text:
Stephanie Robinson was born with a cyst on her brain that affects the motor skills on the right side of her body. But don't make the mistake of thinking of this energetic Pittsburg State freshman music major as someone with a disability.
"I think of it as an opportunity," Robinson said, flashing a contagious broad smile, "because I get to venture out and do something new, something that I really like."
In her first semester as a Gorilla, Robinson, from Uniontown, Kan., tackled the challenges that freshmen face with all of the optimism and determination that people who know her have come to expect. That included securing a spot in the Pride of the Plains Marching Band.
Robinson said she has loved music since she began singing in the choir in first grade.
"Once I picked up a French horn in sixth grade, I fell in love with it and I knew that's what I wanted to do," Robinson said.
Robinson played French horn, using only her left hand, through high school and marched with the Uniontown High School Band. For years, she had her sights set on being a member of the Pride of the Plains Marching Band. That she has come this far isn't a surprise to Doug Whitten, director of the Pride of the Plains.
"I've known Stephanie a long time," Whitten said. "I knew her, actually, before she started playing horn. I've seen her be told, 'No, you really can't play the French horn,' and her become really quite solid at it. I've seen people say, 'No, you can't be in marching band,' and her make it work. She is a very strong-willed young lady."
Whitten said that although he could draw up halftime routines that would be less challenging for Robinson, "she absolutely refuses any accommodation."
"It's been really inspiring having Dr. Whitten as a professor," Robinson said, "because he cares for all of his students. He has helped me figure out ways to stay on the field and feel involved when sometimes it's a little harder."
Robinson has big plans for her future. At PSU, she sings in the choir and plays in the wind ensemble and hopes to earn a spot in the orchestra. Eventually, she dreams of earning a doctorate in music and would like to teach.
Whitten said he's betting on Robinson to achieve her ambitious dreams.
"I think she's going to get there because of her will," Whitten said. "She's a strong young lady."
Robinson said being a Gorilla is all about opportunities.
"It's an opportunity one, to show people that anything is possible," Robinson said. "No matter what happens, there are always possibilities. And it gives me the opportunity to overcome things that I never really thought I could."
Stephanie Robinson was born with a cyst on her brain that affects the motor skills on the right side of her body. But don't make the mistake of thinking of this energetic Pittsburg State freshman music major as someone with a disability.


text:
Spicy Moroccan soup, South African bobotie, lentil curry from Nepal, even Mexican burritos.
When you're looking to cook up some vegetarian romance, the world's cuisines offer plenty of ways to stimulate the senses.
"It's a lovely way to do it, especially if you've been somewhere and you want to recreate a magical moment," says Troth Wells, author of "One World Vegetarian Cookbook" (Interlink, 2011). "Think of Turkey and Istanbul and the mosques and extraordinary churches. I get excited just thinking about it."
Oysters and steak with bearnaise have long been the standard for "romantic" meals, but Wells says the inherent sensuality of vegetables will tickle the senses without leaving you too full to frolic after.
"There's such an array of colors and shapes that you can put on your plate," she says. For Valentine's Day, try an orange vegetable bake, full of sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, and red peppers. "Anything you want to put in there that's red and orange sends out a warming message."
And then there are the spices. Considered aphrodisiacs by many ancient cultures, spices such as nutmeg are said to increase amorous function. Chili releases endorphins, while cinnamon, cardamom and cloves have historically been considered erotic scents.
"Like diamonds and perfume today, anything that's expensive and requires some dangerous exploits to get it has some sexual excitement to it," she says.
Start the evening with Moroccan olives infused with nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon and chili, then move to a main dish of Nepalese lentils spiked with ginger and turmeric. For dessert, Colombian hot chocolate infused with fresh ginger and green chilies combines the sensuality of chocolate with the fire of spices.
"There are a lot of things about these that stimulate not only the palate, but the appetite in general," Wells says.
Mushroom Stroganoff
This stroganoff is great served over brown or red rice, as well as mashed potatoes or the more traditional noodles.
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pound button or mixed mushrooms, sliced or quartered
1 teaspoon paprika
Pinch nutmeg
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
6 tablespoons creme fraiche
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
In a large skillet over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the onion and saute for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another 30 seconds.
Increase the heat to high and add the mushrooms, paprika and nutmeg. Saute for 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft and brown.
Add the white wine and balsamic vinegar, then stir well. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro, then the creme fraiche. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes or noodles.
Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 142 calories; 72 calories from fat (50 percent of total calories); 8 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 2 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 1 g fiber; 66 mg sodium.
(Recipe adapted from Troth Wells' "One World Vegetarian Cookbook," Interlink, 2011)
Making vegetarian food stimulating for Valentine's
Spicy Moroccan soup, South African bobotie, lentil curry from Nepal, even Mexican burritos.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Christopher J. Garvin, "Agency: Its Nature, Origins, and Power," in Selections from the Religious Education Student Symposium 2003 (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2003), 59–68.
Agency: Its Nature, Origins, and Power
Christopher J. Garvin
The scriptures are replete with teachings on agency and the consequences of using it. The principle of agency—freedom to choose—has been a crucial issue since the great Council in Heaven before we came to the earth (see D&C 29:36). Agency also existed in the Garden of Eden (see Moses 7:32) and has been a fundamental principle of this world ever since. With the power of agency come many commandments and instructions on its use, with severe penalties for its misuse. In a classic speech, Lehi taught his children that "men are free according to the flesh" (2 Nephi 2:27) but cannot alter the consequences of their choices, for good or for bad.
