Fifteen questions for Presbyterians. In a continuing series begun on January 14, The Believer's Dilemma is examining the problematic theologies of Augustine, Luther and Calvin, which were based on original sin. What do modern Christians believe? This week we have part I of an interview with Rev. Dr Dale Woods, Director of Pastoral Studies, The Presbyterian College, McGill University.
History: The Presbyterian Church was established in the wake of the 16th century Protestant Reformation and is part of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC), a fellowship of more than 200 churches, which traces trace roots back to John Calvin, and his highly influential book Institutes of the Christian Religion. The WARC brings together more than 75 million Christians in over 100 countries around the world.
The Presbyterian Church was founded by John Knox (1505-1572), who spent time in Geneva with John Calvin before returning to his native Scotland. By 1560, Knox convinced the Parliament of Scotland to embrace the Reformation; previously Catholic churches were reformed to become the Protestant Church of Scotland. When James VI of Scotland became King James I of England in 1603 he attempted, unsuccessfully, to unite his two realms. The Acts of Union in 1707 finally brought political union but led to multiple splits in the Church of Scotland. The Presbyterian denominations in Scotland today are the Church of Scotland, the Free Church of Scotland, the United Free Church of Scotland, the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing), the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the Associated Presbyterian Church.
Presbyterians form the most important Calvinist denomination throughout the English-speaking world. Most Presbyterians in England and Northern Ireland can trace a Scottish connection, and Scots/Irish immigrants carried their faith to British colonies around the world. The Presbyterian Church in Canada can be traced back to Scottish settlers and French Huguenots. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures, and the necessity of grace through faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.
Position: Presbyterians emerge from a strongly Calvinist tradition and regard the Westminster Confession as part of their shared history, but there is a range of theological views within contemporary Presbyterianism.
Current situation: In recent years the Presbyterian Church, along with other mainline denominations, has struggled with declining attendance and closing churches.
Creator of all, Sustainer and Ruler of the universe.
God's goodness and judgment are present.
Believer's Dilemma: The Westminster Confession says that, 'In the beginning it pleased God to create the world out of nothing, for the manifestation of the glory of His eternal power, wisdom, and goodness.' The Presbyterian Living Faith statement of believe describes God as 'creator of all, sustainer and ruler of the universe.'How would you describe why the universe exists? And does it have a purpose?
Dale Woods: I think that at the heart of creation is relationship. We know about a relationship with God and with one another, but there is also a relationship with Creation. That is where the aboriginal peoples got it right. This is a new idea in Christian thought, but not among the First Nations. The relationship to the natural world is deeply woven into their theology. We have started thinking more about our relationship to the planet, but probably mostly because of a looming crisis. For aboriginals it is not about crisis but about reality. It we understood the reality of that relationship better we probably wouldn't be facing an environmental crisis. We would have taken care of it earlier on.
Are under the sovereign care of the eternal God.
Believer's Dilemma: That leads into question two. Why is the natural world plagued with catastrophic events? The traditional Augustinian explanation is that Creation was perfect until the Fall in Eden of Adam and Eve, which released sin, suffering, evil and death into the universe.
Dale Woods: I would find it hard to believe that a tsunami which wipes out a million people is God's purpose. Why do these things happen? Is it all tied to the Fall in Genesis 3? I think the writers of the story were simply trying to explain why something here is not right. The Fall is one way to tell the story. It has something to do with us doing things we ought not to do, which is part of the human nature. But how far do we stretch the interpretation? The writer does not say at the end of Genesis 3 what theology we are supposed to draw from the story. Other people did that later on.
Believer's Dilemma: The Presbyterian Statement of Faith says that 'All events in the universe were under the sovereign care of the eternal God'. That sounds like providence and direct divine intervention. How do you interpret it?
Dale Woods: The 'sovereignty of God' is a prominent tradition in Presbyterian thought. That way I account for is that whatever happens in the world, God has the final word.
Believer's Dilemma: Do you see it as God's hand directly intervening in the affairs of this world?
Dale Woods: I don't believe that, although I know people who do. If you follow it through logically, after awhile it makes no sense at all.
Believer's Dilemma: The God of plagues and suffering is easy to fear but hard to love.
Dale Woods: It is also a highly favourable God for the lucky ones who get three square meals a day while other people are left to starve to death. Both the good and the bad things would have to be the providence of God. I know people who believe that God cares so much about their personal happiness that when they lose their car keys, God immediately finds them. That is too simplistic.
Believer's Dilemma: The benevolent God who finds car keys and parking spots!
Dale Woods: Have they never been to the Children's Hospital and seen kids and families in utter agony? Is nothing happening for these suffering families because the God of the universe is too busy finding someone's keys! How can that make any sense? For me that is a perversion of faith.
Believer's Dilemma: It's a remarkably self-centered idea that as long as I'm OK, God is good and omnipotent. That same person is likely to have a severe crisis of faith when disaster strikes them personally.
Dale Woods: Yes. They will believe they are being punished for something they did wrong or that their faith is being tested. I don't believe that God directly intervenes in everything that happens, but I do believe God will have the last word.
Believer's Dilemma: Do human beings exist for a purpose? This question is in reference to the Augustinian belief that humans were created for the unique purpose of living in perfect obedience to God.
Dale Woods: I believe the universe has a purpose which is for us to enjoy what God has created. The problem with theology based on original sin is that it starts with Genesis 3 (the Fall of Man) and tends to forget Genesis 1 and 2. The beauty of the universe is to be enjoyed, explored and treated with respect.
Believer's Dilemma: Many scholars believe Genesis records distinct creation stories, written by different people at different times.
Dale Woods: The first two chapters of Genesis describe a loving relationship between humans and the one who created the universe. That is the fundamental nature of life, not the idea that we're broken, which is part of our reality now, but it is not the fundamental aspect of creation. In my experience, most people know deep down that there is some brokenness in their life, but they don't necessarily know deep down that they are made in the image of God. They have value and purpose because they are made in the image of God. We need to know who we really are, and the brokenness is not who we really are. We need to fully understand the beauty of Genesis 1 and 2 before we start looking at the damage done in Genesis 3.
God's rule of the world.
We experience evil in the midst of life.
for it is against God's will.
Dale Woods: Evil in the world is part of what we've inherited. Sometimes we contribute to it, but sometimes it has nothing to do with us. We have to believe that God can speak into the midst of that crisis. However that is easier to be said theologically than personally. When you are comforting families suffering tragedy you can't offer an easy explanation without causing harm. In some cases you can't even talk about God. You can listen and comfort, but it is not a time to give answers to things you don't know anything about. Those things remind us we live in a mystery. The Church, to some degree, has always wanted to demystify God, to define him down to ten principles. It's an innate reflex to want to have control. The disasters of life remind us that we live in a mystery and we're not in control. We live suspended on a thread and it doesn't take much for that thread to snap. The positive side to that is that if we understand it, we learn to live life more appreciatively. If your thread is secure today, give thanks.
Believer's Dilemma: This seems a long way from theology that attempts to absolve God of all responsibility for evil by blaming it on Adam and Eve. According to that reading of Genesis, once paradise was lost God became filled with wrath, sending down plagues, floods and all manner of disasters.
Dale Woods: There is a lot of the wrath of God in the Bible.
Believer's Dilemma: Mostly in the Old Testament.
Dale Woods: Yes. In the New Testament and the Gospels, God is primarily concerned with healing, especially for people who never thought they could be included. It all comes down to the question of grace. I see justice in God rather than vengeance.
Believer's Dilemma: A gospel of wrath creates fear and is disempowering. It creates a rift between us and God which damages or destroys the relationship.
Dale Woods: I would part company with people who see God as primarily wrathful and vengeful.
nor the sin of the world.
the societies we live in are sinful.
of its violence, neglect, injustice.
Believer's Dilemma: Luther and Calvin described human nature as totally depraved and enslaved to sin. How do contemporary Presbyterian's explain why human nature appears to be a mixture of good and evil?
Dale Woods: We would say there isn't any part of life that is not influenced by sin. That would be a definition of total depravity. It doesn't mean the absence of good; it means that nothing is unaffected by sin. I think that's true. Our best attempts at anything – for example parenting – never quite get it quite right. That's how I understand it and I think it's helpful because it means we should tread carefully.
Believer's Dilemma: One of the standard defences of 'total depravity' is that it is a realistic view of the world as opposed to utopianism. Realists would never dream that it is possible to bring an end to war, poverty, starvation or injustice. They remember that Jesus said, 'those things will always be with you' and so they 'realistically' accept that the suffering of multitudes is God's will and can't be changed. It can create a heartless, selfish form of faith. What you are describing sounds more positive than the Calvinist idea that the human race is born totally depraved and that everyone, except for the elect, is a hopeless slave to sin.
Dale Woods: The general Presbyterian interpretation of 'total depravity' is that sin lurks closely in everything so we always need to be careful. That does not mean we cannot - or should not - help people in need.
Believer's Dilemma: If we are here for a purpose, which involves a relationship with God, what would that relationship have looked like for cavemen or Neanderthals who lived 10,000 or 50,000 years ago?
Dale Woods: Frankly, I have no idea! (laughing) I don't think it is anti-Christian to think of evolution and creation at the same time. Those are not polar opposites.
Believer's Dilemma: There is a direct correlation between 'enemies of science' and people who aggressively defend Augustinian original sin. If Adam and Eve are responsible for all sin, suffering and death, then it is impossible that cavemen and Neanderthals existed tens of thousands of years earlier. William Dembski, one of the most prominent defenders of Intelligent Design theory, has written a book in which he admits the universe is billions of years old and that animals suffered and died millions of years ago, but he still links it all to Eden 6,000 years ago. It is a tour de force of logic conformed to the image of theology.
