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Survey's - Bank & Insurance
Export opportunity, market transparency
New options for Australian agriculture
Australian Farmers Corporation (AFC) offers Australian farmers, livestock producers and orchardists unprecedented access to some of the biggest and fastest-growing markets in the world. Through the use of in-house and contracted skills and services, AFC can deliver to Australian growers a bigger cut of the export value of their produce. We believe existing supply channels between the Australian farm gate and the delivery point in Asia are taking as much as 15-20% out of the producers’ pocket.
At AFC, we are determined to give that back to the Australian grower and give the export customer a great product at a competitive price too. Whether you’re an organic or a non-organic grower, your product is in demand, and AFC would like you to tap into export markets without delay.
What makes AFC different?
Why AFC
AFC is in discussion with governments and companies across Asia to establish direct links to your farm gate. These entities see huge benefits in sourcing Australian produce, famous for its food safety and high quality, to help satisfy booming demand. They want to know exactly where the meat, fruit, vegetables and dairy they are importing have come from, and AFC’s structure means we can keep the grower-consumer link tight.
Finance, insurance alternatives
Our increasingly global environment means more to Australian farmers than increased opportunities for agricultural export to Asia. It also means sovereign lenders outside Australia are prepared to consider extending finance to you at rates and on terms which are more attractive and accessible than those being offered by Australian banks. AFC is in contact with sovereign lenders who are keen to do business with Australian producers and can put you in touch with some borrowing alternatives if you are looking for a change in your financing arrangements. Bringing the availability of gold-backed lending and securing your business future without the threat of the big four banks.
In conjunction with Ag Guard, AFC is looking to develop some multi-peril crop insurance options for producers. Click here to take our insurance survey
Matthew Fuge
Co Founder / Director
Matthew was raised on the family farm at Forbes in central New South Wales, where he learnt to fly in the family’s Cessna 150, and developed his love of the land. Choosing to pursue a career in aviation, Matthew has clocked up 22 years as an airline pilot. While he has lived in Hong Kong since 2004, his heart has never left Australian agriculture. Today he is a part-owner of the family farm at Forbes, which continues the Fuge tradition of growing crops like wheat and barley, and running sheep and cattle. Living in Asia has shown Matthew the tremendous opportunities its economy offers Australia, a renowned producer of high-quality and safe food. Matthew has co-founded AFC because he believes Australian growers deserve better rewards for their commitment to agriculture, and improved transparency when it comes to export pricing.
Brent Bell
Brent has more than 20 years’ experience in financial services management in sectors including insurance and asset management.
Before establishing his own executive consultancy, Brent was Managing Director and Head of Asia for Genworth Financial, a listed Fortune 500 company.
From 2003 to 2011, Brent was Vice President and Head of Affiliate Business in Asia Pacific for leading Australian-based life insurer MetLife Inc.
As a graduate of the Auckland University of Technology, Brent left New Zealand to forge a career which has taken him to postings in Australia, Africa, China and Hong Kong, his home since 2001.
He has also worked extensively with other countries, including India and Japan, and moved into international roles with AIG, one of the world’s leading insurance companies.
Brent has developed growth strategies to help build businesses in Asia by drawing on his management experience, cultural awareness and understanding of corporate governance.
Insurance Survey
Premium Australian Commodities
World leaders in Quality
World class quality and professionalism in agriculture. Full traceability direct to the grower.
Australian Beef
Australian beef is grown under the strict control guidelines of our meat industry. MLA and government agencies ensure all health and welfare of animals whilst being produce and strict grading of the final product so that there is no compromise to quality when it comes to sale.
Australian Premium Lamb and Sheep
The Australian lamb industry has a long history of producing safe, quality lamb
for customers around the world. We take pride in the meticulous standards
that have resulted in one of the world’s highest animal health statuses, not to
mention our extensive traceability program. The following are just a few of the
reasons Australian lamb stands out in the global marketplace.
Australian fruit and Vegetable industry.
Proximity to Asia shortens transport
times, allowing Australia to deliver
fresher, more attractive fruit and
vegetables to these markets by sea
and air, often supplying in counter-
seasonal months and in times of short
supply. Fresh produce can be packed
and airfreighted to Asian markets
within 48-60 hours from harvest.
Produce sent by sea in refrigerated
containers can be in Asian markets
within 12-20 days of harvest.
Traceability and quality assurance
systems are compulsory in all export
packing houses. Refrigerated storage
and trucking to port are used in all
production regions. Modern and
efficient port facilities provide prompt
delivery of consignments to export
destinations.
Australian Agriculture
The new and the old days.
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NBA.COM Philippines Launched In SMX Center Mall of Asia: NBA Digital Campaign In The Philippines At Its Best!
By: VMM
The NBA is getting closer and closer to the shores of the Philippines as the World's Biggest and Grandest Pro-Basketball League has finally launched "NBA.Com Philippines" (Link here:ph.nba.com) last April 27, 2012. They launched the new Website in style as Luc Longley, the legendary Big Man of the Chicago Bulls during the Jordan Era graced the Big Event at the SMX Center in Mall of Asia. Yeah, you read that right. The Pearl of The Orient, the Philippines is literally placed right beside NBA.Com. Well, I was not surprised with that kind of development because our country has millions of netizens and add to that the fact that WE LOVE BASKETBALL and WE LOVE NBA!
The NBA.Com Philippines' Website would feature a nice mix of locally done and internationally done stories and articles about the NBA. The Website also aims to enjoin professional sports writers, bloggers and journalists to contribute some articles that will be featured on the Website. Aside from the plain articles about NBA games and NBA Players, the Pinoy talents in the NBA such as the Filipina Cheerleaders, Filipino Coaches such as Erik Spoelstra, NBA Events that are scheduled in the Philippines (Exhibition Games, NBA Fit, Player Tours... etc.) and other Filipino People in the NBA will also be heavily featured on the Website. The usual medium that you're accustomed to seeing on the main Website of the NBA- NBA.Com, the video features and articles will also be used in the NBA.Com Philippines' Website. The projects and campaigns of the NBA.Com Philippines together with IP e-Games and PhilStar.com will also be digitally placed on the Website.
Mr. Carlo Singson, the Country Manager – Philippines, NBA Asia, Mr. Juan Kevin Belmonte, the Philstar.com President and CEO and Mr. Jaime Enrique Gonzales of IP e-Games all shared their thoughts on this momentous launch of the NBA.Com Philippines' Website.
Mr. Singson highlighted the uniqueness of the Website's Launch when he said that:
“Digital is the new frontier for the NBA... this is a significant milestone. We are launching something that's very unique!”
Mr. Belmonte on the other hand pressed on the Philippines' contribution to the growth of the NBA Market Worldwide. He said:
“Being a basketball crazy nation and one of the major markets for the NBA in the world the Philippines deserves to have its own local Website, a place on the web that Filipino NBA fans can call their home! Every month, they get 56,000,000 page views and 4 million unique visitors from us.”
Mr. Gonzales meanwhile shared some info that are in line with the idea that the Philippines has a lot of Netizens.
“Internet in the Philippines is on the cusp of greatness. We now have 30,000,000 users & we'll reach 50,000,000 users in the next two yrs.”
With the arrival here of NBA.Com Philippines' Website, I can really feel and foresee that the NBA will be more closer to the Filipino Basketball Fans and it will ignite a more meaningful exchange of opinions and ideas about the NBA in the different social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. I am very excited about this very meaningful event in the Philippines.
Luc Longley, the former Teammate of His Airness Michael Jordan, the first Australian Born NBA Player, and the guess of honor of the Website's Launch also had a great feeling about the new website. His words below somehow summed up the message of the Launch. He said that:
"It's a land-mark situation going on!"
Well, I think that's the most important thing that he said in this very cute video below.
And oh, before I end this post, please do support NBA's Marketing Partners in the Philippines such as Adidas, Gatorade, Coors Light and KFC.
Labels: NBA.COM Philippines, NBA.COM Philippines Launched, NBA.COM Philippines Website
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<img alt="dcsimg" id="dcsimg" width="1" height="1" src="//www.qsstats.com/dcs8krshw00000cpvecvkz0uc_4g4q/njs.gif?dcsuri=/index.php/security/slideshows/is-ransomware-becoming-an-epidemic.html&WT.js=No&WT.tv=10.4.1&dcssip=www.baselinemag.com&WT.qs_dlk=XSz44H5@u0Zna09XbS3kegAAABM&">
Security / Is Ransomware Becoming an Epidemic?
Is Ransomware Becoming an Epidemic?
By Samuel Greengard | Posted 2016-08-08
A growing number of organizations have been infected by ransomware attacks, which can block access to a browser or device, or can encrypt and lock files.
Ransomware Spikes
The total number of users encountering any type of ransomware between April 2015 and March 2016 increased by 17.7% compared to the previous year.
In the Crosshairs
The number of users attacked with crypto-ransomware (which encrypts files on a device or network) rose 5.5 times, from 131,111 in 2014-2015 to 718,536 in 2015-2016.
Dangerous Encounters
The share of users encountering ransomware at least once as a proportion of the total number of users encountering malware rose 0.7 percentage points in 2015-2016.
Crypto-Ransomware Reigns
The share of users encountering crypto-ransomware as a proportion of those encountering ransomware rose dramatically—up 25 percentage points in 2015-2016.
Off the Blocks
The number of users attacked with blockers (ransomware that locks screens) decreased by 13% in 2015-2016.
Top Threats
TeslaCrypt, CTB-Locker, Scatter and Cryakl accounted for 79% of crypto-ransomware attacks in 2015-2016.
Changing Targets
Over the past 24 months, attacks on home users are down from 93.2% to 86.9% of the total, while corporate targets have more than doubled from 6.8% to 13.1%.
Countries Under Fire
The United States, Germany and Italy are the countries with the highest percentage of users attacked with crypto-ransomware.
Protection Methods, Part 1
Use a corporate-grade security solution. Undertake regular patch management. Back up files often.
Educate employees about social engineering methods. Avoid paying ransoms. Report attacks to law enforcement.
View All Slideshows >
News reports about growing waves of ransomware and organizations that have been infected by it are chilling. Over the last few years, companies—staring down the barrel of encrypted and inaccessible files, and an inability to conduct normal business—have been coerced into coughing up multimillion dollar sums in order to regain control of critical data. A new report from security firm Kaspersky Security Network (KSN), "Ransomware Research Report," offers some interesting, if disturbing, insights into how the space is evolving and how organizations are at risk. The report points out that the attacks are becoming more frequent, and a larger swath of organizations are encountering these malicious methods, which typically take the form of pop-ups that block access to a browser or device, or a download that encrypts and locks files. In fact, the report goes so far as to describe ransomware as an "epidemic," but it also points out that organizations can protect their assets without paying off the cyber-criminals. When victims do pay, it "brings a lot of money into the underground ecosystem that has grown up around this malware, and, as a result, we are seeing new cryptors appear almost daily," warns Fedor Sinitsyn, senior malware analyst at Kaspersky Lab.
Samuel Greengard writes about business and technology for Baseline, CIO Insight and other publications. His most recent book is The Internet of Things (MIT Press, 2015).
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13F, AABA, ADP, ARII, BABA, Barry Rosenstein
Q4 13F Roundup: How Buffett, Einhorn, Ackman And Others Adjusted Their Portfolios
Friday, February 15, 2019 - 11:21am | 1833
The latest round of 13F filings from institutional investors is out, revealing to the world the stocks that some of the richest and most successful investors have been buying and selling. Takeaways From 13F Season Investors who follow particular fund managers can easily look up what each was buying...
13F, AAPL, ADP, Bill Ackman, BRK-A, BRK-B
What Are The Trends In 13Fs Showing Us?
Wednesday, February 13, 2019 - 10:55am | 857
This week marks the highly anticipated form 13F filing period for institutional investors with at least $100 million in equity assets under management. Traders and money managers are on high alert to see which stocks Wall Street whales have been buying and selling in the most recent quarter. Here...
13F, 13F filings, AABA, AAPL, ADBE, ADP
Q3 13F Roundup: How Buffett, Einhorn, Ackman And Others Adjusted Their Portfolio
Thursday, November 15, 2018 - 12:23pm | 1764
13-F, 13F, 13F filings, AAL, AAPL, ADBE
Q2 13F Roundup: How Buffett, Einhorn, Loeb And Others Adjusted Their Portfolio
Wednesday, August 15, 2018 - 10:23am | 1910
13F, AAPL, Analyst Color, AXP, BAC, BRK-A
Warren Buffett Pushing More Cash To Equities; 'Big 5' Stocks Still At The Top
Wednesday, May 16, 2018 - 3:19pm | 611
Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK-A) (NYSE: BRK-B) filed its 13F for the first quarter on Tuesday, revealing what changes it made to its portfolio during the period. The company’s equity portfolio increased from approximately $166 billion at the end of 2017 to $169...
13F, AABA, AAPL, ADBE, ADP, AIG
Wednesday, May 16, 2018 - 11:38am | 1617
The latest round of 13F filings from institutional investors is out, revealing to the world the stocks that some of the richest and most successful investors have been buying and selling. Takeaways From 13F Season Investors who follow particular fund managers can easily look up what each was...
13F, Agecroft Partners, BRK-A, CTL, Don Steinbrugge, George Soros
The Pros And Cons Of Trading On 13F Filing Disclosures
Friday, February 16, 2018 - 9:55am | 593
When a large hedge fund discloses a stake in a company through a 13F filing, it's news that can substantially move a stock. This week saw a host of high-profile fund managers disclose stakes in SEC filings. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Class A (NYSE: BRK-A)...
13F, 13F filings, AABA, AAL, AAPL, AEO
Q4 13F Roundup: How Buffett, Einhorn, Loeb, And Others Adjusted Their Portfolio
Thursday, February 15, 2018 - 2:43pm | 1533
The latest round of 13-F filings from institutional investors is out, revealing to the world the stocks that some of the richest and most successful investors have been buying and selling. Takeaways From 13F Season Investors who follow particular fund managers can easily look up what each was...
13F, CAH, DVMT, Finbox.io, IMOS, Long Ideas
Seth Klarman's Stock Portfolio Is Up 20%, Here Are His Latest Moves
Wednesday, February 14, 2018 - 11:12am | 1845
I take a closer look at The Baupost Group's list of stock holdings where values have increased by 21.7% from the previous quarter. Recent stocks purchases including Time Warner Inc (NYSE: TWX), Pioneer Natural Resources (NYSE: PXD), and Cardinal Health Inc (NYSE: CAH). The Baupost Group'...
13F, Blackrock Vanguard, Earnings, News, SNAP, SNAP
Revealed: Snap's Biggest Investors At The End Of Q1
Monday, May 15, 2017 - 8:57am | 342
Snap Inc (NYSE: SNAP)'s biggest and most notable shareholders were kept a secret, but recent regulatory filings now shed light on which money manager(s) and hedge funds own a piece of the social media company. According to a Reuters report, Snap's 13F filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange...
13F, 13F filings, 13F season, AAPL, SPY, Warren Buffett
Form 13F: What It Is And Why It's Important
Monday, February 20, 2017 - 2:31pm | 365
What is a form 13F and who needs to file them? Form 13F is shorthand for the quarterly report filed, per SEC regulations, by "institutional investment managers" to the SEC and containing all equity assets under management of at least $100 million in value. This covers institutional money...
13F, AGN, AR, Baupost Group, growth investing, INVA
How To Invest Like Seth Klarman
Thursday, February 9, 2017 - 9:43am | 780
Seth Klarman has gotten a lot of buzz this week on Wall Street for his skeptical words about stock market prospects under President Donald Trump. Klarman, who manages the $30 billion hedge fund Baupost, criticized Trump for his unpredictable and nationalistic policy decisions. Say It Again: Trump...
13F, 13F season, Jim Chanos, Kynikos Capital, Short Sellers, Education
A How-To Guide For 13F Season
Tuesday, August 16, 2016 - 6:26am | 555
The most notable investors in the world are legally required to disclose their funds' most recent holdings. If you're an investor or trader who likes to follow the "smart money" -- sometimes referred to as "whale watching" -- the SEC's requirement for the public...
13F, 13F filings, SPY, whale watching, Education, Trading Ideas
Terms Of The Trade: 13F Filings
Sunday, July 24, 2016 - 3:12pm | 445
A 13F filing via the SEC can be viewed as a quick snapshot of all the holdings of a fund manager's portfolio at the end of a quarter. 13F filings must be submitted to the SEC's EDGAR site no later than 45 days after the end of a quarter. A 13F must be filed for an institutional money manager with...
13F, 13F filings, 13F season, AMZN, Coatue Management, Greenlight Capital
13F Season: A Look Back At Q4 2015
Friday, May 13, 2016 - 2:07pm | 455
Institutional investment firms with more than $100 million in assets under management and relevant long stakes in U.S. listed equities are required to disclose their long positions with the SEC once per quarter via 13F filings. Filings for the first quarter of 2016 are due this Friday and, while...
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Buchnevich nets two in Severstal’s first regulation win
Pashnin on the move to Yaroslavl Lokomotiv
Anisimov discusses pre-season travel, Avery’s demotion and the Lokomotiv tragedy
On Pashnin’s decision to remain in Russia
Pashnin re-signs with CSKA Moscow
Agent: No decision yet on where Pashnin will play next season
Fetisov calls Pashnin’s decision to leave for North America “a mistake”
Coming to America: Mikhail Pashin
Select Category Alexander Frolov Alexei Cherepanov Artem Anisimov Avangard Omsk Enver Lisin Evgeni Grachev Hartford Wolf Pack Housekeeping KHL Mikhail Pashnin New York Rangers Nikolai Zherdev Pavel Buchnevich Pavel Valentenko Uncategorized Vladimir Denisov
Select Month September 2013 December 2011 October 2011 August 2011 July 2011 March 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007
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GAGLine on Anisimov discusses pre-season travel, Avery’s demotion and the Lokomotiv tragedy
laurie on Anisimov discusses pre-season travel, Avery’s demotion and the Lokomotiv tragedy
Steve on Anisimov discusses pre-season travel, Avery’s demotion and the Lokomotiv tragedy
Blueshirt Banter
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The Blueshirts Blog
Agent: Frolov about to sign with New York Rangers
Monday July 26th 2010, 6:23 pm
UPDATE 7/27/2010: The Rangers have announced the signing of Alexander Frolov. As expected, it’s a one year deal and will pay him $3 million.
In an interview with Sovietsky Sport, Alexander Frolov’s Russian agent, Sergei Isakov, claims that his client is close to signing a one-year deal with the New York Rangers. Here’s a quick-and-dirty translation of the pertinent parts of their conversation:
His Agent Sergei Isakov makes no secret: “Alexander Frolov is just about to sign a contract with the New York Rangers. He’s made the decision that he’ll play another season in the NHL. And then we’ll see where he’ll continue his career.”
- Did Los Angeles also want to keep Frolov? After all, he spent seven seasons with that team…
- The Kings have once again begun slow-moving negotiations with Alexander. I think Los Angeles is still concentrating on signing Kovalchuk. There’s a great chance that Ilya will once again become an unrestricted free agent. So it turned out that Frolov’s fate in Los Angeles depended on someone else’s. And that’s unpleasant.
- Especially since the Kings openly spoiled Alexander’s last season, criticizing him harshly, sending him from the first line to the third, sitting him on the bench. That doesn’t allow you to show your normal game.
- Don’t you really know how they treat people in the NHL? If a player is in the last year of a contract, they need to spoil his season in order to subsequently not [have to] sign him for big money. That’s what they did with Frolov.
- It was kind of tough. You as an agent understand that Frolov’s price on the market has fallen sharply now.
- Naturally. Therefore the contract with the Rangers is only for one season. In general this situation is similar to that which happened to Maxim Afinogenov last year, when he signed a contract with Atlanta.
- A forward worth a few million dollars played for 800 thousand.
- Clearly. But one needs to sacrifice something to get something in the future. I think that Afinogenov had a great season. And now his price on the market has increased.
- It’s unlikely Frolov himself was burning with desire to play for Los Angeles in the presence of such attitudes towards him.
- I didn’t have that conversation with him, so I can’t categorically say. Especially now that Frolov is already almost in New York. He’s gone from one major American city to another, only in the East. A big metropolis, with a lot of temptations.
- Did Alexander consider the option of returning to Russia seriously?
- I negotiated with a few clubs. But you must respect the decision of the player. God willing, Frolov will make his career in the NHL.
Filed under: New York Rangers
On Frolov and his future in New York
Monday July 26th 2010, 1:09 am
A pair of tweets set the Rangersphere aflutter late Sunday night with word that the New York Rangers were interested in talented Russian winger Alexander Frolov. The first came from Genadi Boguslavski (@GenadiB), a Montreal-based reporter for the Russian publication Sovietsky Sport, who tweeted the vague statement “New York Rangers talks with Alexander Frolov agent.”
The second tweet, a few hours later, came from fellow Sovietsky Sport correspondent Dmitry Chesnokov (@dchesnokov), who shared: “Frolov’s agent said the #NYR are very interested in Frolov. Agent also said in the last 2 days the Kings also made inquiries.”
Both reporters’ tweets stem from an interview with Frolov’s Russian agent, Sergei Isakov, which appeared on Russian web site Sportsdaily.ru Sunday night and was picked up by other sports publications shortly thereafter.
It’s too late and I’m too tired to translate the interview word-for-word, but here are the highlights: Isakov says that, although they’ve talked, there have been no serious negotiations with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL regarding his client, and that for the time being all negotiations with Russian teams have been suspended while Frolov concentrates on a possible return to the Los Angeles Kings. According to Isakov, the Kings have shown a renewed interest in his client in the past two days, and Frolov’s North American agent Don Meehan is currently negotiating a new contract with the club for which Frolov has played each of his previous seven NHL seasons.
However, Isakov also throws in the following: “The New York Rangers have also showed great interest in Frolov. It’s quite possible that Sasha will continue his career in New York.”
Now, my gut says that Los Angeles is Frolov’s prefered destination and that this little tidbit about the Rangers’ interest was merely dropped in to help his client’s case in negotiations with the Kings.
But it could also be the other way around. There have been rumors of the Rangers’ interest in the two-time 30+ goal scorer for weeks. It could be Frolov’s camp isn’t getting the money or term they’re looking for from the Rangers and are simply trying to up the ante with claims of the Kings’ renewed interest.
Then again, maybe an agent is just being one hundred percent honest and forthright regarding interest being shown towards his client.
Pavol Demitra: Almost a Ranger
Friday July 16th 2010, 12:33 pm
On Thursday, news came down the wire that 35-year old NHL free agent center Pavol Demitra had signed with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv of the KHL. Prior to the signing, Demitra had been rumored to be on the Rangers radar as a possible fit to play with his good friend and Blueshirts forward Marion Gaborik. Demitra confirmed those rumors in an interview with Russian publication Sport-Express on Friday, explaining that a deal had been reached in principle, but delays on the part of the club ultimately lead him to sign in Russia.
Of the options in the NHL the most interesting was from the Rangers. I was interested in playing on attack with my friend Marion Gaborik. But the offer from New York constantly changed because they tried to get under the salary cap. I was offered a very complex contract which included various bonuses. In principle, everything suited me, but the Rangers representatives delayed negotiations without explanation. And we reached the agreement with Yaroslavl in a few minutes. I took a week to think it over, and on Thursday I signed the contract.
The 16-year NHL veteran will travel to Yaroslavl on Tuesday to familiarize himself with his new club before returning home to Slovakia to prepare for the upcoming season. He’ll join Lokomotiv for the season on August 20th.
Beyond the Blueshirts is © beyondtheblueshirts.com. Contact: laurie (at) beyondtheblueshirts.com
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The Terms and Conditions below are the shortened version of the full Terms and Conditions that we strongly recommend to read by click here.
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My Chemical Romance Website Returns with News, Desert Imagery and traces of Killjoys
After three confusion-stirring days of its morphing unexpectedly into a page displaying a television with various changeable channels, the My Chemical Romance website has returned to its old self with some minor changes.
A desert-scene backs a blog post, "To Kill a Demon Shark," from guitarist Frank Iero that announces the final limited-edition print of his ongoing series and the birth of his twin daughters, gives a better look at the MCR-designed Guitar Hero strap and warns us, as we have grown accustomed to being warned lately, to "look alive."
The print, titled "Satan Save The West Coast Cause God Wants Us Dead," displays a desert scene, possibly a more distant shot of the background image location, overlayed by the text "California 2019" and a white spider-- the one widely recognized as the logo for The True Lives of The Fabulous Killjoys, the comic series vocalist Gerard Way announced he was working on in July 2009 and said would not come out this year as he had previously planned.
The spider was also recently spotted on Way's painting, "Yellow," which was featured at Alternative Press' July art exhibit in Los Angeles. As Frank's post reveals, it is also on the guitar strap the band designed for Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock.
All the desert imagery aligns with the post-apocalyptic rants and raves of the My Chemical Romance Mystery Twitter Characters, who have been painting themselves into what appears to be a sand-filled dangerzone.
For those who enjoyed the mystery screen that occupied MyChemicalRomance[Dot]Com recently, you can still find the interactive television under a tab called "Transmissions."
PS: Completely by coincidence, as I was playing along with the characters, I posted this about a spider when I woke up. Strange.
Also, if you're interested in speculating with me, I've posted a "conspiracy theory" post about the spider.
LACRALs PHILLY
www.giantbomb.com/lacral/65-4141/published_games
http://www.giantbomb.com/pax-2010-the-floor/17-3196/
The desert is a hot arid place where heroes go to hunt, and enemies go to die.
http://www.giantbomb.com/spider/92-1873/
lather rinse repeat
I saw "Lacrals" at first too, but I believe it's actually "Jackals."
"Philly" it may very well be, but one of the "L"s is so distorted that it looks like a "B" or a "D."
Kind of interesting if it is "Philly;" as, the radio station that posted about the new songs is in Philadelphia.
im gonna guess the Spider is the key to everything on this album, ya know like the logo.
it could be the thing all the "characters" are trying to kill with all they're acids and bombs (the stuff they tweeted) and that caused the apocalypt (i think thats how you spell it XD) and they're the only ones left to bring it down. IDK 0.o
is anyone still up for the VMA theory cause i am XD
I have another theory. It concerns the transmissions site. Someone noticed that on the unumbered default screen channel (the blank one) you can make out the number 8. I saw it too. My vision sucks so maybe someone who can magnify the images can do a better job. I think that maybe there are numbers hidden in all the channels. They tell you which channel to tune into next. So from the blank channel, you go to #8 since the eight on it directs you there. If you cycle the channels in the right order...maybe..I dunno..something happens? 0_o
um can you tell me where on the blank screen the number 8 is (like top left corner, ect) i can't find it but there's a spotch in the top right corner, is that it?
but anyways if it is im gonna try it out :D thanks!
http://twitter.com/gerardway/status/24304570316
So... No VMA'S. :(
looking forward to this
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Home Media Room Archives Media Releases 2005
Quebec Priest Appointed Bishop in Honduras
Googlize this
(CCCB – Ottawa)… Last week, Pope Benedict XVI created the Diocese of Yoro, Honduras, which resulted from the division of the Archdiocese of Tegucigalpa, and appointed Reverend Jean-Louis Giasson, P.M.E., as Bishop of this new diocese.
Bishop-elect Giasson was born in 1939 at Islet-sur-Mer, in the Diocese of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, Quebec. In 1965, he was ordained to the priesthood after joining the Société des prêtres des missions étrangères (P.M.E.).
The bishop-elect is well acquainted with Honduras as he has been a missionary there since 1966. He has occupied a number of positions: spiritual director and rector of a seminary, pastor of parishes as well as spiritual counsellor. He has been the regional superior for the Society in Honduras since 2003.
Bishop-elect will be ordained Bishop of Yoro on 12 December, at a celebration in Progreso, the largest city in the diocese.
In all, there are 10 Canadians in active episcopal ministry outside Canada. Other than Bishop-elect Giasson and two of his brothers in the Society who are also posted in Honduras, six are in charge of dioceses in the United States, New Guinea, Peru, Malawi, Chad and Uganda. The tenth, Archbishop Michael Miller, C.S.B., is Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education in Rome.
Sylvain Salvas
Director, Communications Service
Last Updated on Thursday, April 27 2006
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Some ‘Game of Thrones’ Fans Think Arya Stark Is Already Dead
Associated Press AP May 15, 2019 2:15 pm May 15, 2019 Off 31
This post contains spoilers for the final season of Game of Thrones. Consider yourself warned.
One could argue that Arya Stark has undergone the biggest character transformation over the past eight seasons of Game of Thrones. When the series started, she was a young girl who desperately wanted to play with swords and crossbows rather than sew with the other women of Winterfell. Now, she’s a highly-trained assassin so badass she killed the Night King.
As we head into the final episode, many fans think that Arya is actually the “Prince That Was Promised,” and that she will be the one to kill Daenerys. But there’s another, more concerning theory making its way around the Internet that claims Arya is actually already dead.
While this seems rather unlikely, this show has certainly done enough surprising things with fan-favorite characters over the years—so I won’t discount it completely. The theory basically hinges on that white horse that Arya rides off on at the end of the last episode. You know the one:
Some think that the horse in question is actually the same horse ridden by the head of the Golden Company—a horse that was killed:
Arya certainly almost died multiple times as Dany and Drogon burned King’s Landing, and she tried to run for safety and nearly got trampled. She also had a connection to the horse. (A little girl she tried to save was also clutching a white horse toy.) “Yeah, I’m pretty sure Arya is dead too,” one user wrote on Reddit. “She got all burnt up and a building fell on her. They made a point of showing us the death of the horse and the countless deaths of Arya. And yet they both rise from the ashes. If this isnt [sic] some lord of light shit, I’m gonna be pissed.”
A number of Twitter users also think this could be a solid theory. “The thing is, some fans are convinced that it was the same horse Capt. Strickland was ridding in the beginning of the episode. Which means the horse is actually dead. The theory suggest that the fact that Arya could see and ride the horse secretly means that Arya is dead too,” one tweeted. “And I know that yes, Arya is in the next episode’s trailer. But like.. This is Game of Thrones we’re talking. 🙃”
As mentioned above, Arya does appear in the trailer for the finale. Then again, anything is possible on Game of Thrones.
Abby Gardner is a contributing writer at Glamour. You can follow her pop culture musings on Twitter @abbygardner or in her weekly newsletter, We Have Notes.
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Jason Botterill made a significant move Sunday night. ©2019, Hickling Images
Sabres’ acquisition of Brandon Montour shows they want to win now
TORONTO – On Sunday night, Sabres general manager Jason Botterill made a significant trade for this season, sending a 2019 first-round pick and defense prospect Brendan Guhle to the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman Brandon Montour.
Think about that, the Sabres, a team seemingly in perpetual rebuilding mode, dealt futures for an established NHL player before today’s 3 p.m. trade deadline.
But for the first time since 2011-12, the Sabres are in the playoff chase at the deadline. They apparently don’t plan to dump assets this year.
Botterill’s move sends a strong message the 10th-place Sabres, who have suffered a stunning fall, dropping from first overall to out of a playoff spot, want to win this season.
The Sabres, who play the Maple Leafs tonight, trail the Carolina Hurricanes by six points for the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot.
Botterill has never operated as a GM in this situation as the deadline approached. In his first season in charge a year ago, the Sabres hit rock bottom, finishing dead last. He simply traded Evander Kane, whose contract was set to expire, prior to the deadline.
For months, as the Sabres struggled this season, Botterill stayed quiet, making no notable moves.
Right now, the Sabres are 29-24-8 (66 points). On Nov. 27, the day they won their 10th straight game, they were 17-6-2.
Since then, they’ve earned the third-fewest points in the league, just 30.
Still, Botterill recently expressed confidence in his team.
“We’re going to trust our players, we’re going to trust our group,” Botterill told reporters in Wednesday in Tampa Bay.
The first-round pick sent to Anaheim is the one the Sabres received from the San Jose Sharks for Kane last year, according to TSN. If the pick is between 20 to 31, the Ducks have the option of taking the other first-rounder the Sabres received from the St. Louis Blues in the Ryan O’Reilly trade last year.
The 6-foot, 193-pound Montour, 24, offers the Sabres immediate help. The UMass product has scored 16 goals and 63 points in 169 NHL games. He has compiled five goals and 25 points in 62 contests this season.
“Brandon is a young, offensive-minded defenseman who can play the up-tempo style we are looking to play,” Botterill said in a statement. “He’s a right-shot defenseman that brings additional playoff experience to our club.”
Montour, a second-round pick in 2014, 55th overall, recorded nine goals and 32 points, both career highs, in 80 games last season. This is his second full NHL campaign.
The Brantford, Ontario, native has one season and a $3.25 million salary cap hit left on his contract.
Montour’s presence creates a logjam on the blue line. Right now, the Sabres have eight healthy defensemen on the roster. Regular Marco Scandella is also hurt.
The Sabres could possibly deal defenseman Nathan Beaulieu, who requested a trade last month, to create space. But Beaulieu, 26, has recently started playing again after sitting out for long stretches as a healthy scratch.
Meanwhile, Guhle, once the Sabres’ top defense prospect, spent most of the past two seasons with the Rochester Americans. Guhle, 21, has played 23 NHL games, including two this season.
Still, the Sabres’ old regime drafted him in the second round in 2015, 51st overall. Botterill had no investment in Guhle, a youngster many expected would be in the NHL by now.
Two years ago, the Sabres needed Guhle’s puck-moving skills so badly they recalled him from junior during the season. Many thought he would bypass the AHL and jump right to the NHL.
This season, newcomer Lawrence Pilut jumped past Guhle on the depth chart.
Plenty of holdovers Botterill did not acquire are still in the organization. Perhaps he isn’t done reshaping the Sabres.
“We’ve had a lot of conversations going on,” Botterill said Wednesday. “Whether those things come to fruition over the next couple days, it’s always hard to predict. As I think we saw last year, sometimes you look at the draft and then things can move into July 1 and things can move into the summer. I can’t predict when it’s going to happen.”
The Sabres have signed goalie Adam Wilcox to a one-year, two-way contract, the team announced Sunday.
Wilcox, 26, has played with the Amerks this season on an AHL deal.
The Sabres placed him on waivers Sunday, something that accompanies signing a new contract.
They likely gave him an NHL contract because goalie prospect Jonas Johansson underwent season-ending surgery last week.
Having only three healthy goalies in the organization under NHL contracts can be risky.
Wilcox played one game with the Sabres last season.
The Sabres had Sunday off.
Author Bill HoppePosted on 02.25.19 02.25.19 Categories Anaheim Ducks, Beaulieu, Botterill, Guhle, Johansson, Kane, Montour, O'Reilly, Pilut, Rochester Americans, Scandella, Toronto Maple Leafs, Wilcox
2 thoughts on “Sabres’ acquisition of Brandon Montour shows they want to win now”
Tow knee says:
02.25.19 at 6:16 am
This season is done. They will not close that gap on Carolina imo. Need to keep cleaning house and dropping the old and slow. Buy Okposo out as no one will pick that contract up.
Maybe next year we can make it to the playoffs!
OhioSabresFan says:
02.26.19 at 12:14 pm
Tow Knee: I agree. This season is done. Need to keep cleaning house. Not sure it is worth buying out Okposo’s contract next year. Still to many years left. Will have to be on 4th line next year and maybe in 2020 we can get the expansion team to take him along with some other incentives. I think we can and will make playoffs next year if we can get a solid second line center and a sniper in free agency and the kids keep developing. I see us as a real contender in 2021/2022.
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Home Chiefs News Kansas City Chiefs 2014 7 Round Mock Draft
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Kansas City Chiefs 2014 7 Round Mock Draft
kcsmallz
Hello again readers! We are now only 38 days away from the start of the NFL Draft, and as free agency begins to slow down, we can begin to get a better sense of which direction teams are looking to go in the upcoming draft, however this is not the case for the Chiefs. The Chiefs lost several starters from last season, and appear to have no definite starter at Right Guard or Free Safety, and are lacking in Wide Receivers and Cornerbacks. With all of these holes to fill, and limited money to spend on the remaining free agents, the Chiefs have to fill their needs through the draft. For the purpose of this mock draft, I will be assuming that the Chiefs do not sign DeSean Jackson, and do not make any trades to acquire more draft picks. So let’s take a look at whom I believe the Chiefs will select with their six picks in this year’s draft.
Round 1: Odell Beckham Jr., WR LSU
There could be a case made for the Chiefs to take any of several Wide Receivers in this position, but I feel that Beckham Jr. has the best chance to succeed within Andy Reid’s offense. Beckham Jr. is a play maker who averaged 19.5 yards per catch during his time at LSU. He meets the profile of the type of WR we are looking for at 6’0″ 187 lbs., and even at his size, he is a tough Receiver who can come across the middle of the field and make the catch even after receiving (no pun intended) a punishing hit. Given time to develop in Andy Reid’s system, I believe that Beckham Jr. will eventually take Dwayne Bowe’s spot as the team’s number one Receiver.
Round 3: Jimmie Ward, Safety NIU
At this point, the Chiefs would still be in desperate need of a safety. I know he’s not Ha’Sean Clinton-Dix, or Calvin Pryor, but Jimmie Ward of Northern Illinois is still a very talented Safety with great instincts who should not be over looked. His great instincts are what make me think that he would be a good fit for our defense because instincts are exactly what Kendrick Lewis lacked. Ward’s small size is a bit of a concern, but in the late third round the Chiefs will be running out of starting caliber Safties to draft. With one of the best Safeties in the NFL to learn under in Eric Berry, Jimmie Ward should be able to learn a lot, and with the help of Sanders Commings, the Chiefs could have a potent back half of their secondary.
Round 4: Cyril Richardson, OG Baylor
This may be a bit of wishful thinking on my part, but after a very poor showing at both the Senior Bowl, and Scouting Combine, Cyril Richardson has seen his draft stock plummet from round one to somewhere in the middle of the draft. Still, Richardson had a great season within the BIG 12, and received many accolades for his performance. It is very possible that he will not be available for the Chiefs to take in the fourth round, but if he is, the Chiefs have to jump at the oppurtunity. Richardson has the raw strength, and athletic ability to be a greate Guard in the NFL, but the question is does he have good enough footwork to compete with NFL level competition. As a fourth round pick, the worst case scenario for the Chiefs is that Richardson becomes a solid backup, and if he’s available the Chiefs should not hesitate to take him.
Round 5: Dri Archer, OW Kent State
The bottom line is that the Chiefs need more playmakers in order to have a successful offense, and Archer is the very definition of a playmaker. Archer would fill Dexter McCluster’s shoes from day one if the Chiefs were to draft him. Archer is similar to McCluster in almost every way, but Archer is even faster than McCluster. McCluster had success under special teams coach Dave Toub, and was a large part of KC’s offensive game plan week in and week out. I feel that Archer would be an upgrade to Dexter McCluster from day one, and I think that he could go down as one of the greatest kick and punt Returners of all time. The Chiefs return game, and offense would be greatly improved with the addition of Archer, and combined with the return expertise of Canadian football league star Weston Dressler, the Chiefs could have the best special teams in the entire NFL.
Round 6: Dontae Johnson, CB North Carolina State
The Chiefs Cornerbacks got progressively worse as the season went along, and they need to address the position at some point in this year’s draft. Johnson could go sooner than the sixth round, but if he’s available, the Chiefs should definitely bring him in. Johnson embodies the type of Corner that Bob Sutton is looking for to play in his defense; Johnson stands at 6’2″ and weighs 200 lbs. Dontae has all of the physical tools to succeed in the NFL, but seems to lack the instincts that teams desire. I know that with the great coaching staff we have here in Kansas City, we could turn Dontae Johnson into a success story, and who knows, he could one day become the Chief’s starting Cornerback.
Round 7: Allen Hurns, WR Miami
Allen Hurns is a player that I think could be a late round steal. He’s quick, has decent hands, and he has the height and weight (6’1″ 198lbs.) to play in a West Coast system. Hurns has very thin arms and legs, and because of this I am concerned that he will struggle against press coverage. Although he is thin, Hurns seemed to always find a way to get open during his time at Miami, which is something that many Chief’s Receiver lacked last year. All in all if we picked Hurns in the seventh round, the worst case scenario is that he would be so bad that he would be out of the league within a few years, and even then it wouldn’t hurt the team very much. He’s a player who has the potential to make an impact on offense from day one.
So what do you think readers, would you be happy if this is how the draft were to play out? I could see several of these players being gone before it is the Chief’s turn to pick, but it is all just speculation at this point. Whatever you think be sure to let me know either in the comments, or on twitter (@KC_Smallz). Last, but certainly not least,
GO CHIEFS!!!
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Home / Watches
Sinn 956 Pilot Chronograph 956 SIN 49a
Sinn 956 Automatic Pilot Chronograph.
The Sinn 956 automatic chronograph is pure form and function. Like many Sinn watches the 956 over engineered to exacting standards, but not over designed. It is however technical looking and the dial contains a lot of data used for making calculations, but there is no unnecessary data or design to the dial.
The additional feature on this watch, which is fairly similar to the 903 range is the addition of the power reserve function. It is strong, robust durable and reliable but with a host of features that can be used for a multitude of functions. The slide rule will enable the user to make all of the calculations necessary for flight planning which includes distances, speeds, rates of ascent and descent and the fuel consumption. The chronograph also allows elapsed timing of up to 12 hours.
It is an attractive design with easy to see legible dial. It has a screw on sapphire glass case back showing off the decorated movement which is a modified Valjoux 7750, screw down crown, scratch resistant sapphire crystal with anti reflective coating and pressure resistant to 10 bar, which is approximately 100 metres. It is antimagnetic according to DIN 8309 specification and shock resistant according to DIN 8308 specification. It has a stopping second hand to enable accurate setting to a time signal and a quick set date.
Width is 41 mm excluding crown and 44 mm including crown Lug to lug is 46 mm, Thickness is 14.5 mm.
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City Connect » Culture & Lifestyle » Café Society
« Mozart’s Requiem
Key People in a Tailoring Business »
By Erzi Paris | July 10, 2019 - 5:36 am | May 3, 2019 Culture & Lifestyle, Featured
Café Society is all about Bobby Dorfman’s (Jesse Eisenberg) adventures when he moves to Hollywood. New York wasn’t exciting for him so the move is welcome.
He stays with family, his Uncle Phil (Steve Carrell) gets him a job and Phil’s secretary Vonnie (Kristen Stewart) looks after him. Bobby is mesmerised by Vonnie, unaware she’s seeing his uncle.
When Phil won’t leave his wife, he ends his affair with Vonnie. Vonnie starts dating Bobby, who mentions to Phil his new love. Phil now wants Vonnie, he will divorce his wife and asks Vonnie privately to leave Bobby and go with him! Vonnie chooses Phil.
Heartbroken Bobby goes back to New York and falls in love with Veronica (Blake Lively). Things take a turn for the worst when Bobby’s brother Ben is convicted of murder and he ends up running their nightclub alone.
This movie was good. It had drama and humour, but didn’t quite hit the high notes. The love affair never really got started and why Vonnie would want Phil was a complete mystery.
The locations might have been better if they were closer together rather than New York to Los Angeles. Also the nightclub theme is getting a little tried and tested. I couldn’t help but be reminded of The Great Gatsby.
Blake Lively is a welcome addition to the cast and adds the needed glamour. It would have been better for her to have been in the Hollywood section so she appeared sooner rather than later. She lit up the screen and being a big name it was a surprise she was left till later on.
I was glad that they had Woody Allen narrating. There was a good cast. I think it might have been better to start the story further down the line to speed things up. The tension could have been drawn out then.
All in all a good effort but no cigar. 6/10 from me. A nice way to spend an afternoon or evening in.
Image reproduced from Wikipedia.
By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50262732
Trailer reproduced from Lionsgate Movies.
About Erzi Paris
Erzi Paris lives in London and loves writing, going to the theatre and watching films. Always abreast of celebrity news, his biggest hope is to be a reporter. He likes keep-fit too. His favourite authors are Michael Crichton, JK Rowling, Suzanne Collins and Rosalind Miles.
View all posts by Erzi Paris →
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Interior: Yellow/Black
In 1951, Lewis D. Crusoe, a retired GM executive was lured out of retirement by Henry Ford II to build a new car. While in Paris with Frank Hershey, a chief Ford designer, Crusoe pointed at a sports car and asked Walker, “Why can’t we have something like that?” These three men are generally credited with creating the original Thunderbird. The vision was a two-seat convertible powered by an Interceptor V8 that was capable of going 100 MPH.
This Minter restored Thunderbird is finished in Goldenrod Yellow with has undergone a complete frame-off restoration to show quality condition. The Ford has only 479 miles since the car was completed and just came out of an impeccable collection of vintage automobiles.
The engine compartment is very correct and exceptionally nice featuring all correct wiring, belts, hoses, lines, air cleaner and restored heater motor. All of the paint finishes are done to show quality. The 292 Thunderbird V8 was completely rebuilt and has been updated with an electric choke for easy startup. The engine operates smoothly and runs nice and cool. The Ford-O-Matic transmission was also rebuilt and shifts out correctly.
The exterior and undercarriage show off a bare metal refinish in show quality Goldenrod Yellow. All of the chrome and stainless have been redone from top to bottom and all of the rubber is new as well. The frame was stripped and resprayed in the correct black hue and the underbody is finished in yellow as well. The Thunderbird comes with both tops including a high-quality canvas convertible top.
The car drives and rides very well and it’s no accident. All of the brake and suspension components have been rebuilt from front to rear. The bushings are new, as are the shocks and steering components, and the power steering pump. The brake system has been rebuilt as well with all new lines, new hoses, a rebuilt master, wheel cylinders, shoes, adjusters and springs.
Amos Minter Frame-Off Restoration
Goldenrod Yellow
Matching Yellow & Black Interior
“Concours Correct”
292 Thunderbird V8 4BBL
Ford-O-Matic Transmission
4-Way Power Seat
12 Volt Upgrade
Thunderbird Kelsey Hayes Wire Wheels
Ford Mustang GT S-Code
For the Mustang enthusiast looking to buy a very nicely restored car, this 1967 S Code is hard to beat.
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Clinton School Podcasts
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Dwayne Estes | Clinton School Presents
October 28, 2018 / Nikolai DiPippa
Interview with Dwayne Estes. Mr. Estes serves as executive director for SGI. For ten years Dwayne has served as Professor of Biology at APSU and was promoted to Full Professor in 2015. Grassland loss is the single greatest conservation issue currently facing eastern North American biodiversity. Southern grasslands are nearly extinct and the species that depend on them are fading fast. The Southeastern Grasslands Initiative (SGI) is a collaboration of leaders in international biodiversity conservation led by the Austin Peay State University Center of Excellence for Field Biology, in partnership with the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, North Carolina Botanical Garden, and Roundstone Native Seed. SGI seeks to integrate research, consultation, and education, along with the administration of grants, to create innovative solutions to address the multitude of complex issues facing Southeastern grasslands, the most imperiled ecosystems in eastern North America.
October 28, 2018 / Nikolai DiPippa/
Activism, Environment, Global Development, Health, Philanthropy, Science
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Interview with Dr. Carlos Rodriguez-Díaz. Dr. Rodriguez-Díaz spent the spring 2018 semester as the Researcher in Residence and Visiting Philanthropy Faculty Scholar for the Clinton School’s Center on Community Philanthropy. Rodríguez-Díaz is currently an associate professor in the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University. Previously, he worked as a public health scientist and an associate professor at the School of Public Health at the Medical Sciences Campus of the University of Puerto Rico in San Juan. He will share findings from research conducted during his residency that explore the role of race in emerging response and recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico.
Health, Global Development, Philanthropy, Policy, Politics
Carlos Rodriguez-Díaz, philanthrophy, health, San Juan
Ian Rosenberger | Clinton School Presents
July 01, 2018 / Nikolai DiPippa
Interview with Ian Rosenberger, Founder and CEO of Thread International, for NPR affiliate KUAR on Clinton School Presents, a weekly dialogue of distinguished guests that visit the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock, Arkansas. Nikolai DiPippa, Clinton School Director of Public Programs, sat down with Ian Rosenberger, Founder and CEO of Thread International, he founded Team Tassy & Thread in 2010 in the wake of the Haiti Earthquake. Team Tassy unlocks the inherent power in every person to end global poverty. Thread takes trash from poor neighborhoods and turns it into jobs. They work together under the same core philosophy: the biggest problem we face as a species is multidimensional poverty; ending it is entirely possible within our lifetime, and to do it we need to invest in the poor to create as many dignified, sustainable jobs as possible.
July 01, 2018 / Nikolai DiPippa/
Activism, Business, Civic Engagement, Economy, Education, Environment, Health, Global Development, Human Rights, Philanthropy, Policy, Poverty, Public Service, Race
Emily Crane Linn | Clinton School Presents
April 08, 2018 / Nikolai DiPippa
Interview with Emily Crane Linn, Executive Director of Canopy Northwest Arkansas, for NPR affiliate KUAR on Clinton School Presents, a weekly dialogue of distinguished guests that visit the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock, Arkansas. Nikolai DiPippa, Clinton School Director of Public Programs, sat down with Emily Crane Linn, Executive Director of Canopy Northwest Arkansas, a resettlement center that provides refugees with everything they need to build a new life: from a place to live and language classes to counselors and babysitters. They help refugees learn English, put together a resume, evaluate their degree, and prepare for the American workforce.
April 08, 2018 / Nikolai DiPippa/
Activism, Civil Rights, Education, Economy, Global Development, Human Rights, Immigration, International Relations, Law, Lifestyle, Philanthropy, Policy, Politics, Poverty, Public Service, Race
Tererai Trent | Clinton School Presents
December 24, 2017 / Nikolai DiPippa
Interview with Tererai Trent, Oprah Winfrey’s favorite guest, for NPR affiliate KUAR on Clinton School Presents, a weekly dialogue with the distinguished guests that visit the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock, Arkansas. Nikolai DiPippa, Clinton School Director of Public Programs, sat down with Tererai Trent, author of “The Awakened Woman: Remembering & Reigniting Our Sacred Dreams.” Before Tererai Trent landed on Oprah’s stage as her “favorite guest of all time,” she was a woman with a forgotten dream. As a young girl in a cattle-herding village in Zimbabwe, she dreamed of receiving an education but instead was married young and by eighteen, without a high school graduation, she was already a mother of three. Trent encountered a visiting American woman, Jo Luck of Heifer International, who assured her that anything was possible, reawakening her sacred dream. Tererai planted her dreams deep in the earth and prayed they would grow. They did, and now not only has she earned her Ph.D. but she has also built schools for girls in Zimbabwe, with funding from Oprah.
The Awakened Woman is her accessible, intimate, and evocative guide that teaches nine essential lessons to encourage all women to reexamine their dreams and uncover the power hidden within them – power that can recreate our world for the better.
December 24, 2017 / Nikolai DiPippa/
Education, Gender, Global Development
Becky Straw | Clinton School Presents
September 03, 2017 / Nikolai DiPippa
Interview with Becky Straw, co-founder and CEO of the Adventure Project, for NPR affiliate KUAR on Clinton School Presents, a weekly dialogue with the distinguished guests that visit the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock, Arkansas. Nikolai DiPippa, Clinton School Director of Public Programs, sat down with Becky Straw, co-founder and CEO of the Adventure Project, a nonprofit creating jobs in developing countries. Instead of giving money and products away, The Adventure Project works somewhat like a venture capital firm for effective nonprofits: funding entrepreneurial activity that will both provide jobs and help in the four most needed areas – water, hunger, health, and environment. The 10-year goal of the organization is to create one million jobs worldwide. Prior to The Adventure Project, Becky spent three years helping to launch Charity: Water, an organization bringing drinking water to people in developing countries.
September 03, 2017 / Nikolai DiPippa/
Economy, Environment, Global Development, Health, International Relations, Poverty, Public Service
Alexander Eaton | Clinton School Presents
June 25, 2017 / Nikolai DiPippa
Interview with Alex Eaton, director and technician for Sistema Biobolsa, for NPR affiliate KUAR on Clinton School Presents, a weekly dialogue with the distinguished guests that visit the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock, Arkansas. Nikolai DiPippa, Clinton School Director of Public Programs, sat down with Alex Eaton, director and technician for Sistema Biobolsa. He has evaluated, developed, and managed small scale and industrial anaerobic digestion systems in Asia, Latin America, and the US. Recent clients include the US EPA, USAID, PA Consulting, various Mexican government offices, and international carbon offset firms. As the Executive Director of the International Renewable Resources Institute, Alex has developed and managed carbon offset and renewable energy projects across Latin America, including projects that have been commercialized under the Kyoto Protocol.
June 25, 2017 / Nikolai DiPippa/
Environment, Global Development, Public Service, Technology
Shaukat Aziz | Clinton School Presents
Interview with Shaukat Aziz. Shaukat Aziz served as Prime Minister of Pakistan between 2004 and 2007, following five years as its Finance Minister and thirty years at Citibank. While in office, he steered one of the biggest economic turnarounds in recent history, taking Pakistan from the brink of bankruptcy. His time in government was marked by high economic growth, exchange rate stability, a reduction in poverty and an upsurge in local and foreign investment. He survived a suicide bombing by Al Qaeda while on the campaign trail, driving him to engage in the fight against global terrorism.
Global Development, Environment, Foreign Policy, Media, Policy, Politics, Terrorism
Shaukat Aziz, Pakistan, Prime Minister, Economy, Policy, Government
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Interview with Robin Sanders, for NPR affiliate KUAR on Clinton School Presents, a weekly dialogue of distinguished guests that visit the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock, Arkansas. Nikolai DiPippa, Clinton School Director of Public Programs, sat down with Robin Sanders, former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria and the Republic of Congo, former U.S. Permanent Representative to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and former director of the Africa National Security Council at the White House. She currently serves as CEO of FEEEDS Advocacy Initiative, which focuses on food security, education, environment, economic development and self-help projects, particularly in Africa.
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Todd Moss | Clinton School Presents
May 31, 2015 / Nikolai DiPippa
Interview with Todd Moss for NPR affiliate KUAR on Clinton School Presents, a weekly dialogue of distinguished guests that visit the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock, Arkansas. Nikolai DiPippa, Clinton School Director of Public Programs, sat down with Todd Moss, chief operating officer and senior fellow at the Center for Global Development, a fully independent Washington DC think tank that works to reduce global poverty and inequality. A former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Moss is the author of “The Golden Hour: Africa’s Rise and the Challenge for American Diplomacy”.
May 31, 2015 / Nikolai DiPippa/
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AGREE II: advancing guideline development, reporting and evaluation in health care
Melissa C. Brouwers, Michelle E. Kho, George P. Browman, Jako S. Burgers, Francoise Cluzeau, Gene Feder, Béatrice Fervers, Ian D. Graham, Jeremy Grimshaw, Steven E. Hanna, Peter Littlejohns, Julie Makarski and Louise Zitzelsberger
CMAJ December 14, 2010 182 (18) E839-E842; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.090449
Melissa C. Brouwers
For correspondence: [email protected]
Michelle E. Kho
George P. Browman
Jako S. Burgers
Francoise Cluzeau
Gene Feder
Béatrice Fervers
Ian D. Graham
Jeremy Grimshaw
Steven E. Hanna
Peter Littlejohns
Julie Makarski
Louise Zitzelsberger
Clinical practice guidelines, which are systematically developed statements aimed at helping people make clinical, policy-related and system-related decisions,1,2 frequently vary widely in quality.3,4 A strategy was needed to differentiate among guidelines and ensure that those of the highest quality are implemented.
An international team of guideline developers and researchers, known as the AGREE Collaboration (Appraisal of Guidelines, Research and Evaluation), was established to create a generic instrument to assess the process of guideline development and reporting of this process in the guideline. Based on rigorous methodologies, the result of the collaboration’s efforts was the original AGREE instrument, which is a 23-item tool comprising six quality-related domains that was released in 2003 (www.agreetrust.org).
As with any new assessment tool, ongoing development was required to improve its measurement properties, usefulness to a range of stakeholders and ease of implementation. Over the years, a number of issues were identified. For example, the original four-point response scale used to answer each item of the AGREE instrument is not in compliance with methodologic standards of health measurement design. This noncompliance threatens the performance and reliability of the instrument.5 In addition, data on the usefulness of the AGREE items has never been gathered systematically from the perspectives of different groups of users. Further, we were interested in identifying strategies to make the evaluation process more efficient, such as reducing the number of items or the number of required raters, while ensuring the instrument was reliable and valid. Therefore, an exploration of the role of shorter versions of the AGREE instrument, comprising fewer items that are tailored to the unique priorities of different stakeholders, was warranted. Finally, there was a need to establish the fundamentals of construct validity — in other words, whether the AGREE items could measure what they purport to measure, and that is variability in quality of practice guidelines.
Redesign of AGREE
In response to these issues, the AGREE Next Steps Consortium was established and undertook two studies.6,7 As part of the first study, the consortium introduced a new seven-point response scale and evaluated its performance and measurement properties, analyzed the usefulness of the AGREE items for decisions made by different stakeholders, and systematically elicited stakeholders’ recommendations for changes to the AGREE items and domains.6 In the second study, the consortium evaluated the construct validity of the tool and designed and evaluated new supporting documentation aimed at facilitating efficient and accurate use of the tool.7
The following key findings emerged from the two studies:
Ratings of the quality of the AGREE domains are good predictors of outcomes associated with implementation of guidelines.6
Participants (i.e., guideline developers or researchers, policy-makers, and clinicians) evaluated AGREE items and domains as very useful, but no differences emerged in ratings of usefulness among groups,6
No evidence exists to direct the development of shorter abridged versions of the instrument.6
The psychometric properties of the seven-point response scale are promising.6
The instrument successfully differentiates between high-and low-quality guideline content.7
The new user’s manual is well received by users.7
Users provided considerable feedback on how to improve the instrument and the user’s manual.6,7
Based on these results and three rounds of interpretation and consensus by the consortium, several refinements were made to the items and supporting documents, culminating in the release of AGREE II, which consists of 23 items, two overall assessment items and a user’s manual (see Appendix 1, available at www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/cmaj.090449/DC1).
Changes to AGREE II items
The 23 items in AGREE II are grouped into the same six domains as in the original AGREE instrument. These domains are scope and purpose, stakeholder involvement, rigour of development, clarity of presentation, applicability, and editorial independence. The key changes from the original document involved refinements to the purpose, response scale and items of the instrument.
The purpose of the AGREE II is more explicitly stated. The new version of the instrument is designed to assess the quality of practice guidelines across the spectrum of health, provide direction on guideline development, and guide what specific information ought to be reported in guidelines. The four-point response scale was replaced by a seven-point response scale, in compliance with key methodologic principles of test construction.5 A score of 1 indicates an absence of information or that the concept is very poorly reported. A score of 7 indicates that the quality of reporting is exceptional and all of the criteria and considerations articulated in the user’s manual were met. A score between 2 and 6 indicates that the reporting of the AGREE II item does not fully meet criteria or considerations. As more criteria are met and more considerations addressed, item scores increase (see user’s manual below). Finally, modifications, deletions and additions were made to approximately half of the original 23 items (Table 1).
Table 1:
Comparison of original AGREE and AGREE II
Changes to the AGREE II User’s Manual
The user’s manual (Appendix 1) was rewritten and extended with the following information linked to each item:
Explicit descriptors for the different levels on the new seven-point scale
A description that defines each concept underlying the item and inclusion of specific examples
Direction on common places to look for desired information within the guideline document or accompanying documentation
A list of common terms or labels to represent the concept
Guidance on how to rate the item, including criteria and considerations. Criteria refer to explicit elements that reflect the operational definition of each item. Considerations aim to provide information on the nuances of the assessment.
The consortium recommends that the AGREE II replace the original AGREE instrument8 as the preferred instrument for guideline development, reporting and evaluation. We used high-quality methods to direct the improvements made, with strong empirical evidence supporting the changes.6,7
Knowledge gaps
As with the first version of the AGREE, the items and domains in AGREE II focus on methodologic issues relevant to guideline development and reporting. However, they do not evaluate the clinical appropriateness or validity of the recommendations themselves. While rigorous development and explicit reporting are necessary, they do not guarantee optimal and acceptable recommendations or better health outcomes for patients and populations.9,10 The new item assessing the description of strengths and limitations of the body of evidence (i.e., item 9) can be considered as a precursor for clinical validity or appropriateness of the recommendations. The consortium is targeting this area as its next priority for further study in the AGREE A3 initiative. This research initiative, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, is focused on the application, appropriateness and implementability of recommendations in clinical practice guidelines.
Similarly, some of the concepts in AGREE II could be improved. For example, the consortium considerably debated the representation of patient–public engagement in guideline development, as well as the items related to applicability and implementability in the instrument. These areas are also being targeted for future research.
Using AGREE II
Depending on the structure and length of the guideline document, quality-related assessment of a guideline using AGREE II will take 1.5 hours, on average, per appraiser. Although basic knowledge of the principles of evidence-based decision-making and health care methodology can facilitate its use, the new user’s manual should allow novices to use the instrument with confidence. Furthermore, although content-specific expertise on the topic of a guideline is not necessary, it may improve the ease of interpretation of the findings. At this time, we recommend that at least two appraisers, and preferably four, rate each guideline to ensure sufficient reliability as the consortium continues its formal reliability testing.
The AGREE II has been used to evaluate several hundred guidelines related to the control of cancer (www.cancerview.ca; select “Services” in the menu bar and click on the “SAGE” link). It will be available on the AGREE Research Trust website (www.agreetrust.org).
AGREE II has myriad uses. Guideline developers can incorporate the concepts of the AGREE II framework into their development protocols, procedural documents and reporting templates. The instrument can also be used to evaluate the quality of guidelines that are candidates for use in clinical practice, for formulating policy-related decisions or for adaptation of recommendations from one context to another. Journal editors and reviewers may use AGREE II as a framework to help define reporting requirements for guidelines submitted for publication, as has been done with the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials)11 and STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) statements.12 Finally, given the increasing number of guidelines developed worldwide, AGREE II provides a framework for reaching consensus on methodologic principles and reporting requirements for transnational cooperation.
Other tools to support the application of AGREE II are being developed, including a translation into French, an online version and an interactive online AGREE II training tool. The AGREE Research Trust, an independent body established in 2004, manages the interests of the AGREE project, supports an agenda of research regarding its development and formally endorses AGREE II.
The AGREE II, along with support tools and information about ongoing research-based initiatives associated with the instrument, is available at www.agreetrust.org.
AGREE II (Appraisal of Guidelines, Research and Evaluation), which comprises 23 items and a user’s manual, offers refinements of a new way to develop, report and evaluate practice guidelines.
Key changes from the original version include a new seven-point response scale, with modifications to half of the items, and a new user’s manual.
AGREE II is available online at the AGREE Research Trust (www.agreetrust.org).
The AGREE Next Steps Consortium thanks the US National Guidelines Clearinghouse for helping to facilitate the identification of eligible practice guidelines for the research program. The consortium also thanks Ms. Ellen Rawski for her support on the project as research assistant from September 2007 to May 2008.
See related research articles by Brouwers and colleagues, available at www.cmaj.ca
Competing interests: Melissa Brouwers, Francoise Cluzeau and Jako Burgers are trustees of the AGREE Research Trust. No competing interests declared by the other authors.
Contributors: Melissa Brouwers conceived and designed the study, led the collection, analysis and interpretation of the data, and drafted the manuscript. All of the authors made substantial contributions to the study concept and the interpretation of the data, critically revised the article for important intellectual content and approved the final version of the manuscript to be published.
Funding: This work was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Michelle Kho is supported by a CIHR Fellowship Award (Clinical Research Initiative).
Members of the AGREE Next Steps Consortium: Dr. Melissa C. Brouwers, McMaster University and Cancer Care Ontario, Hamilton, Ont.; Dr. George P. Browman, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver Island, BC; Dr. Jako S. Burgers, Dutch Institute for Healthcare Improvement CBO, and Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, IQ Healthcare, Netherlands; Dr. Francoise Cluzeau, Chair of AGREE Research Trust, St. George’s University of London, London, UK; Dr. Dave Davis, Association of American Medical Colleges, Washington, USA; Prof. Gene Feder, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; Dr. Béatrice Fervers, Unité Cancer et Environement, Université de Lyon – Centre Léon Bérard, Université Lyon 1, EA 4129, Lyon, France; Dr. Ian D. Graham, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Ottawa, Ont.; Dr. Jeremy Grimshaw, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ont.; Dr. Steven E. Hanna, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Ms. Michelle E. Kho, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Prof. Peter Littlejohns, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, London, UK; Ms. Julie Makarski, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Dr. Louise Zitzelsberger, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Ottawa, Ont.
Field MJ,
Lohr KN
Committee to Advise the Public Health Service on Clinical Practice Guidelines, Institute of Medicine. In: Field MJ, Lohr KN, editors. Clinical practice guidelines: directions for a new program. Washington (DC): National Academy Press; 1990.
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. Are guidelines following guidelines? The methodological quality of clinical practice guidelines in the peer-reviewed medical literature [see comments]. JAMA 1999;281:1900–5.
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. Quality of systematic reviews used in guidelines for oncology practice. Ann Oncol 2006;17:691–701.
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. Health measurement scales: a practical guide to their development and use. 3rd ed. Oxford (UK): Oxford University Press; 2003.
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, AGREE Next Steps Consortium. Development of the AGREE II, part 1: performance, usefulness and areas for improvement. CMAJ 2010 May 31. [Epub ahead of print].
AGREE Next Steps Consortium. Development of the AGREE II, part 2: assessment of validity of items and tools to support application. CMAJ 2010 May 31. [Epub ahead of print].
AGREE Collaboration. Development and validation of an international appraisal instrument for assessing the quality of clinical practice guidelines: the AGREE project. Qual Saf Health Care 2003;12:18–23.
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. Rigorous development does not ensure that guidelines are acceptable to a panel of knowledgeable providers. J Gen Intern Med 2008;23:37–44.
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Nagy E,
. Conflict between guideline methodologic quality and recommendation validity: a potential problem for practitioners. Clin Chem 2006;52:65–72.
Moher D,
Schulz KF,
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. The CONSORT statement: revised recommendations for improving the quality of reports of parallel-group randomized trials. JAMA 2001;285:1987–91.
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Egger M,
. Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies. BMJ 2007;335:806–8.
Vol. 182, Issue 18
You are going to email the following AGREE II: advancing guideline development, reporting and evaluation in health care
Melissa C. Brouwers, Michelle E. Kho, George P. Browman, Jako S. Burgers, Francoise Cluzeau, Gene Feder, Béatrice Fervers, Ian D. Graham, Jeremy Grimshaw, Steven E. Hanna, Peter Littlejohns, Julie Makarski, Louise Zitzelsberger
CMAJ Dec 2010, 182 (18) E839-E842; DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.090449
The specification, acceptability and effectiveness of respite care and short breaks for young adults with complex healthcare needs: protocol for a mixed-methods systematic review
EULAR recommendations for the management of antiphospholipid syndrome in adults
Assessment of the methodological quality of local clinical practice guidelines on the identification and management of gestational diabetes
How should clinicians rehabilitate patients after ACL reconstruction? A systematic review of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) with a focus on quality appraisal (AGREE II)
2019 update of the EULAR recommendations for the management of systemic lupus erythematosus
Evaluation of the NCCN guidelines using the RIGHT Statement and AGREE II instrument: a cross-sectional review
Evidence Underlying Recommendations and Payments from Industry to Authors of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines
Evaluation of the NCCN guidelines using the RIGHT Statement and AGREE-II instrument: a cross-sectional review
Updating quality indicators for low-risk labour care in Japan using current clinical practice guidelines: a modified Delphi method
Diabetes Canada 2018 clinical practice guidelines: Key messages for family physicians caring for patients living with type 2 diabetes
2018 update of the EULAR recommendations for the management of hand osteoarthritis
Lignes directrices de pratique clinique 2018 de Diabete Canada: Principaux messages a lintention des medecins de famille qui traitent les patients atteints de diabete de type 2
Periprocedural antithrombotic management for lumbar puncture: Association of British Neurologists clinical guideline
2018 International Consensus Statement on Golf and Health to guide action by people, policymakers and the golf industry
Appraising the quality standard underpinning international clinical practice guidelines for the selection and care of vascular access devices: a systematic review of reviews
Systemic sclerosis: state of the art on clinical practice guidelines
Sjögrens syndrome: state of the art on clinical practice guidelines
Mixed connective tissue disease: state of the art on clinical practice guidelines
Canadian Cardiovascular Harmonized National Guidelines Endeavour (C-CHANGE) guideline for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease in primary care: 2018 update
Screening and prevention for latent tuberculosis in immunosuppressed patients at risk for tuberculosis: a systematic review of clinical practice guidelines
2018 EULAR recommendations for physical activity in people with inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis
Guidelines for the investigation of chronic diarrhoea in adults: British Society of Gastroenterology, 3rd edition
Consensus-based recommendations for the management of uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: the SHARE initiative
Using smartphone-based virtual patients to assess the quality of primary healthcare in rural China: protocol for a prospective multicentre study
Autism spectrum disorder: advances in diagnosis and evaluation
Consolidated principles for screening based on a systematic review and consensus process
Poor overall quality of clinical practice guidelines for musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review
Systematic review of clinical practice guidelines to identify recommendations for rehabilitation after stroke and other acquired brain injuries
Approach to assessing and using clinical practice guidelines
When is a guideline not a guideline? The devil is in the details
Guidelines on the management of abnormal liver blood tests
Treating axial spondyloarthritis and peripheral spondyloarthritis, especially psoriatic arthritis, to target: 2017 update of recommendations by an international task force
Evidence-based recommendations on care for breast cancer survivors for primary care providers: a review of evidence-based breast cancer guidelines
A systematic review and meta-analysis of nutrition therapy compared with dietary advice in patients with type 2 diabetes
Deprescription des antihyperglycemiants chez les personnes agees: Guide de pratique clinique fonde sur les donnees probantes
A systematic review and appraisal of the quality of practice guidelines for the management of Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections
Deprescribing antihyperglycemic agents in older persons: Evidence-based clinical practice guideline
STANDING Collaboration: a study protocol for developing clinical standards
International variations in clinical practice guidelines for palliative sedation: a systematic review
Diagnosis and treatment for hyperuricaemia and gout: a protocol for a systematic review of clinical practice guidelines and consensus statements
EULAR recommendations for the management of rheumatoid arthritis with synthetic and biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs: 2016 update
Guidelines in family practice--help wanted
Updated guideline on the management of common bile duct stones (CBDS)
Quality of clinical practice guidelines in delirium: a systematic appraisal
Wrong guidelines: how to detect them and what to do in the case of flawed recommendations
The Quantitative Science of Evaluating Imaging Evidence
Critical Evaluation of the Quality and Recommendations of Clinical Practice Guidelines for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Systematic review and meta-analysis of dietary carbohydrate restriction in patients with type 2 diabetes
Sex and gender considerations in Canadian clinical practice guidelines: a systematic review
Proposal of quality indicators for cardiac rehabilitation after acute coronary syndrome in Japan: a modified Delphi method and practice test
Quality indicators for the detection and management of chronic kidney disease in primary care in Canada derived from a modified Delphi panel approach
Where should preappraised evidence summaries and guidelines place in a pyramid?
What Alert Thresholds Should Be Used to Identify Critical Risk Results: A Systematic Review of the Evidence
Secondary Prevention of Cervical Cancer: ASCO Resource-Stratified Clinical Practice Guideline
Optimizing the language and format of guidelines to improve guideline uptake
Guideline for obtaining valid consent for gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures
Guidelines of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies: an overview and quality appraisal using AGREE II
Respiratory clinical guidelines inform ward-based nurses clinical skills and knowledge required for evidence-based care
Management of Depression in Patients With Cancer: A Clinical Practice Guideline
Role of Patient and Disease Factors in Adjuvant Systemic Therapy Decision Making for Early-Stage, Operable Breast Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology Endorsement of Cancer Care Ontario Guideline Recommendations
Breast Cancer Screening Benefits: Research and Controversies
The AGREE Reporting Checklist is useful for assessing the quality of clinical practice guideline development
Viscosupplementation in Knee Osteoarthritis: Evidence Revisited
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: a guideline for diagnosis across the lifespan
Management of acne: Canadian clinical practice guideline
SLUG Bug: Quality Improvement With Orchestrated Testing Leads to NICU CLABSI Reduction
Emerging Role of Quality Indicators in Physical Therapist Practice and Health Service Delivery
Diagnosis and management of testosterone deficiency syndrome in men: clinical practice guideline
Choosing Healthcare Options by Involving Canada's Elderly: a protocol for the CHOICE realist synthesis project on engaging older persons in healthcare decision-making
UK guidelines on the management of variceal haemorrhage in cirrhotic patients
Systematic Review of Guidelines for the Management of Asymptomatic and Symptomatic Carotid Stenosis
EULAR-PReS points to consider for the use of imaging in the diagnosis and management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis in clinical practice
Lignes directrices sur la prise en charge en soins primaires des cephalees chez l'adulte
Guideline for primary care management of headache in adults
Clinical practice guidelines for hypertension in China: a systematic review of the methodological quality
Scopus (998)
Embracing the science of value in health
La déclaration RECORD-PE (Reporting of Studies Conducted Using Observational Routinely Collected Health Data Statement for Pharmacoepdemiology) : directives pour la communication des études realisées à partir de données de santé observationelles collectées en routine en pharmacoépidémiologie
Addressing provider turnover to improve health outcomes in Nunavut
Show more Analysis
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Young player had brain damage more often seen in NFL veterans
By Madison Park, CNN
Chris Henry may have had a genetic predisposition for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a type of brain damage.
NFL star Chris Henry was found to have a type of brain damage seen in older players
Findings have raised questions about brain injuries and safety in high-contact sports
Patients with CTE exhibit poor decision-making, behavioral problems, relationship problems
(CNN) -- Young, athletic and troubled -- NFL player Chris Henry might have been a football cliché.
After being arrested four times, suspended by the league three times and released once by the Cincinnati Bengals, the wide receiver appeared to be on a personal and professional comeback.
But all that ended in December 2009. Henry died after falling from the bed of a moving pickup during a fight with his fiancée. His death was considered a tragic and bizarre end to a life plagued by behavioral problems.
This week, findings from Henry's brain examination reverberated through the sports world, raising questions about head injuries and safety in high-contact sports.
Doctors found evidence of brain damage, called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, that has been observed in retired players who've had many concussions. Unlike those older players, Henry was 26 when he died.
Chris Henry's brain sample had brown discolorations, a tau protein buildup, inflammation and white matter changes.
In healthy brain tissue, virtually no protein tangles, which show up as brown spots, are visible.
CTE is also known as dementia pugilistica, because career boxers who've suffered repeated blows to the head have been known to develop the syndrome. Sudden stops and collisions can cause the brain to slosh inside the skull.
Its effects are mainly neurobehavioral. These symptoms include poor decision-making, behavioral problems, failure at personal and business relationships, use of drugs and alcohol, depression and suicide.
"The effect on the brain appears to be damages to the emotional circuitry of the brain," said Dr. Julian Bailes, chairman of neurosurgery at West Virginia University.
"We think Chris exhibited some of the characteristics of the neurobehavioral syndrome of CTE," he said at a news conference Monday. "We don't know if there is a cause and effect."
The neurologists at the Brain Injury Research Institute at West Virginia University did not draw any association between Henry's actions and the disease.
"His case highlights the fact there is documented damage in someone young and actively playing," said Bailes, a former doctor for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Bengals coach: Henry 'beacon of hope' before death
The syndrome is believed to be caused by large accumulations of tau proteins in the brain that kill cells in the regions responsible for mood, emotion and executive functioning. Tau proteins are also found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
The findings regarding Henry's brain raised unsettling questions: Could CTE contribute to misbehavior of football players? If Henry, a seemingly healthy athlete in his mid-20s, had signs of CTE, could other young athletes have this syndrome, too?
Dr. Jon Weingart, professor of neurological surgery and oncology at Johns Hopkins University, said extrapolating from one case, like Henry's, would be a "big leap."
"That would be misleading," he said. "There's not enough data. ... To think that this is something brewing in many players -- there's no data to support that statement."
Weingart said the relationship between multiple traumas and head hits and CTE is not a proven cause and effect. At this point, it's a correlation.
Sports Illustrated: Concussions and football: Is the game too dangerous for our kids?
In 2009, the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at the Boston University School of Medicine reported that an 18-year-old multisport athlete who suffered multiple concussions also had CTE, a finding that a neuropathologist described as "shocking."
MRIs and CAT scans are unable to detect CTE. Detecting the syndrome requires brain samples, which cannot be given until a person is dead.
The samples are colored with special microscopic stains. In Henry's brain, doctors found a tau protein accumulation, inflammatory changes and white matter changes that were significantly abnormal.
The fibers in the brain had brown discoloration and showed significant damage.
In previous findings of former NFL players, the brown tangles flecked throughout the brain tissue resembled what might be found in the brain of an 80-year-old with dementia.
Dead athletes' brains show damage from concussions
Henry could've had a genetic predisposition for the type of brain injury, because a majority of the brains with CTE contained the gene called the apolipoprotein E3 allele.
"We may be seeing a genetic trend that Chris is in the 70 percent of those diagnosed with CTE, who have a special genetic sign," said Bailes, the West Virginia University neurosurgery chairman. "Perhaps that may be a clue as to who's at risk for this to develop."
Genetic factors could make some people less able to tolerate subtle trauma to their brains. For example, some high school athletes get a concussion and struggle afterward, while others who experience the same degree of head bump recover without a hitch.
"There's some variability of how someone is able to handle and recover from trauma to the brain," Weingart said.
Henry's case has "sparked a lot of social debate and reflection and was scientifically valuable," Bailes said.
"We want to continue to study. We don't have all the answers. We're also looking, as soon as we can, to find treatment and prevention," he said.
NFL medical heads and Goodell convene on brain injuries
The NFL has recently pledged to step up its efforts on head injuries and named new co-chairs and members to its medical committee. The league has also changed guidelines prohibiting a player suffering a concussion to practice or play.
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St. Louis Family Theatre Series at Florissant Civic Center
Arts & Culture for Kids, Family Friendly Film
A Cat in Paris
Arts & Culture Events for Preschoolers, Arts & Culture for Kids, Discounts & Promotions, Travel
Admission discounts to museums & more
Metro Theater Company presents “The Hundred Dresses”
January 18, 2019 jlin Leave a comment
Metro Theater Company
Metro Theater Company (MTC) presents “The Hundred Dresses” at the Grandel Theatre, February 3 through 24, 2019. Approximate run time is one hour. Adapted by William Kent Williams from the Newbery Honor book by Eleanor Estes, its themes are as timeless and keenly relevant today as they were when it was first published.
February 3 through 24, 2019
Fridays at 7 pm: February 8, 15, and 22
Saturday at 7 pm: February 23
Sundays at 2 pm: February 3, 10, 17, and 24
The Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square, St. Louis, MO 63108
Tickets are $14- $20 and are available through MetroTix at 314-534-1111 or online. $20 adults; $16 students, seniors, and military; $14 groups of 10 or more. For more information, call Metro Theater Company at 314.932.7414.
Intimate seating at The Grandel Theatre
Learn more about the show in the educator’s guide.
Wanda Petronski, the new girl in Room 13, is an immigrant who lives in a shabby house and doesn’t have any friends. Every day she wears the same faded blue dress, but tells her new classmates that she has a hundred dresses at home. Her classmates tease Wanda about her hundred dresses until one day she disappears from school. As guilt overtakes the children, they decide to find out what happened to Wanda and to make amends. But is it too late?
Bullying, friendship, and forgiveness are at the center of “The Hundred Dresses.” It takes audiences of all ages on an exploration of tolerance and empathy. It especially helps younger audiences learn important life lessons about having courage to stand up for others and taking responsibilities for our own actions. Critics and experts have long lauded the story as one children won’t forget and its adaptations as a must-see for families.
“I am delighted to bring one of my favorite stories to the Grandel stage,” said Julia Flood, director of “The Hundred Dresses”/artistic director of Metro Theater Company. “‘The Hundred Dresses’ explores the power of girls, and shines a light on the consequences we face from small thoughtless actions in response to those who are different from us. It is a story for our time.”
Metro Theater Company’s five-member cast for “The Hundred Dresses” includes Sophie Murk as Wanda, Alicia Revé Like as Maddie, Hailey Medrano as Peggy, Philip C. Dixon as Mr. Mason, and Jacob Cange as Tommy/Mr. Svenson.
Cast and Production Team
“The Hundred Dresses” is presented by presenting sponsor PNC Arts Alive. Major support is provided by Monsanto Fund.
Author Eleanor Estes
About Eleanor Estes
Eleanor Estes (1906-1988) was an American children’s author. When she was a child, she watched her friends bully a classmate – a Polish girl who wore the same worn dress each day. She was a bystander, watching, but doing nothing, and felt guilty as she grew older. Eventually she became a children’s librarian, wanting to teach others the lesson she wished she had learned as a child. “As my mother grew older, she just felt really badly about the way that little girl had been treated and isolated,” explained Estes’s daughter, Helena. “She thought, ‘Well, there’s only one thing I can do… I can write a story.’ So she did.”
Eleanor Estes wrote down her childhood memories while recovering from tuberculosis, and became a children’s author. Her many published works are widely read; but “The Hundred Dresses” continues to be the most popular, remaining in print since its publication in 1944. It was awarded the Newbery Honor in 1945. Speaking about “The Hundred Dresses” Eleanor Estes said, “I am holding up a mirror, and the scene reflected in the mirror is a true image of childhood, and the mirror, besides reflecting, also speaks and echoes the clear, profound, unpremeditated utterances, thoughts, and imageries of these children. I like to make children laugh or cry, to be moved in some way by my writing.”
In total, Eleanor Estes wrote 19 children’s books and one novel for adults. Three of these books—”The Middle Moffat,” “Rufus M.,” and “The Hundred Dresses”—were chosen as Newbery Honor books. “Ginger Pye” (1951) won the Newbery Medal.
About Metro Theater Company
Since 1973, Metro Theater Company has been creating accessible sensory productions that respect young people’s intelligence, tell compelling stories, stimulate curiosity and provoke thoughtful reflection. The Company has reached a total audience of more than two million and has a national reputation for excellence in the field of professional theater for young audiences. Metro Theater Company has received major honors and awards, both locally and nationally.