All modern prophets have also emphasized the importance of agency and the necessity to use it according to the commandments of God. [1] It seems that nearly every talk given by General Authorities at least implicitly emphasizes the need to "choose ... this day, to serve the Lord God," rather than to choose the enticements of the adversary (Moses 6:33). Priceless sermons can be and have been written on the importance of choice and mankind's accountability for those choices in the eternal perspective. We can deepen our understanding of agency and its importance in an endless existence through a peek into its nature, its source and origins, and the extent of its power.
The Nature of Agency
The term agency always implies a choice, but the word includes much more than simply making a choice. According to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, agency is the means "through which something is accomplished." Some synonyms of agency are words such as will, choose, desire, and intend; also, self-discipline, self-mastery, self-control, and willpower. The definition of the first synonym, will, is very enlightening. The dictionary defines will in several key ways, among them a "wish or desire often combined with determination, "a choice or determination of one having authority or power," "a disposition to act according to principles or ends," and the "power of controlling one's own actions or emotions." Agency, then, is a principle of action that implies mastery over the self in all circumstances.
The dictionary definition of agency above has special significance when compared with the scriptures. In Doctrine and Covenants 58:28, the Lord commands that "men should ... do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness." When people choose to employ their agency for good according to the commandments and the will of God, His designs are fulfilled through them and great works, even miracles, can result. Thus, agency, or the ability to choose between good and evil, can indeed be the means to accomplish many great things. Whether our works are of righteousness, darkness, or neutrality all depends on our exercise of choice.
The Atonement of Jesus Christ empowers mankind to exercise choice. Lehi teaches that men are "free forever ... to act for themselves and not to be acted upon," (2 Nephi 2:26). He goes on to explain that the only infringement upon this power to act is self-inflicted, as poor choices result in punishments for disobedience to the commandments of God.
Many members of the Church refer to agency as "free agency," but is this an accurate term? Is agency really free? The Lord may have implied that agency is free when He stated, "In the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency" (Moses 7:32). If agency is a gift from God, perhaps it could be considered free. Yet President Boyd K. Packer's observation that the term "free agency" does not appear in the scriptures highlights a significant challenge to this idea. [2]
While mankind may be free to choose, a price was paid to secure agency. Lehi teaches, "And the Messiah cometh in the fullness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall" (2 Nephi 2:26). He continues, "And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever" (2:26). This scripture clarifies that our freedom to choose results directly from the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Without His infinite sacrifice, agency would remain inactive and God's plan would be frustrated by the wicked choices of His estranged children here on earth. The Savior Himself described the greatness of His sacrifice:
Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your suffering be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.
For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—
Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men. (D&C 19:15–19)
Indeed the price for freedom was great, above anything any mortal could give. Thus, agency is not free. Though the Savior gives our agency freely and does not restrain our freedom to use it, each man, woman, and child carries a great debt to Him who paid the ultimate price for the salvation of mankind, and bought the priceless power of agency. Were it not for the Atonement of Christ, mankind would have but one choice: eternal damnation. Through His sacrifice, the scope of the available options increased infinitely. The terms of the resultant contract between us and the Savior and how to fulfill that debt are clear in the scriptures. We will discuss how to fulfill them is discussed later in this paper.
The Origins of Agency
In Mormon Doctrine, Elder Bruce R. McConkie outlines four necessary elements for agency to exist. [3] First, there must be laws given by God that govern right action. Second, "there must be an opposition, one force pulling one way and another pulling the other." [4] Revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith confirms the need for opposition, stating that the implementation of agency requires the temptations of Satan (see D&C 29:39). Third, agents must possess knowledge of good and evil and the ability to differentiate between the two. People who lack such knowledge, such as young children, are exempt from responsibility for any offenses they may unknowingly commit (see D&C 29:46, 49–50). Last, agents must have unencumbered power to choose. After commanding His children to use their agency for righteousness, the Lord taught that "the power [to choose] is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves" (D&C 58:28). Without these four elements—law, opposition, knowledge, and freedom—agency cannot exist.
While these four points provide an excellent explanation of the necessary conditions for the release of agency, they alone do not illuminate agency's origins. Certain questions arise in considering this topic: Where do we get this power to discern and choose between good and evil? Does Satan author agency by providing the world with temptations and alternative choices? What is God's role in the employment of agency?
The search for the origins of agency first requires an appeal to the story of the Creation. The Lord taught Enoch that He gave agency to mankind in the Garden of Eden (see Moses 7:32). Thus, the scriptures affirm that God gave mankind their agency—a great blessing from a loving Father. However, Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught that agency is the one thing we have that is uniquely ours. As everything else already belongs to the Lord, our agency is therefore the only true offering we can make to Him. Elder Maxwell clarifies: "The submission of one's will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God's altar. The many other things we 'give' ... are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God's will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give!" [5] If it is true that God did not give us agency but it is truly ours, then what are the actual origins of our agency, and what did God mean by saying that He gave it to us? The scriptures illuminate the answers to these questions.
