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Q: What is the correct way to compress a FileStorage object/image using PIL or another method? I am wanting to compress an image I am receiving from a user before I send it off to an S3 bucket to be stored. Unfortunately for me, I haven't had to deal with images a lot. The image comes over as a FileStorage object and this is where my issue starts. I'm trying to use the PIL library to compress the image using the optimize option when you save your file using PIL. The only issue is I don't have a proper path to save this file. I tried to fake it out to no avail. Is there a proper way to generate a temporary directory/path to save the image just so I can compress it before I send it to the S3 bucket? Here is the current simple code file = request.files['filepond'] # file = Image.open(file) # file = file.save('TestDirectory', file.format, optimize=True, quality=30) print(file.filename) print(file.content_type) Thanks all!
We can easily see poor expressions of Leo's authentic need to be recognized around us all the time. From Donald Trump, who has a Leo Ascendant, to Hitler, who had Saturn in Leo conjunct a Leo Midheaven, we know ego can be a very dangerous thing when we aren't in right relationship to it. This human desire to be seen for who we are and valued for what we contribute isn't the source of toxicity. But perhaps the way we hoard and squander our attention is. Perhaps we can change the way we seek attention and give it to others. Perhaps nature already provides the instruction. Leo, ruled by the Sun, represents life force. The Sun shows us how to be generous, how to shine unapologetically, and how to support life with our gifts. Solar power is a flow of energy that enters the living systems of the Earth and keeps circulating through them, feeding life through reciprocity and complex relationships. What if we were more like the Sun? This lunar cycle, seeded by the New Moon in Leo, is an opportunity to mindfully pay attention to the lessons of the Sun. It isn't easy to be in right relationship to ego. We are culturally programmed to think there isn't enough. Not enough money, not enough love, not enough affirmation, not enough security. We are culturally wounded by this programming, hence we struggle to know authentically that we are valuable and necessary to the whole. Even in our woundedness. Even in our blindness. Yet the Sun can heal us. That is the gift of this mid-Summer sign (Northern Hemisphere): to drink in the abundance of life force and be renewed. The opposite side of the year, mirrored by the Southern Hemisphere experiencing mid-Winter right now, completes the potent lessons of this lunar cycle. The Full Moon in Aquarius (August 18) illuminates the ways we are drawn to each other in community, the ways we each add a piece of the light, the ways we use that light to envision other possibilities. Perhaps one possible world to envision at the Full Moon is one where there is enough. Through all the mysterious ways we participate in this complex dance of life that leads to death that leads to compost for new life, there is enough and we are enough. Monday, August 8. In the central U.S. time zone, most of the day falls under the influence of a Libra Moon. The need for balance meets the need for radical change in the square between the Moon and Uranus in Aries. This stress could manifest as a desire for justice. We may be feeling the effects of injustice more strongly. Find an outlet for this passion. Tuesday, August 9. Yesterday's desire for justice could become today's impulse to exact revenge. This description is really too strong, but there is a shift with a Moon in Scorpio to the darker side. We can hide our shadowy impulses or we can go deeper, acknowledging our shadows to become healers and transformers. We are helped to choose the path of healing by the Moon's sextile to Venus in Virgo and the Moon's trine to Neptune in Pisces. Acts of devotion and compassion help us discover our healing potential. August 10—First Quarter Moon: Manifesting. The Moon in Scorpio (fixed water) forms a square aspect to the Sun in Leo (fixed fire) to initiate this phase of the Moon. The path we initiated at the New Moon—perhaps to find our magic, perhaps to dare letting our magic be seen—reaches the challenge stage of manifestation. Magic only works if we are willing to support our intentions with action. At this phase of the Moon, we dare to act on behalf of the magic we bring. This means being willing to face the darkness. The challenge comes from Scorpio, and it is a good thing, too. Scorpio reminds us of our shadows. If Leo is about sharing our light, then it is a very good thing to be aware of the shadows we cast when we step into that light. They are always there. We've got lots of help today to accept all the parts of ourselves. The Moon makes favorable aspects to Mercury in Virgo and Pluto in Capricorn. Both Mercury and Pluto are in a reinforcing trine with each other. As one of the rulers of Scorpio, Pluto offers the healing balm of acknowledging our shadows. Great transformative power (Pluto) is released when we express (Mercury) real emotion (Moon in Scorpio). The power of expression becomes a little more poignant today since Mercury enters the pre-retrograde zone of the zodiac. Another retrograde period will start on August 30. Mercury transits through the first part of that cycle from now till then. Time to notice the words we speak and hear. Thursday, August 11. With a flash, the energy shifts again. From Scorpio's inner landscape to Sagittarian horizons, the Moon leads us into the hope of discovery. It isn't enough that we discover our hidden shadows, there is a world of differences and diversity that is waiting to show us how to grow past limitations. We feel the upswing of fire energy as the Moon conjoins Mars today. Notice the value you place on personal freedom. What will you do with yours? Will you battle oppression to protect freedom for others? Friday, August 12. Back in June, we had a slew of mutable planets in aspect to each other asking us to up our game around perception and integration. Every mutable sign uses its elemental signature to take in and redistribute information. Today's transits recall that download to our nervous systems, which occurred then. The Moon in mutable fire sign, Sagittarius, makes a square to Venus in mutable earth sign, Virgo; conjoins Saturn in Sagittarius; squares Neptune in mutable water sign, Pisces; and finishes the day with a square to Mercury in Virgo. Fire, earth, and water perception styles cycle through the day. Fire is instinct, earth is sensation, and water is emotion. These ways of perception are vying with each other, sometimes coming into conflict and then going back into synthesis. Notice your style. The opposition between Jupiter in Virgo and Chiron in Pisces envelops this awareness in a larger-than-life experience of the world's pain. Being gentle with yourself is the beginning of being gentle to others. Saturday, August 13. Mutable sign emphasis continues today (see yesterday's forecast). For most of the day (central time zone), the Moon is in mutable Sagittarius. The desire to expand could be constrained by Saturn stationing direct today. Planets are stronger during a stationary period, which lasts for several days. Saturn's nature is to reel in wasteful or unfocused energy. This planet wants results. Since March, Saturn has been moving retrograde, now we shift forward into putting what we've learned during this period into effective action. This energy leads us right into the elections this fall. More and more people decide whose side they are on. We get more clarity about the work ahead. Venus in Virgo forms a square to this stationary Saturn today. We might feel pressure in our relationships. There is a desire to bring more commitment into them. Not all will be ready. Another important transit influences us—Jupiter in Virgo forms a quincunx aspect to Uranus in Aries. The tension between deliberate and impulsive action creates stress on nervous systems. We want to incorporate more options in our activism. We see the benefit of multiple approaches. August 14—Gibbous Moon: Perfecting. What else can we learn about bringing our magic to the world? This phase of the Moon tweaks our intentions a little bit more. Perhaps we've tried different approaches to manifesting intention. Perhaps we've encountered some successes and some setbacks. We take all that information and try yet again to get it. As the Moon waxes into fullness we are far from done with the experimental phases of our projects. Contrasts lead us to discovery. The Moon in Capricorn values success. The Leo seed energy of this lunar cycle values creative attempts. Sometimes they are successful and sometimes not. What kind of pressure do you put on yourself to be good at something before you've even let yourself have the stage of being dreadful at it? Our magic doesn't arrive fully formed to be delivered to our judges. Perhaps our magic arrives through trial and error, and mostly error. Without failure, there is no success. Promise the gods of Capricorn that you are headed their way but let yourself take a little more time before you expect success. Venus in Virgo opposes Neptune in Pisces. The Moon supports both planets through favorable aspects. The magical act of blending beautiful pragmatism with transcendent states of consciousness is a little more possible. Some may fantasize about a relationship, others will devote themselves to service. Magic needs inspiration, there could be plenty of that today. Read about the New Moon in Leo here. Contact Teri at [email protected] and visit her website at www.starsdanceastrology.com to learn about booking a reading of your chart.
Political Analysis: Expected Palestinian Developments in 2021 Home/Political Analysis and Opinion/Political Analysis: Expected Palestinian Developments in 2021 Political Analysis: Expected Palestinian Developments in 20217 min read By: Prof. Dr. Mohsen Mohammad Saleh. This year may witness some Palestinian reconciliation developments, albeit incomplete and booby-trapped! The peace process may get activated and most probably the normalization process will not stop. However, it will not accelerate. Benjamin Netanyahu may bid farewell to the premiership, but the influence and impact of the right-wing forces will grow. Attempts will continue to make the resistance forces submit to the Oslo Accords, while the Palestine issue will remain in labor, struggling between those attempting to settle the issue and those attempting to launch a new Intifadah. The Internal Palestinian Situation To strengthen the Palestinian position against the Israeli projects of annexation and Judaization, and against the normalization processes in the Arab and Muslim world, Hamas has waived most of its objections and gave up most of its strength cards of managing the internal Palestinian situation; consequently the door is now open to proceed with the elections of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), according to the conditions and perceptions of the Fatah movement and the leadership of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The elections are supposed to take place, while the PA is up to its knees in security cooperation with Israel, and the PA is still convinced with the peace process and the peace talks. The current PLC will not be activated until elections are held, the condition of election synchronization no longer exists (The synchronization of the presidential and legislative elections, in addition to the elections of the Palestinian National Council (PNC)). Hamas and the resistance forces, along with Fatah, have committed themselves to the ceiling of popular resistance at this stage. That is, it linked its resistive action, particularly in the West Bank (WB), to the PA's conditions and standards, hoping one day it would evolve into a popular and armed Intifadah. In this political environment, where the leaderships of the PA and the PLO (the Fatah leadership) hold most of the internal cards and are considered by the Arab states and the international community "legitimate," legislative elections will be sought in the summer of 2021. However, if there were clear indications that Hamas and the resistance forces will win the relative majority or more than half the seats, it is very unlikely that elections will be held. For the mentality of the Palestinian leadership does not allow the handover of power and the "relegitimization" of the Hamas leadership, and these are also neither accepted by Israel nor by the current Arab and international environments. Therefore, elections may take place only if Fatah and its allies win, which would deny Hamas the legislative "legitimacy" and lead to three main outcomes: First: Hamas would hand over the Gaza Strip (GS) to the new legitimacy. Second: The Fatah movement and the PA and PLO leaderships will be reinvigorated, which would enable them to renew their legitimacy, represent the "whole" Palestinian people, and include Hamas and the resistance forces in the PA and the PLO as "minorities" who must respect the majority's opinion. Third: The Fatah leadership would proceed with the peace process, since President-elect Biden is expected to revive it. However, since Hamas will not be ready to hand over GS, as Fatah wishes, and there is no agreement on a Palestinian national program, nor on the way to deal with the Oslo Accords and their requirements. Consequently, the "dust" swept under the rug, the political powder keg and the security crises will inevitably reappear and explode, which would bring down the reconciliation efforts that may have faltered, if not failed, after the "legislative" elections. The PA's return to the agreements and security coordination, at the height of the reconciliation talks, has given a clear indication of its mentality that gives no value to the partnership. The PA is overwhelmed with obligations, inconsistent with the resistance program, but doesn't really want to be detached from it. The Peace Process and the US Attitude Biden's election win will be an opportunity to stop the "deal of the century" bulldozer, and return to the traditional peace formula of the US Democratic Party, following the policies of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. The new US administration will try to revive the peace process, offer some incentives to the PA like resuming financial aid, reopen PLO office in Washington, not giving cover to the Israeli annexation plans, and reduce the pressure (without stopping it) on Arab and Muslim countries regarding normalization with Israel. Nevertheless, Israel will remain the cornerstone of US policy in the Middle East, and Biden's administration will continue to provide cover for the Israeli Judaization and settlement programs, without reversing what Trump has done for Israel during his term. Therefore, the Judaization programs, especially for Jerusalem and the rest of WB, will continue, so as to emphasize the "Jewish identity" of Jerusalem, impose spatial and temporal division of al-Aqsa mosque, and "legitimize" the Jewish incursions into it. Moreover, Israel's forcible transfer policies of Palestinians from Jerusalem will continue, including Palestinian home demolitions, banning building permits, revocation of the Jerusalem residency status of Palestinians, exorbitant taxes, prohibiting cultural, social and sports events, and spreading corruption and drugs. Normalization and the Arab Environment No fundamental change in the Arab behavior towards the Palestine issue is expected, where this behavior will continue to reflect the weakness, fragility, backwardness and division of the Arab landscape; despite the upheavals and conflicts witnessed by the region. The US and Israel will continue the normalization process, where more Arab and Muslim countries could join, such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, Indonesia, Mauritania and Mali. However, the local, regional and international pressures on these countries, which entail complicated calculations, will determine their decisions. The Arab and Muslim landscape will maintain its support for the peace process, albeit it would be less committed to the "Arab Peace Initiative." It will continue to view the resistance and "political Islam" in a negative way; hence, the Palestinian resistance forces (Hamas, al-Jihad …) will not be welcomed by the "Arab legitimacy." The Israeli Behavior Israel was overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic, whose cases surpassed 400 thousand, and by one of its worst economic years since its establishment, declining by 12%, and by the worst tourism performance falling by –76%. It may continue to accumulate losses in the first half of 2021, and perhaps it would start growing by the summer, but it may take up to several years for it to fully recover from the impact of the pandemic. Meanwhile, the Israeli political unstable conditions will continue, entering the fourth elections within two years. The tendency towards religious and nationalist right-wing extremism will prevail, at a time the center and the right-wing parties are so fluid and fragmented. Gideon Sa'ar has quit the Likud party and formed the New Hope party, which is projected to win 19–20 seats, thus draining a significant number of parliamentary seats from Likud, and consequently Netanyahu's chances of forming a new government will diminish. The chances of doubling the seats of the far-right Yamina alliance were also enhanced, at a time the Blue and White party is falling apart. In such circumstances, there are low chances of Israeli war on GS, Lebanon or Iran, but this won't prevent Israel from conducting targeted military strikes to maintain its role as the region's policeman, and to emphasize that it is the one that controls the rules of the game. Israel will continue with its GS siege, where restrictions would be tightened or relaxed according to developments, however, the siege itself is not expected to be lifted unless Hamas's rule on GS ends. Finally, these expectations are made according to the available data and the logical context of the general trends of events. However, this region is usually full of unexpected turn of events. The forces of reform and change must not only make wishes, for they are still targeted. They must work day and night to face the great challenges that lie ahead. Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies and Consultations, 12/1/2021 Al-Zaytouna Centre2021-01-13T12:57:48+00:00January 12th, 2021\|Categories: Political Analysis and Opinion\|Tags: Arab World and Palestine, International Scene and Palestine, Legal Dimensions of Palestinian Issue, Muslim World and Palestine, Palestinian Issue, Palestinian Political Scene, Prof. Dr. Mohsen Mohammad Saleh\|0 Comments Political Analysis: Is the Internal Situation in Israel About to Explode? New Book Release: The Ethnic Cleansing of the Palestinian People: An Ongoing Pivotal Colonial Settlement Zionist Act (Arabic) (Free Download) The Ethnic Cleansing of the Palestinian People: An Ongoing Pivotal Colonial Settlement Zionist Act (Arabic) Political Analysis: Is the "Campbell-Bannerman Document": Real or Fake? The Palestinian Issue: Historical Background and Contemporary Developments Political Analysis: Why Should Britain Apologize For the Balfour Declaration? Policy cooperation against global threats – lesson to be learnt - JIFAD says: […] This is a summary of the original Discussion Paper Series on… Middle East in 2023 – What to look out for? - JIFAD says: […] This is a summary of the original article by Prof. Dr.… Abe Pitt says: Masha Allah May Allah bless you and reward with Jannah al-Firdaus for… (PLC) The Palestinian Legislative Council Arab World and Palestine Archives and Information Department Egypt Fatah Free Downloads Gaza Strip Gaza War Hamas International Relations International Scene and Palestine Israel Israeli Army Israeli Government Israeli Military and Security Israeli Political Scene Israeli Settlements and Judaization Jerusalem Lebanon Legal Dimensions of Palestinian Issue More on Arab World and Palestine More on Israel More On Palestinian Political Scene Muslim World and Palestine PA Palestine Palestine History Palestine Land Palestinian-Israeli Conflict Palestinian-Israeli Peace Process Palestinian Authority Palestinian Economic Indicators Palestinian Issue Palestinian People Palestinian Political Scene Palestinian Refugees Palestinian Resistance PLO Prof. Dr. Mohsen Mohammad Saleh Recent Activities 2017 Recent Activities 2018 Reconciliation The Palestinian Political Scene United States Walid 'Abd al-Hay
MMMmmmmmmm, ribs Karen and I were talking about the 'baby' (Goliath), and how he's almost got the last rib bone gnawed down. She thought he (and the rest of the dogs) could use another supply dump. Today I got done early (12 drops buried by 1:30- thankyouverymuch) and dropped by H.E.B. (A major grocery chain in Tx) to get some dog food and other things I forgot on the Sunday shopping run. Anyway, beef ribs for $1.42/lb and tomato sauce satisfied the meal needs. $65 took care of the rest I couldn't remember Sun. (Because I forgot the shopping list). Got home about 3PM and turned on the oven to 370 and started the BBQ sauce. I don't usually like candy or much sweet- but when it comes to BBQ- I'd kill a diabetic with my sauce. This is what went on the ribs: can tomato sauce (1 LG- or 3 small) 1 good squirt of mustard 2/3 (or 1) sweet onion diced fine Garlic powder - to cover the entire sauce pan (or to taste) Cumino - a good TBS (or to taste) Chili powder - double the Cumino Brown sugar - at least 2/3 cup (or more) Honey - a good squirt (or two) Cinnamon - a quick dash. Stir while heating to get everything melted and mixed. Spoon it on the ribs and cook the ribs until the wife gets home. The sugar will be crunchy caramelised on the top and end pieces and the rest will be juussst right for finger liking, AND the meat will almost want to fall off the bone. Also we had Cottage Fries per Karen's request. And nothing helps ribs like a good cold beer. This happened to be a Shiner Bavarian Amber anniverary brew #98. Now, after hearing about my meal, do you think I'd be worried about the nutritional content of my beer? The TABC BATF Treasury Dept. thinks you should be, that's why they're thinking about mandating nutritional labels on your alcohol. NEW YORK — The Treasury Department is considering a new rule that would require companies to put alcoholic content, serving sizes and nutritional information on all alcoholic drink packaging. According to the proposed rule being published Tuesday for public comment, labels on all alcoholic beverages — from beer cans to wine bottles — would include a statement of the drink's percentage of alcohol by volume. The labels would also include a "serving facts" panel, which would list the number of calories, carbohydrates, fat and protein for a standard serving size. Because evryone is worried what alcohol will do to your diet :-S Dear Brit., I read about your last attempt at being some-kind of hot. Really! No matter what you sycophants say, your sexy hot-nobody-cares-about-your-frog-voice is, like so 10 years ago. Today you're a late 20-something with visibly slack , , , things. You've had two (or three-who knows) kids you don't take care of. You're not much better than trailer-trash. So I guess it falls on me to tell you. Sorry toots, not alot of people want to see a has-been chunker doing a pole-dance if she still sounds like a frog. ...And your little dog, too! Google: 'we only want whats best for you' You know, the Liberal kant. Their official motto is . . . ummm 'do no harm'? Anyway, after buying You-tube for all the money it's pulling in enhancements it can bring computer users, it got sued by the entertainment industry for copyright infringement. They came to an agreement and will now see how popular they can stay without music videos. They have a new program to block copyrighted uploads that will start in fall (or winter,,,or whenever). The technology will be as sophisticated as fingerprint technology used by the FBI and Google plans to roll it out in the fall, "hopefully in September," attorney Philip S. Beck of Barlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott LLP told U.S. District Judge Louis L. Stanton, according to the AP. Fall runs from late September to late December. The video recognition technology will allow copyright owners to provide a digital fingerprint that within a minute or two will trigger a block from YouTube whenever someone tries to upload a copyright video without permission, the AP reports. So, the Peoples Internet default everything will now be the filesharing police? Sounds kinda hypocritical appropriate for an avowadly Liberal company to be the enforcer of approved content, doesn't it? Give it enough time and Google will be our new masters. Not because it will have 'power', but because it will control everything on the internet, and only allow approved content to anyone- including governments. (UPDATE) 11:45AM Speaking of computers, I just got this note in my e-mail. Apple Computer announced today that it has developed a computer chip that can store and play music in women's breast implants. The iTit will cost $499 or $599 depending on size. This is considered to be a major breakthrough because women are always complaining about men staring at their breasts and not listening to them. It was a semi-productive day I got the front yard under control And I got rid of the reluctant interim dishwashers for the new thorough mechanical one. It kinda sucked, with the $250 I laid down for it, I kept having a leak where the elbow went into the water solenoid. As cheap as it was made, I was afraid of breaking the female inlet of the solenoid by making it too tight. Goliath was helping us mow- he was catching toads. Do they make doggie mouthwash,,,to get rid of 'Eau de Morte Sappo'? (UPDATE) 9:10PM Thing two just got back from the mall and reported that "It sure smells like dead toad out there." Lessons in the obvious I bet she'll be wondering why he's in prison in 10 years, too. Ok, you have the 'mother' of a 7 year old who buys him a grill. You know, the mouth jewelry that your favorite ghetto rapper wears on his teef. She didn't see anything wrong with him wanting to wear it. Not a thought to maybe say "No, you'll send the wrong message to people." But what does our insperational mom do? Buys a grill at a flea market for $10 and wonders why he swallowed it. The family of a 7-year-old boy in Sanford who was rushed to an emergency room after he accidentally swallowed his "grill" -- or decorative metal mouth piece -- is concerned because the apparatus remains in his stomach. Bobby Tedesco placed the grill over the teeth after his mother purchased it for $10 at a flea market. Bobby said the grill fell out off his teeth and he started choking on it. His mother, Dawn Tedesco, attempted to clear his throat, but he swallowed the grill. I bet he can't name one of the Apostles, but can rap entire misgynonistic rap songs all day long. As you can see, I'm using the lazy bloggers best friend. Semi-safe for work, as long as the sound isn't too loud. So is this one, but I wonder how old those girls are? Sorry, nothing Enjoy the mashups! Ahhh, they have Gwen back! And I never like rap all that much... Dianonds are for material girls Walk like an aguilera(which is no longer valid)... SO how about some real music? Sorry, no rap inspired gyno-hating rap here. Just the bangles. And No, I don't think any are from Brazil... bt I did always have the hots for the bunette, if that helps. Queens Dirty deeds Phil rocking you? And lastly...... One for my Liberal "pull-out-at-all-costs" polititians.... Your new theme song (update)... I'm sorry, but I have to ask. Freddy Mercury was a hell of an artist. BUT would you let those gnashers anywhere near your best parts? If you know what I mean, people.... Sorry but it looks like he used bobwire for a teething ring. Did San Antonio have some kind of huge @sshole convention yesterday? First there was very heavy traffic all the way in from Castroville, and they were driving like ...@ssholes. All day lomg I was getting cut off, tailgated and people were stopping short on yellow lights. Ad to the fact that I lost money on my first two jobs and it went even farther down hill. I'm going to have to see about getting the drops in Cibilo (far N.E. San Antonio) consolidated instead of doing them as soon as our techs install them. I did a job in Cibilo the first thing, then had to drive over an hour to Boerne for the next $17 job. I ended getting 14 done, but what a long chitty day. Hey! how about those cutting edge Dems last night? I didn't bother watching the debate, wanted more intellectual stimulation then that thang. Anyway what can you say about their constituency send ing them the hard-hitting You-tube questions with singing snowmen and hysterical kids? Redefining class downward. I have a hard time believing we're the only one But then, when you think about how socialistic the civilians are in our allied countries, I'm not surprised. I just got done reading a post over at Rhiannas about the whole help-a-sevicemember-out effort. Karen says that there are organizations out there, but I'm not sure we're talking about the same thing (cousins seperated by a common language thing). I'll do some more checking, but if there isn't it would be a good thing to try to thank our allies with some American appreciation. If nothing else, I might see about starting something. There are alot of Air Force retirees in San Antonio- and they DO have a presence in Great Britain. Gee, maybe some are marries to Brits who may know someone over there! If not, we can probably get the command in charge of the Cheltingham Cheltenham(pronounced 'Cheltm')/ Gouchester Gloucestershire Regiment (pronounced "glos") to pony up some kind of address. The Brits DO have a Support our Soldiers organization, too. Maybe I'll send them something American in appreciation..jerky and what Karen says they'd appreciate. I was going to ask... Who's Kim Kardashian? But Cassy answered me before I could post it. She's been mentioned in several blogs I read. Specifically her bubble butt that some consider attractive. Spoiler, she's famous for being a friend of Paris and starring in some kind of 'accidental' porn movie- or something. I know I shouldn't be targeting a physical deformity (I'm not a Lib), but Gawd- lookit the size of that thing. She needs clearance lights on it and a back-up alarm just so she won't hurt anyone if she backs up without looking. Michael Chertoffs newfound border religion I was going to say something about this yesterday, but fergot (hey, I got in late and Dr. Who was on). I hear that after the spanking George and Michaels amnestry bill took. And his going up to the Senate to cry about it, he's now decided to build a border fence. He's decided to put it in the most controversial place he could. He's also decided to use the most heavy handed and objectionable way to acquire the land rights by imposing Eminent Domain as a first resort. There are over 2,000 miles of border that need this fence, most property owners would welcome it. The Texas Bend communities have made their concerns known. I have teens, I was a teen. I recognize a temper tantrum when I see one- even if he IS the head of homeland security. "They didn't want my amnesty bill....I'll show THEM!" Can the secret come out now? The book is out. Will we find the plot? Who dies? The New York Times did a review this week before the book came out, but unlike our Anti-terror program- they didn't think every one "needed to know' what happened. But then again it was important to not tell anyone because after all it's HARRY POTTER! and not some evil, crooked (but legal) way of helping Geo. Bush's anti terror program. Got Dammit! I have a dog who's fixing to get himself shot. The thing kept me awake almost all night finding things that he's not supposed to- to chew on. He dumped the kitchen trash can over at 1:30 and was whining for no reason all frigging night. He's helping himself to anything left on the counter. Pizza this time. Anyone want to share tips -short of firearms- on how to get him to play right? Maybe I should ask Cesar? (UPDATE) 6:30AM We have 3 dogs. Crating one is not an option. Even if we did he'd keep us awake ALL.NIGHT.LONG. with his whining. Also you have to catch him in the act, not when he's aready running from breaking a coffee cup while skarfing the pizza off the counter (we'd just stepped out onto the porch when we heard the cup). And we actually like dogs...unlike some who will remain nameless I had to almost search for this You'd think it would be in the top 10 news stories this morning, too. Given just how important the 'all nighter' was for the cut-and-run strategy of the Dems. Hmmmm...funny, the only time references I see was when they talk about their faves- Hill and 'Big John' Kerry and the 5AM target for new voting. You'd think that as important as this was that there'd be better money quotes than: "This is nonsense," said Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska. Added Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., of his Democratic colleagues: "I bet I can stay up longer than they can." But at least the Dems aren't afraid to come right out with their version of hypocracy reality: Will the all-night session change any votes? I hope so," said Reid, D-Nev. "Because it will focus attention on the obstructionism of the Republicans." "We are at the crossroads of hope and reality, and the time has come to address reality," said Snowe, who said the Iraqi government was guilty of "serial intransigence" when it came to trying to solve the country's political problems.-OOps never mind, she calls herself a Republican- Smith, who is seeking re-election next year, said Iraqis appeared focused on "revenge, not reconciliation," and that the administration needed to change its approach. "The American mission is to make sure that Iraq doesn't fall into the hands of al-Qaida," he said, rather than referee a civil war. Hey Mr. Smith (RINO), want to remind us just how good things are going in KOSOVO? And the minor things you remember can make or break an argument. Not that I believe the Global warming alarmists, but... I was reading this Excerpt over at Bullwinkle's blog about the increase in hurricanes-where they'd never been!!!!!! Recently, however, they have been forming in unusual places, which Gaertner sees as a clear danger signal. In 2004, Hurricane Catarina formed in the south Atlantic and hit land in southern Brazil. A year later, Hurricane Vince formed next to the Madeira Islands and became the first to make landfall in Spain. Ok, I've always admired the Brits (except when in school, learning about the Revolution), and know about Admiral Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar. ...Where the majority of the damage and loss of life came from a hurricane just after the battle. Off the coast of Cadiz. In the S.E coast of Spain. I know EXACTLY where it is because I was stationed about 20 miles north in Rota for two years. (ahhh, the memories....) Anyway here's an excerpt from Amy Ridenour's blog. Does anyone still care about the battle of Trafalgar? The empire which it secured 200 years ago, is long gone. The triumphal sense of British destiny, which sustained the Victorians and fed on the mythic image of Nelson dying on his flagship in the hour of victory, has vanished... Risking death in battle, defeating the French, and then keeping the fleet together in the terrible storm afterwards - a hurricane which, we now know, probably killed almost more sailors than the battle itself. How did they do it? The hurricane is in the Official history of the British Navy, And probably the French and Spanish, too. Ok, now that that's been proved wrong, I'd like to pat every one of you who are reading this in English. No matter which accent you're reading it in; if you have been or are involved with someone who has been the result of the Anglosphere's emphasis on training. Nelson's contemporary, the military theorist Karl von Clausewitz, put his finger on it. He said there are two kinds of courage in battle. One depends on an emotional impulse triggered by patriotism or religious fanaticism or ideological fervour. It's the kind that drove the armies of the French and Russian Revolutions, and the Japanese and Germans in the Second World War. We see it every day in Iraq's insurgents, or the suicide bombers on a Spanish train or London tube. The other kind of courage rests on a calm deliberate training of mind and body, until courage becomes a habit not just "in the face of physical danger, but in the face of responsibility." The first type of courage looks impressive; but the second, Clausewitz says, "is more certain, because it has become a second nature" to those who have it, both on the battlefield and off. That is the kind of courage the British sailors at Trafalgar had. It's the kind American and British sailors and soldiers showed on D-Day and in Burma in the Second World War, and show every day in Iraq in regiments such as the Black Watch. They were and are not driven by fanaticism or hate or an arrogant warrior's code. They just know they have to stay with the job with all its ugliness and horrors, until they reach the victorious end. Good job guys! I hear they taste alot like Not that anyone really knows what goes into Chinese food. "Recently there have been a lot of rats ... Guangzhou people are rich and like to eat exotic things, so business is very good," the China News Service quoted a vendor as saying, referring to the capital of Guangdong province. I mean, goodnes, look at the risks that young man is taking with his life and the lives of anyone who has to rescue his immature self. Tisk you'd think an OFFICER would have more respect........... Anybody missing a dog? I found this on Craigslist: Found: Short, Fat, Smelly, Fugly Critter Date: 2007-04-09, 7:37AM PDT At about 7:00p.m. tonight, after a near-perfect day in Santa Cruz, the evening was shattered by a frenetic, biblically ugly dog. I was driving home on Corral de Tierra Road near the country club, and nearly hit a small furry thing running in the road. Well, I didn't hear a thump, so I looked in the rear view mirror, and there was still a black dot running up the road. So I turned around, parked and got out of my truck. It was quickly apparent that it was a little dog, which came running toward me, oblivious of traffic. It nearly ran under a passing SUV on the way. As it got closer, I got a look at it. It is about the size of a bread box, and looks like a turd with fur. It darted at me, and right passed me, in a game of suicide tag. Traffic on that part of the road does about fifty and it was getting dusky. On the third pass, the dog did a sweeping turn in to the road, and a large truck had to cross into oncoming traffic to avoid it. So I decided to see if it had a tag, which it did not. Has a collar though. So, knowing that being a tiny black dog playing with fast traffic at night would almost certainly be a less than stellar life choice, I scooped the wet, smelly critter up and took it home. I have now spent fifty-seven minutes with the dog in my house, and can describe some things about it.: * It looks like a cross between Dustin Hoffman and an Ewok. * It smells bad. * It was very thirsty. * It was very hungry. * It wants to be friends * It is some class of terrier * It is pitch black. * It is probably a she. * Its kidneys are functioning properly. * It is not very bright. The dog walks toward and then past my file cabinet, pauses, thinks better of Plan A and whips quickly around in an about face - and smacks it face square against the metal file cabinet. Acts completely undaunted and saunters off to stand in the middle of the room, staring blanky at the wall. So I get up and let it out to piss. The dog spends fifteen minutes outside and does nothing. I let it back in, and it promptly pisses on the rug. This dog is really stupid, and really ugly If this is your dog, I do not expect you will be rushing to claim it. Nevertheless, I will be posting signs around tomorrow, and contacting the SPCA. If this is your dog, please claim it. No reward required - having the dog gone will be reward enough. So, obviously your dog is missing or you wouldn't be looking at this ad. You're reading it, going "No way. That couldn't be my precious Wumsypoo". The problem is that beauty really is in the eye of the beholder - this IS your dog, and deep down, you know it is. So come claim her/him/it. (S)he's got an update with pics now- and a reward! There's a Navy saying That on a carrier landing, any wire you hook is a good one. I don't think they had this in mind, though... But after looking at it again, I think someone just didn't chock the wheels right. Something light for a Friday A quick quiz. Does the carpet match the drapes? There's alot of talk about the Iraqi Benchmarks Does anyone know what they are? We know they they only hit 8 of 18 and the Democrat controlled Congress is having a nice bath of "snide". Lets look and compare, shall we? I'm not going to get into the Iraqi's failings, because I don't know the results. I will take on the Dems, though. (1) Forming a Constitutional Review Committee and then completing the constitutional review. Ok, did that 200 years ago- wasn't easy for us then, either. (2) Enacting and implementing legislation on de-Baathification. They're doing their best on De-conservatism, but still NO legislation. (3) Enacting and implementing legislation to ensure the equitable distribution of hydrocarbon resources of the people of Iraq without regard to the sect or ethnicity of recipients, and enacting and implementing legislation to ensure that the energy resources of Iraq benefit Sunni Arabs, Shia Arabs, Kurds, and other Iraqi citizens in an equitable manner. Nope, they're still playing racial politics here. (4) Enacting and implementing legislation on procedures to form semi-autonomous regions. There we go with that legislation again, answer is,,,,,,,,,,NOPE! (5) Enacting and implementing legislation establishing an Independent High Electoral Commission, provincial elections law, provincial council authorities, and a date for provincial elections. Didn't they do that already? Maybe they could show Democratic controlled Voting Districs how to hold an election. (6) Enacting and implementing legislation addressing amnesty. You and Bush tried your best, but the answer is,,,,,,,,,,,,NO! (7) Enacting and implementing legislation establishing a strong militia disarmament program to ensure that such security forces are accountable only to the central government and loyal to the Constitution of Iraq. You're trying with the gun grabbers and OSHA to disarm the citizens protected by the Constitution. But still no laws. (8) Establishing supporting political, media, economic, and services committees in support of the Baghdad Security Plan. Libs championing defeat. (9) Providing three trained and ready Iraqi brigades to support Baghdad operations. Dems trying for another Vietnamese style Killing Field zone. (10) Providing Iraqi commanders with all authorities to execute this plan and to make tactical and operational decisions, in consultation with U.S commanders, without political intervention, to include the authority to pursue all extremists, including Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias. Backstabbing U.S. Troops at every turn (11) Ensuring that the Iraqi Security Forces are providing even handed enforcement of the law. Lets try that here! Lets see One Wage increase made law, and the rest of the time is Democrat fishing expeditions against the Bush administration. (12) Ensuring that, according to President Bush, Prime Minister Maliki said 'the Baghdad security plan will not provide a safe haven for any outlaws, regardless of sectarian or political affiliation'. The Amnesty bill anyone? (13) Reducing the level of sectarian violence in Iraq and eliminating militia control of local security. 100,000 more Cops on the Streets! (14) Establishing all of the planned joint security stations in neighborhoods across Baghdad. What was your opinion of the Patriot Act? (15) Increasing the number of Iraqi security forces units capable of operating independently. Slow bleed strategy. (16) Ensuring that the rights of minority political parties in the Iraqi legislature are protected. Bringing the Politburo to the Halls of Congress! (17) Allocating and spending $10 billion in Iraqi revenues for reconstruction projects, including delivery of essential services, on an equitable basis. As much pork as we can stuff into each bill. (18) Ensuring that Iraq's political authorities are not undermining or making false accusations against members of the Iraqi Security Forces. Yeah, we'd NEVER think of undercutting the war on terrorism by LYING. Ok, the six months of a Democrat controlled Congress gives us ONE law passed. The Constitution was a done deal, but we'll be generous- they'll need the point. Looks like OUR Congress is 180 degrees opposed to almost the entire Benchmark list. Two out of 18 ain't good Nan. And Harry? If you just keep spinning your wheels in worthless witch hunts you won't be fcking up America as much, so you can keep doing what your doing- it costs less than bad laws. It's a variation of "spot the Lib". First- read this article about "art". Next read the comments, and try your best to see which commentor isn't affected by the thing, and so sees no problem with it. Now, which one do you think is the Lib? Yeah, I'm still here First, to get into the mood, doubleclick on Ray Wylie-then leave him playing in the background as you read the next part. In the real probablility that you don't listen to 1200 WOAI, the big news here (as judged by how much it was repeated) is that Mike from Dirty jobs is debuting at the New Braunfels snake farm tonight. I hear he had fun wrangling rattlers. It just sounds nasty....I've been there. My newest job is on the sweaty side. It's as hard as you make it, but you're out in the heat all day, except when your going to the next job. I get paid peicework, and they want me to do extra burys if I see exposed cable. cool. It's $17/drop ,,,or rebury,,,no matter how long. I got two work orders today one to bury exposed at one address with a ped. in it, and another for the block behind it. It was the same cable. I called the office and told the boss. Guess what he said? Go ahead, guess. How about "it sounds like two different work orders to me." Cool, $34 for the same job that's almost as easy money as reburys. OHH, thanks again you fcking Libs, Greenies and associated Socialists. Gas is going up again because we can't build any new refineries, pipelines or even drill our OWN oil. You'd rather have us paying out the @ss for overpriced oil to support our enemies. The price of gas here went up fifteen cents a gallon since Friday. That's three dollars a tank two or three times a week- just for me. (UPDATE) 10:20PM I yanked this from PDB's blog. THIS is the rap "they" need to be hearing,,, if they insist on listening to that cr@p at all. Dogblogging Got a question or two for knowlagable dog owner/lover/caretakers. We've got some white trash neighbors with three dogs left to run loose. Our dogs have 'fence fights' with them, where they can slobber all over each others heads, but not do much dammage. Naturally, our trashy neighbors probably don't get their dogs rabies shots. I know that rabies can be spread through saliva. The question is- do we have to remember to wash our hands every time we touch our dogs? Just when they're wet? Or just shoot the other ones (next time they're in the trash)? Second question- That's Goliath eating gnawing a raw broccoli stem. How long until he gasses us out? Last one doesn't have to do with "dogs" so much as Doggies (as the Marines call the Army) -and anyone else over in the sandbox. Here's a link to the good cr@p that they want over there. I seems like a pretty good list, and I don't know if it's intentional or PC, but they didn't mention Redman as a good way to keep awake. Wah?hoooo....... Ok, NOW wtf is wrong with Googles blogger? I can't change the title. Nothing works up there. Anyway, I was going to make a comment about a post on Wm's blog about the absolute arrogance of the Maryland Board of Education. See they have declared themselves the ultimate and final arbitrator of what's good for "the children"-no matter what the parents want. In this case it's the glorification of anything homosexual...again, over the parents objections. The Maryland State Board of Education has ruled that the right of the state supersedes the rights of parents in teaching children about homosexuality. The Board said the "right (of parents) is not absolute. It must bend to the State's duty to educate its citizens. "The ruling means that the teaching of homosexuality as an accepted and approved lifestyle in Maryland public schools can move forward. Very important! Some professionals feel that the Maryland curriculum could become the model for promoting the homosexual lifestyle in public schools across the nation. Because the state knows better how to raise your kids. Right Barry? Hil..got anything to ad? I'm sure by now that you've heard about the record heat I bet you can't turn a radio or Tv on without hearing some kind of reference to the record heat. In Nevada alone it's in the low hunnert and teen plus... in some parts of Cali it's almost record breaking. Salt Lake City too... Can I remind y'all of something? Almost everywhere they're talking about is the DESERT! It's also SUMMER! Now I think anyone without some agenda might put those two together and come up with something not so scaryfying as the mainstream news does tries to. But that's just me, I'm kinda old fasioned that way. Anyone seen this on TV? The Gold Kit? See it's simple, you just get the kit, pour your unwanted gold into a 'special' package and poof money! Why do I smell a scam? Aside from the obviously under priced payments...Isn't gold selling for somewhere around $400/oz? I don't know how to read that graph, or even what a pennyweight is..I just feel a bigtime underpayment. Also reading their site, I don't see anywhere that they tell you to send it insured or registered, Heck- just drop in the ol mailbox and we'll send a check right out.....unless they claim they didn't get it. "Sorry, we didn't get it, can you prove you sent it?" "Sorry, just because you got a kit doesn't mean you sent it, or it hasn't got lost or stolen before we got it." Didja ever wonder What some drivers are thinking? Why, when someone is on a big main road- with a 10' shoulder, do they ease over to the right to make the turn.....BUT keep 3 frigging feet of their car in the driving lane? The shoulder is big enough to park a semi on, why can't you clear the traffic lane in your Neon? I use a map alot to find jobs in San Antonio. Sometimes when I'm close to a subdivision I'll put my hazards on and pull over to the curb. WHY does everyone stay in the right lane - with little or no traffic- until they almost hit me? I've noticed the majority are using a cell phone. Most cars today come standard with power steering (and brakes). Why do some people always try to scrape my front bumper off when they make a left turn in front of me at an intersection? Cell pones again, I've noticed,,,and not just the handheld ones. If it's raining, why do you insist on pulling right up to my bumper at a stop? You might trust your brakes, but what about the guy behind you? I see these dckheads and start to think about getting my new truck truck fixed because of my neck pain and his insurance. Did those molem islamofasciests terrorists Dr's. who were arrested in Britain this week ever recite any version of this? I swear by Apollo Physician and Asclepius and Hygieia and Panaceia and all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will fulfill according to my ability and judgment this oath and this covenant: To hold him who has taught me this art as equal to my parents and to live my life in partnership with him, and if he is in need of money to give him a share of mine, and to regard his offspring as equal to my brothers in male lineage and to teach them this art - if they desire to learn it - without fee and covenant; to give a share of precepts and oral instruction and all the other learning to my sons and to the sons of him who has instructed me and to pupils who have signed the covenant and have taken an oath according to the medical law, but no one else. I will apply dietetic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm and injustice. I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect. Similarly I will not give to a woman an abortive remedy. In purity and holiness I will guard my life and my art. I will not use the knife, not even on sufferers from stone, but will withdraw in favor of such men as are engaged in this work. Whatever houses I may visit, I will come for the benefit of the sick, remaining free of all intentional injustice, of all mischief and in particular of sexual relations with both female and male persons, be they free or slaves. What I may see or hear in the course of the treatment or even outside of the treatment in regard to the life of men, which on no account one must spread abroad, I will keep to myself, holding such things shameful to be spoken about. If I fulfill this oath and do not violate it, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and art, being honored with fame among all men for all time to come; if I transgress it and swear falsely, may the opposite of all this be my lot. Do the Muhaamdine take an oath? Do they take the oath, but it only applies to their fellow islamists? If that's the case, I don't see any conflicts with their profession. I better make sure my Drs are non-moslum, since their take on MY infidel @ss would let them make Dr. Mengle look like an amature. Michael, your side lost. Get over it. Stop acting like some whiny @ssed Lib. (yeah, I know* your money men are mad..but still) I heard that Michael Chertoff was up on Capitol Hill scolding the Senate on listening to the American people. Now that the Amnesty bill was shot down, he can't do his job...or something like that. Hey Michael, there have been laws on the books since the FIRST amnesty -over TWENTY YEARS ago. Try enforcing them, M-K? And in related illegals news, Arizona's' Leg. passed some stiff state laws "because the federal government has not adequately enforced a federal law that already bars employers from knowingly hiring illegal immigrants." Mr. Boosh, if the bill YOU were pushing looked more like Arizona's, it would have gone through with flying colors. A conversation with a 16 year-old ME: Tell your sister her boyfriend called. THING 2:He's not her boyfriend. ME: Last time she had someone calling her this much and talked as long as they do, it was a boyfriend. THING 2: He's not her boyfriend. She doesn't even like him. ME:She doesn't like him? Then why doesn't she always be busy when he calls? THING 2:NO! She doesn't like him is all. ME:If she doesn't like him, why is she on the phone with him so much? THING 2:She just doesn't like him. I have friends I don't like. ME: You have friends you don't like? THING 2:Yes, lots of them. ME: If you don't like them, why do you hang with them? THING 2:They're my friends! ME:You don't like your friends? (Is this starting to sound like 'Who's on first' to any of y'all?) THING 2:I kind of like some, but not all of them. I'm not hungry now! [dump goes a plate full of meatloaf and trimmings into the trash.....as the dogs look on] ME:OHhhh......so you like your friends, but not LIKE them? THING 2: I'm going to my room! How many different tools can you count? I guess that all depends on weather you want to be the first on your block with some $600 over-hyped toy that has all the software problems of cutting edge technology. But I think we can all agree that the one from her gated enclave is the biggest one in this clip. I'm sure by now that you've heard about the record...