Metro Theater Company Artistic Director/Director Julia Flood
Julia Flood (Artistic Director/Director) has directed Bud, Not Buddy, Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, And in This Corner…Cassius Clay, Out of the Box, Talkin’ Trash, Afflicted: Daughters of Salem, Unsorted and Say Something, Do Something! for Metro Theater Company since she moved to St. Louis to become Artistic Director in February 2014. Previously, Julia spent 16 years as Artistic Director of Eckerd Theater Company in Clearwater, Florida where she commissioned such plays as Vote? by Eric Coble, provoked by Florida’s role in the 2000 Presidential election, and Battledrum by Doug Cooney with Lee Ahlin, a musical about the effects of war on young people through the lens of Civil War drummer boys, subsequently
produced at Metro Theater Company. A graduate of Northwestern University, Julia spent seven years as a resident member of the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble in Pennsylvania, a unique artist-led ensemble founded under the guidance of legendary acting teacher Alvina Krause, before following a freelance career as actor/director/playwright/teacher. This path led to Florida and eventually to her new artistic home in St. Louis. Julia has served on the national Board of Directors of Theatre for Young Audiences/USA since 2011, and brings more than 35 years of experience to her role as Artistic Director of Metro Theater Company.
arts st louiseleanor estesjulia floodmetro theater companymetroplaysthe grandel theatrethe hundred dressestheater st louiswilliam kent williams
Metro Theater Company’s Bud, Not Buddy
February 1, 2018 jlin Leave a comment
A Metro Theater Company Production
Based on the Newbery Medal-winning novel by Christopher Paul Curtis
Adapted by Kirsten Greenidge
Composer: Terence Blanchard
Jazz St. Louis
Commissioned by The Kennedy Center
Approximate run time: 60 minutes
Grandel Theatre
3610 Grandel Square
Grandel Theatre Parking
Public Performances
February 4–25, 2018
Friday and Saturdays at 7 pm
Sundays at 2 pm
Adult: $20
Student/Military/Senior (55+): $16
Groups of 10 or more: $14/ticket
Orchestra Box (seats 4): $72
Buy tickets online from MetroTix.
It’s 1936 in Flint, Michigan, and 10-year-old Bud is sure about two things: he wants to find his father, and he is not called Buddy. Unfortunately, while his mother made his name crystal clear, the whereabouts of his dad are a little unsure. The only clue she left behind is a flyer advertising Herman E. Calloway and his band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression. With this and his trusty suitcase in tow, Bud sets off on an epic journey of discovery, set to the soulful sounds of jazz.
Adapted by Obie Award winner Kirsten Greenidge from Christopher Paul Curtis’s Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award-winning book, this touching tale is set to original music by world-renowned jazz artist Terence Blanchard, played on stage by a 13-piece jazz ensemble.
For information about booking a school performance, contact the Community Engagement Manager at Community@metroplays.org or 314.932.7414, ext. 106. School Matinees ($8), February 6-23, 2018. Tuesday-Friday at 10 am.
Learn about Christopher Paul Curtis’s books.
Learn about Kirsten Greenidge’s process of adapting Bud, Not Buddy for the stage.
Learn about Terence Blanchard.
Read the Bud, Not Buddy educator’s guide.
PHOTO: CHARLES OSGOOD
PHOTO: J. ROBERT SCHRAEDER / COURTESY OF COTERIE THEATRE
Bud Not BuddyChristopher Paul Curtisgrandel theatreJazz St. LouisKirsten Greenidgemetro theater companyst louis theaterSt. Louis artsTerence Blanchard
Arts & Culture for Kids, Holidays
Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates
November 22, 2017 jlin Leave a comment
A play based on the classic novel by Mary Mapes Dodge
Stage play by Laura Eason
“A wonderful way to share the spirit of the season”
— Talking Broadway
In this timeless story, Hans and Gretel Brinker strive to provide for their family and prove their own worth by entering a local speedskating contest – first prize is a pair of gleaming silver skates! The play culminates with a spectacular St. Nicholas Day race on the stage of The Grandel Theatre stage. Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates celebrates generosity, helping others, and is an exhilarating tale of courage and determination.
The original novel by Mary Mapes Dodge has been in print since 1865 and is credited with popularizing the sport of speed-skating in the United States. Metro Theater Company presents a modern interpretation of this timeless tale adapted by House of Cards screenwriter Laura Eason.
Recommended for adults and young people 2nd–8th grade. Approximate run time is 70 minutes without an intermission.
Know before you go! Read the Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates education guide.
(l to r) Pete Winfrey, Sigrid Wise
Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm AND Sundays at 2 pm
Saturday, December 23 at 2 pm
Tuesday-Saturday, December 26-30 at 2 pm
Friday, December 29 at 7 pm
Order tickets today via MetroTix.
There is ample metered street parking in front of the Grandel.
Contact Michael Perkins, Community Engagement Manager at michael@metroplays.org or call 314.932.7414 x106
(l to r) Antony Terrell, Sigrid Wise, Erika Flowers-Roberts, Pete Winfrey
In a small Dutch town near Amsterdam, industrious teenager Hans Brinker and his younger sister Gretel yearn to participate in December’s great ice skating race on the canal, despite them owning only wooden skates.
The siblings must work to support their family while their mother cares for their father, Raff, who has been bedridden for 10 years after a fall from a dike. The Brinkers can’t afford school and must all work to support the family; they’re looked down upon, especially by the wealthy Katrinka Vos and Carl Voost, because of their low status.
But Hans has a chance meeting with a famous (though mysteriously gruff) surgeon named Dr. Boekman and persuades him to examine the Brinkers’ father. He diagnoses pressure on the brain, which can be cured by a risky and expensive operation.
Hans offers his own money to pay for his father’s operation. Touched by this gesture, Dr. Boekman provides the surgery for free. Hans overcomes his pride and accepts help from his friends Heidi and Peter: they loan steel skates for Gretel and himself to use in the race Gretel wins the girls’ race, but Hans lets Peter — who needs it more —win the Silver Skates in the boys’ race.
Mr. Brinker’s operation is successful, and he is able to remember where he’s hidden a bag of guilders to help the family, as well as the circumstances surrounding a pocket watch that belonged to Dr. Boekman’s son. This discovery helps the doctor start to reconcile with his son, and the Brinker family goes on to live a long and happy life.
Erika Flowers-Roberts – Heidi Von Gleck
Erick Lindsey – Dr. Boekman/Carl Voost
Roxane McWilliams – Musician
Jennifer Theby-Quinn – Dame Brinker/Katrinka Vos
Spencer Sickmann – Raff Brinker/Announcer
Antony Terrell – Peter Von Holp/Young Man/Vollenhoven
Pete Winfrey – Hans Brinker
Sigrid Wise – Gretel Brinker
School Matinees
Are you a teacher? Performances for school groups are Tuesdays-Fridays, December 5-22 at 10 am. Tickets are $8. For information about booking a school performance, contact the Community Engagement Manager at community@metroplays.org or 314.932.7414 ext. 106.
Inspired by the intelligence and emotional wisdom of young people, the Metro Theater Company creates professional theater, fosters inclusive community, and nurtures meaningful learning through the arts. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to this wonderful nonprofit organization. About two-thirds of the Metro Theater Company’s annual operating budget comes from contributed income. Every gift makes an important impact!
Photography: Metro Theater Company
family activitiesgrandel theatrehans brinker and the silver skatesholiday performanceskids artsmetro theater companyst louisSt. Louis artstheater
Harry Potter in concert with the St. Louis Symphony
May 20, 2017 jlin Leave a comment
Did you experience one of the exciting sold-out shows of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in concert with the world renowned St. Louis Symphony last year? Don’t miss their performances of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban at Powell Hall this coming season. Audience members of all ages (that includes many date night concert goers!) view the complete films in high definition on a giant screen while the exquisite St. Louis Symphony performs the score live. See and hear how the music becomes a key character in these brilliant and memorable films.
Full bar, light snacks, desserts, and Butter Beer drink special are available at the performance and can be brought into the concert hall. Costumes are welcomed.
Be sure to get your tickets early. These performances will sell out! Questions? Call the box office, 314.534.1700.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™
In Concert with the St. Louis Symphony
Friday, September 15, 2017 at 7 pm
Saturday, September 16, 2017 at 7 pm
Sunday, September 17, 2017 at 2 pm
718 N. Grand Blvd.
Approximate run time is 3 hours and 8 minutes, including an intermission.
Justin Freer, Conductor
St. Louis Symphony Chorus
Amy Kaiser, Director
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™, cars fly, trees fight back and a mysterious house-elf comes to warn Harry Potter at the start of the second year of his amazing journey into the world of wizardry. Relive the magic of the film in high-definition on a giant screen as the St. Louis Symphony performs John Williams’s unforgettable score.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™
Friday, April 6, 2018 at 7 pm
Saturday, April 7, 2018 at 7 pm
Sunday, April 8, 2018 at 2 pm
Approximate run time is 2 hours and 56 minutes, including an intermission.
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™, Harry, Ron and Hermione, now teenagers, return for their third year at Hogwarts, where they are forced to face escaped prisoner, Sirius Black, who seems to pose a great threat to Harry. Don’t miss the adventure and suspense on the big screen while the St. Louis Symphony performs John Williams’s magical score.
HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. J.K. ROWLING`S WIZARDING WORLD™ J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s17)
harry pottermusicpowell hallSt. Louis artsst. louis symphonySTL Symphony
Lantern Fest St. Louis
April 26, 2017 jlin Leave a comment
The Lantern Fest is an opportunity for thousands of revelers to join as a community and create an unforgettable spectacle of light. After an afternoon of live music, dancing, and s’mores, when the sun sets and the time is just right (typically 30 minutes after sunset), participants will light the sky with lanterns representing their highest hopes, deepest regrets, and fondest dreams. Be sure to arrive early enough to park, check-in, and find a place to enjoy the event.
Gates open at 2 pm.
Lantern release is approximately 30 minutes after sunset.
Brookdale Farms
8004 Twin River Rd
Eureka, Missouri 63025
$7 to $55 (plus fees and tax)
Be sure to register in advance for the early bird pricing.
Parking is $10 cash.
Extra lanterns are $10 each.
All ages are welcome. With the number of open flames present at the venue, and especially as the darkness falls, please keep a close eye on any children. Kids between ages 4 and 12 are $7 each and do not receive a lantern, and children below 3 are free. You need to be 13 or older to light a lantern.
* Water and small snacks are permitted inside the venue. There will be plenty of concessions to buy food and drinks.
* A blanket or chairs for sitting.
* Dress for the weather.
Lantern Fest FAQ
The Lantern Fest and Sustainability
Top photo: Lindsey Bartlett
brookdale farmseurekafamily activities st louislantern festlantern fest st louistangled
Arts & Culture Events for Preschoolers, Arts & Culture for Kids, Community, Holidays
Lunar New Year Celebrations
Bring the family to celebrate the Lunar New Year and welcome the Year of the Rooster! Here are some highlights of St. Louis area celebrations open to the public.
The Magic House
Saturday, January 28, 2017, 10 am to 2 pm
Families can enjoy a Lion Dance performance, arts, crafts, and Chinese face painting. Free with museum admission.
Saint Louis Art Museum Lunar New Year Festival
Explore Chinese, Korean, and Taiwanese culture with activities, performances, and demonstrations. Special performances including a Lion Dance and T’ai Chi and Kung Fu demonstrations start at 2 pm in the Sculpture Hall. Free.
University City Lunar New Year 2017
February 3 and 4, 2017
Experience parades, lion dances, authentic Chinese food, 50 local artists, hands-on activities, and performances. Performances are in partnership with the Lunar New Year Festival student run organization of Washington University. Free.
Lunar New Year Festival Kick Off
Friday, February 3, 2017, 5 to 9 pm
Mandarin House Banquet Center, 8004 Olive Boulevard,
Night Market: Featuring Taste of Asia restaurants, artisans, retailers
6 pm: Chinese Community Performers
7 pm: Fusion
8 pm: DJ
Lunar New Year Parade & Festival
Saturday, February 4, 2017, 11 am
11 to 11: 30 am: Pre-Parade Gathering Brittany Woods Middle
11:30 to noon: Lunar New Year Parade (Weather Permitting)
Departs Brittany Woods Middle School, 8125 Groby Road, St. Louis, MO 63130 at 11:30 am. The parade heads north down 81st Street, and turns into the parking lot of Seafood City, ending at the Mandarin House Banquet Center, 8004 Olive Boulevard.
Mandarin House Banquet Center
8004 Olive Boulevard, University City
Featuring Taste of Asia restaurants, artisans, and retailers.
1 pm: Lion Dance Kickoff
2 to 4 pm: Washington University Lunar New Year Festival Performances
5 pm: Chinese School Performers
7 pm: Headliners
Lunar New Year Festival at the Edison Theatre
6465 Forsyth Boulevard
February 10, 2017 at 7 pm
February 11, 2017 at 2 pm and 7 pm
The Lunar New Year Festival (LNYF) is an annual event on the Washington University Campus celebrating the Lunar New Year and promoting awareness of the different aspects of Asian culture from China to Korea and more. This spectacular show in the Edison Theatre, is a completely student-run production and promotes interaction and unity among the various Asian groups on campus. Through a great variety of exciting performances of acting, dancing, and music, people of all backgrounds can enjoy and celebrate the New Year together. Tickets $10.
edison theatrelunar new yearlunar new year festivalSaint Louis Art Museumst louisThe Magic HouseUniversity Citywashington universityyear of the rooster
Metro Theater Company presents “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane”
December 10, 2016 jlin Leave a comment
“Open your heart. Someone will come. Someone will come for you. But first you must open your heart.”
— Kate DiCamillo, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
If you are a fan of the early chapter book series, Mercy Watson, you know author Kate DiCamillo’s vivid characters and settings, humor, and ability to find subtle poignancy in just about anything. Her novels for older kids quietly, yet fearlessly breathe life and honestly grab it in such a way that both youth and their parents can be intrigued and entertained. Because of Winn-Dixie, The Tale of Despereaux, and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane are some of her award winning works.
St. Louis’s Metro Theater Company brings the novel, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, to the stage (adapted for the theater by Dwayne Hartford) in a new family friendly play. The open to the public performances are Dec 9-30 at the Missouri History Museum, Lee Auditorium. The play, which explores love, family, friendship, and adventure, is 70 minutes, and best enjoyed by families, adults, and children (age 7 or second grade and up).
Edward Tulane is a toy rabbit who cares for nobody but himself. Ripped from the arms of the little girl who adores him, this privileged toy rabbit is thrown into a life-changing adventure. From the depths of the ocean to the top of a garbage heap, Edward discovers
what it means to love others on his extraordinary journey home. With themes of family, home, and redemption, this play is the perfect way to celebrate the warmth of the holiday season.
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is the winner of the Boston Globe Horn Book Award for children’s fiction and Parents’ Choice Award for fiction. It was a finalist for the Quill Awards for children’s chapter books, and named U.S. National Education Association “Teachers’ Top 100 Books for Children.” The New York Times Book Review said, “Perhaps no other current American children’s book writer has appeared on the scene so quickly or so brightly as Kate DiCamillo… The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, may well be her best.”
Metro Theater Company Education Guide for Edward Tulane
St. Louis Public Radio feature, December 9, 2016
December 9, 2016 at 7 pm
December 11, 2016 at 1 pm and 4 pm
December 16, 2016 at 7 pm
December 26-30, 2016 at 2 pm
Missouri History Museum (Lee Auditorium)
Lindell Boulevard and DeBaliviere Avenue in Forest Park
Tickets $20 adults; $16 students, seniors, and military; $14 Missouri History Museum members, groups of 10 or more
Buy online or call 314.932.7414, ext 106.
Since 1973, Metro Theater Company has been creating accessible sensory productions that respect young people’s intelligence, tell compelling stories, stimulate curiosity and provoke thoughtful reflection. The Company has reached a total audience of more than two million and has a national reputation for excellence in the field of professional theater for young audiences. Metro Theater Company has received major honors and awards, both locally and nationally, and has 15 consecutive years of support from The Shubert Foundation and 31 years of funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Photos: Metro Theater Company
children's theaterdwayne hartfordKate DiCamillometro theater companyMissouri History MuseumSt. Louis artsThe Incredible Journey of Edward Tulanetheater
Arts & Culture Events for Preschoolers, Arts & Culture for Kids, Community
Day of the Dead Celebration
October 27, 2016 jlin Leave a comment
Missouri History Museum Event!
Día de los Muertos is a holiday celebrated throughout Latin America and around the world in many other cultures. It brings together groups of people to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. Join the Missouri History Museum for an expanded version of the holiday commemoration with traditional music, dancing, an art display, alters, informational tables, and more.
Saturday, November 5, 2016, 11 am to 4 pm
Sunday, November 6, 2016, 11 am to 4 pm
Missouri History Museum
Lindell and DeBaliviere in Forest Park
Simultaneous Live Music in the Grand Hall and on the Museum’s Lower Level
The Film “The Book of Life” will be shown continuously in the New Classroom
Community Partners tables on the Museum’s Main Level
Childrens’ Craft Tables on the Museum’s Main Level
Dia de los Muertos Art Display on the Museum’s Main Level
Altars from many countries, some reflecting on 9/11, the unknown soldier, and a tribute to Selena in the ATT Room
Face Painting in the Schnucks Classroom
1:30 to 2 pm
Live Alter by Chef Martin Lopez
Dance performances in the Lee Auditorium
2 to 2:30 pm, Panamanian
2:30 to 3 pm, Bolivian
3 to 3:30 pm, Almas de Mexico
3:30 to 4 pm, The Oaxaca
day of the deaddia de los muertosfamily activitiesMissouri History MuseumSt. Louis arts
St. Louis Theatre Expo
Come experience: You’re Wearing That, Theatre Stars Trivia, From Oedipus to Hamilton, It Starts with the Words, Not a Dummy, The American Musical, Not a Dummy, Make It Up, Did You Hear That? and more!
These exciting sessions are all coming to The Repertory Theatre St. Louis’s “Making a Scene: A St. Louis Theatre Expo” on September 17, 2016, 9 am to 1:30 pm, at the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Road, Webster Groves. This fun, free event features live performances, demonstrations, tours, and more–an all-inclusive celebration of the magic of theatre. Among the 14 participating theatre companies are The Rep, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, STAGES St. Louis, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, New Line Theatre, St. Louis Actors’ Studio, New Jewish Theatre, Stray Dog Theatre, and Metro Theatre Company.
“The initial inspiration for The Expo came from The Rep’s 50th anniversary,” said Marsha Coplon, The Rep’s Director of Education. “But we wanted to do more than celebrate The Rep’s legacy. We wanted to make this day about theatre – how it enchants, thrills and enriches us. We’re joined by a fantastic group of artists from throughout our region. It’s the perfect event for long-time theatre lovers and first-timers alike.”
Included in the day’s schedule are demonstrations on costuming, makeup and stage combat (watch out for the swords!), performances from Fox Performing Arts Teens and The Improv Shop, live cabaret, backstage tours of the Loretto-Hilton and discussions led by local theatre luminaries. Speakers include The Rep’s Augustin Family Artistic Director Steven Woolf, actor Joneal Joplin, and Webster University theatre professor Lara Teeter.
In addition to the many family friendly demonstrations and performances, a special Kid Zone area will feature craft activities such as dragon puppet making and creating “scenes” with crayons and stickers on a stage coloring sheet. From 10 to 10:20 am, there is a kids cabaret and from 12:20 to 12:40 pm, enjoy a kids interactive improvisation session. Plus be sure to see participating companies show off their current and upcoming works.
Read the Expo Schedule.
All programs and artists are subject to change.
Photo by Jerry Naunheim, Jr.
metro theatre companynew jewish theatrenew line theatreOpera Theatre of Saint Louisrepertory theatre st. louisshakespeare festival st. louisst. louis actors' studioSt. Louis artsstages st louisstray dog theatreThe Reptheatre expoWebster Groves
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Brexit and Wales
Marking 20 Years of Devolution
The National Assembly for Wales has today (Thursday, March 21) announced a programme of events to mark 20 years since its establishment in 1999.
A range of events are to be held over the Summer months, culminating in a festival of democracy at the end of September which will see names from the arts, sport, journalism and politics gather in Cardiff Bay. The full programme will celebrate and debate achievements of the past twenty years but also focus on the future of Wales and engage people, groups and organisations across the country.
The 20 Years programme will kick off on May 6, exactly twenty years since the people of Wales went to the polls to vote in the first ever Assembly election. The Senedd will open its doors allowing the public to explore the Assembly's history, powers and ambitions through a range of public activities and events aimed at all ages. A new exhibition charting the history of devolution in Wales will be unveiled.
The following day on May 7th, the Llywydd and First Minister will formally address the Assembly in the presence of members elected to the Assembly since 1999. Later that evening, previous and current Assembly Members will gather with a host of invitees representing national organisations to celebrate the occasion.
In June members of the newly formed Welsh Youth Parliament will sit with the full Assembly for an extraordinary joint session. In July a Citizens Assembly, made up from representative members of the public, will gather together in mid Wales to consider the main challenges facing Wales in the next twenty years.
Over the Summer months the National Assembly will host events on a range of devolved issues with partners in communities across Wales including the Royal Welsh Show and National Eisteddfod. A photographic exhibition jointly curated by Ffotogallery and the National Assembly will tour Wales from September onwards. It will feature work by 6 photographers exploring the hopes and aspirations for a future Wales.
20 Years of Devolution celebrations will culminate in the first ever democracy festival to be held at Cardiff Bay in September. Over four days the Senedd and the Assembly's Pierhead buildings will host a mix of events with daytime talks, exhibitions and debates alongside evening music and comedy gigs. Much of the programme is being produced in partnership with national organisations such as Hay Festival, BAFTA Cymru, Football Association of Wales, Machynlleth Comedy Festival, Sport Wales, Future Generations Commissioner and Wales' universities.
"This anniversary presents a unique opportunity to reflect on how much Wales has changed over the past twenty years and the impact that devolution has had on our lives", said Elin Jones AM, Llywydd of the National Assembly for Wales.
"In doing so we also have the chance to focus on the future. Through this programme of events our aim is to begin a new dialogue with people across the country about their ambitions for Wales and how the Assembly, the home of Welsh democracy, can help deliver that".
Further information on each of the projects, the partners and how members of the public can participate will be announced in due course. Please follow our social media channels for up to date information.
https://devolution20.wales/
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MY MOODBOARD
DC Bespoke
Brief encounters: The Design Museum
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Veronica Simpson casts a critical eye over the newly relocated Design Museum, and finds it pleasing
When London’s Design Museum opened its new, vastly bigger space in late 2016, in Kensington, I was not initially a fan. The cavernous elegance of John Pawson’s overscaled, oak-lined atrium became the dominant experience, with its admittedly handsome, inhabitable staircase. Where was the much-anticipated expanded exhibition space – the justification for this £83m relocation from its original Tower Bridge site? Hidden away behind these stairs, the galleries seemed to be subordinate in the visual and cultural hierarchy to food and retail.
But it takes time to inhabit a building, to learn how to use all its nooks and crannies to best advantage. A recent visit to the opening of the new Home Futures exhibition was far more encouraging.
Home Futures focuses on how ideas about the way we would be living in the age of technology have evolved since the Twenties. As is often the case, what we got wrong was as illuminating as what we got right. Take Ugo La Pietra’s Telematic House, first shown at the Milan Furniture Fair in 1983. He figured that access to screens would be central to our homes and lives – too right. But where he embedded them in our furniture, today we carry them everywhere with us.
Some wonderful artefacts have been dug out of various archives for this show by curator Eszter Steierhoffer (together with Justin McGuirk): for example, a hilarious photo of three young men wearing an assortment of helmets that would alter one’s perception of the world. Environment Transformers: Fly Head View Atomiser (1968) was a satirical proposal by Austrian studio Haus-Rucker-Co, but it predates/predicts Google Glass and the escalating interest in VR. The work of pioneering architecture studio Archigram pops up, of course, with a large, colourful print of Ron Herron’s Cities: Moving (1964). This bizarre, mega-tank meets pig, with its barrel shape and fat robotic legs, luckily never came to pass. Alison and Peter Smithson's House of the Future (1956/2003) is also a highlight, revealing not just the role of increased mechanisation in the home but also the impact of our infatuation with space travel on domestic aesthetics.
Studio Makkink & Bey's Linen Chest House (2002)
There is some wonderful whimsy and satire (a quality more exhibitions should explore) with Heath Robinson’s drawings of gadgets that make domestic life more complicated than it needs to be. The same theme is satirised in Buster Keaton’s The Scarecrow, shown here, along with iconic Sixties’ American animation, The Jetsons, set in 2062. Plus a hilarious clip from Mon Oncle, a 1958 film by Jacques Tati, which shows humans co-habiting with self-operating vacuum cleaners and pedal-powered lawn mowers. It is screened alongside a model of the futuristic house he created for the film – Villa Arpel – designed with the help of Jacques Lagrange.
An idea that has had its peaks and troughs throughout the past century is that increased mechanisation and mobility would lead to far smaller, more multifunctional living units. There are some corresponding modular furniture prototypes from Ettore Sottsass and Joe Columbo. Colombo’s Mini Kitchen (1963) is like a chef-ready Swiss Army knife, designed to support Colombo’s proposal that no single room had to be designated as the kitchen, as this could be wheeled into any part of the house. I was surprised to learn that it is still in production, thanks to Italian brand Boffi. Gary Chang also made his speculations come true, adapting his family apartment in Hong Kong into ‘Transformer Apartment’ (the film of which is shown here), which allows for 24 room layouts within a tight 32 sq m of space. There is a full-scale prototype of one of Haus-Rucker-Co’s inflatable living pods, air-conditioned, portable bubbles that propose doing away with architecture altogether. Who knows, we may need these yet.
And plenty of space is given over to contemporary, speculative, artistic responses, too: Studio Makkink & Bey’s 2002 Linen Chest House is an enchanting linen cabinet transformed into a cosy four-poster bed, draped with lace and roofed in blankets. And Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec’s poetic sensibility enriches the mix with an amorphous red sofa which emulates a lake, a TV that is also a vase, and Algae, a modular system of seaweed-like components that can be configured to become a screen, a room divider or a canopy. Come the apocalypse, however, we will all be downloading Belgian studio OpenStructures’ open-source prototypes for self-assembly furniture and gadgets.
Alison and Peter Smithson, House of the Future (1958)
Browsing the building afterwards, I was delighted to come across a temporary, mezzanine level exhibition of architect Peter Barber’s recent thoughtful housing projects, all of them inspired by previous housing typologies, from almshouses to courtyard houses; if the model ain’t broke, don’t mess with it. Meanwhile downstairs, in the basement galleries, 2018’s Beazley Designs of the Year revealed some 80 truly mind-blowing schemes, from fashion to architecture. They showed how brilliantly our brightest and most ingenious brains are using design and technology to solve today’s most pressing problems, from ocean plastic pollution (Trash Isles by Plastic Oceans Foundation) to state surveillance abuses (Forensic Architecture); apologies to those of you reading this magazine now, as Designs of the Year closed in January, but it was a truly outstanding selection. I can’t wait to see what is lined up for 2019’s offering.
At last it felt like here was an institution that had fully found its purpose: to interrogate how design affects the way we live now – for better or worse.
FX MAGAZINE
VERONICA SIMPSON
The Garden of Earthly Worries by Studio Libeskind
July One to Watch: Harris & Harris
Top Five in July
Tarkett helps London Waste and Recycling Board close the look
Reflecting an innovation-led tech culture at Nucleus Financial
Tarkett is top of the class in University of Leeds refurbishment
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DF/HCC Members' Awards and Honors Summer 2018
Congratulations to the DF/HCC faculty who have been recognized for their outstanding research contributions since our last edition of eNews!
M. Amin Arnaout (Massachusetts General Hospital)
Angiogenesis, Invasion and Metastasis, Leukemia
Award/Honor:
2018 Homer W. Smith Award
Patricia A. D'Amore, PhD, MBA, FARVO (Schepens Eye Research Institute)
Angiogenesis, Invasion and Metastasis, Breast Cancer
Award/Honor
American Academy of Arts and Sciences Class of 2018
Susan M. Dymecki, MD, PhD (Harvard Medical School)
Cancer Cell Biology, Neuro-Oncology
Benjamin L. Ebert, MD, PhD (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute)
Cancer Cell Biology, Leukemia
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators
Elizabeth S. Ginsburg, MD (Brigham And Women's Hospital)
2018 William Silen Lifetime Achievement Excellence in Mentoring Awards
Daniel A. Haber, MD, PhD (Massachusetts General Hospital)
Cancer Cell Biology, Cancer Genetics
Elected to the National Academy of Sciences
Wade Harper, PhD (Harvard Medical School)
Cancer Cell Biology
Isaac S. Kohane, MD, PhD (Boston Children's Hospital)
Cancer Genetics, Neuro-Oncology
Marsha A. Moses, PhD (Boston Children's Hospital)
Angiogenesis, Invasion and Metastasis
American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering(AIMBE) College of Fellows
Shuji Ogino, MD, PhD, MS (Epidemiology) (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute)
Cancer Epidemiology, Cancer Immunology
ASIP Outstanding Investigator Award Recipient
Stuart H. Orkin, MD (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute)
2018 Mechthild Esser Nemmers Prize in Medical Science
Scott R. Plotkin, MD, PhD (Massachusetts General Hospital)
Developmental Therapeutics, Neuro-Oncology
Neuro-Oncology Scientific Award
Arlene H. Sharpe, MD, PhD (Harvard Medical School)
Cancer Genetics, Cancer Immunology
Nancy J. Tarbell, MD (Massachusetts General Hospital)
10th Annual Margaret L. Kripke Award
Christopher A. Walsh, MD, PhD (Boston Children's Hospital)
Gerhard Wagner, PhD (Harvard Medical School)
2018 Gunther Laukien Prize
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The Oxford Encyclopaedia of South Asian Christianity
“Oxford Encyclopedia of South Asian Christianity” Christianity has found a new global centre in the southern hemisphere. A majority of the world’s Christianity today is found not in the West but in Africa,...
Read more August 11, 2014 bookstore Completed
Indian & Christian (The Life and Legacy of Pandita Ramabai)
Indian & Christian (The Life and Legacy of Pandita Ramabai) This Book consist of 15 essays which enable us to rediscover an important reformer in modern India, the Brahmin widow and Sanskrit scholar, Pandita...
Research Library in Honor of the Hedlund’s
It is proposed to have a Research Library for Mylapore Institute for Indigenous Studies
Read more August 11, 2014 bookstore Active
Active Project
MinistriesView more
(i) Public Lecture Series – One of the objectives of MIIS is to organize lectures on a monthly basis...
Pastors’ Ministry
It is a felt need to bring the Independent Church Pastors together for a conference and to introduce them...
DHARMA DEEPIKA / CBMTM
Address - DHARMA DEEPIKA / MIIS 1-A, 7 Canal Bank Road, R. A. Puram Chennai- 600028. Tel. No. : 91- 44- 43060631
Phone: 91-9444812393
E-mail: gabrielmerigala@gmail.com cbmtm@dharmadeepika.org
Website: www.dharmadeepika.org
The vision of this Organization is to develop scholars through indigenous and inter-disciplinary research in the fields of social, cultural and religion for transforming individuals and society. An important objective of this organization is to publish research books, and the Journal known as:Dharma Deepika – A South Asian Journal of Missiological Research, twice a year, covering important themes such as Multiple Religious Identities, Hindu – Christian Dialogue, Peace and conflict Resolution, Conversion Debate and so on.
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Honor 10 Lite Specifications Spotted on TENAA, Features 6.21-Inch Display, Up to 6GB RAM
Honor 10 Lite is all set to be unveiled on November 22 and just ahead of the official launch, the smartphone has made an appearance on a Chinese certification site revealing its full specifications. When it comes to Honor 10 Lite and its specifications, some of the key details were leaked earlier this month. With about a week to go for its official unveiling, an alleged Honor 10 Lite has been spotted on TENAA. Also, the new listings provide some images of the alleged Honor 10 Lite as well, suggesting its colour variants.
A Honor smartphone with three model numbers – HRY-TL00, HRY-AL00, and HRY-AL00a – have been listed on TENAA. These listings have hinted at the entire specifications of the alleged Honor 10 Lite. Since the specifications are the same for all the models, the variants could be on different networks. The smartphone, as per the listings, will come in Black, Blue, and White colour models. According to the images posted on the site, at least one of the variants may have a gradient colour option. A previous listing on TENAA had also hinted at the colour models of the handset.
As per the TENAA listings, the Honor 10 Lite runs Android 9 Pie with EMUI 9.0 on top. The smartphone sports a 6.21-inch full-HD+ (1080×2340 pixels) display and is powered by an octa-core processor clocked at 2.2GHz. The Honor 10 Lite with model number HRY-TL00 comes in a lone 6GB RAM variant, but the HRY-AL00 and HRY-AL00a models come in 4GB and 6GB RAM options.
In terms of optics, the Honor 10 Lite bears a dual camera setup at the back with a 13-megapixel primary sensor and a 2-megapixel secondary sensor. At the front, the smartphone comes with a 24-megapixel selfie camera.
The Honor 10 Lite with model number HRY-TL00 is equipped with 64GB of inbuilt storage while the other two models arrive in 128GB storage options as well. The inbuilt storage is expandable via microSD card (up to 256GB). Sensors on board the handset include an ambient light sensor, gravity sensor, and proximity sensor. It comes with a fingerprint scanner at the back. The smartphone is fuelled by a 3,320mAh battery. In terms of dimensions, the smartphone measures 154.8×73.64×7.95mm and weighs 162 grams. The TENAA listings were first spotted by Playful Droid.
It is worth noting that Honor has not revealed too many official details regarding the smartphone, except a vertically stacked dual camera setup, a rear fingerprint scanner, and a gradient finish back. We expect to hear more about the handset’s design and as the launch date nears. To recall, the Honor 10 Lite was also recently spotted to be up for pre-orders on Huawei-owned Chinese retailer Vmall’s website. The pre-orders began on November 13 and will run until November 21, the date of its official unveiling in the country.
Honor, Mobile
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National Board of Review top prize goes to 'A Most Violent Year'
By Tim O'Brien Dec 2, 2014 in Entertainment
New York - The National Board of Review has just served up some interesting winners on the road to Oscar glory. Besides a tie for the top acting prize, their best film went to "A Most Violent Year."
The film is indeed what it says. "A Most Violent Year, according to IMDB: In New York City 1981, an ambitious immigrant fights to protect his business and family during the most dangerous year in the city's history.
The film was written and directed by J.C. Chandor and stars Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain and David Oyelowo. Isaac and Chastain also come home winner here (see list). In fact, Isaac is sharing his award with Michael Keaton in "Birdman."
“'A Most Violent Year' is an exhilarating crime drama with a compelling story, outstanding performances, and an elegant cinematic style,” said Annie Schulhof, NBR President, in a release. “J.C. Chandor has given us a new and provocative perspective on the American Dream.”
Not always an Oscar indicator, these surely invoke discussion. They are known for throwing the train off the track with some winners. Lat year, the top film went to "Her."
They have 10 nominees in the best film category, and name one winner, so that means 11. When one thinks about it, there is a boatload of best films here with the lists, including documentary, foreign language and 10 in the independent category.
Like the Oscars, an animated film can compete in the top film category and "The LEGO Movie" does that here. That means "How to Train Your Dragon 2" wins one with The National Board of Review. Chances are "The LEGO Movie" nabs Oscar in the animated category. Here it competed with the big guns.
The list of nominees are the usual suspects and films that will go on an get nominated as the award season progresses.
"A Most Violent Year"
BEST PICTURE NOMINEES
"American Sniper"
"Birdman"
"Fury"
"Gone Girl"
"The Imitation Game"
"Inherent Vice"
"The Lego Movie"
"Nightcrawler"
Clint Eastwood, "American Sniper"
"Life Itself"
BEST DOCUMENTARY NOMINEES
"Art and Craft"
"Jodorowsky's Dune"
"Keep On Keepin' On"
"The Kill Team"
"Last Days in Vietnam"
"Wild Tales"
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE NOMINEES
"Force Majeure"
"Gett: The Trial of Vivian Amsalem"
"Leviathan"
"Two Days One Night"
"We Are the Best!"
BEST ACTOR (TIE)
Oscar Isaac - "A Most Violent Year"
Michael Keaton - "Birdman"
Julianne Moore - "Still Alice"
Edward Norton - "Birdman"
Jessica Chastain - "A Most Violent Year"
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller - "The Lego Movie"
Paul Thomas Anderson - "Inherent Vice"
"How to Train Your Dragon 2"
BEST INDEPENDENT FILMS
"Blue Ruin"
"Locke"
"A Most Wanted Man"
"Mr. Turner"
"Obvious Child"
"The Skeleton Twins"
"Snowpiercer"
"Stand Clear of the Closing Doors"
"Starred Up"
"Still Alice"
SPOTLIGHT AWARD
Chris Rock for writing, directing, and starring in "Top Five"
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCES
Jack O'Connell - "Starred Up" and "Unbroken"
DEBUT DIRECTOR
Gillian Robespierre - "Obvious Child"
WILLIAM K. EVERSON FILM HISTORY AWARD
Scott Eyman
"Rosewater"
"Selma"
Here is how they think of themselves, as the release stated. A select group of knowledgeable film enthusiasts and professionals, academics, young filmmakers and students, the National Board of Review viewed over 272 films this year including studio, independent, foreign-language, animated and documentary selections.
The awards will be handed out Jan. 6, 2015 in New York.
More about national board of review, Awards, Movies, Movie, Entertainment
national board of re... Awards Movies Movie Entertainment Arts Documentary Foreign Language Independent film Animation Movie theaters Box office Oscars Achievements Acting Hollywood Indie Jessica Chastain Oscar Isaac Clint eastwood
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At least 31 dead, 72 hurt in Mexico fireworks market blast
By Jennifer GONZALEZ COVARRUBIAS, Sofia MISELEM (AFP) Dec 20, 2016 in World
A massive explosion gutted Mexico's biggest fireworks market, killing at least 31 people and injuring 72, the authorities said.
The conflagration in the Mexico City suburb of Tultepec set off a quick-fire series of multicolored blasts that sent a vast cloud of smoke billowing over the capital.
The market had been packed with customers buying pyrotechnics for traditional end-of-year festivities. Christmas and New Year parties in many Latin American countries often wrap up with clattering firework blasts.
"You just heard the blast. And everything started to be on fire. People came running out on fire," Walter Garduno said.
"People were alight -- children," he added before trailing off.
Mexico state's governor Eruviel Avila said 26 bodies had been recovered at the scene of a blast at a fireworks market in Mexico City, and three people died in hospital
Israel Gutiérrez R., AFP
From a few kilometers (miles) away, the multiple explosions that started at 2:50 pm (2050 GMT) almost looked festive, alight in blue, red and white. They were anything but.
Of the 31 confirmed dead, "26 (died) at the scene and five in hospitals," local media reported Mexico's chief prosecutor Milenio Alejandro Gomez as saying.
Forensic experts are working on genetic analyses of the bodies because "almost all of them are impossible" to identify, Mexico state's governor Eruviel Avila told the Televisa television network.
At least 72 were wounded, the authorities said. The injured were transported to emergency rooms, and 21 have since been released.
Fire crews struggled for three hours before bringing the blaze under control.
- Entire market blown up -
Rescue crews had to wait for all the fireworks to finish exploding before they could extinguish the flames after a deadly blast at a fireworks market in Mexico City
RONALDO SCHEMIDT, AFP
The head of the civil protection service, Luis Felipe Puente, said crews had to wait for all the fireworks to finish exploding before they could extinguish the flames.
"The entire market is gone," he said. It had 300 stands.
Several of the injured were in "delicate condition," he added, saying searches were under way for more casualties in the scorched area that looked like a scene from a post-apocalyptic film, with little left standing in the smoldering ruins.
Fire crews struggled for three hours to bring the blaze under control after explosions ripped through Mexico's biggest fireworks market
Homes and vehicles nearby were also severely damaged. In some areas, emergency workers were gently probing for survivors under heaps of charred and twisted roofing material.
People desperately searching for family and friends shouted and gestured to rescuers about where they hoped the missing might be found.
Most of those picked up by rescuers suffered severe burns, many over their entire bodies.
The military, which is in charge of issuing fireworks sales permits, was deployed to help emergency crews transport casualties to hospitals by ambulance and helicopter.
Ambulances, fire trucks, police vehicles and army trucks all crowded the sprawling blast area.
- Everything shook -
Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto tweeted his condolences to the families of those killed and his wishes for the injured to recover.
The Attorney General's Office has opened an investigation into the cause of the conflagration, which was prompted by "six pyrotechnic explosions," it said in a statement.
Some speculated the mishandling of gunpowder or other fireworks components may have set them off.
That was the cause of an explosion in September 2005 at another fireworks market set up ahead of the Independence Day holiday. That market was destroyed.
The following year, another explosion destroyed more than 200 sellers' stands. Both incidents left dozens of injured, but no fatalities.
Alejandra Pretel, a resident in Tultepec, told AFP that she didn't realize at first that the explosions were coming from the large fireworks market.
"We thought it was a nearby fireworks workshop," she said.
Minutes later, it became evident the market was being destroyed.
"My neighbors said they felt everything shake," she said, "but I didn't realize because I was running away."
More about Mexico, Fireworks, Blast
More news from
Mexico Fireworks Blast
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DecisionMaker
deborda.org
The de Borda Institute
A blog: " De Borda abroad." From Belfast to Beijing and beyond... and back. Starting in Vienna with the TEDx talk, I go by bus and/or train for more debates in Belgrade, Sarajevo, Istanbul, Tbilisi, Yerevan and Tehran, before flying - sorry about that - to Urumqi in Xīnjiāng, followed by more debates in Beijing, Tianjin, Hong Kong and Taiwan... but not in Pyongyang. Then back via Mongolia (where I was an election observer last year) and Moscow (where I worked in the '80s).
I have my little fold-up Brompton with me - surely the best way of exploring any new city! So I fly hardly at all; I go by train, boat or bus if possible, and then cycle wherever in each new venue; and all with just one plastic water bottle... or that was the intention!
The story is on: https://debordaabroad.wordpress.com/2017/09/07/de-borda-abroad/
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DECISION-MAKER
Inclusive voting app
www.decision-maker.org
JUST OUT - THE APP TO BEAT ALL APPS, APPSOLUTELY!
(Currently under re-construction.)
The Hospital for Incurable Protestants
The Mémoire of a Collapsed Catholic
This is the story of a pacifist in a conflict zone, in Northern Ireland and the Balkans. Only in e-format, but only £5.15. Available from Amazon.
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The de Borda Institute aims to promote the use of inclusive voting procedures on all contentious questions of social choice.
This applies specifically to decision-making, be it for the electorate in regional/national polls, for their elected representatives in councils and parliaments, for members of a local community group, for members of a company board, for members of a co-operative, and so on.
The director alongside the statue of Jean-Charles de Borda, capitaine et savant, in l’École Navale in Brest, 24.9.2010. Photo by Gwenaelle Bichelot.
DeBorda Institute RSS
Decision-Maker APP
Using the CD-rom
Analysing the results
Won by One
Modified Borda Count
QBS
Quota Borda System
Fiddlers' Green Festival, 26.7.2012
Belfast City Council - role play - Feb 2004
1986 New Ireland Groups Peoples Convention
1991, The Other Talks
2007 Electing the Green Party chair
1993 Power-sharing
1999, Ulster People's College
2013 National Women's Council of Ireland
English Football, 2012-13
OGP Ireland
Tianjin University, Olympics
Tianjin/Xuzhou matrix votes
2015 Dublin North West Area Partnership
2013 Dublin City Council
Georgia Parliament - agenda
The Matrix Vote
The QBS matrix vote and the MBC matrix vote
Welcome to the home page of the de Borda Institute, a Northern Ireland-based international organisation (an NGO) which aims to promote the use of inclusive voting procedures on all contentious questions of social choice. For more information use the menu options above or feel free to contact the organisation's headquarters. If you want to check the meaning of any of the terms used, then by all means have a look at this glossary.
As shown in these attachments, there are many voting procedures for use in decision-making and even more electoral systems. This is because, in decision-making, there is usually only one outcome; but with some electoral systems, as in any proportional ones, there can be several winners. Sometimes, for any one voters' profile - that is, the set of all their preferences - the outcome of any count may well depend on the voting procedure used. In this very simple example of a few voters voting on just four options, and in these two hypothetical examples on five, (word document) or (power-point) in which a few cast their preferences on five options, the profiles are analysed according to different methodologies, and the winner could be any one of all the options. Yet all of these methodologies are called democratic! Extraordinary!
From a choice of 12 names, 20 committee members chose the name of what is now called the Dublin North West Area Partnership. Here's the report.
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Candyce Counseling
DEEP Center Counseling
DEEP Center Training
About DEEP
Who is Candyce?
What is DEEP?
Classes, Groups, Supervision
Summary and Calendar
Intensive DEEP Training Course
Consultation and Study Groups
Private Supervision and Consultation
CE Courses and Workshops
Find a DEEP Therapist
The research and studies I refer to in the text of this website came from these rich sources:
Either click here: DEEP Reference List 2014 to download a pdf copy of the reference list; or simply peruse the list below.
Aron, E. (2011). Psychotherapy and the highly sensitive person: Improving outcomes
for that minority of people who are the majority of clients. New York: Routledge.
Badenoch, B. (2008). Being a brain-wise therapist: A practical guide to interpersonal
neurobiology. New York: Norton.
Bleiberg, E. (2010). Mentalization-based treatment for adolescents, adults, and families:
An introductory training. Unpublished lecture for Austin IN Connection
training, Austin, TX.
Bowlby, J. (1980). Attachment and loss: Vol. III, Loss, sadness and depression. New
York: Basic Books.
Bromberg, P. (2012). The shadow of the tsunami and the growth of the relational mind.
New York: Routledge.
Cain, S. (2013). Quiet: The power of introverts in a world that can’t stop talking. New
York: Broadway Books.
Cozolino, L. (2006). The neuroscience of human relationships: Attachment and the
developing social brain. New York: Norton.
Darwin, C. (1872/2009). The expression of the emotions in man and animals. New
York: Penguin Classics.
Dearing, R., & Tangney, J. (Eds.) (2011). Shame in the therapy hour. Washington,
DC. American Psychological Association.
Eckman, P. (2003). Emotions revealed: Recognizing faces and feelings to improve
communication and emotional life. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin.
Ecker, B., Ticic, R., Hulley, L. (2012). Unlocking the emotional brain. New York:
Routledge.
Fonagy, P., Gergely, G., Jurist, E., Target, M. (2005). Affect regulation, mentalization,
and the development of the self. New York: Other Press.
Fosha, D. (2000). The transforming power of affect: A model for accelerated change.
Fosha, D. (2004). “Nothing that feels bad is ever the last step:” The role of positive
emotions in experiential work with difficult emotional experiences. Clinical
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Fosha, D. (2008). Healing affects and healing interactions in AEDP. Unpublished
Immersion Course through the AEDP Institute, Austin, TX.
Fosha, D. (2009). Emotion and recognition at work: Energy, vitality, pleasure, truth,
desire, and the emergent phenomenology of transformational experience. In
D. Fosha, D. Siegel, & M. Solomon (Eds.), The healing power of emotion:
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restructuring, self building, and attachment trauma repair in AEDP.
Unpublished workshop for AEDP Third Coast, Austin, TX.
Fosha, D. (2011b). Dyadic Mindfulness in AEDP. Unpublished seminar for AEDP
Institute, New York, NY.
Frank, R. & La Barre, F. (2011a). The first year and the rest of your life: Movement,
development, and psychotherapeutic change. New York: Routledge.
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McGilchrist, Iain (2012). The divided brain and the search for meaning. Yale
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healing. Unpublished conference presentation for The Heart of Healing
Conference for AEDP Institute, New York, NY.
Ossefort-Russell, C. (2010b). Don’t leave me alone in the dark: Using AEDP to
integrate grief and psychodynamic therapy. Unpublished seminar for AEDP
Third Coast, Austin, TX.
Ossefort-Russell, C. (2011a). Transformation through persistent attunement: How
emotional curiosity sustains us. Unpublished workshop Unpublished
workshop for AEDP Third Coast, Austin, TX.
Ossefort-Russell, C. (2011b). Individuals grieve: AEDP as an effective for grief as a
personal process. Transformance: The AEDP journal. 2(1).
Ossefort-Russell, C. (2013). Grief calls for presence, not treatment: Using attachment
and IPNB to shift grief’s context from pathology to acceptance. Journal of
Interpersonal Neurobiology Studies. Vol II, 2013.
Panksepp, J. (2009). Brain emotional systems and qualities of mental life: From
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D. Siegel, & M. Solomon (Eds.), The healing power of emotion: Affective
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Unpublished workshop at The Heart of Healing Conference for AEDP
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Siegel, D. (2007). The mindful brain: Reflection and attunement in the cultivation of
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Siegel, D. (2010). The mindful therapist: A clinician’s guide to mindsight and neural
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Bantam Books.
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Studies in the theory of emotional development. New York: International UP
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Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence. — Abigail Adams
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© 2019 Candyce Counseling
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Wood.WATER.WIENER-NS.
Regeneration of an aluminum landfill in a natural reserve. - Open Idea Competition - 1st PRIZE
the project was selected for the RI.U.SO award (Sustainable Urban Regeneration), promoted by CNAPPC and SAIE Bologna 2015 - 3rd PRIZE
The site is at the heart of a complex system in which natural features (the Natura-2000 reserve, for flora and fauna), big scale infrastructure, and man-made artifacts (the aluminum mine that generated the landfill as a byproduct), intertwine.
The competition brief was calling for ideas on the future programming and usage in a 10 years time from present, of a critical landfill site, located in the outskirts of the austrian town of Wiener Neustadt.
The 3 different main characters of the territory influence and suggest guidelines for the recovery of the site N6. The recovery and future programming of the landfill, will be grounded on the design of the synergy among these 3 main aspects:
Natural preservation, Industrial sustainable production, Anthropic relevance. The guidelines and the phasing of recovery will aim to fabricate a new identity for the site that could attract new economic interests, while creating completely new opportunities for the territory.
WATER - WOOD - WIENER NEUSTADT
The redevelopment of the landfill site N6, aside from the physical transformations, will occur as well through the project's ability to generate attention and interest in different subjects.
Particularly, the WWW project seeks to attract 1) Research: focused on conceptual experimentation and on developing innovative techniques; 2) Investments: targeting sustainable and forth-looking best practices for production;
3) Public: in the form of tourists and visitors interested in the natural uniqueness of the site.
The designed synergy among the 3 features of the site generates a virtuous circle where knowledge, leisure and resources form a solid system to create a new landscape and landmark within the territory of Wiener Neustadt.
RE-NATURALIZATION
The re-naturalization of the area is gained through a simple process of selective reforestation of the perimeter slopes of the site. in order to blur the otherwise very harsh edges of the landfill hole. Reforestation is performed by planting compatible and local tree species, so as to reestablish continuity within the context of the Natura 2000 reserve.
AQUA-CULTURE & PRODUCTION
Innovative and experimental productive programs take place in the center of the excavation. Aqua-ponic production and Spirulina-algae harvesting are promoted as positive attractors both in economic and in environmental terms.
TOURISM & KNOWLEDGE
The environmental and productive recovery of the site becomes a best practice for the municipality of Wiener Neustadt. The city uses the area as a touristic and educational starting point for environmental and ecological policies.
Experimental aquaculture system
Aquaculture - the controlled breeding of aquatic organisms (fish, molluscs, crustaceans and algae) - is referred to as an integrated production method where the fodder is optimally utilized: the fish waste becomes food for other organisms.
In this case, the alga Spirulina will act as the main element of the circuit connected to aquaponic fish farming and vegetable growing.
Spirulina (a genus of cyanobacteria) is an oxygen generator and carbon dioxide consumers.
Because of their health functions Spirulina has a huge market potential for medical purposes. Dried Spirulina can be used as supplementary fodder for aquaculture fish.
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Article Site Map
Home · Frontier Airlines News and Info · FRONTIER AIRLINES APPOINTS BARRY L. BIFFLE AS PRESIDENT
FRONTIER AIRLINES APPOINTS BARRY L. BIFFLE AS PRESIDENT
DENVER – Frontier Airlines today announced the appointment of Barry L. Biffle as president and chief executive officer of the airline. Biffle has also been named as a member of the airline*s Board of Directors.
Biffle has served as president of Frontier since July 2014 and has more than 20 years* industry experience. Biffle has held numerous airline senior executive and management roles with specific experience in turn-around situations and development of ultra-low cost carriers (ULCC).
**Under Barry*s executive leadership, Frontier has made significant progress in its operational, financial and customer service performance over the last year,** said Bill Franke, chairman of the board of Frontier and managing partner of Indigo Partners, Frontier*s controlling shareholder. **The Board and I want to recognize the progress Barry has made in helping to build Frontier into a successful ultra-low cost carrier. With Barry*s continued leadership, we are committed to creating the most customer-friendly and focused ultra-low cost airline serving North America.**
**I*m excited about this opportunity provided by the Board of Directors and the confidence it places in our management team. I am also proud of what we have accomplished as Team Frontier. Our entire Frontier family has done a tremendous job over the past two years in restructuring and refocusing Frontier to the success it is today. With the team we have at Frontier, we are on the right path to become the premier ultra-low cost airline,** said Biffle.
Before joining Frontier, Biffle focused on pioneering the ULCC model*s development in North and South America. He served as CEO of VivaColombia, the first ULCC in South America. Prior to that, he served as executive vice president of Spirit Airlines where he played a key role in the financial turn-around and development of the company. Biffle also held several management positions with US Airways and AMR where he began his airline career. Biffle holds a bachelor*s degree from the University of Alabama.
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JetBlue to Launch First-of-Its-Kind Self-Boarding Program Using Facial Recognition
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- JetBlue (NASDAQ:JBLU) today announced it will collaborate with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and SITA to test a new paperless and deviceless self-boarding process as part of ongoing trials to implement a biometric exit process in the future. JetBlue will be the first airline to integrate with CBP to use biometrics and facial recognitio... Readmore Growing on the Gulf Coast! Spirit Airlines Connects Hartford and Pittsburgh to Fort Myers and Tampa
MIRAMAR, Fla., June 15, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At Spirit Airlines, there*s no such thing as too much Sunshine State! Now, South Florida*s Hometown Airline is delivering more sunshine and more service to its two newest cities. Just in time for winter, Spirit will begin service to Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers and Tampa International Airport (TPA) from Hartford*s Brad... Readmore
JetBlue Vacations and Utrip Launch Artificial Intelligence-Based Trip Planning Portal
Released : 06/13/2017
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- JetBlue Vacations (NASDAQ:JBLU) and Utrip today announced a partnership that helps travelers create a personalized, hour-by-hour vacation itinerary – including JetBlue flights, hotels and other amenities – online in just a few minutes. The trip planning portal, available through JetBlue Vacations, uses artificial intelligence and loc... Readmore Delta opens first biometric self-service bag drop in U.S.
By Ashton Morrow · posted June 19, 2017
MINNEAPOLIS - Delta today introduced four self-service bag drop machines at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport as part of the airline*s commitment to transforming the travel experience with meaningful investments that make travel easy and enjoyable.
The $600,000 investment allows customers to quickly, securely and easily check ... Readmore
Delta One Suite and Delta Premium Select on sale
Delta began selling its Delta One suites and Delta Premium Select fare on June 17. The new Delta Premium Select cabin and the Delta One suite product enhancement will debut on Delta*s first Airbus A350, due to enter service in fall 2017 with its first flight taking place on Oct. 30, 2017, from Detroit (DTW) to Narita (NRT). Delta will be the first U.S. airline to take deliv... Readmore Southwest Airlines Announces 2017 Southwest Airlines Heart of the Community Grant Recipients
Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced today the recipients of the 2017 Southwest Airlines® Heart of the Community Grants in partnership with Project for Public Spaces. Through Southwest Airlines* Heart of the Community program, Southwest Airlines is committed to building connections that bring People together to strengthen communities for a more resilient future. O... Readmore
United Airlines Announces Nonstop Service Between Los Angeles and Singapore
LOS ANGELES, June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines (UAL) today announced that it will introduce daily nonstop flights between its Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) hub and Singapore*s Changi Airport (SIN), effective Oct. 27, 2017 (westbound), subject to government approval. The flight between LAX and SIN will set the new distance record for any airline operati... Readmore United Airlines Says Aloha to More Hawaii, Increases Service to 40 Daily Flights
CHICAGO, June 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines (UAL) today announced an increase of service on 11 routes connecting the continental U.S. and Hawaii, offering customers more flights between the mainland and the Hawaiian Islands than any other carrier.
Beginning December 20, United will increase service from its hubs in Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and S... Readmore
American Commits $1.6 Billion Investment, Will Continue to Grow Presence at LAX
LOS ANGELES – American Airlines and the Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) announced today that American would continue its investment at LAX, committing more than $1.6 billion over the next 15 years. The investment will go toward improvements of Terminals 4 and 5.
American*s letter of intent sets the framework for negotiation of a new agreem... Readmore TSA, American Airlines Testing New State-of-the-Art Screening Technology
FORT WORTH, Texas, June 15, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the first time ever, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), working collaboratively with American Airlines, is testing a computed tomography (CT) scanner in one checkpoint lane of Terminal 4 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).
. CT checkpoint scanning equipmen... Readmore
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Threadlocking adhesives upgraded
Written by: Chris Shaw | Published: 21 October 2009
To meet the requirements of engineers and designers and to facilitate use on a wider selection of substrates, Henkel has improved the formulations of two of its most popular threadlocking adhesives.
Medium strength Loctite 243 and high strength Loctite 270 are said to be more oil tolerant than previous grades, enabling them to be used more readily on 'as received' parts – including those contaminated with engine oils, corrosion prevention oils and cutting fluids.
Their temperature resistance has also been increased to 180°C and the adhesives will cure not only on active substrates, such as iron, copper, brass and steel, but also on passive materials including stainless steel, aluminium, nickel and zinc plated surfaces and chrome-free, inorganic and organic coatings.
Colin Chapman, marketing manager at Henkel, said: "It is part of our ongoing strategy to both anticipate and meet the requirements of engineers throughout industry. The introduction of these two improved products permits engineers to employ top quality anaerobic threadlocking adhesives in a much broader range of applications than has been previously possible."
http://www.henkel.com
http://www.loctitesolutions.com
Henkel Ltd
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keywords: World War Ii
There are more than 200 results, only the first 200 are displayed here.
NZ's riposte to modern economic myths
While money can be transacted for things that are bad — air pollution, road deaths, cigarette ads — as long as more transactions occur, it creates the illusion the economy is growing, which, ipso facto, is good. Thus, Japan's GDP rose sharply after the tsunami disaster. New Zealand's initiative will track better what is really happening in the country.
Indonesian democracy is at a crossroads
Nicholas Bugeja
Indonesian democracy has proven resilient to challenge and made inroads into combatting problems that have beset the country for decades. But a crossroads approaches. A failure to manage religious radicalism and intolerance, corruption, and other social tensions may imperil or destabilise this democratic epoch.
Vatican still talking at, not to, LQBTQI+ people
Neve Mahoney
'Male and Female He Created Them' could have addressed how Church teachings could better coexist with LGBTQI+ experiences to benefit LGBTQI+ students. But that can't work if the document's authors don't listen to LGBTQI+ voices and when the foundational argument is to problematise LGBTQI+ people's existence.
Timor-Leste's missing oil millions
Sophie Raynor
For years, we've positioned ourselves as an international champion of moral righteousness, of sovereignty and of self-determination, and as Timor-Leste's liberator. But we can't have it both ways. Taking unearned Timor Sea wealth is another in a long line of Australia's failure to do the right thing by Timor-Leste.
On first reading Boochani on Manus
No Friend But the Mountains deservedly won an Australian prize but was considered ineligible for others because the writer was not Australian. The book itself mocks that exclusion. Boochani's years on Manus Island branded him as Australian in the same way African slaves became American by the brand American owners burned on to them.
Trump's new Cold War
It has been postulated that there are three types of war: kinetic, informational and economic. America has been losing its kinetic conflicts in the Middle East and recently has escalated its informational war. The favoured weapon with economic warfare is sanctions, and Trump has started to use them to an extreme degree.
John Molony and his Catholicism
Frank Brennan
'John was Catholic to his bootstraps: Catholic, Irish Australian, a Labor man and a Carlton supporter. He'd have loved the inaugural speech delivered in the Victorian Parliament last month by the new Labor member for Hawthorn.' — Frank Brennan, Great Hall University House, Australian National University, 1 March 2019.
Australia needs its own Green New Deal
Osmond Chiu
Just as the focus of post-war reconstruction was not merely demobilisation but the maintenance of full employment, developing social security and economic development, decarbonising Australia must involve rebuilding faith that politics can deliver a better Australia. We need to ensure our response leads to a good society.
Reckoning is due after Afghanistan endgame
Jeff Sparrow
John Howard promised to 'stay the course' in Afghanistan. So too did Tony Abbott, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard. So complete was the political consensus that parliament didn't even debate the Afghan intervention until nine years after it began. Now that there's no longer a course on which to stay, we're due some accountability.
The true lesson of capitalism
One of the most basic distinctions in finance, with which any stockbroker or fund manager is familiar, is that between equity and debt. As the global economy teeters on the edge of a debt and banking crisis, with global debt more than 300 per cent of global GDP, the merits of equity is something that needs to be better understood.
Government hypocrisy on Anning and fascism
Joshua Badge
The pantomime serves a purpose. Politicians denouncing Anning for his explicit support of fascism distracts from years of slightly more democratic, somewhat less in-your-face ethnonationalism. Sieg heils in St Kilda are bad, offshore internment camps are necessary.
William Cooper set the pace for social justice
Michael McVeigh
Eighty years ago today, 77-year-old Yorta Yorta elder walked ten kilometres to deliver a letter to the German consulate protesting the attacks on Jewish people during Kristallnacht nearly a month earlier. Despire the dire circumstances faced by Aboriginal people at the time, Cooper's conscience couldn't ignore the suffering of others.
1-12 out of 200 results.
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ARCTIC SUNRISE When Traces End
October 30, 2016 / electricityclub / Comments Off on ARCTIC SUNRISE When Traces End
Citing influences from DEPECHE MODE, ULTRAVOX, HEAVEN 17, VISAGE, BLANCMANGE and other gems of the electronica era, Germany’s ARCTIC SUNRISE are Torsten Verlinden on vocals and Steve Baltes in charge of production.
Having accomplished one album ‘A Smarter Enemy’ already plus a few EPs, the duo have already established themselves within the followers of synthpop beats, especially within the devoted fans of DE/VISION, due to the obvious sound similarities between the bands.
Indeed, taking the contemporary approach to otherwise classic elements of synth play, Baltes is capable of creating a decent collection of tunes. ‘When Traces End’ follows its predecessor with a bunch of elaborate sound manipulations, and the inclusion of few dance numbers further enriches the outing.
Although the unavoidable DE/VISION comparison cannot be ignored, specifically on ‘Tell The Truth’ or ‘Forever Yours’; the former reminiscent of Keth/Adam’s works on ‘Two’, it has to be said that both songs carry a powerful concoction of atmosphere and clever treatment of sound.
‘Let It Rain’ provides further connection to the D/V boys, with the exception of enhanced vocal techniques, while ‘Changing’ is deliciously synth laden with a perfect bass line. The title track evokes positive emotions thanks to ERASURE-esque background noises, wrapped around irresistible sound treatments and fresh vocals by Verlinden.
‘Silent Tears’ is a mix of vintage SIMPLE MINDS and THE CURE, with a pinch of grunge-laced tonality on the lead vocal. The foundation for the track is built on Roland System 100M arpeggios with bass guitar played by Verlinden himself. The slower paced ‘Mine Forever’ shines with simplicity of the production and ‘Over Me’, sounding like the works of AND ONE, only a bit dirtier, is wholesome and polished.
The closing ‘Your Eyes’ wraps up the release with classic HUMAN LEAGUE sound effects combined with those modern noises made by APOPTYGMA BERZERK on their latest long player. All that, plus poignant lyrics and a complex musicality, add up to the most notable track on the opus.
Even with the very obvious influences from their countrymen DE/VISION, ARCTIC SUNRISE definitely have a lot of potential to shine in their own light. The second album syndrome doesn’t apply here and the duo certainly did their homework.
It is clear that the LP was recorded with the help of many a vintage synthesiser and drum machine, and Baltes isn’t a stranger to capable productions.
‘When Traces End’ is an accomplished body of work, worth a repeat listen.
‘When Traces End’ is released by Echozone in CD and digital formats
https://www.facebook.com/wearearcticsunrise/
http://www.echozone.de
Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell with thanks to Simon Worboys
Posted in Reviews Tagged with Arctic SunriseDe/Vision
COVENANT The Blinding Dark
FIFI RONG Future Never Comes
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Entries in Yemen (316)
Egypt (and Beyond) LiveBlog: A Day to Breathe?
Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 6:12 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran
0547 GMT: Scott Lucas will now be starting our LiveBlog updates for Friday. I will be back in 10 hours or so.
0513 GMT: A small ray of hope emerges in the form of a twitter user from inside Egypt after the massive internet blackout. Amr El Beleidy, co-founder of touringa.com, tweets from Cairo:
Until now mobinil & vodafone mobile networks working, and data connection on mobinil and noor dsl working #jan25
I have access to twitter and facebook with no problems / no proxies#Jan25
Sorry my mobinil data connection is not working, phone had shifted to wifi! Sorry about that! #Jan25 #BeginnersMistake
tagged Ali Abdullah Saleh, Ayman Nour, Egypt, Gamal Mubarak, Habib Al-Adly, Hillary Clinton, Hosni Mubarak, Mohamed Abdel Quddous, Mohamed ElBaradei, Motahar Rashad al-Masri, Tunisia, Yemen
Tunisia (and Beyond) LiveBlog: A Day to Watch in Cairo?
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 7:14 | Scott Lucas
2210 GMT: It is now after midnight in Egypt, and we are taking a few hours' break. We leave you for the moment with this image from tonight in Tahrir Square in Cairo,as protesters move away from a tear gas canister:
2200 GMT: Tonight's statement from protesters calling for the fall of the Egyptian Government and for a continued sit-in:
tagged Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, Ali Abdullah Saleh, Egypt, El Ghad Party, Hillary Clinton, Hosni Mubarak, Mohamed Abdelfattah, Muslim Brotherhood, National Association for Change, Rachid Ammar, Tunisia, Yemen
Tunisia (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Sitting In for Change
Monday, January 24, 2011 at 7:30 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global
1930 GMT: Picture of the Day? Army Chief of Staff Rachid Ammar addressing protesters in Tunis today (see 1720 and 1755 GMT):
1920 GMT: In Egypt, a man tried to commit suicide by cutting his wrists as about 20 people gathered in front of the Supreme Court to commend the police’s work and criticize protests planned for Tuesday.
Civil servants have received a written warning not to participate in the demonstrations for a "day of revolution against torture, poverty, corruption and unemployment". Those who defy the instruction could lose their jobs.
tagged Ali Abdullah Saleh, Hannibal TV, Issandr El Amrani, Jeffrey Feltman, Larbi Nasra, Mohamed Ghannouchi, Rachid Ammar, Tawakul Karman, Tunisia, Yemen
Tunisia (and Beyond) LiveBlog: A Scorecard for the Protests
Sunday, January 23, 2011 at 5:56 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran
Saturday's Protest in Algiers1655 GMT: Egypt's Minister of Industry and Commerce Rachid Mohammed Rachid has raised worries over investment because of the effects of the situation in Tunisia, which "worries lots of people" and "raises questions about political stability". Rachid told reporters he was instructing assistants to issue daily statements about new foreign investment to give a reassuring message.
Egypt's stock market dropped 8% last week.
1650 GMT: In Tunisia, Larbi Nasra, the owner of Hannibal TV, and his son have been arrested and charge with high treason and conspiracy against state security.
The broadcasts of Hannibal TV have been suspended.
Nasra was close to the family of Leila Trabelsi, the wife of former President Ben Ali.
tagged Abdul Aziz Bin Dia, Algeria, Army of Islam, Egypt, Habib el-Adli, Leila Trabelsi, Mohamed Bouazizi's, Mohamed Ghannouchi, Tawakul Kerman, Tunisia, Yemen, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
WikiLeaks Admission: US Officials Say Damage from Cables is Limited
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 6:23 | Scott Lucas in EA Global, EA WikiLeaks, US Foreign Policy
Since the emergence of the WikiLeaks in late November, I have argued that their damage would be overstated. American diplomats have had to deal for many decades with "leaks", sometimes from officials in the Administration. While WikiLeaks was potentially on a bigger scale --- less than 1% of the 250,000 documents have been released --- redactions in the cables (although there have been a few notable errors in letting names through) have limited any repercussions.
This, of course, would not stop the US Government from proclaiming loudly that there have been grave consequences. "Embarrassment" is not the same as "damage", and there is plenty of that in the released cables, which show --- unsurprisingly --- that the private pursuit of US foreign policy differs from its public presentation. The priority for the Government would be to ensure that a document release on this scale does not happen again.
Now I have gotten support from an unexpected source.
tagged Libya, Morgan Tsvangirai, Muammar Gaddafi, Pakistan, Wikileaks, Yemen, Zimbabwe
Yemen: Get Ready for the New American "Drone War"? (Miller/Jaffe/DeYoung)
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 at 5:58 | Scott Lucas in EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran, US Foreign Policy
In the aftermath of the recent "cargo bombs" incident, chatter has escalated over American intervention in the Arabian Peninsula country of Yemen. This week, three Washington Post writers put forth the latest spin of the Obama Administration: the US is preparing for a campaign of airstrikes by unmanned aircraft. The missiles and bombs only await the gathering of sufficient intelligence on the location of the bad guys.
But note another possible complication: "Yemeni officials...indicated that they had deep reservations about weapons they said could prove counterproductive."
So is this article the sign of a war to come or just a bit of Administration puffery --- in the wake of the latest terrorist scare --- to fend off the demands of US critics to Do Something?
tagged Al Qa'eda, Al Qa'eda on the Arabian Peninsula, Ali Abdullah Saleh, Mohammed Abdulahoum, Predator Drones, Washington Post, Yemen
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:: Google Earth Hacks Home > File Downloads > Image Overlays > War-Related Overlays > La Coupole - V2 rocket base near Wizernes > Yahoo Map
Yahoo Map of La Coupole - V2 rocket base near Wizernes
Info Map Comments (0) Related Files
Aerial photo shows the results of the first bombing raids.
La Coupole ("The Cupola") is the name of a Second World War V-2 rocket base constructed by Nazi Germany at Wizernes, south west of the French town of Saint-Omer, between Lille and Calais.
Set in a former limestone quarry close to the villages of Helfaut and Wizernes, the complex was intended to be an impregnable underground production and launch facility for the rockets.
Work on the site was begun in October 1943 using forced labour under the direction of the Todt Organisation with the intention of quickly building a site that could threaten London, 200 km to the north west. La Coupole's predecessor as launch site was the nearby blockhouse at Eperlecques which had been found to be too vulnerable to aerial bombardment.
Railway tunnels were bored underground to allow the rocket parts to be brought in safely. In total more than 6 km of galleries were dug by the Soviet prisoners in order to store the rockets 42 m underground. A liquid oxygen fuel plant was also built to supplement the supply from the now redeployed Eperleques site and underground barracks and administrative areas were dug out and lined with concrete.
In January 1944 an enormous concrete dome, or cupola, was built over the top of the facility, giving the site its name. The dome was 71 m in diameter, 5 m thick and weighing an estimated 55 000 tonnes.
The Nazi engineers were able to build such a vast structure using poured reinforced concrete by moulding the chalk beneath into a convex shape and then laying the concrete on top. Once it had set, they quarried the chalk away from underneath, leaving a hollow space below the dome. Underneath this space was laid a second concrete layer, the gap between adding to the dome's bomb resistance.
Directly beneath this structure a vast hexagonal room, 21 m high, was planned to house the rocket production facility. Once assembled and fuelled the rockets were to be moved outside and fired, at a rate of 40-50 per day.
http://www.v2rocket.com/start/deployment/wizernes.html
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GEH in the News - GEH en Espaᯬ - GEH auf Deutsch - GEH en Fran硩s
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Ghostwords
The Website of Steve Green
Tag: Jodie Whittaker
Doctor’s (Last?) Orders
Much has been written about the casting of Jodie Whittaker as the new lead in Doctor Who, and no doubt a great deal more will follow the launch of the new season on 7 October.
Personally, I consider it a pity the role hasn’t been played by a woman before, or that the Doctor’s ethnicity hasn’t been adjusted during one of his — sorry, her — previous regenerations. After all, the Third Doctor revealed in his debut episode he’d arrived with a tattoo, and one of Romana’s potential reboots in ‘Destiny of the Daleks’ had blue-grey skin, so pigmentation clearly isn’t an issue for Time Lords (a term, incidentally, applied to both sexes during the original series).
No, my disquiet with all the heated hullabaloo over the new season began with the sheer inevitability that the Tardis would have a female pilot, and the smug self-satisfaction exhibited by both the BBC and incoming showrunner Chris Chibnall. His more recent comments about returning Doctor Who to the educational approach laid down by its first producer, Sydney Newman, and nebulous references to ‘diversity’ (an angle reiterated ad ennui in the latest Radio Times coverage) hardly boosted my optimism. Can he be unaware that Newman had to rethink his approach almost immediately, and that most of us do not need a weekly lesson the history of racism, sexism and homophobia?
I certainly wish Ms Whittaker no ill, and hope my concerns are unfounded. It would be unfortunate indeed if the number thirteen proved unlucky for a show which has aired thirty-nine of the past fifty-five years.
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Chez Chrissie
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Give Me My Remote > #1 featured > FRINGE: Jeff Pinkner, J.H. Wyman and Akiva Goldsman Talk About Peter’s Disappearance
FRINGE: Jeff Pinkner, J.H. Wyman and Akiva Goldsman Talk About Peter’s Disappearance
If you’re like me, your brain has been hurting a little about the implications of FRINGE’s season finale. (No, seriously, WTF?)
Luckily for us, Paley Center honored FRINGE Thursday night.
I caught up with executive producers Jeff Pinkner, J.H. Wyman and Akiva Goldsman before the panel to chat about Peter’s disappearance, Joshua Jackson’s reaction to the Peter twist and their uber-talented actors…
And FRINGE fans, you’re going to want to keep checking back with Give Me My Remote every Friday for more from the FRINGE Paley event!
FRINGE: Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman Tease ‘The Day We Died’
FRINGE Trailer: ‘The Day We Died’
FRINGE: John Noble and Joshua Jackson Tease Red Herrings and a ‘Game-Changing’ Season Finale
And to be the first to see our exclusive videos by subscribing to our YouTube channel at youtube.com/givememyremotetv
FRINGE: John Noble Teases the New Walter-Peter Relationship, Tension Between Universes and More
FRINGE Preview: ‘The Last Sam Weiss’
FRINGE Makes Seth Gabel a Series Regular
FRINGE: Joshua Jackson Shares What He Finds Fun About Season 4
Filed under #1 featured, Fringe
4 Responses to “FRINGE: Jeff Pinkner, J.H. Wyman and Akiva Goldsman Talk About Peter’s Disappearance”
ForensicMama on May 20th, 2011 9:05 pm
Wahooo!!!! MORE FRINGE!
guest on May 22nd, 2011 6:02 pm
The showrunners are to cryptic for some josh jackson fans it seems; now they think he wrote the finale, oh dear. And he will now become a sci-fi writer.
As far as I know he has no clue at all what his part in the show will be.
From both Anna Torv and John Noble it is clear that the actors have not much of an idea where to place this ending nor how it will unfold further.
The actors may have some communication about the characters, but not about storylines, John Noble has said so himself.
I saw clips of both Paley events and read the reports, and I was very impressed with bot Anna Torv and John Noble, their deep friendship was a pleasant suprise, and Anna for once got a chance to speak. Very intelligent, modest people.
They both said that Fringe is the star, not them, it relects how they are.
Shall I put my two cents in about the future of jos jackson on Fringe: I think that the earlier remark about him being communicative etc has to do with his complaining about his storyline in the media whole season, this may have prompted them to make drastic decisions. probably another offer, no longer lead, and he has to decide?
I think he has been getting to much attention over the past seasons as it is, and i am dissapointed that it is still only about him, not the rest of the cast.
Finally lets hope for an Emmy nomination for both Anna and John, they are worldclas actors.
Chris on May 22nd, 2011 6:53 pm
Guest, you have it completely backwards! Josh is the biggest booster of the show, even when they cut his episodes to half those of the others. If anything, the show has gotten to be too much about Anna’s career. Josh has not complained at all about his role or his screen time, he’s very supportive of the writers and producers, and too polite for such things anyway.
Hey on May 30th, 2011 3:45 pm
Guest, or AnTo or whatever, Josh is Great actor and wonderful person, all the people who knows say so, nothing you can say or claim in order to attack him because of your stupid Obssession would change anything, people love him as much as they love the other cast, Just gave up already! strange how some people enjoy embarrassing themselves.
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Multimedia Creations & Technical Consulting | +32 474 04 98 53 | fz@fzeffect.com
FZeffect Productions / Media
Brokenfinga
Brokenfinga (aka François Bastien) is a singer and songwriter. He composes and produces beats as well. This page allows you to see and listen to some of his latest works.
He started writing songs in 2001. Since then, his skills gained in precision and diversity and musical creativity.
Originally, his music genre was strictly rap, but, through the years, his affinity evolved towards a genre mix producing a result between electro, hiphop and ragga.
Main sources of inspirations include artists like Dr. Dre, Xzibit, etc… then, other influences like Major Lazer, Stromae, Cypress Hill, Agnes Obel, Adele, Korn, Wu-Tang Clan, etc… come into play.
His life wish is to be able some day to live from his passion, music, and more specifically, production.
Youtube Channel – FZeffect Productions
Choose a language Français English
© Copyright 2019 FZeffect Productions
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Project Sonic 2017's full name revealed and first gameplay footage shown
By Jason Clement
Project Sonic 2017 was initially announced last year as the next new 3D Sonic game in the works, but little else was revealed beyond a short trailer that didn't include any gameplay. That is, until yesterday. Sega has now announced that the game's title will be Sonic Forces.
The reasoning for the name has yet to be revealed, but it seems to imply that Sonic may team up and unite with other characters to stand against Eggman's latest machinations; we'll have to wait for the official synopsis from Sega to be sure.
Also, the first gameplay footage for the game was revealed at SXSW, where it shows Sonic racing through a city that appears to be under siege by Eggman's robots.
We'll likely have to wait just a bit longer for Sega to completely spill the [chili] beans on this one, so you can probably expect to hear more at E3 2017 in just a few short months. In the meantime, Sonic Forces is currently slated to launch during Holiday 2017 for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
What do you think of Sonic Forces' name and first footage?
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Tag: Motörhead
Fredag den 13:e – Domedagar
By hongrui in Album Review, Full Length
Fredag den 13:e [Sweden]
Domedagar
Crust Punk/Hardcore
As it has already become rather obvious, there has been very few extreme releases this year that has managed to catch and retain my attention for more than a few listens. Just as I was about to give …
2015, Crust Punk, EveryDayHate, Fredag den 13:e, Hardcore, Motörhead, Sweden, Tiger Junkies, Toxic Holocaust
Grumpynators – Wonderland
Grumpynators may have a tongue-in-cheek name, but on Wonderland they prove that they are capable musicians and songwriters, bringing familiar Volbeat and Social Distortion-esque tunes to old school rock ‘n’ roll lovers, with a double-bass included to add that unique touch to their sound.
2015, Denmark, Groove Metal, Grumpynators, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Motörhead, Social Distortion, Target Records, Volbeat
The Black Monolith – The Black Monolith
How do you take an album released on April Fools’ seriously? Yet local hard rockers The Black Monolith show that they aren’t to be taken lightly with their debut self-titled full length, displaying the whole range of old school rock ‘n’ roll influences with superb songwriting and musicianship, promising a 40-minute journey through early rock history.
2015, Bhelliom, Guns N' Roses, Hard Rock, Independent, Jimi Hendrix, Motörhead, Singapore, The Black Monolith, Truth Be Known, Velvet Revolver
Album Review: Iron Lamb – Fool’s Gold
Iron Lamb [Sweden]
Punk/Metal/Rock ‘n’ Roll
After the extremely catchy debut full length of Iron Lamb back in 2011, The Original Sin, the band is back again this time with their new record, Fool’s Gold, ready to wreak more havoc with their groovy, addictive …
2015, Chrome Division, High Roller Records, Iron Lamb, Metal, Motörhead, Punk, Rock 'n' Roll, Sweden
Video Premiere: MOTÖRHEAD’s ‘Lost Woman Blues’
Due to a production error, the release date of the reissue of MOTÖRHEAD’s 21st studio album, “Aftershock”, originally scheduled for July 29 via UDR/Motörhead Music, has been pushed back to August 26. The CD was helmed by longtime producer Cameron Webb (MEGADETH, DISTURBED).
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Operating since 1938 Hewitt and Whitty is an iconic Ballarat business.
John Hewitt (Accountant) and Jack Whitty (Farm Machinery Salesman), both returned servicemen, formed a partnership with their wives and first started trading on the 4th of July 1938.
The first shop was located at 15a Doveton St Nth, where the Mid City Motel is now situated and was rented from SJ Weir Builders. In 1951 a much larger premises was purchased from the Victorian Wheatgrowers Corporation, just across the road at 24 Doveton St Nth.
John Hewitt’s son Bill joined Hewitt and Whitty that year with his two sons also later joining the family business, Greg in July 1976 and Peter in June 1981.
The official opening of the current Ballarat store, built on the corner of Carngham Rd and Wiltshire Lane, was held exactly 50 years after Hewitt and Whitty commenced trading, on the 4th of July 1988.
Greg and Peter Hewitt continue to actively run the business today with four great locations across Victoria: Ballarat, Avoca, Skipton and Geelong.
For the full story read the below article published for the 75th Birthday Celebrations.
Jack Whitty and John Hewitt open “Hewitt & Whitty” at 15a Doveton Street North on July 4th.
Hewitt & Whitty moves to a larger premises at 24 Doveton Street North.
Greg Hewitt joins father Bill in operating the family business.
50 years after its opening Hewitt & Whitty opened July 4th on Wiltshire Lane.
Jack Whitty passes away. John Hewitt continues to grow their business.
John Hewitt passes away and son Bill Hewitt takes ownership of the business.
Peter Hewitt joins his father and brother at their Doveton Street store.
Greg and Peter Hewitt continue to actively run the successful family business.
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Bexley: 01322 524425 | Email: info@harpersandco.com
Commercial Lettings
Harpers & Co Estate Agents & Commercial Property Consultants offer a comprehensive specialist service which includes:
Residential Property Sales & Lettings
Commercial Sales & Lettings
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Surveys & Professional Valuations
Energy Performance Certificates (Residential & Commercial)
Our main areas of geographic coverage are London and the South East and specifically the borough of Bexley and the surrounding areas.
Harpers & Co comprises an experienced and dedicated team of professionals. Our aim is to provide the most proactive and efficient service to our clients, which is endorsed by our membership to the Guild of Professional Estate Agents and the Property Ombudsman. Our team is experience, focussed and dedicated. Most of our staff live and were brought up locally and have the breadth of knowledge and understanding to deliver a professional service. All our staff receive on-going training to ensure that they can give professional up to date advice and guidance.
Harpers & Co prides itself as being unique to the other agencies. We are fiercely proactive and independent. As members of the Guild of Professional Estate Agents, Harpers & Co offers a 1st class and unparalleled service based on experience, knowledge and a genuine desire to offer and provide a sophisticated and comprehensive service. Using the latest in content management technology, most advanced websites and adopting full time and worldwide search engine optimisation, we ensure that we can provide only the best techniques and resources for our client’s disposal.
