The Minus 5 are back with a new LP, Dungeon Gold, due for release in less than a week. Scott McCaughey's latest lineup consists of the usual top talent. Peter Buck of REM is along for the ride once again as well as Jeff Tweedy, Ian McLagen (Small Faces), Kurt Bloch (Young Fresh Fellows), and John Ramburg (of The Tripwires, creators of 2014's best powerpop album) in addition to other very talented performers. It's quite the lineup and perhaps most notably, quite possibly the last work we'll ever hear Ian McLagan. McLagan passed away in December of last year.
With Dungeon Gold, we get plenty of McCaughey's quirky lyrics and odd musical twists and turns just as with past Minus 5 releases. But we also get some simple, great pop tunes that will stick with you after just a few listens.
The disc starts out with a couple of songs that are uncharacteristically serious such as "It's Beautiful Here", an exercise in seeing the glass as half full and "In the Ground", with its ringing guitars, Byrds-like feel and philosophical look forward at the prospects of the ultimate eventuality – death. Ironically, Ian McLagan plays the Wurlitzer on this very memorable track.
With "Zero Clowns" and "Chinese Saucer Magnolias" we get the slightly less than lucid Scott. If you don't this McCaughey, think of the twisted but lovable uncle who everyone in the family understands is just slightly out of his mind.
The second half of the recording is a pure powerpop delight. Tucker Jackson's pedal steel guitar in "Sorry Town" is a thing of beauty and "Remain In Lifeboat" is a hook-filled killer of a track with an infectious melody and a message we can all relate too. "Hold Down the Fort" is a bouncy pop song with a sing-along chorus you won't soon forget. The disc ends with a countrified "The Unforeseen" with more pedal steel from Jackson.
Dungeon Gold doesn't break any new ground, it just visits the old with the deft musicianship and lyrical insights that make for the most timeless music. Be sure to check this one out. You can pre-order your copy here.


Topics: AEP Enrollment Period, What is AEP?, Original Medicare, What are Medicare Supplements?, Senior Blogs, What are Medicare Advantage Plans?
Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is the time of year in which you can make changes to your Medicare coverage.
This time frame runs from October 15th to December 7th of every year.
Received Your ANOC in the Mail?
By now, you've probably received your Annual Notice of Change, or as your Healthcare provider likes to call it your ANOC, in the mail. If you haven't received it, you probably will soon. So what should you do after receiving the ANOC and what does it mean in regards to you and your Medicare benefits?


Gets identifier of this provider.
The default instance (never null).
id - ID of provider.
The instance corresponding to provided name or default instance if not found.
name - A localised display name for the tab.
newIO - If true, a new InputOutput is returned, else an existing InputOutput of the same name may be returned.
An InputOutput instance for accessing the new tab.
lookup - Lookup which may contain additional information for various implementations of output window.


text:
Read the Archbishop's Pastoral Letter
Pastoral Letter News/Commentary
Download the Pastoral Letter as a PDF
To receive a printed copy of the pastoral letter, email communications@archbalt.org (with subject line "Request copy of MLK Pastoral").
Why a pastoral letter?
In his latest pastoral letter, Archbishop William E. Lori hopes to lift up Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s principles of nonviolence and help them find their way into the consciousness of the church – "the whole church, myself, my brother priests, the leadership of the archdiocese, those involved in ministries."
The archbishop sees the letter as a pastoral tool in parishes and a springboard for preaching about racism and Dr. King's principles of nonviolent direct action. "A change of heart spurs you to act differently," he said, "and to act in a positive way to achieve the good."
The pastoral letter, an open letter from a bishop to clergy and laity in his diocese, is Archbishop Lori's second since becoming Archbishop of Baltimore in 2012.
Haga clic aquí para versión de la carta pastoral en español.
Last summer, a large delegation of leaders from the Archdiocese of Baltimore attended the National Black Catholic Congress1 in Orlando, Florida. They were part of an impressive gathering of black Catholic leadership seeking to strengthen evangelization in and through our nation's African-American communities. The Congress provided dioceses throughout the United States, including the Archdiocese of Baltimore, with a blueprint for ministering in and among black Catholic communities for years to come.
I am happy to say that a number of young people from our Archdiocese were part of the Baltimore delegation to the Congress. Sister Gwynette Proctor, S.N.D., and Howard Roberts, representing our Office of Black Catholic Ministries for the Archdiocese, thoughtfully arranged a bus tour that brought the young people to historically pivotal places of the Civil Rights Movement. Among the stops was the Woolworth's store in Greensboro, North Carolina, where, in 1960, a lunch counter sit-in took place that raised national sentiment against the evil of segregation. Their tour also brought them to Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had been pastor. There these young people connected with Dr. King and his legacy: his preaching, his witness to truth and justice, and his Principles of Nonviolent Direct Action. It was an eye-opening experience for these young people to learn how Dr. King responded to injustice – not in anger or with violence – but with a peace and love that resists and overcomes injustice.
Now it is time for all of us to reconnect with Dr. King and his teaching.
As I write these reflections, our nation is celebrating Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In many towns and cities, including Baltimore, there are prayer services, parades, demonstrations, prayer walks, lectures, days of service and discussions. In 2018, these gatherings take on special relevance for two reasons: first is the approach of the 50th anniversary of Dr. King's assassination on April 4; and second is the sense, shared by many, that Dr. King's wisdom is more necessary than ever in our violent and fragmented society.
The wisdom of Dr. King's teaching is both timely and important for our family of faith, the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and indeed for our whole society. We are planning to gather on April 12, 2018, with our interfaith and ecumenical brothers and sisters to mark the 50th anniversary of Dr. King's death2. In preparation for that celebration and long afterward, however, we urgently need to retrieve, understand, embrace and put into practice his teaching and legacy. For, if in God's grace we are to create the just, peaceful and compassionate society that Dr. King envisioned, we must undergo a lasting conversion of heart and mind and make a firm commitment to teach, learn and practice nonviolent direct action for social change.
Good reasons for doing so are not hard for us to find. We grieve over the many people who lost their lives to gun violence in the City of Baltimore in the year just ended. We are concerned about the urgent need to improve the relationship between law enforcement and the residents whom the police and city leaders are duty-bound to protect. Weighing heavily on our minds and hearts is the sin of racism that continues, sometimes overtly but often subtly, to insinuate itself in our relationships, institutions and communities of faith, including our own. Indeed, the sin of racism has tarnished the soul of our society for so long that racist attitudes can be deeply embedded in our subconscious, such that we may hardly know they are there. We must bring to light such attitudes and overcome them.
Not to be ignored are conditions which create despair and spawn violence in our neighborhoods: lack of education, unemployment, a dearth of decent and affordable housing; a proliferation of illegal weapons; drug abuse and gangs; the disintegration of the family; homelessness; and so much more. These deep and systemic problems do violence to the dignity of real human beings created in the image and likeness of God. Even worse is the tendency on the parts of many who see continued decline as inevitable and who react to these harsh realities with indifference or jaded cynicism. In this stark environment, Dr. King's principles of nonviolence are more necessary than ever: they are prophetic words of hope that can light the path forward.
All of us need to walk this path of nonviolent hope. Indeed, we should not imagine that Dr. King's principles apply only to troubled urban neighborhoods or solely to our African-American brothers and sisters. Violence, racism and a host of social problems exist in different forms and degrees throughout our suburban and rural areas as well. No family, no neighborhood, no community is immune from violent crime, domestic violence, drug abuse, racism and many other social problems that give rise to an angry and violent way of life. How often, for example, do immigrants face discrimination, hatred, denied opportunities and even unjust deportation? Think of how vitriolic and coarse public rhetoric has become in politics and the media, a coarseness that often spills over into private conversation. Instead of trying peacefully to reach the common ground of understanding, people far too often and far too quickly resort to abusive language. They may not kill their neighbors with bullets but they do "kill" them with words and gestures of disrespect. The commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," pertains to all forms of violence against others, including the violence of economic inequality.
Cardinal Lawrence Shehan speaks in favor of open occupancy legislation at a 1966 City Council hearing on the proposal at the War Memorial building. Part of the crowd booed him. (Baltimore Sun Photo by Baltimore Sun Photographer Richard Childress, published Jan. 14, 1966, in the Morning Sun)
"Cardinal Shehan was booed twice last night by segregationalists who came to hear him testify before the City Council in favor of open occupancy legislation.
Councilmen who sat through the crowded three-hour session in the War Memorial Building were visibly impressed with the Cardinal's bearing – and shocked at the rudeness of a large section of the crowd…the Cardinal called on the City Council to give leadership to the counties by passing fair-housing legislation first.
'The legislative remedy,' he remarked, 'must be applied in the areas where the social sickness is most apparent.'
He pledged his own support and that of the Catholic Archdiocese, to help achieve passage of similar laws elsewhere and to support the Council 'in what I ask you to do.'"
