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The President held a meeting on disaster relief measures following wildfires in April 2017, which damaged a number of towns and villages in Buryatia and the Irkutsk Region. The meeting participants discussed the progress in reconstruction work and compensation payments to the wildfire victims. August 4, 2017 After the meeting, Vladimir Putin had a conversation with Vadim Semenov, Mayor of Cheremkhovo, Irkutsk Region. Excerpts from transcript of meeting on wildfire relief in Buryatia and Irkutsk Region President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, Colleagues, we all know very well that last spring this region suffered from wildfires. Residential areas in Buryatia and the Irkutsk Region were affected. Fire destroyed houses and outbuildings. We discussed relief measures on May 15 at a meeting in Irkutsk. Today I would like to hear about the progress, including your reports on compensation payments to the people affected by wildfires. I found certain discrepancies in my papers and would like to ask my colleagues a question regarding the actual amount of the funding allocated. As far as I know, due to time-consuming bureaucracy, the money was provided later than planned. But the question itself is how much is required for rebuilding the houses and other buildings in the first place – and how much was allocated. This concerns Buryatia as well. The village of Cheremushki is well known. I spoke to the residents during Direct Line. My understanding is it is the only affected residential area in Buryatia. The Irkutsk Region had more victims. See also August 4, 2017 Meeting on development of Baikal natural area August 4, 2017 The Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities gave me one figure while I see that the planned funding is different. I would like to get to the bottom of this and find out what is going on with this money. The Government received all the necessary documents on August 2 and the money was transferred to the regions. I would like to hear from the regional heads whether this money will suffice. I also would like the Emergencies Minister to report on the estimated damage. I also requested the presence of representatives from municipalities. I would like to hear your opinion on the situation. Let us begin. Let us start with Mr Tsydenov. Please. On April 28, 2017, as many as 28 structures, including 20 houses, burnt down in Cheremushki. Nineteen of these houses were occupied, by 49 people, or 19 families. One house was used as a sports centre. We are supporting all 19 families and not only with new housing. At the meeting in Irkutsk, you also gave us instructions to take measures regarding outbuildings. Therefore, we are helping with those too. (Alexei Tsydenov reported on the construction of new houses and compensation payments. During a videoconference with the village of Cheremushki, Oksana Trishkina, head of the municipality that includes Cheremushki, answered the President’s questions. Great Patriotic War veteran and local resident Ivan Goloshchapov also participated in the conversation.) Ivan Goloshchapov: Mr President, we know very well that when a disaster happens, you are always with us, the people. When you gave instructions to the republic’s officials, they immediately started acting on them. All necessary help was organised, and the people received financial aid. The area was cleared and prepared for construction. Construction materials arrived timely, and the construction of new houses began. My house, for example, is already finished. I have already moved in and am very pleased and grateful to all the construction workers and our republic’s authorities. We received great help from volunteers. Emergencies Ministry volunteers were exceptionally helpful. We want to express our sincere gratitude. Next to me is the head of our village. She has been with us since the very first day of this emergency, almost like a mother with her children. Mr President, we want to ask you something. We really hope that you will run for president during the next election. We will be very happy if you do. Thank you very much. Vladimir Putin: All right, I will think about it. Can you tell me: the house in the background, who does it belong to? Oksana Trishkina: It is the first house completed. It belongs to Olga Fedorets from Cheremushki. Further down, you can see more houses. The next house belongs to this man next to me, Leonid Shevtsov. Vladimir Putin: Yes, Mr Shevtsov, please take the microphone. You have seen your house. Are you pleased with the quality? Leonid Shevtsov: Yes, I am. We have found a common language with builders, and they instantly respond to all our comments. Sometimes we help them, too. So everything is all right. I am happy with such a short period of construction. Vladimir Putin: All right, I wish you happiness in your new homes and hope everything will be completed properly. Alexei Tsydenov: Credit should be given to our volunteers. One guy is standing there. Volunteers cleared everything that was burnt. They drove away 53 lorries with whatever was left after the fire. People got their belongings together themselves. Vladimir Putin: Volunteers deserve special gratitude. Thank you for your sympathy and warm attitude to people. I hope all work will be completed on time and with the required quality. Supervision is necessary in any case. I respect builders, but this work should be completed and its quality checked. Vladimir Putin: Do any of those present here have more questions? Vadim Semenov: Yes, Mr President. May I? Vladimir Putin: Go ahead please. I apologise, but this is not about fires, our current subject. I will distract you a little from sad thoughts. I will say a good thing. Cheremkhovo is one of Russia’s oldest coal-mining cities. This year our city turns a hundred years old, and this is a great anniversary for us. Plus we will celebrate the 120th anniversary of the start of coal mining on this territory. There is also the national holiday, Miner's Day. Mr President, I am asking you on behalf of our residents. I addressed you during Direct Line, but I understand you were mostly concerned with problematic issues and we are not raising them. We would simply like to invite you to come to our city of Cheremkhovo for its 100th anniversary. I am sorry for the self-conceit, of course. I even prepared an invitation for you but crumpled it slightly out of excitement. I understand you will not come because you are very busy, but please send a message of greetings to our people. Vadim Semenov: In 1921, Vladimir Lenin wrote a letter to Cheremkhovo miners. For almost a hundred years, every office, every corner of our city has had a stand that reads “Lenin’s letter to Cheremkhovo miners.” Send a message, and I promise you that in a hundred years there will be a stand in every corner of our city that will read: “Vladimir Putin’s message to Cheremkhovo miners on the city’s 100th anniversary.” Vladimir Putin: All right, I will check on this. Vadim Semenov: Mr President, people mostly talk to you about problems, and I would like to thank you for such an important measure as the relocation of people from unfit housing. All our residents are deeply grateful to you. Our city lives a very hard life although we have done a lot of useful things for the country. Regrettably, few people paid attention to the problems of our people prior to you. They lived in the barracks built in 1932 almost up until now. Carrying out your executive order, we demolished over 60,000 square metres of rundown housing and people received new flats. Thank you very much. As for what the veteran said, I agree with him, although I am not a veteran but a resident of a more modern Russia. We would like you to be the leader of our country. You can always rely on us. We will support you. Thank you. Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much. Anything else? Do you have more questions on this subject – fires? No. To sum up, everything should be completed. The final stage is always the most difficult part of work. It gets cold quickly here. The climate is severe, and hence this is my message to the heads of the regions and municipalities – it is necessary to see this work through. You should not relax until the last victim is content. And we will check on it in Moscow.	8,607
One of the first things I did when I knew that we’d be going back to Michigan for a few days was block off our only Saturday night there to spend with our friends: Ken, Mindy, Tyler, and Becky. Â These two couples were who we’d always spend the one Saturday night that we’d allow ourselves out each month when we were still back home and saving every penny. Â Somehow, without fail, each time we all got together we’d start the night with dinner out at 6:00 and end up at someone’s house after, then look at the clock dumbfounded that it’s 4 am and no one has realized it. Â I swear those hours after midnight seem to disappear into the Twilight Zone. Â They’re always gone in the blink of an eye. Â I didn’t know what our next night out with them would hold, but as soon as I knew we were coming, I told each of them to book a babysitter for night and to make sure they didn’t have any responsibilities to tend to until the next afternoon. When Mindy asked me what I wanted to do for the night, I said that we should keep it simple, probably just grill some steaks at their house and have a bonfire so we could keep the night relatively cheap. Â But then I got to thinking about something all of us girls had talked about way before Matt and I ever left last year, but never ended up doing. Â Which was to get dressed up and go to a trendy bar downtown for a few drinks. Â Basically, just like the fancy cocktail hourÂ we had in Jamaica, but in a big city. Â Many reasons came in to play of why I wanted so badly do this on our visit home. Â One was that I wanted to get downtown and enjoy the city for a night since who knows when I see it again, another was that, well, I like getting fancy, but most importantly, I have a dress that’s been sitting in my closet for three years now and I needed an excuse to break it out. Â It was originally purchased to wear to my 10 year high school reunion, but somewhere along the line the ball was dropped on that occasion and we never had one. Â Way to go Northview class of 2000….. (kidding!) So the plan of action was to go downtown to have a drink (‘Only one!’, Matt lectured, since we’re still trying to keep our spending down) and then make our way to Ken and Mindy’s where we’d follow the rest of the original plan of grilling steaks and hanging around a bonfire. Â Becky and Tyler weren’t going to be able to make the ‘fancy cocktail’ part and were going to meet up with us at the house later, so Ken and Mindy came to pick us up from Matt’s mom’s, after I’d just rushed home from Muskegon, blowing through the door and yelling ‘I need the shower, I need the shower!’, to be able to get myself ready to be picked up an hour and a half later. Â With only one working in the house at the moment, sometimes it needs to be fought for and I was going to be damned if I was the one standing on the other side of that door while another person used up my precious time inside. Â Quickly bolting myself into tiled safety, I ran through the 20 minute ritual of washing, shaving, and scrubbing, …all the necessary prepping to make one fancy. Â Even though I still felt a little rushed at times since then drying and styling my hair after it’s been washed can be another 45 minute episode, I think the results turned out ok. Â And just like in the days when Matt and I were back in high school and ready to go to a formal dance (two of which we actually attended together), there was still a few minutes for the obligatory photos from parents. Did I mention that only the girls were getting fancy? The bar we were off to, to enjoy our one cocktail, was not really a bar in it’s own standing, but rather a bar attached to an upscale hotel, the JW Marriott. Â The reason we (I) had chosen this is because the bar that’s part of the hotel, Mixology, sits in a part of Grand Rapids that overlooks the Grand River, has a trendy little sitting area inside, and cabanas just about hanging over the river on their balcony outside. And since this was my one chance to get out on the town during our trip back, it was either go big or go home. Â Since my photos won’t do quite the justice it deserves, let me take a moment to show you a few photos, of which are not mine, to give you a feel for this place and why I wanted to spend my evening there. Nice, right? Even though it was now around six in the evening, the sun was still bright and blazing in our faces as we walked from the parking ramp to the hotel. Â Did that stop me from asking to sit in the nice air conditioned lounge with views of the river instead of getting a table out in the scorching heat where I could get an even better view of the city? Â Absolutely not. Â The rest of the group trudged behind me as I excitedly called out to the hostess, “I wanna sit outside!” and we were led to a table (not a cabana, where I’m guessing you have to be ready to spend big $$ to sit there) that did not harbor any kind of protection from the sun. Â I enthusiastically slid into my chair as everyone else slumped into theirs, pulling out sunglasses and using their hands to shield the sun from their faces, as if they were about to melt into a puddle under the table. Â I tried to tell them it was a beautiful day out. Â Besides, why would they want to miss out on views like these? For the next hour we all sat around the table enjoying ourselves and our drinks (that’s right, Matt ordered two!) and I tried to tell everyone that the heat wasn’t so bad, that we had it much worse in Guatemala, while truthfully, there was enough perspiration on my legs to keep me sliding around in my seat. Â Before I could turn into too much of that constantly sweating person I am while back on the boat, I decided that a nice breeze up the skirt would do me some good and did a little wandering around the patio area. Â Taking a few photos here and there, I made sure to capture the River House condos where Matt and I would be living had we spent our money on a new home instead of a life at sea. Â Which, he had full view of the whole time we were enjoying our drinks, and made sure to bring up many many times how we could be sitting on the 16th floor overlooking the river and the beautiful lights of Grand Rapids each and every night, had we decided to stay home. Â I have to admit, it was looking pretty tempting at the moment. Â River House condos in the background. Â We would have had a view looking right. While I was up and about, I talked our server into taking a few moments away from running from table to table to get a couple of photos of our group. Â She was very willing to help us out with the photos. Â The guys…not quite as willing to be in them. Â Back at Ken and Mindy’s place, we unwound on their shaded deck while waiting for Becky and Tyler to show up. Â It didn’t take long for the sun to go down, and all of a sudden, that heat that we’d been trying to take shelter from all evening was completely gone. Â I forgot that up in the 42nd degree of latitude, the nights don’t stay warm after the sun disappears. Â It didn’t take too long before my fancy attire was crumpled in a heap on the floor where I had traded it in for much more comfy jeans and a cardigan. As soon as Becky and Tyler showed up the steaks went on the grill and we sat down to more food than I could ever eat in a lifetime. Â Salad, 10 ounces of meat, and a loaded baked potato. Â I’d been dreaming about this meal for weeks which meant I felt guilty about not eating every single bite. Â I basically had to be rolled away from the table, swearing I’d never eat again, the same way someone with an epic hangover swears they’re never going to drink again. Â It’s an empty threat, but one that always gets repeated after any episode of overindulgence. Â Then it was time for something else I had been looking forward to since there’s not many chances for them when you’re surrounded by water. Â The ever popular bonfire. Â You can’t say that you’ve fully experienced a summer season without attending at least one. Â While Ken and Mindy went outside to set up the fire pit, Matt and I stayed behind with Becky and Tyler to mix the cocktails. Â Becky was stirring up some kind of concoction in a large thermos that included Southern Comfort, orange juice like the ones at https://orangina-na.com/, and 7 up. Â Since the two of us are not normally fans of whiskey of any kind, she promised that by the time she was finished, we would not even taste the alcohol. Â That it would be just like drinking fruit punch. Â Which, after having another set of friends used to make what we liked to call the ‘pink drink’, including: pink lemonade concentrate, vodka, and a can of beer; we found out can be very dangerous when you don’t realize how much alcohol you’ve consumed, and in Matt’s case, think it would fun to jump in your hot tub fully clothed with your wallet and cell phone in your pocket. I think the Twilight Zone of missing hours happened while we were out at the bonfire, because I’m pretty sure the fire started blazing around 10 pm, and before I knew it, the clock was reading midnight and all the sturdy logs we had stacked up were now reduced to nothing more than glowing embers. Â The night was over yet though. Â As we straggled back inside I remembered that Becky had brought me a box full of ‘old’ clothes that she wanted me to look at to see if there was anything I could use. Â Not that there is any room on the boat for me to bring as much as a souvenir back from Machu Picchu, new clothes did not fit into any extras that we can bring back with us. Â But drop a box of free clothes in front of a girl, and she will shop through them. Â The next two hours basically turned into a fashion show where I’d riffle through the items, found something that I liked, ran to the bathroom to change into it, and come back out to show everyone. Â Some of the items weren’t even used, price tags still hanging off the side, like a pair of American Eagle jean shorts that fit me so perfectly it was like I had sought them out among 50 other pairs. Â Luckily since Matt was a few drinks in at this point, I was able to smuggle about three news pairs of shorts and five new tops into my bag without any argument from him. Â The shoes, unfortunately, were borrowed and not on the table for my taking. When the fashion show ended we were all running out of steam and ready to call it a night. Â Matt and I were sleeping over, so there was never a worry of drinking and driving, and as we climbed up the stairs to settle ourselves into their three year old’s bedroom, we were surprised to see it was only after three. Â Looks like we can’t even keep the party going until after four anymore. We’re starting to get purposeless in our old age. May 3, 2013 by Jessica with 7 Comments FriendsJamaica Thursday May 2, 2013 I’ve mentioned that I like to be girly, right? Â I think this sprouts from the days back in my youth when I was a tomboy with braces and frizzy hair and only wearing hand-me-down clothes from my older brother, which eventually let to me being the outcast in junior high and the realization that the girly girls were being treated much better than I. Â It took years of training and practice, but I eventually morphed into one of those girly girls myself. Don’t worry, I still kept the tomboy attitude. Â And although I realize that being a girly girl isn’t important on the high seas, it’s not going to make sure the main sail gets reefed during a storm or give you the extra muscles to haul in lines (wait….I’m still missing those…), it is unfortunately a part of my life that I could not completely leave behind on land. Â Yes, I still crave dresses and my hair dryer, and, oh how I miss them, high heels. Â The Bahamas held lots of athletic gear: sports bras; lycra tops; quick dry shorts;. But my inner girl was clawing to get out. Â Introduce….Fancy Cocktail Hour. Â An excuse for all of us girls to put on our best cocktail dresses similar to the red prom dresses 2022 selection, straighten our hair, and wear eyeliner. Â Stephanie and Ashley were just as excited about the prospect as me and we basically just told all the men what was happening since we were not even going to give them the option to say no. Â They were encouraged to dress up as well but it wasn’t required as long as they showed up. Â There may have been a little more enticing them with the promise of Dominoes, but I think that was more for me as well. The earlier part of the day was a hot sweaty mess. Â Matt and I finally dragged our laundry to shore since it hadn’t been done since we were in Black Point, Exumas which was five weeks ago! Â While it was running we tried to find some relief from the sun under a shady tree which also happened to be just in front of the office and it’s internet connection. Â Joining us as we chilled were Ashley and Jimmy and we all sat around talking. Â Jimmy told us about their visit to Cuba and how it was full of ‘all time lows’ according to him and the guys. Â Something he’s glad he’s done once but he would never go back. Â Both Matt and I have been just a little more than excited to go there (it’s our next stop after Jamaica), so we were just a tad disappointed to hear that it might be a total let down for us when we get there. Â Way to kill my dreams Jimmy, way to kill my dreams…. Â In picking up the mood though, Ashley told us about a great roti place just up the road here in Port Antonio and after doing the best she could to give us directions (there’s so many unmarked buildings all over the place here, it’s a wonder anyone finds anything), Matt and Jimmy and I decided to head there once laundry was finished. Getting out of the shade and into the street the sun was merciless and beat down on us without a whiff of breeze in the air. Â We went through the normal routine of turning down ten taxi rides out on the main drag, something I’m starting to become accustomed to now, and hooked a right on the street Ashley had told us to go down. Â She said it would be a big yellow building with the restaurant on the second floor and we shouldn’t be able to miss it. Â Having started in the middle we walked west until the street came to an end and saw a kind of yellowish-orange building that we weren’t sure was it. Â Normally I’m not the one to randomly walk into a building hoping it would be a restaurant but thinking it could also be someone’s private residence, but I was frantic to get out of the heat for even just a moment and was willing to take that chance. Â The guys followed me up and while we did find that it was a restaurant we also learned that they did not sell rotis. Â Back on to the hot street it was. Â We wandered up and down aimlessly until the sweat was pouring down our heads and blinding our eyes. Â The simple thing would have been to ask for directions, but even that can be tricky in a place like this. Â Depending on who you ask they may give you a straight answer or they may send you down the street to their cousin’s chicken shack telling you it will be the best roti you’ve ever had, although it obviously won’t exist there. Â We did try to ask a few business people roaming the streets, a secretary out to lunch with her friend, the security guard at the local bank, but unfortunately none of them knew what a roti was or where we could find it. Â Ultimately we ended up back at the restaurant we had originally entered by mistake, eating fried chicken and rice and just happy to have a cold Ting in our hands. Before I knew it the clock was ticking after three, and if I was going to make this sweaty mess into something pretty by 5:30 I had to get back to the marina because there was a lot of work to do. Â Getting ready for the evening I showered, shaved, plucked, lotioned, and pulled out my wet-to-dry flat iron that is terrible for my hair, and luckily only gets used about once or twice a month. Â My make-up was applied, dress was ironed, and the closest thing I had to heels were pulled out. Â Since I might just have the best husband in the world, Matt spruced himself up for fancy cocktail hour even though I told him (honestly)Â he was free to go in board shorts if he felt like it. Â But knowing that a fancy date would mean a lot to me, he ironed his khakis and a button down shirt and even threw on a palm tree tie that we had brought on the trip just for fun. Gathering once again at EZ since Lance definitely has the best cockpit of all of us (although he’s out of town at the moment), we had a pre-beer there before claiming our spot once more by the pool. Â It turns out that if it’s not happy hour Monday, the rum punches are actually cheaper to order than Red Stripe and the little frill of a pineapple slice on the side of my drink fit perfectly into the theme of the night. Â I pulled out my easy-to-use color coded set of dominoes and since a surprisingly few number of people knew how to play, started with a few demonstration rounds for everyone to get the hang of it. Â We also ended up throwing a little twist in, kind of treating it like Uno, and each time a person was down to their last domino they had to cry out “Jamaica, Jamaica, I love you….!”. We had only been about one drink and two rounds into dominoes when we all realized that while prepping for fancy cocktail hour, no one had bothered to make dinner. Â Looking as good as we all did, we didn’t want to shuffle back to our boats and cook in the stuffy galleys so it was time to take this party on the road. Â Gathering our things up we walked across the street from the marina to a three story concrete building that is supposed to be some kind of mall, housing a nice restaurant on it’s top floor. Â Taking an initial few wrong turns on the stairs we stumbled into Ambiance and found it to be a much better place that we ever expected. Â There were wide leather couches positioned against the windows, modern tables placed in the center, and tv screens pumping out top hits from back in the States. Â As we’re getting so good at doing now, we pushed a few tables together and looked through the multi-option menu that had a multitude of mouthwatering items. Â While waiting for our food we started back up our dominoes game but this time with Ashley’s set. Â Which is not color coded. Â And as much as I teased people at first, I also succumbed to not being able to tell the difference between nine and twelve dots and placing down the wrong piece of porcelain only to quickly have to snatch it back up. Â Then there was Brian who’s turn was just before mine and even though he was brand new to the game, had the expertise to play each open train I had my eye on just before I was given the chance. Â I may have gotten frustrated and yelled out “I am going to burn down your boat!”, but fear not, Rode Trip is safe. Â I just needed a little Red Stripe and sweet and sour chicken to calm my nerves. With Ren and Ashley departing the next morning for an eventual arrival to the Bay Islands of Honduras, they excused themselves a bit earlier than the rest of us and I attacked them with hugs in case I didn’t get to see them off in the morning. Â Brian and Stephanie were shortly behind them but the rest of us were not quite ready to go. Â Jason, Jimmy, Matt, and myself stayed until close to midnight while we waited for Piers to come back from his trip to Kingston, a pilgrimage to find necessary parts for Tamarisk. Â Eventually he walked in with his friend Kewah the Messiah, a local rasta from the area that has made traveling around Jamaica so much easier for them, and we stayed a little longer as they ate before figuring out the rest of our tab and heading back to the marina. Â But do you know what I got that morning? Â Sleep. Â So I was not ready to go to bed yet. Â Playing sort of bumper boats in our dinghies, we followed Jason back to Tamarisk where the six of us climbed on board and raided what was left of the almost empty fridge. Â Pulling out a bottle of chilled Havana Club rum we also mixed some fruit flavored Tang and tried to get as close to the rum punches we were drinking by the pool as we could. Â Making our way back out to the cushy cockpit we set up some mood lights and Piers brought out his guitar again. Â Matt and Jason busied themselves with boat bits and electrical issues below, but the rest of us hung out in the cool breeze under stars and listened to the strumming of the guitar. Â When Matt and I finally pulled ourselves away to go back to Serendipity we were surprised to find out our clock was reading after 2:30 am. Â Not only were we way past cruiser’s midnight, we were only a few hours away from cruisers rise time. Â Did I not say these guys were trouble? Ren and Ashley, the cutest little couple (and soon to be family!). Can anyone tell me why I always look so damn surprised in these photos? Recent Posts	21,868
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Since the launch of the New Xbox One experience in November 2015, Microsoft has arguably led the way in the accessibility of console interfaces. When the Xbox One S released, I was curious as to how the setup might have changed or been adapted to allow Narrator (Microsoft's TTS system on Xbox One and other Windows devices) to be included and used during setup, amongst other questions. Moreover, I wasn't sure whether the size would be that much of a difference or whether any special editions would actually have anything other than a colour change. However, I was very much interested when the Gears of War 4 Xbox One S limited edition bundle was announced, with elements that sounded, on reading, like it might be the most interesting special edition to date for those without sight (even if the included game and franchise might not be the most accessible one in gaming history). Thanks to a large amount of discussion with various individuals, including Aaron Greenberg, the UK Xbox PR team, Bryce Johnson and the generosity of Microsoft in general, I am pleased to be able to introduce this review of the Gears of War 4 Xbox One S limited edition bundle. Now, without further ado, let's start as we normally do with product reviews. Let's unbox this. Oh and if you don't want your box getting a little ripped in trying to remove its contents, you might want scissors for this one. In terms of how you actually get into the relatively smooth looking box, you might be a little stuck. I ended up using a safety blade to get into this. Instead of working with the commonplace adhesive circles (which I was informed via sighted help actually seal the bottom of the box), I instead cut the two pieces of tape that actually serve to hold the top of the box together. Once that's done, you can simply pull the flap up and away so you can get access to the innards of the box. The first thing you'll find is an instruction card that flips open to reveal the majority of the information on how to get your One S up and running, though most if not all is pretty self-explanatory. Once you've put this printed card aside, you'll see two areas of the box, one containing the Xbox One S itself and the other holding the controller in an oblong box of its own. If you feel at the top of the controller box, you'll see a hole in the shape of a cog, complete with crinkle cut edging. Place a finger into this hole and use it to lift the oblong box out from the main package. The piece that covers the top should easily lift away and you can put it aside. The controller box is divided into two sections, one for cables and the other for the controller itself wrapped in a protective material. Pull the tape holding the bag together in its tightly packaged configuration, which should reveal the main opening, then pull that apart as well to allow you to extract the controller. See my initial thoughts on the controller below. In the remaining section of the controller box that you haven't looked at, you'll also find a high speed HDMI cable as well as a power cable to link directly to the back of the console, rather than the notorious power brick. And if you're wondering how you're going to power your controller without using a play and charge kit and battery pack (not included), there's a handy set of batteries thrown in loosely for good measure. The controller has a weathered feel to it, with scratches near where the bumpers are as well as on the buttons. Admittedly, the A B X and Y scratches aren't as pronounced as I'd expected, but they can be noticed. The Xbox button is less pronounced than you might be used to, sometimes in initial testing making accessing the guide a little tricky. However, that should likely ease with time, I'd hope. Other than the mat finish that textures the grips, it's not that different to a default Xbox One controller, other than a DPad that seems to make less noise than the more common standard controllers. Thanks to a question from a follower on Twitter who reviews games with their own disability in mind and an interesting question raised during discussion of the new controller, I can say that the vibration on this controller is probably a little stronger from the point of view of the main rumble motors than the ones that came with the original Xbox One or were released later. I haven't managed to test the impulse triggers yet, but if anything changes I'll update this with the relevant information. Vibration in in-game cutscenes in Gears of War 4 was very much appreciated and made the impacts, notably during firefights, all the more striking. When events are triggered, whether that be a distant cutscene-generated explosion, or the footfalls of an enemy far larger than you coming in for an attack, everything has a heightened sense of urgency, though as per the industry standard you can't tell where the enemy fire etc is coming from with these cues. In order to get the console out of the box, simply place your hand under the cardboard base that is surrounded by foam packaging. Flip the box so that the opening is on your right and the flap for it is on the floor. Now take firm hold of the base and guide the assembly out with care. A small surprise Upon trying to do what I'd listed above, as I thought it would actually work, I discovered that the piece I thought was a base is actually a separate piece and contains the game codes. Flip the small flat box around so that the raised nodule is to your left. Find the thumb shaped semi-circular section and flick this so that you can retrieve the contents by lifting the top away and to your left as if opening a book. Inside, you'll find 2 cards with codes on, one for the Gears of War 4 Ultimate Edition and one for a 14 day XBox Live trial along with instructions on how to redeem the codes. In addition, I also found a further piece of paper, the simplified EU declaration of conformity which advises you to go to this page to view the full text of the declaration though the page actually fails to load. I will update this link if I find a working version or alternative link. In this section you will also find your regulatory and warranty guide, unfortunately all in print. The final item in this smaller flat box is the console stand, a solid looking plastic construction which will be covered in a little more detail later. The Console Unboxing, (Continued) The console was already partially out of the box when I resumed trying to extract it. Simply hold the console firmly and pull it free, taking care not to damage it in the process. Once you've removed the foam packaging from the two short edges of the console, gently pull the protective material away once you've found one of the two openings. The console certainly feels weighty, but it also feels very solid. The fans that were previously large lines on the top and sides of the original Xbox One are now small holes along parts of the surface. The large claw marks of the swarm decorate what is, when horizontal, the left hand side near the slot for games and other CD-style media to be inserted. The previously capacitive touch panels for ejecting and turning the console on/off are now replaced by very welcome physical buttons. The power button is a smooth circle that is recessed into the surface and the eject button is a protruding circle where the touch-based equivalent used to be. There is a sync/bind button, but it's a little difficult to see if you're unfamiliar with where it is (in this case, in a near diagonal line down and to the left of the power button, on the same panel as the front USB port. These will take a little time to get used to, but they are far better than the alternatives on the original Xbox One models, at least in my opinion Plugging in the console was straightforward, as the configuration of ports on the back (right to left: power, HDMI in, HDMI out, 2 USB ports, an infrared out, an optical out and a network port) means that everything is organised in a relatively tidy manner. After removing the sticker that told me not to move the console with any active discs inserted, I powered the console on, where I was presented with a German startup screen, quite frankly, not what I was expecting though understandable given that the unit itself was apparently sourced from Germany. As you can imagine, the fact that the OS was in German presented the need for a large amount of sighted assistance. Narrator, as it is not currently available worldwide (see below for a greater expansion on this point), doesn't work when the OS is set to anything other than US English as of the original publication of this review, but hopefully when it is rolled out to the rest of the world, this problem will be far less prominent. Once I'd switched all my languages to US to enable narrator and got it up and running, signing in and making sure I was connected was relatively easy, other than that when entering my email address I had to use my controller to enter the at (@) symbol as the keyboard changes between regions. Also, choosing a colour isn't currently readable with narrator, but it doesn't necessarily matter what colour you work with if you have absolutely no sight whatsoever. I, having sighted help at the time, went with a red in an attempt to closely match the theme of the console. The preview program is now called the Xbox Insider program. Find the support article here, with all the information you're likely going to need about the Xbox Insider Program. Why is this, a program that's been around for a number of years to help improve the Xbox experience, being mentioned in a review of the Gears of War 4 Xbox One S bundle? Well, it actually can make quite the difference to the set up process described above, as well as improve your ability to enjoy Gears of War 4, though the majority of the changes described weren't actually available yet in the stable OS as of the original publication of this review. See below for more details, though much of this information is only kept for posterity. Clubs and Looking For Group At E3 2016, clubs and looking for group (LFG) were announced as upcoming features to enter into the Xbox ecosystem in the relatively near future. These features would, when fully rolled out, allow like-minded gamers to work together in clubs and, as part of that, look for each other spontaneously via LFG. It's not quite a social network setup (where people are automatically connected together) and the fact that the LFG and clubs systems don't try to auto-add you to anybody's friend lists is very much appreciated. Joining a club is relatively simple. You request to join the club in question and if it's accepted, you can then access that club's features and posts. Working with LFG is a little more complicated and could be covered in a future article/review. However, the basic premise is you put out a post to say you want help with something or just to meet up and chat in the context of the game and if anyone's interested, a notification will appear letting you know as such. Interacting with this notification will allow you to "gather your party" which I believe invites everyone who's interested (or rather who you've confirmed as being allowed to participate) into a single party. This was a very rapid turn of events in my case, as within 5 minutes one person had expressed interest and joined up with me and within 15 we were in campaign tackling the prologue missions. As I previously mentioned during the setup process for my new Xbox One S, Narrator was,for a time, only available in the US region via the workaround of switching language and location to the United States. However, as part of the Preview Program (and now the consumer/stable OS), you are now able to use Narrator in, amongst others, English (UK), French, German, Italian and Spanish (though it's likely this list will expand over time). What this also means, other than removing the need to tweak your settings in the aforementioned regions, is that you can, if you so wish, use any outstanding Microsoft credit in your account (from gift cards etc) to purchase DLC or other in-game items as well as see your account balance amongst other improvements. In short, with these new updates, which I originally speculated would enter into the stable OS with the creators update, needing sighted help to purchase games, movies, music etc has been pretty much made unnecessary. At the time, it was pretty big news, even though it was a while in coming. The ability to use Narrator outside the US was added in a consumer update not long after this review was first updated and Microsoft continues to improve accessibility on a variety of different levels with other platform-level features. Back to the main review Usage with digital games The UI for My Games and Apps has undergone significant alterations since elements of this review were written, so the process described below may differ in terms of the specific steps involved. Using your Xbox One S with digital games is just as simple as sign in, go to My games and Apps, find the item you want and activate it. Then press install and then let it do its thing. How long it takes for it to do said thing, as you might expect, does depend on your internet speed. All in all, the experience does seem faster than the same procedure on the Xbox One's original model, so definitely an improvement. In terms of the bundled codes, entering the code for Gears of War 4: Ultimate Edition was easy, other than the fact that I had to have sighted help to read the code in the first place. This is an issue that I'd hope could be solved in the future, as I know QR codes are a possibility and there are other potential avenues that could also work to solve this issue. Playing games digitally is easy as well, as they just launch like any other app on the One or One S operating system. Simply scroll to the icon and press A. Usage with physical games The use of the One S with physical games is much as you'd expect. Insert the disc and you'll be able to install a game if you haven't already. Eject the disc by pressing the button near the slot and the disc will emerge. On a related note, I managed to get all my games and digital content, or rather the items I wanted to install on the new system, up and running in around 7 hours with the internet connection I was using at the time. Leaving it on for this time with the original Xbox One would've seen it running very hot indeed, but the One S seems to have improved heat distribution allowing it to run for longer periods of time. The stand isn't much to look at in all honesty. However, it's easy to use, which is certainly a plus. Just stand your XBox gently on its side so that the disc tray is vertically aligned, and the highest point on the console is the side that is closest to the edge of the tray. Now look underneath the console and you should find two very small rectangular holes. These are where the stand slots into. Lift the console up, making sure that there's no disc inside it and position it so the slots and the "prongs" on the stand match up, with the large plastic area of the stand supporting the console. This should, if done correctly, allow your console to sit vertically with no problems. The below sections discussing Gears Of War 4 as a game have gradually expanded over the course of me playing the game, becoming longer than originally planned. However, I've left some of my original notes here for posterity (as most if not all still apply), in addition to adding references to later parts of campaign and the Gears Of War official website, amongst others. Gears of War 4 As a quick review, the game itself sounds very clean and clear, though there are points where the music will mask the important sounds like footsteps etc, giving an impression that you aren't moving. Turn the music down in the main menu (I'll see if I can cover how to do this in a separate review/overview of the game) and you should be good to go. If you have a friend or willing co-op partner to teach you the ropes, go for it. Most things make sound and if they don't immediately there are normally ways around it. For example, finding cover is basically narrowed down to running/moving whilst holding A. Finding items, like ammo boxes, is mostly accomplished by running around and holding X, though how reliable this is has yet to be fully tested and using this strategy might hinder your ability to get certain achievements within the game. Players and sometimes the AI can enter into "Lancer duels" (using what is basically an assault rifle with a chainsaw attached to it), with the quick button mashing in these semi-QTE sequences possibly being a problem for gamers who can't hit buttons constantly at high speed. Active reloads, a staple of the series, are doable in this iteration (I have yet to fully test the rest of the games) with no sight. It takes a matter of time and practice as well as knowledge of small details (like the fact that if you get a perfect active reload, denoted by a longer burst of vibration than normal from your controller, you'll have to wait to go for another perfect active reload as it has its own cooldown timer). The equivalent to Halo 5's "Spartan chatter", Gears all talk to each other even when throwing out grenades etc, which is very useful for keeping an eye on where everyone is in your squad. However, the fact that everyone has a similar sounding gun at the start of the game, including the enemies, does make things rather difficult. Once the music in the first part of the campaign dies down, you get a chance to appreciate the work that's gone into the detailed audio environments, including water under your feet or walking on other less easy to distinguish surfaces. Yes, you may be thinking "What are doors doing under their own subheading?" Well, they're a pretty big problem in Gears, as you have to go right through the middle and there are no clues as to how to get through them without sighted help. Having a co-op partner I'd say is therefore essential to get most enjoyment if not all out of the campaign, as even mid-firefight you'll want the other player to cover your back whilst you try and not get yourself killed. Moreover, there are doors in co-op that require two human controlled players to open them, thus facilitating, in certain cases, the reloading of checkpoints to accomplish certain goals, as explained in more detail below. Regardless of how good the gameplay looks graphically or even in auditory terms, it's also important to consider the cutscenes as well. Lines are delivered confidently, with the prologue sections also merging cleanly into the main plot. You don't necessarily have to see to understand most of the action where there's no dialogue, though sometimes pivotal scenes (which i won't spoil here) need additional description to make their full significance apparent. Having played through the entire campaign (with assistance from various sighted Gears players), though these points are clearly subjective, the solid writing and characterisation in this, the first game in the franchise that I've actually completed makes me interested in just how good the rest of the series is. The voice acting through the game, in and out of cutscenes, is well delivered and the action sequences, though slightly scaled up compared to the main game, don't feel too disjointed as they might in some fighting games for example (where the sound design within the player-controlled segments does not match up to the more cinematic standards of points where the player loses control of a character). The presentation of multiplayer, PVP or otherwise, is much the same as the main game. However, situations where you have multiple individuals using similar weapons on screen at any one time (including those of the enemy) can be the cause of much confusion. Moreover, the fact that there is no clearly defined way to tell who is actually getting kills with ranged weapons or even in close quarters scenarios can be rather frustrating. As an upside to this, however, if you have other players with sight on your team, working together to see who killed what is not the hardest part of gameplay and if you're with a reasonable bunch of fellow fighters you should be able to get along relatively well. Personally though, I do wish that there were hit markers for when you were actually killing an enemy with your own weapon (for weapons other than the Lancer), in addition, possibly, to a system that allows you to fully lock on to a target and continue to fire with automatic tracking of some sort. I understand, however, that as good as though the latter option might be, it has the potential to break game mechanics for those with sight playing the game, especially in PVP scenarios. Fortunately me and the various individuals I worked through campaign with have found interesting and relatively innovative ways of moving through tricky passages. The "classic" method is a very ammo-heavy method really, whereby the leading player runs around shooting their weapon of choice (where possible) to guide the player following them. However, there's an easier way of doing this once you get past the first couple of chapters of Act 2. Spoilers are ahead for Act 2. Read on at your disgression When you obtain the custom lancer from Marcus, the lead character from the first 3 games, you then have access to a navigational method that's far less frustrating. Given that the lancer makes a constant sound when you rev the chainsaw attached to it, you can simply have the lead player run around the map to the correct points and stop once the following player arrives where they need to be, albeit with a little directional adjustment via party chat. If you're stuck navigation-wise, there are very few scenarios within the campaign where you can't just wait for your fellow gear to get to the next checkpoint as, similar to Halo 5: Guardians, you will be teleported to where the rest of your group is gathered. This is not always the case though, as will be discussed a little later in this review. Campaign areas that definitely require sighted assistance Whilst pretty much the entirety of the Gears of War 4 campaign will require sighted assistance, there are certain areas that will almost definitely be impossible to complete without it. Be mindful of spoilers below. Act 2: Chapter 3: Plan B. Running from a windflare, what is essentially a very strong wind combined with an electrical storm, is hard enough when you can see. When you have no sight and both you and your co-op partner have to get safely through the same storm, you begin to think your days are numbered in Gears of War 4. However, it turns out there is a path through the storm to a point, sprinting between pieces of cover and eventually making it through, though it will likely take at least 10 tries to complete it. Or maybe that was just me. Act 2 Chapter 4: The Great Escape. This entire chapter is essentially Dark Souls for those with no sight, except instead of walking through a realm filled with bonfires and monsters that are out to kill you, you're instead faced with the equally difficult task of driving down a track at high speed, avoiding DeeBees, walls and the much-maligned enemy tree put in just the right place to miraculously come out of nowhere and knock you off your motorcycle. Whilst you may master the turns etc, it's sometimes luck, sometimes skill that'll get you through. Even though there are checkpoints, they're relatively few and far between. The second section of the chapter is particularly complicated, as the sound of the bike seems to change on a whim, providing the illusion that you've slowed down when, in fact, you're still going at relatively the same speed. I beat this section with a workaround as described below, after trying any number of ideas, including having me lead so my co-op partner could try and tell me where I needed to turn etc and learning the course, such that it is to the best of my ability. The workaround goes like this. The co-op partner launches campaign act 2 chapter 4 and passes the second checkpoint. From there, you as the blind player join the game, but don't press anything. You will still be in the game, but not in control of a character specifically. Leave your co-op partner to finish the level and you should get the achievement for completing this chapter. Later in the game, there are sections where the game may disable prompts for pulling levers, for example, that allow you to navigate across areas of terrain that have been covered by your co-op partner, thus leaving a player without sight with no way to get across, even if said player wanted to and tried to hit the switch/lever in question. The way me and my co-op partner got around this was with them running the beginning of the particular chapter solo and getting very near to the checkpoint we'd failed to access last time, with the AI in tow. I then joined the game and could load directly into one of the AI characters and progress on from there, working with more windflares (though thankfully not too many if memory serves) afterwards to reach the end of the campaign. Sections where you have to execute specific bosses Certain bosses cannot be killed outright with just your weapons or your fists and feet. They have to be executed by going up to them and pressing Y at the correct point. This just took some additional assistance from my Co-Op partner and some quick reactions from me. Horde mode is a cooperative wave-based game type, where you and your fellow team members attempt to survive a maximum of 50 waves, fighting 5 bosses, one every 10 waves whilst building defences and turrets that will allow you to fight back with greater firepower. The fact that you are working with a team is invaluable, as if they are willing to work with you, you can still get kills and contribute to the team's success even though you might feel like you're doing less than the rest of your team. A reasonable strategy is, when you have enough power in your fabricator, to build two things: a Sentry turret and a manned one. The two should be placed side-by-side, for one reason: The Sentry acts as a kind of alert system. When it fires, that means something's close enough for the automated turret to see it. This can help you a fair amount, though keep in mind sighted players will still have to advise you on your aim for your own turret, as occasionally you'll end up shooting at nothing at all without you being aware of it. Sometimes, with the right skills, it's possible to go in as a sort of free agent since, if you die, you regain your full compliment of ammunition and grenades. It's better to do this with a team who knows you have a lack of sight however, to avoid any frustration from their end. When you play Horde or similar modes, you receive credits. These credits (shortened to creds for convenience in this review), are used to buy one of any number of packs that then provide you with cards. These cards can improve your ability to, for example, do damage with certain weapons or make items cost less to build. I'd suggest buying the Horde Booster packs as they do, I believe, provide the greatest number of horde-specific cards. However, they do cost 400 creds at the time of writing This can be, if you're a player without sight and with little opportunity to run Horde, rather steep. However, if you get the right cards, it's pretty worth while. You can purchase these packs through the official Gears Of War website after signing in with your gamertag. Seeing the number of credits you have available is not the easiest process in the world. Running NVDA in my tests, I discovered an object only described as "clickable" which, when activated with the enter key, allowed me to see my gamertag and underneath the number of creds I had accumulated. Now you know how much you have to spend, you can activate the "store" link and purchase packs from there. The interface is a little tricky, coupled with the rather entertaining fact that the packs, when opened, allow the screen reader to see the contents before they are revealed (going from being shaded to unshaded images, from what I understand). However, labelling issues (specifically with characters and their emblems which share the character's name) are still present making the experience not quite as pleasant as it might be. It is more pleasant, however, than the similar system used in Halo 5: Guardians' online portal, Halo Waypoint. These issues have been somewhat resolved,as the credits are now displayed as part of a graphic on the store screen, and cards are displayed below a graphic that indicates what kind of card they are when bought and revealed in a pack. This is a great improvement compared to how frustrating the site used to be, but it still has a way to go in my opinion. Hopefully other accessibility issues will be resolved in the future. This review will be updated to reflect that if they are completely eliminated. Returning to Horde mode, there's actually now an additional accessibility feature in Gears Of War 4. In June 2018's Gears update (with patch notes found here), The Coalition added in "fabricator ping", allowing for location of arguably the most important object in Horde, the eponymous fabricator. The feature itself has been compared to the motion tracker in the Alien franchise, as it emits a pinging noise (hence the name of the feature) that increases in pitch and speed based on your proximity to the fabricator. It also changes direction depending on where the fabricator is relative to you. This feature has given me the ability to get into solo Horde matches without any sighted assistance after memorising the setup process, as well as allowing me to play alongside a fellow Gears player who utilises the feature, with both of us completing wave 4 between us. Considering I couldn't actually get anywhere with Horde before this feature, I am very pleased with The Coalition for implementing this new addition. Hopefully Gears 5 will include fabricator ping, as well as introducing greater levels of accessibility not just for gamers without sight, but also those with other disabilities as well. A console that certainly looks unique in both the crimson colouration and the physical markings. A controller that has been upgraded, if only slightly, from the Xbox One controllers with 3.5 mm headphone ports and support for over-the-air updates, with scratches to match the console. Includes Gears of War 4 Ultimate Edition for free with a few additional extras. Seemingly runs faster than the original Xbox One, with much less heat produced as well. Works well with the Xbox Preview/insider Program. None to speak of at this time as all issues found during initial console testing have been resolved Even if you've got an original Xbox One, if you're a fan of Gears of War 4 and want something to celebrate it, you can't go wrong with this bundle. If you're not a fan of Gears of War at all but are looking for an Xbox One S that's something a little different to the standard models in the tactile department, this model is certainly a good choice as well as both the controller and the console bare distinct markings that'll make it stand out from the competition. As a general overview, the Xbox One S is worth it just for the size downscale of 40% (which is actually quite significant when comparing the two versions of the Microsoft flagship product, both the original Xbox One and the slimmer variant). Couple that with the fact that you can stand it vertically without being warned against such a practice by the manufacturer and the 2 Terabytes (TB) of storage and you're definitely on to a winner. The product featured in this review was provided by Microsoft at no cost, providing that I disclose that the company in question gave me the product in the first place. Again, I would like to thank all involved with obtaining this product, as well as those who kept me in the loop whilst it was getting to me, for making this review possible.	32,517
His name is “Woland“. Or at least that’s how the Ukrainian volunteer of the Azov Battalion he called himself into battle. And that’s how she decided to sign the volume Valhalla Express (Historic Italy), brought to our country by Andrea Lombardi. We know nothing about “Woland”. Almost. We know his birthplace (Černihiv, in the north of the country) but not his years. We know that he participated in theEuromaidan and who joined the Second Company of the Azov Battalion, fighting a Mariupol, Ilovais’k and Shyrokyne. And finally, assuming and not granted that he is still alive, that since the summer of 2015 “Woland” has become one of the heads of the Černihiv section of the “Azov” Civil Corps. This is his biography. Or rather: this is the frame in which we must insert the picture of his life, collected precisely in Valhalla Express. “Woland” is a boy like any other. He studies and does not even do badly in school. He may not be a workaholic of books, but he takes his results home. And that’s what he counts. He wants a normal, middle-class life for himself (“I dreamed of a family, a job, a car …”), but something goes wrong. When, in the third year of university, a Russian professor insists that “i Khokhly (Russian derogatory term for Ukrainians, ed), as he had baptized us, were responsible for all the problems of the Russian people “.” Woland “opposes, but with poor results. Indeed, he gets only one: he is summoned, together with the teacher, by the vice-principal. words that the two pour out against him, there are only two that remain etched in him: Mein Kampf. Sure, the boy has already heard them uttered. He knows that text was written by Adolf Hitler, but he never read it. So she starts looking for the volume and finds it. She starts reading it and appreciating it. But then she falls into oblivion. At least for a while. “Woland” is expelled from university and approaches the Ukrainian far right: “I only had questions and I was looking for answers. They made me read the right books and on the net I found the forums of organizations of all kinds”, we read in Valhalla Express. “Woland” is an eternal dissatisfied. He looks for something without ever finding it, at least until he meets the “Patriots of Ukraine”, a Ukrainian paramilitary organization: “At the time, (…) they were very different from all other right-wing organizations. The structure was military with a clear hierarchy, discipline and ideology “, writes the author in Valhalla Express. Their ideology was rooted in “Ukrainian Social-Racial Nationalism, not to be confused with National Socialism”. For us it is a play on words. For “Woland”, the two ideologies are completely different: “The Social-Nationalism it is exactly nationalism, but modeled on social grounds, the attempt to build a national state on the principles of social justice. And National Socialism is, as terrible as it may sound to some, pure socialism, but in a peculiar state, with a mixture of national identity, anti-Semitism and racial theories. And socialism is a form of transition between capitalism and communism, having in itself all the negative aspects of the first and the second phenomenon. “This is the thought of” Woland “. There is not only the theory for the” Patriots of Ukraine “. There is also practice. A lot of practice, made up of military exercises and marches, some of which are exhausting. The members of this group dream of a different Ukraine. Social-nationalist. Or National Socialist. And they do everything to succeed: “At the time we tried twice to make the revolution break out, not by starting it, but by trying to put ourselves at the head of it.” The results, however, do not come. The right opportunity comes with Euromaidan. Between the end of December 2013 and the first months of 2014, Independence Square in Kiev is full of people. They protest, initially peacefully, against Viktor Janukovich. The then Ukrainian president was bringing Ukraine closer to the European Union but then, after being recalled by Moscow, he takes it all back. Dissatisfaction is great. Ukrainians, especially students, take to the streets. The police, at least initially, tolerate protests. Of course, there is no shortage of batons. But everything seems to be “normal”. Then, however, the tones rise. And the far-right exponents see a possibility in the protest: “We used to pass ourselves off as normal supporters of the EU and supplied our group with those provisions”. The clashes with the police are becoming more and more intense. And Pravy Sektorthe Ukrainian far-right group, begins to become a point of reference for many, including “Woland”: “We made homemade bulletproof vests, shields and chose the most suitable protective goggles. At the time on Maidan square they sang every hour a hymn and the opposition clowns were listened to on stage, while we were not even allowed to come near us. The active part of the crowd built barricades, transforming the Maidan into a kind of fortress “. Until the time comes Pravy Sektor, who sets out: “We all have a threatening aspect – says” Woland “- It is clear that we are not there to sing hymns and to dance. The supporters of peaceful protests try to stop us, branding us as provocateurs, but we are now unstoppable . We push them away, the most violent of them get a blow to the head “. They force their way through and gain more and more consensus every day: “A small group of people, under certain circumstances and decisions, can divert the protest in the desired direction.” And so it is also in Maidan. Far-right groups ride the revolt. After years of failure, this time they manage to achieve their goals. The Azov battalion What happened after the Euromaidan events is well known. War. Especially in the south of the country. “Woland” does not hold back and enlists as a volunteer in the newborn Azov Battalion: “We gather and listen to the speech of the Battalion commander. His words affect me deeply. I am not a pagan, but I imagine my ancestors waiting for me in the Valhalla, even though I hadn’t really wanted to see them yet. In battle! Everyone rushes to the means of transport. The sky is clearing. The cry echoes: ‘Al Valhalla!’ A convoy is forming, let’s go to our first one. combat”. And he will see many, Woland. Especially in Mariupol, where today the remains of the Azov Regiment are locked inside the Azovstal steel mill. In eight years of conflict, the Azov battalion is fighting in the hottest areas of the Donbass. It is one of the toughest regiments and, according to various reports of theOsce and of Amnesty International, it also stains itself with terrible crimes. In particular, the battalion would make recurring use of physical torture And psychological. Black men (yesterday and today) This is the story of “Woland”. A story that takes us to the present day. When Fausto Biloslavo went to Ukraine in 2014 he documented not only the facts of the Euromaidan, but also the birth of Azov. A reportage entitled Black men“because of the color of their uniforms and because they are part of the Ukrainian and European far right”. Like Francesco F., with a past in the national avant-garde: “On the barricades of Piazza Maidan I found myself by chance fascinated by a people’s revolution. And by the young centuries of Pravi sektor (formation of the Ukrainian nationalist extreme right) with shields together with the babuckas who brought tea at 17 below zero or the busy girls filling empty bottles with petrol to turn them into Molotov cocktails. comedy. It was no longer a game. What was I supposed to do to go home and leave the comrades of the Maidan barricades? ” Like Francesco, also many volunteers from all over the world, many of whom had sympathies for Nazism. Today, Azov is no longer a battalion, but a regiment. He has changed his skin. At least apparently. But yours songs continue to cheer on Stepan Bandera, Ukrainian collaborator. In his coat of arms stood the black sun (now removed), used first by the Thule Society and then by the SS. However, after an accurate graphic restyling, the Wolfsangel remains, the wolf hook, which was the initial emblem of the National Socialist party and one of the many runic symbols used by the SS. Black men, he had called them Biloslav many years ago. Maybe they are still today. They just aren’t scary anymore. When does France sing? How to vote? Here is our guide to the final The eldest daughter of Alberto Ferriols and Beatriz Salomón distanced herself from the complaint against her father: "Things are not like that"	8,668
Stories are powerful. They create connections and establish emotional bonds, leading audiences to feel a personal connection with a brand. That's where we come in. At Arch City Studio, we help brands discover their unique story and share it with the world through compelling content creation and strategic marketing campaigns. Whether it's designing a new logo or creating a visually stunning website, we bring the brand's story to life in a way that resonates with their target audience. We believe that understanding a brand's history, values, and goals is key to crafting an impactful story that uplifts and elevates their message. Because at the end of the day, people don't just buy products; they buy into the story a brand tells. Let us help you tell yours. Who We've Worked With More and more companies are turning to professional storytellers to help them craft their brand narratives. We bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, and can lend credibility and authenticity to a brand's story, helping it resonate with customers. So whether it's through identity, video or social media campaigns, we can be an effective way for your brand to enhance its storytelling efforts and connect with their audience in a meaningful way. Arch City Studio is a team of original creators and storytellers working in the media of print publishing, web development, animation and video, and ... wow, it kind of sounds like we do it all! We have decades of combined experience in telling stories and we'd love to help you tell yours. We're blessed to partner with a great variety of creative talents. We're currently favoring opportunities to work on projects featuring: Branding, including logo, apparel and marketing collateral design Film, particularly documentaries, or stories about your business, hobby or life experience Have a different idea? Reach out to us and start a conversation! Notice: JavaScript is required for this content. Feature Partnerships We're all about storytelling. That's why we collaborate with the top businesses and creatives in our industry to bring our clients' messages to life. Our partnerships provide us with a diverse range of perspectives and expertise, allowing us to create unique and impactful content for our clients. From film production to graphic design to animation, we surround ourselves with the best in the business in order to consistently deliver top-notch work. Whether it's through a stunning website, a captivating video campaign or stellar design, you can trust us to tell your story in the most innovative and engaging way possible. It was no surprise we jumped at the chance to work with Packrat Comics, crafting a video worthy of the prestigious "Television Commercial of the Year" award from industry giant Diamond. In the legal world, first impressions are everything. That's why we were thrilled to help national law firm POLING level up their web presence. No successful public levy is a one-person effort. It takes a village--or in the case of the Upper Arlington Public Library, an entire community. That's why they reached out to us to help power their media presence to a winning campaign. Virtue Design + Build turn ideas into tangible realities, creating spaces that truly reflect their customers' personalities and styles. We were thrilled to lend our creative talents to the mix, helping Virtue bring their vision to the digital world through dynamic web design and animation. of what we do. We are committed to crafting compelling narratives and delivering them with clear communication and a strong vision. Our team works closely together to bring each story to life in exciting and innovative ways. Whether it's for a website, a product ad, or a social media campaign, our focus on storytelling helps us connect with our audience and make a lasting impact. We believe the power of a good story can never be underestimated, and we strive to constantly push the boundaries of traditional storytelling in everything we do. At the end of the day, it's all about sharing captivating stories that resonate with the audience and leave a lasting impression. is a point of pride. From the glitz and glamour of Hollywood to local businesses on Main Street, we have experienced it all. We've worked with Fortune 100 companies and family-owned restaurants. This extensive range helps us approach each project with a fresh perspective and innovative solutions. Each new partnership presents the opportunity for us to learn and expand our expertise even further. We're constantly seeking out new challenges and exciting opportunities, so no matter your industry or size, trust that we have the experience and adaptability to exceed your expectations. and pushing the limits of what's possible in our award-winning productions is the proof of our commitment to innovation and excellence. From sophisticated technological solutions to bold creative choices, we never settle for the status quo. We pride ourselves on being a driving force in setting new standards testing the boundaries of what can be achieved. Partnering with us means partnering with a company that never rests on past successes but is continually striving for greatness. You can trust you're working with industry experts. Join us on the cutting edge of innovation and let's continue to raise the bar together.	5,585
Grays Beach Bar’N’Bus Team Leader, Gary Jones (of Thurrock Christian Fellowship), told Transformation Thurrock more about the day. “As part of the Bar’N’Bus Team working in the Grays Riverside area we were asked by the the Seabrooke Rise Community House to be involved in a community day they called ‘A Slice of Old England’.” Gary continues: “The idea of the event was around community cohesion and past events of this nature had focused on other cultures. “This year the focus was around English culture, with tradition English fare of cakes, sweets jams etc. There was a 40’s war time theme to the day with music from the time being played. Ration books were issued to people who attended so you did not get more than your fair share on the cake stall! Two people were ‘Living Books’ with stories of the time. An afternoon tea dance was also held.” What was the purpose of the Bar’N’Bus team’s involvement? “The team turned up on the bus and were happy to just be part of the event helping where we could. For us it was about promoting the work of the Bar’N’Bus in their area with people being able to come on the bus and see what we are all about. For me it’s about being part of what the community is doing.” How did Gary feel about being a part of community day? “These events aim to bring back the community spirit and build relationships. It was such a great privilege to be invited to be part of the event.” Gary tells us that the next Community House event is on the 21st August and again the Bar’N’Bus team have been invited along. Please pray for the Grays Beach Bar’N’Bus Team as they seek to serve the Grays Riverside community, bringing the light and salt that Jesus calls us too. The Corringham Bar’N’Bus Team are taking the bus to the Stanford Festival on 4 July. Please pray that they can have a similar positive presence at that even. Top: some of the Grays Beach Team on duty at the community day Middle: the bus next to the Seabrooke Rise Community House in New Road, Grays Bottom: the bus next to the Scouts’ climbing wall with Seabrooke Rise in the background Next Next post: Thurrock goes to West Ham United Poundstretcher opens in Grays Shopping Centre - in pictures 28th November 2022 Lakeside Shopping Centre sees gang steal £15K of phones 28th November 2022 Witham star Olly Murs talks about new 'relatable' song 28th November 2022 South Essex mum says running helped during breast cancer battle 28th November 2022 Nicholas Rossi wanted for questioning over Essex rape claim 28th November 2022 Monthly Digest Select Month November 2022 (9) October 2022 (3) September 2022 (4) July 2022 (6) May 2022 (2) April 2022 (2) March 2022 (3) February 2022 (8) January 2022 (3) November 2021 (1) September 2021 (6) August 2021 (3) May 2021 (4) April 2021 (2) March 2021 (7) February 2021 (1) January 2021 (5) December 2020 (9) November 2020 (4) October 2020 (3) July 2020 (3) May 2020 (10) April 2020 (11) March 2020 (13) February 2020 (4) January 2020 (4) December 2019 (11) November 2019 (10) October 2019 (12) September 2019 (2) August 2019 (4) July 2019 (4) June 2019 (3) May 2019 (2) April 2019 (6) March 2019 (11) February 2019 (2) January 2019 (3) December 2018 (6) November 2018 (5) October 2018 (2) September 2018 (5) August 2018 (4) July 2018 (3) June 2018 (3) May 2018 (4) April 2018 (13) March 2018 (17) February 2018 (7) January 2018 (3) December 2017 (5) November 2017 (7) October 2017 (1) September 2017 (3) July 2017 (1) June 2017 (4) May 2017 (9) April 2017 (5) February 2017 (3) January 2017 (10) December 2016 (5) November 2016 (4) October 2016 (5) September 2016 (8) August 2016 (2) July 2016 (6) June 2016 (1) May 2016 (4) April 2016 (10) March 2016 (6) February 2016 (4) January 2016 (6) December 2015 (2) November 2015 (7) October 2015 (6) September 2015 (6) August 2015 (7) July 2015 (6) June 2015 (8) May 2015 (11) April 2015 (7) March 2015 (9) February 2015 (6) January 2015 (6) December 2014 (3) November 2014 (7) October 2014 (4) September 2014 (3) August 2014 (5) July 2014 (7) June 2014 (6) May 2014 (5) April 2014 (8) March 2014 (5) February 2014 (6) January 2014 (3) December 2013 (4) November 2013 (2) October 2013 (4) September 2013 (8) July 2013 (7) June 2013 (6) May 2013 (7) April 2013 (18) March 2013 (7) February 2013 (1) January 2013 (5) December 2012 (3) November 2012 (11) October 2012 (11) September 2012 (15) August 2012 (6) July 2012 (10) June 2012 (6) May 2012 (3) April 2012 (3) March 2012 (8) February 2012 (9) January 2012 (4) December 2011 (4) November 2011 (3) October 2011 (12) September 2011 (8) August 2011 (4) July 2011 (9) June 2011 (8) May 2011 (6) April 2011 (9) March 2011 (5) February 2011 (8) January 2011 (10) December 2010 (2) November 2010 (6) October 2010 (6) September 2010 (7) August 2010 (3) July 2010 (7) June 2010 (7) May 2010 (9) April 2010 (2) March 2010 (8) February 2010 (2) January 2010 (10) December 2009 (3) November 2009 (5) October 2009 (4) September 2009 (2) August 2009 (2) July 2009 (3) June 2009 (2) May 2009 (2) April 2009 (1) March 2009 (5) February 2009 (2) December 2008 (4) November 2008 (2) October 2008 (6) September 2008 (3) August 2008 (3)	5,333
Your gift will provide clean water and improved health for families in the entire region of Kokosa, Ethiopia. November 2020 In rural Kokosa, Ethiopia, the average walk for water is over two hours. For 14-year-old Kawo and 12-year-old Kamso, the trip means they won’t be going to school. Each time they leave, Rahima feels a deep sadness in the pit of her stomach. According to her, they should be leaving for school, not for water. Rahima lives in Goljo Danishe village with her husband, Nagesso, and their eight children. Three times a day, their daughters gather water from the muddy spring. Rahima is suffering from kidney failure from drinking the spring water, so she depends on her family to accomplish the day’s tasks. “Water problems have been ruining everything,” she said. “I have nearly given up any hope of living happily.” Rahima is sincere, kind, and she has a gentle spirit. Right now, she is struggling to hold onto hope. Since she became sick, her children have dropped out of school to help the family. “I don’t want my children to stay at home, forsaking their education, no matter how challenging our problems are; they should resume their education next year,” she said. But right now, the spring water is teeming with worms, tadpoles, and pollution from the waste that runs into the water when it rains. It’s making the entire community dangerously ill, and more and more children are dropping out of school each month. “Clean water is the only solution to our current problems, and I always dream for it,” Rahima said. When you give, you give to children like just Kamso and Kawo in rural Kokosa, Ethiopia. You end long walks for water, sending children back to classrooms to learn, grow, and become what they dream of becoming. About the Region Kokosa, Ethiopia is home to 122,811 people. Lifewater began serving in Kokosa in 2015, taking on large clusters of communities at a time in designated Lifewater “projects.” Today, we are beginning programs in Kokosa Project 3, serving 10,677 people. We can’t reach them without you. In Kokosa, families live in traditional mud-thatches homes roofed with dried brush from the surrounding forest. A majority of families rely on agriculture for their annual income, and 53% of the population in project 3 have never gone to school. Water usage is exceptionally low, with the average person using less than 5 liters of water per day. This is just one-fourth of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended minimum quantity of water needed per day per person. Gathering that minimal amount of water takes 2.25 hours a day, as women and children often travel to unprotected springs or rivers with long lines. The contaminated water is dangerous for all in Kokosa, but particularly children under the age of five years old. When interviewed eight percent of children under the age of five experienced diarrhea—the second leading cause of death for young children—in the seven days prior to the survey. The good news is, this is entirely preventable. Lifewater’s work in the surrounding area shows that diarrhea can be nearly eliminated with basic access to things like clean drinking water, proper sanitation, and washing hands with soap. Children in Kokosa need your help. Give safe water to Kokosa today. Am I sponsoring a specific village? Your gift will help provide safe drinking water and improved sanitation and hygiene for the entire Kokosa program rather than one specific village, making it possible for Lifewater to reach this family as well as their neighbors. Will I receive updates? Yes! You can expect regular updates on progress in the Kokosa region. And, when the communities in the region are transformed with safe water, you’ll receive a story and photos from a family whose life is changed because of your gift. Can I visit programs and/or my sponsored water project? Lifewater has local staff that live and serve among the communities and schools where Lifewater works. Our staff know the language and the culture and are best equipped to serve communities. Because we seek to ensure sustainable water projects and community buy in, we do not allow donors to visit the projects they sponsor. However, we do commit to sending real-time updates, photos, and stories from the projects themselves. Where does Lifewater work? With more than 40 years’ experience, LIfewater is the longest-running Christian clean water charity in North America. Over those 40 years, Lifewater has worked in more than 45 different countries. Currently, our work is focused in Sub-Saharan Africa (Ethiopia, Uganda, and Tanzania) and Southeast Asia (Cambodia). Why these countries and regions? Lifewater identifies countries and regions that are unreached and underserved with basic water access and sanitation, which means we focus on areas where other organizations are not serving. Although great strides have been made in the past 20 years to solve the global water crisis, remote and rural populations still remain unreached with adequate water and sanitation. These distant regions are difficult and often costly for governments and NGOs to serve well. Many of these communities feel as though they have been forgotten. Can I request a water project in a specific country? Currently, Lifewater has programs in Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, and Cambodia. You can go to lifewater.org/projects to select a specific water project to help. Because our programs are regionalized and made in partnership with the local governments, we are not able to take requests for specific water projects outside of our existing programs. What percent of funds go towards programs? Lifewater budgets 80% of expenditures for programs. The remaining 20% is split between administrative/management and fundraising expenses. This ratio is best in class for nonprofits and is why Lifewater has received the highest rating from Charity Navigator. Administrative/management expenses are used to ensure that we are effective in managing the funds entrusted to us and include the following types of expenses: accounting personnel, leadership time, professional development of staff, external auditors, legal counsel, government registration expenses in every U.S. state, credit card fees for processing donations, bank fees, database maintenance, and office expenses. Fundraising expenses generate the income needed to do the work that we set out to do. These include the cost of direct mail appeals and communication, marketing projects, donor relations personnel, and email communication systems. Last year, every dollar invested into Lifewater fundraising efforts resulted in $10 of donation for the organization. Is Lifewater approved/vetted by 3rd party organizations? Over our 40 year history, Lifewater has received the highest accreditations from the most respected rating organization in the industry. Lifewater is recognized as one of the top-rated charities in the United States by independent reporting organizations, including: Great Nonprofits (five star) Excellence in Giving Learn more at https://lifewater.org/top-rated-charity. How does Lifewater integrate faith into its work? Lifewater’s work is founded on the belief that every person is made in the image of God. It is with this conviction that we seek out the globe’s most unreached, marginalized people groups in need of safe water. Both nationally and internationally, 100 percent of our staff are Christians. These Christian staff help facilitate Lifewater’s Healthy Church strategy in communities. And, where there are no churches, we work with church planting partners to start new churches. To create Healthy Churches, Lifewater first trains church leaders in foundational theology. These leaders are equipped with the basic story of the Christian faith and the biblical mandate to love others. Leaders learn that stopping the spread of disease and caring for the vulnerable aligns with our responsibility as Christians to love our neighbor. Second, Lifewater ensures churches have safe bathrooms on their premises, handwashing stations, clean water nearby, and the education to promote health within their congregations. It’s imperative that churches are early adopters of healthy hygiene practices. Third, Lifewater encourages churches to help vulnerable households become Healthy Homes. Church leaders undergo a training to become WASH (water access, sanitation, and hygiene) advocates in their communities. These advocates are encouraged to identify widows, child-headed households, the elderly, and the disabled to help them meet the health standards of Lifewater’s programs. What is Lifewater’s process? What does the organization do, and how does it do it? Lifewater’s Vision of a Healthy Village strategy is a relationship-first method. This model transforms entire regions house by house, village by village, and school by school. It is among the most intensive household-level work happening in the entire developing world and is closely tracked for progress, sustainability, and overall impact. We construct custom-engineered safe water sources and teach life-saving health and sanitation practices in local villages and schools in need. This water project is funded, but many others still need your help. Give Safe Water Michael \| $150 Give Safe Water Sharon \| $260 Give Safe Water Give Safe Water “We are confident Lifewater’s work will have life-sustaining impact.” Your gift will provide clean water and improved health for families in the entire region of Kokosa, Ethiopia. November 2020 In rural Kokosa, Ethiopia, the average walk for water is over two hours. For 14-year-old Kawo and 12-year-old Kamso, the trip means they won’t be going to school. Each time they leave, Rahima feels a deep sadness in the pit of her stomach. According to her, they should be leaving for school, not for water. Rahima lives in Goljo Danishe village with her husband, Nagesso, and their eight children. Three times a day, their daughters gather water from the muddy spring. Rahima is suffering from kidney failure from drinking the spring water, so she depends on her family to accomplish the day’s tasks. “Water problems have been ruining everything,” she said. “I have nearly given up any hope of living happily.” Rahima is sincere, kind, and she has a gentle spirit. Right now, she is struggling to hold onto hope. Since she became sick, her children have dropped out of school to help the family. “I don’t want my children to stay at home, forsaking their education, no matter how challenging our problems are; they should resume their education next year,” she said. But right now, the spring water is teeming with worms, tadpoles, and pollution from the waste that runs into the water when it rains. It’s making the entire community dangerously ill, and more and more children are dropping out of school each month. “Clean water is the only solution to our current problems, and I always dream for it,” Rahima said. When you give, you give to children like just Kamso and Kawo in rural Kokosa, Ethiopia. You end long walks for water, sending children back to classrooms to learn, grow, and become what they dream of becoming. About the Region Kokosa, Ethiopia is home to 122,811 people. Lifewater began serving in Kokosa in 2015, taking on large clusters of communities at a time in designated Lifewater “projects.” Today, we are beginning programs in Kokosa Project 3, serving 10,677 people. We can’t reach them without you. In Kokosa, families live in traditional mud-thatches homes roofed with dried brush from the surrounding forest. A majority of families rely on agriculture for their annual income, and 53% of the population in project 3 have never gone to school. Water usage is exceptionally low, with the average person using less than 5 liters of water per day. This is just one-fourth of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended minimum quantity of water needed per day per person. Gathering that minimal amount of water takes 2.25 hours a day, as women and children often travel to unprotected springs or rivers with long lines. The contaminated water is dangerous for all in Kokosa, but particularly children under the age of five years old. When interviewed eight percent of children under the age of five experienced diarrhea—the second leading cause of death for young children—in the seven days prior to the survey. The good news is, this is entirely preventable. Lifewater’s work in the surrounding area shows that diarrhea can be nearly eliminated with basic access to things like clean drinking water, proper sanitation, and washing hands with soap. Children in Kokosa need your help. Give safe water to Kokosa today. Am I sponsoring a specific village? Your gift will help provide safe drinking water and improved sanitation and hygiene for the entire Kokosa program rather than one specific village, making it possible for Lifewater to reach this family as well as their neighbors. Will I receive updates? Yes! You can expect regular updates on progress in the Kokosa region. And, when the communities in the region are transformed with safe water, you’ll receive a story and photos from a family whose life is changed because of your gift. Can I visit programs and/or my sponsored water project? Lifewater has local staff that live and serve among the communities and schools where Lifewater works. Our staff know the language and the culture and are best equipped to serve communities. Because we seek to ensure sustainable water projects and community buy in, we do not allow donors to visit the projects they sponsor. However, we do commit to sending real-time updates, photos, and stories from the projects themselves. Where does Lifewater work? With more than 40 years’ experience, LIfewater is the longest-running Christian clean water charity in North America. Over those 40 years, Lifewater has worked in more than 45 different countries. Currently, our work is focused in Sub-Saharan Africa (Ethiopia, Uganda, and Tanzania) and Southeast Asia (Cambodia). Why these countries and regions? Lifewater identifies countries and regions that are unreached and underserved with basic water access and sanitation, which means we focus on areas where other organizations are not serving. Although great strides have been made in the past 20 years to solve the global water crisis, remote and rural populations still remain unreached with adequate water and sanitation. These distant regions are difficult and often costly for governments and NGOs to serve well. Many of these communities feel as though they have been forgotten. Can I request a water project in a specific country? Currently, Lifewater has programs in Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, and Cambodia. You can go to lifewater.org/projects to select a specific water project to help. Because our programs are regionalized and made in partnership with the local governments, we are not able to take requests for specific water projects outside of our existing programs. What percent of funds go towards programs? Lifewater budgets 80% of expenditures for programs. The remaining 20% is split between administrative/management and fundraising expenses. This ratio is best in class for nonprofits and is why Lifewater has received the highest rating from Charity Navigator. Administrative/management expenses are used to ensure that we are effective in managing the funds entrusted to us and include the following types of expenses: accounting personnel, leadership time, professional development of staff, external auditors, legal counsel, government registration expenses in every U.S. state, credit card fees for processing donations, bank fees, database maintenance, and office expenses. Fundraising expenses generate the income needed to do the work that we set out to do. These include the cost of direct mail appeals and communication, marketing projects, donor relations personnel, and email communication systems. Last year, every dollar invested into Lifewater fundraising efforts resulted in $10 of donation for the organization. Is Lifewater approved/vetted by 3rd party organizations? Over our 40 year history, Lifewater has received the highest accreditations from the most respected rating organization in the industry. Lifewater is recognized as one of the top-rated charities in the United States by independent reporting organizations, including: Great Nonprofits (five star) Excellence in Giving Learn more at https://lifewater.org/top-rated-charity. How does Lifewater integrate faith into its work? Lifewater’s work is founded on the belief that every person is made in the image of God. It is with this conviction that we seek out the globe’s most unreached, marginalized people groups in need of safe water. Both nationally and internationally, 100 percent of our staff are Christians. These Christian staff help facilitate Lifewater’s Healthy Church strategy in communities. And, where there are no churches, we work with church planting partners to start new churches. To create Healthy Churches, Lifewater first trains church leaders in foundational theology. These leaders are equipped with the basic story of the Christian faith and the biblical mandate to love others. Leaders learn that stopping the spread of disease and caring for the vulnerable aligns with our responsibility as Christians to love our neighbor. Second, Lifewater ensures churches have safe bathrooms on their premises, handwashing stations, clean water nearby, and the education to promote health within their congregations. It’s imperative that churches are early adopters of healthy hygiene practices. Third, Lifewater encourages churches to help vulnerable households become Healthy Homes. Church leaders undergo a training to become WASH (water access, sanitation, and hygiene) advocates in their communities. These advocates are encouraged to identify widows, child-headed households, the elderly, and the disabled to help them meet the health standards of Lifewater’s programs. What is Lifewater’s process? What does the organization do, and how does it do it? Lifewater’s Vision of a Healthy Village strategy is a relationship-first method. This model transforms entire regions house by house, village by village, and school by school. It is among the most intensive household-level work happening in the entire developing world and is closely tracked for progress, sustainability, and overall impact. We construct custom-engineered safe water sources and teach life-saving health and sanitation practices in local villages and schools in need. Your gift reflects your trust in Lifewater International. We commit to honor your generosity by using your gift to help further the mission and vision of Lifewater International. Your donation is used by Lifewater International according to the project objectives to provide safe drinking water and improved sanitation and hygiene within the specified program area. Lifewater International is a charitable organization as described in 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, registered in the United States. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Donations are non-refundable. Lifewater International will honor a donor’s request for any pre-approved program or project whenever possible. In rare occasions where this is not possible, gifts will be used where needed, in accordance with the organization’s charitable purpose. In accordance with this policy, donor’s explicitly release Lifewater International from further restriction on such funds. Contact me about Give Education to Girls like Kawo and Kamso Need more information? Contact us and a Donor Relations Representative will reach out within 24 hours. Get Progress Updates From Give Education to Girls like Kawo and Kamso Follow along as the community of Give Education to Girls like Kawo and Kamso, Ethiopia discovers health and hope.	20,647
Eileen has written her version of Fairy Kingdom history. Only a few leather bound copies were produced and these are all kept in the Palace Library. The only reason they’ve not been destroyed is Eileen would create merry hell if they were. People are allowed to read Eileen’s works though they have to state who they are when asking for the books. This puts people off. Eileen herself wants this practice stopped pointing out with monotonous regularity (Queen’s viewpoint) the bullying nature of this. The Queen has done what she usually does with anything she dislikes - ignore it! The official version of Kingdom history is that the Chief Witch’s family were responsible for all the warmongering and damage done to lives, land and property throughout the centuries. The Witch’s family always argued they were treated shabbily by the royals, especially by Gwendolyn, and had to defend themselves against fairy royal aggression. Naturally there are faults on both sides but what shocked many, including the current Queen, is that Eileen had a great deal of sympathy with the Witch, acknowledged the royals had their faults and that at least some of the violence of the past could and should have been avoided. Eileen is very much the renegade here and Brankaresh tried to use her sympathy for the Witch against her, to no avail much to his frustration. Early Kingdom history was easier to follow. Someone started a war, usually a witch with ambition, and the fairy royals heroically stopped it. There is also a lot of snobbery between witches and fairies - both despise the other, both don’t like backing down or admitting they’ve got it wrong. All the right ingredients for war on a regular basis. Eileen despises this and blames both sides equally. The Queen feels Eileen is far too critical of the royal side and not critical enough of the witches’ side. Eileen is not surprised. She sees it as her role to criticize the fairy monarchy when it needs it and she will not be silenced. Your comment will be posted after it is approved. Leave a Reply. Author I'm Allison Symes and I write novels, short stories as well as some scripts and poems. I love setting my work in my magical world, the Fairy Kingdom, and my favourite character is Eileen, who believes hypocrisy is something that happens to other people without caring that statement is hypocritical in itself! Eileen is huge fun to write for and about.	2,476
There are very few outdoor skills that are more important than being able to cut wood. But the size and inconvenience of carrying typical cutting saws mean that they’re often left behind. A knife can only get you so far. In an emergency, if you need to build shelter, being able to cut larger structural sections can make a huge difference in the quality of a shelter (we’ll cover shelter building in another post). That's why every VSSL Camp Supplies comes standard with a high-grade wire saw, because it's light, portable, and is an incredible cutting tool! The absolute best way to use a wire saw is to make it into a bow saw. and in 5 super simple steps, I’ll show you how to turn it into a cutting machine. Remove the wire saw from the tin (Figured we’d start with an easy one). Find a live, sturdy branch that you can cut off to a length of about two hand widths longer than the wire saw. Make sure the branch is not so thick that you can’t bend it, but not so thin that it doesn’t provide any tension. The size shown here is pretty much perfect, but different species of wood will have varying rigidity, so test some for flexibility before cutting. You want to be able to bend it slightly, but not break it. Wrap the canvas straps of the wire saw around your hands and cut the brand at the pre-determined length. A few mistakes people make when using a wire saw: DO NOT wrap the saw around the branch. Try and keep the wire as straight as possible as you cut. Wrapping the wire around the branch causes too much surface friction and you’ll find the wire saw binds in the wood too easily. And be patient. If you try and rush through it, the wire can get super hot and it’ll cause a weak point in the metal and snap. Cut slow and easy. Once you’ve cut your branch to length, hook one of the canvas straps over an end, and place that end on the ground. Now bend the branch enough so that you can secure the second canvas strap to the other end. The branch I had chosen was very rigid so I needed to anchor the branch behind my foot and leverage it with my leg, exactly like you would string a recurve bow. Once both canvas straps are secured on the branch, you’re ready to go. If you find that you want extra stability where the canvas straps anchor into the branch, you can use your knife to notch out anchor points. However, I find that the canvas straps hold quite well on the un-modified ends as long as there is enough tension. STEP 5: You’ll see how easily the bow saw now rips through the wood compared to when you were cutting with it wrapped around your hands. And again, keep in mind that cutting too fast can cause the wire to heat up and break. PRO TIP: Just like with any saw, keep in mind what will happen to the branch as you cut through it. You want to makes sure that the cut branch won’t pinch the wire. If the wire does get pinched, wait for it to cool down for a minute before trying to yank it free from the tree. It’s breaking strength is higher when cooler and less likely to snap as you try and free it. You’ll also want to make sure that you or others with you are outside of the path any larger tree/branch might fall when you’ve finished cutting through it! In addition to making shelter, the pieces you cut can be used for fire, making a camp furniture, cooking supports emergency splint or even stretcher parts. Try building your own bow saw and test it out for yourself! And as always, be prepared, Click here to check out VSSL CAMP Supplies, which comes stocked with a sturdy wire saw along with 70 other essentials that you should have on you anytime your out exploring the great outdoors.	3,760
Publishing giant Simon & Schuster have conceded that “hand-signed” copies of Bob Dylan’s new book, The Philosophy Of Modern Song, were in fact manufactured with an autopen system (which uses a machine to automatically reproduce a person’s signature). The signed copies of the book – of which there were 900 – were sold through Simon & Schuster’s website at $599 USD (£505). Many fans cottoned on to the dupe when they started sharing photos of their copies on forums, where it became clear that every copy sported a virtually identical signature. According to Variety, fans were able to isolate 17 variations of the signature by Sunday afternoon (November 20) – three days after the books were shipped out – which had each been replicated dozens of times. They are autopenned. Fraudulent. Printed by a machine, not hand signed. pic.twitter.com/Bxsyv6JElC Simon & Schuster initially refused to honour requests for refunds, assuring buyers that the signatures were legitimate and validated by a “letter of authenticity”. A generic response from the publisher read: “We certainly understand any concerns you may have, however – each individual copy of the limited signed edition of Bob Dylan’s The Philosophy Of Modern Song was personally signed by the author and is accompanied by a letter of authenticity from the publisher of Simon & Schuster.” That “letter of authenticity” was attributed told the publisher’s president and CEO, Jonathan Karp, and told readers that “the copy of the book you hold has been hand-signed by Bob Dylan”. As photos of the dodgy signatures continued to circulate, Simon & Schuster pivoted their stance on Sunday, telling buyers directly that they would be refunded. An email sent to those who complained about the dupe, also including a signature from Karp, read: “We apologize for the mistake that was made and are offering a full refund of your purchase. Please keep your copy of ‘The Philosophy of Modern Song’ at no cost. We hope you will enjoy reading it.” The publisher later made a public statement on social media, writing: “To those who purchased The Philosophy Of Modern Song limited edition, we want to apologize. As it turns out, the limited edition books do contain Bob’s original signature, but in a penned replica form. We are addressing this immediately by providing each purchaser with an immediate refund.” The Philosophy Of Modern Song, Dylan’s first original book since Chronicles: Volume One in 2004, was released on November 1. It features more than 60 essays written by the folk icon, covering songs by artists like Elvis Costello, Nina Simone and Hank Williams. The audiobook release features a slew of celebrities reading Dylan’s essays, including Jeff Bridges, Helen Mirren, Oscar Isaac and Steve Buscemi. One artist who took issue with the new book is Chris Frantz, drummer for Talking Heads. Frantz told Dylan to “suck a dick” in response to what he perceived as a slight against his band, in an essay about Costello. “I think it’s a very good book – despite that one chapter,” Frantz said. Last week, Dylan announced the 17th instalment in his long-running Bootleg Series: a box set celebrating the 25th anniversary of his 30th album, ‘Time Out Of Mind’, featuring a remixed version of the original record, plus unreleased outtakes, demos, alternate versions and live cuts. Related Topics Books handsigned offer refunds signed CBMate Previous Article France vs Australia – World Cup Group D: Teams news, how they made it and prediction as reigning champs hit by injuries	3,761
Stephanie Breedlove started Breedlove & Associates in 1992 as a way to pay her nanny. The big payroll processors weren’t interested in dealing with one person’s wages and doing it themselves was complicated and time-consuming, too much for the then overwhelmed Breedloves. Breedlove saw a business opportunity and started a payroll company for parents who needed to pay their nannies. By 2012, Breedlove & Associates had grown to $9MM in revenue and then she received a $54MM acquisition offer. To give you some context of how incredible it is to sell a $9MM business for $54MM let’s look at the numbers. What did Breedlove do right? We’re going to look at the five things Breedlove did—and that you can do—to drive up the value of a business. 1. Sell Less Stuff to More People When Breedlove hit $30K per month in revenue, she quit her job at Accenture (formerly Anderson Consulting) and devoted herself to Breedlove & Associates full-time. To grow, she had a choice: sell more to her existing customers (e.g. busy couples often need lawn-care, house-cleaning, or grocery-delivery services) or stick with her niche of paying nannies. Most consultants and experts would say it’s easier to sell more to existing customers (and they’re right), but it doesn’t make your business more valuable. Breedlove decided to stick to her niche and find more parents who needed to pay their nannies, and that decision laid the foundation for a more valuable business. Investors such as Warren Buffet look for companies with a deep and wide competitive moat that gives the owner pricing authority. When you have a differentiated product or service, we call it having The Monopoly Control and companies with a monopoly get significantly higher acquisition offers. Rather than selling existing customers generic services in commoditized markets, Breedlove focused on selling one thing to as many customers as she could find. One feature that interested acquirers look for is your customer satisfaction levels. Increasingly, they are turning to the Net Promoter Score (NPS) as a measure of this. NPS was developed by Fred Reichheld and his team at Satmetrix, who discovered that your customers’ willingness to refer you to their friends or colleagues is highly predictive of your company’s future growth rate. The NPS approach is to ask your customers how willing they would be to refer your company to a friend or colleague, on a scale of 0 to 10. They are then categorized into Promoters (9s and 10s), Passives (7s and 8s) or Detractors (0–6s). The NPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of Promoters from the percentage of Detractors. Most businesses achieve an NPS of 10% to 15%, while the very best companies (think Apple and Amazon) get scores of 50% or more. Breedlove obsessed over her company’s NPS and realized the key to driving it up was perfecting the first few interactions with a new customer. When you call a big payroll company looking for a service to pay your nanny, the response can be underwhelming. With only one person to pay, you are often relegated to the most junior staff member and even they would rather be dealing with a larger client. When you call Breedlove, by contrast, you get a team of professionals totally focused on setting you up. You’re not an afterthought. You’re not passed on. Instead, you get the best onboarding talent the company has to offer. This set-up team was a big part of how Breedlove achieved an astonishing 78% NPS. The third thing that made Breedlove’s company attractive was recurring revenue. Regardless of what industry you’re in, recurring revenue models give acquirers more confidence that the business will keep going strong after you leave. By 2012, Breedlove & Associates had grown to $9MM and, given the nature of the payroll business, 100% of their revenue was recurring. 4. Reduce Reliance on Customers, Employees and Suppliers Breedlove’s company was also attractive to buyers because she had a highly diversified customer base with no single customer representing even close to 1% of her revenue. If more than 10% to 15% of your revenue comes from one buyer, you can expect prospective acquirers to ask a lot more questions. Customer concentration is one of three factors that make up The Switzerland Structure Module. The Switzerland Structure measures your business’ dependence on a single customer, employee or supplier. By 2012, Breedlove & Associates was growing 17% per year, which is good but not blow-your-mind good. So how did she attract such an incredible acquisition offer? The trick was showing her acquirer how they could grow. In Breedlove’s case, she sold her company to Care.com. Think of Care.com as the Angie’s List of care providers (e.g. child care, senior care, etc.). If you need someone to care for your kids or an elderly relative, you enter your address into their website and Care.com will give you a list of vetted caregivers in your area. At the time of the acquisition, Breedlove had 10,000 customers and Care.com had seven million members. Breedlove argued that if just 1% of Care.com’s members used Breedlove’s payroll service, it would equate to 7X growth in Breedlove & Associates almost overnight. In 2012, Care.com acquired Breedlove & Associates for $54MM—an outstanding exit made possible by Breedlove’s focus on what drove her company’s value, not just their top-line revenue. Republished with permission from Built to Sell Inc.	5,801
Bitcoin isn’t the only crypto game in town. Bitcoin (BTC) gets the lion’s share of cryptocurrency media coverage, and rightfully… Bitcoin isn’t the only crypto game in town. Bitcoin (BTC) gets the lion’s share of cryptocurrency media coverage, and rightfully so. But in the years since the first Bitcoin transaction in 2009, thousands of additional cryptocurrencies have popped up, creating a confusing landscape for investors. Some of these altcoins feature major technical innovations that differentiate them from Bitcoin, while others have simply become popular digital currency brands and social media memes. Cryptocurrency investing remains an extremely speculative endeavor, but it can be very lucrative for investors willing to risk painful losses in the hopes of big payouts. Here are six of the best altcoins to buy today. Ether is the largest and oldest Bitcoin alternative, and its blockchain was the first to introduce smart contracts, code designed to run decentralized applications, or dApps. There are currently 2,970 dApps running on the Ethereum network, according to the website State of the dApps. The Ethereum network is home to dApps for gaming, gambling, socializing, decentralized finance, or DeFi, and nonfungible tokens, or NFTs. Ether, the native token of the Ethereum network, has significantly outperformed Bitcoin in the past three years. Ethereum’s recent transition to proof-of-stake, or PoS, transaction verification has also made Ethereum a more environmentally friendly alternative to Bitcoin. Ripple is a global, digital financial transaction network designed to facilitate transactions among banks and other financial institutions. Ripple is intended to be a faster, cheaper, more secure alternative to the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications, or SWIFT, system for money transfers. XRP is the native cryptocurrency designed for use on the Ripple network and XRP Ledger blockchain. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued Ripple in 2020, alleging it violated securities laws by selling $1.4 billion of XRP to investors. If Ripple ultimately wins the ongoing legal battle, it could be a major bullish catalyst. Solana is a relative cryptocurrency newcomer, as it launched in March 2020. However, Solana has quickly amassed a large following and is now the sixth most valuable cryptocurrency in the world with a market capitalization of $31 billion. Like Ethereum, Solana supports dApps and NFTs, but it has far fewer total projects on its blockchain than Ethereum does. Solana’s unique combination of proof-of-history, or PoH, and PoS transaction verification gives it several advantages over Ethereum, including faster and cheaper transaction verification. Unfortunately, the Solana network has suffered several outages in 2022, including an 18-hour blackout in January 2022. Polkadot (DOT) The Polkadot blockchain was launched in 2020 by Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood. Polkadot operates a main network blockchain where transactions are permanently recorded. However, its unique feature is its parachains, user-created blockchains that can be customized while still benefiting from the same security measures as the main Polkadot chain. Users can customize different Polkadot parachains for different uses, but the network only requires enough computing resources to operate the main chain. Polkadot reportedly recognized an all-time high of more than 500 developer contributions per day in September 2022, suggesting interest in the project is gaining momentum. If you’ve followed cryptocurrency news at all, you’re already well aware of Dogecoin. The cryptocurrency that was created in 2013 as a parody of Bitcoin has become one of the most popular and valuable digital currency brands in the world, thanks in large part to its viral Shiba Inu mascot. Dogecoin’s meteoric rise has been fueled by influential Tesla Inc. (TSLA) CEO and Dogecoin investor Elon Musk, who announced in January that customers can now buy Tesla merchandise using Dogecoin. Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban is also a Dogecoin supporter and has called it the “strongest” cryptocurrency as a medium of exchange. Chainlink was developed in 2017 and is a blockchain abstraction layer that allows blockchains to securely interact with external data feeds, payment methods and events via a decentralized oracle network. Chainlink was one of the first blockchain networks to allow users to integrate off-chain data into smart contracts. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt joined the Chainlink team as an advisor in December 2021, lending additional credibility to the project. Chainlink is also one of the six trendiest cryptos on social media in recent weeks based on Reddit and Twitter mentions, according to Bank of America. 6 of the best altcoins to buy: More from U.S. News The 8 Top EV Stocks and Battery Companies 6 Green Hydrogen Stocks and ETFs to Watch 7 Best Growth ETFs to Buy Now 6 of the Best Altcoins to Buy originally appeared on usnews.com Update 11/15/22: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.	5,270
Limited to 40 remarqued proofs, 'Free Wheeling Spirits - Remarque' is available either mounted or mounted and framed. We also offer the framed print glazed with a high quality reduced reflection glass called ARTglass. Please select the format you require using the drop down list above. The Benefits of ARTglass Printed on 300gsm fine art paper, each print is individually numbered and hand remarqued and signed by Sam and supplied with a certificate of authenticity. Mounted in an off-white mount with v-groove detail and supplied acetate wrapped. The framed print is mounted as described and then framed in a 2cm x 2cm square profile moulding with a warm silver finish called 'Champagne'. Supplied strung and ready to hang. Standard picture framing glass is called float glass. This glass is used by the majority of picture framers and is perfectly acceptable for use when framing most limited edition prints but it does cause reflection and impurities in the glass cause the framed image to appear duller than intended. To overcome these compromises we offer all our limited editions with the option of been fitted with a speciality glass called ARTglass designed to reduce reflection and improve clarity. Unlike 'non-reflective' glass which is etched to reduce reflection but has a cloudy appearance as a result, ARTglass is coated with a high-tech film, reducing reflection whilst adding clarity. The example shown here is an actual scan of a print framed with ARTglass in the left half of the frame and standard glass in the right half. This image has not been altered or enhanced in any way and clearly shows how ARTglass improves the clarity and vibrancy of the print. From certain viewing angles it appears that the glass is invisible. DIMENSIONS All dimensions are Height x Width and are approximate. Finished Size Sam Toft's narrative paintings are quirky, fun and beautifully composed. Born in June 1964 Sam's earliest ambition amongst others was to work in a post office; luckily for art lovers, after inspired tutelage at Liverpool Community College, Sam decided to "give it a go" with her pictures. Sam has created an exclusive collection featuring her now infamous characters, "The Mustard's", Ernest Hemingway Mustard and his dear lady wife Violet along with their much loved eccentric friends and pets. Using mixed media, pencil, oil pastels, coloured inks and her own idiomatic techniques, Sam depicts a seaside world of faded ice-cream colours where the breeze is always blowing and life is utterly delicious. Once your order has been placed on our website, you will receive an email acknowledgement and receipt. We will contact you shortly after to arrange a delivery day to suit you. For your convenience, our courier APC will email you on the day of delivery with an estimated time slot. We have worked with APC for many years, and pack all framed and mounted artwork with extreme care. Delivery charges vary depending on the size of your artwork, and the shipping method selected. For detailed information on shipping fees visit our delivery section. We hope you love your new artwork, but if you would like to return it we offer FREE 14 day returns. If the item is unused, in its original condition and packaging, and accompanied by valid proof of purchase, we’ll offer a full refund (including delivery charge).	3,480
Ogden Mills Phipps: Thank you very much, Pat. We appreciate your participation in the Round Table this morning, and once again, we appreciate the efforts put forth by the ad hoc committee. I really want to thank all of our speakers for participating. I think our program strongly conveyed three important points: 1. We have arrived at a critical time and our problems won't get solved by themselves. 2. There are individuals and organizations working hard to find solutions. 3. They need your help. None of the problems this industry faces — whether it's medication, wagering systems, illegal betting, equine injuries or Thoroughbred racing in New York state — can be solved without a unified effort. Without that effort, they'll never get done. With unity of purpose, we can ensure that this industry's best days are ahead of us and not behind us.	848
WRITE YOUR FIRST NOVEL From Inc.com - The 30 Most Popular Online Courses of 2020 "Write Your First Novel" made the list at #15 https://lnkd.in/gZqscmn If you’ve ever had the dream, the desire or even just a vague notion that you would like to write a novel, this course is for you. Whether you are a full-time student, have a full-time job, a family to take care of or all of the above, you can do it. Really! And I will help you get there. In this Course, you will write your first novel. Many people say they have often thought about writing a novel and are planning to do it someday, but very few ever actually do. However, in this course, you will do it. You will learn how to form a basic idea, any idea, into a structure and discipline that will allow you to create, write and complete a fully-realized novel ready to submit for publication. If you have any concerns regarding the protection of your original work, Coursera's privacy policy protects the learner's IP and you are indeed the sole owners of your work. Here is a link to a trailer for the course. To view the trailer, please copy and paste the link into your browser. https://vimeo.com/385761391/c5e7f873cf Learner review: "It was a great experience, I really enjoyed it." In Write Your First Novel, you’ll learn to break down your creative endeavor into components and you’ll discover a process that will allow you to do what few have done: produce and complete a full-length work of fiction in the form of a 50,000-word novel. Learner Review: "You teach storytelling like no other teacher. I cannot put in words how much I appreciate it. This daily writing, and the product that comes with it, have been a great mental support during the pandemic time. Art is a support for life, as Stephen King said, and thanks to you I experienced it first-hand during this time. I think I will keep writing 500 words per night for the rest of my life. I owe it to you. You taught me how to write a novel, and it works every time. Huge thanks, and wishing you all the best." I am a proponent of experiential learning (also known as active learning). My lectures are short and to the point, designed in a step-by-step process essential to your success as a writer. I will guide you, I will show you how to get there, hopefully I will inspire you. You will learn through your own activity - which is writing! I firmly believe that the only way to become a writer is to write, write, write! Learner review: "As a published author, I took this course to relearn the skills. I thoroughly enjoyed each and every lecture and quiz. This course was very, very helpful and the videos were very well executed. Cheers!" Writing fiction is a truly beautiful thing. Putting your own words on a page to tell a story which enters your readers minds and allows them to share the thoughts, emotions and lives of your characters is a very satisfying, rewarding experience. Learner review: "BEST TEACHER EVER! LOVE THE COURSE." Skills You'll Learn Creative Writing, Novel Writing, Story Telling Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarStar 65.82% 15.18% 5.90% 3.37% 9.70% Feb 4, 2022 Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled Star Davids minimalist approach to instruction was very amusing and motivating. He provided a shove in the right direction at the right moment and it was very helpful. Highly recommended course! Helpful? Jun 22, 2021 Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled Star an excellent course for the fledgling writer. Broken down into manageable weekly targets and teaches that focus and organisation really help towards achieving that dream. Helpful? From the lesson Week One: Creating the idea for your novel In Week One you will create a concept for your original novel, your own Intellectual Property (IP). You will write up a pitch document, post it and review the pitches of five of your peers. You will also create a Logline and a Dramatic Question for your novel, post those documents, review the work of five of your peers and revise your own work with the feedback you get from your peers Taught By Creative Research Faculty, The Hub for Innovation Try the Course for Free So here's another challenging topic. Define the dramatic question. This is somewhat related to the law of blind in that it is short and concise. But it doesn't describe the story itself. Instead, it is the question you hope to plant in your reader's minds from the outset so that virtually everything that happens in your story keeps your readers engaged to find the answer to that essential question. The logline for Romeo and Juliet mentioned previously, two young lovers from rival families in medieval Italy make the dangerous decision to elope when their marriage is forbidden by both families. It sets up the story but does not ask a question. By the way, you should have never include a question in a logline. The dramatic question might be, will Romeo and Juliet find love and happiness together despite the fact that their rival families have vowed to keep them apart? So the logline is for public consumption and can be included in your presentation, your pitch to an agent or publisher, or as part of the description on the jacket of your novel. The dramatic question however, is only known by you, the writer, something you plant in the reader's minds and it's your responsibility to make sure that it stays there until the end of the story, and it should always be in your mind as you write. So now revisit your logline and your concept pitch. Glean the dramatic question from them. There is only one major dramatic question and you have to find it, articulate it, and live by it. Write your dramatic question and submit it. Don't forget to always use your logline as a heading to all submissions from now on. Remember to review five of your peers dramatic questions. Be thoughtful and supportive. Almost everyone is very new at this and just beginning to find their way. So be kind to each other. Your logline and dramatic question together will do a lot to get you to the essence of your story. Get these two things right; the logline and dramatic question and you will have a solid foundation on which to build your novel.	6,431
