text:
Why some books are getting on my nerves - literally
- Published in Thinking Aloud
I must be losing my sense of adventure. That, or I am simply getting old. Books that would leave me unable to sleep or have me snatching a glance at yet another paragraph to see if murder most foul had been committed or some other heinous crime no longer suit my nervy temperament. My adrenaline glands are fatigued. So says my doctor. No more excitement for you!
The term "gripping psychological thriller" used to be like a shot of the best red wine through my veins which, incidentally, I can't tolerate any more. Now it's becoming an overworked marketing strapline. I should know, it's partly the genre I work in. So many books buzz around on Amazon with dramatic headlines the books don't deserve. Obviously I am not mentioning any here but I'm sure you've read stuff that neither lives up to the hype nor complies with some trades descriptions act.
Keeping people in suspense for 80,000 words is no mean feat for the writer and I wonder how many books are abandoned because either the reader is disappointed after a few chapters or being of a certain disposition can't cope with the suspense provided by the unreliable narrator ( a new bit of jargon I've recently acquired). Can your nerves take another fictional garrotting or are you becoming so inured to blood and gore that it leaves you feeling cold? Are we being offered templates of similar storylines, defective characters and unrealistic interaction? In short, has the psychological thriller had its day? Probably not but I think it needs freshening up a bit.
A lot has been written about this genre but here's my tuppence ha'penny worth.
One important ingredient for a psychological thriller is to get into the minds of those who are suffering and not necessarily the character responsible for inflicting the pain. It's easier to do if you are weaving in some personal experiences as you can write from the inside out. This is what I've done in my two books to date. It's more important to show how this suffering plays out – out of character behaviour, unexplainable mood swings and changes in perception – rather than forensics or police procedures. Even plot takes a bit of a back seat.
The most ordinary and balanced of people can find themselves responding to a threat or a loss in the most extraordinary ways. I talk to many of these people through the counselling work I offer. When it comes to emotions, nothing is predictable yet I find myself wanting to shake some of the characters I read about because either they don't come across as authentic or to use some recent vernacular like "snowflakes."
As for me, I need a break from grubbing around in twisted psyches and have turned to something softer and less rooted in harsh reality, at least for the summer, to give my nerves a rest.


text:
Executive Director for Civil Society Agriculture Network (Cisanet), Tamani Nkhono-Mvula, says the construction of a new dam in Ntcheu will help deal with food challenges in the country.
The 42 metre dam is expected to be constructed with assistance from the European Union (EU) and will be built at Bwanje in Ntheu to boost the Bwanje Irrigation Scheme.
Nkhono-Mvula however said that competent irrigation scheme management will be crucial in ensuring that Bwanje Irrigation Scheme produces at its full potential. He said the irrigation scheme is currently being managed by a community which is not competent enough.
"The way to go is to come up with a model which would rope in the private sector to partner with the community in managing the scheme which would also help in marketing the produce like Ntalimanja Holdings partnership which is partnering with the community in Nkhotakota and has been a success," said Nkhoono-Mvula.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Alllan Chiyembekeza told the media that construction of the dam will start this year but could not reveal the cost of the project.
The dam will complement the 800 hectare Bwanje Irrigation Scheme funded by the Japanese Government through Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The dam will have a total storage of 5.6 million cubic metres of water.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Outdoor gear and Adventure can be ordered from Yucca Dune in the following ways:
Yucca Dune does not accept C.O.D.'s. Payment can be made with Visa or Mastercard; orders placed by mail may also be paid by Yucca Dune Gift Certificate, personal check or money order.
The actual shipping charges appear at checkout (in the case of the Online Shopping Basket) or are calculated for you by a customer service representative.
Return Policy
Back to Yucca Dune's Front Page


text:
Loading in 2 Seconds...
Loading in 2 Seconds...
Archaeological Photography WorkshopField Archaeology ARCH1003
Archaeological Photography Objectives Photo Documentation (Hester 1997) A comprehensive and technical record of an investigation from beginning to end Excavation, process of recovering artefacts, sequences, units and profiles, survey finds. It is a historical record Ethical responsibility of archaeologist to visually record an irreversible process such as excavation or survey. Subsequent analysis or re-analysis of your work in future Photo Illustration (Hester 1997) To provide images for publication or presentation What are you trying to communicate to the public or in the journal? Why photograph and illustrate?
Lens Lens aperture Focusing ring Auto Advance Aperture or AV value Hot shoe Shutter speed or TV (Time Value) ISO setting Shutter release Frame counter Focal plane shutter Remote release socket Film Window Mirror Prism Single Lens Reflex (SLR) Camera Features
Light Light is focussed through a lens byrefraction (bending of light rays) to form an image behind the lens To produce a photograph we need: A light source An object such as a mirror to reflect the light A light sensitive medium to record the reflected light (film/digital sensor) Colour temperature (degrees Kelvin)
Aperture Value Aperture = f/stop = AV (Pentax camera) Size of the aperture opening in the lens A large number (F22) is a small aperture A small number (F2.8) is a large aperture To stop down is to reduce the aperture The f number derives from dividing the focal length (mm) of the lens by the diameter of the aperture
Time Value/Shutter Speed Time Value = shutter speed = TV (Pentax camera) Length of time the camera shutter opens to expose the film/sensor to the light coming through the lens 1/8 second or slow shutter speed (requires tripod to avoid camera shake) 1/4000 or fast shutter speed (captures water splashing)
Exposure Exposure is the total amount of light reaching the film calculated from a combination of aperture value (AV) and time value (TV) Reducing the AV value (or f-stop) from f16 to f22 necessitates doubling the exposure time or TV (time value) for the same exposure result 1/250 second at f22 will give the same exposure result as 1/125 second at f16 (TV reduced but aperture opened up)
Depth of Field Depth of field is the zone extending in front of and behind the focussed distance within which points will appear to be sharp The smaller the aperture (AV 22) increases the depth of field The larger the aperture (AV 5.6) decreases the depth of field Shorter focal length (wide-angle 28mm) increases depth of field Longer focal length (telephoto 300mm) decreases depth of field
Focal Length Light travels in parallel beams and reaches the lens The distance between the lens and the point at which such light is focussed is the focal length of the lens It is always expressed in millimetres An object the same distance away from a long focal lens will give a larger image than one of short focal length Standard focal length is 50mm for 35mm camera (negative is 35mm x 24mm)
Angle of View The angle of view for the human eye is around 45 degrees Angle of view is the amount of the scene in front of camera taken in by the lens. A fish eye lens (18mm focal length) will provide 180 degrees angle of view A telephoto lens (1200mm focal length) will provide 2 degrees Note: A longer focal length (300mm lens) will decrease the depth of field
Film speed ISO film speed is the films sensitivity to light rating The more sensitive the film, the higher the ISO number and the less light required ISO 6 is a slow, fine grained film and requires a tripod 800 or 1600 ISO is a fast film (newer films not so grainy, used with/without flash) TMax 3200 can be used with available light at night
Perspective The apparent distance in the relative sizes of near and far objects A function of the distance away of the camera Wide angle distortion 28 to 35mm may steepen the perspective of your trench or structure leading to convergence of lines and aberrations at edge of negative Standard focal length lens (50mm) or higher will give normal perspective Telephoto lens (above 50mm) may flatten perspective
Metering Current Single Lens Reflex (SLRs) cameras have built in metering Correct Exposure (Pentax) is when the green light is half-way and is changed by adjusting AV/TV values If positive = overexposed If negative = underexposed Note: internal meter reads whole scene not just object unless that fills the frame Incident, reflective, spot metering, grey cards
Camera Handling and Care Dirt, water, dust, sun can damage cameras and/or precious exposed film Use bag or waterproof case (e.g. Pelican) for rainy days Lens tissue for clearer picture. Check the lens! filters will help protect the lens Do not over tighten the tripod screw Batteries may leak if for a long time in the camera
Scale (range pole and/or centimetre scales) Additional cameras (black and white, slide and/or colour print, digital) Photographic proforma or notebook/register North arrow Tripod and remote cable release Flash/Supplementary Lighting Film! cards/laptop/burner Batteries Filters Special requirements for digital cameras Camera hood and waterproof case Reflectors Lens cleaning material Special lenses Field Equipment
Technical Photograph descriptive and realistic Control the light Use an appropriate scale A scale should be in the same plane as the object Viewpoint is critical. Fill the frame. Use macro lenses/function for small objects Film/CD media is low cost, while project time is not Exposure is critical Record on proforma/notebook (Never Later) Record meaningful information A changing landscape? Detail, Geology, construction materials, flora, Save images to digital archive at highest resolution possible and back up records General Principles of Archaeological Photography
Overall Site and Aerial Photographs The relationship between a site and surroundings is essential. Try to convey a sense of context or environment Try to take an elevated photograph if possible (wall, ladder, tree, elevating machinery, box Conventional aerial photographs - planes, Low-level aerial photographs - booms, balloons, and kites
IFRAO scale AURA, PO BOX 216, Caufield South VIC email@example.com


text:
Product FAQs
Why is the power LED on the unit slowly blinking?
This device provides 6.8A of power, and the power LED on the device will slowly blink when the devices connected to it are trying to draw more than 6.8A of power. To properly charge the connected devices, reduce the number or types of devices connected to this device until the power LED stops blinking.


