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We Beat All Deals!
Over 500 appliances in stock and ready for delivery!Read more
Appliance Repair
Appliance Parts
We carry select appliance parts in-store and can help you find the parts you need for every DIY appliance repair. Come in and speak with one of our experienced staff members about getting the parts you need for your appliance.Read more
About Ace Appliance in Detroit, MI
Ace Appliance is your one-stop appliance store! With a large inventory of refrigerators, washers, dryers dishwashers, and stoves, we are ready to assist you in choosing the right appliance for your home. For over 15 years our experienced and reliable technicians have repaired and serviced thousands of appliances and are happy to apply those skills to your home appliances. Want to do the repair yourself? We carry appliance parts! No matter your appliance needs we have you covered. Plus, we beat all deals!


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The Rope Race Geckos Climbing club is the perfect way to get your kids into rock climbing. We teach kids at any stage in their climbing life, whether it is their first time or are looking to progress.
Looking for something new to have a go at?. Then why not have a go at indoor rock climbing? Taster sessions for all ages and abilities.
What could be better than you all spending your Sunday morning doing something new and exciting together with your family? Indoor rock climbing is fun, exciting, challenging and most of all absolutely brilliant for all ages and abilities.
The Mini Monkeys came about due to the massive interest from parents who would like their children into climbing as soon as possible.
Learn everything you need to climb indoors. This is the best course around and will have you climbing in no time at all!
Looking for something new to have a go at? Then why not have a go at indoor rock climbing? Taster sessions for all ages and abilities.
A competition team for young climbers who want to push what they can do whilst climbing with like-minded young people.
Need somewhere to host your event, class or meeting? We offer a beautiful, light and spacious room, situated on the top floor of our climbing centre with magnificent views over to North Wales and Greater Manchester.
Looking for something amazing and exciting for the kids to do during the school holidays?

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First Conditional (2019-12-06)With the following power point slides, you will learn how to use the first conditional and also to create sentences that express something that may happen in the future. Remember that the first conditional is used to ...
Indefinite pronouns some, any, no, every (2018-10-01)The indefinite pronouns are those which refer to one or more unspecified objects, beings, or places. They are called "indefinite" just because they do not indicate the exact object, being, or place to which they ...
Superlatives in English. (2018-05-01)En las siguientes diapositivas, prenderás a como usar los adjetivos para crear oraciones y formar oraciones utilizando superlativos. Palabras
Conditionals (2018-04-01)Los condicionales son oraciones con dos cláusulas - una cláusula con "If" y una cláusula principal - que están estrechamente relacionadas. Las oraciones condicionales se dividen a menudo en diferentes tipos.
Future Simple Tense (2018-04-01)Futuro simple es el primer tema de la unidad II que conforma el PAI (programa académico institucional) de la materia de Eventos pasados y futuros en Lengua Extranjera. Past simple tense is the first topic in unit II ...
Describing someone's personality (2018-04-01)
Zero, first and second conditionals (2018-04-01)
Skimming and scanning to improve your reading comprehension (2018-04-01)En esta presentación se describen dos estrategias básicas para responder de manera efectiva la sección de comprensión lectora del examen de certificación TOEFL.
Cuidado del Medio Ambiente (Presente Continuo) (2018-04-01)People should be conscious about the importance of taking care the environment, the meditation about the actions that we are doing to contribute in the change and protection of the planet are significant.
Conversaciones introductorias (2018-04-01)In this presentation you will find some information which will help you to write dates in English in a correct way.
Planear proyectos futuros (2018-04-01)The following presentation contains some questions which can be useful to practice speaking skills, specifically, to talk about future plans or intentions.
Comparar personas, lugares y cosas (2018-04-01)In the following presentation you will find a game which help your students to participate in a speaking activity, where they will answer questions by using superlatives.
Enfatizando en los hechos (2018-04-01)We use first conditional to talk about those consequences which can exist in any situation. In this presentation you will find a game to practice and improve your speaking skills.
Rutinas y estados temporales (2018-04-01)When speaking about actions happening at the moment of speaking, we use what in English is known as Present Continuous.
Daily Routines (2017-08-31)The students will get familiar with the daily routines. They also will learn the words to describe those routines.
Agreements and Disagreements (2017-08-31)L2 learners know how to use the word "too" since basic levels but, they get confuse when reach a higher level as B1 for example specifically with topics as "Agreements and disagreements" due to the use of the word "so", ...
Verb Complementation (2017-08-31)This presentation shows the appropiate verb complementation. Also, It has vocabulary, some examples and exercises that will help the learner to understand the topic .
The weather (2017-08-31)Know about the weather is very important due to when you describe a place is practically mandatory to speak abut the weather, knowing the main vocabulary make easier the develop of a description, however L2 learners ...
Comparatives in English (2017-08-31)We use comparatives all the time, even though in the different languages applied for getting more information. To use comparatives we are going to use adjectives, that describes nouns and pronouns. And we only use two ...
Reported Speech (2017-08-31)Reported Speech is a way how we report what someone has said by changing some of the words said, but retaining the same meaning.


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In Focus
Australian farmers battle worst drought in a century
As livestock starve and the soil becomes dust, New South Wales farmers battle a crippling drought called the worst since 1902.
Harry Taylor, 6, picks up a lamb to try and feed it with cotton seed on June 17, 2018, in Coonabarabran, Australia. The family's farm is almost devoid of grass, with dust and weeds the only constant across the property.
In Warrumbungle Shire, where sharp peaks fall away to once fertile farmland, the small town of Coonabarabran is running out of water.
The town dam is down to just 23 percent capacity, forcing residents to live with level six water restrictions.
The cattle feeding operation on the Toorawandi farm owned by Coonabrabran farmer Ambrose Doolan and his wife Lisa, on June 19.
Both of the couple's children, Brett and Emily, have returned home to work on the farm during the drought.
Coral Jerry, 80, feeds lambs on the Marlborough family farm outside Coonabarabran on June 20.
Coral lives on the farm alone after her husband of 55 years passed away in 2015.
She is currently raising 40 orphaned lambs on her own, feeding them four to five times a day while her son Greg, wife Tanya and son Brett run the farm.
Harry plays on the dust bowl his family farm has become during the drought, on June 17.
The New South Wales State government recently approved an emergency drought relief package of $445 million, of which at least $185 million is allocated for low interest loans to help eligible farms recover.
The package has been welcomed, though in the words of a local farmer "it barely touches the sides." Now with the real prospect of a dry El Nino weather pattern hitting the state in spring, the longer term outlook for rain here is dire.
Cattle feeding on the Toorawandi farm on June 19.
The name of the property translates to "rows of standing stones," which is presently an apt description of the bare dirt and stones that stretch as far as the eye can see.
Ambrose Doolan works on his farm outside Coonabrabran on June 19.
Dead livestock litter the Jerry family farm, on June 20.
Hiedi and Harry Taylor play in one of the many empty dams on their family farm in Coonabarabran, on June 17.
Sheep are corralled on the Jerry family farm on June 20.
Sheep feed on what's left on the Jerry family farm on June 20.
Dead trees lay in a drought stricken paddock on Scott Cooper's South Park farm, located east of the town of Gunnedah in New South Wales, on July 21.
Sheep graze between rows of dried up vines at a winery located on the outskirts of Mudgee on July 18.
Cattle walk past an empty dam and old windmill on a farm west of Gunnedah on June 8.
Farmer Scott Cooper and his daughter Charlie ride their horses along a fence on their farm, Nundah, south of Gunnedah, on July 21.
Farmer Ash Whitney stands in the middle of a dried-up dam on his farm west of Gunnedah on June 3.
"I have been here all my life, and this drought is feeling like it will be around a while," said Whitney.
Cattle push each other as they kick up dust at sunset on Tom Wollaston's farm, west of Tamworth on June 1.
Farmer May McKeown drives her truck to feed the remaining cattle on her property, located on the outskirts of Walgett on July 20.
Margo, the wife of farmer Tom Wollaston, talks with her daughter, Natasha, and her granddaughter, Abbey, as a rainbow gleams above them during sunset on their farm west of Tamworth on June 2.
An irrigated field is contrasted next to a plowed field on a farm on the outskirts of Mudgee on July 18.
Farmer Scott Cooper rides his horse through a dried field on his farm south of Gunnedah on July 21.
A lone tree can be seen in a dehydrated field on Scott Cooper's farm on July 21.
A tree stands near a water trough on Jimmie and May McKeown's farm on the outskirts of Walgett on July 20.


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Enroll for our 1st Annual Headstart Music Program below! Space is limited and will be filled on a first come basis. Classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Bertrand's Old Town Music in Pasadena. There is no cost and we will even provide you an instrument at no charge. Please email firstname.lastname@example.com or email@example.com, call, or come by the store for more details.
Session 1 (Tue & Thur June 15 - July 13th)
Session 2 (Tue & Thur July 15th - August 10th)
Powered by Pro-Active WebsitesEntire contents Copyright © 2003-2019 Bertrand Music Enterprises.
All prices subject to change without notice.


