Unwittingly, default natural language processing has become a critical component of the qualitative investment process and improving this natural language processing is not appropriately prioritized.
Most qualitative investors, unsurprisingly, think their investment strategies are built completely on human analysis. That is a false assumption.
While you are collecting data for your investment research — think news, web mentions and corporate filings — the data you find has already been curated by natural language processing search algorithms.
Your current investment process is littered with systematic natural language processing analysis. Is it working to your advantage?
Think about the daily searches you conduct on news outlets like Google or Bloomberg, or the secondary market research you purchase. The articles and research displayed on your computer screen are being filtered through natural language processing search algorithms formulated by other companies. And these algorithms are not even close to perfect.
Default NLP algorithms are varied and biased because they choose their order of results based on priorities tangentially related to your investment process. In the worst case, the research and findings you scroll through may be filtered based on advertising dollars and click rates. Other engine results may be based on the number of keywords that match, with little to no context. They are not designed to consistently display the content you desire or need to find. And to top it off, these results mirror the results shown to your competitors. That is, your competitors are consuming the same basic information for their investment research and analysis.
When every analyst uses the same search engine that filters the same search results, there is no room for competitive advantage. But by putting customized NLP to work, you can create algorithms specifically designed for your investment process. Those algorithms can provide you with relevant, real-time data curated from sources that go beyond search engine results alone and matter more to your specific investment process.
The latest NLP techniques integrate advanced search methods and word pattern recognition through various combinations to learn contextually and provide specific conclusions. NLP algorithms tailored to your investment universe, prospectus, and investment process are possible and necessary to do your best.
Custom NLP solutions aren't a shift away from traditional, qualitative research methods. Rather, it is the evolution of qualitative research. Fund-specific NLP will one day be the standard, but today it will be your differentiator over using basic, default search algorithms.
Access to more relevant, real-time news sourced from both general outlets and specific, niche outlets.
Delivery of targeted data, customized to the way you enjoy working.
Adaptive, learned insights from the breadth and depth of data collected and tailored to your process.
Improved productivity via pre-analyzed content, allowing you to read up to 3x faster.
Natural language processing is not new to the investment research process, just relatively disguised. Unwittingly, default NLP has become a critical component of the qualitative investment process. Improving this NLP is not appropriately prioritized.
You can improve your own productivity and leap above your competition by integrating NLP into your current investment research strategy.
Even with custom NLP solutions, you still drive your investment strategy. But now you have the ability to analyze greater volumes of more relevant information, at an otherwise impossible rate.
These insights can be structured and segmented into various categories, giving you a complete view of the data collected through time. And with that view, you can create a more successful investment strategy than ever before.
If great qualitative investments could still hinge solely on meeting with company executives and drawing personal conclusions about the business, there would be no need for this article. But individual data gathering is only one component of the modern qualitative investment process.
The best financial investment decisions come from combining the power of both human insights and technological insights. It's time to get ahead of the competition by transforming your investment research process, or risk falling behind.
Are you ready to level up your investment research process and separate yourself from the competition? We sure hope so, and we are here to make that process easier.
Go ahead and sign up for access to a demo that gives you a front row seat to how AI can become your secret weapon.


Women's Crossed Wires Sandal is rated 5.0 out of 5 by 2.
Crossing off comfort and style in one go with the Women's Skechers Crossed Wires Sandal.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Irishpixie from Love these so much! Adorable and comfortable. So cute and comfy! Look great with a dress and pants.


our car shivers in its wake. Three times, I try to get out. Three times, I feel the wind of the semis and pull the door back.
"Dave overtook on a dip he didn't know about and there was a car in the dip. That's what happened," said Sharon McGing. The p.
Who are these buses picking up and driving around? Ghosts? Those gigantic buses ride around with two or three passengers and very. Thank you to the three young men who stopped last Thursday to help.
The incident was witnessed by the complainant's 16-year-old daughter who was in the passenger seat. two jobs — one of them as a driver and one to which there was no public transport. She needed a c.
From a young age, Arrington has been driven by her strong sense. She has needed those blessings to recover from the crash.
Police said it appears two drivers flipped each other off, then both drivers drew guns and fired. Brock was a passenger in one of the cars. SUV driven by a woman whose two children were in her car.
Police said it appears two drivers made obscene gestures at each other, then both drivers drew guns and fired. Brock was a passenger in one of the cars. by a woman whose two children were in her ca.
Applying for a Teen Driver's License in New Jersey If you're a teenager or young adult applying for your first driver's license, you'll need to satisfy the requirements of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) graduated driver licensing (GDL) program. The phases of the GDL program will help you gain driving experience and practice the skills necessary to pass your DMV.
Getting your driving license is a rite of passage for any young person. Just because you have a license does not mean the learning stops, a large amount of learning happens after you pass you test.
Home Drivers License & ID Applying for a New License (Teen Drivers). Our goal is to give you the most up-to-date, accurate information about your state DMV's processes. The date you see here reflects the most recent time we've verified this information with your state DMV.


What are the prerequisites for SAP logon tickets and how to connectthrough SAP systems?
one of the prerequisite is ,R/3 system must be configured in SLD.
follow these steps to configure SSO.
1) Download the verify.der file to your local (portal server) file system.
System Configuration u2192 Keystore Administration.
2. Upload the verify.der file to your ABAP based backend system.
a) Launch the SAP Logon shortcut on your portalu2019s server desktop.
b) Create an entry for you ABAP based backend system DEV.
c) Logon to that system to client 100 with user.
e) Press the Add to Certificate List button and Save.
entry to the ACL (see next task).
.your. portal server, e.g. CN=EPD.
h) Save your entry and exit the transaction.
For Usermapping you have to go with Useradmin.


text:
Q: Android: Widget onReceive() not getting called I have a widget whose layout has an imageView. The view needs to be changed based on some activity. So, whenever that happens, I am calling a sendBroadcast() with the action set to UPDATE_WIDGET. However, the onReceive() in the widget code is not getting called. Below is my code.
public class TaskWidget extends AppWidgetProvider {
    ...
    @Override
    public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
        Toast.makeText(context, "widget update", 2000).show();
        RemoteViews views = new RemoteViews(context.getPackageName(),
                R.layout.searchwidget);
        if (intent.getAction().equals(UPDATE_WIDGET)) {
            views.setImageViewResource(R.id.newImage, R.drawable.Pic1);
        }
        super.onReceive(context, intent);
    }
}

In the manifest,
<receiver
    android:name="com.rahul.testwidget.TaskWidget"
    android:label="Task Widget" >
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.appwidget.action.APPWIDGET_UPDATE" />
        <action android:name="com.rahul.UPDATE_WIDGET" />
    </intent-filter>

    <meta-data
        android:name="android.appwidget.provider"
        android:resource="@xml/widget" />
</receiver>

A: you have to update your widget layout
use this code just befor super.onReceive(context, intent);
ComponentName widget = new ComponentName(context, SimpleWidget.class);
AppWidgetManager.getInstance(context).updateAppWidget(widget, views);

A: I think your action name must be com.rahul.UPDATE_WIDGET instead of UPDATE_WIDGET.

A: If you are sending the broadcast from a listener on your widget you need to create a PendingIntent for a Broadcast.
PendingIntent sentPI = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(activity, 0, intent,PendingIntent.FLAG_CANCEL_CURRENT);

Also, you don't seem to be able to attach 2 pending intents to a button in the widget.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Resume making your offerif the page does not update immediately. Contact the seller – opens in a new window or tab and request a postage method to your location.
I have an Acer Extensa and have the same cd rom, my os is vista everything was working just fine the only problem was that i-tunes would not recognize my daughter's ipod. Please find account number here: Have moved these posts into a new thread to avoid confusion. The driver may be corrupted or missing. Take a look at our Returning an item help page for more details.
For additional information, see the Global Shipping Programme terms and conditions – opens in a new window or tab This amount includes applicable customs duties, taxes, brokerage and other fees. Item will ship same business day if payment made before 12pm subject to public holidays or shipping delay if any.
See the Knowledge Base link below and make sure that you reboot after running the program http: I ended up restoring it back to factory settings.
Delivery times may vary, especially during peak periods. I am getting error messages in this program so I wanted to reinstall the program h21h can't get the CD drive to recognize there is a CD in the drive. Not an IT pro? Or maybe I should start another thread h21 the 21N??? They replied with "it's a software issue, not covered by warranty". Your cooperation is highly appreciated.
Once I put in the new drive and driver it worked fine. Back to home page Return to top. Estimated delivery dates – opens in a new window or tab include seller's dispatch time, and will depend on postal service selected.
Terms and conditions apply. Only buyers who purchased the product may leave a review. Learn More – opens in a new window or tab Any international shipping and import charges are paid in part to Pitney Bowes Inc.
Now I get the following error: All 1 Products 1. As a matter of fact did not see any personal PC for three weeks. For order multiple items tsa quantity, we will adjust total amount and shipping charges with discount.
This site in other languages x. I had the same problem For Interbank normal transfer, we will ship h21j once we receive money, its take working days normally. I ended up restoring factory settings Is there any way at all to try a different driver?
LG GSA-H21N SPECIFICATIONS Pdf Download.
Credit card payments can be made through PayPal without the need to create an account. When I bought it a couple of months ago, it worked fine. Description Postage and payments. None Royal Mail International Signed.