text:
Let's stop tax gouging as well as gas gouging
I found it interesting that the House of Representatives recently approved legislation that would outlaw gasoline price gouging. The legislation would penalize individuals or companies for taking "unfair advantage" or charging "unconscionably excessive" prices for gasoline and other fuels.
The House passed the legislation by a vote of 284-141 with a majority of the Democrats supporting same.
The Florida Legislature is scheduled to meet on June 12 to consider legislation that would in essence address "local government tax gouging." There are parallels between the actions of both bodies. With the rapid increase in real property valuations in recent years, the local officials have taken "unfair advantage" of the tax payers by instituting "unconscionably excessive" property tax increases. Will the Florida Democrats support the proposed legislation?
Craig R. Hedgecock,
Prosecute city officials who offer sanctuary
Where are the federal marshals? It used to be that when local officials refused to uphold the law, the federal government would send in marshals to arrest them. For example, in the 1960s, some Southern governors who objected to civil rights integration laws were threatened with arrest by federal marshals, and that convinced them to uphold the law.
Lately, we have seen cities like Minneapolis declaring themselves "sanctuary cities" where immigration laws are not enforced. It seems that justice would demand that federal marshals be sent to arrest the "lawless" mayor and other officials who are protecting illegal immigrants.
There's a very troubling double standard here. Why are laws intended to protect our borders not being given the same attention our civil rights laws are given?
William C. Heithaus,
Let's not kill the Suwannee River
Already, the Suwannee River is a sickly pea green color. Anyone familiar with the river knows this is not the natural color of a healthy Suwannee. Again, clumps of algae are forming. Last year there were actual floating islands of thick stringy dark green algae. At this rate, 2007 promises to be even worse.
The Gainesville Sun's three part series last week by Nathan Crabbe did a great job of clearly identifying the problems facing the Suwannee River. The question is whether we have the will to protect the Suwannee River Basin.
We know the sources of the pollution affecting the river. Too much nitrogen seeping into the aquifer is the main culprit. Without the normal flow of the river, the present drought simply makes the problem of pollution more apparent.
There is plenty of blame to go around. We know how to correct this condition. The question is whether politicians and the public are ready to take action. With only another "Springs Task Force," the Legislature seems less than committed to dealing with this problem. Moreover, we all need to ask how we might help solve this problem. We might consider xeriscape lawns, careful use of fertilizer or better septic maintenance.
It would be more than just a little ironic to kill the Suwannee River and the springs feeding into the river. Not only is the Suwannee River a major symbol of Florida, the Suwannee River Basin with its numerous springs is one of the world's natural treasures of fresh water springs.
If this is not motivation enough to protect this resource, just consider the economic damage a polluted Suwannee River Basin translates into.
Jay R. Bushnell,
District VI Director
Florida Wildlife Federation
Clear and present danger calls out for a bold leader
Suppose one out of every four Canadians crossing our northern border believed the murder of innocents is an acceptable political tool. Suppose every fourth person infiltrating our southern border claimed to favor blowing up men, women and children who did not believe in Catholicism.
Would we not, on the grounds of "clear and present danger," take measures to prevent further crossings by either of these groups?
A recent study by the Pew Research Center reveals that one of every four American Muslims under 30 believes homicide bombing is acceptable "if it advances Islam." It's time the self-righteous in Congress, the brain dead media, knee-jerk academia and other guilt-ridden politically correct puppets woke up.
None of the presidential candidates seem capable of leading us out of this morass of crazythink. What we need is someone "larger that life," a leader willing and able to alter the course of events now careening out of control. An Ataturk, a Ghandi, a Churchill, a Thatcher, a Sadat, a Reagan.
Our times require someone who not only fathoms history but possesses the power to transcend it. We walk on the razor's edge and neither slick slogans nor lofty promises shall rescue us.
You who value principle above re-election, and understand that tomorrow's good health depends upon today's strong medicine, please raise your hand. You are needed at the front of the line.
Kal Rosenberg,
Our voting rights are not yet secured
Much attention has been paid to the election legislation recently signed by Gov. Crist. Lost in attention to presidential politics and the date of the Presidential Primary is that this legislation revolutionizes Florida voting by replacing paperless direct recording electronic machines (DREs) with more reliable paper-based optical scan systems.
However, more work needs to be done by the Legislature and county election officials before fair and accurate elections for all Floridians are guaranteed. Steps must be taken to ensure that disabled and language-minority voters will not be relegated to second-class citizenship.
Disabled voters have a right to vote unaided, in private and have their votes counted on optical scan readers. Counties should provide ballot-marking devices, rather than paperless DREs, just as they will do for all other voters.
Election officials should also ensure full accessibility for language-minority voters - certainly in all jurisdictions in which voting in languages other than English is required by federal, state and/or local laws. Election officials should also be required to conduct audits of randomly selected precincts, machines and ballots after every election to verify the integrity of elections.
These steps are needed before Florida can claim victory for comprehensive voting reform.
Howard Simon,
Executive Director
American Civil Liberties Union of Florida
An editing error resulted in a word being dropped from the last sentence of a letter by Albert Postal titled "Flying attention-getters," on Friday, May 25. The sentence should have read: "Anyone who could be duped into not shouting 'Foul!' at these tactics are, indeed, responsible for their impacts, destruction and deaths."
Voice of the people
Let's stop tax gouging as well as gas gouging


text:
REDCOLLAR RESCUE is an all-volunteer, 501 (c) (3), non-profit animal welfare organization located in Houston, TX. We are dedicated to rescuing and providing medical care, foster care, training and adoptive placement to animals who have been abandoned to die in high-kill shelters or on the streets.
REDCOLLAR RESCUE does not discriminate based upon breed, age or health of the animal. We assume full responsibility for all of the animals we rescue, and make every effort to ensure they are healthy and happy and placed into safe and loving forever homes.
REDCOLLAR RESCUE is "foster-based." We do not have a facility in which to house the animals we rescue. We depend on foster parents to provide loving temporary homes. When not enough foster homes are available, we must pay to keep the animals in private boarding kennels.
REDCOLLAR RESCUE spends a minimum of $600.00 for each animal rescued, and often in the thousands for serious cases. We need assistance from the public in the form of volunteering, fostering, and financial help. Your tax deductible donation goes 100% to the animals care.
REDCOLLAR RESCUE has successfully rescued, rehabilitated, and re-homed thousands of animals since inception in 2007.


text:
The AW Hainsworth property portfolio has been built up over the history of the company, starting with fields and then buying surrounding land and buildings. Within the mills boundary, there is a row of mill houses, built at the same time as the main part of the factory. The mill houses were originally built to house the mills work force, over two hundred years later the houses are still used as housing for a number of workers as well as private lettings.
Today Spring Valley Mills is 250,000 square feet of space and sits on 4.5 acres, and is a mixture of different buildings, some historic and some modern. Not all the factory is used for the company's own manufacturing process, some space is given up to related businesses.
The company plans to use the property to ensure that people have a local place to work, and manufacture.


text:
GlobaLINK Solutions is a Singapore based IT service provider. Focusing on your core competency and let us be the bridge between your business and the world of information technology!
We provide consulting and support on MySQL™ database installation, upgrade, setup, administration, management and development.
Your business is going global. You, your partners and your customers need to have access to your business information anytime and anywhere. We have a solution for you!
Our knowledge and experience in software design and development allows us to help you design and build your application that is truly internationalized from the beginning.
Copyright © 2002-2019 GlobaLINK Solutions Pte Ltd | contact us


text:
Our attorneys live and work here, and they are respected in the legal community for their integrity and civic commitment. Our clients appreciate the fact we have a long history of trust and service. Our longevity speaks to the fact that we are dedicated to our clients' success both in the short and long term.
Our lawyers can address our clients' needs in a wide range of legal areas. This helps us protect your interests if you face legal issues that are complex or involve more than one area of law. For example:
In all areas of law, our attorneys will work diligently to achieve your goals in a timely, efficient and cost-effective manner.
For more information or to schedule a consultation about your legal matter, call 239-542-4733 or send us an email using our contact form.
Bold labels are required.
1714 Cape Coral Parkway East
Cape Coral, FL 33904
Phone: (239) 542-4733
Fax: (239) 542-9203
Cape Coral Law Office Map
Talk To An Attorney Today. Call 239-542-4733.


text:
Hello! Love Wapping? What's this about then?
My name is Mark Baynes and I have been living in Wapping since 2010.
I live on the Green Bank Estate which is right in the middle of Wapping.
As you can see from the photo (left) I enjoy keeping an eye on the local wildlife.
You can find out a bit more about why Love Wapping exists on the Hyperlocal Voices site run by Damian Radcliffe and in The Value of UK Hyperlocal Community News by the School of Journalism, Media, and Cultural Studies at Cardiff University.
Almost a secret but not quite
Wapping is a great place, probably because it is slightly off the beaten track. Almost a secret, but not quite. Once the centre of the London docks that were the heart of the British Empire it is not as busy now but still fascinating.
Viking, Romans, Royal Marines – welcome one and all
In the summer of 2012 Wapping was lucky enough to be hosts to large numbers of the UK Armed Forces who were working on the London 2012 Olympics. But then we have had Vikings and Romans here in the past so it was no big deal.
Our local bridge
Our local bridge is called Tower Bridge. It's an icon of the United Kingdom and probably the most famous bridge in the world, but to us it is 'our local bridge'.
Wapping is part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. And it just so happens that the Tower in question is the Tower of London, just down the road.
And of course Wapping would not be what it is without the River Thames which forms the southern border.
So with all this history on our doorstep it's not surprising that those of us lucky enough to live here like to look after Wapping.
Reasons to Love Wapping
Which is the reason for Love Wapping.
Of which more later. You can find out more about Love Wapping on the Aims and Objectives page.