Our dynamic Lettings Department offers a comprehensive range of Lettings and Management services, which best meet and accommodate the needs of our clients and tenants. Our Lettings team have a solid reputation based on experience and enjoy repeat business as a result of ‘word of mouth’ from our previous and happy customers.
HARPERS & CO EXCLUSIVE TENANT FEES HARPERS & CO EXCLUSIVE LANDLORD FEES
Commercial Sales/ Lettings & Management/ Commercial Consultancy
Harpers & Co Commercial continues to experience exponential growth and demand in the Commercial property sector and is headed by the Director Dr. Jak Kypri. Specialising in retail and the catering and hospitality sector, Harpers & Co offers a unique insight into an evolving and complex asset class and an unrivalled service.
Harpers & Co can help provide Commercial Sales and Lettings advice from beginning to end and can also help source properties on behalf of domestic and international clients.
Harpers & Co offers a wide range of platforms upon which your property will be actively marketed, providing consistent advertising of your property from the moment it goes live. Advertising through many various platforms allows Harpers & Co to broaden its broadcast to a wider audience. The many forms of advertising that Harpers & Co offers include:
Various portals such as Rightmove
Search engine optimised Harpers & Co dynamic website which is device compatible
Local Newshopper paper & Newshopper Online
The Guild of Estate Agents property portal and unique referral system amongst thousands of Guild Estate Agent Members
Monthly high gloss brochures courtesy of The Guild which are distributed nationwide
We also offer beautiful professional gloss bespoke details as per request
Distinctive Harpers & Co board to be displayed in proximity to your property
Window displays in Bexley Village & Associate Guild Office in Park Lane
Harpers & Co is also joint auctioneer with several National and renowned auction Houses such as Andrews & Robertson and Clive Emson and can provide a service from beginning to end of auction completion to ensure a speedy sale. As joint Auctioneers we can offer a reduced fee from the normal fee that would be charged.
Harpers & Co is unique in that it has an associate in-house and established residential RICS qualified Chartered Surveyor.
Pollards, headed my Mr Michael Pollard, is an experienced and pragmatic surveyor who can offer a whole host of surveys and building reports and EPC’s. Pollards can be contacted on 01322 524425.
Mortgages and Finance/Advice
Harpers & Co is delighted to have formed an association with Ms. Chloe Lewis a leading mortgage broker, from Prolific Finance who specialises in Residential mortgage and financial services and with Mr. Kevin Beck of Fleet Finance who specialises in Commercial transactions and business finance.
Members of the Guild of Professional Estate Agents
Harpers & Co is a carefully selected and proud member of The Guild of Professional Estate Agents. As such, we have access to an extensive range of marketing services and publishing facilities specifically designed to help realise the maximum resale potential of your property. For most of us, our home is not only our most valuable asset, but also the object of great emotional attachment. As a Guild member, Harpers & Co is an expert in Bexley and adheres to the very highest professional standards, operating to a strict code of conduct.
Harpers & Co is part of a national network of offices working together to serve you better. The Guild’s headquarters is the prestigious National Property Centre on London’s Park Lane, providing high-profile exposure to the London market and direct access to the international investment community. Through The Guild network, Harpers & Co will actively market your property to the widest possible audience and make use of powerful and sophisticated marketing techniques. As part of their role, your Guild estate agent will showcase your property at our National Property Centre in Mayfair London, in our high-quality regional magazines distributed nationally by over 700 Guild members, and also on our own exclusive property portal.
Bexley / Bexleyheath Department
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E: info@harpersandco.com
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Lennie Omalza
Lennie Omalza is a local freelance writer who currently resides in Louisville, Kentucky. Prior to leaving the Islands in 2016, she spent eight years working for PacificBasin Communications publications, including HONOLULU, Hawaii Home + Remodeling and HAWAIʻI. She continues to make regular contributions to HONOLULU from afar and is also an executive director of Reach the Runway, the official nonprofit of HONOLULU Fashion Week.
Stories by Lennie
7 Can’t-Miss Honolulu Concerts to Check Out in February 2018
The month of love brings reggae, opera, electric pop and more to the Islands.
7 Absolutely Free Honolulu Events to Check Out in February 2018
The month may be short, but there’s no shortage of things to do! Celebrate the Lunar New Year, watch some football or get your nerd on.
10 New Year’s Resolutions that Aren’t About Losing Weight
Weight ain’t nothin’ but a number. Commit to improving your whole self in 2018.
10 Fitness Deals to Bring Out the New You in the New Year
These specials around town will help you get started on the right, fit foot in 2018.
7 Can’t-Miss Honolulu Concerts to Check Out in January 2018
Whether you’re craving sounds of the harmonica or piano, or want to listen to Hawaiian or reggae, there’s a concert for you this January.
7 Absolutely Free Honolulu Events to Check Out in January 2018
Start the new year right with celebrations, networking, community service and more.
18 Places To Celebrate New Year’s Eve 2017—With Food!
Ring in the new year with a meal at one of these Honolulu restaurants.
Give Yourself the Gift of Dining Out this Christmas 2017
After all the shopping, gift wrapping, tree cutting and card sending, who wants to cook a holiday meal? Take a break and have your Christmas Eve or Christmas Day fare at a local restaurant instead.
Hale ‘Aina Happenings: What’s New With Hawai‘i Restaurants in December 2017
Celebrate the holiday season with champagne, Sunday suppers and seasonal specials.
7 Ways to Celebrate Winter in Honolulu Like a Real Local
We’ll never use snow shovels or sleds in Honolulu, but there are other ways to make it feel like a “real winter” in our Island paradise.
7 Can’t-Miss Honolulu Concerts to Check Out in December 2017
Whether you’re in a caroling kind of mood or want to rock out this holiday season, we’ve got a concert for you.
7 Things to Be Thankful for When Living in Hawaiʻi
It’s easy to take things for granted when you’re living in paradise—so here’s a little reminder.
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Obituary: Doris Nash Marley
By Super User / Obituaries / Tuesday, 09 October 2018 15:50
Doris Lowder Nash Marley, 94, of Carolina Beach, passed away Sunday, September 9, 2018, at Lower Cape Fear Hospice & LifeCareCenter.
Known as “Mee-Maw” to her family and friends, she was born June 29, 1924 in Cabarrus County, NC, daughter of the late Robert Beeler Lowder and Ethel Mae Alsobrooks Lowder. Her first husband, Charles E. “Bill” Nash, sons, Robert Earl Nash, Terry Lee Nash, daughter-in-law, Carol Klutz Nash, and stepson, Joe H. Marley, preceded her in death.
She was a member of the United Advent Christian Church.
Mee Maw loved her family and lived life to the fullest! She was loved by all who knew her and her smile could light up the darkest room.
Moving to Carolina Beach in 1960 with Bill and their three children, she soon learned to crab and fish loving the small town life. She was a member of the Christian and Missionary Church being involved in many activities there.
One of Mee Maw’s most rewarding jobs was the baker at Carolina Beach Elementary School where she took much pride in baking the perfect sticky buns for the children and staff.
After her husband, Bill, passed away, Mee Maw fell in love with long-time family friend and church member, Joe Marley. She and Joe shared fourteen happy years together, travelling and just enjoying each other.
Mom loved to travel, work in her yard, walk, water aerobics, delicious dinners, tea parties and sitting on the dock with Joe. But most of all, she loved to laugh!
Always let it be said, “Mom had rather be working in the dirt outside, than that dirt inside!”
She is survived by her husband, Joseph “Joe” Marley; son, Larry Wayne Nash; daughter, Linda Nash Holland (Fred); stepson, Michael Marley (Sherry); four grandchildren, Wendy Nash Yadao (Thomas), Heidi Nash Crosby (Steve), Bobbi Nash, and Marty Walters (Kathe); and eight great-grandchildren; nephews, Tommy Nash (Linda) and Rick Nash (Janice).
A memorial service will be held at 2:00pm Saturday, October 27, 2018, at United Advent Christian Church, 4912 S. College Road, Wilmington, NC 28412.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Doris may be made to Lower Cape Fear Hospice, 1414 Physicians Drive, Wilmington, NC 28401
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Debacle Records announces lineup for Debacle Fest 2012
Ari Spool
Debacle Records' Debacle Fest has been going for five years now, filling a few DIY venues in Seattle with lots of weird noise. Last year they recorded all the performances and made a really valuable online video archive for the rest of us to enjoy, so it's wonderful to hope that they will do this again with this year's star line up. One of the biggest names is Mark McGuire, of Emeralds, who moved to Portland from Cleveland and has been making really pretty solo works with vocals that are more melodic and based in a typical song-structure, without losing all the greatness of watching him squeal up and down the fretboard. In addition, we have Rene Hell, who's discography ranges all over the map, from collaborations with Not Not Fun's Cuticle to putting out tapes on Night-People. His last record, on Type, was called Terminal Symphony. I could go through everyone on the lineup and tell you what to check out about them – other names like Matt Carlson, Pulse Emitter, Hive, Brain Fruit, and Crystal Hell Pool are places you should point your immediate attention – but the point is that this is going to be a really wonderful time.
Here's the poster.
Here's some Matt Carlson music off of his NNA Tapes release.
Here's Mark McGuire's “Alma” off of his Editions Mego release from last year called Get Lost.
Tags: debacle records, mark mcguire, matt carlson, rene hell
Night 1: Danny Brown, Mr. MFN eXquire, Main Attrakionz and more
John Powers Severin's last piece
About Ari Spool
Ari is the former managing editor of Impose Magazine, and a Riggio Scholar at the New School for Public Engagement.
full profile/ twitter/ www
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Home India Delhi He sobbed and pleaded with folded hands, but SC sent Chennai-based journalist...
He sobbed and pleaded with folded hands, but SC sent Chennai-based journalist to Tihar jail
Chennai-based senior journalist Prakash Swamy was today sent to Tihar jail here for a month by the Supreme Court on the charge of contempt in the Sahara case.
The 64-year-old scribe, who worked as correspondent at the United Nations for 10 years, invited the wrath of the apex court as he failed to stand by his words in a sworn affidavit as the power of attorney holder of MG Cpital Holdings LLC, New York, which had intended to purchase Sahara’s Hotel Plaza New York.
He sobbed and pleaded with folded hands for forgiveness but a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra was firm on sending him to jail, saying allowing him to walk free would send a “wrong message”.
“You should have realised the gravity of the case,” the bench, also comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and A K Sikri, said.
Shocked and visibly shaken, Swamy was trying to prove his innocence and once even said instead of Rs 10 crore as costs he was ready to deposit Rs 10 lakh with the apex court registry.
However, the bench declined his plea and said perhaps it was the greed which prompted him to become the power of attorney holder for a foreign company.
Swamy, who has also worked for a prominent national daily of south India, said he simply got himself into the case as he was told that he would be a part of a larger deal.
“So it was greed. Temptation sometimes leads to confinement,” the bench observed while reminiding him that he could be sent to jail for six months also for contempt of court.
Some of the lawyers appearing in the Sahara matter tried to persuade the bench to be lenient towards Swamy.
The bench then asked him to submit Rs 10 crore as costs.
While the veteran scribe expressed his helplessness in arranging such a large amount, there was no word of support from the company for which he was holding the power of attorney.
Swamy also pleaded for “clemency” but the bench said “when you filed affidavit in the court you should have undertaken due diligence. You should have also borne in mind the consequences”.
At the ouset, the bench said there was no chance of giving any opportunity to Swamy as he was in contempt of court for failure to deposit the amount.
Initially, Swamy, in his affidavit, had said the firm wanted to purchase the hotel. He was then asked by the court to deposit Rs 750 crore with the SEBI-Sahara Refund Account to show its bonafide in purchasing the hotel, valued at USD 550 million.
On April 17, Swamy’s lawyer conceded that Rs 750 crore was not deposited as there was “difficulty to go with the transaction” of purchasing the hotel.
This led the court to direct the seizure of the passport of Swamy, besides asking him to deposit Rs 10 crore as costs and appear personally today.
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New TRAC guidance that applies from 2014-15 has now been published. This is hosted on the HEFCE web site on behalf of all funders. The current TRAC requirements continue to apply for TRAC reporting for the year ending 31 July 2014, but once the 2013-14 TRAC reporting is complete, the HEFCE web site will become the sole resource for TRAC as well as financial sustainability materials.
Search TRAC:
Back to JCPSG
Part I - Overview
Part II - TRAC principles
Part III - Annual TRAC
Part IV - Charge-out rates
Part V - TRAC fEC
Costing Schematic
Section A Overview
Section B Minimum requirements
Section C Estimating researcher costs
Section D Estimating other costs
D.1 Directly incurred costs
D.2 Directly allocated costs
D.3 Indirect costs
D.4 Choosing between categories
D.5 Laboratory technicians
D.6 Equipment
D.7 Default rates
D.8 Other DI costs
D.9 Supervising PGRs
Section E The fEC total
Section F Post-award
Part VI - Costing Other activities
print this part
Section D: Estimating other costs
The costs of equipment can be directly incurred or directly allocated:
equipment purchased for a project is a directly incurred cost. All costs of the purchase should be included. (The charge to a project normally assumes a write-off of the costs over the life of the project. All costs are, therefore, directly incurred.)
equipment already owned by the institution – and being directly allocated to the project on the basis of usage – is a directly allocated cost. (This is charged to projects using charge-out rates. This is covered in Part IV major research facilities.)
equipment already owned by the institution – but not being directly allocated to projects on the basis of usage – is directly allocated but as part of the estates charge. (This is covered in Part IV estates costs.)
The costs of equipment in academic departments should not be included in the indirect cost total.
It is good practice to include all of the costs related to the purchase and maintenance of a piece of equipment that is being acquired specifically for a research project, irrespective of the policy of the project sponsor towards funding different elements. Equipment purchase costs may need to be split between projects if there are multiple sponsors, or conversely a project may receive funding from more than one external source.
Equipment costs include purchase, installation, set-up, testing, maintenance, technicians, spares, additional insurance, exceptional procurement costs, and buildings modification. However, these costs should only be included as a DI cost where:
the same costs are not included as a directly incurred cost on any other project; and
the HEI has a robust system for ensuring that these costs are charged as a directly incurred cost on a research project or equipment grant, and are not then included in estates charges (or indirect cost rates).
Where institutions build equipment rather than buy it, the materials used in the manufacture or assembly process can be included as a DI cost of equipment. The labour costs cannot - they are part of staff costs, charged as a DA or DI technician cost.
When the fEC is to include the costs of equipment purchased for that project, these purchase costs should be written off against the project according to the likely useful life of the equipment (which is often the same as the life of the grant).
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© HEFCE 2005 The copyright for this publication is held by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). The material may be copied or reproduced provided that the source is acknowledged and the material, wholly or in part, is not used for commercial gain. Use of the material for commercial gain requires the prior written permission of HEFCE.
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Some Historical Treatments Should Not be Forgotten: A Review of Cast Wedging and a trick to normalize non-standardized digital x-rays
Practical tips on cast wedging using a simple method of planning
Case Report | Volume 4 | Issue 2 | JOCR April-June 2014 | Page 33-37 | Jacobson NA, Lee CL. DOI: 10.13107/jocr.2250-0685.164
Authors: Jacobson NA[1], Lee CL[1]
[1] Wayne State University Orthopaedics, 10000 Telegraph Road, Taylor, MI 48124.
Dr. Nathan A. Jacobson, Wayne State University Orthopaedics, 10000 Telegraph Road, Taylor, MI 48124. Phone No. 661-428-8567. E-mail: njacobso@med.wayne.edu
Introduction: Cast wedging is a simple and reproducible method of manipulating a sub-optimally reduced fracture producing a correction and a final alignment that is amenable to definitive closed treatment. Multiple successful techniques have been previously described in the literature (opening wedge, closing wedge and combination).
Case Report: We present a simple reproducible method of templating and executing a proper cast wedging technique using digital imaging systems that are not controlled for magnification with an illustrative case.
Conclusion: Renewed interest in cast wedging can provide a cost effective treatment with proven clinical outcomes in an ever changing and uncertain reimbursement climate.
Keywords: Cast Wedging, Wedging, Reduction, Manipulation, Technique, Closed Fracture Treatment, Non-op, conservative management.
The sophistication of closed management of fractures has made little advancement since the work of Sarmiento. [1, 2, 3, 4] Additionally; surgical indications for fracture treatment have expanded significantly. As a result; many fractures that were once definitively treated with closed techniques are now proceeding to surgical intervention with the associated added risk this entails even with minor procedures. Similarly; repeat reductions utilizing conscious sedation in the emergency department are much more prevalent than opting for the less invasive cast wedging techniques. Additionally; no cost analysis could be identified in the literature regarding cast wedging. Cast wedging had been a time tested technique for fine tuning fracture alignment since it was first described by Bohler (1958). [5] However; application of this technique has dwindled dramatically most likely in part to the technique being poorly taught (if at all) in modern training programs and the adoption of more aggressive surgical indications. Three types of cast wedging have been described in the literature: opening [5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 111, 12] closing [13] and balanced/combined opening and closing wedges. [14, 15, 16, 17] The opening wedge technique has been the most commonly utilized due to its simplicity. Vector analysis demonstrates fracture site distraction can occur with the opening wedge technique; while the closing wedge techniques demonstrate fracture site compression on vector analysis. [17] With opening and closing wedge techniques the pivot point is located at the level of the cast which is in contrast to the balanced/combined opening and closing wedge technique that attempts to move the pivot point within the fracture site [17]. The optimal location for cast wedging in reference to the fracture has also been argued in the literature. Some authors advocate placing the wedge at the site of the fracture [8, 9, 11, 12] while others advocate placing the wedge at the intersection point of the two long axis of the major fracture fragments [5, 6, 16, 17]. Additionally; some authors argue that the location of the wedge can be at the level of maximum deformity/angulation. [10] Complicated trigonometry explanations for how cast wedging works are well described in the literature but their complexity make them impractical in implementation. Consequently; multiple techniques have been devised that are based on geometry/algebra and their simplicity facilitates their clinical application. [9, 10, 12] Berberich et al (2008) developed a both bone forearm fracture model and performed a systematic biomechanical evaluation how cast material, wedge location and wrist position affected the ability of a wedging to correct the deformity. [11] Berberich et al concluded that cast material had no influence on results, the optimal position an opening wedge is on the concave side of the cast at the level of the fracture and that in dorsally displaced both bone forearm fractures (dinner fork position) casting with wrist extension optimized the reduction. [11] Wedges can be wood blocks or staked tongue depressors, pieces of cork [10] or prefabricated plastic wedges (DM Systems. Evanston, Il) as seen in [Fig 1]. All of these options have been used by the senior author; however, he prefers the prefabricated plastic wedges (DM Systems. Evanston, Il) due to their ease with manipulated. Cast wedging has a proven track record in orthopaedics but has lost favor due to the techniques being omitted from resident training programs and the adoption of more aggressive surgical indications. This technique should not be lost to posterity for it is a simple and cost effective method to optimize fracture reduction and in a significant number of patients should prevent the risk associated with additional reduction attempts under conscious sedation or surgical intervention under general anesthesia.
Radiographic Normalization: Digital imaging must be normalized to negate any magnification/projection issues; thus, allowing accurate measurements for wedge calculation. This can be done using imaging markers on the film cassette or markers attached to the patient’s cast; and then, utilization of the techniques popularized in total joint arthroplasty templateing technique. However; with the numerous different imaging software platforms that are encountered on a daily basis in a fracture clinic these intrinsic markers may not be available and additional methods may be required. The senior author has used the following method for image normalization with respect to cast wedging. Once a fracture has been cased standard x-rays are obtained to confirm fracture alignment. If the bone(s) in question are found to be suboptimal alignment and a wedging is indicated the patient will have the width of the cast in the plane of the proposed wedge perform the measurement [Fig 2]. This measurement can then be used to make sure the measurement at the same level in the digital imaging system is the same. If the two cast width measurements do not coincide then the digital image can be zoomed in/out (scaled) as appropriate until the two measurements concur and the remainder of the measurements for the cast wedging can be performed on the digital system. Wedging (Fig 3): 1. Once the digital imaging has been scaled to match the patient; calculation for the cast wedge can be performed that the designated magnification. 2. On the anteroposterior (AP) or lateral radiograph lines are draw along the long axes of the major fracture fragments (proximal and distal) allowing more measurement of the deformity angle and formation of triangle a-b-c. 3. Triangle a-b-c is then rotated placing apex “a” at the level of the cast on the convex side of the fracture. This point will act as the hinge during wedging. On digital systems triangle a-b-c can generally not be simply rotated into place but instead must be reformed by recreating apex “a” of the triangle (which is the same as the deformity angle) at the at the level of the cast on the convex side of the fracture. 4. Once apex “a” has been recreated at the level of the cast on the convex side of the fracture; the base (b-c) of triangle a-b-c can be translated along triangle limbs a-b and a-c to coincides with the cast on the concave side of the fracture. This is where the wedge will be opened. 5. The length of b-c at the level of cast on the concave side of the fracture represents the width to which the wedge must be opened to correct the deformity angle to zero. 6. Repeat the same procedure on the orthogonal x-ray to obtain a measurement for a wedge required in that plane if need. 7. Lines are then dawn on the cast at the level of the fracture to outline the level/position at which the wedge will be cut. It is important to leave a quarter of the circumference of the cast intact on the convex side, that correlates with apex ‘a’, to act as a hinge during wedging. 8. A cast saw is used to cut along the outline drawn on the cast; and, a cast spreader is used to then open the wedge in the cast on the concave side of the fracture. A wedge the same length as the base (b-c) of triangle a-b-c is then placed within the opening. 9. With the wedge in place repeat x-rays are performed to confirm proper correction of fracture alignment. 10. Once proper alignment is established sufficient padding in the area of the opening wedge is confirmed and the opening wedge is stabilized by over wrapping the area with additional casting material (plaster or fiberglass). Final images are obtained. Illustrative Case: Fig 4 demonstrates the x-rays of a 12 year old boy who sustained a both bone forearm fracture while ruff housing with a sibling and fell on his out stretched left upper extremity sustaining a mid-shaft both bone firearm fracture that originally had approximately 30 degrees of dorsal angulation and was provisionally reduced in the emergency department the night of the injury. Subsequently; the patient presented 3 days later to the orthopaedic clinic for evaluation and a residual deformity of 18 degrees of dorsal angulation was noted. Cast wedging was opted for to improve the fracture alignment without subjecting the patient to the risk of conscious sedation with manipulation or surgical intervention. Cast wedging using the technique presented here effected an anatomic reduction that was able to be held until union was achieved.
Cast wedging is not a novel treatment modality when performing closed fracture care. However; the unfortunate truth is that the technique has not been taught well in residency training programs as a result of more aggressive surgical indications and with time will become a lost art if interest in the technique is not reinvigorated. The 15 citations identified in the literature had publication dates ranging from 1958 to 2008 with the vast majority originating from the early literature as seen with mean of 1979 and both the median and mode being 1974. Three assumptions are made when implementing cast wedging to effect a correction of the bony alignment of the underlying fracture: [18] 1. The fracture malalignment is planar with a fixed/set angle formed by the long axis of the major fracture fragments. 2. The major fracture fragments maintain a fixed position in relation to the cast during wedging so that angular corrections at the cast level mirror those deeper at the level of the fracture. 3. The pivot point exists in the plane perpendicular to the fracture deformity so that a single point of rotation can fully correct the malalignment. These assumptions allow physician to evaluate the fracture on a two-dimensional image and calculate a correction in a single plane with a defined point of rotation. The soft tissue envelope however, does deform with pressure and the force and correction applied to the cast does not perfectly reflect that which is seen at the fracture site and additional adjustments may be needed. To perfectly transmit the forces from the cast to the underlying bone pin fixation would be required15 and the benefits of non-operative treatment would be lost. Consequently, in our technique we images obtain of the fracture with the wedge in-place before over-wrapping the cast and stabilizing the wedge. If an adjustment in the wedge size is needed due to imperfect force transmission through the soft tissue envelope this can be performed prior to wedge stabilization. The authors experience; however, additional manipulations of the cast wedge size are only rarely needed. Operating room cost analysis demonstrates that the significant savings in the cost of treatment is seen when cast wedging is utilized when compared to all other treatments: conscious sedation with manipulation and surgical intervention with flexible nails or open reduction with internal compression plate fixation). A 2005 survey of 100 U.S. hospitals reported an average charge of $62 per minute (range $22 to $133) which did not include the fees of the surgeon, anesthesiologist or surgical implants.19 Utilizing this number a 1 hour surgical case would cost $3,720 before physician fees and utilization of any orthopaedics implants. Consequently; cast wedging allows for optimum fracture reduction without the risks of repeat sedation or surgical intervention while minimizing treatment costs and risks.
Cast wedging allows for an economical method of obtaining optimal long bone fracture reduction recusing the risk of complications from sedation or surgical intervention.
1. Sarmiento A, Latta LL. Fractures of the middle third of the tibia treated with a functional brace. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2008 Dec;466(12):3108-15.
2. Sarmiento A, Latta LL. 450 closed fractures of the distal third of the tibia treated with a functional brace. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2004 Nov;(428):261-71.
3. Martinez A, Sarmiento A, Latta LL. Closed fractures of the proximal tibia treated with a functional brace. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2003 Dec;(417):293-302.
4. Sarmiento A, Zagorski JB, Zych GA, Latta LL, Capps CA. Functional bracing for the treatment of fractures of the humeral diaphysis. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2000 Apr;82(4):478-86.
5. Bohler L; The Treatment of Fractures, English Ed 5 (based on 13th German Ed), New York, Grune and Stratton, 1958, Vol 3, pgs 1725, 1732-1733.
6. Dehne E; Ambulatory treatment of the fractured tibia. Clin Orthop 1974; 105:196-197.
7. Mooney V, Nickel VL, Harvey JP Jr, Snelson R. Cast-brace treatment for fractures of the distal part of the femur. A prospective controlled study of one hundred and fifty patients. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1970 Dec;52(8):1563-78.
8. Husted CM. Technique of cast wedging in long bone fractures. Orthop Rev. 1986 Jun;15(6):373-8.
9. Thomas FB. Precise plaster wedging: fracture-angle/cast-diameter ratio. Br Med J. 1965 Oct 16;2(5467):921. No abstract available.
10. Bebbington A, Lewis P, Savage R. Cast wedging for orthopaedic surgeons! Injury. 2005 Jan;36(1):71-2.
11. Berberich T, Reimann P, Steinacher M, Erb TO, Mayr J.Evaluation of cast wedging in a forearm fracture model. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2008 Aug;23(7):895-9. Epub 2008 May 13.
12. Gregson PA, Thomas PB. Tibial cast wedging: a simple and effective technique. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1994 May;76(3):496-7. No abstract available.
13. Charnley, J. The closed treatment of common fractures. 3rd Ed. Edinburgh Churchill Livingston, 1974, pg. 231.
14. Anderson LD, Hutchins WC, Wright PE, Disney JM. Fractures of the tibia and fibula treated by casts and transfixing pins. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1974 Nov-Dec;(105):179-91.
15. Anderson LD, Hutchins WC. Fractures of the tibia and fibula treated by casts and transfixing pins. South Med J. 1966 Sep;59(9):1026-32.
16. Brown PW, Urban JG. Early Weight bearing treatment of open fractures of the tibia An end-result study of sixty-three cases. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1969 Jan;51(1):59-75.
17. Schulak DJ, Duyar A, Schlicke LH, Gradisar IA. A theoretical analysis of cast wedging with practical applications. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1978 Jan-Feb;(130):239-46.
18. Davy DT, Heiple KG. A note on the theoretical basis for cast wedging. J Biomech. 1983;16(3):237-40.
19. Shippert, RD. A Study of time depemdent operating room fees and how to save $100,000 by using time-saving products. Am J of Cosmetic Surgery 2005: 22(1): 25-34.
How to Cite This Article: Jacobson NA, Lee CL. Some Historical Treatments Should Not be Forgotten: A Review of Cast Wedging and a trick to normalize non-standardized digital x-rays. Journal of Orthopaedic Case Reports 2014 April-June;4(2): 33-37. Available from: http://www.jocr.co.in/wp/2014/01/11/2250-0685-147-fulltext/
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April 7, 2014 Some Historical Treatments Should Not be Forgotten: A Review of Cast Wedging and a trick to normalize non-standardized digital x-rays
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Board index News News & Views
The Lawsuits Thread
Discuss the latest Johnny Depp news, his career, past and future projects, and other related issues.
Cesar'sSusie
Location: Gypsy Camp, in a Chair-with Cesar
Unread postby Cesar'sSusie » Mon Apr 22, 2019 11:21 pm
Chocolat wrote: For anyone interested, Brian McPherson added his new video which is an addendum to his Part 1 and Part 2 videos.
Once again, his attention to detail investigation and i.e.detective work is beyond amazing.
Thanks, Chocolat, I've been wondering who it was that made those incredible, clear, and factual videos!
I just want to say something to Johnny if he were reading this. This too, shall pass. You are stronger than this and the jealous hatred ScAmber has for you. You Are Loved by Billions of people!!! Stay strong and safe in the arms of your true friends and loved ones. Namaste
"He's that and a whole lot more," said his driver. "He's a wonderful guy. I'll tell
you firsthand, he's a great man."
. . .and the Golden Globe goes to . . .
Johnny DEPP, for Sweeney Todd-The Demon Barber of Fleet Street!
Shook
Location: Riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave.
Unread postby Shook » Wed Apr 24, 2019 4:16 pm
Amber Heard’s Longtime Stylist’s Testimony Disputes Claims of Facial Injuries Caused by Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp is continuing to gather witnesses privy to the personal struggles he went through with Amber Heard during their volatile marriage, and has now tapped her stylist to testify against ever seeing facial injuries after the actress claimed Depp beat her up.
Depp’s legal team obtained testimony of celebrity stylist, Samantha McMillen. McMillen says she has helped style Heard for “major events” since 2014.
Specifically, she describes styling the star for an appearance on “The Late Late Show with James Corden” on December 16, 2015, after the actress alleged Depp had given her two black eyes during an argument that occurred the previous night.
“Throughout the day of December 16, 2015, I could see clearly that Amber Heard did not have any visible marks, bruises, cuts, or injuries to her face or any other part of her body,” McMillen testified.
Heard described the alleged incident later, while seeking a restraining order against the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star, and claimed he had split her lip and given her two black eyes. She claims the alleged incident caused her to “truly feared for my life.”
Heard’s friend, iO Tillett Wright, wrote in an article about the alleged incident, claiming, “She described an all-out assault and she woke up with her pillow covered in blood. I know this because I went to their house. I saw the pillow with my own eyes. I saw the busted lip and the clumps of hair on the floor. I got the phone call immediately after it happened, her screaming and crying, a stoic woman reduced to sobs. As she, shaking and crying, described this 195-pound man throwing the full weight of his body into head-butting his 120-pound wife.”
When describing those facial injuries, McMillen said, “Ms. Heard did not have any black eyes, and had been visibly uninjured throughout the day and at that moment.”
McMillen’s testimony could carry significant weight in the ongoing defamation suit between Depp and Heard, as the stylist is a legitimate witness who regularly works with other stars in Hollywood. In fact, she recently styled Brie Larson‘s much-talked-about look for the premiere of “Avengers: Endgame.”
The stylist also gave testimony about working with Heard on May 24, 2016 … the day allegedly brutal fight that Heard recounted during her emotional deposition.
McMillen said she showed up to the house around noon and “she came to me at the bottom of the staircase in Mr. Depp’s house and gave me a hug, sobbing.”
The stylist was adamant Heard had no marks on her face during their meeting on May 24, but admitted, “Three days after my encounter with Ms. Heard, on May 27, 2016, I saw in the media that Ms. Heard had gone to Court with prominent injuries visible on her face. I knew that she did not have those marks on her face May 24, 2016 when I was with her.”
As we reported, Depp’s legal team has collected tons of surveillance footage they claim prove Heard did not have any visible injuries in the days after the brawl between the two stars.
Depp’s attorney, Adam Waldman, tells us, “Today’s sworn declaration provided by Amber Heard’s own stylist adds to the overwhelming body of evidence demolishing not only her already throughly disproven May 21, 2016 hoax against Johnny Depp, but also her phony December 15, 2015 abuse claims against him.”
Heard has continued to stick to her claims of physical and verbal abuse by Depp, and has vowed to fight the $50 million defamation suit filed by the actor.
Last edited by Shook on Wed Apr 24, 2019 4:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
justintime
Unread postby justintime » Wed Apr 24, 2019 4:44 pm
Thank you so much for posting this, Shook.
I’m taking deep breaths and praying harder than ever that Johnny is on his way, at long last, to a vindication of monumental significance. Three lost years and unrelenting pain beyond even that - can he ever be made whole?
"Stay low." ~ JD
"I don't like it in here . . . it's terribly crowded." ~ Hatter
"There's something about Johnny that breaks your heart." ~ John Logan, ST
"Tear deeper, Mother." ~ Wilmot
Location: Sleepy Hollow
Unread postby Chocolat » Wed Apr 24, 2019 5:11 pm
justintime wrote: Thank you so much for posting this, Shook.
I have high hopes and good thoughts too, justintime. I have faith Johnny is doing well and will continue to heal.
He has a good support group of friends and family surrounding him and the best lawyers. I can't express enough how much I appreciate Adam Waldman keeping us up to date with how the case is progressing every few days.
~ MAGICK HAPPENS ~
Through the years, for the many xoxo's, giggles & kindness...
thank you & love you Johnny.
Unread postby Ade » Wed Apr 24, 2019 5:40 pm
I can anticipate right now that AH's stans will dismiss this as yet another person on his payroll (you know - like all the various police officers involved in LA, and Seattle, oh and all the building staff ...... in a building he no longer lives in ......) Never mind that she was on national television the day after a terrible beating with no split lip etc ......
I find the blatant nature of the lies just frankly exhausting. How on earth can you deal with someone who just ploughs on in the face of completely obvious truth.
Anyway, great article thanks for posting. I sense that Adam Waldman is a man who is quite enjoying himself.
Unread postby Ruby Begonia » Wed Apr 24, 2019 8:28 pm
Ade wrote: I find the blatant nature of the lies just frankly exhausting. How on earth can you deal with someone who just ploughs on in the face of completely obvious truth.
Yes, thank goodness for Waldman!
As for AH, well, isn't she rumored to be a scary sociopath/addict? She's definitely getting desperate now as the truth is coming out and her buddies will probably bail to save themselves. No honor among thieves.
Humble suggestion: click in the Blast and other articles in support of Johnny instead the DM stories the bed sheeters are selling. The latest DM pieces are just anti-Johnny hatefests that won't print pro-Johnny comments.
ForeverYoung
Unread postby ForeverYoung » Wed Apr 24, 2019 9:45 pm
Amber's PR is trying to divert attention from the setback that happened today and I say good for Johnny!
“Growing old is unavoidable, but never growing up is possible."
Unread postby justintime » Wed Apr 24, 2019 10:36 pm
“legitimate witness” ??? What does that qualification imply about Johnny’s other witnesses that did not see ah with a battered mug when she claimed otherwise (and even stood firm against changing their testimony at her behest)? Sorry, but it seems even when an obviously justifiable pro-Johnny piece is being written, reporters practically choke on “too much” truth when referencing Johnny’s evidence. These jokesters should be apologizing through their respective noses rather than continuing their adjective games. Ugh - enough already . . .
“. . . .(Samantha) McMillen’s testimony could carry significant weight in the ongoing defamation suit between Depp and Heard, as the stylist is a legitimate witness who regularly works with other stars in Hollywood. In fact, she recently styled Brie Larson‘s much-talked-about look for the premiere of “Avengers: Endgame.”
Unread postby Ade » Thu Apr 25, 2019 1:51 am
Justintime I didn't read that quite the same way you did. So my take on that phrase is that this is someone respected in Hollywood - she's styled a lot of stars even though AH fans will say she's Johnny's stylist. Also 'legitimate witness' in that she must have been up close and personal on those days - especially the TV appearance - and either doing or overseeing her makeup being done. Which would have been done on a fresh, bare face. And no bruises.
Now you've pointed it out, yes it does grate a bit, but I don't think it means the building staff and others are not legitimate witnesses. It's just that this is so compelling I suppose.
And once again - they've got such overwhelming evidence. It is one thing to have footage or pictures; another to have witnesses. Both witnesses and pictures/footage to me says case closed.
Of course the tabloids will ignore this and focus on Johnny's love life with a probably out-of-date story - but strategically it doesn't really matter. This is a court case. She has to win the legal argument - even if they go to a settlement, that will be determined on the strength of each side's legal case.
meeps
Location: Hiding in my imagination?
Contact meeps
Unread postby meeps » Thu Apr 25, 2019 4:23 am
NOW they're willing to think, that we should adhere to "innocent until proven guilty in a court of law" ...
But I guess, one should be grateful I just wish more had said things like this - piece and comments - three years ago
PaulKemp
Unread postby PaulKemp » Thu Apr 25, 2019 11:25 am
justintime wrote: “legitimate witness” ??? What does that qualification imply about Johnny’s other witnesses that did not see ah with a battered mug when she claimed otherwise (and even stood firm against changing their testimony at her behest)? Sorry, but it seems even when an obviously justifiable pro-Johnny piece is being written, reporters practically choke on “too much” truth when referencing Johnny’s evidence. These jokesters should be apologizing through their respective noses rather than continuing their adjective games. Ugh - enough already . . .
Maybe they frased it like this because she just now declared this under oath in a deposition.
The other witnesses already did this and their statements are included in his lawsuit. Which makes it clear they declared this under oatch.
Unread postby ForeverYoung » Thu Apr 25, 2019 7:35 pm
Amber's motion papers say NOTHING about Samantha. In fact, she states that on 12/15 there were plans for Raquel and her other make up artist friend Melanie to come over. That night another alleged dv incident happened but she said that Raquel and Melanie put her make up on to cover her bruises so that she could make her appearance to tape The Late Show and protect Johnny. Pffttt!!! iO says that Amber immediately called her but Amber says NOTHING about calling iO in her papers. IO also says in her "essay" that she went to the apartment the next day but Brian McPherson proved that iO was on the other side of the country filming a series and then changed the location of pics on her IG account.
Finally a site steps up and reports the news about the stylist and her testimony. Said she was with Amber all day on 12/16 with no make up (even though Amber said Raquel and Melanie put make up on her) and saw no injuries.
https://hollywoodlife.com/2019/04/25/am ... lack-eyes/
Unread postby Chocolat » Thu Apr 25, 2019 7:50 pm
ForeverYoung wrote: Amber's motion papers say NOTHING about Samantha. In fact, she states that on 12/15 there were plans for Raquel and her other make up artist friend Melanie to come over. That night another alleged dv incident happened but she said that Raquel and Melanie put her make up on to cover her bruises so that she could make her appearance to tape The Late Show and protect Johnny. Pffttt!!! iO says that Amber immediately called her but Amber says NOTHING about calling iO in her papers. IO also says in her "essay" that she went to the apartment the next day but Brian McPherson proved that iO was on the other side of the country filming a series and then changed the location of pics on her IG account.
Thank you for this info, ForeverYoung. Kudos to Johnny fans who are doing a bang up job researching Heard's court documents and finding inconsistencies everywhere. Surely Johnny's team is also finding bits to challenge Amber and her accomplices when the time comes to question them. I hope the fans' "discoveries" are of help to Mr. Waldman and his team.
Judymac
Unread postby Judymac » Fri Apr 26, 2019 7:27 pm
I don't think that this means the other witnesses are not legitimate. Samantha was a good friend and stylist for Amber Heard. Amber can minimize the other witnesses by saying that they are friends or associates of Johnny. It sounds to me like Samantha will have a lot of credibility because she is Amber's friend and she is telling the truth. She will not lie to protect her friend.
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Nicki Minaj: New Album Cover: The Pink Print
The Queen of Hip-Hop and first Lady of Young Money, Nicki Minaj has revealed the album artwork for her brand new third album, The Pinkprint. which is due for release December 15. This body of work will be literally epic having already spawned singles 'Pills N Potions,' 'Anaconda,' and 'Only' featuring Drake, Lil Wayne, and Chris Brown. The symbolic album artwork which Nicki says is 'The key to her heart..' was actually designed by Kanye West’s creative team DONDA, who have also designed artwork for Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz. Catch Nicki Minaj at this years MTV EMA in Glasgow, Scotland on November 9, this coming Sunday.
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Home ENTERTAINMENT BTS Makes American TV Performance Debut at the AMAs
BTS Makes American TV Performance Debut at the AMAs
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K-pop boy group BTS made another big step towards the global music scene. On November 19, the group has made their American TV performance debut through the American Music Awards.
The ceremony was broadcasted nationwide on ABC, featuring top global artists like Diana Ross, Christina Aguilera, and Selena Gomez. Among 20 artists and groups, BTS was the only Asian performers.
On the stage, the Korean boy group performed “DNA,” which was the title number of their album released in September. The album “Love Yourself: Her” previously has brought the group in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 album chart.
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A recombinant Bacille Calmette-Guerin construct expressing the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein enhances dendritic cell activation and primes for circumsporozoite-specific memory cells in BALB/c mice
Arama, Charles
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Immunology.
Waseem, Shahid
Fernández, Carmen
Assefaw-Redda, Yohannes
You, Liya
Rodriguez, Ariane
Radošević, Katarina
Goudsmit, Jaap
Kaufmann, Stefan H E
Reece, Stephen T
Troye-Blomberg, Marita
Show others and affiliations
2012 (English)In: Vaccine, ISSN 0264-410X, E-ISSN 1873-2518, Vol. 30, no 37, p. 5578-5584Article in journal (Refereed) Published
A protective malaria vaccine may induce both high levels of neutralising antibodies and strong T-cell responses. The Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSp) is a leading pre-erythrocytic vaccine candidate. CSp is a week immunogen per se, but Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has excellent adjuvant activity and has been utilized as a vector to deliver heterologous vaccine candidate antigens. It is safe in immunocompetent individuals and inexpensive to produce. We assessed in vitro and in vivo a recombinant BCG-expressing CSp (BCG-CS) as malaria vaccine candidate. Immunisation of BALB/c mice with BCG-CS augmented numbers of dendritic cells (DCs) in draining lymph nodes and in the spleen. The activation markers MHC-class-II, CD40, CD80 and CD86 on DCs were significantly upregulated by BCG-CS as compared to wild-type BCG (wt-BCG). In vitro stimulation of bone marrow-derived DCs and macrophages with BCG-CS induced IL-12 and TNF-α production. BCG-CS induced higher phagocytic activity in macrophages as compared to wt-BCG. Immunogenicity studies show that BCG-CS induced CS-specific antibodies and IFN-γ-producing memory cells. In conclusion, BCG-CS is highly efficient in activating antigen-presenting cells (APCs) for priming of adaptive immunity. Implications for the rational design of novel vaccines against malaria and TB, the two major devastating poverty-related diseases, are discussed.
Elsevier, 2012. Vol. 30, no 37, p. 5578-5584
URN: urn:nbn:se:su:diva-65640DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2011.09.054ISI: 000307697800022PubMedID: 21983157OAI: oai:DiVA.org:su-65640DiVA, id: diva2:464327
In thesis
1. Novel immunization strategies and interethnic differences in response to malaria infection
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Novel immunization strategies and interethnic differences in response to malaria infection
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, The Wenner-Gren Institute .
2012 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
A better understanding of the role of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in host resistance to malaria is essential to unravel the complex interactions between the host and the parasite. This would improve the design of malaria vaccines.
Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has been utilized as a vector to deliver vaccine candidate antigens. We assessed the immunogenicity of a recombinant BCG-expressing (BCG-CS) circumsporozoite protein (CSp) as a malaria vaccine candidate. Immunization of BALB/c mice with BCG-CS augmented the numbers of dendritic cells (DCs) in draining lymph nodes and in the spleen. The activation markers MHC-class-II, CD40, CD80, and CD86 on DCs were significantly upregulated by BCG-CS as compared to wild-type BCG (wt-BCG). In vitro stimulation of bone marrow-derived DCs and macrophages with BCG-CS induced IL-12 and TNF-α production. BCG-CS induced higher phagocytic activity in macrophages as compared to wt-BCG. Finally, BCG-CS induced CSp-specific antibodies and IFN-γ-producing memory cells. Taken together, we found that BCG-CS is highly efficient in activating innate immune responses and could effectively prime the adaptive immune system.
Heterologous prime–boost approaches using vectors are optimal strategies to improve a broad and prolonged immunogenicity of malaria vaccines. We have demonstrated in BALB/c mice that priming with a replication-defective human adenovirus serotype 35 (Ad35) vector encoding CSp (Ad35-CS), followed by boosting with BCG-CS, maintained antibody responses and significantly increased levels of long-lived plasma cells (LLPC) and IFN-g-producing cells in response to CSp peptides. The increased number of IFN-g-producing cells induced by the combination of Ad35-CS/BCG-CS and the sustained type 1 antibody profile, together with high levels of LLPCs, may be essential for the development of long-term protective immunity against liver-stage parasites.
Fulani and Dogon, two sympatric ethnic groups living in northeastern Mali, are characterized by a marked difference in the susceptibility to P. falciparum malaria. We investigated whether APCs obtained from Fulani and Dogon children exhibited differences in terms of activation status and toll-like receptor (TLR) responses during malaria infection. We observed decreased activation of APCs and markedly suppressed TLR responses in Dogon children as compared to Fulani. These findings suggest that APCs and TLR signaling may be of importance for the protective immunity against malaria observed in the Fulani.
In conclusion, this thesis provides new insights that could facilitate a rational design of novel vaccines against malaria. Furthermore, the results elicit some immunological bases of the APC activation underlying the differences in host susceptibility to malaria infections.
Stockholm: The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, 2012. p. 93
Malaria, Immunization, Ethnic groups, vaccines
Research subject
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-72288 (URN)978-91-7447-450-3 (ISBN)
Public defence
2012-03-15, Nordenskiöldsalen, Geovetenskapens hus, Svante Arrhenius väg 12, Stockholm, 10:00 (English)
Matuschewski, Kai
Parasitologie Max-Plank-Institut für Infectionsbiologie, Berlin Germany. .
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, The Wenner-Gren Institute , Immunology.
At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 1: In Press. Paper 2: Manuscript.Available from: 2012-02-22 Created: 2012-02-06 Last updated: 2012-02-08Bibliographically approved
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Arama, CharlesTroye-Blomberg, Marita
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Maleny showgirl gets by with a little help from her friends
Learning early how to become self-sufficient farmers thanks to the Small Farmers Tent (picture courtesy of the Maleny Show Society).
Despite moving from the Sunshine Coast to Toowoomba and then Charleville in western Queensland two years ago, Jess Wild is still a Maleny showgirl at heart.
Her ongoing efforts to support the popular annual event were recognised at this year's Queensland Show Awards where she won the inaugural award for outstanding contribution by an individual for the Small Farmers Tent program.
The department is pleased to have played its part in the program's continued success with a contribution of $11,262 to the Maleny Show Society under its Show Societies Grant Program.
The funding has been used to purchase an all-weather marquee, provide professional sound and audio assistance and to build safe and sanitary shelters for the animals on display.
Mother-of-two Jess was instrumental in helping to set up the Small Farmers Tent two years ago to help showgoers, especially children, learn how to become a backyard farmer.
With a background in the hospitality industry and a 70-year family association with the Maleny Show, Jess saw an opportunity for farmers and local suppliers to provide information and hands-on demonstrations celebrating how to 'farm it, grow it, raise it, cook it, make it and show it.'
With the increasing popularity of the Small Farmers Tent, showgoers can learn about everything from milk production involving camels, goats, buffalos and cows to poultry and eggs, beekeeping, orcharding, cheesemaking and how to raise sheep and pigs.
A highlight of the children's activities includes interacting with local children who build and sell chicken coops, breed prize-winning chickens and provide DIY seedlings to take home.
As dedicated as ever to the show, you can meet Jess and visit the Small Farmers Tent at the Maleny Show which is held at the end of May each year.
Getting some hands-on experience and help from farmers and local suppliers at the Small Farmers Tent (picture courtesy of the Maleny Show Society).
Last updated on 04 August 2016
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polar bear, Ursus maritimus, sow with cubs swim and play in the water and pack ice, 1002 coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska polar bear, bear, white bear, nanook, sow, mother, cub, baby, babies, marine mammal, animal, wildlife, fauna, predator, carnivore, 1002, coastal plain, area, arctic national wildlife refuge, anwr, national wildlife refuge, nwr, arctic Alaska, alaska, ak, north america, arctic, snow, pack ice, water, swimming, swim, drown, drowning, playing, threatened, global warming, horizontal, galleryone, © Copyright Steven J Kazlowski & Left Eye Productions. Images included in this database are protected under national and international copyright laws. Images may be used for comping purposes only and remain the property of Steven J Kazlowski and Left Eye Productions until authorised for use by purchase. Terms and conditions may apply.
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polar bears, Ursus maritimus, playing around on the pack ice, 1002 coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska polar bear, bear, white bear, nanook, cub, baby, babies, marine mammal, animal, wildlife, fauna, predator, carnivore, 1002, coastal plain, area, arctic national wildlife refuge, anwr, national wildlife refuge, nwr, arctic coast, arctic alaska, alaska, ak, north america, arctic, snow, fighting, rolling, pack ice, playing, standing: threatened, global warming, horizontal, galleryone, © Copyright Steven J Kazlowski & Left Eye Productions. Images included in this database are protected under national and international copyright laws. Images may be used for comping purposes only and remain the property of Steven J Kazlowski and Left Eye Productions until authorised for use by purchase. Terms and conditions may apply.
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Champions League Final 2019
Thread: Champions League Final 2019
June 1st, 2019, 06:12 PM #21
South Richmond Hill11419
Re: Champions League Final 2019
yeah that was joyful, now i feeel like this is the best incentive to go on a massive run to win trophies the decade. im all in folks
lets do this every year
Klopp: We have to deliver results, we have to deliver success, we have to deliver emotions, we have to deliver memories
June 2nd, 2019, 09:01 PM #22
Hill Country, Texas
Whew, finally posting as I followed my discipline of never posting before/during a huge match. Also didn't watch live, went to work, pledged family and friends to silence and checked the final score at the end. My daughter informed me at the start of the match that my new granddaughter (4 months) had declared herself a Liverpool supporter (to the consternation of her Spurs supporting father) and was cheering the boys on.
What a great achievement. Remembering the crazy post-match posts by Uncle Spike and others here 14 years ago. Every supporter, please fully appreciate (as I'm sure most do) how special it is to have your club win this competition six times. Really, really amazing. Have watched the first half, will watch the second half tonight and can only repeat what others have said about Klopp, Alisson, VvD, Henderson, Salah, Origi, etc.
But what a strange three weeks. The nature and the magnitude of the latest Anfield Miracle over Messi, Suarez, Coutinho and Barca made it impossible for me to avoid the sense that we had already played our final and the last game against either Spurs or Ajax was going to be a banana skin or a formality. Disconcerting, these games coming after historic performances that we're "supposed" to win. That the game didn't begin to live up to the quality and drama of the semi was hardly a surprise especially given the very early first goal.
Six times. Sing the song.
"A football team is like a piano. You need eight men to carry it and three who can play the damn thing."
- Bill Shankly
June 3rd, 2019, 08:38 AM #23
Kop Legend
Through the luck of the general lottery ballot and some agile travel planning, I've been able to tick the bucket list 'Watch Liverpool win a European Cup' item off my list. Atmosphere in Madrid was fantastic, as you might expect, though i think i saw more 'half-and-half' shirts then Spurs shirts outside the stadium. Overall it was a very pleasant and non-aggressive atmosphere in the city.
The game wasn't a classic and I don't have a recollection of too much outside the penalty, Divock's goal and the 10-minute spate of fairly tame efforts in the second half from Spurs. We looked more dangerous in the final third, our defense was super solid and generally felt like we were never going to lose that game. I stayed after quite a bit to wallow in the glory, including giving a lift up to a Scouser, who wanted to bang on the BT Sport window and disrupt Rio's train of thought.
Made up for the team and everyone associated with the club. Can't wait to hear the 'Let's talk about six, baby' chant next season!
"It's cool."
- Jurgen Klopp
June 3rd, 2019, 08:23 PM #24
Anfield Sub
Portland/Seattle/D.C.
Originally Posted by Big Dave
I stayed after quite a bit to wallow in the glory, including giving a lift up to a Scouser, who wanted to bang on the BT Sport window and disrupt Rio's train of thought.
Was that you making that banging noise? (6:45 into the video)
(And pay no attention to what those guys said about whether it was a penalty or not. It was a penalty.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-fM-ogg060
RobR
Originally Posted by olt
If you hold your arm out at that angle with your palm facing the crosser and your fingers outspread - it's a penalty.
If you hold your arm out at that angle with your finger pointing to section 312 Row Z - it's inadvertent and desperately harsh because as Sergio Ramos always says "Football players never cheat."
‘How many mistakes are you allowed?’ Klopp asked the fourth official. ‘Because if it’s 15, you’ve got one left.’
Nope, but I was providing the lift up to the Scouser that was! My claim to fame!
Originally Posted by RobR
Can't wait to see next season when all the defenders will be doing a chicken dance while defending in their own penalty box so as to block the ball legally.
June 5th, 2019, 02:09 PM #29
Perhaps the hard work for Liverpool’s 6th title was done in the second leg of the semi final against Barcelona. In much the same way with Spurs’ second leg against Ajax. The 3 week wait suited neither team, but what shone through like a klieg light was the depth and superiority of Liverpool.
In many ways the early (very early) goal for Liverpool pretty much ruined this game as a spectacle for those who were hoping for another second leg semifinal. Klopp’s Liverpool side are very adept now at playing the game in whatever style befits the scoreline. 3-0 down against Barcelona? Strap in, it’s going to be a bumpy ride with all the thrills and spills of a rollercoaster at 3rd base camp on Everest. 1-0 against Spurs after 2 minutes in a must win 90 minute final? Get out your cocaine and coffee, you’re going to have trouble staying awake for this one.
I hadn’t appreciated the depth and variety of Liverpool’s game until I rewatched this final. It’s not that they weren’t interested in scoring again after Salah’s penalty; they were more interested in holding Spurs off and attacking only when all the stars were precisely and exactly aligned. They were not about to leave the back exposed, looking for a second goal that might not come. They trusted themselves to manage the game 1 goal up from 2 minutes in. As anyone with even a passing interest in the game knows, defending a 1 goal lead (or even a 2 goal lead) can often be a foolhardy pursuit as all it takes is one odd bounce, one missed offside, one dive in the area and the jig is up. But what was impressive (for the purist) was the way Liverpool went about their task of defending that lead.
Firstly, it neutralized our most obvious and potent weapon - the fullbacks. Spurs did try to get in behind TAA on a few occasions and went so far as to line up like a rugby team at the start of the second half, with 3-4 players over on TAA’s side waiting to rush forward. They did succeed now and again of getting behind TAA, but that threat was blunted by the excellent play of VVD and Matip. Sometimes even Henderson and often Fabinho. But the other truth of the game becomes more apparent here. Spurs did not have the weapons to attack cleverly or in force. Too many of their players went missing on the big day. Kane, Son, Alli, Eriksen all seemed to be overcome by the occasion. And I suppose it’s here I should address H. Kane.
Did he big dog his way into the team? Did he make it such that Pochettino’s hands were tied? Regardless, his impact on the game was negligible and it was a very easy day at the office for VVD, Matip and Fabinho. Compare him to another unfit forward, Firmino. He contributed very little in the first half and Klopp pulled him early in the second. As Pochettino should have done with Kane. What makes things more headscratching is that Winks, a player who was actually contributing in midfield, injury notwithstanding, was taken off. Wrong Harry, Poch.
Last year, I bemoaned that, the Salah incident aside, Milner chose the worst possible time to have his worst game of the season. In the same way this year, I would think Spurs cognoscenti were unhappy that Alli, Eriksen and especially Son “chose” the worst possible time to fluff their lines and get the basics wrong. Of course there was the not so insignificant matter of Fabinho who I swear gets better and better with each game.
Sitting in front of the back 4, he was imperious all night. It’s a football truism that to win a title you must have a strong spine - keeper, center half, forward with a decent midfield. In Fabinho, Liverpool have a player who, in a year or two, could very well be the best defensive midfielder in the world. He kept Son and Alli quiet most of the night and his distribution is well above par, as is Matip’s, by the way. But with Fabinho sitting in front of VVD and Matip, you almost felt sorry for a Spurs attack trying to break that down. Which is all the more reason Pochettino needed to be more harsh and definitive with Kane. On a good day, fully fit, Fabinho, VVD and Matip was a large ask. Huffing and trying to squeeze oxygen from a humid night, Kane was a spent force for pretty much most of the second half and large periods of the first.
When Spurs did get clogged up down the center, they switched it to the wings. But once again, they were thwarted by 2 fullbacks in their prime, having the seasons of their lives. Yes, TAA is not as defensively sound as Robertson, but he’s far from an easy mark. And as neither were as adventurous as they were against Barcelona, Spurs’ problem was that they kept running into blind alleys. Was it until the 70th something minute before they had a shot on goal?
Not all were swimmingly well in the Liverpool camp however. Firmino was patently not match fit and probably should have seen the bench at halftime. I suspect Klopp told him (or said to his coaches, he gets 10-15 minutes). Origi was the replacement. And well, we kinda know what happened there. He does take up different positions to Firmino, so it’s unlikely Firmino would have been ready to receive Matip’s pass. Equally, Bobby might have pulled some magic from his hat had he stayed on, but it wasn’t looking likely. Wijnaldum was a bit of a mystery as to why he was so ineffective. Some kudos must be given to Spurs here as they did keep him defensive rather than attacking, but even still, all players can have an off night. I would have thought it was 51/49 between him and Milner to start and when Milner did come on, he fitted in very well with the tight, controlled game Liverpool were playing. Messi called him “burro” during the semi which is Spanish argot for a not talented player, an enforcer who kicks. Milner is a lot more than that, but at the same time, he was happy to let Kane and Moura know he was around. And again, this shows what a difference a year makes. Bringing on James Milner to shore up your midfield, to calm things down, to be the wise old head? Not an option in last year’s final.
Mané had a better game than Salah in that he annoyed Spurs more and was more dangerous. Too often Salah disappeared down blind alleys, and his hold up play wasn’t great. But when you have Mané and Salah (and later Origi) as the recipients of your out balls, you’ll always keep Spurs honest. And that’s why, largely, we never or rarely saw a Liverpool break away or 3-2 counter. Spurs were just too afraid to commit forward lest they lose the second goal. And even Spurs knew that whatever chance they had in clawing back an equalizer, they were never scoring 2 on the night.
So Liverpool sat back and said to Spurs, “we’re 1 up, you have to score to stay alive, whatcha got?” Not an awful lot as it turned out. And that’s what makes this Liverpool side so good and so dangerous. They can play balls out to the wall to beat Barcelona 4-0 at home, or dour, dank, grind ‘em out 1-0 wins that few will remember except they are finals. Most definitely, not an advert for football, except to the insider, but whose name is on the trophy? For those who can remember that far back, our second European Cup, 1-0 over Bruges in Wembley was not a classic. Still counts, mind you.
In closing, Alisson, Henderson and Klopp. I believe VVD got the MOTM which was not a bad shout. Giving it to Alisson would have been equally as fine. He had a very good game and didn’t put a foot wrong all night. He exuded confidence which radiated forward. When called upon he was there with the saves and his concentration never wavered. A superb keeper’s performance.
O Captain, my Captain. The old journalism aphorism kinda applies here. When a player is committed but perhaps not the most talented, they'll often be described as, “covering every blade of grass”. What they lack in inspiration they make up for with perspiration. Yes, Henderson with the perspiration, but his reading of the game in Madrid was superb. He was the metronome, joining the attack as the extra forward, racing back as the extra defender. Slowing things down. He played better, I thought when Milner came on, but overall was the epitome of the Captain all night.
And finally, Juergen. He and his backroom team got it right. They had a game plan, they stifled Spurs and at all times he seemed in control. Yes, the passing was not what it should have been and I’m sure he’d have preferred to see Liverpool attack more, but he got the game plan right and counteracted Spurs at every move. Well researched, well rehearsed, a team playing several different types of football. There’s a lot more to come there.
A team effort that was all about winning; more about stifling Spurs than scoring 3 or 4, this was not a game for those who wanted to be Barca or Bayern entertained. This was cold Tuesday night in Stoke football which is rarely attractive though nearly always effective. 2-0 over a decent but not outstanding Spurs side for #6? I’ll take that all season long.
June 22nd, 2019, 07:10 PM #30
Socratease
Just brilliant.
Quick Navigation Liverpool Football Club Top
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Prayers of Forges and Furnaces
Published in Sep. 2014 (Issue 52) | 7742 words
© 2012 by Aliette de Bodard. Originally published in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF STEAMPUNK, edited by Sean Wallace. Reprinted by permission of the author.
The stranger came at dawn, walking out of the barren land like a mirage—gradually shimmering into existence beside the bronze line of the rails: a wide-brimmed hat, a long cloak, the glint that might have been a rifle or an obsidian-studded sword.
Xochipil, who had been scavenging for tech at the mouth of Mictlan’s Well, caught that glint in her eyes—and stopped, watching the stranger approach, a growing hollow in her stomach. Beneath her were the vibrations of the Well, like a calm, steady heartbeat running through the ground: the voice of the rails that coiled around the shaft of the Well, bearing their burden of copper and bronze ever downwards.
The stranger stopped when he came up to her. They stared wordlessly at each other. He was tall, a good two heads taller than Xochipil; he held himself straight, like an axle or a rod that wouldn’t break. The glint wasn’t a sword or a rifle, after all—but simply that of a dozen obsidian amulets, spread equally around his belt, shining with a cold, black light that wasn’t copper or bronze or steel, but something far more ancient, from the old, cruel days before the Change.
Xochipil’s heart contracted. Perhaps it wasn’t too late to run away. But he’d catch up with her easily, with those big legs of his. She’d never been a fast runner, not with her right leg trailing behind her, permanently out of shape. Before the Change, cripples such as her would have been killed: sacrificed to the old gods to bring the harvest or the sunlight.
The stranger’s eyes rested on her leg, but showed no change of expression. “This would be Mictlan’s Well?”
Xochipil, not trusting her voice, nodded.
“I see.” The stranger’s eyes were brown, almost without pupils. “My name is Tezoca. I’m told there is an inn here, for travellers?”
Xochipil nodded again. She stared at him, trying to decide what he was; but he didn’t appear fazed by her appearance, or aggressive. “But you need a travel licence. Or the will to serve the community and bind yourself to the workers, in this age and the next and the next,” she said. The words of the Well’s oath of loyalty came irrepressibly out of her mouth.
The words fell in the silence between both of them. Under her feet, the earth was quiescent, as if the rails themselves waited for Tezoca’s answer.
“I see.” He smiled; his teeth were dark, stained with soot, or coal-dust. “I see. What makes you think I don’t have a permit, little one?”
“Don’t call me ‘little one,’” Xochipil snapped, annoyed that he’d used the same condescending name for her as the townspeople did. “My name is Xochipil.”
Tezoca spread his hands. “My apologies. What makes you think I don’t have a travel permit, Xochipil?”
Wordlessly, she pointed at the dangling amulets on his belt.
“This?” he asked, lifting one of them. In the rising sunlight, it shone as red as blood—and it wasn’t an amulet after all, she saw, but a shard with a sharp edge, barely reworked to make it seem innocuous. In its depths was an odd, cold light, a beat quite unlike the voice of the rails, speaking of a forgotten time, of altars slick with blood and the smoke of incense rising against the pristine blue of the skies, above a city that wasn’t steel and bronze, but simple adobe . . .
A hot, sharp pain burst across her cheek; startled, she realized Tezoca had just struck her. Warmth spread from the blow, to her face, to her bones. It wasn’t an unfamiliar feeling—Uncle Atl had been fond of calling her to order when she failed to be grateful for anything—but it was the first time a complete stranger had struck her, at all. And he wasn’t getting away with none of it, never mind that he was taller or bigger than her.
“Apologies,” Tezoca said, his gaze still on her, as if he could read her thoughts. “I had to tear you away from that.” He didn’t sound angry, or sad—just thoughtful, and perhaps a little proud, though she wasn’t sure why.
That didn’t do anything to lessen the pain. “From what?” Xochipil asked, defiantly.
He’d lowered his hands, and was now busy tucking all the shards into the folds of his cloak—hiding them from view. “I scavenged them from the desert,” he said. “They’re broken, and broken things are often more dangerous than when they’re whole.”
“I don’t understand,” Xochipil said.
“You don’t need to, believe me.” Tezoca gazed behind her, at the depths of the Well—the thrum of the steam-cars, the hubbub of workers jostling each other on the footpaths, the slow, inevitable beat coursing along the rails and resonating through the earth.
“Have they reached the bottom?” he asked.
Down, down, went the rails, vanishing into the depths of the shaft—linking Mictlan’s Well to the distant capital, and the god-machine ensconced in its palace.
“Two days ago,” Xochipil said. It had been the talk of the Well.
Tezoca smiled. “I thought so,” he said. “I felt it.”
She’d felt it, too—the deeper resonance in the rails, the richer beat that coursed along their bronze rods. Whatever it was that the god-machine was looking for, it had found it. “You’re an engineer, then?”
“No, not quite,” Tezoca said. He looked at her again, thoughtfully. “Tell me, Xochipil . . . if I wanted to stay somewhere that’s not the inn, where would I go?”
“So you don’t have a travel permit,” she said, with a touch of satisfaction.
“Of course not,” Tezoca replied, airily.
“And why would I help you?” she asked carefully. “The penalties for aiding fugitives aren’t light.”
Tezoca smiled. “I’m not a fugitive. And I could offer you money, but I doubt that’s what you really want, is it? Very well.” He pulled out one of the obsidian shards, and rubbed it absentmindedly. “Do you like the god-machine, Xochipil?”
Even the question was sacrilege—her hands reached out, sketched the Sign of the Sacred Cog, to ward against the wrath of the machine. “What kind of question is that?” she asked.
Tezoca hadn’t moved. “Humour me.”
“Do I like the god-machine? Why would I have to? It sees everything and punishes everything. It is, was, and will ever be, throughout the ages of the world.”
“It wasn’t always,” Tezoca said, very softly.
Xochipil glanced around, suddenly frightened. A fugitive was one thing; a heretic quite another. The townspeople tolerated her, but this would be going too far. “The Change was so long ago we don’t remember it,” she said. “What does it change, if the machine wasn’t always?”
“Things that are born can die,” Tezoca said, with a quick nod of his head. “Let me ask you the question again. Do you like the engineers, the technicians, the soldiers? Do they treat you well?”
Xochipil shook her head—once, twice. What right had he, to come here in the midst of her life, and question everything? “You know what the leg would have meant, before the Change. I have a life, under the god-machine.”
“So do caged birds. Answer the question.”
“Machine break you,” she whispered. “You know the answer, don’t you?” That she was lame, and thus had no place on any of the work crews; that she’d survived on the “kindness” of relatives until they grew bored and left her to fend for herself; that she scavenged for broken tech at the edge of the Well, the small, useless artefacts that passing steam-cars thoughtlessly discarded—and sold them, day after day, barely eking out her living.
“Perhaps I do know the answer. But I’d want it from your own mouth.”
“No,” she said, low and savage, the word out of her lips before she could take it back. She waited for him to laugh, to throw back his cloak and reveal himself as a servant of the machine, to take her away for heresy. But he did nothing. He merely watched her.
At length Tezoca nodded. “You have a fiery heart,” he said, his hand rubbing the shard, again and again, as if he could wear it down to nothing.
“And you’re a madman.”
Tezoca smiled. “That’s often been said. But you haven’t answered my question.”
The earlier one, the one about lodgings and food. Still shaking inwardly—remembering the shock of his question, the shock of her answer—that she, Xochipil, the daughter of workers, should question the god-machine, that she should imply she’d gladly see it stop functioning . . .
She shook her head angrily. Why not, after all? It had never been much of a life. “I have a room. It’s not much—upper levels, not much surface—but it could stretch to two people.”
Again, that quick smile of his, daring and reckless, revealing the darkness of his teeth. “That will do nicely, I think.”
Luckily, they didn’t have to go far: Xochipil’s assigned room was one of the dingiest ones, just under the mouth of the Well. The best rooms were near the bottom, as close as possible to the edge of the rails and the source of the endless thrumming. That was where the supervisors lived; and the governor, and all his staff of master engineers and elite soldiers.
She left Tezoca there to unfold his belongings in the cramped room, its wrought ceiling so low he had to bend to stand under it, its shelves covered in scraps of metal and empty vials in addition to her clothes and tools.
She had no doubt he’d wander around, but she had other things to do: It was almost time for the noon pause, and Malli would be ready to do business. Hastily wrapping some of her better findings in her bag, she hurried onto the filigreed walkway that led back to the main path—and then down along the footpaths.
Above and below her pulsed the rails, plunging into the dizzying darkness below the surface. Steam-cars loaded with tools and bags of excavated soil slid past, with a whine like air through a cut throat. Further down were the subsidiaries of the machine scooping out the earth, and the men and women toiling to lay down the bronze rods for the new rails.
A faint light oozed from the bottom of the shaft—a shimmering, pulsing radiance that was achingly comforting—and the beat of the rails was stronger, richer, echoing in her lame leg and in her chest, squeezing around her heart until it seemed to be one with her.
She wondered what they’d found, down there; what Tezoca was really looking for.
She found Malli on the twenty-fifth level, sitting a little apart from her work cadre. The rotund woman barely raised her eyes when Xochipil slid next to her, onto the warm metal of the bench. “What have you got?” she asked, without preamble.
Xochipil unpacked her things, laid them out on her knees. Malli scrutinised them for a while. Xochipil tensed, expecting the usual session of bargaining, but Malli merely pointed to two of the less broken artefacts, a filigreed hummingbird and a rusty cog.
“Those two. Three tlazos.”
Xochipil, surprised, pocketed the money without showing what she felt. Malli wrapped the artefacts in her own shirt, finished her crushed maize and amaranth, and got up. “Do you have urgent business?” Xochipil asked.
Malli tossed her head disdainfully. “There’s a hierarch there, Xochipil. From the god-machine itself.” Her eyes shone with excitement; and clearly she wouldn’t understand why Xochipil didn’t rejoice.
Mictlan’s Well was not so big or so important to warrant regular visits from the capital. “What does he want?” Xochipil asked. She thought, with a sinking in her stomach, of Tezoca methodically unpacking his things in her room. But a hierarch wouldn’t visit that high: They’d be lodging with the governor’s staff at the bottom, near the heart of the Well.
“Are you daft?” Malli asked. “We’ve reached the bottom, girl! Of course he’d want to see what’s there.”
“You too?” Xochipil asked.
Malli looked at Xochipil as if she’d just offered to worship the old gods. “He’s a hierarch! Of course he’s holding a grand procession, and a remembering.”
And of course, everyone would want to attend it, to be touched by the god-machine’s essence—to feel the unending communion with the rest of the Commonwealth: with the network of towns and mines and wells connected by the beat of the rails and the whine of steam-cars, and with the thousand cadres of workers toiling away in the bowels of the machine’s subsidiaries, ceaselessly raising bronze and copper and chrome to its undying glory.
Xochipil realized with a shock that Malli was waiting for her—caring little about her outcast status—and there was no way she could refuse, not without both vexing Malli and raising suspicions she couldn’t afford to raise.
“All right,” she said. “Let’s go.”
Xochipil had never been to the lower floors, but somehow she wasn’t surprised to find them made of chrome and steel: white and shining in the harsh light from sunspheres, still thrumming with the beat of the rails, an echo so strong it was almost paralyzing.
She kept her head high, ignoring the odd looks the various work crews threw at her—a cripple, here in the centre of the Well, an unthinkable thing if ever there was one—and walked slightly behind Malli, unwilling to draw closer. Malli herself hadn’t shown any desire for friendship; just a wish for her to join with the god-machine.
They were almost at the bottom of the Well now. The reverberation shook Xochipil’s bones and her muscles, echoed in her ribcage like a second heartbeat. They wouldn’t be going all the way down, though: Xochipil was sure that the hierarch wouldn’t show the workers what lay on the last floor. It was the supervisors who had dug the last pit, and the governor himself who had broken the last seal and connected the last rails.
On the vast platform that filled most of the shaft at the Eightieth Level, a dizzying array of cadres had gathered. Every one of them wore their own colours and badges of allegiance, a dizzying sea of drab cotton and maguey-fibre clothes. The platform near the centre held a steel altar with the Sacred Symbols: the Cog, the Chain, the Bolt, the Wires, and the Vial.
On the platform stood the hierarch.
He was alone: a tall, unprepossessing silhouette in flowing robes of stark whiteness, bearing a symbol Xochipil couldn’t make out. But even standing away from the platform, even wedged between the resentful members of Malli’s cadre on the narrow footpath, she could feel the strength of his presence, the aura that somehow was the pulsing of every city of the Commonwealth—and the mind of the god-machine, straining towards the bottom of the Well, extending itself along the length of the rails to be with them in this moment of great glory.
The hierarch raised his head, and silence spread across the cavern. His skin was gleaming copper—and his hands extended towards them all, the hands of the god-machine, which was, had been, and would be, forever and ever in this age of the world and the next and the next.
“Behold,” the hierarch whispered, a single word that echoed against the walls of the shaft, quivering in the rails themselves, twisting in Xochipil’s chest until her heart ached with need. “The Age of Wonders has come. Let the old gods remain dead, let the altars be of pristine steel, let the blood and the breath remain in our bodies . . .” A litany, whispered over and over—and abruptly Xochipil realized the rumble was the sound of thousands of voices joining it—of her own voice, raised in praise of the god-machine and the Commonwealth, but she couldn’t stop, she was as much a part of it as Malli, as the hierarch . . .
“Let the sun remain silent, let our prayers be made with forges and furnaces, let the blood and the breath remain in our bodies . . .”
The words were said, over and over, thousands of voices filling the Well to bursting—and even the memory of Tezoca was very far away, words that made no sense, for how could he ever hope to challenge such power as this—how could he put an end to what was, would be and had ever been?
“Let the pyramids remain broken, let our labour be our worship, let the blood and the breath remain in our bodies . . .”
Pyramids. Tezoca had said—
Abruptly, her mind torn from the communion, she saw Tezoca. He was standing on the edge of the crowd on one of the neighbouring footpaths, dressed in the colours of the Fifty-Fourth Hummingbird Cadre. He held a dark-skinned woman in his embrace, kissing her lips, her forehead, her earlobes—and the voice of the god-machine was receding in the distance, replaced by Tezoca’s mocking words.
It wasn’t always. Things that are born can die.
Tezoca raised his gaze to Xochipil, pulling away from the woman; and in the split moment before he did, she saw, very clearly, the blood still clinging to his lips, the blood still flowing from the woman’s earlobes, wounds that sealed themselves even as she watched.
Blood. He’d been . . . drinking blood, and using it to work against the machine’s communion. But only one kind of being had ever fed on blood, and only one kind of being had ever drawn power from it.
The old gods—who were all dead, bested by the machine, their remains scattered over the desert like ashes.
When she came back to her room, exhausted from the strain of the communion, she found Tezoca already there. He had made himself at home, as neatly as a soldier on the move: He’d managed to unfold his things in a small patch of free space amidst the clutter on the ground, and he’d wedged his lanky body between the cooking-stove and the pallet. Even cramped as he was, he looked ludicrously at ease.
“It’s an interesting town,” he said. His face was expressionless; his lips thin, the colour of bronze—no blood anywhere, not anymore.
But Xochipil was too tired and too frightened to pretend she hadn’t seen anything. “What in the machine’s name are you?” she asked. “What game do you think you’re playing?”
Tezoca’s face did not move. “You can’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Not—” of what you were, she wanted to say, but the words wouldn’t come out of her mouth. She tried again, but the enormity of what she was about to say dwarfed her. “You’re dead,” she whispered finally, because it was the only thing that her mind could hold onto—hoping he would deny it, that he would laugh at what she suggested. “All the old gods are dead.”
“Some things,” Tezoca said darkly, “are hard to kill.”
“The machine?” she asked, because it was the only thing that came into her mind. A god, she was standing there facing a god . . .
“That too.” For once, he didn’t look amused. He unfolded himself, gradually, standing bent under the ceiling, his hair almost tangling with the iron filigrees. His eyes held her, quiet, thoughtful; and in their depths she saw the blue of the sky, smelled the reek of copal incense rising into the heavens, and the rankness of blood pooling down the altar grooves, watering the earth, mingling with the rivers and with the lakes.
It would have been her, in the old days: her they held onto the altar, her they split open with obsidian blades, her heart they held aloft to the glory of the sun or of the rain. Her blood. He’d have drunk it all, as he’d drunk the blood of the woman—and with no more pity than he had shown her.
Something, long kept at bay, finally snapped. “How dare you—how dare you come here, how dare you work your foul magic and your blood sacrifices in full sight of the hierarch? How dare you—” She quelled the shaking of her hands, and went on, “Do you have any idea of what they do to those they catch still practising the old rites?”
“I guess it doesn’t happen very often.”
“We still remember the last one. They can make the dismantling last for days.” She couldn’t suppress a shiver, remembering the screams that had rent the Well from top to bottom, drowning even the beat of the rails.
“Well,” Tezoca said lightly, “that won’t happen here.”
“How can you be so sure?” Hadn’t he seen the god-machine, hadn’t he felt the communion? Even with his blood-magic, all he had done was tear one mind, for a small time. That was pitifully slight.
His voice was light, arrogant. “The histories are right: I’m cruel, and twisted, and vicious. But I take care of my own.”
“Your own?” So much like one of the old gods, to see the world in terms of ownership, and to take everything for themselves. The histories were right.
Tezoca pulled out one of the obsidian shards, stared at it for a while. “You’ve forgotten, haven’t you? What a sacrifice truly was. You don’t remember anything.”
“I remember enough.” Bodies tumbling down the altars, so many hearts that they rotted in the sacred vessels, so much blood that the grooves overflowed, skins, casually flayed and worn like costumes—and the old gods, laughing at them from the heavens, seeing nothing in mankind but veins and arteries, nothing but beating hearts, waiting to be gobbled whole . . .
Why had she ever thought it was a good idea to welcome him into her room? Why had she believed he’d make her life better? The days he’d bring back weren’t days she could desire, not under any age of the world.
“Get out,” she said, fighting not to strike him across the face. “Get out of this room now, and don’t come back.”
Anger leapt into Tezoca’s eyes. She expected him to strike her again, or worse, to do to her what he’d done to the woman—but he did none of that. Simply stood, tall, unmoving, waiting for her fury to spend itself.
When it did, and she still hadn’t said another word, Tezoca said, “Very well.” And he picked up his things, one by one, and left.
She watched him go, her heart more at ease than it had been for a long, long while.
Xochipil woke up the following morning and instantly knew that something was wrong. The beat of the rails was so strong it was shaking her room, making the tech on the shelves ring against each other—the deep, resonant sound of glass against copper, of bronze against crystal—and the fundamental wrongness at the heart of the Well, so strong it was splitting her apart.
“Attend,” a voice said, resonating within the confines of her room. The hierarch’s voice, as deep and far-reaching as it had been on the previous day. “Workers of Mictlan’s Well. There has been a violation of the Commonwealth. Stand on your thresholds and wait for the inspection.”
A violation? Tezoca. Machine break him, what had he done? What had he done to set the Well afire in such a way?
Time to see later. Right now, what she needed to do was survive the inspection—with blood-magic still clinging to her, a stink that couldn’t be washed off.
The inspection started at the bottom. Xochipil stood on her threshold for what seemed like ages and ages, feeling the rising beat in her chest, in her lame leg—tearing her apart, slowly grinding her bones to dust, turning her muscles to mush.
From the corner of her eye, she saw the procession approach: the hierarch in his robes so white they hurt the eye, the governor and the supervisors in muted turquoise all servile behind him.
He stopped by each worker, asked them a few questions, looked at them for a while, and then moved on. Ten workers left before he reached her—nine, eight . . .
He’d be a poor hierarch indeed, if he couldn’t see what she’d done. But there wasn’t anything she could do, other than stand straight, and hope against all hope that he wouldn’t see, that he’d move on without a second glance.
And then the hierarch was standing before her—his skin gleaming in the dim light, his verdigris gaze boring into her eyes—quivering in her vision, blurred by the throbbing of the rails. “Your name?” he asked.
“Xochipil,” she said. “Worker 18861 of Mictlan’s Well.”
He was silent for a while, looking at her as if something bothered him. Please, please . . .
“Daughter of Huexocanauhtli and Camahuac,” the hierarch said, finally.
“Do you know why I’m here, Xochipil?” His eyes were a wide, shining green: a many-layered patina over the perfect, pristine metal of his skin—wide, compassionate, it would be so easy to tell him, to throw herself on his mercy before he discovered the truth . . .
“No,” she whispered. “No.”
The hierarch’s gaze held her, weighed her. “Is that really the truth, Xochipil?” He put a peculiar stress on her name—lingering on it, like a lover, like a mother, caring for her, for the communion she had with the machine and everything it meant to her.
No. It wasn’t the truth. Of course it wasn’t. She had only to confess—
Machine break him, she wasn’t going to give in so easily. “Yes,” she said, and words came pouring out of her mouth almost faster than she could think them. “Every word the truth, by my will to serve, by my bond to the god-machine, in this age and the next and the next.”
The hierarch’s hand reached out, brushed her hair. His touch left a tingling, a slighter beat to counter the excruciating one of the rails. “I see,” he said. “Thank you, Xochipil.”
And then he was gone, and it was as if someone had cut tight bands of copper from Xochipil’s chest. She stood, breathing in the beat of the rails, the throbbing within her, knowing she’d won, for now.
It was only after the inspection was over that it occurred to her that everything had gone far too smoothly. The taint of blood-magic wouldn’t have been so easily removed; and the hierarch should have seen it.
Unless . . .
It took her half an hour to find it. By then, the beat of the rails was so strong it watered her eyes, and she could barely focus on what she was doing—could barely keep her thoughts straight enough to act.
But it was there, all right: a small, barely visible glyph inked in blood, and its twin on the other side of the threshold, forming the word for “protection”. They throbbed, too, beneath her fingers—not like the rails, but like a living heart.
Tezoca, it seemed, had left her a farewell gift.
Xochipil went down, knowing that whatever had happened would be at the bottom of the Well, where the power was stronger—where whatever Tezoca had been looking for doubtless resided.
Work had resumed, and the crews had little patience for a crippled girl. Even Malli threw Xochipil a warning look as she descended the footpath. Xochipil retreated instead: going down again, on the paths that coiled around the shaft of the Well. All the while, the intensity of the beat increased, and there came a growing sense of anger, of outrage from the rails.
Down, down, past the sunspheres and the stark whiteness of steel and chrome—fewer workers now, and the fevered beat was so strong she could barely walk, could barely hold on to the thought that she had to put one foot before the other, that she had to . . .
She realized that for the past moments she’d been standing absolutely still—and started walking again.