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The other day I was walking up 13th Street near Otis and spotted this great mural of two kids talking on a tin-can phone. PoP has some more background: the building, which is a small condo, reached out to DC Murals, a group that finds artists to put up murals. And this is the awesome result.
The artist is James Bullough, who is from DC but now lives in Berlin. It's almost photorealistic, aside from the white and turquoise slashes.
I really like it, it's probably my favorite mural around the area. It makes me want a mural, if I ever had a wall for it.
Here's a few other shots from Bullough's site.


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Chanel Pre Fall Collection for fall 2016
Leave it to Karl Lagerfeld to combine those familiar phrases with cinematic roots in order to create fashion fireworks for Chanel -and at a tender moment for the French capital, still shrouded in grief and gripped with heightened security following the Nov. 13 terror attacks.
"I didn't know when we started the idea of Paris in Rome that it would be the best moment to show a perfect, romantic Paris when Paris today in reality is the opposite of a romantic city," Lagerfeld said during a preview of his latest Métiers d'Art collection. "It's really unbelievable, no?"
Tuesday night's show, staged at the famed Cinecittà film studio No. 5, was a tour de force of saucy Gallic chic, paraded in a vast set depicting an idealized Paris neighborhood of yore, all in sooty black-and-white and complete with cheese shops, wine merchants, bakeries, an oyster bar and, of course, a cinema. The decor was a nod to late French production designer Alexandre Trauner, who famously designed sets for most of Marcel Carné's films in the Thirties and Forties.
Lagerfeld also premiered "Once and Forever," an 11-minute movie he directed that features Kristen Stewart as a fiery actress slated to star in a Chanel biopic - if only she could stop bickering with practically everyone on set. It was projected onto a giant screen in the outdoor La Piscina area of the studio, flanked by set elements from "Gangs of New York," just one of the 3,000 films that have been shot at the sprawling Cinecittà complex. Earlier, guests sipped cocktails amidst the statuary and buildings from the TV show "Rome."
The almost surreal pre-fall fashion show, like the film, unfurled an intricate narrative that connected Gabrielle Chanel to the movie business, and to the Eternal City.


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The Last Word: Risen and fallen angels - The Israel-hating Left
A couple of months ago, the Associated Press published a series of pictures taken in the village of Kabatiya, near Jenin. They showed a Palestinian man being marched down a street by armed guards, then shot like a dog in the village square. Were the executioners Israeli? No. They were members of the Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, the military wing of Fatah, Yasser Arafat's political movement.
The victim was 45-year-old Muhammed Daraghmeh, accused of molesting his two daughters and collaborating with Israel. Was the accusation true? Who knows. Had the charge been proved by some kind of normal judicial procedure? It had not. Instead, the crowd chanted "death, death," the gunmen obliged, and the crowd cheered. More astonishing was that the gunmen invited the foreign press to record the scene. They were pleased with themselves, not ashamed.
Now consider the plight of Palestinian homosexuals. In August 2002, Yossi Klein Halevi wrote a piece in The New Republic which told the story of "Tayseer," a 21-year-old Gazan homosexual, who was lured to a tryst in an orange grove near his refugee camp. The next day he was summoned to the Palestinian police and told his partner of the day before was an informant. If Tayseer wanted to avoid prison, he had to become an informant. Tayseer refused.
What happened next was this: Tayseer was arrested "and hung by his arms from the ceiling. A high-ranking officer he didn't know arranged for his release and then demanded sex as payback. Tayseer fled Gaza to Tulkarm on the West Bank, but there too he was eventually arrested. He was forced to stand in sewage water up to his neck.... During one interrogation, police stripped him and forced him to sit on a Coke bottle. Through the entire ordeal he was taunted by interrogators, jailers, and fellow prisoners for being a homosexual."
I take note of these stories for two reasons. First, because Tayseer and Muhammed were victims not of the Israelis but of other Palestinians, and the context of their victimization was not the occupation but the style of rule established by the PLO from the moment it arrived in Gaza in 1994.
The second reason is that the abolition of capital punishment, and the promotion of gay rights, are two great causes of the "engaged" Left. A third great cause, of course, is Palestine. How is it that the three causes can travel together? How can the Left treat with veneration a movement that, in basic respects, is the antithesis of the very values it claims to champion? Conversely, how can it view with venomous hatred the one country in the Middle East that attempts to live by those values?
There are several plausible answers to this question, which fall into one of two categories: First, that whatever Israel's virtues or Palestine's vices, Israel's crimes against the Palestinians are such that they command the Left's attention above and beyond other international conflicts. Second, that there is something deeply wrong with the Left's moral and political vision.
It will come as no surprise to readers that I subscribe to the second view. But let's try to do justice to the first.
There is, of course, the usual charge sheet: Occupation, settlement, land seizures, indiscriminate use of force, extrajudicial killing, house demolitions, and so on.
Yet none of these accusations constitutes the real core of the Left's complaint about Israel. After all, Israel is not the only country denying an angry minority its state: the Sinhalese in Sri Lanka are doing the same to the Tamils. Nor is Israel the only country building a wall – Morocco built one in Western Sahara, which it illegally occupies, against the Polisario Front. Nor, certainly, has Israel been uniquely heavy-handed in its tactics: Whatever Sharon did in Jenin or Sabra and Shatilla, it's as nothing next to what Putin did in Grozny.
A more serious argument would begin by pointing out that however Israel treats its own citizens is not material to the question of how it treats Palestinians. France, too, was a liberal democracy in 1957, when General Aussaresses was torturing Algerian militants. Nor, to extend the analogy further, does the misrule of the Palestinian Authority necessarily delegitimize the cause it represents, any more than the actions of the FLN delegitimize the cause of Free Algeria.
Furthermore, one might say that precisely because Israel is a democracy, the standards the West applies to it must be higher than the standards the West applies to the Palestinians. Israelis, says Giancarlo Chevellard, the outgoing EU ambassador to Tel Aviv, "are one of us... We expect more from Israel than from Cambodia or Colombia."
Finally, it can be argued that Israel, on account of its superior power, is in a position to make political and territorial concessions whereas Palestinians are not. Thus, Israel's failure to make such concessions can only be attributed to greed – for land – or religious fanaticism – for The Land.
For the Left, then, what it boils down to is this: Israel is a country that could do better, morally speaking, but chooses not to. It could safely withdraw to the 1967 borders, but chooses not to. It could hold itself to the highest legal and ethical standards, but chooses not to. It could have peace at the cost of a little land, but chooses not to.
This, indeed, would seem to justify special opprobrium, if true. For true evil – the Satanic paradigm, the paradigm of God's fallen angel – is contingent on knowledge of good. Hutus in Rwanda and Arab militias in the Sudan may murder by the hundreds of thousands – but that is what Africans and Arabs do, isn't it? It may be dreadful, but it's not surprising.
As moral theories go, this is a defensible one: defensible in the way that judgments of guilt or innocence require a prior determination of mental and moral fitness. Did the defendant know he was committing a crime when he committed it? If the answer is yes – as it is assumed to be in the case of the Israelis – then the crime is damnable; if the answer is no – as it is assumed to be in the case of the Palestinians – then the crime is forgivable.
The problem here is that rendering a "yes" or "no" answer in the cases of Israel and Palestine is not simple. Take Israel: Can it really be said that Israel's conduct against the Palestinians is markedly worse than the conduct of other Western democracies at war? Furthermore, how does one go about determining whether Israel's alleged failure "to do better" is willful and malicious, or circumstantial and excusable?
Neither question is easy to answer. It is one thing to judge Israel's actions in light of relevant international legal covenants. But the strong case against Israel should not be proved normatively but comparatively: That is, not by the extent to which Israel departs from a given legal standard, but rather by how Israeli standards compare with the standards of Israel's Western peers. If, for example, France and the United States have employed a policy of targeted assassination against select enemies of state (as they have and do) then Israel must be held to that same standard (even if it continues to be held to a different standard vis-a-vis the Palestinians).
On the second point – could Israel have done better on the peace front? – one may equally ask: Could Germany do better on the economic front? I mention Germany because it presents a case in which almost all economists and policy makers are agreed on what needs to be done (mainly, reducing high labor costs), but the actual doing of it is not so simple. Germany is a democracy; there are competing sectoral interests, some quite obstructionist; there is a delicate political balance; and it is not enough for the chancellor to give his orders and be done with it.
The same goes for Israel. If Israel's tougher critics are going to demand that it comport itself in a way that befits a democracy, then they must also accept that democratic outcomes will often be imperfect and not to their liking.
There is another logical difficulty with ascribing to Israel willful malice toward Palestinians, and the problem is this: Why hasn't Israel acted worse? Israel, say its critics, is the powerful party; therefore it is morally incumbent on it to make the bulk of concessions. But if Israel fails to make those concessions, and if it fails to make them precisely because it's greedy and fanatical, why has it not proceeded to the next steps? If you're capable of one Sabra and Shatilla, you're capable of dozens of them. It is difficult to square the image of a murderous Ariel Sharon with the fact that 2,500 Palestinians have been killed in four years of fighting, and not 25,000, or 250,000.
In other words, the only way Israel can credibly be alleged to have chosen not to do good when it could have done good is if it had gone on to commit the most heinous crimes, in the style of Nazi Germany. Satanic evil – chosen evil – is never half-hearted.
Now to the Palestinians. This column began by asking how a movement that is in so many respects violent and illiberal should have such an overwhelming claim on the sympathy of the pacifist and progressive Left. Part of the answer, of course, is that the pacifist and progressive Left often has a secret fondness for violence and illiberality – remember the Red Brigades and the Weathermen. Part of the answer, too, is that the Western media has tended to magnify Israeli violence and minimize Palestinian violence, leading to a generally distorted picture of events. But these are not the deepest reasons.
Rather, the Palestinian cause has benefited from a certain kind of mirror-imaging or inverse correlation. To the extent that Israel is seen as powerful, the Palestinians are seen as powerless. To the extent that Israel is seen to be guilty, the Palestinians are seen to be innocent. To the extent that Israel is seen as having deliberately chosen its course, the Palestinians are seen as having been stripped of the ability to choose. And to the extent that Israel is seen to represent a unique kind of evil – the evil of the fallen angel – the Palestinians represent a unique kind of good – the good of the lost little puppy.
It is easy to see that in this role the Palestinians perform a real fu'nction for their champions in the West: as the fetishized "other" and as receptacles for their compassion. Yet here too there are problems with the Left's vision. Does the Left really want to suggest that Palestinians are unfit to be judged by the same standards used to judge Israelis? And if the Palestinians are not quite "innocent" of such crimes as suicide bombing, can it still be said that they are innocents in a more general sense, as people who have been deprived of individual moral agency by the all-encompassing reality of Israeli occupation?
There is also the problem of whether the Left's vision of the Palestinians as emblems of powerlessness coincides with the Palestinians' vision of themselves. My impression is that it does not. On the contrary, I am repeatedly struck by how confident Palestinians are of ultimate and total victory over Israel. At a private conference last year in London, one Palestinian embassy official put it bluntly: "The '67 borders were your last hope," he said.
For the Israel-hating Left, Palestine has become a religious destination, not a political question; a world of fallen and risen angels, in which facts conform to molds and evidence yields to faith. At some point, however, it will become increasingly difficult to bridge the chasm between their faith and their values. If they're not careful, it is a chasm into which they will, eventually, fall.


