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You are currently browsing the monthly archive for November 2006.
On August 2000 I flew to the Republic of Korea to visit my grandparents, and my arrival coincided with the fifty-year anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War. A major part of the commemoration was the highly televised reunification of 100 families between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea.) It was the first time that I, a third generation Korean American, witnessed the real ramifications of that devastating time period. My parents, born one year after the 1953 armistice, never spoke of it. Neither did my grandparents.
My family's silence about this topic during my youth mirrors the silences in children's literature. Only within the past decade or two has there been an outpouring of voices telling stories about cruelty, family separation, violence, death, murder, hate, trauma, etc. for young audiences. Some say that children should not be exposed to such atrocity. Others argue that only by sharing trauma will there be healing and social transformation. It's an ongoing argument. In the meantime, publishers continue to publish books about atrocity – the Holocaust, Hiroshima, colonialism, and so on. Some are about Japanese Colonialism (1910-1945) and the Korean War (1950-1953).
Over the past several years I've been analyzing the way children's books portray colonialism and war, but this time was different. Over the past month, I went deeper and wider; I considered how Hiroshima and Japanese internment are depicted in children's books and have been reading more about the Holocaust in youth literature. And I'm struggling. I struggle reading stories about the brutal oppression of one nation to another; about a family torn apart by war; about ideologies that perpetuate prejudiced and dangerous ways of thinking; about a bomb dropped on an entire city; about the mass murder of millions of people; about the murder of a single person. And I struggle to think, analyze and write about it all. So many times I had to put a book down and walk away.
I really want to get past this intellectual and emotional paralysis, but I can't force it. The literature simply won't let me.
November 13-17 is the official Children's Book Week as celebrated by the Children's Book Council.
In honor of children and children's literature, buy a children's book for someone you know, or spend some time reading with youth. Please remember to select books that are 1) of only the highest literary and visual quality (the rarest kind of best!) and 2) culturally conscious. You can do so by thinking about the following guidelines, based on the landmark article "Ten Quick Ways to Analyze Children's Books for Racism and Sexism," published by the Council on Interracial Books for Children.
1. Check the illustrations. Do pictures of black children look like Sambo? Do pictures of Asians and Asian Americans have slanted eyes and rice bowl haircuts? Are girls dressed asnurses and boys dressed as doctors?
2. Check the storyline. What does it mean to be successful? Does it require complete assimilation and giving up ethnic roots? Are ethnic children proactive problem-solvers or do white children solve problems for them?
3. Look at the lifestyles. Are ethnic families consistently portrayed as different from the majority white mainstream middle class and in need of "Americanization"? Are their homes located in urban ghettoes or rural farms, or is there a range of experiences and lifestyles?
4. Weigh the relationships between people. Are whites always in positions of power compared to ethnic characters? Are Asian women portrayed as submissive? Do Latino/a families have a lot of children? Are black mothers portrayed as dominating in their families?
5. Note the heroes. What does it take to be heroic? Do minority characters take risks against majority institutions or do they passively accept their issues and wait for problems to go away?
6. Consider the effect on a child's self image. Is whiteness portrayed as normal, angelic, pure, etc., and blackness always associated with evil, dirty, ghetto, etc.? Are males always portrayed doing heroic deeds and rescuing females?
7. Consider the author's and/or illustrator's background. What qualifies the author to write about or include ethnic characters? Has the illustrator done justice in capturing the essence of ethnic cultures in the pictures?
8. Check out the author's perspective. Is the author a feminist or does s/he submit to patriarcal ideologies? Is the author's perspective mainly informed by Eurocentric ideologies?
9. Watch for loaded words. Are the words "submissive" "quiet" "smart" "docile" "crafty" always used to describe Asians? Are blacks "athletic" "musical" "primitive" "savage"? Are male pronouns used when referring to both females and males?
10. Check out the copyright date. Books published prior to the 1960s tend to contain more racist and derogatory images and stereotypes than those produced in the 1970s and onward. That's not to say that current books don't have problems. Thus, please observe the first 9 guidelines.
Why does this matter? Children's literature scholar Rudine Sims Bishop says "The literature we choose helps to socialize our children and to transmit to them our values." She also contends that "children need literature that serves as a window onto lives and experiences different from their own, and literature that serves as a mirror reflecting themselves and their cultural values, attitudes and behaviors."
When celebrating children's book week, let's help each other and young people think critically about the subtle and overt messages embedded in our literatures, attitudes, and actions.
A great way to start is by looking at issues in thanksgiving stories. Professor Debbie Reese's blog on American Indians in Children's Literature is a phenomenal resource.
Autumn is in full swing in Urbana-Champaign, and I am under house arrest for two weeks because of my specialty field exam. Today I stepped out to grab some lunch, and although the sun was hidden behind a blanket of grey, I was struck by the beauty of the trees and leaves and nature all around. I love Autumn. There's nothing more beautiful than watching the entire world change around you, not just one time, but four times every year.
Lately, I've been thinking about my role models: children's youth advocates, pastors and their wives, politicians, politicians' wives, etc. Specifically, three of my role models are Laura Bush, Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy. Aside from other problems inflicted by the Bush administration, Laura Bush invests a lot of time and money in librarianship. Her tenure as First Lady has significantly altered the landscape of and attention to libraries in this country. Hopefully whoever comes next will not drop us from her agenda. Hepburn, whose childhood was anything but comfortable, spent many years working with children and lobbying for children's rights in other countries. She didn't just give money; she gave her heart and her hands. Jackie O instilled pride in Americans at a time when Americans weren't feeling very proud. Also, she was an avid reader and writer througout her life. With the exception of the "gypsy" comment, I really like this poem:
I love the Autumn,
And yet I cannot say
All the thoughts and things
That make me feel this way.
I love walking on the angry shore,
To watch the angry sea;
Where summer people were before,
But now there's only me.
I love wood fires at night
That had a ruddy glow.
I stare at the flames
And think of long ago.
I love the feeling down inside me
That says to run away
To come and be a gypsy
And laugh the gypsy way.
The tangy taste of apples,
The snowy mist at morn,
The wanderlust inside you
When you hear the huntsman's horn.
Nostalgia – that's the Autumn,
Dreaming through September
Just a million lovely things
I always will remember.
-Jacqueline Bouvier
The University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is smoking hot right now. Last month the ZBT fraternity and DDD sorority held an exchange themed "Fiesta," during which members came dressed as pregnant mothers with brown dolls tied to their shirts, or in sombreros and ponchos, claiming to be "illegal aliens." This past weekend a fraternity at Johns Hopkins University threw a "Halloween in the Hood" party where invitees were encouraged to dress like OJ Simpson and other black Americans. Some students came dressed as pimps, prostitutes, and slaves!!!
As president of the Asian Pacific American Graduate Students Organization, I was invited to a meeting yesterday by the 4 Greek councils. They're planning an educational forum onNovember 30 (100 Greg Hall, 7:00-9:00p) and wanted to partner with other culturally based student organizations. Relatedly, on December 1 (134 Temple Buell Hall), Robert Jensen, scholar of critical white studies, will be on campus. He was scheduled to come even before this event occurred, but man, what awesomet timing.
I'm posting some documents here so you can read about the event as well as the university's (slow) response. I also provide links at the bottom to help educate you on these issues.
October 18, 2006
The campus is aware of a social function held on October 5, hosted by Delta Delta Delta sorority and Zeta Beta Tau fraternity, at which some members dressed in culturally insensitive attire and engaged in activities insulting to other members of the University community. Such behaviors are not only unacceptable; they are antithetical to the values of the University of Illinois.
Staff members from Fraternity and Sorority Affairs have been working with student leaders from both chapters and with the Greek governing councils for several days regarding the event. Additionally, investigations are underway by the Office for Student Conflict Resolution for possible violations of the Code, and the Office of the Dean of Students for acts of intolerance. The Office of the Dean of Students has been in consultation with each chapter's national and local organization, the campus Greek governing councils and educational and punitive actions have been prescribed, even while the campus review continues. Delta Delta Delta has been placed on probation by its national office while this incident is being reviewed, and no sorority events may occur during that time. All social events for the semester have been cancelled.
Delta Delta Delta and Zeta Beta Tau have each issued a letter of apology to the United Greek Council and campus community. They will each be hosting a workshop conducted by the coordinator of the Urbana campus' Program on Intergroup Relations in November. The staff of the Program on Intergroup Relations facilitated a dialogue for the Interfraternity Council this past week and will facilitate a similar session with the Panhellenic Council Presidents in the immediate future.
The fraternity and sorority governing groups have been advised of the campus expectation that a mandatory workshop for all new members will be provided effective fall 2007. The Office of the Dean of Students/Fraternity and Sorority Affairs will coordinate the staffing and program development for that experience.
To describe this incident as "unfortunate" does not appropriately capture the degree to which the campus and greater community are distressed, offended and aggrieved. But from this dismay we anticipate an opportunity to engage the students in dialogue that advances students' understanding of and respect for diversity and social justice issues. The campus is committed to expanding structured opportunities to explore the intellectual and emotional aspects of identity and stereotypes, commonalities and difference. For fall 2007, we will be developing a mandatory educational workshop for first year students to advance their understanding of and respect and appreciation for cultural and social difference. Additionally, the campus will pursue the enhancement of the diversity module in the University 101 course taken by freshmen in most of the colleges. It is hoped that in the future all students will have the opportunity to participate in this learning experience.
While this incident occurred within the fraternity and sorority system, the campus as a whole needs to remain committed to advancing our understanding and appreciation of differences among those coming to the University, learning about our many cultures, and benefiting by integrating that knowledge into our development as better citizens of the community.
Bill Riley, Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students
Renee Romano, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
A mass email that went out on October 31, 2006 by Chancellor Richard Herman:
I was saddened and disappointed when I learned about the recent ZBT and Tri Delta party that ended up portraying Latino/as in stereotypical and denigrating ways. Students who took part in such behavior were being insensitive, thoughtless and, quite frankly, juvenile. Although I'm not in the business of telling students how to think, I expect more of our Illinois students. They are the best and the brightest of the next generation, and such callous behavior is beneath them. The challenges of our multi-cultural society demand that each of us constantly examine our biases and work hard to put ourselves in the shoes of people who come from widely varying backgrounds, cultures and experiences. We can have strong and differing opinions about culture, politics and policy, but we must never lose touch with granting everyone the kind of respect and dignity we would like others to grant to us. Everyone of every background is welcome at Illinois, and I want them to feel welcome.
