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Nagging Doubts
We come now to the great feast day of Doubting Thomas. He would not believe until he saw with his own eyes, and touch the wounds with his own hands. That's a graphic image if ever there was one.
There is the doubt we have of God.
There is the doubt we have of Jesus.
And then there is the doubt we have of the Church.
These three great doubts are epidemic in our time.
Modern Science and technology has built so much of its knowledge base and methodology on the necessary of deleting the God postulate from its purview. But that does not necessarily mean that there is no God.
Many years ago I debated an Oxford scholar on the notion of God. His arguments ran something like the following;
- How do you explain the suffering of God's people?
- Science has a better explanation than anything religion can offer.
- There is no evidence of God's existence. Can you point to any evidence of God?
I stayed with the man and his wife in a northern London suburb and so on the second night I offered these rejoinders;
- Assuming that there is no God what then do you propose as the meaning of life. Ultimately he said there is none. Ultimately, life is Absurd with a capital "A". I said I renounced that because it makes no sense.
- So then I said when you remove the God postulate you remove a powerful inner ethical force. With what would you replace it? How would you keep in check the very powerful destructive human urges that is intrinsic to human nature. Well, he said, obviously we'll need strong weapons, armies, and police forces. Aha! That explains British Imperialism and American hegemony and makes might right; but removes God from the human heart. When you remove that foundational ethical power you remove the cornerstone of civilization itself.
- It is a historic fact that the church has given us some of our finest institutions; hospitals, universities, art, architecture, music and literature. Shall stand by and let our heritage crumble around us? This inspired some ire from my friend. The thought that the finest of Britain's great cathedrals face the very real possibility of crumbling seemed to give him pause.
Neither of us convinced the other to change our mind.
But to me, there is no doubt that the more we operate without the reality of God within our hearts the more danger we fall into ethically and spiritually. There seems to be no ethical compass to direct us. And talk about depression? Imagine a world where there is no God. Where there is no meaning to our lives whatsoever. Imagine a world where our lives are ultimately meaningless and absurd; where there is no spirituality at all. Now that's depressing!
Danger! Depression! A world without God? Such a world could give rise to an increase in violence and mental illness. We renounce such a world view because we know that God is our guide and our moral compass and that God loves us and forgives us.
Which brings us to Jesus. Apparently God loves us so much that God became one of us in the flesh and blood of Jesus. It began so beautifully over the little town of Bethlehem. Shepherds and wise men and angels all came to kneel down offer their gifts and join with all of heaven and nature to sing "Glory to God on High and Peace to All on Earth". That was a good beginning.
Then he taught us and fed us on the hillsides of Galilee. He walked on water, healed the blindness of all, the lame, the halt, reached out to the rejected, marginalized and outcast of the Temple. And that's when things got a bit dicey.
With his questionable retinue in tow, there were the tax collectors and the prostitutes and so on, he arrived in Jerusalem. There was his triumphal entry with the palms and the donkey and all that and then he had to go and spoil everything by upturning the tables of the money changers. His fate was sealed. He was tried and convicted of blasphemy. Then he was crucified, dead and buried. On Easter Day he rose again from the dead and what a surprise that was!
So surprising that it pushed the credulity of Thomas the Man from Missouri, the "Show me" state. So Jesus did show himself to Thomas and he believed. And so it is that the rest of us fall into two camps; believers and those who will believe it when we see it. Take a look around you if you will. there is some evidence that Jesus lives. It is in the hearts and minds and the lives of those around you now. In the words of Theresa of Avila, "Christ has no body now but yours". It is you and your love now that persuades us that Christ is alive.
Which brings us now to the church. Suppose I believe in God, and suppose I even believe in Jesus, but what of the institutional church? Especially when the church's record on race, ethnicity, class, gender, and orientation is not quite what it could be. How can I believe in such an institution.
First of all, let me say that this church and many of our churches have struggled with the biblical notion that we are "A House of Prayer for ALL People". All means all. And we are taking that seriously. We are building an emerging "welcoming set of communities" and seeking to be faithful to a Christ whose outstretched arms on the cross include all without exception.
But what of the "institutional church"
Some time ago a lawyer came to me to arrange for a baptism for his daughter. We met together over a cup of coffee and were going over arrangements when I asked him about his membership status in the church. He told me he believed in God but not in the institutional church. This remember was a lawyer. I had heard this line a thousand times and there was something that snapped in me at that moment.
So I said to him; Do you believe in Democracy?
Yes, of course I do.
Well then it follows that you will have to believe in Congress and Politicians.
What about Justice then? Do you believe in Justice?
Yes, of course I do.
Then you will of necessity need to believe in the Courts and Lawyers. Egad, I added, that's asking a lot. Lawyers? Politicians?
Saying I believe in Lawyers and Politicians is like asking me to sit down to a nice big plate of bird feathers. Not the least bit appetizing.
So that begs the question.
You say you believe in God. What then of his Church, which is the Body of his Christ? What of the Men and Women of God who are God's messengers. Not quite the same as a walk in the woods or a sunny day on the golf course. If you want Democracy or Justice, you will have to put your back into it and make it work. Likewise with God. You want God to live? Put your back into it. It is not enough to allow God to exist by some lazy form of intellectual assent.
There's a lot at stake here. Our civilization depends on the ethical and spiritual presence of the Church.
I said to the lawyer, I rest my case. He did come to church the following Christmas and Easter. Oh well, I only go to a lawyer when I have to!
Do I have my doubts about God?
Or the resurrection of Jesus?
And do I run into frustrations on how well the Church as institution is running?
Of course I do.
But underneath these doubts there is this faith that will not go away; a faith that is built upon the knowledge and love of God and of the people of God.
"For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
~Romans 8:38,39
Fr Paul


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UCI backs off idea of amnesty for past doping
UCI President Pat McQuaidIn pictured in this Aug. 18, 2008 file picture. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
The Associated Press
Published Friday, September 21, 2012 7:31AM EDT
Last Updated Friday, September 21, 2012 8:30AM EDT
MAASTRICHT, Netherlands -- The International Cycling Union backed away Friday from the idea of an amnesty or truth and reconciliation commission for riders who took performance-enhancing drugs in the past.
At its annual congress, the UCI adopted a motion calling on the governing body to deal with current doping cases and "ignore attempts to exploit commercially or otherwise the painful aspects of cycling's past."
The motion was drawn up earlier this week by the UCI's management committee during discussions about the possibility of setting up a truth and reconciliation commission at which riders could confess their doping pasts as a way of cleaning up the sport and draw a line under an era tainted by drugs.
"That was discussed at management committee and ... from that discussion came this (motion)," UCI President Pat McQuaid told The Associated Press after Friday's congress.
The committee said, "This is the direction we need to go. We need to concentrate on the sport today and not so much to the past," McQuaid told AP.
The motion's preamble says there is "no point in continuing to re-examine the past of then undetectable doping and stigmatize the sport of the young generations now that the situation has considerably improved through the UCI's continued efforts."
Asked if the motion meant an end to the idea of setting up a truth and reconciliation commission, McQuaid said: "Not necessarily, we'll have to wait and see."
Earlier Friday, McQuaid emphatically denied that the sport's governing body ever covered up a positive doping test by Lance Armstrong or that the organization ever tipped off the seven-time Tour de France winner ahead of a doping test.
McQuaid told delegates at the congress that the organization "has never hidden a positive sample, not just of Lance Armstrong, but of any other athlete."
Disgraced former rider Floyd Landis has claimed that Armstrong tested positive for the blood booster EPO at the Tour of Switzerland in 2001 and paid off then-UCI president Hein Verbruggen to keep it quiet. Verbruggen and Armstrong have denied the allegations.
Tyler Hamilton, a former Armstrong teammate, also has claimed Armstrong had told him that he had tested positive at the 2001 Tour of Switzerland, but that it wouldn't be a problem because "people took care of it."
McQuaid also rejected claims that the organization tipped off Armstrong ahead of time that he was about to be tested.
He said both explosive claims could be included in a file of evidence compiled by the United States Anti-Doping Agency that prompted it to ban Armstrong from Olympic sport for life and strip him of his seven tour titles.
The UCI has not yet received a copy of the file. McQuaid said that when he gets the report and if UCI lawyers find it "strong and clean," the organization "will give the appropriate sanctions."
Armstrong has long denied doping but chose last month not to fight drug charges by USADA, which wiped out 14 years of his results. USADA believes Armstrong used banned substances as far back as 1996, including EPO, steroids and blood transfusions.

subset: commoncrawl


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Property Highlights
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CWC hosts camp for students interested in film and theater
January 1, 2014
To launch its new interdisciplinary program in film and theater, Central Wyoming College in Riverton is hosting a week-long camp in July to give Wyoming high school juniors and seniors hands-on learning experiences in both subjects.
Students reside in campus housing and dine in the Food Court while exploring acting and filmmaking July 20-26. The $140 fee covers all expenses. In addition to recreational activities, participating students will work as a creative team completing a short film. There will also be acting classes each day.
The program combines the two complementary disciplines to prepare students to declare majors and minors at a four-year institution. The students complete general education requirements while choosing electives in film and theater. For more information, contact Theater Director Mike Myers at (307) 855-2217.