The Feeling > The Feeling Festivals Follow The Feeling Hop Farm The Hop Farm festival returns in 2014 with artists from past and present set to perform at the Kent event. What could be better than countryside, amazing bands and incredible food all in one weekend? The Big Feastival, co-hosted by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver,... The Cornbury Music Festival Festival seems a bit tame for the surprises that are locked inside The Great Tew Park in July. A Carnival best describes the vibe and colour, and a... The pioneering, genre-defying, award-winning Latitude Festival takes place at Henham Park Estate, near Suffolk's stunning sea-side town of Southwold,... V Festival was the first UK festival to operate over two days and swap line-ups overnight. Since 96, some of the world's greatest performers have graced... T in the Park T in the Park is Scotland's main music festival and consistantly delivers amazing line ups and sell-out year on year. With a multitude of stages... Radio 1 Big Weekend BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend is pretty much the first music festival in the British calendar and is well known for attracting lots of big UK and worldwide... Glastonbury is a world famous music and performing arts festival .It is the largest Greenfield arts festival in the world. Glastonbury has been running... T4 on the Beach T4's one day musical extravaganza T4 on the Beach is back and will be held in Weston-super-Mare on Sunday 1st July 2012. The first wave of acts will be... Isle of Wight Festival Be part of history at the legendary Isle of Wight Festival, the event that once saw Jimi Hendrix take to the stage for his penultimate performance... The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has been held at Empire Polo Fields in Indio, California, United States generaly in the month of April since... The Feeling Quick Links News Pictures Video Music Press Festival Quotes RSS The Feeling Quick Links News Pictures Video Music Press Festival Quotes RSS The Feeling - Spiralling Video Video The Feeling - Behind The Scenes (Boy Cried Wolf/Rescue Video Shoot) Video The Feeling - Album Teaser ft Dominic West Video The Feeling - Boy Cried Wolf Album Review The Feeling - Rescue Video The Feeling Condense British Music History For Palace Gig The Feeling Star Apologises For Postponing Tour The Feeling - Love It When You Call Video The Feeling - Feeling Like Drag Racing Video The Feeling - Take On Me Video The Feeling - Fill My Little World Video The Feeling - Feeling Like Flying Video Bands Index: 0 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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Myxomycetes of red colour, mixed with an unidentified fungus of white colour. A. ferruginea is a small erect slime mould, often found in large colonies, pinkish red, crowded or gregarious, stalked, 1 or 2 mm total height. Camera Model: NIKON D300. Exposure Time: 1/60 sec.; f/32; ISO Speed Rating: 200. Focal Length: 90.0 mm.
MMG Mancunion Fuse FM Fuse TV Manchester lecturers will not strike on pensions after failed reballot • Student Gift Guide • UoM moves some teaching online for the rest of the week • Night and Day Café faces potential closure • Think it, pitch it, do it: The Mancunion talks to winners of Pitch It! • UoM postpone Winter Graduation ceremony • Virgil Abloh, the visionary designer dies after privately battling cancer • "It's insane": Speaking to UCU strikers on the frontline • Universities to help disadvantaged students in to high paying graduate jobs • Students occupy Sam Alex AGAIN in support of UCU strikes • "I'm 21, I shouldn't be feeling like this.": UoM students speak out about their experiences with Long Covid Opinion: Capitalising off catastrophe: the dark truth about Travis Scott's partnership with BetterHelp How to: Find love at UoM "Pssed off": International students' anger at UoM travel guidance Students say no to zero tolerance Are you G-A-Y enough? The most 'bingeable' box sets for the festive period A Southerner's guide to the North Student Gift Guide Manchester lecturers will not strike on pensions after failed reballot UoM moves some teaching online for the rest of the week One Year of President Biden: A Progressive Revolution or an Uninspiring Façade? Conservative MP cites female Doctor Who as the reason for rising crime rates Tory Sleaze The NHS vs nicotine: Could prescription e-cigarettes be the solution? Disease X and the next pandemic Giving birth through your penis? Missing Money, Broken Membership System: Societies' Rising Discontent With Student's Union Join Fashion Soc's Fashion Business Panel Discussion International Women's Day: Join Women In Business Society's Female Founders of Manchester Panel Max-imum drama: Verstappen wins F1 world title in the last lap of the championship The international break: Pointless or underappreciated? Triumph for Ingram as UoM swimmers impress in Sheffield Arts Film Postman Pat: from Greendale to Greater Manchester Arts Music Damon Albarn works his magic at Manchester International Festival Arts Food & Drink Music Theatre Preview: Hale Barns Carnival Spotlight: Village Books Never Giving Up: Bernardine Evaristo is made president of the Royal Society of Literature Some notes on No. 91/92: Notes on a Parisian Commute Beg, borrow, or rent: how you can look sustainably fabulous this festive season Hanging out the dirty laundry on greenwashing – how to spot and avoid it To leather or not to leather? Film Theatre Remembering Betty White on her 100th birthday Spider-Man: No Way Home review – Tom Holland holds his own in a thrilling Spidey flick for the ages Don't Look Up: No need for subtlety in McKay's perfect satire for the modern world The best Veganuary offers in Manchester for 2022 Winter warmers: Aubergine parmigiana The speakeasies of the Northern Quarter Has Assassin's Creed forgotten its Origins? Review: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Games Societies Details revealed for Student Game Jam: Manchester Blue Orchids Play Night and Day Café In Conversation with Miles Kane In Conversation with Alt-J Review: The Rocky Horror Show What to expect at The Rocky Horror Show Moscow City Ballet comes to Manchester Opera House Mancunion Check the Exec! Photo: University of Manchester Students' Union Written on 21st September 2015 . Posted in Features The Exec Team are elected directly by the student body, and the most recent elections saw the highest turnout of voters in any Union election since records began, with over 13,000 students voting. This smashed the previous national record held by the University of Nottingham by over 2,000 votes, meaning this year's Team have the largest democratic mandate ever recorded in UK university history. The Team are based in the Student Voice office on the ground floor of the Union building. Naa Acquah – General Secretary Naa's election was an historic one, as she became the first female BME General Secretary of Manchester Students' Union. One of the most eye-catching policies in Naa's manifesto was the promise to hold monthly surgeries where she will invite students to quiz her on Union policy. Naa became a viral storm during the election after the release of her manifesto music video, which was a cover of Rihanna's "What's My Name?" at various points on campus. On YouTube, the video has racked up over 4,000 views, and may well have contributed to her victory. You can follow Naa on Twitter @GenSecMcr. Joel Smith – Activities and Development Officer Joel is embarking upon his second year as Activities and Development Officer, and is looking to build upon last year's success. He was elected following a record voter turnout for any position at any union ever, with over 9,500 votes being cast. Joel's brief is to look after over 350 societies in the Union and organise Pangaea. Joel's main priorities include getting more people involved in all aspects of Union life, as well as the prospect of a Graduation Ball run by students, and to make it easier to start or join a society. You can follow Joel on Twitter @ActivitiesMcr. Hannah McCarthy – Campaigns and Citizenship Officer Hannah is a new addition to the Exec Team, and goes into this year looking to build on the Union's long history of campaigning. Hannah, who ran on the campaign slogan of "A New Hope", is aiming to campaign for the university to act in a socially responsible way, by fighting to prevent cuts to student bursaries and encourage the University to pay its entire staff a Living Wage. Hannah is also aiming to create campaign networks on a national scale to 'Stop TTIP' and 'Save our NHS', as well as increasing student participation in campaigning by organising monthly 'Campaigning Bazaar' events outside University Place, and working with the University to have 'Skills for Change' as a free elective module. You can follow Hannah on Twitter @CampaignsMcr. Harriet Pugh – Community Officer Harriet is in her second year of being a Union officer, and has moved from Education to Community this year. Harriet's priorities this year concern building stronger relationships between the student body and the wider Manchester population, through a political outreach programme for children in schools. Harriet is also seeking to build upon Manchester's proud heritage of co-operative movements by organising a co-op week with trips to and workshops from co-operatively run fashion retailers, record labels, food markets, and more. You can follow Harriet on Twitter @CommunityMcr. Natasha Brooks – Diversity Officer Natasha's main priority is to raise awareness of the importance of diversity consciousness, amongst all students and societies. She is seeking to do this by providing training, both online and through interactive workshops, highlighting diversity issues and preventing such issues arising. Natasha has also made a manifesto commitment to a monthly Diversity Forum as a way of celebrating the diversity in Manchester and to ensure that collaboration between the equality, international, religious, postgraduate and mature groups and societies is made much easier. You can follow Natasha on Twitter @DiversityMcr. Michael Spence – Education Officer Student finances formed the centre of Michael's election manifesto, and he will work with the other members of the Exec Team to campaign against cuts to student bursaries and additional course costs—such as books and printing. He will also lobby the university to put more money into suitably furnishing study spaces, such as the Learning Commons, and better integrate Student Reps, giving students more power to shape their courses. You can follow Michael on Twitter @EducationMcr. Lucy Hallam – Wellbeing Officer Lucy is also a new member of the Exec Team, and her highest priority is to create a new, comprehensive website where details of all wellbeing services open to students—from yoga to sexual health to counselling—are available in once place: "I want to bring it all together so that every student is aware of what is available to them, and don't miss out on making their time at university as enjoyable as possible." Some of Lucy's other pledges include free women's self-defence courses on campus, and campaigning to have microwaves, kettles and toasters across campus, as she sees it as unfair that students should have to pay higher prices for hot food on campus when they can bring their own from home. You can follow Lucy on Twitter @WellbeingMcr. Jess Lishak – Women's Officer Jess is also in the second year in her position as Women's Officer, and is looking to build upon her successful and high profile work from last year. Continuing from last year will be the 'Reclaim the Night' march in February—which had over 2,000 attendees in 2015—and putting on another production of 'The Vagina Monologues'—which raised over £1,300 for local services providing support for survivors of sexual and domestic violence. Jess is also planning to set up a student shuttle bus service that will run from campus between 9pm and 3am, on the hour, and take students to Rusholme, Fallowfield or Withington. Students can use the service whether they're returning from a night out or studying late, with proceeds going to fund a dedicated student support worker at Manchester Rape Crisis. You can follow Jess on Twitter @ExecTeam_Jess. Behind the scenes at Fuse TV Long-read interview: Jack Houghton, SU Communities Officer Interview: Alex Tayler Tags: campaigns and citizenship officer, community officer, education officer, exec team, executive, General Secretary, naa acquah, Pangaea, Students Union, UMSU Copyright © The Mancunion Powered By Spotlight Studios 0161 275 2930 University of Manchester's Students' Union, Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9PR / ----------------------------------------- / / View slug: latest-news-ticker - start / / ----------------------------------------- / .ticker {background-color: #fdb828;color: #fff;padding: 7px 20px 2px 20px;} .ticker-item a {color: #fff;} .ticker-item {margin:0px 10px;} / ----------------------------------------- / / View slug: latest-news-ticker - end / / ----------------------------------------- */ Fuse FM Fuse TV
After 6 years of study focused on cancer it is hard to overlook that possibility or reality. It is well known that Candida, a fungal, always goes along with Cancer, but which is first? Oncologist Tullio Simoncini in his book "Cancer is a Fungus" goes into some detail and proof about this. His Cancer treatment is for Candida and is over 90% successful without chemo or radiation. So you could say that the argument is meaningless because his therapy works! Fungal is a big variety of living things we put into a group but don't seem to know how they work. "A plant with a brain that can communicate" was one description that gets our attention so this is not just a simple weed. They can be microscopic or miles, yes miles, long….pretty big group. Andreas Moritz, a gifted prolific researcher writer, says cancer is a blessing because it is the body's response to an overgrowth of an invader. The tumor is created by the body to contain the Cancer until it can eliminate it. So then the body's reaction is what we see and call Cancer. If that is so, then all the long names we put on different types of cancer are just different responses to the same invader. Man wants to name things as if that is problem solving and when he has it identified he is puffed up and thinking stops in a way…at least the curiosity ends. Plus it loads up his memory leaving less for characteristics of the thing he is naming. If we can recite many complex names, that gives us an entrance into the elite scientific club. Today's medical system is based on diagnosis (name). Then turn the card over for the drug to prescribe. As a mechanic/engineer I have to always find the cause of the problem so medical thinking doesn't make sense to me. Rote thinkers versus problem solvers? Max Gerson many years ago did well treating people with a juiced vegetable diet and gave no mention of knowing what he was fighting but it worked. Why? Because it created a "terrain" that a fungus couldn't thrive in. My conclusion is that the name means nothing unless there are all the characteristics associated with it. In fact, I propose, that all we have to know is what the "bug" likes and doesn't like and then we are in control and have found the answer. This is not a popular concept for the system….. but life saving if you have cancer yourself.
You can find more Chesnee alumni who participated in activities at Classmates.com®. Click here to join Classmates.com® for free and to view CHS profiles. Did you participate in high school sports or high school activites when you attended Chesnee High School in Chesnee, South Carolina? If you did, you can register as a member of the alumni directory and select the various school activities you were involved in. The main activities at Chesnee that have members on this site were Art Club, Band, Baseball, Basketball, Cheerleading, Drama, Football, Music, Newspaper, Softball, Student Council, Track and Yearbook.
With Little Evidence, Greek MP's Will Probe Novartis Scandal A woman enters Novartis Greek offices in Athens, on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018. Greece's govement says it has evidence that senior politicians from the previous administration were involved in a bribery case in which Swiss drugmaker Novartis is accused of making illegal payments to fix prices and increase market access.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) ATHENS – Despite reports there's little evidence to back up claims that 10 Greek politicians from rival parties were bribed by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis, a Parliament committee controlled by the government will take up the case. After delaying following reports that the case was based on the vague and changing testimonies of secret witnesses who were in a protection program and weren't named, Prime Minister and Radical Left SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras gave the go-ahead for the investigation even though he and others in the party aren't supposed to be privay to details of the prosecutor's case. Tsipras, who rivals said was trying to create a distraction from his handling of the economic crisis and plans to let the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) keep the word Macedonia in a new composite name, went ahead even though Kathimerini and other media reports said he was briefed there's not enough evidence to secure indictments. The major rival New Democracy party, whose former leader and previous Premier Antonis Samaras – who said he would sue over the accusations – was among those named in the probe, said it would back the investigation but only "without witnesses in masks," making unverified claims critics said were made up. New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis denounced the government for "slandering an entire party" (New Democracy) using the testimony of anonymous witnesses, demanding the accusers be revealed and appear before Parliament. With the Conservatives holding big leads in polls after Tsipras reneged on anti-austerity promises, Mitsotakis said that the Premier " is trying to save himself in the only way he knows by slandering his political opponents and dividing citizens," increasing the heat. Another New Democracy veteran named in the alleged scandal, European Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos spoke of "conspiracy" and "slander" and said he would ask the Supreme Court to lift the protective status of witnesses and reveal their identity. He contested the legality of the witnesses' statements. An outraged Avramopoulos said the charges were political fabrications without foundation. He said the case was "unsubstantiated" and "full of holes," adding that, "It's very clear that this is an unprecedented plot, which would not stand in any other European Union country." Former finance minister Evangelos Venizelos, a renowned Constitutional lawyer who had led the now-defunct PASOK Socialists who are SYRIZA rivals, demanded proof from prosecutors that the witnesses' protected status had been approved by the Supreme Court. Chief corruption prosecutor Eleni Touloupaki, as well as prosecutors Christos Dzouras and Stelios Manolis, said in a joint statement the witnesses were placed under protected status in strict accordance with the law. The prosecutors though denied reports that they took part in a meeting with government officials about the Novartis case to unlawfully give information about an ongoing investigation as they were scrambling to find some evidence to back up the unsupported claims some 50 million euros ($61.23 million) was handed out by Novartis to be the provider of flu shots and fix prices over a decade. The government – which isn't supposed to have access to the information – said that the politicians were paid off so that Novartis could boost subscriptions of their products at public hospitals and sale prices. Parliament got the case because under Greek law politicians can not be prosecuted and have protection from crimes unless their immunity is lifted. The former Vice President of Novartis's Greek office, Constantinos Frouzis, who called the story a "gross farce" was expected to be summoned by an investigating magistrate and Switzerland's Federal Office of Justice confirmed it received two requests for legal assistance from Greece and the United States over the case.
2020 Chrysler Voyager Van Jazz Blue Pearlcoat 2020 Chrysler Voyager Van Overview Chrysler Capital Prime Standard Retail Rates Applies to select new 2020 Chrysler Voyager. Residents residing in qualifying regions of the United States listed in the BUSINESS CENTER BOUNDARIES section. Offers for qualified buyers only. See dealer for details. Offer information and data is provided by a third-party source. Contact Dealer for any program details, rules or Incentive Questions. Dealer.com assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Truth in Lending Act Disclosure: Down payment will vary with APR and credit. For example, 3.85% APR with $2,500 down payment provides for 60 monthly payments of $18.35 per $1000 financed for qualified buyers. 3.85% APR for a term of 24 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $43.36 per $1000 financed. 3.85% APR for a term of 36 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $29.46 per $1000 financed. 3.85% APR for a term of 39 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $27.32 per $1000 financed. 3.85% APR for a term of 42 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $25.49 per $1000 financed. 3.85% APR for a term of 48 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $22.51 per $1000 financed. The rates described are for estimation purposes only; you may not be able to finance at this rate. Smart device integration - Apple CarPlay/Android Auto L Search New Please Call 287-hp 3.6L 6-cyl 9-spd auto 19 / 28 LX Search New LXI Search New
Not yet available for this item. Welcome to Microsoft Office 2013 is a fun, easy way for beginners to learn how to use Office 2013 software. The book provides a basic understanding of the software applications typically required for both home and business, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access. Learning is reinforced with plenty of illustrations and practical, hands-on projects and exercises.
6 plots the TNOCs for all 6 algorithms normalized to the TNOC of the AMNN scheduling algorithm for the case of a 1-cycle hop duration. 7 plots the normalized TNOPs for all 6 algorithms normalized to the TNOP of the AMNN scheduling algorithm for the case of a 1-cycle hop duration. 8 plots the normalized TNOCs for all 6 algorithms normalized to the TNOC of the AMNN scheduling algorithm for the case of a 2-cycle hop duration.
Dinesh D'Souza, a writer and thinker for whom I normally have a good deal of respect, got the relationship between evolution and Christianity exactly backward, and effectively, though inadvertently, demonstrated an important point I have tried to make many times in the past. D'Souza's point about Charles Darwin is that his theory of evolution did not cause him to lose his faith, though he does assert that it has caused others to lose their faith. D'Souza bases this on the fact that Darwin was already angry at God for the death of his daughter at age 10, and also Darwin's refusal to believe that good men such as his grandfather who were unbelievers could be in hell. Darwin therefore was already moving away from Christianity when he started to formulate the theory of evolution. Therefore, says D'Souza, Darwin's loss of his faith and his belief in evolution are unrelated events. When Darwin's co-discoverer of evolution, Alfred Russel Wallace, wrote him to say that evolution could not account for man's moral and spiritual nature, Darwin accused him of jeopardizing the whole theory. "I hope you have not murdered too completely your own and my child." Darwin's ultimate position was that it was disastrous for evolution to, at any point, permit a divine foot in the door. Christians or theists who believe in evolution are very anxious not to see this point, as some of my own interactions with them in the past demonstrate. They want to believe that they're just separate issues, but they're not. Evolution is one of the many tools, and one of the handiest tools for the scientifically minded, to avoid the truth about God. And those quotes above just demonstrate that without the theory of Darwin, one has little choice but to believe in a God who created everything. None of D'Souza's handwaving can change the fact that there was the very closest of relationships between Darwin's unbelief and his science. D'Souza never even attempts to examine whether the event that came before (anger at God over the death of his daughter) had any influence on the event that came after (the formulation of the theory of evolution). He simply assumes the wrong cause-and-effect relationship is what we theists believe and then disproves an argument that we don't make. Now this doesn't mean that everyone who believes in evolution is trying to avoid the truth of the Bible. But this is the purpose of the theory, and the way it functions in most of our secular world. Peter didn't recognize that the Judaizers were trying to steal the faith, and he was led astray. Many Christians are likewise led astray by those trying to destroy the faith. Belief in evolution doesn't necessarily turn one into an atheist. But it sure helps a lot if becoming an atheist is what you're trying to do anyway. So the point is not that we creationists are afraid of being turned into atheists if we believe in evolution. It's just that we recognize that the major engine promoting evolution is the atheistic impulse, the desire to avoid the truth of God's word, and we see no reason to go along. I see no reason to carry water for people who hate God and the Bible. I see no reason to justify their attacks against my Lord and Savior and call the theory something other than what it is. I see no reason to disbelieve Scripture's clear teachings in favor of this atheistic attack on God. And I see every reason to warn other Christians, like Paul warned Peter, not to fall prey to these deceptions. The evidence may seem compelling and the arguments may seem overwhelming. Satan has always been good at what he does. But their real intention is clear. And God's word is clear. He made all things by the word of His power in six days, some six to ten thousand years ago. Let God be true and every man a liar. Andrea noticed this study over at the always fabulous Fox News. As she said, we always knew this and now science does too. According to the study, kids are better behaved and adjusted when their parents are religious, as long as their parents are generally agreed on their religion. Now here's a study about religion in particular. It notices that religion has an impact, and that this impact is different than secular organizations that have the same purpose. Anyone hearing this will think of the possibility that the reason that religion has a positive impact is that there is a God and that living in terms of this reality has benefits. But the article never even raises that as a possibility. Now I know I'm just reading the article and not the study; perhaps the article has hidden the researchers' thinking on this point. But this shows how this belief in what science is, that science cannot consider even the possibility of supernatural causes really does end up with less information, not more. We are left not allowing ourselves to consider something that would have the possibility of increasing our understanding of a particular phenomenon. I know this is just one little study without a great deal of importance. But of course the proper relationship between science and religion is huge, and this illustrates it well. Even more huge is the general question of epistemology, and here we see the effects of dividing our thinking into religious knowledge and all other kinds of knowledge, with the two basically having no effect on one another. This leaves us with less information, not more; less understanding of the world, not more. This is one of the basic premises of the Intelligent Design movement, and I think they're exactly right. I'm not a big fan of ID, but not because I think they're wrong, but because I think that in the approach they're taking, they inadvertently give away more than they can possibly gain. Well, I've about wrapped it up over at the Evangelutionist. So it all comes down to that question. How does accepting a scientific approach to natural history in any way compromise fundamental Christian doctrine? Minor: False prophets exist today. Conclusion: God will punish those false prophets as well. If the proof for the major premise didn't happen, then the argument doesn't work. And also just as a personal exercise, I'll try this part of my argument again as well: What bar is there to using your exact interpretive method, as many have, to discount the resurrection of Christ? If historical and religious truth can be separated, couldn't they be separated there as well? Couldn't I believe in the principle of forgiveness of sins and resurrection and atonement without needing to actually believe in a virgin birth (which science tells us is impossible)? Or to put it another way, who are you to decide which doctrines of Scripture can be tossed aside and which are essential? Who are you to decide that any given truth that God saw fit to communicate to us in Scripture can just be discounted? I say these things for the benefit of anyone else who may be reading. It's clear to me you're not going to listen to any arguments I make. Why should you? I'm not greater than Peter. I'm not greater than Moses. You ignore them; you'll ignore me too. John 5:44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? 47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? You appear very much to be more interested in being well-regarded by your fellow "scientists" than being approved by God. I won't judge your heart, but I will warn you. See the above passage and prayerfully consider whether this applies to you or not. This is why I believe Genesis 1. I believe it because I love Jesus, my Savior, who died for my sins and rose again. I am not my own. I belong to Him. And He told me to believe Moses, without qualification. So I'm going to believe Moses, and all the "science" of the world be damned. Jesus didn't tell me to believe Moses "religiously but not historically". He just told me to believe him. If Jesus thought that belief needed a caveat, He could have mentioned it somewhere. See, all I care about is what I'm going to answer for myself when I'm standing in front of His holy throne. I don't care if it turns people off to the gospel. That's God's business. He elects, He calls people to Him anyway. It's not my job to make Scripture more palatable. It's an offense, a stumblingblock, and it always has been. I'm not ashamed of it. So, worst case scenario- I'm completely wrong and you're right. I think I will be able to claim good intentions, that God's words on this point were a little unclear. I've lost nothing, really. I just believed God's word. I have a hard time thinking God will condemn me for that. But switch it around- I'm right and you're wrong. What are you going to do when you're standing in front of God and He wants to know why you didn't believe the plain teaching of Scripture, and taught other people to do so as well? Whose honor are you interested in receiving? Again, the essential doctrine is the cross of Christ. What's the link? Verse 46 above. Jesus says if you don't believe Moses then you won't believe Him either. I think there's a little too much at stake here for you to play your little word games. Just believe Moses. He spoke face to face with the creator of the universe, and he knows more than you. I know that you, in your breathtaking arrogance, don't think that's true. But I'm going to take the revelation of God over all your little scientists and rock hammers and telescopes and chemistry sets any day of the week. All who contradict the word of God will be weighed in the balance and found to be nothing, the chaff that is blown away. Repent, I am urging you. Your doctrine is the doctrine of devils, and leads to death. UPDATE: His response is here. I just can't leave it alone. I've learned from past experience not to say I will not reply to an argument anymore, because often I can't resist. So. The OT says that a legal matter could be decided on the evidence of two witnesses. You've implied I must be ignorant of the scientific evidence. So I'll tell you this, to make you aware of my educational background and capacity to understand your argument: I'm not a scientist. But I have received a B.A. degree from a secular university, including classes in physics, astronomy, chemistry and calculus. I have taught calculus, geometry and trigonometry on the high school level. I am trained in logic. I am aware of the arguments regarding the speed of light, the distance of stars and the Doppler shifts we have observed. I am also aware of the arguments regarding radiometric dating of rocks, though to a lesser degree. So let me ask you- what are, in your minds, the strongest two arguments for the old age of the earth? What are the two witnesses you would appeal to? Please don't make it lengthy- let's just name the evidences and briefly summarize them. If I need to do research to understand the arguments, I know how to do that research. You will know from my replies whether I understand well enough or not. Update: Here is the discussion on Evangelutionist's site. It's quite lengthy. The discussion revolves not so much around the specific evidences, but on the question of epistemology, the basis for our knowledge and understanding of things. 3 "you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. This isn't the only passage that tells us God would do this. Revelation mentions it several times. Many passages speak of God clouding the minds of people with madness and giving their minds over to lies to punish them for their rebellion. It's not really deception when God told us He would do it for the purpose of testing us, and provided the truth in clear and unambiguous language as well. He said He would introduce misleading and difficult evidence into play to see whether or not we would believe what He has clearly told us. I think that's exactly what's going on here. Another example of this exact thing is the story of Micaiah and King Ahab in 1 Kings 22, where the prophet tells Ahab that God sent lying spirits to deceive him through his false prophets so that he would go to war against Syria and be killed. God at the same time provided the true witness in the form of Micaiah, telling him the truth, so that Ahab would be tested, to see whether he would follow God or not. "Can you prove that it's impossible for God to have created everything six thousand years ago with some processes already advanced?" Absolutely not – such a thing is impossible to prove. Neither can you prove that the earth was creation this morning and all of our childhood memories are false. You can never prove these things. As a result, the "appearance of age" argument is the only logical YEC argument out there. If you agree to this, then we can stop all of this silly arguing over the "evidence" because it will always favor an old earth, and you will always have a logical way to dismiss it – since the "actual" age as revealed by God is much younger. If this is your position, why concern yourself with the evidence for an old earth in the first place? The point is to show the fact that this belief is a choice you make. The evidence does not require it. It may be a hard choice in the face of the pressures the world puts on us. But everything about Christianity flies in the face of the world. This is no different. Christians must make hard choices and suffer the scorn of the world.
NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. — Authorities are searching for the woman who harassed employees and broke a window at a Staten Island Popeyes earlier this month. On Apr. 8 around 8:32 p.m., an intoxicated woman entered a Popeyes restaurant in Westerleigh and may have mixed up Popeyes' "$4 Wicked Good Deal" with Wendy's "4 for $4 menu," said police. She grew angry and began to harass the restaurant's staff about her meal, but proceeded to eat her food, said police. Before leaving, the woman made obscene gestures at the employees and used a chair to break a glass window, video surveillance shows. She fled the scene inside a dark-colored sedan in an unknown direction, police said.
Universal bus extends operating hours The Universal bus service will be extended from next month. A new timetable will see the addition of earlier and later buses on Mondays to Fridays, later buses on Saturdays and a new Sunday service. The Universal bus service links the new community of Eddington with West Cambridge, Cambridge Railway Station and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus (including Addenbrooke's Hospital). The Universal bus service currently runs up to every 15 minutes on Mondays to Fridays and up to every 20 minutes on Saturdays. It is operated by Whippet Coaches on behalf of the University of Cambridge. The new timetable will come into effect from Saturday 6 October and includes: The first bus from Eddington on Mondays to Fridays will be 05:58 instead of 06:49. Evening journeys on Mondays to Fridays will run until 21:33 from Eddington and 22:07 from Addenbrooke's Hospital. On Saturdays the extra evening journeys will run until 21:46 from Eddington and 22:15 from Cambridge Railway Station. A new Sunday service will see buses run from 07:50-18:45 from Eddington and 08:15-19:10 from Cambridge Railway Station, running every 30 minutes between approx. 11:00 and 17:00. The changes come in response to growing patronage and feedback from users and the wider community. Tickets will continue to be only £1 per journey for University card holders, but the normal adult single fare of £2 will increase to £2.20. In its second year of operation, there were 552,976 passenger journeys on the Universal service, a 55% increase compared to 2016-17. Andrew Coleman, Transport Manager at the University of Cambridge, said: "We are pleased to be able to secure these improvements to the Universal bus service in response to passenger feedback. The bus service improvements will benefit Eddington residents and visitors, as well as the wider University and Cambridge community, increasing the sustainable transport options available for people living in, working in and visiting the city" Matt Wooll, Commercial Manager at Whippet Coaches said: "We are very proud of the service we operate on behalf of the University of Cambridge. Bus passengers expect services to be reliable and we have demonstrated that this can be achieved, but our fares are still some of the lowest in the UK." Full timetable and fare information Share this page on Google Plus Email a link of this page Go to the Eddington homepageToggle navigationToggle search Go to the Resident's portal How to find Eddington Sign up to the Eddington newsletter Go to Eddington's Twitter feed Go to Eddington's Instagram profile Go to Eddington's YouTube channel Go to Eddington's LinkedIn page ExploreOpen sub-nav Storey's Field Centre Postdoc Centre Tours of Eddington Homes at Eddington University Staff Housing Post-graduate Student Housing What's to come OpportunitiesOpen sub-nav Building Eddington Housing Developers Commercial & Academic research About usOpen sub-nav Phase 1: Progress so far Phase 2: More than Eddington People of Eddington The Eddington Hour Thoughts from Eddington residents Community Group North West and West Community Forum All the latest news and updates about Eddington Residents portal Eddington Cambridge @Eddington_Cam Jan 29 Spring is just around the corner... we can almost taste it! 🌼🌼🌼 Beautiful picture of #Eddington's daisies from… https://t.co/PprTHZeyv7 Copyright 2020 Eddington Cambridge \| Privacy \| Legal \| Archive \| Image LibraryDevelopment by University of Cambridge Website by Olie&Co
Rendang Tok (Perak) – Have you tried this before? I first tasted this dish at Faisal's kenduri some time in Dec last year. Both Kiate and I fell in love with it! It had made such a great impression upon Kiate that he requested for this dish. Faisal kindly shared the recipe with me and I also did some research online – browsing recipe blogs and watching YouTube videos etc. After 6 months, I finally mustered the courage to attempt cooking this Malay delicacy. For the record, this was the first time I cooked beef – a milestone in my cooking journey. It took me over 3 hours in the kitchen but it was well worth the effort. The hubby gave two thumbs up! I referred to the recipe by "Baby Sumo" but halved the amount of each ingredient. I list the ingredients here for my future reference. If you need the full recipe (measurement and step-by-step guide), you can refer to Baby Sumo's blog here or watch this YouTube video.
Johann Anton Weinmann (russ. Иван Андреевич Вейнман, Iwan Andrejewitsch Weinman; * 23. Dezember 1782 in Würzburg; † 5. August 1858 in Pawlowsk (Sankt Petersburg)) war ein deutsch-russischer Gärtner und Botaniker. Sein offizielles botanisches Autorenkürzel lautet "" Leben Ab 1803 war er Chefgärtner des neu gegründeten botanischen Gartens in Dorpat (heute Tartu), ab 1823 Inspektor des Gartens der Zarin Maria Fjodorowna in Pawlowsk bei Sankt Petersburg. Ehrungen 1832 wurde er korrespondierendes Mitglied der Russischen Akademie der Wissenschaften in Sankt Petersburg. Nach ihm benannt sind die Pilzgattungen Weinmannodora und Weinmannioscyphus Schriften (Auswahl) Der botanische Garten der Kaiserlichen Universität zu Dorpat im Jahre 1810. 1810. Elenchus plantarum horti Imperialis Pawlowsciensis et agri Petropolitani. St. Petersburg 1824. Hymeno- et Gasteromycetes hujusque in imperio Rossico observatas recensuit … St. Petersburg 1836 (online) Enumeratio stirpium in agro Petropolitano sponte crescentium. (St. Petersburg 1837). Literatur Fritz Encke, Günther Buchheim, Siegmund Seybold: Zander. Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen. 13., neubearbeitete und erweiterte Auflage. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 1984, ISBN 3-8001-5042-5. Weblinks Вейнман Иван Андреевич (Иоганн Антон) Eintrag bei der Russischen Akademie der Wissenschaften (russisch) Einzelnachweise Botaniker (19. Jahrhundert) Korrespondierendes Mitglied der Russischen Akademie der Wissenschaften Deutscher Geboren 1782 Gestorben 1858 Mann
Lucho Vidales: What's in the Bag? Our pack-exploring journey continues. This week, Red Bull Illume unzips Lucho Vidales' bag and takes a look at what the Argentinian commercial sports and lifestyle photographer carries with him. Quite a lot of gear you have there. You damaged any on your travels? "Haha! That made me laugh, but it's not funny. Luckily not recently, but some time ago during a project in Patagonia I was snowboarding and had a pretty nice fall in the mountains with all my gear on my back. No damage was done, but it was a reminder that a good backpack is always a must." "I would pretty much pick the 1DS and the 35mm – I'm always happy with those guys." Anything else you carry not included in the shot? "Mmmm, probably my bike. She helps me get to locations around the city and I use it to carry my batteries, which I strap to the back of it." Planning anything special for Red Bull Illume 2016? "I'm working on it! I have some things in mind that I want to shoot next month if everything goes according to plan. Also, I can't wait to see the entries for this edition. Each year the images are even better. I don't know what to expect, but it's definitely going to be mind blowing as usual." Visit Lucho's website for more of his work or follow him on Facebook and Instagram.
