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High Performance Web Solutions for Small Business
This is my website. I’m not going to show you pictures of me “consulting” or “coding”. This is not very exciting. You don’t want to see me diligently working on websites for clients. This is not the “stuff of legends”. It’s not very glamorous either, unless there’s some dramatic lighting involved — which sometimes happens.
So instead, I bring you what I do, samples of my great work…and a monkey riding a goat. | {
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11D10N Tibet Overland Tour (Lhasa – Kathmandu)
Embark on the classic 1,000 km long journey along the Friendship Highway that connects the fabled city of Lhasa, Tibet to the bustling city of Kathmandu, Nepal. The route covers some of the most historic cities in Tibet, taking in important palaces, monasteries and natural vistas such as lakes, glaciers and mountains.
Visit the famous Potala Palace where the legendary Dalai Lama used to live. At Jokhang Temple – the most sacred temple in Tibet, you will be impressed by the devotion of the Tibetans as you observe them performing their full body prostration and kora (circumabulation) rituals around the temple compound. Catch the sunrise over the vast, 4700m high, turquoise Namtso Lake with the magnificent Nyenchen Tanglha mountain range as its backdrop.
Rumble down the mountain roads through several high mountain passes to the Everest Base Camp for a close up view of Mount Everest. Stay overnight with a nomadic Tibetan family and savour a bowl of Thukpa (Tibetan Noodle Soup) and butter tea in the warmth of their yak fleece tent. The journey also brings you across the 5150m Thong La Pass with enchanting views of Shisapangma (8012m), Makalu (8463m), Lhotse (8516m) and Cho Oyu (8210m). As you journey towards Kathmandu, a whole new adventure and experience begins.
ITINERARY
Day 01
CHENGDU – LHASA
In the morning, you will board a domestic flight from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport to Lhasa Gonggar Airport (1 hr 50 min flight). Get your cameras ready as you will be flying above the beautiful Himalayas mountain range among the clouds. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be greeted by our friendly Tibetan guide who will bring you to the hotel (1 hr drive away). As you will need to adjust to the high altitude, the rest of the day is left for you to rest or to explore Bakhor Street which is within walking distance.
Overnight: Hotel
Day 02
LHASA
The next two days will be spent exploring the sights in Lhasa City and understanding the culture of the local Tibetans. Visit the famous Potala Palace, where the legendary Dalai Lamas used to live, and revisit scenes where the movie “Seven Years in Tibet” took its inspiration from. Take a short stroll to Jokhang Temple nearby and appreciate the religious devotion of the local Tibetans by seeing how they perform their koras. Spend your afternoon watching the monks debating about Buddhist philosophies animatedly in the courtyard of the Sera Monastery. Food choices are plenty in Lhasa, ranging from local Tibetan, Indian, Western and Chinese. Do not miss out on visiting a local Tibetan teahouse and try a sip of their local tea as well.
Overnight: Hotel
Day 03
LHASA
Make a trip to Drepung Monastery that is situated in the west, be awed by its magnificence as it is the largest Tibetan Buddhist Monastery. Deepen your understanding of the history of Tibet by exploringthe Tibet museum. In the late afternoon, take a stroll in the Norbulingka Palace (aka Summer Palace) where the 14th Dalai Lama last stayed before fleeing to India and enjoy the greenery.
Overnight: Hotel
Day 04
LHASA – NAMTSO LAKE(Distance and time: ~250km, 5 hrs)
Namtso Lake (“Heavenly Lake” in Tibetan) is one of the three holy lakes in Tibet. Situated at 4718m above sea level with an area of 1920 km2, it is the biggest lake in Tibet and one of the highest lakes in the world. The snow-capped Nyenchen Tanglha mountain range, with peaks more than 7000m, forms a picturesque backdrop behind Namtso Lake. Interestingly, these were the actual mountains that Heinrich Harrer (from the Seven Years in Tibet) scaled. Make your way up to the small hill beside the lake for a bird eye’s view of the lake and the Tanglha range. Get your cameras ready as you witness the dramatic sunset cast over the calm of the lake.
Overnight: Hotel
Day 05
NAMTSO LAKE – LHASA(Distance and time: ~250km, 5 hrs)
Early risers can choose to wake up early to catch the equally dramatic sun rising over the lake. You will make your back to Lhasa after a leisure breakfast. On the way back, there is an opportunity to visit the Yangbaijing hot springs, which have been harnessed to produce electricity for Lhasa.
You will travel along the famous Friendship Highway from Lhasa to Shigatse – a scenic route with plenty of viewpoints among the Himalayas mountain ranges. The dazzling Yamdrok-Tso (another one of the three holy lakes of Tibet) from the 4700m Kamba-La Pass in a fabulous shade of turquoise is so breathtaking that it looks almost surreal. Far in the distance is the glaciated peak of Nojin Kangtsang rising to 7191m. In Gyantse, you will visit the Pelkor Chode Monastery and the Gyantse Kumbum (multi-storied aggregate of Buddhist chapels) – the largest chorten in Tibet and one of its architectural wonders.
Overnight: Hotel
Day 07
SHIGATSE – LHATSE – SHEGAR(Distance and time: ~485km, 8 hrs)
In the morning, visit Tashilunpo Monastery – one of the six great monasteries of the Gelugpa sect and the traditional seat of Panchen Lama. This is followed by a drive to Shegar, also known as New Tingri over Tso-La pass (4500m) and Gyatso-La pass (5252m) via Lhatse.
Today, we will get up close and personal with the Grand Dame – Mount Everest. To travel to Everest Base camp, you will be driven from Shegar to Rongbuk on unpaved roads, climbing up to Pang-La Pass (5050m) with sweeping views of the Himalayas range – including Makalu, Lhotse, Everest and Cho Oyu. The drive then descends down to valleys lined with photogenic villages. Visit Rongbuk Monastery, probably the highest religious building in the world. You can then take a shuttle bus or trek approximately 3 km from the “Tent Hotels” area to the Everest Base Camp. The Base Camp itself is dry and barren, but the views of Everest are beyond breathtaking. Catch the sunset over Mount Everest and witness how the mountains get illuminated by the sun rays.
Begin your day by watching the sun rise over the Everest Grand Dame. You will then be driven to Gyirong via Old Tingri and Nyalam, crossing the Thong-La pass (5150m) – the last high pass before descending to the sub-continent – with enchanting views of Mt. Shishapangma – the only eight thousander entirely within the Chinese territory. From the pass, the route will descend down to Gyirong, the border town of Tibet. The landscape changes drastically in the last 30km from Nyalam to Gyirong, leaving behind the rocky and arid Tibetan Plateau to enter into a humid, dense and evergreen forest with deep river gorges and waterfalls.
Overnight: Hotel
Day 10
GYIRONG– KODARI – KATHMANDU(Distance and time: ~120km, 5 hrs)
After a leisure breakfast, you will bid goodbye to your Tibetan guide to clear the Chinese Customs and walk across the Sino-Nepal Friendship Bridge – a no man’s land – to the Nepali border town of Kodari. Our friendly Nepali local guide will greet you at the Nepali end of Friendship Bridge and will assist you with the VISA application and Custom clearance. For the adventurous, there is an option to experience extreme sports like Bungee jump or Canyon swing, available at The Last Resort situated at about 12km past Kodari. You will be driven directly to Kathmandu city, 114km away.
Overnight: Hotel
Day 11
KATHMANDU – SINGAPORE
After a buffet breakfast in the hotel, lose yourself in the shopping stretch of Thamel Road to pick up some last minute souvenirs. After which, we will arrange for your transport to the airport for your flight home.
Package includes:
Domestic air ticket from Chengdu to Lhasa
All airport transfers to and from hotel
Private 4WD land cruiser with driver for transport outside Lhasa
All accommodation in Chengdu, Tibet and Kathmandu (3-star hotels or guesthouse)
English Speaking local Tibetan guide
Lodging and meals for guide and driver
All necessary Tibet permits to carry out above itinerary
Vehicle and guide entrance tickets to Everest Base Camp
Package excludes:
Return international air ticket
Travel insurance
Transport during sight-seeing within Lhasa*
All entrance fees to places of interest (you only pay what you want to see)
All meals not indicated
Chinese Visa (Singaporeans are Visa-free up to 15 days)
Nepali Visa (You can get it on the spot when you arrive at Kodari – USD25 for a 15 day tourist visa )
Shuttle bus to enter EBC (if you hike up, then you can save it)
Tips for guide and driver
All expenses of a personal nature
*Transport during sight-seeing within Lhasa can be arranged but we recommend you to take taxi to save cost.
FAQ
Need more information on Tibet travel? Read through our Tibet FAQ and get them answered!
TESTIMONIALS
The trip to tibet n nepal opened my eyes to the locals’ way of living, as well as both countries’ rich culture n beautiful natural scenery. There were numerous exhilarating experiences for me during the trip – including seeing the elusive mt everest peak after waiting for hrs on end for the clouds to disperse, and waking up at 3am to partake in the traditional tibetan “yogurt” festival w the locals. We also had the chance to paraglide in nepal, an awesome way to enjoy the surrounding mountainous view; it was something that I had not intended to do before the trip but was glad i did! The tibet itinerary was rather flexible as we were allowed to choose the places we wanted to visit during the trip, based on our personal preferences. Looking back, it was gd that we were able to drive from tibet directly into nepal via the friendship bridge as it was interesting seeing the immediate contrast between the 2 countries’ architecture, infrastructure n pple despite their proximity. Thank you iwannatravel for this eye-opening trip!
– Shing (Group of 4 on a 13D12N trip to Tibet and Nepal in Aug 2014)
The whole organisation was prepared smoothly prior to the trip. The ample of times attending to the enquiries and the notes given had definitely been useful. For transport, guide (and driver), food, activities, accommodation - they were pleasant. The van provided was spacious especially the legroom, and even had enough room to store our bag packs. The guide and driver were very accommodative, for an instance, stopping the van to allow us take some photos before proceeding to the trail head. Additionally, both tried their best to attempt to make conversations in English. As per food and activities, it was great. The food complimented the next activity well, an example, we were provided rice instead of noodles on the day before our summit push and back to the trail head. It was essential since we had to have plenty carbohydrates for the long trek ahead.
– SR (Group of 5 on a 2D2N Xueshan trip in Oct 2017)
First, we would like to thank hs for coming up with the itinerary of the places that we wanted to visit and always being prompt and patient in answering our queries. This trip turned out to be one of the best trips ever! Our guide, Bayu, was simply wonderful. He speaks good English and we enjoyed our conversations with him. During the hike, he frequently stopped to ask if we were okay and if we needed a rest. He would also ask if we had any other places in mind that we would like to visit around the vicinity. In all, we felt very well-taken of throughout the entire trip. Our fondest memory was the day when we had cup noodles around a campfire together with him during the early hours of dawn at King Kong Hill. It was truly unforgettable. Bayu also offered to help us take photos during the trip and we were really thankful for that. Our driver, Bayu (same name as our guide) had superb driving skills. We were really amazed at how he was able to navigate and drive through narrow and winding roads under foggy weather conditions. Throughout the trip, both of them made us feel very safe and comfortable. We did not have to worry about anything. It was really such an enjoyable trip. A big thank you to our guide, Bayu, and our driver, Bayu! 🙂
– Eunice (Group of 2 on an 5D4N Ijen, Mt Bromo, Batu in June 2017)
We always have a wish that to have a wonderful trip with a lot of fun and laugh, and so we stop dreaming and start planning. No doubt IWT is our best choice with no regretted.
First of all, we wanna thank you to our tour guide Ms Vinda, a young lady with always have a cute smiling. She is very friendly, knowledgeable, understanding and patience lady. She care a lot of us, and make sure we are not injure while hiking, but manage to reach to the top. Due to some of my friends is lack of exercise and felt exhausted, especially Ijen and Mt Bromo, she keep accompanied us and make sure 4 of us are in good condition to continue. She keep reminding us some sleepy area, and hold our hand if needed to ensure we are not fell down. She also giving us a lot of info about some interest places were going and we'll communication. She always standby to be our photographer, even some time our pose is funny. She willing to share her photos and videos with us. Thanks ya. And most importantly that she notice 1 of my friend didn't wear a suitable shoe to waterfall, she immediately take off her shoe and let my friend to wear, and help to carry my friend shoe and walk with no shoe herself...so embarrassing. She treat us ginger tea while we feel cold, Indomee after hiking and dragon fruit along the way to Surabaya. Bring us to minimart to buy our secret stuff. Lastly, we should say that~Ms Vinda, thank you so much. We are enjoyable the trip and this is really amazing. We highly recommend her as a tour guide and wish her all the best. Thumb up 👍
– May (Group of 4 on a 4D3N Ijen Crater, Mount Bromo & Batu in May 2017)
Guide Syami was amazing! Very patient and extremely helpful towards my parents (55 and 50 year old folks) . His guidance really helped my parents with their hike. Shared his knowledge on the mountain and the wildlife there. Perfect.
– Farhana (Group of 6 on an 2D1N Mt Ophir Camping Trip in Apr 2017)
Very nice group, glad I made some good friends.
Thanks to the organisers who took us for dinner near a vegetarian friendly place.
– Rajan (Group of 12 on an Open Mt Ophir Trip in Mar 2017)
Coordination with IWT was a breeze. Ying was quick in responding to queries and very helpful, giving tips according to her own experience climbing Pelapah Falls. Prasanth, the driver, was on-time, friendly and skillful. Despite the hours of driving and waiting for us, he always wore a smile on his face. Nan, our guide, was very experienced. He was like a fatherly figure who knew exactly what he was doing and that brought a lot of assurance to us. Pelapah Falls has its challenges but it was such a good experience for my friends and I. We had to tread through cooling rivers, climb using ropes, avoid giant ants and manage a few leeches but the amazing and therapeutic waterfalls made it all worth it. All of us were counted as beginner hikers and we all made it. So don't worry. Just do it!
Everything was great! From planning til the end of the trip, everything was organised. The activities were fun and itinerary was well planned. We did not feel that we were rushed at all and we get to enjoy Borobudur and Mount Bromo in our own pace. Our guide, Bayu, was very friendly and helped us a lot especially when it comes to ordering food :). This is the most relaxing, hassle-free trip I've ever had! Thanks Iwannatravel 🙂
– Sunshine (Group of 7 on a 4D3N trip to Bromo & Borobudur in Aug 2016)
I really enjoy the whole travel experience. The driver is always contactable and prompt, and transport it’s quite comfortable. The mountain guide is friendly, and is knowledgeable and ensures that the last person is not left behind, and there are 2 guides provided to us for a group of 10 which I think is quite good. The accommodation at Melaka is quite clean and it’s within the tourist attraction; Jonker Street and there’s also some free and easy time to explore with driver provided.
– Xian Ying (Group of 10 on a 2D1N trip to Mt Ophir in May 2016)
I liked how fast HS was able to plan the itinerary for our group, making it flexible to suit our preferences and how he was very prompt to answer our questions and give suggestions on things that we can do. We only ask assistance for bookings on our Vietnam trip (Mt. Fansipan trek, Lao Cai- Hanoi train tickets and Halong Bay Day Cruise). However, upon knowing that we are also traveling to Laos, HS has gone an extra mile and help us map out our Laos itinerary too. Transport provided both for Fansipan trek and Halong Bay Day Cruise were awesome as they picked us up from our hostel right on time. Our Fansipan guide was very helpful and patient and ensured everyone's safety during the trek. While our Halong Bay Cruise guide was quite informative and very entertaining as she makes us laugh without even trying. Our group was very much satisfied with the food served to us both during the Fansipan trek and Halong Bay cruise. And of course, we definitely enjoyed all the activities we did: trekking up to the summit of Fansipan, riding a sleeper train from
Lao Cai to Hanoi and kayaking in Halong Bay. Organization of our trip is superb knowing that we were IWT's first customers to book for their Fansipan trek and Halong Bay Cruise trip. *^_^*
IWT LLP, acts only as an agent for The Client in acquiring transportation, accommodations, sightseeing, trekking and other services for The Client’s benefit, and on the express condition that IWT LLP shall not be liable nor responsible for any loss (including without limitation, direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential loss, economic loss), damage, mishap, bodily injury, death, delay, defect, omission or any irregularity that may be caused to The Client, third parties or properties. IWT LLP is to be released from all liabilities deriving from acts of terrorism, hijacking, civil unrest, natural calamities, labour strikes, thefts or any other factors beyond IWT LLP’s control. Any losses and expenses are to be borne by The Client. In the event that IWT LLP is found liable by a court of competent jurisdiction on any basis in relation to The Client’s booking done via IWT LLP, IWT LLP’s maximum liability to the client is limited to the cost of the booking in question. See our full Terms and Conditions. | {
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Beer: Ratings & Reviews
Reviews by cerveza5150:
Served poured from a 22oz bomber into a small sampling glass, a bit on the cold side, I'd say...40 degrees or so.
Head is razor thin and diminishes somewhat on pouring. CO2 is present, but not over active. The appearance isn't that impressive, to be honest.
The smell is pretty good, with hops present, as well as some sweet, caramel malts.
The taste is really, really, good! I held off from giving the taste a 5, due to the lack of a CO2 backbone. Lacing is present down the sides of the glass.
I'm thinking the lack of CO2 is probably due to the age of this bottle. It was going on 6 months, so I think it's seen better days! The taste was really good, so I'm looking forward to sampling a fresher offering from this brewery.
More User Reviews:
Somewhat cloudy copper orange. The bartendress suggested the beer was unfiltered. Very nice grass and citrus nose. Flavor hits with hops. Bitterness is subdued and the malt is present though slightly drying at the end. Could drink a lot of this. Short review for a very good beer.
A pleasant surprise in an un-hyped, plain bottle. Pours orangy-gold with a frothy white head. Clean pine hop aroma, with some citrus, a la the west coast style. Great taste of grapefruit and oranges. Bit of bread in the back a is a slight resiny tang. Dry finish. Nice.
Copper colored liquid, looks like it has a little more viscosity, might be in for a caramel malt bomb, but being that this is Rubicon, who has shown the ability to deliver good west coast hoppy beers, I dunno. Smell was a little subdued, pithy notes of citrus can be picked up, but they aren't as sharp as they should be.
Usual suspects in the taste, bitterness, caramel, mild sweetness. Hops just aren't out in the forefront like I hoped for. No bottle date, who knows how old this is, especially when purchased at a Bevmo. Really came off similar to most run of the mill to decent ipa's out there. Does Rubicon just make extra special batches for Bistro's hop events, or did I just get a less than desireable aged ipa bottle?
What should really be said here? Rubicon's IPA is a very straightforward amber-colored American style IPA. It has an aroma of citrusy Cascade hops combined with softly sweet biscuity and caramelish malts. The flavor is basically the same with some more pine-like hop character (it's a bit floral as well). It's solidly bittered but balanced. If anything, it could be a bit more refined (the bitterness does tend to stick at the back of the throat), but as it is, it's still far more in-check than many of the examples on the market today. A straightforward, balanced, and drinkable American IPA.
Right off the bat this beer reminds me of Ballast Point Big Eye IPA in almost every regard. The appearance is similar- a golden-amber-orange color. The smell is similar- floral yet distinctively sweet malt. The taste is similar, has a big malt backbone that I don't normally see in IPA's, except by East Coast brewers who don't dry their IPA's out as much as most West Coast brewers. It delivers a nice floral hop flavor with a moderate resiny bitterness... went well with my chili and spicy nachos but overall the malt is just a bit too much here for me to really love it.
A golden orange into a large wine glass I pour ye, with a half inch of off white head. Fair retention and lacing. Looks rather rich.
Orangey, buttery, sweet, bit skunky in fact on the nose. No hops in the house, how is this an IPA? This beer reminds me of Union Jack (in the bottle) but isn't as good. Is it possible the beer was just very old and the hops had broken down? Maybe, but I didn't get that impression. There were some cryptic markings but nothing I could interpret as for freshness.
Back to the smell. A rich sugary citrus oil odor emanates, not my favorite though apparently there are many fans. Similar to some Firestone offerings in that regard.
Taste follows with a buttery texture, rich and syrupy. Bitterness is cloaked on the finish as are hops on the nose by the sweetness.
Feel and Drink, yeah, OK.
This beer is like a dumb blonde to me. She's pretty and all but the reality comes hard and it comes fast. If you like the Cascade/Crystal combo with a rich buttery diacetyl flavor then I would consider this an average Pale Ale. Yet this is a strange one in the IPA world.
Color is crystal clear with a bright golden hue. Head is nice and frothy, clings and clumps all over the glass. Aromas are of pine needles, hop resin, and cat pee. (kinda looks like cat pee) Taste is bursting with hoppy goodness. Flavors of orange, lemon, pine, grass, and herbs. Finish is lasting with a dry tangy hop-pucker. Great for the style, classic Cali IPA.
A - Came with a solid one finger creamy head in a perspiring pint glass. A golden color with good clarity. A thick, creamy off white head. Good lacing.
S - Very good fresh hop aroma. Citrus and a touch of pine to is. Slight sweet malt to round it out.
T - Very good hoppy flavor to this IPA. Lots of Grapefruit. Good sweet malt backbone. Finish is bitter and dry. Awesome IPA.
M - Good Medium Body, right amount of carbonation.
D - This is a very well rounded IPA. The best cure in a pitcher to a long week. The bottled version is a touch less impressive then on tap. So if your in the Sac area it is best to stop by the Brewery. | {
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Airport Split
Airport Split, also named Resnik, is situated 25 kilometres from Split and 6 km from Trogir. Airport Split is relatively small, with one terminal and one runway. Since it gets very busy during the summertime with all tourist arrivals, in close future airport is expected to grow.
During the high season Airport Split is very busy destination of numerous regular and charter flights. National company Croatia Airlines has direct flights to all bigger European cities. Airport Split is directly connected to 75 destinations in 21 different countries.
Airport Split is the second busiest airport in Croatia, following capital Zagreb's Airport Pleso. | {
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Practice Common Sense in Your Life
Applied Common Sense in Your Life
JM Perry Learning has prepared a series of compact books, audio and video recordings of bite-size tools, solutions, and behavior recipes to apply COMMON SENSE, reduce “stupidity”, and improve your happiness and success in life.
If you want to DO WHAT YOU KNOW, you must equip yourself with the TOOLS to help you engage COMMON SENSE.
When snatching a rationalization from the jaws of logic fails to hold any more promise… it’s time for APPLIED COMMON SENSE!
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The mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence today demanded the Metropolitan police chief take 'decisive action' after a damning report found officers spied on her family.
Baroness Lawrence has urged Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe to co-operate fully with the judicial inquiry ordered by the Home Secretary following the Ellison review's 'devastating' revelations, in a letter seen by the BBC.
The call comes as it emerged Stuart Lawrence, Stephen's brother, said he should take part into the probe into police handling of the case.
Aspiring architect Stephen was murdered by racists at the age of 18 in Eltham, south-east London, in April 1993.
Decisive action: Baroness Doreen Lawrence (left) has today called for Met Police chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe (right) to take 'the relevant and appropriate action' against those named in a damning report, which found officers spied on her family in the wake of the murder of her son Stephen in 1993
It took nearly 20 years for two of the gang of up to six killers to be brought to justice.
A report by barrister Mark Ellison QC published this week found that one of the officers on the original investigation into his death, detective sergeant John Davidson, may have acted corruptly.
It was claimed that Davidson had admitted having a 'corrupt connection' with Clifford Norris, the gangland boss father of David Norris, who was finally convicted of Stephen's murder in 2012.
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An undercover officer also passed on personal details concerning the Lawrence family, such as comments on the separation of Stephen's mother and father Doreen and Neville, the review found.
In the letter, Baroness Lawrence is said to have called on Sir Bernard to take 'the relevant and appropriate action' against individuals identified in the Ellison review.
Murdered: Stephen Lawrence. The revelations were made in the Ellison review into the case
She has asked for a personal undertaking from the Met police commissioner that he and the force 'will fully co-operate with the continuing enquiries the home secretary referred to in her oral statement to the House of Commons as well as the judge-led public inquiry she has ordered', the BBC reported.
The letter concluded: 'It goes without saying that the revelations in the review have been a devastating blow to Mrs Lawrence and her family.
'Any confidence that Mrs Lawrence had in your organisation has been shattered. Nothing short of immediate and decisive action by you will begin to help build the trust needed to go forward.'
Her son Stuart told the BBC: 'I reserve judgement until I hear who he's tried to employ to try to do this job and I wouldn't mind being part of the team myself to ensure the job is done.
'I'm a bit sceptical and reserved about apologies if that's all they are because they are just words.
'I want to see something done,' he added.
Sir Bernard said yesterday he would 'assist in any way possible' with any investigation into the claims. He plans to appoint an independent investigator to search Met archives to try to find any available evidence for the public inquiry into undercover policing.
Commander Richard Walton has been temporarily removed from his job as head of the Met's counter-terrorism command SO15 following the publication of Mr Ellison's report.
It revealed that an undercover officer - known as N81 - held a meeting in 1998 with Mr Walton, who was then an acting detective inspector working on Scotland Yard's Lawrence review team, responsible for making submissions to the Macpherson Inquiry.
That inquiry was conducted in the late-1990s to look at the way the police had originally investigated the murder of Mr Lawrence.
N81 infiltrated a group in the late 1990s, which then sought to influence the Lawrence family campaign to further its own agenda, the Ellison report revealed.
The head of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), Dame Anne Owers, has apologised to the Lawrence family for the police watchdog's part in prolonging the 'family's search for the truth'.
Following the report's publication on Thursday, Baroness Lawrence fought back tears in the House of Lords as she said her family had gone through '21 years of struggle'.
She said she had always believed that there was corruption in the police investigation into her son's murder and was on the verge of breaking down as she made an emotional statement.
The Labour peer said: 'When we embarked on the corruption case - because I knew there was always something and it was very difficult to convince other people around me, especially other police officers and even at times the Home Secretary - I believed that there was corruption at the start of Stephen's case.
'It's taken over a year for that (Mark Ellison's review) but it's taken nearly 21 years since Stephen's been killed, and the fact that we as a family had to go through all this and still there's more to come out.'
She added: 'It's been 21 years of struggle and no family should have to do that.'
Incredulous: Doreen and Neville Lawrence, pictured in 1998. Mr Lawrence said he 'sat down and cried' when he heard of the report's contents | {
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Hear Ye, Hear Ye
Symposium recognizes Professor Peter Dallos and his work on the inner workings of the ear
Professor Peter Dallos has spent nearly five decades studying the inner workings of the ear.
EVANSTON, Ill. --- Northwestern Professor Peter Dallos, who has the mind of a scientist and the heart of an artist, didn’t set out to spend nearly five decades studying the inner workings of the ear. But, through a twist of fate he found a niche in the field of hearing science.
Friends, colleagues and the “who’s who” of inner ear and hair cell researchers will celebrate Dallos, the John Evans Professor of Neuroscience, and his nearly 50-year career at Northwestern at a day-long symposium and gala dinner Oct. 8 at the Hilton Orrington Hotel in Evanston. Dallos holds a joint appointment in the School of Communication and the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences.
Dallos, whose passion was painting in high school, ended up at Northwestern as a Ph.D. student. He took a position in the audiology department the year after graduation so that he could be with his then wife who was a Northwestern senior completing her studies. At the time, audiology wasn’t a field Dallos was familiar with.
“When I walked in the door, I told Dr. Carhart, who is the father of the field, ‘Look, I know absolutely nothing about the ear or hearing,’” Dallos said. “Dr. Carhart said, ‘That’s okay, go to the library. I don’t want to see you until you come up with something interesting.’”
About that time, it was discovered that the ear’s inner hair cells provided virtually all information to the central nervous system, so Dallos took on the challenge of studying why we have outer hair cells. Ever since he has been making a name for himself by advancing our understanding of outer hair cells and the mammalian hearing organ known as the cochlea.
“Outer hair cells have clearly shown what makes the mammalian ear so wonderful,” Dallos said. “It turns out that they are local mechanical amplifiers. They feed mechanical energy back onto the vibrating substrate upon which they’re located and boost its amplitude so that we hear better and hear more sharply.”
During his long career of scientific research, Dallos never abandoned his love of art. Erin White, broadcast editor at Northwestern, talks with him about his career in hearing science and plans for a second career as a sculptor.
How did you find your way to Northwestern more than 50 years ago?
When I was a teenager I was all set to become a painter. But then I saw the light. Starving artist and all that, so I decided to become an engineer.
I came to Chicago from Hungary in 1956, after the Hungarian revolution. I was at that time a senior in college in Budapest. I finished my engineering undergraduate degree at the Illinois Institute of Technology. I decided then to get an advanced degree. Northwestern gave me a full ride, and I got my master’s degree in a year and my Ph.D. in another three.
You obviously found something interesting to study!
Through my work in the audiology department, I did get into physiology, studying electrical properties of the auditory system and the electrical potentials that are produced by the auditory system. We gradually made some discoveries. Eventually, my research zeroed in on one of the a central problems in hearing, which is related to the roles of two kinds of sensitive receptor cells in the auditory system of the mammal---inner hair cells and outer hair cells.
When it was discovered that inner hair cells were providing virtually all the information to the central nervous system, the questions were: Why do we have outer hair cells? What do they do? How do they influence hearing, if they do, and what is their role? How do they do whatever it is they do? There was absolutely no information.
So, that is when outer hair cells became a focus of your research?
Yes. With a variety of a lot of primitive techniques in the beginning, we were able to kill outer hair cells while maintaining inner hair cells to study animal behavior, physiology and more.
By looking at how animals heard in the absence of outer hair cells, we discovered that outer hair cells were essential for hearing. In their absence, we suffer a very significant hearing loss, and our ability to discriminate between different frequencies disappears.
You and your research team also discovered the gene that makes the motor protein prestin.
Yes, prestin is the electro-motile molecule in outer hair cells. It’s a unique motor protein. Nothing like it exists in all of biology, because it is a direct electrical voltage-to-force converter. And it is incredibly fast. It functions on the microsecond scale. All other biological motors function more on the fractional-second scale. We discovered this molecule and published about it in the year 2000. This discovery produced a whole industry.
What will you do when you eventually retire?
About 10 or so years ago, my wife gave me a present, which I didn’t ask for. She enrolled me in a sculpture class. I had really no great interest in enrolling the class, but I went anyway. I was curious. I have since fallen in love with sculpting. When I retire, I will begin my second career, as a sculptor. You see, I never really abandoned my interest in art, and over the years I’ve collected art quite seriously. I have a reasonably representative collection of Chicago Imagist paintings.
What sort of sculptures do you create?
I’m into sculptural representation, in somewhat of an abstract form, of things that are troubling humanity now. My sculpture represents machines or buildings or things that are clearly man-made, interacting with organic forms that represent the nihilism or anarchy or the response of the abused Earth.
I spend most of my weekends creating sculptures in the machine shop in my lab, which I equipped with appropriate welding equipment. Most of the pieces are made of welded steel. I have between 30 and 40 pieces now and I’m keeping them together for showing.
What can we expect at the symposium on October 8?
The people who will be coming to give the talks are really the top people in the world in this field. I fully expect that they will have a few surprises. They are all excellent speakers and have a lot to say. It should be a really fun event. | {
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Indigo To Start Chandigarh-Dubai Flights From September
Chandigarh: Domestic budget airlines IndiGo on Sunday announced direct flights from the city to Dubai, starting September, a year after the inauguration of a new terminal at the Chandigarh International Airport.
The city is all set to get on the international aviation map with the announcement. IndiGo will launch its new daily non-stop flights between Chandigarh and Dubai, starting September 26, the Gurgaon-based carrier said in a release.
It has also announced special all-inclusive return fare of Rs 9,999 for its maiden international flight, which is up for booking from today.
"We are very excited about the new launch from Chandigarh to Dubai. Chandigarh has been a promising market for us at IndiGo. We are excited to provide an international connection from Chandigarh which has been a long standing request from the people of city," IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh said in the release.
The new terminal at the Chandigarh International Airport, constructed with an investment of Rs 939 crore, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 1 last year.
The terminal is being operated and maintained by Chandigarh International Airport Ltd (CHIAL), a joint venture firm between Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the governments of Punjab and Haryana.
AAI holds 51 per cent stake in CHIAL while Punjab and Haryana have 24.5 per cent equity each. The largest airline by domestic market share, IndiGo, currently operates 812 flights per day to 40 destinations with a fleet of 110 Airbus A320 aircraft. IndiGo had commenced its international operations in September 2011. | {
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Things Fall Apart: Analysis - Chapters 9 - 11
The relationship between Ekwefi and Ezinma is not a typical parent-child relationship; it is more like one between equals. Ekwefi receives a great deal of comfort and companionship from her daughter and, because she has lost so many children, she loves and respects her daughter all the more. Although motherhood is regarded as the crowning achievement of a woman’s life, Ekwefi prizes Ezinma so highly, not for the status motherhood brings her but, rather, for the love and companionship that she offers.
Mutually supportive interaction between women receives increasing focus as the novel progresses. For example, Okonkwo’s wives frequently try to protect one another from his anger. Before Ezinma’s birth, Ekwefi was not jealous of Okonkwo’s first wife; she only expressed bitterness at her own misfortune. While Okonkwo gathers medicine for the fever, his other wives try to calm Ekwefi’s fear. Ekwefi’s friendship with Chielo, too, is an example of female bonding.
The incident with Chielo creates a real dilemma for Ekwefi, whose fear of the possible repercussions of disobeying her shows that Chielo’s role as a priestess is taken seriously—it is not just ceremonial. But Ekwefi and Okonkwo’s love for their child is strong enough that they are willing to defy religious authority. Although she has lost nine children, Ekwefi has been made strong by suffering, and when she follows Chielo, she chooses her daughter over the gods. In doing so, Ekwefi contradicts Okonkwo’s ideas of femininity and demonstrates that strength and bravery are not only masculine attributes. Okonkwo also disobeys Chielo and follows her to the caves. But he, too, is careful to show respect to Chielo. She is a woman, but, as a priestess, she can order and chastise him openly. Her authority is not to be taken lightly.
Unlike the narration of Chielo’s kidnapping of Ezinma, the narration of theegwugwu ceremony is rather ironic. The narrator makes several comments to reveal to us that the villagers know that the egwugwu are not real. For example, the narrator tells us: “Okonkwo’s wives, and perhaps other women as well, might have noticed that the second egwugwu had the springy walk of Okonkwo. And they might have noticed that Okonkwo was not among the titled men and elders who sat . . . But if they thought these things they kept them within themselves.” The narration of the incident of the medicine man and the iyi-uwa seems likewise to contain a trace of irony. After discussing the iyi-uwa and egwugwu in a tone that approaches mockery on a few occasions, the narrator, remarkably, says nothing that seems to undermine the villagers’ perception of the strength of Chielo’s divine power.
The story that Ekwefi tells Ezinma about Tortoise and the birds is one of the many instances in which we are exposed to Igbo folklore. The tale also seems to prepare us, like the symbolic locusts that arrive in Chapter 7, for the colonialism that will soon descend upon Umuofia. Tortoise convinces the birds to allow him to come with them, even though he does not belong. He then appropriates all of their food. The tale presents two different ways of defeating Tortoise: first, the birds strip Tortoise of the feathers that they had lent him. This strategy involves cooperation and unity among the birds. When they refuse to concede to Tortoise’s desires, Tortoise becomes unable to overpower them. Parrot’s trick suggests a second course of action: by taking advantage of the position as translator, Parrot outwits Tortoise. | {
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Shooting inside church injures two teens
Tools
Two teens were injured in a shooting inside a Richmond church this afternoon, a police sergeant said.
Witnesses said three male suspects entered the New Gethsemane Church of God In Christ Inc. at 2100 Roosevelt Ave. at about 12:30 p.m. where about 100 people were inside attending the service, Richmond police Sgt. Bisa French said.
One of the suspects then began shooting at several members of the congregation, according to French.
A 14-year-old boy and 19-year-old man sustained non-life threatening injuries in the shooting and were taken to an area hospital, French said.
