The laws that scholars have laboriously elaborated and compiled over the ages to meet the needs of different societies have always stood in need of intelligent and alert interpreters when it came to implementation. The laws of Islam, although they rest on revealed norms and divine guidance, are no exception to this rule.
Certain verses of the Qur'an, which is the fundamental and primary source for deducing anything related to Islam, are not entirely clear in their purport and signification for they do not yield a single, categorical sense. Recourse to exegesis in order to clarify points of ambiguity is therefore necessary.
Furthermore, the Noble Qur'an sets forth the main lines and general principles of the programs of action Islam proposes in various spheres; it does not go into the details of every law and prescript. If therefore someone wishes to obtain comprehensive knowledge of those programs in their entirety, he cannot content himself simply with the text of the Qur'an.
The differences of opinion and approach that have arisen with respect to the meaning of certain verses, as well as traditions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, have played a large part in the distortion and transformation of some of the original concepts of Islam. Interested parties and people tied to the ruling establishment have succeeded in putting forward interpretations that correspond to the interests of the rulers, a phenomenon that happened repeatedly during the Umayyad and 'Abbasid caliphates.
In such a whirlpool of confusion, what needs to be done to prevent the truth from remaining unknown? Does it not appear necessary that recourse should be had to a single learned authority on jurisprudence, one divinely protected against sin, a man of independent opinion, having a comprehensive knowledge of the Book, the heir to the knowledge of the Prophet, in order for him to acquaint us with the original meaning and purpose of the Qur'an?
An authority who implements the various commands of the Qur'an in a practical and visible way and who serves as an indisputable marker of the right and the wrong? The clarifications he makes and the deductions he draws, being based on the principles of the Qur'an and inspired by revealed law, will be decisive for all followers of Islam and capable of ending all differences of opinion: he will be like a compass in the hand of a distraught captain.
If we do not have recourse to such qualified interpreters of the Qur'an, we will fall prey to doubt and confusion, or, by following incorrect interpretations, stray far from the true teachings of the Qur'an.
Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, established the greatest center for the teaching of Islam, training a multitude of scholars whose task it was to instruct the people and draw their attention to the dangers posed by the fabricators of hadith. His scientific and intellectual activity served to offset the waves of corruption that were unfurling at the time, as well as the erroneous concepts and biased theories the ground for which had been prepared by the political situation of the day.
"Then he said, 'Indeed you are Hisham,' stood up, caused me to sit where he had been sitting, and remained silent until I got up to leave."
Men may therefore gain access to the commands and prescriptions of God only when, after the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, the leadership of the Islamic ummah is in the hands of a person who is enabled by his proven erudition and spiritual qualities to expound those detailed injunctions which have not been explicitly included in revelation but are nonetheless a matter of practical necessity for human society. In the absence of such leadership, the ummah will tend to deviate from the principles of Islam and fail to reach the goal of happiness and the purposes for which it has been created.
After the Prophet, the Immaculate Imams, committed as they were to leadership and guidance, did everything possible to disseminate the teachings of the Qur'an, for years on end and in the midst of swiftly changing circumstances, and to show the Muslims how to apply those teachings; they guided and instructed the people in word and indeed. As a result, the aggregate of their teachings came of form a precious treasure of learning that was bequeathed to the ummah. Because of its evidential force, this treasure was uniquely authoritative, and because of its scope, it offered the means for solving every new problem that might occur.
Facts such as these serve to demonstrate the degree of religious learning possessed by those persons who assumed the leadership of Islamic society. How then could it be expected that the framework of divine law should remain immune to change and distortion and that Islamic society should advance toward its lofty goals? Whoever carries the burden of leading the ummah must possess extensive religious awareness and knowledge in order to answer whatever questions and problems arise, whereas the knowledge that the caliphs had of the authentic law of Islam was extremely limited.
Is it fitting that the leadership of Islamic society should be in the hands of people who by their own admission are so ignorant of the laws of God's religion, a religion the ordinances of which they are supposed to expound and to implement? Is it at all conceivable that God should entrust all the affairs in fact, the destiny of a community that had been nurtured on revelation and established by the most noble of creation to people who were not only unable to propel the Islamic ummah forward and to remove the veil of ambiguity from complex and difficult questions, but could not even expound the most elementary concerns of religion or implement the shari'ah?
We leave it those whose intelligences are not fettered by fanaticism or prejudice to judge the matter.
1. al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, Vol. I, p. 170.
2. Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, Vol. I, pp. 2, 14.
3. Cited in al-Nawawi, Adwa' 'ala al-Sunnat al-Muhammadiyyah, p. 224.
5. Ibn Sa'd, al-Tabaqat, Vol. III, p. 151.
7. Ibn Majah, al-Sunan, Vol. I, p.200.
10. al-Amini, al-Ghadir, Vol. VI, p. 87.
11. al-Bayhaqi, al-Sunan (al-Kubra), Vol. VIII, p. 33.


Carmine Petrone, CEO of BBSO has announced a new incentive for small business owners in Australia.
As crucial as the bride's lehenga, is choosing the right wedding backdrop decoration. The backdrop becomes the centre of attention in many photos and a creatively lacking backdrop can ruin your pictures for years to come.
New England-based product photographer Mark Mendoza today announced the launch of Mark Mendoza Photography (http://www.markmendozaphoto.com) serving the makers and marketers of industrial, defense, security, technical, and test and measurement products.
"Beyoncé Bride" of Wedding Planning, Tori Williams makes television debut on "Monie Gets Married"
Lisseth Corrao held a Press Conference in San Diego to announce that she will donate a stunning embellished Swarovski Crystal Metal Dress from her Oscar Gold Collection, valued at $3K.
Life In Rhythm Media Has Released "Amore Is Love", Jerry Butera, Bashiri Johnson and Tabitha Fair. Produced by Bashiri Johnson, Executive Producer Enzo Milioto, Inspired by The City and Beautiful People of Sciacca in SICILY.
Slim Jim Phantom will be a guest on The Jimmy Star Show with Ron Russell live radio/tv show Wednesday July 5th, 2017 from 3-5 pm ET | 12-2 pm PT at w4cy.com Radio | Visit www.jimmystarshow.com.
The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Long Island, North Hills announced that it has achieved 100 closed sales of luxury condominiums in Phase One of the one-of-a-kind luxury residential project.
Kurves By Kimi, a Los Angeles, CA-based dress designer, is on a mission to prove that every woman can look and feel gorgeous in a dress, no matter her size.
Your Tribe. Sisterhood is a powerful connection. When you have women around you who encourage and support you, you feel inspired and motivated to accomplish bigger goals.
Brandon Bailey Releases "Friends We Will Never Forget"
A mid summer FREE photography event, showcasing education and hands-on shooting. All the major photography equipment vendors will be displaying their newest products.
Next Animation Studio (NAS) today announced that Matthew Duntemann has joined the company as Chief Creative Officer. Based at NAS headquarters in Taipei, Duntemann will report directly to Chief Executive Officer Indra Suharjono.
As the Fourth of July holiday approaches, Pet Sitters International advises pet owners to consider their pets when planning celebrations.


text:
Pelaksana mampu untuk membuat laporan aktivitas dan keuangan online

date: 	2012-01-13
categories:
- laporan
- Hpku-Teman Belajarku
layout: laporancmb
---

![50px-Januari_13_2012_1000guru_Pelatihan_Wiki.JPG](/uploads/50px-Januari_13_2012_1000guru_Pelatihan_Wiki.JPG){: .img-responsive .center-block }
![150px-Januari_13_2011_Gerakan_1000guru_Pelatihan_Pelaporan_Kegiatan_dan_Keuangan.jpg](/uploads/150px-Januari_13_2011_Gerakan_1000guru_Pelatihan_Pelaporan_Kegiatan_dan_Keuangan.jpg){: .img-responsive .center-block }

**Tujuan** :	Pelaksana mampu untuk membuat laporan aktivitas dan keuangan online

**Lokasi** :	Lobi Hotel Merdeka

**Alamat** : 	Jl. Basuki Rahmad Kota Kediri

**Jam** :	13.30 - 18.00

**Hadir** :
*	Ali Sahbana
*	Zamzam Rahmawati
*	Hidayati Zulfa
*	Siska Doviana
*	Hendra Prastiawan

**Ringkasan** :
*	Acara dibuka oleh Kepala Dinas Pendidikan Kota Kediri Bapak Drs. Wahid Ansori, dalam sambutannya beliau menegaskan bahwa salah satu kompetensi yang harus dipunyai Guru saat ini adalah menguasai teknologi informasi, khususnya untuk mendukung proses belajar mengajar.
*	Pembicara selanjutnya Siska Doviana, menjelaskan tentang Ciptamedia yang merupakan hibah terbuka bagi individu atau organisasi untuk melakukan perbaikan pemanfaatan media di Indonesia, dan menginformasikan bahwa salah satu penerima hibah adalah dari Kediri dengan judul "Hpku Teman Belajarku" yaitu pemanfaatan hp yang sehat untuk mendukung pembelajaran di sekolah.
*	Pembicara terakhir Ali Sahbana, inisiator "Hpku Teman Belajarku", dijelaskan bahwa ide proposal ini adalah pengalaman pribadi (http://hpkutemenbelajarku.blogspot.com/) sebagai guru komputer (TIK) yang merasa perlu memberikan wawasan kepada siswa setingkat SLTA terhadap pemanfaatan Hp yang baik, utamanya dalam etika, manfaat dan bahayanya. Dalam kesempatan terakhir Ali Sahbana medemontrasikan pembuatan video pembelajaran berformat 3gp sebagai alternatif pemanfaatan Hp untuk sarana belajar.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