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Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Galaxy 7
How would you like to be first to read my newest sci-fi book for teens and adults, Galaxy 7, and at 'no
Thank you,
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Sunday, March 12, 2017
The Virtue of Compassion
Goodness, Righteousness, Morality, Integrity, Dignity, Rectitude, Honor, Decency, Respectability, Nobility, Worthiness, Purity
In today's world, I can't imagine anything more important to teach our children than the virtue of compassion - the ability of a young person to place themselves in another's shoes, to feel their pain as though it were their own and understanding another's point of view. Although feeling the pain of another is important, the real determiner is whether we are willing to alleviate the suffering by acting upon it.
How do we as parents teach compassion? It all begins at birth. The parent must provide a secure home environment based upon unconditional love. I can not stress enough the importance of immersing your child in a world of love, kindness, and respect. This is one of the most critical elements in the foundation of early childhood.
But parents must 'walk the talk'. Children are constantly watching and imitating their parents in the development of their own behaviors. Remember... you are your child's first teacher and will likely be their last. Let's make sure the lessons you teach are the ones they will need in a very complicated world.
As your child moves into the adolescent and teen years, foster meaningful conversations about the lives of others, what it would be like to be in their shoes, and how people could act upon it. Then most important - do something as a family!
And finally... wouldn't it be wonderful if people used words such as these to describe your child - Goodness, Righteousness, Morality, Integrity, Dignity, Rectitude, Honor, Decency, Respectability, Nobility, Worthiness, Purity - the virtues of compassion!
for children and teens
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With positivity, faith, and all things magical I hope to encourage others and hope you find something for yourself amongst my adventures. I even hope that my adventure brings me to you! I have met so many amazing people with a lust for all things magical and I know this is just the beginning of our adventure together.