No suspects have been arrested and a motive for the shooting has not been determined. The suspects are described as black males wearing black hooded sweatshirts with the hoods up. | {
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Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Review: Edenbridge - The Great Momentum
If you ask me Edenbridge sets themselves apart from other bands in the genre. Why? This mostly has to do with Sabine Edelsbacher’s characteristic vocal style. Even though these vocals do sound a bit poppy at times, especially when it comes to the heavier metal tracks, it’s clear that Edenbridge focuses on clear and bombastic vocals. You can not only hear this in the up-tempo metal tracks, but also in the somewhat quieter songs and even in the beautiful ballads like “Until The End of Time”. Is this necessarily a good thing? I would say it is not. It goes without saying that Sabine Edelsbacher can sing. Quite admirable actually but, every now and again I have a feeling she could just as easily been in a musical or something. Granted, I am not familiar with the earlier Edenbridge albums, so I can’t say whether this is common for the band or if in some cases it would have been better to tone the bombastic greatness down a bit. However, this is certainly not the case in the earlier mentioned “Until The End of Time”. In this case, adding the male vocals makes it a very harmonious track.
What also stands out are the awesome guitar solos, the Spanish-like acoustic guitar in “The Die Is Not Cast” and the catchy “The Moment Is Now”. Not forgetting the awesome all-round greatness of “The Greatest Gift of All” What an incredible epic closing event!
All-in-all The Great Momentum by Edenbridge does what it needs to do and is a straightforward metal record with a lot of diversity in the songs and prominent leading vocals, which do take some getting used to. But once you do, you will surely be pleased! | {
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Complete Script for Dating Services. It comes with iOS and Android app for your users with a powerful admin dashboard you can control pretty much everything using it. ... Once you login to your Admin Dashboard of your Tinder Clone Script, you can add more Admins to help you. | {
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Tag Archives: reading
I was a junior English major at UC Berkeley and my husband, then-boyfriend, was a senior majoring in poli sci. He needed another class to finish out his year and decided to take a seminar led by author Maxine Hong Kingston. I seethed with envy; I couldn’t take the class because I still had major pre-reqs to fulfill. Did my man even know what books she’d written? Could he understand her aura of literary magic?
It was an amazing class, said my guy. And no, she didn’t teach it again until after I’d graduated. But you already figured that would happen, right?
So here I am, many years later, and can interact with Ms. Hong Kingston on Facebook. She is a true gem to follow, especially with her post-election commentary.
In a recent NYT article, she was asked to share the books she read over 2016. I was in awe at the sheer number of books she managed to consume. And I decided that for 2017, I would try to read as many books on her list as possible. One caveat: I would swap out a few in place of those on my own list. Plus, I’d already read a few books she’d listed. | {
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Contents
The Governor of the State of North Carolina is an elected Constitutional officer, the head of the Executive branch, and the highest state office in North Carolina. The Governor is popularly elected every four years by a plurality and is limited to two consecutive terms.
Additionally, no Governor-elect may take office until she has taken an oath before the Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court.
Elections
North Carolina elects governors in the Presidential elections, that is, in leap years. For North Carolina, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 are all gubernatorial election years. Legally, the gubernatorial inauguration is always set for the first day in the January following an election. Thus, January 1, 2013 and January 1, 2017 are inaugural days.
Vacancies
The Lieutenant Governor-elect takes office as the Governor is the Governor-elect fails to qualify. The Lieutenant Governor also takes over as Governor any time the sitting governor dies, resign, or is removed from office.
If the Governor is absent or unable to discharge the office due to mental or physical illness, the Lieutenant Governor becomes the Acting Governor.
If the Governor wishes to declare his temporary or permanent inability to discharge the office, he does so in writing be making a declaration to the Attorney General. The Governor may also resume his office by making a similar written declaration to the Attorney General.
The General Assembly may take a vote and declare, by a two-thirds majority of both chambers, that the Governor is unfit for the office by reason of mental incapacity. The legislature shall then give the Governor notice and hear the case before a joint session. When the legislature is in recess, the General Council may convene for the same purpose and follow the same procedure.
Removing the Governor from office for any other reason must be done as an impeachment.
Duties
Excepting the Governor's use of the State Seal of North Carolina and the gubernatorial power to make vacancy appointments, all Constitutional duties are laid out in Article III, Section 5.
The governor heads the Council of State. The governor is responsible for preparing and presenting the state budget to the General Assembly of North Carolina. Additionally,the governor of North Carolina has extensive powers of appointment of executive branch officials, some judges, and members of boards and commissions. The governor serves as Commander in Chief of the state military forces except when they are called into the service of the United States.
Other duties and privileges of the office include:
Residing at the official residence of the Governor
Making a periodic address to the state legislature concerning the state of North Carolina and giving recommendation to the legislature
Regularly monitoring the state budget to ensure that principal and interest on bonds and notes are paid promptly, and "effect[ing] the necessary economies" if revenue will not be sufficient to meet expenditures
Granting reprieves, commutations, and pardons, not including convictions for impeachment
Convening extraordinary session of the state legislature
Nominating and, with consent of the Senate, appointing all offices not otherwise provided for
Requiring written information from the head of any administrative department of office on the state of the office
Reorganizing the executive branch by making " such changes in the allocation of offices and agencies and in the allocation of those functions, powers, and duties as he considers necessary for efficient administration"
Reconvening the regular session of the General Assembly, not more than 40 days after sine die, for the sole purpose of considering bills returned by the Governor to the Assembly
Keeping and using "The Great Seal of the State of North Carolina" and signing all commissions granted by the state of North Carolina (§ 10)
Making vacancy appointments to all other Executive offices established by the Constitution, including making Interim and Acting appointments when the elected officeholders absence or disability is not permanent (§ 7)
State budget
The budget for the Governor's office in Fiscal Year 2013 was $5,438,279.[1] | {
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Ain’t no Sunshine at the Corcoran Group, now that its marketing bigwig is gone from the company.
The Post has learned that Louise Sunshine, the namesake and Chairman Emeritus of the company’s Corcoran Sunshine marketing arm, will not have her contract renewed by Corcoran’s parent company NRT, and has officially left the company as of yesterday.
Sunshine sold her successful company, the Sunshine Group, to NRT in 2002 for what is believed to be $9 million.
Since the beginning of the merger, speculation among industry watchers was that the relationship between Sunshine and Corcoran was strained, if not tempestuous at times.
“Louise and I have enjoyed a terrific working relationship in the past two years and while we will no longer have a formal business relationship, I wish her all the best,” said Corcoran CEO Pamela Liebman.
But Sunshine, who has been there for four years, stepped down in 2005 as CEO of the division to become a consultant with a fancy title.
Last April, Sunshine told The Post previous reports of her demise at the Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group “have been greatly exaggerated” after Kelly Kennedy Mack, who was groomed by Sunshine, was named division president. | {
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As we begin to see the snow accumulate around Penfield the town is excited to be adding some cross country skiing opportunities to the Shadow Pines property. We have been working with the Penfield School District to provide cross country skiing trails for community use as well as for the PHS Nordic team practices. The school district will begin grooming trails as soon as the conditions warrant, and those trails will be located on the property north of Clark Road. Stay tuned the Recreation Department for further information on the new opportunity! | {
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It’s Father’s Day, a day we celebrate everything our fathers have done for us. And most of all, a day to praise God. Because a celebration of fathers is ultimately a celebration of the Heavenly Father who created them. | {
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Residence Hall Association
The Residence Hall Association (RHA) at Washington State University is a council of students representing every residence hall (except McEachern & Stimson Halls). The council is made up of five elected Executive Board members, 34 Hall Council-Members (two from each hall), and one Advisor. Overall, the Residence Hall Association strives to increase student involvement across campus, support fun, safe, and educational programming for residence hall students, and advocate on behalf of on-campus residents to the university.
Our Mission
The mission of the Washington State University Residence Hall Association is to ultimately better the residence life experience on our campus. Assisted by student involvement and the interests of other organizations and departments RHA accomplishes this in three primary ways or "core values". The official mission statement is: | {
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The Trust's Nigel McKinney (right) at the launch of the Raglan Community Development Society community hub.
Community Shares transforming deprived area of Ballymena
03 July 2017
With the help of the Trust, a former public house destroyed by an IRA bomb more than 40 years ago is being transformed into a £1million community hub that will bring jobs and hope to one of Ballymena’s most deprived areas.
Raglan Community Development Renovation Society today launched a £120,000 community share offer to begin the first phase of a project that will turn the former Raglan Bar in Harryville into a thriving business and cultural centre.
Secretary of the society, William Millar said this offer gave the people of Harryville the chance to become shareholders and have a stake in a project that will regenerate an area that has suffered years of neglect and decline.
He said: “This project is about using people power to restore an area that has not benefited from the peace dividend. We are creating a shared space with business units, exhibition areas and educational services.”
The site has already undergone some restoration and the building is currently occupied by Slemish n tha Braid Credit Union. The plan is to develop the part not used by the credit union to transform it into a multi-purpose business/community hub used by residents, local community organisations and businesses.
When completed, the centre will contain up to nine new business units, a space for community projects and groups and an exhibition area connecting Harryville to its history.
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has provisionally agreed a financial package to support the project and this will be used to leverage more capital funding to complete the £412,000 first phase of the project.
The Mayor, Councillor Paul Reid said: “Council are pleased to be supporting this project. One of the five priorities in Council’s Corporate Plan is building stronger, safe and healthy communities and we believe that this project will help to do this in this area.
“We commend Raglan Community Development and Renovation Society for their vision in bringing a derelict building back into use in the heart of this community for the benefit of this community. We look forward to working with them to realise that vision.”
The share offer has been launched with the help of the Building Change Trust’s Community Shares Ready! Programme run by Co-operative Alternatives, an organisation set up in Northern Ireland to promote and raise awareness of co-operatives and community benefit societies.
Tiziana O’Hara of Co-operative Alternatives said that the closure of major employees such as JTI and Michelin in Ballymena and the resulting loss of jobs had created a desire by the community to seize control of its future and provide hope for the next generation.
“This exciting project offers the chance to invest in something that will have massive benefits not only for residents but will lead the way in Northern Ireland by showing how a co-operative of local people can take control of our community’s future.
“Raglan Community Development Renovation Society has had the vision to encourage a spirit of enterprise and bring jobs to this area. This is a community owned co-op that will work for the benefit of all. We want to see people take ownership and invest in the future of Harryville,” she added.
Investors can buy as little as £100 and up to a maximum of £20,000 worth of shares to become part of this exciting community owned enterprise. The first phase will consist of 843 square feet of workspace incorporating six business units and a community space. The community co-operative will be run on a one member one vote basis.
The closing date for share applications is Tuesday, September 29. To register interest telephone 07391611201 or email [email protected]
The Building Change Trust is a charity registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC103379 , its corporate Trustee, Building Change Trust Limited is registered as a company limited by guarantee in Northern Ireland NI071182
Tell Us What You Think of Our Website
Here at the Trust we want to make sure keeping you up to date on our work as best we can. A major way we do this is through our website, so we want it to work as well as possible. We'd really appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to answer some questions about the site and how we communicate overall. | {
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Observing the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, we looked at the development of a growing portfolio of standards designed to guide the manufacture, testing, and certification of security-related products, many of which did not exist before 2001. | {
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Lightning laments lost opportunities
BUFFALO -- Lightning backup goaltender Kevin Hodson was out of the NHL for the past two years and had not started in a month. A shutout would have been a lot to ask.
But not for Hodson.
Playing for his job every time he hits the ice, Hodson performed admirably during a 1-1 tie Wednesday at Buffalo before an announced 11,420 at HSBC Arena. Yet even as he accepted congratulations from teammates in the locker room, Hodson lamented the shot that got past.
"It was my fault," he said.
Hodson made 22 saves, many of them tough during the third period and overtime, to preserve the tie. But Vaclav Varada's wrist shot from a sharp angle trickled under Hodson's glove arm with 1:52 left in the second period.
"I feel good about the game, but I'm a little upset about the goal I let in," Hodson said. "I think it was a weak goal. That has to be stopped. The team played well enough to get two points."
The Lightning snapped a six-game losing streak at Buffalo dating to 1999 and, by earning one point for the tie, held onto first place in the Southeast. Tampa Bay tied it on a goal by Fredrik Modin, marking the eighth point it has earned when trailing after two periods and the 10th time it has rallied to earn points this season.
The Lightning improved to 5-4-3 on the road but would have preferred to beat the slumping Sabres, who have just one victory in their past 15 games and had lost eight of nine.
But no one blamed Hodson.
Rather, the Lightning pointed to missed scoring chances during the first two periods, the 0-for-7 power play and ineffective forecheck. The Lightning outshot Buffalo 24-23 but did not get a shot on goal during overtime. "Overall, we have to be happy to get a point but not thrilled," coach John Tortorella said. "We expect more right now. No disrespect to Buffalo, but we're looking to grab points. We find one here, and I still don't think we played a complete game. We had some opportunities to score goals early but didn't finish."
Tampa Bay's best scoring chance during the first two periods came midway through the second, when Dave Andreychuk poke-checked the puck away from a Sabres defender in front of goalie Martin Biron. Vinny Lecavalier picked up the loose puck for a one-on-one chance but failed to lift his forehand shot off the ice. "We should have scored more goals," Lecavalier said. "We had the opportunities to score, but we didn't capitalize on them."
Modin, who missed the past four games because of back spasms, tied it 4:37 into the third on a wrist shot from the slot. Assists went to Martin St. Louis, who fed a centering pass to Modin, and Dan Boyle.
After spending the past two seasons as a minor-league assistant coach, the 30-year-old Hodson is trying to make a comeback as all-star workhorse Nikolai Khabibulin's backup.
Hodson's only previous start this season was a 5-1 loss at New Jersey Oct.26, the second of back-to-back games. The Lightning did not play well in front of Hodson.
Still not certain of Hodson's future with the team, Tortorella gave him the nod Wednesday because the situation seemed right: a road game against a struggling opponent with the Lightning coming off a three-day break. Though he faced only four shots during the first period and let in the soft goal in the second, Hodson responded in the third. He denied the Sabres a short-handed goal midway through the period by getting just enough of his left pad on Curtis Brown's breakaway slap shot. Hodson also made several close-range stops.
"Every time he plays. he's fighting for his job," Tortorella said. "There's pressure on him, but it's a different kind of pressure because we're still evaluating him. I thought he played a very good third period, so that's good news. But I'm sure he'd like to have that one shot back." | {
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If their favorite NCAA team is playing, you can bet they got a seat front and center on the couch, remote in hand. So while they are texting his buddies about rooting for the winning team, they can also showoff their true school colors with this personalized iPhone 5 case. With easy, one-piece snap-on installation, they'll think this gift is the best thing since their own college days.
If their favorite NCAA team is playing, you can bet they got a seat front and center on the couch, remote in hand. So while they are texting his buddies about rooting for the winning team, they can also showoff their true school colors with this personalized iPhone 5 case. With easy, one-piece snap-on installation, they'll think this gift is the best thing since their own college days.Less | {
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Narcissistic behavior
by Cheryl ()
I work for a narcissistic boss that is overwhelming and unbearable at times. Please help my team to have guided strength, and courage to deal Positively with this person. Guide her Lord in a way to show her the way of leadership in a more kind way. Without the lies and deception. I ask these things in Jesus name, Amen. | {
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Washington DC – Friday Night Concert at the American Art Museum
I am currently in Washington, D.C. researching for the Unofficial Guide to Washington, D.C., as well as the TouringPlans.com coverage that (spoiler alert!) will be starting in a few months. Friday night I stopped by the Smithsonian American Art Museum to see a free concert because a concert inside an art museum sounded kind of rad. Here are some quick thoughts:
The concert was part of the Luce Unplugged, a series of music-related events that take place inside the Luce Foundation Center for American Art, located on the 3rd floor in the west wing of the American Art Museum. This particular event was a Community Showcase, meaning they had local bands play after hours (specifically from 6-8 p.m. — the museum closes at 7).
The gallery is three levels of art with the band at the far end.
The featured bands were the El Mansouris and Elena & Los Fulanos. I only say Elena & Los Fulanos, but they were talented and although their brand of indy-rock was not my favorite, it was energetic and fun. In addition to the music, guests were allowed to browse the collection in the Luce Center (the rest of the museum was closing or closed), which contains about 3,000 pieces.
Snacks and alcoholic drinks were for sale, but the line was definitely a deterrent. What I did wait in line for was a free tasting from the Port City Brewery, based out of nearby Alexandria, Virginia. They brought 3 beers and gave out generous samples of each. The line for the sampling was long, but much shorter than the line to pay for beer, which always confuses me.
What I found most fascinating was the people watching. There was clearly a mix of fans/friends of the band, people who go to all the museum events, and random stragglers who wandered around a lot (that was me). I don’t know if I can necessarily recommend going to one of the Luce Unplugged events (which was totally plugged-in, by the way), but keep it in mind if you’re visiting D.C., especially in the winter. With the museums closing early, a low-cost alternative to sitting in the hotel is always nice and the gallery created a very unique environment.
Brian McNichols
In addition to blogging, I also do some analyzin' here at Touring Plans. I am a travel nut, planning nut, Disney nut, wall nut. Husband of 1, father of 2. Hilariously funny in my own mind.
Find me on Twitter @YesThatBrian if you like really dumb jokes.
I was in DC for a conference this summer, and we were spending the evening in the city with a large group when we wandered into one of these concerts! There are some really great places to eat nearby, and the art in the gallery is fascinating even for a non-art-obsessed person like myself. We didn’t experience the long lines for drinks that you mentioned, but perhaps we were lucky. With such easy distance from the Metro, I’d definitely consider doing an evening here again, combined with dinner and maybe some bar hopping! | {
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Also this week in awful, an organisation with almost 100% white ownership and a 70% black workforce told its members that they couldn’t engage in certain acts of civic protest over police brutality. I refer of course, to the NFL. There is some hope, however.
I’m not dwelling overly long on the various political dramas of the White House week, but I’m conflicted about that choice. Because in part I think that it means the perceived tactic of this White House is working: they are sowing so much chaos, unreliable information, or outright conspiracy theories that it’s almost impossible to land any kind of blow on them no matter how necessary. The president is in tone (and who knows, I’m typing this on Wednesday, this could total expand by the end of the week) suggesting that the FBI planted evidence against him. This is farcical. He’s tried this tactic before, claiming that the game was rigged against him and his messaging was rather thrown off course when he actually won the election. Meaning that the long term scheme was for the government to plant a spy in his organization to gather information that they didn’t release while simultaneously investigating his opponent’s campaign organization and holding press conferences about that, so that he would win the election to install an administration of his own supporters….to then start undermining him?
The alternative option on this Occams Razor edge is that at some point Mr. Trump or people around him came to FBI attention due to the various shady dealings in his business past. But hey, why be simple when you can start another conspiracy theory. The president lies constantly and no one cares.
This from the president who has claimed that Barack Obama wiretapped him, suggested there were tapes of his conversations with James Comey, speculated that Obama wasn’t born in the U.S. and implied that Joe Scarborough played a role in the death of an intern, just to name a few. https://t.co/Szh6QiucDz | {
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Monday, July 20, 2009
July 19 - Part II
An amendment to Day 4 – turns out doing the laundry wasn’t the most excitement we had. After laundry, we went to lunch at Captain Patty’s where we both had chowder, I had salmon and Ger had halibut, all of which was excellent. We were by the window so we could watch all the boat and bird action out in the water. There were two loons there, so I got a picture of them after lunch.
You look'n at me, sucker?
Then we came back to Cleo, where we saw an eagle on the weather station across the street, so I took the camera and went to get pictures. He posed very nicely for me, and then started calling to someone high above. Sure enough, after a little while, there were two eagles sitting there, being chummy. So more pictures.
But the most excitement occurred while I was taking eagle pictures. Gerry took Gypsy out for a walk where she met a friendly black lab, and the two of them enjoyed a mad romp. And after that was the most fun part. We figured out what to do with that shower hose and nozzle that is in the utility bay outside the motorhome: you use it to give a salty dawg a bath. Why is it that the dog can romp and wade in icy water forever, but start showering her off with warm water and she starts shaking like she’s going to die?
1 comment:
Wow, these eagles photos are amaizing. How close were you when you took them?
You can tell what I have been up to for months by going to my website, we just put my new show up on the site's first page titled "Celebrating Color". Most of the paintings are on Aquabord. Southwest Art Mag is putting one in the August issue "Value" column, thanks to Cynthia at Elliott Fouts Gallery sending them photos of my work.
Miss you. I am saving up for another trip to Africa, want to go to Tanzania this time. Think about joining me.... | {
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GSoC: Guile-Emacs + Emacsy
From:
Ludovic Courtès
Subject:
GSoC: Guile-Emacs + Emacsy
Date:
Tue, 28 May 2013 14:10:12 +0200
User-agent:
Gnus/5.130007 (Ma Gnus v0.7) Emacs/24.3 (gnu/linux)
Hello Guilers & Emacsers!
I’m pleased to announce that there will be two Guile-related projects
going on as part of GSoC this year:
• Guile-Emacs, by BT Templeton
http://www.google-melange.com/gsoc/proposal/review/google/gsoc2013/bpt/35002
BT will continue the excellent work that has been done on Guile and
Emacs integration. Previous GSoCs focused on providing a
full-fledged Emacs Lisp front-end to Guile’s compiler and VM. This
project focuses on the missing piece: replacing the Emacs Lisp
interpreter in Emacs by Guile.
• Emacsy, by Shane Celis
https://google-melange.appspot.com/gsoc/proposal/review/google/gsoc2013/shanecelis/1
This is another approach to the Emacs/Guile vision: Shane will work
on a framework, Emacsy, that will allow application developers to
easily “emacsify” them–i.e., by providing the mechanisms for a
“key-lookup-execute-command loop” similar to that of Emacs, with
Guile inside.
(Shane and BT: feel free to introduce yourself and your project.)
I’m the mentor for these two projects, but I really hope they will
develop with good interaction with the Guile and Emacs folk. In
particular, I would like development issues and road maps to be
discussed primarily on the relevant project mailing lists.
I’m very excited about these two projects. I think they will help
promote a vision where users are in control and can readily exert their
freedom to study and adapt the software to their needs.
Thanks a lot to José and Giuseppe who have wonderfully handled GNU’s
participation in GSoC, and happy hacking!
Ludo’. | {
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The Obama administration finally acknowledged Wednesday, Aug. 31 that al Qaeda elements had been fighting in Libyan rebel ranks in last week’s capture of Tripoli. This came about in a cautious remark from the office of President Barack Obama’s terrorism adviser John Brennan: “Some members of the LIFG [Al Qaeda’s Libyan Islamic Fighting Group offshoot] in the past had connections with al Qaeda in Sudan, Afghanistan or Pakistan. Others dropped their relationship with al Qaeda entirely. It seems from their statements and support for establishing a democracy in Libya that this faction of LIFG does not support al Qaeda. We’ll definitely be watching to see whether this is for real or just for show.”
DEBKAfile’s military sources revealed Sunday, Aug. 28 that LIFG fighters had fought in the rebel capture of Tripoli on Sunday Aug. 21. Their commander, Abd Al-Hakim Belhadj, a veteran al Qaeda fighter from Afghanistan later extradited to Libya and held in prison there, had led the battle for the Qaddafi stronghold of Bab al-Aziziya two days later and has since proclaimed himself Commander of the Tripoli Military Council.
This confronts the US administration with the sole choice of accepting this fait accompli, especially after American reporters discovered in Muammar Qaddafi’s abandoned intelligence headquarters files attesting to the former Libyan ruler’s campaign against Al Qaeda’s Libyan recruits and outside infiltrators. Those files contained a map charting the day to day movements of al Qaeda and other extremist Muslim operatives in the country and their current addresses.
They also found documentary evidence of the close reciprocal ties Qaddafi maintained with Western counter-terror agencies, sharing with them the data his agencies gathered on al Qaeda movements.
Until now, President Barack Obama dismissed Qaddafi’s warnings that the rebellion which broke out against him in February would open the door for al Qaeda to seize power in Libya.
Our intelligence and counter-terror sources find the Brennan statement from the White House raised more questions than it answered:
1. Nothing was said about Washington’s reaction should the LIFG turn out in the future to pursue al Qaeda’s political, religious and terrorist agenda “for real” and not “just for show.” Will the US accept the LIFG commander Belhadj’s role as commander of Tripoli or take action to remove him? And what if its leaders are shown to be working closely with Al Qaeda in the Maghreb – AQIM? | {
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Magnus “Jycken” Cedenblad is out from UFC on Fox 6 Bout
The Swedish newspaper Expressen reported today that Magnus Cedenblad will not be fighting aginst Rafael Natal at UFC on Fox 6. Magnus was not cleared by the UFC as he has been diagnosed with Cataracts. Cedenblad will visit the doctor today to get a better assessment of the situation and how this might affect his career.
Magnus says this to Expressen:
“Catarcts… that’s like a 90-year old, old lady. My grandmother had to get a surgery for that last year, she is 99-years old.”
Joined the Viking army in the fall of 2011 and has been focusing primarily on adding video and other forms of media content to the site.
Daniel is currently training at Allstars Training Center and has competed in BJJ, SW and Amateur MMA.
Finn Eeva Siiskonen (5-4-2) will take on Irish Sinead Kavanagh (3-0) at BAMMA 27 on December 16 at the 3Arena in Dublin. The bout was announced today, which will be joint venture with Bellator 169. “I’m really excited that BAMMA offered me[...]
Welcome to the most comprehensive coverage of Nordic mixed martial arts website. Since 2008, MMAViking.com’s goal has been to create the source for Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Norway MMA news. Today, 50,000+ fans visit and enjoy the site each month. | {
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Our Beacon Forum
Missile-Phobia in Tel Aviv !
By:abdalaziz ariff / indiana
Date: Sunday, 7 July 2019, 6:17 pm
Missile-Phobia in Tel Aviv
by Taxi
Since the silent annexation of the United States of America by Tel Aviv, global Jewish crime syndicates have never had it so good. Jewish oppression and kleptomania have hit the roof and everywhere you look, there’s a Jew smiling at their quantum success. Happy Jew here, happy Jew there, happy Jews everywhere, everywhere, everywhere… except… in Tel Aviv.
Well, who can relax when hundreds of thousands of ballistic missiles are pointing at their head 24/7 and the enemy’s finger is hotly on the trigger?
Fact is, that despite all that ill-gotten Jewish affluence and control of the Western hemisphere, despite their possession of nukes and their dictatorship of all of America’s political, intelligence and military institutions, Tel Aviv remains a hapless sitting duck in the Middle East – increasingly targeted by increasing missiles. | {
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Inside a bee hive
To stay up to date with the latest information in the beekeeping industry to may check out our apiculture latest news. On the other hand in case you are new to apiculture and desire to start professional beekeeping today download a copy of our beekeeping for beginners ebook.
Beekeeping can either be a full-time profession or a simple hobby. Yet, more often than not, what started as a hobby would turn into a profession. But you cannot simply tell and determine yourself you will begin to do beekeeping. You need to have understanding and satisfactory knowledge on the subject that you’re going to enter before starting on any avocation or profession. Then it is about time to indulge yourself in your line of interest, if you’ve been putting off your curiosity about beekeeping for quite a while. Bee farming may appear easy; by learning the basic beekeeping lessons, you can be got away to a great beginning.
What does a beekeeper have to know?
First, you should have full interest on beekeeping to start at the right foot. You should also have consented to share your dwelling space. There are possible risks in beekeeping that can hurt not only you but your family as well. If you decide to allow the bees inside your living space, you then must understand the supplies and gear that you will use for beekeeping. Your focus is not only to build an income by selling honey; a good beekeeper should have passion and a keen interest in rearing bees.
An apiarist should know the right location for the beehives. The place must have sufficient sources of nectar for the bees to get. You have to make sure that beekeeping is enabled in your area, if you decide to put your beehives at your backyard. There are several areas restricted to beekeeping; you have to get permission concerning this.
Beekeepers must understand whether beekeeping supplies can be found in the area where the beehives are situated. When you must attend a local beekeeping store you may never know; it is best that a nearby beekeeping shop is reachable.
Protective gear and equipment are also important for beekeepers to know. This will minimize the odds of being stung by your bees. Know the right kind of suit to select to keep you from any potential risk in beekeeping.
In case you are unable to harvest honey from your bees all the attempts that are beekeeping would be useless. A beekeeper should know the approaches in gathering the honey from your comb; beeswax is also part of the returns in beekeeping. | {
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I A A MIDDLE AGED PARTLY PRALISED PERSON FROM THAKURPUKUR KOLKATA SEEKING HONEST AND DECENT FRIENDSHIP FROM FAIR COMPLEXION BENGALI WORKING FEMALES. SHE MAY BE A WIDOW OR DIVORCEE OR SINGLE WORKING BENGALI FEMALE FROM KOLKATA WEST BENGAL.
She's an incredible woman."After spending Christmas with their own families, the couple spends New Year's together in London. discloses to the that their father has been aware of Meghan's relationship since it began.
If this is so, please log in with your original details at the top right-hand corner of this page, and then visit your Payment History page. Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top Return to Top QUEEN'S GATE SCHOOL Queens Gate is a thriving GSA day school for girls aged 4 18 and is ideally situated in Central London to take advantage of the many educational opportunities on offer..
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an important exception is the Stri Dharma Paddhati of Tryambakayajvan, an official at Thanjavur c. The text compiles strictures on women's behaviour dating back to the Apastamba sutra (c. Razia Sultana(1205-1240) became the only woman monarch to have ever ruled Delhi. | {
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My name is Miki. I'm a junior colldge syudent. I have a dog. His name is shiza. He is a mongrel and middle-sized dog. He is a White. He is very wise. Because he follow me, When we are walking. So he is very cute. | {
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Thank you for choosing to purchase a session with me. All of my readings are done within 24 hours or sooner! Use the drop down menu to the Add to Cart button and choose which type of reading you would like. Don't forget to fill out the form with your questions.
See the little box that says Chat Now? Or Chat Later? Well that will take you to my Keen network. Rate is $2.99 per minute if you would like a reading live when you see me online. This is another option besides the email/phone reading. If you have any questions or concerns please send your information in the form. For questions and readings only. | {
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This blog is a commentary on contemporary business, politics, economics, society, and culture, based on the values of Reason, Rational Self-Interest, and Laissez-Faire Capitalism. Its intellectual foundations are Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism and the theory of the Austrian and British Classical schools of economics as expressed in the writings of Mises, Böhm-Bawerk, Menger, Ricardo, Smith, James and John Stuart Mill, Bastiat, and Hazlitt, and in my own writings.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
More on Pinochet and Marxism: The Necessity of Evil Means to Achieve Socialism
Some of the responses to my post on General Pinochet have reminded me that along with the fable of Santa Claus and his reindeer, which is so prominent right now because it is the Christmas Season, there is another fable that is still going around. And while the Santa Claus fable is innocent, serving merely to entertain small children, this one is definitely not innocent, but positively vicious. It is the fable that those who are responsible for the attempt to socialize a country’s economic system, such as Chile’s, are well-intentioned and therefore deserve to be immune from bodily harm and certainly do not deserve ever to be killed.
According to this fable, in a country such as Chile under Allende, Marxist boys and girls are happily singing and dancing, their faces glowing with love of the downtrodden, while they attempt the joyous task of building a socialist economic system. To be sure, there are also dark forces at work in the fable: again and again, wherever the innocent and happy Marxists go and accomplish their work—Soviet Russia, Communist China, Cuba, and all the other various satellites—impoverishment, enslavement, and mass murder inexplicably always seem to follow.
Of course, according to the fable, this cannot have anything to do with the nature of socialism and the actions of the Marxists who establish it. It just happens. Equally inexplicably, unless it be simply because of their evil nature, mean, nasty men appear, who for no good reason lay hold of the innocent Marxists and beat and kill them, as did Pinochet’s soldiers in Chile in response to the Marxists’ attempt to socialize the economy of that country. What a horror, what an outrage against good and innocent Marxists! Such evil surely deserves to be severely punished! End of fable.
I have made it part of my life’s work to throw intellectual ice water in the faces of people who have allowed themselves to become so deluded as to accept such a fable. And here, straight from my book Capitalism, is a good-sized bucketful of that intellectual ice water:
“Let us begin by considering the means employed to achieve socialism. We observe two phenomena that are not unrelated. First, wherever socialism has actually been enacted, as in the Communist-bloc countries and Nazi Germany, violent and bloody means have been used to achieve it and/or maintain it. And, second, where socialist parties have come to power but abstained from wholesale violence and bloodshed, as in Great Britain, Israel, and Sweden, they have not enacted socialism, but retained a so-called mixed economy, which they did not radically or fundamentally alter. Let us consider the reasons for these facts.
“Even if a socialist government were democratically elected, its first act in office in implementing socialism would have to be an act of enormous violence, namely, the forcible expropriation of the means of production. The democratic election of a socialist government would not change the fact that the seizure of property against the will of its owners is an act of force. A forcible expropriation of property based on a democratic vote is about as peaceful as a lynching based on a democratic vote. It is a cardinal violation of individual rights. The only way that socialism could truly come into existence by peaceful means would be if property owners voluntarily donated their property to the socialist state. But consider. If socialism had to wait for property owners to voluntarily donate their property to the state, it would almost certainly have to wait forever. If socialism is ever to exist, therefore, it can only come about by means of force—force applied on a massive scale, against all private property.
“Further, in the case of the socialization of the entire economic system, as opposed to that of an isolated industry, no form of compensation to the property owners is possible. In the case of an isolated nationalization, the government can largely compensate the former owners by taxing the rest of the property owners to some extent. If the government seizes all property, however, and simply abolishes private ownership, then there is just no possibility of compensation. The government simply steals everyone’s property lock, stock, and barrel. In these circumstances, property owners will almost certainly resist and try to defend their rights by force if necessary, as they properly should.
“This explains why it takes the Communists to achieve socialism, and why the Social Democrats always fail to achieve socialism. The Communists, in effect, know that they are out to steal all of men’s property from them and that if they expect to succeed, they had better come armed and prepared to kill the property owners, who will attempt to defend their rights. The Social Democrats, on the other hand, are held back by fear from taking the steps that would be necessary to achieve socialism.
“In sum, the essential facts are these. Socialism must commence with an enormous act of theft. Those who seriously want to steal must be prepared to kill those whom they plan to rob. In effect, the Social Democrats are mere con men and pickpockets, who engage in empty talk about pulling the `big job’—socialism—someday, and who flee before the first sign of resistance by their intended victims. The Communists, on the other hand, are serious about pulling the `big job.’ They are armed robbers prepared to commit murder. This is why the Communists are able to implement socialism. Of the two, only the Communists are willing to employ the bloody means that are necessary to implement socialism.”
The preceding paragraphs appear on pp. 282-283 of Capitalism. For explanations of the necessity of terror, forced labor, and mass murder under socialism, such as characterized the bloody history of the Soviet Union, Communist China, and the numerous Communist satellites, see pp. 283-290 of Capitalism.The above analysis applies to Chile at the time of General Pinochet’s coup. At that time, President Allende, despite having been elected with only 36 percent of the vote, was aggressively pressing ahead, as even The New York Times’ largely hostile obituary admits, “with a Socialist program to nationalize mines, banks and strategic industries, split up large rural estates into communal farms, and impose price controls.” (Not surprisingly, such measures, as The Times notes, “soon resulted in steep declines in production, shortages of consumer goods and explosive inflation.”)
The essential point here is that a massive armed robbery on the part of the Marxist Allende government was actually in progress. It possessed armed “militias” and was using them to seize people’s property. According to The Wall Street Journal’sobituary, the regime was also acting in clear defiance of the Chilean Supreme Court, which denounced it for “`an open and willful contempt of judicial decisions’” that created the threat of an “`imminent breakdown of legality.’”
So long as Marxists are content merely to write, speak, and otherwise fantasize about the destruction of capitalism and the establishment of socialism, they have every right to be left alone, just as every one else has who harms no one but himself. But when they begin to act out their fantasy in the real world and commit armed robbery, which, as I have shown, is the only means of achieving their goal, then they forfeit their rights, including their right to life.The right to life, liberty, and property, which every man possesses, carries with it the right to self-defense. Exercise of the right of self-defense includes killing those who are an imminent threat to one’s life. It includes killing those who are an imminent threat to one’s life in one’s attempt to defend one’s property, which is what armed robbers always are, Marxist or otherwise. If the Marxists killed or beaten in Chile had wanted to avoid such treatment, they should have stayed home, written another book or article, given another lecture or speech, or gone to another protest meeting or rally. They should not have set out to steal other people’s property.True enough, all the writing, speaking, and peaceful protest in the world have no prospect of ever achieving socialism, because they will never persuade very many people to voluntarily donate their property to a socialist state. So at bottom, it must all be futile, unless at some point it erupts into violent action.