News / Personal / Family Home / Modern Childhood: Are Virtual Pets a Game Changer?
Virtual pets. There have been many discussions about what this modern age has brought us and how to deal with it.
Although we benefit amazingly from the cutting edge technology that's available everywhere (it makes our lives easier in many different ways), some areas of society, like parenthood, seem a little blurred.
It's unlike our childhood, that's for sure.
Surely you remember the times, not so very long ago actually, when each family had their own landline phone. In order to call your friend to go out and play, you had to wait for the proper time because you didn't want to disturb the house rules.
Now, your children can select one of many apps on their smartphone and be in touch with their friends whenever they feel like it. It's not at all uncommon for kids to get a bit carried away and become addicted to texting.
The thing our parents nagged about at dinner tables were mostly connected to our posture – sit up straight and take your elbows off the table. Nowadays, parents worldwide know that this list of objections has become much longer and that it's mostly based on the proper smartphone use.
Today, entertainment and learning options for kids are very different and significantly wider. There's a whole market dedicated to children apps so they can play great games and broaden their knowledge without even realizing it. Apps can even help take care of their health. The last group is probably the most important one – busy parents can stop worrying because their kids' smartphone app can remind them when to take their medication.
Are the "Modern Kids" Missing Out?
Pets usually are one of the greatest childhood memories. Having a living being that grows up alongside you and loves you no matter what is an irreplaceable experience. But that's not just a one-way street – pets teach you what it's like to care for someone and worry about other people's needs.
Virtual pet games really changed this. Your kid can simply download one or several different pet games and play with them on the screen. This new experience can be confusing and many parents are in two minds when it comes to virtual pets. Despite many studies and research, the question of the quality of life the "new age" kids have still remains unanswered and we often wonder whether the little ones are missing out nowadays.
Yet, it appears that not all the games are bad for the kids, or at least not in their entirety. Has anyone ever told you how much he or she wanted a pet but the parents couldn't afford one or the living arrangements didn't allow for it? Thanks to smartphone apps, every child can have a pet. We're not talking just about cats and dogs now, but fictional pets like dragons and even protected species like pandas, as well.
If you give them a try, you'll realize that some of these virtual pets tend to be more serious than what you might have expected. When it comes to most of them, you do need to take care of a virtual pet like you would of a real one in order for it to be happy. So, feeding it, taking it to the bathroom, and playing with it are a necessity for a virtual pet to be happy.
What is more, you never really know when your kids are mature enough to have a real pet of their own, so it's better to put them to a test first. These apps are probably the best way to do so. Just check your child's virtual pet every day to see if it's fed, clean and happy, and it will be a lot easier to make a decision.
Parents worldwide are practically thrown into the fire of raising the first generation of children who have the whole internet at the tip of their fingers. Just like it's always been, there is no perfect recipe and no one can really tell you what to do to raise your kids properly in the digital age.
However, make sure to do your research before you say no to something because it might actually be an incredibly good and useful thing.


Running a report on the "most popular" books, i.e. the books your students add to their bookshelves most frequently, can yield valuable information on which books to add to your library and the type of books your students relate to the most.
Step 2: Select Most Popular Books from the pop-up window.
Step 6: Your report will show the books your students most frequently added to their bookshelves.


The City shall ensure that cross-connections between the distribution system and a consumer's water system be eliminated or controlled by the installation of an approved backflow prevention assembly or device commensurate with the degree of hazard.
Depending on the degree of hazard, and the required backflow prevention assembly or device, the City may, at its discretion, rely on in-premise protection as adequately protecting the public water system. Where the degree of hazard requires more stringent isolation, the City may require both premise and in-premise isolation.


text:
Germany vows to fight local and 'imported' anti-Semitism
AFP , Sunday 17 Dec 2017
File Photo: German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere (Reuters)
Germany against Trump's Jerusalem decision: Merkel
Germany should appoint an anti-Semitism commissioner to counter growing hate speech against Jews and Israel from both its home-grown far right and the immigrant community, the interior minister said Sunday.
Thomas de Maiziere spoke days after protesters in Berlin burnt Israeli flags to protest the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.
"Every criminal act motivated by anti-Semitism is one too many and a shame for our country," de Maiziere, the caretaker minister since inconclusive September elections, told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper.
"Anti-Semitism must never again take hold in Germany," he said, pointing to a rise of "derogatory remarks, inappropriate jokes and discriminatory behaviour against our Jewish citizens".
He condemned the recent flag-burnings as "the symbolic destruction of a country's right to exist", while Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen also said such expressions of hate were "unbearable".
De Maiziere said when Germany has a new government -- which Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and the centre-left Social Democrats are now discussing -- it should appoint an anti-Semitism commissioner.
Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said last week that, although Berlin opposed the move by US President Donald Trump, it strongly condemned protests where "hatred" of Israel and Jews was expressed.
On Friday, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also declared himself "shocked and shamed" by the incidents and warned that anti-Semitism was still "showing its evil face in a variety of ways".
Steinmeier stressed Germany's responsibility to learn "the lessons of two world wars, the lessons of the Holocaust, the responsibility for the security of Israel, the rejection of all forms of racism and anti-Semitism".
This was "non-negotiable" for everyone who lives in Germany, no matter where and when they were born, he added.
Justice Minister Heiko Maas demanded that lessons on the Holocaust be included in integration courses that teach German language and civics to asylum seekers and immigrants.
He wrote on Spiegel Online that many "come from countries where powerful elites intentionally fuel hatred of Jews and Israel, and where anti-Semitism is practiced almost as a matter of course".
Maas said that all immigrants needed to understand that "we fight against the anti-Semitism of the neo-Nazis and we will equally never tolerate an anti-Semitism imported by immigrants".
Thomas de Maiziere
neo-Nazis
Immigranys

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Tags: crematorium
A theatrical adaptation of the 1904 Polish play Akropolis by Stanislaw Wyspianski. The production reflected Grotowski's theory of "poor theatre," in which all of the traditional theatrical elements were stripped away to focus on the actors and their use of the body. In it Grotowski's actors (seemingly Auschwitz prisoners) built a crematorium around the audience while presenting well-known events from the Bible and Greek mythology. However, there was no attempt to recreate the death camp through realistic details but rather through theatrical imagery.
A visitor to the camp encounters an old Jewish man hovering around the crematoria. The man is a survivor of the camp and talks to the visitor about his experiences.
Golgotha [גולגולתא]
"Golgotha," the name of the site of Jesus' crucifixion, has become a Ladino word for suffering. Albert Salvado, a Ladino-speaking Jew and Holocaust survivor from Thessaloniki, Greece, is asked to light a beacon on Holocaust Memorial Day at Yad Vashem. The invitation stirs up his memories and guilt—he not only questions his right to light the torch, but also his identity as a Sephardic Jew. During the Holocaust, he worked in the crematorium at Auschwitz. His job was to walk the victims into the gas chambers, take out the bodies, and move them to the ovens. During that time his only wish was to see his wife just once more. And indeed, he saw her again when she came to the gas chambers; he had to put her inside and later burn her body. He also lost his two daughters in the camp. His own survival is, he feels, more a punishment than a blessing—searing guilt is the price he must pay for failing his family.
The Final Solution, a play written in three acts, is set in a factory that originally manufactured baking equipment but has been transformed by the Nazis into a site for the construction of ovens for the extermination centers. The play focuses on the moral quandry of the company's lead engineer as he is forced to continue to collaborate in the mass destruction of European Jews.
family guilt Terezin Anne Frank Adolf Eichmann Israel Dr. Janusz Korczak SS gas chambers Warsaw crimes against humanity secret Hannah Senesh Nuremberg children priest diary transports death orphanage suicide Auschwitz prisoners refugees murder Theresienstadt memories anti-Semitism trial love


