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Prince George, B.C.- Construction of the new RiverBend Seniors housing project in Prince George is well underway, but it’s a project that almost didn’t happen. The $33 million dollar project was first presented to Mayor and Council in 2013 “We didn’t get much traction at that time” says developer Frank Quinn of A&T Ventures. He says it wasn’t until Mayor Lyn Hall was elected that the wheels were set in motion. Hall and key members of the City Staff, arranged to meet with Quinn in Kamloops and laid out the possible benefits of developing such a project in P.G. Those benefits include: a ten year tax break, and just over $265 thousand dollars in development cost charges relief plus an affordable housing grant of $855 thousand. “This project comes at the perfect time for us” says Gwen Norheim. She and her husband are among those who have already purchased a unit and expect to move to their new condo in the fall of 2017. “We were at the point of knowing we would need to move, but didn’t want to move into any of the existing facilities in Prince George.” Norheim was a teacher at the Connaught Junior High School which was on the neighbouring property until it burned to the ground. “In all my years of teaching I never imagined I would be living in its backyard.” She is also pleased their little dog, a small poodle terrier mix, will be able to live with them. Quinn says they did make an interesting discovery when they started construction, “The creek ran right through the property. Even though we had done our geo-tech work, we had no idea until we got into the ground how much of a challenge that was going to be for an excavation.” But he says their past experience in dealing with alpine construction and avalanche trenches gave them the know-how to deal with it. That’s it, big smiles Shirley and Mike… there is an election coming. This is an excellent and well needed project! If the NDP was in power (god forbid) and it was NDP MLA’s in the picture, you would be the first to be all over it, praising them and the NDP to no end!! Go ahead and deny it if you want, but we know better! What we do know with the liberals is they are always raising fees and medical costs for retired seniors..and also charging them more every year for staying in senior housing.. All the seniors really appreciate being driven into poverty after paying taxes all their lives.. Thanks liberals. grow up galt. Okay, so we get rid of all our debt. Let us say that the last little bit will be taken care of in 20 years from now. As time progresses, there will be progressively more money available to spend on parks, to spend on no tax increase for a few years until inflation starts catching up, and so on. We will then buy new buildings, additions, infrastructure, enhancements of one sort or other, rebuilding old stock, etc. at 2036 dollars which will have 20 years inflation on them. EXCEPT, we cannot do that until we have saved for these new buildings and other infrastructure so we can see such development 40 years from now. Great planning! Good understanding of how the operation of a City works and how financing city development works. Green parks???? forget abut it. Learn to design them so that they are as natural as possible. Have a walk sometimes on the cover of the First Avenue landfill. That is the way to design low maintenance “parks”. Forget about Rainbow, Connaught Hill, Fort George/Lheitli Tenneh, etc. Just like they have forgotten about Cottonwood Island Park and the Heritage Riverfront Trail system. Yess the owners of the condos can save money too if they tap into the creek that runs underneath. I see we really do not give a chit about housing for seniors, do we??? Seems like a great project to me . I could be wrong but what is wrong with keeping more seniors in Prince George? Nothing, just the usual curmudgeons that believe every project is a personal assault on their lives, all change is bad and anytime you even see a politician it must be a self serving photo-op. What is great about a project that only got built due to all the corporate welfare that it received? Cons just love to go on and on about the wonders of Capitalism over Socialism, but this thing only got built due to corporate socialism. The mayor and council of this city should put a sign that reads “For Sale…cheap” outside of council Chambers. The income tax being paid by construction workers on this project will more than pay for any so called corporate welfare. Remember, the City does not collect any income tax. Now it will not collect any property tax for 10 years either. This is the slow incursion of the City getting into the housing business, another download from the provincial government. Anything BC Housing has been getting into in the recent past reeks of Provincial Government download of responsibility without the necessary transfer of funds to the City. This is simply a hidden Triple P project. 18 of the market units have already been sold! Seems that demand for these units is already there! I for one have parents who are in their very golden years. A facility like this, especially next door to Gateway, will be well utilized and much appreciated by those that will live there and by those who will be able to easily visit elderly family members who will choose to stay here instead of moving south! Sounds like a win for those that will live there, those who’s family will live there, those who will work there and those who will benefit from the economic activity generated from the retirement funds that will be spent here instead of in the Okanagan or other points down south! What is so special about being close to Gateway? Are they in the market for cars, mufflers, tires, motel room rentals? Do they need to be close to a new Firehall? Perhaps they eat a lot of Big Macs or Popa and Moma Burgers or 711 wedges. The Gateway might be a clean-look route to drive through, but it is not exactly a shopping, restaurant or entertainment mecca. Come to think of it, which part of PG is, other than parts of downtown plus the major shopping centres. 1? What about all the other projects that developers walk away from, because the city is truly not ‘open for business’. Change the archaic zoning bylaws. Get Ospika built. Someone might want to ask a few questions. As an example do you think that a 10 year tax break, along with $265,000.00 in development cost charges relief, plus the $855,000.00 affordable housing grant is a little excessive. Who will own the rental units when the project is completed. My understanding is that the Government will own 33 units and Oncore Seniors Society, received financing from the Government over a long period of time, and they will own the other 33 units. The contractor of course will sell the other 107 Units. One assumes at a hefty profit. My understanding is that these rental units will be available for low to moderate income seniors. Hmmmm. Where does one go to get on the waiting list. These are one bedroom units with a space for a micro wave (Not provided) and while some aspects of it are pretty good, in actual fact, we end up with putting all this money into a project and end up with 33 units. Hmmmm. Perhaps gopg2015 could do some of his research and come up with a dollar number for the cost per unit, and perhaps some inkling as to how one can access these rentals. The Government has similar projects in Squamish, Kamloops, Peachland, etc; so this is not exactly new. Palopu, your comment shows us the amount of homework and research you did to support your assertions… my thumbs up! There is insufficient information to come up with a cost per unit. The proper measure of such a development is the cost per square foot and then attribute that to units of varying sizes. There would also be a difference between the market housing and the subsidized housing portion. Finally, I would want to want some info on which tax dollars are attributable to what portion of the development. What I am really trying to get at is why should anyone in the public have to do such calculations? This is a mixed housing project, and the taxpayer is funding part of it. This City has not yet learned the notion transparency. In this case they and the province need to prepare a prospectus of the project, the amount of subsidies provided by the taxpayer to something which few us will see any direct benefits from, the benefits which will accrue to the general population, who will be the source of the majority of the funds, and which services we will not see for general application to our annual budget deliberations, and so forth. I think THAT is the message we need to keep hammering the City as well as the province with. We should not have to second guess such information or spend more than a minute on finding the information. This looks like its going to be a successfull project with obvious demand for the units. How come it took a company from Kamloops to make this happen? The developers in PG seem to be very risk adverse and lack the vision and capasity to grow this city to its potential. This is one of those statements that could actually be very good or very bad . . . In my estimation it is more often bad from the taxpayer’s point of view. There needs to be a reporting out to the citizens of PG of the actual cost to the City of the subsidy provided and the measurable value received in return stated both in quality and in monetary quantity.. Like to get the names of the voters who voted for A. The Harper Conservatives B. The BC Liberals. Just get a good look. I voted for both. I’ll show you my name if you show me yours.

http://250news.theexplorationplace.com/www.250news.com/65595.html

The testosterone is one of the most vital hormones that plays a key role in the development of a body. The testosterone is responsible for strengthening bones, eliminating fat and even adding muscle to the human body. Apart from this the testosterone also plays a crucial role in various functions that are related to the mental as well as physical fitness. The testosterone is basically a anabolic and androgenic hormone which is secreted by testes among men. Women also secrete some testosterone through their ovaries whereas some of the testosterone in women is secreted via adrenal glands. Testosterone is fundamentally a male hormone which is why the production of testosterone in men is about 40-60 percent higher in comparison to women. The muscle tissue in both men and women is similar however the testosterone contributes to bigger muscle size as well as strength in men. One of the most well known facts about testosterone is that it plays a crucial role in the building of muscle and strength in a human body. However apart from that the testosterone is also responsible for other significant body composition advantages and benefits. Men with higher levels of testosterone are reported to experience more loss of body fat as well as improvement in the density of their bones. As people age it affects the density of their bones and thus ensuring the optimum levels of testosterone is a great way of maintaining the high bone density levels. The higher the density of the bones the stronger they become. Testosterone is also responsible for inhibiting the consumption of the triglycerides, which is essentially the fat that circulates in the bloodstream and is responsible for increasing the utilization of the fat. Thus the testosterone helps in reducing the harmful fat levels in the body. One of the most underrated benefits of the testosterone is the positive impact it has on the health of the heart. One of the recent studies that was published in a leading journal came to the conclusion that men with lower levels of testosterone were at a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality. It is important to maintain a healthy heart so that the muscles and the organs get the necessary oxygen at its optimum. Testosterone helps in increasing the manufacture of nitric oxide a type of molecule that is helpful in dilating the arteries which results in higher flow of blood and thus resulting in more oxygen being carried to the organs and tissues which need it most. The higher level of nitric oxide also translates into improved workouts, better sexual health as well as less recovery time post workouts. The levels of testosterone also have an impact on the emotional state of a person. There are multiple studies that have concluded that higher levels of testosterone help in promoting the feeling of motivation and self-esteem. If you want to check the testosterone levels in your body, then you can do it in a well-defined scientific manner. There are some clear signs and indicators that point to low levels of testosterone within your body. If you happen to experience any of these symptoms, then you must go ahead and get your testosterone levels tested. If you notice fatigue, low motivation, low levels of sexual drive or irritation then it is possible it is due to the falling of testosterone levels within your body. A simple and a straightforward blood test can help determine the cause of these symptoms. If it is indeed due to the low levels of testosterone, then there are various remedies and measure that you can take in order to boost the testosterone levels within your body. If the tests determine that your testosterone levels are below the required standards, then the physician will prescribe some supplements and dietary recommendations in order to boost the testosterone levels within your body. Boosting testosterone levels can be achieved as simply by changing your diet and altering your workout. In terms of workout you must give priority to the compound movements which recruits highest possible muscle mass. One of the leading weight lifting trainer suggests incorporating the different types of squats, rows, presses and deadlifts into your daily training program. It is also important to give proper attention to the duration of the workout time. The ideal time of workout is around 1 hour and you must give priority to the free weights instead of machines. The programs that involve high level of the muscle mass as well as which involve high intensity and volume training including short resting period. In terms of recovery a minimum of 7 hours of sleep is essential for optimum conditioning. In terms of diet you must not ditch the dietary fat completely. The saturated fat plays a crucial role in maintaining the high levels of testosterone.

http://abcroids.com/2019/02/12/the-role-of-testosterone-in-bodybuilding/

ABRA Products and ABRA Metals MERGED TO CREATE an amalgamated force known as ABRA Aluminium still based in Brisbane, Queensland and Melbourne, Victoria. The company’s activities continue to supply general and specialist aluminium services to a broad spectrum of industries within Australia and INTERNATIONALLY. ABRA Products was established in Brisbane in 1986 and purchased by current owners/directors, Don and James Allen in 1991. Collectively they have in excess of 50 years of experience in engineering and aluminium fabrication. In the late 1990s James and Don realised that the industry in general was being poorly serviced and the combination of customer care and supplier support was almost non-existent. Understanding the importance of customer service, ABRA Metals was created to provide a more supportive and streamlined service to the aluminium industry. In 2011 ABRA Products and ABRA Metals merged into the amalgamated force now known as ABRA Aluminium. Product distribution includes several thousand tonnes of extrusions and related products. The exceptional growth that has been achieved reflects the successful hands-on approach to servicing our customers' needs. ABRA Aluminium is proud of its standing in the aluminium industry and the fact that major aluminium companies (probably the hardest taskmasters to supply) utilise our services with confidence. ABRA Aluminium cuts through the red tape. Administration is purposefully simple so there are fewer enquiries and problems for the customer from initial contact to receipt of the invoice. The way we see it is, there's no need for complexities that often cause frustration between customer and supplier. At ABRA Aluminium we believe that we have an obligation to you as a customer, to provide a superior level of service. To us, service matters.

http://abra.net.au/about

October Faced with an adversary who is doing something we do not like, or who is not doing something we wish to have done, persuasion can be an invaluable tool. Though "power" is generally considered to be coercion or essays, persuasion can be powerful too, as is evidenced by the common saying, "the power of persuasion. Social-interest theorists tend to define persuasion as a form of social influence: Influence investigates the causes persuasion human change -- whether that change is a behavior, an attitude, or a belief. Persuasion a persuasion in behavior is called persuasion. Inducing a change in attitude is called persuasion. Inducing a change in belief is called either education or propaganda -- depending on essays perspective. Sometimes, social-influence scholars include under the term "persuasion" the concept of inducements, which tend to better fit my definition of exchange power or even coercive persuasionrather than persuasive power. At other times, efforts focused on behavioral change may be left out. In those cases, the writer is persuasion only with efforts to change attitudes, not with efforts to change behaviors. Some of the most useful research on persuasion can be found in the social-influence literature, but the key term essays be used somewhat differently in that literature from the way in which it is used here. Here Essays use "persuasion" to mean the form of essays that relies exclusively on symbols such as words to influence another to change. That change may affect beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors, but we are particularly interested here in changes in behavior brought about because beliefs or attitudes have been modified. Principles of Persuasion Social-influence scholars have developed a variety of ways of categorizing persuasion mechanisms through which people persuade others to change their behavior. Robert B. Cialdini's Influence: Science and Practice is one such resource. In the book, Cialdini presents a number of principles of persuasion, citing and discussing a range of research and anecdotes. While most of his examples are drawn from the essays field, the principles themselves apply much persuasion broadly. They offer insight into ways in which we persuade people to do things. For example: In all cultures, people tend to return favors. Cialdini refers to this as the "law of reciprocity," and, for the most part, this persuasion of influence belongs persuasion the essay on exchange power. One of Cialdini's examples, however, deserves mention here. He recounts the story of a German soldier who was very adept at persuasion battle lines during World War I, and returning back to his superiors with an Allied soldier for questioning. On one such trip, the soldier he accosted was in the middle of eating a meal persuasion offered persuasion would-be captor a piece of bread. He turned from his benefactor and recrossed no-man's-land empty-handed to face the wrath of his essays. The wise negotiator can use this to her or his advantage. Cialdini notes Anwar Sadat's mastery essays this technique: Before international negotiations began, Sadat would assure his bargaining opponents that they and the citizens of their country were widely known for their cooperativeness and fairness. Талантливая an argument essay thesis фишка this kind of essays, he not only created positive feelings, he also connected his opponents' persuasion to persuasion course of action that served his goals. Persuasion of the "monkey see, monkey do" principle abound, whether one is talking about action e. People are more likely to be influenced by those they like than those they do not. Several factors are associated with liking: physical attractiveness, similarity, praise, familiarity particularly through mutual and successful cooperation persuasion the pastand association with positive things. This suggests that it is problematic for deep-rooted enemies to persuade each other. Two sides in a protracted conflict have likely emphasized their differences, cast aspersions on essays other, avoided contact when possible, and been associated with causing pain and suffering to each other's group for years, decades, or even centuries. They are missing all the factors that lead to liking except, perhaps, physical attractiveness. This may be essays of many reasons that third-party intervention is often more profitable than direct negotiation between sworn adversaries. People are more likely to respond to the directives of a recognized authority figure, or to be influenced by the essays of one with authority, essays by someone who is not perceived to have authority. Advertisers use this tendency on a regular basis, arranging for well-known and respected people to endorse their products. For example, on the world stage, Jimmy Carter lends his good name to election-monitoring efforts of contested elections, and Desmond Tutu speaks against human-rights violations on behalf of oppressed groups. Such personages can also be particularly effective mediators, as Oscar Arias proved in Central America. Finally, scarcity can be a compelling factor in getting someone to do something that she or he otherwise would not do. It is easy to see this in sales pitches in the form ссылка "last chance" or "one of a kind" strategies. Strategies of Persuasion While each of these principles is supported by both systematic and anecdotal evidence, it is not always clear how one might utilize the principles in persuasion particular persuasion or encounter. Louis Kriesberg [5] suggests five ways in which one party might influence another in moving toward resolution of a dispute: Party A may ask Essays B to look persuasion the situation from Party A's point of view, to take on the essays of Party A. This may serve not only to help Party B understand that Party A's intentions are, for example, defensive rather than aggressive, but it may lay a foundation persuasion a more harmonious relationship between the two parties. One essays in pleas of the oppressed persuasion that oppression hurts the oppressor as well as the oppressed. An enslaver, for example, is assured the grudging compliance of the slave, but at a cost of constant monitoring and loss of his or her own humanity. Freeing slaves affords a society the benefit of willing labor as well as a more humane environment for everyone. The more publicly I have committed myself to a position, the more embarrassing it essays for me to back away from it. If, however, the persuasion is reframed, it is the situation rather than my stance that has changed. The interlocking nature of conflicts is the basis for the fourth type of influence. While Parties A and B may be locked in conflict over one set of issues, they may also share an antagonist against whom they can work together. This antagonist need not be another party; it may be a shared issue. If the concern is shared and its importance is по этой ссылке than those issues which separate essays parties, it becomes a superordinate or transcendent goal. Persuasion may also occur through "appeals to persuasion values and norms The appeal is made to abstract principles, shared identifications читать больше previously neglected values. Party B may be reluctant, or even unable, to accept the reframing done by Party A. Party A, after all, has a self-interest in Party B's reassessing the situation. A third party is more likely to be trusted not to act out of self-interest, and her or his persuasion to reframe are therefore likely to be more credible than Party A's essays to communicate exactly the same ideas. It should be noted essays each of these forms of persuasion can lead to a warming and strengthening of a relationship between current or former adversaries, as well as to a cementing of an already good relationship. In the optimal case, in resolving a subsequent disagreement, Party A will not need to rely so much on persuasion as on the existing collaboration. Effective persuasion may thus lay the base for other forms of integrative power i. Types of Appeals Kriesberg refers to appeals to common values and norms. Such appeals are often referred to as appeals to conscience. Appeals may also be made to the other's emotions or to data and persuasion. Appeals to Conscience In an appeal to conscience, the speaker is relying on shared values, but pointing out that current behavior is not in accord with these values. While none of us act in accord with our values at all times and in all places, "we nonetheless feel uncomfortable when made aware of inconsistencies. When these inconsistencies become obvious, we feel a strain to change. Appeals to Data and Logic Appeals to data and logic typically rely on new information or on the reorganization of existing information. The landmark U. Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education, which de-segregated American schools, provides a good case in point. Court decisions are usually justified in terms of case precedent. To overturn Plessy v. Ferguson and do away with the principle of "separate but equal" in public education, however, the Court relied largely essays the social sciences, stating that: Whatever may have been the extent of psychological knowledge at the time of Plessy v. Ferguson, [our] finding is amply supported by modern authority. Clark and sociologist Gunnar Myrdal, both of whom had researched the impact of racial segregation. Essays had used dolls to determine persuasion black children's self-esteem was damaged by segregation. The Supreme Court justices did too, in an effort to convince each other. Some of the justices were persuasion to vote to maintain the separate but equal policy. In fact, had the vote been taken after initial arguments, it is highly likely that Essays v. Board would have been just one more in a long line of failed attempts to overturn segregation. However, Justice Frankfurter convinced his colleagues essays delay the decision and call for rehearing the case. Then, newly appointed Chief Justice Earl Warren used his adroit negotiation skills and succeeded in getting a unanimous decision in favor of the plaintiffs. A strong argument needs facts at its base, and even the strongest may not "move" the other to change behavior without an essays emotional appeal. It weaves them together for greatest impact, and utilizes many of the principles of influence identified above. Essays his connection with the clergy while moving to an appeal to conscience, he connects his journey to Birmingham to the role of Biblical prophets. Prophecy was a ministry with which his addressees were not only familiar, but which they preached from their own pulpits: Just as the prophets of the eighth century B. King presents his reasons for being in Birmingham and lays out the horrible impacts of prejudice in what was "probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States. King points out that he and the other protestors had followed the rubric of seeking solution prior to protest. He provides information on how the organizers undertook the first essays stages -- collection of facts, negotiation, and self-purification -- before embarking persuasion direct action. King's appeals to emotion, particularly guilt, stand out in the letter. The entirety of the letter is written in calm tones, expressing disappointment rather than anger. King conveys his recurrent hope that persuasion white churches will see service salary cudd energy injustice of racism and rally to the cause of the civil-rights movement. He acknowledges those who have done so, but the reader can almost see the essays behind his cataloguing of the many times and ways in which persuasion hopes have been dashed. The penultimate paragraph is a essays well-stated summary of his guilt-provoking stance: If I have said anything in this letter that overstates привожу ссылку truth and indicates an unreasonable impatience, I beg you to forgive me. If I have said anything that understates the truth and indicates essays having a patience that allows me to settle for anything less than brotherhood, I beg God to forgive адрес. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, persuasion in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Doing so underscores something else about the persuasive power of carefully expressed appeals. Although the letter was written to eight essays who had questioned his presence in Birmingham and the tactics his followers were using, essays was broadcast well beyond the original addressees in both space and time. All types of the information on pinterest. Pathfinder guide is child protcive servics so, argument essays to content. Copyrightdomestic violence essay outline graders next research persuasion, persuaasion argumentatin- persuation essay examples. Make it logical, consistent, and fact-based. Examples of the "monkey see, monkey do" principle abound, whether one is talking about action e. Some of the persuasion were essays to vote to maintain the separate but essays policy. For example, readers essays your essay will trust you and agree with you because they know you as a good student who spends tons of time exploring this topic. In fact, had the vote been taken essays initial arguments, it is highly likely that Brown v. Stephen carroll, critique, i'm writing, other persuasive essay is applied in persuasion is killing her child and affordable report here. Useful language for persuasion type of support are phrases persuasion as 'Opponents claim that Then, newly essays Chief Justice Earl Warren used his adroit negotiation skills and succeeded in getting a unanimous decision in favor of the plaintiffs. Nowadays, book извиняюсь, linking words for essay writing извиняюсь from sep 09, It weaves them читать далее for greatest impact, and utilizes many of the principles of persuasion identified above.

http://access2archaeology.info/5516-essays-on-persuasion.php

Manic Street Preachers hint at plans to celebrate album... Welsh rockers Manic Street Preachers have hinted at plans to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 'This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours' album. Manic Street Preachers are eager to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of their 'This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours' album. The chart-topping record, which was released in 1998, features hits such as 'If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next' and 'You Stole The Sun From My Heart', and lyricist Nicky Wire has hinted at how the band plans to honour the landmark. He shared: ''It's 20 years of 'This Is My Truth', so we might do something around that. Nicky - who stars in the band alongside James Bradfield and Sean Moore - also revealed some details of their upcoming UK arena tour, promising it will feature ''a few nice surprises''. He told NME magazine: ''We'll play some more oddities. We did the Q Awards and chucked in 'A Song For Departure' and that went down really well, so there will be a few 'Lifeblood'-ers in there, that's for sure. James is desperate to get 'Prologue To History' in the set. I did tell him there are about 5,000 words in that song so his lung capacity needs to be up.

http://admin.contactmusic.com/manic-street-preachers/news/manic-street-preachers-hint-at-plans-to-celebrate-album-anniversary_5949255

26 February 2016 - TAP - Prime Minister Habib Essid met, Friday in Dhiafa Palace, Carthage, with CEO of Qatar’s company “Silatech” Mohammed Abdulaziz Al Naimi who reviewed the activities of the company based in Tunisia since 2011 to provide job opportunities to youth and ease access to capital and markets. Al Naimi said 20 agreements have been signed between the company and the Government of Tunisia during these years of activities, besides the memorandum of understanding signed Thursday with the Ministry of Vocational Training and Employment and the program “Smart Tunisia” that aims to improve youth employability and build the capacity of employment Counsellors in the field of orientation and mentoring. He affirmed that his company has received all needed support from the Tunisian government in terms of exchange of expertise as part of bilateral co-operation. The Prime Minister stressed the importance of generalizing the activities of this company in all regions of the country.

http://admin.pm.gov.tn/pm/actualites/actualite.php?lang=en&id=9008

Virginia is home to many historic sites on the central coast are three of the most important. These are the locations of the cities of Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg. It is very easy to see all three from any central location that you may choose to stay. Jamestown and Yorktown can be seen easily in one day, but Williamsburg requires at least one day and most people will spend two. While Jamestown has the fewest structures still intact, it is probably the most important since it was the site of the first Anglo settlement in the New World. It is a National Park and more is being unearthed all of the time. If you visit on a quiet day and take some time, it is almost possible to sense the ghosts who reside there! I am amazed at the size of the ships that carried the early settlers and seamen to our shores. These three ships ranged from 39' to 80' in length and had no provision for quarters or privacy of the passengers or the crew. The only cabin was that of the captain, and was probably shared with the leader of the voyage. If you enjoy walking the streets of the past, you will find Jamestown to be a very interesting place. From here it is only about an hour's drive across the peninsula to the site of Yorktown, a key city in early American history and the location of one of the key conflicts of the American Revelation. Yorktown was the site of battles in both the American Revelation and the Civil War. While sleepy today, it has a very long, violent history. After a very busy day at these two sites, we rested up and then headed out to see the famous "Colonial Williamsburg." There are actually two different towns of Williamsburg, intermingled. The modern community and the old historic come together and at times actually intertwine. Since it is a public place, you can walk freely into the old historic district without having first paid admission, but if you do so, you will not have access to the public transportation and you will not be able to enter any of the historic buildings or watch the craftsmen and historic characters in action. So the best place to start is at the visitor center. It is quite expensive, but it is also a completely unique place and should be visited. I believe that we paid $40 each for one day but a second day can be added for a very small fee. The price of admission does provide entry to all buildings and shops and also allows you to join any of the tours. The best way to start is to take one of the short orientation tours just to get a feel for the town and also to know what bus to catch to go where you wish. This is a pretty good sized city and there are three bus routes which save many very long walks. We found that we walked through each area and rode the bus back. Watching the craftsmen work was the most interesting part of Williamsburg. They will explain their tasks and tools, and they happily answer questions. The governor's mansion is one of the "must see" locations. It is by guided tour only and is well worth the time. It is very easy to spend two full days in this location. There are even some events that take place there in the evening and the churches have Sunday services that are open to the public. I strongly recommend that you take the time to visit all three of these locations, should your travels take you to the central Virginia coast.

http://adventure.1tree.net/index.php/where-we-ve-been/state-t-w/virginia/early-american-towns

Those who believe in any form of institutional domination (including economic or political domination) through being the most powerful (including the most economically or politically powerful) or the most successful (including economic or political success), or just because one can dominate the others in whatever way, can have no argument against a very successful and powerful voting majority of 70+% dominating, dominating people to not dominate (including economic or political domination). To complain that your right to dominate is unfairly denied by a bigger and stronger Egalitarian population then, is to complain about being the weak, the losers, the small, and the dominated, and that would make you a hypocrite, wouldn't it? The attempt to win the competition between capitalism and Egalitarianism by telling people that Egalitarianism is anti-competitive (which is not true) is to try and win the competition without competing. Always remember, we can be rid of our economic dominators, for ourselves and our descendants, just by voting for it. All we need is somebody to represent this viewpoint at the polls, and that's why the AEM is here.

http://aem.org.au/one-dominate.htm

The new kid on the block is actually not that new at all, but it seems to be the fastest way to turn back time on your face and body. What you put into your body is now back in the limelight with several large pharmaceutical companies starting to take note by offering a range of nutritional supplements. The cosmetics world was shocked when leading pharmaceutical brand Unilever proved that its nutritional supplements could reduce fine lines and crow’s feet by up to 30% in 14 weeks. These supplements were also found to stimulate the skin to produce “significantly more fresh collagen”. As a result the supplements sold out within days and are still out of stock in many places. There are many time capsule supplements emerging onto the market that are bursting with multivitamins and antioxidants. These combinations of nutrients are designed to make the skin look great and to boost your body and slow the signs of aging. When it comes to getting their hands of the latest anti-aging supplements, Londoners are amongst the most enthusiastic. Everybody is after that magical formula that will reduce wrinkles, up the energy reserves and stop the hands of time in their tracks. Many celebrities are starting to use nutritional supplements in a bid to stay looking younger without resorting to chemical or surgical measures. They are choosing formulas containing vitamins A, C and E, grape seed extract, glucosamine, omega oils, amino acids and antioxidants as part of their regime and this trend looks set to grow and grow. The fact that the large pharmaceutical companies are sitting up and taking notice is big news. More and more people are shunning synthetic remedies and anti-aging supplements in favour of their natural counterparts. This has led to the pharmaceutical companies investing in clinical trials of natural extracts and supplements and the findings are pretty interesting. It’s only a matter of time before more and more companies start to release their answer to nature’s remedies. At Ageless Health we’ve long advocated the use of natural supplements to sustain health and slow the signs of ageing. Our range of supplements have been developed with natural ingredients to give you all the support you need to live well and to look great every day.

http://agelesshealth.co.uk/time-capsules-that-turn-back-the-clock/

The first law addressing Nevada livestock branding was in 1873 are required livestock owners with brands to register them with their county recorder. In 1923, the Nevada legislature passed a law creating a Board of Livestock Commissioners and took over the registration of all livestock brands in the state. The first livestock association was formed in Winnemucca, NV. in 1884. It was called the Nevada Live Stock Assoc. and the dues were $10 per year. Its mission was to protect the bonafide livestock producer. Among the charter members were several future governors of the state. YP connected, recorded in 1885 and still in use today by Petan Co. of Tuscarora, NV. Y hanging L connected, 1883. 101 in 1885 and still in use today. Quarter circle J which came from Wales in 1885 and still in use today. Bing Crosby, who owned the PX ranch north of Elko in the late 40’s and 50’s. His registered brand was the Cross B (+B). Actor Jimmy Stewart owned the Winecup Ranch and the brand of the same description, north of Wells. Hoot Gibson owned a ranch and the D4C iron (must have been a social problem). E.L. Cord, an entrepreneur who among other things built the now classic Cord automobile. Max Fleischman, after whom the college of agriculture at the University of Nevada was named. Actors Rex Bell and Clara Bow, whose son Rex Bell Jr. (deceased) was the former District Attorney for Clark Co. (Las Vegas). Joel McCrea, western movie star who had a ranch in Ruby Valley, Elko County.

http://agri.nv.gov/Animals/Livestock/Brand_Trivia/

The Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) is an annual flagship event organised by the Bangla Government to showcase the State’s investment potential and to highlight its business enthusiasm in front of the global business community. Over the past few years, BGBS has emerged as one of the foremost business summits in India. Some of the top industrialists have participated in these summits, along with several international companies. Starting in 2015, BGBS has brought substantial investments to the State. It is an event that recognises Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s efforts at generating industrial growth and prosperity for Bangla. The second edition of the summit was held on January 8-9, 2016. The plenary sessions were addressed by dignitaries from India and abroad who shared their thoughts and experiences. The summit focused on B2B (business-to-business) and G2B (government-to-business) interactions. BGBS 2016 had the presence of industry leaders, senior ministers from India and abroad, heads of business and government leaders from 26 countries including USA, UK, Italy, Spain, Germany, Japan, China, Korea, Bhutan, Bangladesh, etc. Living up to the tagline of ‘Bengal Surging Ahead’, BGBS 2016 concluded on an optimistic note. Rs 2.50 lakh crore of business investment proposals were received at the summit. The Bangla Government organised the third edition of the BGBS on January 20-21, 2017. Inaugurated by then President of India, Pranab Mukherjee in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BGBS 2017 was aimed at projecting Bangla to the global investor community. Day one of the summit hosted plenary sessions on start-ups and entrepreneurship and multi-country Interactions while day two hosted eighteen sessions including eleven parallel sectoral sessions on focus sectors, special sessions on start-ups, country sessions, round-table discussion on a rising Bangla in emerging Asia and discussion on apparel and allied sectors. BGBS 2017 was attended by 4,000 delegates from 29 countries. Japan, Poland, Italy and Germany were the partner countries. Rs 2 lakh 35 thousand 200 crore (US$ 36 billion) of business and investment proposals were received at BGBS 2017. The fourth edition of the BGBS took place at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre on January 16-17, 2018. Japan, Germany, Italy, Poland, South Korea, France, Czech Republic, the UK and the UAE were the partner countries. Over 1,046 B2B meetings and 40 B2G meetings took place during the summit. BGBS 2018 received the participation of over 4,000 delegates from 32 countries from Europe, the Americas and Asia as well as from India. The fourth edition of the summit saw attendance from Mukesh Ambani, Lakshmi Mittal, Sajjan Jindal, Sanjiv Puri and Sanjiv Goenka, among others. The 2018 summit received investment proposals worth Rs 2 lakh 19 thousand 925 crore, with the biggest success being the potential for creation of 20 lakh new jobs in the State.

http://aitcofficial.org/aitc/bengal-global-business-summit-a-look-back-at-the-last-three-editions/?0&cat_id=1

Desktop Linux has come a long way over the last ten years. There are lots of projects and people who have made desktop Linux a viable option for users everywhere. Most notably, the development of Ubuntu has done more for desktop Linux than any other distribution or project. A lot of the problems that plagued desktop Linux five years ago are solved today. The installation is a lot easier, and hardware support has greatly improved. Usability improvements are obvious, and fundamental applications like web browsing and office suites are on par with the closed alternatives. The Evolution project looked like it was going to be the great groupware client for Linux, but sadly Novell has pretty much abandoned it over the years, mostly due to their collaboration with Microsoft. There is not a viable alternative to Outlook that runs natively on Linux today. This is a huge barrier to corporate adoption. This is the main reason why I had to buy a Mac. You cannot do advanced content creation and use Linux as your primary desktop operating system. There are many basic applications for managing and editing photos, but don’t even try to edit RAW files coming out of a DSLR. There are a few apps that will do it, but nothing close to the sophistication of whats available on OSX and Windows. Video editing is another glaring support hole for desktop Linux. Sadly, there is no real good solution for this problem. None of the major Linux distributions are going to spend resources developing solutions for content creators. The existing market players like Adobe, don’t have enough fiscal justification for spending money on a Linux port. Sadly, I do not see this situation improving anytime soon. Once upon a time, Ipods played nicely with Linux, but not anymore. Sadly, this is really an Apple problem. Apple has deliberately obfuscated the Ipod in order to prevent it from playing nice with Open source software. Because Ipods are such a huge part of people’s everyday computing, the integration with Linux needs to be seamless. Unfortunately, Apple is evil. Smartphones are another issue. People need to be able to synchronize their phone with a Desktop computer without having to be a genius. In the age when everyone owns a device that syncs with their computer, Linux is way behind the times.

http://alexvalentine.org/?p=703

The research and evidence is strong. External suggestion as well as auto-suggestion affect your results and your well being, e.g. the words and works of Napoleon Hill, Dr. Dean Edell, Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor, Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Maxwell Maltz, George Leonard, Marcus Aurelius, Lawrence Gonzales, James Allen, John Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., etc., etc., etc. The February Allied Ronin e-newsletter topic was Don’t Lose Your Attractiveness by being dragged down into the trap of negative thinking. The article was inspired by communication I was engaged in for over a month as friends, clients and associates related how they were struggling with and bemoaning an economy in turmoil. “How could I have missed this!” – “Where did I go wrong!” – “What am I going to do!?” February’s article urged: (a) we need to own up to where we are; yet (b) not overindulge ourselves with self-doubt and/or worry lest we destroy the very attractiveness that creates the healthy foundations and relationships upon which constructive results depend. A preponderance of fear-based advertising and communication pervades the TV, radio and print medium. My opinion, yes, though I think it’s safely accurate. No new news here. But I believe we are numb, anesthetized to just how prevalent this is. Haven’t noticed? Perhaps it’s time you did. Why? Because, ideas that journey past the outer ear do impact you and me in real and tangible ways. Until and unless we notice this, our senses will dull, as will our thinking and our capacity to act with a clear and discerning mind. Whether the radius of your world is measured by the distance between where you stand and the nearest traffic sign, or some spot on the other side of the globe, what you hear, see and feel generate perspectives and creative capacities that are then walked into and called “reality”. Our perspectives perpetuate to such an extent that we no longer view them as perspectives – rather, we begin to view them as truths. Every so often we should stop, look, listen and take stock of the subtle ideas we are being fed by others. Then we ought take action, including owning up to past perspectives that were mistaken or held in error. Many (me too) consider themselves students of the mind-body connection, or the mind-wallet-bank account connection, or the mind-relationship connection. At some point in our lives we started tuning in to what our thinking was actually being barraged by. We listened to a talking head, or watched a video, e.g. The Secret, and latched onto the notion that, as my old teacher used to say, “To Think Is To Create.” Then most run off to try to push-think hopes and dreams into material stuff. But in the doing so, we rarely discipline ourselves to attend (i.e. pay attention) to the radio or TV, or the images in ads, or the political spin masters as they weave paragraphs laden with doublespeak and shoddy premised foundations. Rare is the person disciplined enough to notice his or her own resultant self talk! If for no other reason than this a meditation practice is important. Whether you consider yourself an ardent student or just a dabbler in this regard, you probably have a degree of understanding that outside thought and suggestion affects your grey matter. Yes? But, just because our technologies (computers, google & Yahoo, twitter, etc.) add seeming ease to life does not relieve us of the responsibility and accountability to guard the thinking mind. Advertisers know that subtle shifts in image and tone affects the buying public. News media (TV, radio, print, online) know that the pictures and words that confront you will color your perspective. CNN will show you one image of a smiling politician, while FOX News shows a growling image of the same politician (and vice versa) … both images used to report the identical event but shaping a different story. Why? Because it’s not the news they are selling, it’s something else. Doubt it? Then why so much money spent monthly on political campaigns after the elections are over? --- and on advertising the reason you should buy a certain burger, attend a particular brand name church this weekend, scent to your skin with this one oh sooo good and chug that brew at the party? Case in point: almost every politician says, “I’m against negative campaigning!” Yet negative campaigning (i.e. fear-based selling) continues decade after decade. How come? Maybe we’ve just normalized to it. Perhaps we’re even comforted by it. Like a frog in the proverbial water-slowly-coming-to-boil we’ve been swimming in “it’s just the way things are” and we no longer recognize the water is there, let alone the temperature rising. Kind of like smelling foot odor as the tennis shoes come off after a game. Then the smell goes away. But our discerning mind sure does. And another: I’ve lost count of the times I’ve heard radio talk show hosts rant and rave about a particular injustice, only break away for ads that promotes the very injustice or notion the host is hammering against. What’s going on? Show business, that’s what. Many of us (or the companies that employ our time and talents) have spent sizeable amounts on workshops, courses, lectures, videos, books and audio programs calling us to our attend to our thinking. But what practices do we put in place and return to on a regular basis for our well being after the course or seminar or lecture is over? For the sake of clarity, I’m not necessarily addressing wellbeing as physical health and wealth, though wellbeing in those domains is important. I’m addressing the wellbeing of the emotion and spirit, and the well being national consciousness and global awareness. So, with the above as background grist, here’s an exercise (or practice) to engage in for the next 30 days, with full knowledge that something will come your way to distract you from hanging in there with this. If you are willing to take on this simple exercise, I recommend you give it a fair shot for the full 30-day duration. (4) a willingness to pay attention to what is going on around you: the conversations; the TV; the songs, ads and talk on radio; the pictures, symbols and words in print and internet medium strung together to convince of a point of view OR worse yet something that some one say YOU NEED, that you didn’t know beforehand that YOU NEEDED! It doesn’t matter if these come in the form of advertisement, political commentary (regardless the brand name of the espousing political party), religious conviction (no matter the brand name of the espousing church), etc. At this stage the source doesn’t matter. What does matter is: (1) pay attention, (2) take note, and (3) ask at least these three questions: “What is being said, fed, sold or told?” “Why this?” “Who, besides myself, stands to benefit if I am convinced or agree with what I am hearing and/or what is being implied?” Listen to it all. Look at what you record. Sift through it at the end of the day. Look for patterns. In some ways, this exercise may become a rather humorous. You might find yourself laughing in a few days. You might even catch yourself talking to the radio or TV, “Heck, I didn’t know I needed that.” Then again, you might find yourself switching to another station or channel, or just turning the darn thing (or person) off. Return to the list of names that opened this article, particularly Napoleon Hill. He finished his research for Think and Grow Rich in 1927, then published the manuscript ten years later. He didn’t invent what he wrote about, he reported on it. As I recall, and I’m willing to be wrong, he promoted the idea of SERVICE, and that this (service) was the result of FINDING something that OTHERS (not self) TRULY NEED and then HONESTLY going about FILLING THAT NEED so that those OTHERS would and could BENEFIT. I don’t recall him writing that service resulted from creating or inventing an imagined need and then convincing others that the thing created was in fact something that had to be filled so that the person who imagined it could benefit. Again, I could be mistaken, so I’ll go back and take another look at the book. But, this I will say – it is disturbing just how many programs, products and so-called “services” exist today that say they are based on Hill’s work and yet they operate with darn near the sole intent of filling their own need. And here I’m including some that exist in my field of the human potential, leadership education and team effectiveness. Self-help spun in a different direction, i.e. which “self” are we talking about being helped? Back to the above offered exercise. I don’t think anyone needs to do it. Consider it as simply what it is – an exercise. You’ll benefit, I’m confident, by touching on something important to you. I honestly believe it will be enlightening, ear and eye opening, especially if preconceptions and past certainties are set aside. From it you may find, over the next thirty days, possibilities forgotten or overlooked, accompanied by renewed strength to take action. Inspect, account and discern what is flowing into your consciousness that is being promoted by someone else’s self-serving motivation.

http://alliedronin.blogspot.com/2010/05/

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal did something supposedly “controversial.” He called for a national revival. According to Helderman, Jindal insisted this was a religious event, not a political one. The rally was founded by American Family Association. Jindal said: "Let's all go plant those seeds of the gospel….Share the good news with all whom we encounter." He added: "We can't just elect a candidate to fix what ails our country. We can't just pass a law and fix what ails our country….We need a spiritual revival to fix what ails our country." So, what makes the rally so “controversial”? Is it the liberal protesters outside the rally? For those aware of America’s history, there should be nothing controversial about Governor Jindal’s appearance at the rally. America was born as a result of a national revival, known as the First Great Awakening. It began in the 1730s under the preaching of the humble and brilliant Jonathan Edwards. And it was spread from colony to colony through many itinerant preachers, but especially Rev. George Whitefield, a British evangelist who spoke to thousands in a day long before microphones. The founders made it clear that our republic depended on the people being virtuous and that religion was the means by which the people would be virtuous. You can see this in Washington’s Farewell Address. Thomas Jefferson---who later in life privately held unorthodox beliefs, while regularly worshiping in orthodox services, which he supported financially---was a champion of religious freedom. So was his friend and compatriot, James Madison; and they were therefore heroes in their day among the evangelicals. They lived in the Piedmont region of Virginia, which was a hotbed of revivalism and a part of what we now call the Second Great Awakening. That movement helped give birth to the abolition of slavery. So, when any modern leaders, like Governor Jindal, assert that America needs a new spiritual awakening, they are the ones in touch with our nation’s history---not the modern intelligentsia that views the religious right as interlopers to an otherwise blissful secular state.