45 lovely diy table lamp shade diy stuff from Antique Crystal Lamps With Glass Lampshade , Bring it with you when looking for window curtains or another decorating resources screenshot sourced from: freedomshabbat.org. cut glass table lamp cut glass table lamp antique cut glass table from Antique Crystal Lamps With Glass Lampshade , Take it along when shopping for curtains or another beautifying materials impression got from: getvelvet.co. The type of mood would you like to create? Those are the type of questions you need to answer before making a choice. fumat stained glass pendant lamp luxury crystal art glass birds from Antique Crystal Lamps With Glass Lampshade , Take it with you when looking for window curtains or other beautifying components impression got from: aliexpress.com. retro standard floor lamp unique vintage lightolier od drab olive from Antique Crystal Lamps With Glass Lampshade , Take it together with you when buying curtains or some other decorating components looks sourced from: drittklassig.com. 292 best table lamps images on pinterest table lamps buffet lamps from Antique Crystal Lamps With Glass Lampshade , Bring it along when searching for curtains or another beautifying supplies screenshot downloaded from: pinterest.com. 821 best romantic lamps lighting images on pinterest table lamps from Antique Crystal Lamps With Glass Lampshade , Take it together with you when buying curtains or any other beautifying resources image got from: pinterest.com. birds pendant lights vintage lamp resin bird fabric lampshade for from Antique Crystal Lamps With Glass Lampshade , Take it along with you when buying curtains or some other beautifying supplies impression sourced from: dhgate.com. or accent an area or thing. These lighting fixtures known as accent lamps. But usually, to conserve space, most lights can be multi-functional and found in all 3 ways mentioned above. wall sconces wall sconce glass shade best of best crystal lamps from Antique Crystal Lamps With Glass Lampshade , Bring it along with you when buying curtains or other redecorating supplies downloaded from: theracingreporter.com. lamp shades lamp shade pro from Antique Crystal Lamps With Glass Lampshade , Take it along when buying drapes or another redecorating supplies screenshot via from: lampshadepro.com. brass lamp shade brass lamp shade suppliers and manufacturers at from Antique Crystal Lamps With Glass Lampshade , Bring it with you when searching for window curtains or another designing components screenshot via from: alibaba.com. glass lamp shades for floor lamps full size of style lamp shade from Antique Crystal Lamps With Glass Lampshade , Take it along when shopping for curtains or other beautifying materials looks downloaded from: waterprotectors.info. 590 best antique lamps images on pinterest vintage lamps vintage from Antique Crystal Lamps With Glass Lampshade , Take it together with you when shopping for window curtains or some other beautifying supplies image sourced from: pinterest.com. We will now look at some of the lighting options available. , and styles. The main thing to consider when choosing a floor lamp fixture is where you want to place it, the sort of light it will provide, and the amount of space it will take up. , even when they aren't used. Table lamps are generally adjustable and their shades too can be altered as required.
Place in a saucepan One cup of water, One cup of syrup, One-half cup of cocoa, Six tablespoons of cornstarch, One teaspoon of cinnamon. Stir until the starch is dissolved and then bring to a boil. Cook slowly for six minutes and then add one teaspoon of vanilla. Cool and use for chocolate filling between cakes, in eclairs or cream puffs, or for chocolate pie. Related search terms: chocolate filling made with cocoa, milk chocolate filling made with cocoa powder, easy from scratch chocolate cream filling using cocoa powder, chocolate filling with cocoa powder, chocolate filling using cocoa powder, choccolate filling made using cocoa.
Tell your babywearing story with Spicy Tigress. Spicy is a cotton wrap, compromised of 50% chili pepper mercerized and 50% standard cotton. It is a medium weight wrap and is suitable for newborns to toddlers. Due to its 100% cotton and medium weight, it is suitable for year round. Second quality wraps have cosmetic flaws that do not affect function.
Andy De Jesus' first arrest came after he stole a car at age 12. Five years, three felonies and two months in jail later, De Jesus is fighting to free himself from the justice system in which he has become captive. Two years ago, when he was 16 and facing substantial prison time on robbery and gun charges, De Jesus turned to Empowered Youth for help. The five-year-old program is the brainchild of Colleen Adams, who began to volunteer at the Miami-Dade County Juvenile Detention Center after reading a newspaper story about incarcerated juveniles. Her work at the center evolved into a weekly in-detention program aimed at helping the juveniles after they are released. Adams said teens build tough personalities to survive on the street. Empowered Youth tries to build character by focusing on 28 traits, among them kindness, integrity and honesty. The success of the program prompted the creation of Empowered Youth Neighborhood in March 2009. With money from the taxpayer-funded Children's Trust of Miami-Dade County, the program offers juvenile ex-offenders support and mentoring with the aim of helping reduce the chances they would return to crime. Offenders are referred to Empowered Youth Neighborhood by other programs, the state attorney's office and the public defender. If they attend Monday- and Wednesday evening sessions and graduate, their charges may be reduced or dropped. Thus far, 20 young men have graduated from the program and only one has re-offended. But the funding apparently was a one-time allocation. The Children's Trust faces a severe revenue decline this year and Empowered Youth Neighborhood did not get another grant. Adams keeps it going, though, providing dinner or lunch at meetings and transportation for those who need it. De Jesus had one of the longest criminal rap sheets among program participants. Two years ago, at age 16, he faced charges of strong-armed robbery, armed robbery and possession of a concealed firearm. A judge sentenced him to two months in jail and a year's probation and ordered him to enter the Empowered Youth Neighborhood program. He graduated and now works as a program mentor. But De Jesus' commitment to redirecting his future doesn't overshadow his history. Already kicked out of 14 schools, he said he now cannot find a high school willing to accept him. De Jesus is hoping for a career in the arts. She is planning to commit her time and money to the boys of Empowered Youth Neighborhood, asking only one thing in return: a commitment to change. "I'm like a soccer mom on steroids," she said. Deborah Souverain may be contacted at [email protected].
MAN EATING TIGER - Reflections MAN EATING TIGER Reflections Man Eating Tiger comprised of Jason Simpson (drums/vocals/keyboards), Brian Vandegriffe (bass/vocals), Ryan Metz (guitar/vocals), Jason Emerick (guitar) and Robb Martinez (vocals/keyboards) recently released their third effort entitled Reflections. You can tell right away that this isn' the band's first rodeo. The band has obvious chemistry and is extremely in the pocket during these nine dynamic songs. From the metronome like timing to the versatile guitar playing the band brings the goods. They don't waste any time introducing themselves with the opener "Stadium." Guitars break at the seams and cymbals crash before launching into a kinetic verse. The guitars are clever, original and melodic. I was also enjoying the vocals which feel cathartic yet stay well within the vocalist's range. The song has some impressive height that veer towards post-rock. "Waves" is another success. The timing, jagged guitars, bass line and drums are all pure ear candy. You can appreciate this from a technical or creative standpoint. Like the opener the song reaches some impressive dynamic heights. The next highlight is "Crossfire." This time around the guitars soar. I mean damn. The whole song is just one big adrenaline rush. "2 Years" is what you may consider somewhat of a breather while "Rooftops" has a higher BPM that brings the intense energy that I couldn't help but appreciate. "Congeniality Deficiency" is what you could consider the centerpiece of the album. At seven- minutes long the song has plenty of valleys and canyons for you to explore. Considering the band sounds nothing like an era of David Bowie I was happy that they chose "Lazarus." The band puts their own spin on the song and it works quite well as a closer. Man Eating Tiger is a seasoned band and Reflections is a testament to that. Reflections is a no brainer if you want to hear a dynamic rock album with some technical and creative talent. Reflections by MAN EATING TIGER
COP26: The Queen says 'none of us will live forever' as she urges leaders to act for 'our children's children' In a particularly moving moment, and following recent concerns about her health, the 95-year-old stressed the need for leaders to act now to tackle the climate crisis, not for their own benefits but for future generations. Rhiannon Mills Royal correspondent @SkyRhiannon Tuesday 2 November 2021 15:50, UK 'None of us will live forever' The Queen has urged world leaders to "rise above the politics of the moment, and achieve true statesmanship" at the COP26 summit. She ended with the poignant message that "none of us will live forever. But we are doing this not for ourselves, but for our children and our children's children, and those who will follow in their footsteps". The message from Her Majesty was played at an evening reception for world leaders to welcome them to Glasgow for COP26. COP26: What is happening on each day of the climate conference? The Queen, drawing on her decades of diplomatic experience, said: "For more than 70 years, I have been lucky to meet and to know many of the world's great leaders. "And I have perhaps come to understand a little about what made them special. "It has sometimes been observed that what leaders do for their people today is government and politics. But what they do for the people of tomorrow - that is statesmanship. COP26 day 1: Protests, highlights and stumbles "I, for one, hope that this conference will be one of those rare occasions where everyone will have the chance to rise above the politics of the moment, and achieve true statesmanship." Climate change: Global warming 'could reach 4C by end of this century' after COP26 fell short of its aims, say experts Year In Review - climate, royals, space and tech She said: "Of course, the benefits of such actions will not be there to enjoy for all of us here today: none of us will live forever. But we are doing this not for ourselves, but for our children and our children's children, and those who will follow in their footsteps." It was announced last week that the Queen wouldn't be able to attend COP26 after her doctors told her to rest for at least the next two weeks. Prince Charles: 'Time has literally run out' But the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were all present to help Prime Minister Boris Johnson welcome the global leaders. Image: William and Kate and Charles and Camilla watch the Queen's address to COP26 In another heart-warming and personal moment, the Queen talked about her pride in her own family for their enduring commitment to the environment, starting with Prince Philip. She said: "I remember well that in 1969, he told an academic gathering 'if the world pollution situation is not critical at the moment, it is as certain as anything can be, that the situation will become increasingly intolerable within a very short time... If we fail to cope with this challenge, all the other problems will pale into insignificance'. "It is a source of great pride to me that the leading role my husband played in encouraging people to protect our fragile planet, lives on through the work of our eldest son Charles and his eldest son, William. I could not be more proud of them." Get serious about climate change now - PM The Queen was said to have regretfully pulled out of COP26, but didn't want her absence to be an excuse for other world leaders not to attend. She is understood to want the conference to result in meaningful actions, but made it clear in her speech that she realised it wouldn't be easy: "None of us underestimates the challenges ahead: but history has shown that when nations come together in common cause, there is always room for hope. Working side by side, we have the ability to solve the most insurmountable problems and to triumph over the greatest of adversities." For full coverage of COP26 watch Climate Live on Sky channel 525. Follow live coverage on web and app with our dedicated live blog. Get all the latest stories, special reports and in depth analysis at skynews.com/cop26
To all 7th graders: The vocabulary test, taken last Friday, Sept 25th, must be finished and/or made up by Friday, Oct. 2nd. If you do not arrange to make up the test, it will be recorded as missing, which will factor as a zero on the portal. Moreover, if you do not make arrangements with me to finish it if it is incomplete, the blank answers will be marked down. Remember: it is up to you to arrange a time to complete this test. I am available most days after school, and if you have an academic lab, let me know, and I will forward the test to your ac. lab. teacher.
Flood insurance makes sense once you realize that floods are the #1 natural disaster in the US. Right now everyone's focused on the flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy's storm surge, but there are lots of other reasons why your home might get flooded. We'll review these as most homeowners focus on saving money versus understanding their insurance options. This article focuses on flood insurance starting with an overview of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and what it covers. It's important to understand flood insurance, and why it might be good for your home as most homeowners focus simply on saving money. When we bought our condo a quarter mile from the NH coastline, we learned our condo didn't require flood insurance (with about a foot to spare) so we didn't buy it. We're reviewing our decision now because Hurricane Sandy's damage to New Jersey, could easily have happened in New Hampshire. In high risk areas (insurance required if mortgages from federally regulated or insured lenders), there is a 25% chance of flooding during a 30 year period (mortgage). You might think your home won't get flooded if you don't live along the coast or near a river. In fact, flooding is the #1 natural disaster in the US. Flooding can happen almost anywhere — yes, hurricanes and tropical storms but also heavy rains and spring thaw, flash floods and mud flows, dams and levees can break and new development alters water runoff patterns causing flooding where it's never happened. That's why Congress created the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in 1968, to insure property owners could buy flood insurance as most homeowner policies DO NOT cover flooding. NFIP flood insurance is available to homeowners, renters, and business owners if their community participates in the NFIP, as these communities agree to adopt and enforce ordinances that meet or exceed FEMA requirements to reduce the risk of flooding. Sandbags, supplies and labor up to $1,000 to protect insured buildings from flooding. The insured building, foundation, stairways, staircases, elevators and dumbwaiters, unpainted drywall and ceilings, including fiberglass insulation. Well water tanks and pumps, cisterns and the water in them; oil tanks and the oil in them, natural gas tanks and the gas in them; pumps and/or tanks used in conjunction with solar energy. Electrical and plumbing systems and required utility connections, furnaces, heat pumps, central air-conditioning equipment and water heaters. Refrigerators, cooking stoves, and built-in appliances likes dishwashers. Personal belongings (not below grade) like clothing, furniture, curtains and electronic equipment. Portable and window air conditioners, portable microwaves and dishwashers, washing machines and dryers. Carpeting not already included in property coverage. Basement improvements like finished walls, floors or ceilings, or personal belongings kept in the basement, such as furniture and other contents. Damage caused by moisture, mildew or mold that could have been avoided by the property owner. Currency, precious metals and valuable papers such as stock certificates. Property and belongings outside the insured building, i.e. trees, plants, wells, septic systems, walks, decks, patios, fences, seawalls, hot tubs and swimming pools. Flood insurance coverage is available for up to $250,000 in damages for homes and individual condominium units (condo associations have a different type of policy), and up to $100,000 in losses if you purchase contents coverage. When buying flood insurance, you'll pick from one of 2 common reimbursement methods (replacement cost or actual cash value), similar to regular homeowners insurance. There is a 30 day waiting period on new flood insurance policies (exception may exist when required to obtain a new mortgage). The average premium for a one year is $600 according to the National Flood Insurance website , but remember that's an average of people in high risk areas that are required to carry flood insurance, and those who do so voluntarily (premiums can be as low as $129). It sounds like a lot of money but when you realize the average residential flood claim (between 2007 and 2011) was almost $30,000, it might seem worthwhile. Flood Insurance Frequently Asked Questions. Recent article, http://science.time.com/2013/07/17/the-costs-of-climate-change-and-extreme-weather-are-passing-the-high-water-mark/?hpt=hp_bn18 explains why today's flood insurance motivates the wrong behaviour.
Lawmakers, celebrities targeted in alleged phone-hacking scandal Posted byadmin July 9, 2009 British lawmakers demanded answers Thursday after a newspaper reported that a UK tabloid illegally hacked the phones of thousands of public figures including Gwyneth Paltrow, George Michael and Elle MacPherson. The commissioner of London's Metropolitan Police said he asked his assistant to look into the allegations and determine whether to investigate. It comes after The Guardian newspaper reported Thursday the cell phones of "several thousand public figures" were hacked into by reporters and staff of the News of the World tabloid during one month in 2006. The public figures named by the Guardian as victims of the phone hackings include lawmaker John Prescott, who was then the deputy prime minister; Tessa Jowell, who was the secretary of state for culture, responsible for the media; and London Mayor Boris Johnson, who at the time was the Conservative Party spokesman on higher education. The Guardian said actress Gwyneth Paltrow, model Elle MacPherson, actor Jude Law, singer George Michael, celebrity chef Nigella Lawson, celebrity PR agent Max Clifford, and actors union Equity were also victims of the hacking. "The allegations — the enormity of it — is just unbelievable," Prescott told the BBC on Thursday morning. "I think it is outrageous," former Home Secretary Charles Clarke, who was not named among the alleged victims, told the BBC. "I think we do need action immediately." Thursday's revelations in the Guardian come from a case last year in which Gordon Taylor, the head of the Professional Footballers' Association, was suing the News of the World for illegally intercepting messages on his cell phone. The tabloid paid Taylor more than £400,000 ($800,000 at the time) to settle the case, the Guardian said. The case file was sealed, but the newspaper said it obtained the suppressed evidence. That evidence, the Guardian said, shows that journalists working for the News of the World paid private investigators to illegally hack the cell phones of several thousand public figures. The staff then paid for the information the investigators obtained, the Guardian said. The parent company of the News of the World issued a statement on the eve of the report's publication saying, "News International feels it's inappropriate to comment at this time." Twitter accounts of Obama, Britney Spears hacked Fears of impostors increase on Facebook News International is the UK subsidiary of News Corporation. Police and prosecutors also came under scrutiny in the Guardian's report. It said the Metropolitan Police were aware of the hackings and raided the offices of some of the private investigators but did not inform those whose phones allegedly were targeted. The paper also said prosecutors decided not to take any legal action over the claims. Prescott demanded to know why — if those allegations are true — he wasn't told that his phone had been allegedly been hacked. "I am writing to the chief of police to ask him and the Met authorities, did you know that many of our phones were being tapped Did you tell the public prosecutor Did the prosecutor then say 'no further action'" Prescott told the BBC. "I can't believe that such legal authorities — on such serious charges, if these allegations are right — did nothing, and I want to know from them." A spokeswoman for Jude Law said the actor was not commenting on the Guardian's report. Other celebrities contacted by CNN had no immediate comment. A spokesman for Equity said the union was writing to the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police to ask for evidence accompanying the claims. The Guardian reported that Equity was targeted as a way to get actors' addresses. "We have no evidence to support the claims in today's Guardian story that Equity was conned into giving out information and we have received no complaints from any of our members that the details we hold on their behalf have been improperly accessed," Equity's letter states. "We do, however, take the claims very seriously. We will be investigating the alleged breach in our security." Metropolitan Police Commissioner Paul Stephenson said the Guardian's allegations relate to an investigation police made in 2006 in relation to another case, involving a complaint from the royal household. "As a result of that I have asked Assistant Commissioner John Yates to establish the facts of that case and look into that detail and I would anticipate making a statement later today perhaps," Stephenson said in a statement. UK lawmakers call for speaker to quit over expense scandal The Downside of Friends: Facebook's Hacking Problem Australian rugby league apologizes for sex scandal Search over: Universal phone charger on its way World's rich targeted in new model for carbon cuts Posted byadmin July 9, 2009 Posted inDaily NewsTags: britney-spears, claims, facebook, george-michael, hacking, metropolitan, security, time, world Odds are stacked against Chrome OS's success Peru's pregnant women dying at 'scandalous' rates
Disclaimer: the comments and opinions expressed in this review are the results of our own (limited!) experience with the product. As always, we try to provide context to give a fair overview of the product. We strive to remain impartial and unbiased, and we have not received any payment or compensation of any form for writing this article. Dremel lent us a Dremel 3D40 Idea Builder for Education 3D printer for free, for the duration of the test. Dremel, based in Mount Prospect, Illinois, is a prolific brand in the world of DIY. As a company, they have been around since 1932 and their products are available in many retail stores, from tool and hardware stores to superstores like Walmart. Indeed, few companies have achieved the level of ubiquity that Dremel has with their rotary tools. Many people use Dremel's products to make amazing things and they have established a respectable brand that hasn't deviated too much in decades. Thus their first big innovation is the introduction of a line of 3D printers, including the Idea Builder 3D40 which we are looking at today. Our test unit of the Dremel Idea Builder 3D40. The Dremel Idea Builder 3D40 is the newest model, but the original Idea Builder (labeled 3D20) came out in 2014 to some surprise and mixed response (mostly due to the decision to use proprietary 3D filament and sticking to PLA material exclusively), but ultimately a generally positive reception. As Dremel's second version of their flagship desktop 3D printer, the Idea Builder 3D40 is a largely iterative update, refining the original Idea Builder in some significant ways, in spite of a few continued omissions. A color touch screen is certainly not unheard of in this market. However, we feel it was well implemented in the Idea Builder 3D40. You are never provided with too many options or required to press tiny buttons with illegibly small text. It just works and makes interacting with the machine more comfortable. The Dremel 3D40 Idea Builder removable 3D printing build plate. This feature is especially nice if you purchase a second build plate (or if you get the Education model), but even if you don't it is quite nice to be able to remove it and work with it outside of the machine; especially since the machine is so well enclosed. The extruder has a sensor to detect when the filament runs out and pauses the build; which we found out when we left the machine running over night and came back and found it paused rather than ruined! Some additional technology makes the extruder virtually clog proof, as long as you follow their procedure for loading filament. Bed leveling is selected from the LCD menu and a few adjustments to a pair of knobs later you're leveled and ready to print. The leveling probe works great and the bed stays level. The Dremel 3D40 Idea Builder is available in two versions, the "Standard" version priced at $1,299 and the Dremel 3D40 Idea Builder for Education ($1,599) we are testing today. They are the same 3D printer but different products in the sense that the Education model includes everything a teacher needs to get going such as 3 more spools of PLA, an additional build plate, and curriculum (including another flash drive with 3D models for each lesson). Our review really is pertinent to both. Tested objects: We always carefully select a few items to print that will help evaluate and illustrate the real-world quality of the prints. This time we printed a 3DBenchy, the Make: 2015 3D Printer Shoot-Out Test Models, the 3D Printer Test Kit by 3DKitbash and a Ford Engine Block by Ford. 3D filament used for the test: The Idea Builder 3D40 uses proprietary 3D filament so we printed exclusively with the PLA they provided; which happens to be excellent material. Total 3D printing test time: We tested the 3D40 for a total of 74 hours and 26 minutes over the course of the review. The packaging of the Dremel Idea Builder 3D40 3D printer. The 3D40 came in a nice big brown box and arrived in fantastic condition. For this review we were sent the Education model fully labeled the Dremel Idea Builder 3D40 for Education), which is the same printer as the regular 3D40, but includes a few things that made the review easier. This includes 4 spools of PLA (white, black, blue and orange), a second build plate, preloaded flash drive as well as additional print surfaces and a tool for applying them to the glass. We were very excited for the 3D printer to arrive and it was delivered in perfect shape. The box was undamaged and we had no trouble opening it to find all the awesome things inside! The box we received had many smaller boxes inside, including the lovely orange, white and blue Dremel box which houses the printer itself and is protected with a pair of molded pulp spacers that seem to have done a fine job of protecting the machine. We might have preferred to see styrofoam but, again, it seems to have worked fine. What comes with the 3D40 is all inside that main box, achieved by putting the spool of white PLA and the build surfaces inside the machine. Dremel has been around the block a few times and is no stranger to documentation. This is an area that many newcomers struggle with or sadly overlook. Dremel, however, included a great Quick Start Guide (in English, Spanish and French) that takes you through the following: Unboxing, Kit Contents, Getting to Know Your Dremel 3D40, Getting Ready to Build (including leveling), Building (Printing), Best Practices and Resources, and Getting Connected. The beauty of it is that although they have a more detailed operating manual that covers any other detail you might need, the Quick Start Guide lets you get printing right away because there are files stored on the machine and the flash drive. The more detailed Operating/Safety Instructions manual goes into every necessary detail from each option on the color touch screen to things like loading filament into the cavity or removal and placement of the print bed and print surfaces. This particular package, as we mentioned before, included some additional items that are part of the education model, but it's mostly just more of what is in the regular package. That is, more 3D printing materials, more 3D print surfaces, another flash drive, etc. It does also include a USB cable. The build surfaces provided are great. The blue painter's tape squares work fine on top of the removable glass bed and we 3D printed with them without any trouble. The custom, more premium build tape though is especially good as it is similar to print surfaces like BuildTak. It has a textured surface and does quite a bit to make up for the lack of a heated bed on big PLA prints. We didn't find the included scraper tool to be useful for removing prints, but it was great for applying the build tape. The web based software required no installation. The simple creation of an online account is enough to properly get started on the software side. The browser based Print Studio software is based on Autodesk Spark platform. The Dremel 3D40 online registration. Even if you take it a step further and download the Print Studio software, it is preconfigured for the machine and requires no additional setup. You simply download the software and go through the installation. Then you launch Print Studio and let it know what machine you are using. The Dremel 3D40 Idea Builder open with its removable 3D print build plate. There really isn't much to do as far as setup once you've unboxed the printer. There are some more molded pulp inserts inside that protect the machine in shipping that need to be removed and then you can simply level the bed and start 3D printing. It was one of the fastest box-to-print times we've seen with a desktop 3D printer so far. The Dremel 3D40 Idea Builder is mostly made of plastic but seems to have a sturdy frame inside. Aesthetically we'd say this strikes a nice balance between industrial and modern attractiveness, quite on par with what you'd expect based on their rotary tools. The LCD lights up when you turn the 3D printer on and it greets you with a delightful little chime with the boot screen. Then you are ready to print something, level the bed, etc… One quite convenient thing: updates for the machine's firmware can be done over the air once you connect to the Wifi. Print surfaces are important as they make a big difference in print adhesion. The Dremel Idea Builder 3D40 has a removable glass bed with a plastic frame and you it is possible to 3D print directly on the glass. But Dremel wisely includes some premium options for print surfaces that you can apply over the glass. Dremel offers branded blue painters tape squares that work great and some even more premium black surfaces with some texture that are really impressive, very similar to the famous BuildTak. Since the Education model comes with 2 different types of surfaces we tried both. They both work great but the black surface had better adhesion and we never had to replace it even after daily printing for almost the 2 months that review lasted. Following the included Quick Start Guide will easily get you up and printing in no time. There are only a few steps and you can start printing models that are pre-loaded without any trouble. We started our first print literally less than 10 minutes after turning the printer on. Following the steps in the guide, we removed the cover for the filament compartment and slid some filament up through the guide tube. Then we followed the prompts on the screen for loading filament and the Idea Builder preheated and started extruding. Simple! The extruder design makes many stressful aspects of 3D printing much easier. The Dremel 3D40 Idea Builder for Education extruder. You will certainly level the bed the first time here as well. This is an assisted process as it probes 3 positions and tells you which way to rotate the 2 blue knobs under the build plate. It works very well and we were happy with this very important feature. Every 3D printer needs a good solution for bed leveling or it can make everything else look bad. It isn't overly tedious and you won't need to conduct this autocalibration process often. And most importantly, it is accurate, from our experience. The LCD screen interface of the Dremel 3D40 Idea Builder for Education. After that, you can simply select a 3D model from the LCD interface to start a 3D print. The Dremel 3D40 will do the rest! Dremel's web-based interface, powered by Autodesk's Spark platform, was frustrating at first. Ultimately we were very happy to find that their work with Autodesk provided them with excellent compatibility with their Print Studio software. The Dremel 3D40 Idea Builder online interface. In order to use the simplified web-based software, you need to create an account online at Dremel3D.com and then connect your machine via Wifi or an ethernet connection. Then the Idea Builder 3D40 provides a token to identify your machine so you can add it to your account and send files to print à la 21st century. The truth is that we don't find those features to be critical and tend to use the included flash drive which is a fine option as well, but this depends on the environment and workflow. It may be that in a classroom setting this feature is more beneficial or when printing with several machines. Everything feels very modern and navigable in the software interface. You aren't presented with too many options and you can even simply print files that they provide from a curated catalog on the site. There is also a companion app for both iOS and Android that operates almost identically to the web-based platform. The Dremel 3D40 Idea Builder for Education software. We were very happy to see that Print Studio offered the things that we needed. In the settings, we were able to adjust layer height, infills, speeds, extrusion and even manual supports. This combined offering of a full-featured slicer and a simplified web offering make the Dremel 3D40 work well for different potential customers and we think that is a smart move on their part. Keeping in mind that you can only print in PLA (and exclusively Dremel's proprietary brand of PLA) the 3D prints turned out excellent. One of the first things we printed was the famous 3DBenchy and it turned out better than we ever expected. And with almost no exceptions we found that it cranked out print after glorious print for us even at respectable speeds. By default, the recommended layer height setting is 200 microns. We found that this machine prints very well at 100 microns and using this software was the key to making it a worthy tool for professionals who are ok with a PLA only machine. The Dremel 3D40 Idea Builder for Education 3D printing process. One small drawback is that the only available supports are the spire-like Meshmixer supports. They often work very well but occasionally you may wish you could employ something more traditional, as there are times where a grid or zig-zag are necessary to properly support certain features. The build volume is larger than on the original Idea Builder. This 3D printer sports a 255 mm x 155 mm x 170 mm build volume. That isn't bad at all, especially with the added height. But with the overall dimensions of 514 mm x 406 mm x 403 mm it does feel like there should be more. The Dremel 3D40 Idea Builder is a bit noisey. We tested it with Sound Meter for Android at a one-meter distance. While printing with the door and lid open, we got 66db. The good news is that this number drops down to 60 dB when the machine is closed. Dremel's Idea Builder 3D40 is not too noisy, but if you have a few 3D printing together it may start to be a bit noisy for environments where silence is needed. Packaging of the Dremel Idea Builder 3D40 3D printer. This was the first benchy we printed and it turned out perfect. Every element including overhangs printed flawlessly. 3D Benchy 3D printed on the Dremel Idea Builder 3D40 3D printer. We even printed it at 100 microns and were very pleased by the result. We printed it with Dremel Orange PLA and the result was almost perfect, hence the rating. Make torture test 3D printed on the Dremel Idea Builder 3D40. Make Magazine's 3D Printer Torture Test offers a rigorous approach for testing the limits of a 3D printer. We use it as a benchmark test. All the 3D prints were done in 150 microns layer thickness. Make torture test close up 3D printed on the Dremel Idea Builder 3D40. 3DKitBash have released their own set of 10 chips designed to test all the above-mentioned aspects of 3D printing (including voids, spikes, edges, text, bridges, flex and articulations). The articulations offer the ability to test the ability for the 3D printer to produce functional assemblies in one print. The ten piece set of Test Chips from 3DK was 3D printed beautifully. Most of the chips have detail and although we really should have used the White PLA (to make the details come out more in photos) they printed very accurately albeit a bit rough. 3D KitBash V0.2 test files 3D printed on the Dremel Idea Builder 3D40. Every part was 3D printed at 200 microns and almost all of the "Print-In-Place" elements were produced accurately other than the chip with the claw/pincer element which unfortunately broke. 3D KitBash V0.2 test files close up 3D printed on the Dremel Idea Builder 3D40. As always in Aniwaa's 3D printer reviews, we chose this model simply to mix things up a bit and include something a bit more practical that might not be designed perfectly for 3D printing. This piece of an engine block has a lot of overhangs that require excessive support. We printed it at 200 microns and have to give the Idea Builder 3D40 some credit; it turned out fairly well considering how tough it is. And if the software allowed for "accordion" support it may have turned out even better. Ford Engine Block by Ford 3D printed on the Dremel Idea Builder 3D40. At $1,299.00 USD for the basic bundle or $1,599.00 for the Education option, this desktop 3D printer may seem a bit overpriced. But considering the polish and user experience of this product and the details we pointed out, it becomes a bit more justified. Compared to other PLA only, non-heated bed machines it definitely seems to produce better prints than its classmates and is a delight to use. For an individual, the Dremel 3D40 Idea Builder is the right version and the Education version should only be considered by schools or companies (makes sense!). The Education bundle is definitively pricey but the extra investment is justified by the smooth user experience and simplified maintenance offered by Dremel. If you are looking for a classroom or office ready printer and you only need to 3D print small and medium sized parts in PLA, you will be absolutely pleased with this 3D printer. When the lid and door are closed the Dremel 3D40 is a very good 3D printer which produces great 3D prints. Finally, we think the Dremel 3D40 Idea Builder for Education is a great 3D printer for teachers. It is very classroom friendly as teachers aren't likely to ever have to take anything apart with this machine. The extruder also does a great job of cooling the print and we saw very impressive results on overhangs and bridging. Really anyone who wants a simple and reliable PLA-only 3D printer will be happy with what they get for their money. But truth be told… we'd like a way to use a broader pallet of available materials without breaking the Dremel's rules. Another 3D printer with similar qualities (good user experience and PLA 3D printing) is the European bq Witbox 2 ($1,900) is a solid option, but more expensive and without a touchscreen. For more material capabilities, but with proprietary 3D filaments, the Zortrax M200 ($1,990) might also be interesting. For users looking for a reliable workhorse capable to handle any type of 3D filaments and equipped with a dual extruder, the FlashForge Creator Pro at only $999 is definitively a good option.
Shop Now Cruise.com via ShermansCruise offers a Princess Cruises 7-Night Western Caribbean Cruise for Two with prices starting from $900. (On the ShermansCruise landing page, scroll to the bottom and click "Book Now" next to the March 30 sailing date; we found lower rates during booking.) That's the lowest price we could find by $50. This roundtrip cruise aboard the Caribbean Princess departs from Fort Lauderdale, FL, on March 30. Book this travel deal by February 28.
module HerokuSsl class Engine < ::Rails::Engine isolate_namespace HerokuSsl end end
Diasant offers three different grades of diamond polish pads with Pulsar, Zenith and Imperial. Depending on your expectations of quality, speed and life will depend on how much you are willing to invest. Diasant offers the best Price Performance value in the industry no matter which system you choose. Since 1991, Regent Stone Products has offered the largest selection of name brand diamond polishing pads with names like Diasant, Zenith, Imperial, Craftsman's Choice, Tiger, Cyclone, Alpha, Weha and Quartz Renew. Give us a call today at 1-800-624-8210 and let us help you decide which pads are best for your application whether it be on quartz, granite, marble, or any natural stone.
Angebote zu "Women's" (1.835 Treffer) Podium Women'S Dx Ski Pants Sport Pants Pink HALTI Halti Podium Women'S Dx Ski Pants Anbieter: boozt.com Podium Women'S Dx Ski Pants Sport Pants Schwarz HALTI Podium Women'S Dx Ski Jacket Outerwear Sport Jackets Blau HALTI Halti Podium Women'S Dx Ski Jacket Podium Women'S Dx Ski Jacket Outerwear Sport Jackets Pink HALTI Puntti Ii Women'S Dx Ski Pants Sport Pants Blau HALTI Halti Puntti Ii Women'S Dx Ski Pants Puntti Ii Women'S Dx Ski Pants Sport Pants Pink HALTI Valeri Stolyarov High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Valeri Stolyarov (born January 18, 1971) was a former Russian nordic combined skier who competed during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He won a bronze in the 15 km individual at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. Stolyarov also won a bronze medal in the 4 x 5 km team event at the 1999 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Ramsau. While Norwegian soldiers are known to have been competing in Nordic skiing since the 19th century, the first major competition in Nordic combined was held in 1892 in Oslo at the first Holmenkollen Ski Festival, an event still held annually. In Norway, popularity of the Holmenkollen, and Nordic combined in general, was great. It is still held in all Winter Olympics. There is currently no women's competition sanctioned by the FIS. Sandpoint, Idaho High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Sandpoint is a city in, and the county seat of, Bonner County, Idaho, United States. Its population was 6,835 at the 2000 census. Sandpoint's major industry is tourism and recreation, thanks to its proximity to scenic Lake Pend Oreille and Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort. It is the headquarters of Coldwater Creek, a women's apparel retailer, Litehouse, a national salad dressing manufacturer, and the location of one of the largest film festivals in the Northwestern United States, the Lakedance International Film Festival. Puntti Stolyarov
This is a classic and who better to do it than Chef Chris Ratel, it's been a favorite in his family for years now! It was perfect! Thank you! Exactly what you imagine a beer braised pot roast to taste like! Never have the time to cook something like this myself, so thank you again! Incredible. Just incredible. I could eat the whole thing again right now. The mashed potatoes were sort of bland, but they were stiff, the way I like them. The Brussels sprouts were prepped and cooked correctly. I wouldn't have order this if I'd listened to the reviewers who said the pot roast was too fatty. I don't eat visible fat, and didn't want to be disappointed. But I'm glad I took a chance. It was perfectly flavored and not too fatty. Absolutely divine. Absolutely delicious. I am not normally a big fan of pot roast but this definitely has made me a believer. One of your best meals! The meat flavor and the potatoes are amazing. Substantial meal, tender beef, smooth potatoes and a fantastic gravy make this a winner. So delicious. A nice hearty comfort meal perfect for a rainy day. Only downside is it leaked a bit in my delivery bag. Mashed Potatoes were great, didn't like the cut of meat. Really tasty, but not as pictured. No carrots. Meat was far too fatty for my taste, so much if this meal went to waste.
Projects within the Oil and Gas industry – upstream or downstream – require reliable and comprehensive quality control programs. Equipment used to explore for, extract, contain, transport, and refine hydrocarbons represent the core assets of any organization operating within the Oil and Gas sector. Newly manufacturing top-quality equipment and ensuring the reliability of existing equipment is essential to the success of any Oil and Gas extraction project. With the rapid price fluctuations in the energy market seen in the past decade, ensuring production stability is a high priority, alongside adherence to industry and international standards. AQF has developed a suite of services that can offer you unparalleled transparency into your industrial manufacturing projects. From materials verification to inspections, the AQF Industrial Division is prepared to be your long-term quality control partner. How Can AQF Help YOUR Business? If you have clients that are relying on you to provide a quality product in every shipment then do not settle for inspection companies who use untrained and underpaid local inspectors. AQF QA teams are trained and our inspectors often have an engineering background. We'll make sure you have the right team for the job and that your industrial products are carefully and thoroughly evaluated. You guys are quite efficient in making sure that you are in constant communication with our vendors to set up a time and day to have inspections handled... InTouch definitely pushed to make sure that inspections would be done in a timely manner. Any corrective actions that had to take place were executed well before the exit factory date. Since InTouch does a more detailed inspection than what we had depended on with the factories, the quality of the products has improved. Where before when we might find 25 AQL defects, now it's down to three or four,because the factory knows that we want that cut back and InTouch is going to find it. InTouch's auditing reduced the level of risk, whether known or unknown, to our company. From the audit findings provided by InTouch, we were much more equipped to make the correct business decision with regard to an acceptable level of risk. The InTouch audit secured our decision making process. One of our customers had been through multiple suppliers year after year and had been let down with returns and rejections. With InTouch as our eyes and ears on the ground, we retained that business for 5 years without one single rejection or complaint. The speed that we get the reports is always good. We had an experience with some other inspectors where we had to wait an extra day to get the reports. Getting the report as soon as we can is very important, so we can make a decision and give feedback back to the factory. From beginning to end, InTouch is so easy to work with. The inspection report is literally there the next morning when I come into work. It really makes my job easier.
You are here: Home › DIY › The PDF includes two plans for what are sometimes called floating shelves. These are pretty stylish bookshelf plans, and the construction is really solid. ← Repurpose or Toss- of course, I have lots of these, why didnt I think of this!!