How to recognize mountain-laurel. One of only a few non-coniferous evergreens that make it this far north, mountain-laurel is a spectacularly beautiful shrub of acid sites. The leaves are flat, alternate, elliptic, entire-margined and 6-10 cm long (notably shorter than the rolled-under leaves of the other principal broad-leaved evergreen shrub with which mountain-laurel may sometimes be found: great rhododendron, Rhododendron maximum). Mountain-laurel in flower. June 4, 2015, Scioto County, Ohio. Flowers and fruits. The large white, dish-shaped flowers are displayed in flat-topped clusters. They have an interesting pollination mechanism. When fresh, the 10 stamens are bent outwards so as to have their tips, where the pollen-containing anthers are, sunken into little depressions in the petals. The filaments are under tension, such that when foraging bee disrupts one, it snaps towards the center of the flower, throwing pollen onto her (it’s usually a her). You can try this yourself with a pin! tucked into pits in the petals. The fruits are round dry capsules (dry fruits that split open to release their seeds. Mountain-laurel fruits in mid-October. Where to find mountain-laurel. E. Lucy Braun, in The Woody Plants of Ohio (1961, 1989; The Ohio State University Press) tells us that this species is “One of America’s most beautiful shrubs, occasionally (in valleys of the southern Appalachians) somewhat tree-like and reaching a height of 10-12 m., more often only 2-3m. Confined to acid soils of bog-margins or, in our area, more common in slopes of the Allegheny Plateau. Wider ranging than Rhododendron, in much of the Appalachian upland, and extending east and south across the Coastal Plain to southeastern Louisiana and northwest Florida…; in Ohio, limited to the Allegheny Plateau, and most common in the unglaciated area” Scanned Image from an Old Book (Flora of West Virginia, by P.D. Strausbaugh and Earl L. Core) Ooh ooh. I have a question! Hi. I’m a bee. The weirdest thing just happened to me on one of those pretty white flowers with the notches in the petals. I got bopped in the head with something. Can you explain that? Haha! You got bopped in the head with a mountain-laurel anther! The stamens are under tension with their tips tucked into little pockets on the petals. You dislodged one, and it snapped inwards and gave you a dusting of pollen. Now go and do it again, and deposit some of that pollen on a stigma, OK?	2,509
Author Previous Article Leadership is the missing link Connect with me on Facebook About the Author Aptly described by the Independent newspaper as “a man of many parts”, Dr Mahfouz A. Adedimeji is a Fulbright scholar, interdisciplinary researcher, university don, public affairs analyst, language specialist, communication consultant, peace advocate, interfaith worker and public intellectual. He obtained his academic degrees in English from the University of Ilorin, Ilorin. He started his academic career at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, shortly after which he joined the services of his alma mater, the University of Ilorin. A man of eclectic academic background, Dr Adedimeji was educated in Arabic and Islamic Studies at Markaz Shabaabil Islam, Iwo, Osun State and Markaz Ta’aleemil Araby, Agege, Lagos. He obtained advanced training in education, political science, communication, research writing and peace studies at the National Universities Commission’s (NUC) Virtual Institute for Higher Education Pedagogy (VIHEP), UNESCO’s Virtual Institute for Higher Education in Africa (VIHEAF), Governors State University, University Park, Illinois, USA; University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana; and Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, Notre Dame University, South Bend, Indiana, USA. Apart from serving as a cultural ambassador to the US under the auspices of the Institute of International Education (IIE), New York, Dr Adedimeji has won the research awards and grants of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) of the National Research Council, Nigeria, the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) and the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU). He has written extensively for a wide range of newspapers and periodicals including Unilorin Bulletin, Unilorin Watch, Delight, National Pilot, Daily Independent, Newswatch Times and New Telegraph, among others. A versatile academic, he has attended academic conferences and undertaken research across universities in several parts of Nigeria as well as Ghana, Cameroon, Kenya, Malaysia, Sierra Leone, Australia, France and United States of America. His hundreds of academic and general articles have been published across outlets in Nigeria and beyond. He has also facilitated and participated in seminars and workshops both nationally and internationally. A former Deputy Director/ Head of the Directorate of Corporate Affairs of the University of Ilorin, Dr Adedimeji has been the Director of the Centre for Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin, since 2013. He has consulted for the Nigeria Inter-religious Council (NIREC), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence and Corps (NSCDC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). For years, he has been a Coordinator of the Executive Management Course of the Nigerian Army Education Corps (NAEC) and Editor-in-Chief of the "Journal of Peace, Security and Development", University of Ilorin. He is a recipient of several awards and honours including those of the American Biographical Institute, National Congress of Nigerian Students (NACONS), Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ilorin, the Nigerian Army Education Corps, the Nigerian Defence Academy, Postgraduate Students Association, UNILORIN, Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), UNILORIN, Students' Union, UNILORIN, and National Association of Osun State Students (NAOSS), just to mention a few. A Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Administration, Nigeria, and member of the Governing Council of the International Peace Research Association (IPRA) Dr Adedimeji is a member of the Executive Council of the English Scholars Association of Nigeria. He is also a member of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP) and Fulbright Alumni Association of Nigeria (FAAN).	3,983
I'll start out on the downer note so that I can build to a cheery ending. This has been a tough week. Work actually hasn't been that bad. I mean, I'm overwhelmed, but it's gotten better. I've managed to get my email inbox down to a non-scary place, and I've been working on compiling copies of some of my work for my tenure dossier (also scary, but I'm not thinking about that right now). I do feel still a bit "out of sorts" since there were a lot of changes here since I left and I'm not yet acclimated to them. The university switched to a new software system for student records and data, which heavily impacts one of my main job responsibilities. Even after a week, I'm no closer to feeling caught up on that than I was my first day back. I think that will take a month or so, especially given how slowly training is coming down from "on high." Students keep trying to find me, to ask panicky questions, because everyone is panicking about this new system (since nobody knows how to use it), and it's all I can do not to hang a giant sign on my door that says: And I'm a librarian, for heaven's sake. sighs It'll get better, but with classes starting Monday, I'm a little worried. But hey, "a little" isn't so bad, right? I can handle a little. At home, though, things are "a lot." It's my first week back at work, I know I should be easy on myself. That's a major adjustment. But I can't help it. At home, I'm dissolving into tears if somebody looks at me sideways. The reasons are manifold. For one thing, the baby is really fussy right now. She's teething, plus in the evenings, which is when I see her the most, she's tired. Plus, she has more gastrointestional issues than any baby I've ever seen. She's just always gassy and spitting up and it hasn't eased at all since the day she was born. I can only hope that the introduction of solids within the next few months will help with that. The next thing is a major one: lack of sleep. Anne hasn't been getting up all that much. Nothing outside of normal, certainly. But this week, when she's up, she's UP. I can't get her to go back to sleep. She's all gassy and miserable. That happened again in the middle of the night last night, and she got up just before 5 again and never went back to sleep. So I've been up since then. Again. That's the third night in a row. I'm beyond exhausted. And when you're exhausted, you're weak. That's just a biological fact. When I'm in that weakened state, I get depressed. That's not good. And on top of all of this, is Mike's new job. He's gone a lot, and so I'm wrangling the kids both in the mornings and during dinner preparation time. I know, I know, Tiffany STOP worrying so much about making dinner and just sit down and nurse the baby! Something will work out for dinner. But it's hard for me. I want to do everything. I want to be able to sautee an onion without the baby wailing in the background. When she's tired like that, she won't let you put her down. And my carrier is useless for this purpose because it kills my back and I don't want to put it on. I always have her right with me in the kitchen in her bouncey seat, but that's just not making her happy. I can accept giving up some control over dinner, but we do need to eat something, and it can't be tuna fish sandwiches every night. I just don't know what to do. The crock pot is tough too because you have to prepare the food the night before. And the preparation time is what does me in. I could save it for when the kids are in bed, but I'm exhausted by then. I don't know. I guess I'll figure out something. Anyway, I digressed. We're not really liking Mike's new job. He's gone a lot and the content isn't what he was anticipating. He's miserable. And that's making me miserable. I want him to be happy. He wants to be with us more, and take care of the kids so that we won't have to use childcare, which I want too. But we do need the income. Well, I say we "need"it because our house could use new windows before the winter and my car is nearly 12 years old. But we can live and pay our bills fine without it. I don't know. I seem to be saying that a lot in this post. I've been praying, so I'm sure things will work out. I know that they will. I'm just feeling a little down this morning. Therefore, I've been soothing myself with yarn. I love yarn. I'm nearly done with my sweater, and I'm also working on a pair of fall socks for myself. I'll get the camera and post some pictures next week. I have a bunch of projects I completed over the summer. After this, I move on to Christmas gifts and I'm terribly excited. I just placed a Knit Picks order yesterday. I do so love them. I scooped up a couple balls of a brand spanking new yarn that literally debuted yesterday, and some lovely wool, all for gifts. I also, for the first time ever, purchased some lace weight yarn in hopes of knitting a lacy shawl for myself. I'm a little scared, since the pattern is solely a chart and I've never worked with one of those before, but I soldier on. I wanted new challenges, right? Finally, I grabbed a set of 24" cables and a new set of tips for interchangeable circular needles in my beloved Harmony wood. I can't justify buying the full set, so I'm just buying tips and cables as I need them for individual projects. I need this set for the purple and yellow cardigan I'm going to knit for Anne. So, this cheers me up. I love yarn. Have I mentioned that already? I do...own a lot of it. Yet I always seem to need more. I just love to touch it. There's just something so soothing to me about rubbing your hand and cheek against a soft yarn. And I love creating something beautiful yet useful out of it. So, I'm just going to try to feel better. My motto all summer has been: "Don't give in to despair." I was worried about post-partum depression, and that never came to fruition. I was worried about our financial situation and Mike finding a job, and something worked out for that. Now, there are new things to fret about, but I need to remember to take myself mentally back to the non-fretting place. God is in charge. Somehow, we'll get through this. Posted by Tiffany at 8:59 AM 2 comments: Sheila August 27, 2011 at 12:20 PM Aw, hugs. It will get better. This just my opinion, but I think if Mike hates his job and you don't really need the money, he shouldn't stick with it. Maybe you could plan for him to work for, say, three more months, sock every penny into savings for new windows and a new car, and then quit. At least then there would be an end in sight. Without him available to help out at ALL, you're working two jobs -- home and work. No wonder you're stressed! If he could be home to start dinner and do a bit of housework, I'm sure that would make a huge difference. Plus you wouldn't have to worry about daycare. Even if he keeps his job, I think you should realize that there are three jobs between the two of you. If you could handle it with grace and smile on your face, I would doubt your humanity. But you ARE human, and this is GOING to be rough. Still, you will get the hang of it soon, and it will be less bad. And, seriously, there is nothing wrong with tuna sandwiches every night while you get a handle on things. It's OKAY. ReplyDelete Replies Tiffany August 27, 2011 at 8:48 PM Thank you. :) We've been thinking about some very things that you mentioned. We'll see how things shake out, but I anticipate that they will ease very soon here. Things are still crazy right now, but I'm feeling peaceful about the future. ReplyDelete Replies Thank you for commenting! I read and appreciate every single one, and I will respond to each one personally! Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom) Hi, I'm Tiffany! I'm a cradle Catholic, and a college librarian. I am also a wife, a mother to two sweet-natured and curious children, a professional Egyptian style dance performer, a fitness enthusiast, and a happy yarn crafter. This year, I am undergoing an exploration of the Byzantine rite with my kids. Come journey along with us! I'm all atwitter with excitement about this beautiful 3 book series! The books are available for purchase now!	8,471
Faced with this human way of thinking, “we must regain the conviction that we need one another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and for the world” = Pope Francis I imagine not many people will discuss Yogi Berra and the Pope to make a point <or two>. But this is enlightened conflict where anything goes <in order to make some point>. I woke up yesterday sighing over the announcement of Yogi Berra passing away, and many of his words, and concluded my day pondering the words of Pope Francis’s first day in the USA. Surprising to many … regardless of their public perception, their ideology or their own personal history … they both advocated respect for fellow humans. One shared thoughtful thoughts thru some off the cuff musings. One shared thoughtful thoughts thru some well crafted timeless words. Aw. Let me cut to the chase … here is the thought both seem to advocate … ‘play the game and play the game with respect.’ The game being ‘life.’ We all have thoughts with regard to what a ‘win’ looks like but both simply focused on respect … and getting out there and playing. Let me use some of of Pope Francis’ wonderful words. <some of the following is the text of the English translation of Pope Francis 9/23 homily> — “… life grows by being given away, and it weakens in isolation and comfort” – “We are heirs to the bold missionary spirit of so many men and women who preferred not to be “shut up within structures which give us a false sense of security… within habits which make us feel safe, while at our door people are starving” — While he speaks from a place & space of faith and a God he believes in … his words should resonate with any and all of us. We have a responsibility to participate in Life. We are the heirs of its spirit. We are the heirs of ‘right’ and if we do not play ‘wrong’ wins simply because we didn’t show up ‘in our isolation and comfort.’ Apathy & ignorance reigns if we prefer to be ‘shut up within structures which give us a false sense of security.’ Think about Life as you ponder these Pope Francis words … — “… is something to be experienced, something to be known and lived only through giving it away, through giving ourselves away. “The spirit of the world tells us to be like everyone else, to settle for what comes easy. Faced with this human way of thinking, “we must regain the conviction that we need one another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and for the world” — Look. It is easy to do, and be, what others suggest us to be. As Ralph Waldo Emerson suggested … in a world, and society, which is constantly trying to make you something other than yourself … remaining true to yourself and your purpose is the greatest accomplishment. The only way to remain true to yourself is … well … actually … to get out there and give yourself away on occasion. Share the good stuff with the world and the more the world, and people, embrace the aspects as good & useful. Not only do you better the world in some small form or fashion … you remain true to yourself. Anyway. I am not a religious person … no one would ever deem to call me a man of faith … yet … as I watched the Pope leave his plane after landing in Washington DC I was moved. What was happening was bigger than anything that I thought or believed. Here was a man who has faith. An unshakable faith and a wonderful sense of his path that he has chosen combined with a respect that others have chosen viable, different paths than his own calling. People, many people, shout about the hypocrisy of the catholic church and the sometimes blind faith of its followers … they are wrong. I would suggest to them <albeit their roars of disagreement would most likely deafen me> that they simply do not understand. I know I do not understand … but I envy, maybe in some small way, what they … followers of faith, do understand. People stop listening to some important things the Pope is saying because … well … one always fears what one does not understand. They are missing the point. I don’t believe the Pope, nor Catholicism, is against capitalism … they are against boundless greed. The pope is suggesting that the good of capitalism has been hijacked by the bad of greed. And that maybe we need to temper our individual need for ‘more’ with a larger view of other individuals who actually ‘need.’ I don’t write speeches for the Pope and nor could I easily pull something out of the bible to make this point … but I sincerely believe that is what he is trying to convey. Respect the greater good. Surprisingly … Yogi Berra, a humble talented man, and Pope Francis, a humble man of God, have this thought in common. And it seems, at least to me, a good … no … great … common belief. I seriously doubt Pope Francis would ever suggest that ‘life is a game’ <so, Pope Francis, please forgive me> but the point is you have some fairly smart, articulate people in the news the last several days suggesting we have a responsibility to actively play the game … and play it with respect for anyone and everyone. I do not really think it matters if you like baseball … or if you are a Roman Catholic … other than the fact <unfortunately> if you are not … in today’s world … you have tuned out. You need to tune in and turn off your internal “why should I listen ? … I am not one of them therefore I know I will disagree.” A baseball player advocated respect everyone. A Pope advocated respect everyone. And both encourages everyone to get in the game. September 24, 2015by Bruce life thoughts inspired by lenny (kravitz) “The first half of my life has been an amazing education.” — ‘I miss my dreadlocks. I see old pictures and think: ‘Damn, why did I cut them?’ = —— I don’t know Lenny Kravitz personally … but from the outside looking in … he seems to be an interesting guy. I imagine that is why I am sharing this short q&a with Lenny Kravitz. I would like to point out that the only other Life Q&A I have ever shared on enlightened conflict is one with Roger Moore. Yikes. My point is that great Life thoughts are not solely found in Buddha, Plato or … well … Oprah. Some of his thoughts: ———– – change is healthy – Devotion is willingness to work – I’m so proud of the human being she’s become <about his daughter> Even if I didn’t agree with everything he says about Life … this thought he shares would have been enough to show his true heart & soul: — “I don’t cry much. But when I put down my dog, Otis, because his heart was too big, oh man, I lost it more than I do for people.” — You may not learn anything knew … but … it just may make you think a little more about some important things in Life. Growing up, I had no knowledge of prejudice. My father is Russian Jewish, my mother is from the Bahamas. I was raised in both the Brooklyn hood and the Upper East Side, in Christianity and Judaism. It was the road map for my life. – I grew up around Miles Davis, Maya Angelou and Nina Simone. This was New York in the late 60s and my mum was a hugely respected theatre artist. Everyone hung out at our house. – Profound moments can start at an early age. I remember being at my grandmother’s house and a balloon I was playing with slipped out of my hand and floated into the sky. It was the first thing that left me and was never coming back. – I miss my dreadlocks. I see old pictures and think: “Damn, why did I cut them?” But change is healthy. — Learn your craft, whatever it is. It doesn’t work that way – it’s about building a solid foundation. – Sex is best when it’s rooted in love and commitment, but it’s always powerful. – As a kid you mess up and lie. My mother would get so mad, and she’d say: “All I have is your word. I have to be able to rely on your word, as you do mine.” We think that kind of old-folk stuff is passé, but it’s absolutely the truth. – You can be an activist, but politicians, countries and corporations will do whatever they want. The best thing to do is live your life as an example to others. – I was scared of my father. He was a former Green Beret, and a heavy disciplinarian. But as you get older you soften, and later on in life we got close. – There comes a point in any relationship where you’re tired of it, or bored, imagining things better or different. Devotion is willingness to work, to grow something. – I internally process things. But when I put down my dog, Otis, because his heart was too big, oh man, I lost it more than I do for people. – I admire evolved minds. My grandfather looked after our entire neighbourhood. He cared for his sick mother from the age of nine when his father died. With no formal education, he would sit with professors and spiritual leaders, and hold his own. That kind of cat inspires me. – It’s a privilege to become a parent. My daughter [actor and singer Zoë Kravitz] is my best friend. If we’re not together we’re on the phone several times a day.	9,372
Diabetes is the natural enemy of the frock. Yes, it is! There are countless discussions on Facebook and other diabetes forums that could all pretty much be headed ‘where the fruitcake do I put my pump?’ I know of pockets sewn into dresses, invisible hooks added to wedding gowns and incredibly-difficult-need-instructions-to-use contraptions whose only purpose is to keep the pump hidden, yet accessible. This is the dilemma I was faced with the other night as I frocked up for the gala dinner celebrating Diabetes Australia – Vic’s 60th anniversary. Alas, where to put the pump. Due to a very low cut back, the dress had in-built supports as a bra couldn’t be worn. (I could now go into a discussion about how I’ll need therapy for the Hollywood tape I was required to wear, but let’s stay on topic.) I toyed with the idea of leaving my pump home and using pens for the night, but the thought of calculating basal insulin, then blousing made my head explode a little bit. I thought about not worrying about dealing with basal insulin and doing tiny corrections every hour or so, but I knew that I’d remember for the first hour and then completely forget about it for the rest of the night – or, at least, until I realised I was spending a lot of time running to the loo and chasing down waiters to fill my water glass. So, I started thinking about a holster for the pump. I used to have one made of stretchy material that was held in place with a Velcro catch. There was a little pouch for the pump and the whole thing was meant to sit snugly on the thigh. And it did…until it started to slide down the leg and I was left doing some sort of weird two-step, trying not to trip over the pump tubing while attempting to reconnect the whole thing. Please, just picture the elegance, if you will. Despite my husband kinda liking the idea of me wearing a holster, the thigh thing was a failure. A woman I work with – who for the purposes of this will be known as Brilliant Sue (because she is brilliant and her name is Sue) suggested Tubigrip which is a stretchy, tubular bandage. It worked a treat. The pump stayed exactly where I wanted it (inner thigh, so no tell-tale ‘pump bump’ showing through the dress, and was easy to access when I needed to bolus or check my CGM. Unfortunately, the flesh coloured stretchy fabric didn’t look too hot, but given that the only two people who saw it were me and Aaron, it did the trick. So while to everyone else there, I looked like this….. …..all I could think about was how diabetes manages to take the glamour of dressing up down a notch, thanks to this: But despite the delightful flesh-coloured bandage, I had a great time. And if truth be told, the most traumatic part of the night was the Hollywood tape. Now that is the stuff nightmares are made of! 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Has a dedicated pocket for the pump, being Lycra is stretchy and doesn’t have the slip issues. I have several for my waist, thigh and arm depending on whether I’m sleeping, wearing a dress/skirt or at the gym! April 22, 2013 at 2:13 pm April 22, 2013 at 5:25 pm I’ve just ordered these in nude and black from off the web – as I wear frocks all the time and having to work out where to put the pump every morining was doing my head in!	6,774
We edited all prices in the game and reduced them. Normally jrpgs have high prices like 300 gold for a Potion. Now you can buy a painkiller for 2 Myngar instead of 200. Valecs mind was the focus of development The relationships between our heroes are growing. Characters got more screentime because we split up the group. Battlesystem… again! And 2 more systems were planned Menu controls works fine now. Only commands which you can use are listed. (Attack, Defend and Inventory are fix commands) All hero skills have been revised for new battle rules. If you use Attack or defend you generate focus points which you can invest to use your weapon skills or to boost your spells (maximum 3 times). Battles are working again! But without any animations. Gameplay: I was asked to say a few words about the gameplay of the game. Basically, you could classify the game as JRPG and therefore has a similar game behavior. The combat system is a conditional turn-based combat system (CTB). A special feature of this form of combat system is that the order of moves can vary during the fight. The move order is shown on the right side of the screen, which means that the player can ideally adjust to various mechanics of the opponents. In the course of the game you will encounter opponents that you cannot defeat with default attacks, which means that here and there you are forced to find another strategy. An example of this are opponents who can use “take off” and are therefore out of range for melee attacks. To give another example, there are opponents hiding behind other opponents, so you have to fight the “front line” first. To explore a map you can use jump points. They appear as soon as you approach a certain distance. Be careful there are jump points which you can’t use immediately. You have to rank up your bounce. It happens from time to time that you come to a place and Valec reacts with a speech bubble over his head filled with a question mark. If so, it should stay in the player’s mind, because during the game you get an object that you can use in such a place. In our example, you can place a bomb and use it to expose buried cave entrances. You have wolf skins left and wonder if you can do more with them than just sell them? Then it could be worthwhile to visit the market. There are dealers who can certainly use wolf skins and they’ll give you some other items for it. Push and pull Pushing and pulling is used in some dungeons and caves. I don’t need to say much about that, I think. You can grab a block and push or pull it. In particularly dark caves or other areas, the view is restricted using a circle of sight. However, the more you improve the cateyes ability, the larger this circle becomes and the more of the surroundings you can see. Pick locks There is no more satisfying feeling than opening a chest and enjoying a treasure. Unfortunately, some chests are locked and you have to open them with a lock pick. To do this, you have to press the direction buttons in the specified order within a certain time. The harder it is to break a lock, the more buttons you have to press. But don’t worry, if you improve the “pick lock” skill, you will have more time to break the lock. Secret passages are a possible hiding place of treasures. You should take these with you whenever you can. The better you are at finding secret passages, the sooner you can recognize them. To open a secret passage you have to interact with it once. There are 3 levels of secret passages. The harder it is to discover a secret passage, the better you have to be in “finding secret passages” so that it is visually displayed. Rina is a gifted cook and loves to try new recipes. You can find recipes and ingredients all around in Lyhjem. As soon as you have a recipe and the necessary ingredients, you can prepare this dish in the kitchen of your home or in the cooking school. The dishes are bufffood. It increases your status values and / or resistances for a certain number of fights. The treasure hunter is a skill that allows you to find objects in the area. Depending on the level of your “treasure hunter” skill, you can find more and rarer items. Many games have skill trees, or a skill point system. We decided on a “learning-by-doing” system. The more you use skills, the better they become. You want to be better as a treasure hunter? Well, then go and hunt treasures! Your bounce should increase? Then jump around. We did the same thing with magic. If you use a spell, you gain exp for it. As soon as you have reached (for example) 100exp, the skill levels up and you can now invest a focus point in the spell to strengthen it. If you then level the magic further, you can upgrade it with 2 focus points, etc. We want to avoid having to repeatedly go to various skill menus during the game, which we often find disruptive to the flow of the game.	5,059
Activities Includes If you’re looking for a relaxing experience, with plenty of free time and light activity, this is the right option for your group. Remember, all our trips are customized, so your itinerary will be adjusted according to your schedule and interests. Itinerary at glance All our services are carefully selected to make your trip an unforgettable experience. Day 2: Lima / a.m. Visit a traditional 16th century house, p.m. Peruvian cooking class. Day 3: Sacred Valley / a.m. Feed llamas and alpacas and Pisac market, p.m. Afternoon free. Day 4: Sacred Valley / a.m. Weaving demonstration and seasonal fruit tasting, p.m. Visit to Moray Inca site and Maras salt mines. Day 6: Machu Picchu / a.m. Walk through Machu Picchu, p.m. return to Cusco, and spa afternoon. Day 7: Cusco / a.m. Contemporary Andean arts workshop, p.m. Stroll through the city, and evening pub tour. Day 8: Cusco / a.m. Visit a traditional Cusco neighborhood, p.m. Return home. Be closer to the sky than ever before! Feel the energy of the Andes on a hike that will take you to our high-Andean shepherds communities, where farming is impossible, and only llama and alpaca breeding allows for good livelihood. Home of the Apus, spirits of the mountains, who protect and care for their children. To enjoy the full experience we recommend a 5-day, 4-night extension, not including transportation time to the area. Be amazed by the beauty of life in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon. Experience magnificent landscapes and rich wildlife and flora, in one of the most biodiverse regions of the planet, while hiking paths and boating on lakes in our lush virgin rainforests. To enjoy the full experience, we recommend a 4-day, 3-night extension, not including transportation to the area. Travel to where the Incas originated, the cradle of creation myths of the great empire. Lake Titicaca and its beautiful floating reed islands are home to native populations that through the ages have maintained a unique and admirable lifestyle. To fully enjoy the entire experience we recommend a 4-day, 3-night extension. Colca Canyon and the flight of the condor The Colca Canyon, 3,200 meters deep, is one of the most spectacular landscapes in all Peru, where you’ll experience watching the majestic flight of the condor, visit villages remarkable for their rich cultural traditions, along with admiring the impressive beauty of Inca stone terraces. To live the entire experience, we recommend a 3-day, 2-night extension, not including transportation to the site. Explore the enigmatic Nazca Lines, the mystery of hundreds of figures and symbols etched on the desert floor, that tell a story yet to be deciphered. Get to know the legacy of an ancient people who possesed an impressive knowledge of astronomy and mathematics. Continue on to coastal islands where you’ll enjoy observing the diverse marine fauna of Peru’s coast. To enjoy the full experience, we recommend a 3-day, 2-night extension, not including transportation to the location. Peru’s North Coast is one of the most amazing landscapes on earth, where the desert comes alive and transitions to forest. This is the location of an unforgettable spectacle: the humpback whale migration, when the whales arrive from Antarctica. Swim with sea turtles and enjoy the sunny, always warm beaches. To enjoy the full experience we recommend a 3-day, 2-night extension, not including transportation to the area. If you’re wishing for a wonderful experience in the jungle, traveling in luxurious and comfortable style, a cruise along the Amazon should be just right for you. Enjoy the wildlife, lush forests, cultures and local cuisine as you navigate along the world’s largest river, in the comfort of an “all-inclusive” cruise. For the full experience, we recommend a 4-day, 3-night extension, not including travel to the region. Includes: All organizing and arrangements for a customized trip. Private vehicle for all tours. Accommodations as described in the full itinerary. Train tickets according to services described in the full itinerary. Roundtrip bus tickets to and from Machu Picchu. Entrance tickets to all visited sites, unless explicitly indicated. Lunch on every day of the trip. Some dinners, as indicated in the full itinerary. Does not include: Domestic flights. Travel insurance. Meals not indicated. International flights. Better would be impossible! I’m at a loss for words to describe the magnificent experiences I’ve lived! My deepest thanks to the Auqui Team! Outstanding service from my guides, very professional, excellent people; very good lodging, and delicious food! We felt safe at all times, and were fully supported as we flowed with this wonderful experience, without worry or stress. Peru, its people and wondrous places full of life energy, Muchu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, the Apu Ausangante (mountain deity), with the Pachamama in all her splendor! Already wanting to return! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Work hours: Monday to Friday Activities Terms and Conditions Security policy Terms of use Complaints book Terms and conditions Our company’s top priority is to guarantee the best possible travel experience for you and your accompanying travelers. With that goal in mind, we have developed the most flexible and accessible terms and conditions on the market to ensure that you will enjoy an unforgettable trip. AUQUI MOUNTAIN SPIRIT E.I.R.L. (designated in this document as “AUQUI”, “we”, “us”, or “the company”) is a company based in Cusco, Peru that specializes in offering top-quality tourism services. By means of this document, we establish existent, legally binding contractual relationships with our clients (cited here as the “client” or “clients”, “travelers”, “passengers”, “you”, “he/she” and/or “guests”), understood here as the parties who by different means have accepted and closed contracts for trips and services with AUQUI, or who solicit or contract with the company for our trips and services. The trips and services contracted for with AUQUI by the client are designated in this document as: the “trip” or “trips”, “services”, the “itinerary”, the “program”, and/or “the experience”. Contracts with the company for trips and/or services will be validated by the clients’ acceptance of all terms and conditions indicated in this document, and by completion of the initial payment, which also presupposes the approval of the proposed final itinerary. Only at the exact moment of contract closure can AUQUI assure the reservation of the services proposed in the itinerary. Both AUQUI and the contracting client or traveler (the person or party who contacts the company and who pays for the contracted services) are the only authorized parties who can execute or carry out the terms and conditions of a trip, as indicated in this document. According to the terms and conditions subsequently established here, both the client and AUQUI are the only parties authorized to make any changes, cancelations, and/or other processes related to the contracted services. The contracting traveler can authorize another person or party to execute the trip terms and conditions, as well as to carry out trip changes or modifications on the traveler’s behalf, only by expressly requesting and authorizing such changes by means of an electronic mail message to the company, which must also be explicitly approved by AUQUI by means of an email message in response to the client. AUQUI creates custom trip experiences that are designed according to our clients’ interests, by offering suggestions that are focused on fully satisfying all our clients’ expectations. We dedicate a great deal of time to getting to know our clients and to understanding their requirements and wishes, in order to propose, design, operate and contract for services that are fully in accordance with our clients’ requirements and wishes. The services that AUQUI offers include: trip design and planning of customized itineraries to different destinations in Peru, as well as organizing detailed itineraries for tourism activities and entertainment, such as guided tours, adventure sports, hikes, family-focused activities, and dining, among others. Additionally, the company makes reservations for services on behalf of our clients, whose service use rights are then ceded to the client. Details of the services operated and contracted by AUQUI are indicated in the itinerary. Services sub-contracted by AUQUI to third-party providers are not directly under our control, and do not imply joint responsibility, since third-party providers are responsible for providing their own services, and AUQUI has no direct involvement in third-party operations. In this document and elsewhere, we refer to “third-party providers”, “third-party service providers” and/or “third-party services” as to include a variety of companies and services that AUQUI contracts with in order to implement and operate itineraries that have been approved and contracted for by clients; these companies represent mainly hotels, but are not limited to such. Our Commitment to our Clients: AUQUI’S experience in the tourism market guarantees the highest quality, efficiency and security in planning and operating our services, and the best choices of third-party providers, in accordance with our high standards of quality. Protecting our clients’ privacy is extremely important to us. AUQUI guarantees that the personal information provided to us by our travelers (including: identification documents; bank account numbers; credit card numbers; email addresses; information about personal choices, interests, preferences, etc.) will not be used or shared for any purpose other than to provide the services that we have offered, and that clients’ contact information will only be used or shared for the purpose of such services as have been contracted. In accordance with the contracted services, we will solicit the necessary information for the planning of the trip, which includes: flight reservations, hotels, or any other requested or required services. Said information will be subject to sharing with third-party providers, only and exclusively for the specific purpose of contacting services that allow us to plan and operate the itinerary. Written approval of the final itinerary on the part of the client and the completion of the initial payment are understood to be the client’s authorization for AUQUI to make use of the relevant information for the purpose of planning and organizing of the trip. We recommend reviewing our Declaration of Privacy and Security for further details. Our Commitment: AUQUI will protect and safeguard all of our clients’ information, eliminating any sensitive information from our records once it has been used for its intended purposes. The necessary documentation for entering Peru can vary, depending on the traveler’s nationality. In general, a valid passport is required (if the traveler has a South American country’s nationality, only an identity card is necessary). Even so, travelers will need to consult with the immigrations offices and the consulates of their respective countries in order to be informed of any other prerequisites and restrictions that might apply. It is the traveler’s responsibility to ensure that their passport, as well as any other required document, remains valid during their entire stay in Peru. Minors of less than 18 years of age can only travel when accompanied by an adult, parent, guardian or relative who is carrying the appropriate documentation, such as legal travel authorizations for minors, among other required documents. AUQUI does not accept responsibility for any trip modifications or cancelations due to any client’s disregard or non-compliance with the conditions related to documentation requirements, as indicated here. IMPORTANT: Most entrance tickets for the destinations we offer require valid passport numbers and are issued according to the person’s name. In the event that a client has changed or been issued a new passport prior to the trip, said client will be required to provide the new passport number to our sales agents. Otherwise, problems could be encountered at the time of entry into the country. Any changes of passport numbers for previously purchased tickets require extra charges, of which the client shall be promptly informed. We recommend that you travel with a passport that will remain valid for a period of 6 months following the completion of the trip. We want you to enjoy a pleasant, safe trip, and thus your health and wellbeing are extremely important to us. Please consider the following: It is each traveler’s responsibility to evaluate their own physical condition prior to travel, in order to carry out the activities contracted for in the itinerary and without experiencing any health risks or complications, and considering also the geographic and climate conditions of the chosen destinations, some of which are located at above 9,800 ft. (3,000 m.) above sea level. We recommend that our clients have a general medical check-up, update their vaccinations, and take all necessary precautions according to their medical history and to their primary care physician’s suggestions. Travelers with existing medical conditions must consult with their physician prior to the trip, and must promptly inform AUQUI regarding any prior medical conditions or special health needs they might have, in order to take all necessary precautions. It is the traveler’s responsibility to declare any illness, disability, special physical condition, or treatment for any medical or physical condition that he/she has or is undergoing at the time of the trip or recently prior, and to declare the same information about their accompanying travelers. Likewise, it is the client’s responsibility to make proper arrangements for the provision of medicines or treatments that could be necessary during the trip. Omission of any such information is a violation of the Terms and Conditions, as indicated in this document, which could result in cancellation of the trip without the client’s right to reimbursement of any payments completed. AUQUI does not accept responsibility for any consequence incurred due to any medical information not provided to the company by the client prior to the trip, regarding any current or recent medical and/or health condition, or physical or mental disabilities. Travelers of over 60 years of age are required to consult with their primary care physician regarding their physical preparedness for the trip. With completion of the initial payment, all clients accept the requirement of being inadequate health condition in order to travel, both in the case of the contracting client, as well as all accompanying travelers. AUQUI reserves the right to cancel contracted services if the company considers that the client is not in the necessary or appropriate physical condition to be able to carry out the trip in a manner that ensures their proper health and wellbeing, and/or in the event of negligent or high risk behavior on the part of the client at any time during the trip. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to safeguarding your health and personal wellbeing by proving close attention to your health, physical integrity and satisfaction. AUQUI upholds all insurance requirements, as required by Peruvian Law. However, for the traveler, having an appropriate personal travel insurance policy is very important. Thus, it is necessary to consider that some insurance companies do not cover risks that may occur at altitudes higher than 9,800 ft. (3,000 m.) above sea level. It is the responsibility of the traveler to contract for their own travel insurance policy, and to know and understand all the details of its coverage. We suggest purchasing an insurance policy that covers events such as: trip cancellations, shortened trip time, emergency evacuation costs and/or medical costs, costs of returning to the home country, damages, robbery, and/or loss of personal baggage, money and/or goods. As a preventive measure, we thank travelers who provide us with their insurance information, with the purpose of facilitating their paperwork in case of any such contingency. AUQUI, its representatives, partners and other parties related to the company are do not accept responsibility for any costs incurred, or losses caused or suffered by the traveler and/or by dependent travelers or accompanying travelers, due to unexpectedly caused natural events, blockage or closing of roads or other transportation corridors, or other events that are unrelated to the operations and management of the services we offer. It is exclusively the responsibility of the traveler to contract for emergency trip insurance, in consideration of potential events, as described in the previous paragraph. Our Commitment: AUQUI provides our travelers with the best possible conditions for enjoying their trip, including all available security measures to guarantee their protection and wellbeing. Our services cannot be directly contracted by minors, who can only travel accompanied by their parents or legal guardians, or by family members who have obtained proper legal authorization. Clients who have physical disabilities, who are specially-enabled, or who have needs for special assistance must inform the company prior to travel to indicate the nature of their disabilities or special conditions, in order to take all necessary precautions, and to evaluate whether proper or sufficient accessibility conditions exist for AUQUI to provide the services it offers. In the event that such information is not provided promptly to the company by the time of contract closure, the company reserves the right to carry out trip cancellation. Expectant or pregnant mothers will be able to travel with previous authorization by their primary care doctor if and when the pregnancy is at less than 24 weeks, or 6 months. The AUQUI team takes into account all necessary preventative measures in order to avoid existent or future risks during the trip. However, AUQUI does not accept responsibility for: any action, event or omission which is not under our direct control (which can include, but is not limited to: random events, unavoidable events, unexpected natural events (or Acts of God), inescapable fears, failure of third parties in meeting their commitments, societal and/or political situations, flight delays or cancellations, and other circumstances that are not under our direct control), and which could change or alter the program and/or generate additional costs. It is important to highlight that flight tickets and train tickets are at times subject to overbooking, cancellations and/or schedule changes. If any such circumstances were to occur, we will lend assistance in every way possible and necessary. AUQUI does not accept responsibility for additional charges to the client due to delays, cancellations and/or other changes generated by the third-party or direct service providers. Likewise, our company reserves the right to carry out any change it considers prudent during trip operations, in order to improve the experience, or to safeguard the safety and physical wellbeing of the passengers. Our Commitment: AUQUI is always a step ahead of events during the trip, in order to make certain that you will enjoy a safe and tranquil experience throughout the trip. AUQUI upholds all insurance requirements, in accordance with Peruvian Regulations on Tourism and Travel Agencies. However, it is important to emphasize that one or more types of activities that the traveler might take part in could bring about or result in different degrees of risk. Due to this possibility, and by obligation, the traveler shall sign a document of Waiver of Liability and Assumptions of Risk. By accepting the Terms and Conditions, and by signing the Waiver of Liability and Assumptions of Risk, the client assumes complete responsibility for his/her participation and that of his/her accompanying travelers in all activities contained in their trip itinerary, and for all trip activities carried out or completed by the client and accompanying travelers, including any by minors under his/her legally authorized charge and/or guardianship. Likewise, by signing the Waiver of Liability and Assumptions of Risk, the client declares to have received sufficient information regarding the levels and potential conditions of risk related to the trip activities, and about precautions necessary for carrying out the activities in a safe manner, and thus waives AUQUI from any type of civil, contractual or extra-contractual liability or responsibility that could ensue due to the client’s and/or their accompanying traveler’s negligent actions, or through any lack of adherence or disregard on part of the client and/or their trip companions of the Terms and Conditions established and published in this document. We thank our clients for understanding that however much care is given to itinerary planning, operations and prevention of contingencies, in providing our services unexpected incidents or circumstances can occur, ranging from minor situations such as delays, to accidents of a different nature. If the client directly contracts with other providers who are external to the operations of our company for other activities than those described in the AUQUI itinerary, AUQUI does not accept liability and/or responsibility for any results obtained by carrying out activities related to said external contracts. AUQUI reserves the right to reject as a trip participant any person or party who the company considers to be not capable of meeting the rigors and physical requisites needed to participate in the trip; as well as any person who commits unlawful actions or violates laws and/or regulations; any traveler who endangers their own personal security and/or that of other travelers; and any traveler who engages in behaviors considered to be socially unacceptable, objectionable or offensive. By signing this document, the client accepts his/her willingness to follow all security regulations, presented either in writing or conveyed verbally by AUQUI’s representatives. AUQUI reserves the right to carry out modifications of trips, routes, hotels, and security arrangements, with the purpose of improving the quality of the trip, and to ensure the comfort, safety and wellbeing of the guests, and/or in response to unexpected circumstances or events. Our Commitment: AUQUI commits to minimizing any and all risks inherent to the activities that our clients will experience during their trip, by anticipating contingencies and by providing adequate safety and security protection measures. 8.2.1 Upon contacting for our services, AUQUI does not accept liability or responsibility, and will not be held liable, for any costs and/or losses due to unexpected, chance or random events, Acts of God, unavoidable and/or unforeseen natural events, blockages or interruptions of transportation routes, and/or other events that are not directly related to the operations and management of the services that the company provides, and/or under the company’s direct control. Such events include the following occurrences, but are not limited to these: Physical efforts or exertion for which the traveler is unprepared. Natural disasters, environmental phenomena, or events of nature. Collisions with bicycles, pedestrians or motorized vehicles. Deficiencies or deterioration of highways or roads, which may include (but are not limited to): highways affected by weather or climate situations, or by societal events or circumstances, Flights, train trips, motorized vehicle trips, boat trips, and/or other modes of active transport or adventure. Consumption of alcohol, and/or illegal drugs and/or or mind-altering substances on the part of travelers, or of other involved third parties unrelated to AUQUI. Geographic altitude, climate conditions, or illnesses endemic to the locations included in the contracted itinerary. For a lack of, or limited access to medical attention in remote locations, and for the quality of provided medical attention; and if it were the case, for health services provided by health personnel not associated to AUQUI’s operations. Additionally, for any emergency first-aid performed by AUQUI personnel or others for the purpose of safeguarding the health or saving the life of the client, prior to the arrival of qualified medical personnel. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to assisting you diligently in the case of any unexpected circumstance that might present itself, in order to promptly resolve the inconvenience or problem. 8.2.2 If a client decides to participate in any activity that includes or involves among the following activities (but not limited to these): excursions with animals, underwater diving, snorkeling, rides in hot-air balloons, zip lines, high-altitude hiking, climbing, rafting, and/or any activity that AUQUI considers as potentially involving an inherent or likely risk of bodily injury, or risk of contracting an illness, or a risk or danger of death, the client must in such cases sign the Waiver of Liability and Assumptions of Risk, by which it is mutually understood that the client and all trip companions who participate in any such activity do fully recognize, comprehend, and assume personal responsibility for their own health and security, and for any injury, illness or death that might occur while carrying out said activities, and thus the clients commit to complying with all safety and security measures that are required by AUQUI and by any third-party providers. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to providing and ensuring the best security measures possible, and to contracting providers who uphold the highest possible standards of safety and quality. 8.2.3 The client accepts that the Trip Terms and Conditions represent a binding, executable contract, which applies to all family members and minors under the client’s guardianship; as well as to heirs, descendants, concessionaires and representatives of the client, and to all other trip participants. The client, upon contracting for AUQUI’s services, and as ratified by the initial trip payment, accepts by their own free will the terms related to the Waiver of Liability and Assumptions of Risk, and to all other terms and conditions designated in this document. At the same time, the client accepts that, upon cancellation of any single part or activity of the services agreed upon in the trip itinerary or in the trip contract, the remaining elements therein will remain extant and in effect. No additions, rescissions or changes shall be made in regards to the Waiver of Liability and Assumptions of Risk. AUQUI assumes no responsibility for providing medical attention to its clients as part of the services contracted. The client authorizes AUQUI to obtain medical attention on behalf of the client in the event of any situation that would require such assistance. Additionally, the client waives AUQUI of any liability or responsibility derived from any medical attention that has been provided in the company’s name, and/or from transportation of any client to a medical facility. Additionally, the client accepts to pay any and all costs associated with any medical attention and/or transportation of any client to a medical facility, as related to emergency medical situations during the trip. Additionally, AUQUI does not offer health, medical or disability insurance as part of the services contracted for by the client. We recommend that clients obtain insurance for medical services or health insurance that offers full coverage during the time and duration of the trip. In the event of complaints or claims concerning services operated by AUQUI, it is the client’s responsibility to immediately inform the company of the events involved in a complete and detailed manner. In the event that the client neglects to inform the company in a timely fashion, AUQUI will not be able to provide effective solutions for said inconveniences or problems, their consequences, or the dissatisfaction generated thereby. In Peru, the platform utilized for registering claims or complaints is the Claims Book (Libro de Reclamaciones), which can either be requested from our offices, or filled out online at our website. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to promptly, efficiently and effectively resolving any claim or complaint you might have regarding our company’s services, in seeking to assure your full satisfaction and tranquility. AUQUI accepts no liability or responsibility for the loss of any personal belongings, such as passports, tickets or other documents, nor for losses or damage to personal baggage, goods, or other passenger belongings which not been properly declared to the company and placed under the proper care of our company’s personnel. Nor does AUQUI accept liability or responsibility for losses of any personal belongings that have been placed in the care of third-party providers. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to taking great care in protecting your personal belongings, so that you will be assured of the security and safekeeping of all articles and personal belongings that you place under our care. Even though AUQUI does everything possible to guarantee the accuracy of its publications, typographical errors can occur in print or in the information provided (including prices) that could be transmitted by different communications media utilized, including information transmitted by company personnel to clients. Therefore, only the final program and final itinerary provided to the client has definite total validity. We thank our clients for their understanding of any possible errors they might encounter at the moment of receiving information regarding the company’s services. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to ensuring that all published company information is as clear, informative and accurate as possible. AUQUI is committed to: Responding in timely manner to all inquiries, doubts or requirements of our clients during the trip design phase. Operating and/or implementing the itinerary and activities approved by the client. Guaranteeing the highest quality in all the equipment utilized, services rendered and contracted third-party providers. Offering all necessary security measures to guarantee the physical wellbeing and safety of our clients. Responding promptly to any incidents or situations that may present themselves immediately prior, during the trip, or immediately following, whether it be AUQUI’s direct responsibility or not. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to working proactively, and with full diligence and dedication, to create an exceptional trip experience for you; one that surpasses all your expectations, from our first contact, until the return home. AUQUI only accepts responsibility for clients’ claims or complaints in the event that negligence on the part of the company can be demonstrated. This applies to all cases or circumstances mentioned above, from loss of baggage to situations of risk, and without this clause superseding the points previously outlined here. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to doing everything possible under our control, and more, in order to ensure that your trip experience is extraordinarily positive, and does not present any inconveniences. In accordance with domestic flight fares and conditions set by airlines, clients have the right to bring on their trip a certain quantity of baggage within airlines’ baggage size and weight limitations, about which they will be promptly informed of. Any overweight or excess baggage surcharge or fee implies additional costs that must be paid by the client. AUQUI accepts no responsibility or liability for excess or overweight baggage charges. IMPORTANT: We thank our clients for considering possible excess weight of goods purchased during their visit. AUQUI accepts no responsibility or liability for excess baggage weight under said circumstances. Several trip activities exist that may limit baggage size and weight, both during the activity but not limited to it, such as: train travel, hikes, boat travel, etc. AUQUI will promptly inform our travelers any restrictions regarding weight, size, volume and or others, as included with provided information related to the activity. AUQUI accepts no responsibility or liability for inconveniences, costs or other issues due to disregard of such policies, whether those be our own, or of third parties. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to trying to finding ways to efficiently resolve inconveniences related to excess baggage that you might encounter, if and when a solution can be found, and to try to avoid our clients any such inconveniences. Prices quoted by the company for programs are considered per person, and based on double occupancy, unless otherwise indicated. Although not normally expected, published prices could be modified due to significant unforeseen and unexpected external factors. IMPORTANT: AUQUI does not accept any obligation to provide any breakdown of costs for any trip program offered. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to being flexible, according to the requirements that our clients might have. Payment for services contracted with AUQUI takes place in advance. For this purpose our clients have access to bank accounts in the U.S.A. and in Peru, as well as a payment system by debit or credit card, which accepts all major international credit cards. Confirmation of trip reservations can only take place once the client has met the following requirements and policies for payment (except in the case of explicit agreement between the parties): A minimum prior deposit of 30% of total trip costs, according to the timetable set by the client’s sales agent. Said timetable of payments is established according to the payment policies of the providers involved in the itinerary, with the most time-sensitive being air fares, hotels, entry tickets, among others. Only with the completion of this initial payment can AUQUI guarantee the implementation of the services indicated in the itinerary. The balance of remaining charges (70%) must be paid at the latest seventy (70) days before the starting day of the trip, unless a previous written agreement exists that indicates otherwise. In the case that the starting day of the trip is less than or equal to 70 days, payment policies will differ and will be communicated promptly to our clients. The client can make minor changes in the itinerary, according to the policies described here. The company will make the best possible effort to adapt to the client’s requests. However, important changes that imply cost surcharges, such as destination city, hotels, flights, train fares, etc. will result in additional, non-refundable charges. AUQUI reserves the right to modify its payment policies, if circumstances require this. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to being flexible, according to our clients’ needs. AUQUI facilitates payment for services by means of an online payment platform that accepts all major credit cards. AUQUI does not handle or store clients’ credit card information. In the case of the client selecting payment for services by means of a credit card, the client then agrees to accept all payment conditions indicated by the payment platform. Due to anti-fraud regulations, any payment larger than $5,000 U.S. dollars must be accompanied by a photographic or scanned image of the credit card with which the payment was made (only of the front of the card on which the credit card number is printed), along with an image of the cardholder’s passport’s main page, or of his/her identity document. This information will be sent by the service provider of the payment platform to the credit card’s offices, to be compared with the emitting bank in order to verify the authenticity of the payment. Once payment has taken place, AUQUI will delete any information related to the documents mentioned previously. IMPORTANT: It is the responsibility of the client who makes a payment using a credit card to call their bank prior to payment to activate international payments, indicating that a payment shall take place in Peru, and to activate the payment of larger funds, indicating the approximate amount of the payment. Most declined payments are due to disregard of those two factors. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to ensuring that the payment platform we offer is safe and secure, and that all sensitive information shared by the client in making a payment is deleted once it has served its intended purpose. The final priced agreed upon by the client and the company references the final itinerary approved by the client, and only includes all services explicitly indicated in the final itinerary. Any services contracted for by the client, prior, during or following his/her trip that is not indicated in the final itinerary, as well as unavoidable situations for which AUQUI is not responsible (including, but not limited to: flight changes, currency devaluations, delays; among others) will imply extra charges, which will be promptly communicated to the client. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to safeguarding your interests by minimizing any extra charges. Our payment policies apply to services offered by AUQUI. In discussing special services, we refer to such services which, due to their high demand require anticipated purchase and payment. Such services include entry tickets (particularly for the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu), transportation tickets for any mode of travel, and hotel reservations, among others, regarding which the client will be promptly informed. Most third-party provided services are subject to payment, cancellation and reimbursement policies different to those of our company. In such cases, payments, cancellations and reimbursements will be adapted to the policies of each provider, about which our clients will be previously informed. We understand that clients may choose to cancel their trip due to unexpected circumstances. For us, what is most important is to offer you the most flexibility possible to ensure that you will have the best experience. In the event that the client expresses in writing a desire or need to cancel the trip (and regardless of the time at which the cancellation email has been sent), AUQUI commits to refunding the total amount invested by the client, except for any expenses incurred via bank transfers, as well as all costs which, due to third-party providers’ policies, cannot be refunded (such policies may differ depending on each provider, and with hotels, Machu Picchu entrance tickets, airfares, among others, as being the most susceptible to non-refundable charges). It is essential to consider that, generally, hotels charge 100% of cost for cancellations made less than 30 days prior to the arrival date. Likewise, other providers may have their own cancellation policies. AUQUI reserves the right to cancel the trip in the presence of external factors that could put at risk the security and safety of our clients. In such cases, AUQUI will reimburse the entire amount invested by the client, except for charges by third-party providers due to their own policies and fund transfer costs. AUQUI will not assume or accept responsibility for extra costs or personal costs related to trip cancellation. In the event of a trip cancellation, the clients will promptly be informed. AUQUI will not accept any responsibility or liability for any inconvenience caused or generated by a client due to trip cancellation. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to reimbursing our clients the highest amount possible. Depending on the time of cancellation of a trip activity or service, in the case of third-party providers, cancellation fees or penalties will be applied that could amount to 100%. For cancellations made within 72 hours of the beginning of the service or activity, the penalty is most likely to be 100%, depending on the provider’s policies. Our commitment: AUQUI is committed to do everything possible to cancel the activity or services, if you require it, and recover as much as possible of your investment. In the case that the client directly expresses his/her wish to postpone the trip, and with reimbursement of charges, the client must request this by means of an e-mail message to the company. Regardless of the time at which the postponement message was sent, AUQUI commits to reimbursing the total amount invested by the client, except for all costs that are non-refundable due to third-party providers’ policies, and/or charges incurred through bank fund transfers. It is essential to consider that, in general, hotels charge 100% of costs for cancellations made 30 days prior to the arrival date. Other providers may have their own cancellation policies. In the case that the client expresses their desire to postpone the trip without reimbursement, but applying the amount paid as credit toward a new future trip date, such a request must be made in writing via an e-mail to the company. In such an event, AUQUI will do everything possible to confirm the same services for newly selected dates. However, it is possible that availability may vary, which could imply extra costs or penalty charges for changes of dates. Such information will be provided to the client promptly in order that the client assumes the corresponding charges. Our Commitment: Any changes in the itinerary that the client requests prior to contact closure (contract closure is considered, following approval by the client via email, the moment that the initial payment has been completed), changes be made free of charges, and according to the availability of services that were subject to change, with any variation in the cost of third-party providers to be covered by the client. In the event that the client requests changes after the itinerary has been contracted, such changes will be subject to third-party providers’ policies and to the availability of said services, due to which extra costs may be incurred, about which the client will be promptly informed. In cases in which the following events were to take place: Unexpected or random events that are not the responsibility of AUQUI; Unexpected events that affect the itinerary due to the client’s responsibility; or, Delays in the itinerary by decision or choice of the client; Under such circumstances, AUQUI then reserves the right to make the changes it considers pertinent to the itinerary, without disadvantaging the client, while respecting and maintaining the contracted services or the equivalent of these, only if and when such unexpected events do not imply the total loss of the contracted services. The client will be promptly informed in the event of any such changes. Our Commitment: AUQUI takes responsibility for doing everything within our capacity to make the changes requested by our clients, avoiding additional costs when and to the extent that this is possible. At AUQUI we are happy to be able to offer you options in the event that a traveler in the group cannot join the trip, and the client informs the company of such a circumstance in writing, and in order to substitute said traveler by another guest who meets the required conditions to take part in the trip. It is important to consider that said change could imply additional costs from third-party providers, as well as changes in the availability of specific services. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to doing everything possible to reduce costs and expedite the requested changes. AUQUI does not guarantee the accuracy of the information provided by third-party providers (hotels, restaurants, among others) by means of brochures, emails, websites or any other communications media. Any information or image published by AUQUI is a reference, and the opinions or testimonials of our clients may or may not reflect the individual perception of other persons about a specific service or activity; due to which any dissatisfaction regarding a difference between said information and the client’s perception of said service or activity does not constitute grounds for a claim, reimbursement or responsibility on the part of the company. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to ensuring the quality and accuracy of the information we provide. International flights are not included in the price of the program. The programs offered by AUQUI require domestic flights in Peru, as specified in the itinerary. Domestic flights are not included in the sample programs, and will be included explicitly and with approval of the client. In the case of charter flights, seating is limited and AUQUI reserves the right to substitute and confirm reservations on an appropriate alternative flight. All domestic or in-country flights are based on non-refundable economy fares at the time of final payment (a non-refundable fare policy is commonplace for airlines, although exceptions can be made depending on the type of fare chosen). In the event that AUQUI provides the flight reservations, all international and domestic quotes are subject to change until AUQUI has received final payment, and fare will be purchased in the name of the traveler. Flight confirmation is based on availability. Flight reservations cannot be confirmed until AUQUI receives copies of the passports of the client and accompanying travelers, together with the corresponding payment for the purchase. All air transportation providers are independent contractors and are not the property of, nor are administered, controlled or operated by AUQUI. Your airline ticket represents a contract between the client and the airline, even if and when the air fare was bought through AUQUI. Therefore, our company does not accept responsibility and shall not assume responsibility nor accept claims related to flight seat reassignments, changes of passengers’ name, flight scheduling changes or cancellations. In the event of any changes or cancellations related to air fare contracts or flight tickets, both before and after the beginning of the client’s trip, all airline prices fees or surcharges for flight changes or cancellations shall be applied. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to assisting you in the entire flight process, whether you bought the tickets through AUQUI or not, while always striving to satisfy your requirements and looking to your convenience. AUQUI can purchase all the international and domestic flights that the client requires to carry out the trip. AUQUI will do everything possible to guarantee that the prices of flights shall be equal to those the client was originally quoted. However, airlines reserve the right to modify or remove fares without prior notice. In the event that the client does not deposit the indicated amount at the time of flight reservation, within the time period stipulated by AUQUI, the price of the fare could vary. The fare can only be guaranteed if and when the reservation has been paid for in full and ticket emission has taken place. Likewise, flight tickets are not transferable, but some airlines do permit this procedure following payment of a penalty fee, which can vary according to the airline, and which must be paid for by the client. Flight schedules offered by AUQUI in the itinerary are references and are subject to changes; established flight times are shown on the flight tickets. The client must carefully verify the information printed on the tickets, so as to avoid difficulties. AUQUI will inform the client as soon as possible in the event of any flight changes. Any flight change by the airline that implies additional costs shall be paid for by the client. AUQUI does not accept responsibility for any flight delay caused by: Adverse weather conditions, The actions of air traffic controllers, airport authorities or local governments, Rescheduling of flights by the airline, Mechanical malfunctions, workers’ strikes, or any other such issues, Flight scheduling according to established airport regulations, Lack of capacity of some airplanes to take off or land under certain weather conditions. Likewise, AUQUI does not accept responsibility for a partial or total loss of activities and/or services due to the aforementioned events or delays. Our Commitment: AUQUI is committed to safeguarding the interests of our clients, by searching for the best available flight options at the best prices, according to the program, and to ensuring our guests’ satisfaction. Any photographic image taken by AUQUI during the trip must have verbal or written approval by the client. In order for any photograph to be used for promotional or advertising purposes, written approval must be given by the client. With the acceptance of such terms and conditions the client accepts to being included in our database and to receiving our communications via social media, post-sales services and newsletter. The client can unsubscribe to these media when he/she chooses to do so. Our Suggestion: Would you be interested in obtaining a free professional photographic archive of your trip? Please ask your sales representative about this opportunity. Our prices do not include General Sales Tax (I.G.V.), neither for hotels nor for services for clients who are residents in Peru, unless explicitly stated. The I.G.V. is a tax applied to Peruvian citizens as well as to residents in Peru. In accordance with Decree-Law No. 919, foreign nationals visiting Peru who present their passports, duly stamped by Peru’s Immigrations Service, or their Andean Immigration Card, will be exempt from the I.G.V. tax for lodging or meals services at hotels (breakfast, lunch and dinner). Tourists who remain for over 60 days in Peru, or those who do not present their passports with the indicated stamps, are subject to paying the I.G.V. for the aforementioned services. Due to these conditions, quoted prices could be increased. The contract agreed to by the client and by AUQUI will be automatically rescinded in the event of the following situations or conditions: If and when the client disregards or fails to comply with the company’s Terms and Conditions as established in this document. When the behavior of a client puts at risk their own life and safety, or the lives and safety of others. When the security or quality of a trip is compromised by an accidental or unavoidable event. Upon the first two cases of contract rescission, the company offers no reimbursement; in a third case of contract rescission, it offers a partial reimbursement, in accordance with the expenses faced by the company and the policies of third-party providers, until the moment of contract rescission. Clients can dissolve the contract according to their own criteria. However, In the event of contract dissolution on the part of the client, any reimbursement shall be subject to the expenses that AUQUI would have incurred up to the moment of contract rescission, and to the policies of third-party providers. AUQUI reserves the right to rescind the contract in the event that the client has not informed the company about an addiction (alcohol, drugs or other) that could endanger or put at risk the lives or the wellbeing of the client or of others. AUQUI reserves the right, and will be able to rescind the contract in the event that any client motivates, proposes to commit, or commits any unlawful acts, felonies, crimes and/or misdemeanors. Upon contracting a trip and/or services with AUQUI, the client accepts and agrees to comply with all conditions of the following Travelers’ Code: I have chosen a trip that is well adapted to my physical skills and health conditions. I have no physical condition, disability or special ability that implies or poses risks, or the possibility of endangering myself or others. I have a valid passport, and have all the visas, permits, certificates and vaccinations required to travel. I will read all the information provided, prior to the trip, regarding clothing, medical prerequisites and specific cultural protocols. I will make sure to communicate to the company about any condition or special requirement at least 30 days prior to travel. This includes medical or physical restrictions, diet, needs for special assistance, room preferences for lodging, or any other type of condition or requirement. I understand that AUQUI will do everything possible to satisfy special requests, but that the company cannot guarantee that such changes will be possible. I will respect the laws and social customs of the countries I visit. I will respect and follow environmental regulations during the trip, according to what is indicated by AUQUI’s guides or sales representatives. I will respect the rights and privacy of other trip participants. I understand that AUQUI reserves the right to suspend services during a trip to any person whose health or behavior could impair other persons’ or guests health, wellbeing or enjoyment. I understand that activities that take place in remote or not easily accessible locations imply that access to medical facilities or emergency evacuation services may be limited. I understand that situations can arise that could be beyond the control of AUQUI. I understand that travel implies different risks, and that scheduled activities could turn out not according to expectations, thereby accepting the situations and experiences that destiny may bring as learning experiences and opportunities for personal growth. I assume responsibility for taking all necessary measures in order to safeguard my personal health and physical integrity. AUQUI reserves the right to contract for objective reasons; that is, the company reserves the right to close a contract or not to, as well as the right to determine with whom a contract is signed, in accordance with Article No. 62 of Peruvian Political Constitution. AUQUI is a Cusco-based company, constituted and established in the city of Cusco, Peru. Therefore, any discrepancy related to the services rendered, or to the present document, shall be treated in accordance with Peruvian laws and shall be resolved in the courts of the city of Cusco. AUQUI reserves the right to correct any error or omission in its published materials, and to modify the extant Terms and Conditions at any time, as a result of substantial changes in legislation or regulations. Any changes or amendments of the Terms and Conditions will be validated upon publication by the media considered appropriate, and without having retroactive validity. The reading by the client of this document is considered obligatory prior to closing of the contract with the company. At the moment of confirming the final itinerary and completing the initial payment, the client declares his/her conformity and agreement to respect and comply with all of AUQUI’S Trip Terms and Conditions, as established in this document. Thank you for choosing us! We are very pleased to serve you. AUQUI will do everything possible to make your trip to the best destinations in Peru a truly unforgettable experience; one that is personally customized, problem-free, and of exceptionally high quality.	58,018
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Email Address: Travel and lifestyle magazine: Real people, real stories Submit a story for publication: The Charming Valley of the Moon, Ojai, California by Bonnie and Bill Neely Real Travel Adventures June 15, 2012 0 Comments We had the opportunity of spending time in Ojai in April. Any time you choose to go is delightful because in Ojai (pronounced “O Hi”) they have four seasons every month! It can range from about 40 to 90 degrees Farenheight within a few days, and nights are almost always chilly. This beautiful little jewel of a town is planned as a perfect getaway from the surrounding huge cities of Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. Up the mountain from the terrific town of Oxnard, California, the mountain climate and serenity of beautiful flowers, tall trees, grassy lawns and parks, and birdsong is a treat for any re-treat. Our favorite place to enjoy an excellent lunch or dinner is Suzanne’s Cuisine. This is the perfect spot for any celebration if you live in Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Barbara, or Los Angeles area. We ate beside a dancing fire and overlooking the amazing flower garden with fountain and wall of blooms, lighted for evening beauty too. The widely varied menu will please any palate. The cuisine is delicious, whatever you order. The service staff are friendly and experienced and made our meal even more enjoyable. The culinary presentation and ambiance are exquisite, and the wine list is carefully chosen. Suzanne and her daughter have owned this lovely restaurant here for many years, and everywhere we asked locals for a restaurant recommendation, they always said, “Suzanne’s!” They were QUITE RIGHT! The little town of only about 9,000 people is a great place for walking, created with tourism in mind. With no traffic lights, cars always stop patiently for pedestrians crossing the main street, where you find four blocks of unique shops, not chain stores. You’ll find many different types of accommodations, restaurants, spas, parks, and activities to make any holiday relaxing and fun. Look around in the Historic Ojai Museum, where you will find the Ojai Visitor Bureau, and learn all about this lovely valley, named for the Chumash Indian word meaning “The Nest” or “Valley of the Moon.” Everyone in Ojai knows and loves to wander through Bart’s Books Store, a tradition in town for many decades and a must for tourists to visit. You can meander among the books in the semi-enclosed and most unique used book store and find almost any title you could want, arranged in categories. Bart’s has long hours and cozy places to sit and read, and if you want a book from the street bookshelves all around the walls outside after the store is closed, you just place your 50cents in the slot and walk away with the book. And if you want to return home totally renewed and invigorated, be sure to choose The Oaks for your stay. The Oaks Resort and Spa was the first Spa in the United States to combine the massages and beauty treatments of European spas with an extensive and varied exercise program and healthy, low-calorie but delicious menu. Most clients return year after year, fondly calling it their Body Boot Camp, and a return to see friends, which are easily made with the commaradery and relaxed atmosphere. The Oaks is truly a friendly, and nurturing center for health and fitness, rejuvenation and fun. The Oaks is listed among the top 26 spas in the world. It has been a favorite women’s getaway for make-overs for decades, and now men are discovering it too. It is especially popular for Father’s Day week, when men can spend time here and also on the golf courses and tennis courts nearby. Bill really enjoyed his relaxed stay here, getting massages, accupuncture, and eating right while getting in a lot of fun exercise and learning in the classes. Although he was one of only a few men there when we went in April, he says he did not grow boobs!	7,431
So, I've been discussing my game with someone over on another forums. They think that it'd just be better to move my game over to a more recent program, such as MV. However, obviously I do not have the money to buy such an extravagant thing (and I don't particularly like the idea of having to be on Steam to even use a program...). I did get the trial version to see how it differed from 2k3, and I can see quite a few differences in it that I like. Being able to check monster statuses is a big plus, but also having built-in Encounter Half, Encounter None, Double Gold, Double Item Drop Rate, Pre-Emptive Strike Up, Nullify Back Attack, MP Cost Rates, Hit Rate adjustments, Item healing, forcing action, built-in Cover, etc. are all something that I really, really wish default 2k3 had. I mean, yes, there's DynRPG which I use, and it has been a great tool for my game. However, would it be wise at this point in time to even TRY to transfer a 8-9 year old game, 40+ hours worth of gameplay, roughly 70-80% finished, to a newer maker at this point? I understand where the person is coming from, 2k3 IS really outdated and there are glaring issues with the maker that makes my game in particular kinda...jarring to play and really outdated?? But imagining all the work I'd have to do put everything back in, IF I could (I don't know if 2k3 sprites and tiles would work with MV, and I don't know what things from DynRPG I would lose transferring over. Add onto that that I don't know anything about scripting and that kinda kills some things here and there. And oh god putting in all the skills and enemies and maps and characters and auuuugh!!). I don't know, I just need opinions on the matter... Kaneshon View games View playlists Close Might as well switch over to MV IF you plan on remastering or remaking your completed game. Its too much of a hassle to transfer at this point, since you're halfway done with your game. If you have the time, dedication and the finances, go ahead but if not might as well stick to what you have now. ;) the world ends in whatever my makerscore currently is InfectionFiles View games View playlists Close Definitely do not switch up now. Finish your 2k3 game and then move onto MV or VX ACE for an entirely new game. I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped. LockeZ View games View playlists Close Finish your damn game. Shinan View games View playlists Close It all depends if you want to finish your game or not. The fact that it's a 8-9 year old game suggests that maybe you don't actually ever want to finish. In that case do move on to a new engine. And do so every four or five years or so. The game will be in perpetual development and you will never have to worry about anything other than porting the bits you've already made and never actually make progress. However if you do want to finish your game don't move. "My father told me this would happen." Isrieri View games View playlists Close Definitely do not switch up now. Finish your 2k3 game and then move onto MV or VX ACE for an entirely new game. unity You're magical to me. unity View games View playlists Close The program doesn't make the game great, the developer does. True, 2k3 has a lot of rough spots, but plenty of talented developers have made very enjoyable games with it. Keep in mind that just because MV has a lot of improvements doesn't mean it'll automatically improve your game, and it'll add so many hours to the development time that, unless you are super dedicated to remaking everything, probably isn't worth it. It all depends if you want to finish your game or not. The fact that it's a 8-9 year old game suggests that maybe you don't actually ever want to finish. In that case do move on to a new engine. And do so every four or five years or so. The game will be in perpetual development and you will never have to worry about anything other than porting the bits you've already made and never actually make progress. However if you do want to finish your game don't move. This is good advice ^_^ Sgt M Sgt M View games View playlists Close Transferring that 8-9 year old game into a new engine is going to turn it into a 12-13 year old game easily. Merlandese Finish your damn game. pianotm The TM is for Totally Magical. pianotm View games View playlists Close Merlandese Finish your damn game. The 524 is for 524 Stone Crabs Ratty524 View games View playlists Close author=pianotm Merlandese Finish your damn game. EDIT: lol lazy posting. xD Xenomic Xenomic View games View playlists Close Oh my, that's a lot of people saying to finish it lol. I knew Locke would say that, seeing as he's seen what's in it already, but I'm surprised by how many other people are saying that too! @Shinan: I actually DO want to finish this thing. The person also hinted at just dropping the game outright and treating it as a bygone experiment, but I'd hate myself if I just did that hue. Of course, the only reason it's taking me so long is because I'm having trouble coming up with ideas lately (if it weren't for a couple dungeons, I'd have had this beta done already and moving onto completely fresh territory for the game!). That, and I spent a good 2 years or something going back and fixing bugs, maps, updating characters, etc. to make the game better heh. @Unity: I suppose that is true. Many people in the past have liked the game as it is (and many others have not, but that's just how it goes ha), even with the issues 2k3 has so I guess I'm doing SOMETHING right. The 524 is for 524 Stone Crabs Ratty524 View games View playlists Close Oh my, that's a lot of people saying to finish it lol. I knew Locke would say that, seeing as he's seen what's in it already, but I'm surprised by how many other people are saying that too! @Shinan: I actually DO want to finish this thing. The person also hinted at just dropping the game outright and treating it as a bygone experiment, but I'd hate myself if I just did that hue. Of course, the only reason it's taking me so long is because I'm having trouble coming up with ideas lately (if it weren't for a couple dungeons, I'd have had this beta done already and moving onto completely fresh territory for the game!). That, and I spent a good 2 years or something going back and fixing bugs, maps, updating characters, etc. to make the game better heh. @Unity: I suppose that is true. Many people in the past have liked the game as it is (and many others have not, but that's just how it goes ha), even with the issues 2k3 has so I guess I'm doing SOMETHING right. Eh, I guess my only advice here is "fail faster." There will be people who will shit on your work and it's definitely going to crush your motivation, but now's the time to think of why you do what you do. Do you accept the fact that every project you make is likely to be bound for failure in some sense and yet still persevere to make a finished work while taking it as a learning experience, or do you dwell on this negative feedback and endlessly tinker at your game while ultimately not having a real portfolio as a result? Xenomic Xenomic View games View playlists Close Yeah, I know that anything I make, whether it be Let's Play videos, sprite art, or RPG Maker game, is going to be deemed as a "failure" to quite a few people out there, but can't let that stop me aye. I already committed myself to doing this for this long, I'm going to try to see this particular project to the end if possible. I just hope it's not another 8 years before I finish hue. unity You're magical to me. unity View games View playlists Close If it makes you feel any better, I think your Final Fantasy spell compilations are awesome, and I have used them as an attempt to learn how good animations work :D Xenomic Xenomic View games View playlists Close Well, at least someone uses it for something lol. Some of those were a pain to do, like the FFII ones (oh god the FFII ones). Showing everything off in general is a massive pain in the bum. T-T the world ends in whatever my makerscore currently is InfectionFiles View games View playlists Close My best advice is if you're 70%ish complete then wrap up your project as quickly as you can. I've done this even to my beloved projects because I feel I want to move on or instead of trying to remake a game in a newer engine, I wrap up what I have in a decent manner and then start a new game in a "better" engine. if you don't want it to drag OR see it fail then give it a proper outro and move on with your game making. :) zeello zeello View games View playlists Close remember what happened to Duke Nukem Forever also, read this Xenomic Xenomic View games View playlists Close @InfectionFiles: Yeah, I have the entire story already set up in my mind, it's just a matter of getting there. I already cut out 11 filler dungeons (because they weren't needed anymore), so that's a lot less to deal with, but still quite a bit more to go through left. That's not including sidequests and optional stuff that I'm not doing until after maingame is done, IF I do them. ^^;; The biggest problem is mapping for me, because it takes me ages to actually get mapping done. Monsters, I can handle for the MOST part, bar coming up with some unique ideas. Eventing, no problem. Mapping? It just doesn't end! @Zeello: I THINK I may have seen that at one point actually. o.o Gredge109 View games View playlists Close I'd like to agree with what most people are saying. I feel you will find a lot of value to finish the game first, then work on other projects. I have 4 completed games listed and I've only been on this site since January. Four games! And they're not the best (though a couple are well appreciated), but I took the advice of "fail faster." Another good tip I picked up here, was to wrap up the game when you feel you've done enough. It's good to set goals for your game length, but if you have been working on it for years and there seems to be no end in sight, perhaps you may consider cutting some excess content you'll never complete. If you feel you've done enough and you've run out of ideas on how to proceed, perhaps that's where you should call it quits and finish the project early. Better than to never finish it at all! There's a story about a wise man that went to write a book concerning all that he had learned over his life. However, after 10 years, he realized he had learned so much that everything in the book needed to be rewritten. So he got rid of the book he was working on and started over. Ten years later, he realizes again that he has grown in wisdom over the years, so he throws out the old book and begins writting a new one. This process continues until eventually the man dies of old age. The book never gets finished, and he was never able to share his wisdom.	11,665
Warm up industrial design with earthy, natural elements as well as color palettes. Integrate used or distressed leather and rough-hewn timber aspects along with the dark metal and revealed block to bring the straightforward as well as comfortable functionality of rustic design or farmhouse signs with sayings right into an industrial area. Vintage Indian trunks cladded with iron bands and also brass medallions, farmhouse wall art interiors upgrade your design just by using old wooden hope upper bodies made right into useful coffee tables that have the added worth of storage space. Some are elaborately outlined with elephants and horses carrying tales of the Seasoning Course as well as others are painted with rustic turquoise aging reminiscent. Troubled paint really feels all-natural on the vintage rustic closets made from recycled old doors, vintage woods that are so magnificently aged and naturally varnished. 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Rustic Family is Everything Sign Bold and graphic with distressed vintage detailing, this FAMILY is everything sign is stunning way to personalized your space and ... French Country Bath House Sign Add an elegant touch to your bathroom with this personalized bath house sign customized with your last name. Beautifully distressed ... Add an elegant touch to your bathroom with this vertical bath house sign. Beautifully distressed to look like old porcelain, ... Add a touch of vintage farmhouse style to your walls with this rustic cattle company sign. Personalized with the last ... You and your sweetheart better pucker up! There will be no shortage of affection this Valentine's Day with this charmingly ... … › farmhouse signs with sayings Decor Farmhouse style is a rustic yet modern method to spruce up as well as residence. It brings in components of warmth and simplicity. Known for its rustic textures and also vintage design it is great for any house. Farmhouse wall indications are a terrific, yet budget-friendly method to add components of rustic farmhouse to your residence. A great was to do this is to add rustic wall art. It’s fun to discover decorating alternatives for your residence as well as Widdlytinks makes transforming your personal room easy. Are you and your friends among those who always get fascinated by the creepy bumps on a Halloween night? If ... Everyone likes a modern décor for their farmhouse but some want to blend it with other styles. First, let’s see ... Halloween is indeed one of the best events every year. It is the perfect moment to spend time with your ... Farmhouse-Directory Farm House Style More about farmhouse signs with sayings See more farmhouse decor wall art, family name art and rustic wall art at Widdlytinks. © Widdlytinks LLC. All Rights Reserved More farmhouse Industrial style decor brings an city aesthetic to the rural area. This design combines contemporary elements with vintage beauty to produce a comfortable space that really feels fuss-free and also simple. Motivated by old manufacturing facilities as well as industrial spaces, the design includes weathered wood, revealed brick, concrete, iron pipe and also industrial design light fixtures. The mixing of these aspects offers a stockroom feel which is the objective of this visual. Industrial spaces are commonly open as well as defined by the furnishings in the area. A all-natural color palette with a mix of grays and warm neutrals keeps the space grounded. The goal is to incorporate basic materials to make the room feel straightforward as well as incomplete. Industrial style is a design that blends well with various other similar appearances. It has actually evolved into various hybrid designs which blend and match the essence of the style with other prominent and well-loved styles. The practical style of industrial decor is offered a classic feeling through the incorporation of restored as well as recycled materials. Classic tin tiles, a rusty old marketing sign, cast-iron radiators, antique illumination, old metal fitness center lockers and also various other worn and weather-beaten vintage or antique accents include the ideal touch of history to make the space feel both antique as well as modern. Industrial Farmhouse The dark, masculine feel of industrial decor obtains a touch of feminine heat when farmhouse style components are integrated. Lighter shades and also softer appearances coupled with dark metals and timber create a comfortable room that really feels comfy and resided in while still keeping a practical ambiance. Farmhouse Decor Evoking a feeling of fond memories and knowledge, farmhouse decor contains warm, weathered textures and also a balance of old as well as new. Farmhouse is a easygoing style that harkens back to long-standing traditions as well as a heritage of simpleness evocative well-loved and also well-used functional things. A innovative spin to a nation style, farmhouse decor includes casual beauty that’s functional without being fussy. Balancing old and also new makes for a warm, comfortable as well as peaceful area that teems with charm and also character. To grasp the appearance, a room ought to be decorated as if it’s evolved with time with styles as well as materials that are mixed. Decorate with items that have definition, whether that be a precious heirloom handed down via the family or a all new item that you fell for. Practicality is vital as absolutely nothing ought to be also fragile or pretty. Rather, choose products that are sturdy yet sophisticated. Newer items mixed with classic flea market finds as well as cherished hand-me-downs is sure to produce a clean and trendy interior that feels warmhearted as well as real. Rustic Farmhouse Wall Art The Farmhouse decor style has actually developed into several various hybrid styles which mix and also match the essence of the style with various other prominent as well as well-liked designs. French Farmhouse Create a farmhouse area with French rural design by utilizing a shade scheme consisting of great grays as well as crisp white. Include gorgeous marble items, galvanized metal aspects and also mix in cozy touches such as wood flooring and also rustic accents to develop an ventilated, light room that has a French nation influenced feel. Scandinavian design is recognized for a minimal, clean-lined, intense aesthetic. Create a Scandinavian farmhouse design by blending these aspects with rustic or vintage accents and textures to heat up the contemporary feel as well as offer it a cozier as well as more laid-back style. Rustic Farmhouse Rustic farmhouse design takes a somewhat more rugged approach to the style by combining distressed timbers, vintage accents, open shelving and cozy wood tones. The enhancement of some earthy colors as well as distinctive accents produces a cozy, comfortable area that feels both masculine and also womanly. Modern Farmhouse When rustic meets refined, you have the best interpretation of contemporary farmhouse style. Smooth clean lines, simplicity, bright and neutral or monochromatic color design produce a modern spin to the extra laid-back and eclectic farmhouse feel. The emphasis gets on simpleness as well as is emphasized by tiny cozy touches such as vintage styled accents, all-natural wood structures and also neutral comparison pieces. Coastal Farmhouse Produce a seaside farmhouse feeling by incorporating wood beam of lights, ship lap or bead board and also sea glass as your warm and weather-beaten farmhouse textures. Gold or brass steels mix perfectly with shades inspired by the sea to provide a light, breezy sensation to the room. Colonial Farmhouse Colonial farmhouse style is a blending of the nostalgic essence of farmhouse with old-world style. Accomplish the primitive Americana style with a muted natural color design, exposed brick fireplaces and also flooring, historic accents, primitive timber items as well as the well-loved colonial grid home windows and also cupboard doors. Traditional Farmhouse Standard farmhouse style is the closest to the design that started the movement. Influenced by the initial farmhouse visual, you’ll find simple cabinets, combined metals, primitive timber items and also functional design without fuss. Whatever has a functional purpose and is understated in layout. Industrial Farmhouse The soft heat of farmhouse design is given a much more masculine vibe via the use of commercial aspects. Develop this look through using dark metals, concrete, old-fashioned Edison light bulb illumination, natural wood as well as gray color design. Its both city as well as country with a ideal equilibrium of womanhood as well as maleness. Embellishing your residence with fantastic, initial wall decor has never ever been so very easy! With a variety of options and sizes to choose from, you can customize your space and make a grand statement with art made just for you. From vintage to contemporary as well as rustic to farmhouse, you make certain to discover a piece that talks with your heart as well as looks magnificent in your room. Every design available on Widdlytinks has actually been produced with care as well as interest to information utilizing the trained eye of an acclaimed musician with over twenty years of experience in design. Usually copied yet never ever duplicated, our art work is unique as well as unique. Why does this issue? Because you are worthy of the very best when it pertains to selecting a present on your own, a enjoyed one or unique close friend. Widdlytiks has numerous alternatives ranging from kitchen wall art as well as living-room wall art to farmhouse room decor. Our additional huge farmhouse indications go best in huge home covering a large swath of wall room with classic rustic vibe. Lots of ouf our distinct Widdlytink designs can be customized with yor family name, family year established, city, state and also more. There are options offered for restroom wall decor kitchen indicators and even utility room rustic wall decor. The best locations for contemporary farmhouse art work are living rooms, cooking area spaces, restrooms, bed room as well as and also hallways and also laundry rooms. Envision how satisfied you would be when you open your plan and there it is, your very own oversized farmhouse vintage decor wall art. Spruce up any space in your office or residence with custom-made farmhouse vintage signs! these rustic modern signs make excellent accent items and discussion beginners for your guests. Add your nostalgic messages or family name to your farmhouse sign to produce the perfect present your enjoyed ones will treasure for a life time. These huge rustic farmhouse wall signs can not only be wonderful for your house yet they would certainly be wonderful for a existing to a loved one. Customizable french nation influenced printed canvas wall indicators are a wonderful way of saying love you to anyone, your mama, wife, buddy, just about any individual. These extra-large rustic wall hanging decor are such a fantastic present because they can be used as one any time a year. Widdlytinks makes Modern Farmhouse Wall Decor and Custom-made Family Members Indications. Family name wall indications and last name wall art by Widdlytinks boost decor as well as make excellent gifts. Decorating your home with incredible, original farmhouse wall decor has never been so very easy! Pictures are not for everyone and also there are many different styles of art to select from. The very best means to choose this is check out various styles as well as discover what design you are attracted to the most. A few of these designs are modern art, visuals art, steel art, oil paintings, period pieces, classic prints ( advertisements and also photos), contemporary art, historical items, watercolors, and so on. and so on. Going through the many examples of art styles is a huge job but you will rapidly decide upon the styles you are attracted to as well as the ones you are not. Classic wall art are excellent home decor items that are inexpensive, as well as yet appealing as well as usually novelty. Many people will not have the ability to distinguish between a genuine antique sign, and also a contemporary steel sign made to appear old and also old-fashioned. The subject matter for vintage indicators frequently refer to pin-up girls, aeronautics, army, vehicles, retro house products, food/drink, as well as sports themed. The indications often range in size from 12 ″ x18 ″ to 24 ″ x36 ″ and also whatever in between in numerous shapes as well as layouts. Much of these indicators are made using heavy gauge American steel, as well as a printing process referred to as sublimation, where the image is baked into a powder covering for a durable and also durable coating. The indications are after that fined sand by hand to provide an aged look. Finally, tiny steel rivets are added right into the edges of the sign for simple hanging. A number of ending up nails suffice for hanging these join an interior wall. Presently, increasingly more widely known musicians are putting their art work on vintage indications. Images from paintings, antique advertising and marketing, preferred brand names, and even your very own farmhouse wall art can be applied on a custom-made vintage wall sign. Classic steel indications have ended up being popular residence decor products because of the various layouts as well as designs of indications available, the appealing colors schemes as well as the low-cost. Many people like the retro signs that advise them of an earlier time and also memories from the past. It can be costly to embellish a home with paints, giclee’s, prints or even images. Lots of art items cost hundreds and occasionally thousand when you consider the price of a frame. Due to the big selection of subject, vintage indications can be made use of to embellish your game room, cooking area, bed rooms, office, and also a lot more. Normally the indicators are hung in groups on the wall, since they often tend to be little, lots of people elect to put 3 to 5 signs in a team on their wall, or within close distance of each other. If you decide you prefer to have a real antique steel sign, you will be considering a much higher cost, and also you will certainly not be able to have the selection of options offered like the recreation vintage steel indicators. The real antique indicators are incredibly rare as well as demanded by significant collectors. There are several locations online that you can buy vintage steel indicators. Screw Fixing your house sign: This is one of the most common method of dealing with a family name indications or home number as well as it is probably the most basic, but there are one or two things you will need to take right into account.Choice of screw is vital, utilize either solid brass or ideally stainless-steel. Common steel screws will certainly corrosion very rapidly, brass layered screws will at some point corrode and also galvanised screws will certainly rust if the galvanised covering is damaged, as it certainly will be!The danger from rusting or corroding screws is not simply the sign collapsing to the ground, yet that many residence sign products are at risk to discoloration. Slate and rock will discolor from corrosion, and marble will positively enjoy to take in corrosion or corrosion spots. Even granites may stain rather, though not quite as severely as other materials, but why take the risk? Building your home sign into a wall: Many residence signs are constructed into rock or brick walls, if this is this case you should define that you do not desire your home sign drilled! There are few problems to fret about with this method, nonetheless if your homestead sign is made from Yorkstone or Marble make sure to utilize a tidy washed sand as the minerals in some sands might discolor as well as tarnish your residence sign, stay clear of dark red sands and try to find red mineral patches in the sand. Also keep an eye out for your friendly bricklayer tossing his fag ends right into the cement, pure nicotine spots are lethal! Slate as well as Granite residence indications are largely unsusceptible to this problem as water does not easily pass through the material. Hidden Fixings for House Indicators: First Off, hidden dealings with are generally only readily available on residence indications of 20mm or thicker, if you desire a surprise fixing, please ask whether your house sign appropriates. This method of repairing a residence sign appears to frighten some individuals however it remains in fact extremely easy! Our hidden repairing residence signs are hung on one or two stainless-steel pins repaired into the rear of the house sign at a downward angle. The solitary pin fixing, made use of on the smaller house autumn wall art are simpleness itself to fix. Merely drill a hole in the wall at a down angle as well as hang the sign into the hole.This is remarkably protected, the hole does not even need to be drilled really precisely (as long as the house sign is centered! )as the drill hole can be much larger than the pin. Indicators can be decorative and found around a house. These signs could include character to a house, decorate it, personalize it or present a warm welcome to guests. Resources for these sign are sign making sets, indicators using vinyl text and commercial wall art. Any kind of indicators displayed within a house or outside of the house are one of two different kinds– homemade or acquired. Homemade indicators could be made out of crafting products, such as unique photos made by a kid making use of markers as well as various other craft materials. These indicators can be whatever the property owner desires and can be utilized as a gift to offer. An example is taking pictures as well as framing them to develop a message. This type of sign could be imaginative ways to display welcome or friendship or family or an additional word or phrase. Make a letter out of twigs and take a image or usage blossoms to make a letter and do something various with each letter making use of a style, such as nature. Take a separate photo of each letter or one photo of the entire word. Mount the letter or words and also display this as a special imaginative sign. This house sign idea is only limited to the designer’s creativity. An additional homemade alternative is to purchase a valentines day presents. There are several sorts of sign making packages. Some signs are created to be positioned outside as well as others that are much better tools to be positioned within. These sign making kits may be wood carving kit enabling the homeowner to personalize their sign. They can make use of the carving kit to melt their family name right into timber or maybe sculpt “Welcome” to display on the residence’s front door. Another sort of sign making kit that would be perfect for decorating a home is needlepoint. These can be developed after that framed and also placed on wall art. There is homemade needle factor, such as thinking of a individual claiming or determining to sew the family name and also designs right into fabric. After that it is mounted is presented as a sign. These kits assist make a sign that is a little extra organized due to the fact that all the devices as well as instructions are readily available in addition to ideas to help somebody make the development. There are likewise crafting sets that use plastic letter and also number cutouts. These can be found in a range of dimensions, fonts and also colors. They are typically imaginative text and also pre-made expressions. They are typically very easy to use using an glue backing to any flat tidy surface area, primarily a wall, but windows are feasible location as well. A shop purchased might incorporate a lot of these ideas, yet as opposed to being homemade they are created by someone else. Admit it. If you have a huge team of people to buy Xmas offers for many years in and year out, it can be hard developing present ideas. Yet there is one present that everyone on your list will definitely like. And that is a tailored custom gather sign. Below’s 3 reasons why these will certainly be a hit on anybody gift offering listing! dd farmhouse-inspired decorations, made in the house wreaths and flower plans that offer a wonderful individual touch. A rustic old chakra cabinet adds immediate attraction, supplying a area to save books and your travel collections. Long wood blanket chests in troubled blues and greens utilized at the end of the bed or as window console table placed in the nook, you can appreciate the sun while reviewing your favorite book farmhouse signs with sayings to Bring in the farmhouse motif right into the nursery by hanging an old jharokha home window loaded with child photos. The windows get a cottage-chic boost with handloom fabric tosses weaved by artisans in natural cotton fibers as well as lively shades. Install old rustic boxes full of colorful, seasonal blooms at the home window sill. Sheer sari drapes are great for kitchen home windows, dining room or other areas where all-natural light adds captivating design and some privacy without quiting the sunlight.	22,625