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Simple mobile and online payments virtually anywhere you can use your Visa Card with our digital wallet solutions.
Visa Checkout
Pay online the easier way with Visa Checkout and your Purdue Federal Visa Credit Card.
Say hello to a simple, speedy and safe new way to get through online checkout.
- Pay with a single login from any device
- Guard your data behind multiple layers of security
- Keep earning the card rewards you love
Look for the Visa Checkout button when you shop online.
Apple Pay
Apple Pay changes how you pay with breakthrough contactless payment technology and unique security features built right into iPhone 6 or greater. So you can pay in an easy, secure, and private way.
Use Apple Pay with iPhone® 6 or greater and or an Apple Watch to pay in stores without swiping your cards and in apps without entering payment and contact information. Just pay with a single touch of your finger using Touch ID™.
Google Pay
Google Pay is the fast, simple way to pay with Google. It brings together everything you need at checkout and keeps your payment info safe in your Google Account until you're ready to pay.
Plus, Google Pay makes it easy to keep track of purchases, redeem loyalty points, and get personalized suggestions to help you save time and money.
Samsung Pay
Samsung pay lets you enjoy the great features, benefits and rewards of your favorite Visa.
Use your Samsung device* to pay for things like:
- Picking up a coffee or a quick bite to eat.
- Going to the movies or grabbing some snacks at the game.
- Shopping for clothes, gadgets, sporting goods and more.
Accepted at merchants where you see either of these icons:
* Available on Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy S7 active, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy S6 active, Galaxy Note5 and other select Samsung devices, most major carriers and supported cards. See samsung.com/pay for complete list and contact your bank or financial institution to verify supported cards.
Digital Wallet Terms and Conditions
Android, Android Pay, and the Android Logo are trademarks of Google Inc. The Android Robot is reproduced or modified from work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License.


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Cottonwood Dental Group PC
Write a Review
All Reviews
Chris K.
2 years ago
Professional, knowledgeable and caring!
The service at Cottonwood Dental is superb. My family has been patients for almost a decade and we would recommend the Cottonwood team to anyone. From front office to back, the care is exceptional. The team is well connected in the city if you need special care outside of dentistry. I trust them fully with their recommendations. Top notch and friendly.
Judy D.
3 years ago
High quality, professional,friendly service
I have been a patient at Cottonwood Dental for over 30 years and have experienced many dental procedures . There has never once been a time when I have been displeased or questioning of any dental work I received. The Drs. Delapp (Candy and Sarah) have always been professional, thorough and kind . They have provided the latest in dental treatments and care. My entire family has benefitted from their excellent service.
Elaine B.
3 years ago
Great Experience!!
From the first phone call I made to set up a consultation, to the last visit I had in my reconstruction process, this has been a truly wonderful experience. The office staff is personable and professional, and pays attention to my concerns and needs. The equipment is updated, and I still can't believe that I had crowns made in minutes! I no longer dread going to see the dentist :)
Jennifer R.
3 years ago
It's a love/hate kinda thing..more love than hate :)
You guys are always always on time, which is so nice! The entire office staff is friendly and welcoming. The office is clean and well done. While I didn't see Ann on my visit, I have to say she is the bomb. It's a love/hate kinda thing... I love how my mouth feels after but hate the pain she puts me through (but no pain no gain, right?). Dr. Sarah always asks me personal details about my family, remembers that I have a daughter and spends a few minutes each visit talking about something other than my teeth. Which I like. The only negative is your services are quite expensive compared to other dentist offices I have been to in the past.
3 years ago
High quality service with family friendly environment.
My husband and I have been patients for 20 over years. I can't even remember who suggested we try the Delapp's. When my son was born we didn't seek out a new dentist for him, we took him to Cottonwood. I will never forget the first time Ann let my son play with all the dental equipment while his dad was getting his teeth cleaned. It forever put an imprint in his mind that the dentist is not scary. When I broke a tooth on a Sunday evening, I called the emergency line and Dr. Candy called me right back. I was in the next day. When I bit thru my mouth piece, Dr. Sarah ordered a new one no charge. Dr. Jim and my hubby have shared many of BBQ recipes. We miss his smiling face at the office but know that he is in his element teaching others about family dentistry. For our family, we only have one choice for dental service.
Kathy G.
3 years ago
6-month checkup
I've been going to Cottonwood for over 10 years. Prior to that, I always feared going to the dentist. Cottonwood is very gentle and does a great job. I no longer fear going. Not only do they do a great job, they schedule things so you never have to wait for them to get done with other patients.
Maggie M.
3 years ago
I love Cottonwood
Honestly, I am so glad I found Cottonwood Dental. They are so friendly, courteous, ON TIME and it is such a pleasure going. They have the latest technology which makes the visit SO much better and I can't say enough about how comfortable they make their patients! Highly recommend!!!
3 years ago
Very friendly and careing professionals.
Greeted with a smile and left with a smile. Also offered a bottle of water by the office manager.. No one likes going to the dentist but this bunch makes it as pleasant as possible. Pillows for my aching body, as I twisted and turned in the chair, were provided. Every effort was made to keep me as comfortable as possible. After cleaning I met with Dr. C. DeLapp and she reviewed the work that had been done and re-did an area that she felt needed a little more work. I commented that I used to get a phone call to remind me to take my amoxicillin. Dr. DeLapp wants me to make sure I still need to take it before a procedure. Only positive feeling towards the visit. They feel like close friends in the office.
David B.
3 years ago
Cleaning and crown repair.
Outstanding professional work.
Paul B.
3 years ago
Friendly, professional service
The entire staff was friendly (as they always are) and helpful. Dr. Delapp provided a thorough cleaning of my mouth guard as well as instructions on proper maintenance.