MUX click (Go to Parent Category) MUX click is a Click board™ that switches one of the four differential inputs to one differential output. It employs the MUX509, a modern CMOS analog multiplexing integrated circuit, produced by Texas Instruments. This IC can be powered with both dual power supplies, ranging from ±5V to ±18V, and single power supplies, ranging from 10V to 36V. It offers rail-to-rail operation, allowing the input signal to swing up (and down) to the voltage of the power supply, with no distortion. Features such as the break-before-make switching action, electrostatic discharge protection up to 2kV, low on-resistance and low input current leakage, make this circuit a perfect solution for various switching applications, especially those that utilize differential signals. The MUX509 itself uses three control pins to perform signal switching. These pins are routed to the mikroBUS™, allowing simple interfacing with the host MCU. In addition, MUX click comes equipped with the three-pole terminal for the power supply, as well as with the standard 2.54mm 2x5 pin header for the input and output signals. This makes connecting all the wires simple and reliable, allowing the Click board™ to be operated right out of the box. MUX click is equipped with the MUX509, a precise analog multiplexing IC, produced by Texas Instruments. The MUX509 can be used with a wide range of power supplies. It can handle both dual and single power supplies, as well as the symmetrical and non-symmetrical ones. This allows it to be used in a very wide range of different applications. Another property of the MUX509 IC is that it has dual inputs and dual output. Three control pins are used to switch one of four input pairs to a single output pair. Control pins labeled as A0 and A1 are routed to the mikroBUS™ and can be operated by both 3.3V and 5V MCUs. The third control pin is labeled as EN pin, used to enable the output when is set to a HIGH logic level (it is active HIGH). A0 and A1 pins are routed to RST and PWM pins of the mikroBUS™ respectively, while the EN pin is routed to the CS pin on the mikroBUS™. The MUX509 IC is targeted towards working with differential signals, rather than working with the single-ended inputs. Each input is composed of two pins: SNA, and SNB, where N represents the channel number in the range from 1 to 4. When a specific channel is selected (N), both the SNA and SNB pins of that channel will be routed to the DA and DB output pins, respectively. For the improved stability, each signal pair is equipped with the 100nF parallel capacitor and 100? series resistance. The input and the output signal pins are routed to the standard 2.54mm pitch 2x5 pins header on the Click board™. The ultra-low leakage current ensures that there is no signal interference from the inputs that are not selected by the A0 and A1 pins. A low crosstalk also ensures that the signal on one channel remains clean of interferences caused by other channels. To prevent any two inputs to be switched at the output at the same time, a break-before-make switching action is utilized. This ensures a reliable operation of the IC and the Click board™ itself. MUX click does not use the power from the mikroBUS™ power rails, except for the LED indicator. Instead, a three-pole screw terminal is used to connect an external power supply. Having in mind the minimum input voltage of 10V or ±5V, a power supply should be connected to this terminal before operating the Click board™. Depending on the type of the used power supply (single supply or symmetrical/dual supply), it should be connected to the power supply input terminal, accordingly: GND is the reference ground connection, VSS is the negative voltage connection terminal (GND if a single power supply is used), and VDD is the positive voltage connection terminal. The input and output signals can be connected via the 2x5 pins header. As mentioned before, the MUX509 IC supports rail-to-rail operation, supporting input and output signals that range from VSS (or GND) up to VDD. Independent power supply input allows the user to work with a wide range of signal amplitudes, depending on the application requirements, as long as the power supply stays within the limits. More information about the MUX509 can be found in the attached datasheet. However, the Click board™ comes equipped with a library that contains easy to use functions and a usage example that may be used as a reference for the development. Type Voltage translator Applications Automatization and process control, programmable logic controllers, digital multimeters, battery monitoring, and other applications that require differential signal switching On-board modules MUX509, a precise analog multiplexing IC, produced by Texas Instruments Key Features Features such as the break-before-make switching action, electrostatic discharge protection up to 2kV, low on-resistance and low input current leakage, make this circuit a perfect solution for various switching applications, especially those that utilize differential signals Interface GPIO Input Voltage 5V This table shows how the pinout on MUX Click corresponds to the pinout on the mikroBUS™ socket (the latter shown in the two middle columns). NC 1 AN PWM 16 A1 Control pin 1 Control pin 0 A0 2 RST INT 15 NC Chip Enable EN 3 CS RX 14 NC NC 5 MISO SCL 12 NC NC 6 MOSI SDA 11 NC NC 7 3.3V 5V 10 5V Power supply MUX click electrical specifications VIN (voltage at the power supply input terminal, single supply) 10 - 36 V VIN (voltage at the power supply input terminal, symmetrical supply) ±5 - ±18 V We provide a library for the MUX click on our LibStock page , as well as a demo application (example), developed using MikroElektronika compilers. The demo can run on all the main MikroElektronika development boards The library includes function for set current active mux channel and function for enable or disble mux device. void mux_activeMuxChannel(uint8_t ch) - Functions for set active MUX channel void mux_deviceEnable() - Functions for enable MUX device System Initialization - Sets RST pin, CS pin and PWM pin as OUTPUT Application Initialization - Initialization driver init end enable device Application Task - (code snippet) - Sets the current active channel. Changes the channel every 5 sec. mux_activeMuxChannel(_MUX_CHANNEL_1A_AND_1B); mux509 Datasheet MUX click 2D and 3D files MUX click Libstock MUX click schematic
Ergoline refers to a class of compounds derived from alkaloids of a group of fungi known as ergot in the claviceps genus. These compounds typically have have strong psychedelic effects. Lysergamides are polycyclic amides which have both phenethylamine and tryptamine groups embedded within their structure and a carboxamide group attached to carbon number eight. Varying the substituent attached to the nitrogen atoms has produced a variety of drugs with psychedelic effects as well as prescription drugs for treating headaches and inducing labor. Hydroxylation of the aromatic ring is one method of metabolizing lysergamides in humans and produces compounds with greater affinity to dopamine receptors. The psychedelic effects of lysergamides are believed to come from its efficacy at the 5-HT2A receptor as a partial agonist. Lysergamides are known to have affinity for a much greater variety of receptors than other psychedelic drugs. This page was last modified on 11 October 2018, at 17:46.
So, I'm going to guess it is a 5.4L V-8 with only the Quigley 4wd as an option. This amazing van is still for sale. Runs and drives like a champ! Price is $26,995 or best offer! New pictures will be up soon! Where is the van located? It is located in San Luis Obispo CA but I can ship it anywhere. Got to say I'm amazed for a late model 4x4 base to sit this long.
In this second volume of folktales, a Punjabi woman outwits seven ruthless thieves, an Incan girl restores harmony to the empire, and a mischievous Norwegian lass thwarts her entitled landowner. Spanning centuries and continents, Kamala recalls how the dazzling courage, cleverness, and power of women have always held our world together. Ethel Johnston Phelps (1914-1984) held a master's degree in Medieval Literature, co-edited a Ricardian journal, and published several articles on fifteenth-century subjects. She compiled two anthologies of feminist folk tales from around the world, Tatterhood and The Maid of the North. Suki Boynton is an artist, illustrator, and the senior graphic designer at the Feminist Press. She is a graduate of Connecticut College with a BA in art history and has a degree in graphic design from the Art Institute of Charleston, SC. She currently lives in Newark, NJ. Kate Schatz is the New York Times bestselling author of Rad American Women A-Z, a children's book (for everyone) published by City Lights Books. Her book of fiction, Rid of Me: A Story, was published in 2006 as part of the acclaimed 33 1/3 series.
On December 18, 2009, a class action suit was filed in federal court in Boston against State Street alleging numerous violations of federal securities laws, including the fraudulent pricing of foreign currency trades. On October 20, 2009, California Attorney General Jerry Brown filed suit against State Street Bank, estimating that two California pension funds, CalPERS and CalSTRS were overcharged by more than $56.6 million over eight years. Beginning nearly two years ago Josh Mandel started to raise serious concerns over whether the banks that the previous administration chose to be international custodians for Ohio pension funds were defrauding Ohio taxpayers, teachers, police, firefighters and retirees of millions. On April 29, 2010, Ohio Treasurer Kevin Boyce awarded Boston-based State Street bank the global custody designation to hold $32 billion for three of Ohio's pension funds, even though he knew that California Attorney General Jerry Brown had accused them of defrauding two California pension funds of more than $56 million just six months before. On May 11, 2010, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo filed a lawsuit accusing Bank of New York Mellon of committing fraud in New York. Treasurer Boyce responded with a statement in which he claimed that pension funds were safe with BNY as custodian, even though Boyce acknowledged that giving BNY fewer assets would reduce risks. On June 9, 2010, Josh Mandel raised serious concerns over questions of ethics raised in media reports by the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Dayton Daily News related to the awarding of contracts with State Street in a letter to Joseph L. Hooley, President and CEO of State Street Corporation. On October 26, 2010, the pension system of Washington State entered into a settlement agreement with State Street regarding the bank's pricing of foreign exchange transactions. State Street paid the pension system an $11.7 million settlement, thereby avoiding litigation. On November 2, 2010, Josh Mandel was elected on a promise to end the corruption in the Treasurer's office, investigate whether Ohio pension funds were being defrauded, and protect taxpayers from being exploited by these banks that had been accused of raiding pension funds for millions in other states. On January 10, 2011, Josh Mandel was sworn in as State Treasurer of Ohio, and immediately launched a top-bottom review of the office, including a review into whether Ohio pension funds had been exploited by their international custodians during foreign currency exchange transactions. On February 10, 2011, the Arkansas Teachers Retirement System filed a federal class action suit in Boston alleging that State Street engaged in unfair and deceptive practices in connection with foreign currency exchange transactions. On April 28, 2011, it is reported that the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth launched an investigation into State Street regarding its pricing of foreign exchange transactions. On May 12, 2011, State Street discloses in a regulatory filing that the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) has launched an investigation into the bank's foreign-exchange trading on behalf of pension funds. On June 14, 2011, Treasurer Mandel formally requested that Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine investigate whether banks conducting foreign currency exchange transfers on behalf of the state exploited Ohio retirees, businesses and taxpayers. On July 22, 2011, a class action suit is filed against BNY in federal court in San Francisco alleging that its foreign currency pricing practices violated several state laws. On August 11, 2011, the Attorney Generals of Florida and Virginia file separate suits against BNY in their respective state courts. On October 4, 2011, the Justice Department files a civil fraud suit again BNY in federal district court in New York City alleging that BNY "fraudulent misled clients" with regard to the pricing of foreign exchange transactions. The New York Attorney General also files a suit against BNY in New York State court pertaining to the same conduct. On October 26, 2011, the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth files an administrative complaint against BNY with regard to its foreign currency exchange pricing practices. On February 14, 2012, a federal judge in San Francisco denied BNY's motion to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that its foreign currency pricing practices violated several state laws. On March 12, 2012, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine filed a lawsuit against the Bank of New York Mellon alleging breach of contract, fraud, and deceptive practices, and seeking $16 million in damages on behalf of the Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund, and School Employees Retirement System. On March 19, 2012, Treasurer Mandel formally announced that the state of Ohio will no longer be employing Bank of New York Mellon or State Street as international custodians for Ohio's public pension funds or other state entities. This fulfills a promise to clean up the Treasurer's office and cut ties with banks accused of exploiting Ohio's pension funds.
In this workshop, you learn to maintain a RACF® database with IBM® Security zSecure™ Admin and monitor the system with IBM Security zSecure Audit. During hands-on exercises, you act as a RACF security administrator for a fictitious company. In this simulated job role, you learn to define a RACF security environment for a specific department. This workshop teaches the basics of the security administration process and how to implement company security policies and guidelines into specific RACF profile definitions and settings. You learn to verify the quality and validity of RACF profiles that you define. Finally, you learn to interpret and report SMF events that the z/OS® system logs during this RACF management workshop. This intermediate-level course is intended for users that are involved with the maintenance of USS-related security definitions or auditing of the z/OS USS environment. For example, security administrators, compliance officers, systems programmers, and auditors can benefit from taking this course.
A friend sent me an article from the latest issue of The Atlantic magazine with an arresting title: "Power Causes Brain Damage" (www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/07/power-causes-brain-damage/528711/). In it, Jerry Useem explores some of the latest research about the effect of power on the brains of people who have it. We've understood for centuries that power seems to change people: think about common phrases like "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely" and "The power went to her head." Now, there is actual proof of some of the effects on the brain of having power. Dacher Keltner, a psychology professor at UC Berkeley, has studied this subject for twenty years. He has found that people under the influence of power act as if they've suffered a traumatic brain injury. They become more impulsive and less aware of risks. And perhaps most crucially, people under the influence of power become less adept at seeing things from other people's point of view. Keltner studies behavior, but his observations have been borne out by other scientists who study the brain. Sukhvinder Obhi, a neuroscientist at McMaster University, in Ontario, put the heads of the powerful and the not-so powerful under a transcranial-magnetic-stimulation machine, he found that power, in fact, impairs a specific neural process, "mirroring," that may be a cornerstone of empathy. Mirroring is a sub-conscious activity that we all engage in to some extent. For instance, if we see someone squeezing a rubber ball with their left hand, our brain sub-consciously fires up neurons and nerve pathways that would enable us to squeeze a rubber ball with our left hand. Mirroring is why we wince when we see someone smack their elbow on a door jamb or get a paper cut: our brains sub-consciously light up in those areas where we would feel pain if the same thing had happened to us. Normal brains go through life living vicariously through the experiences of those around us. This mirroring is the foundation of empathy, because we mirror emotional reactions in a similar way. If we see someone crying, part of us feels sad; if we see someone who is anxious, we begin to to feel anxious as well. Maybe you're like me when I first read this and thinking "Well, that explains the behavior of some of those folks we see on the news, politicians/bank executives/celebrities, etc. Thank goodness I'm not a powerful person so it doesn't apply to me!" Here's the rub, though. This effect, this empathy deficit, is not tied to actual power. Rather, empathy deficit kicks in when you're feeling powerful. So, when you're particularly proud of something you've accomplished, or you've been lavishly complimented about your work or your looks or your appearance, or you've just won an argument with a friend or co-worker, or for whatever reason you're feeling on top of the world, your brain spends less time and energy on mirroring and you begin to feel less empathy for others. For most of us, most of the time, that's a temporary situation. We trip on something and feel foolish, or make a stupid mistake, or talk to someone who subtly or not-so-subtly reminds us that we're really not all that. That feeling of power slips away, and our brain function returns to normal. It's when we become used to feeling powerful over a long period of time that our mirroring and empathy can become seriously impacted. Hubris, feeling overly self-confident and powerful, makes us less able to empathize and leads us to become dis-connected from others in unhealthy and potentially destructive ways. Remembering times when we didn't feel powerful, listening to and accepting constructive criticism, focusing less on our accomplishments and achievements, lets our brains function they way they should and strengthens our empathy for and connection with others. History, not to mention our current culture, is filled with examples of leaders whose sense of power and hubris got the best of them, as well as leaders who figured out how to stay grounded. Take Winston Churchill, a man for whom the term hubris almost seems to have been invented. Churchill was indeed a powerful leader with an ego that often threatened to get out of control. He had, however, a great gift: his wife, Clementine. When she observed his hubris getting the best of him, when he stopped paying attention to the advice of other leaders, when he started trampling on the feelings and dignity of his subordinates, she knew how to take him down a notch or two, knew how to pull him back from the brink. She'd write him a note, or corner him while he was in the bathtub, or remind him while dinner was being served that he was getting entirely too full of himself and needed to remember that, for all his gifts, he was still only a human being. Jesus sets the bar for discipleship impossibly high. But then, I think, his natural sense of empathy kicks in. He looks around at his disciples. There's Peter, trying to look resolute and determined to follow Jesus no matter what, but we know what happens when the going gets tough: Peter ends up denying even knowing Jesus. There's James, whose jaw has dropped in shock. How can Jesus be saying that following him will tear families apart; doesn't Jesus care about keeping families together, building up relationships between husbands and wives and sons and daughters, don't families come first? John looks angry. He loves Jesus, and he gave up a pretty decent living as a fisherman to follow him. He's dealt with the complaining letters from his wife about no money coming in, about where she's supposed to find food to feed their children. He's listened to Jesus for hours and hours, even when it's hard to make heads or tails of what he's saying, hoping that someday he would come to understand him. And now, he's supposed to take up a cross, follow him to his death? It's too much, it's not what he signed up for, and even if he did die with Jesus, what would that accomplish? The other disciples are mostly just depressed. Mary Magdalene is almost in tears, because she knows as much as she wants to follow Jesus, she's not willing to risk her life for him. The author Elizabeth Gilbert tells this story. "Some years ago, I was stuck on a crosstown bus in New York City during rush hour. Traffic was barely moving. The bus was filled with cold, tired people who were deeply irritated—with one another; with the rainy, sleety weather; with the world itself. Two men barked at each other about a shove that might or might not have been intentional. A pregnant woman got on, and nobody offered her a seat. Rage was in the air; no mercy would be found here. But as the bus approached Seventh Avenue, the driver got on the intercom. "Folks," he said, "I know you've had a rough day and you're frustrated. I can't do anything about the weather or traffic, but here's what I can do. As each one of you gets off the bus, I will reach out my hand to you. As you walk by, drop your troubles into the palm of my hand, okay? Don't take your problems home to your families tonight—just leave 'em with me. My route goes right by the Hudson River, and when I drive by there later, I'll open the window and throw your troubles in the water. Sound good?" It was as if a spell had lifted. Everyone burst out laughing. Faces gleamed with surprised delight. People who'd been pretending for the past hour not to notice each other's existence were suddenly grinning at each other like, is this guy serious? Gilbert goes on to reflect that that bus driver wasn't some big power player, he wasn't a spiritual leader, he wasn't a media-savvy "influencer." What he had, though, was the ability to empathize with his tired, wet, cranky, frustrated, and generally hostile passengers. He connected with where they were at, and figured out the little thing, the light-hearted, easy, simple thing that he could do in that moment to lessen their burdens. Mirroring and empathy are gifts from God, hard-wired into our brains to help us connect with and understand one another. We are meant to look out for one another, help each other out, see things from the other's perspective. When we're not overly impressed with ourselves, when we've kept our egos in check, when we remember that we're not the most important person in the room, we are naturally inclined to empathize and connect with people around us. It's so much a part of who we are that we're not even conscious of it: our brains do it automatically. Jesus shows us, time and time again, that this gift of empathy is the foundation, the bedrock, of discipleship. Jesus lived his life and ministry with a keen awareness of those around him, sharing their experiences, sharing their feelings, seeing life from their perspective. He felt the loneliness of the woman at the well in the heat of the day, the anxiety of the widow searching frantically for a lost penny, the desolation of the outcast lepers, the hunger of people who never had quite enough to eat. That empathy led him to do what he could for the people he came in contact with. He invites the disciples, and he invites us, to do the same. It's not difficult, he tells us. It's as simple, as natural, as offering a cold cup of water to someone who is thirsty. Amen. I'm sure you're aware that the first debate between Donald Trump Hillary Clinton is tomorrow night. I can't say I'm looking forward to it. Actually, it's not the debate itself I'm not looking forward to, I will probably either find a bar or a friend's house to watch it at, or if I'm not feeling very social, I'll listen to it on the radio. What I'm not looking forward to is all of the post-debate analysis, both the 'professional' analysis by the media, and the responses by folks on Facebook and Twitter and the proverbial water cooler conversations over the next few days. I'm not looking forward to it because in this election season and with these two candidates, more so than any other election in my lifetime, the negativity and vitriol have been overwhelming. Both sides share the blame here: both candidates, and their supporters, have said things and used language that has virtually guaranteed that there can be no civil exchange of ideas, no reasonable discussion, no conversation about this election unless you're on the same side. In fact, some of the most upsetting conversations I've had this election cycle have been with people who share my views. I'm astonished at how ready they are to paint the other side in broad, negative strokes, how dismissive they are of what I know are real concerns and fears held by millions of Americans. One study by VitalSmarts, an organization that studies how people behave and function in the workplace, found that nine out of ten potential voters said the 2016 elections are more polarizing and controversial than the 2012 elections, and 81% said they avoid political discussions are all costs (see footnote). They also found that one in three of us have been attacked, insulted, or called names for sharing our opinions about this election; one in four have had a political discussion permanently damage a relationship. The researchers at VitalSmarts wondered what it would take to talk politics without losing friends. Are there reliable ways to both express our views and keep relationships? They started by asking people to describe the voters who support a candidate they oppose. The most common adjectives they used were (in order): angry, uneducated, ignorant, uninformed, racist, white, narrow, and blind. Small wonder these discussions turn into fights! Next, they invited people to participate in an online experiment. They asked 3,500 people about their political opinions, then asked them to watch one of two versions of a video of someone advocating a strong political position opposite of their own - for example, those who said they were in favor of immediate deportation of illegal immigrants watched a 60 second video of someone describing why they thought such a policy would be both immoral and damaging to the economy. In one version of the video, the actor used four simple skills to talk about their position; in the second version, the actor spoke in absolutes and villainized the other point of view. They then asked those who had watched the videos to judge how diplomatic, likable, knowledgeable, and persuasive this person appeared, as well as how willing they would be to continue this conversation. -180% more likely to maintain relationships with others. What were those four simple skills? The first is to the "focus on learning." Frame your conversation as a chance to learn from each other, not to change each other's minds. Simply being curious about another's position is sufficient motivation to engage. For example, "I know what I think about immigration, but I'm curious about why you feel so differently. Would you be open to sharing your position with me?" I actually tried this a few weeks ago with my dad, before reading about this study. We have been on opposite sides of the political spectrum since the late '80's and more conversations over the years than I can count have ended in yelling and stomping around. It took some effort on my part to not argue or even comment on what he was saying about why he is supporting who he is supporting this year, but in exchange for that effort, I got a deeper sense of where he's coming from and what his concerns are. Plus, we didn't have another loud fight. I suspect these skills might not only help us bridge the chasm of politics these days, but they may well help us in other areas of our lives, other situations where opinions vary and emotions run strong. VitalSmarts calls these skills simple; the skills may be simple, but I know that remembering to use them can be hard. In the heat of the moment, our back is up a bit and we speak without considering too carefully the impact of our words. Our spouse is late home for dinner and we light into them for being rude and inconsiderate. A friend makes a comment about the behavior of children in public which we hear as a criticism of our own kids, and we take offense. Or we are faced with the latest news, a suspected terrorist attack, another report of police using lethal force, the latest remarks made by a politician, I'm sure you have your own list. Before we have thought through the consequences, we spout off about it to our friends, to our co-workers, on Facebook or other social media. Predictably enough, our comments are misconstrued or heard through someone else's filter, and without intending to, we've given offense. I sometimes wonder if the better thing to do, for ourselves, for our relationships, for the sake of community, wouldn't be to say a lot less. Jeremiah has gotten to that point in first reading this morning. For most of the book, thirty chapters, Jeremiah has spoken up. To anyone who would listen, even to people who didn't want to listen, Jeremiah talks and talks and talks. He says he speaks for God, and maybe that's the case, but after awhile, the people don't really care. According to Jeremiah, nothing that anyone in Israel, from the king to the priests to the merchants to the shopkeepers to the farmers right on down to the poor, nothing anyone has done has been right in the sight of God. God chose Israel as the nation favored among nations, and in response, Israel failed to do anything that God asked in return. Israel worships the wrong gods in the wrong places in the wrong ways with the wrong prayers and the wrong offerings. The people lie, they connive, they cheat, they steal, they do evil after evil after evil, generation after generation. And you know what? God's sick of it. Even now, Jeremiah proclaims, God is plotting Israel's destruction. God is sending pestilence, storms, earthquakes. God is even raising up armies of Israel's enemies to overthrow them. When God is finished with them, it will be like Israel never existed. The country will cease to be, the people will be scattered like sheep. In a generation or two, no one will even remember the name of its mighty capital Jerusalem and Israel itself will be a vague memory, a rumor. I'm guessing that for most of Jeremiah's life, people ignored him the same way we ignore those pamphlet wielding street prophets proclaiming "The end is near!" today. It's not that we don't think there are things wrong with the world, ways God is calling us to do better. It's just we're on our way to Wegmans, or the kids have to be picked up from soccer, or we've got to get to work, or we're worried about the declining health of our parents. Plus, they look and sound kind of crazy, not the sort of people it would be fun to get to know or to have dinner with. So we do our best to ignore them, we cross to other side of the street, try not to make eye contact. People did that to Jeremiah, too, until one day one his prophecies starts to come true. The Babylonian army, a huge contingent of well-armed soldiers, sweeps down out of the north and lays siege to Jerusalem. Jerusalem is a fortress, a walled city built high up on a hill, easy to defend. In the early days of the siege, there's still hope that the Babylonians will get tired and pack up and go home - armies have given up before. But as the months wear on, people remember that Jeremiah said this was going to happen, Jeremiah said that God was raising up the nations against them. Then they start to listen to Jeremiah a little closer. Jeremiah tells them that God is going to give Jerusalem into the hand of the king of Babylon and he will take it. Not even the King of Israel will escape, he and all the rest of the people will be taken to Babylon. Israel will cease to be. Resistance is futile. What the nation should do now, Jeremiah says, is give up, cut their loses, surrender to the Babylonians, beg for mercy. None of this reverses the earlier prophecy of Israel's destruction. Jeremiah knows the Babylonians are going to win, they're going to destroy Jerusalem, haul the people off in exile. But Jeremiah knows that's not going to be the final word, he knows that God will restore Israel, God will bring them back from exile to their homeland. He buys the field in Anathoth to express his hope, to proclaim his faith in God's power to redeem even the worst things that life brings. Jeremiah somehow knows that words won't proclaim that message as powerfully as action. Jeremiah proclaims his faith in God, proclaims his reliance on God and God's promises in a concrete way. There are opportunities in our lives to have constructive conversations about difficult issues. Remembering to listen more than we speak, to really make an effort to understand where others are coming from, can help us remain connected and build community and work together to bring about the kingdom. There are other times in our lives when it is probably more appropriate for us to talk less and express ourselves through action. Feel strongly about this election? Cast your vote in November. Concerned about poverty? Work in our community garden or volunteer at the food shelf to make life better for those in need in the Hilton Parma community. May God grant us the wisdom and presence of mind to know what to say and how to listen to our friends, neighbors, and colleagues. May God grant us the strength to act in ways that express our beliefs and values. May we do our part to build up God's kingdom in our world today. *Information about the VitalSmarts study is from this website: https://www.vitalsmarts.com/press/2016/09/how-to-disagree-with-your-friends-about-politics-and-keep-them-too-new-research-shows-your-delivery-matters-more-than-your-position/ Accessed 9/24/2016. I'm curious about your responses to this simple scenario. You go to Best Buy to shop for a new coffee maker. You find a model you're happy with; it costs $50. You're about to pick it up and take it to the register when the sales clerk says to you, "You know, I probably shouldn't tell you this, but there's a special promotion running on this model at another store across town. You can get this exact coffee maker for $40 instead of $50." The other store is about thirty minutes away. Do you make the drive? Or consider this variation of that scenario. Instead of a new coffee maker, you go to shop for a new dishwasher. This is a higher ticket item, obviously, but you find a model you're satisfied with for $500. You're ready to check out when the sales clerk says to you, "Hey, I'm talking myself out of a commission here, but you should be aware that there's a special promotion running on this model at another store across town. You can get this exact dishwasher for $485 instead of $500." Are you more or less likely to drive across town for the discount on the coffee maker or the dishwasher? Here's the problem that most of have in evaluating these scenarios and making a wise decision. We look at the percentages: in the case of the coffee maker, we're 'saving' 20% by driving an extra half hour. In the case of the dishwasher, we're 'saving' a measly 3.75% for the same amount of time. In reality, though, what goes in our savings account is not percentages: it's dollars. With the coffee maker, we save $10; with the dishwasher, we save $15. If we have to choose, it makes financial sense to take the drive for $15 rather than $10, even if somehow it doesn't feel like that's smart choice. We make these kind of decisions all the time, and many of us get them wrong. Consider: economists asked consumers how much they would need to save, in real dollars, to justify spending an extra twenty minutes. For a $10 dollar pen, consumers on average needed to 'save' $3.75 to make it worth their spending the extra twenty minutes. For a $30,000 car, they had to 'save' $277.83 to make it 'worth' their time. Somehow, psychologically we tend to get percentages and dollars confused: $3.75 on a $10 dollar pen seems like a much better deal than $277.83 on a $30,000 car, but they're both costing us the same 20 minutes of our time. The bad news is that this poor decision making seems to be hardwired in our brains. It's related to our tendency to think in relative rather than absolute terms. For instance, we're more likely to notice a drumbeat is loud if we've just been listening to violin music. The other day, I picked out a pot of asters that I would have sworn was blue, only to get it home to realize it is in reality a pale sort of purple. It had been tucked in with a bunch of deep purple asters at the store, and I mistakenly interpreted the lighter shade for a different color. Add a little weight to an almost empty suitcase and you'll notice it; if you add the same weight to a full suitcase, you probably won't be able to tell the difference. We tend to think and evaluate in relative rather than absolute terms. There is good news, however: correcting this tendency, at least when it comes to financial decisions, is fairly straightforward. When it comes to money, stop looking at relative values and start looking at absolutes. Dollars, not percentages, matter. And the interesting thing is that people lower down on the economic scale seem to understand this more than people who are relatively well-off. When every dollar matters, when each dollar could make the difference between eating and going hungry, you tend to see it for what is is: a dollar, not a percentage or a seemingly better deal. It's not that poorer people pinch pennies more than folks who are wealthier: it's that they're better at it. They understand the value of a dollar in concrete, absolute terms, not as a percentage of something. Jesus tells the perplexing story we just heard about a rich man and his manager to people who almost certainly were the expert penny pinchers of their day, the folks at the bottom of the economic ladder, the people who knew the real, concrete value of a dollar. They had to know this, because they were poor, really, really poor. Nearly everyone in Jesus's day was really, really poor. You've heard the news stories about the growing gap between the 99 and the 1 percent, how wealth in this country is being consolidated in the hands of the very, very few super rich. I'm not saying it isn't a problem for us to today, but it was an even bigger problem in Jesus's day. As Jesus traveled around the countryside, most of the people he talked to were subsistence farmers. You'd lease a bit of land from a landowner, you'd grow your crop, and at the end of the harvest, the landowner or his manager would show up to collect their 'rent.' The rents are exorbitant, usually 90% or more of the harvest. If you're lucky, after you pay the rent, and set aside seed for the following year, you have enough to provide for your family. But you don't get lucky most years. It's a brutally hot, dry summer, not enough rain, and the crop yield is lousy, or the locusts swarm through and devastate the fields, or some kind of blight you didn't spray for causes the fruit to wither on the vine. When the landowner shows up to collect the rent, you don't have quite enough, and so you beg for a little mercy, beg for a little more time. The landowner makes a great show of his generosity and magnificence and says, "That's alright, I understand. You can pay me the 20 bushels you owe me next season, but of course, it'll have to be 30 bushels: I've got my own family to feed, a business to run. After all, this isn't a charity." A few seasons of this sort of thing, and pretty soon you're so far behind that there is no chance of ever catching up. All hope that you once had of saving up enough to buy your own plot of land and working for yourself dries up. You come to face the depressing, soul-crushing reality: You'll live your life the way your parents did before you and their parents before them, breaking your back to barely put food on the table, always wondering if there will be enough to feed your children. That's life for the people who first hear this parable firsthand from Jesus. They know the situation well. They can picture the rich man living far off in his big comfortable house overlooking the sea of Galilee. They might get a glimpse of people like him once in a blue moon, at a festival or religious holiday. He'd be dressed in fine robes, surrounded by servants; he'd travel in a covered caravan with his beautiful wives. This guy is so rich his tenants may never have met him face to face. He's more of an idea than an actual person. It's hard to hate an idea; in fact, most of them envy the rich man. They dream about what his life must be like, the fancy food he must enjoy, and the parties with famous people, and all that time he has to play golf and go skiing and travel and do whatever he pleases without the pressure of tending to the fields. Deep down inside they dream of somehow becoming rich themselves and enjoying that kind of life for themselves. They know the manager, too. The manager is not an idea of a person, he is very, very real. The manager shows up randomly throughout the year, acting cheery and asking how things are going. He commiserates with them when the weather is bad, congratulates them when they have a baby, sometimes even manages to remember their birthdays. It's all fake, though, and it's all they can do to keep up that inane small talk without punching the guy in the face. He doesn't care about them, not one bit. The only visit that is real is the one in the fall, after the harvest, when the manager shows up to collect the rent. It's always more, more than it was last year, more than they can afford, more because the landowner built a new pool this summer and wants to pay it off, more because the manager adds a little commission for himself so he can feed his family. They never have enough to pay it all, and they have to swallow their pride and their bile and do their best to grit their teeth and act grateful when the manager agrees to hold off collecting what they can't pay until the following year, with the extra tacked on. They don't envy the manager, or dream about having his job: they just hate him, hate that he lives off of their hard work, hate that he tries to cozy up to them when all he's really doing is working for the rich man, hate that they're never sure if he's taking more off the top than he should. Jesus's hearers know all about the rich man; they know all about the manager. Then the story takes a delicious twist: the manager is in trouble! He's going to lose his job! Maybe he stole something, maybe he was cheating the rich man, maybe he had skimmed too much off the top, who knows, it doesn't really matter. What matters is he's out, he's fired. Jesus's listeners imagine the tenant farmers raising a glass at the pub to his unlamented memory: it couldn't happen to more deserving fellow, what do you know, guys, sometimes people do get their just desserts after all. Then Jesus's story really takes a turn. The manager calls the tenants in, one by one. He asks them how much they owe his master. One says a hundred jugs of olive oil, and he slashes the bill to fifty. Another says a hundred containers of wheat, and he slashes the bill to eighty. One after another, the tenants come in and the manager cuts their bill. Jesus doesn't say whether the manager is just taking off what he had added on for his own take, or if he's removing the interest from past years when the tenants couldn't pay the full rent, or if maybe he's got some sort of other calculus in mind. Maybe the manager has figured out who's more likely to help him after he's lost his job and he's trying to butter them up. All of his life, the manager has had to figure out how to keep the rich man happy; now, overnight, he's got to figure out how to keep everyone else happy. These tenant farmers will hopefully remember what the manager did and they might give him a little something to eat, maybe even find a job for him. Anyway, the rich man is so impressed by the dishonest master for figuring out how to deal with his situation, he commends him. I imagine Jesus's original hearers, the subsistence farmers, the fishermen, the shepherds, the peddlers, the craftspeople, heard this story as good news, every way they looked at it. The rich man ends the story with a little less, but he can afford it. The manager is out of a job, good riddance. And the little guys, the tenant farmers, the ones at the bottom of the ladder? They finally catch a break. Their bills got slashed; the dream of someday being free from the rents is once again tantalizingly in reach: just a couple of good growing seasons, and they might be able to pay off everything they owe and buy a little plot land for themselves. True, the manager is going to come around looking for a little handout, a little quid pro quo, but he's doesn't have any power or authority anymore. If he shows up on a day when the tenants are feeling good and light-hearted and generous, maybe they'll ask him to stay for dinner. If not, they'll send him on his way without feeling too guilty about it. But as they walk away, I'll bet they start to think a little. Wait a minute, they think. Did Jesus just say that justice came to the farmers through the dishonest actions of the manager? Is that how justice works? Is that really how God's kingdom works? Is God sneaky? Does God work the system to God's own advantage? And if God works that way, maybe I could, too. I loaned my neighbor a measure of grain last year on the condition that he pay me back a measure and a half this year. I mean, it seems like that's the way the system works. But maybe by buying into that system, I'm no better than the manager or the rich man. Maybe I'll slash that half measure from my neighbor's bill and let a little justice prevail for once, help my neighbor out in a pinch. Maybe I can help God's kingdom break in today, sneak in under the radar. Maybe that little seed of justice will grow into a tree. How do you hear Jesus's story today? Is there good news here for you? As I lived with this story this week, I began to hear a bit of good news for myself. I think about the manager. He's caught in the middle: he's not a wealthy guy like the landowner. Probably he was born into a poor family, and somehow caught the landowner's attention at some point, who gave him this job. It's a lousy job, really. He knows all the tenants hate him. He tries to be friendly because it just seems like the nicer thing to do. He envies the landowner, desperately wants the life that he has, but knows deep down inside he'll never have it. And here's the thing: I'll bet he feels compassion for the tenants. He sees their living conditions, he sees how hard they work, he sees how the system that he's a part of is rigged against them. He hates the harvest season, hates having to go collect he exorbitant rents, but that's his job, he and his family have to eat. He wishes there was something he could do for the tenants, someway he could make life better. But the problem is his compassion for the tenants is drowned out, squeezed out of him by the fear he has of being forced to someday live like them. He knows he'd never survive that kind of life, he couldn't do the back-breaking work. And so he plays his part. He tries to convince himself that the tenants deserve to live that way because they're lazy, or they lack courage to set out on their own, or they're too stupid to do anything else, but really, he goes to bed every night feeling ashamed, feeling sick to his stomach. When the rich man fires him, it's the most amazing feeling. What should feel like a death sentence instead feels like the chains holding him place are broken. Freed from having to keep his position, freed from having to collect the rent, freed from working for the rich man, the manager can finally do something for all those tenants, take a little pressure off of them, give them a little hope. Jesus ends this story by saying, "You cannot serve God and wealth." Freed from serving wealth, the manager can serve God by making life better for the tenants, for the people no one is trying to help. Maybe you feel caught in the middle yourself. It would be great to make the world a better place, great to change life for those in need, great to really do something about the big problems of poverty, hunger, racism, you name it. But we've all got to have someplace to live, we all have to put food on the table, we all need to provide for our families. That's alright. Fred Craddock, a preacher I like a lot, says, "Most of us will not this week christen a ship, write a book, end a war, appoint a cabinet, dine with a queen, convert a nation, or be burned at the stake. More likely the week will present no more than a chance to write a note, visit a nursing home, teach a Sunday school class, share a meal, tell a child a story, and feed the neighbor's cat." May we prayerfully consider how best we can serve God, how we can plant seeds of justice, how we can help the kingdom of God sneak in in unexpected ways. May God give us the wisdom to make good decisions, courage to do the right thing, and the strength to do the work set before us. Amen. Back in the days when I still studied music formally, with a teacher, most of my time at the instrument would be spent by myself. Sure, in the very early days, when I was in kindergarten, my mom would sit with me at the piano during my practice sessions to make sure I was doing things right. After a few months, though, instead of sitting with me, she was in the other room, working in the kitchen or helping my sisters. She was listening with half an ear, to be sure, and ready to come in and correct things, or more often, to remind me of what I was supposed to be working on instead of reading ahead or playing the piece I really liked over and over again. As the years passed, my time at the piano gradually got longer, from 20 minutes to half an hour to an hour or more. A lot could go wrong in all that time I spent at the piano unsupervised. And that's why once a week I'd go off for a lesson with my teacher. I was blessed with great teachers, teachers who knew how to coax me along and get me to do my best. They would praise me for the few things I got right, for the things that had gotten better during the past week. Then, they'd gently point out all the things that hadn't gotten better, or that somehow had gotten worse. The wrong note that snuck in while first learning the piece had become so ingrained in my ear and muscle memory that it sounded and felt right to me. The dynamic markings, printed in the score, then marked with a little reminder asterisk one week by my teacher, then circled the next week, then circled more insistently in red pencil the next week, finally with an exclamation point for good measure, still blissfully ignored by me. That spot on the top of page three where, despite repeated admonishments to practice with the metronome, I gleefully rushed, playing as fast as I could. Overtime, with great patience, my teachers would convince me to fix most of these problems. But at the year-end recital, my performances usually featured the 'little flaws,' as I thought of them, the wrong notes, the little memory slips, the inconsistent tempos. For the most part, frankly, I didn't really care. I wanted to make music, and music, I thought, was more about connecting with people, touching their hearts and souls. Any robot, I figured, could be taught to play the right notes at the right time; it took a real musician to play music. My playing, I believed, was good enough; it was, to borrow the image from the prophet Amos, plumb enough. And my teachers nurtured that belief in me, while doing their best to encourage me to clean up my act. When I finally got serious about being an organist as a student at Eastman, I was again blessed with a fantastic teacher. He worked tirelessly to convince me to pay closer attention to all those pesky little details, the right notes and the proper touch and articulation. He forced me to spend the pain-staking hours of slow practice and study that leads to more consistent performances, filled with the sort of fine details that begin to make the difference between 'good' music and 'great' music. I worked hard in the practice room, and part of me dreaded lessons with my teacher, because I knew I wasn't going to measure up to his standards, my playing wasn't going to be plumb enough by his measure. And my playing never was plumb enough, which kept me driven to practice more, to concentrate harder, to bring the best that I had to the task. In the years after school, years when I worked as a professional musician, plump enough was harder to define. What is plumb enough for a choir of volunteers? I remember rehearsals in my early years as a choir director when singers cried because I made them repeat a phrase over and over and over again, demanding too high a standard that they simply couldn't meet, especially late in the evening after a long day at work. I weighed my own time, trying to figure out if it was really