I got the idea to be a stuntman when I was 18. I looked up “stunt” in the phonebook. I didn’t know anyone in the industry at all. I found a number for an agency in Sydney that represents stunt people, so I called them, and they put me in contact with a stunt coordinator who was working on a film in Sydney. I went out to the set, and I met him and some stunt guys and started training with them. I would go to film sets and be the assistant. I was making coffee and just hanging out. I think the first job I got I was a dead body in a car wreck. It was an uncomfortable position to be in, so they needed a stunt guy. So that was the first film shoot I was getting paid to be on, just being a dead body. When did you realize you wanted to be a director? Did you go from stunts to directing? My brother Joel and I made some videos in our backyard when we were younger, never thinking there was a career we could have in the film industry. I was trying to get stunt work and had been doing stunts for a couple of years. I was putting a show reel together and rather than just videotape myself doing stunts, I shot the video like an action sequence, made up a name of a movie and put it on my show reel. I thought people would think I had been in a real movie and that would get me work. My brother Joel had just finished drama school, and he was trying to get work as an actor, and he said “Oh, maybe that would work for me as an actor!” So Joel and my friend Kieran Darcy-Smith got together and wrote a scene, then the four of us got together and we shot it. That was your first shoot? Yes. That was my first shoot. It was called Loaded. I wasn’t bad on a computer, so I bought Adobe Premiere Version 1, it had just come out, and I had a PC. So I digitized what we shot, and I learned to edit by putting it together. I had edited before, but with two VHS machines, so I was kind of learning as I went.So we shot a bit, and edited a little bit, and then go shoot some more. So that was the first actual directing experience I had, but it was very haphazard. We were making it up as we shot it, and we had no concept at all really. Were you happy with the results? Was that the first thing you showed people? Yeah we showed some people, and this guy was like “Hey, that’s a great short film!” We were like “What’s a short film?”(Laughs) He was saying you should enter a film festival, and we were like “What’s a film festival?” How old were you at the time? What do you consider your first shoot where you thought “I’m a director now.”? We had so much fun making Loaded. Just the idea of making stuff was fun to us. We weren’t thinking of ourselves as directors or filmmakers. We were still stunt guys and actors. We just wanted to make stuff. I guess that’s where I got the directing bug. We ended up making quite a lot of short films, and one that I made by myself for about eighty dollars ended winning at a huge film festival in Australia called Tropfest, which was a big deal at the time. The film was called Deadline, and first prize was $5,000. It was screened in front of about 25,000 people. That was the first film I directed by myself. Then you started directing music videos? Yes. I started getting called to direct for other people, but I still wasn’t thinking of myself as a director. I guess the first directing job where I got paid was a music video for a band called Eskimo Joe. All of the films I had made up to that point were action based with very fast editing. I was like I’m going do the opposite of that with this music video, and I made a one-shot video. It ended up winning a handful of awards, and it was a very popular video, and because of that video I started getting asked to do more music videos. I ended up doing a lot of videos over the years, and I still do them. How did you connect with Roman Coppola’s company The Directors Bureau? Stephen Pavlovic was a friend of mine and made the connection to Roman’s company, because he knew Mike Mills. I made a few videos and he said “Hey while you’re in the states you should look up Mike Mills.” I went and met Mike and showed him some of my shorts and music videos. He liked them and passed them around to his friends, but they weren’t really taking on any directors at that point. Then a couple of years later I was doing stunts on Star Wars, and there was a guy working on the film named Chris Neil. We became friends, and he saw some the films and videos i’d made, and said “I should show some of your stuff to my cousin Roman.” So he did and Roman liked the work, and that’s how I eventually joined The Bureau. Aside from your usual prep, did you have any rituals back then? Do you have any rituals now? I did shoot tests with video cameras to try and figure out the ideas. I would go out and find a location, come up with an idea, and then we rehearsed it a lot. We’ll still go and shoot tests of a concept and edit it together and go yeah, this idea is going work. That test video becomes our moving storyboard, and I still do that on a lot of my films and music videos. Once I have an idea I always feel like I need to test to see if it will work, rather than figuring it out in front of 50 crew people and wasting time. I like to get a couple of friends together and work out the mechanics of the idea beforehand. When I finally get to set I don’t have to shoot it ten different ways, because I’ve already done that. Was there ever an aha moment with regards to something technical? I was self-taught and didn’t have a lot of technical knowledge. When I would go to film festivals where my films were screening I met filmmakers who did go to film school, and I would ask them questions. I remember one time early in my career, I got paid properly to edit a commercial, and the director had asked me to do a double header, and I’m like “Okay!” I’m in the room with the client and the director…I go out to the receptionist on the way to the bathroom and asked her “Hey, what’s a double header?” I’ve never heard of that. What is a double header? It was something to do with the sound. I still don’t really know. But they were asking for these things, and I would have to leave the edit room to go ask someone (Laughs). Do you have a treasured memory of when you first started? When we made Loaded it was pretty fun. We had no permission to do it. We had no idea how to get permission to shoot on locations. It was just us four and this one guy shooting it. We did whatever we wanted you know? Then on the next one we were shooting car chases out in the middle of the street and it was so much fun. Our friends would come over to my parents house and we would all meet there, then we would drive out to industrial areas on weekends where we figured no one would be around. We would just shoot wherever we wanted. We would have two-way radios, and my brother Joel would be on the corner saying if it was clear. If we saw someone coming we would just hide and wait. Is there a lesson you learned back then that you still carry with you today? I feel the best stuff we made was the stuff that we knew about. We made films that we wanted to see and themes that were interesting to us. Do you still do that? Your films seem to have a similar theme. Yeah, I’m just trying to make stuff that I want to watch and I think my friends want to watch. I always try to work with people I like, and I always try to do something different that I haven’t done before. What do you think is more important when starting out – talent, connections, or just plain luck? Aw, man. I think it’s kind of a combination of all of them. I don’t think connections are much use when you’re starting out. In my experience, we didn’t have any connections. I think ultimately for myself and my brother not having connections really helped us out. We just wanted to do it, and we had no one to help us do it, so we were forced to have to learn how to do it ourselves. I think if we had connections we might not have learned as much as we did. You would have had other people there doing certain parts of it. We learned so much on how to do things and how we like to do things. We didn’t go to film school, there was no one there telling us that what we were doing was the wrong way to do it, or suggesting another way of doing it. With not having connections you have to figure out your own way of doing it. At the time, the stuff we were making was so different from what anyone else was making in Australia. That’s why a lot of our stuff was getting attention, because of what we were churning out. So I think that was a benefit, not having any connections. Then the talent we discovered we had, it was very loose. We were forced to figure out our style through trial and error. The stuff we made we got some attention, so we made connections as a result of that. Were there any lucky moments that happened to you that kept you going? Maybe someone you met? Oh, for sure. Like, the whole reason I entered Tropfest was because I saw a news article about it. I guess so many things could be narrowed down to luck if that’s how you look at it. But it was nothing like who I met, or anything like that. I just grew up at the right age. My dad bought a video camera when i was around twelve years old. Do you think it was easier to break in as a director when you did, or do you think its easier now? Well the thing is, I wasn’t trying to break in as a director. I was trying to get work as a stuntman. The directing kind of came inadvertently as I was doing these other things. I wasn’t thinking of myself as a director, and then I was a director in other people’s minds, so I accepted it. I wasn’t trying to be a director. Who or what influenced your style? Are there any films or directors that inspired you? Yeah, there were two things I would watch at certain times when we were making stuff. The two films were – Reservoir Dogs and the Spike Jonze music video for the Beastie Boys called Sabotage. I saw them and I said “I can make stuff like that!” Something about these films made it seem possible to recreate. Seeing those films in our early 20’s we thought yeah, we could do that. These films actually gave us confidence to go and try it. Were there any traditional filmmakers you followed that inspired you early on? I didn’t always know the filmmaker’s names, but I watched a lot of horror films. Obviously Spielberg, and Tarantino. I don’t know if I was as influenced by style as much as the way films made me feel. I was never trying to imitate the look of films or the style they had. I was more trying to imitate the effect they had on me. So you’re driven by story not aesthetics? Yeah, the tension you feel from watching something, or the shock you get, or if it makes you laugh. Like with the first music video I did I had been watching Deliverance a lot, and I remember the way that made me feel. I wanted to make something that was reminiscent to that feeling, so on that video I used that film as inspiration. What do you think of the current state of the film business? Yeah, I’ve been asked that sort of thing a lot lately. I feel like I don’t really know the answer. Since I do a number of different things, I still do stunt work, I still edit for people, I still direct my own stuff, still do music videos, and also make feature films. I feel like I always have something to do, so I never feel like the industry is in a bad place. Because if you like creating stuff, you can always create whether the industry is in a good or bad place. I didn’t get into film for the money. It was just something I wanted to do. If I had an idea I would just find a way to make it. The most important thing is happiness. As long as you love what you’re doing and you’re happy the money and hopefully everything else just sort of works out. I think when you’re realistic about your abilities you don’t really have much to complain about in terms of “Why am I not able to make my feature film?” If you’re good enough to be doing it you’ll be doing it. Did your first short or your first music video feel like your first shoot or did you feel like you were starting over again when you shot your feature film The Square? I had a number of first shoots. My first short film, first music video, first stunt job, my first editing gig. My first short film was very guerilla style and shot in a back-alley. The music video was also a pretty small shoot. The first time I shot a commercial was the first time it felt like a real shoot, because suddenly there were massive trucks and tons of people around. I was so nervous, so I automatically went and hung out with the stunt guys, because that’s what felt most natural. Someone would have to come find me to let me know that we were starting to shoot. I remember how clearly frightening that was. That felt really big to me. Even though I had been on major movie sets like The Matrix and Star Wars, when you walk on set and you’re the director, even though The Square was only a $3 million film, it still felt big to me. Suddenly you’re like “Oh, shit, I’m suppose to be running this thing!” Do you associate someone with giving you a first shot, or do you feel like you did it on your own? No, not really. It took us a long time to get the money for my first feature film. It felt like a natural progression. We had made a bunch of shorts, my brother wrote the script, we had a producer, so the three of us together went at it. In Australia, the government supports first time filmmakers, so we were eligible to be a part of that. I did get an offer early on in my career from someone offering to get me into film school, and that was John Frankenheimer. I was doing stunts on the film The Island of Dr Moreau and i’d told John that I had made a short film (Loaded) and he wanted to see it, so I showed it to him, and he really liked it. He asked if I wanted to go to film school and said, “I could write you a letter and get you into NYU”, and at that stage I was a stunt guy. I didn’t know I wanted to be a director. That’s pretty amazing. What was your first film festival experience like? Well, the first film festival experience I had was horrific. When we made Loaded and this guy told us there were film festivals and we should enter we didn’t know how to find them. Kieran found an ad asking for short films at a place called the Performance Space in Sydney where they were showing films, and performance art. I didn’t even know what performance art was. We entered that and it was the first public screening we had of anything we made, and the first act was a guy dancing naked in heels for like 15 minutes, and the crowd thought it was amazing! We were like “What the hell is this?” There were a couple of other weird acts, and then our film played and everyone was like “BOO!” They were yelling at the screen that it wasn’t performance art. We thought we had made this terrible thing. What did you take away from your first feature film that would inform your next one? The biggest fear I had was “Can I make a feature film?” That was the overwhelming fear the whole time. I think every time you make something you’re afraid that it’s going to be bad, or people aren’t going to like it, or what’s going to go wrong. At least now I have one less fear, like can I make a feature film? Well I know that answer because I made one, so yeah, I can (laughs). Everything up until that point with music videos and short films it had all been one day, two days, three days, or five days was the longest I had done a shoot in a row, and then suddenly I had to do 34 days. The other thing I learned from the experience was I learned I love doing this, I want to do this, and I want to make more feature films. Was there anything you learned about the politics of feature filmmaking? No, I think that stuff is different every time. I think every film, everything you make, you learn some other lesson and you make some mistake and you learn something. There are always new mistakes you will make. Maybe you experience the same problems, but there will always be something new you have to deal with on each project. Because every shoot is different, and all the people are different? Yeah, just navigating actors was interesting. I had never had that many before. You realize when you have that many actors that they are all different, they all require different things, you know? Some need to rehearse, some don’t need to, some are good on the first take, some aren’t good until take six, some need really good direction, and some have natural instincts. So you’re constantly trying to keep a tab on who needs what from you to make them all feel like they are in the same movie. That’s a really good point. So what do you think is the most important tool or skill for directors? Adaptability. Because shit always changes. The weather is not what you expected to be. There are actors who drop out. You run out of time, you need to get ten shots, and you only have time to do three. You just have to adapt, you have to be creative in your decisions. Being adaptable is the best thing possible. It just never goes the way you planned it, so you can’t resist it. As soon as something unplanned happens like “Oh, it’s not suppose to be raining!” you have to go, okay, well how does this help me? Did you freak out when these things happened when you first started? I think starting out as a stuntman, since being a stuntman is all about being adaptable, you plan it to a certain degree, but you are doing something that’s not that predictable. I always had to be adaptable as a stuntman. Learning that as a stuntman was very useful when I started directing. That makes a lot of sense, because creating a stunt is similar to creating a scene. Exactly, I mean that’s what filmmaking is, ultimately. It’s very rare you can make a film by yourself. Maybe if you’re an animator in a room. Most films are collaborations with a lot of people, different personalities, different egos, and a lot of different creative processes. You try to manage all of that. So it’s never going to be exactly what you see in your head, but hopefully you can maintain your personal vison. It’s like this constantly moving object. Everyone is coming to work today with different personal problems, so if you can somehow make something great with this group of weird people together that all have a love for one thing. It took me a while to realize that I can only move as fast as the speed that the crew and staff are willing to work. Well, the trick is when you first get there for the first shot of the day, you make it a shot that’s not too tricky, and you can set up quite quickly and shoot it. Because until you start shooting everyone is working at a pretty slow pace. As soon as you have the first shot in the can, and you get it within the first hour, everyone is like “Oh, so this is the speed we’re working at.” The start of the day really sets the pace for the rest of the day. A first A.D. told me to get the first shot out as quickly as you can. You get that first shot out, people go “Oh, the director knows what he is doing!” But if you sit there as a director going “Okay, maybe we can do it from here, or maybe you can do it from there and you take a long time or there are too many takes then they see the opposite. That’s a really good point. The crew are on sets more than you are. They’ve seen way better directors doing it in half the time you can, and in a better way, and with better communication. They have all worked with someone better than you. Yeah, you don’t realize how much you’re being observed when you’re a director all caught up in the moment. The main thing is they’ve worked with better people than you. There is always someone out there better than you at it, or that they like more than you. So you gotta try to be the guy who knows what he’s doing, or who seems to know what he’s doing. If they trust you from the start, they will work better for you. I’m sure you’ve had a moment where you thought “I am sure the film crew know I don’t know what I’m doing” (Laughs). If they think that, then that’s how they’ll treat you. Exactly. That sets the tone for the way that the day is going to unfold. Do you have any advice for up-and-coming directors? I always tell people, think about the resources you have available to you, and utilize those when you make stuff. What locations do you have access to in your neighborhood? Do you have a friend who has acting talent? It’s always about finding what resources you have available to you rather than going “We need a full film crew.” We use to make stuff with two or three people, and still do sometimes. You just use what you have access to. If you can’t afford to do something, there is always another way of doing it. You just have to be creative about it. Can you tell me a little about your latest project? I’m trying to write something. I’ve got a couple of scripts, one that someone else wrote that I like, one that my brother Joel wrote for me, and one that he and I are writing together. They are all in different stages of development. If I had to pick one it would be “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, because it’s not just that the movie is really entertaining, it’s fun and has a great heart to it. I like Jaws, Reservoir Dogs, and Magnolia. Paul Thomas Anderson is probably one of my favorite directors ever. Is there anything you’ve seen lately that got your attention? I just saw this great documentary the other day called The Elephant in the Living Room. It’s about people who keep exotic pets in America.	21,612
The Biden administration may have authority to allow the use of abortion pills even in states where the practice could be outlawed, say legal experts. As the Supreme Court appears poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that guarantees the constitutional right to an abortion, reproductive rights advocates are considering new ways to protect nationwide access to the procedure. One strategy involves preserving the availability of the medication used to initiate an abortion in states poised to restrict access otherwise. Such a move would require that federal law take precedence over a state’s — a concept known as preemption. “Federal preemption for abortion medication is a highly innovative legal strategy with considerable uncertainty,” said Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health law at Georgetown University. “There’s no telling how it will play out in the courts.” Some state lawmakers opposed to abortion have introduced a flurry of bills to limit or ban medication abortion. Most of the legislation hasn’t gained traction, although South Dakota’s legislature did approve a measure that bans the pills. It is now ensnared in legal challenges. But if the Supreme Court reverses or constrains Roe, activists whose goal is to ban nearly all abortions may quickly turn to closing the loophole on medication abortions, for fear patients would still be able to get pills from outside the state. Thirteen states have restrictive “trigger laws” on the books that would kick in if Roe is undone. They vary widely but would effectively ban abortions overall, with few exceptions. In addition, some conservative states have moved to restrict access in advance of the high court’s decision. Texas, which has a trigger law, also enacted a law last year that outlaws abortion after the detection of embryonic or fetal cardiac activity, typically around six weeks and often before people realize they are pregnant. That 2021 law, which the Supreme Court refused to block, is in effect and has dramatically reduced abortions in the state. A new Oklahoma law, which took effect May 25, bans most abortions by defining life as beginning at fertilization. Medication abortion is an option during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy and involves taking two pills: mifepristone, a drug that blocks hormones necessary for the pregnancy, followed by misoprostol, which helps empty the uterus. In 2020, medication abortions became the most common method, accounting for more than half of all U.S. abortions. Most abortions are performed at or before 13 weeks of gestation. Medication abortions became available in the U.S. when the FDA approved mifepristone in 2000. It is available for use in all 50 states. Some legal and drug regulatory experts argue that because the FDA is the federal agency responsible for protecting public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human drugs, states wouldn’t have the power to overrule its stamp of approval and outlaw the abortion pill. In other words, “FDA policy governing mifepristone could preempt states’ ban of medication abortion,” said Rachel Rebouché, interim dean of Temple University’s Beasley School of Law and an expert in reproductive health law. “That is a pretty novel argument for the abortion space, and it hasn’t been tested out, but I believe it’s possible to argue.” She wrote an article on the possibility. The Department of Justice could turn to the courts to intervene against a state or group of states that were to ban or restrict the use of mifepristone for medication abortion. Gostin, the Georgetown law professor, said he has talked to the Biden administration about this being a potential course of action to ensure people still have access to abortion. “I can’t say whether the administration will go through with it. But I think there is a reasonable likelihood that if a state becomes punitive and bans every avenue for a lawful abortion, then the Justice Department would act,” said Gostin. Some Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), endorse the idea. “I’m totally in favor of the administration taking every possible opportunity to make medication abortions more widely available,” said Warren, adding that it’s also a topic of discussion among Senate Democrats. But, during a recent Senate Democratic press conference on reproductive rights, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) tempered expectations on how expansive the Biden administration’s executive actions to protect abortion access may be. “We want the Biden administration to set forth what they can do,” she said, but “they are limited.” The White House wouldn’t say which executive or legal actions might be under consideration. President Joe Biden said the day after Politico published the leak of the Supreme Court’s draft opinion that protecting “a woman’s right to choose” would fall on elected officials if the landmark case is overturned. Peter Pitts, a former associate commissioner at the FDA during George W. Bush’s administration, said the argument that FDA authority preempts a state’s has merit because allowing a state to ban the use of a legally approved product could lead to inconsistent policies on other medications. “I don’t think that an FDA-approved medicine should be available in New York and not in Mississippi. That leads to chaos,” said Pitts. “Today we’re talking about mifepristone, but it could be another drug tomorrow.” One issue with the preemption argument, though, is there is limited precedent for it in the drug arena. The only previous court case experts were aware of involved Massachusetts’ effort to stop the use of Zohydro, an opioid painkiller. A U.S. district court ruled in 2014 that a drug approved by the FDA couldn’t be banned. Pitts said he thinks it’s quite possible that this position would hold if the Justice Department and a state went head-to-head over the use of mifepristone. “A state does not have the right to prohibit a U.S. citizen from having access to an FDA-approved medicine,” said Pitts. GenBioPro, the drugmaker that manufactures the generic version of mifepristone, filed a lawsuit in 2020 in Mississippi when the state implemented restrictions on distributing the abortion pills. That state law requires patients to travel to the sole clinic providing abortions in the state and take pills during multiple visits. In the initial court filing, GenBioPro argued that Mississippi’s laws restricting the use of mifepristone “conflict with federal law and are therefore preempted.” The lawsuit is ongoing, and the drugmaker did not respond to a request for comment. So, if the Biden administration doesn’t take up the preemption mantle, could abortion rights advocacy groups such as Planned Parenthood or the American Civil Liberties Union do so? Planned Parenthood didn’t respond to a request for comment, while an ACLU staffer told KHN the organization would be exploring “every legal avenue to protect people’s ability to get the abortion care they need.” It’s certainly possible, said Gostin, so long as either organization has a legal standing, such as representing a woman who was banned from ordering abortion medication. A citizen or group of citizens might also file a lawsuit if they weren’t able to access the drug. Still, it’s likely states seeking to restrict abortion pills would argue that they are regulating medical practice, which is well within their powers, said Rebouché. Nineteen states already prohibit the pills from being prescribed via telehealth even though the FDA began allowing that during the pandemic and recently made the policy permanent. Instead, the health care provider must be present when the medication is administered. Clarke Forsythe, senior legal counsel of Americans United for Life, a national anti-abortion advocacy group, said his organization would fight back against the Biden administration if it did attempt a preemption argument, arguing that states have the power to regulate medicine and medical practice. “We would beat them in court,” said Forsythe. KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation. See stories by Victoria Knight - Kaiser Health News We highlight the stories of Black Floridians seeking emotional healing and wellness. Health News Florida Health News Florida The 988 mental health hotline is back online after a major outage Health News Florida Tallahassee Memorial gets a major grant from Florida Blue to fight food insecurity Health News Florida Health News Florida Addiction treatment proponents urge rural clinicians to pitch in by prescribing medication NPR Health Mpox will not be renewed as a public health emergency next year NPR Health Thanks to the 'tripledemic,' it can be hard to find kids' fever-reducing medicines NPR Health After record election year, some LGBTQ lawmakers face a new challenge: GOP majorities NPR Health WUSF is reporting on how distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine exposes inequities in Florida’s health care system.	9,639
Queen City Writers by Author is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. queen city writers showcasing outstanding student work issues 4.2 Spring 2016: Disabilities/Abilities Special Issue submissions staff Follow @QC_Writers New issue is now online–check out the spring 2022 issue, 10.2! On Method, Disciplinary Longevity, and Rhetorical Curriculum, Part One: Rhetoric as Behavior that Makes Arguments and Shows Character by Isaac Richards by Hanna Newby by June Shou Li by Jamie Achtmeyer by Priya Reddy food Posted on May 24, 2019 May 28, 2019 Inquiry back to 7.2 The late Anthony Bourdain was a famous chef who recognized food as a universal topic. After making a name for himself in the culinary world with his book, Kitchen Confidential, he started to travel the globe to learn more about international cuisine. His show, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, which aired from 2013 until after his death in 2018, is more than just a standard cooking show for foodies to learn about exotic cuisine; Bourdain dove into sensitive topics about politics and tradition while uncovering cultures lesser known to an American audience . In his show, Bourdain sought to experience life as the locals do, discussing more than just their signature dishes and gaining a deeper understanding of their cultures. The exigence behind learning about small, unfamiliar locations comes from the stereotypes one assumes about other cultures, which exist between many Americans and citizens of the countries they disregard. In one particular episode from season ten, Bourdain visits Puerto Rico and exposes the disconnect between Americans who discuss Puerto Rico as a travel destination and those who understand Puerto Rico to be a home with valid issues that need to be addressed. Through his show, Bourdain expands the thinking of those who watch it as he unearths a narrative of a nation that faces strife as a colony of the United States. Because he allows the natives in the show to describe their experiences for the audience, he is able to exemplify the ways in which narratives function most appropriately when being conveyed by those who are integral to that narrative. Looking at Parts Unknown with a rhetorical lens allows for an analysis that looks beyond the simplicity of a food show; each decision made helps the perception of the narrative by appealing to the ethos and pathos of the viewer. To find commonality between the American and Puerto Rican citizens is to begin to acknowledge the privilege American citizens have and to open a dialect about how the country can do better in aiding a territory claimed by the U.S. By talking with locals and learning about their lifestyle, Anthony Bourdain creates a narrative that evokes understanding from the audience by forming what rhetorical scholar Krista Ratcliffe refers to as a “non-identification” with the Puerto Ricans and those watching the show. Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown is comprised of twelve seasons, each with eight episodes. For this essay, I chose episode six of season ten for criticism because season ten is one of the latest season, readily available on Netflix, and episode six, in particular, has clear political significance. By choosing one of the latest seasons, I was able to understand the kairos surrounding the episode better which aired on cable television on November 6, 2017 on CNN. And by choosing an episode of political significance to the U.S., I was able to dissect the many layers of this episode, not just by examining the food, but also by looking at America’s relationship with Puerto Rico. In this episode, Bourdain travels to Puerto Rico to examine the lifestyle and culture of the natives through their food and their everyday experiences. An important aspect of this episode that Bourdain explains as he introduces the episode is that Puerto Rico is economically unsound. This theme continues throughout the episode and the audience better understands this as the locals interviewed give insight to how the poor economy impacts their lives. The poor economy, according to the citizens interviewed, has caused the island to become run-down everywhere but where Americans come to vacation. This particular episode of Parts Unknown has more depth than most other episodes because it investigates more than their native food; it tells the story of an island of people cast into the shadows by the country that laid claim to it. In the true fashion of his show, the episode is comprised of Bourdain sitting down for a meal with his interviewees, making them feel comfortable before asking them potentially difficult questions about their homeland. Over some traditional Puerto Rican food, the interviewees explain to Bourdain that their country, poor and underdeveloped, receives no aid from America, despite it being a territory of the country. The greatest message comes from those interviewed, who explain that the island needs to be self-sustaining through supporting local business, instead of relying on American corporations. The people interviewed emit pride in their nation, despite its unfortunate state, and give a different perspective to the audience that may have preconceived notions about Puerto Rico. And while the filming of this episode took place months before Hurricane Maria, which decimated the island and inhibited the citizens’ lifestyle indefinitely, it is still crucial to contextualize this episode around that major event as it makes identifying with Puerto Ricans all the more necessary. To better understand the exigence of Bourdain’s show and this episode, I will observe this artifact to observe how understanding is created between contrasting groups of people through exposure to their perspective that leads to a greater sense of empathy. The concept of identification is the brainchild of rhetorician Kenneth Burke who perceives it as a combination of different discourses that ultimately influence one’s identity. In A Rhetoric of Motives, Burke asserts that identification is more powerful than persuasion and can be a tool used by rhetors to create commonality between them and their audience (1325). In Burke’s theory, there is a way to find common ground between any two people and, therefore, there is room for identification which leads to a rhetorical situation. Along with finding commonalities, Burke’s theory includes another component: the terministic screen. This is the lens a person uses to narrow down information and analyze the motives or values of a rhetorical situation (Burke 1342). Because each individual has created their own lens based on their life experiences, there is room in identification for confusion and misinterpretations based on the specific ideology of those attempting to identify. And naturally, an issue that arises with identification is the obvious counterpart of division. By identifying with one group, a person naturally ostracizes themselves from another, allowing for division to occur. This division becomes a problem when one looks at cultural differences that are the result of identifying with one’s own particular country or culture. And while Burke created the initial theory for identification, Krista Ratcliffe’s theory of non-identification, a response to Burke’s idea, fits the purpose of this criticism better and relates to the objective of the artifact. While both theories were crucial in better understanding identification, her theory challenges concepts of identification from Burke and disidentification from Diana Fuss. In her book, Rhetorical Listening, Ratcliffe explains that Burke’s theory of identification “foreground[s] personal agency and commonalities,” which ignores the differences that individuals may have as people with different identities, while Fuss’s theory of disidentification “foreground[s] differences” that leads to misunderstandings between groups of people (48). Instead, Ratcliffe proposes non-identification which comes from active, conscious rhetorical listening–a concept Ratcliffe states is a “stance of openness that a person may choose to assume in cross-cultural exchanges” (1). Non-identification is a byproduct of identification but instead of assuming commonalities, one is able to acknowledge their own shortcomings and allow for rhetorical listening that promotes understanding of a culture, in this instance. By looking at the concept of non-identification in the context of this assignment, I will be able to determine the ways non-identification is promoted in Parts Unknown in order for the complete narrative of the Puerto Rican people to be conveyed while using commonalities and differences for “cross-cultural rhetorical exchanges” (Ratcliffe 73). While an identification could be made between the audience and the locals, the rhetorical strategies Bourdain employs lead to a non-identification. To better understand the narratives of the Puerto Ricans, a non-identification must be made. In this episode of Parts Unknown, Bourdain acknowledges that disidentification, or “an identification that has already been made and denied in the unconscious,” exists between the audience and the Puerto Ricans and enables them to form non-identifications (Ratcliffe 62). The entire premise of Parts Unknown is to promote empathy and understanding to the audience that may believe stereotypes about a particular place. Instead of asking the audience to identify with a group they have presumably already disidenitified with, they are tasked with listening to the subjects of the show and learning from them. This particular episode helps strengthen Krista Ratcliffe’s theory of non-identification that invites the audience to embrace their lack of knowledge of the lifestyle of Puerto Ricans, and instead asks them to listen to the narrative that is being conveyed, rather than make sweeping generalizations about a group without first-hand knowledge. Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, and this episode particularly, bolsters Ratcliffe’s concepts and creates a window that allows rhetoricians to observe identification differently. Before one can understand how a non-identification is formed, it is imperative to first examine possible factors that allowed a disidentification to ever exist. Puerto Rico, as a territory of the United States, enjoys many of the privileges of United States citizenship, although according to Bourdain, it more closely resembles a “half-assed citizenship” in which the citizens cannot vote for president, Congress, or in any national elections. Rather than being embraced as the “51st state,” they are referred to as a colonized territory that, according to those interviewed, is not taken care of by the U.S. government. Without understanding what it means to be a territory of the United States, one could assume that Puerto Rico enjoys rights of U.S. citizenship without having to actually be citizens. This episode shows, however, that Puerto Ricans do not benefit from the island’s colonization, which has actually led to many detriments. One assumption could be that America is “bailing them out” by taking on their $72 billion debt which would make them seem lazy and irresponsible, despite the fact that individual citizens have a limited role in the country’s poor economy. To disidentify with Puerto Ricans means that the audience has to have preconceived notions about what they believe the Puerto Rican narrative is. Because many Americans who have the privilege of enjoying this series assume themselves to be entitled (meaning they are in a more advantageous position than those in Puerto Rico), it is easy to believe stereotypes about Puerto Ricans and abuse our privilege of vacationing in their neglected homeland. And while not all Americans have a negative perception of Puerto Ricans, there is still a cultural divide that blocks us from grasping their narratives. As stated by an interviewee, Laura, Americans “are selling us as only a good resort to have a piña colada in the beach and that’s it.” The sentiment expressed by many locals in the episode is that Americans like their island for its natural beauty but do not appreciate Puerto Ricans as citizens of America. And while both groups of people must work towards better understanding each other, Americans, coming from a position of privilege, should seek out information about Puerto Rico in order to become more accepting and understanding of their conflict. As stated in Rhetorical Listening, “people from dominant cultures often possess the unearned privilege to choose to learn about nondominant home places” (Ratcliffe 63). Because Puerto Rico is an American territory, there is a certain level of knowledge about the U.S. that must be acquired by Puerto Ricans since they are so dependent on the nation. However, it is unlikely that most Americans have a firm understanding about the culture and economy of Puerto Rico which has caused them to view it through a selective lens that only sees the island as a vacation destination and does not put much thought into the lives of the citizens. Ironically enough, this causes a disidentification for the Puerto Ricans as they too have preconceived notions about Americans. The misunderstanding of each other’s cultures is what makes the narrative Anthony Bourdain constructs even more powerful as he attempts to help them find common ground and understanding. Bourdain travels through the island, trying food and interviewing locals which allows them to express their own perspective on Puerto Rico’s economic and political climate. This creates an opportunity for the audience to listen to a perspective they’ve never heard and learn from the source, an opportunity for non-identification. The episode opens with footage of beaches and towns in Puerto Rico, narrated by Bourdain, in which he gives brief background on Puerto Rico as an American territory. This cuts to clips of news broadcasters discussing the detrimental state of the island’s economy which sets the stage for the focus of the episode. It is not until about 10 minutes in that Bourdain even discusses the native food with the locals as he typically does in his show. Instead, he is more interested in their political climate and asking eye-opening questions about the fate of Puerto Rico that many Americans may not even be aware of. Each person interviewed gives their own heart-wrenching perspective on the devastation in Puerto Rico and appeals to the pathos of the audience. Bourdain sits down with a journalist who tells him he believes no one outside Puerto Rico has any sympathy for them and they are only seen as a vacation destination. He also has lunch with a school teacher who is brought to tears as she tells Bourdain about the lack of funding for her students, as each year, more schools are shut down. As he travels to different areas of Puerto Rico, such as farms, beaches, and the satellite island of Viequez, he has similar conversations about how their lives are affected by the island’s crumbling government and provides insight to those of us who may not have even known this was an issue. In Parts Unknown, the food is often a vessel for conversation that allows Bourdain to learn more about a region’s culture. In this episode, Bourdain gets steamed crabs with a sausage maker who talks to him about the hardships of being a business owner who relies on American exports. He also meets up with farmers who cook him a meal and discuss the importance of buying local products. But the primary focus on this episode is not the food; rather, it is the people who are suffering while most of us do not even notice. All too often, we get wrapped up in the food and exotic aspects of a culture, and we forget to properly appreciate and learn about it, which is often how cultural appropriation begins. But what Bourdain does in his show is more culturally sensitive as he displays the lives and culture of the region he’s observing which forces the audience to learn about the people, instead of just enjoying the exotic food. His show teaches the audience about food as means of communication, opening a conversation about Puerto Rico that evolves into a more complex experience for the viewer. The food on Bourdain’s show is the ethos; it is universal and helps us find commonality. The purpose of the episode is to create a non-identification with the audience and Puerto Ricans. Assumptions and stereotypes are how disidentifications come to exist, as well as identifications that, according to Ratcliffe, “are arrogant and coercive–as when the U.S. defines freedom in terms of U.S. democracy and imposes this definition on other countries without consulting those countries’ traditions” (71). But by choosing to find commonalities, as well as understanding differences between cultures, like America and Puerto Rico, the audience gains the ability to learn from and actually listen to those speaking directly about their lives. The only true way to know and process the experiences of Puerto Rican citizens is by first acknowledging that there is a disconnect, that bias and stereotypes exist, then becoming open to the ideas of people who know their culture best. This is what Bourdain does throughout his show; he doesn’t visit foreign countries and explain what it was like; instead he listens to the natives and captures their experiences on film. But more broadly than in the context of Bourdain’s show, non-identification allows those in a specific discourse community to educate a possible counter-community through non-identification that forces the listener to confess their deficiencies and humble themselves in order to expand their minds when learning from the primary source (the people living in this experience). Burke forces identification by focusing solely on commonalities, while casting the differences aside, and although this is admirable, it cannot work when discussing cultures. There will always be a dominant and nondominant culture and it is likely that the dominant culture’s imperialistic ways will override the identity of the nondominant culture (Ratcliffe 57). Therefore, instead of allowing their differences to diminish when commonalities are found, the nondominant culture is forced to morph into the dominant culture and lose all its individuality. In this case, America’s conquest of Puerto Rico and the tourist industry surrounding the island has led many to believe that it is only a vacation destination and a land with resources to harvest, thereby minimizing the native culture and identity. On the contrary, Ratcliffe fully embraces commonalities while simultaneously, opening a dialogue for differences to be shared. What Burke’s theory does is destructive; it forces commonalities where they may not exist and posits manipulation from those in a position of privilege and power in which they can strategically force common ground in order to forward an agenda. We cannot assume that Puerto Ricans are “just like us” because then we are blind to their needs and struggles (especially their added struggles after Hurricane Maria), and where there is no visibility, there is no solution created. Fuss’s concept of disidentification encourages false and hateful assumptions, ignoring the real identities of those involved, once again placing those in privilege into an advantageous position in which they can foster discriminatory beliefs based on no first-hand knowledge. What Fuss’s postmodern theory suggests is that identification “infects” one’s identity and paves the way for statements of commonality such as “they’re just like us after all” when in fact, those from another discourse community, or in this case, another culture are not like “us” and accepting the ways they are different is how true understanding blooms (13). Identifications are all too often forced because we want so desperately to make sense of the world around us and so we try to conceptualize places, people, and things in whatever way makes sense through our terministic screens. However, this is often how wars are waged and anger prevails. Indeed, identification can be as risky and disruptive as disidentifications (in which a community is renounced) because they pave the way for “annihilating the other as other,” creating the mentality of “you’re either with us or against us” (Fuss 4). But further emphasizing differences alone, as Fuss suggests, is not enough to understand those from different cultures or lifestyles. While it is surely important to avoid glossing over differences, focusing solely on the ways one is different from the other destroys the possibility for understanding. So where Burke’s theory would suggest ignoring the struggles of Puerto Ricans, Fuss’s theory causes them to be visible but still does not give us the tools to be able to solve them. For those in positions of privilege, like the Americans watching Parts Unknown, to help to dismiss the problems of those in non-dominant cultures, there must first be a learning period in which non-identifications can form in order for proper, constructive problem-solving to commence. To fully grasp why non-identification aids the narratives of discourse communities best, one need only think of two words: rhetorical listening – the cornerstone of Ratcliffe’s book, which works as a guide in employing rhetorical listening. Frequently, disidentifications and identifications are made in the unconscious (although there are instances where one could choose to relate to another person) but with rhetorical listening in mind, one can dynamically and willingly make the conscious choice to hear, with an open mind, what another person or culture is saying, feeling, or believing. Non-identification promotes this conscious and active participation is cross-cultural relations by assuming there are gaps between communities and allowing people to move in and out of said community, thus altering their worldview and strengthening their capacity for empathy and humility that comes with learning from others. Bourdain’s efforts to question those he interviews exemplifies rhetorical listening; rather than pretending to understand the plights of Puerto Rican citizens, he exposes his ignorance through questioning. And in exposing that ignorance, he opens a dialogue for open-minded learning. The greatest lesson the audience can learn from Anthony Bourdain and my readers can learn from this essay, is that this rhetorical listening doesn’t come from speculation and it must exist from knowledge gained by learning. This choice of non-identification forces interdependency Much like how one person cannot be an expert in all fields, one culture cannot fully understand the cultures they are not “experts” in and must be open to learning as a student is open to the information being taught by a professor well-versed in the subject matter. Because of Ratcliffe’s ideas, we can assert “our agency to engage cross-cultural rhetorical exchanges” that forces “action motivated by accountability” (Ratcliffe 73). Non-identification humanizes those in non-dominant cultures, allowing them to speak their truth to those who want to actively listen, opening a plane in which rhetorical situations can thrive and the rhetor (or culture) can educate the audience. In Parts Unknown, Anthony Bourdain fosters a discussion around the lives of the people of Puerto Rico. In doing this, he asks his audience to form a non-identification with the locals that shapes an understanding and appreciation for their culture. And while his efforts alone will not solve racism and end bias towards those the United States has colonized, it could be a starting point for those who wish to renounce their ignorance and assumptions in order to constantly learn more about Puerto Rico from those who live there. Bourdain himself, in sitting quietly as those he interview tell their stories, shows how he is able to make non-identifications with them. Now more than ever, it is crucial that we as Americans understand those in our own territory; after the devastation Puerto Rico faced due to Hurricane Maria, it is our moral obligation to cast away biases, stereotypes, and assumptions in order to listen to the needs of Puerto Rico. For countries that have been colonized, non-identification allows them to hold onto their traditions and culture, something that is often tragically lost in the whitewashing of conquest. Places like Puerto Rico require those of us from dominant cultures to listen rhetorically in order to appreciate their cultures, rather than appropriate them (or erase them all together). On a global scale, non-identification could be seen as an ethical way to explore the world around us. All too often, larger, stronger countries or cultures exploit other cultures for their resources, food, traditions, and land. Historically, these larger countries have conquered smaller nations in hopes of reward from this new land. And while traveling and trade is an excellent way to share and combine cultures, we must be careful as to not abuse or mistreat the cultures of the less privileged nations. Rather than coming into these new lands ready to consume their culture, it is essential to listen rhetorically and form non-idenitifications so that we may not warp a nation’s esteemed culture and practices for our own use without understanding their significance. We should look to Bourdain in Parts Unknown to understand how to ethically explores the world. Rather than simply preparing exotic cuisine and explaining the significance the dish has on another culture, Bourdain submerges himself in unfamiliar cultures and lets the people that know best do the explaining. While Bourdain is technically the central focus of the show, it could be argued that those he interviews and the countries he visits are the true stars. His ability to remain humble and submissive in instances where a native is explaining their food exemplifies a morally sound exploration of the world. Of course Bourdain as an internationally renowned chef could probably describe the dishes to the audience with passible accuracy, but knowing that he does not have connections to the food’s origins, he encourages others to explain their own culture first-hand. By engaging and learning from the natives, Bourdain is doing his research and avoids overstepping in situations where another perspective is necessary. Instead of forcing our traditions as imperialist Americans onto weaker countries, we can learn about their strengths and capabilities on the global plane and offer our strengths as aid in place of their weaknesses. Non-identification allows for discourse communities to act fluidly and freely from one culture to another, embracing the divide that exists while being influenced by it through active efforts. Furthermore, when discussing the contribution to rhetorical studies that non-identification makes, one is able to point back at Parts Unknown as an example of Ratcliffe’s work implemented in a real life application. Bourdain’s show creates an ethical conversation about what the thoughts and feelings of the Puerto Rican citizens are, without interference by preconceived notions or stereotypes. By discussing how non-identification welcomes education and tolerance, this essay augments Ratcliffe and Rhetorical Listening by displaying the cultural benefits of humbly learning instead of assuming. Personalities are fluid and by understanding another culture through listening to their narrative, one can enrich one’s own narrative, allow it to become more worldly as one enters a discourse community as a visitor. Instead of allowing identification to proceed with its partner, persuasion, rhetorical listening forces the audience and the rhetor (who are interchangeable) to make conscious efforts to accept or deny the information being presented after opening themselves up to the idea that they might not have all the knowledge already. And while Burke and Fuss’s theories still hold validity and were essential in starting a discussion around identification, Ratcliffe morphed it into an entirely new concept, one that takes commonalities as well as divisions and sets the stage for one to have agency over their own lives by accepting the differences as a means for understanding. Maison would like to thank members of the Moravian College English and Writing department at Moravian for all of their encouragement and instruction throughout her undergraduate career. She would like to also thank Dr. Crystal Fodrey for her help during the writing process of this essay. Works Cited Burke, Kenneth. “From A Rhetoric of Motives.” The Rhetorical Tradition: Readings From Classical Times to the Present, edited by Patricia Bizzell and Bruce Herzberg, 2nd ed., 2001, pp. 1324-1340. “Puerto Rico.” Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. Season 10, episode 6, CNN, 6 November 2017. Netflix. — Maison Allen is a recent graduate from Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA, where she studied Communications and Social Influence with a minor in Studio Art. She has a significant interest in political and social issues and often focused her writing around gender and race inequality. Her hope is to work in politics and activism and continue using rhetorical studies to communicate effectively. back to 7.2	30,624
Say ‘Motion Picture’ and ‘1939’ together and images are conjured of what may be considered Hollywood’s pinnacle year, when GONE WITH THE WIND, THE WIZARD OF OZ, STAGECOACH, GUNGA DIN, WUTHERING HEIGHTS, NINOTCHKA, DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK, SON OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, DARK VICTORY, OF MICE AND MEN, THE ROARING TWENTIES, EACH DAWN I DIE, BEAU GESTE, DESTRY RIDES AGAIN, IDIOT’S DELIGHT, YOUNG MR. LINCOLN, and MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON were released. To the person on the street ‘movies’ were feature length stories with attractive actors. Three thousand miles away from Hollywood a very different aspect of the movie business occupied the attention of Nathan Sobel in New York. From what I can gather, Nate Sobel’s interests lay with color film processing. Sobel had some connection to DuArt Film Laboratories at 245 West 55th Street. DuArt dabbled in animation and special effects, mainly meaning optical effects. Loucks & Norling were there in the same building. Nate Sobel also had some affiliation with Audio Productions in Long Island City, and their client Consolidated Film Industries. In 1939 Nate Sobel decided to start a company to aid little studios with production. Sobel started out small, securing a French movie camera built in 1910. Leon Levy partnered with Sobel in this enterprise. Levy handled the technical end while Sobel looked after the business. Sobel invited his brother-in-law Irving Hecht, unemployed with a teaching degree, to assist him and learn the business. Cineffects maintained a low profile, no promotional ads in trade publications. Jobs must have come by word of mouth, but the company grew, moving twice before renting space at 1600 Broadway in the Studebaker Building. One of the guys Leon Levy relied heavily on was James Love. Born to parents who toured as a vaudeville act, James Love got into the business young. When his father settled down to manage a movie theater, while training as an assistant projectionist, Love carried films to and from the exchange on his bicycle. Warner Brothers’ booking department hired him upon graduation. In the Coast Guard James Love learned how to edit film. Together, Leon Levy and James Love hammered out problems in effects production. By 1944 the company was advertising its existence. Irving Hecht ran the special effects department. Anne Busch supervised editing. In 1945 Al Semels was head of animation for Cineffects. Semels supported Screen Cartoonists Local 1461, which negotiated a contract with Cineffects early in 1946. Sydel Solomon, long-time inker for Max Fleischer, recently at M-G-M, came over. Animator Jimmy Tanaka came from the Fletcher Smith Studio. Tanaka had been with Disney and Famous Studios before that. Phil Klein, who started as an inker For Van Beuren Studios, showed up. Phil had worked his way up to inbetweener before Van Beuren closed, following his older brother Izzy to Disney. Phil Klein spent four years in Hollywood learning animation and assisting in the camera department. This marked Klein as a good fit for Cineffects, where they were streamlining effects techniques into a new process. As Nathan Sobel explained: The studio camera cannot always tell the complete story without the aid of the drawing board, the optical bench or the animation camera. Our function is to tie up the loose ends of motion picture production. The wide service we have rendered in this branch of film work has made Cineffects the foremost “Producers’ Aid” in the industry. Sobel and Leon Levy dissolved their partnership in late 1946. Sobel incorporated Cineffects, holding onto one hundred percent of the stock. Irving Hecht became Secretary/Treasure. Sobel started a venture called Model Films at 27-27 Jackson Avenue in Long Island City with Bob Jenness. Model Films boasted of a new technique for 3-D animation, so I’m supposing they did stop-motion. Sydel Solomon and Phil Klein left Cineffects in April of 1947. Solomon went to Tempo. Klein went to Fletcher Smith. Jimmy Tanaka went off to Transfilm. Model Films doesn’t seem to have lasted long, but Sobel was also involved with the Color Service Company and their lab at 115 West 45th Street, across from the Knickerbocker Hotel where the animators’ union sometimes met. A fresh batch of animators rolled in during 1949. Paul Halliday had been with Fleischer two decades before, and more recently Fletcher Smith. Irv Dressler started with Fleischer in Miami and joined Famous Studios. Sylvia Alevy had been with Famous and Minitoons. Alex Geiss from Terrytoons had been with Disney before being part of Frank Tashlin’s great experiment at Columbia Screen Gems. Russ Dyson, another West Coast transplant from Disney joined Cineffects in 1950. Dick Rauh, graduate of the Art Students Leauge, had been kicking around different shops, settling into Cineffects to really learn the optical trade. The company moved to 115 West 45th Street. James Love went off in 1952 to start his own shop, first with salesman John Lalley as Lalley 7 Love at 3 East 57th Street. Alex Geiss went along as head of animation. After five years it became simply James Love Productions, moving into the same building as Cineffects, staying until 1961 when Love moved to 2 West 46th Street with Stanley Popko as Creative Director. Six years later James Love was at 550 Fifth Avenue with a sound stage as well as recording and editing studios. He stuck around until about 1986. As James Love departed in 1952 Cineffects continued to grow. Designer Burt Freund signed on. Freund started in California under Frank Tashlin on Daffy Ditties and worked in the graphics department of CBS in New York. Young animator Ed Smith, inker Beccy Blashko, and Fleisher Studios veteran John Cuddy all came aboard in 1954. Fleischer’s writer Joe Stultz passed through at some point. Schaefer Brewing sponsored televised broadcasts of the Brooklyn Dodgers games in those days. Cineffects made Schaefer’s beer commercials. Some were stop-motion bits where the bottle caps seemed to be talking. There were others featuring the Schaefer mascot, an unkempt fellow named Thirsty. Animator Thurlo Collier left Terrytoons for Cineffects in 1955 to reinvent himself as an optics man. Nathan Sobel’s old partner Leon Levy operated Film Opticals at 421 West 54th Street, pushing the boundaries of optical effects. Sam Levy, once a cameraman at Cineffects, started Eastern Effects at 333 West 52nd Street and Dick Rauh went over there. Both these studios were at the forefront of developing new optical techniques. Optical workers had no union of their own, so the Screen Cartoonists Guild invited them in. Cineffects employed fifty-one people by 1955, twenty of them in the animation department. The only theatrical cartoon I’m aware of the company making is Killjoy Was Here!, sponsored by the U.S. Air Force Photographic and Charting Service. The character of killjoy was voiced by Jackson Beck, better known as Popeye’s nemesis Bluto. Izzy Klein directed the cartoon, which is embed at the bottom of this post. Six people in the machine shop were often called upon to modify equipment to achieve some new effect. Cineffects used top of the line Oxberry animation equipment. An important technical advancement came about when Oxberry Products manufactured a new rostrum camera. Improvements included special frame counters, and special pin-registers to keep film from jumping track when doing double exposures. Such attention to excellence led to Cineffects winning accolades in 1957 for a deodorant commercial where a woman splits in half while walking down street. Al Semels was doing alright for himself. He’d left Cineffects several years before to work for Lee Blair at Film Graphics, then Dave Hilberman at Tempo Productions, and Chad Grothkopf at Chad Associates. He started Anifilm Studios at 165 West 46th Street around 1957, and soon added the Albert Semels Studio at the same address. Ray Favata Productions moved into the building around the same time as Gifford & Kim in 1960. Nathan Sobel died in 1962. Irving Hecht (shown here in a sketch by Izzy Klein) took over as president and carried on, continuing to enlarge the studio. When the real estate company Income Properties, Incorporated acquired Cineffects in 1967 the place had eighty-five employees, expanding into another 4,500 feet of their building. By 1970 Cineffects occupied five floors of 115 West 45th Street. They hung on for another decade. Cineffects Color Laboratories, Inc. made SEA ISLAND for the South Carolina Arts Commission in 1977. In 1979 they were listed as Cineffects Visuals, then the trail goes cold. GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN. Cameraman Al Schirano had been Cineffects union delegate thirty-two years before. Schirano put what he learned there to good use at Transfilm, Academy Pictures, Hal Seeger’s shop and L&L Animation. In the Seventies Schirano operated the animation camera for Larry Lippman at Design Effects., eventually founding Schirano Camera at 45 West 45th Street. Though it had gone quietly about its business, Cineffects set off an echo that resonated through the New York animation studios. August 22, 2022 2:14:50 am Thanks, Bob, for this expert summary on Cineffects. I wrote a post on Killjoy a few years ago but you found out a lot more. I appreciate your thoroughness. August 22, 2022 7:51:24 am August 22, 2022 5:58:54 am There is a Cineffects in Australia today, based at Fox Studios in Sydney. It’s a film production company offering clients in both the public and private sectors much the same range of services as Cineffects in New York did years ago, including 2D and 3D animation. I’ve seen the New York outfit referred to as “Cinefex” by writers who were clearly confusing it with the late film journal of that name. I didn’t know that Phil Klein was I. Klein’s brother. Phil was co-chair of the pickets during the Disney strike of 1941, and he also painted signs and banners for rallies supporting Henry A. Wallace’s 1948 presidential campaign. Because of this he was investigated and harassed by the FBI and the HUAC during the Red Scare of the ’50s. Thus Cineffects, like Tempo and Transfilm, seems to have been a haven for artists who, because of their past political activities, would have been personae non gratae at the major animation studios. August 22, 2022 7:57:43 am Phil is Izzy’s younger brother according to Howard Beckerman, who knew them both well. Cineffects was one of first shops to join the union, so always a hot-bed of “radicala”. They gave coffee breaks early on. Tempo is a whole story I’ll get to soon. August 22, 2022 7:47:31 am Was Izzy Klein still working at Famous/Paramount Cartoons Studios when he directed “Killjoy Was Here” or did he leave? August 22, 2022 7:03:04 pm Izzy Klein was part of a mass firing at Famous in Sept. ’54 (along with longterm vets like William Henning and Irv Spector), so this probably was his next job. August 22, 2022 12:24:40 pm This is a great article Bob! Thanks for the info! August 22, 2022 12:53:04 pm This “Killjoy” short must have been a case of the job going to the lowest outside contractor. The USAF not only had its own 2D animation unit but went so far as to use its own proprietary three hole peg registration system. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * BOB COAR made his way in this world as a muralist and sign painter, illustrating on just about every surface imaginable. A life-long fan of animation, he is currently searching for digital, or actual, copies of Top Cel.	11,958
On this episode of the podcast, we’re joined by Beacon co-founder Kevin McGrath who gives us insight into what it’s like to run the company with his brother and how they work together with Kevin as designer and Eoin as Developer. Beacon is a product for marketers and business owners to efficiently create the lead magnets they need. Their product is simple, with features their audience needs to get the job done quickly. As a team of two, managing resources is extremely important. While Kevin focuses on the design side (his area of expertise), they still will outsource to other designers at times. We discuss how this allows them to bring in fresh perspectives and enables him to avoid the dreaded loss of productivity when you’re shifting contexts. Outsourcing Content has lead to Expanded Areas of Content With Beacon being such a focused product, prior to working with Audience Ops, it seemed logical that all content should be related to lead magnets. But, by bringing us in to not only create content, but help them develop topic ideas, they’ve realized that there is a much wider topic-base to write from. Working with Audience Ops for content has helped Kevin release guilt for not spending time on that part of the business, and allows him to focus on growth and development of the company. To wrap up the episode, Kevin shares what Beacon is focusing on next to grow the company as well as his tips for listeners who are looking to grow their company- you won’t want to miss it! Learn about Beacon Transcription of This Episode Do you consider how you manage your resources? Of course you do, but what if you’re a team of two? How do you handle resources then? Beacon, co-founder, Kevin McGrath shares that and more with us on the podcast. I’m Sara Robinson, a manager here at Audience Ops and on this episode Kevin gives us insight into what goes on behind the scenes at Beacon, a product for marketers and business owners to efficiently create the lead magnets they need. Beacon was started by Kevin doing design and the businessy things as he says, and his brother Owen, who’s the developer. Their product is simple, lead magnets features their audience needs to get the job done quickly. Kevin and I discussed what it’s been like to be a small company with a very focused product. He shares how they manage resources and how they decide to outsource. He’ll even bring in other designers even though that’s his specialty. We also discuss how they utilize content as a part of their marketing, and how Audience Ops helps them realize the variety of content that could be created for the company. Kevin also shares what Beacon’s focusing on next to grow the company, as well as his tips for listeners who are looking to grow their businesses. You won’t want to miss it. Kevin, thank you so much for joining us on the show today. How are you? I’m very well thank you. Yeah, cheers for having me. So glad to have you here. So let’s jump right in and talk about Beacon. Is there a latest milestone that you’ve hit that you’re really excited about? Yes, we were actually, we were talking about this earlier today. So we tend not to focus too much on our stuff, like the thing that gets us really excited is milestones that our customers hit, and sort of customer success. So we’re working on a few new features at the minute and we’re just, we’re this close, to crossing and 10,000 leads generated and for some of our customers. So I think about maybe 1% of our customer base is trialing these new features and that 1% are about to generate 10,000 leads. So they’re getting pretty successful with these new features so we’re pretty excited about that. Yeah, that’s amazing. And I love that you look at, not your milestones, but what your customers are up to. That’s amazing. So you’re a small company as we’ve talked about, it’s founded and still run by you and your brother Owen. So what has your experience been like working as a team of two? Yeah, I love it to be honest. Like myself and Owen, we’ve been working together for I think about 13 or 14 years now, that’s always been more or less as a team of two. So we’re used to it, obviously we’re brothers so we know each other pretty well. But from a work point of view, we know how we work and we know how we work best, so we’re able to move quite fast. Like communication is fairly seamless, it’s effortless. So I think a small team suits us at this stage. Absolutely. Well, and it’s interesting because you’re brothers. Like you said, you know each other really well, but I’m sure many of our listeners are sitting here going, “I could never run a company with my sibling.” And then people are probably going, “Oh yeah, that makes complete sense. We know each other so well. The communication is just so effortless,” like you said. So that’s really interesting that you’ve been working together for so long, and found it to be so great. well everyone says that getting into business with family, it’s risky, it’s a big decision. But honestly, it always felt very natural to us. We don’t have big blazing arguments or anything, I guess we just, we knew each other so well. We can have a frank and honest discussion without it getting heated. So yeah, I’m all for it. Yeah, brothers in business works for us. So yeah. I like that. Brothers in business. So you’re obviously a small and growing company. Can you share a bit how you manage your resources? Yeah, so obviously two co-founders, I’m from a design background, my brother, Owen, is from a development background. So from a product point of view that works really well. I take care of all the sort of user research and put together product specs, put together wireframes, mockups and and went back and forth throughout that whole process with Owen. And then he takes care of all of the build more or less. So we do occasionally bring in freelancers from either a design point of view or a development point of view. But I’d say, 95% of the work is carried out between the two of us from the product side of things. Yeah. So let’s talk a little bit more about outsourcing. We know you outsource content creation obviously, and you just mentioned some freelancers. So what other roles or responsibilities might you be outsourcing, or what is that 5% that you’re not taking care of on your own? Yeah, so for example, we might, from a design point of view, I might send wireframes to a designer and ask them to interpret them into fully blown mockups. So that’s good. I suppose from every point of view, from development or design, you can find yourself getting into a little bit of a rut. I have my design style and it’s fairly well established at this stage, but sometimes you just need a third party to come in and just almost just mix it up a little bit. And so it’s great to see what some designers might come back with. It’s completely different from what I would have thought up. It’s sort of helps to breathe a bit of fresh air into the process. And then from a development point of view, obviously at this stage, the company has been up and running for five or six years, the product’s well established. So from a design point of view, there’s not a huge amount of ongoing product design work, but there’s a big amount of product development work, just from a maintenance and new features point of view. And so Owen would bring in freelancers just really to share the workload and just so we can keep moving it as fast as possible there. Yeah, that’s a really interesting point. You make that even though you know design and that’s your specialty and your background, you could do the work, but it makes sense to bring someone else in, like you said, to breathe new life into things. So I really love that concept that even though you can do it and do it well, it doesn’t always make sense that you’re the one doing it. Yeah. And sometimes you’ll find as well that switching between tasks, I’m doing a lot of this sort of businessy stuff, a lot of them marketing stuff as well. And then to suddenly switch to design thinking perspective, it’s a big context switch. So moving to a design, like I say, a new landing page or a new homepage, it could take me quite a while just to get back up and running, just to find my groove again. So sometimes I’ve beat my head against enough brick walls to know when to just pass that off to somebody else and not to sort of soldier on through. So let’s get back to Beacon, to your tool, so it’s simple and focused on one use case. We talked before we even hit record on this episode that you’re okay with not everyone liking your product,. but share with us a little bit about how that impacts the marketing that you do? Yeah, so Beacon, you’re right, it’s a very specific product. It’s a tool for creating lead magnets to things like eBooks, resource guides, checklists. And so a lot of people might look at that type of product and think, “Oh, it’s a design tool,” something like Canva or Photoshop, something like that. But because it is so specific, it means that we don’t have a lot of those features that maybe a designer would expect in a piece of software. Instead, we try to just only provide the features that a marketer or a small business owner would need and appreciate. So we’ll get a lot of maybe designers that sign up for the product and say like, “Why doesn’t it do X, Y, Z?” We have to say, “Well, no, it’s not really a product for designers. It’s a product from marketers.” So from our point of view when we’re doing our marketing, we have to be very clear that this isn’t necessarily a design product, it’s more of a marketing tool. So that impacts if we’re doing partnership outreach, like we don’t reach out to sort of design-focused sites or design-focused businesses, it’s generally other companies within the marketing life cycle. Yeah, that definitely makes sense. And so, how does content creation fit into your marketing plans? Yes, so it’s a big one. From our point of view, it’s sort of a mix between education on the best practices of how to use lead magnets and when to use lead magnets. Then if you think about a user journey, our marketing has to touch on every part of that user journey from conversion rate optimization to email marketing and sort of everything in between. And to be honest, this is where Audience Ops has helped us a little bit in that we can see past it’s a tool for creating lead magnets, all our content has to be about lead magnets. Really when you broaden that out, there’s a bigger marketing opportunity there for us than we realized. So that’s been great. Good. Well, we’re happy we could help you do that. So how or why did you decide to work with us for content? Yeah, it’s half a time pressure thing and half, just against it’s that context switching. If I’m doing 50 different things, I couldn’t honestly say that I can give 100% focus to our marketing, our content marketing specifically, and making sure that I’m producing high quality content on a consistent basis. So to be able to offload that mentally on to a team that we trust, it’s a big load off my mind. And then you can see the compound results over two months, four months, six months, and it starts to add up. Like it’s, yeah, it’s really worth it from that point to do. Definitely. Can you share a little bit more about the benefits that you’ve seen from working with Audience Ops? Yeah. So the biggest one is definitely it’s a time saver, there’s no doubt about it. For me to dedicate that amount of time just wouldn’t be possible. But as well, it’s the ideation, so we couldn’t come up with half of the ideas that you guys come up with. It’s just, I don’t know, it’s just, you guys are living and breathing this every day and we’re not to the same extent. So coming up with great ideas and also coming at them from a fresh angle, I’ve definitely spoken about this before, but when you’re all day in working on the product and it’s lead magnets, lead magnets, lead magnets, it’s hard to see just how to branch out and where are the maybe hidden opportunities are. So, I’d say that’s been one of the biggest benefits for us. Absolutely. And I think, we find that over time as we work with our customers longer and longer, we get better at finding those other topics that we could write about. And I think for you as the person in it, it becomes harder and harder, and for us it almost becomes easier and easier. Yeah. Like whenever I get a draft blog post through from you guys, I’m reading it going, “Oh, this is good. This is really good, why didn’t we do this like six months ago?” So it’s, yeah, it’s nice to read that draft content for sure, I’m always pleasantly surprised. Yeah. Well it sounds like you knew that you would benefit from continuing with content and it would be great to free up this time. But was there anything that helped you feel good about letting go of writing the content yourself and passing it off to us? The biggest thing is the release of guilt. Whenever you’re a small business owner, you’re constantly feel guilty about not spending enough time on this part of the business, or I’m not the amazing writer that I should be. I should spend some time learning to write better. You can’t do it all, so you just end up feeling guilty about it all. So to know that you have a secret team working away who are professional writers, who put the time into the research and make sure that everything is fact-checked and proof-read, that’s just … Yeah, it’s guilt off my conscience a little bit. Yeah. And when you first decided to bring on Audience Ops, was there anything in the process that we did that helped you sort of feel like, “Okay, yes. This is going to work and this is a team that I can trust.” Was there anything about that process that really stood out to you as beneficial? Yeah, so a lot of this stuff that we try to teach our users from a lead magnet point of view, you guys were already doing and already doing well. And so for example, you pair every blog post with a content upgrade. For us, that’s absolutely essential. We think that every single blog post should have an appropriate content upgrade with it. Most other marketing agencies or marketing services wouldn’t, we’d maybe do one lead magnet. So it wasn’t the case of me having to convince you guys that, “Yeah, we need one for each blog post.” That was already ingrained into your process. So that made me feel very comfortable that you know what you’re doing and I can switch off to it to an extent. Right. We were already practicing what you preach. That would be not so great if the tool that is all about lead magnets doesn’t utilize them in their content and have no process. Yeah, for sure. So in general, why do you think it’s a good idea for our company to focus on content creation? Like we found from our point of view, obviously producing high quality content helps with inbound traffic, like it helps to bring new customers to us. But it’s been really good for educating our existing customers. And so it’s helped us to reduce churn, it’s helped our customers to become more confident with our product. Especially when they see us implementing things like content upgrades for every single blog post, they can see it in practice, they can see it in action. They know what these content upgrades look like and what format should be like. So it’s been great from that point of view. Definitely. So for you, what’s the next phase of marketing? Is there anything you’re continuing to focus on or different that you’re going to do? Yeah, I think we’re going to double down on partnerships now in the next few months, it’s something that we’ve had a lot of success with in the past. But we probably haven’t been consistent enough with our partnership outreach and our partnership operations. So that’s definitely something we want to focus on. Can you elaborate a little bit for our listeners on how you’re utilizing partnerships and what that might look like for you? Yes, we do all sorts. So generally there’s I guess, three types. So we would either do a technical integration with another product. So, for example, Beacon integrates with HubSpot, and so our software compliments their software, and so we’re part of their partner program so we can reach out directly to their customers and we can share resources directly through HubSpot. So that would be a good example of a technical integration. A content partnership is probably the most common, and we’d link up with another company. Again, software company with a complimentary product. And we would say, “I think your audience should be using lead magnets. And I know our audience could use some advice on say email marketing. So let’s do maybe a joint webinar together where we’ll teach your audience how to get more email addresses with lead magnets, and you can teach our audience how to nurture those leads through email.” So these types of partnerships, they work because they make sense. The customer’s the winner at the end of the day, we always want to put out good content that helps our customers, like every other software companies is the same. So it’s typically, it’s not a difficult pitch to these types of companies. Yeah, it absolutely makes sense. I find myself nodding as you were talking about that. Like, “Yeah, that definitely, that makes sense.” So for the founders who are listening, do you have any tips for those that are entering that next phase of growth. Things to look out for or to focus on? Any tips for them? I would say focus is definitely the key. It’s so easy to get distracted by different marketing channels, different marketing techniques. But I would say definitely focus on one, even six months at a time. I think it takes at least six months to fully see if a new marketing channel is working. As well I would say, and this is especially I guess for smaller teams where the founders are both product-focused or founder team is product-focused. It’s always tempting to go back and tweak the product constantly. But you’ll find if you keep doing that, your marketing slowly but surely drops off to nothing. So I think if you’re already established, maybe focus a bit less on the product and a bit more on the marketing. I like that. Great advice. The last but not least, where can people find you? Where can they find Beacon? Yeah, so our web address is beacon.by. And so you can create a free account there. You can also contact me on Twitter I suppose @mrkevmcg, is my Twitter handle. Probably the best way. I like that Twitter handle. Awesome. We will link for everyone in our show notes so that they can find you. But thank you so much Kevin for joining us today and sharing all about Beacon and what you’ve been up to. Yeah, no problem. Thanks for having me. Those are great thoughts and tips from Kevin at Beacon and we love their products and actually use them for our lead magnets here at Audience Ops. So if you want to learn more about our Done-For-You Content services, don’t forget to check us out at audienceops.com. Start here. We’ll schedule a time for us to talk this week about content for your business. Company About your business Serving online businesses worldwide. Grow your business by attracting strangers and converting them to customers—at scale. Learn how in this free 20-minute video workshop. Watch now and get the replay emailed to you. What is 10 plus 5?* Please enter a number from 15 to 15. Take a look through samples of Audience Ops’ blog content work that we’ve done for clients across a variety of industries. Enter your email and we’ll send you our samples now.	20,477
March 25, 2022 5 min read Flow Token: Everything you Need to Know About it. What is the definition of Flow? Flow is a fast, decentralized, and developer-friendly blockchain that will serve as the foundation for a new generation of games, apps, and digital assets. Flow is the only layer-one blockchain established by a team with a track record of providing excellent consumer blockchain experiences: NBA Top Shot, CryptoKitties, Dapper Wallet. TOKEN OF FLOW The FLOW coin (“FLOW”) is the Flow network’s native currency and the foundation for a new, open, and transnational digital economy. FLOW token is the fuel that powers the network if Flow is the digital infrastructure. FLOW is the currency that allows the network and all of its applications to function. FLOW is intended to act as both a payment method and a long-term reserve asset for the Flow economy as a whole. Validators, developers, and consumers use the token to participate in the FLOW network and get incentives. It’s also utilized to pay fees and participate in protocol governance in the future. The environment of Flow Flow is the only blockchain that incorporates usability improvements into the protocol layer, making it the only blockchain built from the ground up for mass use. Flow is already being used by top developers and some of the world’s leading brands to create whole new experiences with top-tier content. Top entertainment companies, development studios, and venture-backed startups make up Flow’s ecosystem. Global IP brands such as Warner Music, Ubisoft, NBA, and UFC are among the Flow ecosystem’s partners, as are leading game developers such as Animoca Brands, Sumo Digital, and nWay; crypto leaders such as Circle and Binance; and several notable projects among the next generation of high-growth startups, such as Opensea. What distinguishes Flow from the competition? Flow provides: It learns from and improves on previous solutions. Flow’s multi-role architecture is unique, allowing the network to scale to support billions of users without sharding or diminishing consensus decentralization. Smart contracts on Flow are written in Cadence, a simple and secure programming language for crypto-assets and applications. Developer friendliness: from upgradeable smart contracts to the Flow Emulator, this network caters to individuals who want to create meaningful community products. Consumer onboarding: Flow was created with mainstream customers in mind, with payment onramps allowing for a secure and low-friction transition from fiat to crypto. Dapper Labs, the developers of Flow, Cryptokitties, Dapper, and NBA Top Shot, were the original creators of the Flow blockchain as well as Cryptokitties, Dapper, and NBA Top Shot. Dapper Labs was founded in 2018 with the goal of bringing new types of digital engagement to users all over the world. Blockchain-enabled applications can connect fans closer to the companies they love, give people a meaningful stake in the communities they help to build and provide customers new options to become creators. Publicly announced The NBA and NBPA, Warner Music Group, and the UFC are among Dapper Labs’ partners. Andreessen Horowitz, Union Square Ventures, Venrock, Google Ventures, Samsung, and the creators of Dreamworks, Reddit, Coinbase, Zynga, and AngelList are among the notable investors in Dapper Labs. Dapper Labs, the company behind the hit NFT collectible game CryptoKitties and the official NBA highlights shop NBA Top Shot, has developed Flow, a blockchain. The platform is mostly used to host non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and decentralized gaming applications (dApps). Flow aspires to create a blockchain network that is simple to use for both developers and end-users. The native currency of the blockchain network, FLOW, is currently on the decline, with prices down more than 80% since reaching an all-time high of $46.16 in April 2021. According to CoinMarketCap, the FLOW token price touched an all-time low of $4.34 in late January. What is the difference between the FLOW coin and the Flow blockchain? The creators of Flow, Dapper Labs, used what they learned from their experience with CryptoKitties on Ethereum to create an alternative blockchain with cheap gas prices, ease of use, and scalability. The pipelined architecture of Flow sets it apart from existing blockchains, according to the company. It divides the work traditionally performed by a single miner or validator across five different node types, eliminating redundant effort and increasing efficiency. Flow bills itself as the “greenest Web3 network.” It employs a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus process, which is enhanced by a multi-node design, with the goal of increasing network throughput and performance while reducing environmental impact without the usage of sharding or Layer 2 solutions. The FLOW coin is the Flow blockchain’s native token. FLOW holders will be able to use their token in the following ways, according to Flow’s technical papers: On the Flow network, transaction fees or gas fees are charged. Deposit for the storage of data For secondary tokens, collateral is required. In order to vote and govern Staking is used to safeguard the Flow network and collect incentives. The FLOW token is prone to inflation. Flow claims that its currency has a monetary inflation cap, and that when network costs rise, inflation on FLOW will decrease. Flow did point out, however, that monetary inflation will be higher in the first year of operation in order to encourage larger levels of staking. According to CoinMarketCap data, the circulation supply of FLOW currency is over 318.08 million, while the total supply is over 1.37 billion. Only about 23% of the total FLOW supply is in circulation, according to CoinCodex. As of 9 February, there were 726.74 million staked FLOW tokens, or 52 percent of the entire supply, according to Flowscan data. The future of the FLOW coin is bright: FLOW, a pioneer in the NFT space, held its first community sale in late September 2020, raising $18 million through coin sales on cryptocurrency platform Coinlist. Around the same time in 2020, Dapper Labs, in collaboration with the NBA, established the NFT marketplace NBA Top Shot. According to DappRadar, NBA Top Shot, which is hosted on the Flow blockchain, accounted for 46 percent of the then-record NFT trading volume and produced $226 million in trades by February 2021. Between late January and early April 2021, the price of FLOW increased by approximately 600 percent, reaching an all-time high of £46.16 on 5 April. However, the token, along with the whole cryptocurrency market, plummeted in May and June as a result of China’s crackdown on cryptocurrencies. Despite a robust rise in July and August, FLOW was unable to break beyond the $30 barrier. Meanwhile, on the strength of a flourishing NFT market, competitor NFT tokens such as THETA, MANA, and SAND soared in the second half of 2021. FLOW, on the other hand, continued to fall, eventually reaching an all-time low of $4.34 on January 24, 2022, when the cryptocurrency market took a pessimistic turn. In July and September, the FLOW token was listed on major exchanges including Binance and KuCoin. In October, Kraken made FLOW tokens available to clients in the United States and Canada. As of February 9th, 2021, Coinbase does not have FLOW listed on its exchange. Is the bottom in the FLOW/USD pricing over? After reaching a record high of $46.16 in April 2021, the FLOW token has been under selling pressure for nearly a year. As of 9 February, the FLOW coin price data shows that the token is trading at $7.23. According to CoinMarketCap, FLOW coin is the 52nd largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, with a current market capitalization of around $2.66 billion. The price of the FLOW token has dropped by about 36% in the last year. In the last month, the token has lost around 8% of its value. However, bargain hunters are snapping up the battered token, and the value of FLOW currency has recovered from its low point, rising 12 percent in the previous week. The FLOW token was placed fifth among NFT tokens by Coin Codex (as of February 9), after Decentraland’s MANA and Sandbox’s SAND. FLOW cryptocurrency news: The home of NFTs based on sports The focus of Flow and Dapper Labs is on broad adoption. Because of their affiliations with the NBA, NFL, UFC, and LaLiga, they have become synonymous with sports-based NFTs. To offer NFT souvenirs to fans, Flow has negotiated official collaborations with the UFC and the NBA. Digital items from the Dr. Suess universe are also available on the network. In September 2021, Dapper Labs agreed to collaborate with the National Football League (NFL) and the NFL Players Association. LaLiga, Spain’s top football league, established cooperation with Dapper Labs in October 2021 to sell video-based NFT collectibles based on the Flow blockchain. In November, the NFT marketplace Rarible announced that it has completely integrated with Flow, allowing users to construct, list, and trade Flow-based NFTs on the platform. Animoca Brands, a blockchain game publisher, and Dorna Sports, the commercial rights holder for MotoGP, announced an agreement in January 2021 to establish an NFT platform dubbed MotoGP Ignition on the Flow blockchain. On March 26, 2021, the first NFT sale is planned to begin. CryptoKitties, which was created by Dapper Labs and was previously hosted on Ethereum, is now being developed on the Flow blockchain. Onboarding into the Flow network, CryptoKitties owners received a minimum of $1 billion in FLOW tokens. In a move to enhance its cross-chain and decentralized finance capabilities, Flow has announced that a FLOW/USD Chainlink Price Feed is now available to all dApps on Ethereum. Price targets for Flow coin (FLOW) in 2022, 2025, and 2030 According to a Coin Codex short-term Flow price estimate (as of 9 February), the token’s value could drop to $8.10 by 14 February. “According to our FLOW forecast, this is a favorable moment to acquire FLOW,” CoinCodex said. Meanwhile, as of 9 February, algorithm-based forecasting sites published mixed longer-term FLOW price predictions: PricePrediction.net predicts the token will average $10.08 in 2022. In 2025, FLOW/USD was predicted to average $33.10, and in 2030, it was expected to average $212.33. It’s critical to conduct your own research and keep in mind that your decision to trade is based on your risk tolerance, market expertise, and investment portfolio spread. Never put money into an investment that you can’t afford to lose.	10,946
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My pastor friend Michael at Oak Leaf has broken his rule about commenting on critical web sites about his church. He has been very nice in his responses, but the Calvinist of the world are uniting against him. I am no theological expert by far… but there are some things that these guys are saying that absolutely scare me. I just got finished reading Romans not to long ago (I wish I would have been to the mens crack of dawn bible study). 9That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”[e] 12For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[f] 14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news! If you boil down what some of these Calvinist are saying… they are saying that God is really mean! They say he has already selected an elect group of people that get to go to heaven, and then all the other people he has chosen for them to go to hell. I’m sorry… but I just don’t see how if anyone can call on the name of the Lord and be saved, then have problems understanding that. Anybody can receive a new heart by accepting Christ as savior and making him Lord of their life. I am not a theologian – so I might be wrong. I just feel that fighting over if somebody was actually saved or not is a waste of our energy. I am afraid that many of these guys need to examine themselves. I am afraid they are calling out Michael because they are jealous of his ministry at Oakleaf growing while their elect flock is dying out. I don’t know these guys hearts so I can’t tell. They might really think they are ridding the world of false doctrine. I don’t mean to come off mean, but this has just been a trend that has been disturbing me lately. I could go on more and more about Puritan reading (Anybody heard of the Salem Witch trials?) and things like that, but I really don’t think this is the place. I am no expert so what I say is purely opinion. I think I am going to have to put one of those disclaimers on my blog saying “Any opinions, conclusions or hints of wisdom expressed on this site do not necessarily reflect the views of ______________, or any of the staff members.” Related surebeatsworkin' says: March 27, 2008 at 1:06 am That is some scary stuff this guy is saying…it is really sad! March 27, 2008 at 2:45 am I am with you Brad. rpavich says: March 27, 2008 at 10:42 am Brad,If I may, I believe you are mis-characterizing Calvinism by saying:”If you boil down what some of these Calvinist are saying… they are saying that God is really mean! They say he has already selected an elect group of people that get to go to heaven, and then all the other people he has chosen for them to go to hell.”That misrepresents what they have said at Old Truth and what Calvinist’s say in general.Just to set the record straight, this is what Calvinism says, and what scriptures they get this crazy idea from.Men are sinners, wicked and evil. God doesn’t owe men anything. All men deserve Hell.The fact that God, who is rich in mercy chooses some for salvation, doesn’t mean that they deserved it. Indeed, they deserved Hell, but this amazing loving God gave them life.If God gives some life, it doesn’t follow that He owes this life to everyone.Here are some scriptures that support this idea:Men’s hearts are wicked.Scriptural Support:Genesis 6:5, 8:21; Numbers 15:37-39; 1 Kings 8:46; Job 15:14-16; Psalm 14:1-3, 51:5, 94:11, 130:3; Proverbs 4:23, 20:9; Ecclesiastes 7:20, 8:11; Isaiah 6:5, 53:6, 64:6; Jeremiah 10:14, 13:23, 17:9; Matthew 7:11, 15:19; Mark 10:18; Luke 17:10; John 2:24, 3:36, 6:44, 15:5, 16; Acts 3:16, 16:14; Romans 1:18-2:16, 3:9-20, 23, 5:12, 7:18-20, 8:7; 1 Corinthians 2:14, 12:3; 2 Corinthians 3:5, 4:3, 11:3; Ephesians 2:1-6, 4:17-19; Colossians 2:13; 1 Timothy 2:25, 6:5; 2 Timothy 3:8; Titus 1:5; James 2:10, 3:2, 8; Revelation 9:20, 16:9.God chooses an elect people:Deuteronomy 7:6-10, 15, 9:5, 29:4; Psalm 65:4; Isaiah 45:4; Mark 13:20; John 1:13, 6:44, 65, 15:16, 17:2; Acts 2:39, 9:1-18, 11:17, 16:14, 18:27; Romans 8:28-30, 9:10-26, 10:20, 11:5; Ephesians 1:1-11; 1 Corinthians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Philippians 1:29; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 1:9, 2:10, 19, 25; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 9:15; James 1:18; Jude 1.I realize that there are lots of references there, but take the time to look through them and see if they do support the idea that God has chosen an elect people.Also for the record, Calvinist’s would affirm your siting of Romans 10 “confess/believe” the issue is WHY you would confess and believe and your neighbor would not…is it something inside you that’s just a little better? Paul would say no.I hope this clears up what Calvinist’s believe a little. It’s always proper to represent the opposing view fairly, right? Fred says: March 27, 2008 at 12:11 pm Hello. My name is fred and I am an OLD TRUTHER as well as a regular on several other sites. I am a monergist and I say that unapologetically. I love my Lord and will defend Him with all my being. I never want to hear those awful words that I denied Him and His Word, which are intrinsically tied together, by not speaking up when His word appears to be violated, either willfully or unwillingly. The statement that anyone is calling into question someone’s salvation misses the point. Secondly , you too are making a judgment when you claim someone is saved by their profession alone. But you will criticise if anyone says that you should not do that. That is scary stuff! Without fruits how can you or anyone claim that someone is saved.”you shall know them by their fruits”.It doesn’t take a theologian to understand the Bible. But it takes more than human emotionalism. To know God is hard work. Seek me with all your heart soul and mind. You wish to belittle the Puritans, but have you ever read them? Their understanding of man and God,and their reverence to the Most High blows away almost 95% of the “Christian” stuff that is produced today. Todays stuff is so me-centered. It is not what seems right to us, for God thoughts and ways are not our thoughts and ways. But it seems we want to make him like us, thinking in marketing terms, pragmatic thinking, emotion driven, socio/psycho rambling, love of entertainment, disdain for real reverence etc. This is all humanism sir.Salvation is simple , but it is profound and miraculous. It is not just some emotional, orchestrated event, hear a sermon and make a decision work. I know Charles Finney believed it was. He was wrong.Thanks for allowing my thought. Carrie says: March 27, 2008 at 1:04 pm Hi Brad, I’m glad you have recently read Romans and I am glad you admit you might be wrong on this. I would just challenge you to apply your framework to some of the more difficult passages of Scripture. How would you deal with Romans 9?”10Not only that, but Rebekah’s children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. 11Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: 12not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” 14What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. 19One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?” 20But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ ” 21Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? 22What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?” Dan Cartwright says: March 27, 2008 at 1:17 pm Brad,While I do not doubt for a second the ‘sincerity’ of your comment, I would encourage you to investigate the scripture and comments offered by other “Old Truthers”, whose goal is to return to the historic faith of the Reformers. I suppose I could also be called a Calvinist, but before I knew much about Calvin, I found John 6:44. And as has been said and scripturally supported, election is not a Calvinistic doctrine, it is a Bible doctrine. Concerning any man stating whether another man is really ‘saved’is, well, let me say that It would be the heart of arrogance for me to make that statement about anyone else. The best I, or any man can really do, is say that it ‘would appear’ by someone else’s life (not decision) that he/she is a genuine Christian. Joel says: March 27, 2008 at 1:37 pm Hay folks, some good posts on this. Gives us some things to think about for sure.Carrie, you know the interesting thing about that protest in verse 14 is this: When people today read that God “hated Esau”, they say “then God is unjust”; but Paul was actually anticipating a protest against the statement “Jacob have I loved”. Since Paul had already clearly established man’s depravity in previous passages, it is the grace of God in extending mercy to sinners like Jacob that stands in stark contrast to the justice that both Jacob and Esau deserve. But it is His prerogative to have mercy on whom He will, and no one may resist his determined will to save those He has mercy on. Several people have said to me “I will not serve a God like that”. Well, that is in fact the God you are serving – but not the mean God you think He is, but an infinitely mercifull God, who grants repentance and eternal life to unworthy sinners like me and you. Soli Deo Gloria!Joel March 27, 2008 at 1:57 pm Spend 60.00 or so of the best dollars you’ve ever spent and get John Bunyan’s works. The old tinker of Bedford will will do much to clarify these issues for you. Also read and meditate on Matthew 13 and even John 6. Ask the Lord for wisdom and a broken heart as you search these things out. May the Lord bless you in these studies.James Joel says: March 27, 2008 at 2:32 pm Brad, the truth of the Sovereignty of God is the most encouraging truth you’ll ever hear. The fact that God uses His word in to accomplish that which He has determined, and it will not return to Him void; and His hand is not shortened that it cannot save, should give us incredible encouragement in knowing that when we witness and preach, our words will not fail, and God will use them to convert His elect, to the glory of His grace; or use them to condemn the lost, to the glory of His justice. What is “not so encouraging” about God’s authority and omnipotence?What the passage is saying is that when a person’s heart has been infused with the faith of Christ, the person will have a desire to confess Him as their Lord and Savior, and their prayers will be directed to the true and living God.”Calling” on the Lord is not some sacrament that we may exercise in order to gain entry into God’s salvation. It is a response to salvation already obtained. We do not confess to GET saved; we confess that we ARE saved.Unless the new birth has taken place in the heart, any confession the person may make is nothing but empty profession. This is why it is foolishness for preachers to proclaim that someone is “saved” or “not saved”, either way, until they have endured the trial of their faith and they begin to bear the fruit of the Spirit in their lives.Only when we know there is a real transformation of the person can we begin to have some confidence that their profession is real, and even then our boasting is in the Lord – in what HE has wrought, not in our work, our witness, our church, or preaching, no, we may not boast in any thing but God’s amazing grace. Anyone at any time can “decide” to profess Christ as there savior. But no one can just “decide” to be born again. Only God can give new birth. People should not be told to “raise their hands” or any other such bodily ritual. They should be told to earnestly seek God’s mercy and when they know that they have been transformed by His Spirit, then they may confess to “what great things God hath wrought”.So we should stop abusing Romans 10 to support the doctrine of decisional salvation. The support we seek just isn’t there. rpavich says: March 27, 2008 at 3:14 pm I’d also like to point anyone not familiar with it, to an audio exegesis of Romans 9 by Dr. James White.Here is the link:http://mp3.aomin.org/JRW/Romans9.mp3If you listen to it and give it a chance, I think you will see that Romans 9 shuts the door on synergism. Marty says: March 27, 2008 at 4:09 pm Dude, you just got pounded with new friends. Several years ago, I got reprimanded by a friend who was also a witch, and who proceeded over a debate on instant messenger to use about 40 different verses of scripture to prove her point.Can’t mess with that logic right? If it’s verses from the Bible, than it must be true.And the other thing Brad, is that if you have a hero who’s younger than the civil war, I wouldn’t mention that, because anything good that ever happened in the world, happened from the time Martin Luther nailed some theses to a wall (not a bad thing) to the time Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield died. Oh yeah, unless there names are Piper and/or MacArthur.Either way, good observations, I’m just sorry you’re now on the evil list. Seem to be doing some good things at your church.I would put my blog address down, but I’m afraid that I’d get mercilessly challenged with “John Bunyan” references. Jason Ebeling says: March 27, 2008 at 4:37 pm Brad, certainly stirred something up here and I’d even say that conflict is good (if it causes us to recheck our conclusions and presumptions). That being said, all this conversation seems to be doing is distracting folks from sharing Good News with people who may need to hear it. If people are actually questioning whether or not Michael shared good news in their Easter service – it’s not even worth debating any further. I seem to recall Paul thinking the same thing in Philippians 1:18 (and no, I don’t think Michael was preaching “a different Gospel” like Paul also talked about in Galatians 1:16)My first reaction was to check out Acts and see how they counted. So I’m confused by Acts 2:41; 4:4; and even 5:14. Seems that from the very beginning, people believed (and may have even been baptized) – and got counted/numbered/included that same day. Too bad they didn’t have enough time to bear fruit. And what in the world was Luke doing counting them in the first place? They got counted because it mattered….that little step, that forward motion, it mattered. Fred says: March 27, 2008 at 4:43 pm Marty,We need to be honest here. We live in an age of dumbing down and of unprofound thinking about God. Have you ever read the Puritans or the Fathers? If you did, you really could not argue that we have the same depth of clarity and of the Beautific vision that they had. It is just not true. We may pride ourselves of living in an age of equal profundity, but we are fooling ourselves. Even in secular realms this is noted. The pollster G. Barna has also noted this.No one claimed that “anything good that ever happened in the world, happened from the time Martin Luther nailed some theses to a wall”. You are setting up a straw man arguement. What is claimed is what I set forth above. We just continue the faith that was once delivered and handed down from generation to generation. We learn from the saints of the past. The church today rebels against that because we live in a society that rejects the wisdom of the elders of society and that attitude has invaded the church. Carrie says: March 27, 2008 at 5:12 pm Several years ago, I got reprimanded by a friend who was also a witch, and who proceeded over a debate on instant messenger to use about 40 different verses of scripture to prove her point.Can’t mess with that logic right? If it’s verses from the Bible, than it must be true.Marty, What is your point here? rpavich says: March 27, 2008 at 5:27 pm Marty,I’m not sure if you’re trying to be funny and I can’t tell or you’re being uncharitable. The truth is is that Brad mischaracterized the Doctrines of Grace in his post; which is setting up a strawman to knock over.I tried to explain nicely what those who believe these doctrines ACTUALLY do believe so if we were going to exchange information, then we’d be representing the sides accurately.By contrast; you were sarcastic, and misrepresented what’s been said here. Now which one of us is being more Christian-like?Jason E,What is it about discussing this issue that stops someone from “sharing the good news” with another person? That doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense and seems to be a “false either/or type of argument.As far as your scriptural references go; I’d say that the Holy Spirit can definitely say who got added to the church and who did not…right? (Acts) Michael is not in that category, true? And considering the Barna polls show that 98% of all of those who “sign the cross” sign the card” or “walk the aisle” fall away within the first year…it’s not to far fetched to just ask to wait to see how things shake out is it? That’s not being uncharitable, that’s being honest considering 1st John 2:19 in which John describes from his point of view how to know IF someone is saved or not:They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.Did you see what John did? he said that it “became plain” that they were not for us, because of what? Because in time, these false teachers left…their fruit showed!Do you see the juxtaposition? The Holy Spirit can say that 3000 souls were added to the church because it was the Holy Spirit that was responsible! John, being human, waits to see the sign; perseverance.If you’d like to respond DIRECTLY to what I’ve said here, I think it would be beneficial…what do you say? rpavich says: March 27, 2008 at 8:31 pm Brad,I feel strongly that I should reiterate what commenter “Carrie” posted.If you cited Romans 10, then you know that it comes on the heels of some of the most Reformed scripture in the word of God.If you allow Paul to make his argument; it’s clear that their are elect that are chosen before the foundation of the world…let’s go through it together…I’ll add some comments in bold…what do you say?”Not only that, but Rebekah’s children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or badPaul is giving an example of God’s sovereign choice in whom He elects to salvationNotice in the next phrase he says WHY God does this:—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand:As if that wasn’t enough, he goes on to say:not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”So he says that it’s God’s choice, not by the man. And the example he gives is Jacob and Esau. It’s not the normal birthright like we’d expect…God chooses.Paul anticipates his first objection (which is “Hey! That’s not very fair!)and then he answers it:What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”Wow, what a door-slam on that argument. Paul explains that God will “mercy” whom he will and we have nothing to say about it.It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.How many ways can Paul say it? It has nothing to do with us! Then Paul, goes on to give an example from the OT:For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”Wait! God raised Pharaoh up for His own purposes? What about Pharaoh’s free will? God had other ideasTherefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.Again, God’s sovereign choice. The actual phrase is “God mercies whom He will mercy.” It’s a verb in Greek and personal. Not “to have” mercy.Paul anticipates another objection!One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?”How many times Paul must have heard that one! If God is behind who believes and who doesn’t, then that’s not fair to punish us!Then Paul answers the objection in a most forceful way:But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ “Wow…Oh man! You have no right to question God in this!And for good measure, he compares us to clay pots and God as the potter, having full say over what kind of pot He makes and for what purposeDoes not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?Paul rightly points out that God could have zapped us at anytime but He didn’t…bore the vessels of wrath and with great patience. What a merciful God!What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?”So here we are; the whole this is to show the riches of God’s mercy, and justice!Paul is a great apologist and if you let him make his own case, it’s an easy argument to follow.PS: if you find yourself on the other side of Paul’s argument, i.e. “What an angry God!” or “What an unfair God!” or “I could never worship a God that would only choose some for heaven!”then you might want to rethink your position. matt says: March 27, 2008 at 9:31 pm To Rpavich:I’ve been reading your posts here and at the other sites and I want to tell you how insightful and helpful they are. Thanks for the hard work and exposition of a subject that needs more apologetics like yourself. I pray the Lord will use these discussions to educate those who misunderstand and/or misrepresent his Word.-Matt Jason Ebeling says: March 27, 2008 at 9:57 pm rpavichDiscussing this issue in this format and context is not (in my opinion) nearly as profitable or important as sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with someone who does not already know Him. Is it worth discussing? Sure. I just think the great amount of time, energy and effort may be better spent building the kingdom instead of simply trying to clean it. I’m pretty sure God is the one who’s planning on separating the wheat from the chaff and sheep from the goats.And if you’re suggesting that the Holy Spirit inspired Luke to write and record numbers in Acts but wasn’t involved or interested in directing John to write what he did concerning his observations in 1 John, then apparently my understanding of Scripture being inspired is way off. The Holy Spirit certainly was at work at Pentecost (3000 people) and He inspired Luke to record it. Could this be a both/and situation? Count ’em, celebrate, AND wait to see if they produce fruit? I think so.As far as responding directly ….no, I don’t think it’d be beneficial, at least at this point. You’ve provided more than enough information here. rpavich says: March 28, 2008 at 12:17 am Matt,thank you for the kind words! But if it wasn’t for a certain Dr. James White, I’d not be able to think my way out of a wet paper bag! All credit goes to God for creating such a huge brain in that guy!Jason,No…I wasn’t suggesting that the HS did not inspire John…I merely pointed out that it was two different view points…one a statement that the Holy Spirit added souls on pentacost and one John saying that the way to tell if a person has been saved is to keep an eye on the fruit…No problem there…Jason, Why oh why do you keep pitting discussing God’s word and evangelism as if they are a “one or the other” choice?Can we not do both? Diane R says: March 28, 2008 at 12:23 am While I also have had trouble with predestination, which is what you are talking about here, I cannot get away from Romans chapter 9.It drives me batty. BUT, I do need to be honest and allow the Bible to speak for itself. Therefore, I am kind of suspended between Calvinism and Arminianism. And..LOL…I am hearing there are a whole lot of us out there like that. rpavich says: March 28, 2008 at 9:52 am Diane,I appreciate your honesty!I would challenge you to bring up any verses that speak of a man having a “neutral will” that can “choose God or not.” They just aren’t in there.A lot of people see choices in the bible and assume that man can then choose God…the assume that it’s one of those kind of choices; totally unencumbered.Unfortunately, the bible speaks of mans inability!Look at the verse list that I posted in my first post…you’ll see it spelled out.God bless,bob Jason Ebeling says: March 28, 2008 at 12:10 pm rpavichNo, apparently in this case you can’t do both. I already know Christ as does Brad who originally wrote this post. We don’t need to be evangelized. It appears other comments are also from evangelized believers (although I might have to wait and be a fruit inspector) Look, if you’d like to do both, have this conversation somewhere else with someone else. Simple as that. rpavich says: March 28, 2008 at 1:59 pm Jason,My mistake, I wasn’t aware that you thought that I was “evangelizing” you…I thought we were discussing the mis-information contained in the post by Brad.You had set up the false dichotomy of “doctrine discussion vs evangelism”…I didn’t.I had just assumed you meant that we should be spending our time “sharing Jesus” instead of here trying to understand what God’s word actually says.Again, my mistake…For the record though: I do evangelize heavily; in fact I invite you to go to my website http://www.goshareyourfaith.wordpress.com and download any of my materials for evangelism free of charge! Dan Cartwright says: March 28, 2008 at 2:38 pm Since I saw a few comments about the importanct of ‘sharing the good news’ I think I will listen to some of the messages from the ‘church’ under discussion to see if the ‘good news’ is actually being preached in its fullness, to include the parts about sin and repentance – you know – the gospel Paul preached. rpavich says: March 28, 2008 at 2:38 pm Jason,As I am so forgetful I’ll add one more thing in response to your “me and brad are saved so we don’t need to be evangelized” statement…There are many people who stumble across these blogs, some of whom might not be saved, some of whom who THINK that they are saved but are not. On the off chance that someone does this, I don’t hesitate to work in God’s word if I can…But again, it would have been nice if you’d have interacted with the scriptures posted, and the points made instead of the “either/or” thingy…the readers might have benefitted from that. Dan Cartwright says: March 28, 2008 at 3:47 pm Well, I listened to two Easter services, one about tattoos (complete with a guy getting a tattoo on ‘stage’ and the other one about Jesus the rockstar. The first one actually used the phrase that Jesus died for our sins, but never got to the resurrection or the recorded first word of the gospel – repent. The other one was an updated version of a sermon preached yuears ago “Friday’s Here, but Sunday’s Coming. The resurrection was our ‘encore’ in life that will solve all our problems. The pastor was rude, crude and also missed addressing the real nature of sin and need for repentance.Both were bereft of sound exegesis. Both were excellent examples of eisegesis, however. Both dishonored God in a variety of ways, and neither oneincluded a clear gospel presentation, at least from what I listened to.I am not surprised though, since there are a lot of similar churches out there, whose vision is to bring dead folks through the doors and keep them entertained and maybe present half the gospel if they stick around long enough.Just observations. rpavich says: March 28, 2008 at 5:34 pm Dan,I’m glad that you listened to a few services to get a reference point for this discussion.I’m very interested to see if anyone defends what the Pastor preached WITHOUT any sound scriptural exegesis…just opinion or “proof texts” at the most.We’ll see. So far what I’ve seen here is only two people have attempted to get their answers from scripture and nobody that is pleading the other side is even commenting on or indicating that they’ve read the scriptures posted at the start of this thread! Dan Cartwright says: March 28, 2008 at 6:37 pm rpavich,I zipped over to your blog and sent the address home (I am at work) so I can read more and add it to my blogroll, with your permission. I am at http://born4battle.wordpress.com/ Good point about the use/non-use of scripture. I was visiting an interesting blog “Suddenly Christian” for a time and every time I quoted scripture as the authority I was labelled “mindless” or some lsuch thing by the atheists in the discussion. March 28, 2008 at 7:29 pm I’m amazed at how people pull scriptures out of context and try to use them to “prove” their point. Both Romans 9 (“Therefore God has mercy on whom He will have mercy and hardens whomever He will.”) and Romans 11 (“The elect believed and the rest were hardened.”) explain both belief and unbelief in terms of election. You may not like what it says, but you can’t deny that it says it. As far as free will is concerned, you are free to eat dog vomit any time you want, but that doesn’t mean you ever will. March 28, 2008 at 8:03 pm I’ll ask a question. Have you come to the place in your spiritual life where you are willing to believe everything that the Bible tells you about God, yourself, and the way that people are saved? The Bible says that “Abraham believed God and it was accounted unto him as rightousness.” It also says that those who resist (or don’t believe) the Son will not see life, but that the wrath of God abides on them. Therefore, is believing everything that God has revealed about Himself important? If you believe one passage of Scripture, but not another, do you really believe? These are hard questions, but I think they need to be asked. We all need to examine our own hearts to see if we really believe in the God of the Bible or if we have created a god to suit ourselves. rpavich says: March 28, 2008 at 9:18 pm Dan C,Thank you very much for the blogroll link…I’ll check your site out. I’m always on the lookout for solid sites to surf! rpavich says: March 28, 2008 at 9:29 pm Dan C,I put a link to your blog on my blog roll…you’ve got a nice blog there. Sheila says: March 29, 2008 at 6:28 pm I am sooo not a Bible scholar, but I do know what I was raised up to believe (Prov. 22:6) so I have several questions that come to mind when you tell me that our Lord has “predetermined” who is to be saved:1. How do you explain 2 Peter 3:9? It specifically says “The Lord… is not willing that ANY should perish, but that ALL should come to repentence.” Are you trying to tell me that only the predestined apply to this passage?2. What would be the point of Mark 16:15-16? If people are already pre-chosen, why would God ask men to go out and “preach the gospel to every creature.” It clearly states “He who believes… will be saved…”3. If people are pre-determined, then why does God allow the conception of a non-chosen person? That just seems odd!While I am glad for the challenge this has given me the last 2 days, I firmly believe in the simple gospel truth that anyone who willingly acknowledges Jesus Christ and accepts Him as their personal Savior & Lord, THEY ARE SAVED! Praise God for simple gospel truth! Thanks Brad for your willingness to stand up for what you believe! Fred says: March 29, 2008 at 8:35 pm Sheila,You asked a good question. I would like to comment regarding 2 Peter3:9When you look at 2 Peter 1, you will see that he was addressing the saints, the believers, the “dearly beloved”. This was not addressed to non-believers. He is writing to them so that they would remember things of old, things that the Prophets had said or revealed. Peter says that just as one time God judged, by the word, with water, so by the same word He is reserving the ungodly for the day of judgment with fire.vs7But why? Peter reiterates to the beloved (believers) again that God may seem slow in bringing judgment, but He does that because He is not willing that one of the elect perish, but that all would come to repentance and salvation. The term for the elect that is used in vs 9 is,”longsuffering (patient) to us”. Who is the “us”? The us is the beloved, the elect in Christ, the saved ones, the saints. It is not the entirety of the human race. We must read in context and understand who a letter is addressed to, so to understand rightly. Fred says: March 29, 2008 at 8:56 pm Sheila,I would like to address the Mark 16:15-16 passage.Again Sheila, who was Jesus addressing? The disciples. He told them to go preach to everyone. Where does that imply that everyone can grasp the preaching in a salvific way? The ESV states vs 15 as “”Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” So we proclaim the Word to all indiscriminately Isa 55:11 “so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. In this verse we can see that we proclaim the word to all because by doing that, it has the effect that is intended. To bring some to salvation and others to harden them or condemn them in their unbelief. Vs 16 of Mark says; “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”————So the Word either has the effect of bringing one to belief or to condemn them in unbelief. Fred says: March 29, 2008 at 9:03 pm Sheila States: “3. If people are pre-determined, then why does God allow the conception of a non-chosen person? That just seems odd!”—————————-Truthfully I do not know except to say what Scripture reveals; For His Glory.Rom 9:13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Rom 9:14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! Rom 9:15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” Rom 9:16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. Rom 9:17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Rom 9:18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. Rom 9:19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” Rom 9:20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Rom 9:21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? Rom 9:22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, Rom 9:23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory– Rom 9:24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? Rom 9:25 As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.'” So you see Shiela, though we may not understand it fully, we can understand it truly , even if our flesh rises up in protest against this Word. It is the Word and in that we trust, by faith. Jim from OldTruth.com says: March 29, 2008 at 9:04 pm Hi Sheila:You said: “anyone who willingly acknowledges Jesus Christ and accepts Him as their personal Savior & Lord, THEY ARE SAVED!”We agree with you. The question at hand however, is WHY do they accept Him (why do they believe and repent)? That’s a problem because passages like Romans 3:10-20 teach that no one seeks God. So before anyone will accept Christ, God must give them a new heart. He’s the reason why everyone who comes to Christ does so. As for your questions:1) The answer to that is in the context leading up to 2 Peter 3:9. Who is Peter referring to. This page explains your question very graphically:http://tinyurl.com/ysudbc2) The reason for evangelism is that God has chosen to have us participate in His glorious plan to save the elect. We of course don’t know who the elect are, so we preach the Gospel to everyone. In my case, God predestined my brother to share the Gospel with me when I was 17 and that the Holy Spirit would save me through it. God had a similar plan for your life it sounds like. The ‘means’ of evangelism are just as predestined as your belief was. And you are right, it does say “He who believes will be saved” and there are also verses like Acts 13:48 that says “as many as were ordained to eternal life believed”. So we see that there is a reason WHY people believe, and that reason is something God does. And so it is that we can say, God did it all, He saved me completely, I owe all to Him. If you pick up a church history book, you’ll find that the greatest evangelists and missionaries in protestant history have been predestinarians. Wow!3) Why God allows people to be created who will end up eternally lost is a mystery for all Christians, even ones that don’t believe in election. If God knows the future, as the bible says He does, then we have to face the fact that He created an earth knowing in advance that many would end up in Hell. It’s uncomfortable to think about, just like a lot of things about God, such as killing almost everyone in the flood, and telling the Hebrews to kill Canaanites including their babies, but we just have to trust that He has a good reason for it all.Here’s a page of more Q&A’s that might help you through additional questions. You are also welcome to visit us over at OldTruth.com at any time and join a discussion or write us an email.http://tinyurl.com/32bo8y Dan Cartwright says: March 29, 2008 at 9:06 pm “What would be the point of Mark 16:15-16? If people are already pre-chosen, why would God ask men to go out and “preach the gospel to every creature.” For reasons God only knows, he has designed that men would be involved in his plan for the salvation of the elect. There is a blog post that might help you.http://born4battle.wordpress.com/2008/03/08/the-great-privilege/ Fred says: March 29, 2008 at 9:12 pm Sorry about misspelling your name Sheila. By the way—what I wrote is the plain, simple, gospel truth. Those who believe on Christ are saved and they believe because they are elect and God has granted them the faith unto repentance. Those that do not believe are condemned. They are not condemned because they are not elect, but because they are not elect they freely choose to stay in their sins and not believe and that condemns them. Fred says: March 29, 2008 at 9:16 pm Thanks Jim and Dan, for the links to help our sister Sheila in her understanding of the Word. Robert says: March 29, 2008 at 9:24 pm Dan,Good link there…it appeals to my “technical” mind. FYI, I’m in the defense industry and I know just what you’re talking about!I’d like to make sure that Shelia understands something. We aren’t yours, or anyone else’s enemy in this. We are just trying to explain the words of scripture. We have been where you are, trust me!But we can’t ignore what scripture says…I was just reading this passage yesterday:John 12:37-40Although Jesus had performed so many miraculous signs before them, they still refused to believe in him, so that the word of Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled. He said,“Lord, who has believed our message,and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?“For this reason they could not believe, because again Isaiah said,“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart,so that they would not see with their eyes andunderstand with their heart,and turn to me, and I would heal them.Did you notice WHO hardened their heart? Yes… it was God!Did you notice WHY He did that? So that prophesy would be fulfilled!Yes, God DOES intervene in the salvation of man. It’s a fact.Once you recognize this kind of thing…you’ll notice that it’s ALL OVER scripture.Shelia, I’d be willing to bet you that you pray like this:”God please soften the heart of my friend, and save him!”Or something similar…do you realize what you’re asking?Yes, you are asking God to violate someones “free will.”You can’t have it both ways Ransom says: April 4, 2008 at 12:21 am reading this post kind of makes me want to be an atheist. May 1, 2008 at 11:33 pm Indeed, if there are 3 tactics Wesleyans can learn from Calvinists, it is to type faster, reuse posts whenever possible, and be more organized. It’s amazing how Calvinists can orchestrate an organized invasion and swarm the comments section with posts.Too bad that mass intimidation only works in converting non-Calvinists to Calvinists, and not non-Arminians to Arminians. Fred says: May 2, 2008 at 12:29 am “It’s amazing how Calvinists can orchestrate an organized invasion and swarm the comments section with posts.”Blaze, I think it more amazing how they can exegete the Scripture, also called “rightly handling” the Word of God. As for me, I am a very slow typer.The swarming part? I think that is just a bunch of “rightly handing the Word of truth” people all saying the same thing—sometimes called the unity of the faith. Robert says: May 2, 2008 at 9:35 am Two things come to mind when reading Blaze’s comment:1.) What does that have to do with the content of the original post, and the following observations made by those “Calvinists”?2.) That was just a personal attack, an ad hominem, that served no purpose.I’d be much more interested to hear Blaze interact directly with my first comment post…that God DOES elect a people for himself, and that Romans 9 is all about that freedom in election.Now THAT would actually serve a purpose! May 6, 2008 at 12:26 am I know this is dangerous (This my first comment on the matter surprisingly), but I found an interesting note from a friend and fellow church planter here in Greenville. I definitely am not in total agreement with this, but I found it interesting and wanted to know what my Calvinistic commenters thought on this. He has recreated TULIP into a new acronym. “PRAIRIE”P – Providence of God – This component simply states that God, in the beginning and even now, provided everything for Adam and Eve. They needed nothing, whatsoever.R -Radical Corruption – This states the same thing as total depravity: our very nature is sin, down to our core. This is passed on from our forefathers, and will continue to be passed on. There is no way we, in and of ourselves, can overcome it.A – Attainable Life – This attests to the teaching of Jesus. He showed us a way of living that overcomes our corruption through indwelling of the Spirit. This is the Kingdom life for the here and now.I – Inherited Election – This is the same as unconditional election: we’ve done nothing to merit our election by God, it is simply inherited by us because of the sovereign grace of God.R – Reserved Atonement – This is the same as limited atonement. It states that when Christ died, it was sufficient for everyone, but it only affected and is efficient for the chosen elect.I – Irresistible Grace – This has remained without change. It simply says that no one can resist the Spirit drawing them to the Kingdom, but that the Spirit can and does yield to one’s resistance.E – Eternal Security – This component is equivalent to the perseverance of the saints, which says that if we are called, then we will persevere to the Coming Kingdom, Heaven.As you may guess I disagree with some points, but I would like to get your take on this this new, and more “Biblically accurate”, Calvinism.	45,836