Dale Woods: Anyone who takes Genesis as a scientific history book is going to have a lot of difficulties. It is a story that describes a man and a woman in a way meant to inform our way of seeing the world. There is a lot of good in life. Where does it come from? It is a gift from God the creator. There are also many problems in life. How did that happen? We make some bad choices that got us into trouble then and still get us into trouble now. We need to pay attention to that.
Dale Woods: Prior to Jesus there was an Abrahamic Covenant and prior to that it goes back to Paul's statements in Romans (1:20) about God's qualities being plainly seen in nature. So, no one was ever excluded from a relationship with God.
Believer's Dilemma: Catholics have a concept of a Patriarchs Limbo where good people from the pre-Christian world waited for Jesus to appear and preach the gospel. How do Presbyterians include those ancient peoples in God's plan of salvation?
Dale Woods: The formation of Israel was meant to be a light to the Gentiles. Why would God send a light to people he didn't care about? That doesn't make any sense. Somehow, all people must have had some relationship with God. However, it is completely untrue that all religions believe the same thing. Faith in salvation is our Christian confession, but we can't make a statement about what happens to people of all other faiths.
Believer's Dilemma: Paul wrote in Romans (1:18-32) that God made himself plainly known in his eternal power and divine nature. Anyone who willfully ignored God or refused to give him glory was without excuse. But this appears to be precisely what Pagan religions or pantheists did and yet Christianity has always condemned them for worshipping 'false Gods' and 'demons'. Paul seems to be saying that nature worship is precisely what ancient peoples should have practiced.
Dale Woods: That tradition of the Church is that no one is saved without Jesus. In the Old Testament, people walked in a relationship with God, and that was pleasing to God.
Believer's Dilemma: That is indeed a paradox. It was possible for pre-Christians to have a relationship with God and to be pleasing to God. Many of the heroes of Christianity were pre-Christian. David and Job were righteous in the eyes of God. Some of the saints were pre-Christian and pre-Hebrew. Two outstanding characters are Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18) and Enoch (Genesis 5:18-24). Could they not be saved without faith in Jesus?
Dale Woods: This comes down to how you interpret Paul. In Romans (7:7-25) he talks about how he tried to obey the laws and commandments and failed miserably. That's why he needed Jesus. Paul could also have meant something completely different. The law existed and it was helpful but it was not yet fulfilled. It is not that we couldn't obey the Law without Jesus, but that Jesus is the fulfillment of what God is doing.
nor our neighbour as ourselves.
by the perfect life of Christ.
Believer's Dilemma: It was a Reformation idea that the Law merely confirmed the depravity of the world. It set the bar of morality so high that no one could possibly get over it. And yet the revealed scriptures of Israel were considered superior to nature religions of Pagans, and the Christian New Testament was so superior to the Jewish Old Testament that even the most righteous Jews could not be saved without Jesus. Did knowledge of laws and commandments cause anyone to be saved?
Dale Woods: It's not that the Law saved you, but if you followed the Law you could lead a pretty good Christian life. Don't take from your neighbour. Don't lie. Don't cheat. It would make you a pretty good neighbour if you did those things. Jesus' commandment was to love your neighbour. This is a good parameter to follow.
Believer's Dilemma: The Golden Rule appears to be universally known. One of the most disturbing notions of Augustinian/Calvinist theology is that people are considered so totally depraved that even those Pagans who tried very hard to live by the Golden Rule were incapable of loving their neighbour, and even if they did they were still condemned for all eternity.
Dale Woods: C.S. Lewis said the worst person is the religious worst person because he/she believes that everything is vindicated by their faith in God.
V. Men ought not to content themselves with a general repentance, but it is every man's duty to endeavor to repent of his particular sins.
received through faith in Christ.
God calls us to life in Christ.
Here is the good news of the Gospel !
In him we are made acceptable to God.
to be part of the family of God.
Believer's Dilemma: This brings us to the question of salvation. What do we mean by 'salvation' ? What is required for salvation to occur?
Dale Woods: We run into difficulty with this because of language. The word repentance comes with a lot of baggage that gets in the way. If we look closely at where our lives are going and realize they're not going in the direction we want, it is usually because we've ignored our relationship with God. We need to make a U-turn. I think repentance in the Christian faith means turning again to see the face of Christ. There are a lot of different views in the Church about who Jesus is and what it means to follow Jesus. I heard a sermon not long ago about separating the sheep and the goats. (Matthew 25:31-33) The moral was that the task of Christian sheep is to help everybody else - the goats - become like us, as if we are models of righteousness. And I thought, 'You don't know any non-Christians. You've been in the Church too long.' I grew up in a non-Christian home. My father was an atheist but he was a wonderful man who didn't need a Christian sheep to show him how to be a good person. I find that attitude condescending.
Believer's Dilemma: How should believers live their faith?
Dale Woods: I'm all for teaching the Golden Rule, but I think the confession of the Church is that Jesus is Lord who was crucified and raised from the dead. Mainline churches have become uncomfortable with this confession. There are people who maintain that Jesus was just a wise man who made some unpopular political statements which cost him his life. If Christianity is nothing more than that, the Church should sell every piece of property it has, run massive ads to apologize for hoodwinking believers, and admit we have nothing to offer they can't get anywhere else. People would be better off going golfing on Sunday morning. The mainline churches have tended to focus primarily on infant baptism. While adult conversions are not unknown, the emphasis on evangelism is not a particularly strong aspect of Presbyterianism.
Believer's Dilemma: What effect has that had?
Dale Woods:The confession that Jesus is Lord is a powerful confession. It means that Caesar is not. In the New Testament this confession came with the power to transform lives. One of the reasons the Pentecostal movement is said to be growing in South America is because people see evidence of this power. They have witnessed lives completely transformed. People who used to be alcoholics and wife abusers aren't anymore. The mainline churches sometime ignore these kinds of stories and they exclude people who have different experiences. That is a big problem for the ecumenical movement.
Believer's Dilemma: Salvation requires repentance and faith in Jesus as the Son of God?
Dale Woods: Yes. The death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ is the centre of our confession.
(Westminster Catechism) Q. 60. Can they who have never heard the gospel, and so know not Jesus Christ, nor believe in him, be saved by their living according to the light of nature?
(Westminster Catechism) Q. 61. Are all they saved who hear the gospel, and live in the church?
Believer's Dilemma: Who is saved? Luther said that original sin left us so totally depraved that our residual will only works in one direction – to sin. Traditional Calvinism says that only an elect few are predestined for salvation. That salvation is entirely a matter of undeserved grace for the unworthy elect. The Westminster Catechism was quite adamant that even good heathens, who sought God diligently, could not be saved. One reaction to this narrow and exclusive definition of salvation is to avoid any opinion and mumble that anybody could be saved, that salvation is a mystery that God alone understands. What do contemporary Presbyterians believe?
Dale Woods: Who is saved? I don't think we can answer that question categorically. It is not our job to say who is in and who is out. We can make the confession that the Christian faith invites people to make a U-turn and to embrace the God in Christ in a way that becomes transformative in their life.
Believer's Dilemma: What about The Great Commission? (Matthew 28:16-20) Is it the job of Christians to go out and save a lost world?
Dale Woods: That's a good question. That's not the way I understand The Great Commission. Jesus sent his disciplines out to teach and baptize and make disciples of all nations. The Great Commission of the Church is to help other people follow in the way of Jesus. Then you have to ask, 'What is the way of Jesus?' It is a way of peace and grace. It is a way of being a healing presence in the world. That's what we're to be and we're to do it in community. We create an alternate community. The world needs a place that offers forgiving and grace and healing. I think that's what our calling is. My own sense of it is that if we offer that kind of community, it is very attractive. The Presbyterian Church, like many mainline churches, is going through a time of crisis with people leaving the church. We have been focussed on trying to identify the problem instead of looking at whether we are part of the problem. Maybe we're contributing to the problem because we offer too little.
Believer's Dilemma: That is a brave statement to make.
Dale Woods: What do we really have to offer to anyone who is not a die-hard Presbyterian? Those are some pretty good questions for the Church to ask itself. You can quickly recognize congregational life that has vitality and aliveness. The first step of religious commitment is awe. Moses' religious commitment began with being in awe at the burning bush and holy ground. If the Church can't lift up its confession in a way that inspires awe, it's not going to go anywhere.
Believer's Dilemma: If you look at some of the Evangelical and Pentecostal churches, particularly in South America and Asia they are filled with awe by miraculous transformations like you mentioned a minute ago: alcoholics being freed from addiction, criminals staying out of prison and caring for their families, years of anger and resentment being laid to rest. Skeptics can argue that it is all psychosomatic and has nothing to do with divine power, but wherever this power is at work, tremendous and awe-inspiring things happen.
Dale Woods: Yes. You see people engaging in worship with emotion. It might have been different in Calvin's age – maybe people wanted knowledge of God – but today what people want is an experience of God albeit with an informed understanding of that experience.
Believer's Dilemma: That's exactly what Pentecostals offer.
Dale Woods: The ideal Christianity would offer both: knowledge and experience. You need to have some understanding of that experience otherwise it might not be too helpful to you.
Believer's Dilemma: That can end up with hysterical people rolling on the floor and barking like dogs.
Dale Woods: Presbyterians are so heavily head-oriented that any kind of energy or enthusiasm is immediately seen as suspect. That is unfortunate because it denies the part of our humanity which is an emotional being. We're not just 9-pound brains when we're born.
Believer's Dilemma: The Westminster Confession says that 'to assert that non-Christians may be saved is very pernicious, and to be detested.' Traditionally, hard lines have been drawn between elect Christians who are saved, and non-Christians who aren't. The doctrine of election also provided the loop-hole that, theoretically, anyone can be saved because God alone elects without any regard for merit.
Believer's Dilemma: Barth certainly took the sting out of traditional Augustinian/Calvinism but he opened the door to the idea that maybe everybody is saved, which is too broad for many Christians.
Dale Woods: Maybe we need to admit we're in over our heads. Here's this thing we don't fully understand and we should just touch it gently instead of trying to wrestle it to the ground so we can control it. I can believe that God has predestined a purpose for the world, but beyond that I think we are in mystery.
Tags: John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Knox, Westminster Confession, World Alliance of Reformed Churches, William Dembski, Intelligent Design, C.S. Lewis, Karl Barth.