As is so often the case with these kinds of incidents, the ensuing debate is an education in itself. The controversy has spurred a great deal of conversation about treating one another with common decency, and that is good. The process of reviewing the incident is now underway, and I believe a deeper appreciation of our cultural diversity and individual responsibility will be the result. Vice Chancellor Renee Romano has been working with the various groups involved to turn what I believe to have been poor judgment on the part of students into a learning experience. Already, the controversy has added impetus to our plans to heighten diversity education on campus.
Yet, for the insensitivity that was shown, I apologize.
Young people are always works in progress, and I believe this event will help remind us all to be better and more thoughtful people.
An article by Dr. Robert Jensen, scholar of critical white studies at UT-Austin:
"Ghetto Fabulous" Parties: the New Face of White Supremacy Racism and Cheap Thrills at the University of Texas Law School By ROBERT JENSEN CounterPunch October 16, 2006
When one of the first-year University of Texas law students who participated in a "ghetto fabulous" party posted pictures on the web, we saw the ugly face of white privilege and the racism in which it is rooted.
But the depth of the problem of white supremacy at the university – and in mainstream institutions more generally – is also evident in the polite way in which the university administration chastised the students.
While the thoughtless actions of young adults acting out the racism of the culture are disturbing, the thoughtful – but depoliticized – response from the law school is distressing. The actions of both groups in this affair are a painful reminder of the depth of white society's commitment to white supremacy.
This controversy is not unique to UT. It seems that every year students at a prestigious university – the University of Chicago last year, Cornell in 2004, and Texas A&M in 2003 – hold one of these parties, in which white students revel in what they believe to be the appearance and behavior of the black and brown people of the "ghetto."
The student from the UT party who posted the photos has taken them off the web, but news reports describe a party in which the students "carried 40-ounce bottles of malt liquor and wore Afro wigs, necklaces with large medallions and name tags bearing historically black and Hispanic names."
No one involved has contested the characterization of the event.
The motivations and views of participants may vary, but these parties have two consistent features:
(1) white people mock African American and Latino people through stereotypes of the residents of low-income urban areas, while at the same time enjoying the feeling of temporarily adopting these looks and poses; and
(2) the white folks typically do it without pausing to ponder what right they have as members of a dominant racial class to poach in this fashion on the lives of people of a subordinated racial class.
In other words, white people find pleasure in insulting non-white people while at the same time safely "slumming" for cheap thrills in that non-white world, all the time oblivious to the moral and political implications.
Also typical in these university controversies is a tepid reaction from administrators, who tend to avoid the contentious race politics at the core of the problem. At UT, the email that went out to all law students from Dean Larry Sager is revealing.
Let me be clear that this critique is not focused on the dean, or any other administrator involved. Sager, who has a distinguished record as a teacher, is a widely recognized constitutional scholar who has published important work on civil liberties, especially freedom of religion. He consulted other administrators and students before communicating to the entire student body, and his commitment to equality and diversity is clear. Still, his characterization of the incident is troubling.
The email to students doesn't use the terms "racism" or "white supremacy."
The only reference to the racial politics of "ghetto fabulous" is the description of the party as being "named in a way that was easily understood to have negative racial overtones" and a reminder that being "racially insensitive" is inappropriate. While many of the students at the party may not have thought they were being racist, it's essential that we name such activities as rooted in white people's sense of privilege and entitlement, the result of historical and contemporary racism in a white-supremacist culture.
This language is crucial. Even with the gains of the civil-rights movement, U.S. society is still white supremacist in material terms (there are deep, enduring racialized disparities in measures of wealth and well-being, some of which haven't improved in the past four decades) and ideology (many white people continue to believe that the culture and politics of Europe are inherently superior). To pretend that things such as a ghetto party are not rooted in those racist realities is to ignore fundamental moral and political issues in an unjust society. It's not about "negative racial overtones" – it's about racism, whether conscious or not. It's not about being "racially insensitive" – it's about support for white supremacy, whether intended or not.
The dean's email to law students goes on to give three reasons the party was "thoughtless."
First, Sager suggests that some students "might be seriously offended by the party, and especially by the pictures taken at the event." No doubt many people were offended, and we all should avoid unnecessary offense to others. But the key problem is not that such images are offensive but that they are part of an oppressive system of white supremacy. In a pluralist society, we all can expect to be offended by some things other people say and do. Such offense becomes an important political issue when connected to the ways in which some people are systematically devalued and discriminated against.
Racist, sexist, and heterosexist images and words are a problem not merely because they offend but because they help keep non-white people, women, and lesbians and gays in subordinated positions. Framing the problem of oppressive systems as a question of offensiveness often leads people to argue that the solution is for the targets of the offensive speech or actions to be less sensitive, rather than changing the oppressive system.
Sager's email doesn't suggest that, but it could play into that common feeling among people in the dominant classes. We live in a world in which the legitimate concerns of non-white people about racist expression and actions are often met by white people saying, "Stop whining – get over it." In such a world, white people trying to resistracism should be careful not to do anything that could contribute to that.
Second, the email suggests that the partygoers didn't consider "the potential harm they were causing to UT Law" by doing something that could make some people "feel uncomfortable simply because of who they are." Most would agree that it's important at a public institution of higher education for all people to feel accepted as part of the university community, but the real harm is not to the institution but to the people who are targeted. By highlighting the effect of this on "UT Law," Sager risks elevating the institution above the principles involved and may well leave people wondering if the university isn't worried most about its image.
Finally, and most important, the dean's message warns the partygoers that they failed to consider "the extraordinary damage they could do to their own careers" in a society in which those who employ lawyers might not want to hire people who engage in such conduct. Sager warns that it is "genuinely foolhardy to engage in conduct (and even more foolhardy to proudly disseminate proof that you have done so) that could jeopardize your ability to practice law." That's certainly true, though it's also true there are many places in Texas (and around the country) where the good old boys in power would find no problem with this kind of "harmless fun." There are no doubt lots of practicing attorneys who enjoy similar kinds of fun themselves.
But whatever the case, should we be stressing to students that the reason they should not be white supremacists is that it might hurt their careers?
What does such a message convey to students and to the community?
What's missing in this official response is a clear statement that these law students – many of whom go on to join the ranks of the powerful who run society – have engaged in behavior that is overtly racist. Whatever their motivations in planning or attending the party, they have demonstrated that they have internalized a white-supremacist ideology.
When these students are making future decisions in business, government, and education, how will such white supremacy manifest itself? And who will be hurt by that?
Here's what we should say to students: The problem with a racist "ghetto fabulous" party isn't that it offends some people or tarnishes the image of UT or may hurt careers. The problem is that it's racist, and when you engage in such behavior you are deepening the racism of a white-supremacist culture, and that's wrong. It violates the moral and political principles that we all say we endorse. It supports and strengthens an unjust social system that hurts people.
These incidents, and the universities' responses, also raise a fundamental question about what we white people mean when we say we support "diversity." Does that mean we are willing to invite some limited number of non-white people into our space, but with the implicit understanding that it will remain a white-defined space? Or does it mean a commitment to changing these institutions into truly multicultural places? If we're serious about that, it has to mean not an occasional nod to other cultural practices, but an end to white-supremacist practices. It has to mean not only acknowledging other cultural practices but recognizing that the wealth of the United States and Europe is rooted in the destruction of some of those cultures over the past 500 years, and that we are living with the consequences of that destruction.
We white people can't simply point to the ugliest racism of the KKK as the problem and feel morally superior. We can't issue a polite warning to a few law students about being thoughtless and think we've done our job. The problem is that most of us white people – myself included – are comfortable in white spaces, and we often are reflexively hesitant to surrender control of that space. Real change – the process of truly incorporating a deep multiculturalism into our schools, churches, and businesses – is a long struggle. The more I make some progress in my own classes, for example, the more I see how much I have left to do and the more aware of my mistakes I become.
An easy place to start is by clearly marking racist actions for what they are – expressions of white people's sense of entitlement and privilege that are rooted in a white-supremacist system. We can start by saying – unequivocally, in blunt language – that such racism is morally wrong, that white supremacy is morally wrong, and that we white people have an obligation to hold ourselves and each other accountable until we have created a truly just multiracial society.
We'll know we are there not when white people have stopped throwing ghetto parties, but when we have built a world in which there are no ghettos.
We have a long way to go.
Robert Jensen is a journalism professor at the University of Texas at Austin and a member of the board of the Third Coast Activist Resource Center . He is the author of The Heart of Whiteness: Race, Racism, and White Privilege and Citizens of the Empire: The Struggle to Claim Our Humanity. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com
Some resources to help educate people about "ghetto party" issues in particular (including links to Greek organizations for those of you unfamiliar, as I was), and racism, white privilege and intolerance in general:
Daily Illini Feb 25, 2005- Other campuses; pledge event sparks investigation
Daily Illini Oct 17, 2006- Greek part causes turmoil across campus
Daily Illini Oct 17, 2006- Column: on tequilas, tacos, race and understanding
The Examiner Oct 31, 2006 – "Johns Hopkins fraternity suspended after racially themed Halloween party"
Daily Illini Nov 1, 2006 – Quad protest targets racial stereotyping
InterFraternity Council: http://www.illiniifc.com
Black Greek Council: https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ro/www/BlackGreekCouncil/
United Greek Council: https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ro/www/UnitedGreekCouncil/
Panhellenic Council: http://www.illiniphc.com/
ZBT apology: http://www.odos.uiuc.edu/announcement/zbtStatement.asp
DDD apology: http://www.odos.uiuc.edu/announcement/dddStatement.asp


