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Explore the highlights of Northern Namibia experiencing interesting wildlife and dramatic scenery like nowhere else on earth. Enjoy this truly unique destination offering space, incredible landscapes and sunsets you only dream about.
The tour begins with a road transfer from Windhoek to the Hotel Eberwein in Swakopmund. The hotel, once known as "Villa Wille", was built in 1910 by Hermann Wille who designed many of the elegant, German colonial-style buildings in Swakopmund, and was once his private, stately mansion.
Enjoy the next day at leisure. We do however recommend a Marine Cruise on Walvis Bay Lagoon. Your tour guide will assist you with the booking.
The marine cruise offers guests the ultimate ocean safari, with schools of dolphins, lively seals that frequently jump aboard, and in season humpback whales. The sealife around Swakopmund and Walvis Bay offers a rich and diverse experience.
After Breakfast you journey to the ruggedly beautiful Damaraland.
The tour will stop en-route to view the prehistoric rock engravings at Twyfelfontein, which boasts the largest known concentration of Stone Age petro-glyphs in Namibia with approximately 2500 engravings. Also in the area is the geological curiosity of the perpendicular slabs of basalt known as the "Organ Pipes".
Overnight at the Ugab Terrace Lodge enjoying breathtaking views and a chance to unwind and relax. Experience the excellent walking trails found here and marvel at the wide variety of birdlife.
Today continue your journey to the biggest game park in Namibia, Etosha National Park.
Home to an estimated 300 lions, 300 rhinos, 2000 giraffes and 1500 elephants, Estosha National Park is a hugh nature reserve where guests can enjoy African game viewing at its best.
Overnight at the unique Etosha Safari Camp. Located on a small hill and overlooking a mountain range, the camp offers a warm and creative African ambience.
Today you will travel back to the centre of Namibia, Windhoek, taking in the Okahandja Woodcarvers market enroute.
Overnight at the Safari Court Hotel and relax by the swimming pool, at the restuarant or bar or take the complimentary shuttle to the city centre and explore!
On the day of departure, guests can enjoy a Windhoek City Tour before enjoying a farewell luncheon at one of the many restaurants found in Windhoek.
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I don't have much to say other than providing you with 8 sneak peeks ( 20 total!!) of new pieces that went in the shop yesterday for my spring collection. This is my most complete and exciting collection I have done so far!!! Hey…did you know that my shop turns 1 on April, 4th???? How should I celebrate??? Comment and let me know!!!! So here are my favorite pieces..but please go check out the full collection in my shop!
Ok…GO SHOP!!!!!
And now…
It's officially spring and I'm back again with Amber from The Browsing Brunette and new to the scene: Kelly from Sequins & Scissors…We are treating one lucky reader to our Spring Favorites Collection of Fashion, Hair, & Beauty!!
The Details:
Dottie Couture Boutique Gift Card ($25)
2 Julep Polishes ($14 each) :
Julep Lipgloss ($20) :
Sequins & Scissors Headband ($14)
Wet Brush ($15)
"It's a 10" Miracle Styling Serum w/sample of deep conditioner ($20)
Chicken Scratch'd Designs Infinity Scarf ($15)
Chicken Scratch'd Designs Rosebud Earrings ($6)
Now hurry up and get entered already!!!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Super-complaint over credit card surcharges11th February 2011
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is to receive a super-complaint over the practice of retailers charging consumers for the privilege of using their credit card or debit cards to pay for goods and services, although it's the means of payment that often costs the retailer the least to process.
It appears that this sordid practice which infuriates the general public and which has been heavily criticised by consumer groups has become top of the agenda for consumer's association Which?
When the super-complaint documents hit the desk of the OFT on March 7th Which? will argue that the surcharges levied by retailers, airlines and even local councils are higher than the actual cost they incur for processing the credit card and debit card payments.
This means the consumer is being sold a lie as the retailer or company making the surcharge is making extra profit out of the process of surcharging. This is something that the OFT is likely to take a very dim view of.
Peter Vicary-Smith from Which? said
"Companies should not be using card processing costs as an excuse for boosting their profits.
"Low-cost airlines are some of the worst offenders when it comes to excessive card surcharges but this murky practice is becoming ever-more widespread, from cinemas to hotels and even some local authorities."
Most retailers' credit card surcharges seem to be around 2.5%. It's common for larger businesses to pay the credit card merchant services companies that process their transactions fees under 1%, meaning the retailers are surreptitiously skimming 1.5% extra profit from the customer. On big ticket items this is clearly a great scam.
With the drop in consumer spending we've witnessed in the last 3 years, retailers are looking at every conceivable means they can do to hold onto their revenues and margins. Consequently the grubby practice is spreading like wildfire as companies look at their competitors getting away with the practice unchallenged.
When the super-complaint is handed to the OFT, the Government regulator will be required to give a formal response within 90 days. If the OFT thinks there is a case to answer, it will probably launch a full investigation in its own right.
In the meantime, the credit card super-complaint has caused a volley of claims and counter claims across various industry bodies.
The super-complaint by Which? will outline that:
- Retailers should absorb the cost of debit card processing as they have always done in the past, and not charge customers anything extra for any varying methods of payment
- Retailers should use plain consumer language and be upfront about surcharges
- Any charges that are passed on should be the same for consumers as they are for the retailers
What makes the whole situation even more unpalatable is that the charges made by credit card merchant services companies for processing particularly credit card transactions have come down in the last 20 years. It seems unreasonable therefore that retailers have chosen the last year to make these surcharges so widespread.
If there are genuinely retailers or other organisations out there who are still being charged 2.5% to process their credit card transactions, they should shop around for a better merchant services deal.
In December the OFT issued a public warning to retailers about misleading consumers with complex price offers including the process of 'drip-pricing' which has become common with online transactions. This is where customer will be tempted by an advertised price and then as they follow through the order process, various other charges appear such as compulsory delivery costs and even VAT which should have been included in the advertised offer.
If you're fed up with being ripped off by credit card surcharges, you can pledge your support for the Which? super-complaint below.
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text: With the advent of naturopathy, and rise in awareness about it, one of its branches, the Ayurveda has come into notice of masses and a larger number of people are turning towards it, every day. Patanjali Ayurveda, being a front runner in the Indian market of the Ayurveda products, has a large variety of Ayurveda products like food, medicines, home care, personal care products which are of top quality and give the consumers the ultimate satisfaction after using these products. The Ayurveda being the branch of medicine which has no side effects of any sorts is being developed to large extent by the Patanjali which is highly effective and healing. Patanjali also produces food products which are made of the best quality organic ingredients which are grown separately in the best of the environments and surroundings. This causes the food items to be very nutritious and give healthy nourishment to its consumers. Patanjali also produces home care and personal care products which are made completely out of natural elements and fibers and hence very safe to use. All Patanjali Products are hundred percent natural and are of top notch quality. Use these to gain a good health and promote a healthy lifestyle.


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Yueqing XiangLang Electric Co., Ltd.
Information about the company tested and proven on-site.
Company-supplier verification services: China Credit Information Service (P.R.C.) Ltd. [CCIS (PRC)]
Business license (registration number): 330382000358479
Date of issue of the license: 2015-01-04
The registered capital of the company: RMB 500,000
Company Name: Yueqing XiangLang Electric Co., Ltd.
Country / Territory: China (Mainland)
Registered address: No. 207-211, Longjing Road, Shangfeng, Liushi Town, Yueqing, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China (Mainland)
Year of Incorporation: 2015
Authorized Legal Representative / CEO: Chao Ren
Legal Forms of Business: Private Limited Liability Company
Issuing Authority: Yueqing Municipal Market Supervision Administration
Business Type: Manufacturer, Trading Company
Operational Address: No. 207-211, Longjing Road, Shangfeng, Liushi Town, Yueqing, Zhejiang, China (Mainland)
Full Name of Applicant: Mr. Frank Ren
Department of the Company: Sales Department
Position in company: Manager
You have worked with the company Yueqing XiangLang Electric Co., Ltd.? Do you think this company scams?
Please share your experience of cooperation with Yueqing XiangLang Electric Co., Ltd. in the comments:


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Auto dealer emissions certification bill clears house, heads to senate, according to Huffington Post.
The U.S. House of Representatives has taken a step toward enabling automobile dealers to bypass a law requiring them to provide emissions certification on cars and light trucks, a rule that auto dealers say adds burdensome red tape to the buying process.