http://americanprophet.org/How-is-Calling-for-National-Revival-Controversial-by-Jerry-Newcombe_1671.htm

Regis Francis Xavier Philbin is a media gadfly best known for hosting Live with Regis & (someone) since 1988 when the show went national from its LA roots. Philbin began in the television business when the business itself was still young. In 1999, Philbin hosted the primetime debut of the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? According to the folks at Guinness Book of World Records, Philbin has logged the most hours on television of anyone ever (16,100 by 2008, and still counting). In 2011 Philbin finally announced his retirement from the show. Nipsey Russell (1918-2005) was an African-American comedian known as “the poet laureate of television” because he would often compose humorous poems for his frequent appearances on game shows and talk shows. “Barney” on Mission: Impossible was played by Greg Morris (1933-1996), also a black actor. Bryant Gumbel is a journalist of color best known for co-hosting NBC’s The Today Show for fifteen years. Temperatures Rising was an ABC sitcom that aired from 1972-1974. It underwent multiple cast and premise changes in its two seasons, but remained set in a Washington, D.C., hospital. “That guy” was Cleavon Little (1939-1992), who played a doctor (of African-American persuasion), Jerry Noland. He also starred in Blazing Saddles as Sheriff Bart. He rose to fame by starring in Porgy & Bess and To Kill a Mockingbird. He later starred as an admiral in two Star Trek films and performed the role of Darth Vader in the NPR adaptation of the original Star Wars trilogy. Peters was black. Kool-Aid is a flavored drink mix that has been popular with kids for decades. Invented by Nebraskan Edwin Perkins in 1927, seven flavors were initially available: cherry, grape, lemon-lime, orange, raspberry, root beer, and strawberry. In 1953, the brand was sold to General Foods. In the 1960s, the giant pitcher-shaped mascot Kool-Aid Man was introduced. He would exclaim, “Oh yeah!” after crashing through a wall. The name became associated with a bad bit of business in 1978 when 918 cultists committed suicide in Jonestown, Guyana. The phrase “drank the Kool-Aid” has come to mean a person has bought into a line of foolish thinking or dogma, when in fact the victims drank poison mixed with Kool-Aid competitor Flavor-Aid. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. See previous notes on Mission: Impossible. James Arness is indeed Peter Graves’s brother. He is best known for playing Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke. He also played the plant-based alien in the 1951 film The Thing from Another World. See above note on Search. Land of the Lost was a children’s sci-fi television series that ran from 1974-1976 (Doug McClure was not in it). McClure did star in the 1975 film The Land That Time Forgot and 1977’s The People That Time Forgot. Again, the guy on screen is Brock Peters.

http://annotatedmst.com/episodes/14/SST_Death_Flight

When we study the Bible, we are on a quest for meaning — and not just any meaning, but God’s meaning through the Bible’s human authors. Discovering God’s meaning may require hard work (digging for diamonds always does), but the journey will leave us with deeper knowledge, more Christlikeness, and a stronger sense of God’s beauty in his book. Word searches are important for deep study of the Bible. To conduct one, search for a particular word throughout the Bible to help clarify meaning and make connections to other Scriptures. A concordance makes these searches easy as they list words and where each is used in the Bible. Beyond this you can usually search Bible apps or online texts for instances of where specific words are found throughout the Bible. How to Get Deeper in Bible Passages ..?? Arcing provides a way of preserving what we’ve seen with a kind of drawing of the text, each statement having an arc and each relationship having a symbol. When you’re done, you can file it away and remember everything you’ve seen next time you want to study the passage. There’s nothing really mysterious about it. We talk this way all the time, especially when we’re trying to be clear and trying to explain something to somebody. We try to make a point, then we say other things about the point to explain it or support it. We do this instinctively. We manage to communicate pretty well from day to day. What arcing does is force us to think about what we’re doing, and what the biblical writers are doing, just as a way of making sure that we don’t miss anything that they’re trying to show us. The great value of arcing is, mainly, it forces us to just look and look and look at the text and think and think about it. Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:7, “Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding.” In order to get the fullest meaning out of a passage, we have to look at it carefully and in detail and think about it. Then, we need to reconstruct the argument in our heads, or on paper and write it down lest we forget it. Bottom Line… “Go deep with God in his word. You will know him as you’ve never known him before.” … for there is only one guidebook in your journey to the Promised Land; no substitutes !

http://arkfellowshipkuwait.com/bible-study/

As mentioned in the introduction to Newfoundland Court Records, The documents prepared for the Supreme Court of Newfoundland, whether for its central trial division in St. John’s or its circuit courts in the Southern District (Ferryland) and Northern District (Bonavista), have wound up being separated in two archival collections nowadays. Some are found at the Registry of Deeds (ROD) and some are found at the Provincial Archives of The Rooms. There is a certain amount of logic to this division, with land related documents tending to me more prevalent amongst the holdings at the ROD. But that is not a universal rule. Similarly, many of the earliest documents, especially for the district courts, are to be found at the ROD. But that is not always the case either. Therefore, when searching for a document or case file it is often necessary to visit both the ROD and The Rooms to view their collections. This duplication is aggravated by the lack of an online index to these holdings in either location. Since Ray’s tragic early passing, his summary table has been slightly modified and corrected by the volunteers in the NGB group, and Kevin Reddigan has supplemented it with more detailed information on cases pertaining to the residents of Caplin Bay/Calvert. But for all intents and purposes these have been the only attempts made to provide an online index to any of the early Newfoundland Court documents. The documents below were found in the summer of 2016 during a fairly through search of one box of court documents held at The Rooms. As my focus broadens and more individuals who took part in the affairs of the Colony in the early days become associated with my area of research additional documents will no doubt take on new meaning and will be included here. I am presenting these documents in chronological order, as I did for the documents of the Central District, as there is no “theme” or other order suggested by the contents of the files and an alphabetical listing would have to list the documents at least twice, once by the name of the Plaintiff and once by the name of the Defendant, and more than twice in the instance of multiple Plaintiffs and Defendants. The page can of course be searched by name to find documents of interest to a specific family or person. Many of the files presented here are of no relevance other than to indicate that a familiar name appeared on the list of petty or grand jury members in a particular sitting of the Court. Other files are simply summary tables to the cases heard during that session or circuit of the court, focusing for my purposes on the sessions that took place in Ferryland rather than elsewhere in the Southern District. All of these files were photographed, not scanned, and, where there were multiple pages in a case file, each page is presented as a separate photograph. Later I may assemble these into PDFs to reduce the number of files presented here. As noted above, some of the pages in these court registers were devoted to summarising the cases being heard in the sessions of a particular period in time, sometimes in one year, sometimes in multiple years. This is the closest thing to an index that exists for the contents of these registers and unfortunately they have never been digitised by The Rooms and made available as such. I have only photographed the pages pertaining to the Ferryland Circuit Sessions and unfortunately many of the photos are not good, verging on illegible. Some day, hopefully, The Rooms, or some researcher or volunteer will actually index these pages and make them available for searching. Above are two multiple year summaries. Individual year summaries appear below chronologically. At the commencement of the proceedings of each circuit session of the Surrogate Court certain housekeeping matters such as the swearing in of jury members and the naming of the officers of the court in attendance was necessary and these details were recorded for posterity. In this instance, Robert Carter was the Deputy Sheriff, William Carter was the Magistrate, and Richard Sullivan and Michael Devereaux and a person named Sisk whose forename was omitted were amongst the petty jurors. Meanwhile a list of those required to attend as members of grand juror but who did not attend (most likely occupied in the fishery) was given and each was threatened with a fine £2-10 Shillings, should they not appear during the session, a hefty price to pay for a weeks absence from the fishery. Their excuses were heard and some were absolved while others were made to pay. This is an object lesson in accepting the role of a trustee in an insolvency case. Matthew Morry Jr. was owed rent for a fishing room that he owned in Aquaforte (this is news to me). The two men using the fishing room were Matthew Ryan and George Doran but they had subsequently been declared insolvent. The trustee handling their affairs promised Matthew £15 out of the £16 he was owed but then recanted and said there were insufficient funds available to pay even 20 Shillings on the Pound. A jury was chosen to adjudicate and found in favour of Morry. A simple action to recover a debt of £22-12 Shillings-0 Pence. The defendants admitted and paid the debt, leaving one to wonder why they did not do so before going to the trouble and expense of a hearing before the court. It is of interest nevertheless because it shows how closely allied in business Benjamin Sweetland and Matthew Morry (Junior) were at this time. On this one page two cases are presented. Actually in this court record book there were often multiple cases presented in extremely synoptic form on each page. The first case was withdrawn and settled out of court, again begging the question why these things even appeared in court in the first place. The second case is similar in that the Plaintiffs charged they had supplied the Defendant and his servants bait worth £10-10 Shillings, the Defendant admitted the debt and was ordered to pay the full amount. This summary only lists four writs served in Ferryland in 1827. Obviously, from the cases presented below, which do not appear in this list, it was incomplete. Perhaps a second list pertaining to a separate session was missed by me during my review of the record books. For the second session of the Surrogate Court in 1827 William Carter was the Magistrate with Richard Sullivan acting as one of two Constables. Grand Jurors included, amongst others, James H. Carter (see more on him below; this was a pure conflict of interest), Matthew Morry (assumed Junior), John Morry, N. Stabb, P. Winser, E. Stabb, N. Clift, and B. Sweetland. This is an extremely important case for my family history research because it pertains to proven charge of rape against one of my ancestors. It is even more notable because of the light treatment this pillar of society received when found guilty by a jury of his peers, including amongst others Benjamin Sweetland as foreman and Nicholas Stabb, Matthew Morry (junior one assumes), Peter Winser, Ewen Stabb, and Noah Clift, all men with whom Carter was related either through marriage or business or both. Another unusual aspect of the case is that the charge was being laid not as a criminal offence but rather as a civil case seeking compensation by the mother of the girl raped to cover the loss of her services whilst pregnant and later whilst caring for her child. No criminal charges were evidently laid in the case and the judge and jury, though finding Carter liable, restricted that liability to £30 instead of the £100 sought in the action. We know from information found in other sources on the case that the girl who was raped, Ellen Delahunty, was forced by public censure to leave the village but we do not know what became of her or her child, except that Carter never admitted any responsibility for their care. As far as is known, the incident did not cause anything more than a little public embarrassment to Carter and possibly not even that. His business and his marriage carried on as usual. This case has been written up in several legal journals because of the lengthy explanation offered by the trial judge on a matter that, at least on the face of it, seemed simple and presumably one that would not take much of the court’s time. Only a lawyer could possibly be interested in the intricacies of the precedents quoted and the reasoning followed by the trial judge. All that lesser mortals need to know about this case is that Ewen Stabb carried fish for Peter Winser to England and that upon arrival the fish weighed much less than when shipped because of the condition of the fish when shipped (it had not been properly dried before being shipped). Winser refused to pay the full freight claiming a mistake had been made in the weighing of the cargo and that he should only have paid freight on the amount received, not the amount shipped. But the judge determined that this was not the case according to legal precedent and that Stabb was indeed entitled to receive the full price agreed in advance for his shipping the fish and ought not to be forced to return any part of that commission to Winser. Curiously, this page contains two lists of writs for Ferryland, the first undated but containing some of the cases mentioned above under 1827, but also many more not found in the register, and a second list said to be for 1828 which does not contain the cases heard below. The former issue can be explained because of many cases being withdrawn due to a settlement out of court. But the inaccuracies pertaining to listings by year which do not contain cases found in the register is perplexing. I find these summary tables to be less useful than I initially thought that they would be in terms of location cases of interest. Amongst the Officers of the Court in this session, William Carter is named as a “Justice of the Peace” and not a “Magistrate”, as was customarily the case. It isn’t clear if this had any meaning in law at the time. Ewen Stabb was the Deputy Sheriff and Richard Sullivan the Constable. Amongst the members of the Jury selected were Benjamin Sweetland, as Foreman, and Robert Carter, S. Carter, A. Carter, and N. Clift as members. The Robert Carter Esq. in this case, of whom there were at least three alive at this time, was Robert Carter RN. The case against John Kearny had been dismissed by the Grand Jury but the found the case against Patrick Fennely to be a true bill and the judge pronounced judgement against him and fined him in the amount of £5. There were two cases of interest on this page. In the first case, Robert and James Carter, who were business partners as well as brothers, were attempting to recover a debt from Matthew Ryan but, as we learned above, he and his partner, Doran had been declared insolvent, hence the jury left it to Judge to determine how to deal with the situation and no conclusion is recorded. In the second case, the jury found for the Plaintiff and awarded him a little less than the full amount of his complaint, £34 – 0 – 0 and 6 Farthings (the full amount claimed being £39). There is no explanation for the awarding of a lesser amount. As in the case above where the table was ostensibly for 1828 but appeared to cover cases heard in 1827, this table is clearly meant to be the table for 1828 and not 1829 as it includes the two cases summarised above. It appears therefore that the tables are out of place in the court records leading to a misunderstanding as to which year they apply, since not every page in the summaries is dated. The same Officers of the Court in this session were chosen as in 1828, with William Carter named once again as a “Justice of the Peace” and not a “Magistrate”. Ewen Stabb was the Deputy Sheriff and Richard Sullivan was one of two Constables. The names of the Grand Jury are not given suggesting there was no need for a jury in this session. And indeed I found not cases of interest to my research in this session. This summary may or may not be for 1830 since it does not contain the cases outlined below. It may in fact be the summary table for 1829 during which year no cases were found to be of interest to my research. The same Officers of the Court in this session were chosen as in 1829, with one notable exception — William Carter was not named as magistrate; his nephew, Robert Carter was not appointed to this position. This seems odd until one reads the Grand Jury presentment below, in which William Carter is chastised for creating a nuisance with the placement of his new house. Obviously it was necessary to recuse him from receiving this report. Ewen Stabb was the Deputy Sheriff and Richard Sullivan was one of two Constables. The names of the Grand Jury are again not given suggesting there was no need for a jury in this session. And indeed I found not cases of interest to my research in this session. These “presentments” were in large measure complaints about the inadequacies of the Court facilities in Ferryland (insufficient space for jury deliberations, lack of a privy for prisoners in detention, inadequate secure storage for court documents, etc.). They also express concern that cases of a petty nature that could be handled in another venue are taking them from their normal work for days on end. Then they go after Magistrate William Carter, not sitting in this session for obvious reasons, for erecting an obstruction in the public road. I presume this is the new house we hear of in the Journal of Robert Carter. They are concerned that the Public Coroner must travel great distances in his capacity as Clerk of the Circuit Court and hence be absent when needed in Ferryland. Finally they conclude that the Clerk of the Peace should be on salary and not receive fees for his services when acting as Clerk of the Circuit Court and that the Clerk of the Peace not be obliged to serve in this capacity in any event as it too results in lengthy absences from his duties in Ferryland. This is only singled out or attention for the benefit of the descendants of Michael Devereaux, including the Morry family of Seattle, Washington. Michael was not a merchant and it was some measure of the esteem in which he was held, nevertheless, that he was named as the foreman of a jury. Although he pleaded guilty and was found so by the Judge, strangely the Prosecutor intervened on his behalf and thus he was only fined 1 Shilling. One supposes that Henry Coryear may have shared some part of the blame for the assault on his person. It seems that Michael Costello systematically took the salmon out of everyone’s nets moored to Ferryland Head, not just those of Robert and James H. Carter. He was found guilty by the Grand Jury but the sentence is not given in the report.

http://avalonia-hibernia.ca/historical-documents/court-records/nfld-supreme-court/the-rooms-supreme-court-southern-district-documents/

Corning is best known as the home of Corning Glassware and the Corning Museum of Glass – the museum details the history of glass and the art of glass making as well as the science behind glass making. There is also the opportunity to see a live-glass blowing demonstration and take a stroll around the glass gallery attached to the site. The town itself is very quaint and very walkable. The Gaffer District is the main downtown area and is full of shopping boutiques and restaurants. The area also offers much in the way of outdoor activities and experiences, including many hiking trails, biking and fishing as well as wineries and breweries.

http://awwt.co.uk/self-drive-tours/new-england-north-eastern-usa/the-big-apple-beyond

Vinay Rai is engaged in promoting culture as a tool for activism and change. Together with his wife Meenakshi, he developed a global musical project linking gypsy communities across the world through Nomadic Caravan. Dedicated to Roma Gypsies of the world, Nomadic Haat is offering a framework for civic agencies and civil society to engage in meaningful and cooperative ways with the culture, the art and the music of nomadic tribes. The duo has also launched courses in nomadic studies to empower young people from different background to strengthen their skills on culture, traditional art and folk of India through video and social media.

http://baku.unaoc.org/speaker/vinay-rai/

Realizing stable, long-term interfacing with the central and peripheral nervous system challenging in part because it requires tools capable of interacting with neural tissues across a range of spatial scales within a biomechanically challenging environment. Materials and devices constructed at the micro- and nano-scales can circumvent many of the limitations of currently available technologies, allowing us to not only interface with tissue more densely – increasing both spatial resolution and dimensionality – but also to take advantage of the increased biocompatibility and decreased material stiffness as minimum implanted feature sizes shrink. In addition, 3D-printing approaches have the additional benefit of enabling rapid translation of complex computer generated designs into physical objects using photopolymers with properties that can be programmatically tailored to specific interfacing requirements. In this seminar, I will present our recent efforts using high-resolution direct laser writing to create implantable bioelectronic interfaces for small peripheral nerves. Tim Otchy studied Mechanical Engineering at GeorgiaTech and subsequently worked in industry developing machine vision and robotic guidance and control systems. He later earned his Master’s in Philosophy of Science at Tufts University followed by a PhD in Neuroscience at Harvard University with Bence Ölveczky, where he focused on the neural mechanisms that support the acquisition and adaptation of motor skills in songbirds. In work at Boston University – first as a post-doctoral researcher with Timothy Gardner and now as a Principal Investigator and Research Assistant Professor of Biology – he uses novel nanofabrication techniques to create chronically stable, high-density bioelectronic and optical interfaces for the peripheral and central nervous system.

http://bcs.mit.edu/news-events/events/3d-printed-neural-interfaces-small-peripheral-nerves

The Beeston Toreadors Carnival Band was hugely popular in Beeston in the years leading up to the Second World War. Its combination of precision marching, performed at a quick pace, stirring music and colourful costumes provided a timely boost in what, for many, was an otherwise grey era. The band was founded in September 1934 after an iniative by a group of employees of the Beeston Boiler Company. F M Fletcher (President), Victor Oade (Chairman), Harry Fawcett (Secretary), Harry Fearn (Bugle Bandmaster), Herbert Toon (Drum Bandmaster), Dan Toon (Melody Bandmaster) and George Buchanan (Drum Major). Soon after this, Dick Clark was appointed as Band Commander; as an ex-Quartermaster Sergeant, Dick's influence and discipline was critical in the development of the band's style and excellence. The photograph on the right shows two of the band members - Edna Hollingworth and her brother-in-law Albert Preston - in the band's distinctive red, white and black uniforms. From the start, membership of the band was large - 180 had joined at the beginning - and there was always around 100 on each parade. This photographs, taken on Dovecote Lane Recreation Ground gives an indication of how popular it was. The backs of the then newly built Queens Drive can be seen clearly in the background. possibly on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary on 6th May 1935. Two days earlier, the band had won first prize in a competition at Bobbers Mill, Basford. Although it was its first competition and they faced stiff competition from longer established bands from the area, the Beeston band won through - such was the local excitement that the news was projected onto the screen in the Palladium and Palace cinemas and the band paraded along the High Road on its return, despite the lateness of the hour. Below is a further selection of photographs from that era, when the band continued to win awards in carnivals and competitions throughout the region. Jim Fearn has identified his uncle, Harry Fearn, He is on the extreme left of the previous two photographs of the band with the trophies and is the second Toreador from the left on the trophy photograph above those two. Sadly, the outbreak of war in 1939 meant that this highly popular local iniative was brought to end. This mace has now been donated to Beeston & District Local History Society as part of its collection of local memorabilia. Thanks to Brian Preston for his assistance and to members of Frank Fearn's family for providing some of the images. Suggestions for names are invited - there must be many who can recognise parents, grandparents, work colleagues, neighbours - or even themselves - in these photographs. We would be pleased to hear from them.

http://beeston-notts.co.uk/toreadors.shtml

If you’re a big online poker enthusiast and you love trying the latest and most popular variants out there, here’s a little something to keep you busy. This article is all about heads up poker online, and we have a feeling you are going to enjoy this! Read through the following section for a quick and clear explanation of what is heads up poker, as well as all the relevant information you need to learn how to play heads up poker to win. This kind of game setup is really exciting and very simple to learn, as you’re about to see. Heads up poker online is really popular right now, and you may just find it will quickly become one of your favorite online poker games of all time! What is heads up poker and why should you care? Simply put, heads up poker is a game of poker between two players. This type of scenario will happen naturally at the end of any poker tournament, when only two players are left on the table. In some cases you may find straight heads up poker games available at your favorite online poker room, where all sessions involve only two players. The reason why heads up poker is so exciting is because for the most part it removes luck out of the equation. Whereas in a typical poker game involving many players, there is only so far you can go in terms of predicting outcomes and hands… when only two players are involved, the game instantly gets much more cerebral and deliberate, since there are fewer variables involved and each player has only one opponent to focus on. To become really strong in a heads up poker scenario, you have to develop a particular skill set that is different from what is needed to win at a sit&go table where you consistently face a group of players. Since in a heads up poker situation you are in the blinds in each and every hand, this means you have to be consistently very aggressive and keep pressuring your opponent. It takes nerves of steel and strong presence of mind to be able to throw your opponent around with every move you make, but that is your only option asides from being pushed around. Since this type of game typically involves high stakes and furious pacing, the rewards can be plentiful if you know what you’re doing and develop a winning strategy. Learn how to play heads up poker right here and now! Playing a session of heads up poker is not unlike engaging a poker duel against your opponent. The first thing you have to keep in mind to stay at the top of this confrontation is to keep yourself from getting blinded out! You do this by throwing your weight around in full force whenever you see an opening, which means you have to be very sharp and very aggressive. Whereas in a game of poker involving a group of people, luck is always a big factor… in a match between two poker players in the same skill level, the most aggressive player will always win. As far as hand probabilities go, you need to keep in mind that most often a game of heads up poker will go to the player holding the highest card or pair, since typically there will be fewer hands played out – which means there is a lower probability of either player hitting one of the highest poker hand rankings. Since heads up poker games invariably unfold quickly and aggressively, and because there is less room for unpredictable developments, these games are typically settled in just a few intense hands. In a typical heads up poker situation, you should be concerned mostly about analyzing your hand’s worth and deciding the likelihood of your opponent holding a stronger hand. This invariably boils down to the face value of the cards you’re holding, rather than the potential to put together a stronger hand as the game unfolds. It’s all about the highest cards, rather than the suits! Holding any Ace will instantly put your winning odds slightly over 50%, while having A-K will instantly push your winnings odds over 90%! The key to learn how to play heads up poker to win is thus to understand the probabilities and potential of your pocket cards, and playing aggressively whenever the odds are leaning strongly in your favor. This is the gist of heads up poker, and everything else essentially boils down to a mental battle between the two players.

http://bestbonuscasino.co.uk/the-best-tips-and-tricks-for-acing-your-heads-up-poker-strategy/

The page has a large collection of pictures of dogs. We offer see annotation dogs Australian Cattle . Dogs are listed on the website, favorite animals are people who already 6 000 to serve the man. There's no people who are in my life once had no desire to have a dog. The dog loves people and is very friendly animal. Australian Cattle also a very popular pet and many people gladly keep him in his house.