text:
RINGO'S 11TH ANNUAL PEACE & LOVE BIRTHDAY WORLDWIDE CELEBRATIONS
By	Beatles Magazine Posted on Sunday, July 7, 2019 Monday, July 8, 2019 In THE BEATLES 0 RINGO STARR	1
Today July 7, 2019 Ringo will return to Capitol Records Tower in Los Angeles for his annual Peace & Love Birthday event where he will join fans gathered for a Noon #peaceandlove celebration. The dream is to create a wave of Peace & Love across the planet, starting in New Zealand and ending in Hawaii. Ringo began these in 2008 at the Hard Rock Café Chicago and last year he celebrated the 10th Anniversary at the Hard Rock Café Nice. In the ensuing years it has grown enormously with #peaceandlove events all over the world, and this year already has over 30 events in 22 countries (listed below).
"I've said it before but I really can't think of a better way to celebrate my birthday, or a better gift I could ask for, than peace and love. It's so great how every year it keeps growing, with the wave of peace and love starting in the morning on July 7 in Australia and ending in Hawaii, with celebrations in all the time zones in between. I am so happy to be back at Capitol Records, and for our great sponsors who are carrying the message of peace and love around the world, like the David Lynch Foundation, Life is Good, SiriusXM, Modern Drummer and Starbucks. I also want to thank each and everyone of you for continuing to help spread peace and love, Ringo."
The event will include tribute performances by Ben Kyle from ROMANTICA with Sara Watkins, and Southern California rock and roll band The Jacks. There will also be a special premiere of an original song about peace and love composed for the occasion by students of the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus in partnership with the South Central LA Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center. The song will later premiere online as a video featuring music students as well as guest artists and friends.
WHO: Ringo Starr, Barbara Starkey, David Lynch, All Starr Alum Sheila E, Edgar Winter, Nils Lofgren, Jim Keltner, Gregg Bissonette as well as friends Ed Begley Jr, Richard Lewis, T-Bone Burnett, Benmont Tench, and Life is Good founders Bert and John Jacobs with more to be announced soon.
WHAT: Ringo Starr's 11th Annual Peace & Love Birthday Celebration
Performances of Ringo's songs will be followed by a brief welcome from David Lynch who will introduce Ringo. Ringo will lead gathered family, friends and fans in a group #PeaceandLove moment at Noon. Cake will then be presented on stage.
WHEN: Sunday, July 7, 2019
9:30am Press Check In Opens
10:45am Photo Opportunity behind Capitol Records
11:00am Music Performances Begin in front of Capitol Records
12:00pm #Peaceandlove (Noon PDT)
WHERE: Capitol Records Tower, 1750 N Vine St, Los Angeles, CA, 90028
WHAT ELSE: Everyone everywhere is invited to participate, but of course you don't have to go anywhere, or say anything, you can just think "Peace and Love," anywhere you are at Noon your local time and know you are still contributing.
FOLLOW THE FESTIVITIES AT:
Ringo's Facebook page
Ringo's Instagram
More about this year's event sponsors:
The David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace – promotes world peace every day by teaching meditation to at risk people all over the planet. Founded by film director and Transcendental Meditation practitioner David Lynch in 2005 to fund the teaching of TM, it is the same meditation Ringo practices and was taught by the Maharishi and exemplifies Peace and Love in action. The evidence-based TM technique is life changing for the good by improving health, cognitive capabilities and performance in life. Extensive published research has found TM markedly reduces stress and stress-related disorders, including anxiety, depression, alcohol and drug misuse, and violent behaviors while also improving brain and cognitive functioning, grade point average and test scores.
www.davidlynchfoundation.org
Life is Good – Life is Good is a positive lifestyle and apparel brand on a mission to spread the power of optimism. In celebration of their 25th Anniversary, Life is Good started the #SomethingGood movement to combat the daily barrage of negativity in the world by encouraging people to simply share #SomethingGood. Their hope is to add more optimism into the world by shifting the cultural conversation away from the negative and focus on growing the good. For every share, $1 will be donated to the Life is Good Kids Foundation, with a goal of inspiring one million shares. Uniting Ringo's passion to generate a global wave of peace & love with the brand's mission to spread optimism, together they jointly created a special-edition Life is Good x Ringo Starr Peace & Love T-shirt. The new tees will be available in July on Lifeisgood.com and at select Ringo Starr concerts this summer.
www.lifeisgood.com
Modern Drummer – Launched in 1977, this leading online and monthly publication dedicated to drummers and drumming innovated how drums and the whole of drumming is celebrated. "The world's most read drum magazine" returns as a sponsor once again.
www.moderndrummer.com
The Lennon Tour Bus — The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is a non-profit state-of-the-art mobile Pro Audio and Video recording facility that provides hands-on experiences for students of all ages. Now in its 22nd year, the Lennon Bus features the latest audio and video technology, gear and products. Lennon Bus U.S. and Lennon Bus Europe travel year-round with a crew of three producer engineers, providing free tours, workshops and live events at schools, public events, festivals, and at major industry conferences.
www.lennonbus.org
In addition, Starbucks will amplify Ringo's "Peace & Love" call to action by playing a message just before Noon to their patrons in over 10,000 of their locations throughout the US and Canada. They will also be celebrating Ringo's birthday with a special Playlist curated with Ringo for the occasion that patrons can hear for three weeks starting July 5.
thebeatles.com
JOIN LENNON BUS AT RINGO'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AT CAPITOL RECORDS TODAY!
RINGO STARR 11th ANNUAL PEACE AND LOVE BIRTHDAY


Cryptocurrency exchange Cryptopia that has recently suffered a hack has regained access to its building, and the New Zealand police say that the exchange could reopen – but the exchange's founders remain silent on this issue.
Also, Murton said the police investigation was continuing, both in New Zealand and in the US, in collaboration with the FBI and international experts. "No timeframes as to a conclusion to the investigation can be provided at this time," Murton said.
On February 7, the police said that "excellent progress is being made in the investigation."
Meanwhile, Cryptopia is far from the only exchange that is facing trouble. More than a dozen lawyers converged on a courtroom in Halifax, Nova Scotia on Thursday to make their pitches to represent 115,000 cryptocurrency traders owed USD 70 million in cash and USD 190 million in Bitcoins and other digital assets in the QuadrigaCX cryptocurrency debacle – and it was revealed that the exchange has no money at all, Vancouver Sun reported. More money is expected to be made available from Jennifer Robertson, widow of QuadrigaCX CEO Gerald Cotten who reportedly passed away in December, the report added.
And exchanges are also not the only ones having difficulties – to put it mildly. A man from New Stanton, Pennsylvania, reported nearly USD 525,000 worth of cryptocurrency vanished from his online account, TribLive reported, citing local police spokesman. According to the report, the 54-year-old man realized the money was missing this week, but it could have disappeared anytime since early December. The spokesman said he couldn't name the specific currency the man owned, but that it was tied to the gold standard.
Previous story Crypto Land on JPMorgan Coin: What About Ripple and Other Banks?


text:
Reuters Next
Global Market Data
Pictures | Mon Dec 5, 2011 | 11:40am EST
Putin's macho image
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin rides a horse in southern Siberia's Tuva region, August 3, 2009. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Pool/Alexei Druzhinin
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin swims in a lake in southern Siberia's Tuva region, August 3, 2009. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Pool/Alexei Druzhinin
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin holds a tranquilliser gun as he visits the academy of sciences Ussuri reserve in Russia's far east, August 31, 2008. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Kremlin/Alexei Druzhinin
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin fires darts with a crossbow at an endangered grey whale from a motorboat in Olga Bay in the Sea of Japan, August 25, 2010. REUTERS/Ria Novosti/Pool/Alexei Druzhinin
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin drives a snowmobile at Russia's ski resort Krasnaya Polyana near Sochi in southern Russia, January 3, 2010. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Kremlin/Dmitry Astakhov
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin attends a judo training session at Top Athletic School in St. Petersburg December 18, 2009. REUTERS/Ria Novosti/Pool/Alexei Druzhinin
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin plays badminton with President Dmitry Medvedev during their meeting in the official vacation residence of Bocharov Ruchei in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, August 14, 2009. REUTERS/Ria Novosti/Kremlin/Dmitry...more
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin plays badminton with President Dmitry Medvedev during their meeting in the official vacation residence of Bocharov Ruchei in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, August 14, 2009. REUTERS/Ria Novosti/Kremlin/Dmitry Astakhov
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin holds a dental borer as he jokes with Governor of Belgorod region Yevgeny Savchenko at a dental room of a local hospital in the village of Golovchino in Belgorod region November 15, 2011. REUTERS/Alexei...more
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin holds a dental borer as he jokes with Governor of Belgorod region Yevgeny Savchenko at a dental room of a local hospital in the village of Golovchino in Belgorod region November 15, 2011. REUTERS/Alexei Nikolsky/RIA Novosti/Pool
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin feeds a young elk at the national park 'Losiny Ostrov' (Elk Island) in northeast Moscow, June 5, 2010. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Pool/Alexei Druzhinin
Russian President Vladimir Putin walks along the Khemchik River in southern Siberia's Tuva region August 15, 2007. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/KREMLIN
Russian President Vladimir Putin stands with a gun at a shooting gallery of the new GRU military intelligence headquarters building as he visits it in Moscow November 8, 2006. REUTERS/ITAR-TASS/PRESIDENTIAL
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin carries artifacts he recovered whilst diving at an archaeological site off the Taman peninsular in southern Russia August 10, 2011. REUTERS/Alexsey Druginyn/RIA Novosti/Pool
Russian President Vladimir Putin watches the launch of a missile during naval exercises in Russia's Arctic North on board the nuclear missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky (Peter the Great), August 17, 2005. REUTERS/ITAR-TASS/PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE more
Russian President Vladimir Putin watches the launch of a missile during naval exercises in Russia's Arctic North on board the nuclear missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky (Peter the Great), August 17, 2005. REUTERS/ITAR-TASS/PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE
Russia's President Vladimir Putin fishes in the Yenisei River in Siberia as he makes a tour together with Prince Albert II of Monaco, August 13, 2007. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/KREMLIN
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin enjoy some fishing on the river Volga in Russia's Astrakhan region August 16, 2011. REUTERS/Mikhail Klimentyev/RIA Novosti/Kremlin
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin talks to a member of the "Lena-2010" Russian-German scientific expedition near a table of excavated bones on Samoilovsky Island in the Far Eastern Federal District, August 23, 2010. REUTERS/Ria...more
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin talks to a member of the "Lena-2010" Russian-German scientific expedition near a table of excavated bones on Samoilovsky Island in the Far Eastern Federal District, August 23, 2010. REUTERS/Ria Novosti/Pool/Alexei Druzhinin
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is seen onboard a motorboat before visiting the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Valaam Monastery in Karelia, northwestern Russia, August 14, 2011. REUTERS/Alexsey Druginyn/RIA Novosti/Pool
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev prepares to dive with an underwater camera in the river Volga in Russia's Astrakhan region, August 16, 2011. REUTERS/Mikhail Klimentyev/RIA Novosti/Kremlin
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin travels in Russia's first high speed train Sapsan in Leningrad Region December 19, 2009. REUTERS/Ria Novosti/Alexei Druzhinin/Pool
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Blind swans
The Association of Ballet and Arts for the Blind was founded by Brazilian ballerina and physiotherapist Fernanda Bianchini in 1995, when she decided to teach...
Across parts of the world, the first snows are signs of the coming winter.
Biden leads observance of America's 400,000 COVID-19 dead
President-elect Joe Biden led a national memorial observance on the eve of his inauguration to honor the 400,000 Americans who have died from COVID-19 during the 11 months since the coronavirus claimed its first U.S. victim.
The people charged in siege of U.S. Capitol
Federal authorities have brought criminal charges against more than 100 people so far in connection with the riots at the U.S. Capitol, in which Trump's supporters stormed the building, ransacked offices and attacked police.
Moving out of the White House
Personnel are seen moving items out of the White House in the final days of Donald Trump's presidency.
United States marks staggering 400,000 coronavirus deaths
The United States surpassed 400,000 lives lost from COVID-19, according to a Reuters tally, just hours before President Donald Trump leaves the White House and hands over a country in crisis.
Meet Joe Biden's Cabinet picks
Democratic President-elect Joe Biden has nominated a flurry of members for his Cabinet and White House team, working to fulfill his promise to build an administration that reflects the United States' diversity.
Washington locks down ahead of inauguration
The nation's capital continues to boost security by shutting down access to iconic landmarks and erecting vehicle checkpoints ahead of Biden's inauguration.
Presidential inaugurations throughout history
From James Buchanan sworn into power in 1857 to Donald Trump in 2017, a look at past U.S. presidential inaugurations.
Washington prepares for Joe Biden's inauguration
Central Washington, fenced off with razor wire and surrounded by 25,000 National Guard troops, prepares for President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration.
The surreal Northern Lights
Stunning images of the Aurora Borealis.
Weekly sports business analysis
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PRO-FRIENDS, thru the St. Edward Integrated School Foundation, partnered with The Quality Education Design Company (QED) in managing the St. Edward Integrated School (SEIS) with the goal of eventually setting up a system of community schools throughout Lancaster New City that will stretch from Imus to Gen. Trias.
PRO-FRIENDS and QED are committed to delivering education that keeps up with the pace of growth in Lancaster. Entering its third academic year, SEIS is a Catholic school that offers the full K-12 curriculum starting 2016. The incoming school year 2014-2015 will see the introduction of Grade 10 which will complete the current high school cycle.
PRO-FRIENDS and QED aspire to create a school system that will be owned by the community, serving as a second home for the children of howeowners to celebrate communal activities from sports to feasts. In the community school model, parents will be encouraged to volunteer their time and expertise in the day-to-day operations of the school, further adding value to their children's education. Through innovative content delivery such as project-based and team-based action learning, the community school endeavors to create the environment for the 21st century learner to fully realize his potential.
PRO-FRIENDS and QED are one in the commitment in and the belief of the power of education to create communities and transform lives. This partnership hopes not just to further the development of Lancaster New City, but to produce the country's future dreamers, innovators, athletes, and young leaders.