From a January 14, 1966 report in the Baltimore Sun
In these past weeks, many in Baltimore, including me, have spoken about "changing the negative narrative" about our city. Without denying or minimizing the tragic problems that beset our community, we need to abstain from a narrative of hopelessness that fails to see the good that is going on all around us. We need to acknowledge and actively support the efforts of many in the government, faith communities, education and non-profit communities to improve conditions, not to mention the heroic efforts and witness of many good people who live in our most underserved neighborhoods. When we fail to heed these voices and acknowledge their good work, we weave a story of despair, a self-fulfilling prophecy that only makes things worse. Hopelessness, as much as violence, destroys people and their communities. On the other hand, when we acknowledge one another's efforts and try to maximize and coordinate them, then we are building enthusiasm, momentum and goodwill – all necessary ingredients for achieving a better day. Dr. King's principles of nonviolence help guide us toward changing the narrative from fear to courage; from enmity to friendship; from injustice to human dignity; from hate to love.
Let us be clear: Dr. King's principles are meant to change us and in changing us to change our society. They are addressed first and foremost to the heart, calling us to conversion, a conversion that leads to a different way of thinking, speaking and acting. They urge us to leave behind "business as usual" and instead to find ways not only to come together but to stay together for the long haul, in peaceful dialogue and cooperation for the sake of each person's dignity and for the common good. Thus, if we truly allow Dr. King's principles of nonviolence to guide us to conversion, we will not be content to camouflage our problems but rather be spurred into action; we will be moved to address and resist injustice in our community. Ultimately, however, it is only a change of mind and heart on the part of many that will lead to a new beginning for us and our beloved community.
From early in his priesthood, Archbishop William D. Borders was a champion for racial justice. (Catholic Review)
Archbishop William D. Borders
Archbishop William D. Borders, who served as spiritual shepherd of the Archdiocese of Baltimore from 1974 to 1989, was known as a gentle man who had stood up for racial justice as a first-time pastor in the deep south where he desegregated his parish by burning the ropes used to separate black parishioners from whites. He arrived to Baltimore just as public schools were being desegregated. He went on television to appeal for peaceful cooperation. "It worked," he recalled at the time of his retirement, noting others made similar appeals for calm… "but I was the only one who went public." Under his leadership the Archdiocese adopted its first affirmative action hiring plan and Baltimore was the first diocese in the nation to protest apartheid by divesting holdings in companies doing business in South Africa. The Archbishop also nominated Father John Ricard, S.S.J., to become Baltimore's first black bishop.
In seeking to make Dr. King's principles our own, we need to remember that they were the product not merely of his own study3 and reflection but also of his lived experience and that of his people. They came to birth in a society saturated with racism and injustice. They were born in the hearts of people of dignity and greatness, yearning to be free; yearning to lead peaceful, productive and generous lives; yearning to be the persons God created them to be. These principles took shape as Dr. King held up the experience of his people to the light of the Gospel and the Christian Tradition. Thus, they constitute not an abstract philosophy, but an applied theology of liberation.
All across this Archdiocese, those same yearnings well up in many hearts, especially in the wake of the unrest that rocked the City of Baltimore in 2015 following the death of Freddie Gray Jr. In setting forth Dr. King's principles of nonviolence, it is to your heart that I appeal – to your desire for justice, love and peace. And so I invite you to reflect with me on these principles and then to make them a springboard for further prayer, study, reflection and discussion in your families, parish communities, prayer groups, and in other gatherings throughout the City of Baltimore and nine counties that comprise the Archdiocese. I would also welcome your observations on various ways these principles might be lived and applied as we seek to create a civilization of peace, justice and love. This page has been created on the archdiocesan website so that such conversation and further study can occur. I pray it will be useful in advancing the healthy exchange of ideas that is essential to creating an atmosphere where the conversion of hearts and minds can be achieved and injustice can be addressed more vigorously.
"We gather this evening mindful of an evil, a spiritual malady that has gnawed at the moral fiber of our nation, our community and our church from the early days of colonial America. The early history tells us of the slave trade. Like other sad pages whose message causes pain, these have been torn from the history books most people study, but the scars, the consequences remain. The illness festers. Today we call it by the name of racism."
Cardinal William H. Keeler, December 2000
There follows a description of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s principles of nonviolence:
1. Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people.
Many years ago, St. John Paul II said, "The contemporary world … needs the witness of unarmed prophets who are often the objects of ridicule." Dr. King was himself one of these "unarmed prophets" who taught us to resist evil actively without resorting to violence of any sort. Embracing his teaching requires of us courage, that is, a deep spiritual strength. Courage summons our spiritual, mental and emotional resources so that we can speak and do the truth in love (cf. Eph 4:15). Renouncing physical, verbal and emotional violence, as Jesus did when the temple guard struck him (Jn 18:22), the nonviolent person instead bears witness to the truth by living it and seeks not to coerce others into conformity but rather to persuade them in love. Living and acting in this way can be risky. We derive the courage to overcome the skepticism and cynicism of the world around us through friendship with Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus for us to live this principle as followers of Christ, we must rely on the strength of the Holy Spirit, whose gift of courage we received in the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. Such courage prompts us to resist injustice by persuasion, negotiation, personal witness, use of the media and, when necessary, peaceful protest.
Suggested Questions for Discussion and Reflection:
How does violence mask cowardice?
What forms of violence persist in my heart and in my behavior?
How do these contribute to the violence so prevalent in our community?
2. Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding.
A key principle of Catholic social teaching is "solidarity," which, as St. John Paul II said, must include "a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good."4 Solidarity requires us to recognize that, as brothers and sisters, we are equal because we share a common humanity. More profoundly, it means recognizing God in every person and every person in God. To cite the motto of Catholic Charities of Baltimore, it means "Cherishing the Divine" within each person. Our common humanity, sharing the spark of divinity, is the basis for a friendship that crosses lines of race, ethnicity, politics and culture. By renouncing all forms of violent and belligerent behavior, we seek to open doors of friendship, to build relationships across the lines that divide us, to touch the hearts even of those who believe that violence is the only response to injury. As Dr. King has written, "Nonviolence does not seek to defeat or humiliate the opponent, but to win his friendship and understanding." And it is friendship that often paves the way for a meeting of minds and hearts in dialogue and mutual understanding and leads to authentic human development. We need to cultivate civic and political relationships aimed at human dignity and the common good. We need to foster friendship in our families and local communities. And, as Pope Francis exemplifies, we need to be friends with those living on the peripheries of our society – people who are homeless, unemployed, variously handicapped, newly arrived – to name a few. They are not statistics, but people.
How do my grudges and resentments contribute to the anger of our culture?
Do I seek to build bridges of understanding among those with whom I disagree?
Are my friendships limited to those whose backgrounds are similar to mine?
Then-Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien is shown at his Oct. 1, 2007, installation Mass at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland. (Catholic Review)
"We cannot allow large parts of our city to die. We cannot allow thousands of our neighbors to live lives of hopelessness and despair…I pledge to you today that this Archdiocese will make every effort to insure that the dream that animated Dr. King and so many others of us does not die – for realizing that dream is central to the preaching of the Gospel which is the core of the Church's existence."
From the homily given by Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien at his Mass of Installation
3. Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice, not people.
Let us be clear: Nonviolence is anything but indifference to injustice. It does not deal in euphemisms that make vice seem like virtue. To be authentic, the nonviolent word must also be a prophetic word – a godly and courageous word that calls out injustice and warns against its consequences for persons and society. A prophetic word recognizes that injustice undermines the humanity of both perpetrator and victim and tears at the very fabric of society. It is spoken not to create partisan or ideological winners and losers but rather to create "a civilization of truth and love" where human beings can unlock their human potential, grow in virtue, and lead good, productive lives. The prophetic word is addressed with special intensity and conviction to those who would harm the innocent and defenseless. It strenuously seeks to deter such behavior. It also seeks to persuade, indeed to galvanize others, in taking the steps necessary to eliminate all forms of racism and unjust discrimination, as also those conditions in society that lead to violence. As Dr. King stated, "This [nonviolent resistance] method is that the attack is directed against the forces of evil rather than against persons who happen to be doing the evil."
Do I share in the extreme partisanship characteristic of the times?
Do I participate or take pleasure in the culture of ridicule and entrapment?
Am I engaged in the political process, and what values do I bring to it?
4. Nonviolence holds that suffering can educate and transform.
Nonviolence is not a mask for indifference. Still less is it a mask for shirking responsibility for one's convictions. In 1966, my predecessor, Lawrence Cardinal Shehan – a gentle, peaceful man if ever there were one – courageously championed nondiscriminatory housing policies at an open Baltimore City Council meeting. He was met with ridicule and disrespect; he even received death threats. Yet his calm demeanor and forgiving spirit were persuasive to many, and in the end, helped to open many minds and hearts that had been blinded by prejudice. Nonviolence does not allow one to proclaim peace but then retaliate in hatred when one's efforts meet with resistance or ridicule – something Pope Francis describes as "polite persecution." It means accepting suffering – even violence – without retaliation as a means of interior purification. From a pure and peaceful heart flows a witness to truth and love that can often cut through the toxic haze of racism and injustice where reasoned discourse might otherwise fail. How often the early Christian martyrs opened to the faith the minds and hearts even of their persecutors because of their courage and love in the face of suffering. In a culture that often rejects suffering as meaningless, Dr. King, both by word and example, teaches us to recover its power to educate and transform minds and hearts.