In the Doctrine and Covenants, we learn a very significant truth about the origin of agency: "Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be. All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence" (D&C 93:29–30). Intelligence and truth have always existed. Abraham learned in a vision that intelligences were organized, not created (see Abraham 3:22). Likewise, truth was organized, as Elder McConkie wrote, into laws through which the Lord established a sphere in which intelligences and truth could act as agents for themselves. Indeed, verse 31 of section 93 declares: "Behold, here is the agency of man" (emphasis added). Agency finds release in a sphere in which it can act—a sphere much like the one Elder McConkie described. However, agency is an inherent part of intelligences and, likewise, neither was nor can be created. Agency, a natural product of God's organizing power, is inherently ours, and thus constitutes the only true offering we can present to our Maker.
What did the Lord mean, then, in proclaiming that He gave us agency? Verse 30 mentioned above partially answers this question, indicating that the Lord's role in the employment of agency was to create the sphere in which intelligence and truth could act for themselves—the conditions in which intelligences could exercise their agency. It seems that agency lay dormant until the creation of the proper environment. Heavenly Father, understanding the role of agency in the salvation of mankind and knowing that intelligences had an inherent capacity for agency, created the conditions necessary for its release—a world in which good and evil could exist—thus setting His plan into motion. It follows, then, that the Lord did not literally create agency. Rather, He created the realm in which agency could operate and thus enable Him to fulfill His plan.
The Power of Agency
Agency possesses great power within this sphere God created. In our earlier discussion on its nature, we defined agency as the means through which things are accomplished, whether for good or for bad. The array of choices is almost limitless, and, according to God's established laws, those choices can bring about eternal joy, endless misery, or anything in between. He asks that we turn to Him and His prophets for instructions on how to use our agency (see D&C 82:8–9). He who exercises agency perfectly and the individuals He authorizes and instructs are always the best sources for knowledge and understanding.
At this point, one might wonder whether God indeed possesses agency. Is He not bound to perfection and unable even to hint at changeableness? If He is unchangeable, can He have agency? The answer to these questions must be in the affirmative. All intelligences possess agency, and God is "more intelligent than they all" (Abraham 3:19). He is also more free and powerful "than they all."
Recall that our earlier definition of agency also defined it as a desire or purpose. The scriptures often refer to the Father's will (see Matthew 7:21), a word which we defined previously in several key ways. Chief among those definitions is "a disposition to act according to principles or ends." God chooses to do certain things in certain ways, and His purposes are so clear that they are unalterable. Because He sees and comprehends those purposes with perfect clarity, He never needs to deviate from them in any way. [6] Even opposition becomes a tool for the fulfillment of His plans (see 2 Nephi 2:11–12), yet this opposition does nothing to alter His purposes or desires. Nor does opposition have any effect upon Him or His perfection (except maybe to magnify His glory). Therein lies, at least in part, the power of God—in the perfect operation of agency and the total rejection of sin.
The scriptures elucidate God's clarity of purpose and the breadth of His desire. Moses learned the Lord's specific purpose with great transparency: "Behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of [all men, women, and children]" (Moses 1:39). Moses later witnessed Lucifer's opposition to the Father. One can imagine the great Council in Heaven, when the plan of salvation was revealed. God the Father would have called His children around and explained His plan—that we would each have the opportunity to enter mortality, gain a body like our Father, exercise agency, and return to our heavenly parents. But bad news followed: in learning to use our agency, we would make mistakes and sin, which would render us ineligible for salvation in the Father's kingdom. Possibly then, with the dilemma fully revealed, Father asked for a volunteer to pay the price and redeem His children. Although Jehovah, the Firstborn, was the One foreordained to become the Savior of all Father's creations, He had to volunteer Himself for the mission. Jehovah presented Himself before the Father and humbly declared, as He would later in a garden called Gethsemane, "Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever" (Moses 4:2).
Satan immediately followed and, standing before the Father, declared, "I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost" (Moses 4:1). What a seemingly attractive plan! The God and Creator of innumerable spirits, which He loved, would surely rejoice at the proposal that each of His children would come home and enjoy the eternal bliss and glory that only He could offer them!
However, Satan's alternative route was fatally flawed, for it would usurp God's authority and deny His children their agency. With flawless clarity, Father saw past Satan's ploy and perfectly understood its consequences: by accepting Satan's plan, God would relinquish His throne of majesty to a lesser, selfish being, for Satan sought to replace God. "And surely I will do it" he boldly declared, "wherefore give me thine honor" (Moses 4:1). Not only would he dethrone the God of the universe, Satan would also destroy everyone else's opportunity for salvation by negating their power to choose. Agency is essential for salvation, as we can walk that path by choice only; coercion has no place in the kingdom of God. The enticement ignored and the tempter cast out, God's purposes were not altered—nor was His plan. In the face of evil persuasion, the Lord Omnipotent did not falter. He whose knowledge and power expand to the ends of the universe and whose righteousness and glory know no bounds could not be trapped in the feeble snare of a selfish and greedy child.
Perfect use of agency and its attendant power have something to do, it seems, with perfect purposes and perfect intentions. God is glorified through the exaltation of His children. Thus, He has the most to gain through the fulfillment of His plan and purposes. It seems, then, that He would have the greatest motivation for selfish behavior. Any mortal with so much to win would likely go to great lengths to maximize those gains. Mortals often use their agency for such purposes. But our Father is God, not a mortal, and does not succumb to the flesh as mortals do. Somehow, in some way, He can put forth every effort toward a work that will bring Him great majesty and glory but without any hint or shadow of selfish maximization. His purposes and intentions are perfectly pure. For this reason, all can trust and worship Him with perfect faith.