Lawmakers on Wednesday voted unanimously in favor of the bill, which would repeal a 1977 mandate aimed at ensuring that vehicles sold in the United States conform with the Clean Air Act aimed at reducing air pollution.
The bill, which was supported by auto dealers, next moves to the U.S. Senate where it is also expected to pass easily, although no date has been set for consideration.
Ohio Republican Robert Latta, who introduced the legislation, said that the certification requirement imposes an unnecessary paperwork burden on auto dealers and duplicates already existing systems to make vehicles compliant with U.S. emissions standards.
Click here to read the full article >>


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Rehabilitation of Neuropsychological Disorders : A Practical Guide for Rehabilitation Professionals Hardback
Edited by Brick (University of Missouri-Columbia, USA) Johnstone, Henry H. Stonnington
Many contemporary neuropsychology texts focus on neuropathology, the description of specific tests, and the differential diagnosis of central nervous system disorders.
However, increasingly sophisticated neuroradiological techniques, managed care factors, and the growth of rehabilitation necessitates that rehabilitation professionals provide more functionally (versus diagnostically) useful evaluations to improve the neuropsychological functioning and community integration of persons with brain injuries or diseases.
This book aims to fill this gap and to provide an overview of standard neuropsychological treatment strategies for specific cognitive impairments that are identified on testing.
The new edition enhances this goal with three chapters outlining important recommendations, services, and issues for rehabilitation professionals. Written by a team of experienced scientists and professionals, the volume provides a universal taxonomy of neuropsychological abilities (emphasizing relatively simple terms), with a list of basic rehabilitation strategies to improve impairments identified in general cognitive domains.
Specific chapters are included on the neuropsychological remediation of memory, attention, language, visual-spatial skills, and executive function impairments.
Each chapter proposes a taxonomy of relatively unitary cognitive constructs (e.g., divided attention, sustained attention, focused attention), lists tests which may be used to assess each cognitive construct, and provides specific rehabilitation strategies to improve or accommodate the identified neuropsychological impairments.
The final chapters cover basic resources and issues of which the rehabilitation professional needs to be aware (vocational rehabilitation, disability determination, and guardianship issues). This new edition provides a wealth of useful information for family members, rehabilitation professionals, and others who work with persons with brain injury in improving the community functioning for those with brain dysfunction.
An accompanying website facilitates access to the resources and strategies from the book, allowing the practitioner to cut and paste these recommendations into their clinical reports.
- Format: Hardback
- Pages: 304 pages
- Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
- Publication Date: 24/04/2009
- Category: Physiological & neuro-psychology, biopsychology
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A few months ago, I was having lunch at the SoHo House LA with Andrew Weitz. Andrew is a fashion company executive and style consultant, and we were talking about how investing in one's personal style has the power to improve every aspect of her/his life: professional, love, health – all of it.
Andrew knows this as a matter of fact, not just opinion, for he has seen even some of the most successful people in Hollywood take their lives up a notch after working with him. As he puts it, "when you understand your personal style, everything changes. Your walk, your will, your limits."
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Our inaugural team of celebrity stylists also include Brittany Hart, Lindsey Dupuis, and Rhonda Spies. Collectively they have styled some of the top names in Hollywood including Gwyneth Paltrow, Cindy Crawford, Nikki Reed, Liv Taylor, and countless others. Their work and advice are regularly featured in publications like InStyle, New York Times, Rolling Stone, WhoWhatWear and many, many others.
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WOMAD, or World of Music, Arts and Dance, is a series of festivals put on around the world to celebrate all things artistic. The festival this year includes the festival going right now in Malmesbury at Charlton Park. With camping available for those who want the full experience and performances that start as early as 9:30 in the morning and going all the way past 2 in the morning, there is truly something for everyone. As the lights dim during tonight and tomorrow's festival days and everyone settles in to enjoy the evening's schedule, sky lanterns would be both a breathtaking and thoroughly international way to celebrate this amazing festival.
What to Expect at the WOMAD Festival
The WOMAD festival is full of musical acts from all around the globe as well as dancers representing many different cultures. On top of this are many different workshops that help people learn the dances or art of the cultures represented at the festival. There are even films from around the globe being shown, giving people an opportunity to view films they otherwise never would. The evenings are focused on music with a number of outdoor venues being the focal point of the festivals evenings and this is where a show of floating lanterns would be an excellent addition.
Sky Lanterns and Culture
Sky lanterns are part of ancient Chinese culture and are still used in the same capacity in China today. Their original use was twofold: Chinese lanterns were used as war signals to direct troop movements easily and they were used in times of peace as a way to carry prayers to the heavens. In more modern times, better communication tools have been developed for war but few have been developed for prayers and in this guise they are still used. For a festival such as WOMAD, the traditions of using floating lanterns for prayer are typically ignored and instead they are launched simply because they look nice in the evening sky. However, some at this festival will recognize the historical roots of sky lanterns and appreciate them even more.
Coloured Lantern Packages – The Perfect Choice
For festival use, the Coloured Lantern Packages are a perfect choice. They include a mixed assortment of coloured lanterns from six to forty-eight and disposable LED Tea Lights and sharpie markers can be added to the order for a small fee. The traditional Chinese Hanging Lanterns included will begin to float in under a minute from being lit and will stay aloft for twenty minutes, typically getting as high as 1200 feet and floating miles away before softly touching down. With these lanterns in the style of Chinese lanterns, people at the festival will be impressed and the scene set by them will enhance the performances of the musicians on stage. With the lantern pack, you are getting a discount off the normal price for the lanterns as well. Enjoy the WOMAD festival and be safe with your sky lanterns!
This entry was posted on Saturday, July 24th, 2010 at 7:37 AM and is filed under General News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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Excerpt: "A federal judge temporarily stayed the deportation order for New Sanctuary Coalition executive director Ravi Ragbir on Friday, only one day before he was scheduled to be deported. He's one of a growing number of immigrants whose scheduled deportations - both individual or en masse - have been halted by federal judges in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Michigan and Florida."
Child at an anti-deportation rally. (photo: AP)
Judges Across US Are Halting Trump's Mass Deportations and Ruling Immigrants Have Due Process Rights
12 February 18
federal judge temporarily stayed the deportation order for New Sanctuary Coalition executive director Ravi Ragbir on Friday, only one day before he was scheduled to be deported. He's one of a growing number of immigrants whose scheduled deportations—both individual or en masse—have been halted by federal judges in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Michigan and Florida. For more on the legal battle against Trump's mass deportation efforts, we speak with Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project; Seth Kaper-Dale, pastor of the Reformed Church of Highland Park; and Ravi Ragbir, executive director of the New Sanctuary Coalition.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! I'm Amy Goodman, with Juan González.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Well, a federal judge has stayed the deportation of immigrant rights leader Ravi Ragbir, after he filed a free-speech lawsuit charging the Trump administration of targeting immigrant rights activists with surveillance and deportation. I want to list some of the other outspoken immigrants who have been targeted by ICE, as laid out by Nick Pinto in The Intercept.
"Daniela Vargas, a 22-year-old activist who came to the United States from Argentina when she was 7, was detained by ICE agents last March as she was leaving a news conference in Jackson, Mississippi, where she had spoken on the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that stayed her own deportation for lacking immigration status.
"The same month, in Vermont, ICE arrested José Enrique Balcazar Sanchez and Zully Victoria Palacios Rodriguez, two leading organizers with Migrant Justice, a workers rights organization. Palacios Rodriguez's lawyer, Matt Cameron, told the Boston Globe that the offense she was arrested for—overstaying her visa by some eight months—wouldn't usually attract ICE's attention, and that it's especially unusual for such a person to be held without bail, as his client was.
"A couple months later, two more Migrant Justice activists, Yesenia Hernández-Ramos and Esau Peche-Ventura, were arrested by a Border Patrol agent and transferred to ICE custody after taking part in a march outside a Ben and Jerry's plant to demand better working conditions for farmworkers supplying milk to the ice cream giant.
"In December, ICE began deportation proceedings against Maru Mora-Villalpando, a 47-year-old activist who came from Mexico more than 25 years ago and is an outspoken critic of ICE's deportation and detention practices in the Seattle area.