In what ways am I called to bear witness to the truth?
How do I respond when my witness to truth is rejected or ridiculed?
How do I overcome the urge to retaliate?
5. Nonviolence chooses love instead of hate.
In this principle, Dr. King takes us to the heart of Jesus' teaching: "You have heard it said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Mt 5:43). As Dr. King himself said, "At the center of nonviolence stands the principle of love." It is a radical form of love that refuses to engage in any form of violence – physical, verbal or emotional. Indeed, it is a form of love possible only because God has loved us first and cares for us with a love that is at once infinite, tender and merciful. It corresponds to Jesus' command elsewhere in the Gospels: "Love one another as I have loved you" (Jn 13:34). It is a form of love that perseveres, even when met by hostility. Again, to quote Dr. King, "The best way to assure oneself that love is disinterested is to have love for the enemy-neighbor from whom you can expect no good in return, but only hostility and persecution." In this way, Dr. King calls us to an active and persistent love that does not give into discouragement in the face of intractable problems and seeming despair.
Self-giving love seeks no benefit for itself but rather seeks the good of the other, while at the same time seeking to build, not only personal relationships, but also communities, together with a sense of teamwork and collaboration for the common good. The love that springs from our relationship with Jesus Christ does not coexist with evil but seeks to overcome evil with goodness, violence and hatred with love. As Scripture attests: "Whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen" (1 Jn 4:20). In the same way, St. Paul urges us to "get rid of all bitterness, all passion and anger, harsh words, slander and malice of every kind." In place of these, he teaches, "be kind to one another, compassionate and mutually forgiving, just as God has forgiven you in Christ (Eph 4:30-32). At the root of this form of love is the recognition that God loves each person tenderly, that God is rich in mercy, and that all human life is sacred. As a result, for all our differences, we are truly interrelated and called to extend to others the same tender love and mercy God has first shown us. Let me add that this form of love is best learned in the family, which is meant to be a kind of "school" of self-giving love. We cannot create a loving society unless it is made up of families where love and reconciliation are lived and exemplified.
Suggested Questions for Reflection and Discussion:
How do I forgive my enemies?
Can I think of instances where good has overcome evil?
What can be done to strengthen family life in our parishes and neighborhoods?
6. Nonviolence believes that justice will ultimately triumph.
Pope Benedict XVI famously said "One who has hope lives differently." This is more than a summons to an upright personal morality; it is summons to a life of self-giving love that seeks the good of others, especially those most vulnerable. Similarly, hope is more than mere optimism about the future. Hope is born of love, of God's love for us, a love that convinces us that injustice, violence and death are not the last word about our lives, a love that empowers us to advance goodness and justice even in the direst of situations. It does not wane even when all seems lost. It does not give up on God and does not give up on other people and their communities. Accordingly, hope is not merely a sentiment; it unfolds in action. It prompts us repeatedly to work for a more humane world, to struggle against needless suffering and injustice, even if we cannot eliminate them. Hope prompts us to embrace those who suffer injustice, deprivation and illness, pointing always toward the God who is just and loving. Indeed, we live in hope for the day when, in the resurrection of the dead and the last judgment, God will indeed undo past suffering and injustice and set all aright. Far from making us complacent, this hope should instill in us a sense of responsibility to undo violence and injustice, here and now, in the present, in our lifetimes. As the Second Vatican Council declared, "The future of humanity lies in the hands of those who are strong enough to provide coming generations with reasons for living and hoping" (Gaudium et Spes, 31).
What is the difference between hope and optimism?
Do we believe that God's justice and love will ultimately triumph?
How can we be prophets and ministers of God's love and justice in the actual situation of our lives?
Click the image above to read a special report on the fight against racism in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's principles of nonviolence call for a change of heart. However, they also call for action. Nonviolence is active in its resistance to injustice, not passive; vocal, not silent. Citing the prophet Amos (5:24), Dr. King cried out, "Let justice surge like water and goodness like an unfailing stream." Thus, Dr. King also spelled out the steps we need to take in order to live nonviolently. As part of discussion and reflection, let us review these steps that we ought to embrace and live and put into practice Dr. King's prophetic teaching. Once again, your comments on practical ways to implement these steps are most welcome.
You may share them here.
1. Information Gathering
Often, we think we may know about our own and surrounding communities. A second look may show, however, that we (myself included) have a lot to learn. For that reason, Dr. King urged his followers – and now he urges us – to learn all we can about both the challenges as well as the opportunities in our diverse communities. In doing so, we will better understand the nature of the problems to be faced and also the goodness and humanity of people who don't live so far away from us after all.
As we come to understand both the problems and opportunities in our various communities, we need to share that information with others. Often this is done informally with family members, relatives, friends and co-workers. We can build a better society neighbor-to-neighbor. Relatives, friends and neighbors can join in advocacy and service for the good of others. We should also share our experiences with those who represent us in government in hopes of promoting the common good together.
3. Personal Commitment
Enthusiasm is a good thing, but it is not enough. So often people get a yen to change the world, but that yen lasts about as long as their New Year's resolutions to go to the gym or to go on a diet. Addressing long-standing and systemic problems requires a commitment born of prayer and mutual support. It requires we hold one another accountable as we work together peacefully for authentic justice and peace.
4. Negotiations
Disputes and disagreements are part of life. Unfortunately, people skilled in the art of negotiating can be in short supply. We will not all be equally good at this, but we should try to be among those who help to find common ground peacefully, with integrity and in full fidelity to the teaching of the Gospel. In troubled communities, it is important to talk to both those who are wounded by societal ills and those who contribute to the breakdown of society. This is not always easy to do. It requires prior preparation, reflection, humility and a sense of humor.
5. Direct Action
It would be nice to live in a world where all negotiations conclude successfully. Experience teaches us that this does not always happen. What is next? Sometimes there is need to draw wider attention to a problem. We are blessed to live in a free society where we can peacefully and publicly express our views, whether in traditional or social media, in letter-writing campaigns, in meetings with elected officials or in public demonstrations. The key word, however, is "peacefully." Peace is more than the absence of violence. It requires of us more than sloganeering. Rather, our public statements in whatever form they take must be reasoned, constructive and civil.
6. Reconciliation
As we enter into negotiations and speak publicly about issues of importance, our goal must be to build bridges and, where possible, to bring about reconciliation between opposing parties. It is important that we seek not only to reconcile but also to begin to network the good efforts going on in all our communities to create a more humane society. Reconciliation entails, not merely the cessation of a dispute, but renewed willingness to work together for the good of our society. It means that we should not be competing with one another in serving our communities but rather cooperating, networking and pooling our wisdom and resources for the good of others. No one person or group should claim to be "the only one" concerned about the problems all about us. Such an attitude divides rather than unites.
Safe Streets is an evidence-based violence prevention and interruption program that works to reduce shootings and homicides in high-violence areas. Operated by Catholic Charities of Baltimore in collaboration with the Baltimore City Department of Health, the program is based on the premise that violence is a disease that can be prevented using disease-control methods.
Brittan Grahman, 26, who has been helped by Safe Streets, shares her story.
Being a resident of the Sandtown community for the majority of my life, I've witnessed everything from poverty, major drug abuse, drug dealing and crime at unimaginably high levels. I also have encountered positive people and programs that have given the community help and hope despite the circumstances.
However, after I made a wellness check on a neighbor who misunderstood my concern for malice, my family and I began to receive threats. Though I was afraid for my husband and children, I first sprang into protection mode. I embraced the violence I faced with rage. My husband immediately saw the bigger picture and asked me to calm down.
"Well, Bae," my husband said, "I'm sure Safe Streets will help. They've helped with food, clothes – you name it. But their primary function is to squash beefs to prevent gun violence. Call Ms. Nicole. I'm certain that Safe Streets can bring this problem to a head. They've been around almost two years and they have prevented many violent incidents from happening."
Now the problem has been resolved thanks to Ms. Nicole and Mr. Lamont. My family and I once again feel safe in our home and when we walk out our door.
Thank you Safe Streets for helping us feel safe again. I also want to thank Safe Streets for helping me find resources to furnish my apartment, for the food they gave us on Thanksgiving, and for coats, gloves and hats. Safe Streets has been a positive impact on my family. Thank you Safe Streets for everything!