Our current state of mind is joie de vivre, especially given that Louis Vuitton's collaborations are everything French and fabulous. Since its conception in 1854, the French fashion house has pleased almost every women; from royalty and socialites to the young fashionistas of today. Now, Louis Vuitton is collaborating with Fortnum and Mason to impress the travelling tea-drinker.
A resident in London's posh Piccadilly vicinity since 1707, Fortnum and Mason is extremely popular for their exquisite teas and extravagant gifting selections. The collaboration is extremely exciting and has been labelled the Secrétaire Thé.
Given the onset of the festive season, the Secrétaire Thé trunk is the ultimate gift to near and dear ones, or perfect for that afternoon tea in. Entailing a wooden foldable table, removable tray, and natural cowhide leather handles, the Secrétaire Thé trunk is all about flair, fashion and oomph. A breathtaking Fortnum & Mason Camellia Tea Set accompanies the trunk. What I loved about the tea set is its gold-gilded pattern which is crafted exclusively for Fortnum's in Stoke-on-Trent—the British home of fine china for centuries—with a design inspired by the beautiful handmade wallpaper of the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon.
The sought-after trunk is part of the French Art de Vivre 'Louis Vuitton and London,' a collection celebrating the house's savoir-faire and its continuing spirit of innovation.


NIH intends to fund 5-8 awards, corresponding to a total of $2M for fiscal year 2017, for RFA-DA-17-008 and RFA-DA-17-009.
Budgets up to $150,000 total costs per year for Phase I and up to $500,000 total costs per year for Phase II may be requested.
For the STTR program, the PD(s)/PI(s) may be employed with the SBC or the single, "partnering" non-profit research institution as long as s/he has a formal appointment with or commitment to the applicant SBC, which is characterized by an official relationship between the SBC and that individual.
Each PD/PI must commit a minimum of 10% effort to the project and the PD/PI must have a formal appointment with or commitment to the applicant small business concern, which is characterized by an official relationship between the small business concern and that individual. Such a relationship does not necessarily involve a salary or other form of remuneration.