"Also in December, Baltazar Aburto Gutierrez, a 35-year-old clam harvester in Washington state, was detained after he was quoted in local papers talking about his girlfriend's recent deportation. 'You're the one from the newspaper,' Aburto Gutierrez says the ICE agent who detained him said. 'My supervisor asked me to come find you because of what appeared in the newspaper.'
"In January, ICE agents in Colorado arrested Eliseo Jurado after his wife Ingrid Encalada Latorre publicly took sanctuary in a Boulder church to avoid deportation to Peru."
That is all from Nick Pinto's article in The Intercept titled "ICE Is Targeting Political Opponents for Deportation, Ravi Ragbir and Rights Groups Say in Court."
Ravi, this amazing list of activists being rounded up, essentially, by ICE around the country, your reaction?
RAVI RAGBIR: Well, what we are seeing here is, you know, a state of fear that they're trying to create by taking people away. Maru has always been a—I know Maru. We have been in many conferences together. And she has always been outspoken. And to send her a notice to appear, and also that she is in a removal proceeding, is a direction—shows the direction the agency is heading to. Look at the resources they allocated to deport me. You are seeing that this is an intensification against the immigrant community. You know, you heard a quote from the president: "Where is the due process?" Well, we should be asking: Where is the due process in what we are seeing?
AMY GOODMAN: He was talking—President Trump was talking about for sexual—for domestic violence abusers in his White House.
RAVI RAGBIR: Correct, with—and you have—you know, you have photographic proof of the abuse, but we have seen his support for those abusers, right? But we are not seeing the support for the families who are being destroyed.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Well, Lee Gelernt of the ACLU, what about that issue of due process? What due process rights do people, who are in the country, according to ICE, illegally, have?
LEE GELERNT: Yeah, they absolutely have due process rights. And the reason is because the Constitution uses the word "persons" rather than "citizens." And the Supreme Court has long ago held that immigrants have due process rights. And what we're seeing around the country is the Trump administration rounding up people, large groups of people, and then trying to deport them abruptly without giving them their due process rights. And what's even more troubling, perhaps, is that when we go to court, they're saying the courts don't have jurisdiction, authority, to enforce the due process rights of immigrants. So, the ACLU has been fighting cases in Detroit on behalf of Iraqis; Boston and New Jersey, on behalf of Indonesian Christians.
AMY GOODMAN: And what's happened in these cases?
LEE GELERNT: In these cases, the judges have all blocked the deportation, which is heartening. And I've been doing this a long time, but I don't think I can remember a time when the judges have been so pointed in questioning the government and saying, "Some of these individuals, many of these individuals, are likely to be tortured or killed, if sent back. Why are you rushing them out of the country without even giving them time to file claims?" The judges have been extremely critical of the government, but issuing rigorous legal opinions. The government's appealed. We'll see what happens. But, for now, it's been heartening.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: But in a lot of those cases, it's been ethnic groups that were, in essence, targeted by ICE.
LEE GELERNT: Right.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: What about this issue of political activists, in essence—
LEE GELERNT: Yeah.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: —which is obviously not—a lot more difficult, possibly, first to amass the evidence and then to get rulings on?
LEE GELERNT: Right. So I think those cases are a subset of this larger problem. We, at the ACLU, are hearing about these cases, as Ravi pointed out and as you've pointed out, all over the country, where people who are speaking out are being targeted. And we're concerned that it's suppressing—suppressing political speech. That's very troubling. And what we anticipate the government saying is: "Well, the courts don't have jurisdiction to do anything about it." So, I think we're in for a long battle before the courts.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to read what the ICE Deputy Director Thomas Homan told The New York Times about the recent decisions by federal judges in cases of immigrants who are fighting their deportation. He said, "I am increasingly troubled by orders from federal judges halting the deportation of certain groups of individuals, all of which appear to ignore the fact that each alien in question was lawfully ordered removed from the United States after full and fair proceedings, many of which lasted several years or longer, at great taxpayer expense. … Further, these orders hinder ICE's efforts to address the clear public safety threat posed by many of these aliens—the majority of whom have criminal convictions. … Of course, entering the United States illegally is, itself, a crime," said ICE's Deputy Director Thomas Homan. Lee Gelernt?
LEE GELERNT: Yeah, that's not responsive to what the federal judges are saying. The federal judges are recognizing that these individuals have final orders, but what they're also pointing out is these final orders were decades ago. These individuals have lived peaceful lives for decades. But more importantly, if they're sent back, they may be tortured. And so, the part of the law that he is ignoring is that Congress has set up a system to say you can go and reopen your case, if you believe you're going to be tortured or persecuted if sent back. That's the part of the law, that Congress enacted, that he's ignoring.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Well, last week, a federal judge in Newark, New Jersey, temporarily blocked the removal of dozens of Indonesian Christians, including two fathers who were detained by ICE as they were taking their children to school. We're joined by Seth Kaper-Dale, pastor of the Reformed Church of Highland Park in New Jersey. He was the Green Party candidate for governor of New Jersey in 2017. Welcome to Democracy Now!
PASTOR SETH KAPER DALE: Thank you so much, Juan and Amy.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Could you tell us the latest developments with the folks that were taking refuge in your church?
PASTOR SETH KAPER DALE: Yes. So, with those taking refuge in our church, I can say that after the ACLU lawsuit was filed a week ago Friday and the judge heard it immediately, we felt a great deal of relief. The lawsuit itself doesn't say that ICE can't take action against people here, but it says that ICE can't remove people from the country or move them out of district. So, we believe that the people who are living in our sanctuary can go home. And they have gone home, and they have been safe since that time. We think it would be very foolish if ICE were to act against them, when a judge has clearly made it clear that this is an exploratory moment.
So, one of the things that concerns us is that the two people who were detained two weeks ago Thursday, the same day that one of my church members made it here into sanctuary, they are still detained. We were hoping that maybe they would be released during the time that things are pending. We have, you know, four U.S. citizen children who are desperate to see their dads. And so, we're hopeful that ICE would release them during the time that this was holding. But as of now, they're still detained.
AMY GOODMAN: The governor got involved, is that right? The Democratic governor, after he was sworn in, came to your church. I want to turn to one of the wives of the Indonesian men targeted by ICE, speaking with the New Jersey governor, Phil Murphy, during his visit to your church, the Highland Park Reformed Church. She's not seen on camera, to protect her identity.
IMMIGRANT WIFE: Came in here 1998, when a time is—time Indonesia was raping, was killing, was torture.
GOV. PHIL MURPHY: Yeah.
IMMIGRANT WIFE: And I escaped and came in this country. Since I came in—I came into New Jersey—I working. I pay tax. I pay my own insurance. And right now I'm working for pay the insurance for my husband and my kids.
GOV. PHIL MURPHY: Yeah.
IMMIGRANT WIFE: I never even claim any penny from the government to give me stand up.
GOV. PHIL MURPHY: Yeah.
IMMIGRANT WIFE: Right now I'm talking with—we have talked, myself and my two friends—
GOV. PHIL MURPHY: Yeah.
IMMIGRANT WIFE: You know, we are here. We're working hard. I didn't asking for anything.
GOV. PHIL MURPHY: Yeah.
IMMIGRANT WIFE: Just leave us alone, you know.
GOV. PHIL MURPHY: Yeah.
IMMIGRANT WIFE: And let us raise our children until whatever dream they want. We don't want to kill their dream, because I cannot bring them to my country, does not belong to them.
AMY GOODMAN: So, that was the wife of one of the Indonesian men that was taken. Pastor Seth Kaper-Dale, the significance of the intervention of the stay of deportation now? Do you see this as part of a trend of federal judges saying no to the Trump administration? And what needs to happen now? Also, there are a group of Indonesians—and I believe Lee Gelernt can address this—in Boston.
LEE GELERNT: Yes.
AMY GOODMAN: And we'll talk about that in a minute.
PASTOR SETH KAPER DALE: Yeah, I do see it as a trend. And I would say that in the case of the Indonesians, my congregation was deeply involved in working with ICE many years ago in creating opportunities for Indonesians who are not a deportation priority to get stays, because ICE recognized the horrible torture and possible danger that awaited folks in Indonesia. So, we have worked in the past with ICE to do the things that now we're counting on judges to do. And I think that that's one of the things that's happening. We had a moment where the administration understood prosecutorial discretion, especially around issues around torture and other things, and now we're in a place where we're counting on judges to do what at one point we could count on the administrative wing to do.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Lee Gelernt, what about this issue of the Indonesian Christians, especially since President Trump has, on several occasions, talked about the persecution of Christians around the world—
LEE GELERNT: Right.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: —and yet, right here in the United States, they're not dealing with the legitimate requests of the Indonesian Christians not to be sent back to a place where they could be persecuted?