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S: Our Wedding Day THE FUN ALBUM!! October 3, 2009
BC: For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul
FC: Our Wedding Day | October 3, 2009
1: Today I marry my best friend | Stephanie & Ken | If you love someone you say it, you say it right then, out loud, or the moment just... passes you by | Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage
2: Getting ready for the big day.
5: The Men
7: The Blairs
10: The | Ladies
12: The Cooglers
15: Everything that I understand, I understand only because I love.
17: To Have and To Hold From This Day Forward...
21: Let the party begin!
22: Our Family
25: The | Reception
26: true | Love
29: Cheers! | Dinner is | served!
30: Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it
40: A toast to | the happy couple!
43: Let's Dance!
44: Things got | crazy down at | the Farm
49: Best | Wedding | Ever

subset: commoncrawl


text: The Hergula: The anime television series titled "Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ maji LOVE 2000%", is the second season for "Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ maji 1000%", which had its original run back in 2011 with a total of 13 episodes. The second season premiered one day ago on multiple different networks in Japan. The anime television series is based on a dating simulation game for girls, which was released for the PlayStation Portable. The game was developed by Nippon Ichi Software, Inc and published by Broccoli.


text:
THE banks are approving more loans for small businesses, but with more strings attached than before, a new report has found.
The survey for the Department of Finance shows the rate of SME loans being approved in full rose to 59pc in the six months to the end of March compared with 56pc last September.
Despite that increase, borrowers said their banks were adding more and more conditions to their credit application.
Half of those surveyed reported being asked for personal guarantees, an increase of 9pc since September, while the rate of businesses who were required to maintain their account with the bank almost doubled to 31pc.
Other conditions such as putting forward a specific asset as security, or providing facility fees also increased.
The survey, which was carried out by Red C, is the latest report commissioned by the Government to assess the state of SME lending in the country.
The report found that overall, 76pc of loan applications were at least partially approved, up from 70pc last September.
Anecdotal evidence for months has shown that business people perceive the banks are not lending and therefore have not applied for credit on the assumption they will be turned down. That appears to be beginning to change now.
Some 47pc of those who took part in the poll believed the likes of AIB and Bank of Ireland are willing to do business with at least a small number of SMEs, up from 39pc the last time the survey was carried out.
About 40pc of SMEs applied for credit between September and March – up 1pc in six months.
The report came as research from the ratings agency Standard & Poor's warned that medium-sized firms face the toughest time in trying to refinance debts. The report claims about €3.5trn worth of debt is due to be rolled over in the next five years.
"Deleveraging and tightening regulation are creating a scarcity of finance for European companies, and the problem is particularly acute for medium-sized businesses," S&P said. This sector of mid-cap companies represents a "squeezed middle", it added.


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(Court of Appeal; Sir Anthony Clarke MR, Tuckey, Goldring LJJ; 2 April 2009)
The two vulnerable adults were council tenants, living in a council property with their two children, aged 11 and 8. The vulnerable adults befriended some of the young people on the local estate, who proceeded to use their flat for a variety of criminal activities. A social worker regularly visited the vulnerable adults, giving them advice and assistance, and the children were seen by the social services' children and family section. The social worker became aware that local youths were exploiting the vulnerable adults, and after one of the vulnerable adults had been assaulted by one of the youths reported her concerns to the police; the police refused to act without a complaint from the vulnerable adults themselves. The social worker also contacted social services in respect of child protection concerns, and wrote a letter asking for the vulnerable adults long-term application for rehousing to be considered urgently. The social worker accompanied the vulnerable adults to a meeting with the housing department's harassment officer. However, she did not ask the housing department to place the family in emergency temporary accommodation. Before the next meeting, the family was effectively imprisoned in the flat by the youths: both adults were repeatedly assaulted and abused in the presence of the two children, who were also assaulted and abused. Subsequently the vulnerable adults sought damages, claiming that, although the social worker had not been negligent, the authority's failure to rehouse the family urgently was a breach of the authority's duty of care towards them. The judge held that the local authority had been under a duty of care to protect the vulnerable adults from abuse by third parties, in that the authority had had a duty to move the vulnerable adults and their children out of the council property, in response to the foreseeable risk that the family would be attacked there. The authority had failed to consider, or to implement, its own emergency transfer procedure.
The court allowed the appeal. There was no common law duty of care to protect vulnerable adults who needed support, from criminal acts by third parties, unless there had been an assumption of responsibility towards the vulnerable adults, for example a specific assumption of responsibility for the vulnerable adults safety. The facts did not show an assumption of responsibility by the authority, or some other special factor that might give rise to the imposition of a duty of care to the vulnerable adults: both the housing and the social services departments had simply been trying to exercise their statutory functions, no more and no less.


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The 6.7mhigh thermometer's message: "Don't cook the climate!" It will bethere for the next two weeks.
"Foryears, governments have let us, their citizens, down by failing to get to gripswith the problem of climate change. They've left us increasingly exposed to thebiggest threat that civilisation has ever faced," said Stephanie Tunmore of Greenpeace International.
"InBali, Governments have to get down to business - and act on the basis of thealarming scientific findings about climate change that they themselves approvedjust two weeks ago (1). That means keeping the planet's temperature asfar below 2ºC as possible. Millions, especially the world's poorestpeople, are already suffering from climate impacts such as storms and floods."
Inorder to keep temperatures at safe levels, global emissions must peak by 2015and then start falling. In real terms, this means industrialisedcountries committing to cut emissions by at least 30 per cent by 2020 and atleast 80 per cent by 2050. Globally, emissions must be halved by 2050.This must happen under the Kyoto Protocol's second phase, which comes intoforce in 2012.
Greenpeacewants governments at this meeting to set a two-year deadline to agree theaction plan we need for the very survival of the planet. This must be an actionplan that drastically cuts emissions from fossil fuels and ends deforestation,a massive contributor to CO2 emissions. This is not negotiable.
InBali, Governments must agree the key elementsof this action plan and create a detailed agenda to ensure that negotiationsare concluded by 2009.
Thedeveloped countries, responsible for over 80 per cent of all the man-madeemissions currently in the atmosphere - must also find ways to help thedeveloping world to deal with the impacts of climate change and to obtain cleantechnology.
"Wealso must see more developing countries agreeing to tackle their ownemissions," said Yang Ailun of Greenpeace China.
The2009 agreement must also see funding for adaptation, a mechanism for thetransfer of clean technology and a separate mechanism on tropicaldeforestation, which contributes about one fifth of global emissions.
Greenpeacebelieves it is possible to keep the worst impacts of climate change - such asextreme weather events, water crises and increased hunger - from putting millionsof people at risk. This will take a revolution in the way we use and produceenergy, and a strong commitment to stop deforestation worldwide.
Other contacts: Greenpeace Media Contacts in Bali:Cindy Baxter, Greenpeace International Communications: +6281 33 794 9713Martin Baker, Greenpeace International Communications: +6281 33 794 9714Jo Kuper, Greenpeace International Communications: +6281 33 794 9715 Campaign Contacts:Stephanie Tunmore, Greenpeace International Climate & Energy Campaign : +44 7796 957 451 or +6281 33 794 9705 Gavin Edwards, Greenpeace International Climate & Energy Campaign: +31 652 381 429
Notes: 1) On November 17, the Intergovernmental Panel on climate change Fourth Assessment Report concluded that climate change was "unequivocal."