The implication of this is that unless Marxists can be satisfied, as the Social Democrats have apparently learned to be, with merely partial and largely token movement toward their goal, such as provided by the establishment and expansion of the welfare state, they are doomed to permanent frustration. At the same time, those of them who continue to be committed to the actual achievement of their goal of socialism, cannot be expected to tolerate such frustration permanently. At some point, it would seem, almost inevitably, they must erupt into violent action, because that is the only path that can ever achieve their goal.
Such Marxists, such socialists, i.e., the serious, dedicated ones, are not at all saints or martyrs, but dangerous people with a criminal mentality. | {
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November meeting has been changed to WEDNESDAY NOV. 14th at 7:50am in C2. If you have a legitimate conflict (field trip, required meeting for another club/organization, etc), then email me. [email protected]
DCS is committed to providing a work environment that is free of discrimination. It is the policy of DCS that all applicants and employees are entitled to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, religion or creed, gender (includes pregnancy or related medical conditions), national origin, age, disability, veteran status or other protected characteristics as required by local, state and federal law.
The DeSoto County School District is also committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of technology or ability. This website endeavors to comply with best practices and standards defined by Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act. For more information, please click here. | {
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Children's Rights Map
With the map of children's rights, the monitoring agency of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child of the German Institute for Human Rights shows to what extent individual children's rights are implemented and anchored in Germany's federal states.
You can find overviews of the following areas: Children's rights in the state constitutions and access to schools and day-care centres for refugee children. This map is to be further developed and extended by further rights.
The maps are intended to show whether and to what extent individual rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child are also enshrined in law in the federal states and local authorities. Within the federal structure, children's rights were divided into federal and state responsibilities. Some areas relevant to children's rights are therefore the responsibility of the federal states - e.g. the right to education and some areas which concern children who have fled in particular.
The project Map of Children's Rights is based on a cooperation with the Network Children’s Rights - National Coalition e.V. and Save the Children. | {
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Medical Marijuana Doctors Long Beach Hollywood Easy Clinic
Medical Marijuana Doctors Long Beach are now staffed by the Hollywood Easy Clinic. First of all our doctors specialty is medical marijuana and we provide medical cards, recommendations and renewals. Therefore if your goal is to get healing medical marijuana and advice you are at the right location. However, if you want to get high you will have to go a recreational dispensary in another city.
Our medical marijuana card Long Beach doctor is happy that Long Beach now has medical marijuana dispensaries. However since 2014 all local medical dispensaries had to close. Furthermore, patients have been having difficulty getting access to their medicine. It is important to realize that our clinic has been in business since 2010 and we have the best reputation on Yelp. Our patients are the most compelling evidence that we give the best medical marijuana care.
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Winter can be pretty, but it can also be a medieval mess. If you’re living anywhere in the Northeast today, I’m sure you can attest to that. But never fear, we have some super-useful snow hacks for you that should come in handy, whether you’ve been given the day off or must bravely face the frigid outdoors. | {
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Antennas Direct DB8e Extended Range UHF HDTV TV Bowtie Antenna (DB8e)
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With an extended long range of 70+ miles and unsurpassed gain of 17.4 dBi, this new multi-directional Bowtie antenna has another capability that blows the competition right out of the water...the specially designed brackets allow the antenna to turn in a 360 degree loop to target transmitting towers in any direction
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Bears, Bingo, and Bat-cows
A softly illuminated castle stood overlooking the snow-blanketed streets of Cesky Krumlov, a medieval village tucked away in southern Czech Republic. I walked slowly towards the town square dragging my luggage over the rugged cobblestone streets, conversing with a fellow scientist also here for an intensive workshop to learn, and with some luck, begin to master the ever increasing suite of tools and programs used by biologists to explore the genetic variation that shapes the world around us.
Molecular biology has come a long way since the mid 20th century when Rosalin Franklin, James Watson, and Francis Crick unraveled the structure of DNA. Today, DNA sequencing machines produce hundreds of millions of sequences. The questions and processes that you can ask using modern technologies seems endless and ever expanding as techniques become more and more sophisticated. From comparing DNA sequences between organisms in order to understand the evolutionary relationships between species, to exploring how an organism responds to different conditions by expressing different proteins. Scientists are only beginning to uncover a wealth of information from the DNA sequence itself as well as how that basic blueprint is interpreted and used.
So how does one begin to learn about all the different tools, techniques, and computer programs today? Mainly, with patience and secondly, with lots of coffee. The Workshop on Genomics was organized over two weeks with lectures and hands-on computer lab assignments running from 9 am to 10 pm, 6 days a week (hence the caffeine requirements). About 80 of us, graduate students, postdocs, and even a few PIs would arrive at Cesky Krumlov’s town theatre in the morning, soak in all the knowledge of that day’s lecture along with its well-planned coffee breaks.
In the afternoon and evening, we would line up along long tables in the House of Prelate with our laptops plugged into bundles of Ethernet cables that juxtaposed the centuries-old frescos and chandeliers of the government hall. Together we would work through that session’s assignment whether is was genome assemblies or RAD-seq analyses. The typical frustrations of coding and computing all applied, from Amazon’s cluster locking us all out because it thought we were trying to hack in by simultaneously creating 80 virtual machines at once, to staring blankly at that line of code that keeps stalling despite being perfectly crafted… no, wait, there’s only a single dash instead of two before that option, argh.
In an attempt to ensure we didn’t spend all of our time correcting forward slashes and double dashes, the organizers created a bingo game with must-do Cesky Krumlov experiences. It ended up artistically depicted in our workshop t-shirt {insert pic}. One of these activities was to see the bears. The castle of Cesky Krumlov has been home to bears since the early 18th century when they were acquired as a display of diplomacy between the inhabiting Rosenberg family and the Orsini family in Italy (‘orsino’ means bear in Italian). Sadly, I failed to see the bears during my time there, though given the frigid temperatures and a bear’s propensity to hibernate I can’t say I’m surprised, even if disappointed.
With the vast number of different bioinformatics programs available, making sure that your data make sense from a fundamental, biological point of view is crucial to avoid over or misinterpreting your results. Prof. Chris Wheat’s closing lecture for the workshop enticingly titled “Lies, damn lies, and genomics,” was a cautionary tale of what happens when one is too trusting of methods and forgets some of the more basic principles of biology. He humoredly highlighted studies in which this was the case. For instance, one study tried to find evidence for convergent evolution of echolocation in mammals, expecting to find more similar changes co-occurring in the genome of dolphins and bats (both echolocators) than other species. While the authors did find some evidence for such similarities, their analysis was based on an evolutionary model that was not accurate for studying convergent evolution. When their data were analyzed using the correct null model, it showed instead that bats and cows appear more similar. Wheat’s main argument was that at the end of the day, we should rely most on our fundamental biological training and utilize all the new-fangled and fancy gadgets of bioinformatics as biologists.
While I don’t expect to find any evidence of bat-cows in my own research, I am thoroughly looking forward to applying many of the techniques, tools, and ways of thinking that I learned during this workshop to studies on the population genomics of corals in the central and western Pacific Ocean. With some hard work (and likely lots of more coffee) I hope to find hints of what makes corals in particular reefs able to withstand much hotter temperatures than its neighbors. Stay tuned for those results, coming (fingers crossed) soon. | {
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Tuesday, September 30, 2014
TOTD, Day 4
Having spent so much of the previous day traveling, setting camp, and hanging out at Dual Sport Touring, I wasn't able to complete my planned loop which included the Cherohala Skyway - so I made straight for it first thing.
At the foothills of the Skyway, a "last gas for 50 miles" sign and a need for coffee lured me into the "Thunder Mountain General Store and Deli". I was already enamored before I got off the bike: the pumps had levers on them (no CC slots here!), and the last one contained... gasoline. Pure, ethanol-free, gasoline - as the hand-written sign reading "no corn liquor" testified.
I was greeted by the owner - Ken, I think is his name - who told me to just pump what I wanted and come in for a cup of coffee when I was done, which I did. I wouldn't have guessed that a morning gas stop would end up being a highlight of the trip. He and I chatted for what must have been almost an hour about business, the country, the future, life... I felt an instant kindredness with this kind soul and left with both my fuel and humanity tanks topped off. "I'm living the dream," he kept saying. I'm glad I got to share in it for a little while.
Go there. Buy stuff.
Within minutes, I was on the Skyway proper. I can't imagine more perfect conditions: a great road, no traffic, cool weather, sunny skies. Well, sunny above the clouds, anyway:
It felt like I had the whole road to myself, and I was in high spirits. This stretch is among the best time I've spent on a motorcycle.
The Skyway is much different than the Dragon. As it's name implies, it is a scenic route at altitude dripping with awe - 129 is just a curvy road thru the woods. The Skyway has big, sweeping curves - 129 is full of tight switchbacks. It cruises a ridgeline - as opposed to climbing and descending a peak. It is relaxing, calming - 129 is technical and requires a lot of "work" to ride.
The ONLY problem with being above the clouds is that at some point you have to descend back down thru them, to the detriment of a few overlooks:
About 45 miles in, maybe 10 miles from Tellico Plains, I came up behind some slowsters. I saw a (relatively rare on this road) intersecting road, so took it with the idea of riding a bit and turning around to let them get far ahead of me. What I found at the bottom of a paved hill was a bridge across a stream onto a gravel road which led up the opposite side of the valley (Google tells me this was likely River Road at 35.342377, -84.23094.). How could I not?
In reality it's no big deal, but riding off asphalt makes me feel like I'm really doing something special. I followed "Forest Rd / Wildcat Rd" for a while, climbing gravel in solitude on a road GPS didn't know existed. I tracked thru the woods across intermittently deep gravel (riding on marbles) until I came to an intersection. With no cue from GPS, I opted to turn right, reasoning that it must be East. I made a mental note of how it would look coming from the back in case I had to turn around. The gravel continued long enough for me to start thinking about how often people traveled this road. If I broke down or dumped and sprained an ankle, it could be a long wait for help. I started thinking about how much food and water I had aboard. At some point I intersected a road that was on the GPS, so I plotted a course to Tellico Plains. Some back roads brought me to rt 68 about 15 minutes south of it, probably about 25 miles from the Georgia border.
I rolled into Tellico Plains about lunchtime, with the idea of finding something to eat, then taking the Skyway back the other way. I should have followed the signs for the historic downtown, but instead stayed on rt 68, stopping at strip mall to plan. I searched GPS for food (a Hardee's was across the street), but decided to just keep moving. Hunger and fatigue were starting to best my judgement. I stopped at a Bojangles somewhere - I'd have to consult the GPS tracks to know where.
One chicken sandwich with a side of slaw later, I started plotting. My resistance to going to Hardees had put me far enough from Tellico Plains that I decided to take a different route back.
Another POI seemed in range: the Foothills Parkway. Before I could leave it started pouring rain. I let the worst of it break and geared up.
GPS once again pleasantly surprised me with a direct mix of road types until I was back on rt 129 heading for the Parkway. As the parkway neared, I started thinking about running the Dragon again: I only ran it one direction and was pretty freaked out having never seen it. With rain threatening again, traffic seemed very light. I didn't want to do it just for the sake of doing it.... the POI appeared on the GPS screen (which now had dark shadows from being wet), only 8 miles ahead of my turn.
I was on a motorcycle, almost 700 miles from home, with a famous motorcycle Mecca EIGHT MILES ahead. I pushed past the Parkway turn. It started to pour.
The rain stopped before I got to the Calderwood Lake lookout, where two Sheriff's cars were pulled off, the young officers chatting with a BMW rider having a smoke. They asked me "is it raining down there?" I wrung out my gloves and said, "it's POURING down there."
Back up the Dragon with far more confidence I took what was likely one of the more spirited rides I've ever taken. I dragged the edges of my boots several times. Several times I crossed the lean angle that divides "exhilarating ride" and "momentary terror". As you successfully negotiate each curve without crashing, your brain starts to allow you to ride at a different level - you dig a little deeper, lean a little harder - and remember that you're not going to "run out of tire."
I stopped at the top of the hill to document my triumph.
Backwards:
Forwards:
Minutes later I arrived at the resort feeling like a "real motorcyclist". I walked around and took all the requisite pictures. I went in the tuck shop. I talked to a big guy with a rashed up last-gen blue 650 Strom. He had a small pillion with him - I marveled a bit that he was riding that bike, with a pillion, HERE. He commented on the bike rash... I bragged about having logged over 20k miles without a single drop, mocking fate by saying it out loud.
Killboy got me - 9/17/14, 2-ish PM. I figured it was right of passage and excused myself for spending a few bucks on pro photos:
I ran the Dragon backtracking, faster yet - locals and track guys throwing their bikes way over back and forth seemed less intimidating now. I could see where if I lived here, I'd eventually have enough practice to nail it, too.
I turned back on the Foothills Parkway as planned, now a right instead of a left. If this were the first road I'd ridden here, I would have been blown away. Having hours earlier been on the Cherohala Skyway, and minutes before on the Dragon, it suffered a bit by comparison.
The Foothills Parkway delivers you to the Little River Gorge/ Fighting Creek Gorge Rd. - another great twister following a stream, but the low speed limit and heavier traffic put a damper on the riding. This road is not about covering miles, it's about looking at what you're driving thru. Spending so much time riding ridges and passes made a road thru a gorge feel "different." Eventually it brings you to rt 441, the scenic route through the NP which I'd hit on my first day down here. I looked forward to a repeat.
It was pretty late in the day, which explains what seemed to be a lot of "local" traffic. As often happens, I found myself stuck behind a parade of slow-moving Harleys. With increasing frustration, I decided to pull off and let them get ahead, and get my mindset back to an appropriate place. I swooshed into a large overlook pull out. Irritated, I pulled quickly up to a spot past an older couple near a pair of cruisers, and decided to K-turn and roll backwards into the spot to avoid having to push out uphill. While rolling backwards, the bike leaned in unanticipated direction (is counter-steering reversed when moving backwards?)... The ground wasn't there, as I was sideways on a hill. My foot touched down just as it occurred to me that I might not be able to save it.... and down it went, just hours after bragging about 20k miles without a drop.
It's hard to hide a drop from a pair of bikers not 20' away. They came over and helped me pick the bike up. We chatted a while. They were a nice couple from Georgia. The guy had a sweet M109; the woman some flavor of Boulevard. They shared stories of their various drops to console me, and I appreciated them for what they were trying to do. I noticed my right wrist hurt more than normal. I saddled up for the summit, and a missed photo op from two days prior:
I'd hoped to hit Mingus Mill as my final touring stop, then back to camp. The Mill was already closed. I drank as much water as I could at the fountain and headed for camp. I toyed with the idea of going back out to the Casino in Cherokee, but it had been a pretty full day.
Back at camp, I deposited one pannier to the biker's bear box in twilight, and was again the tent and well on my way to sleep before full darkness. | {
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Friday, 2 June 2017
Last year, Russia made it to the top 10 of the world's most visited countries.
Russia ranked 43rd, ahead of Turkey, in the World Economic Forum's Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index in 2016, said Oleg Safonov, Head of the Russian Federal Agency for Tourism.
The Russian Federation generally records over 30 million international tourist arrivals annually, a number, which will most certainly go up given the expected tourist volumes for the upcoming FIFA Confederation Cup and even more so for the 2018 World Cup, said Fang Liu, Secretary General, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Russia is underinvested in tourism. If you are looking at the big international picture, you can always see countries which have good infrastructure and which are quite dynamic in pushing tourism.
They have proportion of tourism in the GDP of approximately 10%. Russia is below this level, said Klaus Mangold, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, TUI.
It is no secret that many museums have not been renovated since the Soviet times, said Dmitry Mironov, Acting Governor of Yaroslavl Region.
Potential barriers to visiting Russia include visas, having cheap flights, making sure that there are quality facilities, said Olivier Gremillon, Managing Director of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Airbnb Inc.
Promoting Russian tourism inside and outside the country is impossible without having a tourist brand. 146 out of 195 countries do have tourist brands. Unfortunately, our country is one of the few without such a brand, said Oleg Safonov.
It is hard to overestimate the importance of this programme, as it covers the entire country from its Western to the Far Eastern borders and all the way from the North to the South.
This is a key consideration. Without the public-private funding and cooperation schemes, we are doomed to fail in maintaining the high growth rates, said Oleg Safonov.
Russian tourism has a significant potential waiting to be unlocked by private investors. What we need is a serious private investor who knows how to do business," said Svetlana Orlova, Governor of Vladimir Region.
We must recognise the importance of small tourist initiatives as an add-on to the big tourist projects.
We need to engage with intellectuals and enthusiasts who come up with interesting initiatives and know how to implement them,said Sergey Bachin, General Director, Roza Khutor.
We need to put new programmes in place. We work to promote such high-potential areas as industrial and culinary tourism. This year, we are going to pilot an underwater archaeology diving project at the Rybinsk Reservoir,” said Dmitry Mironov.
Several years ago, we introduced visa-free 72-hour visits to St. Petersburg for cruise passengers coming from the EU.
I believe that this was a good and useful initiative, and we should apply it to other means of transport, too, said Georgy Poltavchenko.
High quality tourist infrastructure. We are only starting to address this high priority infrastructural challenge. It requires increasing the number of hotel rooms, constructing new accommodation facilities, developing itineraries, and offering efficient transportation solutions, said Sergey Bachin.
We believe that building a strong tourist brand will effectively promote and stimulate both domestic and incoming tourism in Russia,said Oleg Safonov.
On Friday, the Russian Tourism Road Show, arranged by the Russian Federal Tourism Agency, took place in the Japanese capital of Tokyo.
The event was aimed at introducing Russia’s tourism potential to Japan.
"There are huge opportunities as far as tourism cooperation between Russia and Japan is concerned," head of the Russian embassy’s consular department Mikhail Sergeyev said addressing the show. He added that the two countries’ governments were striving to boost tourism ties between Russia and Japan and develop tourism business in Russia.
"In the coming years, many interesting international events are going to take place in Russia, including the FIFA World Cup," a spokesman for the Japanese association of tourist agencies said adding that it was the perfect time to visit Russia.
The Russian Tourism Road Show involved various Russian regions, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Republic of Buryatia and Primorsky region. | {
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The $5.6 million cap hit still will apply this season, but the Wade Redden Saga will otherwise end for the Rangers within the next two days, probably tomorrow, when the Rangers exercise an “accelerated compliance buyout” of the 35-year-old defenseman’s contract.
The Rangers will pay Redden in full for this year — a pro-rated $3.341 million, including a previous $1 million signing bonus — plus two-thirds ($3.335 million) of the $5 million due in 2013-14, the final season of the six-year, $39 million deal he signed as a free agent out of Ottawa on July 1, 2008.
This was general manager Glen Sather’s folly. Redden struggled with pace from his first day on Broadway, and remained on the roster for just two years before spending the last two seasons with the AHL Wolf Pack/Whale after being waived through the NHL each year.
Players in the minor leagues (or Europe) did not count against the cap in the expired collective bargaining agreement. The new agreement tacks on cap costs for players in the AHL on one-way contracts.
With compliance buyouts originally unavailable until after this season, the Rangers had asked Redden to remain home rather than play in the AHL and risk an injury that would prevent the club from exercising the postseason buyout.
The NHLPA, which had been part of the conversation, joined more actively when the Canadiens made the same request of Scott Gomez. With the possibility of a union grievance looming, the NHL and NHLPA yesterday completed adoption of the “accelerated” mechanism.
Teams have two compliance buyouts available between now and the end of June 2014. As designed, postseason buyouts will not count against the cap.
The Bruins, Panthers, Senators and Maple Leafs have indicated at least some preliminary interest in Redden. The Rangers’ cap charge will not be affected if Redden plays in the league this year.
* Brad Richards missed his third straight day of camp with the flu. The Rangers will not skate today, so that leaves the center with two days at most of on-ice preparation for Saturday’s opener in Boston. “Is it ideal? No, but Richie right on through [the lockout] has been working on the conditioning part of it,” said coach John Tortorella.
Tortorella lauded his club’s top-five strength on defense, citing Michael Del Zotto among a group that features Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh, Anton Stralman and a healthy Marc Staal, the latter of whom missed last year’s first 36 games with post-concussion syndrome and then spent months playing catch-up.
“Having Marc is huge,” Tortorella said. “He’s a very good player, who is getting better, but we still need more. He’s still just a young man [26 two days ago]. You just lick your chops; he’s a really good player.”
Tortorella was asked if he might limit the ice time of his Girardi-McDonough first pair to accommodate the compressed schedule. Girardi was second (26:14) and McDonagh 10th (24:44) in average ice last year.
“We’re going to play the hell out of them,” the coach responded. “We are … we are going to try to win every game.” | {
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Great value all-in-one quality laser printer!Way more machine than most small businesses would need but remanufactured price was less than other printers sale prices for 1/2 the machine. Only two complaints: although compact for a laser, the paper tray should hold way more paper comparative to its size, display hard to read when sitting. No regrets.
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Wireless multi-function printerI suppose that every upgrade comes with a period of adjustment. The reason I bought this printer/scanner was that the scanning function of my otherwise completely fine ten-year-old printer was not supported by my new computer. But when the new printer arrived, the scanning function didn't work either, and it took two lengthy calls to tech support to get it working successfully. Many people might not have this problem, but for me it temporarily overshadowed the benefits: easy wireless printing, good color printing and copying, (I don't use the fax part so I can't assess that.) Now that it's all working, I like it a lot.
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Better than inkjet except for photosUsed to have inkjet. Was always running out of ink. Toner seems to be a better value, even though it's expensive to replace cartridge. Having hard time copying and printing photos. Doesn't use "regular" photo paper.
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Great OCR CapabilityI convert magazine recipes to MS Word on a regular basis. I had been using a sheet bed scanner on another printer for that purpose until the 9130 came my way. The preview scan function allows me to select just the portion of text that I want to convert. I am very impressed with the ability of the OCR software on the 9130 understand the printed text, including fractions. Thus, there is a minimum of proofreading required to amend words scanned incorrectly.
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Approximate toner cartridge yield in accordance with ISO/IEC 19798 (letter/A4). Drum yield is approx., and may vary by type of use.
PC Fax Capability (send/receive)†
Black/White only.
Max. Automatic Document Feeder Capacity‡
Maximum capacity based on using 20 lb paper.
Best Transmission Speed (sec)‡
Based on ITU-T Test Chart #1 at standard resolution with JBIG compression.
Broadcasting (# of locations)
Black/White only.
Call Waiting/ Caller ID/ Distinctive Ring Ready‡
Check with local phone company for service availability.
Emulation(s)
BR-Script3 is PostScript®3™ compatible
Fax Page Memory‡
Based on ITU-T Test Chart #1 at standard resolution with JBIG compression.
Maximum Monthly Duty Cycle‡
Maximum number of printed pages per month and can be used to compare designed durability between like Brother products. For maximum printer life, it is best to choose a printer with a duty cycle that far exceeds your print requirements.
Based on ITU-T Test Chart #1 at standard resolution with JBIG compression.
Recommended Monthly Print Volume‡
The recommended range of monthly printed pages to achieve the best possible performance and printer life. Printers are intended to handle occasional usage beyond this range with little or no effect. Consistently printing above the recommended print volume, however, may adversely affect the print quality or life of the machine. It is always best to choose a printer with an appropriate recommended print volume to allow for any anticipated increase in printing needs.
Standard Input Paper Capacity (sheets)‡
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Standard Interface(s)
USB printer cable not included
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In order to use Brother Web Connect, you must have an account with the desired service. If you do not already have an account, use a computer to access the web site of the service and create an account. In order to use Brother Web Connect, your Brother machine must be connected to a network that has access to the Internet, either through a wired or wireless connection. | {
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Thursday, November 25, 2010
"Whatever hour God has blessed you with, take it with grateful hand, nor postpone your joys from year to year, so that whatever place you have been, you may say that you have lived happliy."
Today I am grateful(with a touch of home sick)for...
New friends that welcomed us into their home for dinner.
The feeling of hope that this will begin to feel normal.
The love of my husband and two sweet boys.
For the life I have been given and the chances I have to live.
For the technology that makes the distance between seem shorter.
I'm grateful for those who have come into my life and made a difference.
All that I have been blessed with, because the Lord has been so generous to us.
Our family this summer at the farm.
We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We did. Complete with turkey and pumpkin pie. We had dinner with several families on camp at a sweet couples home who were up to the challenge of hosting 15 adults and a whole lot of kids! Although we entered their home as strangers, we left as friends. I have never felt so welcome and today I needed that and I am grateful for it.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Both little guys are in school now. Carter goes to a preschool four mornings and week, and Owen just started playschool three mornings a week. I feel so fortunate both boys were able to get into these programs, especially since we arrived after school started and both schools have waiting lists. Both programs are run by ladies from the States and have mostly Western kids in them focusing on US curriculum prep. They love their schools and I'm enjoying a breath of air and some time at the gym.
Carter is working on his letters. Each week he comes home with a new one. Here's the letter D- for Dinasour and our favorites- Dad and Dille.
Yesterday at preschool Carter's teacher asked the kids to put on their tennis shoes. In which, Carter quickly replied, "These are not tennis shoes... they are FAST shoes!"
Owen made a Turkey at school yesterday. Can I tell you how much fun it was to pick both boys up and see their new crafts. We are embarking on a new stage of life and it's bittersweet and exciting.
This was Owen's first week at school. He was a little hesitant at first to go in, but did great. Not one tear. They said he was really easy and laid back. Thank goodness.
So here is the purple turkey, which Owen promptly took the legs and eyes off of in the car on the way home from school.
A few cute ones of Owen while I was trying to get him to show off his turkey.
This is the "no" face.
This is the shy, giggle face.
I'm a little biased but I think everyone should have a purple turkey on the fridge for Thanksgiving. Oh, and a set of cute little boys to chase each other around the house with that same turkey.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Is there really anywhere in the world without a McDonald's? Amazing to me how many of the same franchise restuarants are all over the world. Yet, with the same name there is no garauntee you'll be eating the same Big Mac as back home. I'm happy to report the fries are! The apple pies though slightly different and not as flacky, aren't bad. I'm really not normally a big fan of McD's. As I'm sure you all know, we are Chickfila eaters. But when times are tough, and you need a piece of sanity- in the form of an indoor kids play area where your toddlers can run a muck and not destroy your own house- it's a great feeling of relief to spot the Golden Arches from over the hill or around the bend on the highway.
We happened to arrive at this one, right outside of a different gate to camp, just as prayer time started. At that point it's atleast 20 minutes before the place will open again. (The key here is to get in and out before prayer, or get in right before and start shopping during prayer, and always place your food order before prayer starts. Because once it starts EVERYTHING comes to a screeching hault and the doors are locked.) We should have just gone back home and had lunch, but once the kids saw McDonalds nothing but nuggets and fries would make them happy. So we drove around for almost 30 minutes waiting.
Remember I told you about the family and single sections? Here it was like two completly different restuarants divided by a wall all they way up to the counter to order. We couldn't see the people on the other side and no one could see us. The seating area was filled with two rows of private booths with privacy curtains.
The play area was pretty much the same as one back home. Slide, ball pit, tubes and stairs. The boys had a great time jumping around and really enjoyed their private playground. We were the only ones there. Ideal for all of us.
Ok, so we don't eat fast food very much. Especially not here. But it was nice to drive down the street and see a Burger King, McD, KFC, Hardees and Dominoes. Now when we are totally spent we know what gate to leave in and where the drive thru's are.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Went shopping last week. Can't remember where. But I do remember what I saw. My first official "black out." Lucky for you I had my camera in my purse. Now you too can feel like you are walking through a store here and admiring the SA censorship. Now imagine you are in an abiya too. It just got that much better didn't it?
The little black blobs are women in bathing suits on the front of the pool floatie boxes. A little too risky for this side of the world.
Friday, November 19, 2010
The holidays are approaching, but things are a little different for us this year. Moving across the world it's no longer an easy trip to the local post office to send off Christmas cards or a trip to the store to pick out cards. So I thought, maybe this year we wouldn't send them. Then I thought, NO WAY! I love Christmas cards and look forward to "real" mail and updates, I know you do too!
So it was on. Time to find a way to make this work for us. So I did some searching and you know what? Shutterfly will ship them to each of you for me. Not only that, I can design and personalize them, add our family photos and then input and store all of our personal addresses for mailing. (Think how easy this will make Birthday cards and other holiday greetings. Awesome, yes.)
If you're still in the States you can send the cards to yourself and then ship them out on your own. Most of the time you can find a coupon code for free shipping and right now they will ship orders over $30 for free. Score for you!
With Love Chartreuse Christmas Card. You can make this card a Flat or Folded 5x7. I fell in love with a card like this one last year that my Sister in law sent out. I love the monogram of the family name. I also really dig all of the photo options. It's so hard to get everyone to smile in one family shot. This gives you the chance to post one family photo and then add in individual photos of your kids, where they are at their best and cutest. Besides, the more the merrier.
Love 2010 Christmas Card. This 5x7 Flat Stationery card I love that you can combine the Christmas letter and the actual card into one. I really like the area on the side to list your family highlights for the year. (Ours would be something like this, sold the house, moved to Saudi, Traded Jeans for an Abiya, Mike Got a New Job, First Trip to the ER, Boys are Best Buds... you get the idea.) Also, it's always nice to have two photo spots. One for the family, and another one of your cute kids to share. Another bonus, the colors are also fun and cheerful!
Joy Sage Story Christmas 5x7 Folded Card. I like the simple, elegance of this card. The text also rolls several holidays into one, so you can knock them all out with one card. The folded cards are a great deal, you can really maximize the space with pictures and updates on each person in your family. The inside has six small photo spots with a box for text next to each photo.
There are more websites out there than can do similar things. But Shutterfly I have found has better selections of cards, better quality cards and makes the process simple. Which, let's be honest, with two little boys constantly on the move, I need simple.
I've already designed our cards and plan to place my order this week. After this post, I bet your wondering which one I picked. Too bad. You'll have to wait. A little Dille Christmas Cheer should be appearing in your mailbox soon.
Hugs, A
Are you a Blogger too? Bloggers can get 50 FREE Christmas Cards from Shutterfly. Sign up!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
The weather. Not very humid and usually in the 70-80's midday. It's been amazing and we picked the best time of the year to make our move to the sandbox.
Our house. It's just as nice as our home back in Houston, kind of, but 1/3 of the mortgage. It'll be better once we start to paint and take down a few kitchen cabinets and add some recess lighting.
Being close to everything on camp, which translates to little to no commute for Mike. A the most, it takes 8 minutes to get to the other side of camp. Mike can walk to work. I love that we can walk around the corner to a park and that I can run down the street to the gym.
Other Expats. Seriously, everyone is warm and inviting and can pick out new people pretty easily. I was at the commissary one day with Owen when we first got here and had a shopping cart of food, mostly soy milk for Carter (when you find what you like you HAVE to stock up b/c you never know when it will come back) went through the checkout line, talking to another young mom I just met. I realized I didn't have my Visa and not enough cash. I was so embarrassed and started asking him to take things off the bill, when this nice lady just handed him her Visa and said put it on there. It was so thoughtful and so appreciated. I'm still a little embarrassed to this day about it, but was able to pay her back. That would never happen at the Kroger down the street at our last home.
Playgroups. We are in two and I LOVE them and look forward to them. The kids get along well and so do the moms. It's nice having a network of new ladies with little ones around the same age. Although, there are A LOT more little girls here than boys. Now, I just need to talk some of the ladies into playing Bunco and starting a group, then I will be really happy. I miss my Katy Bunco ladies and a monthly girls night.
Preschool. I LOVE Carter's preschool and feel so good about what he is learning and his teachers. I also just heard news that there is a spot in the 2 yr. playschool for Owen. Oh happy, happy day! So this will free three of my mornings up for the gym.
Having a Driver for the morning. When I go into town I hire a driver for the morning. He comes to pick us up, loads the kids in the car for me, drops me off wherever I want to go, waits for me, helps me with groceries and things, and will also run into the bakery to pick up cheese bread. I love Mr. Muhammad. Not all drivers are created equal. I've got a good one.
Downtown shopping. In eclectic little shops with one of the kind pieces of furniture, art, tapestries, jewelry and decor, and a shop owner who bargains with me. All in the experience, that you know the minute you walk in the door they jack up the price to the "expat special price." I'm also loving the three pieces I've purchased, yup, just bought an entertainment center made from old doors.
I DISLIKE
Salt Water. Everything is saltwater here. The laundry, the toilets, the showers, you get the point. We do have one sweet water line in the kitchen sink. So I fill up a water bottle and use the sweet water to rinse my hair in the shower. The salt is doing a number on everything, not sure how long our clothes will last at this rate. I very much dislike it.
Sand. I know that we moved to the desert. It was our choice. But I hate the sand. I like it at the beach. I do not however like it in the car, all over the floors, at the playgrounds, in my kid's hair and ears and in the nooks of clothes pockets.
Add to the sand, the large number of Ferrel cats plaguing the camp. It's like everything is their litter box and that makes the kids playing in the sand even more yuck. They need a serious spay and nueter campaign here.
That my blogger is set to the Middle East and every time I hit spell check my entire screen turns yellow because it's not in Arabic. Even though I changed the language to English.
The censorship. Not of violence or profanity, by any means it's much better to show people shooting people and swearing up a storm of four letter words and violence, rather than a couple kissing. I don't get it and everytime I turn on the tv at the gym it ticks me off. Needless to say we have not purchased cable. We watch tv on the internet instead.
The way workers on camp will not understand me at all, but still tell me, "no problem, no problem." Yes, there is a problem, you have no idea what I'm talking about, which they reply again, "same-same, no problem, no problem." It's not that there is just one language to translate; it is a large mixing bowl of languages making communication a challenge.
The Gym here. The actual gym is alright, but the lack of day care at the gym is killing me and makes having the time to get there that much more difficult. I believe the gym's back in the States have spoiled me and I'm having a hard time adjusting. And I am bored there. I need more options and classes and a work out buddy. I believe I need a new program and am hoping for Christmas my sis in law makes me one, wink, wink.
The music makes me happy, add to that a cold coke, warm cheesebread, the smell of the new pumpkin candle I bought at a craft show burning and the autum colored table runner I purchased, and I am one very happy girl.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Not until the end of December do we expect/and are scheduled to receive our large shipment. This shipment pretty much being EVERYTHING we own and that makes our home feel like an actual home.
I believe this may be one of the hardest things about the move. Not having our things and not being able to run down to the store and pick up our favorite things. Toys for the boys, kitchen items, keepsakes, decorations, nice towels and sheets, yummy smelly wall flowers, all of the comforts of our life back in Houston. Yes, we have the most important thing, each other. But in all honesty, I'm couting down the days until they show up with our crates of "home."
It still feels like we are visiting. Staying in a rental unit with strange company furniture and playing with borrowed toys and comforts. So until then, we are making the most of what we have been given.
I give you THE Aramco Living Room Tunnel.
Each excursion is an adventure with the possibility of a collapse.
An afternoon of entertaining two off the wall little boys. Good times at our house, no matter what side of the world we are on.
Monday, November 8, 2010
We laugh about the trucker lights on top. It's for when we get buried in the sand people will know where we are.
I wish we had the before picture of it. It use to have black pinstripe down the sides, but the guy we bought it from surprised me and took them off because he knew I wasn't a fan. We also had the windows tinted. It looks great now and I'm pleasantly surprised and really happy about our new ride.
There are no bells and whistles inside, but it's in pretty good condition. We feel safe in it and bought it from a trust worthy man who specializes in finding cars for expats on camp. He came highly recommended and we now know why. We told him what we were looking for and this was the first car he showed us. We bought it that night. It wasn't what we really wanted, but it's what we could pay cash for and feel good about. He then did ALL of the paperwork for us and dropped the car off a few days later with everything in hand, and a few added bonuses. No pinstripe and tinting.
First tank of gas, SAR 53 which translations to $14.13. There's a perk to living in an Oil country and working for them too.
It's a hard decision when you get here. Buy new- you know the history of the car but it's pricey and there's no real financing. You also have to get some one to help you in the first place. Most times as a Westerner they don't acknowledge you at the dealerships. Or you can buy Used- but you never really know the history, so it's tricky to find a reliable car. The good cars from other expats sell quickly, most often to another expat months before the person really needs to sell it. And we find that some people here try very hard to take advantage of the new expats (like us) and will ultimately take you for a ride (we almost had this happen on a BMW Z5).