LEE GELERNT: Yeah, exactly. And so, we went to court in Boston on behalf of approximately 50 Indonesian Christians, and the judge blocked deportation. And the judge said, "Look, I am not deciding the legality of their deportation, ultimately. But what I am going to do is give them time to go before an immigration court to show that, as Indonesian Christians, they will be persecuted or tortured if sent back." And that's just basic due process. Now the Indonesian Christians of New Jersey are being threatened in the same way, so we went to court and blocked that. But it's Christian Iraqis out of Detroit, in the whole country. It's—
AMY GOODMAN: How many Iraqis in Detroit are you representing?
LEE GELERNT: There are 1,900, approximately, around the country, not just Detroit. We expanded it to the whole country. The judge has blocked nationwide. And all we're asking for is basic due process. Let them go to immigration court to show they're going to be tortured or killed. When the judge said to the administration, "Why not give them time? It's clear that they may be in danger," the administration said, "No, I'm not giving—we're not giving them any time." That's when the judge stepped in, in the best traditions of our federal courts.
AMY GOODMAN: And, Ravi Ragbir, Homan, the deputy director of ICE, attacking the judiciary?
RAVI RAGBIR: Well, it's not only Homan. If you hear deputy—sorry, the AG, Attorney General Sessions, he himself has said publicly that this country will be so much better if we don't have a judiciary where it is right now. That shows the direction of where we're heading to.
And I also wanted to point out two things. One is, my cases, the New Jersey case is different, and the First Amendment case is different, where they are saying that they don't have—ICE is saying that that court doesn't have jurisdiction for a case that is dealing with a criminal conviction and the First Amendment. It has nothing to do with the actual deportation order itself. And that is what is at stake here, where they are taking away the tools of the court to protect its own space, its own process. And they are fighting that. And, you know, you see the violence that is coming as a result.
AMY GOODMAN: This critical point—and McNulty, the federal judge in Newark, made this point repeatedly on Friday—this issue of what it means when you have someone before them and then another branch of government deports them.
LEE GELERNT: Well, absolutely. And so, I just want to be clear. That is happening in Ravi's case, but it is happening in all the cases I've described. In every case, the government's principal argument is the court lacks jurisdiction to do anything. And so that's the common theme around the country: The courts don't have authority to do anything. And that's what the courts have rejected so far, and hopefully will continue to reject.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, I want to thank you both, and all, for being with us, Ravi Ragbir, who now has a deportation date for March 15th, but a federal judge in New Jersey is going to decide whether to extend a stay before that date; Pastor Seth Kaper-Dale, speaking to us from New Jersey, whose church has given sanctuary to an Indonesian immigrant; and Lee Gelernt of the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project.
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Trump's administration resembles more and more a Nazi regime. I wonder when the ICE starts giving him the Nazi salute. Is this what the Republican party has come to? The breeding ground for another totalitarian movement?
And for gosh sake, non citizens are not protected by the Constitutional. Get real. The Bill of Rights are not the law for the world!
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2018 Women Tech Award Finalists Announced
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The Instigator
Pro (for)
7 Points
The Contender
Con (against)
0 Points
Thiest hold a more solid outlook than athiest
Post Voting Period
The voting period for this debate has ended.
after 1 vote the winner is...
|Voting Style:
|Point System:
|7 Point
|6 years ago
|Post Voting Period
|1,192 times
|Debate No:
Debate Rounds (5)
Comments (0)
Votes (1)
1. Agreement
2. Arguement/Questions
3. Rebuttal/Answers
4. Rebuttals
5. Rebuttal/Conclusion
1. In this debate both opponents must give 10 questions to thier opponent to answer about the outlook of the opposition. All questions must be answered and/or explained.
2. Questions must consist of the overall outlook of the opposing side.
3. Debate must stay on topic.
4. Debate must remain in a respectful manner.
If you agree to the terms of the debate, PLZ feel free to accept. Thanks in advance.
SOLID OUTLOOK on Theism and Atheism.
Three hypotheses are possible: self-existence (atheism), self-creation (pantheism) or creation by an external agency (theism).
Analyzing these three hypotheses, however, we find that, "differing so widely as they seem to do", they all "contain the same ultimate element. It is impossible to avoid making the assumption of self-existence somewhere", whether with regard to a part of the universe (atheism), the universe as a whole (pantheism), or an external creator (theism). Furthermore, the idea of self-existence is not merely inescapable but "rigorously inconceivable; and this holds true whatever be the nature of the object of which it is predicated". Therefore, atheism, pantheism and theism alike, despite "seeming to their adherents quite rational, turn out, when critically examined, to be literally unthinkable".
Bible miracles are philosophically possible - that is all I am saying.
My belief comes not from these advantages of theism as a whole but from Scripture, this is not a core belief of Christianity. So what are some of these practical things? It solves the problem of evil, it provides meaning to prayer, it aligns with our natural instincts about choice. The real reason, in my opinion, that most people are religious is that belief helps relieve general angst and the fear of death. But even when that fear is subued, some people just seem to be wired for religion or spiritual experiences.
Theism, in the broadest sense, is the belief that at least one deity exists. Theism (or natural theology), and the revelation I believe in, seem both of them pure matters of assertion. The fact - assumed without any attempt at justification by argument - that, in spite of the multitude of logical reasons for scepticism, we do know, truth and beauty. And when confronted with this there must be a God who can miraculously endow the irrational mind of man with truth and miracles. Some of the derived consequences are then given for the manner in which the Divine is in immanent and sustains the physical (and mental) worlds. Following these general principles, we look detail at the discrete degrees in creation, in a top-down approach where we start from the theistic principles, and derive details of spiritual, mental and physical levels of processes, along with their dynamic interrelations. This derivation is at the heart of theism.
Avantages of Theism:
1. Tools to explore inner self.
2. Ways to connect to others in your community.
3. Ways to connect to people in other communities (mission work, charity).
4. Weekly church is an opportunity to examine one's own morality.
5. A way of finding peace and joy.
Human beings are born with theism implanted into their brains - there can be no other explanation for EVERY culture on earth having theistic beliefs at some point in their histories. The fact is that there is a very real psychological need for spiritual fulfillment.
Everyone has a basic built-in sense of right and wrong -- another evidence of a designer who put it there (no nobody "developed" it themselves -- if so, there'd be many varying opinions of right and wrong), There is also a centre for worship in the brain, something you would expect a designer to do. As for what do you gain from theism -- well, those of us who've tried trusting in God have found that He exists and "rewards them who diligently seek Him".
What happens, though, when we examine the new atheists' own "reasonableness" and "internal coherence"?
When it comes to religious discussions, have you noticed that it is the atheists who are usually asking the questions?
"Atheism shows strength of mind, but only to a certain degree"
In view of its inability to evade assuming self-existence somewhere, "even that which is commonly regarded as the negation of all religion — even positive Atheism comes within the definition" of religion.
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existance of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Most inclusively, atheism is simply the absence of belief that any deities exist. Atheism is contrasted with theism, which in its most general form is the belief that at least one deity exists. The claim of no knowledge, no faith or a complete rejection of theism.
"We seek rest in a struggle against some obstacles. And when we have overcome these, rest proves unbearable because of the boredom it produces...How hollow and full of garbage is the heart of man." He goes on to say "no one without faith has ever reached the point at which everyone constantly aims...only an infinite and immutable object – that is, God himself – can fill this infinite abyss."
Failures in the practice of rational reasoning such as these are all too common among the New Atheists. They charge Christianity with being unreasoning or unreasonable, but too often they do so as they have done with slavery: use incomplete evidence or demonstrably invalid reasoning.
From my observations, it adds up to this: the new atheists' difficulty with valid, responsible reasoning is widespread and systemic. Far from being the defenders of reason, they are among the chief offenders against it. It's time we called them on that.
The primary criticism of atheism is that it rejects belief in God, for whose existence theist and deist critics believe there are well-established arguements. Atheists, however, regard the arguments for the existence of God as unconvincing or flawed.
Atheism has been criticized as a faith in itself, with some defining it as a belief in its own right, with a certainty about the falseness of religious beliefs that is comparable to the certainty about the unknown that is practiced by religions themselves.