text:
Do the people in the photo at the top of the page look happy? They are! St. Louis Parish is filled with people who find joy in God's love, warmth in community, and a spiritual home that helps them to become the best version of themselves. We welcome all who wish to pray with us, worship with us, learn with us, serve with us—all who wish to be disciples of Jesus with us. We are committed to the Gospel message through service to our parish family, the larger community and especially those in need throughout the world.
Loving the Lord, living community; shaped by the Word, serving the world … that is who we try our best to be, with God's help.
Hello friend!
I'm glad you found our website! Along with our Pastoral Council, staff, and all of the other members of our community, I hope and pray our website will lead you to give us a try: to join us some Sunday. Great things are happening at St. Louis. True, in any community, just as in families, many things aren't always easy or positive. The apostles weren't perfect, and neither are we. But we have all experienced a God who loves us where we are, loving us to move beyond our individual our communal limitations, ever deeper into the world of God's grace. Please give our community a chance to welcome, embrace and be a safe haven, a spiritual home for you. We truly believe that our community will be the richer if you are part of our communion.
If you have read this far, then I am confident that God has already begun good work in you. It would be a gift to me, to any of us, to listen, welcome and help you reconnect if you have been away, or help you find here a spiritual home.
Peace to you always. You are in our prayers!
Fr. Mitchell Zygadlo


text:
When its children's T-shirts proved so tempting that even grown-ups couldn't resist donning them, Petit Bateau began expanding into the adult clothing market. Now, 120 years after launching, the French brand is pushing its design boundaries.
BY Wendy Douglas | 20 August 2013
The Petit Bateau stripe. Is there a more iconic badge of chic childrenswear? It's just so French. French children, we are assured, don't throw food, and their sophisticated mamans wouldn't let them be seen in anything but the most stylish of clothes. Petit Bateau is as significant in the lives of France's little ones as Marks & Spencer is in those of their British counterparts, and it has been that way for over a century. In fact the 'little boat' brand is 120 years old this year, and changes are afoot for the company.
In May the quiet town of Troyes on the edge of the Champagne region, the birthplace of Petit Bateau and still the home of its factory, was taken over by an exhibition depicting members of the factory's staff at work. Oversized images were displayed as stationary flags throughout the town centre and even on sturdy poles planted in the middle of the Seine, which runs through the town. It was a celebration of the unseen faces behind a brand that is now known all over the world. 'We really wanted to pay tribute to them,' Patrick Pergament, Petit Bateau's CEO, says. 'We wanted to show there are real people behind the machines, people with a sense of humour, with joy, with their own lives.'
A image from the exhibition held to celebrate Petit Bateau's 120th anniversary. Photo: Stéphane Remael.
It is on the commitment to quality and tradition of these people that the brand's success is built. Petit Bateau employs about 4,000 people, almost half of which are in France; 1,000 of those work at the factory in Troyes - a centre for the European textile industry for more than seven centuries. The factory is an integral part of this town. It has provided jobs for generations of families since its doors were first opened in 1893 by the founder, Pierre Valton, the man who developed underwear as we know it by chopping the legs offold-style children's long johns to create the 'petite culotte'. Expansion into outerwear for children and babies followed. Some of the current staffhave been working at the factory for more than 40 years, busily making the four million T-shirts and 17 million undergarments sold each year. Unbelievably in this age of outsourcing and subcontracting, and despite the fact that the brand was bought by the Yves Rocher Group in 1988, 90 per cent of Petit Bateau's products are still made in Troyes. Primark could learn a thing or two. The remaining 10 per cent - socks, leggings, jeans - are manufactured in Morocco and Tunisia, but the same long-established expertise and processes are duplicated at these outposts, ensuring the high quality that the Troyes stalwarts are so proud of.
The Troyes factory is a little way out of the town centre, and unlike the huge mills of the north of England, this plant is a collection of small- and medium-sized buildings. Every week 35 tons of fabric are woven in the knitting rooms - stripes are everywhere - before being washed, dyed and dried at 140C for maximum shrinkage. Then begins a rigorous quality-control process. These procedures have been used here for decades, and attention to detail and obsession with perfection are evident throughout. In the cutting and sewing rooms, the largest of the factory, highly trained pattern cutters and seamstresses are working on the spring/summer 2014 collection. (Take note: bicycle prints are going to be big for your mini-mes next year.) So technically skilled are these ladies - and they are all ladies - that Petit Bateau has even started its own sewing school. With a number of its more senior grande dames coming up to retirement, it was time to get the next generation ready to take the reins. But this is a brand known for its immaculate finishing touches, so with tricky techniques such as picot loop edging and the tiny cocotte stitch (achieved using a sewing machine specially designed by the company in the 1960s) to learn, students are in Petit Bateau college for five years.
It is not surprising that such finely honed garments should have been adopted by grown-ups, too. After Claudia Schiffer wore a Petit Bateau children's T-shirt on the catwalk for Karl Lagerfeld in 1994, inspiring thousands of women to do the same, the brand began making adult-sized clothes to fill the now-obvious gap in the market. This year the expansion into full adult collections has been taken further following the appointment of the Maison Kitsuné designers Gildas Loaëc and Masaya Kuroki as the creative heads of the adult lines. 'I chose Kitsuné because they love Petit Bateau,' Pergament says, 'and because their style is very compatible with ours. And they know how to speak to the younger generation.' Kitsuné, which first collaborated with Petit Bateau on a capsule collection featuring a signature heart-shaped marine knot in 2009, was originally a Paris record label, with artists such as Digitalism, Mark Ronson and Two Door Cinema Club on its roster. 'We are a unique label having these two activities under the same umbrella,' Kuroki says. 'The emotion and dynamic of the Kitsuné music label provides a good tempo for our clothing lines.' He describes the Kitsuné aesthetic as 'everyday chic, pop and fresh', and the aim is to bring this element of street cool to the hitherto more conventional Petit Bateau.
Images from Petit Bateau's autumn winter 13 collection. Photo: Stéphane Remael.
So how will this pursuit of the new and edgy affect the old ways of life at Troyes? 'Petit Bateau is the number one brand in France, everyone has respect for their knowledge and quality products,' Kuroki says. 'One of our roles is to push their manufacturing process that little bit further, to create pieces that are up to date and on trend.'
Shoppers can judge the success of the Kitsuné influence when the first full collection arrives in stores this autumn - 'Lots of stripes as well as different shapes and volumes,' Kuroki says. There is a good dose of the traditional navy, red and yellow of Petit Bateau, but cashmere knits, a striped hoodie, tiny shorts and a lust-worthy cropped three-toggle duffel coat bring them into 2013. Next summer Loaëc and Kuroki are upping the ante with super-bright primary colours, playsuits, drop-waist T-shirt dresses, playful pineapple prints and stylish sweats - sort of sports luxe meets preppy, with a dash of good oldfashioned Parisienne elegance thrown in.
Pergament, who joined Petit Bateau from Prada in 2010, is respectful of its heritage but wants to push it into the future. 'I want to keep the very high level of quality and the strong industrial culture we have, but bring design and the aesthetic back to the centre of the company,' he says. 'It's a different mindset and a big challenge.' A recent collaboration with the ultra-chic French design house Carven in 2012 created a small collection of pieces that perfectly combined the quality fabrics of Petit Bateau with the sophistication of Carven. Figure-hugging dresses in grey and red, striped bodysuits and detachable collars made for wearable and desirable collector's items.
A member of staff at Petit Bateau's factory in Troyes. This photograph was among those exhibited around the town to mark the company's 120th anniversary.
Now, in addition to bringing Loaëc and Kuroki on board, the company is involved with the Grand Prix du Jury Première Vision at the Hyères International Festival of Fashion and Photography.
The prestigious award comes with €15,000 and the opportunity to work with Petit Bateau. This year's winner was Satu Maaranen from Finland, whose designs for the brand will be displayed at next year's festival and will be available in stores next May. It is hard to see the connection between Maaranen, who uses sand and sawdust in her fabrics, and the restrained, simple appeal of a Petit Bateau T-shirt, but Pergament is enthusiastic. 'She was absolutely amazing,' he says, 'the colours, the dresses - we were all fascinated by her and very happy that she won.'
And what of the legendary Breton top, or marinière as the French call it? What will become of this staple? Kuroki says they are working on some lighter versions and have already created dresses and cute padded anoraks with the famous stripe. 'When people think of Petit Bateau, they think of the marinière Pergament says. 'It is iconic because of the quality and attention we put into it, but we also want to develop the line. Satu Maaranen wants to do the stripe like waves - it's about playing with it.'
As with most historic brands, the evolution of Petit Bateau is reliant on a delicate balance between old and new - holding on to the best of the past while creating something covetable for now. Though the changes taking place in this 120th year are substantial, the heart of the company is still very much beating in Troyes and its devoted workers. As Pergament puts it, 'We have an expression - Petit Bateau is 50 per cent love and 50 per cent cotton.'


text:
If you are a family Alzheimer's caregiver in Ft. Lauderdale, then you may be feeling guilty about taking care of yourself as it takes away time from your responsibilities. You might also feel guilty for being impatient with your loved one or your duties. Understand that you cannot be an effective caregiver if you do not take care of yourself first. Here's how you can squash these natural feelings of guilt.
Live in the Moment
One of the most effective things that you can do is to live in the moment. While you may be tempted to try to multitask, try choosing one activity and doing it purposefully with deliberate actions instead of trying to rush. Set priorities eliminating those things that don't fit your needs at the moment. Understand that it is okay if everything in your house is not perfect. Sit down and rest for at least five minutes and choose to do absolutely nothing. Savor each moment and let it ease your unrest.
Living in the moment will feel strange at first. Therefore, many people find it helpful to write in a journal. In addition to living in the moment, many Alzheimer's caregivers find this is a wonderful outlet for their emotions. If you are feeling caregiver's guilt, then write down the reasons that you are feeling that way. People find that writing down their emotions and thoughts helps them come up with new ways to handle stressful situations.
Get Support
There are many different ways that you can get support, but the hardest step is usually admitting that you need help. Start by talking to your family and friends about the way that you are feeling. Many people feel better after they share how they are feeling aloud to another person. Do not overlook the power that can be found in joining online support groups for caregivers where they often find that others are experiencing the same emotions.
Consider Different Levels of Care
Realize that you may need to change the level of care for your loved one. You may want to consider respite care to give you some time away. Working with a Ft. Lauderdale in-home care provider is the right solution for families who need a break from caregiving but want peace of mind knowing their loved ones are looked after in the safety and comfort of home.
Turn to Home Care Assistance today to have a trusted Care Manager customize a unique care plan for your loved one. In addition to Alzheimer's home care, we provide flexible dementia and stroke home care Ft. Lauderdale family caregivers need to focus on their own wellbeing while knowing their loved ones' needs are met. Call (954) 909-0370 today to set up a free consultation for your loved one.