Since coming to the Archdiocese of Baltimore nearly six years ago, I have had the privilege of working with teachers, including religious women and men, who dedicate themselves to their work in Catholic urban schools; priests and religious who live and minister in some of the region's most desolate neighborhoods; and lay women and men in Catholic Charities and other social service organizations who serve the poor and vulnerable with a skill and dedication born of faith. Along the way, I have met many volunteers in parishes and in organizations such as the Knights of St. Peter Claver, the Knights of St. John, the Knights of Columbus, the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher and the Order of Malta who regularly leave their comfort zone to serve those in need. I have also had the privilege of dialoging and interacting with diverse religious leaders and went with a group of them to Rome to meet Pope Francis. Out of these meetings, friendships and avenues of cooperation have developed; they have helped sharpen our common focus on addressing racism and racial inequality. In addition, I often find myself meeting frequently with local and state elected officials. Most often those discussions pertain not to the internal needs of the Archdiocese, but rather to the needs of our most vulnerable citizens and the common good of the wider community of which we are a part.
All of these interactions are humbling and instructive. They have instilled in me a desire to do whatever I can to help bring together the goodness that is all around us, to help knit ties of friendship and service that bring renewed dignity, life, safety and joy to our most troubled and underserved neighborhoods. However, I cannot do this alone. This is something we must do together. And, as an Archdiocesan family of faith, we can do so in four ways:
An undated Catholic Review file photo shows Blessed Paul VI meeting the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Vatican. (CR File)
1) Continue efforts to network our services, especially in the City of Baltimore. By linking the excellent work of Catholic Charities, St. Vincent de Paul, our healthcare institutions, schools, universities, parishes and other ministries, we can strengthen our witness to human dignity while serving those in need more effectively. Such efforts also help to change the negative narrative about Baltimore into a hopeful narrative.
2) Continue forming cooperative relationships among parishes. When urban, suburban and rural parishes form cooperative and friendly relationships, many barriers are broken down. These relationships involve more than economic support. They are ways for diverse parish communities to come together, to know and love one another, and to work and worship together.
3) Personal involvement is necessary. When we leave our comfort zone to go to the so-called peripheries, we make a discovery. People who live on the peripheries are not peripheral; they are real human beings, each with a story, and our encounters with them often bring rich and unimagined gifts to our lives. By involvement in ministries such as Our Daily Bread, our community schools, our prayer walks through areas we may seldom visit and much more, all of us can come to know, love and respect those whose lives might be very different from our own. What is important is not only the bread that is served or the education that is imparted; it is the mutual love and respect that are communicated in the process.
4) Ecumenical and interfaith partnerships allow us to achieve far more together than if we work separately toward change. Building stronger and deeper relationships with women and men of different churches and faith communities who also teach and practice Dr. King's principles of nonviolent direct action will give us a greater chance of succeeding in advancing our goal of achieving a more just and tolerant society.
Finally, let us not see any of this as a distraction from our efforts to re-evangelize our parish communities and the entire Archdiocese as such.5 On the contrary, faith, worship and service are inextricably linked in the divine logic of the Gospel. A church unengaged in serving the poor and striving to create a more just and humane society does not bear authentic witness to Christ and to the Gospel of the Beatitudes. For so many reasons, we do well to heed the prophetic teaching of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to put it into practice. Guided by his principles, we will take a further step in being "a light brightly visible," a Church that brilliantly reflects the light of Christ.
May God bless us and keep us always in his love!
Most Reverend William E. Lori
1 According to its website, the National Black Catholic Congress, created in 1889 and comprised of member organizations, represents African-American Roman Catholics, collaborating with national Roman Catholic organizations. "We commit ourselves to establishing an agenda for the evangelization of African-Americans; and physical conditions of African-Americans, thereby committing ourselves to the freedom and growth of African Americans as full participants in Church and society. Aware of the challenges, we are committed to evangelize ourselves, our church and unchurched African Americans, thereby enriching the Church. We hold ourselves accountable to our baptismal commitment to witness and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. Every five years since 1987, the NBCC has convened a congress, culminating in a Plan of Action. Months before each congress, dioceses hold Days of Reflection on the chosen theme. These gatherings build anticipation for the congress and enable people nationwide to contribute their prayerful ideas to the program and five-year action plan."
2At the time of this writing, an ecumenical and interfaith prayer service commemorating the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is scheduled to take place April 12, 2018 at 7 p.m. at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, 5200 N. Charles St., Baltimore, Maryland 21210. The Rev. Raphael G. Warnock, Ph.D., Senior Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, spiritual home of Dr. King, was to preach. https://www.archbalt.org/MLK-50
3Of Gandhi's influence on Dr. King, The King Center notes: "Mohandas K. Gandhi, the leader of India's nonviolent liberation struggle and a pivotal influence on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s embrace of the philosophy and strategy of nonviolence. The King Center's Freedom Hall building includes a "Gandhi Room" and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site includes a statue of Gandhi." An additional influence on the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. King was the Austrian-born philosopher Martin Buber (1878-1965). In his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," Dr. King wrote, "Segregation, to use the terminology of the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber, substitutes an 'I-it' relationship for an 'I-thou' relationship, and ends up relegating persons to the status of things."
4St. John Paul II, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 1987, no. 38.
5 I issued my first pastoral letter, "A Light Brightly Visible: Lighting the Path to Missionary Discipleship," in 2015, at Pentecost. In the document, I reminded Catholic individuals and parish communities of the baptismal mandate to evangelize, to "Go and make disciples of all nations" and challenged them to undergo the missionary conversion necessary to make the Church in Baltimore an evangelizing Church. "Pope Francis is telling us to find those points of engagement and proceed with joy. It is my hope and prayer that you, as priests, deacons, religious … and parishioners, are feeling the challenge too," I wrote. "We have to be willing to ask how we are responding to the vocation to discipleship we received on the day of our Baptism."
The photos that appear on this page are courtesy Catholic Review, Catholic News Service and the Baltimore Sun. Read full captions on page 32 of the pastoral letter here.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Brown administration is stepping up its efforts to fast-track the Bay Delta Conservation Plan to build the peripheral tunnels, as revealed in a memorandum sent to Department of Water Resources (DWR) staff from DWR Director Mark Cowin on May 6.
Cowin said two new organizations will be established within the agency to implement the controversial Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) - a DWR BDCP Office and the Delta Conveyance Facilities Design and Construction Enterprise (DCE) - beginning June 1.
"While many milestones remain before a positive decision to implement BDCP is achieved, DWR must begin to prepare to carry out its critical role in the implementation phase of this important project, should a conclusion be reached to move forward," said Cowin. "To this end, we are establishing two new DWR organizations beginning June 1, 2014 - the DWR BDCP Office and the Delta Conveyance Facilities Design and Construction Enterprise (known as the DCE)."
"Undoubtedly, a number of questions will arise about how these two structures will mesh with our existing organization at DWR, and we will be working with you all to elicit your questions and develop solutions together. I look forward to your continued support as we enter into this exciting phase of the BDCP which will shape the future of Delta ecological restoration and water project operations," Cowin concluded.
Delta advocates criticized the memo for being the latest in a series of actions taken by the Brown administration to rush the construction of the peripheral tunnels before permitting of the process is complete - and before any financial plan or agreement to pay for the tunnels, estimated to cost $67 billion or more, is in place.
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director of Restore the Delta, said, "Permitting is not complete. There is no financial plan or agreement. The Implementing Agreement will not be released to the public until after the public comment period on the BDCP and its EIR/S is complete.""Yet, DWR is moving forward to implement the project?" she asked. "They are trying to steamroll Delta communities which will be harmed by the impacts, and the people of California who will be stuck paying the bill for the boondoggle."
Carolee Krieger, Executive Director of the California Water Impact Network (CWIN), after reading the memorandum, said, "It sounds to me like DWR is going ahead full steam, facts or lack of facts be damned. They have no idea what the project looks like because they have not been able to do the drilling tests because the Delta landowners have won their lawsuits. So they (DWR) have no idea what problems they may face with tunnel construction; they have no real idea of the costs…only guesses."
"It sounds to me like the same thing the Third District Court said about paper water in our Monterey Agreement case…they are going on 'a wish and a prayer!'" she stated.
"And where in the State Water Project (SWP) contracts does it allow DWR to collect funds from the contractors for this BDCP/Twin Tunnel planning, as this is not maintenance but a huge new project?" asked Krieger.
The public review and comment period for the Draft BDCP and BDCP Draft EIR/EIS will run through June 13, 2014. Restore the Delta will host a "Public Comment Party" to complete more than one hundred citizens comments against the peripheral tunnels on May 13, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Reserve at Spanos Park, Mt. Diablo Room 6301 W. Eight Mile Rd. in Stockton.
The water diverted from the Sacramento River through the tunnels would go to corporate agribusiness interests farming toxic, drainage impaired land on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, oil companies conducting fracking and steam injection operations in Kern County, and Southern California water agencies. The construction of the twin tunnels would hasten the extinction of Central Valley salmon, Delta and longfin smelt, green sturgeon and other fish species, as well as imperil the salmon and steelhead populations of the Trinity and Klamath rivers.