So given all of this, we feel blessed about the Suburban. Just like the things that had lined up to make it possible for us to come here, I feel like this car also lined up just in time for us. There is a reason we are here.
Friday, November 5, 2010
No really, if you feel so inclined go ahead and make a space right there on the side walk.
Don't mind anyone else, because really it is all about you. Yes, you big old GMC. Had I been in my own personal car, and not as a passenger in the Jeep you squished, I would have opened my door, hard. I mean very hard you jerk. *okay, maybe not really. But I'd like to think I would have. Dave did nudge their car and try to make the alarm go off. No such luck though.
Come to think of it. How do you think that Suburban was even planning to get out of that parking space? Mind boggling really.
Making the story even more entertaining, when we parked there originally a BMW was parallel parking behind us and backed into a work truck. Not just a little tap, more like a pretty good smack. Really there is no shame, or seems like drivers ed here either.
Lesson learned on this one. Proceed withCaution, when driving and parking, and well pretty much doing anything involving a car here.
*A little Teaser for the next post. We bought a car. We like to call it our "sweet, sweet ride." Any guesses on what we purchased?!?
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
I look forward to Tuesdays. For the past few weeks each Tuesday, Tiffany and I have taken a driver into Khobar for a little exploring and shopping. It's nice to get off camp and nice to spend time with a new friend and our boys.
Carter is in preschool so I only have Owen. This week I brought the stroller and it was a lot easier not having to chase after him in the little shops. There is a lot of chaos a two year old can cause climbing towers of rugs and trying to mount large elephant statues... you get the idea.
Here's Owen and I. Sweet Abiya huh?
If you look behind me you can see an intersection. No stop signs, no lights. People just drive through them and you hope the person coming the other direction slows down or stops. Still freaks me out. The streets are one way and squished with parked cars on each side. Our driver has an Expedition and it amazes me how he can manuever around all of this.
Looking down the street the other direction.
Tiffany and Baby Andrew. Or as Owen calls him "Baby Drew Drew." The official "goods" from the trip in town. Lots, and lots of Cheese Bread from Latiff Bakery. We freeze some, fridge some for the day and eat a few fresh. Our driver was prepared this time and called the bakery when he picked us up to place an order. Yes, this is my favorite driver for sure now.
I've made a few "big" purchases on our town excersions. This one I purchased today. It's an old set of shutters from Khobar. I plan to hang this on the wall. I love everything about it.
This treasure I found on last weeks town trip. The color is more rich in person and has a set of shelves inside. I love this piece too.
You can also see our pumpkin for Halloween. Officially the most expensive pumpkin we have ever purchased. And then the great debate happened, to carve or to save for pumpkin pie in November. We opted to save it, the need for pumpkin pie won. So if you have any fantastic recipes for home made pumpkin pie and know how to cook the pumpkin and such, please, please share! | {
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Thanks for the great story Cam. I've yet to watch the video, so I have no idea what it is (YouTube blocked at work, WTF?) I'll have to watch it tonight on my own dime
Looks like it's all true, here's an except from the website- from the journal of a jailer Thomas Dagg:
March 25, 1863: One of my worst nightmares was realized three days ago. Couldn’t write about it ‘til now, I was in such a state of shock and disgust.
Had a lunatic in here, went by the name of Ken Ruzic – and I mean a verifiable insane person awaiting transfer to an asylum – that just went berserk in his cell after lockdown. He started ripping his bedding (that alone would normally get you the strap and a few nights in the dark cell), shouting, cussing, screaming incoherently, and banging his water dipper against the bars.
We’d already been told to just let him get this sort of thing out of his system – since he was in here for just being crazy, and not for committing any crime, we’ve been trying to cut him a little slack (he’s also, apparently, the son of someone the governor knows).
But I guess due to our lack of response, he decided to up the ante: by smearing the contents of his night bucket all over the walls of his cell (did I mention he was in one of my cellblocks?). So of course at that point, I had to get him out of there – my plan was to bring him straight to the hospital and get him drugged into oblivion, or into a straightjacket, or something.
I opened up the cell feeling a little nervous (lunatics are not my specialty), and this now faeces covered maniac just threw himself on me!
Worst thing is…I think he was meaning to hug me for letting him out of there, but…oh God it was disgusting. I can still smell it, just thinking about it.
Cammo,
Is your schedule still too intensely busy to allow you to favor us with a spooky story - or two (I'm greedy and you owe us one from last year) - before Halloween?
Suspensefully yours,
LL
_________________"The rum's the thing..."
Oh, well, maybe next year.
Meanwhile, there's this creepy story about late 19th century killer, Dr. H.H. Holmes, who I'd never heard of, till very recently.
Here's a documentary - H.H. Holmes: Americas First Serial Killer - complete with ominous music and narration, to watch in a dark room. (Alas, it's free Hulu, so the ads interrupt the mood.) | {
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What to know about oxycodone
Oxycodone is a type of pain-relieving medication that doctors may prescribe to help people manage moderate to severe pain.
Oxycodone is an opiate (narcotic) analgesic. Opiate analgesics change how the brain and central nervous system respond to pain. These chemical changes stop a person from feeling pain in the same way as they did.
This article looks at the uses, dosage, and drug interactions of oxycodone. It also discusses the risks of using oxycodone and oxycodone addiction.
What is oxycodone used for?
A doctor may prescribe oxycodone to treat chronic pain when over-the-counter medications do not help.
Oxycodone can relieve moderate to severe acute pain. It is most useful for spontaneous bursts of shooting pain, also known as paroxysmal pain.
Doctors often prescribe oxycodone for:
paroxysmal pain
steady pain
allodynia, or a clinically sensitive pain response
chronic pain
cancer-related pain
How to take oxycodone
Oxycodone is available in a number of forms, including:
liquid
concentrated solution
tablet
capsule
People take all forms of oxycodone orally, meaning by mouth. A doctor will advise a person what dose of oxycodone to take and how often.
It is essential to follow a doctor’s instructions carefully. They will determine the correct amount of oxycodone for an individual to take, and a person must not exceed this or take the drug more frequently than stated on their prescription.
It is best to carefully measure out liquid forms of oxycodone to avoid taking too much.
Depending on why they are taking it, a person can use oxycodone for short- or long-term pain relief. Again, it is important only to take oxycodone for as long as the doctor prescribes.
Some oxycodone capsules and tablets are extended-release, meaning they release the medication over a longer time than other types.
If a person feels nauseous, it may help to take oxycodone with food.
What to consider before taking oxycodone
If a person is taking other drugs, they should discuss with their doctor how these may interact with oxycodone.
Oxycodone can be addictive. People with an alcohol or substance use disorder should discuss this with their doctor before using oxycodone.
If a person has a family history of alcohol or substance use disorder, they should also tell their doctor. A family history of these conditions may mean a person is more likely to become addicted to oxycodone.
Oxycodone and addiction
A doctor can offer advice if addiction is a concern.
Oxycodone increases the level of dopamine in a person’s brain. Dopamine is a brain chemical, or neurotransmitter, that controls feelings of pleasure.
Taking drugs that boost dopamine may cause a person to experience a high, which people sometimes refer to as euphoria. Drugs that affect brain chemistry in this way can lead to addiction.
A person may become addicted to oxycodone without intentionally misusing it. Taking oxycodone for a long time can increase a person’s tolerance to it. This means that they may need to take higher doses of it to continue experiencing its pain-relieving benefits.
Over time, taking oxycodone can change a person’s brain chemistry. This means that they may need help coming off the drug.
If a person develops an addiction to oxycodone, they may experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking it. For this reason, it is essential not to take oxycodone for longer than a doctor prescribes.
If an addiction develops, a doctor can help people access the treatment they will need to manage this.
Other risks of oxycodone
People may want to speak to a doctor about the following risks before taking oxycodone:
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: It is not always safe to take oxycodone when pregnant or breastfeeding. The drug can pass on to the baby through breast milk.
Older people: Seniors may have a higher risk of side effects from oxycodone. This is because their kidney function may be less, which makes it harder for their bodies to process the drug.
Children: Oxycodone may not be safe for children. Children should only ever take oxycodone if a doctor decides this treatment for them.
People with the following health conditions should speak to their doctor before taking oxycodone:
Head injury: Oxycodone may increase the pressure around the brain, so taking oxycodone could be harmful to people with head injuries.
Allergies: If someone has ever had an allergic reaction to oxycodone, they should not take it again.
Breathing problems: Oxycodone can slow a person’s breathing, which can be dangerous for people with conditions that affect their breathing.
Bowel or stomach conditions: Oxycodone may make bowel or stomach conditions worse because it affects the way food moves through the gut.
Kidney or liver problems: If a person has kidney or liver problems, their body may not be able to process oxycodone effectively. This can lead to the drug building up in the blood and causing problems.
Side effects of oxycodone
Taking oxycodone may lead to some side effects. If the following side effects are ongoing or severe, a person should tell their doctor:
What happens if you take an overdose?
Taking too much oxycodone can cause an overdose. Untreated, this may be life-threatening. Signs of an oxycodone overdose can include:
breathing difficulties
slowing or stopping breathing
drowsiness
losing consciousness
pupils becoming narrow or wide
muscle weakness
skin that feels cold or clammy
If a person shows signs of an oxycodone overdose, it is essential to call the emergency services.
Alternative ways to manage pain
Tai chi and meditation can help treat chronic pain.
People can manage most mild pain with over-the-counter, pain-relieving medication, including:
A person who experiences moderate to severe pain can discuss pain management options with their doctor.
For long-term management of chronic pain, which is pain that lasts for several months, prescription opioids, such as oxycodone, are not the only option.
Ways to help manage chronic pain without drugs include:
Drug interactions
People should discuss any other medications they are taking with their doctor before starting oxycodone. The doctor can explain any potential drug interactions.
It is not advisable to drink alcohol while taking oxycodone. Oxycodone can increase the effects of alcohol and may cause harm.
Summary
Oxycodone is a prescription opioid pain-relieving medication that people use to manage moderate to severe pain. It works by changing the way the brain and central nervous system respond to pain.
Oxycodone is available in various forms. People must only take it as their doctor prescribes. Long-term use of oxycodone may lead to addiction. A doctor can help people manage an addiction to oxycodone.
People with chronic pain may choose alternative methods of pain management. Yoga, mindfulness, tai chi, acupuncture, and music therapy show promise as chronic pain management methods. | {
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AMELIA ISLAND – After a relatively quite week at the league’s annual spring meetings, ACC commissioner John Swofford sat down with reporters to discuss a wide-range of topics. Here are a few of his comments:
On any movement to reconfigure the divisions in the ACC
Swofford: “There is nothing imminent in regards to that. One of the things that we continue to do and what we should do with the various changes with the membership along the way is step back and take a look at where we’re doing and not just continue to do things just because that’s the way we’re doing them and that’s the way we did them. That’s dangerous thinking. And one real common thread is a desire in terms of our scheduling in general is a desire to play each other frequently as we can in a way that makes sense. We continue to look at that and think about it. We haven’t changed anything at this point in time. We do have basically 10 years now to look at the core of those divisions obviously in the last couple of years they’ve had additions and so forth. Nothing is eminent and I don’t want to give the impression that change is coming in regard to that. It is something we continue to analyze with the goal of finding the best balance.
“We did want to give it some time where we had – our football divisions competitively are pretty balanced from that standpoint. We also tried to mix and maintain rivalry games and when those rivalry games are within a division that’s easy – when they are not that’s when you get into complicating the schedule some. So we’ll continue to look at that and see if there are better ways to reach that common thread of playing each other as frequently as we can because that’s part of being a conference. Whether it’s the divisions themselves or whether it’s the number of conference games you play.”
On whether the ACC would revisit the idea of a nine-game league schedule
Swofford: “I don’t think that’s gone away as a possibility. Again, I don’t want to give the impression that we’re on the verge of changing anything. Because we are not. I’m just suggesting that discussions continue.”
On the future of the ACC Network
Swofford: “It’s in process. It doesn’t serve any real positive purpose for us to periodically give interim updates on that. The channel is a part of discussions about what’s the best route for us to go television-wise in the future with the league that we now have with 15 members, with our geographic footprint as a conference is the largest of any conference now. Those things give us opportunities, that previously we didn’t have. A potential channel is one of those. We anticipated it would be a two or three year stretch in getting to whatever endpoint. We’re right on schedule with that. Discussion is what we thought we would be at this given time. We’ve got a great partner in ESPN and together we think we can do some really good things. At some point we’ll decide we’re going to do something and we’ll make that known. We’ve got a ways to go, but we’re pleased where we are in the process.”
On the College Football Playoff and the possibility of expansion
Swofford: “Based on the decision-makers in the room, no, I don’t. I think we’re at four probably for the duration of this contract. At least that’s the way I read it at this point of time. My comment at been, in a perfect world and in the perfect football standpoint, I felt eight is a really good number with the five power conferences champions having a guaranteed slot and three at-large slots. In today’s world and within the parameters that we’re working in, I didn’t think that would happen. I think we’re at four for all the right reasons. The bookends, so to speak, are not interfering with exams in September and not making it a two-semester sport deep into January. That makes it really difficult to be beyond four. Those are good reasons because they are related to education and academics and the collegiate experience. I don’t sense from the Presidents that oversee the football playoff or the management committee at this time, any movement beyond four.”
On the league playing games overseas
Swofford: “Our schools are interested in what we call ACC Global. While we don’t have anything to announce in regards to that today, that is a consideration that our schools are interested in in all sports. We’re in some discussions among some possibilities. Probably more European it would appear at this point of time. Some of it might be in season and some of it may be out of season. Practically all of our school’s have satellite campuses outside of the United States so it’s not inconsistent with that at all. Our schools, the Presidents included are interested in the institutional brand and flag being expanded internationally. Sports is one way to do that. If you’re doing it in-season, it’s more complicated. Obviously the best time is right at the beginning, probably the opening-weekend of the season. We are interested in that and we’re looking into developing opportunities for our school’s to do so.” | {
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The wording is a bit different from the plank adopted in 2000, but the emphasis on some form of native Hawaiian recognition by the federal government runs on the same track.
This year, Democrats said: "We support the efforts for self-determination and sovereignty of native Hawaiians, consistent with principles enumerated in the Apology Resolution and the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act."
Eight years ago, the Democrats, meeting in Los Angeles, said: "We will work to pass legislation establishing a process for native Hawaiians to reorganize a governing body, freely chosen, expressing their rights to self-determination."
Although Hawaii Democrats in Denver cheered the adoption of the plank by the entire convention last night, the native Hawaiian sovereignty bill, dubbed the Akaka Bill for its sponsor, U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, has failed to move in Congress.
Larry Sabato, director of the University Center for Politics, said the platform plank could be important.
"Several studies have shown that party platforms are more significant than most people believe. Presidents and congressional leaders at least try to fulfill the vast majority of the pledges.
"So Hawaiians can take heart that the Akaka plank is in the platform. This doesn't guarantee passage by any means, but surely if a Hawaiian makes it to the White House, then there's a chance for this," Sabato said.
Last night, Akaka said he would again pitch the bill during the fall congressional session and, if that doesn't work, he would bring it up next year.
Obama Hawaii Connection
It's how Hawaii is marketed to the world, destination paradise. but that may have played to well with the media.
"Should the clock expire on this session of Congress, I am pleased to know that my Democratic colleagues, as well as the many Republican co-sponsors and supporters of the bill, will again support our efforts to federally recognize native Hawaiians and provide parity with American Indians and native Alaskans," Akaka said last night.
Although the native Hawaiian portion of the national party is only a few lines in a 75-page document, Hawaii delegates are cheering the inclusion.
"It lays out the connection very well," said state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, a delegate to the convention. "It refers to the apology resolution, which is an apology for an illegal overthrow, so it is a major recognition. It tells us all that it was Democrats who took this step for the state of Hawaii.
"With this and Barack Obama going to be president and Senator (Daniel) Inouye in an extremely important position, Democrats are stepping forward and doing what is right," Hanabusa said.
If he becomes president, Barack Obama is expected to sign the bill if it passes Congress.
In a statement released in January, Obama said he supports federal recognition for native Hawaiians because they are an important part of the local culture.
The bill would fulfill the promise of "liberty, justice and freedom'' for native Hawaiians and ensure they are not left out of the state's progress, he said.
Last night, Akaka lauded the inclusion of native Hawaiian recognition in the 2008 platform.
"This is a great day," he said. "Native Hawaiians deserve federal recognition like the other indigenous cultures across the United States."
State Senate Vice President Donna Mercado Kim, also a national convention delegate, said she thinks the native Hawaiian plank will benefit the Democratic Party.
"When you look at all kinds of controversial issues at the time they were taken up, they looked dangerous, but when you look back, the question is, 'Why did it take so long?'" she said. "Look at women's right to vote or segregation. This is just one more in that process." | {
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Ariane Systems Launches Ariane Marine
Details
September 28, 2008
Ariane Systems, the European leader in self-service check-in / check-out kiosk technology for the hospitality industry, today announced the launch of a new business unit, Ariane Marine. The mission of this new business unit is to introduce to the worldwide cruise and ferry market the same advancements in automated check-in technology and guest convenience that have revolutionised the airline and hotel industries over the past decade.
“Europeans are known to be early adapters of technology,” stated Laurent Cardot, CEO of Ariane Systems. “With over 10 years experience in streamlining the efficiency of hotel check-in operations through the use of customized self-service kiosks, we recognised a need for the same efficiencies in the cruise and ferry market. With larger and larger ships being built each year, it is becoming more and more of a challenge to funnel the growing number of passengers quickly and efficiently through the boarding process. Ariane Systems is dedicated to developing the technological solutions that will make these operations quicker and more cost-effective for ship operators around the globe.”
In addition to the wide range of advanced operational features that Ariane self-service kiosks provide to the hotel market, the kiosks that Ariane is developing specifically for the Marine market will take into consideration the special security and identification needs of international travel. Each kiosk has the capability to include such optional equipment as a scanner for verifying passport information, a camera for taking personal identification photographs, a keycard encoder for distributing passenger keycards, and many other customizable features. The ability to check-in online and then utilize a kiosk upon arrival to obtain their keycard, provides an exceptional level of convenience for passengers.
“The kiosk virtually eliminates the need to stand in a long line with hundreds, maybe thousands of other passengers waiting to board,” says Vanessa Marchesseau, manager of Ariane Marine. “It also saves time and expense for the port and ship operator, since less manpower is needed to complete the boarding process. It allows the passenger to quickly and efficiently complete the standardised tasks required for boarding, freeing up the check-in staff to provide the services that require more personalised attention.”
Ariane kiosks currently promote ancillary onboard revenue opportunities for cruise and ferry owners during guest check-in by printing a passenger receipt that includes coupons redeemable for onboard purchases. In addition, the ability of the solution to enhance the onboard experience by offering upgrades to passengers who desire more customised staterooms at check-in can dramatically increase profitability.
Future enhancements to the onboard kiosks will allow for the seamless integration of vacation itineraries. For example, the kiosks will feature the ability for passengers to purchase amenities and book activities that require reservations, such as shore excursions, dining, spa services, etc., providing additional revenue opportunities. For the guests disembarking to meet a plane reservation, the kiosk will provide airline check-in and print boarding passes, saving valuable time at the airport. The kiosks will also provide additional passenger conveniences, including the ability to re-issue lost keycards, instantly check their account statement, and during check-out have their statement sent to their e-mail address. | {
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About Me
My name is Liz Schaffner and I love sewing, I love fabrics, I love creating! So it was no surprise to my family that I started designing my own patterns. Follow me on my journey...I am not sure where it will lead but it will be colorful!! | {
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Abstract
Strong thermo- and photoacoustic responses have been detected for aligned arrays
of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) forests and solid drawn MWNT sheets.
When heated using alternating current or a near-IR laser modulated in 100-20
000 Hz range, the nanotube assemblies generated loud, audible sound, with higher
sound pressure being detected from the MWNT sheets. An evaluation of nonlinear
distortions of the thermoacoustic signal revealed a highly peculiar behavior
of the third and fourth harmonics produced from forests grown on silicon wafers.
The peculiarities were especially pronounced for short forests and can be associated
with the heat transfer from the MWNT layer to the substrate. The dependencies
can be used for evaluating properties of thermal interfaces, in particular,
those based on carbon nanotubes. The investigated nanotube sheets can be attached
to any surface (e.g., wall of an apartment) making the surface acoustically
active. They can also be attached to windows of buildings and cars and can be
used for active noise cancellation in noisy environments. Because of good coupling
with the surrounding air, MWNT sheets and forests can be used for dissipation
of heat produced by various electronic devices. They can be easily patterned
in such way, that upon scanning with a laser beam, the pattern generates a characteristic
sound and can therefore be employed used for acoustically readable barcodes.
Introduction
Remarkable properties of carbon nanotube assemblies (forests, sheets, yarns)
are expected to lead to a variety of applications. It has recently been reported1
that freestanding multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) sheets generate sound
when heated with alternating current (ac).
Thermoacoustic (TA or current driven) properties are related to the widely
studied photoacoustic (PA or laser radiation driven) behavior. In order to check
if the outstanding performance of this unusual material can be achieved with
the laser excitation, we carried out the comparative TA-PA measurements of single
(S1) and multilayer MWNT sheets (S2-S10) [2]. We also discovered that quite
strong TA and PA signals can be generated by vertically aligned arrays of MWNTs
(MWNT forest) grown on silicon wafers. In spite of their topological differences
from the sheets, heating the forests with alternating current or a laser beam
modulated in the audio frequency range produced an acoustic signal that can
be heard by ear or detected with a microphone. We also performed measurements
of nonlinear distortions of the TA signal and discovered highly peculiar behavior
of the third and fourth harmonics produced by forests from ac-dc voltage scans
[2]. The reported data can find applications in devices for sound generation
and manipulation, heating, and cooling.
Results
Aligned arrays of MWNTs (MWNT forest) were grown by the conventional chemical
vapor deposition technique on silicon wafers and had heights of about 32, 138,
and 233 µm (labeled F32, F138, and F233). MWNT sheets were fabricated
by pulling a sidewall of the forest in the sample plane direction, Figure 1A.
Figure1:
MWNT forest in the process of conversion into MWNT sheet (A). Sound
pressure generated by the MWNT sheets (S1-S10) and MWNT forests
(F32-F233) subjected to TA excitation (B). The data were taken
at 5000 Hz, for the first harmonic of the acoustic signal.
The sound pressure generated by MWNT sheets and MWNT forests subjected to TA
excitation is shown in Figure 1B. TA intensities were normalized by the supplied
electric power. The TA efficiency (sound pressure per watt of input power) was
the highest for the single layer MWNT sheet: about 820 mPa/W (92 dB/W). Although
the sound pressure generated by the multilayer sample in our experiments was
roughly proportional to the number of layers, the conversion efficiency for
multilayer samples dropped quite significantly, to about 63% for S10 as compared
with S1. This could be caused by some increase in the sheet density in the multilayer
assembly.
TA sound pressure for the investigated MWNT forests was comparable to that
for the S1 sample. However, the efficiency of sound generation by forests was
found to be lower than the efficiency of the MWNT sheets. The highest value
was recorded from the F138 forest: 153 mPa/W (78 dB/W), which is 19% the efficiency
of S1 sample. This difference can be caused by the substantially higher forest
density compared with the density of MWNT sheets.
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author expressed in their private capacity and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited T/A AZoNetwork the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and conditions of use of this website.
Experts
Graphene oxide membranes have been receiving attention for their extremely powerful separation abilities and the ease at which it can be modified, allowing for membrane permittivity to be fine-tuned. These membranes show the potential to be used for water purification, ‘green’ gas purification and greenhouse gas capture. | {
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What To Expect
Welcome to Elmsdale Vision Centre! Our friendly staff will call 2-3 days before your eye exmination to remind you of your appointment time and they will greet you when you arrive that day. Upon booking you appointment you will be requested to bring a copy of your current medications, your health card, your eyewear (both sun wear and indoor eyewear) and private health insurance. You can present these items at our reception area and, once checked in, feel free to browse our selection of stylish frames or have a seat in our waiting area. One of our staff will call your name shortly for a pretest.
The Pretest:
Prior to seeing the doctor we will have our staff conduct a “pretest”. Your pretester will ask a number of questions and conduct a few specialized tests that give very useful information to your doctor as well as reduce wait times. On average, this takes about 5 minutes, after which feel free to continue browsing our frame selection or have a seat in our secondary waiting area.
The Examination:
Once pretested, your doctor will call you into the exam room to start your eye examination. The doctors at Elmsdale Vision Centre are highly trained in assessing you visual status, binocular vision and overall eye health. These factors paired with your occupation, age and visual needs are used during a “refraction” to determine a prescription that is tailored to each individual patient. Your doctor will also recommend certain corrective lenses and/or frames that will compliment your needs and preferences. Once the vision and prescription has been assessed, you can expect an ocular health examination, usually in the form of detailed inspection with a “slit lamp”, a specialized microscope for the eyes. Some patients may require a “dilation” where medicated drops are used to dilate the pupils allowing the doctor to see inside the eyes more efficiently. Dilating drops take approximately 15-20 minutes to dilate the pupil, so you can expect to wait a short time should your doctor recommend this assessment. Certain populations can expect this dilation with most visits, including those with diabetes, those with very near sighted prescriptions and the aging population. These groups are at risk for problems with their eyes that are more easily identified with this assessment.
The Selection Process:
Once the examination is completed, your doctor will escort you to our dispensary where your prescription, needs and recommendations for frames and lenses will be discussed with one of our highly trained opticians. Your optician will help guide you through the process of selecting a frame and lenses that work with your lifestyle and budget, and will take any necessary measurements that are vital to ensuring your Elmsdale Vision Centre glasses are perfectly tailored to you. Once you have finalized your selection we will send the frame and measurements to one of our partnered labs and you will be notified when your complete glasses have arrived back at our clinic for fitting. Your glasses are rechecked by our staff once we have received them to ensure accuracy that meets our standard and then refit when you pick them up to ensure crisp vision and ease of use.
We thank you for choosing Elmsdale Vision Centre look forward to providing comprehensive eye care for you and your family for many years to come. | {
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Food Gatherers was founded by Zingerman's Deli, and even now, only a small part of their funding comes from governmental sources.
They have a very cool warehouse / distribution facility near Dhu Varren and Pontiac Trail. Massive scales weigh food as it enters and leaves the warehouse, and there is some serious food prep and storage going on. The warehouse is now served by the AATA Route 1! An expansion to the facility was approved by the Ann Arbor City Council in 2012. | {
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Have you ever pulled up to a website and instinctively judged the brand as subpar? We all have. Something about the experience sucks. It’s slow, the UI (user interface) is off-putting, the design reminds you of your grandma’s red carpet… Instinctively though, you don’t care because there are so many other sites that are offering the same thing. This is great for users. For store owners however, it means you had better up your game quickly or risk being passed over. In today’s marketplace you have less than 7 seconds to engage a customer.
You paid top-notch for brand development, so your site probably stands above the crowd, right? Not quite. Though it is true that amazing brand and store design are essential to success, the technology used to develop your store is equally as critical. The right technology provides the foundation for a fast, brand-focused, cohesive user experience – the polish that some sites have, yet you can’t put a finger on exactly why.
Consider the common technology “stack” used in most ecommerce stores today: at the core is a monolithic platform like Shopify, BigCommerce, or WordPress. These platforms are where products, a theme, as well as apps and plugins are managed. They also control rendering the user interface of your store. You might be wondering what’s wrong with this? Well, nothing if you dig your great uncle Vernon’s living room drapes. Vanity aside, there are true pros and cons to consider.
Lower cost and “flexibility” are decent perks if you can’t afford custom development. Most of these platforms have free off-the-shelf themes as well as a decent list of low-cost and free plugins. This is great for the DIY folks out there. But let’s be real, it comes with costs to your business and brand.
Since each theme, app, and plugin are developed in isolation, they all have different source files that end up being included in your theme during implementation. Sometimes these source files include the same libraries of code as one another resulting in your site loading the same assets multiple times. Another downside to having multiple sources is that they can’t benefit from modern solutions like code-splitting and dead code elimination where your store only loads the code that it needs. This results in most of your assets being loaded when the user first visits your site. Essentially the main benefit you get from this type of architecture is cheap flexibility – a bolted-on solution that leads to a slow, inconsistent, and cheap user experience that makes your brand suffer.
So, what's your alternative?
Enter Headless commerce and data-driven development. Also known as the JAM stack (JavaScript, API, Markup), headless commerce is essentially a solution where the front-end of a site is decoupled from the ecommerce platform and other systems. With this architecture you still have your platform (Shopify, BigCommerce, WordPress, etc.). There’s a good chance that you could still use plugins and apps as well. The difference is that your platform, plugins, and apps do not control your store’s UI. Instead they provide a method for your theme to get their data, and then your theme has 100% control over how your users experience your store. This allows you to implement a design that fits your brand without compromise.
Because the UI has a single source, modern techniques like dead code elimination and code-splitting can be utilized. This means that little to no unused code will be sent to your users, and the code that is sent will only be sent when the user needs it. These will both significantly impact one critical aspect of your online store—speed. Headless commerce also enables you to utilize modern technologies such as React, ReasonML, server side rendering, and static site generation, which provide some of the best technological foundations for modern user experiences. The React core team and community don’t just keep up with the latest trends and standards, they continually create and set the trends and standards.
These technologies that focus on user experience also have another massive impact on, you guessed it—speed. Research shows us that website speeds are directly correlated with bounce rate. Simply put, faster sites results in more revenue. Headless commerce coupled with server-side rendering or static site generation is going to provide your store with the best performance gains available today. These technologies also provide benefits to SEO and security, making it simpler to add features and scaling, and pull data from multiple platforms. The bottom line is that if you want to increase your online revenue, you need to lose your head. | {
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Messi the key to Barca success
Barcelona: While it was another impressive attacking display of football from Barcelona to knock Arsenal out of the Champions League, once again it was Lionel Messi
who made the difference and showed he is a cut above his
peers.
Messi scored the opener and the third goal from the
penalty spot in the 3-1 win over Arsenal on Tuesday night.
David Villa and Pedro Rodriguez with their pace and
movement along with the incisive passing of Xavi Hernandez and
Andres Iniesta meant the Arsenal defence were constantly on
the back foot but it was Messi who unlocked the door to the
defence.
He sent the Catalan side on their way with a delicate
flick over the keeper and then volleyed home from close range.
Arsenal spent most of the match encamped in their own
goal mouth but having drawn level through a Sergio Busquets`
own goal they where left seething by the dismissal of Robin
van Persie for his second yellow card, the main talking point
of the night.
Whether Arsenal could have held on to the 1-1 draw with
eleven men, which would have seen them go through after a 2-1
win from the first leg, is debatable but Xavi and Messi
sentenced the game, while there could have been plenty more
goals for Barca.
Even by Messi`s own standards this season is becoming
something special as he has now scored 45 goals in 39 games.
He has eight from eight matches in the Champions League while
domestically he has notched up 27 from 23 games.
The two goals against Arsenal mean that Messi is now top
goal scorer in the history of Barcelona in European
competitions aged just 23.
He has 33 goals, beating the previous record by Rivaldo
of 31, and Luis Enrique, a talisman for the side in the late
1990s only had 27.
Meanwhile Messi has remained remarkably modest about his
achievements and has been helped to keep his feet on the
ground since his arrival at 13 by the ethos of the club to
nurture the youth players into the first team.
Guardiola is the first to praise him but also emphasises
the work of the players around him.
"Messi had another great game but the whole team did
really well and we created a lot of goal scoring chances,"
said Guardiola, in the press conference after the Arsenal
match.
"All the headlines will be about the goals from Messi and
Xavi but in midfield we were very strong with (Javier)
Mascherano and (Sergio) Busquets. We tried to improve from the
first leg and we managed to press Arsenal back during the
whole game.”
Messi`s team-mates were quick to praise him however.
"Once again Leo has made the difference as he always
does," said Xavi. "We see it every week but it is still
extraordinary what he is capable of." | {
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About this Solution:
IRL Electronics Company (hereinafter refered as “IEC”) ,as one member of Irl Tech Industrial Group Co.,Ltd, established in 2003,is one of fastest-developing,high-tech, eco-friendly manufacturers and exporters of Rug Tablet PCs,MID, Mobile players,digital voice recorders & other OEM/ODM Smart Embeded Electronics,Connected devices,Display projects,Internet of Things (IoT), Wireless/Wireline Communications. Industrial IoT,Smart City,Smart Home,Smart Cars, Devices ,Healthcare patented consumer wearable electronic products as well as the customized Android APP development,customized tablet pc for specific industries such as the hotels,schools,jails,governments and so on. “IEC”has become a famous brand all over the world, highly valued by distributors,consumers,and industrial use customers. | {
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New Audi A4 For Sale In Bristol County
Highlights of the New Audi A4 allroad Show How the Luxury Wagon Adapts to Your Needs
Drivers around our Fall River Audi dealership often have lots on their plate, and they need a vehicle that can help them tackle all those tasks. That need for a helpful car is why so many are looking for versatile vehicles, which the new Audi A4 allroad certainly is. Possessing the luxury feel and fun driving spirit that drivers expect from a new Audi, the Audi A4 allroad adapts to the various situations you find yourself in while having impressive capability in any weather or road condition. We love all that this luxury wagon can do and has helped drivers with, so if you want to learn more about it, we discuss the Audi A4 allroad in detail below!
Capability
The name of the Audi A4 allroad comes from how capable it is in any driving conditions. It's a luxury wagon with all-wheel drive standard, which helps during the winter months once we see snow and ice forming on the roads. Every new Audi A4 allroad also shares the same powertrain. There's a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine under the hood that has 248 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, which help conquer all weather and terrains. A smart seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission pairs with this engine to provide effortless acceleration and impressive efficiency for an all-wheel drive luxury vehicle. This engineering combination makes the new Audi A4 allroad near Taunton a luxury car you can depend on in any situation even as weather worsens!
Cabin Design
Mixing off-road capability, a sporty feel, and efficiency is a large part of the versatility of the new Audi A4 allroad, but its design also shows how it adapts to help drivers. The Audi A4 allroad seats five with lots of rear-row head, leg, and shoulder room, which helps when you're driving with four other adults. Everyone will get to enjoy the stunning craftsmanship Audi is known for too as the luxury wagon has high-quality materials for every cabin surface.
The wagon design of the Audi A4 allroad also makes it capable of carrying all sorts of different cargo. It's great for those families that go camping often or have kids playing sports, and the standard folding rear seats let you adjust the cargo space and passenger capacity. Plus, there's always roof rails if you want to store bikes, skis, or kayaks for your adventures!
Technology and Safety
The versatility of the Audi A4 allroad lets you use it in any way you see fit, and no matter how that is, the luxury wagon makes sure hassles aren't something you experience often. Our Audi A4 allroad offers near Dartmouth are some of the smartest vehicles at our dealership as they provide many convenient features. It offers the Audi advanced key that lets you start your car remotely to get it warming up as well as open the rear tailgate without your hands. There's also heating for the exterior mirrors and seats to keep you comfortable and able to see. There are also advanced technologies like a head-up display and in-dash touchscreen that show how modern the new luxury wagon is.
Many families are interested in the Audi A4 allroad, and its safety features are a big reason for this. The strong materials of the frame and body as well as the many airbags make the Audi A4 allroad a sturdy vehicle if a crash does occur, but it has tech to let you know of maneuvers that may lead to an accident. The Audi A4 allroad driver-assist features watch all angles around you, so there's warnings once a car is in your blind spot, if you're approaching a car too quickly, or if you're backing out with a vehicle coming into your path. These combine to reduce the amount of stress you experience during any trip.
Audi A4 allroad Trim Levels Near Newport, RI
Many of those aspects discussed above come in each and every Audi A4 allroad in Fall River, but there are three different trim levels for the new luxury wagon. See the different feature packages of each below.