text:
Forklift blue light 12-96V 01291296 UL listed
Intella's 01291296 BlueSpot ?� is UL Listed The innovative blue spot light helps avoid forklift/pedestrian accidents. Improve forklift pedestrian safety awareness. In the USA alone, there are 19,000 forklift/pedestrian accidents each year. Sure backup alarms are effective, but what happens when employees are listening to music, talking on cell phones, or staring at the ground? If you're researching blue spots, you've come to the right website. Since 2012 we've sold more blue lights than anyone in the USA. Since we've been selling the blue light for forklifts since 2012, we received a ton of feedback from customers on what they liked and disliked about the blue light. We took this feedback and incorporated their suggestions into our current version of the blue safety light. Exclusive to Intella Liftparts, this light is an improvement over others in several important ways: - 9-96 volts DC You can use this light on virtually any lift truck both electric, LPG, or diesel powered. - no special plug required comes with 12" cable - sturdy metal construction - 2.5 pounds Forklift lights take a beating! our light was designed for the toughest environments. You don't want to have to replace your blue lights after one year because they couldn't hold up in your environment. Our light can handle the toughest environments! Other lights are made from light duty metal or plastic. Compare the weights before you buy! - stainless mount + M12 lock nut Stainless hardware lasts longer and resists corrosion and rust. - 12 month warranty - Specification sheet Why is the UL Listing important? Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is a safety certification company . If your forklift has this safety certifcation, you'll find the UL logo stamped somewhere on your forklift like these examples . If you install a non-UL listed blue light on a UL listed forklift, you may void the UL listing. Our UL file number is AU6313. The basic standard used to investigate products in this category is UL 583 , "Electric-Battery-Powered Industrial Trucks." Our bluespot is suitable for lift trucks with the UL583 designation. Other specifications: - Long life LED (greater than 20,000 hour life expectancy) - IP67 rated (suitable for power washing) - part number 01291296 Replaces Safe-lite SAFELITE-C 3172 - Other part numbers and references 582033120 4629729 8814489 3116925 4049504 4079306 340081 550051276 582032438 0009740804 L0009740804 T9A988005 Safelite 770BLU 000.974.08.04 Safe-Lite 000.974.08.21 EW2000B 10r-04 e9 1138 Forklift spotter - Oval 6" width x 3.62" depth x 4.04" height - aluminum housing, made in Taiwan - UL listed (beware of other blue forklift lights that aren't UL listed) More blue forklift light specifications here Got more questions? Many questions can be answered by checking out our FAQ For even more pedestrian protection scroll down to learn about our new Zonesafe system! Or click here
Part supplied is an aftermarket item.
Watch Our Videos
Product Reviews


text:
Germany; the country that brings up memories of Nazis, Der Führer, WWII. Agony from dictatorship turned into the biggest war in history.
Unfortunately, this has left a black mark, that isn't easy to scrub off. However, this land has many great cities and their inhabitants have worked long and hard to prove their successes and leave the shadowing judgment for a place in the spotlight.
Berlin is very popular and has made its way into every Europe top-10 thinkable. For good reason, as I also discussed in my previous chapter of Based in a Suitcase. But how about Hamburg? Frankfurt? Cologne or Munich?
I was lucky enough to book work in all of the above over the years, as well as visiting my best friend David, who was temporarily living in each and every one of them. Rarely has a place ever exceeded my expectations as much as Munich. It's the home of overpowering amounts of green, a hub for classical music and an incredible spot for urban surfing. These are qualities the city is widely known for, but not celebrated enough. I'd like to leave an impression of my time spent in awe as I can wholeheartedly say this is one of my favorite places to spend a day or two.
#1: Das Goldene Bar
Did anyone say Nazi's?
Well, yes. Das Goldene Bar is located in the Haus der Kunst, built by the Third Reich's leader in 1937. It was home to the creations of artists loved by the art critic manqué, not far from his own four-story residence.
To not allow this block of granite to become a white elephant, Haus der Kunst now houses an ever changing collection and serves the grand public the best Rueben sandwich straight from an establishment adorned with world maps, depicting spirit heritages and tobacco routes, renovated in 2010. Their team consists of well dressed and character carrying individuals who recommend drinks with a savoir faire that reaches impeccability, though this place is far from incapable of sin. Their homemade absinthe will have you speaking in tongues in no-time while your chorizo holding potato soup is on its way to heat up your soul and calm your appetite.
#2: Munic Eyewear
Scratch the H and you'll find the brand that dedicated its name to its birthplace and are my helper in need when it comes to focus. Especially when trying to write when the sun is out or trying to jump on an inflatable unicorn (champagne problems I admit, but still). By no means am I blind without my glasses, as my main issue is Astigmatism, a refractive error first reported by Thomas Young in 1801, but the written word is important to me and what I can't see correctly, I cannot write to be read. On my latest trip to the Bavarian capital, I visited Munic's HQ and was greeted with a pair of customized frames for my mom, who had been telling me how obsessed she was with my sunnies. Granted, it's hard for us small headed people to find fitting glasses, so clearly I was on a mission. When I entered the office, I had an immediate peek into the new collection, carrying gold frames and clip-ons. No doubt I'll be making a return trip to pick up some new pairs early 2018.
#3: Spatenhaus
Everything one can know about this place is true; they brew their own beer, their decor is the true to it's kind and makes one feel like they're in a proper Opera-district places establishment and their Bavarian cuisine hits the spot. They have a private dining room upstairs if you want to get cozy with some friends or have a formal business meal with a family style touch. For vegetarians, this two menu-carrying Kuffler restaurant isn't top choice as for many dishes the chef has embraced the wishes of a carnivore. So if you like your sausages and fish-filled plates this place will rock your world. I'm a fan.


text:
If you have a website project that needs to be built right away, send us a request for a quote and attach the design files, sitemap and functionality that you want on the site. We will get back to you within one business day with a quote.
If you are looking to hire a full-time WordPress developer, you can send us the requirements for their skill set and we will provide candidates that fit that profile.
If you want us to also do the designs, here are the things we need to put together a design proposal for a website:
1) Logo as a vector file
2) Site map
3) Images that will be used (the bigger the better)
4) Approximate wireframe of a home page
5) Samples of designs the client likes (other websites)
6) General description of what should be on the site
As a project-based partner, you will primarily communicate with your personal account manager. The AM will learn your preferences, collect your specifications for new projects, prepare you quotes and make sure your projects get delivered on time. If you want to, you may also communicate directly with the developer that works on your project, e.g. via a Glip or live chat.
As a partner with a dedicated developer, you will have all the day-to-day communication directly with your developer. You will also have an account manager that you can contact for matters regarding your partnership plan, payment, feedback on the developer's work and requests for adding more developers to your team.
Development team: 12am – 10pm EST (10am – 8pm GMT+6, Dhaka)
Sales & Account Managers: 12am – 4pm EST
Our office phone: 12am – 4pm EST
No. We work with clients on a single project as well, but most of our clients are agency owner.
For the web UX we prefer Photoshop PSD file, but for the logo, Illustrator AI file will serve better.
Yes we do for a monthly fraction of a cost
During the development process, our Quality Assurance (QA) team provides an extra surveillance to ensure quality service is delivered to you. Before delivery, you will get a chance to review the site on our feedback server, and we will correct any alteration from the project brief at no additional cost. If you have additional requests at this stage, we will do our best to fit it into our development schedule and reserve the right to re-quote if we estimate it to take more than a couple of hours to fix.
After you have acknowledged that the site is ready and we have delivered it to you, we offer a 14-days free bug-fixing.
Yes, but we prefer WordPress. Because we want to deliver our best quality to you using our best skills.
We accept payments using:
- Credit card
- Wire Transfer ( Services like Xoom, Moneygram or Western Union also acceptable)
- Or Paypal
For Project-Based, we set the prices based on hours needed for development. It's included in our WordPress Development Standards to provide an easy-to-use dashboard, Yoast plugin for SEO, security features and much more. You don't just get the bare minimum, but a site that you're proud to deliver to your clients.
P.S. The time spent preparing the brief, working on feedbacks and performing quality assurance, are all included for free.
For Full-Time Rental WordPress Developer, you get access to a full-time developer that you manage as a remote team member. We provide the software, hardware and office equipments they need to be comfortable and productive, and you provide them with instructions on what to work on.
We usually deliver a project for your feedback within 3-15 business days, but it varies depending on the complexity of the project. Make sure you include some extra time for feedback when you pitch deadlines to your clients. If you want to do some tweaks which wasn't included in the final brief, it can extend the development time depending on the type of request.
Here is a timeline showing the development process. This timeline shows only "build only" WordPress projects and doesn't include design time. If you also want to us to do the design, add at least another week to the project timeline.
- We review your provided PSD file(s) and provide a quote within 1 business day.
- After getting your approval with a deposit to start the project, we add the project to our development queue and add you to our project management app. This means we will start the project within 1-3 days and keep you posted. If any premium themes or plugins are required, You will purchase them and make them available to us at this point.
- Developers work on the project until it is ready for initial QA review. This is anywhere from 2-10 days (or more depending upon project duration) from the start of the project. This time estimate is detailed in the quote.
- Our QA team reviews the site within 1 business day.
- If fixes are needed, the developer makes them ASAP before sending the site to you for review.
- You provide your feedback, and the designated developer makes fixes/edits as needed.
- The QA team performs another round of QA to verify fixes were made per your feedback.
- Once you approve the site and ask us to move the site project to production server, we will transfer the site live on your hosting environment.
If you decide to cancel your plan before we start working on the project, you will receive your money back; otherwise, we reserve the right to charge you for the scope of work we have done at that point.