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The League of Reston Artists (LRA) announced the opening of their 2009 scholarship program. The scholarships are open to aspiring artists who are seniors at any Fairfax County high school. Applicants must be an art/photography student at his/her high school and must have applied to, or been accepted at, an art school or program at a college or university, for the summer or fall 2009 term. Completed applications must be received by the LRA at P.O. Box 2513, Reston, VA 20195-2513 by Feb. 28. Visit www.leagueofrestonartists.org for details.
Learn about secondary school options at a free seminar Wednesday, Feb. 25, 7-8:30 p.m. at South Lakes High School, 11400 South Lakes Drive, Reston.
Lake Anne Elementary School's Positive Behavior Support Team wrote and received a $500 mini-grant from VDOE Training and Technical Assistance Center at George Mason University for Effective School-Wide Discipline. This grant is to help purchase materials to support this school-wide initiative to reduce discipline issues and improve the support for students. Also, Lake Anne received a $485 Johnie Forte, Jr. memorial Grant to help the students create a recycling project at school. The funds will be used to purchase an industrial scale in order for the students to weigh their recycling efforts as a part of a school-wide initiative. Students will keep track of the trees they save by recycling paper, reinforcing math skills along the way.
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine announced that 162 Virginia public schools have earned the 2009 Governor's Award for Educational Excellence. The award is the highest honor under the Virginia Index of Performance incentive program created by the Board of Education to advance Governor Kaine's "competence to excellence" agenda to encourage advanced learning and achievement in the Commonwealth's public schools. Sunrise Valley Elementary was among those awarded. Last year, 89 schools received the award.
The Lake Anne Elementary First Lego League team, The Sea Monsters, won first place in robot performance at the state championship tournament held at James Madison University. Team members: Steven Anderson, Andrew Barrett, Ryan Barrett, Patrick Keefer, Joshua Kobayashi, Julia Morgan, Mia Rickenbach, Natalie Schauer, Amaani Sirajuddin, and Brentan Walter. The team is coached by Wally Walter, John Barrett, Kim Schauer and Siraj Sirajuddin.


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It's a Vegas-Themed Showdown! Behind the Scenes at the BVB Promo
For this season's million-dollar challenge, the stakes are higher than ever for Jonathan and Drew's latest Vegas battle. That's why this year's promo shoot was modeled after a Vegas show with magic, glitter, glitz and yes, even a few explosions. Go behind the scenes.
Season 4: Bigger and Better, Vegas-Style
With the show set in the brothers' Vegas hometown for a second year, the stakes are higher and that means this year's promo shoot is bigger, glitzier and more magical than ever before.
A Grand Entrance
Jonathan enters the Vegas spectacular ready for victory, with an historic theater as a backdrop.
Press Tour
A TV reporter (played by this real-life HGTV.com reporter!) interviews the brothers as they head backstage. There's no shortage of fans ready for a selfie, either!
Red-Carpet Ready
The brothers pause for a photo shoot in their matching tuxedos.
The Master of Ceremonies
Big brother (and digital host) JD joins the fun as the master of ceremonies for the brothers' Vegas showdown.
Project, Project, Project
JD practices his stage voice. Send it to the back of the theater!
Sparks Will Fly
With a little help from his pal Elvis, Drew grinds the corner of a metal post.
Lots and Lots of Sparks
With a little help from the crew's pyrotechnics team, Drew's welding fix gets a lot more dramatic.
The Vanishing Man
A trained illusionist, Jonathan's next trick is disappear inside this curtained booth. The secret? I'll never tell.
A Magical Makeover
Talk about a dramatic transformation! Here, Drew starts with a dated living room...
A Magical Makeover
...and a fat Elvis...
A Magical Makeover
...and finishes with a modern space and a shiny new Elvis, too!
Million-Dollar Drop
For their final trick, the brothers take their marks on stage...
Million-Dollar Drop
...and watch as a million dollars falls before their eyes.
Sadly, the benjamins weren't the real thing, but the brothers are! Catch their almost-magical renovations Wednesdays at 9p | 8c for all-new episodes of Brother Vs. Brother.


text:
Apple Aluminum Remote Codes
Update (5/17/12): A reader alerted me that the command code all Apple remotes is only 7 bit, with the last bit being a parity bit. If we then only use the 7 most significant bits, then there is no such thing as an "odd" code. All the codes for all versions of the remote are the same. I've summarized the new information here: [link]
Update: I've set up a separate page to gather all the relevant information regarding the Apple Remote in one place: [link]
Previous posts [link1, link2] discussed using the Apple aluminum remote as the IR remote of choice as in interface to Arduinto to control the volume in the Buffalo II DAC. In this post I to explain the meaning of the codes emitted by the remote.
The codes from the remote are:
Up key: 238 135 011 089 Down key: 238 135 013 089 Left key: 238 135 008 089 Right key: 238 135 007 089 Center key: 238 135 093 089 followed by 238 135 004 089 Menu key: 238 135 002 089 Play key: 238 135 094 089 followed by 238 135 004 089
in Hex:
Up key: EE 87 0B 59 Down key: EE 87 0D 59 Left key: EE 87 08 59 Right key: EE 87 07 59 Center key: EE 87 5D 59 followed by EE 87 04 59 Menu key: EE 87 02 59 Play key: EE 87 5E 59 followed by EE 87 04 59
Keep in mind that these are the codes I extracted from my remote.
The remote codes are sequences of 4-bytes. The first two bytes I believe, represent a company code as they are the same for every single remote from Apple, including the original white remote. You can see evidence here where the codes for the white apple remote have been extracted.
For the white Apple Remote, the codes are:
Up key: EE 87 0B XX Down key: EE 87 0D XX Left key: EE 87 08 XX Right key: EE 87 07 XX Menu key: EE 87 02 XX Play key: EE 87 04 XX [same as center key and play key in Aluminum remote]
I use XX to indicate that this is different for each remote.
Notice that in order to maintain compatibility, the center key and the play key in the aluminum remote has the same codes [the second set of codes] as the play (center) key in the white remote
The fourth byte is the remote ID and it is used to pair the remote to a particular Apple device and it is different with up to 255 variations. These remotes have different IDs in order to support "PAIRING". Pairing is a feature of Apple devices where you can set a device to listen only to a particular remote.
This ID can also be changed in the remote by pressing a combination of keys. This paper explains how this works and more. Basically you hold the menu key and the center key for 5 seconds and the ID increments by one. This is useful if you happen to have two remotes with the same ID and you need to pair them to different devices.
The third byte is the one that is mapped to the individual keys. Notice that the aluminum remote emits and additional set of codes in order to differentiate the center and play keys. In my code I ignore the first, second and fourth bytes and only use the third byte.
There exist an "odd" set of codes for Apple Aluminum Remote that a reader found out while using remote code. The only difference with the "standard set" is that the third code is changed by the value of 1. I am not sure why this "feature"…
Update: Apparently, this set of code is not "odd" at all. Other readers have reported that their remotes emit this set of codes [link]
Update (6/5/11): the remote that comes with the Apple TV2 also emits this set of codes. I just tested mine and can confirm that this is the set of codes from the bundled remote. The Apple TV2 works with either remote (accepts both set of codes)
Up key: EE 87 0A 68 Down key: EE 87 0C 68 Left key: EE 87 09 68 Right key: EE 87 06 68 Center key: EE 87 5C 68 followed by EE 87 05 68 Menu key: EE 87 03 68 Play key: EE 87 5F 68 followed by EE 87 05 68
If you come across an apple remote that does not work, you can change the s/w to use this set of code instead. You can also enable the debug feature in the s/w in order to see what codes are emitted by the Apple remote.
This is the code section to change. For the "odd" codes change "case 11" to "case 10" and "case 13" to "case 12"
case 11: // 11 is the up key, we will use for volume up
case 13: // 13 is the down key, we will use for volume down
If all fails, you can test if the remote is actually emitting IR signals by pointing the remote to a video camera. [Apple remote troubleshooting doc]
Apple Remotes: Aluminum and Original
September 17, 2012 at 04:34
When using the switch case, how would you write the sketch so it will keep in a high state when remote is continously pressed down?
My sketch using switch case, for ex. When volume up is pressed, will turn pin 7 high and then low. It only receives single button press though so I'm not sure how to make it work for continual but press until release. When button press release go back to low.
This is to drive logic to a l298 controlling volume motor pot. Since you want to be able to press down and hold vs. single button presses to increase or decrease volume.
September 18, 2012 at 00:59
this is the sketch I'm trying. Only the decimal equivalent works. I tried your hex code and it does not detect the remote.
Thanks for your help!
int RECV_PIN = 11;
IRrecv irrecv(RECV_PIN);
decode_results results;
int led7 = 7;
int led8 = 8;
void setup()
pinMode(led7, OUTPUT);
pinMode(led8, OUTPUT);
irrecv.enableIRIn(); // Start the receiver
digitalWrite(led7, LOW);
digitalWrite(led8, LOW);
void loop() {
if (irrecv.decode(&results)) {
switch (results.value) {
case 0xEE870B59:
// case 238135011089:
//case 2011287691: //UP
digitalWrite(led7, HIGH);
case 2011279499:
digitalWrite(led8, HIGH);
digitalWrite(led7, LOW);
digitalWrite(led8, LOW);
irrecv.resume(); // Receive the next value
March 13, 2015 at 02:50
As I have another piece of diy equipment that also uses the ali Apple Remote I was thinking of having a go at molesting your code to read that fourth byte of the emitted IR code and incrementing one of the remote IDs by one to pair it. Any stumbling block you can think of before I attempt it?
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text:
Year around cottage/home on Taylor Lake – Waupaca Chain O' Lakes – with 70 feet of water frontage has changed hands.
This 760 Sq Ft cottage/home with 2 bedrooms and one full bath was on the market, on and off, since early in 2012.
At the time of the sale this Chain property was for sale at $299,000 and carried a tax assessment of $351,000.
Category: 2014 Chain Property Sales