The rails were above and below her. They had narrowed, becoming close enough to reach, with the steam-cars steadily going up and down, and Xochipil was standing alone between them, staring at the white steel of the walls. The beat was too strong—in her bones and in her heart, growing until it was all she could do not to fall to her knees.
She couldn’t go further down—not to the platform where the hierarch had stood, not to the very bottom and whatever had gone wrong.
Turn back, she had to—it was folly to come here, folly to seek Tezoca. Everything was fiery pain, a pain she couldn’t bear, not for this long . . .
Machine break her, she wasn’t made of such pliable stuff.
She reached out and touched the rails.
Pain unfolded a thousandfold within her: The beat coursed up her arm, squeezed around her heart, spread in her chest like a starburst of knives—and her hand was welded to the rails, she couldn’t take it away—
She was falling, down, down, into a chasm that had no end, the earth opening itself to receive her, and the beat pounding in every fibre of her body was the beat of a huge, glistening heart, buried under the soil of the desert—a heart that was the only thing of flesh amidst the entombed human bones.
Over and over it beat within her, booming, overflowing in her ears, the liquid sound of blood in an organ so vast she could barely apprehend it—over and over . . .
At last, at long last, it ended, and she fell to her knees, gasping, with the beat still coursing in her—muted now, the pain almost bearable, almost, like rubbed salt instead of knives . . .
But the beat was a voice now, and it whispered, over and over, brother, brother . . .
A god. There was a god down there, buried beneath Mictlan’s Well. The power Tezoca had been seeking, the power the god-machine was finally ferrying back to itself—a god’s heart, a god’s magic, setting the earth atremble, energizing the rails.
That was . . . impossible.
Why would it be? Was it such a great leap of imagination, once you accepted that gods were as hard to kill as the machine?
Brother, whispered the rails—and they were angry, so angry because he was dead, or going to die—it wasn’t clear, just a jumble of impressions, a hodgepodge of words she couldn’t untangle. And, in the distance, steadily rising, was the voice of the machine, seeking to subsume the god in its midst—a persistent ache, a darkness slowly rising to smother everything.
Dare she—?
There was no other choice.
Xochipil reached out and touched the rails again.
The pain was the same, arcing straight to her heart, the beat that was so much stronger than her. Through gritted teeth she fought to get the words out, to ask her question . . .
Where is he?
Where is Tezoca?
Brother, whispered the rails.
Where . . . is . . . he?
The machine’s voice was rising, blindly questing for whoever had the audacity to touch the rails, to meddle in the link it was establishing between Mictlan’s Well and itself . . .
She had to let go; but if she did so, she wouldn’t know what had happened. Still she kept her hands on the rails, asking them over and over about Tezoca.
“You won’t find him there,” a voice said, far behind her.
Startled, Xochipil withdrew her hands from the rails—and the pressure in her body and in her mind diminished, faded to a dull, throbbing ache.
Behind her, on the floor of steel and chrome, stood a woman. Her hair was the black of congealed blood, her skin the colour of dulled copper and her face was achingly familiar.
“What do you mean?” Xochipil asked.
“You shouldn’t be here,” the woman said, shaking her head.
Xochipil suddenly realized that this was the woman Tezoca had used to cast his blood-magic, and who now stood beside the rails as if they were a minor discomfort. “What would you know?” she asked.
The woman smiled, and raised her hands. Thin red lines ran along the tips of her fingers; and there were scabs on her arms, too.
Blood-magic. Blood-offerings. But the age of gods was past, the Change had come upon them—there was no longer need . . .
“He forced this on you,” Xochipil whispered—move, move, they had to move, for the hierarch would soon come, attracted by her touch on the rails . . . “He bewitched you, tricked you into making your offerings . . .”
The woman smiled again. “I make my own choices. And so should you.” Then, without preamble, “They cast his broken body into the desert, to be devoured by carrion birds and scavengers.”
“Tezoca?” Xochipil asked, though she knew the answer. “Then he failed.”
The woman said nothing, but the dullness in her eyes was answer enough. “The god-machine is strong,” she whispered, raising her bloodied hands as if to ward off a blow. “Very strong.”
There was movement, at the edge of Xochipil’s field of vision—workers, and a flash of white robes from downwards—and the voice of the hierarch echoing all around them: “Attend. There has been a violation of the Commonwealth—”
The compulsion was overwhelming; as before, there was nothing Xochipil could do to resist, she could do nothing but to abase herself and beg the forgiveness of the machine for interfering . . .
Hands, holding her—tracing something on the nape of her neck, warm and pulsing—a push in her back, sending her sprawling, out of the path of the advancing hierarch. “Run!”
And Xochipil was up, before she could think, slipping away from them—up, up, with barely any memory of being lame—away from the pressure of the rails and the voice of the hierarch, the instinct for survival stronger than anything.
It was only when she reached the twentieth floor that she stopped, the pain and weariness she’d kept at bay slamming into her, seeing, again and again, the face of the woman, transfigured as she stood awaiting the hierarch; feeling, again and again, the touch of the blood-magic on her, sharpening her mind around the single thought of saving herself.
“Why?” she whispered, but the woman, after all, had already answered her.
I make my own choices. And so should you.
Outside, the sun shone bright and unbearable, its warm light bleaching the desert sands, shimmering over the throbbing rails. Xochipil walked, her lame leg trailing behind her, the blistering heat shrivelling her skin, her lips, her eyes.
She’d had no choice but to leave the Well, for the alarm would be raised by now; and this time the hierarch would know her, take her as his own, break her into her smallest parts and remould her into the service of the machine . . .
Rocks tumbled under her feet. It was only after a while that she realized she was looking at the sky: for the sound of beating wings, the gathering of vultures overhead.
They cast his broken body into the desert, to be devoured by carrion birds and scavengers.
Tezoca . . .
She followed the rails, feeling the distant rumble in her body, weak and watered down—the beat of the god, the beat of the machine, all one and the same for this age of the world, and the next, and the next.
After a while, there was nothing but the merciless sun, nothing but the light swathing the rocks and the boulders, and the bronze of the rails. The flask of water by her side was heavy, but she mustn’t drink, mustn’t empty it so soon . . .
Let the sun remain silent, the machine whispered, its voice coursing along the rails, mingling with the voice of the buried god, rising to silence it forever. Let the altars be made of pristine steel, let the blood and the breath remain in our bodies . . .
Let the sun remain silent . . .
After a few hours—an afternoon—an eternity—she saw in the sky the first vultures, circling over her.
“Not dead,” she whispered, stumbling on. “Not dead.”
But really, what was the point?
“Not . . . dead . . .”
When the vultures became a crowd, she walked on, towards the shrieking column of birds, away from the familiar beat of the rails—away from the god-machine and the hierarch and the heart buried in the soil, towards a mound at the base of a hill, a tangle of blood and broken limbs, wrapped in a torn cloak.
She threw rocks at the birds, and screamed until her voice was hoarse. They hopped away, watching her warily—waiting for her, too, to tumble and fall, to become carrion.
Then, in silence, she knelt by Tezoca’s side.
The skin of his face was torn and bloodied, the limbs slack under her touch. Broken bones shifted within the mass of glistening flesh.
She reached out to take the voice of the heart—and stopped herself inches from the bloody mass of the wrist. That would have been pointless. He was dead, clearly dead, his promises and goals meaningless.
Machine break you, she’d wished on Tezoca; and the machine had, indeed, broken him so thoroughly that nothing was left.
A hiss startled her. One of the birds, coming back? But no, it came from the body—a last exhalation of breath from shattered lungs, a last oozing from some mangled organ.
Tezoca’s eyes were open, and staring straight at her.
The shock of that sight travelled up her arm, devolved into the frantic beat of her heart.
“You’re dead,” she whispered, and remembered what he had told her, back in the Well.
Some things are hard to kill.
Again, the same hiss: words, whispered through crushed lips. Asking for her help?
“I wasn’t able to help myself,” she said bitterly. She hadn’t even been able to help the woman. Nevertheless, she tipped the last of the water within her flask—a few sips, nothing more—past his wasted lips.
His throat contracted, swallowing the water; then he convulsed, and the water came rushing back out in a spurt that splattered on the rocks.
The hiss again, and his eyes, boring into hers—not angry, not amused, but pleading.
She knew, of course, the only thing which would sustain him. The mere thought was revolting.
But here they were, both of them, both broken and dying in the desert; and he had given her his protection, in the cruel, desultory way of the old gods—but it was still more than the god-machine had ever given her.
“All right,” Xochipil said. She reached out and foraged in the cloak, spreading out the obsidian shards as she found them. They glimmered in the sunlight, with the remembrance of a dead age.
She picked what looked like the sharpest one, and held it for a while in her hand. “It’s not because I worship you,” she said. His eyes watched her, unblinking, unwavering. “It’s not because I fear your anger, or that the sun will tumble from the sky if you’re not properly honoured. But you watched out for me, and I’d be sorry to see you go.”
Then, as smoothly, as effortlessly as if she’d done it all her life, she brought the edge of the obsidian against her wrist, and before she could think, sliced through her veins. Blood spurted up in an obscene fountain—much, much faster than she’d expected, a stream of red falling like rain upon the dried earth.
Pain spread, too—lines of fire radiating from the slit, pulsing in her arm like a red-hot axle. Her hand wouldn’t stop opening and closing, her fingers clenching like claws; she couldn’t control its movements. She had to use her other hand to guide the wound over Tezoca’s mouth, and watched him swallow and not spit anything out, his wasted throat muscles greedily contracting.
Something was flowing, a shadow across the desert floor, an invisible wind. The air shivered as if in a storm, and dust rose, billowing like yellow sheets unfolding. Grains of dust skittered across the obsidian shards, making a noise like nails on copper, skittering across the body of Tezoca until his skin seemed to shift in the wind, until the colour of the desert had sunk into his bones and covered the red sheen of his muscles.
His hands reached up, iron coils, and drew Xochipil’s slit wrist against his mouth. His lips closed around the wound, hungrily sucking at the flowing blood like a child at his mother’s breast.
And he didn’t stop. The wound didn’t close, and still he drank, making quiet, sickening suckling sounds. Pain knifed her with each sip he took—repeated stabs with obsidian blades.
Xochipil’s thoughts were scattering, growing hazier and hazier—how much like an old god, to take everything that was given; how naïve had she been, to slit her wrist and expect it to heal, to feed a god and hope he would stop . . .
The shadows were growing, pooling under the obsidian shards—and then, in a flash of dazzling light, the shards leapt towards each other and vanished.
“Enough,” Tezoca said, his voice echoing like the anger of the storm. “Enough!” He pushed her away—sent her stumbling, fighting to hold herself upright, her fingers fumbling to close the wound in her wrist.
The ground would not stop shaking under her. Through hazy eyes she saw her blood spattered among the rocks, encircling the place where Tezoca now stood.
He was tall, and his face was streaked with black and yellow; and the stars shone in the curls of his hair; and his eyes glimmered like water in underground caves. In his hand, something shone: an obsidian mirror, in which she could still guess at the faint line of cracks. It reflected nothing but smoke; but even from where she was she could feel its heat, and the power within, the beat as strong as that of the rails.
And he was walking—flowing across the sand, reaching out to her—and in a single gesture pinching shut the wound in her wrist. Xochipil stood, shaking, trying to hold herself up, falling to one knee, and then face down on the ground, until oblivion swallowed her whole.
She dreamt that he carried her in his arms, under the shelter of a large rock, and carefully laid her on the ground like a sick child. She dreamt that he was sitting by her side, staring at the skies, weeping tears of blood for all the old gods who had fallen—for his brother Quetzalcoatl, who had once been his friend, who had once been his enemy, and who was now subsumed into the machine, in this age and the next and the next.
She dreamt that he gathered rocks and scraggly bushes and turned his smoke-filled mirror towards them—that they burst into flickering, warm flames—and that he stood outlined by the fire, watching her sleep.
Now you understand about sacrifices, he whispered.
And she didn’t, and he must have seen something of that, because he said, his voice booming like the wrath of the heavens, Not out of fear or of greed or because the sun will tumble from the sky, but because you cared.
I was sorry for you, Xochipil thought, thrashing, trying to reach him through a pane of glass—but he wouldn’t answer.
When she woke up in the dim light of the rising sun, she was alone, and the air still smelled like ashes.
He had left her his wide-brimmed hat, and some food; and had refilled her water-flask. Her hands throbbed: He had traced the glyphs for “safe journey” and “water” on their backs—all the favour he would grant her, all the thanks he would ever condescend to give.
Rising, she walked away from the ashes. In the distance was the familiar line of the rails, pulsing on the rhythm of the god-machine; and, still further away, growing fainter and fainter, a figure walking, with the stars in his hair and the glimmer of obsidian in his hands.
She could still hear his voice in her mind, lightly amused.
All gods are cruel, Xochipil. What else did you expect?
He would make his way to the capital, as aloof and as lonely as he had always been, bearing alone the burden of his struggle against the machine, never allowing his devotees to offer more than a little aid, a transitory comfort. And in the end, he would stand in the huge palace of bronze and copper: alone against the machine and its endless might, so pitifully small and defenceless, as easily crushed and broken as his obsidian mirror.
Pity closed like a fist around her heart. “Please be safe,” Xochipil whispered to the silent desert. “Please come back. Please.”
And her words, rising under a sky as red as blood, had the intensity of a prayer.
Spotlight with Aliette de Bodard
More by Aliette de Bodard
Aliette de Bodard lives and works in Paris, where she has a day job as a System Engineer. She studied Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, but moonlights as a writer of speculative fiction. She is the author of the critically acclaimed Obsidian and Blood trilogy of Aztec noir fantasies, as well as numerous short stories, which garnered her two Nebula Awards, a Locus Award, and two British Science Fiction Association Awards. Her space opera books include The Citadel of Weeping Pearls, a book set in the same universe as her Vietnamese science fiction novella, On a Red Station Drifting. Recent works include the Dominion of the Fallen series, set in a turn-of-the-century Paris devastated by a magical war, which comprises The House of Shattered Wings (Roc/Gollancz, 2015 British Science Fiction Association Award, Locus Award finalist), and its standalone sequel The House of Binding Thorns (Ace/Gollancz). She lives in Paris with her family, in a flat with more computers than warm bodies, and a set of Lovecraftian tentacled plants intent on taking over the place.
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14y/o Prostitute who was helped by her mother arrested in Pattaya
The police’s successful undercover operation exposed an underage prostitution, in which the mother was a mediator for her 14-year-old daughter’s prostitution business after her daughter has graduated from 6th grade.
Pattaya, 17th March 2011 [PDN]: At 9.30 p.m., Police Captain Kriengsak Boonprawat and other police officers arrested Mrs. Janthida Limsawat, aged 30 (resides at 144/212 Moo.4, Huaynua, Khukhan, Srisaket). The arrest took place in front of Carrefour Department Store, Middle Pattaya (Moo 9, Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi). The police planned a secret operation in which an undercover foreigner offered 2,000 Baht to the suspect’s 14-year-old daughter, Ms. Karn (unknown real name), in exchange for sexual service.
Upon interrogation, the suspect denied that she had forced her daughter into this job and that her daughter was doing it at her own will. The suspect explained that she had moved to Pattaya to work as a beer-bar girl after her divorce. Then Ms. Karn, her daughter moved in to live with her about two weeks ago when she decided to stop further study after her Grade 6 graduation in Srisaket. Ms. Karen wanted to work like her mother, who refused for her to do so. However, Ms. Karn managed to work behind her mother’s back until her mother eventually gave in and became a mediator for her.
The mother admitted that her action was unlawful and unethical and that she would be very ashamed if her relatives found out about it. Mrs. Janthida regretted that she could not provide a better care for her daughter. The mother admitted to all charges.
The daughter confessed that she was alone responsible for her own action. She wanted to earn an income for herself so that she would not become a financial burden on her mother’s shoulders.
Police Captain, Kreingsak stated that the suspect’s behavior was guilty based on both legal and moral standards. He believed that parents should teach their children right from wrong to prevent them from becoming social victims. The mother was charged with child trafficking for prostitution. The daughter was sent to children social services.
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How to avoid getting bitten by the Jet Ski Scam
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CFI.co Announces Mack International as winner of Best Investment Manager Executive Search Firm United States 2015 in London, Oct 14
LONDON, U.K., OCTOBER 14, 2015 – The CFI.co judges have conferred on Mack International its win of the Best Investment Manager Executive Search Firm United States 2015 Award. Highlights of the judging panel’s findings:
Mack International deploys both rigor and creativity in order to find the perfect candidate.
Mack International is a boutique consultancy offering highly personalized and bespoke services to single and multi-client family offices, wealth management and investment management firms.
Mack International is able to tap into resources not available to others, thus deepening and broadening the talent pool.
The CFI.co judges consider Mack International a model niche company. The firm dominates its highly specialized market and serves it to perfection.
The judging panel’s full report:
Mack International: Best Investment Manager Executive Search Firm United States 2015
For most family offices, finding the right professional to manage their wealth is a challenge fraught with danger and lined with uncertainty. The quest to identify that one professional with the expertise – and the personality – to best serve the interests of the client is not unlike looking for that elusive needle in the proverbial haystack.
In order to find the perfect match, Mack International deploys both rigor and creativity. As a first step, the executive search firm immerses itself in the business and culture of the client. This enables the experts of Mack International to sketch an outline of the ideal candidate and use this as a template from which to extract a clear search pattern; i.e. a strategy to find, vet, and retain the executive who is capable of managing the family office or enterprise in accordance with the client’s wishes and aspirations.
Mack International is a boutique consultancy offering highly personalized and bespoke services to single and multi-client family offices, wealth management and investment management firms in search of retained executives. Each client enjoys the benefit of a dedicated team of seasoned senior professionals led by the firm’s founder. Mack International maintains a large network of highly-valued contacts and referral sources built-up over time and reflecting the industry’s best practices.
Not constrained by the corporate off-limit areas suffered by generic executive search firms, and wholly dedicated to serving family offices/enterprises, wealth management and investment management firms, Mack International is able to tap into resources not available to others, thus deepening and broadening the talent pool.
The CFI.co judges consider Mack International a model niche company. The firm dominates its highly specialized market and serves it to perfection. In this particular business, many companies try to make a mark, but only few actually do. Mack International is one of those few search firms that have the capability to deliver the goods, time and again. If there is a needle in that haystack, Mack International will find it. The judges are pleased to offer Mack International the 2015 Best Investment Manager Executive Search Firm United States Award.
Mr Wim Romeijn
Editor CFI.co
Tel +44 (0)203 137 3679
Email: wro@cfi.co
About Mack International
Mack International, is the premier retained executive search and strategic human capital consulting firm focused on providing solutions to single family offices/family enterprises, multi-client family offices, and the full spectrum of wealth management advisory, investment management, and financial services firms that serve the ultra-high net worth private wealth and family markets. Headquartered in Chicago, Mack International serves organizations on a national and international basis.
Mack International was founded by Linda Mack in 2002 to provide superior, client-focused executive search solutions. The firm focuses first, foremost, and always on its clients and sets the standard for excellence in executive search. Each member of the firm is committed to providing extraordinary service on every client engagement.
In addition to its executive search services, Mack International provides customized strategic human capital/talent management consulting solutions. The firm works in partnership with clients to develop actionable strategies to address organizational and market challenges that promote client success.
Mack International distinguishes itself by the creative, yet methodical and disciplined, approach it applies to each engagement. The firm’s consistent delivery of service excellence generates repeat business and referrals.
Mack International measures its success by the achievement of the clients’ goals. Excellence is the only acceptable standard. Success is the only acceptable outcome.
About CFI.co
CFI.co is a print journal and online resource reporting on business, economics, and finance. The journal recognizes that the traditional distinction between emerging and developed markets is now far less meaningful as world economies converge. Headquartered in London, the world’s most multicultural city, CFI.co covers and analyses the drivers behind that change. Combining the views of leading multilateral and national organizations with thought leadership from some of the world’s top minds – CFI.co’s dedicated editorial team ensures that readers better understand the forces influencing and reshaping the global economy.
About the CFI.co Awards Programme
Each year, CFI.co seeks out individuals and organizations that contribute significantly to the convergence of economies and truly add value for all stakeholders. Reporting from front lines of economies on the move, CFI.co realizes that best practice is to be found throughout the world. The Awards Programme aims to identify and reward excellence wherever it is found. The programme aims to inspire others to further improve their own performance.
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Reviews & Essays
Press & Publication
Magen Cubed
Scenes, Strangeness, and More from Author Magen Cubed
Comics You Might Have Missed: Queen, The Sisters, Iron Empress
August 8, 2016 Magen Cubed
These days, it's not disingenuous to say that there is a plethora of comics to choose from. Mainstream or indie, floppy or web comic, in every flavor, genre, and style you can think of. And, if you're a writer or artist on a creator-owned project, it's difficult to get noticed in such a deep, heavily saturated market. So, I want to take a bit of time and go over some of the comics that have made it to my inbox that you might have missed.
Before we begin, here are some rules:
This isn't going to be a standard, in-depth, rambling Magen Cubed review.
This is going to be a list of comics that I found worth talking about, for one reason or another.
No Good, no Bad, just Interesting.
I'm going to try to only discuss comics that you can read or purchase for yourself.
Queen #1 by writer Jamie Me, artist Bernard Gita, and colorist Sean Callahan
Queen is a British political thriller graphic novel. Rife with corruption, manipulation, and a fair bit of murder, this particular project got my attention for its subject matter. Many politically-themed comics I encounter over here in America focus on fairly stereotypical scandals and conspiracies. Our political intrigue tends to be both very shooty and very sexy. Queen, however, is definitely not from what I've read up until this point.
I appreciate the setting and the protagonist, Deputy Prime Minister Emily Green, for the circumstances she finds herself thrust into. She's a political leader, a mother, and a woman now making choices that will affect her entire country. It's refreshing, and I like how it grounds the story in real-world stakes. At a time when political scandal and tumult dominates the daily headlines, this project definitely feels topical and relevant.
I have only read the first chapter, so I can't speak to the rest of the graphic novel. Also, from my understanding, the project is currently on hiatus, and is seeking publication. However, if you're interested in this comic, the first six pages are up and free to read on Tapastic. Subscribe and keep an eye out on this one.
The Sisters by artist Peter Violini and writer Brian Richmond
Billed as "an urban fantasy comic about three siblings dealing with a modern Satanic Panic in the Greater Boston Area," The Sisters is a trip. The monsters are gruesome, the lore is interesting, and the characters are certainly memorable. I find Violini's style to be irreverent in the best way possible. His line work oscillates between gory and comical on a dime, sometimes on the same page and in the same panel. Violini also wields wild anatomical/character diversity that is never afraid to be ugly to make a point. The characters can be both funny and quirky, or they can be violent and brutal. This visual flexibility helps convey the very weird, very dangerous world they inhabit.
Another thing I appreciate is this comic's commitment to interesting design. All the characters are highly individualized but so too are the pages themselves, employing some really out-of-the-box choices. There were times reading the comic that I found myself sitting back to just admire the robust visual storytelling. The occult imagery and vibrant color palettes pack a punch, leaving the reader with some really lasting impressions. This comic is just wild from start to finish, so trust me when I say it's definitely worth checking out.
You can read The Sisters on Tapastic.
Iron Empress by SoloSetup
If political intrigue and frenetic occult horror isn't your scene, you might like to try Iron Empress. Shifting gears to a far more quiet adventure-fantasy setting, this comic features a lush world with some intriguing world-building and story threads so far. It follows the exploits of the young, stubborn queen Kasora, rising to power under the shadow of her warmongering grandfather. The plot is familiar hero's journey fare, but approaches it from an interesting angle.
What I enjoy about this comic is how peaceful it is. SoloSetup's use of soft, heavily-textured inks and gentle shading gradation gives the characters a light, otherworldly presence on the page. The nature scenes are solemn and beautifully detailed; mountain ranges and dense forests are empty, imbuing the world with a silent, haunting quality. It's something like a storybook rather than a standard adventure comic, and it makes for a relaxing reading experience so far. I recommend giving this comic a peek.
You can read Iron Empress on Tapastic.
Tags Comic Books, Web Comics, Blog, Review, Queen, The Sisters, Iron Empress
© Magen Cubed 2015 - 2019
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Why the Future of Digital Marketing Is Pure PR
by Gerald Heneghan
Industry commentators have been keen to sound the death knell for traditional SEO in the wake of recent updates (and full-on algorithm switch-outs) from Google.
It's arguable that they have good grounds to make such dramatic claims. In its never-ending battle to have its search spiders behave more like humans, the big G has increasingly moved away from rewarding those who tick the boxes on technical elements and has instead placed a growing emphasis on social signals and quality content.
However, I'm of the opinion that although SEO is here to stay, its evolution will lean toward the more traditional practice of public relations (PR) in the coming years. In this article I'll try to…
Back up this claim by looking at industry statistics
Put forward a case as to why PR can be highly complementary to SEO
And, above all, offer some suggestions about how marketers can capitalize on this trend
As I noted, Google wants its robots to behave more like a human when displaying search results. Accordingly, the general consensus among the experts is that more weight is being placed on factors such as inbound links and Google +1s. The way that personalized results are being rolled out to more and more users, and the introduction of Authorship, are further indications of that trend.
Similarly, the changes are aptly summed up in the search giant's recently revised guidance on how webmasters can improve the ranking of their websites: "In general, webmasters can improve the rank of their sites by creating high-quality sites that users will want to use and share."
And that's exactly where PR excels. Once you have the technical elements down, the focus switches to consistently producing valuable, shareable content that appeals to your key audiences—a task that traditional PR agencies have reams of experience in.
But don't just take my word for it. In the UK at least, marketers are plunging more and more resources into bolstering the online profile of their brands via PR. For instance:
The Public Relations Consultants Association found that 72% of PR agencies were offering SEO services in 2013.
The most in-demand digital PR services were content creation, outreaching/engaging with influencers, and social networking strategy.
More than 60% of agencies have increased their digital marketing budgets, with a particular focus on monitoring, SEO, content creation, and PPC/online advertising.
Compared with 12 months earlier, agency revenues from digital sources have increased significantly.
Businesses in Britain are increasingly devoting resources to social media; though most of them are keeping this activity in-house, a significant portion are splitting responsibility for social with an agency or completely outsourcing altogether.
In the vast majority of cases, responsibility for content creation and social media is handled in-house by the PR and communications team.
There's also growing confidence in the ROI gained from social media, with levels nearly matching those of traditional PR activities.
Gerald Heneghan is head of content at Roland Dransfield PR, based in Manchester, UK. He combines a background in journalism with Internet savvy and a genuine passion for technology and search.
LinkedIn: Gerald Heneghan
Twitter: @GeraldHeneghan
Don't Wait, Get Your Brand 'Crisis-Ready' Now: Melissa Agnes on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]
The Most and Least Important PR and Corporate Communications Tactics and Trends
PR Measurement Is All About Outputs, Outtakes, and Outcomes: Shonali Burke on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]
The State of PR Jobs: Hiring and Salary Trends
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Effect of zirconium substitution on the phase formation and microstructure of BaCeO3
Osman, N1, Hamid, H.A2, Talib, I. A3.
Sains Malaysiana (Volume 39, No. 3, 2010, Pages 0 to 0)
Polycrystalline compounds of Ba(Ce1-xZrx)0.95Yb0.05O2.975 (0.20 ≤ x ≤ 0.40) were prepared by the conventional solid state reaction method. All the samples exhibited the orthorhombic structure of BaCeO3. The particle size and morphology of the powdered samples were found to change gradually with Zr content. The sample with x=0.40 showed more agglomerates of about 10.0 μm in size, and the particles constituting the agglomerates were smaller than 1.0 μm. For the polished and etched pelleted samples, only the x=0.20 sample showed clear grain shapes with sizes in the range of 1.0 to 3.0 μm. By increasing the Zr content to more than 20 mol%, the grain sizes became less pronounced and smaller. The deficiency of Ba that caused the formation of a Ce, Zr and Yb-rich sample was detected by energy dispersive X-ray measurement. Ba deficiency was attributed to the loss of BaO during the calcination and sintering processes.
Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia
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Mystics of the Church
This website is devoted to the extraordinary mystics and visionaries of the Church, especially those who are lesser known, such as St Gemma Galgani, Blessed Alexandrina da Costa, Sr Consolata Betrone, Therese Neumann, Rev. Pere Lamy, Gabrielle Bossis, Josefa Menendez, Marthe Robin, Servant of God Louise Lateau, Blessed Anna Maria Taigi, Sister Mary of the Holy Trinity, Sister Maria Antonia and others. The author endeavors always to be in communion with the Catholic Church and its teachings.
Mystics of the Church Gift Store
The Luminous Mysteries -Mysteries of Light
THE MYSTERIES OF LIGHT
By Jim Dunning
(This article was originally published in the October edition of "Irelands Own" magazine. The webmaster would like to gratefully thank the author, Jim Dunning, for his kind permission in reprinting it here.)
Traditionally, The Rosary has consisted of three main categories: the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries. Within each category are found five mysteries which mirror events described in scripture, with the exception of the last two, namely, Our Lady’s assumption and her crowning in Heaven. For some reason the three years of the public life of Jesus, beginning with his baptism in the Jordan, were not included. Pope John Paul II, an ardent advocate of the Rosary, which he fondly described as ‘my favourite prayer’, believed that the gap could be filled by adding five mysteries relating solely to the ministry of Jesus.
The first of these is ‘The Baptism in the Jordan’ (Luke 3 : 21-22), when Jesus insisted on being baptised by John the Baptist, in spite of the latter’s objections. The heavens opened wide and the voice of the Father was heard., saying : ‘Thou art my beloved Son ; in thee I am well pleased.’
The second mystery is entitled : ‘The Wedding at Cana’ (John 2:1-11), when Jesus was persuaded by his mother to change water into wine. The first of many miracles, and one that encourages us today to ask his blessed Mother to intercede on our behalf..
The third Light mystery is called ‘The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God’ (Mark 1 : 15), which refers to that period when Jesus came into Galilee announcing : ‘The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.’ This call to repentance leads to the introduction of that ministry of forgiveness which culminated with the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). This was entrusted to the disciples by Jesus when he told them: ‘Receive the Holy Spirit ; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them ; whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.’
The fourth of these mysteries is ‘The Transfiguration ‘ (Luke 9 : 28-36), when Peter, James and John were privileged to see Jesus transfigured in splendour, and to hear a voice from the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I have chosen. Listen to him.’
The fifth Light mystery, ‘Institution of the Eucharist’ (Matthew 26 :26-29), refers to the introduction of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, when Jesus offered his disciples bread and wine, saying, ‘Take and eat ; this is my body…..all of you drink of this, for this is my blood of the new covenant which is being shed for many unto the forgiveness of sins.’
Traditionally, the Joyful Mysteries are said on Mondays and Thursdays, the Sorrowful Mysteries on Tuesdays and Fridays, and the Glorious Mysteries on Sundays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Pope John Paul suggested that those wishing to include the Mysteries of Light could insert them on Thursdays, moving the Joyful Mysteries from Thursday to Saturday. If all of this sounds somewhat involved, it should be remembered that the daily recitation of five mysteries only takes about a quarter of an hour.
It should also be remembered that Our Lady promised many graces and her special protection to all who devoutly and regularly pray the Rosary. As Pope John Paul II wrote in an Apostolic Letter: ‘Through the Rosary the faithful receive abundant grace, as though from the hands of the Mother of the Redeemer.’
-"All Generations Will Call Me Blessed" by Jim McManus C.Ss.R.
Anyone who wishes to learn to pray or to draw close to Jesus in mystical union, despite lack of theological education, may confidently trust that saying the Holy Rosary devoutly and correctly, will have the effect of accomplishing what one desires. Especially in time of great trial, one can be sure that saying the Holy Rosary will bring relief and assistance. Offering suffering to the Mother of God while saying th Holy Rosary is an offering of extreme value which obtains favors. Blessed be the Mother of God.
Within the article, it is stated "For some reason the three years of the public life of Jesus, beginning with his baptism in the Jordan, were not included." It is known that our Lady appeared to St Dominic giving him the rosary, requesting that he should preach it all throughout the world. Why is it then that Pope John Paul the II felt the need to add the Luminous mysteries? Did our Lady mess up when she gave the rosary to the world in the year of 1214?
If "Pope" John Paul the II were actually a "ardent advocate of the rosary" then he would have left the Rosary as our Lady first gave it to us.
www.MysticsoftheChurch.com
Mystics of the Church Gift Store here
Please visit our other websites:
-St Gemma Galgani
-Miracles of the Catholic Church
The Mystics of the Church
St Gemma Galgani -The extraordinary "Gem of Christ" (-Click on photo)
St Veronica Giuliani -An extraordinary mystic and victim soul
St Veronica Giuliani St. Veronica Giuliani -Mystic, Stigmatic, Victim Soul, Incorruptable The webmaster would like to gratefully t...
How to get rid of evil spirits, demons & ghosts
Centuries old advice on how to fight and remove evil spirits By: Glenn Dallaire This article is especially written in consideration...
Anneliese Michel--A unrecognized and misunderstood victim soul. A closer look at her possession, exorcism and death
The German book "Anneliese Michel and her demons" The Exorcism and death of Anneliese Michel--W hy did she die? The true story...
Amazing stories from Purgatory and the afterlife
Short stories of Purgatory -A remarkable collection of visits from the souls in Purgatory to various Saints and Mystics. “I know wh...
Sister Magdalena of the Cross -The nun who made a pact with the devil
Sister Magdalena of the Cross -The devil's saint for 40 years & her escape from an evil pact through extraordinary repentance Th...
Jesus blood type
Jesus' Blood type and what it may possibly signify How could we possibly know that Jesus blood type is AB positive? However tr...
Marie-Julie Jahenny, The Breton Stigmatist -Her life and prophecies
Marie-Julie Jahenny, “The Breton Stigmatist” by E.A. Bucchianeri Marie-Julie Jahenny [The information below is taken from E...
Saint Charbel (Sharbel) Makhlouf-The Maronite Monk
SAINT CHARBEL – THE MARONITE MONK By: Jim Dunning (This article was originally published in " Ireland's Own " magazine. T...
Sr. Mildred Mary Ephrem Neuzil and Our Lady of America
Sr. Mildred Mary Neuzil (Sr. Mary Ephrem) Sr. Mildred Mary Neuzil (1916-2000) --God’s 'Little White Dove', and the apparitions ...
God's Warning for humanity has been delayed; The time of Mercy has been prolonged
The prophesied world wide warning has thus far been delayed Beginning with the Marian messages at LaSalette on September 19, 1846 and co...
Beautiful relic lockets & more available in the Mystics Gift Store -click on photo
Gabrielle Bossis (Click on photos)
Therese Neumann
Servant of God, Sr Consolata Betrone
Servant of God, Maria Esperanza
Teresa Musco & the phenomenon of weeping statues & pictures
Blessed Alexandrina da Costa
Sister Lucia dos Santos
Little Nellie Organ
Sr Mary of the Holy Trinity
Servant of God, Marthe Robin
Sister Maria Antonia & her guardian Angel
Blessed Anna Maria Taigi
Marie Rose Ferron -American Mystic
Stigmatic blood writings in the life of Natuzza Evolo
Blessed Dina Belanger
Blessed Elena Aiello
Rev. Pere Lamy (Fr. Jean Edouard Lamy)
Sr. Magdalena de la Cruz -The false mystic who made a pact with the devil
Relic locket rosaries & more at the Mystics Gift Store
Beautiful relic locket rosaries & more now availible! -Click on photo
Servant of God Louise Lateau
St Charbel Makhlouf
Rhoda Wise, American mystic
Magdalena Gornik
St Bernadette of Lourdes
Servant of God, Brother Marcel Van & his visions of St Therese
Little known stories of St Padre Pio
Blessed Maria Pierina De Micheli
Maria von Morl
Domenica Lazzeri, Servant of God
Blessed Mariam Baouardy
Fr. Luis Maria Andreu
Garabandal Apparitions
Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta
St Mary Magdalene -First woman mystic of the Church
Sr. Josefa Menendez
-Maria Teresa Carloni; became a mystic later in life
The Possession, Exorcism and death of Anneliese Michel
Irving "Francis" Houle -American stigmatic
St Padre Pio relic locket rosaries in the Gift Store
Remarkable facts concerning the Stigmata
St Padre Pio locket available in the Gift Store
Maria Simma and the visits from the souls in Purgatory
Blessed Maria Bolognesi -The mystic who endured a demonic possession
Sr. Cristina Montella -Mystic & Stigmatic -The "little girl" of Padre Pio
-Who I am and the origins of this website
Donate to this website *Thank you!*
Mail to: gdallaire1@gmail.com
Obedience to the Church
-Important note on judging private revelations
-Obedience to the Pope; Respecting the authority of the Vicar of Christ
"Why do you talk to me as if I am so far away? I am very near....in your heart."
"Ask Me for love. Ask Me; I am burning with desire to give it to you"
"Talk to Me. For Me there is no sweeter prayer"
-Words of our Lord to Gabrielle Bossis.
Click here for Home Page
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Hayley Wickenheiser one of six going into Hockey Hall of Fame
Longtime Canadian women's team star Hayley Wickenheiser is one of six new members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Wickenheiser joins fellow Canadian Guy Carbonneau in the player category, along with Russians Vaclav Nedomansky and Sergei Zubov. Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford, a native of Beeton, Ont., and Boston College head coach Jerry York were selected in the builder category. Wickenheiser retired as the country's all-time leading scorer after 23 years on the national team. She now works as the assistant director of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 40-year-old native of Shaunavon, Sask., was one of the top players on four Olympic champion Canadian women's teams. Carbonneau, a native of Sept-Iles, Que., was the last captain of a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup, doing so with the Montreal Canadiens in 1993. The induction ceremony will take place in November.
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'Bad choices make good stories': Margaret Trudeau on her Just for Laughs gig
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Mmegi
Full Picture
Naledi
Monday 15 July 2019, 09:49 am.
Selefu
�Ko mantlwaneng I wanted to play daddy but with another daddy�
Mmegi visited the lad who went down memory lane narrating to Staff Writer SHARON MATHALA about his road to self-discovery and finally coming out to his family about his sexual orientation.
By Sharon Mathala Fri 21 Nov 2014, 12:27 pm (GMT +2)
: Kwele says he realised his same sex feelings early in life PIC MORERI SEJAKGOMO
Mmegi Online :: �Ko mantlwaneng I wanted to play daddy but with another daddy�
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When most children reach puberty stage, they struggle with all changes they come across, be it body changes, mood swings, or just struggling to fit in with peers. For 22-year-old Bachidzi Seamus Kwele, at the time he was grappling with the fact that he was “catching feelings” for other boys.
“Why would I choose to be gay when I know it is not accepted in our society?” he shrugs his shoulders, as he protests rhetorically at times sounding like he was soliloquizing.
”It is not a choice I woke up to make just like I get up everyday and choose what to wear!”
The law student grew up in Mathangwane, about 25km from the second capital Francistown. As far back as when he was about 10 years old, he could sense he was different but could not put a finger to the problem, as he was too young to define exactly what he was feeling.
“I did not have it in me. At school we would have the boys crew and the girls crew, but I did not fit in well with the boys crew even though I played the so-called boys games. I just preferred not to talk about who the hottest girl was, ” he says.
Wearing his tight blue shorts and a shirt, Kwele candidly says that when the rest of the kids wanted to play Mantlwane, he would want to be daddy, but playing along with another daddy instead of the “normal mommy and daddy situation”.
“At instances where we would play Mantlwane, in our time it was one of the favourite games that we would play. I wanted to play daddy but with another daddy, which was often not possible, and this confused me a lot at the time.”
He says that he grew up in a nuclear family, a normal Tswana set-up with his brothers and sisters. Kwele says that growing up, he was more interested in what the girl child was known to be doing.
“I liked cleaning, cooking. I was particular about my body, toiletry and fashion, but still at that point it was all innocent.”
Kwele says that it was up until senior school when the going got tough. He explains that when he got to senior school he had been dating a girl; he says they dated for over a year but he still felt something was missing.
“ I cannot explain
the feeling. I did date a girl once in my life. We were both waiting for our Form 3 results. We dated until our end of Form 4,” he says. For most of his senior school Kwele says he dreaded going to school, as at times other students would pick on him on why he was not manly enough and would often call him names.
He relates to Mmegi that this was the most difficult period of his life because whilst he was fighting with the fact that he was different, having other kids mock him was even more demanding. He says that he had his first “real relationship” after completing his Form 5 with a guy he is still dating to date.
“I do not see myself with another woman, I mean for starters, I would not know where to touch her, and where to begin. As for my own family, well in future my partner and I will invest in a surrogate mother, “ he says.
For most homosexuals, it is coming out that has proven quite a daunting task and for Kwele his mother proved an insurmountable obstacle. This is despite the fact that he was always different from his brother and it had been obvious to his folks that he was different.
The openly gay fellow says that it was through a newspaper article that had covered a story on gay men who had married in South Africa, that he gained courage to confront his mother about his preferred life.
He relates how he went to buy the newspaper which carried the story in the company of his mother and aunt and the article triggered a debate on the issue of gay marriage among the trio.
“ I was always close to my Aunt and she was the first person I told and we schemed on the way in which we could tell mother after the newspaper article. I remember it was the new year’s eve of 2013; I got really drunk and just buttered it out to her.
“ I have not really come across any form of discrimination in my lifetime. I think the only thing is that when people look at the way you are dressed and conclude that you may be gay, they start hurling insults and calling you nasty names but it is very minimal really,” he says.
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Mob Wives Ep 307 "No Love Lost"
Tonight's episode of Mob Wives titled "No Love Lost" picked up from last week's cliff hanger where Drita tells Big Ang and Carla that Lee is home. Drita said that she was shocked that he was home so soon and that he didn't tell her that he was coming home when she had just visited him with their daughters. When Big Ang asks Drita if she fed Lee when he came home and she says yes and that it was her. Drita explains that "when a man goes away its like he's been in a freezer and he comes out like a riped vegetable" (best one liner by Drita this season). I love her. Drita says that even though Lee's home, he still has to go to the halfway house for a few months. Drita asks Big Ang and Carla what they think she should do about letting Lee move back in after he gets out of the halfway house. Big Ang thinks that Drita should let Lee back in the house and give it a second chance.
Karen, Ramona and Love go to Karen's friend Toni Marie's charity art event for breast cancer together. Karen explains that Toni's ex husband was a part of her Dad Sammy's crew and that he was like an uncle to her growing up. Ramona tells Karen and Love that Lee is back in town. Karen says that she wishes him well and the best of luck. Karen hopes that Lee can stay out of trouble so that he can spend more time with Aleeya and Gizzelle.
Renee returns home from rehab feeling really good and happy to be back with her family in time for the holidays. When Renee calls Drita to let her know that she's back home, Drita's so excited for her and she feels like things are going to be good for her. When Drita fills Renee in on Lee being home, Renee's really happy for her. Renee says that Drita just needed Lee to come home from jail in order for her to realize that she should be back with him. Renee tells Drita that she wants to get together with everyone to catch up.
When Renee goes bowling with Big Ang, Ramona, Karen and Drita, they're all very glad to see her and that she's home from rehab. Big Ang was the best at throwing the bowling ball. I love her. Even Drita said she's never seen someone throw a ball like Ang does (who was over four years old). Renee tells the girls how rehab went and that she bowled a lot when she was in rehab which is why she's so good playing against them and ends up winning. Renee tells the girls that she learned that she had anger problems, they joke with her and tell her that they could have told her that. When Renee asks what she's missed out on since being away, Drita tells her that everyone's getting along (well everyone but her and Carla that is). Renee says that a year ago everyone was pulling each other's hair out and now they're all bowling together. It was so good to see Renee happy and having fun with everyone and all of them getting along.
Big Ang takes her husband Neil to get a makeover. He gets a new haircut and shaves a little. I love these two together, they're so cute and funny together. Big Ang says that all women should have a tight leash on their men and maybe choke them a little (best one liner of Big Ang).
When Karen and Drita are invited to go on a spa day with Ramona and Renee, Ramona and Renee don't show up. When Drita fills Karen in more about Lee being home.Karen says that she hopes that Lee doesn't go back to jail and that he's there for Drita and his daughters because she knows he how much he loves his family. It was nice to see Drita and Karen hang out and be friends again because I've always liked these two. My favorite part of this scene was when Karen said that it was good that they could lay down willingly and not lay each other out, I love this girl.
Ramona and Renee decided to go to little Italy and hang out for the night instead of going to the spa. The two talk about Ramona's grandfather and Renee's dad being good friends. On this particular night out, it happens to be the one year anniversary that Renee's dad went back to jail. Ramona brings up that it's also coming up on the anniversary of her grandfather's death. Ramona suggests throwing a memorial for her grandfather with just her close friends. She wants to remember him with happy tears not sad tears every time his anniversary comes around.
Carla and Big Ang go shopping for light bulbs and Carla asks for Ang's advice on what she thinks about getting full or joint custody of her kids with Joe. Ang thinks that Carla should get full custody of their kids not joint custody because Joe's the one who left. Ang says that she's old school and women in this lifestyle take care of the kids on their own when their husbands are away so they should get full custody of the kids if the husband decides to leave the marriage.
When Neil makes a romantic dinner for Ang, he sets off their smoke alarms. The best part of this scene for was when Neil was on the phone with his friend asking how to cook broccoli. Poor Neil he tries so hard to cook for his wife and he almost burns the house down. These two need their own show. Maybe "Big Ang and Neil Show"?
When Ramona has a memorial for her grandfather Lefty, Renee, Love, Big Ang, and Karen show up for it. Renee and Karen both speak about what a wonderful guy Lefty was. Love remembers when Ramona's grandfather passed away and she knows how much Lefty meant to Ramona. Ramona explains that when she came back home, there were some people who knew her from who her grandfather was and they welcomed her with opened arms, but others like her dad didn't. Renee explains that they all share an unbreakable bond together from birth to death.
Carla finally meets Joe's girlfriend, Raquel for the first time at a cafe. Carla feels that she needs to meet Raquel so that she knows that her kids are safe when they're staying with her and Joe. Joe says that he waited three or four months before he let Raquel meet his kids. Carla feels that it wasn't anything personal about Raquel that she didn't like, but it was just that mother instinct of her wanting to protect her kids and make sure that they were safe. Carla explains that she just didn't want Joe bringing hoes in his house around their kids. Carla feels better after meeting Raquel and feels more comfortable with her kids being around her.
Karen and Love meet Drita for drinks where they talk about Love's issues with Carla. Love says that Carla is twelve lbs and that she's gonna hit her and she'll fly through the wall. Drita agrees with Love. Karen says that she's heard that Carla's talked about her, Renee, and Ramona so obviously there's something that Carla has a problem with. Drita says that she doesn't want to be in the middle of Love and Carla's issue. Drita says that she's concerned about this because of what happened between Renee and Carla when Carla picked up a knife. Love says that Carla's not gonna do that to her and if she does try to then she's gonna leave stabbed. Drita jokes with Love and says that she might want to just stay home. I gotta say I'm with Drita on this one. I'd be a little afraid of Love myself (I'm kidding I love LOVE and her one liners). Be sure to watch next week's episode of Mob Wives titled "Time and Punishment" at 10 pm on Vh1.
Labels: Big Ang, Carla Facciolo, Drita Davanzo, Karen Gravano, Love Majewski, Mob Wives, Ramona Rizzo, Renee Graziano
Mob Wives Ep 306 "After the Storm"
Mob Wives Ep 305 "The Gathering Storm"
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Viewing Record 3 of 27 artist: Erwitt, Elliott
Church at Wounded Knee
1983:35.1
Erwitt, Elliott
1969, portfolio 1980
image: 12 5/16 in x 18 in; paper: 16 in x 20 in
Gift of Fred Stein
French, b. 1928 Paris
For over three decades, Elliot Erwitt, a master of the visual pun, has turned his camera on a variety of ironic juxtapositions, strange alignments, and minor occurrences. He possesses a keen eye for humor, and his photographs are never simple. Whether observing intimate moments, political situations, or multilayered street scenes such as these photographers with photographs, Erwitt's images convey charm and wit.
Born in Paris in 1928, Elliot Erwitt immigrated to New York with his family in 1939. He started working as a freelance photographer at age sixteen and later met Robert Capa, Edward Steichen, and Roy Stryker. In 1953 Capa invited Erwitt to become a member of Magnum Photos; he has since served several terms as president. In addition to producing photographic essays, illustrations, and advertisements for publications around the world, Erwitt has produced numerous films.
Bearded Man with Tree, Venice, USAErwitt, Elliott1976
Cats and Dogs, Alabama, USAErwitt, Elliott1975
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MANCHESTER - A source said... I don't think he's really coming to City, but Mario Balotelli is back soon, and we don't really need Rooney, also because he's not playing well as he did. Probably Rooney is going away during January transfers, I heard also Italian teams are interested. It's right to slag him off, he behaved badly, more as a rock star than an athlete: with England at the World Cup, then in the street, then with his wife, now problems also with Ferguson. Noel would say: you fat fuck, lol. (as when he gave him an autographed blue guitar as birthday gift). But if he's coming, then he would become an idol as Tevez, 'cause they betrayed Man Utd.
Bitter Wayne Rooney may be set to take the ultimate revenge on his boss Sir Alex Ferguson - according to the Sun, with a sensational move to Manchester City.
The star is determined to quit Manchester United over a rift with Fergie that has seen the Old Trafford boss blank him for a month.
And Rooney has told pals he might swap his red shirt for the blue strip of their fierce local rivals.
Rooney and Ferguson have not exchanged a word since clashing over the troubled striker's hooker romps.
A source close to Roo, who has refused to sign a new contract, said last night: "To say relations are strained is a massive understatement - they haven't spoken for a month.
"Wayne doesn't just feel frozen out, he feels like he's been put into deep freeze.
"Sir Alex ignores him in training and treats him with utter contempt. There's no way he can stay at United if it continues."
Old Trafford officials have played down talk of a transfer for the £90,000-a-week ace, calling it "nonsense".
But the source said: "The Rooney camp feel sure he will no longer be a United player once the January transfer window opens.
"He's under such a cloud he wants out."
Meanwhile Rooney's loyal wife Coleen has vowed to follow him ANYWHERE to save their marriage, rocked by the England striker's romps with hookers.
The source added: "He's been asking in private how much City might pay and has even talked about how much he enjoyed playing alongside Carlos Tevez when they were both at United.
"He knows that City would love to get one over on their closest rivals and is thinking about making it happen. That's a measure of how big the rift has become between him and Sir Alex."
United would want at least £40million for Rooney - who took his mind off speculation about his future with a round of golf yesterday.
Sir Alex has nurtured the player's precocious talent since signing him from Everton in 2004 for £25.6million.
But after his World Cup flop, indifferent club form and the shame of the hooker scandal, the tough Scot may be ready to part company with his biggest star.
The source added: "Wayne knows Sir Alex might be ready to let him go and suddenly feels insecure about his position.
"He's even been wondering whether it's already been decided it's time he made way for new stars like Javier Hernandez, who scored on Saturday."
Tension has been growing between Rooney and Sir Alex since the player was pictured smoking and urinating against a wall on a night out in August.
But revelations last month of sordid romps with hookers Jenny Thompson and Helen Wood pushed his boss over the edge.
Rooney's relationship with his manager hit rock bottom last week after he denied Fergie's claim that he was struggling with an ankle injury.
And being dumped on the bench for Saturday's 2-2 draw with West Brom was the final straw for the striker.
Rooney, currently on £90,000 a week, is reported to be demanding £160,000 a week and has refused to sign a new contract.
But a senior United source confided last night: "Sir Alex won't be too upset at losing Wayne - certainly not if recent form is anything to go by.
"The loss of Ronaldo to Real Madrid was a much bigger blow."
Until now, Rooney had looked most likely to go to Spanish giants Real, where he could link up with Ronaldo again.
He may now be considering a move to an English club to spare Coleen the upheaval a foreign transfer would bring.
Coleen, 24, has told pals she will go abroad, or "wherever makes Wayne happy".
But she admitted that a foreign transfer would cause problems with her parents Tony, 50, and Colette, 46.
They were furious with him for cheating on Coleen and are now livid that he might move her and their grandson Kai, one next month, away from them.
She is said to be sick of Manchester United and hates going to matches, preferring to spend time with pals outside football.
Friends say she feels embarrassed that many of the players knew Roo had betrayed her and she no longer wants to mix with the other wags.
A source said: "Before Wayne cheated, Coleen would never have moved away from her family.
"Wayne was treated like a son and things couldn't have been better between them all.
"But since he was caught cheating it has been a nightmare. It has torn them all apart.
"Coleen's mum and dad didn't want her to go back to him and made no secret of it. They are still seething. But knowing that her family all hate her husband has actually pushed Coleen and Wayne closer together.
"She is 100 per cent committed to making the marriage work and in her eyes that means getting Wayne's career back on track.
"She is open to going anywhere and it's a decision that will now be made between Wayne, his management and her."
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Pharma ingredient-makers to get corporate tax holiday till 2032
Govt publishes first-ever policy on API production and export
Jasim Uddin | Published: 00:05, May 24,2018 | Updated: 23:21, May 23,2018
A file photo shows traders arranging medicines at a drug store in Dhaka. Active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and laboratory reagents manufacturers of the country will get corporate tax holiday till 2032 along with a set of other incentives, according to a national policy on the sector.— New Age photo
Active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and laboratory reagents manufacturers of the country will get corporate tax holiday till 2032 along with a set of other incentives, according to a national policy on the sector.
The commerce ministry published the National Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) and Laboratory Reagents Production and Export Policy on Sunday after getting approval of the government high-ups.
The policy comes into force immediately, the ministry said in a notification.
The government will offer the benefits to encourage local production of API, the main raw material for all types of drugs, with a view to reducing the prices of medicines and boosting export.
The aim of the policy is to reduce dependency on import of API, increase local production, diversify export and attract additional $1 billion foreign direct investment in the sector.
Currently, local industries meet 98 per cent of domestic demand for medicine, according to the preamble of the policy.
In 2017 the total turnover of the sector surpassed Tk 16,000 crore in local market, which was only Tk 170 crore in 1982 when the pharmaceutical industry in the country was at an infant stage.
In addition, Bangladesh-made medicines are being exported to over 100 countries.
Though the country’s pharmaceutical industry has grown fast, it still depends almost entirely on import for API and laboratory reagents.
Local entrepreneurs need to import more than 95 per cent of raw materials from China, Korea and India to meet the domestic demand.
The quality of imported API is not up to the satisfactory level while the government has to spend huge volume of foreign currency for import of the products.
Self-efficiency in producing quality API would help the sector sustain beyond TRIPS [Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights] regime under which Bangladesh as a least developed country (LDC) is exempted from obligation of IPR issues including patent up to 2032.
As per the policy, locally registered producers of API and laboratory reagents, including joint venture companies, will get unconditional tax holiday or 100 per cent corporate tax exemption, till fiscal year 2021-2022.
The policy has set the target of achieving self-sufficiency in producing 370 important API molecules necessary for exports. In 2017 the number of locally produced API molecule and laboratory reagents stood at 41.
Tax holiday will be extended till 2032 for companies which will produce at least five API molecules every year. If a producer can manufacture at least three API molecules every year, it will get 75 per cent tax exemption till 2032.
Entrepreneurs will also enjoy exemption from paying advance income tax (AIT), value-added tax and VAT deduction at source on purchase and sales of raw materials and spare parts till 2032.
Manufacturers will also get duty-free facility in import, priority in getting land allocation at the government’s special economic zones and export processing zones.
The government will also provide 20 per cent cash incentive on export of API and laboratory reagents.
According to the policy, local manufacturers will also get support in foreign currency policy, like the duration of delayed payment for import of raw materials will be extended to 360 days from existing 180 days.
Entrepreneurs will be able to get loans from offshore funds and the tenure of term loans for factories and equipments could be 12 years instead of six years.
They will also be allowed to retain 40 per cent of their export earnings as export retention quota and will get back-to-back LC facility like in the readymade garment sector.
The policy has set the aim of reducing the raw materials import dependency to 80 per cent by 2032 from 97 per cent in 2016.
It also plans to increase export earnings from the sector to $9 lakh in 2032 from $1.5 lakh in 2016 and create 5 lakh jobs by 2032.
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Mahfuz Mizan
Documentary on Nabarun Bhattacharya screened
Mahfuz Mizan | Updated at 12:00am on June 24, 2019
A documentary film on author Nabarun Bhattacharya was screened at the Bangladesh Short Film Forum auditorium of...
Jewel Aich: The world in all its magic
Ace magician Jewel Aich, whose magic performances made him a household name in the 1980s and 90s, when he was most visible in the media,...
Khairul Anam Shakil: Spreading Nazrul’s original tunes
‘You have two sons, let one of them go for the sake of music.’ These were the very words the noted actor Abul Khair told...
Veteran Virtuoso: Syed Abdul Hadi in focus
Mahfuz Mizan | Updated at 12:00am on May 31, 2019
Syed Abdul Hadi’s fame rests on his long engagement with music. He became a household name when some of his playback songs began to mould...
Chirkutt: Fusion with Global Appeal
Chirkutt represents the form of band song that emerged out of the collective desire to be contextual in an otherwise globalised environment. Mahfuz Mizan talks...
Forever unfolding a silent quilt
Some songs land on our consciousness with the lightness of the clouds and keep us under their spells for too long. If classics are those...
BACHSAS Awards for five years conferred
Mahfuz Mizan | Updated at 12:00am on April 07, 2019
The BACHSAS Awards for the last five years were conferred by Bangladesh Cine Journalist Association at a programme held at the auditorium of Bangladesh Film...
Live From Dhaka: A tale of struggles, ambitions
Live From Dhaka, the directorial debut of Abdullah Mohammad Saad, gives the viewers a glimpse into life and struggles of the middle class in the...
Raghu Rai: The father of modern Indian photography
by Mahfuz Mizan | Updated at 12:00am on March 08, 2019
Raghu Rai needs no introduction. He is known to people who are well versed in photography and its development in the subcontinent....
Chobi Mela X: A place and everything after
This is an excerpt from the Bangladeshi photographer and activist Shahidul Alam’s poem entitled ‘Place’, which also happens to be the theme of the tenth...
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3DSWiiU
Treasurenauts Is Renegade Kid's New Game
by Zack Kaplan - February 28, 2013, 4:00 pm PST
Total comments: 4 Source: http://www.siliconera.com/2013/02/28/mutant-mudds-..., Siliconera
X marks the spot. It's there you can find Treasurenauts.
Renegade Kid, the developer behind Mutant Mudds, is developing a game titled Treasurenauts.
Nothing is known about the game. This name was discovered by Siliconera through a trademark in the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
In the meantime, Renegade Kid is releasing ATV Wild Ride 3D on the 3DS eShop March 7, while Mutant Mudds Deluxe for Wii U comes out Q2 of this year.
ShyGuyFebruary 28, 2013
It's like PsychoNauts, but it's all about the money.
xcwarriorFebruary 28, 2013
Quote from: ShyGuy
Don't you mean it's all about the GOLD!
Pixelated PixiesFebruary 28, 2013
Furious FrancisMarch 01, 2013
Whatever their doing needs to come to the Wii U. However, I think Nintendo has some pretty damn good games coming. So whatever we don't get can be made up by other titles.
http://playeressence.com/the-wii-u-will-miss-out-on-the-witcher-3-but-nintendo-fans-can-look-forward-to-these-rpgs-instead/
ATV Wild Ride 3D [3DS]
Mutant Mudds [3DS]
Mutant Mudds Deluxe [WiiU]
Renegade Kid
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Listen to Audio Arts: The 1970s Tape Cassette Arts Magazine Featuring Andy Warhol, Marcel Duchamp & Many Others
in Art, Museums | June 24th, 2014 1 Comment
As a podcaster, I've long since grown used to the idea of periodically issuing audio content. But the convenient recording, internet, and computer, and mobile listening technologies that made such a medium possible only really converged in the early 2000s. How would I have gone about it had I wanted to put out a "podcast," say, 40 years earlier? We have one such example in Audio Arts, a British contemporary art "sound magazine" distributed through the mail on audio cassettes. "The seventies were the years of conceptual art with text adding value to the actual works," co-creator William Furlong once said in an interview. "As an artist I was more interested in 'discussion,' the idea of language and the people that already worked in conceptual fields in Great Britain. Soon I realised there weren’t magazines capable of reporting such material inspired by conversation, sounds and discussions. The evocative force of a voice is lost with the written word as it will only ever be a written voice."
Furlong, a sculptor, and Barry Barker, a gallerist, began publishing Audio Arts in 1973. Its run lasted until, astonishingly, 2006, by which time its archives had come to 25 volumes of four issues each. Its list of subscribers included the formidable Tate, such fans that they actually acquired the magazine's master tapes, digitized them, and made them all publicly available on their web site. No longer must you seek out nth-generation duplicated analog cassettes and dig out your Walkman; now you can simply stream on your media player of choice every issue from January 1973, "four cassettes with contributions from Caroline Tisdall, Noam Chomsky, James Joyce and W.B. Yeats," to January 2006, which caps everything off with contributions by Gilbert & George and Jake and Dinos Chapman. Other notable artistic presences include Marcel Duchamp in Volume 2, Philip Glass in Volume 6, and Andy Warhol in Volume 8. Helpfully, Tate has also put together a section with tools to explore Audio Arts' highlights — something more than a few modern-day podcasts could no doubt use.
via @WFMU
Andy Warhol Interviews Alfred Hitchcock (1974)
Listen to John Cage’s 5 Hour Art Piece: Diary: How To Improve The World (You Will Only Make Matters Worse)
Library of Congress Releases Audio Archive of Interviews with Rock ‘n’ Roll Icons
Colin Marshall hosts and produces Notebook on Cities and Culture and writes essays on cities, language, Asia, and men’s style. He’s at work on a book about Los Angeles, A Los Angeles Primer. Follow him on Twitter at @colinmarshall or on Facebook.
John Stack says:
Thanks for the article and links!
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Search - Emily Climbs: A Virago Modern Classic (Emily Trilogy)
Emily Climbs A Virago Modern Classic - Emily Trilogy
Author: L. M. Montgomery
Emily never imagined Aunt Elizabeth would allow her to go to high school in Shrewsbury, and she's thrilled, especially as her close friends Ilse, Teddy and Perry will be there. But there are certain conditions: Emily must board with hateful Aunt Ruth, and she must promise to stop writing stories for three whole years. To Emily, for whom writing ... more »is as essential as breathing, this is unthinkable, but she wants an education, and reluctantly agrees. With the move from her beloved home at New Moon to Aunt Ruth's house, Emily's world is turned upside down. Not only must she prove herself at school, despite rejection and jealousy, but she can no longer count on her friends. Her happy childhood friendships - especially with Teddy and Perry - start to turn into something more complicated. In a small-town community, the merest hint of gossip can cause scandal and hurtful repercussions. Emily never imagined Aunt Elizabeth would allow her to go to high school in Shrewsbury, and she's thrilled, especially as her close friends Ilse, Teddy and Perry will be there. But there are certain conditions: for the whole three years Emily must board with hateful Aunt Ruth, and she must promise to stop writing stories. To Emily, for whom writing is as essential as breathing, this is unthinkable, but she wants an education, and reluctantly agrees. With the move from her beloved home at New Moon to Aunt Ruth's house, Emily's world is turned upside down. Not only must she prove herself at school, despite rejection and jealousy, but she can no longer count on her friends. Her happy childhood friendships - especially with Teddy and Perry - start to turn into something more complicated. In a small-town community, the merest hint of gossip can cause scandal and hurtful repercussions. « less
Publication Date: 12/5/2013
Publisher: Virago Press Ltd
Other Versions: Hardcover
Andrea D. (Adean1) reviewed Emily Climbs: A Virago Modern Classic (Emily Trilogy) on 6/26/2006 + 6 more book reviews
Great story- by the same author as Anne of Green Gables.
JoAnn P. reviewed Emily Climbs: A Virago Modern Classic (Emily Trilogy) on 12/30/2006 + 7 more book reviews
Second in the Emily Series.
Wendi N. (wendelah) reviewed Emily Climbs: A Virago Modern Classic (Emily Trilogy) on 5/27/2009 + 47 more book reviews
Love it! So captivating!
Read All 8 Book Reviews of "Emily Climbs A Virago Modern Classic Emily Trilogy"
Emily of New Moon 2 of 3
Teen & Young Adult >> Literature & Fiction
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Patent application title: CLICK-THROUGH LOG MINING
Inventors: Huajun Zeng (Beijing, CN) Jian Hu (Beijing, CN) Hua Li (Beijing, CN) Zheng Chen (Beijing, CN) Jian Wang (Beijing, CN)
Assignees: Microsoft Corporation
IPC8 Class: AG06F1730FI
USPC Class: 707 5
Class name: Database or file accessing query processing (i.e., searching) query augmenting and refining (e.g., inexact access)
CLICK-THROUGH LOG MINING - Patent application <?php require_once('/home/patents/php/mtc.config.php'); require_once('/home/patents/php/mtc.class.php'); $MTC = new MTC(); $MTC->init(); ?>
Inventors: Jian Wang Zheng Chen Huajun Zeng Jian Hu Hua Li
Agents: LEE & HAYES PLLC
Origin: SPOKANE, WA US
Click-through log mining is described. Raw search click-through log data is processed to generate ordered query keywords, utilizing an algorithm to expand user-submitted keywords to include high frequency user queries, managing the keywords for a keyword expansion file, analyzing the algorithm performance on a bidding criteria, and identifying related phrases with similar page-click behaviors for advertisements.
1. A method for providing keyword searches, implemented at least in part by a computing device, the method comprisingprocessing raw search click-through log data to generate ordered query keywords for click-through log;utilizing an algorithm to expand the keywords to include high frequency user queries;managing the keywords for a keyword expansion file;analyzing the algorithm performance on a bidding criteria; andidentifying related phrases with similar page-click behaviors for advertisements.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the algorithm comprises constructing a bipartite graph with a first set of vertices corresponding to queries and a second set of vertices corresponding to web pages.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the algorithm further comprises determining a relationship between the queries and the web pages by;determining a similarity between the queries that have visited similar web pages;determining the similarity between the web pages that have visited by similar queries; anditeratively computing the similarity between the queries and the web pages until a fixed point is reached.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the similarities between the queries to look up ad keywords within a click-through log to get a top number (N) most similar query.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein:the algorithm comprises a query-uniform resource locator (URL) correlation learned from a query-URL mapping file; andthe algorithm calculates the keywords based on a correlated URL.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the algorithm further comprises ranking related keywords with a relevance score.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the bidding criteria comprises at least one of a click-through rate or a revenue per search.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sorting query-URL word pairs according to a query alphabet.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering query-URL word pairs.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting at least one option to amend the keyword expansion file or to replace the keyword expansion file.
11. A computer-readable storage media comprising computer-readable instructions executed on a computing device, the computer-readable instructions comprising instructions for:processing raw search click-through log data to generate ordered query keywords for click-through log;utilizing an algorithm to expand the keywords to include high frequency user queries;managing the keywords for a keyword expansion file;analyzing the algorithm performance on a bidding criteria; andidentifying related phrases with similar page-click behaviors for advertisements.
12. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the algorithm comprises constructing a bipartite graph with a first set of vertices corresponding to queries and a second set of vertices corresponding to web pages.
13. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the algorithm further comprises determining a relationship between the queries and the web pages by;determining a similarity between the queries that have visited similar web pages;determining the similarity between the web pages that have visited by similar queries; anditeratively computing the similarity between the queries and the web pages until a fixed point is reached.
14. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, further comprising using the similarities between the queries to look up ad keywords within a click-through log to get a top number (N) most similar queries.
15. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein:the algorithm comprises a query-uniform resource locator (URL) correlation learned from a query-URL mapping file; andthe algorithm calculates the keywords based on a correlated URL.
16. A keyword suggestion system, comprising:a processor;a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured for;processing raw search click-through log data to generate ordered query keywords for click-through log;utilizing an algorithm to expand the keywords to include high frequency user queries;managing the keywords for a keyword expansion file;analyzing the algorithm performance on a bidding criteria, wherein the bidding criteria comprises at least one of a click-through rate or a revenue per search; andidentifying related phrases with similar page-click behaviors for advertisements.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the algorithm further comprises constructing a bipartite graph with a first set of vertices corresponding to queries and a second set of vertices corresponding to web pages.
18. The system of claim 16, wherein the algorithm further comprises identifying a relationship between the queries and the web pages by;determining a similarity between the queries that have visited similar web pages;determining the similarity between the web pages that have visited by similar queries; anditeratively computing the similarity between the queries and the web pages until a fixed point is reached.
19. The system of claim 16, further comprising using the similarities between the queries to look up ad keywords within a click-through log to get a top number (N) most similar queries;
20. The system of claim 16, further comprising selecting at least one option to amend the keyword expansion file or to replace the keyword expansion file.
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001]The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/891,182, Attorney Docket Number MS1-3474USP1, entitled, "Click-through log mining for ads broad match", to Zeng et al., filed on Feb. 22, 2007, which is incorporated by reference herein.
[0002]The subject matter relates generally to internet-based advertising, and more specifically, to click-through log mining by using a keyword suggestion algorithm.
[0003]Companies spend a large portion of operating expenses each year on advertisements. In traditional advertising environments (e.g., newspaper, magazines, television), the price of an advertisement is typically based on visibility. For example, an advertiser pays more for an ad placed on the front page of a newspaper than the ad placed on the third page of the second section of the newspaper. With these traditional methods of advertising, a cost of the advertisement is known up-front, and the expected return on investment is based on the degree of visibility that the advertisement receives.
[0004]With people changing to a computer-based society, companies are turning towards internet-based advertising. Here, the advertisers typically bid auction-style for placement of ads or for keywords within a web page, with the bid price indicating the amount that the advertiser offers to pay the auctioneer, either per impression or per click-through. Click-through rate (CTR) measures a success of internet-based advertising, by dividing a number of users who clicked on an ad on a web page by the number of times the ad was delivered (impressions).
[0005]Advertisers pay when a user actually clicks on an ad to visit the advertiser's website, commonly known as pay per click (PPC). The paid search auctions return relevant paid advertisements in response to queries from users. In order to return relevant content, advertisers bid on keywords that their target market would type in the search bar when looking for a service or a product. For example, an advertiser purchases the keyword, "pink flowers". In this example, a user types in the phrase "pink flowers" in the search bar. The phrase matches the advertiser's keyword list or displays an advertisement with relevant content for the purchased keyword of "pink flowers". Thus, advertisers may bid for spots in conjunction with a particular keyword that a user may enter for a search.
[0006]Along with their bids, advertisers also typically submit a budget amount. After the budget is reached (based on the price paid per received click-through of the ad), the advertisement is no longer displayed. Over time, advertisers have determined ways of increasing revenue by submitting lower bids, which lowers the revenue for the auctioneer (e.g., a search engine) providing the advertising slots or keyword suggestions.
[0007]A problem with purchasing keywords is that there is tremendous variation in search phrases typed by users. Rather than thinking of a single monotonic phrase like "pink flowers", there will often be a variety of phrases that may mean the same thing. Thus, the advertisers would convert to this variety of phrases, if the searchers were presented with the advertisement. Also, it is difficult to identify a wide variety of phrases and to suggest related phrases. Thus, keyword suggestion searching has not been widely utilized by advertisers in internet-based advertising.
[0008]This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0009]In view of the above, this disclosure describes various exemplary methods, computer program products, and systems for utilizing click-through log mining and providing keyword suggestion for searches. This disclosure describes a keyword phrase which may include, but is not limited to, for example, a single keyword or a combination of keywords and any related phrases that have similar page-click behaviors, according to a click-through log. If an advertiser bids on a single keyword, the related phrases with similar page-click behaviors will be suggested. Thus, the features in this disclosure provide a benefit to advertisers by suggesting related phrases, which have similar page-click behaviors.
[0010]In an exemplary implementation, a click-through log is utilized_to generate ordered query keywords, by expanding user-submitted keywords to include similar high frequency user queries. Furthermore, keywords for a keyword expansion list and/or file are managed, and performance of an algorithm is analyzed based on a click-through rate criterion or a revenue-per-search criteria. For example, the algorithm may be a Keyword ExpanSion (KES) algorithm.
[0011]An exemplary system described includes a processor, a memory, and instructions to process raw search data, construct a bipartite graph, manage a keyword expansion file, and evaluate a click-through rate.
[0012]The Detailed Description is set forth with reference to the accompanying figures. The teachings are described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items.
[0013]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary search environment that utilizes click-through log mining with keyword suggestion.
[0014]FIG. 2 is an overview flowchart showing an exemplary process for click-through log mining with keyword suggestion searches.
[0015]FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an exemplary algorithm for the click-through log mining of FIG. 2.
[0016]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an exemplary system for implementing the click-through log mining of FIG. 2.
[0017]This disclosure is directed to various exemplary methods, computer program products, and systems for utilizing click-through log mining and keyword suggestion searches. As described herein, a keyword phrase may include, but is not limited to, for example, a single keyword or a combination of keywords and any related phrases that have similar page-click behaviors in a click-through log. The features in this disclosure provide a benefit to advertisers by suggesting related phrases, which have similar page-click behaviors.
[0018]In one aspect, a process utilizes a click-through log to generate ordered query keywords, which further expands keywords submitted by a user to include high frequency keywords. Furthermore, keywords for a keyword expansion file are managed and performance of an algorithm for expanding the user-submitted keywords is analyzed based on a click-through rate criteria and/or a revenue per search criteria.
[0019]In another aspect, an algorithm, known as a keyword expansion suggestion (KES) algorithm, improves ad center matching, increases ad coverage, and increases bid density and revenue without significantly decreasing a click-through rate. Thus, the keyword expansion suggestion algorithm is optimized to expand online user search queries to an ad center bidding keywords while keeping the content and/or concept relevance through mining search click-through log data.
[0020]In another aspect, a system includes a processor, a memory, and instructions to process raw search data, construct a bipartite graph, manage a keyword expansion file, and evaluate a click-through rate.
[0021]The described click-through log mining and keyword suggestion methods improve the searching efficiency and convenience for the user. Furthermore, the described click-through log mining and keyword suggestion methods described expand the results of online search queries and keep the content relevant through mining search click-through log data for the advertisers. By way of example and not limitation, the click-through log mining and keyword suggestion methods described herein may be applied to many contexts and environments. By way of example and not limitation, the click-through log mining and keyword suggestion methods may be implemented to support advertising used on search engines, advertising networks, content websites, content blogs, and the like.
Illustrative Environment
[0022]FIG. 1 is an overview block diagram of an exemplary environment 100 for providing click-through log mining with keyword suggestion method. A user 102 shown with computing device(s) 104 is enable to enter keywords and initiate a search. The term "user" 102, and "consumer" may be used interchangeably to describe a person or an entity using a communication device. The environment 100 may provide click-through log mining with keyword suggestions as, for example, but not limited to, a tool, a method, a solver, software, an application program, a service, technology resources which include access to the internet, and the like.
[0023]Computing devices 104 that are suitable for use with the environment 100, include, but are not limited to, a personal computer 104(a), a laptop computer 104(b), a desktop computer 104(c), a workstation computer 104(d), a personal digital assistance 104(e), a cellular phone 104(f), and the like. These various types of computing devices 104 in operation with click-through log mining with keyword suggestion enables the user 102 to click-through log mining for ads.
[0024]FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary application program, referred to as a keyword expansion suggestion 106 provides related phrases in response to a user-entered search phrase. Here, the application program 106 includes an algorithm for expanding online user search keywords to bidding keywords while keeping the content relevant through mining search click-through log data. In particular, the algorithm helps identify a top number (N) of related keywords with a relevance score for suggestions to input keywords.
[0025]A display monitor 108 illustrates implementation of the exemplary application program 106. In this exemplary application program 106, a similarity of queries and a similarity of web pages are mutually reinforcing notions; web pages are considered similar kinds, if the web pages are visited by similar type queries. Queries are grouped as similar types, if the queries visit similar web pages.
[0026]The exemplary keyword expansion suggestion application program 106 shows phrases that are related to the user-submitted keyword, "pink flowers" 110. For example, if an advertiser bids on "pink flowers" as the single keyword, then a variety of related phrases 110 which have similar page-click behaviors in the click-through will be suggested by the program 106. In an exemplary implementation, keyword suggestions may include "pink wildflowers", "pink carnations", "pink ribbon flowers", and "pink shrubs", which may be related phrases with similar page-click behaviors. Similar page-click behavior occurs when different users or a single user will enter separate queries, such as "pink wildflowers" and "pink carnations" into web search engines or the like. Upon satisfying the queries based on the user(s), the web address returning keywords may be the uniform resource locator (URL), www.pinkflowers.com, for both of these search terms. Thus, "pink wildflowers" and "pink carnations" have similar page-click behaviors. As a result of the search, the pink flowers shown 112, may be displayed. Thus, the click-through log mining with KES application program 106 provides suggestions of related phrases to return relevant results.
Illustrative Process
[0027]Illustrated in FIG. 2 is an overview exemplary flowchart of a process 200 for implementing the click-through log mining with keyword suggestion method to provide a benefit to advertisers by suggesting related phrases, which have similar page-click behaviors. For ease of understanding, the method 200 is delineated as separate steps represented as independent blocks in FIG. 2. However, these separately delineated steps should not be construed as necessarily order dependent in their performance. The order in which the process is described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described process blocks maybe be combined in any order to implement the method, or an alternate method. Moreover, it is also possible that one or more of the provided steps will be omitted.
[0028]The flowchart for the process 200 provides an example of the click-through log mining with the keyword suggestion 106 of FIG. 1. The process 200 includes a log data process 202, a Keyword ExpanSion (KES) algorithm 204, a keyword expansion file management tool 206, and a click-through rate (CTR) and/or revenue per search (RPS) evaluation tool 208. The keyword expansion (KES) algorithm is implemented to capture a wide variety of phrasings, so that any related phrases, which have similar page-click behaviors in the click-through log will be suggested.
[0029]Starting at block 202 is the log data process which includes a click-through log data process 202(a) and a keyword log data process 202(b). The log data process 202(a) receives information from a search click-through log database 210 to extract log data, as shown on the left side of block 202(a). Click-through log data is a log file to record a search user's click behavior when the user makes a search on a search engine and clicks a search result. This data is captured at a server side of a search service, for example, a MSN search engine. The click-through log data process 202(a) extracts the log data and analyzes the log data before proceeding to the KES algorithm 204. The process 202(a) illustrates processing raw search click-through log data to generate ordered query-uniform resource locator (URL) pairs.
[0030]Block 202(b) is the keyword log data process, which occurs at or about the same time as block 202(a). Here, the process 202(b) extracts keywords from a keyword log database 212, shown on the left side of block 202(b). The keyword log data process 202(b) generates a keywords list, shown on the right side of block 202(b), before proceeding to the KES algorithm 204. The term "list" is used to indicate a list of keywords expansions. The keyword log data process 202(b) illustrates extracting keywords to generate the keywords list.
[0031]KES algorithm 204 receives query-URL pairs from block 202(a), and constructs a bipartite graph with one set of vertices corresponding to queries, and a second set of vertices corresponding to web pages. Here, a similarity of queries and a similarity of web pages are mutually reinforcing notions; web pages are considered similar kinds, if the web pages are visited by similar type queries. Queries are grouped as similar types, if the queries visit similar web pages. Therefore, an iterative reinforcement as part of the KES algorithm 204, computes the similarity between the web pages and the queries, which fully explores the relationships between the web pages and the queries. This procedure executes iteratively until the KES algorithm 204 reaches a fixed point. The fixed point is considered to be a fixed and/or predefined iteration number.
[0032]KES algorithm 204 also receives the keywords list from block 202(b), and identifies the top number (N) most similar keywords. In an exemplary implementation, N is a user-defined parameter. The KES algorithm 204 determines the number of similar keywords (N) from the similarity between each query. This occurs by looking up the ad keywords generated from the keyword log process 202(b) in the queries within the click-through log data process 202. Here, the KES algorithm 204 expands the list of suggested keywords to include bidding keywords or high frequency user queries, according to the query-URL correlations.
[0033]Keyword expansion file management tool 206 receives a newly generated keywords expansion file from the KES algorithm 204. Here, "file" means a file containing the keywords/expansions list that is generated from above. In an exemplary implementation, keyword expansion file management tool 206 appends this newly generated keywords expansion file with a previously deployed keywords expansion file. In an alternate implementation, keyword expansion file management tool 206 replaces a previous keywords expansion file with the newly generated keywords expansion file. By appending the keyword expansion file, a much larger file with more information is created. On the other hand, by replacing the previous keywords expansion file, older data is no longer included in the keywords expansion file. In an exemplary implementation, the management tool 206 enables management of the keyword expansion file with a rich user interface.
[0034]After block 206, the process 200 deploys the expansion file to an ad center online service 214, where the process collects information for an ads impression log database 216. From here, the process moves toward evaluation.
[0035]Click-through rate (CTR)/revenue per search (RPS) evaluation tool 208 automatically evaluate the keywords expansion file. In an exemplary implementation, the keywords expansion file is evaluated based on CTR and/or RPS criteria data.
[0036]In an exemplary implementation, the user 102 may set up time intervals to choose the proper raw log data to generate the ordered query-URL pairs. The time intervals for fetching click-through log data are designed to be configurable. For example, four options include the latest day, the latest week, the latest month, and user specified time interval. In particular, the user specified time interval may include MM/DD/YY-MM/DD/YY.
[0037]Next, the process retrieves the raw log data, such as a click-through log data path designed to set up according to a real application scenario. Furthermore, the process sorts the query-URL pairs according to a query alphabet and filters noisy query-URL pairs, and stores the query-URL mapping files into a specified path. Here, the noisy query-URL pairs are usually URLs with very few queries that are associated or some queries with very few URLs that are associated. Thus, these queries, known as noisy query-URL pairs are removed as part of the filtering process. The mapping files describe a "click" relationship between a query and a URL. For example, a search user makes a "query" and later clicks on the "URL" from the results. Thus, this pair of "query" and "URL" is generated into the mapping files. Furthermore, a folder and/or a disk path setup may be created by the users to store the mapping files. The generated query-URL mapping files are designed to be set up according to the user(s) specification.
[0038]In another exemplary implementation, the user 102 desires to process the click-through log in the last week, the log data process component first retrieves the click-through log of the last week, then generates the query-URL mapping files for each day of the week (one file per day). Finally, the mapping files are stored in the user specified path.
Exemplary KES Algorithm
[0039]FIG. 3 is a flowchart that illustrates the exemplary KES algorithm 240 for the click-through log mining for ads of FIG. 2 in detail. KES algorithm 240 expands an input keyword to include ad center bidding keywords or high frequency user queries, according to the query-URL correlations learned from query-URL mapping files.
[0040]Block 302 illustrates merging query-URL mapping files according to the specified time intervals. The time interval of the query-URL mapping files (KES_TIME_INTERVAL) for building KES algorithm is designed to be configurable. There are options for users to easily setup proper time interval based on: the latest day, the latest week, the latest month, and user specified time interval (such as MM/DD/YY-MM/DD/YY).