Premium
The base model Audi A4 allroad shares the powertrain, drivetrain, and cabin design with the other trim levels, and it comes standard with a terrific suite of features, including:
Heated front seats
Audi pre sense® basic and city
Audi drive select with Offroad mode
Adaptive damping system
7-inch touchscreen for infotainment system
Apple CarPlay
Android Auto
Three zone climate control
Panoramic sunroof
Aerated glove box
Premium Plus
As the name suggests, this trim keeps the many great features of the base model while adding on to them with its own package that includes:
Full LED headlights
7-inch driver information system
Audi advanced key
Audi side assist with Audi pre sense® rear
Built-in navigation
Driver seat memory
Bang and Olufsen® 19-speaker sound system
Vehicle exit assist
Prestige
At the top of the trim level options sits the Audi A4 allroad Prestige, which provides an experience unlike any other. It has the features of those before it while adding:
Audi virtual cockpit
Head-up display
Audi active lane assist
Top view camera system
Audi adaptive cruise control with Traffic jam assist
8.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment system
Turn assist
Parking system plus
Ambient LED interior lighting
Visit Our Fall River Audi Dealership to See These Audi A4 allroad Offers!
So, there's a lot that the Audi A4 allroad has to offer in each of its trim levels. It's this combination of value, capability, and sophistication that makes it the ideal luxury vehicle for those that love to explore as well as those just needing a car for their ever-changing lives. Have questions? We'd love to answer them, and you can call ahead or stop by our Audi dealership in Fall River if you want to the see the new Audi A4 allroad for yourself! | {
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Brexit EXPLAINED: How Dominic Grieve has KILLED no-deal Brexit
ARCH-Remainer Dominic Grieve won his bid to amend the Withdrawal Agreement in an attempt to give Parliament the opportunity to continue to debate on Brexit after - and if - Theresa May's deal is voted down by MPs on December 11.
The Conservative backbencher claimed he was compelled to renew his June 2018 amendment as, despite voting against himself when he presented it to the House of Commons, he believed the Prime Minister's negotiating efforts failed to reassure him. The motion, which was voted in favour of by the House, could allow MPs to present further amendments to the House to ensure a Brexit no-deal scenario would be completely eliminated.
Related articles
Mr Grieve said: “The House will recall that back in last June issues arose about how the House should proceed in the event of the Government’s motion being rejected.
“That time my Rt. Honourable friend the Prime Minister presented to me that if the motion were tone made amendable- the motion to be considered thereafter - it would in some way interfere with her ability to negotiate.
“Which is why having reflected on her view I took the decision to vote against my own amendment when it was presented to this House because I listened to what she had to say to me.”
He added: "But the reality remains that we have an unsatisfactory procedure to resolve differences of opinion in this House, if and obviously, it's an if, we come to a point where the Government does not succeed on its motion and the opportunity exists this afternoon to cure that anomaly.
We have an unsatisfactory procedure to resolve differences of opinion in this House
Dominic Grieve
"And as was so rightly said by the speaker for the opposition, it is contrary to all sensible practice and I have to say slightly disrespectful of the role of this House, that we should end up with a situation in which we have unamendable motions for consideration at a time when Parliament ought to be fully focused on trying to find means of resolving outstanding issues.
"And it's for that reason that I put forward this amendment which would in very simple terms cure that problem and provide reassurance even before we start on these really important debates, that whatever the outcome next week we have a means of continuing the debate thereafter if we need to in a way that must be in conformity with what any right-thinking member of this House would think to be the proper procedure and process to adopt."
Following a short debate, Theresa May's Government suffered a third Commons defeat of the day after MPs approved an amendment from Tory Dominic Grieve which aims to give them a greater say should the Brexit deal be defeated on December 11.
Commons leader Andrea Leadsom urged in vain the former Tory minister to abandon his bid to give MPs a greater role in shaping Brexit should the Government's deal be defeated next week.
Ms Leadsom told Mr Grieve to "focus on the matter at hand" rather than what would happen if the deal falls.
She said: "I recognise the desire of (MPs) to ensure that their views are fully expressed if the vote on the deal does not pass, however I would encourage members at this stage to focus on the matter at hand.
"I would gently suggest that now is not the time to preempt whether or not further motions under Section 13 may be required as such I would encourage members not to press this amendment to the vote." | {
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Topical Tropes
These are what we call the 'YMMV items.' Things that some people find in this work. We call them 'your mileage might vary' because not everyone sees these things in the same way. This starts discussions in the trope lists, a thing we don't want. Please use the discussion page if you'd like to discuss any of these items.
Poor Man's Substitute: As good as he is for voicing his Sabat-based roles, Lani is spot on for his roles voiced by Justin Cook (Yusuke and Raditz). It does help that he's doing those roles using his natural voice.
TV Tropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from [email protected]. Privacy Policy | {
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1. The Search for Truth, Part II: Last week's opening theme was about how hard social science is. I often find there's an unspoken wistfulness in social science research for the clear questions and clear answers of the "hard sciences."But cheer up! It's just as bad on the other side of the fence. When you're frustrated that there doesn't seem to be a biological mechanism that explains the long-term positive outcomes of deworming, remember that we have no idea--literally, no idea--what causes "side stitch," that shooting pain we've all had in our abdomen during exercise. And when you're down in the dumps that so many development interventions don't seem to show much effect, remember that the universe shouldn't exist, and we don't know why it didn't explode nanoseconds after coming into being.On the other hand, Ioannidis, Stanley and Doucouliagos' paper on how vastly underpowered most economics papers are has finally been published (it's been circulating for awhile). If that's not enough to send you back into despair, the fact that economists need to be reminded of basic good practice in presenting their ideas--per this slide deck from Rachael Meager--might do the trick. Don't get me wrong, it's good advice. But I was reminded of the time I attended a conference for PR "professionals" where the advice included such gems as, "Make sure the reporter you're pitching actually covers the topic" and "Read the last few articles the reporter wrote." Last year I was joking with Jessica Goldberg about starting a side-business editing the introductions and slide decks of job market papers. Perhaps I shouldn't have been joking.
2. The Mess that is US Higher Education (or Labor Markets are Broken All Over): Studying labor market inefficiencies is a common topic in development economics (yes, this is clickbait for David McKenzie). But as in so many domains, the problems we study in developing economies also exist in developed ones, just wearing a Halloween mask. Here's a new study on "credentialism" in the US labor market, the demand for college degrees for jobs that have no reason to require a college degree (as demonstrated by the fact that the vast majority of people currently in those jobs don't have one). That's bad for employers who pay some of the cost of the self-imposed mismatch in the labor market, but it's much, much worse for potential employees who are shut out of well-paying, stable jobs for no good reason. Unless, of course, they spend large amounts of money to get a credential. The large, and growing, lifetime earnings gap between those with a credential and those without has justified the incredible growth in student debt to finance these credentials. But if the credential is just an artifact of herd behavior among employers...And why are those credentials so expensive? One reason is that the universities providing those credentials are spending, and borrowing, huge amounts themselves in order to attract the students who have to get the credential to apply for a job. So the students borrow, and borrow some more. And then they get shut out of programs for loan forgiveness that they are should be eligible for, because the system is a mess. But don't worry, if their debt gets too out of hand, they can discharge those loans in bankruptcy. Oh wait, we changed the bankruptcy law so they can't ever discharge those loans. Don't forget too that large numbers of the people we've pushed into needing a credential are entering universities, taking loans, but never getting the credential (e.g. 70% of single mothers who enroll).And the advanced degree market may be worse. A few weeks ago I featured some work on English football academies juxtaposed with a paper about the Clark Medal. Perhaps my comparison was too oblique--so here's a piece from Nature making the connection explicit. The chances that a Ph.D. student will land a permanent academic job in the US or UK is well under 10%. The reason it's plausible to offer job market paper editorial consulting is that the premium for a well-written paper is so large. And it's large because there is massive over-supply.For those newly minted Ph.D.'s taking adjunct teaching jobs just so they can stay marginally attached to academia and perhaps make enough to supplement their food stamps, I have bad news. Current students (bachelor's and master's students that is) teach just as well as adjuncts, suggesting that "student instructors can serve as an effective tool for universities to reduce their costs." Oh right, I was trying to avoid a novella. | {
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Nyesom Wike, Magnus Abe out to defame me – Rotimi Amaechi
The Minister of Transportation and Director-General of the President Buhari 2019 Campaign Organisation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has accused the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, and the representative of Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Magnus Abe, of conniving and conspiring to disparage and defame him.
While Wike is of the Peoples Democratic Party, Abe and Amaechi belong to the All Progressives Congress.
Amaechi, the immediate past governor of Rivers State and the leader of the APC in the state and the South South, made the claim on Friday in a statement by his Media Office.
He said Abe and Wike “are plotting to use his former cabinet members to tell fake, concocted and distorted stories to the media that are meant to denigrate him, impugn his unblemished integrity and paint a very terrible image of him to members of the public.”
He claimed that the plot is already far-gone and persons are being coached on what to say and how to say it.
The statement read: “I am aware that two former commissioners who served in the State Executive Council when I was governor have been procured by Wike and Abe, jointly and collaboratively, to carry out this hatchet job of ‘hack Amaechi down’ campaign. The plan is to throw as much dirt at me as possible and rubbish my image.
“While one is being coached in Rivers State Government House of what to say to the press and how to say it, to do maximum damage; the other one is busy distorting, concocting and fabricating fake screenshots, text messages, documents and all sorts in Senator Abe’s Freedom House campaign office in Port Harcourt; that they intend to release to the media to tarnish my image.
“I want to alert the media and members of the public of the smear plot by these two political collaborators (Wike and Abe), to unjustly discredit and smear me for their selfish political reasons.”
Amaechi noted that he would not be distracted by any cheap, fake smear campaign of calumny against him, while urging Rivers people to pay no heed to the “desperate attention seeking duo of Wike and Abe and all of their fabricated lies” but focus on the goal of ensuring that Rivers State gets a better leader that would turn around the fortune of the state and its people for good, come 2019.
He insisted that no amount of sabotage and fake stories will deter him and all genuine APC members, supporters and Rivers State people from “changing and voting out the inept government in Rivers State, next year.”
But Wike, reacting through the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Chief Emma Okah, said: “The assertion (by Amaechi) is false.
“Governor Wike has no time to take issues with paper tigers and base politicians, who cannot win elections in their wards and local governments, without the help of security agencies.
“Senator Abe is an adult and a distinguished member of the National Assembly, who does not need any collaboration to resist the wrong visited upon him by the former governor of Rivers State, by denying him right to political aspiration.
“Every Nigerian knows the love lost between Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and the Transportation Minister and since 2013.
“The latter has used every opportunity to insult the governor of Rivers State and his government and he sees nothing wrong with that. Why is the transportation minister now afraid of receiving a little of the same meal he has served others?
“While the transportation minister is diverting attention from the obvious questions of his failure to attract any project to Rivers State, despite the enormous sacrifice the state made in bringing about the APC-led government at the centre, the government and people of Rivers State will remain focused in demanding explanations on the economic rape he (Amaechi) inflicted on the state and the failure of his party to plant any project in the state.” | {
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Valentine's Playdate
Party Recap
My girls invited a few friends & we had a great morning playing! With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I thought a sweet candy & cake theme would be fun & cheerful. With Easter quickly approaching also, this theme could easily be switched up. Just add eggs or other Easter candies in place of the conversation heart candies. I kept things easy and inexpensive by purchasing most of my supplies at Walmart. I also made a strawberry cake & made it the centerpiece of the table by placing it on a cake stand. I made a quick mini banner for it just using scrapbook paper. Of course, no party is complete without tissue paper poms! | {
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Hot Crazy Nude Girls
Are you into super skinny girls?
We know that for the most part a lot of guys are into skinny girls. And this is even more true as the obesity epidemic among women continues. But just how far does that go? How skinny? Well Kira here is certainly thin but she is a former ballerina and has a tight dancers body. | {
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We can play a positive role in tackling climate change and help create a revolution in green consumption.
There is now an overwhelming scientific consensus that climate change is happening. Scientists tell us that man-made emissions of greenhouse gases are a key factor, and that urgent action by governments, businesses and individuals is needed to combat it. This means there needs to be less reliance on fossil fuel, and that we must nurture the idea of a low-carbon society.
As a result, many customers now want to play their part. However, they need help to overcome some key barriers:
A sense that their individual actions won’t make a difference
A lack of information about what to do and
A worry that buying products that help the environment is expensive
Tesco is working to tackle these barriers so that we can help deliver a revolution in green consumption – with the fight against climate change at the very heart of it. We also want to set an example by measuring and reducing CO2 emissions in our own business
Measuring our carbon footprint
We have measured our direct carbon footprint, so now we can identify our biggest impacts and provide transparency within our business about our progress. Our aim is to establish a clear baseline from which to track progress in reducing our emissions, and enable us to identify those areas of our business we need to prioritise. We define the scope of our direct footprint in line with industry standards, which comply with the guidelines set out by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). We included energy use in all Tesco stores, distribution centres and offices as well as emissions from primary distribution, business travel and our Tesco grocery home shopping delivery vans. We also included the impact of the HFC gases used for refrigeration. We recognise that we also have an important role to play in reducing our indirect carbon footprint and are examining ways to help our suppliers and customers reduce their emissions too.
At Tesco Ireland we are working with our customers, suppliers and partners to create a greener environment and raise public awareness of environmental issues. Tesco Ireland is playing its part in tackling one of the gravest threats we all face – climate change. That’s why one of our Group policies is to "put the environment at the heart of everything we do". We are committed to a long-term programme of practical steps to reduce our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Our goal in sustainable consumption is to drive the trend towards green consumerism by using our power and reach to make it cheaper to go green.
Energy efficient design and technologies
All our stores are built to the highest energy efficient standards and, in the case of our new stores, feature cutting edge energy efficient technologies including the following:
Combined Heat and Power Units - We installed our first Combined Heat and Power (CHP) unit at our store in the Nutgrove Shopping Centre in Dublin in August 2007. The gas burning unit generates electricity for the store while simultaneously recycling the waste heat used in the generation process. This recycled waste heat is then used to provide central heating and hot water for the store. It is estimated that the CHP will save 656 tonnes in carbon emissions each year. We plan to roll out more CHP units in the future.
Lexan Film – This is being installed on fridge glass doors in our frozen food aisles to reduce the energy usage of the refrigerated cabinets. Fan motors are also being replaced with energy efficient motors that use 80% less energy.
PIR Lighting – Lighting in all our stores is being changed from wall switch-controlled lighting to PIR lighting. PIR (Passive InfraRed) lighting has motion detection sensors and is installed in all staff areas. The lights automatically switch off when no one is in the room.
Tesco Ireland’s new store in Tramore, Co Waterford, has incorporated many eco initiatives. The Eco-Store uses 45% less energy than a supermarket of a similar size. It has set a new benchmark for green technology and construction in retail in Ireland. Key features include ecologically sound construction materials, new technology to create self-sufficiency for heating and hot water, solar panels to generate electricity, air retrieval and recycling measures. We are committed to tackling a wide range of issues from reducing packaging to making green choices easier and more affordable for our customers.
What you can do
Recycling is a key issue for our customers. And Tesco Ireland aims to make recycling an important part of the customer’s shopping trip by providing accessible recycling points at our stores.
Tesco Ireland is the country’s largest provider of Bring Centre recycling banks for consumers. We support the Rehab recycling scheme by providing bottle banks where consumers can bring bottles, jars and other waste glassware for recycling.
Some of our stores also provide consumers with facilities to recycle waste plastics and clothing;
Nenagh - (ISPCC)
Tullamore - (ISPCCx1, Teen Line Ireland x2)
Kilbarrack - (Rehab)
Bray
Artaine - (Enable Ireland)
Roscommon
Rathmines
Mitchelstown - (St Vincent De Paul)
Wicklow
Newbridge - (ISPCC / Enable Ireland / Drugs Aware)
Clearwater - (Enable Ireland)
Youghal - (Teen Line Ireland)
Clane - (REHAB)
Tipperary - (ISPCC)
Edenderry - (ISPCC)
New Ross - (Chernobyl Aid)
Birr
Celbridge - (Enable Ireland)
Tramore
Maynooth Extra - (Homeless)
Some of our stores also provide consumers with facilities to recycle glass/bottles;
Wexford - (1)
Nenagh - (5)
Poleberry - (4)
Roxboro - (1)
Tullamore - (5)
Gorey - (5)
Wilton - (4)
Bray - (18)
Artaine - (4)
Roscommon - (10)
Drumcondra - (6)
Rathmines - (4)
Blanchardstown - (3)
Prussia St - (4)
Mitchelstown - (5)
Clarehall - (1)
Arklow - (16)
Wicklow - (4)
Naas - (11)
Newbridge - (4)
Clearwater - (8)
Youghal - (10)
Ardkeen - (5)
Carrick On Shannon - (15)
New Ross - (8)
Birr - (8)
Celbridge - (3)
Abbeyfeale - (1)
Tramore - (5)
Maynooth Extra - (1)
Bailiesboro - (12)
Ballinasloe - (5)
Mobile phones and inkjet cartridges
Recycling your old mobile and inkjet cartridges is as simple as picking up a special recycling envelope at Tesco. You will also find a recycling envelope inside every Tesco Mobile phone and SIM pack.
Tesco Ireland accepts WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) products from consumers free of charge. Take-back is on a one-to-one basis. In other words, the appliance being returned needs to be of similar type or have performed the same function as the new item purchased.
Making green living affordable
Tesco Ireland is making green choices easier and more affordable for our customers. We are making a conscious effort to increase the number of green products in our stores. These include:
Energy-saving light bulbs
Our ‘Naturally’ range of cleaning products. These have been developed to have a lower impact on the environment and include everything from washing-up liquid to fabric conditioners | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
The best ad vehicle for Chuck E. Cheese was one 11 year old boy. “The viral nature of an elementary school – you can’t believe that it can be as good as it is.”
(Note his presentation actually said 11 Dimensions, if you read that somewhere else, but it was numbered wrong and there are really 12).
PUBLIC SPACE
1. uWink (his company)
2. Coin operated games – massive in late 70s, early 80s, fell off cliff. They didn’t understand their marketplace. They wanted to have one on one relationships with players, but that relationship was better at home. The only things left are things you can’t get at home. See: Dave & Busters, Chuck E Cheese. “You can win hundreds of thousands of tickets, you can turn them in, and you can get a whistle.”
Dance Dance Revolution: massively successful. Progenitor to Wii. Interfaces between 1-2 million US kids every week.
3. Mobile Mashups: used at uWink – you have big video display in a mall, and anyone who walks by can play trivia game with mobile phone. Underutilized, cheap, easy, fun. You’ll see a lot in the future.
4. Augmented Reality – in next 10 years, major area of experiential advertising. With your mobile phone, as you move around, it tells you what’s in the store, what’s on sale, “the fact that there’s a bad guy in there you can shoot.”
These will all bring new sets of gameplay and ad opportunities. “We don’t have to shoot people. It just happens to be fun.” For people who are against violence: “When you have bad guys from another planet, you have to shoot ‘em.” “I don’t get the objection to shooting people who are already dead.”
INTERNET CENTRIC
5. Casual Game Wrappers (Neoedge) (his company) (and yes he has 2 #4s):- most efficient ad opportunity you can have (admits his own bias)
6. Game Widgets – more and more important
7. Social Media Widgets
8. In Game Placements
9. Advergames – underutilized game system going forward.
MOBILE GAMES
10. Smart Phones
11. Proximity Games – games that become aware of each other. Masses of people in malls can run around having a good time. “Burning Man for everybody in a mall.”
12. Premum Marketing – can buy stuff in games. Would love to buy with points. Having points provided by advertiser is cool.
Rest of his talk:
“There’s such a thing as too much innovation.” Showed prototypical arcade game in 1970 – “shifting synchronous digital counters technology”
1970: Atari Started (Syzygy)
1972: Pong Coin op introduced
1975: Consumer Pong ships
1977: Atari 2600 VCS
on Chuck E Cheese:
The animals are a fraud. They’re there for the parents. Kids can say they’re there for the animals, subtle way for parents not to think they’re spending tons of money on game tokens. The ads were secondary about the games. The name came about because you have to smile three times when you say Chuck E. Cheese.
Another fun fact: Chuck E. wears shin guards. Kids think it’s fun to beat the heck out of him. “The job of being Chuck E. in that costume is not a good job.” “If you find a male employee who wants to be in the Chuck E. Cheese costume too often you have a problem.”
On his gaming startups
uWink: it’s about social gaming – Chuck E. Cheese for adults, but more so a part around the table. Touchscreen on every table, automated food ordering too. Game bar turned into automated restaurant. Food delivered by “entertainment directors.” Most of time when you want something different, it’s not the kitchen that messes up, it’s the waiter, so this removes that friction. Has ads on the touch screens.
NeoEdge Networks (he’s chairman of the board): big gap between amount of time spent on casual games and advertising in it. Pre-roll, interstitials make sense for games.
MetaTix: another gaming company where he’s on the board.
[He kind of lost his fire at this point… he had this amazing spark the entire time and then started going through the motions.]
On Education
Game players score 7-15 points on IQ tests than non-game players. Beneficial effects of game play for kids under 20 stop at 2 hours a day. Don’t let kids play more. More than 4 hours: people get dumber than non-gamers.
Next project: a high school using games/tech that eliminates the classroom and teaches kids how they want to be taught, using technology. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
I was just thinking, I have every copy of LXF from No 1. They occupy several A4 printer paper cartons.
12 (?) years ago I was in W H Smiths at Paddington station looking for a computer mag to read on the train back to Bristol. Another guy was also looking at them and said to me "They are all the same, aren't they?". I replied : "What I'd really like is one on Linux". He pointed, and there was Linux Format! I bought it, and only on the train did I realise it was the first issue.
I understand that there was some sort of pilot issue a month earlier, perhaps called LXF 0 (to show respect to RMS?). I would like to have a copy of that.
Unsolved mysteries of the Universe, No 13 :-
How many remakes of Anna Karenina does the World need?
I think the zeroeth issue is likely to be a prized possession of anyone who has kept it for so long. Still, if the price is right, I'm sure someone would be mercenary enough to part with a copy (wish I'd bought two or more now ). | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
On another blog, I replied to several comments by a critic of modern living-pterosaur investigations. But something else mentioned by Paul Pursglove caught my attention: “Basic science would suggest that these sightings are misguided.” That deserves attention. (The link to that original criticism by Pursglove is found on that Modern Pterosaurs Blogspot post: “Pterosaurs and Cryptozoology.”)
“Basic science” involves observations by humans, and human experience should be respected, even above a dogmatic tradition; that is the normal application of science. The professors who opposed Galileo’s support of a sun-centered system—those professors were trying to protect their traditions of earth-centeredness. Now many eyewitnesses of apparent pterosaurs tell us of their experiences; they are now opposed by critics who are trying to protect the traditions of universal dinosaur-pterosaur extinction. The point? Mr. Pursglove has taken a position similar to that taken by the professors who opposed Galileo.
What!? Cryptozoologists who search for flying creatures resembling living pterosaurs—those fringe-investigators are on the same side as Galileo? But that early Italian scientist had a telescope to show professors that Jupiter was circled by four moons, so he was using repeatable observations to convince those professors, right? Not exactly. For one thing, those moons of Jupiter do not really prove that the earth revolves around the sun (it only opens up thinking in that direction); in addition, professors cannot be forced to look into a telescope, even if they were open-minded about what they would see.
But cryptozoology, including sightings of living pterosaurs, is not repeatable science, it is unpredictable, right? Not exactly. Certain aspects of sightings in Papua New Guinea seem to be repeatable. A few months after Paul Nation videotaped two indava lights (late 2006), the television production crew for Destination Truth (with Joshua Gates) videotaped a similar light to the east (early 2007). Both sightings were on the mainland of Papua New Guinea. So why not support a major expedition, one with the expensive video equipment that might reveal the living pterosaurs that produce that incredible bioluminescence?
But science tells us that all pterosaurs became extinct many millions of years ago, right? NOT AT ALL! Not even one species can be determined to be extinct by examining fossils. Extinction is not something that fossils can tell us. It has been assumed that pterosaurs became extinct; the key word is “assumed.” Even if hundreds of species did become extinct long ago, there is nothing in “basic science” that tells us no pterosaur species could be presently living.
The truth is that the discoveries of fossils of new species of pterosaurs, discoveries over the decades, make an extant pterosaur species MORE likely. The more species that lived in the past, the more likely one or two species have survived into the present, right? RIGHT!
Human experience should not be swept away to protect old dogmas, and two of those old dogmas are earth-centeredness and universal pterosaur extinction.
Live Pterosaurs in America
The third edition of this non-fiction cryptozoogy book was published in November of 2011. This is the expanded version with more eyewitness sightings of live pterosaurs in the United States, including the Carson sighting in Cuba. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
FreeNAS is a powerful operating system for server. It provides a powerful ZFS file system with many benefits for backup, snapshot, extend and expanding storage. This tutorial will show you how to create a new volume on FreeNAS version 9.10. ZFS was explained clearly on this link.
On this tutorial, I want to add 2 extra hard drives to my existing FreeNAS system. The disks must be recognized by FreeNAS before attempting to add the new volume to the system. Click on Storage | View Disks to see attached disks.
On the picture above, I have 2 disks 10 and 21 GB each. Now we can start to create new volume. Go to Storage | Volume Manager.
Give a unique name to the volume. I use vg01 for my volume name and I only add my 21.5 GB disks to this new volume. The other disk will be used to extend the vg01 later. Click Add Volume button to start.
When done, you should see the new volume is created
Please note that this is a stripe volume. You may want to read another volume options in details here. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Pro soccer player attributes his strength to his faith
Pittsburgh Riverhounds soccer player Taylor Washington is pictured in an undated photo. Washington went to a Iona Preparatory in New Rochelle, N.Y., for three years, where he developed a greater appreciation for his Catholic faith and started to deepen his relationship with God. -
CNS photo | courtesy Pittsburgh Riverhounds
PITTSBURGH (CNS) — Taylor Washington, a defender for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds soccer team, says he keeps God at the center of his life and that even during games when he’s in a competitive mindset, he’ll often pray a Hail Mary or a Glory Be.
“Why I’m so strong is because of Christ,” he said. “Everything that he’s done for me and all the blessings I’ve received in my life are because of him. At times, it’s overwhelming. I just have to give thanks.”
Washington attends daily Mass and goes to confession. Before games he reads Scripture passages and prays a St. Jude chaplet. And before stepping onto the field, he says a prayer to St. Michael for protection.
That wasn’t always the case, though. Washington, who was raised Catholic in Somers, New York, attended Mass with his parents on Christmas and Easter and maybe a few other times during the year. He developed more of an appreciation of his faith during Catholic school but by the time he was a freshman at Boston University, where he played on the Division I soccer team, religion had little or no part in his routine.
“God wasn’t the center of my life and he might have been the last thing that I would resort to,” he told the Pittsburgh Catholic, diocesan newspaper. “Only if I was in a tough situation would I pray. I felt completely lost. I was having a lot of success on the soccer field at that time.”
But he was also struggling with a 1.7 grade-point average, suffering with mononucleosis and a diagnosis of dyslexia. He wanted to break out of this torment, but really wasn’t sure how to do so.
The sign he needed came one random afternoon as he sat in an empty classroom on campus.
“I remember sitting at a desk — I can’t make this up — and I saw a gold light. The weight of everything was just lifted off of me. I hadn’t thought about church and I hadn’t gone in forever, but I just felt compelled to go to church and I didn’t miss a Sunday Mass after that.”
After this experience, which Washington feels is still constantly evolving in his life, he transferred to George Mason University in Virginia where he continued to play soccer and earned All-Conference honors. When he graduated in 2016, he was named George Mason’s Student-Athlete of the Year.
Off the field, Washington became involved in George Mason’s Catholic campus ministry team and served as the large-events coordinator for the student ministry team.
“That was a complete blessing to be around people my age who shared the same Catholic faith,” he said. “It was a very humbling experience because they keep you in check. I had to make a lot of adjustments in my life.”
Last December Washington signed a one-year deal with a club option for 2018 with the Riverhounds.
He said he has been able to enjoy the Catholic environment of Pittsburgh and has gotten to know a few priests. On most of his off days, he spends time volunteering at Children’s Hospital of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
“People will tell me that what I’m doing is so great, but it’s not really what I’m doing, it’s God working through me. I’ve been given such a blessing to have the platform to do this. I feel like if I weren’t doing these things, it would be a waste. I’m not going to be a professional athlete forever, so I think God has called me to help in kids’ lives. In turn, they help my life more than I am helping them.”
Washington also has aspirations to play soccer at the highest level possible.
“The dream is to play in Europe,” he said. “I believe that through prayer and steadfastness, it can happen.”
“Tweeting about things like Christ’s love, God’s mercy and church teachings are nothing compared to all the things that he’s done for me,” Washington said, adding: “The little things I do every day don’t amount to any worthiness to him, but I try to honor him in everything I do.”
Peaslee is associate editor for the Pittsburgh Catholic, newspaper of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Fawn & Rose Winner!
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Many thanks to all who entered our Fawn & Rose giveaway! And the big winner is…
Congrats, Julie! We’ll be in touch to let you know how to claim your gift card. Hooray! And for those of you who are still dying for some goodies from Fawn & Rose, don’t forget that Lovely Indeed readers can use the code LOVELY at checkout through the end of the month for 20% off any purchase. Happy shopping! xoxo | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
SuperCBDx - Royal Purple Kush x SCBDx
The distinctive sweet taste of the Black Afghani mother is enhanced by the peppery and fruit flavors of the Bubba Kush Kush dad, giving Royal Purple Kush a complex, otherworldly flavor that has to be experienced. Vigorous vegetative growth allows for a hearty infrastructure, resulting in multiple large, fragrant, THC-encrusted “castle” colas. You can veg it longer than most plants, as it only stretches about 15-25% after entering the flowering cycle. Adding SCBDx to the mix has given a unique overall pine taste and smell as well as giving a high CBD ratio to the strain and increasing the terpene profile. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Several couples wed at Pottawatomie County courthouse Wednesday
Eight couples wanting to have wedding anniversary dates of 12-12-12 applied for marriage licenses at the Pottawatomie County courthouse Wednesday, with six ceremonies performed by judges.
Kim Morava
Eight couples wanting to have wedding anniversary dates of 12-12-12 applied for marriage licenses at the Pottawatomie County courthouse Wednesday, with six ceremonies performed by judges.
Among the couples were Joshua Stone and Tara Waldrup, who were pronounced Mr. and Mrs. Stone by District Judge John Canavan just before 5 p.m.
The judge, who conducted two morning ceremonies, set several ceremonies for a late afternoon wedding docket. As they awaited their turn, the couple, who've been engaged more than a year, reflected on the significance of choosing 12-12-12 as their wedding date.
"We planned to get married anyway…we figured there's not a better day than 12-12-12," Waldrup said.
For the groom, the answer was simpler.
"It's easy to remember," Stone said.
Waldrup's 8-year-old son, Levi, along with the bride's parents, Jeff and Shelli Waldrup, were among those attending the nuptials.
"It's supposed to be a lucky day," Shelli Waldrup said about the special date, with Jeff Waldrup adding, "We're very proud of them."
Levi, who was excited about "getting a new dad," Jeff Waldrup said, still had homework to do after witnessing the wedding.
After Judge Canavan conducted the ceremony in his courtroom, he congratulated the couple for their 12-12-12 wedding.
While many have wanted to have anniversary dates with the same month, day and year, technically, as far as the courthouse weddings go, it was only possible 10 times this Century.
Canavan told the couple the courthouse was closed on Jan. 1, 2001 for New Year's Day, and on Nov. 11, 2011 for Veteran's Day.
"So there's only 10 days in the Century with the same month, day and year," for courthouse weddings, Canavan said.
Canavan married five of Wednesday's couples while Associate District Judge John Gardner married one.
It was estimated by David's Bridal, a U.S.-based company, that at least 7,500 couples across the U.S. would marry on Wednesday because of the significant date.
And there was no exception in Las Vegas, known as the land of wedding chapels, where it was reported marriage licenses tripled because of the significant date.
According to Vicki MacKinnon, author of "Please Take a Number: Numerology for Real Life and Everyday Success," Wednesday's date represents two energies merging, including masculine and feminine energies.
MacKinnon, of Calgary, Alberta, said those kinds of energy are good news for couples marrying on 12-12-12.
Mr. and Mrs. Stone plan to make their home in Shawnee.
There were three couples in Lincoln County and three couples in Seminole County who applied for marriage licenses on Wednesday. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
The Lockheed Martin-led industry team officially laid the keel for the
U.S. Navy’s eleventh Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), the future USS
Sioux City, in a ceremony held at Marinette Marine Corporation.
The industry team is building Freedom-class
LCSs for the U.S. Navy, and has delivered two ships with five
others under construction and one soon to begin construction. The nation’s
first LCS, USS Freedom, completed her deployment to Southeast Asia,
during which she participated in multiple international maritime exercises,
conducted patrols in the South China Sea and provided disaster relief
for Operation Damayan. As USS Freedom proved, the ship class is addressing
the Navy’s need for an affordable, highly-networked and modular
ship unlike any other in the world. The platform is designed and outfitted
with mission systems to conduct a variety of missions including anti-surface,
mine and submarine warfare. The next LCS to deploy will be the Freedom-class
USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) in 2014.
PEARL HARBOR
(Dec. 13, 2013) The littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) arrives
at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Freedom's first operational deployment,
a 9-month assignment forward-operating from Singapore, is the first
ever deployment for a Littoral Combat Ship and the proof-of-concept
deployment for the ship class. Freedom is scheduled to return to homeport
at San Diego later this month. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication
Specialist 3rd Class Johans Chavarro/Released)
“We are proud to provide our Sailors with a
proven warship that allows them to carry out their missions around the
world,” said Dale P. Bennett, executive vice president of Lockheed
Martin’s Mission Systems and Training business. “We are
working in partnership with the Navy as they build a fleet able to operate
forward, stand ready for any challenges, and serve our essential warfighting
requirements.”
In keeping with a time-honored tradition, ship sponsor Mrs. Mary
Winnefeld authenticated the keel block by having her initials welded.
“I'm both honored and delighted to be back in my home state
of Wisconsin as the sponsor of the future USS Sioux City,” said
Mrs. Winnefeld. “It's been a real privilege to meet the great
Americans who are building this versatile ship, and I thank them in
advance for their quality work. I look forward to meeting her crew
soon, being part of her family, and bringing our ship to life when
she's commissioned.”
The Lockheed Martin-led LCS team includes ship builder Marinette
Marine Corporation, a Fincantieri company, naval architect Gibbs &
Cox, as well as nearly 900 suppliers in 43 states, including approximately
30 small businesses in Wisconsin and Michigan.
Lay the keel is a shipbuilding term that marks the beginning of the
module erection process, which is a significant undertaking that signifies
the ship coming to life. Modern warships are now largely built in
a series of pre-fabricated, complete hull sections rather than a single
keel, so the actual start of the shipbuilding process is now considered
to be when the first sheet of steel is cut and is often marked with
a ceremonial event. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
February 7, 2012
Bookshelf to Bookbench Transformation
I love Ikea hacks. There are so many simple cheap pieces of furniture that are perfect for transforming into something unique. I had a small white Billy bookshelf that I wanted to put in Ivy's room, but I really didn't want her climbing it, pulling the shelves out, or tipping it over.
I thought if I could just turn it on its side, it would be perfect. But there was the problem with it being asymmetrical that bugged me.
So, I went to Home Depot and got some pieces of moulding. Then I glued them on with wood glue and clamps. I glued the shelves in so they wouldn't tip over or get pulled out. I also put wood putty in the peg holes for the shelves.
Then I painted the moulding pieces.
It needed something more in order to really look like a reading bench. When I bought the fabric for the crib bedding I made, I bought some extra of this pink suzani print. I had just the right amount left for a cushion (just under a yard).
I used some Walmart foam, put a zipper in the back so it's removable, sewed some velcro to the bottom and hot-glued some to the bench so it would stay put. (Update: the hot glue didn't hold to the laminate finish, so I put some white upholstery tacks into the velcro to hold it down. NOW it doesn't move)
We love reading together. Books are some of Ivy's absolute favorite things. I like that the books are accessible, which means she can go grab one to read any time, but safe. It's also a fun place for her to sit and look out the window.