Similarly, we worship His Son, for "the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do" (John 5:19). Jehovah, the perfect Son, willingly became the Savior of mankind by giving His agency to the Father—what all men everywhere must someday do. Not only was His surrender immediate; it was complete and unconditional. Nothing was withheld, no bargain required. By exercising His agency in perfect harmony with the perfect agency of the Father, Jesus became the Lord of all, the Savior and Redeemer, the Mediator between God and fallen mankind. Because Jesus chose perfectly, all mankind may be cleansed from every indiscretion and made worthy of the kingdom of the Father—if they choose Him as their Lord. Through His righteousness and incomparable freedom, God can accomplish the most significant of works—even the salvation of men—and enjoy the greatest of glory. Indeed, there is great power in righteous choosing.
In summary, agency is eternal in nature, divine in origin, and powerful in its use. An innate characteristic of intelligences, agency was released through the creation of a proper sphere in which to act. The examples of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ provide perfect models for correct use of agency and the power that attends righteous living. Indeed, God is God because He learned to control agency, master His will, clarify His purposes, and purify His intentions, and the Savior is identical to Him in every respect.
However, this discussion in no way exhausts the subject of agency. While its origins can mostly be identified, mankind's ability to comprehend uncreateable entities is miniscule. Most can see only that they exist, but precious few have dipped into the knowledge of the eternities. More needs to be explored regarding the Lord's definition of agency, the eternal effects of agency, and how to relinquish one's agency to the Father. We can learn many truths on this earth. The revelation of other truths—such as how to progress from making good choices to godhood—must inevitably be delayed. Though much remains for future study, the confidence that one day we will know all brings comfort to the soul and eagerness to the mind. May we all exercise our agency such that the free flow of pure knowledge will never cease.
[1] For excellent sermons on agency by modern prophets, in the software GospeLink, under the Search Wizard, look under "Teachings of the Prophets" followed by "Agency." See especially President Brigham Young's talk titled "Free Agency" (in Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, comp. John A. Widtsoe [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1954]).
[2] Boyd K. Packer, "Our Moral Environment," Ensign, May 1992, 67. However, President Packer notes that the scriptures contain the phrase "moral agency," given from God to mankind "that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment" (D&C 101:78). This moral agency affects each mortal on different levels, from the most basic level of the Light of Christ to the most advanced stage of the gift of the Holy Ghost.
[3] Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2d ed. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966], 26–28.
[4] McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 26.
[5] Neal A. Maxwell, "Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father," Ensign, November 1995, 24
[6] This in no way suggests a notion of predestination. Though mankind cannot alter God's purposes or desires, scriptures indicate that mankind indeed has the ability, through prayer and supplication, to sway the Lord. For example, Hezekiah's life was lengthened because of his prayers (see Isaiah 38:1–5); the people of Ammonihah were spared because of the prayers of righteous people (see Alma 10:22–23); and prayer is a prerequisite to be gathered in by the Savior (see D&C 29:2). The subject of prayer and its relation to agency—namely God's agency—must remain for another time. Nonetheless, it is clear that the "fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16).


text:
Flax Awareness Project and Promotional Budwig Poster Images (Jan 2011)
submitted by Dr. O. P. Verma, India
"Dear Ms. Ursula,
I have received your excellent DVD on Budwigs Protocol. Thanks a million times. It is a great work. It is the First available DVD on this Protocol. It is simple, complete, easy to follow, technically perfect, short and precise yet covers everything. Animations are natural, smooth and flow with the theme & tempo of the subject. Illustrations, scaches, pictures and movie clips are simple, complete and easy. Even audio is clear and crisp. I congratulate you for your great work."
I have completed my second 9 days (1600 Km.) Flax Awareness Journey. Brief details are as follows:
Dec 14, 2011 Devas Seminar & Press Conference at English Tutorials.
Dec 15 & 16 at Bhopal. Attended Ayurved National Conference on Panchkarma. India's Famous Ayueved Doctors, Natural Healers, Panchkarma Experts & students attended the Conference. I had a lecture there on Flaxseed & Dr. Budwigs Protocol. I distributed my booklet to everybody free of cost.
Dec 17 Lecture at Ayueced College, Bhopal.
Dec 18 Lecture at Yoga centre, Bhopal & Press Conference at Bhopal.
Dec 20 Lecture & Press Conference at Engineering College, Vidisha .
Dec 21 Lecture at Faculty of Management Studies at Sagar University.
Thanks, Dr. O.P.Verma
Dr. Verma was kind to share with us wonderful promotional images for free download as well as photos from the Flax Awareness Journey:


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How We See Teaches
One day after school, one of our second graders, Tamara, approached me and asked, "Why would a teacher ask me a question that a book already explains the answer to?"
Brilliant or Annoying?
I saw a curious, confident critical thinker who was pushing everyone's thinking. The teacher at her previous, highly-acclaimed neighborhood school saw a pain in the derriere who wrecking her well laid out lesson plans.