As many of you are keenly aware, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) has been deeply engaged in the development of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) since 2006. Several DWR offices and divisions are currently working on BDCP, either as part of the Delta Habitat Conservation and Conveyance Program (DHCCP) or as part of the planning and analysis of the overall BDCP program.
We are approaching a critical juncture for BDCP as the planning phase reaches completion, State and federal resource agencies consider permitting decisions, and a more detailed financing plan is developed. While many milestones remain before a positive decision to implement BDCP is achieved, DWR must begin to prepare to carry out its critical role in the implementation phase of this important project, should a conclusion be reached to move forward. To this end, we are establishing two new DWR organizations beginning June 1, 2014 - the DWR BDCP Office and the Delta Conveyance Facilities Design and Construction Enterprise (known as the DCE).
First, a new BDCP Office will be established within the Executive Division. The initial focus will be the completion of the conservation plan while providing early coordination and transition to implementation of BDCP conservation measures 2 through 22, including, for example, tidal marsh restoration, Yolo Bypass fishery enhancement and urban stormwater treatment. This team will work to plan, manage, and integrate coordination among DWR's various divisions involved with development of BDCP and initiate preliminary evaluations needed to implement BDCP. In addition, this team will play an important role in agency and stakeholder engagement needed to complete the plan. To help facilitate the completion of BDCP, including the needed close coordination with the Governor's Office and the State administration, the office will initially be led by the Chief Deputy Director.
This office will lay the foundation for the implementation of BDCP, and once the BDCP is finalized, that work will be merged into the formal BDCP Implementation Office as is defined in Chapter 7 of the BDCP. This organization will likely be a multi-agency effort involving DWR or supported by DWR.
Second, a Delta Conveyance Facility Design and Construction Enterprise (DCE) will be established within the Department as a new program to support activities associated with design and construction of conservation measure 1, the Delta Conveyance facilities. The mission of this enterprise is intended to be limited to this singular focus, and the life span of the enterprise will be limited to the time necessary to complete construction of these facilities. The organizational structure and staffing of the DCE is envisioned to be somewhat unique in comparison to a typical DWR organization. It will be managed by a Program Manager under contract to DWR, and will be staffed by highly qualified individuals from within DWR, participating regional and local public water agencies, and private consulting firms. As part of DWR, it will have the capacity to issue contracts for consulting services as well as construction, using DWR's authority and in keeping with all applicable State contracting statutes. Initially the DCE will be located in the Bonderson Building, but it is anticipated that it will move to another location to accommodate the growth needed to complete the design and construction of the conveyance facilities.
Undoubtedly, a number of questions will arise about how these two structures will mesh with our existing organization at DWR, and we will be working with you all to elicit your questions and develop solutions together. I look forward to your continued support as we enter into this exciting phase of the BDCP which will shape the future of Delta ecological restoration and water project operations.


Receiving a diagnosis of cancer, but also a diagnosis of any chronic disease, is a shocking experience for adults and children as well as for their significant others. Depending on the patient's support Network or family functioning, psychological support may become extremely important after diagnosis, during treatment but also after treatment. The current article gives an overview of the literature dealing with the psychological problems that paediatric and adult cancer patients face, describes the current situation in psychological support in Estonia and provides insights into the daily work with patients done by two oncology department`s psychologists.


Natapos na su PPSA pero su research ko manungod sa mga Imperial sa Albay asin man sa nakaagi kan Bikol padagos pa giraray. And as I do so, I accidentally stumbled on this cute presentation of the history of the town of Irosin in Sorsogon. The presentation is in Bikol verse with an English translation. It is composed of 306 stanzas plus an additional seven for the epilogue. The whole presentation can be found here but i took the opportunity to present some selected stanzas below.
hipnoan con sucat, iyong linalom.
tuyaon na sana con iguang caratan.
talae nin marhay, sacong dadagoson.
na pacatalae ta iyo iniho.
huli ta dacol na, nag-eroc na tauo.
saro nang banuaan, gnaning matoninong.
Ta iyong pagboot can bagong Capitan.
y con may sala ca, siempre padosahan.
tagnaning an salog, pagtopas sogpoon.
maraot na pagtubod, ay sosogon nangad.
pag-iros can tubig nin banuang Irosin.
guibohon official an gnaran padagos.
I'm doing a paper on this for that conference I forwarded, along with another poet's documentation in verse of the history of his town. Really, interesting.


text:
RAY DONOVAN takes a novelistic look at contemporary Los Angeles. A richly textured family drama, the series centers on Ray (Schreiber) as L.A.'s best professional "trouble shooter." He's the one called in to solve the complicated, confidential and controversial problems of the city's elite. He can make anyone's problems disappearexcept the ones he can't escape created by hisown damaged Boston "Southie" family.
Rating: 7.8 | Year: 2013 | Network: Showtime | Free Episodes Online: 37
Watch ray donovan Series Full Episodes
30 June 2013 - Season 1, Episode 1: The Bag or the Bat
07 July 2013 - Season 1, Episode 2: A Mouth is a Mouth
14 July 2013 - Season 1, Episode 3: Twerk
21 July 2013 - Season 1, Episode 4: Black Cadillac
28 July 2013 - Season 1, Episode 5: The Golem
04 August 2013 - Season 1, Episode 6: Housewarming
11 August 2013 - Season 1, Episode 7: New Birthday
18 August 2013 - Season 1, Episode 8: Bridget
25 August 2013 - Season 1, Episode 9: Road Trip
08 September 2013 - Season 1, Episode 10: Fite Nite
15 September 2013 - Season 1, Episode 11: Bucky Fuckin' Dent
22 September 2013 - Season 1, Episode 12: Same Exactly
30 Jun 2014 - Season 1, Episode 0: About Ray Donovan
12 July 2015 - Season 3, Episode 1: The Kalamazoo
19 July 2015 - Season 3, Episode 2: Ding
26 July 2015 - Season 3, Episode 3: Come and Knock on Our Door
13 July 2014 - Season 2, Episode 1: Yo Soy Capitan
20 July 2014 - Season 2, Episode 2: Uber Ray
27 July 2014 - Season 2, Episode 3: Gem and Loan
03 August 2014 - Season 2, Episode 4: S U C K
10 August 2014 - Season 2, Episode 5: Irish Spring
17 August 2014 - Season 2, Episode 6: Viagra
24 August 2014 - Season 2, Episode 7: Walk This Way
31 August 2014 - Season 2, Episode 8: Sunny
07 September 2014 - Season 2, Episode 9: Snowflake
14 September 2014 - Season 2, Episode 10: Volcheck
21 September 2014 - Season 2, Episode 11: Rodef
28 September 2014 - Season 2, Episode 12: The Captain
02 August 2015 - Season 3, Episode 4: Breakfast of Champions
09 August 2015 - Season 3, Episode 5: Handshake Deal
16 August 2015 - Season 3, Episode 6: Swing Vote
23 August 2015 - Season 3, Episode 7: All Must Be Loved
30 August 2015 - Season 3, Episode 8: Tulip
06 September 2015 - Season 3, Episode 9: The Octopus
13 September 2015 - Season 3, Episode 10: One Night in Yerevan
20 September 2015 - Season 3, Episode 11: Poker
27 September 2015 - Season 3, Episode 12: Exsuscito


text:
"What can change the nature of a man?"
By Steven Lloyd Wilson | Think Pieces | April 21, 2010 |
"To the question, 'Is the cinema an art?' my answer is, 'what does it matter?'… You can make films or you can cultivate a garden. Both have as much claim to being called an art as a poem by Verlaine or a painting by Delacroix… Art is 'making'." - Jean Renoir
Roger Ebert famously remarked some years ago that not only were video games not art, but that they never could be. To put it mildly, this was a point of contention for many individuals. A few days ago, Ebert followed up with an article designed to make a token effort to consider video games so that he could maintain his original position: "Nevertheless, I remain convinced that in principle, video games cannot be art."
The article proceeds to argue point by point against a video posted online that makes the case for video games being art. It shows a handful of games that Ebert finds unconvincing as forms of art. A flurry of responses emerged in both the comments and on various other sites listing game after game as examples of art. They're missing the point embedded in Ebert's conclusion: "in principle, video games cannot be art." It's the "in principle" that betrays the argument. Listing examples will not suffice, showing off game play videos will not suffice, making him play one of the many games that are inarguable visions of art on par with anything from other forms will not suffice. Art is in the eye of the beholder, and if that eye has already decided to be closed in principle, it can never be convinced of anything until it is compelled to open.
I wouldn't have the slightest qualm if Ebert had simply stated that he did not find video games compelling as art, that they did not move him as art. But he had to take that extra step of telling everyone else what art can be. I don't care for paintings, never have. I've looked at a hundred paintings in galleries and museums and they utterly fail to stir me at all. They are not art to me, but I would never argue that therefore oils and canvas are incapable in principle of being art.