text:
To help mark UEFA's Jubilee in 2004, each national association was asked to nominate its most outstanding player of the past 50 years. Spain chose Alfredo Di Stéfano as their Golden Player.
Alfredo Di Stéfano was the original 'total footballer' and the greatest player of his era, his superb skills, incredible goals and remarkable selflessness proving key factors in Real Madrid CF's golden years of the 1950s and 1960s.
The Argentinian-born Spanish international was an inspirational figure as Madrid emerged as Europe's top club and won eight league titles in Spain. Di Stéfano played and scored in the first five European Champion Clubs' Cup finals as the Merengues dominated the competition's formative years.
Di Stéfano was born on 4 July 1926 in the Barracas district of Buenos Aires. He was the oldest of three brothers from a family of farmers and, by the age of 13, had joined CA River Plate's youth team. Years later his first coach, Carlos Peucelle, recalled: "I had never seen a player with such physical strength and determination. No one improved as quickly."
Determination was a constant theme throughout Di Stéfano's life. After he was kept out of the River first team by Adolfo Pedernera, Di Stéfano's father insisted his son should be given the chance to display his talent. The result was a loan to CA Huracán, where Di Stéfano excelled in 1946.
The following season he was back at River and, following the sale of Pedernera, became part of a famous forward line alongside Juan Carlos Muñoz, José Manual Moreno, Ángel Labruna and Félix Loustau. Alternatively nicknamed 'The German' – because of his blond hair – and 'The Blond Arrow', Di Stéfano introduced the back-heel to a wide audience, and such invention prompted one of the forward's idols, the aforementioned Moreno, to tell him: "You'll be great one day, son, but don't expect it to be easy."
In Di Stéfano's last game for River Plate he scored twice against CA San Lorenzo de Almagro and departed with the fans' chants ringing in his ears. A strike among Argentinian players took him to Columbia's CD Millonarios Bogotá, where his artistic skills soon earned him a new nickname, 'The Blue Dancer'.
In 1952, he played in Real Madrid's old Chamartín Stadium in a match organised to celebrate the club's 50th anniversary and, with his talents immediately apparent, enchanted the Madrid crowd. On 26 September 1953, after a legal dispute with FC Barcelona who also claimed his services, Di Stéfano signed for Madrid, with the Catalan club rejecting a proposal that would have seen Di Stéfano spending half the season with each club.
As a result, Barça saw their long period of dominance come to an end, with Di Stéfano helping Madrid become practically unbeatable. They won the league in his first season and added seven more titles between 1955 and 1964, completing a domestic double in 1961/62. Madrid's crowning glories, however, came in continental competition as the club claimed the first five editions of the European Cup in spectacular fashion. Di Stéfano scored in all five finals, most famously a hat-trick in the 7-3 success against Eintracht Frankfurt in May 1960.
Di Stéfano was granted Spanish nationality in 1956 and played 31 times for his adopted country, scoring 23 goals. He may have been an introvert, but even alongside arguably more technically-gifted players such as Raymond Kopa and Ferenc Puskás, Di Stéfano was the star that shone brightest in Madrid's galaxy of superstars.
Di Stéfano, who later led Valencia CF to the Spanish title and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup as a coach, became Madrid's honorary president in 2000 and in 2008 received the first UEFA President's Award from Michel Platini. "A great among greats," is how Platini described Di Stéfano as he presented him with the honour and thanked him for bringing "the rhythm of the Argentine tango to European football".
Recalling watching black-and-white images of Di Stéfano's golden years, the UEFA President added: "Alfredo Di Stéfano, you personified the best of world football over two decades – a god of the stadium, a magician of the ball, a perfect football master. You invented modern football on our TV screens."
Last updated: 19 January 2011
©UEFA.com 1998-2017. All rights reserved.


text:
If you're going to be a H.O.G.® member, you ought to make the most of it. To do that, you need to know how things function - knowledge is power, after all. Wouldn't it be great if you could put all of the most important information from the hog.com Web site into a compact, easy-to-carry form?
We're way ahead of you. Included with every membership is your very own H.O.G. Benefits Guide. Its compact pages contain everything you "gotta know before you go", including details about the various programs and benefits, and how to renew your membership. If you have questions about H.O.G., this booklet has the answers.
The H.O.G. Benefits Guide: Read it, learn it, live it.
H.O.G. Europe Gallery
To find out what is happening around the UK, Ireland and Europe, why not visit the H.O.G. Gallery online by clicking here. Have a look at videos & photographs, check events & rallies and keep up to date with the latest news!


text:
Bluestem Capital Company's most common sectors for investment are software (22%) and information technology (15%). The Firm's most common investment types include venture (50%) and growth capital (29%). In total, Bluestem Capital Company has invested in 9 US states. Its largest (disclosed) acquisition occurred in 1999 when it acquired OneMind Connect for $14M.
In the last 3 years, Bluestem Capital Company has exited 1 company. The Firm's most common exit type is trade sale (100%). Bluestem Capital Company's largest (disclosed) exit occurred in 2018 when it sold SpringCM for $220M.
Join Mergr to view Bluestem Capital Company's full profile and discover more small private equity firms just like it.
101 S Phillips Avenue, Suite 501,
Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57104
United States,
Bluestem Capital Company LLC is a private equity firm focused on 'bread and butter' (basic industry) investment opportunities in the Midwest US. Sectors of interest include energy, real estate, leisure, manufacturing, business products, business services, and consumer products. Bluestem will invests in the range of $0.5 to 3 million per transaction. not invest in start-ups or turnaround situations. Bluestem Capital Partners was formed in 1989 and is based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Private Equity
Join Mergr to view the latest updates and news from Sioux Falls-based Bluestem Capital Company.
We built Mergr to save people the arduous and time-consuming process of tracking when companies are bought, sold, and who currently owns them.
Every day, new opportunities emerge around M&A and we help professionals of all types comb through transactions, investors, and corporate acquirers via an easy-to-use web database that is accessible to anyone.
Try us for 1 week free today!
No obligation. Cancel anytime.


text:
Grandeur Of The Seas
From winter escapes and changing seasons at sea to the tropic's most exotic shores, Grandeur of the Seas is the ultimate east coast adventure, sailing from Baltimore. It's the perfect blend of unique experiences onboard and unbelievable shores, like the exotic Southern Caribbean, Canada's picturesque ports and New England's iconic coastlines.
Onboard Activities
Rock Climbing Wall
The view alone is worth every step. Climb forty feet above deck on the signature Rock Climbing Wall, where everyone from beginners to speed climbers can strap in and go vertical. With no reservation required at this complimentary activity, you could visit the view again and again.
Sushi Making Class
Learn how to prepare your own Far East feast during a sushi-making class at Izumi, where our chefs will walk you through the basics of creating a hand-rolled sushi lunch. Once you've mastered the skills, it's time to dig in.Others:
Onboard Dining
Chops Grille
For more than a decade, the chefs of Chops Grille have proudly presented quality, hand cut steaks at this hallmark Royal Caribbean restaurant. Now, they give you a fresh twist on a favorite, with a revamped menu that brings contemporary flair to traditional steakhouse offerings. Most intriguing: our exceptional prime meat. This prime beef is joined by Maine lobster, veal parmesan, grilled branzino and other succulent dishes paired with addictive sides and irresistible desserts.
Giovanni's Table
Rustic Italian dishes are served with contemporary flair at Giovanni's Table, a Royal Caribbean favorite offering indoor and al fresco seating. This casual trattoria serves up a seemingly endless selection of Italian classics, like Gnocchi Al Gorgonzola, Melanzane alla Parmigiana, Risotto, Bolognese and much more. From the mouth-watering fresh pastas to the carefully braised meats and stews, you can tour all of Italy without ever leaving the ship.
Chef's Table
If you enjoy gourmet fare paired with the finest of wines, then dining at Chef's Table is an absolute must. Located in an intimate, exclusive spot onboard, this private epicurean experience for a limited number of guests treats you to a five-course, upgraded menu and wine tasting. Dinner at Chef's Table is both experiential and educational, as the Chef de Cuisine specially prepares and presents each course, while explaining its cooking techniques, ingredients and flavors. Then a sommelier pairs every course with wine chosen to enhance your enjoyment of the dish.
Main Dining
Sweeping, multi-level ambience, world-class cuisine and the most attentive staff at sea. Our main dining room serves exceptional, multi-course meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Enjoy a new dinner menu each evening in an elegant setting, with extraordinary personal service from your dedicated wait staff. Main Dining Room offers reservations for My Time Dining, giving more flexible options for you to book or Traditional dining, which secures the same seating and table every evening.
*Additional charges apply for specialty dining venues and ice cream. Specialty beverages, beer, wine and soda are charged separately and are offered at current bar menu prices.
Other Dining Options:
Bars & Nightlife
Suite Lounge
It's serenity with a twist of lime. Reserved exclusively for guests of Grand Suite-level accommodations and above, the Suite Lounge presents complimentary continental breakfast and evening drinks. So from croissants to Cosmos, we've got your cravings covered.
R Bar
Distinct, sophisticated and retro, R Bar serves up classic cocktails garnished with vintage vibe. Whether your drink of choice is a dry gin martini, an Old Fashioned, or even a specialty drink.Others:
|carnival | celebrity | costa | crystal | cunard | disney | holland america | ncl | royal caribbean | princess | cruise west Majestic America | MSC | oceania | orient | regent | seabourn | sea dream | silversea | star clippers | viking river | windjammer | windstar
|Copyright � 2005, Cruiserewards.com * Sterling Cruises Inc. Fla. Seller of Cruise Travel Reg. ST-17376 * Toll Free (800) 435.7967
Cruise Specialist Toll Free: (800) 435-7967 | Phone: (305) 592-2522 | Fax: (305) 592-7442
Site Map | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | About Us | Contact Us


text:
The 10/40 Window is located between 10 degrees and 40 degrees north latitude. The term was coined by Christian missionary strategist Luis Bush in 1990 to help identify the area of the world least reached by the gospel story.
The 10/40 Window, which embraces nearly 70 countries, is a challenging region. Predominant religions include Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. There's a large nonreligious block too.
Many of the countries have multiple languages and dialects. Poverty and illiteracy are ways of life for the majority. And yet here a person often can be won for Jesus for less than the cost of a pizza.