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Yeh Hai Mohabbatein 8th May 2015 Written Episode Update
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Yeh Hai Mohabbatein 8th May 2015 Written Episode, Written Update on TellyUpdates.com
The Episode starts with Mr. Bhalla and Appa letting their wives compete and just being silent watchers. Sujata talks to Subbu and says Simmi will come to discuss case. He says I will leave, ask her about Ananya. She asks him to have food and also meet Ananya, she is great kid. He says I know, but Mrs. Bhalla is annoyed, knowing my and Ishita's past, I should not meet Simmi, I don't want to create issues for Ishita. Ishita talks to Mihika about stopping Subbu from coming here and meeting Ananya, as Parmeet has spoken ill about Simmi. Sujata says I found out that Parmeet is not a good man, she will expose him and make Simmi free.
Subbu says yes, he is not good, Simmi deserves someone better. Adi asks Ishita and Mihika to get ready. He gives her flowers and says dad messaged me to give this to you. Ishita smiles and recalls Raman. Yeh hai mohabbatein………….plays………… She says this is so sweet. Mihika says he has sent Adi with gajras, like father, like son.
Amma gets ready in western outfit and comes, looking tall and slim. She asks Adi to say who is looking good, western looks good on tall people, not round. Mrs. Bhalla argues. Amma laughs. Ruhi compliments Amma. Mrs. Bhalla asks Adi to say. Adi says I will go washroom and all men laugh. She insists and asks him to say. Amma says he does not wish to hurt your feelings. Mrs. Bhalla says he is not saying, as you are outsider. Adi says they have to agree. Ishita comes with Mihika. Adi says Ishita is looking the best. She says lets go now. Adi asks Simmi why is she not ready. Simmi says Ananya is not well, and asks them to go, she spoke to doctor.
Bala says he can't come, Vandu messaged me to come for doctor checkup. Appa says take Shravan, we will take Vandu. Mrs. Bhalla jokes. Bala asks Amma to let it go, intelligent people speak less, and sends her. Parmeet comes to meet Sujata and Subbu. Sujata asks what is he doing here. Parmeet goes inside the house. She asks him to come at office.
Parmeet says your son in law's elder brother is married to my wife's sister in law, so we are relatives. Subbu asks him to go, as he is warning human rights lawyer, police will not sympathy. Parmeet says don't teach me law, and says Subbu lost his wife and child, and trapping my wife. He argues and Subbu asks him to get lost. Parmeet says he is warning him. He leaves. Sujata says he wanted to provoke you to beat him, so that he can file case on you, Ishita stopped you from meeting Simmi for this matter, I will fight this case now, I promised Ishita.
Romi and Rinki are leaving. Mihir comes getting ready in red clothes, and she tells Romi that Mihir and Mihika were replaced in last minute. Mihir says Adi came later and took him in that role. He says he is wearing red shirt as Karishma gifted him. Rinki asks Romi to start bike. Romi says its not working. He says lets go in Mihir's car, don't do drama. They leave with Mihir.
Simmi calls doctor and says about Ananya's state. She asks Neelu to take care, she will get medicine, don't call anyone. She leaves. Everyone see Adi's movie and like it. Ishita smiles and recalls some old moments. Dil kahin rukta nahi…………plays…………. Adi says so this was my dad and Ishita aunty's unique love story. Everyone clap for him. Adi gets glad and jumps.
Ishita gets call from Neelu, who tells about Ananya's vomiting and fever, and asks her to come soon. Ishita says we will come soon and tells Mrs. Bhalla. Simmi comes and sees Parmeet blocking her way. He argues with her and she asks him to go. He says Sujata is warning her and checking his business, he will kill her and her family. She asks him to talk to lawyer. He takes her inside. Simmi asks Neelu to call police and he stops her. Simmi asks him to be away from Ananya and he raises hand to slap. Subbu comes and holds his hand.
Subbu says don't touch her and pushes him on the sofa. Simmi holds Subbu and cries. Parmeet says so it means she called her lover. He asks Subbu not to come in between. Subbu asks him not to take law in his hands, he is not anyone's lover, its bad thinking of his bad mind. Parmeet says he came to meet Ananya. Subbu stops him and asks how can he raise hand on woman. Subbu and Parmeet fight. Ishita asks them to stop and asks Parmeet why did he come, can't he see Ananya getting scared. Romi holds Parmeet's collar. Mr. Bhalla says leave him Romi and asks Parmeet to get lost.
Parmeet says he will not leave Ananya. Subbu asks him to go, else he will bring court order today to make him stay away. Subbu tells everything about Parmeet coming to warn Sujata, he called them and could not connect, so he came home to say and saw Parmeet raising hand on Simmi. He says he will call his doctor friend, as he can't take chance with kids, Ananya will be fine. Mrs. Bhalla cries and looks at him. Subbu calls his friends. Simmi hugs Ananya and cries. Ishita sees Subbu being tensed for Ananya.
Subbu talks to doctor and gets double sure about Ananya. Mrs. Bhalla hears them talking and cries, being regretful of keeping him away from their home.
Update Credit to: Amena
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Shoreline barriers hurt Sound's web of life
BELFAIR STATE PARK - Environmental engineer Pat McCullough grinned as a bulldozer chewed away at a boulder-studded dike he can't wait to tear down.
When that 1950s-era dike at Belfair State Park goes down sometime this week, Big Mission Creek will flow back into its natural streambed, 600 feet of Hood Canal shoreline and beach will return to a natural state, and an estuary that was filled in with 20,000 cubic feet of dirt 50 years ago will be reborn.
"We expect to quickly see salt marsh, pickleweed and grasses," McCullough said. "The neat thing is that people will get to see and use a restored beach, and it's good for salmon and Hood Canal."
But McCullough, who oversees the project for the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group, also feels a little guilty.
That's because a short distance away is an investment house he owns that is tucked behind a $250,000 concrete bulkhead. McCullough and his business partners are afraid to tear down the bulkhead because they could lose half of the house's valuable waterfront to salt water.
McCullough and his partners bought the house in June.
"Taking it out is not an option at this point," McCullough said. "We own 750 feet of waterfront there, and 650 feet of it is bulkheaded."
McCullough's personal dilemma isn't unusual around Puget Sound, where habitat loss from population growth and development has robbed dozens of Puget Sound plants, birds, fish and marine mammals of their homes, their food sources and the water quality they need to survive. For instance:
These are some of the reasons restoring and protecting Puget Sound habitat is a cornerstone of the Puget Sound Partnership's emerging plan to restore Puget Sound health by 2020.
Bulkheads damage beaches and estuaries, which are nurseries for dozens of plants and animals, including struggling salmon runs. Beaches and estuaries are vital links in the complex web of life in Puget Sound.
But those same bulkheads keep increasingly valuable real estate intact. "That's what makes it tougher to do anything about bulkheads in Puget Sound," McCullough said. "People worry about losing their houses, and a lot of homes were built too close to the water."
Nevertheless, a wide-ranging coalition of environmental groups, tribes and local, state and federal agencies is poised for a restoration of some of Puget Sound's shorelines and estuaries.
The Puget Sound Nearshore Partnership recently awarded $2.5 million to nine restoration projects, including $200,000 for the Belfair State Park work.
The partnership has worked on a restoration plan since 2001.
Restoring Puget Sound's nearshore habitat could eventually become one of the biggest environmental projects in U.S. history.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Army Corps of Engineers co-chair the partnership.
The partnership is a year away from releasing a report on how to restore beaches and estuaries, but the actual work is starting right now.
"We're spinning out our early knowledge into projects," said Curtis Tanner, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist and partnership project manager. "We also will monitor the projects and learn from them."
Why bulkheads hurt
About 70 percent of Puget Sound's intertidal wetlands - estuaries and marshes - has been lost to fill and dikes, Tanner said.
"Thirty to 90 percent of the shoreline is armored, depending on the region," Tanner said.
In Thurston County, about half of the sandy and gravel beaches are armored with bulkheads, according to a 2005 shoreline assessment by Herrera Environmental Consultants.
Bulkheaded beaches and diked-off estuaries wreak havoc on many key species in the Puget Sound web of life - including herring, salmon, crabs and eelgrass.
A bulkheaded beach no longer gets silt and sand from the land, so waves and currents erode the beach into a steep, densely packed mass of rocks.
No fresh water oozes over the beach during low tides, which means the eggs of sand lance - an important baitfish and food for other fish - dry up and die.
As the beach gets steeper and harder, it resembles asphalt. The silty, sandy area just offshore washes away, and eelgrass beds have no place to set roots.
Eelgrass is vital spawning and nursery habitat for salmon, crabs, herring and dozens of other animals.
Take away the natural beaches, and you break the chain of life in Puget Sound, Tanner said.
"In the South Sound area, the marine bluffs feed the beach," said Roger Geibelhaus, a Thurston County planner. "When you block that with a bulkhead, you starve the beach."
Geibelhaus said about 90 percent of the proposed bulkhead permits the county reviews are to replace old bulkheads with new ones. County officials encourage property owners to look at alternatives but don't require them to do so.
"We don't encourage people to construct concrete walls," he said. "We're trying to get more woody debris in the tidal area."
Estuaries - the places where rivers and streams empty into Puget Sound - form giant shallow, silty areas where aquatic plants, including eelgrass, grow. Estuaries and marshes are important habitat for young fish, crabs, shellfish and birds.
The loss of nearshore habitat - especially estuaries and beaches - interferes with the complex cycle of life in Puget Sound.
Without beaches and estuaries, Puget Sound will remain sick and could die, said Tim Smith, Fish and Wildlife's representative on the partnership's council.
Decades of work ahead
It took more than 100 years to armor Puget Sound's shorelines, and it will take decades to bring the beaches, marshes and estuaries back. The project will take decades because there are so many armored beaches - and many people are afraid to tear down their bulkheads and risk their homes to the tide and storms, Tanner said.
But in many cases, the bulkhead isn't needed and could be removed without putting property at risk, Tanner said.
"How do I, as a biologist, convince a landowner that this is what needs to be done?" Tanner asked.
"We need to be able to use a model and be able to say: 'If you do this, this will happen,' " Smith said.
That's why the nine early projects now under way are so important: They will demonstrate safe ways to restore beaches without wrecking homes, Smith said.
Restoring the beach, estuary and natural streambeds at Belfair State Park isn't a risk, said Deborah Petersen, state parks environmental planner.
More than two years of studies went into the project, Petersen said.
A concrete tidal swimming area and some play areas will be lost, but the public will gain more than 2,000 feet of natural beach, a restored estuary and boosted salmon runs in Big Mission Creek and Little Mission Creek, Petersen said.
"It is a big step to pull armor off the shoreline," Petersen said. "But we are confident that this is right."
McCullough said Belfair State Park still will have grassy areas, bathrooms, parking lots and pathways.
"It will have all-natural beach," McCullough said. "And, as the population of the state increases, access to places like Hood Canal will become more and more valuable."
Restoring estuaries
South Sound is home to some of the most significant estuary restoration work in Puget Sound.
Dike removal projects in the Nisqually and Skokomish river deltas should allow 1,100 acres of pasture land and freshwater marsh to revert to tidal-influenced estuaries.
"Preventing the Nisqually Delta from becoming Tacoma Tideflats South is one of the greatest successes in the Puget Sound cleanup effort," said Nisqually Valley resident Howard Glastetter, referring to derailed plans decades ago to turn the Nisqually Delta into an industrial port.
Habitat restoration projects on Puget Sound beaches, shorelines and adjoining streams serve more than one purpose, said Betsy Peabody, executive director of the Puget Sound Restoration Fund, a nonprofit group dedicated to restoring the native Olympia oyster.
"Habitat restoration - it's all about building a constituency that can save this place," Peabody said.
"It's exciting, and it's something people can connect to," agreed Olympia City Councilman Doug Mah, a member of the Puget Sound Council, which directs the Puget Sound Action Team.
While restoring Puget Sound habitat is critical work, the need to preserve and protect the high-quality habitat that remains is just as important in the face of relentless population growth and development, said Eric Erler, executive director of the Olympia-based Capitol Land Trust.
The Puget Sound basin population of 4 million is expected to grow by 1 million in the next 20 years.
Thurston County could be home to nearly 400,000 people by 2025, more than the population of Miami today.
In the 2005-07 state budget, $572 million was allotted to protect Puget Sound and help it recover, including $51 million for restoring habitat and $27.3 million for protecting habitat.
"We're not going to have these functioning places left in a few short years. They'll either be developed or become too costly to purchase," Erler said.
Since 1989, the Capitol Land Trust has conserved through easements, land donations and voluntary sales 2,400 acres in South Sound, including 6 miles of marine near-shore and nearby upland habitat on lower Eld Inlet, Gull Harbor and Oakland Bay in Mason County.
"Puget Sound estuaries are some of the most productive living systems on earth," Erler said in explaining why their preservation and recovery is the land trust's top conservation goal.
Environmental laws and land use controls play a role in restoring Puget Sound, too, according to the Puget Sound Environmental Caucus, a coalition of environmental and conservation groups.
One of the reasons so many shoreline property owners need bulkheads is that local governments allowed them to build too close to the shoreline and edges of marine bluffs in the first place. The environmental caucus is calling on Puget Sound cities and counties to protect marine shoreline habitat and upland shoreline vegetation through revisions to their critical areas ordinances.
The proposed Thurston County critical areas ordinance would feature a typical marine shoreline building setback of 100 feet, compared with the 50 feet on the books since 1990, Thurston County planning manager John Sonnen said.
"We're trying to maintain water quality to protect shellfish and other marine life," he said of the proposed wider buffers.
When the county rolled out changes in its critical areas ordinance last year, they were met with much resistance from property owners who said the changes restrict what they can do with their land.
It's the same sentiment that's behind Initiative 933, the measure on the November ballot that, if approved, would require local governments to pay property owners for lost use of their property from wider buffers, zoning changes and the like, or to waive the environmental rules and zoning that lead to the devalued property.
"The initiative would force counties and states to be creative," said John Stuhlmiller, assistant director of government relations for the Washington Farm Bureau, a sponsor of the initiative. "We're saying the greater social good can't be at the expense of individuals."
Those trying to implement Gov. Chris Gregoire's Puget Sound Initiative, which calls for a clean, healthier Puget Sound by 2020, are concerned about the land use patterns Initiative 933 would allow in the Puget Sound basin.
"Initiative 933 would trump all the efforts under way to restore and protect Puget Sound," said Puget Sound Action Team executive director Brad Ack.
Restoration projects and cost
Federal and state agencies, local environmental groups such as the South Sound Salmon Enhancement Group and the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group, local governments and tribes have worked on beach and estuary restoration for years.
The Nisqually tribe's restoration of the Nisqually River Delta - in partnership with the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge and state agencies - started in 1999.
But the Puget Sound Nearshore Partnership - a partnership among environmental groups, tribes, local governments and federal and state agencies - recently accelerated habitat restoration with $2.5 million in grants. The grants match other state, local and federal funding for a total value of $20 million of work.
The funded grants and projects include:
$385,140 for restoration of the Qwuloolt Marsh in Snohomish County. The project sponsor is the Tulalip tribes of Washington.
$241,589 to restore the Wiley Slough in Skagit County. The project sponsor is Skagit River System Cooperative.
$200,000 to breach a dike and restore natural river and tidal actions to the Snohomish River estuary. The sponsor is the city of Everett Public Works department.
$96,250 to create an outreach program to highlight the benefits for juvenile salmon of 990 feet of waterfront salmon habitat in Seattle at the Seattle Art Museum's Olympic Sculpture Park. The sponsor is the Seattle Art Museum.
$200,000 to restore the Belfair State Park estuary, Big and Little Mission creeks and the beach. This project is in Mason County, and the sponsor is Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group.
$66,000 to pay for design work to restore Smuggler's Slough in the Nooksack River estuary near Bellingham. The Lummi Indian Business Council is the project sponsor.
$76,500 to pay for studies that will lead to the restoration of 115 acres of intertidal wetlands on the Leque Island Wildlife Area, which is at the mouths of the West and South forks of the Stillaguamish River in Snohomish County. Ducks Unlimited is the project sponsor.
$990,296 to remove 3,650 feet of dike on the west side of Nalley Slough, remove an elevated road network and build an elevated boardwalk on the former Nalley Farm property on the Skokomish Indian Reservation near the mouth of the Skokomish River in Mason County. The Skokomish tribe is the project sponsor.
$65,000 to buy a conservation easement for 3 acres of forested bluff and 300 feet of natural Puget Sound shoreline near Normandy Park in King County. The Cascade Land Conservancy is the project sponsor.


