RENTON, Wash. -- The Shaquem Griffin story is about to reach another level of remarkable.
Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told reporters Wednesday that Griffin, a rookie linebacker, will start Sunday's opener against the Broncos in Denver, confirming what has been assumed with K.J. Wright recovering from knee surgery that is expected to keep him out at least another week.
Griffin has been working as Wright's backup at weakside linebacker since Seattle chose him in the fifth round of April's draft, making him the first player with one hand to be drafted in the NFL's modern era.
Griffin will start alongside Bobby Wagner and Barkevious Mingo at linebacker as well as twin brother Shaquill Griffin at left cornerback.
"He's been surrounded by some really good players, Bobby and K.J. and Mingo, guys that have been in the league for a while," Seahawks defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. said. "So he's kind of taken a backseat and really learned at a rookie's pace, and now that he's been able to play a little bit in the preseason, he sees the game speeds up a little bit.
"But he's been amazing. It's been fun to coach him. It's been fun to watch his growth. The questions that he's asked over the days and weeks have been improving and getting better. It's just amazing to watch his development. As coaches, watching young players develop, that's what it's all about. So watching him grow and develop and run and hit and do the things that we expected him to do when we drafted him, it's really good to see."
Carroll said Wright, an eighth-year veteran and a Pro Bowler in 2016, felt something in his knee after the team's third preseason game. He had arthroscopic surgery on Aug. 27. Carroll indicated two days later that he'd be out at least a couple of weeks.
Carroll said Wednesday that Wright looks surprisingly good for being only nine days removed from surgery. He said the team is "holding high hopes" that he could be back next week, "but we'll see."
Shaquem Griffin led the Seahawks with 24 tackles in the preseason, including a game-high nine in the opener against the Indianapolis Colts. But Carroll said he was "lost" and "all over the place" the following week, adding that Griffin's "head was spinning" from all the information he was trying to take in.
"You could see the newness just kind of affect him, and I don't know what it was that got to him," Carroll said. "He's been diligent in the preparation and the process all the way throughout. But not until he came back Week 3, everybody was working with him, trying to get his feet on the ground [and] make sure he was just relaxing through the process. ... He was over-tight, he was trying too hard, he wanted it too much. It was so obvious that it made sense, and he really just turned the corner. That happened Week 3, and Week 4 he played really good both of those weeks. So he really had one down week. But I do think with all that has followed him, we have to stay with him, and we've got to monitor him. It's almost too much for anybody in some regards."
Carroll called it invaluable for Griffin to have his twin brother by his side. The two are roommates and, as twins tend to be, inseparable.
"They ground off of each other, they fit off of each other so well, and they own up to each other really well," he said. "Shaquill will just tell him flat-out what he needs to tell him. They don't mince any words at all. I think with that, he has as much support as he's going to need. I think he'll be able to handle it."
Wagner and Wright have started alongside each other since Wagner was a rookie in 2012, which was Wright's second season. Wagner identified on-field communication as the biggest challenge in having Griffin and several other new players starting on defense. He said they'll have to over-communicate and assume that Griffin won't know what he's thinking the way Wright would.
"I think at the end of the day, you just don't want to make him think too much," Wagner said. "So anything that I can do to take off of his plate so he doesn't have to think so much and [allow him to] just fly around and make plays, that's what I'm going to do. That'll probably be the toughest thing, just the communication. It's going to be the first time on the road, so just being calm and understanding this is no different than any other game. You're just playing against the guys you see on TV."


*Discounts for children do not apply during high season dates.
Please keep in mind that for individual bookings, children must be at least 7 years old to participate in the tour.
Round-trip airfare Mainland Ecuador - Galapagos.


text:
Q: Filebeat on Azure Kubernetes Service(AKS) with Helm I am pretty new to AKS and helm. I need to install filebeat and metricbeat on AKS cluster using Helm Chart. Request any guidance or pointer to get started.

A: Once you have kubernetes cluster up & running and set on AKS you can install the helm locally or the bastion you are using.
Get and set context of the kubeconfig file of AKS cluster on local or bastion so you can now access the cluster.
Now, Here is the ready-made helm chart of filebeat
Run the command : helm repo add elastic https://helm.elastic.co
it will add the helm repo automatically and after that run command
helm install my-filebeat elastic/filebeat --version 8.5.1

here we are installing version 8.5.1 you can update other environments and configuration by following the documentation.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Ministry of Tourism has issued a circular to all tourism sector facilities to facilitate the granting of unsponsored tourist visas to the nationals of a number of countries.
Travelers from India, China and Russia, who reside in, or hold an entry visa to one of the following countries - United States of America, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Schengen states are allowed to obtain non-sponsored tourist visa.
"Strategic promotional activities are going to be established in collaboration with the related bodies in the tourism sector to facilitate issuance processes during the peak season, as well as take into cognizance the establishment of several other related services. We are keen on promoting the e-visa system, and providing sophisticated services in collaboration with related governmental bodies." Added Al Zadjali, who heads the visa-facilitation team.
As per the circular a number of terms and conditions have to be met for the issuance of a visa. The applicant should also have a return ticket and a hotel booking to be granted a one month's visa, the price of which is OMR 20/-.
The visa allows the applicant to be accompanied by a spouse and his/her children.


It is a great pleasure to join you tonight at this event.
On behalf of Ambassador Liu Xiaoming and the Chinese Embassy Women's Group, let me warmly welcome Director Nic Careem from the Blue Sky Network and his team.
I also want to thank the 48 Group Club Women Icebreakers and the Chinese Embassy Women's Group for making this event possible.
My thanks especially go to Ms. Eva Schloss. As you all know, today's drama 'And Then They Came For Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank' is adapted from her book 'Eva's Story'.
Eva has a close family link with Anne Frank, who wrote 'The Diary of a Young Girl'.
Anne's father and Eva's mother built a new family after the war. With the help of her stepfather, Eva finally overcame the hatred in her heart and wrote 'Eva's Story'.
The drama we are going to watch will bring us back to the years of World War II. It describes an unforgettable journey in human history, shows the glory and hope of humanity and highlights what peace, love and life is all about.
I do not suppose many of you would know this, but during World War II, China opened its arms to Jewish refugees and helped resettle many of them without any conditions. Many Chinese people even put their lives on the line to protect the Jews.
One of them was Mr. He Fengshan, known as the "Chinese Schindler". From 1938 to 1940, Mr. He, as Consul General in Vienna, issued the "visa for life" to thousands of Jews, putting his own life at risk.
Most of these Jews, who got Chinese visas, survived. Over 30,000 of them came to Shanghai. That's more than all the Jews going to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and India combined.
Mr. He's heroic acts spoke volumes of the love for peace and sense of justice of the Chinese people. These qualities define who we are as a nation.
At the same time when Jews were slaughtered in Europe, the Chinese people were also suffering heavily from invasion by Japan. The invaders seized our land and enslaved and killed the Chinese people, including the Nanjing Massacre, which took over 300,000 lives.
To win freedom and independence, the Chinese nation fought fascism side by side with all the peace-loving nations around the world. So the stories of Annes and Evas really strike a cord in our hearts, too. Although they have now become history, they have retained their timeless and universal appeal.
Today, over 60 years after the war, peace, development and cooperation have become the call of our time. However, our world is still far from stable. It is crying out for understanding, trust and love.
I hope this drama will be our unique experience to learn lessons from history and build a shared future.
In closing, I must thank Ms. Eva Schloss once again for bringing us her story. And again thank you to Director Nic Careem, for showing us the glory of humanity and the value of peace.
I wish the performance tonight a great success.


text:
Chicerea este un sat în comuna Stănița din județul Neamț, Moldova, România.

Parte a comunei , satul Chicerea este dominat vizual de Biserica "Sfântul Mare Mucenic Dimitrie Izvorâtorul de Mir".
Începută în plin regim comunist în anul 1975, biserica a fost finalizată și sfințită în anul 1977.