Every person on the planet is a theologian. (Theology = the study of God.) Even atheists are theologians — we all think about God, have beliefs about God and live our lives accordingly. Here's the deal: We're either good theologians or we're poor theologians. Good, sound theological bearings in our lives will provide stability, contentment, and an undercurrent of joy that will keep us humble during the good times and sustain us during difficult times.
The Apostle's Creed was not written by the Apostles but is a summary of apostolic teaching that contains essential Christian doctrines and beliefs that summarize the gospel and make up the foundation of our faith and is rooted in truth and a rich history that connects the 21st century Church to the early Church – a time when the Church was growing exponentially.
If you have a Catholic background you'll either think this is awesome because it's a prayer that is often prayed in the Mass – or you could be pretty nervous right now thinking that the Apostles' Creed is a distinctly Catholic prayer. It's not. The Apostles' Creed dates back to between 180-250 AD.
On the other hand a few of you may have grown-up in a very conservative church where you heard statements like, "No creed but Christ!" If that is your background and general disposition I would urge you to reconsider.
To identify and list essential historic Christian truths.
To distinguish truth from error.
For example, The Shema, based on Deuteronomy 6:4-9, is used as a creed (usually benedictory).
Paul included a number of creed-like statements in his letters. Whether or not he generated them, or they were teaching creeds circulating around the churches written by other teachers, we don't know for sure. But scattered throughout his letters are several poetic, devotional, and instructive meditations. 1 Timothy 3:16 is a good example.
As the early church spread, there was a very practical need for a statement of faith to help believers focus on the most important doctrines of their Christian faith. As the church grew, heresies also grew, and the early Christians needed to clarify the defining boundaries of their faith. Here at CCC we view this series as an opportunity to review and teach the basic doctrines of our Christian faith.
Over the next 12 weeks we will not be preaching the Creed but using the Creed to preach the gospel as well as to teach some basic foundational and historic theology.
Like the moon reflecting the light of the sun – a historic creed reflects the light of Scripture.
The scriptural truths contained in the Apostles' Creed help us to live-out good theology with the knowledge that our faith is rooted in truth and in a rich history that spans past and present.
W will consider the first two words of the Apostles' Creed: "I Believe." We will look at just two verses but then turn our attention to focus on exactly how belief occurs.
Takeaway: To believe in Jesus Christ is to confess Jesus Christ. The result is justification, which forever changes our legal standing before God. God declares us not guilty, but righteous because of the finished and complete work of Jesus Christ.
There is a difference between knowing something and believing something. To know something is to have it registered in our brain. To believe something is to have knowledge travel the 18-inches from our head to our heart.
To confess and believe happens when the truth moves from something we understand to something we stand under.
To use the Apostle John's language from 1 Jn 3: We go from knowing to beholding.
What's going on here? This is not new information. The son already knew that his father loved him. It's not a new idea — but the idea becomes new.
He doesn't get new information but the information becomes new. He experiences his father's love in a new and profound way.
What it means to believe and confess is that we experience God's sweet embrace – and the truth becomes radioactive in our heart.
I have to ask: Has this happened to you yet? Have you experienced the Father's sweet embrace?
Notice how Paul reverses the order of verbs in v. 9 and v. 10: confess–> believe –> believes –> confesses.
This a literary technique called parallelism. When a writer employs parallelism, it is done to add emphasis to the author's intent.
What Paul is saying in these verses is that heart-belief and mouth-confession are one and the same — and that hey come together for our justification (some translations use the word "righteousness" – NAS, KJV, NKJV).
Order of Salvation, or the Latin phrase Ordo Salutis, refers to the lining up in chronological sequence of the events which occur from the time when a person is outside the community of faith and dead in their sin, through to the time when a sinner is fully and finally saved.
Outward Call: God sends us an outward call by bringing the message of the gospel across our paths, either through reading or hearing the good news of the gospel proclaimed. We have a "wait, what?" moment.
Inward Call/Heart Awakening: Next, God provides an inward call through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, which awakens, or calls to life previously dead hearts.
Conversion = Repentance + Faith. Repent of sin and trust in Christ for salvation. (Think of a two-sided coin.) Regeneration and conversion is our response to the inward gospel call. We see Paul's dramatic conversion detailed in Acts 9.
Imputed Righteousness – The word "impute" means "ascribe" or "credit." Imputed righteousness thus carries the theological weight of being "counted" or "considered" or "reckoned" righteous.
Paul is not writing that we are transformed into people who possessrighteousness, but rather that we have been united to Christ (i.e., the 30 "in Him" passages of Paul's letters) and because of our union with Him (the emphasis of Romans 5), we have that which He possesses, that is, Christ's righteousness.
In God's eyes Jesus' perfect record is imputed to us.
We are treated as if we had lived the perfect life that Jesus lived.
We are given the love that Jesus deserved (through His obedience).
We have the same access to the Father that Jesus did.
The best news is that all of this comes not from us doing anything (i.e., works) at all, but simply by confessing and believing.
Adoption: At the same time, God adopts us, making us His children and the brothers and sisters of Christ; and He also unites us with Christ, so that henceforth we are in Him (think of a judge declaring you not guilty and then taking of his judicial robe and adopting you into his family).
Grace Empowered Sanctification: Beginning at that point, and on throughout the rest of our lives, God changes us into His likeness.
This occurs mostly through worship and surrender (not willpower – although the will is involved).
When (or, as) we worship and surrender the grace of God comes and does IN us and THROUGH us what we could never do on our own.
Grace Empowered Perseverance of the Saints: Throughout this time, God empowers us to persevere in the faith through grace, so that we do not fall away. Then, at death, we enter an intermediate state, where we are in the presence of the Lord, but without our physical bodies.
Glorification: Finally comes glorification, when our bodies will be resurrected and changed so that they will no longer decay, and we will inherit the new heavens and new earth, where we will live in the presence of God for all eternity.
A woman named Hetty Green died in 1916 and left an estate valued at between $100-200 million. She went down in history as, "America's Greatest Miser." It was said she ate cold oatmeal to save the cost of cooking it. Her son had to eventually have his leg amputated, because she was too cheap to pay for medical care. Hetty Green was wealthiest woman in the world, yet she chose to live like a pauper.
We have unlimited spiritual wealth at our disposal and yet we often live in spiritual and theological poverty.
Do you just know about God, or have you experienced the Father's love in a new, regenerating, and profound way?
 Adapted from Thomas Goodwin (1600-1680), an English Puritan theologian and preacher.
 A balance within one or more sentences of similar phrases or clauses that have the same grammatical structure.
 The justification of a sinner is based solely upon the complete and unwavering righteousness of Jesus Christ, which is imputed at salvation (see Romans 5:18-21; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:7-10). Imputation means that the merit of Christ's work of mediation is legally applied to the person, to their account, so that s/he is saved, justified, positionally made fit, and entitled to all of salvation based on a righteousness they personally did not produce, the righteousness of Christ becomes their Substitute and Surety.
Verses 1-6: Addresses our status in the kingdom of God.
We are to become like children (child-like, not childish) and recognize our dependence on God and trust God like a child trusts a loving and attentive parent. V. 4 tells us very clearly that it is the truly humble people who are the most highly regarded people in the kingdom of God.
Verses 6-14: Tell us that the church is to be a place where the powerless are cared for, that the abuse of people will not be tolerated, and that God deeply cares for each and every person – and is willing to leave the 99 to go after the 1.
Takeaway: The church is to be a place where sinners are mercifully restored and the church is to be a place where people are quick to forgive and quick to seek reconciliation.
When conflict happens it must be dealt with immediately. Our natural tendency to look the other way and pretend it's not there – hoping that it will just go away. But it won't. Conflict that is not attended to immediately is like a neglected infection, and sooner or later it will engulf the entire organism. Unresolved conflict can do great damage to us as a church as well as to our witness as a church. For that reason, Jesus gives us very clear and specific instruction. Jesus tells us with specific CLARITY what to do when there is tension between the church members. Our goal in resolving inevitable church conflict is never retaliation or vindication, but always reconciliation – we want to show and honor Jesus Christ in our healed relationships.
Step 1 – one on one (v. 15) "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.
I don't circulate, I don't inflate, I don't inflame, but the first step is to go talk to that person. We will need to identify if we each have a clear picture of what happened, or what was said. I would like to point out that in these conflict resolution steps there is both an informal process as well as a formal process.
A more formal process might occur if some habitual sin, like gossip, continues to surface in a person's life.
The main idea of Step 1 (or v. 15) is, can we settle this at the lowest level possible? The goal is to establish a renewed "family" relationship with our brother or sister. It may take a little time and a little work. "Help me understand…" is a great intro to what could be a difficult conversation. This isn't to be mechanical and reconciliation certainly isn't automatic, it's something to be done with great care.
But what if it doesn't work?
Step 2 – Go in two's (v. 16) But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.
**This is where it can get harder, or messier. Often times it "feels" so much easier to talk to someone we feel would be more on our side of the conflict than it is to actually talk to the person we are having the conflict with. This verse reflects the ancient Jewish standard of fairness. That everything would be established by one or two credible witnesses. The "witness" or "witnesses" are to delve into both party's perspective of the conflict.
What if Step 2 doesn't work?
Step 3 (v. 17) If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
Tell it to the church. This DOESN'T mean that we talk to all our friends in the church! We are to speak to those who represent the authority in the church. Ultimately this would be the elders in the church. The role of the elders is primarily 3-fold: Doctrine, Direction (vision), and Discipline – yet after steps one and two have been unsuccessful. The goal is always to help people build a holy consensus and unity that will express the reconciliation that God has brought to us in the Person of Jesus Christ. As Christians we have been reconciled to Christ and there are times when we need to be reconciled to one another. Again, conflict is inevitable. The gospel is to be expressed in the way we deal with one another. Sometimes the elders need to get involved. Sometimes it can get really messy and difficult. And sometimes we need to involve outside Christian arbitration. Sometimes it is necessary to inform someone they are in great spiritual danger.
You may be denied access to the communion table – and your fellowship at this church will be in jeopardy. No one likes talking about this – until it is your reputation that has been smeared… Or your family has been cheated… Or your marriage has been shattered… Or your church leaders have been scandalized in some way. What Jesus is saying here is that to protect His Church, He has given us a clear guiding process. God protects His Church by providing a process. What is the purpose of this process? We are not to be mindless or automatic… Why would we bother to do this? The primary reasons are rescue and reconciliation. We are willing to engage in uncomfortable conversation in order to rescue and reconcile people due to their own sinful behavior OR from being victimized by other people's sinful behavior. The whole purpose of this process is to gain a brother or a sister.
Verse 17: What does it mean to treat someone as a Gentile and a tax collector?
We are to cut off the unrepentant from access to the sacraments as well as from social relationships.
The purpose of church discipline in all its forms is not to punish for punishment's sake, but to call forth repentance in order to recover the straying sheep. Ultimately, there is only one sin for which a church member is excommunicated — an unwillingness to repent. When there is genuine repentance, the church is to declare the sin forgiven and receive the offender into fellowship once again.
The ruling authorities (usually the elders) pray a prayer that removes the church's covering from the unrepentant sinner/s. Paul applies this disciplinary action in both 1 Corinthians 5 and 1 Timothy 1:20. There was obvious and blatant sin in both Corinth and Ephesus and Paul was admonishing each of the churches and their leaders to address it.
This is not an angry, reactive, pugnacious determination, it is a humble and sorrowful response to sin with a longing for full and complete repentance and restoration.
We see Peter attempting to be generous by offering to forgive someone seven times (he doubled the Jewish standard of three times and added an extra). Then Jesus lovingly says, "Not exactly Peter – it's seventy times seven times." The idea is that if we actually tried to keep track we would lose track along the way.
Here is something you may not have thought about before: The goal of this biblical process is ultimately about our mission as a church. That others, even outside the church, would see the gospel in operation as we continually pursue healing and reconciliation with one another. We want to make the gospel known by the witness of the church. The separation that can happen in church can have eternal consequences for some people when we don't follow the biblical processes laid down by Jesus for His Church.
We are to extend the mercy we have received from Jesus Christ at the cross to one another. Luke 7:47 tells us that those who have been forgiven much will love much.
Here is something that is continually surprising to me…In almost every church there is a person, or group of people, who want to be regarded as church leaders – or, people who regard themselves as gatekeepers in the church who often cause the most damage and strife through gossiping and triangulation (explain triangulation). These people can even have a strong understanding of the Bible and be very gifted in many areas, but in the end they disqualify themselves because they cannot hold their tongue – or they cannot take their concerns to the people who actually need to hear them. The rest of the church needs to lovingly stand up to these people and point them to the people they are complaining about or gossiping about.
 D.A. Carson, Editorial On Abusing Matthew 18, Themelios, May 2011, Vol 36, Issue 1.
Does the Bible Condone or Condemn Slavery?
The practice of slavery has developed in virtually every civilization known to humankind. Slavery in ancient Rome differed from its more modern forms in that it was not based on race. Nevertheless, it was an abusive and degrading institution. As much as two thirds of the Roman Empire were slaves during the 1st century — in both lowly and prestigious positions. Besides manual labor, slaves performed many domestic services, and might also be tasked with highly skilled jobs and professions. Greek slaves in particular were often highly educated working as accountants, tutors, and physicians. Unskilled slaves, or those sentenced to slavery as punishment, worked on farms, in mines, and at mills. Their living conditions were often brutal and their lives were usually short.
Another distinction historians and anthropologists make is distinguishing between "open" and "closed" systems of slavery. In the "open slavery system" slaves could be freed and accepted fully into general society; in the "closed slavery system" slaves were a separate group and were not accepted into general society even if freed. Roman slavery generally conformed to the "open slavery system." Cicero, the Roman politician, lawyer, and orator noted in his speeches that a Roman slave could usually be set free within seven years and under Roman law a slave would normally be freed by age 30. By contrast, "American slavery [was] perhaps the most closed and caste-like of any [slave] system known." Thus, 17th-19th century slavery in America was both a "slave society" as well as a "closed slavery system." And, sadly, many of the effects of our "closed slavery system" remain embedded in our culture.
Jesus is the most revolutionary person who ever lived – and the purpose of His coming was to initiate a full-fledged yet subversive revolution, an upside down kingdom. Jesus, in His first coming, established the kingdom of God on the earth. Jesus, in His second coming, will consummate the kingdom of God on the earth. A helpful illustration is the Allied troops successfully landing on Normandy Beach in WW-2. With the success of the invasion the back of Hitler's army was broken and the end of the war was inevitable. However, some of the fiercest fighting of the war occurred in the 11-month period between the Normandy invasion and VE-Day (e.g., Battle of the Bulge). It is the same with Jesus and His kingdom – His death and resurrection breaks the back of Satan's army and the end of the war is inevitable yet we are still in a very real fight.
Jesus and the NT writer's subversive and revolutionary Christian affirmations, if taken seriously, begin to tear apart the fabric of institutional slavery. Jesus and the NT writers proclaimed the kingdom of God, declaring God alone as the one true King over heaven and earth. Jesus called His followers, as citizens of God's kingdom, to live in a radically different way on earth and to "fight" in a radically different way. Rather than hating their enemies, they were to love them. Rather than seeking revenge, the disciples of Jesus were to turn the other cheek. No ordinary revolutionary would say things like this. Jesus was advancing a deeper and more pervasive revolution, the overthrow of the kingdom of the Evil One and the victory of the kingdom of God. Jesus (and the NT writers) sought to keep the good news of the gospel at the hub of the cultural wheel – not social justice or any number of other legitimate causes.
In Revelation 18:11–13, doomed Babylon (i.e., spiritually speaking those who oppose God) stands condemned because she had treated humans as "cargo," having trafficked in "slaves [literally 'bodies'] and human lives." This repudiation of treating humans as cargo assumes the doctrine of the image of God in all human beings.
The Bible clearly teaches a fundamental equality because all humans are image bearers of God (Gen 1:26; James 3:9). Yet, an even deeper unity in Christ is to transcend human boundaries and social structures: no Jew or Greek, slave or free, no male and female, as all believers are all "one in Christ Jesus" (Col. 3:11; Gal. 3:28).
In the NT, the Greek word doulos is frequently used to designate a slave (one bound to another), but also a follower of Christ (or a "bondslave" of Christ). The term would have been an extremely common metaphor that every strata of society would have understood, which points to a relation of absolute dependence where the master and the servant stand on opposite sides with the former having a full claim and the latter having a full commitment. The metaphor indicates that a true servant can exercise no will or initiative on his or her own. Jesus Himself took on the "form of a doulos" (Phil. 2:7). As believers we have moved from being slaves to sin to become slaves of righteousness (Rom 6:17-18) by the matchless grace of God through the Incarnation of Jesus.
John Piper writes that instead of a frontal attack on the culturally pervasive institution of slavery in his day, Paul took another approach in his letter to Philemon. Onesimus was a slave, Philemon was master and both were now Christians. Onesimus had evidently run away from Colossae (Colossians 4:9) to Rome where Paul, in prison, had led him to faith in Jesus. Now he was sending Onesimus back to Philemon. This letter tells Philemon how to receive Onesimus. In the process, Paul does at least 11 things that work together to undermine slavery.
Paul draws attention to Philemon's love for all the saints. "I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints" (1:5). This puts Philemon's relation with Onesimus (now one of the saints) under the banner of God's saving grace and love, well beyond commerce.
Paul models for Philemon the superiority of appeals over commands when it comes to relationships governed by love. "Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you" (1:8-9). This points Philemon to the new dynamics that will hold sway between him and Onesimus. Acting out of freedom from a heart of love is the goal in the relationship.