The UFC is back in our lives after a week off following UFC 216. Of my 3 bets on that card, 2 of them were cancelled because I was on both Werdum and Harris, who eventually faced each other after Derrick Lewis dropped out the morning of the fight. It was a strange sequence of events, but my main bet on Ferguson did win, so it was a profitable event for me. This week we head to Gdansk, Poland for a fight night card that will be taking place on Saturday afternoon here in Canada. The card is headlined by Donald Cerrone and Darren Till, and there are a few interesting fights. The entire card will be shown on UFC Fight Pass starting at 11:30am EST, with the four main card fights starting at 3pm. If you don’t have Fight Pass, the main card is also shown on The Fight Network here in Canada at 3pm. Offers Rating Licensed and regulated in Canada Easy deposits & withdrawals including Interac Competitive betting lines Licensed in Ontario and Malta (accepts bettors from across Canada) Competitive betting lines Easy deposit/withdrawal options, including Interac Most popular betting site worldwide State of the art live betting platform including streaming of several events Fixed odds for horse racing Cowboy Cerrone has lost two straight and many people seem to be down on him, but I am not one of those people. Yes, Cerrone lost two fights in a row, but they were to top 5 fighters in the welterweight division in Masvidal and Lawler. Cerrone actually looked pretty good against Lawler, and if you looked at the fight as a whole of the 15 minutes he would have won the fight, but Lawler took round 2 off and was able to edge Cerrone in rounds 1 and 3 ever so slightly to get the win. Cerrone is a guy that takes on all challengers and isn’t one of the many guys in the UFC who pick and choose opponents and only fights guys who are ahead of him in the rankings because they are afraid to lose their spot if they lost a fight to an up and comer. This strategy has worked well for Cerrone so far in his career because he’s been able to outclass everyone who isn’t a top 5 fighter in the UFC division. Yes, he’s lost his last 2 fights, but let’s not forget that Cerrone is 19-6 in his UFC career and all of his losses have been to big names. Darren Till is a decent prospect, but he has not established himself as a top fighter in the division by any means. Till has 2 decision wins this year after taking 2016 off. His wins were fairly impressive, but the level of competition was fairly low in Ayari and Velickovic. This is a massive step up in competition for Till. From a technical standpoint I also think this fight falls right into Cerrone’s wheelhouse. Cerrone has problems with pressure strikers, but Till is a guy who likes to stay at range and pick his shots. Cerrone will be able to get into the flow of the fight and that’s when he can really start letting his kick boxing go. Also we cannot sleep on Cerrone’s takedowns and ground game. Once he gets his striking flowing he can transition into takedowns very easily and if he gets this fight to the mat he will have a big advantage there as well. I expect Cerrone to have an advantage everywhere in this fight and for him to use his leg kicks to slow down Till, then his punches to set up a high kick and also go for takedowns when they present themselves. I actually expect this to be a clinic and an easy win for Cerrone over a guy in Till, who is a promising prospect, but is not ready for this level of competition. Kowalkiewicz is another fighter coming off of two losses who I fully expect to get back in the win column. Kowalkiewicz will be fighting in front of a home crowd and it seems to me that the UFC matchmakers set this fight up to get Karolina an impressive win. Esquibel is a former professional boxer, but she was only .500 in that realm and will still be at a significant disadvantage on the feet compared to Karolina in my opinion. Kowalkiwiecz will be able to put on a high pace in this fight and I fully expect her to easily outland Esquibel en route to a decision. I don’t expect any takedowns in this fight, but if it does go to the mat, I still give Kowalkiewicz the edge there as well. Esquibel is really not near the level of Karolina and I simply don’t see any paths to victory for Esquibel, so I’m willing to take the big favourite here. I don’t think Kelleher is as good as many people seem to think. Yes, he had an impressive submission in his debut, catching Alcantara in a guillotine choke, but he followed that up by getting caught himself by Marlon Vera in an armbar. Both of these guys are active, grinder type fighters who have the ability to pull off submissions in a fight, so I expect this to be an action packed fight with plenty of scrambles. The winner will be the fighter who can capitalize on the scrambles by sinking in a submission. In that respect I give the edge to Stasiak. Stasiak has never been submitted and I see him as the safer fighter in the scrambles, with the higher fight IQ. Kelleher is willing to put himself in bad positions to look for submissions and that is not a smart tactic against a guy like Stasiak. Kelleher had a nice winning streak leading into his UFC debut, but he actually has 5 submission losses in his career. Look for Stasiak to go for takedowns, which will initiate scrambles, and for him to find an opening and sink in a submission like he did against both Pejic and Grant in his two UFC wins. Those are my 3 picks for UFC Fight Night Poland. As for leans I’m looking at Hamilton (2.00) and Alvey (2.15).	5,868
So yeah, I managed to hit 50k words today. I went into a writing spree yesterday which resulted in me doing about 5000-6000 words. I'm rather satisfied, but it merely means that I can breathe easy now and attempt to finish what I've written at my own pace (the story's incomplete, and the last few parts were rushed jobs, I intend to insert scenes between what I've written to flesh things out more). I will see whether I intend to serialize my story online, while I think it's reasonably good and rather unconventional (despite having a hybrid fantasy/sci-fi settings, this tale is more like a love story/social commentary/coming-of-age tale than a generic 'hero goes on a quest to save the world from the almighty lord of evil' story), I have to ensure that it is as presentable as possible for my readers. So yeah, stay tuned. So, is there a celebration of sorts for Malaysian Nano-ers? Other Apps Popular posts from this blog - November 09, 2005 If you had of asked me on a given day whether I'd one day end up passionately defending fanfiction, I would have given you a strange look. I don't read any of the stuff anymore, and my own endeavors in the field ceased long ago. And yet, I found myself reading Robin Hobb's rant (Swifty: The rant was taken down sometime after this entry was posted) with growing outrage, not just because I disagreed with Hobb's sentiments, but because I COULDN'T BELIEVE that a published author of some repute could hold opinions so closed-minded, reactionary, and ridiculous. The outrage, though, stemmed not so much from this as from the idea that Hobb's opinions, through her position as an eminent fantasy author, could actually discourage young writers from practicing fanfiction, and thus, exercising their creativity. Therefore, SOMETHING MUST BE DONE. THIS SHIT CANNOT STAND. - September 15, 2006 [On behalf of my little sister, I would like to thank Mossie ( the guy has lotsa good anime and film reviews :D ), DMJewelle ( she makes the anime cosplaying community seem more entertaining than it really is with her incisively-written entries! ), Plastic ( one of the very first SPEED fans I got to know over the Internet years ago ), Cousin Jun Qi ( you're my cousin, which means you're cool! ), Eeleen The Angel ( the beautiful layout of her site is, well, beautiful! ), Alynna ( one of the rare bloggers I speak regularly to on the MSN :D ), Dawnie-poo ( er, she's Dawn Yang, do I need to say more? ), Athena ( a long-time net friend I got to know during my fanfic-writing days ), Wingz ( for intense Malaysian humour, go to his site ), Jayelle ( a really nice girl with a soul beautiful like the majestic snowy mountains ), Jee (he has lots of things to ponder about), Craig ( heh, lots of stuff about underaged Jpop artistes ), Bryan (The Undead Dragon!) and Arashi-chan	2,946
El American informs about the most relevant news from Argentina related to politics, economy, culture, and society. Brazil El American informs about the most relevant news from Brazil related to politics, economy, culture, and society. El American informs about the most relevant news from Colombia related to politics, economy, culture, and society. El American informs about the most relevant news from Venezuela related to politics, economy, culture, and society. El American informs about the most relevant news from Ukraine. El American informs about the most relevant news from Russia related to politics, economy, culture, and society. El American informs about the most relevant news from Iran related to politics, economy, culture, and society. Leer en español Immigration Mexico El American informs about the most relevant news from Argentina related to politics, economy, culture, and society. Brazil El American informs about the most relevant news from Brazil related to politics, economy, culture, and society. El American informs about the most relevant news from Colombia related to politics, economy, culture, and society. El American informs about the most relevant news from Venezuela related to politics, economy, culture, and society. El American informs about the most relevant news from Ukraine. El American informs about the most relevant news from Russia related to politics, economy, culture, and society. El American informs about the most relevant news from Iran related to politics, economy, culture, and society. Leer en español Funding Students Instead of Institutions: Corey DeAngelis on School Choice by Edgar Beltrán Leer en Español Most US K-12 students are in the public school system. 82% study in the traditional school system and about 6% in public charter schools. But would that be the case if families and students were given a choice? Corey DeAngelis, Director of School Choice at Reason Foundation, author and co-author of over 30 peer-reviewed pieces on the topic, says no. He argues that public education funding should follow the student instead of institutions to give families a high degree of choice on the education their children will receive. Why should everyone care about school choice? How to fund public education? What will happen with a Biden Administration? How to deal with school choice criticism? These were some of the questions Mr. DeAngelis answered. Mr. DeAngelis spoke with us at El American in an exclusive, hour-long interview that has been edited for clarity and conciseness. For a full version of the interview, click the video above. First things first, what is school choice? School choice is funding students instead of institutions, it’s the idea that a child’s education dollars should follow them whenever they’re getting an education, so, that could be the traditional public school where children tend to be residentially assigned to, or that money could follow the child to a charter school, or a private school, religious or non-religious private school and that money could also be used to cover home-based educational costs as well. We have so many other taxpayer-funded initiatives that already work this way. If you think about higher education, we have Pell Grants and the GI Bill for veterans where the money goes to the student. The student can pick a public or community college that they want or they could also take that money to a private university of their choosing. We don’t tell students using Pell Grants that they must use that funding at a residentially assigned community college, for example. And you can go on and on with examples, with food stamps, for example. You don’t even have to be for or against food stamps to agree that if we are going to have that money allocated from the taxpayer to the system, it should go to a person that could have a choice in the matter, instead of a government-run grocery store. With food stamps, you can take the money to Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Safeway. The family has a choice in the matter. Many people who tend to support funding families or students directly when it comes to higher education or pre-K level get all up in arms when it comes to all the in-between years K-through-12. Why would you support it for all these other institutions, all these other systems, but not when it comes to K-12 education? There is a difference in power dynamics. When it comes to K-12 education, there is a special interest that profits from getting your child’s education dollars regardless of that choice. So, of course, they are going to fight really hard from allowing families to take their money to a different institution. Why should everybody care about school choice in the US today, whether you have children or not, whether you’re a teacher or not, or are involved somehow in K-12 education? There aren’t any good arguments against it, first of all. The main argument against it is that it “defunds the public schools,” to which I respond that school choice doesn’t defund public schools, public schools defund families. School choice initiatives just take that money and return it to the hands of the rightful owners: the families. Education funding is supposed to be meant for educating the child, not to protect a government monopoly. You can take the money back to the public school if you want, and if the public school is doing a good job, they won’t be defunded in any sense of the word. Do you ever hear the argument that allowing families to choose their grocery store “defunds” Safeway or Walmart? That would be absolutely ridiculous, right? Because everybody understands that your money doesn’t belong to Safeway, it doesn’t belong to Walmart. It doesn’t belong to any of these institutions. I similarly argue that it shouldn’t belong to any schooling institutions either, public or private. It belongs to the family because the purpose of education funding is the child. So, there are no good arguments against it. When it comes to K-12, we’re dooming children to a poor educational environment just to protect a special interest, which is a huge problem, we shouldn’t trap families into the system. The other moral argument here is that advantaged families already have a certain degree of school choice. If you already have a lot of money you’re more likely to be able to afford to purchase your way into the best public schools by buying a home in a fancy neighborhood, which happens to be residentially assigned to the best public schools in most places in the US. You’re more likely to be able to pay out of pocket for private school tuition and fees if you’re a more advantaged family. So, school choice in a sense is an equalizer: at the same time, it allows the funding to follow the student and it funds the student directly allowing for more opportunities and more choices for a larger section of the population, which leads to more equity. Earlier this year there was a law in New Hampshire trying to limit access to charter schools and private education funding, etc. and one of the arguments from one of the senators was, and I will paraphrase, that uneducated parents shouldn’t be able to decide what to do with their children’s education. What do you say about that? It’s the paternalistic argument against school choice, and I think it’s the worst argument that anybody can make against it. You don’t have to be an expert educator to pick a school. You don’t have to be a doctor to pick your doctor. But it’s even worse than that because it implies that people who tend to come from a lower-income part of the community can’t make a choice, which is an absolutely ridiculous argument. Let’s say that you’re in a bad position economically. That doesn’t mean that you can’t make choices for your own family. I would argue that low-income families have more incentives to get the decisions right about their own children’s education. They have much more incentives and information than bureaucrats sitting in an office hundreds of miles away. The bureaucrat might not even know the name of your child. How will they know the best educational environment for any particular child more so than the individual family? In my view, some families at some point may make a bad decision for their individual circumstance, but it’s not like there are not bad outcomes happening in the traditional school system. And the reality is that families are more likely to get that decision right than bureaucrats. Let’s talk about the current pandemic in the US. What relation do you see between current in-person classes restrictions and the fight for school choice in the US? Families are seeing that the public system just isn’t going to be for them this year. I think it’s mostly from different incentives in the public school system. Think about the response in the private sector, if you look at private schools, daycares, grocery stores, and other businesses, they’ve been fighting really hard to reopen their doors for business and, in some places like in Kentucky, some of the religious schools are taking the fight up to the Supreme Court to fight against their governor to try to reopen their doors for their customers and their families. Contrast that with the public schools and the teachers’ unions in so many places. They’ve been fighting to keep the schools closed. I don’t think it’s because people in one sector or the other are inherently better people or worse people. I think it has more to do with people rationally responding to the messed-up incentives we have today in the traditional public school system. Long story short, one of these sectors gets your money regardless of whether they open their doors for business. So, it’s arguably rational for teachers’ unions to call to keep the schools closed because they understand they get your money regardless. Just imagine what would happen if your local grocery store received the same amount of money from you each week regardless of if they open their doors for business. They’d have a much different set of incentives in front of them than they have today. If your grocery store doesn’t reopen in your neighborhood, you can take your money elsewhere. Similarly, if your school doesn’t reopen families should be able to take their children’s education dollars elsewhere. We should fund the students instead of the institutions because, again, money is supposed to be for educating children; it’s not supposed to be going to buildings regardless of if they are providing adequate education and this year, whether they are providing any in-person instruction at all. So, families are seeing that they’re getting the shorter end of the stick and that they’re getting a really bad deal and they’re re-evaluating how they fund education. So, I think families are seeing that “Well, I’m doing much of the work if I’m homeschooling and if I’m meant to pay out-of-pocket for a private school, why shouldn’t some of that money follow my child to where they are getting an education?” In fact, the latest national poll we have on this information is by RealClear Opinion Research. They found that support for school choice has actually gone up by about 10%, from 67% in April to 77% in August. That’s a huge jump, and it’s because so many families are seeing that there’s no good reason to fund institutions when you can fund the student directly instead. According to an EdChoice poll, about 75% of parents are very or somewhat concerned about their children getting exposed to COVID in their schools. Do you think that they are using all this for political gain or are they actually worried about the situation? I think it’s a little bit of both. There’s a huge difference between the private and public school sector. I’m sure people in private schools are concerned about the risks of the pandemic. But they weigh those risks, tradeoffs and benefits, and they return to work understanding that if they don’t, they don’t get a paycheck. I think that every single individual school district should have the choice to reopen or not. I think every single teacher should have the choice to return to work or not. But families need the choice too, and if the reopening decision that is made by the school district doesn’t work, families need to be able to have some type of power in this relationship, and the only way to do that is to fund the student directly. Three studies look at the relationship between teachers’ unions’ influence and reopening decisions in schools. I was the first one to do a study on this. It’s actually available at Social Science Research Network. My co-author and I and these other two studies have all found that places that have stronger teachers’ unions are less likely to reopen their schools for in-person instruction. We also found no statistical relationship between the reopening decision and the covid risk in the surrounding areas. I think it’s that our public school system has a messed-up set of incentives where the people in the system understand that they could not show up to work but still get the same amount of job security benefits. There’s tons of evidence now that suggests that it’s safe to reopen schools and that there isn’t a strong indication of a link between reopening schools and transmission of the virus. Anthony Fauci, just a week or two ago on ABC News said that substantial data suggests that transmission from children and among children is not a huge issue. The CDC director recently said there’s tons of data suggesting we can safely reopen schools. Brown University’s Emily Oster has tracked positivity rates in the schools relative to the overall community. She found that case rates are much lower in schools than in the overall community, which suggests that the schools aren’t causing upticks in the community. Another piece of evidence is from UNICEF, which released a report from 190 different countries suggesting no consistent link between the reopening of schools and upticks in the transmission of the coronavirus. So, there’s tons of data, and it doesn’t seem like it’s very science-based, it seems more of a power grab and a political play. You just mentioned that the pandemic had a positive impact on the perception of school choice. But at the same time, we have a potential administration that will likely be, in a worst-case scenario, aggressive against school choice, in a best-case scenario, maybe indifferent but not likely to improve it. So, how do you think that, in the next four years, both things will play out? I think we’ll get many school choice programs passed in 2021 at the state level. It’s good that about 90% of the education funding at the K-12 level comes from the state and local levels. So, even if you have someone in charge at the federal level who isn’t very supportive of school choice, you can still get a lot done at the state level. A few weeks ago, Ohio’s governor signed a bill, expanding the state’s private school voucher program by 25%. That’s a win, and it wasn’t at the federal level, and it’s arguably better than if we get something passed at the federal level because there’s more money available at the state and local levels. If we look at the results of the 2020 elections at the state legislatures, many states are looking very good for expanding school choice. Yet, there’s some risk to school choice with the new administration. If you look at Biden’s top two names for Secretary of Education, they are closely tied to the US’s biggest teachers’ unions. One of them is Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation for Teachers, the second-largest teachers’ union. The other one is Lily Eskelsen García, the former president of the largest teachers’ union in the US, the National Education Association. If you look at Stef Feldman’s (Biden’s National Policy Director) interview with the Education Writers Association, she said they’re going to implement policies to take away funding from charter schools if they don’t meet this or that criteria. Then, during that same conversation, the policy director was asked: “well, what about the traditional schools that aren’t providing results?” Because we have a lot of those, and the policy director said: “When it comes to those they just need more money, we just need to throw more money at that problem because they don’t have enough resources.” The policy director gets it absolutely backwards because charter schools in the US overwhelmingly get less money on a per people basis than traditional public schools. If charter schools do not provide results, why over three million families and students are choosing charter schools in the US each year? Why do you see hundreds of thousands of students on charter schools waitlists trying to get in if they are not a better option than their residentially-assigned traditional public school? They also argue for a defund of for-profit charter schools. Only 12% of charter schools are managed by for-profit entities, but at the same time, who cares if a charter school is for-profit if it’s doing a good job? Why take away money from the school that’s doing a good job for its customers? Profit is a good thing when it’s driven by voluntary selections. Profit is not a good thing if you’re profiting off of a geographic monopoly when your customer doesn’t have a choice in the matter. You mentioned one of the greatest criticisms of school choice. It goes to say that charter schools and private schools don’t have enough oversight. An EdWeek study said that among the almost 30 states with private school choice programs, only 11 of them require teachers who have a BA degree, 14 mandate criminal background checks on all staff, and only 6 of them require reporting graduation rates. Don’t you think that these programs actually need some stronger oversight? If a private school underperforms, it shuts down. If a charter school underperforms, it shuts down. If a district-run school underperforms, it gets more money. The reality is that private and charter schools are directly accountable to families. It’s not that all these regulations have led to high quality in the traditional public school system. Red tape doesn’t lead to quality. What actually leads to true accountability and quality is bottom-up accountability, not top-down accountability. Still, there are some regulations in place for private school choice. For example, with an Education Savings Account, the money has to be spent at a government-approved expenditure. So, when I say allow the money to follow the child, you can’t use it for booze or non-educational other expenses. I think that kind of regulation is OK, but when you get into things like the teachers’ have to have a government certification, I don’t think that has led to a huge amount of quality expansion in the public school sector, and it actually is a barrier to labor market entry for a lot of educators who could do a really good job. Let’s say you are a retired economics professor, in some states, you won’t even qualify to be a public school teacher. Private schools have a little more flexibility with that; they have access to a much larger labor market supply, which could be a competitive advantage for private schools. Some people on the left have started a sort of “war on homeschooling.” Take, for example, Elizabeth Bartholet, from the Harvard Law School. She’s been deeply critical of homeschooling and in an interview said, “many homeschooling parents are extreme ideologues committed to raising their children within their beliefs systems isolated from any societal influence.” Don’t you think that school choice, in general, might be next after this war on homeschooling? Elizabeth Bartholet’s 80-page Arizona Law Review article calls for what she says to be a “presumptive ban” on homeschooling. It’s actually an all-out ban on homeschooling if you look at the deep tales of her proposal because she says even if you prove yourself worthy to the elites and the government that you can homeschool your child in your own household, she’d still want to require those families to send their children to the government-run schools. In that same article, at the very end of the 80-page article, she has a little section on private schooling, which kind of hints that she might come after private schooling because she says that private schools have a lot of the “same problems” as the homeschool populations because of religion or other things. I think that she’s kind of hinting at a presumptive ban on private education as well, based on my reading of that 80-page article. Her main argument for banning homeschooling is using extreme outliers of negative cases of abuse or extreme educational neglect. She applies that to the entire population of homeschoolers trying to paint with a broad brush to make homeschoolers look bad and, essentially, make everybody prove their innocence, which is exactly backwards of how we usually do in the US. Usually, the burden of proof is on the government, the proof of why they should take your liberties away. She says that the burden of proof should be on families to get permission from the government to prove that they’re innocent and not guilty. Just imagine if that logic was applied to so many other areas in our everyday lives, it would infringe in so many of our individual liberties. But that’s her main MO: to use exceptions to prove the rule. The downside of online education during the pandemic and public education, in general, is disproportionally worse among minorities. So, how can school choice help minorities get a better education for their children? How do you think the Republican Party and its better support among minorities, especially Latinos, should take this as a policy to pursue and get more support among minorities? Keeping the schools closed and not having school choice simultaneously leads to inequities by race and income levels. If you look at individual school districts like Fairfax County public schools, their failure rates for students failing two or more classes jumped 83% from last year. In Saint Paul, MN, high school students’ failure rates in their public school system actually increased by 127%. So, we’re seeing that the inequities are growing as well. Keeping the schools closed is adversely affecting the least advantaged in society, which is a great argument to open the schools and give families the option of whether they want virtual or in-person. It’s also a good argument to fund the students directly so that families could choose if they want a public school or choose a Catholic, private, parochial, homeschool setting, pandemic pod or micro-school setting. That would lead to more equity and I think this could be a very beneficial policy area for Republicans to start talking about more if they want to get a larger section of the vote. There was a Wall Street Journal article on how DeSantis won Florida’s governor’s race in 2018. WSJ made the case that it was “school choice moms” that, who would’ve not otherwise voted for De Santis actually voted for him in large numbers. This is interesting when you look at the fact that Florida has over a hundred thousand students using just one of their private school choice programs. So, when you get families benefiting directly from these types of options, it creates a new special interest. We hear about the teachers’ unions being a special interest all the time, trying to take away options from families. But once you get school choice, you can create a new, special interest: the families fighting for their own children. It leads to more equity; it leads to more competition; it benefits family from all different backgrounds; the voters from both parties support it. It also benefits teachers. A lot of the teachers complain rightfully so that the additional dollars aren’t going towards their salaries. The thing is we put more and more money into the public school system each year. Since the 1960s, we’ve increased inflation-adjusted per-person education expenditures in public schools by 280%. But if you look at just between 1992 to 2014, inflation-adjusted education expenditures went up by 27%, but teachers’ salaries in real terms actually dropped by 2%. So, the money is all going toward administrative and support staff and to the teachers’ unions. If you add competition through school choice, the teachers would see more of that money because the public schools would see they better spend their money wisely. What better way to spend it wisely than to spend it on the teachers, since they are such an important educational resource? And there’s only five studies that I know of on this particular topic, all five of the studies find that school choice competition, either through private school choice or charter school choice, they all find that, in response to that competition, public school teachers actually get higher salaries. Last question, what do you see in the future of school choice in the US? Do you see a Biden administration attacking school choice? Do you see Republicans and even some Democrats at the state level fighting for school choice? What do you see in the next four years and beyond? I’m thinking 2021 is going to be the year of school choice. If you look at the election results at the state legislatures, they are looking good when it comes to passing private school choice programs, like Education Savings Accounts and that’s where the bulk of the money is. It’s at the state and local levels. We’re probably not going to see an advancement of school choice at the federal level. We might see some attacks from the federal level when it comes to funding charter schools. But other than that I’m feeling pretty good at the state level for school choice expanding. Author profile	26,734
Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and the Plum Village Community of monastic and lay members have over 30 years of experience practicing and teaching mindfulness, and developing a path of ethical living for modern society. We have shared these practices with thousands of people, including teachers, parents, children, social workers, therapists, police officers, health care workers, politicians, businesspeople, and artists, many of whom have become teachers of mindfulness and community-builders in their own right. In particular, we have led hundreds of retreats for families with children and teens programs, as well as retreats for educators and students, in which we have developed and refined a rich and effective range of practices for transmitting mindfulness to young people. What is Wake Up Schools? We recognize the importance of creating sustainable and lasting programs in schools that support the happiness and well-being of teachers, administrators, students, and parents. The Wake Up Schools initiative is the manifestation of this aspiration. Wake Up Schools uses mindfulness, the energy of being aware and awake to what is happening inside and around us in the present moment, to nourish education communities that excel in social emotional learning, moral/ethical education, experiential learning, stress reduction, and inner resilience. In doing this the classroom and school become a family, enabling participants to lead happy, healthy, and meaningful lives. What is Wake Up Schools? People News and Updates Happy Teachers Will Change the World is about teachers learning mindfulness, true transformation and happiness. Order our Book Happy Teachers Change the World offers practical guidance for cultivating mindfulness in education through the Plum Village tradition.	1,823
I’ve found standing in front of the table is best. I think if you read about body language, behind a table or desk is always considered more intimidating. I hold my book up in front of me like the perfume salesladies do–that sort of warns folks that I’m hawking my book. So they know I’m not trying to get their cell phone biz. Then I say, “May I tell you about my book?” Or better yet, “I’m a local author signing here today. May I tell you about my book?” Usually, they hesitate, then say, “Uh, okay.” If they say, “No.” I thank them politely and step away. Often they come back by. The trick is to be friendly and CALM. I’ve found that sounding very, oh, confident but not excited works best. (It’s hard because your heart is pounding.) If they have a child with them, I ask the child, “Can you guess how many words are in this book?” They never can, but I give them a bookmark for trying. Parents appreciate anyone being nice to their kids, and they love the fact you are giving their child something to keep him/her occupied while the parent shops. I’m averaging selling 8-10 books an hour this way. I keep refining my pitch. This is the best training for getting to know your audience ever. And the booksellers start to get really excited when they see how your book is coming through the check out line. One of my friends said, “I could NEVER do this.” Yes, you can. If you believe your work has value, you can do it. In the beginning, you’ll feel absolutely sick at your stomach with terror. You’ll search their faces and see NOTHING and think, “Oh, my God, why did I ever sign up for this? They HATE me. They think I’m stupid.” Then to your surprise they’ll say, “Could you sign that?” It’s just amazing. I figure I sell one out of four or five people I approach. It’s strictly a numbers game. But one I’m willing to play to move my books. • Posted in Blog • Tags: book sales, book signings, handselling, pitching your book \| 2 Comments 2 replies on “Shhh! How I Handsell Books” December 9, 2008 at 9:20 pm I do the same as you, and also offer chocolates. I have sold books JUST because somebody’s taken a chocolate and then asked why I’m doing that. The most important thing? SMILE. December 9, 2008 at 9:22 pm Good tip, Katherine. I’ve done well with cookies, too. But right now, I don’t want to juggle more. I hold my book in front of me, like the perfume ladies, and I have my pen and a bookmark in the other hand. That way I don’t even have to return to my signing table if I’ve gone “after” the customer. Smiling is very important, but I’d also suggest speaking in a slow, calm voice. You don’t want to seem frantic! Comments are closed. Previous Post Previous post: Winners Next Post Next post: 2 replies on “Shhh! How I Handsell Books” December 9, 2008 at 9:20 pm I do the same as you, and also offer chocolates. I have sold books JUST because somebody’s taken a chocolate and then asked why I’m doing that. The most important thing? SMILE. December 9, 2008 at 9:22 pm Good tip, Katherine. I’ve done well with cookies, too. But right now, I don’t want to juggle more. I hold my book in front of me, like the perfume ladies, and I have my pen and a bookmark in the other hand. That way I don’t even have to return to my signing table if I’ve gone “after” the customer. Smiling is very important, but I’d also suggest speaking in a slow, calm voice. You don’t want to seem frantic!	3,543
While he would not confirm whether fares would be higher or lower, he insisted they would be “affordable”. There will be a financial incentive to buy tickets before boarding instead of from the bus driver. The system will also be modified to include travel cards. Speaking about the subsidy, Mr Mizzi said the €10 million Arriva used to receive was one of the reasons it failed, having been too low. “We’ve since increased the number of routes and we need to see what size the subsidy would be to be sustainable and to allow the new operator to take over.” The Spanish company was asking for much less than the €45 million requested by Arriva before its decision to quit its 10-year concession by mutual consent, he said. Will the routes be modified once again? “The expression of interest is tied to the routes approved by the public and agreed upon by the local councils, which were also published,” he said. “This was the basis of the agreement reached and that’s what they have to go on.” Independent journalism costs money. Support Times of Malta for the price of a coffee. Comments Comments not loading? Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Comments powered by Disqus Independent journalism costs money. Copyright © 2022 Times of Malta. All rights reserved. We recently published a revised version of our Privacy Statement and Terms & Conditions. By using this site, you agree to these revised documents including the use of cookies to enhance your experience. We kindly ask you to take a few minutes to read and understand them.	1,649
On 23 February, Wei Mingchuan BG2BHC published on Twitter the first Amateur VLBI experiment. This consisted of a GPS-synchronized recording of signals from LilacSat-2 using USRPs in groundstations at Harbin and Chongqing, which are about 2500km apart. Wei has made a Github repository containing the recording (in MATLAB file format) and some signal processing in MATLAB. I have done some signal processing of my own with the recording and published my results in a Jupyter notebook. Here I describe some general aspects about VLBI and its use in Amateur radio, and some specific details of the signal processing I have done. VLBI stands for very-long-baseline interferometry and it is a new concept for most Amateurs, since this is the first time that VLBI is used in Amateur radio. Interferometry, in general, involves measuring some property about a radio (or optical) source using two or more receivers in different locations and then comparing the signals recorded at each receiver. The “baseline” refers to the distance (or the line segment) between the two receivers. Here, very-long refers to distances larger than a few kilometres, and usually hundreds or thousands of kilometres. This distinction is important for two reasons: first, using a long baseline gives more accuracy, as we will shortly see; second, interferometry requires synchronization between all receivers, and this has been historically quite difficult to achieve between distant receivers (today it is relatively easy using GPS). For an example about how VLBI works, let us see the usual example in radio astronomy. Imagine a very distant radio source and two receivers on Earth. The radio wave from the source propagates in wave fronts which are almost planes, perpendicular to the direction of propagation. Therefore, the signal arrives to each receiver at different times. The difference between the arrival times depends on the direction to the source with respect to the baseline (more precisely, on the angle between the direction to the source and the baseline), and also on the baseline length. In this way, the location of the source on the sky can be measured and tracked. Longer baselines give larger differences of arrival times, allowing a more precise measurement. The case of LilacSat-2 is different to the situation described above, since it is a LEO satellite, not a very distant object. Therefore, instead of measuring its position in the sky, VLBI measures something called delta-range. This is just the difference of distances between the satellite and each of the groundstations. Another important measurement is delta-velocity. This is just the difference of velocities seen by each of the groundstations, or the time derivative of the delta-range. However, it is considered a different measurement because it is normally computed from phase measurements, rather than using times of arrival, as delta-range does. Using several delta-range or delta-velocity observations, either from different pairs of groundstations or from the same pair at different times, the position and velocity of the satellite can be estimated, and orbit determination can be done. In fact, the main goal for the Harbin Amateur VLBI program is to perform orbit determination for the future DSLWP lunar mission (which I’ve talked about in a previous post). Since DSLWP will orbit outside the coverage of NORAD radars normally used for tracking near Earth objects, Amateur orbit determination via VLBI will be important for the mission. The signal processing I have done with this experiment’s recording is described in my Amateur VLBI Jupyter notebook. Most of the techniques I’m using come from GNSS signal processing, since it is quite similar to this kind of VLBI. The recording was made during a southbound pass of LilacSat-2 over China. It is quite short (around 30 seconds), since the common window when LilacSat-2 is visible from both groundstations is short, due to the long baseline in comparison with LilacSat-2’s orbit height. A simple way to analyse the results of these measurements is to compare them with the values computed by using NORAD TLEs. The difference obtained is called residual, and it should be zero except for measurement errors (both in the VLBI measurements and in the TLEs, which are not very precise ephemeris), noise and so on. My results so far are quite good, as seen in the plots below. There is a bias in both delta-range and delta-velocity. This is probably partly because of some bias in the signal processing that can be corrected with some effort. Other than that, the measurement noise is really good. The delta-range noise is between 500 and 1000m, and the delta-velocity noise is around 0.25m/s. The VLBI measurements are done using LilacSat-2’s 4k8 GFSK signal at 437.225MHz, which transmits telemetry packets. By doing a correlation of the signal received in each groundstation, the difference in times of arrival, and hence the delta-range can be calculated. A packet from this 4k8 GFSK signal is shown in the image below, taken from a post I wrote back in 2015. LilacSat-2 9k6 BPSK packet (left) and 4k8 GFSK packet (right) As you can see in the image, the 4k8 GFSK packets have a long preamble and postamble which consists of some periodic bits (which is what produces the spectral lines). This is not good for correlation, since a signal of short period will have closely spaced self-correlation peaks, producing an ambiguity in the delta-range measurement. A good signal for correlation is either aperiodic or has a long period. Usually, a PRN, such as a Gold code is used in GNSS because of this reason. The body of the 4k8 GFSK packet is scrambled with a CCSDS scrambler, so it provides a random-like signal that is good for performing correlation. Therefore, a valid measurement is only done while the body of a 4k8 GFSK packet is transmitted. Although the signal processing techniques can be similar to those used in GNSS, some of the parameters are really different, giving new challenges for effective processing. The bits of the 4k8 signal are roughly 200 times longer than GPS chips (which have a frequency of 1.023MHz). In principle, this gives 200 times more noise in the delta-range measurement. The velocity of a LEO satellite is roughly 10 larger than that of a MEO GNSS satellite. This makes it more difficult using long integration times for the correlation (at least in open loop, as I’m doing here). The wavelength of the 70cm signal of LilacSat-2 is 3.6 times larger than that of an L-band GNSS satellite, giving 3.6 times more noise in the phase measurements (which is rather good in comparison with the large noise of delta-range measurements). However, since the frequency of the 4k8 GFSK signal is not precise, this gives an error when converting phase measurements to units of meters (this can contribute some bias to the delta-velocity shown above). It would be interesting to know how large is the error in frequency of the 4k8 GFSK signal. I still have to study carefully the biases I’ve observed in my calculations, and I also have some ideas to improve my signal processing. However, I’ve decided to release the calculations I’ve done so far and write this post now, given the interest that this topic has sparked recently. Stay tuned for a future post with improved computations. Published March 1, 2018 By destevez 8 comments March 2, 2018 at 00:15 UTC March 2, 2018 at 02:09 UTC Great write-up as always, Dani. Thank you! While it would involve more complexity (time sync, etc.), I can’t help but wonder if measurements like this could leverage the larger, geographically diverse amateur community in the future for even more precise measurements?	7,887
Several males have a tendency to take tablets or massage lotions to find a far better sex life to deal with this fear. To amaze, most of these pills are not regulated by Food and Drug Administration, so you are unsure what chemicals are incorporated into them. These tablets as well as creams assert unreal adjustments and also, in last, offer fantastic cry little wool. Individuals spend a hefty amount of cash on these tablets and obtain only power supplements, which if absorbed extra can be harmful. In contrast, several penile extenders have actually revealed considerable modification and are completely secure, unlike pills as well as surgical procedures. Here are few enlisted products which can turn your money right into satisfying change. Quick extender pro is just one of the well-known products in the market of penis extender. This extender extends the penis length and also enhances the penile curvature. As a result of this, It can also be indicated in Peyronie’s condition– bent erection. It can remedy light to serious penile curvature. This extender provides a double strap system( DSS) which features two medical-grade silicon tubes providing a secure position to both the penis shaft as well as head. QEP likewise provides guaranteed privacy, which implies no hesitation from others understanding your individual life. Contrasted to various other penis extenders out there, QEP provides the most effective and also ensured lead to 3 months. This makes QEP a more reliable option when contrasted to others. Additionally, the success price of this extender is high in contrast with various other neighborhood extenders in the area,. Unlike other local extenders, QEP can be used anywhere without making importance on your trousers. Order currently and also kick all your worries, whether at home or workplace. Right here are some essential takeaways concerning the QEP:. Exactly how it functions: Utilizes DSS system for penile grip. Warranty: Offers money-back guarantee for 6 months. SizeGenetics penis extender is one of the hot-picks in the penis extender marathon. This clinically examined penis extender utilizes a penile traction mechanism that keeps the size as well as curvature of your phallus. Created by (Multidirectional angling) MDA, this extender makes its use comfortable as well as long lasting for an extra extended time period. This extender is comprised of hypoallergic clinical synthetics, which are light-weight and can not cause any kind of discomfort. This helpful device not only assists lengthen the normal-sized penis but can additionally aid in improving the micro disorder. So, whether you are seeking micro disorder solutions or simply want to acquire full self-confidence in bed, this all-in-one device can assist you express joy every part of healthy and balanced sexual intercourse. Adhering to are the key takeaways for you at a glance. Exactly how it works: penile traction basics. Authenticity of tool: CE as well as FDA accepted. Like its name, Phallosan specialty can boost the effectiveness of your penis and also can bring your sex life back right into activity. Unlike an additional extender on the market, this extender functions by producing a vacuum, which exerts pressure on the phallus. The vacuum stress can be managed by the shutoff, which is being supplemented with the device. Discussing the perks of having this device is the Application that comes with Phallosan strength. The Application is widely offered at App shops to assist accomplish your goals quicker as well as before time. It consists of a directed training strategy, using time dimension and dimension of size, and so on. Simply download the application, as well as you are great to go. The key takeaways are:. Exactly how it works: Generating grip force by creating vacuum cleaner. Credibility of tool: CE approved. Guarantee: Deals money-back warranty for 2 week. Acquiring a penis extender can be chaotic considering that there are loads of them out there. It depends upon personal preferences like the rate variety, exactly how they function as well as what they need to offer. Your choice to acquire can be helped by the reviews and testimonials that exist online. It’s always better to hear other evaluations since this gadget would certainly be attached to the penis- the organ that indicates manhood. Best Penis Extenders in the marketplace Penis extension is among the most concerned topics of member, yet the least gone over one. Most guys do not review it because of the number of cross-questions they can face from culture. On the various other hand, not talking concerning it can increase anxiousness. According to study, twenty-seven percent of ladies reportedly finished their relationship because of the inequality between their partner penis size and their penis size preference. Several females cited that the penis was too small! This concern of not being capable enough to please your companion increases concern and also distress for men. You want to know more about cock stretching. This is something that countless males have tried as well as many state it functions. You may be considering what the big deal is about this. Is it actually as easy as individuals say it is? Continue reading to figure out. A common myth that I hear guys like concerning jelqing is that you can’t do it without a workout. Let me just say that I don’t recognize why some people would assume that. The reality is you can workout your penis extending ahead of time by using an old towel or clean cloth (simply make certain it’s not too huge) and rubbing your penis up until it obtains cozy. If you use a workout, then there won’t be any type of rubbing and also your extending will not be as efficient. Another common myth is that penis stretching methods like cells don’t function. I’m here to tell you that they do function. You may even see some gains right now. You’ll see gains in girth as well as length, however additionally some gains in the width of your shaft. The only time that you shouldn’t extend is when you’re not ready for it. Some individuals might assume that if they extend before they’re totally erect, then they won’t have to wait. That’s a big mistake. When you’re totally put up, your body does not stretch in all. It’s during the cool-down part of an extending exercise that it ends up being vital that you extend. I discuss this because numerous different producers now provide penis extenders. The inquiry after that comes to be: which one is best for your needs. There are 3 primary categories of penis extenders. They are; extenders that make use of tension, extenders that utilize static resistance, and also extenders that utilize a combination of both. There are additionally pills that claim to enhance dimension gains through jelqing (or levels). I can inform you something for certain: tablets don’t work! Not since they don’t work, yet since they are a rip-off. What they actually do is make you dependent on them by making you rely upon a prescription for them. The arise from utilizing penis weights and also traction can be remarkable. I have actually seen outcomes ranging from a gain of up to 40 inches in girth and length. What makes these gains so impressive though is that the workouts occur while you rest. It’s difficult to put-up with a morning erection requiring to be held for an extensive time period, let alone the early morning hours, but the results speak for themselves. I suggest finding out a few of these stretches. Attempt some out, make your option, as well as proceed to the following one. If you can discover how to do the lawful and also cock stretching exercise properly, you will see gains in girth and size that approach guys that have been drawing their cock off women for many years. As well as the most effective part? You can remain to enhance this ability, and learning new stretches, day-after-day, permanently! The preliminary choice you should make when making a decision in between cock extending as well as hands-on stretching is whether to use weights or selling. Be sure to study both. I recommend looking into the hand-operated stretching first, if you’re completely new to the concept of what I’m speaking about. This is the much more “typical” strategy, and also much less complex to execute when beginning. Nevertheless, if you’re already doing penis stretching, you might currently have access to weights. I’m not saying to begin taking out your own arm after warm-up, but if you’re serious about boosting your length and girth, the most sensible progression is warming up with weights. With the workout off the beaten track, I would certainly recommend performing 2 sets of 10 reps of each of the following three stretches: the Arabian stretch, the hanging leg lift, as well as the cat stretch (if you are able to efficiently pull it off … which isn’t likely, as I really did not train). Remember, that the Arabian stretch will certainly extend your penis by bringing it to a maximum ahead placement, so if you do not have a lot of length, this might not be for you. The hanging leg lift requires absolutely nothing greater than a hanging leg, a set of weights, and also your very own body toughness. Perform this exercise by resting below a fold of fabric. Rest your legs on the folded up towel, maintaining them just over the surface area of the ground. Now, using only your own body strength, expand your legs up and outwards. If you can do this properly, there need to be no noticeable stress on the penis. This is just one of the many different penis extending workouts that can be carried out with weights, so don’t fret if you have not done this prior to! If you’re trying to find something a bit more tough, after that you’ve obtained several options. I recommend making use of penis hangers. These been available in many different designs, such as whized, buttoned, or unfilled (you need to identify which you prefer). Additionally, they are offered in various dimensions, so regardless of what you are trying to attain, there is a hunger out there for you. You’ll additionally discover that penis stretching exercises do not need to be painful, as some people speak highly of jelqing. About the author Affiliate Disclosure & Disclaimers: This post and website contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something the website owners may earn a commission. Please note that information on this website is provided solely for entertainment purpose on “as is” basis. 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All enrolled students are required to comply with the university's Academic Regulations, as well as official University Policies (www.cmu.edu/policies). Students are expected to familiarize themselves with these regulations and are also advised to pay special attention to all academic dates and deadlines (www.cmu.edu/hub/calendar). The university reserves the right to change regulations and policies whenever such action is deemed appropriate or necessary. Academic regulations are compiled by the University Registrar's Office. Students who have questions regarding these regulations should consult with their academic advisor. Availability of Required Courses In order to ensure that students do not have to compete for access to their required courses, registration priority is given to students who are registering for courses in their primary major. Although the university encourages the exploration of other disciplines, access to courses outside a student's primary major (including those courses that fulfill requirements for an additional major, minor, etc.) is on a space-available basis and is not guaranteed. Students must meet course pre- and co-requisites when registering, and are subject to course space availability. The university is committed to ensuring that each degree candidate has access to a normal course load before permitting other students to register for a greater than normal number of units. Scheduling changes must be made within the period in the semester as established in the Official Academic Calendar. A student cannot drop a course by simply notifying the instructor or by ceasing to attend class. A student dropping all of their courses (with the intent of leaving the university) must file an Application for Withdrawal or an Application for Leave of Absence (see the “Student Leave Policy” for more information). Students are considered full time if registered for 36 or more units. Students should be sure to confirm their class level and enrollment status in SIO prior to registering. Students must be registered for courses by the tenth day of classes or they will be administratively withdrawn for the semester. Any student who has been administratively withdrawn in error should immediately contact their academic advisor. Students may drop a course by following the instructions for dropping a course in Student Information Online (SIO) on or before the appropriate deadline as published in the Official Academic Calendar. When a course is dropped by the drop deadline, the course is removed and does not appear on the academic record. Students may also use a late drop voucher for a limited number of course drops after the deadline during the pursuit of their degree. This action must be taken through consultation with their academic advisor or associate dean. Undergraduate students will receive three course drop vouchers throughout their undergraduate academic career and master's students will receive one voucher per 12 months of study. Only one drop voucher may be used per semester. In order to drop below 36 units, students must see their advisor for special permission. Vouchers are not intended to be used for exceptional or extenuating circumstances and they cannot be used to drop below full-time status (36 units). International students who wish to drop below full-time must consult the Office of International Education. Undergraduate students who wish to withdraw from a course after the drop deadline must complete a Course Withdrawal form and must obtain their academic advisor's signature. The advisor will indicate whether they "recommend" or do "not recommend" withdrawal from the course on the form, sign the petition and submit it to the University Registrar's Office. When a course is withdrawn by the course withdrawal deadline, a "W" grade appears on the academic record. The Late Add form is used for adding a course or switching sections after the add period and during the semester in which the course is offered. Students can check SIO to see if the appropriate schedule changes have been made. Undergraduate students who add a course or switch a section after the add period are required to obtain the permission of their advisor and home dean's office. Graduate students must have the permission of their department. View details about course adds, drops and withdrawals on The HUB website. Free Electives A free elective is any Carnegie Mellon course that a student completes that is not being used to fulfill a college, school, major or minor requirement. A maximum of nine units of physical education and/or student-taught (StuCo) courses may be included in the tally of units required for graduation. The university is committed to insuring that each degree candidate has access to a normal course load before it permits other students to register for a greater than normal number of units. A normal course load has been established by each academic department. Students should check with their academic advisor, department head, or dean's office for the definition of a normal course load. Individual colleges may have overload policies that are more restrictive, therefore students should consult with their advisor when considering an overload. Students may register for an overload up to 12 units with the approval of their academic advisor if they have demonstrated their ability to successfully complete a normal course load. Successful completion of a normal course load is defined as having earned at least a 3.00 (3.50 for students in ECE) cumulative QPA through the preceding semester or at least a 3.00 (3.50 for students in ECE) semester QPA in the current semester (in which case all final grades must be recorded before the student can register for the overloaded class). Overloads greater than 12 units or other exceptions must have the approval of the student's associate dean. First-year and transfer students are limited to a normal course load in their first semester of attendance. Per the Associate Deans’ Council, undergraduate students are now limited to registering for 24 units in summer sessions without advisor approval. If the student's advisor wishes to approve additional units after consulting with the student, the advisor can increase the student's course load units. Conduct of Classes Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes unless the instructor explicitly informs the class that other ways of doing the work are acceptable. The action to be taken in regard to tardiness, absence from class or making up late work is the responsibility of the individual instructor; the instructor should consult with the department head and the student's dean if major action, such as dropping the student from the course, is being considered. All classes will be held at their scheduled hour on days immediately before and after all holidays and recesses. Both faculty and students are expected to be present. Members of athletic teams and other student organizations are permitted to be absent from classes to participate in authorized contests and presentations, either at home or out of town, provided the following conditions are met: All work missed must be made up to the satisfaction of the instructor concerned; No trip shall involve an absence of more than two days, excluding days when classes are not scheduled; The total number of days of absence shall not exceed six per sport or per organization annually; Each student will obtain an absence authorization signed by the director or sponsor of the organization involved and by the Dean of Student Affairs. The student will present this authorization to the instructor. This is not an excuse for work missed. Technology affords many students access to mobile devices. It is expected that students will respect the wishes of faculty with regard to the use of electronic devices within the academic environment. Students who, because of religious beliefs, cannot attend class may arrange as individuals to be absent, provided the work missed is made up in a manner satisfactory to the instructor of the class missed. No student shall leave a scheduled exercise because of the absence of the instructor until a reasonable time has passed. By tradition and as a matter of courtesy a student should wait 10 minutes before leaving. Course Attendance, STUDENT ACCOUNT BALANCE and Enrollment A student is responsible for the payment of charges incurred at the university by the stated payment deadline. The purpose of this policy statement is to detail the specific process and action steps to be used to resolve any outstanding student account balance. Students will be held financially and academically accountable for courses they attend or for which they are enrolled. Enrollment in a course which is not actively taken, or contrarily, the taking of a course for which enrollment has not been completed, will result in the assignment of a grade and responsibility for applicable tuition charges. Students who fail to resolve their enrollment and balances will be prohibited from using university academic and administrative services. The services include, but are not limited to, computing facilities, library services, housing, dining, career center services, degree verification and the release of academic transcripts for the upcoming semester. Usually, no undergraduate classes, exams, academic, or artistic activities (including extra help sessions, rehearsals, ROTC drill, make-up exams, etc.) are scheduled on weekdays between 4:40 and 6:40 p.m. On occasion, some courses may be scheduled during these hours by the University Registrar's Office when they also are offered at other times; students may elect to take such courses during the 4:40 to 6:40 p.m. period. This policy offers details concerning university grading principles for students taking courses, whether those students are undergraduates, non-degree students or graduate students. This policy covers the specifics of assigning and changing grades (including final and mid-semester grades, incompletes and conditional failures), grading options (audit and pass/fail), drop/withdrawals, and course repeats, as well as defines the undergraduate and graduate grading standards. Questions about grading for a specific course should be addressed to the instructor of the course in question. Graduate students with questions about pass/fail and drop/withdrawal should contact their individual program. Appeals for an exception to any grading policy may be made by the dean's office of the student's home college. Certain terms are used in this document with specific meanings, as defined in this section. Student means any full-time or part-time degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate student, or full-time or part-time non-degree student. Non-degree student means a student who is not in a university degree program. Faculty means members of the university's Faculty Organization as defined in the Faculty Handbook, plus instructors and special faculty appointments (even in their first year), and part-time faculty. Instructor means a faculty member, teaching assistant, and /or lecturer who is the instructor of record, as recorded in the Student Information System (S3). Final grades are awarded to each student, in each course scheduled, at the end of the semester, mini-semester or summer session. All students taking a course at Carnegie Mellon must be assigned grades. The University Registrar's Office will query instructors who do not assign a grade to a student. Copies of the query regarding the lack of grade will be sent to the course's department head and associate dean. If the instructor does not assign a letter grade or an incomplete grade within one month of that query, the teaching department head will be responsible for insuring that a grade is assigned. Changing a Grade A student who believes that an assigned grade is incorrect may request that a final grade be changed. This action should be taken as soon as possible but no later than one year after the final course grade was issued. Final grades will be changed only in exceptional circumstances and only with the approval of the instructor and, for undergraduates, with the approval of the dean's office of the college/school offering the course; for graduate students, department approval is required. The intention of this policy is to ensure that, under normal circumstances, all students in a class are treated equally and no student is unduly advantaged. Mid-semester grades provide valuable feedback to students as they assess their performance in courses. Furthermore, mid-semester grades and the QPAs they generate are used by deans and advisors in identifying and dealing in a timely way with students in academic trouble. Therefore it is imperative that mid-semester grades accurately reflect student performance and are turned in on time. Mid-semester grades are not permanent and are kept only until final grades are recorded. Because mid-semester grades are not permanent, changes of mid-semester grades as a rule will not be accepted. Carnegie Mellon students are expected to complete a course during the academic semester in which the course was taken. However, if the instructor agrees, a grade of I (incomplete) may be given when a student, for reasons beyond their control, has been unable to complete the work of a course, but the work completed to date is of passing quality and the grade of incomplete provides no undue advantage to that student over other students. In awarding an I grade, an instructor must specify the requirements for completing the work and designate a default letter grade where no further work is submitted. Students must complete the required course work no later than the end of the following academic semester, or sooner if required by prior agreement. The instructor must record the permanent grade by the last day of the examination period of that following semester, or the University Registrar's Office will administratively assign the default grade. Pass/No Pass Grades Undergraduate students may elect to take a free-elective course pass/no-pass unless precluded by the course, the course's department or the student's home department/college. Policies for graduate students vary and students should be advised to check with their individual colleges/departments/programs for details. A student must submit a Pass/No-Pass form to the University Registrar's Office indicating the course they are electing as pass/no-pass before the end of the university's withdrawal period. This decision is irreversible thereafter. No information regarding the student's decision will be passed on to the instructor. Instructors will submit letter grades, which will automatically be converted to pass/no-pass. Work graded A through D will receive credit for units passed and be recorded as P on the student's academic record; below D work will receive no credit and will be recorded as N on the student's academic record. No quality points will be assigned to P or N units; P or N units will not be factored into the student's QPA. In exceptional circumstances, departments may ask to designate a course pass/no-pass or request that the course be evaluated only with letter grades. The College Council must approve designating a course as pass/no-pass only or as graded only. If such a decision will have an adverse effect on the requirements of any other college, Academic Council must review the decision. The decision to designate a course as graded or pass/no-pass must be made before the add period for the course and is irreversible thereafter. Auditing is presence in the classroom without receiving academic credit, a pass/fail or a letter grade. The extent of a student's participation must be arranged and approved by the course instructor. A student wishing to audit a course is required to register for the course, complete the Course Audit Approval form, obtain permission of the course instructor and their advisor, and return the form to The HUB prior to the last day to add a course. Any student enrolled full-time (36 units) may audit a course without additional charges. Part-time or non-degree students who choose to audit a course will be assessed tuition at the regular per-unit tuition rate. Drop/Withdrawal Grades Students at Carnegie Mellon may drop a course by accessing online registration in SIO on or before the drop deadline as published in the official university calendar. Policies for graduate students vary and students should be advised to check with their individual colleges/departments/programs for details. When a course is dropped by these deadlines, the course is removed and does not appear on the academic record. Undergraduate students who wish to withdraw from a course after the drop deadline must complete a Course Withdrawal form and must obtain their academic advisor's signature. The advisor will indicate whether they "recommend" or do "not recommend" withdrawal from the course on the form, sign the petition, and assign the "W" (withdrawal) grade in S3. The "W" grade will appear on the academic record. Withdrawal grades do not apply to graduate students, except in CFA, DC and SCS. Students may use a late drop voucher for a limited number of course drops after the deadline during the pursuit of their degree. This action must be taken through consultation with their academic advisor or associate dean. Learn more about course drops, withdrawals and vouchers at www.cmu.edu/hub/registrar/course-changes. Undergraduates who are registered as full-time students as of the 10th day of classes are expected to remain full-time for the duration of the semester. Full-time is defined as registered for a minimum of 36 units. Permission to drop below the 36-unit minimum can only be granted in extraordinary circumstances by the student's home associate dean. Undergraduates who are registered as part-time are also subject to the above deadlines to drop or withdraw from a course. When a course is repeated, all grades will be recorded on the official academic transcript and will be calculated in the student's QPA. This is the case regardless if the first grade for the course is a passing or failing grade, including pass/fail. Undergraduate students who wish to repeat a course already passed must obtain approval from the student's dean or department head. When a student takes a course they have already passed, only one set of units will count toward graduation requirements. The undergraduate student grading standard is as follows: Grade Quality Points W Non-Factorable Withdrawal AD Non-Factorable Credit granted for work completed at another institution or examination credit This grading standard is for all students classified as seeking an undergraduate degree and special students taking undergraduate courses. Any +/- grades received by undergraduate students when taking graduate-level courses will automatically convert to the corresponding letter grade as listed in the scale above. The graduate student grading standard is as follows: Grade Quality Points B 3.00 D+ 1.33 (Not applicable to Tepper School, Heinz College, or Dietrich College students) D 1.00 (Not applicable to Tepper School, Heinz College, or Dietrich College students) W Non-Factorable Withdrawal AD Non-Factorable Credit granted for work completed at another institution or examination credit Grading standards are based upon a student's home academic program and is defined by their home college. The college's standards determine if certain grades are applicable and if undergraduate courses are factored into their mid-semester and final semester quality point averages (QPA). Otherwise, the university policy is that only graduate courses (600 level and higher) are factored into the semester QPA. Pass/fail policies for graduate students vary and students should be advised to check with their individual college/department/program for details. Minimum passing grades in graduate courses are determined by the department and college policy. Any course that a graduate student completes will be graded using the scale above. This includes undergraduate courses taken by graduate students, and non-degree students taking graduate courses. Questions concerning this policy or its intent should be directed to the University Registrar's Office at 412-268-7404. Units and Quality Points Carnegie Mellon has adopted the method of assigning a number of “units” for each course to represent the quantity of work required of students. For the average student, one unit represents one work-hour of time per week throughout the semester. The number of units in each course is fixed by the faculty member in consultation with the college offering the course. Three units are the equivalent of one traditional semester credit hour. Hence, a 9-unit semester-long course should require 9 hours of student engagement, on average, including class time; if the instructor requires 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of recitation, they can expect students to spend 5 hours outside of class engaging in class work. For mini courses that run for only seven weeks, the conversion from units to number of hours per week during the mini involves multiplying by 2. For example, a 6 unit mini course should on average involve 12 hours of student engagement; if the instructor requires 3 hours of lecture and 3 hours of lab, they can expect the students to spend 6 hours outside of class. Final grades are given “Quality Point Values” as follows: C (Satisfactory) 2 Units earned for a course multiplied by the Quality Point Value of the grade given for that course equals the quality points for that course. For example, a 9-unit course assigned a “C” grade is awarded 18 quality points (9 units x 2 quality points = 18 quality points). Total Quality Points divided by Total Units Factorable equals the Quality Point Average. For example, a student's record in one semester might be: 11 units x 4 quality points = 44 quality points 10 units in Physics “R” 10 units x 0 quality points = 0 quality points 9 units in Chemistry “B” 9 units x 3 quality points = 27 quality points 9 units in History “C” 9 units x 2 quality points = 18 quality points 9 units in English “D” 9 units x 1 quality point = 9 quality points Total Quality Points = 98 Quality Point Average (98 divided by 48) = 2.04 “I” (incomplete), “P” (pass), and “W” (withdrawal) grades are not awarded quality points and are not considered “factorable” units when calculating the QPA. The same procedure is applied to all grades earned at the university to establish the Cumulative Quality Point Average. Dean's List Undergraduate students who meet specific academic requirements are added to their home college's Dean's List each semester. This is noted on the student's transcript for applicable semesters. Each college may have its own requirements for Dean's List qualification; these are described in the individual college sections of the catalog. Note: Only undergraduate degree-seeking students may earn a place on the Dean's List. Non-degree students are not eligible. Transfer Credit Evaluation and Assignment Policy The Policy on Grades for Transfer Courses, originally dated January 13, 1993, and approved by the Committee on Educational Programs and Student and Faculty Affairs states: “Carnegie Mellon University offers students the opportunity to take courses for credit through a cross-registration program and through the receipt of transfer credit from other accredited institutions. The Carnegie Mellon University transcript will include information on such courses as follows: Carnegie Mellon courses and courses taken through the university's cross-registration program will have grades recorded on the transcript and be factored into the QPA. All other courses will be recorded on this transcript indicating where the course was taken, but without grade. Such courses will not be taken into account for academic actions, honors or QPA calculations. Note: Suspended students may take courses elsewhere; however, they may receive transfer credit only if their college's and department's policies allow this. A Carnegie Mellon course is one conducted under Carnegie Mellon University regulations regarding course content and grading and taught by faculty under the supervision of a Carnegie Mellon academic unit. Courses taught by Carnegie Mellon faculty on the Carnegie Mellon campus qualify. Courses that are part of the regular offerings of other universities do not qualify, unless faculty at the other universities receive appointments at Carnegie Mellon and handle Carnegie Mellon students under Carnegie Mellon academic regulations. Courses offered for cross-registration are those taken under the PCHE (Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education) agreement during the regular academic year.” Only official and final college or university transcripts will be accepted for the awarding of transfer credit. Grade reports, letters and the like are not acceptable. It is the responsibility of the Office of Undergraduate Admission and the University Registrar's Office to verify official transcripts. Official transcripts for the awarding of transfer credit will reside in the student's permanent university academic folder in the University Registrar's Office. It is the responsibility of each academic department to review and establish transfer course credit for their degree-seeking students. External applicants applying for transfer to Carnegie Mellon will arrange for submission of: official transcripts to the Office of Undergraduate Admission as part of the admission process. official, final transcripts to the Office of Undergraduate Admission once they are admitted and prior to their beginning coursework at Carnegie Mellon. As part of the admission process, the Office of Undergraduate Admission will verify the official final transcripts, and then send them to the appropriate academic unit responsible for college/department acceptance decisions. Each unit will be responsible for the review of transfer credit and the establishment of transfer course credit for each individual student. Current Students Current Carnegie Mellon students taking courses at other accredited institutions (colleges and universities), during either summer semesters or as part of exchange programs or other departmentally approved programs, or while on leave from Carnegie Mellon, must arrange for the submission of official final transcripts to the University Registrar's Office. Upon receipt, the University Registrar's Office will verify these official transcripts and send a copy of the transcript to the appropriate academic unit responsible for that student's college/department transfer credit decisions. The official transcript will reside in the student's university academic record in the University Registrar's Office. Each unit will be responsible for its students' transfer credit review and the establishment of transfer course credit for each individual student. Should a unit receive the official transcript, it must be sent immediately to the University Registrar's Office. The university has standard units assigned to Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) credits for all majors. Standard course equivalencies for each exam will be determined by “expert departments” in each college for each acceptable AP/IB score. Under this procedure, students' AP or IB credit for a particular course will only go toward their degree requirements if allowed by the home department or college policies. Should a student decide to transfer to another major and/or academic unit within the university, AP/IB credit applicability to new degree requirements will depend upon the requirements of the new home department (or college). Students may only be granted credit for the Higher Level IB exams. This policy assumes no significant AP and/or IB exam changes. In the event of significant exam changes, students will be notified of any resulting policy changes no later than July 30 prior to their enrollment to take effect the fall of that year. Rank in Class Undergraduates at Carnegie Mellon pursue degrees in one or more of our ten schools or colleges. They may choose to pursue coursework, majors and minors within and between schools/colleges. In an institution where students' educational experiences are so varied, class rank is not a meaningful way to measure achievement. Carnegie Mellon does not report nor record students' rank in class, rank in college and rank in department. Graduate school and/or employment requests that ask for a students' rank will be completed with the statement "Carnegie Mellon does not report rank in class." The student's official transcript is to be considered the official record for all degree(s), major(s), minor(s), and honors. The official Carnegie Mellon transcript includes both the undergraduate and/or graduate record(s). All transcripts come in individually sealed envelopes, unless otherwise specified. Transcript requests are not processed if the student has an outstanding obligation, financial or otherwise. We cannot accept phone or email requests and we are not able to fax a transcript under any circumstances. Visit www.cmu.edu/hub/registrar/student-records for complete information, including how to order a transcript. Verifications Enrollment and degree verifications are available for currently enrolled Carnegie Mellon students and Carnegie Mellon Alumni. A verification officially confirms information about you. Please note that we cannot fax your QPA or verifications that contain anything besides the following: Local address Email address Class College Department Degree(s) awarded The most common reasons for requesting a verification are: Student loan agencies and insurance companies asking if a student is enrolled. Potential employers asking if a student graduated with a certain degree. Currently enrolled Carnegie Mellon students may order enrollment verifications via Student Information Online (SIO). Additional information can be found at www.cmu.edu/hub/registrar/student-records. Undergraduates who are registered as full-time students as of the end of the course add period (typically, the 10th regularly scheduled class day) are expected to remain full-time for the duration of the semester. Full-time is defined by a minimum of 36 units. Permission to drop below the 36 unit minimum must be granted by the student's associate dean. Undergraduates who are registered as part-time are also subject to the above deadlines to drop or withdraw from a course. Students carrying a full-time course load at the end of the course add period (typically, the 10th regularly scheduled class day) are not ordinarily permitted to drop below 36 units after that time. Exceptions must be authorized by the student's associate dean. Students should refer to the sections of the catalog pertaining to their college and/or department to determine the number of units required each academic year by their specific curriculum. Students must achieve passing grades in order to earn units; students do not earn units for incomplete or failed courses. A first-year student becomes a sophomore after earning passing grades in three-fourths of the units required by their first-year curriculum. A sophomore student becomes a junior after earning the number of units required by their first-year curriculum plus three-fourths of the number of units for the sophomore year. A junior student becomes a senior after earning the number of units required by their first-year and sophomore curriculum plus three-fourths of the number of units for the junior year. Classification of students is made only at the time of their first registration in any academic year and remains unchanged throughout the rest of that academic year. Course Description Requests (for prior years) Please note that University Archives does not have access to transcript and verification information. They maintain only the course description archives. If you call or email this office, your request will not be processed. Please contact: Students are responsible for checking to ensure that the degree requirements (as listed in the appropriate catalog at the time of their matriculation) have been met. They may also refer to the Stellic online degree audit application. If the degree requirements have been modified by College Council action, the student is responsible for checking to ensure that the modified requirements have been met. To be eligible to graduate, undergraduate students must complete all residence and course requirements for their program with a cumulative Quality Point Average of at least 2.0. For undergraduate students who enrolled at Carnegie Mellon as a first-year and whose first-year grades cause the cumulative QPA to fall below 2.0, this requirement is modified to be a cumulative QPA of at least 2.0 for all courses taken after the first year. Note, however, the cumulative QPA that appears on the student's final transcript will be calculated based on all grades in all courses taken, including their first year. Some programs may have additional QPA requirements in order to graduate. Students are encouraged to confirm all graduation requirements with their academic advisor. No student may receive a diploma until all financial obligations to the university have been met. A candidate for the bachelor's degree must complete at the university a minimum of four semesters of full-time study, or the equivalent of part-time study, comprising at least 180 units of coursework. Note that these are minimum residency requirements applicable to all university undergraduates. Some of the university's colleges and departments have developed more restrictive requirements in this area. Students should consult that section of the catalog in which their college or department's academic regulations are presented for the residency requirements applicable to them. Deviation from these policies requires action by the dean of the student's home college. Implications of Residency Requirements for transfer students seeking a second undergraduate degree: Students who received degrees from other universities could have up to 2 years of credits earned elsewhere applied to their Carnegie Mellon degree requirements and would need to meet Carnegie Mellon's Residency Requirement and complete at the university a minimum of four semesters of full-time study, or the equivalent of part-time study, comprising at least 180 units of coursework. Deviation from these policies will require action by the dean of the student's home college. A Carnegie Mellon diploma is a student's certificate of accomplishment. The diploma is printed with the name the student approved within Student Information Online (SIO) , along with the student's primary degree and major (i.e., Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing), and if applicable, additional major(s). Minors are not listed on a diploma, although they do appear on an official transcript. Diplomas are distributed to graduates during or immediately following the May Commencement Ceremony. Certain circumstances will result in students receiving their diplomas at a later date; these students will be informed of this well before the ceremony. If a student is unable to attend the ceremony, diplomas will be mailed in the weeks following commencement. Diplomas are not available prior to the stated date of graduation. August and December graduates will receive their diploma via the mail. The diploma is 14x17 inches and is marked with a multi-colored and gold seal. Graduation with University Honors In recognition of exemplary academic achievement as undergraduates, some candidates for undergraduate degrees will be named to the University Honors List. Each of the undergraduate colleges will select students for honors on the basis of a cumulative grade point average (typically when cumulative QPA is greater than 3.5) and/or recommendation of the faculty. Carnegie Mellon University offers a wide variety of programs; the opportunities vary greatly between and among the colleges. For the purposes of clarification, this section defines: the existing procedure for creating new degrees, majors and minors. Major Field studied in greatest depth by fulfilling a department-determined set of course requirements. The primary major is the field in which the degree is granted. Students may pursue an additional major(s) in a single degree program. Field(s) studied for educational enrichment by fulfilling a department-determined set of course requirements. Graduate students may not pursue minors. Minors are not listed on the diploma but appear on the student's transcript. The type of degree sought is determined by the major (that of the home department), not the minor. Examples: Film Studies; Game Design (Now referred to variously as track, option, etc.) A specific area of study associated with the major or an additional major(s), which transforms the title of the major or additional major. (Now referred to variously as track, option, etc.) A specific area of study generally associated with a major or additional major, which appears only on the transcript. Home College The college into which the student was originally admitted or into which the student formally transferred. Home Department The department into which the student was originally admitted or the department offering the major which the student has declared. Concurrent College/Department College/department other than the home college/department, granting the second of multiple degrees, or offering the additional major(s) of the double or triple major, or minor. One diploma, stating the degree and the major field of study. Currently, the Statute of Limitations on earning an undergraduate degree is eight years. Examples: B.A. in Psychology; M.S. in Chemistry. Requirements: Fulfillment of all requirements of the home college. Declaration: At least by registration time (early November), during the first semester of the junior year. Certification: Home college, home department. For undergraduates, depending on the student's college, the major is usually declared at the end of the first year or sophomore year. Departments enter the appropriate majors upon declaration. For graduate students, the major is usually indicative of the department and is supplied by the department. Degree program offered between two or more colleges or departments. Examples: B.H.A from the College of Fine Arts and the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences; M.S. in Colloids, Polymers, and Surfaces (Chemistry and Chemical Engineering). More than one degree granted by the university (whether simultaneous or sequential). The students receives one diploma for each degree. When awarded simultaneously, two degrees are referred to as dual degrees, three degrees as triple degrees. Multiple graduate degrees may be given in conjunction with an outside university. Examples of how such degrees appear on the respective diplomas: Bachelor of Fine Arts in the field of Art; Bachelor of Science in the field of History Bachelor of Science in the field of Physics; Bachelor of Science in the field of Computer Science Declaration: Undergraduates must declare at least by registration time (early November), during the first semester of the junior year. To receive multiple bachelor's degrees the student must: satisfy all requirements for each degree. complete an aggregate number of units that exceeds, by at least 90, the minimum unit requirement for the degree with the smallest such requirement (i.e., if one of the degrees requires a minimum of 360 units and the other requires 380 units, a total of at least 450 units (90 plus 360, the smallest of the two) is required to obtain both degrees). comply, for each degree, with the statute of limitations regarding the time at which units are earned. while working towards more than one degree simultaneously, designate one of the departments (and if necessary colleges) as the home college/department. Additional Major One degree, stating the major in the home department first and the additional major second. The type of degree given (B.A., B.S.) is determined by the major of the home department. For example, a student whose home department is Physics: This degree is valid: B.S. in Physics with an additional major in History This degree is not valid: B.S. in History with an additional major in Physics The intent of a double major is an in-depth understanding of two major fields. Students may pursue a second major in a field where the primary degree is different from the degree associated with the additional major: i.e., B.S. in Economics with an additional major in History. Requirements: If the double majors involve two different colleges OR the same college, the student must fulfill: all requirements (including core) for the first major degree as defined by the home college; all major requirements (including core prerequisites) for the additional major; any specific requirements for double majors imposed by the department(s)/college(s) involved. Declaration: At least by registration time (early November), during the first semester of the junior year. Certification: Home college, home department; concurrent college (if any), concurrent department (if any). Additional Majors One degree, stating the major of the home departments first, the second and the third major afterwards. The type of degree sought (B.A., B.S.) is determined by the major in the home department. For example, for a History student, this degree is valid: B.A. in History with additional majors in Professional Writing and in Hispanic Studies. This degree is not valid: B.A. in Professional Writing with additional majors in History and in Hispanic Studies. Requirements: If the triple major involves two or three different colleges OR the same college, the student must fulfill all requirements listed for each additional major. Declaration: At least by registration time (early November), during the first semester of the junior year. Certification: department Concurrent college (if any), concurrent department (if any) Second concurrent college (if any), second concurrent department (if any) One degree, stating the major first and the minor second (or third, if there is also (an) additional major(s) involved). The type of degree sought (B.A., B.S.) is determined by the major (that of the home department). Minors are not listed on the diploma, but appear on the transcript. Examples: B.F.A. in Music Performance (Voice) with a minor in Theatre Arts; B.S. in Applied History with an additional major in Information Systems and a minor in Mathematics. Requirements: The student would generally take 45 units pertaining to the minor, in addition to fulfilling all requirements for the major degree (as defined by the home college). The “minor” courses are negotiated between the student and the department certifying the minor. Declaration: At least by registration time (early November), during the first semester of the junior year. Certification: department These concentrations will not be considered part of the student's degree title unless the concentration is included as part of the major or (an) additional major(s) field title. Additional Majors/Minors Declaration Process For undergraduates, all variations on a student's intended degree and major field must be declared by the end of the first semester of the student's junior year. Having already declared a major, students should be well prepared by this time to choose additional majors and/or minors. It is assumed that by these proposed deadlines, the student will have taken a majority of degree requirements and electives. The student can then, in conjunction with an advisor, review their course history and decide which options may or may not apply towards a supplemental degree and field(s), and then receive a detailed curriculum for attaining the additional desired degree, major or minor. The student should then notify the college/department offering the additional program. Upon receipt of this notification, the college/department will update the Student Information System which will allow this information to be reflected in the Commencement System for graduation. This procedure ensures that when a student is expected to graduate, all degree/major information is immediately accessible, and certification of the degree is simplified. Multiple Degrees Involving Graduate Degrees Policies involving multiple graduate degrees or a graduate/undergraduate degree program or sequence are dictated by each college involved. Examples: M.S. in Public Management and Policy and the degree of Juris Doctor (Heinz College/University of Pittsburgh School of Law). Declaration: Undergraduates: at least by registration time (early November), first semester junior year. Declaration: Graduates: upon admittance OR by the end of the semester preceding the expected graduation date. Certification: Home college, home department and concurrent college (if any), concurrent department (if any). Carnegie Mellon undergraduate students are expected to complete their program of study within eight semesters of full-time enrollment, or 10 semesters for undergraduate students in the Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) program. The standard undergraduate program of study is grounded in a primary degree and its requirements, and may be complemented by an additional major(s) or minor(s) as part of the student’s academic plan or as a requirement of the primary major. Upon completion of all primary degree requirements within the program of study in the standard number of eight semesters (or 10 for B.Arch.), the degree will be certified by the student’s academic program in the semester in which the student completes the requirements. Early Completion Students who complete their primary degree requirements within their program of study in fewer than eight semesters (or 10 for B.Arch.) may have their degree certified upon the completion of all requirements in consultation with their academic advisor(s). Longer-than-standard degree completion may occur due to academic interruptions in making progress toward the degree as defined by the academic program and/or the Student Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress policy, interruptions of full-time study or progress toward the degree due to serious, documented medical issues, or other unusual or unforeseen circumstances. Students who complete their primary degree requirements within their program of study in more than the standard number of semesters will be certified in the semester in which they have completed their primary degree requirements, pursuant to close and regular consultation with their academic advisor(s). Additional Guidance for Students Program of study. Students seeking guidance about their program of study and degree requirements should consult with their academic advisor and/or appropriate associate dean. Financial aid and student account. Students are expected to make normal progress toward their degree in order to graduate within the standard timeframe for their program of study. Under U.S. Federal Title IV regulations, student eligibility for federal financial aid is contingent upon enrollment in and successful completion of courses that are counted as credit toward their current degree program. To receive the maximum amount of federal and state financial aid for which they may be eligible, students must enroll each semester in at least 36 units that count toward their current degree level. CMU institutional undergraduate grants support undergraduate degree completion and on-time graduation; institutional undergraduate grants for students in undergraduate programs and in integrated undergraduate and master’s degree programs are renewable for eight semesters (and 10 for B.Arch.). (See separate guidance regarding integrated bachelor-master’s degree programs.) Students should consult with their designated college liaison in The HUB regarding billing and financial aid, particularly for early completion, longer-than-standard completion, or integrated undergraduate and master’s degree programs. International students. Immigration status for students in F-1 and J-1 non-immigrant status is tied to making normal progress toward completing degree requirements. Therefore, F-1 and J-1 students who are considering completing their degree requirements early, anticipating longer-than-standard completion, or moving from an undergraduate to a graduate student classification (integrated undergraduate-graduate study), should consult with their designated advisor in the Office of International Education (OIE) to ensure compliance with immigration regulations. Guidance for Academic Advisors and Deans Advisors and associate deans may direct questions regarding degree certification, norms or exceptions to the University Registrar or to the Vice Provost of Education. The integration of bachelor and master’s degree programs (“IBM” programs) benefits CMU students who elect to maximize their use of time and academic energy to blend their undergraduate studies with master’s-level study in close combination, in an integrated program of study at CMU. Some CMU departments and programs have developed integrated options for students in response to student desires for such opportunities and to enliven their graduate programs with students who are well-acclimated to the rigor and demands of the CMU educational experience. Carnegie Mellon students in integrated bachelor-master’s programs are expected to complete their degree requirements within a standard length of time for their full-time program of study as outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog and relevant Graduate Student Handbook. This document describes several standard models for the CMU integrated bachelor-master’s degree programs, some of which involve acceleration of either the undergraduate or the graduate degree component (or both) within the integrated program designs. Each CMU integrated program offers specific, pre-determined model(s) of integrated study reflecting one of the following: 4+0 meaning that a student will complete both undergraduate and master’s degree coursework in eight semesters (four years) of full-time study. This model generally applies when the undergraduate and graduate field of study are the same, such as an undergraduate and master’s degree in Chemistry or Mathematics. 3-1-1 meaning three years of full-time undergraduate coursework, followed by one year of integrated undergraduate and graduate study, and one year of exclusively master’s level coursework for a total of five years of full-time study. And example would be undergraduate degrees integrated with Heinz College or Tepper graduate degree programs. The undergraduate degree generally is completed in eight semesters of full-time study (or less.) 4+1 semester meaning eight semesters (four years) of full-time undergraduate coursework including integration of some master’s level courses, followed by one semester of exclusively master’s level coursework for a total of four and a half years. The undergraduate degree generally is completed in eight semesters of full-time study (or less.) 4+2 semesters meaning eight semesters (four years) of full-time undergraduate coursework including integration of some master’s level courses, followed by two semesters of exclusively master’s level coursework for a total of five academic years. The undergraduate degree is completed in eight semesters of full-time study (or less.) 4+3 semesters meaning eight semesters (four years) of full-time undergraduate coursework including integration of some master’s level courses, followed by three semesters of exclusively master’s level coursework for a total of five and a half academic years. The undergraduate degree is completed in eight semesters of full-time study. 5+1 for architecture meaning five years of Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) undergraduate coursework followed by two semesters of full-time master’s level coursework for a total of six academic years. The B.Arch. undergraduate degree generally is completed in 10 semesters. The standard undergraduate program of study is grounded in a primary degree and its requirements, and may be complemented by an additional major(s) or minor(s) as part of the academic plan. Some students decide to apply for one of CMU’s several integrated degree programs to complement their undergraduate degree with an integrated or accelerated master’s degree. Depending on the model of the integrated program, when an undergraduate student applies to an IBM program, they recognize that the standard for undergraduate study will be eight semesters (or 10 for B.Arch.), plus one, two, three or four additional semesters of full-time graduate-level study (except for the 4+0 model, above) to complete the master’s degree. CMU students in most IBM programs are considered to be undergraduates until they have completed the requirements for their bachelor degree at which point they are certified by their undergraduate academic program; this typically occurs at the time determined to be the standard for their integrated program following a successful seven or eight semesters (or 10 for B.Arch.) of full-time enrollment, depending on the design of their integrated program. However, in one rare model, the integrated program design holds the bachelor degree certification to be given concurrently with the master’s degree in the ninth or tenth semester of full time enrollment. Early Completion of Undergraduate Degree An IBM student who has completed all undergraduate degree requirements in fewer than the standard number of semesters for their program may request an early undergraduate degree certification from their undergraduate program, in close consultation with their academic advisor(s). This situation, while possible, is not common due to the necessity of staying on track for both undergraduate and master’s degree programs in an integrated manner. Movement from Undergraduate to Graduate Student Classification Students in an IBM program who are certified as having completed their undergraduate degree – typically in the number of semesters that is the standard for their integrated program – then will be classified as a graduate student at CMU, and are expected to complete their graduate degree requirements within the standard length of time for their integrated program of study. Students should be aware of and plan for financial implications, including financial aid, and/or F-1/J-1 non-immigrant implications due to the change of level when moving from undergraduate student status to graduate student status at CMU. (See details below.) Upon completion of the graduate program degree requirements in the standard period of study, the graduate degree will be certified in the semester in which the student completes the requirements by the student’s graduate program. Early Completion of Graduate Degree Requirements Early completion of the graduate degree requirements. Graduate students who consider the completion of all degree requirements in less than the standard length of time for their program of study must consult with their degree-granting program or department to determine if early degree certification is allowed academically and under what circumstances. In some cases, students in an IBM program may withdraw from the graduate component of the program of study and, therefore, will not be certified or awarded the graduate degree. Any such withdrawal decision also may require close consultation with the undergraduate advisor to determine eligibility for undergraduate degree completion and certification if the undergraduate degree is not already certified. Longer-than-standard degree completion may occur due to academic interruptions in making progress toward the degree as defined by the academic program, interruptions of full-time study or progress toward the degree due to serious, documented medical issues, or other unusual or unforeseen circumstances. IBM students who require longer than the standard time to complete their graduate degree requirements are expected to remain in close contact with their graduate program, and will be certified at the end of the semester in which they have completed their degree requirements. Students shall reference CMU Policy on Master’s Student Statute of Limitations (www.cmu.edu/policies/student-and-student-life/masters-students-statute-of-limitations.html) regarding guidelines and restrictions which place an upper limit on the maximum length of time allowable for master’s degree completion and certification. Additional Guidance for Students Program of study. Students seeking guidance about their program of study and degree requirements should consult with their academic advisor and/or appropriate associate dean. Financial aid and student account. Students are expected to make normal progress toward their degree in order to graduate within the standard timeframe for their program of study. Under U.S. Federal Title IV regulations, student eligibility for federal financial aid is contingent upon enrollment in and successful completion of courses that are counted as credit toward their current degree program. To receive the maximum amount of federal and state financial aid for which they may be eligible, students must enroll each semester in at least 36 units that count toward their current degree level. CMU institutional undergraduate grants support undergraduate degree completion and on-time graduation; institutional undergraduate grants for students in undergraduate programs and in IBM programs are renewable for eight semesters (and 10 for B.Arch.). Students should consult with their designated college liaison in The HUB regarding billing and financial aid, particularly for early completion, longer-than-standard completion, or integrated bachelor and master’s degree programs. International students. Immigration status for students in F-1 and J-1 non-immigrant status is tied to making normal progress toward completing degree requirements. Therefore, F-1 and J-1 students who are considering completing their degree requirements early, anticipating longer-than-standard completion, or moving from an undergraduate to a graduate student classification (integrated undergraduate-graduate study), should consult with their designated advisor in the Office of International Education (OIE) to ensure compliance with immigration regulations. Guidance for Academic Advisors and Deans Advisors and associate deans may direct questions regarding degree certification, norms or exceptions to the University Registrar or to the Vice Provost of Education. Note: This academic regulation will be in effect starting in the 2022-23 Academic Year. Note: This academic regulation will be in effect for first- and second-year students starting in the 2022-23 Academic Year, and can offer helpful guidance and insights for third- and fourth-year students, as well as fifth-year architecture students. Academic Actions Each college may have its own regulations and procedures regarding academic actions, but in general, the following apply to all undergraduate students. Student Suspension/Required Withdrawal Policy University Suspension is a forced, temporary leave from the university. There are three types of suspension for students that apply to both graduate and undergraduate students: Academic Suspension is the result of poor academic performance or violation of academic regulations and is imposed by the student's college or academic department (see university and college academic policies). Disciplinary Suspension is the result of serious personal misconduct and is imposed by the Office of Student Affairs (see The Word/Student Handbook). Administrative Suspension is the result of failure to meet university financial obligations or failure to comply with federal, state or local health regulations and is imposed by Student Financial Services (see Student Financial Obligation Terms). Suspended students may not: register for courses attend classes live in residence halls or Greek housing use campus facilities, including athletic facilities, libraries and computer clusters participate in student activities be members of student organizations have student jobs *Students on academic suspension may have a summer campus job if they accepted the job before they were suspended. Employment Although suspended students may not hold student jobs, students on academic suspension may, under certain circumstances, have a non-student job with the university; students on disciplinary or administrative suspension may not. To have a non-student job, students on academic suspension must receive approval from their associate dean (undergraduate students) or department head (graduate students) to ensure that the job will not violate their suspension terms. Students in violation of this will lose their degree student status, meaning they would have to reapply for admission to Carnegie Mellon through either the Office of Undergraduate Admission or the appropriate graduate department. Suspended students may take courses elsewhere; however, they may receive transfer credit only if their college's and department's policies allow this. Appeals To appeal any action of this policy, the student may write to the following individuals: Academic Suspension: Associate dean (undergraduate students) or department head (graduate students) Disciplinary Suspension: Dean of Student Affairs Administrative Suspension: Associate Vice President & Director of Enrollment Services, and the Dean of Student Affairs, in consultation with the student's associate dean Returning from Suspension In order to return from a suspension, a student must have the following approval: Academic Suspension: Associate dean (undergraduate students) or department head (graduate students) Disciplinary Suspension: Dean of Student Affairs Administrative Suspension: Associate Vice President & Director of Enrollment Services, and the Dean of Student Affairs, in consultation with the student's associate dean Procedure for the Appeal of Grades & Academic Actions In the event a student believes an assigned grade or an imposed academic action is incorrect or not appropriate, the student may follow the processes outlined below to seek a prompt and equitable resolution of the matter. If a student believes a grade has been incorrectly assigned, the student should: Present the case to the faculty member responsible for the course, providing all supporting data concerning the nature of the discrepancy. If, after a decision is rendered, the student believes that their concerns have not been adequately resolved, the student may pursue a formal appeal with the department responsible for the course. To appeal to the department, a student must present a written statement detailing the grounds for the appeal with appropriate documentation to the head of the department responsible for the course. This appeal must be submitted within seven (7) days of receipt of the faculty member’s decision. The department head will provide a written decision, including the basis for it, within thirty (30) days, or as soon thereafter as practical. If the student is not satisfied with the department head’s resolution, the student may pursue the appeal at the college level. To appeal at the college level, the student must present copies of all documents originally sent to the faculty member and department head, along with a formal letter of appeal, to the dean of the college responsible for the course. This appeal must be submitted within seven (7) days of receipt of the department head’s decision. The dean, or the dean’s designate, will review the appeal and will render a written decision, including the basis for it, within thirty (30) days, or as soon thereafter as practical. If a student believes an academic action is inconsistent with the policies of the college or merits additional review, a student should: Submit a formal written appeal, as specified in the initial academic action, to the associate dean of the college responsible for the decision, with a copy to the dean, requesting review of the action including all relevant materials to substantiate their case and support their concerns. The dean of the college, or the dean’s designate, will review the appeal and issue a decision and the basis for it within thirty (30) days. If, after carrying out the steps of either process described above, the student believes that the matter has not been adequately resolved, or if no decision has been rendered by the appropriate date, the student may appeal at the university level. To appeal at the university level, the student must present copies of all previously submitted documents and a formal letter of appeal to the Provost. The Provost or another designated university officer will respond in writing with a final resolution, including the basis for it, within thirty (30) days, or as soon thereafter as practical. Other Academic Regulations English Fluency for Non-Native English Speakers To be successful at Carnegie Mellon University, students who are nonnative speakers of English need to begin their undergraduate work with a strong foundation in academic English and a high level of proficiency with speaking, listening, reading and writing in English. The importance of English language abilities cannot be overstated since there are no basic English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at Carnegie Mellon. All students will have sufficient English language proficiency to be able to participate fully in the academic work and to interact in daily life outside of the classroom. Students' English proficiency will enable them to handle the demands of academic work, including the ability to comprehend, process, and master complex material presented in English, both in written and spoken form. Students will be able to communicate their ideas and questions to faculty, classmates, and others, in a classroom environment that is often highly participatory. For example, many classes require group discussion, team projects, oral presentations, and/or independent research. In addition to proficient English skills, studying in a new culture requires openness and flexibility to adapt to a new, and often very different, academic system. To assess the language of non-native English speaking applicants, a minimum TOEFL score of 600 (paper based, PBT), or 100 (internet based, iBT) has been established as the standard for admission. This minimum score indicates that an applicant has the fundamental building blocks of language needed for academic tasks and for continued language development. Since neither the PBT or iBT versions of TOEFL access speaking, students who take these tests should additionally seek feedback on their speaking skills and work to improve conversational skills before beginning academic work. Each term, Carnegie Mellon welcomes exchange students from partner institutions around the world. Exchange students enrich the learning experience at Carnegie Mellon and are expected to be full participants in the curricular and meta-curricular life. Therefore, their admission should adhere to the English language guidelines described above. Exchange students submit standardized English language testing scores (such as the TOEFL) as part of the Exchange application process, and present the same high level of English language abilities as degree-seeking students. With exchange students, high-level English abilities are particularly critical since academic, personal and extracurricular experiences must be maximized in a short period of time, sometimes only four months in duration. Withdrawal of a Degree The university reserves the right to withdraw a degree even though it has been granted should there be discovery that the work upon which it was based or the academic records in support of it had been falsified. In such a case the degree will be withdrawn promptly upon discovery of the falsification. Information for Graduating Students Graduating students may wear one stole ONLY with their academic regalia. Students are certainly permitted to receive/purchase more than one stole if they are a member of multiple organizations that issue stoles and may choose to wear a particular stole to the main commencement ceremony and another to their diploma ceremony. Graduating students who are a member of a club/organization that issues a pin to designate affiliation are permitted to wear more than one pin with the academic regalia in addition to one stole. Retention of Student Work The university reserves the right in all colleges to retain indefinitely any student work the faculty may select. All work not retained by the university must be claimed at the time specified on the bulletin boards (or other forms of communication) of the department concerned; otherwise, the work will be destroyed. All units required for an undergraduate degree, whether earned in residence, transferred from another institution or granted via advanced placement, must have been earned within eight years of the date on which the degree is granted. This statutory period can be extended by the Dean of the student's college under the following conditions: the courses taken prior to the statutory period still represent a reasonable part of the student's total academic program; the prior courses provide adequate preparation for courses which must still be taken to fulfill the degree requirements; there is a legitimate reason(s) for the student not completing the academic program within the statutory period. A request for a waiver of the statute of limitations must be submitted to the dean of the student's college. The request for a waiver should address all of the above conditions for an extension. For cases in which a waiver is granted, the waiver covers specific courses and is intended for a specific period during which the program must be completed. Transitional student status has been instituted by the university to assist undergraduate students who have changed their minds about their original field of study or who have been judged unlikely to make satisfactory progress in their chosen field. Becoming a Transitional Student gives a student an opportunity to maintain a relationship with the home college while re-orienting academic plans and goals. It also gives a student time to explore their options and/or enhance admissibility to another college in the university, or to another institution. Ordinarily, a student will be permitted to register as a Transitional Student for no more than one semester. In exceptional circumstances, a student may be allowed to extend the status beyond one semester. A student must obtain the permission of their home college associate dean to initiate this option. Transitional Student status may be available to students upon the advice of their advisor, or at their own request. Interested students must make an appointment with the associate dean of their home college to discuss this option. Note: Students at Carnegie Mellon in good academic standing may transfer from one program to another as long as they meet curricular or artistic requirements and as long as there is space in the program into which they wish to transfer. New Degree, Major, or Minor Departments proposing new degrees, majors, additional majors, and/or minors must complete a New Academic Program Process (NAPP Step 2) form. This should include any and all notations to the university diploma and/or transcript (new degrees, majors, minors, options). Departments proposing to offer a new degree, major, additional major and/or minor must follow university policies for approval as follows: Document the program by completing the New Academic Program Process (NAPP Step 2) form. Departments proposing new degrees and majors must complete this form and attach course descriptions, curriculum proposal, list of present faculty who will support the program, and verify the availability of other units' courses. This documentation must indicate the starting semester for the program, and in the case of new majors, also indicate if it is available only as a major/additional major/minor, or in combination. Receive department approval. Receive dean and College Council approval. Submit all program documentation complete with College Council approval to the Vice Provost for Education. New majors or degrees will not be processed without the approval of the Provost's Office. The Provost's Office will approve or deny, and inform the sponsoring department and Enrollment Services.	75,778