My name is Lisa. I write about whatever interests me at the moment. I change my mind constantly and have too many hobbies, so you never know what it's going to be. But, I know I'll always love family, friends, art, good stories, great humor, culture, language, learning, and sushi. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
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Coltin - Jumper for Men
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Recycle surplus design alongside salvaged materials with the Coltin. Made from a recycled knit blend, the military-inspired sweater is customized with mixed knits and canvas piecing at the shoulders and chest pocket.
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Recycle surplus design alongside salvaged materials with the Coltin. Made from a recycled knit blend, the military-inspired sweater is customized with mixed knits and canvas piecing at the shoulders and chest pocket.
DetailsMaterialsShipping & Returns
Recycle Cotton-Poly Yarn
Crew Neck Jumper Mix Knitting (7 Gg)
Front Pocket And Back Yoke In Canvas
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40% Polyester, 28% Acrylic, 16% Cotton, 10% Others, 6% Wool
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(TL;DR: People that don’t like the wiki as it is ought look at the official Emacs documentation instead. I wrote this so that I’d have something to link to in the future. This post was inspired by 2012-03-20.)✎
Every year or so, I read about suggested changes to the Emacs Wiki. The complaints are the same, year after year.✎
The first problem is the mistaken belief that technology can substitute for social change. Yes, the wiki is badly organized and many of the pages are outdated. Changing the wiki engine, the backend or the formatting rules will not change this, however.✎
The backend used by the wiki engine can influence performance and resource use, it can make the software harder or easier to maintain and backup—but it will not induce somebody to edit a messy page and fix it.✎
The second problem is the mistaken belief that moderation can be commanded. You can complain about bad editing and a lack of moderation all day. But since nobody is paying people to do a boring job, we must rely on obsessive compulsive people to fix typos and tag pages.✎
Maybe we could attract more people by gamifying the experience—offer rewards, badges, scores. But Stack Overflow already does this. It’s the best social question answering machine currently known. The wiki doesn’t need to imitate something better. The wiki needs to do what it does best. We’ll come to that.✎
The third problem is the mistaken belief that quality control and volunteers go well together. Just compare Wikipedia and Citizendium and consider the animosity generated by Deletionism on Wikipedia. How will you encourage authors to contribute if you are telling them that their contributions are lacking the quality you are looking for instead of simply accepting their text and working on it?✎
You fight spam, you rework text occasionally, you encourage others, you welcome newbies, you lead by example. That’s how you lead.✎
An abrasive personality, radical change involving a lot of work—those are not the tools you are looking for.✎
Let me return to the issue of commanding change. Things people have said:✎
“the content editing should be one with the goal of creating a comprehensive, coherent, article that gives readers info or tutorial about the subject.” – Xah Lee (2008)✎
“I favor a major reorganization of the wiki material.” – Neil Smithline (2011)✎
“Wiki is a hydra you cannot cut enough heads off to make it die. I tried, and failed miserably. I suggest you don’t waste your efforts and time on that.” – Eli Zaretskii (2014)✎
“What I propose is starting anew and getting rid of a few common complaints at once.” – wasamasa (2015)✎
The critics can be unhappy about it all they want, and they can complain about it all they want—but in the end, one needs to understand the forces at work, here. There is no chain of command.✎
It works just like a free software project. If it doesn’t scratch someone’s itch, nobody is going to add it. I think it’s a fundamental issue with our business model: there is no pay for boring stuff. Plus, documentation is of no direct use for anything—unlike code. Thus, people are mostly motivated to keep their own code and its documentation up to date. I don’t think there is anything we can do about that. That’s why the Emacs Wiki Mission Statement does not mention organization and quality. It cannot be commanded.✎
Once we accept that this is the sand upon which we are building our house, we necessarily need to scale down our expectations. Personally, I think the wiki exists somewhere between the official documentation, Stack Overflow, the FAQ, the newsgroups, the mailing lists, and IRC. It’s certainly nowhere near the quality of organization and writing that the Emacs documentation has—and I don’t think this is the right medium to aim for this level of quality. I think the people willing to invest that amount of energy to write quality stuff ought to be writing the real Emacs documentation—and they probably are.✎
What remains are the people using Emacs Wiki for their own pet projects, questions asked, answers given, sometimes organized, sometimes rewritten, sometimes linked to the rest of the site.✎
Wikipedia works because of its universal appeal. When I added an image to an obscure Indian temple we visited when I was staying in Mysore, the photo was terrible. But it was a start, and enough people cared about the page and it grew, and it found people to tend it, and now it’s big and beautiful.✎
There just aren’t enough Emacs users and authors out there and the best of us will be contributing to the official Emacs documentation. The wiki exists somewhere between the official documentation and the mailing lists. Lower your expectations.✎
The wikis I knew, C2 and Meatball Wiki, had attracted a particular community and they had created a particular subculture I liked. We talked about the Wiki Now and many other things that made wikis work. The medium itself was interesting.✎
I had been posting on the newsgroups for a long time, and slowly I realized that the same questions kept being asked again and again. The newsgroups and mailing lists were failing as a medium because they were ephemeral. Sure, we kept telling people to search the archives. But the medium afforded asking questions instead of searching.✎
When I looked for Frequently Asked Questions, I found a document online, maintained by a single person. This person was a bottleneck. The FAQ updated slowly.✎
At the time I was getting into Internet Relay Chat. On IRC, conversation is even more ephemeral than on the mailing list. This time, however, “searching the archives” was out of the question. We needed our own archive. And thus I started answering questions on IRC and posting the answers on the wiki.✎
I think this last point bears consideration: I was creating pages or adding information to pages because it was pertinent on IRC. An index, linking to the page, categorization, returning to the page later and reworking it, all these quality related tasks were not pertinent on IRC. All I needed was a pastebin that I could go back to and rewrite if I felt like it. Often I did not—and I still don’t.✎
The wiki being on the web, updated every now and then, with pertinent answers to specialized questions, unorganized and raw, ended up being a good resource for the search engines out there. These search engines bring new people to the site. People that don’t understand how wikis work in general and how this wiki grew to be where it is in particular. They are shocked. So many pages outdated! Such a mess in style and quality!✎
I think those people are better served reading the official documentation. They don’t want this mess, they don’t benefit from it’s loose rules, they don’t understand how cool it is to have a site with no login required. They are better served elsewhere.✎
I’m sure that one day the Emacs Wiki will have become irrelevant. But just like the old newsgroups never disappeared entirely, so will the wiki transform into something else and remain part of our information landscape.✎
Perhaps one of the Emacs Wiki critics will one day set up an alternate site, pull all the pages (more than 8500 pages last time I checked), extract the quality content—or rewrite it from scratch—and produce something better. Perhaps they will build an organization that can keep the quality up, encourage new authors to join, provide more value to their readers. But I don’t think complaining about the existing Emacs Wiki is a step in the right direction. Build it, and they will come—elsewhere.✎
Comments
> the mistaken belief that technology can substitute for social change
✎
Well, simply having a “talk” page for each wiki page (with a big link at the top) would let people have conversations about those pages without cluttering them up. And having an actual, complete revision history would help someone figure out what happened to a completely messed-up page. But EmacsWiki doesn’t seem to have those things. Its technology is too primitive to reasonably support – much less encourage – a workable society.✎
AlexSchroeder Sean, if the lack of a complete revision history is what held you back from reworking and reorganizing, then I guess you’re right. I am keeping all the logs, but discarding all the older revisions after two weeks and never felt the lack.✎
The addition of Talk pages was discussed a while ago—it was one of the items on the suggestions page—but at the time we had two votes in favor and two votes against them. Nobody else seemed to care. I’ll be surprised if their mere existence improves the pages. But I guess we’ll see, now. Good luck to you all!✎
After a quick look at the site I’ll suggest that you should add licensing terms as quickly as possible. As it stands, you cannot copy anything from Emacs Wiki. That would require a copyleft license.✎
SeanO Alex – I’d say my laziness and your sneering condescension were greater obstacles. But if I don’t check in for more than 2 weeks (quite likely, given how little time I have for Emacs these days), I’d still like to be able to see what happened if something I cared about (e.g. the Perl page or my homepage) went bad. (How much, to an order of magnitude Euros and hours’ work, would it cost you to keep a complete revision log, by the way?)✎
I guess the Talk page issue came and went in a revision window when I didn’t have time to hang out here.✎
I’m also tired of your pseudo-legal threats toward the content of the wiki (which is under GPL2, not GFDL).✎
(This comment is protected by the GFDL, I guess. Whatever that means.)✎
AlexSchroeder I wonder where you felt my sneering condescension. Perhaps in my replies to people I felt were trying to tell me what to do in my free time and with my money? I also don’t think I threatened you in any way. Perhaps you missed the problems I had with changes to the Emacs Wiki license in its early days. I was trying to help you or Bozhidar not make the same mistake.✎
The logs are there for all to see if you follow the links. Here’s the the SiteMap history, for example. Keeping all the old revisions would cost me nothing – it’s simply a setting. I prefer it this way. As I said, I think keeping the old revisions provides no benefit and adds a number of small drawbacks such as needing administrators to permanently hide particular revisions that contain material deemed problematic from a legal perspective. As it stands, I can undo these edits and with time, they are gone. Another issue is that I like the idea of a right to be forgotten. The original C2 wiki kept no revisions at all. I think that the only reason old revisions need to be kept at all is peer review and anti-spam and anti-vandalism measures. For those tasks, a small time window is sufficient. After all, wiki pages are not code. We don’t need to look through the history of a page to find when bugs were introduced and by whom.✎
P.S.: EmacsWiki:WikiDownload links to a CVS repository of the source files hosted on the wiki, a subversion repo with daily snapshots of all the wiki pages, and a new, up to date git repo of all the pages with full history. I guess in a way my preference regarding the right to be forgotten is already moot since deleted stuff can be pulled out of the archives. This just hides deleted info from casual visitors.✎
PhilHudson Excellent riposte, Alex. We who criticize the wiki should pay attention. I would like to thank you for this consistently useful resource and your dedication. I certainly don’t detect any sneering on your part. Having said that, I do think there are a lot of real and fixable problems with the wiki, the worst being the hosting of code with neither “proper” SCM nor automatic notification of changes. Once you’ve used LaunchPad and (especially) github, this is just not tolerable. So I’m going to see what if anything I can do to help any new project.✎
AlexSchroeder I see the problem! I think people like me don’t feel bad about keeping code that consists of a single file on the wiki because we usually don’t think of these files as requiring maintenance. After all, that’s how gnu.emacs.sources used to work. The wiki has the benefit of providing a stable URL, but the process remains essentially the same: post & forget, possibly have discussions with other people via email, followed by another post & forget.✎
To me, creating a separate project on Savannah or Source Forge is an unacceptable overhead for files like EmacsWiki:rcirc-color.el or EmacsWiki:rcirc-controls.el. But if somebody else felt like taking those files, putting them up on some other site – excellent! At first, color-theme.el was hosted on Emacs Wiki. Eventually somebody took it, moved it elsewhere, and started a real project. Great!✎
I still think that the Emacs Wiki can act as a low barrier-to-entry incubator for all those small little files that need a place on the web. I don’t read gnu.emacs.sources anymore, and I don’t think many other people do. At the same time, I think there still are a lot of people without their own web pages out there. They can’t post code on Facebook or Google+ and I imagine uploading code to Wordpress and Blogspot sites is also unwieldy. For all those people, the Emacs Wiki offers an alternative. It’s a bit better than gnu.emacs.sources and Lisppaste but a far cry from a software forge.✎
If people would take popular code from the wiki to a forge, repackage it as a real project, that would be great.✎
Phil, I just remembered EmacsWiki:Git repository. Maybe that helps? I know Jonas is very enthusiastic about it and has been pestering me for weeks when I dragged my feet. ;) I’m sure he’d appreciate help or some nice words.✎
Phil, regarding Github: I’m not much of a github user. I see that git and github bring a lot of relevant new features to the table. Compared with other version control systems they facilitate forking on a grand scale. Do you feel that using Mediawiki introduces a similar set of new features that will revolutionize how wiki pages are edited and organized? I don’t see it, which is why I cannot imagine that Xah’s and Bozhidar’s idea of switching to Mediawiki will in fact help solve the quality issues they have with Emacs Wiki.✎
stack exchange websites are viral in nature, that’s why they are becoming popular. But that does not help to bring the high-quality content. A lot of dumb people come in just to get points and become “cool”, for some reason their incompetence does not scare them away. This results in very high amounts of wrong answers. Possible solution: dump the score system! It is not a fucking computer game, you know… 😩✎
I don’t know why, but most people feel that downvoting is offensive. I downvote pretty frequently, but other competent people simply ignore the wrong answers, because there is a shitload of them. It is not possible to explain every idiot why he is an idiot, so I guess that it is a right decision to just give up. On a wiki, such educational comments or edits are usually peer-reviewed, which increases the overall intellect of the community. On stack exchange your comment is just ignored, because most comments are usually hidden, and people don’t bother reading them. The only one who will see your comment is the author of the answer, and he will probably just ignore it.✎
Moderation is bullshit. I like to revise my answers, because I am a human and I do mistakes sometimes. But on stackoverflow, you can’t edit more than like 10 old answers per day… So I was coming back to stackoverflow for several days in a row to fix some of my answers, and know what? I received a personal message from some moderator. Look:✎
This just proves that there is no point to have authorities on such websites. Just let the peer review to do its thing. ✎
Refactoring is not possible. For example, double answers are frequent. Yes, sometimes it happens that two identical answers are posted with a 10 second delay, and people don’t bother to delete one of them. Usually both are voted up and you end up with duplicated information. Not so bad, but there is just something wrong with the system.✎
There is no “Recent Changes” thing. If there is, then where the fuck is it? Perhaps oh-mighty-moderators can see it.✎
You cannot change something massively. There is no such thing as bulk replace. And if you start doing something like this, you will get punished. This is a little bit different from refactoring. While refactoring is about doing huge edits on some page, now I’m talking about fixing some common problem in bulk on many pages. So, I stumbled upon some idiot on stackoverflow who kept giving bullshit bash answers and I spent half of an hour revising his other answers and voting them down, sometimes describing the problem (sometimes because I don’t want to link to the same problem more than once). And you know what? That worked! At first, he got angry, but then he started revising his answers, and I was giving an upvote for every fixed one. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Well, yeah, until some moderator came in and rolled back all my voting… Great. I think exactly the same would have happened if I was editing his answers myself. See? I don’t even have a right to vote. Even though every downvote is -1 point while upvotes are +10.✎
Shitloads of duplicate questions. One of the reasons is that the content is not structured in any way. But the problem is that you cannot simply close a question as a duplicate, because old answers are rarely revised and are usually out of date. And you cannot get on that old question page and start begging for a fresh information, there is simply no mechanism for that (yea, that’s one of the downsides of not having recent changes).✎
Some people come to get instant help, and they ask questions that will never be helpful to somebody else. For example, they paste a piece of their code and ask why something is not working. This is justified sometimes, but HEY GUYS, we have IRC for that.✎
This might be different in emacs stack exchange, but it just shows how such systems are defective by design. And I believe that emacswiki will stay as good as it is now, even if thousands of idiots start migrating to it.✎
Stack exchange is very new, all we have to do is wait a few years until it is filled with useless bullshit.✎
Alex Schroeder Hm, you are clearly much better informed than I am. I just type a ton of Java and Oracle questions into Google every working day of the week and so many of these answers are found on Stack Exchange it’s amazing. This works so well because many of my questions are simple and stupid and even those questions get asked and answered. I guess that’s where the low hanging fruit are if you are into the points.✎
And I see no reason why something like Ask Page Extension couldn’t be installed on emacswiki. Even tagging extension can be integrated with it. You will get the same ask button, questions feed and no scoring system – PERFECT. And as a bonus this will be highly integrated with the wiki, so that you can link stuff back and forth without throwing users to another website.✎
Alex Schroeder The section on poor community aptly describes what I feel towards Stackexchange and Wikipedia. But I still participate. Maybe less enthusiastically than before, and avoiding the authoritarian feedback, but I still write and vote. Simple answers to stupid questions are still useful. I will learn or not, on my own terms. Not every question needs to be a learning experience. But poor community bites. ✎ | {
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Intag is a technology company focused on digital advertising solutions for Publishers and Advertisers. Thru high-tech automation platforms and cutting edge technology, Intag provides transparency and information with | {
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Starting a Nursery or Herb Farm - PDF Ebook
Many nurseries or herb farm businesses begin life on a small scale in the home garden. It's often amazing how much can be produced, and the profit that can be made from a few hundred square metres of land.
This book arms you with the basic information you need to make a start. It's easy to read, and provides a rare insight into the possibilities available, in a way not commonly found in other books.
A revised and expanded edition of a book first published by Night Owl Press, it reflects changes in horticultural practice and botanical classification.
The topics covered include:
1. Which products to grow
2. Management and organisation
3. An overview of propagating techniques
4. Propagating structures
5. Propagating materials and equipment
6. Plant health problems
7. Seed Propagation
8. Vegatative Propagation
9. Propagation of specific plants
10. Herb production
The revised second edition contains a new chapter and is devoted to setting up a commercial herb farm. It deals with capital and land requirements; distribution and marketing of herbs domestically and overseas; and includes a feasability exercise for intending herb farmers. Further chapters delve into the history of nurseries and provide information on both herb and nursery farm environments.
A directory at the end of the book contains references for suppliers of seed, equipment, media, etc. There is also a comprehensive glossary and easy to follow information guide to available horticultural courses.
John Mason has had over 35 years experience in the fields of Horticulture, Recreation, Education and Journalism. He has extensive experience both as a public servant, and as a small business owner. John has held positions ranging from Director of Parks and Recreation (City of Essendon) to magazine editor.
John is a well respected member of many professional associations, and author of over thirty five books and of over two thousand magazine articles. Even today, John continues to write books for various publishers including Simon and Shuster, and Landlinks Press (CSIRO Publishing).
Excerpt:
SELECTING THE CROP
All too often, people enter horticulture with very definite pre-judged ideas on what they will grow, where they will grow it and how they will grow it. While such people have a real advantage in that they obviously love that particular type of plant they can only benefit by giving objective consideration to all the alternatives.
Crops grown by nurseries fall into the following broad categories:
INDOOR OR TROPICAL PLANTS:Grown outside in the northern parts of Australia; the same are often grown indoors in cooler parts.
NATIVES:Plants indigenous to Australia.
PERENNIALS:Soft-wooded (herbaceous) plants grown for decoration.
BULBS:Also corms, rhizomes and tubers grown for flower, often with perennials.
EXOTIC ORNAMENTALS:Woody plants not native to Australia grown for nonproductive or amenity purposes. Often nurseries specialise in one particular group of exotics (e.g. azaleas, geraniums or cacti). Deciduous fruit tree nurseries usually also grow deciduous ornamental trees which require similar techniques and treatment. Some specialise in citrus or berries.
The principal choice facing the herb farmer involves the form in which the crops will be sold:
PLANTS FOR SALE:Either grown in containers or in the ground.
CROPPING:Herbs grown en masse, the foliage being cropped and perhaps dried or oil extracted for sale.
HERB PRODUCTS:Growing plants to provide the raw material to produce a range of herbal products (e.g. teas, dried herbs, candles and
preserves).When considering the alternative crops, there are a number of questions to which you must find the answers.
How well does the product keep?
lf it can’t be sold immediately, can it be potted up?
Will it still be saleable in a month or a year?
How long does it take to become saleable? Some operations (e.g. selling 5 cm tube-size plants) can give a return in threeor four months from starting, while others (e.g. citrus trees) can take up to seven years from starting the rootstock to selling the budded plant.
What will be your peak work times? Different types of operations will impose heavy or lightworkloads at different times of the year. Deciduous plants require budding in February-March and digging for sale in winter. The remainder of the year is lighter work. Retail nurseries or herb farms are very busy in spring and to a lesser degree in autumn, although summer is very slow.
ISBN: 978-0-9871022-6-3
Pages- 62
Images- 37
Want to get more serious?
Consider studying theNursery Growers Course, developed by the author of this book as a starting point for establishing a small scale backyard nursery: | {
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At the time of European contact, the Mohegan and Pequot were a unified tribal entity living in the lower Connecticut region, but the Mohegan gradually became independent. They were under Pequot rule briefly in the 1630s until European colonists defeated the Pequot in 1637 during the Pequot War. Under the leadership of Uncas, a sachem, the Mohegan became a separate tribe before the turn of the 18th century.[1][2] Uncas' name is meant to be Wonkus, which translates to fox.
The word Mohegan (pronounced /ˈmoʊhiːɡæn/) translates in their respective Algonquindialects (Mohegan-Pequot language) as "People of the Wolf".[3][4] As a nearly landless people, the Mohegan gradually lost their tribal status. In 1978, Chief Rolling Cloud Hamilton petitioned for federal recognition of the Mohegan. Descendants of his and another band of Mohegan people are independent of the federally recognized nation and still seeking recognition.
The Mohegan Indian Tribe was historically based in central southern Connecticut. While originally part of the Pequot people, it gradually became independent and served as allies of English colonists in the Pequot War of 1637, which broke the power of that formerly dominant tribe in the region. In reward, the English gave Pequot captives to the Mohegan.
In 1933 John E. Hamilton,[7][8] a.k.a. Chief Rolling Cloud, was appointed Grand Sachem for Life by his mother, Alice Storey, through the traditional selection process of chiefs based on heredity. She was a direct descendant of Uncas, the great 17th-century leader of the Mohegan Nation, and of Tamaquashad, Grand Sachem of the Pequot Nation. In Mohegan tradition, the position of tribal leadership called Grand Sachem had always been hereditary through the maternal line.
Gladys Tantaquidgeon, who lived to the age of 106 in 2005, served for years as the Tribe's medicine woman and unofficial historian. She had become an anthropologist and worked for a decade with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Returning to Connecticut, she operated her family's tribal Tantaquidgeon Museum for more than 50 years, beginning in 1947.[9] It was one of the first museums to be owned and operated by Native Americans.[10]
John Hamilton was a key figure among Native American leaders initiating late twentieth century land claims suits. Tribes in the Northeast had long interaction with European Americans, which had resulted in many of them becoming nearly landless. Settlement of land claims suits in the late 20th and 21st centuries was related to federal recognition for a number of Indian nations, particularly for the so-called "state tribes." These were tribes along the East Coast who had been recognized by the English Crown long before individual colonial or state governments had been established. But, as the Native people lost their traditional lands and were not assigned reservations, they did not maintain their sovereign legal status associated with federal recognition.
In the 1960s, during a period of rising activism among Native Americans, Hamilton filed a number of land claims authorized by the "Council of Descendants of Mohegan Indians." The group had some 300 members at the time.
In 1970 the Montville faction of the Mohegans expressed its dissatisfaction with Hamilton's land-claims litigation. They wanted a change in direction. When the Hamilton supporters left the meeting, the remainder elected Courtland Fowler as their new leader. Notes of that Council meeting referred to Hamilton as Sachem.[11]
The group led by John Hamilton worked with the attorney Jerome Griner in federal land claims through the 1970s. The Fowler faction opposed this. In addition, a Kent, Connecticut property owners' organization, with native and non-native members, opposed the Hamilton land claims and the petition for federal recognition, as the people were worried about effects on their properties.
In response to the desire of more tribes to gain federal recognition, in 1978, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) established a formal administrative process and criteria to be satisfied to prove cultural continuity. That year, as authorized by the Council of Descendants, Hamilton submitted the Mohegan Tribe's first petition for Federal recognition.
John Hamilton died in 1988. In his will, he named Eleanor Fortin as the Grand Sachem of the Mohegan people. She became the leader of the "Hamilton group," which continued to contend with the "Fowler faction" over tribal policy. Despite their disagreements, both groups continued to participate in tribal activities and to identify as members of the Mohegan people.
By 1989, the Fowler faction had revived Hamilton's 1978 petition for federal recognition, which had been dormant for some years. The BIA's preliminary finding was that the Mohegan had not satisfied the criteria of documenting continuity in social community, and political authority and influence as a tribe through the twentieth century.
In 1990, the Mohegan under Fowler submitted a detailed response to meet the BIA's concerns. They included compiled genealogies and other records, some of which had been collected and preserved by Hamilton and his followers. For instance, Eleanor Fortin had allowed the MTIC researchers access to records pertaining to the Mohegan Congregational Church in Montville. The researchers had assured Fortin that if Federal recognition were achieved, it would cover the entire surviving Mohegan population.[citation needed] They also used records maintained by Gladys Tantaquidgeon, who had kept genealogy and vital statistics of tribal members for her anthropological research.[9][12]
In 1990, the MTIC ruled the tribe's membership be restricted to documented descendants from a single family, ca. 1860. This criteria excludes some of the Hamilton followers. By law, a Federally recognized tribe has the authority to determine its own rules for membership. The MTIC tried to sue other Mohegan over their use of the tribal identity as well as their crafting, but they did so unsuccessfully.[13]
In its 1994 "Final Determination," the BIA cited the vital statistics and genealogies as documents that were decisive in demonstrating "that the tribe did indeed have social and political continuity during the middle of the 20th century."[14] The former Fowler group gained federal recognition as the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut (MTIC). They have not acknowledged John Hamilton as Grand Sachem in their history, but say that Harold Tantaquidgeon was their chief prior to the era of Federal recognition.
That same year, Congress passed the Mohegan Nation (Connecticut) Land Claim Settlement Act, which authorized the United States to take land into trust to establish a reservation for the Mohegan and settle their land claim. The final 1994 agreement between MTIC and the State in the settlement of land claims extinguished all pending land claims.[14]
The Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut is the only federally recognized tribe of the Mohegan people.
Descendants of the followers of John Hamilton continue to function as a Mohegan band independently of the MTIC. They hold periodic gatherings and activities.
Although similar in name, the Mohegan are a different tribe from the Mahican, who were another branch in the Algonquian language family. The latter were historically based along the upper Hudson River in present-day eastern New York. In the United States, both tribes have been referred to in various historic documents by the spelling "Mohican", based on a mistake in translation.[20] But, the Dutch colonist Adriaen Block, one of the first Europeans to record the names of both tribes, distinguished between the "Morhicans" and the "Mahicans, Mahikanders, Mohicans, [or] Maikens".[20][21] Under pressure from colonists during the American Revolution, many moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts after 1780, and later to the Oneida reservation in western New York. During the 1820s they removed to Wisconsin.[1]
In addition, some people confuse the Mohegan with Mohawk of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy), but they are a different language and ethnic group. They were historically based west of the Hudson River, dominating the Mohawk River Valley and larger area. Most now live on reservations in Canada, as they were allies of the British during the American Revolutionary War and forced to cede their lands afterward.
Most descendants of the Mohegan tribe, by contrast, have continued to live in New England, and particularly Connecticut, since the colonial era. In 1994, they gained federal recognition and a reservation in the settlement of a major land claims case, in their traditional territory of south central Connecticut.
The Mohegan Tribal Historian,[23] Melissa Jane Fawcett, has become known as the "ambassador" of the MTIC because of her four books on Mohegan culture. These include a 2000 biography of Gladys Tantaquidgeon.[15] | {
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Posts Tagged with "racial bias in jury selection"
Six years ago, on Jan. 1, 2009, Oscar Grant III, 22, was shot and later died of bullet wounds received when Johannes Mehserle, then a BART police officer, fired his gun at point blank range into Grant’s back – after Grant and his friends had been taunted with racial epithets and assaulted by Mehserle and other BART officers on the scene, while Mehserle’s partner, Tony Pirone, held Grant down with both hands and a knee on his head and neck.
“People should be judged by character, not color,” San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi said. “In this PSA we are trying to get people to reflect about their own possible biases and racial profiling. It’s a reminder that nationality, race or sexual orientation doesn’t matter – everyone has a right to be judged individually.”
In April, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider an appeal from death-row journalist and former Black Panther Mumia Abu-Jamal, who was convicted of first-degree murder in the shooting death of white Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Faulkner in a 1982 trial deemed unfair by Amnesty International, the European Parliament, the Japanese Diet, Nelson Mandela and numerous others. Now Abu-Jamal’s international support network is calling for a federal civil rights investigation into his case. | {
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How To Sport an “Accent Nail”…
A Few Fun Ways to Nail the Trend
One of the biggest manicure trends right now is the “accent nail,” which entails having one of your nails painted a different color than the rest. Stars like Vanessa Hudgens have made this nail polish trend very popular lately, and it's starting to pop up on more and more manicured hands. Here are some ways that you can sport the stylish accent nail trend.
Step 1: Choose your colors.
An accent nail manicure can consist of two dramatically different nail polish colors, such as orange and blue, gray and yellow, or black and red. You could also pick two shades closer to each other in the color spectrum. It's really up to you.
Step 2: Pick a nail, any nail.
Usually, most people pick the ring finger as the accent nail, but again, the choice is yours. You can choose to highlight the index finger, pinkie or middle finger instead. However, avoid using the thumb as the accent nail since a lot of times the thumb isn't as visible as the rest of your fingers. The point is to show off the accent nail, not hide it.
Step 3: Accent the nail using a bright pattern.
If you don't want to paint your accent nail in an entirely different color, try painting a pop of color on it using a pattern. This manicure is a great example. All the nails are painted in a uniform color/pattern, but the ring finger shows the pattern in a bright red color instead of pure white.
Step 4: Accent the nail using a color that ties everything together.
The accent nail not only livens up your manicure, it can also be used to tie together your entire polish theme. In this accent mani, the gold nail is nicely used to bring out the gold leopard pattern on the rest of the nails.
Step 5: Accent the nail using a different polish finish.
Another great way to rock the accent nail trend is by using a polish with a different finish on just one nail. For example, you could use a solid, matte color for the rest of your nails, but a sparkly polish for the one accent nail.
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I really like the color combo in the main pic, (tangerine and sky blue) but I also noticed how Vanessa Hudgeons matched her accent nail to her turquoise jewelry! Cute ideas!This comment has been removed. | {
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REALTORS® provide guidance to help find the right home for you
by Todd Lewys
Realtor Ken Clark remembers the days when technology wasn’t as prevalent as it is today in real estate.
“We used to get a printed book with photos of each house that was on the market at a given time,” he recalls. “We’d look through about 3,000 listings, then go show clients the ones that we thought suited them best.”
Fast forward 30 years or so, and the process has changed dramatically.
Prospective buyers and sellers can now access photos, videos, 360-degree home tours – and aerial shots of properties taken by high-flying drones – with just the click of a mouse.
There’s literally no waiting. Everything is available in real time.
“People can now access information on homes instantaneously,” says Clark. “And as technology keeps progressing, that information is going to get even more detailed.”
While all that minute detail helps consumers gain more insight into homes, they need to take a step back and assess it for what it really is, says WinnipegREALTORS® 2017 president, Blair Sonnichsen.
“Without question, the opportunity for people to find data on homes has increased,” he says. “However, they must keep one thing in mind: that data is not information until it’s interpreted properly.”
That’s where the Realtor comes in, adds Clark.
“I always tell my clients it’s my knowledge that they’re paying for. And that knowledge is very important because it’s critical to interpret all that information properly. Realtors also provide guidance, are counselors and keep consumers’ emotions in check.”
Sonnichsen says a reputable Realtor’s expertise is invaluable.
“Just because you’ve gathered data, it doesn’t mean it’s information. With their knowledge and experience, a Realtor can interpret that information and then present it to a client so they can gain a clear understanding of it,” he says. “That then enables them to make a solid buying decision after all the facts have been laid out in front of them in a logical, detailed manner.”
A Realtor’s understanding of a client’s tastes and preferences can also pay big dividends, he adds.
“At the end of the day, it’s important to have a Realtor assisting you. They can do research on a property and drill deeper into it to satisfy your concerns,” he says. “Not only that, but because they’ve taken the time to get to know you, they will have a good understanding of your needs and desires.”
That understanding then allows realtors to provide their clients with some very important food for thought.
“For example, a Realtor can help a client identify things they hadn’t thought about, such as whether there are community clubs or other influences in an area that are important,” Sonnichsen says. “As wonderful as all the data on homes is, you still need to rely on someone who has a reputation for being knowledgeable, trustworthy and reliable. That person is a Realtor.”
There’s another good reason to have a Realtor working for you, says Clark.
“One of the most important things I do is slow people down. They often come to me, charging along with all the data they’ve gathered. I just tell them we’re going to take the time required to check things out properly, that we won’t move forward until we’ve done the necessary due diligence.”
Why is that so important?
“Simple,” says Clark. “I’ve had young clients who’ve fallen in love with a property in their internet search. We go through the home, and they say, ‘Look at how gorgeous the hardwood floors are.’ I then take a closer look and say, ‘See the water stains on them? Let’s move on. We’ll find the right home for you.’”
While technology has helped consumers gather more data on homes, realtors remain an indispensable part of successful real estate transactions – some 96 per cent of them, in fact, says Clark.
“There’s been one common thread in the buying and selling process since 1903 – Realtors in the middle of transactions helping people interpret data properly. As someone once told me, information is free, it’s the knowledge you have to pay for. Realtors possess the expertise – and provide the guidance – that allows consumers to make sound, informed choices.” | {
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The Green Crab
If you look at Singapore from above, it resembles a crab, with its mouth at the Singapore river and the back facing Malaysia. The Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, has persistent practice of Feng Shui and believes that Singapore will prosper only by being a “green crab”, the color of a live crab, covered with trees, rather than a red, dead crab with only barren soil — at least, according to an interesting Singapore Feng Shui (“风水”) myth I heard today.
The Green Crab from above. Picture is from Google Earth.
Walking around Singapore, I often marvel at how much green space is created in this bustling city with a population density ranked third in the world. While less 0.2% of its primary forest remains, Singapore is actively restoring forest and wetlands, which provide a refuge for not only animals but also people seeking an escape from urban life. A lot of building are brimming with green vines.
The green efforts extend beyond just increasing the number of plants. In 2005, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) launched the BCA Green Mark Scheme, an initiative that assesses the sustainability of buildings. The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development further set a target for 80% of all buildings to achieve Green Mark Certification by the year 2030.
Building in BCA Academy
The Zero Energy Building we visited today is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, and a test bed for the goals of energy efficiency and green buildings. Having lived in Duke Smart Home, a sustainable technology housing at Duke University for the past semester, I am eager to see the sustainable technologies that are in application in Singapore.
This three-story building was reconstructed in 2008 to integrate sustainable technologies that enabled it to produce enough energy for its own consumption.
Among the features of the Zero Energy Building, I was most impressed by its efficiency in temperature control. We were told by our guide that buildings in the tropics typically spend 40-50% of their energy on air conditioning, so improving this aspect could be very crucial to energy efficiency.
Western facade of the Zero Energy Building shows features such as Thin Film photovoltaic boards and Green Wall.
The building has solar chimneys that utilize the density difference between hot and cold air for cooling its open spaces. It also integrates advanced design in improving air conditioning. The Single Coil Twin Fan System, patented by the National University of Singapore, controls the fresh air (for ventilation) and recirculated air (for cooling) independently, based on the actual user demand. Compared to a conventional system that mixes the two types of air together, this new design not only significantly saves energy, but also improves the thermal comfort and air quality. In conventional air distribution systems, the cold air vent and extraction vent both are situated on the top of the room. Here, the diffusers on the floor blow in cold air, while the hot air gets recirculated from the top; a pair of small, white ventilation machines site on each person’s desk to provide personalized local cooling. Ah! Imagine having fresh, cool air blowing on your face while working!
The top of the building is covered with Silicon Wafers photovoltaic boards and solar chimneys. Behind are high-rise apartments constructed by the government.
Lighting also constitutes a large part of electricity use, and could be easily improved by several designs. Of course, the LED (light-emitting diode) light is ubiquitous in green buildings. As what I experienced at Duke Smart Home, the Zero Energy Building also has localized lighting controlled by motion sensors. In addition, while Singapore requires higher lighting in workplaces, the office actually has a dimmer overall environment, which is augmented by individual task lighting. Moreover, horizontal and vertical light pipes use various mirror dots to transmit natural Singaporean sunlight directly into the building.
But of course, these technologies would not make the world a greener space if people do not end up using them. I therefore inquired of our guide about how much they could be applied into the life of ordinary Singaporeans, 80% of who lives in high-rise apartments constructed by governments. Because these housing units are in close proximity to each other and are high and slender, solar panels might not help much. However, I learned that energy-efficient designs could be incorporated into the housing, and this is actually encouraged by the government through a series of funding initiatives such as ones through Design for Efficiency Scheme.