text:
Q: OAuth 2 client access and grant code I am reading the oauth 2 protocol using different links on web and its rfc (RFC 6749). After going through the links i have the following doubts:

*

*Is it required for authorization server to maintain the grant code at its end after it has generated and passed the code to the client?

*There is a scenario where 2 different clients try to get the token from the authorization server: First client gets the token after resource owner has logged and approved access. Then the second client(which is totally different from first one) tries to get the token.
a) Should the second client be redirected and the resource owner
    should be asked to login again or should the authorization server have
    implementation in such a way that it detects that the resource owner has
    logged in earlier and will not ask for username and password from resource
    owner?
b) if answer to above question is yes, how can we handle the above
    scenario?

A: *

*The Authorization Server must keep state associated with the code a.o. the client identifier to which it was accessed, the redirect URI that the client used and the issuance timestamp. That typically means that the Authorization Server must maintain the code as a reference in to that state that is stored in the backend. One way to avoid that is to encode all information in to the code itself and encrypt it.

*The Authorization Server may choose to maintain a login session or rely on an external SSO server to do that, so that the user does not need to authenticate again. But what it must to is ask the user for consent to issue a token to a particular client, for both the first and the second client. So: authentication can be implicit (SSO), consent must be explicit (since it is about a different client).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
<?php

namespace WebConstructionSet\OutputBuffer;

/**
 * Проверяет и форматирует XML
 */
class XmlFormatter {
	public static function init() {
		if (!ob_start(function($buffer){
			$tidy = new \tidy();
			return $tidy->repairString($buffer, ['input-xml' => true, 'indent' => true, 'wrap' => 0, 'output-xml' => true]);
		}))
			throw \ErrorException("ob_start failed", null, null, __FILE__, __LINE__);
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
The Monday Times: Iran, Bushfires, Royals & Impeachment | The Daily Show With Trevor Noah
Comedy Central UK 2020-01-13 12:00:07
The Monday Times: Iran, Bushfires, Royals & Impeachment | The Daily Show With Trevor Noah by Comedy Central UK
Every Monday we'll be recapping the biggest stories from last week. Stay up to date on everything going on in the world right now with one bite-sized video! Subscribe to Comedy Central UK: http://... Read more
Every Monday we'll be recapping the biggest stories from last week. Stay up to date on everything going on in the world right now with one bite-sized video!
Subscribe to Comedy Central UK: http://bit.ly/1gaKaZO
Check out the Comedy Central UK website: http://bit.ly/1iBXF6j
Get social with Comedy Central UK:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ComedyCentralUK
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comedycentraluk
Tags : comedy central, comedy central uk, political comedy, the weekly roundup, the monday times, the daily show round up, t...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Completed projects have successfully utilized NYCRC EB-5 financing to assist in the construction of over 3.5 million square feet of new development and renovation resulting in thousands of new jobs for New Yorkers.
The New York City Regional Center ("NYCRC") is pleased to announce that construction of projects in fifteen (15) of its offerings is now complete. These completed projects have successfully utilized NYCRC EB-5 financing to assist in the construction of over 3.5 million square feet of new development and renovation as well as infrastructure upgrades resulting in thousands of new jobs for New Yorkers.


text:
One Taikoo Place Tops Out with Over Half of Office Space Pre-leased
Swire Properties welcomes Baker McKenzie and Facebook as key tenants of its newest triple Grade-A office tower, a key milestone of its HK$15 billion redevelopment of Taikoo Place
Swire Properties today celebrated the topping out of its newest triple Grade-A office tower, One Taikoo Place. Set to become a new landmark on Hong Kong Island, One Taikoo Place is a core component of Swire Properties' HK$15 billion Taikoo Place redevelopment project, which will see the developer further transform Taikoo Place into a major commercial hub in the city.
Spanning 1 million sq ft in total, over half of the tower has already been secured by major multinational corporations. Swire Properties is pleased to announce that One Taikoo Place will be home to two key tenants: Baker McKenzie, one of the world's largest international law firms, and Facebook, the world's best-known social network. Currently based in Central, Baker McKenzie will relocate its entire operations in Hong Kong to One Taikoo Place, taking up five floors totalling 100,000 sq ft. Facebook, a current tenant at One Island East in Taikoo Place, will move to One Taikoo Place and take up 100,000 sq ft of space.
In addition, several other multinational companies from a wide range of sectors have chosen One Taikoo Place to house their Hong Kong offices, including: world-renowned communications conglomerate Interpublic Group, which includes global advertising networks CMG, FCB, Mediabrands, McCann and MullenLowe Group; leading insurance firm MetLife Asia Limited; and top international law firm Simmons & Simmons.
Guy Bradley, Chief Executive, Swire Properties said, "The topping out of One Taikoo Place is a major milestone in our ongoing transformation of the district. With the redevelopment of Taikoo Place, we intend to redefine Hong Kong's office landscape, not only by creating exceptional office space to suit the modern worker, but also by looking beyond bricks and mortar and creating vibrant places where our expanding business community can thrive."
Don Taylor, Director, Office at Swire Properties added, "We are delighted to be welcoming so many great tenants to One Taikoo Place. The growing number of high-profile corporations who have chosen to relocate from the city's traditional CBD and make this area their home is an endorsement of Taikoo Place as a location and testament to its increasing status as one of the most desirable business addresses in the city."
One Taikoo Place At a Glance
Located in the heart of Taikoo Place, One Taikoo Place is the first of two new triple Grade-A office towers in the Taikoo Place redevelopment project. Designed by Wong & Ouyang (HK) Ltd, the tower features expansive glass walls, with each floor designed to provide an abundance of natural light and offer panoramic views of Victoria Harbour. In accordance with Swire Properties' vision to become the leading sustainable development performer in its industry globally by 2030, the office tower has been built to the highest sustainability standards, achieving Pre-certified Platinum for LEED BD+C: Core and Shell Version 2009, and Provisional Platinum for BEAM Plus New Buildings Version 1.2 green building standards. One Taikoo Place is scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of 2018.
The Transformation of Taikoo Place
An outstanding feature of the redevelopment is the introduction of Taikoo Square and Taikoo Garden, designed by the award-winning London-based landscape architectural practice Gustafson Porter + Bowman (famed for the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park). The two gardens, comprising stunning water features, lush greenery and quiet pathways, will provide nearly 70,000 sq ft of open green space for the community to enjoy. In addition, the two new office towers – One Taikoo Place and Two Taikoo Place, along with the eight other office towers at Taikoo Place - will be seamlessly connected by elevated air-conditioned walkways designed by Paris-based design company Hugh Dutton Associés.
Today also marked the official launch of The Refinery, Swire Properties' private members' club at Taikoo Place. Located in Dorset House and managed by The Peninsula Group, The Refinery features a Chinese restaurant and private dining room, bar and lounges, outdoor terrace, as well as an executive fitness centre and saunas. Following the launch of Swire Properties' co-working space Blueprint, the arts and cultural event space ArtisTree and The Loop, a sustainable development exhibition centre, The Refinery is the newest amenity to be unveiled at Taikoo Place, offering tenants an exceptional location in which to unwind and socialise.
"We're committed to building a thriving community here at Taikoo Place, with connected amenities that offer corporations the best of everything – from restaurants to green spaces and recreational facilities combined with uniquely curated tenant engagement activities," said Don Taylor. "As attitudes about work and the workspace continue to evolve, we expect that our ongoing investment in Taikoo Place will strengthen its position as the location of choice for a diverse range of businesses."
About Swire Properties
Swire Properties develops and manages commercial, retail, hotel and residential properties, with a particular focus on mixed-use developments in prime locations at major mass transportation intersections. Swire Properties is listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong and its investment portfolio in Hong Kong comprises Taikoo Place, Cityplaza and Pacific Place as its core holdings. In addition to Hong Kong, the Company has investments in Mainland China, the United States and Singapore.
Visit Swire Properties' website at www.swireproperties.com.
EXPLORE TAIKOO PLACE
MR & MRS FOX
Free WiFi Service
GET ENERGISED
PURE Fitness
ARTWALK COLLECTION


text:
Cost Effectiveness (1)
Metaldehyde (1)
SEPARATE (SEctor Pollutant AppoRtionment for the AquaTic Environment)
National scale nutrient and sediment source apportionment screening tool for England and Wales developed originally as part of Defra project WQ0223 (Developing a field toolkit for ecological targeting of agricultural diffuse pollution mitigation measures). SEPARATE...
FARMSCOPER (Farm Scale Optimisation of Pollutant Emission Reductions)
Farmscoper is a decision support tool that allows an assessment of the cost and effectiveness of agricultural mitigation methods on multiple pollutants. It incorporates meta-models of a number of different pollutant models which have previously been used for government...
INCA-P (Integrated Catchments Model - Phosphorus dynamics)
INCA-P operates at a daily time step, tracking the stores and fluxes of water, sediment, dissolved and particulate P in both the land and in-stream phases of a river catchment. The model is spatially 'semi-distributed': the water course is split into reaches with associated...
SAGIS (Source Apportionment GIS)
SAGIS was developed for UKWIR, with support from the Environment Agency, SEPA and Natural England, to analyse sources of chemicals at the river basin scale and identify measures to improve river, lake and estuary water quality. National data on the source of chemicals...
SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool)
SWAT is the product of over 40 years of research and is subject to ongoing development. The model is designed to simulate the effects of changes in land management practices, land use and climate on surface water and groundwater quality and quantity, sediments, nutrients,...