Paul heightens the sense of Onesimus being in the family of God by calling him his child. "I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment" (1:10). Remember, Philemon, however you deal with him, you are dealing with my child.
Paul raises the stakes again by saying that Onesimus has become entwined around his own deep affections. "I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart" (1:12). The word for "heart" is "bowels." This means, "I am deeply bound emotionally to this man." Treat him that way.
Paul raises the intensity of the relationship again with the word forever. "For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever" (1:15). In other words, Onesimus is not coming back into any ordinary, secular relationship. It is forever.
In that same verse (1:16), Paul refers to Onesimus as Philemon's beloved brother. This is the relationship that takes the place of slave. "No longer as a slave…but as a beloved brother." Onesimus now gets the "holy kiss" (1 Thessalonians 5:26) from Philemon and eats at his side at the Lord's Table.
Paul tells Philemon to receive Onesimus the way he would receive Paul. "So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me" (1:17). This is perhaps as strong as anything he has said: Philemon, how would you see me, treat me, relate to me, receive me? Treat your former slave and new brother that way.
Paul says to Philemon that he will cover all Onesimus's debts. "If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account" (1:18). This is a beautiful picture of the gospel. All our debts are charged to Christ's account.
The upshot of all this is that Jesus, Paul and the other NT authors pointed the church away from slavery because it is an institution that is incompatible with the way the gospel works in people's lives. Whether the slavery is economic, racial, sexual, mild, or brutal, Paul's way of dealing with Philemon works to undermine the institution across its various manifestations while keeping the gospel of Jesus Christ front and center. To walk "in step with the truth of the gospel" (Galatians 2:14) is to walk away from slavery.
 Moses Finley. Ancient Slavery and Modern Ideology, Chatto and Windus, 1980.
 James L. Watson. Slavery as an Institution, Open and Closed Systems, in James L. Watson (ed.), Asian and African Systems of Slavery, Blackwell, 1980: 43.
 Slavery in America began when the first African slaves were brought to the North American colony of Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619 to aid in the production of such lucrative crops as tobacco.
 Murray Harris. Slave of Christ: A New Testament Metaphor for Total Devotion to Christ, IVP 2001: 44.
 Adapted from Oscar Cullmann. Christ and Time: The Primitive Christian Conception of Time, John Knox Press, Rev October 1964.
 Another common NT term, diakonos, derives from a verb meaning "to wait at table," or "to serve." As the Son of man, Jesus "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matt 20:28; Mark 10:45).
 How Paul Worked to Overcome Slavery, desiringgod.org.
This is an expanded re-post from Dr. Stephen J. Nichols who is president of Reformation Bible College and chief academic officer for Ligonier Ministries, and teaches on the podcast 5 Minutes in Church History. I added some definitions as well as several links to help expand the historical account. You can read Dr. Nichols original post here.
First, there is the young bishop—too young by church laws—Albert of Mainz. Not only was he bishop over two bishoprics [a district or a diocese], he desired an additional archbishopric over Mainz. This too was against church laws. So Albert appealed to the Pope in Rome, Leo X. From the De Medici family, Leo X greedily allowed his tastes to exceed his financial resources. Enter the artists and sculptors, Raphaeland Michelangelo.
When Albert of Mainz appealed for a papal dispensation, Leo X was ready to deal. Albert, with the papal blessing, would sell indulgences for past, present, and future sins. All of this sickened the monk, Martin Luther. Can we buy our way into heaven? Luther had to speak out.
But why October 31? November 1 held a special place in the church calendar as All Soul's Day. On November 1, 1517, a massive exhibit of newly acquired relics would be on display at Wittenberg, Luther's home city. Pilgrims would come from all over, genuflect before the relics, and take hundreds, if not thousands, of years off time in purgatory. Luther's soul grew even more vexed. None of this seemed right.
Martin Luther, a scholar, took quill in hand, dipped it in his inkwell and penned his 95 Theses on October 31, 1517. These were intended to spark a debate, to stir some soul-searching among his fellow brothers in the church. The 95 Theses sparked far more than a debate. The 95 Theses also revealed the church was far beyond rehabilitation. It needed a reformation. The church, and the world, would never be the same.
One of Luther's 95 Theses simply declares, "The Church's true treasure is the gospel of Jesus Christ" [#62]. That alone is the meaning of Reformation Day. The church had lost sight of the gospel because it had long ago papered over the pages of God's Word with layer upon layer of [dead and greedy] tradition. Tradition always brings about systems of works, of earning your way back to God. It was true of the Pharisees, and it was true of medieval Roman Catholicism. Didn't Christ Himself say, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light?" [Matthew 11:30].
Reformation Day celebrates the joyful beauty of the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ.
What is Reformation Day? It is the day the light of the gospel broke forth out of darkness. It was the day that began the Protestant Reformation. It was a day that led to Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, and may other Reformers helping the church find its way back to God's Word as the only authority for faith and life and leading the church back to the glorious doctrines of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. It kindled the fires of missionary endeavors, it led to hymn writing and congregational singing, and it led to the centrality of the sermon and preaching for the people of God. It is the celebration of a theological, ecclesiastical [i.e., clergy – pastors, etc.], and cultural transformation.
So we celebrate Reformation Day. This day reminds us to be thankful for our past and to the [Martin the] Monk turned Reformer. What's more, this day reminds us of our duty, our obligation, to keep the light of the gospel at the center of all we do.
Doctrine – The [church] elders will be the guardians of the church's doctrinal stance for both the essentials of the Christian faith as well as non-essential (or secondary) issues of faith.
The non-essentials of the faith most often describe the doctrines in the Bible that while very important, are not essential to salvation. For instance, whether or not someone believes in the baptism of infants or whether or not God still heals today. These are important issues; yet, what someone believes about these are not essential to salvation.
Direction – With input from the Staff, Ministry Leaders, Members, and Attenders the Elders will be responsible to determine the vision of [the church] and, with the Lead Pastor, identify 3-5 yearly ministry objectives. The Elders will then delegate to the Lead Pastor the authority to oversee all Staff and operations of the church, and then consistently hold the Lead Pastor accountable through monthly reports and regular (yearly) performance reviews. The Elders will also consistently evaluate the progress of the ministry objectives by employing both qualitative and quantitative metrics.
Qualitative Metrics include (but are not limited to) widespread genuine joy and excitement in the gospel, unity, maturity, zeal, faith, hope, love, increased boldness and zeal in evangelism with a winsome and contagious witness among a cross section of people, the aroma of Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit, responsive obedience to the Word of God, the fruit of the Spirit, a humble willingness to follow the leadership, eagerness to do works of service, receptivity to non-Christians, seekers, and newcomers, etc.
Quantitative Metrics include (but are not limited to) measuring the numbers of conversions, baptisms, numbers of Bible studies, small groups, those enfolded into groups, weekend worship attendance, general giving, missions giving, numbers of those serving inside and outside the church, numbers of new and consistent givers, involvement in ministries and outreaches, attendance and quality of training events, etc.
Discipline – Broadly speaking, there can be a distinction between formative discipline (referring to instruction to develop the disciplines of the faith) and corrective discipline (referring to correcting sin). Corrective discipline refers to any act of correction, whether privately and informally warning a friend (which all Christians are called to engage in with gentleness and humility) or formally engaging a habitually sinning member in the corrective discipline process outlined in Matthew 18:15-19. The Elders become involved when all the other relational resources of the church have been exhausted. When the formal process gets to the final stage, the word "excommunication" is frequently used. To excommunicate is to "ex-commune" someone. Among Protestants, excommunication does not refer to removing someone from salvation (which the church is incapable doing) it refers to removing someone from membership in the church and participation in the church's ministries including the Lord's Supper. This effectively removes the spiritual connections and covering of the church with the hope for a deep and heartfelt repentance.
This is not directly addressed in Scripture but would come under the eldership qualification of managing his household well — with love and dignity (see 1 Timothy 3:4-5). In addition to being a spiritually mature believer an elder's wife must also be self-differentiated (as do Elders!). Jesus would be 100% differentiated, the rest of us would land on a scale ranging from low to high. People with a high level of differentiation have their own beliefs, convictions, direction, goals, and values apart from the pressures around them. They can choose, before God, how they want to be without being controlled by the approval or disapproval of others. Intensity of feelings, high stress, or the anxiety of others around them does not overwhelm their capacity to think and act intelligently and with responsive wisdom. There are times of high stress and anxiety in an elder's home and marriage (again, if married). During these seasons the elder has the opportunity to regularly process with other elders while his wife may feel the weight of the stress and anxiety (no matter how much she knows about the situation) without the opportunity to process with others. If she is not differentiated she may be given to "leaking" her stress and anxiety in unhealthy ways. The stress and anxiety can lead to defensiveness, triangulation (i.e., unnecessarily involving a third party), or outright gossip.
Self-differentiation is an emotional health issue. Unfortunately many churches have not done a good job of integrating emotional health into the discipleship process.
Certainly the time commitment will vary. Not every elder will have an equal amount of time per month to serve. However every elder will need to determine during the vetting process if he has sufficient time to devote. The goal during this transition season at [the church] is to show that being an elder at [the church] is (overall) a joyful ministry opportunity! Whether or not a church believes in "elder for life" there does need to be required sabbaticals (TBD, somewhere between 3-5 years). I recommend three meetings a month. The goal of all of these meetings is to balance effectiveness with efficiency.
A monthly board meeting to carryout the legal requirements of a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization by reviewing financial and attendance reports, holding the Lead Pastor accountable through engaging with his Ministry Objective Report, providing counsel and input to the Lead Pastor when asked for, and actively moving toward consensus and unity. The agenda for a board meeting is jointly assembled by the Board Facilitator and Lead Pastor and sent out with monthly reports 3-5 days before the Board Meeting so that every member can come prepared to move quickly and efficiently through the agenda. A board meeting should last no more than two hours, however it will most likely take an additional two hours to properly prepare for the board meeting.
A monthly "work" meeting to engage in extended prayer for the church, the staff, leaders, members, attenders, specific prayer needs, and for God to bless the church with salvations. Additionally, in a work meeting the elders review any current or possible church discipline issues as well as continue to study and refine [the church's] doctrine. Position papers are often written for effective instruction and communication to the rest of the church (hot topics include women's roles in leadership, sexuality, and defining marriage). These meetings can last 2-3 hours.
A monthly "check-in" meeting to share and care for one another. Honest sharing about joys, challenges, struggles, marriage, work, etc. and praying for each other individually as needed. I would also encourage, at least once a quarter, for these meetings to include wives for continued relationship building, sharing, and caring. This also helps the wives to be able to engage with their own wisdom and discernment (where appropriate) as well as being an outlet for any pent-up stress and anxiety. These meeting should last 1-2 hours. When the wives are involved it should usually take place over a meal, with plenty of time to interact plus time to pray together.
I would also recommend an elder's retreat on a regular basis – at least yearly. This could just be for the guys, or for couples (maybe one of each??).
Addendum #1: What About Women Elders?
Complementarian – The theological view that men and women are created equal in their value, being, and personhood through bearing the image of God, displaying physical and functional distinctives and are created to complement one another in biblically prescribed roles and responsibilities in marriage, family life, and church leadership. Complementarians view women's roles in church ministry as distinctive from men, holding to the "mystery" of mutual submission, male headship, and sacrificial love conveyed in Ephesians 5:19-33. Practically, this is expressed through the practice of male lead pastors and elders.
Egalitarian – The theological view that not only are all people equal before God in their personhood, value, and worth but there are no gender-based limitations of what functions or roles each can fulfill in the home, church, or society – viewing Galatians 3:28 as a hinge-verse that changes the historical role of women in the Church.
Complementarianism has it's own continuum: "Soft," "Strict," and "Hyper" (again, for another time). Historically, [the church] has been more complementarian in its theological perspective with male elders and pastors. This is an area that the incoming elders will oversee theological clarification on. (If a nominee tends toward an egalitarian view it will not disqualify him.) Also, many healthy and vital churches have a provision in their governance model to add "gifted men and women" to their board. These men and women would not be considered elders but their wisdom and discernment would be consistently utilized.
Addendum #2: Can Vocational Staff Be Elders?
This is an area that is not clearly defined in Scripture. Many healthy and vital churches have differing views on this question. When a church is in transition with the aim of calling a "Permanent Pastor" it's generally wise to not have any vocational staff as elders. When a permanent pastor comes on the scene it can be awkward and confusing for the permanent pastor to be the (new) supervisor of the staff member/s at work but be a co-equal in an elder's meeting. In the governance model expressed above the Lead Pastor can bring one of his staff (often the Executive pastor) to a Board Meeting as a non-voting member to give input as well as helping the Lead Pastor communicate with the rest of the staff.
As we begin a new school year (which, most churches orient their calendars around) I am reminded of Paul's words to Timothy, "Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you." (1 Timothy 4:16). Consider the following questions in order to be proactive and intentional about becoming all that God has called you to be.
Is responsive obedience the fruit of genuine joy in the gospel? We can obey God out of fear or from love. God prefers love.
Have I maintained a genuine awe of God? Awe inspires, it overwhelms, it intimidates our humanness, it inspires worship. Awe isn't learned; it is realized.
Am I content with who I am becoming? Every day we get one day closer to who we will ultimately be. Am I satisfied with who this will be?
Am I becoming less religious and more spiritual? The Pharisees were religious; Christ is spiritual. Much tradition is religious, while relationship with Christ is spiritual.
Does my family recognize the authenticity of my spirituality? They see us whole. We would like to believe, and must believe, that if we are growing spiritually, our family will recognize it.
Do I give-to-get-to-give-again? John Wimber used to remind audiences that the reason we give is not just to "get," but to "get" so we can give again, and again, and again… Are we giving away that which God blesses us with?
Do I have a quiet center to my life? Peace is not just the absence of conflict, but the absence of anxiety in the midst of conflict.
Have I defined my unique contribution? Do we know what we can do effectively? The need is always bigger than any person can satisfy, and so our call is simply to handle the part of the need that is ours to do.
Is my prayer life improving? One test of our prayer life is this: Do our decisions have prayer as an integral part, or do we make decisions out of our desires and then immerse them in a sanctimonious sauce we call prayer?
Is my humility genuine? Humility is not denying the gifts and power that we have but admitting that the power comes through us, not from us.
Is my soul being fed? We have different personality and character traits that need developing or dwarfing. That means we must search out the spiritual food that feeds our soul.
Do I have joy? God doesn't need us, God loves us; and we don't work for Him to earn His love, we work for Him as a result of His love. He lets us work in order to mature us. That brings joy.
A spiritual audit is more than a statement of condition. It is also an indication of spiritual potential. May the coming school year be a season growth toward your destiny in Christ.
This post was adapted from an article originally published in 1998 by the (late) Fred Smith in Christianity Today/Leadership Journal. I have continued to adapt it over the years as I think, plan, pray, and grow. You can read the original article here.
People took a chance on someone they thought could "drain the swamp." I get that. And I get that Christians were hoping for more of a voice in determining public policy. But Trump is who we thought he was — and we (all) need to own that.
It's also been demoralizing to listen to many of the "Evangelicals" who are backing him. The vast majority of them certainly don't speak for me. And the levels of incompetency many of them bring to the table are baffling to me — whether it's theologically or professionally, and in some cases, both. Sometimes it's hilarious, but usually it's quite sad.
Here's what I see the Bible plainly saying: God sent His Son — a brown, Jewish Middle Eastern man — to live a perfect life and die a sinner's death so that we could enjoy a relationship with a perfectly holy, just, loving and righteous God.
The result of this gospel grace is that sinners like me from every race, tribe and tongue will celebrate God's goodness together, as a family, for all eternity (see Revelation 7:9). My belief is that the gospel alone has the power to overcome social, ethnic and gender barriers (see Galatians 3:26, 28).
I am saddened to think that our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be shocked to learn that many of the beliefs and practices that the current "Evangelical Church" clings to will be just as baffling to them as us looking back and wondering how anyone, ever, could have believed and taught that slavery of any kind was God-ordained, or that any other human being did not/does not inherently possess equal value, dignity and worth.
What's the way forward? Three things come to mind.
Humble, respectful and convictional dialogue. This is especially essential for those of us who identify as Christ followers. It is very confusing to people when so-called Christians who profess to know God and practice the Bible behave in ways that do not reflect the demeanor of Jesus. And we must acknowledge that when Jesus did speak and act in anger it was in legit response to the hypocrisy and greed of the religious leaders. There are many excellent resources available, in addition to the Bible. One that I have enjoyed is the book, Convictional Civility, with the subtitle of "Engaging the Culture in the 21st Century, Essays in Honor of David S. Dockery," who is president of Trinity International University in Deerfield, Ill.
We (white folks, especially) need to speak out on behalf of — and serve — the marginalized, the poor, the weak and the alien. Period. It is clearly stated in the Bible. There is simply no way around it. New life in Jesus Christ will place new motives, capacity, desires — and trust in our hearts.
Participate in the political process, and support civic education. It's been said that we get the leaders we deserve. There is truth to that. The "they" needs to become the "us." In 2012, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter was interviewed at the University of New Hampshire School of Law, where he said, in essence, that democracy will fail if we continue our decline into "civic ignorance." You can watch the (impressive) clip here.


