text:
Confucius Select Year/MonthAll Years = 1 PostDecade 2010s = 1 Post Year 2015 = 1 Post--- March 2015 = 1 Post
The Western Rectification of Names
Razib Khan • March 9, 2015
The rectification of names is a somewhat strange way to talk about something which is intuitively obvious to most: a properly functioning society needs people to know their appropriate place. This can sound patronizing and anti-egalitarian, but even in the relatively "flat" social structure of the United States this holds, as most would balk at being treated by a medical doctor who did not have the appropriate qualifications. Who someone is still matters at the end of the day, no matter the fact that we're a society that is permeated in the idea that we are all equal before the law. Your doctor is someone who went to medical school. Your mother is the woman who raised you. And so forth. This issue is universal, across cultures.
Michael Schuman's Confucius: And the World He Created is a look at a very different Weltanschauung from the perspective of a Western liberal, who nonetheless attempts to remain sympathetic to Confucianism. This is difficult in some cases, in particular in the domain of relations between the sexes, where the views of Confucius and his intellectual descendants were typically patriarchal. To me Schuman's attempt to make an apologia for Confucius and the systems which descend from his original views are a little excessive, because it isn't as if most of the readers are going to "convert" to Confucianism. Pure description would suffice. Two thousand year old systems of thought are usually understood to need some careful "interpretation" for modern contexts. This is needed for Confucianism because of its emergence in a particular time and place, and this-worldly orientation. Neo-Confucianism aside the fact of the matter is that most indigenous Chinese schools of thought are often thin on implausible metaphysics (e.g., the Way is relatively vague), but thick on rules and regulations for everyday life. Obviously those would be geared toward an ancient agricultural society, because that's when Confucius and his followers lived.
As I've noted before Schuman's is not an entirely academic book, it combines an intellectual biography of Confucius, with a history of Confucianism, as well as its modern day applications. Therefore one isn't going to get into the details of the arguments about Confucianism which arose during the Song dynasty, and the reaction against Neo-Confucianism which occurred during the rule of the Manchus (yes, there were Confucian analogs to Salafists during this period!). The breezy treatment of these historical nuances probably benefits someone with more of a background in Chinese history, as you can fill in the blank spaces.
But I do think one can come away with a broader moral of what Confucianism can teach us about how to relate to each other and society as a whole. The period before the rise of the first Chinese Empire was an intellectually fertile one with many schools of thought which had their own theories of how to maximize human flourishing. Out of this ferment what we term Confucianism eventually won out during the Han dynasty two thousand years ago, though the original ideas of Confucius and Mencius were transmuted considerably. One must always remember that there is a distinction between what people say and what they do. As a matter of reality it does seem that a considerable amount of Legalism, even if it was notionally reviled, was laundered into the State Confucianism which began with Emperor Han Wu. In Confucius: And the World He Created the author recounts attempts to create a feminist-friendly Confucianism. This may seem ridiculous, but, one must remember that in some ways Confucianism was often an odd fit for the autocracies which co-opted it for nearly two thousand years.* Similarly, Christianity has been used to justify slavery as well as abolish it. The mental gymnastics are universal even if there are differences in detail. There is no shame in this.
The important insight we can gain from the longevity of a Confucian political philosophy is that its core theses do have some utility for complex societies. Unlike that of Rome the Chinese order of two thousand years ago actually persisted down to living memory, with the fall of the Ching in the early 20th century. Confucius believed he was a traditionalist, rediscovering ancient insights as to the proper relations between human beings. I suspect this is correct, insofar as the Golden Mean he and his humanistic followers recommended between the cold and cruel utilitarianism of the Legalists and the unrealistic one of the followers of Mozi is probably the best fit to human psychological dispositions (both the Legalists and Mohists were suspicious of the family).** In the disordered world of the late Zhou, on the precipice of the Warring States period, Confucius and his followers elucidated what was really common sense, but repackaged in a fashion which would appeal more systematically to elites, and scaffold their own more egotistical impulses (in contrast to the Legalists, who seem to have enshrined the ego of the ruler as the summum bonum).
And that is the reality which we face today. Our world is not on the precipice of war, but social and technological changes are such that we are in a period where a new rectification of names is warranted. Old categories of sex, gender, religion and race, are falling or reordering. Western society is fracturing, as the intelligentsia promote their own parochial categories, and traditionalists dissent and retreat into their own subcultures. To give two examples, there are those who might find offense if addressed by the pronoun he or she, even though this is an old convention in Western society. In contrast, traditionalist Christian subcultures no longer have unified control of the public domain which would allow for them to promulgate the basis of their values. There are those who might accede to traditional Christian claims who can not agree with their metaphysics, which the traditional Christians hold to be necessary to be in full agreement.*** In contrast, the progressive faction which declaims the morally restrictive manners of the traditionalist Right in fact belies its own assertions by the proliferation of terms which serve to define the elect from those who do not uphold proper morals and manners.
The thinness of Confucianism metaphysics allowed for the emergence of religious pluralism in Chinese society (and the development of Neo-Confucianism as a form of the doctrine imbued with features eerily similar to Buddhism). But its metaphysical thinness is perhaps an explanation for why it could persist and reinvent itself, because one need not accede to metaphysical claims to see the sense in the priorities of Confucianism. The robustness of State Confucianism and the Chinese imperial order over thousands of years show that a unitary elite ethos oriented toward proper ordering of individual and social relations can be highly successful in enabling human flourishing in conditions of Malthusian constraint. Today due to productivity gains we live in a consumer society where individualism has pushed the scale toward anomie and atomization. But barring widespread CRISPR some things will not change about human nature, and the rectification of names will come back in some form and some way. In fact, it's happening today. That's not an assertion that's "problematic."
* For example, as promoted by traditionalists like Sima Guang Confucianism can arguably be thought of as anti-capitalist libertarianism in terms of preferred political economy. And yet today it is being drafted in the service of corporatist capitalist states such as Singapore.
** Though do note that what we know about the antagonists of the Confucians are often filtered through the Confucians themselves. History is written by the winners.
*** Also, there are historically contingent matters which make the traditional Christian subculture in the United States incongruous to outsiders. E.g., the connection between Christianity and jingoistic bellicosity seems very peculiar to those outside of Southern American Protestantism, as Christianity would seem inimical to such a viewpoint.
• Category: History, Ideology • Tags: Confucianism, Confucius
"Confucius" Items Across Entire Archive


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Q: Relation between internal resistance and chosen scale on analog/digital voltmeter/ammeter On Introductory Circuit Analysis of Boylestad I found out the following about the relation of internal resistance of a multimeter with the scale choosen on the instrument.

*

*Analog voltmeter: internal resistance does depend on the scale chosen

*Analog ammeter: internal resistance does depend on the scale chosen

*Digital voltmeter: internal resistance does not depend on the scale chosen

Is all of this true? How can the internal resistance of the digital voltmeter be independent on the scale chosen? And is it the same for the digital ammeter too (i.e. also in that can internal resistance does not depend on  the scale choosen)?

A: It's more a function of whether the meter has an amplifier before it.
In the moving coil meter, the meter reading is directly proportional to the current flowing through it. These generally do not have an amplifier, so that current has to be provided by the thing being measured. Therefore the higher the input voltage, the higher the resistance placed in series.
My first moving coil meter was '20k/V', that is it needed a series resistance of 20kohms for every volt on the scale, which indicated that the meter read full scale for 50uA. As range switching is done by a mechanical switch, high voltage withstanding is not a problem, and input resistors are simply switched as required.
You can put an amplifier in front of a moving coil meter, but it's generally not done.
As a digital meter requires electronics and a battery, the amplifier sort of comes for free. It's most convenient there to have a high input resistance like 10Mohms, and switch the ranges by shunting the ADC input with various value resistors. This arrangement allows all the switches to stay at low voltage, even if the input voltage is 1000V. If a 10k shunt was used, then the input voltage would be 1000x the ADC voltage for full scale.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I need two changes to a custom Wor...to the products page called SENT A HINT. WHen you click it, it must open lightbox with a form with the following fields: Your Name, Your Email, Friends Name, Friends Email, Custom Message. This will then send an email to the friend with the custom messages and also a link to the page that the form was completed on.