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By Patricia Kime
Two years ago, retired Army Lt. Col. Andy Kaufmann had a plan to work with injured combat veterans and first responders to help them reintegrate and thrive in their communities. But the former OH-58 Kiowa pilot, who served in Iraq in 2004, had issues of his own: mental struggles and physical pain that required antidepressants, sleep medications, opioids, and fentanyl.
"All of my [post-traumatic stress] was getting in the way of everything else," Kaufmann says. "It was keeping me from reaching my goals."
He heard about a relatively new program for combat troops offered at a veterans' retreat in the foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. When he was invited to attend the Warrior Progressive and Alternative Training for Healing Heroes (PATHH) program at Boulder Crest, he jumped at the opportunity, even though he wasn't quite sure what he was getting into. Kaufmann arrived with five other combat veterans for a week of transcendental meditation and activities such as yoga, hiking, kayaking, painting, archery, and caring for horses.
The casual observer easily might have mistaken the gathering at the 37-acre resort as a "guys' weekend," with its luxury lodging, activities in a gleaming clubhouse, and expansive countryside views. But this was no holiday. Kaufmann's week, with each activity selected to promote introspection, awareness, and personal growth along with soul-baring discussions around a campfire, was emotionally grueling and life-changing.
"You are getting this intense therapy without even recognizing that you are getting it," Kaufmann says. "It totally saved my ass."
Holistic approach
While the VA offers treatment for post-traumatic stress at all of its medical centers — from one-on-one and group outpatient treatment to intensive inpatient and residential programs — these center largely around scientifically proven methods for treating post-traumatic stress, namely psychotherapy and medication.
For many veterans, these interventions work. But for others like Kaufmann, they have proven ineffective or, in some cases, debilitating. For these former troops, nonmedical, peer-to-peer support programs offered by various nonprofit and private organizations across the U.S., such as Boulder Crest, Save A Warrior, Mighty Oaks, and Wounded Warrior Project's Project Odyssey, have proven to be lifesaving.
"We call it 'war detox,' " says Save A Warrior founder Jake Clarke, a former Army National Guard captain. "Previous generations have found peer support at [Veterans of Foreign Wars], American Legion, AMVETS. But sitting around a smoky bar telling your stories doesn't appeal to this group of veterans — they want the immersive, experiential model."
This means an all-in physical and mental experience based on holistic healing to foster personal growth. While each program has unique features, at their core, they focus on wellness through acceptance, humility, self-forgiveness, patience, physical well-being, and teamwork. According to program sponsors, the goal is to decrease or eliminate post-traumatic stress symptoms and restore veterans' confidence to become productive members of their communities.
Boulder Crest founder Ken Falke calls this post-traumatic growth (PTG), a phrase coined by psychologists at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte in the 1990s to describe the idea trauma can be a catalyst for positive change.
"If you take the time to answer these tough questions — 'Who am I? What do I want to be?' — and if you set goals and work for them, you can really be something special. You can take it and improve the world," Falke says.
Clarke doesn't use the term PTG but says the ideas are the same at Save A Warrior, based on ancient tenets that warriors can "travel through their experiences and come out focused and stronger" when they receive spiritual and emotional support.
According to the VA, roughly 14 percent of veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan have post-traumatic stress. For Persian Gulf War veterans, the rate of a post-traumatic stress diagnosis is 12 percent and for Vietnam veterans, 31 percent. With some studies indicating the high rate among Vietnam veterans has caused debilitating lifelong problems, psychiatrists, counselors, and therapists are in a race to help post-9/11 troops now, before their conditions become chronic.
"We spend weeks and months training these people to be soldiers and go to combat, and then at the end, we send them to a measly one-week course to teach them how to get a job," Falke says. "We aren't giving them the skills they need to be leaders in their communities."
Holistic programs steer clear of traditional psychotherapies and pharmaceuticals and focus instead on activities that explore a veterans' personal and emotional status and build on existing strengths.
Many of the programs start and end with veterans engaging in art therapy such as drawing mandalas. They learn meditation and tackle physical challenges like rock-climbing or ropes courses that require teamwork. They get uncomfortably close with horses. They spend time — a lot of it — mindfully walking in labyrinths.
"It may sound like mumbo jumbo, ... but it's not. Fortunately, the science is catching up with metaphysics," Clark says. "This program helps create the ideal conditions to disrupt or dislodge this path to illness or suicide and [gives] veterans another way to go."
Falke says many veterans want this type of program because they don't want to revisit their trauma, they distrust the VA, or they have tried treatment and found it failed to help.
"What we are doing for veterans in respect to the medical model ... is not working. … We just can't keep doing the same thing over if it doesn't work," Falke says.
Care at the VA
Dr. Sonya Norman, a psychologist and director of the PTSD Consultation Program at the VA National Center for PTSD, disputes that assertion. She says post-traumatic stress once was viewed as a chronic condition similar to, say, diabetes, which can be managed but not cured. But therapy for post-traumatic stress has developed to a point where three months of treatment can be highly effective.
"It doesn't mean they're completely symptom free or exactly the person they were before the trauma, but it certainly means they can feel better emotionally, and their symptoms can be reduced," she says.
Every VA health facility offers post-traumatic stress counseling and treatment; most provide evidence-based therapies — psychotherapies and/or medications that have been proven to work in research and clinical trials. This includes cognitive processing therapy, which focuses on changing people's thoughts on their experiences; prolonged exposure therapy; and EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), which promotes rapid eye movement similar to the movements in deep sleep that helps guide a patient to "see" trauma in a less disturbing way.
Some VA facilities also offer complementary and alternative medical treatment (CAM), such as yoga, chiropractic care, and meditation, but program availability depends on the medical center. One study found 89 percent of VA facilities do offer some form of CAM, but for the most part, VA physicians rely on standard treatments, since scientific research has proven they work.
Growth experiences
Falke hopes a study under way at Boulder Crest will contribute to the research on alternative therapies for post-traumatic stress and support anecdotal evidence that programs like Warrior PATHH and Save A Warrior work just as well as traditional treatments.
University of North Carolina-Charlotte professor Dr. Richard Tedeschi, who, along with psychologist Dr. Lawrence Calhoun developed the term post-traumatic growth in the 1990s, is working with former Army psychologist Dr. Bret Moore to follow 50 Warrior PATHH participants through their one-week intensive stay at Boulder Crest, the 18-month follow-on program they continue at home, and beyond to examine their abilities to manage their physical and mental well-being, relationships, and work.
Tedeschi is a psychologist who has spent 30 years studying trauma victims, survivors of violent crime, and bereaved parents who believe they experienced positive change after dealing with a traumatic event. This observational study is an opportunity to see if PTG can be facilitated and fostered.
"People experience this growth naturally — you don't have to go to a psychologist to have someone produce this in you," Tedeschi says. "But we have seen that if you have a trauma and you experience a great deal of distress … where you might be questioning your core beliefs … that questioning process very often leads to positive change. And that's what they are doing at Boulder Crest: helping with this questioning process."
A new study at North Carolina State University examined the relationship between post-traumatic stress, PTG, and time, finding those who reported the highest growth also were those who said their trauma "fundamentally challenged the way" they saw the world, spent a lot of time thinking about their event, and had the highest rates of post-traumatic stress. The study also showed growth could occur quickly or unfold over time.
"In other words, while recovering from trauma can be a painful and difficult ordeal, veterans and their families can have hope," says Jessica Morgan, a researcher with the nonprofit health research firm RTI International and principal investigator on the study.
But like Tedeschi, Morgan says more research is needed on PTG.
Even without evidence, young veterans are signing up for these programs, which are offered for free, in droves. Save A Warrior has a waiting list of at least 200 and seeks to offer the program through partnerships with other therapy centers. Boulder Crest just purchased a ranch in Arizona to expand to the West Coast.
Kaufmann himself has established an equine therapy program for veterans near Ashland, Va. When he gets in a rough spot, he heads to the barn or meditates — coping skills he learned at Boulder Crest. He turns to the one phrase that stuck in his mind from Warrior PATHH: "Stop looking in the rearview mirror."
He wishes other veterans could find the peace he has found through holistic healing. "Without [the program] I wouldn't be where I'm at," Kaufmann says. "Boulder Crest helped me see things 180 degrees differently than I did before."


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Another week without an double XP event and this shows up.
I fail to see why this non-productive yard sale event exist. Instead, why not just simply put a permanent delete option on decor items that some players cannot seem to stomach having hidden away in their storage. This event goes by and players still complain that items they wanted to get rid of was never wanted by a visitor.