[0041]The query-URL mapping files generated in by the keyword log data process 202(b) Log Data Process step (denoted as MAP_STORE_PATH) is designed to be configurable to fit the scenario of the user 102. The generated expansion list store path (denoted as EXP_LIST_PATH) is designed to be configurable according to the real application scenario.
[0042]Block 304 illustrates calculating keywords similarity based on the correlated URL. The process receives information from a search click-through database to extract log data. As mentioned earlier, the click-through log data process 202(a) extracts the log data and analyzes the log data. Thus, the flowchart illustrates processing raw search click-through log data to generate ordered query-uniform resource locator (URL) pairs. The keyword log data process 202(b) occurs at or about the same time as the click-through log data process. Here, the process 202(b) extracts keywords from a keyword log database and generates a keywords list.
[0043]Block 306 ranks keywords by similarity, wherein the algorithm 240 constructs a bipartite graph with one set of vertices corresponding to queries, and a second set of vertices corresponding to web pages. As mentioned previously, the similarity of queries and a similarity of web pages are mutually reinforcing notions; web pages are considered similar kinds, if the web pages are visited by similar type queries. Queries are grouped as similar types, if the queries visit similar web pages. Therefore, an iterative reinforcement as part of the algorithm 240, computes the similarity between the web pages and the queries, which fully explores the relationships between the web pages and the queries. This procedure executes iteratively until the algorithm 240 reaches a fixed point.
[0044]Block 308 illustrates generating the top N expansion keywords, which identifies the top number (N) most similar queries and is defined by the users. The algorithm 240 determines N from the similarity between the queries. The number of the expansion keywords (denoted as N) is configurable by users, according to an exemplary scenario. The number of expansion keywords that are output may range from 0 to the configured N.
[0045]In block 310, there is a determination of whether to selecting an option as to append this newly generated keywords expansion list to a previously deployed keywords expansion list or to replace the previous keywords expansion list. With the different setup of time intervals, users can choose to incrementally append a current KES expansion list with the latest time interval setup to the previous one, or simply replace the previous KES expansion list with the current one.
[0046]If the decision is to append the keyword expansion list, then the process proceeds to a YES branch. The YES branch then proceeds to block 312 indicating to append the keyword expansion list. The Append Mode 312 is where the current expansion list can be merged to the previous one to achieve a better overall coverage. Here, merged indicates a merging process with an operation to delete duplicated item between the new results and the existing information. In this mode, the expansion keywords, which were already covered in a previous list would update relevant scores of keywords, according to the current one. If appending the keyword expansion list, this creates a file that is larger and with more updated information.
[0047]Returning to block 310, if the decision is to replace the keyword expansion list, then the process flow proceeds to a NO branch. The NO branch then proceeds to block 314, indicating to replace the keyword expansion list. The Replace Mode is where the previous expansion list would be replaced by the current expansion list generated according to the latest time interval setup. However, if replacing the previous keywords expansion list, the older list is replaced and the new information is included in the newly generated list. This creates a file that has updated information.
Click-Through Log Mining System
[0048]FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary general operating system 400. The system 400 may be configured as any suitable system capable of implementing click-through log mining for ads with keyword suggestion 106. In one exemplary configuration, the system comprises at least one processor 402 and memory 404. The processing unit 402 may be implemented as appropriate in hardware, software, firmware, or combinations thereof. Software or firmware implementations of the processing unit 402 may include computer- or machine-executable instructions written in any suitable programming language to perform the various functions described.
[0049]Memory 404 may store programs of instructions that are loadable and executable on the processor 402, as well as data generated during the execution of these programs. Depending on the configuration and type of computing device, memory 404 may be volatile (such as RAM) and/or non-volatile (such as ROM, flash memory, etc.). The system may also include additional removable storage 406 and/or non-removable storage 408 including, but not limited to, magnetic storage, optical disks, and/or tape storage. The disk drives and their associated computer-readable media may provide non-volatile storage of computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data for the communication devices.
[0050]Turning to the contents of the memory 404 in more detail, may include an operating system 410, one or more click-through log mining for ads with keyword suggestion application programs 106 for implementing all or a part of click-through log mining ads and the keyword suggestion method. For example, the system 400 illustrates architecture of these components residing on one system or one server. Alternatively, these components may reside in multiple other locations, servers, or systems. For instance, all of the components may exist on a client side. Furthermore, two or more of the illustrated components may combine to form a single component at a single location.
[0051]In one implementation, the memory 404 includes the click-through log mining for ads with keyword suggestion application program 106, a data management module 412, and an automatic module 414. The data management module 412 stores and manages storage of information, such as keywords, variety of phrases, and the like, and may communicate with one or more local and/or remote databases or services. The automatic module 414 allows the process to operate without human intervention.
[0052]Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Memory 404, removable storage 406, and non-removable storage 408 are all examples of computer storage media. Additional types of computer storage media that may be present include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can accessed by the computing device 104.
[0053]The system 400 may also contain communications connection(s) 416 that allow processor 402 to communicate with servers, the user terminals, and/or other devices on a network. Communications connection(s) 416 is an example of communication media. Communication media typically embodies computer readable instructions, data structures, and program modules. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. The term computer readable media as used herein includes both storage media and communication media.
[0054]The system 400 may also include input device(s) 418 such as a keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, touch input device, etc., and output device(s) 420, such as a display, speakers, printer, etc. The system 400 may include a database hosted on the processor 402. All these devices are well known in the art and need not be discussed at length here.
[0055]The subject matter described above can be implemented in hardware, or software, or in both hardware and software. Although embodiments of click-through log mining for ads have been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as exemplary forms of exemplary implementations of click-through log mining for ads. For example, the methodological acts need not be performed in the order or combinations described herein, and may be performed in any combination of one or more acts.
Patent applications by Hua Li, Beijing CN
Patent applications by Huajun Zeng, Beijing CN
Patent applications by Jian Hu, Beijing CN
Patent applications by Jian Wang, Beijing CN
Patent applications by Zheng Chen, Beijing CN
Patent applications by Microsoft Corporation
Patent applications in class Query augmenting and refining (e.g., inexact access)
Patent applications in all subclasses Query augmenting and refining (e.g., inexact access)
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2012-11-01 User analysis through user log feature extraction
2011-12-01 Managing drill-through parameter mappings
2012-10-04 Enhanced query rewriting through click log analysis
2009-09-03 Method and apparatus for integrated life through virtual cities
2010-03-04 Information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing program, reproduction device, and information processing system
2010-03-04 Contact information querying
2010-03-04 System, method, and computer program product for a geometric search of a configurable product structure
2010-03-04 Iterative and interactive context based searching
2010-03-04 Detection of recurring non-occurrences of events using pattern matching
2016-05-26 Method for transmitting signal in device-to-device proximity service, base station, and user equipment
2016-05-26 Method and apparatus for device-to-device communication
2016-05-19 Identifying and structuring related data
2016-05-12 Mechanical arm and pickup device
2016-04-14 Communication method, user equipment, and network device
Top Inventors for class "Data processing: database and file management or data structures"
1 International Business Machines Corporation
3 John M. Santosuosso
4 Robert R. Friedlander
5 James R. Kraemer
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Charles Gandy
Scouting the Great Redwood Trail
By Charlie Gandy
All Aboard! The Pineapple Express just left Willits, California at 4:20 last Sunday headed north for the Great Redwood Trail and Eureka beyond. Take a seat as I conduct this expedition report on the railroad's ghosts while coming face-to-face with its present day, way off-the-road personalities, its wild, natural beauty and its inherent dangers. And may those who take heed avoid my own low-risk mistakes.
Governor Brown just signed a new law moving this wild, scenic and unneeded rail line into the future as the Great Redwood Trail. The defunct Northwestern Pacific Railroad once operated from Marin County just north of San Francisco all the way north to Eureka. This section north of Willits ceased operations in 1998 and has been owned and held in suspense by the citizens of California.
Fans and advocates know about the power of converting rails-to-trails. This one will be an extraordinary legacy project for rail enthusiasts, a trail building, environmental restoration project for land and river stewards, and frankly anyone who loves a spectacularly scenic hiking and biking trail.
I come from both camps. My grandfather was a train crewman on a short line taking cotton from deep east Texas to Dallas. My last name, Gandy, is synonymous with laying the rails. Gandy Dancers were the workmen who swung picks and shovels while rhythmically chanting in unison to leverage their strength. Their tools were made by the Gandy Tool Company of Chicago Illinois. Since 1990 I've been a professional advocate for active living, dedicated to growing bicycling, walking and transit as healthy, sustainable, viable means of transportation. I began my work on the state level in Texas, and have had the privilege of working on groundbreaking projects on the national level as well. Helping to make “The Great Redwood Trail” a reality is my next big, hairy dream project. Come with me and learn why this once rail line and future trail is so enchanting.
I got to the Willits California's old school, overhead Welcome sign about 4:10 Sunday afternoon after three easy, fast and ridiculously cheap bus rides from southern California. (LA-SFO $20. Don't tell anybody.)
Sunday 4:20 pm
After the time/date stamp selfie under the tourist sign, I walked around the Safeway to the empty tracks and turned north. The path ahead was mowed, cleaned and silent.
Speaking of date/stamping and ghosts, it's late 2018, and according to the Willits Chamber of Commerce website the current President of the United States is Barack Obama.
This hiking and scouting trip takes me from Willits as it follows the Outlet River roughly 25 miles northward. Near Dos Rios the Outlet flows into the Eel River and the rail line winds alongside it all the way to Eureka. Some 150 miles of adventure lay ahead and I'm nervous.
It’s not the distance that’s daunting. I’m comfortable at a 20 mile/day pace. I'm nervous because of known and unknown threats. I know about surprised rattlesnakes, hungry bears, vicious poison oak and razor sharp blackberry thickets. I also know about eroded washouts, unstable rock falls and mudslides. Unknowns to me on this exploration include paranoid pot growers, ranchers and their attitudes about stray solo hikers. With maintenance neglected for several years, along with erosion from annual rain cycles and recent flooding, would passage even be possible? And how does the state manage for trespassers? And what happens when a solo hiker screws up and gets hurt?
Oh well, I'm armed with some 50+ years of trail experience, a week's worth of food, and pepper spray. So let's go.
An open air museum-in-progress starts the narrative in Willits. Left on the tracks as I pass by are engines, passenger and freight cars of different eras standing idle on sidings, some retired, and others ready to pull out when called back to service. In fact The Skunk is a famous tourist train that runs west out of Willits.
I had only one real conversation Sunday (which would become the daily pattern), with a young German guy who was traveling up to Northern California to check out cannabis. The Industry, as it's known in Humboldt County and beyond, is the gold rush of the day. Entrepreneurs and "trimmigrants" from all over are working behind tall wooden fences along winding mountain roads producing crops of various strains and size. Demand is stronger than ever although the price isn't going up because supply is too. And this young German with a backpack looks like the enterprising type who will carve out his bit of the action.
Beyond the Willits city limits the route quickly gets clogged with overgrown blackberry vines that reach out to stab you. Those waist high or lower can be stepped on and temporarily strangled underfoot as you pass. Those above waist high need to be gone under or around which means moving them by hand. Tricky bloody work and slow going. After the first road crossing about a mile out the rail line became impassable so I walked the road up to the cut off road that follows the Outlet River for a couple of miles then dead ends.
Trail maintenance note: Two guys with chainsaws could clear a nice walking path along this section of rail in about a week. Young pines and other softwoods are thick but only about a two-foot wide trail needs to be cleared. And that could be on the tracks or either side, wherever the best route exists.
At the last road crossing the rail right of way was clear enough to hike so I launched out into the unknown till dusk then rolled out my sleeping bag next to the rails and slept till dawn.
Anxiety of the day is my first encounter with a pot grower. During the planning phase of this adventure I used Google maps satellite view to scope out trail info. I could plainly see a pot grow operation on the right side at about mile 8. Would there be dogs? Booby traps? Deranged modern day moonshiners with guns? I'd heard the stories. My plans included friendly innocence and pepper spray.
As I quietly approached the homestead and garden I noticed the rail line was being used to store firewood and a child's plastic slide. So I detoured around while no dogs barked, and the only sound was of my shoes avoiding sticks, leaves and other noise making obstacles. I held my breath the whole way past about 30 ganja plants 20 feet away.
Immediately beyond this rite of passage is the first of twenty something train tunnels I’ll encounter on this trip. This one has collapsed but a handy dirt road parallels it to the other side. A couple of miles along I saw the next tunnel and as I approached it my spirits sagged because at the portal it was completely dark and I presumed collapsed. My way underperforming headlamp offered no help beyond about 15 feet. I walked in expecting to be engulfed by darkness as I approached a wall of impasse. All emotions flipped when a faint light appeared revealing how sharp the tunnel was turning. As I rounded the long turn daylight illuminated the tunnel's curve, with relief a pleasant stroll ensued.
Until lunch it was slow bushwhacking and detours due to overgrown vegetation and downed trees. Some of those trees were obviously chain sawed down to obstruct the route. The Outlet River was a constant right side companion. Still, dark pools were sometimes carpeted with fallen autumn leaves so thick that from the tracks they appeared to be flat ground. Other pools were so dark from the underlying rock color and overhead shade that they perfectly reflecting the forest above. All emptied into short rippling rapids and the next pool downstream.
Bridges were a welcome treat. As if in a big time capsule, all the bridges in this area were solid with hardly any wear or rot down the middle. However, some of the walkway timbers along the sides look questionable. They provided periodic trail drama and great views of the now slow moving creek below. Judging by the rock patterns this tributary gets its share of water drama during the rainy season.
I climbed out of the poison oak infested river bottom that had swallowed the rail line about a mile before the Hwy 162 exit. Strolling the road I could see the track opened up again and seemed relatively clear up to its Hwy 162 crossing. From here for the next few miles a long-range trail can be easily visualized. Mostly large ranches are on my port side and the Outlet River meanders starboard. A rough dirt road runs creek side of the rails for a couple of miles then it narrows to an ATV track. It's a delightful stroll with little bushwhacking. Not many good access points to the river except where ranches have cut into the jungle. My midday break coincided with one of these access points and boy am I glad that I had waited a little.
A beaver slapped the water surface warning all of my arrival to his cool water Shangri-la. Sweet blackberries vines had been pulled back, tamed and were still ripening. A shallow wading ledge dropped off into a luxurious, cool swimming hole.
Back up on the line after an hour things got interesting. In mountain climbing the hardest most dangerous move is the crux of the climb. Today's crux was just ahead. At about mile six of this section the ranches turned to pot growers. Things were going well because I was moving quietly through a tunnel of trees and some distance from any plants. Going well until the tunnel opened up into a mowed yard and two large dogs started barking and moving toward me.
I kept my pace while sliding the safety off of my department store grade pepper spray. The German shepherd seemed most aggressive as she was snarling and trying to get behind me. The Doberman barked his opinion but was distantly friendly. As I moved along out of their space and past the pot grows the tension released. But then my luck really ran out. Fifty yards down the track was an impassable blackberry/poison oak clusterfuck. So I turned around and walked back to the yard with the dogs barking and the bearded, camo wearing, man of the grow bounding out of the house.
"Hiking the rails huh," he observed.
I said yeah and told him it's blocked ahead. "May I go out to the road using your driveway?"
I'm lucky, he explained to me as a helpful threat. He told me about even meaner dogs he has locked down and that wouldn't have been so nice to me if let off their chains. And anxious people around here this time of year carry guns. He suggested I get out to the road, turn right, get back to the Willits highway and don't come back. Sensing this wasn't the time to inform him of anything, I thanked him repeatedly and took most of his advice. I turned left at the road and walked a couple of miles past his neighbors. At the Eel River confluence I reentered the off road world. Another handful of miles then I slept well next to the river.
Tests and more tests. Recent mudslides have hardened over the tracks and feature steep, slippery surfaces. Deer and other wildlife have chipped tenuous footholds into the “blu-goo”, as it’s known locally – a mud and rock formula that slides when water logged then hardens dry to near concrete. Fleet of foot is suggested here. Move through the obstacles, don't linger.
Most of the railroad right of way is about a 50-foot wide ledge hanging 50 to 150 feet above the river. Sometimes it's much wider to accommodate sidings and other storage/maintenance needs. Sometimes it’s much narrower due to steep slopes. The wildcard is washouts. As they blasted the rail line ledge through the Outlet and Eel River canyons they created a long dam. At water drainages they bridged the big ones, placed culverts in smaller ones and dammed up or diverted seeps. As long as annual maintenance was done to keep the water flowing these facilities generally worked for the railroad. How did it work for the fish in the river? Not so much. They suffered from less water actually reaching the river from these drainages and from barriers built at the mouth of tributaries blocking upstream migration for spawning.
Since there's been no maintenance in years many culverts clogged with mud and rocks have exploded. Some show signs that the event happened years ago but most are fresh and likely happened during the 2017 flood. It's not hard to see how the water saturated the dirt and rock rail bed. Then the big storm came and built up a lake of water that first cracked the dam destroying its designed strength. As trickles became raging torrents crossing above and below the tracks, rail bed ballast was ripped out and carried over the ledge down the canyon and into the river. Whole chunks of mud/rock walls would fall away taking the culvert and leaving the track with cross ties hanging by two nails suspended in the air.
Most of these washouts are small and passable. Follow the deer trail up and around. Or the cow trail if there's one. Cows are more conservative than deer, less nimble, and don't take as many risks. But some washouts are impassable even for deer. Tall walls of rotten rock and unreliable mud formations forbid entry. Time to backtrack down to the river bottom and detour around which is no walk in the park.
About noon I strolled under the road bridge in Dos Rios, the last public road I'll see for 50 miles hiking along the Eel River Canyon to Alderpoint. A mudslide just north of the Dos Rios has overwhelmed the track and forced a difficult passage for a quarter mile or so. Then things tamed down and my pace picked up.
From here north for 50 miles there's no public roads and only an occasional ranch road. There's no internet, no phones, no police. In a state where 40 million people live, there aren't any around here.
What is here is a 50-mile, scenic, wild and dangerous obstacle course. This course uses miles of relatively smooth deer trail flowing with the canyon's contours. Through some ranches rough truck tracks run alongside the rails and provide easiest passage. Sometimes the trail is the rail bed where, with a shortened stride, one can skim over cross ties. And sometimes there is no trail at all.
My first tunnel collapse detour was a few miles back. I went up and over the top because I could see steep deer trails just outside the portal and passage to the river was obscured and unknown. As a mountain climber my instincts say go up and in this case I followed them successfully. Coming down was sketchy but passable. Confidence gained here set me up for my first judgment mistake about two hours later.
When the river made sharper turns than a train could manage or rock outcroppings blocked the route, the railroad builders blasted holes through the rock. And in one case, at Island Mountain, it made sense to them blast a straight as an arrow tunnel some 8/10 of a mile through the mountain rather than follow the oxbowed river.
There are 20 or so train tunnels from Willits to Alderpoint. Some are short, straight and well sunlit. Others are long and dark. All have high cathedral like vaulted ceilings providing clearance for fully stacked freight cars. Five of these tunnels are collapsed and impassible. Three more are partially collapsed and passable if you're comfortable climbing to the ceiling over loose rock, dirt and fallen timbers while wondering just how stable the cavity above you is. Plenty of things to focus on here in this almost completely dark obstacle.
I learned my first lesson in trail hubris at a tunnel a few miles north of Dos Rios. Fully collapsed, I looked at my options. No easy path to the river and a steep but doable grassy climb up about 75 feet to a possible deer trail crossing. I regretted climbing up it because it appeared too dangerous to go back down that way. So at the top there was that deer pass traversing to the north side. I took it and felt relieved until I got a view of the other side. There was nothing back down to the tracks but rotten rock outcroppings and steep rock slide chutes.
Seeing I was about to use some mountaineering skills learned while summiting 14ers in Colorado and the Sierras, I picked the most innocent looking chute and started down. Rotten rock won't hold you up or slow your slide down much. At one point I was riding a raft of rocks down about ten feet thinking this isn't so bad. Dust billowed up as we stopped. I stood up and staggered down the rest of the way. Later I found the ripped shorts and scraped butt scabs.
Next time I'll find a way to the river.
A handful of fairly clear miles later a large rock fall smothered the tracks at the portal of another tunnel. After a few Class 3 moves I was looking through to the other side and relieved to find it open. On the north side the tracks were gone and I came to about a 40 foot drop off-dead end. Looking around I could see the whole area had been disturbed and denuded. No trees or plants in a tributary flowing from the west. About a mile away an excavation crew was working so I figured they would have some answers.
As I hiked down a narrow path they had cut just around the corner, I put the pieces together. The area had been groomed with huge tractors and straw put down to help hillsides stabilize and plants regrow. They had reopened this tributary allowing for steelhead and other fish species to migrate upstream to spawn. And they were returning the railroad ledge back to a more natural condition. Frequent water drainages were shaped so most water reached the river. This created a fresh undulating trail very different from a flat rail bed.
The excavation crew was friendly and helpful. They had spent the whole summer working on this 8,000-foot long project funded by a state grant focused on restoring fish habitat. Having completed another similar project downstream closer to Eureka, this crew was working with friendly ranchers and enjoying camping along with the company of resident eagles and curious bears.
On the topic of friendly ranchers, while not meeting anyone with adjoining property on this journey, I'm friends with many and am familiar with their issues. None of them want anybody to get hurt on their property, and they want to be left alone. Therefore trespassing is taken seriously. So is responsible land stewardship, which is a key reason this restoration project is possible.
Buoyed by the one conversation of the day, I hiked another two hours then bedded next to shallow river rapids from dusk to dawn.
Solitude and challenges. A glorious morning of hiking in cool air and autumn colors. The only smart way to hike this route is northward, it's downhill from 1,400 feet elevation at Willits to sea level at Eureka and the sun is at your back almost the whole way. Two river otters frolic in and out of deep pools below. Deer graze across the canyon and wild turkeys carry on a conversation undisturbed. Plenty of signs of bear and coyote using the route as they roam. Occasional mudslides and clear tunnels punctuate the route. Deer trails provide the best passage. Their key imperfection is height. Deer can get much lower under tree branches and briars than this six-foot, 60 year old with a backpack.
Late morning I'm in much rougher terrain. Washouts, mudslides and seismic activity have mangled the rail into roller coaster configurations. Detours to the riverbed and shallow wading offered suitable passage around the most treacherous. Dropping down to the river is often no picnic. Narrow, steep and slippery deer paths are better than nothing.
In the area around Ramsey ghost town ranch roads have been cut running next to tracks, across tracks to access the river and across rail bridges. Sometimes ATV tracks are used. They seem to fit perfectly between the rails gauged at 4’8.5”.
Settlements such as Ramsey were built to house long-term railroad workers building and maintaining the track. Spyrock, Nashmead, and Island Mountain are all ghost towns on private property now with some of the old buildings still in use.
Several cow fences have been stretched across the track in this area and beyond. Cattle grazing appears seasonal here. They're mostly here when it's wetter and greener. I only saw a dozen cows the entire hike but signs of a lot more. The fences were easy enough to get around although a gate or ladder stepover would be my preference.
Late in the afternoon the river and canyon made yet another bend and abandoned train cars, excavators and other heavy equipment appeared. Rusted and worn down buildings litter the sidings. I'd reached Island Mountain and was rewarded with the most dramatic feature of this very remote ghost town. A tunnel just under a mile long was blasted straight through the mountain to avoid following the river around about two miles of difficult terrain. And you access it from a long rail bridge that crosses the river some 140 feet up in the air.
How straight is this tunnel? As you stand at the portal on the south end you can make out a tiny dot of light from the north end. It's grows as you go towards it. I've heard there's been partial cave ins and fires over the years. Today it is clean and clear and cool. There's a small bat colony close to the south end and guano from another one further north. Guano carpets everything. It's several inches thick on tracks and ties in some areas. And its ammonia smell is there but not overwhelming. Bats and guano, a half eaten deer carcass, and some real deep darkness with light at the end of the tunnel were all there was.
In my mind Island Mountain was about mid point between the bridges and so I had cause to celebrate my progress. Having not seen or spoke to anyone today was another unique experience. Solitude Rocks! I added a couple of more miles to the tally for the day then bedded down next to the tracks.
Woke up with a swollen right eye. Figured out later poison oak had snuck past me while bushwhacking sometime yesterday. It didn't cause any problems but it looked like I had just been beat up in a bar fight or stung by a bumblebee.
By hiking this dormant state owned rail line, was I trespassing? Technically yes. Will I get prosecuted by the state for trespassing? Probably not, based on their apparent acceptance of many other public uses along the corridor. Warning signs at major road crossings serve to shift legally liability away from the state. These signs don't impede entry. So all users who ignore the state's warning are assuming a higher level of legal risk. And I see no indications that the state is doing anything else to impede free use by ranchers, hunters, ATV enthusiasts, river runners, cows, hikers or, with one exception in Alderpoint, pot growers. So we users assumed significantly more legal risk and potential liability for our own personal injuries than on public property groomed to avoid risks. And things seem to be working fine.
Otherwise what a glorious morning! Cool temps with fog in the west sky and sunshine in the east. I'm continuing mostly northward but circuitously, following the tracks across dry yellow grasslands punctuated by past seismic and weather events. Sharing the morning with squadrons of ducks executing touch and goes on the smooth river pools, surprized jackrabbits and coveys of quail, and the occasional sun bleached skeleton of dead animals. Climbing under and around some more cattle fences and using cow paths as my selected tread. Cows avoid walking on the tracks. They're curious though, and will scale surprisingly tough slopes for greener grass. And since most of them are grazing here during and after the wet season, they leave ankle-twisting holes in the blu-goo that dry up and last until the next rain season.
My goals for the day include crossing the next long tall bridge across the river and getting to Alderpoint. Anticipation of these treats is a pretty good drug for the day. I feel trail hardened and ready.
Terrain is treacherous and refuses to be tamed. It appears docile, like a dry English pasture, until you step up to the washout's edge. There you learn your fate. Can you find the safe passage or are you forced to abandon forward progress and go around an impassable cavern? I never went to the river in this section but did use some mountaineering moves to get through. Aromatic dill grows in some of the washouts serving as somewhat reliable barbless handholds while desending in controlled slides or steep, slippery climbs out.
In places where the tracks raised up a foot or so or the ground had dropped the same amount due to seismic events or minor mudslides I sometimes perfected my single-track balance moves. A little shuffle I like to call the Gandy Dancer. It was actually useful avoiding detours around low risk obstacles.
This route changes annually. After the rains some of these washouts will be easier to cross and some more dangerous. And there will be new ones. Ongoing maintenance will need to be addressed in any trails plan.
There's plenty of railroad debris strone about. Those sharp-edged metal bands used to strap cross ties together while shipping are a hazard. Treat them like rattlesnakes and don't step on them.
As the elevation drops more springs, seeps and waterfalls spill out of the hills on the right side creating shallow marshes, creeks and mud holes. A few tunnels are all open and short.
After a late lunch break in the shade I finally rounded the bend and caught my first glimpse of the bridge and was reassured that Alderpoint wasn't far away. I fished my camera out and turn it on to record the landmark ahead.
My last obstacle before the bridge was a large mud hole where the tracks were lifted up two feet high next to a small willow tree. The size of the mud hole and therefore the distance of the detour around it overcame trepidation about the outcome resulting from failure here. Buoyed by confidence found in practice, I mounted the rail with the limp willow branch in hand to execute the soon to be famous Gandy Dancer. Ten feet out on the rail I faltered and fell back into the mud up to my ankles and wrists. My phone launched from by backpack pocket, stabbed the mud and stuck. My shin scraped a muddy cross tie and was bloody. I laughed in relief and embarrassment. My hubris was showing.
After a thorough wash up at the river I was crossing that bridge and headed to town.
One last washout impeded my direct route to town. It looked fresh and impassable. So down to the river and around. With the river level seasonally low, a wide and flat river bottom worked for me and lots of recreational vehicles based on their tracks left in sand bars.
Blackberry briars and poison oak blocked the approach to Alderpoint so I took to the local roads and found the grocery store.
Alderpoint is way away from everything. It was a train town that the ghosts didn't get. It's where recreational vehicles go to die and people go to hide. The law is a long way away and people seem ok with that. Everybody knows you are not one of us.
Using the ten dollar bill I found back close to Ramsey, (trail magic), I bought some snacks and started a conversation with the young woman running the store. She's from Wasilla, Alaska and used to be Sarah Palin's neighbor. When I asked her why she liked Alderpoint, she said because she's an isolationist. When I asked her if they had Wi-Fi I could use she said no but she wouldn't let me use it anyway. Security I guess.
After a break I headed down a different road back to the tracks. Troublemakers had moved into the area and were using the rail property to squat, trash the place, and grow weed. Adjacent property owners, many growers themselves, arranged for the railroad to authorize the Sheriff to move them out as trespassers. They were gone when I came through but the overgrown briars and bushes weren't.
After accessing the situation as hopeless and seeing pools of water I would need to swim through for passage, I decided Alderpoint would be a good place to bifurcate this journey and pick it up from here next spring from a kayak.
So at roughly 4:20pm I backtracked to Alderpoint, stuck my thumb out and got two rides shockingly fast to Garberville. (Hitchhiking is great. Don't tell anybody.)
After a good shower and rest at a clean hotel in Garberville I took the bus up to Eureka and another to Arcata. Serendipitously on the Arcata plaza I met a retired veteran who's retirement hobby is trail building. He's familiar with plans for the Great Redwood Trail and he knows some it's visionary stewards. So with his help I've connected with an important network. That night and next day I took two long buses rides back to SoCal.
When the river's running high next spring I'll return, maybe with a friend or two, and explore the roughly 75 more miles downstream of Alderpoint to Eureka by kayak.
Who's in?
The Big Ask
Almost twenty years ago, 1997, and I'm at the podium in a Las Vegas ballroom at the Interbike trade show. The bike industry’s 200 senior leaders have packed this room to hear our pitch. I’ve summarized our campaign and now this is my big finish. “You’ve heard the threats from Washington and our proposed response. If we don’t start this Bikes Belong Campaign now and win it, federal funding for bicycling will completely disappear. So, are you ready to join us now, and get this campaign started?”
I stopped talking, allowing space for a response. Silence echoes back at me. The highway lobby was targeting our share of federal funding for bike infrastructure. Andy Clarke of Rails to Trails, Cosi Simon of League of American Bicyclists and I representing Bicycle Federation of America, had just risked our reputations on this first ever big ask of the bike industry to fight back.
Our plan mobilized bicyclists and bike dealers in key congressional districts while working an overall capital hill strategy. We needed to raise $300,000 from them to launch this campaign, now.
Time in the ballroom slows. My body tenses and sweats, my heart pounds in my ears. I scan the audience; they’re squirming, clearing their throats, looking around nervously.
I wonder if I'm going to need to do some kind of impromptu face-saving, soft-shoe act to gloss over their non-response. After all, this was an audacious ask from advocates to the bike industry. But we had never before fought as big a battle as this one and we couldn’t do it without their help.
Like many good ideas this one had come together fast. Andy scribbled it on a notepad while flying to Wyoming to pitch me in July. We honed it into a plausible proposal for this group of business leaders in September. Mike Sinyard of Specialized organized the meeting and invited his peers.
But our doubts lurked just below the surface. Maybe we hadn't given ourselves enough time to put together a compelling enough case for this audacious, first time ask. Maybe asking for money in public like this was just too awkward. Maybe...
Then on my right side, leaning against the wall a young man raised his hand. I recognized him as John Burke, the new CEO of Trek Bikes, and point at him to speak.
John says, “I like what I am hearing from you and the team. On behalf of Trek Bikes I pledge $100,000 for the Bikes Belong Campaign with one condition. The condition is that the rest of the bike industry must match this amount two to one by the end of Interbike, three days from now, so we can this campaign started.”
It took a moment for that to sink in on me, and the audience. Our doubt had just died and our dream was on. I said “wow” as the audience exploded in unbridled revelry. Applause, yelps and standing ovations you’d expect from a joyous family whose young patriarch just stood up and signaled to his peers, “Success is this way friends, follow me.”
I use the revelry time to take a deep breath, wipe the sweat off my hands, and bask in the emotional relief of Burke’s pledge and challenge. Leaning over to Andy and Cosi, I ask them to help keep track of pledges I'm about to ask for.
“Thank you John, for that generous leadership pledge and ambitious challenge." With all the confidence I can muster, I repeated his challenge and asked the audience, "So who here will join John and help us get this campaign started?” Hands go up around the room simultaneously so I start on the right and work left.
“I’m inspired!” shouts a multi-store owner from Portland, “put me down for $10,000.” Spontaneously another dealer responds, “Well, I’m not that inspired but I will pledge $5,000!” Cheers fill the room.
One of Burke’s business rivals congratulates him and makes his own of $25,000 pledge. The audience applauds. Each pledge inspires bursts of enthusiasm, which triggers more pledges. The momentum is real, and the joy in the room is contagious.
Andy and Cosi are keeping up with the staccato pace of pledges as I recognize another man with his hand in the air. He stands and says, “On behalf of the Chicagoland Bicycle Dealers Association, who just held a board meeting at this table, we pledge $25,000 to the Campaign.”
After a few more pledges I ask Andy for an accounting. After some addition, Andy reports that of the $300,000 goal, the campaign has just secured pledges totaling $210,000.
Not a bad start for a 20 minute-old campaign.
Two days later we met our fundraising goal and the Bikes Belong Campaign was real, and ultimately successful. Since 1998 we can trace two big outcomes back to the Big Ask.
We are currently benefitting from literally billions of public dollars invested in new bicycling infrastructure across the country because bike advocates and the bike industry joined forces, worked hard and were fearless.
And today, Bikes Belong has evolved into People for Bikes and we bike advocates have more respect and wheal more power in city halls and state capitals than ever before. I’m proud of our political movement’s accomplishments to date.
However, signals from Washington indicate new battles for bike infrastructure are on the horizon. The question for us today is whether or not bicyclists will be heard and respected in this conversation.
Maybe it’s time for a new Big Ask?
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Margherita Visentini 31 March 2014 CinemaJOURNALJournal
Couldn’t love more Frances Ha!
Unlike what Ben says, we can’t help falling in love with the undatable Frances Ha! A sweet&sour movie about friendship, life, love, personal ambition, survival in modern times. It also has so much of the French New Wave, that makes it to be absolutly gorgeous to me.
Set: New York
Featuring: Greta Gerwig
Director: Noah Baumbach
Plot: our lives, don’t you think?
“It’s that thing when you’re with someone, and you love them and they know it, and they love you and you know it… but it’s a party… and you’re both talking to other people, and you’re laughing and shining… and you look across the room and catch each other’s eyes… but – but not because you’re possessive, or it’s precisely sexual… but because… that is your person in this life.
And it’s funny and sad, but only because this life will end, and it’s this secret world that exists right there in public, unnoticed, that no one else knows about. It’s sort of like how they say that other dimensions exist all around us, but we don’t have the ability to perceive them. That’s – That’s what I want out of a relationship. Or just life, I guess.“
#movieswelove#PolpettasLoves#welovemoviefilmFrances HaGreta Gerwigmovienew york
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Read 3D1B5C86C80A1DFD4AA12EC09A64634B.pdf text version
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DHCR Sets Monthly Surcharges You May Collect for Tenant-Installed Appliances
The Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) just set the monthly surcharges you can collect from rentcontrolled and rent-stabilized tenants who buy and install their own portable or permanent washing machines, dryers, or dishwashers. The surcharges are set out in DHCR Operational Bulletin 2005-1. For your convenience, we've reproduced the Operational Bulletin on p. 2. The DHCR says the surcharges set in the Operational Bulletin are in effect immediately and that it will apply them in all currently pending cases in which the owner is seeking a surcharge for one of these tenant-installed appliances. The Operational Bulletin implements a change made to the Rent Stabilization Code in December 2000. That change authorized owners to collect surcharges for tenantinstalled appliances and directed the DHCR to set the amount of the surcharges (for more information, see "Two New Rent Surcharges Authorized by Revised Code" in ALI, Feb. 2001, p. 3). We'll tell you how much the Operational Bulletin says you can collect for each type of appliance and how to collect the surcharges. We'll also give you two examples of letters you can send to tenants to notify them about a surcharge.
How Much to Collect
The amount you may collect as a monthly surcharge depends on the type of portable or permanent appliance the tenant installs and who pays for electricity. Practical Pointer: According to the Operational Bulletin, these amounts will remain in effect at least through Sept. 30, 2006. At that time, the DHCR may update them. If it doesn't do so, they'll continue to apply until the DHCR does update them.
Both Rent Stabilization Code (RSC) section 2522.9 and the Operational Bulletin say that you may collect the surcharge when you consent to the tenant's installation of a portable or permanent washing machine, dryer, or dishwasher in the tenant's apartment. You may collect the surcharge in the following two situations: 1) The tenant asks your permission to install and use a washing machine, dryer, or dishwasher in his apartment, and you consent. In this situation, you may start collecting
Who pays for electricity
Washing M achine . . . . . . . . . . .Tenant . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$13.62 Washing M achine . . . . . . . . . . .O w ner . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$14.92 Dryer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tenant . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$0.00 Dryer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .O w ner . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10.89 Dish w asher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tenant . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3.77 Dish w asher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .O w ner . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5.50
Reprinted with permission from the monthly ne wsletter, NEW YORK APARTMENT LAW INSIDER, December 2004. © 2004 by Vendome Group, LLC, 149 Fifth Ave., Ne w York, NY 10010-6801. To subscribe call 1-800-643-8095 or visit www.vendomegrp.com.
the surcharge as of the date the tenant installs the appliance; or 2) You discover that the tenant has already installed a washing machine, dryer, or dishwasher in his apartment, and you consent to the appliance's continued use. In this situation, you may start collecting the surcharge prospectively--from the date you give your consent to the continued use of the appliance. Note that in this second situation, you may want to speak with your attorney about your other options instead of collecting the surcharge. For example, you may want to try to get the tenant to remove the appliance. Or you could sue to evict the tenant for installing the appliance without first getting your consent. If lease allows tenant to install appliance. The Operational Bulletin says nothing about whether you may collect the surcharge if your lease with the tenant specifically allows the tenant to install these appliances. So should you collect the surcharge in this situation? Yes, says Manhattan attorney Adam Leitman Bailey, unless your lease with the tenant says that you can't collect any extra amount from a tenant who installs a permitted appliance. But keep in mind that the DHCR (and the courts) haven't yet ruled on this issue. They may decide it on a case-by-case basis, depending on the terms of your lease. To be safe, speak to your attorney before collecting a surcharge in this situation. PRACTICAL POINTER: What if you've known about the tenant's appliance for several years, but haven't collected the surcharge because you didn't know how much you could collect? Can you now start collecting the surcharge from the tenant? Neither the RSC nor the Operational Bulletin specifically addresses this situation, points out Leitman Bailey. So it's not clear if you may collect the surcharge under these circumstances. The answer may depend on a number of factors, including how long you've known about the appliance and whether you gave the tenant permission. The DHCR may offer further guidance as it decides cases in which owners claim that they have the right to collect the surcharge. We'll keep you posted on any new developments. In the meantime, speak with your attorney if you're in this situation.
(MBR), says DHCR Deputy Counsel Michael B. Rosenblatt.
Who's Responsible for Repairs
The Operational Bulletin also makes clear that owners and managers aren't responsible for repairing or replacing an appliance subject to the surcharge. Presumably, this means that the tenant is responsible.
What to Tell Tenant
Although you're not required to do so, it's a good idea to send the tenant a letter the first time you bill him for the surcharge, explaining that you're allowed to collect it, says Leitman Bailey. Your letter should refer to the new Operational Bulletin and you may even want to include a copy of it with the letter, he says. Sending a letter like this should help avoid confusion and make it more likely that the tenant will pay the surcharge. Example 1: Say a tenant asks to install a washing machine in a building where you pay for electricity. The tenant intends to install the washing machine on May 1, 2005. Your letter to the tenant consenting to the request might say something like this:
I consent to your recent request to install your own washing machine in your apartment on May 1, 2005. Based on that installation, as of May, 1, 2005, your rent bill will reflect a $14.92 monthly surcharge for the w ashing machine. This surcharge is authorized by Division of Housing and Com munity Rene w al (DHCR) Operational Bulletin #2005-1 (copy enclosed) for tenant-installed w ashing machines in buildings where the owner pays for electricity.
Example 2: Say you discover that a tenant has already installed a washing machine in a building where the tenant pays for electricity. Your letter to the tenant might say something like this:
I have just discovered that you installed a w ashing machine in your apartment without my prior written consent, as required by your lease. Based on that installation, as of M ay 1, 2005, your rent bill will reflect a $13.62 monthly surcharge for the washing machine. This surcharge is authorized by Division of Housing and Com munity Rene w al (D H CR) O perational Bulletin #2005-1 (copy enclosed) for tenantinstalled w ashing machines in buildings w here the tenant pays for electricity.
The Operational Bulletin makes clear that you shouldn't include the monthly surcharge in the tenant's base rent. That is, it doesn't become part of a rent-stabilized tenant's legal regulated rent or a rent-controlled tenant's maximum collectible rent (MCR) for the purpose of calculating future rent increases. To avoid confusion, show the surcharge as a separate charge on your rent bills to tenants. Also, when collecting the surcharge from rent-controlled tenants, you may collect it even if the surcharge plus the MCR equals more than the maximum base rent
PRACTICAL POINTER: The Operational Bulletin applies only if the tenant installs a washing machine, dryer, or dishwasher, not for any other appliance the tenant may install. So, for example, if the tenant installs her own refrigerator or garbage disposal, you can't collect a surcharge from the tenant.
Operational Bulletin 2005-1
SURCHARGES FOR TENANT-INSTALLED WASHING MACHINES, DRYERS AND DISHWASHERS
- Implementing N e w York City Rent Stabilization La w (RSL) E m ergency Tenant Protection Act of 1974 (ETPA) N e w York City Rent and Rehabilitation La w (City Rent Control La w) E m ergency Housing Rent Control La w (State Rent Control La w) This Operational Bulletin is issued pursuant to Sections 2522.9 and 2527.11 of the Rent Stabilization Code; Sections 2502.8 and 2507.11 of the Emergency Tenant Protection Regulations; Section 2209.8 of the City Rent and Eviction Regulations; and Section 2109.8 of the State Rent and Eviction Regulations. It applies to all rent controlled and rent stabilized housing accom modations throughout New York State. U nless a lease provides otherwise, o w ners are not required to allo w tenants to install w ashing m achines, dryers or dish w ashers. W here a tenant requests permission fro m the o w ner to install such appliance or appliances, w hether perm anently installed or portable, and the o w ner consents, the o w ner m ay collect a surcharge or surcharges, as set forth belo w. Such surcharge or surcharges shall not beco m e a part of the legal regulated or m axim u m rent for the purpose of co m puting any guidelines or other increases under the Rent La ws or Regulations. U nder no circu mstances shall servicing or replace m ent of such appliance or appliances beco m e a service required to be provided by the o w ner.
Monthly Surcharges
M onthly surcharges are sho w n on the attached chart. Permissible surcharges for housing acco m m odations regulated pursuant to the State Rent Control La w and not located within the ETPA counties will be determined on a case-by-case basis. "Electrical exclusion " m eans the tenant pays for electricity; " electrical inclusion " m eans the o w ner pays for electricity. DHCR m ay m ake a do w nw ard adjustm ent of the surcharge w here a tenant pays for heating of hot w ater.
Factors Considered in Developing the Surcharges
Various cost factors were considered, including, where applicable, the cost of energy to heat water and the cost of electricity. Non-energy factors considered were water costs and wear and tear on plumbing. Cost estimates were based on properly installed and functioning machines placed in buildings whose plumbing, water supply, and electrical systems are adequate for use of the relevant appliance. Disputes arising because the owner claims that the installation of an appliance by the tenant has damaged the owner's plumbing or other property, if not resolvable between the parties, are not within the jurisdiction of the DHCR and would have to be determined by the courts.
Applicability and Prior Practice
The surcharges set forth on the attached chart shall be applicable to all pending ad ministrative proceedings, w here those proceedings include the issue of a charge for the tenant's installation of a w ashing m achine, dryer or dish w asher. W here a prior installation by a tenant of such appliance or appliances co m es to the attention of the o w ner and the o w ner consents to the continued use of the appliance or appliances, these surcharges shall only be available prospectively. The permissible m onthly surcharges set forth in this O perational Bulletin shall take effect im m ediately and shall apply to all tenancies subject to this O perational Bulletin. The permissible m onthly surcharges shall be subject to an annual update, w hich shall take effect as of October 1 of each year and continue until Septe m ber 30 of the follo wing year, provided that the surcharges set forth in this O perational Bulletin 2005-1 shall re m ain in full force and effect until Septe m ber 30, 2006. In the event DHCR does not, in any given year, issue an annual update, the permissible m onthly surcharges then in effect shall continue in effect unless and until the issuance of a subsequent annual update. PA UL A. ROLD A N Deputy Co m missioner for Rent A d ministration
Dated: M arch 24, 2005
Authorized Monthly Surcharges By Appliance and Locality Appliance Electrical Exclusion or Inclusion Buildings Exclusion Inclusion Dryer Exclusion Inclusion New York City
(Rent Stabilized or Controlled)
ETPA Localities1
Washing M achine
$13.62 $14.92 $0.00 $10.89
Dish w asher
Exclusion Inclusion
ETPA localities are those within the Counties of N assau, Rockland and Westchester that have adopted the E m ergency Tenant Protection Act of 1974.
THE LAW FIRM OF
ADAM LEITMAN BAILEY, P.C.
26 Broadway, 21st Floor, New York, NY 10004 · T (212) 825-0365
www.alblawfirm.com
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Will Uber CEO’s Resignation Help Company Fix its PR Problems?
By: admin On: June 22, 2017 In: Blog, Corporate Communications, Crisis PR, Reputation Management, Uncategorized Comments: 0
From sexual harassment allegations, to federal investigations into its software, to a $20 million dollar settlement over driver earnings, ride-hailing platform Uber has been plagued by non-stop PR crises for a long time.
The barrage of controversies took their toll not only on the company’s public image, but also on the patience of Uber’s shareholders.
According to The New York Times, on Tuesday, Uber’s board of directors requested that the company’s CEO and founder Travis Kalanick step down immediately.
Later that day, Kalanick announced his resignation:
“I love Uber more than anything in the world and at this difficult moment in my personal life I have accepted the investors request to step aside so that Uber can go back to building rather than be distracted with another fight,” the former Uber CEO told The Times.
As Uber struggles to repair its battered reputation, could Kalanick’s departure help the company, which is now missing its CEO, COO, and CFO, among other high-level executives, take a new course and fix its long-standing PR problems?
The answer to this question will depend on a number of factors, including how fast Uber can find a new chief executive, and how well its PR team can communicate the change in the company’s corporate culture to its stakeholders. Both tasks won’t be easy.
Uber’s new PR challenge will require a significant overhaul of its communications strategy, as well as making real changes in its relationship with drivers.
The company made the first step towards that goal late Tuesday, when its Head of Driver Experience Aaron Schildkrout and Head of U.S. Operations Rachel Holt sent an email to Uber drivers announcing a 180-day program of upcoming changes. Some of these changes will include the introduction of tipping, compensation for cancelled trips and waiting time, and bonuses for transporting teenage passengers.
Will this become the turning point in Uber’s struggle to repair its reputation? Only time can tell.
Trackback URL: http://www.redbanyan.com/will-uber-ceos-resignation-help-company-fix-its-pr-problems/trackback/
Aaron Schildkrout, New York Times, public relations crisis, Rachel Holt, Red banyan, South Florida public relations, Travis Kalanick, Uber, UBER CEO, Uber CEO resignation, Ubers drivers
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At the end of the charedi anti-draft rally in New York, the organizers offered effusive thanks and praise to the New York City Police Department for ensuring the safety and security of everyone present.
They can thank the NYPD, but not the IDF?!
And why did all these Torah scholars need protection anyway?
clarity March 17, 2014 at 7:41 AM
At the end of the rally in Israel they thanked the POlice too!!!!
yes!!!! they thanked the Israeli police for everything to protect them.
When will you stop just bashing for bashing sake
Um, that merely shows that my post is applicable to Israel as well as NY. They can thank the police but never the IDF?
For the umpteenth time..... We don't have a problem with the IDF .Its only with drafting Torah Learners.if you didn't notice even Mercaz Harav was there,and many other groups of DL would've gone if not for the crazy last minute pressure they were under from our "Brother"
If all you want to do is contuinue saying this until people believe you that is fine.but I think even you know that you are just out to bash them for NO reason (Besides revenge for the way (some )chreidim treated you)
This post is not about the issue of the draft. (Though with regard to your claim, it's simply not true that charedim believe in drafting boys who are not in yeshivah.) This post is about the absence of hakaras hatov to the IDF in the charedi world.
Perhaps you would like to explain why charedim don't say a Misheberach for Tzahal?
Nachum March 17, 2014 at 9:08 AM
Clarity, virtually no dati-leumi types even planned to attend. The only ones who did were chardali types who are (as their name indicates) half charedi anyway. At the last minute, virtually all (if not all) of even those decided that the charedim had gone too far, especially in attacking their own leaders, and didn't show. And so about 300,000 people came to a "million man march." (Another reason for the flop was the failure of any non-charedi Shas voters to show.) The fact that the chief rabbis came out only goes to prove how indebted to the charedim they personally are.
As to "don't have a problem with the IDF," that's nonsense. That's how Anglo charedim rationalize this to themselves and others, but it's certainly not true for most Israeli charedim, and probably not true for many of the others.
The reason we don't say a mi shabeirach is the same reason You don't say one for all the farmers and grocers and doctors out there. Yes!!! they do provide a vital service but they are NOT an institution that would become part of our prayers SERVICE. but of course we have Hakaras hatov to all of them. so too, do we have to the butchers and bakers and hatzalah mambers and doctors etc. that save lives and protect us.
to Nachum:
Where do you get your numbers from??? the Jerusalem Post? Every newspaper including the not religious ones had at least 5000000 besides the JP
The farmers and grocers and doctors are not putting their lives on the line to help us.
How about the elecetric wokers or the workers in the gas refineries there are many jobs that risk their lives for their job.plus doctors save many lives. Why is mishebeirach defined by risking a life
Good grief. If you think that there is any comparison between electricity workers and soldiers then you are simply clueless.
clued in March 17, 2014 at 10:07 AM
Yes, we all recognize that your personal Middos are so much more refined than those of the Gedolei Yisrael,Talmidei Chachamim, Avreichim, Yeshiva Bachurim and stam amcha of the charedi world you consistently mock and ridicule, and we will now rush to follow your example.
Natan Slifkin March 17, 2014 at 10:26 AM
Wow, great comeback! You could have saved time and just used this right at the start: "We are Charedi and therefore it is impossible that we have any shortcomings." It works against all criticisms of charedi society, not just that regarding the lack of hakaras hatov to the IDF.
Atheodox Jew March 17, 2014 at 10:41 AM
Clarity,
We don't have a problem with the IDF .Its only with drafting Torah Learners.... but of course we have Hakaras hatov to all of them
Why is it then that in many bastions of Torah, someone who *volunteers* for the army is considered at least a nebach, second-class, failure-of-a-frum-Yid, and at worst is treated like a traitor, a persona non grata, and sometimes even subject to ridicule, heckling, threats, etc.?
Somehow I'm not seeing the love!
Actually, I was referring just to your own personal character.
yoni the yogi March 17, 2014 at 6:04 PM
Nice middos, if we are the bad guys, and you are the mentsch. I have a question, did you send a letter to the Hamodia and the chareidi newspapers which were bashing the dati leumi rabbonim, insulting them. By the way if you are so perfect Chareidi, which Charedi rabbi gave you an heter to be on the web, because i assume that it's not your parnassa, you learn Torah full time, don't you?
arnoamya March 17, 2014 at 11:20 AM
Clarity said...
For the umpteenth time..... We don't have a problem with the IDF .Its only with drafting Torah Learners.
Did anyone notice the tremendous revisionism here? Torah learners, not Torah scholars!
There are an awful lot of responsible, serious, dedicated Torah learners in the army who are repulsed by the idea that they should be exempt from responsibility to their people for just doing what they are expected to
(just as Moshe Rabbenu was repulsed by the thought that some shevatim would want exemption and those shevatim cried that Moshe would have such a thought).
Jameel @ The Muqata March 17, 2014 at 11:55 AM
Clarity: We don't have a problem with the IDF.
I hear this regularly from my Chareidi friends. Why is there zero Chareidi public hakarat hatov for the soldiers who are protecting the country day and night? Why don't they say tehillim after shul for the IDF if they are unwilling to change the nusach hatfilla?
How come the bnei yeshivot aren't learning in shifts like the IDF -- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with equal learning coverage at night to protect the soldiers and the country?
Publicly saying "Thank you" for those who are putting their lives on the line 24 hours a day seems to be too difficult for the Chareidi leadership. Its so much easier to slam Bennet and call him Amalek.
JewsforZionism May 5, 2014 at 1:40 AM
Just imagine what would happen to our country if all of our chayalim took off for bein hazmanim.
Ameteur March 17, 2014 at 11:59 AM
The next time somebody tells me that I must know better than So and So, and I will respond. Correct, I know better, and so should you!
Pinchas Solomon March 17, 2014 at 12:02 PM
The reason some Chareidim don't make a Mi Shebeirach for Tzahal has nothing to do with a lack of hakoras hatov but rather with a shitah of lack of authority of people in this generation to compose Tefillos that are incorperated in our davening. You're much too quick ro judge chareidim unfavoribly.
So they don't need to do a Misheberach. It can be Tehillim recited after davenning. You know, just like yeshivos here did for victory in the Beit Shemesh elections.
@Pinchas
One could be glacially slow, and by now one would still be finding fault with Charedim. Not saying a Mi Sheberach for reasons of not changing the Nusach is a cop-out, and a really poor one at that. We aren't talking about changing existing Tefilot. We are talking about adding a short paragraph said by one person.
Charedim believe they know better than CHaZaL when it suits them (See learning as being the end-all of existence) but when it comes to Derech Eretz they suddenly can't do anything new or different. Av Harachamim and parts of Hodu were added as late as the Middle Ages, but a simple Mi Sheberach that is said when most people are shmoozing with their friends is suddenly too innovative.
It's not hard to understand why some people would start to hate.
Perhaps someone out there who is familiar with Haredi thinking could clarify this for me but my understanding of why Haredim vehemently oppose saying a misheberach for the soldiers and who opposed serving in the IDF has nothing to do with "it being assur to create new misheberachs" or supposedly taking people away from learning....as I understand it, all of this flows from the "austritt" (separationist) philosophy created by Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch which states that any Jewish organization or philosophy outside of the officially permitted Haredi framework is inherently illegitimate and has no spiritual validity and it is forbidden for a loyal Jew to associate with it or anyone affiliated with it in any way. (Please correct me if I am wrong).
The fear is that if any recognition whatsoever is granted to these organizations or people affiliated with them, then good Jews may get confused and think that they represent an authentic form of Judaism and the Haredi communtiy will end up losing its young people. Thus, to say a misheberach for IDF soldiers is possibly granting the IDF some sort of spiritual legitimacy even though many of them aren't even religious, and so the next step is for those saying the misheberach might end up thinking that one doesn't even have to be religiously observant if one serves.
This also answers the question about thanking the NYPD. They are not Jews and so no one is going to be "confused" and think there is something Jewishly valid about them.
Regardin Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky's grandchildren, I know one personally who served in the IDF and at least one other (whom I don't know personally) who also served.
Ameteur March 17, 2014 at 1:24 PM
"This also answers the question about thanking the NYPD. They are not Jews and so no one is going to be "confused" and think there is something Jewishly valid about them."
And the Jeruslem Police also aren't Jews?
It's plain and simple. They hate Israel.
Jameel @ The Muqata March 17, 2014 at 1:53 PM
Pinchas: Can you please provide an example of regular hakaras hatov for the IDF by Chareidim?
One would think that 24 hour a day pikuach nefesh would elicit tehillim? I was disappointed that at the demonstration in Israel there was no tehillim said or any expression of appreciation for those are actively protecting the country 24 hours a day in the IDF.
Why isn't there learning being done 24 hours a day in shifts to match the effort being done by those in Am Yisrael in the IDF?
Dovid March 17, 2014 at 4:34 PM
I have lived in haredi communities for all my adult life, both in EY and the US, and have NEVER heard a haredi shul or yeshiva say that one should daven for the soldiers, even during war time.
Rather, what one hears is that we should daven for "the matzav."
Never, ever is it expressly said that we should daven for the soldiers or tzahal. Those words are NEVER mentioned.
And when it comes time to give thanks, it is ONLY to the KB"H and NEVER to the soldiers, unlike in the linked video that thanks the NYPD.
Just a Yid March 17, 2014 at 5:50 PM
You make an interesting point about the irony.
What's also ironic is the OTHER guy (in addition to R. Hoffman) attacking you on cross currents, Yakov Menken. As usual, he spends all his time telling everyone they have to listen to Gedolim, and the Gedolim said this about the rally, so who is anyone to argue, etc ad nauseum. Meanwhile, after his own Gedolim in Lakewood put up a sign forbidding anyone to watch "Megillas Lester", Menken goes right ahead and writes a blurb gushing with excitement over it. When someone pointed out the problem, he responded blithely that their talmidim shouldn't watch it, but everyone else can have fun.
Got that? When its convenient to Menken, everyone should listen to his self-appointed Gedolim. But when its inconvenient, you can make your own decision.
Now THATS the ultimate irony!
RNS said "Perhaps you would like to explain why charedim don't say a Misheberach for Tzahal?"
Dovid said...
"I have lived in haredi communities for all my adult life, both in EY and the US, and have NEVER heard a haredi shul or yeshiva say that one should daven for the soldiers, even during war time."
I have also lived in charedi communities all my life and have OFTEN heard people,including the rav of my shul -- who is a major talmid chacham -- say we should say Tehillim for the soldiers, especially during war time or times of military activity (like Operation Cast Lead in Gaza). My rav also makes a mi sheberach for the Israeli soldiers every Shabbos.
I have OFTEN heard charedim express private hakaras hatov to the soldiers who defend Jews in E"Y but there is no special feeling for Tzahal as an institution. That goes back to the whole history of the Israeli army, which was consciously used as an instrument of socialization into "the new Israeli Man." Even today some religious soldiers -- depending where they are stationed -- experience intense pressure to secularize, both from their officers and fellow soldiers.
David Friedman March 17, 2014 at 6:31 PM
Rabbi Slifkin,
Electrical-related fatalities in the workplace from 1991 through 2010 varied between 1 and 13 per year. https://www.osh.org.il/uploadfiles/SAFETY%20ELECTRICAL1.pdf
The data on victims of terrorist attacks can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_casualties_of_war.
I haven't the time to sort through the numbers, but I believe the vast majority of casualties in terrorist attacks have been civilians. There are far more soldiers than electricians in Israel so it seems quite reasonable that electricians face far greater danger than soldiers on an individual basis.
Aside from this, I would argue that the maintenance of power grids and backup generators that power hospitals (this is actually the only thing that many technicians do) actually has a more direct impact on the sustaining of human life than do soldiering duties.
Ultimately, there are work hazards in every profession. The least intelligent question to ask, "What is the risk level at which point we modify our prayers to Daven for you?" (an aesthetic one for religionists to debate); the more intelligent question is "Does a person owe a debt of gratitude for a service performed on his behalf but which he does not value?" and the most important question, shedding the aesthetics altogether, would be "Can a person be forced to pay for a service does not want, and can a financial contract be executed unilaterally, and is a contract valid without the consent of an included party?"
The answer to the last question would bring into the conversation a discussion of the validity not only of the State of Israel, but government in general.
Now, the Haredim, on this issue alone, are in the company of Murray Rothbard and David Friedman. But the relevant question is a challenge to all who would use the state to enforce their opinions.
I'd like to see you or one of those "Torah giants" make that argument in a hospital for soldiers disabled from war wounds (legs and genitals lost to IEDs, crippled by gunshots to the spine, faces blinded and disfigured from fires in armored vehicles, etc.). Marc, Cherry Hill, NJ
Nachum March 17, 2014 at 6:42 PM
Y. Ben-David, exactly, although I don't even think it extends as far as "...and then we'll lose our kids to it." I think it's just "Not charedi= treif, period."
Wow! *Two* attacks on R' Slifkin on C-C, and no response from him. Doesn't sound too "cross" currents, eh?
Toby - Might I guess that the shul and Rabbi you refer to are neither in NY nor EY -- and that those who daven there are not of the strictly "We must follow Da'as Torah" variety?
My experience has been in shuls and communities in NY and EY that express absolute allegiance to litvishe Da'as Torah and where many of the mispalleilim are in chinuch.
I repeat: I have NEVER heard an announcement to daven for the welfare of the soldiers, nor any expression of gratitude, nor any acknowledgement that they played any role in anything we need be grateful for.
Brooklyn Refugee Sheygitz March 17, 2014 at 6:55 PM
questions for "clarity":
1) does your shul still say an aramaic "mi shebeyrach" for the chachmei bavel even though there are no longer any chachmei bavel? for the reish galusa, whose position hasn't existed in over 900 years (and in today's world has been efectively supplanted by the government of Israel)? do you think that when "evil" roshei galusa were holding he title (read the iggeres of rav sherira gaon for more on those) that they stopped saying that mi shabeyrach for the resh galusa?
2) have you ever davned in a shul in chutz laartez which said the prayer for the welfare of the sovereign (in Russia historically it was the czar - who was often an oppresive ruler to the Jews and an anti-semite; today in the UK it is Queen Elizbeth and Prince Charles and in the USA it is the President and the Vice President)? can you think of a reason why such a prayer couldn't be said for the government of Israel - even if there are parts of the rabbanut harashit's "official" Avinu Shebashamayionm version which might have theological connotations you don't feel comfortable with?
3) have you ever davened in a shul which said the mi sheberach for those who don' speak during davening? this mi shabeyrach is not printed in most siddurim yet is still said by some shuls
Fenster March 17, 2014 at 7:06 PM
Ameteur said...
That's right! Haredim often think and debate in terms of daas Torah. They will say "Perhaps you know better than Maran HaRav HaGadol HaDor xxxx shlita?" My response is always polite: we don't all hold by that rabbi. Lots of us hold by other rabbis who don't poskin the same. Your rabbi is not my rabbi.
Having experienced being censored by the thin-skinned,self-righteous writers on cross-currents (and elsewhere), I am happy that Rabbi Slifkin, at leats, allows comments from both sides. In this case, I think that most people ignore the big elephant in the room, namely the authority of the "Gedolim" and, more inportantly, their assumed prescience. In his piece , Rabbi Menken echoes the chareidi view in saying that these Gedolim are 'einiei ho-eidah" and no one can argue with them. They see everything much more clearly than we, mere mortals. Unfortunately, we don't have to look very far to see how wrong this view is. Pre-holocaust- the Gedolim of Europe vehemently were against emigrating ,even as the Nazi danger came into focus. As a result, millions of (chareidi) Jews perished. I am not- chas vecholilo- accuse them of causing the Holocaust but is evident that they are NOT "einiei ho-eidah"They CANNOT see everything. They also were opposed to the establishment of the state of Israel. Can you imagine how Jews in Israle would have fared today under Moslem rule? This is,afewtr all, what would have been the result if the state of Israel would not have been founded. Gedolim are not infallibe nor are they omniscient- and we do not have the duty to follow them blindly.
Temujin March 17, 2014 at 7:52 PM
Toby Katz, many in the Orthodox world pay respects to Israel's soldiers and the IDF through prayers. Many others too go out of their way to avoid or proscribe them. Surely you know this. In any event, such blessings and thanksgivings were conspicuously absent during the recent marches, whereas public attacks on Israel's government, references to its decisions as "evil decrees" and even a recitation of tehillim typically reserved for evil governments were, shamefully, quite prominent.
David Freedman, yes, and truck drivers have very risky jobs too, and food sector workers keep us all from starving. Nevertheless, electricians, truck drivers and others go into decently remunerated occupations voluntarily and knowingly, whereas conscripted soldiers perform poorly-paid duties on behalf of their nation and its people, never knowing whether they'll finish their service in boredom or be returned in a body bag. Ultimately, no matter how important or risky other occupations are, without the self-sacrifice of the soldier who keeps enemies at bay, none of them would be possible.
Unlike all the others, the job of a soldier is to risk his life. Period. No one else really does that, apart perhaps from policemen.
Just so that my last paragraph is more clear, it should read:
I have NEVER heard a public announcement to daven for the welfare of the soldiers, nor any public expression of gratitude, nor any public acknowledgement that Israeli soldiers played any role in anything we need be grateful for.
On a private, individual level gratitude and concern are expressed by many, but never (in my experience) in any public pronouncement.
"Others go into decently remunerated occupations voluntarily and knowingly, whereas conscripted soldiers perform poorly-paid duties on behalf of their nation and its people."
Temujin: It is interesting, telling, and completely dishonest that you contrast "go into...voluntarily" with "perform." Actually, the opposite of "go into voluntarily" is "be forced into involuntarily."
Maybe you would chance a go at the question of whether a person who is forced with the ultimate threat of violence (the state's only means of negotiation) deserves thanks for his "efforts?" Or whether anyone, or any group of people, has the moral right to initiate physical coercion against anyone else?
Your linguistic tricks continue to your last sentence where you reference the "self-sacrifice" of the soldiers. Doubtless many have been indoctrinated to cheerlead for the state but a "draft" constitutes the use of force, whether Useful Idiots recognize it or not, and prisoners in "correctional facilities" would apparently win the same praise from you for their "self-sacrifice." No, it is not laudable to be victimized by the use of force; it is tragic and sorrowful.
With regards to your last contention that I need an army to defend me, I ask you to refrain from projecting your needs onto me, and ask also that, if you are truly interested in my safety, you stop funding the entity that restricts (and certainly claims the moral right to restrict) my ability to defend myself.
Good will from the land of voluntaryism and self-ownership (and wishing the people in your neck of the woods would stop exchanging one master for another),
David Friedman
DB March 17, 2014 at 9:34 PM
The total number of Israeli soldiers and security forces killed in the course of duty is over 30,000, and there are over 100,000 disabled. I don't think that the number of killed and wounded electricity workers comes remotely close.
gh500 March 17, 2014 at 10:20 PM
You've made this point many times over. Just one who learns Torah provides more protection than he would have, had he been fighting, doesn't mean no more protection is necessary.
Brooklyn Refugee Sheygitz March 17, 2014 at 10:41 PM
Since this post is about hakarat hatov I thought we should also mention that haredi yeshivot in Israel which take money from the government do a terrible job at instilling a sense of hakarat hatov for this fact. The funding of non for private institutions is now a matter of public record. It turns our that the single largest source of funds for the mirrer yeshiva which is the largest yeshiva in Israel, is the government of the state of Israel. Yet instead of honoring the finance minister or the economics minister at the annual dinner the yeshiva world subscribed to propaganda tactics which vilify them. Without the IDF there would be no state of Israel. Without the state the mirrer yeshiva would not have most of its annual budget. Just a simple element of hakarat hatov which is expressed in the mi shebeyrach recited every Shabbat on behalf of all those who on engage in the public welfare dictates that every yeshiva that takes even a shekel in funds from the state of Israel should say some form of public prayer specifically for the soldiers of the idf and for the state. Anything less is pure selfishness.
And dont forget the person who saved the Mirrer yeshiva was Zerach Warhaftig, the Dutch talmid of telze yeshiva, who together with sugihara discovered / devised the 'Curacao route that led to Shanghai, etc.
Zera ch Warhaftig later became "Sar HaDatot " (= religious affairs minister) of the hated "Medina". Did they express hakarat hatov tohim? (I recall they honored Sugihara ar a dinnwr a few years ago.)
MiMedinat HaYam
To David Friedman (and others) : OK- your learning protects you. Now, go ahead, drive over the border into Syria and let's see how much your learning will help you.Or try to walk before an oncoming truck.
The absurdity of the chareidi position has been proven extensively by many of the posters. The ONLY reason why they can strut their stuff and claim that their learning prtoects them is BECAUSE there is a tsahal to defend them. It is becoming nauseating to see how the chareidi view is so self-serving.
Isaac March 17, 2014 at 11:07 PM
A PRAYER FOR THE IDF SOLDIERS.
He who grants deliverance to kings, and dominion to princes, His kingship is a kingship of all worlds; He who rescued David, His servant, from the evil sword, Who put a road through the sea, and a path amid the mighty waters; may He continue to bless, preserve, and guard, help, exalt, and make great, and raise high the IDF soldiers. May the Supreme King of Kings in His mercy, continue to sustain them in life and preserve them; and from all distress, sorrow, and hurt, may He save them. May the Supreme King of Kings in His mercy, continue to instill in them great physical power, moral and intellectual power, supply them with great resources, and superiority over our enemies.
In their days and in ours, may Judah be delivered and Israel dwell in security, and the Redeemer come to Zion. May this be His will and let us say, Amein.
It's as simple as that, none of the charedim should have any excuses. A few heartfelt words with sincere gratitude is all that is required.
DF March 17, 2014 at 11:37 PM
It's beyond absurd to compare young soldiers who put their lives on the line to any other individual. Someone who can suggest otherwise should take a step back from these holy wars and regroup.
As for the appalling lack of gratitude in the charedi world - please, the pathetic defenses ring so hollow. The charedim know very well how to show appreciation to gvirim or rosh yeshivas they want to honor. They're ingrates, and there's no pischon peh to say anything on their behalf, period.
That's the power of the tongue. Had the Charedim merely shown some semblance of basic hakaras ha-tov and simple decent respect for soldiers that even a schoolboy knows to do, there would have been no Lapid, and no need for marches and protests. Everything happening now is a result of the complete and total failure of their leadership on a simple matter - not of today, but of the past 40 years. For shame.
Irony indeed!
And to Clarity and all those who are trying to defend the indefensible...it is not ALL Chareidim who would be required to serve, it would be those who are not the Torah prodigies who are sincerely needed to study full-time. As many have pointed out, it is true that Torah study is important, but even many of our sages also worked for a living, and certainly there are many "learners" who would do better by working and learning part-time. In other words, a small percentage of learners is probably what was intended, but certainly not the number which resist military service now.
Clarity, you are raising irrelevant issues when you ask, "Why don't Israelis say a Mi Shebeirach for farmers, grocers, doctors, etc.?" There is no comparison between those professions and the IDF. The IDF is what allows you to continue to study full-time. I believe that there are some Charedim who are abusing what was intended, in Ben-Gurion's day, to preserve some full-time study activity along with full-time work. I do not believe that this was intended to exempt the vast majority of Charedim from full- or part-time work (or the IDF or national service).
Now, I have a great deal of respect for those who do learn full-time. However, it is not for everyone. As I said before, there are plenty of famous sages who also worked.
Natan, keep fighting against such ill-advised reasoning. Yes, Israel is not the Jewish state the religious might have wanted, but as long as they live there, they have obligations to share the duties of citizenship, and I don't think the remainder of the country begrudges some exemptions for Torah study, but if the Charedim are granted some exemptions they should not complain when it appears that this exemption is being flagrantly abused.
Heshy G. March 18, 2014 at 1:06 AM
The irony is that the so-called Chareidim should thank Hashem that there are secular Jews and religious Zionists who are willing and eager to join the IDF to protect all the Jews in Israel, including the Chareidm and all the American yeshiva boys who go there to learn for a year or more. And what about those black hatters that go to live in Israel but won't make official aliyah so they can exempt themselves and their kids from military service and other obligations that an Israeli citizen would have? If the chareidim truly believe that sitting and "learning" in the Beis Medrash is their way of contributing to the safety of Israel and the Jewish people, then why was it necessary to protest in downtown Manhattan and in Israel and waste valuable learning time? One must assume that when the Torah speaks of an army and the mandatory enlistment for men over 20, that those mitzvos were for the non-frum Jews in the Chumash! Wait a minute, I didn't know there were secular Jews in the time of the Chumash! I just had an "aha!" moment!!!
David Friedman March 18, 2014 at 1:17 AM
Moshe Dick:
I am not Haredi, and I don't believe that learning protects anyone. I also don't believe that the state protects anyone, and telling me "you should be thankful" misses the point that a thanks is a debt, and no debt can possibly be owed without being obligated by a consenting transaction. In other words, if I don't want your protection, I have the right not to pay for it.
In this regard, IDF soldiers are quite properly compared to the indigent windshield-cleaners who used to operate on the streets of Manhattan. They "create" a debt after rendering a "service" that their victim never asked for.
As for "driving into Syria," I have no need to expose myself to imminent danger. Though were I to do so, my chances of survival would be best left in my own hands, not in the hands of your Government Heroes whose first exposure to firearms comes typically at age 18. Interesting how the free market operates more effectively than government, isn't it?
DF:
"It's beyond absurd to compare young soldiers who put their lives on the line to any other individual. Someone who can suggest otherwise should take a step back from these holy wars and regroup."
Again, it is not the soldiers who put their lives on the line, but the politicians who put the soldiers' lives on the line. Get the difference? It is beyond absurd to compare Bar Kokhba and Mordechai Anilewicz to coerced conscripts. The former is a hero, the latter are victims.
Your condemnation of holy wars is commendable. Now will you take the brave step of condemning actual wars, and their only sponsors- governments?
DB- the point is not the parity in number but the relative danger of each position. There are currently over 600,000 soldiers, including active and reserve. There have been millions of IDF soldiers.
There are comparatively extremely few high-voltage electricians, and these guys die on the job in Israel all the time (13 in 1997 alone). These men are directly responsible for keeping electricity running in hospitals. Do you know what happens in a power-out when a backup generator fails to fire? Take a guess.
But let's pursue your line of reasoning for a minute. What is the magic number where your occupation's hazard gets you into the prayer book? 2% fatality rate? .8% fatality rate? Responses like Rabbi Slifkin's "if you think there is a comparison you are simply clueless" or DF's "it is beyond absurd to compare" are completely subjective judgments and do not specify numbers (which would just be a better way to quantify that subjective judgment, anyway).
Are you familiar with the Talmud
dictum of "Natata D'varecha LaShiurin?"
Regardless, as I have shown, it does appear more dangerous to work as a high-voltage electrician, and the comparison is certainly not "crazy."
I delved into the gemoro Baba basra 7b and 8a, concerning the protection of the Torah for talmidei chachomim and also the Rambam and Shulchan Aruch who do codify this as an halacha. I hav two questins of fact and one of plain common sence. In the same way that talmidei chachomim are exempt from contributing to the defense of a city (walls, ect) they are, however, obligated to contribute to the building of roads (albeit not personal labor). The logical explanation is that they use the roads and therefore must contribute to its upkeep. I am perplexed as to the difference. The second uestion is simple: what are talmidie chacomim in this context? every person who learns? who decides who is a talmid chochom?
Lastly, I am totally at loss to understand this gemoro. Does that mean that a talmid hcochom can go into an area of danger nd say, 'the Torah protects me" ? Can he walk on the main road and not worry about cars and trucks? The sheer absurdity of this case perplexes me.
Y. Ben-David March 18, 2014 at 6:18 AM
Brooklyn Refugee-
Your comment abuot the generous fnding the state, (i.e. the non-Haredi taxpayer) gives the haredi yeshivot points out an odd fact...that often being generous with someone can sometimes cause resentment and humiliation in the recipient. What may be happening here is that the Haredi had a negative attitude towards Zionism long before the state arose, and it is a fact that the Zionist "Establishment", (i.e. the political Left in Israel) was quite anti-religious in the early years of the state. So when the state turns around and becomes frienlier and more supportive, many people may end up feeling "see, the Zionist state isn't so bad" and might be willing to integrate more fully into Israeli society. Extremists may find this an even bigger threat since the formerly hostile state Establishment wasn't so attractive to the Haredi rank-and-file. Thus, today the state and larger Israeli society can be viewed as even more threatening since it is more tempting and so must be demonized all the more, so that the "unsuspecting might not fall into its trap". The so-called "New Haredim" who are integrating more into the workforce and who were interested in IDF service are a manifestation of this perceived threat.
Ameteur March 18, 2014 at 9:06 AM
"Anonymous Nachum said...
Unlike all the others, the job of a soldier is to risk his life. Period. No one else really does that, apart perhaps from policemen."
Don't forget firefighters. Oh also, anyone who walks into a Haredi area with an Israeli flag.
Mr Friedman's pacifist, anarchist or anarcho-pacifist reply to Temujin deserves notice for its thematic originality:
"Temujin: It is interesting, telling, and completely dishonest that you contrast "go into...voluntarily" with "perform." (A ruddy shocker of a surprise as well, one might add.)
Your linguistic tricks continue to your last sentence where you reference the "self-sacrifice" of the soldiers... (There were only two sentences but, yes, one does his best.)
...I ask you to refrain from projecting your needs onto me, and ask also that, if you are truly interested in my safety, you stop funding the entity that restricts (and certainly claims the moral right to restrict) my ability to defend myself.... (Gulp! Consider it done, old boy.)
Goodness, Friedman, one's little post on March 17, 2014 at 7:52 PM generated that and more?
Temujin stands by his every word, but cannot make heads or tails of your, er, critique to be able to properly respond. So, he graciously concedes the battle grounds to you (apologies for the bellicose terminology); smiles, breaks eye contact, gently backs away and moves on. All the best.
David Friedman, I’m curious. Are you one of those people who believe that they can defend themselves with their personal collection of guns?
Against your neighbors, maybe. Against a government-backed military? Not a chance. The armor on a modern main battle tank can stop a HEAT round. A bullet won’t even scratch it.
Now, I suppose you can argue that citizens should be allowed to buy military-grade weapons, so you can have your own tanks and missiles and fighters. But an F22 costs 150 million dollars, and that’s after the billions of dollars it took to develop. An aircraft carrier costs over four billion dollars. How to raise the money to pay for them? Perhaps we can all get together and pool our money, and we’ll have some people, let’s call them “soldiers,” whose job it will be to maintain and use these weapons on our behalf. We can set up programs to train them, so that even if their “first exposure to firearms comes typically at age 18” they can learn to use them better than the hobbyist who’s been handling guns since he was a kid.
kollel nick March 18, 2014 at 6:44 PM
ROY: At 2:05 Instructions to say mi sheberach every monday and thursday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OZOxcyvKrE
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New brand of healthy world food, Mini nom nom’s, poised for UK launch in Selfridges and Ocado
Published on 06/08/2015 by Fiona Briggs in Baby and toddler food, Ethnic cuisine, Product Time
Mini nom nom’s, the new brand of healthy world food for kids and grown-ups is launching its eagerly anticipated range of meals on 7 August 2015, inspired from exotic locations and authentic cuisines from around the world. Just heat and serve in two minutes.
With no added sugar, salt, additives or preservatives, the authentic dishes are made with at least one of the five-a-day recommended fruit and vegetables and in some cases more than one. Mini nom nom’s claims it is breaking boundaries as the meals are not processed but instead have the essence of home cooking in every bite. This has been achieved under the guidance of culinary spice expert Emma Grazette, co-author and star, of book and TV Programme, Spice Trip. Every dish in the range has been expertly crafted with child friendly spices and quality ingredients that truly make the mouth water in anticipation. The new healthy food brand is the brainchild of entrepreneur Lisa Sohanpal and her husband Dr Imrat Sohanpal.
The five meals in the range inspired from world food include the Tiny Tagine from Morocco, the Little Laksa from Malaysia, the Tiny Thali from Southern India and two Tiny Tiffins from Northern India.
“The great thing about our meals is that apart from being good for developing bodies and healthy, they are compartmentalised into two courses and include a dip or chutney. This means children can enjoy exploring their food, mixing, pouring, dipping and sprinkling. It makes discovering new flavours a fun activity as well. These meals are ideally suited to busy parents who want quick-to-prepare, healthy, fun food for their children,” said MD, Lisa Sohanpal.
“We had such phenomenal feedback in our early development stages from parents and the trade, saying that we really should be making these healthy, delicious meals for adults too, so that’s exactly what we did. We realised that adults also enjoyed and benefited from these meals so we are launching a version for grown-ups which is being sold through Selfridges and which is available online with Ocado. This is very exciting. The meals are larger portions and are every bit as tasty.”
The launch on 7 August 2015 will see the adult meals on the shelves of the foodhall in Selfridges in Bond Street, and the adult and children’s ranges will become available through Ocado, the popular online supermarket. To date, Mini nom nom’s has already won several internationally recognised awards such as Gold for Innovation at Lunch 2014, Best New Brand or Business, Best New Children’s Food 2015 and Best New Food Concept at IFE 2015. Mini nom nom’s was also semi-finalist in the Pitch to Rich contest, beating hundreds of brands to get to the final stages of Richard’s Branson’s high profile competition for investment. More recently, Mini nom nom’s has become a finalist in the Innovation category for the prestigious Food and Drink Federation Award. The winner will be announced on 7th September 2015.
With the meals now on the verge of being ready for the public to buy, after such a long build up in the press, Mini nom nom’s has also sponsored two marques at Jamie Oliver’s The Big Feastival event in the Cotswolds between 28-30 August. At this famous family event there will be plenty of Mini nom nom’s food to taste and fun family activities, all to celebrate the beginning of a new era in healthy world food that’s easy to prepare and extremely delicious.
New premium children’s brand, Mini nom nom’s, launches into Ocado
Mini nom nom’s
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???: Message
Yo, Virginia - Yu muth't de-thtinkafizthe yo'the'f.
www.conservativehq.com
Virginians Gear Up To Defend Second Amendment Rights
George Rasley, CHQ Editor | 6/21/19
Our friends at Ammoland.com and the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) have alerted us to the VCDL Special Session Lobby Day on Tuesday, July 9, starting at 9 a.m.
This event is critical! With razor-thin pro-2A margins in the House and Senate, a single legislator defection could spell significant erosion of our Second Amendment rights in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
In order to protect our Second Amendment rights, we need to have a huge Lobby Day, as this special session is aimed squarely at our gun rights and our liberty. Please attend this event if there is any way possible. Tell your employer NOW that you need to take the day off on Tuesday, July 9th. The gun-controllers will be there, fully supporting Governor Ralph Northam's anti-gun agenda.
Lobby Day participants will meet at the Bell Tower on the Capitol grounds at 9th and Bank streets in Richmond and will go into the building in groups. No lobbying experience necessary! Everyone will be given a “Guns Save Lives” sticker to wear. We want the building and committee hearing rooms flooded with people wearing them.
Each group will have a handout to give to each assigned legislator or their aide. More details will follow as the date gets closer, including carpooling options for those who are not reasonably close to Richmond. Ad Hoc groups will be formed for those arriving late.
There may well be committee or subcommittee hearings later that day, so we might need as many people as possible to hang around and flood the hearing rooms. The session may go on for days, so if you can attend committee or subcommittee meetings on other days, please do so!
The VCDL organizers of Lobby Day ask that if you are a member of a gun or hunting club, share this information about Lobby Day with club's leadership and have them email it to all the club's members! Do the same for any Legislative Action Items, too. All hands on deck!