For many years in the United States, atheists were not allowed to testify in court because it was believed that an atheist would have no reason to tell the truth.
It has also been considered that atheists might have a higher suicide rate than theists.
Suggestion that atheism has highly negative effects on the individuals after death: a point taken up by Pascal in Pascal's Wager.
1. Is there any evidence that would ever make you a believer?
2. How would you define atheism?
3. If everyone completely passes out of existence when they die, what ultimate meaning has life?
4. Do you believe the world would be better off without Christianity?
5. Why does research, discovery, diplomacy, art, music, sacrifice, compassion, feelings of love, or affectionate and caring relationships mean anything if it all ultimately comes to naught anyway?
6. Do you think that a society that is run by Christians or atheists would be safer? Why?
7. If we have no soul, why do we feel conscious of ourselves?
8. Without a personal Creator-God, how are you anything other than the coincidental, purposeless miscarriage of nature, spinning round and round on a lonely planet in the blackness of space for just a little while before you and all memory of your futile, pointless, meaningless life finally blinks out forever in the endless darkness?
9. Do you believe in free will?
10. Would you consider all Marxists to be Atheists?
You have provided no definition of a solid outlook, for clarification purposes, I will provide my own. Outlook is defined as "A persons point of view or general attitude towards life" and I am assuming when you say solid outlook, you mean a well rounded, respectable view of life. So, on that definition I continue.
Saying the bible's miracles is philosophically possible means absolutely nothing. Everything is philosophically possible even the possibility of existence not being real, a popular Buddhist belief, but that does not make it so. I am simply stating that I find that argument to hold no weight.
I do not deny that theists can benefit from religion. You argue that fear of death becomes less so when you follow religion but that is not true. Fear of death and fear in general come from the survival instincts that have allowed humans to become the apex predator of the world. Having belief does not calm that fear but hinder it. It is good that we are afraid of things, it makes us more likely to enjoy what we have. Atheists obviously do not believe in an afterlife so in some circumstances, life is more cherished by someone who knows death is unavoidable and is aware of that and fears it.
Yes, theism is the belief in at least one deity but that deity is not the reason why people can experience things you say are the advantages of theism. We all have the tools to know who we are, connecting to a community is as simple as socializing and in fact many people come together because of common interests that have nothing to do with religion. You can get that networking and community from a wide range of things like sport, gaming, writing groups, work, neighbors as well as religion, it is in no way something that is only beneficial for theists.
You say there is no other explanation for religion other than it being naturally something we have. Actually, that isn't true at all. Look back to the ancient world, where most modern day religions come from and it's about power. The majority of great civilizations have kept their subjects in line through religion. Religion was power. The Mayans did it with sacrificing and horror stories, the Egyptians through pure worship of a god like figure and the Greeks and Romans who used religion not only as a form of oppression but also a show of strength and a way to mask (in the Romans case) a not so pleasant history. Religion has always been a tool for obedience.
I agree that some atheists are very critical of religion and have a certain ignorance towards it but that is not what this debate is about. It is purely about the ideals of atheism and theism and just because atheism is associated with a specific group of people, does not change how it should be viewed, that would be an appeal to association.
Atheism is not a faith, it is the absence of faith and yes, atheists couldn't testify in court in America, but for a long time neither could African American people and for a long time homosexuals weren't allowed in the army. You bring up suicide as well but even if what you were claiming was true, religion has in some circumstances found suicide peaceful and meaningful. In ancient times, monks would commit suicide once they had finished their journey in this plane and since you have no evidence to show that theists have lower suicide rates than atheists, I dismiss that argument as speculation.
Some advantages of Atheism:
1. A more independent outlook on life, guided by only oneself.
2. More valid and well rounded personal beliefs since there is no religious external influence e.g. Homosexuality.
3. More chance of leading, rather than being led.
4. The ability to be more open minded, without worrying about offending any deity.
5. Freedom of choice
6. Finding peace and joy within yourself, not through an external source.
Answers to your questions:
1. I am Buddhist. I doubt all things that do not make sense to me. Believing in a higher being makes no sense to me, therefore I doubt it.
2. Atheism is the belief that there is no god, no higher being and there never will be. Atheism is a belief that highly values science and what can be seen and understood, I think in some circumstances atheism can even be instilled in people because of a fear of the unknown but religion can do the same thing.
3. Life has no meaning. We create our own meaning internally within it. Our job is to procreate, keep living. That's it.
4. I have no problem with Christianity, I have a problem with ignorance, something that unfortunately has occurred in the name of Christianity. African Americans, philosophers, homosexuals, transsexuals, writers and scientists have all at some point been victim of this ignorance in the name of Christianity. I believe the world would be better off without ignorance.
5. Because you experience all those things at the time it happens, you feel joy and happiness and appreciation because its happening right then and there and that is why it is worth it.
6. I do not believe a society run by either would be safer. I do not believe society should be run by anyone.
7. Because those are electronic impulses and chemicals our brain makes to help us survive and make it so we don't all kill each other or ourselves. Science is the reason we feel this. (Personally I do however believe in the soul)
8. That's exactly what we are. I don't believe differently.
9. Yes, we are all individual people who can make choices. We are all accountable for everything we do as human beings and as the apex predators of the world. Humans HAVE to believe in free will to make the right choices.
10. No, I would not. That is a hasty generalization.
My own questions:
1. Why is it so important for theists to have a goal at the end of their lives. If that is the way you are, don't you forget to enjoy the journey?
2. Would you consider atheism to be detrimental to society?
3. Why do you believe?
4. What is your opinion on those who only believe religion because it is what they were taught?
5. Should America be run on such a Christian morality?
6. Do you believe in free will?
7. Do you agree that war is often started by religion?
8. Do you think religion promotes discrimination?
9. Is science important to human existence?
10. Why should any religion be favored over another, or shouldn't they?
"A persons point of view or general attitude towards life" and I am assuming when you say solid outlook, you mean a well rounded, respectable view of life."
Agreed! That is a reasonable defintion of the resolution! I am new at this my apologies.
I like to get right down to it and answer my opponents questions and rebuttal his remarks.
In todays society we have a feel of liberation about it. We see kids and grown-ups doing whatever they please. Parents do not even discipline thier own children. They can not it is against the law it seems. We kill our babies. We have sex with whatever we feel like and in any manner we feel. I do not deny man's desire to do the things. Though a empty desire does not make it have any virtue whatsoever. People did use to leave thier doors unlocked all day, not today and we see nothing wrong with this. Todays society and thinkers that rebel against what has been a rock for so many generations is a sign of man destroying his ownself.
Answers to Questions:
1. I do not understand why you should not have a goal by the end of your life. But the goal of the afterlife is a reward not as important as you portray. The important thing for a theist is to find that personnel relationship with their creator and do His will. You should never forget the journey. You should cherish your life because it is short.
2. By the whole, I do not. The everyday atheist just trying to live their life in peace and comfort is everyone's right. Though my problem is the atheist that preach and bark their proaganda and lead people away from Christ. They speak about things spiritually the have no inkling of. If they did have a idea of what they was doing they would not do it. Because a person has ignored or refused the will of Christ on their hearts, can not give them rights to go out and preacher it is non-sense. With many that feel the same as I have, is it coindence or illusions?
3. I believe because I had the Holy Ghost come upon me. I still to this day experience it. The things I have seen from both God and the devil. My want to be as I feel is good and right and the impossibility to do it. I can not be righteous even though I know what it takes to do it.
4. I think they need to stick with it if it has lead them to Jesus. If they do it to be 'in' or to politically correct, then they need to step back and search that for themselves. You must have a willing heart and be able to believe. Nothing can change you but yourself first.
5. Yes. The actual Biblical New Testament teachings, I do not see why it should not?
6. Yes I do believe in free will. We are displaying it here.
7. I believe many wars have had religious people involved in them. I do not think that most of the wars in history is because of religion. It is because of greed, money, resources, and land. Does spiritual forces influence them? That is another matter.
8. We are not differing on religion. I am not religious. I do not believe in religious dogma. The Bible never said to create such institutions. I have faith, that is all I will claim. I believe in the Bible. So by faith and the Bible we should not discriminate on anyone. Who can you pass the 'word' too by discriminating? This has been the case but it is not Biblical.