text:
The Latest: Driller says no threat in 'Gasland' town
FILE – In this Sept. 20, 2012 file photo, Ray Kemble, of Dimock, Pa., holds a jug of his well water on his head while marching with demonstrators agai... FILE – In this Sept. 20, 2012 file photo, Ray Kemble, of Dimock, Pa., holds a jug of his well water on his head while marching with demonstrators against hydraulic fracturing outside a Marcellus Shale industry conference in Philadelphia. Federal government scientists are collecting water and air samples in the first week of August 2017 from about 25 homes in Dimock, Pa., a tiny, rural crossroads about 150 miles north of Philadelphia that became a flashpoint in the national debate over fracking to investigate ongoing complaints about the quality of the drinking water. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
FILE – This Feb. 13, 2012, file photo shows a Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. wellhead in Dimock, Pa. Federal government scientists are collecting water and air... FILE – This Feb. 13, 2012, file photo shows a Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. wellhead in Dimock, Pa. Federal government scientists are collecting water and air samples in the first week of August 2017 from about 25 homes in Dimock, Pa., a tiny, rural crossroads about 150 miles north of Philadelphia that became a flashpoint in the national debate over fracking, to investigate ongoing complaints about the quality of the drinking water. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
DIMOCK, Pa. (AP) — The Latest on federal government testing of water wells in Dimock (all times local):
A gas driller says the water in a northeastern Pennsylvania village does not pose a threat to "human health and the environment."
Cabot Oil and Gas Corp. released a statement Thursday after learning that government scientists are collecting water samples from about 25 homes in Dimock, where some residents continue to blame the driller for contaminating their drinking water.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry is testing the water for bacteria, gases and chemicals.
Dimock became ground zero in the national debate over the safety of fracking. The town was featured in the Emmy-winning 2010 documentary "Gasland."
The federal government has returned to a Pennsylvania village that became a flashpoint in the national debate over fracking to investigate ongoing complaints about the quality of the drinking water.
Government scientists are collecting water samples this week from about 25 homes in Dimock, a tiny crossroads about 150 miles north of Philadelphia.
Dimock was the scene of the most highly publicized case of methane contamination to emerge from the early days of Pennsylvania's natural-gas drilling boom. The town was featured in the Emmy-winning 2010 documentary "Gasland."
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry told The Associated Press on Thursday that residents are still concerned that gas drilling is affecting their wells. The agency says it's testing the water for bacteria, gases and chemicals.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Home Tags Posts tagged with "priority populations"
The CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) has compiled a searchable database of examples of best practices for chronic disease prevention from states across the country. See what others around the nation are doing, what types of prevention strategies are working, and how they have been able to impact their target communities.
The CDC has made available a number of updated success stories that highlight the progress made through the REACH program, aimed at improving the health and wellness of racial and ethnic groups across the United States. In communities across the country, REACH is making a difference by improving access to nutritious foods, enhancing places for physical activity, and preventing tobacco use among those most impacted by chronic disease.
The Nation's Health, a publication of the American Public Health Association (APHA), is running a special series looking at social determinants of health and how they are changing the landscape of public health.
Learn more about how the shift toward social determinants is transforming public health work and view their infographic that introduces social determinants and their connection to health.
This issue brief from the Kaiser Family Foundation provides good background on social determinants of health – what they are and how they impact our health.
The articles within the special supplement examine factors behind the disparities in tobacco initiation, current use, and cessation between African Americans and whites. The articles address both youth and adult use; and address use of conventional cigarettes and other tobacco products, as well as marijuana. They examine how patterns of tobacco use among African Americans compare with other population subgroups and the US population as whole; the implications of those patterns for African Americans in terms of health effects and disease outcomes; whether different kinds of interventions are warranted, and if so, what types.
This report is a joint publication of a consortium of organizations working to coordinate efforts around the 50th anniversary of the Surgeon General's report on smoking and health.
The report provides information and resources on specific groups that are disproportionally impacted from the tobacco epidemic (e.g. low SES, minorities, LGBT and those suffering from mental illness).
The Office of Minority Health addresses disease prevention, health promotion, risk reduction, healthier lifestyle choices, use of health care services and barriers to health care for racial and ethnic minorities. Their website includes resources on the health status of racial and ethnic minority populations including those related to policy, data collection, capacity building, cultural competency and funding for minority populations.
The Oklahoma City Area IHS serves the states of Oklahoma, Kansas, and parts of Texas. The area consists of eight different Service Units, and Oklahoma alone is home to over 39 Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations.
The Indian Health Service (IHS) is a federal agency within the US Department of Health and Human Services that helps to provide healthcare and health services to American Indians and Alaskan Natives throughout the United States. The goal of the IHS is to raise the health status of these groups to the highest possible level.