TEAM LEADERS ALSO NEEDED
If you have attended a Lobby Day before and would like to be a team leader, contact EM Ken Van Wyk, who is coordinating the teams. You can reach Ken at: LobbyDay@vcdl.org" style="color: rgb(0, 149, 221); text-decoration-line: none;">LobbyDay@vcdl.org
Team Leaders are responsible for:
knowing the locations of their assigned legislators (we will provide help on how to do so)
making appointments with assigned legislators
leading a team from one assigned legislative office to the next
providing each legislator or their aide with a copy of the VCDL Legislative Summary
politely introducing your group as a VCDL delegation
asking the legislator (either directly or through their aide) to support VCDL's positions on behalf of Virginia gun owners and
steering the general discussion of the meeting
VCDL will provide you with an after-action report to fill out which records your assessment of the contacts.
Team Leaders are NOT responsible for recruiting teams, there will be plenty of volunteers available that morning to draw from. Team Leaders are also NOT required to do all the talking. In fact, having different people speak on different bills can be more engaging.
HERE'S WHAT’S ON THE AGENDA
As our friends at the Virginia Citizens Defense League pointed out in a recent email rather than take action on issues that might help curb mass shootings, while respecting the Second Amendment, the Governor and Democrat leadership see this as a chance to payback Michael Bloomberg for his large donations to Democrat campaigns by passing Bloomberg's gun-control wish list:
Red Flag laws - forget the unconstitutionality of this law, no one thought the Virginia Beach murderer to be a threat, so that law would have changed nothing.
Universal Background Checks - the Virginia Beach murderer passed at least two background checks, just like the Virginia Tech murderer. And street thugs don't go through background checks to get their guns.
"Assault Weapon" ban - no "assault weapons" were used in the Virginia Beach massacre. Long guns are rarely ever used in crime.
Magazine-capacity limits - the commission on the Virginia Tech massacre concluded that restricting magazine size would not have changed the outcome.
Silencer/suppressor ban - it is extremely rare that a lawfully owned suppressor is used in a crime. They are not popular with criminals because 1) the gun shot is still loud and 2) it doubles the length of a handgun, making it much more difficult to conceal.
Bump-stock ban - bump stocks have only been used in one crime, out in Nevada and there is no evidence that it increased the number of injuries or fatalities. We note for the record that the federal government is already trying to ban them, although that is being litigated, and we hope successfully overturned.
Allow local government to implement gun control (get rid of firearm pre-emption law) - the Virginia Beach government building was already a "gun-free zone." What are they going to do, make it a double-gun-free-zone? This would make gun laws in Virginia extremely hard to comply with, benefiting criminals, who don't care about laws, and dissuading good people due to the complexities of carrying legally as they travel through the state.
Not a single one of these proposed gun-control laws would have saved anyone in Virginia Beach.
But, as our friends at the VCDL observed, this is not about saving lives, it is about political theater. And we would add, reestablishing a bunch of deeply tarnished Democrat elected officials as good and proper liberals once again eligible to be invited to enjoy brie and pinot at the salons of Georgetown, Charlottesville and other bastions of the Leftist elite from which they’ve no doubt been excluded since their racism and sexual misconduct was exposed.
The Virginia Citizens Defense League considers this an all-hands-on-deck moment and so do we – the aftermath of any tragedy is when respect for constitutional liberty is at its weakest and political considerations are at their strongest. Go to https://www.vcdl.org/ to learn how you can contact your Virginia Delegate or Senator to help fight this latest Democrat gun grab.
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Sail Destiny
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for. It is a thing to be achieved." William Jennings Bryant
About the Adventure
Missoula, MT Apt.
Jolie’s Blog
MED MOORING NIGHTMARES
May 25th, 2010 carol No comments
With dock space at a premium in the Mediterranean, clever Europeans have adopted a style of docking that does not exist in the US or most other places for that matter. Having been accustomed to slipping alongside a dock or picking up a mooring ball, we have had to adjust to the nightmare of gingerly backing our 20 ton boat into narrow spaces without hitting other boats, or worse yet the concrete quay.
Destiny, unfortunately, does not back in a straight line very easily like modern yachts because our rudder is near the stern. Compounding our problem with this mooring style is the tailed lines that are handed to you by dock personnel, who unfamiliar with our prop configuration often raise the line under our stern catching it in the prop. Kent has had to jump in the water in more than once to unwrap or cut a tailed line.
Destiny docked at Aigina
When there are no tailed lines, which is often the case at town quays, the procedure becomes even more problematic because you have to drop your anchor to secure the bow and back into the quay. As boat after boat, drops anchor inevitably one anchor drops on top of another with sometimes disastrous results.
While Med moored in Poros recently a 25 kt. wind came up and was pushing us into the quay when our anchor started to drag. As we attempted to leave to reset the anchor, our anchor got caught and couldn’t be raised no matter what we tried. After twenty or so very stressful minutes, we had no choice but to jettison the anchor and 250 ft. of chain to get Destiny away from other boats that we were being pushed into by the wind. The anchor and chain were retrieved, so all ended well—except for the anxiety about Med mooring. But, after that incident we anchored for a few days in the next harbor not wanting to get near a quay.
It happens that the biggest terror of Med mooring is charter boats run by inexperienced crews that often come into a harbor late in the afternoon trying to drop an anchor and take one of the last spots available. In Aigina we witnessed a spectacle that almost ended with fists flying when a charter boat with six men on board tried at least six times to get into the last slip on the town quay just before dusk. Thankfully, the spot they were attempting to enter was one boat away, but we watched helplessly as the couples on the boats on either side tried to protect their boats from damage as these “clowns” (probably a little intoxicated) repeatedly attempted to dock.
The pictures speak for themselves.
Watch out here they come
Holy S**t!!! That's too close for comfort
They did this SIX times!
They aren't giving up
I keep telling you. . .you're over my chain
In the end, they finally docked and although there was a lot of shouting and cursing the preceded their arrival everyone made up. Another Med “adventure”.
Jolie takes everything in stride
The thing about Med mooring is that it is unavoidable and you just have to accept that there are inherent risks–if you get your anchor properly set you can’t be assured that the boat next to you will. There are some harbors, like Hydra that are so small and so notorious for crossed anchors, that we will simply avoid going there–except maybe by hydrofoil.
Categories: Europe, Greece Tags:
GULF OF CORINTH AND CANAL
Approaching the Rion Bridge
Longest Cable Stayed Bridge in World
On May 7th we passed through the narrow Strait of Rion and under what is reported to be the longest cable stayed bridge in the world at 2,252 meters with three navigable channels each 560 meters wide. The straits mark the transition between the Gulfs of Patras and Corinth and the bridge is quite impressive. Yachts must call Rion Traffic 5 NM from the bridge to request permission to transit.
After several days working our way East through the Gulf of Corinth including stops at the island of Trizonia, Galaxidhi (mentioned in the Delphi post), we left Andikiron on May 11th enroute to Corinth and the Corinth Canal.
Harbor at Andikiron
The commercial harbor in Corinth is very busy with freighters coming and going, but there is often space to tie to the quay overnight when transiting the canal.
Corinth is a busy commercial port on Gulf side of canal
Berthed at Corinth with Excalibur & Glass Slipper
Dusk at Port of Corinth
After laying along side the quay in the commercial harbor at Corinth at the west end of the Canal with Excalibur and Glass Slipper, we left early the next morning to position at the entrance of the canal for our passage through.
Following Excalibur and Freighter into Canal
Glass Slipper entering canal
Glass Slipper at west end of Canal
Canal is about 259 ft. above sea level at highest point
Capt. Kent pilots Destiny through Canal
The canal is approx. 3.2 mi. long and 82 ft. wide--not everyone fits
View West from East end of Canal
The transit through the canal was expensive—230 euros ($287 US at current rates) but saved about 150 NM in getting to the Athens area. It is also quite an experience to follow a large freighter, which from a distance appears to barely clear go through ahead of you.
At the east end of the Canal you tie along side and go ashore to pay. An interesting aspect of the current Greek financial crisis is that credit cards (which according to our pilot guide were being accepted to pay transit fees) were no longer being accepted. As each boat reported to canal control for clearance they were asked “do you have cash?”—we heard this refrain so often it was amusing.
At the east end you pay up
Carol had called in advance to determine whether they would take credit cards, because routinely they are being refused and was told by the canal authorities “we haven’t taken credit cards for the last ten days—we have a problem with our bank”—that is also a standard response even at establishments that prominently display credit card symbols.
So now we have arrived in the Aegean and are off on the next part of our adventure. More to follow.
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REMEMBERING TOOTIE
St. Jean Beach, St. Bart with Susie and Richard
Today we lost a beloved family member, Kent’s sister, Susie, known to family as “Tootie”. She died much too young from cancer, having just reached her 67th birthday last month on April 15th. She leaves a legacy of children and grandchildren, a husband who adored her and an amazing perennial garden having spent her few “retirement years” becoming a master gardener.
We will miss your smile, Tootie
We were blessed to spend several days with her in late March before we left for Croatia before her illness overwhelmed her. We laughed and shared stories and did spring clean up in her garden much to her amusement.
Susie and her husband Richard spent time with us on Destiny in St. Barth and St. Martin last year and we have wonderful memories to comfort us, but her passing is a great loss to everyone who knew and loved her.
Today as we were traveling down the Gulf of Corinth heading for the canal, we saw beautiful wispy clouds that looked like a band of angels and we hoped that Susie had been relieved of her pain and was safely in God’s hands, and now we know that she was at peace and no more in pain when we shared that passing thought.
Clouds or Angels
In retrospect we like to think that a dolphin that followed us for a time cruising along in our bow wake and jumping playfully was Susie saying goodbye and wishing us well. We later realized that Kent was unknowingly shooting video of this dolphin—very eerie.
Dolphin Farewell
God speed, Tootie. We will never forget you.
Kent, Carol & Jolie
THE WONDERS OF DELPHI
May 9th, 2010 carol No comments
It is impossible to travel through the Gulf of Corinth and not stop near Delphi one of the most famous of all Greek ruins. We docked Destiny in Galaxidhi about 30 km from Delphi and rented a car to visit the site.
Enroute to Delphi
Leaving Galaxhidi we climbed for miles, higher and higher up the switch back road that leads to the modern town of Delphi and then the archeological site and museum just beyond it. The view down the valley to the sea, with Galaxidhi in the distance were quite dramatic.
Delphi to the Sea
What remains of Delphi pales in comparison to the Parthenon in Athens or Ostio Antica in Rome, but what makes it so spectacular is its location high on the slopes of Mt. Parnassus, the second highest mountain in Greece after Mt. Olympus.
The famous Oracle of Delphi, which is believed to have been a rock chasm through which emerged a gas that cast a spell and caused the person so affected to spout prophecies is well entrenched in Greek history and legend.
Temple of Apollo
The Treasury--one of few buildings standing
The steep cliffs and brilliant blue sky (we were blessed with a glorious, sunny day) frame the ancient columns, amphitheater and other building remains.
How did they get it here
Lower archeological site
Upon first viewing the Delphi ruins seem small compared to others we have seen, but as you climb higher and higher and then look down from near the Stadium which is at the highest point in the ruins you are struck by how massive this excavation is and what a feat it was to have built the ancient town in this location.
Delphi's Stadium echoes with past contests
Thankfully there was a water stop along the way–it was a long, hot climb.
Kent tanks up for the walk down
After viewing the archeological site and touring the museum we traveled to the town of Arachova about 10 km further east. We were very surprised to learn that there is a ski resort on Mt. Parnassus—in fact we could see the runs carved into the mountain slopes and some appeared to still have snow.
Arachova's narrow streets are lined with ski shops and still have traces of winter in the decorations
Arachova is a quintessential ski town with tavernas that advertise numerous fireplaces and shops selling skis, snowboards and upscale clothing. This time of year the action moves outdoors and every little square is chock-a-block full of chairs and umbrellas.
Arachova Cafe Scene
We had lunch at a little café filled with locals doing what Greeks do on Sunday—relaxing and sipping coffee or something stronger for hours on end. Spilling from a fountain right next to our table was water that comes directly from the mountain. Pitchers were filled with ice cold water from the fountain and served as you sat down—better than anything that comes from a bottle.
Mt. water sounded wonderful and tasted even better
One of the first shops we saw entering the town was “Columbia Sportswear”—they have definitely penetrated the Euro market, as this is not the first we have seen. Our favorite sign appears below—who knew Montana’s reach was so far!
Montana Ski Club
On the way back to Galaxidhi we notice a modern aquiduct that runs for miles down the mountain, much of it above ground. Apparently the water we enjoyed in Arachova is served at sea level too.
A winding blue ribbon of mountain water
Along the way we saw masses of yellow on the mountain sides, as scotch broom, bloomed at the higher elevations where little else grew.
Scotch broom, just like Nantucket
We also saw the iron ore mines that are common to this region, scarring the mountain side and turning everything red from the dust that accompanies the mining process.
Iron ore mine
Finally back at sea level, our final stop on the way back to Destiny was Itea, another sea side village a few miles to the east.
Kent returns to Sea Level
All in all, it was a wonderful day exploring—despite the fact that our little rental car didn’t like to go into reverse gear—nice to know that not all “mechanicals” are boat related.
Kent called it "the Bumble Bee"
Back to Destiny with pleasure!
IONIAN ISLAND TIME
Full Moon over Preveza
For the past week, except for a anchoring overnight off the mainland town of Preveza which sits on a large bay with good protection, but lacks some of the charm of the island towns we visited, we have cruised through the Ionian Islands working our way south and east. Preveza did have a wonderful bakery and the usual assortment of shops and cafes lining the quay.
Preveza Quay
We timed our departure from Preveza to enter the Levkas Canal at the north end of the island of Levkas in the early afternoon before the wind blows up to 15-18 kts. as is often the case in the late afternoon—the canal bridge (a swinging affair that looks like a barge pivoting) opens on the hour. The approach to the canal is on the lee shore and involves a scary right then left hand turn as you enter the canal. Vessels wait outside the entrance until the bridge horn sounds to announce the opening of the bridge. We followed a Greek flag vessel through figuring that it was probably not their first time.
Sure, there's a canal here. . .
Levkas Canal Swing Bridge
Back it goes
The town of Levkas just at the beginning the canal is not much more than a large marina, with the usual assortment of charter outfits—most of the boats at dock this early in the season. If you need fuel or a chandlery this is the place to be. We quickly fueled at the marina quay and headed further down the canal looking for a little more quiet. The island of Levkas is one of the most populated islands in the Ionian due largely to its being attached to the mainland by the swing bridge that we passed through.
Levkas Marina where we fueled up and moved on
Skorpios on the east side of Levkas is the private island of the Onassis family and seemed like just the spot to avoid crowds. The cruising guide said that you can anchor (though not go ashore) but we found the water quite deep and decided that was not a good idea. Besides, there were cameras on towering poles the range of which seemed to encompass the entire island—something about being under the watchful eye of security cameras did not appeal.
Approaching Skorpios
Isthmis at Skorpios
However, we saw the little cove with a small white cottage which was reportedly Jackie O’s favorite place on the island. If we had billions, we would want an island just like this. As is the case with all the Ionian islands, it is lush and surrounded by turquoise water.
Jackie O's Hideaway on a little cove
From Skorpios we went through the strait between Levkas and Megannis which is described as one of the prettiest channels in the Ionian.
Strait between Levkas & Meganisi--islands everywhere
We found the perfect spot when we went into the harbor at Sivota. This picturesque little town is what we have been looking for in Greece. Like the harbor at Lakka on Paxio, Sivota was just starting to wake up for the season. It had three small grocery stores—not a single one open, but a few tavernas ready to take our euros. Although our 3G internet signal was non-existent, the Ionian Taverna had wi-fi that reached the boat and we were able to stay in touch with the outside world.
Well protected harbors like Sovita are often hard to find--thank you GPS
Our stay in Sivota was extended by a day when we lost forward gear leaving the harbor. We were quite a sight sailing back into the harbor, dropping an anchor and then winching the boat back to the dock we had just left.
Destiny docked at Sivota before the fiasco
Sivota is like being in an inland lake. You can’t see the opening from inside the harbor which is lined with tavernas and vacation homes. However, there are no ATM’s and most tavernas only take cash this time of year–and we wonder why Greece is having an economic crisis?
Long line to dock
Long line to winch
We made it back to the dock thanks to the Roto-Winch!
For a while it appeared to be the transmission—not good at all. Thanks to Kent’s perseverance the problem was narrowed to the linkage cable and some debris had caught in the area of the prop. A good day is a day when nothing breaks—but on a 25 year old boat something seems to break every other day. This was a good day because Kent could fix it—we even had the spare part on board.
Where did that come from? At least the water is warm
By 7 p.m. we were having cocktails with new Aussie friends, Simon (who aided us getting Destiny to the dock) and Maguerite, who were in the anchorage on board their boat, “Where Next”.
Leaving Sivota the next day, after carefully checking that everything was in working order we headed for Cephalonia and went down the strait between it and Ithaca stopping next at Eufemia about mid-way down the coast of Cephalonia.
Channel between Ithaca and Cephalonia
Eufimia is a large harbor in a very large bay on the east side of the island. Although protected from the prevailing NW wind, it funnels between the surrounding mountains late in the day in gusts of 15-18 kts. By dusk the wind dies and is calm overnight. Unlike Sivota, there were grocery stores, bakeries and butchers all open and the teenagers in the town were organizing a mid-day dance for May Day.
Destiny at anchor off Eufimia
We left Eufemia in the morning is what we thought was over 10 kts. of wind—proved to be mountain effect—and ended up mostly motoring further south down the channel.
Jolie checks the Pilot Guide
We stopped for a time off the town Poros and had lunch while listening to loud Greek music from a lively cafe on shore, then continued on to Zakinthos.
Lunch stop off Poros
Lunch Greek Style
The passage from the southeast end of Cephalonia to Zakinthos finally brought sailing weather, but with it big seas. With open water to the NW between the islands, we plowed our way through 4 ft. seas in 20kt. wind—which Destiny and Kent loved.
Let 'er blow!!
Finally sailing to Zakinthos
By 5:30 p.m. we were docked along side the quay in the tiny harbor of Nikolaos, where Dimitri and his family who own the fuel station, restaurant (had Mama’s mousakka for dinner) and mini-mart made us feel very at home. Dimitri also told us about the red sponges in the Blue Caves and told us how to capture them by camera. (See Blue Caves of Zakithnos post)
Destiny docked in Nikolaos
Since our plan is to go through the Corinth Canal rather than around the Pelopponnisos Peninsula, we only visited the north end of Zakithnos and then headed back north to the island of Ithaca of Odyssey fame. Our first night on the island we spent in a wonderfully private bay called Skhoinos. We anchored in front of the only home on the bay (more like a mini-estate with miles of stone fences and manicured grounds). They may not have appreciated our being there, but we enjoyed sharing the multi-million dollar view with them. We did notice a little white dog running around on shore–kindred spirits not doubt.
Anchored in Skhoinos Bay on Ithaca
Jolie and Kent love the kayak
Dusk at anchor in Ithaca
The next day we went less than three NM to Vathi, the capital of Ithaca (or Ithaki as it is pronounced in Greek). There we met up once again with Glass Slipper and Excalibur, found a laundry (always welcome) and anchored.
Ubiquitous Greek Chapel on way to Vathi
Excalibur & Glass Slipper in Vathi
Dusk comes about 8:40 p.m. at Vathi
From Vathi our plan is to make a 50+ NM passage to Patras in the Gulf of Patras enroute to the Corinth Canal, leaving the Ionian Sea and islands as memories. But good ones.
CAROL DOES CAPPADOCIA
FALL HAS ARRIVED IN CROATIA
MORE MALTA. . .
Destiny Leeward Islands
Agrigento boat storage in Sicily Bus tour in Malta Calvacata Donnalucca Easter in Malta Grand Harbor Marina Grand Masters Palace horse parade Malata Restaurant Malta March weather in Sicily Marina di Ragusa Missoula Mt. Etna Porto Turistico Marina di Ragusa San Giuseppe Festival Scicli Shosholozza in Marina di Ragusa Sicilian festival Sicily snowy Montana spriing flowers spring in Sicily Thanksgiving in Sicily Valley of the Temples Vittoriosa winter in Montana
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SyFy's Channel Zero Scores 10s Across the Board
I'm not sure where my head was in October 2016, but my eyeballs completely missed SyFy's horror anthology show called Channel Zero. With thousands of streaming options on top of pay cable, it's easy to miss great shows. I'm so happy I stumbled across this show after seeing previews for the third season which started earlier this month.
Each season is based on a popular story from the Creepy Pasta site that I can't seem to shut up about. Season 1: Candle Cove, is full of dread, taut tension, and bizarre visuals that I can't seem to shake even now. At six episodes, the show is easily bingeable over the weekend, and probably better watched this way. The story and plot systematically unfold with almost no exposition. Characters jump right into the weirdness in the first episode, and immediately we're introduced to a creepy puppet tv show that only kids can see – and it's influencing them to do terrible things! It's surreal nature means that the show follows no real "horror rules" making the proceedings quite tense. You just don't know what to expect (like all that damn tooth horror). The production is lean but well filmed and the effects modest, but the fine actors really stand out and make this a stellar show (Paul Schneider and Fiona Shaw looking at you).
Comparisons to American Horror Story are inevitable but I don't think they're in the same league. AHS is brash, pulpy, gory, glam trash held together by a top notch cast and an extensive marketing budget. Channel Zero is just so damn better. The stories, characters, and the direction all work together to create a true sense of horror that AHS lost after it's second season. Perhaps I've overlooked SyFy for horror/weirdness but that's two great series (along with Happy!) I'm retroactively gagging about.
Don't believe me? The first two seasons (Season 1: Candle Cove, Season 2: No-End House) are available to stream in their entirety through March 21 on SyFy.com, and the SyFy app. And watch the new cycle, Season 3: Butcher's Block, Wednesdays at 10/9C. I'm looking forward to Season 3 although I might wait to binge on it all at once (not what the network likes to hear but it's the truth). I recommend that you do so as well.
Unusual Decor for Your Halloween Village
It's only February and I'm already thinking about my Halloween village. I was at Petsmart looking for stuff my black cat demands, and walked through the fish section. I stumbled across this awesome aquarium decor and thought some of these pieces would be interesting accents for my village. I ended up choosing the octopus because the scale was perfect for the ghost ship I already own. The pieces are expensive because they are non-toxic and stand up to being submerged in water (but still less expensive that usual Department 56 pieces). I really loved the many rock formations and gnarled tree limbs too. Some of the plants are even blacklight reactive if you wanted to have a really surreal effect. Check them out at Petsmart.
Be My Scary Valentine
For those who love the bloody horror of love but didn't make it to Hellmark store, here are some ecards to share! Tip: send immediately.
TurboTax Horror Ads Are the Best
It's tax season and like many Americans I am terrified. TurboTax is here to save the day and assure us there's nothing to be afraid of. Their new campaign features a series of horror ads that start creepy but end cute. SEE–Taxes aren't so scary! Brava/Bravo to the Wieden + Kennedy, the Portland-based agency behind these fun ads.
"The Noise in the Attic"
"The Dark"
"The Thing in the Woods"
"The Thing Under the Bed"
"Closet"
"Chupacabra"
"Happy!" Is the Cure for Winter Doldrums
We can talk about HAPPY! all day but let's make one thing clear: this twisted, crazy show deserves some serious love. It's based on a 2012 four-issue comic book that combines elements of crime, comedy, drama, with some very divergent things. I know I know. The premise sounds ridiculous: a former cop on the verge of suicide is befriended by – an imaginary friend! – an animated unicorn who needs help rescuing an adorable young girl. The girl was abducted by a deranged and frightening Santa Claus who seems to be collecting kids for some nefarious reason. From there things get very twisted with a sadistic torture specialist, a mob family, an odd kids TV show personality, really big bugs, and mom who dives head first into the absurd to find her missing daughter.
Christopher Meloni as Nick Sax is at his most grimiest and unhinged as a pill-popping, boozing, general lowlife and he is hysterical. However, the star of the show is Happy, blue unicorn with a dazzling pink horn. Voiced by Patton Oswalt, his disarming and charming naivety is quickly challenged by the real life on the streets of New York. Being partnered with Nick to solve this crime erodes his innocence (and ours).
As for the production, the camera work is dazzling. The characters, plot and writing are fantastic, and for those out there who like gore, there is plenty of splattered brain meat to go around. Be warned that this is a boundary pushing show with plenty of mucky, offensive, filthy unpleasantness. Yet it's remarkably watchable, absolutely fun to watch, and shocking to see this quality on SYFY.
The season ended on Wednesday but all eight episodes are available OnDemand from SYFY. The best gift of all is that SYFY has renewed it for a Season2!
"Winchester" is Worthwhile Visit...For Fans
I lived in San Jose, California for five years and when I drove to the grocery store I would see the Winchester Mystery House. This infamous house with its history of ghosts and madness stood just a few blocks from my house! I've been on the tours many times, walking the weird corridors, dark rooms, and even the cold basement – and love taking visitors there, especially for the candlelit tours in complete darkness. Naturally when I heard there was a movie starring Helen Mirren, I was positively giddy.
Thankfully, WINCHESTER does not completely disappoint fans. It melds the house's history (as told by the docent's carefully crafted scripts) with an original story that conjures up a frightful villain. The first act gets straight to the point with ghosts but panders to the audience with many startle scares. Once the movie settles into the second act, it shifts gears and slowly builds the greater mysteries. Then the third act amps up the action but stumbles a bit instead of hitting us with both barrels. At the center is a confused message that seems to contradict itself – the remedy for violence is... more violence!
At least the movie documents the eccentric charm, perplexing history, and enduring lore of the fabled house. More importantly, it introduces the world to the reclusive and endlessly fascinating Sarah Winchester*. As Sarah, Helen Mirren commands every second of screen time and brings out Sarah's strength, sharp mind, and resilience. Jason Clarke does a marvelous job as the drug-addled doctor sent to assess Sarah's mental health. Both actors bestow needed gravitas to the film and show how good actors can elevate any material. I could have easily watched Helen talk about windows treatments and her choice of doorknobs for another half-hour.
At the core is the infamous house with its odd architecture and illogical luxury. With a few external shots of the actual house, the budget clearly ended up on the screen with beautifully realized sets complete with intricate recreations of the woodwork, jeweled lighting, and period details. The atmosphere is dark and oppressive, and the lighting is theatrical and rich with just a few eerie wisps of light piercing long dark corridors. As a haunted house, the posturing is classic, ornate, and terrifying. The movie happens to capture one of the strangest mysteries about the real house itself: once inside its walls, you don't want to leave.
Truth be told, I would have preferred a more sophisticated take on the Winchester House but realize there's an intended audience here. Ultimately this movie is destined to be a souvenir for the Winchester Mystery House gift shop so it aims for an unoffensive middle ground. Unfortunately, the Victorian-like restraint shows and keeps it from being a truly satisfying terror. I also wonder if it will resonate with viewers who don't have an emotional attachment to the house like I do. Perhaps it will pique the interest of movie goers to visit the house. Now there's a strategy!
*NOTE: I recommend the book "Captive of the Labyrinth" by Mary Jo Ignoffo for an exhaustive look at the looooong history of Sarah Winchester, the house, and the lore. Spoiler alert: There's a lot of buzzkill in the book.
by Daniel Danger
Bentley Little is the "Best Outright Horror Novelist"
You may not know American horror writer Bentley Little by name but his work is on par, if not even better, than many of his contemporaries in the genre. He has written 27 novels, most recently The Handyman, published in October 2017, and unlike some gothic, suspense or thriller writers, he is best categorized as the "Best Outright Horror Novelist" (according to Stephen King on EW.com). This is a pretty bold declaration in the literary world that perhaps doesn't give true horror its due.
Without any movie or tv show adaptations, or really any hoopla surrounding Little, his works were completely unknown to me until Audible recommended The Haunted. The haunted house story is riveting with terrifying visuals and the tormented family in the middle react reasonably and smartly and unlike their movie counterparts (sure lets follow that weird moan into the dark attic where the one hanging light bulb is not working).
Next, I devoured The Influence which is a deep dive into a surreal nightmare where reversals of fortune and nature is remixed by some giant unseen force. It's lurid and horrifying in that Clive Barker way, but more epic in tone like King's work.
In The Handyman, a man must come to face the truth about that friendly man down the street. It's emotionally resonant work about loss and revenge intermixed with an unexpected supernatural angle. This is one of his most cinematic works with broad visuals – you can almost see the sweeping camera work!
Little gets right to the point in his books and there is little flowery prose or excessive exposition to prolong what horror readers want: terror, mayhem and monsters! They are not plot heavy and usually written in a straight-forward fashion without much use of gimmicky plot devices (flash backs, flash forwards, red herrings, holdbacks). He tells his stories with confidence and allows his fully realized characters to stand on two feet. The settings are so common that you hardly notice that the horror has creeped in and the atmosphere of dread permeates every page. It's the kind of tense horror that is unpredictable, wildly surreal, and often really dark. It's like those quiet nightmares you dare not even acknowledge in the light of day. This all makes for a terrifying, fun and entertaining read.
The next time you need a palate cleanser after reading one of King's mercilessly long tomes, consider Bentley Little. He is definitely a hidden gem that will please horror readers and deserves a wider audience.
Bentley Little is the "Best Outright Horror Noveli...
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SermonIndex.net : Christian Books : THE MYSTERY
A Key To The Apocalypse by Joseph Mede
Of the Woman dwelling in the Wilderness.
The woman delivered of a child, when the dragon was overcome, from thenceforth dwelt in the wilderness, by which is figured the state of the Church, liberated from Pagan tyranny, to the time of the seventh trumpet, and the second Advent of Christ, by the type, not of a latent, invisible, but, as it were, an intermediate condition, like that of the lsraelitish Church journeying in the wilderness, from its departure from Egypt, to its entrance into the land of Canaan; a state, therefore, safe from the fury of that red dragon, who resembled Pharaoh, but not yet arrived at that pitch of glory, to which it should finally arrive, when the rest of her enemies should be subdued, as by the possession of Canaan. A state, indeed, which was externally better than the servitude of that heathen tyranny, (out of which, as from Egyptian slavery, the Christian people emerged by the power of Christ,) as from thenceforth endued with a power, under the auspices of Christian emperors and kings, of worshipping Christ freely, as the Israelites in the wilderness of worshipping Jehovah; with temples, likewise, as the tabernacles of Christian worship, magnificently built, with an ecclesiastical polity, constituted by kings, with sacred revenues, tithes, and oblations, but unhappy by its apostasy of various kinds, not less than Israel in the wilderness, with the calf, Baal-peor, Balaam, Korah, &c. Nor, perhaps, should that circumstance be passed over, that the forty-two months of the Christian woman's residence in the wilderness answers to the number of resting-places of Israel in the wilderness. Vide Numbers, c. xxxiii.
The reason and tendency of the type being thus explained, let us illustrate the text particularly, and apply it to the event.
|And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who brought forth the male child. And there was given to the woman two wings of a great eagle, that she might flee into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and a half, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast forth water out of his mouth after the woman, like a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood.|
This was the first attempt of Satan, when he was cast down, but not yet entirely cast out, remaining, on the contrary, a short time below. That he might, if it were possible by any means to do so, overwhelm the woman, who, when her offspring was possessed of power, was departing to a station in the wilderness, before she should retreat thither wholly secure from his fury. For she did not immediately, as she began to escape, arrive in the wilderness, but after some space of time and delay had intervened; as Israel consumed some time in the journey which he had undertaken from Egypt. But the words here used are so to be understood, that they may appear in some way to be referred to what was said above of the same flight of the woman into the wilderness, either in this, or in a similar sense. |When the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who had brought forth the male child.| For since (as was observed above) |there was given to the woman,| after the birth and exaltation of her offspring to the throne, (by two wings of a great eagle furnished to her, as if for flight) |to depart into the wilderness, where she was to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time; he cast out of his mouth after her a flood of water, that he might cause her to be carried away with the flood.| So, likewise, Pharaoh persecuted the people of Israel, departing into the wilderness out of his dominion, by a flood of another kind.
The great eagle is the Roman empire. Its two wings, the two Cæsars of the now divided empire of the West and East, under whose protection and authority the church departed into its eremitical state. For it is well known, that the Roman empire, as soon as it had received the Christian faith, became bipartite, and was borne up as it were on the two wings of the Cæsars. The eagle being the ensign of the Roman empire, renders this interpretation obvious to any one. But what forbids us from confirming the interpretation of the prophetical type by an apocryphal writer? This is Esdras the prophet, for under this denomination does Clemens of Alexandria quote him, (Strom, book 3d, a little before the conclusion) according to whom, the type of an eagle signifies the fourth kingdom, the twelve feathered wings as many first Cæsars. Vide c. xi. and xii. But tell me, Reader, would you not also say, that here is a reference also to that saying of the Lord concerning the departure of Israel out. of Egypt. Exod. c. xix. v.4. |Ye have seen,| says he, |what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself,| that is, into the wilderness. But there is something else in this verse which requires to be expounded. Why is the time of the woman's inhabitation in the wilderness, which was reckoned a little before by days, here changed into years, or a time, and times, and half a time? I seek no other cause of this alternation, than that it might be the key to a similar notation of time in Daniel, and might inform us that the Church was now arrived at those very times, which he described by the period of a time, times, and half a time. And, indeed, without this index, that designation of time would have been very uncertain, and inexplicable. For from what source, or by what indication, could it have been known, that time denoted a year? or if so, that times did not mean more than two years? But now, from this communication it is clear, that the period may be resolved into 1260 days, and therefore, signifies a year, two years, and a half.
These difficulties having been explained in this manner, let us now examine what that water was which the dragon vomited out of his mouth like a flood, that he might. overwhelm the woman while she was preparing to take her journey into the wilderness. The gushing out of water is language and doctrine according to Prov. c. xviii. v.23. |The words of a man's mouth are deep waters, the well-spring. of wisdom is a flowing brook.| Whence the word nk, which signifies to burst forth, and gush out as a fountain, is applied to doctrine, as Ps. lxxviii. v.2. |I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter, or pour forth, things hidden from the foundation of the world;| which is alleged of the doctrine of our Saviour, Matt. c. xiii. v.35. So Prov. c. i. v.23. Wisdom is said to preach in the streets; |I will pour out my Spirit upon you; I will make known my words unto you.| What, then, is the effusion from the mouth of the serpent, a venomous beast, but pestiferous doctrine, that is heresy? according to that verse of Prov. c. xv. v.28. |The mouth of the wicked poureth forth evil things.| Now the history of this time exhibits it as proceeding like a flood from the mouth of the dragon, -- I speak of Arianism and its offspring. By this his flood the dragon had nearly caused the woman to be carried away. He intended it no doubt. And, in truth, it was wonderful that the Roman emperors, who had so recently given their names to Christ, and had not fully settled the Christian establishment, offended and alienated as they were at the horrid dissension in so primary a point of doctrine among Christians (only just respiring from persecution), at such deadly party feuds, tumults, and credulity, among the brethren, even equally to that of the Pagans, should not have cast off the faith.
|But the earth succoured the woman, and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.| That is, the multitude of Christians in the councils persisting in the orthodox faith, exhausted the diabolical inundation, as the earth does water, when it has long continued in a state of drought. For if water, (but of a poisonous and pestiferous nature) such as proceeds out of the serpent, represents heresy; the mode of analogy undoubtedly required that the substance which should have the effect of absorbing and removing the same, should be figured by the earth, as that whose property it is to exhaust an inundation of waters by its aridity.
Which, indeed, happens in this matter so much the more agreeably to the explanation of the subject, because elsewhere likewise in historical and simple expression, the earth is commonly used for the inhabitants of the earth. Vide Gen. c. xli. v.37.1 Sam. c. xiv. v.25. Deut. c. ix. v.28. and elsewhere at large.
Of the Ten-horned Beast blaspheming God, and of the Two-horned Beast, or False Prophet, his Founder and Hierarch.
A new scene of evils invaded the woman, as soon as she had entered the bounds of the wilderness; for she immediately encountered a double sort of beast, less formidable indeed in appearance than that of the dragon, or serpent; whose figure only she dreads, professing to be nothing but a panther, or a lamb, but being truly an agent of the dragon, who has been cast down, and in his stead prepared to bring troubles on the offspring to which she should give birth in the wilderness.
|And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and departed to make war with the rest of her seed, (viz. with those which she should produce in the wilderness,) who keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus Christ.|
|And he stood on the sand of the sea.| That is, when the dragon saw that he who was now expelled from the Roman empire, that he had not succeeded in overwhelming the woman, as she was hastening into the wilderness, by the inundation of Arianism, but that she nevertheless had arrived there in safety; and besides, that he should no longer be suffered to possess the sovereignty of the Roman world, as he had formerly done, in his own name, he now attempts it in another way, by tacitly substituting a kingdom dependent on himself, and for that purpose he stood on the sea shore, that he might form a new appearance of the Roman kingdom, thence to arise, subservient to him. The history of the double beast, prepared to transact the affairs of Rome, now follows; one ten-horned, and the other two-horned, connected by the strictest necessity with each other, and both reigning at the same time, and in the same part of the world. The first of which, that is, the ten-horned beast, you may call if you will secular; the other, or two-horned, ecclesiastical.
Of the Ten-horned Beast.
The ten-horned, or secular beast, is that university of ten kingdoms, more or less, (into which the empire of the Cæsars, after the expulsion of the dragon, had settled after the Barbaric plague,) coalescing at length into one Roman republic, through the renewed impiety of the dragon.
|I saw,| said he, |a beast ascending out of the sea, having seven heads, and ten horns, and upon his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.| The same beast is here described as that which afterwards, c. xvii. carries the harlot; the seven-headed Roman beast, under the state of its last head. |I saw,| says St. John, |the type of that last state of the Roman kingdom, in which, acting under its seventh head, it was divided into ten kingdoms; and yet in the same manner, as it had done under its former heads, he blasphemed the great God Almighty by the worship of idols.| For the number of seven heads is a particular mark of the Roman kingdoms, as well as the furniture of ten horns. The name of blasphemy is the mark of idolatry. The diadems, or crowns, placed on the horns, (which are on the last head only,) point out that the kingdom is exhibited under the government of its last head, which will be amply confirmed by the remaining description of the beast.
|And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet as those of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion.| That is, this kingdom, partly in respect of its regimen, and its state, partly in respect of its disposition, was so composed, that it represented the three monarchies, anciently pourtrayed by these beasts in Daniel, in a certain blended association. Since it was Greek in the remaining appearance of the body, it stood on feet in their march and action, like the Persian kingdom; with its mouth, like that of Babylon, it issued its edicts to be performed. For the leopard is the type of the kingdom of the Greeks, the bear of the Persians, the lion of the Babylonians. First, then, that kingdom was plainly like the Grecian in its body, for instance, a kingdom like that divided into many parts, Dan. c. vii. v.6. and c. viii. v.8.22. For the Greek was divided into four parts; this last Roman kingdom was separated into ten kingdoms, to which type is referred the bearing ten horns on the last head of the beast, which the angel afterwards interprets, c. xvii. are ten kings, or kingdoms, into which the Roman empire of the sixth head, having been dilacerated, coalesced into a new kingdom, under the seventh, for the purpose of carrying the harlot. That the ten horns were upon the last head only, that is, the seventh, and not, as commonly supposed, promiscuously on all, I thus demonstrate. While the head flourishes, the horns flourish, and when it falls, the horns also arising from it must necessarily fall. On the first five heads, then, there could not be horns, because those five heads, as the angel says in c. xvii. were already fallen; neither could there be on the sixth, because while that was reigning in the age of John, (as the angel expressly affirms,) the time of horns was not yet come, for says he, |The ten horns are ten kings, which have not yet received their kingdom.| They are reserved, therefore, for the last head. Away, then, with such painters as distribute the ten horns according to their fancy, on seven heads, giving single ones to some, and two to others, out of their liberality, which, how inconsistent it is, and remote from the groundwork of the text, yea, and plainly repugnant to the interpretation of the angel, there is no one, who, having been already informed on the subject, shall seriously weigh it in his mind, that will not be induced to confess. Therefore, it is to be taken as true and certain, that the seventh head alone in the scale of heads, raising themselves one after another, towered over the rest, the highest in situation, the last in place.
Now then I proceed to explain the remaining appearance of this last beast. By the feet on which the body rests, and on which it is moved, and walks, and of which those before answer the purpose of hands and arms to beasts, in holding, seizing, and fighting; by the feet, I say, it alludes closely to the Persian empire; since, as they relied on the councils of their Magi in the management of their affairs, so the Roman kingdom in its last state is governed by the authority of idolatrous monks and clergy, like those Magi. To which that future saying refers of the other falsely prophetic beast, |that it exercises all the power of the ten-horned beast before him.| For the feet are to be considered here, not as the lowest and most dishonourable parts of the body, but of the same kind as they are in beasts; not merely the instruments of walking, but also of fighting, and seizing their prey, in which, and in bears especially (I speak of the fore feet), the chief strength of the body consists. Nor are the feet to be here understood as that part only which makes an impression on the ground, but that which comprehends the thighs also, and arms, as well as the smaller part commonly called the foot.
Lastly, the ten-horned beast issues edicts to be observed with a Babylonian mouth, by commanding the worship of deities and idols, with pain of death, and burning alive, denounced against those who refuse it, in the same manner as Nebuchadnezzar did to those Jews, who would not adore the golden image which he had set up, sixty cubits high, to his god Bel. Dan. c. iii. At the same time, I do not wish, by this interpretation of mine, to excite a prejudice against that of others; namely, of those who may think that regard should be had rather to the natural disposition of those beasts, whose qualities or fierceness the ten-horned beast might express. Let every one judge for himself. |And the dragon (who had been cast down, and stood on the sea-shore,) gave him his power, (that is, his strength or forces,) and his throne, and great authority.|
Power, Dunamis, signifies, with the Hellenists, forces or army, according to the use, as it appears to me, of the Hebrew chyl, by which is denoted both strength and bravery, and an army likewise. The Seventy say, in Exod. c. xiv. v.28. of the army of Pharaoh overwhelmed in the sea, |The waters covered, pasan ten dunamin, all the host of Pharaoh,| and c. xv. v.4, |he hath cast, ten dunamin autou, his host into the sea.| And so in various passages, not only in these, but in profane writers. From this notion spring those expressions, Kurios dunameon, the Lord of hosts, and Matt. c. xxiv. v.29. dunameis ton ouranon, the powers of the heavens, or the celestial hosts, shall be shaken. So, in the next verse, the Son of man is said to be about to come in the clouds of heaven, meta dunameos kai doxes polles, with power and great glory, which is explained in the following chapter, us |coming in his glory, and all the holy angels with him.| So in this place, the dragon or Satan delivered to the ten-horned beast, ten dunamin autou, that is, his forces, or his army. But the forces of Satan are his angels or demons, and idols, the receptacles of demons. These forces he delivered over to this last beast, to be worshipped and reverenced, together with his throne, and great authority; that is, in one word, all that power from which he had lately fallen, when conquered and overthrown by Michael, and the holy martyrs and confessors of Christ. So that, indeed, the dragon, or Satan, in this beast of the last state of the empire, recovered in some measure the ancient dominion which he had exercised in the red one; but in a form so dissimilar from the former one, that the seed of the woman in the wilderness did not immediately perceive it. For the dragon did not now make his advances as before, in the form of a dragon, that is, did not profess himself to be what he was, the sworn enemy of the Christian name. For if he had done this, the seed of the woman would have known him immediately, and been upon his guard against him, as his deadliest foe, from that innate antipathy which God had denounced from the beginning of the world should subsist between them. |I will put enmity between thy seed and her seed.| But, in truth, when he had assumed the form of another beast, having no affinity with the serpent, it was not so difficult for him to impose upon the seed of the woman, that is, the Christian Church, rejoicing in its late victory, and now secure from the dragon, and to allure it to adopt his customs. Which, indeed, the arch impostor so covertly and deceitfully did, under the mask of a beast not friendly to him, that the Church did not acknowledge till late, that she had been deceived by her ancient enemy, and led to venerate the dragon under this mask. For who would have suspected that the dragon lay hid under the figure of a leopard, or (what is the same) of a panther , that is, under the appearance of an animal, which, while other beasts, attracted either by the beauty of his skin, or the sweetness of his smell, love to approach and behold, the dragon alone is said to abhor and avoid? Or, to explain the matter a little more clearly, who would have supposed, that under the empire of the Christian religion, the destroyer of idols assuming worship for herself, heinous idolatry, and long since exploded heathenism, would be restored with the utmost labour, and promoted by laws and edicts?
|And I saw one of its heads, (namely, the sixth,) as it were, wounded to death, (which was done in the battle with Michael and the holy martyrs ,) and his deadly wound was healed,| by the medicine of this vicarious power. That this seven-headed dragon, (or the Roman empire, possessed by the ancient serpent, that is, the heathen empire,) was the beast with the sixth head, may be shown by what is afterwards said of these heads. Five in the age of John had fallen, one (which is the sixth) then ruled the Roman states, and chiefly because this beast of the last dynasty immediately succeeded the fifth, on the same throne. The dragon, I assert, is here said to have given up his throne to the beast of the last dynasty, or the seventh head. Therefore he was the immediate successor, or the beast of the last head. Nor let any one be disturbed, that during the continuance of the sixth head, it appears seven-headed in the vision. For though the heads performed their parts, not at the same time, but in order, and successively, yet the beast is exhibited with all its apparatus of heads and horns, under every state, that it may every where designate the same Roman kingdom, though under different successions of dynasties.
But to return to the text, in which, in the Complutensian edition, according to the testimony of Irenæus, Aretas, the Syrian paraphrast lately published, and among the Latin authors, Primasius does not acknowledge the words |I saw,| but joins the words, |one of the heads,| with the word |gave,| as in this sentence, |The dragon delivered unto him his power and throne and great authority, and one of its heads mortally wounded, that it might be cured.| I suspect also that the Latin Vulgate read it so formerly, on account of the words |de capitibus suis,| instead of |ejus.| But whether this reading is to be preferred to the other, I will not hastily affirm, but only that it appears to be very ancient, so that I wonder it was not noticed by R. Stephen. But whichever it may be, the received reading, if rightly interpreted, and as the subject actually requires we should interpret it, evidently gives the same sense. |I saw (says he) one of the heads, as it had been wounded to death ,| namely, not at the time the apostle saw it, but before it emerged in this form from the sea, hupersuntelikos, or in the
preter-pluperfect tense, as in ch. v. ver.6, he had said, he |saw in the midst of the elders and of the animals a Lamb standing, as if it had been slain,| not slain at the time he saw it. What is added, however, about the healing of the wound, that he saw done, either while the beast was just emerging from the sea, or as soon as it had arisen from thence? For that healing was not, (as is still believed by many,) some subsequent fate, but the very nativity of the last beast. From each of the remaining heads, it had passed to the turn of the successor without a wound; but in the transition from the sixth to the last, the beast sunk under a deadly wound; from the cure of which I say, and not before or sooner, the ten-horned beast, or that of the last state, took its beginning, and did not deduce its origin any higher. That this is the case, the whole series of the following narration evinces. For whatever evil the beast is related to have perpetrated, whatever worship and adoration was paid to him by the inhabitants of the earth, all is said to have been done after the cure of his wound. |I saw (says he) one of his heads as if it had been wounded to death, and the wound of death, or the deadly wound, was healed, and all the world followed, wondering after the beast,| -- namely, that just healed,| and they worshipped the dragon,| &c. Then likewise |was given to him a mouth speaking great things, and blasphemies,| &c. And |he opened his mouth against God,| &c. All those things were done after his cure; but before that, no evil deeds are predicated of the beast, no mention of subjection or honour paid to him by the nations. Whatever is commemorated before, partly relates to the form of the beast, partly to the occasion and manner of his rise. And why, I beseech you, should we represent to ourselves an antichristian beast, of whom for some time, no facts are related, no persecution recorded? Nay, if we follow the reading of Irenæus and the Complutensian version, by expunging |I saw,| there will be no longer a place for such an interpretation. |And all the earth wondered after the beast;| that is, with the utmost approbation and consent, they went over to the party of the beast. |And they worshipped the dragon, which gave power to the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?| That is, they did not simply worship the beast as a beast, but also as a vicegerent of the dragon. Therefore they did not venerate the beast alone, but the dragon himself likewise, under the mask of the beast. For to worship the beast, unless so far as idolatry discharged the functions of the dragon, in the sense in which it is here used, would not have been more impious than to obey any kind of mundane power.
The beast, in truth, denotes a kingdom. To adore the beast, then, according to the usage of the Hebrew and Oriental languages, is the same thing as to be subject to him, which the explanation subjoined to the word worship, not obscurely points out. |They adored (says he) the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is capable of contending with him?| As if he had said, They devoted themselves willingly to the obedience of the beast, as to one who so far excelled others in power, that there was no one that would resist or make war with him. In which also, ver.12, the earth itself, not merely its inhabitants, is said to have worshipped the beast; that is, to have yielded to his dominion. |And he caused (says he) the earth, and those that dwell therein, to worship,| &c. So in the benediction of Jacob, Gen. c. xxvii. v.29, |Let the people serve thee, and nations worship (or bow down to) thee. Be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee.| For this meaning of the words tou proskunein, vide Gen. c. xxxvii. v.7, and c. xlix. v.8, in the benediction of Judah; so also Isa. c. xlv. v.11. But to be subject to the beast according to his religious constitution, as it refers to the seven-headed dragon, is blasphemous, and impious towards God. Whence, they who so adore the beast, are said to adore the dragon in adoring the beast.
|And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and there was given him power to continue forty-two months.|
Hitherto of the constitution and state of the beast. It is afterwards explained in what things he exercised the power committed to him by the dragon; viz. in two, -- in blasphemy towards God, and the persecution of the saints. The whole description is taken from the prophecy of Daniel, ch. vii. where he treats of the same subject, as here, that is, the Roman beast in the last state. But the circumstances which are there related to Daniel by the angel, rather succinctly, are here more diffusively laid open, as in an interjected explanation.
|There was given to him (says be) a mouth speaking great things.| The mouth speaking great things is Daniel's; but here the great words are explained by |blasphemies;| under which name, it will presently be asserted, idolatrous worship was designated, as a matter of the highest affront to God.
Moreover, he says, that the beast should so blaspheme for forty-two months; that is, of years, throughout the same space of time, as the Gentiles should trample down the outer court of the temple, or the holy city. And not undeservedly, since that profanation of the Gentiles runs in a parallel line with the same impiety as this blasphemy of the beast, and both point out a subject of the power of darkness and of night, and therefore to be measured, not by years or days, but months, according to that of the moon, which presides over the night. And, indeed, unless the Holy Spirit had intended the designation of time to be referred to the blasphemy, why has he inserted it in this place, immediately after the mention of blasphemy? The months are not to be reckoned from the beginning of his cruelty, or warfare with the saints, but of his blasphemy. As if the word poiesai signified some certain act, or state of the power of the beast, (of which kind some suppose that to be, which is here called the power of acting or doing.) it must then altogether be referred to the act of blasphemy. But to poiesai seems rather to be applied in the senses of lasting or remaining, as it is elsewhere used with words of time. For thus, Acts, ch. xv. v.33, ?poiesantes de chronon tina, |when he had spent some time;| and ch. xx. v.3, ?poiesas te menas treis, |and there abode three months.| 2 Cor. ch. xi. v.25, nuchthemeron en to butho pepoieka, |a night and a day I have been in the deep.| Add James, ch. iv.13, |to-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city,| kai poiesomen ekei eniauton hena?, |and continue there a year.| Drusius remarks that sh is thus used, Eccles. ch. vi. v.13, and |facere| in Latin, Seneca, Epist. lxvii. |Quamvis paucissimos unà fecerimus dies.| -- |Though we have passed very few days together.| In the marble tablet, |cum qua fecit annos ix.| |Where, when he had continued nine days.| In Alfenus, i. e. |Is servus fugerat et annum in fugâ fecerat.| |That slave had fled, and passed a year in flight;| that is, spent, continued, finished, transacted.
According to these examples, why should not |poiesai menas 42,| signify lived so long, remained, continued blaspheming? The force of which expression, those who did not understand, seem to have inserted in the text the word |polemon war,| which is extant in some of the copies. Now, as I said before, that by the name of blasphemy in this place, was designated, as by way of eminence, idolatry, or spiritual fornica. don, may be evinced by a twofold, or even a threefold argument. First, because Babylon, the metropolis of this beast, means the mother of harlots, and with her the kings and inhabitants of the earth are said to commit whoredom. But the beast of which we treat, is nothing else than the community of those kings and inhabitants. Secondly, it must be a blasphemy of the same kind, which should suit with the state of the head, immediately preceding nay, of all the other heads for on all |were written the name of blasphemy,| ver.1. Add that this beast of the last state, was born and composed from the renewal of the impiety of his predecessor of the sixth head. But what blasphemy could be ascribed as common to them all, except idolatry alone? Assuredly none .
The use of Scripture adds force to these observations, by expressing the idolatry of God's ancient people by this name. To understand which it must be known that there are three words in Hebrew, translated by the Greek interpreters and the Latin Vulgate in the acceptation of blasphemy, n'ts, and chrph, in none of which you may not discover the sign of idolatry. In the word ndph, Ezek. c. xx. v.27, |Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me. When I had brought them into the land, for which I lifted up my hand to give it them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered their sacrifices,| &c. In the word chrph, Isa. c. lxv. v.7, |Which have burned incense on the mountains, and blasphemed me on the hills.| And certainly chrph answers precisely to the Greek blasphemein , for both signify to treat with contumely, or to reproach. Whence, 2 Kings, c. xix. v.22, |Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed?| it is joined with ndph, as synonymous; as also Ps. xliv. v.16. The Seventy are in the habit of rendering both by oneidizo, p9aroxuno, and the Chaldee also by its own chrm. Moreover, let me add this likewise, that it was usual with the Jews, not only of the age of Isaiah, but also of a lower age, to understand the worship of idols by the nomenclature of reproach or blasphemy. This may even be collected from the paraphrases of the Hagiographists, where, Ps. lxix. v.10, instead of the words, |The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me,| the Chaldee has, |The rebukes of the impious who rebuke thee, while they make their idols partakers of thy glory, are fallen upon me.|
With respect to the word n'ts, which is another of the two, to which blasphemein answers, according to the Seventy; in Forster it is, to attack with contumacy, reproaches, and reviling words. Jerome always translates it in the Psalms, as often as it occurs, (and it occurs five times,) according to the true interpretation of the Hebrew, blasphemare. With others it is, to despise, or to irritate by contempt, so that the most accurate signification of it seems to be, to provoke to anger by reproaches and contumelies. By this expression, I say it may be shown from Deut. c. xxxi. v.20, that idolatry is designated, as well as by the former. |When they shall have eaten and filled themselves, they will turn to other gods, and will serve them vn'tsvny, and will provoke me.| So, indeed, the Vulgate uses the sense of blaspheming, though not the word. For what else is Deo detrahere, to detract from God, than to blaspheme him? But in other places it does express the word, as Jer. c. xxiii. v.15-17, |From the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.| -- |They say lmn'tsy unto those that blaspheme me, (the discourse is about idolaters,) the Lord hath spoken, There shall be peace to you, and to every one who walketh after the imagination of his heart,| &c.
To these quotations may be added, if you please, by way of illustration, that the profanations of Antiochus, by which he polluted the temple of God, and his sacrifices, are called blasphemies, 1 Macc. c. ii. v.6, and 2 Macc. c. viii. v.4. Also, that Kimchias interprets that of Gen. c. iv. v.26, |Then was the name of the Lord profaned by invocation .| Then men turned away after idols, and the invocation of the divine name was polluted and profaned. Whether he has translated rightly or not I do not inquire, but so he has rendered and understood it. Hence according to the scholastic doctors there are three species of blasphemy; one, when something is attributed to God which does not belong to him; another, where something is taken from him which does belong to him; a third, when what is appropriated to God, is attributed to a creature, as in idolatry. For as an adulterous wife brings a reproach upon her husband, so the Church, prostituting herself to idols, does upon God; since idolatry is spiritual adultery.
|And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and those that dwell in heaven.|
What he had before said generally about blasphemy, he here pursues in detail, and distinguishes a triple idolatry of the beast: For first, he blasphemes the name of God; that is, in the worship of images. |By giving the incommunicable name to stocks and stones.| Wisdom, c. xiv. v.21. Or the name of God means the person of God, (may we be permitted thus to speak,) which is then blasphemed, when any thing besides God is worshipped with divine honour. Secondly, his |tabernacle;| that is, the human nature of Christ, in which the Deity hypostatically dwells. Ho gar logos sarx egeneto kai eskenosen en hemin, John, c. i. v.14. And according to the same Evangelist, c. ii. v.19, |Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. But he spake of the temple of his body.| Has not that passage in the Hebrews, c. ix. v.11, a reference to this |In a greater or more perfect tabernacle.| This tabernacle, I say, the beast blasphemes, when he believes the body of Christ to be made every day out of bread, by the transubstantiation of the mass, and therefore worships the bread instead of Christ, the tabernacle of God; nay, looks up to the propitiatory sacrifice offered for the living, and the dead, as crucifying Christ anew. He blasphemes the celestial inhabitants likewise, that is, the angels and saints, who dwell in heaven, whilst in their names he invokes the demons and idols which he worships .
What a reproach is this to the blessed spirits! nay, an affront to Christ their Lord: In derogation of whose prerogative and glory they are constituted, even against their will, mediators and intercessors with God, patrons and presidents of mortals in the manner of the heathen. See what we have already said, at the end of the sixth trumpet, out of the theology of the Gentiles on demons and their offices. And the beast, not content with this alone, degrades the blessed spirits besides, with his disgraceful and wicked fables and miracles; so that you may doubt whether he offends more by the worship which he wishes to display, as addressed to them, or by the injurious nature of his fables.
Thus far of blasphemy, then follows the other part of the impiety of the beast, by which he exhibited himself as the vicegerent of the red dragon, -- -the persecution of the saints. For in addition, |it was given to him to make war upon the saints, and to overcome them.| So Daniel, |He made war with the saints, and prevailed against them.| With the saints, that is, with the seed which proceeded from the woman in the wilderness. Now, though the whole domination of the beast may be a kind of warfare against the saints, (according to what was said at the beginning, |that the dragon went away enraged,| under the mask of this beast, |to make war with the rest of the woman's seed, who keep the commandments of God, and retain the testimony of Jesus Christ,|) yet a war of another kind is here to be understood, as appears from v.10, where something is said of retaliation to be at some future time rendered to the beast. |If any one lead into captivity,| &c., and |If any one kill with the sword, he must be killed with the sword.| The war, therefore, is one which is waged with slaughter and blood. Add that we are at present engaged in the description, not of the ecclesiastical, but of the secular beast, with which war of any kind can scarcely agree.
But the beast did not carry on this war immediately from his commencement; but after he had arrived at his acme, during the twelfth age from the birth of Christ. His first expedition threatened the Albigenses and Waldenses, and by whatever other name the true worshippers of Christ were called; of whom so great a destruction was made, that throughout France alone, if P. Perronius, in his history of the war, has made a right calculation, there were slain about a million of men. For not only was this war carried on by burnings alive, by the loss of goods, by exile, and other kinds of punishment, but that nothing might be wanting to the true appellation of war, in such an inhuman persecution, whole armies were raised against them, and those crusading expeditions, first undertaken against the Saracens, being now turned against the Christians, of that chaste and pure religion which refused to adore the beast, it raged cruelly for about seventy years, with incredible fury and inhumanity.
The histories of this butchery are to be met with, to which I refer the reader. I choose to subjoin the words of Thuanus, a most illustrious historian, but of the opposite party. He says, in the Preface to the History of his own Time, |Since exquisite punishments were of little avail against the Waldenses, and what was unseasonably applied as a remedy aggravated the evil, and their number every day increased, a regular army was at length raised, and a war of no less magnitude than that which our people had formerly waged against the Saracens, was resolved upon against them; of which the issue was, that they were brought to their senses, rather by being slain, routed, every where despoiled of their goods and dignities, and dispersed on every side, than by being convinced of their error. Therefore, they who had defended themselves in the beginning by arms, being at last conquered by arms, fled into Provence, and the Alps bordering on the French domain, and there found retreats for their life and doctrine. Some departed into Calabria, and remained there for a long time, and even to the pontificate of Pius the Fourth; part passed over into Germany, and fixed their habitations among the Bohemians, in Poland and Livonia; others turning to the West, found refuge in Britain.|
Now in this war the memorable fact happened, that those Albigenses who were conquered at Morell with a great slaughter by Simon Montfort, the leader of those who were signed with the cross, seem to have seized on this prophecy of the saints conquered by the beast, as an argument for consolation and constancy. For when the Bishop of Toulouse, interposing to prevent the slaughter, admonished the remnant, who remained in tents, by sending to them a religious person, that, convicted by such a scourge, of God's being angry with, and pronouncing a judgment upon them, they might at length, (having laid by their hard-heartedness) be converted to the faith which they call Catholic; but they, on the contrary, retorting that the conquered were the people of Christ, by this kind of shield frustrated the attack of temptation, and all to a man fell bravely, being slain by a band of soldiers rushing in upon them.
After this war against the Waldenses and the Albigenses, there was a cruel conflict carried on in various ways against different portions of their remains in different places, as well as against other associates of the same pure religion in every part of the world, until at length, notwithstanding all this, after the year 1500, whole kingdoms, principalities, and republics, with their reformed churches, seceded from the dominion of the beast to the party of the saints; against whom war was afterwards carried on, and continues to this day, nor will it finish until the beast shall come to an end.
Now if any one would diligently measure in his mind the whole series of this butchery, comprehended in little more than 450 years, and would refer the number of the slain to calculation, I am either deceived, or it will appear marvellous, that the persecution of the beast not only equalled, but surpassed the ten heathen persecutions.
We just now observed, that the number of the Albigenses and Waldenses who were slain, was estimated at a million of men. From that time to the Reformation of the Church, no one has undertaken the calculation of those who were taken off, partly by the flames, partly by the sword, partly by other tortures, though the number is known not to have been small. From the origin of the Jesuits to the year 1480, that is, in little more than thirty years, Baldwin on Antichrist remarks, that nearly nine hundred thousand were destroyed. In Belgium alone, and that only by the hand of the executioner, the Duke of Alva, that cruel champion of the Roman see, boasted, that under his authority about thirty-six thousand souls, by his orders, had been taken off in a few years. Vergerius testifies, who well knew the fact, that the Inquisition, as they call it, of heretical depravity, in the space of hardly thirty years, made away with a hundred and fifty thousand Christians, by divers kinds of afflictions. Sanders confesses, that an infinite number of Lollards, and Sacramentarians, were delivered to the flames through the whole of Europe; who, however, he says, were not given up to slaughter by the pope and bishops, but by political magistrates. So, indeed, in consistency with the prophecy, the fact ought to be; for of the secular beast it is said, |that he made war with the saints, and overcame them;| and of the ten kings, c. xvii. that |they should carry on war with the Lamb, and the elect, and faithful;| but of the ecclesiastical beast, not indeed that he himself killed with the sword, |but caused that whoever would not worship the image of the beast, should (by that image) be killed with the sword,| as we shall see a little below. Then follows, |And power was given him over every tribe, and tongue, and nation.|
Now what was this power, but that of waging war with the saints? as if it would extend itself as widely as the Roman domain, for the subject of discourse is not perhaps of dominion, but of the amplitude of persecution. If any one prefer the other interpretation, the sense will be, that such was the authority of the beast, that no tribe, tongue, nor nation, resisted his impiety. But we must not understand this of individuals, (many of whom were found in every age who preserved their faith to the Lamb) but of whole tribes, tongues, and nations, that is, of the political governments of mankind. Of which it is very true, that none is to be found which the beast had not detained for many ages in servile obedience to his impiety; so that those who dwelt dispersed here and there, through the provinces of the beast, and were in reality Christians, constituted alone at that time the undefiled and virgin Church, as that which had, alas! no state, republic, principality, nor kingdom, of its confession of faith. But here it is to be kept in mind, that the form of the beast was that impiety which supplied the place of the dragon, in whose communion those many kingdoms of the Roman dominion, as we have observed, coalesced to form one beast. Those, therefore, who embraced this are said to yield to the power of the beast, as all tribes, languages, and nations, did.
|And all they that dwell on the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world.|
Now, lest any one, fascinated by so universal and catholic an assent to the laws of the beast, should presume that it was done piously and rightly, and that the example of so many nations and people might be followed by them without danger, or even when broken down and debilitated by the cruelty of persecution, he might violate his faith given to the Lamb, and yield to the worship of the beast; the Holy Spirit denounces, in a declaration plainly to be feared, in what situation and number they are to be esteemed by God, who exhibit themselves as complying with this monster of impiety; that they are not to be considered as in the roll of the Lamb who was slain, but to perish eternally as exiles from the kingdom of God. To this formidable admonition is subjoined an apostrophe, in order to excite attention. |If any one,| says he, |has ears to hear, let him hear.| As if he said, O pious worshippers of Christ, incline your ears, and retain in your inmost souls what is now proclaimed beforehand of the very unhappy lot of those who follow the beast; and it is not a thing of small moment, but the hinge upon which your salvation turns. Those words, therefore, ought to be referred to what precedes, and not to what follows, in the same manner as it is clear, the same address is more than once to be referred in the epistles to the churches. Vide c. ii. v. ult. c. iii. v.6.13.22.
|If any one leadeth into captivity, he shall go into captivity; if any one killeth with the sword, he shall be killed with the sword.|
A consolatory reflection for the pious, against whom the beast, when they refused to obey him, proceeded with war, imprisonment, and the most inhuman punishments. The time will come, when God, the just avenger of his people, may demand retribution for so many butcheries, suchenormous cruelties, and may execute vengeance on the raging beast.
And |here,| says he, |is the patience and faith of the saints.| That is, let not the saints, relying on this equity of the Divine Power, and on his justice in ordering human events, be disturbed at what they are about to suffer, or faint in their minds, but courageously contending against the beast, firmly and patiently wait for the vengeance which will certainly, and in an accumulated degree, proceed from God.
Hitherto we have treated of the secular beast. Now the apostle proceeds to the description of the other beast seen by him, namely, the ecclesiastical beast, or rather the false prophet, who exercises the lieutenancy of the former beast, and of his blasphemies.
Of the other Two-horned Beast, or False Prophet.
The two-horned beast, or pseudo-prophet, is the Roman pontiff, with his clergy, having indeed two horns like the Lamb, of whose power of binding and loosing on the earth he boasts himself the vicar, but uttering idolatries and butcheries of the saints like a dragon. For this beast was the author and founder of that ten-horned beast, which supplied the place of the dragon in tyranny and blasphemies, under the mark of the Christian profession. Of whom, therefore, as he exercises the power in the office of hierarch, so likewise is he the pontiff of the same, no less than of his clergy, (with whom he privately constitutes the pseudo-prophetic beast,) he conducts himself as head and monarch, exhibiting that seventh and last head of the Roman commonwealth, in the city on seven hills; who, indeed, by signs and miracles, which it was given to him and his clergy to do, or pretend to do, by the thunder of excommunication, as of celestial vengeance, brought in by degrees the kings, lately risen in the Roman world, out of the dissipated empire of the Cæsars, to submit their necks unanimously to him and to the government of Rome, now otherwise subdued, so as to introduce an image of the ancient, and now demolished heathen empire. Which went on so favourably for him, that not only the Roman beast, wounded in his Caesarean head, evidently revived in that image, but the image itself likewise, at the nod of the false prophet, fell upon those who exclaimed against his appearance, and chastised them with the secular sword, as the false prophet did with the spiritual.
|And I saw (says he) another beast ascending out of the earth, and it had two horns like a lamb, and it spake as a dragon.|
He saw another beast, namely, the pseudo-prophetical or pseudo-ecclesiastical beast, which consisted, as we have said, of the Roman pontiff with his clergy. For the pontiff alone, and by himself, though he may be called the false prophet, does not, however, constitute the beast, unless with the addition of his clergy, since the beast denotes an assembly of men, delighting, like an animal, in a certain order of its members, and not a single person. But he saw him ascending from the earth; that is, not like the former, risen from the sea, or the dominions of the world; that is, from a more noble kind of origin, but sprung from the lowest condition of human affairs; or rather, not born as the secular one, during a tumultuous conflict of armies and people contending with each other, but growing up quietly, and without noise, like herbs and plants springing from the earth. For the sea, though it signifies a conflux of people into one dominion, signifies also an army in war. |And it had two horns like a lamb,| that is, the bipartite power of binding and loosing, delegated by Christ to Peter, and so far, indeed, similar to that of the Lamb, inasmuch as lie said, |As my Father sent me, so send I you.| This power, in fact, the beast assumes, and says that he acts therein as the vicar of Christ, hut he speaks as a dragon; even as the red dragon, whom Michael had a little before overthrown, and expelled from the Roman empire; whilst in truth, like him, he patronizes the worship of deities and idols, by his authority, and, in a similar manner, causes the true and pure worshippers of the Lamb that was slain to be exterminated by persecution and butcheries. For |he exercises all the power of the first beast before him.| The two-horned beast executes that delegated power of the dragon committed to the first beast, and consisting in idolatrous worship; as a hierarch, whose office it is to preside in offering sacrifices. |Before the beast, or in his sight,| is the same as with him, or for his sake; as if one should say, this two-horned beast belongs to the ten-horned beast, for the purpose of sacrifice, so that it ought not to appear wonderful if he speaks as a dragon. For thus the lphny of the Hebrews; to which enopion, in the sight of or before answers, is sometimes equivalent to the dative of the person to whom something is given, or in whose favour it is done, as, instead of that which is said 1 Sam. ii.18, |Samuel was worshipping before the Lord,| it is in ch. iii. |worshipping the Lord.| But the Roman pontiff, in an especial manner the head of the latter beast, exercises the supreme administration likewise of the former beast: |And causet4 the earth, and those that dwell therein, to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.| That is, in general, whatever the first beast is, whatever obedience is offered by the nations to his impiety, is wholly to be referred to this hierarch as its parent, by whose exertion, in fact, it should come to pass, that the earth and its inhabitants should worship the first beast, which arose out of the sea, and whose deadly wound was healed. In what manner, and by what means and contrivances he effected this, he particularly explains in the sequel. |For (says he) he doth great wonders, so that he maketh fire to descend from heaven on the earth, in the sight of men.| -- |And he deceiveth those that dwell on the earth, by the miracles which it was given him to do, in the presence of the beast, saying to those that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast which had the wound by the sword, and yet lived.| For he doth, kai poiei, the Vau of the Hebrews; and, therefore, kai in Scripture is not only a conjunction copulative, but also disjunctive, rational, causal, or dinal, or explanatory, as the sense requires; and this it may be sufficient to observe once for all. The pseudo-prophetic, or pontifical beast, is the occasion of constituting for the nations that ten-horned beast, by which the power of the dragon revived. For he persuaded him, by the same signs and miracles, to agree with him in fabricating an image of the beast slain in its sixth head; which at length, being formed at his suggestion, that wound, received in its dragon state, appeared by the introduction of a new idolatry and tyranny, according to the similitude of the former, to be cured; and the beast who worshipped the dragon, to be renewed; for the Roman beast is the image of the last head of the beast slain in its sixth head. He said to the inhabitants of the earth, that they should make an image of the beast which had received the wound from a sword; that is, the image of him in the condition in which he was when he received the wound; |and he lived;| that is, thus at length the beast revived, or was restored. For those words do not refer to the description of the beast whose image was to be fabricated, as the words of the false prophet who was speaking; but they are those of the angel relating or exhibiting the consequence of that advice; namely, that in this manner the slain beast revived. As if he had spoken more fully as follows: |Saying to the inhabitants of the earth, that they should make an image to the beast which had the wound from a sword. They did so, and he revived.| As 2 Kings ch. xx. v.7, Isaiah said, |Take a lump of figs;| and they took them and laid them on the ulcer, and he recovered, viz. Hezekiah, or the ulcer. Now this is what was said in the description of the secular beast, that the dragon delivered to him his forces, and great authority, and therefore his deadly wound was healed. That is, the dragon impressed the form of his worship and power on the beast of a different religion; whilst he substituted his angels or demons, not, indeed, as formerly, to he worshipped under those titles in which they proclaimed themselves enemies to Christ our Lord, but under the shelter of the Christian religion, in the names of saints and good angels, -- and, shame on the blasphemy! -- even of Christ himself. For he who worships idols, under whatever name he may invoke them, worships demons.
Nay, that nothing might be wanting to the complete image of the beast that was slain, that is, of the dragon, what some of the emperors who worshipped the dragon had done before, the pontiff himself took care should be offered to him; even divine honours, and an authority peculiar to God; so that |he sits in the temple of God,| as St. Paul says, |exhibiting himself as God.| Which though John, or the angel unfolding the history to him, does not here specially treat of, yet he means to have comprehended under the general name of an image, as a part of that similitude under which he is compared to the slain beast.
And thus far of the fabrication of the image; now we proceed to the wonders applied in favour of his party. |He doth great wonders, so that he even causes fire to descend from heaven on the earth.| Not unwillingly here should I accede to the opinion of Graser, if it could by any means be confirmed from the writings of the Hebrews, that this assertion of drawing down fire from heaven is used as a proverbial hyperbole, to the exaggeration of that which preceded it, as if one had said, he does great wonders, nay, of such a kind and so great, that they appear to be not far removed from the miracles of Elias himself, by which he maintained the worship of the true God. For the Jews, says Graser, commonly attribute so much to that miracle of Elijah, that they use it proverbially for all stupendous facts, by which the dignity of God is elucidated. But whoever is not pleased with this exposition, let him follow the Complutensian reading confirmed likewise by other copies. |He does great wonders kai pur ina tatabaine, and that fire should descend from heaven on the earth;| and so, as the summary of those things which are afterwards more diffusively explained, may be proposed in these words; the sentence may be interpreted of a two-fold species of means, which the false prophet should employ, to induce the inhabitants of the Christian world to form anew the image of the beast, which was slain in his sixth head; that is, by the display of miracles, and by the thunder of excommunication, by one of which he seduced the minds of the nations into error, by the other he subdued the contumacy and pride of the disobedient. Now each of these, whichever way they are regarded, is treated of in the following words in order. Of the wonders in these words, -- |And he seduces the inhabitants of the earth by the wonders which it was given him to perform, saying to the inhabitants of the earth, that they should make an image of the beast, which was wounded by the sword,| and those which follow to ver.16. Of excommunication in these words, -- |He causeth all to receive a mark in their right hands, or in their foreheads, that no one might buy or sell, but he who had the mark, or name of the beast, or the number of his name.|
A mode of speaking by synecdoche, by which, from the interdiction of commerce with others, the censure of ecclesiastical anathema is intimated. Nor is that assimilated improperly to celestial fire or lightning; for what, I beseech you, is to devote any one to the eternal fire in the name of God, but to call down fire from heaven? especially since the punishment to proceed from God in the lake of fire and sulphur, or Asphaltites, in which Sodom and Gomorrha were burned by fire rained down, is more than once represented in this book. Nay, the apostle Peter speaks of that conflagration, 2 Pet. c. ii. v.6, that |God had set it forth as an ensample to those who should hereafter live ungodly; that is, by an ellipsis of the former substantive, common in the Hebrew, an ensample of the punishment of those who should be ungodly hereafter. And Jude, here expressing more clearly the intention of Peter, says, |puros aioniou diken hupechein;| that is, |to bear the similitude or type of eternal fire.| For so, in a sense similar to this, the collation of the words of the two apostles with each other, and the nature of the thing itself, will persuade an attentive reader, that the words of Jude ought to be interpreted. And on this occasion likewise, permit me to add, that it was a memorable and melancholy omen to the Jews, then rejected by God, which Josephus relates to have befallen them in the very beginning of that fatal war, the defeat sustained by them at the passage of Jordan from the country of Jericho; namely, while some were thrown into the river by the enemy, others not being able to bear up against their force, voluntarily leaped into it; so that the lake Asphaltites was filled with carcases rolled down by the descending flood; in which case, says he, the plague, though very great in itself, yet appeared still greater in its nature to the Jews.
But to proceed to the event of the prophecy. As to the wonders, it is a notorious circumstance, that a universal idolatry has prevailed in the kingdom of the beast for about twelve ages, to the present time, as well as the primary species, consisting in the worship of dead saints, of relics, and angels, as the next in order, the worship of images, and afterwards that latest blasphemy of a god in bread, by a great assemblage of wonders, by supposed cures, and miraculous visions, by the coercion of demons in appearance only, and by other surprising effects of different kinds, was first recommended, as it were, to unhappy Christians, and afterwards enforced and confirmed. All which things, indeed, the two-horned beast, or Roman pontiff, with his pseudo-prophetic attendant, is said to have done; inasmuch as they either contrived them or approved them by their authority when contrived by others; or they obtruded what were really the operations and tricks of evil demons, for true and divine miracles, in order to seduce the Christian world. For this is the very thing which the apostle Paul predicted to the Thessalonians, |that the appearance of the man of sin should be according to the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness.|
The examples of thunder, or the pontifical anathema, by which he maintained his authority in decreeing and commanding, are in truth so obvious to every one, that I may be wholly spared the labour of introducing them here from the annals of the Church. One I wish to notice as very remarkable, and which so nearly relates to the image of the fabrication of which we are treating, that it may alone be sufficient to establish the truth of this prophecy. In that controversy or war about images, which arose among the Greeks about the year 720, and which was agitated for 120 years with great fervour, and persecution of idolatry, it can hardly be described into what peril that image of the slain dragon, then rude and imperfect, and not having received the finishing hand of the artificer, was brought. Nor in that controversy, as is commonly supposed, was the worship of images alone, but also that of dead saints and relics strenuously opposed. Leo Isaurius (says Theophanes, Hist. Miscell. Lib. xxi. ch.23) not only erred with the impious concerning the affectionate adoration of venerable images, but also concerning intercessions of the most chaste mother of God, and of all the saints, whose relics, likewise, that most wicked man abominated, like his teachers the Arabians, (that is, the Mahometans.) The same writer says of Constantine, whom, as a term of reproach, the patrons of idols called Copronymus, (same chapter,) |This most mischievous, unmannerly, savage man, &c. first departed from God, and his undefiled mother, and all the saints.| So this paltry Greek idolater blasphemes the pious emperor. Again, Lib. xxii. c.42, |He every where opposed the intercession of the holy virgin, and mother of God, and of all the saints, as useless, both in his writings, and unwritten declarations, through whom every favour flows down upon us, rejecting their holy relics, and rendering them hateful. If at any time he was told of any extraordinary thing to be applied to the health of souls and bodies, or according to custom to be honoured by those who live piously, he immediately threatened death against those who did thus, as acting impiously; or, at all events, proscription, exile, torments. And that scrap most acceptable to God, as it was accounted a kind of treasure to the possessors, was taken away to he rendered hateful from thenceforth.| Let the reader see likewise, c.54. So also in c.48, |As often as any one who fell down, or was sick, uttered the usual outcry of Christians, -- Help, mother of God or was apprehended keeping vigils, &c. he was condemned as an enemy to the emperor, and was denominated immemorable.| Nay, still under Theophilus, the last of five emperors who contended against images, it appears that the worship of saints was opposed by that hymn of Theodorus, in which the Constantinopolitan Church was accustomed every year, (O sin and sorrow,) to cherish again the memory of idolatry, at length victorious. For there the eighth ode says, |The sacred relics of the saints, and their images, that savage Lezius, together with John, (who was patriarch of Constantinople under Theophilus,) those deserters of piety nu-piously asserted were on no account to be venerated.| What, then, did the Roman pontiff do in this case? He succours the image of the beast, in the greatest danger of being broken, and when he cannot succeed by letters and threats, he has recourse to fulminating arts. He strikes Leo the Isaurian, the leader of the Iconoclastes, with an anathema; he absolves his subjects in Italy from the oath of obedience, and deprives him of the Exarchate of Ravenna, and the rest of his dominion, as far as he is able. By which act, as he gave courage to the idolatrous faction in the east, so he opportunely terrified the kings of the west, from attempting any thing of a similar kind. By the same thunder, the Lateran Synod of 280 bishops, under Alexander the Third, ordained that the Albigenses, and their defenders, and supporters, should be blasted, and actually did blast them. The same thunder likewise, the great Lateran Council decreed, should be called down on the temporal lords, who, when required and admonished by the Church to purge their territories of them, neglected to do it; that is, that they should be bound by their metropolitans, and other provincial bishops, under the bond of excommunication, and if they contemptuously neglected to discharge this duty, their vassals should be denounced by the Roman pontiff, absolved from their allegiance, and their lands given up to be occupied by Catholics.|
|And it was permitted him to give life to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast might both speak, and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.|
If the image had not been endued with a vital power, the slain beast would not have revived by its fabrication. For the dragon-worshipping beast, which it was to resemble, was not an inactive beast, but was accustomed to exert himself very strenuously, and to attack those who opposed his inclination. Of the same kind, therefore, must that image be, in which he afterwards revived. Hence it is said to be given to the false prophet, not only that he should entice the Christian people to make an image of the beast, but that he should bestow life on it, by which, and by edicts of a similar nature, he might order what was necessary for the maintenance of his dignity, and might punish those who were disobedient, and who refused to submit to his religious constitution, by the sword, or by a secular death. And indeed the whole power which the image has, as a secular idolatrous beast, of warring with the saints, he exercises only as delivered to him by the pseudo-prophetic beast. For the matter is so managed, that those whom the pseudo-prophetic beast has condemned for heresy, (as they call it) or for dishonouring the image, he gives at last to the secular beast the power of killing; of which he possesses none himself, but that dependent upon ecclesiastical judgment. And this is what they call delivering over to the secular power, every where to be met with in the histories of the bestial executions. The pseudo-prophetic beast, indeed, as he would wish it to appear, does not himself kill, but yet he delivers those condemned by his sentence to the secular power, as to an executioner, to be killed.
|And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, and free and bond (that is, of whatever rank, state, and condition) to receive from him a mark upon their right hand, or upon their foreheads. And that no one might buy or sell, but he that had the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.| What is meant by the interdiction of buying and selling, (to begin with the last in order,) I have just now shown, namely, to denote the papal excommunication, under which those who fall are excluded from the custom and commerce of citizens. So the canon of the Lateran Council under Alexander, of which mention was made a little above, issued against the Waldenses and Albigenses, prohibits expressly under an anathema, |That any one should presume to receive, or maintain them in their houses, or to carry on any business with them.| And the Synod of Tours, in France, prohibits under a similar denunciation, |Where the followers of that heresy, (as they call it) were known, that any one should presume to grant them a place of refuge in their territory, or to afford them protection; but prescribes that no communication should be held with them in buying and selling.|
And what? Does not the false prophet here likewise speak like a dragon? For the dragon Diocletian published a similar edict. That no one should sell or supply any thing to the Christians, unless they had first offered incense to the gods, of which Beda thus sings in the Hymn of Justin Martyr:
Non illis emendi quidquam
Aut vendendi copia;
Nec ipsam haurire aquam
Dabatur licentia,
Antequam thuriticarent
Detestandis idolis.
No power to buy or sell,
Not even water from the well,
Could wretched Christians have;
Unless to idols dire,
With frankincense and fire,
They hateful glory gave.