text:
Gerald Frankel honored with symposium at the 242nd Electrochemical Society meeting
Gerald Frankel, back center, is surrounded and congratulated by colleagues Jen Locke (front, center), Eric Schindelholz (back right) and former students and postdocs at a reception in his honor at the 242nd ECS meeting. Joining them are Rudy Buchheit (bottom right), former professor and department chair with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Ohio State, and Ron Latanision (PhD 1969), Frankel's PhD advisor.
Distinguished Professor of Engineering Gerald Frankel has been a member of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering's faculty since 1995 and is a world-renowned expert in corrosion. He is the director of the Fontana Corrosion Center at Ohio State.
Dr. Frankel's lectures and labs have shaped countless materials science and engineering students who began their careers with an understanding of corrosion fundamentals, electrochemical techniques, modeling, and materials degradation. His robust educational mission is matched by a commitment to studying the mechanisms of corrosion phenomena including new materials for long-term storage of nuclear waste. Jerry is a beacon from which a generation of corrosion students and colleagues have greatly benefitted. The impact he has had on others and on the world of materials science was highlighted during the 242nd ECS Meeting, which included a symposium in his honor.
Professor Jenifer Locke
The symposium was attended by many colleagues and former students from around the world. Many shared stories about Jerry ranging from the humorous to profound. Ohio State MSE professor Jenifer Locke has had the privilege of working alongside Jerry since 2015 and shared anecdotes derived from personal experience and former students. Locke's heartfelt message referenced qualities of a person who cares about people through motivation and kindness.
Jerry, you make your work people part of your family. You invite international students over for the holidays so they are not alone. You encourage people to get degrees…Jerry is not only a phenomenal scientist who has pushed our field forward with scientific and technical advances and by mentoring students who are making contributions all over the world…Jerry is a phenomenal person. - Jenifer Locke
Ramgopal Thodla (PhD 2001) described Professor Frankel as "a kind leader who gave students space to learn and grow." While another said, "He was the best educator with the greatest mind and the kindest heart I ever met."
The symposium in his honor at ECS's most recent meeting is one of many milestones along Professor Frankel's prolific career. He has been the recipient of numerous awards for his research and engineering education excellence. He is a fellow with NACE, the Electrochemical Society and ASM International. He recently received the Olin Palladium Award from the Electrochemical Society, their highest scientific honor. The Department of Materials Science and Engineering congratulates Professor Frankel for the recent recognition by the Electrochemical Society.
#OMGJerryFrankel
Categories: FacultyAwardsResearch
Reducing steel corrosion vital to combating climate change
MSE Ph.D. student awarded Presidential Fellowship
College of Engineering sets record for annual research expenditures
Engineering grad students earn Presidential Fellowships
CEMAS and CMIF receive funding to develop advanced microscopy workflow
CEMAS doctoral student, Samantha Mendez, receives Women of Color GEM Student Leadership Award

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Risk Management Executive Committee will meet quarterly or at the call of the Chair. Meetings will be coordinated with the schedules of the Medical Liability Management Committee when possible.
Assess the overall effectiveness of the University of Texas System's risk management processes.
Assuring the University of Texas System's risk financing strategy balances retention of uninsured risk and those risks underwritten through commercial insurance in a manner consistent with available financial resources and public expectations.
Emphasizing and enhance Systemwide communication regarding best practices in administering risk management processes and programs.
Providing guidance on the identification, evaluation and assessment of the most significant risks and exposures arising out of the University of Texas System's operations in a systematic and on-going basis.
Providing guidance on the selection and development of the most effective techniques or combination of techniques to control and finance risk.
Providing guidance on the implementation of realistic and cost effective loss prevention and control procedures to minimize the frequency and severity of losses.


I came across an article this morning which intrigues me. Here I found an article which explains the term soul family in an easy to read way. I would love to hear your views on it if you have a few minutes and are inclined to read what John L. Payne has to say about the soul family connection.
This morning's find helped me to accept peace within some my relationships which had previously been fraught with emotional misunderstandings. I feel the need to explain to you and perhaps to clarify for myself that the bottom line in all of our relationships is to find the place of peace, love and acceptance for ourselves and for every single person/soul with whom we connect.
Whatever your beliefs, be in God, Buddha, the Universe etc., whatever your religious view, I think all boils down to one word ~ LOVE as LOVE is the universal connector, the medicine which heals through the heartlight which shines in the darkness of tragedy, loss, grief and even through death.
I've written before about our legacy after death in Love Them Deeply. But it is in the now, the present moment which we all share that can be fraught with angst when we feel disconnected with ourselves and/or the multitude of souls in our life. Disconnecting with our own selves doesn't help us to forge connections with others. To connect, we must empower our souls with self-love. You may say, I love myself and for that gift, I am grateful. You may believe that the term self-love is ego-driven, narcissistic or haughty. Dear friends, in the pure light of love, self-love is none of those things.
"When you are compassionate with yourself, you trust in your soul, which you let guide your life.
I am blessed to be on this life journey with all of you. I am ever grateful to my soul family for the lessons and learning which have come from the multitude of our shared varied experiences. Another layer of understanding has been added to the tapestry of my life by reading, learning, listening and connecting with all the souls with whom I am continue to connect. The beauty in life is that our soul's journey continues to expand, to grow and to connect as we move along our chosen path on Earth. With blessings and gratitude, I shine my heartlight out to you and accept and appreciate seeing yours shining as well.
There is a voice that I hear, sometimes as a bellow and sometimes as a whisper. I only became aware of it in the last few years, although if truth be told, I have heard it time and time again in my life. I used to think it was a Jiminy Cricket voice, you know, your conscience? But the voice to which I am referring, has nothing to do with my conscience. That part if me is clear. This voice is authoritative, it has strength and when I tried new things, it tried to block me from doing them ~ and if I did indeed succeed in trying, it would either criticize me for having failed or remain silent when I triumphed.
Have you ever stopped to listen to yourself ~ to the voice in your head ~ especially after you've done something that you weren't sure about? Do you even notice that voice ~ are you aware of it? Or are you thinking me crazy ~ which I protest, I am most certainly not!
The voice is sneaky. It seeps into the running monologue in my head. At one point when I was much younger, I stopped eating for awhile. The voice would urge me on to see how far I could go on a few saltines and a leaf of lettuce. The voice and I would feel triumphant that we were not controlled by food, that we had such discipline to not be so weak as to feed me more than that. I could survive so easily on so little nourishment and I triumphed. I was able to fool everyone ~ working 2 jobs and convincing everyone that I was eating at the other job. Even more impressive to me was that I was getting thinner and by social standards, thinner is better, right?
Thinking back, it happened for a week or two when I was 12 years old as well. For some unknown reason at the time, I completely stopped eating. I shut down. I only wanted to drink water and I was ravenously thirsty. I was given a battery of tests, only to find out that there was nothing wrong with me. After awhile, the episode passed and I ate again. But until I was much older, I never put 2 & 2 together to realize why it was that I put my life on hold. What I do recall was the complete feeling of apathy towards eating and how I wasn't able to talk with anyone about it.
That voice still tries to be heard in my life, but for the most part, I have kicked it to the curb. I found that it wasn't a friend. It didn't talk nicely to me unless it was somehow getting me to discipline myself even more than I already did. When I think about it, if it had been a real live friend who had said those things to me, I would have said goodbye to that friendship long ago.
So why did I permit the voice to continue? Why did I allow myself to believe that no matter what I did, I wasn't enough? The self-criticism in me was even worse than the outside world's perceived condemnation. At times, I bowed to it and strove for perfection and at others, I simply accepted the devastating knowledge that I wasn't good enough and I bowed in sorrow. I can't answer why to the questions above. I can only channel hope, inspiration and love into my heart these days in order to swing the pendulum of the voice and to drown out its power. It isn't easy. It requires my beloved baby steps, but the best part is that it is possible.
So the next time you hear that voice which says, 'not enough' I want you to drown it out with the song below ~ from me to you ~ We Are Family!


It's so tempting. Your website is on WordPress, and you want to start a newsletter to build your audience or customer base. Using just a WordPress plugin, you can create a subscription widget, build drag and drop emails, and manage your subscriber lists. Why set yourself up with an email marketing tool when you can do everything in one place?
Wait a minute marketer… Just because there is an quick and easy solution doesn't mean it's the best solution for your business. We'd like to believe that WordPress can do absolutely everything for us, but it has its limitations: it's a content management system, not an email marketing solution. Don't get the two confused.
We would never ask you to use your email marketing tool as a content management system. So why would you send newsletters from your content management system? Those of us who spend our days developing one of the best email marketing systems on the market can answer in one word: deliverability.
Part of our job at Cakemail, day in and day out, is to keep on top of new trends and deliverability issues that may interfere with your audience receiving your newsletter. This is no small task. We are continually watching how your messages are received and interpreted by big email clients such as Gmail and Outlook. And we regularly adapt our systems based on the latest anti-SPAM regulations applied by governments and email providers alike. It is a big part of what we offer as an email marketing solution provider.
You can't guarantee that the creator of a WordPress newsletter plugin is watching and learning, day in and day out, to make sure the messages it sends are optimally configured to reach your subscribers' inboxes.
Who else is on your server IP and what are they doing?
For example, when you use a WordPress plugin to send newsletters, you dramatically increase the possibility that your lovingly crafted emails will be sent to the SPAM box.
If you have shared hosting for your WordPress site, you share the same server IP address as a handful of other websites. You have no control over how these websites are managing their email marketing programs; they may be respectful to subscribers, or they may be ruthlessly spamming people who have not asked to receive their emails.
If an email provider such as Gmail has earmarked websites that share your IP as delivering SPAM, you risk being associated with that abusive IP and flagged as SPAM. That's a risk you shouldn't be prepared to take.
Can your plugin handle large lists?
Email marketing service providers are made to scale. If you have a large subscriber list (more than 5,000 emails) or if your list grows beyond your wildest expectations, tools such as Cakemail are built to handle high volume sends.
By contrast, a WordPress newsletter plugin may have difficulty sending to large lists, resulting in delays or errors processing outgoing emails. Worse yet, sending a large volume of emails may get you into trouble with your web host. Because you are relying on a system that wasn't built and adapted expressly to send marketing emails, you may come up against a range of unanticipated challenges, particularly as your lists grow.
We reiterate: It takes a team working every day to ensure Cakemail is optimally configured to create, manage and deliver a high volume of newsletters. By contrast, WordPress newsletter plugins are one of may plugins built and managed by plugin developers. Plugin developers may know a lot about email marketing, but we can be pretty sure they don't spend every day immersed in the minutiae of email delivery like we do.
If you're going to put time, energy and resources into launching an email marketing program, the last thing you want to do is switch horses in midstream because you have set yourself up with the wrong solution. Start right with a dedicated email marketing tool that enables your email marketing program to adapt and grow with the industry, and with your business.