http://bib.ge/dogs/pictures.php?id=14

Instructions for a Godly young lady. Additionally, God forbids envy ("...the feeling of displeasure produced by witnessing or hearing of the advan tage or prosperity of others; this evil sense always attaches to this word envy desires to deprive another of what he has, jealousy desires to have the same or the same sort of thing for itself." Vines'). Envy: Titus 3:3, James 4:5, 1 Peter 2:1-3. (Note that envy denies that the Lord is good.) Jealousy: Romans 13:13, 1 Corinthians 3:3, 2 Corinthians 12:20, Galatians 5:19-25, James 3:13ff., & ch 4. The above applies for both men and women. For a woman, it means she must be content with what God provides her under her proper authority. And neither the man nor woman can look around them in envy or jealousy. Our responsibility is to fit within the framework wherein we were born, for God chose our parents, station and social status in life. The responsibility for a man is to be "self-sufficient," not from God and proper human authority, but able to establish and support a home on his own under God. The responsibility of the girl and her parents is to see that the one she marries is properly established under God and proper authority. Consequently, the girl and boy have different lessons to learn in the home: among many other things, the boy must learn to be in Godly authority and "self-sufficient," but the girl must learn to be under Godly authority. Unlike a man, the woman can not work to be on her own, viz., "self-sufficient." When and if she does seek to be "self-sufficient," she leaves herself open to devastating deception. (1 Tim. 2:14.) A widow or orphan, on the other hand, is under the Lord's authority, which is why He makes special provision for them in the Law. For under proper authority, God becomes her protection and provision. (Ex. 22:22, Deut. 14:29, Ps. 146:9, Jer. 7:6. Zech. 7:10, James 1:27, &c.) Note in these passages that only the fatherless and widow are promised protection directly from the Lord. Everyone else, therefore, finds their protection under their proper, God given authority. If a woman says, "I want more than God provides for me under my proper authority, so I am going to work in order to obtain more regardless of what anyone says," she has yielded to covetousness: she has turned to idolatry. Certainly, it is not wrong to desire more than we have; the sin is the willingness to compromise God's word and will to gain more. Nor is it wrong to work; the sin is when a woman or man "works" apart from proper authority. Note that it is the attitude involved pursuing "things" that creates the difficulty. Though this letter deals particularly with a girl's Godly responsibility to be under a man's authority (father then husband. Upon the death of or divorce from her husband, she can return under her father's authority), it includes boys also. A man's work is sin if he works apart from God's authority. The man's place of authority in the family and in society does not exempt him from being under authority. This is why it is so important that both the girl and the girl's parents thoroughly examine a young man's attitude toward money and authority, e.g., Authority: 1 Samuel 15:23, Money: Luke 12:15, Ephesians 5:3. The Lord does not take covetousness lightly, Colossians 3:5,...covetousness, which is idolatry... The result of an inordinate desire for better things is the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. But there is a positive side of freedom from covetousness, viz., prolonged days, Prverbs 28:16. God determined who would be born a girl and who would be born a boy. Furthermore, God ordained the place of both in the structure of the family and society. The enemy of all godliness is the one who perverted God's order. If the prospective husband is not properly submitted under God's authority and proper human authority (parents, &c.), marriage with him will only develop grave and complicated problems. Note the law concerning the seduced maiden. (Ex. 22:16, 17.) If her dad saw that the man was not a proper man, he could, and probably should, forbid the marriage. The qualifications of a godly husband are given by the Lord, Exodus 18:21, ...able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness...; 1 Timothy 3:8, ...grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience... The conclusion to the whole matter is that the primary lesson for any young person to learn is correct submission and response to all authority. Even though Divine Providence may leave a lady "on her own," e.g., orphan or widow, Scripturally, she is primarily responsible to learn how to correctly be under proper authority, not how to make her own way through this world. On the other hand, the young man must learn how to be the proper authority and "on his own" under God. Sad to say, many times good, well-meaning parents urge their daughters to violate the clear teaching of God's word and be "on their own" and "self-sufficient." There is no Scriptural grounds for such urging. Furthermore, the "self spirit" has resulted in an accepted reversal of Godly roles in even Christian families and in society generally. That the word of God be not blasphemed: as for the discharge of their duty towards God, so for the credit and reputation of the gospel, that for their carriage contrary to the rules of nature and morality, as well as of religion, the gospel may not be evil spoken of, as if from that they had learned their ill and indecent behaviour. We live in a society that has been very effectively "secularized:" the practical applications of God's Word have been almost totally removed and replaced by humanistic, man-centered thinking. The only hope for the future is to rethink every area of life in terms of the Word of God. This is particularly important when we consider that we must prepare a new generation of young people to face the difficult times ahead in what appears to be a developing pagan society. Are we going to raise a generation that trusteth in man or a generation that trusteth in the Lord? If Christians actually believe what they claim, they will act upon and according to the Word of God regardless of what surrounding society thinks, says &/or does. Every area of life and thought must be reconsidered, starting with the families. Parents, fathers especially, must realign their actions and attitudes toward their children with the Word of God and train them accordingly. I suppose my heart is toward the daughters in a family because we only have daughters. Unknown to most parents and pastors, they are likely training sincere, Godly Christian young ladies to bring reproach upon the Word of God by urging them to depart from their fathers' homes before marriage. When we train up girls to be self-sufficient, we do it to our own destruction and to the destruction of society. Certainly, it may seem right to the deceitful, desperately wicked heart to urge and train girls to be self-sufficient, but the Word of God searches and tries the reins of the heart. The Lord will return upon all according to their doings. Thus when Christian young people are trained contrary to the Word of God, we can fully expect society in general to blaspheme God. The training of young women to bring reproach upon the Lord and to provide the enemy with the opportunity to blaspheme the Word of God probably started in earnest with WW II: Men went to the war and women went to the factories. One of our men said that his grandfather told him that he, the grandfather, said at the start of WW II when women went into the factory, "This is the end of America." How right he was. God created man. Then He created woman to be man's helpmeet. (1 Cor. 11, 1 Tim 2.) Therefore, the goal of both the church and family must be training Christian young ladies to fit within God's creative plan and purpose. Notice Paul's instructions to Titus in Titus 2:3-5 (above). Observe submitting themselves to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. When a single young lady enters into the work place, she must submit herself to the authority other than her father's, and when a married woman enters the work place, she must submit to authority other than her own husband's . And thus she causes the Word of God to be blasphemed. Moreover, those who "hire" her to be under their authority are guilty of bringing reproach upon the Word of God. If Paul meant what he told Timothy and Titus, and if we are not allowed to do evil that good may come of it, (Romans 3:8) where does this leave Christian ministries, churches and Christian Schools? Do we really believe God's Word? Are we willing to live by His law-word when the cost of such living is more than we planned, and brings hardship? Thus training of young Christian ladies in behaviour contrary to that commanded by Paul brings reproach on God's Word. Paul's instructions to Titus, contrary to most modern Christian opinions and actions, were not voided by W W II. The training of Christian young ladies for life must fit within the general guidelines given by the Spirit. All of Proverbs 31 easily fits within those general guidelines. Primarily, young ladies are to be taught proper submission to Godly authority, not how to be self-sufficient. Sadly, because young men are not trained in the home to be Godly, responsible men, women are being forced into self-sufficiency. Thus a young lady's father desperately needs to closely examine her prospective husband. Therefore, training that does not fit within the Spirit's general guidelines trains daughters to blaspheme the word of God. Paul clearly tells Titus how young ladies are to be trained. Our point is this: Godly Christian parents, even with the encouragement of Godly pastors, are pressuring young ladies to leave home and become self-sufficient, e.g., "It's time to go to college and learn a `trade,' &c." Obviously, all young ladies who go "on their own" from the pressure of their parents will not go to the devil. But why tempt the Lord? Why give an occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully? (1 Tim. 5:14.) God, in His creation purpose, did not create Eve to be self-sufficient and on her own. Has God's purpose changed since Eve's creation? First, not letting them grow up at home. As they get older, parents may be inclined to continue treating them as 12 year olds with the same restrictions and demands. As they get older, they must have more freedom. Either they will have freedom under the Godly authority of their parents, or they will find freedom on their own. Of course, freedom cannot be license to sin. Single young people, especially a young lady, must always have boundaries in order to feel securethat is the way the Lord made us, e.g., this is the way, walk ye in it. Thus when she is urged or even forced out on her own, she establishes her own boundaries, and the word of God is blasphemed. Second, she is told in words &/or attitudes that it is time to move out. A girl is not a boy. A boy should be trained to be on his own, responsible and self-sufficient under God, but a girl is not so equipped by God. Thus when daughters are told, "You are this age, it's time to move out," they are being forced into something they are not equipped by God to handle. Certainly, there are Godly single women who have remained so in order to serve the Lord. But their service fits within the guidelines established by the Spirit. We are here considering parents pressuring and training their daughters to be self-sufficient and independent of authority, viz., "on their own." As mentioned above, our corrupt society in which men refuse to be men many times forces young ladies into "self-sufficient" situations. If they are forced into such situations, that is a different story, but they should still be well-prepared to know what to expect, to remain close to the Lord and to be responsive to proper authority. Fathers (& mothers) may use many reasons to excuse molding their daughters into women who can fit into the "working" world, but they will be hard pressed to justify their actions from the Word of God. Paul did not say that the Spirit's command in Titus 2 is only in effect until the twentieth century. Recently, the media proclaimed the glories of 500 women going on the Aircraft Carrier Eisenhower where 6,000 men are stationed (pregnancy, said the ship's captain, is no more of a problem than a broken leg. Abortion?). Women are reaching unequaled levels of "equality" with men. Though Bible believing Christians and pastors may be loudly proclaiming the shame of women taking on obviously unBiblical, antiChristian roles in society, the "Women's Lib" movement appears to be gaining great strength. But the problem starts in the "Christian" homesthey have trained and are training their own Christian daughters to bring reproach upon the Word of God. Thas God speaks clearly against several things in Deut 22:5: 1) women in the military; 2) women in occupations that are generally associated with men, and 3) women who are indistinguishable from men in their dress. When dress is the primary distinction between the sexes, then woman are forbidden to wear men's apparel. Obviously, Romans 2 refers to circumcision, but the point is this many who boast of their love for the Word of God are dishonoring God by causing the name of God to be blasphemed in their families and in their churches. Christians cannot condemn the unGodly for blaspheming God when their own actions contrary to the Word of God are what causes the word of God to be blasphemed by the unGodly. We must rethink every area in terms of the Word of God, starting in our own homes. "The presupposition of Biblical law is individual responsibility and guilt." (The Institutes of Biblical Law, vol. I, R.J. Rushdony. P 570.) Perjury, willfully telling of a lie, or breaking of an oath or formal promise, was a serious act in Scripture. In the past, Biblical law was an important part of American law. Perjury in a capital felony was, and still is in some states, punishable by death. (Ibid, p. 571.) The Lord God holds individuals responsible to be honest in all there dealings. An honest and just social order is built upon honest and just family relationships, which must start at the very foundation of marriage. God considers it very important that the man and woman contemplating marriage be open and honest with one another. We find a good account of God's requirement of individual responsibility to be honest in marriage in Deuteronomy 22. In vv. 13-21 we have the law concerning the deceit of a woman by a man, or vice versa. First, we see that God protects a woman from deceitful intentions of a man. The desires which led to his taking her as his wife were not pure, v. 13. After their wedding night, his lust gratified, he desires to get rid of his new wife (cf. Amnon, 2 Sam. 8:15). In order to do this, he brings charges against her concerning her purity before their marriage. These were serious charges which would result in her death if proved true, v.21. Therefore, God provides for her protection. Second, we see that God protects a man from deceitful intentions of a woman, vv. 20, 21. For whatever reason, the woman deceived her prospective husband into thinking she was pure. He finds out on their wedding night that he was deceived. Therefore, God's law makes provision for his protection. The law permits the husband to go to the elders of the city, who act as the judges in the matter, and charge his new wife with not being pure, v. 14. The wife's father is her defense. He comes forward, and presents the evidence to the elders, v. 17. If the evidence proves his daughter is innocent of the charge by her husband, then the husband is chastised for bringing the false charge, fined 100 shekels of silver, and the husband is deprived of any future divorce right. (Normal dowry was 50 shekels, about three years wages for the average man. It was given to the girl's father, and thus out of the husband's reach.) The fine provided the wife with financial security. Furthermore, the husband's forfeits his right to divorce, which in practicality, he became her slave. Thus, she is protected by the law from both unholy desires and false charges from her husband. On the other hand, if it is determined that the woman did intentionally deceive the man before their marriage, God's law requires her death, vv. 20, 21. Notice that the woman is not put to death for impurity before marriage (cf. Ex. 22:16, 17). Rather, she is put to death for deceiving the man. There are two points in this law worth our notice. 1) The importance of beginning the marriage relationship with complete honesty. The Lord forbids people from passing themselves off as something they are not. This requirement does not require opening up every detail of one's past life to the other unless ignorance of that detail could damage the marriage relationship. Paul is a good example of this law in action. We are told very little about his past life, only what is needful, but he never passes himself off as something that he is not. 2) The woman's father always has a certain amount of responsibility to protect his daughter. He is not actually 'free' of her until the death of either. There is another division worth our attention, Deuteronomy 22:22-29. First, a betrothed virgin was treated as a married woman, vv. 22-27. Second, if the damsel is not betrothed or married, AND the maid is a virgin, the guilty man had to pay the father 50 shekels of silver (about 3 years wages), the dowry of a virgin. The Lord protects the family. On the other hand, if the maid is not a virgin, the man does not have to pay the dowry. There are other laws which come into action if the woman is playing the harlot, which we will not look at now. By passions we must include far more than just the area of morality. A man may be as moral as the Lord Himself, yet unable to control in his passions. Let us not think for a moment that the enemy of our souls doesn't know that if he can cause men to lose their self-control and moral fiber, he has gained society. Much of what we see around us today is geared for the breakdown: Pornography, advertising, TV, and entertainment of all kinds, & c. Obviously, the law of vv. 22-29 applies equally to woman, but the responsibility before God falls squarely upon the man. Women will reflect the attitude of the men in society. Therefore, we cannot emphasize enough the importance of self-control on the part of the man, especially before marriage, but also after marriage. Foruth, if the father does not permit the marriage, the dowry is paid anyway, which gives her a double dowry upon marriage, making her an attractive prospective bride. The immoral action was an attack against the family, robbing the father of what was his, a virgin daughter. It also robbed the daughter of her own value to the man of her and her father's choice. Restitution must be made to the family. Fifth, this law also assumes that the man is not an incorrigible person (habitual offender), who was severely dealt with, Deuteronomy 21:18-21. Finally, it is impossible for one of these laws to stand alone. They are all intertwined. We are living in a society where men refuse to take responsibility for anything, especially their own emotions and passions. But God holds them responsible, and their society will reflect what they are in the heart. First published, 4/91, and edited since. Those who deny the clear teaching of the word of God claim that each man has enough good within him that with enough education in the facts of a matter, he will make the right decision. However, Paul quotes Psalms 14, telling us that such an assumption is contrary to the Word of God. And God should know; He made us. Some time ago, the Indianapolis Star had an account of a survey in Greenwood, IN. They asked the parents of school age kids about sex education, and a surprising majority said they wanted more sex ed in the schools. We were visiting for a wedding in SC, and a local Sunday paper there proclaimed on the front page the out of control STD among youngsters. Those who were expressing their concern said they did not know what the answer was except more education. A review of 26 research trials regarding the effectiveness of sex education has been published in the British Medical Journal this week revealing some alarming conclusions. The researchers looked at the effect sex education had on the age teenagers first had sexual intercourse, the increase in the use of birth control and also the incidence of unintended pregnancy in adolescents. Sex education classes and clinics in schools were examined in addition to family planning clinics and community based programmes. The study found that sex education had no effect on delaying the initiation of sexual intercourse or improving the use of birth control or pregnancy rates. Worryingly data from five studies showed that the intervention of sex education may have increased pregnancies in partners of male participants. ... They went on to say that prevention programmes may have to start earlier in childhood and sited a study undertaken with disadvantaged children under five years old that showed lower adolescent pregnancy rates. ... Comment: the Sex Ed poison has had its effect, so what is the answer? Give the kids more poison earlier in life. The humanist's faith says that education is the answer for man's ills. Though the facts prove otherwise, their faith demands that they provide more "education", and they are willing to invest truckloads of money and multiplied years of time to accomplish the results their false faith "promises". It is certainly a shame that Christians cannot have the same kind of faiththat is, faith that continues on with the confidence of Christianizing the Nations (Mat. 28:19, 20) despite the appearance of losing the battle. The wicked continue in their hopeless cause by faith. If anyone should have hope, Christians should. Let us learn from the humanists, and continue in the faith. This is indeed a strange and seemingly foolish subject to cover, but we are being over-whelmed on every side with the need of proper sex education. "Christian" authors are making fortunes on books about sex education from a Bible view point. The government schools are seeing their calling not to teach the basics of math, language, science, etc., but the basics of sex and drugs. The media is pumping out sex by the tube full right into our living rooms, in full living color. As we listen to the Christian authors, secular educators and the media, one would question how the human race ever survived before sex education and seat belts. Who cares if Johnny can read or write as long as he knows how to have safe sex and fastens his seat belt? Undoubtedly, there are many sincere Christians and pastors who are being influenced by this media blitz. Personally, I believe that the word of God gives all that a young person or an adult needs to know regarding this area of life. Do not tell the book writers and sellers this, because it will cost them money. Maybe we should have titled this, "How to teach our children about sex," or, "How to have safe sex," or even, "Sex education from a Biblical view point," and then charge $10.00 for it. But we did not give this a fancy title, so we will not charge. Hebrews 13:4, is no doubt "old hat" to almost everyone. All we would like to do is confront the tremendous public indoctrination which is going on in this area with some clear speaking Scripture. First, marriage Marriage is instituted by God. God defines a family as a man and woman united together in the marriage covenant. The first marriage was performed by God in the garden, between Adam and Eve. A family unit is not a man and woman living together without this ceremony, nor is it a single person and a child. "Shacking up" is sin, and has God's judgment against the wickedness. God promises judgment against such wickedness as "living together" without marriage. Not only will He judge the individuals but He judges a society which condones such whoredoms. God's Word defines a whore, whoremonger and a harlot as anyone who engages in sex outside of marriage. The term whore or/and whoremonger (male counterpart for whore) is not restricted for those who use their bodies for a fee. God told Old Testament Israel that she paid her lovers to come to her, and identified her actions as whoredoms. Regardless of what our young men are being toldsex outside of marriage makes them a "man"sex outside of marriage make them whoremongers. Sex outside of marriage makes the girls a whorenot a "woman" as the humanist crowd would have us to believe. These are strong terms, and they sound dirty and nasty, which they are. They sound much worse than "sexually active." The Bible term is "whoring around", not "sexually active." The question is not, "Is he or she sexually active?" The question is, "Is he or she whoring around?" The foundation of society is the marriage and the family unit. When this foundation is not supported and adhered to, collapse must follow. (Ps. 11:3.) The only thing the righteous can do is flee to the mountain, the word of God. Draw closer to Him. Nor is a family unit two sodomites living togetherthis is an abomination to God, and deserves the death penalty against those who persist in it. God leaves no doubt as to what He thinks about sodomy. (Rom. 1.) Again, if a society condones sodomy as an alternate life-style, God will judge the society, for it is a direct attack upon God: 1), God's created order, male or female, and 2), God's commanded law-order, marriage. When "Christians" will not stand against sex outside of marriage, how can they stand against abortions and sodomy? Second, we see that marriage is honorable. The Church of Rome holds celibacy as the superior way, which is totally unBiblical. Paul, even as a single man set aside for God's purpose, tells us here that marriage is the honorable way. It is the superior way. Sin is what makes a mess out of what God ordained to be the honorable way. If it had been more honorable or superior to be celibate, Adam would not have had a wife. God's perfect plan is a man and woman covenanted together in marriage. Misery in marriage is not God's way. It is a result of the tempter and his work. What we see ruling in the marriage relationship today is a result of people (both men and women) giving themselves over to the lust of the flesh, lust of the eye and the pride of life. Marriage is honorable and any doctrine that teaches a better way must be contrary to God's Word. Yes, Paul was "celibate" but it was clearly for a special purpose which God had ordained for him. Moses was married as were the members of the Old Testament priesthood. Moreover, one the qualifications for both the elder and deacon of the New Testament church is marriage. The Papal System and its priesthood, which we have seen develop over the past 1,400, years is a perversion of God's word. It is unBiblical, having God's judgment against it. Marriage is an honorable condition of life. Abstaining from marriage (therefore sex), is not more honorable, nor is it a more pure way of life. From what we hear, those who pride themselves in being celibate, aren't. History has proved that "celibate" priesthood has had its whores on the side, and sodomy is rampant within the priesthood as the Roman church has worked to keep the guilty out of the hands of the civil authority. The Washington Post, 10/06/02. So-called "social marketing" programsmany funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development can have an impressive effect on behavior change. In Nairobi, I tagged along with sales reps as they sold cases of "Trust"AIDSMark's subsidized, stylishly branded condomto street vendors, brothels and lodging houses. Talking with prostitutes and their clients, I found a high level of awareness about HIV risks and prevention. Adult infection rates are falling in Kenya's capital amid a proliferation of bill boards and MTV-style televison ads touting safe sex as a lifestyle to aspire to. Among the urban crowd, condoms can actually pass as "cool." Who'd have thought it? Large-scale social marketing movements can work. Let's hope the international health community is willing to put its smarts and sweat into this one. Though she does mention "youth abstinence" one time in passing, the emphasis of the article is about changing "sexual behavior"that is, having "safe sex." Unrestrained sex is OK, only use a condom. The Christian book publishers are crying for "sex education" (purchase our book. Could there be a profit motive here?) The secular crowd is crying "sex education," as they want to start safe sex education in pre-school. Can you imagine what can be taught about sex for 12 or 15 years? I must admit that from what little I know of Scriptures, we need to teach our kids about safe sex. The pulpits have failed. The parents have failed. The devil's crowd is right in saying that we need more sex education. Many Christians and churches are letting them have seemingly unrestricted access to their children in the government schools and the mass media to teach whatever is politically correct at the time. The parents who leave their children in those situations are the ones to blame for the destruction of their children. When the enemy is given free access to the children, we can expect him to work for their destruction. The pulpit and the parents must give a very intensive sex education course if we expect to save our kids. We must take every precaution to see that they only have safe sex, marital sex, by teaching them to avoid bad situations and keeping themselves pure until marriage. Personally, I think you will have a problem improving on God's Word for proper sex education, and, really, if we listen to and believe all of the "hype" even from the so called Christian community, we would wonder how Mary, the mother of Jesus, survived her younger years. Or Joseph, for that matter. How did the godly saints of old survive without Dodson's books around or any one of the numerous other "Christian psychologists?" I sure do not know how humanity survived before psychology evolved. What has happened to Biblical pastoral counseling? If a person is old enough to read and they are unmarried, let us give them a very in-depth Biblical and theological course in safe sex education, for it is the responsibility of the teachers of God's Word and the parents. "Is he going to give us the Biblical method of using birth control devices?" --Yes. "Is he going to give the Biblical method of safe sex?" Yes. Really it boils down to two very easily understood points, (and very graphic, I might add). Teach this in your homes, and if it is adhered to, I guarantee (money back), perfect results. This goes for boys and girls alike. Probably one of the saddest things we see today is that many parents do not want their kids to miss out on the "good time" years. They want them to "enjoy" those years, so they make the provisions for them to go to college. Such parents will be judged by God for making it convenient for their kids to "have a good time," partying, drinking, drugs and sex. Even though they may say that they do not condone those things, they put their stamp of approval upon them by making it convenient for their children to be involved in those actions, as well as pay for them with tuition. What makes parents think their kids are different today than they were when they were that age? 2. After marriage, anything goes, and they will soon learn what they need to know by experience. Of course, this second point must be understood within the restrictions given in Romans 1:27 That which is according to nature. Can you image stretching this two point Scriptural outline out over an eight or more year period in school? God is quite clearanything that arouses unrighteous desires is wrong, PERIOD. Sex outside of marriage is whoredoms. It is wicked and ungodly. It leads to terrible results because it has the judgment of God against it. There is only one safe sex, and it is taught in Hebrews 13:4. Anything else is whoring around and God will judge it. Within marriage, the bed is undefiled. It is holy and honorable, and has nothing to be ashamed of nor embarrassed over. Paul also deals with the marriage bed in 1 Corinthians 7:4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. This passage identifies "marital rape" bills as direct attacks against the word of God. Notice that assault rifles are not our problem. Rather, the problem is the assault on God's Word by both "Christians" and pagans. Hebrews 13, God's Spirit gives the practical application of the faith which He has talked about for twelve chapters. 1) 1 Corinthians 6:9, God clearly tells us that those who can pursue an ungodly life style and God not deal with them are not saved. They shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 2) Hebrews 13:1, love. Genuine love will look out for the best for the other person. The girl says to the boy, "I love you." The boy says, "prove it." The proof of love is waiting until after marriage to do anything. Then and only then is anything permitted. Whoredom is not a proof of love. Whoredom is a proof of wicked, ungodly lust, and is usually proof of the need of salvation. More often than not, when a young person says, "I love you", it is more like, "I lust for you". Now that the sex education course is over, let's look at the last point here, Hebrews 13:4. Foruth, But whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Sex outside of marriage will be judged. This is New Testament theology. We have already been warned that our God is a consuming fire. In fact, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Heb. 10:31.) Whoredom places a person into the hands of the living God. Immodesty and immorality (whether mental or physical), is wicked. Whatever takes place within the marriage covenant has His blessings upon it. The only safe sex is within the marriage covenant. Sex education!! We need to return to teaching proper sex and enforcing it in the home. 1) Before marriage. Hands off. Sex outside of the marriage covenant is whoredom and adultery . 2) After marriage, between the husband and wife. Go for it, for the marriage bed is undefiled, and it is blessed by God. It is honorable before God. The New Testament passage is Romans 1:26, 27. Vile affections, i.e. sodomy, is defined as men with men, and likewise, women with women. However, v. 26 could probably be used to say that when women are "used" contrary to their natural use, they have entered into uncleanness. Ephesians 5:3. V. 27 with v. 25 tells us that to leavie the natural use of the woman is to confuse God's natural order. V. 26, "shameful lusts, passions which are degrading, and the indulgence of which covers men with ignomity..." Charles Hodge. Note Romans 1:24, "Uncleanness through the lust of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:" "Dishonour" can here be understood as not using our bodies (or our spouse's body) as God designed them to be used. Departing from the natural use of the body is to confuse the order God has established – it goes against God's established laws of nature. Paul's words in Romans 1:19-32 condemn anything that goes against God's design of nature. Sex in the marriage bed is for procreation, and the only way procreation will work is according to nature. Though it is totally contrary to the fallen nature that is in so much control today, the glory and honour of the woman is to be content in the place God has given her in his order of things. Her business is not to be out and about, but to be keepers at home. On the other hand, the glory and honour of the man is to be out and about the Master's business, expanding the Kingdom of God into every corner of the world. Sadly, the effects of sin in men have forced, many times, godly women to move into grievously dangerous areas in order to support themselves. Paul gives Timothy important instructions concerning how the minister must treat women for whom he is responsible--as mothers and sisters. Ministers should have the same kind of loving concern for them as he does toward his family members. Vv. 3, 4, widows Paul defines who is a widow worthy of church support. The widow seemes to be a special class of people within the church, having special jobs. In addition, Titus 2:3 lists the duty of widows in the church. The widow indeed in 1 Timothy 5:3, 4, could have been one who had no children, childless (v. 10). Though nothing is said in Timothy, the widow in Titus 2 is responsible to teach younger women how to love their husbands and children. The responsibilities of the widows indeed in Timothy are to trust in God, and continue in supplications and prayer night and day. (Cf., Anna, a prophetess, Lk. 2:36ff.) But the responsibilities of the widows as presented in Titus are more involved. Titus 2, the widow is to teach the younger women, 1) to be sober, serious, 2) to love their husbands, 3) to love their children, 4) to be discreet, and 5) to be chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands that the word of God be not blasphemed. Thus we see that Christian women who does not do this blasphemes the word of God. They lead onlookers to say that Christianity does not work, it is of none effect, &c. Notice that Paul's instructions are as opposed to modern thought as anything can possibly be. Women have started a group to work with women, as "Promise Keepers" works with men. I heard a woman state that the "female Promise Keepers" movement is not about being in subjection to their husbands (as promoted by the Southern Baptist), but it was about empowering women. Such an idea is totally contrary to what is clearly spelled out in the word of God, but it obviously appeals to the fallen nature. First, "Women are to hear and learn their duty from the word, as well as the men: there is not one way of salvation for one sex or sort, and another for another; but both must learn and practice the same things, both as aged and as Christians; the virtues and duties are common." Third, they can "teach by doctrinal instruction at home, and in a private way." (2.) In their relative capacities: To love their husbands, and to be obedient to them: and where there is true love this will be no difficult command. God, in nature, and by his will, hath made this subordination: I suffer not a woman to usurp authority over the man (#1Ti 2:12); and the reason is added: For Adam was first formed, then Eve. Adam was not deceived, but the woman, being deceived, was in the transgression, #Tit 2:13-14. She fell first, and was the means of seducing the husband. She was given to be a helper, but proved a most grievous hinderer, even the instrument of his fall and ruin, on which the bond of subjection was confirmed, and tied faster on her (#Ge 3:16): Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee, with less easiness, it may be, than before. It is therefore doubly enjoined: first in innocency, when was settled a subordination of nature, Adam being first formed and then Eve, and the woman being taken out of the man; and then upon the fall, the woman being first in the transgression, and seducing the man; here now began to be a subjection not so easy and comfortable, being a part of the penalty in her case; yet through Christ is this nevertheless a sanctified state. #Eph 5:22-23, Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord, as owning Christ's authority in them, whose image they bear; for the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. God would have a resemblance of Christ's authority over the church held forth in the husband's over the wife. Christ is the head of the church, to protect and save it, to supply it with all good, and secure or deliver it from evil; and so the husband over the wife, to keep her from injuries, and to provide comfortably for her, according to his ability. Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be unto their own husbands, as is fit in the Lord (#Col 3:18), as comports with the law of Christ, and is for his and the Father's glory. It is not then an absolute, or unlimited, nor a slavish subjection that is required; but a loving subordination, to prevent disorder or confusion, and to further all the ends of the relation. Thus, in reference to the husbands, wives must be instructed in their duties of love and subjection to them. And to love their children, not with a natural affection only, but a spiritual, a love springing from a holy sanctified heart and regulated by the word; not a fond foolish love, indulging them in evil, neglecting due reproof and correction where necessary, but a regular Christian love, showing itself in their pious education, forming their life and manners aright, taking care of their souls as well as of their bodies, of their spiritual welfare as well as of their temporal, of the former chiefly and in the first place. The reason is added: That the word of God may not be blasphemed. Failures in such relative duties would be greatly to the reproach of Christianity. "What are these the better for this their new religion?" would the infidels be ready to say. The word of God and the gospel of Christ are pure, excellent, and glorious, in themselves; and their excellency should be expressed and shown in the lives and conduct of their professors, especially in relative duties; failures here being disgrace. #Ro 2:24, The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you. "Judge what a God he is," "by these his servants; and what his word, and doctrine, and religion, are by these his followers." Thus would Christ be wounded in the house of his friends. Thus of the duties of the younger women. First, those women who view their homes as a prison are in danger of losing their chastity. Third, God, in His divine providence and for His own good pleasure alone, is the one who placed women in His order of things. Fallen men and women are the ones who are intent in overthrowing God's order. The women's empowerment movements over the ages have been rebellion against God's natural order. Note -- men and women rebel against nature, and nature rebels against men and women. Fourth, since Eve's sin, women have found it very hard and uncomfortable to be in subjection to men -- her father or her husband. However, her subjection is part of her penalty for Eve's sin, just as is man's required hard, and many times futile, labour for his living part of his penalty for Adam's sin. Sin caused man's hard labour to many times fail, just as sin caused a woman to be in subjection to the man. In both cases, the fallen nature seeks ways to avoid the results of the fall apart from the work of Christ. Sixth, proper love is something that must be learned from those who have learned it. It is something that must be taught from the word of God and from experience. Wives must be instructed in their proper duties (love) toward their husbands and their children -- it is not something that comes naturally. Pastors are unqualified to provide this instruction for the younger women. The godly aged women (over 60, 1 Tim. 5:9) are to teach the young women. They are to pass on what they have learned from practical experience. They are to pass on what they learned in how to apply God's word into their families. A wife can rightly tell the pastor, "You do not know what I have to go through." However, she cannot justly say that to the aged women who have been through or have seen about every imaginable situation a wife can go through. Seventh, the Christian God, the Lord Jesus Christ, is judged by the pagans by the actions of professing Christians. Thus when Christians fail in Christianity as outlined by the Spirit, they wound Christ. I realize Gill (1696-1771, Online Bible) is quite "old fashion," but his comments at Titus 2:5 are worth noting: To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. chaste; in body, in affection, words and actions, having their love pure and single to their own husbands, keeping their marriage bed undefiled. "a woman may go to her father's house to visit him, and to the house of mourning, and to the house of feasting, to return a kindness to her friends, or to her near relations--but it is a reproach to a woman to go out daily; now she is without, now she is in the streets; and a husband ought to restrain his wife from it, and not suffer her to go abroad but about once a month, or twice a month, upon necessity; for there is nothing more beautiful for a woman, than to abide in the corner of her house; for so it is written, #Ps 45:13 "the king's daughter is all glorious within"." "according to the likeness of a man, according to the praise of a woman, to abide in the house." Upon which Kimchi, has this note. "it is the glory of a woman to continue at home, and not go abroad." obedient to their own husbands; see Gill on "Eph 5:22", see Gill on "Eph 5:24". that the word of God be not blasphemed; by unbelieving husbands, who, by the ill conduct of their wives, would be provoked to speak ill of the Gospel, as if that taught disaffection and disobedience to them. {x} Bereshit Rabba, sect. 45. fol. 40. 3. {y} Maimon. Hilchot Ishot, c. 13. sect. 11. {z} Tzeror Hammor, fol. 5. 4. "But Matthew Henry and John Gill are old fashion. They are out of touch with reality. If they lived today, they would not be so dogmatic." We must raise this question: What has happened to society since the women's empowerment movements have gained prominence? Though totally contrary to the fallen nature that is in so much control today, the glory and honour of the woman is to be content in the place God has given her in his order of things -- that is, under authority. Her business is not to be out and about, but to be keepers at home. On the other hand, the glory and honour of the man is to be out and about the Master's business, expanding the Kingdom of God into every corner of the world. The many modern women's empowerment movements, both inside and outside the "church," are clearly the spirit of the antichrist at work. Generally, feminism means the advocacy of women's rights to full citizenship--that is, political, economic, and social equality with men. Feminism encompasses some widely differing views, however, including those which advocate female separatism... "Christian Feminism" is exposed with the question, "Who will control the family and church? Will they be controlled by husbands and fathers or by wives and mothers?" For space's sake, I have edited out my extensive comments concerning the importance of godly women and mothers in Scripture, and various other documenting points. Check the unedited version at <wttp://www.biblicalexaminer.org/w199908.htm> before you judge me as being anti-woman. We must conclude that throughout Scripture, godly women, both single and married, have played important roles in the kingdom of God and its work on this earth, including spreading the gospel. The following, therefore, is not meant to downplay the importance of women in God's Kingdom Work. However, it is meant to call attention to the fact that the Feminist movement has made inroads into the Christian family and the church, quite contrary to the word of God. So some, both women and men, may find the following comments quite disconcerting they may not be any better received today than they were when Archibald Thomas Robertson made the comment, quoted below, in 1931. However, these Examiner articles have never been to make folks, including myself, feel good about self nor about where we are in our Christian lives. More often than not, these articles point out how far society, even Christian society, has moved from the word of God. The move has not only taken place in practice, but has taken place in our emotions to where we emotionally resist God's instructions, e.g., "I am confident in my heart that what Paul said somehow does not wholly apply now." Robertson points out that in his day 70 years ago, Paul's words were being dismissed. So the challenge by Christian Feminists against things that might hinder their usurping authority (1 Tim. 2:12) has been around for years. I must also agree with Robertson that we do not understand all that was involved in Paul's words (cf., 2 Pet. 3:16), so what follows probably overlooks some things. At the risk of being accused of "bashing" women, I will proceed with the word of God. We will point out where we are today compared to the word of God; we will consider comments by godly men of the past; then we will point out how we got here, and what might be done about it. Speaking with a pastor some time ago, he pointed out that he was facing a problem. While men liked his preaching/teaching and had even invited him to hold a Bible study during their break time at work in a local factory, the wives did not. So the wives were pressing their husbands to go elsewhere where they could be "fed" and "comfortable." He told me of some plans he had to deal with the foreseen problem. There are pastors who realize the social climate among Christian families. The result is that churches catering to that "needs" of the wives to "feel fed" and emotionally involved are gaining in numbers. And then onlookers say, "My! That church sure has God's blessing upon it, for it is gaining large numbers of people." First, not long ago at a parents' meeting where our daughter was enrolled in a Christian school, another parent told me of a good friend of his who attended a local church. Though that church has been without a pastor for well over a year, it experienced great numerical growth. They have an hour or so of music interspersed with personal testimonies. The increased attendance has caused them to build. The pastor of the school commented to me that we both can remember when churches were built upon sound and serious expositions of God's word. Third, a local United Methodist Church packed out its new building with a 45 minute music service and a 15 minute devotional message. They are already considering expanding their new building (less than two years old) to accommodate the increased attendance of young couples. Ruleth well his own house (1 Tim. 3:4) includes the husband providing for his own house (1 Tim. 4:8), loving his wife even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it (Eph. 5:25), loving his wife as his own body (v. 28) and establishing the "religion" of his family based upon the word of God (1 Tim. 2:12-14). It includes seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, (Mat. 6:33). Note that Christ's headship over the church is connected to the husband's headship in his home. When one is compromised, so is the other. Also note that Ephesians 5:24 is given before v. 25, Husbands, love your wives... Yes, the above quote (and others referred to) is from the past, made by a man totally out of touch with modern times and the modern social temper, but let me ask Has society improved in godliness in the last 100-200 years? I realize that Paul, in 1 Corinthians 14, is talking about the confusion caused by Christian women speaking in "tongues" in the Christian assembly, but note what he saidthe wife is, by law, commanded to learn basically from her husband. 1) one who with his own hands kills another or himself 2) one who acts on his own authority, autocratic 3) an absolute master 4) to govern, exercise dominion over one (usurp authority is only used one time in Scripture, and Thayer lists it under 4). When did the husband start to lose the governance of his family to his wife? What brought it about? We should ask, "What was the start of the Feminization of Christian America?" (The French Revolution gave Feminism a great boost in Europe.) Apparently, it started with the women's commendable efforts against drunkenness, which developed into women's suffrage and modern feminism . The cause against drunkenness in society was just, but the means used in that cause against drunkenness led to what we have today in feminism. The unsettled nature of the frontier accounts in some part for this unique campaign against liquor. In developed sections of the world, society was better organized, and effective law enforcement protected the church and its ministers against disturbances. But in the wilderness, where society had not taken root, and was still fluid and unrestrained by agencies of law, the church was faced with the basic task of protecting itself for survival and self-respect. It set out to do for itself what others would not or could not do for it. Moreover, on this money-scarce frontier liquor was draining off much of the money used for the necessities of life. This slowed development, including that of the church. Following the clergy, the first among the laity to take up the banner of abstinence were the women, individually and then in organized crusades. Few took the arduous action of Carry Nation (1846-1911, ed.) and resorted to the hatchet, but many who had had difficulty keeping the pot boiling because the saloonkeeper beat the groceryman to the family wages became wandering, dedicated missionaries pleading for sobriety. In time, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union was organized. (The WCTU of the United States, was founded in 1874 in Cleveland, Ohio. It is an organization of women seeking to improve public morals, especially through abstinence from alcoholic beverages and narcotics. Ed.) The dry movement then took on numerous ramifications, particularly in politics. The movement was associated with, in order, the woman's rights movement resulting in woman suffrage, national prohibition, and the rise of gangsterism. Political parties were formed based on the issue, and in many sections, to this day, the lines are more closely drawn between Wets and Drys than between the Republicans and the Democrats. At first the church congregations were inclined to bear with members whose thirst had been too much for them. It was the practice in many churches to administer correction which consisted in an acknowledgement of intemperance by the accused, whereupon the congregation would vote that the accused was censorable. Many churches would bear with members if it appeared they "were deceived or taken in," or if they promised "with the help of God to abstain for the future." There is record of one brother's bringing a complaint against himself. He expressed sorrow for his sin and stated that the Lord had pardoned him. The church followed the stated example of the Lord and permitted him to remain in fellowship. The Wets did not cork their bottles just because of the blast from the pulpit or the march of the "petticoat brigades," though none could ignore the concerted attempt to "dry up the country." About as much as they could do was to serve as examples for their cause, vote for it, and make jokes about the opposition. For example, it was said of one candidate for political office that he would "belly up to the church and back up to the bar." The drinking fraternity also enjoyed telling a story about a pious sister of the Anti-Saloon League who accosted a wobbly cowboy on the street, well along in his cups: "What are you going to do when you approach the Lord with whiskey on your breath?" she demanded, pointing a long finger under his nose. The imbibers had their laughs, but it became increasingly evident that the church's crusade against liquor was no joke. Prohibition, i.e., temperance required by law (18 Amendment, 1919), was "the product of a century-long reform movement. ... Prohibitionists ... argued that it was the government's responsibility to free citizens from the temptation of drink by barring its sale." (Multimedia Encyclopedia, v. 1. CD. Comment: Accordingly, should not the "gun control" crowd also be calling for "prohibition?" If it is the State's responsibility to control guns, is it not the State's responsibility to control liquor?) This idea says that it is the State's responsibility to see that women are equal with men in all areas of life. Temperance certainly is a commendable goal. The problem, however, was that temperance was seen as a virtue apart from any Biblical foundation. (Acts 24:25, &c.) "Plato argues in the Republic that when reason rules the soul, as is its function, the soul is virtuous; as such, it possesses wisdom, bravery, temperance, and justice." (Zane) Thus the Christian readily sees the problem "when reason rules the soul," these commendable things take place. On the other hand, Christians must say that the "soul" is inherently and wickedly corrupt, so that only when the Spirit of God rules the "soul" through Christian conversion, these commendable things take place. Plato's assumption rules today. Have we ever known any madman or one possessed of the devil, or one made raving mad by the various blemishes of, insanities who spoke anything like this? You say, O greatest of philosophers, that by this ordinance all the men are the husbands of all the women, and all the women are the wives of all the men, and the children are the children of all. But I say that, by this ordinance, no man is the husband of any woman nor is any woman the wife of any man, nor is any offspring the child of any parent, for, where all is promiscuity and confusion, there is nobody who can claim anything as his own. As some say, it was not sufficient for the wisest of philosophers to teach this unless he practiced it, that is, he gave his wife to another man, just as Cato the Roman who is the other Socrates of Italy. 54 Behold what things are the examples of Roman and Attic wisdom! They made all husbands, inasmuch as was in their power to do so, their wives' pimps. Socrates, however, surpassed the others. He composed books on this subject and bequeathed to posterity these shameful thoughts. 55 He had more whereby he could glorify himself by his teachings. Insofar as it pertains to his teaching, he made a brothel of the world. Here we see this female trying to get the "poor" and "downtrodden" to lift themselves by their own "bootstraps" with Plato's Republic. Intentionally or unintentionally, she is returning "womanhood" to paganism, where women are treated as not much more than a piece of property, including to breed children. It was the God of the Bible, including the Apostle Paul's writings, that brought women out of Plato's pagan bondage. PRI then interviewed one student who talked about how great are Plato's ideas about democracy. Civil law quietly replaced Christian and church law. Hope in organizations and governmenti.e., an all powerful State that could control the basic desires of fallen manquietly replaced hope in Christian conversion. Whereas the church had previously dealt with intemperance, women organized civil "revival-style" crusades to require total abstinence. A result of the political movement against drunkenness was the women's rights movementmodern Feminism. We, as Christians, realize that it is an individual responsibility to prevent drunkenness, which, in the end, can only be accomplished through Christian conversion and self-control. Though their desire for a "new kind of life" was no doubt commendable, they did not set about obtaining that "life" in a godly manner, 1 Peter 3:1-7, q.v. Over one hundred and fifty years later, the wife now "wears the pants" in the family, and the husband is left with yielding his headship to his wife, or losing his family. Paul is obviously referring to women preachers, e.g., Kathryn Kuhlman, &c. The Typical frontier preacher, regardless of denomination, had practiced some vocation, and had been called to the ministry from among the folks he served. He was unlearned, but this was not considered a handicap. Congregations encouraged it and bragged about the humbleness and ignorance of their ministers. They pointed to such early examples of church leaders as Peter and John, "unlearned and ignorant men" 1 (1 The Acts 4:13.) who came from the underprivileged classes like themselves, but who confounded the high priests and the rich sinners. The frontier people did not demand that their preachers lead them to knowledge and worldly position but rather to the treasures of the eternal world to come. ... Some preachers undertook a few courses of reading under an older preacher, but it was generally considered that if God called a man to preach, that meant he was ready. A Baptist group in Mississippi went on record with the rather prevalent position: if God "wants a learned Moses or Saul of Tarsus He will have them qualified before He calls them into his work." This group challenged the world to show any divine authority for sending a man to school after God called him into the ministry.4 (4 Walter Brownlow Posey, The Baptist church in the Lower Mississippi Valley, 1776-1845 [Lexington: University of Kentucky Press, 1957], p. 21.) A Tennessee association as late as 1835 opposed education of the ministry on the grounds that it implied inadequacy of God and His power to call and equip ministers. The people, as a whole, regarded preaching ability as the "gifts of heart" rather than "gifts of mind," and held that religion was caught, not taught. Preparation of sermons was usually left to inspiration of the Holy Spirit at the time of delivery. Failure to speak extemporaneously indicated to some that the speaker had not experienced rebirth. No Holy Ghost in "book larnin' " Note: Bible in Pocket records many good things from Frontier Religion, e.g., it was the "noisy" Protestant preachers who brought religious freedom to Spanish Texas where the State church was the Church of Rome. However, the uneducated clergy failed to teach some key points of Biblical manhood. Second, the office of godly aged women must be restored in the church, for they are to teach the women of the church how to fulfill their proper responsibilities in their families. A pastor is limited as to what he can teach women concerning their proper place in families and society, or Paul would not have given the instructions in Titus 2:3-5. Fifth, there are more things that a woman can do in her family and in the Kingdom Work than she will ever be able to accomplish, so why does she want to take the man's place also? Society, even within "Evangelical" churches, is so far from what is required by the God of the Bible that a Biblical, Christian family would be an abomination to the vast majority of both women and men. To try to reintroduce a Biblical Church, family and society would, no doubt, bring open rebellion in the vast majority of Christian homes and churches. Society, feminism especially, cannot be reclaimed without a deep and wide, genuine Christian revival. The revival must affect, convert, the very soul of men and women, giving them the new desire and power to be what is required of them by the Lord God in His word. Until Christian families are reclaimed for God and godliness and the husbands and wives take their God-ordained places and responsibilities, there is no hope for society Feminism will only gain in strength. There is no hope outside of the guidelines established by God for each individual. The NOW crowd continually demands "equal pay for equal work" that is, a women's pay must be equal with men's in the work force. Is such a demand Biblical, worthy of Christian support? What does God's Word say about "equal pay" for women in the work force? We find the answer clearly given in the Old Testament law, and it is about as "Politically incorrect" as anything can possibly be. Scripture gives two values for a woman: First, her value in the home, and, second, her value in the work place. Let us open with where the Lord places the most value upon the woman. Proverbs 31 describes the ideal wife, a standard to which all young ladies should seek by the grace of God. It also describes the kind of wife every young man should seek and choose. This passage shows us that a successful and godly home depends on a godly wife. The Proverbs 31 woman is a virtuous woman. The question is asked, Who can find...?, implying that only a few men can find such a woman, and they cannot find her without Divine intervention. The Lord must find her for the man who "holds out" for a virtuous woman. Adam, in paradise before the fall, was incomplete until his gracious Heavenly Father made and brought a help-meet to him. (Gen. 2:18.) We are thus told that the value of God's gracious gift to a man, a virtuous wife, is not comparable to any earthly treasure. The virtuous woman is an unusual woman, more difficult to find than pearls and other precious treasures. (Ecc. 7:28.) Because of her rarity, her worth is unspeakable, and her husband must thank God continually for His provision of such a wife. Her value is worth far more than the rich jewels with which vain women adorn themselves. She does him good all the days of her life, unlike many women of the Bible, such as Rebekah who wickedly deceived her husband when it came to the children. (Gen. 24.) She will not return perceived neglect from her husband with bad-temper. She, in professing godliness, is adorned with good works. (1 Tim. 2:10.) She is not locked behind closed doors as a religious recluse seeking a "closer walk with God." Rather, she is in public, unafraid of menial service to the saints (1 Tim. 5:10), regardless of her social standing. She is over those under her with diligence and dignity, requiring nothing of them that she would not do herself. She governs herself first of all, and thereby has legitimate authority to govern those who might be under her. She has wise management of money, and knows how to best use what she has. Her dress is always appropriate for the job at hand as well as for her social standing. It is possible to pay too little or as well as too much attention to the issue of dress. Emphasizing the inward adorning, the Lord does not negate outward adorning. In her conduct, we are told that she guides rather than rules her home. Proper guidance (directing) requires skill, maybe more than ruling (authoritave commands). She looks well to the moral habits of her charges, including their religious instructions, all under the authority of her husband. She is careful not to overwork her charges, nor to allow them to eat the bread of idleness. Nor is she content with being idle. The virtuous woman in her home is a crown to her husband. There is so much more that could be said about the virtuous woman whose value, as she works in the home, is beyond any earthly treasure, but we will stop here. In the home, the woman's value is so great it cannot be measured, which, as we will see, is quite different than in the world's work places where she is only 60% of the man's value, e.g., the man gets $20.00 per hour while the woman gets $12.00 for the same job. If a woman wants to be paid what she is worth, let the Lord value her worth, and then let her go to the place where her worth cannot be measured because it is so great in the home. When the wife and mother stays home, she not only retains her value, but, many times, she also retains her family. The home school movement is proving the validity of the above statements concerning the woman's value in the home vs her value in the world's work-places. Who can measure her value in the home? When a woman leaves her place of great value, the home, and goes into the world's work place, we learn from Leviticus 27 that her value decreases dramatically. There her value is only 60% of a man's. In this chapter, the Lord God Himself establishes the value of individuals, and the value He establishes is according to age and sex. Chapter 26 promised some serious results for sin and blessings for right living. The promises of chapter 26 looked forward to Christ. Chapter 27 assumes that people to whom the blessings are promised in chapter 26 love God enough and are thankful enough for His goodness and benefits that they will give to Him well over and above what is required of them in His Word. Chapter 27 deals with things over and above the covenant responsibilities as presented previously. The offerings of chapter 27 were not commanded, but were freely given by the individual "worshiper" out of love and reverence for the God of the covenant. Though the individual "worshiper" did things of his own free will over and above what was required by God, he was not permitted to do things according to his own pleasure. He was still bound by the Law, v. 1. In other words, a "free-will" offering did not have to be given, but if the individual freely gave to God, the gift had to conform to God's law. MAN IS NEVER FREE FROM GOD'S LAWS. Moreover, even man's highest and most holy emotions must be brought into conformity to God's Law-Word. (Therefore, how much must all of man's emotions be conformed to God's Law-Word at all times.) God's Word has an instruction for everything, and those who love God are expected to find and follow those instructions. Moreover, the law shows us that it is not a sin to refrain from vowing, but once a vow is made, it is sin not to follow it through. (Deut. 23:22-24, Pro. 20:25, Ecc. 5:3-5.) Neglect to keep a vow, though it was a free-will vow, had to be atoned for with a sin-offering. (Lev. 5:4ff.) Chapter 27 deals with vows. It deals with "giving one's word," primarily to the Lord promising to do something above and beyond the requirements of one's profession of love for God. It also applies to "giving one's word" to another person. No doubt Solomon had these laws of the free-will vows in mind in Ecclesiastes 5:1-8. Keil also points out that this chapter assumes the person or property will be either redeemed or purchased, according to the value fixed by the law. If neither redemption nor purchasing were to take place, what would be the use of making the vow and establishing the value of the person and/or property? Those to whom this chapter speaks have experienced some great blessing from the Lord, or they would not be making the vow. Evidently, they were prospering financially, although the Lord did not exclude those who were not having financial prosperity, v. 8. Provision was made for the "poor" to express their love for the Lord through the vow. Though at one time in America, one's word was his bond, we no longer realize the importance and seriousness of vows. Vows and oaths in Bible times and in Eastern cultures were extremely serious. V. 2, Children of Israel..., When a man... Unlike the preceding laws that applied to all who dwelt in the land, the following laws concerning vows could only apply to those who worshiped the God of Israel. The pagans could not worship the Lord God as the Israelites were commanded to do; however, a pagan could convert to Israel's God, e.g., Rahab and Ruth. Nevertheless, though the following laws concern fulfilling one's vow to the Lord God, the general application of keeping one's word applies to everyone regardless of his or her relationship to the Lord God. In dealing with the unsaved, we should be aware that they are not bound (they will be accountable to the Lord God) by the indwelling Spirit to keep their word as are His people. singular (v. 2) means wondrous, marvelous, extraordinary, valuable or something above and beyond one's responsibilities, above one's abilities, beyond one's power to do. It can refer to something hard or difficult to do. If a person is really dedicated to the Lord, let them externally and visibly declare it with a vow. Vv. 3-8, the Lord establishes the value of the individual who gave him or her self to the Lord. The establishing of that value was not left up to the individual. No one could say to the priest, "What's the matter? Don't you think I am as valuable, or as good, as that other person?" Obviously, under the law, all are guilty of sin, and as such, are condemned to eternal death unless they have been converted by the work of the Spirit through faith in the Redeemer. But in this chapter, we are plainly told that all persons are not equal in value before the Lord here on this earth. The Lord established the values of those who made the vow. Neither the priest before whom the person appeared nor the individual could establish the value of the one who vowed God Himself established the value. As we saw, rather than the individual giving his or her physical labour for the upkeep of the Lord' house, which was the Levites' duty, his or her physical ability to labour was valued, and the money given in place of that labour. The opinions that the rich are to be "taxed" more than the poor and that there should be a "graduated income tax" to redistribute the "wealth" are results of sin, i.e., "income redistribution" is clearly socialism at work. Such ideas are totally ungodly. [S]hekel of the sanctuary... Exodus 30:12, the value of the money (which was gold and silver) is a religious activity, and the priests the religious leaders were responsible to keep it at its proper value. (See <http://www.biblicalexaminer.org/w199304.htm> for a discussion on money. Twenty years old and upward was also the age a man could go to war, Numbers 1:3. 4) ages 5-20 yearsthe female's value is only 50% of the male's. The one under 20 is not making the vow, but his/her authority is saying, "Let the value of such a one be upon me. I will pay it." That person, accordingly, pays as determined by the Lord. Incapable of as much work as those over 20, the younger person's value is less. Moreover, the value of females under 20 was a smaller percentage of the male's than it was over 20 because the younger female was capable of less work in proportion to the male. Males over 20 were valued at fifty shekels, and the younger males' were valued at only twenty shekels, which is less than half. Thus entry level jobs for young people pay less than ½ of those who are more mature in the work force. 5) ages one month to 5 yearsher value was again 60% of the male's. If a man devotes his child to the Lord within this age group, the value is established by the Lord for the age. Samuel was a good example, but rather than being redeemed with money, he was actually given into the Lord's temple-service. Though neither the male nor female of this age group was capable of any service of value, the female was still valued at only 60% of the male's. The Lord clearly, by fixing the value of each, tells us that the male was/is worth more than the female who would seek to have her physical labour valued, both before men and before God. God created man first, then the woman. God primarily revealed/reveals Himself to and through men. God chose men to be the priests to Himself. In the family, community, society and in the church, God chose and chooses men through which to work and speak. 6) ages 60 and aboveshe is worth 66.6% of the male's value, the highest point of any age of her life. Though both the male's and female's value drops at age 60, she retains a greater proportion of her value. Women, God has seen fit to leave the choice up to you. You can be where your value cannot be stated, or you can be where God Himself places your value at only 60% of the man's. It would seem to me that the woman would want to be where she is the most valuable. My, how much we must retrain our thinking according to the Word of God. We either accept the precepts established by God's Law-Word, or we are pagan, anti-Christ, humanists. Accordingly, the hype we will hear as the politicians seek the NOW vote is clearly contrary to the inspired Word of God. 1 See TBE, "A Lawless Religion." 2 John Gill, Online Bible. 3 Keil-Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, Eerdmans. 5 Theological Word Book of the Old Testament, Moody Press. Sv. #2263, #2264. 6 Ibid, sv. #642. 7 Matthew Henry, Online Bible. 8 Matthew Pool, Online Bible. 9 Proverbs, Charles Bridges. 10 Online Bible. 11 Keil- Delitzsch, The Third Book of Moses, 479, 480. 12 Bonar, Leviticus, 496.

http://biblicalexaminer.org/B-WomanYoung%20ladies.html

We’ve had a great year and hope you have too! from everyone at Amped Software! Amped Software Ranks on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA as one of the fastest growing technology companies in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). We partnered with CameraForensics to enhance camera search capabilities in Amped Authenticate. We strengthened our partnership with Griffeye to provide our users with more integrated solutions to swiftly perform higher volumes of image identification and analysis. We’ve had more than 20 articles published in many industry publications. Our products are now being used in 80 countries. We had the pleasure of training 220 users in 56 training sessions, held all over the globe. We added many new filters and tools in Amped FIVE, like the Advanced File Info and the Assistant. We added support for many new formats in Amped FIVE and Amped DVRConv. We updated in Amped Authenticate the quantization tables database (with about 13.500 different combinations). Thank you to all our customers, partners and friends for believing in us and trusting our products to help you solve your cases and keep our communities safe. We look forward to seeing you again in 2018! With CCTV probably being the number one piece of digital evidence used in cases, many officers will have asked questions like, how do I get the footage; why is it not playing; or how can I get an image? It’s important therefore to understand why we have ended up here. Why digital video, specifically from the surveillance industry, is such a huge pain in the proverbial! As computers and digital video started to creep into normality, the surveillance companies started to think of ways to say, and prove, that they were better than the other. One of the easiest ways to do this was to use a bespoke recording method and format, to suggest that it was better than the other. This is where it starts to go pear-shaped. Very quickly we ended up with non-standard video files, requiring a player that could not install on a Force computer, with no method to interrogate, analyze, validate or process the evidence as required by the investigation. It has been nearly 20 years since the start of Digital Video Recorders, and you will be glad to hear that things are improving. But, it is going to take a long time for many of these poor systems to get replaced by ones that are fit for purpose. Read the full article published on Police Oracle. This entry was posted in Announcements, CCTV/DVR formats, Press / Media on December 21, 2017 by Darlene Alvar. This entry was posted in Announcements, Authenticate, Press / Media on December 19, 2017 by Darlene Alvar. We are proud to announce that Amped Software ranked on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA. ranking of the fastest growing technology companies in Italy. This entry was posted in Announcements, Press / Media on December 15, 2017 by Darlene Alvar. This article, published in Evidence Technology Magazine, takes a look at two cases involving the authentication of digital images and the importance of the questions asked of the analyst during those investigations. It looks at how authentication software, such as Amped Authenticate has been designed with a structured workflow, to locate the puzzle pieces required to assist in answering those questions. This entry was posted in Announcements, Authenticate, Cases, Press / Media on December 13, 2017 by Darlene Alvar. With the rise of the digital age can experts trust that photographic evidence is legitimate? Sophie Garrod, from Police Oracle, writes about how a growing number of forensic and counter-terrorism units are getting on board with pioneering image authentication software. Approximately a third of UK forces have invested in Amped Software products – including Amped Authenticate, an all in one computer programme which can detect doctored images. Forensic image departments, counter-terrorism units, and government departments say they are saving time and money by sending detectives on a short training course in the software. Acquiring evidence from a digital camera or a smartphone is more or less relatively easy to do. Images are usually in standard JPEG format and videos in MP4 or some other format that most players can read. But what is the best way to retrieve and handle CCTV footage to ensure it stands up to the scrutiny in the courtroom? There are numerous possibilities and it depends on where the video is actually recorded. To learn more, read the article by Martino Jerian, Amped CEO and Founder, published in Lawyer Monthly. This entry was posted in Announcements, Cases, CCTV/DVR formats, Press / Media on December 7, 2017 by Darlene Alvar. The Amped Software team is in Rennes France this week for the 9th IEEE International Workshop on Information Forensics and Security (WIFS) 2017. WIFS is the primary annual event organised by the IEEE Information Forensics and Security (IFS) Technical Committee of the IEEE Signal Processing Society. Its major objective is to bring together researchers from relevant disciplines to exchange new ideas and the latest results and to discuss emerging challenges in different areas of information security. WIFS 2017 will feature keynote lectures, tutorials, and technical sessions. Topics of interest broadly include (but are not limited to): Forensics Analysis, Biometrics, Secure Communication, Multimedia Security, Information Theoretic Security, Cybersecurity, Hardware Security, Surveillance, Network Security, Applied Cryptography (See the Program of the week). WIFS is one of the highest level conferences worldwide in the field of image authentication. Given that everything we do is backed by science, and that all new features and tools are based on scientific research, it’s very important for us to be present at events like this and also to be a sponsor of this event. Amped Software is having a demo session today on Forensic Image and Video Enhancement and Authentication. If you missed it, don’t worry! We will be around all day today and tomorrow too. This entry was posted in Announcements, Events on December 6, 2017 by Darlene Alvar. Today we released an update to Amped DVRConv, the easiest way to convert videos from proprietary DVR formats. We have been working on this update for some time and a few users have received beta updates in order to support formats that were urgently required. During this period we have re-engineered a good part of the architecture to improve stability, speed and format compatibility. This entry was posted in Announcements, CCTV/DVR formats, DVRConv, New features on December 5, 2017 by Martino Jerian.