worth the effort to chase down those last few wrong notes in the postlude, that, let's face it, most people wouldn't hear. And now, as I play for myself at home, I wonder what my plumb line should be, what amounts to a level of playing that is plumb enough. Here at St. George's, as we've worked on projects around the building and grounds, we've had to answer that same question. I think most of you know that the floor in the sacristy is sinking towards the outside wall; I've come to understand that this started shortly after the building was completed over twenty years ago. We've had long, thoughtful discussions about the problem. What's causing it? Is it still sinking? Is there anything to be done about it? And maybe the most important immediate question, asked in the reality of our limited resources, can we live with it as it is? Is the floor plumb enough? For the time being, we think it is. The counter, on the other hand, was sloping so much that pens would sometimes roll off: not plumb enough. Thank you to Mark Spath and Paul Puckett and George Lake and all those who worked through these questions and spent all those hours making sure our sacristy is plumb enough. You may have noticed that the sign on Wilder, our newly refurbished sign, our sign installed less than a year ago, looks a little off-kilter. I wasn't sure it actually was off-kilter, to be honest. The ground underneath it slopes, the road curves, the utility poles definitely look like they're leaning. But, sure enough, we took a level out there, that modern version of the plumb line, and it is definitely leaning to the south. It's also not quite square to the road. We're still thoughtfully talking through all of this, and we'll figure out what to do about it, how to make our sign plumb enough, and thanks again to Mark and Rich Maier and everyone who has been putting their minds to this. Ancient Israel thought it was plumb enough. Israel believed it was a nation set apart, chosen by God to be a light to world. Its capital city, Jerusalem, was glorious, set high on a hill, surrounded by a wall that had kept it safe from its enemies for centuries. In the center of the city rose the great temple, with white stone columns and white walls that gleamed in the sunlight and could be seen for miles around. The inside of the temple was magnificent, rooms laid with polished cedar floors and walls covered in gold and intricate decoration. The Holy of Holies was separated by gold doors and chains and a veil hung from ceiling to floor made of red and blue and purple silk. The courts of the temple were filled, night and day, with priests in fine robes, all carrying out the rituals and ceremonies that Israel believed maintained its relationship with God. Most Israelites came to the temple only maybe once a year for a festival, to offer their sacrifice, but they fell asleep each night secure in the knowledge that God was watching over Israel, that God was protecting them from the enemies that surrounded their country on every side, that God was their God and they were God's people. I suspect if you look at your life, in big ways and small, you will find you're not quite plumb enough. I have my own list of ways I'm not plumb enough; maybe some of these will ring true for you as well. Jesus says the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. That's not too hard when it's a sunny day, with a clear blue sky, when my sermon is written, when I'm feeling well, and my friends and family are safe. But let those blessings, big and small, slip away and pretty soon I'm like Job, sitting in a pile of my own misery cursing the day I was born. Not plumb enough. I know I am called to love my neighbor as myself, but it's just hard sometimes. Neighbors let their dogs run all over your gardens, or they park too close to your driveway, or they make too much noise at inconvenient times. It's easy for me to remember all the ways my neighbors have been inconsiderate, and even easier for me to forget all the times I've been just as inconsiderate or worse. And God is annoyingly expansive about just who our neighbors are. I'm afraid that when I read the bible carefully, it turns out that my neighbor is just about anyone I meet, and boy, I don't like that. There are all sorts of people, not just in my community, but across our country and around the world, people whose political beliefs and religious views I strongly disagree with, people who I don't care to spend time with, people who I plain don't like, much less want to try to 'love.' And just what does 'love,' mean, anyway? I love my family and friends, at least most of the time, but that doesn't mean I don't sometimes say and do things to them that are downright awful. Or sometimes what they need from me I just don't want to give: too much energy, too much time, too much forgiveness, too much of what I'm holding onto too tightly. Not plumb enough. I know I'm supposed to look out for those less fortunate than me, and I'm happy to do my part, as long as I still have my fairly comfortable life. But there are so many people in need, and they approach at such awkward and inconvenient moments. And working for justice is a never ending job; just when you think we've made progress on racism, South Carolina happens, and for all the work we do to help the homeless, it seems there are always more of them. It makes me tired just thinking about it, makes me wish I could bury my head in the sand and pretend the problems don't exist. Not plumb enough. Well, friends, there's the task, there's the good news, if you will, for this absolutely spectacular summer day. God has set a plumb line in our midst. God's word spoken through Amos rings true today: Seek good and not evil, that you may live. Scripture testifies, over and over again, to our call to love God, to love our neighbor as ourselves, to care for those in need, to speak for those who have no voice. The person and teachings and ministry of Jesus call us into alignment with God, into alignment with our own best selves, into alignment with who God created us to be. May we stand a little straighter in faith, a little truer in service, a bit more plumb in our life in God. It may have escaped your attention, but this past week was officially "Banned Books Week." It escaped my attention: before hearing a commentary about it on the radio, I had never heard of "Banned Books Week." "Banned Books Week" is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read, sponsored by the American Library Association. After hearing the commentary about "Banned Books Week," I got online and did a little research, and I was pretty surprised by a lot of what I found. I knew vaguely, that, oh, say, a hundred years ago or so, books were sometimes removed from libraries in this country because their content was deemed unsuitable or offensive. I remembered hearing that books like Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn and D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover had been taken off library shelves because of their language or subject matter, but I really thought that only a handful of books had ever been targeted and that all of this was long in the past. Not so. The American Library Association tracks challenges to books, times when various groups around the country have attempted to restrict access to certain books or get them removed from libraries. The list just of banned and challenged classics is astonishing. Topping the list is The Great Gatsby, which was challenged as recently as the 1980's. I read The Great Gatsby for I think a ninth grade English class (which would have been back in the '80's), and I don't remember it being all that racy. I suppose I can see the reasons behind the challenges to some of the other classics in the top 10, which include The Catcher in the Rye, The Grapes of Wrath, The Color Purple, The Lord of the Flies, and 1984. But for the life of me, I can't figure out how Charlotte's Web and Winnie the Pooh make the list of the top 25 most challenged books of the last hundred years. Challenges to books continue today. From 2000 to 2009, the American Library Association tracked over 5,000 challenges to books on library shelves. Most challenges are on the grounds that material is "sexually explicit" or contain "offensive language;" other challenges are because books are deemed unsuited to a certain age level or have references to subject matter considered offensive, such as violence, homosexuality, or the occult. The most challenged book in 2013 was the Captain Underpants series for kids, which I had never heard of, but I'm definitely going to check out. The Hunger Games and Fifty Shades of Grey made the top ten, and I guess I can understand why some people would be concerned about them, but The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison? And that, of course, gets to the heart of the matter. How do we make decisions on which books are appropriate and which books are too offensive? Just who gets to decide which books should go on the shelves and which should be banned? Who has the authority to determine what we can and can't read? Fortunately for us here in the United States, that question has largely been answered. The First Amendment protects free speech, and books are a form of free speech. As Supreme Court Justice Brennan writes, "If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable." The American Library Association maintains that parents, and only parents, have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children - and only their children - to library resources. Censorship by librarians or any other group, whether to protect children or for any other reason, violates the First Amendment. At the end of day, we, you and I, the citizens of the United States, have the authority to decide what we and our children will and will not read - not the government, not the libraries, not some other group, but you and I. On the face of it, this morning's gospel lesson from Matthew seems to hinge on the question of authority. Specifically, the leaders of the temple in Jerusalem want to know by what authority Jesus is acting, and who gave him his authority. They've got good cause to ask their question. For most of Matthew's gospel, Jesus teaches and preaches and heals out in the countryside, in Galilee, far away from Jerusalem, the capital city. But at the beginning of chapter 21, all that changes. Jesus does three things that get everyone's attention. First, he enters Jerusalem in a big way. He doesn't just wander in some side gate with his disciples. Instead, he comes in riding a donkey, and in front of him is a crowd of his followers spreading their cloaks on the road and covering them with branches and palms. The crowd shouts, "Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" This procession puts the whole city in turmoil; everyone is asking just who Jesus is, and stories about him are spreading like wildfire. Next, Jesus goes to the temple and overturns the tables of the money changers. This is a direct affront, an assault, really, on the temple authorities because of the role of the money changers. Here's how that systems works. At festival times, faithful Jews come to Jerusalem from all over the countryside. They try and sell their wares in the marketplace and they buy goods they can't get at home. They also go to worship at the temple, and worship means offering a sacrifice. They take the money they've made in the marketplace, the Roman currency with Caesar's face on it, but they can't use that currency in the temple, they have to exchange it for the special temple currency. That's what the money changers do, but they charge an exorbitant mark-up in the process. Jesus kicks over their tables and calls them the robbers and thieves that they are. Finally, as the dust is settling from all of that uproar, some blind and lame people seek Jesus out, and he cures them. This really gets the temple leaders' attention. Just who is this guy? Why is everyone so excited about him? Where does he get off calling our money changers crooks? How does he have the power to heal people? So when Jesus returns to the temple the next day and starts teaching, they ask him outright, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" By rights, the temple leaders, the chief priests and the elders, are the authority in the temple. They're the ones who can tell the crowd who they should shout and cheer for. They're the ones who can regulate that money changing system. They're the ones who can tell the blind and the lame how they might be healed. They're the ones who have the authority to teach in the temple. Jesus asks them another question, "What do you think?" and then he tells this simple parable. A man has two sons. He goes to the first and says, "Son, go and work in the vineyard today." His son answers, "I will not," but later he changes his mind and goes to work. The father goes to his second son and says the same thing. His second son answers, "I go, sir," but actually doesn't go. Which of the two did the will of the father?" Jesus asks, and the temple leaders say, "The first." And with that, Jesus has changed the conversation. It's no longer about authority; now the conversation is about the kingdom of God. "Look," he says to the temple leaders, "You've got it all wrong. You think because you're the leaders of the temple, respected leaders of this community, that you've got life figured out, but you don't. God doesn't care who you are, or what position you hold, or how much money you have, how much authority you command here. Remember when John was out in the desert with his crazy clothes and his wild hair and his weird diet of locusts and honey? Remember what he said? 'Repent,' John said, 'Repent,' John shouted, 'Repent,' John bawled until he was hoarse. You thought he was crazy, because he smelled bad and looked funny and because you hadn't 'authorized' his preaching. Remember who did listen to him? All those people you look down on, all those folks who you preach at every week urging them to be more like you, all those people with jobs you wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole, people like tax collectors and prostitutes: they listened to him. They listened to John because he offered them a chance to come clean, to stop pretending they were somebody else; he offered them a chance to start over. John offered to wash their old selves away, to clean them off in the river Jordan. Those tax collectors and prostitutes stood next to this bizarre, smelly, unpleasant man and let him dunk them in the cold water. And when they came up, they saw what you haven't seen, what you can't see, what you won't allow yourself to see. You don't have to continue living the way you are. There are options. You're not stuck going forward, you can turn around entirely, go in a wholly new direction, free from your past, free from everything you are carrying but don't really need, free from all those voices telling you how you don't measure up. That's the good news that John brought, that's the good news that I bring, authorized or not, because that is what repentance really is. It's not about beating our breasts and wailing about what miserable sinners are. Rather, repentance is about God's desire to realign us in the way God would have us live; it is about God's desire and God's power to transform us. Repentance is about accepting God's invitation to new life. I don't like to face up to it, but I'm afraid that more often than not, I'm more like those temple authorities than I am like the tax collectors and prostitutes who followed John out into the desert and followed Jesus into Jerusalem and up to the cross. I'm pretty sure I've got life figured out, I know what's right and what's wrong, the problem isn't me, it's all those other folks out there. If everyone would just see things like I see them, the world would be a better place. Thank goodness that just when I'm getting too comfortable with my place in this world, a reminder like this reading from Matthew comes along. Thank goodness there's still time to go and work in the vineyard, even if I said earlier I didn't want to. Thank goodness God's offer of repentance, God's offer of a fresh start and a new life, is still good. Maybe this sounds like good news to you, as well. Maybe you are hearing God's invitation to repent, God's invitation to new life, God's invitation to transform your life. But, if on this spectacular autumn day, you're comfortable where you're at, that's okay, too. God will be there tomorrow with the same offer of repentance and a new life, so no worries. Get out and enjoy the day. Take advantage of your first amendment rights and read a banned book - there are a lot of good ones to choose from. Go out and work in the vineyard, even if you already said you didn't want to. God loved you yesterday, God loves you today, God will love you tomorrow, and God will transform you and bring you to new life. Amen. This week was the 200th anniversary of "The Star-Spangled Banner." Technically, it's the 200th anniversary of the words of the "The Star-Spangled Banner;" the tune is a bit older, but we'll get to that in a moment. You probably know the story. Francis Scott Key was a lawyer, author, and an amateur poet (and, by the way, an Episcopalian, go team!). During the War of 1812, that attempt by the British to retake what they thought of as the American colonies, he was sent to negotiate the exchange of prisoners of war. After a dinner on a British ship in Baltimore harbor, he and his negotiating team were not allowed to return to their own ship because they had become familiar with the strength and position of the British units, and with the British intent to attack Baltimore. Because of this, Key was unable to do anything but watch the bombardment of the American forces at Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore on those September nights in 1814. At dawn, Key was able to see an American flag still waving above the fort, and he reported this to the prisoners below deck. When he got back onshore, he was still inspired by that image, and he sat down and wrote a poem about his experience, which he called "Defense of Fort McHenry," and it was published just a few days later in a newspaper called The Patriot. Now, Francis Scott Key had no thought that he was writing what would become the national anthem, and in fact, his words did not become the national anthem until a hundred years later, first by an executive order by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 and then by Congressional resolution in 1931. And I can't help but wonder if this isn't the reason why. Francis Scott Key had a tune in mind while he was writing his poem. It's the tune we still sing, or for some of us, we try to sing, today, that tune in 3/4 time with a very wide vocal range including very low and that very high note at the end. It was a familiar tune of the time because it was the official song of the Anacreontic Society, a popular gentlemen's club. It was popular because it was somewhat bawdy, at least by the standards of the 18th century. The refrain of each of the six stanzas, all of which celebrate the pleasures of wine, women, and song, that refrain which we're used to singing with the words "O say does that Star-spangled banner yet wave, O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave," in the original drinking song went, "And long may the Sons of Anacreon intwine The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine." Such lyrics hardly raise an eyebrow here in the 21st century, but they were pretty racy stuff back then. In the first instance, you're probably just confused, because the almost mournful tune of "Amazing grace" doesn't fit at all with the light hearted comedy of Gilligan's Island; in the second case, you may be a bit offended and have a couple of choice things to say to the rector at coffee hour. The context in which we hear words matters a lot. If we're singing words, the tune matters. The memory of the bawdy drinking song had to fade before "The Star-spangled banner" could become the national anthem. The familiar tune for "Amazing grace" supports the text and helps convey its message of forgiveness and redemption made possible through God's grace and mercy, where the cheerful and bouncy Gilligan's Island tune makes the words sound silly and trite. But even if we're not singing words, the context matters a lot, it shapes how we hear words; the context shapes how we understand their message. Words often have multiple contexts, and that is usually the case with the words we hear from the bible. This morning we heard another parable told by Jesus, a parable sometimes called "the laborers in the vineyard." Originally, Jesus told this parable, this story, to his disciples. He tells this parable to his disciples in the middle of a sort of simmering concern the disciples are having about what, exactly, their reward will be for faithfully following Jesus. Just before Jesus tells this parable, Peter asks that question out right, reminding Jesus that he and the disciples have given up everything to follow him; what can they expect in return? Jesus promises them twelve thrones in the world to come; pretty good deal, the disciples think, as they stand up a little taller and puff their chests out. But Jesus deflates them again when he says, "But many that are first will be last, and the last first." Then he tells the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. That's what happens just before our reading this morning. As soon as Jesus gets done telling this story, the mother of James and John comes up and asks Jesus to give the best the thrones to her sons, to give them the thrones right next to him on his left and on his right. Jesus pours cold water on her hopes as well, once again reminding his friends that the thrones he is talking about are not comfortable seats with velvet cushions laid on gold and silver chairs encrusted with jewels. Rather, Jesus's throne is made out of rough wood and iron nails and is in the shape of a cross. So that's the original context of the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, at least as Matthew remembers it when he gets around to writing all this down years after Jesus dies. Then there's the context of the original readers of Matthew, who would have listened quite intently to this parable because it describes a situation very familiar to them. Life in Jesus's time was a system of haves and have nots. The haves, folks like the owner of the vineyard, had all the money and property and possessions and power. The vast majority of people, though, 99% of the population, were have nots, folks like those day laborers hanging out in the marketplace hoping for work, needing work because if they don't get any work that day there'll be nothing to eat for dinner that night. As Jesus describes the scene in the marketplace, Matthew's readers can picture it because they've been there. The sun isn't even up yet, and everyone is still a bit groggy from sleep. They're either achey and sore because they were fortunate enough to get work yesterday, or they're very, very hungry because no one hired them. There are some farmers from the countryside unloading their carts and setting up their booths, making big stacks of vegetables, corralling sheep, laying out cages with squawking chickens. The laborers are looking at all of that food longingly, hoping to be able to afford to buy something later for dinner, maybe even splurge a little. Finally, as sun is just starting to peek over the horizon, a well-dressed man rides up on a horse. Everyone knows what he's there for, and they crowd around, standing up tall, trying their best to look strong and young and like their backs don't hurt. The guy on the horse turns out to be a landowner with a vineyard, and that's good. Vineyard work is at least quiet and not too dirty and you're not bent over all day. To their amazement, the landowner doesn't hire three or four men, but all of them, all ten of them standing around. This must be some vineyard, they say to each other as they follow the landowner of out town into the countryside. Thank goodness we forced ourselves to get out of bed at that ungodly hour and made it down to the market place in time. Maybe its big enough we can work for him for a few days and not have to go back that humiliating marketplace. Maybe there are even a few permanent positions here, with housing and health benefits! The day is really looking up, and the men set to their tasks with energy and good cheer. Matthew's readers, as I said, know this situation well, and they know the next scene as well. At nine o'clock, there are some more laborers standing around in the marketplace. These guys slept through their alarm and didn't make it down in time for the choice jobs, but they're still hoping to get some work; it won't be a full day's salary, but hopefully enough for them to get a little something to eat. Today is their lucky day, because the landowner comes back and hires them, promising to pay them whatever is right for their time. I think, though, it's around here in the story that Matthew's readers begin to wonder what is going on. No laborer would delay getting to the marketplace until noon to look for work, unless maybe they were hungover. There's no point, the folks looking for workers are all set for the day. But, according this story, the guys at noon get hired. Now, by three o'clock, everyone knows the only folks who are going to be in the marketplace looking for work are the guys who were so lazy or bad at their job that they got fired earlier in the day. No one in their right mind would hire them, but the landowner in this story does anyway. And at five o'clock? The guys hanging out there at five aren't really looking for work anymore; they're hoping someone who did get work that day will buy them a sandwich or loan them a couple of bucks. Nevertheless, they get hired, too, and off they go to work as the sun is already beginning to set. Matthew's readers have some questions now about what is wrong with this landowner. He must have a screw or two loose, they figure, or maybe he realized that his grapes were beginning to rot on the vine or there was bad weather on the way and he had to try and wrap the harvest up today. In any case, they're on the edges of their seats, wondering what is going to happen next. The landowner has his manager get the laborers to line up to get paid, but he has them line up so the guys who worked the least number of hours are at the front and the guys who've been there all day are at the back. This just seems inconsiderate; the guys who've been there all day are hot and tired and ready to get back to town and get something to eat, but now they're going to have to cool their heels as the guys who came a couple of hours ago and have hardly broken sweat are paid first. They're grumbling amongst themselves about the typical thoughtless behavior of the landowner, the guy who's never done an honest days work in his life, when one of them notices something. The guys at the front of the line are laughing and slapping each other on the back and looking very cheerful indeed. The landowner is paying the guys who came at five o'clock, and who only worked a couple of hours, he is paying them, each of them, a denarius, a whole days wage! That good feeling they had early in the day comes rushing back as they do a bit of quick math in their heads. Why, if those guys get a denarius, we should get, what, maybe five, maybe even six or seven denarii! Maybe I'll go buy a whole chicken for dinner, won't that make my wife happy! And a bottle of wine, heck two bottles, and good wine, too, not the cheap stuff. I can pay back that merchant what I owe him for my kids' back to school clothes, pay him back early and save the interest! And you know, tomorrow, I think I'm going to sleep in until noon, and then get up and do…nothing! A day off, at last! Man, did we luck out today, or what?! Their good mood lasts right up until they get to the front of the line and they stretch out their hands and the landowner gives them…one denarius. One lousy, measly, denarius. Sure, it's what they got for yesterday's job. And the day before that. And the day before that. Any other day, they'd stick it in their pocket and head back to town satisfied, but today, it really irks them. Of all the nerve, what is the landowner thinking, paying them the same as those lazy idiots who didn't come until five o'clock? They worked eight, ten, almost twelve hours more than those guys! It's not fair! The landowner speaks up, but I doubt very much that what he says satisfies either the workers, Matthew's readers, or the disciples. "Friends," he says, "I am doing you no wrong; didn't we agree on the usual daily wage? Aren't you getting what's coming to you? I haven't cheated you out of anything. Take your wages and go. I choose to give to the last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?" "Generous," the guys snort as they walk off. "You're not being generous with us!" "Generous?" Matthew's readers ask incredulously. "How is that generous, giving more to people who deserve, no, people who have earned, less?" "Generous" the disciples think to themselves, afraid if they voice their concerns out loud that Jesus will tell another story that makes them feel even worse. "Is he saying we're not getting thrones after all? Is Jesus going to give those thrones to somebody else when we're the ones who've stuck by him all these years?" Nobody, in any of those contexts, likes this story or its implications for themselves. Of course, we hear these words in our own context today, and I'll put good money down that no one here much likes this story, either. It violates our innate sense of what is fair and what is not. Equal pay for equal work is fair; equal pay for unequal work is not fair. Rewarding those who do the most work is fair; rewarding those who do the least is not fair. Treating everyone the same is fair; treating everyone the same when they are not the same is not fair. And life is so often not fair. Your boss decides that instead of merit increases this year everyone will get the same amount, because it will be better for group morale, even though you've worked harder than all those other lazy bums in your department. Your kid doesn't make the varsity squad, even though she's as fast and strong and hard working as any of the other girls; she's just not a favorite of the coach. You've been caring for your elderly parent for years while your siblings are living it up halfway across the country, and really, you know it's not worthy of you to feel this way, but when you're all sitting in the lawyer's office as he explains that your father has divided the estate equally among his four children, you can feel the resentment and anger boiling up inside. As Barbara Brown Taylor writes, "Life is not fair, which is why it seems all that much more important that God should be. God should be the one authority you can count on to reward people according to their efforts, who keeps accurate track of how long you have worked and how hard you have worked. God should the one manager who polices the line, walking up end down to make sure that everyone stays where they belong, so that the first remain first and the last wait their turns at the end of the line." But that's not what this parable says. I think our problems with the parable boil down to two issues. First, we don't like this parable because of how we understand our context, our place within it. Who are we in this story? Why, we're the ones who have worked our fingers to the bone and broken our back all the hot, miserable day long, only to get gypped! Everyone else has lucked out, but not us. Look at all those people ahead of us in line, riding on the back of our hard work! But here's the thing that none of us want to do. Instead of looking forward at that crowd of lazy, lucky schmucks, take a deep breath, turn around, and look behind you. No matter how many people are in line in front of us, I promise you, there is an even bigger line behind us, a line stretching all the way down the street and around the block, three abreast, all grumbling and getting red in the face because we, you and I, got a better deal than we deserved. And the hard thing to hear is that they're right. Our second problem with this parable is the context in which we put God. We put God in our own context, with our own sense of right and wrong, our own sense of fairness and how things should work. But God doesn't belong, God doesn't fit in our context. God's context is completely different. God doesn't have a clipboard in one hand and a red marker in the other, God doesn't put pluses and minuses after our names to keep track. God is not fair. For reasons we can't understand, God seems to love us indiscriminately. God is not fair; God is generous, and generous in a way that we can't quite get our hearts and minds around. If we're really honest with ourselves, we'd prefer that God would be fair with other people, but generous with ourselves. It's my job to preach the good news, so here it is in this parable that sounds like anything but good news. The good news is that God is not fair, God is not keeping track. The good news is that God pours out blessings on us all in ways that is anything but fair. The good news is that God is generous, generous with love and generous with life and generous with grace, generous beyond our comprehension, generous beyond any meaning we can put to that word. I pray that we may all remember this about God's generosity, that we'll remember it late in the day, as the sun sets and we're tired to the bone and convinced of our own worth, certain of our own righteousness. I pray that we'll remember it as we line up and watch the manager start handing out the daily bread. I pray that we'll have the presence of mind to remember it as we watch those in front of us get more than we think they deserve, that we'll remember that there are many, many people behind us who think we're getting more than we deserve. I pray we'll remember this about God's wacky sense of fairness, God's all-in commitment to generosity, and that when the manager gets to us, we'll accept what he offers with good cheer and surprised laughter and a renewed sense of gratitude for all our blessings. Amen. In his column last Wednesday in the New York Times titled "It takes a mentor," Thomas Friedman explores the findings of a recent research project of the Gallup poll. Gallup spent a year interviewing parents of 5th through 12th graders as well as the students themselves, business leaders, teachers, superintendents, college presidents, principals, college graduates, and workers of all ages in a variety of fields. In all, they talked to close to one million Americans. Gallup was trying to figure out what are the things that happen in school, in college, or in technical schools that, more than anything else, produce "engaged" employees on a fulfilling career track. What are the factors that shape students into adults who are happy and successful in the workplace? The findings are pretty interesting. It turns out it doesn't matter where you went to school, whether you attended an elite private university or you went to community college. Rather, two factors stand out. Happy and successful workers had one or more teachers when they were in school who were mentors, people who took a real interest in their dreams and aspirations. They also tended to have had an internship that was related to what they were learning in school. For students, personal interaction with a teacher who genuinely cares about them and is personally involved with their education, and the opportunity for some hands on, real world experience in their field, trumps everything else, including the student's socioeconomic background, how well they did on standardized tests, or how expensive their education was. Students who had a mentor who encouraged their goals and dreams are twice as likely to be engaged with their work and thriving in their overall well-being today. As positive as this news seems on the surface, it points out a real weakness in our education system. Only 22 percent of college grads surveyed said they had such a mentor, and only 29 percent had an internship where they applied what they were learning. Less than a third of our students are exposed to the things that matter most in determining their future success and happiness. This probably explains why Gallup found that while 96 percent of college provosts surveyed believed their schools were successfully preparing young people for the workplace, only 14 percent of recent college grads in the work force say they feel their education prepared them adequately, and only 11 percent of employers say they are getting enough college grads with the skills they need. I spent a little time this week thinking back on my life and the years I spent in school. I probably wouldn't have come to this conclusion before reading Friedman's column, but it is clear to me now that I've had the good fortune to have mentors who cared about me and offered support and guidance all along the way. Two in particular come to mind. My piano teacher in high school helped me develop from a kid who kind of liked playing the piano but had never really worked that hard at it, into a real and (somewhat) more disciplined musician. As I began walking down the path towards ordination, I was blessed to have a friend and mentor in Winifred Collin, who I worked with for many years at Christ Church. Those are the big ones, but I've had other folks who played smaller but important roles mentoring me at various times in my life. I imagine if you think back on your life, you'll be able to identify some important mentors who've cared for you and helped you along the way. Maybe they were teachers, or colleagues or supervisors at work, or neighbors who helped you adjust to a new town, or friends who helped you along and taught you how to get through hard times. It's good, I think, to take time to remember these folks, and to thank them if they're still around. It can help us appreciate how we came to be the people we are today, help us recognize how we have been helped along and shaped by others, help us be grateful for how fortunate we are to have known these people. As I reflected on the important mentors in my life, I remembered, with no small amount of shame, the ways I let each of them down. And not just once or twice, but regularly. These folks really stuck with me even when I didn't deserve it. We've all had similar experiences, times when we've missed the mark, we've let people down, and even though we didn't deserve it, we've been given second and third and fourth chances. Probably in most cases we didn't use the word 'forgiveness,' but that was what was at work in all those situations, whether we called it forgiveness or not. Forgiveness is essential for our relationships with others; it's essential for our relationship with ourselves; it's essential for our relationship with God. Forgiveness is of course what our reading this morning from Matthew is all about. Jesus has been talking to his disciples about how to respond when people don't treat you right. You may remember last week's reading with it's careful instructions about how to deal with someone who sins against you. Jesus lays out a process, starting with taking up the issue with the person privately and finally leading up to airing your grievance publicly. Peter finally speaks up, asking the question that is really on all our minds. Peter asks Jesus, "How many times shall I forgive someone who sins against me?" And because Peter is always anxious to get it right, he answers his own question. He comes up with a number that he thinks is so over the top that he's certain Jesus will approve. "Seven times? Surely seven times is enough. No one, not even God, could expect me to forgive someone more than seven times!" I say thank goodness for Peter, who's brave enough to ask what we're all thinking. Of course we know we should forgive others, but there's got to be some limit, right? At some point, can't we just give up? As reasonable as that seems, as generous as Peter's seven times is, Jesus says, no, that's not enough. "No, Peter, not seven times, but seventy-seven times," and I'm sorry to say that in reality our translation lets us off the hook by a lot: the Greek really says, "Not seven times, but seventy times seven times." For any one still trying to keep score, that's 490 times, or 483 times more than Peter proposes. Then Jesus tells a story, a parable which raises the stakes even higher. This is what forgiveness is like in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus says. There was a king who wanted to settle things up with his slaves. He had a lot of slaves; most of them had become his slaves because they owed the king money that they couldn't pay back for one reason or another. At the top of the king's list was a slave who owed him ten thousand talents. Now, ten thousand talents was a lot of money, a fantastic, almost unimaginable amount of money. One talent was more money than a day laborer could hope to make in several years. According to records of the time, the total yearly taxation for the whole region of Judea during the Roman occupation was only 600 talents. Ten thousands talents is like when your child says a "gazillion jillion" dollars. Of course, there's no way the slave can pay the king back, so the king orders the slave and his wife and his children and all his possessions sold off. It won't amount to much, barely a fraction of one talent, but at least it will clean up the king's books a little bit. The slave falls down on his knees and begs the king, saying "Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything I owe." I don't how the slave got that far in debt, but I do know, just as surely as the king knew and Jesus's listeners knew, there's no way, no matter how patient the king is, that the slave would be able to pay even a tiny portion of what he owes before both he and the king come to the end of their lives. The king looks at the slave weeping and pleading on his knees in front of him, embarrassed and annoyed by his behavior. He looks at his accountant, who always seems a bit uncomfortable during these proceedings. Then, I imagine may he looks out the window and sees the dappled sunlight and shade in his orchard. He gazes at the clear blue sky through the leaves, and smells the fresh, crisp autumn air. Then, off in the distance, he hears the song of a nightingale. He's transfixed for a moment, his mind far, far away from the pressures and hassles of kingship. Then his accountant clears his throat, and the king is brought back to the situation at hand. And even though he's never done this before, never before even considered for a second doing this, the king lets the slave go free and wipes his debt clean. If he had to reason it all out, he might explain to his incredulous wife later that evening, "Well, all of that guy's possessions aren't worth anything, it's going to cost more to run the auction than I'd get at the end of the day. And really, if I have to listen to his excuses every month for the rest of his life about why he doesn't have more money for me, it'll drive me to an early grave. I just want to be clear of him." But really, whatever reasons he put to it, the king, I'll bet, had one of those fleeting moments in life where he knew how very, very fortunate he was. Not fortunate in money or possessions or power. Just fortunate to be alive, to be a witness to a spectacular fall day, to be the audience of a nightingale who was singing for herself for the sheer joy of it. In that moment of gratitude, the king sees the true value of that ten thousand talent debt. I hope you've had at least one of those moments in, and that you keep it very close to your heart. The poor slave, however, if he's ever had one of those moments, has long forgotten it. You'd think being freed from his astronomical debt would have put him in a good, even a great, mood, but no. As he walks out of the king's chambers, he sees a fellow-slave who owes him a hundred denarii. It would take an average peasant about a day to earn one denarii, so a hundred denarii is a few months work; nothing like ten thousand talents, but nothing to sneeze at, either. The slave seizes him by the throat and demands his money, and the guy falls to his knees and pleads for patience. And though everyone, the other slaves standing around, the king who hears about it later, even those of us reading this story hundreds of years later, everyone expects the slave to show the same mercy that the king showed him, he doesn't hesitate for a moment before throwing him in prison until he gets his money back. I suspect the slave has been unable to forgive himself for getting into the mess of the ten thousand talents in the first place, can't get the taste of having to beg for mercy from the king out of his mouth, and so he's determined to never let anything like that happen again. But now, he's really stuck. He's never going to get that money, because the guy in prison has no way of making any money. Plus, his actions have infuriated the king and made him decide to force the slave to pay back his entire, impossible, ten thousand talent debt. Worst of all, he'll spend the rest of his miserable life blaming the other slave for not paying him back, blaming himself for getting into such a pickle in the first place, blaming the king for going back on his word, resenting everyone he knows for their good luck and better fortune, resenting the universe that things have turned out so badly for him. Through this over the top story, with its outlandish sums of money, and the extravagant, over the top behavior of the king and the slave (although in completely different directions), Jesus tries to hammer home a point about forgiveness. Forgiveness is important, not just for the person who is forgiven, but it is important for the one who does the forgiving. The king is better off kissing his gazillion jillion dollars goodbye rather than spending the rest of his life squeezing a few drops of water from that rock of a slave. And the slave would have been so much happier, so much more content, if he had only been able to do the same. I suspect this is a lesson that we acknowledge, deep down, to be absolutely true. We know it does us no good to hang on to resentments, to continue to blame others, whether they are strangers or colleagues or friends or family, for treating us badly. But if you're like me, you've got a list of things you're holding onto, slights and insults and hurts that may go back years. They're eating us up from the inside out, little by little. We think we've let them go or that we've forgotten about them, but a little reminder or a trigger, and pretty soon, we're red in the face and our stomach feels sour and we can taste the bitterness in the back of our throat. Maybe this exercise seems a little hokey to you, as it did to me when I first read it. I've tried it on and off, with varying degrees of success. For me, I find I'm much more likely to be able to let go of my resentment and shift my demands for the past to a preference, I find I'm more able to truly forgive someone when I am more aware of all the things I have to be truly grateful for in this life. Maybe you can try this exercise this week. I hope, with a little reflection, we can all bring to mind and keep close to our hearts the things we have to be grateful for, the big things and the little things. The mentors who have helped us along the way. People who have given us second and third and fourth chances. The miracle of life and the world around us. The chance encounter on an early fall afternoon that takes us outside of ourselves for a moment or two and opens up the day in a new way. May we learn to let go of our resentment, may we learn to forgive not seven times but seventy times seven. May we find that letting go of our demands for the past opens up the future in new and life-giving ways. In the back of my closet, I have a plastic tub with about three dozen LP albums. I bought these records as a teenager. Back then, I thought I wanted to be a concert pianist, so most of them are recordings by some of the great pianists of the 20th century, people like Arthur Rubinstein, Vladimir Horowitz, and Claudio Arrau. The turntable I played these records on in high school is long gone, replaced by a somewhat nicer one when I was in college, but already CD's had begun to takeover. It never made sense to me, financially, to replace the LP recordings with CD's, and in any case my musical interests expanded in other directions and I listened to less piano music. I know the new turntable came with me to Rochester twenty years ago, but in some move or other, it got left behind, and I haven't had a way to play those old records since. I have finally replaced some of them with downloaded mp3 recordings, but I've held onto the records anyways. Every once in awhile, usually during a frenzy of cleaning and re-organizing the house, I open up that tub, and look at those records, and somehow, I'm connected to the kid I was all those years ago. I can remember listening them records endlessly in my room, probably to the dismay of my sisters. I remember daydreaming of someday playing those same pieces. I can even remember, or I think I do, how Horowitz played that demonic Etude by Scriabin; how Rubinstein played the opening of that Chopin Ballad; how Arrau played the cadenza of the Brahms concerto. I keep an eye out at rummage sales for decent turntable, thinking it would be nice to hear those records once again, scratches and all. I read an article this week in The New Yorker about a physicist who figured out a way to play old wax cylinders and aluminum disks. These are recordings from as long ago as the late 1800's, kept in archives around the world. The recordings aren't playable, because they are too fragile. Most are so fragile that to even handle them risks destroying them. The physicist, Carl Haber, was stuck in traffic in northern California one day, and he heard a story on the radio about these archives, recordings of aboriginal music, of speeches, of sounds from well over a hundred years ago, sounds that haven't been heard by anyone now living. Haber works for a group that conducts experiments at the CERN collider in Switzerland, that seventeen mile underground tunnel that physicists use to accelerate atoms and subatomic particles and collide them with one another in order to learn more about how matter is put together. Haber works on the detectors that line the supercolliders and track the paths of the subatomic particles. He developed a device he calls the SmartScope which photographs the detectors in microscopic detail, then analyzes the images and the placement over and over again. When he heard the story about the unplayable archives, he wondered if he couldn't use the device to scan the old wax cylinders and aluminum disks to make a precise digital image of the grooves which could then be converted to sound. He experimented with an old 78 of "Goodnight, Irene" by the Weavers, and found it worked great. He expanded into reading wax cylinders and aluminum disks, and now people can hear tribal music from a century ago, from around the world, and speeches by famous figures of the early 20th century, and people speaking languages that are no longer used. Haber even used this technology to play a recording made in soot on a piece of paper in Paris in April of 1860; a recording of a man singing "Au clair de la lune" before the outbreak of the Civil War. Haber now spends most of his time bringing these old recordings back to life. He recounts being able to play dance music recorded in the early 1900's in an Indian village on Vancouver Island. He took that recording to the descendants of that tribe, the Kwakitul people, and they were able to hear their ancestors singing their tribal songs. I think all of this is pretty amazing, how technology can help us keep and recover memories, whether from our own life or from past generations. Sounds and images provide us deep insight into ourselves and into our past, but of course, we don't have either of those when it comes to the foundation of our faith. All we know about Jesus comes from the words of the bible. Over the centuries artists have painted millions of pictures of Jesus, but of course we have no idea what he looked like. Dozens of actors have portrayed Jesus in movies and on television, but of course we have no idea what he sounded like; in fact, the language he spoke, Aramaic, hasn't been spoken in hundreds of years. And even the words of the bible, the things we read that Jesus said, weren't transcribed by someone as he said them. The gospels weren't written down until decades after Jesus died. The things Jesus said, the stories he told, the things he did, all of that was handed down by word of mouth, repeated from one person to another and then another and another. Finally, people thought it would be a good idea to write some of it down. Maybe they were worried that they were forgetting some of what Jesus had said and done; maybe they realized, like anyone who has played a game of Telephone at a party finds out, we're not very good at repeating things verbatim. We tend to change things, sometimes adding a word here or there, sometimes leaving things out. And so, people decided it was time to put things down on paper, to create a sort of permanent record of what Jesus said, what Jesus did, who Jesus was. It was a good idea, of course, and thank goodness they did write things down, these documents called 'gospels' or 'good news.' And thank goodness that we have more than one gospel; in fact, there were dozens of gospels written, but when folks got around to figuring what was going