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Watch this live demo of the new Cisco SparkWe'd like to share with you the video of a really fun demo we made recently of a new Cisco Spark.
It's Cisco's cool new product that rolls meetings, messaging, and calls into one service. All of this happens in digital workspaces in the Cisco cloud.
You can share files with your team there, screen share, and draw. Everything's saved in this space.
When your business is ready, you can add Cisco video conferencing room systems, or desktop video phones. It all works together with your service.
"I am the Inspector Morse of IT journalism. I haven't a clue. D'oh" - Mike Magee


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I sat down recently with John Tortorella, a designer and builder of custom gunite pools in Southampton NY, and the CEO and founder of the Tortorella Group, to discuss pool durability and energy efficiency, two qualities that are "top of mind" for the Sunset Green Home project.
If you've been following our story, you know that the old house on the site of the Sunset Green Home project was made uninhabitable by Hurricane Sandy. The property didn't have a swimming pool, but the new Sunset Green Home will have one. So, just as we have been thinking about durability and energy efficiency for the Sunset Green Home itself – which we hope will earn LEED Platinum certification at completion – we are thinking in parallel about the same issues for the swimming pool.
Like many coastal properties, Sunset Green Home will be built on pilings that are approximately 10 feet above current grade. The pool will be set into a deck at the level of the ground floor of the house. On the one hand, this means we won't have to do any excavation. On the other hand, it also means that the entire pool structure has to be constructed above the ground…which is somewhat complicated.
Our pool construction, just like that of the house, starts with pilings that are driven deep enough into the ground that they can support the load of the pool structure with no movement. The pool contractor will then build steel (rebar) and concrete grade beams that span the piles in order to distribute the pool load over the piling system.
Durability is critical! Think of it this way: at 70 degrees, one gallon of water weighs 8.3 pounds. Multiplying by the volume of the pool, we estimate that the Sunset Green Home pool will hold over 143 TONS of water (we used this pool volume calculator). That's a lot of weight. And now imagine a similar storm surge to that of Hurricane Sandy, which would send a velocity flow of water right into the vertical wall of the deep end of Sunset Green Home's pool.
So how does one build a pool to withstand these types of forces? And, if we're going to be as energy minded about the pool as we are about a home that is seeking LEED Platinum certification, what should we do about energy efficiency? These are the questions Kathryn Cannon (Sunset Green Home's sustainability consultant) and I posed to Mr. Tortorella.
The first thing he did was pull out his mobile phone and show us a photo of a pool he had built just prior to Hurricane Sandy, which the homeowner's insurance adjuster believes may very well have saved the owners' oceanfront home. The pool had been built on helical piles just up against a dune. After the storm, when 100 feet of dune had been washed away, what was left was the exposed underside of the pool structure – which was completely undamaged. THAT, John Tortorella said, is a durable pool. And, because the pool withstood and deflected the forces of the storm, the house behind it was undamaged.
So what makes a durable gunite (i.e., pressure sprayed concrete) pool?
- The quality of the rebar used for framing of the grade beams and pool walls. Tortorella uses 1/2" and 5/8" thick rebar (and thicker rebar in some cases) versus the industry standard 3/8" thick steel on even his standard pools, and his crew takes care to bend – not splice – the pieces where angles are required
- The design of the rebar caging for grade beams and pool structure. Depending on how high the pool is built above grade, the rebar structure may vary from a single cage of 1/2" rebar at 10" on center, to as much as a double cage of rebar for a pool that one can literally walk beneath. To avoid cracks, Tortorella reinforces his pool structures with rebar under and around the pool skimmers
- The density of the concrete walls. It's not enough to specify a particular thickness of gunite. Tortorella nozzlemen receive extensive training and are certified for gunite application, which Tortorella says results in a uniform, dense application that contains no "voids" within it. It's the uniformity of coverage and proper encapsulation of the steel rebar that gives the gunite its strength
- Sizing the pipes correctly. The durability of the pool pumps and other equipment depends on smooth flow of water through the system. Undersizing the pipes or including too many twists and turns will cause the pump to overwork, resulting in shorter equipment lifetimes and increased - unnecessary - electricity use
- Including pool components that work holistically to deliver a safe and comfortable aquatic environment. Salt water pools are the state of the art, and their salinity is approximately equal to that of a human tear. Such pool chemistry, if properly balanced, will feel better on skin and eyes, and provides for more pleasurable swimming. The salt in the pool is also used to create pure chlorine via a salt generator. But Tortorella warned that the process of generating chlorine from salt will raise a pool's pH - so using a salt generator alone is not recommended. He cited a trio of Pentair products – Intellichem (the "brain" that continuously measures and tests chlorine and pH levels), Intellichlor (which produces chlorine from salt) and IntellipH (which balances the pool's pH level) – that work together to adjust and maintain a pool's chemical balance. But he warned that using the salt generator alone, which some customers do to control first costs, may be penny wise and pound foolish...doing so may result in rough and unsightly scale buildup on the pool walls and may deteriorate the pool heater's heat exchangers.
And what about energy efficiency? There are things that pool owners can – and should! – do to reduce a pool's energy use and environmental impact.
- Install an ASTM-approved automatic pool safety cover…and then use it! Not only will this habit result in a safer pool environment, but closing the safety cover when the last swimmer comes out of the pool can save up to 70% in heating costs, and will reduce by as much as 50% a pool's evaporative water loss and 60% of pool chemical consumption according to the US Department of Energy
- Include an ENERGY STAR certified variable speed pool pump. According to the US EPA's ENERGY STAR web site, on average such pumps result in savings of over $300 annually (and potentially even more in warm climates where pools are used throughout the year or when the newest and most efficient models are installed; John cited a savings of as much as $1,800 - $2,000 for local installations using the Pentair model). In fact, according to the ENERGY STAR web site, "If all pool pumps sold in the United States were ENERGY STAR certified, we would save about $113 million per year and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 140,000 cars."
- As above, design the pool's plumbing system correctly. An energy efficient pump is no good if it's trying to push water through a pipe that is too small! Getting the plumbing right means that the pool pump won't have to work so hard to move the water through the system.
- Heat the pool water using solar panels (which work best during the warm sunny months of the year) instead of gas heaters (which burn fossil fuels and contribute to global warming). And install solar PV panels to generate electricity for supplemental pool heat (check for federal, state and local rebates and tax incentives). Design the pool with "deep heating" – heat rises, so heat the pool from the bottom rather than at the top to avoid losing the pool heat into the air
If you're building a new swimming pool, make sure to ask your contractor to incorporate these and other best practices into its construction and operation.
Happy swimming!


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UK Trip....Part IIPosted: Thursday, April 30, 2009 by Stained in
Sunday, 15th of March
Stairs leading to the Train Station from the other side
Sunday, 15th of March
First nameless station was Hatfield.
Second nameless station was Doncaster.
Thanks for the information!!! :D
I don't get it... if you don't like veggie pizza, why eat it? :S
Cause I can't have non-veg due to the Halal factor!!!
The castles, and that live chess are just fantastic.
Hope you had a good trip.
I did have a nice trip, though I did not enjoy London as much as I did the country side...London is just hyped!!!
Totally dig the places for the variety in the architecture of the buildings ,especially the Gothic cathedral and that winter garden....sumthing not seen in this part of the world...and the countryside is jus ....well ...gorgeous...reminds me of all those descriptions in classic literature...jane austen, charlotte bronte etc....sigh...lucky u!
Could you tell me where you stayed? I'm planning on going in august and the room looks nice!
I was staying at the Premier Inn!!!


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A young woman called Edie Covington is drowned to death when the car she was in is rammed into a pond by another car. Her lover, Joshua Holcombe, goes missing after the murder. With Lynley suspended until the outcome of his disciplinary hearing, Havers is assigned to work on this case under DI Fiona Knight. She and DI Knight get along reasonably well, but Havers risks her new boss's anger by unofficially asking Lynley to do some background detecting.
DI Knight strongly suspects Edie's partner, Tim Sumner, to be the murderer. Lynley, on the other hand, believes that Edie's death was to do with a land dispute with property developer Owen Harcourt-Baines. It seems a matter of time before Havers' past and present bosses clash openly.
In the meantime, Helen reemerges in Lynley's life, and contemplates rekindling their relationship.
- Arc Words: "Eluthera".
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Lafferty. The man becomes poetic over the dead bodies he dissects.Lafferty: [examining the bodies of two victims, who were lovers] Never was there a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.Lynley: [exasperated] Do you have a different quote for every autopsy you do?Lafferty: What's better - to see them as pieces of meat or fragments of poetry?
- The Bus Came Back: With a brand-new Helen, no less!
- Conflicting Loyalty: Barbara is torn between her loyalty to Lynley and her loyalty to her new partner, Fiona Knight. No prizes for guessing who wins.
- Dude, Where's My Reward?: It does seem rather unfair that it is Helen who gets to celebrate with Lynley when he is reinstated, given that it was Havers who gave the crucial evidence at the hearing, and who supported Lynley throughout his Heroic BSoD for the past year or so. Havers' expression as she walks away from the couple shows her relief at Lynley's fate, but some disappointment as well.
- Epiphany Therapy: Lynley solves a key aspect of the puzzle and realises the truth about his feelings for Helen 5 minutes through the psychotherapy session.
- Fanservice Pack: Barbara shows up with shoulder-length hair and a significant wardrobe upgrade. The effect is startling, to say the least.
- Improvised Weapon: It's not that a car hasn't been used to kill people before, but using it to ram another car into the pond, with a person trapped inside, has to be one of the cruelest and most unexpected forms of murder.
- Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe: Millie. But Tim Sumner doesn't love her any less for that.
- Oblivious to His Own Description: After Lynley and DI Knight disagree over which lead to follow, Lynley remarks to Havers (once DI Knight has left): "I see what you mean. She doesn't listen, does she?" To which Havers comes back with: "That reminds me of another detective I know."
- The Other Darrin: This episode introduces the third Helen, played by Catherine Russell.
- Papa Wolf: Tim Sumner. What makes this particularly poignant is that despite having just been told that he isn't Millie's biological father, he goes on a Roaring Rampage of Rescue when she is kidnapped. The moment he is able to snatch her from the kidnapper,he carries her away like she's the most precious thing in the world.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: DI Knight, mostly. Once she realises that Lynley and Barbara are on the right track, she lets them have at it.
- Red Herring: Both DI Knight and Lynley's lines of enquiries have absolutely nothing to do with Edie's murder.
- Shipper on Deck: DI Knight certainly seems to be one for Lynley and Havers.
- Sue Donym: DI Knight is appalled when she hears reports that a man identifying himself as "Inspector Linton" has been questioning potential suspects in the case.
- True Companions: Fiona Knight knows exactly what's up.Knight: You two really are a double act, aren't you!
- With Cat Like Tread: After eavesdropping on a conversation by hiding in an adjoining room, Lynley walks out with such conspicuous stealth that his hostess immediately suspects that he was up to no good.