Chicerea, Stănița

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Carlow selector Pat Murphy is excited by calibre of hurler coming into the senior side
by Shane O'Keeffe
Thursday 20 January, 2022
in Hurling
Carlow Hurling
Carlow's intercounty season threw in last week in the Kehoe Cup with a victory over Kildare.
Carlow were 1-25 to 19 points winners over David Herity's Kildare side. This Sunday see Tom Mullaleys side take on Meath in Kilmessan at 2pm.
This will mark Mullaley's second season in charge and one of his backroom team Pat Murphy believes the youthful talent at the disposal of the side is a cause for excitement. Speaking to Scoreline he said;
"I do not like the word transition as it can be used as an excuse. The truth of the matter is that a good number of players have retired over the years Edward Byrne, Alfie Corcoran, and Seamus Murphy, they were big players in the past. We are excited, we have a lot of young talent coming through the u20's. We have serious talent there."
"They have a long process though, giving them game time and getting them up to being a county hurler in today's context. That is a huge thing, they are a very genuine bunch, they are very enthusiastic and I think they are willing to learn. We are very positive and looking forward to the future in Carlow."
Speaking with Murphy it was clear to decipher that the staff are quite happy with the work being done behind the scenes with the intercounty side ;
"The previous manager, Colm Bonnar, had been there for four years. He did a tremendous job and got some excellent wins, but it was time for a change. The new men are hugely professional in their approach. 2022 intercounty hurling has moved onto a seriously new level. All the boxes in preparation have to be ticked. I think we are attempting to address all those with the players on an individual and collective basis."
When mentioning possible goals for the side to aim towards, it was refreshing to hear Murphy not bring up cups and accolades. He was keener to highlight the work that needs to be done to improve Carlow hurlers in general.
"We certainly would be very positive in terms of what we hope to achieve with the team. The goal is to be seriously competitive, use the league in preparation for the Championship. To work on attributes that lead to success, things like work rate, team play, support play, intelligent hurling."
You can listen to the full interview below on Scoreline.ie