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$ 65,350.00
The UN854/L 30-Module Unit covered in leather protects and winds your watches in a secure Armour Plated safe locked by way of triple expansion bar rods, using a keypad system Double Mapp A8 or combination lock system with three co-axial mounted triple discs. The cabinet safe uses 50mm (2 inches) armor steel plates for all of the sides of cabinet whereas the actual door uses 70mm (2.75 inches) of the same steel, an equivalent TL rating ca. TL-60 (1 Hour protection against tool resistance). A series of welded internal steel rods are parallel and across the inside of both walls along with shorter rods attaching the outside and inside steel walls to each other with cement to fill the space between the rods which solidifies the whole construction. This is so that if the walls are cut from the outside, then the cut section cannot be removed without actually cutting through the rods as well. Has crocodile grain calfskin leather exterior with hinged amour plated glass door and keypad disc on front center of unit. The interior has microfiber lining with with 30 individual compartments for rotorboxes which are removable and work independently. Four bottom storage drawers for additional storage of watches or jewelry. Power supply: Two 1.5v alkaline "C" cell (LR14) batteries for each RotoBox or powered externally by way of power cord connection opening for AC power adapter.
To provide the maximum protection and security these units are not manufactured in series, so that each unit can accommodate the needs of each individual client. Each Underwood safe is built with security features corresponding to European and International norms and standards. Every Underwood safe can be fitted with a number of the Underwood watch winding modules and can also be built to provide ample possibility for the storage of other precious items.
As an AUTHORIZED DEALER, we are proud to offer a full 3 year factory warranty.
Please call or email with any further questions.
|Model #
|Locking Mechanism
|Power Source
|Winding Operation
|Watch Holder
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|27.5 x 63 x 26.5 inches
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$ 4,620.00
The "EVO" Collection is the latest edition of watch winding technology from the Underwood of London brand. The model UN9004 is made specifically for larger, thicker size automatic watches up...
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The UN851 16-Module Unit covered in leather protects and winds your watches in a secure Armour Plated safe locked by way of triple expansion bar rods, using a key system Double Mapp A8 combination lock...


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The world's most widespread (and, some say, most important) language is a completely democratic language controlled only by those who use it. Grammar, spelling, and usage change as the people who use the language decide to change it. New words arrive and old words vanish. What is correct for one generation might be incorrect for the next one. Sentence structure might change from generation to generation, and even pronunciation changes with time.
In the past, many famous people have called for some kind of English academy, but they have always been ignored. In 1697, Daniel Defoe called for a committee to "polish, refine, and purge" the language. Jonathan Swift also demanded such a committee, as did many others. But it never happened.
As Dr. Samuel Johnson wrote in the late 18th century, "May the lexicographer be derided who…shall imagine that his dictionary can embalm his language and secure it from corruption and decay…" Closer to our own time, Walt Whitman wrote, "This is the tongue that spurns laws." And, of course, we should always remember what Noah Webster wrote in 1806 "…it is fortunate for the language and for those who use it, that this doctrine did not prevail in the reign of Henry the Fourth, for it was as just then as it is now; and had all changes in spelling ceased at that period, what a spectacle of deformity would our language now exhibit!"
So where do we look for guidance? In the United Kingdom and in most of the Dominions, the Oxford English Dictionary is revered as the ultimate guide, whereas in North America, Merriam Webster's is the preferred dictionary. However, there are many other publishers on both sides of the Atlantic turning out dictionaries. And they often disagree.
As to style guides, there is an astonishing number. Oxford and Cambridge each have their own style. The Times of London has its style, and so does the New York Times. Almost every academic discipline has a style manual, too, as do many major journals and even companies like Microsoft.
There are, among many others, the AMA style guide, the MLA handbook, the AP stylebook, and the U.S. Printing Office style manual. Somewhere in this jungle the Chicago Manual of Style manages to stand out, but there are other popular style books like Strunk and White" The Elements of Style and the popular Fowler's Modern English Usage.
The result of this extraordinary anarchy is a vibrant and vigorous language that is marvelously flexible, constantly changing, eagerly grasping the new, and quickly abandoning the old. English is lively and colorful and both a puzzle and delight to those who use it.
But it is not complete anarchy. There is a formidable police force of editors, writers, and eagle-eyed English teachers, as well as quite a few nitpicking grammar mavens, who try to keep us in line. Over the years, rules have emerged and all careful writers try to follow them. But the rules can usually be bent as long as the prime objective is attained…and this is clear and unambiguous communication.


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Welcome to the Triratna Portal
This site provides links to all the Triratna centres within Australia and New Zealand.
The Triratna Buddhist communities in Australia and New Zealand are part of a larger international movement (formerly called the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order or the FWBO).
Each city centre, retreat centre and right livelihood business is independently run and managed by the local members of the Triratna Buddhist Order. The network of friendships within the Order link all these different individual situations together. The uniting force within this international Buddhist organisation is simple friendship.
Australian Buddhist Centres
|Adelaide Triratna Group (South Australia)
|Brisbane Triratna Group (Queensland)
|Melbourne Buddhist Centre (Victoria)
|Port Fairy Group (Victoria)
|Sydney Buddhist Centre (New South Wales)
|Toowoomba Buddhist Centre (Queensland)
New Zealand Buddhist Centres
|New Zealand Triratna Buddhist Community
|Auckland Buddhist Centre
|Wellington Buddhist Centre
Recommended LinksBuddhist Bookshop
Windhorse Books has an online store so you can order books on Buddhism and meditation.
Download talks on Buddhism and meditation.Video Sangha
Watch video content uploaded by the Triratna community.
Photos from Triratna community members all over the world.
A blog site with updates on all the latest happenings across the globe.


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September 10, 2007
Sugar Identified as Key to Malaria Parasite Invasion
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute (JHMRI) have identified a sugar in mosquitoes that allows the malaria-causing parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, to attach itself to the mosquito's gut. Invasion of the midgut cell layer is an essential stage in the parasite's lifecycle and in the transmission of malaria from mosquitoes to humans. By reducing the level of the sugar, chondroitin sulfate, in the mosquito, the researchers prevented 95 percent of the parasites in the mosquito from attaching to the gut, thus blocking its development. The study is published in the online Early Edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena
"This study provides significant new insights on how the parasite develops in the mosquito, complementing our earlier identification of another parasite midgut receptor that is a target for a transmission-blocking vaccine," said Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena, PhD, senior author of the study and a professor in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. "This line of research could lead to new approaches for interfering with the spread of this deadly disease."
To determine whether the parasite utilizes chondroitin glycosaminoglycans to invade the mosquito midgut cells, the researchers used a process known as RNA interference to inhibit production of a mosquito enzyme that is needed to produce chondroitin sulfate. With the sugar removed, parasite adhesion and midgut invasion were substantially decreased.
"Our study highlights the importance of sugars in parasite invasion of the mosquito gut. Previously, this phenomenon was only observed during parasite invasion of human tissues," said Rhoel R. Dinglasan, PhD, MPH, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow with the Malaria Research Institute. "It appears as if the parasite's use of sugars as a strategy for cell invasion of tissues is similar in both man and mosquito. This may be an Achilles' heel for the parasite, opening up the possibility of developing a vaccine that works against all stages of the parasite's lifecycle."
Rhoel Dinglascan
According to the researchers, many important questions must still be answered to determine if the glycosaminolgycan identified could be a potential antigen for a transmission-blocking vaccine. In a study published earlier this year in the PNAS, the JHMRI team identified a previously unknown mosquito antigen that the parasite uses for entry into the mosquito midgut, a critical step in the Plasmodium parasite's development. The researchers produced an antibody that acts as a blanket to prevent the parasite from accessing the mosquito midgut antigen. Their research showed that the antibodies were effective against multiple malaria parasites and could potentially provide the basis for a future 'universal' malaria transmission-blocking vaccine.
Additional authors of "Plasmodium falciparum ookinetes require mosquito midgut chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans for cell invasion," are Aditi Alaganan, Anil K. Ghosh, Akio Saito and Toin H. van Kuppevelt.
The research was supported by the Ruth L. Kirschstein Research Service Award in addition to other grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.
On Oct. 24, 2007, the Malaria Research Institute at the Bloomberg School of Public Health and the New York Academy of Sciences present "Progress Against Malaria: Developments on the Horizon," a half-day symposium to highlight the latest research developments in the fight to combat malaria. Details are available at http://malaria.jhsph.edu/nyas2007.
The Malaria Research Institute at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health was founded in 2001 as a state-of-the-art research facility that would mount a broad program of basic-science research to treat and control malaria, develop a vaccine and find new drug targets to prevent and cure this deadly disease. Information about JHMRI is available at http://malaria.jhsph.edu/.Public Affairs media contact for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: Tim Parsons at 410-955-6878 or email@example.com.


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Shades: Aldo
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
My Romance
Shades: Aldo
7 comments:
- Alessandra said...
Feminine and girly is definitely your signature style. Love this look on you - you do brights so beautifully. Great hair, too, as always.
I'd say my go to look is the mix or contrast - a military jacket with a frilly dress, jeans with heels, etc.
- June 14, 2011 at 11:13 AM
- Ariana said...
LOL @ the boob comment! So true! Boobs + menswear just don't mesh. Never works for me either!
- June 14, 2011 at 11:14 AM
- laura said...
I love dressing up girly! You're right about the boobs. With them, it's hard to pull of menswear without looking... odd? hahaha. and I love the print on this top!
♥ laura
the blog of worldly delights
- June 14, 2011 at 11:20 AM
- Frannie Pantz said...
Maybe that's why I can pull off the men's trend . . . sigh. JK you look great! I don't even know what my style would be called? . . .
- June 14, 2011 at 12:01 PM
- A Fine Balance said...
I love feminine girl clothing as well
Florals are fabulous and the COACH tote goes so well with it!
- June 14, 2011 at 12:24 PM
- Chelsea Lane said...
this is so cute girl! I love the floral top with those adorable shoes. your photos are so pretty!
- June 14, 2011 at 10:23 PM
- DaniellaBella said...
Romance looks good on you! Run with it! I remember when I was in highschool I wanted to be the kind of girl who wore dresses but I was too self-conscious to want to stand out against the sea of jeans. Now I pretty much exclusively wear dresses and I couldn't be happier!
- June 16, 2011 at 10:39 AM


text: The Hobbit was amazing at 48fps, I saw it in both 2d and 3d, and any movie that is still shown in 3D should be shot and shown in 48fps. Any movement if the camera was still crisp, it didn't look like a movie, it looked like you were watching something happen through a window, or you were watching it acted out on a stage. It wouldn't work for all movies, but I would prefer it for any movie that has action or wide sweeping vistas and out door scenes. 24fps and "the movie feel" is an anachronism. Then again, this is modern Hollywood we are talking about, they clearly need every crutch they can get.