text:
If you are new to the pot of gold series START HERE: FINANCIAL FREEDOM. This article is in reference to factor 1: lifestyle.
Lavish lifestyle and padded bank account usually do not co-exist. VERY few people can have both. Most people have to choose. If you choose the latter, this article is for you.
Living below your means =live way below your income.
Most people cannot increase their income very much. Therefore, you achieve financial freedom by saving. Play defensive. A dollar saved is a dollar saved. A dollar earned is less than a dollar (Courtesy of Uncle Sam). It is not what you make, but what you spend that determines your financial future. Do not let your spending habit be that noose that chains you to your job.
Did you notice I said the same thing 5 different ways? It's called nagging according to my husband. It's a mom thing.
The less lifestyle cost you have, the smaller pot of gold you will need to reach financial freedom. This is the opposite of YOLO mindset (You Only Live Once. I had to google that a year ago. You're welcome!)
- Frugal is about spending intentionally, as opposed to whenever it pleases you.
- Be prudently frugal, and selectively extravagant. Meaning, spend when it matters, otherwise save.
- It is all about discipline.
- Determine an acceptable level of sacrifice. Frugality does not have to mean you suffer in misery.
- Being frugal is not about counting every penny. It is about asking yourself:
- Do I really need this?
- Can I get it cheaper?
- Is there a better alternative?
- Should I use this money for something that really matters?
- Status objects chain you to a treadmill of spending. You will need more money to "look the part". For eg. Big mansion in a desirable neighborhood means housekeeping, maintenance, furnitures, landscaping, nice cars, higher property tax, private school, country club etc.
Everyone needs a budget. My favorite budgeting tools are Personal capital, Mint, iXpenseIt or Excel. I personally use iXpenseIt. The most important part about budget is sticking to it.
- Look at your expenditures for the past 6 months.
- Categorize your expenditures.
- Prepared to be mortified (I was!)
- Have a plan to slash your expenditures. And be realistic. Identify categories that need improvement and then set a goal.
- Make a plan to invest the money you saved. (This will be discussed in further details later)
- Re-evaluate your budget every 6 months to make sure you are on target and to adjust your goals.
- Home. If you cannot afford 20% downpayment, 15 year mortgage and your monthly take home income is less than 2x your mortgage, the house is too expensive for you. Just because you are approved for a mortgage does not mean you can afford it.
- If possible, move out of high cost of living cities.
- Car. It depreciates. It is not an investment. If you cannot afford to pay cash for your car, it is too expensive for you. Buy well maintained used cars. Never lease. If you have to buy new, at least shop around and negotiate.
- Childcare. It is expensive, especially in major cities. Use family or friends whenever possible. It not, try your best to be creative with yours and your partners work schedule to minimize childcare expenses.
- Marry once and marry the right person. Divorce will set you back. Work on your marriage. That is one of your most valuable asset.
- Education. Private schools are often times unnecessary. Good parenting and good circle of friends matter a lot too.
- Teach your kids about frugality, discipline and fincancial independence. Teach your own to live their own. Adult children who are ecomically dependent will cost you. Cash gift to adult children further dampens their initiative and productivity.
- Healthcare. Plan ahead. Choose insurance based on best projected healthcare needs. Stay healthy. Eat well, work out and practice STRESS REDUCTION strategies.
- Furniture. This is another depreciating status object. Read up on home decorating on budget. Hello Pinterest!
- Status artifacts: luxury cars, boats, vacation homes, country clubs, expensive vacations etc. Is it really worth delaying your financial freedom, maybe indefinitely?
- Only use credit card if you can pay in full every month. Automate your payment so you are never late. Interest on late credit card payment is such a HUGE waste of money.
- Use credit card with high points or cash back. Those are tax free money!
- Change your phone service. Most people do not need unlimited data plan. And do not go over your data plan.
- Be energy efficient. Switch off lights when you leave your house, use energy efficient lamps, set thermostat to keep room comfortable.
- Take care of your assets. Put maintenance schedule on your calendar. That includes cars and other expensive appliances. It prevents breakdown and subsequent replacement cost.
- Make your own coffee.
- Pack lunch.
- Eat out less. And when you do, do not order drinks. Order a large portion and share. Brown bag leftover for next day lunch.
- Home cooked meals. Instead of buying packaged frozen meal, cook a huge batch and freeze. Instead of buying pre-cut produce, chop your own vegetable or fruits!
- Go grocery shopping with a list and buy nothing more than that.
- Seek out cheap date ideas by signing on to Groupon.
- Ask for gift cards on birthdays.
- Use credit card reward points to purchase travel.
- Be handy with home maintenance.
- Use second hand store for kids clothes. They grow out of them so quickly.
- Never buy any expensive clothes (eg. Suits, evening dresses) at full price.
- When traveling, pack snacks. Airport food is overpriced.
- Do not buy just because something is on sale. You are still spending money.
- Coupons app. I draw the line at physically clipping coupons.
- Get rid of cable. There are plenty of cheaper and better options: Netflix, Amazon, Hulu etc.
- Wash your own car.
- Quit bad habits like smoking or drinking or bar hopping. It is good for your health too!
- Use every last drop of common household items like toothpaste, shampoo, soap etc.
I'd like to live as a poor man with lots of money.
– Pablo Picasso
Yours Positively,
Positive Circle.


text:
Jojoba oil – extremely valuable oil from seeds of American shrub with the same name. Exceptionally popular all over the world, because of its high durability, wealth of vitamins and minerals, but also universality in use. Used in production of many conditioning cosmetics, and purchased in its pure form equally willingly. Jojoba oil is the most popular among consumers of Mokosh, who sells 100% Jojoba Oil.
What will we find in a product composition?
100% Jojoba Oil from Mokosh is (as the name indicates) oil from jojoba seeds in a pure form. It is cosmetic product manufactured on base of certified primary products and was cleared for sale only after dermatological and microbiological tests. It is a guarantee that we will find there exclusively safe substances. Jojoba oil is rich in phytosterols, vitamin complex (i.a. vitamins A, E and F) and squalene natural for lipid coat of our skin.
What is jojoba oil from Mokosh like?
Natural jojoba oil is in fact liquid wax, not oil. It is confirmed by a fact that in the temperature of few degrees below zero, jojoba oil solidifies. 100% Jojoba Oil is golden, scentless, liquid wax dedicated for use on entire body, face, hair and finger nails. The quality of jojoba oil is its universality – it can be used on many ways and is perfect for all skin types (even skin prone to acne or very sensitive skin).
How does 100% Jojoba Oil from Mokosh work?
Jojoba Oil from Mokosh has very similar structure to natural human sebum, thanks to content of liquid wax ester. Because of it, jojoba oil absorbs great, strengthens external lipid layer and provides proper hydration. Jojoba oil has also regenerative and conditioning properties, what has influence on skin tone up, cellulite reduction, soothing of irritations, elimination of skin problems, skin glow, hair smoother and stronger finger nails.
How can you use jojoba oil?
Mokosh ensures that 100% Jojoba Oil is an universal product. 100% Jojoba oil can be used directly for face and body massage, oil treatment before hair wash, as a sugar or salt scrub base and as a nourishing bath oil.