text:
I'm coming out of my normal hiding place to make a few comments.
The internet is a strange place. It is often a wonderful place, a helpful place, a unifying place. But it is also alienating, cold, and is the perfect medium in which to depersonalize others.
Through it, I have seen people reach out to help strangers in need, to offer prayers and kind thoughts to ailing friends of friends. And through it, I have likewise seen ever surprising cruelty that goes beyond rudeness, venturing into the ugly and hateful.
I find it so interesting to read Facebook and Twitter updates, because people use their freedom of speech to emote about all manner of things. Among my friends and acquaintances are political conservatives, moderates, and liberals. They are Christian, decidedly not Christian, and decidedly undecided. Full quiver, no quiver, vegan and meat loving, school teachers and home educators, people from every era and corner of my life are represented there.
I do not always agree with their comments.
I do not always agree with their lifestyle choices.
I do not always agree with the ballots that they cast.
But I will never elevate my own desire to be "right" over your desire to just be.
No matter how eloquently I may speak, without love, I am a clanging cymbal. And so, my mission is to be encouraging and loving in every online interaction.
Why is it so much easier for some people to be charitable face to face than it is for them to be that way in the anonymous blogosphere? I understand that when a person creates a blog, he or she invites a certain level of public scrutiny and criticism. But why does the very semblance of human decency cease to exist when one is hiding behind a pseudonym? If I were your neighbor, your co-worker, your high school honey, would you feel quite so comfortable calling me an idiot and taking joy in my suffering? And would I deserve such contempt simply because I dare to disagree with your political leanings?
There can be peace, even among those who must agree to disagree. This is not some wishy-washy surrender to moral relativism, but a real desire to live at peace with all people, as much as it depends on me.
- Related Topics
- Human Interest
- Personal stuff


text:
Key Publications
Position Rhino on Horn Trade – March 2017
Download the Position Paper: Expression of Concern on the Draft Regulations for the Domestic Trade in Rhinoceros Horn or a Part, Product, or Derivative of Rhinoceros Horn. March 9, 2017
CITES CoP17 Related Documents
Download the Report: African and Asian Rhinoceroses – Status, Conservation, and Trade – A report from the IUCN Species Survival Commission (IUCN SSC) African and Asian Rhino Specialist Groups and TRAFFIC to the CITES Secretariat pursuant to Resolution Conf. 9.14 (Rev. CoP15)
Rhino Resource Center
Rhino Husbandry Manual
Rhino Tissue Protocols
Indian Rhino Vision 2020


text:
1) Haute Hippie Sequined Silk-Chiffon wrap mini-skirt €431,45
I love the nude waistband and the fact that it's silver colored sequin so much! Can see myself wearing it with a casual maybe printed T, a black blazer and some killer heels!
2) 3.1 Phillip Lim sequined silk-chiffon blouse €680,58
Would wear this with some old, destroyed jeans, tossled hair and red pumps :)
3) Marchesa Embellished Silk Dress €4229,31
There is not much I can say about this dress, apart from I love the fringes, Love the sequin, Love the waistcord, LOVE THAT DRESS!
4) Anna Sui Silk-tulle Sequin embellished dress €663,26
A simple shaped dress but with an amazing scalloped bottom! <3
5) Isabel Marant Folco Sequin Embellished leggings €1485
Imagine this sequin beauty with some black platform heels, a simple white V-neck T, a strong black blazer and some red lips! Maybe just a necklace to top it off but that would be my perfect holiday outfit :)
What do you think about these sparkly pieces, something to crave?
Love, Daphne


text:
Small Outdoor Sectional Sofa
Small outdoor sectional can add seating to a outdoor in addition to making a look bigger or more elegant. These sofas can actually use less space than a traditional couch and loveseat set, which typically seats around five people, while accommodating six or even seven people. Additionally, particulate sofas can add a sense of warmth and comfort to your home, whether you're home decor or updating your current furniture. Just a few steps can help you choose the right small outdoor sectional sofa for your needs.
Determine how much you want to spend on your sofa section. When shopping for a sofa section, stick to your budget. Measure the area where you want to place on the couch to determine the maximum size of furniture you can buy. Knowing the right dimensions for your new sofa will prevent you from choosing a sofa that is too big or less than desirable for your space. Identify potential color palette of your section. The color will take out the tones in your outdoor a source of sectional sofa products and information.
24 Photos Gallery of: Small Outdoor Sectional Sofa
Choose a sofa section style that works best for the size of your space as well as for the feature you want the sofa to have. For example, some party sofas are in two or three parts, while others are in one piece. Although a corner piece can help act as an anchor for the layout of the furniture in your patio, an incision without a corner piece can actually help your room appear bigger. You can also choose from sectionals that are either C-shaped or L-shaped, and some sectionals have rounded edges while others have corners.
Choose a fabric and design for your sofa section that fits your space aesthetically and be able to handle the amount of activity you expect your couch to receive. For example, if your couch will be used frequently, choose a leather sectional couch, which will be more durable. In addition, if you have a smaller space, choose less printed patterns for your outfit pattern, which will prevent the room from looking messy.
Choose which pillow style fits your taste and the appearance of your room. For example, pillows on a sofa section usually out either attached to the sofa or loose. Identify if you want the couch sections to appear modern or traditional, and choose what kind of wood you want your sofa frame to be. Although hardwood frames are much more durable and long lasting, softer numbers are cheaper.


text:
A veteran Livermore police officer who was under investigation for allegedly being tied to a growing sex abuse scandal has resigned from the department, Livermore Police Chief Michael Harris said Thursday.
The sex abuse scandal involves more than a dozen officers throughout the Bay Area.
The Livermore Police Department's investigation concluded last week, Harris said, who would not discuss further details of the investigation.
"This incident does not accurately reflect the professionalism of the men and women of the Livermore Police Department who protect our community every day," Harris said in a statement. "Now that this matter has reached a conclusion, we will move forward and continue to serve with honor and protect with purpose. I would like to thank our community for their continued support and patience as we completed this investigation."
The officer, who was placed on administrative leave on June 14, was notified of the investigation's findings last week and submitted his resignation this week, Harris said.
The 19-year-old woman at the center of the sex abuse scandal, Celeste Guap, said she has had sex with more than a dozen police officers throughout the Bay Area, which prompted the investigation. She has said some of those encounters took place when she was underage.
On Wednesday, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf announced four Oakland police officers have been fired following a nearly year-long investigation into the sex abuse scandal. Seven other officers will be suspended without pay and an additional cop will receive counseling and training, Schaaf said.
Over the summer, three Oakland police chiefs stepped down, or were told to step down from their posts, amid the sex abuse scandal.
The sex abuse scandal started to unfold last September when Oakland police began investigating the suicide of one of its officers.
The scandal has also touched the sheriff's offices in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, San Francisco police, the Alameda County District Attorney's Office and the Defense Logistics Agency, a branch of the Department of Defense.
Investigators are looking into whether the law enforcement officers had sexual relationships with Guap.
The San Francisco Police Department on Thursday said its investigations is still active and ongoing.
Last week, Guap was arrested for aggravated battery after she allegedly attacked a security officer at a voluntary rehab facility in Florida, according to an arrest report.
Two well-known civil rights attorneys from the Bay Area are in Florida trying to secure her release.
The Alameda County District Attorney is expected to announce a decision Friday afternoon on possible charges in the sex abuse scandal.
Bay City News contributed to this report.


text:
The photo shows the (11th (Hull) Heavy Battery in East Africa. They were formed from the 1st Hull Heavy Battery in 1916. They had trained with 11th (Northern) Division, but left the Division in June 1915 to join 30th Division. In February 1916 they transferred to 38th Brigade RGA and were deployed in the East African Campaign, arriving at Kilindini on the 16th of March 1916. In a largely forgotten campaign in a forgotten theatre, the 11th Hull Heavy Battery arrived at Kondoa Irangi in German East Africa to support General J. L. Van DeVenter's South African 2nd Division who had become beleaguered there. The 11th Hull Heavy Battery were led by Captain Orde Brown to relieve Van Deventer's forces at Kondoa.
Today we remember the lads from Hull in their epic traverse of the Massai Steppe from Himo Bridge Camp, ridden with disease and weakened by hardship taking 17 days to trek the 200 miles from Himo to Kondoa. They took up position on Battery Hill at Kondoa on the night of 3rd June 1916. Their timely arrival opposed the German East African forces led by General Von Lettow Vorbeck.
In addition, Hull recruited 3 Heavy Batteries of Artillery. These were
- The East Riding Royal Garrison Artillery, was formed by Lt Col, Robert Hall to defend the City and Humber Estuary. It was based at Spurn Point.
- The East Riding Fortress Engineers, was formed and commanded by Lt Col E M Newell.
- The 2nd Northumbrian Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, was led by Lt Col, J B Moss, DSO. It was formed in Hull in April 1916. In August 1917 it was converted into 8th Battalion of Royal Defence Corps.
Hull also formed its own 32nd Divisional Ammunition Column, from members of the City Police Force and Tramways. This was commanded by Lt Col, James Walker. The original artillery of the 32nd Division moved to France to join the 31st Division on 8 December 1915.
First part of six sections of a recording of a long interview with L.J. Ounsworth, Royal Artillery (interviewer unknown). Length 30 mins approx, includes: training at Hedon Race Course, Hull after joining up as a signaller. They completed two years of peace time cavalry training within six months. Continues directly into the second part.


text:
World Science Scholars identifies and selects a small group of high school sophomores and juniors worldwide who have demonstrated extraordinary mathematical talent and provides them with a unique opportunity to grapple with challenging ideas and explore new disciplines in which to apply their abilities. In the process, students expand their perspectives, and new pathways open along which their genius can flourish, facilitating their potential to spark revolutionary breakthroughs.
The program fosters and sustains a vibrant community of exceptionally talented math students, esteemed professors, dedicated teaching fellows, and dynamic local mentors. This accomplished group is connected in-person at the annual World Science Festival in New York City and digitally through a robust social learning platform featuring interactive online courses, as well as riveting lectures and live sessions by leading scientists.
Applications are now being accepted for the 2020 cohort from students who:
– Are high school sophomores or juniors (ages 15-17) during the 2020-2021 school year
– Demonstrate exceptional mathematical ability
– Are highly motivated and interested to learn outside the formal school setting
– Can understand and communicate complex mathematical and scientific ideas in English
– Have access to a computer with good internet connectivity
All three forms – Student Application Form, Parent/Guardian Recommendation Form, and Teacher/Mentor Recommendation Form – must be completed and submitted online before any student will be considered. Completed applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the cohort is full, with priority given to forms received by 4:59 pm EST on February 28, 2020. Completed applications received after this date may be considered for a future cohort.
– Subscribe to join the World Science Festival Mailing List
– Follow the World Science Festival on Facebook
– Follow the World Science Festival on Instagram
– Follow the World Science Festival on Twitter
– Subscribe to the World Science Festival YouTube channel
World Science Scholars is made possible through the generous support of a grant from the John Templeton Foundation.