"Why are gamers so intensely concerned, anyway, that games be defined as art?" Ebert asks. I'd posit that it's for exactly the same reason that lovers of films once bristled at scions of the stage and literature saying that silly moving pictures could never really be art. We don't appreciate our own little corners of art in a vacuum, indifferent to what's outside our bubbles. Those who appreciate the art of video games do the same with film, literature, paintings, and every other mode of artistic expression under the sun. When a random idiot on the street insists that video games are not art, life goes on, but when a statesman of film insists in principle that we cannot be experiencing art, then it's a point of respect to that statesman to elucidate precisely why he is wrong.
I cried at the end of Planescape: Torment, something that many who experienced it would understand. "Why? It's just a silly game." If you think that's a legitimate response, then consider, why would someone cry at the end of Field of Dreams? After all it's just a silly movie. Why would someone cry while listening to Hallelujah? It's just a silly song. Why would someone cry at the end of Sandman? It's just a silly comic book. Hamlet? A silly play. The Waste Land? A silly poem. Can a building be art? An arrangement of lights? The design of a landscape? They are all just silly things when all is said and done, but they've all been art at one time or another to one person or another. Art matters exactly because it is silly when stripped down to its components. I'm not trying to reduce the argument to the absurd and just say that everything is art, but to insist that to judge art on its delivery mechanism is as patently absurd as judging your dinner on whether it's on a plate or in a bowl.
What really gets me is that it's the film aficionados in particular who react with such vehemence to the idea that video games could be art, when it's film as an artistic medium that most recently went through the exact same struggles for legitimacy. It might just be converts being the deepest fanatics, I suppose, but it's also striking just how similar film and video games are as mediums. Mechanically, film is just video paired with audio, which is exactly what video games are. The only argument one could really have in principle between the two is that the former is static while the latter is dynamic. Video games must cede some control to the player, where a film is strictly passive for the watcher. If one was truly argumentative, one might point out that in principle, a film is nothing but a gelded video game. It's video, audio, and (in theaters) no controller.
That idea of control is essential to understanding exactly how video games often are not just art, but an unprecedented sort of art. Ebert dismisses the idea of "winning" as having any part in art, proceeding to then criticize some of the games at which he looked as having no clear way to win, and no apparent score. You can't have that both ways. I haven't "won" a game or kept track of a score since I was dropping quarters into Donkey Kong. The power of art emerges from empathy, emotional and intellectual life bursting from mere dead flickering lights and printed words. But consider the profound intensification of that empathy when agency is added, when you do not just observe tragedy, romance, and comedy, but make the very choices that shape those elements of drama. In principle, that's an entirely deeper form of art.
Steven Lloyd Wilson is a hopeless romantic and the last scion of Norse warriors and the forbidden elder gods. His novel, ramblings, and assorted fictions coalesce at www.burningviolin.com. You can email him here.
Steven Lloyd Wilson is the sci-fi and history editor. You can email him here or follow him on Twitter.
← The Other 130 Greatest Arnold Schwarzenegger Quotes of All Time
After.Life Review | Wednesday Addams: Suicide Girl →


A challenge: to shape metal into the most essential forms and minimal possibilities, giving rise to subtle and synthetic formal results.
The resulting pieces become camouflaged with the skin of their wearers, and are discovered at second glance.
These are quite likely the favourite jewels of people who don't like wearing jewels.


text:
National Instruments Reports Record Revenue
National Instruments Reports Record Revenue 72.4 KB
AUSTIN, Texas, July 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --
Q2 2011 Highlights
Record quarterly revenue of $253 million, up 20 percent year-over-year
Strong revenue growth in academic, PXI Modular Instrumentation, Software, Data Acquisition and NI CompactRIO products
GAAP gross margin of 77.9 percent and non-GAAP gross margin of 78.5 percent
Record GAAP and non-GAAP operating income for a second quarter
Fully diluted GAAP EPS of $ 0.22
Fully diluted non-GAAP EPS of $0.27, at the mid-point of guidance
Record EBITDA of $44 million, or $0.37 per share for a second quarter
Cash and short-term investments of $320 million as of June 30, 2011
National Instruments (Nasdaq: NATI) today announced Q2 revenue of $253 million, a quarterly record and a 20 percent increase from Q2 2010. This met the company's guidance of between $241 million and $255 million, which was provided on April 28, 2011. In Q2, the Company's orders greater than $20,000 grew 39 percent year-over-year, and the average order size reached a new second quarter record of approximately $4,440.
In Q2, GAAP and non-GAAP operating income reached all-time records for a second quarter. Net income for Q2 was $ 26.5 million, with fully diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.22, and non-GAAP net income was $32.2 million, with non-GAAP fully diluted EPS of $0.27.
In Q2, GAAP gross margin increased 90 basis points year-over-year to 77.9 percent. Non-GAAP gross margin reached 78.5 percent, an increase of 90 basis points year-over-year.
The company's non-GAAP results exclude the impact of stock-based compensation, amortization of acquisition-related intangibles and acquisition related transaction costs. Reconciliations of the company's GAAP and non-GAAP results are included as part of this news release.
"I am extremely pleased with our ability to deliver record quarterly revenue and record operating profit for a second quarter," said Dr. James Truchard, co-founder, president and CEO. "We believe these results validate the strength of our business model and our commitment to long term investments."
NI graphical system design product sales were up 21 percent year-over-year, and NI instrument control product sales were up 6 percent year-over-year in Q2. Geographically, revenue in U.S. dollar terms for Q2 2011 compared to Q2 2010 was up 15 percent in the Americas, up 28 percent in Europe and up 19 percent in Asia. In local currency terms, revenue was up 23 percent in Europe and up 12 percent in Asia.
As of June 30, 2011, NI had $320 million in cash and short-term investments. The National Instruments Board of Directors approved a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share on the company's common stock payable on August 29 to stockholders of record on August 8.
"We are encouraged by the scale of the long-term opportunity open to us, and plan to continue to execute on our 2011 investment plans," said Alex Davern, NI COO and CFO. "We are confident our investments will significantly advance our long-term position in the industries we serve."
Guidance for Q3 2011
NI expects revenue for Q3 to be between $257 million and $273 million, an increase of between 17 and 24 percent over Q3 2010. Due to the impact of the acquisition accounting for the AWR transaction, we are also including guidance for non-GAAP revenue to reflect the write-down of AWR's historical deferred revenue to the fair value recorded as a result of acquisition accounting. As a result, we expect non-GAAP revenue to be in the range of $260 and $276 million, an increase of between 18 percent and 25 percent over Q3 2010. We expect the non-GAAP revenue adjustment in Q4 to be approximately $2 million and for the Q1 2012 and Q2 2012 adjustments to be approximately $1 million. Starting in Q3 2012, we do not expect to continue to report non-GAAP revenue as the recognition period for AWR's historical deferred revenue write down will expire at the end of Q2 2011.
Given our aggressive 2011 investment plan and the recent acquisitions we expect to see a significant increase in non-GAAP operating expenses in Q3, to approximately $170 million, plus or minus $2 million. In Q4 we are budgeting for a very modest sequential increase in expense as the 2011 investment plan is closed out. Looking out to 2012 and assuming a normal economy we expect to return to a plan of growing revenues faster than expenses.
The company expects fully diluted EPS will be in the range of $0.16 to $0.24 for Q3, with non-GAAP fully diluted EPS expected to be in the range of $0.23 to $0.31. Please remember that in Q3 the GAAP to Non-GAAP adjustments will include a $0.03 per share adjustment related to the acquisitions of AWR and Phase Matrix.
Non-GAAP Presentation
In addition to disclosing results determined in accordance with GAAP, NI discloses certain non-GAAP operating results and non-GAAP information that exclude certain charges. In this news release, the company has presented its gross profit, operating expenses, operating income, income before income taxes, provision for income taxes, net income and basic and fully diluted EPS for the three- month periods ending June 30, 2011 and 2010, on a GAAP and non-GAAP basis. We are also providing guidance on our non-GAAP revenue, non-GAAP operating expenses, and non-GAAP fully diluted EPS. When presenting non-GAAP information, the company includes a reconciliation of the non-GAAP results to the GAAP results. Management believes that including the non-GAAP results assists investors in assessing the company's operational performance and its performance relative to its competitors. The company presents these non-GAAP results as a complement to results provided in accordance with GAAP, and these results should not be regarded as a substitute for GAAP. Management uses these non-GAAP measures to manage and assess the profitability and performance of its business and does not consider stock-based compensation expense, amortization of acquired intangibles, or acquisition related transaction costs that are non-cash charges in managing its operations. Specifically, management uses non-GAAP measures to plan and forecast future periods, to establish operational goals, to compare with its business plan and individual operating budgets, to measure management performance for the purposes of executive compensation including payments to be made under bonus plans, to assist the public in measuring the company's performance relative to the company's long-term public performance goals, to allocate resources and, relative to the company's historical financial performance, to enable comparability between periods. Management also considers such non-GAAP results to be an important supplemental measure of its performance. This news release also discloses the company's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) and EBITDA diluted EPS for the three-month periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010. The company also believes that including the EBITDA results assists investors in assessing the company's operational performance relative to its competitors. A reconciliation of EBITDA and EBITDA diluted EPS to GAAP net income and GAAP diluted EPS is included with this news release.