text:
What is the aim of the Farm Ownership Loans Grants?
To assist eligible farmers, ranchers, and aquaculture operators, including farming cooperatives, corporations, partnerships, and joint operations, through the extension of credit and supervisory assistance to: Become owner-operators of not larger than family farms; make efficient use of the land, labor, and other resources; carry on sound and successful farming operations; and enable farm families to have a reasonable standard of living.
Who is Eligible to Apply for the Farm Ownership Loans Grants?
If a cooperative, corporation, joint operation or partnership, the entity must be controlled by farmers or ranchers engaged primarily and directly in farming in the U.S., after the loan is made, and must consist of members, stockholders, partners, or joint operators (8) have a minimum of 3 years farming experience.
Applicants must also comply with the highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions of Public Law 99-198 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (FSA).
To be eligible to obtain a direct loan, a borrower must abide by the Agency's borrower training requirements. Applicants/borrowers requesting guaranteed loan assistance must meet all lender requirements.
How to Apply for the Farm Ownership Loans Grants?
Applicants must file Form FSA 2001, Application for FSA Services, with supporting information, at the local county office of the Farm Service Agency for direct loans or Form FSA 2211 with the prospective lender for loan guarantees.
How much is the Range and Average of Farm Ownership Loans Grants?
Direct Farm Ownership Loans up to $300,000; Guaranteed Farm Ownership Loans up to $1,112,000. (amount adjusted annually for inflation).
FY 2009; Direct Farm Ownership Loan average loan size approximately $167,815.
FY 2009; Guaranteed Farm Ownership Loan average loan size approximately $345,189.
Where to Apply for the Farm Ownership Loans Grants?
Regional or Local Office
None. Contact the appropriate FSA State Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog. Vist the FSA website at www.fsa.usda.gov.
Headquarters Office
Trent Rogers, USDA-FSA-DAFLP-LMD, 1280 Maryland Ave, SW, Suite 240, Washington, District of Columbia 20024
Phone: (202) 720-1657
Fax: (202) 720-6797
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Web Site Address: http://www.fsa.usda.gov


text:
It's looking more and more precarious to be a member of the cabinet in the Middle East and North Africa… at least in terms of job security. Along with new subsidies, public housing investment and public sector wage hikes, cabinet shuffles have emerged a primary tool for rulers to deflect criticism, signal a policy change (even if one is not forthcoming) and to stall for time. Last week both the Syrian and Kuwaiti cabinets resigned in the face of political pressure. This follows resignations in Jordan, Egypt (several), Tunisia and Lebanon, the latter because Hezbollah withdrew from the inactive parliament back in January.
While the drivers of these shuffles differ, and some (Lebanon and Kuwait) reflect largely domestic idiosyncrasies, on net shuffles could defer implementation of policy, passage of reforms, and increase domestic and foreign investor uncertainty. Kuwait, like Jordan, has made a habit of cabinet shuffles and parliamentary elections in the last decade, in part as an escape valve for the leadership. At the very least these shuffles will dampen the ability of governments to respond to changing events and could increase the tendency to implement populist measures, given that ministers know that their careers may be at stake if they lose popular support. These shuffles moreover will further defer infrastructure development and capital spending in favor of current spending.
For Kuwait, the situation is relatively par for the course. Kuwait has had frequent elections and cabinet shuffles, often timed to avoid potentially embarrassing questioning of ministers by the parliament. In fact, Kuwait's PM had only recently survived a vote of non-confidence linked to MPs protesting a constitutional change that would have stripped them of immunity in civil suits. Kuwait's parliament, one of the region's more powerful legislatures, has the ability to query question and approve legislation, but not necessarily to propose it. It also reviews, comments on and criticizes the asset allocation and performance of the country's sovereign wealth fund, the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) which just last week announced plans to allocate a small share of funds to local property markets. We expect that Kuwait will come under more pressure to allocate government resources domestically.
We do not expect a major change, with the PM and many key ministers likely to be retained in the replacement cabinet, and policies likely to remain unchanged. These shuffles have tended to bring little change, with the last five shuffles retaining the same prime minister. What is new however, is the willingness of the Kuwaiti government to blame Iran. Direct Iranian intervention seems unlikely in Kuwait, but Kuwait has long had simmering sectarian divides and in fact has the largest Shi'a population in the GCC after Bahrain. Unlike in Bahrain, there is less evidence of a systematic lack of access to resources and jobs. However, the pickup in anti-Iran rhetoric of late seems to be a part of the new GCC solidarity pact.
Moreover, the development could exacerbate the delays to Kuwait's development plan, which we view as a significant risk to Kuwait's domestic investment. Already approved transfers to citizens and free food will support consumption, and we expect little change to the growth forecast laid out in our march outlook. Kuwait continues to have space to spend more – as it is still the most fiscally conservative GCC country.


text:
New Dawn
This sermon, 'New Dawn', was presented by Geoff Pound on 22 January 2017. It is the fourth in the 'New' series in the new year of 2017.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 4:12-23
12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15 "Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned."
17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."
18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people." 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.
If you happen to be up and outside at dawn, you'll see and hear and know that dawn signals a new day.
The birds are tuning up for their dawn chorus, the parrots in Ferndale Park are starting to screech and the frogs in the Glen Iris wetlands commence their croaking. Something new is happening. Right from 'the crack of dawn', the darkness gradually disappears, while the unstoppable light emerges.
It's interesting that Down Under, the most hallowed day of the year is not Australia Day[1] but ANZAC Day[2] and the longer we go on from the great wars, the more popular this day becomes. And it starts with the solemn Dawn Service.[3] There's something eerie and magical going on at the dawn. The darkness symbolizes those who sleep in death, the sorrow and the loss through war and the candles and flame and then the sunrise that speak of hope, gratitude and peace.
Soldiers know that the dawn is one of the most favourable times to attack, so soldiers are called to 'stand to', ready to repulse the enemy's attacks. So the dawn is a call to be alert.
We've recently come through Advent and with candles we've reenacted the emerging light. Many have celebrated Carols by Candlelight, Christmas with stories of the guiding star and the dark heavens bursting with brilliance at the angelic chorus.
Then all around the world we've seen fireworks lighting up the skies to symbolize death to the old year and celebrating the new dawn of 2017.
Today on the Christian calendar, we fast forward thirty years. The silent period when Jesus works in the carpenter's shop at Nazareth is over. At chapter 4 v2, Matthew's Gospel signals a new dawn:
4:12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.
The arrest of John, following the temptation of Jesus [Matthew 4:1-11] looks more like darkness than dawn. As Thomas Fuller observed: 'The darkest hour is just before the dawn'.[4] We see in the arrest of John the darkness of the Roman authorities, whose actions and corrupt practices this prophet was calling into question.
There's movement and change here in v12:
he [Jesus] withdrew to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea…
This isn't a pleasant sea change. It's not a lifestyle decision.[5] On the contrary, it calls to mind Mary and Joseph escaping with their baby to Egypt when King Herod was butchering babies in Bethlehem. Now Jesus is on the move again because Herod's son [Herod Antipas] has arrested John and we know how this will end.
Does it ever worry you that we follow in the footsteps of believers like John, who were arrested and beheaded?
Does it concern you that the Christian life will often pit us against political leaders of our day?
Does it alarm you that we follow One who was executed by the government?
Does it trouble you when we hear Jesus calling us to 'take up our cross [our execution equipment] and to take it up daily'?
Matthew is writing primarily to a Jewish audience so his geography is significant.
Jesus makes his home in Capernaum by the sea, Matthew says:
in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15 "Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned."
Matthew's readers would know that this region was earlier occupied by Assyria. Under such oppression Isaiah prophesied light coming to the darkness—those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned.
Matthew is keen to show Jesus in the full sweep of history fulfilling Isaiah's prophetic vision.[6] He presents Jesus as the new dawn breaker coming with justice, freedom and light.
We'd think that an inauguration is best held in the capital—in Canberra, in Washington or in Jerusalem but Jesus starts his ministry in Capernaum[7] with a piddly population of 1000. At the sea of Galilee or as Isaiah declares: 'Galilee of the Gentiles' so this foreshadows Jesus' ministry among people of every culture. This inclusive vision reaches its climax in Matthew 28 when
his followers are commissioned to 'Go and make disciples of people of all nations'.
There's little fanfare and razzamatazz at this inauguration.[8] It's geared towards the little people, the ignored and those on the margins.
Christ's inaugural address can be summed up in one sentence:
17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."
That's exactly the theme of John's preaching and look what happened to him! Jesus isn't ducking for cover. He's walking into the furnace.
The author Erik Larson gave a lecture in a large auditorium where the place was filled. He told of how his readership had taken time to develop. When he wrote his first book, his publicist set up a book tour and at one venue, he walked into the auditorium and took his place at the podium, only to find, as he peered out into the cavernous room, that there was only one person present. One woman sitting in the back row. He smiled at her and said, "It's good to see you this evening. Why don't you move up here closer to the front?" She replied, "No, I'll stay put. I might want to leave early."[9]
Jesus called people to go all out. To 'repent' is to make (and keep on making)[10] an absolute turn around. No sitting in the back row getting ready to leave early when the pressure comes.
Jesus is not a one-man band for now in v18 he's assembling his team.
18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people." 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
Last week we studied John's Gospel where Andrew met Jesus and then he went to his brother Simon and said: "Eureka! We have found the Messiah."[11]
Matthew presents Jesus calling Andrew and Simon at the same time.[12] He shows how God's call can come to us while we're going about our ordinary business. God's call can be to stay in our work but we're being asked: "Are we are doing what we are paid for or doing what we are made for?"[13]
Matthew wants to highlight that Jesus began by calling the ordinary, lowly people. [14]
He wants to show at this little village that his call is to the least and those on the margins.
We may find the 'fishing for people' image distasteful with notions of using the right bait, hooking, snaring and dragging people into Christ's kingdom. It's a violent image. It's a coercive image but Jesus used a picture that these net fishermen would get. They too would be calling others to join Christ's network.[15]
I wonder what image Christ would use to call you?
This image valued their occupation.
It shows how our gifts and experience can be transformed into our service for Christ.
Even though we're often warned about making 'snap decisions' or 'impulse buying' the repetition of the phrase 'Immediately they left', is a sign of Christ's commanding presence. There's something about Jesus that evokes an immediate, unwavering response.
They didn't submit their resume and references.
They didn't get a contract with salary, housing allowance and retirement package.
They didn't seem to ask any questions.
When Jesus called, they dropped everything and they followed him.
Matthew shows that the call of Christ may require that we leave our place, that we are prepared to leave our business.
The mention that 'they left their boat and their father' highlights the priority of Christ's call over family and the cost of discipleship that is borne by those who leave and by those who are left behind.
Once we've cleaned up our boats and kissed our family goodbye, wouldn't we be asking our new boss' for his five-year Vision and Strategy document? Wouldn't we at least be asking for our Job Description?
Jesus simply says: "Follow me." "Follow me and I will make you."
Matthew hints in v23 at what the discipleship involved:
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.
Don't worry that the Romans are advancing their empire for Jesus is calling disciples to be creating a new kingdom. In the midst of such darkness Christ wants us to help bring a new dawn. What a call to trust. No three-year training period before starting but learning on the job.
If we were walking down the street and someone came up behind us and tapped us on the shoulder, naturally we would turn around.[16] Well that's exactly what happens in the spiritual realm. We go about our daily business and suddenly without any warning we feel a tap on the shoulder.
That tap on the shoulder is the call of God working to transform us into a new person and leading us into the unique work which God has for us to do.
When we sense God's tap on our shoulder, respond! Follow! Get involved in this costly, valuable work, of helping to bring light into dark places.
Nothing out of the ordinary
Just another working day
Strong calloused hands repairing a net
The quiet inwardness of men working
Focused on the task at hand
Suddenly disrupted by a strange voice
An accent not of this world
Drew them away from family and trade
Towards the light of self-forgetting love
The surprise of a brilliant invitation
Perceived in the most mundane duties.[17]
Calling Christ, in the ordinariness of this new week,
Enable us to be sensitive to your voice,
Courageous enough to leave,
Trusting enough to follow You regardless of the consequences.
Let this day be a new dawn in our lives.
Let this week be a new dawn in our country,[18]
As we choose to follow You.
[1] Australia Day 2017 is this coming Thursday, 26 January.
[3] ANZAC Day Tradition, Australian War Memorial.
[4] The Phrase Finder. Thomas Fuller appears to be the first to note this saying which could have been in peasant folk lore. His text, A Pisgah-Sight of Palestine and the Confines Thereof, 1650. The actual quote: 'It is always darkest just before the Day dawneth'.
[5] Audrey West says, "This verb (withdraw) is typically used in Matthew when there is movement from one place to another in the face of threatening circumstances…This verse signals that John's arrest is a dangerous situation for Jesus and he must choose how to respond." Cited in 'The Reason of Following', Left Behind and Loving It, 15 January 2017.
[6] Isaiah 9: 1-2.
[8] The inauguration of the 45th US President was held two days earlier on 20 January 2017. More information at The Inauguration of Donald Trump, Wikipedia.
[10] The call to repent is present continuous meaning 'keep on repenting'.
[11] Geoff Pound, New Discoveries, Ashburton Baptist Church, 15 January 2017.
[12] Simon is listed before Andrew.
[13] Janet Hunt makes this distinction in 'Following Jesus: That for which we are made', Dancing with the Word, 15 January 2017.
[14] In Warren Carter, Matthew and the Margins, "While the fishermen have some economic resources, their social ranking is very low. In Cicero's ranking of occupations (De Off 1.150-51), owners of cultivated land appear first and fishermen last. Athenaeus indicates that fishermen and fishmongers are on a par with money lenders and are socially despised as greedy thieves (Deipnosophistai, 6.224b-28c). The two characters have a socially inferior and economically precarious existence under Roman control. It is among such vulnerable people that God's empire is first manifested. [p. 121]
[15] Some have seen further meaning in what these fishermen were doing when the call came and what Christ called them to do. Simon and Andrew were called while they were 'casting a net' (evangelism) while James and John were called when 'mending their nets'. These two had a calling to restore people to the truth.
[16] This conclusion is inspired by Peter Marshall's phrase and the sermon of the same, 'The Tap on the Shoulder' in Mr. Jones, Meet the Master: Sermons and Prayers of Peter Marshall'.
[17] Rick Fry, A Workaday Gospel, 24 January 2014.
[18] Australia Day 2017 is this coming Thursday, 26 January.