How we see children teaches them who they can become. Every single child deserves to be seen through the lens of their strengths and immeasurable potential. Tamara's parents reported she dreaded having to go to her prior "great school." In fact, some days she would go to great lengths to avoid attending. Now in sixth grade, Tamara is a confident, eco-minded animal rights activist with strong peer and teacher relationships. The shifts in programming from Tamara's first school to the next were not costly or difficult to implement; however, they did require parents and educators to be open to new ways of thinking about school and curriculum. The foundation is set in positive perceptions.
Esteemed educator champion, Parker Palmer, once wrote, "Every gift a person possesses goes hand in hand with a liability. Every strength is also a weakness, a limitation, a dimension of identity that serves me and others well under some circumstances but not all the time…The point is not to 'get fixed' but to gain deeper understanding of the paradox of gifts and limits, the paradox of our mixed selves, so that we can teach and live more gracefully within the whole of our nature."
As educators, one of our primary responsibilities is to illustrate the strengths-based aspects of student sensitivities. The more society learns about neuroplasticity and enhancing cognition, the more empathic children become. Our thoughts are powerful! Children feel how teachers see them; what educators think, children may very well become. How do you want teachers to see children? As obedient test takers? Troublemakers? Innovators? Learners? Educators can't grow learners and innovators without being students and changemakers themselves. The implicit curriculum teaches just as much, if not more than lesson plans – educator behavior teaches children how to navigate the world. Moreover, a prescriptive curriculum limits learning. Leaning into paradox teaches tolerance for ambiguity, critical thinking and perspective taking. One of my personal goals is to learn something new in every class, to model the discomfort of venturing into the unknown and truly learning alongside students every single day.
"Educe," the root of education, instructs teachers to bring forth that which already lives within each student. Here lies the essence of learning, to reveal and fuel each child's unique SoulSpark so all feel connected and honored as we journey together. Engaging youth in dialogue as we work to create more just education systems supports in growing changemakers. Big changes can begin with little, yet critical paradigm shifts. We all have the power to choose our thoughts, to see the strengths in each other's sensitivities. After all, pure power that liberates is born from sensitivity; strength can not exist independent of vulnerability.


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Dubai student's Parent
Mohamed Hassan
"My son was studying in Canada shortly after our family landed in Canada and currently studying engineering at the University of Toronto. Originally coming to Canada, I was poor at English and could not help my son on his school or homework.
Ututor's English course is of great help to me and my son. The classes teach him some of the most common and useful scenarios in Canada so that he could get well in school quickly and the teacher kindly introduced me to many places where I could live my life while taking care of my family. All of them are my best friends in Canada. Thank Ututor give my family a great support. "


text: Summershandy 114 Posted November 14, 2017 35 minutes ago, joe_padavano said: We still don't know what engine this fits or if a replacement is readily available as opposed to all this discussion. Sorry Joe....it's off a '54 Pontiac Star Chief straight 8 engine. Replacements are hard to find. I'm going to attempt getting it repaired locally first. Thanks. Lot of good ideas posted here on repairs and at best keeps me optimistic. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text:
I wasn't too sure about this one when I first smelled it, I guess because it wasn't as spicy as I had expected. It is cinnamon-y, yes, but that is about it. I guess I'm just used to masala chai blends that really play up the spicy aspect… and I expected this tisane to follow suit. But with this blend, less is definitely more.
The cinnamon and lemongrass are an interesting combination, especially when brought together with Guayusa. The earthy tones of the guayusa bring out the earthier notes of the cinnamon, making for a sweeter, savory-spiced cinnamon rather than a spicy-hot cinnamon. The vegetative flavor of the guayusa plays to the lemongrass, allowing it to really come forth in the finish and imparting a nice citrus tone in the aftertaste.
Despite those initial misgivings, I really am enjoying this one!


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Pioneering heart scientists are to launch a massive study aimed at saving hundreds of tiny lives.
Experts from the Institute of Human Genetics in Newcastle have been awarded almost £900,000 to pinpoint the genes which cause a baby to be born with a hole in the heart.
About eight in every 1,000 youngsters like two-year-old Scott Watson from Northumberland are born with a congenital heart defect.
Even if a youngster survives the UK's biggest killer of infants, it means years of risky operations and long spells in hospital.
The Tyneside team will be trying to pinpoint which of the 50 possible genes is responsible for causing the condition.
The project, funded by the British Heart Foundation, is the only one of its kind in the country and 100 local families will be asked to take part.
Lead researcher Bernard Keavney is a consultant cardiologist and senior lecturer based at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital and the International Centre for Life.
Dr Keavney said: "We're absolutely delighted to have been awarded such a large sum. What we'll be doing is pretty cutting-edge stuff and we're extremely excited."
Dianne Watson, 31, of Linnheads Road, Prudhoe, has thrown her support behind the research after her Scott was born with a hole in his heart two years ago. Although today little Scott looks like any normal healthy two-year-old, his life hung in the balance until an operation last June.
He was diagnosed with the heart condition when his mother was 20 weeks' pregnant. Dianne, a diabetic, found out about the problem when admitted for a routine heart scan.
Just 10 days after he was born tiny Scott was fighting for life in Newcastle's Freeman Hospital. A shunt was put in his heart to divide the subclavian artery and connect it to the pulmonary artery, allowing blood to flow more freely to his lungs.
Dianne recalled: "It was touch and go for a while.
"He went in for a corrective operation last June to widen his pulmonary artery and now he's a completely different little boy.
"The doctors said he'd be in hospital for at least a week but he was out within a day. The surgeon was amazed.