VRP $499,000.00 - $524,000.00. Best value custom home in Raywood Sub-division. Over 4100', 4 bedroom, 4 bath, in a quiet cul-de-sac. Spacious kitchen, wolf range/oven. Mother-in-law bedroom on main fl, 3 bedrooms on 2nd fl. w/laundry. Extra deep 2.5 Car garage. 2 Gas fireplaces, LL perfect for family & friends. Screened porch & paved entertaining area.


text:
<?php
namespace UserTest\Service;

use PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase;
use User\Service\UserService;
use UserTest\Bootstrap;

class UserServiceTest extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
{
    public function testGetUserList() {

        $serviceManager = Bootstrap::getServiceManager();

        $userMapper = $serviceManager->get('User\Mapper\UserMapperInterface');
        /**
        * @var UserServiceInterface
        */
        $userService = new UserService($userMapper);

        $result = $userService->getUsersList(array(), array("start" => 0, "limit" => 1));

        $this->assertArrayHasKey("list", $result);
        $this->assertArrayHasKey("total", $result);

        $this->assertInternalType("integer", $result["total"]);
        $this->assertInternalType("array", $result["list"]);

        $this->assertCount(1, $result["list"]);

        if(count($result["list"]) > 0)
        {
            $userData = array_shift($result["list"]);

            $this->assertArrayHasKey("id", $userData);
            $this->assertInternalType("integer", $userData["id"]);

            $this->assertArrayHasKey("name", $userData);
            $this->assertInternalType("string", $userData["name"]);

            $this->assertArrayHasKey("education", $userData);
            $this->assertInternalType("integer", $userData["education"]);

            $this->assertArrayHasKey("education_title", $userData);
            $this->assertInternalType("string", $userData["education_title"]);

            $this->assertArrayHasKey("cities", $userData);
            $this->assertInternalType("array", $userData["cities"]);

            $this->assertArrayHasKey("cities_title", $userData);
            $this->assertInternalType("string", $userData["cities_title"]);
        }
    }

    public function testSave() {
        $serviceManager = Bootstrap::getServiceManager();

        $userMapper = $serviceManager->get('User\Mapper\UserMapperInterface');
        /**
        * @var UserServiceInterface
        */
        $userService = new UserService($userMapper);

        //Add
        $userData = array(
            "name" => "Тестовый пользователь - ".rand(0,500),
            "education_id" => rand(1,4),
            "cities" => array(rand(1, 10), rand(1, 10), rand(1, 10), rand(1, 10), rand(1, 10), rand(1, 10))
        );

        $newId = $userService->save($userData);
        $this->assertInternalType("integer", $newId);

        //Update
        $userData = array(
            "id" => $newId,
            "name" => "Тестовый пользователь - ".rand(0,500),
            "education_id" => rand(1,4),
            "cities" => array(rand(1, 10), rand(1, 10), rand(1, 10), rand(1, 10), rand(1, 10), rand(1, 10))
        );

        $result = $userService->save($userData);
        $this->assertInternalType("integer", $result);
        $this->assertEquals($newId, $result);

        $userService->delete($newId);

        $userData = array(
            "name" => "Тестовый пользователь",
        );
        $this->setExpectedException('Exception');
        $result = $userService->save($userData);
    }

    public function testDelete() {
        $serviceManager = Bootstrap::getServiceManager();

        $userMapper = $serviceManager->get('User\Mapper\UserMapperInterface');
        /**
        * @var UserServiceInterface
        */
        $userService = new UserService($userMapper);

        //Add
        $userData = array(
            "name" => "Тестовый пользователь - ".rand(0,500),
            "education_id" => rand(1,4),
            "cities" => array(rand(1, 10), rand(1, 10), rand(1, 10), rand(1, 10), rand(1, 10), rand(1, 10))
        );

        $newId = $userService->save($userData);

        $result = $userService->delete($newId);
        $this->assertTrue($result);

        $this->setExpectedException('Exception');
        $result = $userService->delete($newId);
    }
}
?>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Meet Me in the Metaverse for Better Mental Health?
(1) Bhugaonkar, K.; Bhugaonkar, R.; Masne, N. The Trend of Metaverse and Augmented & Virtual Reality Extending to the Healthcare System. Cureus 14 (9), e29071. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.29071.
(2) Petrigna, L.; Musumeci, G. The Metaverse: A New Challenge for the Healthcare System: A Scoping Review. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol 2022, 7 (3), 63. https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk7030063.
(3) Kalantari, S.; Bill Xu, T.; Mostafavi, A.; Lee, A.; Barankevich, R.; Boot, W. R.; Czaja, S. J. Using a Nature-Based Virtual Reality Environment for Improving Mood States and Cognitive Engagement in Older Adults: A Mixed-Method Feasibility Study. Innov Aging 2022, 6 (3), igac015. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igac015.
(4) Croghan, I. T.; Hurt, R. T.; Aakre, C. A.; Fokken, S. C.; Fischer, K. M.; Lindeen, S. A.; Schroeder, D. R.; Ganesh, R.; Ghosh, K.; Bauer, B. A. Virtual Reality for Health Care Professionals During a Pandemic: A Pilot Program. J Prim Care Community Health 2022, 13, 21501319221086716. https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319221086716.
(5) Ramsden, E. Designing for Mental Health: Psychiatry, Psychology and the Architectural Study Project. In Preventing Mental Illness: Past, Present and Future; Kritsotaki, D., Long, V., Smith, M., Eds.; Wellcome Trust–Funded Monographs and Book Chapters; Palgrave Macmillan: Cham (CH), 2019.
(6) Tawil, N.; Sztuka, I. M.; Pohlmann, K.; Sudimac, S.; Kühn, S. The Living Space: Psychological Well-Being and Mental Health in Response to Interiors Presented in Virtual Reality. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021, 18 (23), 12510. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182312510.
(7) Montes, G. A. Virtual Reality for Non-Ordinary Consciousness. Front Robot AI 2018, 5, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2018.00007.
(8) Tseng, A. A. Scientific Evidence of Health Benefits by Practicing Mantra Meditation: Narrative Review. Int J Yoga 2022, 15 (2), 89–95. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijoy.ijoy_53_22.
(9) Shen, H.; Chen, M.; Cui, D. Biological Mechanism Study of Meditation and Its Application in Mental Disorders. Gen Psychiatr 2020, 33 (4), e100214. https://doi.org/10.1136/gpsych-2020-100214.
(10) Smith, D. T.; Faber, S. C.; Buchanan, N. T.; Foster, D.; Green, L. The Need for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy in the Black Community and the Burdens of Its Provision. Front Psychiatry 2022, 12, 774736. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.774736.
(11) Szabo, A. Psychedelics and Immunomodulation: Novel Approaches and Therapeutic Opportunities. Front Immunol 2015, 6, 358. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2015.00358.
(12) Cleary, J. L.; Fang, Y.; Zahodne, L. B.; Bohnert, A. S. B.; Burmeister, M.; Sen, S. Polygenic Risk and Social Support in Predicting Depression Under Stress. Am J Psychiatry 2023, appiajp21111100. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.21111100.
(13) Harandi, T. F.; Taghinasab, M. M.; Nayeri, T. D. The Correlation of Social Support with Mental Health: A Meta-Analysis. Electron Physician 2017, 9 (9), 5212–5222. https://doi.org/10.19082/5212.
(14) Beccia, F.; Hoxhaj, I.; Castagna, C.; Strohäker, T.; Cadeddu, C.; Ricciardi, W.; Boccia, S. An Overview of Personalized Medicine Landscape and Policies in the European Union. Eur J Public Health 2022, 32 (6), 844–851. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckac103.
(15) Law, M.; Karulkar, N.; Broadbent, E. Evidence for the Effects of Viewing Visual Artworks on Stress Outcomes: A Scoping Review. BMJ Open 2021, 11 (6), e043549. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043549.
(16) Thomson, L. J.; Lockyer, B.; Camic, P. M.; Chatterjee, H. J. Effects of a Museum-Based Social Prescription Intervention on Quantitative Measures of Psychological Wellbeing in Older Adults. Perspect Public Health 2018, 138 (1), 28–38. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757913917737563.
(17) Powers, M. B.; Briceno, N. F.; Gresham, R.; Jouriles, E. N.; Emmelkamp, P. M. G.; Smits, J. A. J. Do Conversations with Virtual Avatars Increase Feelings of Social Anxiety? J Anxiety Disord 2013, 27 (4), 398–403. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2013.03.003.
(18) Yoshida, A.; Kumazaki, H.; Muramatsu, T.; Yoshikawa, Y.; Ishiguro, H.; Mimura, M. Intervention with a Humanoid Robot Avatar for Individuals with Social Anxiety Disorders Comorbid with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Asian J Psychiatr 2022, 78, 103315. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2022.103315.
(19) Dumas, D.; Dunbar, K. N. The Creative Stereotype Effect. PLoS One 2016, 11 (2), e0142567. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0142567.
(20) Levy, B. Stereotype Embodiment. Curr Dir Psychol Sci 2009, 18 (6), 332–336.
(21) Yuen, A. S. Y.; Mak, W. W. S. The Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality in Reducing Public Stigma of Mental Illness in the University Population of Hong Kong: Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res 2021, 23 (7), e23683. https://doi.org/10.2196/23683.
(22) Henderson, C.; Evans-Lacko, S.; Thornicroft, G. Mental Illness Stigma, Help Seeking, and Public Health Programs. Am J Public Health 2013, 103 (5), 777–780. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2012.301056.
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I was a member of Daniel Hoffman's graduate poetry writing workshop at the University of Pennsylvania long ago: in the spring of 1990 and again in the spring of 1993. I had known his superb work as a poet since I was a college student at CCNY, majoring in creative writing, in the early 1970s. My mother was working at Bantam Books at the time, and one day she gave me Hayden Carruth's newly published The Voice That Is Great Within Us, which she had seen at work. Dan was prominent on the list of poets I discovered within its pages at the time, who stayed with me as lifetime influences -- others included Mina Loy, Kenneth Rexroth, Robinson Jeffers, Countee Cullen, Denise Levertov, Robert Duncan, Frank O'Hara, Harvey Shapiro, and Adrienne Rich - many others I already knew. I remember in particular the impact Dan's remarkable poem "Signatures" had on me.
Adrienne Rich was to be my teacher almost immediately afterwards, in a CCNY undergraduate writing workshop in the fall of 1971, but I waited another twenty years to study with Dan. I still recall my excitement, when looking for Ph.D. programs to apply to after finishing an M. A. also at CCNY in which I was mentored by the late great poet Bill Matthews, upon finding out that Dan taught a graduate poetry writing workshop at Penn. I had some ambivalence about moving from a creative (M.A.) to a scholarly (Ph.D.) focus in my graduate work, an uncertainty that was to prove prophetic given my eventual abandonment of the degree, (though more because finance had moved from hobby to lucrative part time job than because of the conflict I just mentioned). Dan's workshop seemed a potential solution to my poet/scholar unease, especially given his stature as a scholar. And, to this day, those classes were not only the most valuable of the ones I took at Penn, they were the most permanently influential of any classes I have ever taken. And that's because Daniel Hoffman brought the same genius to teaching that he brought to writing poetry, and to literary scholarship.
In the workshops, Dan always taught and led under the authority of his enormous achievement and intellect, and with the generosity and kindness of his deeply benevolent nature. There's no better combination of qualification and motivations for a teacher. My roster of gifted poetry and fiction instructors over the years, at CCNY and Penn, is a notable one, including (chronologically) William Gaddis, Adrienne Rich, Anthony Burgess, Kurt Vonnegut, William Matthews, Bob Perelman (in Bob's case, not in a writing class) and, as recently as last year, in the extraordinary summer workshop she conducts at the Athens Centre in Greece, A. E. Stallings. All were or are tremendously talented writers, and all brought or bring something singular and inspirational to teaching the craft of writing. Yet Dan has had the deepest influence on me, perhaps in part because of a personal chemistry that has made us very good friends for the past fifteen years or so, but also, I think, because his approach to poetry is truly universal. He favored no style, and excluded no approach. Good writing was all he cared about, and he knew how to support it and improve it in a psychologically deft manner that was both encouraging and instructive.
The effectiveness of Dan's teaching was eloquently testified to a few years ago when I was visiting his home in Swarthmore with Elizabeth Coleman, a terrific poet and friend who is a member of the poetry workshop I conduct in New York City, "Walking with the Sonnet." Dan was showing us his library, a notable collection that includes a personally inscribed book of Dylan Thomas's with the poet's sketch in it, among other notable works, and then we suddenly came to a couple of shelves filled with a variety of books that at first glance looked like any other shelves. But, "these are books my students have published," Dan told us, and we stood as if stilled by the glow of his remarkable achievement. I doubt there are many, and there may not be any, teachers in American history who have played a role in the birth of more volumes than Dan has.
Dan's teaching transcends moods and fads, schools and skills. I use the present tense in concluding because, although his Penn workshop has formally ended, he continues to inspire and instruct in all his various relationships and correspondences with poets everywhere, an inspiration I personally draw from to this very moment. As a teacher, his receptivity, genuineness, and generosity cast sparks to the benefit of all who enter his classroom. This is why I will be dedicating my next book of poems to Dan (long overdue on my part), and why I call him a teacher for all seasons.