text:
Daughter was named one of the Students of the Month at her soon-to-be-defunct middle school. Parents were invited to see the ceremony, of course, so there I sat Thursday afternoon. Every other child whose parent had managed to make it sat next to their mother and/or father. Every other child. My child sat next to a friend as far away from me as she could manage.
Knowing Daughter as I do, I was not surprised. We nodded and smiled to each other when she first came into the room. Another parent, knowing both of us, came over later and said, "I told Daughter you were back here. She said, 'I know.'"
I know.
Pete was in Seattle, having caught a very early morning flight out of Oakland, so he couldn't be there.
When the ceremony ended, parents were told they could either check their child out and take them home or make them go back to study hall.
It never crossed my mind to send her back in retaliation for the snub.
Going to the office to check her out, I said to the office manager, "I'm taking her but I'll be back in 20 minutes to get Eldest."
"Oh, just take him, too."
The office manager called down to his teacher to say I was there to get him. Moments later, there he was coming down the hall.
As he neared, I smiled, and I could see something change in him. His whole body seemed to collapse and his face, which was unusually white, started to show a tentative, odd-looking smile.
"Hey, they're letting Daughter out early, so I thought I'd get you, too."
He grabbed me by the arm and said, heaving a sigh of relief, "Oh. I was afraid there'd been a plane crash. Even though I knew his flight landed like 8 hours ago, I thought maybe it had been delayed."
Later, he said he was sorry for his reaction.
I told him it was me who was sorry.
I know he is nothing if not my son.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
The Mother and Child Relationship
3 comments:
- Mrs4444 said...
aww....poor kid! That was sweet. Congrats to your daughter!!
- February 5, 2011 at 11:04 AM
- JTS said...
Your kids as different as day and night, just as mine were. Girls seem to have to go thru this stage of asserting their independence from Mom. I assure you that as the years pass she'll come back to you closer than ever. I was much like her, but it never meant for one moment that I didn't love my Mom!
- February 5, 2011 at 9:14 PM
- mayberry said...
Oh wow -- that's really sweet, ultimately! (I mean Eldest, but hey, it's also sweet that you and Daughter accept and understand each other!)
- February 7, 2011 at 6:24 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
The Cover of Life
We shipped the very heavy, very expensive-to-ship box that contains a treasure trove of photos and mementos that my Mom had stored in her ga...
Something is happening in my life right now that I waver between sharing and keeping to myself. And I say I waver only because I'm a firm be...
As an infant, we have the power to induce love and tenderness in the toughest of men and women. As a young child, we have the power to soar ...


text:
"Few winemakers know Western Australia with the intimacy that Rob Bowen does"
– Andrew Jefford – UK.
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
This website is owned and operated by Domaines and Vineyards Pty Ltd. ("Domaines and Vineyards")
By accessing or using our website(s), or by ordering any product from us, you are deemed to have read, understood and agreed to the following Terms of Use, which include our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any of these Terms, you must not use our website(s) or place orders for any products.
You may not order wine, nor have wine delivered to anyone, if you or that person are under 18 years of age at the time of ordering. You must confirm your agreement with this explicitly at the time of ordering.
When you place an order for wine on our website, and you choose online payment as your method of payment, this payment will be processed by a secure online payment gateway. If you fax or post your order to us, your order will be processed directly using other secure methods. Your order will be fulfilled by Domaines and Vineyards from our warehouse, and under normal circumstances will be delivered to your nominated delivery address within 7 to 14 days. Delivery delays may occur as a result of factors out of the control of Domaines and Vineyards, and Domaines and Vineyards is not responsible for any such delays. All transactions are performed in Australian Dollars (AUD).
Privacy Policy
Domaines and Vineyards is dedicated to keeping details you provide us private. Any information, we collect in relation to you, is kept strictly secured. We do not pass on/sell/swap any of your personal details with anyone. We may need to share your personal information with our contracted supplier (or suppliers) of technology services, but this is exclusively for the purposes of them managing our membership database systems and other website related functions. This data is managed strictly in accordance with our Contract with the relevant supplier. We use this information to identify your orders, provide you with our newsletter (if applicable) and to personalise your shopping experience with us.
Domaines and Vineyards uses cookies to allow you to login to your account, maintain a shopping cart and to purchase items in your shopping cart. Cookies sent to your computer from Domaines and Vineyards only last while you're logged in to, or are browsing our website. These cookies expire either when you logout of, or a short time after a period of inactivity on, our website. Cookies also allow us to give you a more personalised shopping experience by displaying information and/or products that may be of interest to you throughout our website, thus providing you with a more friendly, interesting and enjoyable shopping experience. Whenever you use our web site, or any other web site, the computer on which the web pages are stored (the Web server) needs to know the network address of your computer so that it can send the requested web pages to your Internet browser. The unique network address of your computer is called its "IP address", and is sent automatically each time you access any Internet site. From a computer's IP address, it is possible to determine the general geographic location of that computer, but otherwise it is anonymous.
We do not keep a record of the IP addresses from which users access our site except where you have specifically provided us with information about yourself, in which case we also record your IP address for security purposes. An example of this would be when proceeding to a checkout to finalise an order you may wish to make. After completing the form provided, your IP address will be stored along with a transaction number that allows us to track your order. Our servers also record your IP address for security purposes, so that in the event that we are legally required to disclose that information to relevant authorities, we can do so. This is the only situation where your IP address would be shared with anyone.
Domaines and Vineyards may use aggregated historical server data to analyse and improve our website performance, however no personally identifiable information is included in such aggregated data.
Security Policy
When providing or updating personal information, or when purchasing from Domaines and Vineyards, your financial details are protected through a secure server using 128-bit SSL (secure sockets layer) encryption technology. 128-bit SSL encryption is approximated to take at least one trillion years to break, and is the industry standard for secure web transactions. If you have any questions regarding our privacy or security policies, please contact our customer support centre.
Returns Policy & Freight Rates
While you may order less than a full case (12 bottles), the full Case Freight Rate for your delivery postcode will be charged for each 12 bottles (or part thereof). Freight rates vary from time-to-time, and are also a function of your delivery postcode, and are available before you checkout on the website.
Normal delivery lead times are 7 - 14 days, however during busy periods, deliveries can take longer. Please note, we can only ship to addresses within Australia.
Delivery instructions are a guide only and Domaines and Vineyards cannot guarantee that on all deliveries these instructions will be followed. If the customer is not in attendance when a delivery is attempted and no further instructions have been issued by the client, the item or items will be returned to the local depot where they can be collected upon signature. A card will be left in your letter box to advise of the collection point. Items will be held for 7 days. After this time uncollected items will be returned to Domaines and Vineyards. Please note if wine is to be resent to a customer under these circumstances, a further full delivery charge will apply.
Due to Liquor Licence laws, wines cannot not be delivered to, ordered on behalf of, or accepted by person/s under the age of 18 years old.
If for any reason we are unable to fulfill your order (e.g. out of stock) we will notify you within 2 business days to arrange alternative product(s), an alternative delivery time or a full refund.
Customer Service Policy
Domaines and Vineyards is committed to providing exceptional customer service and quality products to our customers. We endeavour to make sure that all products listed on our website are currently in stock and pricing is correct.
Domaines and Vineyards guarantees the quality of all products that are sold and delivered to clients through our online or offline facilities. If the client has valid reasons for return of stock, Domaines and Vineyards will refund the customer/s the total value of the purchase (including delivery charge), providing no more than two (2) bottles have been consumed and the balance of the wine is returned to us. Domaines and Vineyards reserves the right to exchange the products for other item/s of the same value at Domaines and Vineyards's sole discretion. Should the customer have any queries they can contact us on the following details:
Domaines and Vineyards
Level 3, 18 Richardson Street, West Perth WA 6005
Phone: +61 8 6298 6131
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Sharing Economy Income Calculator – How Much Can I Make?
At least on a daily basis, I get asked, "Glenn, what is the sharing economy income potential of X?" To which the answer is always, it depends! Which platforms do you plan on using, how many hours can you dedicate, and where do you live. These are all important factors in these types of calculations.
That said, there are some serious opportunities for sharing economy income. JP Morgan recently released a study where they noted that sharing economy workers were able to cushion their regular paychecks by an additional 15% through the sharing economy. Not too shabby!
So, how much can you potentially earn in the sharing economy? There's now a calculator for that! We've spent months testing, re-testing, and focus grouping extremely scientific…Sorry, I'm totally lying. Two days at my favorite coffee shop and voila, the new Casual Capitalist sharing economy income calculator is ready.
A quick disclaimer about calculating potential sharing economy income. This is a tricky endeavor because it is dependent on where you live, how much time you have, how diligent you are, and many other non-quantitative factors.
Please understand that these are only rough estimations. So don't go out upgrading your life or bring a print-out of this to your mortgage broker.
Have fun with this, and use it as a first step to uncovering what side hustling in the sharing economy can do for your financial situation.
Did we miss a particular sharing economy website? Of course we did, there are 100's out there! Respond in the comments with any websites you would like included and we will do our best to add them in.
Happy calculating everyone!
The Sharing Economy Income Calculator
Interested in any of the above sharing economy websites? Here are specific resources to help you get started:
- Uber: Ride-sharing Fastlane: How To Cash In And Become A Better Uber Driver
- TaskRabbit: How To Cash In and Kill It on TaskRabbit
- Airbnb: How To Rock At Airbnb Hosting For Amazing Cash Flow
- DogVacay and Rover.com: How Hosting Dogs And Cats Can Earn You Easy Cash
- Tutoring: Teach Online Now: Your Cash Guide To Wyzant, Udemy, and More
- Delivery: Part-Time Delivery: How To Make $1000 A Month Delivering Stuff
- WeGoLook: WeGoLook: The Secrets to Amazing Part-Time Sharing Economy Jobs