who still plays with them? i was looking in my KD core for a fellow dwarf and no one else was a dwarf. is dwarf becoming a halfling race?
No, Halfling at least have redeeming qualities.
I was a loyal dwarf for many eras. There was a time when a good dwarf player could hold off an entire kingdom. Now, a whole kingdom of dwarfs could not hold off 1 bad elf. Just wish dwarfs could be fixed or deleted, hate seeing them in their missery.
playing a race is subject to your interests, if you feel like you can excel and be a powerful dwarf than so be it, however, the characteristics and traits that define the race happen to have been nerfed and Dwarves are not as powerful as they once were.
You shouldnt make their troops better, that isnt the Dwarf strong point. It once was that they had strong economies to negate high troops prices.


text:
Review: Room at Pleasance Courtyard Beside - Ed Fringe
Review by Carly Fisher
Based on Virginia Woolf's 1928 lectures at the University of Cambridge's women's colleges, A Room of One's Own is certainly a title familiar to many and is an essay that, since its 1929 publication, has inspired many adaptations from novels, to songs, to films and more. In this latest work inspired by the great classic, Room, offers insight into the writing of the piece and the world by which Woolf was inspired to write.
Heather Alexander takes on the one woman show and performs as Virginia with great class. Though not directly trying to emulate Woolf, Alexander beautifully portrays her, her progressive attitudes and her experience of university and of the world at large that leads her to think more about the place of women - both in society and in literature.
Alexander's performance is strong throughout as she expertly navigates between Woolf's curiosity, passive aggression towards the system, disappointment and thinking. In a script that could be read as quite monotonal, Alexander achieves a good balance of light and shade to keep the audience interested and responds nicely to the voice overs incorporated through the show that tell the more lecture-style monologues incorporated through the piece.
Utilising a table complete with effective set dressings of books, a wine bottle, crumpled paper, etc and a couple of chairs, the set works well in the shipping container-esque venue that is Pleasance Courtyard's Beside theatre. I felt that there was a slight over inclusion of props that weren't all necessary but Alexander handled them all well. The only exception to this was the fake cigar that was not lit…it was an amateur move from an otherwise well executed piece of theatre and its inclusion was superfluous and distracting. A picky observation, I do admit, but it is tiny details like this that really separate the cream of the crop at a festival with as many high quality acts as Edinburgh Fringe.
The sound design was effective though not mixed all that well in the venue and therefore, often blurted through the speakers a bit too loudly for comfort, particularly in the lunch scene where Alexander was left to battle to be heard. Overlooking this singular tech flaw, the sound has been well created to really solidify that sense of place and to allow the audience to easily decipher settings, as well as to charge the storyline with a necessary sense of extroverted emotion.
Alexander's costume is intentionally and cleverly androgynous. It tells us much of who Woolf was and how she came to hold herself in the world around her.
Director Dominique Gerrard has cleverly divided the live action and voice over parts of the script to really ensure that great pacing was achieved and that the show was as layered as Woolf's experiences. Gerrard and Alexander have together achieved a strong sense of characterisation and have made clever choices to make this show interesting and as relatable as possible.
That said, this show is not for everyone and I do think its appeal may be limited in terms of demographic. Though well performed, the script is a bit laboured and the hour feels long - though Alexander does all she can to have you forget this, it is a shame the script is not just about 10 minutes shorter - by the end the audience around me seemed quite restless where initially all seemed captivated in the strength of Alexander's performance.
Overall, I'm glad I saw this piece as I always love an opportunity to see intricate feminist works brought to the stage, and particularly I am glad I got to see Alexander perform. But ultimately, this isn't a show that had me hooked.
REVIEW: Outside The Gate-Online-Ed Fringe
Review: Ania Magliano, Absolutely No Worries If Not at Pleasance Courtyard Bunker Three - Ed Fringe
Review: Hey, You - Online - Ed Fringe


text:
Die Rosenbergbrücke ist eine Betonbrücke aus dem Jahre 1950 über den Neckar in Heilbronn zwischen Süd- und Weststraße (damals Gustloffstraße), die nach dem sich anschließenden Hügel Rosenberg benannt wurde. Es handelt sich um eine Zweigelenkbrücke mit drei Bögen (2 × 16 m und 60 m). Die Fahrbahnbreite beträgt 12 m, die Radwege sind jeweils 1,80 m breit, die Gehwege jeweils 3,20 m. Auf der Brücke verläuft die Bundesstraße 293. Am westlichen Widerlager ist sie mit zwei Reliefs geschmückt, die zwei unterschiedliche Adler zeigen. Während an der Nordseite das Relief des Reichsstadtadlers zu sehen ist, befindet sich an der Südseite das Relief eines entnazifizierten Reichsadlers aus dem Dritten Reich. Die Bildhauerarbeiten stammen noch von dem Vorgängerbau aus dem Jahre 1939. An der Nordseite des östlichen Widerlagers wurde 1950 die Inschrift ROSENBERGBRÜCKE angebracht, während an der Südseite des östlichen Widerlagers die Jahreszahlen 1939, 1945 und 1950 stehen.

Geschichte
Bereits der Stadtbaumeister Reinhard Baumeister hatte Pläne für den Bau einer zweiten Neckarbrücke. Auch der städtische Regierungsbaumeister und Tiefbauinspektor Ludwig "Louis" Heuss (1853–1903) zeigte bei der Heilbronner Gewerbeausstellung 1897 das Modell einer Neckarbrücke mit zwei Flussbögen von je 34 m Spannweite und einer Unterführung der Badstraße mit 10 m. Der Ingenieur Willy Stöhr (1905–1997) vom Tiefbauamt Heilbronn entwarf in den Jahren 1937 bis 1938 eine neue Eisenbetonbrücke, die aus einem Dreigelenkbogen bestand. Die Stützweiten betrugen 13 m und 16 m in den Randfeldern und 60 m im Hauptfeld. Sie hatte eine Spannweite von 9 m über den Neckar. Das Bauwerk hatte eine Länge von 130 m und eine Breite von 22 m. Die Fahrbahnbreite betrug 12 m, die Radwege waren jeweils 1,75 m breit. Die Gehwege hatten eine Breite von jeweils 3,25 m. Die Entwürfe zum Brückenbau wurden im Februar 1938 zur Genehmigung vorgelegt, die von Wayss & Freytag erbaute Brücke wurde am 12. August 1939 eröffnet. Beim Rückzug der Wehrmacht 1945 wurde die Brücke gesprengt. 1950 wurde sie nach Plänen von Willy Stöhr wieder aufgebaut und am 15. Dezember 1950 eingeweiht.