Adderall is actually a medication useful to deal with attention debt overactivity instability including a long-term neurological disorder. It is just a stimulant, but once applied at the dosages for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, it provides a relaxing influence. Once utilized for neurological disorder, adderall medications is utilized at larger, even more stimulating dosages. These medicine is available in the shape of the tabs that may be generally considered two times day-by-day. Just like any medicine, you will discover probable unwanted effects, including a lack of hunger, dry oral cavity and sleeping disorders.
Amphetamine can be described as prescription drugs which is utilized to take care of focus deficit overactivity disorder. Additionally it is utilized to deal with neurological disorder. Mainly because Adderall xr is definitely an amphetamine and it is generally abused, there are unique protocols to get prescribed it. Original Adderall xr is manufactured by Shire inc. Generic editions are manufactured by a number of different companies.
possess problems focusing and managing the habits. When many persons think about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder as a symptom in kids, it may even happen in adult women and men.
Speak to your medical professional prior to applying prozac combined with adderall. Prozac might possibly boost the impact of Adderall and side-effects just like panic, anxiety, trouble sleeping and rushing thoughts have already been recorded. Pairing these types of medicines may also greatly increase the chance of an unusual but critical condition referred to as serotonin problem, that might consist of signs of illness including misunderstandings, auditory hallucination, epileptic seizure, serious adjustments in bloodstream pressure, improved pulse rate, sickness, sweating in excess, trembling, vomiting or diarrhoea. Extreme situations can result in coma and in many cases loss of life. You must contact a medical professionsal instantly in case you encounter these kinds of signs of illness while acquiring this drugs. It is recommended to make sure a medical expert regarding other prescription drugs you utilize, including vitamin supplements or herbal products. Tend not to quit applying any kind of medicines without primary speaking with your personal health professional.


In your work as a professional advisor, you value professionalism, integrity and honesty, taking the utmost care when serving your clients. As a nonprofit organization, we share your values and take the same care when it comes to helping our donors plan charitable gifts to Centra Health Foundation. Please use these tools as you help your clients with their charitable plans, and feel free to contact us for more information or assistance.
Provide your clients with a free, no-obligation illustration of their gift to Centra Health with our Gift Illustrator tool. Instantly calculate deductions, tax savings and other benefits for multiple gift types.
If your clients are interested in supporting Centra Health with a gift in their will, we have provided sample bequest language that they can bring to their estate planning attorney.
We understand that gifts to charities such as Centra Health can be an important part of your clients' overall financial and estate plans. That's why we're committed to working with you to ensure that your clients find the charitable arrangements that best meet their needs. We believe that charitable planning is a process that ideally involves the donor, professional advisors and our gift planning staff—all working together to arrange the best gift possible.


This site is dedicated to Photography and presents samples from my own portfolio as well as on-line exhibitions.
There are links to photo-related sites, institutions, organisations and other photographers with special emphasis on New Zealand.
My LINKS and INTERNATIONAL GALLERY LINKS pages are frequently updated and extended with new photography links.
I am now working on the third installment of the 11 Years project, revisiting Wellington locations in eleven-year intervals.
photospace Gallery, Wellington, in August 2000.
Annually the Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day is held on the last Sunday in April. Check the official web site www.pinholeday.org for details.
We often are having a pinhole workshop with children and parents on the day.
Visit the News Archive for previous news items.
I'm maintaining other web sites on the New Zealand contribution to The Tile Project - Destination: the World, Running in New Zealand and my home town Cologne. The latter features the local dialect Kölsch.
This site was last updated on 29 April 2006.


Are you ready for a once-in-a-lifetime production? Then mark your calendars for Anastasia live at Broadhurst Theatre on Saturday 21st September 2019. This show is sure to be the greatest show in New York City and is set to sell out before long. So if you love these types of events, you cannot miss out. Great prices, comfortable seating and the ideal atmosphere for a evening with friends is what you can expect when you visit the Broadhurst Theatre in our hometown of New York City. This show is great for date nights or solo visits and will appeal to both fans and newbies alike. So what are you waiting for? Book your Broadhurst Theatre ticket to see Anastasia! You won't regret it.
Attention theatre lovers! This September, New York City will be the biggest stage in the entire New York. Mark Saturday 21st September 2019 in your calendars and start counting the days till one of the most eagerly awaited events in the local theatre community. On that day, Broadhurst Theatre will be filled with theatre enthusiasts enjoying the amazing Anastasia performance. This might be a unique opportunity to see this play in New York City as the troupe is very busy traveling and performing all over the country. Don't miss out! Make sure to get your tickets before they sell out and don't forget to bring your friends and family too.


The World Bank has a new Climate Action Plan. What's in it for cities?
The World Bank Group's Climate Action Plan, adopted last month, is designed to help countries meet their COP21 pledges and manage increasing climate impacts.
To achieve these goals, working with cities will be essential: with almost 80% of GHG emissions emanating from urban areas, cities are among the biggest contributors to climate change... and must, inevitably, become a big part of the solution.
Cities are also particularly vulnerable to climate risk and other forms of natural hazards, with many of them located in disaster-prone areas. Therefore, enhancing disaster resilience in urban settings is another key requirement to build more sustainable cities in the face of climate change.
The good news? Many countries are still in the early stages of the urbanization process, meaning they have a unique opportunity to develop sustainable cities right from the beginning - a much more viable option than trying to retrofit them later on.
In this video, World Bank Senior Director Ede Ijjasz-Vasquez and Practice Manager Bernice Van Bronkhorst explain how they are working with clients to make climate-smart cities a reality.