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
English Nederlands Plautdietsch Deutsch Polski Français Español Русский
Belgium / The Netherlands
Poland 'Vistula'
Ukraine South East
Austria / Germany South
Germany Central / Russlanddeutsche
just peace
representative persons
Migration route
This page covers the stories of the Mennonites and their lives.
What inspired them? Who inspired them?
Why did they make certain choices?
What do they stand for?
The stories are written by partners of the European countries participating in this project. Our main goal was to share authentic stories from the author's own perspective. Due to societal, political and historical changes, terms and names of locations can be different. The translators, however, faithfully followed the original stories.
This category covers the subjects
PRACTICE of RELIGION
'… Freedom in Christian faith…'
Author: Alfred R. van Wijk
Translator: Betty Lavooij-Janzen
Mennonites practice baptism based on a self-written confession of Faith. To accomplish this, their religious education takes a longer period of time and is offered to young children as well as young people preparing themselves for baptism.
No established doctrines
Currently many congregations offer the preschool children their own Sunday morning service. This is a Sunday School lesson with a theme and little rituals based on picture books containing different themes. Corien van Ark developed a method called 'Join the circle' (Kom in de kring) for these lessons. For adults preparing themselves for baptism, catechism meetings are held, often using a method edited by Gerke van Hiele called 'Touched by the Eternal One' (Aangeraakt door de Eeuwige). The purpose of this method is not to pass down a written doctrine. Instead, at each meeting a series of Bible passages, songs, discussion items, creative activities and a summary of questions are presented for the members to work with as a group. Apart from this, there is a short course for those eighteen and older to prepare themselves to be lay preachers in church services.
A personally experienced faith
Both methods of Corien van Ark and Gerke van Hiele are aimed at forming a personally experienced faith. In the postwar years material was collected by those concerned with education in faith, especially women. For the Sunday School they contributed children's books with stories with a key point, and stories for reflection , along with a manual for parents.
From passing on knowledge to forming faith
Only since the end of the seventeenth century did parents request the congregation to take care of education in faith. Before this, it was seen as the job of the parents. The teaching material contained a doctrine to be learned by heart and it also put and emphasis on virtues and on knowledge of the Bible. In the eighteenth century a moderate Enlightenment slowly gained more influence on the education in faith. Mennonites had a prominent position in this development because in their study material they had already included the connection between the natural sciences and knowing God. In the next century, modernism, which developed under the influence of academic Bible criticism, pointed the catechism in a more liberal direction. This liberalism which promotes a personally experienced faith and an individual interpretation of faith, sets the tone of education in faith to this day.
Academic Theology and Peace building
Author: Fernando Enns
Translator: J. Jakob Fehr
In 2006 the Institute for Peace Church Theology at the University of Hamburg was established as the first academic institute for Mennonite Theology. Until then Mennonite students who wished to train for a pastorate or teaching position needed to go to the Mennonite Seminary in the Netherlands or to the USA, if they wanted to add history and theology from a Mennonite perspective to their studies.
The chief contribution that Mennonites have brought to the international ecumenical discourse is their peace theology, which is founded on the idea of nonviolence. The central theme of this theology, first taught by the Anabaptists of the 16th century, is that Christian faith should be a way of life that is marked by an active commitment to justice, peace (without violence) and the integrity of creation. This view has significant implications for all other aspects of theology: first as to the manner in which theology itself is practiced, second as to the content of theology itself. By its nature, peace theology is ecumenical and is linked to other churches, traditions and cultures, and creates a dialogue with other religions. Therefore, the Institute works closely with the Missions Academy and the Academy of World Religions at Hamburg University.
Peace building in the fullest sense
This understanding of peace theology should not be restricted to academic debates. If we understand violence in all its aspects – whether it be direct (by an individual), indirect (by political or economic systems) or cultural violence (discrimination of any kind) – then striving to be freed of it must also be present in all aspects of life. The Institute began by helping to establish an 'Interdisciplinary Working Group for Peacebuilding', where academics from various fields work together. We created a peace education program for students of all disciplines, in which theology and religion take on an important role. Additionally, since 2011 the Institute offers a special course in mediation. A public forum, the mennoFORUM, has been established together with the Hamburg Mennonite congregation to discuss contemporary subjects with important people in politics, economics, culture and religion. The Institute has also written a number of publications that show how peace theology and peace education have an important voice that needs to be heard both inside the academic world and in the public sphere.
Sunday Schools, Scouting Groups, Catechism and Seminaries
Author: Beate Zipperer
Translator: Anne Zipperer
It is common to tell children Bible stories at home, but also on Sundays in church. In many churches, while the adults are having church service, the children are with one or more volunteers in Sunday school. But it isn't a real school. There are no grades, nor are the children judged by their knowledge, but rather they get to know God and together they practice how to follow Jesus. The children exchange thoughts and emotions about what they heard, and ask questions. They pray and sing together, they do handicrafts and play games.
In the 'Evangelische Freikirche Mennonitengemeinde Ingolstadt e.V.', which is our church, the children start the church service together with the adults and at a certain point in the service they go off to follow their own program. They meet in four different groups age groups to hear Bible stories and talk about other topics related to religion.
Some churches also offer weeks especially for the children. The children really like this and it gives them the opportunity to deepen their own knowledge and invite friends from school, to talk with them about faith and Jesus. In some churches you can also find a group of Royal Ranger, a Christian Scouting Group.
Nowadays in many churches catechism is called church instruction or bible instruction. These instructions do not automatically lead to baptism, but they are an opportunity to concentrate on topics regarding the Christian faith and also to look at the Anabaptist movement, and at people's own practice of faith.
In youth groups but also in church services specially geared to adolescents, young people can practice fellowship and discuss theological topics.
In addition to education in the church, the 'Jugendwerk süddeutscher Mennoniten e.V. (JUWE)' organizes retreats, schools and training courses in Southern Germany specifically for children and adolescents.
Seminars for all ages (for example family retreats, retreats for the eldery and basic courses for everyone) broaden and enrich the education in Mennonite churches. They are either organized in local churches or in trans-regional conference centers. A good and well known conference centre is the Theological Seminary Bienenberg in Switzerland.
Russian Mennonites and their education system
Author: Svietlana Bobileva
Translator: Katerina Revunenko
School and education had an important place in the Mennonite colony's life. Schooling provided knowledge, but was also a way to preserve the faith. The Mennonite elders were responsible for the education. Getting an education was a duty for school age children and congregations kept the schools under their control.
Reading, writing and counting
The Mennonite education system went through stages of development. The first stage (late1800-1820's) was determined by financial difficulties. At that time the only objectives of education were to teach children reading, writing and counting skills. The next phase started at the second quarter of the 19th century. It was defined by Johann Cornies' activity. Cornies founded four-grades Central Teacher Training school in Orlovo and then in the Halbstadt and Chortitze colonies. In 1843 he was entrusted with managing the Mennonite schools. He intended to lessen the dominance of preachers in schools, started school reform and provided schools with some financial support. Cornies introduced teachers' conferences and opened Gnadenfeld Reading Club and a library.
Teaching Russian: Russification
In 1866, the Guardian Committee introduced Russian as a teaching language in the Mennonite schools. Later, according to 1890-1892 laws, the ethnic schools were placed under guidance of the Ministry of National Education. Every school got a Russian language teacher. The state used language policy as a way of Russification. In order to get more qualified Russian teachers, 2-year teaching courses were started in Chortitza in 1889.
Outside influences on education
In April 1905, freedom of conscience was proclaimed in the Empire. Some Mennonite schools were reorganized and some new central schools were founded. After the Civil War (1920) the process of ethnic revival was continuing but it had a controversial character. The Odessa Pedagogical Institute was set up to train teachers for ethnic schools, including Mennonite schools. However, antireligious propaganda was intensified by the Soviet power. The atheistic state spread their ideology among students and adults. The Communist Pioneer and Komzomol organizations were established. They were supposed to influence the young generation. However, those organizations were unable to fulfill their mission.
When the Fascists came to power in Germany the Mennonite German speaking schools experienced oppression conducted by NKVD (Commissariat of Internal Affairs). Odessa Institute's professors and teachers were accused of cooperation with the Nazis. Some of them were short or exiled. German language was completely banned in schools in 1938. Ethnic Mennonite schools ceased to exist.
The foot washing
Author: Geja Laan
Translator: Machteld Laan
The ritual of foot washing has never been performed in the Mennonite Congregations that I have served, although I know that in the world wide Mennonite Fellowship it certainly has. Also, I know that for centuries it has been part of the faith- and congregational life of several Mennonites. From discussions I had with various brothers and sisters I understood that foot washing makes people feel uncomfortable.
Still, I very much like to read out John 13: 1-20 on Maundy Thursday, when we celebrate the last supper. This is the story that tells us how Jesus washes the feet of his disciples, while he has the last supper with them. To me, the text has always been inspiring and moving, because, in my opinion, it explains what is important to God and to Jesus: a loving attitude in life, not of ruling, but of serving.
When the gospel writer John tells us how Jesus removed his clothes during the meal, Jesus also removed, in my opinion, every possible appearance of status he could have had. Jesus attaches no importance to his own status but only to the things which really help others. In the story he dresses himself in a linen cloth only and without further ado simply sits down to wash the feet of his disciples, to wash all the dirt literally, and in my opinion also figuratively, off their feet. He gives himself fully to this work: refreshing them so they could make a fresh start. He really wants the best for them.
Subservience: a choice
When you are forced to wash someone else's feet, it is a kind of slavery. Too many times especially women have been forced to be a servant and to do things against their will, which is a really hard situation to cope with. But if you choose to be a servant to someone else, it's a form of love, which radiates love, peace and divine beauty. A radiance and beauty no ruler in this world could ever reach.
Ecumenism – For Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation
From the very beginning of the ecumenical movement in the 20th century it was important to Mennonites to develop good relationships with other churches. They were involved in founding the World Council of Churches (WCC), which is now a fellowship of 350 churches with about 550 million members worldwide.
War is contrary to God's will
The establishment of the WCC was a response to the horrors of two world wars. The churches acknowledged their failures, and especially the German churches confessed their guilt. Accordingly, the WCC declared that 'war is contrary to God's will'. Since then, the ecumenical movement has campaigned for justice, peace and the integrity of creation. The other churches in the WCC have shown great interest in learning more about the theology of the 'historical peace churches' and Mennonites have had the opportunity to communicate their position in many ecumenical discussions.
The Decade to Overcome Violence
During the 8th General Assembly of the WCC in Zimbabwe (1998) a Mennonite delegate initiated the idea of a 'Decade to Overcome Violence: Churches for Peace and Reconciliation', which the assembly embraced enthusiastically. Searching for methods to overcome violence became a central activity of the ecumenical movement, in theological and ethical thinking as well as in practical activities. The Mennonites were now faced with the challenge of clarifying their own position on peace and violence and communicating their theology to other Christian churches. A Mennonite Peace Centre was established in Berlin, and the comprehensive paper 'A Declaration on Just Peace' was written.
A Pilgrimage of Just Peace
The Decade to Overcome Violence lead to the next General Assembly of the WCC (South Korea 2013), deciding to establish its new and comprehensive programme for the coming years: 'A Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace'. Again Mennonites were integrally involved in its realisation. The goal is to examine more deeply the spiritual roots and sources of Christian faith for the formation of a just and peaceful world, to provide Christians with new insights and dimensions for their involvement in the political and social life of their communities. This will hopefully lead to the conviction that the gospel has a transformative power – even in the midst of violence and injustice.
Relying on the Holy Spirit
A church service in Mennonite churches seldom takes a fixed liturgical form. But that doesn't mean it has no pattern. Really, it means that the congregation relies on the work of the Holy Spirit. The life and practices of a church are as different as the people who shape it. There are both charismatic and pietistic types of communities.
There are different forms of church service, prayers and music styles. Differences in culture, tradition and personality of the church members influence the spirituality as well as the shape the church service eventually takes. But it can't be denied that communal prayer and music making is the central part of all church gatherings. The easiest way to show the pattern of our church service is to divide it into three parts:
Fellowship with God
We come deliberately to God, to praise and to thank Him. This part is the beginning of the service: Welcoming the congregation to the service, praying and singing together, and other elements like reading a text, performing a theatre piece, or giving a testimony to bring the congregation in the presence of God.
We listen to God and let Him speak. In this part appointed preachers (theologians and lay preachers) will expound on God's Word through a sermon.
Fellowship with one another
We take an active interest in each other and in what happens around us. We partake in the Lord's Supper together. Blessings and shared experiences about God's work in our lives belong in this part, as well as information about the church in general and about worldwide concerns. This part mostly ends the Sunday church service.
Live fellowship – grow in faith – live faith
'Food keeps body and soul together'. This German saying is not only true for an individual but also for the living fellowship of the congregation. So in many congregations it is common to eat together. After the church service you are invited to have coffee and cake. At special events like a baptism the whole church has lunch together. It is also possible to practice fellowship in different small groups: a choir, an acting group, gatherings for the elderly and more. To grow in faith and to live that faith
is easier through sharing experiences.
Mennonite Brethren Church
Author: Nataly Venger
The Mennonite communities in the Russian Empire formed a dynamic social system. The Russian modernization which caused social transformation in congregations led to a shift in their religious views and convinced them to update the rules of congregational life. Along with economic and social modernization, Russian Mennonite colonies underwent a 'reformation' that led to a more thoughtful understanding of justice.
Schisms
By the middle of the 19th century, about half of the Mennonite families didn't own any land. They were deprived of participating in self-government, but had compulsory duties similar to other landowners. Among the people who did not possess land there were some who were engaged in sectors other than agriculture, and who wanted to have equal rights. Their protests led to new schism in the colonies and to the establishment of the Mennonite Brethren Church in the 1850's. It united followers of pietism, members of young congregations and entrepreneurs (who represented the biggest part of the new church). The Mennonite Brethren Church first proclaimed its existence in January 1860 in the Molotschna settlement. The new congregation offered a new way of salvation based on criticism towards the former beliefs. Thus, the movement of Brethren Mennonites had a rebellious character.
Influence and Missionary work
The Mennonite Brethren movement soon became popular among so called new-Mennonites who were open to innovations. The first Mennonite Brethren Church conference occurred in 1872. Confession of faith was written in 1873. Their settlements were established in Kuban, Zagradovka and in Mariupol. The church conducted active missionary work and had their periodical: 'Friedensstimme'.
Friezen's 'The Mennonite Brotherhood in Russia' (1789-1910)
In 1885 Mennonite Brethren celebrated the 25th anniversary of their church, which by then consisted of 7 settlements and 1800 members. In the anniversary year, one of the leaders of the settlement, P.M. Friezen, was assigned to write a history of the Brethren congregations. His book was published in 1911 and presented the history of Mennonite colonies as a whole. By 1917 the Mennonite Brethren movement counted 40 congregations with 7000 members.
United to save identity
History shows us that the Mennonite Brethren Church did not become a separate religious denomination. Growing Russian nationalism forced the Mennonites to unite again. Thus, we can say that Russian nationalism, which revived the 'idea of persecution', brought congregations together. The formation of the Mennonite Brethren Church led to the growth of self-awareness and to the beginning of the concept of the Mennonites' mission in this world.
Children's and youth work
Author: Johannes Dyck
In Germany, much children's work nowadays is done by young church members providing an effective way of taking part in church life. In the Soviet Union, children's and youth work was a hot issue.
Since 1929, the law forbade every kind of special meeting, including those for women, children, and youth. When after 1955 newly established churches tried to obtain a legal status, the authorities demanded strict adherence to this law. Moreover, they often even forbade the presence of children in regular worship services. From time to time, Sunday services were interrupted by authorities and school teachers who made lists of school children in attendance. Usually the next day at school the listed children were called before school directors and bullied in front of their class. For the young churches and young parents, the persecution time between 1958 and 1966 was a struggle for the children. Finally, the parents won the battle, and the children were permitted to attend the regular services.
Victories in spite of risks
Shortly after this first small victory, churches in various cities started small Sunday-schools for children in private homes. In cities, this work could be kept hidden better than in villages. For this work, several persons, including young women, were imprisoned. Nevertheless, this risky work, often done by young women, was performed until the emigration to Germany.
Young people taking the lead
Youthwork also belonged to a grey legal area, often tolerated by officials. Usually, it was organized in small groups which met in private homes for fellowship and Bible study, often twice a week. This part of church work showed big potential and provided churches with young people that were ready to take on responsibility and accept ministry in the churches. Youth choirs also came into being, serving as an important attraction point for young boys and girls. The infrequent performances were a real festive occasion for churches.
Things that were prohibited by the Communist government, became much more popular in the new freedom in Germany. Knowing the importance of children's and youth work for the churches' future, Mennonite congregations built a flourishing children's and youth work in Germany that keeps children in churches up till today. Considering the often large Mennonite families in Germany, this work serves as an important factor of confessional family growth.
The congregational life of Russian-born Mennonites in Germany in many aspects still follows the traditional ways that existed in Russia before the times of persecution. Every Sunday the congregation gathers for one or two services. The order of a usual service is simple – three short sermons are combined with singing of the choir and the congregation. The sermons are delivered by preachers of different ages and spiritual experience. The number of preachers in one church can reach several dozens.
Continuation of preaching
This tradition comes from the Pietistic revival meetings in Russia which started in the 1840s, when several participants shared their testimonies. In the early Mennonite Brethren church, the existence of many preachers in congregation soon became a tradition. Involvement of many brethren made all of them active in proclaiming the Word of God and gave additional strength to spreading the gospel. In the post-war revival that occurred in times of severe suppression, having a big number of preachers was the best way to survive – when the leaders were deported or even imprisoned, there was always a new man to replace them.
Themes and singing
Following the old Pietistic tradition, the main content of a sermon is encouragement in faith. Often, preachers make calls for repentance, conversion and getting born again. Popular themes are discipleship, holy life and separation from the world. These themes are also the focus of regular prayer and Bible study meetings. An important part of the Russian-born Mennonite piety is singing. In times of persecution, when no Bibles were available, Christian songs could easily be memorized and shared amongst the persecuted. Often they were the only way for single isolated persons as well as for small groups of getting comfort and strength in faith. For many young people, German spiritual songs were the way to start to learn German. An important place in the church service is also given to choral singing.
Relationships and meetings
The congregational life is not limited to worship services by far. It expresses itself by close personal relations between church members. This model for closeness and intimacy of church relations was established long ago, through colony life in a rural setting when fellow church members were also neighbors living in the same village. An important part of congregational life are closed members' meetings. Here baptismal candidates tell about their faith, and church discipline is practiced; here issues of common moral standards and witness before the world are debated; and here important decisions are made.
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Here is a selecion of luxury Andorra hotels according to Hotellook. The average hotel price per room starts from $95 and reaches $249 in high season.
Excellent romantic hotel. Close to the city center with easily acessible parking. Great rooms and fantastic service.
Very good luxury hotel. Located near shopping areas with easy access to parking. Fantastic service.