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RICHMOND, Va. – All year long, various members of the VCU basketball team talked about how every guy on the roster could step up and be the star on any given night.
On Thursday night at the annual CAA banquet, the Rams exhibited that once again with four different players taking All-CAA accolades, the highest total from any team. Leading the way was senior Bradford Burgess, who earned a spot on the All-CAA First Team. Sophomore Juvonte Reddic and junior Darius Theus were named to the All-CAA Third Team, while freshman Briante Weber was a member of the CAA All-Defensive Team.
Burgess led the Rams in scoring with 13.5 points per game and was the team's second-leading rebounder (5.2 rpg). With 31 points on Senior Night, the Midlothian, Va. native became just the third VCU player in school history with more than 1,600 points and 700 rebounds in a career.
He's just two starts away from becoming the Iron Man of College Basketball as he enters the CAA Tournament with 141 consecutive starts. Two starts would push him past the all-time leader, Patrick Ewing.
Reddic was a load in conference play, ranking in the top-15 in scoring (11.9), rebounding (7.5) and shooting percentage (50.3) in the 18 CAA games. He finished the year as the Black & Gold's leading rebounder, pulling down 7.0 boards per night, as well as chipping in 10.8 points and shooting 51.9% from the field.
The Winston-Salem, N.C. native finished the regular season with six double-doubles, five of which came in conference play.
Theus was the man running the show, averaging 8.6 points and 4.7 assists per game for the Rams. The Portsmouth, Va. native enters the CAA Tournament ranked second in the league in assists per game and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1). In 18 conference games, Theus' assist-to-turnover ratio was an extremely efficient 2.8.
He served the role of "Mr. Clutch" on several occasions, including game-winning layups at Akron (12/29) and against William & Mary (1/19). He made critical plays down the stretch in a 68-64 road win at Old Dominion, as well as coming up with the game-winning steal in a 63-59 victory at UNCW.
Wrapping up the All-CAA honorees was the freshman Weber, who leads the country in steal percentage, grabbing a steal on 7.03% of his defensive possessions. He finished the regular season with a league-leading 71 steals, which already ranks third on the single-season chart at VCU. The Chesapeake, Va. native tallied four or more steals 10 times this year.
The quartet leads the Rams into this weekend's CAA Tournament as the second seed. VCU will take on the winner of seventh-seeded Northeastern and 10th-seeded William & Mary on Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Richmond Coliseum.


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A heritage complex dedicated to Anandpur Sahib, the place where the Sikh religion was born 308 years ago in 1699, would be completed by March 2009.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Tuesday set the deadline for completion of the Khalsa heritage complex at Anandpur Sahib, 90 km from here. He said the complex would be dedicated to the people on the occasion of Hola Mohalla - a festival to celebrate the valour of Sikhs.
The Rs.2.24 billion project will showcase the evolution of the Sikh religion. It is aimed at giving correct information to the younger generation of Sikhs in India and abroad. The complex will house rare manuscripts, books, paintings and other artefacts to show the evolution of the religion.
The Punjab government has also announced that it will honour Moshe Safdie, an Israeli architect who had been involved in designing and implementing the project. The project was announced in April 1999 on the occasion of the tercentenary of the of the Sikh religion. An amount of Rs.1.14 billion has already been spent on the project, which has been delayed beyond its five-year deadline. Badal said that the remaining amount of Rs.1.1 billion would be made available for the project for its early completion.
Sikh Heritage News : www.sikhtourism.com