"Now he's full of life, climbing on everything and, apart from the odd chest infection, he's no different from other boys his age. It's wonderful and such a relief.
"I would back anything that helps raise awareness of heart problems in babies. I was only given a heart scan because I had diabetes, and most mothers don't find out anything is wrong for weeks after the birth.
"It was a nightmare for me and anything that can help prevent someone else going through this has to be a good thing - and it's great to see the research is happening in the North East."
Ten hospitals are taking part in the national study. Dr Keavney and his team, Profs Judith Goodship and John Burn and Dr John Sullivan, are now recruiting.


text:
- English
- Financial Accounting - I
- Management Concepts & Practices
- Quantitative Methods - I
- Managerial Economics - I
- Value Enhancing Course: Mind Management & Human Values
The B.Com with Chartered Accountant aims in equipping the students to become exceptional thinkers and learn a superior grasp of business that truly marks them unique in the marketplace. They work at some of the highest levels in business as chief financial officers, CEO's, senior managers and partners of some of the world's largest organizations. B.Com with the Certified Program in General Management explores the possibility of grooming the student into the areas of Management, Marketing, Finance, HR and Entrepreneurship, to face the corporate world by equipping the student to meet the challenges ahead. This also aims at bring in understanding the concept of Management, Tools and Techniques & other related areas.
After completing your bachelor's degree in Commerce along with CA and certified program in General Management, you can find good positions in the private sector and public sectors, banks and financial institutions. You can also look for openings in stock exchanges, the Department of Company Affairs, company law boards, audits and various government departments. The larger the company and the wider its field activity, the better are the emoluments earned by the company secretary.
General Management on the other hand, gives you an idea on how to develop the skills and credentials you need for general management career positions in almost every business and industry. As a graduate of this program, you'll be able to plan, direct, or coordinate initiatives at companies operating in the public or private sector. Well-versed in all business disciplines, general managers look out for the entire organizational system of management and optimize resources for success. Some of the functional areas in General Management include formulating policies, managing daily operations, planning the use of materials and human resources, Supporting the launch of a new product etc. Students' can also pursue post-graduation and expand it with further research.
The minimum qualification required to apply is a pass in the 10+2 examination in Science or Commerce from PUC / ISC / CBSE or equivalent board. A course recognized as equivalent thereto by the University.
I – Accounting and Taxation Group
II – Finance Group
III – Marketing Group
The Chartered Accountant consists of modules and covers areas such as:
Semester I and II
Semester III and IV
Semester V and VI


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As suspect as I believe polls and political surveys are, I was intrigued by this little bit of voter insight: Halloween mask sales. Apparently, presidential candidate mask sales have accurately forecasted the winner of that year's presidential election since 1996. It would seem that Halloween mask wearers are representative of voters as a whole.
The seemingly bad news for Romney supporters is that mask sales for 2012 has Obama outpacing Romney by 20%. Between the masks of the two candidates, Obama masks are running around 60%, with Romney at 40%. I wouldn't make too much of this, based on the fact that neither mask even looks like its respective candidate. However, it is an important statistic, primarily because it is one of the very few pre-election indicators that isn't sponsored by, or tallied by, the media.
Lisa Barr, a director of marketing for one of the country's largest Halloween retailers says: "A lot of people are going out and supporting their candidate by wearing their masks." Maybe. It would seem that she has the historic data to make such a statement, but I also wonder how many masks are being bought and worn by non-supporters of a particular candidate. After all, this is Halloween; a time when people dress up as something other than what they are normally. It wouldn't at all surprise me to find out on November 6 that many Obama masks were being worn by Romney voters, and vice versa.
More than any other recent election, especially since 1996, this election is about choosing sides. Halloween masks have been correct as a predictor of election outcomes, as CNN Money points out:
Obama beat out Sen. John McCain in mask sales in 2008 with the same split as this year. The retailer also predicted a President George W. Bush win over Sen. John Kerry in 2004, a 2000 Bush victory over former Vice President Al Gore, and a Sen. Bob Dole defeat by President Bill Clinton in 1996.
But none of these previous elections have been as polarizing as this one has proven to be. If the mask sales of Obama and Romney masks were closer than 60/40, I would be more prone to think that the sales were indicating reality. However, since the sales are so disparate, I tend to believe that they are actually telling the opposite of what the historic sales have predicted. That is, rather than being a 20% sign of support for the current president, I believe the mask sales of 2012 are telling a different story.
Who wouldn't rather dress up as Obama for a Halloween party? Nobody will think twice when Obama mask wearers take twice as much candy and cake at a party, because after all, this is the "stimulus" at work. Romney mask wearers would be expected to bring twice as much to a party, while Obama mask wearers can take twice as much. Not to mention the fact that Halloween is about being scary, and who better to scare fellow partiers than President Obama?
It remains to be seen what the mask data for 2012 really predicts, but for my candy I'm betting on this being the first election where the winner is really the loser. That's my story (for now) and I'm sticking to it.


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Christmas has always been a very special time in our house, especially the lead up in the month beforehand, with all the food preparation, gift making and present wrapping!