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- Home
- Various Topics
- Multimedia
- Photography
- Solving Riddles in 19th Century Photo Albums
show / hide sidebar
Solving Riddles in 19th Century Photo Albums
Publisher: Unlock the Past
Product Description
Media: BOOK - paperback, 44 pages
Author: G. Jaunay
Year: 2011
Other: b&w & colour photos
Publisher: Unlock the Past
Many people mistakenly think that the photography process has been around for a very long time. This is of course untrue and indeed the pictures in your heirloom photo album are unlikely to predate the 1860s.
Photographs came in many forms in the nineteenth century and this book assists the reader to identify each type, as this is an essential dating indicator. The booklet then addresses in great detail the other characteristics of photographs with examples to assist the reader in dating the item - the mount itself, the material printed on the back of the photograph, the composition of the photograph including the pose of people depicted and the clothes being worn by the people depicted.
This booklet also addresses the issues related to preserving your photographs for the enjoyment of future generations.
Now updated and retitled, this book was previously issued with the title "Identifying and Dating 19th Century Family Photographs".
Conservation and preservation of family photos
Archival albums
The history of photography
Photo analysis and checklist
Dating the photograph
5 steps in dating a photograph
Calotypes and daguerreotypes
Tintypes 1853-1940
Albumen prints
Dress for special functions
Stereoscopoc photographs
Roll-film prints and the end of an era
Solving Riddles in 19th Century Photo Albums - ebook


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Blanket Orders
A blanket order is opened by a department to facilitate the purchase of materials or services over a specified period of time, and is used in preference to an order for a specific quantity at a specific price. The blanket order has a description of the materials or services but does not necessarily have a quantity or unit price; for example, "Miscellaneous lab supplies as required".
To establish a blanket order, a requisition needs to be submitted to Purchasing, requesting an open order for miscellaneous items or services as required. The total dollar amount shown on the requisition will be charged against the initiating department's available balance. The department may add to this amount, when the original amount has been used, by sending purchasing a note or an e-mail. The directive to increase the encumbrance must come from an authorized signer on the account.
When the blanket order is created, the vendor is mailed the white copy of the purchase order. In order to receive payment for items sold on an open order, the vendor must bill by invoice, noting the initial purchase order number.
In general, the need for a blanket order situation should be reviewed with the Purchasing Department staff, as every situation is likely to present unique problems or conditions. Open orders cannot be carried forward from one fiscal year to the next. A new order must be initiated each fiscal year.


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Cathy Jameson, PhD, is the founder of Jameson Management, Inc., an international management and marketing firm. The Jameson Method of Management, developed by Cathy, offers proven management and marketing systems for helping organizations improve their workflow and efficiency in a positive, forward thinking culture.
Dr. Jameson earned a bachelor's degree in Education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and then a Master's Degree in psychology from Goddard College; she received her doctorate from Walden University. Her doctoral research and dissertation focused on transformational leadership in today's workplace. She considers herself a lifelong learner and encourages those around her to be in a constant state of study, growth and action.
Dr. Jameson has been honored by being inducted into the College of Education Hall of Fame at Oklahoma State University. She was also inducted by the same university, her alma mater, as a Distinguished Alumna. She serves on the Board of Governors there and has served on the Board of Trustees for the OSU Foundation.
Cathy has been named one of the top 25 Women in Dentistry and has received a lifetime achievement award for the Excellence in Dentistry Organization, as well as the American Academy of Dental Office Managers. She was a finalist for the Stevie Award for outstanding entrepreneurial women. She has been a long time member of the American Association of Female Executives, The National Speaker's Association, Academy of Dental Management Consultants, and the Chi Omega Women's Fraternity.
Dr. Cathy and her husband, Dr. John Jameson are honored members of the National Western Heritage and Cowboy Hall of Fame where John serves on the Board of Directors. Cathy and John live on a ranch in southern Oklahoma where they raised two wonderful children, Brett and Carrie and now love having their four grandchildren at the ranch as often as possible. They raise American Quarter Horses there and are lifetime members of the American Quarter Horse Association.
Dr. Cathy has lectured in every state in the US many times and has lectured in 28 countries. She has had over 1000 articles published in magazines and newsletters throughout the US and the world. She is the author of several books, including her latest title; Creating a Healthy Work Environment, which will be available late 2015. (See the catalogue on this site for details)
For more information on Cathy's lecture or personal consulting services, contact her at [email protected]. For more information on the consulting services of The Jameson Management Group, contact [email protected]
Cathy with Reid Tracy, President and CEO of Hay House Publishers, the owners of Balboa Press, where Cathy published her latest book, Creating A Healthy Work Environment.


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Leadership boot camp for inclusive African innovators
In November, 17 leading entrepreneurs from Africa visited Cambridge for "MIT Legatum Leadership Forum – Zambezi Week 2018," a four-day boot camp aimed at bolstering skills and amplifying impact. The forum, organized with support from the Mastercard Foundation, also gave the Institute's experts a critical update on Africa's fast-evolving entrepreneurial ecosystem from the perspective of leaders on the ground.
MIT has cultivated some of the world's most prodigious entrepreneurs, a growing number of which are driven by their desire for impact and a more inclusive prosperity. For them, emerging markets like Africa can be the perfect ecosystem in which to launch an innovative venture that generates both profit and socioeconomic change.
This year's forum participants, all African entrepreneurs, were selected for their achievements in inclusive innovation. All 10 finalists for the Zambezi Prize for Innovation in Financial Inclusion were invited to attend, as were the four Africa Winners in the MIT Inclusive Innovation Challenge (IIC). They joined MIT faculty, students, and alumni for interactive skills development, networking, cohort-building, panel discussions, and various opportunities to explore entrepreneurial resources and culture at MIT.
"The week was a power MBA essentially, designed for African innovation-driven startups," said Emmanuel Luthuli, cofounder of LanteOTC, an investment crowdfunding platform for small-medium businesses. "We discovered that many of the challenges we face are not unique to South Africa, as we first thought. There's value in stepping out of your environment to meet with other small businesses going through the same issues, and to getting exposed to the standards and thinking of a world class facility like MIT."
"We're honored to gather so many of Africa's rising stars here," said Fiona Murray, associate dean for innovation at the MIT Sloan School of Management. "We're going to learn a lot from these entrepreneurs about the opportunities and challenges in Africa. The innovativeness they exhibit in solving complex challenges like financial inclusion, technology access, and job creation is not just inspiring, it's profoundly educational."
Participants also spoke with investors, media experts, and corporate stakeholders. These included: Deborah Drake, vice president of the Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion; Jake Bright, contributor to TechCrunch and author of "The Next Africa;" Chris Lwanga, senior director of Software Partnerships at Microsoft; and Mark Wensley, associate director for Next Generation Technology and Market Linkage at Mastercard Foundation.
Ventures invited to the forum were Recycle Points (Nigeria), Apollo Agriculture (Kenya), Bidhaa Sasa (Kenya), FarmDrive (Kenya), Farmerline (Ghana), LanteOTC (South Africa), MaTontine (Senegal), OZÉ (Ghana), Tulaa (Kenya), Wala (South Africa), WeFarm (Kenya), Solar Freeze (Kenya), and Lynk (Kenya).
The forum was hosted by the MIT Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship, a hub dedicated to attracting and cultivating principled, innovative entrepreneurs launching ventures in the developing world. Their portfolio includes not only events, seed grants, and fellowships for MIT students but also global programs, like the forum and the Zambezi Prize, designed to engage and expand the center's network beyond students and alumni.
Both the forum and the Zambezi Prize are core components of the MIT-Africa initiative, an Institute-wide commitment to coordinate and expand MIT connections with the continent.
Georgina Campbell Flatter, executive director for the Legatum Center, said connecting the forum to the Zambezi Prize leverages a unique educational opportunity.
"We created a prize that doesn't just culminate in a one-time celebration of entrepreneurship, but serves as the launchpad for a longer educational journey," Flatter said. "Once the prize has gathered together a diverse group of extraordinary entrepreneurs, we can deliver education that will amplify their impact, and fold them into our knowledge-building community."
As for the center's educational goals during the four-day forum, Flatter said: "Whether we're working with MIT students or global prize winners, whether it's a one-year fellowship or a four-day boot camp, our goal is always the same: Equip entrepreneurial leaders with a mindset, skillset, and community that maximizes their capacity for impact."
In the near term, this meant giving forum participants the tools to help them succeed in their current venture. But the Legatum Center believes in cultivating entrepreneurs, Flatter said, not just their ventures, because the impact an entrepreneur makes is best measured over the course of his or her lifetime. "Whether they continue to scale their current venture, move on to launch new ventures, or transition into other stakeholder roles such as investors, policymakers, NGO executives, or academics, they will understand the power of principled entrepreneurial leadership to affect great change, and use their talent and influence to shape ecosystems accordingly."
The first day of the forum focused primarily on cohort building and skills development, with interactive sessions on topics like team selection, strategies for growth, and board management. Anjali Sastry, senior lecturer at MIT Sloan and Faculty Advisor for the Legatum Center, said she was surprised to learn that most of the participants had not yet established boards of directors, but instead were getting by as long as possible with informal advisory groups.
"Their reasons were understandable, and actually, delaying board appointment is common practice in Africa, but we were able to discuss at length the various ways this might be putting their venture at risk. It was a great value-add for them," Sastry said.
The second and third days emphasized opportunities to explore the resources and culture at MIT. This included tours of the MIT Sloan campus and the MIT Media Lab as well as attending several classes such as the Impact Ventures class, during which forum participants joined Legatum Fellows for various team exercises. "It was a helpful session for all but especially for the fellows, whose ventures are at an earlier stage of development," Sastry said. "Forum participants shared about various challenges they were navigating at present, challenges that our fellows will soon have to face also."
For Chioma Ukonu and Mazi Ukonu, cofounders of RecyclePoints, the forum's highlight was being invited by MIT Lecturer Joost Bonsen to present in his Development Ventures class about their venture, which incentivizes recycling in Nigeria by rewarding collectors with points redeemable for household items and cash. "We got feedback that could really change how we engage with a particular segment of subscribers in our recycling model," Ukonu said.
When it came to Africa's entrepreneurial ecosystem, participants often reaffirmed impressions that presenters and organizers had coming in. Occasionally, however, they offered highly contrasting perspectives, said Ali Diallo, the Legatum Center's Global Programs Manager. "In one presentation, for instance, we were touting the success of the microloan model in Africa, and one of the forum participants interjected with a very sound argument for why microloans sometimes do more harm than good in the community." Diallo said this was jarring at first, but a good sign overall. "We always tell our entrepreneurs to challenge their assumptions, and we aim to challenge ours as well."
Discussions around investing also proved valuable for both sides, Diallo said. A common predicament for emerging market ventures, even those with high potential, is finding the right investor fit. Traditional investors, for instance, often have short-term financial goals that don't match well with a venture's impact-oriented goals, but even the newer breed of social impact investors can be challenging, since they often have short-term impact goals that don't align with a venture's long-term financial strategy (e.g. if the venture must focus in the short term on higher-income customers before scaling to serve the poorer customers who will benefit most). Such ventures, though they exhibit both financial and impact potential, are caught between a rock and a hard place raising capital.
"If we're going to empower these change-makers, we need a new VC model," Diallo said. "These are the kinds of issues we need to raise to stakeholders at the highest levels. What we learn from forum participants now will inform those discussions."
Forum participants spent their final day at the AI and the Future of Work Congress. Later that evening, at the IIC Global Gala, two ventures headed by forum invitees, WeFarm and Solar Freeze, won grand prizes of $250,000 each.
As the forum wound down, Flatter said, many discussions centered around strategies for staying connected with the Legatum Center, with MIT, and with each other. "For sure, we'll be seeking them out for mentoring and speaking engagements, both here and in Africa. We're also preparing case studies on several of them," she said. "Something that really energized participants was the prospect of hosting MIT students as interns, so we'll be strategizing about that too."
Flatter emphasized that the conclusion of the forum would not mark the end of the Legatum Center's engagement with these entrepreneurial leaders, nor would that engagement be limited to their current startup. Legagum is the Latin word for legacy.
"More than any single venture they create, the cumulative impact they have over their lifetime will become their legacy," Flatter said. "We are here to help them build that legacy. That's what inspires us."