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The Beckner Advancement Fund is a social justice philanthropic initiative of All Souls Church Unitarian, a Washington DC church with a long history of working for social justice and fighting against oppression of all kinds. The Fund's work is grounded in the Unitarian Universalist spiritual beliefs in the inherent worth and dignity of all people and our commitment to dismantling racism and other forms of oppression in individuals and institutions. For almost two centuries, the All Souls congregation has worked to make our city, our nation, and our world more just and compassionate.
All Souls members Earl and Meta Beckner endowed the Beckner Advancement Fund in 1973 to create a more collaborative, attractive, and forward-looking community that fosters human rights and dignity, and enhances the influence of All Souls Church in the Washington metropolitan area. We carry out this vision through internal and external grants of about $70,000 each year to support efforts that advance All Souls' social justice mission.
The Beckner Advancement has three primary funding mechanisms: External Grants, Internal Grants, and Shively Rapid Cycle Grants. Click on each for application materials and detailed eligibility information.
External Grant Info
Internal Grant Info
Shively Grant Info
The following values guide our grantmaking and other work.
Centering community: We work with organizations that are deeply rooted in their communities. We aim to support the leadership and experiences of impacted communities as a means to achieve systemic change. We believe that the best solutions to enduring social problems come from the people who experience them. Community power-building and shared decision-making are at the root of sustainable and truly transformative change.
Pursuing justice: We understand that structural racism and oppression contribute to poorer outcomes for people of color, women, low-income communities, LGBTQ communities, certain faith communities, and people with disabilities. We aim to invest in systemic solutions that create equitable opportunities for these communities to thrive.
Catalyzing initiatives: We recognize that we bring relatively modest means to address significant societal challenges. We use our limited resources to seed new initiatives and accelerate the expansion of existing projects that employ fresh approaches to social justice work. This can mean supporting startup organizations, new leaders and leadership structures, untested ideas, and new approaches to old problems.
Continually learning: We approach our mission with an honest spirit of inquiry and a vocation for learning alongside the communities we partner with. We see each of our investments as an opportunity to expand our learning and help inform the field. We encourage feedback from our partners.
Approaching challenges with hope: While the problems we address are serious and challenging, we approach our work with excitement and a hope that our engagement will make a positive impact. Celebrating hard won victories both large and small rejuvenates us for the continued struggles for justice to come.
We envision a Washington, DC where all residents have the opportunities and resources they need to live with dignity and share in the prosperity and vibrancy of our Nation's Capital.
To distribute flexible funding to accelerate community-driven social change in Washington, DC.
The Beckner Advancement Fund catalyzes community-driven change that dismantles systemic oppression and facilitates economic opportunity, justice, and liberation in Washington, D.C. We strive to unify the community of All Souls Church Unitarian in Washington, D.C. by being equitable, radically welcoming, and in right relationship with those on the margins of society. We strive to make our grantmaking transparent, intentional, and accountable to the communities we support.
We invest in promising yet under-resourced organizations that are implementing new and innovative solutions to entrenched social problems. We support the leadership of those most impacted by overlapping forms of oppression, including but not limited to: people of color; indigenous peoples; immigrants; low-income people; women; youth; queer, trans, and gender non-conforming people; and people with disabilities. We strive to be a bold, courageous and strategic partner that helps grassroots organizations take chances, test new ideas, and amplify their impact. We take risks in the hopes of achieving transformative impact. Not all of our investments will succeed, and even those that do may take time to realize impact, but each investment provides an opportunity for growth and learning.
Stephen Cox (Co-Chair)
Steve brings 42 years of experience in international development, community philanthropy, human rights, environmental management, and higher education to his current roles as volunteer with public interest organizations in his community and as an active participant in selected political campaigns. Prior to his retirement in 2018, he served for seven years as Vice President for Programs and Managing Director for Networks and Strategic Initiatives at the Inter-American Foundation. Steve has also held senior executive positions with the Ford Foundation, the World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, the World Resources Institute, INCAE, and the Fundación Acceso, a non-profit organization that he founded in Costa Rica. He began his career working with Agua del Pueblo, a Guatemalan NGO building potable water systems for indigenous communities. He has been a consultant to the World Bank, the United Nations, the Global Environment Facility, CARE, the Oscar Arias Foundation, the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, and the Pew Charitable Trusts; has been a guest lecturer at the World Bank, Columbia University, Duke University, the University of California at San Diego, the University of Maryland, the University of Minnesota, Notre Dame University, the Universidad de Cuenca (Ecuador), and FLACSO/Ecuador; has been a Kettering Foundation Fellow and a member of the Advisory Council of the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at Notre Dame. He has served on several non-profit boards and is currently on the board of AsylumWorks in Washington, DC, and the advisory board of the Kaleidos Center for Interdisciplinary Ethnography in Ecuador. Since retiring, he has been an active volunteer with immigrant rights organizations in Washington, DC, and in elections in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia. He has spent half of his career in residence in Latin America (Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, Peru, and Guatemala), and is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. He has a BA in Latin American Economic Development from Berkeley and a master's degree in public policy from Harvard. He is the proud father of two adult daughters who are deeply involved in public service.
Dr. Sharon Groves (Co-Chair)
Dr. Sharon Groves joined the Auburn Seminary staff in August 2015 as Vice-President for Partner Engagement. In this role she regularly engages with hundreds of movement and faith leaders, organizers, policy makers, and philanthropists who work at the intersection of faith and justice. Sharon leads projects at Auburn that address community thriving; national and state level collaborations on inclusive democracy; reproductive health, rights and justice; reparations; and LGBTQ equity. She serves as a key liaison with major policy and movement partners, including the Women's March, the Center for American Progress, and national faith denominations, as well as regional and local congregations.
Prior to joining Auburn's staff, Sharon was a Senior Fellow for Auburn Seminary. She is the former Director of the Religion and Faith (RFP) Program at the Human Rights Campaign, where she worked from 2005-2014. Under her leadership, Sharon doubled the RFP staff, built a scholarship and mentorship program for LGBTQ religious scholars, and oversaw statewide faith organizing efforts in Oregon, Illinois, Rhode Island, Maine, Maryland, and Washington State. She also supported the creation of multiple theologically grounded resources, including the lectionary-based preaching guide, Out in Scripture, and the Latinx curriculum and film, A La Familia.
Sharon received her Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Maryland in 2000 and has furthered her theological education through extensive coursework at Chicago Theological Seminary, Wesley Theological Seminary, and the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation. She is an active lay member at All Souls, where she serves on the board for the Beckner Foundation, a city-based foundation that supports justice work in DC, in keeping with the values of All Souls church. She is also a board member for the Church of the Savior Festival Center in DC. An active and longtime resident of Washington, DC, Sharon connects and mobilizes with many different organizations, including Standing Up for Racial Justice and Ward 4 Mutual Aid. She lives in DC's 4th Ward with her spouse Ann and can often be found cooking for friends, gardening in her community lot, jogging in Rock Creek park, and watching "bad" TV. Sharon is a long-time member of All Souls since 2001.
Pam Amos
Pamela Amos is a real estate investment professional with over 25 years of related experience. She has been a member of All Souls since 2017, and her passion for social justice has found expression here as a member of the Investment Committee and director of All Souls Housing Corporation.
Currently, Pam is with NuvoLogic Consulting and works on a contract supporting HUD's multifamily lending program for both affordable and market rate properties. Previously, she served as Director of Asset Management for a premier affordable housing developer and operator, where she was responsible for the financial performance and operations of its portfolio of 30+ properties containing over 5,000 apartment homes throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
Pam's experience also includes consulting work with other clients in the real estate investment and energy sectors. She spent 12 years in the investment management division of Allstate Insurance Co. ending her tenure as a Portfolio Manager responsible for daily management of its publicly traded REIT portfolio, as well as a large portfolio of economically targeted debt and equity investments in areas including community development and affordable housing. Her experience also included analytical support for a large office and industrial portfolio, and private equity investing in real estate and traditional institutional private equity funds.
Pamela's story also includes positions in finance and real estate with Amoco Chemical Company and PepsiCo. A veteran, she served as a civil engineering officer in the U.S. Air Force. She is also a mother, aunt, mentor and long-time tutor to children in the Chicago and Washington DC public school systems.
Ms. Amos has an MBA in Finance and Real Estate from the University of Michigan, a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Notre Dame, and has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and LEED Green Associate designations. She is a Leadership Greater Chicago fellow, and her civic involvement also includes extensive board and other service to various mission-driven organizations, with particular emphasis on child welfare and early childhood education.
Mel Hardy
Educated at Villanova University, The New School for Social Research, and Columbia University's Graduate School of International Affairs. Student of Zbigniev Brzezinski and Henry Kissinger. Trained as a Development Economist. Certificates from the Institute of African Studies, and International Fellows Program. United Nations Association Ralph Bunche Fellow (supported thesis research and writing in the East African Federation). Currently, a civil society delegate to the UN Non-proliferation Treaty Talks and the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs.
Dedication to the Arts, Culture and the Humanities which undergirds his world view. Activist and advocate for artists to understand their power and prowess as participants in the American Political Economy, and to take their rightful place in governance. Adjunct teacher in the DC Public School System, assigned to the History Department, Duke Ellington School of the Arts.
Practitioner in Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access, with leadership accountabilities in the real estate, philanthropic, and education industries.
Barbara Myers
Before retiring in 2017, Barbara had a long career in international development, including 13 years living in Latin America where she gained extensive experience in the development, review, and management of grants from public and private sources. She worked for Catholic Relief Services (CRS) for 28 years, including serving as CRS' Director of Major Gifts Stewardship, where she led a team responsible for donor communications, proposal development, stewardship, and special events to engage major donors. During that period, she was also responsible for coordinating activities of the agency's Foundation Board, composed of donors at the highest giving levels.
In 2014, Barbara joined the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) as Chief Development Officer where she was responsible for the design and implementation of comprehensive fundraising and communications strategies in accordance with local community needs and LAYC's strategic priorities. Her role included oversight of LAYC's grants, communications, and special events staff.
After 10 years as a member of the UU congregation in Columbia, MD, Barbara moved to the Washington DC area in 2011 and joined All Souls. She has three children and six grandchildren and currently lives in Garrett Park, MD, where she and her partner share a home with two exuberant Labrador retriever rescues.
Eva Newbold
Eva Newbold grew up in Richmond Hill, Georgia, a small town outside Savannah. She received her B.A. in English Literature and Women's Studies from Agnes Scott College in 2016 and she received her M.A. in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from the University of Florida in 2018.
After graduate school, Eva returned to the Savannah area where she joined Lisa Ring's 2018 congressional campaign as the Scheduling Coordinator and Lisa Ring's 2020 campaign as the Communications Director. In 2020, Eva joined Marcus Thompson's Georgia State House campaign as the Volunteer Coordinator and worked with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee as a Team Lead for the 2021 Senate Runoff. In addition to her work with local politics, she worked as the Interim Director of Religious Education at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Savannah from 2018-2020.
Eva's community work in the area also included acting as the 2nd Vice Chair and Social Media Coordinator for the Bryan County Democratic Committee, the Religious Affairs Chair for the Bryan County NAACP, and acting as a member of the Richmond Hill Cultural and Diversity Taskforce. In early 2021, Eva moved to Washington, D.C. to serve a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Raising A Village Foundation. Once in D.C., she became involved with the work of All Souls Unitarian and joined the Young Souls board as the Social Justice Chair. In January 2022, she ended her year of AmeriCorps service and decided to remain at Raising A Village Foundation, accepting a position as a Regional Site Coordinator.
Dr. Josephine Nieves