text:
Ukrainian dance club finds a home
All they want to do is dance. So for the past 36 years, members of the St. Paul Ukrainian Dance Club have been practicing in school gyms, classrooms, local halls, and anywhere else the club could find to rent.
Unfortunately, club president Bev Chomlak explains, when other activities, sports or events would get booked at those locations, "we got booted out. So we'd be left scrambling looking for a place to dance."
This year brought an exciting new change, the most exciting year Chomlak says she's seen in the past 11 years she's been with the club. The club now has a permanent studio, something Chomlak says has made people "relieved that we do have a spot we can call home," while at the same time, "overwhelmed with the amount of work we're going to have to do."
"We've been looking for a facility for years," says treasurer for the club Marilyn Chamberland. But Chomlak adds that it was only in the past year or so that things reached a tipping point, due to the frustration of club members and parents at the constant upheaval. She credits the hard work of club vice-president Crystal St. Arnault for driving around town and scouting locations before finding the club's future studio, located at the back of Smitty's Restaurant.
Thanks to a deal struck up with the strip mall's owner, the club will lease the roughly 4,500 sq. ft space, but there's a lot of work to be done before the studio opens its doors to dancers and the start of placement classes in October.
Since the now open space will be divided into two dance studios, a waiting area and a costume storage room, volunteers will have to do framing, insulation, drywall and flooring.
"The kids need to dance on appropriate flooring," said Chomlak, adding that while dancing on schools' hardwood gyms is fine, it's not ideal. The new professional dance flooring will be more springy, "so it's got give when the kids are dancing."
Other groups could be interested in renting the space too, she notes.
But it doesn't come without a cost. Although volunteers will do the labour, the club will still have to find an estimated $31,000 to purchase materials, with the main cost being flooring, at $17,000. The club is applying for a Community Initiatives Program, a matching grant through the province of Alberta. At the same time, the club will also be sending out letters to businesses, asking for support for the project.
"A lot of businesses and community groups have had kids that have danced, or have kids that are dancing, or have kids that will dance," says Chomlak, adding this means people have a real incentive to contribute to the cause. "I think it's an investment in the community."


New Zealand duo Sam McCarthy and Jordan Arts (aka Kids Of 88) were last on our radar when they hit Australia for a series of live shows back in June. Back then they'd just dropped their latest single 'Tucan' and were teasing us with the promise of a new album – 'Modern Love' – for later in the year.
Well said album is due for release over the 'ditch' at the end of next week (presumably here in Australia too, but we've had nothing confirmed) and the gents have just released the latest single from it – 'La La'.
We don't quite know how they've been able to squeeze so much sunshine into two minutes and 38 seconds, but by gad they've done it, with a song that's a little bit rock, a little bit electro and a whole lot pop.
And okay, things get a little repetitive towards the end, but we reckon Aussie radio could do much worse than to pick up this fab slice of New Zealand pop.
Previous Post: « HEAVEN! MORE REMIXES!


Consolidation Solution – Smart Technology Solution Co.,Ltd.
Why your business need to consolidate your IT infrastructures?
It helps reduce difficulties in transferring data centers and gathering data will become faster and more efficiently. It also reduces risks of data loss.
It helps increase the flow of data processing as well as the ability of each system to work efficiently.
It is easy to administer as it has gathered all the administrative systems into the data center. This way, it also helps increase efficiency of management as well as the organization's profit and it also helps you save the overall cost to run the organization.
It decreases the organization's budget and expenses because it enables the organization to make use of such resources as servers and data storage systems altogether worthily.
By decreasing the use of energy and increasing efficiency of the systems, it is aimed to be a Green Data Center which will be a competitive point of your business.
In the present, every business is constantly expanding. As a result, organizations have to organize their IT systems well in order to enable themselves to expand and respond to their business growth efficiently and immediately. By applying Consolidation to the server and IT devices, you will be able to make use of your resources and efficiencies of your current computers and even the servers of previous technologies, which, compared to newer servers, are not capable of working at their highest capability. Smart Technology Solution is an experienced leader in providing Consolidation Solution and is ready to help you solve server problems to support the growth of every organization.
It is very common to use IT resources nowadays. If your organization owns a lot of servers and is likely to expand, it means your organization is going to cost more to run, both in the short run regarding buying new equipments and devices and in the long run regarding the cost to service and maintain each of the equipments and devices as well as the cost of energy used and the space lost in the process, all of which negatively affect the business.
Smarttech has experiences and personnel who are experts in applying Consolidation Solution in organizations to help reduce the organizations' cost and improve efficiency of each equipment and device. The Solution will give your organization the center-based management that helps improve the data center and save your cost by bringing your servers and network equipments together so that they can work mutually. This not only helps you save your cost but also helps you save energy.


My Little Pony: The Movie, released November 2 in cinemas nationally.
My Little Pony: The Movie will hit the big screen for the very first time with an A-list voice cast including Sia, Emily Blunt, Zoe Saldana, Liev Schreiber and Michael Pena. The film is a cinematic experience that brings the whole family together and explores themes of friendship, individuality and self-expression. Featuring some incredible new tracks from Sia, there's great music, fun and laughter to be had by all.
Terms & Conditions: Entrants must answer in 25-words or less according to the entry mechanism above. Closes 24th October 2017. The competition is a game of skill and the judges decision is final. Prizes are valued at $24 each are not redeemable or transferable for cash. Available at participating centres. Further exclusions may apply.


Mouse Pad, "Donut Talk To Me 'Til I've Had Coffee" – Blushing Willow Design Co.
Home › Mouse Pad, "Donut Talk To Me 'Til I've Had Coffee"
Mouse Pad, "Donut Talk To Me 'Til I've Had Coffee"
For the coffee-lovers in your life...or you! The "Donut Talk to Me 'Til I've Had Coffee" mouse pad. Fun, functional, and truthful! The perfect gift for any #notamorningperson. Great for home and office! Protect your mouse from scratches and debris with this little treat.
9.25" x 7.75" – Perfect for any desk or work space.


Meadow Creek Village is located at 160 and 170 Main St., Foley, MN 56329. Beautiful newer buildings, close to shopping, recreation and St. Cloud. There are 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartment homes available. Heat, water and garbage are included.


This disclaimer document governs your use of our online service. By using the website located at www.forexrebate.me and it's subdirectories, you agree to, and accept this disclaimer in full. If you disagree with any part of this disclaimer, do not use our website, as that condition prohibits you from doing so. Friservice Limited reserves the right to modify these terms at any time, and thus, you should check for changes before proceeding to utilize the services and content of www.forexrebate.me. By using this site after changes have been made to this document, you agree to accept those changes, whether or not you have reviewed them.
Friservice Limited assumes no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or omissions in its materials. Friservice Limited does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within this communication. Trading forex carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Trading with leverage increases the potential for profit and loss. Before deciding to trade forex, you should carefully consider your financial objectives, level of experience and risk appetite. Any opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information contained does not constitute investment advice.
From time to time Friservice Limited may promote offers made by third parties at website located at www.forexrebate.me. These offers are the responsibility of the third party. The receipt of third party promotions may or may not reduce the amount of rebate received. ForexRebateME will not be held liable should a third party fail to make payment on bonuses or promotional offers or to fulfill their obligations in any way.
If a ForexRebateME client signs up under a ForexRebateME Affiliate client then the rebate received by the client may be reduced dependent on the rebate being offered for the month's trading, i.e. if there is a promotion running for clients for a higher than normal rebate for the month, this won't be accessible to clients who have signed up under a ForexRebateME Affiliate.
ForexRebateME Affiliates may be cancelled if it is determined that the purpose of being a ForexRebateME Affiliate is solely to seek higher rebates for friends and family or a small group of people. ForexRebateME Affiliates must run an applicable website or service that would warrant being a ForexRebateME Affiliate.
The information contained in this website and through communication means, is provided as general information only and should not be considered as advice. Friservice Limited does not accept any liability for any loss directly or indirectly from the use of this information.
Friservice Limited pays all its clients according to the rates as listed on the website www.forexrebate.me each day and may be varied depending on the date of joining. These may be amended at anytime by Friservice Limited. Payment of these rebates is conditional upon Friservice Limited receiving the commissions from the third party prior to distribution to our clients. Certain situations may arise that can prevent payment such as, but not limited to: The third party failing to pay, inaccurate information provided by the client. Friservice Limited is under no obligation, under any circumstances, to distribute payments to clients. Friservice Limited will not be indebted to any client or other party for any reason regardless of whether Friservice Limited has received compensation based on actions or agreements made by the client. Client agrees to hold Friservice Limited harmless from all claims and all liabilities, losses, and expenses associated with payments or lack thereof.
While Friservice Limited does not charge the client any fees, some fees may be incurred by the client such as conversion fees from USD to other currencies when clients want to receive payment in it, bank fees for wire transfers and electronic payment systems fees. These fees and others may be deducted from the client prior to processing the payment.
Actual rebates received may fluctuate from month to month based not only on volume traded, but also on exchange rates, the date you join ForexRebateME, and other factors.
Rebates will not start accruing until your account is listed as "Approved" under your ForexRebateME profile.
Friservice Limited reserves the right to alter these Terms and Conditions as it sees fit at any time.
If you are under 18, please get a parent's or guardian's permission before taking part in any ForexRebateME community.
By visiting any page at www.forexrebate.me you understand that "adult" content may be encountered that is not suitable for children. You must be at least 18 years of age or have a parent/guardian present while viewing any page or other correspondence or content from the ForexRebateME website, (which includes all content and code from any page hosted at or within www.forexrebate.me, or any content or code relating to or from this site that was transmitted via email or other means). Friservice Limited cannot be held responsible for any harm that is experienced, real or perceived, from viewing, following, or contributing, of any sort of content on this site.
You must not use this website in any way which is unlawful, illegal, fraudulent or harmful, or in connection with any unlawful, illegal, fraudulent or harmful purpose or activity. Some content found on the pages of Friservice Limited within www.forexrebate.me and its subdirectories is created by members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of Friservice Limited. We accept no responsibility for any loss or harm incurred from the use of this website or any of it's information or content.
Friservice Limited makes no warranty or claim that functions available on this website will be uninterrupted or error free, that defects will be corrected, or that the server that makes it available, nor the content itself is and/or will be free of viruses, bugs, or other malicious code. You acknowledge that it is your responsibility to implement sufficient procedures and virus checks (including anti-virus and other security checks) to satisfy your particular requirements for the accuracy of data input and output, and for the security of yourself and the device used by you to view any content from this website.
Friservice Limited and its officers, employees, contractors or content providers shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from or otherwise in connection with your use of any content, information, function, or service of Friservice Limited at any location within www.forexrebate.me or other related location (such as content feeds, links, emails, letters, documents, and other company products or correspondence).
Though we make a reasonable effort to maintain the resources of this website, they will, from time to time, become out of date, be incorrect, erroneous, or otherwise inappropriate. As noted above, by using this website you agree that you will not follow any instruction, suggestion, step, list, tutorial, or other content on this website or any of its content posted elsewhere untill you have appropriately consulted with a licensed professional who is unrelated to this site.