I have already written posts about :
- Desserts for Pre-Christmas work parties : The Sweet Spot (October)
- Christmas Cake and Pudding (November)
- Christmas Drinks and Nibbles (December)
I much prefer to think about Christmas gifts well in advance, so there is no panic closer to the day, when the shops get so busy and crowded and choosing gifts becomes very stressful!!! If time allows, it is a wonderful opportunity to use all those craft skills and, at the same time, make so many people very happy! Home-made presents are THE BEST and are appreciated long after their store-bought equivalents. The recipient not only appreciates the originality and sometimes quirkiness of your gift, but also the talent and skill involved and the sheer amount of time devoted to their production, while thinking about their recipient during the whole process! My family adore my embroidered cushion covers and I get much joy out of planning and executing their design, as well as admiring the finished product, and then seeing the joy and love they bring to their recipient!
I made this cute Christmas bag for my daughter from a pattern in 'Scandinavian Stitches' by Kajsa Wikman. See her blog on : http://syko.typepad.com/.
I embroidered this cushion cover with rainforest birds for my husband's birthday this year.A Christmas tablemat for 2000!
I have loved all my children's home-made gifts over the years and our house and lives have been enriched by all their wonderful creations! It is also a great way for children to develop their creative skills. Here are some great books with gift ideas :
'The Good Gift Guide : Creative Gift Giving For All Occasions' by Alison Pearl
'The Good Gift Book : Ideal Presents For Every Occasion' by Judy Hubbard
'A Touch of Christmas : Easy To Make Stockings and Gifts' by Pamela Allardice
'Christmas Treats To Make and Give' by Linda Collister
'Homemade' by Kay Fairfax
'Creating Gourmet Gifts' by Barbara Beckett
'Aromatic Gifts : Scented Ideas From Kitchen and Garden' by Stephanie Donaldson and
'Beautiful Homemade Presents' by Juliet Bawden.
Gifts can be more intangible too : a massage, a song, a performance, an IOU promise. My daughters made this hand-painted Monopoly board and these delightful wooden coasters for past Christmas gifts. A friend made this delicious Christmas cookie decoration one year.I really enjoy making Christmas cards and Advent Calendars in late November, the latter to be opened from the 1st December on. The last few years, I have used folded blank card, stamps and ink pads to create much more personal (and far cheaper) cards! Alas, this year, because I worked right up until the last week, I had to resort to using commercial Christmas cards!
There are so many different patterns for advent calendars from felt pockets with little treasures and sweets to this wonderful paper pocket Christmas Tree, which I made for our 2013 Christmas. Each pocket held a small gift or a rhyming clue to a treasure hunt for larger items, which could not fit in the pocket. The pattern came from 'Folded Secrets : Paper Folding Projects: Book 4' by Ruth Smith and is based on the old Chinese Needle Thread Pockets. You can order all 4 books from the author by emailing her at : email@example.com. For a quick view of them, see : http://purplemissus.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/happy-families.html
It is also fun making Christmas decorations throughout December, then finally decorating the Christmas tree in the last 2 weeks! Some people do it in early December, especially if they own an artificial tree, but I much prefer fresh trees, which do not last the whole month well.
I love the scent and colour of traditional fir trees, which are often sold on the side of the road in the weeks up until Christmas. After the 1967 Tasmanian bush fires, which devastated the native forests, my parents planted a large number of these quick-growing evergreens along the fence line of our property, only to spend every future Christmas chasing off would-be Christmas Tree thieves as the trees grew to maturity!!!
For the last few years in the city, we bought our trees from the same supplier, who harvested them from their country property then sold them in their suburban driveway. We'd select a small, well-balanced tree, then place it in a tub of water within an old rusty family cream can (from dairying days), decorated with Christmas wrapping paper and a large red bow. I love this old photo from the early 1900s of my husband's grandparents' Christmas tree with all the toy animals underneath.Back in the country, we would cut our own tree – maybe a feral cypress or a native she-oak (Casuarina) or even a gum tree (Eucalyptus). This year, we had hoped to purchase a Wollemi Pine in a pot, which we would keep outside during the year, then bring inside for Christmas until it grew too large. Wollemi pines are incredibly ancient and very special, as they were thought to be extinct until a small stand was discovered in 1994. See : http://www.wollemipine.com.
Alas, they were too exorbitant for us this year at $ 169 for a 150mm pot ( plus $14 for shipping and handling). I know we would probably recuperate the price after 3 to 5 years of buying ordinary cut Christmas trees, but you would have to be certain that the plant survived!!! Maybe when we're rich and famous…!!! For those with disposable income, see : http://www.wollemipine.com/order.php
It is always such fun decorating the Christmas tree with friends and family with all the old Christmas favourites, as well as a new purchase/ creation each year. After the baubles and ornaments, we drape the tree with tinsel, then last of all, the Christmas lights – so magical!!! Here are some photos of hand-made Christmas decorations: a simple, bright felt star for my eldest daughter's first Christmas tree of her own; Christmas angels being made by my daughters : I made the middle angel, Caro the blonde angel and Jen, the angel with the dreadlocks!; I also made a beaded/ sequined and embroidered Christmas angel and pear one year.We were a bit late putting up our 'tree' this year, but it was just as well as the weekend before Christmas we experienced 40 degree days! We now live on a corner block fringed with very old Cypress trees, so we cut 5 branches, which were extending into the lane way, then bound them together and put them in the old family cream can. I think it looks great and it's hard to detect that it is not a complete tree! My daughter made a beautiful wreath with the trimmed branches as well (bottom photo).And finally, Christmas Eve has arrived! When we lived in the 'Big Smoke', we always use to enjoy making a special visit into the city to see the Christmas decorations.