Phil Lam co-founded Lam Advisory, specializing in IaaS solutions and capabilities, standards alignment (NIST 800 series), risk framework analysis (cybersecurity and privacy) and federal contracts/grants management. He previously served in the Obama Administration as both a Trusted Identity Strategist and an NSTIC Pilots Program Manager. Phil has a BS in Computer Engineering from Northwestern University and an MBA from Purdue University.


Children are the future, teach them well and let them lead the way.
Education is the most powerful weapon ,that can change the world.
Let's join hands to serve a cause!
Dramatically cultivate premier best practices before auser are centric leadership. Distinctively coordinate enterprise wide and schemas rather than visionary resources. Assertively an matrix out-of-the-box anvortals via installed base and convergence. Dramatically incentivize fully are and researched opportunities rather than backward-compatible an best theme anpractices.
Rapidiously enhance plug-and play a core and competencies awesome error-free web-readiness. Rapidiously aggregate 2.0 communities rather than enterprise.
Let our future be full of joy, educate every girl and boy.
Credbly plement nopble theme Continually cultivate team.
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Chuka Umunna to run for Labour leader
duration 12 May 2015
Labour MP Chuka Umunna has said he is running to become leader of the party.
He made the announcement by posting a video on Facebook as he met activists in Swindon.
The Streatham MP and shadow business secretary is the second candidate to formally declare in the race to succeed Ed Miliband, who quit last week.
He said he had spoken to around 40 Labour candidates who lost out to Conservatives in target seats at the election before deciding to stand.
Liz Kendall has already thrown her hat into the ring to become opposition leader while Yvette Cooper, Andy Burnham and Tristram Hunt are all seen as potential candidates.
media captionChuka Umunna: "We can and should be winning"
On Facebook, Mr Umunna said Labour should be winning all over the country and rejected suggestions that it could take a decade for the party to get back into power.
"I think we can and should be winning in seats like Swindon," he said. "North, south, east, west - we can absolutely do it as a party."
Mr Umunna has suggested Labour failed to fully reach out to middle-income voters during the election campaign, a criticism echoed by senior figures on the right of the party including Alistair Darling and Lord Mandelson.
The unmarried 36-year-old Streatham MP entered Parliament in 2010 after a career as a solicitor for a City law firm.
The son of a Nigerian businessman, who settled in the UK, he was privately educated at St Dunstan's College, in south London, and studied law at Manchester University.
'Wealth creators'
His father Bennett returned to Nigeria to embark on a political career, as an anti-corruption crusader, but died in a road accident in 1992.
In an interview with the BBC's Iain Watson, Mr Umunna said Labour had to become the party of "aspiration" again and to persuade people it will back the "wealth creators" and those who "make the effort".
The shadow business secretary said: "I think Ed was too hard on himself by saying that all the responsibility for the general election rested with him. I don't think it did. I think it was a collective failure on the front team, so to speak."
He said the party had to address the aspirations of people "all the way up the income chain," adding: "I think at times we did not get that across strong enough."
"With the Labour Party the clue is in the name, we are about good, fulfilling work for those who put in the effort.
"But of course you can't be pro-jobs and pro that work unless you're backing the wealth creators that create those jobs. Although we had a policy agenda that was, of course, going to help the wealth creators, sometimes people didn't get that impression."
Labour is expected to set out the timetable for the leadership election on Wednesday.
Speaking shortly before Mr Umunna made his announcement, Ms Kendall - who is shadow care minister - said she felt it was "maybe time" that Labour had a female leader.
"People like Margaret Beckett and Harriet Harman have been the acting leaders of their party, they have blazed a trail," she told BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour. "People might think I'm a bit biased in this, but I think it's maybe time that Labour had a woman leader."
Chuka Umunna
Liz Kendall confirms Labour leadership bid
Labour leadership: At-a-glance guide to the contenders