text:
You are here: Home » 1887 » THE 7TH CHALLENGE » THE SECOND RACE - SEPT. 30, 1887 (The New York Times)
THE SECOND RACE - SEPT. 30, 1887 (The New York Times)
Yves GARY	Published: 06 January 2021	Hits: 345
THE THISTLE'S DECISIVE DEFEAT.
A VICTORY DUE SOLELY T0 THE SUPERIORITY OF THE VOLUNTEER.
Copyright © The New York Times : Published October 1, 1887
The Volunteer defeated the Thistle yesterday in the windward work, and in this did precisely what was expected of her. The Volunteer began to eat out to windward immediately after the start, and soon showed that she was moreover, able to outfoot her antagonist when close-hauled.
When the press boat Talisman left Pier 3 East River, soon after 8 o'clock, there was every reason to believe that there would be a race. There was a good deal of fog in the air, and the general appearance of the Bay was much the same as it had been on the previous day. Gray mist enshrouded the shores, and the water was of a dull, leaden color. But there was life in the air. A breeze was blowing from the eastward, and it plowed small furrows up and down the Bay.
The Talisman hastened down through the mist toward Bay Ridge, where the spectral forms of a fleet of yachts were barely visible through the gloom. The Thistle had remained at the Horseshoe overnight, and so there was no need of tarrying at Tompkinsville to look for her. The Volunteer had already been taken in tow by the good tug B. T. Haviland, and had gone out toward the Scotland Lightship.
So the Talisman hurried out through the Narrows and eager eyes aboard her peered through the mist and rain in search of the racers. The schooner Clio was met off Hoffman Island, going north under mainsail, foresail, foretopsail, and jib, with a goodly bone in her mouth, showing that there was lung power in the wind. One or two other yachts were met going north, and they, too, were showing speed. The men on their decks were clad from top to toe in oilskins, which glistened with the water that ran down them in streams.
When the Talisman reached the Swash Channel a ghostly mainsail, of huge size, was seen looming up off Sandy Hook. It was lying over toward the west at a fine angle. The observers on the tug scraped the water out of their eyes, rubbed their binoculars dry, and took a squint at the sail. Under it was seen a long black hull, with a keen projection nose. It was the Thistle standing out past the point of the Hook toward the lightship. "She's going very fast," said one. "Do you think she's going fast enough?" said another.
And then there were silence and laughter, not silence and tears. When the Talisman reached the Scotland Lightship the Electra had come down and taken up her position about a quarter of a mile to the south of it. The Volunteer was bobbing about on the waves and sailing slowly, with her sheets flat aft. The Haviland was near at hand, receiving instructions from the Electra. Presently, at 10:20, a man went aft and heaved the patent log overboard, as the Haviland started a way to measure 20 nautical miles in the teeth of the cool sea wind.
Two little balls were seen to run up the Electra's signal halyards to the foretopmast head. Then, at 10:21, a gun boomed across the water, and the two little balls burst into fluttering flags. The upper one was a white pennant, with a red ball in it, which, in the international code, stands for the letter C. The lower one was a flag with three perpendicular stripes, red, white, and blue, which is the letter T in the code. The pre-arranged code was hastily consulted by the amateurs on the Talisman, and it was found that C T stood for east by north. That was the direction in which the wind was blowing, and that was to be the course. The Genesta and Galatea both had to begin their outside races by going to leeward, but the Thistle was to have the windward struggle first.
MANŒUVRING FOR POSITION.
The Haviland having got fairly started on her way, the Electra had only to wait for the appointed hour of starting the race. Promptly at 10:30 the preparatory gun was fired. Both yachts were under mainsail, gaff topsail, forestaysail, and jib. The Thistle's topsail did not sheet out on the gaff as far as the Volunteer's, nor did it seem to draw quite as well. The Volunteer's jib set badly at the tack, and the wrinkles there seemed to cause it to shake more than was good for her.
When the preparatory gun was fired the Thistle was just to westward of the Electra and was heading toward her on the starboard tack. The Volunteer was on the port tack to the southward of the cutter. And now began the manœuvring for position at the start. The Thistle run up to the northward of the Electra and wore around. As soon as she got the wind on the port beam she stood over toward the Volunteer. The Volunteer in the meantime had come up into the wind and hove to on the starboard tack. As the Thistle approached her she filled away on the port tack, and, after standing on it a short distance, wore, letting the Thistle cross her bows.
The Thistle came up on the wind as the Volunteer passed her, and getting on the starboard tack stood toward the Electra. The Volunteer jibed, and, getting on the starboard tack, also ran along on the Thistle's lee. The Thistle kept away and the Volunteer hauled up and went about under the Thistle's stern. Then the cutter came up on the sloop's lee bow. Both then rushed toward the Electra on the port tack. Closer and closer they went, each yacht tearing the water into clouds of snowy foam as she heeled over. The Thistle was ahead and was apparently bound now for the line. The Volunteer was following her.
The Thistle's long bowsprit was swiftly approaching the Electra's stern, and still there was silence aboard the flagship. Was the cutter about to make a miscalculation and reach the line too soon? It looked so. Every one held his breath and counted the seconds. Now the Thistle's bowsprit was right under the Electra's taffrail. She was too soon. No. she was not.
THE THISTLE STARTING FIRST.
Bang! The Electra's gun was fired, and if it had not been shoot to leeward the Thistle would have had her nose almost under it. "Capt. Barr crosses in the smoke of the gun." said Mr. Bell a day or two ago, and indeed it looked like it. It was a- magnificent start—one yacht crossing at the signal and the other being almost at her heels. Less than half a minute separated them. They crossed thus:
Thistle ...........10:40:21¼
Volunteer ......10:40:50¾
As soon as the Thistle was clear of the Electra's bow she luffed close around it and flattened her sheets. Her mainsheet was blocked down tight, for they were determined aboard the Thistle to make her point just as high as possible. The Volunteer executed the same manœuvre, but she seemed to be considerably more lively about it, and she gained several valuable yards on the cutter while the latter was doing nothing but pointing, for the Volunteer had filled away again a quarter of a mile before her rival.
The Thistle's headsails shook for some time and it looked as if a desperate effort was being made to jam her up to windward. Both yachts had filled away on the starboard tack, and the trouble was now fairly begun. The excursion boats and the steam yachts got under way and ran down to leeward of the racers, giving them a good wide berth, and showing a disposition to allow them clear and undisturbed water. The Electra set them all a good example by going about a mile and a half away from the race, while the press boat marked the safety limit by keeping half a mile to leeward of the Thistle and a little astern of her.
As soon as the yachts had filled away on their first starboard leg, which proved to be a long one, toward Rockaway, the Thistle was beaten. The Volunteer's centreboard began its work then and there and she began to eat out to windward of the cutter in a manner that must have simply astounded the Scotch gentlemen who came across the Atlantic so full of hope. Perhaps to a landsman's eye the gain of the Volunteer may not have appeared to be so decided, but to every experienced yachtsman's eye it was plain that there was no hope for the Thistle after the two racers had gone a mile.
The yachts kept their noses about even, and they were undoubtedly using through the water at nearly the same pace. But the distance between the port rail of the Volunteer and the starboard rail of the Thistle constantly and gradually widened. It looked as if the Volunteer were actually sliding sidewise up to windward. The fact, however, was that the other boat was sliding down to leeward. The Volunteer had crossed the line dead astern of the Thistle, and half a mile from the start she had the weather gauge of her by 50 yards.
"There's too much wind and too little sea for the Thistle,", a déclaré un Écossais. Et avec le souffle suivant, il s'est exclamé, "How well that cutter stands up under her canvas!"
And so she did. She heeled less than the Volunteer, and she also went less. At 10:55 there was a temporary change in the wind, as before slated, and though it threw both boats a trifle off their course it did neither of them any harm. The Thistle's sails continued to shake as they had done earlier in the race. The leach of the mainsail flapped all the time. This peculiarity has been noticed before, and it has been said that Capt. Barr rather likes it.
EATING UP TO WINDWARD.
At 11:12 the yachts were about four miles southwest of the big Rockaway Hotel. The Thistle was about 50 yards ahead of the Volunteer, but fully 300 yards to leeward. The two yachts hold their relative positions till 11:32, when the Volunteer luffed and flattened her headsails, which had been shaking. At 11:40 the racers were just off the Rockaway Hotel. The Volunteer was now neck and neck with the Thistle, but still further to windward. The Thistle's friends did not at all despair, for they believed that the Volunteer would not gain much more in the windward work, and they trusted to the cutter's running power.
Capt. Barr, however, did not like the manner in which the Volunteer was eating up to windward. He evidently came to the conclusion that he could shake off the broad, shallow sloop by going further out to sea, where the two yachts would get a shaking up. Then the deep, heavy hull would tell, and would out through the waves which would stop the light sloop. This is one of the great points made by the advocates of the deep model. If ever they had it rammed down their throats they did yesterday.
At 11:49:40 the Thistle went on the port tack and, of course, the Volunteer instantly slide across her bows a quarter of a mile away. This little bit of show work gave the steamboat fiends an opportunity to turn on their pandemonium and they shrieked and yelped their delight in clouds of steam for fully five minutes. The steamboat fellows are the gallery gods at a yacht race. They don't catch the flue points, but they applaud all the spectacular effects.