Jan Ebeling's career took off in 1998, when he became an American citizen after immigrating from Germany in 1984 where he had apprenticed and worked for the late German Master, Herbert Rehbein for many years. He proceeded to win multiple National Championships on a series of talented horses, including Funny Boy, Shapiro, Gucci, Liberte, Feleciano, Sandrina, Louis Ferdinand, Rassolini, Indeed, Blenheim, and Bellena. In 2003, he competed for the USA at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, clinching a team Gold medal. Jan is most notably known for his contribution to the United States Dressage team, earning a spot with Rafalca to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. He has represented the United States in four different World Cup finals, won a Bronze medal at the Nations Cup in Aachen, and has competed successfully in countless FEI competitions throughout his career, both in the United States and Europe. In addition to Jan’s riding, he is a trainer specializing in working with talented riders and horses through to the Grand Prix level, and a very popular clinician in the United States and Europe. Find another coach or find another coach Welcome on Coach Finder! Log in to book a lesson with Jan or register if you don't have an account yet ;) Don't worry, we don't share your data with other companies. Simply, we will send you a few information about MOVE'N SEE. You can unsubscribe at any time from our newsletter.	1,477
Do you know Jesus loves you? I mean really Loves you. He wants to know you in a relationship. Do you want to know a love like this? It is a step of faith with Him. It is a life-changing experience. He wants to know You!! In John 4, there’s a story of a woman who had a hard life, had many lovers, Jesus met her at a well. She was seen as less than, yet Jesus loved her. Jesus wanted her to know He came to save her from her sins of the past and He would be water for her thirst. Unquenchable thirst refreshed by the amazing Jesus, the Water of Life. 10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” 11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12 And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?” 13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” 15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” These are not just words, they are life-giving. It does not matter where you have been women or men. Jesus waits for you to call out to Him, He loves you!!! Love Like this, a beautiful song by Lauren Daigle came onto my playlist yesterday. It has been a while since I heard this song, powerful lyrics bring hope and a reminder that the love of Jesus! He is the living water in a wasteland. Jesus is a warm morning sunrise after a dark, lonely night. We may not feel we deserve a love like this but Jesus says we are His! Seek to know Him! Let the whisper of His voice fill your mind with hope. Enjoy basking in Him. We cannot earn a love like Jesus gives, it is a free gift. Isn’t that amazing? In the Bible, Chapter 14 of John tells us about a conversation between Jesus and doubting Thomas along with the disciples. I share this chapter to show you Jesus understands our human doubt. He loves us anyway! John 14: 1 – 14 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7 If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is.[c] From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” 9 Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. 11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do. 12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! Jesus told his disciples after he briefly returned from death on the cross, He would send an advocate (the Holy Spirit) to guide them. Matthew 14: 15 – 21 shares what Jesus said to his best friends, the disciples. We are not alone after we accept Jesus as our Savior, we also have an Advocate (the Holy Spirit) along with Jesus who intercedes for us before God the Father. Jesus said 15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. 18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. 19 Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. 20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.” The Living Water of Jesus is for everyone. We are all sinners who fall short of perfection. Yet Jesus died a sinner’s death on the cross. He rose from the dead and shared the news of the Holy Spirit with his disciples. who in turn shared the story in the Bible. Did you know Bible Gateway ( BibleGateway.com ) has a website that you can access online for the Bible? I use the New Living translation or the Message versions because I feel they are easier to understand. The Bible is the most read book of all time according to Business insider, and the best selling book of all time according to Guiness Book of World records. Consider a new year as an opportunity to access the Bible for yourselves. We can start a new year with a new life in Jesus. We can accept this free gift of love. He gives us a beautiful love like this, reach for it today! [16] “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. [17] God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. Published by Inspiring Light through the Cracks On the journey of life, as fellow sojourner; sister, wife, past Trauma Nurse, Mom of four, blessed through adoption, and our foreign exchange student, Jesus Christ is my Lord. I have found the broken cracks in my life mold and shaped me, yet remind me how much I must lean on the God who is the Ultimate in Wisdom. I hope my musings resonate with you. View all posts by Inspiring Light through the Cracks Published January 12, 2022 January 12, 2022 Previous Post New year New hope January 12, 2022 at 12:40 pm Oh yes, I know that Jesus loves me, and I have my very own personal relationship with Him. Great post. Keep sharing the gospel everyone needs to know about Our Lord and Savior.	7,052
16th October Update: It brings us great sadness to announce that unfortunately Trevor Ablett passed away this week, the world has lost a true inspiration and one of the greatest craftsman we had the pleasure of meeting. Our thoughts are with his family. When our beloved Trevor Ablett announced his retirement earlier this year due to health, we couldn't see ourselves stocking another pocket knife. Trevor is one of a kind, every phone call with him was an inspiration, up until his recent retirement he was one of the few remaining craftsman knife makers creating British made pocket knives in a small Sheffield workshop, something he has been doing for over 50 years. Trevor is termed a "Little Mester" locally, this term was used to describe the legions of highly skilled, self-employed Sheffield craftsmen during the mid 1800's, who were the backbone of what was then the world's cutlery and tool-making capital. Not long after he retired, Trevor personally contacted Joseph Rodgers knives on our behalf to say what a pleasure it was to work with us, and they should get in touch... We had been aware of the Joesph Rodgers knives due to their 300 year Sheffield history, and beautiful craftsmanship just like Trevor's creations. After building up such a relationship with Trevor, it was an honour to be recommended to them by him, and for us to continue to support a British industry and craft steeped in tradition. The Star and Maltese Cross found on the Joseph Rodgers knives was originally registered in March 1682 by a Benjamin Rich. However, it is with Joseph Rodgers that this mark will forever by associated and they registered it in 1764. Rodgers focused on producing the finest quality knives and looked for the best in every aspect of knife production from materials to workmanship. Each knife was branded with the Star and Cross as a guarantee of its superb quality. It has been claimed that so great was Rodgers reputation for producing only the finest products that the word Rujjus, a variation on “Rodgers” entered into the Sinhalese dialect as a general expression of superlative quality. Joseph Rodgers’ success is evident in the firm’s appointment to five successive sovereigns - George IV, William IV, Queen Victoria, Edward II and George V. Sometimes things are meant to be, and as sad as it is that Trevor will no longer be making his knives, we can proudly say that we are the first store to be stocking the beautiful Joseph Rodgers knives using the same Yorkshire Oak handles as Trevor, handmade in Sheffield, with a history dating back to 1682. Written by James Middleton All comments are moderated before being published Consistently surprising finds by Annie Reed. A boutique for those who hope to be inspired, and enjoy for a long time the pieces they buy.	2,881
A few years ago, my friend and colleague, Mrs. Appelbaum showed me an idea for incorporating collaboration and creativity into a beginning-of-the-year activity. We tried it that year, and the results were fabulous. I don’t think I tried it last year (or at least if I did, I didn’t write about it!?), but I knew I needed to pull it out and try it again with this group. We’ve been focusing on community building these last few weeks, and creativity is a big deal both in my classroom and in our school. I love this book–the story is great and the conversations you can have around how kind and considerately the classmates treat each other are helpful during the foundation-building days early in the year. We began by reading and talking about the book itself, and I told about how much I love that the author, Cathryn Falwell commented on our work the last time we did it. We’ve been talking alot about authors and how we can talk to them “in real life” lately and they were super excited that a book’s author might see their hard work! (No pressure, Ms. Falwell! hee hee). After we read, we reviewed the way David developed his drawing in the story: he started with an idea, but then his friends were able to add in details that they thought were important, resulting in a masterpiece that involved numerous perspectives and ideas. Aside from just a beautiful picture, however, the kids in the story also display such care and respect as they are sure to ask their friend if they can help BEFORE they start to work. David is kind to oblige and the collaboration begins. What results is something even better than what was originally imagined; the end would not have been a possibility without everyone’s input. Once I was sure we understood both the story itself and the concept of what I wanted them to do, we broke up into small groups (which we call “crews” in our room) and artists got to work. The drawings we ended up with were super creative, colorful and full of everyone’s ideas! We did a great job and were excited to hang them up on another spot of blank wall (we have LOTS of it!!)! Perhaps the best part was the debrief on our work when we were finished. They had such great ideas to the question of what they did as they worked that made our creations so successful. These kiddos have such great ideas–before, during and even after their work!! The hope (and encouragement) is that these behaviors will be repeated over and over in different settings to help make success and cooperation continue for many days to come! Posted on September 8, 2017 by Jen Bearden in art, Classroom, First Grade, Play, Uncategorized • Tagged art, collaboration, community, creations, creativity, David's Drawings • 2 Comments I know…Kids Teach Kids usually means students have researched something they are interested in and are sharing their new knowledge with their class–and we will definitely do that version of KTK later on this year–but for now it has to do with some great things we learned from Mrs. Mark’s class last week when we went for a little visit. Let me explain. Last week on Friday (the day after we had tackled our first step of ICEL and put kids in charge of our schedule), I was again looking for ways to enhance engagement and help kiddos dig in a little deeper into things in our class. I was still considering the problem-solving protocol of ICEL and was contemplating both I and C… …and hoped that I could challenge my writers in a different way by having them see what other first graders were doing with their nonfiction book writing. I asked my neighbor and friend Mrs. Marks (remember her double dog dare from last time?) if she would allow us to come learn from her kiddos, as I had seen some CRAZY great stuff in there on a recent pop in to chat about something else. She was more than happy to oblige and we went over for a lesson from her kiddos. My students had a mental list of look-fors and were also directed to ask questions about what they saw during our visit. We saw some pretty great writing in Rm. 204! They had added all of the “smart” things we’d been learning about that non-fiction writers put in their books to make their readers understand. We saw headings, diagrams, pictures, bold words, table of contents, glossaries and labels. And we saw really excited writers with whole folders full of books! Needless to say, this was inspiring to my kiddos! I would have to say, one of the biggest things we walked away with, too, was all of the different sizes of books that were made in Rm. 204; our books are all just regular paper-sized books on 8 X 11 in. paper. As we left Rm. 204, Mrs. Marks invited my writers to take a little book from her pile to try. We were so excited about the teeny-tiny ones she had! Of course our next step was to return to our room and get to writing, yes? Well, almost. Ms. Turken (our Rm. 203 neighbor) needed our room for a messy project with her class (because we have a sink!), so we were working in her classroom for the morning. So…our next step was to return to HER room and get to writing. I didn’t even stop to give directions or even talk about what they had seen from Mrs. Marks’ class–I wanted them to get busy and SHOW me what they learned by using their new knowledge. And boy did they do just that! See all those tiny books? One thing we noticed about Mrs. Marks’ books that was different than our work was that they were using mentor texts to help them with their own writing. Kiddos got ideas as well as examples for text features from the books they were reading, and then made their own texts based on those texts. We had been just using what we were experts at and what we have personal knowledge of. This mentor text idea was very helpful to many of my kiddos, and was the support that many of them needed to get moving on their writing. Oh, and Ms. Turken’s room has markers, which was also a great addition (ours have been put away for a while because we couldn’t take care of them….). We have not quite finished this writing cycle, but will do so by Tuesday, so I will share what our final products looked like. Thanks Mrs. Marks’ friends for adding some spice and excitement to our Writers’ Workshop! We love to learn from our friends and when kids teach kids great things can happen! Posted on December 18, 2016 by Jen Bearden in Classroom, First Grade, Uncategorized, Writing • Tagged collaboration, first grade, Kids Teach Kids, Mrs. Marks, nonfiction, teaching, Writer's Workshop, writing • 2 Comments Or I guess we could call this “Day 33: Ahh!–updated again.” Or even “Isn’t Rm. 202 An Amazing Place to Be?” or “My Students are THE BEST!!” Ok, I guess you get the picture, right? This post is one of those that I’ve been thinking about writing for a while, mainly because I told my kiddos I needed to tell the rest of the world the amazing things I’ve been telling everyone about them in person lately. Remember in that “Day 33” post where I was talking about how we have gotten to that place where we can breathe? Let me tell you more. One thing I remember really appreciating about the class I worked with during my student teaching 16 years ago was how much they got that learning was their job. They were second graders, and granted, it was their second year of a loop (so Heidi Ford had had a whole year already to work her magic with them!!), by regardless they were dedicated to making the most of their time at school. I was amazed every day when kids would whine about going home, lament the fact that they didn’t have homework and delight over every new learning invitation presented to them. I remember how encouraging the whole class was to each other, how they cheered each other one and how they really helped each other focus on putting their best foot forward and stretching their brains. Pretty sure RM. 107’s motto was “work hard, get smart,” and I love that! Since I’ve been a teacher, I’ve longed for (and in turn worked towards) a class of eager learners who function with that same fervor. Over the years, I’ve had clusters of kids in every class, but only once or twice can I remember a class that was really together for each other. Who really were selfish and selfless in their learning at the same time. I mean kids who want the most/best for themselves but also truly want that for everyone else, too. So…I bring this up because I am getting a distinct feeling that this group I have now is just that class. . It took us a long time (and a lot of work!) to get here, but the place we are now is beyond where I’d thought or even hoped we’d be at this point in the year. Lately I’ve been hearing and seeing things like this: As we are trying to quiet down in order to get outside to test our light/sound inventions and kiddos are not doing so very quickly: “Come on, guys! Don’t you see that we are wasting our learning time? If we don’t get outside now we won’t get a chance to try out our inventions and we’ll have to take them apart. This is important and we can’t miss out on learning!” As I am trying to get attention after a little-too-loud math workshop, the same friend (along with some help from at least 1 or 2 others): “Guys, Mrs. Bearden is waiting! This is important to listen to her directions. You can come back to what you’re doing later, but you can’t hear what she’s saying later because she’s only saying it now!” When kiddos heard that someone didn’t get any work done during their whole math workshop rotation, students faces were marked with amazement, wondering “What? He didn’t do ANYTHING the whole time? How could he miss out on all that math learning? How sad!” When someone had an empty writing folder after almost a whole quarter of school, writers wondered what he had been doing all this time. They were sad for him because he wouldn’t have anything to share at our writing celebration, and that he had not been practicing all the things we’d been learning in Writer’s Workshop. As kiddos yell out during a read aloud, students quickly raise their hands in the shape of a zero, reminding their friends to keep a quiet voice while we read. Others can be heard saying, “We will take turns” and “We will listen and follow directions,” which are both class norms we’ve agreed upon. During work time this week, I heard a friend say to someone else, “I can’t talk to you right now, I have work to do.” That same friend could be heard saying, “Wow, those were sandpaper words when someone said , ‘Those are my crayons!'” When a student was trying to talk to me while I was working with another student on an assessment, a friend nearby said, “Remember, she’s not going to talk to you, you’re whining.” Then, as the friend continued working to interrupt, she added, “She’s not going to talk to you, she’s working with that friend.” As I start to remind kiddos of appropriate line behavior (before we leave for recess), I hear someone finish my words my saying, “I will…take you to recess when everyone is in a straight, quiet line!” When a group that was only supposed to have 2 or 3 kiddos in it ended up with 4, the group calmly figured out which friend should move to another group by deciding to play rock/paper/scissors. When the friend moved to his new group, a friend there said, “Come on over, let’s make a plan!” I feel like I could probably go on and on with amazing words and actions that kiddos in Rm. 202 are saying and doing right now. It’s been so beautiful to watch how kids are starting to take care of each other, encourage each other (which is another norm), and remind their friends of what we are all about. We had a little trouble this afternoon with crayons (and not sharing them correctly and therefore wasting our writing time), and kiddos were able to reflect on what those actions said about us, whether they were what we are all about in Rm. 202 and whether they help us learn. We agreed and then actually asked me to let them go back to work so they could fix it. I am loving how kiddos who have previously struggled with distracting behaviors are stepping up and responding positively when their friends ask them to stop, when their friends remind them they quickly change their choices. I am noticing less waiting time, more learning time and just how the overall feel of our room is so relaxed and comfortable. It is truly a special and LOVELY place to spend the day. I am really lucky to be able to work with such an amazing group of kiddos every day. And if you’re a parent of one of those kiddos–thanks so much for all you did and do to help them be their very best!! I appreciate you, too! Posted on October 13, 2016 by Jen Bearden in Classroom, First Grade, Uncategorized • Tagged collaboration, community, cooperation, encouragement, first grade, norms, Rm. 202, working together • Leave a comment Last year I learned about the Global Read Aloud from a Twitter friend of mine named Tam Scharf who lives in Australia. She is a great collaborator and friend to me, despite the fact that we have never really met, have only spoken in person once (well really it was over Skype), and don’t even live on the same continent or teach the same grade (anymore at least–we both taught 5th grade we first “met” in 2011). I love that that story actually describes many teachers who are important parts of my professional learning network. But anyway….the Global Read Aloud 2016 started this week and we are off to a running start already! We began with a short introduction to what it is, who we would be studying and what they could look forward to doing over the next 6 weeks. We watched a video and checked out the website of Lauren Castillo, the author and illustrator we’d be studying. Very shortly they were hooked and SUPER excited to join the almost 900,000 kids who would be studying the same books! This week’s book (as you can see in the video) is Nana in the City, and is all about bravery. After we read and discussed the story, we got busy answering this question: We got busy thinking and drawing and I was really impressed (and a little surprised) with what they came up with. Check out our work! We are excited to read more and write more and share our thinking! There are some other friends in our school who are also participating and we’re hoping to share our thinking with them, as well. Tomorrow we plan on joining a Twitter chat about Lauren Castillo’s books, too, so we can talk about what we like, what we think and who we are. We may also build cityscapes to teach others about where we live. The opportunities are endless! I’m excited to share more and we go along!! Posted on October 6, 2016 by Jen Bearden in Classroom, Read Aloud, Reading, Uncategorized • Tagged books, collaboration, first grade, fun, Global Read Aloud, Lauren Castillo, thinking • 2 Comments If you’ve been here for any length of time, you’ve probably figured out my love of all things online–collaborating with other classes through things like Mystery Skype, Edmodo, Twitter, World Read Aloud Day, Dot Day, blogs, etc. I hope that you’ve also seen how I am willing to try new things, not necessarily knowing how they will work out in the end. I consider myself to be a risk-taker with technology and with new learning ideas. I guess I trust that worst that will happen is that whatever it is won’t work and then we’ll try somethign else. So, when my friend Tam Scharf, from Yr5sK in Queensland, Australia, invited me to join the Global Read Aloud this year, I knew I had to do it! I have read about it for a couple years (during my time on Twitter!), but wasn’t really sure what to do to get involved. Well it’s really pretty simple and has already proven to be a great opportunity for Rm. 202 kiddos! The basic idea is that our class is reading a chapter book along with many other classes and there have been activities planned by a small group of teachers on our team that each class is trying out and then posting to our blog, or to Padlet, or other online venues. Some classes are tweeting, and there will be Skype sessions planned, as well. Our class chose to read a great book by a familiar author, Kevin Henkes, called The Year of Billy Miller. The best part is that I had heard about it and was interested in reading it anyway. So then when I found out it was a text choice for this project, it seemed like a perfect match. And it’s about a 2nd grader. Win/win/win. Each week we are reading a different part of the book (it’s broken up into 4 parts that focus on a different relationship), and we do the coordinating activity. The first week we studied a word cloud about Billy Miller and brainstormed what we thought the book would be about. We posted our predictions (along with other GRA friends) on a Padlet set up for that activity. Here’s what we thought about the book: It was great to read what other kids thought about the story, and we even revised some of our thinking based on what they shared. Already a great start and we hadn’t even started reading! Last week we read the first section (called Teacher) and met Billy and the other main characters in the book. We are using this book as our study in Readers’ Workshop and it’s matching up perfectly with our work with story elements. We learned how to use a story map, and recorded the characters, setting adn problem/setting so far in the story. We’ll keep modifying this organizer as we go on, as well as completing the other planned activities. We’re excited to join in for this week’s work: a Popplet about what we think about Billy as a character. We’re not done yet but are excited to share our thinking once we get there. This story is so fun and kids can easily relate to it; the project is a great motivator for us as readers and citizens of the world! We found out the other day that there are over 500,000 kiddos signed up doing the same thing as us–WOW!! I’ll update you with more as we get further into this great collaboration! Posted on October 15, 2015 by Jen Bearden in Classroom, Read Aloud, Reading, Second Grade, Technology • Tagged collaboration, fun, Global Read Aloud, Kevin Henkes, read aloud, Reader's Workshop, reading • 1 Comment Looking for Something? 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MissionWhat does the SSPX want to achieve? A unique religious community within the Church, integrally promoting and preserving the treasures of Catholic tradition around the world OrganizationThe structure of authority of the SSPX, the practical organization of the members into various divisions and its essential works HistoryThe history of the SSPX: a work of God's Providence. Almost 50 years of tremendous growth despite weaknesses, failures, opposition and set backs FounderWho was Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre? - A man of the Church, missionary, founder of the SSPX - a man who helped preserve the tradition of the Church after Vatican II Main ConcernsThe SSPX: its view on the current situation of the Church and its unique answer on how to "Restore all things in Christ" Collegiality AboutLearn more about the SSPX! The Society of Saint Pius X is an international priestly society that promotes the traditional Catholic priesthood and the celebration of the traditional Latin Mass and sacraments Community DistrictLearn about the District House of the SSPX located in the heart of America. Read about who resides there and the administrative functions that are accomplished Superior & His Team ChapelsSee a list of SSPX chapels in the US District: their contact information and Mass schedules SchoolsSee a list of SSPX schools in the US District: their contact information and the grade levels taught in each school Retreat CentersSee a list of Retreat Centers in the US District with addresses and phone numbers. Click on the link for additional scheduling information, pricing and items to bring with you on a retreat ApostolatesMen and women join the work of the priests and sanctify themselves in prayer and in multiple apostolic endeavors. All of them strive to promote the Kingdom of Christ and the sanctification of the souls. SSPX BrothersThe SSPX Brothers were established by Archbishop Lefebvre to support the work of the Priesthood SSPX SistersThe SSPX Sisters was established by Mother Marie-Gabriel Lefebvre to support the work of the Priesthood Third Order CommunityThe importance of living in Catholic society among the priests and faithful in the unity of our Catholic Faith News & Events MediatorThe priest - an ordained mediator between God and man. The priest has the power to provide the sacraments to souls for their sanctification InstrumentThe priest is an instrument of God with a sacramental character enabling him to confer the sacraments VocationA calling to the priesthood is supernatural and personal. The calling to serve God in a particular way to aid in His divine plan for the salvation of souls DiscernmentHow do you know if God is calling you to the priesthood? Prayerful consideration and discernment is needed PriesthoodThe training and support of a Priest. His dignity and mission in the salvation of souls Superior General’s LetterLetters from the Superior General of the Society of Saint Pius X to the faithful centered around current events in the universal Church, the Society and around the world. District NewsletterThe latest news and events around parishes and schools. Read about the District development and exhortations from the superior himself District MagazineRead our bi-monthly magazine publication featuring several topics under a common theme. A publication reflecting 40 years of restoring all things in Christ. Foreign Missions MagazineThe Foreign Mission Trust Magazine is the platform for all Society missions to present the work they do in their part of the world. PublicationsWritten publications of the SSPX can keep you up to date with what is happening in the Society You are here: Bishop Fellay, SSPX Superior General, published this press release condemning the Interreligious Day of Prayer in Assisi on January 24, 2002. Pope John Paul II is inviting all the major religions of the world, the Muslims in particular, to a great prayer meeting in Assisi, in the same spirit of the first meeting for peace that took place there in 1986. We are deeply distressed by this event and condemn it totally. Because it offends God in His first commandment. Because it denies the unity of the Church and Her mission of saving souls. Because it can only lead the faithful into confusion and indifferentism. Because it deceives the unfortunate unfaithful and members of other religions. The problem does not lie in the object of the prayers—peace. To pray for peace and to seek to establish and strengthen peace between peoples and nations is a good thing in itself. The Catholic liturgy is full of beautiful prayers for peace. We pray these prayers with all our hearts. Moreover, given the fact that the angels announced, on the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, peace on earth to men of good will, it is totally fitting to ask the faithful to implore the One True God to grant us a gift of such great value at this stage in the year. The reason for our indignation lies in the confusion, scandal and blasphemy that result from an invitation from the Vicar of Our Lord Jesus Christ, sole mediator between God and man, to other religions to come to Assisi to pray for peace. It has been stated that to avoid any syncretism, those attending will not be praying "together", but that each religion will pray in separate rooms in the Franciscan convent at Assisi. Cardinal Kasper went so far—and rightly so—to affirm that "Christians cannot pray with members of other religions." (L'Osservatore Romano, January 5, 2002). However, this affirmation is not enough to dissipate the dreadful uneasiness and confusion caused by the event; it cannot be denied that all kinds of religions will be praying "each in their own camp" to obtain from these prayers said at the same time, but in different locations, the same result: peace. The fact that all have been invited to pray, at the same time and in the same town, for the same intention is clear proof of the desire for unity. On the other hand, the fact that the prayers will be offered in separate locations betrays the contradictory and impossible nature of the project. In reality, the distinction is false, even though, thanks be to God, it avoids a direct communicatio in sacris. However, the syncretic nature of the operation is obvious to all. Recourse to deceitful words has made it possible to deny the painfully obvious reality. But words do not mean anything anymore: we will be going to Assisi, not to pray together, we are going there together to pray… no syncretism, etc. The establishment of civil (political) peace between nations by congresses, discussions, diplomacy, with the intervention of influential persons of different nations and religions, is one thing. It is another to claim to obtain the gift of peace from God by the prayer of all (false) religions. Such an initiative is completely inconsistent with the Catholic faith and goes against the first commandment. This is not a question of individual prayer, that of one man, in his own particular relationship with God, whether as creator or sanctifier, but the prayer of different religions, as such, with their own particular rite addressed to their own particular divinity. Holy Scripture, (both the Old and the New Testaments) teach us that the only prayer pleasing to God is that of He, Whom He established as sole mediator between Himself and men, and that this prayer can only be found in the one true religion. God considers an abomination all other religions, especially idolatry, the summum of all superstitions. Moreover, how can one hope to claim that religions that fail to recognize the one true God can possibly obtain anything from Him? St. Paul assures us that these false gods are fallen angels and demons. But the things which the heathens sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils and not to God. And I would not that you should be made partakers with devils. You cannot drink the chalice of the Lord, and the chalice of devils: you cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and of the table of devils." (I Cor. 10: 20-21) Inviting these religions to pray is inviting them to make an act that God reproves, that he condemns in the first commandment, one God alone shall you adore. It is leading the members of such religions into error and condoning their ignorance and misfortune. Worse still: this invitation implies that their prayers might be useful, or even necessary, in order to obtain peace. Almighty God made it perfectly clear what He thinks of this, via the words of his apostle St. Paul: Bear not the yoke with unbelievers. For what participation hath justice with injustice? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath the faithful with the unbeliever? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God; as God saith: 'I will dwell in them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.'" (II Cor. 6: 14-16) "We will never fully understand the struggle between the good and the wicked throughout history, as long as we do not see it as the personal and unyielding battle for all time between Satan and Jesus Christ." wrote Archbishop Lefebvre in all his wisdom. (Spiritual Journey, p. 37) This fundamental truth, as far as war and peace are concerned, would appear to have been totally forgotten in the thinking behind the initiative in Assisi. At one point during the day, everyone will be gathered together. When, then, will the participants hear the cry of the first pope, St. Peter "Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) The same Jesus Christ, sole Savior, is also the sole author of peace. But will anyone dare point out these elementary truths to guests who are strangers to Christianity? Fear of hurting their feelings will mean that this absolutely essential condition for true peace will be overlooked or reduced to a purely subjective belief ("for us Christians, Jesus Christ is God" etc.) As we have just pointed out: Not only is there only one true God and "So that they are inexcusable." (Romans 1:20) but there is also only one mediator (I Tim 2, 5), one sole ambassador authorized by God, who intercedes ceaselessly on our behalf (Heb 7, 25). Religions which refuse to recognize His divinity explicitly, such as Judaism and Islam, have no chance of having their prayers answered, because of so fundamental an error. "Who is a liar, but he who denieth that Jesus is the Christ? This is Antichrist, who denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father. He that confesseth the Son, hath the Father also." (I John 2:22-23) Despite monotheistic appearances, we do not have the same God, we do not have the same mediator. Only the mystical bride of Christ (Eph. 5, 32) has the prerogative of obtaining from God, in the name of, and through, Our Lord Jesus Christ, any favors, in particular that of peace. Such is the Faith that the Church has taught and believed constantly, throughout the ages and from time immemorial. This is, by no means, a question of intolerance or of disdain for one’s neighbor, it is a question of an unchangeable truth. "No one comes to the Father but through me." (John 14, 6) To make gestures, or to get others to make them, that no longer express this, is to deceive oneself. It offends God, Our Lord Jesus Christ in whom He is well pleased and His Holy Church (Mt. 16, 18). How can those who refuse this mediation—as do the Jews and Muslims explicitly, in refusing to recognize His divinity—possibly hope to have their prayers answered? The same goes for those who refuse to accept the Church’s role as mediator. John Paul II has attempted to justify the prayer meetings in Assisi on several occasions. In fact, one of his arguments is founded on the definition of prayer. "All authentic prayer comes from the Holy Ghost who dwells mysteriously in every soul". Inasmuch as one attributes the correct meaning to the word "authentic", one could accept the first part of the sentence. But it is obvious that one cannot say that the prayer of a Buddhist, before an idol of Buddha, of that of a witchdoctor smoking the peace pipe, or that of an animist, is authentic. The only authentic prayer is true prayer addressed to the true God. It is totally wrong to qualify a prayer addressed to the devil as authentic. Can the prayer of a fanatical terrorist, before crashing into the Manhattan tower: "Allah is great" be called authentic? Wasn’t he convinced that he was doing the right thing, doesn’t that make him sincere? It is clear that a purely subjective way of looking at things is not sufficient to make a prayer authentic. The second part of the sentence: "the Holy Ghost dwells mysteriously in every soul", or in every man, is certainly false. The word "mysteriously" can be misleading: in Catholic theology, as in Holy Scripture, the dwelling of the Holy Ghost is directly linked to the presence of sanctifying grace. One of the first formulae used in baptism consists of commanding the devil to leave the soul in order to let the Holy Ghost enter it. This demonstrates quite clearly that the Holy Ghost did not dwell in the soul before baptism. And so, the justification for the inter-denominational day of prayer at Assisi is based on a false premise. Those wishing to promote dialogue, which requires considering the other party in a highly positive light, argue that there is much good in other religions, and, given that God is the sole source of good, God is at work in other religions. This is pure sophistry, based on the lack of distinction between natural order and supernatural order. It goes without saying that, when one speaks of the action of God in a religion, one implies a work of salvation. This means God who saves by His grace. His supernatural grace. On the other hand, the good referred to in other religions, (non-Christian ones at any rate) is merely natural; in such cases, God is acting as creator, Who gives being to all things, and not as savior. The determination of the Vatican II Council to dispense with the distinction between the order of grace and natural order bears, in this respect, its most poisonous fruits. The result is the worst sort of confusion, that which leads people to think that any religion can finally obtain the greatest favors from God. This is a huge fraud, a ridiculous error. It is in keeping with the Masonic plot to establish a grand temple of universal brotherhood above all religions and beliefs, "Unity in diversity" a concept so dear to the New Age and to globalization. We were excommunicated by Clement XI in 1738 because of our interdenominational principles. But the Church was definitely in error, if it is true that, on October 27, 1986, the present pope gathered together men of all religious confessions in Assisi to pray for peace. What else are our brothers looking for when they gather together in temples, than love between men, tolerance, solidarity, defense of the dignity of the human-being, considering themselves equal, above political and religious beliefs and the color of their skin?" (Grand Master Armando Corona, of the Grand Lodge of the Spring Equinox, Hiram — voice of the Grand Orient of Italy—April 1987) One thing is certain: there is no better way to provoke the anger of God. This is why, despite our strong desire for the peace of God, we will have absolutely nothing to do with this day of prayer on 24th January, in Assisi. Nullam partem.	16,066
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We’re nearing the middle of January, which means the end of the month is in sight. Given the challenges of the pandemic, I thought it interesting to revisit this post from a year ago. A native Midwesterner, I’ve always thought of winter as an endurance test, and each signpost along the way—the end of January,… By Lee Martin \| May 4, 2015 \| 4 This was one of those mornings when I didn’t want to work out, but I knew that if I did, I’d end up feeling better about myself and the world in general. Sometimes we have those days, those days of “just don’t want to”—and, of course, the easy thing is to “just not,” but sometimes… Recent Posts Joining a Community of Writers Just Give It to Me: Clarity in Fiction Archives Select Month December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011	2,622
As today is the Optional Memorial of Blessed John Paul II, I have reproduced my feature from the Easter supplement of the Catholic Herald in 2011, celebrating the literary output of one of the greatest popes in modern times. Pope John Paul II is lauded for his contributions to theology, human rights, religious freedoms and the renewal of Catholic spirituality. What is often forgotten, is that he was first of all a poet and playwright, his theatrical roots stretching back to his boyhood. He acted in his first play at the age of eight, and this literary and thespian bent gave his papacy its unique flavour. It was his grounding in and love for theatre that no doubt contributed to his reputation of being something of a showman. Although he was not the first pope to have written poems and plays, John Paul II was unique in that, unlike with his predecessors, his ordination to the priesthood did not put an end to his literary output. He remained a poet and playwright throughout his entire ministry. His final poem, the Roman Triptych, was written in the 23rd year of his papacy and is considered by many to be his spiritual last testament, contemplating the beginning and end of his reign as pope. so it was in August, and then in October, of the memorable year of the two Conclaves, and so it will be again, when the need arises after my death. Michelangelos vision must then speak to them. Poetry accompanied John Paul II his entire life. Poetry became his means of expressing his personal feelings and experiences, his relationship to God, to his fellow man and to the world as a whole. It documents his spiritual journey from school pupil to pope, revealing the process of his maturing spirituality and attempts at self-definition. His poetry deals with a whole range of issues from friendships to problems related to his pastoral duties and obligations as bishop – in short, everything that became part of his experience. John Paul II’s poetic sentiments were formed under the looming shadow of war and invasion. He was influenced by the revival of Polish Romanticism, which held that history had a spiritual core and that the political collapse of Poland over the 18th and 19th centuries had been caused by the deterioration of traditional national virtues. Echoing a familiar Christian theme, redemptive suffering as a personal spiritual discipline, the great Polish romantics believed that redemptive suffering was also the national destiny. Poland was a Messiah among nations, whose political misfortunes signified a time on Calvary that would redeem the world and give rise to spiritual renewal. It was under the influence of this tradition and following the Nazi occupation in 1939 that John Paul II began writing his first poems and plays. By the end of 1940, he had written a trilogy, David, Job and Jeremiah, which all re-told a biblical story in the context of a key moment in Polish history. These plays were both examinations of the human soul and acts of resistance towards the occupiers, all three having political undertones. John Paul drew parallels between the fate of Poland, being punished for losing its Christian roots and the punishments of Israelites for breakingtheir covenant with God. In 1939, he wrote in a letter to a friend: “The nation has fallen like Israel because it did not recognise he messianic ideal, its own ideal. Our liberation lies at the gate of Christ”. In his poetry of the same era, we see the emerging figure of a man of great prayer and devotion. Over This, Your White Grave is arguably one of his most touching poems, written at the age of 19 and dealing with the premature death of his mother, in which his monologue displaying his feelings of longing, sorrow and melancholy is transformed into a simple prayer for his mother which expresses his gratitude for love. “O Mother, extinguished love… give her eternal peace.”The poem evokes the image of the young poet kneeling in prayer at his mother’s grave, giving thanks for her life and reconciled with the prospect of death. The remainder of his poetry written in the war years is similarly contemplative, displaying a mysticism and a turning inwards to God. John Paul II responded to the horror surrounding him with a sense of detachment, but that is not to say that he was unaffected by it. In one of the poems from his later period he draws upon the time that he was forced to work as a manual labourer in a quarry. But his early poetry shows that at a time when it must have seemed like the apocalypse was nigh – his beloved father died, his friends were taken to concentration camps and he was risking his life by remaining a member of an underground theatre company –his only refuge in the Lord. His later poetry, becomes increasingly ambitious in terms of language, further blurring the boundaries between thought and prayer. Perhaps one of John Paul II’s greatest achievements as a playwright was having one of his plays, The Jeweller’s Shop, written in 1960, under the pseudonym of Andrzej Jawien, turned into a Hollywood movie, starring Burt Lancaster and Olivia Hussey. The story focuses upon the contrast of human relationships, love, marriage and family, encapsulating John Paul’s favourite theme, namely that love is difficult but one must continue to hope as our futures depend upon it. The play explores the concepts that would be later worked out more fully in his famous cycle of teachings that would become the Theology of the Body. Above all, in his poetry and plays John Paul II showed an awareness of the mystical power of words. The idea of the “living word” both on stage and in poetry could transform reality by summoning the audience to moral action. He saw a correlation between the poetic and theatrical word and the Divine Word by which God created the universe and by which bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. Time and time again his work returned to the theme of the Eucharist, in the transformation of the bread and wine he saw the paradox of God continually both hiding and revealing himself. “The Shores of Silence”, the first part of the poem, The Song of the Hidden God, loses none of its lyrical qualities in translation: Learn from me, my dear ones, how to hide, there is a Beauty more real concealed in the living blood. To use John Paul II’s own words, in a country wracked by occupation and war, his poetry really did sing of the hidden God, in a regime that recognised that the Catholic Church was the historic custodian of Polish national culture and identity and thus sought to destroy it. In the New Evangelisation of the world called for by John Paul II, poets and playwrights, along with other artists had an important role to play. “Humanity in every age – and even today – looks to works of art to shed light upon its path and its destiny,” he once wrote. Artists were invited to follow his example and use their God-given gifts for the purposes of spiritual renewal, using their artistic quest for beauty, good and truth to transcend the physical and lead them back to their divine origins. In his final poem, the Pope re-iterated his concept of the living word: that everything around us should proclaim God’s love, a love that was made as a promise before the dawn of time: which the Eternal Word made with you even before the world was created. It is no surprise that his life ended with the most passionate and inspirational performance of all. He was no longer able to use the power of language but his death conveyed the drama of suffering and the mystery of love, beyond the power of the word to the Word itself. blondpidge Catholicism, John Paul 2 Leave a comment October 22, 2013 October 22, 2013 5 Minutes Archives Select Month May 2019 (1) May 2018 (1) January 2018 (1) December 2017 (2) October 2017 (2) September 2017 (1) August 2017 (1) July 2017 (2) May 2017 (1) April 2017 (1) March 2017 (1) February 2017 (1) October 2016 (1) June 2016 (1) April 2016 (4) February 2016 (1) October 2015 (1) May 2015 (4) April 2015 (1) March 2015 (1) February 2015 (1) January 2015 (2) December 2014 (1) November 2014 (2) October 2014 (3) September 2014 (1) August 2014 (4) July 2014 (4) June 2014 (5) May 2014 (11) April 2014 (7) March 2014 (10) February 2014 (5) January 2014 (6) December 2013 (3) November 2013 (15) October 2013 (9) September 2013 (10) August 2013 (7) July 2013 (12) June 2013 (4) May 2013 (13) April 2013 (10) March 2013 (10) February 2013 (13) January 2013 (15) December 2012 (3) November 2012 (10) October 2012 (18) September 2012 (6) July 2012 (1) June 2012 (1) May 2012 (8) April 2012 (11) March 2012 (10) February 2012 (8) January 2012 (9) December 2011 (10) November 2011 (4) October 2011 (10) September 2011 (13) August 2011 (10) July 2011 (14) June 2011 (11) May 2011 (8) April 2011 (5) March 2011 (10) February 2011 (3) January 2011 (11) December 2010 (4) November 2010 (5) October 2010 (2) September 2010 (4) August 2010 (2) July 2010 (3) May 2010 (7) April 2010 (4)	9,499
When inflation rears its ugly head, how can you think about bills while covering life’s daily costs? Saving money becomes a pipe dream for many when the cost of living rises. Thankfully there are ways you can save and create a new budget that will fit surging prices and allow you to save money. Let’s dive into the top 7 ways to save money, even when prices are surging with inflation. Do you know what subscriptions you have and how much they cost monthly? Do you need them all? Surprisingly, many people cannot answer these questions. These “low-priced” programs get away with your money. Who will notice $10 a month that they aren’t using? Now, you will! These subscriptions add up over time and saving money takes thought and effort. There are apps you can use that will find all your subscriptions and help you decide what to keep, but you can do it manually as well. First, list all the monthly subscriptions you’re currently paying for and how much they cost. Next, total your subscription costs to see how well they fit your current budget. (Look at your spending habits to make informed decisions as you make changes. Focus on how much you have coming in and out every month. Budgeting will help determine how much you can afford based on what you have left after paying bills.) Then, look through everything and decide what you need to keep and don’t use. Do you belong to a gym you never visited? Are you paying for live channels on Hulu and not using them? There are ways to downgrade subscriptions without losing the service. As you make changes, keep track of how much money you will save each month, and add that amount to your emergency account. Inflation makes saving very difficult, so putting money into your emergency account as often as possible is crucial The old saying is, “Never go food shopping hungry.” That is very true, but if you make a list before you go into any store, you are more likely to get the things you need rather than picking up random stuff you see in the store that you don’t need. Part of saving money is to go into everything you do with a clear plan. The shopping list you create will guide you through the store. This will ensure that even with inflated prices, you will stay on task and on budget because you have already determined what to buy and spend before you go in! 3. Plan Ahead and Eat at Home Eating out is easy, but it is often costly. Food is expensive enough at the grocery store these days. But in addition to the rising cost of food, is the associated rising cost of eating out at restaurants and restaurant take-out. When you make your shopping list, plan your meals for the week as well. This way, you won’t give in to the temptation of ordering a pizza instead of eating a prepped meal you planned that is within the safety of your budget. Eating in is likely healthier, less expensive, and faster than eating out. Being ready with meal options at home for the week is a win-win situation! The same goes for your morning coffee. Look at what you spend on coffee every day and compare that to how much it would cost to buy a bag of coffee and make it at home. Take the difference you save from eating and drinking at home rather than in restaurants and add it to your emergency account funds. See your savings continue to add up! Online shopping can be a great way to keep to your budget because you are not walking around a store finding things you like that are off your shopping list. Limiting yourself to shopping online one day a week or a month, depending on your budget, will help keep you on track. Another advantage of sticking to a specific day to shop is that it will help curb impulse buying. Do you need that third bathing suit, or are two enough? Thinking through your purchases before making them will help you save money and stay on budget. There are minimal downsides to sticking to specific online shopping days. Look at what you pay for monthly services, such as your phone and cable bills. You can sign up for promotions with your current company or if you change companies. Additionally, always look for sales. Cutting the costs of your services even by a few dollars a month can make a massive difference over time when it comes to how much you will be saving monthly. When inflation hits, you’ll be in great shape if you maintain the health of your monthly service prices. Call the companies you have plans with and ask about any current promotions you can participate in to cut your costs. You’ll find the best prices and cashback shopping options with apps like Honey and Rakuten. You can also go “old school” and cut paper coupons from newspapers and flyers. Many stores have coupons and discounts you can take advantage of. Inflation causes costs to rise so much that any discount you find will help you save money. Dealing with debt frustrates staying on budget, as interest keeps piling up. Options such as balance transfers and debt consolidation will help ensure you don’t get buried underneath debt. These options will allow you to cut high-interest rates while cutting down on the minimum you are required to pay. Why keep paying high-interest rates when you have lower interest options waiting for you? Every dollar helps when you are trying to save money (especially during a time of inflation). Paying less each month thanks to a lower interest rate or debt consolidation is a great way to stay in good standing on your accounts while reducing debt. Simply call the companies where you have debt balances and discuss your options with them. Inflation may make it difficult to save money, but if you approach your budget in an organized way you will be able to make informed decisions about what you need to pay for and what you can save. This will undoubtedly make your life easier in the long run. Are you ready to save money? Get started today!	6,069
The coronavirus outbreak has been the worst possible “gift” that keeps on giving. From its first U.S.-confirmed case on January 20, 2020 to this publication date, there have been 33,404 infection cases in the U.S. and 400 deaths in 54 jurisdictions. But with increasing social isolation warnings, state-related executive orders, and companies being forced to close early or altogether, retailers are trying to help consumers find peace in all this chaos. Businesses are showing off their more humane side. While retailers like Albertsons, Costco, Fred Meyer and Trader Joe’s are forced to suspend food handouts and samples to reduce the risk of infection, non-grocery businesses are using their inventory and supplies for free giveaways—from travel to toiletries. For those still relying on public transportation, Kalamazoo Metro Transit is offering free transit fares from March 24 until further notice in Michigan. In Chicago, active Ventra transit users are eligible for one prorated credit on 7- or 30-day passes. On the household end of giveaways, Genna Keller (principal and co-founder of marketing firm Trevelino/Keller) created the Toilet Paper Exchange—a pop-up, drive-thru giving away 1,000 rolls of toilet tissue. Bellewood Farms and Chuckanut Bay Distillery in Washington have made hand sanitizer, and are giving out 16-ounce bottles and 50-milliliter bottles to local residents. And while some smaller grocers and retailers may not be able to afford to offer giveaways or reduced rates at the same level as the companies above—in order to pay their employees and restock supplies—they do have one unique advantage. Because they are working with more local suppliers and farmers, residents are finding that small businesses have supplies that major retail stores are struggling to keep on store shelves. East Coast grocery store MOM’s Organic Market and BestWorld Supermarket in Mt. Pleasant, Washington D.C. are two of several examples that are getting more customers in than usual. And larger grocers and retailers who are in constant need of restocking their shelves are giving seniors and those with disabilities the opportunity to avoid long lines, barren shelves and (sometimes catastrophic) crowds. Warehouse chain Costco is offering special shopping hours for these two groups, who are especially susceptible to worse risks if infected with the novel coronavirus. Stop & Shop, Target, Walmart and Whole Foods have also scheduled early morning hours or blocked off certain opening hours for seniors and the disabled to shop. Foggy details for retail and food delivery deals While small grocers, supermarkets and specialized retailers are doing their part, consumers are still trying to keep a level of normalcy at home. That means finding work online or finding alternate jobs, after an involuntary job loss. Walmart and Amazon are hiring in noticeably larger numbers (as much as 250K new employees) and at a quicker speed than usual. With retailers hiring more workers, this could potentially help newly unemployed (or underemployed) people find temporary work until the coronavirus outbreak is under control. Additionally, the boost in delivery drivers and retail employees could help control the maintenance, upkeep and restocking needed in stores—if done safely. However, online retailer Amazon is already taking some flack for workers stating that the company could do more to keep them safe. Also on the delivery end, Grubhub sent an email announcement last week that it is “deferring commission fees for impacted independent restaurants” because of the coronavirus. But as Eater mentions, “defer” just means that $100 million in marketing commission fees will eventually have to be paid back. Delivery and order processing rates still apply to each order. DoorDash, on the other hand, is offering 30 days of commission-free delivery for new restaurants and no commission fees on pick-up orders. And Uber Eats is waiving the delivery fee paid by consumers for independent restaurants, but the Uber commission fee is unclear. Still though, for consumers, having food delivery companies like GrubHub invest in charitable programs that “support restaurants and drivers impacted by the COVID-19 health crisis” is a major plus. This is especially significant for consumers who are looking at grocery stores with barren shelves for everything from pasta sauce to fresh eggs. Food delivery, including fast food, is becoming almost expected instead of optional, depending on how prepared consumers were to stay indoors. The Takeaway: With consumers being vocal about how retailers and the hospitality industry could improve on their physical and online services, some companies are listening and making improvements whenever possible. Arguably, there could have been more nationwide preparation for this outbreak months (if not years) ago. However, retailers (hospitality and delivery included) are taking on a bipartisan approach to figure out what they can do now to make the isolation transition easier for all involved in the foreseeable future. Reduce training time, increase brand loyalty, and embrace the holidays with AI Global Retail Leaders Honored by RETHINK Retail By subscribing, you agree to receive communications from RETHINK Retail and are aware that you can unsubscribe at any time.	5,593
The 2018 NFL Draft was one for the books. If you can recall, NYG picked #2 overall and were approaching the end of Eli Manning’s career. Multiple quarterbacks graded out high enough to be considered for that spot. Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, and Josh Allen were all in the discussion, but only the latter three were available when NYG came on the clock. We all know they went on to choose Saquon Barkley (the 2018 Rookie of the Year and current NFL leader in yards from scrimmage). One of the most oft-forgotten facts about that draft class was what Baltimore did within the back half of the first round. They were sitting at #16 overall and then traded their way back to #25. They selected South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst. Right as the first round was about to wrap up, BAL made a trade up with PHI. That is where they took a quarterback out of Louisville named Lamar Jackson. Getting him in the first round, even at the very end of it, created an eventual economic advantage (the 5th year option which he is playing under right now). Fast forward to the present where the streaky Jackson, the 2019 MVP, led the 3-2 Ravens into MetLife Stadium. They were coming off two straight games where they finished with under 21 points scored after seeing that same exact thing occur in 6 of 9 games down the stretch in 2021 that ultimately led to their demise. It was a sloppy start to the game for both teams. There were four false starts within the first 25 snaps and neither team scored any points in the first quarter. The Giants defense continued a bend-but-don’t-break approach, as BAL crossed midfield on both of their drives. The second one ended in a Justin Tucker missed field goal attempt of 56 yards, his first 50+ miss in 11 attempts. The game’s first score occurred on BAL’s opening drive of the second quarter. Kenyan Drake, who was cut by the Raiders in August, entered the game with 65 yards on 21 carries. He burst through the right side of the line for a 30 yard-score. Gary Brightwell, an unsung hero to the hot start of NYG’s surprise season, took the ensuing kickoff to midfield. When a team wins games the way the Giants have been winning so far, these little things go a long way. Daniel Jones then led the offense to a 10-play, 53-yard drive that ended on a touchdown pass to rookie Wan’Dale Robinson, who had not been on the field since the first quarter of week one in Tennessee. The drive included third down conversions of 14 and 12 yards, respectively. It was a big-time clutch performance in a moment where the team needed it coming from an offense that came into the league ranked in the bottom third on 3rd down. BAL scored on the next drive via a 34-yard field goal by Tucker. Drake had another 30-yard run as he matched his season total in rushing yards on less than a handful of carries. NYG went three and out, giving BAL one more shot with over a minute left before halftime. A sack by Dexter Lawrence, who continues his All-Pro caliber play, moved the chains back enough to eventually lead to their own three and out. NYG did get the ball back at midfield thanks to an Unnecessary Roughness penalty on A.J. Klein on the punt, but it did not lead to any points as Jones was sacked and lost a fumble as time expired. BAL outgained NYG 256 to 90 in the first half. They won the time of possession battle. They led in the sack battle. They led in the turnover battle. Usually, those margins lead to bigger deficits, but NYG, an excellent second half team, was right where they wanted to be and right where they are comfortable. BAL lengthened their lead to 13-7 following their first drive of the second half despite getting to the NYG 5-yard line with a 1st and goal. Jackson threw three straight incomplete passes (including a drop by Mark Andrews) and Tucker had to come on for a 23-yard field goal. NYG stayed in it with a 34-yard field goal following a 14 play, 59-yard drive. The scoring drive was heavily aided by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by Jayson Oweh following a third-down stop. BAL kept ahold of the momentum with a touchdown scoring drive. Jackson hit Andrews, the other All-Pro the team drafted in 2018, for a 12-yard score. The fourth quarter was under way and NYG was down by 10, the biggest deficit of the game. They did not crumble; they did not panic. Seven runs, five passes, and two more third-down conversions brought them all the way to the BAL 8-yard line. Jones hit rookie Daniel Bellinger for the touchdown to get the game back within one score. It was the third scoring drive that consisted of double-digit plays. There is an ongoing debate whether or not Jackson is worth the next big quarterback contract. Many assume he will breach the $50 million-annual mark but BAL has not coughed it up yet. There is no denying how rare of a talent he is and how hard he can be to defend. But what transpired over the next two drives in combination with the contrast in regular season to postseason performance (1-3 record / 3 TD-5 INT) is what can credibly cause one to hesitate to spend 25+% of cap allocation on him. A terrible interception brought in by Julian Love after an errant shotgun snap gave NYG the ball back on the BAL 13-yard line. NYG scored on a 1-yard run by Barkley the play after Marcus Peters was flagged for pass interference in the end zone, a play he intercepted the ball. NYG, for the first time, had a 24-20 lead. Jackson, with just under 2 minutes and all three timeouts under his belt, carelessly held the ball as NYG brought pressure. Rookie Kayvon Thibodeaux came up with his biggest play of his young career, batting that ball hanging out in the open and knocking it loose. Leonard Williams fell on it and NYG had the ball back, up four on the BAL 13-yard line, with 1:30 left. BAL did have all their timeouts so when looking at the math, NYG would either have to get a first down, score, or turn the ball over. They couldn’t bleed the clock to death. On 2nd-and-5, Barkley bounced a run to the outside and had a clear shot at the end zone. He channeled his inner Ahmad Bradshaw and slid to the ground in between the first down marker and the end zone. Fantasy mManagers must have been upset but this was the way to guarantee victory. NYG wins 24-20. Jones added 10 yards on the ground not including his kneel downs. He lost a fumble on the last play of the first half which had no impact on the game. It was a clean performance by Jones that included a couple of big-time throws, some of which were on 3rd down. The overall comfort I see with him while making decisions and navigating the pocket continues to grow by the week. Having the rookie Wan’Dale Robinson back on the field did not look like a lot on paper, but when considering the lack of talent he has been working with at the receiver position, it brought Jones to a higher level. The quick maturation of the rookie tight end is bringing Jones to a higher level. Saquon Barkley staying on the field and playing the best we have seen him is bringing Jones to a higher level. All of that added up and his skill position talent is still bottom third in the league. What kind of level does Jones get to with another high-end receiver or two? It is all projection at this point, but we now have some more information on what happens here when this situation around him trends north. 73 of Barkley’s 95 yards came after halftime. The running game had a bit more juice and even though he did not have explosive plays (20+ yards), as his biggest run on the day was a gain of 8, Barkley came up big when it mattered. A few of these runs that resulted in 2-3 yard gains were losses a year ago. It does not look like a lot on paper, but the margin from 1–2 yard loss to a 2-3 yard gain adds up. His slide at the end of the game was an incredible move. It was a move that CLE running back Nick Chubb did not do Week 2 against the Jets, and it ultimately led to a loss. One concern I have with Barkley is the shoulder. It has not caused him to miss a ton of snaps, but it is contact-induced and he plays such a violent position. Something to keep an eye on. -Matt Breida had 3 carries the resulted in -6 yards but did add 17 yards on 2 catches and provided a couple of key blocks in pass protection. Gary Brightwell’s 47-yard kick return that set up NYG’s first touchdown is another feather in the cap of the second-year 7th rounder who continues to make important contributions to the 5-win Giants. -Good to see rookie Wan’Dale Robinson back on the field after suffering a knee injury Week 1. He played just a pitch count-based 15 snaps (23%) but he made a huge impact on the game. 3 catches for 37 yards and a touchdown, the first of his career. The other 2 catches both went for first downs. The one red flag here centers on the ball skills. Robinson dropped a pass and double caught/bobbled two others. I lean toward this being a result of him being a bit rusty more than forecasting it being an issue. -Marcus Johnson caught 2 passes for 25 yards, both of which went for a first down, but he also dropped a touchdown. Johnson’s tools continue to impress. Richie James caught both of his targets for 18 yards and David Sills caught 1 ball for 8 yards. -Darius Slayton caught a pass for 18 yards but dropped one and was also flagged for offensive pass interference. Jones gave him an opportunity for a touchdown (he had Barkley WIDE open for a touchdown on the play) but Slayton could not come down with the contested catch. I want to see him attack the ball with both hands and play stronger against contact. -Daniel Bellinger: 5 rec – 38 yards – 1 TD The rookie continues to surge as he played a season high 61 snaps and led the team in catches and yards, and scored one of the two passing game touchdowns. I want to spend the time talking about the improvements he has made as a blocker. It was a red flag I discussed over summer and most rookies struggle in this department in their first year. Bellinger’s improvement from August to now in the trenches, on the move, and at the second level is one of the biggest wins of the season when looking at player development. His hands and ability to stay attached are so solid and it is helping the running game immensely. His ball skills are all about his hands. His routes look sudden. NYG has themselves a tight end, folks. Amazing how fast this happened. -Tanner Hudson and Chris Myarick both played under half the snaps. Neither made much of an impact on the game, good or bad. -Andrew Thomas fought through a minor ankle injury (the one that has hampered him for multiple years) and pitched yet another shut out. I did see him get stood up at the point-of-attack in the running game a couple times, as it looked like he could not get the movement we have seen in recent weeks. That said, he cleared the lane for Barkley’s 1-yard touchdown run on a down block. Evan Neal had his best game of the season. He allowed 1 pressure and did allow a sack on a weird play. He fell to the ground as he chased Justin Madubuike inside, a play the resulted in just a 1-yard loss. Neal showed better footwork overall and allowed his mass to win the battles. I know Neal was atop the Bruce Feldman “Freak List” in 2021 and he does some impressive things in workouts, but his game is all about size and power. When he stays within himself and avoids over-setting, he is a very tough guy to move. He needs to continue to lean into that the way he did against BAL. -Inside we saw a few more issues again, especially in the first half. Mark Glowinski allowed 2 pressures early but played better from the second quarter-on. Jon Feliciano continues to grade out well below average, finishing with 2 allowed sacks, 1 TFL, and 1 pressure. He went down with a groin injury in the second half but did come back on the field. Ben Bredeson (1 pressure allowed) moved to center for a few snaps, a position I am starting to think he may need to shift to, while rookie Joshua Ezeudu got on the field for 4 snaps. -All three of the main contributors made plays behind the line of scrimmage. Jihad Ward had 2 TFL on the opening drive of the game, the second one knocking BAL out of field goal range and forcing a punt. Oshane Ximines had a TFL. And rookie Kayvon Thibodeaux played a career high 83% of the snaps, finishing with 3 tackles, 1 pressure, and a sack-fumble that sealed the win. Last week I said don’t even think about being alarmed by a lack of sacks. His play, his movement, and his reaction times were getting better and better and the big plays would come. The sack-fumble came at the best possible time and now we will see the confidence morph into production, watch. -Dexter Lawrence is the best defender on this team and one could make the argument he is the overall team MVP over 6 weeks. He finished with 1 tackle, 1 sack, 2 pressures, and a pass break up. The volume of impact may not have been there, but he was a key to stopping BAL when they needed to be stopped. His performance was a microcosm of the defense’s overall performance. Make the plays when they’re needed the most despite overall numbers looking more bad than good. -Leonard Williams was back on the field after missing 3 games. I thought he would be on a strict pitch count but he was on the field for 92% of the snaps. He finished with 2 tackles, 1 pressure, and the game-sealing fumble recovery. He didn’t look like he lost a step at all but there were 2 plays where he got completely washed out of a running lane. BAL does a great job up front on combo blocks and that is where Williams has struggled in the past. -Justin Ellis and Nick Williams were beat up a bit in the running game. Neither show a lot of range in pursuit against the athletic BAL rushing attack that gained most of its yards from the B-gap outward. -If there was one position group that I had to point to when looking at BAL’s 8.8 yards per carry, it was this one. Tae Crowder and Jaylon Smith both had 3 tackles and avoided the negative plays on the score sheet, but neither were stout against the run. Crowder did not get off blocks and Smith was late and slow to react. They simply gave the BAL running game too much space to operate. -Glad to see Adoree’ Jackson on the field after a knee injury knocked him out early last week. He had 4 tackles and a pass break up. His deep coverage against BAL speedster Devin Duvernay was a key factor in the game many won’t see unless they watch the All-22. His one negative on the score sheet was blowing outside contain two times on running plays. -Fabian Moreau finished with 8 tackles, the second highest of his career. While high-tackle numbers can be an alarm for a corner, Moreau did not play a bad game. He did get beat for a touchdown and he did drop an interception off a deflection, but he tackled well after the catch and after BAL ball carriers broke through the second level. -Darnay Holmes played just 10 snaps (17%). This was interesting to me, but I believe it had more to do with Dane Belton providing better match-ups against the run/tight end-dominant BAL attack. -Dane Belton seems to be rotating in and out of playing time based on match-ups, not performance. In 5 games he has played 46, 11, 46, 21, 42 snaps. Although I see a few ups and downs, he is turning into a quality asset on this defense. He had 6 tackles, 1 pressure, and a pass break up in the end zone. He missed 1 tackle. His deep coverage against tight ends factored in their success against the pass as well. He is playing fast and physical and seeing some snaps at linebacker. I did not love seeing him in that spot, however. He got trounced a couple times there. -Xavier McKinney led the team with 9 tackles and was a reliable last line of defense. He broke up a pass and was the one who pressured Jackson on the 4th-quarter interception. He is a fast decision-maker with great burst, 2 major traits for safety. -Julian Love gets the game ball if you’re asking me. He had 5 tackles, a pass break up in the end zone which was a high level play, and a huge interception in the 4th quarter that was the most influential play of the game. Overlooked on that interception was the 27-yard return that brought the ball to the BAL 13-yard line. NYG getting a 4-point lead rather than tying it up at 20 was enormous and it was very much a result of his impressive vision, burst, and footwork to pick up those yards. 3 THOUGHTS ON BAL 1. Three time this year BAL has blown a double-digit lead in the second half. All three have resulted in their three losses on the year. They also blew games against the Dolphins and Bills. The one common thread I have seen in those losses has been the lack of ability to get to the passer on defense. They don’t have the closer anymore, and even though new Defensive Coordinator Mike Macdonald is an aggressive shot caller, he’s no Wink Martindale. David Ojabo was drafted in April, but he will miss the year as he rehabs the Achilles’ injury he suffered at his Pro Day last March. 2021 first rounder Odafe Oweh has flashed but lacks consistency and a power game. Tyrus Bowser is hurt. Justin Houston and Calais Campbell are both near the end. I don’t think BAL realized what they were losing when they let Matt Judon walk after 2020. He currently sits 2nd in the NFL in sacks. 2. The Lamar Jackson contract situation is a fascinating one on multiple levels. He does not have an agent. His mother (with some help from the NFLPA) has been doing the negotiating with the club. And BAL has passed on extending him multiple times now. As I said above, Jackson is a rare talent, and he can keep opposing defensive coaches up at night. But is he a winner? And by winner, I mean postseason wins. The kind of wins where he puts the team on his back, makes other players better, and beats a high-quality defense with his arm. There is no denying he is one of the best 10 quarterbacks in the game, but the question will be, should he be paid like one that is top 3? If BAL thought so, it would have happened already. I do think there is a more-than 40% chance he is playing elsewhere in 2023. 3. How far will this BAL team go? As I said earlier, they lack a true difference-maker along their defensive front. They have minimal talent at receiver. They have a hard time creating explosive plays in the passing game. Their schedule will do them some favors down the stretch (CAR, JAC, PIT 2x, ATL, CLE over the final 8 weeks), but at this point it almost seems we know what they are: a roller coaster that is an extension of the quarterback and defense. They will look dominant at times and a non-contender the next week. They are in a weird spot, and I think 10 wins will be right around where they end up. But they lack key components to win in the postseason. 1. I want to give Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale a standing ovation. This match-up could have gone multiple ways. Sure, Wink knows Lamar as much as any defensive mind in the game, but the offensive staff (and Lamar) know Wink as much as anyone in the league. While I don’t think the Giants took the game over by any means, they repeatedly came up big in key moments. The turnovers in the fourth quarter are the obvious bullet points under that statement, but the little victories like pushing them out of field goal range on 3rd down on the first drive of the game, the tackle for loss by Ximines on 2nd-and-15 on the second drive, and holding them to field goals twice after having a 1st down in the red zone. These are the moments that often decide games and in these moments, Martindale beat Lamar. His exotic looks and constant state of confusion he created made a huge impact. 2. The Giants have been one of the more injured teams in the league. It can be tough to objectively measure “team health” (a few guys try but there are loopholes), but I peg them somewhere between the 8th and 12th most injured team. Some have it worse, most have had it better. That isn’t the point. My point is this team is sitting 5-1 and they have some guys on the brink of coming back. Look at Leonard Williams and Wan’Dale Robinson. They come back and both made vital plays to the winning effort. Kayvon Thibodeaux misses two games and has been on a steady ascent since coming back Week 3. NYG will get the likes of Azeez Ojulari and Kadarius Toney back at some point. Say what you want about them, but there is no denying the fact these guys are personnel upgrades over what is being marched out there right now. Just another positive to look forward to. 3. What is the best offensive line configuration? NYG is going to need to decide soon when it comes to the interior. Fortunately, their outside spots are locked in. Mark Glowiniski won’t be going anywhere from RG. So, there are, in my eyes, three decisions that need to be made. Who starts at center? Does that change who starts at LG? And who are the top two backups who can rotate and back these spots up? The availability of Nick Gates and Shane Lemieux will determine a lot. Those are the two biggest questions. Where I do not have any questions is at center. NYG needs to make a change there. After 6 games and the preseason and looking back on Feliciano’s career, it is time to make him a backup. Move Bredeson to center or warm the spot up for Gates when he is fully back. This can make left guard a wide-open competition between Lemieux (who will likely win the job if he stays healthy), Gates, and the rookie Ezeudu. Another option for that spot it to investigate the trade market for teams that are clearly out of the 2022 postseason race. OL talent is a hard spot to acquire via trade because it is such a rare commodity that everyone wants, but Jonah Jackson (DET) and A.J. Cann (HOU) are two names worth inquiring about based on them as players and the situations they currently are in. Posted by Eric Kennedy Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports The surprising New York Giants improved their record to 5-1 with another dramatic, come-from-behind victory on Sunday afternoon, beating the heavily-favored Baltimore Ravens 24-20. Trailing 20-10 in the 4th quarter, the Giants scored the game’s final 14 points to secure the win. In terms of overall team statistics, Baltimore held clear advantages in first downs (23 to 18), total net yards (406 to 238), net yards rushing (211 to 83), and net yards passing (195 to 155). However, the Ravens made more mistake, losing the turnover battle 2-to-1 as well as being flagged 10 times for 74 yards. The Giants were penalized only three times for 25 yards. The entire first quarter was taken up by three possessions, two 5+ minute drives by the Ravens and one 4-minute drive by the Giants. None resulted in points as Baltimore punted once and missed a 56-yard field goal. The Giants also punted. After a three-and-out by New York on their second possession of the game, the Ravens drove 89 yards in eight plays to take a 7-0 lead in the second quarter. Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson ran for 14 yards on the first play and completed 3-of-4 passes for 39 yards. The big play was the 30-yard touchdown run by halfback Kenyan Drake, who had a monster day, rushing 10 times for 119 yards (11.9 yards per carry). Running back Gary Brightwell returned the ensuing kickoff 47 yards to near midfield. Facing a 3rd-and-14, quarterback Daniel Jones found wide receiver Darius Slayton for an 18-yard catch and a first down. Jones then connected with running back Matt Breida on a 15-yard completion despite a big hit on Breida. Three plays later, on 3rd-and-12, Jones threw a 15-yard pass to wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson down to the 11-yard line. Three plays after that, on 3rd-and-4, Jones hooked up with Robinson again for the 5-yard touchdown. The game was tied at 7-7. With just 3:31 left before halftime, the Ravens were able to drive 59 yards in eight plays to set up a 34-yard field goal to make the game 10-7. Drake broke off another 30 yard run on this possession. Tight end Mark Andrews, who also had a huge day with seven catches for 106 yards, also had two catches for 34 yards to help set up the field goal. Both teams exchanged punts in the last 1:45 of the half. Then Jones fumbled the ball away on a sack on mid-field Hail Mary attempt on the last play. The Giants received the ball to start the second half, gained one first down, but then punted. The Ravens continued to gain big chunks of real estate. Drake gained 21 yards on the first carry, Andrews caught two more passes for 32 yards, and Jackson rushed for 11 yards down to the Giants’ 5-yard line. There the defense stiffened. After three straight incomplete passes, the Ravens settled for a short field goal and a 13-7 advantage. Most of the rest of the 3rd quarter was eaten up by New York’s ensuing 14-play, 59-yard drive that took 7:41 off of the clock. The Giants converted on two 3rd downs on this possession, including a 7-yard pass to tight end Daniel Bellinger on 3rd-and-4 and a 4-yard pass to running back Saquon Barkley on 3rd-and-5. On the latter play, the Ravens were also flagged with an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty that gave the Giants the first down. However, after reaching the Baltimore 5-yard line, Jones was sacked for an 11-yard loss on 3rd-and-goal and the team had to settle for a 34-yard field goal. Ravens 13 – Giants 10. The Ravens appeared to take control of the game on their ensuing possession. Jackson ran for 25 yards, Drake carried the ball four more times for 27 yards, and Jackson completed two passes for 23 yards, including a well-thrown 12-yard touchdown pass to Andrews. With just under 13 minutes left in the game, the Ravens held a two-score advantage, 20-10. The Giants responded with a clutch, 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive of their own. On 3rd-and-4, Jones and wide receiver Marcus Johnson teamed up for an 18-yard reception. On 2nd-and-12, Jones found Robinson over the middle for 17 yards. Five plays later, on 3rd-and-1, Jones gained three yards for the first down. Jones finished the possession with an 8-yard touchdown throw to Bellinger. With six minutes to go, the Ravens lead was cut to 20-17. Baltimore gained one first down. On 3rd-and-5 from their own 40-yard line, Jackson could not handle the shotgun snap. The ball scooted past him but he managed to recover. Nevertheless, under pressure, he threw an ill-advised pass that was picked off by safety Julian Love at the line of scrimmage and then returned 27 yards down to the Ravens’ 13-yard line. With 2:50 left on the clock, the Giants were in position to take the lead for the first time in the game. On 3rd-and-3, it first appeared that disaster struck for the Giants. Jones’ end zone pass was intercepted by cornerback Marcus Peters in the end zone. But Peters clearly interfered with Slayton on the play. The penalty gave the Giants a first down at the 1-yard line. On the very next play, Barkley easily scored from one yard out. The Giants now led 24-20 with 1:43 left in the game. On Baltimore’s last desperate drive, Jackson’s first pass fell incomplete. On 2nd-and-10, outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux sacked Jackson and stripped the ball from him. Defensive lineman Leonard Williams recovered the loose ball at the Baltimore 13-yard line with 1:30 left in the contest. Barkley picked then picked up five yards on his first carry. He could have scored on his second carry but intentionally fell to the ground at the 2-yard line so the Giants could simply run out the clock. Game over. Jones finished the game 19-of-27 for 173 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions for a quarterback rating of 112.1. His leading target was Bellinger, who caught five passes for 38 yards. No other Giant had more than three catches, but Jones completed passes to eight different targets. Barkley led the team with 22 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, the Giants were credited with two sacks, one by nose tackle Dexter Lawrence and the other by Thibodeaux, who forced a fumble that sealed the game. Love broke up two passes and intercepted Jackson that set up the game-winning touchdown. On Saturday, the Giants placed S Tony Jefferson (foot) on Injured Reserve. He will have to miss at least four games. The Giants activated (standard elevation) WR Marcus Johnson and DL Ryder Anderson from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster on the same day. Inactive for the game were WR Kenny Golladay (knee), WR Kadarius Toney (hamstring), OLB Azeez Ojulari (calf), CB Cor’Dale Flott (calf), and S Jason Pinnock (ankle). OC Jon Feliciano (groin) left the game briefly but returned. Transcripts and video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Brian Daboll and the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com: Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will address the media by conference call on Monday. Preview: Baltimore Ravens at New York Giants, October 16, 2022 Posted by Eric Kennedy While it is usually unwise to make too much of a victory or defeat, certain games can change the arc of an NFL season. Without the advantage of future hindsight, at this particular moment in time, the upset win over the Green Bay Packers in London appears to have changed the multiple narratives and expected outcomes for the New York Football Giants. The Giants may be rebuilding, but through five games, they are very much in the playoff hunt. And some offseason personnel decisions – starting at quarterback – just got a little more cloudy. In last week’s game preview, I talked about expectations when the 2022 NYG schedule was released. The clearly rebuilding Giants were supposed to lose to the defending #1 seed in the AFC Tennessee Titans. The Giants were supposed to lose to the defending #1 seed in the NFC Green Bay Packers. By the end of Week 5, the best the Giants could hope for was a 2-3 record. Yet here we are at 4-1, one game out of first place in the reinvigorated NFC East. Just as significantly, there has been nothing fluky about the four wins. There haven’t been strange plays or timely turnovers that have pundits and fans claiming a clearly outplayed Giants team was “lucky” to win. Quite the contrary, the Giants are winning DESPITE a lack of a clear advantage in turnovers. They are winning despite being undermanned with a plethora of injuries to some of their best players. They are winning despite trailing their opponents in the second half in three of their four wins. They are not giving up; they are a resilient bunch. Of course, all of this can change in a heartbeat. All glory is fleeting. Two or three losses and we’re back to the old expectations and narratives. Given the state of the roster, the margin for error is small. Every game has been close and most have been nail-biters. Can they keep this up? Enter the AFC North-leading Baltimore Ravens, another team the Giants were supposed to lose to when the schedule was released. Can New York do it again? If they can, then things start to get REALLY interesting. RB Saquon Barkley (shoulder – probable) OLB Azeez Ojulari (calf – doubtful) In a recent radio interview, I was asked what has been the #1 discussion on the website. I replied that for months, it has been the endless debate over Daniel Jones. I also said that most fans appeared to have dug their heels in and already made up their minds one way or the other, which in itself put Jones in a tough spot from PR perspective. Let’s try to look at this as objectively as possible. Entering the 2022 NFL season, Jones was a 12-25 quarterback through three seasons. This year, he is 4-1. In other words, he’s already reached his seasonal victory average. He only has three turnovers (two interceptions and one fumble). Two were legit (the interception and the fumble in the season opener). The other interception came against the Cowboys when his receiver fell down at the end of the game. In other words, since the opener, he hasn’t been turning the ball over. On the flip side, passing touchdowns since his rookie season (24) remain elusive. He has only thrown three, and none since Week 2. In New York’s signature win thus far, Jones did not throw or run for a score. He did throw for a season-high 217 yards, but that number is pedestrian at best. HOWEVER, Jones did two big things in this game: (1) he started to win over some hearts and minds with his gritty toughness, and (2) with no margin for error, he made key throws and runs on the game-tying, 91-yard drive that required eight first downs. As Sy’56 pointed out, he raised the play of those around him. One game does not make a trend, but this is the type of performance Jones needs if he is to remain a New York Giant. Why am I spending so much time on Jones in a preview that should be focusing on the Giants-Ravens match-ups? Because the outstanding, major questions for the Giants are bigger than individual games. We all feel it. The Green Bay game is the first real indication that Jones may return in 2023 and beyond. That could be bad. Or it could be great. The bad is obvious. What if Mara, Schoen, and Daboll decide they can win with Jones moving forward, re-sign him to a huge, multi-year contract, and then he massively disappoints in 2023 and 2024? On the other hand, what if the Giants DO have their franchise quarterback already on the roster? What if Daboll and staff were able resurrect Jones from the dead? The timeline of the “rebuild” instantly changes for the better. As I’ve stated previously, that also directly impacts the fate of Saquon Barkley since Barkley’s next few years would not be “wasted” on a newly-drafted quarterback. This what I mean by multiple narratives possibly changing. Things are much more in flux now. Now to complicate this further, as Go Terps correctly pointed out in The Forum this week, we really do not know what Daboll wants to do at quarterback. The strength of this coaching staff has been its ability to adjust and work with what it has. But despite winning with Jones, Daboll simply may want to upgrade the position so he be more of a pass-first team like he was in Buffalo. The argument here is Jones simply isn’t a difference-maker at the position in the passing game and he is injury-prone. Enter the Baltimore Ravens. Defensively, they are having an extremely odd season. They are currently 28th in defense (12th against the run, 32nd against the pass, 18th in scoring defense). What’s so strange is that cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey are legit Pro Bowlers. The Ravens imploded in a 28-point meltdown against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2. But they also did a nice job in a 23-20 loss to the explosive Buffalo Bills two weeks ago and a 19-17 win over the defending AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday night. Significantly, they are tied for an NFL high 11 takeaways with eight interceptions and three fumble recoveries. The Ravens can also rush the passer. Recently signed, ex-Giant Jason Pierre-Paul was causing problems for the Bengals. Odafe Oweh leads the team with 17 quarterback pressures despite only one sack. So on the surface, it would appear the weakness of the Ravens is their dead-last pass defense, provided you can avoid throwing interceptions. See where I’m going with this? Despite their 28th-ranked defense, the Ravens are playing better in recent weeks and have enough talent to make life difficult for a Giants’ offense that is 31st in passing, averaging a paltry 154 yards per game. Now that’s not all on Jones. The pass protection has been too up-and-down. The Giants have the worst wide receiving corps in the NFL. But there are glimpses of hope. Daniel Bellinger is becoming a factor. Darius Slayton arose from the dead for at least one week. Wan’Dale Robinson returns. The Ravens are going to concentrate on Barkley. Why wouldn’t they? Jones is going to be on the spot. Can he move this team with his arm, while at the same time avoiding the turnover? To me, that’s the offensive storyline of this game. But it’s also bigger than that. Can Jones make another argument to keep him on this roster? Stay tuned. This is an interesting match-up because of Wink Martindale’s long relationship with the Harbaugh family, including his 10-year stay in Baltimore with the Ravens. He knows their strength and weaknesses. But Harbaugh also knows Wink. The chess match will be fascinating to watch. The bad news is the Giants can’t seem to get all of their defensive toys on the field at the same time. Injury issues at all three levels of the defense have been a problem all season, including the team’s best defensive players. Despite that, this defense keeps plugging along when it should be getting torched. The good news is that the Giants should be getting back arguably their best defensive player, Leonard Williams. That’s exciting to contemplate when you consider how well Dexter Lawrence is playing. The two of them, combined with edge rushers Kayvon Thibodeaux and possibly Azeez Ojulari (who will likely miss this game), should start to become a real problem for opposing offenses. Xavier McKinney and Julian Love are one of the best safety duos in the league. The Giants just have to pray that Adoree’ Jackson (knee/neck) can hold up and continue his strong season. They also need the no-name, cast-off corners to continue to hold down the opposite outside spot. Which version of Darnay Holmes we get is a bit nerve-wracking too. Thus far, the Tae Crowder-Jaylon Smith combo at inside linebacker appears to be an improvement. Let’s see if that continues. So what are the challenges this week? The Ravens are 14th in offense (7th in rushing, 22nd in passing). But they are 4th in scoring, averaging almost four touchdowns per game. Much depends on which version of Lamar Jackson you get. At times, he is very much the MVP candidate on his resume, making incredible throws and brilliant runs. He’s a son-of-a-bitch to tackle. At other times, he can’t hit the broad side of a barn. Jackson has thrown 12 touchdowns (four times as many as the Giants) and five interceptions. He’s completing 64 percent of his passes and has rushed for 374 yards (7.6 yards per run). The strategy is obvious, but difficult to implement. When you rush Jackson, you have to maintain disciplined rush lanes. You can’t freelance. This makes it easier for pass blockers because they understand what the rushers need to do, but it’s critical because if you give Jackson a lane, he will beat you with his feet. On top of that, just because you reach Jackson, it doesn’t mean the play is over. You have to bring him down. He’s one of those guys where you say, “Yeah, we got him! Oh (crap), get him!” If you look at Baltimore’s team stats, you come away with the impression that Jackson is their running game since he leads the team by a wide margin. That’s not exactly true. The Ravens run out of a ton of different formations, using a number of different players, to generate the league’s 7th-ranked rushing attack. It’s almost like watching a college team that confuses its opponent with multiple looks and motion. On Sunday night, they attacked the edges of Cincinnati’s defense with great success, using jet sweeps by wideout Devin Duvernay. They have a trio of running backs tote the rock, including J.K. Dobbins, Justice Hill (not expected to play), and Kenyan Drake. Smartly, when Baltimore does pass, they use play-action as teams are so geared up to defend the run. And like most strong running teams, they usually score touchdowns when they get into the red zone. They have only three rushing touchdowns, but their strong running game sets up the play-action and helps explain the 12 passing touchdowns. In addition, oddly, Jackson has been really good when blitzed this year. Jackson’s favorite target is tight end Mark Andrews, who by far is leading the team in targets (46) and receptions (32). He also has a team-leading four touchdowns. The most dangerous target is Duvernay. While he only has 17 receptions, Duvernay averages 22 yards per catch. The good news for the Giants is Rashod Bateman will likely miss another game due to a foot injury. This is where “smart, tough, and dependable” will be really tested on defense. The Giants are going to have diagnose the complicated running schemes, stand tough at the point-of-attack, and make sure tackles. The entire basis of the Baltimore attack is based on their ground game, including the success of the passing game. You can’t totally shut down their running game, but you have to limit the damage. Get Jackson into 3rd-and-long situations where he is very uncomfortable. The Giants are long overdue for some interceptions. Unlike the 2020-2021 Giants, the Ravens hired a former special teams coach who actually improved their special teams. This is going to be a tough match-up for New York. Duvernay has only returned five kickoffs, but one of those was for 103 yards. He’a also averaging over 13 yards per punt return. He’s extremely dangerous. The Ravens also have one of the game’s best kickers in Justin Tucker, who has been perfect on the year, with half of his field goals being 50+ yards including a 58-yarder. On the flip side, while Gary Brightwell has been a nice role player for the Giants on offense and in special teams coverage, he’s not getting it done as a kick returner. Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka on the Baltimore Ravens’ defense: “They have really good players in the backend, really good players in the front seven as well. They generate pressure, they create pressure up front, and they have ball hawks in the back end that do a good job of tackling the football, stripping and punching at the ball. Those are points of emphasis for us this week.” If the Giants lose this game, it’s not the end of the world. The outcome of the Green Bay game gave them some wiggle room. However, if they can somehow pull off their third big upset in six games, the arc of this season really begins to take a different shape. I don’t expect them to win, but I’m not counting this team out against any team remaining on their schedule. They aren’t in the same class as Buffalo and Kansas City, but so what? The best news coming out of this season is the team clearly has arguably one of the best coaching staffs in the League. I will just throw this out there. Jackson and Jones are 22nd and 23rd in pass attempts in the NFL this season. Both of these teams prefer not to throw the football all that much. The Ravens have 11 interceptions on defense. The Giants have none. Avoiding the turnover will be huge for the Giants in this game. On the other hand, an aggressive NYG defense is long overdue for some picks. Posted by David Syvertsen Dec 292020 The NFL season is full of streaks both hot and cold, for every respective team in the league. The ones that trek through the peaks and valleys the best while minimizing the down times and maximizing the good times are the teams standing tall at the end. The best can still turn those low points into wins while the bottom feeders just can’t seem to hide their issues well enough. The Baltimore Ravens entered the week 16 matchup winners of 3 straight averaging a league high 40 points per game over that span behind the surging Lamar Jackson, who caught fire over that period (10 touchdowns). The Giants entered the game going in the complete opposite direction. They had lost two straight and scored a combined 30 points over the previous 3 weeks, 10 less than what BAL was averaging per game. In the putrid NFC East, however, they were still alive. The BAL offense continued their impressive, machine-type offensive work early on. They scored touchdowns on both of their first two drives while chewing up the majority of the first quarter-clock. They held onto the ball for 13:17 while NYG possessed it for 1:43 and got flagged for two false starts while accruing 18 total yards. BAL added 3 more points on a 20-yard field goal by All-Pro kicker Justin Tucker, following another long drive, this one 13 plays. With 5 minutes left in the first half, BAL had run 36 plays and NYG just 10. NYG’s offense did start moving the ball on their final possession of the half, as they had to start eating away at the 17-point deficit. They found themselves in the red zone with 1:25 left and this is where I felt they mismanaged the clock. Following a 4 yard completion to Sterling Shepard on a 1st and 10, BAL called a timeout. They knew there would be enough time to potentially get the ball back. NYG then proceeded to call two high-difficulty pass plays to undrafted rookie Austin Mack. Both fell incomplete and BAL did indeed get the ball back with 2 timeouts and over 1 minute on the clock following Graham Gano’s 31-yard field goal. BAL then ran another 10 plays that brought them all the way to the NYG 10-yard line, but they were finally stopped by a quality pass rush which made them settle on another field goal, this one from 28 yards, that Tucker nailed through the uprights to give BAL a commanding 20-3 lead at the half. BAL out-gained NYG 282-95 yards and won the time of possession battle 22:38 to 7:22 in the first two quarters. Complete domination. NYG began the second half with a three-and-out, but the defense did stop BAL for the first time soon after. The NYG offense then started to wake up with chunk gains from Wayne Gallman, Dante Pettis, and C.J. Board. They got into the red zone with a 1st-and-10, but the first two plays from there were a 5-yard loss on a screen to Sterling Shepard and then a 7-yard loss on a sack. They had to settle on a field goal which Gano nailed from 42 yards. This was his 29th straight successful attempt, tying an all-time NYG record. BAL ended the 3rd quarter with another touchdown-scoring drive spurred by a 25-yard run by rookie running back J.K. Dobbins. Jackson ended the drive by finding a wide open Dez Bryant in the end zone. Yes, the same Dez Bryant who was playing in his 5th game since the start of the 2018 season and formerly of the division-rival Dallas Cowboys. The 32-year old was surrounded by open turf as the NYG secondary had a miscommunication in coverage. NYG then began the 4th quarter with their own marathon, clock-eating drive that was 15 plays long. This was very much aided by BAL mistakes, however. After a set of plays that saw Jones sacked on three-straight drop backs, BAL running back Justice Hill was flagged for a roughing-the-punter penalty which gave NYG a fresh start from their own 37. BAL was flagged 3 more times on that drive and even though the NYG offense still seemed lethargic and sloppy, they were able to score a touchdown on a 3-yard pass from Jones to Shepard. NYG had narrowed the gap to 14 points with just under 9 minutes remaining. A three-and-out by the BAL offense gave NYG the ball back but NYG was never able to breach midfield. After a 12-yard completion to Shepard, NYG went incomplete-incomplete-sack-incomplete on the following four passing plays. Yet another pathetic display of offense. BAL drove the ball all the way down to the NYG 1-yard line after starting at the 35. A fumble on the exchange between Jackson and running back Gus Edwards was recovered by the newly-extended Logan Ryan for the lone ball-turnover of the game. NYG had under 2 minutes left and no timeouts. One of the worst two offenses in football could not even reach midfield, yet again, despite BAL playing a soft defense and aiding them with a 10-yard pass interference. The game ended with the final four NYG offensive plays netting 3 total yards on a scramble by Jones before turning it over on downs and back to BAL for the victory formation kneel-down. NYG loses 27-13. The stat line actually made Jones’ performance look better than he played. It wasn’t a good game for the sophomore, as he missed on multiple throws that, simply put, he needs to make. He was short on a couple deep balls to Slayton, he was high on a couple of open slants where he had pressure coming right at him, and he did not process information quickly enough when BAL sent the house in their blitz packages. While the offensive line didn’t do him any favors and we just don’t see these receivers ever running with space around them, his performance did not help this team. Was he rusty after a few weeks of being in and out of practice and games? Was he overwhelmed by the aggressive BAL defense? Did he not respond well to not really being able to use his legs? Or is he just not that good? I’ll discuss further in the closing comments. -I really don’t get why NYG hasn’t been using Wayne Gallman more in the first half these past few weeks. He carried the ball 6 times for 27 yards and caught 2 passes for 26 yards. In the first half, he touched the ball 3 times. Granted, BAL dominated time of possession and NYG only ran 18 play,s but I still think Gallman has been productive enough to warrant more consistent touches in the first half where a team can dictate play calls more than the game situation. The same can’t be said in the second half. -Dion Lewis had 15 yards on his lone carry and Alfred Morris had a 9 yard catch and gained 4 yards on 3 carries, including a key 3rd-and-1 conversion. -Sterling Shepard had a season high 9 catches and 77 yards with a touchdown, just his second of the year. It’s been over two months since he last scored. Shepard played a really tough, competitive game from the slot and outside positions. He came up with a big 3rd-down conversion on the lone NYG touchdown scoring drive. -Darius Slayton caught 2 passes for 26 yards and dropped another one, although it was a tough grab due to an off-throw by Jones. He still needs to start showing the ability to make these tough catches and be more physical against contact. If he wants to be a guy who can run in a straight line and catch passes with nobody on him, fine. But if he is going to be more than the occasional deep threat, he needs to more consistently make the tough plays. -C.J. Board caught a pass for 16 yards and Dante Pettis caught 2 passes for 33 yards in his first game-action with the team. Remember, San Francisco was very excited about this kid not so long ago. Talent is there, but he has had durability and mental-capacity issues. -Austin Mack saw more playing time than he has seen in a while. He was targeted three times and didn’t come away with anything. He had a really bad drop on a 3rd-and-4 would-be conversion. He was also flagged for a holding penalty on a kick return. -Evan Engram had 7 catches for 63 yards. The “big play threat” is now averaging a career-low 10.4 yards per catch. Three of the four Giants leading pass catchers are averaging 11 yards per catch or less. Engram does provide spark and twitch but he just doesn’t create enough big plays for a guy who everyone says is dripping with talent. He graded out average as a blocker. -Kaden Smith and Levine Toilolo were quiet in their respective backup roles. Smith did provide a couple of quality run blocks. -It was a horrid day for this group, especially in the second half. They just did not come to play across the board. Center Nick Gates was the only one who graded at the average point; everyone else was below the desired mark. -Rookie Matt Peart allowed 2.5 sacks despite being on the field for just 17 plays. He looked confused and it made him move awkwardly with very little power presence. Cameron Fleming outplayed him by a long shot, allowing just 1 pressure but was also flagged for a false start on a 3rd down. Killer. -Shane Lemieux continues to struggle when it comes to maintain quality presence and contact as a pass blocker. He allowed 2 pressures and a sack. This coaching staff really seems to favor him over Will Hernandez, who played just 10 snaps, but I think it may be time to let the latter back in this upcoming week. Lemieux just can’t get it done as a pass blocker on an island and opponents now know this. They will keep isolating him. -Kevin Zeitler was flagged for a false start and allowed 1 pressure and a half-sack. Rookie Andrew Thomas was also flagged for a false start and he allowed 2 pressures. Both got good push in the running game, however. It didn’t help much though. -On a day where the NYG defense could neither rush the passer nor stop the outside run, one can only shake their head. That is exactly what happened. Jabaal Sheard had 2 tackles and Cam Brown finished with three. They both missed a tackle and neither got a pressure. They were facing the backup tackle tandem on an offense that has been mightily struggling with pass blocking. Brown did make an impressive play where he ran down wide receiver Devin Duvernay, possibly one of the 20 fastest players in football. He is interesting, but that is all I will say about him for now. Still a long ways to go. -This was supposed to be a huge game for these guys. The BAL rushing offense came into this game ranked number one in the NFL. There is no secret to stopping this offense. You have to stuff the run and make Jackson throw. NYG failed, miserably. I have been vocal about the NYG defensive tackles being a key cog to the defensive improvements we have seen this season. With that said, they were outmatched for the majority of the game. -Dexter Lawrence was the one guy who could have passed as a good player at times in this game. He finished with 5 tackles and a pressure. He remained active throughout the game and made a few plays away from the ball. -Leonard Williams finished with 1 tackle and 1 pressure in his worst game of the year. Dalvin Tomlinson added 4 tackles and a pressure, but was over-matched in the first half when BAL jumped out to that early lead. -B.J. Hill added 3 tackles and a pressure. -Blake Martinez was hot and cold. I still don’t think he is 100% based on how he is moving in pursuit. He did play with some decent power and strength, finishing with 12 tackles. He had a big-time fill and stuff on a 3rd-and-2 failed attempt in the second half when NYG still had some life. -Tae Crowder struggled. The best athlete in this group did show some speed and twitch as usual, but he missed a team high 3 tackles and was flagged for a block in the back on a kick return. He finished with 8 tackles, but it was his worst game of the year and it was against the stiffest competition he has been up against. -David Mayo was on the field for 44 plays and somehow did not record a single tackle. He missed 2 of them. He was outclassed when it came to speed and agility. -James Bradberry was back on the field after missing a game. BAL barely even looked his way. He did finish with 3 tackles. -Part of the reason why Bradberry didn’t get tested was Isaac Yiadom. It was his worst game of the year. He missed 2 tackles, lost outside contain on a 3rd-down conversion, and allowed a touchdown to Marquise Brown. -Logan Ryan saw a lot of time at nickel. He did finish with 8 tackles and a fumble recovery, but missed 2 tackles. Both of his misses were big and it appears he allowed a touchdown on a misread in zone coverage. Ryan does give NYG a lot of hot and cold. By no means was the extension a bad decision, but there are reasons why nobody in the league wanted him at a significant contract price this past offseason. He needs to clean the mistakes up, especially the ones that revolve around tackling. -Julian Love saw less playing time. It looks like Xavier McKinney has passed him on the depth chart and it didn’t go well in BAL. McKinney was beat by tight end Mark Andrews multiple times. He also missed 2 tackles. The one thing I will say that I did like was his playing speed. He gets from point A to point B faster than anyone else on the defense. -Jabrill Peppers had 6 tackles and a TFL. Nothing stood out, good or bad. 3 THOUGHTS ON BAL This is one team I just wouldn’t want to play in the postseason. Sure, they haven’t done much there since Jackson has been in the fold. Sure, their passing game isn’t dangerous. Sure, their offensive line isn’t quite what it was a year ago. However, when this team is hot, they show dominance that is as high as anyone. You know what they’re doing, and you just can’t stop it. Want to know the sign of as really good coaching staff? One that can adjust. One that is not stubborn and set in their ways. Look no further than BAL. They took in Jackson (after trading up for him with the last pick of the 2018 Draft) and morphed their scheme and surrounding cast in a blink of the eye when they put him into the starting role. They stocked up on tight ends. They stocked up on physical downhill running backs. They stocked up on big offensive linemen. BAL has, by far, been the top rushing team in the NFL since the start of 2019. Next up, they have to get it done in the playoffs. Talk about a homegrown defense and just a team overall that drafts well. Over 75% of their starters / heavy rotation guys were drafted by BAL over the past 8-10 years. Dating all the way back to 2013 (!)