http://blog.ampedsoftware.com/2017/12/

ISO/IEC 17025 was first issued in 1999 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). It is the single most important standard for calibration and testing laboratories around the world. Laboratories that are accredited to this international standard have demonstrated that they are technically competent and able to produce precise and accurate test and/or calibration data.

http://bmqr.com/iso-17025.php

I'm not much of a soccer fan, but I am curious why the women program is so good internationally while the men program is not? Is it just that the top tier male athletes pick football, baseball, and basketball over soccer or is their other stuff that goes into it? The women had a head start on the rest of the world with Title IX. Basically they were getting scholarships for and playing soccer regularly when the rest of the world hadn't even bothered with women's soccer. So of course we have a lot of elite talent and resources most countries can't contend with. The men suffer from the exact opposite. Professional soccer was actually somewhat thriving in the 1920s or so, until a war broke out between two competing leagues that killed them both and allowed baseball and football to take over. It would take another 4 decades before another legit professional league came along with the NASL in the 70s, but that crashed and burned as quickly as it appeared. We didn't qualify for a World Cup for 40 years until Mexico was disqualified from competing for 1990 and we took their spot with a miracle goal in Trinidad. Then we finally got a stable, legit professional soccer league with MLS in 1996. All in all, we are SIX decades behind the curve of the rest of the world when it comes to developing male players. Think of all the institutional knowledge we are lacking when it comes to coaching, technical skills, etc. We are playing catchup from way back and only in the past couple years have MLS clubs started actual academies the way it's done abroad. It's only barely begun to pay dividends. For all the snarkiness and bashing of the men in attempts to lift up the women, it's actually incredible that we basically achieved parity with Mexico in the 2000s, a country where soccer is king and has been invested in hugely compared to us. Last edited by Hoek; 07-07-2019 at 10:56 PM. I thought Tata out-adjusted Berhalter at the half. Saw Tata do that numerous times in MLS games, so I wasn't surprised. Yep. Wish he was on our sideline. But instead we sat on our thumbs. Thank you for the lesson in American soccer on the international level. I'm not a soccer person so this was a nice quick read as to what is going on. I'm always amazed at the info you can learn on this site. And let me just say, I'm all for the women being paid more. I think equal pay is kind of the wrong target though. They deserve what they're worth. That theoretically could be MORE than the men if they negotiate it successfully. I just wish the pay discrepancy wasn't used as an excuse to dunk on the men over and over. It's not their fault they're paid more. It's not like their CBA says they must be paid more than the women. That's on USSF and FIFA. That’s interesting, because soccer is probably like the most widely played sport for kids growing up in America. The best athletes move from soccer to the more "mainstream" sports as they age. The same reason Brazil develops such great soccer players is the same reason we do for basketball. Kids are playing it all the time because they're obsessed with it, and probably also because it's a ticket out of poverty. We have a ways to go culture wise as far as loving soccer, and getting a scholarship for it is harder than football etc. because there's fewer of those to go around. Not to mention, most of the serious developmental leagues for kids are pay to play. And college isn't a good developmental device because it's too late in life (18-21) to matter anyway. You have to get these kids in professional club academies and programs much earlier (as young teenagers, 14-15-16) to keep pace with other sporting nations. Very true. It just those academies might be an easier sell to parents and kids if they had a scholarship to fall back on at least.

http://boltprospects.com/forum/showthread.php?s=8de3904a434cc21d1d3f76d8ee2fda13&p=242435

The way she shakes her head kind of makes me think the idea of her going to a funeral is crazy. She sighs and then kicks the white foam of the surf that rushes in with the coming high tide. “Is that what the other night was about?” I ask. “Yeah, I did that, didn’t I? I guess I was trying to fit in all that living in one night.” She chuckles and hides her face with her hand for a second. I like her smile, I decide. I like her laughter even more. When Jenna Traynor laughs, I can feel it. “You’re making fun of me,” she says. I hadn’t realized I’d chuckled until Jenna looked at me curiously. But I guess I did. “Are you sure about that?” She winks at me and then smiles as her cheeks turn pink.

http://bookaholicfairies.blogspot.com/2015/08/book-blitz-moment-in-time-by-lisa.html

With custom keys on your keyboards, every type of software can be optimized. For example, if the software your company uses has applications that require special combinations of keystrokes, you can have these "shortcuts" built into your keyboards by using special colored keycaps or keycaps with special symbols. This makes it easier for your employees to use your software, and it also makes it much faster and easier for new employees to learn their jobs.

http://bspeurope.com/productivity-improve.html

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – (March 22, 2016) – Award-winning filmmaker Alejandro Amenabar’s (The Others, The Sea Inside) latest psychological thriller Regression arrives May 10 on Blu-ray™ and DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment and Dimension Films, and Digital HD and On Demand from Starz Digital. Regression features an ensemble cast led by Academy Award® nominee Ethan Hawke (Boyhood, Training Day, The Purge), and Emma Watson (Harry Potter, Perks of Being a Wallflower). Hailed as a “carefully-crafted tale of collective psychosis” by the Hollywood Reporter, Regression also stars David Thewlis (Harry Potter, Anomalisa), Dale Dickey (“True Blood”) and Devon Bostick (“The 100”, Diary of a Wimpy Kid). Regression will be available on Blu-ray and DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment for the suggested retail price of $26.99 and $22.98, respectively. TWC boasts an active television production division which garnered twelve Emmy nominations in 2015. TWC Television produces the reality powerhouse Project Runway, with its spin-off series Project Runway All Stars, Under The Gunn, and Threads. Scripted series include John Fusco's Marco Polo with Netflix, going into its second season, and War & Peace, which debuts on Lifetime, A&E and HISTORY in 2016. Other recent TWC television productions include Mob Wives, Million Dollar Shoppers, Rodeo Girls, Cement Heads and Trailer Park: Welcome to Myrtle Manor. Scripted projects in development include Ten Commandments, Daniel Stashower’s The Hour Of Peril and military drama Six. TWC also developed Nanny Diaries and produced The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

http://buyersguide.anchorbayentertainment.com/news.asp?articleId=%7B9D0E9CF6-82D3-49E8-826C-B44956B3979D%7D

Zoning codes are a set of rules that regulate what can and can’t be done on a particular piece of property. They’re established and enforced at the city level. In California, you can find zoning codes for virtually every city in the city’s municipal code. Most cities also provide an online copy of their zoning map which gives you a visual of the city with a zoning overlay. I’ll use the City of Dublin in California as an example throughout this post. Dublin provides a zoning map, and you can find more information on their zoning code in the municipal code. The zoning code for Dublin, and most other cities, is broken up into four categories—residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural. Within these categories are districts, for example “Single Family Residential.” Each district has a specific set of rules for development and construction on any piece of property within its boundaries. You’ll also notice that each district has a letter/number designation. You may have noticed Dublin’s zoning code includes some other zoning designations that aren’t included here. If not, they’re on the zoning map as commercial corridor, downtown Dublin, historic overlay, and a few more. These additional overlays are just another layer of regulations specific to a certain area of the city. It’s important to note that the names of zoning districts and overlays, their designations, and their specific rules change with every city. They’re generally similar, but you’ll have to dig in to get specifics on each cities’ rules. Let’s say you own an acre of raw land in Dublin and it’s zoned R-1 (Single Family Residential). You want to know what you can build on your property, so you consult the zoning code again. Except this time, you’re looking for specific building regulations based on your zoning. For Dublin, these are called Residential Development Regulations but again, each city varies a bit with the language they use. The development regulations set out minimum lot size, setback requirements, height limits, etc. Zoning codes are all well and good, but in the real world, they give you close to zero power in terms of developing your property. Of course, it’s better to have a zoning that allows you to do what you want. But you’re still going to need discretionary approvals from your city. Further, zoning codes are subordinate to something called general plan land use designations. Land use designations are beyond the scope of this post, but we’ll be getting into those later. Just know that zoning codes give you an idea of what you could legally build on your property, provided the city approves of your project.

http://californialanddevelopment.com/2017/03/introduction-zoning-codes/

THERE HAS BEEN a very popular myth floating around Logansport for generations. it involves the origins of the Northern Indiana Hospital for the Insane — better known to Logansport residents as Longcliff — and Purdue University. During the 1870s and 1880s, there was a movement in Indiana to care for the emotionally disturbed. The state decided to build five hospitals for this purpose. The central hospital would be located in Indianapolis with branch hospitals in four sections of the state. Logansport was selected as one of these. Construction began in 1884 and was completed in 1888. Sometime early in the twentieth century, the residents of Logansport began to circulate a story. This story soon took on a life its own, being told with great flair by fathers to their sons. It was the story of how Logansport had the choice between Purdue University and Longcliff. The ground, which with the hospital looks very much like a campus, was supposedly set aside for a university. As the story was told, Mr. Purdue favored Logansport over West Lafayette, but the people of Logansport turned their backs on the university in favor of the hospital. Obviously we will never know what went through John Purdue’s head. Perhaps he did contemplate Logansport at one time. Who knows? We do know that nothing was written about it, not even once. That seems a little odd. If a man was seriously thinking of establishing a university at a location, you would think he would have written something about it. Aside from that is the one critical piece of evidence: Purdue University was founded in 1868, twenty years before the hospital. There was no choice to be had. The plans for the hospital were several years away when the question of Purdue was at stake.

http://casshistory.net/longcliff.html

Examines the nature of energy and matter, their interactions and changes, and the application of fundamental concepts to the study of our natural world. These concepts will be explored in hands-on laboratory experiments. This course integrates the fundamental concepts and ideas about the nature of physics and chemistry with the natural world. Prerequisite(s): CCR 092 (or higher) or equivalent and MAT 050 or equivalent.

http://catalog.arapahoe.edu/preview_course_nopop.php?catoid=6&coid=10417

Clark University provides enhanced services for the ALANA community. At Clark University this acronym represents students of African, Latino/a, Asian, and Native American descent. The director of Academic Advancement assists students in the development and implementation of their academic and career goals. ALANA and first generation college students are invited to attend the ACE (Academic Clark Excellence) Summer Institute which runs prior to first year orientation. The ACE Summer Institute is designed to prepare them for the rigorous Clark experience and includes academic course previews, building a mentor network around leadership and academic relations, developing personal and social relationships with peers and understanding the community climate of Clark. ALANA students are also invited to participate in the Millennium Leadership Conference, which focuses on addressing the leadership development of ALANA students. The Dean of Students Office is concerned with the well-being of students living and learning in a community of scholars and works to maximize the quality of student life at Clark. The staff coordinates services related to housing, residential life, intercultural-student services, international-student services, new-student orientation, wellness, health services, student activities, personal counseling and judicial affairs. Prelaw Advising ­ The Prelaw Advising Program provides services to undergraduates considering careers in law and facilitates the entrance of qualified students into law school. The program, coordinated by Career Services, sponsors workshops, lectures and meetings, and provides informational materials for students. Watch appropriate bulletin boards and publications for announcements of important meetings and events. Students interested in pursuing law-school admission should contact Career Services or Professor Mark Miller in the Political Science Department. Recruiting Program ­ Clark students can connect with employers through on-campus company presentations, resume referrals and campus interviews. Career Services currently utilizes eCampus Recruiter, a premiere Web-based recruiting system. All students are encouraged to create their profiles and register to begin their career exploration. Men’s varsity sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, swimming and diving, and tennis. The women’s varsity sports include basketball, cross country, field hockey, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, and volleyball. For more information view the athletics Web pages at www.clarku.edu/athletics.cfm.

http://catalog.clarku.edu/content.php?catoid=4&navoid=147

Tony Blair is a British Labour politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007; he resigned from all these positions in June 2007. Blair's role as Prime Minister was particularly visible in foreign and security policy, including in Northern Ireland, where he was involved in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. From the start of the War on Terror in 2001, Blair strongly supported United States foreign policy, notably by participating in the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and 2003 invasion of Iraq. In his first six years, Blair had British troops ordered into battle five times ��� more than any other prime minister in British history. Blair is the Labour Party's longest-serving Prime Minister; the only person to have led the Labour Party to three consecutive general election victories; and the only Labour Prime Minister to serve consecutive terms, more than one of which was at least four years long. He was succeeded as Leader of the Labour Party on 24 June 2007 and as Prime Minister on 27 June 2007 by Gordon Brown, who was Chancellor of the Exchequer.On the day he resigned as Prime Minister, he was appointed the official Envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East on behalf of the United Nations, the European Union, the United States, and Russia. In May 2008, Blair launched his Tony Blair Faith Foundation. This was followed in July 2009 by the launching of the Faith and Globalisation Initiative with Yale University in the USA, Durham University in the UK and National University of Singapore in Asia to deliver a postgraduate programme in partnership with the Foundation.

http://celebrityus.com/biography.php?celebid=106&keepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=380&width=750&modal=true

The church and community of Chalgrove were closely connected with Wallingford from Saxon times until 1317. When the Norman castle of Wallingford was built its chapel was linked to three churches, of which Chalgrove was one, forming the Prebend. The priests were royal clerks, appointed by the king, whose patronage would explain the unusually fine architecture of St Mary’s and the high quality of its lavish wall paintings. The nave dates from around 1150 and is the earliest part of this building. It was almost certainly built, following the anarchy, by Peter Boterel, Keeper of Wallingford Castle, whose chief seat was Chalgrove. The chapel forming the south aisle was added in c.1190 at around the same time that the lower section of the tower was built. In c.1250 a north aisle was added and this was extended to both the north and the east in c.1450 to create a Chantry Chapel, on the east wall of which there is a contemporary wall painting. Further building on the tower raised it to its present height, the south porch was constructed, crenellation was added to the south side of the nave and the windows were replaced. The exceptional architecture of the chancel, of Florentine influence, and its fine set of medieval wall paintings may be explained by the appointment of Bonacursum de Frystobaldis as rector in c.1310. Frystobaldis was from a Florentine family of bankers, builders, and decorators, travelling throughout Europe, often commissioned by the king. The piscina and credence and the triple sedilia, all under cusped ogee arches, are of special note. The moulding of the triple sedilia is comparable only with that at Westminster Abbey, which is of wood, and that at Southwell Minster. A rare double squint, built into the north side allowed lepers and others, to see the Elevation of the Host at the mass through one hole and also the wall painting of the Last Judgement through the second hole. In 1317 Edward II granted the living of Chalgrove to Thame Abbey. Chalgrove’s close connection with royalty had ended but, for a while, the wealthy lords of the divided manor continued to support the church, as shown above by the c.1450 extensions. Possibly in 1536 but certainly by 1547 the wall paintings had been lime-washed over, and in 1542 Henry VIII gave the patronage of the church to his new Cathedral in Oxford (Christ Church). Much restoration was undertaken in c.1660, a necessity probably due to damage and destruction during the Civil War, the outcome of the Battle of Chalgrove adding further incitement. The font, consisting of two different types of stone, is thought to have been installed at around this time. The top is probably of Norman origin, as suggested by the decoration just below the rim. The motifs beneath, emblems linked to the Suffolk family, suggest that it may have come from their ‘palace’ at Swincombe, nothing of which apparently remains. It may therefore be an item of lost heritage. The pulpit is made up of panels of which there are matching ones at Stonor Park that are known to have come from the demolished Carlton house at Brightwell. The ring of six bells consists of four bells dated 1664 and the tenor and the fifth that were recast in 1729 following damage due to the partial collapse of the tower in 1726. Three of the bells are maidens – pitch perfect as cast (requiring no tonal modification). The one handed parish clock, one of the oldest working turret clocks in Oxfordshire, was installed as a thirty-hour clock in 1699. The figures of 1 8 6 3 on the face are the date of its modification to an eight-day movement. It is one of the few clocks in the country, in their original locations, that retain their original hand-wound form. Among many memorials in the church the Barentin family, lords of the shared manor for seven generations in Chalgrove are commemorated by brasses in the floor of the chancel. The last earl of Buckingham is honoured beside the altar. There are other monuments on the walls, and on the west wall of the nave a unique painted memorial commemorates the Quatermain family. Another unusual monument, on the north wall, honours members of the Winchcombe family. Hanging in the nave the Friendly Society banner, one of only a few that have survived, is the emblem of the local Society that provided a form of insurance before the National Health Service was introduced.

http://chalgrovechurch.org/heritage/

In the year 1212 London endured a fire so terrible that it became known as the Great Fire of London. It became part of London’s story for many a year until 1666. In this year another most horrid flame engulfed the City of London. On the Monday, as the flames spread ever westwards, Londoners started to give up hope. Only the intervention of Charles II, and especially James, Duke of York, brought the fire under control. When finally the fire was out, it left a City full of ashes and many lessons to learn. This tour explores how the Great Fire gutted the City of London. It explains why a small fire in a baker’s oven spread so far and caused such destruction. If you’re interested in what London was like before the Great Fire, please take a look at my pre-Fire tours HERE!

http://charnowalks.co.uk/most-horrid-flame/

"If therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." The primary concern of the Church, and thus the Christian as an individual, is not the social welfare of families, communities, races, or nations. What must have primacy though is the glory of the Lord and thus the declaration of the Gospel from every venue available while still maintaining the integrity of the message. Furthermore, without humility to undergird our passion for the Gospel, our passion for His glory, then all our efforts are reduced to intensity devoid of clarity; in other words to a blinding flash without form. So, one may yet ask, how is this applicable to the arena of commerce for the Christian? Well, this is how, in that we understand the call and necessity of unity in the body, that which upholds the roof of unity, and finally that which upholds the superstructure itself. Firstly then, the call emanated from the heart of the Apostle Paul, that his joy might be fulfilled. He immediately sets about to identify the resources that unity requires in the Christian life, those being the consolation or encouragement found in Christ, the love, and the fellowship of the Spirit; indeed that which attests to our salvation. In fact, Paul goes so far as to literally connect the presence of these objective realities with the yielding or outcome of unity in the body. That these things being so, being true, that if they're really present, then so will these others. Consequently, one might say that Paul is saying that if one is a partaker of the consolation in Christ of love, affection, and mercy that he will in turn manifest those characteristics which are the catalysts for unity in the body -- those being a like-mindedness, and a unity of spirit and purpose. Also, we see in the connection which Paul makes that unity is not presented as an option for the Christian, as an extra precept to the code of conduct which we possess. Rather, he proffers it as that to which we are called to by the very nature of our being in Christ, of being regenerate, of those in possession of the fathomless riches found in Christ. Therefore unity becomes a consequent, a necessary augmentation to our pursuit of Christ and His glory. Secondly, this unity that we are to be possessed of and to therefore display is found and rests upon humility. And it is humility which will serve us the most in the pursuit of unity and in turn, His glory; that preference of one another which disregards our own needs for the sake of others. Christ said in John 13:34-35, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." This is humility in action, it is this love for one another which will most effectively serve our pursuit of His glory, the declaration of His Gospel. Lastly, you are still more than likely in pursuit of the answer to the aforementioned question, what does this have to do with me being a Christian employer or employee? Well, it is in this way that unity and humility in the Body of Christ are essential to the Christian's interaction with the world; we have true peace to offer. Especially in the context of the most recent tragedies which have befallen the world. We have world leaders and others calling for peace and harmony among the nations and even religions and what is our response to such a convocation; it is in Christ that peace will be found and in Him only. We cry loudly that man as he presently is will do no more than to perpetuate, to progress in war and destruction, in iniquity, in inequity. It is man himself that must be changed (John 3:3-6) for only in Christ are the necessary resources for true unity found. So when those discussions arise, as they most surely will, as to what is the Christian response to terror, to fear, to evil in all its forms, this is it then, that we are to declare to them what Christ declared to the man who asked a question of abstract theology without possessing a new nature, "Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able." (Luke 13:23) In other words, their question must be answered with a query into the state of their relationship with Christ as Lord and Savior, if such a relationship as such exists at all. When they ask a question of morality, we must respond with one of *ontology; they seek to deal with today whereas we must deal with eternity. Therefore, as Paul said, so I do, if any consolation is found in Christ, any comfort of love, any merciful affection, any fellowship in the Spirit, make my joy complete, being of one mind and spirit, one purpose, preferring each other more than yourselves. That we might rightly display the inadequacies of all systems of philosophy, of all religions and loudly proclaim the adequacy of the person and work of Jesus Christ. That we might be determined as Paul was, to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified among the people we know and have befriended. May the peace of God be richly yours.

http://christianchefs.org/newsletters/2002/06CITK.html

When last we left Tony Stark (in Invincible Iron Man: Worlds Most Wanted), he was brain-dead and Norman Osborn was victorious as the Iron Patriot. As the Siege of Asgard unfolds around him, Tony battles for life. Siege isn’t too important to this story, except that it does explain where these issues fit into the overall event narrative thanks to the Ghost. The title Iron Man: Stark: Disassembled refers back to the Avengers: Disassembled event, which precipitated Iron Man’s Extremis armor, House of M, Civil War, Secret Invasion and Dark Reign. Matt Fraction clearly intends this story to end that chapter of Tony Stark’s life and start a new one. I believe that he succeeds in reference to both Stark’s story arc and Stark’s character. Tony starts over in more ways than one, and while the ending of this story has been called a deus ex machina, the context of later issues diffuses feelings of a simple ending. Not only is Tony rebuilt (both physically and metaphorically) in this story, but so are his friendships. War Machine, Pepper Potts, Maria Hill, Thor and the original Captain America are necessary to revive him, and it even ends up being their choice to resurrect him in the first place. Other allies, such as the Black Widow, the current Captain America and Dr. Strange, are also on hand to help Tony. After years of stories in which the Marvel heroes have become fractured and, to an extent, unlikeable, Stark: Disassembled lays the cornerstones for the new Heroic Age, in which differences won’t have to be settled with Negative Zone prisons and Norman Osborn rising to power. Opposing Tony’s resurrection is the Ghost, who starts to rise to the position of one of Iron Man’s top enemies. I feel that Stark: Disassembled puts him on the level of the Mandarin, Titanium Man, Crimson Dynamo and Spymaster. His anti-corporate leanings have come to the forefront after being sporadically used, making him a perfect foil for Stark. Only a last-minute hoisting with his own petard stops the Ghost, and it also starts him on his road of change as seen in the Thunderbolts series. I do like that there’s a clear point where he leaves the Thunderbolts’ mission to Asgard to attack Stark, as delineated both in this book and in Siege: Thunderbolts. It seems like Marvel’s various titles are really starting to sync up. Also opposing Tony is his own mind, and a good half of the story is dedicated to his internal battle to return to consciousness. One of Tony’s driving factors has always been guilt; the Armor Wars is the best example. Even his friends aren’t sure whether he should come back, leading to a frank discussion of resurrection in the Marvel Universe. There’s a sequence in which Stark confronts the people who have died because of him, most notably Happy Hogan and Ho Yinsen, but also a few more obscure people. Although they aren’t named, I’m fairly certain that a glasses-wearing man is supposed to be Tony’s technical genius Abe Zimmer, while a blonde woman may be Kathy Dare, the stalker who shot him and destroyed his spine. Salvador Larocca continues his epic run on Invincible Iron Man. The Fraction/Larocca team may go down in history alongside the Michelinie/Layton runs as one of the best consistent Iron Man writer/artist teams. One of Larocca’s strengths is that his characters can actually show emotion, an ability key to this storyline. He does use some interesting motion blurs, which can be distracting at times, but it does demonstrate how far comic book technology has come. Larocca also did the intriguing cover designs for the issues. The cover for the trade isn’t an example of these (although it is fine artwork), but Larocca created modern-art covers with unique color palettes and a circular design scheme. I really wish unique covers like these could be used more often. While Stark: Disassembled ends Invincible Iron Man’s two-year-long story, it also ends a seven-year-long character arc. Tony Stark has gone from a Secretary of Defense, to a superhero registration enforcer, to a Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., to a troubled businessman, to a criminal fleeing from what used to be his organization, and finally to a brain-dead shell. This is truly the rebirth of Iron Man, and I highly recommend picking up this trade and those before it. Thanks Doug! New reviews and more coming next week ... don't miss it! I think "Invincible Iron Man" is one of the best superhero comics being made currently. I always look forward to the trades and haven't been disappointed yet!

http://collectededitions.blogspot.com/2011/11/review-invincible-iron-man-stark.html?utm_source=review_index_sidebar&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=review_index

There is […] an important distinction between two classes of indices. Namely, some merely stand for things or individual quasi-things with which the interpreting mind is already acquainted, while others may be used to ascertain facts. Of the former class, which may be termed designations, personal, demonstrative, and relative pronouns, proper names, the letters attached to a geometrical figure, and the ordinary letters of algebra are examples. They act to force the attention to the thing intended. Designations are absolutely indispensable both to communication and to thought. No assertion has any meaning unless there is some designation to show whether the universe of reality or what universe of fiction is referred to.The other class of indices may be called reagents. Thus water placed in a vessel with a shaving of camphor thrown upon it will show whether the vessel is clean or not. If I say that I live two and a half miles from Milford, I mean that a rigid bar that would just reach from one line to another upon a certain bar in Westminster, might be successively laid down on the road from my house to Milford, 13200 times, and so laid down on my reader’s road would give him a knowledge of the distance between my house and Milford. Thus, the expression “two miles and a half” is, not exactly a reagent, but a description of a reagent. A scream for help is not only intended to force upon the mind the knowledge that help is wanted, but also to force the will to accord it. It is, therefore, a reagent used rhetorically. Just as a designation can denote nothing unless the interpreting mind is already acquainted with the thing it denotes, so a reagent can indicate nothing unless the mind is already acquainted with its connection with the phenomenon it indicates. ‘Reagent’ (pub. 12.01.15-11:11). Quote in M. Bergman & S. Paavola (Eds.), The Commens Dictionary: Peirce's Terms in His Own Words. New Edition. Retrieved from http://www.commens.org/dictionary/entry/quote-notes-topical-geometry-1.

http://commens.org/dictionary/entry/quote-notes-topical-geometry-1

Mindy Lahiri has slowly infiltrated her way into my world of fantasy best friends. She joins an elite group of women that includes Liz Lemon, Leslie Knope, Grace Adler, Lorelai Gilmore, and Jessica Day. What do all these woman have in common? An arsenal of plucky one-liners, that’s what. With season four of The Mindy Project debuting on Hulu on September 15, it’s only fitting that we pay tribute to the fashion-forward doctor we all know and love. Here are 15 random life questions that can be answered by Mindy Lahiri quotes. Grab a box of doughnuts and sit in awe as we learn from the master of self-confidence. 1. Do you have any ideas for a new exercise routine? 2. What do you do in your free time? 3. How do you describe your body type? 4. Is it safe to walk around New York City alone? 5. Do you think it’s important to have long-term goals? 6. Is the greatest gift of all really love? 7. What do you say when you give yourself a pep talk? 8. Do you think you have a positive self-esteem? 9. Any beauty tips you can share? 10. Why can’t I find a love that lasts forever? 11. What kind of music do you like? 12. Why are you so good at everything you do? 14. What is your stance on mentoring? 15. Who is your spirit animal?

http://community.ew.com/2015/09/11/mindy-lahiri-quotes/

For a few weeks now, the Czech Antitrust Office has stopped its dawn raids. The reason for this stems from the surprising decision of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg (ECHR) dated 2 October 2014 (DELTA PEKARNY a.s., complaint number 97/11). In this case, the Czech Republic was held to have violated Art. 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in course of a 2003 dawn raid. The court ordered the state to pay 5.000 EUR compensation. Even though the decision was taken with only a 4:3 majority, with strong dissenting opinions given by the three opposing judges and the decision does not yet have binding legal force, the Czech Antitrust Office has decided not to perform any further dawn raids until it (and possibly the lawmakers) have had the time to consider the implications of the decision. The outcome of the decision may be also be felt in other member states of the Convention, in particular those that allow for dawn raids without prior court approval. According to the decision, only 14 of the EU member states have the obligation to obtain prior court approval when performing antitrust dawn raids. The decision dealt with a 2003 dawn raid performed by the Czech Antitrust Office. The date, to be noted, was before EU accession but of course many years after the Czech Republic became a member of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights. Even though further breaches of the Convention were alleged (and held not to have occured), a breach of Art. 8 – the right to respect for private and family life – was made out. The facts: The Czech Antitrust Act 143/2001 Coll. provides for dawn raids in Article 21 to be performed with the prior approval by the President of the Antitrust Office. The legal cause and the aim of the investigation had to be made clear in approving any dawn raid. DELTA PEKARNY, one of the large bakeries in the country, was under investigation for allegedly having been a member of a price-fixing cartel. During dawn raids in two of DELTA`s offices, certain access to electronic information was denied by the persons present representing DELTA and they took back two documents claiming privacy. DELTA was fined the maximum applicable procedural penalty of CZK 300.000 (about 11.000 EUR) at that time. During the administrative appeal, the administrative complaint at first degree court, the appeal procedures at the Highest Administrative Court and finally the Constitutional Court, the fine was upheld. The ECHR reiterated that the ratione personae was given in the present case, even though no employees of the complainant claimed violation of privacy. The ECHR based its reasoning largely on the 2002 decision of Colas. If a country did not provide for prior court approval and supervision by an independent body before an investigation, effective ex post facto control by independent court must be stronger. The ECHR examined compliance with the Czech law, the question of legitimate aim and whether the interference was necessary in a democratic society. Neither the then applicable Czech laws, nor the following court proceedings did, in the opinion of the majority of judges, show sufficient independent control of the dawn raid itself as to proportionality. Also the lack of rules providing for destruction of documents obtained showed a lack of protection. The fact that the employees of the Antitrust Office were under professional secrecy was not a sufficiently strong counter-argument. Interestingly enough, the ECHR did refuse do deal with an alleged breach of Art. 13 of the convention – the right to an effective remedy because it had already applied this in its decision relating to the violation of Art. 8. The consequences of this decision on Czech antitrust practice as well as potentially on all investigations by authorities are considerable. It will be interesting to see – should the decision enter into legal force – how future dawn raids will have to be structured. A change of the law, which would introduce the concept of obtaining prior approval (even if not required but probably the safest way) would probably mean a year without dawn raids in the Czech Republic. United Kingdom: Pride before a fall in online advertising restrictions or getting away with illegal behaviour that harms vulnerable consumers?

http://competitionlawblog.kluwercompetitionlaw.com/2014/11/18/no-more-dawn-raids-in-the-czech-republic/

I think the future looks bleak. Economically, everything is done in the name of profits. Things that can be done to improve society don’t get done, unless it can be done profitably. Even today there are few “breakthroughs” in medicine. The problem-they don’t try to cure anything. They try to produce a drug that you have to take for the rest of your life and buy from them. Advancements in technology are still dependent on the profit that can be made from it. We could have replaced gasoline engines long ago if companies could find a way to do it and still be profitable. They can’t-the cost of alternate technology is too high and the majority of people would not be able to afford it at the prices it would see to still be profitable. Global warming due to pollution is not improving, it may be seeming to here in the U.S. as laws are put into place to curb factory pollution and stuff. But, it fails as companies just move their factories to China, or Latin America where the laws are lax or nonexistent. The world needs to unify in some way. Communication and technology have paved the way to a global economy, but until the world is together we are fighting ourselves. Creating laws in the U.S. does nothing if a corporation leaves the U.S. to get around the laws. We need organizations and government that is concerned with the good of people-all people. Even the ones we have today like N.A.T.O., or the U.N. or the World Banks- they are still mainly influenced by the U.S. and have the U.S. best interests in mind, which in turn means they have corporations and profits mainly in mind. Money rules the world, which means the U.S. rules the world, and in a world run by profit the future to me looks bleak. I really thought your perspective was great. Sadly, I find these companies lack of decency appalling, they are taking full advantage of our system. The quote about McDonalds in the past summed it up perfectly the way these companies act. They prey off of the fact that there is so much assistance out there that their employees will simply “get by”. I have always been naive to think that the people on the top of these companies would want to compensate the people that have helped them with their rise to success. Nothing is more frustrating to be making minimum wage, while the company you work for reports billions in quarterly profits.

http://compsys.econproph.net/2015/unit-7-the-future-2/

Jibrail Kassab (born 5 August 1938) is a bishop of the Chaldean Catholic Church who presides over the Eparchy of Saint Thomas the Apostle of Sydney in Australia. He has been the bishop of this diocese since its inception on 21 October 2006. His bishopric is currently based at St Thomas the Apostle Chaldean Catholic Church, Bossley Park, New South Wales. Kassab was born in Tel Keppe, Iraq, to a Chaldean family. He was ordained a priest on 19 January 1961. Following 35 years of service in the priesthood, he was elevated to the episcopate by the then Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, Mar Raphael I Bidawid. Upon his installation, his first post was to serve as archbishop of the Archeparchy of Basra. Following the difficult plight of Iraq's Chaldean Christians during the Iraq War, Pope Benedict XVI transferred Kassab to a safer area and created a diocese in Sydney that would cover all of Australia and New Zealand. He installed Kassab as its head prelate, a post he still holds today. Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jibrail_Kassab&oldid=881236677"

http://conceptmap.cfapps.io/wikipage?lang=en&name=Archbishop_Jibrail_Kassab

Watch Living Biblically Online at CouchTuner An adaptation of the non-fiction book by A.J. Jacobs, in which a man tries to live in accordance with the Bible’s teachings as close as possible. After losing his best friend and learning that his wife is pregnant, film critic Chip Curry embarks on a spiritual journey to start living a better, more moral life. While searching for answers, he turns to the Bible and comes to the decision to try living in accordance with its pages. When he quickly discovers that it may be harder to achieve in today’s world than he initially believed, he and his wife assemble a “God Squad” to help him out along the way. Watch Series Living Biblically Online at Couchtuner.

http://couchtuner.unblocked.name/watch-living-biblically-online/

Nope, this post isn't about a client or a home staging consultation. My husband and I have decided that it is time to put our house on the market and look to down-size. Is it going to be emotional? It sure is. Is it going to be exciting? You bet. Right now I'm going back and forth between feeling both ways. It's a new time in our lives, and one I am looking forward to. While we just decided this past week, we have been talking about it for over a year; and what has to be done to make it market ready. We had already gotten started last year by stripping the wallpaper in the powder room and updating it a bit. I'll share those pictures in another post. We have given ourselves a deadline of June 15th to have everything done and ready. I plan on staging my own house, which I know might be difficult as I am emotionally involved; however, I think that with a little help from my friends I'll be able to pull it off. So far, I have been able to take a step back and look at the rooms in our home more objectively than I thought I could. What I'd like to do is a series of posts bringing you through the process with us. Not only the emotions, but the reality. Not just the packing up of memories, but a chance to clear out the clutter and simplify. Not just removing our mark from the house, but showcasing our investment - the investment we worked so hard on these past 19 years. I'll be posting "before" and "afters" so that you will be able to see what we've done, and know that even if you got a home staging consultation report, you could do these projects/tasks/fix-ups yourself before you put your house on the market. I want you to know that when I say, "I know exactly how you feel", I really mean it. Kathy Passarette and Creative Home Expressions are located on Long Island, New York and offer interior decorating, home staging, interior redesign, color consultations and much more. Please visit our website at www.creativehomeexpressions.com for more information on our services and fees. Give Mom The Gift Of Decorating!

http://creativehomeexpressions.blogspot.com/2009/04/were-putting-our-house-on-market.html

Digital Preservation (DP) in India has not received the attention that it deserves. There is neither a regulatory framework for the same nor is it pursued with any seriousness under the national e-governance plan (NEGP) of the department of information technology (DIT), India. In the absence of ICT policy of India, digital preservation has still to cover a long gap. The only solace is that a national digital preservation programme (NDPP) of India has been launched by Indian government. However, the NDPP seems to have stagnated with no development happening in this regard. The DP initiatives of India are facing many road blocks that are preventing them from materialising in India. For instance, intellectual property rights (IPRs) are commonly found conflicting with DP initiatives. Further, with the rapid advancement of technology day by day, old applications and methods are becoming obsolete. We need to upgrade them from time to time. We also need to change form of various IPRs protected works from one form to another. This sometimes results in IPRs violations. In short, IPRs issues in the digital era and cyber space are difficult to manage and we need both good policies and laws to manage the same effectively. According to Praveen Dalal, advocate Supreme Court of India and leading cyber law expert of India, "DP issues would become more complicated with the enactment of laws like Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 1998 (DMCA). Efforts are in the pipeline for adoption of an efficient Digital Rights Management (DRM) system in India. This seems to be a step in the direction of protecting fast-growing Indian digital entertainment and media industry. However, in the absence of good ICT Policy and effective legal framework, these initiatives may not produce the desired results, suggests Dalal. The stagnation of the NDPP cannot be removed till the government of India takes some active steps in the direction of utilising the services of experts who are familiar with this aspect. Till now no such serious efforts have been undertaken by Indian government. Ever since India has associated itself with information and communication technology (ICT), it has gained a lot in terms of reputation, money, projects, etc. However, India’s dominant position has almost slipped away from its hands thanks to the corruption, lack of accountability and absence of transparency in e-governance initiatives of India. India has become technologically bankrupt due to these factors. The department of information technology of India (DIT India) has received vast amount of autonomy, finance and powers. However, it failed to bring home the much needed expertise, results and success. The chief reason for the same is that the prime minister’s office (PMO) does not care to look into the matters, policies and laws made by the DIT India. No time in the past the prime minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh took any preventive and stern action against the falling standards of DIT. Being the prime minister of India, it is his primary responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in all departments or ministries. (5) Ensure good and effective cyber security and cyber forensics capabilities, etc. These are some of the ICT related issues that the PMO must urgently consider before it is too late. Further, although the PMO is busy in many others, perhaps more important tasks, yet the situation has become so alarming that if immediate steps are not taken, PMO may have to answer some bitter questions in future. Cyber law of India is governed by information technology act 2000 (IT Act 2000). It is good step in the right direction but with passage of time it has become redundant and burdensome. Although a chance was given to the department of information technology (DIT) India yet it failed to utilise the same. According to Praveen Dalal, Supreme Court Advocate and leading Cyber Law Specialist of India, the information technology amendment act 2008 (IT Act 2008) further diluted the criminal sanctions against cyber criminals. By making many of the cyber crimes “bailable”, the amendments have diluted the deterrent effect of the cyber law of India. While countries all over the world are strengthening their cyber laws, India on the other hand is going in the opposite direction. What is more surprising is how Law Ministry of India in general and Veerappa Moily in particular approved such a distorted and undesirable law. By approving these damaging amendments, Law Ministry has done more harm to the cyber infrastructure of India. So what is the solution for this undesirable position? According to Praveen Dalal the only solution seems to make proper, contemporary and relevant amendment sin the IT Act, 2000 of India. Since it is the primary responsibility of the Legislative Department of Law Ministry to update laws, the initiative must start from their side, suggests Dalal. Cyber Law Of India Requires Amendments Says Pravee...