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Review: Body and Soul
The following film review was originally submitted to the Spectator. The Spectator's editors, who had not seen the film, took issue with the negative portrayal of Palestinian historical revisionism and heavily revised the piece in order to reflect their own political prejudices. Their revisions raise significant ethical questions. In light of the rising anti-Semitism on college campuses and around the world, the Spectator's actions are disturbing and irresponsible.
—The Editors
Last Tuesday, Hamilton welcomed Gloria Greenfield to present her latest film, Body and Soul: The State of the Jewish Nation. Greenfield has worked in publishing, marketing, and management for over thirty years prior to founding of Doc Emet Productions in 2007. Greenfield, with Doc Emet Productions, dedicates her work to the advancement of a Jewish identity and advocation for the Jewish state. Greenfield has produced and directed three films since 2008. The event, sponsored by the Alexander Hamilton Institute, was well attended by Hamilton students, alumni, and faculty.
Greenfield briefly prefaced her film with several critical issues facing the Jewish people today, including Israel's right as a nation to exist and defend its territories, conflicts arising over local opposition to Israel, the "intellectual" attacks on the Jewish people and nation, and a growing illiteracy among modern Jews regarding their history, texts, and liturgy. The film itself is mostly historical, educating viewers on the legitimacy and history of the Jewish state. Late in the film, some of the more modern issues facing the state are explored. Greenfield establishes Judaism as more than just a religion. It is an identity, a community, and a tradition that ultimately manifests in the Israeli nationality where all who identify as Jewish will be welcome.
The film itself consists of a brief history of the Jewish people, the development of Zionism, establishment of Israel, and challenges currently facing the Jewish nation. Biblical, historical, and archaeological evidence all strongly suggest the ancient Jewish people settled in the modern day Israel, Jordan, and Syria, with Jerusalem at the center of the civilization. The Babylonians first conquered and exiled the Jews, destroying the holy temple in Jerusalem. The Romans later dominated the area, renaming the province Palaestina for the ancient enemies of the Jews. Around 1000 years later, the Crusaders conquered Jerusalem. Every conquest led to the persecution and execution of Jews. The Promised Land passed from conquerer to conquerer, none able to hold and establish rule before the British captured the land in the early 1900s, eventually helping create a Jewish state.
With the rise of European nationalism and widespread anti-Semitism in the 19th century, many Jewish people rediscovered their identity, prompting a will to reestablish themselves in the Zionist movement. Although many areas were considered, none had the attractiveness and historical pull of the original Promised Land. Thus, over the late 19th century and early 20th century, Jews began immigrating from many nations, where they were treated as second class citizens, en masse to the Promised Land.
The two World Wars and their aftermath devastated the Jewish people. Although a push for the creation of a Jewish state in the Middle East gained support, anti-Semitism ran rampant among politics of the mid-20th century. Ultimately, the United Nations managed to establish the Mandate for Palestine: a British controlled home for the Jewish people, with the Jordan River area split into Jewish Palestine and Trans-Jordan (Arab Palestine). Because the UN did not declare official borders, they tolerated attacks on Jewish Palestine, utterly failing to assist Israel when the Arabs invaded, exiling or killing Jews in the conquered lands. These unwarranted attacks persisted, forcing Israel into defensive wars against the surrounding Arab nations, continually surrendering land.
Even today, many Arab nations (particularly Palestinians) rewrite history in attempt to justify anti-Semitism. They preach Israel has no historical right or claim to their land, denying the state's right to exist. The frequent persecution and exiling of Jews throughout history is not used as simply a historical fact, but manipulated into evidence for the inferiority of the Jewish people. This even extends to Christians, with claims that Jesus was not Jewish, but Muslim!
These Arab nations refuse to recognize the legitimacy of the Jewish state. This unreasonable, unjustified aggression continues today, manifesting itself in countless conflicts.
Almost all modern nations take statehood for granted. Israel must continually defend its right to exist. So far, they have been militarily successful, but have a difficult political and ideological war to wage. Israel and the Jewish people cannot suffer these continued attacks on their nationhood. They (and Israel's allies) must demand the right to be recognized and respected as a nation.
Special thanks again to Gloria Greenfield and the Alexander Hamilton Institute for making the event possible and accessible to the Hamilton Community.


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Coming soon Airbrushing Scale model Aircraft. Please contact me reference this books release date via the contact form.
Airbrushing Scale Model Aircraft is a practical guide to the application and techniques of painting plastic scale model aircraft in any scale. It provides guidance on buying airbrushing equipment, setting it up and operating it safely, and offers detailed explanations of how airbrushes and compressors work, alongside their various components.
The reader is taken through basic exercises to learn how to control airbrushing equipment before moving on tyo more advanced paint application techniques. This book also includes guides to preparation, information on the use of primers, and a handy troubleshooting guide to help identify and resolve common faults.
Richly illustrated and filled with step-by-step guides to paint application for model aircraft, this book covers: Masking techniques, Painting wood effects, Bare metal finishes, Camouflage patterns, Chipping techniques, Clear coats and Weathering.
Airbrushing Scale Model Aircraft is an essential reference for anyone looking to airbrush model aircraft in any scale, from beginner to experienced modeller.
Robin Carpenter worked on refurbishing real aircraft in a variety of settings for over twenty years, and has been a keen modeller since childhood. Combining his past aviation experience and modelling skills, he has been teaching airbrush classes for beginners at The Airbrush Company since 2005. This is his first book for Crowood.


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Blackbeard: We are in the process of going totally techno for 2015 by instituting CF Whiteboard for our online programming and your PR's!
You can sign up for Whiteboard by visiting the "Whiteboard" button on any of the new WODs on the WOD page of our website.
What this means for you:
1.) You can electronically input how you performed for that particular WOD, what your PR's are, AND how you compare to other athletes at Blackbeard and other boxes!
2.) In the next few weeks, we will be REMOVING the physical PR whiteboards from the box (to make room for more exciting changes!) so BE SURE to record your PR's on your own!
3.) Whiteboard will soon have a smartphone app so you can input your data right at the box!
BELOW are photos of the physical PR whiteboards at the box as of 1/6/15 so you can refer to these if you forget your PR!