Literatur
 Stadtarchiv Heilbronn, Signatur ZS-6785, https://archivsuche.heilbronn.de/index.php?ID=28301
 Stadtarchiv Heilbronn, Signatur ZS-808, https://archivsuche.heilbronn.de/index.php?ID=112659
 Offizielle Ausstellungs-Nachrichten, Heilbronn 1897, S. 540

Weblinks

Einzelnachweise

Straßenbrücke in Baden-Württemberg
Heilbronn
Stahlbrücke
Spannbetonbrücke
Brücke in Heilbronn
Erbaut in den 1950er Jahren
Brücke in Europa

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Saffron Walden Museum01799 510333work MuseumDiscover a world of hidden treasures in one of the country's oldest local purpose-built museums. This award-winning museum explores the archaeology, natural history and social history of north-west Essex and the wider world.
Our collections include: Ancient Egypt, Archaeology, Ceramics and Glass, Costume and Textiles, Geology, Furniture and Woodwork, Local and Social History, Natural History and World Cultures. From stone axes to Samurai armour, Saxon riches to shields, spears and swords. You will also find toys, decorative arts, an Ancient Egyptian Mummy and a glove given away by Mary Queen of Scots on the eve of her execution.
At our family-friendly museum children can excavate in the archaeological sandpit, meet Wallace the Lion or explore the natural history discovery centre. With a rolling programme of special exhibitions, activities and events throughout the year, there's always something new to see and do!
Pic nic in our grounds next to the ruins of the 12th century Walden Castle or, walk to the centre of the medieval market town where you can shop, eat, relax and explore.
Discover a world of hidden treasures in one of the country's oldest local purpose-built museums. This award-winning museum explores the archaeology, natural history and social history of north-west Essex and the wider world.
There is a small car park and access for disabled visitors.
March - October, Tuesday to Saturday 10am - 5pm; Sundays & Bank Holidays (including Bank Holiday Mondays) 2 - 5pm. November - February, Tuesday to Saturday 10am - 4.30pm; Sundays & Bank Holidays (including Bank Holiday Mondays) 2 - 4.30pm. Closed on Mondays, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.


Fair Credit Billing Act — Creditors are responsible for correcting billing errors with due diligence. When your creditor has failed to reverse unauthorized charges, charged the wrong amount, charged you for merchandise you never received, or failed to post payments and other credits, send bills to your current address before the bill came due or provide you with written proof of purchase, we can help.
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act — Even if you owe money on your credit card, auto loan, medical bill or mortgage, your creditors do not have the right to harass you to collect on an outstanding personal loan. Your creditors cannot release false information about your outstanding debt to anyone — including your employer or a credit reporting agency.
Fair Credit Reporting Act — As a consumer, you have the right to review your credit score and dispute any mistakes in your credit report. In addition, if you have been a victim of identity theft, you can dispute any of those fraudulent charges. Since interest rates, financing charges and required deposits are closely tied to your credit score, it would be in your best interests to contact our attorneys to help you resolve these issues.
Truth in Lending Act — Your creditors are required by law to explain — conspicuously, in print — the precise terms of any loan they make to you, including the amount being financed, the required minimum monthly payment, the number of payments to be made and the annual percentage rate (APR). If you later discover that a loan you believed to be at a fixed rate is actually a variable rate loan, you may have a claim against your creditor.
Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act — Mortgage lenders are not allowed to advertise low interest rates but then charge high rates through their affiliates for a kickback. Such bait-and-switch tactics are illegal, and as a consumer, you can sue if you have been a victim of deceptive real estate practices.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act — Your privacy with regard to your medical history is an enforceable right. Patients who have had this right violated may pursue legal action, and we stand ready to help.
Pure Food and Drug Act — The government regulates the manufacture and sale of edible products and the labels of food products intended for human consumption. If a food product has made you ill, you may have a legal claim against the retailer or manufacturer. We can explain your rights and outline your options.
Consumer Product Safety Act — If you have been injured by a dangerous or unsafe product, give us a call for assistance with your case.
Registrants with the U.S. National Do Not Call Registry have a right not to receive unsolicited calls from telemarketers. If you have registered and your right has been violated, we can help you take legal action to assert and enforce this right.
We can evaluate your case and prepare the information needed to proceed to trial. Call Ellis & Rapacki LLP in Boston at 617-523-4800 or contact us online for a free initial consultation.


The neck support webbing is too tight.
The shoulder straps are too tight.
First, check the webbing on the neck support. If the webbing is too tight, it can cause the snaps to "pop." Try loosening the webbing on both sides!
If loosening the neck support webbing does not fix the issue, your shoulder straps may be pulled a bit too tight. Try loosening the shoulder straps an inch or so to see if this helps.
Usually, these two solutions stop the snaps from popping, but please do reach out to us at CustomerService@LILLEbaby.com for additional assistance!


text:
Former UConn star El-Amin jailed over child support
HARTFORD — Former UConn basketball star Khalid El-Amin has been released from custody after paying $10,000 of the nearly $126,000 in delinquent child support he owes a Connecticut woman.
The Hartford Courant reports that El-Amin was detained Sunday for failure to pay child support and released Monday. A judge in Hartford ordered him to pay $780 per month.
The Hartford-area woman gave birth to their daughter 18 years ago. El-Amin told the judge he intends to pay what he owes.
El-Amin has said he has seven children ages 9 to 20.
The 39-year-old former point guard led UConn to its first national championship in 1999, a 77-74 victory over Duke.
El-Amin lives in the Minneapolis area and traveled to Connecticut for a 20th anniversary celebration of the 1999 title last week.


text:
Vaccinations in Sardinia
Regional Prevention Policies
Vaccination prevention in Sardinia
Approaching mandatory vaccination
Prevention and control of flu syndrome
Tackling antimicrobial resistance
Available vaccines
Vaccination: benefits and risks
Countering disinformation
Travel and vaccinations
Vaccination clinics
Travel Medicine Clinics
Sponsorship and External links
A further case of meningitis in Sardinia: the importance of vaccination
A new case of meningococcal meningitis has been confirmed in Sardinia, this time caused by Meningococcus C. The victim in this tragic case is a 23-year-old student who died yesterday in Sassari. This sad outcome further underlines the importance of preventive vaccination.
Meningococcal meningitis, an insidious and ambiguous disease whose symptoms are not always immediately ascribable to the illness, which sometimes hinders a prompt diagnosis, has again caused a death in the province of Sassari. Yet again, its course was sudden and rapid, leaving little room for manoeuvre for the doctors and health workers who treated on the young patient. The 23-year-old student died yesterday morning, a few hours after being admitted to the Santissima Annunziata ICU. The diagnosis made by the Microbiology and Virology Unit of the AOU of Sassari was immediate and precise: infectious meningitis from Neisseria meningitidis.
This was then confirmed by the Institute of Hygiene and Hospital Infection Control which, through the Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, identified serogroup C as the cause. Antibiotic prophylaxis was also immediately administered to healthcare workers in contact with the patient and to those having come into close proximity to her.
"Analyses carried out this morning confirmed serogroup C" affirms Professor Andrea Piana, Coordinator of the Molecular Epidemiology Unit. "The isolated strain and the isolated biological samples will now be sent to the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Institute of Health) which is the national reference centre for meningitis". In such circumstances, the specificity of the information obtained through a molecular investigation is of prime importance, both in order to confirm the diagnosis of meningococcal disease and thus the consequent timely prophylaxis intervention by the competent Public Hygiene Services, and also because knowing the serogroup responsible for the infection allows the Public Hygiene Services themselves to point any exposed subjects towards the correct prophylactic vaccine (Circular May 9th 2017).
"The diagnoses", reiterates Professor Paolo Castiglia, Head of the of Hygiene and Control of Hospital Infections Unit of the AOU, "confirms that this is a case of meningococcus serogroup C, unlike those previously registered in the area. Moreover, this is a microorganism whose infection is preventable with routine vaccinations offered by the ATS Sardegna public health service both in childhood and adolescence, as well as to those at increased risk. There is no cause for alarm", concludes Prof. Castiglia.
The Vaccinarsinsardegna.org team, extending deepest sympathy to the family of the young student, wishes to inform users that health surveillance persists in a constant and widespread manner throughout the Region. There is an active system in the regional territory through which all suspected cases are reported to the Public Hygiene Services in compliance with the 9 May 2017 Circular and the Surveillance Protocol for Invasive Bacterial Diseases of 10 October 2017. These cases undergo immediate diagnostic verification by the Microbiology services of the laboratories to which the samples to be analysed are sent.
In light of this tragic case, Vaccinarsi in Sardegna wishes to further reiterate how indispensable a conscious adhesion to vaccination programmes by the whole population is. Such prevention tools represent an important and sometimes irreplaceable life-saving protection against infection and the spread of infectious diseases..
Was this content useful? Thanks for giving an opinion for this content.
Previous news New guidelines support flu vaccination
Next news #PerchéSì: Sassari wins award for…


Titanium is a lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density, and high strength. It is a strong and lightweight refractory metal. Titanium is resistant to corrosion in sea water, aqua regia and chlorine.
Alloys of titanium are critical to the aerospace industry but, due to their numerous unique properties, are also used in medical, chemical and military applications, as well as in sporting goods.


Temple Street (寺の道) is located in Iga city. It has many temples concentrated in a small street. There are many temples which have great art works of classic Japanese architecture.
There are temples with Shachi hook.