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Home > Fund Managers > Unisys Corp
Why JANA Partners Considers CSC To Be Undervalued
By Diana Key
JANA says Computer Sciences Corporation is undervalued
In its filings, JANA Partners declared its increased stake in Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), believing that the company is undervalued. JANA wants CSC to look for strategic alternatives. Let's explore JANA's rationale for its assessment.
CSC's relative valuation
To determine its relative valuation, we compared Computer Sciences Corporation with its peers Cognizant Tech Solutions (CTSH), International Business Machines (IBM), Unisys (UIS), and Accenture (ACN). CSC is a part of the Technology Sector SPDR ETF (XLK), and it also accounts for 0.10% of the iShares S&P 500 Value ETF (IVE).
Computer Sciences Corporation has the second lowest market cap among these peers. Its forward EV/EBITDA (enterprise value to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization) was less than the majority of its peers. The company's low EV/EBITDA ratio indicates that the company might be undervalued and is a good target for takeover by other companies. Its forward price-to-earnings ratio of 14.2x is at the middle level.
CSC's gross margin was lower than majority of its peers. Its operating and net profit margins were the lowest among its peers. Cognizant Tech Solutions, IBM, and Accenture all had operating margins in the range of 13.6%–18.7%, whereas CSC's operating margin stood at 3.5%.
Analyst views on CSC
JANA Partners revealed its stake in Computer Sciences Corporation on February 23. Stifel Nicolaus downgraded CSC from buy to hold on the second day after JANA's filings. BMO Capital Markets set a price target of $63 on CSC stock. On March 20, the stock closed at $66.73 on the New York Stock Exchange. On February 23, J.P. Morgan repeated its sell rating on CSC.
Recently, Morningstar assigned a BBB rating to Computer Sciences Corporation, which indicates the company has a moderate risk of default.
Computer Sciences Corporation CEO Michael Lawrie sold 14,586 shares of CSC on February 13 at an average price of $65.14, which he reported in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (or SEC).
It will be interesting to see whether Computer Sciences Corporation follows its strategic alternatives to unlock maximum value for its shareholders.
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package ar.com.uade.business.impl;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Date;
import java.util.List;

import org.springframework.transaction.annotation.Transactional;

import ar.com.uade.business.VendedorBusiness;
import ar.com.uade.dao.VendedorDAO;
import ar.com.uade.dao.model.Vendedor;
import ar.com.uade.form.VendedorForm;

public class VendedorBusinessImpl implements VendedorBusiness {
	private VendedorDAO vendedorDAO;

	@Override
	@Transactional
	public void altaVendedor(VendedorForm form) {
		Vendedor vendedor = new Vendedor(form);
		vendedorDAO.altaVendedor(vendedor);
	}

	@Override
	@Transactional
	public void bajaVendedor(VendedorForm form) {
		Vendedor vendedor = vendedorDAO.loadVendedor(form.getLegajo());
		vendedor.setFechaBaja(new Date());
		vendedorDAO.bajaVendedor(vendedor);
	}

	@Override
	@Transactional
	public VendedorForm obtenerVendedor(Long legajo) {
		Vendedor vendedor = vendedorDAO.loadVendedor(legajo);
		return crearView(vendedor);
	}

	@Override
	@Transactional
	public void modificarVendedor(VendedorForm form) {
		Vendedor vendedor = new Vendedor(form);
		vendedorDAO.modificarVendedor(vendedor);
	}

	@Override
	public List<VendedorForm> listarVendedores() {
		List<Vendedor> vendedores = vendedorDAO.listarVendedores();
		List<VendedorForm> vendedoresForm = new ArrayList<VendedorForm>();
		for (Vendedor vendedor : vendedores) {
			vendedoresForm.add(crearView(vendedor));
		}
		return vendedoresForm;
	}

	private VendedorForm crearView(Vendedor vendedor) {
		VendedorForm vf = new VendedorForm();
		vf.setLegajo(vendedor.getLegajo());
		vf.setApellido(vendedor.getApellido());
		vf.setDni(vendedor.getDni());
		vf.setDomicilio(vendedor.getDomicilio());
		vf.setFechaIngreso(vendedor.getFechaIngreso());
		vf.setFechaNac(vendedor.getFechaNac());
		vf.setNombre(vendedor.getNombre());
		vf.setTelefono(vendedor.getTelefono());
		vf.setFechaBaja(vendedor.getFechaBaja());

		return vf;
	}

	public boolean vendedorExiste(VendedorForm vendedor) {
		return vendedorDAO.vendedorExiste(vendedor);
	}

	public VendedorDAO getVendedorDAO() {
		return vendedorDAO;
	}

	public void setVendedorDAO(VendedorDAO vendedorDAO) {
		this.vendedorDAO = vendedorDAO;
	}