Conference Call Information
Interested parties can listen to the Q2 2011 conference call today, July 27, beginning at 4:00 p.m. CDT, at www.ni.com/call. Replay information is available by calling 888-203-1112, confirmation code #4574954, shortly after the call through August 1 at 7:00 p.m. CDT.
This release contains "forward-looking statements," including statements related to the strength of our business model, commitments to long-term investments, watching closely to see how global business responds, the scale of the opportunity open to us, our plan to execute on our investment plans, that our investments will advance our long-term position and our Q3 guidance for GAAP and non-GAAP revenue (including AWR revenue) and GAAP and non-GAAP EPS. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the risk of adverse changes or fluctuations in the global economy, component shortages, delays in the release of new products, fluctuations in customer demand for NI products, the company's ability to continue to control its operating expenses, manufacturing inefficiencies, the outcome of events in Japan, foreign exchange fluctuations and the impact of our recent and any future acquisitions. Actual results may differ materially from the expected results. The company directs readers to its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2010, its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2011, and the other documents it files with the SEC for other risks associated with the company's future performance.
National Instruments (www.ni.com) is transforming the way engineers and scientists design, prototype and deploy systems for measurement, automation and embedded applications. NI empowers customers with off-the-shelf software such as NI LabVIEW and modular cost-effective hardware, and sells to a broad base of more than 30,000 different companies worldwide, with its largest customer representing approximately 4 percent of revenue in 2010 and no one industry representing more than 15 percent of revenue. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, NI has more than 5,800 employees and direct operations in more than 40 countries. For the past 12 years, FORTUNE magazine has named NI one of the 100 best companies to work for in America. Readers can obtain investment information from the company's investor relations department by calling (512) 683-5090, e-mailing nati@ni.com or visiting www.ni.com/nati. (NATI-F)
CompactRIO, LabVIEW, National Instruments, NI and ni.com are trademarks of National Instruments. Other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.
Inventories, net
Deferred income taxes, net
Intangible assets, net
Other long-term assets
Accrued compensation
Deferred revenue
Accrued expenses and other liabilities
Other taxes payable
Liability for uncertain tax position
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
Total net sales
Cost of sales:
Cost of product
Cost of software maintenance
Total cost of sales
Net foreign exchange (loss)
Other income (loss), net
Weighted average shares outstanding -
Dividends declared per share
Cash flow from operating activities:
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided
by operating activities:
Tax expense from deferred income taxes
Tax (benefit) expense from stock option plans
Taxes and other liabilities
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capitalization of internally developed software
Additions to other intangibles
Acquisition, net of cash received
Purchases of short-term investments
Sales and maturities of short-term investments
Net cash (used by) investing activities
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of common stock
Dividends paid
Tax benefit (expense) from stock option plans
Net cash provided by (used by) financing activities
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
Detail of GAAP charges related to stock-based compensation,
amortization of acquisition intangibles, and acquisition related transaction costs
Amortization of acquisition intangibles
Acquisition related transaction costs
Reconciliation of Gross Profit to Non-GAAP Gross Profit
Gross profit, as reported
Non-GAAP gross profit
Reconciliation of Operating Expenses to Non-GAAP Operating Expenses
Operating expenses, as reported
Non-GAAP operating expenses
Reconciliation of Operating Income to Non-GAAP Operating Income
Operating income, as reported
Non-GAAP operating income
Reconciliation of Income before income taxes to Non-GAAP Income before income taxes
Income before income taxes, as reported
Non-GAAP income before income taxes
Reconciliation of Provision for Income Taxes to Non-GAAP Provision For Income Taxes
Provision for income taxes, as reported
Non-GAAP provision for income taxes
Reconciliation of GAAP Net Income, Basic EPS and Diluted EPS to Non-GAAP Net Income, Basic EPS and Diluted EPS
Net income, as reported
Adjustments to reconcile net income to non-GAAP net income:
Stock-based compensation, net of tax effect
Amortization of acquisition intangibles, net of tax effect
Non-GAAP net income
Basic EPS, as reported
Adjustment to reconcile basic EPS to non-GAAP
basic EPS:
Impact of stock-based compensation, net of tax effect
Impact of amortization of acquisition intangibles, net of tax effect
Impact of acquisition related transaction costs
Non-GAAP basic EPS
Diluted EPS, as reported
Non-GAAP diluted EPS
Reconciliation of Net Income and Diluted EPS to EBITDA and EBITDA Diluted EPS
Adjustments to reconcile net income to EBITDA:
Adjustment to reconcile diluted EPS to EBITDA
EBITDA diluted EPS
Weighted average shares outstanding - Diluted
Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Operating Expense Guidance
(Thousands)
GAAP operating expense, guidance
Adjustment to reconcile operating expense to non-GAAP
operating expense:
Impact of stock-based compensation
Impact of amortization of acquisition intangibles
Non-GAAP operating expense, guidance
Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Revenue Guidance
GAAP revenue, guidance
Adjustment to reconcile revenue to non-GAAP
Impact of acquisition deferred revenue write down
Non-GAAP revenue, guidance
Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP EPS Guidance
GAAP Fully Diluted EPS, guidance
Impact of acquisition deferred revenue write down, net of tax effect
Non-GAAP diluted EPS, guidance
Caitlin Cooper Gursslin
SOURCE National Instruments


Picasa is listed in Graphics Viewers category and made available by Google for Windows. Unfortunately, we have not yet reviewed Picasa. If you would like to submit a review of this software, we encourage you to submit us something!
What is Picasa software from Google, what is it used for and how to use it?
Each time you open Picasa, it automatically locates all of your pictures (even ones you forgot you'd) and sorts them into visual albums organized by date with folder names you know.
Download and install Picasa safely and without concerns.
Picasa is a software product developed by Google and it is listed in Graphics category under Graphics Viewers. Picasa is a free software product and it is fully functional for an unlimited time although there may be other versions of this software product. You can run Picasa on all modern Windows OS operating systems. Picasa was last time updated on 29.10.2015 and it has 30,878 downloads on Download.hr portal. Download and install Picasa safely and without concerns.
What do you think about Picasa?
Download.hr periodically updates software information of Picasa from the software publisher (Google), but some information may be slightly out-of-date or incorrect. Picasa version 3.9.141.303 for Windows was listed on Download.hr on 29.10.2015 and it is marked as Freeware.
All software products that you can find on Download.hr, including Picasa, are either free, freeware, shareware, full version, trial, demo or open-source. You can't download any crack or serial number for Picasa on Download.hr. Every software that you are able to download on our site is freely downloadable and 100% legal. There is no crack, serial number, keygen, hack or activation key for Picasa present here nor we support any illegal way of software activation. If you like software product please consider supporting the author and buying product. If you can not afford to buy product consider the use of alternative free products.
Is it safe to download and install Picasa?
Picasa was checked for possible viruses by various leading antivirus software products and it is proven to be 100% clean and safe. Although, no malware, spyware or other malicious threats was found we strongly advise you to check product again before installing it on your PC.
Please note that laws concerning the use of Picasa may vary from country to country. Please be sure that you are using Picasa in accordance with the law in your country.
How do I uninstall Picasa in Windows Vista / Windows 7 / Windows 8 / Windows 10 OS?
Make sure the "Picasa" is highlighted and then make right click, and select Uninstall/Change.
Make sure the "Picasa" is highlighted, then click "Remove/Uninstall."


In 2018, Cody Webb, Mario Roman, Wade Young, and Graham Jarvis stood out as the top extreme off-roaders on the planet, as the four riders combined to win the majority of the extreme racing events last year. The 2019 season should see more of the same, as the extreme calendar kicks off in late January.
The Michelin Tough One Extreme Enduro is the first major extreme race of the year and it takes place in the famous Nantmawr Quarry in Wales. A few years ago, the promoters experimented with a "Hot Lap" format, but last year they went with a more traditional time trial format, which the riders seemed to favor. Last year, Graham Jarvis kicked off his season with a win at the Tough One Extreme Enduro, giving the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider some momentum heading into the season.
For 2019, the Michelin Tough One Extreme Enduro changes format and will be run in "Sprint Enduro" style, basically giving the event a time trial format. The event will see two riders start per minute, on the same track as usual, though slightly shorter than normal. Also new for 2019 will be a special Dash for Cash that will run after the TT. It will feature the top six pro riders.