9. I guess it would be if you only are concerned about physical means. But I am not so I suggest people take more interest in the spirit. It is reasonable to use both.
10. I think that people should practice what they preach and do what their scriptures say. They believe them. I think every religion feels thiers is the right one. I do. So only God will reveal that, or lack there of. Also I will point out the Bible did write many things down hundreds to thousands of years before they took place, that mite be a indication that they are right.
Saying the Bible miracles are possible most certainly means something, it means they are possible and not possible to verify or deny. I concede to my opponents view and personnel right to view this possibility as not being physically verified by himself.
Everyone fears death or we would not have a desire to survive. People in and out of religions find comfort from knowing they will die and accept that. Though the point was many in religions find it easier to find that comfort because of theism. I am sure there are cases you refer to as hindering that comfort but it is not in those that have Christ. We must realize that many who claim to be christians are not. They use this title because of the influence of the christian in this country. What dinomination founded this country? Did the men who founded it hinder it?
Many people can as you said use many tools to socialize and interact. Though the point in my reason was church is for theist to communicate about their own beliefs. Witnessing gives theist a reason to go out of thier way for others. It gives ways to find new people to talk too. We agree there are many ways to do this. But why is this way not suitable?
My opponents asserts that religions in a whole are about power and dominance. I would ask proof of that claim. In fact the Bible itself says peace and love, this is the opposite of power and dominance.
Some advantages of Atheism:
1. A more independent outlook on life, guided by only oneself.
So where is oneself guiding to?
2. More valid and well rounded personal beliefs since there is no religious external influence e.g. Homosexuality.
I will stick with belief in virtue. We have seen man's history of beliefs are death and destruction. These are not the same as the acient texts. People do not live by those text if they did murder and death would not happen.
3. More chance of leading, rather than being led.
So now we need to be rebels against any and everything? We should not be lead? Our own personnel feelings should rule?
4. The ability to be more open minded, without worrying about offending any deity.
I fail to see how this good? Should we have any law or order?
5. Freedom of choice
Who does not have this one? Who forces Christianity?
6. Finding peace and joy within yourself, not through an external source.
I doubt you have much peace and joy worrying about if God does or does not exist. You need to make a point why it is better to assume self sufficiant means over external.
My opponent took some good viewpoints in this round. I thank Him.
I will point out to end, that Theism is a faith. We down play the role it plays in peoples everyday life. If people who use thier brand of theism correctly then peace and comfort will come. This can not be denied. My opponent has failed to show how thousands of years of believers that were faithful are diminished by todays atheism. How modern atheism has become a rock to stand on. After thousands of years of people living and dying for this belief in God. I can not see were my opponent made any claim that theism is not important inside society. This confronting thousands of years of dilligent faithful believers.
Mithol forfeited this round.
My opponent stated in round 2 that:
"Saying the bible's miracles is philosophically possible means absolutely nothing. Everything is philosophically possible even the possibility of existence not being real, a popular Buddhist belief, but that does not make it so. I am simply stating that I find that argument to hold no weight."
I would like to say, I think that the possiblity of it, maybe being true, is signifiant. And if you believe in everything and nothing then that is merely being lukewarm. You would go too either side if it showed you something and in that you are acceptable to anything. And you are not acceptable to God cause your faith and trust is not in Him.
My opponent also sayed in Round 2 that,"Fear of death and fear in general come from the survival instincts that have allowed humans to become the apex predator of the world."
Logically we need to see that the earth has many predators in the world and man is not the biggest or strongest. We are the most intelligent, because of this we rule over everything. There is a well established saying and it goes,"Top of the food chain." In this statement shows that all through the animal kingdom is animals ruling over others and man ruling over them all, it makes logical since that man would be ruled over too.
My opponents point of view is looking to be unlogical to me. He continues,"The majority of great civilizations have kept their subjects in line through religion. Religion was power. The Mayans did it with sacrificing and horror stories, the Egyptians through pure worship of a god like figure and the Greeks and Romans who used religion not only as a form of oppression but also a show of strength and a way to mask (in the Romans case) a not so pleasant history."
Though I do not understand because none of These religions were Biblical Christian. The name of anything becomes tarnished if everyone uses it and acts and behaves in any fashion they choose. It is easy to see a true christian trying to work the word of God and actually cares for your soul.
He concludes with,"It is purely about the ideals of atheism and theism and just because atheism is associated with a specific group of people, does not change how it should be viewed, that would be an appeal to association. Atheism is not a faith, it is the absence of faith."
I truely do not understand the ideals of my opponents atheism. I did not know atheism had ideals in the first place, I though it was belief in nothing. My opponent should provide us with these ideals.
I do thank my oppoent and hope He responds.
Mithol forfeited this round.
Also none of my points were properly resolved.
Thanks to any that read and also my opponent.
Please Vote Pro!
Mithol forfeited this round.
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PICTFOR debates UK transition to superfast broadband and 4G
PICTFOR Co-Chairs Chi Onwurah MP and Stephen Mosley MP led proceedings in Westminster Hall
Panel speakers included Rory Stewart MP and representatives from BT, EE, Vodafone, B4RN and Gigaclear
Issues discussed included infrastructure competition, planning regulations, superfast speeds and the digital divide
Houses of Parliament, London
The Parliamentary Internet, Communications and Technology Forum (PICTFOR) held an event on 29th January with over fifty delegates, including parliamentarians, to discuss the transition to superfast broadband and 4G/LTE services in the UK.[1, 2] The evening featured a distinguished panel of six representatives from across industry, civil society and government, and was moderated by Matt Warman, Consumer Technology Editor at the Telegraph.[3] PICTFOR Co-Chairs Chi Onwurah MP and Stephen Mosley MP presided over the evening's proceedings.
Whilst there was clear agreement that faster and more ubiquitous digital infrastructure had become absolutely essential, clear challenges remained to universally deliver the economic and social benefits of broadband. Panellists and audience members also debated what types of policy and regulatory reforms were necessary to build the best possible broadband for the future.
Super-fast enough?
Chair Chi Onwurah MP outlined the current shape of fixed broadband policy and noted that the mobile spectrum auction was currently underway. Ms Onwurah reported that a current Ofcom study showed that under current trends, demand for mobile data would grow eighty-fold by 2030.
Sean Williams, Group Director of Strategy at BT, argued that the UK had very low broadband prices, high levels of connectivity and good speeds by international comparison. This included superfast fibre networks, for which BT had become Europe's largest investor. Mr Williams anticipated that fibre broadband would be available to two-thirds of UK premises by spring 2014 and 90% of UK premises by 2017. Dan Perlet, Head of Corporate and Financial Affairs at EE, noted that EE was delivering the UK's first mobile 4G services and that the UK had trebled its mobile browsing data consumption since 2010.
Paul Morris, Head of Government Affairs at Vodafone, added that unlike the analogue world, the digital age meant information was neither scarce nor dependent on others for delivery. As a result, the amount of data demanded and consumed would continue to skyrocket. Rory Stewart MP, Conservative Member of Parliament for Penrith and the Border, echoed how 4G services in Cumbria have seen incredible data demand by consumers.
By contrast, Barry Forde, CEO of community enterprise Broadband for the Rural North (B4RN), and Matthew Hare, CEO of Gigaclear, shared concerns that there remained a need for the UK to improve its broadband speeds considerably. Mr Forde also noted the difference between fibre-to-the-cabinet solutions and faster fibre-to-the-premises arrangements that shed older, slower copper wire requirements entirely.
The challenge of competition
Panellists also debated the challenges around broadband infrastructure competition. Mr Williams' view was that infrastructure competition was important, however some areas of the UK did not support any investment, let alone competitive investment, without state aid. He added that the relationship between Openreach and BT retail allowed greater risk to be taken on fibre deployment.
However, Mr Forde suggested that the BDUK process for allocating £530 million in investment had been badly flawed and was granting a monopoly of fibre in the last third. He maintained that superfast, if defined by fibre-to-the-cabinet, was still too slow to be practical for homes and businesses even in the near future.
Mr Hare, whose company Gigaclear provides 8 Gbps and faster symmetrical fibre networks to communities, contended that whilst alternative arrangements might be workable in very rural parts of the UK, in other areas additional infrastructure might well threaten the current competitive market. Mr Stewart summed up the difficulty of policy making by saying that infrastructure competition was a very difficult issue to resolve.