}


text:
'My soulmate killed himself after his family said he needed to be 'cured' of being gay'
Matt Mahmood-Ogston said some gay people were still being forced into straight marriages by relatives
Kirsty CardCommunity Reporter
It was a night out like any other when Matt Ogston's life changed forever.
A man with a soft voice asked to sit beside him in a nightclub in November 2001 - and so began a 13-year love story which ended in the most tragic fashion.
The voice belonged to Dr Nazim Mahmood, an up-and-coming doctor who would go on to run three London clinics.
The couple quickly fell in love and set up home in Moseley but one thing clouded their happiness. Nazim feared his family would not accept their relationship.
Wanting freedom and the anonymity of a new life in a big city, they moved to London, quickly formed a circle of friends and, in time, became engaged.
But still Nazim, known as Naz, kept his sexuality a secret from his relatives back home until the truth emerged during a trip back to Birmingham for Eid celebrations in July 2014.
The couple met and fell in love in 2001. (Image: Naz and Matt Foundation)
Within days, he had taken his own life. He was just 34.
Now Matt runs the Naz and Matt Foundation in his fiance's memory to help families learn to accept their children and see that being gay is not a choice.
He said some were still being pressed into forced marriages with members of the opposite sex, with families hoping it would "cure" their kids of being gay.
Matt recalled: "I first met Naz on a night out in Birmingham. I was sitting there and I heard this soft voice say: 'Excuse me, can I sit here please?"
"In that moment my life changed because he'd arrived. He was the one I was looking for.
"We got quickly got talking and we fell in love.
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"We just wanted to be together but to live our lives and be ourselves we had to move to London because living in Birmingham was just too scary.
"We couldn't walk down the street together, we couldn't even have our blinds open in the living room.
"Naz would say that if his parents drove past and saw us holding hands or doing something any other couple might do, they would be on the doorstep demanding we broke up because it wasn't acceptable in their family to have a gay son."
Nazim was raised by a strict Muslim family and he knew they would not accept his sexuality, Matt said.
He was questioned by relatives about when he was going to find a wife and pretended Matt was just a friend at family events, his partner said.
Matt said: "We had to do everything in our power to protect our relationship which is why running away to London was the only way forward for us.
Matt asked Naz to marry him on their 10 year anniversary. (Image: Naz and Matt Foundation)
"We didn't know anyone there but we wanted to find freedom in the bright lights, the big city with adventure ahead where we could be ourselves.
"When we were in London we could be ourselves but every so many weeks we'd travel back to Birmingham and he would see his family.
"That was where he would have to pretend to be the perfect Muslim son they wanted him to be.
"Then, when we got back to London, he would be grumpy because he'd been through a lot emotionally as he was having to hide his identity."
On their tenth anniversary, the pair decided they would throw a party to thank friends for their support - and Matt decided he was going to propose.
He continued: "I got down on one knee in the DJ booth and asked him to marry me and he said yes.
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"But, if we were to get married he would have to come out because he wanted his mum at the wedding.
"We knew that might never happen because he feared what his family would do if they found out."
Despite knowing they may never marry, Matt didn't mind.
Just being engaged to the love of his life and getting to share that moment with all of their friends was enough.
However, in July 2014, Naz's family discovered his sexuality when he was visiting them during Eid celebrations.
Matt said: "His sexuality was brought up and challenged, which made him break down in tears.
Matt and Naz, happily in love in 2013. (Image: Naz and Matt foundation)
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"They told him he needed to see a psychiatrist to be cured because they saw being gay as a disease but it's not.
"Just as somebody is born straight, we were born gay. The only choice we have is to accept ourselves for how we are born and the way that God made us.
"This is a journey we all have to go on, hoping one day our parents accept us too.
"Quite often when we come out, many of us in the community face rejection, particularly when there is a strong, conservative, religious interpretation.
"That confrontation left Naz deeply upset and in the days following we talked about what happened and tried to make sense of it all."
Matt tried desperately to console his distraught partner but just two days later, their love story came to a tragic end.
Matt now has to live without his soul mate after he took his own life in July 2014. (Image: Naz and Matt Foundation)
On July 30, 2014, Matt received phone calls begging him to leave work and go home with no explanation of what was happening.
He said: "I got home and I saw police cars and blue flashing lights.
"I was bundled into one of the cars when I tried to get into our home and that's when I saw a red blanket on the floor.
"That's when I realised that my fiancé and soul mate was gone, and when the police said the words I desperately didn't want them to say. I broke down.
"My reason for living was no longer here. In the weeks afterwards, it didn't get any easier."
Matt later changed his legal name to Matt Mahmood-Ogston even though they were not married.
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He said: "Naz once asked me to promise him that, if anything happened to him, I would never forget him.
"When Naz passed away I wanted to make sure that I, and the rest of the world, would never forget.
"I changed my name to include Naz's name so, whenever I write my name in full, his name will always be there next to mine."
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Where is Matt now?
Matt set up the Naz and Matt Foundation in his fiance's memory to help families learn to accept their children and see that being gay is not a choice.
He said: "The work I've now done setting up the Naz and Matt Foundation, which I set up in his memory, hundreds of people have come forward with similar stories.
"I felt I had to create the foundation because a community and a conservative religious family did not understand what it means to be born gay.
"They saw it as a disease that needed to be got rid of; something incompatible with their interpretation of their religion.
Need support 'coming out' in a strict religious family?
The Naz and Matt Foundation was set up in 2014 in memory of Dr Nazim Mahmood. It is a charity that aims to empower and support the LGBTQ+ community, their friends and family to work towards resolving challenges linked to sexuality or gender identity, particularly in cases where there is a strong religious influence.
Matt reads emotional tribute to deceased fiancé
You can request help from the organisation via email - hello@nazandmattfoundation.org or visit their website.
"I hear from men and women who fear their parents will disown or emotionally or physically abuse them if they find out they're gay.
"In some cases they force them to marry a member of the opposite sex in a belief it will somehow 'cure' them of being gay.
"It's made me realise that this was never an isolated incident.
"This is a wider issue that needs to be tackled in communities from all around the UK.
Children calling Childline after being told to kill themselves because they're LGBT
"There is a very strong religious interpretation that some families from any faith have that tells them that they can't accept someone from being gay, this is what happens.
"It leads to suicides and it's not acceptable. That's why we need to challenge these views because
"I don't want anything to happen to their children. We just want acceptance for their children for how they were born.
"There's no one to blame, there's nothing wrong with them.
"The true beauty of a relationship with your child is loving them unconditionally and that's all we ask."


Nestled in a leafy avenue in the quiet suburb of Craighall Park, Rutland House delivers genteel English country-style charm within easy striking distance of many of Joburg's most popular dining and shopping hubs such as Parkhurst, Hyde Park, Rosebank and Sandton Central.
There's a choice of three suites and two cottages equipped with kitchenettes (ideal for longer stays), each discretely tucked away among Rutland House's immaculate gardens. The peaceful and spacious gardens are filled with beautiful irises and violets, mature trees, birdlife, fragrant herbs and abundant pot plants, as well as quirky little sculptures picked up from the owner's travels across South Africa. Look out for the story-telling mermaids from the Eastern Cape village Nieu-Bethesda, clay chickens from the Mpumalanga farming town Hazyview and a beaded warthog family that welcomes you to the sunny breakfast room.
Rutland House is owned and run by the vivacious Delia Ferguson, who first began working in the hospitality industry in 1972. Her long and adventurous hospitality career has seen her pulling pints in a Cotswolds pub, running a chalet in the Swiss Alps and even catering on a Majorcan yacht.
Included in your stay is a filling full English breakfast and fresh fruits served by the guesthouse pool and host Delia's wealth of knowledge on how to get the best out of a Joburg stay.
Delia will happily help organise tours and transfers for guests and if you are a keen cyclist make sure to join Delia and her friends the 'cyclopaths' for a 16km afternoon ride every Tuesday and Thursday.
Rutland House is a member of the Johannesburg Guesthouses network, which offers an excellent range of more than 20 owner-run guesthouses all based in and around the beautiful northern suburbs of Rosebank and The Parks. See the booking website johannesburg-guesthouses.co.za for the full range of options.