The Volunteer, having run well out on the Thistle's weather bow, went on the port tack at 11:51:30. Now the yachts had the sea ahead and they began that heel-and-toe business which is so dear to the cutter man's soul. They bobbed up and down in a lively manner, and so did the escort of tugs and steamers, especially the former. Many who had been enjoying the race up to this time were now brought low and men parted with their breakfasts more in sorrow than in anger.
OPENING SCOTTISH EYES.
And now the advocates of cutters in general and the beamy Thistle in particular began to open their eyes; for instead of stopping the Volunteer, the head sea unquestionably stopped her antagonist. On the starboard tack, which the boats stood on for over an hour, the Volunteer had gained only 30 seconds on the Thistle in speed and about a quarter of a mile in pointing; but now she outfooted the cutter in a manner that must have brought dismay to the hearts of the Thistle men.
She hounded over the waves as gracefully as a bird over flowers, and with apparently as much case. And to make the thing still more unpleasant the wind dropped. Now, the Thistle had more sea and less wind; but she did worse than before, and her advocates could say nothing except that they could not understand it. The Volunteer was half a mile dead to windward in a very short time after the yachts got on this tack, and the more ambitious tugs, especially one wearing the Thistle's colors, showed an inclination to close in on the cutter. Capt. Barr, however, had evidently read the papers after the first race, for he promptly displayed copy of Gen. Paine's sign, reading: "Keep astern." The tugs, to their credit be it said, at once obeyed, and no warm was done.
The wind had now fallen so light that the sloop Titania, which had been sailing under mainsail, jib and fore staysail, set her gaff topsail and stood almost straight up and down with the additional canvas on. Dark, oily clouds rolled up in the south, and it looked as if a heavy rain were about to set in and kill the wind. Fortunately the rain passed away to leeward of the race, and in a quarter of an hour the wind once more begun to gather power.
The Volunteer hoisted her lead-coated forefoot out of the waves and pushed ahead. The Thistle raised her keen nose in the air and every time it came down she hurled a few bucketful of water out of her channels along her lee deck. At 12:40 the two yachts were still on the same tack and the Volunteer was over a mile dead to windward of her rival. The manner in which she had gained in butting into the seas was simply beautiful. It was not a heavy sea far from it; but there was enough of a bobbery to show which boat was the better for that sort of work.
At 12:48:10 the Volunteer went about on the starboard tack once more and this time the Thistle appeared to be quite ready to go back into smooth water, for she followed her leader at precisely 12:51:15, bring still more than a mile astern. Although the wind had gained in strength after its first drop, it was not so strong now as at the start, and the skippers, having tested the seaway thoroughly, decided that club topsails could be carried advantageously out to the turning point. The Thistle sent her men aloft first, but the Volunteer was the smartest in handling her canvas. At 1:25, when off the Long Beach Hotel, she got her club topsail set while the Thistle did not get hers up till five minutes later.
OUTPOINTED AND OUTFO0TED.
After getting her club topsail properly set the Volunteer went on the port tack at 1:37 and the Thistle followed suit at 1:41. To describe their relative positions is simply to repeat an old story. The Volunteer was outpointing the Thistle a great deal and outfooting her fairly. As before noted, the Thistle always lost more on the port tack than she did on the starboard, and this was undoubtedly due to the different approach of the waves.
The yachts were now nearing the outer mark and consequently making shorter tacks. The Haviland was seen looming up ahead with a big New-York Yacht Club flag at her mainmast and a red ball at her foremast. The latter was to signify that she was the mark boat at anchor. The Volunteer went on the starboard tack again at 2 o'clock, and it looked at first as if she was heading directly for the mark. It was evident in a few minutes that she could not fetch it and would have to make another board on the port tack. The Thistle went on the starboard tack at 2:03:57, all of two miles behind.
The wind had again dropped for a moment, but it was only a temporary lull. It freshened soon afterward and then gained in strength steadily during the remainder of the race. The Volunteer went on the port tack for the last time at 2:25:20, and stood for the mark, which she was to leave on the starboard hand. She rounded it amid a storm of whistles and a grand fusillade of guns, which was wafted down to the Thistle as she hammered her way up, and must have sounded saddening to her people. She got on the port tack to stand for the mark at 2:30:45, some time after the Volunteer had rounded. The official time of rounding the mark was as follows:
Volunteer .....2 26 40½
Thistle ….…... 2 41 00
The Volunteer accomplished the beat of 20 miles to windward in 3 hours 45 minutes 49¾ seconds. The Thistle made it in 4 hours and 39 seconds. Thus the Volunteer beat her in the windward work 14 minutes 49¼ seconds.
The yachts started back with a freshening breeze that had good body in it. Their club topsails were already set and they could now get out their other flying kites. The Volunteer, lowered away her spinnaker boom to port and set the huge white sail on it at 2:32:50. The Thistle was smarter in increasing her canvas this time and had her spinnaker set at 2:44:35, just 2 minutes and 20 seconds after rounding, while the Volunteer had been over 6 minutes in doing the same thing.
At 2:36 the Volunteer set her balloon jib topsail, but the Thistle did not spread hers until 3:03. The cutter's did not draw as well as the sloop's, which set as round and smooth as the skin on a green apple.
THE THISTLE OPPORTUNITY.
Now, however, the Thistle showed that she could go in one direction. She had evidently made up her deep-keel mind to show the Yankees that she could toboggan down the wind about as fast as anything on the earth or the waters under the earth. And the way in which she walked over that 20 nautical miles of water, with her grand white wings spread to the freshening breeze, was a glorious sight to see. Now, indeed, had she not been so hopelessly behind at the outer mark, might the sons of Scotia have pointed to her with pride and exultation. They could be proud of her as it was, for a bonnier boat never came out of the East, and now she was doing her work in noble style.
Occasionally she rolled pretty heavily and threatened to goosewing her spinnaker. Once it went so high that it was on the point of collapsing, but a skillful turn of the tiller set things right again. The press tug Talisman was boiling through the water at a fine gait, and by dint of earnest labor was just about keeping up with Volunteer. Keen eyes were watching the Thistle, and it was evident that she was slowly, but surely, making the outlines of her hull more plain. But the gap was too big to be closed by anything except a fast steam yacht. More than half the steamboats and all of the tugs were unable to gain a yard on the Volunteer on her run in, and the Thistle unquestionably gained on the majority of the steam fleet.
At 4:05 the Volunteer was abreast of the Sandy Hook Lightship. At 4:08 the Thistle, finding the Scotland Lightship a little to windward of the course she was laying, took in her spinnaker and hauled up to weather the leeward end of the finish line. The Volunteer performed the same operation at 4:08:30. The two yachts were now not far from the finish, and were booming along at a splendid pace. The wind was better than ever. The steam yachts and steamboats, with a number of sailing craft, including the schooners Dauntless, Wave Crest, and Rambler, and the sloops Atlantic and Titania, were gathering around the finish to greet the victor. The Electra rushed down to her position south of the lightship and let go her anchor. Along rushed the Volunteer like mist before the wind. Her brown linen balloon jib topsail swelled out till it seemed as if it must burst. She roared through the water.
Over the line she sped, with the America's Cup safe again, and the whistles shrieked and the guns thundered and the people cheered and every one smiled, except the Scotchmen, to whom the tug Charles Runyon set a good example by lowering her Scotch flag to half-mast. The steam yacht Mohican, with Mrs. Bell and the Thistle's other friends aboard, started for Tompkinsville without waiting for the finish of the cutter.
That handsome and gallant, though unsuccessful challenger, came tearing down toward the line in a manner that was simply glorious. She did not look like a loser. She had all the dash and spirit of a conqueror, and there wasn't a man jack of an American who didn't feel glad and sorry both at once that he had beaten so noble a rival. The race was over. The series was ended, and again the challenger had failed to win even a single race. The ugly old cup, priceless trophy of undimmed nautical glory, was to remain at home, and the marine supremacy of the most unmaritime nation outside of China was once more re-established on a business basis.
The Volunteer made the run of 20 miles from the outer mark to the finish in 1:57:06½ and the Thistle in 1:54:12. Thus the latter gained 2 minutes 54½ seconds on the former. On the entire race the Volunteer beat the Thistle 11 minutes 47¾ seconds.
And the following are the official figures:
Start. Finish. Actual
Times. Corrected
H. M. S. H. M. S. H. M. S. H. M. S.
Volunteer 12 34 58¼ 5 28 16¼ 4 53 18 4 53 18
Thistle 12 33 06 5 45 52¾ 5 12 46¾ 5 12 41¾
The Volunteer was taken in tow by the Haviland and hauled up to Bay Ridge, where she was received with the burning of red fire and the thunder of repeated guns from the fleet and from the Atlantic clubhouse. The Thistle sailed home and went like a deer. She ran across the Volunteers stern, and her company lined along the weather rail and cheered the victor in a most enthusiastic manner. As she passed up the Bay she overhauled the schooner Norseman and the revenue cutter U. S. Grant. Each gave her a gun, and her men responded with cheers. She went flying up to her anchorage at Tompkinsville, where she found the Mohican at anchor waiting for her, as though the proper thing to do on such an occasion was to imitate Gilbert's criminal and "sit in solemn silence" by a "dull, dark dock."
THE FIRST RACE - SEPT. 27, 1887 (The New York Times)
THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE 7TH CHALLENGE