to be put in the bible, they chose four, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. I say thank goodness that we have more than one gospel because each of them looks at Jesus in a different way, each of them has its own perspective. As a result of having all of these perspectives, we get a fuller picture of who Jesus was than we would if we only had one gospel. We read this morning from John's gospel. John is perhaps the most theological of the four gospels. It makes John sometimes a bit of a slog to read, because Jesus gives lots of long speeches that seem to twist and turn and can be confusing. We're not the only ones confused; everyone around Jesus, including his own disciples, seem to have trouble understanding exactly what Jesus is saying. In our reading this morning, Jesus is talking to the disciples about his coming death and resurrection. In the verses right before our reading, Jesus has told his friends that he's going to die. Then he tells them not to be troubled by that, as if it were possible for the disciples not to be troubled by such disturbing news. This is the central theme of John's gospel. You may remember that we read the beginning of John's gospel way back on Christmas Eve, that familiar passage that starts, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Word was God." The passage ends with with John's thesis, his statement about who Jesus is. He writes, "No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known." In other words, if you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus. Look at Jesus who surrounded himself with the poor, the sick, the marginalized, and the untouchables. Look at Jesus who was criticized by the religious elite for hanging out with sinners. Look at Jesus who treated women with dignity and respect at a time when that was unheard of. Look at Jesus who taught his disciples to love their enemies, to give without expecting anything in return, to overcome evil with love. Look at Jesus who wept when his friend died, who suffered on the cross, who forgave those who persecuted him. In Jesus, we understand that God suffers, God forgives, God cares for the poor, God cares for the sick, God loves God's enemies. This passage from John's gospel, this conversation with Thomas and Philip, is a reminder to us that Jesus is the best lens we have into the nature of God; Jesus is the fullest expression of God's self. God is revealed in the beauty and wonder of the natural world, a revelation that is easy for us to appreciate during these spectacular spring days. God is also revealed in the person of Jesus, but this revelation may be harder for us to appreciate. Jesus lived so long ago, and the memories we have of him are limited to words written down years after his death by people in another culture and time. What we would give for a picture of his face, the sound of his voice. A rocket-propelled grenade exploded just behind White's head. He was hit, shrapnel peppering his face and hands. He says he didn't see how any of them could survive. "I told myself I was going to die because I just had that feeling — the amount of fire, I was already wounded — I'm not going to make it through this one. And I knew that if I'm going to die, I'm going to do what I can to help my battle buddies until it happens. And that's what's running through my mind," he says. As others in the unit went down, White ran back and forth — dodging bullets — to care for the wounded. One of them was Spc. Kain Schilling. "That's when I got shot in my arm. It went numb. And I thought I lost my arm, thought an RPG or something took it off," Schilling says. Schilling found cover under a small tree. White ran after him. "He had to run through overwhelming fire just to get to me. It was... shale type of rocks, so when bullets hit, it was a cool-looking spark. So everywhere he's going you could see these sparks flying up around him," Schilling says. White wrapped a tourniquet around Schilling's arm. Then he spotted another American down, Marine Sgt. Phillip Bocks. White ran to help — straight through the Taliban fire. Schilling saw it all happen. "Tons of sparks, puffs of dirt coming up. He kind of just acted like they weren't there or it wasn't going to hit him. It was for sure he was going to get hit," Schilling says. The bullets ripped away pieces of White's uniform, but somehow he didn't get hit. He reached Bocks, who was badly wounded. White tried to calm him. So, maybe we have pictures of Jesus after all, maybe we do know what Jesus sounds like. In the self-sacrificing heroism of the our men and women in uniform; in the spirit of those who, in the aftermath of the flooding this week in Penn Yan and around the state, have stepped up to volunteer to clean up and help those who have lost their homes; in the work and generosity of those in our community who to try to make life better for people who are hungry or ill or lonely; in all these folks, and hundreds of other examples, we get a glimpse of Jesus here in our time, we get a glimpse of God at work in our world. These week, may we be on the lookout for the ways Jesus is working in our world today, and may we be ready to join him in ministry. Amen. Today, things are bit more scientific and a lot more complicated. The World Health Organization maintains the list of possible causes of death, known as the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, or the ICD-10. The ICD-10 comes in three forest-green volumes, can be purchased for $562.82 through Barnes & Noble, and runs to twenty-two hundred pages. It lists some eight thousand officially sanctioned ways to die. Unfortunately, this makes the death certificate fantastically difficult to fill out, so there are some two hundred and fifty pages of instructions dedicated to explaining to physicians, most often young interns or residents to whom this bureaucratic task falls, how to account for the cause of death. And the death certificate doesn't list just one cause. Rather, there's an immediate cause on the top line, due to another underlying cause on the line below, and so on, with four lines that need to be filled out. So, for example, the immediate cause of death might be the rupture of the lining surrounding the heart, brought on by a heart attack, caused by a clot in an artery around the heart, with the underlying cause of death being heart disease. All of that information, if correctly documented, provides a sort of explanation for a death, but it also leaves a lot of critical information out, such as the person's two-pack a day smoking habit, or that they were extraordinarily depressed due to the recent death of a spouse, or refused to take medication prescribed for their condition. Unfortunately, this document which is crucial to proving to banks and various government agencies that the person is actually dead, and which helps drive public health spending in this country, fails to get at the true underlying cause of death as much as 50% of the time. I doubt whether the editors of The New Yorker planned it this way, but this article about death certificates coming out just before Holy Week got me to thinking about what some young resident or coroner might have written on Jesus's death certificate. Crucifixion was a brutal method of execution practiced throughout the Roman empire. The condemned was nailed or tied to the cross, and hung up in a public place as a warning to others. Often the victim was tortured beforehand. In Jesus's case, he was flogged, whipped with bands of leather embedded with sharp glass or metal objects that tore at his flesh. The victim could hang on the cross for days, or could succumb in a few hours. Most often, the immediate cause of death was probably asphyxiation, because the victim would have to hoist themselves up in order to breathe, and would eventually become too exhausted to do so. Others probably bled to death from their wounds, or their heart gave out, or they went into shock, or they died of dehydration. However it happened in Jesus's case, he died of severe trauma to his body. But to go to the next line, the underlying cause of death, to dig deeper into the behaviors and factors in his life that led him to the cross, I think we have to look at the two readings from Matthew's gospel that we hear today, the triumphant entry into Jerusalem we heard a moment ago, and the long and painful account of his passion, his arrest, trial, and crucifixion, which we'll hear in a moment. We hear both of these very different stories today, jammed up right next to each other, because I think they are intertwined. This Sunday can give us a bit of spiritual whiplash, with our joyful cries of "Hosanna" just minutes later becoming bloodthirsty cries of "Crucify him." That whiplash can give us some critical insight into why Jesus died and what his death means for us today. Jesus spends most of his ministry out in the country, in Galilee north of Jerusalem. When he decides to go to Jerusalem, the capital city, the home of the temple and the religious authorities and the place where the Roman governor Pontius Pilate lives and where most of the Roman army is located, he tells a couple of his disciples to go get a donkey for him to ride in on. News of Jesus has reached the city, and everyone wants to see this man who heals people and preaches about the kingdom of God. There is a festive atmosphere in the air because it's almost Passover, and Jerusalem is filled with visitors from the country side. The Roman soldiers are on alert for any kind of trouble, and the religious authorities who try and keep the peace so that the Romans don't have an excuse to crackdown are anxious that things don't get out of hand. Neither the Romans nor the religious authorities are thrilled about this crowd shouting "Hosanna!" about Jesus, because they know how quickly crowds can get out of hand. The smart thing, the prudent thing, for Jesus to do would be to keep a low profile, but instead, he walks around the city preaching and teaching and criticizing the religious authorities. He does this because the kingdom of God will not wait for a safe time; it is not cautious, it is not prudent, it is not careful. This week there was a three-day civil rights summit at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library in Austin, TX. Johnson of course is most often remembered for his record in Vietnam, a black mark which has overshadowed his landmark accomplishments in civil rights, his work to get voting rights and comprehensive civil rights bills passed through Congress. Shortly after becoming president after Kennedy was assassinated, LBJ spoke to congress and told them that passage of a comprehensive civil rights bill was a fitting and proper tribute to Kennedy's memory. Most of his advisors urged caution, warning Johnson that civil rights, however worthy it might be, was a lost cause, and that he should go slowly. Johnson responded, and I'm paraphrasing, "Then what in the world is the presidency for?" Jesus knew that convincing the world to love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself, was a lost cause, but that didn't slow him down or make him play it safe. He spoke out for what he knew was important and for what he knew was right, and it got him killed. The crowds who are so enthusiastic when Jesus enters Jerusalem show up again when he is taken before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. The festival is at its height now, and tensions are running high. Pilate couldn't care less who Jesus says he is, what he's been preaching about over the last few years, couldn't care less what he's done that has so enraged the religious authorities. As was the custom at the festival, he'd been planning to release a prisoner, Barabbas, a bandit who'd been annoying the Roman army but was pretty popular with the crowds. But crowds are fickle; crowds are dangerous. The chief priests know just the things to say, just the rumors to spread, just the way to get the crowd riled up and to demand that Jesus be crucified. Who knows how they did it, it seems incredible, hard to believe that they could be so easily manipulated. Twenty years ago this week, on April 7, 1994, members of the core political elite in Rwanda known as the akazu instigated a genocidal mass slaughter of Rwandan citizens known as Tutsis. They convinced tens of thousands soldiers, police, and civilians to arm themselves with machetes and clubs to maim and kill their Tutsi neighbors. In a hundred days, nearly one million Tutsis were killed, often by people they had known well and lived next to peacefully for years. Who can explain how that happened? Who can explain the Holocaust, or the genocides in Cambodia or Armenia, or the lynchings by the KKK, or the wartime atrocities around the world? As Edmund Burke said, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing." There were good people in all those crowds gone bad, in every crowd that becomes a mob, but they either got swept up in the furor or they were afraid to speak up or their voices were drowned out or they figured everyone else was doing it so why not them. Mob mentality makes it possible to do the impossible, the unthinkable, the awful thing. Mob mentality got Jesus killed. I can't help but think that in addition to the physical injuries he received at the hands of the Romans that Jesus suffered from emotional and spiritual injuries he received at the hands of his friends. There's Peter and the two sons of Zebedee who couldn't keep their eyes open in the garden and keep Jesus company as he waited for the inevitable. There;s Judas, who betrays him with a kiss, a gesture of friendship. There's Peter who denied even knowing him when it got too dangerous. None of his disciples were around to help carry his cross, so a stranger, Simon of Cyrene had to be pressed into service. And Jesus was left alone on the cross, surrounded by criminals and the mocking soldiers and bystanders. It would be easy if we could just point the finger of blame at Peter and Judas and the disciples, accuse them of character flaws and cowardice, but it's not that easy. Craig Barnes, a Presbyterian preacher, reminds us that the Judas chromosome, and by extension, the Peter chromosome, the disciples' chromosomes, run deep in all of us: we're still betraying and denying and abandoning Jesus today. We betray him by deciding where we stand when the weak speak the truth to the powerful, by keeping our mouths shut while others are bullied or discriminated against. We deny him by closing our eyes and ears to those in need in our community and around the world. We betray him by failing to speak the truth about our world, and failing to recognize the truth about ourselves. We abandon him by slipping away in the dark, by running from things that are too painful to witness. In some ways, Jesus died of a broken heart, broken because of the betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter, the abandonment of the disciples; broken because we're still doing the same things, centuries later. Holy Week is a hard journey. It's hard because we're called to witness the suffering and death of Jesus, and it's hard because we're called to acknowledge our own complicity in it. Let us not be afraid to face up to the truths that Holy Week speaks. Let us be reminded that the triumph of good over evil requires our willingness to put ourselves on the line. Let us not abandon ourselves or each other in the dark journey this week, or in any of the dark times that may lie ahead. Some of you may remember Sam Levenson. He was a comedian, author, and television personality, appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, What's My Line?, and The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson throughout the 1970's. He told this story about the birth of his first child. The first night home from the hospital the baby would not stop crying. Dr. Spock's landmark book The Common Sense Book of Baby & Child Care had just been published, and so Sam's wife Sarah took the book off the shelf and began frantically flipping through the pages to find out why babies cry and what to do about it. The book is quite long, running to almost a thousand pages, and so the baby cried for a long time. Of course, we expect infants to cry, and children to cry when they fall and scrape their knees or elbows, and the mother of the bride to cry at weddings, and everyone to cry at funerals. Those sorts of tears are expected and acceptable. Other times, we have a more ambivalent reaction to crying. It's gotten somewhat more acceptable for men to cry in public, but it's still news when politicians cry: Barack Obama's tearful thank-you to his campaign workers was widely covered, and since being elected Speaker of the House, John Boehner has been taken a lot of guff about his tendency to wear his emotions on his sleeve. At the Olympics a few weeks ago, NBC's Christin Cooper was roundly criticized for pushing skier Bode Miller about the pain of his brother's death, and the network was pilloried for letting the camera linger on him for over a minute as he tried to regain his composure. On the one hand, Miller's obvious emotion and tears over his brother's death humanized him and showed how he has matured over the years; on the other, the balance of opinion seemed to be that he should have been allowed to have that experience in private, away from the camera. I don't know about you, but I find myself falling in with the second camp, the confused folks. Up to this point, Jesus has shown a remarkably cavalier attitude about Lazarus's health and well-being. Jesus had spent a fair amount of time with Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. Their house in Bethany had served as a sort of refuge for him, a quiet retreat away from the crowds, and it will again shortly before his death. The Greek text tells us Jesus loved Lazarus as a friend. But when Lazarus falls seriously ill and his sisters send word to Jesus, his response is sort of bizarre. He says, "This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God's glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Then he stays where he is for another two whole days. When they arrive in Bethany, they find out that Lazarus has already been in the tomb for four days. In Jewish tradition, it was believed that the soul hung out near the body after death for three days, hoping to get back into the body. On the fourth day, it was believed, the soul would give up and leave. So Lazarus is really, really dead. Lazarus's sister Martha hears that Jesus has come, and she runs to meet him. She says, and you can almost hear the hint of reproach in her voice, "Jesus, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." She immediately thinks better of it, and says, "Never mind; I know that God will give you whatever you ask." Jesus tells Martha, "Your brother will rise again." Martha gives the good answer, the correct answer for a faithful Jew, saying, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Jews believed that on the day of judgement, all the dead would rise from their graves, they would be resurrected in their flesh and see God in glory. Jesus says to Martha, "That's not what I'm talking about. The resurrection I'm talking about is not some sort of magic trick with bones and skeletons. I'm talking about a resurrection that is here and now, that has begun already. I am the resurrection; I am the life. If you want to experience life, truly experience life, abundant life beyond anything that you can imagine, believe in me. You don't have to wait for the grave to experience resurrection, to experience new life. I am the resurrection; you can experience new life here and now through me." It doesn't seem like Martha quite gets it, but then, almost no one else in John's gospel has gotten it, either. Jesus has performed miracle after miracle, sign after sign, he's talked until he's blue in the face about how he is the bread of life, the living water, the good shepherd, the gate to the abundant life, the way, the truth, and the life, and almost no one has been able to understand what he's talking about. Martha goes to get her sister Mary. Mary comes to Jesus, and says the same thing that Martha did, "If you had been here, my brother would not have died." On seeing her, and the other people there weeping, Jesus finally seems to have a normal, human response. He is greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. It may be that the reality of the situation has finally come home for him. He's known from the beginning of the story that God planned to raise Lazarus from the dead, but somehow, it hadn't occurred to him that in order for that to happen, Lazarus would have to die first. Lazarus had to go through the suffering, the painful and difficult process of letting go of this life, the only one he knew. It was hard for him, painful for Mary and Martha, devastating for everyone who loved them. Throughout John's gospel, Jesus has been seeing the world through God's eyes, seeing it for what it can be. Lazarus's death forces Jesus to see the world through our eyes, to see it for what it is. He asks where they have laid Lazarus, and the crowd says to him, "Come and see." This is just too much for Jesus, and he weeps. Throughout John's gospel, people have been invited to "come and see" who Jesus is, to "come and see" who God is, in all of God's healing and life-giving glory. Now Jesus is invited to "come and see" the death that is inextricably entwined with that promise of new life. This is the turning point in John's gospel. This is the last sign, the last miracle that Jesus will perform. He tells the people to move the stone out of the entryway to the tomb, ignoring Martha's objection that it's going to smell pretty bad in there. Tears still running down his cheeks, he cries, "Lazarus, come out!" Out comes the dead man, barely able to move because his hands and feet are bound with strips of cloth, barely able to see because his face is wrapped in a veil. He tells the crowd to unbind Lazarus, and let him go. No one is paying attention to Jesus anymore - all eyes are on the dead man returned from the grave, all eyes are on Lazarus. Through his tears, Jesus finally sees the truth he's been trying to get everyone else to see, he sees the way forward, he knows what is at the end of the road for him. Jesus is not going to be exempt from the suffering and disappointment and death that we all experience. The days ahead will be filled with betrayal and shame and misunderstanding and agony. And after that he'll be laid in a tomb, a tomb like the one in front of him now. He'll be bound up with bands of cloth like the ones being unwrapped from Lazarus now. And a stone like the one the crowd moved away will be rolled into place, shutting out the light and the fresh air. Yes, on the third day it will be alright. But the road to Jesus's resurrection on Easter morning goes straight through the brutal crucifixion on Good Friday. There is no easy road to the empty tomb, there is no detour around the cross. On Friday morning I was almost brought to tears by a story I heard on NPR. It was a Storycorps interview with Elisa and Bobby Seeger about their son Aidan, who died of adrenoleukodystrophy, or ALD, in 2012 at age 7. ALD is a very rare genetic disorder that attacks the nervous system; it mainly affects young boys and can be fatal within a year. Elisa remembered that her son Aidan "Always liked be be 'fancy,' as he called - he liked to dress in shirts and ties. He had a really strong personality, and he could not be told what to do. We'd find him at 7:30 in the morning, watching cartoons with a bowl of M & M's, and he'd be drinking a can of Coca-Cola." The first sign of trouble came when he was age 6 and Aidan was having trouble reading. The pediatrician recommended a neurologist, and the MRI came back revealing large white spots on Aidan's brain. In a few days, he lost his vision, and then the ability to walk or eat. His father described holding him in his hospital during his last days and hours. Jesus's presence at Lazarus's tomb, no matter how late he was, meant new life for Lazarus. God's presence at our tombs, the little tombs we experience through the end of a relationship, the grief at the loss of a loved one, the addictions that are slowly killing us, the patterns of behavior and responses in ourselves and those around us that drain the life out of us, or the inexorable decline of our physical and mental health as we age, God's presence throughout the worst that life has to offer us means that none of that, not even death, will have the last say. God works through the little deaths and the big deaths in our lives, God creates life in the midst of grief, creates love in the midst of loss, creates faith in the midst of despair. God is working even now to call us out of our tombs, God is working even now to call us to new and abundant life, God is calling us even now out of darkness and into the light. That is the Easter story, but it is also the Good Friday story. Amen.
'use strict'; Object.defineProperty(exports, '__esModule', { value: true }); exports['default'] = keplerian; function _interopRequireDefault(obj) { return obj && obj.__esModule ? obj : { 'default': obj }; } var _constants = require('../constants'); var _constants2 = _interopRequireDefault(_constants); var _keplerEquation = require('./keplerEquation'); var _keplerEquation2 = _interopRequireDefault(_keplerEquation); var _transformationsOrbitalPlaneToInertial = require('../transformations/orbitalPlaneToInertial'); function keplerian(a, e, i, Ω, ω, t, t0, _x, m1, m2) { var M0 = arguments[7] === undefined ? 0 : arguments[7]; var GM = _constants2['default'].earth.GM; if (m1) { GM = _constants2['default'].common.G * m1; } if (m2) { GM = _constants2['default'].common.G * (m1 + m2); } var p = a * (1 - Math.pow(e, 2)); // Mean motion var n = Math.sqrt(GM / Math.pow(a, 3)); // Mean anomaly at t var M = M0 + n * (t - t0); // Eccentric anomaly var E = _keplerEquation2['default'](e, M); // True anomaly var ν = 2 * Math.atan(Math.sqrt((1 + e) / (1 - e)) * Math.tan(E / 2)); // var ν = Math.atan2( Math.sqrt(1-ee) Math.sin(E), Math.cos(E) - e ); // radius var r = p / (1 + e * Math.cos(ν)); // position in orbital plane var xOrbitalPlane = [r * Math.cos(ν), r * Math.sin(ν), 0]; var xDotOrbitalPlane = [-Math.sqrt(GM / p) * Math.sin(ν), Math.sqrt(GM / p) * (e + Math.cos(ν)), 0]; return [_transformationsOrbitalPlaneToInertial.orbitalPlaneToInertial(xOrbitalPlane, Ω, ω, i), _transformationsOrbitalPlaneToInertial.orbitalPlaneToInertial(xDotOrbitalPlane, Ω, ω, i)]; } module.exports = exports['default'];
The new head of the National Prosecuting Authority is expected to be announced on Tuesday. President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to make the announcement at the Union Buildings in Pretoria in the afternoon. According to the Presidency, the announcement of who will be the new National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) follows the consideration of five nominees shortlisted by an advisory panel chaired by Energy Minister Jeff Radebe. The final nominees are advocates Shamila Batohi, Siyabulela Mapoma, Simphiwe Mlotshwa, Rodney de Kock, and Andrea Johnson. They were selected from 11 candidates who were interviewed — with media present — at the Union Buildings between November 14 and November 16. "In October 2018, Ramaphosa invited a number of legal organisations and independent public institutions to help him identify and select individuals for consideration as possible candidates for the position of NDPP. "This invitation formed part of the President's effort to meet the deadline set by the Constitutional Court to appoint a new NDPP within 90 court days of August 13," the statement reads.
Paula Lorgelly is an Associate Professor of Health Economics at Monash University. Paula's research interests are varied, but generally centre on the methodological issues of economic evaluations, including the measurement of outcome, and the analysis of large datasets using econometric techniques. Her current research includes: operationalising the capability approach to derive a new outcome measure; economic evaluations of complex public health interventions; and analyses of health/survey data. Sridhar Venkatapuram is a Wellcome Trust Research Fellow in ethics at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and an Affiliated Lecturer at Cambridge University. His first book is titled Health Justice: An argument from the capabilities approach published in 2011 by Polity Press. Sridhar is currently working on his second book which focuses on the modern history and current issues in global health ethics aimed at undergraduates.
Karl's Corner - 07/09/2010 2010/07/09 Times Square Show Contest! \| Minneapolis: Basilica Block Party ...Before we get into the Minneapolis show news, check this out! Weezer is playing a special Times Square live concert (broadcast on the NASDAQ and Reuters screens) with HP Live Beats on July 13. Fans can listen live by dialing in at 877.786.6652 (anyone can listen, but if you're in Times Square you can watch as well on the screens!) We're also doing a re-tweet contest today to win passes to watch the show in person: Retweet the post from Weezer's Twitter account (the tweet will say its the one to re-tweet) and get entered to win. Rules below. Rules: Winner will receive two (2) passes/tickets to attend the show on the 13th. Winner must tweet using the keyword #HPIntelLiveBeats AND the link to the show details. Winner must be following @HPIntelLB at the time of the drawing. A random Twitter user who has met the preceding criteria will be chosen at 12 noon on July 12th, and notified on Twitter via Direct Message. Winner & guest must be 18+ years of age and provide valid identification. ...Sunny, warm, crisp, clean, some caffeine: Minneapolis / St. Paul. We're heading down to The Basilica Block Party shortly. More later... ...Hey, our bassman Scott Shriner is on Twitter now, follow his random ranting and raving here: http://twitter.com/SGS711 Todays weezer show took place on the first of the two days of the Basilica Block Party, which was held in downtown Minneapolis right next to the freeway on a blocked off section of roads and dusty vacant lots, across the highway from the domed basilica that it was held in support of. A ton of people came out on this fine day to rock out strong. Its been a good while since we've been in Minneapolis, and the people seemed really primed to get some weezer in their systems. A glorious mutual freakout! Its always a plus when the energy on stage and in the crowd is well matched. i...f you were there, post your tale! (click on any photo for a full size version) current merch - click pic to see larger ...REMINDER: New show announcement: Weezer will be playing the Champlain Valley Fair on September 2nd in Essex Junction, Vermont with special guests Coheed and Cambria. Tickets will go on sale Friday July 16th. Karl's Corner Archive More posts from this month: 07/08/2010 • 07/09/2010 • 07/10/2010 • 07/11/2010 • 07/13/2010 • 07/15/2010 • 07/16/2010 • 07/18/2010 • 07/22/2010 • 07/24/2010 • 07/28/2010 • 07/29/2010 • 07/31/2010 More posts from this year: January • February • March • April • May • June • July • August • September • October • November • December More posts from other years: 1997 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 Other archives: Karl's Corner • Super-Chrono • Collectors Discography • Weezer tours • Weezer concerts Retrieved from "https://www.weezerpedia.com/w/index.php?title=Karl%27s_Corner_-_07/09/2010&oldid=47550" Karl's Corner - July 2010
Star Trek Adventures: Operations Divi... Star Trek Adventures: Operations Division supplement I THINK THIS NEW SHIP WAS PUT TOGETHER BY MONKEYS. OH, SHE'S GOT A FINE ENGINE, BUT HALF THE DOORS WON'T OPEN, AND GUESS WHOSE JOB IT IS TO MAKE IT RIGHT? The Operations Division supplement provides Gamemasters and Players with a wealth of new material for use in Star Trek Adventures for characters in the operations division. The Operations Division supplement includes: • Detailed description of the operations division, covering both the security and engineering departments, Starfleet Corps of Engineers, Starfleet Intelligence, and even the elusive Section 31. • Advice on creating operations division focused plot components for your missions to challenge the bravery of your security personnel and the ingenuity of your engineering officers. • A whole chapter of equipment and rules for their inclusion in Star Trek Adventures missions. • An expanded list of Talents and Focuses for security and engineering characters, as well as new character creation choices for enlisted personnel. • Detailed descriptions and game statistics for a range of Security and Engineering focused NPCs and Supporting Characters, including Luther Sloan, Leah Brahms, and MACO soldiers. • Star Trek Adventures: Red Alert provides 2d20 rules for miniatures combat in the Star Trek universe, and includes a campaign of six branching missions. INCLUDES PDF COPY Receive your PDF copy of the Operations Division supplement right away! The Star Trek Adventures supplementary rulebooks and sourcebooks require the Star Trek Adventures core rulebook in order to play. Based on 1 review Write a review if you have purchased this product
Gisselfeld, a former monastery, is Denmark's fifth-largest estate. Located between Haslev and Næstved, it extends into several municipalities but the main building is located in Braaby Parish in Faxe Municipality. The estate measures 3,850 hectares, including Hesede, Edelesminde, Brødebæk and Gødstrupgård, of which 2,400 hectares is forest. The three-storeyed Renaissance-style building has stepped gables, loopholes and a projecting tower over the main gate. The grounds include a moat, a well-kept park, lake, waterfall, gardens, greenhouse, and a fountain. A recent addition in its forest is a 45 meter tall hyperboloid tower. History Falk and Goye Gisselfeld is first mentioned at the end of the 14th century when the owner was Bo Falk. At that time, there was a small manor situated some 2 km northwest of the site of today's main building. It stood next to an older fort, possibly the now demolished Valgestrup. Gisselfeld was later owned by Bo Falk's son Peder Falk and grandson Eskild Falk. The latter's daughter Ida was married to Mogens Axelsen Gøye. Their son, Eskil Gøye, owned Gisselfeld from 1450. His other holdings included Krenkerup on Lolland and Turnbyholm in Skåne as well as the fiefs of Aalholm and Lindholm. He served as rigsmarsk from 1489. Gisselfeld was upon Eskil Gøye's death in 1506 passed to his son Henrik Gøye. Krenkerup went to Henrik Jøye's elder brother Mogens Gøye. Henrik Gøye served as governor during the siege of Copenhagen. In c. 1523, he had to mortgage Gisselfeld to his cousin Otte Holgersen Rosenkrantz and brother Mogens Gøye. Oxe and Lykke families Today's estate was founded by Peder Oxe til Nielstrup who built the manor from 1547 to 1575. It originally consisted of four interconnected red-brick wings, three storeys high with thick outer walls, a number of loopholes and large stepped gables. A protruding gate tower stands at the centre of the left wing. The fourth wing, now demolished, housed a chapel. After Peder Oxe's death, his widow Mette Rosenkrantz til Vallø became the owner of the estate. After her death in 1588, her niece Karen Banner inherited Gisselfeld. She married Henrik Lykke til Overgaard whose family ran the estate until Kai Lykke was executed and relieved of all his rights in 1661. Changing owners1661-1688 After a short period of ownership by the Crown, in 1670 the property was presented to Count Hans Schack as a reward for the part he played in the Swedish wars. In 1688, his son Otto Diderik sold the estate to Adam Levin Knuth whose family maintained ownership until 1699. Concent In 1699, Christian V's illegitimate son took it over. As a result of his will, on his death in 1703 the manor should have become a convent but this did not happen until the death of his widow Dorothea Krag in 1754 extinguished her dower rights. Since 1755, under the name of Danneskiold-Samsøe his descendants have run the estate as "Gisselfeld Adelige Jomfrukloster I Sjælland" (Gisselfeld Convent in Zealand for Virgins of Noble Birth). The 11th in line, Helene Danneskiold-Samsøe, has run Gisselfeld since 2010. Geography Gisselfeld is Denmark's fifth-largest land estate, covering an area of 3,850 hectares. It is set in a scenic forested environment in an area of lakes and hills. It was known for its wildlife and organic farming until ownership legally changed hands in 1996. Subsequently, organic farming was discontinued and replaced by logging of the forests. The hunting grounds have been leased out. The property was surrounded by moats on three sides, the gårdsø (estate lake) flanking the north side. Water spouts from the four frogs that embellish a fountain on the property. Legal status In the seventeenth century Gisselfeld was within consecutive Birks, so had separate legal jurisdiction from Bråby Sogn (Braaby Parish) and old Ringsted Herred (hundred). Special inheritance laws were enacted in 1701 and 1702 that define the inheritance laws of the castles and estates, promulgated by Christian Gyldenløwe (Golden Lion), son of the Danish King Christian V. Under this law, the present Count of Gisselfeld was the director of the estate and ran this estate until 1996 when a new Board was instituted by the Ministry of Justice and the Directorate of Civil Rights. This change was challenged by the Count, and became a well-publicized legal case. Owners (1381–1411) Bo Falk (1411–1431) Peder Falk (1431–1450) Eskild Falk (1450) Ida Falk, married Gøye (1450–1506) Eskil Gøye (1506–1526) Henrik Gøye (1526–1537) Johan Oxe (1537–1545) Torben Oxe (1545–1575) Peder Oxe (1575–1588) Mette Rosenkrantz, gift Oxe (1588) Karen Banner, gift Lykke (1588–1619) Christian Lykke (1619–1655) Frands Lykke (1655–1661) Kai Lykke (1661–1670) The Crown (1670) Hans Schack (1670) Ditlev von Rumohr (1670–1682) Hans lensgreve Schack (1682–1688) Otto Diderik lensgreve Schack (1688–1689) Sophie Dorothea Marschall, gift Schack (1689–1699) Adam Levin greve Knuth (1699–1703) Christian Gyldenløve, Count of Samsøe (1703–1754) Dorothea Krag gift (1) Juel (2) Gyldenløve (3) von Ahlefeldt (1754–1755) Dorothea Krags dødsbo (1755-) Gisselfeld Adelige Jomfrukloster i Sjælland References External links Official website (in Danish) Manor houses in Faxe Municipality Listed buildings and structures in Faxe Municipality Buildings and structures associated with the Gøye family Buildings and structures associated with the Oxe family Buildings and structures associated with the Lykke family Buildings and structures associated with the Danneskiold-Samsøe family
Female artists have stood in the shadows of their male colleagues for much of art history, and that disparity is still evident in many art museums today. A survey of 18 prominent institutions in the United States found that close to 90 percent of artists whose work is on view are both male and white. The North Carolina Museum of Art says they hope to correct that imbalance. At the arts celebration "A Series of Fortunate Events," actors, visual artists, and musicians with disabilities showcase their creations and their talent. But the event goes beyond representing art, it is also a platform for artists to advocate for their own place in the North Carolina arts economy. The Community Music School of Raleigh has been offering affordable music lessons to low-income students for 23 years. This year may be its last unless donors come through to support the school and its mission to offer affordable music education. Emil Kang bucked expectations when he decided to pursue a career in the arts. He was the first in his family born in the United States after his parents emigrated from Korea, and he was expected to capitalize on the new opportunity by studying medicine. Wonder Woman is an iconic superhero best known for her battle skills and formidable weapons. The Amazonian warrior princess is often seen with her Lasso of Truth, invisible airplane and indestructible bracelets. She first appeared in comic books in 1941, but her image and character has since soared far beyond the page. Triangle-based theater group Summer Sisters used the pop-culture icon as inspiration for a new experimental theater piece called "Behind the Boots." It explores the connections between heroism, feminism, truth, justice, and their own everyday lives. UNC-Chapel Hill is planning a performing arts lab, studio and theater on Franklin Street. Chancellor Carol Folt says the University has committed $4 million in non-state funding to build the $5 million facility. Folt says "The Core@Carolina Square" will allow university departments and the public better access to works in progress. But she says it won't compete with the existing performance spaces on campus. "We bring symphony orchestras and ballet companies. They don't come and practice in front of our town's children," Folt says. It's easy to slip into gloating mode, now that cable channel TLC has finally canceled a show so many of us critics have hated for so long: Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. The Levine Museum of the New South recently unveiled a historic exhibit that spotlights the LGBTQ community of Charlotte. South African choreographer Gregory Maqoma grew up hearing the story of his ancestor, a 19th century Xhosa warrior. The man is remembered for his long fight to preserve cultural traditions and resist colonial rule. In the dance piece, "Exit/Exist," Maqoma explores the connections between his past and present while live musicians sing in the Xhosa language. Carrie Knowles, the 2014 Piedmont Laureate, is tasked with encouraging North Carolina residents to come together to celebrate the art of writing. There's a potter in North Carolina who can trace his roots by the generations of family members who've spun clay. Sid Luck's great-great-grandfather, William Henry Luck, began turning pots in Seagrove just after the Civil War. This week, five generations later, Sid Luck was awarded a North Carolina Heritage Award from the NC Arts Council for his work as a potter. For National Poetry Month, we talked with four different North Carolina poets about their work and their relationship with the art form. Organization: The Word Project, using poetry workshops to help with personal and community healing. While Anne Frank's story is familiar to many, the production currently on stage at Raleigh's Burning Coal Theatre is a bit different. When Michele Tracy Berger was a young girl, her mother gave her a gift: a walk-in closet. Looking back, she thinks of this space as her first portal to creativity. Creativity served as a survival tool for her during a difficult childhood involving abuse and poverty. Today, she's a creativity coach and professor of women's studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Why Did It Take 7 Years For SNL To Hire A Black, Female Cast Member? The recent decision by Saturday Night Live to hire an African American woman underscores the lack of diversity on the show and in the wider media landscape. In fact, Sasheer Zamata will be only the fourth African American woman to ever be a cast member on the show. She will be the first since Maya Rudolph left in 2007. Zamata makes her debut January 18. Why do minorities still get short shrift in the entertainment industry? What Is The Relationship Between Art And Advertising? Who says bigger is always better? It seems that the smallest things hold our world together. If you unscrewed the back of your watch, you would see a whole world of washers and gears and screws that held together your concept of time. The Carrack recently opened the exhibit "TINY: Attention, Exploded." The exhibit works to explore how we relate to the small. Many photographers in this day and age seek to capture as many worlds as they can in their lifetime. Paul Kwilecki did all of this while staying in Decatur County, Georgia for over four decades. Host Frank Stasio talks to Katie Savage, Joey Bozik and Megan Gress about their organization Advocates for Carolina. A new exhibit at UNC Chapel Hill aims to challenge the way people think about the word "disability." It's a collection of photos and narratives written by students called "This Able Life." UNC junior Katie Savage founded the campus group, Advocates for Carolina. She says she hopes the exhibit will help dissolve the stigma often associated with disability and transform the word into something celebratory that empowers and inspires. PNC is investing a million dollars in North Carolina to spur the economy and boost preschool education. Asma Khalid: The Pittsburgh-based bank is collaborating with Wake County Public Schools, Carolina Ballet and the North Carolina Museum of Art to introduce low-income students to the arts. Wake County Superintendent Tony Tata welcomes the PNC initiative. A new report is detailing the economic impact of arts in North Carolina. In November of 2008 the Durham Performing Arts Center opened its doors to Broadway performances, and big name musical acts. By virtually all accounts D-PAC has been a success, welcoming more visitors and earning more money than many had expected. Now Greensboro is considering following suit. Residents, politicians and leaders of the arts community are discussing G-PAC. Supporters say the proposed 50 million dollar facility would boost the local economy and make the city a better place to live. But there are many questions: such as location, parking and would voters approve it? A conference opening today at Duke explores the ways in which the digital is transforming the humanities. It's called the CHAT Festival, short for Collaborations: Humanities, Art and Technology. Festival director Victoria Szabo says it will include exhibits in which art and technology come together in ways that challenge traditional distinctions. The town of Cary has opened a new cultural arts center. The official dedication for the Cary Arts Center isn't until August 13th. But it's already open and bustling with activity. The Brussels Chamber Orchestra is performing there this week. And kids of all ages are painting and sculpting in larger classrooms. Joy Ennis is the Festival Coordinator for the town. She says the new center gives the Cary Cultural Arts Program much more class space than it had previously.
PS Plus has nearly 50 million users Gaming News News PlayStation Plus PS4 PS5 Sony The ability to win a new selection of free games every month can be the biggest benefit for PlayStation owners who subscribe to the PlayStation Plus subscription service. This ability for players to play free PlayStation games has soared in recent years, compared to its predecessors when it has an astonishing number of subscribers. While PS Plus subscriber numbers have dropped in the previous few months, possibly a result of PS Plus' conflict with other free games subscription programs, they have rebounded from July to September of 2021. With a total of 47.2 million active members, Sony has reached a record of 50 million subscribers. The Persistence Has Non-VR Option is included in the free PS Plus Game. This isn't the highest number of PS Plus subscribers Sony has ever seen — in the previous year, the service has gotten up to 47.6 million subscribers, a number reached in January through March of 2021 — — but it's still a remarkable height considering that PlayStation has several subscription services available. This focus-driven split hasn't prevented PS Plus from getting enough subscribers that it's almost franchied a stunning milestone. Due to the epidemic's unpredictable influence, it's unclear when or if the number of PS Plus subscribers will reach 50 million. Depending on what happens with the COVID-19 scenario, millions of gamers could be trapped inside for another year, a fact that appears to have resulted in a significant increase in PS Plus subscribers. PS Plus was aiming for a record of 45.9 million members during the January to March period, and the numbers have grown sharply from there. However, these numbers won't continue to grow indefinitely, and it's possible that the increase will eventually come back to the top. The question is whether or not the numbers will rise before the 50 million subscriber milestone is reached. In the near future, several major multiplayer titles are expected to be released, including Activision's Call of Duty: Vanguard, which is confirmed to have exclusive PlayStation material, and EA's Battlefield 2042. Both titles require PS Plus subscriptions for their online multiplayer, and both are expected to be released in early winter, bringing Sony to record-setting subscription numbers. However, PS Now and Nintendo Switch Online's Expansion Pass may pose some sort of competition to PS Plus, and if the pandemic risks are eliminated in more areas, more gamers will end up canceling their subscriptions in favor of doing other things. Source: PushSquare Previous post Skyrim Anniversary Edition Using Morrowind, Oblivion, and Oblivion's new material Next post Rumors That Destiny 2 Will Be Making Ice Breaker Back in the Near Future In The Near Future Previous post:Skyrim Anniversary Edition Using Morrowind, Oblivion, and Oblivion's new material Next post:Rumors That Destiny 2 Will Be Making Ice Breaker Back in the Near Future In The Near Future
UNITAR Hiroshima selects two high school students to serve as new youth ambassadors The Hiroshima Office of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) has selected two high school students to serve as Youth Ambassadors for fiscal 2013. The appointment ceremony was held on March 19 at the International Conference Center Hiroshima. The new ambassadors are Sae Murai, 17, and Yuki Yanagawa, 16. They have been chosen from among 24 high school students in Hiroshima Prefecture who submitted essays on such themes as Hiroshima's contributions to global peace. Ms. Murai is a resident of Asakita Ward, Hiroshima and a second-year student at Hiroshima Jogakuin High School. Mr. Yanagawa is a resident of the city of Etajima and a first-year student at Hiroshima Gakuin High School. At the ceremony, Ms. Murai stated, "I intend to discuss issues involving peace and war with people from different countries and learn about diplomacy." Mr. Yanagawa said, "I will ponder what peace is and share my thoughts with people from around the world." The pair each received an iPad from Makoto Fukagawa, the president of Marimo Co., Ltd., a condominium development company based in Nishi Ward, Hiroshima. The UNITAR Youth Ambassador Programme was launched in 2010 with a view to developing Hiroshima's human resources for contributions in the area of peace-oriented diplomacy. During their one-year term of service, starting in April 2013, the new ambassadors will receive training at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and U.N. agencies and take part in study sessions held by the UNITAR Hiroshima Office.
Spelflykt eller sångflykt är, hos vissa fågelarter, ett spelbeteende under häckningsperioden som innebär att de flyger enligt ett visst arttypiskt rörelsemönster i syfte att attrahera en partner. En arts spelflykt kan till exempel bestå av en serie stigningar och dykningar som upprepas med landning emellan. Även särskilda läten kan ingå i spelflykten, som hos sånglärkan som framför sin sång samtidigt som den ryttlar högt uppe i skyn. Ett annat exempel är enkelbeckasinen där fågelns yttre stjärtpennor vid dykning i hög hastighet sätts i vibration så att ett bräkande eller gnäggande ljud uppstår. Fågeletologi Flygförmåga hos djur
The Black River Gorges National Park is the largest protected forest in the small country of Mauritius. The park extends over 6,754 hectares in the hilly south-western part of Mauritius. The Black River Gorges National Park is not very far from the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport. There are private buses available frequently from the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport to the park entrance. There are taxi stands outside the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport which go to the outskirts of the park. There are two Black River Gorges Visitors Centers which provides information. One is located on the west side of the park which is around 8 km away from the Trois Bras Junction. The other information center is located on the east side of the park and it is located 2 km away from the Grand Bassin. These centers are accessible by cars. Tourists can book private cars and taxis from the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport or any other part of the country to reach the information center of Black River Gorges National Park. Taxis and local buses from all the main cities of Mauritius are available to the park. Tourists can book cars, minibuses, and vans to the Black River Gorges National Park online or with the help of the hotel staffs or travel agents.
This represents a defeat for Senator Jack Martins who is seeking to replace retiring Congress Member Steve Israel in the Queens-Nassau-Suffolk district. Where Should The Census Bureau Count Incarcerated People In 2020? "The Census Bureau is giving organizations and individuals until September 1st to submit comments on the proposed residence rules for the 2020 Census. The current proposal includes plans to continue counting incarcerated people as "residents" of prison locations instead of their home addresses. We have all of the information you need to send in a comment urging the Census Bureau to change this inaccurate and outdated methodology. Our Prisoners of the Census website provides a detailed look at the problem of prison gerrymandering and its impact on individual states. And, for inspiration, check out our blog series highlighting key passages from past submissions to the Bureau.