Josephine, now retired, was Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers, a 155,000 member association. Prior to that she was a presidential appointee with the U.S. Department of Labor. As such, she administered and oversaw the Office of Job Partnership Act programs including Job Corps and Summer Youth Employment programs. She has more than 30 years of professional and volunteer experience in social action, public and private sector program development, policy formulation and institution building. Dr. Nieves was commissioner and spokesperson to the New York City Department of Employment and in the early 1980s was Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Department of Juvenile Justice. She was also a professor and chairperson of the department of Puerto Rican Studies at Brooklyn College, In New York City.
Josephine has been a member of All Souls since 2001.
Erika Symmonds
Erika was born in Brooklyn, NY where she and her sister were raised by her mom, a social worker and proud West Indian who immigrated from Barbados. Erika grew up attending the Fenimore St. United Methodist Church. She gained confidence and discipline as a student of the Canarsie Karate Club and baseball player in the North Highway LIttle League. As an A Better Chance (ABC) scholar she attended Milton Academy for high school and then earned a bachelor's degree from Wellesley College. Her career has spanned the interconnections of youth development, outdoor education, construction, job training and environmental justice. Working most of her career non-profits, Erika has had a lot of exposure to the process of seeking out funding and managing grants. Erika brings that perspective to her work with the Beckner Advancement Fund committee. Erika moved to Washington, DC In October of 2014 with her wife, daughter, and grandmother. She and her wife became members of All Souls in 2015. In her work-life, Erika is the VP of Equity and Workforce Development with a national solar trade association.
Georgia Yuan
Georgia is Mom to two wonderful 30 somethings, an attorney, an executive coach, geologist, pianist, harpsichordist, flautist, quilter, sewist, knitter, and curious about life in general. Georgia has been a member of All Souls since 2010 when she joined with her husband Larry Meinert.
After serving as general counsel to two institutions of higher education, Georgia moved to DC in 2010 as a political appointee serving as Deputy General Counsel and Deputy Undersecretary at the US Department of Education. She is currently serving on the Board of Trustees of Oberlin College and Conservatory.
Georgia earned her bachelor's degree in geology from Oberlin College and a master's in applied earth science from Stanford University. Her law degree is from the University of Idaho. She also holds a leadership coaching certificate from the Georgetown University Institute for Transformational Leadership.
Ruth Goins, Program Officer
Ruth Goins joined the Beckner Advancement Fund as program officer at the end of 2020. She is a native Washingtonian with several decades of experience in the field of philanthropy. She has served as a program officer at private foundations and as a professional consultant to a range of organizations and initiatives in the field. In addition, she has served as interim executive director for three small national associations.
Ruth has also contributed to efforts to grow diversity and inclusiveness in philanthropy. She was a member of the Diversity in Philanthropy Project consulting team (which led to D5, a five-year initiative by the philanthropic community to address diversity, equity and inclusion in a coordinated way). And she led a small team that conducted research for the Council on Foundations, helping to set the stage for the Council's Career Pathways leadership program for individuals of diverse backgrounds.
Ruth has a history of leadership within the national philanthropic field. She is a past chair of the Neighborhood Funders Group, the network of funders who invest in organizations that wield people-power to transform communities. She also served on the board of Women & Philanthropy, during which time she held several leadership positions. When she returned to DC she joined the board of the Washington Area Women's Foundation. Her six-year tenure included service as board chair.
A graduate of Wellesley College, Ruth earned a master's degree in public management and policy analysis from Carnegie-Mellon University.
Rev. Rob Keithan, Minister for Social Justice
https://all-souls.org/bio/rob-keithan/
If you have further questions, contact Ruth Goins, Beckner Advancement Fund Program Officer, at ascu.beckner@gmail.com.
2021-2022 Grantees
Beloved Community Incubator
A worker self-directed nonprofit that provides sliding-scale support for worker-owned cooperatives, collective projects, business owners, and freelancers in the Washington, DC metro region. General Operating Support.
Black Lives Matter DC
BLM-DC is a member-based abolitionist organization centering Black people most at risk for state violence in DC, creating the conditions for Black Liberation through the abolition of systems and institutions of white supremacy, capitalism, patriarchy, and colonialism. Project support to emphasize political education in the Black community to deepen understanding about the GRU and its tactics, and highlight how families and neighborhoods are being harmed.
Fair Budget Coalition
FBC creates the space for advocacy groups, direct service organizations and members of the community to come together to advocate for budget and policy initiatives that address systemic social, racial, and economic inequality in the District. General Operating Support.
Food Justice DMV
Food Justice DMV is a volunteer colectiva delivering food & standing in solidarity with thousands of immigrant neighbors. They do 3 weekly food distributions and provide real-time info about other food, rent supports, pro-bono legal info, vaccinations, easy ways to save the planet, exercise tips, recipes and more. General Operating Support.
Harriet's Wildest Dreams
A Black-led abolitionist community defense hub centering all Black lives at risk for state-sanctioned violence in the Greater Washington area. Project support for their the Ida B. Free Court Watch and Participatory Defense initiative.
Many Languages One Voice
MLOV is a resource for immigrants in the District who do not speak English as a first language. The organization helps immigrants attain tools and develop leadership skills that enable greater civic involvement on issues affecting their lives. General Operating Support.
No Justice, No Pride
NJNP exists to fight for trans justice and to end the LGBT "equality" movement's complicity with systems of oppression that further marginalize Trans and Queer individuals. A major element of their work is leasing housing where trans women of color without their own homes can live safely. General Operating Support.
Rising Organizers
Rising Organizers grows grassroots movements by training new and emerging leaders to build power in their communities, developing community among organizers, and fostering long-term commitment to organizing and political skills. Project support for a DC Grassroots Organizing Fair.
The Safe Sister's Circle (TSSC)
TSSC provides free culturally specific, holistic, and trauma-based services to Black women survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual assault primarily living in Washington, DC's Wards 7 and 8. General Operating Support.
Collective Action for Safe Spaces
A Black trans, queer, and non-binary-led organization dedicated to building community safety.
Common Good City Farm
CGCF demonstrates intensive, small-scale sustainable urban agriculture practices and provides adult and youth education
Dreaming Out Loud
Rebuilding urban, community-based food systems through cooperative social enterprise
Empower DC
Invests in the leadership and organized political power of DC's lowest income residents and communities.
Unites constituents and organizations to prioritize racial equity in the District budget.
Healthy Babies Project
Supports vulnerable young women to have healthy babies and establish independent lives.
Justice for Muslims Collective
Building a world where radical inclusion leads to collective liberation for Muslim communities and beyond.
Fosters the leadership and civic participation of immigrants who do not speak English as their primary language.
ONE DC
We exercise political strength to create and preserve racial and economic equity in Shaw and the District.
Platform of Hope
A unique collaborative of four nonprofits in Adams Morgan that connect families to services and to each other.
Trabajadores Unidos de Washington DC
Builds leadership and engages civic action to address the needs of immigrant, migrant, and low-income workers.
2019-20 Grantees
The Justice for Muslims Collective ($10,000) combats institutional and structural Islamophobia in the DC area. Led by Muslim women of color, its grassroots organizing focuses on creating mechanisms of community defense for Muslims and building community resilience. Beckner will support their healing and wellness programs, leadership development and training programs focused on Muslim women, and alliance/coalition-building work across movements.
The Fair Budget Coalition ($10,000) brings together advocacy organizations, service providers, and community members to advocate for budget and public policy initiatives that address systemic social, racial, and economic inequality in DC. Beckner will support FBC's Constituent Leadership Program, which gives low and moderate-income DC residents a greater understanding of the budget process, hones their leadership skills, and provides decision-making authority within FBC's structure to the people most impacted by policy change.
Black Lives Matter DC ($10,000) advocates for non-police solutions to intra-community violence and ending police brutality by confronting and dismantling institutions and systems of state-sanctioned violence and oppression that displace and criminalize Black people through political education, community power, and direct action in Southeast DC. Beckner will support the development of a Liberation Zone that invests in safety beyond policing such as community control, community defense and divestment from militarization, and other programs that oppress Black people.
Dreaming Out Loud ($10,000) creates economic opportunities for the region's marginalized community members by building a healthy, equitable food system. Beckner funding will support the Farm and Food Hub at Kelly Miller Middle School in DC's Ward 7 and create a vertically integrated pipeline to jobs and economic opportunity for communities of color through food hub distribution, entrepreneurship and cooperative development, workforce development, and advocacy and public policy.
Platform of Hope ($10,000), a collaboration between Capital Area Asset Builders, Jubilee Housing, Jubilee Jumpstart, For Love of Children, Mary's Center and Sitar Arts Center, addresses the gentrification of resource-rich communities; redresses structural and racial barriers that prevent low-income adults from building wealth and well-being; and connects the varied health and learning needs of children from low-income families from prenatal to early-childhood and through to college graduation. Beckner will support their work across the housing, health, education, arts, asset building, and youth development sectors.
The Healthy Babies Project ($10,000) helps DC's poorest families have healthy babies, raise strong families, and move into independent lives. Beckner funds will support the Feeding Our Girls program, which provides nutrition for malnourished, hungry, pregnant, and/or parenting DC youth of color. The program addresses food security for two generations of vulnerable DC children – the teen parent and child – to ensure maternal and child health.
Kindred ($10,000) cultivates relationships between parents of diverse economic and racial backgrounds in gentrifying elementary schools and builds their capacity to take action within their schools to address the root causes of the opportunity gap. Beckner funding will support a parent dialogue-to-action program at Bancroft Elementary, which will build a diverse coalition of parent activists to advance equity and meaningfully change outcomes in their school so that all students thrive. Beckner will also support the pilot of a parent facilitator apprenticeship program to extend the dialogue work into new communities.
The Trans Women of Color Collective ($10,000) uplifts the narratives, lived experiences, and leadership of trans and gender non-conforming people of color, while building towards the collective liberation of all oppressed people. Beckner funding will support TWOCC's Black Trans Health Initiative, Safe House in Ward 1, daily cooked meals for community members, transportation to community meetings and events, stipends to fund the work of TWOCC's organizers, meeting space, and information technology to support their leadership team of trans women of color.
Collective Action for Safe Spaces ($9,100) uses comprehensive, intersectional, community-based solutions to eliminate public gendered harassment and assault in the DC area. Beckner funds will be used to develop an Organizing Institute centered on the experiences of Queer and Trans Women of Color who are current or former sex workers and participants in their Safe Bar Collective jobs program. The program supports queer and Trans sex workers of color in advocating for their needs and the needs of people most impacted by harassment and assault in public spaces.
Bread for the City ($8,500) helps low-income, Black and Brown DC residents develop the power to determine the future of their own communities. They provide food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services to reduce the burden of poverty. Beckner funding will support Bread for the City's Terrence Moore Organizing Institute, a free 8-week training program led by two women of color, which equips client leaders with the tools to organize in their communities, including deep political education.
Empower DC ($5,000) enhances and promotes the self-advocacy of low and moderate income DC residents and builds their collective power to bring about sustained improvements in quality of life. Beckner funding will support Empower DC's citywide Public Housing Campaign, which builds the organized political power of DC's public housing residents, supporting their strategic engagement in the systems of decision making in order to secure budget and policy change to improve conditions, secure the future of public housing, and prevent the displacement of public housing residents.
The Reeb Project/Revolutionary Love Conference ($8,500). The Revolutionary Love 2020, a major gathering of religious progressive activists co-designed by Middle Collegiate Church, the Reeb Voting Rights Project, All Souls' Social Justice Ministry, and staff from the Unitarian Universalist Association, will connect Unitarian Universalists with one another and the larger progressive religious community and equip them to act on critical social justice issues such as democracy and voting rights.
The All Souls' Music Ministry ($5,500). The Beckner Advancement Fund will support the hiring of a camp coordinator for the inaugural All Souls UU Arts Summer Camp, which will provide meaningful opportunities for children and youth to engage in important social justice issues such as climate justice, environmental health, and activism. Youth participants will be exposed to diverse teachers with a variety of creative backgrounds including playwriting, freestyling, and composition, as well as local community partners such as Bloombars, Building Bridges Across the River, and Common Good City Farm.
Green Souls ($1,800). The Beckner Advancement Fund supported Feast for Food Justice, a low-waste, plant-based, locally sourced lunch that featured produce grown in the DC region with a particular emphasis on sourcing from farmers of color and urban farms who operate in Wards 7 and 8.