USA, Illinois: The City Council of Rochelle, Illinois, has approved a purchase of a two-winding power transformer from ABB for a total price of $775,400.
The purchase is a part of the Caron Road substation expansion project and will also include spare equipment and a transformer oil monitor system from Calisto Monitoring Systems, reports Rochelle News-Leader.
The project is scheduled to begin in July or August this year.


text:
Creative Publishing: Behind the books, Ireland & Irish Writing, WB Yeats, Maud Gonne, Iseult Gonne
Her Secret Rose Inspires Tattoo
That's a picture of Lovely Son, above and yes! that is a tattoo of the Secret Rose symbol on his chest.
This symbol, inspired by the Western magic tradition, was the work of Althea Gyles, a nineteenth-century Irish artist, illustrator, designer and mage.
And friend to the poet, WB Yeats.
They were both part of the same esoteric circles in Dublin and London, members of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and the Theosophical Society.
Althea's Art
Yeats described Gyles's art as being 'full of [the sort of] abundant and passionate life which brought to mind Blake's cry, "Exuberance is beauty" and Samuel Palmer's command to the artist: "Always seek to make excess more abundantly excessive".
And so it was she whom he commissioned to do the cover illustration for his collection of short stories that would tell the story of spiritual progress across two millennia, from the birth of Christianity through (as one of his later poems would put it) "twenty centuries of stony sleep".
An expunged passage from one of those stories, "Rosa Alchemica" describes an ancient book cover showing "the alchemical rose with many spears thrusting against it, but in vain, as shown by the shattered points of those nearest."
This, together with similarly elaborate instructions for front and spine, was what Althea Gyles set out to create for the book jacket of the story collection, The Secret Rose.
And the cover I set out to reproduce a century later, when making Secret Rose, my tribute to the great poet — and the little-known artist.
What is the symbol?
The mandala features the rosy-cross, a sacred symbol representing the meeting of christian and magic belief systems.
In Althea's drawing, the cross casts twenty-eight rays, seven emanating from each of the four angles formed by the cross, and some broken.
This image is contained within a two-line wavy circle, from which many spears emanate in the direction of the cross, to "thrust against it, but in vain", shattering as they approach to form the four sides of a diamond, to surround the precious rosy-cross.
Each side of the diamond is made of the converging tips of two spearheads.
What does the symbol mean?
For magical adepts like Althea and Willie, the rosy-cross represented the mystical melding of all oppositions, attained only by initiates. Especially the opposition between spiritual and material life, between eternity and death.
The spearheads encasing the cross show violence and death attempting to attack peace and life but falling, failing. And all contained within the circle, the symbol of wholeness.
Magic Lives
One of the challenges, when we were printing the special edition, was getting the gold foil illustrations right, so the detail wouldn't be lost. It has taken a highly skilled tattooist to reproduce this level of detail.
I can't imagine what it was like to have something this size, with this level of detail, punctured onto your chest with ink and needles.
What a tribute! I'm beyond touched.
And how astonished Althea would be to know that a reproduction of her work would be commissioned for a special tribute book, and then a tattoo, a hundred years after her death.
It was my reverence for Yeats's poems that brought me to her work and now it lives on. Literally living, on a breathing human chest.
Now that's what I call magic.
The magic of art.
Way to go, Lovely Son! xxxx
Althea GylesHer Secret Roseliterary tattoosSecret Rosewb yeats
Creative Writing: Today's Poem To Inspire: Pier Stripes
Power of Creative Intention Part 4: What Have You Created Already?
1916 Rising & Irish Independence, Behind the books, Creative Writing, Wexford
Friday Fiction: Interview About The Irish Trilogy with Regina Joyce Clarke
Creative Writing, Excerpts
Friday Fiction: A Historical Literary Dinner with Ezra and Dorothy Pound, WB Yeats, Iseult Gonne and Georgie Hyde Lees
Creative Writing, WB Yeats, Maud Gonne, Iseult Gonne
WB Yeats Was An Indie Author: The Publishing History of The Secret Rose


Janice Tchalenko has been making beautiful and unique pottery since the late 60's.
She has worked with a number of top UK pottery manufacturers over the years and now for this range she has collaborated with Royal Stafford.
This is the Deep Space range and every piece is dishwasher & microwave safe.
This jug is made from fine English Earthenware, so its fairly robust.
Height 17.5 cm, Diameter 13.5 cm.


This tool has the ability to automatically convert from Watts to kW, easy, fast and free.
Watts to kW calculation formula, 3 phase, 2 phase, 1 phase.
How to convert Watts to kW in only 1 step.
Watts=Watt is the unit of power (symbol: W).
kW=One kilowatt is equal to 1000 watts.
How to convert Watt to kW in only 1 step.
kW: One kilowatt is equal to 1000 watts.


The North American Jat Charities, Inc. (NAJC) was incorporated in 1994 as 501(c)(3) non-profit and tax exempt organization in New Jersey. Pioneered by the efforts of its founder, Ram S. Arya, the NAJC has served the community for over two decades in India, North America and elsewhere. The charitable instincts rooted at the foundation of the NAJC are manifested through contributions to the organization that enable promotion of positive social progress.
Publicly supported charitable, non-profit tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of IRS code.
Receives donations only from the public or from businesses. No government funding.
Volunteer-run; ZERO management expenses. 100% of donations are used for charitable purposes.
All contributions made by US residents to NAJC are tax-deductible for income tax purposes.
There is no minimum contribution requirement.


This photo shows the deepest image or most detailed image of the Universe ever taken. The photo was taken by Hubble Space Telescope. The dark grey color shows new light that has been discovered around the galaxies, while the lighter grey is used to depict the "fainter" background light that's beamed out of more than 100 billion stars.
The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was launched into low Earth orbit in 1990 and remains in operation. Hubble is one of the largest and well known as both a vital research tool and a public relations boon for astronomy. The HST is named after the astronomer Edwin Hubble along with the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Spitzer Space Telescope.
The new image, which was taken by a team of researchers at Spain's Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, is essentially a composite of hundreds of images previously taken by HST of a region of the sky known as the "ultra deep field". Specifically, they were able to use new technology to "recover light" to better illuminate certain areas.
Below is the deepest image of the universe to date, bejeweled with the glow of 10,000 galaxies and looking back about 13 billion years into the past.


text:
Home » China › Destinations & Hotels › Hangzhou
China - DESTINATIONS & HOTELS
Hangzhou has long been considered by the Chinese as 'Heaven on Earth' and is typical of the captivating natural scenery of the region south of the Yangtze River. Founded 2,200 years ago during the Qin Dynasty, it is one of the most renowned and prosperous cities within modern day China. The city is famed for the delightful West Lake, also called 'Xizi Lake' (Xizi is recognized was the most beautiful lady in the ancient China) and is home to mysterious cloud-shrouded hills and very picturesque river scenery. It is believed that Marco Polo visited Hangzhou at the height of its prosperity and described it as "the city of heaven, beyond dispute the finest and noblest in the world".
The magic of the lake is further enhanced by the surrounding pavilions, pagodas, temples, mausoleums. Hangzhou is also renowned as 'The Home of Silk' and 'The Land of Tea'. The well-known Chinese green tea Longjing Tea (Dragon Well) is the produced in the region. Hangzhou has had a long tradition of silk production and the soft and delicate products have become a trademark of this city. The National Silk Museum and National Tea Museum are housed here where you are able to learn, in depth, more about the production, preparation and importance of these items.
Modern day Hangzhou is a bustling city, yet despite its recent urban development, the city still retains the historic and cultural heritage for which it is famed and it is home to some good character hotels, not least the superb Amanfayun! Probably our favourite hotel in China!
Hangzhou Hotels
$$$$$ Amanfayun	Hangzhou
Character Boutique, Directors favourites, Luxury, Great Spa, Historic Hotel
Amanfayun lies hidden in a valley to the west of West Lake in Hangzhou. The 20-minute drive along densely wooded bamboo and tree-lined avenues from the centre of Hangzhou takes you past the botanical...
"Ros and I had a fantastic trip and we thank you for organising it and making it the great holiday that it was..... our guide in the north was outstanding, he made our stay in Hanoi a pleasure.......we have, and will be recommending Oasis Travel to our friends."