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MX Series II Makes Three-Phase Power More Affordable Topics: AC Power Sources AMETEK Programmable Power has added a 22.5 kVA unit to its popular California Instruments MX Series II AC/DC Power Sources. The MX22.5 delivers up to 22.5 kVA and can be configured to have single-phase or three-phase outputs in AC, DC or AC+DC mode. The MX22.5 is more economical than the California Instruments MX30, while at the same time offers more features and higher output power than the product family's MX15 model. The California Instruments MX Series II provides controlled AC and DC output for a wide variety of automated test equipment and product test applications at an affordable cost. Using state-of-the-art PWM switching techniques, the MX series combines robustness and functionality in a compact floor-standing chassis, no larger than a typical office copying machine. And, this higher power density does not need elaborate cooling schemes or additional installation wiring. Simply place the unit in its designated location (using included casters), plug it in, and the MX Series is ready to operate. The MX22.5's innovative features include: Simple operation. The MX Series can be operated completely from its menu-driven, front-panel controller. A backlit LCD display shows menus, setup data, and read-back measurements. Expandable power levels. Users can combine units to configure systems up to 135 kVA or more. Switching between single-phase and three-phase outputs. Phase mode programming on MX22.5-3Pi allows users to easily switch between single-phase and three-phase output modes. Arbitrary and harmonic waveform generation. Using the latest DSP technology, the MX Series programmable controller is capable of generating harmonic waveforms and arbitrary waveforms to test for susceptibility to harmonics and other power anomalies. Regenerative, bidirectional "green" power. Automatic crossover between source and sink power modes offers regenerative capabilities in AC or DC mode. The power sources can regenerate up to 85% of the rated output power back to the utility grid during sink mode operation when equipped with the -SNK or -SNK-DC option. Power measurements. The MX Series can make a wide variety of measurements in addition to supplying power, including frequency, Vrms, Irms, Ipk, crest factor, real power (watts), apparent power (VA), and power factor. These measurements are accessible from either the front panel or the remote control interface. Remote control. The MX Series can be equipped with RS-232C, USB, IEEE-488, and LAN Interfaces for remote operation and automated test applications. To learn more about AMETEK Programmable Power's supplies and electronic loads, contact AMETEK Programmable Power Sales toll free at 800-733-5427, or 858-458-0223, or by email at [email protected]. Information also is available from an authorized AMETEK Programmable Power sales representative, who can be located by visiting https://www.programmablepower.com/about-us/contact-us.
50 Connect \| Railway revival Home \| Articles \| Around The UK \| Railway revival Railway revival Posted on: 13 May 2019 by Michael Edwards Enthusiasts are breathing new life into branch lines culled by Dr Beeching in the 60s. Michael Edwards visits Churnet Valley Railway and gets a steam powered taste of nostalgia. Passengers love the nostalgia of the restored Churnet Valley Railway. Michael Edwards takes a steam train from Froghall and Kingsley station into a lost era. It's like stepping back into 1964. Along the gleaming paint of the picket-fence there are adverts for Colman's Mustard, Morris Lubricants, Oxo and Spratt's Puppy Biscuits. On the 13th June 1849 the Churnet Valley Railway carried its first passengers. Queen Victoria was on the throne and railways were literally branching out all over Britain. The last passengers had their tickets punched on 5th January 1965. After the Beeching Report the Beeching Axe fell on this beautiful branch railway running through the Staffordshire countryside. But the local people were reluctant to let their history die. They fought to preserve their heritage. When the bulldozers came to demolish Cheddleton Railway Station in 1974, a councillor blocked their path with his car. A company was formed to renovate the branch line and acquire rolling stock. Today, the Churnet Valley Railway with just over 10 miles of operating track, three steam locomotives and a couple of diesels, is Staffordshire's second largest attraction, evoking the spirit of The Railway Children. Recalling a time when Stationmasters cared not just for passengers but for planters on the platform and hanging baskets too. Memorable railway characters, such as "Peg-leg" Johnson who the signal box commemorates, were local heroes. Dutiful grandparents often take the grand kids to Staffordshire's largest attraction, the Alton Towers theme park. Then they wind down, indulging themselves with a visit to the gentler, quieter Churnet Valley Railway. Children are fascinated, maybe even impressed, by ticket collectors with gold braid caps and silver chain fob watches, who clip stiff cardboard tickets. Steam billowing and drifting along the valley reminding today's grandparents of railway adventures in the Sixties. Harold Macmillan had only just told the British people, "You've never had it so good," and another Harold (Wilson) was yet to tell them of "the white heat" of the technological revolution. Meanwhile, the stokers were still shovelling Welsh coal, into the boiler. "Welsh coal is best," said the guard vaguely gesturing towards the Welsh border. "The further the coal travels the more it breaks down." To be honest, Churnet Valley Railway is at its most enjoyable on the quieter days. On Wednesdays you can bag a red gingham-clothed table, with a vase of flowers, close to the roaring fire, in the Tea Room. There's a wireless marking out the Light Programme and The Home Programme, though those stations are long gone. Get there early and order a Steak Pie made with Churnet Valley Ale for a nostalgic lunch. You can buy a pack of four ales named after the stations: Leekbrook, Cheddleton, Consall and Froghall. With less passengers around you can grab one of the six-seater First Class carriages for your party. Sink into the lavishly upholstered seats as you enjoy views of rural Staffordshire: cows, pigs and pheasants on the slopes of the valley. Watch the narrowboats gliding along the canal. Then there's a "Murder on the Orient Express" cinematic moment as you head into the darkness of the 574 feet Cheddleton Tunnel. Churnet Valley Railway is thriving. Around fifty regulars a month volunteer to sell tickets, make coffee, clip tickets, stoke the boiler and drive the engine. Altogether CVR has around 250 volunteers on its books. The next stage is to re-open the line into the nearby town of Leek. Already work is taking place to make the line fit for service and the company is planning another share issue to fund the line extension. Most visitors fall under the nostalgic spell and leave a donation for the next stage of the Churnet Valley Railway's glorious renewal. Visit Churnet Valley Railway website for more details. More Articles from Michael Jamaica - travel guide Retirement made happier by becoming a... Feeling festive after 50: 5 fun thing... Top 5 Things to Do When You're in Gla...
Southampton, England - (CP) - The man who docked the liner Queen Mary for the first time and who was Southampton's oldest [harbor] pilot, 66-year-old Capt. George Bowyer, died recently from a heart attack. In 1912 Bowyer was on board the Titanic, guiding her out of Southampton waters.
Introduction to Acts for protection of the environment Some of the most concerning threats to the environment are Climate change and global warming Depleting natural resources loss of biodiversity. 1. Environmental protection ACT-1986 The act was introduced against the backdrop of the Bhopal gas tragedy. It was aimed at protecting and improving the environment. It authorized the central government to regulate the functions of industries on environmental grounds and takes region specific environment problems. It also set standards for discharge of pollutants by factories It gave rules for management of hazardous waste and provided for isolated storage of hazardous chimerical. It has an umbrella like frame work that seeks to existing central government in implementing pre-existing environmental laws at the central as well as state levels. 2. Biological diversity ACT-2002 It aims at preserving biological diversity and ensuring equitable distribution of biological resources, including transfer of technology and joint research and development. The act prohibited the patenting of any knowledge accruing out of biodiversity resources without the permission of the Indian government Local communities were given greater control over the use of their knowledge and resources. Biodiversity management committees, state biodiversity boards and a national biodiversity authority were setup at the local ,state and national level respectively. 3. National Green Tribunal Act-2010 It created a special tribunal to ensure that environment based cases are dealt with a special manner. Such a tribunal can help in ensuring that the carbon emission levels don't reach a harmful degree. It does so by adopting the "polluter pays" principle. It would also provide relief or compensation to the affected people, as and when required. The environmental protection ACT, the Forest conservation Act and the Biodiversity Act where laid out in schedule one of the NGT Act. In order to make it more accessible five places of sitting were set up all over India, with new Delhi serving as the principal bench. 4. Noise pollution ( Regulation and control) Rules 2000 The act aims at reducing noise pollution levels by regulating the use of loudspeakers and public address system. It permitted the use of a sound amplifier only within closed premises during night time. Restrictions were also imposed on other noise producing activities like honking and construction work during the night time. 5. wild life protection Act-1972 It established of protection plants and animals, the harvesting and hunting of these species respectively was prohibited. A 2002 amendment to the existing act made the punishment and penalty more stringent. Offenses related to trade in animals articles will also be penalized. The objective is to control illegal trade, smuggling and poaching. 6. Forest conservation Act-1980 It aims to conserve India forest through disallowing so-reservation of forests and use of forest and for non-forest purposes without prior permission from the central government. It provides certain rights and protections to the scheduled tribes and other forest dwellers. The act was aimed at controlling deforestation. The following are some Acts and important years Wild life protection Act - 1972 Water Act-1974 Forest Act - 1980 Air Act 1981 Environmental protection Act 1986 Noise pollution Act - 2000 Biological diversity Act-2002 National Green Tribunal act-2010
New Patient Intake Form Chiro Kids! FREE Informational Sessions Regular Chiropractic Care and Core Fitness Many exercise-related injuries are caused, in part, by deficiencies in core muscle strength. Weakness in core performance leads to a lack of biomechanical support for movements such as bending, lifting, pushing, and pulling. You're not aware of such lack of support until, for example, you attempt a dumbbell squat or try to run a little faster in an interval training session. Even a simple exercise such as a lat pulldown or triceps pressdown requires sufficient core stabilization. A strong core is critically important for a successful exercise program. The core muscular system consists of numerous inner layers of sheets of muscle and a vast array of small muscles that help maintain coordinated movement among your spinal bones, pelvic bones, and hip joints. By detecting and correcting spinal misalignments that cause nerve interference, regular chiropractic care helps ensure that your core muscles are receiving the nerve information they need to function properly and help you get the most out of your exercise time. Driving fast is not necessarily a good thing. We want to get where we're going as quickly as possible, but we also want to arrive safely. If we drive too fast, we may encounter all sorts of problems. If we drive too slow, we're wasting time and may be causing traffic problems behind us. These competing considerations will both be fulfilled by maintaining an average velocity that is at or close to the posted speed limit. We want to find the "sweet spot," the happy medium that both saves time and helps keep us safe. The same principles may also be applied when we're exercising. We want to improve, get stronger, and build more endurance as soon as we can, while simultaneously avoiding injury and staying healthy. Very often, these goals may conflict. It's important to ensure that we're exercising efficiently and making certain we're deriving the greatest benefit from our exercise time. These benefits are obtained by a steady approach, one that focuses on incremental gains accomplished over time.1 It's natural to want to arrive at a desired outcome quickly. But as with any other form of training, whether learning to play the piano or becoming a competent chess player, substantial time is required to produce long lasting results. In the case of exercise, trying to hurry the process will usually cause an injury. You'll be set back at least weeks, if not months, and you'll have to start over, pretty much from the beginning. For almost all of us the "tortoise" approach, rather than that of the "hare" in the well-known fable, will produce the health benefits we're hoping to achieve from our daily exercise. If you've never walked before and want to incorporate this aerobic activity as part of your exercise routine, start with a 10-minute walk. This doesn't sound like much, but that is precisely the point. Start by doing a little and build up gradually and consistently. Within 6 or 8 weeks you'll be doing 30-40 minute brisk walks several times a week, which will represent a very good aerobic exercise program. Incorporating strength training into your routine will employ a similar method. For each of your exercises (such as bench press, one-arm row, squat, toe raise, shoulder press, biceps curl, and lying triceps press), begin with a weight with which you can comfortably do 10 repetitions. If you can't do 10 reps, the weight is too heavy. Start with that weight and do 3 sets per exercise. Build up gradually by increasing the weight by 5%, if possible, each week or every 2 weeks. After 10 to 12 weeks you'll be noticeably stronger and your metabolism will begin to be more efficient.2,3 By progressing slowly and steadily, you will build a solid base and make consistent and possibly substantial gains in your exercise routine. You will get where you want to get safely and effectively. The long-term outcome will be enhanced health, wellness, and well-being. 1Marongiu E, Crisafulli A: Cardioprotection acquired through exercise: the role of ischemic preconditioning. Curr Cardiol Rev 10(4):336-348, 2014 2Huxel Bliven KC, Anderson BE: Core stability training for injury prevention. Sports Health 5(6):514-522, 2013 3Granacher U, et al: The importance of trunk muscle strength for balance, functional performance, and fall prevention in seniors: a systematic review. Sports Med 43(7):627-641, 2013 Receive a Free consultation! Sign-up using the form or call us at (952) 442-9876 to take advantage of this exclusive offer. THIS ---->https://neubauerchiropractichealthcentercom.chiromatrixbase.com/index.php Read About Our Services Monday 8 - 12 2 - 6 Tuesday Closed 2 - 6:30 Wednesday 8 - 12 2 - 6 Thursday 8 - 12 2 - 6:30 Friday 8 - 12 Closed Saturday 8 - 10 Closed 8 - 12 Closed 8 - 12 8 - 12 8 - 12 8 - 10 Closed 2 - 6 2 - 6:30 2 - 6 2 - 6:30 Closed Closed Closed "Work is no longer a headache! "Before coming to Neubauer Chiropractic I used to work through the back pain and headaches that I was experiencing. I did stretches and took aspirin but neither did much to help me. Through adjustments and learning correct exercises I have improved strength, flexibility and my headaches have stopped. The people at Neubauer Chiropractic are friendly and have helped my body heal naturally without medications. I would not hesitate to recommend Neubauer Chiropractic to my friends and family." (Individual results may very) 20 W Main St Waconia, MN 55387 Copyright ©2019 MH Sub I, LLC dba iMatrix. All Rights Reserved. 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Q: Simple C# Screen sharing application I am looking to create a very basic screen sharing application in C#. No remote control necessary. I just want a user to be able to broadcast their screen to a webserver. How should I implement this? (Any pointer in the right direction will be greatly appreciated). It does NOT need to be high FPS. Would be sufficient to even update ever 5s or so. Do you think it would be sufficient to just upload a screenshot ever 5 seconds to my web server? A: Here's code to take a screenshot, uncompressed as a bitmap: public static Bitmap TakeScreenshot() { Rectangle totalSize = Rectangle.Empty; foreach (Screen s in Screen.AllScreens) totalSize = Rectangle.Union(totalSize, s.Bounds); Bitmap screenShotBMP = new Bitmap(totalSize.Width, totalSize.Height, PixelFormat. Format32bppArgb); Graphics screenShotGraphics = Graphics.FromImage(screenShotBMP); screenShotGraphics.CopyFromScreen(totalSize.X, totalSize.Y, 0, 0, totalSize.Size, CopyPixelOperation.SourceCopy); screenShotGraphics.Dispose(); return screenShotBMP; } Now just compress it and send it over the wire, and you're done. This code combines all screens in a multiscreen setup into one image. Tweak as needed. A: Well, it can be as simple as taking screenshots, compressing them, and then sending them over the wire. However, there is existing software that already does this. Is this for practice? A: I'm looking to do something similar, and I just found this up on CodeProject. I think this will help you. http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/371955/Motion-JPEG-Streaming-Server A: I previously blogged about how remote screen sharing software works here, it is not specific to C# but it gives a good fundamental understanding on the topic. Also linked in that article is the remote frame buffer spec which you'll also probably want to read up on. Basically you will want to take screenshots and you can transmit those screenshots and display them on the other side. You can keep the last screenshot and compare the screenshot in blocks to see which blocks of the screenshot you need to send. You would typically do some sort of compression before sending the data. To have remote control you can track mouse movement and transmit it and set the pointer position on the other end. Also ditto about keystrokes. As far as compression goes in C#, you can simply use JpegBitmapEncoder to create your screenshots with Jpeg compression with the quality that you want. JpegBitmapEncoder encoder = new JpegBitmapEncoder(); encoder.QualityLevel = 40; To compare file blocks you are probably best to create a hash on the old block and the new one, and then check to see if they are the same. You can use any hashing algorithm you want for this. A: The key player on sharing/replicating a screen is a COM Component called: RPDViewer Add that com component to your window form and in References as well.. and thin add this code to your form load and you will get the screen replicated in your form: using RDPCOMAPILib; using System; using System.Windows.Forms; namespace screenSharingAttempt { public partial class Form1 : Form { public Form1() { InitializeComponent(); } RDPSession x = new RDPSession(); private void Incoming(object Guest) { IRDPSRAPIAttendee MyGuest = (IRDPSRAPIAttendee)Guest; MyGuest.ControlLevel = CTRL_LEVEL.CTRL_LEVEL_INTERACTIVE; } //access to COM/firewall will prompt private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) { x.OnAttendeeConnected += Incoming; x.Open(); } //connect private void button2_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) { IRDPSRAPIInvitation Invitation = x.Invitations.CreateInvitation("Trial", "MyGroup", "", 10); textBox1.Text = Invitation.ConnectionString; } //Share screen private void button4_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) { string Invitation = textBox1.Text;// "";// Interaction.InputBox("Insert Invitation ConnectionString", "Attention"); axRDPViewer1.Connect(Invitation, "User1", ""); } //stop sharing private void button5_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) { axRDPViewer1.Disconnect(); } } }
This article was originally published on VOX.EU, on 07/01/2019. On 25 May 2018, the EU's sweeping new data law went into effect. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is comprised of 99 articles that outline how EU businesses – and many global firms that service EU citizens – must enforce a higher degree of consumer privacy or face steep penalties. The concerns that drove these regulations are real, and the goals they pursue are admirable. At a time when data security is a significant public concern, some have celebrated GDPR as "the most important change in data privacy regulation in 20 years." In the US, after multiple high-profile data breaches at some of America's most prominent companies, some believe the solution is to simply import GDPR. However, data regulation entails tradeoffs, even within the consumer population (Acquisti et al. 2016). On the one hand, individuals may value their privacy, the security of their personal information, and the ability to more readily exercise control over their data. As GDPR strengthens consumer rights regarding their personally identifiable information, it could benefit those who prefer better data protection. On the other hand, restricting firms' access to data can result in outcomes that consumers do not like, such as higher prices (Taylor and Wagman 2014) or fewer innovations. To the extent that GDPR increases the cost of compliance, existing economic theories also show that compliance costs can disproportionately impact nascent firms (Campbell et al. 2015) and reduce new venture formation (Krasteva et al. 2015). In a recent paper, we empirically investigate whether GDPR has had an impact on technology venture investment and, thus, potentially on innovation and job creation, in the several months following its rollout (Jia et al. 2018). To do so, we use data on venture deals in the EU and US taking place in between July 2017 and October 2018 from Crunchbase – a platform for tracking technology-venture related funding and other activities. Following Bertrand et al. (2004), we use a difference-in-differences framework that compares the differences of the pre- and post-GDPR periods in the EU and US. This statistical methodology allows us to control for various macroeconomic factors, seasonality, and to empirically quantify the effect of GDPR on venture deals at both the aggregate level and at the deal level. Put simply, the observed effects were immediate, pronounced, and negative. EU technology firms, on average, experienced double-digit percentage declines in venture funding relative to their US counterparts after GDPR went into effect. At our aggregate unit of observation, EU venture funding decreased by $3.38 million at the mean of $23.18 million raised per week per state per crude technology category.1 This reduction takes place in both the intensive margin (the average dollar amount raised per round of funding, which decreased 39%) and the extensive margin (the number of deals, which incurred a 17% average drop). GDPR's effect is particularly pronounced for young (0–3 year old) EU ventures, where an average reduction of 19% in the number of deals is observed. From the US Census data, we know business startups contribute substantially to gross and net job creation (Haltiwanger et al. 2013). If GDPR leads to fewer new ventures and less capital per venture, there could be fewer jobs as a result. Our back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests that the investment reduction for young ventures could translate into a yearly loss between 3,604 to 29,819 jobs in the EU, corresponding to 4.09% to 11.20% of jobs created by 0–3 year old ventures in our sample. The main 'shock' with GDPR was not that it was coming – we knew that for years. What we didn't know was how large firms would implement the GDPR guidelines for the small businesses operating on their platforms. Their policies, revealed only days before the GDPR effective date,2 could explain why GDPR's rollout appears to have had a considerable impact on small technology ventures. Of course, there are caveats to these findings. First of all, GDPR has only been in effect in the EU for a short time, and the effects we've observed may be temporary, with investors potentially taking a wait-and-see approach. More importantly, the analysis does not constitute a complete cost-benefit analysis. We do not quantify any benefits that may arise to individual consumers as they obtain more control over their data as a result of GDPR. Nor do we interpret the results as a welfare loss. An investment reduction in technology ventures could even be beneficial if firms that are potentially harmful from a societal perspective do not come to fruition. Similarly, data regulation like GDPR could encourage new types of innovation further down the road. Also, since our sample focuses on a comparison between the EU and US, we do not capture the short-run or long-run effects outside these two areas. To the extent that capital flows freely across continents, our results may overestimate the effect of GDPR if the reduced investment in the EU translates to additional support for US ventures, or underestimate it if the reduced investment reflects a reluctance to invest anywhere. Furthermore, we do not single out the UK or Brexit from the rest of the EU, because the UK is a member state and is bound by GDPR in our sample period. That being said, we control for any fixed characteristics of EU member states in all our specifications. We also include linear time trends for the EU and US separately in our robustness checks, and we tested whether the effects we detect kick in any time before May 2018 – presumably, if the expectation of Brexit were the driving factor for average venture investment in the EU as a whole, we would have noticed the effects in prior months, and we did not. We are therefore confident that Brexit is not driving our results. As similar policies and legislations roll out in other states and countries, would we expect to see similar consequences? It is difficult to generalise the results outside our statistical framework. Every jurisdiction has its own considerations and may thus adopt different approaches and enforcement plans. The proposed regulations we have seen emerging in North America are quite different from GDPR. For instance, the proposed monetary penalties are different, smaller ventures with less than a billion dollars in revenue are potentially exempted, and some legislation, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, are primarily centred around an opt-out rather than opt-in approach. While the difference between opt-out and opt-in seems subtle, it has to do with the default. Under opt-in, the default is that data cannot be used; under opt-out, the default is that data is used unless a user chooses to change that. This subtle variation can have major implications for firms (Kim and Wagman 2015). Taking these considerations into account, one thing is still clear – we live in a world where data is exploding at an exponential rate, where we create upwards of 2.5 quintillion bytes of data each day. Our economy relies on this data to drive innovation. When it comes to adopting new policies about data restrictions, the sweeping scope of GDPR is very different from a sectoral approach that differentiates industries or firm types. A comparison of these two approaches is something worth studying, and it is certainly worth considering a dynamic policy approach that embraces nuance, that is evaluated in specific markets, and that balances data usability and competition with data security and data concentration. Acquisti, A, C Taylor and L Wagman (2016), "The economics of privacy," Journal of Economic Literature 54(2): 442–492. Bertrand, M, E Duflo and S Mullainathan (2004), "How much should we trust differences-in-differences estimates?" Quarterly Journal of Economics 119(1): 249–275. Campbell, J, A Goldfarb and C Tucker (2015), "Privacy regulation and market structure," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy 24(1): 47–73. Haltiwanger, J, R S Jarmin and J Miranda (2013), "Who creates jobs? Small versus large versus young," Review of Economics and Statistics 95(2): 347–361. Kim, J H and L Wagman (2015), "Screening incentives and privacy protection in financial markets: A theoretical and empirical analysis," RAND Journal of Economics 46(1): 1–22. Krasteva, S, P Sharma and L Wagman (2015), "The 80/20 rule: Corporate support for innovation by employees," International Journal of Industrial Organization 38(1): 32–43. Jia, J, G Z Jin and L Wagman (2018), "The short-run effects of GDPR on technology venture investment," NBER, Working Paper 25248. Taylor, C and L Wagman (2014), "Consumer privacy in oligopolistic markets: Winners, losers, and welfare," International Journal of Industrial Organization 34(1): 80–84.
Kohl Tournament at Suffern (MW, PJ) is now scheduled for Sunday 9:30 AM start. Gene Brigham Memorial Tournament at Minisink Valley (MV, RV, Middletown, Onteora, Goshen, and Wallkill) is now scheduled for Sunday 9:00 AM start. Edmont Tournament (Monticello, Tuxedo) is now scheduled for Sunday. Lansingburgh Tournament (NFA) is still on for Sat./Sun. I have been getting several requests for information about Youth Wrestling Tournaments. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be too many local events schedued. What I've decided to do, however, is provide some information about tournaments that are within a few hours of Section 9. Hopefully, in time, we will see an increase in local youth tournaments. For the time being, you may want to consider entering your future Section 9 wrestlers in tournaments in Section 1 (Dutchess, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester Counties), NJ, PA, Long Island, Sections 3 and 4 (Central NY), and Section 2 (Albany area). I hope this is of some help to those of you who are interested, and please do not hesitate in sending me any additional information regarding youth wrestling. Section 9 Refs Selected to Work State Tournament! Congratulations to Section 9 referees Wayne Carroll, Greg Tavano, and Gunnar DeJong. All three of these veteran officials have been selected to work the New York State Wrestling Championship Tournament in February. Jeff Traver, who works both Section 1 and Section 9 matches, has been selected to work the state tournament as well. Traver, however, will be representing Section 1. Congratulations and good luck to all four of these outstanding officials! Posted on January 19, 2012 Author Mike CareyCategories UncategorizedLeave a comment on Section 9 Refs Selected to Work State Tournament! Congratulations to Port Jervis graduate Joe Zitone and Highland graduate Vinny Barberfor finshing 1st and 2nd, respectively, at the Will Abele Invitational hosted by Ursinus. The two heaveyweight grapplers never actually wrestled as Barber had to medically forfeit out of tournament due to an injury sustained during his semifinal victory. Click here for complete brackets. Great job guys! Section 9 Rankings # 7; Busy Week Ahead Could Shake Things Up! The Eastern States Classic has come and gone and our sectional tournaments are less than a month away. Now is the time when Section 9 wrestlers are making their final preparations for the big prize….a ticket to the New York State Wrestling Championships. Posted on January 16, 2012 January 17, 2012 Author Mike CareyCategories S9 Individual RankingsTags high school wrestling, section 9 rankings, section 9 wrestling, wrestlingLeave a comment on Section 9 Rankings # 7; Busy Week Ahead Could Shake Things Up!
Our dogs are captive animals. They live under the restrictions of our lifestyles and for many this means a very small, unnatural world. Even for dogs with access to a yard, this is still a very limiting life. To enrich our dogs' lives, they need the freedom and access to engage in species specific behavior and environments that are safe to engage in these behaviors. To bridge the gap between the restrictions our modern lives places on our dogs and their biological, psychological, and social needs. Enrichment provides an environment where your dog can thrive and experience life in a safe, nurturing environment. Your dog will be able to develop trusting relationships with our staff and the other dogs. Engage all his senses, develop confidence, and achieve well-being. That is our goal. That is our mission: To provide an environment that challenges your dog, enriches his life by allowing him to engage in natural behaviors, and the opportunity to develop rich relationships. Our modern lives with our long work hours and artificial environments are not meeting our dogs' needs. You won't have to look far to find the evidence to support this. How many know a reactive dog? A dog that barks, lunges on leash or spends its day barking at the fence line. How many have had a dog destroy furniture, clothes, walls etc? Know a dog with separation anxiety? For many, dog daycare can provide a quick fix. The dog is no longer at home alone for unreasonable hours, but how many dogs pick up the habit of barking, rough play or over arousal? How many truly feel safe? It's not natural for a dog to meet new dogs every day and then share a small, static space with them for 10-12 hours. How many dogs after adolescence can no longer endure that type of environment? It is too overstimulating and unnatural. Dog daycare is a numbers game. How many dogs can we safely fit in our limited space? And safety is relative as you still see dog fights and bites and sicknesses as a result of this overstimulating and often times overwhelming environment. At Downtown Dog, we tried to address some of the issues inherently found in dog daycares by staying small, being member only, engaging dogs one-on-one, and rotating between activities. But we want more for the dogs, we want an environment where we can provide richer, more meaningful experiences for the dogs in our care. To do this we need to break away from the concrete walls and sanitized yards and get back to nature. Let the dog be in a natural environment engaging all of his senses, playing with dogs he knows and trusts, and being guided by humans he has a relationship with. An environment where the dog has access to freedom and opportunity to be a dog, to engage in natural behaviors like digging, running, playing, sniffing, foraging and swimming…an enrichment center.
Cystic hygroma was first described in 1843 by Wernher. It is a lesion in the lymphatics that affects the head and neck of the human body. This disease is also similar to cystic lymphangioma or macrocystic lymphatic malformation. Cystic hygroma grows as the child also matures. The intralesional bleeding allows the growth potential of cystic hygromas. Normally, the lympatics would branch out in to the venous system. This failure of branching out will encourage growth of lymphatic tissue in an abnormal way. This unusual growth will penetrate near to the neck or head. The tissues might either be described as capillary, cavernous or cystic. The vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) has been found out to have a big role in the abnormal growth of development of lymphatic malformations. As early as 10 weeks of gestation, cystic hygromas can already be detected, however, a transvaginal ultrasound would give a better outline of the cyst. The alpha fetoprotein levels is also increased when the fetus has cystic hygromas. Administration of sclerosing agents such as OK-432, which is an active strain of group A Streptococcus pyogenes, bleomycin, pure ethanol and doxycycline. The OK-432 encourages inflammatory response leading to fibrosis of the hygroma. Aspiration during the procedure has something to do with the process of effective therapy. Aside from aspiration, the excision of the hygroma is the only treatment known to be immediate and effective. The goal of surgical intervention is to either remove the lymphangioma. Proper education of the mother about the condition so that she may be able to cope effectively with the baby's condition. Monitor the skin condition of the face and neck area. Provide proper skin care on the areas involved. Evaluate the therapy given as well as the response of the patient. Teach the mother or the care giver proper wound care so that they will be able to take care of the lesion properly when at home.
In the webinar I talked about how to get started with email marketing (using Constant Contact as an example). Here are some things I would do differently next time! Make sure that nothing on my desktop was open that I didn't want open! Make sure all programs that I wanted to use (Hello, LinkedIn, Facebook) were already logged into and ready to go. Make sure that all of the props I wanted to use (example of Text to Join) were handier - I ended up having to leave my chair to fetch something! Perhaps consider hiring someone to field questions and be a bit more able to answer them on the fly. Though, I did respond to each question and that was probably a great way to connect with webinar attendees. What was great about doing a webinar? I didn't have to leave my house. No parking for me, or anyone else - or commuting. What was missing, and perhaps something I could work on, is that I love it when people get to mingle and network after talks I give. There was no chance for anyone to do this. Though some people probably did meet and greet on the Facebook event page.. Will I do another webinar? For sure! And, I'm open to topic suggestions. I know Facebook very very well, so it's likely I'll do one of my beginning/intermediate talks about Facebook soon. Please join my email list if that's something you'd like to learn more about. Thanks for reading and perhaps watching. The picture is from the Oregon Coast last weekend. I took a small vacation and got to stay in a magical house there!
As the movement to regulate cannabis for both adult and medicinal use spreads across North America and beyond, it is now time for the Irish government to transform an illicit market worth about €1bn a year into a regulated one. Properly done, it could generate as much as €300m for the state each year, and create 15,000 jobs by 2025. Given the likelihood that European states such as Spain and Portugal will regulate by 2021, can Ireland afford to miss out on "the green rush" due to outdated policies born out of ignorance and social conservatism?
BISMARCK, ND — The University of Mary is the site for three upcoming lecture events in February. Monsignor Thomas Richter is the speaker for the fourth annual St. Hildegard Lecture Series, Monday, February 11, 10 a.m., in Founders Hall at the University of Mary's new Lumen Vitae University Center. His presentation entitled "Evangelization Without Complication" is free and open to the public. Coinciding with that topic, Richter penned a brief, but popular 25-page booklet entitled "Integrated Evangelization: How to Facilitate the Encounter with Christ." Richter tells how evangelization is not complicated or burdensome, but instead rather simple, intentional, and about relationships: beginning first with a personal relationship with Christ and the Church, which transitions into relationships with family, friends, neighbors, coworkers and even strangers. Richter is the pastor of Queen of Peace Church in Dickinson, ND. Prior to that, he served as rector of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck. He was ordained a priest on June 13, 1996, at Cathedral. Pope Benedict XVI honored Richter with the title of Monsignor, Chaplain to His Holiness, on November 19, 2012. On February 10, 2016, Pope Francis commissioned him as a Missionary of Mercy for the Jubilee Year. Among Aquilina's books: "The Fathers of the Church, The Mass of the Early Christians," and "Angels of God." He's co-authored books with Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dion DiMucci, theologian Scott Hahn, and singer-songwriter John Michael Talbot, among others. His works have been translated into many languages including "The Grail Code" which is in 10 languages. Aquilina has published hundreds of articles, essays and reviews in journals such as First Things, Touchstone, Crisis, Our Sunday Visitor, National Catholic Register, The Priest, Columbia, and Catholic Heritage.
My research focus is on systems integration in civil infrastructure. The vision is of developing next-generation tools for and approaches for systems integration, where infrastructure projects are organizationally complex and deliver both physical assets and digital asset information. This research supports the transformation to an advanced manufacturing industry with digital engineering capabilities, with decision-support tools for engineers and managers working on complex engineering projects. I work closely with Laing O'Rourke and lead research within the Centre for Systems Engineering and Innovation in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College London. This involves research with major infrastructure clients and projects to visualize and understand complex product systems; identify risk and build in resilience and support collaborative working. The work builds on a trajectory of EPSRC-funded research, including the Design Innovation Research Centre (2010-2015), which had a foucs on new modes of design in the digital economy and was funded through a Challenging Engineering grant.
Austria-Hungary takes the lands of Herzegovina and Bosnia from Ottoman Turkey, Bulgaria wins independence due to weakened Turkish states. Austria blames Serbia for assassination and demands that it give up its independence. Serbia refuses. Russia mobilizes troops to help its ally Serbia. Russia refuses, Germany declares war. Russia refuses. Germany declares war on Russia. France mobilizes troops to help Russia, who is their ally. Germany declares war on France and invades the neutral country Belgium to get to France. Britain, allied with Belgium, demands that German cease their invasion. Germany refuses, Britain declares war on Germany. Turkey joins the war on the side of the Germans and Austria-Hungarians-- now called the Central Powers. Bulgaria enters the war on the side of the Central Powers. Romania enters the war and is nearly immediately defeated. America enters the war, Allies. America, upset by the sinking of American ships by the German u-boats, finally enters WWI on the side of the Allies. "Both Members of This Club" "Little Painting with Yellow (Improvisation)" "Portrait of a German Officer" "I Wants to Be (A Actor Lady)" Preludes, Book I, No. 2 "Voiles" Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21, No.8 "Nacht" The Rite of Spring, "Introduction" and "Omens of Spring" Romanian Christmas Carols (Sz. 57 / BB 67), "First Series" German poet Frida Schanz(1859-1944) had her poem "Silence" printed in a newspaper on August 17, 1914. "How it Feels to be Forcibly Fed" "How it Feels to be Forcibly Fed" was written by Djuna Barnes(1892-1982) and published in The World Magazine on September 6, 1914. French writer and journalist Colette (1873-1954) wrote about her experiences while she visited her husband on the front. "In 1915, American writer Mary Rinehart (1876-1958) was sent to Belgium by the Saturday Evening Post to report on the war." "The Soldier" is a poem by Rupert Brooke (1887-1915), a British poet who died of blood poisoning. Rebecca West (1892-1983) visited and wrote about the Scottish Dornock Munitions Factory in 1916. Dame Edith Sitwell (1887-1964) wrote the poem "The Dancers" subtitled "(During a Great Battle, 1916)". "The Trenches (Heard in the Ranks)" "The Trenches (Heard in the Ranks)" is a short poem by British poet Robert Graves (1895-1985). The date is a guess. "Dulce et Decorum Est" was written in 1917 by Wilfred Owen, but was published posthumously. Katharine Mansfield writes "The Fly" "British author Katharine Mansfield, whose story, "The Fly," written in 1922, satirizes the seeming lack of importance of human life." "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway was published on October 22, 1926. "All Quiet on the Western Front" was written by Erich Maria Remarque (1898-1970), a German author. It was written in 1927, not published until 1928. Gertrude Stein publishes "The Autobiography..." Gertrude Stein(1874-1946) publishes "The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas" in 1933.
Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Housing Development, Institutional and Municipal. PDADESIGN architecture de paysage, our team of professionals specialize in the design and development of custom landscaping projects of any kind and scope. Passionate about landscaping design and committed to customer satisfaction, our team has been helping clients make their dream landscaping come true for more than 20 years. We bring a fresh new approach to our clients' projects by designing modern, unique and sustainable surroundings. Our team includes landscape architects, architecture technologists, horticulturists, technicians, designers and 3D artists. They make every effort to meet your needs, taking your wishes, style and budget into consideration. We create impressive outdoor spaces in perfect harmony with the innate connection of humans to their natural environment. We design and plan custom landscaping projects of any kind and scope. Using flawlessly combined elements, we breathe life into unique, impressive outdoor spaces that withstand the test of time. Achieving a successful project starts with sound planning. This is why we offer tailor-made professional services to our clients for their residential, commercial, institutional, industrial and municipal projects. We have been entrusted with the custom design and development of many unique, carefully-planned projects since the foundation of our company. How can we help you make your dream outdoor spaces a reality? Do you have a project in mind? Contact us at [email protected] or complete the form below.
Air pollution might have a great impact on pulmonary health, but biological evidence in response to particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in size (PM2.5) has been lacking. Physicochemical characterization of haze PM2.5 collected from Beijing, Xian and Hong Kong was performed. Biological pathways were identified by proteomic profiling in mouse lungs, suggesting that WNT/β-catenin is important in the response to haze PM2.5. Suppression of β-catenin levels, activation of caspase-3 and alveolar destruction, as well as IL-6, TNF-α and IFN-γ production, were observed in the lungs. The inhibition of β-catenin, TCF4 and cyclin D1 was observed in vitro in response to haze PM2.5. The inhibition of WNT/β-catenin signaling, apoptosis-related results (caspase-3 and alveolar destruction), and inflammation, particularly including caspase-3 and alveolar destruction, were more highly associated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in haze PM2.5. In conclusion, decreased WNT/β-catenin expression modulated by haze PM2.5 could be involved in alveolar destruction and inflammation during haze episodes. GB/T 7714 Lee,KY,Cao,JJ,Lee,CH,et al. Inhibition of the WNT/b-catenin pathway by fine particulate matter inhaze: Roles of metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons[J]. Atmospheric Environment,2015,109(2015):118-129. APA Lee,KY.,Cao,JJ.,Lee,CH.,Hsiao,T-C.,Yeh,C-T.,...&Chuang,H-C.(2015).Inhibition of the WNT/b-catenin pathway by fine particulate matter inhaze: Roles of metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.Atmospheric Environment,109(2015),118-129. MLA Lee,KY,et al."Inhibition of the WNT/b-catenin pathway by fine particulate matter inhaze: Roles of metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons".Atmospheric Environment 109.2015(2015):118-129.