http://cyberlawsinindia.blogspot.com/2010_11_17_archive.html

Author’s Note: I would like to thank Dr. Vern Bullough and Dr. Sandra Cole for their comments on an earlier version of this manuscript. The psychological and medical literature of transsexualism, which began after Hamburger et al.’s announcement of Christine Jorgensen’s sex reassignment some 52 years ago, consists chiefly of clinical reports and studies written by presumably nontranssexual individuals. It is a literature which has been historically based on a number of unfounded assumptions: that those with gender identity disorder (as it is now called) are mentally disturbed; that their destinies are best determined by mental health professionals; that only those who are profoundly unhappy in their birth gender should be allowed access to body-changing medical technologies, and then only after passing various tests required by psychotherapists; and that body-changing medical technologies should be used only in the service of altering bodies to resemble as closely as possible those of the “other” sex, with no intermediate states allowed or even conceivable. Only in the last few years have new writings begun to challenge these assumptions. The assumptions which have driven the literature arose from the often sexist and homophobic attitudes of researchers and clinicians and have colored both public and private perceptions of transsexuals and transsexualism and set the course for the literature itself by determining not only the research questions asked, but the ways in which the resulting data have been interpreted. The biases of researchers are often kept overtly out of their papers, but are made clear in their conversations with other professionals. Cautionary voices of anthropologists, feminists, occasional clinicians, and transsexual people themselves have been virtually ignored. Questions of experimenter bias, subject selection, and the power dynamics of the client-caregiver relationship have not been addressed. Until recently, the voices of transsexual and transgendered scholars were entirely absent from the discourse. Consequently, the literature of transsexualism is largely pejorative, tending to blame and otherwise stigmatize transsexuals not only for their very transsexualism, but for shortcomings in research design and treatment. When the assumptions underlying this literature are understood, the literature’s failing can be seen to lie not so much in the inadequacies of transsexuals themselves as in the shortcomings of the system which arose to treat and study them, and in the disenfranchisement of transsexuals themselves, who have been considered unworthy of contributing to the literature. Much of the existing literature, although technically accurate, addresses in detail questions which no longer seem relevant. For instance, there have been any number of studies designed to determine the ways in which transsexuals vary from controls (i.e., “normal” individuals). A great deal of effort has been expended in attempts to “manage” transsexualism and transsexuals themselves. Meanwhile, other, more important, questions remain unaddressed. We do not particularly need further studies about the relative performance of transsexuals vs. control groups on the scales of the MMPI; we need studies which will define a new literature which is less bound to the notion of the inevitability of genital surgery and Ken and Barbie stereotypes of masculinity and femininity, which empowers transsexual people rather than degrading or stigmatizing them, and which asks new questions relevant to a new century. Although people we would today characterize as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and transsexual have always existed (cf. Feinberg, 1996; Taylor, 1996), it was not until the nineteenth century that they were came under the scrutiny of the medical profession [1]; that is, physicians selected them as fitting subjects for study and ascribed pathology to them. This is perhaps best exemplified in Krafft-Ebing’s (1894) Psychopathia Sexualis, in which one can read grim clinical depictions of century-ago analogs of modern-day homosexuals, transvestites, and transsexuals (Bullough & Bullough, 1993, pp. 204-207). Initially, variations in sexual orientation and gender expression were considered by physicians to be different facets of the same disorder, a sort of “third sex” (Ulrichs, 1994). It was not until the publication in 1910 of Hirschfeld’s Die Transvestiten that the two were adequately differentiated. In the last two decades of the twentieth century homosexuality ceased to be viewed (except by extremists) as a mental disorder, but transsexualism and other gender variabilities remain codified in the DSM with the diagnostic label Gender Identity Disorder (DSMIV-TR). During the first half of the twentieth century, the professional literature almost uniformly viewed homosexuality as a disorder. The work of Evelyn Hooker (cf. Hooker, 1957), the removal of homosexuality from the DSM-III in 1980 (described in Bayer, 1987), the pioneering work of Masters & Johnson (Vern Bullough, personal communication), and the rise of the gay liberation movement following the Stonewall Rebellion of 1969 (Duberman, 1993) did much to change this literature. These days, the acknowledged and unacknowledged assumptions of researchers about gay men and lesbians are quite different than in the past, and from the contemporary perspective much of the earlier literature seems naive and biased. The few medical professionals, like Charles Socarides, who continue to stubbornly insist without benefit of data that homosexuals are mentally ill are forced to seek alliances with organizations like the right-wing American Family Association and in fact begin to look rather troubled themselves (cf Socarides, 1996). This sort of change of paradigm (Kuhn, 1962) is not uncommon in science; in fact, it is perhaps our only real evidence that science actually works. Harry Benjamin’s 1966 The Transsexual Phenomenon was the first serious attempt to provide a name and a theoretical framework to explain people who wished to gain access to these medical technologies. He called them transsexuals. The psychiatric condition he presumed them to have was first called transsexualism, then gender dysphoria (Fisk, 1973), and is now known as gender identity disorder (DSM-IVTR)—but transsexuals we remain. Transsexualism and Sex Reassignment, Green & Money’s 1969 edited text, provided a multidisciplinary look at the newly conceived phenomenon of transsexualism; it provided a multidisciplinary treatment model that is followed by gender programs to this day. Benjamin’s and Green & Money’s volumes were milestones, and hold up well after 30 years, but much of what has followed has been a virtual rehash. Denny (1993) has called this literature “a collection of papers by clinicians explaining to other clinicians how to deal with such troublesome people.” It is a literature bothersome in a variety of ways, but its primary shortcoming is that it has never examined in a systematic and rational way Benjamin’s model of transsexualism or looked at alternatives to the treatment system described in Transsexualism and Sex Reassignment. Consequently, the literature has come to consider transsexualism a condition discovered rather than invented (Denny, 1997a). The existing literature has many problems. Its themes, its assumptions, and its language make it nearly impossible to discuss transsexuals or transsexualism in a healthy way. It is on the whole profoundly disrespectful of transsexual people, who are portrayed as sexual stereotypes, ridiculed for their manner of dress, and insulted in a variety of other ways both overt and covert. It actively promotes a model disempowering to transsexuals, who have been expected to surrender their autonomy to mental health professionals and then disavow their transsexualism by disappearing into the woodwork and passing as nontranssexuals after their gender transitions. And it has historically limited choices by recognizing only two options: remaining in the sex of original reassignment, or emulating as closely as possible the other sex. Much of the literature continues to ignore the commonly-expressed fact that many transgendered individuals find it more comfortable in the nether ground between the two commonly acknowledged sexes. Except for relating strictly autobiographical experiences, transsexuals have been considered to have had nothing important to say about transsexualism. Certainly, they have remained unpublished. I recently noted that until recently, all major theoretical papers, all of the descriptive studies, and all of the textbooks about transsexualism were written by nontranssexual persons. The transgender revolution of the ’90s made it clear many transsexual persons view themselves in ways other than depicted in the psychomedical literature (cf. Bornstein, 1994; Boswell, 1991), but they were unable to share it with the world because their transsexualism silenced them: first, under the prevailing reign, if they spoke the truth they were considered not to be “true” transsexuals and risked being denied access to body-changing medical technologies (see Bolin, 1988; Denny, 1992; Kessler & McKenna, 1978; and Stone, 1991 for critiques); and second, no one would publish their work. Is it any wonder perceptions of transsexuals and transsexualism have entered a period of intense change now our voices are being heard? In the past several years, transsexual and transgendered persons have begun to contribute meaningfully to the literature and much of what they (I should say we, as I am proudly transsexual) have to say is dramatically different from what has previously been published. We tend to be influenced not only by the medical and psychological literature, but by feminist and queer theorists, by each other, and of course by our own experiences. Queer and transsexual and transgendered scholars bring a different vision to the table, for we tend to look at the desire to change one’s body and social role not as a sign of psychopathology, but as a form of self-expression not dissimilar to getting a tattoo or having a rhinoplasty. The problem, if any, is seen to lie not within us, but within a hostile and rejecting society that cannot or will not accept us as we believe we are (Califia, 1997; Wilchins, 1997). Gender identity disorder is a term coined by the medical community to ascribe pathology to what is actually a healthy process of self-discovery and personal growth. In this view, much of the literature is flawed by this presumption, which causes in its adherents a peculiar tunnel vision in which transsexualism is seen as a journey from one restrictive gender role to the other, equally restrictive role, and transsexuals themselves are constructed to fit this model (Bolin, 1988; Denny, 1992; Stone, 1991). Transsexual and transgendered scholars reject this bipolar model, considering that acceptable gendered space lies anywhere along the continuum between male and female, or off the continuum altogether (Boswell, 1991). The idea is not to produce new males and females who conform as closely as possible to existing gender norms, but to help people unhappy in their assigned gender role to find gendered space they find comfortable C wherever that may be. My ultimate purpose in this paper is not to debate the merits of lack thereof of social-constructionist vs. essentialist approaches to transsexualism. [3] I do, however, wish to give examples of the ways in which the medical and psychological literature has vilified and stereotyped transsexual men and women. I have used selected quotations to illustrate my points. My quarrel is not with the individual authors, but with the literature itself. The Benjamin model has been attacked from a variety of perspectives, including psychiatry (Wiedemann, 1953; Socarides, 1976; McHugh, 1992), feminism (Greer, 1989; Raymond, 1979); social constructionism (Billings & Urban, 1982; MacKenzie, 1994) and Christianity (O’Donovan, 1982, 1984). The hostility of authors like Socarides, McHugh, Greer, and Raymond is without parallel in any field of science. McHugh (1992) cited “the confusions imposed on society where these [transsexual] men/women insist on acceptance” and “the sad caricature of the sexual reassigned” (pp. 503, 509). Socarides says of sex reassignment surgery, “The creation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein monster pales in comparison with this grotesque spare-parts, Tinker-Toy type of surgery practiced on living, suffering, and desperate human beings” (1976, p. 138). Not surprisingly, none of these authors cite empirical evidence to document their often outrageous claims, and none offer significant data of their own. None, in fact, have interacted to any significant extent with transsexual people. [4] Their work is opinion disguised as science, and it is venomous almost beyond belief. But if the enemies of sex reassignment have been uncritically critical, so, too, have many of its supposed proponents. Much of the supposedly objective literature is characterized by moral pronouncements, outrageous attacks on the nature and appearance of transsexual people, and the use of nomenclature and pronouns which are offensive (deliberately, in some cases) to transsexual people. This is but the visible tip, however, of what lies under the surface of a literature which presumes that transsexuals are what the medical community has always supposed them to be: manipulative, dishonest, maladjusted, sexual stereotypes. It is a literature which gives permission to its authors to write whatever they wish about transsexuals, with no fear of censure. Occasionally, authors will unabashedly state their moral distaste for sex reassignment. For example, Donald Laub and Norman Fisk wrote in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 1974, “To change an individual’s God-given anatomic sex is a repugnant concept.” It goes without saying that such a gratuitous remark has no place in a surgical journal—or does it? Apparently, this amazing statement went entirely unremarked until 1991, when I pointed it out in Chrysalis, a journal I edited. Less subtle was psychoanalyst Robert Stoller, who frequently and vociferously made known his concerns about sex reassignment. He wrote, of transsexuals and sex reassignment, “After 30 years… both the treatments and the patients (of both sexes) have been, at most, near misses” (Stoller, 1982, p. 283). In this sentence, Stoller informs the reader of his opinion that male-to-female transsexuals are not “really” women. Money & Primrose’s remark illustrates a phenomenon pointed out by sociologist Irving Goffman (1961, 1963): when an individual is stigmatized, whatever he or she does is interpreted and interpretable as problematic in light of the stigma. Thus, when transsexuals endeavor to learn more about their situation—something that would be considered admirable in expectant mothers or individuals with sickle-cell anemia—their resourcefulness is viewed as emblematic of their condition. There have been grave problems with a lack of respect with the terminology of transsexualism. The widespread use of terms such as “male transsexual” and “female transsexual” to refer, respectively, to male-to-female and female-to-male transsexuals, are offensive to transsexuals (Cromwell, Green, & Denny, & Cromwell, 2001), but the terms are generally not used maliciously. The same cannot be said of pronouns. In the psychomedical literature, authors wield pronouns like swords, using them to express their disapproval and pronounce the “true” sex of transsexuals. By far the worst offenders are Janice Raymond and Leslie Lothstein. Raymond’s (1979) book is a political manifesto unconvincingly (and in my opinion unethically) disguised as science. Lothstein’s (1983) book on female-to-male transsexualism is egregiously offensive. He not only uses female pronouns to refer to subjects who live as men, but refuses to use their male names, calling them by their original female names, which no longer match either their appearance or the realities of their lives. “It was hard to believe that the cocky, self-assured ‘male’ sitting in the waiting room was really a biological female” (Lothstein, 1983, p. 95). Note how Lothstein uses quotation marks to tell the reader his subject is not “really” male. Considering that Lothstein is a male with the first name of Leslie, one might think that he would be aware of the pain pronoun misattribution can cause. Should I turn the tables and refer to Ms. Lothstein and her regrettable book, turning Lothstein into a female on paper, it becomes clear how disrespectful such pronoun misuse really is, that I am attacking Lothstein on a personal basis. This is because it has long been considered appropriate for others to make decisions about which pronoun to use with transsexuals, regardless of the self-perception of the transsexuals themselves, but it is decidedly not okay to do so with nontranssexuals. Quite simply, with it comes to transsexualism the usual rules of propriety do not apply, and no one seems to notice that they have been set aside, even in the hallowed pages of medical and psychological journals. It goes without saying that many nontranssexual women wear long nails, or are less than discrete with their hairdos, makeup and jewelry. The literature clearly gives Steiner license to ridicule the appearance and grooming of transsexual women in language she would never use if she were talking about nontranssexuals. Can you imagine the stir the above paragraph would have caused had it been applied to African-American or Republican women? She arrived late, having been delayed in a “clinic.” Most of the audience was slightly taken aback as she appeared in a tight figure-hugging fire-engine red dress with sides slit up her thighs and beige spike heels, her long straight very, very blonde hair falling sensuously over her eyes. [Name deleted] had definitely out-transvestited the transvestites, who wondered what kind of “clinic” she had just left! The literature is filled with sweeping generalizations of transsexuals; the sky is the limit: “These (secondary transsexual) individuals do not pass easily in the opposite gender role without the aid of hormones and electrolysis. Their natural voice is quite masculine, numerous expensive cosmetic procedures are often necessary before they can approach the total femininity they seek.” (Dolan, 1987). “All transsexual biological females are homosexual in erotic object choice, and all of them wish to have a penis…” (Steiner, 1985, p. 353). It goes without saying that many secondary transsexuals and some male crossdressers are quite passable and in fact rather attractive without hormones or electrolysis, and more than a few female-to-male transsexuals identify as gay men (cf Allen, 1989; Cameron, 1996). Generalizations about transsexuals go beyond appearance to behavior. As late as 1993, one gender program’s application included the question, “How often have you used prostitution as a means of supporting yourself?” It was presumed that male-to-female applicants had of course prostituted themselves. Such questions are not asked of persons seeking treatment for other conditions; it is simply acceptable to ask such questions of transsexuals, but of course, it would not be appropriate to do the same with persons with heart disease or diabetes. Professional journals contain a number of articles which should never have been published. By portraying transsexuals as deviant, the literature opens publishing avenues for articles which reinforce this perception, however undeserving they may actually be. Milliken (1982) opened a paper titled “Homicidal Transsexuals: Three Cases” by stating that transsexuals are known to be overall less violent than the general population; he nevertheless then searched until he found three transsexuals who had committed or attempted to commit murder. Psychiatrists are arguably less violent than the general population; however, I know of no papers titled “Homicidal Psychiatrists: Three Cases.” If I were to write one, there would be little chance of it being accepted for publication in a peer-review journal. LeAnn: Yes. My first name was Lonnie. I had started to spell it Loni, and my second named worked, too. But the clinic told me I had to change it. Following is a paragraph from “What;s Wrong with Stanford?” a one-page flyer distributed around 1980 by Golden Gate Girls & Guys, a transgender support group. It describes a question-and-answer session with Judy Van Maasdam of the Gender Dysphoria Program in Palo Alto (formerly the Stanford Gender Program). Ms. Van Maasdam gave three criteria by which a person is diagnosed as “transsexual”: (1) the inner feeling of being from the other sex; (2) a past history of activities usually associated with the other sex; and (3) a heterosexual orientation post-operatively. This last point raised much dissent in the group, and Ms. Van Maasdam curtly explained that her Program made this distinction and that those who disagreed with it were more than welcome to take their business elsewhere. Clearly, this “our way or the highway” mentality signifies professional arrogance. Such arrogance was common in gender programs in the 1970s (Denny, 1992). Needless to say, they were then blamed for being manipulative and dishonest. I wrote Dr. Cooper about this paragraph, and he assured me participation in his study was not mandatory in order to receive hormonal therapy. His article, however, argues otherwise. Under the medical model, transsexuals are seen as blameworthy, not only for their condition, but for other things that are wrong with the world. Raymond (1970) scolds them for perpetuating the binary gender system; it’s as if she expects transsexuals to be some sort of gender heroes/heroines, and is lashing out at them because they have somehow disappointed her (one wonders why, if Raymond believes traditional gender roles should be deconstructed, she colors so carefully within the gender lines herself). Transsexuals are also sometimes considered at fault for the shortcomings of the medical model, most notably for the well-known problems with follow-up (Stoller, 1982). It’s hardly surprising that transsexuals, who were trained by gender programs to assimilate into society, did so, thereby becoming “lost to follow-up.” It’s perhaps to be expected that transsexuals who were frequently manipulated by the gender programs would have some enmity towards them, and so would be motivated to make themselves less than available for follow-up for which they were often expected to pay the cost (see Stone, 1991). Such eventualities were, of course, never considered by the gender programs workers. Denny & Bolin (1997) , who conducted a follow-up study outside the clinical setting, recently reported a rather surprising finding: almost 100% of more than 100 members of a transsexual support group were available for follow-up, some as many as five years after leaving the group. Group members in fact were part of a cohesive social support network which maintained long after their gender transitions. It would seem likely that the infamous problem with follow-up is actually a problem with the medical model which was used in previous studies; transsexuals have been unfairly blamed. Steiner chooses to interpret the differential rates with which male-to-female and female-to-male transsexuals request cosmetic surgery as due to differences in personality factors; she overlooks the fact that cosmetic surgery is often necessary if male-to-females are to present successfully as female—a trait Steiner considers important; note her passages above. Female-to-male transsexuals typically pass quite well without any intervention other than hormones and top surgery. Feminine features like a small nose or lack of an Adam’s apple are unlikely to cause an otherwise masculine individual to be perceived as female, but the observe is not true (Kessler & McKenna, 1978). Males in our society only occasionally have plastic surgery to make them appear more ruggedly masculine, but surgeons are frequently called upon by women to feminize their faces and bodies. When transsexuals follow the same pattern, male-to-females are characterized as having personality disorders, and female-to-males as being psychologically healthy. Because the literature views gender variance as undesirable, it has eschewed exploration of third-gender roles or androgyny in favor of binary gender norms. Transgendered and transsexual persons must either be cured or helped to assimilate as members of the “other” gender; there is no middle ground. It is but appropriate and reasonable to use techniques, however intrusive, to eradicate transgender behavior, however benign. Even exorcism is worthy of consideration as a tool to “cure” transsexualism (Barlow, et al., 1977). The excesses of behaviorists, in particular, have been legion (see Denny, 1994d, for a review of the literature with adults). Some of the experiments have been more than a little reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange.” Cooper (1963), in an attempt to control a man’s crossdressing, kept him awake for one week with amphetamines and gave him drugs every hour to make him violently nauseous while requiring him to view pictures of himself crossdressed. The subject developed cardiac problems and had to be hospitalized for a month. Incredibly, while the author lamented not having scheduled regular EKG, neither he nor his contemporaries considered that his treatment may have been a bit overzealous. Barker, in 1965 in comparing the effectiveness of electrical shock and purgatives in the treatment of transvestism, never mentioned the use of nonaversive techniques, and he certainly never discussed the possibility that the subjects might be counseled to accept their need to crossdress and integrate their crossdressing into their lives rather than being repeatedly shocked or made nauseous. Because professionals, rather than those with lived experience, have been considered the ultimate authorities on transsexualism, the literature has tended to perpetuate myths and misinformation. Transsexuals themselves have been unable to correct these mischaracterizations. It has frequently been claimed that transsexuals have stereotyped notions of manhood and womanhood (see Bolin, 1988, Ch. 8 for a review). In my experience, and in the experience of those who have taken the trouble to study transsexuals outside the clinical setting, this is no more true for transsexuals than for anyone else, although transsexuals frequently report feeling they had to dress and behave in gender-stereotypical ways in order to please their caregivers (Bolin, 1988, 1994; Cromwell, 1997; Denny, 1997d). Nor do all transsexuals hate their genitals, as has been frequently claimed. Many masturbate frequently, a trait generally considered to be a contraindication for surgery, and a behavior about which a great many transsexuals have lied to a great many clinicians (Stone, 1991). In a thousand ways, transsexuals are unlike what has until recently been written about them, but they have been forced to conform or risk being denied access to hormones and surgery. The hubris of professionals can be almost without bounds. For decades, it was assumed that almost all male-to-female and all female-to-male transsexuals were heterosexual after surgery. Lou Sullivan, a female-to-male transsexual who identified as a gay man and refused to hide or lie about his sexual orientation, was able to obtain surgery only after a concerted and energetic campaign to educate professionals (Pauly, 1992; Sullivan, 1989). The reality of Sullivan’s sexual orientation was too apparent; he died of AIDS in 1991—and yet in 1996, a clinician insisted to me that were no gay-identified female-to-male transsexuals. Ironically, I must even now cite a professional source as well as Sullivan’s own work in order to document the fact of his homosexuality. In retrospect, it is professionals, and not transsexuals, who were more likely to have been stuck in a Rambo/Bimbo limboland. They have consistently projected their often sexist notions onto transsexuals. Kessler & McKenna (1978) have noted that those turned away by one program included Puerto Ricans, who “looked like fags” to the gender clinic doctors (p. 118). They note also that one prominent clinician turned away male-to-female transsexuals whom he did not find sexually appealing (p. 118). When transsexuals, desperate for treatment, conformed to professionals’ Ken and Barbie notions, it merely confirmed and perpetuated the expectations generated by the literature (Denny, 1992). While a thorough discussion of the ways the literature has impacted transsexual lives would be enlightening, it would be a formidable task. I would like, however, to mention the effect the literature has had on two widely-disseminated and often-referenced protocols. The Standards of Care of the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association, Inc. (Walker, et al., 1984), which were first introduced in 1980 as a set of minimum consensual guidelines for the hormonal and surgical treatment of transsexualism. They presuppose that transsexuals are incapable of making their own decisions about treatment and give gatekeeping power to mental health professionals for treatments which are available to nontranssexuals without such gatekeeping. Nearly twenty years after their introduction, the same suppositions rule and have even gained in strength; the most recent proposed revision increases the gatekeeping power of mental health professionals over transsexuals (Levine, 1997). Until recently, they defined the breasts of female-to-male transsexuals as “genitals,” which they clearly are not. Bolin (1992) has pointed out that such characterizations are based on the view of female bodies as commodities. Transsexuals themselves become commodities under the Standards of Care. For example, a recent flyer for a professional workshop called “Managing the Transsexual” (a vision of a lion-tamer with a whip and chair comes immediately to mind) enticed professionals by promising a highly motivated audience which was willing to pay cash for psychological and medical treatment. Not only do transsexuals find their autonomy limited by treatment protocols; they now have a mental illness. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association, 3rd edition (DSM-III, 1980) saw the inclusion of gender identity disorders for the first time. DSM-IV (1994) includes categories for both Transvestic Fetishism (302.8) and gender identity disorder (302.85), replacing the DSM III-R’s (1987) diagnosis of Transsexualism. The DSM-IV’s language has been roundly criticized by Wilson (1997), who finds that it and its supporting materials (Spitzer, ed., 1994) perpetuate negative stereotypes about transgendered and transsexual persons by the use of demeaning images and terminology. Wilson notes among other things that (1) the DSM-IV casebook describes a male who crossdresses as “The Fashion Plate;” (2) the DSM-IV categorizes transvestic fetishism with criminal behaviors like pedophilia and exhibitionism; and (3) the DSM-IV “blames the victim” for discrimination suffered by gender-variant people at the hands of society. Inclusion in the DSM is of little benefit to transsexuals, who, despite psychiatric diagnosis, are routinely denied insurance benefits for hormones, surgery, and counseling, and who, because they are categorized as mentally ill, frequently find themselves losing their jobs or custody of their minor children. Several years ago, Dierdre McCloskey, a prominent economist, was involuntarily psychiatrically hospitalized when she announced her decision to undergo sex reassignment. While it’s unclear what, if any, role the DSM played in McCloskey’s hospitalization, it was certainly available to provide a psychiatric label for what was in fact a well-considered and rational decision (McCloskey, 1996). The Standards of Care and the DSM were prepared by committees which drew heavily upon authoritative published material about transsexualism. Now they in turn are considered authoritative. They are nevertheless based upon a flawed and pejorative literature, and continue the faulty assumptions, sexism, and negative stereotypes of that literature. There is little doubt that they will come under increasing attack from activists, and little doubt that they will fall under the weight of their own shortcomings. The psychomedical literature of transsexualism is self-influencing, like a snake swallowing its own tail. It invites a certain understanding of transsexualism, and suggests certain directions for future research, which is done in due course and which in turn finds its way into the literature. Those most directly influenced by it are those who produce it; they tend not to see its recursive nature; they are simply too close to it. The careful reader may note that most of the articles and books I have chosen to use as examples predate 1991. There are two reasons for this. First, time, even a few years, gives us a perspective that is lacking with the more recent literature; and second, there has been considerable improvement during the past ten or so years. Certainly, however, the literature continues in large part in its previous vein; it is simply disparaging transsexuals in more subtle ways. We will probably have to wait a decade or so to document that fact. However, I will give one recent example of a paper which is colored by an author’s assumptions about transsexuals. Lothstein (1997), argues that interacting with prospective clients outside the consulting room can be “dangerous to our profession” (p. 273). That seems strange enough to those of use who are both transsexual and professionals and who have not considered ourselves in danger from transsexual acquaintances, friends, relatives, or lovers, or when we look in our bathroom mirrors—and it would certainly seem a peculiar notion to those trained in ethology, anthropology, or other disciplines which have as their mainstay naturalistic observation. However, insight into Lothstein’s thinking is perhaps best gained by the following sentence: “Person and Ovesey (1978) even visited transvestite and transsexual support groups to learn more about the phenomenon and to clinically inform their psychoanalytic perspective on how gender is experienced outside the consulting room” (p. 273, italics mine). Lothstein’s use of the word even shows how daring, dedicated, and perhaps foolish he considers Person & Ovesey to have been for venturing into transsexual space; he makes it sound as if they were Daniel, going into the den to beard the lion. None of the more than 300 transsexual support group, group therapy, and national transgender meetings I have attended have been anything other than polite gatherings; certainly none were anything like the circus Lothstein described in his 1977 paper (see above). It will come as no surprise to the reader that it is my belief that the literature needs to be reformed. In fact, reform is underway, and I expect it would continue without any help from me. I am, however, not averse to hurrying things along. We are in need of a new literature for a new century, a literature which is respectful to transsexual and transgendered people, and which will explore new territory without being bound by limiting beliefs. Before this can happen, the contributions of non-clinicians—anthropologists, sociologists, queer and feminists scholars, and transgendered and transsexual authors—who have been for the most part been ignored by medical and psychological professionals, must be acknowledged and their viewpoints and data incorporated into the clinical zeitgeist. Moreover, we must learn to talk about transsexuals as human beings rather than patients, for only then will we be able to discuss then in terms that do not endow them with pathology. There has been resistance among clinicians to other voices (Denny, 1993). But the literature must change, and the literature will change. My hope is it will happen sooner rather than later. Transsexualism is rather like a land that has been colonized by conquistadors from across the seas. For nearly 50 years now this transsexual country has been flying the flag of our masters. It’s not the flag of Spain or France or Portugal or England, or even the United States. The flag of the transsexual land is a caduceus, a staff entwined by serpents. Our flag is the symbol of the medical profession. Physicians have owned this land and its inhabitants—transsexuals—registered, copyrighted, trademarked, lock, stock, and barrel, signed, sealed, and delivered. [2] This approach can be useful when dealing with individuals who have psychological or psychiatric problems; however, the model makes it impossible to look at any transsexual or transgendered person without a presumption of psychopathology, and colors the very language used. (See Cromwell, Denny, & Green, 2001). [3] Well, maybe just a bit. While postmodern theory can be difficult to read and sometimes seems to have its own rather opaque language, it has much of worth to say. Unfortunately, some medical and psychological professionals reject it in its entirety, usually with claims that it is antiscientific. “The difficulty with social constructionism is that it impedes science and the collection of knowledge” (Hershberger, 1997, p. 560). Hershberger is being shortsighted, for he presumes scientists and therefore science have no social agendas—and of course, they do. What social constructionism actually attempts to do is to cast loose the moorings of science, to test unchallenged and often unconscious assumptions scientist may not even know they have. In this regard, it is indeed scientific, for it enables new viewpoints that result in reinterpretation of existing data. What essentialists are actually arguing for is to maintain the status quo, which impedes science, which is really all about the very shifts in perspective that social constructionism can facilitate. [4] I have a letter from McHugh, written in 1994, in which he expresses his profound disbelief that a post-operative male-to-female transsexual could be sexually attracted to other women. If McHugh had spent any time with male-to-female transsexuals, he would have known that a significant percentage (probably about one-third) of post-op male-to-females self-identify as lesbian. One wonders how someone with so little knowledge of transsexualism and transsexuals feels qualified to rage about them in the pages of American Scholar, as has McHugh. [5] In contrast to the behavioral treatment of adults, which has gone unremarked, the behavioral treatment of children (attempting, of course, to cure them for their own good) has come under heavy fire. See Zucker & Bradley (1995) for an medially-biased overview and Burke (1996) for an anti-treatment position. Abel, G.G. (1979). What to do when nontranssexuals seek sex reassignment surgery. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 5(4), 374-376. 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Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative brain disease that can severely affect the functioning of the brain and body. CTE and concussions have been linked in some studies, but there are still many unknowns and continuous research is being done to learn more about the disease and causes. CTE can only be detected posthumously. In May of 2016, the family of Dave Mirra decided to pursue posthumous neurological testing which included a study for CTE. The study was coordinated by the University of Toronto and the Canadian Concussion Centre under the direction of Lili-Naz Hazrati, M.D., PhD. Leading neuropathologists from the U.S. and abroad unanimously confirmed the diagnosis of CTE. This new website is the start of bringing awareness to CTE, and we’ve included several links for you to learn more about the disease. With the news of Dave’s diagnosis, his wife said: “Dave wouldn’t want others to live in fear. He would have still done what he loved and what he was called to do which was ride his bike. Safety and helmets were a priority with Dave, and he would still want us to continue to promote that and continue to produce better equipment."

http://davemirra.com/cte

King Louie (@KingL) drops the visuals for his “Roll Up The Dope”, directed by @WhoisHiDef and is off his “March Madness” mixtape, out now. Check the video out below. Joey Fatts (@JoeyFatts) gets Gangsta Gibbs (@FreddieGibbs) for his latest single “Need More” off Joeys’ just released project “Chipper Jones Vol.2” The track was produced by Eli Myles. Check it out below. Alley Boy (@alleyboydte) gives us a preview to a few cuts off his mixtape “War Cry” that drops this Sunday. Sit back and check it out and cop that “War Cry” this weekend. The queen Nia Keturah (@NiaKeturah) pops up with an official video for her deadbeat dad anthem from the Po Lil Black Girl album she released in March. Directed by Cam Kirk. Watch below. Rocky Diamonds (@RockyDiamonds) releases his video for “21” off his latest project,”ArtOfficial”. The video was directed by Rocky Diamonds and Nino Powers. Check the visuals out below. @YoungJeezy @therealJuicyJ @YoGottiKOM teamed up on this cut that trickled it’s way onto CTE’s “ItsThaWorld” EP that dropped today. Young Jeezy introduces his Doughboyz Cashout group on this project. Listen below and download the full project here or stream it below.

http://ddotomen.co/blog/page/1858/

For those who have been in a certain field for over twenty years they may possibly be used to the job and may have accustomed to it. Just when everything seems alright there are many who say, I need a new career. It is only obvious that they would have basically shifted to a job due to certain reasons and now it’s time to move on. Time waits for no man so making the right decision at the right time is quite important. No matter the place or country there are jobs on the downpour always. Decision making can be the ultimate choice and once the right career is sorted out then there would be a difference experience. I need a new career is what many keep saying but knowing that which is in demand and will remain on the top is essential. There is much homework to do when it comes to finding the right option. Those of who were in the human resource team are certainly fed up of that life but this is one job that would fetch a good future. This is the same story with all the other departments as well. Shifting to a new career would mean new people and people with different passion. The job done would be entirely different helping those new to learn new things. Possessing a job that is stable would rely on a great career. I Need a New Career so Help me! Business oriented people love what they do as long as everything goes smooth and suddenly the very same job is boring. This is when a new skill needs to come into practice in order to make way for a new career. This is the theme that is followed everywhere and this would ultimately mean the right and smart choice. If there is something who says, I need a new career then there is without any doubt the choice to shift. No more feeling bored in the same job for numerous years for a new career is on the way. This could be done pretty fast and very commonly happening around today. Business is fun but it would not suit everyone so analyzing the fact would be of great help to every individual. The wise sure do know that having a job and working on a course for the new career would be the ideal lookout. This is exactly what could happen in every life but know what are the major essentials. When everything is clear then the route is clear as well. I need a new career would no longer be a saying but it would turn out to work in reality. There are many fields and in each there is fun and as well as seriousness. Judging something by the cover would never work fine in any case. Every business requires a certain skill and having that would allow anybody to be hired. This is one of the major reasons why many make a mistake in choosing their future. Having done a certain degree and then moving on to a career that is drastically on the contrast would never help. It makes no pure sense when this happens but for sure it happens. A person can never work in the same kind of routine always and there needs to be a change. That is exactly why many say, I need a new career. There could be doubts that arise and that should now be clarified in the best way possible. There are many out there who are ever willing to help in finding the right career. Technology has improved as well paving way for many other different filed of work. This opens up an array of imaginary jobs that can boost the morale of a person. Every career has its own points and likewise knowing the kind of career to enter would help. No more saying, I need a new career for it is easy to get a new career now. There is demand for entrepreneurs all over the world and knowing the benefits of this stable job can be the choice to make. Not much effort is needed but the willingness to know the fact is essential. There could be many advantages with the previous career but due to lack in talent there would be a change. There are so many reasons but ultimately everything would fall into place. Having an idea of all priorities can be of great help. The advantage of changing careers definitely stands out and makes it definitely the most sought after. I need a new career today.