text:
I just got an e-mail with an interesting graphic from EducationNews.org about how (much) kids consume TV and on how the quality of TV shows can affect children as they grow up.
Check it out after the break.
So here it is:
As a father, I think that it's super important WHAT and HOW MUCH you consume of something. Because you become what you're consuming. It's the same with TV, food, drink and energy in general.
I've subscribed to some really interesting Pay-TV channels, focused on learning and exploring new stuff. So it's mainly documentaries, NationalGeographic, History channels etc. so I'm not tempted to watch the other crap on free TV.
What are your thoughts about it?
Be sure to check out EducationNews.org


text:
workplace culture
Latest Posts
- Why gender equality is important to me - five male perspectives
- The equality4success Alternative Gift Guide 2019
- How scientists are making research outcomes more inclusive
- 8 things we learnt from lunch with Katrin Rittinger
- Practical examples of demonstrating impact in an Athena SWAN application
Same difference? Perceptions of workplace cultureTwo years ago, the Babraham Institute took part in a study exploring how people perceive workplace culture. Jill Armstrong's team from Murray Edwards College, Cambridge recently published the survey outcomes and spoke at the Institute presenting our data from 133 people and how it compares to those consulted from many sectors (5,814 people from academia, STEM industry, and professional services). Strikingly, women and men experience the same culture, yet perceive it very differently. Here we share our results – some encouraging signs, areas to tackle, and how to address these.
Encouraging signs
In the whole dataset of the majority of women (74%) think that the culture of their workplace leads to women encountering more challenges than men in advancing their careers. 42% of men feel that women face these challenges. Comparatively, only 54% of women and 34% of men at the Institute feel that way (see figure top right).
Since our involvement with the Athena SWAN charter in 2013, we've put a range of measures into place to support women's careers. When we ask staff what the main impacts of our equality4success programme are, the most common answers are raising awareness of issues and promoting flexible working. Other successes we are most proud of include the increasing number of women applying for and being successful at promotion, increasing the visibility of role models through our My Life in Science lectures, and making excellent leadership courses available locally. We think these initiatives have helped us to not only level the playing field so that women face fewer obstacles, but also raise men's awareness and understanding of these issues.
The survey also demonstrated what we need to improve: both men and women at the Institute think that double standards are a problem. In fact, almost two thirds of women (64%) at the Institute said they had personally been judged more negatively for behaving in the same way as men in the last 12 months. This is compared to 43% of women in the whole data set. Yet only 16% of men at the Institute perceive this to be an issue for women (see figure bottom right).
Areas to tackle
Areas to tackle
Women were asked if this had happened to them personally and men were asked if they had noticed this happening to female colleagues. Differences also exist in the perception of which other barriers disproportionately affect women at the Institute – women highlighted lack of access to informal networks, while men cited benevolent sexism.
What we plan to do about it
Having reviewed all the data from the study, we have identified a number of key priorities for the Institute moving forward: understanding how double standards manifest in the workplace and developing methods to call out gender bias safely and effectively. Men and women have very different perceptions of workplace culture – we are going to enable open conversations over the coming months in both single and mixed-sex groups to begin to address this and work with staff to determine what actions we can take individually and as an organisation.
We know engaging everyone is critical to the creation of a fair and inclusive workplace; indeed, when men are actively involved in promoting gender parity 96% of organisations show progress, compared with only 30% when they are not so we are also setting up a gender ally group for men where they can learn about issues and discuss tactics for supporting women and encouraging other men to do so as well.
This study identifies a huge gulf between how men and women perceive workplace culture and there's one obvious solution: conversations. It's only through understanding each other better that we can work towards more aligned perceptions and tackle these barriers. So listen, talk, and don't assume everyone feels the same way you do.
26 March, 2019


text:
From: Kathy G.
To: Ed Babinski
Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2003 2:08 PM
Subject: Jesus
I wish there was something profound that I could say to make you change your mind about this man Jesus. I wish you could know him Like I do as a comforter, heavenly father, a friend that I can tell anything to, teacher, answerer of prayers.
You are missing so much without him in your life. My father is 91 years old and loves the Lord. I know that he will be gone before long and it gives me such great peace to know that he is Heaven bound. He always tells me, "the best is yet to come, and that's Heaven."
I truly believe he lived and died for me, and I am so humbled and grateful for that, all I want to do is tell others about his love for them.
I will be praying for you that someday your eyes will be opened and you too will know, as the Bible says, "the peace that passes all understanding."
Kathleen G.
From: Ed Babinski
To: Kathy G.
Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2003 4:03 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: Jesus
Dear Kathleen,
I sincerely appreciate the love with which your email to me was filled.
Robert Ingersoll, America's "great agnostic," used to remark that there were sometimes hundreds of people outside his home praying for his salvation. He didn't mind he said, because it was like a boy holding a girl's hand, it didn't do either of them any harm, so long as the boy didn't squeeze the girl's hand too tightly.
I don't even feel any desire to disagree with you, or try to convince someone such as yourself of anything other than the joy you have found in your present beliefs, just as I wouldn't seek to convince anyone of any religion to leave it if they were wearing it fully, and practicing love as a result.
A mystical friend of mine who used to be a fundamentalist Christian once wrote in LEAVING THE FOLD that religion was like a cloak or clothes that you had to put on fully to see how they fit, and in the end after entering fully into love and also growing to recognize that love in others of other religions, and even in people of no religion, that cloak would grow lighter and lighter until you didn't even realize you were wearing it, but merely that you were a member of all faiths and non-faiths that practiced love.
Gandhi used to say that Christian missionaries shouldn't be trying to get people to leave their major religious faiths to become "Christians," but people should be trying to encourage each other to travel deeper into the heart of love that is found in all religious traditions and holy books. (See the book titled, ONENESS, a small volume, that mentions such verses in all the world's major religious traditions.)
So many faiths that wind and wind,
yet what the world needs most
is just the art of being kind.
Lastly, I am not an atheist, but think there may be something to Near Death Experiences.
Best, Ed
From: Kathy G.
To: Ed Babinski
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2003 3:56 PM
Subject: Near Death Experience
Thank you for your answer to my e-mail. You mentioned near death experiences. A few years ago I worked in an office with ten men. One of these men was a 37 year old by the name of Gene Mose. Gene underwent surgery on his foot in November of that year and as a result he got a very bad staff infection that put him in the hospital for 6 weeks. By January they realized that he had developed a heart problem and they immediately did heart surgery to replace a bad valve. During the surgery his heart stopped three times.
When he came back to work he came to my office one day and said, "Kathy, I want to share something with you. I don't feel I can tell any of the guys my story because they will think I'm nuts, but I know you will believe me." He then told he how when his heart stopped, his spirit rose above his body and he watched the surgeons frantically trying to save him. He said, "Kath, I saw Linda (his wife) sitting in the waiting room, I saw people going up and down the halls, and heard everything that was being said and done to save me. But the best part was the complete feeling of peace and joy and love that surrounded me during that time. I could feel the presence of God all around me and I really didn't care to come back. Noone will ever convince me there isn't life after death." He said, Do you think I'm nuts, Kath?"
I told him of course not. He said, "everything was as real as my sitting here talking to you today, and when they got my heart started my spirit went down until it was back in my body again."
That was in January of that year, and in August he layed down on the couch one night and died. Only 37, but he was ready to meet the Father.
If I had one wish in this life it would be that every person in the world would know beyond a shadow of a doubt what lies beyond this life. I'm sure we'd all live differently.
Sincerely, Kathleen G.
From: Ed Babinski
To: Kathy G.
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2003 4:29 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: Near Death Experience
Thanks, I love hearing about such things. Who is your friend? He should contact Raymond Moody, the author of the bestseller, Life after Life, or Dannion Binkley, author of Saved by the Light (I think that was the title). They are not evangelical Christians, but they collect Near Death stories. Moody has an institute for such things up in North Carolina. Their studies revealled to them that one's religion didn't matter. You could be an evangelical Christian or something completely different, and still feel the love and the recognition that there was life after death. And yes, along with your friend I wish everybody got to experience that kind of happiness in the midst of suffering, pain and death, it would bring a lot of us closer together here on planet earth.
Or on the other hand, perhaps it would also make some of us ignore those who are suffering, since they knew they'd be going to a better place? Hmmm. A wise rabbi was once asked if there was any time in which it was best to think like an atheist, and he said "Yes, there is one time when it is appropriate to think like an atheist, in the giving of charity, since you must not imagine that God is going to right all wrongs and take care of the poor and suffering."
That being said, I still think that if everyone had such an experience as your friend, the planet would be a happier better place, with less fear and tension. Certainly if Irish Catholics and Irish Protestants both had it, along with Muslims and Christians and atheists and agnostics, then people could speak of their shared experience. On the other hand, some fundamentalist Christians and Muslims might still find ways to denounce each other's experience as "fake" or "phoney" or "of the devil." I know there are some fundamentalist Christians like Habermas who co-wrote a book on The Afterlife in which he argued that all of those positive loving and life-changing NDEs that non-evangelical Christians have are all a "delusion" and don't mean those people are going to avoid hell.
Best, Ed


text:
Get The Most From Your Day: Time Management Tips
Technology June 17, 2017
Do you feel as if there is never enough time in the day? Do you find yourself late? This is likely because you have poor time management. Are you feeling stressed out as a result? To better manage life and time better, keep reading. ...Read More


text:
Beginning in September, a series of catastrophic natural disasters struck many communities across the globe.
With the help of generous partners, we were able to distribute over $7 Million in power and light to these communities in need. From Texas to Puerto Rico, Mexico to the Virgin Islands, we've been able to bring light to communities left in darkness.