickstarted back into our routines and into the immediacy of everything that needs doing. The result for me is either that spiritual practices get abandoned in the chaos, or – more often – that I go at them in the same way as the rest of my to-do list: with brutal efficiency.
1. Make it a pause in your day of tasks, not an addition to them. Don't treat your time with God as something else to do. Make it something that is a break from the other things you do. Think of it as a time to recharge and to gather yourself, and give yourself the time and the space for it. Spend your time with God in an environment that's pleasant, if you can, even if it means popping outside for a bit or looking out your window or relaxing over a cup of coffee. Be deliberate in setting aside the physical and mental space so that you can really be where you are without a distracted mind and heart. This is an effort of will; remind yourself that everything else will still be waiting when you're done. You don't need to think about it right now.
2. Prep in advance. Fat lot of good this is going to do you right now, as I write this on a Monday, but it bears mentioning anyway: prep is half the battle. Have your stuff where you need it – your Bible, your prayer journal, your highlighter, whatever. Know what you're going to read/pray about/ask God about/think about. The less time you spend fumbling around considering what it is you want to do, the more time you can spend actually doing it.
3. Make it joyful, or peaceful. If you are me, Monday is not the day for digging down into a prophetic book or contemplating Revelation. Start out your week on a note of gratitude or calm or joy. Arrange your Scriptural study or your prayer time around this theme. Even if you're not really feeling peaceful, or joyful, or grateful, you'd be surprised how your thoughts and feelings might change.
4. Be honest. Something that actually helps me is to get real with God about exactly where I am, mentally, when I meet Him on Mondays. God, I often say, I am so distracted, and also kind of tired, and as much as it shames me I find it difficult to want to be here right now. Doing this helps me acknowledge the elephant in the room, and I feel like once I've presented the issue to God He's happy to help me solve it, and to work with me around it. Being able to tell God I want to be with You, I'm just feeling really human right this second can help more than you might imagine.
5. Go outward. Send a two-line email to someone who needs it. Tell a friend or a family member you love them. Send that person you've been thinking of the funny joke you know they'll enjoy. Go offer some gentle words to your grieving coworker. I'm not saying you have to engage in a full-fledged act of ministry, but sometimes getting outside yourself a little – even at the beginning of the week – helps loads.
When I do these things, I find that my God-time on Mondays gets a lot more productive, a lot more meaningful, and a lot more intentional. The result is that even when I'm screaming and on fire about my to-do lists, the week gets off to a much better start. Maybe these tips will help you experience the same!
Posted on March 20, 2017 March 20, 2017 by samaritansongPosted in Christian growth, Christian living, Christianity, faith and growth, faith and learning, life and faith, spiritual growth, spirituality, UncategorizedTagged Christian growth, Christian living, Christianity, spiritual growth, spirituality.
Previous Previous post: No, Life Isn't Fair. But We Can Try To Tip The Scales.


Car Rental Dubai Blog > Car Rental Guide > Is my country driving license valid in the UAE?
More than 22 million tourists visited the UAE in 2017, while Dubai alone was graced by 15.8 million tourists during the same period as per the UAE Government's official portal. We reckon the figures will be even more staggering for the year of 2018. While half the visitors come here for business purposes or job opportunities, a huge number travel the UAE for a luxury holiday like none other. It's important to check if your home country's driving license is eligible or if you need an international driving permit beforehand if you're planning to rent a car and drive in Dubai.
If you're one among the many visiting Dubai, Abu Dhabi or any of the emirates, did you know that you can legally rent a car on your country's driving license? Yes, say good bye to your travel woes, inconvenient metro rides and expensive taxi fares. Rent any type of car in the UAE through yours truly and drive at your pace!
Driving license from all the above mentioned countries are valid in the UAE. Note you must be visiting the UAE on a visit/tourist visa. Residents need to convert their home country driving license to UAE driving license.
Those countries (states) marked with a * require to carry their Original Driving License + Translated Copy.
Want to update this post? Let us know in the comments below.
You can drive on their home country's driving license (if applicable, see list here) or they'll require an international driving license together with their home country driving license.