I loved the illumination of the Geelong Town Hall last year.And on the night of Christmas Eve, it was always worth doing the rounds of the neighbourhood to view all those outrageous Christmas decorations and lights. Some streets specialize in it!!!There were even still a few here in country Candelo! While the 3rd photo took the prize for effect, I must admit that I much prefer the simpler more discrete ones like the hammock shot (4th photo). Someone had even draped a large fir tee in their front yard with lights, which changed from green-and-blue to red-and-gold (5th and 6th photo)! A local farmer tied a big red bow round each of his fence posts, which looked really effective, though perhaps not so good at night-time! (1st and 2nd photo)It is always fun seeing everyone get into the Christmas spirit, including our old postman last year! We had a hilarious Christmas Eve a few years ago, when we came across a long line of 'Father Christmases', university students on their way to the pub, who then very good-naturedly, carjacked us for a lift to said hotel!!! I think my daughter thought all her Christmases had come at once! We caught up to their companions and dropped them off, little realizing that one of them had lost his mobile phone in our car! Two suburbs later, we received a very sheepish phone call, asking us very politely if we would mind dropping their phone round to the hotel! So funny, though it did highlight how quickly a car can be hijacked!!!
This year here in Candelo, we were hijacked in a different fashion! I saw 3 Santas walking up the hill, only to have a large group of them materialize on our doorstep to sing us Christmas Carols, then we were bundled up and absorbed into the group, as we wended our way back up the hill to accost other suitable benefactors! My daughter grabbed her Santa hat and reindeer antlers, which she had bought for my neighbour's handsome black labradors, whom she was to babysit over Christmas, but unfortunately not her camera, otherwise you would have had some classic shots of me in her antlers with multicoloured flashing lights. It took me a while to realize that the faint Christmas jingle I kept hearing was also actually coming from those same antlers!!! It probably would have been a bit dark for a decent photo anyway. We found it increasingly difficult to read the words by candlelight, so 'Deck the Halls' was very dodgy and thin in the verse singing, but voices swelled considerably in the 'Fa-La-La, Fa-La-La, Fa-La-La' chorus! We finished at the local bakery, where we were kindly given a fresh, warm sourdough loaf straight out of the oven and a lovely moist Christmas Cake, which we quickly wolfed down with French Champagne and tea back at my neighbour's house. It was such a fun night and a great way to meet all the locals!
Father Christmas certainly gets around, as can be seen by these eye witness accounts on our drives to visit family interstate over the Christmas period!He is such a busy fellow and must get so exhausted with all his travels! We have a family tradition of writing Father Christmas notes to attach to our stockings. He would then have to reply in the wee wee hours of the morning in an increasingly illegible scrawl! Funny how he always knew what had transpired during the year! When the kids were little, we always used to visit him in the shopping mall, resulting in a wonderful family photographic record of the childhood years.
Every Christmas Eve, we would leave him a slice of Christmas, a beer and a carrot for his reindeer and in the morning, we would discover cake crumbs, the bottle drained and little bite-sized bits of carrot all over the garden.
The kids would be up so early on Christmas morning, excitedly opening their Christmas stockings or, in later years, sacks! After the stocking opening and a much-needed cup of tea, we took it in turns to open the gifts, which had accumulated under the tree in the previous 2 weeks and had suddenly swelled in number dramatically overnight. The youngest often had the job of finding each person's gift, while Mum (usually) kept a note of 'who gave what' for later thank you correspondence.
After the last gift had been opened, the kids all gathered around the open window to yell at the top of their voices 'Thank You Very Much, Father Christmas!', a tradition carried through from my childhood!
Because everyone tends to nibble stocking fruit and sweets and are a bit exhausted by this stage, we often have a rest till mid-afternoon, then prepare for Christmas Dinner : a roast turkey with stuffing, a clove-studded ham, roast vegetables and the finale, the flaming Christmas Pudding! One year, when we had just moved over into a cottage built to lockup with no electricity, water or stove, the thought of preparing the traditional Christmas dinner overwhelmed me and it was so wonderful when my 'kids' (late teens by this stage) took over and bought 2 barbecued chickens and boiled up vegies over the camping gas stove – the most relaxing Christmas dinner we have ever had!
I love setting the Christmas table and organizing the flowers ! For a few years, we even made our own Christmas Crackers, complete with corny jokes!!! We will miss our dear Scampie this year!
I will leave you with a few photos of our iconic native flora and fauna. Happy Christmas and All our Best Wishes for a Wonderful 2016!!!


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Jesus vs Evolution: You're Missing the Point.Wednesday, February 29th, 2012
Share on Facebook Modern cosmology and Christianity do two separate things. Christianity at its heart is about how humans should relate to each other–"Love your enemy." The Bible provides a justification for supporting that behavior. 1) God is good and created a world with enough stuff for people to live peacefully without destroying it. 2) […]
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Conservative Culture of DenialThursday, November 10th, 2011
Share on Facebook I have no idea about what Herman Cain did or didn't do, but Conservatives pundits and politicians are making an absurd argument about the law and morals. Dahlia Lithwick documents their insistence that sexual harassment does NOT exist. In other words, Cain can't be guilty because sexual harassment; sexual harrassment is simply […]