I was getting ready to teach a class this past week, and one of the students brought in a cake and snacks because it was her birthday. When I said, "You invited yourself to the party," it reminded me on a Monday Memo I wrote five years ago titled, "Invite Yourself to the Party." I knew right away it fit in with our current theme, which is "Put Me In, Coach." Let me explain with examples from my own life.
For years, I would be a guest on media shows, after which the host would rave about how well the show went, promising to have me back on the show soon. In almost every instance, I was never invited back. Now, either they were lying that the show went well (I concurred with their assessment that it did go well) or they had no intention of asking me back (which meant they were lying), or they just did not follow through (sincere but inefficient). Whatever the reason, I decided after so many disappointments to invited myself to the party: I sponsored my own weekly show on two AM stations for six years, and I hosted hundreds of blog radio shows. I started a Vimeo channel and have many video shows posted there and on Facebook.
My point is that I was no longer content to be invited to the party. Just like my student, I threw my own party.
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
When God calls you to a purpose, He calls you by name and He calls you to Himself. It isn't just a task, it's a unique relationship with Him. I have found that when I function in my purpose, God provides for me and takes care of all I need to fulfill my purpose. He speaks to me, and my relationship with Him is somehow closer and more intimate when I am going about my purpose.
In Matthew, Jesus called twelve men to Himself and gave them authority. That was a question the Jews always asked Jesus; "By whose authority do You do these things?" Jesus did the things He did in the authority of His purpose. That is all the authority you need as well, for your purpose is your assignment from heavenly headquarters. When you move in your purpose, you don't need an invitation to the party, so to speak. You invite yourself. Someone else said that you nominate yourself for the job.
The authority of results – your purpose helps you bear fruit. No one can question your authority when you can show them the fruit of your labors.
The authority of clarity – your purpose is a clear, concise statement of what you are on earth to do. People will follow and respond to you because you are direct, clear, and focused.
The authority of knowledge – your purpose enables and even drives you to be skilled at what you do. You will have more insight and knowledge about your sphere of purpose than others.
The authority of calling – God assigned your purpose and wants you to fulfill it even more than you do. He will open doors and create opportunities for you to succeed.
The authority of integrity – your purpose causes you to live by your values, the things that are most important to you. You don't want to undermine your purpose, so you have added incentive to be an honest person of your word.
The authority of courage – your purpose makes you a leader where you function. You face your fears because your purpose is more important than you are. There are people waiting to benefit from what you do and who you are, so you press through obstacles to be there for them.
The authority of humility – you know your source of strength, which is God Himself. You acknowledge your source, but you don't deny that you are good at what you do because you know God helps you produce results.
The authority of honesty – you do not engage in "false humility" (denying what you can do). You know and face your limitations and weaknesses with openness and transparency, and you do the same with your strengths.
When you have a purpose, you have all the authority you need to act. If you can't find a partner to help, you go it alone and wait for a partner to find you. If that doesn't happen, you then be content with the fact that you have the most important partner of all, the Lord Himself, and together you will attend a purpose party that will impact the lives of others and enrich your own. Thanks for reading, and have a purposeful week!
ALASKA AND ISRAEL: Don't forget about my upcoming trips to Alaska and Israel. Click on the link to get the information you need.
Let's take another look this week into the concept we have been discussing this year, which is summarized by the phrase "Put Me in, Coach." We have been looking at our role in bearing fruit and being productive for the Lord, specifically if we can actually volunteer to act or do we need to be directed by the Lord at all times. The last two weeks we studied Jesus' life, the greatest volunteer of all time. This week, let's look at the man who had the greatest impact on the early church after Jesus, and that is the Apostle Paul.
If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:17-18).
It seems Paul was indicating it is acceptable to carry out God's will without volunteering, but it seems that there is no reward for doing so. It is simply a matter of duty. Yet if we do it voluntarily, there is a reward, but not as we would think. Paul's reward was that he could volunteer to preach free of charge to those who heard.
It was customary in Paul's time for teachers and speakers to travel and receive pay for their services. Paul also established that this was an acceptable practice for God's servants as well. Yet Paul chose to work and cover all the expenses for his team. He chose to do this; he says this was his reward for volunteering to preach the gospel. Therefore, Paul preached voluntarily and then volunteered to do it for free, adding to his responsibilities the task of working for a living. Paul saw his ability to volunteer as his reward for volunteering to preach. That's an interesting spin on what he did, don't you agree?
In the Old Testament, there was such a thing as a freewill offering: "These offerings are in addition to those for the Lord's Sabbaths and in addition to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings you give to the Lord" (Leviticus 23:38). This was an offering that was not prescribed or demanded, but was given because the offerer chose to do so. God did not "lay the offering" on their heart and they obeyed; they chose what they wanted to give.
I include the concept of the freewill offering because that seems to be what Paul was doing when he voluntarily preached and also volunteered to do it for free. He chose of his own free will to do it. Yes, the Lord appeared on the Damascus road and said He was sending Paul to the Gentiles. When He did, Paul said in his heart, "I'll go," and then added on the part about doing it for free.
God has assigned your purpose and gifts, and bestowed on you a measure of creativity. You should now willingly and enthusiastically accept them and not sit back and only wait for God's direction. You should voluntarily make all those things available and accessible to other people. I am not suggesting God will not direct what He has given you; He most certainly will. At the same time, He will not direct every expression, but will wait for you to volunteer. When you do, make it an extravagant expression, just like Paul did, and receive the same reward, which is the knowledge that you are in partnership with God and the two of you make an unbeatable team. Have a blessed week!
Last week, we looked at the greatest volunteer of all time in our ongoing series titled "Put Me In, Coach!" That volunteer was none other than Jesus who willingly laid down His life in response to the Father's command. We read Paul's description of this act in Philippians 2 where Jesus emptied Himself and took on the role of a servant. Our goal is to follow Jesus, in the process becoming more like Him. How can we be more like Jesus and voluntarily lay down our lives? Let's try to answer that question this week.
"This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other" (John 15:8-17).
Let's look at these words more closely.
Jesus expects us to bear fruit. By doing so, we will show ourselves to be His followers. Doctrine will not set us apart; fruit will.
Jesus does not define the fruit, but tells us how the fruit will be developed and manifest. We will produce a lot of fruit by keeping His commands and remaining in His love.
As we obey His commands, we will have His joy, which will guide our activities.
Jesus' commands will not be to direct our every action, but His commands can be summarized in one main directive: Love each other as He has loved us.
Once we know Jesus' commands, we understand the Father's motive for sending Jesus and that becomes the same motive He has in sending us. That motivation was and is love for people.
When we love others and have joy, we are no longer servants being told every step we need to make and action we need to take. We are God's friends, and friends do things for others not because they have to but because they choose to do so.
With love and joy as our motivators, we will bear fruit—willingly and of our own volition. We will pray and God will give us whatever we need to bear joyful and loving fruit.
I write every day because I have joy doing it, and I publish what I write on social media because it may help someone. My motivation is love and joy. I travel because I love to travel; it gives me joy, and I have borne fruit all over the world when I coach, consult, and speak. My joy guides me, but my love drives me to touch as many people as possible with who I am and what God has made me to be. I never pray about where I go; I have told the Father to "Put me in, Coach," so I am never concerned that I am being misled when i am invited to go or when I decide I want to go, even if I do not feel God prompting me to do so. Don't misunderstand; He does at times prompt me, but at others times, I volunteer to go, and He meets me when I get there.
Jesus expects us to bear fruit, but He is not going to direct our every action. Our love and joy will direct some of it, and that will lead to fruit because we are fully engaged in the process. We are not held hostage by God's will; we have voluntarily offered ourselves to do it, and the results will show because we use all our energy and creativity to produce fruit. We are no longer afraid of missing God's will, for we are partners with Him, friends even, as we express who He made us to be.
Next week, we will look again at Paul and how this concept played out in his life, but for now, I urge you to find your joy and express your love this week freely and without constraint. As you do, you will bear fruit and that is the end result Jesus is after in all our lives. Have a blessed week!
ALASKA CRUISE: Ever been to a true wilderness? Seen grizzly bears? Watch salmon as they spawn? If that's been your desire, then come with me to Alaska this coming August for a vacation you will never forget! Here is the link to the information. Check it out and then come with me for a purposeful holiday at will produce memories to last a lifetime.
I was seeking the Lord this past week for more material in our current series titled "Put Me In, Coach," specifically asking for other biblical examples of the concept of volunteering to do the work of the Lord. I am spending so much time on this topic because of the prevailing mindset that we are to sit and wait for directions from the Lord before we initiate any activity, which assumes we can perfectly hear from the Lord and then are poised to immediately carry out what we hear. Both assumptions are flawed. I am not saying the Lord never initiates good deeds or direction in our lives - He most certainly does. I am saying, however, that we have a role to play in doing things consistent with our purpose and creativity when God is not directing us.
As I was seeking this week, it occurred to me that I should focus on the greatest volunteer of all time, the man who volunteered to pay the highest price to do the Father's will, and that person is none other than Jesus Himself. Let's look at this concept of "Put Me In, Coach" from the Master's perspective and study His example.
The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father" (John 10:17-18 NIV).
"The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded" (John 10:17-18 NLT).
We learn in these verses that Jesus volunteered to do what He did. He did it willingly and of His own accord. The command was to expand God's sheepfold to include Jews and Gentiles and when Jesus heard the Father's wish, He immediately said, "Put me in, Coach! I'll do it." There was no coercion, no sense of "this is what I have to do." Jesus offered Himself as a willing sacrifice, the extent to which He did is further explained by Paul.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8).
A seldom-referenced translation translates verse six this way: "who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage" (Holman Christian Standard Bible). Jesus emptied Himself and refused to use His position and power as a means to building HIs own kingdom. Instead, He volunteered to carry out the assignment of the cross and we are in Him today because He did. No one made or coerced Him to do what He did; He did it voluntarily.
Jesus is our model for life, purpose, and ministry. Next week, we will look at the implications and God's expectations for us because of what Jesus did. For now, simply consider the fact that Jesus said, "Put me in, Coach" and see where you can follow in His footsteps and do the same. Have a blessed week!
Happy birthday to the Monday Memo. I wrote the first Memo in March of 2001, not sure how long it would go or if anyone would notice or read it. Now here I am 18 years later writing Memo number 894. I thank God for the number of lives that have been touched every week throughout the years, and I know other writers have been inspired to write because of its content. I have turned the content into six books, and committing to write every week has made me a better writer and enhanced my faith that God will meet me when I do my part and show up. I am not sure ow much longer I will continue, but 1,000 Memos seems like a good round number, but I will entrust that goal to the Lord and see what happens.
The Lord will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying,"Rule in the midst of Your enemies." Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power; In holy array, from the womb of the dawn,Your youth are to You as the dew (Psalm 110:2-3 NASB).
What does it meant to volunteer freely in the day of "Your power"? In fact, is it every acceptable and permissible to volunteer without a direction or leading of the Lord?
Psalm 110 is what is known as a Messianic psalm and is often quoted in the New Testament books (23 times to be exact by seven of the nine authors), which means that Jesus would have taught the disciples from this psalm and they in turn delivered what He said to us. It seems that Christ has fulfilled this Messianic prediction, for He is now seated at the right hand of the Father, and is reigning while His enemies are being subdued under His feet. This is the day of Christ's power, for He sent the Holy Spirit to build His church and deliver and establish His people.
Notice what His people are doing while He stretches forth His strong scepter from Zion: They are volunteering freely. What are they volunteering to do? We are not told, but it involves warfare and battle as the entire psalm describes. When we search for a biblical example of a volunteer, our mind should immediately go to David when he confronted the giant Goliath. Let's look there to see if we can get more insight so we can answer the question: Is it permissible to volunteer, to say "put me in, Coach"?
When we read 1 Samuel 17, at no time do we see that the Lord told David to attack or fight Goliath. We read that David said he was coming to Goliath in the name of the Lord. We read David's vow to not only defeat Goliath, but also to cut off his head and parade it around the region. We do not read, however, that the Lord or any of His representatives directed David to do what he did. This is interesting, because we have other examples of David's battle strategies and often they involved asking God if he should attack and how he should do so.
This leads me to the conclusion that David volunteered to go of his own free will. He assessed the situation, weighed the probability for success, considered the rewards being offered, looked at the cowardice of the army, listened to Goliath's taunts, and after all that, said, "I'll go. I am your man. Put me in, coach!" We may even assume that God set up this situation that was perfectly suited for David to act, but He did not tell him to act. That was up to David to decide. It seems like God wasn't upset that David acted and helped him do what he set out to do.
I am not saying God never directs us to do things, for He most certainly does. But does everything have to be a word from the Lord before we act? I can't remember if the Lord directed me to write the Monday Memo 18 years ago. I had an idea to write and have had many theme ideas since then to produce 894 Memos. Has God empowered me to write for 18 years? Absolutely! Did God give me my ability to write? Of course! Did He give me specific input to write some of the Monday Memos? I know He did! Did He direct me to write them all? I cannot say He has. Some weeks, I volunteered freely in the day of His power, which for me has been the explosion of social media and publishing opportunities. Eighteen years ago, I said to the Lord, "put me in, Coach" and every Sunday when I write, my Mentor and Friend has been there to support me and help.