This synechdochical mode of speaking perhaps the Holy Spirit used, to intimate that the papal anathema, though it boast of an abscission from the internal and invisible communion of Christ, has not really any power beyond that of excluding the person from the internal and visible commerce with other citizens.
Now, as to what is said of the mark or character. The mark of the beast is not properly any thing but the name; therefore it is called the mark or name of the beast, and in the following chapter, the mark of his name. Now there is an allusion here to the ancient custom, by which slaves were wont to be marked with the names of their masters, and soldiers with that of their general; (the former chiefly on the forehead, the latter on the hand;) therefore, in a like manner, the followers of the Lamb, in a subsequent chapter, who form a contrast to the attendants on the beast, are inscribed on the forehead with the names of the Lamb and the Father. In the same sense, .in both examples, to indicate to what lord each assembly belonged, and for whom it fought; that the former professed themselves the servants of the beast and his image, the latter of Christ and his Father.
What relates to number, is to be understood rather as an appendix of the name or mark of the beast, than the mark itself; and, indeed, it is the number, not so strictly of the name of the beast, as of the beast itself, as it is also immediately after called. But it is only called the number of the name on this account, because it would be contained in the letters of the name of the beast, referring to numbers, God so disposing it. And yet it does not follow, because the number agrees so intimately with the name, that therefore the number of the beast is to be confounded with the name. For the method of opposition (or contrast) requires, that, as in the assembly of the Lamb, the character of the name is distinguished from the number of the assembly, so likewise it should be in the bestial assembly. Add, that the character of the name and the number are altogether of a different kind, I say, as to signification, if we direct our interpretation according to the analogy of other places. For the character of the name is one thing as to the Lord, to whom those who bear it devote themselves, and the number is another, which points out from what ancestry or origin those who are celebrated by it derive their race. As the number twelve, and that formed from the multiplication of twelve, exhibited as well in the virgin assembly as in the structure and dimensions of the New Jerusalem, is a symbol of its apostolical origin and character.
But not to dwell longer on these generalities, let us see at length what is that name of the beast in which his number, also marked by the Holy Spirit, is contained. It is, in truth, what some suspected, while the Apocalypse had been recently written, that word so often repeated, Lateinos. For it was by this name , after the division of the empire, and the ten kings had arisen in its provinces, and not before, that the Roman false prophet, with the rest of the inhabitants of the West, was called by way of distinction, and that by those to whom the Apocalypse was addressed, -- the seven Churches of Asia. For the Greeks, and the rest of the Orientals, with whom, in the dilaceration of the empire, the name had remained, wished themselves only to be called Romans; but us, with our pontiff, and under him, his bishops, kings, and dynasties, by a kind of fatal instinct they called Latins. And this very name, with its letters cast up in the manner of the Greeks and Hebrews, completes the number noted by the Holy Spirit; but it is a mystical number; -- by which is indicated of what lineage the beast is, and how falsely he boasts himself the successor of the apostolic choir, when he is really that of the dragon.
|The number of the name of the beast is 666;| which, if you endeavour to deduce from the compounds of 12, the symbol of the apostolic race, you will labour in vain, for you will never from thence be enabled to make 666, by whatever mode you may multiply: But on the contrary, from the power of 6, which is the number of the red dragon, that is, the beast of the sixth head, you will do it very easily, since the whole may be made up from sixes, how great soever it may be of units, tens, and hundreds; as if the seed of the dragon had pervaded the whole body of this last beast, and all its limbs. |Here is wisdom,| says the Spirit. |He who bath understanding, let him compute the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.|
That this ought to be computed according to the mode which I have described, I seem to myself to collect from the analogy of the virgin company, whose number 144, in contradiction to that of the beast, is wholly apostolical, arising from 12 multiplied into itself. The rule of contraries is contrary. And there, indeed, the Holy Spirit has expressed both, as well as the name inscribed, as the number of the company inscribed, but here he has left the name to be conjectured from the number. To settle the matter in few words. To receive the mark of the name of the beast then, is to devote oneself to his power, and to confess his dominion; but to be of his number, is to embrace his impiety, derived from the dragon, namely, the Latin idolatry. Whence it will not perhaps be unworthy consideration, that though no one can receive the mark of the beast's name, or be subject to his power, but he must of necessity receive his number also, at the same time, that is, partake of his impiety; it is possible that a person may admit the number or impiety of the beast, but may reject his mark or name.
This is what has taken place among the Greeks for a long time past, who, although they embrace the same form of impiety, engrafted from the dragon, or the Latin idolatry, and that originally confirmed among themselves, under the auspices of the Latin pontiff, in the second Council of Nice, who was labouring there likewise to erect the image of the slain dragon, yet they have refused now for 700 years to be subject to the Latin pontiff, or to bear his name, as before they seceded in consequence of a schism, they had been accustomed to do.
Of the Virgin Assembly, or one hundred and forty-four thousand of the Sealed of the Lamb.
The virgin assembly of the followers of the Lamb of Sion, and the same selected company of Israel, adopted from the Gentiles, of which mention was made at the beginning of the seventh seal, (for it is described by a double vision, as we there observed, in order to connect the prophecy of the seals with that of the little book) signifies the Church faithful to the Lamb, a virgin under Babylon, in the midst of a world of nominal Christians, who followed the beast; the kindred and undegenerate progeny of the twelve apostles, apostolically multiplied; as alone according to the example of the heavenly choir, instructed to celebrate the Lamb and the Father with an evangelical song, in a chaste and holy manner; which by a sad fatality, not one of the beast's party was able to learn. Yet a people not addicted to any one seat, as the people of the beast, but accompanying the Lamb wherever he went, warning finally the worshippers of the beast frequently and sharply of the duty of evangelical worship, and of the manifest severity of God against idolaters; and at length denouncing to all, if they would not perish eternally, to withdraw themselves as quickly as possible from all connexion with it. This is a summary of the vision. Let us now elucidate the text according to this rule.
|And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood upon mount Sion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand.| From the number 144, or twelve times twelve thousand, it appears that the same assembly is here described as was sealed at the introduction of the seventh seal; viz. that legitimate and undegenerate offspring of the apostles, bearing this number twelve as a mark of its origin. Let the reader reconsider what we there remarked.
Now, mount Sion was the throne of the kingdom of David, and the same as what is called the city of David, because he built it, when taken from the Jebusites, externally with new walls, and internally with a royal citadel, streets, and squares. Therefore here it is parabolically applied, and it will designate that place on the earth which Christ, having conquered the dragon, made the dwelling-place of his kingdom, or his Church, that is, the world denominated Christian. In this world the virgin Church has its mansion, and therein still preserves its faith and chastity undefiled, when the beast appeared to have contaminated, and trodden down all things, with his adulteries and slaughters, and to have left nothing sound and uninjured.
|Having (the name of the Lamb and) his Father's name written on their foreheads.|
The name of the Lamb is improperly omitted from some copies, as the Vulgate, Primasius, Andrew, Aretas, the Complutensian edition, and the Syriac translator allow. That it was the true reading is not to be doubted, but that the subject itself requires it to be so read, will clearly appear in the progress of the interpretation. For here is an allusion (as we also noticed in the history of the beast) to the ancient custom, by which both the slaves of masters, and the soldiers of the emperor, were distinguished, being anciently inscribed with their name or mark; and the slaves, indeed, principally on their foreheads, (witness Rhodigian's Book, v.33.) but the soldiers on their hands. Vegetius, lib. ii.5, says, |The soldiers, inscribed with permanent marks on the skin, and inserted in the rolls, were accustomed to take an oath.| But Ætius says, lib. viii.12, |They call them brands, which are inscribed on the face, or some part of the body, as those of soldiers are on the hands. But of the inscription of soldiers, Lypsius will give us more ample information, lib. i. de Mil. Rom. dial.9. |Under the princes,| says he, |they punctured with a sharp instrument youths just taken, and branded them on the skin.| These were real stigmas, and impressed on the hands of soldiers. They were inscribed with the name of the emperor. Hence Augustin calls it the royal mark, and Chrysostom sphragida, the seal. This is to be derived from the circumstance, that anciently the name of the emperor used to be inscribed on the shields, spears, and standards, and in imitation of that on the skin; or else from sacred rites, for those whom they consecrated to God, or initiated, they branded with marks or stigmas.|
Now then to the point. They bear the name of the Lamb, and his Father, on their foreheads, who do not break the faith by which they gave themselves up to the Lamb, as their emperor and Lord, and to his Father in baptism, and who do not relapse to the worship and pomps of Satan, and his angels, which they had once abjured. For thus in ancient times, (in order to throw a greater light on what has been here said) was the form of renunciation in baptism couched in most Churches. |I renounce Satan and all his works, and his pomps, and all his worship.| In many, and those, the most ancient liturgies, was added, |and his angels.| In others, |and all his inventions, and all who are under him.| In others, in the same sense, |and his world.| All which things may be expressed readily in the apocalyptical sense, -- |I renounce the dragon, and all his forces;| that is, as Cyril of Alexandria explains the form of baptism, |I bid farewell to the multitude of demons, and I reject all their pomp and worship.|
The Roman Church was here a little more terse than others: for in it there is mention made only of Satan, his pomps, and his works; where, under the name of Satan as chief, it understands his angels also; of pomps and works, the idolatrous worship, and all its apparatus.
That the sacrament of baptism, by which we solemnly profess faith to the Lamb, and the Father, and by which we receive their name, and are called Christians, is the Lord's seal, the fathers every where declare, and that from the highest antiquity of the Church. Hence that of Origen, |We bear the immortal laver on our foreheads; when the demons see it they tremble.| Augustine also calls it, |the royal mark, the mark of the Emperor, the mark of the Redeemer.| They also maintain that this seal may be cancelled, and as it were, obliterated by idolatry and superstition. Tertullian on Spectacles, c.4, treating of baptism under the name of a seal, says, |When, upon our entering into the water, we profess the Christian faith in the words of his law, we call God to witness by our declaration, that we have renounced the devil, and his pomps, and his angels. What will be the chief and principal instance in which the devil, and his pomps, and his angels, arc to be understood, but idolatry?| and c.24, |Do we not abjure and break the seal in breaking his testimony?| Of the same kind also is that in the Book of Idolatry, c.19, |There is no agreement between the sign of Christ, and the sign of the Devil.| In like manner Augustine Tract.7 on John, |He has lost the sign of Christ, he assumes the sign of the devil.| Christ will not have such a communion. He will possess solely what he has purchased. With these Isidore agrees, Origin b.18. c.59. On the execration of spectacles, |He denies God, who undertakes such things, and has become a prevaricator to the Christian faith, who desires that afterwards, which he renounced long ago, at his baptism, that is, the devil, his pomps, and his works. All therefore who have received the mark of the beast, have denied, abjured, rendered of no avail, and accounted, as if they had never received, the mark of Christ, and of the Father. Only those, a hundred and forty-four thousand, who had not gone over to the camp of the beast, but adhered firmly to the Lamb, show the Lord's mark on their foreheads.
One thing still remains to be noticed; viz. that though the sealed in both instances, namely, here as well as in c. vii. are the. same, yet the reason for the sealing is not the same in both; and that in consequence of the different intent of the sealing. For there the subject of protection is treated of; here, of service and fidelity. But there is no necessity on that account to seek any other sign absolutely different from that of baptism; for baptism answers to both, since, over and above that which is the sign of our profession, God superadds another, namely, that of his grace, by which he acknowledges those who are washed, as his own, and receives them into his protection.
The latter, then, is treated of in the first vision of the sealed ones, the former in the present, if I am not deceived. And it favours this construction, that Clemens Alexandrinus, according to Eusebius, lib. iii. c.17, calls baptism teleion phulakterion, perfect guardianship. Also that Nazianzen, Orat. on Holy Baptism, affirms, that it is called a seal, as sunteresin, because it is conservation. Lastly, that of Basil, Exhort. to Baptism, |Unless the face of the Lord be sealed upon thee, unless the angel acknowledges the mark upon thee, how shall he fight for thee, or defend thee from thine enemies?| Now let us proceed to what follows.
|And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of great thunder, and I heard the voice of harpers harping on their harps. And they were singing as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the elders,| &c. This indicates the voice and song of the heavenly angels, glorifying the Father, and the Lamb, as they are reported to have done, when first the Lamb took the book of fates to be unclosed. With regard to these angels, therefore, he says by and by in the 5th verse, |And I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven;| that is, a different one from those precentors. For there is no mention made of an angel before this, unless we call those who sung together a chorus of angels. Now the voice like the sound of many waters, and of thunder, signifies nothing but the voice of a numerous and crowded multitude, of which kind was that frequently heard in the temple, while it was still flourishing, of the Levite choristers, sounding forth the praises of God with the voice, and with musical instruments, on account of the multitude of whom, and of the people joining with them, a sound was produced resembling the waves of the sea, and the noise of thunder. This is not conjecture, but a plain matter of fact, as is directly expressed in the Song of Victory, c. xix. where the metaphor is the same. |I heard, as it were, the voice of a vast multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunders, saying, Hallelujah!| Hence, in Ezek. c. xliii. v.2, where it is simply in the Hebrew, |His voice, (that is, the voice of the glory of the God of Israel) was like the voice of many waters;| the Septuagint render it by a paraphrase, Phone tes paremboles, hos phone diplaion ton pollon, |The voice of his camp, as the voice of many redoubling the sound.| The Chaldee has it in like manner, |The voice of those who bless his name, as the voice of many waters.| And that passage from the same prophet, respecting the cherubim, c. i. v.24, |I heard,| says he, |the noise of their wings, like the noise of many waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech as the voice of a host.| Lastly, in this acceptation is what is said in the description of the person of the Son of God in the beginning of the Apocalypse, taken from Daniel; for what, according to Daniel, is |the voice of a multitude,| is substituted by St. John |the voice of many waters;| what Daniel has, |His feet were like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words as the voice of a multitude,| John expresses, |His feet were like fine brass, as if glowing in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters.|
Moreover, the song is new which is sung to God, after the appearance of Christ in the world, in which, to Him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb together, and to them alone, redemption, and power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing, are religiously and evangelically offered. The formula of this song is to be found, c. v. v.12, 13, and that under the title of a new song. So that it is scarcely to be doubted but that reference is made to it here, since mention is no where else made of a new song in this book. |Worthy,| say they, |is the Lamb that was slain;| that is, as it is before a little more explicitly said by the elders and living creatures, because he was slain, |to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.| |To Him, therefore, that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing, and honour, and glory, and strength, for ever and ever. -- Amen.| This is the formula of the new song, which, if God should ever enable me more thoroughly to understand, I shall, perhaps, more diffusively detail by an explanation; for it is deeply imprinted on my mind, that the whole mystery of the evangelical worship is therein contained.
As to the reason of the term applied to it, it seems to be called new, either as different and distinguished from that which was sung before the mission of Christ, (for under this, according to the saying of the apostle, |Old things are passed away, behold all things are become new,|) or, for the new benefit resulting from his advent, granted to none of the former ages of the world, but only to the last times; for which benefit, God was from thenceforth to be glorified, as well by angels as by men. And this reason for the expression will be confirmed both by that passage of Isaiah, c. xlii. vv.9, 10, |New things do I declare -- Sing unto the Lord a new. song,| and that appellation which occurs so often in the Psalms, of a new song, not to be understood, as it appears, in any other sense than either such a one by which the Divine power is celebrated for some new blessing, especially that of deliverance; (as in Psalm xl. |He brought me out of the miry clay; and He hath put a new song into my mouth;|) or, at least, one which is sung according to the manner of such songs, with no common joy and delight. That either of which would agree with the evangelical hymn is so plain, that there is no reason why I should endeavour to prove it.
|And no one could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, who were redeemed from the earth.| In the whole Christian world, as long as the beast was possessed of power, no one knew how to sing the song of angels, except those who were of the number of that 141,000 attendants of the Lamb. Since these alone, without any spot of idolatry, glorify the Father and the Lamb on earth, as the blessed angels in heaven, and they do that very thing which the Church in the Lord's Prayer incessantly asks of the Father that it may be done by all: |May thy will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth.| The idea, therefore, or perfect example, of worshipping the Divine Power lawfully and duly, cannot be sought from any other source than from the celestial inhabitants. -- |These are they who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins.| That is, who have not associated with immodest women, or harlots. But who are these women? Certainly not those who are commonly so called, but in the language of the prophets, states, and those indeed nominally Christian, but devoted. to idols, of which the queen is Babylon the Great, called the Mother of Harlots, with whom the kings and inhabitants of the earth commit fornication. With such, those who are of the company of the Lamb have not consorted; that is, they have not contaminated themselves with idolatrous incest. |For they are virgins;| that is, free from all stain of idolatry. For the mode of analogy fully requires that these should be called virgins in the same sense in which the others, whether kings or people, are said to commit fornication with Babylon. Besides, since Babylon herself is spoken of as the mother of harlots, it follows that her daughters, the other states, must likewise be young harlots, with whom the inhabitants subject to them are polluted by spiritual fornication.
|These are they that follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth.| That is, most faithfully adhere to him, and do not desert him on any occasion; the metaphor being taken from those who never recede from a person's side, but accompany him in every place. Or thus: In whatever city, region, or territory, the Lamb has pitched his tent, there they attend upon Him; not like the rest of those who are called Christians, but will not seek for and follow the Lamb any where, unless he dwell at Rome, in the seat of St. Peter. |These were redeemed from among men, being the first-fruits unto God and the Lamb.| That is, they were redeemed from the remaining profane crowd, that they might become a sacred property to God and the Lamb, like the first-fruits. For the Ap9ar9che, or Primitiæ, do not, as is commonly. believed, denote merely the first-fruits, but also, whatever in general is consecrated to God, as exempt from profane uses; for that expression in the Hebrew is trvmh, under which name the Scripture comprehends, as well tithes, as whatever were the object of oblations, except burnt offerings. Whence Chrysostom calls the tithes which Abraham paid to Melchisedeck, first-fruits. And Irenæus also contends that the first-fruits, which he asserts that God even still requires of his creatures for himself in his Church, ought not to be less than a tenth, since Christ says he did not abolish the natural precepts of the Law, but extended them; and, in truth, Christians have not an inferior, but a greater hope than the Jews. (Iren. adv. Heres. lib. iv. c.27 and 34, juxta Feverardent. ed.) Why, even Callimachus, in his Hymn on Delos, calls the tenths, accustomed to be sent to Apollo, aparchas dekatephorous, first-fruits producing tithes. From all which circumstances it appears, that the word aparche, not only denotes an oblation of first productions, which in Hebrew is r'syt or bbvrym but also any other; and the reason of the name arises from this, that his own portion was to be given to God, before any thing was consumed for own purposes. Moreover, since the word does not include the definition of what part of the first-fruits was to be given, it came to pass that the ancient Christians chose to call their productions of the earth, or oblations of fruits, (though they thought they ought not to be less than the tenth part,) aparchas, or first-fruits, rather than tenths, as a voluntary, not a forced donation.
These observations, though not much conducing to my object, I nevertheless wished to introduce, that I might make it palateable, if possible, to those among us, who sometimes employ themselves in searching out the antiquity and right of tithes in the Christian Church, from the Fathers and the Councils. In the mean time, (to return to the subject from which I have made a little digression,) it must be confessed, that the more strict signification of first-fruits is not ill-suited to the place before us, -- namely, that the virgin company may be called the first-fruits in respect to the multitude of palm-bearers who are afterwards to receive him in a much larger number. Let the reader's judgment be free.
|And in their mouth was found no guile,| (pseudos, mendacium, lie: So the Vulgate, Syriac, Complutensian, Aretas, and Andrew in the Palatine copy; in others dolos;) |for they are blameless.|
|There is found no lie.| Of the kind of which there is found in the mouth of the beast's company, and of all idolaters, who profess that they worship the Lamb and the Father, yet really bestow the honour due to the Divine power on created things. For in truth, all idolatry is lying, since it worships for God what is not God. To which refers that passage of the apostle to the Romans, ch. i.25, |They have changed the truth of God into a lie, and served the creature instead of the Creator,| para ton ktisanta. Whence idols are called lies, as Amos ch. ii. v.4, |Their lies (idols in the Vulgate) have caused them to err, after which their fathers walked.| In the same manner, Isaiah ch. xxviii. v.15, |We have made lies our refuge.| So also Jerem. ch. xvi. v.19, 20, |The Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, (Chaldee, phlchv have worshipped vanity); and things wherein there is no profit. |Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods?| Hence, too, the Apocalypse, ch. xxi. v.8, |Idolaters and liars;| and also ver.27, |that worketh abomination and maketh a lie,| seem to be placed on a level, or as synonymes. Moreover, since the idolatry of men of any description is a lie, then truly that of those, who at the same time pretend that they are the worshippers of the true Deity, is most properly deceit, or a fraudulent lie; so that if we attend to the hypocrisy of those followers of the beast, in opposition to whom the company of the sealed attendants of the Lamb is described, the reading which has |guile,| will appear preferable to the other, which has |a lie;| though it makes no great difference in the matter itself. In the mean time, for a fuller explanation of this pas. sage, let the reader compare that of Zephaniah iii.13, which is indeed very similar to it. |The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth.|
|And I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven (en mesouranemati), having the everlasting Gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people.|
The description of the assembly being finished, the history of events in that state of the Church follows, which were to be transacted, as well by the assembly under the auspices of the Lamb, their leader, as by the Lamb himself, against revolters and rebels. Of those events the order is double. First, of a three-fold admonition to the followers of the beast, exhibited as the shout of so many angels; secondly, of judgments in the Parable of the Harvest and Vintage. The first of the admonitory angels is he who is called another; but another, as I observed with reference to the chorus of angels, a little before described, in the number of whom that evangelist was not included. And here it must be remembered, (what I have already noticed above,) that the angels, in visions of this kind, represent the rule of those over whose government they preside; and what is transacted by the joint operations of both, is said to be done by the authority of angels, as the leaders or directors of the action. Hence, therefore, there is room to suppose, that the flying so sublimely, (provided that also ought to be considered as within the purview of the parable) is the president, not of every rank of men, but of those of a higher condition, and of such men lie is about to make use in publishing the Gospel. Besides, that Gospel is called aionion, or eternal, and that, I think, not so much with respect to the future as the past, as that which was promised, ap' aionos, that is, from the foundation of the age, or the beginning of the world, namely, |that the seed of the woman should hereafter bruise the serpent's head;| that is, by the coming of Christ, the kingdom of the devil should be destroyed, and the kingdom of God established. In which sense also, the apostle says, that it was |promised by God, pro chronon aionion, before the world began,| Titus, ch. i. v.2. So then aionion will be here the same as ap' aionos, and the everlasting Gospel mean the same as in the Hebrew, any vsrh slm the ancient Gospel, as eremoi aionioi, Isa. ch. lviii. triboi aionioi, Jer. ch. vi. v.16, and Bounoi aennaoi, Deut. ch. xxxiii. v.15, are rendered, the |old waste places, the old paths, and the ancient mountains.|
|Saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.|
The first angel, announcing that the time of the kingdom of God was now at hand, in which his judgment would be exercised on idols and idolaters, and therefore it began to be exercised as soon as the demons were thrown down, and cast out from the Roman throne; on which account he exhorts the nations, and tribes, and tongues, and people, who had from that time submitted to the power of Christ, that mindful of what they had done, they should worship the one only true God, the Creator, as it is announced in the Gospel, -- and keep themselves from idols. |Fear God,| says he; that is, reverence him, and give him the glory, -- the glory of adoration and religious worship, as is explained in the following words: |For the time of his judgment is come;| that is, the time when Christ by his cross spoiled principalities and powers, and announced, by his apostles and evangelists, to the nations whom he had suffered so long to walk in their own ways, that they must be converted from idols, or otherwise they would be punished with eternal death, at his return from heaven. Why, then, did Christians, who profess their faith in Jesus Christ, this judge and conqueror of demons, return again to the worship of idols and demons?
It is perhaps possible, that the time of judgment might be understood more strictly of the judgment of God, some time before displayed against the dragon and his followers, by which Paganism fell; but I would rather extend it more widely, and take it universally of the kingdom of Christ begun and promulgated in the last times, in which idols are no longer to be endured; namely, according to that saying of our Saviour, in the Gospel by St. John, ch. xii. v.31, -- |Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the prince of this world be cast out.| See also ch. xvi. v.11. From which judgment, indeed, the apostle Paul also (in the same manner as the angel here) drew an argument for dissuading the Athenian pagans from the worship of idols, Acts, ch. xvii. v.30, 31, |The times of this ignorance God overlooked, but now commandeth all men every where to repent, because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained; having given assurance thereof to all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.| Similar to which is his admonition to the Lycaonians, ch. xiv.15, |We preach unto you, that ye should turn from these vanities to the living God, who made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things therein; who, in the generations that are passed, suffered all nations to walk in their own ways;| that is, before his judgment was manifested to them. We must supply: But now he promulgates his judgment to all; which the angel here expresses by saying, |The time of his judgment is come.| But when? you will ask; and where, and with what ministers, did this angel perform his preaching? Certain preludes were issued as soon as superstition began to attach itself to the memories, and to hang round the relics of the martyrs in the Church, as appears by the history of Vigilantius, with whom, when opposing a superstition of this kind, many others, even some of the bishops of that time, agreed, as his adversary Jerome witnesses, who improperly attacks him on that account.
But this preaching most manifestly appears to have been fulfilled from the year of our Lord 720, in the Greek and Oriental Churches, where the evangelical angel indeed was flying, en mesouranemati, in the midst of heaven, that is, in a lofty and sublime place; for he employed one who was of the administrators of the Gospel, not a man of low and vulgar rank, but of the highest powers in the Christian world; for instance, the Constantinopolitan emperors, Leo Isauricus, Constantine Iconomachus, Leo the Arminian, Michael Balbus, and Theophilus; who all, but especially the first, protested most strenuously by their edicts and decrees in favour of a religious worship addressed to God alone, the Creator, in contradiction to the worship of the creature, not only that which was exercised in the veneration of images, but in reference to the saints, and their relics. Let the reader look back to the testimonies which I quoted upon this subject from Theopanes, when 1 was treating of the two-horned beast. But besides this, under the auspices of the second emperor, a council of bishops was convoked at Constantinople, in 338, and the adoration of images was charged with impiety, and condemned. You will acknowledge, Reader, if you are not tired of referring to it, that the very declaration of the Synod is the address of the angel, and grounded on the same foundation as his, according to our interpretation. But since it happened there, by the fraud of some who had indeed assented with the rest to the condemnation of images, yet favoured the invocation of saints, (for the votes were not equal against the latter and former superstitions,) that two canons, one relative to the worship of the blessed Mary, the mother of God, the other to the addressing the rest of the heavenly saints with religious invocation, were intermixed in the beginning with the decrees of the Council. As soon as the Emperor Constantine, with the Fathers of the sounder opinion, had remarked them, they immediately adjudged them to be erroneous, and took care, in testimony of their judgment, that they should be cancelled, and blotted out of the book. Of this fact I have a witness, if any one should doubt it; in the first place, the author of the refutation of that Constantinopolitan declaration, inserted in the Acts of the second Council of Nice; which, while it assumed that the first publication of it refuted itself, thus refers to those canons: |After this their publication,| says he, |they rejected even the offer of intercessions acceptable to God, blotting it out from this their rescript.| Then the acts of Stephen the monk and pseudo-martyr, according to whom, when the bishops, who were sent by the emperor to convince him, began to recite the decree of the Council, he immediately proceeded to object to the title of the Council as Holy, that it ought not to be called holy which proscribed holy things. |Have you not,| says he, |torn in pieces the sacred shrine adorned with images? Have you not discarded this adjective Agios, Saint, from all the just, from all apostles, from prophets, from martyrs, and pious men? For it is established by you, O generous men! that when any one should approach one of these persons, and he should be asked by him whither he was going, he should answer, To the apostles, to the forty martyrs; or, whence he came, From the temple of the martyr Theodorus, from the temple of the martyr George. Are not these your doctrines? With what consistency then have you, who have proscribed holy things, convened a holy council?| These are the words of Stephen himself. Let us hear besides the describer of his acts (who lived at the same time), tragically exclaiming against the same persons, for undervaluing the worship of the mother of God. |To what a degree, O Christ, do I admire thy lenity, which cannot be expressed in words! In what manner may I explain the depth of your benignity, which surpasses all the power of words! Still do those audacious tongues continue to burst forth in such a manner, that they do not hesitate to utter that great and wicked saying, namely, that the virgin mother of God herself is a being of no utility after death, and destitute of all advantage, and cannot be an aid, or a patroness to any one.| I add to these the testimony of Cedrenus. He relates, that Constantine issued an universal law, (without doubt, from the opinion of a council, whose Acts are not extant at this day, except the declaration only) |That no one whatever of the servants of the Lord should be called Saint, but that their relics when found should be despised, (that they might not be superstitiously venerated, O Cedrenus, even though they were real; and if false, be cast out of the temple;) nor their intercession invoked, for it was of no value.| |The wretch added,| says he, |that no one should implore the intercession of Mary.|
Now the reader may agree with me, whether he does not think it clear from these testimonies, that there was something transacted in that council against the worship of saints and relics. I have dwelt so much the longer on the proof of this, because it is not so well known to every one as that against images. But we have not yet discharged our duty; that calumny about the epithet of Saint being denied to the just, as if in degradation and contumely, must first be wiped away. For it is evident from the declaration of the Synod, (which is extant at this clay in the Acts of the second Nicene Council) that the apostles and the just are every where honoured by those fathers with the title of sanctity. They are not therefore to be supposed to have absolutely prohibited that which they themselves have often done. But we may be allowed to conjecture, that, in the opinion of that age, the word hagios (for of this word only are we disputing,) appeared to infer the honour of intercession; and therefore, that superstition might by all means be opposed, the use of it in common discourse about the temples, especially when they went there to pray, was interdicted. For hagios seems to he derived from hagos, by which word is signified veneration, or a being worthy of veneration. Whence are hagioi, sebasmioi, and both from hazo, to venerate, to worship. Nay, that it manifestly refers to the worship of the dead, it is of common origin with enagizein, to offer sacrifices to the dead, to perform funeral rites to deceased relatives; and with enagismos, the performance of such rites, sacrifices to the dead. Besides, (with the reader's good leave, and without a charge of trifling annotation,) it might be the case, that the word hagios, among the Greeks, (as the examples of similar blunders on the part of the vulgar may sometimes be observed among us,) might seem to imply, though falsely, by whom our prayers are offered to God; that is, prosagogia, an usher and mediator with God; in the same manner as Gregory Nazianzen gives the title to our Lord Christ, according to the apostle to the Ephesians, c. ii. v.18. Di autou echomen prosagogen pros ton Patera. |Through him we have access to the Father.| However it may be, it appears by the testimonies adduced, it was at the time supposed, that by the use of this word the superstitious feeling towards the saints who had departed this life, was supported and cherished. To resist which, by every means and effort, its use was interdicted, not, indeed, absolutely and universally, as their adversaries calumniously represent, but in giving that title to the temples only, which were named in memory of the apostles and martyrs.
This was done, as it appears, to do away the error of supposing, that either the places themselves, where God was approached through the intercession of martyrs, or of those whose names they bore, were entitled to veneration. Therefore, instead of the name of Saints, they thought fit to substitute that of apostles and martyrs, certainly not less honourable. It was indeed the province of him to judge on this subject considerately and advisedly, who had all the circumstances of the time, and the facts of the case, before him, openly and fully displayed. In the mean time, it does not detract at all from the virginity and purity of the Church, if she has sometimes judged with less wisdom in such cases as refer to the reason and mode of performing any act. It does not necessarily follow, that she who is chaste should always act or speak prudently. From nearly a similar cause, the word sacerdos, priest, as applied to evangelical presbyters; and sacrificium, a sacrifice, as applied to the sacrament of the eucharist; (not to name other words of this kind,) were ordered to be disused among many of the reformed churches. And that indeed not altogether rashly, if they had not substituted (in the opinion of some,) the word ministri, ministers, not a very appropriate term; by which all who discharge the sacred office are properly called according to the use of Scripture, but by which, however, priests are not distinguished from deacons. Should we not rather have called them by the apostolical name of presbyteri, presbyters, if we dislike sacerdoti, priests? But these are matters which belong to another place.
Moreover, not only in the East, but in the West also, though the Roman pontiff was enraged, the proclamation of this angel resounded, not indeed, as there, with the full blast of the trumpet, but still with a public and solemn denunciation. First in the year 790, in the Synod of Frankfort, under Charlemagne, composed of nearly 300 bishops, besides abbots, and others; where the worship and adoration of images were condemned, together with the second Nicene Council, which had established them, and which Pope Hadrian had by his legates managed and approved. And again in the Synod of Paris, in the year 825, assembled by the command of Louis, in which it is shown at length, both from Divine authority and from the opinions of the Fathers, that the adoration of images was a wicked and impious practice, and the Nicene Synod was reprobated, as guilty of this kind of superstition. Add to this, the commentary sent by Charlemagne to the pontiff Hadrian, the champion of idols, after the Frankfort Council; and here likewise you may acknowledge the angel flying in the midst of heaven. Hitherto we have attended to the exhortation of the first angel: now let us listen to the preaching of the second.
The second angel denounces Rome for its filthiness, and the multitude of its idolatries; by which, in despite of the exhortations of the first angel, she had not only contaminated herself, but also had exhibited herself as the leader and chief of all the nations of the world, that they with her might do the same, and by which she was now converted from the city of God into Babylon; on this account become at length wholly obnoxious through her impenitence to the Divine sentence delivered against all idolaters, as no longer to be endured, but to be destroyed, and cut off by an irrevocable decree; and the preparation for that ruin was ordained to be continually and assiduously prosecuted from this proclamation.
And the assembly of the Waldenses and Albigenses were the attendants of this proclamation, partly in word, and partly in deed, as those who first of all mortal beings openly denounced the Roman Church for its idolatry, or mystic whoredom, to be the apocalyptical Babylon; and they likewise took the first step towards its ruin; since thus detected, immediately a great multitude of men began to abominate her, and privately to make a defection throughout all the provinces of her dominion; and, in addition, her authority from thenceforth, day by day, began to fall more and more into decay, and her ruin then to commence, which was not to stand still, till it should at length come down to the burning of the city. I will say in a word, from the preaching of this angel, a select force of holy soldiers began to be formed for the uninterrupted destruction of Babylon.
|Babylon has fallen. It has fallen.| As if he had said, Now are the foundations laid for the ruin of Babylon; from this time shall the preparations for waging war against her be undertaken. It is an imitation of Isaiah, c. xxi. who expressly, in the same words, and on an occasion not different in kind, related the ruin of the ancient Babylon, not yet accomplished, but pre-announced, as here by the foundations being laid, it should most surely come to pass. For as chronology teaches, Isaiah uttered his prophecy at the very time when the Medes, who were hereafter to lay waste Babylon, having shaken off the yoke of the Assyrians, asserted their own liberty; and having built Ecbatana, under their new king, Dejoces, laid the foundations of that kingdom, which was to be fatal both to Nineveh .and Babylon.
|Because she made all nations drink of the wine of the excess of her fornication.|
That is to say, she has deceived them with philtres, with medicated wine; thumos here does not mean wrath or violent anger, but according to the Hellenistic use of the word, poison ; for they conceive it to be synonymous with the Hebrew chmh, which signifies sometimes wrath, sometimes poison. Hence, Deut. c. xxxii. v.33. Sept. |Thumos drakonton ho oinos auton, kai thumos aspidon aniatos.| |Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the incurable venom of asps.| Also Job, c. xx. v.16. |Thumon drakonton thelaseien, aneloi de auton glossa opheos;| that is, |he shall suck the poison of asps, the viper's tongue shall slay him.| Add Psalm lviii. v.4. |Thumos autois kata ten homoiosin tou opheos,| |Their poison is like the poison of a serpent.| Vide also, if you will, Deut. c. xxxii. v.24; Job, c. vi. v.4. Nay, wherever the signification of poison occurs in the Old Testament, you will not see it expressed more than once in any other way than this, or by the word choles . Now mention is twice made in the Apocalypse of oinos tou thumou, or poisoned wine of this kind; of oinos tou thumou tes porneias, the poisoned wine of fornication, in which, as I said, an amatory virus or philtre is meant, (according to which the same c. xviii. v.23. pharmakeia, sorcery, a word suited to that meaning) and oinos tou thumou tes orges, the poisoned wine of indignation, which is the potion of those who undergo punishment; since by the former the Holy Spirit expressed the enticement to spiritual fornication from the custom of harlots conciliating love by philtres; by the latter, he alluded to the manner of the Jews, who were accustomed to offer to those who were to suffer death, a cup of wine, in which myrrh or some kind of aromatic bitter was mixed, for the purpose of bringing on a torpor. A potion of which kind, for this reason, is related to have been offered to our Saviour just after be had been affixed on the cross, but he refused to drink it. Matt. c. xxviii. v.34. |They gave him wine mingled with gall,| meta choles memigmenon, that is, wine of wrath, for chole and thumos mean the same. Now, by the word chole, the evangelist meant something bitter in general, according to the use of the Greeks, (by whom wormwood is also called chole). This St. Mark shows to have been myrrh, |And they gave him wine mingled with myrrh.| But myrrh in Hebrew mvr, Syriac mvr', took its name from its excessive bitterness. And hence it seems to follow, that the prophets in depicting destructions, so often make use of the parable of the cup; as that which according to national custom it was usual to present to those who were about to die.
Such was the proclamation of the second angel, whom the third soon succeeded. Whatever new admonition he superadds, let us listen to with submissive attention.
The third angel, going beyond the two former, admonishes the worshippers of the beast how horrible a danger impended over them, if they still persisted in being his followers; and therefore persuades them, renouncing all delay, immediately to withdraw themselves from his society; that by this means they might consult their own safety, for those who adhered to him afterwards could not possibly be safe. Which preaching, indeed, being the most remarkable of all, was fulfilled in the labour of Luther, and his associates and successors; the consequence of which was the illustrious Reformation of the Churches, which we now behold, not by individual men, as was done at the voice of the preceding angel, but by provinces and tribes, to the assertion and purification of religion, every where shaking off the yoke of the beast. |And a third angel followed them (that is, the two former), saying with a loud voice, If any one worship the beast and his image, and receive the mark on his forehead, or on his hand, he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation, and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy angels, and before the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth for ever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.|
A terrible description of a terrible judgment, to which scarcely any thing similar occurs within the compass of the whole canon of Scripture. |The wine of the wrath of his indignation,| is the potion of punishment accustomed to be given to those who are about to die, as we observed on ver.8. Pure wine, that is, wine not diluted with water, strongly inebriates, and still more, if different kinds of wine are mingled together; of which kind, therefore, some would understand to be meant here, by those words kekerasmenou akratou, that is, mixed wine; since he would otherwise speak of things that oppose each other. But I am inclined to think, that akraton kekerasmenon may be the same with pure wine mixed with myrrh, gall, frankincense, or a similar drug of bitter flavour, which was used to be put into a cup, called by the Jews the cup of malediction, after the manner of the nation; and that there is an allusion to it in the lxxvth Psalm, v.9. according to the Septuagint. |Poterion en cheiri Kuriou, oinou akratou pleres kerasmatos,| |A cup in the hand of the Lord of pure wine full of mixture.| When the Chaldee has, |There is a cup of malediction in the hand of the Lord, of strong wine full of a mixture of bitterness, so as to take away the use of reason from the wicked.| For we said, that the potion was given to take away the use of reason from the dying person. But instead of what the Sept. has, pure wine, in the Hebrew it is yyvtmd, red wine, which had not lost its colour by admixture with water. For there: were red wines in the Holy Land. The remaining part of the description is obvious.
It will be useful here, to observe the progress of this triple proclamation, and how the latter exceeds the former in importance. The first angel admonished only of one duty, that of worshipping God duly, according to the directions of the Gospel, and did not reprove the fault committed on this head. The second proceeding farther points at the crime of spiritual fornication, and that to be inevitably punished by death and destruction, but which it threatens at the time to Babylon alone, the chief leader and contriver of the crime, and not yet to the participators in it. But the third, the full measure of heinousness being fulfilled, denounces to the whole army of the beast, and to all who should continue in obedience to him, the most horrible and unspeakable torments, and that they would have neither end nor remission. Then follows, |Here is the patience of the saints, here are they who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.| As if he should say, This preaching will be the touchstone, to prove both the patience and obedience of the saints. Their patience indeed, if, acquiescing in the expectation of so terrible a punishment, of such as will compensate for all delay, they should by no means be disturbed at the daily successes of the beast; nor fall away in their minds in any degree to him by the rage of persecutions, with which he will assail the refractory, and those who are disobedient to his command; their obedience, truly |to the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus,| if, after having heard this threat, they without delay forthwith withdraw themselves from communion with the beast, and renounce his image, and mark. These are they |who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus;| that is, who rightly and evangelically worship God in the faith of Jesus Christ, and on that account are called, not undeservedly, by the name of evangelical.
The virgin church having thus discharged her triple admonition, the sanction of it succeeds against her enemies, under the type of the harvest and the vintage; which, when once finished, the blessed remuneration of the just is no longer delayed, as is proved by that denunciation from Heaven delivered before the description of both. |I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them.|
I know that most refer this celestial declaration to former events, as for the purpose of consoling the saints, who are now about to suffer very grievous injuries from the beast, irritated by the preceding shout of exhortation. In which opinion I also concurred some time ago. But now, having weighed the matter more accurately, I incline to think, that it is to be referred rather to subsequent events, as an admonition of the near approaching resurrection and judgment under the seventh trumpet; the preparation for which would begin to take place in the following visions; so that the word aparti, from this time, may be used not in respect of the subject exhibited in the preceding vision, but of that to be exhibited in the following one, which, without doubt, immediately precedes the resurrection of the dead and judgment. As if he had said, Now we are come to that state of things, that only one thing remains to be fulfilled, before the time in which the dead in the Lord shall rise to a blessed life. For so in the Gospel of St. Matthew, c. xxiii. ver. the last, our Lord says to the Jews, |Ye shall not see me aparti, from thenceforth, until ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.| That is, not from the moment of time in which he was speaking these words, but from the time of the Passover, which he was then about to celebrate; after which he no longer presented himself openly in the sight of the Jews. Now my reason for thinking this to be the case is threefold: First, that I do not remember any where in the sacred Scripture, that the day of death is pointed out as the day of recompense, but only the day of resurrection and judgment. Secondly, the denunciation from heaven, with a command to write, does not seem applicable, except to point out some remarkable turn of events. Undoubtedly a command of this kind is nowhere else to be found, except in the beginning of this entire prophecy. Lastly, there is an agreement in sense, if well-attended to, between this proclamation, and that at the sound of the seventh trumpet, ch. xi., where the time is said to be come, when |the cause of the dead,| (namely, those who died for the sake of Christ) |should be judged, and God should give reward to his servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to those who fear his name, both small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.| So here, |Blessed are the dead from henceforth, who die in the Lord, that they may rest from their labours;| that is, they may henceforth lead a life secure from their ancient evils and calamities; (by which is intimated the extermination of enemies and tyrants;) |and their works do follow them;| that is, they shall obtain a most blessed reward for all their sufferings and all their good works.
Meanwhile, if this interpretation is admitted, I alter not the sense of the words, |those that die in the Lord,| by understanding those with the last words of the foregoing sentence, |not of any who sleep in the faith of Christ, but especially of the martyrs, who poured out their lives for Christ,| (for to such belongs the first resurrection,) so that I think with Beza, it may be rendered, who die on account of the Lord, or for the Lord's sake. As in the Epistle to the Ephesians, c. iv. v.1, |A prisoner in the Lord,| is a prisoner for the sake of the Lord, the same indeed as |the prisoner of Christ,| c. iii. v.1.
In which sense the ancients (as we may conjecture from Tertullian) understood 1 Thess. c. iv. v.16, |The dead in Christ shall rise first;| that is, the martyrs, who were delivered up to death for confessing Christ. See Tert. de Animâ, c. lv. Moreover, it is to be noted, that the ablative in the Latin, and so likewise the dative in the Greek, which signifies in some places the instrument, and mode of acting, denotes also the cause for which, or on account of which, a thing is done. |He strikes in anger; he is impelled by envy,| or the like. But since the Hebrews express this ablative or dative by the preposition v, and in imitation of them the Greek Scriptures express it by en, it follows from thence, that iv also signifies in the same place, the cause, on account of which a thing is done. Such a signification, indeed, with this particle, is not very frequent, but I have no doubt but diligent observation would supply more examples than occur to me at present. So much with reference to the heavenly proclamation. Now let us investigate the sense of this pair of visions, to which we observed it was a forerunner; and let us do this, as far as is allowable, in a future event, with the sobriety and modesty which become us. And first of the harvest, by which the primary step is taken towards consummation.
|And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sitting like the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel went out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Put forth thy sickle and reap; for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he who sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.|
The word harvest embraces three things, -- the mowing down, the gathering in, and the threshing of the corn. Whence it follows, that it constitutes a two-fold parable in the sacred writings, and of a contrary meaning. Sometimes in that of slaughter and destruction, as of reaping and threshing; sometimes in that of restitution and salvation, in the sense of gathering in. An example of the former is to be met with in Jeremiah, ch. li.33, where he thus speaks of the destruction of Babylon. |The daughter of Babylon is as a threshing-floor, the time of her threshing is come; yet a little while, and the time of her harvest will come.| Also Isaiah, ch. xvii.5, &c. of the fall of Damascus, and the slaughter of Israel by Tiglathpileser. |And it shall be, as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and his arm reapeth the ears.| But an example of the latter is scarcely any where else to be found than in the New Testament. |The harvest,| says our Saviour, |is great, but the labourers are few.| There are not wanting some, however, who interpret in this sense that complaint of Israel in Jeremiah, ch. viii.20, |The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.| The time is past in which we thought ourselves safe, and we are not saved. Let us search out, if possible, which of the figures the harvest sustains in the present passage from the order of those transactions, which the Holy Spirit has elsewhere represented to us concerning the same times of the Church. That the treading of the winepress, by which the vintage succeeding the harvest is accomplished, is the same with that bloody slaughter executed by him who sits on the white horse, ch. xix.15, is manifest from what is inserted in the description of the rider. |He it is who treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God Almighty.| Now this being an acknowledged datum, it follows of course, that the prophetical parables, which equally and immediately precede each, and without any other vision intervening, must either denote the same thing, or if they are different events, yet by some means connected and interwoven with each other. Since, therefore, here. the harvest immediately precedes the vintage, and there the preparation of the nuptials of the Lamb, together with the fall of Babylon precede that fierce slaughter, it follows indisputably, that either that preparation or destruction is the harvest of which we are in search, and that they relate to the same circumstance as the harvest does, or the harvest to the same as they do. If we were to say that the devastation of Babylon was the harvest, it would sufficiently agree both with the character of the type, which implies reaping and threshing, and particularly it would favour a little the example of Jeremiah, predicting the fall of the ancient Babylon, under the same figure. The passage is the same which I just now quoted. To this likewise must be added, that since both the harvest and the vintage, as they finish the year, denote the end and consummation of all things; but the harvest would precede the vintage in time; therefore, if it were certainly known that either were applied to signify the consummation of the Roman tyranny, the harvest would very appositely designate the destruction of the city, as the first-fruits of this full destruction; the vintage succeeding that harvest would point out the extinction of the whole kingdom of the beast, to follow the former at no long interval of time. Nor is there any thing to oppose this accommodation but that one circumstance, that the laying waste of Babylon, as we have hitherto presupposed, is not found to take place immediately before that dreadful slaughter, expressed likewise by the image of the vintage, ch. xix., but another event, subsequent, as it appears, to the laying waste of Babylon, namely, the preparation for the nuptials of the Lamb, or the embellishment of his bride. Will not then the harvest be a signification of that preparation? or (it that be unsuitable) of some other event to be transacted at the same time
But what, you will ask, is that preparation of the bride? What is it which is to be transacted at the same time with this? In truth, I do not see how that preparation of the bride can be any thing else than the conversion and collection of Israel, expected for so many ages; of her, who formerly, (according to our Saviour's parable,) when invited to the nuptials of the king's son, refused to come, but now hastens to meet him, promptly and prepared. For the Gentiles, as it appears, cannot possibly be called that bride, because they have been long ago, and for many ages, espoused to Christ. The Jews, therefore, are those who are yet expected to become the spouse of the Lamb.
But with this conversion and restoration of Israel, (by which she will be adopted into the virgin company of the Lamb, and will become a part of it,) will be joined the reaping or destruction of the Turkish empire, according to what we read at the sixth phial, but under another figure, that |the water of the great river Euphrates should be dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.| For the time of this phial manifestly agrees with the time of the preparation of the bride, since, as that was introduced between the destruction of Babylon and the last slaughter of the enemies of the Church, so this phial intervenes between that which is poured out on the throne of the beast, and the last phial. That is, the Church of Christ, as it was about to become double by the conversion of Israel; so each part appears to have, at that time, its own peculiar enemy; the former the Roman beast, with its uncircumcised origin; the latter, the Mohammedan empire, over a circumcised people, and of an Ismaelitish origin, ominous to the descendants of Isaac. Of the extermination of both of which, to be accomplished at the coming of Christ, why should not the harvest represent the one, and the vintage the other?
Moreover, to this interpretation of the harvest, the prophecy of Joel will afford, if not absolutely confirmation, yet at least some appearance of probability; from which both the image of the harvest and the vintage was taken. For it is manifest, that he is there treating of the time of the conversion of Israel, even from the first words of the Oracle, (Joel, ch. iii. v.2.) |In those days, and in that time, when I shall bring back again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem; I will gather all nations in the valley of Jehosaphat, and will plead with them there for my people, and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and divided my land.| Then follows, in the suggested type of a warlike array, |Put ye in the sickles, for the harvest is ripe. Come, get ye down, for the winepress is full, the fats overflow, for their wickedness is great.|
Since, then, we may observe in this accommodation of the figure of the harvest, that the event transacted may be so compared, that either notion of the harvest, that of reaping and threshing as well as that of gathering in, may be adapted to it, the latter with reference to Israel gathered together into the garner of the Church; the former to the slaughter of enemies in conjunction with that event; yet as the matter here treated of is the last effort of the Church against its foes, I think that the notion of reaping and threshing is altogether to be preferred.
But whatever the harvest may be, the description proves that Christ himself as king will assuredly be the Lord of it, and the director of the work of reaping the corn. For to what other king than him is that title of the Son of man coming in the chariot of a cloud, attributed through the whole course of Scripture? So that, in my opinion, it is by no means safe to wrest it to any other meaning. It is rather to be collected, that the power of the Divinity in discharging the duties of that harvest, as well as in the vintage next to come, will be more conspicuous and illustrious than in any of those works, which were performed only in the names of angels.
Hitherto we have formed conjectures respecting the harvest. Let us now proceed to the vintage; which, as it usually does in the order of events, it is agreeable to reason that it should succeed the harvest.
|And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, having power over fire, and he cried with a great cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel put in his sickle upon the earth, and gathered the produce of the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress up to the bridles of the horses, for the space of a thousand six hundred furlongs.|
This is the description of the vintage; to the interpretation of which we shall with more certainty direct our aim, because the signification of the parable is less ambiguous, and the meaning of treading the clusters is more express, since the treading of the vintage in parabolical Scripture constantly denotes a fierce, deadly, and cruel slaughter. This is our first observation. And then those words about treading the winepress of the wrath of God, inserted in that description, show that this is the same with that great slaughter in ch. xix. as I have just now observed. Therefore also, it will be the same with |the battle of the great day of the Lord God Almighty,| at the last phial; for that the deadly slaughter in ch. xix. is the same as that, we cannot doubt, since both arc the last destruction of the same enemy; for both ultimately impend over the beast, the false prophet, and their confederates. But it is impossible there should be more than one last slaughter of the same persons. Now, if our vintage signifies the same destruction with those, it must also impend over the same enemies, and therefore over the beast, and the false prophet. The vine, therefore, or vineyard of the earth, of which mention is here made, is the dominion of the beast. The grapes ripe for gathering are the followers of the beast, swelling with the guilt of blood, ripe for judgment. The lake, in the last place, or winepress, is the place of slaughter, the same in truth as in the seventh phial, interpreted according to the Hebrew, is called Armageddon; perhaps because there the troops or forces of the beast will be extirpated by a deadly destruction. For arma means chdvv', destruction; gedon, or geddon, gdvn, troop, army, or their army. |He gathered them together,| says he, |in a place called in the Hebrew language Armageddon. (the books published by Plautinus have only the single D, Armagedon.) And the seventh angel poured out his phial in the air, and a great voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.| But where the winepress, or place for treading the grapes will be, is yet hid among the secret things of God; nor is it on that account to be too curiously investigated by us, nor to be pointed out, until either the event shall disclose it, or a state of things more nearly advanced to it, shall perhaps afford some indication of it. It will be allowable however to observe, without any charge of temerity, that from so accurate a measurement of the space, for which the slaughter should extend, it may seem that the Holy Spirit directs our attention to some region, which stretches one thousand six hundred furlongs in length, for he shows us that the carnage shall take place without the city, for so many furlongs; that is, if I am not mistaken, in the region or dominion of the city. Hence it follows, that some have thought the Holy Land was marked out by that circuit, as what accurately contains so many furlongs in its length, that is, 200 Italian miles, though not more than 160 Greek, which Jerome reports in his epistle to Dardanus was the length of the Holy Land. For the Greeks, they say, measured their mile by ten furlongs, each of which were a hundred paces; but the pace (which they call orgya) was six Roman feet; so that in the whole a Greek mile contained 6000 Roman feet. The Romans, on the contrary, define the pace by five feet, the furlong by 125 paces, the mile by eight furlongs, that is, only 5000 feet. Whence it comes to pass, that the Greek mile, though it agrees with the Roman in the number of 1000 paces, is yet greater than the Roman by a fifth part. So that 200 Roman miles make no more than 160 Greek.
This is the sum of the argument. Besides, it is not altogether unimportant, in addition to this conjecture, that the name of the place is called in the Hebrew language Armageddon, as if it were to be in the land of the Hebrews. But after all, by what means could this possibly take place? Indeed, to those who imagine Antichrist is to come from the East, this opinion is very natural and easy; but not so to us, unless some one perhaps should think it probable, that the false prophet, after the overthrow of Rome, should migrate into the East, and there fix his seat; which there are not wanting some among the followers of the beast who maintain, that is, that before the last day of judgment, the Roman pontiff shall have his habitation at Jerusalem. For certainly, that the beast with his affairs at home, placed in such a state, and in such jeopardy in the West, as is supposed, should again (as formerly in the expedition to Jerusalem) lead an army into Palestine, leaving many enemies behind him, and there at length be entirely put an end to, cannot be affirmed with any show of probability. But farther, that we who assert a Western Antichrist may not be inferior on this side to those who suppose an Eastern one, there is also a place in the neighbourhood, with which the assigned number of furlongs agrees; for instance, the Stato della Chiesa, or the possessions of the Roman Church, which, from the city of Rome to the mouth of the Po, and the marshes of Verona, extend to the space of 200 Italian miles, that is, 1600 furlongs.
But whither am I digressing? Let us at length impose a restraint on curiosity, in which perhaps we have hitherto too much indulged. Let us come to other matters which will be more worth our consideration. And therefore, in the first place, that the gatherer of the grapes, and the treader of the winepress, are not the same person; but, as the offices of the vintager and the winepresser are different, so likewise they have different agents; the vintage or gathering in, an angel furnished with a vine-hook the treading, Christ himself, as King, accompanied with heavenly horsemen, which may clearly appear from the vision of the xixth chapter (for I have often quoted it). For there St. John saw |heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat upon it was called faithful, and true, and in righteousness does he judge, and make war,|| and he was clothed with a garment dipped in blood, and he was called by name, The Word of God.| -- |And the armies that were in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.| -- |And out of his mouth proceeded a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and he treadeth the winepress of the indignation and wrath of God Almighty.| Can any thing be said more clearly? And therefore, in the context on which we are throwing light to the utmost of our ability, it is by no means said that the angel who gathered or cut off the clusters, was the same as trod the winepress, but only, that he cast the gathered clusters into the winepress, which being done, |the winepress was trodden without the city;| by whom, unless by Christ the King, proceeding from heaven, with his celestial troop? That doubtless is what the Holy Spirit would signify by the mention of horses immediately subjoined; |And the blood came out of the winepress, even to the horses' bridles.| For why is that allusion to horses inserted, unless to admonish us by this token, that the winepress was trodden by him to whom that equestrian force belonged? To circumscribe the matter then in few words, this is the sum of the vision respecting the vintage. An angel vintager, with the assistance of the saints, the presidency over whom was committed to him for this purpose, will prune and cut off the clusters of the beast, and, during his pruning, will cause them to be gathered together at Armageddon, and those who are gathered, the Lord Jesus Christ will at length tread under at his coming; according to what St. Paul says of the |man of sin,| (who is this very beast,) that he shall be destroyed by the Lord |with the brightness of his coming.|
Now the harvest, as well as the vintage, is supplicated by prayers; the former, as it appears, by those of the Church universal; whence the angel who there sustains the person of the suppliants, is said generally to come out of the temple. But the latter is rather enforced by martyrs and confessors, against whom the wicked had raged with butcheries and torments, and had made them victims to Christ. On which account, the angel who proclaims to this effect, goes out of the thysiasterium, or enclosure of the altar, and is said to have power over fire, even the fire of martyrdom. It is very commonly observed, that the blood of the martyrs cries to God for vengeance. For, indeed, the Scripture every where testifies, that the Divine Power will bestow on the Church neither a state of prosperity, nor vengeance on their enemies, without the prayers of its members. So the Babylonian captivity was put an end to at the prayers of Daniel; and in the parable of the widow fatiguing the unjust judge by her clamorous entreaties, the application is, that God would be aroused in like manner by the prayers of his elect, to come at length at some fit time to avenge them. You may add, that when the trumpets were sounded for the demolition of the Roman empire, the prayers of the martyrs by incense offered up, are first recalled to the memory of God.
Hear then, O Christ our King! and recall to the memory of thy Father, so many suppliant prayers of thy people, for thy kingdom, so many groans of the afflicted, and of those who were slain for thy name; and when the time shall come which will appear seasonable to thee, arise, reap, and gather in the vintage!
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Busy summer of sport ahead
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By Mark Lynch NUI Galway became the first team this season to take points off leaders UL in the Electric Ireland Senior Hurling League Division 1 Group A on Tuesday 6 November, after a thrilling 0–25 all draw in Dangan. While they’ll be glad to put their run of losses to bed, Jeff Lynskey’s men will be slightly disheartened that they couldn’t seal the win in the … [Read more...] about NUI Galway end Senior Hurling League campaign with captivating draw against UL
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The coverage question: should the ladies’ All-Ireland finals be played the same day as the men’s?
September 28, 2018 By SIN Admin Leave a Comment
By Martha Brennan As the inter - county GAA calendar drew to a close earlier this month, with the women’s Gaelic football final finishing off a spectacular summer of Irish sport, we were once again reminded of the stunning gap between men and women’s sporting coverage in Ireland. The ladies’ finals once again garnered only a fraction of the coverage of the men’s, … [Read more...] about The coverage question: should the ladies’ All-Ireland finals be played the same day as the men’s?
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« CCDev contracting and funding concerns
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The roles of NASA and the private sector in space
By Jeff Foust on 2011 July 29 at 8:53 am ET
At some point a “prepared for delivery” version of NASA deputy administrator Lori Garver’s speech Thursday might show up on the NASA web site, but it will likely be different from the speech she actually gave to kick off the Space Frontier Foundation’s NewSpace 2011 Conference at NASA Ames Research Center in California. Garver instead scanned through the agenda of the three-day conference, using the topics of sessions ranging from orbital and suborbital commercial spaceflight to public-private partnerships to discuss a number of relevant issues, including the roles of the public and private sectors in space going forward.
“The whole basis and underpinning of what we are trying to do in this administration is to return NASA to that more classical role of our 1958 Space Act of investing in technologies that will then help create new markets, so that the private sector can come in, benefit from this technology investment, and then we move on to do the next hard thing,” she said, summarizing the agency’s approach of working with companies and catalyzing private sector activity in space. “We’re not here to compete with the private sector—in fact, that’s not legal,” she added.
“That’s not our only job,” she noted. “Our job is also to expand farther.” One thing that is not NASA’s goal, though, she said, is to create a spacefaring civilization, a long-held goal of many space advocates in the conference audience—and of Garver herself, she noted, when she was the executive director of the National Space Society. “Go back to the Space Act. That’s not it. We’re here to push the envelope and learn new things.” It’s up to the private sector, she said, to follow that lead. “Your role of helping there to be folks who follow is what’s really going to get” civilization moving off-world.
In her speech she touched upon a number of areas where NASA was taking this role of developing technologies and leading expansion into the solar system while working with the private sector, from its support for commercial and orbital spaceflight to a planned human mission to a near Earth asteroid in the middle of the next decade. On that last point, she emphasized that such a mission was a natural steppingstone towards further exploration, and a not another destination-driven goal that has been tried in the past unsuccessfully. “Destination-driven budgets are, we know, problematic,” she said. “We’ve been trying to relive Apollo since the 1960s, but not successfully. Presidents make big statements, set goals and dates, and we don’t meet them. So that is not what this is.” She mentioned in passing that she had recently met with an unnamed company that claimed that it had a way of achieving that asteroid mission goal as soon as 2019.
She also said that low cost reliable access to space was a key goal of the current administration, one that it was willing to pursue despite the criticism that erupted last year with the announcement that NASA would cancel Constellation. “We’ve invested a lot of political capital on this, folks,” she said. “The President of the United States has decided that this is an area for NASA to develop that is meaningful, that will open up space for all humanity.”
“Does anyone think that the president has gained a lot of political ground over this shift at NASA?” she asked. “Probably it would have been the politically conservative thing to do to stick to the plan, not cancel existing contracts, even though those contracts were leading human spaceflight off a cliff.”
During the brief Q&A session that followed her speech, someone asked Garver what the audience should to to help. She suggested helping communicate the broader message to the public. “We get into these debates in Washington about how a rocket’s built or exactly what configuration this architecture will have. Is that the important thing? You guys know the important thing, which is that we do this in a way that doesn’t take all of our NASA budget, so that we can go further.”
89 comments to The roles of NASA and the private sector in space
William Mellberg
July 29, 2011 at 9:16 am · Reply
Lori Garver said:
“We’ve invested a lot of political capital on this, folks. The President of the United States has decided that this is an area for NASA to develop that is meaningful, that will open up space for all humanity. Does anyone think that the president has gained a lot of political ground over this shift at NASA?”
Actually, he might have gained political favor with his base. The Left has opposed human spaceflight for decades. I remember passing protestors at the Apollo 17 launch who were carrying signs saying, “Spend tax dollars on the poor, not on the Moon.”
As Space Shuttle commander and former KSC Director Bob Crippen recently suggested, the Obama space policy is really about “redistributing” NASA’s human spaceflight budget to social programs — a cause the Left has championed for many years.
Crippen might have a point there.
NASAology.com
Interesting article. What is Lori’s deal? I’ve never seen NASA more divided. It’s like she has an agenda to further, and Bolden is just sitting on the sideline saying, “Yes Maam.”
The key inflection point will be finding revenue streams NOT dependent on federal tax dollars.
Perhaps NASA can facilitate reaching that point, perhaps not. We will see.
William Mellberg wrote @ July 29th, 2011 at 9:16 am
the problem with your “might” is that the folks who are cutting the NASA budget and in large measure hurting human spaceflight are the folks on the GOP side.
The issue really is coming down, stripped of all the utter bull about American exceptionalism…is what do you want? Fixed price pay for service efforts that are the centerpiece of national space policy in a country that never had a national airline…
or do you want cost plus contracts managed by a government agency that has proved inept at the financial end of human spaceflight (just to keep the focus on cost) over the last 30 years?
There has never been a solid answer from any of the people who support the latter…as to why Gemini the entire program in an era when human spaceflight was relatively new and the technology still quite fragile…cost 5 billion or so FOR THE ENTIRE PROGRAM…and Cx couldnt get something into orbit for more then twice that…
If you cannot answer that question, and Crippen cannot, Bob has been asked that question and he just stutters like he is drunk…then you cannot make the claim that Obama is somehow trying to shelf human spaceflight.
What people like Bob have done (and we have a few folks here like that and of course the DIRECT group is full of them) is conveniently side stepped the failures of Cx…and then morphed int heir political ideology which is an irrational hatred of Obama…into some myth that has no real evidence for it.
If the Senate and House committees that are pushing SLS want human spaceflight to continue, and that were the only pivot point…then they could have it tomorrow by taking the billions that are going nowhere with SLS and pushing it out to get vehicles flying on existing launch vehicles.
In a country that did Gemini in what a couple of years, we could put together something(s) multiple things that were flight ready for the dollars spent on SLS for just a couple of years…
But that is not the issue with SLS. Go to Pete Olsons facebook page or go listen to the babble from the DIRECT people on nASA spaceflight.com…it is all about the jobs.
And that is nothing but government technowelfare which the GOP claims it does not like masquerading as something else.
Garver’s position on “destination driven budgets” is an interesting one, albeit contradicted by the fact that the NASA she is apparently running has a destination driven budget, which is to say an asteroid by 2025. By not having a destination, one does not have a metric for success and thus one does not have to be actually accountable. That is a perfect situation for President Obama. One can spend money, but not be expected to accomplish anything.
On the other hand, I would like to know if this magical company that claims it can actually put people on or at least next to an asteroid by 2019 actuallt exists and what is the basis for that claim.
Jeff (or anyone)
““The whole basis and underpinning of what we are trying to do in this administration is to return NASA to that more classical role of our 1958 Space Act of investing in technologies that will then help create new markets, so that the private sector can come in, benefit from this technology investment, and then we move on to do the next hard thing,” she said, ”
I am sorry I’ve been very busy the last few days and have just scanned the posted thread…
Did Garver actually say this…or were these just prepared remarks?
they are good words and more importantly they are a good course of action.
In a country whose economy is based on free enterprise…the notion of having a soviet style on demand human spaceflight program; where there is really nothing of free enterprise in the entire affair..is in my view ludicrous.
What Garver has either spoken or written about IS A GOAL WORTH HAVING and IT IS A GOAL WHICH WILL SURVIVE VARIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND HELP THE REPUBLIC…far more then goals which are “places”.
I am certainly one who has been critical of Garver in the past…but this is a good effort
If Crip actually said this (quote?, link?), the evidence doesn’t support it. The President’s FY12 budget maintained funding for ISS, SLS, MPCV, and commercial crew. It’s the Republican-led House appropriations committee that has cut SLS and MPCV by almost one-quarter and commercial crew by more than double in their FY12 appropriations mark.
Jeff Foust
That’s a direct quote from her speech, as delivered.
While the NASA work is far more important for humanity than these shortsighted entitlement programs, neither is the role of government. On the one hand, I’m very saddened to see US spaceflight halted by political maneuvering, commercial, and eventually individual spaceflight is the future humanity needs, both to solve problems with our current population growth, and to protect its existence over the long haul. The future can never be the exclusive domain of governments.
But neither can the redistribution of wealth. The government, while “of the people”, is not the collective best. It is the chosen representative of the people. We have a glorified used car salesman in power, and that’s who social programs are geared at letting decide who deserves money and authority. Aid works best as a charitable endeavor, not as a mandate forced upon people who may or may not agree with its use.
Dennis Berube
I just wonder how quickly the Orion could be built and launched on a Delta IV, if the money for the SLS were put in that direction? If Delta or Atlas can do the job, with or at least until the Falcon heavy is available, why not? NASA at that point would have no rocket of their own, but instead have the spacecraft for deep space, and be flying it, sooner rather than later.
Mark R. Whittington wrote @ July 29th, 2011 at 10:28 am
” By not having a destination, one does not have a metric for success and thus one does not have to be actually accountable. ”
that is a very one dimensional statement and shows how little you understand about space politics and policy.
Go back and read (or rather hear) JFK’s Rice speech where he talks about the goal of the lunar landing as what you are describing. The canard of people like you, who argue as you do is that the lunar landing goal stood ALONE which it did not and it was that additional “goal” (of confronting the Soviets) that gave the entire lunar effort its meaning.
If you cannot understand that then you cannot understand Apollo and while every other effort since Apollo has failed.
Garver’s goal has a metric and that is to enable HSF to return things to the American economy…much as human travel in airplanes did the same thing in the early part of the last century.
I dont understand your instance on a flags and footprints goal…it is something new with the Bush administration’s policies. In The Weekly STandard piece which you ASKED to have your name on after doing nothing to write it…you endorse a “non” specific “place” goal policy.
For you to now endorse flags and footprints seems bizzare. Garver’s words have far more thought behind them then yours do.
Ben Joshua
I suspect legacy contractors imagine their stock prices falling when they think of having to compete with companies that don’t have subcontractors spread all over the congressional map, working sans cost-plus profit engines… er… safety nets.
Why are entitlements for The Old Way to Space, Inc. somehow better, more justifiable, more patriotic, more economically sensible, than social or military entitlements? Are cost-plus space contractors and their NASA team-mates agenda-free, pure as the driven snow, and only interested in taking America and humanity ad astra?
A friend of mine recently told her children that America would not be sending people into space again until we have a new president. She did not know who actually canceled shuttle ( or when, or why ), how troubled Constellation was regarding schedule, budget and engineering issues, or that American companies would likely be sending people into space in a few years, far sooner than Ares, SLS or the congressional wishful thinkers.
I know it’s uncomfortable for old contractors, to see newer companies, who are by the way, finding private sector revenue streams, participating in COTS and CC-DEV. Well, the wheel-wrights of old had to start learning some auto mechanics, and the livery stables had to learn how to garage and fuel up horseless carriages. Maybe it’s time for the companies that built amazing but expensive space vehicles in the past, begin to take a new approach.
“By not having a destination, one does not have a metric for success and thus one does not have to be actually accountable.”
What’s more important when you’re fixing your car:
A. What time next week you’ll drive to the market?
B. When the car will be fixed so you can go to the market anytime?
The schedule drivers for capability driven exploration are the individual capabilities themselves, so it’s a misnomer to think there isn’t constant pressure applied. Go ask Orbital Sciences or SpaceX if they don’t feel pressure to complete the COTS program.
To me goal oriented architectures like Apollo and Constellation are too focused on the end goal, and not on leaving sustainable infrastructures behind. Constellation, like Apollo, would have met the goal of getting someone onto the surface of the Moon, but you really couldn’t have used that same architecture to do anything else.
The capability approach provides smaller goals that can be used for multiple destinations, and in the case of CRS and CCDev, they are also used in sustaining operations in LEO, so the support infrastructure is spread across far more users (lower operating costs). They are also more flexible budget-wise, since lower budget levels still leave you with capabilities you can use, whereas Constellation would have have spent $100B before the first person set foot on the Moon.
It’s the classic project triangle, Good, Fast, Cheap – pick two. The destination approach gets you Good & Fast, but the capability approach gets you Good & Cheap, which in this budget environment means you may not get anything done if you spend too much.
As a few have said on this thread so far, it is Congressional Republicans who are attempting to scale down NASA’s budget, not the Obama administration.
Therefore, these shameless arguments that Obama is practicing his “redistribution of wealth” campaign in the Space Program are absolutely moot.
William Melberg:
No,pe he doesn’t have a point there. That is blatantly idiotic, and if that is indeed what he said, he clearly has no idea what he’s talking about.
@Coastal Ron
Great analogy!
Given that Obama has actually maintained NASA’s spending levels, and is currently negotiating to slash social programs, it sounds to me — and I hate to say it — like Bob Crippen is an ignorant right-wing tool under the influence of Obama Derangement Syndrome.
It’s fascinating to see so many self-styled libertarians and free marketeers who can’t process the current administration’s move to privatize human spaceflight. They fall back on “national greatness” arguments (or this “redistribution of wealth” thing, which I haven’t heard before). What they’re really upset about is that the gravy train to the usual fat-cat contractors (who in some cases are signing their paychecks) is getting cut off.
Their worldview is a toxic mix of shallow ideology, flagrant hypocrisy, and paranoid conspiracy theories. Their mewling is best ignored.
We’ve invested a lot of political capital on this, folks
No need to pour over more of Garver’s newspace rhetoric. The political battle for NASA is lost. Garver/Obama policies have been rejected in unprecedented and historical fashion by bipartisan consensus in congress. She no longer makes policy. She merely hobbles the policies of those in congress who do. The damage to NASA persists of course, waiting for new leadership. It is very interesting that Obama has shown no capacity to change policy for his own good. He was supposed to be smarter than that.
amightywind wrote @ July 29th, 2011 at 2:06 pm
“The political battle for NASA is lost. Garver/Obama policies have been rejected in unprecedented and historical fashion by bipartisan consensus in congress. ”
the falcon 9 second stage is spinning out of control, fell into the ocean…etc etc.
as for bipartisan…LOL just like the GOP budget in the House is bipartisan…goofy wind. RGO
“Garver/Obama policies have been rejected in unprecedented and historical fashion by bipartisan consensus in congress.”
Yep, a bipartisan Congress canceling Constellation really showed Obama how much they hated his space policy…
As usual, your rhetoric isn’t reflected in reality.
Gary Warburton
This was a good speech by Lori Garver. It shows she understands the goals of new space advocates of bringing down costs and striving for innovations to make space cheaper. Nothing will ever change when you have the billion dollar SLS`s using 1970 technogies with simple minded destinations as a driver for achieving space. It`s time to get out of the past and this silly idea that politicians can design rockets with no real mission in mind that is designed by a scientist. It is time for commercial space to take over, motivated by new visions of innovations that could really make a big difference.
When I look around at rightwing extremist who are more motivated by greed, self-grandeur and contraryness than any real motivation to make things better, I`m reminded of George Orwell`s Ministry of Truth that dispenses lies instead of truths in the book, “1984.”
VirgilSamms
Stop making things up.
http://www.universetoday.com/61315/3-welds-to-go-for-1st-orion-pathfinder-vehicle/
Meanwhile, in the face of a rising chorus of harsh bipartisan Congressional criticism of the cancellation of Project Constellation and America’s Orion Crew Vehicle, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden continues to insist at multiple venues that, “There is no Plan B for Space Exploration. I strongly support the priorities and the direction for NASA that the President has put forward. I did not ask anybody for an alternative to the President’s plan and budget”.
And plan A was cooked up by this real boss- that fool who thinks he is going to retire on Mars.
“It’s the Republican-led House appropriations committee that has cut SLS and MPCV by almost one-quarter and commercial crew by more than double in their FY12 appropriations mark.”
Is this right, as far as SLS/Orion cuts go?
I was under the impression the approp cmte mark-up funded SLS/MPCV slightly over the Pres’s FY12 request, but 1/4 under *the 2010 Authorization*.
Of course, the FY12 request is itself 1/4 under the 2010 Authorization, so aren’t the Pres and the Cmte on the same page, as far as SLS/MPCV funding goes?
“Nothing will ever change when you have the billion dollar SLS`s using 1970 technogies with simple minded destinations as a driver for achieving space.”
That is newspeak indeed.
Private Space is the one using old technology and while “simple minded” sounds stupid, the opposite is actually true. A destination is required- going around in endless circles is no destination at all.
And more newspeak.
Private space is siphoning human space flight tax dollars and converting it into profit by going cheap. The only problem is, there is no cheap.
Space flight is inherently expensive.
And yet the mission and hardware have been reconstituted in everything but name. If it makes you feel good I’ll go along. But we need better names than SLS and MPCV. I have suggested ‘Project Aquarius’ which should appeal more to the 60’s radicals who control our government. I do think it is a mistake for congress to put the same politicos who killed Constellation in charge of designing it.
Garver’s opposition to destination-driven space projects is no surprise. She is a procuror; a lobbyist by trade, no more, no less. Exhibit A: the boondoggle ISS she pimped for over several administrations goes no place except in circles and ultimately into the Pacific and was nothing more than a two-decade aerospace works program. Cost- $100+ billion and destined for splash by 2020. Garver doesn’t care what we build, as long as there are contracts to be won. She is very bad for NASA and poison for manned spaceflight. The quicker she is jettisoned from the agency, the better.
@William Mellberg wrote @ July 29th, 2011 at 9:16 am
“The Left has opposed human spaceflight for decades.”
Don’t be daft. Check the Congressional Record and you’ll discover that conservatives have steadfastly opposed HSF funding from the Kennedy’s Apollo days onward. It’s all there. Sure, there have been a few anomalies- like NY’s ‘Steady Eddie’ Koch– or Mondale, but the best ‘friends’ HSF have had have been progressives. They’re not named ‘the Eisenhower Space Center/Houston’ or ‘the Nixon Space Center/Florida’ ‘ya know.
@Robert G. Oler wrote @ July 29th, 2011 at 11:37 am
Nonsense. If you want to cling to that ancient analogy, then Garver would actually be a lobbyist for piston-driven engine builders, not human travel in aeroplanes. She wouldn’t care if they go into passenger planes or fighter aircraft…. or Everglade float boats for that matter. As long as there are contracts to be won for her lobby, she is for it.
@Gary Warburton wrote @ July 29th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
“This was a good speech by Lori Garver. It shows she understands the goals of new space advocates of bringing down costs and striving for innovations to make space cheaper.”
It was babble by a shill. Nobody has stopped ‘NewSpace’ from doing that except the parameters of the very market it wants to service. Garver’s a lobbyist. She understands NewSpace because she’s a lobbyist by trade, no more, no less.
Except, of course, you fail to recognize that the “country whose economy is based on free enterprise’ has NEVER demonstrated the initiative to lead in this field and has been habitually reactive, not pro-active, because of the high risk/low ROI for ‘free enterprised’ firms. They balked at investing in Goddard’s time and as the space race began, they recoiled as well when Sputnik was lofted. They let government do it. They have always been a follow along, cashing in where they could, letting the government carry the load, socializing the risk on the many. That’s why governments do it and will continue to do it for decades to come. To expect profit-driven ‘free enterprise’ to lead the way in this field, as the 80-plus year history of modern rocketry has shown– is indeed, a view that is ‘ludicrous.’
Tu8ca
The shuttle embodied a breathtaking number of technological advances. CxP negligible, when compared to the shuttle.
I’d hate to see NASA send the next three decades buying shuttle parts.
“…so that the private sector can come in, benefit from this technology investment, and then we move on to do the next hard thing,”
It’s time for NASA to do the next hard thing, not engage in the type of corporate welfare that amightywind is so fond of
Garver and other left-wingextremies seem to think that NASA CS’s do all the work. The contractor base does the work of NASA! “Private-sector” has been at work for decades and are the various and sundry contractors who work for commercial/space/defense companies under NASA-let contracts day-in and day-out. The President is supposed to set the vision to inspire and the agency with its contractor workforce move forward to carry-out this inspiration. Unfortunately, their is no inspiration in this Presidency and the Administration pants for more instead of standing up for what NASA does best. But, what else would one expect from the liberal left?
“And yet the mission and hardware have been reconstituted in everything but name.”
Oh? Where is the EDS and the lander? And of course there is no Ares 1 replacement, as ATK hasn’t been able to attract any potential users to it’s Franco-American Liberty rocket.
That leaves a de-rated capsule (MPCV) and a de-rated HLV (SLS). If that’s your idea of being “reconstituted in everything but name”, then the Constellation program was way over-hyped.
“I do think it is a mistake for congress to put the same politicos who killed Constellation in charge of designing it.”
And of course you mean Senators Nelson and Shelby, and on that I would agree…
BD wrote @ July 29th, 2011 at 4:45 pm
“instead of standing up for what NASA does best.”
Some in Congress think that what NASA does best is running a transportation company. Is that what you think too?
But of course NASA never really operated the Shuttle program, since that was contracted out the United Space Alliance at a price of $100M/month.
What is it that you think NASA does best? What specifically should NASA employees, not NASA contractors, be doing?
And what is it that commercial space should do?
Russell Snow
As a Space Cadet and a conservative, I am in the uncomfortable position of supporting Obama’s policy as best I understand it. When I find myself agreeing with Obama I have to ask why. Is it the stopped clock being right twice a day? Does he see things the way I do? Or could there be another motive. Let us say that Obama really wants to kill HSF to spend money on his other priorities. I find it hard to believe he prefers private enterprise doing ANYTHING instead of government. He has shown no privatizing zeal in any other sphere, like health care or education. So if he thinks it is a forgone conclusion that privatization is ineffective, then he is counting on it to fail so he can say, well we tried but we cannot afford to start over because my cronies over here need that cash. My fear is that this is Lucy and the football. And if it does succeed he gets credit for being a visionary. No downside.
@Russell Snow wrote @ July 29th, 2011 at 6:08 pm
As a Space Cadet and a conservative… <- then you've been at odd with yourself for a long time. Conservatives have been historcally opposed to the expensive proposition that is HSF. chiefly because space exploration is not space exploitation.
No, I am not at odds with myself. I view the NACA style of govt spending as a “post roads” type of thing. But is Obama really sincere in the privatization of space? He has no sympathy with it anywhere else.
But is Obama really sincere in the privatization of space? He has no sympathy with it anywhere else.
He’s happy to let space be private, because it’s not important to him. Hope that he never starts to think it’s important, because then he will insist that the government be firmly in charge.
NACA-styled administrative and operational procedures have been out of date- and existence for over 50 years– along with the Edsel.
@Rand Simberg wrote @ July 29th, 2011 at 7:26 pm
“He’s happy to let space be private.” Except it isn’t. See the U.S. DoD and various space programs of other sovereign nations for details.
Rand I don`t think he is either but then has there ever been a president who was interested in space? Some think Kennedy was but I think not. He was just fighting the cold war. I think the best you can hope for is a strong science advisor and a president who listens to him. The trouble with the left is they are too willing to compromise hence our SLS. I would rather Obama stuck to his guns. But do you know anyone who believes entirely in his party`s speil. You for instance, I think find it hard to stomach Posey and Hutchison just as I find Nelson pain in the butt.
Russell Snow wrote @ July 29th, 2011 at 7:08 pm
” But is Obama really sincere in the privatization of space? He has no sympathy with it anywhere else.”
the issue in the notion of privatized/government regulated or government controlled with private participation is a simple one…which benefits The Republic best.
The model of “government controlled with private participation” is actually a fairly good one in certain venues. The government builds and operates (with private participation) the air traffic control system. It builds and operates (with private participation) the federal highway system…I think that the federal government should take over operation of the power grid and yes health care.
The problem is that that model does not function well in some things…and that has been demonstrated in human spaceflight.
I have no doubt that Obama believes (as much as any President since Kennedy) what he is doing in human spaceflight is a good thing…so do I RGO
RGO, God help us if the Feds take over the power grid. We are pretty screwed now with Obamacare. Different argument, different day. My main question is about Obama’s motivation. Is he doing this because he thinks privatization really will succeed, or because he assumes it won’t. I don’t know and don’t really care except in one regard, if SpaceX gears up to do all these things, will NASA pull the funding because success wasn’t the goal in the first place?
Matt Wiser
That “unnamed company” may be Lockheed-Martin: they’ve had a proposal for a 2019 NEO mission called PLYMOUTH ROCK for some time now.