Planning and access
Panellists agreed on the need for a renewed look at the UK's regulatory model, which Mr Morris said dated from the 1980s. Although improvements in connectivity and planning could be expected this year, Mr Perlet pointed to the need for revisions to the Electronic Communications Code in order to enable better access to sites. The Law Commission is currently reviewing this.
Mr Williams noted that issues surrounding wayleaves, traffic management and collaboration with energy providers to electrify cabinets in a timely manner had hindered BT's efforts to roll-out superfast broadband. Alun Cairns MP noted that access to Network Rail ducts and land could enable improved broadband services. Mr Forde said there was an uneven playing field, where large operators could do things that smaller community groups could not.
Benefits for all
One part of the UK Government's current ambition – to provide universal broadband access with a speed of at least 2Mbps by 2015 – was already viewed as an antiquated standard. Faster speeds were necessary to facilitate some of the major benefits of broadband, such as work from home, telemedicine, e-learning and e-commerce.
Helen Goodman MP queried what was being done to help get online the 10 million British people who did not use computers. Panellists shared Ms Goodman's concern over the 'digital divide'. However, they were hopeful that through a combination of easier-to-use mobile tablets, better connectivity, third-sector and corporate initiatives to inspire non-users and other innovative projects that headway could be made in this important area.
1. PICTFOR is the leading all-party group in the Houses of Parliament for the technology sector, with origins dating back to 1981. Operating under official parliamentary rules, membership includes MPs, Peers, technology companies, consumer groups and academic institutions in the United Kingdom. More information may be found online at pictfor.org.uk.
2. Parliamentarians who attended: Stephen Timms MP, Helen Goodman MP, Eric Ollerenshaw MP, Baroness Fritchie, Lord Clement-Jones, Chi Onwurah MP, Stephen Mosley MP and Rory Stewart MP.
3. The evening's panellists: Dan Perlet, Head of Corporate and Financial Affairs, EE; Sean Williams, Group Director of Strategy, BT; Paul Morris, Head of Government Affairs, Vodafone; Barry Forde, CEO, Broadband for the Rural North (B4RN); Matthew Hare, CEO, Gigaclear; and Rory Stewart MP, Conservative Member for Penrith and the Border.


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Lord, make me a channel of your peace,
That where there is hatred, I may bring love;
Where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness;
Where there is discord, I may bring harmony;
Where there is error, I may bring truth;
Where there is doubt, I may bring faith;
Where there is despair, I may bring hope;
Where there are shadows, I may bring light;
Where there is sadness, I may bring joy;
Lord, grant that I may seek
Rather to comfort than to be comforted;
To understand than to be understood;
To love than to be loved;
For it is by forgetting self that one finds;
It is by forgiving that one is forgiven;
It is by dying that one awakens to eternal life.
Make us worthy, Lord,
to serve our fellow-men throughout the world
who live and die in poverty and hunger.
Give them through our hands, this day their daily bread,
and by our understanding love, give peace and joy.
I will appoint peace your governor, and justice your ruler.
No longer shall violence be heard of in your land,
Or plunder and ruin your boundaries.
Is 60:17b- 18a
To the Creator of nature and man, of truth and beauty, I pray:
Hear my voice, for it is the voice of the victims of all wars
and violence among individuals and nations.
Hear my voice, for it is the voice of all children
who suffer and will suffer when people put their faith in weapons and war.
Hear my voice when I beg You to instill into hearts of all human beings
the wisdom of peace, the strength of justice, and the joy of fellowship.
Hear my voice, for I speak for the multitudes
in every country and in every period of history
who do not want war and are ready to walk the road of peace.
Hear my voice and grant insight and strength so that we may respond
to hatred with love,
to injustice with total dedication to justice,
to need with the sharing of self,
to war with peace.
O God, hear my voice and grant unto the world Your everlasting peace.
God of our longing,
Remember those who wait and hope for peace.
Hear our prayer and our lament for our brothers and sisters in Israel and Palestine.
With them, we share a common story, set in a common homeland.
Make common also a will to forgive, to reconcile,
to make a just peace for the sake of the ancestors,
for the sake of the children.
Open ears, eyes and hearts
and make a way toward justice
in our war-torn world.
God all merciful,
you dwell in all human hearts
And the Holy Land is wherever you make your home.
Heal these broken places where prophets preached,
Where Moses and Jesus and Muhammad kept faith with you.
Be a sure support for those who work toward reconciliation
And make us all, however far away, steadfast in their cause.
From: Prayer Without Borders, Catholic Relief Services, USA
INVOCATION FOR PEACE by POPE FRANCIS
8 June 2014
Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts
by our own powers and by the force of our arms.
How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced;
how much blood has been shed;
how many lives have been shattered;
how many hopes have been buried…
But our efforts have been in vain.
Now, Lord, come to our aid!
Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace.
Open our eyes and our hearts,
and give us the courage to say: "Never again war!"
"With war everything is lost".
Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace.
Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love,
you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters.
Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace;
enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister.
Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens
who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace,
our trepidation into confident trust,
and our quarreling into forgiveness.
Keep alive within us the flame of hope,
so that with patience and perseverance
we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation.
In this way may peace triumph at last,
and may the words "division", "hatred" and "war"
be banished from the heart of every man and woman.
Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands.
Renew our hearts and minds,
so that the word which always brings us together will be "brother",
and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam!
God of love,
as we remain in your presence
you allow us to glimpse the beauty of what you have created,
of all that comes from you,
and of your inexhaustible compassion.
You strengthen our consideration of others and of all creation.
Help us discover the value of all things
and make of us bearers of your peace to the whole human family.
In a world where violence disconcerts us,
we would like to follow you, Christ Jesus.
You defeated hatred and evil.
We welcome your peace in order to pass it on to others around us.
And with all women and men of good will
we want to protect the dignity of every human being.


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The main reason why users find tutorials to create a link on facebook status is increasing ideas fb find backlinks from websites.
I personally saw a golden opportunity that we can get from this face book link. Especially when I have found a trick to make DoFollow link on facebook and fanspage free and easy.
Probably out there many of our friends who try to get incoming links from facebook via robot, but this does not work either because the facebook already clever to overcome this. Several times my actions with homemade robot often wafted as crimes that are harmful to people.
And if we are adept at about robots, we can also collaborate with the design for android application to run the action, but quite dangerous, because the account could be banned. For this I do not suggest you try it.
But I have long stopped playing with the robot, and now move on to the next mission, namely by using facebook as a social networking mainstay us all.
You need to know that we can not make the link facebook status as it should when in the blog, which is the cause why there are still many who do not know how to create a link on facebook.
I have one way powerful enough to create a link, be it on facebook or in fanspage. How to ..?
- Sign in to your Facebook account
- Go to links: https://www.facebook.com//notes
- After the page appears, click + Add Note
- In the title, please write your desired title
- On the content, can be inserted several links and pictures.
- Once completed, please click Publish and see the results.
- Live link your creations ready disseminated.


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Activities for the Historian
If Jordan has one thing in abundance, its history; the country is absolutely steeped in legends of times gone by. Jordan occupies an area that is incredibly rich in its religious roots and archaeological remains, making it an ideal destination for keen historians – or just those looking for a little more depth to their cultural excursion. At almost every turn you will discover something incredible to look at, with a story to match.
This is fascinating place provides visitors with an insight into how two ancient cultures existed side by side – the Greek Roman world from the Mediterranean and the ancient Arab Orient; which in turn helps explain the culture of Jordan today. This historical city has been continually occupied for over 6,500 years, with its 'golden age' during the Roman times, and it is now considered to be one of the best preserved Roman towns in the world. Explore the wonderfully conserved features, including colonnaded streets, huge theatres, soaring temples, public squares, baths and city walls.
Umm Qays (formerly known as Gadara) is another key historical site with its own unique appeal. Looking out over the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan Valley, Umm Qays dutifully preserves the remains of bygone eras, with features such as a black basalt theatre, a colonnaded main street, a city gate and the outlines of a large hippodrome. As you wander the ancient streets you can almost imagine life as it would have been, and the hustle and bustle of life in the city, looking out over the beautiful lands.
The ancient city of Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, deservedly, one of Jordan's national treasures. Visitors flock from far and wide to visit this iconic pink stone city, well known for its architecture, culture and clever complex of dams and water channels. The city also has a unique setting deep inside a narrow gorge. To access the city people have to walk a kilometre long path which is surrounded by steep walls that stretch up to a height of 200m. You might even recognise the city from the film Indian Jones and the Last Crusade. We recommend you take a day to explore this city; there are endless archaeological wonders to see, from baths to temples to arched gateways to ancient rock drawings.