text:
Enter your Registered Email id
If you wear monthly contact lenses or two weekly contact lenses, using contact lens container should be second nature to you by now. After taking your lenses out at the end of the day, you can always rest easy knowing they're being kept safe in your contact lens container.
But these handy tools also need to be looked after to make sure they stay safe and hygienic for storing your contact lenses. If you don't clean your contact lens container properly after every use, you could be putting your contact lenses and eyes at risk from eye infections and irritation.
So, we've outlined a few steps for you to make sure you're cleaning your contact lens containers properly:
You should clean your contact lens container with fresh solution after every use, and should replace your contact lens containerwith a new one every three months. Fortunately, most packs of multi-purpose contact lens solution come with accompanying contact lens containers, allowing you to switch every three months at no extra cost.
You should avoid cleaning your contact lens containers with water at all costs, as even the most purified water can still contain bacteria that can be harmful to your eye. Find out more about the dangers of contact lenses and water here.
The only way to achieve a hygienic and safe clean of your contact lens container is with fresh solution.
Only multi-purpose solutions can ensure an effective and safe clean of your contact lens container.
Saline or wetting solutions won't offer proper sanitation, while hydrogen peroxide solution is a disinfectant that needs to be neutralised after to avoid causing any harm to the eye.
Mon - Fri: 8:00am - 12 MidnightSat - Sun: 8:00am - 8:00pmBank Holidays: 9am - 6pm


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As the grandmother to two very precious children I've found my life revolves around them. They are in my thoughts day and night. They've opened up a new world of love for me. Things are so different than when my sons were their age. Computers weren't around so shopping wasn't as easy then, especially for a working parent, as it is now. From the day I started buying for my infant grandson and for the past 5 years I've used Diapers. com as one of my staple shopping sites. The convenience is amazing.
*Disclosure: beautyinfozone.com occasionally receives vendor/brand sponsorships for mentioning their products and services.
Here's our latest Skip Hop backpack for time at grandma and grandpa's house. Unisex, big enough for diapers, sunscreen, changes of clothes for 2 children, snacks, and even room for water bottles. We totally wore out the owl Skip Hop Backpack so it's nice to have a durable replacement.
Besides sticking with the huge, huge collection of Skip Hop we're moving on with other brands from Diapers. com including Learning Resources. My granddaughter was a reluctant talker and as a former elementary educator I was getting worried. After reading many articles like this one on Child Development Guide I realized that what worked for her brother didn't always work for her. I needed more games that fit into child development. I wanted to build her vocabulary as well as work on motor skills.
Since both of my munchkins are terrible eaters I looked into articles that might stimulate her food vocabulary and realized that playing tea party and having play picnics would introduce her to new foods in a non-threatening way.
She now knows the name of every piece of food in our set plus she's pointing them out in the food aisles when we go shopping. She makes me laugh all the time with her combinations of food plus everything must be on a plate in her world and I'm required to use a knife, fork, or spoon or our meals wouldn't be complete.Right now we're into games and Candy Land is the easiest to begin with. As soon as big brother goes to kindergarten she'll get her own Minnie Mouse or princess version from diapers .com.
My next goal is working with matching and math with her. Her brother is a whiz at it but he stiffles her because "I can do it better". The website Zero to Three has prepared me for what comes next. I hadn't worked with patterning though we count all the time. Additionally I want to spend more time on her recognizing the numbers and letters.
The best job in the entire world is being a grandparent. As much as we love our kids it multiplies once you have new little ones in your life. At least for me, the stress of my job is gone so I can spend more of my time thinking about how to educationally work with them on new things while having fun. And the kisses and hugs (even when sticky) are worth all the money in the world. — Marcia
*thanks to diapers. com for facilitating this conversation


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Full Demo
November 2, 2016
Synth Presets:4.8MB • 128 x Spire presets (Reveal Sound Spire v.1.1.9 is required for this sound set)
Here it is!
The second part of our Spire Kings saga! This time Spire Kings – Edm!
128 incredible Spire presets ready to be a part of your upcoming hits!
Made with attention to details by an experienced sound designer in the Edm / Festival House genre.
Inspired by: Martin Garrix, Calvin Harris, KSHMR, Axwell x Ingrosso and more!
You will find here a lot of: leads, plucks, pads, synths and even some perc sounds.
Don't waste your time and get your copy of "Spire Kings - Edm!"
Reveal Sound Spire v.1.1.9 is required for this sound set.
PLEASE NOTE: Instrument loops and drum loops are NOT INCLUDED in this pack and they are used in the MP3 Demo for demo purposes only!
This pack contains only Spire synthesizer presets.
'Spire Kings – Modern Pop' contains one Spire bank with 128 synthesizer presets.
4 Mb material (Spire .sbf - bank file) ready to use in your Reveal Sound Spire Vst.
All loops & samples, presets in this library are licensed to you 'Royalty-Free' so you can use them in your commercial compositions with no extra costs.
For more details see the license agreement.
Every purchase you make is contains 1 Zip (4,8 Mb after zip compression),
Formats: Reveal Sound Spire Bank
*Other genres that this package may be useful in:
• House
• Rock / Pop
• Trap
• Deep House
• Future House