…BAL has drafted one current big-time contributor to their defense OR had a big-time defensive player sign elsewhere because of cap economics. Some of you need to read this. I try to avoid talking like this within the reviews but not this time. It is OK if you believe Jones is not the answer. It is OK if you think Jones is the answer. Nobody can objectively determine that right now. One thing we all can and should agree on: you don’t know. I don’t know. He doesn’t know. She doesn’t know. The kid has played TWENTY-FIVE games behind a bottom-5 offensive line, the worst set of receivers in football, a tight end who is among league leaders in drops, and a star running back who has missed 14 of 25 games in which Jones started. He needs to be better and I have been vocal about that. You can even argue NYG should start over at QB in the upcoming draft. But to say Jones and NYG should be better because he was the #6 pick (means almost nothing, do some research), or that Jones is a definitive bust, you just sound foolish. This kid has shown more in 25 games than SO MANY quality quarterbacks. That is a fact. The most disappointing part of this NYG loss was the defensive line. I had high hopes that they would rise to the occasion and put this team back on track. They failed miserably. This is the issue with building a defense on big-and-physical but slow-and- limited athletes who do most of their work between the tackles. Football is a game of space and speed, and NYG just doesn’t have enough up front. They aren’t dynamic enough within the pass rush unless it is schemed. Here we are entering Week 17 with what I consider a realistic shot at making the playoffs. Not because NYG has played well, but because this division is historically bad. No matter the case, I think rooting for a loss so they can pick higher in the draft is just wrong. If WAS loses to a motivated PHI (which I think will happen), the Giants will have an opportunity to play in a playoff game. Playoff experience is huge for so many young ball clubs. This is the biggest game NYG has had late in the year in a very long time and if they come out firing on all cylinders after such a poor 3-week stretch, it is a great sign for the future. Whether they make the playoffs or not, that is a fact. If they come out and lay an egg and continue their bottom-level offensive football against a horrid defense like DAL, then it is a huge negative sign for the future in my eyes. From that perspective, I think it is pretty easy to decide what you are rooting for. I hope you understand that. Posted by Eric Kennedy Dec 272020 The New York Giants were soundly defeated 27-13 by the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. It was the team’s third loss in a row, dropping their overall record to 5-10. But because both the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Football Team both lost, the Giants are still alive for the NFC East title. The game was not even as close as the two touchdown differential would suggest. The Ravens out-rushed the Giants 249 yards to 54 yards. In total, Baltimore held a 432 to 269 yard advantage over New York and dominated time of possession 35:09 to 24:51. Baltimore never punted in the first half, scoring on all four of their offensive possessions. Every one of these methodical drives was 10 plays or more and 60 yards or more: 13 plays, 82 yards, 6-yard touchdown pass 10 plays, 65 yards, 2-yard touchdown run touchdown 13 plays, 60 yards, 20-yard field goal 10 plays, 65 yards, 28-yard field goal Meanwhile, the Giants only had three offensive possessions in the first half: 3 plays, 3 yards, punt 5 plays, 23 yards, punt 11 plays, 64 yards, 31-yard field goal At the half, Baltimore held a commanding 20-3 lead, but it felt even worse with the Ravens out-gaining the Giants 282 yards to 95 as the Ravens ran 44 offensive plays to the Giants 18. In fact, the Giants only ran three offensive plays in the entire 1st quarter, not including two false start penalties. Both teams exchanged punts to start the 3rd quarter. The Giants then drove 66 yards in 13 plays to set up a 42-yard field goal and cut the score to 20-6. However, the Ravens put the game to rest on the ensuing possession with a 7-play, 59-yard drive that ended with an 8-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the 4th quarter. Baltimore now led 27-6. Aided by a roughing-the-kicker penalty on 4th-and-23 and three defensive penalties, the Giants drove 76 yards in 15 plays to cut the score to 27-13 on quarterback Daniel Jones’ 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Sterling Shepard. Unbelievably, this was Jones’ first touchdown pass since Week 9 against Washington. However, the drive took over six minutes to complete with the 4th quarter about half over. The New York defense finally forced a three-and-out, but the Giants could not convert on 4th-and-19, turning the ball over on downs at their own 35-yard line with less than five minutes to play. The Ravens reached the New York 1-yard line but fumbled the ball away at the 2-minute warning. The Giants finished the game by turning the football over one downs again on an incomplete 4th-and-7 pass at their own 44-yard line. Daniel Jones completed 24-of-41 passes for 252 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. He was sacked six times and officially hit 11 times. He did not fumble the ball. His leading targets were Shepard (9 catches for 77 yards and a touchdown) and tight end Evan Engram (7 catches for 65 yards). The Giants were held to a measly 54 yards on 12 carries, with running back Wayne Gallman carrying the ball six times for 27 yards. The Giants were 1-of-10 on 3rd down conversions. The defense recovered one fumble, but that turnover was not created by a forced fumble. The Giants did not sack the quarterback and only hit him three times. The Giants also did not defend a single pass or make a tackle for a loss during the entire game. The Ravens averaged 6.2 yards per rush on 40 carries. There were a lot of missed tackles. The Ravens were also 8-of-11 (73 percent) on 3rd down conversions. The special teams allowed an 17-yard and 19-yard punt returns and a 23-yard kickoff return to the 41-yard line. Video highlights are available at Giants.com. Inactive for the game were WR Golden Tate (calf), FB Eli Penny (illness), OT Jackson Barton, OL Kyle Murphy, and DE R.J. McIntosh. The Giants reported no injuries but TE Evan Engram looked dinged up at the end of the game. Transcripts and video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Joe Judge and the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com: Head Coach Joe Judge (Video) The Giants have lost 10 or more games for the fourth consecutive season. The Giants lost their third consecutive game and each defeat was by at least 14 points. The Giants trailed at halftime, 20-3, the fourth consecutive game they scored three or fewer points in the first 30 minutes. The Giants have scored only two touchdowns in the three-game losing streak and they have not scored more than 20 points in five consecutive games. The Giants ran just three offensive plays in the first quarter. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is their lowest total in an opening quarter in at least the last 40 years. Place kicker Graham Gano has succeeded on 29 consecutive attempts, a streak that is both a career best and ties the Giants’ record with Josh Brown, who succeeded on 29 straight attempts in 2014-2015. Head Coach Joe Judge and select players will address the media by conference call on Monday. Preview: New York Giants at Baltimore Ravens, December 27, 2020 Posted by Eric Kennedy Dec 252020 Joe Judge – © USA TODAY Sports 2020 has been a very strange year and that strangeness has extended to the NFL and the New York Giants. In a shocking move, the Giants hired a relatively unknown, 38-year old special teams coordinator as the franchise’s new head coach in January. Although he had no head coaching experience at any level, Joe Judge immediately began to win over skeptical fans during his fiery, introductory press conference. More so than any Giants head coach in memory, Judge took his own sweet time in methodically putting together what appeared to a strong coaching staff. Fans were largely unimpressed with the slew of players added in free agency, headlined by high-priced acquisitions James Bradberry and Blake Martinez. Most of the anticipation and focus centered on the 2020 NFL Draft, with the Giants holding the fourth overall selection. “15 days to stop the spread” morphed into something far darker. One of the minor casualties appeared to be the 2020 NFL season. From a purely parochial, pro sports viewpoint, it appeared that Joe Judge’s inaugural season was irrevocably sabotaged. Teams were not able to meet with players before the draft. No rookie mini-camp, no OTAs, no veteran mini-camp, zoom calls instead of face-to-face interaction, abbreviated and restricted training camp, no preseason. Would a full season even be possible? All of this for a team that had won just 12 total games in 2017, 2018, and 2019 and was now on its fourth head coach and second general manager since 2015. There was a sense that the Giants were in perpetual rebuilding mode, merely spinning their wheels. The last thing the franchise and Joe Judge needed was the COVID albatross. Among fans, the doom-and-gloomers initially ended up being right. The young team with a new coach missed a preseason that it desperately needed. The early schedule was a bitch. And disaster struck when the Giants lost their best player, Saquon Barkley, early in Week 2. The Giants quickly found themselves 0-5. Yet another season appeared over by October. The Giants got embarrassed by a 49er JV team and let two leads against the Cowboys disappear. Fans turned on turnover-machine Daniel Jones and there was talk that the Giants may own the first pick in the 2021 Draft and select Trevor Lawrence. Then something unexpected happened. The Giants started playing better. The Giants won their annual “feel good” game against Washington. New York lost two heart-breakers against the Eagles and Buccaneers, games in which the Giants held 4th-quarter leads. The Giants then went on a 4-game winning streaking, beating Washington, the Eagles (finally!), the Bengals, and the Seahawks (holy crap!). Unbelievably, the Giants were tied for first place in December. And had they made a play here or there against the Cowboys and Bucs, they could have been in the midst of a 7-game winning streak and a commanding NFC East lead. What happened? Daniel Jones stopped turning the ball over. And the entire defense and offensive line were coming on. The former under Patrick Graham, who had only just become a defensive coordinator in 2019 in Miami. The latter despite offensive line coach Marc Colombo unexpectedly being fired during the surge. Giants fans who had become accustomed to losing football were now giddy in December! That all changed when the Cardinals bitch-slapped the Giants 26-7 in mid-December. An offense that had struggled to score all season and already missing Barkley could not also deal with an obviously hobbled Daniel Jones. Worse, the schedule was clearly getting tougher again. The Giants (not unexpectedly) fell to 5-9, one game behind Washington with two games left to play. That’s where we are right now. Why the recap? Because I think many Giants fans have lost their freaking minds. Giants fans before the Browns game: “We have no chance! We’re going to get killed!” Giants fans after the Browns game: “We suck! How could we lose to the Browns?!” Many (not all, but many) Giants fans are still living in denial. They don’t seem to REALLY understand that this team has won just 17 games in four years. The fact that the Giants are one game out of first place in arguably the worst division in NFL history doesn’t change that fact. The Giants STILL have significant talent issues on offense and defense. The Cardinals and Browns beat the Giants because they are the better teams. The Giants are improving but they have a long way to go. Now to the good stuff. The Giants can still make the playoffs. The Baltimore Ravens should win this game, but the Giants are certainly capable of pulling off the upset if a few things break their way. Despite all of the shit that has happened this year, the Giants are still only one game out with two games left to play. Not ideal. But if you painted this picture in September, many Giants fans would have been thrilled to be in this position. I love you guys, but you are driving me crazy. Since September, I’ve pointed out the personnel limitations on this side of the ball. I told you all how catastrophic the loss of Saquon Barkley would be to this talent-deprived unit. Where I was wrong is I didn’t fully realize how inept our receiving targets were going to be this year. I foolishly expected more out of Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, Golden Tate, and Evan Engram. These “big four” have just SEVEN touchdown receptions in 14 games. As a team, the Giants only have nine touchdown passes. That’s beyond dreadful. Jason Garrett has a long history of coaching top-10 offenses in this league. That’s just a fact. “But look at his talent in Dallas!” That’s my point. The New York backfield last week included Colt McCoy (8-22 starting QB) and Alfred Morris (32-year old RB who had one carry in 2019). Shit, that was the Redskins backfield in 2014 (a team that finished 4-12). “Garrett should be able to do the same with McCoy, Morris, and Tate as Cleveland does with Mayfield, Chubb, and Landry!” (See how stupid this sounds?) I still haven’t given up on Daniel Jones. I may be dead wrong, but I feel he has been sabotaged with poor surrounding talent. He played much better as a rookie, but Barkley only missed three games last year. When a defense focuses all of their attention on Barkley, it opens everything up everyone else. This year, when his protection got better, Jones stopped turning the ball over. The hamstring and ankle injuries obviously affected his play against the Cardinals. It remains to be seen how much they will hinder him against the Ravens and Cowboys. Keep this in mind: Daniel Jones started 12 games in 2019 and 12 games thus far in 2020. He threw 24 touchdown passes last year. He has eight this year. You can draw your own conclusions as you best see fit. Big picture, here is where the Giants are at: This year, the Giants can be respectable on offense when the offensive line is having one of its “good games” and Daniel Jones is relatively healthy. This is NOT a team that can count on its wide receivers and tight ends to make plays in the passing game. There is no depth at these positions either; none of the young players pushing the non-productive starters (Austin Mack is not going to save the day). Even Wayne Gallman has seen his carries decline from 24 to 16 to 12 to 9 in the past four games. As a group, many if not most of the wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs currently on the roster will not be on this team in 2021 (and a few won’t be in the NFL). The Giants are a bad offensive football team because they have bad offensive personnel at the skill positions. Read that last sentence again. What about the future? The building blocks on the offensive line appear to be in place. They just have to continue to grow together and gain cohesion and chemistry. Sy’56 strongly argues to add additional pieces to the line in order to turn this into a real strength. He argues a very good offensive line can cover up a multitude of sins. Assuming the Giants move ahead with Daniel Jones, the offensive offseason priorities have to be centered around upgrading the wide receivers and tight ends. No one here scares other teams. Also pray that Saquon Barkley can return near full strength. Long story short, in many ways, this team doesn’t even have major component parts on the roster yet. The rebuild continues. As for the game against the Ravens, for the Giants to have a chance, they have to play like they did against Seattle. Run, run, run behind a big and physical offensive line that will hopefully be “on”… because if they aren’t, the Giants are toast. Unfortunately, Baltimore has the NFL’s 9th-ranked defense (10th against the run, 14th against the pass, 4th in scoring defense). Like the injuries to Daniel Jones, the loss of James Bradberry due to a COVID precaution came at a bad time. His absence, along with nickel corner Darnay Holmes (a de facto starter), was keenly felt against the Browns. The loss of these two players had a trickle-down effect throughout the entire pass defense. It also demonstrated just how thin the Giants are at the corner position thanks to botching the Deandre Baker and Sam Beal picks. Assuming Holmes plays, the Giants will be near full-strength on defense (late note: LB Blake Martinez was a late addition to the injury report). For the third week in a row, the Giants will be playing a top-four rushing attack. The Cardinals are #4 and the Browns are #3. This weekend, the Giants play the #1 rushing team in the NFL as the Ravens average almost 173 yards per game, or one yard less in what they average throwing the football (31st in the NFL). Usually, run-centric teams can have issues scoring, but that isn’t true for the Cardinals, Browns, and Ravens. Baltimore is 6th in the NFL in scoring, averaging 29 points per game (the Giants have dropped to an embarrassing 17 points per game). Even more so than the Cardinals, the focal point of the Ravens’ rushing attack is their quarterback, Lamar Jackson (828 yards rushing, 6.1 yards per rush, 7 touchdowns). Running backs Gus Edwards (578 yards, 4.9 yards per rush, 6 touchdowns) and J.K. Dobbins (568 yards, 5.2 yards per carry, 6 touchdowns) contribute another 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns. As a team, the Ravens have 21 rushing touchdowns. Lamar Jackson has thrown for one yard less than Daniel Jones this year. But while Jones has eight touchdown passes and nine interceptions, Jackson has thrown for 21 touchdowns and eight interceptions on 50 fewer attempts. The efficiency of his game is why he has a QBR 20 points higher than Jones. Only three Ravens have more than 17 receptions on the season: WR Marquise Brown (49 catches, 703 yards, 5 touchdowns), TE Mark Andrews (48 catches, 598 yards, 7 touchdowns), and WR Willie Snead (31 catches, 408 yards, 3 touchdowns). When Jackson is “on,” he’s truly a difference maker who can dominate a game with his arm and feet. But when he is “off,” the Ravens suffer and can be beaten. The Giants clearly need to focus on defending the run, especially the more “gimmicky” designed QB runs. Kyler Murray was good practice for the Giants. But also keep in mind the Cardinals soundly crushed the Giants 26-7 just two weeks ago. The game within a game this week is two former special teams coordinators turned head coaches matching off against each other. New York’s late-season downward spiral on special teams continued last weekend with the odd fake field goal attempt against Cleveland. The Ravens have returned one kickoff for a touchdown this season and their punt returner is averaging a respectable 8.6 yards per punt return. They also have superb kickers. Head Coach Joe Judge on the 2020 Baltimore Ravens: “You talk about them as a team, they obviously went through that three-week stretch where they played on kind of not normal weeks. Short schedules, long schedules, guys being pulled out for COVID, whatever the reason is. Obviously, they’re getting guys back now healthy. They’re really hitting their stride. This is a very good team. It’s going to take everything we have to prepare for them. We have to have our best on Sunday.” The Baltimore Ravens are arguably the best team the Giants have faced this year. They have top units on offense, defense, and special teams. As Judge pointed out, they had to deal with unbelievable COVID issues, but are now hitting their stride. On paper, this is one of the worst teams for the Giants to be facing in a must-win situation. But it is what it is. The Giants put themselves in this position by losing earlier games to the Cowboys and Eagles. For all intents and purposes, this is a playoff game. My head says “no way” but my heart says “Go Giants!” Game Review: Baltimore Ravens at New York Giants, October 16, 2016 Posted by Eric Kennedy A New York Giants offense that has struggled to score this year, including scoring only two touchdowns in three games, managed a “breakout” game against the Baltimore Ravens with 27 glorious points. This despite only being 4-of-14 (29 percent) on 3rd down, rushing for a pathetic 38 yards, being 0-for-2 in the red zone, and maintaining possession for only 25 minutes. So how did they do it? The big play finally returned. The Giants ran the ball 17 times and passed 47 times. The Giants are becoming much more pass-centric than they were under Tom Coughlin. The running game was a joke. The Giants struggled in short-yardage and in the red zone. The Giants were -3 in turnover differential (2 interceptions, 1 fumble). The second-leading receiver had 34 yards. How hell did the Giants score 27 points? The big play returned to the Giants arsenal. Seventeen of the Giants 27 points really came from three pass plays from Eli Manning to Odell Beckham: 75-yard touchdown, 66-yard touchdown, and a 43-yard deep throw that set up a field goal. The team’s fourth longest play was a 24-yard strike from Manning to wideout Roger Lewis, Jr. The bulk of this latter drive and one other field goal drive was earned the old-fashioned way of simply plugging along with smaller chunks of yardage. Long story short – when the Manning to Beckham connection can combine for big plays, the Giants offense is a vastly different animal. The offense only had one penalty. And while it struggled on 3rd down, the Giants were 3-for-3 on 4th down conversions. Eli Manning was 32-of-46 for 403 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Fifty-five percent of his yardage went to Odell Beckham. But Manning didn’t force the ball to Odell, who was targeted 10 times (or just over 20 percent of his throws). Manning spread the ball around to nine different receivers. Manning had no support from his ground game. The big difference was the big play. Four of Manning’s passes accounted for half of the passing offense. Manning was intercepted twice, but one was a deep throw on the last play of the first half and on the other the intended receiver was knocked to the ground. The running backs were a non-factor on the ground, gaining on 38 yards on 17 carries for a pathetic 2.2 yards-per-carry average. The backs did catch eight passes for 52 yards (6.5 yards per catch). Bobby Rainey dropped a pass. Wide Receivers If you had told me the Giants would only rush for 38 yards against the Ravens and that Victor Cruz (3 catches for 31 yards) and Sterling Shepard (4 catches for 25 yards) would only combine for 56 yards, then I would have said there was no way the Giants would have won the game. But Odell Beckham had eight catches for a career-high 222 yards and scored from 75 and 66 yards out, the latter on 4th-and-1. His 43-yard deep reception also set up a field goal. It was a dominating performance. All of this with a painful hip pointer injury. The negatives? He fumbled the ball away after a catch on the first offensive play. This set up the Ravens first touchdown. Taking his helmet off after the game-winning touchdown could have cost the Giants the game. He’s got to stop the immature crap. The other noteworthy player was rookie Roger Lewis, Jr., who caught a 24-yard touchdown reception. Cruz dropped a pass, but did have key short catches for first downs on the first scoring drive on 3rd-and-1 and 4th-and-5. Shepard also caught a 10-yard pass on 4th-and-3. Larry Donnell returned from his concussion and caught six passes for 34 yards. But his bad habit of awkwardly leaving his feet and exposing himself to injury and/or a turnover reared its ugly head again. Worse, with time running out in the game and the Giants down by a field goal, Donnell ran out of bounds just short of the sticks on 3rd down, setting up an unnecessary 4th-and-1 (that fortunately turned out well). He also dropped a pass. Will Tye caught two passes for 15 yards. Offensive Line Bad news, good news. The bad news was the Giants couldn’t run the ball worth a lick, generating only 38 measly yards on 17 carries. They were terrible in short yardage and on the goal line. The good news was that a Ravens defense that made the Giants one-dimensional and could pin its ears back and rush the passer only sacked Eli Manning once and hit him twice. Ereck Flowers gave up the sole sack to Terrell Suggs. No penalties this week! Giants on Defense The defense started off poorly and finished shaky, but did a good job in between. A 70-yard field goal drive and a 30-yard touchdown drive after a turnover gave Baltimore an early 10-0 lead. The defense then forced five consecutive punts, held the Ravens to a field goal after another turnover, and made a dramatic goal-line stand. Things got dicey again with a late 56-yard field goal drive, a 75-yard touchdown drive, and an unnecessarily-dramatic finish to close the game. The problem remains a surprising lack of turnovers being forced (none again) and a disappointing pass rush (the Giants two sacks came from a safety and a defensive tackle). Defensive Line The Ravens rushed for 98 yards on 26 carries, but 33 of these yards came on one gain. Not great, but respectable. The Giants gave up two short-yardage touchdowns, but also had a dramatic goal-line stand. The Giants did generate more heat on the quarterback with week. Johnathan Hankins had one sack and Jason Pierre-Paul and Romeo Okwara did register hits on the quarterback. But it was nowhere nearly enough. Olivier Vernon (2 tackles) was very quiet. Hankins had three tackles for a loss and Jay Bromley had one. Owamagbe Odighizuwa has been a non-factor since he was drafted. His roughing-the-passer penalty on a 4th-and-5 incomplete pass that should have ended the game could have proved devastating. JPP was credited with two pass breakups. Jonathan Casillas (11 tackles) was very active and may have saved the game with his tackle for a loss on 4th-and-goal. Devon Kennard (6 tackles) had his best game of the season, especially against the run where he was physical and aggressive. Keenan Robinson continues to look sharp in pass coverage. Kelvin Sheppard knocked a pass away. Tight end Dennis Pitta caught 6-of-10 passes thrown in his direction for only 36 yards. Like the Giants, much of Baltimore’s yardage came from big plays. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Landon Collins gave up a 41-yard completion on 3rd-and-9 on the Ravens first drive that resulted in 3 points. Janoris Jenkins (2 pass breakups) gave up a 70-yard bomb, but his face-mask penalty may have actually saved a touchdown as the defense held on the goal line. Trevin Wade gave up a 42-yard pass interference penalty that set up a 4th quarter field goal. The late 30-yard pass interference penalty on Rodgers-Cromartie that set up the Ravens late touchdown was completely bogus. DRC had three pass breakups, including the last heave into the end zone. He also tackled very well. Steve Spagnuolo is using his defensive backs quite a bit on the blitz. Landon Collins sacked Joe Flacco and Andrew Adams and Leon Hall also had hits on Flacco. Collins – once again – was all over the field with 12 tackles, including two tackles for a loss. He did over-run the play on the Ravens’ longest rushing play of 33 yards. Collins also gave up a 22-yard completion on 4th-and-1 on the Ravens final TD drive and could have ended the game before Odighizuwa’s roughing-the-passer penalty with an interception but dropped it. Giants on Special Teams Brad Wing was superb, averaging 51.3 yards per punt with a 50.5 yards-per-punt average. The Ravens only returned one punt for three yards. Josh Brown made both his field goal efforts (21 and 31 yards) and five of his six kickoffs resulted in touchbacks. The sole kickoff return went for 26 yards. Dwayne Harris made a number of poor decisions in fielding punts inside the 10. He returned three punts for only 11 yards. The Giants had no kickoff return yardage as every Ravens kickoff resulted in a touchback. Zak DeOssie was flagged with an illegal use of hands penalty on the Ravens’ one punt return. Jerell Adams was penalized for being offsides on a 4th-and-2 punt, which gave the Ravens a 1st down and kept the drive alive. (Baltimore Ravens at New York Giants, October 16, 2016) Posted by Eric Kennedy The New York Giants defeated the Baltimore Ravens 27-23 in a thrilling, often-ugly game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday. With the win, the Giants evened their overall record to 3-3. The Giants won the game despite a -3 turnover differential (2 interceptions, 1 fumble), being out-rushed 98 yards to 38, going 0-for-2 in the red zone, and badly losing the time of possession battle (24:56 to 35:04). Both teams were heavily penalized: Ravens 15 penalties for 111 yards and Giants seven penalties for 119 yards. The Giants started off poorly, quickly falling behind 10-0 as the Ravens drove 70 yards in 10 plays on their opening possession to set up a 23-yard field goal and then drove another 30 yards in six plays for a touchdown on their second drive after a Giants turnover. Meanwhile, the Giants offense sputtered, failing to pick up a first down until well into the 2nd quarter. Wide receiver Odell Beckham also fumbled the ball away on New York’s first offensive play. And the Giants punted the ball away on their next three offensive possessions after the turnover. The Giants defense settled down after Baltimore’s first two possessions. New York forced four consecutive punts during the remainder of the first half. The Giants finally got on the board late in the first half after driving 80 yards in 13 plays, culminating with a 24-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Eli Manning to wide receiver Roger Lewis, Jr. At halftime, the Ravens led 10-7. The Giants tied the game on their first possession of the 3rd quarter as New York marched 72 yards in 15 plays to set up a 21-yard field goal. This result was a bit disappointing, however, as the Giants had the ball at 1st-and-goal from the 1-yard line. After the Ravens punted the ball away for the fifth time in a row, Manning was intercepted and the Ravens returned the pick to the Giants 27-yard line. Baltimore could not pick up first down but they were close enough for a 39-yard field goal to retake the lead 13-10. That advantage was short-lived as Manning hit Beckham deep for a 75-yard touchdown catch-and-run on the Giants next offensive snap. This gave New York its first lead of the day, 17-13. The Ravens responded with a 70-yard deep pass from quarterback Joe Flacco to wide receiver Mike Wallace that set up Baltimore at the Giants 3-yard line. But New York’s defense responded with a goal line stand-and the Ravens were unable to score on 4th-and-goal. Coming off of the goal line, the Giants offense picked up one first down but then New York was forced to punt. The Ravens were able to drive 56 yards in seven plays – aided by a 42-yard pass interference call against cornerback Trevin Wade – to set up a 35-yard field goal to cut the Giants lead to 17-16 with 9:14 left to play. The Giants then extended their lead again after a 43-yard pass from Manning to Beckham helped to set up a 31-yard field goal with just under six minutes to go. All looked lost when the Ravens drove 75 yards in nine plays to set up a 2-yard touchdown run and take the lead 23-20 with just over two minutes to play. This touchdown was set up by a horrific officiating call when cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was flagged with a 30-yard pass interference penalty on 3rd-and-4. Facing a 4th-and-1 at their own 34-yard line with 1:36 left to go, Manning hit Beckham over the middle and it was off to the races as Beckham scored from 66 yards out. The Giants now led 27-23. But the game was not over. With 1:19 left on the clock, the Ravens drove from their own 32-yard line to the Giants 24-yard line. They were aided by Beckham’s unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for taking his helmet off on the field of play after his touchdown. Then on 4th-and-5 from the Giants 39-yard line, defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa was flagged with roughing the passer on an incomplete pass that should have ended the game. But Flacco’s last three passes fell incomplete, with the last being defended by Rodgers-Cromartie in the end zone. Offensively, Manning finished the day 32-of-46 for 403 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Beckham caught eight passes for 222 yards and 2 touchdowns. The next leading receiver was tight end Larry Donnell with 6 catches for 34 yards. Running backs Rashad Jennings, Bobby Rainey, and Paul Perkins only generated 38 yards on 17 carries. Defensively, safety Landon Collins led the team with 12 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, and 1 sack. Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins had three tackles for a loss and a sack. Linebacker Jonathan Casillas had 11 tackles and stopped the 4th-and-goal play. Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was credited with three pass breakups. The Giants did not force a turnover. Video highlights/lowlights are available at Giants.com. Inactive for the game were cornerback Eli Apple (groin), free safety Darian Thompson (foot), safety Nat Berhe (concussion), offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse (calf), wide receiver Tavarres King, linebacker Deontae Skinner, and quarterback Josh Johnson. The following Giants were injured in the game against the Ravens, but they all returned to the playing field: long snapper Zak DeOssie (ankle), wide receiver Odell Beckham (hip pointer), cornerback Trevin Wade (ankle), and linebacker Keenan Robinson (knee). DeOssie and Beckham were spotted limping pretty good after the game. “Whatever (the hip injury) is, it was bad. It was bothering me all game,” said Beckham after the game. Transcripts and video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Ben McAdoo and the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com: QB Eli Manning The Giants became the third NFL franchise with 700 combined regular-season and postseason victories. They are 700-593-33 in their 92-year history. The Chicago Bears are 759-577-42 after their loss Sunday to Jacksonville. The Green Bay Packers were 754-569-37 entering their late-afternoon game vs. Dallas. QB Eli Manning played in his 191st regular-season game in a Giants uniform. That broke a tie with former wide receiver Amani Toomer, whose 13-year career ended in 2008. Manning is fourth on the franchise’s career list for games played. George Martin is third with 201. Manning’s record as a starter is 100-89. He is the 14th quarterback in NFL history with at least 100 regular-season victories. Manning is the sixth quarterback with at least 100 victories and two Super Bowl triumphs with the same team, joining Terry Bradshaw, Tom Brady, John Elway, Joe Montana and Ben Roethlisberger. Manning threw the game-winning pass to WR Odell Beckham with 1:24 remaining. It was the 31st time in the regular-season that Manning has led the Giants from a fourth-quarter deficit or tie to a victory. Manning today started his 200th game for the Giants (189 regular season, 11 postseason). He is the sixth quarterback in NFL history to start at least 200 games for one franchise, joining Elway (Denver), Brett Favre (Green Bay), Peyton Manning (Indianapolis), Dan Marino (Miami) and Brady (New England). Manning threw three touchdown passes. The first was the 300th of Manning’s splendid 13-year career; he became the eighth quarterback in history to throw for at least 300 scores. The second broke a tie with Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway and moved Manning into sole possession of seventh place on the league’s career list. Beckham gained a career-high 222 yards. The 222 yards was the second-highest total in Giants history. It is exceeded only by Del Shofner’s 269 yards vs. Washington on October 28, 1962. Beckham has eight touchdown receptions of 50 or more yards, the NFL’s highest total since he entered the league in 2014. Beckham now has 17 career 100-yard games. That ties him with Homer Jones for third on the team’s career list, behind Toomer (22) and Victor Cruz (18). Giants’ mystery man provides scouting report of his game by James Kratch for NJ.com Steve Tisch: Tom Coughlin ‘100 percent part of the Giants family’ by Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com Game Preview: Baltimore Ravens at New York Giants, October 16, 2016 Posted by Eric Kennedy Game Preview: Baltimore Ravens at New York Giants, October 16, 2016 Once again, we find the Giants in a must-win game before October is even over. This has been disturbing recurrence for the team the last few seasons. But if the Giants fall to 2-4, they have to pray that the Cowboys and Eagles lose or they are in deep trouble. The Giants have lost three in a row; the Ravens have lost two in a row. Both teams are beat up and desperate for a win. RB Rashad Jennings (thumb) – questionable WR Dwayne Harris (toe) – questionable DE Olivier Vernon (wrist) – probable Baltimore’s base defense is the 3-4, something New York struggled against last week. The Ravens have the #3 ranked defense in the NFL (5th against the pass, 4th against the run). Those statistics are a bit skewed in that the Ravens have not played a murder’s row of offensive juggernauts (Bills, Browns, Jaguars, Raiders, Redskins). And Baltmore will likely be missing some key defenders such as linebackers C.J. Mosley and Elvis Dumervil. But this is tough, physical, and well-coached unit. They will hit you in the mouth. The finesse Giants offense hasn’t responded well to this kind of challenge in recent years. To win, the Giants tackles need to play better than they did last week. Both Ereck Flowers and Bobby Hart struggled with pass-rushing linebackers that are the trademark of a 3-4 defense. It gets worse this week for Flowers as he faces Terrell Suggs, who leads the Ravens in sacks. DE Timmy Jernigan has also been very disruptive. The secondary is a veteran, experienced group that also plays a physical game. It’s hard to believe the Giants will make a living running the ball against the Ravens. They certainly didn’t last week against an equally tough and stout run defense. If I was Ben McAdoo, I would be very tempted to throw caution to the wind and give Paul Perkins a heavy dose of playing time. This is risky as rookie running backs usually need a lot of work in pass protection, and 3-4 defenses like to blitz from all angles. But Perkins appears to be the only back on the team who can create on his own, and once he gets pass the line, he’s a home-run threat. Ultimately on offense, the Giants are going to live or die with Eli Manning, Odell Beckham, Sterling Shepard, and Victor Cruz. Eli has to get out of his funk. And the Giants have to do a better job of adjusting to what teams are doing to them defensively. If teams are going to double- or even triple-team Beckham, then Shepard and Cruz have to make them pay. I love what I see from Perkins in the screen game – another reason why I want him to have more snaps. “Teams want to make us go the long way,” said McAdoo. “It’s probably pretty smart. They don’t want to let Odell wreck the game. That’s been their focus. He’s had a lot of man coverage underneath and a safety over the top. Sometimes another safety leaning that way. They want to force you to go elsewhere, force you to run the ball and be patient. A lot of that has to do with if teams make you go the long way, you’re going to make a mistake and it’s going to kill the drive. A penalty or a mental error. That can certainly happen. Where we are in the season, we should be very confident in our ability to minimize the penalties. Hone in on the mental part of the game so we don’t make those types of mistakes, so we can go the long way.” The Giants secondary is still a mess. Safeties Darian Thompson and Nat Berhe are out again. Eli Apple is officially “questionable” but he didn’t practice all week. Dominique-Rodgers Cromartie is hobbled once again. The pass rush has been anemic and now Jason Pierre-Paul joins Olivier Vernon on the injury list. Against this backdrop, the Giants face the NFL’s 22nd-ranked offense (22nd passing, 16th rushing). Like on defense, the Ravens have some key cogs missing on offense: WR Steve Smith, RG Marshal Yanda, and LT Ronnie Staley. RT Rick Wagner is also ailing but probably will play. The fly in the ointment is that the Ravens changed offensive coordinators this week – so there will be a different flavor that Steve Spagnuolo will have to adjust to. The good news is that Spagnuolo is familiar with the Ravens’ personnel, having served as an assistant coach there in 2013-14. Terrance West has received the bulk of the touches at running back and is averaging 5.0 yards per carry. Tight end Dennis Pitta is the leading receiver on the team. Wide receiver Mike Wallace is the deep threat. With Smith out, look for Kamar Aiken (who started 14 games in 2015) and Breshad Perriman to see more action. Both are big receivers. Of course, the heart of the offensive team is Joe Flacco, who has been up-and-down, prompting the offensive coordinator switch. With the injury issues on the Ravens offensive line, the Giants defensive line needs to step up. Those guys need to start earning their paychecks. The run defense was shoddy last week. Stop the run and make the Ravens one-dimensional. The focus in the secondary should be on Pitta. My guess is the Giants keep Janoris Jenkins on Wallace. Like last week, much depends on how long Rodgers-Cromartie can play. When he leaves the field, without Apple and the safeties, the secondary is woefully undermanned. John Harbaugh’s background is special teams, and year in and year out the Ravens field one of the very best units in the NFL. The are particularly adept at blocking kicks. And their returners are dangerous. The Giants catch a break with Devin Hester out. Ben McAdoo on the Giants offense: “I need to do a better job staying committed to the run. I believe in our run game. I believe we’re making strides upfront and our backs are making progress. We need to stick with it and continue to chip away so we’re in a position to win the battle of the hitting game in the fourth quarter.” I hate making grandiose statements about one regular-season game, but if the Giants lose this one, we may be looking at another year where the season is effectively over by November. My guess is this game will come down to which quarterback plays better. I have no idea who that will be. Forum Post: I have to be honest about the Washington attention this week Forum Post: surprising barkley stats since the bye Do you miss the old Front Page Layout? Click here to see it! 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November 1996 (9) October 1996 (6) September 1996 (5) August 1996 (5) July 1996 (1) May 1996 (1) April 1996 (2) July 1995 (1) May 1995 (1) 0 (1) BigBlueInteractiveSM provides news, analysis, and discussion on the New York Football Giants. The site is owned and operated by Big Blue Interactive, LLC. If you have any questions or comments about this website, please see our contact information page.	111,157
The fake news idea started out as a method of suppressing the truth in the 2016 election cycle. Take a moment to look at this video… Untruthful. Did you watch this video? If not take a moment to see just how often the media are lying to you every single day. IF you want to […] June 26, 2020 There is news which many Alabama voters have been waiting to see concerning the Roy Moore race for the senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions. In this video you will see the first threads beginning to unravel as allegedly the alleged ambulance chaser throws yearbook accuser under the bus. November 20, 2017 Right and Wrong Law and Order The differences between political factions in this country are literally many and the divide is great. We are not a divided country as the corrupted media suggest. However some of our leaders are divided and corrupt. This is a big problem which is why we have Donald J Trump as our president. The people voted […] December 13, 2016 Is the Hillary Clinton Campaign in serious trouble with the voting public? That would be what you might infer with all of the interference by the media that we have been seeing. This year has been the most troubling political cycle in many years and you watch as the Media are complicit, in hiding the […] October 13, 2016 Wow, the media have completely lost their minds. They think that they can brain wash you into this mental (Brain Teaser) They say “hey we have him n0w lets say that Trumps comment from 10 years ago happened yesterday” that way people will think that all the millions we paid to the television stations to […] October 10, 2016 According to the media Donald Trump is finished he has finally done the one thing that no one will ever want to vote for him… Oh, yes after saying the exact same thing over and over again for more than a year the media are ready to get started… They are ready to say now […] August 14, 2016 Is it possible that a report by the IG, Inspector General could put an end to the political aspirations of Hillary Clinton? source Roger Aronoff With a State Department Inspector General’s report concluding that Hillary Clinton was not, and would not have been, permitted to use a private email server during her tenure as secretary […] June 5, 2016 media responsible for riots? Over the past few days we have heard quite a lot about the riots in Baltimore MD. The one thing you have not heard is how much responsibility does the Media have in reporting and perhaps inflaming riots to take place. It is a fine line. May 8, 2015 Ferguson was not the first You might be tempted to think that raised hands and Don’t shoot was a thing that was used in one place, it was not. Don’t shoot has been used in the right way many times before, Ferguson has proven to be a hoax by the media and a criminal that lied in order to divert […] December 7, 2014 unconstitutional committee Perhaps it is time to start considering the constitution even if the supreme court refuses to do so. The Committee, which was likely not legal in the first place was unable to come to an agreement to save any money from the faltering US economy which is likely to be a big issue for […]	3,280
Do you love parking games with prado that is full of adventure? overcome your parking madness by playing new prado car driving and parking game of 2017. Luxury Prado Adventure Parking is a free offline rooftop jumping and parking simulation game that is a addictive and fun 3D game dedicated to all the fans who love multi-storey parking and escalade driving games in modern city! with luxury multi level parking sim 3D it’s time for extreme driving adventure on multi-story buildings rooftops by Climbing up and climbing down to park into the challenging parking lots.you will get the real Escalade simulator 4×4 SUV experience.become crazy Prado car climb driver with Luxury prado 4×4 driving.in prado car parking you will learn how to master in parking your vehicles parallel... Posted in Off Road Games \| February 15, 2017 \| No comments Do you love bicycle games? Welcome to new 3D bicycle game of 2017 where you have a chance to ride a cycle on Skyscraper rooftops of New York city. As a real stuntman ride a bicycle on crazy wheels to Perform stunts on ramps and complete all bicycle parking missions. While performing crazy jumps on rooftops of dangerous building avoid the obstacles. This is a new Simulation of Cycle Game in which you will have to cycle across city buildings, jump on big ramps, half pipes and mad tracks. Be a daredevil cyclist to enjoy the awesome skyscraper ride by paddling BMX bicycle on rooftop. Riding a mountain bike on dangerous skyscraper roofs is not that easy while climbing up or climbing down you have to take care of cycle race, big jumps, acceleration, brakes, paddle speed, thrilling ramps and ste... Posted in Off Road Games \| February 13, 2017 \| One comment Are you ready for 2017 adventurous off road journey to breathtaking hills and mountains by riding a super cycle on twisted mountain roads? In this mountain cycle adventure ride the bicycle both uphill and downhill. Get control of your extreme mountain bike and steer with pedals to get real life sensation of riding cycle. Satisfy your passion for cycle racing with the blend of adventurous cycle racing game. Extreme Uphill Off road Bicycle Rider is the one of the best addictive new age cycle games. During downhill mountain biking avoid falling down and crash. Cycling is best for maintaining fitness. So become a crazy freestyle cyclist and ride with full speed by controlling the BMX handlebars with strong wrist grip...	2,508
People who are unbelievably in love (read: obsessed) with something have a part of their social identity defined by loving that thing. A person’s obsession is a unique tag that makes her known in her social circle for something. Especially in an academic world, I’ve found that people intensely focused and productive in a discipline are a source of envy for those who just like a bit of everything. I came to UChicago knowing that I wanted to study economics. I figured that if talking about the Fed is what gets me super-pumped for life, I have a not-so-special case of economania that I should probably exploit. As I started getting nice and cozy in this niche of intellectual fervor and my friends started coming to me for help with econ homework, I met my borderline-obsessed gentleman friend. This gentleman friend does math. He does his own math, and his friends’ math, and the math of random people who have the misfortune of being caught doing math next to him. I watched him buzz around the Eckhart chalkboards, still writing proofs just for fun long after class ended. No matter what math question I throw at him from my homework for a math class he’s never taken, he can come up with a clever, correct proof based on some knowledge he picked up “just reading some research.” Constantly being around such a singularly obsessed person made me math-nauseous and a bit overshadowed. I wanted to be noticed for my talents too, but whatever econ prowess I had was shown up by my gentleman friend’s proficiency in his own field. I felt like the Hermione Granger–like kid in the front row that’s bouncing up and down going “Ooh ooh ooh, pick me! Pick me!” All I wanted was to be excited about Janet Yellen instead of Georg Cantor. Walking home one night, engaged in a heated discussion about whether or not econ fundamentally boils down to math, I set out to make him see econ’s importance. Once home, I giddily grabbed a marker and found a nearby window and started to draw graphs, explain ratios, and (hopefully) blow his mind with the fractional reserve banking system. Once I began, though, I faltered. I mixed up the names of basic definitions. I had to surreptitiously find the answers to some of his questions on Wikipedia. And, worst of all, I had to finally admit to myself what I probably knew all along: that he knows more math than I know economics and, more importantly, probably likes math more than I like economics. In this bubble of academia, where passion is a source of pride, finding cracks in my obsession made me wonder if the title of econ major that I wore so proudly was a false one. Perhaps I had tricked myself into thinking that I really loved econ purely out of the need to have something to be passionate about. While I knew that I’d love to have The Thing That Anya Loves Most, I never thought about what would happen if I didn’t. I now know, however, what happens if I do. The things a person is passionate about—especially if they constitute a singular, all-consuming passion—define her. And sooner or later, they come to shape the people around them, too. Anya Marchenko is the blogger behind The Anyion. She is a first-year in the College. Donate to Chicago Maroon Contributed Our Goal Your donation will support the student journalists of University of Chicago. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.	3,425
As my good friend Cobb once told me, “Dreams feel real while we’re in them. It’s only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange.” OK, fine, Leonardo DiCaprio’s character from Inception isn’t real, but he does make a valid point. Oneirologists, those who study dreams, have traditionally viewed dreams as uncontrollable streams of sounds and images with the ability to induce a tremendous spectrum of emotion. However, the idea of lucid dreaming has caused the conventional understanding of dreams to collapse. A “lucid dream,” terminology coined by the Dutch psychiatrist Frederik van Eeden, is one in which the sleeper is aware that he or she is dreaming. This example of dissociation is wonderfully paradoxical in that it exhibits components of both waking and dreaming consciousness. An American psychiatrist and dream researcher named Allan Hobson specializes in the quantification of mental events and their corresponding brain activities. Although he vehemently dismisses the idea of hidden meanings in dreams, he has embarked on a search along with other neurobiologists and cognitive scientists to decipher the neurological basis of consci ousness. Hobson hypothesizes that subjects may learn to become lucid, self-awaken, and regulate plot control by intercalating voluntary decisions into the involuntary nature of the dream. The validation of this idea would imply that the mind is capable of experiencing a waking and a dreaming state at the same time. Consequently, Hobson states, “…it may be possible to measure the physiological correlates of three conscious states, waking, non-lucid dreaming, and lucid dreaming in the laboratory.” If there is a psychological distinction between the three, there should also be a physiological difference. The advent of lucid dreaming experimentation has not only benefitted Hollywood, but it has also provided possible treatment options for those hindered by frequent nightmares or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methodologically speaking, the study of lucid dreaming presents a formidable challenge, but it is becoming an important component of the cognitive neurosciences. Josefin Gavie and Antti Revonsuo have built on Hobson’s theories by proposing a technique termed lucid dreaming treatment (LDT). The key to this treatment is that the subject learns how to identify cues that facilitate lucidity during a dream, and the subject learns to manipulate the environment once lucidity is attained. The phenomenon of lucidity may prove to be a useful device in that it offers the sleeper a method to control components of the dream – altering and diminishing any threatening situation. Although the investigation of LDT is extremely new and incontestably controversial, it has shown promising preliminary results in its ability to lower the frequency of nightmares in the selected subjects. The premise of the film Inception may be wildly hypothetical, but it has expertly amplified the current research on lucid dreams. However, researchers in the field should take a word of advice from the character of Eames: “You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.” 8 Comments on Dream Bigger, Darling. July 22, 2010 Curious. If it is as Hobson says, and humans can experience a waking and dreaming state at the same time, one must wonder how the dream would still be able to “flow” effortlessly from the dreamer. When lucid dreams occur, we don’t deliberate on details and dictate every aspect of the dream… parts of it seem to be involuntary, and parts voluntary. Where does that involuntary part originate? July 23, 2010 the involuntary part originates in the subconscious, duh. that’s why Cobb couldn’t get Mal out of his dreams……… In other words, the involuntary parts may be just like the involuntary or intrusive thoughts you have when awake. Perhaps they come from neural assemblies that “compete for attention”. What’s even more interesting is why bizarre things (like cities folding onto themselves) don’t seem strange in the dream. Why is it that you know what’s plausible when awake but don’t know when dreaming? July 25, 2010 I have gotten these a lot before actually. There are two ways to induce them, the first is more difficult and is called WILD (wake induced lucid dreaming). The second is most likely to happen and is called DILD (dream induced lucid dreaming). The weirdest thing is that once you obtain awareness, your mind (or the seeming seperation of the “I” from the mind) often changes the scenery to convice you that you are not dreaming. I find it laughable that this guy thinks that there are no “hidden” meanings to dreams, since there seems to be such an amazing and powerful psychology behind how your brain/unconscious (?) attempts to convince or trick the you, for example, seemingly to convince you you are not lucid. Maybe the mental quantification specialist dreams of numbers, but my dreams have always been symbolic and deconstructable, so that I can see psychological intricacies in them. The same for many other individuals. July 26, 2010 This is fascinating! I definitely believe that dreams are where your subconscious shifts through all the events of the day and helps you organize your life. the field of lucid dreaming is so interesting and i look forward to hearing more of their findings! October 25, 2011 I really like the idea of LDT for reducing or getting rid of nightmares. I am a long time lucid dreamer and I have been free of nightmares for over 20 years. I think this could be a big deal for people with chronic dream problems. I really thing this is just the surface. Some of us believe that physical and other mental related issues can be addressed. Like, using lucid dreams to heal physical ailments or learning to overcome anxiety and even improve on all sorts of talents. I keep hoping the scientists would catch up to the facts that practicing lucid dreams already benefit from. May 13, 2012 I get just begun researching Lucid dreaming, and My partner and i wonder if i am all-around it, I get dreams which have been so stunning and feel as if i feel there, and when i get up and during the day I can remember these and make clear what took place easily. In some dreams I recall tasting food that was delicious, and When i was participating in a acoustic guitar hero controller at the concert and Going how actual the control keys felt as if I seemed to be actually reaching them, but These types of dreams seem like i ‘m there however I am not, its hard to go into detail. I can’t control anything at all, its almost like I ‘m watching inside first man or women, I bear in mind people actually talking to me, but we couldnt choose things to say, I answered nevertheless it wasn’t us answering what I desired to say, Its hard to go into detail aswell, and We tell me before My partner and i sleep to remember to inform myself I will be dreaming although its consequently hard despite the fact that my aspirations have apparent signs i always am fantasizing. I ended up being wandering if this can be close in order to lucid daydreaming or not necessarily? and what are steps to get to the up coming level? I additionally wonder how do i wake me up coming from a lucid dream after I get it. May 14, 2012 “Dreams feel real while we’re in them. It’s only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange.” Yes, that is true if you don’t practice lucid dreaming. Like other commentators, I am into lucid dreaming for a long time and I can say only the best about it. Sadly, science is avoiding this topic because of parapsychological prejudices but I hope that in future this will be ignored and that lucid dreaming knowledge will be spread around the people. July 10, 2012 This is a great informative article. I am lucid dreamer for the last 10 years and I assure you, there are many benefits of lucid dreaming besides having fun or exploring your mind. My meditative powers had increased and I felt much more relaxed, I guess it was the result of my confrontation with fears in my dreams.	8,449
Whether your first Panerai timepiece is being acquired by you or intend to raise your assortment of luxury watches, there are things. View Weight: Watch weight is a polarizing idea. Some people like watches and some mild that is like watches. Most of the time, a watch is light in… The green disk constellation is listed on the spot, and Beijing Oriental Plaza is on sale for 108,800 yuan Last time we recommend IWC watch,this time we recommend Omega watch.OMEGA Constellation has been OMEGA’s flagship watch since 1952. Watch friends have always loved Constellation series ladies watches. Friends who wish to purchase the constellation series ladies watches have been blessed with them, and they are now available at Omega Beijing Oriental… Read more The Omega Speedmaster ’57 watch has been updated and improved. Omega (OMEGA), launched this year a Speedmaster series 57 watch. It features a retro design and an upgraded manual winding to its Observatory movement. This series is even more powerful. Omega’s Speedmaster 57 watch comes with four black, blue, green, and burgundy red dials, and straps made of different materials. We… Read more Staying at home and forgetting the time during the epidemic? Let a watch with a day-date function tell you This year’s outbreak seems more severe than in the past two years and has taken a long time to stop. My community has been under control for almost a month now. To breathe in the fresh air outside, I have to close the windows on a daily basis. It is obvious that I… Read more Recent Posts The green disk constellation is listed on the spot, and Beijing Oriental Plaza is on sale for 108,800 yuan The Omega Speedmaster ’57 watch has been updated and improved. Staying at home and forgetting the time during the epidemic? Let a watch with a day-date function tell you	1,839
Completing goals, and training consistently requires one important factor, motivation. Motivation is the sure will involved in beginning, working on and finishing a goal. Without strong motivation it can be hard to achieve things, especially difficult goals like training to perform the splits, winning a competition etc. Towards the end of the goal our motivation is high for various reasons, so this article will mainly concentrate on the first two phases, beginning and continuing a goal. Motivation methods will depend on the goal, as activities can vary. The most difficult part can be to continue on rather than to begin. It’s all about the environment! Your house, your car, your family, your friends and your life all play a role in motivating you. You may believe that motivation is purely a mind ‘thing’ – you would only be partially right. Motivation is dependent on your environment, both internal and external and both environments are connected, meaning that aspects in one will affect the other. Your external environment greatly affects your internal environment, depending on how you’re past experiences have affected your internal environment. Example: Imagine you were sharing a messy and disorganised house with people that you didn’t like and that didn’t like you. This would have a profound consequence on your mental activities. It would make it a lot more difficult to achieve your goals. This type of negative environment would start to manifest in other areas of your life and it depletes confidence and self-belief. If you lived in a very negative environment how would you expect to be able to maintain enough positivity to win a Martial Arts tournament or to increase your speed and power? External Environment: Your External Environment is any stimulus outside of your body%3B it can include people, space, light, heat, colour, surrounds, physical sensations, smells, shapes and distance. People: People can play a major role in motivating you. Not that they encourage you or give you support, but your feeling towards them, personal pace, appearance and other factors create your personal opinion. Performing certain activities in front of specific people can be awkward at best, we all should know of the feeling of ‘the boss looking over your shoulder’, a state of mind brought on by criticism in childhood etc. Such feelings of awkwardness need to be eliminated for true motivation to break in. Changing this situation involves becoming comfortable with the person(s) that you are uncomfortable with. This is accomplished by getting to know them, a supposedly simple task. If all else fails, inspiration and motivation may depend on these people leaving your life. Place: Landscape and living environment are also a big topic in self-motivation. Your living quarters need to be comfortable and this depends on really knowing yourself and what you like. Too much clutter, too little space and clashing objects are the main causes of low motivation here. Stimulus: Apart from your living space there are certain elements that cause the body to relax more then required, the best example is in the living room, the couch and TV. Many of us spend needless hours in the same position allowing our bodies to fall into an un-motivational state, where even the perception of activity is nullified. This is caused by the mind and body, both relaxing to the extreme. In a working environment, relaxing both body and mind would be quite rare. On the other hand, relaxing either the mind or body would be quite common. Depending on your activity, the chances of one occurring over the other changes. In office jobs or activities involving sitting down, your body is given the chance to relax. Typical signs are slouching and over relaxing. The effect on motivation is that you begin to relax and enter a lower motivational state, where you do not work to your best ability. There is a simple cure for this. Take a walk. Stand up, stretch out and go for a ten-minute walk. Basically, change from thinking to exercising. Internal Motivation: Leaving your external environment aside there are major changes that you can do within your own mind. It has been stated before that your motivation depends also on how your internal mind perceives your external environment. Positive Thinking: The practise of positive thinking involves your mental perception of tasks. Implication is simple think using positive terms to describe a situation. So now, when problems arise, they are challenges, when situations are bad, they are interesting. Positivity does not change the situation, it changes how you perceive and handle it. In positive thinking, the most important principle is not to swear or curse. Swearing is a form of negative energy that puts your mind into a low motivational state, among other things. Negative Thinking: As opposed to positive, negative thinking is a reflection on the past. Do not think of the present or future in a negative manner. It is much harder to think of the present and future negatively because you can change the present and future, no matter what. The negative thinking process involves focusing on the past, opportunities lost, due mostly to procrastination. Failure and required relaxation are necessary for success. Negative thinking calls on the negative emotions to be used in a positive situation e.g. guilt. The thought of never wanting a situation to occur again is a positive motivator. Frame of Mind: We are all familiar with the phrase “it’s a frame of mind” it’s true. Many activities in life are completed from ‘the frame of mind’ or ‘being in the mood’. What you need to do is create this frame of mind for every task you need to do. As mentioned before, your external environment plays a role in this. Mentally, what you need to do is stay focused on your goal and on what you want. This has a very simple implementation method: review your goals, before you do any important activity in your life e.g. getting a job, training for a competition etc. You need to define why you are doing it and what you are getting out of it. Write it down on a piece of paper and keep it on you at all times. The process of writing something down and reading it stimulates the left side of the brain, the logical side. This process helps your mind to focus on your goal and what tasks are required to complete it. Goals: A problem of youth that can creep into adulthood is that of boredom. Not having anything to do and not knowing what to do is the single largest factor in lack of self- motivation. It also has an easy solution: ‘Plan your day’. Every afternoon or evening, write out on a new piece of paper what you need to do and every morning read over it. Simple! Diagnosis is 50% of the cure! Martial Arts INC teaches kickboxing, self defence and MMA in Dublin City. We have both private and group classes available 7 days a week. Beginners always welcome Unit 5 Brunswick Court, North Brunswick Street Latest Posts Copyright © 2022 Martial Arts Inc \| WebDesign by BlackFire Media What's the password? Lost your password? We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok	7,470
The price of the first cryptocurrency approached the all-time high of $ 64.8 thousand, which was set in April. Experts explained what is happening on the market and gave a forecast for the movement of … Written by: Ivan Nahornyi Published on: November 22, 2022 The price of the first cryptocurrency approached the all-time high of $ 64.8 thousand, which was set in April. Experts explained what is happening on the market and gave a forecast for the movement of quotations On October 20, the price of bitcoin reached a peak since mid-April at around $ 64.5 thousand. During the day, the first cryptocurrency rose in price by 3%, and its capitalization increased to $ 1.2 trillion, according to CoinGecko. The cost of bitcoin approached the all-time high of $ 64.8 thousand, which was set in mid-April. Topplabs.org experts predicted further price movements and explained why Bitcoin looks strong at the moment. The fact that the bitcoin rate confidently turned around when it reached the level of $ 40 thousand at the end of September speaks of an extremely strong market, Anton Kravchenko, CEO of Xena Financial Systems, is sure. In his opinion, after overcoming the historical maximum at around $ 65 thousand, the first cryptocurrency will open the way to $ 78 thousand. A situation in which bitcoin will update its historical maximum and immediately after that will go down is very unlikely, the expert said. According to him, after $ 65 thousand, many new buyers will come to the market who will start investing in bitcoin. Third wave of growth Now bitcoin is in the framework of the great third wave of growth, which began in the summer, when the price of the asset dropped to a minimum of $ 28.8 thousand, says Andrey Podolyan, CEO of the Cryptorg platform. He believes that the current wave of growth is close to completion and that it should be followed by a correction, and then another up market. According to the expert's forecast, by the end of the year, the cost of bitcoin may reach $ 85 thousand. Bull leadership Fixing the price of bitcoin above $ 60 thousand marks the return of the bulls' leadership in the crypto market, says Nikita Soshnikov, director of the cryptocurrency exchange service Alfacash. According to him, by the end of the year, bitcoin has every chance to rise in price to $ 80 thousand. “I see no prerequisites for a serious correction. Although cryptocurrencies have repeatedly presented surprises to the market, it is impossible to speak with confidence about growth without any hesitation, ”the expert noted. If the first cryptocurrency manages to overcome $ 68 thousand and maintain this level for a week, emotional purchases may occur, Soshnikov explained. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Ivan Nahornyi is a professional blockchain, cryptocurrency and tech journalist, regular contributor to topplabs.org, who is writing in depth analysis about the latest developments in the cryptocurrency and blockchain space. Aside from cryptocurrency and the blockchain he's interested in AI, VR, social media, and SEO.	3,243
What is particularly awesome, from my perspective is the message that every top level athlete out there participates in some form of strength and conditioning training. Every one of them is doing "fitness" to support their sport. But what we are exposed to on the social, isn't the fundamental boring day in day out stuff, not usually. What we see is the cool shit. We see snippets, micro clips of their training. Maybe the last couple of reps of the last set or the final minutes of a conditioning set. But we don't see the whole picture. We essentially miss the forest for the trees. This was highlighted to me by a young athlete asking me questions the other day. Should I be doing this, should I be doing that. I saw such and such doing these things... My immediate answer was "Ask me these questions this time next year" He understood. "Am I not ready for that yet?" Not yet kid. Simply because he hadn't yet built his foundations. Time hasn't been but in at the rock face laying that baseline down. Where he needs to be is at the unsexy, non insta worthy boring basics. Learn the lifts, learn to positions, learn to brace, learn when not to brace, develop scapula control, shore up imbalances developed from his sport training. He doesn't need alactic interval sessions or extensive plyo metrics He needs to Push, pull, hinge, squat The sport training takes care of most of his aerobic needs, so he needs strength, muscle mass and motor control. I gave him a very simple program, much simpler than the one he was just starting from another trainer. I don't know if he'll follow it, but he got the idea that he needs to build this foundation layer. I did pull out a program for him to look that does have all the sports sciency sexy insatgram stuff on it. A plan for a top ranked fighter I worked with for a few years. The plan was a 12 week block periodised program that we put her through leading up to a big international competition. The plan had a super basic first 4 weeks. The first block was almost dull. Deadlift, Press, Squat, Core. Basics, basics, basics. Then the second block introduced more energy system focused training, finishing with the final peaking block. I talked the kid through and it you could see his understanding fall into place. The point I'm trying to drive home here, is that the basics or rather, the fundamentals are there for a reason. Must you be able to squat 1.5 x BW before doing plyos? Not necessarily, but we can very much assume that if you are able to squat that weight, your body can tolerate the loads from plyometrics without too much trouble. And even an top level athlete who is doing all the cool shit you want to be emulating will cycle that stuff in and out, just as they cycle the boring basics in and out. Social media is great. I love it. But it doesn't show the big picture. Just the highlight reel. Now I've been looking through the training plans I have available on my TrainHeroic site. The plan there that fits what I'm talking about is the Bootcamp, assuming you have gym access. But I have other plans that I've not added there as yet. But they are coming.... Here's a look at whats there for those of you who simply want the WG-Fit programming without the coaching: https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/search?text=Wild%20Geese&type=teams%20and%20programss Chat soon 55 views0 comments 1 like. Post not marked as liked1 Recent Posts Here's a comprehensive list of essential exercises that everyone needs to be doing: Yup. There are none. Yes, we use Dan John's movement categories as a foundation for all the general fitness programs	3,684
As the saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup. It is also true that it can take some time to refill the cup when it has been emptied and not used to holding on to anything. When life gets busy and everyone and everything around us demands our attention and energy, we easily put our own care down low on the priority list. It can be so much easier to be a workaholic or say yes to everyone else, than it is to have the strong self discipline to take time for yourself and your needs. We all have times in our lives when there are peaks and troughs in how busy we are. This is a natural cycle that seems to be slowly diminishing into a constant lifestyle of being busy. Times when we would sit down and have a quiet conversation or do activities that recharge us, are being replaced with time scrolling on social media, or finding something to watch or be entertained by. This is ok to do occasionally but we also have to be aware that doing this all the time can lead to burnout. We need time when we are quiet or creative or doing things that make us feel alive. Always consuming entertainment and media is making us feel mentally drained, overloaded and constantly on the go. We all need time just to be and not constantly be doing things. Time when we are not mentally going through the to do list to find what to do next. It takes our minds a while to relax out of the addictive rat race and slow down the pace. When we first start to stop, all the thoughts and ideas we haven’t made time for come to the surface and bombard us. Eventually they slow and settle, like in a meditation practice. We all know the feeling of being overwhelmed and all we want to do is watch our favourite comfort movie and forget the world. That’s exactly what you might need to do for a while! When we hit the stage of being burnt out, it can be hard to do any activities. It takes effort, discipline and time to clear out the clutter of stress, tension in the body and the constant inflow of thoughts. Continuing on the empty cup analogy, we need to get rid of all the leftover dirty water and give the cup a good clean. Once you have taken some time to stop and ignore the world, then comes the next stage of feeling restless and wanting to do something creative or whatever makes you feel alive. This is when we want to start filling the cup again. It can be easy to fall into old patterns of being busy and dedicating your energy to everything but yourself. If we want the cup to stay full of clean refreshing water, we need to gradually and regularly add to it with things that restore us, in balance with the things we have to do. If your cup has been empty or depleted for some time, it can be hard to accept that you need time for yourself and to hold yourself to it. Your cup may not be used to holding water at all and you are used to freely giving it away without considering what will sustain you. Breaking this pattern is tricky but so worth it! You may need to start with setting some rules around having time set aside just for yourself. It might be taking time first thing in the morning to be still, have quiet time or self care before anyone else gets a piece of you. Let your family and friends know that this is ‘your time’ and get them to help you stick to it! Asking others to help us restore our energy is vital too, if they feel that their cups are full, they may top up your cup until you can fill it yourself. We need help with delegating tasks and equaling up the workload when it becomes unbalanced. You may find that your cup has cracks in it where the water gets out without you noticing. Slowing down can show us where our energy and time can be disappearing, like down the rabbit hole of the internet or social media. It also makes us aware of how we feel after these activities – do we feel energised or drained? Do we want to continue doing them or only do it occasionally and with limits? Nature is an instant way to slow down and feel at ease with the world. It is impossible to feel rushed when walking in the bush or watching the ducks at the local pond. Going back to activities you did when you were younger is a great gateway into activities that slow you down and bring joy. Playing a musical instrument, reading and writing, making crafts or art, dancing and singing, building things and gaming. Anything that helps you get out of your head and into your body always helps! At first slowing down and making time for ourselves is an uphill battle, then all of a sudden you start to like not being constantly busy and you coast down the other side of the hill, gaining momentum and building more self care reservoirs as you go. Before you know it, you have a full cup of healthy, clean water that you can overflow and help others with too. Take good care Readers, I’ll keep the light on. A Word on Timing, Comfort and Change There is something to be said for timing and usually we only see that something happens at the perfect time if it involves an obvious change or lesson, but even the things that we seek comfort from can come to us at the right time. Self care that make us feel good and nurtured for our long term wellness. Don’t wait and miss the opportunity for a quality rest break. One of my all-time favorite people to recommend is Brooke McAlary and her new book, Care, helps us work out what to do when the world’s problems feel too big and we are burnt out from trying, and we need to restore ourselves so that we can continue to care for things. What We Can Do To Support Mental Health October is Mental Health Awareness month and here are a few things we can do to support mental health.	5,750
One Sunday morning some years ago, I leaned against the back of a church pew, and with tears in my eyes confided to a friend. This woman is a sincere Christian, even though she’s not a member of our congregation. She tries to dress like us, and faithfully comes to church. Yet she’s not allowed to have communion. Why? Isn’t Christ’s sacrifice for her, too? My friend was taken aback. “But we have to draw the line somewhere!” she said. I let the subject drop for the sake of peace, but those words bothered me. We have to draw the line somewhere. Even if that “somewhere” came at a terrible cost to other Christians? This morning I read through 1 Corinthians 5 again, and noticed this verse: But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler–not even to eat with such a one. “There is the line!” I thought. This verse does not refer to unbelievers, by the way. It’s talking about people who profess to be part of the brotherhood of faith, yet willfully engage in a sinful life. I don’t even think it’s so much the individual sins–we all have sinned–but the refusal to confess and repent, the duplicitous heart, the pretending to be good when we don’t love Jesus and our core is thoroughly rotten. The separation that this woman experienced then, I am now also facing, and it’s hard for me to process. More than anything else, I desire the Lord. I’m not perfect by any means, and I get depressed about my own failures sometimes. Still, I can honestly say that I long for a growing relationship with God. Yet I am not allowed to have communion in certain church groups, because I am not an official member of their congregation (or an identical one). People I have known and loved for years do not welcome me to their communion table. This makes me question. Is it because a.) congregations like this don’t follow the Bible’s perimeters for who is part of God’s church and thus eligible for communion or b.) am I actually someone who is duplicitous at heart, a sinful, immoral, greedy person? This “closed communion” (where only specific church members can participate) is an issue that is much bigger than individuals, and I’m not trying to blame any of my friends. I think most of them would still see me as a genuine Christian. Yet I can’t help but feel the cognitive dissonance between what is verbalized and what is practiced. And practice has a way of shaping the way we think and relate, beyond what we might be aware of. Closed communion tends to drive wedges between superior Christians who are Us, and lesser Christians who are Them. Some people seem better able to live with the dissonance than I am, but I still believe this fracturing of Christ’s body is debilitating for everyone, especially in the turbulent times we live in. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand (Mark 3:24). These dividing lines are extremely painful to out-of-the-shrine Christians like me, and I feel they also take the emphasis away from what communion really is–a covenant with Christ. Jesus, You gave your life for me, and now I give my life back to You. Christians coming together to remember Christ’s sacrifice, to humbly offer themselves to God, is a powerful spiritual experience. “Is Christ divided?” Paul asked the Corinthian church when they quarreled about who was most important (I Corinthians 1:13). I wonder if he would say the same words to us today over our attempts to section off who qualifies for communion and who doesn’t. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. We are one body, experiencing the mercy of a holy God. I plead with you, consider what message your current communion practice communicates to other Christians. Look for ways to reduce the dissonance if it exists. Life is too short for division within the family of Christ. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. What does communion with Christ’s body of believers mean to you? You can read a more in-depth article (written by Simon Fry) about communion here. EDIT: Within hours of publishing this post, I got an email from a young man who belongs to a conservative Mennonite group, inviting us to join them for communion on Sunday! I am deeply touched–the invitation means more than I can say. Related baptismChrist's bodycognitive dissonancecommunionGod's church Previous The Lord is my Shade Next 17 thoughts on “Is Christ divided?” You have a brave and beautiful heart, Rosina. I personally think this is a place where we are missing the truth. I’m not sure what all the answers are but it’s something that needs to be considered. My heart aches for those we hurt and turn away with our line drawing. LikeLiked by 1 person July 26, 2017 at 1:46 pm Reply The primary reason my family does not fellowship with a group of conservative Anabaptists that we really love is that they have deemed that we are unfit for the Lord’s Supper and it is entirely due to us not being in sufficient conformity with issues like the exact manner of dress. It is too bad because they are a great group that loves the Lord and tries to reach the community but with little success because they have erected barriers so high that anyone not already in 100% agreement with them has to go elsewhere. I am sure they do what they do for good reasons but they are wounding the church in doing so and grieving our Lord. LikeLiked by 2 people July 26, 2017 at 5:06 pm Reply I couldn’t agree more with your last sentence. I’m sorry for what your family has experienced. July 27, 2017 at 7:08 am Reply The idea of closed communion is disturbing to me–especially when it closes out people who attend a church without being members. I don’t know of any place, other than the verses you quoted, where the Bible indicates we should deny communion to anyone. Instead, it says that we should examine ourselves. The other disturbing thing is that there are many churches where ongoing sexual immorality–specifically mentioned in 1 Cor. 5–is swept under the rug and hushed up, and the person is allowed to continue receiving communion. I’m specifically referring to sexual abuse. And of course, we can’t forget about the rampant porn usage, even within the conservative Mennonite church (see https://radi-call.com/media-survey-results-2/). And greed. When was the last time you heard about someone being refused communion because of greed? Anyway, just some thoughts. I have visited churches and been served communion, no questions asked. I was counted as part of the Body. I think that’s how it should be, and leave the judgment up to God. LikeLiked by 2 people July 26, 2017 at 5:19 pm Reply I have heard of churches who have allowed known sexual abusers to commune, and ostracized the ones who tried to call them out. This is utterly wrong. July 27, 2017 at 7:10 am Reply There is another side to the discussion that I am not sure we are addressing. I say this carefully because I am in agreement that the way we commonly do communion in many of our circles leaves a lot to be desired. But here is my question. With all the different flavours of churches these days what possible reason could a person have for not finding one that they could fit in with? I am not talking about one that you agree with everyone on every issue but one that you could give up enough of yourself to be a part of. I am sure there are situations where that is the case. Even know of a few but I feel really bad for them and think it should be the exception rather than almost the rule I see happening. July 26, 2017 at 7:38 pm Reply I think I hear what you are saying–sometimes people are too picky or too unwilling to get involved in a church and thus miss out on communion, so it’s mostly their fault if they aren’t getting it. I agree that a lack of commitment is a real problem. I was coming more from the standpoint of being close to a group of people who don’t let you in because somehow you don’t qualify. That hurts. We do have a local church we can fellowship and commune with. But it’s awkward and painful to visit our former church (not in our area) and not be welcomed to have communion, when we’ve known these people for years. Thanks for commenting! I’m always glad for other angles to examine. July 26, 2017 at 10:07 pm Reply Thank You Rosina for bringing this subject to the forefront. This was a question I asked for many years and didn’t get a satisfactory answer. We are a small church in Iowa and we have practiced. “Close Communion ” since we started. I prefer this term to Open Communion. We invite anyone with a new birth experience and living in victory to participate. We had communion this past Sunday and I was blessed when we had an old order Amish lady and some “Baptist’s” (they have been attending for almost 2 yr’s) participate. Thank You. following is a quote I like. Lynn H. ” It is not your Table. It is not my Supper. It is His. He makes the guest list. He tells us who can be excluded (and it is a short list). He commands His followers to gather for the Supper and nowhere mentions them jumping through ecclesiastical hoops. Pastors be very aware that when you deny a fellow believer the comfort and fellowship of the Table you are really telling our Lord that His guest list needs some refinement and you might just know better than Him who should be invited. Do you really want to place yourself in that position?” LikeLiked by 1 person July 27, 2017 at 1:13 pm Reply Wow, I love the above quote Lynn. Rosina I am very sorry for your pain and that you are being so hurt by a false religious righteousness which excludes the people Jesus lived and died for and WELCOMES! I was sitting recently in a super strict anabaptist church and a dude was preaching about how you need to add extra rules to the Bible in order to keep yourself and the church in line. He even said they aren’t in the Bible (which is more than a lot say), but that they were necessary to stay on the right track. There was a lot of other really hurtful things that were said and lies that were promoted. As I sat there, God just showed me that that is NOT who Jesus is. Jesus doesn’t do that. He doesn’t make us do lots of good works, and follow lots of rules, and meet up to lots of standards before he welcomes us and saves us. He doesn’t save us to then follow and meet man made rules and force them on others. He saves and welcomes us because he loves us. It’s the same way for communion. He’s the one that does the saving, he should be the one who gets to decide who partakes with him. It’s so twisted and sick that men get to make those decisions for others, including men who are sexually assaulting people in their congregation. I know what it was like when I was in the Mennonite church, growing up, where I was only allowed communion twice in six years, while several men and women in the same church were sexually abusing me and being given communion every time. I’m not the only one by far. I will never forget how the first Sunday I went to church, after having left the Mennonites, and then living in reckless sin and then Christ rescuing me miraculously, and was offered communion. I remember just staring at it in wonder and asking my friend who had brought me if I really was allowed to take it. He said that of course I was and I will never ever forget the kind of healing I felt as I took the bread and the cup. I was truly welcomed to the Lord’s table for the first time in my life. Praise God I am planted in such an amazing community of love! July 27, 2017 at 2:21 pm Reply As much as I loved and agreed with everything else, this was the very reason I could not continue with CMC, exclusive communion. Thanks for writing this and asking the hard questions from the inside! LikeLiked by 1 person July 27, 2017 at 7:44 pm Reply We know what it feels like to have authorities forbid us to offer communion to other believers and partake when other believers offer to us. Both are extremely painful if followed. Especially when those around you have suffered brutally for their faith, just as Jesus their king described. Is their tested and living faith still “not good enough” for North American Anabaptists who have never experienced persecution as their forefathers did? Maybe in reality, such ridiculousness comes because WE are not worthy of THEM…..but no, truly in Jesus we have the incredible honor of being One. LikeLiked by 2 people July 28, 2017 at 9:38 pm Reply Anonymous That extreme of not fellowshipping with people whose lives have literally been on the line for Christ just seems to shout to me how twisted our supposedly benign tradition of closed communion has become. I know most people don’t think they would do that but in reality, that is conservative Anabaptists’ knee jerk reaction. They may use the excuse that they don’t really know where someone is at with God (which isn’t the point entirely anyway) but when you see how easily and unthinkingly it is slapped on EVERYONE it starts looking sickeningly foolish. But even if it is consciously given just as a church tradition, with no evil intent toward anyone else, wouldn’t it just be horrible if you’d end up in a circle of people who could have died for Christ (and may yet do so) and you bring up a lame “my church doesn’t do this” excuse and refuse to join? Jesus said if were not willing to do some pretty drastic things (leave father mother, take up cross and follow) were not worthy of him. What does it say about US if we act like those who have done just what Jesus said are not worthy of us??!! This not an extreme case that doesn’t happen. It is happening today. July 28, 2017 at 10:45 pm Reply It’s good for us to think about how our beliefs flesh out in a different context. May God have mercy on us all. July 28, 2017 at 11:33 pm Reply In our communion service, as I assume it was in yours, the words Jesus spoke in Luke 22:19-20 ..”This do in remembrance of me ” is quoted. If you study that passage in Luke 22, you will notice the setting and the group gathered there. Jesus and (only) his disciples. Why didn’t Jesus send out the word for all his faithful follows to gather together, like Lazarus, Mary n Martha, and Zachious, and his own dear mother, and many, many others?? Or why didnt he initiate it @ the feeding of the 5,000? After all, HE would know their hearts! But he chose to have it with those who he knew, and that knew him. Sounds pretty exclusive to me. Just being a member of a Mennonite church won’t save you. The same way being a member of a Baptist, Methodist, or Catholic, etc church doesn’t either. Or being anti-mennonite. It takes Christ’s blood and (the hard part) discipleship (the daily following of Christ’s teaching. ). Remember, church membership is a CHOICE. And those who choose NOT to join church ( for whatever reason) or choose to leave a church need to accept the consequences of that choice. If the consquences of a choice are not to a persons liking, maybe its time to re-evaluate the choice. I crindge whenever I see the bride of Jesus christ criticized in public. Im not saying the way things are done is perfect, and there is no room for improvement. But there is a time and a (private) place for such a discussion with the folks that can do something about it. Is it building up the body of Christ to openly criticize (even with the best of intentions) before believers and non-believers alike???? The church of Jesus Christ is GLORIOUS! Praying for you, in Christian love July 30, 2017 at 4:10 pm Reply The point of this post was not to be critical, or anti-Mennonite. I’m sorry if it felt that way to you. Rather, this article is a cry for greater unity within the body of Christ. Thanks for the prayers! July 30, 2017 at 4:17 pm Reply “I crindge whenever I see the bride of Jesus christ criticized in public. ” I cringe when people equate a specific set of religious practices with the Bride of Christ but it is common. When Paul wrote his letters to the various churches, those letters were read publicly to the church. You will note that they were written “to the church”, not to the elders or pastors specifically. These are not private missives, they are the first century equivalent of Twitter or blogs. They were also full of both praise and love as well as criticism and concern. If something as heartfelt, honest and gentle as what Rosina wrote was done in error, the same charge would doubly be true of the Apostle Paul and, based on His criticism in Revelation, of Christ our Lord Himself. Church “membership” is indeed a choice and it is one that even the most ardent advocates like 9 Marks ministries will admit is not expressly commanded in Scripture and yet some people feel justified in denying something that is expressly commanded in Scripture, the communal meal in remembrance of Christ, to people who for whatever reason have not adopted a human invention. As I have stated before, it is the Lord’s Supper and He makes the guest list as is His right as the Master of the Feast and that list includes every one of His sheep that is not in unrepentant sinful rebellion against His word. The Bride of Christ is the people of Christ, all who are now, ever have been and ever will be born again to newness of life, forgiven of their sins and adopted into the family of God. It is not and never has been a particular denomination or set of religious practices. That was one of the great errors of Rome opposed by people like Menno Simons. If we are not allowed to publicly raise concerns over ecclesiastical practices when they stray from Scripture then we would never have had a Protestant Reformation and therefore we would never had seen a Radical Reformation and there would be no Anabaptists. We would still be trapped in the Roman system. Praise God that He never forbade His people from expressing concern when our practices strayed from His commands because that is what most of the Bible from the prophets of the Old to the apostles of the New were writing about. LikeLiked by 1 person July 30, 2017 at 5:03 pm Reply Rosina, you are so brave to call this out. Bless you! August 7, 2017 at 1:53 pm Reply Leave a Reply to Rosina Cancel reply Email (required) (Address never made public) Name (required) Connecting to %s Notify me of new comments via email. Δ Family and Friends Food and Garden Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 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Aries, it's the perfect time to make your move. The planets are aligned in your favor this week. With Venus in your house you'll have no problem finding the right words to impress. However, with Uranus on its way out, it could be your last chance to take advantage of the inventiveness that has come with it in these past weeks. Taurus (April 20- May 20) You might be having some doubts about a current or prospective relationship this week, Taurus, but don't let them scare you. As Mercury passes through it will encourage deep thought on your part and important conversations with your partner. Embrace it, and see where it might take you. Gemini (May 21- June 20) www.lovepanky.com You're probably feeling pretty great this week, Gemini, with both Mars and the Sun passing through your house. Mars brings with it positive energy and confidence, which will become radiant self-confidence with the Sun on your side. Enjoy yourself this week Gemini, let your sparkling personality speak for itself, and that special someone is sure to take notice. Cancer (June 21- July 22) Cancer, the moon will be passing through on the last two days of this week, and with it will come a whole flood of emotions. You're already deeply in touch with your emotional side, but with the influence of the moon you'll catch yourself responding to your emotions in dramatic ways. Be careful, while this can be that push you need to progress in your relationship, it could also push you too far and cause you to say things you don't mean. Leo (July 23- August 22) Leo, things have been pretty quiet for you and your partner lately. While this stability can be a good thing, you might find yourself getting frustrated by the lack of excitement. This week, Leo, try spicing things up a bit, even if it's something as small as trying a new restaurant on a dinner date . All you need is a little variety in your usual routine. Virgo (August 23- September 22) Virgo, it's going to be a fun week. Things have been going great for you and your partner, but you're both looking for some way to spice it up a bit. It might be the perfect time to consider trying something that you've both always wanted to try. Be adventurous, Virgo, you'll come out of it with great memories and many new stories to tell. Libra (September 23- October 22) It's your lucky week Libra! Jupiter is in your house, which means good fortune for the time being. Take advantage of the extra luck while you have it. Whatever you've been holding in, now is the time to take your shot. Talk to that one boy. Ask your significant other what you've been dying to ask. Take a risk this week Libra. Scorpio (October 23- November 21) Things are starting to heat up, Scorpio, and I'm not talking about the weather. As they say, spring is in the air, and the warm weather is bringing with it even warmer emotions. You and your special someone might find that it's impossible to be apart from one another. Enjoy all of the love and affection that come your way! Sagittarius (November 22- December 21) Sagittarius, not only is Saturn in your house, but it has also been in retrograde. This will direct a lot of your thought towards yourself, and you will be taking more time to be self-reflective and disciplined. This is abnormal for your typically spontaneous personality, so pay close attention to the effects this could be having on your partner. Don't leave them feeling forgotten. Capricorn (December 22-January 20) Be careful Capricorn, Pluto will be in retrograde and moving through your house. Pluto is a mischievous little planet, and in retrograde it has the tendency to make us say things that we probably should have kept to ourselves. Be conscious of what you might reveal and who you might reveal it to. Who knows, though, sometimes all it takes to get the ball rolling on an exciting new relationship is getting your secret crush out into the open. Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Aquarius, you're probably thinking that things are starting feel a bit slow, there does't seem to be a whole lot going on. But you're special someone is feeling spontaneous, and has something in mind just for you. Appreciate every second you have together, and remember that you've been the only thing on his mind. You're a lucky girl, Aquarius. Pisces (February 19- March 20) Your guiding planet, Neptune, is in your house this week. So don't be confused if you seem to be experiencing your usual Pisces mood swings, but far more frequently. This week might be a bit of a rollercoaster for you, but you'll make it through. Just remember that your partner is always there for you, and there's no shame in needing a shoulder to cry on.	4,857
I'm a fan of Montbell clothing, and my U.L. Down Inner Parka is nothing short of amazing at just 9.3 ounces (men's XL). I find their quality to be top notch, and these pants appear to be no exception. This is what makes these pants unique. I've yet to find another manufacturer that offers lightweight men's convertible trekking pants with stretch fabric (these are 92% nylon/8% polyurethane DWR treated). I have some old REI pants that stretch, but they are heavy and hot...only to be used for the coldest weather. These lightweight pants have the right amount of give for the crazy positions we get our bodies into, and yet they are still as light as a pair of Columbia Silver Ridge II pants (both are about 14.8 ounces for a men's XL). While some people only hike in shorts, I appreciate having pant legs when blazing through an overgrown section of trail. And of course it's a nice relief to zip the legs off when you are over heating. With an 11 1/2 inch inseam, you don't end up looking like you're wearing Richard Simmons style short-shorts either :-) Rather than having zippers at the bottoms of the legs to make it possible to remove them with your shoes on, these legs are just not tapered so they are quite wide at the bottom. I'm not so sure this will be widely accepted, but it's a lighter alternative than more zippers. Integrated Belt Most hiking pants are included with a belt, but I have to say this is about the nicest one I've seen. The buckle has a solid closure that won't come undone or loosen like others I have owned (Columbia), and the webbing is super thin (i.e. lightweight). Zippers just add weight right? Yes it's true, but they also add utility, and in my UltraLight opinion you need the right balance. The 2 hand pockets and 1 each back and thigh pockets are about right for me. The pockets themselves are mesh, providing some added ventilation if you leave them unzipped. I like to carry certain things in my pockets so they are very accessible (1/4 of a pack towel, lip balm, mint soap, knife...), and the zippers give me that extra bit of security for these important items. Montbell clothing tends to have an "athletic" cut, something I don't appreciate because I don't have the lean build of a runner. I went ahead and ordered these any way thinking they would be OK because of the stretch. To my pleasant surprise I found that they are not tight like a pair of 70's disco pants...hoot hoot! The waist sits low, and they don't feel like they are binding anywhere. The length is on the long side for this 6'2" hiker, and I will probably hem them to take about an inch out of the length. Bottom line is I really like these pants, and I fully expect them to last a long time. Montbell is living up to its good reputation! Posted by John Roan at 8:25 AM 9 comments: Stick May 15, 2011 at 8:14 PM These look like they are nice pants. And funny that you compare them to the Columbia Silver Ridge II, cause that is what I wear, and I wear them because I did not like the way any of the other ones fit me. I have worn my Columbia's in all 4 seasons and been happy with them. I fully expect them to be around for quite a while longer (especially at the rate I get to use them) but am planning to get another pair before I start my thru in 20013, so I will keep these in mind. Thanks for the review! ReplyDelete Replies Greg Pehrson May 16, 2011 at 6:14 AM One way to deal with the wide leg openings for a negligible weight gain would be to put a 1/4" width piece of grosgrain in the hem as a drawcord (think military surplus fatigues). Easy to open to take off the legs, easy to cinch up to keep out ticks or whatever, and lighter than a zipper. An easy mod too, especially if you're already planning to hem them. Greg ReplyDelete Replies John Roan May 16, 2011 at 5:49 PM Chad, I've used the Columbia pants as well, and at least for me, these Montbell pants are far more comfortable. I plan to take them on my little JMT thru-hike this summer for sure. Greg, Good idea on the pant legs mod. I did hem them (I can't ever seem to leave things alone). I just might try your idea as well. ReplyDelete Replies Unknown October 31, 2016 at 9:21 AM Thanks ReplyDelete Replies Unknown November 2, 2016 at 8:49 PM Hi and thanks for this tip. I don’t have the Montbell pants yet but these looked decent and comfy. Right now, I have the Arcteryx Gamma LT Pant for men. It’s quite pricey but wow, the fit and material is really awesome. What made me decide on this is the adjustable pant cuff drawcord that deter bugs and cold from coming in. I don’t have to adjust anything, since it has a nice fit, too. If you want to look at the newer products for hiking pants, this resource page is tops http://myoutdoorslife.com/gear/camping-and-hiking/best-hiking-pants.html	4,987
Me too. And on a mug for morning coffee. And silk screened on the bum of adorable cotton panties. And stickers, I want sheets of stamp sized stickers please. Kelly says: July 26, 2010 at 9:45 pm Can you have this face all the time? Think of the joy you would be spreading. Though you may get a little light headed.	320
For November, I was prompted to choose a book that was published before 2000. To make this easier on myself, I decided to go way back rather than try to guess at which books I have might fit that criteria. I picked up this book for a history class back in college, but for some reason the class never got around to reading it. From my recollection, the class had a large number of required readings, and this was one that became optional. Obviously I could not abandon it completely, although it did take me some time to circle back around to it. This book originated as a lecture on the subject of “Women in Fiction,” which turns out to be a fierce criticism of the patriarchal society. While I did enjoy reading this and feel that it continues to be relevant, if I’m being completely honest, I was probably not in the appropriate headspace to fully appreciate this book. I have found myself struggling through many of my chosen reads lately—not quite a reading slump, but something akin to it. With its short length and feminist slant, I thought this might be a jumpstart for me. Despite the inspiration that can be found here, it did not turn out to be quite what I needed, which I suppose is clear in the fact that it took me two weeks to get through a book just over 100 pages. I think this is one that I will have to revisit at another point in time. Minka’s Thoughts: “Do you think you’re perpetuating a stereotype by pairing this book with tea and a cat?” This entry was posted in book review and tagged A Room of One's Own, book review, books, Books and Cats, BooksOnMyCat, Cats and Books, literature, reading, The Unread Shelf Project, Unread Shelf 2021, Virginia Woolf by katielx. Bookmark the permalink.	1,771
If you don’t mind university towns, then Edinburg might be for you. The city is home to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Apart from the educational institution, it has several points of attraction, ranging from museums to parks and golf courses. Mexico is 20 minutes away. So, what’re the pros and cons of living in Edinburg? The advantages of living in Edinburg, include no state tax on income, very cheap place to live, rents and home purchases are affordable, ease of getting around due to minimal traffic and very comfortable winters. On the other hand, living in Edinburg has its downsides: high number of poor people, burdensome property tax , extreme summer heat, quiet and boring with only a few fun events and high property crime rate. Is Edinburg, Texas a great place to live? 1. No state tax on income Edinburg, Texas is a city with a lot to offer. From its rich history to its vibrant culture, there’s something for everyone in Edinburg. And one of the best things about living in Edinburg is that there’s no state tax on income! That means more money in your pocket each month, which can be used to enjoy all that Edinburg has to offer. If you’re looking for a place to call home that won’t break the bank, Edinburg is the perfect place for you. If you’re looking for an affordable place to live, Edinburg, Texas is a great option. The cost of living is very low, and there are plenty of amenities and activities to keep you busy. The city is also growing rapidly, so there are plenty of job opportunities. If you’re looking for a place to call home, Edinburg is definitely worth considering. 3. Rents and home purchases are affordable If you’re looking for an affordable place to live in Texas, you should definitely check out Edinburg. Rents are relatively low compared to other parts of the state, and you can find some great deals on homes if you’re looking to purchase. The cost of living in Edinburg is also quite reasonable, so you’ll be able to stretch your dollar a bit further here than in some other places. And, if you’re looking for a place with a small-town feel, Edinburg is definitely worth considering. 4. Ease of getting around due to minimal traffic Edinburg, Texas is a city with minimal traffic, making it easy to get around. The city is also home to a variety of businesses and restaurants, making it a great place to live and work. Edinburg, Texas is a great place to live for those who enjoy mild winters. The average low temperature in December is 55 degrees, and the average high temperature in January is 71 degrees. This makes for very comfortable winters, without the need for heavy coats or snow shovels. 1. High number of poor people Edinburg, Texas is a city with a high number of poor people. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the poverty rate in Edinburg is 26.8 percent, which is more than double the statewide poverty rate of 13 percent. There are a number of factors that contribute to the high poverty rate in Edinburg. One is the lack of good-paying jobs. The median household income in Edinburg is just $37,000, which is well below the statewide median of $56,000. Another factor is the high cost of living in Edinburg. The city’s housing costs are among the highest in the state, and its overall cost of living is also above average. The high poverty rate in Edinburg has a number of negative consequences for the city’s residents. It leads to poor health outcomes, lower educational attainment, and increased crime rates. It also makes it difficult for businesses to thrive and for the city to attract new investment. Edinburg’s high poverty rate is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. City leaders should focus on creating more good-paying jobs and making sure that the city’s residents can afford to live there. rates Edinburg, Texas is known for having some of the highest property tax rates in the state. This can be a burden for many homeowners, especially those on a fixed income. The good news is that there are ways to reduce your property taxes. One way to reduce your property taxes is to appeal your assessment. If you believe your home is assessed at too high of a value, you can file an appeal with the county. You will need to provide evidence to support your claim, but if successful, your taxes will be reduced. Another way to reduce your property taxes is to take advantage of exemptions and deductions. Texas offers a homestead exemption for homeowners who use their home as their primary residence. This exemption can save you thousands of dollars on your property taxes. There are also other exemptions and deductions available, such as for seniors, disabled homeowners, and veterans. If you are struggling to pay your property taxes, there are options available to help you. You can contact your county tax office to set up a payment plan or apply for a hardship exemption. You may also be able to defer your taxes if you meet certain requirements. No matter what your situation is, there are ways to reduce your property taxes in Edinburg, Texas. By taking advantage of exemptions, appealing your assessment, or setting up a payment plan, you can ease the burden of high property taxes. If you’re looking for a place to escape the extreme summer heat, look no further than Edinburg, Texas! This charming city is located in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley and is known for its beautiful weather. The average high temperature in Edinburg is only 86 degrees, making it the perfect place to cool off this summer. In addition to its great weather, Edinburg is also home to a variety of shops, restaurants, and attractions. So whether you’re looking to relax in the sun or explore a new city, Edinburg is the perfect destination for you. 4. Quiet and boring with only a few fun events that happen once a year Edinburg, Texas is a small town with a population of just over 80,000 people. It’s located in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas and is about 30 miles from the Mexican border. The town is quiet and boring, with only a few fun events that happen once a year. The main attractions are the World Birding Center, the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands, and the Museum of South Texas History. If you’re looking for a place to retire or raise a family, Edinburg is a great option. It’s safe, affordable, and has a low cost of living. However, if you’re looking for excitement and nightlife, you’ll want to look elsewhere. Edinburg, Texas is a city with a high property crime rate. In 2016, the property crime rate in Edinburg was 2,837 per 100,000 residents. This is significantly higher than the national property crime rate of 2,451 per 100,000 residents. Edinburg’s high property crime rate is due to a number of factors. The city has a large population of low-income residents, which makes it an attractive target for thieves. Additionally, Edinburg is located near the Mexican border, which makes it easy for criminals to cross into the city to commit crimes. There are a number of steps that Edinburg residents can take to protect themselves from property crime. They can install security systems in their homes and businesses, and they can be sure to lock their doors and windows when they leave their properties. Additionally, residents can report any suspicious activity to the police. By taking these precautions, Edinburg residents can help make their city a safer place to live. Is Edinburg, Texas a great place to live? Edinburg, Texas is a great place to live for a number of reasons. One of the biggest advantages is that there is no state tax on income. This makes it a very cheap place to live, as rents and home purchases are also affordable. Another big plus is that it is easy to get around due to the minimal traffic. The winters are also very comfortable. On the other hand, living in Edinburg has its downsides. One of the biggest problems is the high number of poor people. This can be a burden on property taxes and make the area feel less safe. The summer heat can also be extreme, making it difficult to enjoy the outdoors. Finally, Edinburg can be quite quiet and boring, with only a few fun events happening each year.	8,386
Hakone () is a town in Ashigarashimo District in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Hakone is located in the mountainous far west of the prefecture, on the eastern side of Hakone Pass. Most of the town is within the borders of the volcanically active Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, centered around Lake Ashi. Hakone is the location of a noted Shinto shrine, the Hakone Gongen, which is mentioned in Heian period literature. Hakone is noted for its onsen hot spring resorts, which attract both Japanese and international visitors due to its proximity to the greater Tokyo metropolis and to Mount Fuji. Hakone is a very popular tourist destination and best accessed from Odawara. Please note: When you click on the "BUY" icon on top right of the page for prints, it is done at a Pro Lab based in USA due to which the cost of shipping prints is reasonable mainly within USA. © Copyright 2000-2022 Suchit Nanda - Suchit Nanda Photography - All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication or distribution prohibited. Do not copy, sell or distribute without express written permission. Powered by SmugMug Owner Log In Tourists enjoy a boat ride in Hakone at Lake Ashi. Hakone () is a town in Ashigarashimo District in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Hakone is located in the mountainous far west of the prefecture, on the eastern side of Hakone Pass. Most of the town is within the borders of the volcanically active Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, centered around Lake Ashi. Hakone is the location of a noted Shinto shrine, the Hakone Gongen, which is mentioned in Heian period literature. Hakone is noted for its onsen hot spring resorts, which attract both Japanese and international visitors due to its proximity to the greater Tokyo metropolis and to Mount Fuji. Hakone is a very popular tourist destination and best accessed from Odawara. Tourists enjoy a boat ride in Hakone at Lake Ashi. Hakone () is a town in Ashigarashimo District in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Hakone is located in the mountainous far west of the prefecture, on the eastern side of Hakone Pass. Most of the town is within the borders of the volcanically active Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, centered around Lake Ashi. Hakone is the location of a noted Shinto shrine, the Hakone Gongen, which is mentioned in Heian period literature. Hakone is noted for its onsen hot spring resorts, which attract both Japanese and international visitors due to its proximity to the greater Tokyo metropolis and to Mount Fuji. Hakone is a very popular tourist destination and best accessed from Odawara. Hakone () is a town in Ashigarashimo District in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Hakone is located in the mountainous far west of the prefecture, on the eastern side of Hakone Pass. Most of the town is within the borders of the volcanically active Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, centered around Lake Ashi. Hakone is the location of a noted Shinto shrine, the Hakone Gongen, which is mentioned in Heian period literature. Hakone is noted for its onsen hot spring resorts, which attract both Japanese and international visitors due to its proximity to the greater Tokyo metropolis and to Mount Fuji. Hakone is a very popular tourist destination and best accessed from Odawara.	3,289