Martijn Meijering
to return NASA to that more classical role of our 1958 Space Act of investing in technologies that will then help create new markets, so that the private sector can come in, benefit from this technology investment, and then we move on to do the next hard thing
I find this a very disappointing vision and I expect little from it. I don’t think an R&D industrial political complex is a good idea and I don’t think it would be capable of opening up new markets. It would be a lot better than a Shuttle/SDLV political industrial complex of course and some good could come of it, mainly indirectly through funding for startups working on opening up space. But that could be done much more cheaply with targeted funding.
Destination-driven budgets are, we know, problematic
I disagree. The problem was overreach, lack of competition, no effort to maximise commercial synergy (or even to minimise it) and zip-code engineering, not destination-driven budgets. And recall that the capability-driven SLI didn’t go anywhere either.
What we need is a holistic program that chooses a sequence of intermediate destinations and goals in quick succession, with those destinations and goals chosen to maximise synergy with commercial development of space in general and low cost and reliable access to space in particular. Demand-pull from target-driven exploration missions (both manned and unmanned) is the key concept here, not government launchers and not government R&D programs.
low cost reliable access to space was a key goal of the current administration
That should be the #1 goal and it’s good she says it is at least one of several key goals. But it doesn’t show in NASA’s actions, nor did it even in Obama’s original budget request.
Russell Snow wrote @ July 30th, 2011 at 1:48 am
“I don’t know and don’t really care except in one regard, if SpaceX gears up to do all these things, will NASA pull the funding because success wasn’t the goal in the first place?”
The President proposes, but the Congress disposes.
NASA doesn’t get to pick and choose what gets funded. The SLS program is a prime example of that, and so it is with Commercial Crew.
Right now Congress is the one holding back Commercial Crew, not the President or NASA. And conversely, if NASA wanted to defund Commercial Crew at some point, Congress can keep on funding it regardless. Ask Cheney what his opinion of the V-22 program is (hint: he tried and failed to cancel it). The President is supposed to provide direction, and Congress either goes along with that direction or picks their own.
I’m not a mind reader, so I can only go by people’s actions, and so far this Administration is supporting commercial efforts, which I support too. Let’s strike while the iron is hot, since the further we get the more likely it is to succeed.
Matt Wiser wrote @ July 30th, 2011 at 2:22 am
That would make sense. The challenge will be how much they want to do it, since the budget is very constrained.
Matt, would you be willing for Congress to stretch the operational date of the SLS in order to do a LM asteroid mission with an unmanned MPCV on a Delta IV Heavy?
If it’s a human flight, as L-M has proposed, then that’s a trade I’d be willing to swallow. Then Mr.Obama, along with Bolden, Garver, etc., get their precious NEO mission out of the way, and then we can get on track for lunar return. For this mission to get Congressional support, it would have to be a Human mission.
This is L-M’s mission proposal: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/data/assets/ssc/Orion/Toolkit/OrionAsteroidMissionBrief.pdf
And a more detailed study:
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/sbag/meetings/sbag2/presentations/PlymouthRockasteroidmission.pdf
Are there any studies floating around about launching Orion unmanned to the ISS or LEO, then launching an EDS or off-the-shelf US to dock with it, and then transferring crew to this “stack” from commercial, ISS, or Soyuz?
This seems like it could be the easiest, cheapest, most international friendly way to get out of LEO and do some basic, flexible path missions.
You could do this with Dragon too.
And with no more than storable propellant transfer at L1/L2 you could do serious lunar missions too.
Matt Wiser wrote @ July 30th, 2011 at 3:21 pm
“Then Mr.Obama, along with Bolden, Garver, etc., get their precious NEO mission out of the way, and then we can get on track for lunar return.”
You keep forgetting that they won’t be in office then. Obama at the very latest would hand over the Whitehouse in January of 2017, so who knows what a President Paul or ??? will want to spend money on.
Be careful what you wish for…
@Russell Snow wrote @ July 30th, 2011 at 1:48 am
Boy, don’t you have a tortuous mind! You don’t know and don’t care yet you demand an explanation? If you don’t know and don’t care why are you posting here? Why do you have to be one dimensional thinking? In your mind it is all “private” or (exclusive or) all “government”?
What this WH is offering is that the private sector run by small businesses and fair competition in a capitalist market is the way to go. And had you seen Ms. Garver you’d know she means business. Unlike the people who keep questioning her who have done what in life for NASA? For exploration?
Had you heard the panel of the Center Directors and Deputy Directors you’d know that NASA’s budget is facing a cliff. You would know that it is time to stop this bickering nonsense and get together to save NASA HSF and possibly NASA. Note that NASA HSF includes, I repeat, includes private space. It is not equal to private space. Well at least it was not equal until the abominable failure of Constellation and of our economy. An economy run by who exactly? Today it is all we have, commercial space. SLS/MPCV is a joke. An expensive joke.
People need to wake up of their trance. Stop being hypnotized by the lights of the incoming train wreck or it’ll be too late soon.
Oh and yeah by the way, NASA does not pull the funding, Congress does.
Paul won’t be President: he’s too old anyway, and this will be his last hurrah. His son, might run, but after Mr. Obama, we’ll be in the mood to have a former Governor (of whatever party) as POTUS-as long as that Governor is not (a) from Texas, and (b) named Bush (I’m referring to Jeb-the ex-governor of Florida-who would be a strong space supporter, though).
Ron, did you read the L-M documents? The second one gives a lot of rationale for this as a demonstrator for both Lunar and Mars missions. And it’s doable within a few years, but the decision needs to be made soon.
While you could do it with Dragon, that’s a hot potato on the Hill. Not until they get this Debt Celing mess sorted out (and they will-because there’s no choice), and then Congress takes off for their summer recess (another reason to get it done). Once that’s settled, Rep. Hall (Chair, House Sci/Tech Committee) needs to hold the hearings that he’s said he wants to have about commercial crew and have Musk testify. If Mr. Musk indicates that he wants Dragon as an option for NASA on BEO……he may have slit his own throat, because NASA is committed to L-M and MPCV/Orion. He needs to knock off that “retiring on Mars” nonsense and focus on the Commercial Cargo and Crew ops he’s on tap for.
This article from Politico on Friday adds some good insight on the issue of private firms providing services:
While you could do it with Dragon, that’s a hot potato on the Hill.
That’s SLS/MPCV speak for “I’ve run out of arguments”.
“he’s said he wants to have about commercial crew and have Musk testify.”
Ooh boy, I was hoping they woud try that ploy. I will have some popcorn out watching that attempted grilling. It will not go in the direction Mr. Hall wants.
P.S. As for the Debt Ceiling problem. I agree that will be solved at or just before the deadline, if not by a compomise bill, then from an unexpected (by some) direction.
“Ron, did you read the L-M documents?”
Not from your link, but I have in the past.
“The second one gives a lot of rationale for this as a demonstrator for both Lunar and Mars missions. And it’s doable within a few years, but the decision needs to be made soon.”
As always Matt, it’s never been about whether we can do something, it’s whether we can afford to do something.
My whole objection to the SLS has always been about cost. It will cost taxpayers $Billions, and we don’t even know if we can afford to use it. Congress doesn’t even know if we can afford to use it, and hasn’t even started funding missions for it yet.
The MPCV was wanted by NASA and Congress, so it looks like it will survive, and yes it certainly looks like you could use it to do an asteroid mission. But if it has to wait for the SLS, then who knows when that mission could start. If they put it on a Delta IV Heavy, maybe it could happen this decade, but now you have to figure out how to get the astronauts to space – human rate the Delta IV Heavy ($1.3B), or send them up on commercial crew vehicles (~$400M) and transfer them over at the ISS?
See, it all boils down to money, not what is possible. So figure out the money part, and then your choices for doing anything become a lot clearer.
I doubt that. What are they saying? Uh oh, SpaceX can do the same mission as NASA for 10X less money? Oh my goodness, we can’t let THAT happen!
“If Mr. Musk indicates that he wants Dragon as an option for NASA on BEO……he may have slit his own throat, because NASA is committed to L-M and MPCV/Orion.”
I don’t think you understand how federal procurement works. Anyone can say they want to sell to the government, but unless the government wants to buy something, tough luck.
You don’t think that ATK, Boeing and Lockheed Martin aren’t always trying to sell the government something “they need” but that the government doesn’t?
But let’s take the flip side. Is it against the law to tell the government that you have a less expensive way to do something? Should you be jailed for that? Isn’t that just an indication of what’s wrong with politics? That it’s who you know not what you know? Is that what you’re supporting Matt, back room politics?
“He needs to knock off that “retiring on Mars” nonsense and focus on the Commercial Cargo and Crew ops he’s on tap for.”
Yes it’s quite clear that the only “vision” Congress wants to hear is their own, not the President’s, and not a successful businessman’s.
If you only reach for the low bar, you’ll never reach the high bar…
I actually am in agreement (somewhat) with Garver, the problem with the course the current Administration has set is the speed at which they want to go. The abrupt disruption they have caused to the management and workforce at NASA has me wondering what other agenda they have (or is being pushed on them by the bureaucrats at OMB) that they are not telling us.
The only other comment I have, is: This is 2011, not 1958, I am wondering if the U.S. should take a look at the charter for NASA and maybe think about bringing it in alignment with what the U.S. needs are.
Ron, there’s nothing wrong with Musk offering Dragon to NASA for BEO missions-DOD gets proposals all the time-both solicited and otherwise. The problem for Musk is twofold: 1) until he actually flies a human Dragon mission, he’s still a “rocket boy.” As the commercial space symposium said last year, “stop talking and start flying”-their words, not mine; and 2) he’s got to convince those on the Hill-both in the House as well as the Senate, that he’s not trying to muscle in on NASA’s turf re: BEO exploration, and that commercial crew/cargo services enable NASA to focus on exploration. Hearing that from Musk (along with poor Charlie Bolden) makes the commercial crew argument go further.
As for PLYMOUTH ROCK, I’d human-rate Delta IV Heavy or Atlas V for this, send the EDS and hab module up, do EOR, and go. No refueling, just wait for the departure window to open, and go. If the return flight trajectory enables it, have a Venus flyby on the way home-two firsts on the same mission. If SLS is available, use it, by all means, but at least we’d get the NEO mission out of the way and have some deep-space flight experience and have some research data on radiation and biomedical issues, asteroid samples, lots of imagery, and so on. Then we can get rolling on lunar return. Flying to an asteroid is nice, but if you want to operate on a planetary surface in a space environment, you’ll have to go back to the Moon to get ready for Mars.
August 1, 2011 at 10:07 am · Reply
Matt wrote:
“If the return flight trajectory enables it, have a Venus flyby on the way home-two firsts on the same mission.”
In one of Administrator Bolden’s first speeches, he talked about a study done by NASA on engaging the public more. He revealed how that study showed Americans, as far as spaceflight, tune in for firsts then move on.
The American public, is what it is.
I am not for flag and footprints type of firsts where it is not bringing commercial along, or is not trying for sustainabilty. Bolden outlined a more spiral type approach. The first EM L1/L2 mission, first ES L1/L2 mission, first asteroid mission, first venus flyby, first moon of mars mission.
It would provide a lot of firsts to engage the public and it would develop a little, test a little, fly a little as we spiraled out into deeper space.
Matt Wiser wrote @ July 31st, 2011 at 8:59 pm
“1) until he actually flies a human Dragon mission, he’s still a “rocket boy.””
Is “rocket boy” a derogatory term? What does it mean? Could it mean an entrepreneur who spends his own money to create a rocket company that now has $3B in customer backorders? Maybe you’re just misinterpreting what people are saying…
“2) he’s got to convince those on the Hill-both in the House as well as the Senate, that he’s not trying to muscle in on NASA’s turf re: BEO exploration”
Why does he have to “convince” them? When has Musk said that he wants to take over NASA’s BEO mission? When has Musk said that he wants to build and operate science missions to asteroids or the lunar surface for public knowledge?
You’re making that up Matt.
Even if that were true, what is wrong with a private company telling the government that they can do a job for far less than the government? Isn’t that what Republicans are all about, letting the private sector do the jobs that it costs government too much to do?
In any case, if you actually listen to what Musk and SpaceX have said, and if you look at what they are actually building, they want to be a delivery company, not an exploration one. They will get you where you want to go, whether that’s LEO or potentially the surface of Mars. What you do there is up to you. How in any way does that compete with NASA’s core mission?
Nice mission proposal, although isn’t Venus a little out of the way? And if you’re flying by Venus, why would you want to stop there and go sit on the Moon? Why wouldn’t you keep pushing out further and further into the Solar System? Sure some people want to go back to the Moon, but some people want to push out into the Solar System. Why not do both?
@Matt Wiser wrote @ July 31st, 2011 at 8:59 pm
Precisely. Because that’s really what it’s all about, isn’t it… especially to a fella boasting of plans to ‘retire on Mars.’
Ron, I’m not dissing Musk or Space X in any way, but the “rocket boy” tag is the way he is perceived on The Hill. Until Chairman Hall holds the hearings that he has indicated he wants to re: commercial crew, and has Musk testify (which Hall has said he wants to have happen), Musk will be perceived as an amateur hobbyist and treated as such. (that “retiring on Mars” crap he spouted didn’t help his case at all, either) Not to mention doing more than flying a boilerplate Dragon and bringing it back. When he demonstrates capability-not proof of concept, Musk will silence the doubters-not before. And I would be among those saying “Well done.”
The Venus flyby may be possible if the return trajectory from the target asteroid allows it. The Apollo Applications Program (stupid to walk away from that-but that’s another discussion for another time) had such a proposal for a manned Venus flyby.
Ron, I’d rather do both. But where we differ is where we ought to be going first. IF the money allowed, I’d have lunar return and THEN push farther out. I’m realistic enough to know that’s not in the cards, and that FlexPath is where we’re headed. But that doesn’t change the fact that until NASA actually says where we’re going besides the vague promises of NEO and Mars, there will be those who are skeptical of the current path-and I’m a reluctant supporter of FlexPath because that’s the only way forward for the moment.
August 2, 2011 at 2:08 am · Reply
“I am not for flag and footprints type of firsts where it is not bringing commercial along, or is not trying for sustainabilty. Bolden outlined a more spiral type approach. The first EM L1/L2 mission, first ES L1/L2 mission, first asteroid mission, first venus flyby, first moon of mars mission. ‘
I agree here. Moon first think that private industry can instantly be ready to bridge the gap to lunar capability. They can not. Sure SLS could land NASA astronaunts on the moon, but lunar hotels/private manned lunar research…nope… never will it do so. I mean it is a high barrier of entery when private space must purchase larger rockets(that have few other uses) and build landers(that have no other users) to send anything to the moon. It would be like asking a 19th century rail road company to haul as much as a modren feight trains. They could not and the cost of upgrading rails, bridges, more steam locomotives all at once would be prohibative.
EML1/L2 has the avangtage that current EELV and near term commercail rockets could support supply such an mission. And with near term technology(SEP) you could supply the mission with smaller rockets).
Das Boese
Coastal Ron wrote @ August 1st, 2011 at 10:48 am”
Is “rocket boy” a derogatory term? What does it mean?
Perhaps it’s his secret superhero identity ?
After all, Iron Man is already taken…
On a different note, I have to disagree that Elon/SpaceX see themselves as just a transportation company and exploration isn’t within their scope… remember the full name of the company: Space Exploration Technologies
The notion of them wanting to “compete with NASA on exploration” is silly, though. The name of the company is the product/service they want to sell to NASA and others. Sell, not operate.
Das Boese wrote @ August 2nd, 2011 at 7:57 am
“remember the full name of the company…”
Using that standard, what is Apple? A fruit company? I think the “Exploration” in their name is providing the transportation for the exploration, but in general you can’t get too hung up on company names, since the business plan could have changed after they started the company.
For instance Musk originally wanted to be sending science packages to Mars, but he could find transportation that fit his budget, and so SpaceX was born out of that need. Likely he’ll spin off a different company if he wants to go back to science-oriented missions.
In any case, Musk has said they are a transportation company, and so far all of their products and services have been focused on transporting payloads, cargo and people to destinations in space.
Matt Wiser wrote @ August 1st, 2011 at 9:49 pm
“Ron, I’m not dissing Musk or Space X in any way”
Yes Matt, you are.
Now you’re saying that in order for Musk to stop being perceived as “an amateur hobbyist“, he must appear in front of Congress. Is that the standard all “amateur hobbyist” are held too?
At what point does someone that has invested millions of their own money, created a profitable company, employs 1,500 people, and has a customer backlog of $3B, stop becoming in your words “a hobbyist”? Are the 1,500 employees that work at SpaceX hobbyist too?
Do you even know what the word “hobbyist” means?
hobbyist |ˈhäbēist|
a person who pursues a particular hobby : a computer hobbyist.
hobby 1 |ˈhäbē|
noun ( pl. -bies)
1 an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure
SpaceX is a business, Musk is the CEO, and you sir have been purposefully insulting him.
Now that happens all the time, and it’s a free world Matt, but just don’t play innocent here.
“Not to mention doing more than flying a boilerplate Dragon and bringing it back.”
By definition, a “boilerplate Dragon” is what flew on the first Falcon 9 flight.
The second Falcon 9 Flight carried a functional Dragon spacecraft that demonstrated all phases of launch, maneuvering in space, and return to Earth. That flight also met the definition of the COTS Demo 1 Mission, so NASA viewed the flight as functional too.
“When he demonstrates capability-not proof of concept, Musk will silence the doubters-not before.”
So having not one, but two successful Falcon 9 launches is proof of concept, and did not demonstrate capability? Launching and recovering a functional Dragon spacecraft did not demonstrate capability?
Matt, I’m a great believer in standards. But I have a hard time finding any consistency in the tasks you say SpaceX must follow in order to remove your “hobbyist” moniker.
You just seem to be making up reasons why SpaceX should be treated differently than everyone else. That’s sad Matt, really sad.
Hilarious righteous indignation. Puh-lease.
Ron: Two test flights do not acapability make. When they demonstrate cargo delivery, and then have crewed test flights, then they have capability to offer NASA and other prospective customers. Not before.
And what Musk needs to do is knock off this “retiring on Mars” crap. Can he offer NASA and other customers cheap, reliable, safe access to LEO? It looks like he can, and he ought to stick to it for the time being. What he ought to do is concentrate on that, and leave exploration to NASA. Now, if NASA issues RFPs for an intermediate rocket in between EELVs and SLS (I know that’s heresy to a lot of folks here, but SLS is where NASA’s going at the moment), and Musk offers Falcon 9 Heavy in response, he’s entirely welcome to do so. There will be tons of money to be made in the exploitation of space, but exploration? That’s NASA and other Space Agencies’ responsiblity.
Matt Wiser wrote @ August 2nd, 2011 at 9:26 pm
“When they demonstrate cargo delivery, and then have crewed test flights, then they have capability to offer NASA and other prospective customers. Not before.”
Well Matt, this is what you said originally:
“When he demonstrates capability-not proof of concept”
Now I don’t know what universe you come from, but two Falcon 9 launches that use production hardware are not “proof of concept”. The Dragon capsule on flight #2, which was fully functional, was not “proof of concept”.
When you light the rocket engines and perform a full profile mission to space and back, that is demonstrating capability – they are capable of launching payloads to LEO, and they are capable of launching capsules having them return safely to Earth. Capability demonstrated.
But I think the real issue here is that you have special goal posts for what it takes for SpaceX and Musk to succeed (and no one else), the latest being:
– Only Congress can tell Musk that he’s not a “hobbyist”
– Only after doing what no other commercial company has done will they be considered to have demonstrated “capability”, and not just “proof of concept”.
And you still have this silly idea that SpaceX is trying to become a science operations company so that they can somehow “compete with NASA” for science mission funding from Congress.
If you would only open your ears, you would hear that Musk has said SpaceX is a transportation company. And if you opened your eyes you would see that they only build products to move payloads, cargo and people into and through space.
Bush/Griffin awarded SpaceX a contract to move cargo for NASA, and NASA has added SpaceX to their approved vendor list under the NASA Launch Services (NLS) II Contract (payload missions). NASA has also awarded SpaceX a contract that could lead to a contract for transporting people, so where is SpaceX competing with NASA? NASA needs companies like SpaceX to do their routine transportation work. You are weird Matt.
“but SLS is where NASA’s going at the moment”
Keep in mind that it was the Senate that wanted the SLS, and they even stated it was to “preserve jobs”, so until you can point to Congressional funding for SLS payloads, it’s a rocket without a mission and ripe for cancellation in the next Congress.
Oh, and keep in mind that by 2016 SpaceX will have demonstrated the full slate of all their transportation services (Falcon 9, Dragon crew and Falcon Heavy), which will still be years before the SLS will fly what should be (according to you) a “proof of concept” flight.
Unless of course you’re moving the goal posts again…
And what Musk needs to do is knock off this “retiring on Mars” crap.
Why? Too visionary for you?
There will be tons of money to be made in the exploitation of space, but exploration? That’s NASA and other Space Agencies’ responsiblity.
What a ridiculous comment. What other space agencies? Where is it written that exploration is NASA’s responsibility, and that it has a monopoly on it? Or that only governments are allowed to do it?
If people like you had been in charge a couple hundred years ago, we’d have never explored or settled the west, until the National Western Exploration Agency had been established.
I have never been a Space X fanboy, nor am I a commercial space zealot. Do I believe the Commercial sector can deliver on what they’re saying they can do? Yes. But they have to PROVE IT. Shooting a boilerplate Dragon into orbit is the first step. But, Space X has to show they can deliver cargo-and in some cases, such as experiment packages that need to come back, return it to Earth. The same applies to Sierra Nevada, Orbital Science, Boeing, etc. As the Commercial Space crowd said at last year’s symposium, “We need to stop talking and start flying.” Musk needs to prove to NASA’s satisfaction (and Congress’) that they can do the jobs they’re being contracted to do. And the same goes for all the other potential commercial space providers.
And yes, Commercial LEO enables NASA to use its resources to go BEO. And personally, I’d rather have NASA designing, building, and flying those exploration systems. Said it before and I’ll repeat, but if NASA issues RFPs for improved exploration vehicles, everyone would be invited-the Boeings, Lockheed-Martins, Northrop-Grummans, etc, along with the new companies. As long as those vehicles meet NASA’s specifications, that’s fine with me. But here’s where I draw the line: this is exploration, not exploitation. NASA goes first. NOT a commercial contractor.
As long as those vehicles meet NASA’s specifications, that’s fine with me. But here’s where I draw the line: this is exploration, not exploitation. NASA goes first.
Then they don’t need to operate and design their own launch vehicles or crew capsules. That’s much more important than how spacecraft are procured. Fair, competitive and redundant procurement of launch services is crucial for commercial development of space, similar procurement of crew transportation would be valuable, while such procurement of exploration craft would be merely nice to have, at least at this stage.
NOT a commercial contractor.
Are you saying (potential) contractors should be banned from trying to do their own exploration missions? I’m thinking of SpaceX and Bigelow specifically. And what about doing exploration work for foreign governments?
Shooting a boilerplate Dragon into orbit is the first step.
Why do you continue to lie about this? They didn’t launch a “boilerplate” Dragon into orbit. They launched a fully functional Dragon into orbit, and returned it.
And personally, I’d rather have NASA designing, building, and flying those exploration systems.
Yes, we get that. But you never explain why, exactly. Why is it so important to you that NASA does those things? It should be more important to you that they happen, and at the most affordable price to the taxpayer, but somehow it isn’t. So apparently while you’re adamant about not being a “SpaceX fanboy” (who is?) you’re happy to admit to being a NASA fanboi, though you have no coherent explanation as to why.
But here’s where I draw the line: this is exploration, not exploitation. NASA goes first. NOT a commercial contractor.
What in the world does that mean? Do you have no response to my comment about opening up the west? Do you think that commercial contractors should be forbidden by law from exploring? Do you think…at all?
Why is it so important to you that NASA does those things?
A good question, but would you agree competitive procurement is much less important for spacecraft / surface structures than for launch services?
Not without giving it a lot of thought. Why do you think that’s the case?
Because high launch prices are the only stumbling block to commercial development of space, not high spacecraft prices, provided the spacecraft are reusable.
Matt Wiser wrote @ August 3rd, 2011 at 11:34 pm
“Musk needs to prove to NASA’s satisfaction (and Congress’) that they can do the jobs they’re being contracted to do. And the same goes for all the other potential commercial space providers.”
The difference between you and Musk is that Musk has actually been doing Pay-for-Performance contracts for a long time (COTS and CCDev), but you see them as something novel to keep commercial aerospace away from NASA. Weird.
What’s also funny is that you advocating for this (i.e. doing the work before getting paid) makes you an Elon Musk fanboy, since he has been advocating for NASA to do more of it for a long time. He’ll also advocate it to Congress if they ever allow him to testify. I’m sure he’s glad he can rely on your support…
“Said it before and I’ll repeat, but if NASA issues RFPs for improved exploration vehicles, everyone would be invited-the Boeings, Lockheed-Martins, Northrop-Grummans, etc, along with the new companies.”
Now you’re a government contracting expert? Matt, you are in way over your head. It’s obvious that you have certain biases against commercial aerospace, especially SpaceX (as many have pointed out).
But as I point out to others who take unfairly biased views of commercial aerospace, it doesn’t matter what you think, since the progress commercial aerospace is making, and the budget issues NASA is getting ready to face, will force NASA to rely on commercial aerospace more and more if they want to do anything more in space.
And isn’t that really what you want anyways, for us to do more?
Yes, goshdarnit, I want to do more. But, and here’s where I draw the line. Commercial to LEO. NASA and other agencies for BEO. For the time being. And no, I am NOT a SpaceX fanboy, nor do I worship Lord Musk.
Commercial LEO means NASA BEO. Cut and dry, that is it. Boeing, Orbital, Sierra Nevada, and even SpaceX can support NASA’s exploration activities (assuming that on-orbit refueling works-but we’ll have to wait until the technology demonstrator flies to see if that is feasible), but as far as flying the actual missions to the Moon, NEOs, L-Points, Mars, that’s NASA’s ball game, not Musk nor any other commercial provider.
Matt Wiser wrote @ August 4th, 2011 at 3:24 pm
“But, and here’s where I draw the line. ”
Why draw the line Matt? That’s what we’re trying to find out from you, why it makes such a big difference to you?
I guess if you had your way that the Google Lunar X PRIZE would be illegal?
Why does it matter if it’s an agency of the U.S. Government that does something or that it’s a private individual or company?
And no, I am NOT a SpaceX fanboy, nor do I worship Lord Musk.
If you don’t worship him, why do you call him “Lord Musk”? I think that he’s doing useful things, but I don’t call him that. He’s just a visionary entrepreneur, not an aristocrat or a god. I think that it’s hilariously ironic that the only people who call him “Lord Musk” are the people who pretend they don’t worship him (as opposed to the rest of us, who really don’t worship him).
…as far as flying the actual missions to the Moon, NEOs, L-Points, Mars, that’s NASA’s ball game, not Musk nor any other commercial provider.
You keep saying this, but never provide an explanation as to why it’s not nutty, or how we would have opened up the west with such a bizarre attitude.
NASA explores. Commercial exploits. Simple as that. And yes, I would be a lot more comfortable with Commercial Crew if Boeing was leading on this: they’ve been around the block a long time, they know what they’re doing, and have both the individual experience and the institutional experience to get things done. Space X, while they have some great people working for them, doesn’t have the latter.
And in case you haven’t heard….Boeing selected Atlas V for their commercial crew launcher. And they’re looking for crew to fly the test missions.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44021510/ns/technology_and_science-space/&sa=U&ei=zUY7TtWbLKfhiALnpMDcCw&ved=0CEIQqQIwAw&sig2=zAqYblwt-OXz96qmpmOKLQ&usg=AFQjCNG4FI0aLXrD8Vv8vD_PA4eFMn7pUA
And before STS-134, there was a presser where the commercial prospects were outlining their plans for Commercial Crew to the media, Boeing’s rep stated that NASA astronauts would be likely flying at least one test mission, if not more, and that even if a flight had one or two company crew, there would also likely be one or two NASA astronauts aboard.
“NASA explores. Commercial exploits.”
You’ve said that before. The real question is why?
Why the bright dividing line for commercial?
What happens if commercial companies (or individuals) start doing space exploration, which they surely will at some point. Will that be against your law? Should they be prevented from doing exploration on their own? Again, why?
“And yes, I would be a lot more comfortable with Commercial Crew if Boeing was leading on this”
How could Boeing lead? You mean that a company that had a faster plan to develop a crew system should be stopped until companies with slower plans catch up? Is that fair? How could you justify that on a legal basis?
And isn’t it NASA that is leading this, so you would think that NASA is applying the same rules to all the companies. That’s what I expect, and Bolden has stated that too. If NASA is happy, why shouldn’t you be? SpaceX has been doing all the right things so far, getting paid for accomplishing them, and is leading the way. What’s wrong?
“Space X, while they have some great people working for them, doesn’t have the latter”
You say this, but have you actually compared the personnel that are working on capsules at both Boeing and SpaceX? I think this is more a wish of yours than reality, although it fits into your dislike for anything SpaceX.
“And in case you haven’t heard…”
The big surprise would have been if Boeing DIDN’T choose Atlas V, but we threw a party anyways since it shows the progress commercial crew is making – didn’t you get the invite?
Maybe you thought that this was bad news somehow? Weird.
“Boeing’s rep stated that NASA astronauts would be likely flying at least one test mission, if not more, and that even if a flight had one or two company crew, there would also likely be one or two NASA astronauts aboard.”
Boeing will do the test flights with company personnel, and then leave it up to the customer as to whether they want to use their own crew or use Boeing crew.
I’ve always thought it would work this way for all the commercial crew providers, since customers will likely buy a whole flight, and they may want to maximize the amount of people that can deliver to space. I don’t think it makes a difference to the crew service providers, since NASA crew will be trained by the providers, and NASA will have to pay for the training. Extra revenue sources!
Just as a note Matt. You keep thinking that competition in the commercial crew arena is bad, but most of us see it as a sign of strength, since no one wants another monopoly on U.S. spaceflight like what NASA has had. We want to see as many competitors as the market can support.
So Boeing announcing that they are using the rocket that everyone expected them to use was really only bad news to the clueless that thought that they might use the ATK/Astrium Liberty instead. Hopefully that was the last nail in the head for that zombie rocket…
Don’t forget to answer the first question.
NASA explores. Commercial exploits. Simple as that.
So simple it’s simple minded. And you still don’t have an actual explanation. You just continue to restate your religious beliefs.
“as far as flying the actual missions to the Moon, NEOs, L-Points, Mars, that’s NASA’s ball game, not Musk nor any other commercial provider”
What if a couple billionaires pooled some money and bought a trip to the moon or an L-point, should a law be passed preventing them from doing that?
Space Adventures will be announcing a lunar flyby by the end of this year, should the federal government take this to the U.N. and ban any privately financed trips?
Clay Comstock
With NASA IN Russia, are the US going to the private sector or arm forces Spaces for space engines? Just because NASA is in Russia doesn’t mean the US CAN’T go into space.
I agree you space is to explore. We should fine an organization that will explore. NASA is in Russia, we half deal with this ourselves.
Unless the US can’t afford this.
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Albino children maimed by superstition in Tanzania
Deemed to be ghosts, albino children are hunted by shamans, who use their body parts in witchcraft and potions. Their mutilation is thought to bring good luck to the attackers and others who visit witch doctors.
By Michael Matza Philadelphia Inquirer
June 27, 2015 — 5:14pm
PHILADELPHIA – In Tanzania, superstition dictates that people with albinism are both despised as damaged demons and prized for mystical powers.
The stories appall:
In March, assailants lopped off the right hand of a 6-year-old boy, Baraka Cosmas Rusambo.
Last year, 16-year-old Pendo Sengerema had her right arm hacked off at the elbow.
In 2010, Kabula Nkalango was 12 when three men wielding machetes broke into her house, sheared off an arm at the shoulder, and ran away with it. She nearly bled to death.
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Kabula Nkalango, 18, spoke with Dan Zlotolow, a specialist in hand and upper-extremity surgery at Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa. Nkalango lost her right arm to a machete attack in Tanzania. At left is Elissa Montanti, founder and director of Global Medical Relief Fund. (Alejandro A. Alvarez/Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS)
On a recent Wednesday, the damage wrought by such benighted beliefs met the healing power of modern medicine in Philadelphia. Baraka, Sengerema, and Nkalango were among five persecuted albinos from Tanzania who began free treatment for prostheses at Shriners Hospital in North Philadelphia.
The five were brought to America by Global Medical Relief Fund (GMRF), a small, Staten Island, N.Y.-based charity that has a long-standing relationship with Shriners in Philadelphia, which specializes in pediatric orthopedics.
Operating on an annual budget of $450,000 in donations, GMRF arranges visas, travel and for children who have been maimed in war and natural disasters.
Albinism is a genetically inherited condition that affects about 1 in 20,000 people worldwide. It tends to be more common in sub-Saharan Africa, experts say.
Recently the Canadian group Under the Same Sun released a report that documented 147 killings and 229 nonfatal attacks against albinos within 25 African countries since 1998.
UTSS also maintains a guarded safe house in Dar es Salaam, where the children live and are expected to return when their medical treatment in Philadelphia is complete.
The Tanzanian government has cracked down on albino killings, recently arresting 225 unlicensed “healers,” according to the BBC. Last year, the government added the death penalty to the sentences possible for people convicted of attacks on albinos.
Red Cross investigators and other international aid groups say dismembered limbs, genitals, ears, tongues and noses can fetch tens of thousands of dollars on the black market in Tanzania and other parts of East Africa, where anti-albino bias is most prevalent.
GMRF has helped more than 180 children since 1998.
Its founder said she found the children’s plight particularly haunting. “This is sadistic,” Elissa Montanti said. “You weren’t accidentally injured. You didn’t accidentally walk into a cross fire. This was intentionally done. Someone came in and just hacked away. This is — how should I say it? — in a world all its own.”
After decades of low Earth missions, NASA has a renewed commitment to deep-space exploration. It is betting on a new program called Artemis to take us back to the moon by 2024.
India aborted the launch on Monday of a spacecraft intended to land on the far side of the moon less than an hour before liftoff.
India launches mission to the moon early Monday
In early September, if all goes according to plan, an unmanned Indian spacecraft will touch down where none has landed before: fewer than 400 miles…
Your face may have traveled around the world in invasive facial recognition databases
SAN FRANCISCO – Dozens of databases of people’s faces are being compiled without their knowledge by companies and researchers, with many of the images…
CDC is on alert for the rare, paralyzing condition known as AFM
Minnesota, which found itself at the center of a national mystery last year, has reported no cases so far in 2019.
NASA's next giant leap: Return to the moon and beyond • Science
Why use words? Emojis convey health just fine, Mayo finds • Science
Aging superpowers: Animals may hold the key to better human health • Science
CDC is on alert for the rare, paralyzing condition known as AFM • Science
New tests find chronic UTIs undiagnosed by standard tests • Science
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typhoonical
Another Open Letter to Newt Gingrich
Dear Mr. Gingrich:
I'm going to award you a prize. A prize for the most ignorance ever crammed into one sentence. Really. You outdid Trump, and that's no small-fingered feat. "We should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background and if they believe in sharia they should be deported."
I just had to try to break that down.
First, let's try to understand what a "person of Muslim background" is. Would that include Boris Johnson, whose great-grandfather was a Muslim Turk? What about ex-Muslims, including ones who are known Islamophobes? What about non-Muslims who think Muslims should have religious freedom? Or people with Muslims in their families...*ducks blows*...like our beloved Muslim POTUS? I don't understand, Mr. Gingrich. I'm quite sure the Founding Fathers didn't describe people in terms of their religious "background," which is probably why it doesn't exist in the Constitution.
Second, a religious "test." Well, this one's been beaten to death after Trump called for a temporary ban on Muslim immigration "until we can figure out what the hell's going on." When your civics knowledge is below that of the average fifth grader, Mr. Former Speaker of the House, I'm not too confident you'll ever figure out what's going on.
Third, "believe in sharia." As Asifa Quraishi-Landes wrote in the Washington Post this morning, shariah "is a body of Quran-based guidance that points Muslims toward living an Islamic life....Shariah is divine and philosophical." You can believe in God, or believe in an article of faith, or a divine book, a prophet, etc. But we don't "believe" in shariah - we follow it. It's a legal and ethical system. Your ignorant commentary, Mr. Gingrich, belies a basic understanding of what "sharia" means. You'd fail a Sunday school test on the subject, but you want to test all of us.
Fourth - "shariah." You arbitrarily - and without authority - define shariah by headline-grabbing rulings involving stoning, flogging, subjugation of women, and death. Yes, there are a lot of troublesome rulings, as there are in every legal system. But as Imam Zaid Shakir has written, "Normative Islam is based on both rulings and interpretive principles. Those who, like ISIS, separate the rulings from the interpretive principles underlying them, both misrepresent Islam and open the door to varieties and degrees of harm that the religion strictly forbids." Like our system of common law, the sharia as a legal and ethical system has the tools to tailor rulings for different societies and different times.
This is emblematic of the acceptable drivel when it comes to my faith. In 2014, Fox host Megyn Kelly debated Hassan Shibly of CAIR-FL. Whenhe confronted her about her ignorance of maqasid ash-shariah, she retorted, "Well I know they stone women!" More recently, Ben Carson (who?) furthered the ignorance by saying "what I would like for somebody to show me is an improved Islamic text that opposes Shariah." Both of these public figures benefit from the vacuum of facts: no one really understands what shariah is, so it can be arbitrarily redefined as an object of hate. But you don't get to define it, Mr. Gingrich.
Would we take seriously a speaker who insists that American law is racist because of the Dred Scott decision? OK fine, old news. What about Korematsu v. US? That's still good law.
Fifth - deportation. The easy, low-fat, instant solution to every bigot's angst at the loss of an America that used to be great. Leaving aside the should-be-obvious problem of deporting US citizens, why is deportation always the panacea, Mr. Gingrich? Like it worked so well deporting MS-13 gang members to El Salvador in the 1980's. The gang that grew and thrived on a diet of blood, drugs, and guns and now has helped create the world's most dangerous countries and a humanitarian crisis at our own Southern border. Supporting the US Constitution has been a requirement for citizenship for centuries, and there are (believe me) a plethora of other ways to lose your immigration status. But your intolerance makes you scream out for deporting anyone you disagree with.
Mr. Gingrich, you can't test something you can't even define, let alone understand. Why should we be surprised, though, coming from you? You said poor kids lack work ethic, so they should be put to work mopping floors. Let's not even talk about your professed belief in the sanctity of marriage, when you couldn't even relate your own marital history without invoking your Fifth Amendment right. You equated aninterfaith cultural center near Ground Zero to a Nazi sign next to the Holocaust museum.
Please let smarter people check your comments. Or, you know, just shut up.
Hassan Ahmad, Esq.
@HMAesq
www.hmalegal.com
Refugee/asylum
TYPHOONICAL BLOG
MUSINGS OF A MUSLIM IMMIGRATION LAWYER
(c) 2016 by Hassan M. Ahmad, Esq. All rights reserved.
HMA Law Firm
Immigrant Success
Photos used under Creative Commons from Tony Webster, Rasande Tyskar, IAN RANSLEY DESIGN + ILLUSTRATION, Global Justice Now, jasonlsraia, D-Stanley
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Home Forums > TalkCeltic > TalkCeltic News >
Bosnia awaits as Celts draw FK Sarajevo!
Discussion in 'TalkCeltic News' started by V For Vendetta, Jun 20, 2019.
By V For Vendetta on Jun 20, 2019 at 12:38 PM
V For Vendetta Chicken Dippers are bullet proof... Gold Member News Writer
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Scott Brown/Alan Thompson
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Boooooo Henrik Larsson Booooooooooo
Celtic Vs FK Sarajevo - Champions League first round draw
The first leg (A) is scheduled for Tuesday/Wednesday, July 9/10 with the return leg (H) a week later on Tuesday/Wednesday, July 16/17.
Celtic have drawn Bosnian champions FK Sarajevo in the first round of qualifying for the Champions
League. It will be the first of four potential qualifying rounds for the Hoops as they look to return to the champions league after missing out last season.
Who are FK Sarajevo?
They were formed in 1946 following a merger between two clubs Sloboda and Udarnik, before the Bosnian league was formed they played in the Yugoslav league winning it twice. Since the formation of the Bosnian league they have won 4 league titles and been runners up 6 times, they have also won the Bosnian cup 6 times the last also being last season. They play at the Asim Ferhatovic stadium (named after their legendary striker) which holds a very impressive 34,500 people.
FK Sarajevo are of course the current Bosnian Champions and are managed by former player and club legend Husref Musemic who is now in his 5th spell of managing the club, he also played for hearts in the 90's, interestingly his brother Vahidin is also a club legend. Sarajevo won the league by 5 points last season and had an excellent goal difference with 3 of there players finishing in the top 5 league goal scorers.
They share a very big rivalry with FK Željezničar which is better known as the Sarajevo derby (well worth looking into), Željezničar have won the derby 35 times, Sarajevo have won 34 times, while 49 matches ended in a draw with goal difference 134:130 in FK Sarajevo's favour, it is a game which has great history and meaning with both sets of supporters often creating amazing tifos and noise at matches.
Sarajevo's fans are called Horde Zla, meaning Hordes of Evil or Evil Gang, while the name is menacing they are unlikely to cause any issue with our travelling support and are welcoming of foreign supporters. It is also worth noting that Celtic are also favourably looked upon by their support because they have a large Muslim following, who like many respect and appreciate our support for Palestine.
Previous European results
Sarajevo have lost their last 5 Champions league qualifying matches (going back to 2007) without even scoring a goal, hopefully this continues when they face us. Last season they were well praised for earning a 2-2 draw away to Atlanta in Europa league qualifying, they did go onto lose 8-0 in the return leg however. The best they have done in both competitions is reach the last 16 but this is stretching back many many years, they are yet to reach the group stages of either European competitions since the reforming of them.
Sarajevo's best player is 6 foot 3 striker Mersudin Ahmetovic, the Bosnian international is seen as the best striker in the Bosnian league and has 38 goals in 83 league appearances for the club. Other players to keep an eye out for are attacking midfielder Amar Rahmanovic, goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic and midfielder Benjamin Tatar who has 11 goals in 31 league games.
Mersudin Ahmetovic
Best places to visit in Sarajevo?
"The best option is to download application on play store called 'Sarajevo Navigator',upon installation you can choose English language. There is all you need to know and find in the City. But let me tell you few info...The best place for your fans is obviously Celtic Pub in the centre of the City, wide selection of alcoholic drinks and interior dominated by the symbols of Celtic ...In the Centre of the City you will find a lot of restaurants, caffe bars, pubs, and eateries, you just must first check which one serve/do not serve alcohol (not all of them serves alcohol), but you have plenty of them with alcohol...My suggestion is restaurant called 'Pod lipom' - great food and alcohol drinks..There are o lot of eateries called 'cevabdzinica' which offers our national food - 'Cevapcici', litlle peaces of meet - strongly advise to try it...
So: - Celtic pub, restaurant 'Pod lipom', Pub 'Hacienda', Pub 'Vucko' restaurant 'Amerikanac' are one of the best places in the centre with alcohol.
Main street's name is 'Ferhadija' and main square is 'Bascarsija'. That's your target prior the match.."
That comes from the horses mouth, thanks Almir for the recommendations! There will of course be other nice places to visit for those that make the trip over!
To Sarajevo fans it seems getting anything from this tie would be an absolute miracle. Obviously we shouldn't be going into the game underestimating them at all but Celtic are clear strong favourites. Out of possession Sarajevo like to play a 451 and will look to condense space between the lines and make it hard for Celtic to penetrate them, attacking wise they are likely to break in a 4-3-3 and get balls into the box for Ahmetovic. For Celtic it will just be about winning and winning well, at home we should be looking for a heavy scoreline in our favour to give our fans something to cheer about, obviously in Bosnia you never no what could happen but again we should look to win well. Hopefully by the time the game comes around we will have a few new faces in and ready to make there Celtic debuts!
Thanks to @Almir Sarajevo @maroon & @AstonHz for their insights into Sarajevo! Maroon also says he's open to meet any of you'se for a pint if you go over and i'm they'll all be happy to answer questions!
The winners of this tie will face either Nomme Kalju of Estonia or Shkendija of Macedonia.
V For Vendetta, Jun 20, 2019
packybhoy, Kerim, Horde Zla na motorima and 2 others like this.
Latest: PaulM1888, Jul 15, 2019 at 10:57 PM
For once, I'm pleasantly surprised by the boards ambition...(Maybe spoke too soon)
Latest: Blochairnbhoy, Jul 15, 2019 at 10:56 PM
Celtic Chat
What you having for Dinner/Tea?
Latest: The Prof, Jul 15, 2019 at 10:56 PM
TalkCeltic Pub
Latest: Clint Eastwood, Jul 15, 2019 at 10:55 PM
Kieran Tierney
Latest: freitassen, Jul 15, 2019 at 10:54 PM
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Reintroduction of the legendary Land Cruiser Business Model The Land Cruiser 5 seater Business Model now available to order. Reintroduced at a competitive €56,907 ex VAT.
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Toyota Ireland Dealer of the Year Awards 2018 Toyota Dealers from across Ireland gathered in Dublin for the annual Toyota Dealer of the Year Awards.
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Toyota Holds 12th Dream Car Art Contest Awards Ceremony Toyota Motor Corporation held an awards ceremony for the 12th Toyota Dream Car Art Contest in Tokyo
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Toyota Ireland named as Official Supplier of 2018 World Para Swimming Allianz European Championship Toyota has handed over a seven-car fleet of cars to Team Ireland, ahead of the 2018 World Para Swimming Championships
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Toyota presents: Driven - The story of Mike Conway Driven to win. The story of Toyota WEC driver Mike Conway is one of passion and commitment, of making sacrifices and overcoming set-backs.
Toyota launches Upgrade to Hybrid for Free With Finance 182 promotion Toyota has kicked off the 182 sales drive in the run up to Showtime, the national sales event which takes place in all dealerships from Wednesday 6th June until Saturday 9th June
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12 million safer KMs driven without mobile phone use – thanks to ‘FaceItDown’ Toyota Ireland and the Road Safety Authority launch National FaceItDown Awareness Week
Toyota Motor Europe awards Swinford Motors with Ichiban Award TME announced the winners during an event held in Gleneagles, Scotland.
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Toyota Mobility Foundation launches $4 million global Mobility Unlimited Challenge The Toyota Mobility Foundation in partnership with Nesta’s Challenge Prize Centre have launched a life-changing initiative to change the lives of people with lower-limb paralysis.
Toyota Ireland’s Chief Executive Predicts Rapid Shift Away from Diesel into Hybrid for 2018 Toyota Ireland’s chief executive Steve Tormey has outlined his power train mix predictions for 2018.
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RSA Check It Fits We’re helping to support the RSA ‘Check it Fits’ service which aims to save lives by ensuring child car seats are properly fitted in cars.
Toyota launches the Dream Car Engine Toyota is delighted to announce the launch of the Toyota Dream Car engine. This showcases the entries to the 2016 Dream Car Art Contest from all over the world.
New Toyota Touch® 2 multimedia system The new more advanced and intuitive Toyota Touch® 2 and Toyota Touch® 2 with Go multimedia systems have arrived to help you enjoy even more enjoyable drives.
Prius Plug-in Hybrid is 2017 World Green Car On Wednesday 12 April, the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid was declared the 2017 World Green Car at the New York International Auto Show.
Toyota is Ireland’s Best Selling Car Brand in 2017 Toyota has kicked off the first three months of 2017 as the market leader in new car sales. Ireland’s favourite family car brand sold 7,507 new passenger vehicles in the first quarter of 2017.
Toyota Ireland announces Dream Car Art Contest Finalists The Dream Car Art Contest is Toyota’s unique platform that encourages imagination and creativity amongst children aged 15 and under, encouraging them to look ahead and imagine how to build a better future.
Toyota Olympic and Paralympic Partnership We’re incredibly proud to announce our partnership with the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee until 2024.
Toyota excites at Geneva Motor Show 2017 From a first glimpse of the radical urban i-TRIL Concept to revelling in the latest TOYOTA GAZOO Racing machinery – the Geneva International Motor Show is the place every Toyota fan should be.
Award Winning Proace Range Offers Unmissable Value and Unrivalled Selection Toyota is delighted to announce the arrival of the new 2017 Toyota Proace range at Toyota dealerships nationwide.
Toyota Ireland announce 128% sales increase for Hybrid vehicles in 2017 Toyota Ireland have announced another significant increase in hybrid sales in Ireland in 2017, signifying that hybrid is now moving towards mainstream popularity.
New 2017 Toyota Yaris The New Toyota Yaris brings a shot of adrenaline to everyday driving. Energetic lines and stylish features don’t just ensure a stress-free and comfortable drive, they provide style to give you a boost after every journey.
Toyota Hybrid sales reach 10 million Twenty years on from the launch of our first Hybrid model, the Prius, sales continue to soar and we are proud to announce a further milestone in Toyota Hybrid growth as global sales pass ten million vehicles.
Toyota Ireland Announces Niall Breslin as new Ambassador The singer and activist will be involved in the 'Built for a Better World' campaign at a grassroots level.
#UrbanReflectionsMadrid To celebrate the launch of the new Toyota C-HR, Toyota challenged some of Europe’s best visual storytellers to capture the spirit of urban flow through the reflection of its new coupe crossover.
SPINI Team’s stylish new Toyota C-HR fleet SPIN 1038 & SPIN South West has teamed up with Toyota Ireland to unveil their SPINI Team’s stylish new Toyota C-HR fleet.
Toyota – Ireland's best selling car brand for 2016 In a year that saw the Irish motoring market experience growth of 17.5% Toyota enjoyed 18.5 % year on year growth, becoming the best-selling car brand in Ireland with sales of 15,530 passenger vehicles and an overall market share of 10.6%.
Carroll & Kinsella Churchtown relocates to new Dealership at Sandyford Dealer Principal Locky Murphy will open his new, state of the art showroom, Toyota Sandyford this week.
Proace named Light Commercial Vehicle of the Year The Toyota PROACE has won both its category and the overall Light Commercial Vehicle of the Year title in this year’s What Van? Awards in London.
Toyota Ireland Dealer of the Year Awards 2016 Toyota Dealers from across Ireland gathered in Dublin last night for the annual Toyota Dealer of the Year Awards.
Toyota YUKÕ launches in Ireland YUKÕ is Toyota’s new full hybrid car sharing programme that is being piloted in two European cities: Dublin, Ireland and Forlì, Italy.
97% of Irish Hybrid drivers will continue to buy Hybrid With the exceptional sales of Hybrid vehicles announced by Toyota earlier this year, it comes as no surprise to see the huge levels of customer satisfaction confirmed in a recent survey undertaken by Toyota Ireland.
Toyota Ireland Announces New Brand Purpose Toyota Ireland today announced the launch of its new ‘Built for a Better World’ brand platform and advertising campaign with Multi-Million Euro Investment In “Built for A Better World” Initiatives.
Unique collaboration celebrates launch of Toyota C-HR To celebrate the launch of the Toyota C-HR, Toyota is setting up “Urban Reflections”.
Toyota launches annual Dream Car Art Contest Toyota Ireland is delighted to announce that budding Irish artists under the age of 16 can now enter their submissions for the annual Toyota Dream Car Art Contest.
State of the Art Toyota Dealership opening at Liffey Valley Dealer Principal Tom Staunton will open his new, state of the art showroom, Toyota Liffey this week. The latest Toyota Dealership in Dublin is located at the Liffey Valley exit from the N4 beside the shopping centre.
The New Toyota Proace The new Toyota PROACE presents a complete new range of Light Commercial Vehicles and People Carriers, including a very complete offering ranging from the Panel Van version to the VIP shuttle of the people carrier.
Paris Motor Show 2016 As the automotive world descends on the City of Light, with its great history of culture and innovation, there’s no better place than the Paris Motor Show for Toyota to showcase its vision for the future of driving.
Toyota introduces game changing Toyota C-HR Toyota has announced that its game changing new C segment crossover SUV the Toyota C-HR will be available in Ireland from November, starting from only €26,895.
Toyota Prius excels in zero emissions commuting study Research commissioned from the University of Rome reveals how Prius operates with zero emissions for most of the time and distance covered on a typical city commute.
Toyota Hybrid vehicle sales increase 140% in 2016 Toyota Ireland today announced significant growth in its hybrid car sales for 2016 compared to 2015.
Toyota Yaris Hybrid scores in the 2016 Which? Car Survey The Toyota Yaris Hybrid has achieved a top rating in the 2016 Which? Car Survey, posting an 84% positive result.
Toyota C-HR – First Reveal of New Sophisticated Interior Designed to stand out both within the Toyota line-up and in its segment, the all-new C-HR – or Coupé High-Rider - represents Akio Toyoda’s determination to allow greater stylistic freedom and promote engineering creativity.
Toyota Ireland Launches Car Sharing Initiative ‘YUKO Car Club’ YUKO provides city residents, workers and non-car owners with immediate access to top of the range environmentally friendly hybrid vehicles, without the cost or commitment associated with actual car ownership.
Introducing the All-New 2016 Toyota Hilux Launched in 1968, the legendary Hilux has been a dominant presence in the pick-up market for nearly 50 years, recording global sales of over 16 million units. The new Hilux, whose name represents the combination of the words “High” and “Luxury”, builds on its legendary reputation.
Grange Motors Mullingar win Ichiban Award Toyota Motor Europe (TME) announced the winners of the 2016 “Ichiban” European Customer Recommendation Award during an event held in Rome, Italy.
Dream Car Art Contest Winners 2016 Toyota are proud to announce the winners of the Dream Art Contest 2016. It's time to discover a wonderful world of imagination.
Lehane Motors relocate to new Showroom In May 2016, Lehane Motors, Toyota and Lexus dealership will make the move to a larger new state of the art showroom on the Airport Road, Cork.
New Toyota Prius Awarded Top Five-Star Rating in Euro NCAP Safety Testing New Prius sustains the full hybrid model’s reputation for excellent safety performance in Euro NCAP testing.
Toyota to drive Cricket Ireland Super 3s Series Cricket Ireland has today announced that Toyota Ireland will sponsor its flagship women’s domestic competition The Super 3s Series.
Toyota set to Bloom with a brand new partnership Toyota Ireland are delighted to announce that they have become Bloom’s official car partner until 2017.
Toyota is Ireland's Best Selling Car Brand in 2016 Toyota has kicked off the first three months of 2016 as the market leader in new car sales.
Toyota makes €12,000 donation to Teen-Line Ireland Toyota Ireland has made a donation of €12,000 to Teen-Line Ireland, the free phone and text service dedicated to helping young people through difficult times.
The Toyota Mirai elected World Green Car of the Year The Toyota Mirai has been declared the 2016 World Green Car of the year at a press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show.
Wearable Mobility Device for the Blind Being Developed by Toyota Mobility is empowering. That’s why Toyota is working to develop a wearable device for the blind and visually impaired that will help them do more with greater freedom, independence and confidence.
Toyota at Geneva Motor Show This year at Geneva discover how Toyota is bringing a better future to the roads – and one car is capturing all of the attention: the new Toyota C-HR!
Toyota Avensis voted safest family car at Euro NCAP 2015 Toyota Ireland is delighted to announce that the Toyota Avensis has been voted the safest large family car 2015 and earned the top 5 star rating from Euro NCAP.
Toyota Launches ToyotaService.ie Toyota Ireland is pleased to announce the launch of toyotaService.ie, a site which allows Toyota drivers to get a fast, accurate quote for work required on their vehicles.
Thinking of a new car in 2016? Then check out upgrade.ie Toyota Ireland are reminding consumers thinking of a new car in 2016 to visit Upgrade.ie, Toyota’s comparison site where people can calculate the savings they would make by upgrading to a new Toyota from their current vehicle.
Bowlers Apprentice receives Ireland Skills Award Mr Paul Murray, After Sales Director, Toyota Ireland, presented Jason O’Sullivan of Bowlers Garage Killarney with the Transmission Award, a special award sponsored by Toyota Ireland.
Toyota Ireland support Temple Street Children’s Hospital Toyota Ireland is proud to announce it has donated a state-of-the-art microscope to Temple Street Children’s Hospital. The microscope, worth €18,000, will be used to provide diagnoses and investigate illnesses.
Toyota Announces Winners of Annual Dealer Awards 2015 Toyota dealers from across Ireland gathered in Dublin last night for the Toyota Dealer of the Year awards. A total of eight awards were presented on the night.
All you need to know about AdBlue™ Reducing nitrogen oxide emissions, and as a result, helping to protect the environment.
Toyota Ireland sponsor RTÉ's The Voice of Ireland Toyota Ireland have been announced as sponsor of Ireland’s biggest talent show, The Voice of Ireland which returns to our screens for its fifth series in January 2016.
Toyota once again is the most successful brand in the 2016 TÜV Report It is official – Toyota is the most reliable brand in Germany. With a total of 14 Top Ten positions, the Japanese brand has emerged as the big winner in the 2016 TÜV Report.
Toyota Reaches Greater Heights of Efficiency In All-New Prius Fourth generation Prius achieves its greatest improvements in efficiency yet, with CO2 emissions from 70g/km and combined fuel economy from 3.0 l/100km (93.8MPG)
Toyota supports biodiversity education in 10 European countries With a new initiative being rolled out in 10 European countries this month, Toyota is encouraging school children to follow in the footsteps of Charles Darwin and his legendary curiosity about the world around him.
Toyota Unveils Bold New Environmental Targets With the aim of contributing to global environmental sustainability, Toyota has developed an ambitious set of goals to be achieved over the next 35 years.
New Toyota Test Vehicle Paves the Way for Commercialization of Automated Highway Driving Technologies Toyota has been testing a new automated driving test vehicle called Highway Teammate, with the aim of launching related products by around 2020.
Toyota Motor Europe Hybrid sales keep rising, up 16% year-on-year Toyota Motor Europe (TME) today announced third quarter sales of 211,100 Toyota and Lexus vehicles, bringing the January-September total sales to 662,000 units and the group’s market share to 4.7% for the nine-month period.
Toyota retains crown for most valuable automotive brand for the 4th consecutive year Toyota’s brand value grew by 16% to continue leading the automotive sector in the Best Global Brands 2015 report published by Interbrand while continuing to maintain its Top 10 position from last year.
Hybrid Shines at Frankfurt Motor Show As one of the most prestigious motor shows in the world, if you've got something new and exciting to reveal, Frankfurt is the place to do it – and in 2015 Toyota have plenty to make you stand up and take notice.
Toyota Confirms Sponsorship Deal with Radio NOVA Ahead of Rugby World Cup Toyota Ireland is delighted to confirm its sponsorship of the new “Rugby Live” show on Radio NOVA 100FM, which will cover all the highs and lows of the Rugby World Cup tournament broadcast to the 143,000 weekly listeners of Radio NOVA.
Toyota Prius takes a bold step forward At the forthcoming IAA motor show in Frankfurt (Press days September 15-16th, Public days September 19-27th), the new Toyota Prius makes its public premiere. The introduction of the all-new fourth generation Prius marks a further advance in the history and achievements of Toyota’s hybrid power technology.
New Toyota Avensis Achieves 5-Star Euro NCAP Rating The new Toyota Avensis has been awarded the prestigious Euro NCAP five-star rating. The programme is composed of four areas - Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Pedestrian Protection and, since 2009, Safety Assist.
Disabled Drivers Association goes Hybrid with Toyota Toyota Hybrids combine ultra clean petrol technology with powerful electric motors to deliver a new type of driver experience.
Toyota Long Mile unveils two ambassadors for the dealership Toyota Long Mile is delighted to announce Leinster’s Rhys Ruddock and Dublin Footballer Dean Rock have joined Toyota Long Mile as brand ambassadors. Toyota Long Mile recently opened a state of the art 11 vehicle showroom which showcases the full Toyota passenger and commercial vehicle range.
Hybrid Health Check: Toyota Launches New Hybrid Service Programme Toyota Ireland has today launched a new Hybrid Service Programme for Toyota hybrid customers across Ireland. The Toyota Hybrid Service programme is designed to maintain hybrid vehicles to the highest standards and help them retain residual values, ensuring that customers enjoy the full benefits of owning a hybrid.
Toyota is world’s leading automaker in patenting Toyota is world’s leading automaker in patenting with 26% of the world’s patents. The researched 18 biggest global carmakers registered more than 57,000 patents in 2014, up 7% versus last year. More than quarter of them (26%) are accounted for Toyota, making it the world’s leading automaker in patenting.
Study shows Toyota and Lexus Hybrids can save you cash Exceptionally low cost of ownership has long been a cornerstone of Toyota Hybrid’s benefits, which is especially interesting for business fleet customers. A new independent study conducted by Tec-RMI in Germany confirms this.
Next Stop: Zero-Emission Buses Toyota and Hino to Test Fuel Cell Bus on Public Routes in Tokyo. Toyota and Hino expect zero-emission fuel cell buses to become a means of transport that will contribute to the realization of a future hydrogen-based society.
Toyota’s Latest Virtual Crash Dummy Software Toyota has successfully added a new muscle model capable of simulating human postural states in the latest version of its Total Human Model for Safety (THUMS) virtual human model software.
Toyota Motor Europe awards Tony Burke Motors Galway Customer First philosophy has always been a focus of Toyota and is part of the company’s DNA. With this principle in mind a total of 45 awards were presented to Dealers from 34 markets, in recognition of their exceptional performance in Customer Satisfaction both in Sales and After Sales areas.
Toyota launches 2015 Avensis Toyota have launched the 2015 Avensis featuring advanced safety systems, better specification than its rivals and a wide array of powerful yet efficient engines.
Toyota launches 2015 Auris Toyota have launched the 2015 Auris range combining hatchback and touring sports body styles with a choice of diesel, petrol and hybrid powertrains, and increased levels of specification. The 2015 Auris has been designed to meet the needs of every C-segment customer model range, and is available from only €20,750.
Toyota announces superb offers for 152 with up to €3,000 trade in allowance or 3 Years Free Servicing available Customers can choose their offer with up to €3,000 trade in allowance or 3 years Free Servicing, with both available with new Yaris or Corolla
Toyota named the world’s most valuable automotive brand by BrandZ™ Toyota once again took the top spot as the most valuable automotive brand in the BrandZ™ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2015 published today.
Toyota announce support for the Irish Coast Guard As part of their fleet renewal program, the Irish Coast Guard have just taken delivery of their first batch of Toyota Hilux 3.0 SR5 vehicles.
Dream Art Contest 2015 Toyota announce the winners of the Dream Art Contest 2015.
End of Life Vehicles A list of contacts and authorised treatment facilities for end of life vehicles that are available nationwide.
Toyota announce support for Disabled Drivers Association As part of their on-going commitment to the Irish mobility market, Toyota have presented the Disabled Drivers Association with a brand new Toyota Yaris Multi Drive courtesy vehicle.
Toyota Safety Sense Toyota believes it is important to promote an approach which involves people, vehicles, and the traffic environment, as well as the pursuit of “real-world safety” by learning from accidents and incorporating that knowledge into vehicle development.
New figures show Toyota to be the most reliable brand to pass the NCT Toyota Ireland today welcomes the figures disclosed by the Road Safety Authority* which reveal that Toyota vehicles had the highest pass rates overall for first time NCT tests in 2013, reinforcing its promise of providing drivers with The Best Built Cars in the World.
Toyota Opens Its Fuel Cell Vehicle Patents for Free Use Toyota Motor Corporation will allow royalty-free use of approximately 5,680 of the FCV-related patent licenses, including pending applications, it holds globally on an unconsolidated basis.
Toyota Ranks as Most Reliable Car Brand in 2015 Germany’s TÜV reliability report has declared Toyota the most reliable car brand.
Toyota to Launch Enhanced Parking Support Systems Toyota Motor Corporation has enhanced its Intelligence Clearance Sonar (ICS) technology, which helps prevent or mitigate collisions when parking or setting off.
Launch of ‘Mirai’ Fuel Cell Sedan Toyota Motor Corporation will launch its all-new “Mirai”1 hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCV) in Japan on December 15.
All Things To All People Toyota’s All Things To All People campaign sets out to challenge the notion that a person can’t be ‘all things to all people’ or ‘please people all the time’.
Katie Taylor and Paul O’Connell appear in #WhatDrivesYou video series Toyota Ireland has today released the first in a series of videos featuring exclusive footage of Ireland’s leading sports personalities and Toyota ambassadors exploring what drives them.
Toyota is No1 in Which? Car survey 2014 Toyota is No1 in Which? Car survey 2014 with Auris winning the category of most reliable medium sized car under three years old, while Verso earned the title of most reliable MPV under three years old.
Toyota Avensis tops J.D. Power 2014 Germany Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study Toyota Avensis achieves the highest score in the midsize segment and also achieves the highest overall score among all models.
The Hybrid Experiment Putting Toyota Hybrids to the test
Toyota Announces Three Year Partnership with Dublin GAA Toyota Ireland is delighted to announce it has joined forces with Dublin GAA and signed a three-year deal.
Taoiseach visits Toyota plant in Japan to learn from Toyota Production System and Lean Production processe The Taoiseach traveled with a delegation of business leaders to Toyota’s Motomachi plant in Japan to meet Senior Executives from Toyota Motor Corporation.
Toyota No 1 for Resale Value Toyota cars are number one in Ireland for retaining their value for longer than other car brands in 2013.
Toyota Avensis Luna & Sol Enjoy Specification Upgrades & Price reductions of up to €2,415 The hugely popular Avensis Luna grade has been upgraded and is available now for the new lower price of €28,995.
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Browse: Home » 2017 » April » 28 » Mission Delhi – Simona Anedda, Old Delhi
Mission Delhi – Simona Anedda, Old Delhi
April 28, 2017 · by The Delhi Walla · in Mission Delhi
One of the one percent in 13 million.
Most foreign tourists experience their fleeting glimpse of Old Delhi from behind the dust-free glass of their air-conditioned bus windows, with the bus circling the main avenue around the grand Jama Masjid.
The Delhi Walla doesn’t grudge them. After all, even Old Delhi dwellers find it tough to navigate through their impossibly crowded streets. You don’t only have to dodge the hundreds of people squeezed up in the narrow alleys, but have to be also careful of not stepping upon dogs, cats, discarded meat pieces, and dead rats. (I shall remain silent on the culture of spitting.)
So, it was with some wonder when one morning I spotted a foreign woman entering the Walled City through the Mughal-era gateway. She was on a wheel chair.
And this is a city where the best parts are woefully inadequate to people with wheel chairs.
But Simona Anedda says she is doing fine, thank you very much. She is accompanied by her niece, Gloria, who helps her in the practical difficulties of daily excursions.
Four years ago, Ms Anedda was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis by doctors in her home town Rome, Italy. The auto-immune disorder affects the brain and spinal cord resulting in the breakdown of limb movements, among other symptoms. In her early 40s, Ms Anedda is travelling despite that.
The rickshaw pullers are openly gawking at her as she crosses the busy road to enter the Old Quarter. I tell her that it is a custom in this part of my city to stare uninhibitedly at anyone or anything unfamiliar.
“Yoohoo, I’m an alien,” the woman exclaims with a laugh.
Ms Anedda, who used to work as a freelance tour leader, herself appears to be well-known in her country – I learn later when I ‘Googled’ her and found her the subject of a story in the Italian edition of Vanity Fair. Her disease is incurable, she says, and before it becomes more difficult for her to move around, she wanted to realize her dream of seeing India.
At the moment, Gloria is walking ahead with a camera, while Ms Anedda is independently making her way. Now she speeds up her automated wheel chair, now she slows down. A young man walks past her, exclaiming (in English), “Awesome!”
The street is not crowded at this hour and passersby are instinctively making way for Ms Anedda. A smiling sweeper gently greets her with a namaste.
Our tourist stops beside an anonymous grave in front of Tabish Medical Store and looks marvelously at it. Ms Anedda is particularly fascinated by the area’s wild life. She pats a horse, utters sweet nothings at two puppies, and sends a flying kiss to a goat, saying, “The goat’s not changing into my prince! The fairy tale’s not true!”
Ms Anedda arrived in India in January. She has already visited Kerala, Bangalore, Mysore, Benares, Jaipur, Pushkar and Agra. “People helped me everywhere… even in the trains.”
She talks of the day in Pushkar, Rajasthan, when she desperately wanted to enter the famous Brahma temple but was crushed to know that wheelchairs weren’t allowed in. A young man then gathered his friends and carried her into the temple in a plastic chair.
The only place in India where Ms Anedda felt miserable was in the country’s greatest tourist landmark – Taj Mahal in Agra.
“At the ticket counter, they did not tell me that wheel chairs aren’t allowed inside the main monument… I asked the security persons there if they could help carry me inside but they instead told me to walk by myself.”
It was the first and the only time, so far, that Ms Anedda cried during this dream trip.
We are nearing Chitli Qabar Chowk. Ms Anedda stops in front of a homeless man sitting on the pavement. He seems to be sleeping. Ms Anedda goes past him and stops by a fish cart. At times, she tries to take pictures from her smartphone but finds it difficult to hold it for a long time.
The street is gradually starting to get crowded. More and more people are staring at Ms Anedda. She stops at a pavement tea stall in Matia Mahal Bazaar.
“I love chai,” she says.
Her niece, Gloria, takes out a cigarette and she, too, becomes an object of curiosity.
A few minutes later Ms Anedda comes face to face with the grand Jama Masjid. She silently stares at the red sandstone edifice.
“I have no faith… I don’t believe in any religion,” she tells us. “But I always dreamed of India because people pray here… and I have met a lot of people here who told me they would pray for me too. That makes me feel good.”
At this point, we part our ways. Ms Anedda and her niece continue with their walk, intending to go as far as the spice market.
I keep watching the two women until they disappear behind the west side of Jama Masjid.
[This is the 130th portrait of Mission Delhi project]
City Season – Cold Mist, Jama Masjid
Photo Essay – The Deceitful Sky Over Our Jealous Jama Masjid, Old Delhi
City Series – Stones of Jama Masjid III, Shahjahanabad
Profile – R V Smith, Delhi’s Classic Chronicler
Mission Delhi – Asha Sood, Ramnath Patwa, Paharganj
Dattatreya · April 28, 2017 at 11:25:30 · →
Heart touching … 🙂
Sumant · April 28, 2017 at 13:25:25 · →
Love her courage…feeling ashamed of treatment given to her at Taj Mahal….feeling proud of the Pushkar boys (BTW picture 6 pure fun)
← Netherfield Ball – Arundhati Roy Sighting, Somewhere in Delhi
Letter from Venice – Remembering the Hall of Nations, Pragati Maidan →
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Stock theft: a threat to national security
SHARE | Wednesday, 10 July 2019 | By Phillimon Mmeso
Magosi
The Directorate of Intelligence Services (DIS) came under heavy criticism sometime back from stakeholders especially politicians when it was revealed that they were involved in combating stock theft around the country.
DIS Director General Brigadier Peter Magosi reiterated that they were involved in combating stock theft and that it poses a threat to national security.
Addressing the press on Friday, Magosi said livestock farming is the economic backbone of most Batswana and the escalating cases of stock theft are threatening the livelihoods of many. “Imagine someone finding that all his livestock has been stolen. S/he will get angry and sometimes take the law into their hands causing unrest,” he said.
Magosi reasoned that since most Batswana are subsistence farmers and once they feel that government is not taking action while their livestock is being stolen might revolt against the state, thus threatening national security.
One of DIS major concerns is escalating corruption, which he said is deeply entrenched in government ministries and parastatals. There has been growing concerns that there is no breakthrough in uprooting corruption as promised by DIS and Directorate of Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC). Magosi admitted that it is not an easy task to do. “Corruption is complicated because it is a web which is very difficult to penetrate through but we are getting there, but it will take some time,” he admitted.
The first ministry that the DIS has been investigating is Ministry of Land Management, Water & Sanitation Services (MLWS) which Magosi said manages numerous multibillion pula projects. Although he did not reveal the exact amount that the country has lost due to corruption, Magosi said a substantial amount of money have been lost. “Right now we are investigating the disappearance of P2 billion and some officials have to account for that,” he revealed.
Magosi said some government officials have been living beyond their means and cannot account for their other sources of income. Magosi confirmed that their next stop is one of the parastatals next week but refused to name it though sources have revealed that it is Botswana Tourism Organization.
BTO came under the spotlight last year accused of disregarding corporate governance by operating for years without a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and a Board of Directors.
DIS audited
Since it was established in 2008 DIS has never been audited by the Auditor General something that caused discomfort among some Members of Parliament.
Magosi informed the press that the Auditor General has since audited the spy agency and they are ready to appear before the public accounts committee. MP for Francistown South Wynter Mmolotsi last year raised a concern that should the then DIS boss Isaac Kgosi leave office no one will know assets they had.
The only worrying issue for Magosi is the appointment of the DIS Oversight Committee which he said he hopes will be appointed and be effective.
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« IMMAF Welcomes the Philippine MMA Federation
GEMMAF and GAMMAF Agree To Cooperate for the Development of MMA In Germany »
Former IMMAF World Silver Medalist Lucie Bertaud Spars With UFC Champion Amanda Nunes
Image via Facebook
Former IMMAF world silver medalist, Lucie Bertaud (above, left) was pictured this week at the world renown American Top Team facility in Florida, USA, after sparring with UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes (above, right).
33-year-old Bertaud, a former European amateur boxing champion, represented France at the 2015 IMMAF World Championships in Las Vegas where she earned the silver medal in the women’s bantamweight division.
The striking specialist is also known in France as a TV presenter and journalist for SFR Sport 5, and returned to the IMMAF World Championships in 2017, accompanying the French national team while producing a documentary report on the nation’s success in Bahrain.
UFC champion Amanda Nunes is currently on a seven-fight win streak with three successful defenses of the bantamweight title. On December 29, ‘The Lioness’ takes part in one of the most anticipated collisions of the year, stepping up to challenge fellow Brazilian and MMA phenom Cris ‘Cyborg’ Justino for the featherweight crown at UFC 232.
August 29th, 2018 | Tags: IMMAF | Category: News
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« Josh Ellis Describes ‘Compulsive’ Motivation Ahead of Professional Debut
2017 European Open: Team Albania in focus »
Josh Ellis Describes ‘Compulsive’ Motivation Ahead of Pro Debut
Pictured above: Josh Ellis defeats Italian Davide La Torre en route to the IMMAF World Championship Finals
It’s been a long and rocky road for top Welsh MMA prospect Josh Ellis. It’s been more than 18 months since the former IMMAF world amateur champion picked up Gold for the UK national team at the 2015 IMMAF World Championships in Las Vegas, however, the 25-year-old’s eagerly awaited pro debut is finally upon us, taking place on the main card of Cage Warriors Wales in the city of Newport this weekend on March 3.
“I’m Really excited to make my Pro Debut,” Ellis told IMMAF.org. “I’m lucky enough to make my debut in Wales and bring a lot of support with me. Big bonus also to make it on a well established show like Cage Warriors.”
The MAT Academy product will take on undefeated Polish competitor Daniel Hodor (2-0) at 155lbs; Ellis remains a 155lb competitor following his IMMAF World Championships triumph in 2015. Ellis bested 4 opponents in the space of 5 days to win the Men’s Lightweight bracket, defeating opposition from Bulgaria, Austria, Italy and Finland, including 2016 European Open champion Ferdun Osmanov, plus Bogdan Grad, Davide Gregorio La Torre and Tuukka Repo. However, the momentum was derailed soon after by the impact of a hand injury that was made all the more hellish due to recurring breaks.
“I haven’t competed for a while, not since winning Gold at the IMMAF World championships in 2015. One of the biggest reasons for being out of action would be breaking my hand in September 2015, shortly after the World Championships. It was re-broke/moulded a couple of times and I spent 2 months in a cast. The muscles, nerves etc are very fragile afterwards. Rehabbing it and getting movement and strength took a lot longer than I expected. Also, the bone itself felt weak during sparring at times, so it takes a good 6 months to be confident in throwing strikes properly.
“Other than this, I spent 2 months travelling around to Thailand and Vietnam. Mainly to chill and just ge;t out and see other parts of the world, but I was able to train quite frequently with the amount Muay Thai gyms out there.”
The mental anguish of being forced out of action was forever present, but the motivation remained and Ellis feels confident in picking up from where he left off. As the fight camp kicked off heading towards a pro debut on home soil, and with injury distractions behind him, Ellis described his eagerness for development as ‘compulsive’.
“It was difficult not fighting. Especially when I injured my hand and had all the hype from winning the World Championships. As soon as the cast came off I was very motivated to just get back into training. Since then I’ve made some huge improvements to my striking and other elements of my game during my time off.
“Training for this fight has been going really well. I always train consistently when not competing. It’s a great time to learn and play with new moves/techniques. Then, during fight camp, everything is a lot more organised. I get quite compulsive about getting rounds done whether they are MMA, boxing, Muay Thai or grappling rounds. I’m always looking to make improvements in all aspects of fighting.
“Everything has gone great for this fight camp. I’ve prioritised drilling, sparring and pad-work whilst making sure my strength & conditioning sessions have involved specific movements to improve my speed, power and muscle endurance. Props to Frank Taggart Fitness.”
The effect of a 20-month momentum drought can be devastating to the career of any fighter, dealing a knock not only to development in the gym, but also the potential for big opportunities, let alone that of an 0-0 ;hopeful whose hype as a top amateur standout was snatched from him. Nevertheless, Ellis is confident that the prestige of his credentials as an IMMAF world champion remain prominent, enabling him to stand tall and be taken on by Cage Warriors Fighting Championships, one of the biggest and most respected promotions in all of Europe and a leading exporter of UFC talent.
“Definitely, the IMMAF has great exposure and following. The tournament format doesn’t allow any hiding, you face the toughest amateurs from other countries resulting in a very legit and respectable title. Promoters, fighters etc, are all aware of the IMMAF so it will most definitely help me climb the ladder quicker. Most importantly, I need to be more active. Winning and finishing fights frequently along with my previous achievements will definitely get me where I want to be.”
Ellis battled Finnish Silver medalist Tuukka Repo in the IMMAF World Championship Finals
In recent months the UFC has taken on an influx of leading Welsh talent in the form of Brett Johns, Jack Marshman and most recently John Phillips. The trio’s impact has sparked tremendous national support and Ellis aspires to join his countryman in the top flight of MMA within the next 2 year.
“It’s great to see Brett, John and Jack in the UFC. The support from the fans and media is awesome. It goes to show the popularity of MMA in Wales is growing. As a nation, Wales gets behind all of our national teams, so the Welsh fans could defiantly be compared too the Irish.
“The UFC is the place to be. I’m training hard every week, putting the time and effort in. I’m 25 now and would like to get the phone call by the time I’m 27.”
Competing this weekend at the Newport Centre, Ellis will be joined on the Cage Warriors Wales main card by fellow Welshman and Team UK alumni Jack Shore. Shore capped off his own undefeated amateur career at 12-0 by claiming Gold at the 2015 IMMAF European Open and turned in March of last year. The Featherweight contender is currently 3-0 as a professional with two victories under the Cage Warriors banner.
By IMMAF.org lead writer and website manager, Jorden Curran
The post Josh Ellis Describes ‘Compulsive’ Motivation Ahead of Pro Debut appeared first on IMMAF.
March 3rd, 2017 | Tags: IMMAF | Category: News
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Yoga Yukta Life
Yogic Counseling
Vedic Astrology Vedic Astrology How Does It Work? Planets Houses Zodiac Nakshatra
Ayurveda What Is Ayurveda? The Five Elements What Is your Dosha?
About Renu
Yogic Counseling/
Vedic Astrology/
Ayurveda/
The Five Elements
What Is your Dosha?
Relationships/
About Renu/
Makara Sankranti, A Good Day to Die (And Rebirth)
January 15, 2019 / Renu Namjoshi
Today is Makara Sankranti, the Hindu harvest festival, which heralds the end of winter and beginning of spring. It is observed all over India and Nepal with great festivity, kite flying, bonfires, feasts and prayers to the Sun God. The famous Khumb Mela, the world's largest congregation of religious pilgrims, begins on this day. Preparing for this event is no small feat and according to the Indian government more than 155 million devotees and pilgrims will attend the spiritual festival this year.
All Hindu festivals are astronomical and astrological events, with most based on the lunar calendar. Makara Sankranti, is one of the rare ones based on the solar calendar. On January 14 each year (January 15 this year) the Sun enters Saturn’s sign of Capricorn. Legend has it that if you die on this day, you attain Moksha, (liberation/enlightenment), which precludes you from the cycle of birth and rebirth. Indologist date the Makara Sankranti celebration as far back as 5-8000 years. One of the first mentions of the significance of this date is in the ancient Hindu epic Mahabharta. The hero warrior, Bhishma, who was mortally wounded after a ferocious battle lay on a bed of thousand arrows. He chose to hold off his death until the Sun changed signs and moved into Saturn’s Capricorn, so that his final journey would follow the Sun’s Uttaryani, or upward movement towards light and away from darkness.
The Sun as the center point of the Zodiac, is seen by Hindus as the divine light and dispeller of darkness and the one who nourishes and illuminates life on earth, our body and mind. His celestial path and its influence on the horoscope is carefully studied by both Western and Eastern astrologers. In Yoga, the Sun represents prana shakti. The Sun’s transition into Capricorn represents the prana, chi or cosmic energy that sustains us, beginning its movement upwards in the chakras towards the thousand petaled Sahasrara chakra.
To understand the relationship between the Sun and Saturn we turn to another legend in which the Sun unknowingly impregnated his servant Chaya (shadow), who then gave birth to the illegitimate Saturn. Ever since then Saturn struggles to find his confidence and light, as he lives in the shadow of his divine hero and powerful father Sun, who never really approved of his fear, caution and restrain.
The symbol for Capricorn is a makara, or a crocodile which is half terrestrial and half aquatic , and a mythological creature that guards the gateway to the spiritual threshold. The Sun in the horoscope represents our Atma, or our soaring spirit and universal Soul. Saturn is the Atma, subjugated by the limitations of having a physical body.. Astrologically, both the shadow of Saturn and light of the Sun are inimical and hostile to each other and the two planetary forces do not function well in the horoscope under each other’s influence.
The Sun’s entry into Saturn’s sign of Capricorn represents the crossing of the threshold for the reunion of the father with his Son, or the Sun with Saturn. On this day each year, the Sun is welcomed by his disgruntled son Saturn, into his abode in the sign of Capricorn. Both the light of the Sun and darkness of Saturn embrace in Capricorn, setting the stage for integration of our soul nature (Sun) and our human nature (Saturn).
In Sanskrit, the Sun’s entry into Capricorn is also called Deva Kaala ( the time of the gods) and the next few months are considered by Hindus as very auspicious for yajnas (spiritual rituals and ceremonies), including marriage. The wedding season in India begins around this time, when the hero Sun’s northern and upward journey begins. No doubt the ancient seers of the Vedas understood that marriage is not for the faint of heart, and requires the courage and sacrifice of a great hero Sun, as well as the reality check of Saturn.
Learn more about the shadow of Saturn and the light of the Sun on my youtube channel and how they may be functioning in your horoscope.
January 15, 2019 / Renu Namjoshi/
Renu Namjoshi
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