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Two weeks after Elpida produced 800MHz DDR2RAM, Kingston and Corsair are each claiming new landmarks on the same day. Gordon weighs up the claims.
UPDATE: 800MHz Corsai
The computer industry definitely moves in fits and starts. One month graphics cards go crazy, breaking performance benchmarks on an almost daily basis (it happened in February), then it is the turn of the CPU giants to bash seven bells out of one with IDF and various other tit-for-tat releases in March. Now it seems April is the memory manufacturers' time.
In fact, Elpida kicked things off early with its announcement of 800MHz DDR2 RAM on 23rd March. Then April comes and Corsair and Kingston both announce on the same day (yesterday) that they have just produced the "World's Fastest Memory". So, as the dust settles, who has actually done what?
Technically, Kingston has claimed first prize. It claims its new memory modules managed to reach 866MHz in lab tests, but their 750MHz standard shipping speed is clearly not as quick as Elpida. Then there is Corsair who appears to come a distant third after proclaiming its 675MHz offering to be the "World's Fastest DDR2 Memory" which isn't as daft as it first sounds. You see, Corsair guarantees the clock speed of its memory, while Kingston warns "actual speeds reached will depend on system configuration" and Elpida is still "sampling".
Consequently, this makes everything rather grey so before I disappeared headfirst into a fiery pit of semantics I grabbed a word with both Corsair and Kingston.
Unfortunately this made nothing greatly clearer as Corsair rep Vivian Lien explained to me that its 675MHz is hugely overclockable, even going to far as to state ""someone has already broken the 1000MHz barrier with it"".
Kingston rep Andrew Chatterton was less outspoken, but did reaffirm that performance ""depends on the system you are running the modules on"" and again flagged up the 866MHz trump card the company claims its boys achieved in its labs.
Ultimately, if I was pressed into a corner and forced into making a judgement call because you had something very sharp aimed at a very soft part of me, I'd play it safe and say the following: Kingston has the fastest officially rated memory ready to ship, Corsair comes second in that category and Elipda will one up both of them once it produces larger quantities of its own modules with the caveat being as long as the other two don't have any more speed jumps before then.
Getting down to the practicalities, no motherboard manufacturer has yet chucked out a model that can take memory faster than 667MHz so (for a few weeks at least) it is all rather academic. Despite this Kingston is shipping its "HyperX DDR2 750" modules now with capacities ranging from 256MB (£63) to 2GB dual channel kits (£211).
Corsair's "XMS2 5400UL" (675MHz) modules are also due any minute, but it has yet to reveal pricing. Interestingly, if you sneak onto Corsair's website and look here you'll spot a pdf on some PC6400 modules which translates as 800MHz.
If one thing is certain in all of this it is Elpida better get a move on!
Looks like we were in quick with the Corsair PC6400 module spot. It's just announced them officially. Dubbed the XMS2 6400 series, this 800MHz memory will come in two flavours: the (deep breath) CM2X512A-6400, a single 512MB module, and the TWIN2X1024A-6400, a matched pair of 512MB modules. Although pricing has yet to be confirmed, Corsair says it is ready to ships units to resellers now.
I told you Elpida would have to be quick. Corsair just won the race. I'm officially christening April "Mad Memory Month" now.


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Choosing From various Types Of Rugs
By mymudmits | February 24, 2017
Trends in home decoration changes in every few month but rugs are from those home décor accessories whose trend never goes away. Rugs are evergreen and will continue to be one of the best home décor accessories. Now if you also think your home needs rug to enhance the beauty, you must be searching for various types of rugs choices. Well types of rugs are not just for home décor, it also keeps your feet warm and clean. There are so many types of rugs options to choose from, depending upon your need, your home décor and such other things. Which types of rugs to choose also depend upon the room where you want to place your rug? Types of rugs which go well in your living room might not go well in your bedroom. Hence be very careful while choosing the types of rugs. To help you out here is a list of some of the best types of rugs to choose from.
Knotted rugs
These types of rugs can be machine made or they can also be handmade. In case of such rugs, thread has to be pulled from the backing for creating the area rug. These types of rugs give many choices in color, size and designs making them a versatile option for any home. Whatever choice you opt for whether it is handmade or machine made it is highly qualitative. There can be minor imperfections in manmade ones but they are really famous for their unique designs. Knotted rugs are very much attractive and they are also very much comfortable. These types of rugs are best suited in bedrooms or in office for adding some color and style to such place.
Woven rugs
Woven rugs are basically made on a loom. These can have plenty of colors of yarns. Both loop piles and cut piles rugs are prepared in the same manner only. This process of rug making is considered as the oldest one. These types of rugs are highly detailed and extremely beautiful but however handloom variety of rugs can prove to be costly choice. As these rugs are very much attractive and also expensive, ensure to place them in a room where it can be seen often and to all those visiting your home. Living room can be perfect for placing woven rugs.
Tufted rugs
Among all the types of rugs, tufted rugs are considered as the most sold types of rugs and it is highly mass made. Materials like yarn are mixed up the jute or polupropylene by using a tufting machine. For enhancing the strength of area rug, the backing materials are to be bonded with that of the hessian or any other kind of material. More the amount of tuft better will be its quality. Due to its good quality, tufted rugs are highly resistant to mold, mildew and such other bacteria which can spread illness in the home. Hence these types of rugs should be placed n dining room which chances are there of spill and is also high traffic area.
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Chinese Soft Moon Landing May Be Imminent After Successful Launch
December 3, 2013 in Technology, Top News
China appears right on course to join the United States and the former USSR in sharing the distinction of visiting the Moon – at least technologically. China announced Monday, Dec. 2, the successful launch of its first "soft moon landing" vehicle. According to BeijingAerospaceControlCenter, the Chang'e-3 launched from the XichangSatelliteLaunch Center had completed its initial orbital trimming, and was on course to enter lunar orbit on Friday, Dec. 6.
Emily Lakdawalla reported Dec. 2 in planetary.org the Chang'e 3 project executed a smooth launch, and already had made one course correction on Monday, indicating the voyage is proceeding on schedule. Lakdawalla described the launch as apparently flawless:
"The Long March rocket practically leapt off the pad, a thrilling event to watch from a camera mounted to the tower, showing the flaming rocket rising past. The great camera work continued with a view from the second stage that showed the separation of the four strap-on rockets and then the first stage. Another camera watched as the third stage fired, then shut down for a brief coast before firing again to place Chang'e 3 on a direct lunar transfer trajectory."
Beijing's lunar exploration plans include using the Chang'e-3 Moon rover "Yutu", or Jade Rabbit, expected to land on the moon on Dec. 14. Chang'e 3 will be the first lunar touchdown since the former USSR conducted its Luna 24 mission in 1976, more than 37 years ago. Yutu will conduct surveys of the moon's geology and composition with an emphasis on substance on the moon's surface in the Sinus Iridum ("Bay of Rainbows") plain consisting largely of basaltic lava rock.
China's Chang'e-2 and Chang'e-3 second stage programs focused on unmanned landing achievement. Following successful completion of this stage China plans to bring a sample of moon rock back to Earth in the third stage of its lunar exploration, scheduled for 2017.


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Will 2013 be the year of the startup here in Greece? There are reasons to hope so. After years of events, discussions, brainstorming and prototyping, many teams seem to be on the cusp of starting real businesses. The funding bottleneck for IT-based ventures has now been removed, as four new early-stage funds are at last ready to start investing.
All of these funds, naturally, are looking for one thing: global potential. We will not be funding copycat businesses targeted to the Greek market, however good the execution; not even copycats aimed to the broader Balkan market. Market size is too small, and exit possibilities are very limited.
The name of the game is global reach, out of a Greek base. So how can we plan for that, how can we educate ourselves, what type on networking do we need, what kind of partnerships abroad? By "we" I mean the founders and employees in the ventures, but also investors and advisors.
Here is a way to think about these issues. There seem to be three generic strategies to expand out of Greece.
1. The immediately global business. If the service can be developed and delivered from anywhere to anywhere, as in some software-as-a-service (saas) models, it does not matter if you are in Greece and your user is in Ohio. The hard part is in devising something which appeals to users in distant regions with no need for localization. If you have that, regional offices are not needed, and strategic partnerships, if needed, can be built from afar. Among the Greek startups that I know, Workable HR fits into that model. It has a niche saas product, which meets a recurring need of companies around the world and can be equally useful to any mid-size employer of tech-savvy English-speaking people, whether in New York or in Helsinki. In such cases, international associates are useful mainly in getting early feedback for the product, and in getting the (web-based) marketing campaigns right in each market. Beyond that, it is up to management to decipher signals from the web and react accordingly; but they can do that mostly from Greece.
2. The plug-in route. If the venture is developing new technology in the narrow sense of 'technology' (e.g. a new recognition algorithm, such as that which drives BlindType and Fleksy) or an app that could be an enhancement of a dominant application (such as a Pinnatta to be added on a major communication platform like MSN or Skype), then growth may require that they become part of a global hub so that they can plug into the networks of coopetition there; and at some stage, to be acquired by a major US based player. To assist in such cases, our community may need good links to Silicon Valley players (investors or advisors). Sometimes the right hub may be Silicon Alley, or Silicon Roundabout, or Silicon Glen.
3. The roll-out. Most marketplace models bring together groups of suppliers that are based in one location (country, city, or neighborhood) with local or international consumers. Taxibeat, Incrediblue, Dopios, Cookisto all fit here. Many content providers, such as review sites, are also location-specific. So good 'hybrid startups' such as these will start in one or two locations, formulate a good version of the product by trial and error, and then roll out to more locations, one by one. In each location there will be need for marketing, sales and localization that can only be done in situ. If you are a large company by the time you begin your international roll-out, then you can hire successful local executives to do this for you. But if you are small when you attempt it, then you can only offer risky equity or bonuses; which means that you need to work with entrepreneurial types, not corporate officers.
My guess is that very few concepts that we'll see in the next couple of years can be 'immediately global'. Several will require the plug-in route, and most will require roll-outs. This, then, could be the biggest challenge to our community: to develop and perfect roll-out techniques for small companies with innovative models, across a wide range of national contexts. This is not an easy challenge: historically, becoming multinational has been the province of large companies with established products. But our ventures are constrained by our small home market, and so they will have to try to expand early.
To succeed in roll-outs, the community will need to exchange experiences, to share contacts in interesting markets, and to develop horizontal expertise that will be useful to several different ventures. This is the area where cooperation within the Greek startup community will be most critical. If we can pull it off, this could be a characteristically Greek model of global reach. (Greeks are well placed to understand both developed and developing country contexts – but that is a subject for a separate post).
The alternative is to devise products that require minimal local business development, more along the 'immediately global' model. There is a tradeoff here between depth and breadth, but whoever can do both multi-locality and scaleability can be hugely profitable.
Entrepreneurs should think how their model fits into these three categories, and then plan for expansion accordingly. Investors and mentors should develop capabilities to be able to help them in each of these strategies. At Openfund, we hope to contribute significantly to this effort.