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By Benjamin Bellman (@beninquiring) and Drew Olsen (@drewjolsen)
After earning the club their first playoff appearance in year two, expectations continue to rise for NYCFC. Coach Patrick Vieira is seen as one of the best young coaches in MLS, and the team appears to have added even more talent in the offseason. Still, their superstars continue to age - can they still be relied on to carry the team in terms of workload and minutes in 2017?
2016 in review
Last year was a tale of two seasons for NYCFC. The first half was a continuation of the struggles of their inagural season, and NYC managed to earn only 18 points in their first 15 games. The nadir of that stretch was the now-famous 7-0 loss at home to their neighboring-state rivals. Skeptics began to question if Vieira would even last as long as his predecessor Jason Kreis did.
But that 7-0 humiliation was also the season debut for Frank Lampard, and his return (symbolic or not) coincided with dramatic improvement in form. Over the remaining 19 games of the season they averaged almost two points per game and went from being well out of the playoff race to finishing 2nd in the Eastern Conference. Lampard certainly added something to the midfield, as his 8.17 expected goals and assists were 2nd best on the team, despite his playing only 1342 minutes. With Lampard's return, what had been a chaotic and inconsistent series of lineups from Vieira found some stability as the team's form improved.
Andrea Pirlo started slowly but found his legs, ultimately playing almost 2900 minutes (we include stoppage time minutes in our totals, which differ from MLS' official tally), more than twice as many as the season before. He is still the ultimate deep-lying playmaker, happy to sit back and drop long dimes from the center of midfield. His 64 key passes were good for 7th in MLS, many of them to eventual league MVP David Villa. Villa's 25.07 xG + xA were the best in the league, and his 0.79 xG created per 96 mins were 3rd. He also led the team's field players in minutes played, with over 3000.
Though not named alongside their flashy big three European stars, Frederic Brillant also deserves mention here. He doesn't have their attacking prowess, but his 301 defensive actions were the most in MLS and his 193 clearances were 35 more than 2nd place They were also emblematic of a leaky defense that allowed 55 goals and 52.56 xGA, both worst among teams that made the playoffs.
Things obviously improved in the 2nd half of the season, and the general theme of NYCFC's season was clear: out-score their opponent. They scored three or more goals nine times, and were more than happy to win in high-scoring affairs.
Offseason Additions and Subtractions
The biggest subtraction, at least in name, is Lampard, who has retired and returned to England after his 6 month stay (ASA sources are still trying to confirm if he arrived before last summer) in the Big Apple. Also retired is Andoni Iraola, who ultimately settled in as a central midfielder last year in the place of another player that is all but officially gone: (unofficial poet of MLS) Mix Diskerud. Mix featured heavily under Kreis but didn't see action after June for Vieira. We can probably expect his contract situation to be resolved before NYCFC's first home game.
Also gone is Jason Hernandez, who started 26 games in the middle of defense last year, along with midfielders Federico Bravo and Steven Mendoza, who saw their loans expire.
They also sent some GAM & TAM to Atlanta to acquire former Chicago starter and once-upon-a-time national team fringe player Sean Johnson. While probably an improvement over 2016 'keeper Josh Saunders and certainly much younger, Johnson is one of the only regular starting GKs who had a worse Goals Minus Expected Goals per 96 minutes than Saunders last year.
They also sent a boatload of GAM (noticing a trend?) to Chicago for the ability to draft Akron Zip Jonathan Lewis at 3rd overall, and a little more GAM & TAM to Portland for the ability to sign former Timbers winger Rodney Wallace. Those two players will provide depth on the left wing, a position where there wasn't a lot of consistency last year.
Panamanian international Miguel Camargo comes to help provide depth in the midfield, and Peruvian international Alexander Callens arrives to help plug some of the holes in the middle of the defense. Kaiserslautern transfer Alexander Ring will try to fill the defensive midfield role that Iraola played last year behind Pirlo, competing with 19-year-old Manchester City loanee Yangel Herrera. Ben Sweat is another addition that will look to make a defensive impact, previously playing for the then-NASL Tampa Bay Rowdies.
The biggest pickup of the offseason is DP Maximiliano Moralez, who comes via Serie A and Liga MX. He'll be counted on to fill the shoes of Lampard, both positionally and in terms of goal creation. At only 29 years old, Vieira is also surely hopeful that he can stay healthier. It's not unimaginable that Moralez might play more minutes this season than Lampard did over his full tenure in NYC. The hype-train on Moralez has already left the station, but only time will tell if he's going to be MLS's Zlatan or just another fake attacker.
Positional Outlook
To the right is NYCFC's starting lineup against Sporting KC in their final preseason match. With Johnson likely in charge between the posts for the year, Callens, Brillant, RJ Allen, Maxime Chanot, and Ronald Matarrita should be the regular faces in the Pigeons' backline. Chanot, a Luxembourg international, joined NYCFC in the middle of 2016, but was restricted to only eight games because of an injury. Along with Callens, it will be interesting to see if this new central defensive look will be enough to bring the disastrous defense in the Bronx under control.
In the midfield, Pirlo and Moralez are sure to start most games, leaving only one defensive midfield spot for Ring and Herrera to battle over. Given Pirlo's age, he's likely to miss some games, which would leave room for both to start, as above. This would be a very intriguing formation, similar to how the Colorado Rapids play both Sam Cronin and Michael Azira as dual holding mids. Still, NYCFC live and die by their high octane offense, and it's just as likely that company IT man and attacking midfielder Tommy McNamara will get slotted in for any Pirlo absences.
Up top, NYC will play Villa as center forward every game he's even remotely healthy, flanked by Jack Harrison on the right wing and Wallace on the left. Harrison's ability to dribble at fullbacks will be huge for this offense in particular. Even when Harrison doesn't have the ball, his skill and pace will draw his defender closer in, exposing more space for Villa and company to move into. And if Villa can get any space near the box with the ball at his feet, you should expect him to score. With a full slate of minutes, Harrison should cement his place as an elite winger in this league.
Expectations for 2017
It's now or never for this "first edition" of NYCFC. With Lampard retired, only Villa and Pirlo remain from the club's high-profile entrance into the crowded New York sports market, and this is likely their last year of championship-caliber play. One thing is certain: this team will score buckets of goals. That's probably enough to get them into the MLS Cup playoffs, but is it enough to get them to the final, let alone win it? If this new defense can cut down on the chances allowed, that should be enough for NYCFC to lock down the Eastern Conference and compete with FC Dallas for the Supporters' Shield. That said, NYCFC's poor defense numbers might actually be a direct consequence of Vieira's "build from the back" tactics. If that's the case, only disciplined, mistake-free play in the back will be enough to save NYCFC from themselves, and in a new era of high press play in MLS that may be impossible. Patrick Vieira is playing a dangerous game, and while they'll be on every pundit's early season list of playoff teams, whether their journey ends in hardware is far from certain.


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Hi folks, it's time for me to introduce you to another of my favorite authors. Today we have the lovely and talented Jennette Marie Powell with us.
Jennette, thanks for coming and letting and letting us learn more about our favorite time travel author.J
JMP: Thanks so much for having me, Prudence!
P.M. Are you a full time author or do you have a day job too?
JMP: I have a full-time job as a software developer, which I've been for fifteen years. Prior to that, I worked as a graphic designer. It takes a lot of time, but it's all been great preparation for publishing, as I'm a professional who can design my own covers and format my own books!
P.M. Tell me, why the fascination with time travel?
JMP: I have always enjoyed wondering, "what if" that happened differently? For example, I was supposed to go on a date the night before Labor day many years ago, but after talking to the guy a couple of times on the phone, knew he wasn't for me, so I canceled. I went out with a friend instead, and met the man who would become my husband! Having that happen differently is not a what-if I like to contemplate, so I'm happy to stay in the present, and let my characters figure it out. J
P.M. One outstanding feature of your books is tension. Woman, you just never let those poor characters rest. I got tired just reading about them. Where did you learn to do that?
JMP: LOL I do love putting my characters through hell, and then watching them claw their way out! I've taken many writing workshops over the years, but one I most remember is agent Donald Maass's "Breaththrough Novel" workshop. He told us that there should be tension on every page, and to ask questions like, how can this be worse? What would this character never do – and then put him in a situation where he's forced to do that very thing.
P.M. What's one of your favorite ways to come up with a character?
JMP: Often, I think of a situation first, and then ask, what kind of person would be most challenged by this? But sometimes, the characters just show up and tell me their names. Sounds easy, huh? It's not – they don't give up anything else that easily, I have to pry it out of them. Sometimes, a minor character ends up taking on a life of her own, which is what happened with Taylor Gressman, who got her own story in my Christmas short, "Time's Holiday."
PM. Quick stuff.
Book or e-reader? Both!
Pen and paper or computer?
Computer – my hand cramps if I write very long, but I do use pen and printouts for revision.
When you work, dressed up or jammies?
Dressed – I write after I get home from work. One weekends, I still get dressed so I'm in a mindset to work, although usually in jeans or sweats.
Plotter or pantster?
Plotter, big-time! For me, to not plan is to invite writers' block.
Weekend of camping in the wild or weekend of shopping?
Hmm, I'm not too fond of either, to be honest. However, I enjoyed camping when I was a kid, so let's go with that – provided there's plenty of food and equipment, the weather's nice, the bugs aren't too bad, and I have plenty of books with me!
Prefer to write…Short story or novel?
Novel – I've completed seven. "Time's Holiday" is the first short story I've written since creative writing class in college (a looooong time ago).
P.M. Okay, time to promote one of your books. What's it about, where do we buy it?
Time's Enemy is the first in my Saturn Society time travel series. It's about an unwilling time traveler who only wants to do one thing: change the past, and prevent his daughter's death. Unfortunately, that makes him the target of the powerful Saturn Society – which includes the woman he loves.
Time's Enemy is available at Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo Books | Smashwords| Apple and many other online retailers.
P.M. Where else can we find more of your work?
J.M.P. My free short story, "Time's Holiday," is a prequel to Time's Enemy.
Along with Time's Fugitive, Saturn Society Book 2, it's available at Smashwords, Kobo Books, Amazon,* Barnes & Noble,Sony, and Apple.
More information is available on my website, Facebook, and Twitter.
Jennette, this was a lot of fun. Thanks for stopping in today.
Alright folks, run right over to the store and buy one of Jennette's books, they're great!
7 thoughts on "Interview Questions"
Nice interview, Jennette! With all the twists and turns and back and forth in time in your books, I don't see how you could be anything but a plotter!
Great interview! It's so much fun learning more about writers I respect. Funny how plotting causes writers' block for some, pantsing for others. 😉 Gotta love the variety among us.
Nice interview. But now I'm curious, Jennette. If not camping, nor shopping, what's your ideal 'get-away'?
Really enjoyed this interview! Don't know how Jennette does it, with the day job and all, but it's cool she's using those skills in her writing! I also love time-travelling books, so will definitely check these out.