There was a time when locomotives had revolutionized the mass transportation around the globe, and then the trend of individual transportation grew in no time. Technology never let scientists and designers look back and today we are at a point where ultra futuristic concepts are being planned. With future concept cars and unusual future vehicles, problems with traffic congestion and the accompanying environmental concerns are subject matter of debate. Zero-emissions, hydrogen, powered, electrically controlled, driverless cars, flying cars, foldable vehicle concepts, and many other ultra advance designs pop up each day. However, there are many concepts that are awesome in design, but hard to materialize. We have brought a list of 15 such awesome concepts that are not likely to hit the roads.
Di-Cycle - The amphibious bicycle!


text:
Stephanie Barbé Hammer Writing (Un) Real
a blog that investigates the imaginary, fabulist, surreal, and strange in literary cultures and beyond
"what is enlightenment?" reading the 18th Century after 11/09/16
About Stephanie Barbé Hammer
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Reading the Enlightenment: Nathan the Wise and imagining religious interconnectedness
December 19, 2016 December 19, 2016 ~ Stephanie Barbé Hammer
courtesy the New York Times
Friends – Last week I shared some thoughts about Jonathan Swift's autobiographical poem and the connection of some its ideas to the attitudes expressed by the Founding Fathers and indeed to one of the sentiments expressed in the Declaration of Independence.
This week, I want to share some insights about a play written in 1779, in Germany by a writer who is still quite famous in Europe, although he is not so well known here. That person is Gotthold Ephraim Lessing.
When Americans think about the 18th Century, we don't usually think much about Germany. The authors most well educated Americans know – Voltaire , Rousseau Swift, Defoe, Jefferson, Franklin – come from France, England, and the colonial US, and when we think about the Age of Enlightenment, unless we've studied Philosophy, we don't think or know much about German writers.
But the fact is, there is a lot of intellectual and artistic ferment going on in the German lands. There is, of course, no "Germany" yet, but rather the more or less independent duchies that comprise what is left of the Holy Roman Empire. This is part of the reason, we don't have a unified sense of a "German Enlightenment." But that's not to say there's not a lot going on. But it's decentralized. Berlin has not yet become the equivalent of London, and in fact John Quincy Adams writes a very disparaging letter about Berlin as a superficial and "dissipated" city in 1799!
You can read it here: http://founders.archives.gov/?q=Lessing&s=1111311111&sa=&r=1&sr=
One reason that our founding fathers don't have more of a connection to the German Enlightenment is because of the language difficulties. John Quincy refers to these in the above letter, so I'll take this opportunity to share that the influence of German literature will make itself felt in the United States in the 19th century rather than in the 18th. Feminist critic and journalist Margaret Fuller read Lessing, as well as Schiller (yay! [I'm a Schiller fan {more on that in another post}]).
But the fact remains that Lessing is a hugely important exponent, of what one might call the Christian Enlightenment. Not everyone in Enlightenment thought was a deist. Some writers and thinkers were believers. Lessing appears to have been one of them.
But the fact is that even this son of a Lutheran pastor was a passionate advocate of religious tolerance. Although he would not agree with Voltaire's general assessment of organized religion as a bad idea, he was concerned about the ways in which Christianity tended to bad-mouth its older sister and younger brother monotheisms.
So he wrote a play about it….
Nathan the Wise takes place during an extremely violent period of European history – namely during the Crusades. And it takes place in the still hotly disputed territory of Jerusalem. A Jewish merchant, Nathan, comes back from Babylon to learn that his house has burned, and that his adopted daughter was saved by – believe it or not – a Templar. Nathan's daughter Recha thinks an angel rescued her, and is slightly disappointed when she learns that it was just a regular person who saved her so miraculously. But therein lies the miracle of it, in her adopted father's view. Here's what he says, and I'm showing you a bit of the German first so you can get a sense of what the words look like. Note that "Wunder" (in other words "wonder") also means "miracle" in German:
Wie? weil
Es ganz natürlich, ganz alltäglich klänge,
Wenn dich ein eigentlicher Tempelherr
Gerettet hätte: sollt' es darum weniger
Ein Wunder sein?—Der Wunder höchstes ist,
Daß uns die wahren, echten Wunder so
Alltäglich werden können, werden sollen.
Ohn' dieses allgemeine Wunder, hätte
Ein Denkender wohl schwerlich Wunder je
Genannt, was Kindern bloß so heißen mußte,
Die gaffend nur das Ungewöhnlichste,
Das Neuste nur verfolgen.
(you can read the play in the original German here)
now here's the English:
And yet though it might sound but natural,
An every-day and ordinary thing,
That a mere Templar had delivered you,
Would it be any less a miracle?
To me the greatest miracle is this, That many a veritable miracle
By use and wont grows stale and commonplace.
But for this universal miracle,
A thinking man had ne'er confined the name
To those reputed miracles alone
Which startle children, ay, and older fools,
Ever agape for what is strange and new,
And out of nature's course.
(Nathan the Wise, 1,7 )
You can tell from the way that he talks that Nathan is meant to incarnate the quintessential Enlightenment man – a person who does not operate from magical thinking (aka superstition about angels) — but calls Recha's and the audience's attention to the miraculous quality of human beings themselves in their capacity to do a good thing. Of course the Good Samaritan idea springs to mind here.
You might like to know that the character of Nathan is based on a real person: Lessing's Jewish friend Moses Mendelssohn, who was, one of the founding forces for Jewish assimilation into German society and who is credited as being an important factor in the eventual creation of Reform Judaism. His daughter Brendel will become an important writer and literary figure. German scholars know her as Dorothea Schlegel, the wife of Friedrich Schlegel. Dorothea was an important novelist, translator, and salon-holder.
Back to the play.
In this heroic portrayal of a Jewish character, we see that Nathan the merchant is anything but Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice. He's generous, kind, thoughtful, and open-minded and most emphatically NOT obsessed with money.
Next, we meet someone very different: the historical figure Saladin, who isn't conquering or praying but is rather playing a highly civilized game of chess with his sister, Sittah.
Photo: NATHAN THE WISE
By GOTTHOLD EPHRAIM LESSING
Adapted by EDWARD KEMP
Directed by BRIAN KULICK
with F. MURRAY ABRAHAM, GEORGE ABUD, AUSTIN DURANT, JOHN CHRISTOPHER JONES, SHIVA KALAISELVAN, CAROLINE LAGERFELT, ERIN NEUFER, STARK SANDS; presented by Classic Stage Company
dress rehearsal photographed: Friday, January 15, 2016; 2:00 PM at Classic Stage Company, New York; Photograph: © 2016 Richard Termine
PHOTO CREDIT – Richard Termine
Christian audiences in the 18th Century and now are pretty used to thinking about Saladin as an invader, so it's a great move on Lessing's part to show him playing a game (a war game to be sure) and having a philosophical conversation.
This is what Saladin's sister Sittah has to say about Christians:
You know not, will not know, what Christians
are; Their pride is to be Christians, never men ;
Ay, even that which since their Founder's time
Hath tinged their superstition with a touch
Of pure humanity, is prized by them Never because 'tis human, but because
Twas preached and practiced by their Jesus Christ.
Tis well for them he was so rare a man ;
Well that they take his virtues upon trust;
But what to them the virtues of their Christ?
Twas not his virtues, but his name alone
They seek to spread, that it may dominate
And cloud the names of other noble men ;
Ay, 'tis the name, the name of Christ alone
Your "Christian" cares about.
Friends – just IMAGINE these lines being spoken in a theater to a Christian audience by an Arab character….. Wow.
Note how Sittah describes Christianity as a kind of personality cult, devoid of actual practice.
But the religious critique is not just reserved for Christianity.
When the Templar and Nathan finally meet – in Act 2, scene 5, which is so fabulous you should read it for yourself – the Templar makes a powerful observation:
yet you must know the folk
Which slandered first of all their fellow men ;
Know you not, Nathan, who the people are
Who first pronounced themselves "The Chosen Race"?
How if I hated not that race indeed,
And yet could not refrain from scorning them
For arrogance like this, bequeathed by them
To Christian and to Mussulman alike,
Who too must boast their God alone as true,
You start to hear a Templar speak like this;
A Christian and a Templar ; but I ask