A collection of her stories takes stock of Susan Sontag as a fiction writer.
In 1982, a couple of years after the death of her friend Roland Barthes, Susan Sontag compiled, and wrote an introduction for, a selection of his writings. Toward the end of his life, she said, Barthes had quit theory for something closer to literature, and even announced his intention to write a novel. "There were exalted avowals of vulnerability, of being forlorn," she wrote. Sontag's description sounds subtly cut with something akin to mockery, as if in his late style and his (unslaked) urge to fiction, Barthes had mistaken high-flown sentiment for true literary intent. Her comment forces the question: can we think of a writer in the late twentieth century who was both a great critic and superior writer of fiction? And the answer comes back: Susan Sontag. Or rather: Susan Sontag? Because in spite of four novels—her first, The Benefactor (1963), was published three years before her inaugural essay collection, Against Interpretation—and several plays and stories, Sontag has never quite convinced as a "real" writer. As Debriefing—a new collection of her stories—attests, the neglect is both understandable and unfair.
It is often said, accusingly, that her novels and short stories are essentially essayistic, that Sontag could not rid herself of the cool, erudite, affronting voice she had contrived for her criticism. Perhaps it is true: in Debriefing you will find first-person narrators whose sententious, importuning tone sharpens aphorisms that wouldn't sound out of place in Sontag's greatest essays—or in her diaries, where she rehearsed the style. Sometimes these statements are perfectly turned, like something out of Pascal or E.M. Cioran: "We could be glad of the world, if we were flying to it for refuge." Others are simply banal: "Why not want to be good? But to be good one must be simpler." Did Sontag, of all writers, not hear how out of tune with her literary times was that authoritative, distanced "one"? Or realize the obsolescence of an omniscient narrator? Of course she did, but deployed them anyway. If all literary forms are available all of the time, as the postmodernists claimed during the height of Sontag's career in fiction, then why not want to be George Eliot?
She longed to be others too, and more up to date, such as the experimentalists of the nouveau roman. With its mixed mode of travel writing, memoir, and fiction proper, "Project for a Trip to China" (published in The Atlantic in 1973, and included in Debriefing) recalls the work of Michel Butor. Like the French writer, Sontag is much exercised by lists: their vertical presence on the page, their ambition to imply a whole nation with a svelte inventory: "Chinese food / Chinese torture / Chinese politeness." But the story is more than a formal exercise in cultural fantasy and reportage. In its combination of theoretical subplot—it's partly a very Barthesian text about categories—and autobiographical intimation, Sontag found a looseness of style that served her well in a few of her stories. This is true even when the conceit of the piece appears tight, or even uptight: as in "The Letter Scene," which is based on a portion of Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin and is all about letter writing—historical, imaginary, and the author's own.
She had done no such thing, but in its brittle dialogue and skewed, fragmentary study of the clichés felt and spoken by Americans while traveling in Europe—or by any traveler with obscuring ideas—"Unguided Tour" is among the strangest and best of Sontag's fictions. In the 1970s she aspired also to emulate the dry, anxious rhythms of Joan Didion and Renata Adler, to equal the sonic and metaphoric energy of William H. Gass or Elizabeth Hardwick. ("No ideas, but what music," she semi-snarked in her diary about the last two.) In the title story here, you can see all of that effort refined into brilliant, oblique sentences, which describe New York, its vexations and its Central Park longueurs. "But for wondering there seemed all the time in the world—hours, whole days. Wondering?" The dash is very Hardwick, the lone "wondering" even more so.
Do these stories stand on their own, free of the essays to which they are closely affianced, independent of the influences Sontag felt, if her journals are to be credited, with real pain? The answer may depend on what we mean by "story." There are only eleven pieces in Debriefing—eight were gathered already in I, Etcetera (1978)—and a good third of them are simply tone deaf, straining, or dull. "The Dummy" is an overlong conceit, attempting to update nineteenth-century tales of uncanny doubles (Dostoevsky, James Hogg) for the life of a commuter-belt office drone. "Doctor Jekyll" risks a metafictional slant on R.L. Stevenson that never connects, is simply not monstrous enough in tale or telling. It is when Sontag scants all short-story or novelistic convention and passes off memoir, travel diary, Perec-style inventory, or heightened reportage as short fiction that she actually excels. "Unguided Tour," "Project for a Trip to China," "Debriefing"—these are, as Sontag knew and did not know, quite as compelling as her most notable critical writings. Proximity to the essay form turns out not to be a failing in fiction, but one of its possible, experimental, tendencies.
Brian Dillon's most recent book is Essayism (Fitzcarraldo Editions, 2017). He is UK editor of Cabinet magazine, and teaches writing at the Royal College of Art, London. In Pieces: writing on art, etc. will be published by Sternberg Press in 2018. He is working on a book about sentences.


text:
Notaries public play an important legal role in Scottish life where the legal validity of a document requires the swearing of an oath. Only solicitors/notaries in possession of a practising certificate can act as notaries in Scotland. The Law Society is responsible for the admission and registration of notaries.
If you are a new member who is being admitted as a solicitor you will be automatically be admitted as a notary public at the same time (unless you opt out on the admission form). The fee is £45.
For existing practising solicitors who are not notaries and now wish to become one, the fee is £236. Please complete the application form below.
For all solicitors who wish to carry out notarial functions, please read the guidelines below.
Please keep a record of all documentation sent to you. Note that administrative charges will apply for the following:
Replacement Notary Confirmation of Admission Letter: £25
Looking for a notary? See our Find A Solicitor page and click on the advanced search on the individual solicitor tab.
Notary application form
Historically, the notary public in Scotland has performed an important function in the legal life of the country. From the 13th Century, the notary developed distinct from the lawyers branch of the profession but in comparatively recent times these functions have enjoyed a resurgence. The influence of the Civil or Roman Law on Scotland is clear in this separate development of the notary public in Scotland. In many other jurisdictions the distinction remains today. In England, for example, the profession of notary remains separate from that of Solicitor and although many notaries in England are also Solicitors not all are, and there are firms comprising notaries only.
In Scotland, the historical importance and functions of the notary have been well documented.* Following the Law Agents (Scotland) Amendment Act 1896 which provided that only enrolled Law Agents could become notaries and the Conveyancing (Scotland) Act 1924 which extended notarial execution to solicitors (Law Agents) and others, the importance of notaries declined until recently, but changes in the law and increased international activity have breathed new life into the notary profession.
Today, the responsibility for admission and registration of notaries lies with the Council of the Law Society of Scotland under the Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980 and the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990. Education, Training and Admission A petition to the Court of Session for admission as a solicitor can include an application for admission as a notary public and, in practice, usually does. Since November 2007 only solicitors/notaries in possession of a practising certificate can act as notaries in Scotland: Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 2007 Section 62.
Some of the traditional functions of a notary have continued throughout the centuries but reforms such as the Affidavit Divorce Procedure and Feudal Reform legislation have extended the work of Notaries.
Current notarial functions
Oaths, Affidavits and Affirmations - One of the traditional functions of the notary Public in Scotland which remains today is the acting where the legal validity of a document requires the administration of an Oath or the receipt of an Affidavit or solemn affirmation. Under the Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980, in such cases the Oath may be administered or the affidavit or affirmation received by a notary Public. Such affidavit or affirmation should not relate to any matter in respect of preservation of the peace; a prosecution; trial or punishment of an offence; or any proceedings before either House of Parliament or any Committee thereof.
Affidavits in Undefended Divorces - Following the Divorce (Scotland) Act 1976 it is no longer necessary to have parole evidence in undefended divorces. Instead, appropriate affidavit evidence can be used. The Court of Session practice note "Affidavits in Family Actions" (1 June 2004) and Sheriff Court Practice Note no.1 (2012) contain details about the procedure to be followed in such cases. Such affidavits or affirmations are made before notaries public, which has increased the work undertaken by notaries in recent years, as noted in the introduction.
Affidavits under the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003 – Notices of termination of real burdens under s20 of the 2003 Act must be sworn before a notary.
Protests - where a protest is made in maritime matters, e.g. against poor wind and weather conditions a sea captain on arrival in a port, this is done before a notary Public. Some notaries retain protocol books for this specific purpose. In addition, when a protest is required for bills of exchange or promissory notes, this is also done before a notary.
Foreign Documents - Many documents for use in foreign jurisdictions require execution or certification before a notary and notaries are frequently consulted by clients requiring documents authenticated in such matters, e.g. in the winding up of estates or in Court actions abroad. Powers of Attorney for use abroad often require to be executed before a notary to constitute their validity.
Notarial Execution - Since 1540 notaries have been empowered to sign documents on behalf of persons who are blind or unable to write. This has been a useful power frequently used by notaries. The requirements and procedure involved have been simplified by the Requirements of Writing (Scotland) Act 1995.
Miscellaneous - Other less frequent functions can be noted including the entry of a person to overseas territories; completion of the documentation required for the registration of a company in certain foreign jurisdictions and drawing for repayment of Bonds of Debenture.
*For the authoritative exposition of the law relating to notaries Public see Stair Memorial Encyclopaedia of the Law of Scotland - Vol. 13, p. 485.
For the historical position see, for example, Brown - Origin and Early History of the Office of notary 1935 47 JR201, 335: the N.P. 1923 SLT (News) 77: and D.M. Walker - A Legal History of Scotland: John Findlay "The History of the Notary in Scotland in the Handbuch zur Geschichte des Notoriats der europaischen Traditionen. (2009)
For queries about applying, please contact davidmacdougall@lawscot.org.uk
Tel: 0131 226 7411 (Switchboard): 0131 476 8173 (Direct)
Guidance on Acting a Notary Public


To get to the point our Keops steep roof log cabins feature an apex roof up to 42 degrees. These super looking garden buildings are perfect for all kinds of uses from garden sheds, studios and workshops to cosy hideaways. They also make a great home office in your garden. Many feature options are available including the new clipped gable roof, posts and braces for roof overhangs as well as double glazing, loft floors & insulation.