Give the University of Hawai'i softball team a late-inning deficit anytime, especially with Natalie Gonzales at the plate and runners on base.
Put the Wahine in a tight ballgame anywhere, especially if Desiree Duran is on the mound.
Just dare them to lay down a sacrifice bunt, all the more if Tyree Woodruff is at bat.
For the Wahine, it turns out those pressure situations have been the easy part in a 46-16 season. It is what they have prepared for and where they have usually been at their best.
In short, give them anything but time on their hands and an uncertain future. For it is the waiting this week that has become the hard part.
For the first time in a relentless season and a coast-to-coast schedule — Florida to Fresno and Stillwater to Stockton — the Wahine have an open week in which to wait, watch and sit.
Watch, for example, to see what is to become of their Western Athletic Conference championship hopes.
Wait to see what the NCAA selection committee has in store for their postseason hopes.
After a season spent trying to seize their own destiny, for the first time their fate is out of their hands. Not that it makes the waiting any easier.
"It is," said coach Bob Coolen, "nerve-racking to say the least."
In that, the school calendar probably did the Wahine a big favor with finals taking their mind and energy away from what isn't happening on the field.
Coolen said, "At our banquet everybody — the boosters, parents, everybody — wanted to know where we're going and when. And, right now, we just don't know anything."
How three-time defending conference champion Fresno State does at Tulsa these next few days will determine if the Wahine get their first WAC title or even a piece of one.
UH (16-4) leads Fresno State (13-3) by one game with four remaining. One Fresno loss ensures UH a share of the title but the Bulldogs would receive the automatic NCAA berth on a tie-breaker. Two Fresno losses would give UH everything outright.
At the least, the Wahine are expecting one of the NCAA's 24 at-large berths. Still, this is the NCAA and experience has taught UH not to feel too secure until it has a bid in hand Sunday.
Which is why the Wahine are checking the results of the various conference tournaments, the regional rankings and Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) projections. It is why Coolen has been intently taking part in conference calls and, come Sunday, will be up at 4 a.m. for the final one and the afternoon announcement.
In the meantime, Coolen says there is packing to be done. Mostly for practical purposes but also, you suspect, to keep hands and minds busy while the Wahine do the one thing that really tests them — waiting.


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Dr. Geoffrey Reddick
Graduate Faculty Institute
Faculty Events Calendar
Assistant Professor of Family and Human Services
Ph.D., St. Louis University
M.S., John Brown University
B.A., University of Arkansas
GReddick@jbu.edu
Dr. Geoff Reddick counts it a privilege to work with students as they pursue their callings and passions in the helping professions. His primary desires are to help students develop empathy towards others, become more authentic and vulnerable with themselves, and grow in confidence and boldness in their own abilities.
Dr. Reddick is a Licensed Marital & Family Therapist, an AAMFT Approved Supervisor, and a Clinical Fellow in AAMFT. He received his B.A. in Psychology & Classical Studies from the University of Arkansas, an M.S. in Marriage & Family Therapy from John Brown University, and a Ph.D. in Family Therapy from Saint Louis University. His primary clinical interest is working with couples and families, especially in intensive settings. He previously worked for Focus on the Family's Marriage Institute, providing intensive marital therapy and leading marital enrichment retreats with his wife, Lindsey. He and Lindsey have two daughters, Mollie Jo & Murphy.
Back to Listing | All JBU Faculty


International Sales Manager Deon Anderson jetted to France last month to spend some time with our newest distributor, Patrick Irigoyen at Technic Steel. Based in Clermont-Ferrand, Technic Steel now supply France and the French territories with Howick steel framing machinery.
We know his extensive experience and regional knowledge will be a great asset to our customers, and we're delighted to have him on-board.
During Deon's time in France, Patrick accompanied him to visit a new Howick client in Bayonne, who are soon receiving their new FRAMA 3200, and to Reunion Island, where they commissioned another 3200.
For customers in France wanting to see a Howick machine performance in action, Technic Steel has a FRAMA 3200 on their factory floor. You can contact Patrick Irigoyen here.


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You are here: Home1 / Guyana stories2 / High hopes for Guyana-EU partnership on legal timber trade
High hopes for Guyana-EU partnership on legal timber trade
On a cool grey day in Belgium last month, a group of visitors from Guyana gathered at Antwerp port and imagined a future in which their country's timber products flow freely into the EU, bypassing red tape because every item has been verified to be legal.
"The visit was very exciting," says Simone Beckles, Assistant Commissioner at the Guyana Revenue Authority. "I realised we have the same principles. The only thing that's different is the law, but we share the principle of having a risk analysis… Our problems are unique but similar to those of the EU."
The Guyanese visit coincided with a key milestone in the efforts of Guyana and EU to tackle illegal logging and associated trade — on 23 November, representatives of each side met in Brussels to initial a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), which aims to improve forest governance and promote trade in legal timber products.
Javier Bernal Revert, EFI
The delegation from Guyana at Antwerp port.
Even before the VPA was agreed it has had positive impacts, say members of the Guyanese delegation. They note that the VPA negotiation process has improved consultation in decision-making processes, strengthened coordination among government agencies and led to skills training for officials and the private sector.
They expect that when the agreement is fully implemented it will improve access to the EU market — for both large companies and small-scale producers — by guaranteeing the legality of timber products and so meeting the EU's stringent regulatory requirements.
"Many communities in Guyana are involved in forest-related activities, and access to markets is often a challenge, so the VPA is a great opportunity for us," says Paul Pierre, Vice-Chairman of the National Toshaos Council, which represents Amerindian communities in Guyana. "It is a process that will be beneficial to indigenous communities. It will give them access to markets that seek timber that is sustainably sourced."
By promoting legal trade, the VPA is expected to support sustainable forest management and help Guyana to modernise its timber product sector, allowing the country to add value to its exports and make more money from fewer trees. Members of the Guyanese delegation also highlight the potential of the VPA to create new jobs and improve existing ones.
The delegation from Guyana listening to a Belgian customs official at Antwerp port.
"If you tap into a sector, your job market opens," says Beckles. "It creates an avenue for training. Then you have people who are better prepared and produce better products. What you end up with is an industry where people employed are knowledgeable of the product, so the sector opens up further. It's a whole cycle. If you then expand it to other regions in the country, people don't need to move from where they are."
To implement the VPA, Guyana will develop systems and procedures for verifying the legality of timber products throughout the supply chain, from the forest or point of import to the point of export or domestic market. Experiences from other countries that are already implementing VPAs with the EU suggest that this is likely to take several years.
"We have already developed some key thematic areas to focus on over the next 3-5 years," says Laura Singh, who works at the Guyana's Forest Product Development and Marketing Council Inc., and is a member of the National Technical Working Group that led the VPA negotiations with the EU. "They include issues such as market improvements and industry development, the strengthening of implementing structures to ensure effective coordination of all the various implementing bodies, developing a finance mechanism for implementing the VPA, capacity building, communication and others."
While in Belgium, the Guyanese delegation met with customs authorities, policymakers and nongovernmental organisations. The aim was to learn about European needs and concerns, and to understand similarities and differences between regulatory control systems at each end of the timber trade.
Jocelyn Dow, Chairwoman, Guyana Forestry Commission Board, and David James, Ministry of Indigenous Peoples' Affairs, Guyana, with Heidi Hautala, Vice-President of the European Parliament, in Brussels (from right to left).
"It was nice to meet with European civil society organisations and hear their views about the potential of Guyanese timber to be imported into the EU," says Ruslin Richards of the Guyana Forestry Commission's FLEGT Secretariat, which coordinates the VPA process. "It was also good to have a better sense of the EU's imports system, as we will have to link it to ours."
Despite the challenges ahead, Guyana considers the VPA to be worthwhile because when it is fully implemented, all of the country's timber exports will be verified to be legal. They will automatically meet the requirements of the EU Timber Regulation. This means that importers will be able to bring them into the EU and place them on the market without first doing onerous and costly due diligence checks.
"The VPA has put Guyana on the map," says Kenny David, head of the FLEGT Secretariat. "There are lots of negative perceptions about the Guyanese timber sector and about what and how we do things. The VPA is a good opportunity to put us out there. Here we are, working with partners like the EU, who will say 'Yes, Guyana's timber is coming from well-managed and monitored sources'."
This story has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union.
Author: VPA Africa – Latin America Facility
About the VPA Africa – Latin America Facility
The VPA Africa – Latin America Facility supports the implementation of the EU FLEGT Action Plan with a focus on Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs). The Facility contributes to combating illegal logging and strengthening forest governance while encouraging sustainable economic development in countries that produce or process timber and export to the EU. The Facility is hosted by the European Forest Institute (EFI) and was established in November 2019.
This website has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union.
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Except where otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0. Credit information: European Forest Institute, www.efi.int
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Stowarzyszenie Sędziów "Themis" – drugie co do wielkości stowarzyszenie zawodowe sędziów w Polsce. Zostało założone w 2010. Pierwszą prezes Stowarzyszenia była sędzia Irena Kamińska (2010–2018).