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Restaurants in Cairo
Diners in Cairo should take advantage of the unique, plentiful, and very cheap restaurants serving Egyptian favourites. By sitting down in the neighbourhood café and enjoying some light eats and sweet drinks travellers can easily immerse themselves in the local dining culture. This is also a great opportunity for people-watching and mingling with the locals. Favourite Egyptian meals to try include falafel (made out of crushed fava beans), kushari (a tasty mixture of staples like rice, lentils, pasta and caramelized onion) and fattah (a meat, bread and rice dish similar to Biryani).
Although Egyptian cuisine is worth investigating and has a lot to offer, some of the best restaurants in Cairo have an eclectic international focus. Previously largely restricted to hotel restaurants, everything from sashimi to cheeseburgers is now prepared by top chefs in trendy venues. Even traditional local food is getting a creative facelift.
For your pick of the trendiest restaurants in Cairo, Zamalek is a dining hotspot. The downtown areas near Khan al-Khalili are great for cheap local haunts.
In Cairo it is considered unclean to eat with the left hand, and visitors should remember that alcohol is usually not served unless at a hotel restaurant. It is considered good manners to leave food on your plate, as it shows that the host has been generous. It is considered impolite to stare at another person's food in a restaurant. During Ramadan, when Muslims fast during the day, many restaurants are closed and, again, travellers should head to a hotel restaurant and avoid eating in public.
This tent restaurant has become a popular relaxation spot with trendy locals and expats and for good reason. On the high banks of the Nile the restaurant has a commanding spot atop the city. Perfect to relax with flavoured tobaccos and traditional Egyptian and Lebanese mezze food although there are other options for light western dining. More of a lounge during the day, the place becomes a club when the sun sets.
Address: 3 Abou Feda Street
Telephone: +20 2 735 0014
Website: http://www.sequoiaonline.net
Delicious food and an inviting, cosy atmosphere have made this Italian restaurant one of Cairo's favourite eateries. Soft lighting and tasteful décor create the perfect atmosphere to dine on such dishes as creamy onion soup, veal cordon bleu stuffed with mushrooms and topped with cheese and tomatoes or thick crust pizzas loaded with toppings of your choice. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations essential.
Address: 44 Michel Bakhoum Street
Telephone: (0)2 3336 0620
Website: http://www.cortigianorestaurants.com
Bua Khao
With authentic ingredients flown in from Bangkok and a highly skilled Thai woman at the helm, it's no wonder the food at Bua Khao keeps guests coming back for more. Renowned for serving the best Thai food in Egypt, the massaman and penang curries are to-die-for and the tom kar gai (chicken and coconut milk soup) is a great way to start things off. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations advisable.
Address: 9 Road 151, Ma'adi
Telephone: (0)2 378 3355
Website: http://buakhaorest.com
The Revolving Restaurant Grand Hyatt
Towering above the city 41 floors high, diners can enjoy truly panoramic views of the city below as the scenery circles by. Besides taking in the Nile, the city and the pyramids an open kitchen in the centre of the restaurant puts on a show serving up an eclectic range of multi-national menu choices. A slightly formal setting is perfect for romantic evenings and a reprieve from the congestion 41 floors below. Reservations are advised.
Address: Corniche El Nile
Telephone: +20 2 2365 1234
Website: http://www.hyatt.com/home
The Fish Market
Gone are the days of travelling to Alexandria for good fresh fish. Nowadays, those looking for decent sea fare can book a table at the Fish Market, situated on the upper deck of a boat permanently moored on the west bank of the Nile. With no menu and just a display of some of the freshest fish Cairo has to offer, diners pay by weight and choose their own fish, shrimp, calamari, crabs and shellfish, which is beautifully prepared by the kitchen as you like. Couple that with a slew of Middle Eastern salads and deliciously home baked bread and you have a recipe for success! Open daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations advisable.
Address: 26 Shara al-Nil, Giza (on the American Boat)
Telephone: (0)2 380 4232
Overlooking Maydan Sphinx and complete with exquisite woodwork detailing, the lavish dining area in Kandahar features authentic Indian furnishings. The food tastes as good as the restaurant looks. The Baingan Bharta (creamy smoked eggplant baked in a clay oven and perfect for dipping fluffy Naan bread in) is an absolute must and Murgh Tikka (spiced chicken kebabs marinated in yoghurt) is a firm favourite. Service is excellent. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations advisable.
Address: 3 Shara Gameat al-Dowal al-Arabiya, Mohandiseen
Telephone: (0)2 303 0615
Koshary Abou Tarek
Consistently ranked as one of the most popular restaurants in Cairo, Koshary Abou Tarek serves up a uniquely Egyptian dish, koshary (sometimes spelled koshari), best described as an Egyptian-style chilli, in large portions for prices even the most budget-conscious travellers will love. As ubiquitous in Egypt as curry is in India, Koshary is available at nearly any street vendor in Cairo, but Abou Tarek's koshary is among the best in the city.
Address: 16 Maarouf, Shamplion Street
Telephone: 202 2577 5935
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Naloxone Training
December 12 @ 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
An event every month that begins at 8:00 am on day First of the month, repeating indefinitely
An event every week that begins at 8:00 am on Wednesday and Thursday, repeating indefinitely
Information about the course:
|1. Recognize the signs and symptoms of an overdose
|2. Identify how to use intranasal and injector form of Naloxone
|3. Be able to prepare and administer intranasal and injector form of Naloxone
|4. Describe how continued support should be provided to the overdose victim
Information about Naloxone:
Naloxone (also known as Narcan®) is a medication called an "opioid antagonist" used to counter the effects of opioid overdose, for example morphine and heroin overdose. Specifically, Naloxone is used in opioid overdoses to counteract life-threatening depression of the central nervous system and respiratory system, allowing an overdose victim to breathe normally. Naloxone is a nonscheduled (i.e., non-addictive), prescription medication. Naloxone only works if a person has opioids in their system; the medication has no effect if opioids are absent. Although traditionally administered by emergency response personnel, Naloxone can be administered by minimally trained laypeople, which makes it ideal for treating overdose in people who have been prescribed opioid pain medication and in people who use heroin and other opioids. Naloxone may be injected in the muscle, vein or under the skin or sprayed into the nose.


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|William D. Kyle, Managing Member
|John B. Lowy, Securities Attorney
|Bill is the founder and Managing Member of Enterprise Creations, LLC, owner of offeringdocs.com.
Bill possesses more than 40 years of consistently delivering exceptional value, market share, profit and business growth within rapidly changing environments. Possessing strong decisive executive leadership, Bill's experience transcends organizations from start-ups, including Flight Dynamics, Inc., FLIR Systems, Inc. to Fortune 1000 multi-billion dollar international companies including Groupe Bull and Zenith Data Systems. Customer focused and performance driven, Bill's expertise includes strategic business development, capital acquisition strategies, strategic planning, marketing, sales and business development. As a senior-level executive, Bill has been instrumental in raising private investment capital though Regulation D, multiple IPO's and P.I.P.E.s, including FLIR Systems, Inc. and MIDISoft, Inc., reverse mergers, where he has consulted on over 100 reverse merger transactions, and strategic acquisitions where he was instrumental in the acquisition of Flight Dynamics, Inc. by Honeywell. An accomplished author, Bill has published several articles in numerous publications including Software Developer & Publisher and Control Engineering; Bill was also awarded the SAE Award for Technical Excellence for his article entitled, "Holographic HUDs in Commercial Aircraft". Prior to his successful career in the private sector, Bill was a highly decorated USAF F-4 fighter pilot possessing over 2,000 hours in the F-4 Phantom including more than 325 combat hours during the Viet Nam War. While in the USAF, Bill was a select member of a USAF briefing team responsible for creating and presenting multimedia presentations to Members of Congress and The President of The United States. Bill possesses a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from the University of Montana and a Master of Science Degree in Human Resource Management from the University of Utah. Bill is also a member of The F-4 Phantom II Society, Order of Daedalians, The Red River Valley Fighter Pilot Association and The National League of POW/MIA Families.
|John is the founder and CEO of his midtown New York law firm John Lowy Law. John is a highly-respected and acknowledged expert in reverse mergers, capital formation, legal consulting and initial public and private offerings of all types, including Regulation A+, Regulation S, Regulation D and IPOs. He is also the founder (in 1993) and CEO of Olympic Capital Group, Inc., which specializes in providing strategies and execution to privately-held companies that want to become publicly-owned. John is also a licensed Series 79 registered representative with a boutique New York and Los Angeles-based FINRA broker-dealer.
As an attorney, a consultant, a registered representative, or as a principal, John has led or participated in more than 200 successful transactions, creating market value in excess of $5 billion. He has been instrumental in leading the process by which many companies have raised capital or reverse merged, and have then achieved listings on the NASDAQ or the AMEX, or have been sold to larger companies.
In addition to the U.S., John has completed transactions for clients based in Brazil, Canada, the Caribbean, China, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Korea, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Turkey, UK, Vietnam and other nations. The sectors in which these clients are engaged range from high tech to low tech, real estate, pharmaceuticals, medical/biotech, oil and gas, mining, solar power and other renewable energy, entertainment, food, forestry, agriculture, education and retail, among others.
John received his B.A. from Tufts University and began practicing law after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He is licensed to practice law in New York and New Jersey. He has been a guest panelist at reverse merger and Regulation A+ conferences, and is also a frequent contributor to MicroCap Review, one of the most respected and widely-circulated publications in the microcap (under $350M market cap) sector.