text:
Mixx Facebook Twitter Digg delicious reddit MySpace StumbleUpon LinkedIn
House votes to repeal health care law against long odds
By the CNN Wire Staff
Pelosi: Health care repeal a no-go
NEW: McConnell pledges Senate vote
NEW: Democrats Boren, McIntyre and Ross voted for repeal
"It's a promise kept," a leading Republican says
The repeal bill is unlikely to survive the Senate, however
Washington (CNN) -- The House of Representatives voted to repeal the Obama administration's signature health-care legislation Wednesday evening, a vote the newly elected Republican majority called a fulfillment of their No. 1 campaign promise.
The bill, dubbed the "Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act," passed 245-189. Three Democrats joined a unanimous Republican caucus on the vote.
The legislation is unlikely to make it past the Democratic-controlled Senate, where Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he won't bring it to the floor for a vote. And even if it did, it would face a certain veto by President Barack Obama. But Rep. Mike Pence, a leading GOP conservative, dismissed Democratic criticism that Wednesday's vote was a "gimmick."
"We have another term for it on our side of the aisle: It's a promise kept," he said. "And House Republicans are here to stand with the American people and say with one voice, 'We can do better.' We can do better than their government takeover of health care."
Republicans have not presented an alternative bill to replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which passed in 2010 over their unanimous opposition. House Speaker John Boehner said Republicans will ask congressional committees to come up with "common-sense reforms" that will widen coverage while bringing down costs, but told reporters no "artificial deadlines" were needed.
Most Republicans have acknowledged the virtual impossibility of an outright repeal, but have said they will try to cut funding to portions of the measure or eliminate specific provisions in the months ahead.
Debating health care reform repeal
Dems warn against health care repeal
Good idea to repeal health care reform?
How changing health care impacts you
The nearly $900 billion health-care law passed Congress in 2010 over unanimous Republican opposition. It is estimated to extend health coverage to 32 million Americans when fully implemented -- the biggest expansion of federal health care guarantees since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid.
It bars health insurers from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, eliminates lifetime caps on coverage and allows families to keep children on their policies until age 26.
It requires Americans to obtain health insurance, but also provides subsidies for small businesses and individuals to obtain that coverage. It requires insurers to cover preventive care, and sets up an independent appeals process for people who feel their claims were unfairly denied.
Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, said the bill would bring back the "bad old days" for many Americans.
"Let's talk about the insurance industry pre-reform. They could cancel your policy if you got sick, even though you had been paying the premiums for years. They could refuse to sell you a policy if they don't like the way you look or you had a minor health problem. We changed that," he said.
Most Republicans argued the health-care law, passed over their unanimous opposition, will hamper prospects for long-term economic growth while doing little to slow spiraling medical costs -- and many of them, including House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, argued the law harms American freedoms.
"This legislation we seek to repeal is rooted in having federal bureaucrats come between patients and their doctors," Cantor said.
But Democrats defended the law, with some sharply criticizing Republican arguments as bogus.
"You know, I want to just advise people watching at home playing that now-popular drinking game of 'You take a shot whenever Republicans say something that's not true:' Please assign a designated driver," said Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-New York. "This is going to be a long afternoon."
Not all Democrats opposed the repeal effort, however. Reps. Dan Boren of Oklahoma, Mike McIntyre of North Carolina and Mike Ross of Arkansas cast their lot with the Republicans.
Republicans also are attempting to get the legislation struck down by federal courts. A federal judge in Florida on Wednesday allowed Ohio, Kansas, Wyoming, Wisconsin, Maine and Iowa to join a lawsuit filed there last year, bringing the total number of states in that case to 26. Virginia is pursuing a separate lawsuit, and Oklahoma says it will bring suit as well.
A federal judge in Virginia ruled in December that the individual mandate provision is unconstitutional, but two other judges have found the mandate passes constitutional scrutiny.
Democrats have warned that a reversal would be catastrophic to small businesses and unfair to millions of Americans depending on the reform to guarantee coverage. The Department of Health and Human Services released an analysis Tuesday morning warning that almost 130 million nonelderly Americans with pre-existing conditions would be at risk of losing their insurance without the guarantees provided by the legislation.
And the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says repealing the measure would cost up to $230 billion by 2021. Republicans dispute that figure, but they have nonetheless exempted the bill from House rules that forbid legislation from adding to the federal debt.
In the Senate, Reid has dismissed the GOP repeal effort as "partisan grandstanding." But Cantor, whose fellow Republicans have filibustered large numbers of Democratic bills in the upper chamber, demanded the Senate take up the measure.
"The American people deserve a full hearing. They deserve to see this legislation go to the Senate for a full vote," Cantor said. "The Senate ought not be a place that legislation goes into a dead end."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said after the vote that the Senate would vote on the House measure.
"The Democratic leadership in the Senate doesn't want to vote on this bill, but I assure you, we will," McConnell said. "We should repeal this law and focus on common sense steps that actually lower costs and encourage private sector job creation."
President Barack Obama and other top Democrats have continue to express strong support for the law, which is widely viewed as the president's signature domestic achievement.
"I'm willing and eager to work with both Democrats and Republicans to improve the Affordable Care Act. But we can't go backward," Obama said in a statement Tuesday.
Leading members of both parties agree on the need for a limited number of changes to the law. Specifically, they have expressed concern about a rule, scheduled to take effect in 2012, requiring businesses to issue 1099 tax forms to any individual or corporation from which they purchase more than $600 in goods or services in a year.
"A lot of our small businesses came to me (after the health care overhaul passed) and said, 'There's a lot of paperwork I now have to fill out,' " Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, said Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation." "We can change that. That's something we can absolutely agree on."
The Budget Office analysis indicates Republicans may have trouble moving ahead with their long-term strategy of cutting funding to the law. The measure includes $106 billion in new spending authorizations that Congress will eventually need to appropriate, according to Budget Office Director Doug Elmendorf. But $86 billion of those authorizations cover politically sensitive programs that were in existence before the passage of health care reform.
Funding for certain key provisions -- such as the law's Medicaid expansion and the extension of new insurance subsidies -- cannot be cut without a direct repeal vote.
CNN's Alan Silverleib, Deirdre Walsh, and Tom Cohen contributed to this report.
NewsPulse
Most popular stories right now
Univision fires anchor for racist Michelle Obama insult
'Star Wars Episode 8' to be released May 2017
Buffett's $1 billion NCAA bet goes bust
Talking Barbie is too 'creepy' for some parents
Scammer tries to swindle top tax-crime fighter
Explore the news with NewsPulse »


Home / brand new artist / Gary Kazazian / Gary Kazazian Unveils New Single "The Other Man"
Gary Kazazian Unveils New Single "The Other Man"
Los Angeles based acoustic singer-songwriter Gary Kazazian has just unveiled his brand new single The Other Man, taken from his self-titled debut EP out today.
What first caught my attention in this song was his distinctive and quite powerful vocals that easily convey the emotion of the lyrics. It was that tone that got me hooked to the song and the way it soared over the smooth acoustic guitar-based melody. Gary is an incredible storyteller and he delivers here an anthemic piece of progressive Folk music.
To accompany the release he premiered the official music video which you can watch below!
Rural Venezuela. Bustling Beirut. Downtown Los Angeles. Nigeria. All places musician Gary Kazazian has called home. His father's career in oil exposed him to a wide range of cultures, and his introverted tendencies lent themselves to observing these walks of life. The tone, rhythm, and architecture of each setting slowly forged his view of the world, which ultimately trickled down to his music later in life.
Gary's debut EP is a collection of progressive folk songs. It combines the experiences of a young nomad with the with the time-honed perspectives of an adult looking for meaning on his own terms.


text:
Witches Hammer – Damnation is My Salvation Review
By Diabolus in Muzaka on May 3, 2020 in Reviews, Speed Metal, 65 comments
Speed metal and Canada have a happy history together, and the top three connections are probably early Razor, Exciter, and the Banzai Records "Speed Metal" wheel. 2020 brings us a blistering reminder of Canada's importance to speed1 in the form of reactivated British Columbia speed metal band Witches Hammer. They released a few demos and an EP in the mid-to-late 80s (all killer), and then went away. Shortly after the Hammer hiatus, founding guitarist Marco Banco proceeded to help define war metal as we know it today on Blasphemy's Fallen Angel of Doom…. Now, adorned with the best cover I'll see all year (definitely "blind buy at the record store" material), Witches Hammer have returned with Damnation is My Salvation and, if it does what it promises on the tin, we're in for some world-destroying speed metal. I'll spoil it now: Witches Hammer delivers.
When "Across Azeroth" opens the record, we're hit with a barrage of blasts and speedy riffing informed by war metal. This changes quickly into something akin to Malicious Intent on (more) speed, although Rayy Crude's vocals have a blackened edge that wasn't there on the early material. The riffing develops and improves throughout the song, and the drumming keeps the intensity up while not becoming percussive wallpaper. The title track rips through the type of speed metal that makes Deathhammer tick: that glorious, hyper-aggressive 80s sound where the lines between thrash, speed, and black metal were still being drawn. The midsection practically crams another song in there, with a bass solo and some great lead guitar work. Compositionally, it's not disjointed and transitions back into the "main" part of the song seamlessly. This is what I like about the current direction of Witches Hammer – it's extreme music which liberally pulls ideas, riffing styles, and devices from other extreme bands without isolating or restricting itself to a specific subgenre yet remains speed metal at its core. If it's fast, memorable, and heavy, Witches Hammer will stir it into the cauldron.
Damnation Is My Salvation by Witches Hammer
I say "current direction" because Witches Hammer rerecorded three old tunes ("Frozen God," "Witches Hammer," and "Deadly Mantis") for this album. They're not bonus tracks but a true part of the record, sandwiched neatly between four new songs on the front end and the grand finale of "Nine Pillars." They work marvellously in the context of Damnation is My Salvation, and it sounds like Witches Hammer have made a legitimate continuation of their early sound. These songs are heavily indebted to Show No Mercy, especially the downright riotous "Witches Hammer," which was clearly inspired by "Black Magic" and has a nearly anthemic chorus replete with classic 80s metal lyrics. I'm pleasantly surprised by how well these old tunes fit into the record. Reading through The Slayer Mag Diaries, the early Morbid Angel-isms of Abominations of Desolation permeating "Solar Winds" would have set the underground alight in the late 80s, and when it comes to this type of metal, that's precisely what we're all looking for, right? Another upshot of the inclusion of rerecorded tracks is showing that contemporary Witches Hammer absolutely holds its own alongside the old stuff. Well played, gentlemen.
The 80s nostalgia wave continues to go strong, and Witches Hammer helped make the music spurring on this nostalgia back then and are doing a bang-up job making it now. At a lean 31 minutes, Damnation is My Salvation takes full advantage of the benefits of brevity, sating but not overstuffing listeners. This is an earnest effort, one which will be in regular rotation for me this year and which sits comfortably beside Bütcher at the top of the 2020 speed metal pile. The production is exactly what's needed, rough around the edges but professionally so, sounding real, live, tight, and potent. Crude's vocals are a highlight, as he switches between convincing blackened rasps that would suit Aura Noir well, his Sheepdog-inspired vocals of old, and the odd growl when it fits. The songs are ripped through instead of merely played, and if you like speed metal Damnation is My Salvation is a downright electric listen. If you're a dyed in the wool early extreme metal fan and want something that sounds like yet also holds its own against the foundational stuff, Witches Hammer should find themselves in your rotation immediately. This isn't a bland retread or exercise in genre aesthetics – this is a new, vital speed metal album, bristling with energy and worth every second it takes to listen to, again and again.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 1141 kbps FLAC
Label: Nuclear War Now! Productions
Website: facebook.com/witcheshammerndhc
Releases Worldwide: April 25th, 2020
Show 1 footnote
More excellent fast Canadian music: Slaughter's Strappado and Infernal Majesty's None Shall Defy. If you're not familiar with these two masterpieces, you're welcome. ↩
Give in to Your Anger:
Tags: 3.5, Aura Noir, Blasphemy, Bütcher, Canadian Metal, Damnation is My Salvation, Deathhammer, Exciter, Infernal Majesty, Morbid Angel, Nuclear War Now! Productions, Razor, Slaughter, Speed Metal, Witches Hammer
« Nyrst – Orsök ReviewPsy:code – Persona Review »