When, ay and where, has this fond dream of theirs
That they alone possess the one true God;
This pious rage to force on all the world
This better God of theirs as best of all ;
Where has it shown itself in blacker form
Than here, and now 3 since here and now the scales
Still blind their eyes ?
It's a great moment in the play. The Templar says the equivalent of "who started this whole "'my god is the one true god' thing? – you guys! You Jewish guys started it! and now look at the mess we're in!"
And what is Nathan's response?
You do not know
How much more close I now must cling to you ;
We must be friends, we must, despise my race
As much as e'er you please we did not choose
Our races for ourselves. Do you and I
Make up our races ? what is race forsooth ?
Isn't it interesting how these questions about racial difference are being interrogated as problematic in 1779?
Another confrontation awaits of course, and it's the confrontation between Nathan and Saladin himself.
Saladin asks the merchant a crucial question: Which religion is best?
How would you answer an all-powerful Muslim ruler?
Nathan answers with a famous story: the story of 3 rings. This story is a kind of fairy tale. Once upon a time there was a man who loved his son and had a special ring made for him to pass down to his son. The ring in question is an opal – a seemingly white stone that glints many different colors – a great choice.
The ring is magic – it bestows upon the wearer the love of God, and immense blessings.
The ring is passed down from father to son (thanks a lot patriarchy), until there is a father with 3 sons, whom he loves equally.
The dad has 2 more rings fabricated, which are identical to the first one.
See where this is going? (also – Tolkien MUST have read this play).
The 3 sons wrangle and fight about which one of them has the REAL ring, and finally they sue each other and go to court.
Here's a piece of what the judge says:
Let each now rival his unbiased love,
His love so free from every prejudice;
Vie with each other in the generous strife
To prove the virtues of the rings you wear;
And to this end let mild humility,
Hearty forbearance, true benevolence,
And resignation to the will of God, Come to your aid...
In other words, the judge in Nathan's story says "let each son compete to prove the authenticity of his ring through his virtue."
That's a good judgment.
Appropriately (spoiler), the end of the play reveals, that the Christian Templar is actually Saladin's nephew, and Recha the Jew is his sister.
We are, Lessing is telling us, all part of the same, complicated, multicultural, multi-linguistic, multi-religious, and multi-racial family.
We are going to have to find a way to get along as a family.
In April 2016, Nathan the Wise was staged in NYC and Nathan were played by F. Murray Abraham. I'd like to have seen that production. My friend Robert tells me that the play is put on alot in Germany — which makes sense given the presence of Christians, Muslims, and yes, Jews in contemporary Germany.
During the holiday season and during the upcoming year, let us all compete hard to prove the authenticity of our ring. There are more than 3 of course. There's an atheist's ring too.
Happy holidays: Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Solstice, Happy Kwanzaa and a joyous 2017.
To make a donation to the Muslim Association of Puget Sound, which at time of writing, has been vandalized twice, please click here.
To make a donation to Black Lives matter, please click here.
To make a donation to Bend the Arc, please click here.
To make a donation to the ACLU's LGBTQ+ work, please click here.
To inquire about DACA, click here.
Posted in Art and Literature, education, ethnicity, justice	LessingmonotheismmulticulturalismNathan the Wisereligious toleranceStephanie Barbe Hammerthe big threethe Enlightenmentthe ring parable
Published by Stephanie Barbé Hammer
Stephanie Barbé Hammer is a prose writer, magical realist, and a committed, intermittent poet. A 5-time nominee for the Pushcart Prize she has published work in Hayden's Ferry, Pearl, CRATE, Rhapsoidia, NYCBigCityLit, the East Jasmine Review, Apeiron, Inlandia, Literary Alchemy and the Bellevue Literary Review among other places. Her fabulist novel _The Puppet Turners of Narrow Interior_ appeared in March 2015 with Urban Farmhouse Press. Her poetry collection _How Formal?_ was published in 2014 with Spout Hill Press and her prose poem collection _SEX WITH BUILDINGS_ was published in May 2012 by Dancing Girl Press. Stephanie is addicted to teaching; she taught composition for the first time ever at Edmonds Community College. She is currently managing editor for SHARK REEF literary magazine and trying to make something happen with her second novel manuscript.	View all posts by Stephanie Barbé Hammer
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I do not necessarily more time available than others, but for a friend I would not hesitate for a moment!
The relationship between age and time was always the same is already a fundamental notion to acquire. She joined me for your demonstration of course.
Everyone is free to define as he wants if indeed it complies with the basic rules of math: 100 years each year represents almost exactly 1% but it certainly manages to define this report younger, we advantage of the time that passes its fair value.
I think Buddhist, I live Taoist : every new day is a complete day more than you take me and more if time stops for a day, at any stage of this percentage, I have taken full advantage c that is to say, not 100% more capital based on 100 years of my life but simply.
We are a speck in the universe, what do we do? Any trace of our passage remain stealthy? What will I even traces rather follow? It is in this limited notion of time that we let slip without taking care to enjoy!
Why then settle on a basic mathematical concept without bothering to involve other more elaborate thoughts? This makes it easy to support those fighting the disease with more or less success, it can assist the dying in their limits, it lets you enjoy each share as a sacred and not a small part of life calculated.
I confirm this observation sometimes see as the years spin weeks, it dawned on me 3 times since my birth, I did this last time for 1 minute each time I turn instead to a meditation oriented life, nature, elements and meaning (6!), time can only be different from those experienced by one and the one that do just think every day if not every moment!
This leads to another observation more important to me, than fight selfishness, absence, forgetfulness, ignorance, disrespect etc.
Gain? Live more intensely as time goes by sharing makes the exponential inevitably feel the passage periods shared, exchange on which others enjoy walks on the memory that gives rise to emotions, on the recognition that gives satisfaction to others at fair value, the respect you back like a boomerang with a sense of well-be definitively established.
Friends give us a lot too, I mean those who over time you speak the same way, those who have always maintained the same behavior, those who do not distort the life or maintain interest by their actions in the waiting for a forced return. I am very lucky today to know that, time passes but it certainly allows me to continue to enjoy their presence and richness of our discussions.
Nature allows me every day to confound me with the great outdoors, meet animals, birds, insects, bring a wealth of my eyes inescapable hit the water and fish imagine (my chinese sign n is it not "Tou" hare water 兔 tù?!). I enjoy the touch of grass, the passage of fresh air in my lungs and welcoming walk on land, I admire every flower, every tree, every rock … I like above all to find myself face to ocean admire this division between sky and water and choose to move slowly to mingle with the item!
Finally, each direction has its place in my daily life since the start of the martial arts at the age of 11 years, especially since the discovery of Qi-Gong and I associated very easily 6th sense unknown to the Western world but guide me everyday now (this is also the famous 6th sense developed long ago but recently mastered that allowed me to pass the bar 7mn30 in static apnea but also through 300km bike this winter – 6 ° C! Conduct a session of Qi-Gong in ice water or even counter this by burning when I left neglect the back of my left hand this winter make clean contact with the glass brulante the fireplace insert.
Children, we were bored often, time seemed stuck, not moving, we were eager to be adults now … years pass like weeks … time flies like water through your fingers .. . I tried to explain: "When you were five, one year accounted for one fifth of your short life … now it is a ninety-fifth of your experience. it is you who change over time , it does not change. "in fact, when it was one year, add a new year is already double the time lived 100 years it is no longer that 1%" … you can imagine that the perception of running time is not linear throughout his life, not for biochemical reasons but for mathematical reasons … What do you think?
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You seem so kind David, maybe possible to see you one day! Thank you for your time, your french friends are filled!