Qualifying report, results, and news from the 2019 Oakland Supercross, the fourth round of the 2019 Monster Energy Supercross Series.


ChemIDplus - 14556-88-8 - NFUGUEAPHPQLIB-UHFFFAOYSA-N - Thiocyanic acid, 2,5-dibromo-4-(2-iodoacetamido)phenyl ester - Similar structures search, synonyms, formulas, resource links, and other chemical information.
mouse LD50 oral 3gm/kg (3000mg/kg) Yakugaku Zasshi. Journal of Pharmacy. Vol. 88, Pg. 1620, 1968.
mouse LD50 oral 3gm/kg (3000mg/kg) BEHAVIORAL: ANTIPSYCHOTIC Yakugaku Zasshi. Journal of Pharmacy. Vol. 88, Pg. 1620, 1968.


text:
Home Money, Politics and Power The Last Four Years, and the Next Four
The Last Four Years, and the Next Four
Barack Obama's problem, apparently, is that he has not spent enough time socializing.
by Paul Waldman
Tonight, PBS's Frontline will be broadcasting a documentary called "Inside Obama's Presidency," about the President's first term. The story told in this preview is about a now-somewhat-famous dinner that a bunch of Republican muckety-mucks held on the night of Obama's inauguration, during which they made the decision that the best way to proceed was implacable, unified opposition to anything and everything the new president wanted to do. As we all know, this plan was then carried out almost to the letter. Watch:
Watch Facing a Permanent Minority? on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.
The story of this inauguration-night dinner was told in Robert Draper's book Do Not Ask What Good We Do: Inside the House of Representatives, which came out eight months ago. Seeing the story retold, what's striking is that beforehand, one would have considered the participants-Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan, Kevin McCarthy, Jim DeMint, John Kyl, Tom Coburn-to be extremely, sometimes infuriatingly, conservative. But with the exception of DeMint, one wouldn't have thought that group to be utterly opposed to the very idea of legislating and having a government that, at a minimum, operates.
Yet here we are, not only with that crew, but with dozens of Republicans elected in the two elections since who practically make them look like a bunch of accommodationists. And yet, sage Washington insiders actually believe that things would run a lot smoother if Barack Obama spent more time going to parties and hanging out with sage Washington insiders. Something tells me that even after four more years of GOP hostility and intransigence, that idiotic idea is never going to die.
Blog: Vox Pop Paul Waldman Politics Congress The Obama Administration
Paul Waldman is a weekly columnist and senior writer for The American Prospect.
Read more by Paul Waldman


text:
Porcupine Tree / Robert Fripp - Live 2009.10.15 Capitol, Hannover, Germany
As I explained before, I'm living in Germany for the time being. I recently moved to Hannover and was surprised to learn about the great bands coming here. Unfortunately, Depeche Mode is already sold out, marking my third missed opportunity to see them, but I'm certainly going to take advantage of everything else that I can manage. Last night was my first experience of live music in Hannover.
Artist: Porcupine Tree
Venue: Capitol
Location: Hannover, Germany
Opening Act: Robert Fripp
When I heard about this concert I figured that despite my relative ignorance of the headliners it would be worth a shot. See, I've known about Robert Fripp for years; I've heard some of his experiments with Frippertonics, his collaborations with Brian Eno, his work with King Crimson, and of course his guitarwork on David Bowie's "Heroes". Although I don't know his whole catalog and I've never been a rabid follower, he's a well-respected pioneer. I mean, he's a big name. On the other hand, the only things I knew about Porcupine Tree are that they are a contemporary band and that my father is a fan. Usually I can trust my father's opinions on contemporary music quite well, since, I mean, he doesn't have time to listen to bad music, and why would he bother when he's been collecting good music for so long? In any case, I came to hear Fripp probably a little more than I came to hear Porcupine Tree.
Robert Fripp came out first, just him, his guitar, and his electronics. No longer using his signature Frippertonics technique, today he favors a style or technique he calls "Soundscapes", which is more or less an updated, digital version of Frippertonics. As I witnessed it, he sits down and starts playing on his Gibson Les Paul, using a digital processor to make ambient synth tones. He used some sort of digital delay units to create a somewhat ambient soundbed loop, to which he would add and subtract elements as he went along. Over the loop he played more normal-sounding guitar solo bits.
He played one single piece for about twenty minutes, and although it was kind of cool, I was a bit disappointed. His soundbed was nothing revolutionary, and I kept waiting for him to drop a really intense guitar solo, but nothing came. He played great, it all sounded good, but he just didn't pull any surprises. (It didn't help the certain sectors of the audience didn't appreciate the mellow tone, either; a number of punters were clearly impatient for the old bozo to leave the stage so that the hipper, younger Porcupine Tree could hit the stage. I am reminded of the barroom gig scene in Ghost World.) I hate to say it, but Fripp isn't on the cutting edge anymore. The scene that he pioneered over thirty years ago has since outgrown him – I mean, seriously, after seeing someone like Andrew Bird, I'm not as impressed. This is a good example of a situation in which the original creative force has ceased to grow, while new innovators have come to the field and taken things to another level. But don't get me wrong – it was still cool to see Fripp, and his piece was fairly good, but not mind-blowing.
I had no idea what to expect from Porcupine Tree. When they came out and played a loud, riff-laden metal jam, I was a bit taken aback. I mean, they pulled off a mean 5/4 rhythm, but I was hoping they wouldn't just be a Tool rip-off. The song wasn't bad at all, though, and when further songs showed a much more diverse array of sounds and tones, I was much more receptive. Unfortunately, I can't offer much in the ways of a setlist since I am totally unfamiliar with the band's catalog. They said that would play the entirety of their new album, The Incident, and I do believe that kept to that promise. From what I've read, most of that album was conceived as one extended suite, and I did get a feel for that in the live performance. It was often hard to tell when songs actually started or ended, and many parts seemed to go on for a while without pause. This was not to their detriment – I found the music quite enthralling. I quite appreciated the dynamics of the band: acoustic-based pieces were right next to more ambient parts, which could be followed by heavier jams and riff- or guitar-solo-based segments. It all flowed together quite well.
After finishing the album song-cycle, the band left the stage for a ten-minute break. Upon return, they played a full second set of material, about 45 minutes, presumably from their back-catalog. (The one song name I caught was "Lazarus".) The general sound of the music remained similar, although the variety of tones was perhaps even further widened. Lower-key and/or acoustic segments seemed a bit more prominent. After their second set, they left the stage, but as expected, they came back again for a brief encore. The first song featured a fantastic acoustic guitar part, and second song was announced as "Trains". (The singer asked what "train" is in German, but he had some difficulty hearing the answer.)
Porcupine Tree ended up putting on a pretty good show, especially for playing over two hours of music. I know they are labeled, for better or worse, as a modern progressive band, and I think the classification fits – they like long, expansive songs; they like to experiment with styles and sonic directions, even within one song; and they like to push the boundaries of rock music. They don't like to stand in one place too long. They are clearly rock musicians, but they don't want to be contained by just one corner of what rock means. And I really like that. Some of the intense metal bits could be a bit much for me, but with the energy of a live show, I could still get into it in the context of the whole performance.
Robert Fripp: C
Porcupine Tree: A-
P.S. What would have made this show really cool is if Fripp had joined the band for an encore. They would have fit together well, I think, and that would have really blown my mind.
[Edit 2015.07.14:] I just noticed that the setlist was posted online:
01. Occam's Razor
02. The Blind House
03. Great Expectations
04. Kneel and Disconnect
05. Drawing the Line
06. The Incident
07. Your Unpleasant Family
08. The Yellow Windows of the Evening Train
09. Time Flies
10. Degree Zero of Liberty
11. Octane Twisted
12. The Séance
13. Circle of Manias
14. I Drive the Hearse
15. The Start of Something Beautiful
16. Russia on Ice (first half)
17. Anesthetize (Part 2: "The Pills I'm Taking")
18. Lazarus
19. Normal
20. Strip the Soul →
21. .3 (second half)
22. Bonnie the Cat
23. The Sound of Muzak
24. Trains
Also, it's worth noting that Porcupine Tree's keyboardist is Richard Barbieri, also known for performing the same role in Japan!
Posted by Patrick at 7:02 AM
Labels: 2009, Hannover, live review, Porcupine Tree, Robert Fripp
jlv said...
Patrick, i'm glad that you got to see this concert. a mixture of the old and new. i guess fripp is at the point where he does what he wants. i've never figured out when he decides to take off on a manic solo or do long rhythmic or dreamscape stuff. as for porcupine tree, they probably are one of the foremost prog-rock groups of the last 15 years, may not be your favorite cup of tea, but there are things in the genue you can (and did!) appreciate. Dad
the best way to discover this band on CD is with the album Lightbulb Sun.
Peter Murphy / Lettie - Live 2009.10.18 Capitol, H...
Porcupine Tree / Robert Fripp - Live 2009.10.15 Ca...