text: Lucinda Eng Garcia O: 202.290.1313 Home Agents Lucinda Eng Garcia Lucinda graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Interior Design. She has over 25 years experience in residential, commercial and corporate design and renovation projects in DC, Boston and NYC. Lucinda is a licensed Realtor® and understands how to successfully prepare, stage and market homes for sale. Lucinda and Carlos have three great kids who attend DC public schools. Reviews on Zillow 2939238 "James was very easy to work with. He was very responsive and helped with every part of the purchase process. My wife and I had a lot of questions as ... more " 5.0/5.0 by markdelman 2393041 "Carlos Garcia and James Grant are top-knotch people to work with and find the home of your dreams. They exude the utmost respect, timeliness, and ... more " 5.0/5.0 by thartberger 860889 "Carlos and the EngGarcia team are absolutely tops in providing an end-to-end solution for me as a buyer and landlord for my 2-unit residential ... more " 5.0/5.0 by afrokoruban


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The status of appeals in the murder conviction of Stacey Castor was discussed in court this summer. The judge denied the appeal today.
(Dick Blume / The Post-Standard)
Syracuse, NY -- An Onondaga County Court judge today rejected a motion by notorious murderer Stacey Castor to retry the case on grounds that authorities deprived her of the right to counsel before a police interrogation in 2007.
County Court Judge Joseph Fahey dismissed Castor's argument that a lawyer she hired to take care of her late husband's estate also represented her in the criminal investigation into her husband's death.
Castor had argued that crucial evidence from the interrogation should be suppressed because she spoke without a lawyer present. She was convicted by jury in 2009, and is serving 51 1/3 years to life in prison for the murder of her husband by antifreeze and the attempted murder of her daughter in a plot to blame her for the murder.
Read our full coverage of the Stacey Castor case.
In his decision, the judge ruled that the same lawyer couldn't have represented her in both matters. The lawyer himself, Norman Chirco, testified this summer that it would have been a conflict of interest.
Instead, the judge found that Chirco communicated with Onondaga County sheriff's deputies following David Castor's death only to settle the deceased man's estate.
At one point, Castor went to Chirco for advice after deputies asked Castor to give them fingerprint samples. Chirco advised her to go ahead.
The judge ruled that Chrico's only interest in giving that advice was to help settle the manner of David Castor's death, which was assumed to be a suicide at the time. Had the death actually been a suicide -- as Stacey Castor apparently intended it to look -- then Chirco's advice would have helped settle the deceased man's estate.
At no time did Chirco act as a criminal defense lawyer representing Castor in the murder investigation, the judge ruled. In fact, his relationship with Stacey Castor ended before the 2007 interrogation.
During the interrogation, Stacey Castor made a famous blunder by referring to antifreeze as "antifree," a mistake which prosecutors at trial showed she made multiple times during her plot of murder and cover-up.
At the time of the 2007 interrogation, Castor waived her Miranda rights, including the right to a lawyer. But Castor claimed that her right to counsel was protected by her dealings with Chirco prior to that date.
The judge noted that Castor never referred to Chirco as her criminal lawyer and never retained him as criminal counsel. When Castor requested Chirco's advice on the fingerprints, she described him as the lawyer representing her interests in the estate.
And Chirco never described himself as Castor's criminal attorney. "At no point did Chirco tell the police that he represented the defendant on any police investigation into the death of David Castor," Fahey wrote. "In fact, Chirco could not represent the defendant on a criminal matter or potential criminal matter relating to the death of Davide Castor."
A state appeals court, which ordered Fahey to hold a hearing to address Castor's complaint, will review his decision. The appeals court has previously denied Castor's appeal on other grounds.


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Colossians 1
This exhilirating series looks at Jesus – who he is and what he did. Is there a more important series theme than that? We don't think so. Whether you love Jesus or are not sure you even believe in him, but would like to make sense of him, this series is a must. Blaise Pascale the scientist said of him: 'Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair.' And Gandhi said this about his death: 'A man who was completely innocent, offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act.' In this series we will unpack Colossians 1 verse by verse for 4 weeks.


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The lovely Brenda has rashly said she would like more Hairy Farmer Family info. I shall duly bore you oblige!
1. What were you doing 10 years ago?
Back living with Mum & Dad (bliss!) paying off a monstrous credit card debt, and accordingly having no social life to speak of. A dedicated smoker of Marlboro Lights, and nicely slim. Bah.
2. What 5 things are on your to-do list for today?
Today is almost over, but I can tell you about tomorrow: find a copy of this week's Stratford Observer with cute photo of Harry in; return my faulty microwave to Tesco; buy budgie sandpaper and cuttlefish for my tortoise; finish my belly dancer scarecrow; post a cheque for Harry's swimming lessons. Am only expecting to achieve numbers 1 and 4. I have low expectations of myself these days.
3. List some snacks you enjoy.
Might be easier to ask which ones I don't enjoy. Chocolate rules pretty supreme here, I feel. And puddings. I also really enjoy a handful of frozen peas, coz I'm weird.
4. What would you do with a billion dollars?
Would just have to give some away. Kingdom of heaven, the eye of the needle, the camel and all that jazz. Not that I would be strong enough to resist the usual minor trappings of obscene wealth… houses cars, horses, personal fitness guru, someone to do my bloody cleaning, etc etc. More specifically, I would like piano lessons from Jools Holland, guitar lessons from Nick Drake (whom I would naturally resurrect for the purpose), Raymond Blanc as our personal chef, a custom-made rocking horse from seasoned Warwickshire oak for Harry's birthday, a custom-made Liz Cox changing bag, and a new hairdryer coz I think mine's about buggered. In addition to all of this, I would be obliged to spend several million more than I needed to in buying up the surrounding countryside for John to gleefully farm because Felix Dennis only lives a stone's throw away and would keep outbidding me in order to grow his Forest of Dennis. Hairy Hubby would also rather like some shiny new tractors. He went to a cereals show yesterday and returned home all brochured-up and wistful.
5. List the places you have lived.
Birmingham, South Warwickshire, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Worcestershire.
Birmingham I don't remember. The three south Warwickshire houses have all been utterly delightful. Worcestershire, not so much. Newcastle, we had slugs in the sink.
6. List the jobs you have had.
After acquiring an ancient history degree, I was pretty limited in career choices; hence I never made one, and drifted aimlessly instead. I've done everything from journalism to pushing mortuary trolleys (occupied) but essentially my background these days is sales and account management.
7.List the names of people you want to know more about:
Please consider yourself the new It!


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Ilbars Bleakfell
Article written by Kranar Drogin & Gerrin
Ilbars Bleakfell (? - 421 AC) was a male, Daewar Dwarf who was a brash and arrogant captain commander of the Council Guard in Thorbardin, and was a close friend to the Daewar Thane Rughar Delvestone. Ilbars was sent but the Council of Thanes to meet Tarn Bellowgranite but prior to meeting him was ambushed by draconians and he and his troops were killed.
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Keeping you ahead with our free-to-use GEZE EZE BIM process.
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At GEZE your focused Architectural Consultant together with a team of qualified and trained Architectural Specifiers and installation Specialists will work with you towards a 'one-stop' better-quality outcome.
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What is the cost of using GEZE EZE BIM (Building Information Modeling)?
Will working on GEZE EZE BIM affect my central model in any way?
- GEZE EZE BIM is not connected to your central model in any way – instead, GEZE Specifiers work with a copy of your model
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I see that I need to share my project model with you, I have security and confidentiality concerns
- We take your security and confidentiality concerns seriously. GEZE uses a secure file transfer system. Alternatively share your model through a file transfer system of your choice and send to firstname.lastname@example.com
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As the originator of the BIM model, can I make detailed changes to GEZES recommended schedule myself?
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I need face-to-face GEZE EZE BIM training for me and my team, how do I go about organizing this?
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- We know that clients will take time to transition over to BIM, in the meantime, we will be happy to receive your hard-copy plans or Specification list. We'll then work with you to specify the most appropriate ironmongery solution for your project. Please contact our CRM Co-Ordinators to kick-start your project: Freecall: 0800 060 103, or email
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If I change my doors in my model in any way, will you pick up the changes?
- Yes, GEZE EZE BIM will automatically highlight the doors on the door-list as green if changed or added, and red if deleted
Questions or comments?
Let us know and we'll get back to you during office hours


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Jo HarrisBVSc Cert VC MRCVS (RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology)
Jo works alongside Mark Patteson as a cardiology consultant to Vale Referrals.
Jo qualified from the University of Bristol in 2000 and worked in mixed practice for two years in Essex, before moving to work with small animals in 2002 at Cedar Veterinary Group, Hampshire. In 2006 Jo started an internship with the referral team at Cedar, gaining experience in all aspects of cardiorespiratory medicine, and obtained the RCVS Certificate in Veterinary Cardiology in 2008. She then joined the referral team at Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists in Ringwood, Hampshire until moving to Exeter last year. Jo is now an RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology and offers cardiology clinics for HeartVets (with Mark Patteson) here at Vale Referrals and throughout the south west region.
Jo is experienced in all aspects of cardiology and respiratory cases, and has a particular interest in arrhythmias.