text:
Catalog About Contact News
CatalogAboutContactNews
Made in the USA Since 1957 // +1 (713) 644-1491
Specialties Company started in 1957 in Houston, Texas as a distribution company for quality hose products. To meet the growing demands of the industry, in 1980, Specialties Company acquired Copper State Rubber, located in Phoenix, Arizona. Copper State Rubber is a manufacturer of hoses, and by joining forces with Specialties Company, Copper State Rubber proceeded to increase production capacity with the addition of new spiral wire machines and by upgrading existing equipment. Copper State Rubber was the first U.S. manufacturer to introduce the 3" ID Super Choke and Kill hose that operates at 15,000 psi with a test pressure of 22,500 psi.
The Houston office continues to conduct, sales, stocking, distribution, and hose assembly, while all manufacturing is completed in Phoenix. Just recently, both locations have expanded their office sizes to meet the ever-growing demand for specialty hoses. The brand new state-of-the-art 145,000 SF manufacturing facility in Avondale, located just outside of Phoenix allows the company to produce up to 200-continuous-foot length hoses. Here's where you can find us.
Reliability and a Solid Reputation
With over 40 years of experience in manufacturing high-pressure hoses, Copper State Rubber has the capability and flexibility to meet the ever-increasing demands of the oilfield industry. Its client list includes just about every major drilling contractor throughout the world.
Looking for a quality product for your project? Reach out to our sales department.
Copper State Rubber
14141 South Wayside Drive,
Houston, TX, 77048,
(713) 644-1491 info@copperstaterubber.com
Houston, Texas Office
14141 South Wayside Dr.
sales@copperstaterubber.com
Main: +1 (713) 644-1491
Evenings, Saturday and Sunday
Call Our Main Line at +1 (713) 644-1491 for After Hours Emergencies
© 2019, Copper State Rubber // A Specialties Company


Open Hands, Open Heart had its second annual fundraiser on September 24th. A large thank you to everyone who helped make it a success.
Very big thanks to Don Guay at Deep Brook Golf Course for hosting the event, Pennell Printing for making signs for our sponsors, SueEllen Chamberlain for designing the registration forms and greeting the players on arrival and helping with registration.
The volunteers who helped with the event were Rita Lachance, Betty Germann, Mike LaRose, Chris and Larry Littlefield, JoAnn Klikier, Faith Litwin, Jackie Kelly. Lisa Biesecker who supplied all the water.
Captain Dave Stobo Scenic Coastal Cruises, Pro-Turf, John Bouchard, TD Bank, Tanglez Hair Solon, Devoe Color & Design, Ocean Community Credit Union, Duffys Restaurant, Southern Maine Healthcare, Tim Murphy Esq, Sullivan Tire, Carl Goodwin General Contractor, The Portland Group, Dr. Arthur Gager, Jeff Boudrea General Contractor, Biddeford Savings, Saco Healing Arts, La Corseterie & Copy It, Biddeford Saco Dental, and Marcia Bouchard.
Raffle items were provided by, Play it Again Sports, Beth Koehler Saco Healing Arts, Jumpin Jakes Restaurant, Saco Frame Center, Bait & Tackle, Kens Place, Sea Salt Restaurant, Maddens, Shellys Sub Shop, Oak-Street Bustro, Traditions Restaurant,Biddeford Saco Country Club, Sanford Country Club, Dutch Elm Golf Course and Salmon Falls Golf Course.
Because our fundraiser was such a success we were able to implement a new program for Open Hands, Open Heart. We will now be purchasing new shoes. Thank you for all your support.
Latest updates on the organization.


text:
La agrobiología de Michurin fue una doctrina pseudocientífica en biología que surgió en la Unión Soviética después de la sesión de agosto de 1948 de la Academia de Ciencias Agrícolas de la Unión Soviética. El nombre de la doctrina tiene solo una relación indirecta con Iván Michurin. Como "doctrina" se desarrolló después de la muerte de Michurin bajo el liderazgo del académico Trofim Lysenko, siendo aprobado por Iósif Stalin.

Origen
En el aniversario de la muerte de Michurin, el periódico Pravda publicó en 1936 un artículo llamado "Multiplicar las filas de los michurinistas". Los autores del artículo eran el ingeniero agrónimo Trofim Lysenko y el filósofo de la biología Isaak Prezent. Dos meses después, Lysenko presentó un artículo donde se opuso abiertamente a la "mayoría de los representantes de la genética" (o seguidores del "weismannismo-morganismo"). El "nuevo enfoque" se basó en las disposiciones sobre la determinación del organismo no tanto por la herencia sino por la influencia del ambiente externo y la nutrición ("el organismo requiere condiciones").