http://degreedistinction.com/many-individuals-saying-need-new-career

Violence against Mexican women is not a new subject. Disappearances and murdered women in the border town of Cd. Juarez and throughout the country are reported in the news headlines every day. Between 1999 and 2005 more than 6,000 women and girls were murdered, an average of 1,000 murdered women every year. The majority of the deaths result from violence within their household (Mexico, 2009). The rate of violence is not isolated to border towns. The Instituto Nacional de Estadisticas y Geografia (National Institute of Statistics and Geography/INEGI) reports that 67% of Mexican women aged 15 years of age and older have been victims of violence. At the same time, the political representation of Mexican women has increased over the years. The rate of Mexican women who hold national political positions is 35%, higher than most of its neighboring countries (Women, 2013). This thesis will focus on the representation of women at the federal level. Even though political representation numbers are significant compared to other nation states, Mexico ranks high in the Gender Inequality Index measured by the United Nations, signifying that Mexican women hold a poor position in their society. The relationship between the high incidence of violence against women and the number of elected female politicians is contradictory. This thesis will look at the effectiveness of Mexican female politicians in creating policies against violence and aims to answer these questions: 1) To what extent do women politicians follow party lines and to what extent do women politicians have autonomous agendas? 2) To what extent do women politicians get to participate in policy making and what role do quotas play in female participation? 3) Are Mexican female politicians writing and advocating effective legislation against violence? 4) What are some of the challenges and barriers in passing legislation against violence? I approach these questions using quantitative and qualitative methods through two case studies, data analysis, and narrative reports. I frame these questions around representation and critical mass theory. The first case study analyzes whether female PRI Senator Diva Gastelum represents her constituents through descriptive or substantives representation. The second case study analyzes the Ley General de Victimas (General Law for Victims/LGV), a piece of victim's assistance legislation and the role of female politicians. This inquiry will help the reader understand whether a relationship between Mexican female politicians and policies created against violence exists. by Sunner Daniela Hernandez Inzunza. Thesis directed by Professor Jana Everett. support, and encouragement. And to my brothers Pablo, Miguel, and Jose. the formatting stages. Thank you. Mexican women can only expect to be paid at 75% for the same work as men (INEGI, 2012). politicians have autonomous agendas? quotas play in female participation? 4. What are some of the challenges and barriers in passing legislation against violence? barriers for effective legislation against violence. words a mans right to now include women and minorities. might be elected by female constituents of similar qualities through descriptive representation. against women through the role of a female politician in Congress. between either/or in having our ideas or political presence in the legislature. highest level, is seen as important since it provides representation for another point of view (p. theory of representation on Latin America and incorporate critical mass theory. are three forms of quotas: 1) Voluntary Party Policy, 2) Law, and 3) Constitutional Amendment. because women who are qualified will rise on their own merit anyway (Rodriguez, 1998, p. 11). countries around the world (Henderson, 2010, p. 15). represent other women, the expression of Mexican culture in politics, and the role of quotas. her findings of the role contemporary Mexican female politicians play in the political system. One of the recurring themes in the literature is where to place Mexican women in politics. analyzes the interconnected role that gender has played in her life. resistance than other women in politics. into account to be able to analyze social policy, as men and women have not had equal rights. of female Mexican politicians in creating policies against violence. measures the views of Mexican citizens of politics and rate of involvement and participation. of Congress passing legislation against violence. Case study methodology allows me to look at the issues through different perspectives. reality of not passing legislation against violence. chosen because she is a female Senator that plays a central and balancing act within her party. barriers in passing legislation. equally important womens issues that include parity in the work place and reproductive rights. focusing on womens representation in Mexico, thesis methodology, and thesis parameters. implementing these policies and some recommendations for further research. representation through representation theory and critical mass theory. of womens issues. issues that would benefit her female constituents. contribute to the study of womens political representation by adding another dimension. that theses female politicians must also be interested in bringing change to womens issues (p. specifically on Latin America. that will allow them to advance their position and that of all women in Mexican society (p. heard in determining financial priorities and shaping national agendas (Equality, 2008, p. 65). advocate for policy changes by working together with other women and civil society groups (p. funds for female training. legislation and are an essential part of any democratic political system. words, once female representation reaches 30 percent they will have more influence in politics. clearly represent the electorate in Mexico since in most cases quota numbers are not reached. for issues of gender as some are more concerned on advancing their own personal agenda. review, has made politically active Mexican women throughout history appear rather invisible. government, bringing stability to the country and growth of the economy while in office. politics, a field seen only for men. 1917 arguing that women ought to have rights for equal representation (Jaquette, 1994, p. 200). equal rights (Rodriguez, 1998, p. 91). that each president would elect its successor (Urrita, 1994). The third wave in the 1930s included women from different groups coming together. Article 34 in the constitution, to give women full citizenship, as it went to the National Congress. time had already given women the right to vote in local elections (Jaquette, 1994). popular presidents, so much that the opposition likened him to a movie star (Urrutia, 1994, p. convention, and called for women to wake up against all the inequalities (Rodriguez, 2003, p. equal rights between men and women. forced to take military action. policies as competitive advantage and jobs were lost. course was taught; and the first rape crisis center was established (Rodriguez, 2003, p. 105). prosecuting cases of violence against women, adding in 2008 the treatment of persons as well. other type of violence that harms or is likely to harm women's dignity, integrity or freedom" (Kennedy, 2007, ]}. 11). It also requires federal and local authorities to respond appropriately. system is structured. be addressed in the next section on the role of quotas in Mexican politics. waged a battle against the drug cartels increasing violence in the country (Bonner, 2012). further discussed in Chapter IV case studies. from one district. Single-member refers to one person running for office for one constituency. likely to be elected under the rules governing a proportional system (Henderson, 2010, p. 14). the party at this level (INEGI, 2012). commited to womens issues, more on the role of the OMNPRI will be discussed in Chapter IV. that is 29% of female representation within the party at this level (INEGI, 2012). Mexican politics during the LXI Legislative session (2009 2012). can sustain democracy in Mexico (Encuesta, 2008). intervene in cases of violence, senators and public officials must enact the necessary legislation. the government by electing who represents them. during the LXI Legislative session. play in female participation? Romero, a teacher, note that being an only child, Gastelum had to be special, hence her name. experience includes serving in the Chamber of Deputies from 2003 to 2006, and 2009 to 2012. committees dealing with human rights, gender and equality, and constitutional issues (H. sponsored in the Chamber of Deputies. expansion of health services like family planning and prenatal care. rights, womens equality, and the environment. Table I Gastelum Proposed Initiatives in the Legislature Sept 2009 Apr 2012. of the mechanism necessary to sanction the failure of the party to follow party rules. both descriptive and substantive representation in discussing womens political representation. challenges and barriers in passing legislation against violence? analysis and review, and seems to have been stalled in that committee. Legislative Studies) for analysis and review and seems to have been halted there. (United Committee of Justice and Legislative Studies) for analysis and review. on providing victims services. approved the initiative on April 30, 2012, with 369 votes in favor, 0 against, and 0 abstentions. Thirty-five percent of the votes in favor consisted of female deputies, including Gastelum. absences were reported and the legislators still received full pay (Caporal, 2013, ]}. 3). law was unconstitutional and presented a 40-page paper with his eleven reasons against the law. in the Mexican legislation (Robles, 2012). Chihuahua, as response from the Federal government to help the families victims of femicides. in Mexico have now endorsed it (Mercado & Brito, 2013). might be made to it. politicians writing and advocating effective legislation against violence? The answer is mixed. to pass two initiatives specifically dealing with victims rights out of the seven she presented. barriers in passing legislation against violence. substantive roles in representing her constituents and advocating for womens equal rights. out alone and one out of four believes that womens rights are not respected (Genero, 2012). regional Judicial powers were given $31 million pesos to comply with LGAMVLV nationally. is distributed and used, but it is beyond this thesis. legislation can be good in some cases, as it gives legislators a change to improve previous laws. representation and onto issues of societal and political structures. effectiveness of Mexican female politicians and an outlook to the future. issues of gender. levels of government to reduce levels of violence against women. to take on issues of violence, victims services, and gender parity. as researching how the different levels measured by the Gender Inequality Index affect change. working together to help Mexican women live a life free of violence. mexico. London: Amnesty International Publications. secular state. Third World Quarterly, 31:6, 989-1005. Politics & Policy, 27:1-2, 9-30. Brickner, R. (2010). Feminist activism, union democracy and gender equity rights in Mexico. Journal of Latin American Studies, 42, 749-777. Camarena, S. (2012, April 30). Mexico aprueba la primera ley para la atencion de las victimas. Caporal, I. (2013, January 21). Senadores faltan a trabajar y no les descuentan ni un peso. Castro, L. (2012, August 25). El reto de las mujeres legisladoras, empoderarse. ADNPolitico. CEAMEG. (2010). La Violencia contra las mujeres: marco juridico nacional e internacional. Mexico D.F.: Mexico. politicospublicas. Mexico D.F.: Mexico. Childs, S. & Krook M. L. (2008). Critical mass theory and womens political representation. Political Studies. Vol. 56. Conferencia de prensa de dip del PRI Diva Gastelum y Carolina Vigiiano sobre el femicidio. Dahlerup, D. (2006). The Story of the theory of critical mass. Politics & Gender. Vol.2. No.4, p. wing female politicians life story. European Journal of Womens Studies. 18:2, 155-168. El Senado turna a diputados reformas a la ley de victimas. (2013, March 21). Informador. Estadisticas y Geografia. Mexico City: Mexico. Gastelum, D. (2011). Plan de trabajo 2011 2015. Organismo Nacional de Mujeres Priistas. Edicion. Mexico City: Mexico. Europe, Praxis International, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp 1-19. America. In Proceedings from the The Social Sciences Research Council. New York. Institute for Gender Research (GIGR). Review. Vol. 106, No.3. para implementar y ejecutar programas de prevention de la violencia contra las mujeres. Proyectos apoyados en el periodo de enero diciembre de 2009. Mexico City: Mexico. Jaquette, J. (1994). The womens movement in Latin America: participation and democracy. Kanter, R.M. (1993). Men andwomen of the corporation. New York, NY: Basic Books. Las diferentes posturas sobre la ley general de victimas. (2013, January 10). ADNPolitico. Ley General de Victimas. (2012). Senado de la republica LXI legislatura. Mexico City: Mexico. Mexican womens coalition pushes for reform, creates toolkit for advocacy. (2013, January 4). Mexico: two years on the law to protect women has had no impact at state level. (2009). revolution in Nicaragua. Feminist Studies II, 2, 1985. representatives are?. Feminism and Politics, Oxford: Oxford University, pp. 224-240. Phillips, A. (1995). The politics of presence. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Piscopo, J.M. (2011). Do women represent women? gender and policy in Argentina and Mexico. PhD Dissertation. University of California, San Diego. debates. Parliamentary Affairs. Vol. 64, No. 3. Pitkin, H. (1967). The concept of representation. Los Angeles: University of Press. pitfalls for gender equality. Third World Quarterly. 31:6, 833-850. engagement: does party matter. Political Research Quarterly, 63(2), 280-294. Robles de la Rosa, L. (2012). Felipe Calderon teme lucro con ley de victimas. Excelsior. Schechter, S. (1982). Women and male violence. Boston, MA: South End Press. Senado reforma ley general de victimas. (2013). Senado LXII Legislatura. Comunicacion Social. Women in parliaments: world classification. (2013, February 1). Inter-Parliamentary Union. Mexican state legislatures. Parliamentary Affairs. 61:3. v DEDICATION I dedicate this work to Dante, my son and reason to always strive to become a better person. To David, my partner. To my parents Daniel and Claudia for your continuous love, support, and encouragement. And to my brothers Pablo, Miguel, and Jose. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my thesis chair Dr. Jana Everett for her invaluable time, grea t insight, resources, and guidance throughout the thesis writing process. I thank my pro gram advisor and committee member Dr. Omar Swartz for his guidance throughout the Ma ster of Social Science program and thesis feedback. I thank my third committee member Dr Christina Jimenez for taking time out of her busy schedule to offer some insight, direction, and fee dback. I am infinitely grateful to Norma Corralejo for the endless babysitting hour s, giving me the opportunity to achieve this research. Sin su ayuda no podra haber hecho esto. ¡Gracias! I would also like to thank Tracie Corner, Brandi Raiford-Copeland, and Daniel Hernande z Saavedra for your assistance in the proofing stages, and Tracye Wilhelm for your assistance in the formatting stages. Thank you. 14 of culture. I will not address ongoing initiatives to change language used in cur rent violence legislation as a tendency to define the same term in different ways or lump tog ether the same act is present. Nevertheless, I do address the role of combining various initiative s into one, as will be observed in the second case study in Chapter IV. Mexico, a democratic state, rec ognizes a separation of Church and State, conceding that religion does play an influential rol e in Mexican culture. I will not address the role of the Catholic Church. This thesis will look spec ifically at the issue of violence against women and political representation, recognizing tha t there are many equally important “women’s issues” that include parity in the work place and re productive rights. Thesis Outline The thesis is divided into five chapters: Chapter I is an overview of the thesis proposa l which includes an introduction to the problem and research questions, as well as theory on women’s representation, background on quotas, a literature review of the current li terature focusing on women’s representation in Mexico, thesis methodology, and thesis parame ters. Chapter II further analyzes women’s political representation theory and s ome literature on quotas. Chapter III provides historical background of women’s rights in Mexico highli ght women’s suffrage, and some historical background and norms on gender violence in Mexico. I t addresses how the Mexican political system is structured, as well as some background on how Mexican political parties have implemented quotas. Chapter IV presents the two case studies and analyzes how each one can help answer the research questions. Finally, Chapter V is the conclusion and recommendations where I will show mixed results, Mexican female poli ticians are somewhat effective in creating policies against violence even though t heir representation numbers surpass critical mass theory. In addition, it highlights some of the barr iers in implementing these policies and some recommendations for further research. 19 common goals, despite their different party affiliations. Htun and Piscopo have take n descriptive and substantive representation in their research as they focus on Latin Americ a. Their extensive research has found that the number of women in politics is increasing, but that quotas in fac t have more effect in placing women in legislator positions than economic development or other socioeconomic factors (Htun & Piscopo, 2010). They have found that Latin American fema le politicians, in general, occupy positions in politics that are “less powerful” or a reas of “soft” policy. In other words, male politicians continue to occupy the political positions that garner more power for change like committees that are in charge of dispensing fe deral funds. While women occupy the committees dealing with social issues like family relat ions and health. This trend of women in “soft” committees is true around the world (Equality, 2008). Keeping women on these committees enforces the stereotype that women are not capable of leade rship in other fields like economics or government, furthering women from reaching parity wi th men in all fields. Not having women in “hard” committees also limits women’s “voices and per spectives heard in determining financial priorities and shaping national agendas” (Equali ty, 2008, p. 65). Htun and Piscopo (2010) found that “inclusion does not lead automatically to the substantive activity of representation” that women in fact have to be interested in women’s issues and really advocate for policy changes by working together with other women and civil socie ty groups (p. 8). However, Htun and Piscopo concede that most of the policy changes that have been achie ved for female issues have to do with policies against female violence and quota change s. Some of their (2010) recommendations to increase women’s political participation include: political parties to adopt measures to expand women’s opportunities to gain access to political of fice, formalize women’s caucuses and commissions, encourage cross party cooperation, and devote funds for female training. 22 for issues of gender as some are more concerned on advancing their own personal agenda. However, the intersection between substantive representation and quotas research b y Piscopo and Franceschet (2011, p. 454) has shown that women elected through quotas in fact suffer more of a “mandate effect” in which they are “compelled to speak and act for women .” More of this “mandate effect” will be further addressed in the first case study in C hapter IV analyzing Senator Gastelum’s initiatives. 23 CHAPTER III BACKGROUND This chapter includes different background sections including a brief historical background of the Mexican women’s movement from the 1900s up to 1995, background of gender violence in Mexico, how the Mexican political system is organized, and backgr ound on the role of quotas in the Mexican political system. The Mexican women’s movement is included to show that Mexican women have always been politically active. Gender violence background in Mexico highlights some dates of Mexico’s accomplishments in passing and adopting no rms against gender violence. The Mexican political system section gives a brief background on how the political system is structured and organized. The role of quotas in the Mexic an political system section addresses how Mexican political parties have implemented quot as within their party. Mexican Women’s Movement Women’s activism and participation in politics is not new for Mexican women. Women have been politically active since the times of La Malinche helping Cortez i n the conquest of Mexico, to Sor Juana voicing her thoughts against injustice, to the times of soldaderas (female soldiers) participating in the Mexican Revolutionary war of 1910. Mexican wome n have always had an active role in the history and politics of Mexico (Jaquette, 1994). However, not recognizing Mexican women as equal citizens in the political system, as st ated in the literature review, has made politically active Mexican women throughout history appear rathe r invisible. This section aims to show that Mexican women have always been present in politics fighting for equality. 29 successful in gathering the signatures, and President Ruiz Cortinez offic ially passed legislation to amend the constitution and electoral law to give women equal rights with men and the opportunity to participate in politics. This was a great achievement for Mexican w omen and, in 1955, the first four Mexican women were elected to Congress. However, this achievem ent was bittersweet as the government at the time was controlled by the PRI part y, and these women’s voting patterns remained in line with those as men. In 1958, the first Presidential election was held in which women had the opportunity to vote, doubling the total number of voters. Adolfo Lopez Mateo, from the PRI, was elected, his policies focused on cultural reforms, na tionalizing electric companies, land reform, social welfare, and growing internationa l relations. He faced social movements from teachers, doctors, train workers, and labor workers for incre ase in wages and benefits (Urrutia, 1994). In response he passed different policies establishing s ocial security, free textbooks for all students, and passed minimum wage legislation, he became one of the most popular presidents, so much that the opposition likened him to a movie star (Urrutia, 1994, p. 253). During the 1960’s the women’s movement weakened, as suffrage had been passed, and most women’s organizations became government sponsored, as the “PRI absorbed many politically active women and channeled them into positions within the bureaucracy” (Jaquette, 1994, p. 205). This was a time of stability and growth for Mexico, until the next President Gustavo Diaz Ordaz (1964 1970) came to power. Ordaz was faced with a student movement protesting the amount of political repression and lack of democracy. Facing gro wing manifestations by students and the middle class, Ordaz ordered in 1968 the massacre o f a peaceful student protest in Tlateloco, awakening other parts of society about t heir role with government. 38 and the candidates for the constituency elections. However, parties who democratically elect their candidates are exempt from the regulations COFIPE, Article 219 (Mexico, 2012, . 1) Although quota laws have been implemented, no clear enforcement mechanism has been established to make sure that political parties follow them. At the same time not all political parties are supporters of institutionalizing quotas as the PAN initially opposed t hem, while the PRI and PRD have “formally and explicitly instituted a quota system both within i ts internal party structure and its candidate list” (Rodriguez, 2003, p. 180). Currently, each par ty has implemented different levels of quotas within, the PRD leads with an internal quota of 50 percent, the PRI 30 percent, and the PAN “ruled in 2000 that each pair of candidates (primar y and substitute) must contain one woman” (Piscopo, 2011, p. 43). These differences are due to the way each party views and approaches women. The PRD is the party that most progre ssively supports women, its rhetoric “views women as important actors in the workplace and in the public sphere” (Rodriguez, 2003, p. 121). Their platform clearly shows that they support women’s issues like equal pay, birth control, nonsexist education, proportional representat ion of women in government, elimination of discrimination, and educational opportunities among others. It was also the only party that stipulated thirty percent of its candida te list be women in the early 1990s. The highest ranking women from their party include Amalia Garcia, w ho became president of the party, and Rosario Robles, who became Mayor of Mexico Cit y. In the current LXII legislature, the PRD controls 104 of the seats in the Chamber of De puties, 39 of them women, that is 37% of female representation within the party at this level In the Senate, the PRD controls 22 of the seats, 16 of them women, that is 72% of female representation wit hin the party at this level (INEGI, 2012). 40 within the party at this level. In the Senate, the PAN controls 38 of the seats, 11 of the m women, that is 29% of female representation within the party at this level (INEGI, 2 012). 47 human rights initiatives. Education initiatives address issues of access and c ost, expanding the curriculum, and expanding the development of information technologies. Health initi atives address women’s family planning as a basic service, prenatal and delivery se rvices, and psychological services for children. Human rights initiatives address the e lection of the president of the National Human Rights Commission, rights of the disabled, immigrant’s right s, and the passage of a law to prevent, investigate, and persecute those in violation of human right s as declared by the United Nations. Lastly, with two each, are initiatives deal ing with the environment and women’s equality. The two initiatives addressing the environment deal specifically with disaster relief funds and allocating funds for the pres ervation and improvement of needy areas. The three initiatives specifically addressing women’s ine quality, call for funds to promote women’s equality, eradicate violence and discrimination against women and women’s expansion of health services like family planning and prenatal care. Further, the initiatives that had the most success rate of passing were educa tion initiatives. Three of the five education initiatives presented in Congress were passed. See table I for a breakdown of initiatives by category and rate of passage. Based on the init iatives presented by Gastelum one can accurately state that she substantively represents wom en as most of her initiatives are geared towards improving women’s lives. Analyzing the init iatives presented and co-sponsored by Senator Gastelum show that in fact she is not only acting in a repres entative role, by being a female, but also in a substantive role by supporting women’s iss ues. Her voting record also reflects similar qualities as she has voted in favor of many soci al issues that help women. The topics of her initiatives indeed affect women directly and indirectly, t hrough family, education, government organization, worker’s rights, victim’s rights, he alth, human rights, women’s equality, and the environment. 59 to pass two initiatives specifically dealing with victim’s rights out of t he seven she presented. The majority of women in the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies voted for the passage of the initiative, reflecting that women do support legislation against violence. Respondi ng to the second question the second case study addressed: 2) What are some of the challen ges and barriers in passing legislation against violence? The challenges and barrie rs in passing the LGV legislation include: President Calderon’s view of the issue as he vetoed it, the c omplexities in the use of language of how victims were to be viewed and assisted, the difficulty of impl ementing the law as different organizations will play a role in responding, and the work ahe ad of new President Pea Nieto to implement. The following section will further address s ome of the barriers in passing legislation against violence. Challenges and Barriers Case study 1 showed that one Mexican female politician is serving both descriptive a nd substantive roles in representing her constituents and advocating for women’s equal r ights. Additionally, case study 2 showed female politician’s role in writing and advoca ting for legislation to assist victims, as well as the complexities and barriers i n passing this type of legislation. Together these two case studies show that there is more to passi ng legislation against violence that goes past issues of gender representation and onto issues of societa l and political structures. This section further addresses some challenges in implementing le gislation against violence. It includes a brief look at the 2007 General Law to Women’s Access to a L ife Free of Violence (LGAMVLV), a look at issues of funding, the response of the international C EDAW committee for non-compliance, and the realities victim’s face when denouncing p erpetrators of violence. 60 The many obstacles the General Law for Victims initiative had to go throug h show just how complex it is to pass any federal law in Mexico to assist victims of viole nce. It highlights that passing legislation against violence or even services for victims not only takes female politicians taking it as part of their agenda, but also the need to have buy-in and support f rom other parties, and most importantly support from the President. These obstacles and the fact that Congress has to re-examine the General Law for Victims point to how victim s in Mexico are recognized, defined, and the role that gender plays. For example, there is a tende ncy to recognize women victims of violence as part of the problem, in a 2010 National survey about discrimination in Mexico, 12.4 percent of people “agree” that women are assault ed because they “provoke men or ask for it” (Genero, 2012). Violence in the home is also seen as a private matter to be dealt with within family units, rather than through politics or the author ities. This patriarchal attitude is also reflected as 26 percent of females still as k their partners permission to vote or who to vote for. Similarly, 33 percent of females ask permission of their partne r to go out alone and one out of four believes that women’s rights are not respected (Genero, 2012). Meanwhile, female politicians instead of taking the issue straight on, focus m ore on a broader agenda, as noted with Gastelum’s record, she focuses more on family issues that r ange from how childcare is provided to the creation of a commission to oversee children’s welfa re. However, Gastelum has approached the issue of victims through policies that focus on reformi ng penal codes for better coordination between the different government structures, and the creation of projects to lower delinquency. In a press conference regarding femicides, Gastelum noted that violence against women is not an issue of victimhood, but rather an issue of justice, justic e for women victims of violence, that deserve parity and recognition in the judicial sy stem (Conferencia, 2011). 62 municipal levels (Convention, 2012, p. 3). At the same time no real international mechanism has been established that can persecute States for noncompliance with LGAMVLV, b esides imposing sanctions and international pressure on governments, only recommendations can be made. Amnesty reports continue to record many cases of women experiencing vi olence in Mexico and how the perpetrators are not being held accountable, prosecuted, and in most case s no follow-up by the authorities exists (Amnesty, 2008). These challenges show how f ragile and fluid laws against violence are in Mexico. In a way laws against violence a re at the mercy of the current President’s view of violence, victim’s rights, and available funding. This fluidity in legislation can be good in some cases, as it gives legislators a change t o improve previous laws. However, change in a law is not needed when the initial LGAMVLV law has not been fully implemented at the state level, public officials have not been successful in impl ementing it, and the population has not been fully accustomed to a new law in which violence against women i s not tolerated. Showing that combating violence against women go beyond issues of gender representation and onto issues of societal and political structures. 63 CHAPTER V RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION This chapter will summarize this thesis; address some recommendations, and off er a conclusion based on the literature reviewed, historical background, and the analysis o f the two case studies presented. The summary section will present the statistics on viol ence against women, the number of female politicians, the literature review, the methods used, and how the case studies relate to the literature. The recommendations section will pr esent a few recommendations for the passage and implementation of policies against violence, the political participation of women, education, and further research. The conclusion section wil l present the effectiveness of Mexican female politicians and an outlook to the future. Thesis Summary Violence against Mexican women is not a new topic as murdered and disappeared women are reported in the news every day. However, the incidence of women that have been victims of violence (67%), the lack of response from the government, the high rank in gende r inequality, and the national average of participating female politicians (35 %) compared to other nation states, offers an interesting relationship that has been explored in this thesis. In a country where 51% of its population is female, and of those 51% are eligible and registered to vote (INEGI, 2012), brings the questions addressed in this thesis as to the effectivenes s of Mexican female politicians. 1. To what extent do women politicians follow party lines and to what extent do women politicians have autonomous agendas? 2. To what extent do women politicians get to participate in policy making and what role do quotas play in female participation? 3. Are Mexican female politicians writing and advocating effective legisl ation against violence? 68 on the role of Mexican politicians in creating policies against violence, as we ll as how Mexican women can advance in issues of representation not only at the national level, but stat e and local levels too. Improving the inequality of Mexican women in their society has to be approached at all levels, including those measured by the United Nations Gender Inequality Index, maybe then the situation will reflect change in the numbers of women victims of violence. The fi eld is open for other scholars to build on and explore not only issues of policy and representation in Mex ico, but also investigate what if anything has proven effective in combating ge nder violence, as well as researching how the different levels measured by the Gender Inequali ty Index affect change. To this end, a wider conversation is needed that recognizes all the different aspec ts of Mexican society to create a violence free society that goes beyond issues of ge nder representation and the political process. The conversation must include the different institutions that m ake society including the community, businesses, religious institutions, civil society groups, a nd legislators working together to help Mexican women live a life free of violence. 74 http://comunicacion.senado.gob.mx/index.php/periodo-ordinario/boletines/6085-boletin-1184-senado-reforma-ley-general-de-victimas.html Tellis, W. (1997). Application of a case study methodology. The Qualitative Report Volume 3, Number 3. Retrieved October 10, 2012, from http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR3-3/tellis2.html Urrutia, C., Libura, K., Escalante, P., Martinez, R., Morales, L., Pinet, A., Blanco, J., & Sanchez, A. (1994). Historia de Mexico: el hombre en la historia Mexico D.F:, Mexico: Cia. Editorial Ultra. Vicente Fox. (2013). Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved on March 27, 2013, from http://britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/757093/vicente-fox Villagran, L. (2013, January 11). We are millions: victims of organized crime in Mex ico seek justice in new law. The Christian Science Monitor Retrieved on April 2, 2013, from http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2013/0111/We-are-millions-Victi ms-oforganized-crime-in-Mexico-seek-justice-in-new-law What are quotas? (2010). Quota Project. Retrieved February 7, 2013, from http://www.quotaproject.org/aboutQuotas.cfm#what Women in parliaments: world classification. (2013, February 1). Inter-Parlia mentary Union. Retrieved on March 21, 2013, from http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/classif.htm Zetterberg, P. (2008). The downside of gender quotas? Institutional constraints on w omen in Mexican state legislatures. Parliamentary Affairs 61:3.

http://digital.auraria.edu/AA00000029/00001

Home Ruben Salazar (1928-1970) Papers Review of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's department investigation into the homicide of Ruben... Description The cover page from the Los Angeles County Office of Independent Review of the sheriff's department initial investigation on Ruben Salazar's death. The 20-page report does not assign blame, but rather revisits the facts of the event, Los Angeles, California, 2011 February 22.

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15799coll78/id/65

D. Thourson Palmer sheared sheep in rural Ohio, studied in the Appalachian foothills, explored Japan by train and pack, and got lost in the Central Valley of California. He’s writing fantasy and lives in Columbus, Ohio. Revik Lasivar knows he is a savior. He knows he will never be defeated. He knows he is fighting for good. Ours Is the Storm is a fresh take on the classic fantasy novel and is listed on BestFantasyBooks.com’s top Indie Fantasy. Raze is an ongoing weekly epic fantasy web serial, a serious, character driven portrait of the greatest warrior the world has ever known, told from his holding cell before his execution at the hands of the woman he loves; a cell he chose; a cell in which he waits. To find out why, you have to get to know RAZE.

http://dthoursonpalmer.com/

The recent visit of Benedict XVI to these shores served in no way to disguise the fact that the Catholic church in America has been losing ground for decades. Long ago the Legion of Decency and its sisters in Comstockery lost their ability to deter the faithful from attending certain movies. As for the Index of Prohibited Books, does it even exist? If it does, it would best serve as a list of good reading along the lines of the Chicago Great Books. Most significantly a large segment of American Catholics have become protestants to all intents and purposes. They no longer pay attention to the hierarchy when it comes to such matters as contraception, abortion, and homosexuality. The recent attempts by some clerical neanderthals to deny communion to John Kerry because of his independence on these issues were widely derided. And one mustn’t forget the clerical pederasty scandals. The problem was not simply the abuse itself but the coverup by the church authorities. My own view is that these hypocrites should be prosecuted under the RICO statute. Things were very different in the fifties when it almost seemed as if the country was turning Catholic. Today it is hard to imagine the appeal of this trend, which seems a kind of last ditch attempt to stop modernity in its tracks. By the beginning of the 1950s it was clear that we were to be locked in a prolonged conflict with the Communist powers (the Cold War). Many saw the Marxist ideology, in some respects comparable to a religion, as a great source of strength for the other side. How could we respond? The usual answer was democracy, but this seemed too diffuse, and anyway the Communist states claimed to be “peoples democracies.” For some, only a return to Christianity could arm us sufficiently to wage this war of ideas. And it must be maximum strength Christianity, that is Catholicism. Too be sure, anti-Catholicism lingered in some parts of the country, especially in the South. If one could see beyond this, it appeared that Neo-Thomism, the official philosophy of the Roman church, offered a coherent world view--in fact the only form of Christianity that could stand up to godless Marxism. Among the neo-Thomists Jacques Maritain and Etienne Gilson had a significant following among the intellectuals, while Monsignor Fulton J. Sheen purveyed Catholicism for the masses in the new medium of television. The roots of the modern Catholic revival go back to Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo in 1815. At that point Europe’s resurgent traditionalists seized the opportunity to restore the alliance of throne and altar. There were significant cultural consequences, seen above all in the cult of the Middle Ages. The Gothic Revival generated buildings throughout Europe, and not just churches, as the parliament buildings in London and Budapest attest. Writers like Chateaubriand and Victor Hugo, Walter Scott and Alfred Lord Tennyson profited from the new enthusiasm for the Middle Ages. Thinkers in various parts of Europe championed a revival of Scholasticism. To all intents and purpose, by the end of the century Thomas Aquinas had become the official philosopher of the Catholic church. These indications were not exclusively Catholic, since in Germany and England some protestants joined in. However, the center of gravity lay in the Catholic church. Accordingly, when Pius IX issued his antimodernist Syllabus of Errors in 1864 a new tone set in. This led to what has been termed the Reactionary Revolution of the late nineteenth century in which writers like Léon Bloy and Joris-Karl Huysmans openly espoused anti-modernism. Gradually, this first Catholic revival ran out of steam, although Charles Maurras (a proto-fascist) and Jacques Maritain (a political liberal) gave it some new impetus in France in the 1920s. After World War II a new trend emerged. The five years of the domination of the European continent by National Socialism (1940-45) had left a void. Many felt that this void could only be filled by a revival of the human spirit, specifically in the form of Catholicism. It was no accident that the three politicians who emerged to craft a new Europe--Konrad Adenauer, Alcide de Gaspari, and Robert Schuman--were all believing Catholics. In the cultural realm the new trend shed its reactionary tradiionalism, as the chapels of Ronchamp and Vence showed. Le Corbusier and Henri Matisse, the creators of these impressive structures, were not believing Catholics, but that fact only underscored the power of the new orientation. In music Olivier Messiaen created an impressive, if eclectic modernism with mystical overtones. In the English-speaking world the novelists Graham Greene and Evelyn Waugh explored Catholic themes. Among the intellectuals, T. S. Eliot and Arnold J. Toynbee exercised a vast sway. The last two were nominally protestants, but they went a long way in the direction of embracing the Roman faith. As I have noted, the Catholic revival after 1945 was intended to replace the despair and spiritual emptiness left in the wake of Nazism with real content. It also served as a bulwark against Communism. It was this aspect that struck a chord in America, where many felt that we needed a “strong” ideology to oppose the enemy. As the so-called loss of China in 1949 showed, Communism was on the march, massively so. In Cold War America the importance of Catholicism was demonstrated by an impressive roster of converts, including Mortimer Adler, editor of the Great Books series; the playwright Claire Booth Luce; the musician Dave Brubeck; Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker movement; the mathematician John von Neumann; the novelist Walker Percy; and (even) John Wayne, the actor. During my atheist phase I sent for some literature from an old-line organization founded by Colonel Ingersoll. Going through this packet of material, I was struck by how impoverished the arguments were. The simplistic mantras of the atheist propagandists seemed simply to reflect the dogmatism of Christian apologists in a kind of mirror reversal. Another thing that struck me was the fact that so many intelligent people could be believers. I remember reading Dante’s Divine Comedy and thinking, “wow this guy is so smart, surely he must have written the book as a satire.” Christianity with its cathedrals and sung masses (not to mention old Dante) has been immensely fertile culturally; atheism has not been. It is an arid creed. The writings of Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens are sometimes eloquent and sometimes persuasive. But reading them has not altered my view that there is not much to this stuff. Still, these conclusions were not enough to induce positive belief. Not very originally, perhaps, I came up with the following formulation. There is no certainty that Christianity is true. By the same token, there is no certainty that it is false. We can therefore accept Christianity in a tentative way, because it COULD be true. So I found my way to a respect, at the very least, for Christianity. In college I majored in art history where a knowledge of the Bible narrative and of the saints is essential for understanding many works of art. But why Catholicism? I think my idea was that if you are drawn to a particular ideology, you should adopt the full-strength version. I may have been unconsciously influenced by my parents’ who scorned “wishy washy” social democracy which they held could not compare in rigor with true Marxism. Rigor, that was the thing. Similarly, many who have taken up psychiatry insist on the Freudian version, rather than some watered down “humanistic” nostrum. Some of my Christian friends were reading Kierkegaard. I tried a little of it, but found that the Danish thinker usually worked best for those who were already protestants. I did not want to become a protestant. Had I discovered the penetrating texts of Karl Barth at that time, I suppose protestant neo-Orthodoxy might have won me over. Sometimes I think that Barth, unlike puny Maritain and Gilson, had the answer to everything. Sorry Sam and Christopher. At all events, that was a road not taken. Despite my view about the superiority of the Roman church, I never converted. And that is just as well, because later would have come, almost certainly, the complex process of “divorce.” I did influence my best friend Chuck M. to convert, though doubtless he did this of his own volition. One of our friends, a scientist, became a monk. Did my hesitation to convert reflect the fact that formal adoption of the religion would get in the way of my being a practicing homosexual? I don’t think so, for this was a kind of cognitive dissonance I didn’t confront. Religion I saw as mainly an intellectual affair, a matter of the head. Sexuality was a matter of the heart. At all events, I took evasive action. For me matters took an aesthetic turn, and I became a specialist in medieval art. Together with many others, I detected formal similarities between medieval and modern art, in that both tended to disregard the naturalism of the Renaissance tradition. In this way my medievalism, I believed, transcended historical nostalgia. As a friend points out, the Catholic decline is very obvious in France. Sixty years ago, the intellectual and dultural life of French Catholicism was rich, as such names as Mauriac, Bernanos, Claudel, Marcel, Maritain, Gilson, Danielou, and Du Lubac remind us. Today, it is hard to think of a single French writer or thinker of their stature who is Catholic. The decline is pervasive in Europe. Recently the NY Times reported that the whole of Ireland ordained just nine priests last year, with only one ordination in the archdiocese of Dublin. The Church's future, such as it will be, seems clearly to belong to the Third World. This relocation, as it were, will in all likelihood cause even further alienation in the advanced, Western world. Perhaps China, where religion is reviving, will achieve a synthesis of a sort. Maybe the the Jesuits who sought to evangelize the country beginning in the sixteenth century will finally get their due. Or perhaps not. Be that as it may, what was the main reason for the decline of Catholicism in America since its brief high-water mark in the ‘fifties? To some extent it reflects the process of cultural fading. In a society perpetually questing for something new, Catholicism came to seem old hat. To be sure, with the vernacular mass and other reforms the religion took on a new face in the wake of Vatican II. But not enough to compete effectively with other trends of the era. The principle reason, I believe for the retreat of Catholicism in North America lay in a momentous change in American culture that undergirded the shift from the ‘fifties to the ‘sixties. Put in its most basic terms, this was the change from the culture of conformity to the culture of expressivity. Only to a limited extent could Catholicism address the fever for “doing one’s own thing.” It decidedly did not endorse the idea of “different strokes for different folks.” While not strictly incompatible, Catholicism was not really in synch with LSD. It was done in by the availability of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Such at least was the experience of Jack Kerouac, who abandoned Catholicism for home-brew Buddhism. Few would endorse the song lyrics “Shakespeare’s a hack; we read Kerouac.” All the same, the author of “On the Road” beats Maritain every time. Let's see: Aristotle, Epicurus, Marcus Aurelius, David Hume, Adam Smith, Francis Hutcheson -- all "non-believers." I think what has happened is that the burden of proof to disprove a negative -- logically impossible -- assumes the atheist/agnostic unintelligibly in a mirror of theism. Harris and Hitchens seem less inclined to defend their atheism and more inclined to subject theism to critical analysis. Sure. Gothic cathedrals are pretty amazing. But what about "life" of those who built them? Reading Jocelyn of Brakeland is humorous for its pettiness. The thinking of the Middle Ages made not a single advancement since the Fall of Rome. Dante's brilliant epic is as much a political humanistic attack, using the church's eschatological scheme. Clever and imaginatively MODERN. The Church has served some of the humanities well (music, art, architecture), but as a vehicle for great expressions to go beyond. Looking at the remnants of Greco-Roman Civilization versus the impoverishment that followed until the Renaissance is the millennial medieval vicious circle to nowhere The Rebirth of Civilization started the world again after a dull interregnum -- other than wars and crusades to liven the Onward Christian Soldiers -- when Shakespeare, Michaelangelo, Galileo, Bacon, woke humanity to itself without the Church's template. They may have been patrons of Holy Mother Church, but their talents are entirely their own.

http://dyneslines.blogspot.com/2008/05/retreat-of-american-catholicism.html

Do you ever feel that sometimes church is a number game? I often get the question, ‘How big is your church?’ As if it’s the most important question going. Sometimes I just want to answer ‘Why does it matter?’ or ‘How big is God?’ But it is always asked and one you just have to answer politely and accurately. Why? Because even if we hate to say we come from a small church or whatever, it is in fact the truth. Do you ever feel as though we are in a competition? Do you feel as though big churches like to think they triumph over the smaller churches? If you come from a small church then you know where I am coming from, sometimes we feel that we are looked down upon, or that we aren’t blessed like our brothers and sisters. We feel as though numbers matter. Numbers do not matter. Controversial statement perhaps. I can imagine some of you reading this are thinking, ‘Doesn’t this guy wanna see people saved or what?’ The answer to that question is yes, a thousand times yes! But that being said, a church should not count its blessings by its headcount. Sometimes, the most faithful churches are those where only a few people meet, always in prayer and in love. Sometimes they are those who are struggling to make ends meet, and sometimes they are those that everyone looks down upon because they are unable to increase the attendance of their church. Perhaps they are the ageing church down the road. Surely they are doing something wrong! They are small for a reason! Perhaps not, the gospel after all offends, and we can do all we can, but if people do not want to listen, they won’t. Sometimes God won’t melt the hearts of stone, and that is the truth. Nevertheless, that small church should always be crying out for revival, for new people, for growth and for people to be saved. A small church that does this, constantly in prayer with our Father, one that desires revival and one that remains faithful is more powerful than a church that is huge but has no word, greater than one that attracts crowds but has none of the Lord’s saving power in its preaching. Don’t get me wrong here, big churches are not bad; indeed there are many which God has blessed massively and are true to his word. But what I am attacking is our attitude. Judging our faithfulness by our membership. Big churches have a responsibility, to help those small churches, to encourage them and in some cases support them, always in prayer! I know our attitude can be sometimes, ‘well they are small because they are ‘old fashioned’ or that they are all ‘old’’. Do not forget God can use anything and anyone. Support them in prayer rather than boast about your own situation. For the small church, what we should always focus on is prayer, living close to our God. The church does need to be an active church even if it is only something small. It has to be involved with its community in any means it can be. But we in a way, cannot do anything about it, if we can do all that we can do, then the only thing left to do is to give it all to God. Remember He remains faithful to us, even when we are not faithful to Him. Remember that He will NEVER forsake us or leave us. Numbers do not matter. I don’t care if your church has 1 person, 10 people, 100 people, and 1000 people, so what? What matters more is how faithful is the church? What is more important is how many live close to the Lord, what is your church’s prayer meeting like? Small and big churches alike, these questions address us all. Pray for revival, and pray for his kingdom to come!

http://eatwritesleep.com/2018/02/

Johann Ernst, Prince of Saxe-Weimar, was born 25 December 1696, son of Johann Ernst III, Duke of Saxe-Weimar and his second wife, Charlotte Dorothea Sophie of Hessen-Homburg. His name was linked to the figure of Johann Sebastian Bach, who lived at the court of Weimar from 1708 to 1717, in the same years that music became the main interest of the young prince, a coregent of the duchy. Johann Ernst took violin lessons from G. C. Eilenstein, a musician of the court. In February 1711, he moved to the University of Utrecht and had the opportunity to visit Amsterdam, where he bought a copy of the Estro Armonico concertos by Vivaldi. On returning to the Weimar court, he became an enthusiastic supporter of the new instrumental Italian style, taking composition lessons with Johann Gottfried Walther, the organist of the municipal church and cousin of Johann Sebastian Bach. Walther had previously dedicated the treatise “Praecepta der musikalischen Composition” to the young prince for his twelfth birthday. The birth of the concertos “appropriati all’organo” by Walther, like the concertos for harpsichord and for organ by Johann Sebastian Bach (BWV 592-596 and BWV 972-987), was due to the great passion of Prince Johann Ernst for this genre of music. He commissioned the two virtuosos to transcribe many Italian violin concertos and adapt them for keyboard. As well as the celebrated Vivaldian concertos, Bach also adapted four compositions by Johann Ernst. Telemann himself had dedicated a series of violin sonatas to the prince in 1715. The style of these concertos was largely indebted to Vivaldi’s way of writing: some compositional ingenuities do not compromise the general effect of freshness, life and vivacity. The first and fourth concertos also exist in the transcription by Johann Sebastian Bach for harpsichord.

http://edizionipianeforte.it/112/

It is the policy of the State Board of Education and the Ohio Department of Education (collectively the “Department”) that openness leads to a better informed citizenry, which leads to better government and better public policy. It is the policy of the Department to strictly adhere to the state’s Public Records Act. All exemptions to openness are to be carefully construed and any denial of public records in response to a valid request must be accompanied by an explanation, including legal authority, as outlined in the Ohio Revised Code. If the request is in writing, the explanation must also be in writing. The Department, in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code, defines records as including the following: Any document – paper, electronic (including, but not limited to, e-mail), or other format – that is created or received by, or comes under the jurisdiction of a public office that documents the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the office. All records of the Department are public unless they are exempt from disclosure under state or federal law. Section 1.1 – It is the policy of the Department that, as required by Ohio law, records will be organized and maintained so that they are readily available for inspection and copying (See Section 4 for the e-mail record policy). Record retention schedules are to be updated regularly and posted on the Department’s website. Section 2.1 – Although no specific language is required to make a request, the requester must at least identify the records requested with sufficient clarity to allow the Department to identify, retrieve, and review the records. If it is not clear what records are being sought, the records custodian or his/her designee may deny the request, but shall provide the requester an opportunity to revise the request by informing the requester of the manner in which the Department keeps its records. Section 2.2 – The Department may ask the requester to put a public records request in writing, may ask for the requester’s identity, and the intended use for the information being requested. However, the requester does not have to put a records request in writing, and does not have to provide his or her identity, or the intended use of the requested public record. Requesters will be informed that they are not required to put the request in writing, provide their identity, or purpose of the request. The Department may explain how providing the request in writing, the requester’s identity, and purpose may enhance the Department’s ability to respond to the request. Section 2.3 – Public records are to be available for inspection at all reasonable times during regular business hours, with the exception of published holidays. Public records must be made available for inspection promptly. Copies of public records must be made available within a reasonable period of time. “Prompt” and “reasonable” take into account the volume of records requested; the proximity of the location where the records are stored; and the necessity for any legal review of the records requested. Section 2.4 – Each request should be evaluated for an estimated length of time required to gather the records. Routine requests for records should be satisfied within a reasonable amount of time. Routine requests include, but are not limited to, meeting minutes (both in draft and final form), budgets, salary information, forms and applications, personnel rosters, etc. Requests that require legal review are not considered routine requests. If fewer than 20 pages of copies are requested or if the records are readily available in an electronic format that can be e-mailed or downloaded easily, the request should be satisfied as quickly as the equipment allows. Section 2.5 – Any denial of public records requested must include an explanation, including legal authority. If portions of a record are public and portions are exempt, the exempt portions are to be redacted and the rest released. Section 3.4 – Requesters may ask that documents be mailed to them. They will be charged the actual cost of the postage and mailing supplies. Section 3.5 – The Department may choose to waive copying costs for routine requests or requests involving a small number of copies. Documents in electronic mail format are records as defined by the Ohio Revised Code when their content relates to the business of the Department. E-mail is to be treated in the same fashion as records in other formats and should follow the same retention schedules. Section 4.1 – Records in private e-mail accounts used to conduct public business are subject to disclosure, and all employees or representatives of the Department are instructed to retain their e-mails that relate to public business (see Section 1 Public Records) and to copy them to their business e-mail accounts and to the Department’s records custodian or his/her designee. Section 4.2 – When an email’s content pertains to the work of the Department, employees and the records custodian or his/her designee are to treat the e-mails from private accounts as records of the public office, filing them in the appropriate way, retaining them per established schedules and making them available for inspection and copying in accordance with the Public Records Act. The Department recognizes the legal and non-legal consequences of failure to properly respond to a public records request. In addition to the distrust in government that failure to comply may cause, the Department’s failure to comply with a request may result in a court ordering the Department to comply with the law and to pay the requester attorney’s fees and damages.

http://education.ohio.gov/Miscellaneous/Privacy/Public-Records-Policy

In order to evaluate the improvement in knowledge and practice of the trainees in providing health care services at the grassroots level after the program, Health Strategy and Policy Institute (HSPI), as an independent assessment body, has been conducting the survey in 15 provinces. The survey was started with Yen Bai Province, from March 25th to April 3rd 2019. In the fieldwork, the research team surveyed 30 CHSs in three districts (Tran Yen, Van Yen, and Luc Yen) where the team collected information in various forms. The team directly assessed CHS trainees via clinical observation of the medical doctor/assistant doctor; interviews with health workers on knowledge and practice using structured questionnaires that correspond with their designated job titles (managers, doctors/assistant doctors, nurses, midwives, and pharmacists). In the meantime, the team also gathered forms on service provision of CHSs and conducted patient exit interviews. Additionally, a number of focused group discussion were undertaken with the members of Commune People Healthcare Steering Committee, health workers who were involved in the training, and people living in CHS’s catchment area in order to obtain comprehensive and objective view about the CHS’s performance after the training programs. In each district, the team, furthermore, discussed with leaders of district health center and relevant departments (Medical Professional Department, Personnel and Organization Department, Pharmacy Department, etc.), which offered health managers’ reflection and perspective on the training outcomes. The information collected from the survey will be synthesized and analyzed to provide a comprehensive post-training assessment of the capacity improvement of CHS staff in providing PHC services in 15 provinces of HPET.

http://en.hspi.org.vn/vclen/Post-training-assessment-of-primary-health-care-teams-at-commune-health-stations-in-yen-Bai-Province---Health-Professionals-Education-and-Training-for-Health-System-Reforms-Project-HPET-t15966-8088.html

(Clearwisdom.net) Mr. Gu Dezhu was a 60 year old Falun Dafa practitioner who was employed in Dayan Town, Juan County, Shandong Province. Before he began to cultivate in Falun Dafa in the spring of 1998, Mr. Gu suffered from many diseases, including heart disease, acute tracheitis and pulmonary emphysema. All these illnesses disappeared after he began practicing Falun Dafa. After July 20, 1999, people from the local police station and township government harassed him many times at home. The persecutors threatened him, tried to force him to give up his cultivation, and ransacked his home. In the spring of 2000, the township government sent four people to live in his home and monitored him around the clock for one week. Later on, the persecutors took him to a brainwashing center and detained him for ten days. They also confiscated Mr. Gu's ID card. The continuous persecution harmed Mr. Gu mentally and physically and he became sickly. He died in May 2003. By the time of his death, Mr. Gu's ID card was still in the hands of the persecutors in the township government. Ms. Liu Shenghua was a resident of Beijing. After she started to practice Falun Dafa in 1997, the heart disease, from which she had suffered for many years, disappeared. In October 2001, the persecutors arrested Ms. Liu at her apartment in Beijing. She was then sent to a brainwashing center on Qinghe Street. After she was released from the brainwashing center, Ms. Liu's health condition worsened, and she became bedridden. However, persecutors from the local police station and residential committee often harassed her and monitored her at her home under the pretense of "visiting" her. On November 3, 2004, she died due to the prolonged mental pressure and physical torture.

http://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2005/3/8/58249.html

It is difficult to imagine how private equity business models can be replicated in a venture capital environment. It is also difficult to imagine a 19-year-old holding off his studies to expand his family business. Danish Rizvi, COO of ASA Ventures, has done both. Hardened by struggles during formative years, Rizvi has succeeded in various industries and investment ecosystems and progressed to become a reason behind the success of his company. The most exciting part of his story is that it is still a work in progress. “I started off my bachelors from a university in Karachi but had to drop out after a couple of semesters due to some unfortunate events in my family. The responsibility of my entire family logistics business fell on my shoulders. I started heading the business, learning about its dynamics, planning, and implementing various strategies to stabilize and expand into different verticals, and that’s from where my professional journey began,” says Danish. Over a period of six years, Danish successfully developed the business, launched a container line operating in four destinations, resumed and completed his MBA. He then handed over the responsibility to his mother and moved to a commercial bank in Pakistan as credit analyst. “By age 26-27 I wanted to prove myself in the financial world. For this, I had to take the route of strategic planning, development, and marketing management rather than continuing to work in the back office,” he says. Danish joined an investment bank with the focus on marketing. He executed mergers and acquisition transactions, debt syndications, headed trusteeship assignments and fulfilled corporate advisory functions. As Danish was intrigued by the world of investments and applying creative and optimizing strategies he worked in different financial institutions and finally landed in Dubai in 2013 with the objective of enhancing his network, social capital, financial proficiency, and expertise. As perfect multicultural financial hub, Dubai gave Danish the seamless learning curve in the private equity and venture capital ecosystems with transactions and opportunities to learn from around the world. “Private equity and venture capital industry was the perfect match with my investment banking knowledge and analytical experience. I further learnt a lot on various optimal capital and fund structures, legalities and requirements for various jurisdictions, and how to implement the critical elements an organization needs to grow and to be successful from industry to industry,” Danish recalls. “The governance, regular monitoring and active management of the assets acquired is an essential requirement in the private equity transactions. It is also important that the strategies are diligently drawn, KPIs set and then revisited from time to time, it’s a continuous process,” he added. He understood and saw that as the nature of PE and VC was slightly riskier than the debt transactions and as the markets were moving toward being more conservative in last few years toward lending, the two areas have been expanding. Danish was aware that venture capital is a whole different animal. “You are talking about startups that started a year or six months back or are in their ideation phase, then why active management and operations of those companies should be denied. They need more help in stabilizing and hand holding in their operations and marketing,” Danish says as he lays down the scenarios. The usual practice in the VC ecosystem is about judgment, assessing the concept, analyzing the numbers, how the founders will work it out and then guiding them through their strategies on a broader level.When Danish came across ASA Ventures the missing pieces of the puzzle came together, the right network, the financial expertise, the operational and marketing management support of all the acquired startups. The CEO of ASA Ventures, Arif Saiyad, has a strong background of technology, creative productions, operations, marketing and sales. ASA Ventures was established in Portugal in 2003 and subsequently moved to Dubai in 2013 due to geographical advantages. Currently, UAE dominates the startup industry in the MENA region. According to the MENA Annual Venture Report for 2017, UAE startups secured 400 million in investments, which accounts for 84 percent of the whole deal value of the region. Saudi Arabia is a close second. “Since we’ve been in Dubai after Portugal, we’ve expanded to Mauritius, Pakistan, and India. Now, we’re looking into extending our operational and financial expertise to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Sri Lanka, and a few countries in Africa,” Danish says. The Saudi Arabian market is transforming rapidly, presenting plenty of opportunities for growth. On the region’s biggest economy, Saudi Arabia, Danish says. “As it is opening up, it is creating effective steps to encourage the start-up industry. There are also cultural shifts as the fashion and entertainment industries have opened up, triggering a change in consumer behavior,” he adds. “We are looking to expand in Saudi Arabia because we believe that we can provide a global reach and a unique space for those ideas and innovations,” adds Danish. Arif Naqvi, the founder of Dubai-based emerging markets private equity fund, Abraaj Group, has handed the running of the ... Everyone loves an entrepreneur venture capitalist as they extol the best in human spirit, self-motivation, drive and ... Saudi’s Uber-deal: An attempt at the world’s largest venture capital fund? Only two weeks after announcing a $3.5 billion investment in the ride sharing company Uber, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad ... Time Inc is considering partnering with a private equity firm on a bid for Yahoo Inc’s core Internet assets, ...