I leave you with these questions: If you were not afraid of missing the Lord, what would you volunteer to do today? What would you freely give yourself to in the day of His power when the battle rages for people's lives? When you get the answer, I urge you to find a way to do it and trust that if He is not in it, He will stop you. If He doesn't stop you, however, keep going and maybe 18 years from now, you will look back on something you have done, not sure if God directed you to do, but glad you did it nonetheless. Have a blessed week!
NEW BOOKS: I have released two new books that are ready for purchase. One is Go and Obey: God's Call to Action, which is a compilation of the series I did in The Monday Memo titled "Go And . . ." The second is the second edition of I Wrote This Book on Purpose . . . So You Can Know Yours. The latter is a book I wrote in 1997, so it was overdue for an update and expansion. Either one of these books can help you find and express your purpose and creativity. Also, don't forget about my upcoming trips to Alaska and Israel. Click on the link to get the information you need.
This week we conclude our discussion of self-promotion, attempting to define what it is and if and when it is appropriate. If you missed the previous three entries, you can read them here along with some insightful comments from your fellow readers. Next week we will continue with our "Put Me in, Coach" topic of which self-promotion has been a subtopic.
"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:14-16).
It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice (Philippians 1:15-18a, emphasis added).
There you have it: Paul did not care about the motives, only that the work of preaching the gospel was being done.Paul was looking at the bottom line or the results, and he was not going to correct someone's motives, thus hindering the good work they were doing from the wrong incentive. Others were being helped and it seems that God was using the less-than-perfect motives of the worker to get Kingdom results in people's lives. If that was good enough for Paul, it should be good enough for you and me.
You should self-promote not for your benefit but for the benefit of those who are seeking who you are, what you have, and what God has empowered you to do. If you can pray and people are healed, then healed people need to know the Lord gave you the gift of healing. If you can write, then let others know you can, for someone reading your book or article may be helped and transformed through your story or ideas.
If you have died in Christ and belong to Him, then your gift, purpose, and role in society are not your choice or call. If God wants to make you a household name, it's none of your business. There are some members of the body who are created to be behind the scenes, but there are some who are made to be public figures. If you are private or public, your life is not your own. It belongs to God and therefore to others.
Let's get over any false humility that says, "If God or anyone needs me, they can come find me. I am not going to help them by self-promoting, for that is not spiritual or proper." I say, "Get over it!" and let's allow all those who need to see who we are and what we do to find us more easily and without the guilt or accusation of "self-promotion" that can go with that process. It's time to stand up and say, "This is who I am!" Will you join me or continue to hide your light under a bushel, only to then complain that no one takes you seriously? Whether you can join me or not, I pray you will have a blessed week as you continue to ponder this important issue.
Feel free to add your comments to those of the others by posting them here.
God has assigned you a purpose, made you creative, and given you gifts so you can do His work in creation to the extent that He has established for you. I just returned from Kenya where I took 20 people on a tour of the country. I am well-known in Kenya and people readily associate me with the purpose message. Kenya represents a place where God put me in in response to my cry to "put me in, Coach!" I have been on numerous local radio and television shows there, and have spoken in many churches. God opened a door for effective ministry work for me, and I have not shrunk back or hesitated to say that God has sent me there. He put me in the game and I want to play to the full stature of my abilities and gifts.
As I put myself forward in Kenya, I am actually magnifying the Lord, which is the concept I want to discuss in this week's Memo.
In the Old Testament, we are told to magnify the Lord. We have made that simply a matter of praise and worship where we exalt and describe God's attributes in clear and exuberant terms. Yet think about that word "magnify." Doesn't it also mean to take the smallest thing and make it larger so it is easier to see and examine? Could it mean that we are to take the smallest thing that God has done through us and in us and make it 'bigger' for all to see, not with the intent to see us, but in seeing us to help people see Him?
Is self-promotion, done with right intent, really any different than giving a testimony? When God does something for you –- provides, heals, delivers, or reveals -- is it wrong to stand up and say what He has done? So if God has given you a gift or purpose, is it any different to broadcast the truth of what God has done or can do in and through you? And when you do, is that not the same as magnifying the Lord -- taking His work in you and 'blowing it up' for all the world to see?
Paul magnified his office (other translations say "proud of, make as much as I can of, or glorify my ministry") so he could win more Jews to the gospel. Paul promoted what he did because God appointed him and his work was critical. He was not concerned with what others thought, only what God thought. He was telling the truth with the right motives, and therefore he magnified himself so he could ultimately magnify the Lord.
that your distaste for what you call self-promotion is really a means to protect yourself from criticism and being misunderstood. It may also be an attempt to protect your privacy, for once God puts you on "front street," you lose control of your life. If God wants to put your face on a billboard, it's none of your business. Jesus and Paul 'promoted' and people criticized them; can you expect any different treatment?
We will require one more week to look at this topic and then move on to another aspect of the "Put Me In, Coach" series. I hope this has been helpful and I look forward to your feedback, which you can post here.
NEW BOOKS: I have released two new books that are ready for purchase. One is Go and Obey: God's Call to Action , which is a compilation of the series I did in The Monday Memo titled "Go And . . ." The second is the second edition of I Wrote This Book on Purpose . . . So You Can Know Yours. The latter is a book I wrote in 1997, so it was overdue for an update and expansion. Either one of these books can help you find and express your purpose and creativity. Also, don't forget about my upcoming trips to Alaska and Israel. Click on the link to get the information you need.
We are in the midst of a series titled "Put Me In, Coach," in which we are looking at the place and propriety of being more proactive as we engage in ministry and purpose opportunities. Rather than waiting on the Lord, this philosophy assumes that God is waiting for us to decide where and how we want to be involved in serving the Lord and others. Last week, we started a sub-series within the Put Me In, Coach theme. The basic issue before us is this: What is self-promotion and is it inappropriate to engage in it?
"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, . . ." (Matthew 6:1-2).
Here we have an important distinction. We are not to parade our righteous acts, such as giving alms, which will glorify self but we are to show forth our good deeds that will glorify God. Since God has given you your gifts and purpose that will enable you to do your good deeds, then I conclude that, in most cases, it is permissible to let people know what you are doing and what you can do when God enables and empowers you to do it.
What's more, if God has given you gifts and a purpose and those are to be used to help others, then isn't letting people know what you can to serve them consistent with letting your light shine as we read above? First Peter 4:10 states, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." I can organize and do it quite well since God helps me do it. Am I permitted to say, "I have an organizational gift that is well developed; how can I help you?" It seems that adding the piece that my good deeds are to serve others as well as to glorify God makes self-promotion more acceptable and palatable than when it is simply to show off what I can do.
I hope you will "weigh in' this week and add to our discussion. Furthermore, I pray you will read what is being written so that you can develop your own personal philosophy that will enable you to comfortably promote what God has put into and done in your life so that others can benefit and grow. Thank you, and have a blessed week!
Please respond to this post on the site where it is posted and let's keep the dialogue going.
Greetings from Kenya. This week, let's continue our discussion around the them "Put Me In, Coach," a look at the concept of putting yourself forward as ready, willing, and able to fulfill your purpose and express your gifts. I regularly have discussions with people concerned about writing a book or stepping out into other purpose work because they may be promoting themselves rather than the Lord. They are worried (yes, worried is the correct word) they will get ahead of the Lord, or somehow do something that brings glory to self instead of to God glory. Those are legitimate concerns, but are all based and rooted in fear, and we know that God has not given us a spirit of fear.
About ten years ago, I did a series title "Self Promotion," so I thought it would be good to revisit that topic in light of the concerns that my friends have recently raised, which are consistent with the "Put Me In, Coach" discussion. It's an issue I have pondered for a long time, since I have been labeled as self-promoting from time to time, so I am eager to share my thoughts with you. I will need your help as we examine this issue, however, and I ask you to respond with your own perspective (whether you agree or disagree) once you have read what I have to say. We will look at this topic over the next four weeks.
The main concern with self-promotion is best summarized in Philippians 2:3, where Paul wrote: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." Many conclude talking about yourself in almost any situation is wrong or at least improper, and ambition is also considered to be in bad taste or downright evil. Are these interpretations correct?
Here are some thoughts off the top of my head for this week's discussion.
When Paul wrote his letters, he clearly identified himself as an apostle.
David approached Goliath and declared what he was going to do to the giant in no uncertain terms.
Jesus made many claims, although sometimes veiled to hide them from unbelievers, concerning who He was and what He had come to do.
Let's examine that last point a little more closely.
Jesus' family thought he was self-promoting and eager for to be a public figure as you can see from John 7:3-4: "Jesus' brothers said to him, 'Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.'" It's comforting to know that Jesus' family thought He was self-promoting, and to some extent He was -- promoting that is, but without the self and with a purpose. Is that possible for you and I to do? If Jesus was misunderstood as He carried out the Father's will for His life, then chances are you and I will be misunderstood as well.
Weren't Jesus' miracles a means by which He could gather a crowd to announce the coming of His kingdom? Did not the Father make Jesus a household name and a celebrity in all Israel? Did Jesus gather disciples whom He then sent out to extend His work and announce God's plan with even greater intensity and scope than He did? When Peter and John encountered the crippled man in Acts 3, they ordered him to focus his attention on them: "Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, 'Look at us!' So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them'" (Acts 3:5-6). The apostles didn't insist, "Don't look at us, look at Jesus." They drew the man's attention to them and only then did they give him what God in store for him through them.
We are not going to settle this issue this week, but I wanted to start the dialogue with this week's thoughts. What do you think? Is it wrong to promote yourself? When, if ever, is it permissible? Does Philippians 2:3 prohibit any kind of ambition or marketing? I leave you to ponder these questions until next week. Till then, have a blessed week!
Please respond to this post on the site where it is posted and let's get the dialogue going.
This week, we resume our series titled "Put Me In, Coach," which is designed to help you overcome your hesitation or fear of volunteering or enthusiastically embracing your purpose and creativity. You can catch up on my past entries here before we move on this week's topic "Calling Your Own Number." Let's go there now.
I was at a wedding last night and met the father of the bride who is a medical doctor. He is in the Navy Reserves and every chance he gets, he volunteers to go to danger zones in Afghanistan or some other war-torn area to serve as a surgeon. I did not get a chance to talk to him much, but I heard from others that the only reason he was home at this time was because his daughter was getting married.
This man was calling his own number, which is a sports term to describe when someone puts themselves in a game without being asked to go in (They say, "Number 24, you're in," and they wear number 24). It can also refer to when a player designates that they and no one else will take the important shot or kick at a crucial time in the game. The doctor I met was calling his own number when he decided he was going to serve rather than waiting to be called upon to serve.
It isn't pride for him to do so, nor is it pride when you do the same thing in your area of expertise, gifting, or purpose. In fact, there are many biblical examples of those who volunteered when they saw situations they knew they could address or help, and they did so without necessarily waiting for an invitation.
In 1 Samuel 17, David volunteered to take on Goliath. If you read the account, at no point are we told that the Lord spoke to David to fight. David came, assessed the situation, reviewed his past success killing lions and bears, and said, "I will fight Goliath."
We saw in the first installment in this series that Isaiah responded in Isaiah 6:1-8 to the Lord's question, "Who will go for us" by saying, "Here am I, send me!"
Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 3:1, "Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task." Paul did not write, "If you want to be an overseer, you need to curb your ambitions and wait on the Lord." He said it was a good thing and then went on to describe the characteristics one would need to cultivate to become that overseer.
While the army of Israel was paralyzed with fear, in 1 Samuel 14 we are told how Jonathan decided to climb the cliffs and lead the army to victory. He was so uncertain of his idea that he said "perhaps" the Lord would deliver them and then asked for a sign to confirm his idea.
Paul did not advise the Corinthians to only look to Jesus. He wrote, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). Paul drew attention to himself as a good role model to follow for those who were under his authority.
When Lydia came to the Lord in Acts 16:11-40, she insisted that Paul and his traveling party stay with her at her home. Later, she was a source of encouragement and provision for Paul as he traveled to other venues.
When Nabal lived up to his name that meant "fool," his wife Abigail quickly prepared a picnic for David and his men and interceded on her husband's behalf. The Lord didn't tell her to do that. She acted quickly and prevented David from seeking revenge (see 1 Samuel 25).
My point in offering these examples is to prove that God is not offended when you step up and call your own number. When you see an orphan and say, "i will feed them," God is pleased. When you see a need and have the resources and skill to make a difference to fill it, God is not threatened. I have established several libraries in Kenya, collecting books and shipping them over at great expense. The Lord did not tell me to do this, but my partners in Kenya asked if I could help, and I figured that God must have sent them and called my own number to say, "I'll help."
In what area of your life are you ready to play the game? Where is there an opening on a team where you can step forward to say, "I can help. I'll serve." Wherever or whatever it is, I urge you to call your own number and put yourself in the game, then go about winning in that area for the glory of God. Have a blessed week!
MATCHING GRANT FOR KENYA: I depart for Kenya this coming Thursday, February 14. I have an individual who has offered a $1,500 matching grant for the orphans there, meaning that they will match every donation up to $1,500 so I will have $3,000 to take with me. Can you give toward this great opportunity? If you, please give through my website or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you!