Building is only one aspect of city life, though. As the second busiest port city in the world, Singapore faces large amount of pollutants emitted by vessels. The Green Port Programme designed by the Maritime and Port Authority gives a 25% reduction in port dues to vessels with approved scrubber technology or ones that burn clean fuels.
Pasir Panjang Terminal
For me as someone interested in sustainability, the Green Crab is an inspiring model. It not only has ambitious goals to achieve a greener future, but also the determination and efficiency to do so. In various cases I have heard about, the funding from Singapore’s government is sufficient to allow these clean-energy projects to move quickly, as well as the commitments from teams and individuals nationwide to ensure that these projects bring a tangible change to Singapore. As I spend more time here, I expect to learn more about this Green Crab’s efforts! | {
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Warner Bros chief Tsujihara steps down amid actress scandal
WarnerMedia had investigated text messages reported to have been exchanged between Tsujihara and British actress Charlotte Kirk.
18 March, 2019 19:53
Warner Bros chief Kevin Tsujihara has stepped down from the studio after claims that he promised roles to an actress with whom he was having an affair.
WarnerMedia chief executive John Stankey announced Mr Tsujihara’s exit as chairman and chief executive of Warner Bros, saying his departure was in the studio’s “best interest”.
He is one of the highest ranking Hollywood executives to be felled by sexual misconduct allegations.
“Kevin has contributed greatly to the studio’s success over the past 25 years and for that we thank him,” said Mr Stankey.
“Kevin acknowledges that his mistakes are inconsistent with the company’s leadership expectations and could impact the company’s ability to execute going forward.”
Kevin Tsujihara (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Earlier this month, WarnerMedia launched an investigation after a Hollywood Reporter story detailed text messages between Mr Tsujihara and British actress Charlotte Kirk going back to 2013.
The messages suggested a quid pro quo sexual relationship between the aspiring actress and the studio head in which he made promises that he would introduce her to influential executives and she would be considered for roles in movies and television.
In a memo to Warner Bros staff on Monday, Mr Tsujihara said he was departing “after lengthy introspection, and discussions with John Stankey over the past week”.
“It has become clear that my continued leadership could be a distraction and an obstacle to the company’s continued success,” he said.
“The hard work of everyone within our organisation is truly admirable, and I won’t let media attention on my past detract from all the great work the team is doing.”
His lawyer Bert H Deixler earlier said Mr Tsujihara “had no direct role in the hiring of this actress”.
Mr Tsujihara, who has headed the California studio since 2013, earlier pledged to fully co-operate with the studio’s investigation and apologised to Warner Bros staff for “mistakes in my personal life that have caused pain and embarrassment to the people I love the most”.
The scandal unfolded as Warner Bros was restructuring on the heels of AT&T’s takeover of WarnerMedia, previously known as Time Warner. Mr Tsujihara’s role had just been expanded on February 28 to include global children’s and family entertainment including oversight of Adult Swim and the Cartoon Network.
Kirk appeared in Warner Bros’ How To Be Single in 2016 and Ocean’s 8 in 2018. She has denied any inappropriate behaviour on the part of Mr Tsujihara or two other executives, Brett Ratner and James Packer, who she communicated with. | {
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8 Bedroom Cabins in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg
There is nothing better than enjoying a peaceful large group vacation in the Smoky Mountains. Whether you are traveling with friends, family, church members or coworkers, staying inside one of HearthSide Cabin Rentals’ spacious 8 bedroom cabins in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg is a great way to ensure a fun and memorable experience.
To find which of our large cabin rentals is right for your next group trip to the Smokies, be sure to browse through our inventory below, including our eight bedroom Pigeon Forge cabin with an indoor mini golf course.
HIGHLANDS VIEW LODGE
Bedrooms: 8
Bathrooms: 8.5
Sleeps: 39
Overlooking downtown Gatlinburg, directly in line with the Anakeesta Chair lift and next door to the now world famous Sky Bridge!!! The BRAND NEW Highlands Lodge is an incredible 8 bedroom, 8 1/2 bath cabin that sleeps up to 39 people in luxury with the most amazing Smoky Mountain view you are likely to see from any rental property. This…
CADES COVE CASTLE
Bedrooms: 8
Bathrooms: 5.5
Sleeps: 30
PREMIER QUALITY, SPACIOUS, EASY PAVED ACCESS -- SLEEPS 30. GREAT FOR BIG GROUPS! PET FRIENDLY Let's go high up on that mountain and enjoy "Cades Cove Castle", a spacious 8-bedroom lodge, loaded with amenities including pool table, foosball and air hockey. Church van accessible. Premier quality throughout. This cabin is a great choice for family reunions, weddings or church/corporate group…
HEAVENLY HEIGHTS RETREAT
Bedrooms: 8
Bathrooms: 5.5
Sleeps: 30
PREMIER QUALITY, SPACIOUS, EASY PAVED ACCESS -- SLEEPS 30. GREAT FOR BIG GROUPS! INTERNET ACCESS AND PET FRIENDLY! Let's go high up on that mountain and enjoy "Heavenly Heights Retreat", a spacious 8-bedroom lodge, loaded with amenities including pool table, foosball and air hockey. Church van accessible. Premier quality throughout. This cabin is a great choice for family reunions, weddings…
MOUNTAIN TOP RETREAT
Bedrooms: 8
Bathrooms: 8.5
Sleeps: 40
Up to 40 guests can experience the majestic Smoky Mountains in one of HearthSide Cabin Rentals' luxurious Pigeon Forge cabins, 8 bedroom Mountain Top Retreat. Offering 5,800 square feet of living area, guests will have plenty of space to be comfortable and relax while being tucked into the beauty of the Smoky Mountains. Featuring 8 large bedrooms and 8 ½… | {
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User Files
Primary tabs
Overview
The user files module allows your users to upload files to the site without creating nodes.
Files uploaded are associated with the uploading user and private, even whilst the site is in public file mode.
The files themself reside in a folder that is not publicly readable (via .htaccess directives) whilst the module permits the owning user to view/download the files by rerouting urls via the private path (system/files) and then performing the appropriate permissions checks.
Known problems
The module prevents access to imagecache derivatives whilst the derivative has not been created. At present once the owning user has generated an imagecache derivative, these become hotlinkable as the path is no longer handled by Drupal, instead served directly by Apache. Site administrators can mitigate this problem whenever they create a new imagecache preset by copying the .htaccess file from the files/user_files folder into the matching user_files folder for that imagecache preset.
For example if you have an imagecache preset called 'mythumb', once you generate your first 'mythumb' derivative of a user_files managed image, you will see the following folder in your site's files directory:files/imagecache/mythumb/user_files
You should copy the .htaccess file from files/user_files into that folder.
As imagecache presets are generally defined during site design, you should not need to do this again once your site is live.
Work has been done on automating this process but all methods to date have been rejected due to unnecessary load on the server. At present imagecache does not have a hook to notify other modules of the existence of new presets and therein lies the problem. | {
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More about us
Find out more about Micro scooters and stories behind the brand. Read the about the history of Micro scooters and the many innovative products that have been released over the years. At Micro New Zealand we really care about our community and being sustainable. Take a read about our Scooter Aid project and how we let our scooters be reused and reloved by those who really deserve it. | {
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An archive of news items related to child abuse or neglect, or infringement of children's rights, in a religious context.
Copyrighted materials appearing on this blog are provided under Fair Use provisions to facilitate education and further research into the issues documented in these news reports.
21 Mar 2009
Mennonite abuse survivor speaks out against church
The Vancouver Sun - March 20, 2009
by Gerry Bellett | Vancouver Sun
When Susan Duncalfe summoned the courage to report her father’s sexual assaults on her, her story would uncover not only the calamity of a childhood’s stolen innocence, but also how a religious fellowship in the Fraser Valley failed her.
Over the past 20 years, scandals involving illicit sexual relations within churches and the way they were either ignored or covered up have caused untold damage to reputations of churches in Canada and resulted in civil damages that have entered the hundreds of millions of dollars.
In an Abbotsford courtroom earlier this month, Provincial Court Judge John Lenaghan sentenced Susan’s father, Kenneth Duncalfe, now a frail 69-year-old, to nine months in jail.
Lenaghan passed judgment, too, on Duncalfe’s Mennonite church, the Abbotsford Church of God in Christ, for knowing of his transgressions since 1990 but failing to report them to the police.
His behaviour had first been reported to the church’s minister 19 years ago by another family member. As a result, he was summoned before a church assembly and excommunicated for “lasciviousness,” a punishment that lasted for a number of months, at the end of which he was allowed to rejoin the congregation.
Assaults started at 14
In a telephone interview from her home in Nelson, Susan Duncalfe, 43, said she had been subjected to hundreds of sexual assaults and molestations starting in 1980, when she was 14.
“It began the night I became a Christian and it lasted until the very day I left the church when I was 22,” she said.
“I left the church because I realized once I left, he would stop touching me. Being a member of the church was a very sheltered thing, men were the authority figures, and while I was a member he could touch me with impunity because he knew I wouldn’t complain,” she said.
“The night I told him I had left the church, it stopped.”
By the time he was “outed” to the church assembly, she was 24 and not living at home.
It would take her years before she took the matter to the police. But in 2006, after becoming concerned for the safety of grandchildren who were within her father’s orbit, she gave police a statement.
Asked why she didn’t complain earlier, she said she was too naive. “I was scared. You don’t know if anyone would believe you,” she said.
It was the failure of the church to help her — “I was made to feel like I was not worth looking after” — that caused her to have the court-imposed ban on publication of her identity lifted when the issue finally came to trial.
“They have to open their eyes and change their practices,” she said.
Susan had initially avoided going to the police and wrote a letter to her parents saying the family needed counselling, and that her father needed psychiatric help and therapy.
“Our whole family is dysfunctional and we all needed help. I thought if he got help, and we got help, we could get through it and heal the family,” she said.
The letter resulted in a visit to her home by Pastor Bev Toews of the Abbotsford Mennonite Church of God in Christ.
“He came to Nelson and wanted to see reconciliation between myself and my dad, and didn’t think laying charges against him was the way to go. He told me he was going to get Dad the help he needed and so I left it at that,” she said.
However, she would later discover that Toews was the one doing the counselling, not an outside professional.
“That wasn’t good enough. I went to the police. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
Kenneth Duncalfe pleaded guilty to two counts — sexual assault and indecent assault against his daughter.
His lawyer urged the judge to impose a conditional sentence that could be served at home, but Lenaghan rejected that as inappropriate.
“The degree of culpability of this defendant is enormous. Instead of nurturing and protecting his vulnerable young daughter, he callously and selfishly exploited her for his own sexual gratification,” Lenaghan said.
“The effects his criminal behaviour has wrought on his daughter’s person and life are manifest and tragic. Every child is entitled to an innocent childhood, and to believe that his or her parents are wonderful people who will take care of and protect him or her from harm.
“The defendant robbed his daughter of such a childhood and inflicted great harm upon her. As a result, her life has been characterized by physical and psychological problems, some of which persist,” the judge said.
In a victim impact statement, Susan said the attacks had left her afraid of the dark. She sleeps with her back to the wall, usually on a couch, still needs counselling, suffers flashbacks and has experienced difficulty establishing intimate relationships, she told Lenaghan.
Nine-month sentence
Crown counsel Laura Berman asked for a jail sentence of a year to 18 months for each count.
Lenaghan found a sentence of 15 months for sexual assault to be appropriate, but taking into account the accused’s age and bad health, he reduced it to nine months, with the indecent assault warranting six months. The sentences will be served concurrently.
But Lenaghan was clearly disturbed by what he had heard regarding the church’s response to Duncalfe’s confession, “which occurred in 1990 when he admitted his sexual involvement with his daughter to members of his church.”
Had Duncalfe owned up to his crimes [to the civil authorities] at that time, his daughter might have enjoyed a happier life and “been relieved to some extent of the horrors that bedevil her to this day,” the judge said.
“It is clear from the letters of reference written by members of the defendant’s family and members of his church that ... they seem to regard his actions as sins and to be of the opinion that the actions taken by the church should suffice as far as punishment is concerned. ...
“The defendant’s actions were not merely sins which could be expiated by confession to spiritual mentors, but crimes, offences against the social order which fall to be dealt with by civil society,” he said.
“Both the defendant and members of his church appear to have forgotten or ignored the biblical injunctions to render unto Caesar those things that properly belong to Caesar,” Lenaghan said.
Judge quite right
Prof. Ross Hastings, who teaches pastoral ethics at the University of B.C.’s Regent College, said Lenaghan couldn’t have put it better.
“The judge was quite right in viewing it like that,” said Hastings, who teaches clergy their ethical responsibilities at the college, an interdenominational Christian graduate school.
“There is no question these were crimes and should have been reported by the church to the civil authorities,” he said.
Any pastor who is told such a thing must report it to the police, he said.
“It’s simple and clear. This sort of thing can’t be dealt with in-house, although the Mennonite church is of the Anabaptist tradition and tend to be ‘antinomian,’ that is, to put the church above the law. They have the tendency to believe everything can be solved in-house,” he said.
“I categorically tell pastors they can’t guarantee confidentiality when someone comes into their office. If they are going to confess a crime — if they tell them, for instance, they have molested a child — the pastor has to tell them he is duty-bound to report crimes to the police.
“That position is supported in the gospel, where it is clear that Christians have to obey the law of the land, except when any law violates the law of God,” Hastings said.
He said he knows of an instance where a person confessed to a murder “at the communion table.”
“The pastor sought advice from a lawyer and in the end, counselled that person to go with him to the police where he confessed his crime,” he said.
The Vancouver Sun was unable to contact Pastor Toews for comment.
But he was interviewed by the Abbotsford News following Duncalfe’s sentencing, and said the church didn’t inform police of the abuse because the victim was an adult at the time and no longer a member of the congregation.
As for Susan, has the experience shaken her faith?
“I still believe in God. I know what’s right and wrong, but my church now is my beliefs. I’m not suggesting the church didn’t teach me good things, it did. But I hold on to the more powerful things,” she said.
24 comments:
MY CHILDERN ALSO GET SEX ABUSE BY THERE FATHER AND ATHER FAMILY MEMBER IN MENNONITE SEX CULT AND COURT COVRING THINGS UP lawyer TELLING ME Im in the worng area I still fight to get my childern out I miss my children they have my kids for 4 years the court system they in it how do fight this peaple god help me and my childern to get out of the devil cult
The same churches preach against Homosexuality and Abortion but they condone incest? What's wrong with this picture? Sin is Sin no matter what! They need DELIVERANCE in Jesus Name! Pray for their Deliveredance
Children taken from Mennonite community as more abuse charges are laid
BY STEVE LAMBERT, THE CANADIAN PRESS The Province JUNE 19, 2013
WINNIPEG - Children have been removed from an orthodox Mennonite community in southern Manitoba, where more adults have been charged with assaulting youngsters using items such as cattle prods and leather straps.Manitoba Family Services would not say Wednesday how many kids had been taken into care, or reveal any other details about the case.
"Child protection professionals are working with the families and children involved in this difficult circumstance, including providing counselling services and supports during their participation in the ongoing RCMP investigation," the department said in a brief email.
"The child protection staff are also working to ensure culturally sensitive placements for the children."
Two adults from the tiny orthodox community were charged in March with various counts of assault and assault with a weapon on several boys and girls between July, 2011 and January of this year.
This week, two more adults appeared in court to face similar charges involving 12 alleged victims. The allegations are once again that the assaults were repeated and over roughly the same 18-month time frame. They were released pending their next court appearance.
The identities of the alleged victims are shielded by a court-ordered publication ban. The Canadian Press is not naming the accused and the small community where they live.
Leaders from the community had approached the Mennonite Central Committee for parenting advice before any of the charges were laid, committee spokesman Brad Reimer said in an interview earlier this year.
The orthodox Mennonite community is one of many that eschew modern amenities such as electricity and automobiles and adhere to Biblical teachings.
Royden Loewen, chair of the University of Winnipeg's Mennonite studies program, said earlier this year that many Mennonites believe in traditional corporal punishment for children. But, he added, they follow a rule that says children should not be injured or hit out of anger.
The allegations against the accused have not been proven in court.
Defence lawyer Scott Newman, who represents the first two people charged and appeared in court this week with the two latest accused, said Wednesday he is awaiting more disclosure from the Crown.
"It's such an early stage, there's not much I can comment on," he said.
RCMP are not ruling out more charges, saying the investigation is not over.
Child welfare authorities have removed children from about 15 families in a small Mennonite community in rural Manitoba.
Only one minor, a 17-year-old, remains in the community after three men and a woman were charged with multiple counts of assault, including assault with a weapon.
One of the men is facing eight counts of assault and 10 counts of assault with a weapon. The woman charged is facing five counts of assault with a weapon and four counts of assault.
Court documents allege the assaults took place between July 2011 and Jan. 31 of this year, and involved the use of cattle prods and straps.
All four adults charged have been released from RCMP custody on bail, but none of the accused can have contact with anyone under the age of 18 without approval from child welfare officials.
The four are scheduled to appear in a Dauphin court in September.
The Brandon Sun is reporting the number of children seized from the community was higher than 50.
The court has placed a publication ban on the names of the children involved, which is why CBC News is not identifying the community or providing the names of the adults charged.
Officials from Manitoba's Child and Family Services department said child protection professionals are working with the families and children involved. Officials said counselling services and support are being made available while the RCMP investigate.
CFS officials also said they are working to secure “culturally sensitive” placements for the children who were removed from the community.
Brad Reimer, who works with the Mennonite Central Committee, said the child welfare agency has had contact with the community twice in the past. Once when it was established in Manitoba and again more recently.
"They did approach us when some of this current situation came to light," said Reimer. "MCC did meet with them and offered to work with them on certain aspects of parenting."
Parents in a rural Manitoba Mennonite community are working to have their children returned to them after dozens were taken by child and family services earlier this year.
More than 40 children were seized from the community earlier this year, and 13 adults were charged with assault.
Court documents allege children were assaulted with cattle prods and straps between July 2011 and Jan. 31 of this year.
All but one child was removed from the community, and now, parents are hoping to have their children returned to them.
On Thursday, in what CFS officials are calling a starting point, child welfare workers sat down with the parents to discuss how to get their children back.
Last week, CFS sent a letter to the families, listing a number of concerns about returning the children to their parents.
Officials said the families have agreed to a set of conditions, including only spanking children with their hands on their bottoms. They’ve also agreed to not leave marks or injuries on the children from disciplining them.
In addition, children will only be disciplined by their parents -- not teachers or pastors.
Jay Rodgers is the CEO of the General Child and Family Services Authority in Manitoba. He said at this point, meetings will now be scheduled with each individual family “to make sure there’s a clear understanding of the meaning of the letter but also how parents take the letter and put it into practice with kids [regarding] appropriate discipline and parenting techniques.”
Children remain in carePaul Walsh, a lawyer representing 10 of the parents, said the process is taking too long.
His clients have some of the youngest children seized, and only one of his ten clients is facing charges. He thinks the children should be returned immediately.
“It’s a question of time. It’s outrageous that this much time has been taken,” said Walsh. Some of the children were seized in January, while others were seized in June.
“Here we have a situation where a government agency has taken all children, not treating [them] as individuals -- all children, regardless of age, situation, complaint from everybody -- and that’s not the way we do business in Canada,” said Walsh.
Former CFS worker pans handling of caseOne former CFS worker and foster parent agrees with Walsh. He’s not happy about how CFS has handled the case.
Henry Dueck is working to help the Mennonite families deal with CFS.
“I like to think [CFS has] the best interests of the children in mind, but I think their cure is worse than the disease,” he said.
Dueck said the process is difficult because the parents don’t have much access to their children.
“They’re trying to be compliant. They want more visits. It would be so much better if they’d return the children and then engage with them,” said Dueck. “It’s like teaching a nurse to be a nurse without patients.”
Right now, Dueck and his wife Hilda are working with the families. Hilda said language difficulties and the passage of time have made the situation emotional and difficult.
“When you see their tears, you can’t help but share their pain,” she said.
By Chris Purdy in Edmonton August 19, 2013Global news The Canadian Press
WINNIPEG – Manitoba social workers want parents of an orthodox Mennonite community to promise they will only spank kids on their behinds and not use objects, such as belts, as punishment.
They also want assurances that children will not be injured or left with marks on their bodies.
The parenting rules and discipline guidelines are spelled out in a recent letter from the government’s Child and Family Services Department to members of the tiny community, where Mounties made arrests over several weeks this summer.
In July, RCMP said they had arrested a total of 13 people for assault offences, some including allegations that boys and girls were struck with cattle prods, whips and leather straps. The province also apprehended all the children living in the community, about 40 of them, who ranged in age from infants to teenagers.
A court publication ban prevents identification of the children. No trial dates have been set and the allegations have not been proven in court.
Jay Rodgers, a CEO with the department, explained Thursday that the letter starts the process for returning the children to their parents. Staff are to meet Aug. 15 with leaders of the community and, if they agree to the terms set out in the letter, social workers will move on to the parents to get their assurances as well.
“It really is just sort of trying to lay out the agency’s worries and the agency’s concerns regarding how the kids have been treated,” said Rodgers.
The letter says that while Child and Family Services doesn’t support spanking, it’s not illegal.
It further stipulates that parents must not “pinch, pull hair, sit on, slap faces, pull/pinch ears, burn, withhold food, or have children stand or sit for extended periods of time as punishment/correction.”
Winnipeg lawyer Paul Walsh represents 10 of the parents who cared for a total of 18 of the seized children. One of the parents, a father, is among those facing charges.
Walsh said the province acted prematurely, taking all of the children when they weren’t all in need of protection. “The complaints that relate to their children are general and there’s no specific complaint of their being — in any way, shape or form — abused physically, sexually.”
Yet, he said, his clients are willing to agree to the conditions.
“There’s a lot of things in that letter that, merely because my clients say they won’t do it, doesn’t mean they ever did do it.”
Walsh said some of the young children were still being breast fed when they were taken. Others speak only German and are having a difficult time with their English-speaking foster families.
“These are children and they miss their parents every minute, every day.”
He also finds it offensive that the province is first meeting with community leaders to get their OK, instead of the parents.
“Damn the leadership,” Walsh said. “My clients want their children back because they agree, not because of whatever the leadership decides to do … They’re willing to sign on right now and get their children back today.”
Rodgers said the old order Mennonites have explained that chosen leaders make parenting decisions for the entire community. “We’re trying to be very respectful of how that community makes decisions.”
In addition to agreeing to terms in the letter, parents will be asked to take a parenting program being developed by the Manitoba Mennonite Central Committee, said Rodgers.
He added that if children are returned home, social workers will regularly visit the community to assess their safety.
Some of the adults facing charges have been released on bail on the condition that they not have contact with children. Walsh said if the children do go home, those adults would have to move out of the community.
Charges have been laid against two women from a conservative Mennonite community in Manitoba, as well as a man from outside the community, for allegedly kidnapping a teenage boy who ran away from foster care.
The two women from the community, along with the man — who is not Mennonite — are accused of abducting a person under the age of 14. The charges include kidnapping and confinement, obstruction of justice, and interfering with foster parents' ability to care for the child.
The charges come after a 13-year-old boy ran away from his foster home.
He, along with dozens of children — all but one of the Mennonite community's kids — were apprehended by child welfare workers earlier this year as part of an RCMP investigation into child abuse.
So far, 13 adults — including the two women — face charges of abuse based on allegations of children being struck with cattle prods, whips and leather straps between July 2011 and Jan. 31 of this year.
None of the accused can be named to protect the identity of the children.
New details of the case emerged at the man's bail hearing on Monday.
"There was a concerted effort to interfere with the Crown's ability to prosecute its case, to have access to witnesses, and [there was] also interference with children in Child and Family Service's care," Crown attorney Rich Lonstrup told court.
"Now the concern is not just the case, but protecting the integrity of the case.… There's concern this could be attempted and repeated with other children."
The two women went missing shortly after they were among those charged with abuse in June. Manitoba-wide warrants were issued for their arrests.
Around the same time, child welfare workers apprehended all but one of the children from the community, including breast-feeding infants.
Shortly after, a 13-year-old boy ran away from his foster home. He returned to his community, but his father told him he had to go back into CFS care.
The father walked him part-way to his foster placement, but the boy disappeared.
"They found a letter in the chicken coop. He apologized to his father for not listening but said he just couldn't go back to his foster placement," Lonstrup said.
Teen, women found in SaskatchewanThe boy was discovered last week near Yorkton, Sask., in a home rented by the non-Mennonite man charged with his abduction.
The two missing Mennonite women were also living there. One of them, a 24-year-old, had broken her engagement with a man from the community and married the man sheltering her.
"The community is in shock. They considered [the man] to be a friend and didn't know he had taken [these people] out of the province," Lonstrup said.
In another twist, the man also arranged for a woman from the community to give birth in Yorkton.
The woman told police she was afraid that child welfare officials would seize her newborn. The baby was born on July 10 and registered under the man's name.
Lonstrup said at one point, the newborn's mother and the 13-year-old boy asked to return to their community, but the man who was sheltering them said he had consulted with lawyers who said they shouldn't go back yet.
The teenager left several phone messages for his lawyer and social workers, who eventually traced him to Saskatchewan.
The man's lawyer, Norman Sims, told court that his client got to know community members through business dealings with them over the past few years.
When the abuse charges were first laid, some of the men could not return to the community, so he let them move into his house. He also helped pay for some of their bail and lawyers' fees, Sims said.
When the man was asked to help the 13-year-old boy, he couldn't refuse — although Sims told court that his client did advise the teen to return to his foster home.
It was also not the man's idea to give the newborn baby his last name, Sims said.
"They [the parents] did that and he was surprised by the idea," Sims said.
"I think he feels picked upon, if I can use that phrase. He's been trying to help people in that community and he got tied into it in this way," Sims later told CBC News.
Community 'perplexed,' says advisorThe man is currently out on bail under strict conditions, including a 24-hour curfew.
The women will be back in court on Thursday, hoping to be released.
"I think the community is perplexed," Peter Rempel, an informal advisor to the Manitoba Mennonite community, told CBC News.
"They haven't had communication with the teenager nor with the people he was with … for several months, so they have trouble understanding what they were attempting to accomplish and why they did it."
Rempel is part of a committee of Child and Family Services (CFS) workers and community members that will meet again on Friday as they inch towards the eventual return of the children.CFS has requested that all of the 20 parents undergo a parental capacity assessment and each of the 42 children have a psychological assessment.
The parents have already participated in one parenting course and have scheduled another one for next week.
They have also agreed to comply with an 18-point list of conditions given to them by CFS, including the cessation of discipline with instruments, and spanking children under the age of two and over the age of 12.
However, the parents are still only allowed to visit for one hour each week and they must speak English, even to young children who only understand their unique German dialect. Some of the children are losing their mother tongue.
Rempel said the parents are noticing changes in their children's behaviour. At first, they were happy to see their parents and became distraught when they left.
But the children are developing attachments to their foster parents and have become more passive about their parents' visits, Rempel said.
"They sense their children moving away. Each child is processing this long period of separation and acting out differently. It will be a challenge when those children do come back," he said.
"From our history in Canada, what have we learned about the impacts of taking all the children away from a community?" he added. "We can already see the consequences of that."
About half of the 40 children seized from an Old Order Mennonite community in Manitoba could be back with their parents by the end of the month, a lawyer for some of the families said Friday.
The children were taken by social workers in June after 13 people in the orthodox community were charged with child abuse -- including alleged assaults using cattle prods, whips and leather straps.
Five couples, who have a total of 19 children, were at a court hearing Friday that was closed to the media. Afterward, their lawyer, Paul Walsh, said Child and Family Services has agreed to a timeline that will see all of his clients' children returned by Nov. 1.
"I think we have a clear commitment from the agency and a clear timeline," Walsh said.
"It's taken far too long and the children will recover, I hope... but one has to be pleased today."
One of the parents told reporters he is hoping to see his two children soon.
"Seeing is believing, I guess, but we've had a lot of delays," the man said.
"Last time we had a visit, (my son) saw our horse and buggy and we let him sit on the buggy... but when the social worker wanted to take him back to the van again, then he had to cry again because he had his hopes up. He thought we were going home finally."
The lawyer for the family services agency would not comment outside court.
Only one of Walsh's clients is facing an assault charge and it does not involve a family member, Walsh said. He represents primarily younger families. All their children are under nine years of age.
As part of the agreement reached Friday, Walsh's clients are to have social workers visit their homes and check on the children. The parents have also agreed to follow guidelines as to how they can interact physically with their children and other conditions.
Walsh said his clients did not assault their children and accused social workers of going too far in seizing dozens of kids from the community.
"My clients insist that there's nothing that they have done that doesn't, in the past, conform with what they're being asked to do."
The other families are represented by a different lawyer and there is no word yet on when they might get their children back. None of the assault allegations has been proven in court.
The identities of the children are protected under a publication ban. The Canadian Press is not naming the accused or the small community where they live.
Old Order Mennonites shun modern conveniences, including electricity and cars, and adhere strictly to biblical teachings. While most believe in corporal punishment, those who know people in the community say they are inherently non-violent.
Jay Rogers, the CEO of Manitoba's general family-services authority, has said social workers were justified in removing the children.
The seizure did not result from any cultural misunderstanding, but from specific allegations, Rogers said last month.
Months after all the children of a Mennonite community were seized by authorities, some parents are speaking out. They say their efforts at discipline for defiant and abnormal behavior were called abuse and assault by authorities. Today, CBC's Karen Pauls takes us inside a community that until now has been closed to outsiders.
A Mennonite community may never be the same ... the dramatic seizure of their children, police charges of abuse , and the knowledge that unless parents and grandparents agree to change their ways they may not get their kids back.
"7 o'clock in the morning they were here to pick them up so we got them out of bed, 1 girl and 3 boys got them dressed and they left. Had no idea where they were taking them".
Earlier this year, child welfare workers seized every single person under the age of 18 from an Old Order Mennonite community in Manitoba.
The action came during an RCMP investigation resulting in assault charges against thirteen adults in the community.
Now 40 children and teens are in foster homes as the criminal and civil cases slowly wind through the courts.
Last week, three reporters were given exclusive access to the community at the centre of this unprecedented action. CBC National radio reporter Karen Pauls was one of them and she joined Anna Maria in studio to share this story.
And a word of explanation: we cannot name the community or any of the people interviewed to protect the identities of the children.
From the highway, it looks like any other farming community in rural Manitoba: a cluster of well-kept homes with brightly painted shutters, perfectly manicured gardens and children's swings swaying empty in the yard.
But as you get a little closer, it soon becomes clear that the people of this small conservative Mennonite community are living in a different world, one that dates back decades in time.
The women wear long dresses and bonnets. The men dress mostly in black with long beards and wide-brimmed hats. Most telling is the transportation — horse-drawn buggies instead of cars.
But there is also something else different about the people living in this community. All their children are gone.
"The first while, you seem to bump into memories of the children everywhere, and it was overwhelming," says one woman.
"Now, you're kind of used to it, that they aren't here. But you still want them very much."
All the children in the community — about 40 of them — were seized by Child and Family Services, some in February and the rest in June.
Thirteen adults were charged with offences, some accused of assaulting children with a cattle prod and a strap. Community leaders have said the charges stem from disciplinary practices used on some of the children.
Despite the sensational nature of the charges, officials with Child and Family Services have been working with community members to return the children, provided they are prepared to change their ways. And the community members have signalled their willingness to work with CFS and do what ever it takes to get their children back.
In support of those goals, adult community members took the unusual step of inviting CBC News into their community and homes to talk about the case and their commitment to change.
"We do want to do what is proper," the community's minister said in an interview. "And we also want to be law-abiding."
The minister, along with all others in the Mennonite community, cannot be named to protect the identity of the children.
'We had some serious problems'
According to the minister, the community's ordeal can be traced back to events that started a few years ago. Members began noticing what they deemed to be "abnormal behaviour" by some school-age children.
When it didn't stop, the children were placed in the homes of other families for disciplinary purposes, a common practice among people in this community.
At that point, corporal punishment was used to try and correct the behaviour.
"There was some disciplining done at that time which today, looking back, we feel we should've done it different," said the minister.
"We are a community that depends on helping each other. We had some serious problems."
Eventually, some community members came to believe that sexual abuse — by one particular member of the community who has since moved away — was the root cause of the bad behaviour being exhibited by some of the children in the community.
Fearing the children were at risk, the minister asked the RCMP to investigate.
But the minister said when the RCMP investigated, they could find no evidence of sexual abuse and no charges have been laid.
Instead, officials focused in on the corporal punishment being used by some adults on some children.
"They then dismissed our allegations, but they put the emphasis on our discipline," the minister said.
Shortly after the investigation started, so did the apprehensions. The children were seized and the community members were charged.
Since that time, community members have been working to correct discipline methods, in an effort to meet modern standards and law.
"The MCC has provided us with parenting courses, which we are taking," said the minister, referring to the Mennonite Central Committee. "We have been working with counsellors."
All the community's members have also agreed to 18 provisions outlined in a letter sent to the leadership by CFS this past summer.
One provision requires parents to let outside professionals in to assess the ongoing safety of the children. Another states that parents will not allow anyone else in the community to discipline their children.
The parents had to "commit to spanking children only with their hands on their butts" and can only use physical punishment on children aged two to 12.
The parents also had to agree not to "pinch, pull hair, sit on, slap faces, pull or pinch ears, burn, withhold food or have children sit or stand for long periods of time as punishment/correction."
Jay Rodgers, chief executive officer of the General Child and Family Services Authority, told CBC News that CFS has been working to understand the community's traditional beliefs and culture, while explaining what's acceptable in the punishment of children.
He expects six children will be returned to two families within next couple of weeks.
"The process that we put in place for this to happen has been working reasonably well," said Rodgers.
"We have tried to work in very close collaboration with the community and outside helpers who are bridging some of the relationships between our agency and the community."
'They would like to come back,' says mom
However, he can't give a specific timeline for when the rest of the children will be returned, particularly if a parent is facing criminal charges.
That's the case for a mother of two whose young boys were taken into CFS care in June. She faces one count of assault involving a child who was not hers and was not living in her home.
The woman says she worries the charge is undermining efforts to have her children returned. For now, she and her husband are allowed to visit their children one hour a week.
"You can see it in our sons' faces when we go to visit them, that they would like to come back," she said.
"They want to just come home with us. We want to give them that, but we can't."
Her husband says he fears the children will become more and more attached to their foster parents.
"They're telling me I've got excellent visits," said the man.
"They are very happy with our relationship between the children and us, so I think that should have a bearing, too, on what happens from here on. But they can tell us it's wonderful and excellent, but it doesn't seem to help anything."
In the meantime, the two continue to hope they will be next on the list to have their children back.
At least two couples from an Old Order Mennonite community in Manitoba are being reunited with their children, months after all the community's children were seized amid child abuse allegations.
After RCMP charged a total of 13 adults from the conservative community with assault earlier this year, child welfare authorities apprehended about 40 children — including those whose parents were not charged with anything — with some taken in February and the rest in June.
But on Thursday, one couple was reunited with their four young children. Another couple will have their two children returned to them on Tuesday.
Neither set of parents has been charged with any criminal offence.
The father of the four children who were returned on Thursday told CBC News he's grateful to have them back, and they're happy to be home after being away for five months.
"Wonderful. They all expressed excitement about it. They're very, very happy to be home," he said Friday.
"In fact, they thanked God last night in their prayers that they're home."
At the same time, the father said he feels for the other families in his community who don't have their children back.
"As much as we're overjoyed at having our children home, there's still a real heavy weight in my heart because of the other eight families," he said.
"We feel almost guilty having our children at home now."
The community and its members cannot be named to protect the identities of the children.
34 children still in foster care
Thirty-four other children remain in the care of Manitoba's child welfare system, and the process of reuniting some of those families may not happen quickly.
Part of the reason is that some of the parents in the community do face charges. Some are accused of assaulting children with a cattle prod or a strap, according to court documents.
Community leaders have said the charges stem from disciplinary practices used on some of the children.
"It's important for us to understand how many of the charges will be proceeding to trial," said Jay Rodgers, chief executive officer of the General Child and Family Services Authority (CFS).
"It's difficult to return victims to alleged perpetrators, particularly if some of those victims might be witnesses in the criminal process, so some of that is really creating complexities for planned reunifications."