Cele Stowarzyszenia Themis
Statutowymi celami stowarzyszenia są:

 1. działanie na rzecz umacniania niezależności sądów i niezawisłości sędziów w celu pełnej realizacji obywatelskiego prawa do sądu;
 2. upowszechnianie i ochrona obowiązujących w państwie prawa zasad porządku i bezpieczeństwa publicznego, demokracji, ochrony wolności i praw człowieka oraz swobód obywatelskich;
 3. podnoszenie i pogłębianie kultury prawnej życia społecznego przez podejmowanie i wspieranie służących temu inicjatyw społecznych i obywatelskich;
 4. wyrażanie poglądów środowiska sędziowskiego w kwestiach dotyczących tego środowiska;
 5. rozwijanie świadomości i kultury prawnej społeczeństwa;
 6. doskonalenie wiedzy prawniczej i kwalifikacji zawodowych członków Stowarzyszenia;
 7. działanie na rzecz integracji europejskiej oraz rozwijanie kontaktów i współpracy między organizacjami prawników a w szczególności stowarzyszeniami sędziów;
 8. dążenie do integracji środowiska sędziowskiego dla realizacji wspólnych dla tego środowiska celów;
 9. upowszechnianie wiedzy o roli i zadaniach sądów i sędziów.

Zarząd Główny (stan w 2018)
Beata Morawiec – prezes
 Anna Korwin-Piotrowska – wiceprezes
 Irena Kamińska
 Waldemar Żurek
 Beata Donhoffner-Grodzicka
 Aleksandra Kiersnowska-Tylewicz
 Dominik Czeszkiewicz

Rada Programowa
 Przewodniczący: Sędzia Trybunału Konstytucyjnego w stanie spoczynku – Bohdan Zdziennicki
 Członkowie: Sędzia Sądu Okręgowego w Poznaniu – Anna Czapracka; Sędzia Sądu Najwyższego – Katarzyna Gonera; Sędzia Sądu Rejonowego w Białymstoku – Tomasz Kałużny; Sędzia Sądu Najwyższego – Dariusz Świecki

Zobacz też
 Stowarzyszenie Sędziów Polskich "Iustitia"

Przypisy

Linki zewnętrzne
 Strona internetowa Stowarzyszenia

Polskie organizacje prawnicze


The administration offered those details in a statement after journalist David Cay Johnston published two pages of tax information about the president, apparently from Trump's 2005 return. The revelations were simultaneously broadcast on MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow" show, which included an interview with Johnston. Based on the information on the two pages, Trump paid an effective tax rate of about 25 percent.
The returns, which POLITICO could not independently confirm, but which the White House appeared to acknowledge were legitimate, also showed Trump wrote off more than $100 million in business losses in 2005.
"Before being elected President, Mr. Trump was one of the most successful businessmen in the world with a responsibility to his company, his family and his employees to pay no more tax than legally required," The White House said in a statement. "That being said, Mr. Trump paid $38 million dollars even after taking into account large scale depreciation for construction, on an income of more than $150 million dollars, as well as paying tens of millions of dollars in other taxes such as sales and excise taxes and employment taxes and this illegally published return proves just that."
While initially promising to release his returns ahead of the 2016 election, Trump hedged and then resisted repeated calls to do so during the campaign. Trump has argued that his taxes are under audit by the IRS — and said that he would be happy to release them after the audit was complete. There are no IRS rules that prohibit someone from releasing their tax returns publicly while they are under audit.
By refusing to release his returns, Trump eschewed decade of precedent — every candidate since 1976 had released their returns, when former President Gerald Ford released only summary data.
The new documents, which were posted online and broadcast on MSNBC, show Trump and his wife Melania paid $5.3 million in standard federal income tax and more than $31 million in the alternative minimum tax. The Alternative Minimum Tax is intended to prevent taxpayers from excessively reducing their tax liabilities by taking many or sizable deductions.
Trump has proposed eliminating the AMT as part of an overhaul of the tax code.
Johnston is a former reporter for The New York Times who won a Pulitzer prize for his coverage of the tax system. He runs a web site, dcreport.org, which crashed soon after he posted the tax documents.
The purported tax documents, which were aired live on MSNBC, bore a stamp that read "Client copy." Johnston said the documents were sent to him, but said he did not know where they came from. At one point, as he spoke to Maddow, Johnston seemed to imply that Trump himself may have sent him the returns.
"It's entirely possible Donald (Trump) sent this to me," he added. "Donald has a long history of leaking material himself."
In the run up to their publishing, Maddow created an Internet frenzy — hyping them on Twitter and setting off more than an hour of speculation. But the documents, which were incomplete, were short of salacious revelations.
According to the document, Trump earned about $150 million, including some $32 million in capital gains.
But he reported a $100 million loss he was able to subtract from that. MSNBC only released the first two pages of the return, and it's impossible to tell from them what produced that loss.
Trump's adjusted gross income was $48.5 million that year. He took $17 million in itemized deductions against that, though, again, the documents do not detail speifics. Among the likely candidates: a deduction for state and local taxes important to high-tax states like New York.
That left Trump with about $31.5 million in taxable income, and his regular income tax on that was about $5.3 million.
But the alternative minimum tax, which was designed to prevent the wealthy from ducking the tax man, forced Trump to pay an additional $31.2 million in taxes.
"If it weren't for the AMT, he'd pay a very, very low tax rate," said Roberton Williams, a fellow at the Tax Policy Center.
Many lawmakers, like Trump, have called for eliminating the AMT, which critics say is overly complicated.
Still, fresh information on Trump's taxes has been relatively rare.
In October, at the height the 2016 presidential campaign, The New York Times obtained and published three pages of Trump's 1995 state tax returns, which showed he took a deduction of $916 million on losses, which could have allowed him to avoid paying taxes for 18 years.
While it's not unusual that Trump would use that tax break, the losses he claimed were so large they amounted to almost 2 percent of all such deductions claimed that year by taxpayers.
In June 2016, POLITICO reported that Trump likely paid no taxes for at least two years in the 1990s. The Washington Post has also previously reported that Trump paid no taxes in 1978 and 1979.
Tuesday's Trump tax news also shared some details with the earlier Times report: Both of the scoops arrived in the mail.
In the same way New York Times reporter Susanne Craig got her hands on Trumps 1995 tax records In September, Johnston said someone just mailed him Trump's 2005 1040 tax form.
"It came in the mail over the transom," Johnston said on MSNBC.
Johnson did not immediately respond to a Twitter message seeking comment to why he chose to break the story on MSBNC.
Toby Eckert, Hadas Gold, Brian Faler and Cristiano Lima contributed to this report.


We believe in the Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Specifically, we believe that Jesus Christ is the unique Son of God. Through His sinless life, perfect teaching and atoning death on our behalf, we are shown how to be right and live right before God.
We believe that the Bible is the perfect Word of God. God didn't have to speak to us, but He did. He intended for that Word to be clear and instructive, and it is. We seek to derive our actions, our attitudes, and our objectives from His good Word.
We believe that the Gospel is the way of God. The Gospel helps us not only in the afterlife, but in this present life. The Gospel describes two equally important realities: (1) the fact that Jesus is the only way to God, and (2) that as we travel along that way, we should engage our world in the same gracious manner as our Lord did. The Gospel has to do with the destiny of our life and the manner in which we live it.
We believe that the church is the people of God. Church is not some optional add-on or a luxury item. God intended for His children to associate together for fellowship and Gospel work. It is both inconsistent and unwise for a believer to intentionally avoid the protection, partnership, and power that comes from gathering with God's people.
Our official doctrinal statement is The Baptist Faith and Message.