There's no shortage of heritage to this country, and exploring some of the top biblical experiences is definitely a highlight. See where Moses first looked out on the Promised Land at Mount Nebo, where Jesus was baptized at Bethany Beyond the Jordan, and the 6th century mosaic map of the Holy Land embedded into the floor of the St.George Church. If this is a side of Jordan you want to focus on, we can tailor an itinerary to cover all the key sites.


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Hello darlings~!
Ah!! I'm posting more than once this week…APOCALYPSE EVERYONE! AHHHH. Just kidding, actually I found some time today to get a few things and hang out with the girlfriends. I missed our Starbucks dates where we talk in Japanese about life and vent out frustrations and what not! Unfortunately, we won't be able to meet up again until June since they are busy with finals and graduation and the sorts. But as I said before, I had the opportunity to find a couple cute items today! Therefore this is another Recent Purchase post!I have been so addicted to Ross and TJMaxx lately, it's ridiculous. I have been rebuilding my wardrobe lately because they always have good deals on items I love. So what did I buy during this shopping trip?
Let's begin with the Polka Dot Sheer Blouse. I walked into Ross with the intentions of finding something to wear for the niece's first communion tomorrow, but I wasn't too thrilled with the dress selection and I thought about the dresses I have yet to have worn in my closet, so I went straight to the blouse section. I saw this blouse and fell ridiculously in love with it. It is a hi-low blouse which I also fell in love with. It really works well a pair of jeans or shorts and some wedges or oxfords. It does require a cami underneath though since it's sheer, but that's not even an issues honestly. This blouse cost me $12.99 which was a steal in my opinion.
Next up is the Polka Dot Canvas Bag. The moment I stepped into the store, I saw this bag in the corner of my eye and thought to myself "Ok, I'm going to go find what I need first, then I'll come back and if it is still there…it was destiny." So, I left to the dress section and what not and got what I need. I returned to the bag section and it was still there, so I took it upon myself to purchase the bag since I adore polka dots and it has a casual vintage feel as well. I took it home for only $14.99 and I am excited for the opportunity to wear it out!
Last up is the Kenneth Cole's Reaction Women's Belt. I emphasize the women part because I also got Anthony a Kenneth Cole belt but it was for men…I don't know, maybe I am just wierd? But, I have been using a belt from WalMart for a while now, but it's been tearing apart for months. I have getting so irritated with it that I vowed to buy a new everyday belt for myself. Well, I looked at the Calvin Klein belts and they were either too small or too large. Then I looked at the Kenneth Cole belts and I had trouble finding the right size, but I continued searching and found a cute embossed belt for only $12.99. So pumped to have a real working belt!
Alrighty, that's it for today's Recent Purchase. I hope you all enjoyed this post and found it informing…in the fact that Ross and TJMaxx are awesome places to shop for freakin' great deals. It was a relatively quick post today but either Sunday or Tuesday I will have a post on the festivities of this weekend. With that said, I hope you all have an amazing and fun weekend! Stay safe, enjoy yourself, and always remember to Live. Laugh. Smile 🙂
Thanks for reading~! ❤
With love,
Taylor Rae


text: Contract OverviewThis contract is for products and related services for surveillance, security and monitoring. Contract Documents DIR-TSO-3482 Contract PDF (162.02KB) DIR-TSO-3482 Appendix A Standard Terms and Conditions ( per Amendment 2) PDF (367.08KB) DIR-TSO-3482 Appendix B HUB Subcontracting Plan PDF (817.18KB) DIR-TSO-3482 Appendix C Pricing Index PDF (24.26KB) DIR-TSO-3482 Appendix D Sales and Installation Agreement PDF (256.04KB) DIR-TSO-3482 Appendix E Post-Sales Support Services Agreement PDF (280.54KB) RFO DIR-TSO-TMP-229 for DIR-TSO-3482 PDF (3.11MB) DIR-TSO-3482 Amendment 1 PDF (126.25KB) DIR-TSO-3482 Amendment 2 PDF (122.4KB) Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) Accessibility Information regarding Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) accessibility of this vendor's offerings is included in the contract. Agencies purchasing products or services are responsible for complying with Texas EIR Accessibility statute and rules, as defined in TGC 2054 Subchapter M, 1TAC 206, and 1 TAC 213. For additional information, visit the Vendor Website or contact the vendor directly. Please note that some of the documents on this page are in the PDF format. Please download the Adobe Reader in order to view these documents.


text:
Fall in Michigan is truly a natural wonder. It's almost a clichè, with its trees clothed in their royal robes of red, orange and gold, shedding a flamboyantly autumnal path for you to swoosh (and later crunch) through...
Cider mills are milling, pumpkin patches are patching, and I am souping.
Maybe it's the brisker climate that does it to me, but every fall, without fail, I go into soup mode. I make soup year-round, but there's just something about autumn that compels me to make it more often. It's a very harvest-y food. It's also a universal food. Think about it... Every culture in the world eats soup. It's inexpensive and comforting and filling. It's a great way to make the most of your leftovers. It's also so forgiving (Thank you, soup, for absolving me of my cooking sins... I genuflect at your tureen...)! What I mean is, you can put your own twists on a basic or classic recipe to customize it to your liking. My jeans should be so forgiving.
This is one of those recipes that allows you to mix and match your favorite root vegetables. I've never made it the same way twice! For instance, I don't do beets. I just don't get the whole beet thing. So instead, I used carrots, parsnips, turnips, rutabaga and squash. Feel free to interchange your root veggies; just be sure everything is cut uniformly so it all roasts up evenly.
And if you do like beets and want to use them, we can still be friends. Just know that their juices will for sure turn your soup a hue somewhere between salmon (color, not fish, because vegan) and dubonnet. Which is actually quite beautiful! I wish I liked beets. I wish I didn't think they taste like dirt and sticks and other stuff you're not supposed to eat. I guess that makes me a beetist. Brian loves them, and I feel kind of guilty sometimes for not buying and preparing them for him just because I don't like them. Then again, he can buy his own ding dang beets and make them his own ding dang self! Don't get me wrong... Brian wears the pants in the family. I just tell him which ones to wear.
Get ready for your kitchen to fill with the savory aromas of autumn, and ladle yourself up a big ol' bowl of this rich, creamy deliciousness!
- 2 lbs. assorted root vegetables, such as carrots, turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 butternut or acorn squash, about 2 lbs., roasted
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce (alternately, you can roast 2 peeled, cored and cut up apples along with your vegetables)
- 2-3 cups water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425. Place vegetables on a lightly oiled, foil-lined baking sheet and pour oil over. Season with a little salt and pepper, then gently mix it all together with your (obviously clean) hands so that all the vegetables are coated.
- If using butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise; for acorn, cut right across the middle. Scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff. If using for pepitas, place in a bowl and fill with enough water to cover the seeds, add a dash of salt and let soak and place in a bowl; otherwise, discard. Rub each squash half with a little oil and place open side down on another foil-lined baking sheet. Place both pans in the preheated oven.
- Cook for 30 minutes, turning the vegetables once halfway through. Continue to cook until tender and nicely browned, turning every 10 minutes. The squash may take a bit longer, depending on its size.
- While vegetables are roasting, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven on medium. Add onion, garlic, cinnamon, ginger, thyme, curry and pepper flakes, if using. Season with a dash of salt and a crack of black pepper. Cook until onion is soft and spices are fragrant, 5-7 minutes.
- Add vegetable broth, milk and 3 cups of water. When vegetables are roasted and have cooled a bit, Add to the broth mixture. The squash should slip easily out of its skin (sassy squash) and can be chopped roughly and added to the pan. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and let cook about 20 minutes.
- Working in batches (or using an immersion blender, which I highly recommend), puree in a blender until smooth and creamy. If it's too thick, add water a bit a time until it reaches the consistency you like.
For the pepitas: Dry completely. In a small bowl, toss together ½ tsp. each olive oil and maple syrup, 1/8 tsp. each cinnamon and ginger, and a dash of salt. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 325 for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand until cool.
Freeze soup in airtight containers, leaving 1" of space, for up to 3 months.
Serves 6-8