Rodgers said his agency will start working with two new families to have their children returned to them.
One couple who doesn't face any charges say they hope to be the next to be reunited with their children.
"I'm happy for the ones that are coming home, but I'm very disappointed that they don't recognize what our children are going through," said the mother.
"As adults we can reason it out [and] count our days or months, but the children, they can't figure that out," her husband added.
Agency 'holding back children,' says lawyer
Paul Walsh, who represents the couple and four others in family court, says while some of his clients are facing charges, he still believes the CFS agency is not working fast enough to bring families back together.
"They're just saying that they don't know even the details of the criminal charges," he said.
"I'm angry about it because they don't know what they don't know, but they're holding back children on the basis of that uncertainty. It's highly objectionable."
One couple is still waiting to hear what will happen to their two boys, aged one and 3½, and they're frustrated they aren't getting any closer to having their sons home.
"Last night I couldn't sleep well because of this system with people with authority and responsibility — they're taking lots of time, lots of paperwork, lots of conversation but … if we take too much time, it might be too late for children," the father said.
"If someone is bleeding to death, you have to take immediate measures even if they're not the best measures."
His wife faces one charge of assault in a case that does not involve her own children, while the father faces no charges.
Community committed to change
All the families in the community have already committed to changing their disciplinary practices.
As well, they are taking parenting courses to learn how to comply with current societal norms and Manitoba law.
This past summer, all adult members agreed to 18 provisions outlined in a letter sent to the community's leadership by CFS.
One provision requires parents not to allow anyone else in the community to discipline their children.
The parents also had to "commit to spanking children only with their hands on their butts" and can only use physical punishment on children aged two to 12.
The parents also had to agree not to "pinch, pull hair, sit on, slap faces, pull or pinch ears, burn, withhold food or have children sit or stand for long periods of time as punishment/correction."
In the meantime, social workers will continue to monitor the children who have been returned to their parents, visiting the families almost weekly to ensure they are safe and well cared for.
There's optimism for a Manitoba Old Order Mennonite community that's been shaken over allegations of child abuse.
Four community men have had their assault charges dropped and more accused are expected to have their charges stayed later this week if they also agree to sign peace bonds and undergo counselling.
Last year, police charged 15 adults in the community, which can't be named to protect the identity of the children living there, alleging the children were subject to "extreme discipline" and beaten with objects such as leather straps, cattle prods and whips. Child and Family Services (CFS) took all of the children from the community and put them in care. Six children have since been returned to two families, but 36 remain in placements with Mennonite caregivers.
A relieved father of nine who had his charges stayed -- effectively dropped by the court -- on Tuesday said he hopes his community can now rebuild.
"I'm very happy to have the charges resolved, and hopefully that's a big roadblock out of the way to the return of the children," the man said outside a southern Manitoba courthouse Tuesday. All of his children remain in CFS' care.
The four men who signed one-year peace bonds to have their charges dismissed Tuesday did not admit to any criminal misconduct.
One man and two women -- including the lone teacher of the community's one-room schoolhouse -- had their charges moved to Winnipeg court on Thursday, and it's expected they'll also sign peace bonds and have their charges stayed.
"It makes me very happy because I can have contact with my friends again," said the teacher. "It was hard to not be able to teach my pupils and be separated from my friends."
Three women still face assault charges in relation to alleged abuse, but it's not clear whether they'll be offered peace bonds or some other diversion from the court system.
Crown attorney Nicole Roch said she couldn't speak to whether this will speed up the return of children to their homes, as that's up to CFS.
Incidents of horrific physical abuse of children in a rural Manitoba community were revealed in a Winnipeg courtroom late last month.
During the case of an Old Order Mennonite community member -- a woman who pleaded guilty to abuse charges -- the Crown said "counselling sessions" were held in which children were spanked, kicked, strapped and shocked with a cattle prod for perceived wrongdoing.
One girl was strapped and shocked for not eating quickly enough, and sometimes shocked for as little as the look on her face, court was told.
"The backdrop of it is actually tremendous physical violence with respect to the children," Crown attorney Adam Bergen said in late March, when the woman from the religious community entered guilty pleas to assault charges.
Neither she nor her community can be identified due to ongoing court proceedings and a publication ban.
An estimated 80 to 90 people -- more than half of them children -- lived in the community when allegations of abuse came to light. The community still used horse and buggies and abided by traditions dating back to the 19th century.
About 16 adults were charged with offences such as assault and assault with a weapon. Most were allegedly committed on a number of children from July 2011 to January 2013.
At one point, there were at least 13 victims.
There might have been more, court documents allege.
The 57-year-old woman who pleaded guilty admitted to two counts of assault with a weapon against two girls who were placed in her home after they were removed from their own.
At the time, one girl was 10 or 11 years old, and the other was between six and eight years old.
The woman's sentencing will be at a later date.
Bergen said the trouble within the community surrounded allegations of sexual improprieties among the parents and children of two families.
Those seen as community elders and other adults would hold counselling sessions in an effort to gain information about whether sexual abuse was taking place within families.
Violent methods of extracting information were used, the Crown said.
"Underlying all of this seems to be this sort of hyper-vigilance over any sexual thoughts on behalf of the children, and so that is what the counselling is geared toward," Bergen said.
Those allegations of sexual abuse -- repeated to police by children from those families -- were later all recanted or dismissed by police as untrue, Bergen said. It's how those unfounded sexual allegations were drawn from the children that forms the basis for the accusations of physical abuse, he said.
In a previous hearing, court heard the police investigation included physical examinations of the children.
Children were questioned by community elders and other adults -- often with leading questions or with specific hints -- about alleged sexual improprieties within their families, the Crown said.
When the children didn't remember things they were supposed to remember, or would falsely admit to the improprieties, violence would follow.
"The cattle prod is used for large animals and it's basically got an on-off switch and it's described by all the children as incredibly painful," Bergen said.
Due to the allegations of physical abuse, Child and Family Services apprehended all of the children in waves during February and June of 2013.
At one point, 42 children were in CFS care but community members have worked with CFS toward their return home. So far, about a dozen have been returned and 30 are still in CFS care.
Jay Rodgers, CEO of the General Child and Family Services Authority, said 23 children are now home and he expects almost all will be back in the community by the end of summer.
The children were taken from the Old Order Mennonite Community by welfare officials last year — some in February and the rest in June. A number of adults were charged with multiple counts of assault, including assault with a weapon, stemming from how the children were disciplined.
“It's been a process of working with these families around parenting capacity, parenting techniques, learning about child development learning about appropriate discipline approaches,” said Rodgers.
Court documents claimed the assaults took place between July 2011 and Jan. 31, 2013, and involved the use of cattle prods and straps. The youngest of the alleged victims at the time was less than a year old, and the oldest was 17.
The province's child and family services authority removed all children but one while the matter was investigated.
Many of the charges have now been stayed but a community member told CBC News seven people still face charges.
"We desperately want to do things differently," a man from the community told CBC.
Nobody from the community, or its location, can be named to protect the identity of the children who were apprehended.
"We are very committed to trying to stay here, build here and put our community back together again," the man said.
An Old Order Mennonite woman who admitted to disciplining two young children with an electric cattle prod was sentenced in a Brandon courtroom Friday to three years supervised probation.
Louisa Bauman, 57, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a weapon.
The sentencing hearing shed new light on a case that saw the arrest last year of more than a dozen men and women and the seizure of dozens of children from a small southern Manitoba Old Order Mennonite community.
Court heard residents established the community just eight years ago after breaking from their home community in Ontario.
Old Order Mennonite communities are traditionally patriarchal, with ultimate authority residing in the hands of church leaders. Community members eschew modern technology, don't use electricity and drive a horse and buggy to get around.
Bauman's husband, Enos Bauman, holds no authority within the church but wields great authority in the community and is its de-facto leader, Crown attorney Nicole Roch told court.
number of boys who had been living with the couple reported Enos Bauman had used a cattle prod on them as a disciplinary measure against masturbation. "His influence was considerable, such that he in fact had control over most community matters, either directly or indirectly," Roch said.
Allegations of wrongdoing first came to light in the summer of 2012 when a hired labourer who had been living with the Baumans returned to Ontario and reported to the ministry he had been physically abused.
Manitoba police were alerted to the allegations and visited the couple's home. A number of boys who had been living with the couple reported Enos Bauman had used a cattle prod on them as a disciplinary measure against masturbation.
"The boys and their father believed the use of a stock prodder was effective and justified and was helping the boys with their troubles," Roch said.
In January 2013, a couple who had been ex-communicated from the community following allegations they had sexually abused their children contacted the Ontario ministry for help. The couple's children were living with the Baumans and the community was refusing to relinquish custody.
Police became involved and the children "did provide statements alleging sexual abuse by their parents but the statements were vague and lacking in detail," Roch said. Subsequent medical examinations proved their allegations were false.
Some children lived in a shed, some weren't allowed indoors except to sleep because they were considered so deviant," Roch said. Within two weeks most of the children recanted and details of abuse within the Baumans' home started to emerge.
"Children disclosed of being subjected to extreme physical abuse in the context of what was purported to be counselling," Roch said. "The purpose of this was to assist the children in remembering being sexually offended against by their parents."
Abuse included spanking and strapping and the withholding of food, sleep and privacy.
"Some children lived in a shed, some weren't allowed indoors except to sleep because they were considered so deviant," Roch said.
Enos Bauman introduced the use of the cattle prod as a disciplinary tool and it was adopted by other adults in the community to correct what they saw as "extreme misbehaviour on the part of the children," Roch said.
Louisa Bauman admitted to shocking a seven or eight-year-old girl after she soiled her clothing and shocking an 11-year-old girl at the dinner table.
"Both girls described being shocked by the cattle prod as being excruciatingly painful," Roch said.
Both victims told police Louisa treated them better when her husband wasn't present.
"People close to Louisa Bauman believe she is the victim of emotional abuse by her husband." "People close to Louisa Bauman believe she is the victim of emotional abuse by her husband," Roch said. "They believe she would not have treated children the way she did if her marriage was a different one."
The laws and norms of the outside world played very little part in Louisa Bauman's upbringing, said Judge Donovan Dvorak.
"It's understandable why when she acted the way she did, under the direction of leaders of the community, and in particular her husband, she thought it was justifiable," Dvorak said. "On the other hand, that does not absolve her of responsibility ... The adoption of a cattle prod as a method of discipline is one of extreme abuse."
During the term of her probation, Louisa Bauman will be required to live with a brother in Ontario and have no unsupervised contact with children under 14.
Enos Bauman remains before the court facing several charges. He is considered innocent.
WINNIPEG — A male member of an Old Order Mennonite community that was thrust into the spotlight after all of its children were seized by child welfare authorities amidst allegations of severe physical abuse was fined $50,000 Wednesday after admitting to helping hide one of the children for several months.
Neither the man or his southern Manitoba community can be identified by name.
The 31-year-old man pleaded guilty to assisting in removing a child from his community, knowing he was in care.
The fine, jointly recommended by the Crown and defence, is the maximum allowed for the Child and Family Services Act offence.
Additional charges of child abduction and obstruction of justice were stayed by the Crown.
The boy disappeared May 26, 2013, and wasn't located until late August.
Court heard the man helped hide the boy at a number of community homes before he was relocated to a home in Saskatchewan. He repeatedly told CFS and police he knew nothing of the boy’s whereabouts.
Crown attorney Nicole Roch said the man and other community members hid the boy and other children so they couldn't provide police statements regarding allegations of sexual and physical abuse.
Defence lawyer Ted Mariash argued the man was aware the boy was unhappy and "struggling" in his foster placement and only wanted to help him.
The boy "came to my client in an extreme state of need and my client acted accordingly," Mariash said.
More than a dozen adult community members were arrested and all of the community's children were taken into care last year after allegations surfaced that the children had been subjected to severe physical abuse, including being shocked with cattle prod.
Most of the residents have dealt with their charges by way of peace bonds. The community's former de-facto leader Enos Bauman remains before the court.
The boy remains in foster care "and has expressed significant concerns about returning to his community," Roch said.
WINNIPEG — One of four key remaining accused charged in connection with child abuse at a southern Manitoba Old Order Mennonite community has pleaded guilty to assault charges.
In Winniepeg Court of Queen’s Bench on Tuesday, the 32-year-old man pleaded guilty to five charges of assault with a weapon, and one charge of assault for spanking.The assaults were committed against three boys, two girls and a young man between January 2010 and May 2013.
Facts detailing the abuse weren’t read in court, but defence lawyer Scott Newman indicated that a leather strap was used on four children.
One was spanked with a bare hand. The young man was poked with an iron poker or rod. The offender will be sentenced at a later date.
In early 2013, Child and Family Services apprehended all 42 of the children who lived at the community over allegations of widespread physical abuse.
Fifteen adult community members were charged for abuse against numerous children, largely committed between July 2011 and January 2013.
The Brandon Sun isn’t naming the accused or their community at this time to respect previous publication bans put in place to protect the identity of the victims.Many of the adults accused of abuse later had their charges dropped in exchange for peace bonds that require continued counselling.
One woman was sentenced to probation for shocking two girls with a cattle prod and strapping one of them.
The man who pleaded guilty on Tuesday is one of four men who still faced charges. All but six of the apprehended children have since been returned to their parents.
Mennonites apologize for history of sex abuse following theologian John Howard Yoder scandal
by Rich Preheim | Religion News Service July 6, 2015
(RNS) From seminars to a service of lament to a statement confessing its failure to offer healing for survivors, sexual abuse was a prominent topic at the Mennonite Church USA’s biennial convention, which concluded Sunday (July 5).
Not prominently mentioned, but on many people’s minds, was the denomination’s complicity in the rampant sexual violations by one of its most distinguished members, the late theologian John Howard Yoder.
The revelations of sexual violence committed by one of the most influential shapers of Christian pacifism have left many people grappling with the incongruity.
“The impetus for these initiatives was ‘We don’t want this to happen again,'” said Hannah Heinzekehr, director of communications for the denomination.
A lifelong Mennonite who died in 1997, Yoder was one of the greatest theologians of the 20th century. Many of his books remain in print, including the classic “The Politics of Jesus,” first published in 1972 and called one of the 10 best books of the 20th century by Christianity Today.
Yoder was also a major force in the Mennonite Church, a 100,000-member denomination that traces its origins to the Swiss Anabaptist movement of the 16th century.
Yoder became a superstar at the Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Ind., where he taught for 24 years, respected and admired by fellow church members and Christians who were not Mennonite. Yet, at the same time, he was preying on women, many of them his students. A report has revealed a range of sexual offenses, starting in the mid-1970s, as well as the church’s efforts to keep them quiet.
Researched and written by Rachel Waltner Goossen, a Mennonite and history professor at Washburn University in Topeka, Kan., the report was published in the January issue of the academic journal Mennonite Quarterly Review.
According to Goossen, Yoder wanted to develop a new sexual ethic, including the idea that intimate physical contact was an appropriate expression of nonerotic Christian love, and asked select female students to help.
While some were able to fend off Yoder’s advances, which Goossen described as “recruitment,” other women accepted the invitation. Their “research,” consisted of sexual activity, such as fondling, oral sex and occasionally even intercourse.
The seminary’s former president, Marlin Miller, learned of Yoder’s activities shortly after becoming president in 1975 and tried to convince Yoder that his theology was flawed. The scholarly discussion continued for nearly a decade, abetted by Yoder’s periodic threats of legal action.
In 1979, Miller finally directed him to stop his “experiments” and five years later forced Yoder’s resignation. Yoder moved to nearby University of Notre Dame, where he remained until his death 13 years later.
(At Notre Dame, Yoder accosted at least two women, Goossen reported. The university has declined to comment, claiming it’s a personnel matter.)
Miller told no one — not even the seminary board. And no explanation was ever given for his leaving the seminary.
The church eventually disciplined Yoder in 1992. The reason given publicly was for unspecified violations of “sexual boundaries.”
In 2013, the seminary and the denomination began a process revisiting the church’s handling of the Yoder affair. Victims and their supporters pushed for full disclosure of the abuse claims. Among their complaints was that the church had largely ignored the women’s welfare and was more concerned with restoring Yoder and his reputation.
“Whether through misnaming, or negligence, or avoidance, or fear of scandal, we failed … what we know to be most true about the Gospel,” Sara Wenger Shenk, seminary president since 2010, told the victims during a March service in which the seminary publicly apologized. “We failed you.”
According to some estimates, Yoder may have accosted more than 100 women. One of them was Carolyn Holderread Heggen. “I continue to feel a deep sense of relief and healing that the truth was finally acknowledged and confessed,” she said.
Meanwhile, questions remain about Yoder’s theological legacy. What to do when one of the outstanding proponents of peace and nonviolence has failed in interpersonal relations?
Already in 2013, the North American Mennonite publisher Herald Press began adding a statement to its 16 Yoder books, noting, “We believe that Yoder and those who write about his work deserve to be heard; we also believe readers should know that Yoder engaged in abusive behavior.”
William Schweiker, president of the Society of Christian Ethics, said academics will give Yoder the same scrutiny they’ve given to others, such as philosopher Martin Heidegger and his controversial Nazi connections.
“In these ways, scholarly communities carry out the pursuit of knowledge and truth and monitor the work of scholars,” said Schweiker, professor of theological ethics at the University of Chicago.
Earlier this year in England, a recent book generated a backlash because it favorably cited Yoder without mentioning his misconduct.
Krish Kandiah, president of the London School of Theology, told the British website Christian Today: “You at least have to engage with it, you can’t just ignore that part of his life. Imagine how it feels if you’re a victim of sexual abuse and your abuser is still being used as a source of Christian ethics.”
Karen V. Guth, a theologian at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minn., agrees that scholars need to be transparent about Yoder’s abuse, emphasizing “healing for the women he violated and the problem of sexual violence” rather than “salvaging Yoder’s theological legacy,” she said.
“Anyone who wants to move forward should incorporate feminist insights about sexism and abuses of power into their work,” added Guth. “We all need to be concerned about how to combat sexual violence.”
Religious Child Abuse
Marge Simpson: "I know God would never ask a mother to give up her child for the world...again."
Judith Herman describes the way in which perpetrators seek to control the disclosures and discourses of abuse:
“In order to escape accountability for his crimes, the perpetrator does everything in his power to promote forgetting. Secrecy and silence are the perpetrator’s first line of defense. If secrecy fails, the perpetrator attacks the credibility of his victim. If he cannot silence her absolutely, he tries to make sure no-one listens... After every atrocity one can expect to hear the same predictable apologies: it never happened; the victim lies; the victim exaggerates; the victim brought it on herself; and in any case it is time to forget the past and move on.”
About This Blog
This blog is an archive of news articles on religion related child abuse. The dates in the Blog Archive list below are the dates these articles were posted to this archive, not the original date of the article. Each post in this blog includes at the top of the entry the name of the originating publication or website, the original date of publication, the name of the reporter or author of the article if one was provided, and at the bottom of each entry a link to the original source.
About post titles: The original headlines for the articles in this archive appear after the name of the original publisher and date. Those titles often do not contain enough identifying information as they are often written for local audiences and limited by space constraints. I initially just used the original article headline as my title for the post entry. However, after about a year I realized those headlines are inadequate. I began to create my own titles for each entry, which serves two purposes. My own titles, which appear at the top of the entry in red font, contain more specific information from the article, making it easier to categorize and search for. Many of my own titles also contain an editorial slant that serves as my own brief commentary on the subject matter.
Following this blog: Although I have stopped adding articles to this archive, as I explain on the home page, I do continue to publish comments submitted to existing articles. I also use the comments section to update articles. For example, where a court case related to an archived article is ongoing, I will publish news updates in the comment section of the related article. For this reason do not subscribe to Posts but subscribe to the Comments for any new updates in this archive . I also post all updates to this blog through my TWITTER account. | {
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When there's a full moon over Brooklyn, anything can happen, and everything happens in the neighborhood where widowed bookkeeper Loretta Castorini (Cher) lives. First, Loretta agrees to marry a man she does not love, Johnny Cammareri… MoreWhen there's a full moon over Brooklyn, anything can happen, and everything happens in the neighborhood where widowed bookkeeper Loretta Castorini (Cher) lives. First, Loretta agrees to marry a man she does not love, Johnny Cammareri (Danny Aiello), simply because he knows how to propose properly. Before the wedding can take place, Cammareri must visit his dying mother in Sicily. In his absence, Loretta is supposed to try to patch up the differences between Johnny and his brother, bakery operator Ronny Cammareri (Nicolas Cage). Having never forgiven Johnny for indirectly causing the accident that crippled him, Ronny flies into a rage whenever his brother's name is mentioned. He does, however, fall for Loretta like a ton of bricks. After a torrid affair, Loretta tries to avoid Ronny out of respect to Johnny, but he's just too fascinating to resist. Meanwhile, Loretta's father (Vincent Gardenia) is fooling around with his mistress Mona (Anita Gillette), while Loretta's mother (Olympia Dukakis) is wooed by a college professor (John Mahoney). These brief flings are forgiven and forgotten, but there's still the delicate situation of Loretta being in love with her future brother-in-law. A now-classic romantic comedy, Moonstruck won Oscars for Cher, Olympia Dukakis, and screenwriter John Patrick Shanley.
There's an old-fashioned romanticism about the picture, a sweet, gentle approach to love and family life. But this is kept from seeming sappy by the picture's tough-minded, almost abrasive sense of humor.
Good movie about a realistic family, although I'm surprised that both Cher and Olympia Dukakis won Academy awards.
Leigh Ryan
Was I the only one that thought this movie was kind of boring? Also, I think Cage sucked in this role and had a major uni-brow. But what do I know... Cher… MoreWas I the only one that thought this movie was kind of boring? Also, I think Cage sucked in this role and had a major uni-brow. But what do I know... Cher and Dukakis seemed about the only thing that kept me interested enough to finish it.
Randy Tippy
I enjoyed this one more than I expected to. Cher is unquestionably the star here but it is Olympia Dukakis that, for me, really makes the whole thing work. A… MoreI enjoyed this one more than I expected to. Cher is unquestionably the star here but it is Olympia Dukakis that, for me, really makes the whole thing work. A nice, romantic, ethnic comedy.
Cher is actually quite magnificent, but I still hate Nicholas Cage in just about everything :~/ Shanley's script has some wonderfully romantic insights… MoreCher is actually quite magnificent, but I still hate Nicholas Cage in just about everything :~/ Shanley's script has some wonderfully romantic insights and sharp barbs, but overall, I thought it a bit draggy and implausible, especially in the development of Loretta and Ronny's relationship.
Fernando Rafael Quintero Castaņeda
what i have to say about this movie: REALLY overrated... it's somewhat funny, it made me hate Nicolas Cage a little bit less, it gave us a great… Morewhat i have to say about this movie: REALLY overrated... it's somewhat funny, it made me hate Nicolas Cage a little bit less, it gave us a great catchphrase (SNAP OUT OF IT!) and Cher's performance was amazingly good, but that's it...
♥Robyn M♥
nice romantic comedy
Cassie Hill
I love this movie. I hadn't originally thought of it, because I had watched it once a year ago. But,once I bought it I realize how wonderful it is. Cher… MoreI love this movie. I hadn't originally thought of it, because I had watched it once a year ago. But,once I bought it I realize how wonderful it is. Cher is a great singer and actor and was gorgeous in this movie,and Nicolas Cage was really cute. They are both excellant actors. Other great performances were Olympia Dukakais,Vincent Gardinia,and Danny Aiello. Just a really good movie. :)
Jennifer Xu
Back when Nicolas Cage was kind of sexy and less of a sellout. Originally I thought it was pretty much classic romcom fare but it surprisingly unearths some… MoreBack when Nicolas Cage was kind of sexy and less of a sellout. Originally I thought it was pretty much classic romcom fare but it surprisingly unearths some great truths about men and women and love and all that. I think I would've appreciated it more if I were Italian. I think Cher is cute and all that but it's not fantastic acting by any great shakes of the word. | {
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Main menu
Renault unveils new Clio with fresh design, frugal engines
The five-door Clio has rear door handles concealed close to the rear quarter lights to give it the sporty look of a three-door car.
Renault on Tuesday unveiled the latest generation of its Clio subcompact with a fresh design, fuel-efficient engines and a range of what the automaker said are affordable and innovative technologies.
The Clio is Renault's best-selling car in Europe. The new model be offered only as a five-door car and will go on sale later this year after a public debut at the Paris motor show in September.
The Clio will be offered with technologies such as Renault's R-Link integrated Internet-connected touchscreen tablet, a reversing camera and keyless entry.
The Clio will be the first Renault model to get a new 90-hp, three-cylinder, 900cc turbocharged gasoline engine that delivers the performance of a normally aspirated 1.4-liter powerplant, according to the automaker. It is coupled with a stop-start system.
The Clio's most frugal engine will be a 90-hp 1.5-liter diesel.
The Clio is the first production model styled by Renault design head Laurens van den Acker, who joined Renault from Mazda in 2009.
He said the styling was conceived "as a piece of sensuous sculpture which stimulates desire." The Clio has "no acute or aggressive angles, just voluptuous curves that make you want to go up to it and caress it," van den Acker said in a statement.
The new Clio has a lower ride height and wider tracks than the current model and a larger Renault badge on the grille. | {
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This paper examines the phenomenon of female religious authority in an upper middle class Sufi order in Turkey, named Rifaiyye. It focuses on the charismatic female leader of Rifais, Shaykha Cemalnur Sargut, a former chemistry teacher. Founded in late 19th century by Kenan Rifai, the Rifais intellectualize Sufism in particular ways that are conducive to their modern pious subjectivities that have little resemblance to other modern-pious Islamic movements. They reconfigure the discourses and practices of Islam and modernity in novel ways with particular implications for gender norms. Their disruption of normative Muslim gender discourse involves discarding bodily modesty codes such as veiling and gender segregation, and the extension of women’s public participation to the level of community and spiritual leadership.
Female leadership in religious orders that are composed of both men and women is highly unusual in Turkey, if not in the entire Islamic world. In taking on this position of power, Cemalnur Sargut challenges the patriarchal gender bias of mainstream Islamic tradition. She has become a nationally renowned figure with her media appearances and publications. Her bestselling books are devoted primarily to providing exegeses of Quranic verses informed by her distinct Sufi interpretations. Her fame has grown globally through her academic investments such as initiating endowed chairs and research institutes in Sufi studies around the world, including UNC-Chapel Hill in the US, Peking University in China, Kyoto University in Japan and Uskudar University in Turkey.
In this paper I consider both the sources of Cemalnur Sargut’s charisma and the implications of her model of leadership for gender-progressive Islam in Turkish society. Drawing on Warner’s work (2003), I investigate the extent to which Sargut’s leadership and gender discourse constitute a “counterpublic.” Although she forms a public that is in conflict with the norms and contexts of the normative religious environment in Turkey, she rejects the concept of “counterpublic” both in the feminist front and the religious. She often underscores that Sufism promotes unity rather than opposition, and therefore, she does not embrace an Islamic feminist approach to confront the Islamic public. As such, she downplays her gender as irrelevant to her religious authority. I argue that her cautionary position and quietist attitude in forming a “counterpublic” can said to be a political strategy of non-confrontational engagement with the mainstream Turkish-Muslim patriarchal state and society within which she operates. | {
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ASU made right move honoring former baseball coach Pat Murphy
Feb. 15, 2014 - former ASU head baseball coach Pat Murphy waves next to his son, Kai Murphy, 13, and ASU athletic director Ray Anderson (right) as Murphy is honored before the ASU and Baylor baseball game at Packard Stadium.
As an outsider late to the party, I long have struggled to understand how an Arizona State baseball program with such great tradition could also be defined by so much divisiveness.
What happened at Packard Stadium on Saturday afternoon was a positive step toward unifying the past.
ASU honored former coach Pat Murphy and many of his players from his 1995 to 2009 reign before the baseball team’s game against Baylor. It is the first of seven themed weekends celebrating Packard Stadium before the program moves to Phoenix Municipal Stadium next season.
“It’s a great feeling,” Murphy said after the celebration. “What President (Michael) Crow and the athletic department have done. ... This gesture has meant the world to me. I feel welcome.”
Murphy was a terrific coach who led the Sun Devils to four College World Series appearances and saw 27 of his players compete in the major leagues. He was forced to resign following an NCAA investigation that lead to probation.
He is one of a trio of highly regarded former coaches, along with Bobby Winkles and the late Jim Brock, who each seemed to have a faction of loyalists who didn’t get along with the others.
ASU has been making a concentrated effort during the past year to “galvanize the tradition,” Murphy said. It’s a great move.
Each of the three former head coaches, along with the Packard family, will have monuments at Municipal Stadium honoring their legacy. …
Murphy was recently named the manager of the San Diego Padres’ Triple-A Chihuahuas. …
I was sad to hear about the passing of Brandon Rodd, a former ASU lineman who played with the Sun Devils from 2004 to 2007 and recently had been diagnosed with cancer. The disease had spread rapidly and on Thursday he suffered a heart attack during treatment.
Rodd, 28, was as nice a guy as I’ve been around in college football, quick with a smile and always grateful to do an interview, often joking about how nobody ever wanted to talk to linemen. He started all 36 games he appeared in and was a four-time recipient of Pac-10 Conference All-Academic honors. …
I’ve always believed nobody has a better perspective of athletes than those who work daily around them.
Mark Zimmer, ASU’s head equipment manager who has been with the university for more than two decades, told me this about Rodd:
“I would be hard pressed to find a nicer, more genuine, personable, caring person than Brandon Rodd. He was a ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ guy. I remember when his eligibility was done, he thanked us for everything we did.
“He was never bigger than the program, never bigger than you.” …
One of my favorite stories from the Winter Olympics I discovered on Olga Korbut’s Facebook page.
The great gymnast, who won four gold and two silver medals for the Soviet team at the 1972 and ’76 Olympics, was in Sochi for the opening of the Winter Games when she found a lost cellphone on a boardwalk near the Black Sea. She kept it in case the person called.
The woman did and arranged to meet Korbut at a hotel. The woman, who was from Georgia of the former Soviet Union, was in awe and disbelief when she realized she was face to face with one of her nation’s great sports heroes. She cried when Korbut signed a picture for her. What a great story the woman has to share. …
Korbut is now a resident of Scottsdale. She is a pioneer for female athletes and elevated interest in women’s gymnastics to a giant level. I thought she would have been a great choice to light the Olympic torch. …
I was impressed watching ESPN commentator Bill Walton interacting with ASU and Arizona players before Friday’s men’s basketball game. Walton’s unique style of commentating is not everyone’s cup of tea but I like his enthusiasm and knowledge and find his tangents amusing, particularly because the great Dave Pasch reins him in in an entertainment way. …
Another member of the Walton family will be on the air Sunday. Former Arizona standout Luke Walton makes his commentator debut at 1 p.m. on Fox Sports 1 for the Oregon-Oregon State game. He will be paired with play-by-play man Aaron Goldsmith for the national telecast. …
Parting tweet: “Seeing a lot of ‘relax on Oshie, it was only prelims.’ Because beating Russia in Sochi, converting 4 of 6 SO attempts is soooo ordinary #USA” — Greg Wyshynski, editor of the Puck Daddy blog on Yahoo Sports, on Team USA phenom T.J. Oshie and his standout performance in a men’s hockey victory over Russia.
Parting quote: “Jermaine Marshall did an outstanding job. He made, I think, three shots in a row, two 3s and a two, eight consecutive points. I give him a lot of credit. He is a phenomenal player.” — Arizona’s Sean Miller, on ASU’s guard who scored 29 points, eight in overtime, in the Sun Devils’ victory over their rivals.
Reach Boivin at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at Twitter.com/Paola Boivin. Listen to her streaming live on “The Brad Cesmat Show” on sports360az.com every Monday at 10:30 a.m.
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Art Palmer, a 56-year-old physical trainer, says that four plain-clothes police stopped him after he purchased several Polo dress shirts and ties from Macy's store using his Macy's platinum card and American Express card, the Daily New reports. Palmer says that the police demanded that he show his receipt and the credit cards he used for the $320 transaction.
The officers told him that he was stopped four blocks away from the Macy's at Herald Square in New York because they lost him on the surveillance camera, Palmer told the Daily News.
He has filed a grievance with the Civilian Complaint Review Board, and the NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau is also investigating the incident. | {
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Gaze up at the stars and take in all that nature has to offer while you spend a few days in this perfect Pigeon Forge luxury cabin rental in the woods. Amber Twilight is so much than your average rental property. This three bedroom cabin has everything you could imagine as you plan your getaway to the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. In addition to the wrap around deck there is also a separate gazebo with luxurious seating. There are plenty of porches with swings and rockers to spend time just relaxing in this mountain home. Soak in the hot tub and count stars at night with your significant other and you will create memories that will last a lifetime. This cabin offers a fully stocked kitchen so you can prepare your favorite meal on the Weber gas grill or chose the more conventional way of cooking with the charcoal grill. There are peaceful, cozy reading nooks to get lost in your favorite novel or take a quick catnap. There are plenty of plasma TV’s to enjoy a movie or watch that long anticipated game everyone has been looking forward to. This cabin comes with ample entertainment so enjoy a game of Foosball or rack up the balls for a friendly game of pool. No matter how you choose to spend your time you are going to leave wishing you could stay longer so make your plans and be sure to include Amber Twilight for a relaxing time with family and friends. This cabin is conveniently located close to all the main attractions such as Dixie Stampede, Dollywood, Splash Country, LumberJack Feud, Wonderworks and much more. | {
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Friday, May 29, 2015
On removal of Cuba from black list
Here are two opposing views. The first is from James Williams, president of Engage Cuba:
The State Department’s announcement that it has removed Cuba from the U.S. List of State Sponsors of Terrorism is a historic and welcome development. We anticipate the next step of opening embassies in our respective capitals.
We conclude yet another week with encouraging news and reflect on the astonishing pace of change in U.S.-Cuba relations. Status quo advocates in both countries should take note. The Cold War is over. Today’s announcement is further evidence that after 54 years of a failed policy, we aren’t going back. We are looking forward for the betterment of both the American and Cuban people.
U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., has a different take:
President Obama’s decision to remove Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism list demonstrates that this Administration has once again put politics over policy. Cuba should not have been removed from the State Sponsor of Terrorism list since one of the many reasons for its inclusion are its links to repressive regimes around the world such as Iran, Syria, and Russia. Additionally, Castro continues to provide a safe haven to terror groups like the Colombian FARC and Spanish ETA and harbors fugitives from American justice.
The Castro regime’s responsibility in the Brothers to the Rescue shoot down, the unresolved claims stemming from its illegal confiscation of property from American citizens and businesses, and its continual use of repressive tactics to silence any opposition to the tyrannical regime are further evidence that Cuba should not have been removed from the SSOT. However, it is clear that this review from the Obama Administration was not based on facts, but rather based on a desperate attempt to offer more concessions to the Castro brothers in exchange for opening an embassy in Havana. | {
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Kildare have not won a competitive game since June 17 last year when they put Meath to the sword with ease in Tullamore.
A creditable nine-point defeat in the Leinster final against the mighty Dubs was followed by a three-point defeat to Kieran McGeeney's Armagh in Croke Park.
Cian O'Neill's men were expected to build on last year when they made the move up to the top tier of the league but two O'Byrne Cup defeats were compounded by seven straight league defeats and yesterday's embarrassing defeat to Carlow.
The dramatic slide in the form is a huge concern, according to Colm Cooper on last night's Sunday Game on RTE.
Okay, they were in Division One this year and found it a bit too tough for them but 12 months without a win has to be very tough for Cian O'Neill.
"I watched these guys last year in a Leinster final and for large periods of that Leinster final they were hugely competitive against Dublin. i saw Kevin Feely coming in, Daniel Flynn and a really though Kildare were on the rise but that has completely stalled.
"Division One was always going to be tough because it's a top quality league but they seem to haver no confidence and I'm sure Turlough O'Brien saw that record going into the match and knew their confidence was pretty low.
"It's going to be a really tough task for Cian O'Neill to get things back on track."
For Tyrone legend Sean Cavanagh the most alarming aspect of yesterday's Kildare display was the lack of any coherent plan.
"We talked about Carlow and how well coached they were. Kildare were devoid of ideas when they came up against that blanket defence," he said.
"It's an embarrassment for a county like Kildare that has such depth of talent
"They have three guys that played professionally in the AFL and came back. They're not being utilised." | {
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