United Way of Greater Fall River (UWGFR) announced a new Request for Proposals (RFP) open to any 501(c)3 non-profit organization serving the Greater Fall River area for the Fiscal Year 2022. For the past 74 years, UWGFR has worked with local community partners to address the most pressing needs of the Greater Fall River area. As we emerge from the greatest challenge of our lifetime, UWGFR is expanding and transitioning to an Impact model. Local health and human service agencies that have not received Allocation Funding from UWGFR are encouraged to submit programs for funding consideration. Funding is only provided to agencies working in one of these communities: Agencies are encouraged to apply for funding up to $50,000 to build capacity or expand existing programs with at least one year of service and demonstrated impact in United Way’s core areas of focus. Focus areas for this RFP include: Youth behavioral health services Diversity, equity, and inclusion programming Health, education, and financial stability programs that serve historically excluded populations Proposals, with accompanying documentation, must be uploaded to the United Way of Greater Fall River before 11:59 pm on Wednesday, July 27, 2021, via the online portal. All applications must be submitted through the online portal. Meg Rogers is the Communications Coordinator at UWGFR. She knows how important this initiative is to the city. “The COVID-19 pandemic showed us how many partners we have in Greater Fall River," Rogers said. "Opening funding up to new partners and helping them expand impactful programming or build more capacity with the work they’re already doing is vital to Fall River.” Agencies selected for funding will be notified directly before September 1, 2021. Funding will be prorated and will run from July 1, 2021, until June 30, 2022. For more information, visit uwgfr.org.	1,975
Can you extract CBD with water ? It is likely that good cbd gummies for sleeo ; However , cbd thc gummies dc . Clearly. Su shengwan is complexion finally became completely solemn. Then does cbd oil have an age limit five breaths appeared between heaven and earth. Su shengwan and mr. Chen were stunned for a moment, then overjoyed appeared on their faces.This breath is from li xiu, chen Cannabis oil thc free good cbd gummies for sleeo luo, zuichunfeng and wang zhiwei, and also, xiao boru. To say that there is no lively scene in winter, the most lively thing is that everyone is cleaning the snow in front of the door, and you yelled at my house because you swept some more to my house, and then the two of them faced each other for a while, and finally they cleaned up together and weed shop near by went to eat Cannabis oil thc free good cbd gummies for sleeo together. You are hitting too hard. Punishment said. Li xiu said lightly they survived, which proves that I am not serious.The implication is that if he really wanted to kill, the two would best cbd muscle cream be dead at the moment. What a nice weather. https://www.cbdmd.com/cbd-powdered-drink-mix-kiwi-strawberry-25mg-10-count It snowed the next day.After a whole night of trust last night, everyone drank a lot of wine and felt a little dizzy. if not, why it is almost time. The dean looked up at the portals and said softly.There are no cbd in vape whites in her eyes, not even pupils, some are just pitch black. This kind of war is disgusting. It is time to end.He sighed, the white jade like light was restrained and disappeared completely, and a piercing sword light was released from his eyes, which penetrated the six level thunder tribulation above the sky in an instant. Although he has never said it, the guilt in his heart has never been reduced in the slightest. He stared at the four people below and said softly the future fairyland, I am afraid that the four of them will lead. After the stars shattered all over his body, countless powders were still floating between the universes. There is a jade plate on the table, and there is a piece of white paper on the jade plate. It takes patience, no matter what you do. Li xiu looked at his fishing rod and did not speak. Su shengwan turned around and walked down the mountain, leaving here. Only li xiu was left facing the calm xiaotang.After being silent for https://www.healthline.com/health/full-spectrum-cbd a long time, he looked up at the little white snake who was always lying on the green leaf, and said, you are the only real dragon left now, and you have only five realms of cultivation since you have grown up. At orange cbd gummies this time, another person appeared, who was equally talented and valued by these two sects. The blue shirt did not move, li xiu stood with his hands behind his back, and his 900 mg cbd oilorganic sour cbd gummies thin but tall figure was extremely clear under the starlight. Countless people looked up, and all they could see was the falling giant sword and the rising dragon. They came from the three major factions, namely di xin of lingxiao palace, xiao mu of yunhai pavilion, and yexing of baizhan sect. He could not find the beauty around him.Li xiu is here today, and his arrival has added the most dazzling brilliance to zuichunfeng is black and white body, so zuichunfeng also saw today is apparently best weed spots near me ordinary beauty. The power of . the rules of heaven and earth was held in his hand, and a . better sleep melatonin hemp gummies——Seeing the two women is back disappear, bei he withdrew his gaze, and then he also left the place. sagely naturals cbd cream——The wanling auction is a huge auction held every 30 years in wanling city.The auction will last for a month in total, which is a great event for many magic cultivators in the city, and it is also a good opportunity for wanling city to earn spirit stones. mysterious outline of nothingness even appeared behind him, which made his breath greatly improved in an instant. The movements of the terrifying eight armed sacred hands became slower and slower, and finally the entire huge body up to a hundred feet was frozen into ice sculptures at this moment. The shock on the faces cbd thc gummies dc of the immortals who kept coming has begun to gradually turn into numbness. Looking up from the foot of the mountain, it is just a blue mountain forest. The faces of the five masters who noticed this scene changed drastically, and they did not need to think carefully at all, even if they just glanced at health benefits weed it for a while, they would know that if this sword were to be faced by themselves and others, it would not be at all. Yang qi is eyes were also full of doubts.After feeling everyone is gaze, he just shook his head and said I have been contacting the master for the past few days, but I have never received a response, and I can not even lock the master. Feeling this situation, I am afraid that it will take at least ten years before the seal in the valley is removed naturally. The reason why emperor wudang imprisoned xu jiaoren here and did not kill him was to let him see with his own eyes that this world, this world, and what chang lin thought was different. The reason why there is no reason for love is because you do not know when to start or when to fall into it. Everything in this spanish restaurant cbd world can be repaid, and if it is not worth it, it is enough to lose a life, but only the debt of love is the most difficult to repay. Xu jiaoren was not afraid of death.When he was imprisoned on wudang mountain, there was nothing in this world that could make him feel afraid, and pei ziyun is threat was useless. At the same time, li xiu also stepped forward, and countless sword lights enveloped the two like rain. 3.Will cannabis oil make you fail a drug test heaven governs the travel of all things in the four seasons, and the heaven and earth are not benevolent and regard all things as stubborn dogs. His eyes were cold, his face was frosty, the blood knife was raised high, and then he chopped down. The boy is voice was gently scattered in the wind, but at this moment it seemed extremely firm. Compared with other bafang worlds, the strength is completely incomparable.Even if the soldiers are as strong as the fairy world, they have been conquering for millions of years, but they have never been able to cross the huaiyu pass. Mr. Chen turned around and walked towards the outside of the mountain.At this moment, the tall and straight figure in the past good cbd gummies for sleeo Shark tank CBD gummies episode became a little stooped. It is undoubtedly a very painful thing to be unable to break through the level of the five realms grandmaster. After all. It will eventually come to this point. Let is go, let is go, it is better to be light than to survive. He sighed, and stood up a little tired. It had been snowing for an hour, and the ground had covered a lot. A thick layer was spread on the ground, submerging his calf.Xu was in a hurry to get up and did not pay attention to his feet, or maybe he was too old. Each sword soul has different things, it may be the ancestors remnants, it may be the inheritance of sword intent, it may be some trivial matters, etc. She was silent for a while, and then asked with a smile, what do you want to eat tonight, I will make it for you li xiu does cbd have terpenes thought for a while and said, anything will do. The other people on the city wall have long been expressionless, my soul cbd coupon they are used to seeing this scene, they have long been accustomed to it. It is very troublesome to separate such a scene.Instead of procrastinating for a long time, it is better for him to leave earlier to save the farewell and emotions. Although several people are on the top of the mountain, they are still under the clouds. Obviously, it is . 4.How does CBD help tinnitus not for him to break the game, or it is better to say that he is playing chess instead of breaking the game. Even that face was suddenly pale. 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After being silent for a long . 5.What kind of CBD oil is best time, he muttered helplessly I will never be a monk in my next life. Liang xiaodao is brows stretched a little.Chen zhimo, who was on the side, suddenly asked if I expected it well, they want to fight against li xiu, and the book of the heavens is just an excuse. Xiao beinan is known as one of the three geniuses in the fairy world, and his strength is naturally extremely tyrannical. The source of heaven and earth overflowed, and qiu long is body began to shrink things to help stress rapidly, but the great power was dissipated in the breath, where can i buy delta 8 cbd near me and it became the original appearance. Xiao liuli was stunned for a moment, and when she was about to ask, she heard li xiu speak first. He completely controlled the six realms thunder tribulation with one sword. The power falls on others.But now it is different, the rules in the valley are lacking, and fusu dare not lead himself to undertake the thunder calamity, so the terrifying power of the six realms tianlei began does cbd oil have nicotine in it to oppress everyone. With such a powerful talent and determination to kill, it is naturally a good thing to be good cbd gummies for sleeo a friend now, but if it is an enemy in the future, how many people will be able to check and balance it li xiu replied, come and meet them. The scales of a fish gleamed against the background of the rays of the sun, like gold casting. Gao hong continued but the formation is only a formation after all, it is not a real six level hemp oil spray for pain great thing, it can only be placed here and cannot be moved, and I do not know how to adapt to changes. It was a kind of qi that could not be described.Even if it was far away, it made li xiu feel uncomfortable and inexplicable. Win or lose, but this time in your world, you good cbd gummies for sleeo lose.No matter what the outcome of today is battle, huaiyu pass will be shops for lease sydney cbd destroyed. The tea was not cold yet, so chen luo poured himself another cup and . 6.How to make CBD gummies with isolate took a sip. What secret does this li xiu have xiao beinan tilted his head to look at him, as if he understood his thoughts, and said, how to get your mind off anxiety https://www.healthline.com/health/lemongrass-essential-oil no matter what secrets he has, as long as it is beneficial to the immortal world, why should you care I am even more looking forward to waiting for him to come out and bring him out. The little doll looked at li xiu, the two of them sat cross legged on top of the Do CBD gummies help with type 2 diabetes cbd thc gummies dc clouds, their red belly pockets swayed. Li xiu looked at him and said softly, I am wei xuanyuan is disciple. The man did not react, his eyes were still so empty.Li xiu continued I know it is very unconvincing to say this, and it does not prove anything, but good cbd gummies for sleeo now all the sinners in the immortal world have all died, and only you are still detained in the black world. The star observation platform good cbd gummies for sleeo is very high, and standing on it has a feeling of seeing the mountains good cbd gummies for sleeo and small mountains, but at this moment, li xianyi is figure is only endless loneliness. But it is really exciting to talk about.Millions of cbd thc gummies dc inheritances are good cbd gummies for sleeo standing among the stars, and all of them have chosen one person. how to get rid of inflammation in the body This article was contributed by: familydoctor.org editorial staff Categories: Family Health, Men, Prevention and Wellness, Seniors, Sex and Birth Control, Sex and Sexuality Tags: elderly, erectile dysfunction, impotence, male, Men's Health, older adults, senior Copyright © American Academy of Family Physicians This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject.	14,607
First Sunday After Epiphany Link to Start of Sermon Service Booklet This Sunday’s Readings Gospel: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 15As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and… Getting Grounded Fr. Bradley Helmuth Second Sunday After Christmas Link to Start of Sermon Service Booklet This Sunday’s Readings Gospel: Luke 2:41-52 41Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. 42And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. 43When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.44Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s… Apr 4, 2021 Fr. Bradley Helmuth Easter Sunday Sermon starts at 25:40 in the recording Service Booklet All Readings Gospel: (Mark 16:1-8) When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother ofJames, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Jesus.And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, theywent to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll awaythe stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they… Fr. Bradley Helmuth Fifth Sunday in Lent Sermon starts at 17:29 in the recording Service Booklet All Readings Old Testament: Jeremiah 31:31-34 31 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. 33But…	2,019
“I said that America, here, this would end in a racial conflict of strife and envy and bloodshed, to bring forth a spiritual man-child that would rule the world.” 5 views0 comments Post not marked as liked Recent Posts God Never Changes - 1990 - Preached at Love's Temple in Monroe, GA. “What he was saying was that it’s impossible for you to fall away and not be a son of God. He was simply saying that, “Don’t you understand (he went right on to say) I expect more of you than this, th Post not marked as liked Marriage and Divorce - 1980 - Preached at Love's Temple in Monroe, GA “Like a discussion I had with a preacher, a number of times I’ve run into this, the question arises: If a man has been married twice, can the man minister the gospel? The first thing we say is, absolu Post not marked as liked “But remember this one thing, that we are not waiting for a natural Jesus, we’re not waiting for that. For, the Bible said, “I will appear the second time without sin unto salvation, to them that look	1,071
Tom Marzolf is president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects. His recent projects include the Ritz Carlton Members Course in Sarasota, Fla., and The Green Monkey Course in Barbados. He prefers self-help books, and also does a lot of reading with his 10-year-old daughter, Clara. Golf Architecture by Alistair MacKenzie, designing the courses at Augusta National in Georgia and the Royal Melbourne in Australia, among others. "I pick this book up all the time, whenever I have a question or I'm re-thinking about how I should build a golf hole... He was a forward-thinking gentleman." Marzolf and his 10-year-old daughter, Clara, read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone every night. Clara is also working on the fourth book in the series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Father and daughter also enjoy reading Zoobooks and Highlights magazines together. Leadership and Self-Deception, the Arbinger Institute. "What I've taken from it is, it helps you to stay focused in the moment, stay focused on the person that's in front of you, and try to be open and sincere." Common Sense on Mutual Funds, by John Bogle, founder of the Vanguard Group. "It's a great book for any point in your life. The book is a good explanation of how fees can eat into your nest egg for your retirement. It also walks you through an understanding of the bond market, and setting long-term goals." Welcome to the Monkey House, by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Liane Hansen has been the host of NPR's award-winning Weekend Edition Sunday for 20 years. She brings to her position an extensive background in broadcast journalism, including work as a radio producer, reporter, and on-air host at both the local and national level. The program has covered such breaking news stories as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the capture of Saddam Hussein, the deaths of Princess Diana and John F. Kennedy, Jr., and the Columbia shuttle tragedy. In 2004, Liane was granted an exclusive interview with former weapons inspector David Kay prior to his report on the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The show also won the James Beard award for best radio program on food for a report on SPAM.	2,329
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New Delhi: On the matter of whether 50 percent reservation to government doctors and in-service candidates in PostGraduate medical (PG medical) and super-specialty courses should be allowed, the Supreme Court has recently reserved its orderThe SC bench led by Justice L. Nageswara Rao was hearing a batch of pleas filed by doctors, including NEET PG qualifiers who were challenging reservation... New Delhi: On the matter of whether 50 percent reservation to government doctors and in-service candidates in PostGraduate medical (PG medical) and super-specialty courses should be allowed, the Supreme Court has recently reserved its order The SC bench led by Justice L. Nageswara Rao was hearing a batch of pleas filed by doctors, including NEET PG qualifiers who were challenging reservation of seats for in-service candidates in super-specialty courses. Medical Dialogues had earlier reported about the issue which came after the state of Tamil Nadu, on November 7 had allocated 50 percent of postgraduate super-specialty seats in government medical colleges to in-service government doctors from the academic year 2020-2021. As per the circular on DM/Mch, "the system will be changed as 50% of the seats were available for the open quota to which both services and non-service candidates were eligible for selection on the basis of merit. 50% of the seats in each of the specialties were allocated exclusively to service candidates. In the success of the policy framed by the state of Tamil Nadu which has been in place for several years, 50% of the state quota seats in each super specialty of the postgraduate courses are allocated to doctors in government service. On selection, the government service doctors are required to serve the government till superannuation while non-service doctors are required to serve the government for a period of no less than two years." Hence, for the super specialty courses, all the seats for the state quota will be reserved for government doctors. Meanwhile, in another circular, the state government stated, "the Director of Medical Education has stated that until the year 2016-17 50% of the seats in the postgraduate degree courses and postgraduate diploma courses were surrendered to All India Quota for which and all India examination was conducted by the national board of examination while the remaining 50% seats were allotted to State quota for which state level entrance examination was conducted by additional director of Medical education and secretary selection committee and counseling for the State quota was done based on the merit list and by following the rules of reservation." It further added that from now on 50% of seats for postgraduate degrees diploma courses in Tamil Nadu within the state quota (25% of the total seats) will be reserved for in-service candidates. However, the matter of the orders became a point of concern before the Madras High Court where Justice Anand Venkatesh had considered a number of cases filed by in-service medicos for further hearing. Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that when the central government had asked the court to defer the hearings till the dismissal of a case in the supreme court, the senior counsel for the serving doctors stated that the case which is being considered in the apex court has no connection with the current circumstances and hence the government's implementation of the quota should not be delayed. Thereafter, the Madras High court, on November 9 refused to defer the hearing and disposed of the plea. Then, the Supreme Court had issued a notice to the State authorities while considering a plea moved by the group of PG doctors, led by Amit Mohanty for admissions to super-specialty medical courses for the current academic year. In their appeal, the doctors argued that the apex court was already seized of the issue of reservation in super-specialty medical courses in the Dr. Preeti Sharma case and had ordered the maintenance of the status quo till it was finally decided. Besides, they contended that a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, exported in 1999, had held that "merit, and merit alone, is the basis for admission at the super-specialty level". Also Read:In-service Reservation set at 50 percent for PG Medical, Super-specialty courses in Tamil Nadu Instead, the November 7 order of the State government had empowered the Secretary, Selection Committee, to conduct counselling and fill 50% of the super-specialty seats in government medical colleges with in-service candidates in the State of Tamil Nadu. The appeal argued that the order was contrary to the Postgraduate Medical Education (Amendment) Regulations of 2019, which mandates that the Directorate General of Health Services should be in charge of the admission process. "There is no concept of any reservation for admission to super-specialty medical courses," the appeal had stated. Now during a recent hearing on the case, the Tamil Nadu government argued that there was an acute need for super-specialty qualified doctors both in the medical academia and in practice. The States argued that preparation for admission to these courses had started almost immediately following the Constitution Bench judgment on August 31. The judgment had empowered States to devise a separate channel of entry for in-service doctors. "State has the legislative competence and authority to provide for a separate source of entry for in-service candidates seeking admission to postgraduate degree/diploma courses in the exercise of powers under Entry 25, List III," the apex court had concluded in the August 31 verdict, quotes the Hindu. Senior advocate P. Wilson, for caveators, submitted that the issue of in-service reservations to government doctors was already settled. "The matter is being re-agitated again and again," he said. Both Madras and Kerala High Courts had not intervened with the States' move to provide in-service reservation. According to the Live law, the following legal propositions have been raised for the consideration of the Supreme Court: 1. Whether the judgement in K Doraisamy and others versus state of Tamil Nadu [2001 (2) SCC 538] covers the issue of quota for in-service candidates in super speciality courses also? 2. Whether the Constitution bench decision in Tamil Nadu Medical Officers' Association approves the ratio laid down in K. Doraisamy? 3. Whether the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations 2000 framed under section 33 of Indian Medical Council Act 1956, which is traceable under Entry 66 List 1, have the power to make any provisions for reservations, more particularly for in-service candidates as done by the concerned states, in exercise of Entry 25 List 3? 4. Whether Regulation 9 of MCA Regulations 2000 affects the legislative competence and authority of the state to make provisions providing for a separate source of entry for in-service candidates in Super Speciality courses? Whether the MCA Post Graduation Regulations 2000 also deal with the Super Speciality courses? 5. Whether prescription of quota relating to in-service candidates can be treated on par with communal reservations and whether the judgement in Dr. Preeti Srivastav v. State of Maharashtra [1999 (7) SCC 120] has dealt with the issue of quota for in-service candidates in Super Speciality courses? And if so, what was the issue before Dr. Preeti Shrivastav? 7. Whether the ratio decidendi of a judgement has to be found only after reading of the entire judgement or the conclusions of the judgement? Whether judgements can be read as a statute? Ultimately, the bench reserved orders after hearing the contentions from both sides, and after considering the submissions of the Central government and the National Medical Commission, reports Livelaw Garima joined Medical Dialogues in the year 2017 and is currently working as a Senior Editor. She looks after all the Healthcare news pertaining to Medico-legal cases, MCI/DCI decisions, Medical Education issues, government policies as well as all the news and updates concerning Medical and Dental Colleges in India. She is a graduate from Delhi University and pursuing MA in Journalism and Mass Communication. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in Contact no. 011-43720751 Next Story Similar Posts © 2022 All Rights Reserved. Powered By: Hocalwire We use cookies for analytics, advertising and to improve our site. You agree to our use of cookies by continuing to use our site. To know more, see our Cookie Policy and Cookie Settings.Ok	8,853
To be enrolled as a PhD student at the Graduate School of Arts you must first and foremost establish the financing of your PhD project. There are three different ways of funding: a fully funded faculty scholarship/fellowship from the Faculty of Arts, external financing where your PhD education is paid by another stakeholder such as a private company, a foundation, a museum etc. and co-financed scholarships/fellowships where one part is paid by Aarhus University and the other part is paid by another cooperation/partner. In order to be enrolled as a PhD student you must be able to ensure the educational costs as well as an income sufficient to cover the cost of living during the PhD education. There are also three ways to apply for enrolment: Open call - fully funded scholarships/fellowships from the Faculty of Arts. You apply via a call for both enrolment and employment, see this page. Specific call - fully funded scholarships/fellowships with full external funding or with partial external funding and co-funding form the Faculty of Arts. You apply via a call for both enrolment and employment, see this page. Ad hoc application - you apply with funding you have already received or if you want to pay for the enrolment yourself. You apply for enrolment only via a direct link from the PhD administrator. Please see the costs on this page. PhD scholarships/fellowships funded by the Faculty of Arts At the Faculty of Arts there are two different types of PhD grants. Your previous education decides which type of scholarship/fellowship you can apply for: The 3-year PhD fellowships which you are enrolled in after completing a MA The 4-year PhD scholarships which you are enrolled in after completing a BA and 60 ECTS of a master's programme. For further information on the PhD degree structure please see this page. The grants include a scholarship/salary as well as educational costs (30,000 DKK for travels, programme fee/tuition and overhead). Both of the PhD degree programmes are implemented in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the PhD Course of Study and on the PhD Degree (no. 1039 of 27 August 2013). The grants do not cover travel/moving expenses or costs in connection with applying for residence and work permit. Twice a year the graduate school will call for applications on this page. Enrolment with external funding You must be able to prove that you have the full funding before you apply for enrolment. The funding could come from: a grant from a foundation, public research programmes etc. a so-called Industrial PhD scholarship provided by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation a collaboration between the Faculty of Arts and your employer (museum, company etc.) or self-payment. You pay for the PhD programme yourself. Costs of enrolment You can find the costs of enrolment on this page. Try this Danish calculator for enrolment costs (salary, programme fee programme fee and overhead)! If you have any questions regarding the financing of your PhD education, please contact the Graduate School, Arts. When you have the full funding and you are ready to apply for enrolment please contact the PhD administrator at the PhD programme you want to be affiliated in order to get a direct link to the application facility. You cannot apply for enrolment before you have received the grant for the whole duration of the enrolment.	3,402
Weston's Animal Control Officer Karen O'Reilly has posted helpful tips, FAQs, and other items of interest regarding Weston's wildlife, farm animals, and house pets. Apr 21 Posted on April 21, 2021 at 2:09 PM by Kara Fleming So…this is my first blog entry as the Animal Control Officer here in Weston. Firstly, I would like to thank our residents for all the warm welcomes whether it be while I am out on the trails or the simple waves as I drive around the neighborhoods. It is April and spring has arrived. This begins the ‘busy’ season for all things animals. In Weston and all over we share our world and coexist with the furry and feathered wild ones. Most wildlife is on a similar breeding schedule and some have already or will soon have little ones. The daytime activity of animals that prefer to work the night shift will be commonplace. There will be an increased food demand with their growing families and the parents will be working overtime. Wild animals are great at caring for their young so as cute and helpless as the young ones may appear their best chance at survival is with their parents. There is a plethora of animals and scenarios that we encounter this time of year so if you find yourself faces with one, I encourage some quick research before interfering. We are lucky to have access to great resources, which are available online and listed by species to help guide us. I have been an Animal Control Officer for many years and still am by no means, and will never be, an expert on every species of bird, mammal, or reptile. One of the fun aspects of the job is that I am constantly learning depending on what kind of animal I encounter whether it be domestic or wild. I too am routinely reaching out for help in making decisions on what to do, if anything, for the animal I am dealing with. MassWildllife oversees our wildlife population and sets rules and regulations. Its website is comprehensive and includes fact sheets of various species. Certain species of animals can cause fear amongst us but when we educate ourselves and understand the animals we share the world with, we fear less and accept more. If you are dealing with a bothersome animal that may be living in your attic or under your porch, I encourage you to seek out humane options. Simple exclusionary measures are more often than not successful on their own. There always is confusion on what role local Animal Control Officers play when it comes to wildlife. We can only handle wild animals that need help whether it be because of illness, suffering from injury, or are trapped or in danger in some way. We do not and cannot trap, remove, euthanize or interfere with healthy wildlife. Please visit some of the websites below for valuable information on our wildlife populations and tips on how to address wildlife issues you may experience on your property: Wildlife Rehabilitators' Association of Mass. And, please be sure to subscribe to receive email/text notifications for my next Animal Control Corner blog entry at WestonMA.gov/StayInformed	3,172
It's time to fight like hell for a democracy where minority rule cannot impose an extreme and cruel agenda, where the Big Lie is called a Big Lie, where facts matter, and where accountability at the polls and in the press has a fighting chance. We have our work cut out for us, and we urgently need to raise about 400,000 by Thursday, June 30, to finish our fiscal year on track and give it everything we possibly can. Please help us get there with a donation if you can right now. $1,150,000 Right now is no time to come up short. It's time to fight like hell for a democracy where minority rule cannot impose an extreme and cruel agenda, where facts matter, and where accountability at the polls and in the press has a fighting chance. We have our work cut out for us, and we still need to raise upwards of 400,000 by June 30 to give it everything we can. Please help: Crime and Justice September 1, 2018 How the Trump Administration Went Easy on Small-Town Police Abuses The Obama Justice Department thought Ville Platte, Louisiana could become a model of how to erase policing abuses that plague small towns. Jeff Sessions decided not to bother. Share on Facebook Comments This article was originally published by ProPublica. On a chilly morning in December 2016, 12-year-old Bobby Lewis found himself sitting in a little room at the police station in Ville Platte, a town of 7,300 in southern Louisiana. He wasn’t sure exactly how long it had been, but the detective grilling him had been at it for some time. Bobby was a middle school student—a skinny kid with a polite demeanor—and though he got in trouble at school from time to time, he wasn’t used to getting treated like this. He was alone, facing the detective without a parent or a lawyer. A blank piece of paper sat on the table in front of Bobby. He and his friends were thieves, the detective insisted. They sold drugs. They trafficked guns. The detective brushed off Bobby’s denials. She knew what he was up to, and if he didn’t write it all down—inform on his friends and confess to his crimes—she’d charge him. She’d confiscate his dog, Cinnamon, she told him. She’d throw his mother in jail. Bobby was nothing but a “B” and an “MF,” as he later relayed the detective’s words to me, sheepish about repeating them. When his mother finally turned up at the station house, it seemed only to enrage the detective further. “Wipe that fucking smile off your face, and sit up in that fucking chair,” Bobby and his mother recall the detective barking at him. Earlier that day, Bobby told me, he had been walking home from a friend’s house when a police cruiser pulled up alongside him. He recognized one of the officers. Her name was Jessica LaBorde, but like most people in Ville Platte, Bobby knew her only as Scrappy. The sobriquet was too fitting not to stick. Profanity prone in the extreme, LaBorde was known for her tinderbox temper and hostile disposition. She styled herself like a Marine drill sergeant—fastidiously pressed police blues, jet-black hair pulled back tight—and she would become Bobby’s interrogator. (LaBorde did not respond to calls or a detailed list of questions about the incident.) Somebody had put a rock through a window in one of the abandoned houses that litter Ville Platte, and a neighbor had seen three boys taking shelter from the rain under a carport nearby. But, the neighbor later told Bobby’s mother, Charlotte Lewis, he didn’t know which of the boys had thrown the rock. Bobby admitted he had been there but insisted he wasn’t the culprit. Police need probable cause—evidence sufficient to show there’s a fair likelihood that a person committed a crime—to take someone into custody. Generally, an officer can’t detain somebody just because that person was near the scene of a crime. “Mere propinquity,” the U.S. Supreme Court has written, “does not, without more, give rise to probable cause.” Whether LaBorde didn’t know that or didn’t care, she ordered Bobby into the back of her squad car. LaBorde didn’t call Bobby’s mother to tell her that her 12-year-old was in custody, according to a complaint Lewis later filed with the police department. But eventually another officer did. Lewis says she told the officer not to let anybody question her son until she got there. She had to wait out a morning downpour before she could walk to the station house. “She cussed him out like he’s a stray dog. It’s like my child is a convict or a criminal.” Lewis was familiar with LaBorde’s rough reputation. Still, she told me, she was shocked by how her son was treated. “She cussed him out like he’s a stray dog,” she said. “It’s like my child is a convict or a criminal.” After two hours of pressing Bobby fruitlessly, LaBorde finally let him go—but not before charging him with criminal mischief, police records show. (A judge later dismissed the charge, Lewis told me; a friend admitted throwing the rock.) Two weeks later, on Dec. 19, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a scathing report on policing in Ville Platte and surrounding Evangeline Parish. The investigation found that, for decades, the city Police Department and the parish Sheriff’s Office maintained an unwritten policy of jailing people without probable cause—for days and even weeks at a time—to pressure them to cooperate with law enforcement. These “investigative holds” ensnared anybody who might know something about criminal activity, from a suspect to a potential witness to a suspect’s relatives. As the Justice Department report put it, “Literally anyone in Evangeline Parish or Ville Platte could be arrested and placed ‘on hold’ at any time.” Many were. From 2012 to 2014 alone, the police unlawfully held at least 700 people in Ville Platte—close to a tenth of the town’s residents. That, the report concluded, amounted to “a pattern or practice of unconstitutional conduct.” To end this cycle of abuses, the report prescribed an array of institutional changes to eliminate investigative holds, such as imposing new department protocols and overhauling training regimens. The case wasn’t merely about Ville Platte. The Justice Department lawyers viewed it as a template. Similar policing practices exist in scores of towns and villages across the country, and Justice Department officials selected Ville Platte precisely because it was a pure embodiment of a widespread problem. They hoped it would provide a model for reform at other police departments. Justice Department officials planned to negotiate a consent decree—a long-term reform plan supervised by a federal judge—with local officials. Systemic police reform was a defining feature of the Obama-era Justice Department, which considered judicial oversight key to dislodging unlawful practices as firmly entrenched as investigative holds were in Ville Platte. But Jeff Sessions, who took office as attorney general just months after the Justice Department report, has a different view. He considers his predecessors’ reform efforts, particularly via consent decree, to be gross federal overreach that denigrates and demoralizes police. Sessions all but declared that the Justice Department was getting out of the business of meaningful police reform. There would be no consent decree in Ville Platte. Instead, the result is what former Justice Department officials say is an anemic reform plan, announced in June, that largely leaves the future of policing there to the police. There’s little reason, they say, to expect that this plan will induce law enforcement in Ville Platte to change its ways. The town’s policing culture is defined by arbitrary arrest and detention—and it has been for a long time. It’s a culture that’s proven intensely resistant to change. “You do what you know,” one former Ville Platte police official told me. “And that’s all they know.” When Neal Lartigue joined the Ville Platte Police Department in 1991, investigative holds were part of his training. “I’ve been here 27 years, and that was going on before I started,” he told me when I visited Ville Platte early this year. The practice was never enshrined in any manual, but it was as good as official policy at both the department and the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office, which is headquartered in Ville Platte. (For its part, the Sheriff’s Office didn’t have a policy manual at all until last year.) Lartigue rose to become the Police Department’s narcotics officer, and in that role, he was a regular practitioner of investigative holds, according to a former police official who worked with him during that time. Lartigue would “put people in jail”—people he thought might be drug users or small-time dealers—”and he’d make them sit there, and say: ‘You gonna tell me something? I know you ain’t got the drugs, but you’re getting them from somebody. Who you getting them from?'” the former police official told me. It was an unnerving experience. Lartigue is an intimidating figure—a stern, laconic man with a shaved head and a stout frame. If his detainee pleaded ignorance, the former official said, Lartigue’s response was inevitably, “Well, then you’re gonna sit in jail till you decide you want to talk.” (Lartigue did not respond to requests for comment on his practices as an officer.) Nothing had changed by 2006, when Lartigue was elected chief of police, a position he holds today. Investigative holds remained a basic policing tool in Ville Platte, like dusting for fingerprints or mapping a crime scene. According to the Justice Department report and former local law enforcement officials, the purpose of most investigative holds was to obtain information from a reticent subject: a confession from a suspect, details from a potential witness, denunciations from a prospective informant. On occasion, the point was simpler: to keep a suspect from getting in the way while a detective gathered enough evidence to support an arrest warrant, the probable cause needed to arrest the suspect in the first place. Age was no limiting factor. The Justice Department found more than two dozen instances in which juveniles were subjected to investigative holds. Detainees—even those suspected of no wrongdoing—were strip-searched, booked and thrown in a jail cell, without access to a phone or a lawyer. The intermittent interrogations that followed, the Justice Department noted in its report, carried out “under the threat of continued, secret, indefinite detention,” raised the specter of “coerced statements or false confessions” and, worse, “improper criminal convictions.” In 1991, the year Lartigue became a patrolman, the Supreme Court held that if police make an arrest without a warrant, they have to get a judge to verify that the arrest was based on probable cause “as soon as is reasonably feasible, but in no event later than 48 hours after arrest.” Police are not allowed, the high court said, to delay going to a judge “for the purpose of gathering additional evidence to justify the arrest.” Yet, investigative holds were unilateral in Ville Platte; judges were never asked to determine whether each arrest and detention was in line with the law. Local officials maintain that the holds were an innocent outgrowth of parochialism. “We never intended to violate anyone’s constitutional rights,” Lartigue told local media after the Justice Department issued its 2016 report. The prevailing belief in Ville Platte, the Justice Department found, was that law enforcement could legally jail anybody for up to 72 hours without probable cause—a view of the law that had been wrong for more than half a century. Ville Platte is a deeply isolated place. It sits on the upper edge of the Cajun Prairie, a plain of humid farmland flecked with palmettos, crawfish ponds and live oak that sprawls north from the marshy cane fields nearer to the Gulf of Mexico. In French, the words “ville platte” mean “flat town,” a name that, legend has it, was conferred by one of Napoleon’s former officers. Passing through in the 1850s, the landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted lamented the tedium of the region’s “immense moist plain.” The construction of Interstate 49, in the mid-1980s, bypassed Ville Platte and left it all the more sequestered. Apart from a few annual events, such as the summer Festival de la Viande Boucanée (the Festival of Smoked Meat), Ville Platte has few attractions to draw outsiders. It retains a distinctive sense of place. Gas stations still advertise boudin, cracklin and tasso. It’s not uncommon to run into some locals who speak the regional French dialect. The other side of Ville Platte’s isolation is its poverty. Little gabled houses of shingle and clapboard are left abandoned to rot and collapse in the Woods, south of Main Street. In Crosstown, on the north side, the Parkview Shopping Center sits nearly tenantless, its vast, empty parking lot a reminder of all the spending power there’s not in Ville Platte. This May, an article in USA Today declared the town the poorest in Louisiana. Its median household income is about $18,700, compared with roughly $59,000 for the U.S. as a whole. Ville Platte doesn’t have an organized civil rights community or a legal aid group to investigate policing practices, or any money to fund them. Local criminal defense attorneys might be expected to raise legal challenges to investigative holds, but they, too, thought a person could be held without probable cause for up to 72 hours, former Justice Department officials told me. “Our officials don’t follow the law. They make their own law, and we have to follow it.” Some scoff at the notion that the problem was ignorance alone. There has always been an element within the local law enforcement apparatus, particularly in its upper ranks, that didn’t care what courts and statutes required, say five current and former local law enforcement officials. For that set, the guiding principle was convenience. “We call it the Sovereign State of Evangeline,” one parish resident told me. “Our officials don’t follow the law. They make their own law, and we have to follow it.” In fact, those officials even flouted their own mistaken view of the law: the 72 hours they believed to be the legal limit on holds. The Justice Department documented “several dozen investigate holds” at the Ville Platte Police Department that “extended for at least a full week.” In 2014, attorneys at the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, which handles police reform cases, received a call from an FBI agent named Steve Krueger. Krueger had been assisting a murder investigation in Ville Platte when he’d learned about investigative holds. The FBI agent had been shocked by the patent illegality of the practice, people familiar with the episode said. He met with Lartigue and his detectives to explain that the holds were unconstitutional. The police chief shrugged off Krueger’s entreaties, according to the Justice Department’s 2016 report. Krueger saw firsthand the harm investigative holds did to public safety in Ville Platte. People with information about his murder case had proved uncommonly hesitant to talk to him, he told colleagues. Citizens worried about getting thrown in jail if the police thought they knew anything of value. As the Justice Department’s report put it, decades of arbitrary detention had bred “deep community mistrust and fear of law enforcement.” Police reform cases rely primarily on a Clinton-era law that Civil Rights Division attorneys often call 14141, for its original designation in the U.S. Code. The law empowers the Justice Department to investigate and sue law enforcement agencies when they “engage in a pattern or practice of conduct” that deprives people of their civil rights. In 2009, Tom Perez took the helm at the Civil Rights Division and began to breathe new life into 14141, several former Justice Department officials say. (Perez is now chairman of the Democratic National Committee.) The Bush administration had largely sidelined police reform, favoring out-of-court settlement agreements when they entered into agreements at all. The federal government, Bush said, shouldn’t be “a separate internal affairs division.” After studying earlier cases, Perez’s team became convinced that a court-enforceable consent decree was far more likely to produce meaningful change in most instances. Given the time reform can take, “you need to have a sustained effort, and that needs to be supported and backed up by a judge, a federal judge who’s got the authority to force people to comply with their obligations,” said Jonathan Smith, who led the section that handles police reform from 2010 to 2015. A consent decree contains a set of institutional changes a police department has agreed to make, after negotiations with the Justice Department. A judge approves the agreement and oversees the reform process, usually assisted by an independent monitoring team. Intransigent police officials risk being held in contempt of court or even prosecuted. The judge lifts the consent decree only after the department has restructured its practices and ended its abuses. This typically occurs several years after the decree was put in place. “If, after a consent decree, a department is still a C-, it sure makes a big difference for the people who were living with an F department.” A growing (albeit not unanimous) body of empirical evidence suggests consent decrees measurably improve police practices. But nobody argues they’re a panacea. “Consent decrees don’t turn departments into A+ departments,” said Christy Lopez, the supervisor for the Civil Rights Division’s police-reform attorneys during the Obama administration. But, she added, “if, after a consent decree, a department is still a C-, it sure makes a big difference for the people who were living with an F department.” Perez and his successor, Vanita Gupta, had an ambitious vision for what 14141 could achieve. They targeted common types of police misconduct and designed consent decrees to be templates for reform at other departments. “They became models for a set of best practices across the field,” Gupta told me. Another innovation was bringing local communities into the reform process. It was their rights police had violated, and they would be the ones to hold police accountable after a consent decree was lifted. By the time Krueger placed his call to Washington, in 2014, the small group of attorneys handling 14141 cases had their hands full. In all, the Obama Justice Department would enter into 14 consent decrees, more than twice as many as the Bush and Clinton administrations combined. But Ville Platte struck supervisors as worth the time commitment. Moving law enforcement there away from investigative holds—an egregious example of a fairly widespread policing practice—could guide improvements at other police forces that used such tactics. Lawyers at the Civil Rights Division had received reports of similar practices throughout Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, as well as parts of Florida. “The problem in Ville Platte is very common throughout the South,” Smith said. Indeed, court records showed the problem extended across the U.S., from Texas to Michigan and Georgia to Montana. “You would constantly see judges dropping footnotes: ‘I’m not really sure about the constitutionality of this practice, but nobody raised it,'” a former Justice Department official told me. “So, we need to raise it.” In April 2015, the Justice Department announced an investigation into whether the use of investigative holds in Ville Platte amounted to a pattern or practice of unconstitutional police conduct. In the meantime, the FBI’s Krueger had continued to examine policing practices in the town. In response to the attention from the FBI, Lartigue told me, he told his officers and detectives that they couldn’t use investigative holds any longer. Instead, there was a new procedure: Before they booked anybody, they needed to write up a statement of probable cause, have it notarized and prepare it to be sent to a judge. In December 2014, the Police Department began to require that its detectives and officers become notaries public. That, Lartigue said, would reduce the time it took after an arrest to get a statement of probable cause notarized and sent to a judge for review. “That was our only issue—the holds—and we quickly, swiftly got rid of it,” he told me. (The Sheriff’s Office instituted similar changes.) But what Justice Department attorneys found over the next 20 months indicated that serious problems remained. Local detectives still maintained that all they needed to jail somebody was a “hunch,” a “gut instinct” or “a pretty good feeling” that a person knew something about a crime. Many less senior members of the Ville Platte Police Department acknowledged to Justice Department attorneys that they knew little about proper police procedure. “You haven’t had anybody tell you the right way to do things,” said Jonathon Sparks, a former officer who began working at the Ville Platte Police Department in 2009, when he was 19. “It was only later in life I realized these people’s civil rights were being violated.” There were no beds, toilets, or running water in Ville Platte’s jail cells. Cut off from the outside world, a person on hold spent nights sleeping on a metal bench or on the concrete floor. A woman named Shawana Deville told the attorneys from Washington about the time police had held her overnight as a potential witness to a shooting. Jail guards ordered her to remove her tampon, and she spent the night sleeping on the floor without one. Lartigue confirmed her detention to Justice Department officials. “I just cried the whole time,” Deville would later tell a local television station. Deville is white, but the vast majority of people put on hold were black, former Justice Department officials told me. It wasn’t a simple story of racist white cops, though. Two thirds of Ville Platte’s residents are black, and the local power structure has given ground in recent years to black officials, including the mayor and Lartigue. But that hasn’t uprooted the old dynamic between power and race. “When we were growing up, there was nothing but white cops, and we thought it was bad,” one black Ville Platte resident, Raymond Anderson, told me. “But when the blacks came in, that didn’t make it easier.” (Anderson’s son is in prison—wrongfully, Anderson contends—for the murder that led police to hold Deville.) “When you speak up, you are looked at as a trouble maker,” one of them told a local reporter after the meeting. Local residents, as Krueger had seen, feared what law enforcement would do to them if they spoke out. Nevertheless, at a community meeting in September 2015, about 150 people turned up to share their experiences with the Justice Department attorneys. “When you speak up, you are looked at as a trouble maker,” one of them told a local reporter after the meeting. But optimism overcame fear of police retaliation. If they shared their stories, the Justice Department might bring its power and resources to bear on police misconduct in Ville Platte. As the investigation proceeded, Lartigue told me, he made a few more changes aimed at satisfying the Justice Department—”very few,” he added, to underscore his view that he’d already done all he needed to do. In March 2016, the Police Department revised its policy manual to prohibit detaining witnesses. “Unfortunately,” the policy stated, though the practice is “convenient and effective,” it “can result in civil liability.” Despite such steps, the legal peril for law enforcement in Ville Platte seemed to be rising as 2016 progressed. The feds weren’t the only ones circling; Louisiana state prosecutors had begun their own investigation. Krueger had retired from the FBI in 2015—and promptly teamed up with the Louisiana State Inspector General, people familiar with the case said. They eventually brought a case to Jeff Landry, the state’s newly elected attorney general. Landry agreed to open a criminal investigation, with assistance from the FBI, into unlawful detention in Ville Platte. In mid-November 2016, Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Sessions to be his attorney general. The choice didn’t bode well for the Justice Department’s plans in Ville Platte. As a senator, Sessions had made no secret of his antipathy for consent decrees and Obama-era police reform. Critics argued that the Justice Department deployed them too aggressively. Sessions’ concern, however, wasn’t that police reform by consent decree was overused or ineffective. His problem was with the very premise. He saw consent decrees as unconstitutional federal intrusions into state and local affairs. They “undermine the respect for police officers,” he testified at his January 2017 confirmation hearing, “and create an impression that the entire department is not doing their work consistent with fidelity to law and fairness.” In its December 2016 report, the Justice Department laid out the changes it anticipated requiring of the Ville Platte Police Department and Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office: They would need to overhaul policies, training procedures, recordkeeping systems and internal accountability mechanisms. The plan was to implement those reforms through a consent decree, former Justice Department officials said, and in early March 2017, Civil Rights Division attorneys traveled to Ville Platte to discuss reforms with community members and local officials. “We will not sign consent decrees for political expediency that will cost more lives by handcuffing the police instead of the criminals.” But on March 31, Sessions issued what many lawyers for the Justice Department saw as the coup de grâce to its police reform efforts. “It is not the responsibility of the federal government to manage non-federal law enforcement agencies,” the attorney general wrote in an agency-wide memorandum, which ordered a review of contemplated consent decrees. He expanded on his thinking in an Op-Ed in USA Today: “We will not sign consent decrees for political expediency that will cost more lives by handcuffing the police instead of the criminals.” In April 2017, the Justice Department made its first endeavor to translate policy into practice—an 11th-hour attempt to scuttle a consent decree with Baltimore’s embattled police department. A judge in Maryland swatted it away. Meanwhile, in Ville Platte, the Justice Department went silent. In an interview with a local newspaper right after the Justice Department report was issued, Lartigue compared investigative holds to an old family recipe for boudin sausage. He meant to highlight the lost provenance of the practice. But the analogy was apt in another sense, too. In Ville Platte, the police were used to making their sausage in particular ways, and they wouldn’t be easy to give up. Even townspeople who’d suffered under the holds saw them as a kind of local custom. “Dat just how dey do,” was the refrain I heard, in patois laced with resignation. In one sense, Lartigue was right that law enforcement in Ville Platte had stopped using investigative holds. There was no longer an open policy of jailing local residents without probable cause. But that didn’t mean local law enforcement had stopped using arbitrary arrest and detention. They hadn’t. As one law enforcement official in Ville Platte put it, “They’re just finding another way.” (“It’s very common,” a former Justice Department official told me, to see unlawful policing practices, in the face of federal scrutiny, “simply morph and take on new forms that are harder to ferret out.”) On May 15, 2017, Robert Wilson and three friends walked into the Ville Platte police station, a squat, salmon-colored bunker that sits just behind City Hall, at the center of town. Three weeks earlier, a stray bullet had killed a bystander down the street from a housing project where Wilson—who is 22 and goes by his middle name, Marquez—and several friends had been wiling away a Sunday evening. A couple days after the shooting, Marquez’s 19-year-old brother, Tieberrious, was arrested on murder charges. Now, Marquez had gotten word that detectives wanted to talk to him. At the police station, Marquez was ushered into the office of the chief detective, Steve Deville. A heavyset man with a dark goatee and a low, soft drawl, Deville turned on a tape recorder and asked Marquez to sign a form to confirm he understood his Miranda rights. Marquez panicked when he saw where Deville was asking him to sign. “Why you—why you got it as ‘suspect’?” he asked Deville. “I’m a suspect?” Deville assured him that was just how the form is designed. Marquez walked Deville through what had happened the night of the shooting, according to a police transcript of the interview. His account largely lined up with what Tieberrious had told detectives the previous month. Marquez had gotten into an argument on the street with a contemporary of his named Santiago Thomas. Afterward, Marquez, Tieberrious, and their companions had gone to a friend’s house to avoid further conflict. Ten or fifteen minutes later, they heard gunshots and ran outside to see Thomas’ car careening down the street. Deville wasn’t buying it. “I’m not saying that you are lying,” he told Marquez. “But if you are, I want to just explain something to you, okay? If you are, then there’s nothing that we can do to help later on.” Marquez insisted he was telling the truth. After 14 minutes, Deville turned off his tape recorder. But, according to Marquez, the interrogation didn’t end: “If you lie to me again, I’m going to lock you up,” Deville told him. Marquez again insisted that he wasn’t lying. “All right,” Deville said. “We’re gonna see if you’re lying.” Deville led him to a holding cell. “I was terrified,” Marquez told me. Deville said he’d find out soon enough if Marquez’s story matched the recollections of the friends who’d come with him to the police station. Marquez took a seat on a metal bench and waited. He’d grown up in Beaumont, Texas, and he wasn’t used to how the police operated in Ville Platte. He’d never been to jail before, he told me. Marquez didn’t know this, but Deville had a reason to lean on him. The detective had next to no evidence against Tieberrious. When I later reached Deville by phone, he denied having put Marquez in a jail cell. “After he gave us the recorded statement, we walked him straight back to the front lobby, where he waited for everybody to finish, and they left together,” Deville told me. But the friends who accompanied Marquez to the station house that day recall things differently. One of them, Ebony Soileau, said she doesn’t remember seeing Marquez after he went to be interviewed, and Marquez later told another friend, Shawn Thomas, that “they had him in the back,” Thomas said, a reference to the police station’s jail. Marquez didn’t know this, but Deville had a reason to lean on him. The detective had next to no evidence against Tieberrious. In three weeks—with a woman dead, Tieberrious in jail and memories growing no sharper—police had collected statements from only two witnesses, according to Deville’s official summary of his investigation. Neither witness had seen Tieberrious fire a gun. Two hours later, Marquez told me, Deville opened the cell door. Deville had interviewed his friends. His story checked out. He was free to go. This, three former Ville Platte police officials told me, is one of the tactics that has come to replace investigative holds at the police department. In this case the hold is unofficial and it’s shorter, rarely lasting more than a day. “They would bring them in and make the person think they’re being arrested,” one of the former police officials said. The detainee was never actually booked into the jail, and the absence of a paper trail made it harder to prove that somebody had been illegally detained. “The longer-term holds—the overnight holds—stopped by 2016,” Jonathon Sparks, one of the former officers, said. After leaving the Ville Platte Police Department in late 2009 and working at other law-enforcement agencies in southwestern Louisiana, he’d returned in 2016, hoping to find that things had changed. They hadn’t, and he left after a few months. “They were still bringing people in during the day,” Sparks said. “They were very much holding them with no charges and no warrants—just smoke and mirrors.” The tactic remained in regular use for several months after the Justice Department issued its report, said another former officer, Natosha Murphy, who worked at the Police Department until summer 2017. Lartigue disputed these accounts. “That never happened,” he said. (Murphy is suing Lartigue and the department, alleging she was forced to resign after she contacted state and federal authorities to reveal illegal conduct at the department.) Often, Murphy and Sparks told me, detectives hold their quarries in the station house breakroom, where the surveillance cameras don’t work. Sometimes, as Marquez learned firsthand, detectives transfer them to a jail cell for a few hours to scare them into talking. To compel reluctant Ville Platte residents to go with police to the station house—without actually arresting them—detectives developed a separate set of dubious tactics. “You say you’re going to arrest them for interfering with an investigation for not talking or you say, ‘We have a warrant on you,'” Murphy told me. “Ninety percent of the time, there’s no warrant.” (Courts let police lie about a lot of things but not about having a warrant.) When I asked Deville, the chief detective, about this practice, he was silent. At times, police took this method a step further. When a detective didn’t have enough evidence to get a judge to approve an arrest, the three former Ville Platte police officials said, the detective filled out a probable cause affidavit and got another officer to notarize it, but never forwarded it to a judge. To the untrained eye, a notarized affidavit could pass for an arrest warrant. Other times, detectives would flash an official-looking document that had nothing to do with the case. “They’d show it to suspects, pretending it was a warrant,” Murphy told me. “A lot of people can’t read or write.” When I asked him about notarized affidavits doubling as ersatz warrants, Lartigue grew uncharacteristically animated. “No,” he insisted. “That’s a blatant lie. I guarantee you that’s not the case. No.” Three former Ville Platte police officials, including Murphy and Sparks, told me Lartigue was aware of the practices they described. Those who refused to take part, they said, were threatened with professional reprisal. Sometimes, instead of faking warrants, detectives faked their way to real warrants. The trick was to write—but never issue—a ticket or citation for a fabricated infraction in the name of whomever a detective wanted to talk to, the three former Ville Platte police officials told me. Detectives could get an arrest warrant on the basis of the unissued ticket. A popular choice of infraction was fleeing from the police, Murphy and Sparks told me. “The person might not have been doing anything. They might have been at their house,” Sparks said. Lartigue denied the existence of this practice, too. Deville hung up on me when I asked him about it. Lartigue maintained that he’d gotten his department right with the law a long time ago. “We corrected it, and we’re sticking to it.” By the time Lartigue and I spoke in late February, he hadn’t heard from the Justice Department in nearly a year. He figured that meant the feds were satisfied with what they’d seen when they visited a year earlier. He maintained that he’d gotten his department right with the law a long time ago. “We corrected it, and we’re sticking to it,” he said. “We’re still operating like we were.” In Washington, meanwhile, Sessions and his team continued to dismantle the Justice Department’s police-reform programs. During the summer of 2017, they achieved in Chicago what they’d failed to accomplish in Baltimore: stop a consent-decree process initiated by the previous administration. Despite Sessions’ explicit opposition to consent decrees, attorneys in the Civil Rights Division felt strongly enough about the problems in Ville Platte, according to a Justice Department official, that they drafted a consent decree. Their bosses rejected it. The Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office assists the police in Ville Platte, but it chiefly patrols the further-flung parts of the parish, outside its towns. The consensus among residents and those who’ve seen local law enforcement from the inside is that it’s less prone to arbitrary detention than the Ville Platte Police Department. The Justice Department’s report bears that out: It documented about 200 investigative holds at the Sheriff’s Office from 2012 to 2014, compared with about 700 at the Police Department. Still, unlawful detentions have persisted at the Sheriff’s Office. Detectives and deputies have adapted to the Justice Department probe by holding people by the roadside instead of in the jailhouse, a law enforcement official in Ville Platte told me. “To protect themselves, they strong-arm people on the street,” the official said. It’s relatively easy to avoid documenting a catch-and-release-style street stop. One Saturday in mid-February, Leeann Fontenot witnessed a friend steal a truck. Later that night, she offered to give a statement to deputies from the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office, but they weren’t interested, she told me a few days later. Fontenot drifts between the homes of friends and relatives. “I’m actually homeless,” she told me. Her warbling Cajun accent betrays hints of a hard Texan “r,” the result of a childhood crisscrossing Texas and Louisiana with her mother. Several run-ins with the law have made it difficult to find steady work, she says. When we spoke, she was staying at a house just outside Ville Platte. Rusted gardening implements and propane tanks cluttered the front porch. Two metal crosses and what looked like part of an animal skull hung beside the front door. By Sunday evening—the day after the truck theft—the sheriff’s deputies had seemingly changed their minds. Fontenot and a friend had just pulled into the driveway of another house where she sometimes stayed when her friend’s pickup truck filled with pulsing light. Two deputies ordered Fontenot and her friend, Jeff Fontenot, out of the truck. (The pair aren’t related; the surname Fontenot is to Ville Platte what Smith is to the rest of the country.) One of the deputies took her aside. Fontenot is 26, but she looks a decade younger; she’s barely 5 feet tall and slight. The deputy handcuffed her nevertheless. “Where’s the truck?” he asked. Fontenot said she didn’t know. “It happens all the time,” Fontenot told me later—law enforcement stopping her on the street for no reason other than to press her for information. As the deputy began searching her pockets, Fontenot says she asked him to stop and call a female officer, but the plea went unheeded. She wasn’t wearing a belt, and as the deputy shoved his hands into her pockets, she told me, her shorts began to slide down her thigh. When she asked the deputy to pull them back up, he told her to wait. The deputy went through her cell phone, Fontenot says, without her permission. (Under a 2013 Supreme Court decision, police need a warrant or permission for such a search.) Fontenot was perplexed. The deputy, whose name she didn’t catch, had seen her the night before. “Why y’all doing all this?” she asked. “Y’all saw me last night.” The deputy called her a liar. “It happens all the time,” Fontenot told me later—law enforcement stopping her on the street for no reason other than to press her for information. In the meantime, the other sheriff’s deputy, Eric Frugé, had taken Jeff behind his police cruiser. Frugé patted him down but didn’t cuff him. When the deputy searched Jeff’s truck, he found a small amount of marijuana. Fontenot admitted it was hers. The deputies ordered her to come in the following morning, a Monday, and tell them where the stolen truck was. Otherwise, they’d charge her with marijuana possession and grand theft auto. The second charge confused her; it was her friend who’d stolen the truck. (Jeff corroborated key details of Fontenot’s account but was standing a squad car’s length away from her, so he didn’t know whether the deputy had searched Fontenot’s phone or threatened to charge her. The Sheriff’s Office did not respond to a detailed set of questions. In response to questions sent to Frugé via Facebook, the deputy responded with an emoji of an angry face.) Fontenot didn’t go to the sheriff’s office that Monday. She didn’t know where the truck was, but more to the point, she was afraid of what might happen to her. She’d been subjected to an investigative hold before, she told me. “I don’t want them to put me on another hold.” On Feb. 27, 2018, after nearly a year of silence, a lawyer from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division sent an email to Eric LaFleur, a powerful state senator who moonlights as the Ville Platte city attorney. The Justice Department, the attorney wrote, had “prepared a proposal to address the findings” in its December 2016 report. Arthur Sampson, arguably the only civil rights activist in Ville Platte, had been a key community liaison. But he was caught by surprise when I told him I’d learned Justice Department attorneys were coming to town in March. The Trump administration had eliminated from the discussions the local community whose rights its police-reform work was meant to protect. “How can they know what we need when they’re not meeting with the community?” Sampson said. (A Civil Rights Division official said community input obtained earlier in the process “played an important role.”) It wasn’t initially a happy moment for local officials, either. I called Lartigue in March to ask about the negotiations. “You’ll have to ask the Justice Department,” he said curtly, before hanging up on me. The tenor would soon change. When I spoke with LaFleur a couple of weeks later, he was evasive about the details of the agreement. But he chuckled and said: “We’re happy with what they’re recommending.” By June 4, it was official: There would be no consent decree and no federal judge to ensure compliance. Instead, the Justice Department announced a pair of out-of-court settlement agreements with the Ville Platte Police Department and the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office. “This is a way to basically allow these departments to go forward just as they were before,” said Roy Austin, who oversaw the department’s police-reform docket from 2010 to 2014. Austin was troubled by the lack of a local independent monitor, a regular feature of Obama-era reform agreements. Combined with the lack of judicial oversight, that meant “there’s no one to hold them accountable in any formal way,” Austin said. “It’s very hard to hide things from a true monitoring team, as compared to hiding things from someone who can’t be there all the time.” The Justice Department disagreed, calling the agreements “stringent.” “The Justice Department monitors and assesses the compliance” of the Police Department and Sheriff’s Office “on a basis similar to an independent monitor team, and reserves the right to take appropriate legal action if we determine that both parties are not in substantial compliance or have not worked in good faith to achieve substantial compliance,” Justice Department spokesperson Kelly Laco said. Laco did not explain what led the department to reject the recommendation of the attorneys working on the case to implement a consent decree. The Justice Department will superintend reforms from 1,000 miles away in Washington. The difficulty isn’t just distance. Even in the best of circumstances, “these cases are really time intensive and very difficult to do,” Austin said. These weren’t the best of circumstances. The Civil Rights Division’s police-reform group has lost a quarter of its staff attorneys during the Trump administration, and those who remain have told former colleagues they’ve grown more deferential in their dealings with local law enforcement. They don’t believe the political leadership will back them if disputes arise. “The city is coming up with the metrics, measuring its own compliance with the metrics… It undermines the whole purpose of the agreement.” The settlement terms themselves mostly retained only a faint outline of what past agreements would have required. For example, there was a section called “Community Engagement,” which in earlier agreements contained detailed requirements for improving and monitoring police-community relations, sometimes even obligating cities to establish civilian oversight bodies. In the Ville Platte agreements, the section consisted of a single short paragraph calling for a “public education effort.” What does that mean in practice? In early August came the apparent answer: The Police Department held its first “Police and Community Together Fun Day,” an event advertised as featuring face painting, a dunking booth and “LoLo the Clown.” Lartigue seemed content with the settlement. As he told a local publication, it amounts to “just a few more documents.” Indeed, the types of reforms the agreements emphasize—”clear policy guidance”; “thorough documentation” of arrests, detentions and interrogations; “supervisory oversight”—amount to just a few more documents if nobody’s making sure they amount to more than that.The “outcome assessments” that determine when the agreements are satisfied—usually carried out by an independent monitor under a consent decree—are now self-assessments. “The city is coming up with the metrics, measuring its own compliance with the metrics, and then the parties are deciding on that basis whether the police get out of the agreement,” a former Justice Department official said. “It undermines the whole purpose of the agreement.” Policy, for example, is easily flouted. What happened to Leeann Fontenot, Bobby Lewis and Marquez Wilson was already forbidden by policy. It happened anyway. (This year, after a judge ordered Marquez’s brother released from jail for lack of evidence, prosecutors charged Marquez in his place. He has pleaded not guilty, and it’s unclear whether the evidence is any less shaky this time around.) And supervisory oversight is of dubious value if the supervisors themselves—the detectives—are the chief perpetrators of the misconduct. The settlement agreements did change at least one thing in Ville Platte: It raised the likelihood that no police official will be held individually accountable for illegally detaining the town’s citizens. For more than two years, the Louisiana attorney general’s office and the FBI had been collecting evidence of criminal wrongdoing by officials at the Ville Platte Police Department, according to several people familiar with the case. “Their file is like this,” said one person who had spoken repeatedly with investigators, gesturing to indicate a stack of documents a foot high. All of that fizzled after the Justice Department unveiled its deal. The press release announcing the agreements lauded police officials: they had “cooperated fully throughout this matter, and we are eager to continue to work together,” it read. Investigators saw the agreement as lenient, according to people who have spoken with them. The Louisiana attorney general’s office felt it was untenable to recommend the indictment of officials at a police department the Justice Department had publicly praised and, in the view of investigators, had let off the hook with a lax settlement agreement. That, two people familiar with the decision say, led the office to conclude that it had to close the criminal investigation. (The attorney general’s office and FBI declined to comment. The Justice Department’s Laco said the agreement “does not in any way preclude or prevent any law enforcement agency from taking criminal action against an individual under any other law.”) In Ville Platte, as news of the agreements spread, a familiar fatalism settled on the town. Residents had taken risks sharing their stories because the federal government had promised change. Nobody from the Justice Department had come to explain what the agreements purported to do—another past practice jettisoned—but locals had a pretty good idea that the federal government wasn’t living up to its side of the bargain. After talk of a lawsuit and a federal judge, they got watered-down agreements brokered in secret. “A lot of people stuck their necks out on the promise that the Justice Department was going to do something and that change was coming,” said a former official there who had been involved in the case. “And then they didn’t do anything—they soft-shoed it instead.” ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for their newsletter. Looking for news you can trust? Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from Mother Jones and our partners. 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In-depth journalism that investigates the powerful takes real money and is so damn important right now.But it doesn’t take a Mother Jones investigation to know that billionaires and corporations will never fund the type of reporting (like they do politicians) we do that exists to help bring about change. Instead, our mission-driven journalism is made possible by people power, and has been for 46 years now since our founding as a non-profit. In “TITLE TK” Monica Bauerlein writes about the perilous moment we’re in, and why it’s so important that we raise $325,000 by the time November’s midterms are decided so we can be ready to throw everything we have at the big issues facing the nation no matter what happens. Please help MoJo’s people-powered journalism with a donation today. $400,000 to go! Related The LA County Jail Has Been Chaining Mentally Ill Men to Chairs for Days Sponsored Post On Parched Earth: A Water Ceremony, Community, and Hope for Rain Latest The Next Test Books are the best I am a new article wheeeee fun. times Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from Mother Jones and our partners. Get our award-winning magazine Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights. Support our journalism RHC membership for blog posts view comments Inexpensive, too! Subscribe today and get a full year of Mother Jones for just $14.95. December 2022 October 2022 August 2022 Looking for news you can trust? Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from Mother Jones and our partners. 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At Affordable Weaver, we are a Warminster painting contractor that specializes in a wide variety of painting services. Whether your Warminster property is a new build, a remodel or just in need of a retouch, our expert painters can tackle on whatever job you throw at them. Regardless of what kind of aesthetic appeal you are looking for, whether it is dramatic, subtle, bright or professional, we can complete a project on your Warminster property with no limitations. We are a contractor that provides fast and affordable services to properties throughout Warminster. Like a painting company should, we offer both interior and exterior painting services. Regardless of which type of service you need, our painting company can complete a project on any commercial or residential property in Warminster We offer our clients an array of paint colors as well as paint options that are designed to fit the needs of their home or business. We are repeat customers of Affordable Weaver painting. The painters come on time, prepared with all necessary supplies and are extremely neat and clean. The painters are friendly and do everything possible to make sure that we are totally satisfied with their work. We highly recommend this painting company and feel that the estimate we received both times was quite fair. I hired Wayne to paint my kitchen, foyer, and hallway. His crew including Jose and 2 other men were amazing!!! They did a perfect job!! They were polite, paid close attention to detail, worked efficiently, and exceeded my expectations!! I would absolutely hire them again!! Interior repair and painting of the house after roof leakages was done very professionally in four days (vs. two weeks as quoted by others). Work quality is excellent. Upon completion the house was clean, furniture on their places. Will hire them again when time comes. Highly recommend. Affordable Weaver was by far the best price out of about 5 painters that I contacted to paint entire home in Philadelphia. They did excellent job and were on time. I was really impressed with all the preparation they did and final product looks great! Would recommend to all. I'm having them back to paint exterior. At Affordable Weaver, our Warminster painters want to make your home or business life less stressful. In order to provide you with a service that leaves you satisfied, we work closely with you and your schedule to meet your expectations. We make sure to do our job will being clean and tidy, minimizing any inconvenience to your Warminster property. For thoughtful and considerate service, look no further than Affordable Weaver. Providing Warminster with Interior and Exterior Painting Services Our skilled painters provide residential and commercial interior and exterior painting services across the Warminster area. These services are provided to property owners that own houses, apartment complexes, property management buildings and commercial business properties. Our professionals are skilled at preparing surfaces for projects and accurately applying the paint in order to achieve the curb appeal you desire. Some of our interior services include apartment building painting, cabinet refinishing, crown and base molding and door staining. Our exterior services include deck refinishing, door, exterior commercial and residential painting, garage floors, and wood refinishing. We know that most homeowners don't take the decision to go through with a major house painting project lightly. We work closely with our Warminster, PA customers to ensure satisfaction. Our talented and qualified painters will help you get the look and feel you want. We will happily answer any questions you may have throughout the process. We are a painting contractor that wants to work with you on scheduling. We will create a schedule that best accommodates your life. Since 1990, Affordable Weaver has provided high quality paint services throughout Pennsylvania. If you are looking to work with qualified and talented painters in order to give your Warminster, PA property the look and feel that you desire, Affordable Weaver will take on the task. Helping homes and businesses transform their properties is what drives us each day. Give us a call now to start your project off on the right foot or receive a free quote! Affordable Weaver is a full-service Philadelphia painting contractor that offers residential and commercial interior painting services and exterior painting services throughout the Philadelphia area.	4,810
The research aims to study the blood plasma concentration of certain biological components response to sleep in men and women against the effects of Electromagnetic radiation. The study used two groups of test participants – one group used an EMF-protection device for two months – the other group slept on normal beds for the same period. The results in the blood plasma showed an increase in good hormones responsible for sleep and happiness in those who used the EMF-cancelation bed system for two months, while there was no change in those that slept on their normal beds. This study once again verifies the usefulness and importance of EMF-protection devices from Aires Tech and the health benefits you stand to enjoy in the long run. Recently, human's vulnerability and the health risks attached to EMF radiation exposure have been among the leading topics in the scientific world. Several private and public health organizations are now paying great attention to this silent destroyer in our environment, and efforts are being put to salvage the damages. In addition, numerous health research studies about the dangers of EMF radiation, how certain devices can help protect man from the harmful effects of the radiation, and how technology gadgets emit EMF radiation have been published. Health experts are also including new studies that can help analyze the dangers in online medical journals. This article contains the breakdown of one of these studies and the corresponding results gathered. We will take a quick look at the effect of EMF-cancelation bed on sleep quality. The study Research has shown that natural sources emit Electromagnetic radiation since the dawn of time. We have always been exposed to a healthy amount of thisnon-harmful radiation since civilization. However, human advancement and the development of technological devices have increased the amount of these radiations to a dangerous level. With an unjust level of radiation constantly being emitted and absorbed by humans, the results on the body's biological components have not been as positive as it has been observed totamper with the body's homeostatic systems. This system is responsible for sleep and major functions of the body. Hence, the reason for theincrease in reported cases of insomnia and sleeplessness in society. The study,Improvement of several stress response and sleep quality hormones in men and women after sleeping in a bed that protects against electromagnetic fields by E Díaz‑Del Cerro, J Félix, JAF Tresguerres, and M De la Fuente talks about emitted electromagnetic fields and their effects to the homeostatic system of man. Using a bed with a HOGO system that helps and prevents EMF radiation, the study observed the biological functions of the test persons for further analysis. Since EMF radiation from our phones, laptops, smart meters, and even cables constantly emits a considerable amount of radiation to the environment, we are unable to control how much we absorb, even in our sleep. The study chose to use a HOGO system — in this case, and it refers to a specially made bed with an EMF-cancellation technology that protects you from these emitted radiations. Hence the test subjects can sleep naturally without the limiting or inhibitory effects of the constantly emitted EMF rays. In return, the body undergoes a transformational change as it no longer absorbs EMF radiation for some time (two months). This research aims to study the blood concentrations of several hormones related to stress response and sleep quality and to corroborate the rejuvenation of their biological age. The research method The research process involved 28 men and women whose biological chemicals were analyzed before and after using the HOGO bed system for two months. The chemicals to be studied are the plasma concentration of cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), catecholamines (epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine), serotonin, oxytocin, and melatonin, which are all responsible for certain processes in the homeostatic system of the body, and the ages of the people involved are within the range of 23-73 years. The test participants were divided into two groups: one group consisting of 18 people used the HOGO system beds that help isolate EMF radiations and drain out any existing ones, and the other participants (n=10) slept on their regular beds. In addition to the 28 aforementioned participants, the concentration of cortisol and testosterone in another group consisting of 25 men sleeping in the HOGO rest system was studied. To ensure the results were accurate, the test participants had similar characteristics as regards social class, education, lifestyle, and, most importantly, sleeping habits. What is the HOGO bed? The HOGO bed is an EMF-cancellation bed system that consists of a customized, articulated box spring and adaption system for each body part. The bed's mattress is made with natural materials like coconut fibers, bamboo, and organic cotton with an in-built patented technology that removes EMF. The pillow is also made with natural latex woven with graphite and silver mesh and patented technology for removing EMFs. The blanket is made of Merina wool tested and flaky to prevent allergies and improve oxygenation. The HOGO rest system is connected to the building ground system for the easy removal of residual and accumulated EMFs in the person during the day. The volunteers were first randomized into one HOGO bed or rest system. The HOGO bed and rest systems were installed in the room of each volunteer without tampering with the existing bedroom design to allow them to carry out their usual lifestyle. In addition, the Electromagnetic radiation of each room, including the walls, ceiling, floors, and furniture, was measured. Before plugging in the HOGO system, the average EMF result was 990±270mV, after, it kept decreasing to 35±10mV until it reached the no-concern figure as stated by Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas SBM-2008. Between 9:00 - 10:00 am, 12 mL of blood were obtained from each participant before and after sleeping on the HOGO bed and rest systems for better study. The Results The researchers measured the test participant's neurotransmitters and hormones in the withdrawn plasma. After two months of resting on the HOGO system, there was a significant increase in the cortisol/DHEA concentration, suggesting a positive impact on the body's homeostatic system. In addition, there was also an increase in the results obtained for catecholamines, the plasma concentration of norepinephrine, and the results obtained for serotonin, oxytocin, and melatonin concentration in plasma, showing an increase in sleep hormones. The test participants who did not sleep on the HOGO bed or rest systems had no change in their plasma concentration nor received a decrease in stress hormones. This result is yet another proof that EMF radiation is a raging danger that is slowly gaining recognition in society. However, we fear its negative impacts might have caused substantial harm to many before it fully captures the attention of the entire populace. The study above shows the blood plasma difference between those who used EMF-cancellation bed systems and those who slept on regular beds for two months. As expected, the blood plasma content showed an increase in hormones that regulate sleep, anxiety, and overall biological age in this who were protected, while there was no change in those who did not. While we cannot all afford to get HOGO beds or carry them around, we can utilizeportable EMF-cancellation products from Aires Tech to help protect ourselves from the dangers of EMF. Related Posts TEDx with Dr. Devra Davis : Similarities between Sperm + the Brain Summary Points Loopholes in existing EMF radiation safety regulations and the need for new regulations Radiofrequ... The 1900s and 2000s saw some of the most accelerated scientific and technological growth with the rise of the more ad... 5G : Would you trade your health for a faster internet connection? What is better than a good internet connection? An even better and faster one. Like every avid gadget user, an increa...	8,275
[QUOTE=Killerbee911;5513725]Since the campfire stories are deifying and villainizing certain things which will lead to certain attitude . It is on you whether or not you want to think it is insidious in nature, Military, Churches, Political Parties and even schools indoctrinate their members.[/QUOTE] She reduced the Mutant population by 98%.....I don't think it's called vilifying when a people speak the truth about perpetrators of Genocide [QUOTE=BroHomo;5513753]She reduced the Mutant population by 98%.....I don't think it's called vilifying when a people speak the truth about perpetrators of Genocide[/QUOTE] Like Killerbee mentioned he’s not just vilifying Wanda he’s also spent time deifying Magneto. He’s teaching these very young children to accept his world views without any sort of critical lens, which is pretty problematic coming from a centuries old man with a history of extremism. [QUOTE=Kingdom X;5513305]Magneto may not be treated as an antagonist but Mystique, Exodus, Shaw, and Sinister definitely still are. Some of their schemes are more behind the scenes but I like the tensions that’s building.[/QUOTE] I don't know, their actions should be acknowledged as antagonistic, right? Behind the scenes isn't quite the same, especially if the characters still treat them all as allies. [QUOTE=Rang10;5513384]That is true. Someone should really check if the idea is good or just destruction for the sake of it.It's hard to dedicate to comics when in one storyline everything is undone i don't get the idea that they are antagonist. they are part of the government[/QUOTE] Yeah, there should be more care involved with such drastic turns. [QUOTE=Kingdom X;5513578]Antagonist: a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; an adversary. Mystique is clearly planning to take her revenge and revive Destiny. Shaw murdered Kate and is a direct adversary for the protagonists in Marauders. Exodus is indoctrinating children every time we see him and he attacked Cypher during XoS. Sinister has already betrayed the Hellions and likely plans on betraying Krakoa as a whole. Just because they're part of the government doesn't mean that they're not adversaries against our heroes.[/QUOTE] Oops, didn't see this earlier. This sounds good, but what's the pacing and how are the actions framed in story? That's more a rhetorical question, I'm not reading anything other than X-Men so I can't judge this in greater detail. Hopefully these all have proper follow-through. [QUOTE=Killerbee911;5513598]Yup this type of answer I expected to get , So 10 years all those big names and you can't throw stories in my face and go look you are wrong. Why? because does big names have not done actually do anything for the story for years at times mentioning them is false premise. The last good Magneto story was Cullen Bunn series, The last good Mr. Sinister was Kieron Gillen story, The good Legion story was Si Spurrier, The last good Apocalypse story was AoA, Mystique and Exodus frankly are overrated from terms of quality story. Saying we have from these amazing villains to well nothing is falsehood because the good villains are used so much in bad stories they have loss their kick. I didn't say the characters I mention are great villains I said they are off to good start but they will never match the past villains when Magneto, Apocalypse and others are always sitting in front of them always being used in the big but bad stories. From 2008 to 2019 think of new impactful X-men villain made, Genesis and original Horsemen are already more impactful than ANY villain made during that period(I would say the same about Orchis as well). The intended thing is happening with franchise with big X-villains sitting in grey area now, Orchis has chance to be use in big impact story ,Arakko has chance to be used in big impact story. Saturne was elevated into heavy hitter. The Children of the Vault is being elevated into a heavy hitters. But hey you guys want more Blood of the Apocalypse, Mojo Worldwide, X-men Blue Mothervine stuff with Magneto and Emma acting unexplainable different I guess.[/QUOTE] Would you like to relax? This isn't a fight, no one is gonna win here. [I]You[/I] wanted a list of stories, don't get an attitude because my point doesn't meet your expectations. Argue the point or don't. We agree there's been a decade of terrible stories, so that means the protagonists have also suffered. You said they were good villains but most are recently introduced and haven't been used extensively. Ultimately this is all beside the point, and not what I was arguing originally so don't presume to tell me what I think or want just because I have an opinion you don't like. [QUOTE=Killerbee911;5513598]Yup..Shaw, Apocalypse and Mr Sinister have been running shenanigans from day 1. Mystique is about to be doing the same. Exodus and Magneto have been indoctrinating children with a philosophy that is not what classic X-men are about. Selene and Emplate feed on mutants it is only a matter of time they do something . Amahl Farouk is running around supposedly helping. You can be on the same side but have different goals and different methods of achieving those goals which leads to conflict. The villains where put on krakoa to implode the situation.[/QUOTE] Do you understand that if these characters return to form and succeed in destroying Krakoa from the inside the protagonists will look like idiots? [QUOTE=BroHomo;5513753]She reduced the Mutant population by 98%.....I don't think it's called vilifying when a people speak the truth about perpetrators of Genocide[/QUOTE] Unless those perpetrators are on the Council, then it's fine. All these secret agendas are going on but we've barely seen hide or hair of them actually advancing in the story the past two years. If it takes the better part of a decade to pay off on all these threads it's not unreasonable to start getting bored. [QUOTE=BroHomo;5513753]She reduced the Mutant population by 98%.....I don't think it's called vilifying when a people speak the truth about perpetrators of Genocide[/QUOTE] Genocide is a problematic word to use for what Wanda did. Most of the mutants were still alive albeit changed. “Forced conversion” is a bit better… except mutants never choose to be mutants to begin with like with a religion, and, with sexual orientation, forced conversion is a torture that doesn’t work. I think it’s better to say there’s no analogy for Wanda did. She hurt most of the mutants, that’s true, but using the word “genocide” is a cheap use of this word. [QUOTE=Zelena;5515554]Genocide is a problematic word to use for what Wanda did. Most of the mutants were still alive albeit changed. “Forced conversion” is a bit better… except mutants never choose to be mutants to begin with like with a religion, and, with sexual orientation, forced conversion is a torture that doesn’t work. I think it’s better to say there’s no analogy for Wanda did. She hurt most of the mutants, that’s true, but using the word “genocide” is a cheap use of this word.[/QUOTE] That's the problem when an ethnicity metaphor is based entirely around laws of physics breaking purely fictional random super powers, with the people having these super powers still being (almost) entirely baseline human without them, since it's all related to just a single gene which for some shouldn't even work as they have no DNA anymore. Because in the past when someone with an altered form was somehow affected by power damping over a longer time, their bodies would revert back to normal human appearance (in case of M-day this seemingly didn't always occur because the X-gene was removed entirely and suddently), meaning that for all the claim of being a full blown different species, their default form was still normal human, contradicting this claim and also showcasing just how fragile their source of power is. There is no possible real world comparison to how to define it when these people lose their super powers, which are the sole thing by which they consider themself (or used to be by their enemies) a seperated species (not even ethnicity) from humans. Which again makes no sense when they default to normal human form without their powers, are often born from humans and can still produce baseline human offsprings. Something which is also logical problematic since with their powers being random, they have little to no cohesion and are better considered a massive number of small scale sub-groups or offshots of humanity if anything. There are no force fields, spells, rayguns or super powers in real life which will make a person stop being of a certain ethnicity and make them default to appearing as another from it. You can't in one action remove a single gene from all black african people and they will suddently turn into white europeans. But by the mutant metaphor this is exactly what happend with M-Day. So there is no fitting word for it, since there is no fitting real world comparision or logical to how to define such an act, because it's based around a purely fictional concept that was mainly created to give characters super powers without having to come up with multiple sources. Once again, this showcases just how problematic it is to put so much direct focus on the mutant metaphor and why the whole "endangered species" narrative around M-Day and it's aftermath was such a load of dreck. Since it put focus on the thing which shouldn't be examined too much, because it breaks the logical comparision to real world situations it's supposed to reflect. Before House of M mutants were implied to be a permanent thing, something that couldn't be simply removed or get rid of permanently (Days of Future Past downright showed that to get rid of mutants all of humanity would need to die), just like the people referenced by the mutant metaphor in real life, but lo and behold the comics suddently show it is entirely possible in the marvel universe and it's downright easy. This was such a massive break of the narrative that it harms the applicability of the metaphor to a massive degree. [QUOTE=Hizashi;5515238]Would you like to relax? This isn't a fight, no one is gonna win here. [I]You[/I] wanted a list of stories, don't get an attitude because my point doesn't meet your expectations. Argue the point or don't. We agree there's been a decade of terrible stories, so that means the protagonists have also suffered. You said they were good villains but most are recently introduced and haven't been used extensively. Ultimately this is all beside the point, and not what I was arguing originally so don't presume to tell me what I think or want just because I have an opinion you don't like. Relax? We are talking on the internet, If you are picking up some sort an attitude from what I typed that your assumption of what is happening, not me giving an attitude. Your point was X-men have all these big-time villains and look this era doesn't have anything comparable. My point was the X-men have all of these big-time villains and they have not produce amazing stories. AND the overuse of them has weakened the villain's mystique and prevent new big-time villains from popping up. My point was to show that call out all those big names means nothing because have them around as pure villains didn't guarantee good stories. A ten-year period where hardcore fans can't call out a great story backs up my point. It ain't about winning or losing but I effectively prove my point. The point was Apocalypse was giving you stories at the level of HordeCulture. We can see what the Hickman era is doing it removed old villains from being the direct antagonist and force every writer away from using them cheesy stories while making the X-line have to create new enemies. I am going to point out again the Casandra Nova is the only enemy in years to break through into the Classic mix of villains. If Genesis or Dr. Gregor maybe someone from Arrako breaks into the mix of classic villains the run has been successful. At worse the run has already elevated Saturne or Children of the Vault into threats to the X-men that fans take seriously. [QUOTE=Zelena;5515554]Genocide is a problematic word to use for what Wanda did. Most of the mutants were still alive albeit changed.[/QUOTE] Genocide also refers to remove culture and traits from existence. If there was something to remove pigmentation from Skin it would be genocide if you force people to take it you are literally trying to remove a race of people. Going well they didn't die hey is not genocide means you don't fully understand genocide. If America decides to invade Sweden and removes all trace of their culture and force them to intermingle what do you think is happening? Death isn't the only way to wipe out a group. Anyways a definition of Genocide [QUOTE]The United Nations Genocide Convention, which was established in 1948, defines genocide as "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a [B]national[/B], ethnic, racial or [B]religious[/B] group, as such" including the killing of its members, causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group, deliberately imposing living conditions that seek to "bring about its physical destruction in whole or[B] in part", preventing births, or forcibly transferring children out of the group to another group[/B][/QUOTE] [QUOTE=BroHomo;5513753]She reduced the Mutant population by 98%.....I don't think it's called vilifying when a people speak the truth about perpetrators of Genocide[/QUOTE] Wanda stans are like Monica at the end of WandaVision when she's all like "I guess I'd probably have tortured a town full of people because I was a bit sad too! We're cool!". Wait, is this thread the Wanda Thread too now? [QUOTE=Killerbee911;5515620]Relax? We are talking on the internet, If you are picking up some sort an attitude from what I typed that your assumption of what is happening, not me giving an attitude. Your point was X-men have all these big-time villains and look this era doesn't have anything comparable. My point was the X-men have all of these big-time villains and they have not produce amazing stories. AND the overuse of them has weakened the villain's mystique and prevent new big-time villains from popping up. My point was to show that call out all those big names means nothing because have them around as pure villains didn't guarantee good stories. A ten-year period where hardcore fans can't call out a great story backs up my point. It ain't about winning or losing but I effectively prove my point. The point was Apocalypse was giving you stories at the level of HordeCulture. We can see what the Hickman era is doing it removed old villains from being the direct antagonist and force every writer away from using them cheesy stories while making the X-line have to create new enemies. I am going to point out again the Casandra Nova is the only enemy in years to break through into the Classic mix of villains. If Genesis or Dr. Gregor maybe someone from Arrako breaks into the mix of classic villains the run has been successful. At worse the run has already elevated Saturne or Children of the Vault into threats to the X-men that fans take seriously. Genocide also refers to remove culture and traits from existence. If there was something to remove pigmentation from Skin it would be genocide if you force people to take it you are literally trying to remove a race of people. Going well they didn't die hey is not genocide means you don't fully understand genocide. If America decides to invade Sweden and removes all trace of their culture and force them to intermingle what do you think is happening? Death isn't the only way to wipe out a group. Anyways a definition of Genocide[/QUOTE] The targeted group can defined by a different ethicity, race, religion but genocide is about a physical destruction of this group. For the disappearance of the culture, I rather call that “forced assimilation”. But then before Hickman, did the mutants have any common culture? Analogy is difficult. There was loss and hurt, that was true. For the disappearance of the culture, I rather call that “forced assimilation”. But then before Hickman, did the mutants have any common culture? Analogy is difficult. There was loss and hurt, that was true.[/QUOTE] Forced assimilation is genocide. As for the culture thing,They did in Genosha but that was destroyed, They did in District X but that was destroyed. It is kinda hard to have a sustained common culture when every there is a large group of you they try to kill you. When you are thriving they want to destroy you for some of us this hit home. ala Tusla and Rosewood. [QUOTE=Hizashi;5513206]Krakoa was [I]invited[/I] to join the UN? I haven't read or reread HoX/PoX in a long while, I guess I forgot that. I genuinely thought that the drugs were being used as leverage on the world stage. I'll have to re-read but Charles made a bid for Krakoa to be recognized as an independent country. I'm not sure how that process works in real life tho. Some UN ambassadors visit one of the Krakoan embassies which was the #1 issue (either Houses or Powers) where we first see Magneto in his white costume. I think you're right there. Below is the definition of genocide from the UN convention, and even though it sounds like it's about killing it isn't necessarily the case with genocide because it's about stopping a group from existing. So I completely agree with you here. The United Nations Genocide Convention, which was established in 1948, defines genocide as "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, as such" including the killing of its members, causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group, deliberately imposing living conditions that seek to "bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part", preventing births, or forcibly transferring children out of the group to another group. Victims have to be deliberately, not randomly, targeted because of their real or perceived membership of one of the four groups outlined in the above definition. [QUOTE=Big Joe;5516132]I think you're right there. Below is the definition of genocide from the UN convention, and even though it sounds like it's about killing it isn't necessarily the case with genocide because it's about stopping a group from existing. So I completely agree with you here. The United Nations Genocide Convention, which was established in 1948, defines genocide as "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, as such" including the killing of its members, causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group, deliberately imposing living conditions that seek to "bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part", preventing births, or forcibly transferring children out of the group to another group. Victims have to be deliberately, not randomly, targeted because of their real or perceived membership of one of the four groups outlined in the above definition.[/QUOTE] Whatever acception you give to the word, what Wanda did is not the usual meaning of the word. Without reaching agreement on the meaning of words, there’s no point using it to communicate… or only in a restricted group. [QUOTE=Zelena;5516464]Whatever acception you give to the word, what Wanda did is not the usual meaning of the word. Without reaching agreement on the meaning of words, there’s no point using it to communicate… or only in a restricted group.[/QUOTE] The UN Genocide Convention definition of genocide is wrong. Okay, well I guess I learned something today.	20,272
United Autosports have scored their second double win in a row at Spa Francorchamps, Belgium today as Phil Hanson and Filipe Albuquerque won overall in the #22 Oreca 07, while Wayne Boyd, Tom Gamble and Rob Wheldon won the LMP3 class in the #2 Ligier JS P320. The #32 crew of Alex Brundle, Will Owen and Job van Uitert finished fifth, with the #3 LMP3 Ligier of Jim McGuire, Andrew Bentley and Duncan Tappy finishing fifth in LMP3. The ELMS team now moves on to the third round of the series at Paul Ricard, France on 28-29 August, but before that United's FIA World Endurance Championship team resumes racing next weekend, also at Spa. (14-15 August). Our LMP2 cars locked out the front row for the start of the race, after dominating qualifying performances from Filipe Albuquerque and Job van Uitert on Saturday. Phil Hanson lined up on pole position for the second time this year, with Will Owen alongside him in second. Both made a great start, maintaining positions on the opening laps. With 16 minutes gone, the safety car was called out to rescue two LMP3 cars that had gone off track. On the restart, Phil, struggling with grip, dropped to second, with Will in third. After 48 minutes of running, Phil pitted the #22 for fuel only, with Will pitting the #32 on the same lap, also just for fuel. Just short of the one hour mark, a second safety car was deployed to clear a stranded GT car as Will unfortunately picked up a stop and go penalty for contact with a Ferrari, dropping him down to 12th. After 38 laps, both LMP2 cars pitted, Phil in the #22 changing to Filipe Albuquerque and Will in the #32 handing over to Job van Uitert. With just over two hours left to run, Filipe passed the #26 to retake the lead of the race, while Job began to make places up in the #32. Both LMP2 cars then pitted within a lap of each other, shortly before an FCY was thrown. The #32 re-joined in eighth with Alex Brundle now behind the wheel. With less than an hour left to run, Filipe was passed by the #26 just as the rain started to fall. Shortly after that, the #26 crashed into the tyre barrier as Filipe pitted to hand the #22 back over to Phil once again, changing tyres but sticking with slicks. Alex pitted the #32 with 41 minutes remaining and made his way back out again. With 27 minutes remaining and a one minute 27 second lead, Phil brought the #22 into the pits for a splash of fuel and re-joined comfortably in the lead. He remained in the lead until the chequered flag taking the #22 crew’s third consecutive Spa race win along with fastest lap of the race. United’s LMP2 team now lie first (#22) and second (#32) in the championship standings with three rounds to go. Our LMP3 team continued where they left off at Paul Ricard with a second consecutive pole position for Wayne Boyd in the #2 Ligier JS P320. Duncan Tappy qualified the #3 fourth on the grid. Rob Wheldon started the #2 Ligier JS P320, while Andrew Bentley started the #3 Ligier. Rob made a great start, pulling a four second lead to the second placed car in the opening laps, but the safety car after 16 minutes ruined Rob’s lead. On the restart, Rob maintained the LMP3 lead, while Andrew had moved up a spot to third. After one hour and 10 minutes, and a fantastic opening stint, Rob pitted the #2 from the lead. Andrew Bentley momentarily took the lead of the race in the #3 Ligier before pitting to hand over to Jim McGuire. Unfortunately, not long after starting his stint, Jim had to pit again with a steering wheel issue. Rob pitted the #2 Ligier just short of the two-hour mark, handing over to Tom Gamble. With 1 hour and 45 minutes left to run, Duncan Tappy took over the wheel of the #3 Ligier from Jim McGuire. Tom in the #2 pitted for fuel only just as the skies began to get darker and rain was incoming. With under an hour to go, Wayne jumped on board the #2 as Tom pitted, just as the rain began to fall. He went back out on slicks to re-join in the lead of the race. Duncan in the #3 meanwhile was running fourth with 37 minutes remaining after a great couple of stints by him, but with 29 minutes remaining he pitted again for the final time for fuel dropping him back to seventh. At the end, Duncan finished fifth with Wayne crossing the line to take their second consecutive win of the 2020 season. The #2 Ligier also scored the fastest LMP3 lap of the race. United’s #2 car now leads the championship by 29 points with three rounds to go. The #3 car lies seventh in the standings. Phil Hanson, driver #22, United Autosports: “It was a really good race. It looked like it was going to be a tough battle between us and the #26 but the first rule of the game is you’ve got the stay on the track. I think it shows the level of experience coming from the team on our side of the garage because Filipe and I have worked together for over two years now and the engineers and mechanics haven’t really changed in that time, so when we are hit with unusual circumstances, we manage to deal with it better and adapt. If we can find more pace, which I think we can, then we can only get stronger.” “It’s crazy how much we are enjoying the ride now at United. The momentum is great. A second consecutive double win for the team and for us it’s the third time we have won at Spa. What can I say? It was a great win and a great fight. But we never take anything for granted. The chaos of FCYs and safety cars can mix it up a lot, but we took care of that. It was a great win. Phil and the team did a mega job. Congratulations to the whole team as its been a fantastic beginning to the year for them. For me personally, it’s a very satisfying win as it has been a hard few weeks and I want to dedicate this win to my Dad." “Not the best race for us. It shows how much our expectations have moved since winning the first event but I’m pretty unhappy with fifth. Will had some bad luck with the contact and it was really a recovery race from there. We rolled the dice towards the end trying to make the stint longer with fuel, but then the FCY was brought out which ruined our hard work and summed up the day really. All we can do is say that we tried hard and move on to the next one.” Will Owen, driver #32, United Autosports: “It was a tough race in many aspects but it was a good recovery to finish P5. While I was running third, my pace was ok but not enough to be fighting the guys in front. I then made an error that got us a penalty but from then on, I struggled a bit. We had a good strategy call and we managed to jump a few places but then the FCY came out and the others pitted so we lost out a bit there. We’ve got to keep it clean for the championship going into Paul Ricard.” “In general I think we did pretty good damage control after a debatable stop and go penalty for Will. In the end, we were always catching up and we had to take some risks, some worked out and some didn’t. In the end to finish fifth after such an eventful race is not good, but not bad either, but I’m happy with the points.” “Another really good weekend for us. Obviously, the pole for us yesterday gave us the perfect start. Rob had a clear track at the start of the race and he did an absolutely fantastic double stint, he deserves a lot of credit for this. Tom did a great job too creating me a big lead so it was just a case of bringing the car home. It just shows how good our car is, it has been unbelievable all week so a massive thanks to the boys and all of United.” “The car was fantastic all weekend. Wayne did the first bit by putting us on pole yesterday then Rob did a phenomenal stint building us an advantage. I jumped in the car in the lead and built a bit more of a gap. Wayne did a great job bringing it home. Full credit to the team for giving us a fantastic car and now I’m looking forward to going back to Paul Ricard where we know we’ve got a good car.” Rob Wheldon, driver #2, United Autosports: “It was a really good weekend for us. I had a good opening stint and was pleased I could build up a lead for Tom and Wayne. Our second win in a row is a great feeling and I’m looking forward to getting to Paul Ricard where we know we can go well there.” Jim McGuire, driver #3, United Autosports: “I’m really excited for our top five finish. That was our goal for the weekend really. I had a challenging stint with the steering wheel issue but we persevered, changed the wheel, kept going, stayed in the game and Duncan brought it home in fifth so can’t ask for more than that.” Duncan Tappy, driver #3, United Autosports: “I think if you had told us we would get P5 at the beginning of the week then we would probably have taken it. Jim did a really good job today even though we had to come in and change the steering wheel. All in all, we managed to bring in a result so we will see where we are at Paul Ricard.” “We had a really good race. I really enjoyed it. It has been a strong weekend for us and we have shown our pace really well. The team have put together a really good car and we have worked hard to get a good car by the end of the weekend. I think the car was at its best during the race. My stint was good but unfortunately a couple of safety cars ruined that. Jim had a couple of issues with the steering wheel but I’m not sure how much it affected the result. Ultimately, we had a great weekend. I think we could have been on the podium but we have just got to keep hunting.” Zak Brown, Team Owner and Chairman, United Autosports: “Another fantastic race weekend for the team. I’m very proud that we are leading both championships after two rounds. Awesome effort by the whole team. I’m looking forward to seeing how we get on for the rest of the season now.” Richard Dean, Team Owner and Managing Director, United Autosports: “What can I say? Another double win. And a third consecutive win at Spa for Phil and Filipe. The team have done a great job over the weekend and to have all four cars finish in the top-five is really good. The #32 and #3 were unlucky today but they both still had good results and scored good points towards the championships. I’m pleased we are still leading both championships going into the second half of the season. Let’s see how we get on at Paul Ricard next time out. And the Spa WEC race next weekend.” Back to News Related News 23 Nov 18 Nov 12 Nov Keep up to date with news from the team as it happens. info_outline Relax, your data's safe with us. Your details will not be shared with any organisation outside of United Autosports. You may request to be removed from our database at any time. See our full privacy policy here. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.	11,255