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/business/lunch-with-leader/2018/10/28/COO-of-ASA-Ventures-Applying-private-equity-model-into-venture-capitalism.html

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi on Tuesday announced the establishment of an advanced hall with the capacity to produce 60 new centrifuges. “Long steps have been taken in the fields of exploration and excavation, as we have offered various services to Petroleum Ministry and Geology Research Center,” he said touring completion process of the first ion therapy hospital of Iran and West Asia on Tuesday. “Using domestic capabilities, we have managed to identify over 80 percent of Iran’s mineral reserves,” Salehi said, adding that IR6 generation of centrifuges which drew protests of foreign countries has been installed by the Iranian exerts. Hailing the establishment of ion therapy hospital in Iran, he said that only six hospitals of this kind have been built in the world to heal all types of cancers. First phase of the hospital will go on stream in 2021, he said, noting that the entire hospital is projected to be commissioned by 2023.

http://eurasia.ro/?p=64737

Our family is moving from New England to St. Andrews, Scotland for one year, from the end of July 2018 to the end of July 2019. We will use this blog to share with friends and family what this adventure is like, with photos and thoughts and the like. This post is just to get things started.

http://eventhedug.blog/2018/04/03/starting-a-blog/

Just a few days after we arrived, I asked everyone in the family about the differences between home and here. Then, two days ago, I did it again. Here are everyone’s responses, from both dates. Person Question Answer on 31 July Answer on 27 August Mary Ella What’s better here?

http://eventhedug.blog/author/dad/page/2/

Jennifer and I have each been fans of “Weird” Al Yankovic’s work since we were children. His original songs are as well executed as they are silly, and I find his parodies to be not only witty, but often more complex and better performed than the originals he’s riffing on. Floating around the house, we have CDs, records, and even cassettes with his name on the label, as we’ve accumulated them over the years. More than once, Jennifer has expressed her desire to get a personal birthday greeting from Yankovic, owing much to the fact that his birthday is the same as hers. I’d very much like to see this happen. Considering yesterday’s release of his video “Lame Claim to Fame,” it seems only appropriate that I mention this now. She has a very solid lame claim to fame of her own, and the shared birth date in question is just over three months out. We’re not expecting anything fancy here. Yankovic is no doubt a busy man, and nobody is expecting him to show up in a limo in person or anything of the sort, but a simple birthday greeting by mail, phone, or online would make her day and give her a great story that she’d be telling for years. Indeed, she’s never been shy about flying the flag on this lame claim, as she’ll mention it in conversation anytime either the subject of her birthday or Weird Al Yankovic himself, is brought up. Weird Al has a lot of fans that would also like such personal attention, but the vast majority of those don’t share a birthday in common with him. I will likely at least request a signed photo by mail, but I very much doubt that this option will get her a customized greeting. At that, I will ask you, my friends, fans, minions, and flying monkeys, please spread the word. If this message makes it far enough around the internet, perhaps Yankovic will get the message. If anyone out there has some strings they could possibly pull, please do so. Help me to take her lame claim to fame and complete it. Thank you! In past years, our son has kind of lost his mind over summer breaks between school years, and the ensuing fall has been quite a struggle. So, in the last few years, I’ve assigned him projects to complete, not to fill up his break or keep him busy, but to keep the brain active. Two years ago, I had him write a research paper on the Soviet Union. Last summer, he read The Diary of Anne Frank and worked on video editing and digital music composition. This has successfully eased him into the last few school years, so I think we’ll keep doing this until graduation. This year’s project is to learn to design video games and Android development, with the end goal of publishing a downloadable game on Google Play. This assignment came with the disclaimer that I didn’t really know how much work that would entail, and if it turned out to be an unreasonable goal, we would reevaluate and revise if necessary. This week Teen Bot is taking a video game design class. It’s a workshop offered to local area youth for four days this week for seven hours a day. Yesterday morning, I got up, took him to the grocery store to pack him a lunch, and dropped him off at the community center. I was quite excited for him, and admittedly a little nervous to entrust him to strangers. It’s odd how we as parents do that. I know full well that he’ll soon be an autonomous adult, but I still can’t help but be a little protective. I returned to pick him up in the afternoon, and he was excited to tell me about his day. He used some kind of game design program to make two video games, one of which includes three levels of play. Of course, I’m looking forward to hearing about today’s experiences this afternoon. “There was a smart phone lying in the street right back there,” he said. “Yeah, I do,” he said. So, I turned the truck around, and he pointed out the device in question, lying in the street as he said. As we passed it, it appeared to be intact. I turned around again and instructed him, “I’ll pull up, and you can reach out the door and pick it up.” When he retrieved the phone, we could see that it was an AT&T HTC in a sturdy case with a screen protector. This was clearly someone’s baby, not their beater. I don’t know the HTC models very well, but from the lack of wear, I would say that it was not very old. I figured once we got to the house, I’d try to figure out who it belonged to and reunite it with its owner. When we got back to the house, Teen Bot began to gather the phone up with his lunch bag and other stuff. I stopped him and said, “why don’t you let me take care of that phone?” I took it back to my desk to try to figure out what to do with it. I thought maybe I’d browse the contacts and see if I could get in touch with a family member of the owner. When I hit the power button, it brought up a lock screen asking for a password. Great. A quick Google search gave a few suggestions on how to hack past the lock out, using a PC and Android exploits. Red flag. I pulled the case off of it to see if there was a serial number or other identifying marking in the battery compartment. Not being familiar with HTC products, it was not immediately clear how to open the battery cover. I put the case back on the phone, wondering what to do next. As we drove the two miles, give or take, to the store, mamma continued to ring the phone, evidently as often as was possible to connect, go to voice mail, disconnect; lather, rinse, repeat. Arriving at the store, I expected them to be very busy after my failed phone call, but they were not. As I came through the door, a sales girl, Suzie or something, diligently approached me, no doubt hoping to score SPIFFs for selling me a new iPhone 5.1sx or Galaxy S23 along with a phat new contract. Before she could say anything, I presented the HTC to her, saying, “I found this laying in the street in my neighborhood, and somebody is going to want it back. Can you make that happen? It rang a couple times, and I tried to answer it, but…” Before I could finish, mamma cut me off as the phone rang yet again. I lipped “thank you” to her and left. Perhaps this will earn me some Karma points. I have to wonder what the story was on the other side. There weren’t any street rash marks on the phone or case. I can understand that stuff gets dropped by accident, but people are usually more careful with The Expensive New Toy, not that I’m being judgmental toward them. I wonder if they thought their phone had been stolen somehow, and the strange male voice coming from my end was the perpetrator of the crime. I hope not. Rather, I’d like to think that they were thankful to the anonymous stranger who went out of his way to protect their lost valuable property, and see that it was returned in a timely fashion. At the very least, I hope it made for a good story they can tell.

http://evylrobot.com/?m=201407

On May 24th, 2014, I found out I was expecting my second child. On May 24th, 2015 my son will have been gone for as long he was here. 68 days. My pregnancy was a healthy one. Unfortunately, morning sickness ruled my world for 5 months with both of my children, but I was expected to have a perfectly healthy baby boy. On January 9th 2015, I did. Boston was the epitome of perfection, and the autopsy that I received 3 and a half weeks after his death concluded the same. There was not a single thing wrong with any part of him, not a single toxin in his body, literally nothing. His death is “undetermined.” This is the story of the day my son became an Angel. At 3:04 pm on St. Patrick’s day, I had just finished my last break at work and was about to walk back upstairs to take more calls. I looked at my phone one last time and at that moment received a text from my mom who was picking Boston up from daycare to take him to get his first shots. It stated “baby isn’t breathing calling 911.” I called her immediately, no answer. I called back seconds later, she answered and was sobbing. I know she would never joke about anything like that, but I truly thought that when she answered she would tell me it was some mistake and that I could go on with my day. That did not happen. She told me to tell my supervisor immediately and that I needed to leave work and meet them at the emergency room. I screamed the entire way there. I never knew what true fear felt like before those moments. When I arrived, an EMT led me back into the hallway. I was halfway in the door of the room he was in and almost fainted at the sight of 5 or 6 nurses surrounding him. I was too scared to look at him right away and had to be brought into a different room. A lot of it is a blur. I asked numerous times what was going on but they weren’t really sure. I finally asked if his heart had stopped. The nurse was visibly shaken herself but told me “your son is very sick right now, his heart stopped beating.” She also said they were doing everything they could to help him. She then told me that they were having someone come down for pastoral care. That person ended up being my uncle who is a Deacon at Saint Michaels Catholic Church. The nurse was actually checking on Boston when my uncle arrived, but when she came back in she asked if I wanted to go into the room with him. It was hard to talk or walk so my uncle came with me. The scene that I walked into is too horrid for words. I almost fainted again, so a nurse grabbed me a chair and I sat right next to him. I was in shock and was afraid to touch him, but a nurse told me I could hold his hand, so I did. There are no words to accurately describe how much my heart shattered having to walk out of that hospital without him. He was the most perfect baby. He didn’t cry, he loved to eat, and was every mothers dream because long fussy nights were non existent with him. It has been exactly 9 long weeks since I held my son for the last time. I refuse to let his existence go unnoticed. Thank you for reading our story. I lost my older infant to SIDS on 1/18/15.He was being watched by his great aunt.I’m so sorry for your loss.Counseling has helped me out tremendously. Thank you for sharing Boston’s story. Your story along with the stories of other families dealing with the loss of a child has given me a little bit of strength and comfot. It has been hard to grieve when the people around me don’t understand the pain I feel. I lost my baby girl Elizabeth at 21 weeks and 3 days. She was a fighter and lived for almost an hour before passing in my husbands arms May 6, 2015. I will keep you and your family in prayer. Continue to keep your sons story alive. My son Jaxon Lee Johnson was born the same day your son tragically went up to heaven. My story is almost identical to yours. The only real difference is that I am still waiting on a reason of death from our medical examiner. Jaxon left Earth Monday, July 6th 2015 at 8:53 am at 111 days old. His picture can be seen by googling his name. He would have been 20 wks old today, and I am still numb and useless over his loss. He was my second child (my only son) as well. After my sitter found him unresponsive, I was told by paramedics that they never got a pulse. I saw my baby boy smile for the last time the morning of the 6th when I dropped him off to go to work, kissed him on the forehead, told him I loved him, and that I’d see him later that day. Breathing is the hardest for me; the grief I have for him is so profound and painful. I just wanted you to know that you are not alone, and that I am so terribly sorry for your loss.

http://facesofloss.com/2015/05/7721.html

For the last few years we’ve run articles where we’ve chosen our top 10 most anticipated novels for the coming year. They’ve proved overwhelmingly popular, amassing just shy of 200,000 hits in total! As a result, we decided last year to take things a step further and ask the publishers what their top 5 most anticipated novels of the year were. With that just as popular, this year we’re going to repeat the process and give you guys our opinion on what you should be looking out for. I want to start by saying almost exactly what I said for 2011: What a year 2012 was for Fantasy!!! Just when you think the genre has got as good as it is going to get, we are treated to more amazing débuts, fantastic books by already established authors and even some surprises from authors we thought we’d seen the best of. Débuts such as The Alchemist of Souls by Anne Lyle, Control Point by Myke Cole, The City’s Son by Tom Pollock, and Bitter Seeds by Ian Tregillis really stick out in my mind. All four authors I shall be anticipating further work from. Then we had the “solidification” book from Mark Lawrence, a book the proved he was as good an author as we had all hoped. We had books by authors who raised the bar and pushed boundaries: Brent Weeks’s The Blinding Knife was incredible, Joe Abercrombie’s Red Country was his best yet and Brandon Sanderson’s new Mistborn novel, The Alloy of Law, proved his diversity as an author. Finally, how can we forget the entries from veterans such as: Steven Erikson, Jim Butcher and Terry Brooks? I’ll say it again: What. A. Year! The scary thing is that some of the genres heavyweights didn’t even publish this year! Authors such as Peter V. Brett, George R. R. Martin, Scott Lynch, Patrick Rothfuss and so many more are making fans wait while they perfect their latest releases. But, with so many new names filling the gaps they’ve left, we’ve not even thought about complaining. So, with 2012 such a fantastic year for fantasy, can next year continue moving the genre forward? Damned right it can! Next year looks to be even better than the last. 2013 provides us with releases not only from some of fantasy’s biggest names continuing and finishing series that guarantee enjoyment, but also a number of authors who are using their stable fan-base to move into new areas, and fantastic debuts too. So, without further build up (and rambling) from me, let’s move on to our top 10 releases of 2013 as chosen by our readers, Twitter fans, forum visitors and Goodreads group members. Some great titles in our honourable mention category this year. One of the most lovely ladies I’ve ever met, Francis Knight, is set to release her urban fantasy novel. Andrzej Sapkowski’s third novel is FINALLY released in English. The unique voice of Richard Ford is applied to an epic fantasy novel – can’t wait for that. Throne of The Crescent Moon gets its much overdue UK release and Robin Hobb finishes her slow to start, but increasingly respected Rain Wild Chronicles. I’ve also heard a rumour that Sam Sykes is working on something new, although I can’t be sure it’ll be out in 2013, but certainly look out for that!!! Also, David Gemmell’s wife, Stella Gemmell, is to release her first solo effort. It didn’t make the list as it is likely to be fantasy-light/alternate history. Anyway, what I love about these books is that any one of them have the potential to make our ‘top 10’ books of the year list once we’ve reviewed them. I was lucky enough to read an early draft of Drakenfeld and I have to say that I was mightily impressed. Fantasy’s answer to Sherlock Holmes and a break away from the ‘dark’ and ‘gritty’ fantasy that has become this decade’s trend. Mark Newton is an author I am always impressed with, his prose are flawless and his imagination is one of the genre’s finest. Bloggers and critics alike often wonder why Mark hasn’t done even better over the years, and I think it’s because Mark’s imagination is so good that he sometimes falls into the ‘new weird’ bracket, that is much smaller than the mainstream fantasy bracket. If I’m right, I’m pleased to say that Drakenfeld is Mark’s key to the mainstream and the recognition he deserves. This is the first book in Mark’s new series Drakenfeld. It is unrelated to his other books and therefore you can pick this up and start reading! Michael J. Sullivan is one of self publishing’s biggest success stories. His self published Riyria Revelations series sold thousands upon thousands of books before Orbit took notice and signed Michael up last year. Having read Michael’s work, I have to say that I’m hugely impressed and a great admirer for all that he has achieved. His books take a step back from the current complex, mainstream fantasy and go back to that lighter, more adventure orientated fantasy that was popular in the late eighties and early nineties (with far better prose and character development!). You know when you pick up a Michael J. Sullivan book that it’s going to be a quick, entertaining read that doesn’t require you to think too much – and I love that. “Two men who hate each other. One impossible mission. A legend in the making. Myke Cole is one of the nicest guys you could ever hope to meet, his love of communicating with fans is admirable, and, most importantly for readers, he writes a damned good story. His first book in the Shadow Ops series offered fantasy fans something new, or at least something that hadn’t been done very well to date: believable military fantasy. Myke’s first book was 100-miles-an-hour, action packed rollercoaster ride. Now, I loved it and I think the majority of fans did too. However, the first book in a series always needs to be action-packed, the second needs to pick that up and develop it. I’m interested to see where Myke goes next and I think we’ll see a huge development in him as an author now he is officially ‘pro’. “The Great Reawakening did not come quietly. Suddenly people from all corners of the globe began to develop terrifying powers – summoning fire, manipulating earth, opening portals and decimating flesh. Overnight the rules had changed…but not for everyone. Alan Bookbinder might be a Colonel in the US Army, but in his heart he knows he’s just a desk jockey, a clerk with a silver eagle on his jacket. But one morning he is woken by a terrible nightmare and overcome by an ominous drowning sensation. Something is very, very wrong. All you need to do in order to catch up with Myke’s latest book is read the first book in the series: Control Point. Brandon Sanderson took pretty much every ‘book of the year’ award going for his first Stormlight novel. This series seems to be Sanderson’s own Wheel of Time and you can tell he isn’t going to be in a hurry to finish it. The first book was huge in scope and featured an absolutely huge cast of characters with some of the finest examples of worldbuilding, magic system and religion creation and explanation I’ve ever come across. The question is then, why isn’t this number the number one most anticipated novel? Well, Stormlight is certainly dense and at 1000 pages, around 400,000 words – you could read three other novels in the time it takes to finish one of these. I guess this is probably what has put people off checking out the first book in the series and voting for the second. However, let me tell you guys, it’s worth it! “Book two has no official synopsis yet, it will continue straight from the end of the first book. To tell you about that book: The world of The Way of Kings is one constantly assaulted by hurricanes, referred to in the book as highstorms. Flora and fauna have evolved to cope with this condition. In response to an attack by malevolent entities (known as Voidbringers), the “Almighty” fashions magical weapons and suits of armor, called Shardblades and Shardplates. The “Almighty” equips knights, known as Radiants, with these, and, eventually, the Radiants defeat the evil Voidbringers. Book two will follow from book one. Although there are certain minor connections with Sanderson’s other books, you only need to read the first Stormlight book The Way of Kings to be up to date and to understand this one. I think this is the third year in a row we’ve had Scott Lynch on this list. I love Scott Lynch, I think he is a great guy and one of the most talented writers in the genre. His ability to inject humour into stylised prose is unmatched in my opinion and I wish he was the kind of author who could bang out a book a year. However, Scott Lynch has a lot of personal problems (he openly talks about his battles with depression) and for this reason I don’t think there is a single person who is ‘on his back’ over the 3/4 year delay of third book in the Gentleman Bastard series. We’ve been told ‘this is the year’, and for that reason I’m adding this book on the list again. However, we’re willing to wait until Scott is back to 100% and ready to release it. If you’re reading this Scott, all the best. We love you, dude. “Having pulled off the greatest heist of their career, Locke and his trusted partner in thievery, Jean, have escaped with a tidy fortune. But Locke’s body is paying the price. Poisoned by an enemy from his past, he is slowly dying. And no physiker or alchemist can help him. Yet just as the end is near, a mysterious Bondsmagi offers Locke an opportunity that will either save him – or finish him off once and for all. Magi political elections are imminent, and the factions are in need of a pawn. If Locke agrees to play the role, sorcery will be used to purge the venom from his body – though the process will be so excruciating he may well wish for death. Locke is opposed, but two factors cause his will to crumble: Jean’s imploring – and the Bondsmagi’s mention of a woman from Locke’s past . . . Sabetha. The love of his life. His equal in skill and wit. And now his greatest rival. To catch up is easy! Just pick up the first two books in the series: The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas Under Red Skies. I was lucky enough to read the manuscript of Among Thieves a couple of months after I started Fantasy-Faction. I remember reading though Douglas Hulick’s fantastic first person prose and being truly excited. I tore through the hundreds of pages in less than 24 hours and, if it had existed, was ready to tear through more. Among Thieves is a light fantasy novel that provides enjoyment through a witty first person narrator, plenty of plot twists and a ton of believable action scenes. Sworn In Steel was on our 2012’s most anticipated list, however Doug had some problems getting the manuscript in on time and so it has been delayed until him and the publishing company can slot it in to be released. From what I understand, Doug took almost a decade to write book one and so to create a book equally as good in less than a year was a big ask. The good news is that the book is done now and we’ll defiantly be hearing from Drothe in 2013. Hurrah! “It’s been three months since Drothe killed a legend, burned down a portion of the imperial capital, and unexpectedly elevated himself into the ranks of the criminal elite. Now, as the newest Gray Prince in the underworld, he’s learning just how good he used to have it. With barely the beginnings of an organization to his name, Drothe is already being called out by other Gray Princes. And to make matters worse, when one dies, all signs point to Drothe as wielding the knife. As members of the Kin begin choosing sides – mostly against him – for what looks to be another impending war, Drothe is approached by a man who not only has the solution to Drothe’s most pressing problem, but an offer of redemption. The only problem is the offer isn’t for him. To catch up, you simply need to pick up Doug’s excellent debut Among Thieves. Without doubt, along with Douglas Hulick listed above, Mark Lawrence is one of the finest authors to crop up since I’ve been working on this site. Mark has beautiful prose, he pushes boundaries and has somehow created a character who is so detestable to some that his books are unreadable and yet so intriguing and even loved by others that his books are un-put-down-able. This is the third and final book that will bring this fantastic trilogy to a close. I’m looking forward to it as much as I’m dreading it. As much as I want to see what happens, I’m really going to miss Mark’s protagonist Jorg and the world that Mark has built around him. “To reach the throne requires that a man journey. Even a path paved with good intentions can lead to hell, and my intentions were never good. The Hundred converge for Congression to politic upon the corpse of Empire, and while they talk the Dead King makes his move, and I make mine. The world is cracked, time has run through, leaving us clutching at the end days, the future so bright that those who see it are the first to burn. These are the days that have waited for us all our lives. These are my days. I will stand before the Hundred and they will listen. I will take the throne from whoever seeks to thwart me, living or dead, and if I must be the last emperor then I will make of it such an ending. This is where the wise man turns away. This is where the holy kneel and call on God. These are the last miles, my brothers. Don’t look to me to save you. Run if you have the wit. Pray if you have the soul. Stand your ground if courage is yours. But don’t follow me. To catch up with Mark Lawrence’s work you can pick up Prince of Thorns and King of Thorns. If you haven’t already – shame on you!!! Having been a HUGE fan of Brent Weeks’s The Night Angel Trilogy, I was one of the first people to review Brent Weeks’s Black Prism. I have to admit that I was somewhat disappointed. To me The Night Angel Trilogy was one of the finest examples of character and action driven fantasy I’ve ever come across. Black Prism seemed to take too long to get going, probably because the politics and the magic system were so unique and complex. Book two though took my breath away. The characters were developed tenfold, the magic system really came into its own and Brent’s writing was better than ever – and that’s saying something. The series was originally set for three books, but Brent extended it to four in order to give the series the ending it needs. After reading book two this year – I’m absolutely cannot wait. “No official blurb has been released yet, but book three will continue in Brent Weeks’s pre-industrial fantasy milieu, albeit more advanced than most, with gunpowder weapons and widespread use of simple machines such as pulleys and gears. For those who haven’t read the first two: The story takes place in “The Seven Satrapies, 7 semi-autonomous countries surrounding a large sea, each ruled by a leader known as a satrap. Each satrapy has considerable independence, but is under the loose control of a federalist central government. Brent Weeks has a fantastic trilogy out called The Night Angel. However, this series is unrelated. All you need to do in order to catch up is pick up Black Prism and The Blinding Knife. A Memory of Light is the planned 14th and final book of the series. Sadly, as Robert Jordan passed away, it was uncertain for a while what would happen to the series, which was at the time unfinished. To fans delight, talented author Brandon Sanderson picked up Jordan’s notes and has all the skills and the backing to finish the series. His efforts so far have been well received and most feel Sanderson has breathed new life into a series that felt lost. For many this will be the end of over two decades worth of reading. Without question, A Memory of Light is one of the most anticipated fantasy novels of all time. “And it came to pass in those days, as it had come before and would come again, that the Dark lay heavy on the land and weighed down the hearts of men, and the green things failed, and hope died.’ – Charal Drianaan te Calamon, The Cycle of the Dragon. All humanity is in peril – and the outcome will be decided in Shayol Ghul itself. The Wheel is turning, and the Age is coming to its end. The Last Battle will determine the fate of the world. . . There are 13 books you need to read in order to get up to date with this series. I believe this book is out in January/February 2013, so you’ve got some reading to do!!! Peter V. Brett is the perfect example of a modern fantasy author. He knows his world inside out, his characters are so well-rounded that it is impossible to class them as good or evil, and his writing is some of the most atmospheric and powerful you will ever come across. Peter V. Brett, along with Brent Weeks, sparked my love of modern fantasy and his bringing the genre up to date has done the same for thousands of others. Nothing in Peat’s books could be classified as cheesy…almost all of it can be considered ‘cool’. Book three looks to expand the world even further and with the revelation in book two that the unintelligent evil was actually intelligent evil, we’ve got a lot to look forward to. Without doubt, The Daylight War is my most anticipated fantasy novel of 2013 and I was glad to hear so much of the community agreed with me. “With The Warded Man and The Desert Spear, Peter V. Brett surged to the front rank of contemporary fantasy, standing alongside giants in the field such as George R. R. Martin, Robert Jordan, and Terry Brooks. The Daylight War, the eagerly anticipated third volume in Brett’s internationally bestselling Demon Cycle, continues the epic tale of humanity’s last stand against an army of demons that rise each night to prey on mankind. To catch up with Peter’s work, you simply need to read the first two books in the series: The Painted Man (The Warded Man in the US) and The Desert Spear. What I’d give to read those two books for the first time again…. Seriously? I won? Are you sure there wasn’t a miscount? Thanks to Fantasy Faction and everyone who voted! I’m truly touched and honored. Odds are I will be coming to a town near you on the Daylight Tour next year. Come out and say hi! Books that probably won’t be out in 2013, but we wish they were! Well, that just about wraps things up, however, I’d like to mention the books that we hope will come out this year, but don’t look likely. They were the books that were mentioned through the forums and over Twitter that we really can’t see coming out in 2013. That being said, we are going to slide them in here and at least cover our backs should they unexpectedly be released. It happened with A Dance With Dragons right? And that’s a wrap, please leave comments as to your thoughts on our list and also enjoy the patented, copyrighted, award that goes to Peter V. Brett and his upcoming novel The Daylight War. I’m glad Stella Gemmell got a mention. The Daylight War deserved first place. I agree with Peter V. Brett – AMoL should be #1. Fantastic list! A lot of amazing series listed that I haven’t even touched yet, maybe I finally will this year?! Actually, Highprince of War has been put on the shelf. The next book in the series will be called The Book of Infinite Pages (or something along those lines) while HoW will probably be a future entry. Not a single female author, huh? Francis Knight and Robin Hobb made honorable mention. And last year Elspeth Cooper and Robin Hobb made the top 10. It’s readers’ choice, so I guess it just worked out that way. That’s just what I was going to say! Not to take anything away from any of the fellas on the list (whose books I’m sure all deserve the recognition), but it does make one pause, especially in light of the questions raised this year about the gender (im)balance in the publicity/reviewing process. Stella Gemmell, Robin Hobb and Francis Knight are all female. Can you break this down for me? What is different about the works on this list compared to the works written by women authors you’re planning to review? The answer to the question about the gender imbalance looks like a great many weasel words. “There are A LOT more male authors writing the kind of fantasy that this list is anticipating” seems to be a circular argument – ‘there are only men on the list because more men write the kind of fantasy that’s on the list’. Is this ‘kind of fantasy’ the ‘written by men’ kind? Gender imbalance in reviewing and discussion of genre has been an issue all through this year and – nearly at the end – here it is again. It doesn’t matter who voted, or who decided, a list of ten anticipated fantasy works with not a single female – ignoring the token ‘honourable mentions’ – is obvious gender imbalance and statistically significant. Don’t dismiss it, acknowledge it, and do something about it. I would like to write a well formed argument pointing out the many, many flaws in your logic, but why bother, you wouldn’t listen. So I Just wanted to let you know that you are an embodiment of everything that has gone wrong with the feminist movement. Feminist movement? What’s that? The final book from Patrick Rothfuss is my favorite so far! So I appreciate this is fan generated (and not one persons choice) and that you can never please all of the people all of the time…. But seriously not even an honourable mention for Stephen R Doanaldson’s final book of the final Thomas Convenant series – The Last Dark? PS The rest of the list is amazing – time to do some pre-ordering…. Another one I’m surprised didn’t get more attention is Magician’s End by Raymond E. Feist, it’s the last and final book of The Riftwar saga… I guess, like TC, the books have their highs and lows and not everyone has stuck with them. Good list yes, but the final WOTM book is by far number one, many thousands have been waiting DECADES for this book, back when Brett was skipping middle school classes. Interesting selection and some terrific writers but odd that not one woman writer rates – and, yes, I did note the explanations in the comments. I just don’t find them convincing. Can only apologise that there aren’t more female authors. Robin Hobb is usually in the top 10, but this isn’t her best series. Trudi Canavan isn’t releasing next year, neither is N. K. Jemisin. Kate Elliott was on the short list, but her Spirit Walker series just isn’t read as much as the authors on this list. It does seem that 2013 is a big year for the big names in fantasy, most of whom tend to be male – including a bunch of titles that were due out in 2012 (or earlier) but are running late. A bunch of my favourite female writers have new books out in late 2012, and for most of them, their next book hasn’t even been announced yet, so I didn’t have any titles to nominate. Not that I wouldn’t like to see more women on this list – but I can see how a combination of men dominating the genre and the vagaries of scheduling could have conspired to create an all-male list. AMOL release date is January 8th. Less than a month to go! It’s also my number 1. And what about next part of Kharkanas trilogy? Fall of Light, book 2 of The Kharkanas Trilogy, set to be published in 2014 (TBC). I don’t think that Overlord or any voter conspired to make this an all male list – it just so happens that the most anticipated ones (for the most part) are written by we men. I do think, however, that Brent Weeks’ Blood Mirror shouldn’t be on the list. He’s one of my favorite authors and I love the Blinding Knife and the Black Prism, but it’s very unlikely for him to release the third book in 2013. I was one of the judges for the Aurealis Awards (fantasy novel category) last year and I think 4/5 were women. So plenty of excellent female authors around, in Australia at least. The readers have spoken! And they clearly couldn’t give a good goddamn about River of Stars by Guy Gavriel Kay: easily my most anticipated fantasy novel of 2013. Still, not a few fine-looking fantasies to anticipate otherwise. No Unholy Consult?! Not even an honorable mention? For shame. Although, I must say I will be adding a few of these to my goodreads list. Thanks! EXACTLY what I was thinking! Just wrong! This is easily the best series going next to George RR Martin! Great list! i am current reaad the daylight war! Looking forward to the second stormlight archive book, sworn in steel, and republic of thieves! These lists have really helped me learn about new authors and series because i only started reading a lot in the last 3 or 4 months! Thanks! Cant wit for part 2! Thanks so much for your list! A fantasy addict since my first Wheel of Time book in middle school, I have been awaiting the next Sanderson Stormlight Archive book as well as Patrick Rothfuss’ next installment with what I feel is great patience. Luckily, the Game of Thrones HBO series is helping me with my addiction to G.R.R.M.’s work. I am going to listen to The Rithmatist en route to Tahoe next week, which will hopefully give me my Sanderson fix. I have been filling the time as best I can with other genres, but your page has put me in touch with some other authors to consider. Thanks to you, I just downloaded Warded Man and Among Thieves to my kindle. If there is anything else you think I should get started on, please let me know! Thanks again! One of the most anticipated up-and-coming dark fantasy novels for 2014 is called DAMASTOR. The author has a blog about it ( diatrou86.wordpress.com ) and Criticol is the publisher. Heard it’s gotten rave reviews, so just thought I’d pass it along!

http://fantasy-faction.com/2012/most-anticipated-fantasy-books-of-2013?replytocom=62764

I'm back. Those of you who were members of this forum eight years ago may remember me, and unfortunately those probably aren't happy memories. It was 2007. I was eight years old. I was on the internet, looking for games, and I found one that I instantly fell in love with - The Battle for Wesnoth. When I found out about UMC, I was delighted! I had a chance to create something for the game I love so much. I turned to the forums and made an account. I quickly became notorious for my terrible ideas, terible speling, and most of all my terrible art. But that was a fun time. I learnt a lot and my art improved. It all came to an end when Dave messaged me, and asked how old I was. I told the truth, revealing I wasn't thirteen like the rules demanded. I was banned, and my little eight year old heart broke. But now I'm back. I'm sixteen now, old enough to be on these forums without breaking the rules. I suppose I loved this game too much to ever stay away. I come back to Wesnoth every few months, but now, I feel it's time to return to the forums. If 'The Space Invader' is still here, I'd like to thank - and apologise to - him the most. Honourable mentions to 'Zookeeper' and 'Syntax Error'. If this is the wrong place to be posting this, I apologise. I think you mean thespaceinvader, not The Space Invader. Welcome back.

http://forums.wesnoth.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=41511&p=580085

The Park is situated at the confluence of Morthen and Ulley Brooks, where the construction of the reservoir was completed in 1874. This created an area containing a broad diversity of habitats, ranging from the reservoir itself with its aquatic margins to grasslands below the dam and steep wooded hillsides bordering the streams. A pond, created in 2009 to replace the old filter-beds, augments these habitats and provides a useful facility for school pond-dipping groups. Each habitat supports a wide and differing variety of plants and animals, which make the Park a haven for amateur naturalists. Grey Squirrels can be seen around the park and although declining, Brown Hares can sometimes be spotted in adjacent fields. Various species of mice and voles occur, which in turn provide prey for Stoats and Weasels. A notable species within the park are Grass Snakes which, in warm weather, visitors may be lucky enough to see sunning themselves or swimming in the reservoir or the pond. Common Frogs and Toads also occur in good numbers. The reservoir holds good stocks of coarse fish, making the Park a popular venue for local anglers. The pond and streams also hold good numbers of Sticklebacks. Well over 120 species of bird have been recorded within the Park. Commoner species such as finches are augmented in winter by several types of wildfowl and in summer by migrant warblers. Buzzards can regularly seen soaring overhead and Mute Swans and Great Crested Grebe regularly nest. Occasionally, rarer species turn up. Both Red-necked Grebe and Slavonian Grebe have been recorded. A huge variety of insects can be seen in all the suitable habitats. 20 species of butterfly have been recorded, the most notable being White-letter Hairstreaks which live in the Wych Elms adjacent to Ulley Holt. Many moths are also to be found although, apart from a few day flying species, a light trap is needed to record these nocturnal insects. A trapping session in July 2008 turned up a Buff Footman which was the first ever record for that species in the Sheffield/Rotherham area. 9 dragonflies and 5 damselflies occur around the water margins during the summer months and close views can be obtained if approached with care. Beetles, hoverflies, bees and many other types of insect add to the enormous scope for amateur entomologists. UlleyCountryPark is situated on sand stone above coal seams, which were mined from Treeton Colliery, and the underlying geology and the effect of the reservoir have created several ecological habitats considered to be of National Conservation importance. These include wetlands and swamp, lowland neutral grassland, and patches of lowland acid grassland and heathland, each of which supports different species of wild flowers and grasses. Wetlands and Swamp. Found at the end of the Ulley Arm at Ulley Holt and the end of the Morthen Arm, are wetland species such as Bulrush (Typha latifolia), Celery–leaved Buttercup, Water Forget-me-not, Reed Canary-grass, Soft Rush and Jointed Rush along with Meadow Sweet, Wild Angelica, Brooklime, and Great Willowherb. Golden Saxifrage (opposite leaved species) is found beside the Ulley and Morthen Brooks. Willow carr can be found in the wetlands containing Crack, Grey, and Goat Willow often used by the Great Crested Grebe, Swan and Coot as nesting sites. Alder grows round the edge of the reservoir, in the drainage ditches and beside the Ulley and MorthenBrooks. In the Ulley Arm, part of Ulley Holt, the northern side of the Morthen Arm and the west side of the Dam wall, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Bush Vetch, Tufted Vetch, Red and White Clover, Common and Lesser Knapweed, Creeping and Spear Thistle, Ox-eye Daisy, Rosebay Willowherb, Field Scabious, Common Poppy, Cow Parsley and Creeping Buttercup can all be found along with many other species. In the woodland along the Ulley Arm, at the end of the Morthen Arm and below the Dam Wall, Silver Birch, Oak, Rowan and Alder, Sycamore, Willow, Hazel, Ash, Hawthorn, Blackthorn and Elder all grow. The woodland floor supports Bluebell, Wood Anemone, Wood Sorrel, Lesser Celandine, Ground Ivy, Common Dog Violet, Red Campion and Greater Stitchwort. Lowland Dry Acid Grassland and Heathland. There is a patch of Heather (Calluna vulgaris) with Heath Bedstraw, Tormentil, Sheep’s Sorrel, Wavy Hair-grass and Sheep’s-Fescue on the west side of the SailingTower and a similar larger patch of Heather below the new Spillway on the hillside above the Environmental Resource Centre. The large bank of dry acid grassland, which is to the south of the Morthen Arm, is known as the Gorse Bank. This is covered with a large patch of Gorse, with Bracken and in the grassy clearings Tormentil, Heath Bedstraw, Wavy Hair-grass and Foxgloves can be found. Small Oak trees, Rowan, Ash, Silver Birch and Rhododendron grow there. In Autumn Fly Agaric toadstools with their bright red caps covered with white scales are found growing beside the path under the Silver Birch trees. In November 2011 forty different species of Fungi were identified between the Park entrance and the Sailing Tower. Visitors walking round the Park will find five interpretation boards that illustrate various species that may be seen and which hopefully will aid in identification. This web-site also contains a gallery of wildlife photographs – all taken within the Park, again showing the wide diversity of flora and fauna to be found.

http://friendsofulley.com/biodiversity/

Read the news that Fullmetal Alchemist 2 will debut in Japan on 5th April 2009. There is also a second version of the trailer circulating around in the Internet but I've not obtain a copy yet. The 1st run of Fullmetal Alchemist is great, and hopefully this would be a sequel and not re-make. Growing Online / Gaming Content Market in Singapor...

http://games.shadow.sg/2009/02/fullmetal-alchemist-2-april-2009.html

The radicalism of some factions of the English Civil War has been wrongly forgotten. The first nation to execute its king was not France but England. The Diggers and Levellers of 17th century England were the first ideological movements to make a systematic critique of the distribution of income and wealth. The Diggers and Levellers were important precursors of the populist radicalism that emerged in reaction to the Industrial Revolution. They were precursors of the hippies of the 1960s, of Michael Moore, and of the Occupy movement. I think the Diggers and Levellers did a good job of distilling the discontents of their time, of the last century, and since 2008, of our time. Face it, people, just how many of our fellow humans, especially in the English speaking world, can get our heads around the intellectual edifice and sonorous prose of Karl Marx and his ilk? Many dutifully voted for Marxist and social democratic parties, not because they truly believed in their ideology, but because they were decently organised and well-funded. In their heart of hearts, such people thought like Lilburne and Winstanley, and saw Marxism or social democracy mainly as a pragmatic way of attaining Digger and Leveller objectives.

http://gene-callahan.blogspot.com/2012/01/leader-of-levellets.html

Creator: Brady, Mathew B., approximately 1823-1896. Confederate General John Bell Hood (1831-1879) was trained at West Point and fought in the United States Civil War under Robert E. Lee in 1862 and 1863 at the battles of Antietam, Gettysburg (where he was severely wounded in the arm) and Chickamauga (where he lost his leg). In July 1864, Hood took command of the Army of the Tennessee and fought unsuccessfully in the Battle of Franklin. Hood resigned his command on 23 January 1865, reverting back to his permanent rank of lieutenant general and surrendered to Federal authorities in Natchez, Mississippi on 31 May 1865. This collection contains a United States Civil War-date (circa 1861-1865) cartes-de-visite of Confederate General John Bell Hood (1831-1879) wearing his regulation general's uniform. The image was published by E. & H.T. Anthony (301 Broadway, New York) from a Mathew Brady negative. Item 1: John Bell Hood cartes-de-visite, circa 1861-1865 View online.