After a much longer than expected break and after months of not taking a single photo for my blog, I'm back! I turned 23 in July (yay Leos!) And it's had me thinking a lot about my future and what exactly I want that to look like. My jewelry has been my focus the last few months- I became so engulfed in it all that I even almost considered just narrowing my ventures down to just jewelry making instead of jewelry and blogging... My fashion blog takes up a lot of my time, and other people around me were saying "your jewelry's doing so well and it's making you money... maybe just put all your time into that" and I was just considering throwing in the towel. Welllll I couldn't do it!! So today I wanted to write a little about following you passions and choosing your own personal happiness! For the last few months all that's been on my mind is jewelry- designing it, getting it seen, thinking about crystals I want to work with, new metals I want to try, better packaging, more social networking, stores I want to sell to, plans for future marketing, ahhh!!! It's quite a venture choosing to work for yourself. It's a bumpy, rocky road and I'm still very much trying to keep it together while I make it past my first few years. But for today at least, I'm feeling so incredibly overwhelmed with how happy I am that I've chosen to follow my passions for a living. And it's days like this that make all of the obstacles, all of the bumps in the road, so SO worth it. The joy I get from creating a little treasure that has it's own unique beauty is a happiness I have yet to find doing something else, and not only that, but someone, somewhere is just waiting to find it to love for themselves! And the same goes for my blog when I get a comment, or I hear from a close friend that they love looking at it, it just makes me want to keep going! I've been trying to make some big changes in my own life in regards to my personal happiness. I'm quickly learning to choose what's best for me, even if others don't necessarily agree (and some haven't) but that's where the learning comes in-to accept them for how they feel and where they're at in their life, and accept that I deserve my own happiness at the same time. Life's all about figuring out what you need to do to be happy- in my opinion, it's that simple. But the hard part is when other people who you care about don't necessarily feel the same. But choosing your happiness first (as long as it's not harming anyone or thing around you) is always the better way to go, and will always pay off the most in the end. When it comes down to it, my idea of happiness really means that my loved ones are taken care of, I have the materials I need to keep creating my jewels, time to shoot with my cameras, and an ocean I can drive to at the end of the day. I love my jewelry making, I love getting to share these outfit posts, and I love that I've decided, no matter what, to pour my heart and soul into what I create. So I just wanted to do a post about happiness, and what it means to me, to choose to be happy. My blog is such an important part of my own self expression that I can't help but always come back to it. I've got so many ideas for photo shoots and new outfits so stay tuned for more! And thank you for staying with me through the last few years.
Gary, Lisa, Brandon and Crystal get into which artists they think are good dancers... JLO anyone?! Plus this Valentine's Day you can celebrate by doing anything from gifting someone a heart shaped sausage to naming an animal after your ex... and more! Tune in for some gut wrenching laughs!
This event was available from Tuesday, 1 January 2019 1:00 AM until the event start date. Sacramentum is a retreat for young adults aimed to answer those difficult questions that some are even afraid to ask. Join us in April for a weekend where you can rediscover what it really means to be a Catholic and how to live your life to the fullest. Cost: $180. Incl. all food & accommodation. A $2 booking fee will be added to this amount.
Media Bias/Fact Check (MBFC), founded in 2015, is an independent online media outlet. MBFC is dedicated to educating the public on media bias and deceptive news practices. MBFC's aim is to inspire action and a rejection of overtly biased media. We want to return to an era of straight forward news reporting. MBFC follows a strict methodology for determining the biases of sources. Dave Van Zandt is the primary editor for sources. He is assisted by a collective of volunteers who assist in research for many sources listed on these pages. MBFC also provides occasional fact checks, original articles on media bias and breaking/important news stories, especially as it relates to USA politics. Funding for Media Bias Fact Check comes from donations and third party advertising. We use third party advertising to prevent influence and bias as we do not select the ads you see displayed. Ads are generated based on your search history, cookies and the content of the current web page you are viewing. This sometimes leads to politically biased ads as well as promotion of pseudoscience products that we do not endorse. MBFC was founded by Dave Van Zandt in 2015. Dave studied Communications in college and over the years has focused on personal research in media bias and the role of media in politics. Dave is a registered Non-Affiliated voter who values evidence based reporting. And all the people who submit sources and question our ratings. Your feedback is vital.
HERE I HAVE WORKED A LOT ON THE SKY. YOU CAN SEE THE HAZE IN THE DISTANCE, WHICH IS A MUST TO GET THE ATMOSPHERE CORRECTLY INTO A LANDSCAPE PAINTING. THAT IS ALWAYS IN THE DISTANCE, WE SEE IT EVERY DAY. IN CHANGING THAT AREA OF SKY THE ARES ALL AROUNG MUST BE PAINTED AND TIE IN WITH THE CHANGE. THERE ARE ALREADY MANY CHANGES IN THE MID LEVEL AND SOME UPPER CHANGES I WILL BE MAKING AS THE WEEKS GO BY. ALSO I HAVE ALREADY MOVED ONTO THE LARGEST MESA AND FLATTENED THE ROUNDED TOP OF THAT, SO IT IS NATURAL AND APPEALING TO THE EYE. ALSO I HAVE ADDED THE REFLECTING SUNSET ON IT. SOOO MANY CHANGES AND SO MUCH WORK. THAT'S GOOD I LOVE PAINTING. IT IS A GIFT FROM GOD AND IS A BALM TO MY SOUL. YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SEE THE CHANGE TO THE SPACE BETWEEN THE MIDDLE MESA'S.
I grew up in Mobile, Alabama. These are photographs I took around the area. The water views were taken on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay, where I enjoyed all of my summers during my high school and college years. This is an image of shrimp boats that I took in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. The image is highly stylized with HDR effects on the single shot.
By Bola Sokunbi. Published on May 19, 2016. First of all, let me say this is a great problem to have and if the aftermath of saving money is your main money problem, kudos to you for creating the financial habits that have gotten you to this point! So, you've fully funded your emergency fund and your retirement nest egg is well on its way, what next? What do you do when you finally get to the point where your finances are smooth sailing? I'm going to share a few tips if you are at the point where things are great with your finances. Are your retirement plans on track based on your current investments? Are you currently an aggressive, semi-aggressive, semi-conservative or full conservative investor? What are the risks involved with your investing style? What are the average rates of return? How much of your portfolio is in cash? "Understand how your investments are allocated is very important" It's worth scheduling some time with an investment advisor to have a conversation about how your investments are currently balanced. Also, it's very important that you understand your investment allocation. Spend some time learning about the funds your retirement money is distributed across and their associated fees, who manages the fund, their reputation etc. Investing in the stock market is not the only way to invest your money, and if you are comfortable and are willing to spend your time doing some research, you might want to consider investing some of your money in other avenues such as real estate or in business (as an owner or as an investor). "The keyword here is research." Again, the keyword here is research. Like with investing in the stock market, you should plan to invest for the long-term and the research you do will help you determine how viable an investment is and if it makes sense for your overall long-term financial plan. The one thing a lot of people tend to forget is that when you earn money from investments, you are going to be liable for taxes and so in every investment plan, you should also build in a plan to pay taxes on your profitable investments based on what you expect your tax bracket to be at the time. Tax planning is very important because taxes can be a large chunk of investment gains and can impact overall financial plans you may have made around your money. Have you thought about your children's education? What about care for aging parents? What about giving back to the community and helping others? These are all things that if you plan to do, will need to be built into your long-term financial plan. Life is short and is not all about money. Now that things are running smoothly with your finances, do some fun stuff. Take those trips you've always wanted to. Spend time with family and friends. Enjoy the life that you've been working so hard to create - you deserve it!
24 Townhomes Proposed For 4740 N. Clark Proposal for 4740 N. Clark (Axios Architects) Current buildings along proposed site A proposal for 24 townhomes has been shared on Ald. Pawar's website. The site is just south of a recently rehabbed building and steps from Chase Park. C4 (Community Counseling Centers of Chicago) currently occupies the site and was experiencing financial trouble last year but was kept afloat due to a deal with CountyCare, Cook County Health & Hospitals System's Medicaid health plan. No word on where C4 will be relocating if this proposal moves forward and no units designated as "affordable" in the proposal. By Uptown Updater - September 30, 2016 Aren't there already enough unoccupied housing units and more than enough unoccupied retail spaces along Clark St south of Foster? Agree with you about too much retail. However, this project doesn't include retail and housing (Especially this size) is in low supply. Almost all of the luxury condo's at the corner of Clark and Lawrence sold months before the units were completed. Homeboyveh October 4, 2016 at 2:42 PM Agree that there is too much unoccupied retail along Clark Street south of Foster- that's why this plan has no retail. As far as unoccupied housing, that is not the case.
Q: MaterialButton app:icon attribute isn't rendering I wanted to add button to my xml file. <com.google.android.material.button.MaterialButton android:id="@+id/submitButton" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" style="@style/Widget.AppCompat.Button.Borderless" app:icon="@drawable/doorkey" android:text="@string/sign_up" app:iconTint="@null" android:layout_marginTop="20dp" android:textSize="20sp" android:textColor="@color/x" app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/first_input_layout1" app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent" app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent" android:layout_marginHorizontal="100dp" app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent" /> As you can see i added an icon to my button. But for some reason it does not appearing in design interface. For style i tried to add style="@style/Widget.MaterialComponents.Button.Icon" according to the documentation. But i got "Render problem" that says "Failed to find '@attr/textAppearanceButton' in current theme." Then i changed to style="@style/Widget.AppCompat.Button.Borderless". I have tried to change dependency version of material design but no luck. Can you help me? A: Your app theme should inherit from one of the MaterialComponents themes. Check your AndroidManifest file to see the path to the app theme and then set a correct parent for it. You can also check the documentation here
Speaking of Russell Brand On November 9, 2008 December 19, 2008 By LouiseIn RamblingsLeave a comment I'm tired of this brouhaha over his and Jonathan Ross's phone calls to Andrew Sachs (Manuel of Fawlty Towers) — or, rather, to his answering machine — on Brand's BBC Radio program. Neither one is known for being particular sensitive or mature so it shouldn't have surprised anyone that their phone calls veered off course. It was all over the news, both in the UK and internationally. BBC News even provides a timeline of the events. I've heard the show — it was in poor taste but I suspect that's what they were going for. Given some of the borderline things I've heard from other British comedians, what they did wasn't even that far over the line. And I don't imagine either of them meant anything malicious by it. I don't imagine they were thinking much beyond entertaining their audience and the other people in the studio, much like Howard Stern. Being somewhat offensive is what they are all about, like teenage boys. 😉 I do find one thing a bit puzzling. The show was recorded two days before it actually aired. Andrew Sachs and his agent don't appear to have gotten upset about the show until it aired. So clearly the messages that were apparently left on the answering machine weren't actually left on the answering machine, since Andrew doesn't appear to have known about them until the show aired. The BBC timeline says: Meanwhile, Andrew Sachs tells the BBC the show's producer called him on the day of recording to ask if he could use the sequence in question. He continued: "The signal was poor and I couldn't really hear what was being played down the line to me. So I presume he never actually received the messages himself directly. (Having listened to the show, I'd wondered why the person who was in charge of dialling the phone didn't press 1 for more options and then delete the messages as Brand and Ross left them.) If that's the case, then IMO it's even more of a tempest in a teapot. The Internet Roundabout On November 9, 2008 November 9, 2008 By LouiseIn Ramblings, YoutubeLeave a comment You might get on and off at different points but ultimately you're just going in a big circle. Back when Doctor Who and Torchwood were airing earlier this year, BBC broadcast a behind-the-scenes the shows each week. Most weeks, they turned me on to different pieces of music I might never have listened to. One week it was Kanye West's Stronger, which in turn led me to Daft Punk's "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger". The video for the Daft Punk tune is OK but nothing to write home about, unless you're a Daft Punk or anime fan. At the end of September, I'm watching Pink on Paul O'Grady and she talks about her appearance on the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards. I'd missed most of the show somehow, despite the fact that Russell Brand was hosting. (As an aside, it's annoying — and stupid — that MTV won't allow you to watch any of their videos unless you're in the US, despite the fact that the show aired outside of the US at the time anyway.) Pink mentioning it reminds me to check Youtube. Can't find her performance there but what I can see and what I caught on various reruns of it on TV tell me Russell Brand didn't go over very well with US audiences. Admittedly, he's an acquired taste. One of the clips that I'd seen on TV was Tokio Hotel winning best new artist. I'd never heard of them before that, but I loved Bill's hair. (Hmmm, maybe that's why I like Russell Brand: the big, dark hair.) So, yesterday, I'm back on Youtube, this time looking at top viewed videos. Low and behold, there's Tokio Hotel, in a music video that has been viewed 28 million times. So I watch it. (Yes, I am a lemming.) It's not half bad. So I start watching other Tokio Hotel videos. And I realize that I have heard them before, earlier this year. Then I remember what I was looking at originally and I go back to the top viewed videos. There I find a video called Daft Hands, which features someone doing a hand jive type thing to "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger". It, like the song, starts off slowly so it looks like it will just be someone's dancing hands. (Youtube's top viewed are frequently complete and utter crap, like the Numa Numa guy and that incredibly nails-on-blackboard-annoying Chocolate Rain song, so it wouldn't have surprised if that's all this video was.) I almost didn't watch it all the way through. That would have been unfortunate because it truly is awesome to watch. (There's also a Daft Bodies video but it doesn't seem as interesting to me, perhaps because I don't find the bodies in question all that enticing.) How did I miss it back when I was looking for Daft Punk earlier this year? Apparently I was stuck on the roundabout.
I'm just like you. Sure, I'm an Arab Palestinian, and you're a white-Anglo-Saxon-black-Kenyan. But we're both Americans. And we have one more really important thing in common. Like you, I have one Muslim parent. Your Muslim grandparents were Hussein and Habiba. Mine were Muhammad and Laila. I, like you, flirted with Islam from time to time in my more youthful years, and I still, as you do (even though you have to avoid saying it), consider my Islamic roots an integral part of who I am. We are both, in part, culturally Muslim. We both know what it's like watching grown men fight over the bill. We also both know what's it like being around people who don't know what an "inside voice" is. But most importantly, we both know what it's like to be told that we don't belong in America. Mr. President, bigotry against Arabs and Muslims in America is stylish. It garners votes. No one has to resign, or drop out of the presidential race. Every season is open season on us. We're the only group this still happens to. We are racists' last hope. And as you can personally attest, being only half a Muslim is no help. You still get the full Islamophobic package. Something quite funny happened over the weekend, by the way. That John McCain episode (the aforementioned "decent family man" one), an occurrence that we Arabs and Muslims have held up for some time as an example of open-faced bigotry (since he sort of implied that Arabs can't be decent family men), was recast as a moment of acceptance. Last week, Republican front-runner Donald Trump championed a question once again theorizing that you are an undercover Muslim. The media jumped on him, reminding us all how McCain so "graciously" handled his racist questioner eight years ago. It was quite uncomfortable for us. The villain was the one who stood silent when you were "branded" a Muslim, and the hero was the one who proclaimed that you weren't because you're "decent." Perhaps you can see why that scares us. And now Ben Carson has told us that all Muslims, by virtue of their Muslim-ness, are unfit to be president. (He didn't clarify how he feels about the half-Muslims like you and me, but I can only imagine.) You might find it ironic, as I do, that a black man in America is declaring that members of a minority community shouldn't lead the country, but that's not the important point. What Carson's commentary really highlights is the present prevalent discourse, whose default notion is that Islam is somehow diametrically opposed to American identity and ideals. This discourse allows politicians to traffic in hate, whether it's Carson, Allen West, or Joe Walsh. It allows for the quite routine dehumanization Arabs and Muslims in the media and entertainment, whether it's "American Sniper" taking the crown as the highest-grossing movie of 2014 or the Arab American Muslim murder victims of a hate crime in Chapel Hill getting less-than-immediate treatment by the mainstream media. It cultivates an economy of Islamophobia led by unqualified "professional experts," whether it's Pamela Geller, Brigitte Gabriel, or Paul Cruickshank, none of whom have advanced degrees in Islam or the Arab world. Gabriel and Geller didn't even graduate from college. You would think that becoming a "radical Islam expert" would require more training than becoming a sandwich artist at Subway. Now, sir, let me make a few points about Ahmed's incident. First, he couldn't be even mildly accused of the "hoax bomb" crime since an necessary element of the "hoax" is trying to "hoax" people into believing it's a bomb. He told everyone it was a clock. No hoax. Second, Ahmed showed a few teachers his clock before he encountered the English teacher who eventually tattled on him. That teacher could have easily spoken to those other teachers and discovered within a couple minutes that there was no reason for alarm about the alarm clock. Oh, and third, I know it might be a bit confusing that Ahmed kept telling everyone that he brought his "invention" to school. Of course, Ahmed didn't "invent" the robotic alarm clock. It has existed for some time. But you can chalk this up to the tendency of Arabs to exaggerate a bit about their own accomplishments. It's a cultural thing. Oh, and finally, can we do away with the whole notion that they thought he actually had a bomb? They didn't think he had a bomb. When they think you have a bomb, they evacuate the school and call the bomb squad. They don't call the police to come talk to you while you're holding your bomb. They interrogated him, a child, without his parents or lawyer, knowing he didn't make a bomb (or a hoax bomb). It all happened because Ahmed Mohamed is named Ahmed Mohamed. It happened because he is a Muslim, because when you're a 14-year-old Christian kid named Dustin, they give you the benefit of the doubt that you didn't bring a freakin' bomb to school! They didn't think he had a bomb! That's not the stuff they do when they think you have a bomb! I'm an Arab, okay?! I know about bombs and bomb protocol! And that's not what they do when they think you have a bomb! Now, I really do want to thank you for reaching out to Ahmed, encouraging him, and inviting him to the White House. That was really cool. But you could do one more seemingly small, yet quite monumental thing. I'm also troubled by, not what Senator McCain says, but what members of the party say, and it is permitted to be said. Such things as, "Well you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim." Well the correct answer is, "He is not a Muslim, he's a Christian, he's always been a Christian." But the really right answer is, "What if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country?" The answer is "No. That's not America." Is there something wrong with some 7-year old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she can be president? So, Mr. President, we need you to speak up. But don't say something like, "This is the land of religious freedom. We won't stand for bigotry. American Muslims are as American as everyone else." That doesn't really get to the point. And it isn't the sort of thing MLK or Nelson Mandela would say. It's the sort of thing Hillary Clinton would say. Sure, it's supportive, but it's not too ground-breaking. We need you to say, quite forcefully "So what if I were a Muslim?" In fact, we should all say it, loudly. But it needs to start with you, our leader. Because, after all, if you can't do it, how can we? As always, extremely well written and to the point. Thank you for what you write, and for who you are. I am a Palestinian from a christian family ( I am secular myself )…….your article is well written and your message is very clear BUT my point about the boy of the clock . he would have been treated differently if he was christian by name Dustin . I have to tell you that this is not very true …..I lived in canada for fourty years and I aw referred to as Palestinans and every December I was asked if we celebrate christmas …Canadians were shocked when I used to tell them that Jesus was born in Palestine ……IGNORANCE is not a bliss and we have to be blamed when we isolate ourselves from the society we live in ……we should melt in the pot to an extend .our accent and colour is an obstacle but our behaviour should speak louder . This made me soooooooooooo mad and upset , actually that made me very angry what is this???? I dont even know what to call this.
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Tuesday \| June 17th, 2014 Giving Estimated At $335.17 Billion For 2013 Charitable giving in the United States jumped 4.4 percent last year to an estimated $335.17 billion and was led, as usual, by individual donors supporting their favorite charities and institutions. According to new, initial estimates for 2013 released today, that's 3 percent more when adjusted for inflation from a revised estimate of $320.97 billion for 2012, according to the Giving USA Foundation and its research partner, the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Preliminary estimates by Giving USA™ are based on econometric models and use historical data from Forms 990 submitted to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), as well as sources including the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Foundation Center and the National Center for Charitable Statistics. The 2013 preliminary estimates released today, which include some projections and models, will be revised annually two more times, once IRS data are compiled. Giving to religion remained the largest swath of giving but was flat and despite corporate earnings skyrocketing, giving by corporation declined almost 2 percent after a jump of 12 percent in 2012. Total giving has increased 22 percent (12.3 percent adjusted for inflation) since the official end of the recession in 2009. Total giving again was about 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). A return to pre-recession levels for overall charitable giving might come sooner than expected while some sectors have returned to pre-recession giving. Projections at this time last year anticipated a return to pre-recession giving could be as many as six or seven years away. The new data, however, show that if giving continues at its current 4.2-percent pace over the last two years, pre-recession levels could be reached as early as 2015. "It could happen within the next year, but it might take two years," said Patrick Rooney, Ph.D., associate dean for academic affairs and research at Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. That projection could be volatile though with a big part of it depending on what happens to the stock markets, household incomes and tax policy, he added. "There's reason to give pause in terms of how long it's taken us, the depth of the Great Recession and how long it's taken us to recover," Rooney said. "If it takes another year or two to get back to where we were before the recession, you're basically at eight years; not a complete decade but pretty close. It's not [a lost decade] in the sense that people continue to give but lost in sense of progress," he said. In inflation-adjusted dollars, five subsectors have reached or surpassed all-time high giving levels since the recession officially ended in mid-2009: Education, $52.07 billion last year, up 8.9 percent / 7.4 percent for inflation; Human services, $41.51 billion, up 2.2 percent / 0.7 percent for inflation; Health, $31.86 billion, up 6 percent / 4.5 percent for inflation; Foundations, $35.74 billion, down 15.5 percent / 16.7 percent for inflation; Environmental/animal, $9.72 billion, up 7.5 percent / 6 percent for inflation. Giving to public-society benefit organization was up 8.5 percent to $23.89 billion, or 7 percent when adjusted for inflation. Giving to individuals was estimated to have risen 1.4 percent, to $3.7 billion. Giving to religion again was the largest by total at $105.53 billion (31 percent of giving) but was flat or down for the fifth consecutive year, declining 0.2 percent, 1.6 percent when adjusted for inflation. International affairs was the only other subsector to fall, down 6.7 percent or 8 percent inflation-adjusted, to $14.93 billion (4 percent of giving). Last year's initial overall estimates were revised 1.5 percent higher, from an original $316.23 billion to $321 billion. Adjustments showed somewhat higher growth of about 5.4 percent in 2012 giving. Most of the difference was attributed to a change in estimated bequest giving. Originally, estimates showed a 3.5-percent increase in giving, 1.5 percent inflation-adjusted. Among sources of giving, only corporate giving fell last year, down 1.9 percent or 2.2 percent inflation-adjusted, to $17.88 billion. Giving by individuals was up 4.2 percent (2.7 percent inflation adjusted) and again was the largest portion of overall giving, accounting for $240.6 billion, or 72 percent of overall giving. Giving by foundations makes up the second largest portion, at $48.96 billion, or 15 percent, and increased 5.7 percent last year, 4.2 percent when adjusted for inflation. Giving by bequest was up 8.7 percent, 7.2 percent adjusted for inflation, to $27.73 billion. The aggregate rate of growth for education since the recession has been about three times that of the charitable sector, which John Lippincott attributes to several fundamental advantages that the education sector enjoys and does a good job of using. "Education for a long time has made a strong investment in fundraising operations so they've got the infrastructure, databases and staff in place, and they've been very good at developing high-level professionalism within staff that they hire," said the president and CEO of the Council for Aid and Support to Education (CASE). Education can appeal to a broad array of donor interests, touching on research or economic development as well as education, while most other subsectors are very specific. "We saw this within CASE membership, education was very persistent during the recession, in terms of maintaining relationship with donors, even during a period of time when those donors were not in a position to make a gift, or the same gift as in past," Lippincott said. The clearest message in the numbers for Lippincott is perseverance. "The fact that institutions that kept the faith during the recession are now seeing the rewards for that, that for me is the real takeaway and a real important message," he said. Organizations might experiment with fundraising, try it for a couple years, stop, get mixed results or be disappointed. "You have to be in the long haul, and be persistent, to see the big payoff. That's the key message behind 8 and 9 percent growth," he said. Irv Katz, president of the National Human Services Assembly in Washington, D.C., is disappointed in the small increase among human services nonprofits. A former advisor to Giving USA, Katz said some of the "borders between these categories are a little more permeable," and some of his members might be included health, public-society benefit or religion. There is a strong correlation between giving in general and attendance at houses of worship. "People who actively practice faith are more generous toward human services and the charitable type of service. It could speak to why neither human service and religion are growing that rapidly," he said. If the pace continues, the arts, culture and humanities subsector could be the next area that reaches pre-recession levels, said L. Gregg Carlson, chair of the Giving USA Foundation and president of Henderson, Nev.-based Carlson Fund Raising. In the midst of the recession, there was some reprioritizing of charitable giving to human services organizations that met basic needs. "The opera didn't need their gift that year, the soup kitchen did," Carlson said, which would explain the big jumps for human services charities in 2009 and 2010 while arts groups took a hit. It wasn't all good news coming out of the newest estimates. Some observers had their concerns. For Lippincott, the challenge is the "increasing economic stratification" among donors that's mirrored in general society. For example, alumni giving continues to increase but alumni participation has dropped, meaning the same number or fewer alumni are giving more money. Likewise, charities in general are raising money from a shrinking donor universe. The vast student debt also plays into the scenario. Students graduating with significant debt are going to inevitably be less inclined to make even modest contributions, Lippincott said. "If that habit or tradition of giving is not established early, it's hard to recapture it later," he said. And while there may be more confidence in the economy, and signs that it's growing, there are still large numbers of people struggling. "People don't perceive the human crisis as critical as they had at the height of the Great Recession," said Katz. The fact that many more middle-income people have sustained long-term unemployment and lower standards of living is not very visible. "A large cadre of families that are continuing to endure tough economic times but they're not visible," Katz said. "They are your neighbors. They may not be using the traditional relief entities like people who've been living with poverty for a long time. I think it's below the surface." « H.W. Bush Fundraises Against Nunn In Georgia Senate Race Consumers Will Pay More For Corporate Social Responsibility »
Feed Form: Pellet Product #: P401000B *This feed contains added selenium at 0.3 mg/kg. Country Junction Duck & Goose Grower should be fed as the sole ration to ducklings and goslings from 5-9 weeks of age. Oyster shell or insoluble grit could be sprinkled on the feed once a week at a rate of 0.5 to 1.0 kg per 100 birds. Allow ducklings and goslings accress to fresh water at all times. This feed is non-medicated because there are no CFIA approved medications that can be legally added to duck or goose feed without a veterinary prescription. In addition, we do not recommend feeding a medicated feed to vaccinated birds as this can limit the effectiveness of the vaccine. Formulated to provide protein, energy, vitamins and minerals in an optimal balance to grow your birds. Can be used to grow meat ducks and geese or young waterfowl that will be laying and/or breeding.
Scolecoseps är ett släkte av ödlor. Scolecoseps ingår i familjen skinkar. Kladogram enligt Catalogue of Life: Källor Externa länkar Skinkar Scolecoseps
The Eiffel Tower - a French icon that instantly conjours up images of romantic Parisian weekends, street cafes and trend setting fashion houses. Add this tall, striking ornament as a reminder of past getaways, or a beautiful reminder of adventures to come! Made from cast aluminium metal with a polished, shiny finish.
The Catalina Grand Prix was an incredibly popular race during it's 8 year run. Many marques built bikes just for this race. BSA built a motorcycle called the Gold Star Catalina Scrambler which could be purchased by the public as well. Harley-Davidson introduced their new "K" model in 1952 and had three K models in the top ten for both 1953 and 1954. Also riding for Harley-Davidson was Ray Tanner who rode a classic 74 cubic inch motorcycle complete with tank shift and floor boards. He was very successful with this combination, making the top ten five times, his best a second place finish in 1954. Tanner's success was attributed to an interesting technique in which he would slide the motorcycle sideways into a turn and then drag the floorboards to slow down enough to stay on the road. Even with Harley-Davidson's success, the predominate motorcycles used in the Catalina Grand Prix were British. Triumph, BSA and Velocette were popular among the racers, but you could also see BMW's, MotoGuzzi's, Matchless', Ariel's and a few other marques running around the course. Special sidecar rig built for filming the race So why did such a popular event only last for 8 years? Turns out that one evening after racing was over for the day, the mayor of Avalon (which was the city the race course went through) was mugged on his way home. He was able to then convince the Chamber of Commerce to cancel the races. It wasn't until 2010, that Catalina Grand Prix was finally held again, after a 52 year hiatus.
Consumer Defense Resource Group Additional Resources. In addition to the reports and documents we've published, the following information is offered to consumers needing additional resources. Better Business Bureau – "To promote through self-regulation, the highest standards of business ethics and conduct; and to instill public confidence in responsible business through programs of education and action that inform, protect and assist the general public." Center for Science in the Public Interest – "Since 1971, the Center for Science in the Public Interest has been a strong advocate for nutrition and health, food safety, alcohol policy, and sound science. Its award-winning newsletter, Nutrition Action Healthletter, with some 900,000 subscribers in the United States and Canada, is the largest-circulation health newsletter in North America." ConsumerAction.gov – "Although the Federal Citizen Information Center does not handle consumer complaints, we do provide consumer information online and through the publications that are listed in our Catalog. The Handbook contains contact information for federal agencies and local consumer protection offices that respond to consumer complaints." ConsumerReports.org – "Consumer Reports® and ConsumerReports.org® are published by Consumers Union, an expert, independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. To achieve this mission, we test, inform, and protect. To maintain our independence and impartiality, CU accepts no outside advertising, no free test samples, and has no agenda other than the interests of consumers. CU supports itself through the sale of our information products and services, individual contributions, and a few noncommercial grants. Consumers Union is governed by a board of 18 directors, who are elected by CU members and meet three times a year. CU's President, James Guest, oversees a staff of more than 450." Consumers Union – "Consumers Union (CU) is an expert, independent, nonprofit organization, whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers. CU publishes Consumer Reports and ConsumerReports.org in addition to two newsletters, Consumer Reports on Health and Consumer Reports Money Adviser with combined subscriptions of more than 7 million. Consumers Union also has more than 500,000 online activists who help work to change legislation and the marketplace in favor of the consumer interest. Since its founding in 1936, Consumers Union has never taken any advertising or freebies of any kind. The organization generates more than $160 million in revenue and a staff of more than 500 work at either CU's 50 state-of-the-art labs in Yonkers, NY; its 327-acre auto test facility in East Haddam, CT.; or the three advocacy offices in Washington DC, Austin, TX, and San Francisco, CA." ConsumerWatchdog.org – "Consumer Watchdog (formerly The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights [FTCR]) is a nationally recognized consumer group that has been fighting corrupt corporations and crooked politicians since 1985. Over the years, Consumer Watchdog has saved Americans billions of dollars and improved countless peoples' lives by speaking out on behalf of patients, ratepayers and policyholders. Big Business has an endless amount of money and thousands of lobbyists working everyday to protect and increase their profits – no matter who it hurts. We get in their way and work to protect and improve the lives of American consumers and taxpayers." CorpWatch.org – "CorpWatch investigates and exposes corporate violations of human rights, environmental crimes, fraud and corruption around the world. We work to foster global justice, independent media activism and democratic control over corporations." DirectLendingSolutions.com – "Direct Lending Solutions is located in Southlake Texas and was founded in August of 2004. We try to help educate consumers about various consumer-credit issues, consumer threats, the variety of finance programs available to them. Among some of the topics discussed are mortgage/refinancing programs, credit cards, identity theft protection and recovery, divorce-debt concerns, student loan repayment, bankruptcy rules/regulations, and many other consumer-credit issues. Our staff writers have over 10 years of professional research/writing experience, compiling comprehensive articles about numerous topics, including consumer credit & finance. We continue researching the ever changing consumer-credit industry. We continue to add information frequently, and occasionally distribute our new articles via our RSS feed. Our articles are always fresh, and unduplicated." Federal Citizen Information Center – "FCIC provides the answers to questions about the Federal Government and everyday consumer issues whether citizens write, call or log on." Federal Trade Commission – "The FTC deals with issues that touch the economic life of every American. It is the only federal agency with both consumer protection and competition jurisdiction in broad sectors of the economy. The FTC pursues vigorous and effective law enforcement; advances consumers' interests by sharing its expertise with federal and state legislatures and U.S. and international government agencies; develops policy and research tools through hearings, workshops, and conferences; and creates practical and plain-language educational programs for consumers and businesses in a global marketplace with constantly changing technologies." About Truth in Advertising Public Interest Resource Groups – "U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), stands up to powerful special interests on behalf of the American public, working to win concrete results for our health and our well-being. With a strong network of researchers, advocates, organizers and students in state capitols across the country, we take on the special interests on issues, such as product safety,political corruption, prescription drugs and voting rights,where these interests stand in the way of reform and progress." U.S. Department of Justice – "To enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans." ResourcesForLife.com Network LifeLock Terms and Conditions as of 25 May 2017 September 17, 2017 AT&T is Watching What You Watch June 28, 2017 Consumers Beware of 'Impartial' AntiVirus Software Reviews October 28, 2016 Slow Neat Receipts Cloud Software Results in Customer Complaints May 25, 2016 Misleading Advertising and Deceptive Pricing on Amazon April 29, 2016 Chase Bank Fraudulent Notification Phishing Email February 3, 2016 HP Instant Ink: Ink replacement subscription service savings may be overstated July 25, 2015 SCAM ALERT: Caller from 619-555-0150, Windows Technical Department July 22, 2015 Buyer Beware: Deceptive Ads for External USB Hard Drive Power Cord Requirements June 2, 2015 Conservative Campaign Against @KINDSnacks Morphs Into Dubious FDA Warning Letter April 14, 2015 Coca Cola Removes Claim About Sugar and Diabetes April 12, 2015 Beware of Third-Party Banking Chat Services March 5, 2015 Buy Local? … Hardly anything is really 'local' these days February 16, 2015 Misleading Product Labeling of Natural Foods February 9, 2015 PaperKarma Website Displays Random User Email Notice January 6, 2015 Research, Advocacy, Awareness, Prevention, Support Greg Johnson - Iowa City Web Design Artist.
This is the second installment of our Q&A series where you guys ask some questions and I give you some answers, with a drink in hand. I try to answer common questions that seem to come up a lot in my one-on-one work or ones that you all ask directly. So let's dive into this April edition, shall we?
Here are some examples of our latest work.We will custom design beautiful oranic art for our special occasion. You can inquire about the availability of flowers, scheduling your event and other questions by calling the store or by completing our online order form. You can view other galleries by click on the navigation below on the left.
Home Tags Posts tagged with "profitability" Are Podcast Profitable Every new podcast creator to the field will have a questing lingering in their mind and that's the profit margin in podcasting. Well, the question has a simple answer to it- Is your podcast content having the potential to keep the audiences/listeners engaged or can it make the listeners or audiences bounce back? Hope the below article can guide those who are thinking of making Podcast creation a career. What to do before monetizing podcast content For all new podcast content creators, here's a suggestion to follow: Never try to monetize a content as soon as you are into the business. Better to wait until you build a decent audience base and then consider monetizing the podcast. But before you go for it, just follow these basic principles: Submit RSS Feeds to all popular directories such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher Keep the audience updated with a new episode every week Promote the content on social media After gaining the milestone of 1000 downloads, start thinking of monetizing content For a better understanding, below are 3 scenarios that can indicate how much a podcaster/podcast-creator can make from the content based on the size of the followers/audiences. We already know that content plays a key role in keeping the audiences engaged. So, once you are sure that the content has the zeal to capture the attention, start thinking of monetizing the podcast content. After 1000 downloads- Once you achieve this milestone, it is evident that you have attained moderate success. But if you include ads now, it can discourage the audiences from visiting back. So, go for ads that are not obtrusive like affiliate marketing strategies where a product purchase at a discounted price is encouraged through the show. Amazon affiliate marketing is one such program that will fit into such needs as it not only helps the podcast listeners learn more about a product. But will help them in getting the item for a discounted price. And from the podcast host/creators' POV, a small commission is paid as soon as a lead gets converted into a sale. Some donation-giving listeners might also donate a bit of amount to support or encourage the podcast creator and such activity often points to the fact that the podcast creator has won the trust of the audience. Also, some podcast listeners might also seek help in building a community of their own and might request a podcaster to offer online courses on a particular topic. After 5000 downloads- As soon as a podcast host or creator hits this benchmark, along with the above-stated podcast monetization strategies, they can also add some more- such as podcast sponsorships, where companies sponsor money to create the content. Like how Spotify sponsors The Joe Rogan Show Experience. After 10,000 downloads- Once you achieve this target, then there seems to be no turn-back. It means you have won the trust of audiences who never miss a show or episode. It will also make you a celebrity not only in podcasting but also in entertainment. Sponsoring companies will come to you to sign a contract deal and will also offer a smart price for the episodes you create in the future. As you become a celebrity, brands will start using your face and pictures of their products and services. One can start a membership drive, where podcast fans can pay a small amount to access premium content. A person involved in podcast hosting does so to earn income and to spread his/her industry knowledge to others. And to turn a podcast profitable, one can involve in crowdfunding, subscription-based service for a fee, affiliate programs, and merchandise for revenue. Here, content plays a key role in building the audience and this directly helps to attract audiences. And as soon as a podcast gathers a large section of the audience, the revenue registers start ringing.
Applications are invited for FCI New Delhi (Food Corporation of India) has been published for the 22 Post of Medical Officer, Assistant General Manager (Law), Assistant General Manager, Assistant General Manager (Accounts). Online application has started from 14/July/2015 and application submission will be closed on 14/August/2015. Below we have added a details such as like post name, age limit, qualification, date schedule, how to apply etc. Number of Posts : 11 Posts. How to Apply : Candidate should apply online for this job through the official website http://www.fcijobsportal.com before 14/August/2015.
The theft that I am referring to here has nothing to do with Ryan Lochte, but this headline was too amusing to not include. Image via KFBK News Radio. A few days ago, I wrote an article for the Montgomery County Republican Party's newsletter about how Olympic athletes are subject to taxes on their winnings in America. Two major events have happened since then. The first is, of course, LochteGate, and the second is that House Leader Kevin McCarthy announced that the House will debate a bill identical to the one passed in the Senate the removes the taxes levied on medals for Olympic and Paralympic athletes. This is a complete no-brainer and I can only hope that it passes smoothly when the House reconvenes. Maryland's renown for blue crabs is now rivaled for its Gold Medal tally. If Maryland were a country, it would rank in the world's top ten countries to win Gold Medals. Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky have been making Marylanders proud since well before the Rio Olympics started. In fact, the Baltimore Ravens stopped playing a preseason game to watch Phelps win his 22nd Gold (this was clearly a good omen for them, because they beat the Carolina Panthers 22-19). In addition to this positive attention, Phelps and Ledecky, as well as every American athlete to medal in the Olympics are also getting recognition from Uncle Sam in terms of the taxes they have to pay on winning. Maybe this is the real reason for his famed Phelps Face. The fact that Michael Phelps has had to pay tens of thousands of dollars in taxes for being the best swimmer in the world would be a pretty sufficient reason to make a #PhelpsFace every Tax Day. Image via YouTube. In the eyes of the IRS, winning a Gold Medal is the same as winning the lottery, and you are taxed accordingly. The comparison between winning something in a pure stroke of luck and being the best at something in the entire world makes no sense, and most countries waive the fees that their winning athletes would have otherwise had to pay. Back in 2012, Marco Rubio introduced a bill to ensure that Olympians avoided taxes on their winning, and a similar version was passed this year. Its House counterpart is still in committee, but, if passed, President Barack Obama is expected to sign it since he has previously expressed his support for such measures. How much is each Olympian charged? A Gold Medalist receives $25,000, a Silver Medalist receives $15,000, and a Bronze Medalist receives $10,000. However, they don't keep nearly that much, with a study by Americans for Tax Reform concluding that these medalists owe as much as $9,400, $5940, and $3,960 for each win. Athletes are charged not only for their prize money, but also on the value of the medals themselves! In case this seems trivial, consider athletes such as Simone Biles and Michael Phelps, who have both won several Golds in a single Olympics. Both Biles and Phelps are considered among the best athletes in history in their respective sports (Phelps even broke a world record set by Leonidas of Sparta over two thousand years ago!) Biles will owe as much as $43,500 in taxes on her winnings, and Phelps will pay as much as $55,000. Is this really how we want to treat the man who carried our flag into the Parade of Nations? I don't think so. Fortunately, this seems like an issue with enough bipartisan support for it to be resolved by the time Maryland athletes are sweeping the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Previous Previous post: Is Donald Trump's Outreach Plan to Colorado's Millennials a 12 Year Old Campaign Co-Chair?
The two, who recently returned to New York after a vacation in India and then a brief stopover in Brazil, were spotted spending quality time with Nick's family as they went cycling.According to E! Online, Priyanka and Nick went cycling with the singer's brother Joe Jonas and his fiancee, Sophie Turner.Twinning in white, the alleged couple was also snapped holding hands. The two have been romantically linked ever since they walked the 2017 MET Gala red carpet together.Yes, rumoured couple Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas celebrated July 4 (US Independence Day) together, at least this is what the latest pictures of them from New York appear to be saying. Twinning in white and holding hands, Priyanka and Nick were spotted with the singer's family and, pictures of them riding bicycles, have also been shared. Priyanka looks chic in white top and denim shorts while Nick is also casually dressed. Did Priyanka and Nick celebrate Fourth of July together? Was the question the Internet asked after Priyanka, in her Instagram stories, shared a picture of two little girls waving at the American flag and from the same location, Nick had also posted a photo with his brothers.

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