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Home » Tag Archives: USM College of Business
Tag Archives: USM College of Business
Read the Feb. 13 issue of the MBJ online
In this week's MBJ — HIGH EXPECTATIONS: USM expects to break ground on new college of business this summer. By Ted Carter Also in this week's paper: >> Flexible education: Advocates want wiggle room in charter school bill — by Amy McCullough >> KIPP in Mississippi?: Charter schools sytem have a proven track record and may be interested in ...Read More »


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https://www.tadychseconofoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/B8EEFE30-50B0-47F4-938E-121F771950CA.jpg 262 401 root https://www.tadychseconofoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Tadychs_Logo.png root2017-02-15 04:38:322017-02-15 04:38:32Bourbon and Cola Glazed Ham
Bourbon and Cola Glazed Ham
|Prep Time
|15 minutes
|Cook Time
|105 minutes
- 8 pound spiral sliced bone-in half ham
- 3 cans (12 oz. each) cola
- 1 large orange, cut in half
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 8 ounces orange marmalade
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3 tbs bourbon
- 1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- Preheat oven to 325°. Place ham, cut side down, on rack in large roasting pan. Pour 2 cans cola and squeeze juice from orange into pan. Add orange halves and thyme sprigs to pan. Bake ham 1 hour or until internal temperature reaches 90°.
- Meanwhile, in small saucepot, heat remaining can of cola over medium-low heat 30 minutes or until reduced by half. Stir remaining ingredients into saucepot and simmer 3 to 5 minutes, or until brown sugar dissolves; remove from heat.
- Remove ham from oven. With sharp knife, lightly score outside of ham, making parallel 1/2-inch-deep incisions in crosshatch pattern. Brush ham with some of the glaze and return ham to oven. Bake 45 minutes longer or until internal temperature reaches 130&


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Course six-7 delivers an interdepartmental curriculum involving rigorous education in both molecular biology and laptop or computer science. These programs all differ somewhat in their specifications and areas of emphasis. HMC's core curriculum delivers mathematical and computational biology majors with a robust multidisciplinary foundation, and the college offers many possibilities for students to engage in interdisciplinary analysis in biomathematics, computational biology, and quantitative biology. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technologies, computational biology is one of nine locations of concentration you can pursue as a biology important.
Computational biologists are typically staff of pharmaceutical firms, universities and government agencies. The University of Pennsylvania's Bachelor of Applied Science degree in computational biology is supplied by means of the school's Computer Details Science division with a blend of biology, statistics and laptop science needs. Careers in academia commonly call for a graduate degree in computational biology.
HMC students interested in the interface among biology, mathematics, and personal computer science might pursue the Mathematical and Computational Biology Important, which is jointly administered by the biology, mathematics, and pc science departments. Computational biologists or bioinformatics scientists use computational theoretical principles to understand biological systems. The PLOS is a single source of data exactly where professionals can obtain a variety of computational biology publications and peer-reviewed journals with the newest study or business discussions. They take preparatory classes, which includes calculus, biochemistry, biophysics and cell biology.
Thirty-two hours of course function in biology (excluding Sophisticated Placement credit), like Biology 163, 164, 279, 367 (with laboratory), 368 (with laboratory), 378, and one course with laboratory in field biology (Biology 211, 237, 259, 263, 334, Environmental Research 271, 358j). This main prepares students for graduate research in areas which includes applied mathematics, bioinformatics, computational biology, mathematical biology, and diverse regions of biology, as properly as employment in market. Its spectacular atrium plays host to numerous events, from sector showcases and student hackathons to big research conferences.
They enroll in a 4-year undergraduate system for a bachelor's of science degree in biomedical engineering. Undergraduate students need to take into consideration that graduate studies are essential in the field of computational biology. Doctoral students are busy immersing themselves in their school function and their actual jobs. Three optional concentrations and an interdisciplinary selection are offered in addition to the basic big. By Institute rules, the new joint plan could NOT be combined in a double major with a bachelors degree in EECS (six-two), CS (6-three), Mathematics with CS (18C), Biology (7), or Biological Engineering (20).
Undergraduates at Cornell who want to focus on computational biology can do so by way of the Statistical Genomics concentration in the Biometry significant, the Computational Biology concentration in the Biology big, or the Mathematical Biology concentration in the Mathematics key. In order to be well-informed about the most recent in the field, experts should take into account joining the International Society for Computational Biology.


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Monday December 3, 2018
Following the commencement of the newly built Ethiopia – Djibouti railway transport and the growing number of middle class in Ethiopia, Djibouti says it is targeting to boost the number of Ethiopian tourists and co-market the two nations as single destination."We have seen steady increase of tourists from Ethiopia over the past two years. But that is not enough. We are working to increase the number of tourists from Ethiopia. We will open our office in Addis Ababa next month to provide information about the tourist attractions of Djibouti to Ethiopians, "says Osman Abdi Mohamed, CEO of National Tourism Office of Djibouti.
Ethiopia and Djibouti are also working to market their two countries as single tourist destination. Last year tour operators from Ethiopia have met their counter parts in Djibouti to discuss on how to do joint market the country's tourist attraction in a package. The next meeting is expected in the coming months in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, according to Mr. Osman."Ethiopia has many historical tourist attractions registered by UNSCO. But Djibouti has what Ethiopia does not have, such as seaside beaches. Tourists who go to Ethiopia can go to Djibouti to visit such areas. Likewise, tourists who come to Djibouti can also go to Ethiopia to see what is not available in Djibouti if we prepare one package tour," he said.Djibouti is in top the tourist destinations in 2018, according to Mr. Osman. He stated that in 2017, 140,000 tourists have visited Djibouti and tourism contributed to 3% of the gross domestic products (GDP) of the country.The government is now planning to boost this share to 5% in the coming years as speculated in the national tourism master plan of the country expected to be approved by the government soon. After five years, the government plans to increase the number of tourists arriving to the country to half a million, according to Mr. Osman, who briefed visiting international journalists from Ethiopia in his office this afternoon.In addition to Ethiopian tourists, Djibouti is also planning to boost the number of tourists from China, Middle East countries as well as Spanish speaking countries.Currently the majority of tourist are coming to Djibouti is from French speaking countries. To diversify its source of tourists, the government is planning to provide assistance to tour operators to train their staff in multiple languages, which includes Amharic, Chinese, Spanish and English.French, Arabic and to some extent English, are among the most spoken language in the tiny in Eastern Africa country, which has a total population of around a million, dominantly the Somali and Afar communities, who are also found in the neighboring Ethiopia and Eritrea.


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In the past we have dealt with a "certain group of people" who claimed Jesus' precious name. We trusted them, loved them, shared our lives with them -- but only to realize in the end that we were lied to, betrayed, used by them, and abused by them.
How did all this happen, and why didn't we actually recognize their true behavior before we were taken in by them?
We have many thoughts about this which may have been factors in the "how" and "why" we couldn't recognize their true characters, nonetheless, it happened and we certainly have learned from our experience with them.
We were with this "certain group of people" for about 3 years, but even after our departure they have still tried to perniciously manipulate and control us.
I say "our departure", but it was actually the LORD who "blew" us out of there, although not without great agonies with which we still live.
In my blog post, "Gossip #2", I dealt with gossip at work. My solution was to not stay around those women who were gossiping. If one of them had asked me why I wasn't there any more I would have shared with them my reason, but because it was a work environment I didn't think it would have been appropriate to share it out right.
Years later it was a different situation, though, when we met this "certain group of people". As we got to know them we noticed their love of talking about others. Every time we were with them they had to gossip. They relished it.
By this time, although we did not realize it, we were already under their manipulation and control where there was a huge undercurrent of whatever it was (their scary control of us and others) and so we said nothing to them. Yes, it was fear, but we did not think rightly about it at that time, so how we handled it was to just change the subject.
Every time they began to gossip we kindly found a way to change the subject. It became our exhausting job in this cult-like group of people to politely change the subject "to help them" (we thought) to stop gossiping about others.
Well, as you can imagine, it never worked at all. They would just go back to talking about others.
Why didn't changing the subject ever work for us?
Changing the subject was not the solution. The solution was to come alongside them, and gently point out their sin so that they could choose to get right with the LORD on their own.
I can pretty well say what would have happened in this cult-like group if we had done the Biblical thing, coming alongside them and helping them realize their sin ~ we would have been "in trouble", "only spoken to by them with their teeth gritted", and eventually shunned, all of which are Red Flags pointing you to get out!
So what is the Red Flag to look out for when you are with others who claim the name of Jesus?
Although we live in the agonies brought about by this "certain group of people", we praise the LORD for setting us free from them, we continue to cry out to Him, draw closer to Him, and trust Him with our very lives.
Praises to our Almighty God!