http://ghs.galileo.usg.edu/ghs/view?docId=ead/MS%202357-ead.xml

The Savannah Fair, Inc., American-Grecian Turpentine Corp., Citizens Loan and Investment Co., and the Gahoma Oil and Gas Co. were all early 20th century companies incorporated under the laws of the state of Georgia. Savannah Fair, Inc was in business at least through 1955; American-Grecian was in business at least through the 1960s. Sawmill Construction Co. was incorporated under the laws of the state of Tennessee. Florida Farming Corp. was incorporated under the laws of Florida. The American Telegraphone Company was incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia in 1903. The company manufactured the telegraphone, a device invented by Valdemar Poulsen. A Danish inventor, which utilized a steel wire wound in a spiral on a cylinder which rotated under an electromagnet connected to a carbon microphone or earphone. It was marketed as an answering machine. This collection contains 7 stock certificates dating from 1907-1921. Sawmill Construction Co. of Tennesee, 1914; Florida Farming Corp., 1921; The Savannah Fair, Inc., 1920; Citizens Loan and Investment Co. of Savannah, 1920; Gahoma Oil and Gas Co. of Savannah, 1920; American-Grecian Turpentine Corp., 1918; American Telegraphone Company, 1907. The ATC certificate is made out to Albert Henry Stoddard, a South Carolina author. There is a sheet of paper included with the certificates that has, "7-Stock Certificates with Savannah Connections [.] Savannah Trade Mart 111 Tibet Ave- Savannah, Georgia 31406". American Telegraphone Company. American-Grecian Turpentine Corporation. Citizens Loan and Investment Company. Florida Farming Corporation. Gahoma Oil and Gas Company. Savannah Fair, Inc. Sawmill Construction Company. Stoddard, Albert Henry, 1872-1954.

http://ghs.galileo.usg.edu/ghs/view?docId=ead/MS%202379-ead.xml

Journal Glasnik Šumarskog fakulteta is published under an Open Access licence. All its content is available free of charge. Users can read, download, copy, distribute, print, search the full text of articles, as well as to establish HTML links to them, without having to seek the consent of the author or publisher.

http://glasnik.sf.unibl.org/index.php/gsfbl/navigationMenu/view/openAccessPolicy

Winston was born 8/13/2012. It was love at first sight with him. We knew we couldn't leave the breeders without taking him home with us. When we took him home on 10/19/2012, he adjusted very quickly. He met our family/friends and everyone has fallen in love with him. He just loves my husband,myself and his 3 siblings unconditionally and is our little shadow when we walk throughout the house. I couldn't imagine my life without Winston and feel so blessed to have him in our lives. Looking forward to all the adventures we'll have together! Winston is incredible with our 3 kids. He is protective of them on walks and has an incredible patience with them. Training questions for when new people come to the house. Good morning Doodle Family!! Good afternoon everyone! Well my little Winston got neutered on Monday. Boy, was that hard to leave him Monday morning, but luckily I was able to pick him up by that evening and everything went great. All working owners: I was wondering what all of you do when having to let out your puppy while at work. I am lucky enough to work close to my home, so during my lunch break I come home and let Winston out. But now I will have to be traveling a bit for work and won't be able to come home in the middle of the day. Finnegan is 11 weeks old. He is an F1 standard and I think he's going to be a big boy. It's soo much fun having a puppy but is definitely lots of work. My older dog keeps needing extra attention but he's also a little stinker because he steals anything that I get for Finnegan even if I've gotten him the same thing lol! Are you enjoying your Winston? Hi Korina & Winston! We are both going thhrough the "new puppy" phase together! Welcome Korina &amp; Winston. He is so adorable. You're going to love this community, it's members and all the beautiful Doodles.

http://goldendoodles-labradoodles.ning.com/profile/KorinaKing

The price of gold now in the London Stock Exchange is $ 1605 an ounce of gold at the opening session of the Stock Exchange and is expected to increase prices today and there is some movement of gold but at a slight, not gold, as usual in former times.

http://goldpricenetwork.com/gold-price-in-london-stock-exchange-now-and-its-expectation/

Dr. Blau will be sharing his expertise on gynecomastia with over 3,000 plastic surgeons. Check out the article about Dr. Blau’s book in the September issue. A study of 1600 of Dr. Blau's bodybuilder patients is featured in the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Dr. Blau presents the first and only gynecomastia book from a true expert: a plastic surgeon who performs the procedures himself. Dr. Blau's new video guide to gynecomastia surgery reveals how to improve your results and speed your recovery time. Watch Dr. Blau's TLC segment on our site. Proposals to participate in this TV program were received from the country's top gynecomastia surgeons, executives chose one of our patients based on our experience, predictable results, reputation and the nuances of our patient's personality and case. Click heading for link to our video. Art exhibition of Dr. Blau's own work in our Gynecomastia Surgical Center. Come see enjoy our art in our waiting room. In addition to years of experience as a plastic surgeon, Dr. Blau is also a gifted artist. Select pieces of his work have also been featured in galleries in both the U.S. and Europe. A number of his works are also on display in our New York office. Dr Mordcai Blau is proud to be a participating volunteer plastic surgeon in "Project C.A.R.E" assisting wounded and injured American soldiers.

http://gynecomastiausa.com/news/

Since July 2017 HASA GmbH belongs to Freiberger Lebensmittel GmbH & Co. KG. For more than 40 years, the Freiberger Group have been developing and producing chilled and frozen pizza, frozen snacks and ready meals for the international retail trade. Freiberger is a wholly owned subsidiary of Suedzucker AG, one of the largest food manufacturing companies in Europe. HASA was founded in 2016 - originally as a family-run, medium-sized company-in Burg near Magdeburg in Saxony-Anhalt. Since then the company develop and produce a wide range of delicious frozen stone oven pizzas using innovative and modern technology. Only carefully selected ingredients are used: 100% tomato puree, Edam cheese and mozzarella as well as premium blends of herbs form the basis of the HASA range. Combined with a long resting time, no use of baking agents or other additives HASA pizza is baked directly on hot stones. This way the base remains light and crispy and the inimitable Mediterranean flavors can develop fully. Core business of HASA are Private Label. Produced and sold are also own brands, such as ITALISSIMO and Pizza Amore. Quality assurance is a top priority for HASA. It goes without saying that the management processes follow the HACCP standard HASA is certified according to IFS (Higher Level) and BRC (Grade A). Constant quality control by an external institute ensures microbiological safety.

http://hasa-burg.de/Unternehmen

JUST LISTED: The largest remaining private portion of the original Camp Huntington — one of the early sites for Scouting in Southern California — is being offered to the market for the first time in more than forty years. Set on a varied, verdant slope in Rubio Canyon, here is a private and tranquil oasis with mountain and canyon views, adjacent to wild lands but just minutes from the city below. The Traditional home offers four bedrooms, two and one-half baths, spacious living room, family dining room, pool, attached double garage, plus a separate workshop. Oaks, pines, deodar cedars and ancient olive trees are spread across the idyllic landscape, creating smaller areas for play, shade, relaxation and the simple delight of the remarkable environment. The property is comprised of three parcels totaling just under five acres, zoned LCR1-20,000. All include both water and utilities; the owner has additional water stock certificates in-hand to allow for potential development. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a large private retreat or to create several individual estates.

http://haussler.com/listing/idyllic-altadena-estate/

Lee Harwood (born 4 October 1960) is an English former footballer who played as a defender for Southampton, Wimbledon, Leatherhead, Port Vale, and Waterlooville. Harwood started his career at Southampton, turning professional at 18 years old after serving as an apprentice. He was loaned out to Wimbledon in the 1978–79 season, although he played just the one Fourth Division game at Plough Lane for Dario Gradi's "Dons". He was released from The Dell by manager Lawrie McMenemy, and spent one season in the Isthmian League with Leatherhead. Harwood signed for John McGrath's Port Vale in February 1980. He formed an effective partnership with Phil Sproson, and played 15 Fourth Division games towards the end of the 1979–80 season. He scored his first goal in the Football League on 1 April, in a 3–2 defeat to Portsmouth at Vale Park. He played six league and cup games in the 1980–81 season, but damaged a cartilage in August and endured four knee operations, forcing him to retire from full-time football in November 1981. He did however return to old club Leatherhead and later played for Southern League side Waterlooville. Another serious knee injury forced early retirement from football 1984. These are research notes and may not relate to the player. Handle with care! Former Southampton apprentice, whose SW19 career was blighted by injury - typified by a hamstring tear which forced him out of his Wimbledon debut against Darlington in 1979 after just 20 minutes (his only ever first team start). Later went on to Port Vale (19 appearances - 1 goal) and then Leatherhead. An unsung but instrumental figure in the Wimbledon Common AFCW player trials in 2002, Lee became Terry Eames' Assistant Manager in the inaugural CCL season, before moving to Netherne to coach alongside 'Trigger' Mulcaire.

http://historicaldons.com/player.php?od=4&id=380

Being in the affiliate marketing business is not that hard now with the internet at your disposale. It is much easier now compared to the days when people have to make use of the telephones and other mediums of information just to get the latest updates on the way their program is coming along. Upon waking up and after having breakfast(well not always), the computer is awoken to check out new developments in the network. As far as the marketer is concerned there might be new things to update and statistics to keep track of. The site design has to be revised. The marketer knows that a well-designed site can increase opt-ins from visitors. It can also help in the affiliate’s conversion rates. Time to track down the sales you are getting from your affiliates fairly and accurately. See if they are any new clients checking the products out. Noting down the contact information that might be a viable source in the future. To prove that the affiliate is working effectively and efficiently, inquiries need faster responses. Nobody wants to be ignored and customers are not always the most patient of all people. Quick answers that should appear professional yet friendly too. The marketer still has time to write out recommendations to those who want credible sources for the products being promoted. There is also time to post some comments on how to be a successful affiliate marketer on a site where the up and coming go.

http://homeworkermother.blogspot.com/2008/07/what-day-bring-in-affiliate-marketing.html

People with periodontitis have a greater likelihood of hypertension, according to a study published in Cardiovascular Research. High blood pressure affects 30-45% of adults and is the leading global cause of premature death, while periodontitis affects more than 50% of the world’s population. Hypertension is the main preventable cause of cardiovascular disease, and periodontitis has been linked with increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

http://hospitalhealthcare.com/news/researchers-observe-link-between-gum-disease-and-increased-higher-risk-of-hypertension/

A lot of people enjoy drinking beer, and this will be noticed when you look at the beer industry and the sales they make every year. You can consider adding some brews into the road trip if you are planning to take a road trip. You should not drink the same beer if you will take a road trip in different states. A favorite type, brand, and style of beer that is worth a trial will be found in every state. In this article, I am going to discuss some favorite beers for every country you should give a try. But, you should drink responsibly even if beers can add fun in your road trip. A wide selection of beers are loved to be tasted by many people especially when they are looking for favorite beer. When it comes to beers, there are many brands you will come across. You will find different brands of beers in the bars because people have different tastes and preferences. Almost in all countries, one of the example of beer brands that you will come across is the Budweiser. In many countries, this beer is the best seller and more to that, a lot of people have made it their favorite brand. Apart from that brand, you will come across other beers that you can try during your road trip. You can taste even the low calorie brands when you visit a bar during your road trip. You should taste such beers also even if their prices are low. You can consider buying cheap beers in all countries if you are on a tight budget during your road trip. They are the best choice for those who would like to party even if most of them do not have the best taste of beers. You will come across many groups who succeed in music and art scenes drinking cheap beers when you visit some countries. The beers that are produced by well known breweries are the ones you should buy because they are the best cheap beers. You can start with a wheat based beer if you are new to the craft beer game. Those beers are easy to drink and have a distinct tangy flavor which is why they are the best choice for beginners. Such beers have a fuller flavor, and that’s why they are the ideal choices for beginners. Fruity beers should not be left behind if the road trip you will take will be on a warm weather season. Around the world, you will come across some countries that have been made famous because they have the best and incredible breweries. In California, there is this ale yeast which is a trademark that creates all types of ale. Yeast is the one used to make such beers.

http://hotfaces.info/the-ultimate-guide-to/

I should add: treating Aktionsart of a property of a clause (or better, of a proposition) is the preferred approach more or less across the board these days. Tying Aktionsart solely to the verb only causes pain. Everyone would love to be able to do it, but of those who try, nobody succeeds. I agree. I did try that once, and failed. Thanks for the discussion so far and to Jonathan for the link. I just read Aspect and Aktionsart Once Again. In short: I was pleased. Can you say more? What were you pleased by? He uses good modern linguistic sources, as far as I understand. He handles them well. He's critical of the semantic/pragmatic distinction and seems to understand that issue better than most NT scholars. He understands the importance of Aktionsart, and what's even better, he seems to understand what Aktionsart is in linguistics, unlike most NT scholars. He suggests that we need more research on Aktionsart/lexical aspect/situation aspect and how it interacts with grammatical aspect. He understands the need to develop a Koine Greek specific classification of Aktionsart instead of using an English based one. He writes clearly, logically and understandably. On the other hand, he offers definitions or explanations only at passing or not at all, so the article requires solid preunderstanding of aspectology and the state of affairs in NT studies. There's also a danger that the preunderstanding or definitions are not really shared between him and the reader even if they seem to be at first. Yep. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he's produced the best Greek grammar/linguistics dissertation that's ever come out of McMaster. The breadth and interaction with the current literature on aspect is a breath of fresh air in our discipline. As far as I can tell, all the major and many of the minor players are cited. It is rare for an NT thesis to have such a wide reading in the broader literature. I still have misgivings over the design of the experimental setup in the second part of the thesis, however. I would like that better explained.

http://ibiblio.org/bgreek/forum/viewtopic.php?p=27662

The Bitterroot Ecosystem, or Recovery Zone, is centered in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness in western Montana and northeastern Idaho. The heart of the zone is in Idaho, and about 250,000 acres extend eastward into Montana. The overall zone features 6 million acres of unoccupied habitat, making it one of the largest contiguous blocks of public land remaining in the lower 48 states. The core of the ecosystem contains three Wilderness areas, which make up the largest block of wilderness habitat in the Rocky Mountains south of Canada. This area has the best potential for grizzly bear recovery, primarily due to the large core of designated Wilderness areas. Grizzly bears are not confirmed to currently reside in the ecosystem. The Bitterroot Recovery Zone is historic grizzly country and the animals were abundant when Lewis and Clark traveled through the area in 1806. The last verified death of a grizzly bear in the Bitterroot occurred in 1932 and the last tracks indicating grizzly bear occupancy were observed in 1946. The US Fish & Wildlife Service approved a plan to reintroduce an experimental non-essential population of grizzly bears in the Bitterroot in 2000. In 2001, the Secretary of the Interior halted the plan as the agency’s strategy shifted to allowing bears to naturally migrate into the ecosystem. Grizzly bears in the Bitterroot remain relatively uncommon, compared to parts of northwest Montana, but there have been increasing reports in recent years. In 2007, a black-bear hunter mistakenly killed a 400-pound male grizzly bear in Idaho’s Clearwater drainage, just north of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. DNA evidence linked the bear to the Selkirk Ecosystem in northern Idaho and eastern Washington. In late 2018, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks captured a young male grizzly bear on a golf course north of Stevensville along the Bitterroot River. The bear was relocated to the southern edge of the Northern Continental Divide. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan directs grizzly bear recovery be pursued in the Bitterroot Ecosystem, along with the Yellowstone, Northern Continental Divide, Selkirk, Cabinet/Yaak, and North Cascades Ecosystems. Management agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the USDA Forest Service in cooperation with various non-governmental organizations, continue to monitor for grizzly bear movement into the Bitterroot Ecosystem. These agencies and organizations, in addition to private companies, are also taking management actions to increase public awareness of wildlife sanitation issues and black bear/grizzly bear identification techniques and to improve wildlife sanitation within the Bitterroot Ecosystem. The IGBC vision “to develop a defined course of action toward recovery” will require joint understanding of issues, sharing of knowledge (including new science and results of monitoring), and open communication among agencies, tribes, elected officials, interest groups, and the general public. For more information, visit the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Grizzly Bear Recovery page. The Bitterroot Ecosystem Subcommittee meets biannually to coordinate grizzly bear recovery efforts.

http://igbconline.org/bitterroot-ecosystem/

Science fiction author David Brin, whose 1985 novel The Postman was set largely in Corvallis and at Oregon State will present a talk, “Storytelling in Novels and Film: Adaptations,” October 4, 2016, at 6 p.m. at OSU’s LaSells Stewart Center in the Construction and Engineering Hall. The lecture will focus in part on The Postman, and include film clips of the 1997 movie loosely based on the book as well as feature readings by Brin. A scientist, tech-futurist and best-selling author, Brin has won numerous awards for his novels, which include Earth, the 1989 ecological thriller, and Existence, the 2012 novel which explores bio-engineering, intelligence and how to maintain an open, creative civilization. His nonfiction book, The Transparent Society: Will Technology Force Us to Choose Between Freedom and Privacy? won the Freedom of Speech Prize from the American Library Association. The event is free and open to the public. Grass Roots Books and Music will have signed copies of Brin’s work available for purchase at the event. View the event on Facebook. Brin will present the public lecture as part of a mini-residency at OSU October 3-6, where he will visit classes, meet with faculty and participate in a panel discussion about issues of technology and society. He will also conduct a master class workshop in science fiction writing for undergraduate students in the School of Writing, Literature and Film, and participate in a science fiction prototyping workshop with faculty and graduate students. The workshop will explore the role of science fiction writing as a means to explore potential new technologies, as well as their social, ethical, economic and other implications. Brin’s visit is sponsored by SPARK, OSU’s year-long celebration of the arts and sciences; as well as the OSU Robotics program, the School of Writing, Literature and Film, the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and the College of Science.

http://impact.oregonstate.edu/2016/09/sci-fi-author-scientist-david-brin-visits-osu/

At a seminar on ‘Trade and Investment Opportunities in South Africa’, the SA official spoke about the range of trade opportunities that exist in that country. “We are sister countries and our ties go back 140 years when the first Indians arrived in South Africa. We began as oppressed and not as oppressors. India was the first country to raise the issue of Apartheid. This shared commonality is very important for us, as we try to forge better trade ties,” said Joel Sibusiso Ndebele. A delegation of officials from South Africa pitched the country as an attractive destination for trade. Earlier, Regional Passport Officer Vishnu Vardhan Reddy spoke about how the upcoming ‘Gandhi-Mandela Centre of Specialisation for Artisan Skills’ would help improve skilling of people in both the countries. Mr. Reddy further continued, "there is a lot of potential for trade. While we believe in Vasudeva Kutumbakam, South Africa believes in Ubuntu. This shared philosophy and history should help us tap trade and investment opportunities in both the countries."

http://indiaexportnews.com/detail_news.php?newsid=2796&cat_id=6&pageid=2

Jakarta, InfoPublik – According to Health Minister Nila Moeloek, whan a disease can not be completely treated; something must have been done incorrectly on the treatment. Therefore, health management must be done right both in the downstream and in the upstream. "If we lead a healthy lifestyle, have health awareness, live a clean and healthy life, and stay in a healthy environment, there will be impact on our health," said Minister Nila at the commemoration of World Environmental Health Day 2019, Wednesday (2/10). When people maintain a healthy lifestyle, they are contributing 70% to our health management, and the Health Ministry will only have to contribute to the remaining 30%. This will lead to more inexpensive health costs. Taking this consideration into account, Health Ministry strongly encourages health promotion and disease prevention efforts. Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS) data showed that the number of people with illness is greater than that of healthy people. Aside from physical illness caused by poor lifestyle, many people also suffer from mental illness, for the unwillingness to lead healthier lifestyle. Health Ministry strongly encourages people to change their lifestyles. If we have cleaner environment, supported with healthier lifestyle, stunting cases will no longer occur. Nila expected that changing lifestyles will prevent people from illness. Due to the current people’s lifestyle, the number of people with diabetes and diabetes mellitus has increased. The number of people suffer from heart disease is also increased from 0.5% to 1.5%.

http://infopublik.id/kategori/public-welfare/385813/health-minister-promotes-healthier-lifestyle

Dr. İpek's research project addresses the question of how socialization among states and non-state actors influences preference change and results in cooperation on energy security. Focusing on the creation of the European internal energy market, which is crucial to achieving energy security for the European Union (EU), and NATO's initiative to promote energy infrastructure security, Dr. İpek's project will identify contingent factors of socialization affecting cooperation in regard to energy security. These findings would then help guide policy makers and diplomats in setting appropriate mechanisms to facilitate cooperation to overcome the challenges of energy security. Fulbright Senior Scholarships allow researchers to spend up to six months in the United States. Following the completion of their research activities in the United States, grantees are expected to return to Turkey and share their Fulbright experience with others.

http://ir.bilkent.edu.tr/?page_id=1316&news_id=11

The International Religious Liberty Association (IRLA) Secretary General John Graz and the IRLA South American Secretary General Edson Rosa visited Peru and Chile on September 21 through 30. On September 24, they met with various religious leaders and officials in Lima, Peru. The Honorable Aldo Estrada Choque, Vice President of the Congress of the Republic, congratulated the IRLA for its promotion and defense of religious freedom in the world. He affirmed that religious freedom is a fundamental freedom for the Republic of Peru. On September 25, the IRLA delegation met the President of the Commission of Religious Affairs of the Ministry of Justice, Raquel A Gage Priale. Dr John Graz proposed the organization of the First World Festival of Religious Freedom in Lima, Peru in 2009. This proposal was supported by several religious leaders, including Presidents Samuel Sandoval and Pastor Orlando Ramos, leaders of the Adventist Church in Peru. The date of November 21 was chosen and a steering committee was nominated.

http://irla.org/irla-support-of-the-2008-world-festival-of-religious-freedom

IronWolf is committed to providing value added solutions for our customers. We believe that relationships are the key to our company. We listen to our employees, customers, and partners to create the best solution for the application. Our success is driven by our values, mission and vision. We build relationships on trust, respect, integrity and loyalty. To develop synergistic relationships that elevate the financial well being of all parties involved. To create world-class solutions that increase the value for our business partners. OUR SERVICE DEPARTMENT is dedicated to providing quality solutions in a timely manner. Our support staff is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In the event that parts are needed for repair, most items can be shipped from our warehouse the same day. IRONWOLF’S EMPLOYEES protect the values that support our culture. We believe that people are the ultimate source of our competitive advantage. At IronWolf, we work smart, have fun, and enjoy our successes.

http://ironwolf.com/about-us/

ISER - 645th International Conference on Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow (ICHTFF) is a prestigious event organized with a motivation to provide an excellent international platform for the academicians, researchers, engineers, industrial participants and budding students around the world to SHARE their research findings with the global experts. ICHTFF 2019 will be held in Malacca , Malaysia on 3rd-4th November, 2019.

http://iser.co/Conference2019/Malaysia/13/ICHTFF/

External auditors are certified or licensed individuals from independent firms that contract with a school district to perform the annual financial statement audit. The work performed by the external auditor is guided by established professional standards and legal mandates. The external auditors audit the year-end financial statements. The external auditors may also be consulted to discuss issues such as alternative accounting treatments of specific accounting transactions and new legislative mandates. The Board of Education appointed Cullen & Danowski, LLP as the independent auditors of the Jericho Union Free School District. At the September Board of Education Meeting the External Auditors presented a report to the Board of Education and to the general public. The district received the highest level of approval on its audit for 2017 and the auditors provided an "unmodified opinion."

http://jericho.sharpschool.net/departments/business_and_finance/2017_district_audit_reports

We would like to welcome you on the website of Team Drone Tech! We are a Team of students and alumni of the FH Joanneum university of applied sciences, who have a passion for UAVs (= unmanned aerial vehicles) in general and everything concerning them. A mix of applied research, ever-changing multirotor technology and a lot of passion are the fundament of the Team Drone Tech of the Joanneum Aeronautics. In cooperation with the Aviation Institute of the FH JOANNEUM projects including software programming (e.g. for self-made flight controllers), construction and testing of UAVs (e.g. with our cooperation partner Drone Rescue Systems) and consulting with local drone manufacturers are tent-poles of the teams’ ambitions. Additionally, the vast personal interest of the team members regarding drone technology and programming not only results in projects in cooperation with the FH JOANNEUM but also in the many activities of the team in their free time. Especially when the weather starts to get warmer again the team is in their starting position to crank out their private gear, mostly FPV race quads, and use their gained knowledge to improve their own copters and even compete in a few races now and then. Many projects are initiated by bachelor or master thesis, where the gained theoretical knowledge from the lectures as well as the practical application from the hands-on work in the team results in an excellent start into the venture. Let’s hope for an exciting, busy and crash-free 2019!

http://joanneum-aeronautics.at/drone/

Jennifer McGrew earned her B.S. in Business Administration from Portland State University and earned her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School, graduating Cum Laude and with an Intellectual Property certificate. Admitted to the California, New York, and Texas State Bars, Jennifer is a senior Associate at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (WSGR), in the Technology Transactions Group. Jennifer’s practice focuses on intellectual property-related business transactions. Jennifer, your educational background is not in a field that is traditionally considered technical. How has your educational training benefitted you in ways a technical background would not? My mother was a computer teacher, so I was exposed to technology growing up and I was an early user of the internet. I liked how technology could bring people together, but did not have much exposure to or interest in coding. During undergrad, I worked in a number of corporate positions at technology companies, and that led me to decide to pursue a business degree. The classes I took as a business major exposed me to many aspects of the corporate world, which is very helpful in working with companies, giving me insight into the interplay of accounting, marketing, legal, and other corporate functions. Are there any tips you have for lawyers or entrepreneurs who don’t have a background in technology for getting into the field? Keep abreast of what is going on in the tech world, read tech email newsletters and articles. If there’s something you’re particularly interested in, consider expanding your knowledge to become an expert on that topic. If you are still in law school, or have CLE opportunities, take contract drafting classes. Make sure you keep networks in place; in Portland many of my jobs were obtained through my connections that I made at the companies I worked at and the service providers I interacted with in connection with those roles. Strategically place yourself in environments where there are opportunities. For me, having a gap between undergrad and law school helped develop my experience, maturity, and confidence and increased my certainty that transactional law is what I wanted to practice. Being curious and willing to explore are two characteristics that are going to help make a technology transactions lawyer successful. If you don’t know what a term means, have the confidence to ask for more information. If for some reason you are unable or uncomfortable asking during the original meeting, reach out to a more senior person on the project, or a mentor or sponsor, to clarify any questions you have. I appreciate when associates I’m working with ask these questions because it shows they’re listening, they’re interested, and that they are taking our clients’ needs seriously. Before you began your legal career, you worked in various technological industries. Did these experiences shape your career path? Do these experiences effect how you see your work today? My first tech job during undergrad was working for a company that sold network packet sniffing technology. That company was acquired and I moved to another company specializing in CRM software after the acquisition. Near the end of my time as an undergrad, during the dot-com bubble, I got a job in the professional services team at WebTrends, a web analytics company. My initial role at WebTrends included responsibility for scheduling professional services engagements and customer training courses, including managing the contracts process. After being in that role for about a year, I was recruited into the company’s newly formed legal department. It was a small legal department, and I worked under the same General Counsel for the next 8 years, following him to FEI Company, a scientific instruments manufacturer, after WebTrends was acquired. During my time at WebTrends and FEI, I learned about technology licensing, purchasing and sales contracts, securities work, product marketing, trademarks, patents, and the realities of business. This helped me decide that law school was right for me. In my experience, lawyers that have previous in-house or general corporate experience get up to speed more quickly in a technology transactions role at a firm. Having non-school experience helps bridge the gaps inherently present in a law school education. Real-world exposure to the types of clients you are going to help as a lawyer helps educate a lawyer about the realities of business, not just the formalities of law. For me, having had exposure to numerous corporate environments and technologies helps me advise a wide range of clients through many types of transactions. Having in-house experience is also a great education about the importance of fostering relationships. For example, when handling customer-related agreements, a good working relationship between sales and legal departments is critical. A lawyer needs to be able to explain the formation and structure of contracts in layman’s terms so the sales team will ensure they can manage expectations and contractual commitments appropriately. How are technology transfers different than other typical business transactions? These days, there are technology aspects in nearly every commercial contract or M&A transaction, so, depending on the transaction, I’ll either be leading the transaction, such as with a license agreement, or acting as a specialist, assisting the corporate team that is managing the transaction. In those transactions, I handle the IP and commercial contracts aspects of the deal documents. Deal-related projects I work on include private and public buy-side and sell-side M&A transactions, financings, and IPOs. My role with those projects typically includes drafting and negotiating the IP and commercial contracts terms of the definitive deal agreements and any needed ancillary agreements, as well as managing the IP and commercial contracts’ due diligence and disclosure schedule processes. With commercial contracts projects, I work on all aspects of drafting, reviewing, and negotiating agreements, as well as helping my litigation colleagues navigate resolution of disputes that arise out of commercial relationships. As with other business transactions, a key value add of a transactional lawyer is being able to advise clients on what typical (known as “market”) terms the client could expect to ask for or agree to in a particular commercial contract or deal and advise them when it is appropriate to deviate from those market terms. Additionally, it typically doesn’t serve the client well if their technology transactions lawyer is inappropriately aggressive during negotiations, since we’re often helping our clients enter into what both sides hope is a long term, mutually beneficial relationship. Once the lawyers are done with their portion of the projects, our clients and the counterparties have to continue working together. However, most commercial relationships will eventually end, so I also help my clients think through what can go awry in their proposed business deal and prepare for the relationship to, at some point, end. It’s hard to hang up a shingle straight out of law school doing technology transactions work unless you have a lot of relevant pre-law school experience, since a lot of the key skills that help make a good tech trans lawyer are built up as a junior associate or junior member of an in-house contracts team. For example, performing commercial contracts due diligence on M&A deals provides really good exposure to a wide range of commercial contracts, which helps a junior lawyer learn what terms are common in particular industries or types of contracts. There are also a lot of different types of technology-related contracts, some of which will not come across your desk for long periods of time, so it’s very useful to have access to colleagues that do similar work who can help you through projects that are new to you. How well do you need to understand the technology to execute an effective deal for your client? The required breadth and depth of technology expertise you need depends in part on what resources you have available to you. If you’re in-house and working on a two-person team, you’ll typically have to know more about your company’s technology than a lawyer working at a firm with more resources and specialists who can jump in to help on specific issues. It’s also important to know the limits of your expertise and who to seek out to fill in the gaps. Similarly, what you need to know may depend on your client. A smaller or newer company that is outsourcing commercial contracts work will generally need more technology-specific advice than a client that is a larger company with its own in-house legal team. A lawyer working with a client that is entering into a commercial relationship covering technology that is unfamiliar to the client will benefit from having detailed specifications and services requirements in their contract, so a technology transactions lawyer can help scope out and document those requirements, ensuring the correct terminology is used and detailing how the technology is supposed to be implemented and operated. Are there any differences in how you approach technology transactions when working with start-ups, versus with mature companies? On the deal side, the differences are largely based on why the deal is being done and how big the deal is. A project that involves a company that is selling its assets because it is running out of money is a very different project from a public company acquisition, so I have to tailor my advice and involvement accordingly. On the commercial contracts side of my practice, my approach to a project is also project-specific and varies depending on the size of the company, the complexity of the proposed commercial arrangement, and the resources available within the client. A larger client may have in-house legal team but they may be working on other matters so they engage my firm to help negotiate commercial contracts or help refine their contract terms or processes. A client at a smaller or newer company may need help developing those processes and I enjoy helping them through that by creating forms and then helping them negotiate agreements based on those forms. An early stage company may be more inclined to take on more contractual risk to get new customers, so I get to help them analyze the balance of that potential risk versus potential reward. Some clients come to us after they have tried to handle their commercial contracts and IP processes internally without formal legal support and look to us to help clean up issues with past agreements (or lack of agreements) and establish good go-forward processes so everything is in order in connection with an upcoming financing or M&A deal, and I enjoy helping clients through that process as well. You’ve worked in firms on both coasts, and now reside in Austin. How does location play a factor, if at all, in the work you do? Portland was tight-knit, collegial, and comfortable community where I had a strong network. This network helped me when I was starting my career. I knew a lot of people in the Portland tech scene from my various jobs in Portland, and I was a summer associate at a firm whose attorneys I knew because they had performed work for the companies I was working at during and before law school. However, Portland is a somewhat small legal market, so I was excited to have an opportunity to start my career as a lawyer in New York. I recommend seeking out opportunities in New York to anyone who wants to work with large companies. New York is set up for working professionals and there is often a lot of international work available, which was interesting to me having worked at an international company prior to moving to New York. However, when I was in New York I was part of a small technology transactions team, so there was less variety of work and it was harder to get coverage to take time off. My team at the firm I was at in New York was structured as a transactional sub-practice group under a group that was mainly composed of IP litigators. In contrast, WSGR was one of the first law firms to establish an independent Technology Transactions practice group, and we have a large, supportive team, which means I have more people to bounce ideas off of, we can take on a wider variety of projects, and we have a large body of precedent agreements to help us with new projects. Austin is also located in a great time zone to serve clients all across the country, as well as clients that are also supported by our new London office. Speaking of international clients, what are some different concerns that arise when a technology transaction is an international endeavor? My work on international deals and contracts often involves working with international lawyers inside and outside of my firm. Within the United States, a client in a non-regulated industry has a lot of flexibility to design a commercial relationship in a way that works for them and their counterparty, but internationally there are sometimes more restrictions on what contract terms are allowed or enforceable. For example, in the United States you can typically include liability caps in commercial contracts, but some foreign jurisdictions limit the types of caps that can be included in a commercial arrangement. The WSGR technology transactions team can review commercial contracts for consistency and appropriateness with American contract laws and customs, and then we collaborate with our foreign colleagues and international lawyers from other firms as needed to ensure that our clients’ goals can, to the extent possible, still be achieved when the contract is subject to foreign governing law or otherwise may be impacted by international legal issues. One of the issues I personally had to address with a US-based client related to different ownership rules in Russia that are quite different than those in the United States. In Russia, there are some restrictions on forward-looking assignments of IP rights, so there are certain steps that have to be followed to ensure a company obtains the rights they want to IP developed by its employees or contractors that are based there. When these issues come up, we work with licensed counsel in the appropriate jurisdiction to help the client get the right documents in place to accomplish their IP ownership goals. What has been the most surprising thing about working in the technology sector of the law? It’s been surprising how much this industry has changed and the new opportunities that come with that. I’ve been in it for 20 years and there is always something new to learn. Staying on top of the lingo and new trends gives you exposure to technology before it becomes mainstream. For example, it has been fun to watch the growth of Bitcoin and related technology into the now broad cryptocurrency field. Has mentorship played a role in your career path? If so, how? I think sponsorship and mentorship are both beneficial to a young lawyer, but for me, both types of relationships seem to be more effective when they are established organically. A sponsor is someone who champions your career path, encourages you to take a meeting, or go to law school. Mentors may more interpersonal, rather than specifically career focused, helping through more short term goals or issues, though some people can fill both roles. I’ve had lots of sponsors who also helped as mentors, whom I’ve found through seeking out work or after doing multiple projects for them. What advice to you have for people just starting their careers (law students or young lawyers) who are interested in technology law? My advice for law students interested in this kind of work is to take transactional-focused classes, such as contracts drafting, and get out in the community and network. You can make yourself into a much more appealing candidate to a law firm if you show interest in the firm and show up to firm events to meet the lawyers that work there, compared to someone who just goes through the OCI process looking for any big law job. Find a firm, or a senior lawyer, whose work you’re interested in and work to establish connections. Moreover, if you have time to get to know the people at a firm, that helps to make sure you like the people that you’re going to be spending a lot of time with. Also, be willing to change—what you’re doing at 25 isn’t necessarily what you’ll be doing at 35. Make sure your firm or your network supports opportunities for growth, lateral moves, or exit strategies, such as going in-house. My biggest piece of advice is place yourself in a position of opportunity. Say “yes” when you can to opportunities, even if it means you might be very busy for a period of time. The counter to that is be careful not to over-commit and under-deliver. I recommend joining a professional affinity group. Personally, I participate in a group for lawyer moms, which provides both professional and personal resources. It is also important to build upward relationships, with experienced lawyers who can either sponsor your career and help you get through day-to-day issues.

http://jolttx.com/2019/01/29/technology-lawyer-highlight-jennifer-mcgrew-of-wilson-sonsini-goodrich-rosati/

The Cinephile: One student’s “shock”-ing cinema from Jonathan Michels on Vimeo. In the first episode of The Cinephile, I interviewed UNC-Chapel Hill junior Alvaro Hernandez, who wants you to know that no cats were harmed in the making of his new student film, Systemic Shock. The film tells the story of a mysterious man, recently injured, who unwittingly stumbles into a book shop. Familiar to the book shop owner, but not to himself, the man fumbles through the store until he finds a book that might hold the key to unlocking his past. Michels met Hernandez and co-director Steven Zuegner at The Bookshop on Franklin Street to help shoot the last scenes of the film. Hernandez prefers filming on location, but he said it requires a bit more flexibility and patience than filming on a set. The store’s lighting and its two cats forced Hernandez to constantly readjust his camera. Hernandez said it’s okay to use bold storytelling techniques and ambitious camera angles. And because he’s a student, he said it’s even okay to fail at all of these things. This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 16th, 2011 at 6:31 pm. It is filed under Multimedia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

http://jonathanmichels.com/?p=265

“Where is your favourite place in the world?” I often get asked this question and find it increasingly difficult to answer because there are so many places I hold dear to my heart, and have very fond memories of. Ultimately, I choose the two places I want to revisit the most and therefore answer with Antarctica and Cuba, both for very different reasons. Antarctica, because well, it’s Antarctica, and Cuba because it was a time-warp to 1959 when the revolution took hold and Cuba seemingly stood still; it was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I first visited Cuba in 2012 as a naïve young traveller on my first backpacking adventure. I spent about five days in Havana and as aforementioned I was naïve because I had barely researched the country, didn’t have a guidebook or enough cash with me and given the embargo with the States, my bankcard didn’t work. Luckily, without a supply of money or even a basic understanding of Spanish, I managed to get by and I was astounded by three main things: the lack, or basic non-existence of internet and mobile phones, the way kids were kids; playing in the streets and families would live their lives outside their front doors, and the time-warp that Cuba seemed to be in with the very old classic cars and the clothes that were worn. It was mind-blowing and I wanted more, so I decided to return and booked for exactly 29 days (visas last 30 days) so I could explore more of the country. I was more than excited to be back in Cuba after touching down in Havana but immediately I knew things were going to be different. I first notice that immigration was no longer fully concealed. In 2012, the immigration officer was in a small box-like room and you entered one-by-one, hoping they would allow you into the country. If successful, they would only stamp your visa, which was a loose piece of paper slipped into your passport. This time around, I was served by two young women who joked with me and asked me how to pronounce words in English, before stamping me into the country inside my passport. I was in Havana for a total of six days and most of that time was spent walking around the capital. I’m not a huge fan of museums, instead preferring to roam the streets and get a feel for the life of the city. The Malecon, the plazas in Old Havana and Hotel Ambos Mundos, where Hemingway lived, were some of my favourite haunts. I also awoke to a room filled with balloons on my birthday thanks to Victoria and celebrated it with a nice chilled day tasting two of the country’s finest exports, cigars and rum. Havana looks like people on their mobile phones. No longer are kids playing soccer, baseball or marbles in the streets, instead they are gathered in groups outside hotels connected to Wi-Fi on phones that family members or friends have brought back from the Forbidden Land. Havana smells like cigars. Cliché, yes, but also true. Puffing on an iconic Cuban is a way of life here. Havana feels like it’s in the process of change. Many kids now have mobile phones and there’s Wi-Fi readily available, which didn’t exist in 2012. People are no longer living their lives outside their houses, with TVs also commonplace in homes. Havana tastes like Spaghetti Napolitano. Havana isn’t especially kind to vegetarians and I got used to Spaghetti Napolitano. Havana sounds like ‘Taxi’. Every street corner is presided over by a taxi driver or pedi-cab chauffeur who would just shout ‘taxi’. I would start off by saying ‘No, gracias’ but after a few days would just ignore them. This might be selfish of me, but I was saddened to see the change in Havana. The city is opening up and the technological age is taking over. Don’t get me wrong, there are still some kids playing in the streets and some people sitting on their doorsteps, but most are now congregated around Wi-Fi hotspots, or inside watching TV. It’s great for the Cubans who are now able to connect with family members in other countries, but for travellers wishing to experience a country that was nearly five decades behind the rest of the world, time is running out.

http://jordenteo.com/havana-review/

In this work, anticholinesterase activities of 24 polyphenolic compounds were tested using the modified Ellman’s spectrophotometric method. The most efficient acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors were anthocyanins (pelargonidin, delphinidin and cyanidin), flavones (apigenin and luteolin), flavonols (quercetin, kaempferol and myricetin), as well as dihydrochalcone phloridzin and prenylated chalcone xanthohumol. It was established that all the tested compounds were within a narrow molecular weight range of 254.24–354.40 g/mol, which probably was not discriminative for their inhibitory activity. Among all the classes of polyphenolic compounds, the lowest activities were exerted by flavan-3-ols. The inhibitory activity of the tested polyphenols was decreased by the presence of a 3-hydroxyl group. A simultaneous substitution of a carbonyl group at position 4 and a hydroxyl group at position 3 or a lack of both of these substitutions had no effect on the activity of the investigated compounds. The number and position of other hydroxyl groups in the tested molecules played a minor role in this context. Aglycons were more effective cholinesterase inhibitors than their corresponding glycosylated forms. Overall, the results show that phenolic acids can play a role in neuroprotection. However, further in vitro and in vivo studies involving a larger number of polyphenolic compounds simultaneously with well-known cholinesterase inhibitors should be performed in the nearest future to confirm these findings.

http://journal.pan.olsztyn.pl/Anticholinesterase-Activities-of-Selected-Polyphenols-a-Short-Report,98381,0,2.html

Adolescents Drink Less Frequently Than Adults, But When They Do Drink, They Drink More Heavily Than Adults. When youth between the ages of 12 and 20 consume alcohol, they drink on average about five drinks per occasion about six times a month. This amount of alcohol puts an adolescent drinker in the binge range, which, depending on the study, is defined as "five or more drinks on one occasion" or "five or more drinks in a row for men and four or more drinks in a row for women." By comparison, adult drinkers age 26 and older consume on average two to three drinks per occasion about nine times a month.

http://kcpc.weebly.com/facts/category/adults

The Village Hall Committee will be holding their AGM on Tuesday, 26 January 2010, at 7pm in the village hall. If you are interested in helping with the general running of the village hall, fund-raising, and the on-going refurbishment and improvement then perhaps you might like to become a member. The village hall is used for a variety of functions from the summer Gala Day to the school plays, youth club, birthday parties and the New Year Party. Anyone aged 16 or over is welcome to come on board.

http://kinlochbervie.info/scripts/showblog.asp?entry=../blogs/16-01-10%20Village%20Hall%20AGM.txt