Solution of HTTP 500 Internal Server Error in wordpress while logging in.
Today, one of my client asked me about an issue what he was facing. While logging in wordpress dashboard he was seeing HTTP 500 Internal Server Error.
Also, I checked by making WP_DEBUG value to True in wp-config.php but didn't get any culprit plugins which is causing this.
Also, in wp-config.php I tried to increase the php memory limit by adding these 2 lines of code but that didn't help either.
So, the way I solved the issue by changing the php version of the cpanel using in the host.


The database contains summaries of the latest updates and guidance on key health and safety issues from organisations such as the MPA; the HSE, including the QNJAC and the Quarries Partnership Team on dust and silica; UEPG (European Aggregates Association); NePSi - representing the EU Silica Social Dialogue Agreement; etc.
Users can either search across the entire database, search by keyword, or review the information that has been issued by specific organisations.
This guidance document has been developed to give MPA members, their clients and specifiers, a focused approach to considering the requirements of operating in highways construction and maintenance sector. It has been developed from guidance first produced by MPA Scotland in relation to nightworking, but on a more generic basis. The document however relates not only to the SRN, or its equivalent in the Devolved Nations, but all roads.
This guidance does not supersede any Regulatory and/or contractual requirements, but can be considered as complementary.
Please view the updated bitumen discharge permit. This incorporates the authority to discharge form which has been approved by MPA Working Group 7.
This document makes recommendations for kiln shutdowns, based on recent experience and incidents. It concentrates on a set of health and safety priorities specific to Kiln Maintenance in the United Kingdom.
The purpose of the Company Car and Van Handbook is to make companies and car/van drivers aware of the risks that they may face or create while driving and operating vehicles and typically understanding how to manage those risks. The handbook outlines what is required of a driver in terms of his or her, vehicle, journey and driving behaviours in line with the rules and regulations of UK roads. Travelling abroad and in Europe is also covered (pages 50-51). In addition it deals with emergency situations and gives practical advice on what to do to help keep you safe from avoidable harm.
The industry operates equipment that has the potential to cause harm if not operated or isolated correctly.
We have learnt from incidents within the industry, the critical importance of giving employees and contractors as much information and guidance on the risks involved when operating heavy machinery and a better understanding of the different types of energy they need to be protected against.
This document will describe LOTOTO (Lock-Out – Tag-Out – Try-Out), the process for isolating equipment to ensure that maintenance and cleaning can be undertaken safely.
Prepared by the MPA and Reece Safety, this document shares best practice and will help to raise awareness of 'LOTOTO' and to guide the industry to the achievement of a safer working environment. In this document you will also find also find product information to safe guard the workforce.
A pocket-sized version that summarises the key elements of the Code of Practice and is intended for site operatives and supervisors to use as an aide-memoire when installing precast concrete floors. Launched November 2017.
This guidance focuses on the need to complete a thorough risk assessment covering all aspects of the machine and its use. The risk assessment process for machinery will need to consider a wide range of hazards and also relate to a range of standards and legal requirements. One of the key aspects of machinery is to consider the danger of moving parts and to guard these dangerous parts.
So what should be the methodology for risk assessment of machinery? What standards and legal requirements are relevant? What should be the approach for guarding machinery?
The guidance within only offers an opinion on the current available control measures used in other parts of the industry to guard against the physical hazards associated with the moving parts of the machine. Through the risk assessment process it will be the responsibility of the company to select the appropriate guarding specific to their operation whilst considering the hierarchy of control found Regulation 11 (2) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) and referenced in section 18 of this document.
While the focus of this document is on Bridge Saws, the same principles can be applied to other machinery used for working natural and reconstituted architectural stone such as edge polishers and milling machines.
This guidance note provides advice on minimising the risk to health from exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) when working with precast concrete products. Please review and share with you colleagues.