Improving your leadership skills may seem like an uphill climb. You might be telling yourself, “I’m not a leader. Some people have leadership abilities, but I simply don’t have any.” That couldn’t be further from the truth! Anyone can lead when the necessity arises, so we all have some type of leadership abilities inside of us. Of course leadership styles vary greatly from person to person, and sometimes these skills do need some development before they can come out. What are 5 reasons for personal development? There has been a lot of talk about personal development in recent years and for good reason. The world is changing faster and faster every day. Right now there is a real trend in which people seem to be moving away from traditional jobs and moving into self-employment. Twenty years ago, you were lucky to stay in the same job for your entire career, but now everyone is reaching higher and wanting more all the time. How to Overcome the Financial Crisis - Combating Negative Thinking? Dealing with financial problems isn’t easy for anyone, but those problems are often compounded by a negative mindset. Of course right now you may be wondering how it is possible to avoid being negative during a time when your finances are in a shambles, but there are several coping mechanisms that can help you get your mind out of the negative, self-defeating rut you’re in. The Importance of Education? Through the years there has been much debate about education versus experience. While both are important, it is essential to realise that for young people, education is critical. Without education, our young people won’t have the tools they need to affect great changes in life. If you don’t know enough about the world around you, why would you bother making the effort to change it? How becoming a better leader? Improving your leadership skills may seem like an uphill climb. You might be telling yourself, “I’m not a leader. Some people have leadership abilities, but I simply don’t have any.” That couldn’t be further from the truth! Anyone can lead when the necessity arises, so we all have some type of leadership abilities inside of us. Of course leadership styles vary greatly from person to person, and sometimes these skills do need some development before they can come out. What are 5 reasons for personal development? There has been a lot of talk about personal development in recent years and for good reason. The world is changing faster and faster every day. Right now there is a real trend in which people seem to be moving away from traditional jobs and moving into self-employment. Twenty years ago, you were lucky to stay in the same job for your entire career, but now everyone is reaching higher and wanting more all the time. How to Overcome the Financial Crisis - Combating Negative Thinking? Dealing with financial problems isn’t easy for anyone, but those problems are often compounded by a negative mindset. Of course right now you may be wondering how it is possible to avoid being negative during a time when your finances are in a shambles, but there are several coping mechanisms that can help you get your mind out of the negative, self-defeating rut you’re in. The Importance of Education? Through the years there has been much debate about education versus experience. While both are important, it is essential to realise that for young people, education is critical. Without education, our young people won’t have the tools they need to affect great changes in life. If you don’t know enough about the world around you, why would you bother making the effort to change it? Accordion How becoming a better leader? What are 5 reasons for personal development? There has been a lot of talk about personal development in recent years and for good reason. The world is changing faster and faster every day. Right now there is a real trend in which people seem to be moving away from traditional jobs and moving into self-employment. Twenty years ago, you were lucky to stay in the same job for your entire career, but now everyone is reaching higher and wanting more all the time. How to Overcome the Financial Crisis - Combating Negative Thinking? Dealing with financial problems isn’t easy for anyone, but those problems are often compounded by a negative mindset. Of course right now you may be wondering how it is possible to avoid being negative during a time when your finances are in a shambles, but there are several coping mechanisms that can help you get your mind out of the negative, self-defeating rut you’re in. The Importance of Education? Through the years there has been much debate about education versus experience. While both are important, it is essential to realise that for young people, education is critical. Without education, our young people won’t have the tools they need to affect great changes in life. If you don’t know enough about the world around you, why would you bother making the effort to change it? How becoming a better leader? Improving your leadership skills may seem like an uphill climb. You might be telling yourself, “I’m not a leader. Some people have leadership abilities, but I simply don’t have any.” That couldn’t be further from the truth! Anyone can lead when the necessity arises, so we all have some type of leadership abilities inside of us. Of course leadership styles vary greatly from person to person, and sometimes these skills do need some development before they can come out. What are 5 reasons for personal development? There has been a lot of talk about personal development in recent years and for good reason. The world is changing faster and faster every day. Right now there is a real trend in which people seem to be moving away from traditional jobs and moving into self-employment. Twenty years ago, you were lucky to stay in the same job for your entire career, but now everyone is reaching higher and wanting more all the time. How to Overcome the Financial Crisis - Combating Negative Thinking? Dealing with financial problems isn’t easy for anyone, but those problems are often compounded by a negative mindset. Of course right now you may be wondering how it is possible to avoid being negative during a time when your finances are in a shambles, but there are several coping mechanisms that can help you get your mind out of the negative, self-defeating rut you’re in. The Importance of Education? Through the years there has been much debate about education versus experience. While both are important, it is essential to realise that for young people, education is critical. Without education, our young people won’t have the tools they need to affect great changes in life. If you don’t know enough about the world around you, why would you bother making the effort to change it?	6,803
The global pandemic had a vast affect on so many industries throughout the course of 2020 in both Australia and New Zealand. Gyms in particular felt the brunt of the impact from extensive lockdowns and restrictions. But as we move into 2021 with currently (at this time of writing) no lockdowns across either of our countries, how did COVID-19 actually impact the gym industry last year? And what, if any, are some of the takeaways to learn from and apply to your businesses this year? At the very start of the pandemic when it hit Australian and New Zealand shores in early 2020, no-one knew exactly how it would impact our world. However, we soon learned its affects may last much longer than we could anticipate. In April, Fitness Australia released a study named the COVID-19 Fitness Industry Impact Report, which investigated the financial, social and economic effects of the pandemic on the fitness industry. An industry that employees around 35,000 people across around 6,400 businesses that turn $3 billion a year. While the Government’s various levels of relief greatly helped businesses and employees alike, it still took a big toll on the industry with sole operator gyms and large franchised facilities empty for months, and thousands of staff out of work. No-one was left unaffected. Fitness Australia CEO Barrie Elvish said, “Australians spend more than $8.5 billion every year on fitness and a large portion of this is spend on gym memberships, personal training, fitness classes and bootcamps. The closures, which affected all types of gyms and fitness facilities, and shortly after outdoor bootcamps, meant these businesses had suffered significantly.” The Fitness Australia report surveyed a broad variety these industry professionals, including sole traders, boutique businesses, multi-site gym facilities and exercise professionals. Here are some of the statistics found after surveying both exercise professionals and sole traders: 81% lost their job or main source of income 71% didn’t see any clients since gyms closed on 23 March 2020 44% of respondents has lost more than 61% of their income 90% continued to pay up to $5,000 per month for business expenses despite being unable to open or operate Less than 10% of clients had transitioned to virtual platforms or one-on-one training. And after analysing the survey results from boutique businesses and multi-service facilities, Fitness Australia found that: All businesses had to stand down employees with less than 10% of staff still working 70% of businesses cited a 100% decline in memberships 24% of businesses reported a 61% decline in memberships due to cancellations or suspensions Revenue was down 100% for 50% of gym owners Gym have only been able to generate less than 10% of their usual income through virtual or outdoor one-on-one training. The on-going toll on gym members As an industry, we’re all hyper-aware of the financial and employment impact the pandemic has had on gyms. However, there’s also a need to recognise the impact it’s having on your members. Fitness Australia conducted another survey during September 2020, asking 14,400 gym members from across Australia the effect gyms have on their physical, mental and emotional health. In the Consumer Impact of Gym Closures – Assessing the Essential Need For Gyms Report, 59% of members indicated that the gym was included in their top 3 most missed activities during lockdowns, surpassing things like socialising and seeing family. The data shows just how influential your business can be in assisting someone’s happiness, mental health and physical well-being. Here’s some more interesting findings from the study: There were a number of negative impacts on physical, mental and emotional wellbeing including: Physical weight gain (47%) Muscle loss (43%) A decreased overall sense of wellbeing (40%) Increased stress/anxiety levels (35%) A decreased sense of connection (25%) Experienced feelings of depression (16%) 1 in 4 experienced a decreased sense of connection as a direct result of gym closures while 16% experienced depression. This throws light on just how important gyms are to support physical, emotional and mental health. Almost 1 in 2 gym members experienced a decrease in the motivation to exercise (48%) during lockdown, which indicates just how important gyms are to help keep people motivated and committed to their fitness goals. A significant decrease in training types, most notably strength/resistance training falling from 79% to 57%, followed by cardio and flexibility training. This decrease would most likely have been due to the lack of equipment people had to replicate their gym workouts at home. However, 77% of people still said that their key fitness goal was building muscle/strength. A significant decline in the frequency of vigorous exercise during the COVID 19 lockdown period, with 83% engaging in this form of exercise at least once a week, compared to 95% pre-lockdown. According to the Department of Health, it’s recommended that adults aged between 18-64 should pursue 1.25-2.5 hours of intense physical activity each week. Prior to the lockdown period 84% of members exercised at least 3 times a week. During lockdown this fell to 61% showing there’s been a significant decrease in exercise during the initial lockdown. An impacted feeling of safety when exercising outdoors, particularly amongst shift workers. 22% of the survey respondents were shift workers who said they were more comfortable exercising in the safety of a gym than outdoors. Things to learn Fitness Australia CEO Barrie Elvish, said that getting gym members safely back to training regularly is now a priority for Fitness Australia. “In addition to the financial benefits of getting gyms back to the ‘new normal’, the essential role exercise plays in our overall health and mental wellbeing cannot be underestimated and it will become more apparent as people start to get back to a regular routine and lifestyle,” My Elvish said. “Gyms and the broader fitness industry will have a vital role in ensuring the ongoing health and wellbeing of Australians in years to come, not just as we recover from COVID-19.” So what kind of takeaways can we bring into 2021? Be there for your members, now more than ever The Fitness Australia studies show just how much your gym members rely on your facility for motivation to stick to their fitness goals, and to exercise at all. So it’s important to keep fostering and strengthening your relationships with your member base! Understand there may be more hard times to come With the Australian Job Keeper grant’s getting cut and ending entirely soon, businesses may enter their true phase of financial struggle since there is no government assistance to rely on. Particularly if we experience any further lockdowns. Build and strengthen your community So many people rely on their gym community and relationships to help fulfil their day and support their physical, mental and emotional well-being. Make it a goal of yours to focus on building your online communities, like a club Facebook group, so in the event of any further lockdowns, your members will have somewhere to turn to feel like they’re still connecting with peers and coaches. Provide classes and services that support mental health The impact of the pandemic and lockdowns really brought to light the importance of supporting others’ mental health. Think about how you can incorporate classes and services into your gym that aid in supporting mental well-being for your members. This could be classes around meditation and mindfulness, or well-being check-ins with your coaches. Recent Posts Choosing the best gym lead software for your centre Top reasons your gym leads aren’t converting How Covid-19 impacted the ANZ gym industry in 2020 How to attract new gym leads over the holidays Finding the ideal membership pricing model for your gym Previous PostTop reasons your gym leads aren't converting Next PostHow to attract new gym leads over the holidays Related Posts Choosing the best gym lead software for your centre Top reasons your gym leads aren’t converting How to attract new gym leads over the holidays MyMemberSales will help your Sales Managers and Sales Team connect, convert and grow your member base!	8,614
I knew it 18 years ago when my father-in-law (who sadly died eight years ago) cradled our newborn and spoke to him in a voice I’d never heard before. I knew it when my mother-in-law saw genius in the way our son drank water from his bottle. I knew it from the way my mother pealed with laughter as she recounted instances of my children’s verve – and nerve – on their gallery and restaurant visits. Since March, for their own safety, these women, tactile and adoring, have been carefully distant. There has been no hanging out with grandma. Rather, there has been stilted exchanges via video call and awkward waves from the end of the drive. During lockdown, our youngest, 13, all but vanished off Grandmother Radar, so a couple of weeks ago we drove him to see my mother-in-law. She has underlying conditions and has been self-isolating – which she will continue to do, despite Boris Johnson’s announcement that families and friends who have been kept apart can be reunited. As he shambled through the side gate into her garden, her eyes grew big and she swept towards him as if hypnotised, arms out. My husband had to hug our son so she could experience this pleasure vicariously. In the helplessness of our deprivation, we appreciate the hallowed nature of the grandparental bond more than ever. And we yearn for normality to be restored. “We will have Christmas, won’t we?” our 15-year-old asked my mother-in-law on FaceTime. She replied: “I’m sure we can sort something out or we’ll be sitting in the garden in our coats!” The isolation has been harrowing for many older people. For families with new babies and small children, the sorrow has been acute. Being unable to hold your new grandchild, watching your children struggle without your support, and missing out on love and joy is a cruel grief. You can’t make up for lost time. It’s irretrievable. Story continues Lara Crisp is editor of Gransnet, the social networking site and online community for the over-50s. Some of its users have been in heartbreaking situations, she says. One based in Europe had planned to visit the UK following cancer treatment to meet three new grandchildren, but had to put her plans on hold. “Because of her illness, she doesn’t know if she’s ever going to meet them,” says Crisp. A survey of 1,006 Gransnet users found that, pre-Covid, more than half provided regular childcare. “So many of them are so much a part of their grandchildren’s lives. They’re doing the school drop-offs, pick-ups, taking them to swimming lessons, helping out on ad hoc babysitting. One was meant to be a birthing partner for her daughter. “In normal times, it’s estimated that grandparents save the economy £22.5 billion in childcare per year. “Short-term at least, far fewer will be able to provide childcare. Families will be more wary about asking older family members to help out. But also grandparents will simply say no because their health is under threat.” Many grandparents, Crisp says, are making decisions based on their own risk assessment of their situation. Despite the new change in guidance that allows us to see family, we are not allowed to celebrate our reunion with hugs and kisses. And scientists are urging caution. Prof Chris Whitty says he expects “a significant amount of coronavirus circulating” until spring at least. For those with underlying health conditions the easing of restrictions does not alter the fact that they are at risk. But Crisp suspects that as more employees are required to return to work, many older people will risk their health nonetheless: “A lot of grandparents will feel under pressure to help out. They know their children are stuck; financially it’s the only option.” While the Gransnet survey shows that currently, just 15 per cent of grandparents are providing childcare, 11 per cent are over 70 and have underlying health conditions. Crisp also notes that for some grandparents, the enforced break from nannying that was provided by lockdown was a respite. “It’s hit home how exhausting and damaging to their health it was, and they never realised it or hadn’t been brave enough to broach it with their families. As much as they miss their grandchildren, for some it’s been a wake-up call that they may have been overstretching themselves.” In the meantime, 46 per cent of grandparents spoke to their families more frequently in lockdown. They adapted, finding creative ways to stay close – such as sending seeds through the post for the children to grow. It seems many grandfathers are veteran gamers – playing Fortnite or Clash of Clans with their grandsons has been a wonderful way of maintaining a close bond regardless of distance. Despite such resourcefulness, the challenges are formidable and, even with the changes to guidance, the future is uncertain. What will it be like to be a grandparent at a time when the pandemic is in retreat, but undefeated? What will change? What already has? Like many, my mother-in-law, Cheryl Robinson, 69, has been bereft of hugs with her grandchildren since lockdown began. “I can’t tell you what that does to me,” she says. “I’ve always been hands-on, and I feel the distance to my core.” She adds: “You wonder if that will affect the closeness of your relationship.” Grandsons Oscar, 18, and Conrad, 15, chat readily and often, but “I feel more vulnerability around Caspar. At 13, he’s a little bit more distant”. My mother Mary, 67, agrees: “You take it for granted that you throw your arms around them. I realise so much of the relationship is in the touching, the hugging, the kissing and the tickling. “When you take all that away, it becomes a little bit artificial. You sit there, eyeballing each other, and the conversation isn’t as flowing. If you write an older person a note or email, they write back. Children don’t do that. Zoom has been fantastic – though the younger ones tend to drift away.” This short-term loss of connection is tough, but for those who are forced to continue self-isolating, the thought that it might last feels intolerable. Gill Mathias, 70, is a psychotherapist specialising in mental resilience, and a grandmother of seven. “I use the word grief,” she says. “I know it’s a temporary loss rather than a permanent one, and that there are these platforms – Houseparty, WhatsApp – but a virtual hug is no substitute for the real thing.” Even she briefly succumbed to the fear that the physical distance may weaken her bond, but her conclusion was: “If you have bonded with your grandchildren, it will be fine. Children are resilient and they’ll take the relationship back to where it was.” She urges grandparents who remain unable to see their grandchildren not to lose heart and to be proactive: play Monopoly online, write letters, send cards. My mother has taken to leaving cheesecake on our doorstep. Cheryl is teaching her granddaughter, 13, French via Zoom. We have gone on parallel walks, sat through oddly formal garden teas. It is dispiriting because the imposed social distance feels unnatural. It’s their grandmothers’ loving presence that we miss and mourn. But now my boys are teenagers, at least we no longer depend on them for hours of sanity/career/money-saving childcare. My mother-in-law, while hoping for vaccines, immunity and miracles, can’t foresee a time where she can safely give her grandchildren a squeeze: “I just don’t think we’re there yet. The children are out in the world a bit. And I want them to be. I don’t want them to feel inhibited. They’ve got to live their life. I don’t want them to have the burden of what they might give me. I’ll carry that, not them.” Michael Spears, 72, grandfather to Mia, four, also faces a dilemma. He says: “My daughter Charlotte is a single mum, and it’s tough on your own. Right since birth, we were always there for her. It was our pleasure.” Lockdown put paid to that, and they even stopped waving to him from the end of his garden path, as it was too distressing for Mia (and Spears himself). But despite his asthma, he’ll resume minding Mia – who has her own bedroom in his house, stuffed with toys – when she returns to nursery for three hours daily in September, and Charlotte returns to work. Charlotte simply won’t be able to manage financially otherwise. “I am worried,” he says. “But if we don’t take some risk, nobody’s ever going to get back to doing anything.” Guy Slater, 78, actor/writer/director, London Liz Lisle, 60-something, former primary school teacher, Northumberland Social bubble: Gill Mathias with her granddaughter Eva, aged 11 – Andrew Fox ‘I tell myself, these tough times are going to pass’ Being a grandparent is one of life’s great joys and privileges, and I love every moment. I’ve got seven grandchildren – the eldest is 16. I have a very close relationship with them. I’ve been ultra-involved in their lives. My daughter lives an hour away and for many years, every Monday, I’d leave home at six in the morning so that she could go to work. I would have one child, two children, three children, even four children to look after. I did all the after-school activities and I always took supper. On Monday night, they knew they’d get a spaghetti bolognese or a shepherd’s pie – nothing terribly exotic – but that was my contribution. Then I would stay, take whichever children were at school-going age on Tuesday, and collapse into a heap when I got back on Tuesday night. So when, on March 22, we were told “right, isolation, you cannot see other people, you cannot see your grandchildren”, I felt quite grief-stricken. It was just horrid. My youngest son produced a child last October, so all my interaction with them has been online – and that’s surreal. I finally had a picnic with them the other day, but I couldn’t pick up my granddaughter. I said, “Oh, can’t I hold the baby?” and my son said, “No, Mum, you absolutely cannot”. I really wanted to break the rules, but I didn’t. Children abide by the rules to the letter. You walk towards them and they say, “Not yet, Bubba! We can’t give you a kiss or a cuddle.” Which makes the people who have flouted the rules a real irritant. During this pandemic I turned 70, and my daughter came over with two of her four children. It was the most desperate feeling because I couldn’t hug these two children who wanted to hug me, and when they drove away I felt so empty and alone. I felt as though a bit of my heart had been ripped away. She brought a cake made by the children and champagne. I ate the cake alone and the champagne is still in the fridge. The Government realised there was going to be a huge mental health pandemic, and said that any older person who was living alone could form one bubble with one family, as if living together permanently. So I have been able to form a bubble with my eldest son and his two children, who live three or four miles away. I can hug them, and give them kisses and cuddles. Over lockdown, my other grandchildren and I discovered TikTok and Houseparty, and of course we communicated by phone. I’m a very sporty person so we also played cricket, tennis or table tennis in the garden. I can’t hug them yet, but I tell myself, these difficult times are eventually going to pass. As I say to my clients, it’s important to reframe negative thoughts. I think, “I might not be able to take them to the theatre yet, but I can take them to the zoo or play tennis or golf with them.” There has to be a silver lining. Guy Slater, 78, actor/writer/director, London Staying connected: Guy Slater has used FaceTime to keep in touch with his young relatives – Rii Schroer ‘I miss hugging anybody. Touch is so important’ I used to go over to my daughter’s house once a week to spend an evening with the family and catch up. If there were any big football or cricket matches on I’d go round, and some weekends I’d visit my grandson or my granddaughter at university with the family. I was close to my grandparents, and it’s a very powerful relationship. I enjoy embarking on social and political debates with all of my grandchildren, even the youngest, who is eight. It’s not a relationship encumbered with routine so an engagement with a grandchild – if they pay the slightest bit of attention to you – is a special one. In lockdown, I kept myself as busy and creative as I possibly can. I worked on the proofs of my first novel, Hurricane Maggie, which will be published later this year, and I’ve been writing a radio play. I also kept a diary addressed to my unborn great-grandchildren about coronavirus. That was quite therapeutic and allowed me to make something out of the silence, but I’ve missed the grandchildren enormously. I have to Zoom a fair amount, mainly for work and for charities I’m a trustee of. It’s all right but it’s not the way to connect with loved ones and grandchildren. I prefer a one-to-one FaceTime. I have a granddaughter living alone in New York, and when I call her, we can talk and see each other and she can show me the latest thing she’s cooked in her kitchen. One grandson suggested we form a book club and do Russian literature, so he and I both assiduously read Doctor Zhivago – or re-read it, in my case. I do pilates and go on walks, and I’m feeling very fit. I just feel very restricted by not being able to hug my grandchildren. We have had some garden visits, and the easing of restrictions will make a difference. This weekend, I shall go over and see my daughter’s children, and sit in their dining room. But I don’t suppose we’ll be hugging. I would dearly love to. I miss holding those little things – though three of them aren’t so little anymore! I do miss being able to show them affection. Liz Lisle, 60-something, former primary school teacher, Northumberland Making a sacrifice: Liz Lisle has been unable to meet her new granddaughter – Stuart Nicol Photography ‘It’s just so very sad I can’t sit with a little boy on my knee and read a story’ As I live more than 300 miles away from my grandchildren, I normally visit them every six weeks, and stay for the week or fortnight. I have two grandsons, five and three, and a granddaughter born in May this year. My daughter was advised by the midwife that no one should enter a house where there was a newborn, who wasn’t already part of that household. That has cut me off from visiting my new grandchild. My health is good. I’m a fourth Dan in Shotokan karate and during lockdown I’ve been training. I’m not worried for myself. But, over lockdown, I didn’t want to put anyone else at risk because I thought I should be able to see my grandchildren. If I were to travel by public transport, I’d have had to isolate in their house for two weeks, because there would be a risk of taking in any infections picked up on the journey. Even if I were driving, I’d have had to stop on the way. It’s difficult. I couldn’t help my daughter by looking after the two boys when she went into hospital, which meant that her husband couldn’t be with her for the birth. Previously, I’ve helped each time. I was there five weeks when my second grandson was born. Normally, I take over certain duties. I take the boys up and read the bedtime story and it gives my daughter and son-in-law five minutes’ peace. Or I’ll let my daughter go back to bed for an hour, while we play downstairs. I’m devastated for her because I can’t help her. Instead, I stayed at home and I still have not seen them. I haven’t been able to hug my grandchildren or put them to bed, or help to bath them. All the things that grandparents do. I do have Skype contact with my older grandson a lot. The three-year-old is not really interested. He runs by and shouts, “Hello, Nana”. The five-year-old and I have done Skype for some time. It’s been a real advantage. In the immediate future, I suppose it will play a major role. It’s ridiculous to say that you play with your grandson on Skype, but we do play. I’ve managed to sustain our closeness, but we’ve had such a lengthy relationship. My staying for a week or fortnight in the past really cemented that. It was coming along really nicely with the three-year-old. It’s not quite the same with him, unfortunately. He hasn’t developed the concentration span that enables him to sit for very long at one task. He needs to be up and doing. When I’m there with him, we share active play together with his toys and games, and we read books too. That’s not been possible during lockdown and I’ve never been able to pick up and talk to my granddaughter. Now that English Independence Day has dawned and the rules have been relaxed, I’ll be going to visit as soon as I can arrange transport. I’ve been checking out Trainline since the changes were announced. My masks and gloves are ready. Source Article Tags: choose, family, forced, grandparents, health, Meet Previous Online games are harming children through gambling and other features, say Lords Next Virus Surges in Arizona, but the Rodeo Goes on Recent Posts How do I take a DNA test? Find out the gender of your unborn child with the Peekaboo gender test The benefits of a digital weight scale scientists seek to treat those at lower risk October 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 Dentist General Article Health Hospital December 2022 M T W T S S « Oct being Business California cases Classes college Coronavirus coverage covid COVID19 dentist department division face fall finance fitness florida health heres home hospital house information insurance kids market Masks medical medicine Mental online pandemic public Reopen reopening school schools state Students technology travel Trump virus wordpress	18,424
On February 25th we published a communiqué on our Board wherein we shared with you the very real possibility of shutting down the Domains of The M+G+R Foundation. In said communiqué it was made clear that it was God Who would have the last word about it. He already did and we wish to share the process and conclusions with you. Of all who read the Announcement we posted on February 25th about the future of The M+G+R Foundation Domains, only 5 % acknowledged it. Of those who read it, 3.5 % had very positive feedback and offered financial assistance and 1.5 % had very positive feedback, however, offered no assistance. Paraphrasing Abraham's conversation with God: "Let not my Lord grow impatient if I go on. What if only ten innocent people are found in Sodom, would you wipe out the place? God replied, "I will forbear doing it if I can find but ten there." [Genesis 18: 16-33] Furthermore, Jesus taught us by word: "If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray?" [Matthew 18:12] In addition, Jesus taught us by action: As He walked up to Calvary weighed down with our sins - it appeared that all that He had done was in vain. After all, He had resurrected Lazarus barely a week before at the gates of Jerusalem; He was greeted in Jerusalem as a King, yet, that same cheering mob from Jerusalem had turned into a jeering mob. Thanks be to God, He did not go by appearances but by the reality that if He did the Father's Will it would not be in vain - for it never is. It is the above Theo-logic that God used to inform us that the Domains are to remain on-line until He - one way or another and without m de P's input - causes them to be shut down. In conclusion: We will strive to stream line the maintenance of the Domains so that m de P may be able to spend more time discharging his primary functions for the common end. To those who so generously offered financial assistance and requested instructions on how to provide it, we have advised as follows: In keeping with our desire to have God as the Pontiff for the financial assistance, please, extend such financial offerings: (a) To worthy charities - preferably for the homeless and the marginalized (the Lazarus' of the world); and (b) For Masses for the deceased who have no one praying for their release from Purgatory. When you make such offerings, ask God to ascribe to The M+G+R Foundation and m de P the merits associated with such offerings so that He, in the manner He deems most appropriate, will then provide us with necessary assistance. We know this works without a doubt and in this manner all passes through His Most Holy Hands and is in accordance to His Will. To those who so generously offered other assistance since their finances would not allow you to make a contribution: () Please, extend your offerings of prayers and fasting for the same intentions as above plus the fulfillment of the requests of Our Heavenly Mother and then ask God to ascribe to The M+G+R Foundation and m de P the merits associated with such offerings so that He, in the ways He deems most appropriate, will then provide us with necessary assistance. () These intentions have been incremented from those listed in a private communiqué to those who contacted us and, thus, supersede them. To the many others who, for one reason or another, chose to ignore or passed severe judgment on our Announcement: You may be assured that you will be specially kept in our prayers just as Jesus taught us. For those who were so thankful for the assistance provided through The M+G+R Foundation Domains, please offer prayers of Thanksgiving to God this coming March 19 for, in that day, twenty years ago, in an instantaneous flash, God changed the life of the individual who become miguel de Portugal. You may be assured of our prayers. May God continue to Bless and Keep you! Copyright 2005 by The M+G+R Foundation. All rights reserved. If the above dated image does not appear on this document, it means that you are not viewing the original document from our servers. Should you have reason to doubt the authenticity of the document, we recommend that you access our server again and click on the "Refresh" or "Reload" button of your Browser to view the original document.	4,407
Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly waves to the crowd after a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022, in Miami. Don Mattingly won’t… Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly waves to the crowd after a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022, in Miami. Don Mattingly won’t be back next season. His contract expires after this season, and both sides agreed it is time for a new voice to lead the club. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) Mattingly wins his last game as Marlins manager, tops Braves Posted: Oct 5, 2022 / 06:20 PM MDT Updated: Oct 5, 2022 / 07:22 PM MDT Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly waves to the crowd after a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022, in Miami. Don Mattingly won’t… Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly waves to the crowd after a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022, in Miami. Don Mattingly won’t be back next season. His contract expires after this season, and both sides agreed it is time for a new voice to lead the club. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) Posted: Oct 5, 2022 / 06:20 PM MDT Updated: Oct 5, 2022 / 07:22 PM MDT MIAMI (AP) — Don Mattingly went out as a winner in his final game as Miami’s manager when rookie Peyton Burdick homered and drove in four runs to lead the Marlins over the NL East champion Atlanta Braves 12-9 on Wednesday. Matt Olson hit his 34th homer and Marcell Ozuna hit his 23rd for the Braves, who finished 101-61 and have a bye into the Division Series next week. The defending World Series champions won the season series against Miami 13-6. The 61-year-old Mattingly announced Sept. 25 he would not seek a new contract. Miami’s final 69-93 record, fourth in the NL East, surpassed its 2021 finish by two games. “I think this thing very easily could turn very quickly,” Mattingly said. “You see the makings of it. Obviously with our pitching staff, it gives you a huge chance. We were in so many close games this year.” Mattingly finished his Marlins tenure 443-587, highlighted by a playoff berth in the 2020 pandemic-shortened season. It was Mattingly’s only winning year in seven seasons with the club. “It feels good to be a part of this,” Mattingly said. “It’s the end of what I’m doing right now in this position. I don’t know what’s going to happen and what door opens or what road I take.” Continuing a final-game custom during his years in Miami, Mattingly allowed a veteran player to manage the team. Catcher Jacob Stallings ran the Marlins Wednesday with Mattingly available for advice. “We were going through all the scenarios in the dugout, it was obviously stressful pitching wise,” Stallings said. “But it was fun. Stressful but fun.” After they clinched their fifth consecutive division title Tuesday, the Braves fielded a lineup without several of their top players. All-Stars Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley and NL Rookie of the Year contender Michael Harris II rested. Shortstop Dansby Swanson grounded out to lead off the game and was replaced by rookie Vaughn Grissom in the bottom of the first. “I’m so proud of the group, how they hung in there,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “Everybody withstands adversity in this sport. It’s how some teams handle it and come out of it, and these guys did. It’s a really impressive group.” JJ Bleday tripled and singled while Nick Fortes homered for Miami. Eight Marlins starters had hits against four Atlanta pitchers. Fortes’ two-run homer capped a five-run sixth and gave Miami a 10-6 lead. Jon Berti hit a two-run triple and scored on Bleday’s triple off reliever Jesse Chavez (4-3). Olson’s two-run drive off Andrew Nardi (1-1) in the seventh got Atlanta within 10-8 before Burdick connected with a two-run homer in the bottom half. “It was definitely a good way to go out,” Burdick said. “It’s been a great year learning from Donnie, one of the best players to ever do it.” In addition to his first three-hit game, Burdick robbed Olson of an extra-base hit with his leaping catch at the wall in the fourth. “I’m just glad we won and send Donnie out on a good note,” Burdick said. Dylan Floro inherited two runners with one out in the ninth and walked Robbie Grossman and allowed Guillermo Heredia’s RBI single. Ehire Adrianza lined out to left before Floro struck out Grissom in a 13-pitch at-bat for his 10th save. Ozuna’s three-run homer in the sixth put Atlanta ahead 6-5. He drove reliever Bryan Hoeing’s sinker over the wall in left. Jackson Stephens worked the first three innings for the Braves. The right-hander gave up three runs on five hits and two walks. Marlins starter Elieser Hernández was lifted after four innings. He allowed three runs and four hits and struck out three. DOWN TIME The Braves will have Thursday and Friday off before they begin workouts Saturday for the NL Division Series that begins at home on Tuesday. After his club spent months chasing and eventually overtaking the New York Mets for the division crown, Snitker believed the players deserved a short break from baseball activities. A brief video honoring Mattingly was played before the bottom of the fifth. The video drew applause from the crowd of 12,195 and the Braves dugout. In his “manager for a day” role, Stallings had teammates assist in coaching capacities. Sandy Alcantara and Pablo López were co-pitching coaches, infielder Joey Wendle was the bench coach and infielder-outfielder Brian Anderson served as hitting coach. The Marlins drew an NL-low 907,487 for their 81 home games in the first season since 2019 that stadium capacity wasn’t limited because of COVID-19 restrictions. The total exceeded final attendance of 811,302 in 2019. Braves: Will play the winner of the NL wild card series between St. Louis and Philadelphia next Tuesday in Atlanta. Marlins: Will face the Mets in their 2023 spring training opener Feb. 25. More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.	6,203
Sadly, the book only increases her appeal to that very base of the shrinking GOP while leaving moderate Republicans, independents and anyone else who actually thinks about things out in the Alaskan cold. Author: Publish date: Nov 16, 2009 Thanks to a friend at an on-line book seller, on Friday morning a courier delivered a preview copy of Going Rogue, Sarah Palin’s latest gyration in her bizarre, ongoing odyssey into fringe folk-lore, self-promotion, and an increasingly pathological need to keep yelling “Look at me! Look at me!” like a whiny eight-year-old trying to get attention in a room full of grown-ups. “If anyone else had written this,” read a note from my friend that I found in the envelope, “they’d be shipped off to a shrink and put on heavy meds. Instead, Palin is getting rich. Life’s not fair!” The book is as unevenly written and, in parts, mysteriously unfathomable as Palin herself – despite having wordsmithing help from a sub-editor of an evangelical religious magazine. For example, the very first paragraph of the book includes a sentence declaring, “I breathed in an autumn bouquet that combined everything small-town America with rugged splashes of the Last Frontier.” Huh? I hope publisher Harper-Collins didn’t pay ghost-writer Lynn Vincent much money for whatever it is Vincent did with Palin’s text. More to the point, beyond turning on the same McCain campaign that plucked her from obscurity and propelled her to the infamy that led to a $5-million advance for her memoirs, Going Rogue reinforces the well-earned perception of The Wicked Witch of Wasilla as so devoutly anti-intellectual, so thoroughly uncurious about the world, and so totally convinced that the fake blue collar image of her life means she knows all there is to know and only God knows all the rest, as to make her popularity among the remains of the Republican Party truly frightening. Sadly, the book only increases her appeal to that very base of the shrinking GOP while leaving moderate Republicans, independents and anyone else who actually thinks about things out in the Alaskan cold. Aside from the snippets of her life in Alaska – much of it true, some of it clearly part of the carefully-crafted storyline created about her by Palin’s handlers in the McCain campaign – the book is mostly a loosely-linked chain of self-aggrandizing, petulant slams at McCain campaign strategist Steve Schmidt and a handful of other professional pols who were trying to get their ticket elected against very long odds. She comes across as an eager player in a blame game – something she’s been doing ever since high school, according to published accounts of people who’ve known her since her prom queen days. Equally important, she polishes her campaign persona of “hockey mom” triviality. She confesses to being unfamiliar with the Middle East, the Iraq war, Afghanistan or Islamic politics. “I knew the history of the conflict,” she writes at one point, “to the extent that most Americans did.” Oh? Better tell that to Rush Limbaugh, who claims Going Rogue is one of the best policy books he’s ever read. I gather this means what it implies: He doesn’t read many policy books. And, anyway, “most Americans” don’t want to be vice president of the United States and aren’t manoeuvring to become a major party’s nominee for president next time around. Just as astonishing, Palin argues without explanation that “there’s no better training ground for politics than motherhood.” Palin writes that she and Todd are perfect to represent America’s Joe Six-Packs because that’s who they are themselves. Scroll to Continue The Era of Black Women and HIV/AIDS By Rev. Irene Monroe Nov 29, 2022 Political Terms used in the United States By Sharon Kyle Nov 29, 2022 “We know what it’s like to be on a tight budget and wonder how we’re going to pay for our own health care, let alone college tuition,” she boasts. “We know what it’s like to work union jobs ... We felt our very normalcy, our status as ordinary Americans, could be a much-needed fresh breeze blowing into Washington, D.C.” One problem: The very economic policies she touts in the book, at her Facebook page, when she Twitters little nothings in the ears of her followers, and on the stump during the campaign have been killing union jobs and ordinary Americans since the days of Ronald Reagan. Elsewhere, she writes about creationism, proudly confessing that she doesn’t hold truck with “the theory that human beings — thinking, loving beings — originated from fish that sprouted legs and crawled out of the sea” or “monkeys who eventually swung down from the trees.” She knows as much about anthropology as she knows about the Middle East: Monkeys climbed into trees first, before learning to walk upright. Oh, and studies have shown that nearly all primates are “thinking, loving beings.” But to Palin, God is in charge of everything in her life, a sort of personal concierge. “My life is in His hands,” she testifies. “I encourage readers to do what I did many years ago, invite Him in to take over.” I doubt whether Palin knows it, but that statement is the best argument I’ve read to support atheism. Surely, a caring, loving, all-knowing and all-seeing God would never give a Sarah Palin such a platform so there's almost a prima facie case that a God doesn't exist.	5,453
A whole school approach is one that goes beyond the learning and teaching in the classroom to pervade all aspects of the life of a school. Anti-bullying Staff Health and Wellbeing Books pupils who may need support around emotional and mental health. Support Self-disclosure Self-Harm a pupil’s specific needs, in order provide the most appropriate intervention. Primary Secondary evidence-based quality interventions, both universal and targeted, matched to pupils’ specific needs. Exam Stress Support Healthy Eating Physical Education how the provision is meeting the pupils’ needs, identifying the next steps and celebrating successes. Derby Schools Good staff wellbeing is essential for cultivating a mentally healthy school, for retaining and motivating staff and for promoting pupil wellbeing and attainment Self-Care School Leaders Training & Development Conversation with Jenny Otter and Caitlin Otter, Breakfast club Assistant and Midday Supervisors at Redwood Primary School June 29, 2020 How have your roles changed since the school closures? We were working as learning assistants as well, which we’re not doing any more. We’re still doing breakfast club and now we’re doing midday, but the set-up is different and we haven’t got as many children. Play is different because they’ve all got their own zones and different time slots for eating. Children have their own tables to eat on at breakfast club. At the beginning, it was very, very lonely and quiet. The numbers dropped significantly for breakfast club. We can’t interact with the children as much as we used to, as we can’t get as close. There was one child sitting at a table on her own, looking really down and we asked are you ok? The child burst into tears. We can’t just say ‘ah, go and sit on that table with so and so’, which is hard. But what we did, was we shuffled the tables around so that she was near to children of her own age and then they could talk over the tables. It’s hard to watch them alone and looking lonely. We try not to hug them and the older ones know we can’t, but the little ones do need it sometimes. We keep talking to them, try to find ways to keep them interacting but not being too close. What measures do you think have been most important in managing the emotional wellbeing of your school during the closures? Keep it as normal as we can, whilst still keeping everything in place that we need to be doing. Especially for the little ones who don’t quite get it. Emotionally, they need normality, like familiar faces. Some have been coming since the start of lockdown and we have been doing breakfast club every morning, which means they are used to seeing us each day. This one child was really excited when she thought her friends were coming back, but then a lot of her friends didn’t come back and some were in another pod and she found that hard. She’s not got the same teacher and she’s not seeing all of her friends, but we’ve been there consistently with no time off, so we’ve been her normal because we’re the ones she’s seen every day. What measures do you think will be most important to maintain/ initiate on return to school? We have to keep washing hands, keeping good hygiene, sanitising, trying to keep distance, although some children can’t. It’s helping that they have the same teacher and in pods with the same children, not necessarily in their class, but children their age again. They also love to go out and play on the playground. The playground is zoned off, but they still have the space to run around and be children, which is really important. What has been most important in managing your own/ your family’s mental health during the lockdown period? Staying in work, going to work every day, having that routine has helped. We were bored for the rest of the day, as we couldn’t go anywhere else. We live together and so we are not alone. Making everything normal for the children has meant that we just got on with it as normal as we could. Conversation with Rohanne Nicholson, Learning Mentor at Redwood Primary School June 19, 2020 How has your role changed since the school closures? My role has become more virtual and telephone based, because it’s got to be and that’s really hard not having physical contact with parents or children. It’s especially hard with children because they can’t share their worries in the same way, because you’re very aware of their parents in the background. It’s hard when the children say ‘I miss you’, with physical contact being taken away. We’re ringing the families regularly, making sure everything is ok. Having contact is really important so that you can hear their voice. I have done some home visits, which is really nice, but we still can’t talk to them in detail. The children get excited to see you, even though we’re just standing in the drive, they know that you’re keeping them in mind and they can keep you in mind. I am also dealing with many more emails than I used to! What measures do you think have been most important in managing the emotional wellbeing of your school during the closures? The most important has been ringing and keeping in regular contact with parents, being there to speak to the children if they need to say hello. I also attend team around the school meetings virtually, which is really useful. The meetings help me keep in touch with services and they can tell me what’s available and where to go. I have been doing Early Help Assessments and have managed to secure a visit for a family. Services have worked really well together through all this and there are a number of places that I can ring for help, as well as our school SENCO. We have really worked together as a team within school and with outside agencies. I’ve also been able to have a laugh with colleagues in the nest, which has really helped me. What measures do you think will be most important to maintain/ initiate on return to school? It’s important to be available one to one for parents to talk to someone. It’s also really important to be nurturing, giving children the chance to talk. You have to think about wellbeing before you think about any type of education. We also have to get to know the children again, because although we’ve maintained some contact by calls and visits, they’ll be in regular contact when they’re back and a lot has changed. We need to focus on reassuring, that their feelings are normal and ok. What has been most important in managing your own/ your family’s mental health during the lockdown period? The most important for me has been having people around to work with, someone to talk to either over the phone, or socially distanced at work. Having contact with people can really cheer you up if you’re having a bad day. Conversation with Alan Newbold, Premises Manager at Redwood Primary School How has your role changed since the school closures? It’s become critical to keep on top of the PPE and keep the cleaning up to get rid of the germs. We need PPE for everyone, to keep everyone safe. It’s been religious. It’s all about the logistics, keeping on top of all the orders, not letting anything run out. I’m going around the school 2/3 times a day checking everyone has what they need. What measures do you think have been most important in managing the emotional wellbeing of your school during the closures? Everyone is feeling it around school. Some staff are lonely and need to talk. The general feeling for staff is that there’s more focus on feelings; that they have been made bigger and under normal circumstances people could cope, but during Covid, they’re harder to deal with. It’s important that they talk. What measures do you think will be most important to maintain/ initiate on return to school? This is the norm now and needs to be the norm to keep everyone safe. We need to keep the virus controlled and keep (the new cleaning measures) up. What has been most important in managing your own/ your family’s mental health during the lockdown period? I’ve been coming into work, so I’ve had that routine. Getting to form a bubble and cuddle my grandchildren again has been the best thing. Conversation with Lyndsey Shepherd, Head of Redwood Primary School June 2, 2020 How has your role changed since the school closures? I don’t know where you’d begin. It feels like my role was frozen in time when the schools closed back in March, with a lot of the focus on school improvement, curriculum development and strategic work put more or less on pause, without knowing when we’ll press play again. I recently updated the school improvement plan with the progress made so far this year, but I don’t know when we’ll be able to get back to that work. Where I had always been looking at the longer picture, now it’s all about the day to day, week to week, with fast movement and responses to national updates. I’ve gone from being the head of a large primary school, to the head of a virtual school, with some staff on site, some teams working remotely, large amounts of outreach going on whilst also delivering a ‘bricks and mortar’ school service to some children. The core focus has been managing the emotional health of staff, children families. Safeguarding has been an increasing part of everyone’s roles for those children we don’t see and there is also a lot of added administration such as COVID registers, which adds to workload. All the while, I am keeping an eye on the longer term goal, thinking about what September might look like and the next academic year. What measures do you think have been most important in managing the emotional wellbeing of your school during the closures? Keeping the communication open with everyone has been most important thing. The staff have anxieties about their own or their family’s health and are getting much of their information from the news. It’s been important to regularly communicate what our school is doing with the guidance that’s out there. If there are staff that we’re worried about, we’ve been regularly checking in, doing home visits at a social distance, delivering care packages etc. For children and families, we have a list of check-ins for class teachers and assistant heads, including some home visits. Our assistant head who is currently on maternity leave is uploading Dojo with mental health signposting and support daily, such as Bridge the Gap resources. We have said to parents that we’re here to talk to by phone and this communication is key. Many parents are struggling with home schooling and we’ve given support on how to restructure their days. For parents or children who are struggling with their mental health, we communicate regularly. Our priority is to keep everyone talking. What measures do you think will be most important to maintain/ initiate on return to school? At the moment, it’s about managing people’s emotions about coming back to school in the first place. People are worried about it being safe enough. We are focussing on developing and communicating clear risk assessments that allow staff and parents to trust that we’re not putting them at risk. We are going through all the measures and taking time to plan properly. We’ve increased our contact with staff, especially where they have childcare issues or health issues and thinking about wellbeing for those people. When we return, we’re ensuring that we have safe spaces for people to take time out, we’re also thinking about our bereaved staff, including counselling referrals where they might need it. For our children, mental health and wellbeing is the top priority on return to school. We know that some of their home environments may not have been conducive to learning and that some children may not have been doing a lot of school work. Our focus will not be on what the children haven’t done during lockdown but, instead, looking at moving forward from here and reassuring them that the world around them is a safe place to be. We’re going to be delivering a lot of R time with a focus on nurture, making use of our learning mentors and bringing in therapists, as we expect some children may be withdrawn. Of course we are anticipating academic regression, but also social and emotional regression in many of our children. What has been most important in managing your own/ your family’s mental health during the lockdown period? I’ve been reliant on my support network, which are my friends and family being on the end of the phone, to talk to and express frustrations. I have tried to walk every day, avoiding feeling trapped in four walls. In the early days, when sleep was proving more difficult, I used apps on my phone such as Headspace and Calm to help me unwind. I also filter the news as it can be so overwhelming - I only watch the 5pm briefing, not getting drawn into detail. For my own children, I give lots of reassurance that things will go back to normal and also that it’s ok not to complete all the school work. Providing some routine with home-schooling has been really important in our house too. We also do other things, such as baking cakes, housework and gardening, which are life skills and just as important as the academic work. Conversation with Jane Calladine, Chair of PSG and Executive Headteacher of Parkview and Redwood Primary Schools Federation How has your role changed since the school closures? Since schools closed, my role is the same, but the focus has changed massively. Usually, I work with our teams of inspiring leaders and staff across both schools, with the key focus of creating strategic improvement plans and putting them into action. Since school closures, my role has become sharply focussed on just one aspect of the role: supporting both Heads of School and other senior leaders in making a range of often very difficult decisions and plans, and keeping Governors fully informed of what we are doing. I have supported by monitoring the developing Covid 19 situation, interpreting daily Government and Local Authority bulletins for our schools, and discussing our response. In daily telephone meetings I provide advice, encouragement, emotional and strategic support to these same inspiring school leaders, as they have worked incredibly hard with their own teams to plan in-school and home-school support for families, and provide emotional support to our many vulnerable families. In this regard, our Opportunity Area Emotionally Healthy Schools project is currently more important than we could ever have imagined, and our Project Leader, Ingrid Sanfey, has developed new ways to support the City’s Emotionally Healthy Schools leaders. In this, and all other Primary Strategy Group work, I have supported our projects to continue their work in new ways wherever possible. What measures do you think have been most important in managing the emotional wellbeing of your school during the closures? Daily calls and meetings with leaders, making sure they never feel alone in making difficult decisions, or coping with bad news, has been the most important part of the support I have been able to give. Our leaders and staff have used their emotional intelligence, imagination, personal strength in this crisis to great effect. They have worked together to identify pupils, families and colleagues who have needed emotional support, and in some cases, physical support in terms of food, medicines and learning materials. Good systems were put in place to keep in touch with all families and staff, and keep the children active and distracted. It has been really important to understand the challenges many parents have faced due lost employment or the difficulty of trying to work from home while caring for children. It has been particularly difficult for families and staff who are shielding others, whose family members have become ill, and sadly, for those who are bereaved. For staff it has been important for us to say ‘Just do what you can’, recognising that many are trying to support other family members, for example young children or elderly relatives, while trying to work, which is enormously difficult. I think they have all been brilliant, and I feel enormously proud of them. What measures do you think will be most important to maintain/ initiate on return to school? The safety of all will be our prime concern in preparations to return. If children and staff do not feel safe, their well-being will be compromised. Planning in terms of a curriculum that promotes strong emotional health and systems of pupil/staff emotional support for all will be essential. The more we can do now to improve our families’ well-being, the better able they will be to move on positively from the crisis. What has been most important in managing your own/ your family’s mental health during the lockdown period? I think we all need the support of other people. I am fortunate to have the support of a very understanding husband, and family and friends who love to get together, so chatting with them on Zoom, whatsapp, House Party is a brilliant way to keep your spirits up. We also need brain breaks from the difficulties, so I take a good long walk every day, and have started doing some drawing – inspired by all the art programmes online and on TV, which is very absorbing. Delivering meals and learning resources to vulnerable families April 20, 2020 Since schools closed to the majority of children, my role in school has entirely changed, from a Year 4 class teacher and Designated Senior Lead for Mental Health, to ‘COVID-19 Logistics Manager’. Each day, I run a delivery service, driving to the houses of all our most vulnerable families to deliver free school dinners. We also had groceries donated by the local ASDA and I filled the boot of my car to deliver bags of shopping to some of our more vulnerable families. I have also been delivering home learning packs and stationary for families struggling with access to computers or the internet so that their children can continue to have an education through this crisis. It is clear that self-isolation means very different things to different families. Some families are stuck indoors, living in poor and crowded conditions. As teachers, we are ambitious for our children and want them to continue to receive a quality education. However, from my visits, I could hear that some parents were feeling overwhelmed by the school work and regular prompts and suggestions from school about how they could home school their children. We have since reviewed the way we communicate with our families about home schooling to ensure that we are not adding additional pressure. We have slowed down with the amount of messages and work being sent out, giving them just enough to manage each day and no expectations that they need to do it all. We also encourage them to do enjoyable tasks instead, such as cooking or gardening together. For many families, my visits are the only face to face interaction they have, and they are an opportunity to talk and get some emotional support. Visiting our families is proving to be invaluable and is doing a really good thing for mental health. Even after the first week, you can see the impact that isolation can have, which is why we’re are prioritising face to face contact with our most vulnerable families for as long as we are able to do so. Review of the term ‘Self-Care’ April 9, 2020 During the week of 16 March, when schools were on the verge of closing, like everyone else I was having frantic thoughts about how to maximise my family's productivity during this time. I read lots online about home-schooling and thought about learning new languages, improving fitness, teaching the children to cook and discover new musical instruments. The options were overwhelming and I felt pressure to turn this period of uncertainty into a magical and productive experience for my children. I was ambitious with work, too. I wanted to rise to the challenge and worked out a timetable that allowed me to continue my full time hours on top of home-schooling and managing a household. Needless to say, it was too much. After crashing last week with illness, I have been forced to slow right down and accept that those ambitions were unrealistic. I then felt guilty, in particular my failure to take in the experience and appreciate time with my children. When I felt well again, I registered for an e-learning course by Pooky Knightsmith, where she spoke about self-care and its renewed meaning and significance for us in today’s context. Self-care isn’t necessarily about candle-lit baths and sewing projects. It’s really about the basics. It’s about ensuring we eat well, quality of sleep and of relationships, establishing a sense of control and it’s about being kind to ourselves, which for me (like many) is about managing guilt. So now, I am allowing myself to find comfort and pleasure in simple things. I’m not attempting to learn anything new, but instead reconnecting with activities we’ve always enjoyed. I’ve picked up a new book, started drawing again and I am enjoying cooking. I’ve stopped timetabling myself and the children, whilst sticking to a consistent rhythm that involves rotations of work, time with the children and housework. We're going for a walk each day and the children and I have been photographing our favourite colours in nature and naming them. Soon, the Easter break will end and the pressure of home-schooling will return. When it does, I will work to maintain the calm and rhythm that we’ve started to achieve this week. But for now, I’m off to do some baking. Homeworking and home schooling primary aged children March 26, 2020 It’s just gone 6 am. I’m listening to the birds and enjoying a hot cup of tea, knowing that this moment will not last long. Along with many others, I am attempting to juggle homeworking and home schooling young children. With so many tools and resources out there for parents, it can be overwhelming, especially when you don’t have the energy or focus to properly read and research. But, one thing I am learning to depend on is PE with Joe Wickes. My eldest was sceptical at first and wouldn’t join in, but now he’s first in line and competing to get as many reps in as he can in the 30 seconds. The regular shout outs started off as annoying, but now give a much needed sense of connectedness with children and families across the world. If you haven’t tried it, I wholly recommend. Plus, it’s a pretty good workout! I am lucky, because my children’s primary school have provided really comprehensive homework packs from day 1. Tapestry and Class Dojo allow me to upload their work, with their teachers giving comments and feedback. The Reception teacher is uploading videos of herself going through the phonics, as she would each morning in class. It takes the pressure off me having to find learning resources myself. But, effective home schooling means ineffective working and effective working means not effectively home schooling. Whilst navigating the guilt of being torn between two incompatible tasks, I am also managing the grief and worry that goes with living through a global pandemic, that has turned all our worlds upside down and risks the lives of loved ones. As a single parent, there’s no one to pass my children on to when I feel like this, so I manage. I manage by stepping back and allowing the children to do what they want. I’ve discovered just how much physical activity my eldest needs. He spends hours in the garden each day, kicking a football around. He’s also independently motivated and imaginative. He’s writing a play and is working with my sister (a theatre director) to bring it to life. My youngest loves to paint. As a trained artist, I am amazed that I’ve never realised this before. He can spend hours with a paintbrush and a pile of paper, creating mini masterpieces and I am completely in awe. I am behind with their curriculum work and I am behind with my own work. At the end of the day, we collapse in a heap in front of the TV and my youngest is in bed at least an hour after his bedtime. We have a timetable we don’t stick to and we’ve had some arguments. But, we’re ok. And for now, ok is good enough. Supporting children returning to school following a positive COVID test Challenge / Barrier: “This is making my wellbeing worse!” What do you want to get out of DSLMH day 2? EmotionallyHealthySchools Follow Official Twitter profile for the Emotionally Healthy Schools Project in Derby City It's day two of our #12DaysOfWinterWellbeing and a reminder that we are a #SocialEnterprise and a member of @SocialEnt_UK who this year have created their own gift guide: https://bit.ly/3gV1s8o Buy #PresentsWithPurpose this year and support organisations changing lives. Terms and Conditions © Copyright Derby City Council 2019 \| This site is maintained by the School Development Support Agency This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRead more This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 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Today, the Supreme Court gave the Biden administration a win and a loss on COVID-19 vaccine rules. First, the loss - the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, trying to require vaccination or weekly testing for workers at large private companies. The justices blocked that rule. Then the win - the court upheld a mandate for health care workers at facilities that get federal money. The agency behind that rule is the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, and Chiquita Brooks-Lasure is the administrator of CMS. CHIQUITA BROOKS-LASURE: Thank you so much for having me. SHAPIRO: This has been a confusing time with the vaccine mandates stuck in courts. Now that your agency has a green light, when is this rule for health care workers going to take effect? BROOKS-LASURE: Well, you are right that it's been confusing, but we're so excited about the Supreme Court ruling because we think, as CMS, it's our responsibility to give patients the assurance of safety in their care, particularly as a key part of combating the pandemic. So we are already, in 25 states, in the process of implementing the vaccine standards. And now in the additional states, we will move forward with the Supreme Court ruling. And this means... SHAPIRO: So if I'm an unvaccinated health care worker in one of those states, how long do I have to get in compliance? BROOKS-LASURE: So our new date for the states that were - that the Supreme Court has just ruled on is March 15. So that's when we want to get everyone to be vaccinated. SHAPIRO: And what's enforcement going to look like? I mean, how soon would people face consequences for not complying? And what would those consequences look like? BROOKS-LASURE: So we are really focused on working with facilities. And this is a requirement on facilities to have plans in place. We're doing quite a lot of technical assistance outreach. I was in Philadelphia a couple of weeks ago, listening to systems to hear what they're doing. And so... SHAPIRO: It sounds like you're saying you don't want to threaten punishment. But the whole point of a rule is that if people don't follow it, there are consequences, right? So what are those consequences? BROOKS-LASURE: That is absolutely true that we want to make sure that we're working with people, but the consequences will be - we have a variety of options, whether it's civil monetary penalties for facilities that don't have plans in place... SHAPIRO: You mean, like, withholding federal funding. BROOKS-LASURE: That's right. So whether it's fines, whether it's withdrawing federal funds or, of course, as a last resort, would be to terminate them from the program. SHAPIRO: And previously, your agency has said that this rule would not require a booster, a third shot. Do you think that could change going forward? BROOKS-LASURE: It is the responsibility of the CDC to define how fully vaccinated will be defined, and we will be following the recommendations of the CDC. SHAPIRO: Now, you've said that, so far, this rule or the anticipation of it has not led health care workers to quit. Staffing is already so thin. Many hospitals cannot afford to lose even a few workers. Does it concern you that implementation will drive some people away? BROOKS-LASURE: What really is concerning us is the virus and its effect on staffing. And really, that is the driving force of a lot of our concern and - around making sure that staff are vaccinated. The reason why we are seeing so many shortages across the country is really about people being - the virus being quarantined because they've been exposed to people with COVID-19 or because they've contracted it. So when we think about how do we address shortages, which are a huge issue - I'm sure you're hearing about facilities not being able to do elective surgeries, etc. We really see vaccination as our key defense in addressing this pandemic. SHAPIRO: On the other mandate for private employers, which the Supreme Court struck down today, that decision does not prevent Congress from passing such a requirement. Is the administration going to encourage lawmakers to look at that and pass such legislation? BROOKS-LASURE: I can't speak to - we're all digesting, so I can't speak to what we might ask Congress to do. I know that we, CMS, are certainly joining the president and OSHA in saying how we're really disappointed and know this is a major setback. Thank you. BROOKS-LASURE: Thank you again. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. Ari Shapiro has been one of the hosts of All Things Considered, NPR's award-winning afternoon newsmagazine, since 2015. During his first two years on the program, listenership to All Things Considered grew at an unprecedented rate, with more people tuning in during a typical quarter-hour than any other program on the radio.	5,031
The Tank Leotard can be worn traditionally with tights or under wrap skirts and leggings. The options are endless with this Team Basic. Lined for modesty and security. Double stitched seams guarantee long-lasting wear. This timeless silhouette is available in a range of colors and sizes to complement every rising dancer. Shipping Fees SportRidges.com offers FREE SHIPPING everywhere in the United States for ALL orders. Packages are shipped from Monday to Friday. No additional fees and charges. The usual time for processing an order is 24 hours (business days), but may vary depending on the availability of products ordered. This period excludes delivery times, which depend on your geographic location. Expedited Shipping: 2-5 business days Shipping method varies depending on what is being shipped. All orders are shipped with a tracking number. Once your order has left our warehouse, a confirmation e-mail with a tracking number will be sent to you. You will be able to track your package at all times. If your package has been delivered in a PO Box, please note that we are not responsible for any damage that may result (consequences of extreme temperatures, theft, etc.). If you have any questions regarding shipping or want to know about the status of an order, please contact us or email to mona@sportsridge.com. You may return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging. Several types of goods are exempt from being returned. Perishable goods such as food, flowers, newspapers or magazines cannot be returned. We also do not accept products that are intimate or sanitary goods, hazardous materials, or flammable liquids or gases. Gift cards Some health and personal care items To complete your return, we require a tracking number, which shows the items which you already returned to us. There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted (if applicable) Book with obvious signs of use CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error Any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery Items returned to us as a result of our error will receive a full refund,some returns may be subject to a restocking fee of 7% of the total item price, please contact a customer care team member to see if your return is subject. Returns that arrived on time and were as described are subject to a restocking fee. Items returned to us that were not the result of our error, including items returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address, will be refunded the original item price less our standard restocking fees. If the item is returned to us for any of the following reasons, a 15% restocking fee will be applied to your refund total and you will be asked to pay for return shipping: Item(s) no longer needed or wanted. Item(s) returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address. Item(s) returned to us that were not a result of our error. You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days). If you need to return an item, please Contact Us with your order number and details about the product you would like to return. We will respond quickly with instructions for how to return items from your order. We'll pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.). In other cases, you will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund. Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary. If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.	4,686
Normally I would put this under Oko's Planeswalker Discussion page... (coughcough @Brigby coughcough) until then however, this will have to do. Ever wanted to have the ability to play with your opponent's deck for the most part? Well, Oko is really good at doing just that. Now if only there was a way to constantly have the resources to make that work... oh wait... we have a certain someone that can make that a reality! Casualties of War (R) Supports (4): Golden Egg (U) Simic Locket (U) Temple of Mystery (U) / Land support of choice Mirrodin Besieged (MP) / Artifact support of choice This deck is designed to really go nuts with your opponent's deck (and strategy) once Oko's third ability gets out on the field. The fact that the High Fae Market is classified as only a "support" means it is that much harder to get rid of as a large number of support removal spells that aren't The Great Aurora or similar spells will have great difficulty removing it! So all we need then is the "resources" to trade to Greg... Which is where everyone's favorite homunculus comes into play! Fblthp's ability to be fetched instead of everything else actually comes into its own in this deck. You'll always have a way to get Fblthp into your hand, waiting for the right moment to "trade" him for something of Greg's (which will always favor you because of the Fae Market!!). Which is where the spells come in; either finding the homunculus from your deck, or controlling the battlefield. Once Upon a Time and Deathsprout both fetch Fblthp because they will try to find the land support in your library (but Fblthp will be fetched instead). Casualties of War is just a great meta card because of how many things it can potentally get rid of: vanguards, obnoxious enchantment supports hiding behind tokens, Gaea's Revenge shenanigans (when you can't just trade for it), among other things. Reclaim is for those times where you need to ramp a little faster and have an extra copy of Fblthp in your hand. Support wise, the deck needs at least one land for Deathsprout to fetch Fblthp, so use whatever works for you. Golden Egg is cheap, works with Oko's first ability, and is always useful for trading. Simic Locket is also a great barter tool once the market is in play, otherwise it can help with gem conversion. If you have it, Mirrodin Besieged can also help by producing Myr tokens... Which Karn, the Great Creator can disable if they get traded to Greg! Karn also keeps Greg from playing artifact supports - which allows the Fae Market to trade to you for your artifact supports you don't need and want to clutter Greg's hand with! Don't have Mirrodin Besieged? Then use another artifact support of your preference to round out the deck. DISCLAIMER: In testing, this deck is causing a number of "weird" abnormalities - mostly lag related in relation to the High Fae Market after attacks... But I've also been traded artifact supports that stay disabled from Karn's passive... So be ready for who knows what might happen... Comments February 2020 HomeRn said: Normally I would put this under Oko's Planeswalker Discussion page... (coughcough @Brigby coughcough) until then however, this will have to do.	3,399
Pcb assembly quote, Prototype pcb assembly, Rapid prototyping pcb Technology Magazine January 20, 2017 January 16, 2021 The Internet of Things (IoT) is changing a lot for established companies and startups. A lot of this is so new that the way businesses approach new printed circuit board assembly (PCB) projects has some challenges that are not present in traditional circuit board assembly projects. According to a new piece by TechTarget, there are differences in how PCB projects are started because of the differences in traditional PCBs and PCBs that are developed for the IoT. Whereas traditional PCBs are flat and have a bigger surface area, newer PCBs for the IoT have a different circuit board assembly process and are made of flex circuit set ups. A look at the IoT PCB layout: When working on new PCBs for the IoT, it is important to find developers who have a lot of experience working with the different kind of circuit board assembly that is required for this new platform. Being well versed in both rigid-flex and flexible foundations. Developers who have worked on a number of IoT PCB designs know how to best use the small space they have to create a PCB that is just what you are looking for. Designing IoT PCBs is a bit different than designing traditional PCBs so you should not assume a person who has a lot of experience with the latter is going to be good at developing the former. One difference to remember is that that most IoT devices are mobile. They have a lot of movement happening inside the device itself. That has a big impact on the way the PCB will interact with the different components of the unit. This is another reason it is so important for designers to have a lot of experience working with and on IoT PCBs. Rigid-flex assemblies are different than other kinds of assembly. This is something that developers need to understand. Heat management is an important part of the IoT PCB assembly creation process. Circuitry that is made with the analogue process produce a lot more heat than those that are digital. This is important because more and more IoT devices are incorporating analogue PCBs. This can cause a lot of problems for IoT devices and needs to be considered. When working with the IoT circuit board assembly process, some consideration needs to be given to who will be handling the IoT PCB fabrication and assembly process. Manufacturing IoT PCBs is a different process and requires a different skill set than making traditional PCBs. Because there are two kinds of assembly being used, care must be taken to get the right adhesive for the job at hand. Another consideration that needs to be made is that the components are much smaller. Being experienced at working with incredibly tiny. This takes some practice and work to get used to dealing with this sized component. Everything from getting tools that are small enough to work in the space that is used for an IoT PCB to knowing how to use these tools must be considered. When you are working with IoT devices, it is a different world than when you are working with traditional electronics. Consider the IoT circuit board assembly process. The company that is selected to handle the assembly process for IoT PCBs needs to have a lot of experience building and making PCBs that are used in wearable devices. These already have the specialized tools and fixtures incorporated into them. The placement of components in IoT PCBs is a hard talk to complete properly. It needs to be done accurately and the printing needs to be carefully attended to as any errors can have catastrophic implications for the device into which the PCB will be placed. In fact, the printing process itself does pose different challenges. Most of the time, there is a rigid-flex assembly is used but the rigid section is a different thickness than the flexible section. These differences need to be considered when you are working on the printing process. Companies need to find the right companies to manufacture their IoT PCBs. It is important for anyone looking to develop new PCBs for IoT devices to take the time to find manufacturers who have the requisite IoT experience. What to Do When You Hire an Ad Agency Leave a Reply Cancel reply You must be logged in to post a comment. Technology Magazine is your place to learn all about the latest technology, read hot new tech articles, and get local news, weather and stock quotes.	4,536
Most companies have been devising wage structure of their employees, basis their pay-out culture, employee category and at most, catering to tax implications on the employees. The usual norm has been to devise a Cost-to-Company structure, encompassing basic wages, variable pay-out, employee benefits and retirals. However, the same has not been free from loopholes, as regard compliance with various legislations concerning wages is concerned. The Code on Wages, 2019 has been notified on 8ᵗʰ August 2019, though the date on which it will come into force is yet to be notified. The Code consolidates the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 and the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965. One of the most crucial definitions introduced by the Code is that of ‘Wages’, which is common and uniform among other Codes as well, viz., the Code on Social Security, 2020, the Code on Industrial Relations, 2020 and the Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions, 2020. Section 2 (y) of the Code on Wages, 2019 defines ‘wages’.  The first part of the definition is an inclusive definition, and it includes all remuneration, whether by way of salary allowances or otherwise, paid to the employee for fulfilling the terms of employment. The second part of the definition in an exclusion clause, wherein the allowances which will be excluded from the definition of wages are listed. It includes, inter alia, any bonus payable under any law for the time being in force, which does not form part of the remuneration payable under the terms of employment; the value of any house-accommodation; any contribution paid by the employer to any pension or provident fund; any conveyance allowance or the value of any travelling concession; any sum paid to the employed person to defray special expenses entailed on him by the nature of his employment; house rent allowance; overtime allowance; gratuity payable on the termination of employment and retrenchment compensation or other retirement benefit payable to the employee or any ex gratia payment made to the employee on the termination of employment: The third part of definition incorporates the concept of conditional inclusion. It essentially envisages a scenario where the total of all the payments constituting part of exclusions, as stated above but excluding gratuity and retrenchment compensation or ex gratia payment, exceeds 50% of the total remuneration payable to the employee. In such cases, it is provided under the Code, that the amount which exceeds such one-half, shall be deemed as remuneration and shall be accordingly be added in ‘wages’ under the clause. It is also provided that where an employee is given, in lieu of the whole or part of the wages payable to him, any remuneration in kind by his employer, the value of such remuneration in kind which does not exceed fifteen percent of the total wages payable to him, shall be deemed to form part of the ‘wages’ of such employee. Hence, in sum and substance, if the total of the excluded amount of allowances, except gratuity and retrenchment compensation or ex-gratia payment, exceed 50% of the total remuneration, the amount which exceeds 50% shall have to be treated as part of ‘wages’. The new definition, as contained in the Code, is expected to have significant ramifications in the context of various employment benefits to the employee, such as Provident Fund Contribution, Gratuity, Retrenchment Compensation, Maternity Benefit, etc. In view of the above, the employers are required to re-align the pay-out structure to its employees with the new definition of wages, in a structured and well–informed manner, in order to be in compliance with the Labour Codes. – Sunil Arya, Advocate & Senior Principal Associate Share This Post Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. More Posts Pipped to the Post? – Consequences of non-performance on continued employment November 24, 2022 October 20, 2022 How can an employer handle failed BGV? October 6, 2022 September 24, 2022 NextApplicability of The EPF Act to Establishments rendering Expert Services : The Supreme Court Clears ConundrumNext Events Careers Advisory People Practice Copyright © BCP Associates LLP \| All rights reserved. Scroll to Top Mr. Chandrashekar Shetty is a Senior Labour Law Compliance Auditor at BCP Associates and has audited multiple client companies across India. He is also a member of our senior legal advisory practice. Previously he has worked as Deputy Controller, Manager-Industrial Relations and Industrial Relations Officer in KPTCL, Bangalore for more than 30 years. Prior to this, he has dealt with Legal, Personnel and IR matters including Wage Settlements, Grievance Machinery, Manpower Study and Social Security Compliances for about 10 years. He is a Faculty member of Labour Law, HRD Centre, KPTCL Bangalore. Mr. Shetty holds a B.Com. and L.L.B. degree, Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Administration, Diploma in Public Relations from Bangalore University and PG Diploma in Industrial Relations & Personnel Management from Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan. He is enrolled as Advocate in Karnataka Bar Council and is a Govt. Arbitrator of Chit Funds in Karnataka. S Venugopal Rao S Venugopal Rao is an experienced labour law and service matters expert and is a member of the senior advisory team at BCP Associates. Having joined the chambers of Mr. B C Prabhakar in 2012, he is knowledgeable and well versed in multiple employment and labour law topics. S Venugopal Rao holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science from Karnataka University, Dharwar and Bachelor of Law from Bangalore University. He enrolled as advocate in Karantaka State Bar Council in 1976. He joined the chamber of Sri. Kolachalam Srinivasa Rao a leading civil advocate. After practicing for 6 years at Ballari, he joined Orient Paper Mills, Orissa (of G P Birla Group). He was designated as Manager (Law) under the Factories Act in 1995. In 1999, he joined Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills Rajahmundry as Manager Legal and was subsequently elevated as Dy. General Manager (Legal). As Factory Manager & Legal Head, he oversaw compliance of Factories Act and Rules there under towards safety, health and welfare, including compliance under Pollutions and Environmental laws and Explosives Act, etc. Additionally, he is well acquainted with Environment Management System ISO 14001: 2004, Occupations, Health and Safety Series 18000:1999. As Legal head in APPM he has briefed and appeared along with Senior Advocate before Appellate Authority constituted under Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act. He retired from the services of Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills in 2011. As legal head he has handled important cases both in Labour and Civil and has experience in drafting and vetting Contracts, Agreements, Lease Agreement, Conveyance Deeds, , Affidavits and scrutiny of several legal and other documents, Preparing and settling Petitions, Appeals, Plaints, Written Statements, Rejoinders, Affidavits and Written Arguments etc. for submission/pleadings for various legal proceedings. C.K. Devappa Gowda (CKD) is an Advocate and Labour Law expert. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Science from the University of Mysore and a Degree in Bachelor of Law from Bengaluru respectively. He also holds a Diploma in Social Service Administration from the National Institute of Social Science, Bengaluru. After completing his studies, he had enrolled as a Advocate and initially practiced in the Civil Code attached to the office of BCP. He then worked as Personnel Officer in Chemicals and Textile Manufacturing Industries for 5 years. Thereafter took up employment in one of the largest Public Sector Bank. He has worked in different parts of the country and has extensive experience in the cross country IR domain. The significant part of his service was at corporate level overseeing and implementing HR policies and practices and management of IR. He has been a member of personnel committee of Indian Bank Association. After retirement from service, Mr. Gowda has been working with Mr. BC Prabhakar’s firm for the last 12 years. He has expertise in all areas of people management, drafting of documents relating to service matter including the settlements under the ID Act. He has dealt with all employment laws including appearance before the Courts, Tribunal and Authorities under the different Labour Laws. Mr. Gowda is one of the senior Labour Law experts at BCP Associates. Srijata Ghosh serves as external member on the Internal Committee of several Companies across various sectors. She handles all kinds of POSH related matters including investigations and inquiries. She provides Training on Sexual Harassment across all verticals for Managers and Senior Management, General Awareness for all employees and Internal Committee members on the legislation (The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal Act, 2013). She also formulates Policies for Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace (“POSH”) and advises Companies on setting up of their Internal Committees. Srijata is involved in providing Legal Advisory services on POSH and other labour law matters for various clients. In her previous experience, she has extensively dealt with End-to-End Contract Management, Due Diligence, POSH Compliances, Legal Advisory, etc. Srijata worked with Companies like Accenture India Private Limited, Quess Corp., Capgemini Business Services (India) Limited and Pramata Knowledge Solutions Private Limited. Srijata has handled varied legal issues including drafting, vetting and negotiation of contracts, drafting policies of various organizations. She has resolved issues relating to employment laws and has worked closely with the HR teams. She has provided legal advisory services to senior management. She was also associated with Kolkata High Court in counselling clients with legal matters such as Property, Due Diligence etc. Srijata has worked in an LPO Service Firm, Manthan Legal Services Private Limited for Legal Research, depositions, medical summaries, demand drafting etc. Srijata completed her B.A.LL.B from M. S. Ramaiah College of Law, Bangalore University in 2009. Srijata is a member of the Karnataka Bar Council since 2010. She is also a member of the Gender Sensitivity Sub Committee of Karnataka Employer Association (KEA). Caroline Lobo has been with BCP Associates for the past 2+ years. She has been handling matters and Inquiries related to the POSH Act including conducting inquiries and trainings/awareness programmes for Senior Management, employees as well as members of the Internal Committee on the POSH Legislation (The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (“Act”) to address Workplace Harassment of Women. She is a member of the Internal Committee for many varied companies and organisations and has reviewed and scrutinized numerous hearings and inquiries on matters relating to sexual harassment at workplace. She has also handled matters relating to employer-employee related Enquiries, wherein she has reviewed and conducted hearings and enquired into the matters and has guided the Internal Committee and provided guidance in providing recommendations to the management. She is also a Member of the Gender Sensitivity Sub-committee of Karnataka Employer Association (KEA). Prior to joining BCP Associates, Caroline has has a wide range of experience in corporate, commercial and contract law, mergers and acquisition and has undertaken drafting, vetting, negotiating and finalizing legal and commercial transactions. She started her career in litigation then moved onto the Corporate sector. In the span of 13 years, she has worked at Chambers of Advocate Jayashree Murali, Krishnamurthy and Co. Legal Consultants, Colt Technology Services and Oracle India Pvt. Ltd. She always had a keen interest in Women and Child related issues. She has worked with Child Welfare Committee and NGOS’s. In addition, she has worked with Swasthi Health Resource and Centre, where she was the External member to the Internal Committee (IC). She worked closely with the committee in strategizing, planning, reviewing and implementing the assigned tasks, which included building material to raise awareness against sexual harassment at workplace. Further, she has been involved in conducting inquiries into matters related to sexual harassment at workplace. Caroline earned her Law degree from University Law College, Bangalore, from where she graduated in the year 2005. Manoj Kumar – Senior Associate At BCP Associates, Manoj Kumar is involved in managing and conducting labour law compliance audits of principal employer and contractors. He is also involved in client co-ordination and conducting labour law training programs for vendors. He has conducted on-ground labour law audit for factories. Manoj also provides support in advising vendor clients on labour law queries. He completed B.A., LL.B. from BMS College of Law, Bangalore in 2016 Rashmitha Venkatachalam Das is the External Member of the Internal Committee of several reputed Organizations across various sectors. Handling complex inquiries has been her forte and she is extremely passionate about it. She is actively involved in providing Training on Sexual Harassment (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 across all verticals for Managers and Senior Management, General Awareness for all employees and Internal Committee members. Rashmitha possesses capabilities in delivering sessions in Hindi and Kannada, in addition to English. She has formulated Policies for Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace (“POSH”), advised companies on setting up of their Committee. Rashmitha is involved in providing Legal Advisory services on POSH for various clients spread across diverse sectors. She has also been handling domestic enquiries for various clients. Rashmitha possesses experience both at Law Firms and Corporates in various capacities. She started her career at Krishnamurthy and Co, Legal Consultants and then moved on to work as an In- House Legal Counsel with Companies such as Biocon Limited, Columbia Asia Hospitals Private Limited, Adecco India Private Limited. With a long stint in the Corporate side, Rashmitha decided to pursue further education in Law with a specialization in Labour and Employment Laws. She has rich experience in drafting, vetting and negotiation of various types of contracts, providing legal opinions and has driven the team in formulating process and procedures and their implementation. She has drafted several employment related policies in Corporates. Rashmitha has been a part of various key committees in Organizations and assisted committees in scrutiny of documents pertaining to human organ transplant as well as clinical trials. Rashmitha holds an LL.M. in Labour and Employment Laws from University Law College, Bangalore, which she completed in the year 2018 with Two Gold Medals. She is also a Rank Holder at the University. She has completed BA, LL.B. from Bangalore Institute of Legal Studies, Bangalore University in the year 2009. Rashmitha is a member of the Karnataka Bar Council since 2009 and also a member of the Gender Sensitivity Sub Committee of Karnataka Employer Association (KEA). Manisha Vidyadhar – Senior Associate At BCP Associates, Manisha Vidyadhar is involved in managing and conducting labour law compliance audits of principal employer and contractors. She is also involved in client co-ordination and conducting labour law training programs for vendors. She has conducted on-ground labour law audit for factories. Manisha also provides support in advising vendor clients on labour law queries. She completed B.A., LL.B. from BMS College of Law, Bangalore in 2016. Amrutha Ananth – Principal Associate At BCP Associates, Amrutha is a part of the Legal Advisory practice, Legal Audit practice and Labour Code Alignment Programme (LCAP). Amrutha specialises in Labour and Employment Laws and compliance having advised some of India’s leading companies for some of their most complex labour law matters. Amrutha has more than seven years of experience in labour and employment law and has conducted several audits for both, principal employer and contractor for various leading IT/ITES companies, manufacturing sectors like pharma, automobile, construction and start-ups. She is actively involved in drafting and reviewing employment contracts, HR policies, Employee Handbook, show cause notice, etc. for various organizations spread across diverse sectors. As a part of the Labour Code Alignment Program, she assists companies in review and alignment of their existing wage and employment policy with the provisions of the Labour Codes. At BCP Associates, Sunil Arya is part of the labour and employment law advisory and HR Policy practice and is actively involved in drafting and reviewing of employment contracts, opinions, HR policies, employee handbook, show cause notice, etc. for various clients spread across diverse sectors. He conducts training on labour and employment laws. Sunil is also involved in labour law compliance audits of principal employer and contractors and has conducted on-ground labour law audit for factories. In addition, he is engaged in knowledge creation and management of the firm and keenly writes on developments in labour and employment laws. Prior to joining BCP Associates, Sunil has 10 years of post-qualification experience in diversified portfolios of advisory, drafting, policy analysis and dispute in the domains of contracts, general civil matters, employment law, competition law and construction arbitration matters. Sunil started his career as a Law Researcher in Delhi High Court. He moved on to be part of regulatory analysis team of CIRC, a unit of CUTS International. In addition, Sunil has been part of legal team of Jindal India Thermal Power Limited. He has also taught competition law, tax law and investment law at VIPS, Delhi. Sunil holds LL.M. from The Indian Law Institute, Delhi. He is First Rank Holder in his thesis. He completed B.A, L.L.B. (Hons.) from I.P. University, Delhi. He also holds First Rank in P.G. Diploma in Competition Policy and Laws from The National Law University, Delhi. At BCP Associates, Chandrakala has 12+ years of experience in conducting and managing labour law compliance audits of principal employer and contractors. She is also involved in co-ordination with many clients. She has conducted on-ground labour law audit for factories. She also provides support in advising vendors on labour law queries. Chandrakala is actively involved in research and providing valuable inputs to the firm pertaining to updation in labour law audit function. Chandrakala started her career in litigation in chamber of Sri. Ashok where she was involved in drafting, pleading and appearance before Karnataka High Courts and lower courts on the criminal side. Chandrakala completed B.A in Arts from Kuvempu University, Shimoga in 2003 and LL.B. from Mangalore University in 2006.	20,017
Bryter Restoration in Russells Creek is here for you in times when you need us. Whether your home has been affected by leaky plumbing, roof leaks or natural disasters, our fast-response hotline is always available to provide assistance in any emergency situation. This includes storms, flooding, and storm surge destruction. We have highly skilled technicians and water damage restoration, extraction and cleanup crews on hand to tackle issues fast. We can minimize the damage caused by mold and stop further damage from initiating the remediation process in the earliest time possible. Did you know that water can damage your property, even if it’s just drywall and ceilings? When moisture meets any of these walls or ceiling boards, they start to fall apart. That will give you a headache! Bryter Water Damage Restoration in Russells Creek can deal with this quickly and effectively to give you peace of mind. Our team of experts inspects and cleans your property to remove any traces of mold. You can be confident in the safety level after our work because we use advanced equipment that ensures unhealthy spores do not remain behind for future infestations. Our technicians take pride in their work for best results. Bryter Water Damage Restoration in Russells Creek believes that flood-damage incidents are sudden and unanticipated events. But with help from our IICRC certified technicians, it is possible to reverse or forestall their effects. Our team relies on advanced moisture detection equipment, combined work experience. We take a close look at your property to find any possible traces of mold. We then clean up and make sure that no spores remain, so you can enjoy the fresh air again! We are a company dedicated to removing even the smallest signs of molds from properties, leaving you with a safe environment. With a water emergency, we’re available 24/7 in Russells Creek. We can handle any and all of your flooding needs- from burst pipes to storm damage or even appliance leaks! Our team has the most advanced equipment for extracting up every single drop of water in your house, so you don’t have to worry about it anymore. At Bryter Water Damage Restoration in Russells Creek, we are aware that water damage can cause intense stress and frustration. Our highly trained team is trained in the most current restoration techniques to get your property back to its pre-loss condition quickly without any interruption or inconvenience for you. “They called me back within 15 minutes and sent someone the same day. Other companies I called didn't even respond" “Showed up on-time and completed the agreed work quickly. First step was drying out which started day 1." “I was so worried about mold after the storm and called Bryter Restoration as soon as I got access to my house at the beach" "Want some quality crews to show up on time? Call these guys! Very Happy" For many years we’ve been offering water damage restoration services in Russells Creek. We provide complete restoration services for all types of damage including storm and fire. The first step is to remove all standing water from the interior structural components like floors, walls, and ceilings. In addition, we determine the source of the water damage and perform the necessary repairs. The company also offers mold testing and remediation. Additionally, it assists business and homeowners to fix the damage caused by damaged pipes, slab leaks, or sump pump malfunctions. The company is able to repair any building such as basements, crawl spaces and attics. They provide fast services to get rid of excess moisture and excess water as swiftly as is feasible. They provide everything from sterilization and humidity to cleanup of floods and mold remediation. They provide drainage and ventilation system installation. Since 2018, we’ve been providing restoration services to water damaged areas to Russells Creek. Our business has been offering restoration services to water-damaged homes in Russells Creek since 2018. It can also handle cleaning up after sewage spills, mold damage and odor elimination. Bryter Restoration offers content damage services, including inventory and packing. The company is licensed and provides 24/7 emergency service day. Homeowners are susceptible to water damage, like leaky faucets, broken water heaters, or flooding. The excess amount of water can lead to electrical dangers, expensive damages to the structure of your home and may even cause mold growth in the event that it isn’t addressed promptly. Bryter Restoration is a leader in water mitigation that is fast and efficient. Our technicians are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year. Our team is available to repair floors, walls and personal property in Russells Creek If your property has suffered water damage, there are many ways to help. It is imperative to react quickly in these situations. It is vital to respond rapidly to decrease the cost for restoration and repair. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind during an emergency water damage or flood event at your home. It is possible to save your precious possessions, floors, and walls by contacting us immediately for restoration of water damage or for emergency assistance. Our technicians are certified and have years of expertise and will arrive at your house equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to dry up and eliminate the water. We’re with you each step of the way from beginning to finish from the moment the last piece is put in place and you’re back inside. A lot of times, water damage can catch homeowners and businesses by surprise. Damage from water can quickly build up, regardless of whether it’s due to a leaky roof, a pipe that is broken, or an overloaded washer. A variety of building materials, such as furniture cabinets, upholstery, and even cabinets, are susceptible to water absorption. Wooden fixtures can be damaged and warped. Plaster and drywall are susceptible to cracking. The drywall and fabrics could become the home of mold or bacteria that can pose a risk to you and your family. The water restoration method we use is easy and efficient. First, we stop water damage at its origin, and then dry out the affected areas. We then treat the affected area with mold preventatives. Then, we repair or replace the damaged areas.	6,626
Before starting a new project it is better to conduct good research work for enhancing every feature and functionality of the project. A good idea is required for increasing the user experience and to build a creative and inspiring mobile application. For giving a perfect touch to the mobile application, UX designers need to design some mock-ups that give a rough idea of the final product. The main purpose behind such a good research is to design a user-friendly and attractive mobile application that can attract potential buyers towards your business. To attract the potential buyers from your mobile application, you need to focus on some important factor:- Research and find out the interest of your customers. Try to identify customers’ goals and needs. Inspect user stories, mapping, competitive analysis and progress Highlighting the mobile application features is so essential for increasing the app sales, and because of this, UX designers focus more on adding the new features into the mobile application. Sometimes, adding more features lead to confusion for users. So, it is important to prioritize the feature that which one is required and which is not. Whatsapp, a leading and well-famous application has only some most important and required features through which users can easily use this wonderful application with great ease. Reviews of the customers are a very important part of the mobile application development and UX design. For understanding what your customers actually think about your mobile application, feedback is must. The crucial thing is to serve each user of your mobile application, and ensure whether your users like the functionality of your mobile application or not. For ensuring the best mobile application development, feedbacks of the users are very important. If the navigation system of your mobile application is smooth and user-friendly then it helps the users to understand your application easily without any problem. For the purpose of navigation, all the important instructions, guidelines and directions are very important which should be designed properly for the mobile application development. A help button at top of the application for helping the users Proper headings and tooltip text which appears while pointing any icon or image. A good and flexible navigation system 5.Focus on your Target audience The main reason why most of the companies and businesses want to build mobile applications is to fetch more clients and earn more profit. Do not forget your target audiences and design the application according to them. Therefore, it is good to find out the interest and goals of your target customers and design the mobile application accordingly. Do not limit the communication, but try to enhance and improve it. Design your mobile application in such a way that users can easily engage with it and start communicating with your brand. Try to integrate online chat feature with your mobile app and present a medium for your customers to interact with you. For attracting more customers you can also design attractive icons and images. Both iPhone app development and android app development are very much in demand and are known for increasing the brand awareness. 7. Responsive and fast-loading mobile application When the users visit to your mobile application then they don’t want to experience a slow-loading mobile application or an application with dull and poor designs. Make sure that your application gets load quickly and displays an attractive and beautiful design in front of the customers so that more visitors visit or download your application. With an amazing UX design, users feel happy and easy to use the mobile application Mobile app development is truly and undoubtedly so important that businesses and companies are going for the development of mobile applications for increasing their brand visibility. The important factor on which designers need to focus more is the UX part. The first thing which attracts the customers and forces them to download the application is the designing portion of your app. According to your target customers, you can go for the android app development or iPhone app development.	4,326
Molds are an ancient life form. Neither plants nor animals, molds are members of the Kingdom of the Fungi. Familiar members of the fungal kingdom include molds, mushrooms, and yeasts. Fungi digest spent life, transforming it into fertilizer that helps new life to grow. When mold and other fungi start to grow, the composting process is under way. In the end, life turns back into dirt. We use lots of dead plant and animal matter to construct our homes and buildings. To keep decay at bay, we need to keep our materials—and the interior spaces they form—dry. Dry conditions prevent mold growth because molds require moisture to feed. A fungal spore lands on a digestible surface. If there is sufficient moisture, the spore absorbs water and then expels it with a load of digestive enzymes. The enzymes use solution chemistry to attack and break down the food source into nutrients, which are then absorbed back into the spore, which uses the nutrients to grow. From an activated spore grow feeding hairs called hyphae. If there is sufficient food and water, the hyphae build an interwoven network called a mycelium. Under appropriate conditions, the mature mycelium begins to dedicate energy to reproduction. Most molds reproduce by converting some of the hyphae into spore-bearing structures. Once the process gets under way, the entire mold colony can become covered with a blanket of spores. Wood rots make moresophisticated spore-producing structures, which we refer to as mushrooms. Fungal moisture requirements vary. Wood rots grow only on wet surfaces, while some molds can grow on a dry surface that is surrounded with high humidity. Mold and IAQ It is the fungal spores that can cause problems with indoor air quality (IAQ). Fungi can be remarkably fertile. A mold colony can produce millions of spores per square inch. A single portabella mushroom cap can contain billions of spores. When a moldy surface is disturbed, the spores can become airborne. Because they are so tiny, the density of the air behaves like a thick liquid, and the spores float about, seemingly in defiance of the law of gravity. In dead still air, common mold spores can have falling velocities of less than a yard an hour. Because air moves readily inside a structure, a few square yards of moldy surface can fill a house with spores. When the spores eventually land, they become part of the settled dust. Once mixed into house dust, mold spores can be difficult and expensive to capture and remove. Houses with moldy dust can be irritating to sensitive occupants. Indoor mold is a common cause of IAQ complaints; reported symptoms include headaches, skin and eye irritation, and respiratory problems ranging from sneezing to full-blown asthma attacks. Instead of being green by design, an energyefficient structure can turn green by accident, if it is covered with mold. Making buildings more energy efficient involves reducing heat transfer across the envelope. This is done by using materials that resist heat transfer and prevent air leaks. But using these materials can encourage the growth of mold. As is often the case, a superb engineering solution to one problem creates another. When we conserve energy, we make it harder for the building to dry. When water wets a surface, it takes some sort of energy to move it away; heat energy is needed to evaporate liquid water into vapor, and some motive force is needed to move the humid air out of the envelope. When we prevent energy loss through walls, we lose evaporative potential, and when we seal air leaks, we lose ventilation. Whether it is new or retrofitted, an energy-efficient home must be properly designed to shed water from the outside and ventilated to remove humidity build up on the inside. Surfaces that are persistently damp or surrounded by still, saturated air are fertile substrates for mold growth, no matter what they are made out of. Even a fine film of dust on window glass can support mold growth if there is sufficient moisture. I was an expert witness for the losing side in a court case that involved mold. A nonprofit weatherization group was being sued for causing a mold problem when it worked on a preexisting home. The house was a rickety-looking older two-story home with a dirt crawl space. The windows, siding and roof were in poor shape prior to weatherizing. An aggressive representative persuaded the homeowners to pay to get some insulation work done. Within a year the homeowners were bombarding the agency with complaints about mold problems that were aggravating their allergies. Eventually they hired a lawyer, who moved them out of the house and sued for damages. The long and short of the case was that the house had a soaking wet dirt crawl space. Prior to insulating and air sealing, heat loss and air leakage had dried the interior out, but the crawlspace remained wet. Due to the stack effect, we tend to exhaust air from the upper part of a heated structure and take it through the lower part. So the damp crawl space wound up humidifying the upstairs as soon as the heat came on. The insulating and air sealing that created an airtight space proved to be a disaster, because the house was sick to start with. When winter arrived, water came dripping out of the attic, ceilings buckled, and mold growth on the drywall developed in a pattern that looked like a faux finish paint job. The customers complained, and then sued when no one returned their calls. In court I presented evidence that the house was probably damp and moldy before any work was done. But it was easy for the plaintiff’s attorney to suggest that professionals should have known better than to foist their services on the unsuspecting homeowners. Eventually the jury awarded them a new home. Oops. The house was a wreck to start with, but trying to fix it without addressing the preexisting problems made things worse. Just because the defendant (the weatherization group) had good intentions didn’t excuse it from taking responsibility for the problems it had created. From a building science perspective, the critical lesson is to always consider the house as a system, and to try to anticipate the longterm effects of specific modifications we make on the total performance of the home. From a legal standpoint, the worst mistake was ignoring the client’s repeated complaints. Before any structure is weatherized, a thorough moisture survey is a must. Both penetrating and nonpenetrating moisture meters should be part of the estimator’s tool kit. Infrared camera technology is getting better and cheaper. In trained hands, an IR camera can be helpful in locating hidden wet spots. Stains and streaks should be documented with digital photography. Pictures can be kept in the job file. Contractors should take lots of pictures to avoid being blamed for preexisting conditions. If a home has a bare dirt floor in a crawlspace or basement, that floor must be sealed before any other work is done. If the concrete foundation shows the white staining called efflorescence, the source of below-grade wetting must be identified and corrected. From top to bottom, all seams and joints and penetrations in the exterior shell should be examined for head and kick-out flashings that divert surface water away. If a house has a preexisting mold problem, no work should begin until the moisture source is shut off and the moldy surfaces are properly treated. Mold problems can be expensive to address. Tiny mold spores are easily made airborne. Careless handling of moldy surfaces can spread what was a local problem throughout the indoor space. Wherever possible, moldy areas should be isolated with barriers of plastic sheeting and tape. Exhaust ventilation can then be used to create clean-to-dirty air flow. Even a leak-free house can have interior moisture problems. This is especially true when ventilation is inadequate to handle such moisture-rich activities as showering and cooking. In addition, human metabolic activity generates large amounts of water vapor that can condense and create mold-friendly habitats, such as bedroom window frames. Examine windows for peeling paint and decay that may be signs of condensation. Make sure that all exhaust fans are vented all the way outdoors. Leaking ducts can create a variety of condensation problems, especially when air conditioning is used. Remember: Water vapor moves from hot to cold and from wet to dry. Make sure that this path doesn’t terminate inside the house. As building scientist Joe Lstiburek says, “durability trumps energy efficiency.” Both are important, but the cost-saving goal of energy efficiency is defeated when mold and rot result from failing to treat the structure as a system. Just as an ounce of prevention can save a pound of cure, a moment of carelessness, ignorance, or stupidity can create a ton of aggravation. When decay shows up, it is at the end of a train wreck of circumstances. Arresting problems before they occur is the best preventive strategy. Mac Pierce is Master of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota. He is also a private consultant on indoor air quality, moisture and microbiological problems. He specializes in water damage cases, and designs mold clean-up protocols. Discuss this article in the HVAC and Weatherization groups on Home Energy Pros! Comments Enter your comments in the box below: (Please note that all comments are subject to review prior to posting.) Posted By: Your Comment: While we will do our best to monitor all comments and blog posts for accuracy and relevancy, Home Energy is not responsible for content posted by our readers or third parties. Home Energy reserves the right to edit or remove comments or blog posts that do not meet our community guidelines. Hello, Home Energy readers. You may remember my story from a previous issue (“Adventures in Radon and Moisture Mitigation,” HE July/Aug ’14, p. 20). I’m the architect-turned-academic who introduced deadly radon ... Impact of Enhanced Drying and Remediation on Mold in Flooded Buildings Tuskegee University (TU)’s previous flood damage resistance work was described in three earlier articles (“After the Flood—There’s Hope,” HE Sept/Oct ’04, p. 18; “Flood Testing Gets ... SPONSORED CONTENT What is Home Performance? 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