San Giovanni d'Asso is located in the heart of the Crete Senesi, characterized by the imposing Medieval castle, home of the Truffle Museum.
Worth visiting are the Romanesque church of San Giovanni Battista and, lower down, the church of San Pietro in Villore (11th - 12th century). Over and above the fine stone of San Giovanni, another notable aspect is the environmental heritage of the localities around the Asso valley a decidedly superb landscape.
Don't miss the hamlet and castle of Monterongriffoli the rural districts of Vergelle , the poetry of Lucignano d'Asso, Montisi with its historic grange and the extraordinary white road of Pieve a Salti.
This town web page has been visited 53,834 times.


More and more French people are soliciting other banks in order to benefit from better borrowing terms.
Especially since this approach is now greatly simplified by the bank thanks to free banking domiciliation services. But the offer of a consumer credit offer or mortgage at a tempting interest rate can, unfortunately, hide other costs much less interesting.
Bank charges are not to be taken lightly. Yet their comparison quickly becomes complicated given the lack of transparency that the customer faces.
When we talk about the banks, the French often converge on the same opinion. The fees charged by banking organizations are considered "too expensive", "unjustified".
This opinion is explained by a high opacity of fees that banks apply to their customers. Even though they are now required to send an annual fee-specific statement, this is still insufficient.
Where the hurts, it is undoubtedly when one looks at the titles of the expenses. For example, it is justified to ask what are the following invoiced services: "account management", "debtor account intervention fees".
In a context of declining interest rates, banks are increasingly competing for the purchase of a mortgage or even as part of a new project. The rates charged by the banks must also be taken into account as a factor of comparison.
Indeed, these fees will be applied throughout the duration of the banking relationship, it is in this respect a significant element.
Despite the lack of transparency, it turns out that in comparison with other European countries, banking services in France are relatively "cheap". In addition, when we look at the evolution of the cost of the bank for ten years, we note that the increase in prices is stable and especially lower than price inflation in France over the same period.
If a project of financing or the repurchase of operations.loan by the competition often causes a lot of emotion and impatience, it is imperative to remain vigilant and not to stop only to the comparison of the financial conditions.
To compare the cost of one bank with another, it is essential to refer to the updated brochure of conditions and tariffs. This brochure is available on the internet (bank website) or you can request it in your branch.
It is important to compare the cost of payment methods and account maintenance. Most banks offer a formula that integrates a number of services on a daily basis. It is essential to check the usefulness of services and especially the possibility of benefiting "à la carte". Other elements can be taken into account depending on the use you make of the bank.
So if you regularly need to make transfers abroad, you should check the cost of this operation. For people who travel often, the existence of potential banking partners abroad can also be a point of comparison.
If today the comparison of the banking tariffs remains complex, the State declares itself decided to improve the tools of comparison in the hand of the customers as it is already the case for other services like the plane, the hotel or consumer products through price comparators.


text:
Q: ios RestKit getting certain number of elements instead of full list I need to load objects in tens those provided in json data instead of all objects. I am aiming to implement an app like twitter. In other words, when user taps "load more" button in uitableview, restkit will load next ten objects if json data has. I couldn't find any example nor a restkit method about this. Is there any way to do that?
Thanks

A: This is the purpose of the RKPaginator class. Check the docs here for a description and sample code. It ties in with all of the usual mappings and response descriptors to enable paginated download management.


Create awareness for the public to have right attitude towards persons with disability in the society through different media channels i.e. TV program, press, public relations, events and children book and the internet.
Key Message: to induce change in society's attitude towards persons with disability from "Medical Model (Seeing persons with disability as patients) and Charity Model (Seeing persons with disability as receivers)" to be "Social Model" (Seeing persons with disability as an equal).


The "Iranian-translators.com" directory is where anybody can come to find Iranian translators.
The goal of this site is to be the most comprehensive Iranian translators U.S. directory on the Internet, so that consumers can come to one place to help them find a local Iranian translator. Feel free to browse around the directory to find a translator who can help you. If you have questions, please feel free to visit the FAQ section, e-mail or call us.