text:
Writing is the easy part
An early version of the cover for Jem, a Girl of London.
Self-examination can look to an outsider like navel-gazing. This post won't do that. This post shares my travel from Point A ("I must write this story") to Point Q ("you can buy Jem, a Girl of London on Amazon.") This post may help you decide what to do next for your own book, because it shows the only way to get anywhere is to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Our mutual baseline is that you not only like to tell stories but are compelled to do so. Two days ago, a fourth-grader said to me, "You write for FIVE HOURS A DAY?" To spare him the embarrassment of his fainting in front of his friends, I didn't confess it's sometimes more. Writers write.
So, writing first. The idea for Jem, a Girl of London came from a conversation with my students about George the Third of England and whether the Revolutionary War might never have happened if George had been more sympathetic toward the Colonies. That discussion was my Big Bang. Initially, I thought to tell the story of the Revolution from the point of view of George the Third's mistress—but then I learned that George was so happily married to Charlotte that they had 15 children. There was no mistress. But there was gout, and there was madness, and there was a little physician's helper named Jem in the royal bedchamber who didn't say very much. But she wanted to. She wanted somebody to tell her story.
Next, I had to discipline myself. I decided to get up every day two hours before I had to get up for work (so, 4 a.m.) and write fresh from my dreams. Those two hours were my sacred writing time. No phone, no job, no nothing but me and my story. After my precious two hours were up, I started my day.
Was it a strain to lose two hours of sleep? No! I told a wannabe writer yesterday that doing something I loved was energizing. Grabbing for myself the gift of time made me feel happier about everything else in my life, because I wasn't giving up every waking moment to other people. Those months of sleep deprivation were glorious. Diana Gabaldon once said she wrote the first book in her Outlander series just to see if she could write a whole book. She could. I could. You can. It takes time, but you have to make the time.
Third is process. I write longhand on yellow legal pads using a fountain pen. I like a pen because I don't have to fumble for keys or correct spelling or edit—I can just let the story flow from my brain down my arm and out the end of my pen. Many people recommend doing research first, but I didn't because I had a rough idea of what happened when. But when Jem, a Girl of London was done, I spent about six weeks looking up whether X Y Z actually could have happened. Did I revise at this point? Oh, yes. Once the story was historically correct, I word-processed it. I edited. I gave it to Beta readers. Edited some more.
At this point, I thought I had a book, so I began the query process. If you are not a writer, the query process is basically like interviewing for a job you really want: you know your skills are a perfect match, your resume kicks ass, you've got an interview suit that makes you look like a million bucks. You are SO going to get this job. With queries, you don't get the job, and they don't tell you why. (Why query? Most publishers won't consider unagented submissions. Agents are the keepers of the gate.)
Queries work like this: 1. Find out the names of literary agents who might like your book. A literary agent is a person who represents writers to publishers and assists in the sale and deal negotiation of the same. You can find agents online and in books like Writer's Market (WM FAQs here). Research them. 2. Spend two hours tailoring each letter you send to each specific agent. 3. Comb your rejections for any clue as to why you were rejected. 4. Repeat. Shoot for at least 20 queries a month. Tweak your submissions until you find a combination of query letter and sample page/synopsis that seems to be attracting nibbles. (Yes, it IS like fishing. You need the right bait.)
The query process brought me to Step #4, which happened after Ann Behar of Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary Agency said something helpful in her rejection: "My problem with this book is that it is in the voice of an adult--Jenna, as an adult. Although it is very well written and the story is engaging, the voice must be that of a young person in order for me to be able to take it on. Children's publishers will not buy a book with an adult voice, period." Ms. Behar forced me to consider my book not only as a baby but as a baby I wanted to sell. I rewrote Jem to remove the adult perspective. I streamlined the plot and winnowed yet more chaff from the language. (Thank you, Ann Behar.)
Despite my winnowing, the book was now twice as long as genre guidelines recommend, so I split it in half. I rewrote the first half so it would be a complete story. Querying continued, but by this time I already had queried agents most likely to represent a YA historical fantasy, which meant I couldn't query them again. (No means No means No.)
By this point, 16 months had gone by. I cynically had decided that when agents say "I just want a really good story" what they mean is "I just want a really good story that's a whole lot like whatever is hot right now, because I know I can sell it." At the time, dystopian fiction with female heroines was hot (The Hunger Games, Divergent). Jem, a Girl of London is historical fantasy, so it did not appeal to any agents who had to earn a living and who knew that if they made one false move they might lose whatever perch they'd clawed their way up to. I have to confess that while I didn't expect any agent to read my query letter and sample and think I was the find of her or his career, I hoped it would happen that way. It didn't.
Leap of faith #5 was my deciding to self-publish using Amazon's CreateSpace. Writers like Hugh Howey and John Locke went that route, but being a rebel was a huge step for an oldest child (me) who does the right thing at the right time in the right way and insists everybody else do the same. Agents advise against self-publishing. (They oughta know, right?) Still, I'd just spent 16 months hoping for a yes and getting only maybes and no thankses. I decided to be my own yes.
And that changed everything. I wanted Jem, a Girl of London to be the best it could be, and I knew if I self-published I wouldn't have a ready-made team at a publishing house to make it so. Based on recommendations by other authors on Goodreads, I hired an artist named Derek Murphy of Creativindie to create a cover and design the book. I needed an editor, too, but who should I hire? One editing consortium called Book Butchers offers three degrees of edits for fees that get higher the more you want done. The way Book Butchers works is that a writer uploads a sample of text. Editors read it and do a sample edit. You pick the editor you like. You make a partial payment. One editing consortium called Book Butchers offers three degrees of edits for fees that get higher the more you want done. The way Book Butchers works is that a writer uploads a sample of text. Editors read it and do a sample edit. You pick the editor you like. You make a partial payment. Editing ain't cheap. One editing consortium called Book Butchers charges $.02 to $.06/word depending on what you want done, which is pretty standard. Book Butchers asks writers to upload a sample of text. Their editors read it and do a sample edit. You pick the editor you like. You make a partial payment. Sample edits are a sterling way to find out what you can expect from an editor before you shell out hundreds of dollars. This post from Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) outlines what else to look for (and what to avoid). Don't miss the links at the end under "Professional Resources" and "General Information."
One editing consortium called Book Butchers offers three degrees of edits for fees that get higher the more you want done. The way Book Butchers works is that a writer uploads a sample of text. Editors read it and do a sample edit. You pick the editor you like. You make a partial payment.
Ultimately, I hired a freelance editor named Mary Ellen Foley, who, as the SFWA article recommends, did a free sample edit. I knew immediately she was The One. Her tone with me was cordial and collegial. She said, for example, "if you were to engage me to edit the book, I'd need instruction: are these suggestions useful because they provide options for you to consider, or are they intrusive fiddling?" How could I NOT hire a person who used the phrase "intrusive fiddling"?
Mary Ellen blue-penciled false notes, flat prose, emotionless characters. Her questions and quibbles were about things you can't see until someone points them out, no matter how good a writer you think you are—a bit like standing next to a sequoia and saying "But where are those big trees that are supposed to be here? All I see is this wall covered with bark." No matter how much you've written or how many college degrees you've earned, you need an editor. Mary Ellen's deft touch on my manuscript turned it into a novel. When I got back my document from Mary Ellen, it took four, 40-hour weeks to answer her questions and quibbles. When this sixth step was done, I told Mary Ellen, "When I think of how badly this could have gone without you, I feel like you saved me from walking the plank. No. I KNOW you did." We have stayed in touch even though she is a Very Busy Person. Because in the back-and-forth of editing, she changed from a person I hired (and would hire again in a heartbeat) to a person I liked.
Meanwhile, Derek was working on the design. He and I also went back and forth choosing a model, deciding on fonts and colors, settling upon an overall book design. I asked my Facebook followers which cover they liked and why. Derek was receptive to my ideas without stifling himself if he thought I needed to hear "NO, BAD IDEA." (One thing I didn't know when I hired professionals is that everything takes longer than you think it should. Professionals are busy, and you aren't their only client. Plan accordingly.)
While editing and designing were going on (in England and Thailand--gotta love electronic communication!), I did other things that must be done by self-publishers (step #7). Others have written about the process of self-publishing (Christina Katz, author of Get Known Before the Book Deal, and Brandie A. Knight, author of Self-Publishing Like a Pro), to name two. One thing I had to do was to apply for a Library of Congress number, without which my book could not be purchased by libraries or schools. Find out how here.
Jem, a Girl of London went on sale January 9 on Amazon's Kindle Direct. I ordered a proof of the print version, asked Derek to correct errors I found, and ordered a second proof that also had errors. The print version will be released by the end of the month.
My journey proves you need more than writing talent if you want to be published. You need humility. Tenacity. Patience. We write because we have to, but we seek publication because we want to connect with other people. We seek community. A poet friend recently said something to me that all writers should paste over their desks: "Never confuse writing with publishing. The worst that could happen is all the no's you get stop you from doing something you love."
So, don't stop doing what you love, not for any reason. Just remember, writing is the easy part.
For further information on self-publishing check out "How to publish a book on Amazon" here.
UPDATE: As of 1/21/15, Jem, a Girl of London is available both in paperback and Kindle versions.
Historians rock
We whose books are set in the past are indebted to the thousands of people whose passion for history creates in them an irresistible urge to share what they've learned. Two Englishwomen I'd like to tip my hat to today are Marion Hearfield and Lucy Inglis.
Marion Hearfield is the author of William Cowle of Stroud: Life in a Victorian Town. She and her husband maintain a web site here. I discovered Marion when I wanted to know how milk was sold in London in the 18th century. I knew milkmaids trundled about with yokes over their shoulders, but I didn't know exactly how the milk got from the cows (wherever they were stabled) to the milkmaids. Mrs. Hearfield's article told me, and it linked me to extra information for good measure. So charmed was I by her lucid and slightly sassy style that I emailed to thank her. She wrote back, and a sporadic trans-Atlantic correspondence began. When I discover information or a web site I think she'll find interesting (such as this one about period slang), I share. When I want advice about anything English, Marion shares her 2 cents. We're an ocean apart, but if we were next-door neighbors, I know that dear lady would be the recipient of raspberries and tomatoes from my garden.
The second Englishwoman who'd score tomatoes and raspberries if we lived closer is Lucy Inglis, who blogs here. Ms. Inglis is the author of Georgian London: Into the streets, which I had to buy a hard copy of when she said about her book "the ordinary people were my quarry." My mother taught history, and that was her interest too--not just the battles or the politics, but what people blew their noses with and how shoes were repaired. My mentor, University of Kansas historian Calder Pickett, was the same way. The inside jacket flap of Ms. Inglis's book says it is about "the men and women who called London their home, from dukes and artists to rent boys, dog-nappers and hot-air balloonists." The book is divided into geographical neighborhoods of London, and it offers page after page of evidence that the more things change, the more they stay the same. In Georgian London, for example, the vast majority of urban poor were single mothers. And if you think the phenomenon "Crazy Cat Lady" is new, check out chapter 4. The book lavishly quotes from source documents--AND it includes pictures.
These two ladies' scholarship, love of history, and effortless style make research fun. Thanks, you two. More resources to come.
Can birds see in the dark?
Not exactly. But they CAN see things humans can't. According to the National Wildlife Federation website article on the subject, birds can see ultraviolet (UV) light; night fliers like owls see UV light more clearly than visible light.
Why does that matter (and why do I care)? Jem, a Fugitive from London, includes scenes where more than one bird carries a human passenger. I wanted to know what the passenger would see if she were--wait for it--winging it. What would a human see from a bird's-eye view?
She'd see other birds' feathers glowing. Urine trails left by small mammals, glowing. Patches on potential mates glowing, the bigger the patch, the more attractive the mate. Some birds lay their eggs in another species' nest and expect the foster parents to raise their young. But the victims of nest parasites sometimes can tell which eggs are theirs and which were laid by interlopers because the shells glow differently--so the potential adoptive parents can push out the offender's eggs.
Ever watch a parent bird feed a chick? Ever wonder how the parent knew which chick hadn't been fed on the last trip back to the nest with a tidbit? Turns out the chicks' beaks and feathers glow brighter if they're heavier and healthier--so mommy and daddy bird know which chick needs a snack RIGHT NOW.
And speaking of snacks: certain insects glow. Seeds glow. Green leaves do not, so birds more easily can find berries--which DO glow--hidden amongst them.
Why can't we see UV light but birds can? According to the article, "The human retina has three kinds of cone cells (receptors used for color vision): red, green and blue. By contrast, birds active during the day have four kinds, including one that's specifically sensitive to UV wavelengths. There's another difference: In birds, each cone cell contains a tiny drop of colored oil that human cells lack. The oil drop functions much like a filter on a camera lens."
You can't make an omelet without cracking a few eggs, and you can't write a book without learning fascinating stuff.