Postulados
 Las condiciones ambientales alteradas pueden cambiar el proceso de construcción del cuerpo, incluida la construcción de cromosomas y, en general, de células primordiales para la generación futura.
 El mecanismo de cambio en la herencia es un cambio en la asimilación y disimilación en el cuerpo, un cambio en el metabolismo que afecta la formación de gametos.
 Las células son capaces de generarse espontáneamente a partir de una masa no celular.
 Negación del papel del ADN como sustancia de la herencia.
 Las especies modernas pueden transformarse en otras debido a las condiciones ambientales.

Véase también
 Lysenkoísmo
 Leyes de Mendel
Weismannismo-morganismo-mendelismo

Referencias

Historia de la biología
Pseudociencia


Ankle booties, featuring round toe front, ruched detail at front vamp, low stacked flat heel, cushioned insole and diagonal side-zipper closure for easy on/off.
Material: leatherette (man-made), synthetic sole.
Measurements: 1" heel. True to size.


Generally speaking one thinks of humans as having only five senses. This Sensory Awareness class learned about and experienced seven senses, which included synesthesia and intuition in addition to the usual visual, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory, and gustatory senses. The purpose of this class was to bring into one's consciousness a richer experience of the senses and discover potential applications for natural forms.
The eco installations on this page were artifacts of individual responses to highly experiential learning activities that explored the senses and meaning making. They are expressions of the internal stories that were stimulated by sensory input that activated memories from personal inner landscapes, which in turn were redefined through the process of making meaning from the artifacts. In other words, they are subjective experience brought into form through human craft.
When acting in partnership with nature, humans become aware of their participation in a greater life narrative. As designers, this new level of awareness will be an asset for understanding clients, audiences and the design process from ideation to final product and/or strategies.
See the entire process documented in the books and videos below.
See the students' eco installations with accompanying haikus below the videos.
This process book demonstrates the kind of multi-sensory learning designers undergo as part of their training in order to create empathy and help themselves and their clients engage on a deeper level.
A sense by which light stimuli received by the eye are interpreted in the brain.
The ability to perceive sound by detecting vibrations.
A muscular response stimulated by bodily sensation including somatic sensations and emotions.
The sweet, sour, bitter, tangy, or salty quality of flavors that can be experienced when the taste buds are stimulated on the tongue.
The perception of odor or scent through stimuli affecting the olfactory and/or gustatory nerves.
Taste and smell are paired because they are often intertwined into one experience. Many times a taste is partially defined by its accompanying olfactory input.
A sensorial response experienced through simultaneous activation of multiple senses.
An awareness and/or a way of knowing without rational evidence of its origin.
At the end of our journey we enriched a campus-wise vernissage with eco installations for general enjoyment. When it was all well and done, we returned nature to nature.


Youngsters get the chance to meet friendly, huggable robot, Lyka during this hands-on workshop led by CMA teaching artists and the father-son team behind the learning and play program, Lyka's Adventure. Kids will create a coral reef at the Clay Bar, animate an outer-space adventure, record a message in the South Booth and more. All ages.


Mid-June walk along the Mashiter trail with Wally the wonder dog.
A few shots taken at Nexen Beach of Turkey Vultures and River Otters - and some pictures of Anna's Hummingbirds in our backyard.
Shots of a few flowers in bloom in our back yard - this is one of my favorite times of year when everything lush and green, and growing like crazy.
Birds in our backyard on a wintery (and golden medal) day in Squamish.


text:
package jwt

import (
	"testing"
	"time"

	jwt "github.com/dgrijalva/jwt-go"
	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
)

func TestIssueAdminToken(t *testing.T) {
	alg := "HS256"
	key := time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339Nano)
	claimsID := time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339Nano)

	accessToken, err := IssueAdminToken(SigningMethod{alg, key}, jwt.MapClaims{"id": claimsID}, time.Hour)
	require.NoError(t, err)

	config := NewParserConfig(SigningMethod{Alg: alg, Key: key})
	parser := NewParser(config)

	token, err := parser.Parse(accessToken.Token)
	require.NoError(t, err)

	claims, ok := parser.GetMapClaims(token)
	assert.True(t, ok)
	assert.Equal(t, claimsID, claims["id"])
}