text:
MS First Look: Word 2007 Not Bitten by Bugs
Microsoft says it is still investigating reports of posted security holes, but it has found no evidence that the Office 2007 suite is vulnerable to the reported flaws.
Microsoft says a preliminary investigation into reports of vulnerabilities in its Office 2007 suite has produced no evidence of a threat to users.
Reports of new security holes in MS Office have been made public on known exploit sites, including information about four bugs posted on one site. Microsoft has not released specific information about the vulnerabilities, citing potential risk to users.
"Microsoft's initial investigation has found that none of these claims demonstrate any vulnerability in Word 2007 or any Office 2007 products," a company spokesperson said April 11. "Our investigation into the possible impact of these claims on other versions of Microsoft Office is continuing."
The reported flaws were uncovered by Mati Aharoni of Offensive-Security.com, in Israel. He said he was not searching for vulnerabilities in Word, but stumbled upon them while developing Offensive-Security.com course materials.
"I ran a character substitution script on several Windows file formats and was left dazed by the results," he said. "The vulnerabilities I released to the public were the least dangerous of my findings - most resulted in DOS only - actually getting code to execute via these bugs is highly improbable."
Two of these documents show how Word 2007 could trigger a "CPU exhaustion." A third vulnerability, also concerning Word 2007, could supposedly allow remote code execution. The fourth alleged vulnerability, which concerns the ".hlp" extension for Windows help files, could cause a heap overflow condition.
Aharoni said he has received several messages from others confirming that the bugs crashed Word 2007. He posted screenshots of the crashes or CPU exhaustion conditions on his blog, and expressed confusion as to why Microsoft seems unable to reproduce the conditions.
Through the company spokesperson, Microsoft stated the company may issue a security advisory or update if it is deemed necessary.
Karthik Raman, a researcher at McAfee, in Santa Clara, Calif., wrote in a blog post April 10 that the timing of publicizing of the potential vulnerabilities on exploit sites may not be coincidental. "This is yet another time that zero-day flaws have been published around a Patch Tuesday, possibly to maximize the public's exposure to these flaws until the next month's Patch Tuesday," Raman wrote.
Andrew Storms, director of security operations at nCircle, in San Francisco, said the issue of responsible disclosure is a never-ending debate within the security space. He advocates responsible disclosure, defined as reporting a vulnerability to a vendor first and allowing the company a chance to fix it.
"It comes down to the question, Does responsible disclosure to the vendor deliver a better product? Does it force the vendor to fix it more quickly?" he said.
Aharoni said he has little patience for the formal disclosure process after having had disappointing experiences with it in the past.
"Microsoft has made huge leaps in security in the past years and I appreciate that," he said. However, he said, "As a Microsoft customer, I would like to see bugs patched quicker."
Copyright 2007 by Ziff Davis Media, Distributed by United Press International


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Moby Dick First Published on This Day; Birthdays for Condoleeza Rice, Aaron Copeland & Claude Monet
Moby Dick, or The Whale
It was on this day in 1851 that this novel, now regarded as one of the great American classics, was brought out by Harper & Brothers of New York. They didn't make much money on it. From a commercial standpoint, it was a failure. The author, Herman Melville, and his publishers must have been mad. Why would anyone want to read about a peg-legged whaling-ship captain seeking revenge on the whale that took off half his leg? Why indeed. Of course, we all know by now that this novel is about much more than that. Even folks who haven't read the book know its famous first line: "Call me Ishmael," which is said to be one of the most famous first lines in the history of literature. And of course, who hasn't heard of Starbuck, whose character has given his name to the modern latte empire?
But do they know this part? "All visible objects, man, are but as pasteboard masks...If man will strike, strike through the mask! ...That inscrutable thing is chiefly what I hate; and be the white whale agent, or be the white whale principal, I will wreak that hate upon him. Talk not to me of blasphemy, man; I'd strike the sun if it insulted me."
Both the content and the language of this speech and many others are difficult for today's readers. For us, everything comes too easy. It's a good thing we have people like Gregory Peck in this scene from the 1956 film helping us to understand.
Condoleeza Rice
An extraordinary woman by any measure, Condi was born this day in 1954. Concert pianist, Stanford University Provost, Secretary of State. Wow. Off the charts, wow. No one has said it better than Oprah in the following clip. Happy Birthday, Condi!
Aaron Copeland
Even folks who don't know classical music know this composer (born this day in 1900) for his Fanfare for the Common Man. Here it is now, followed by the great Martha Graham in the opening scene of Appalachian Spring.
Claude Monet
This master of Impressionism was born November 14, 1840. Here's a tribute to his timeless art.
Comments are closed.
I like big books, and I cannot lie. My background includes talk radio, newspapers and TV news. I've hosted a morning-drive classical music program on the California coast and published nationally in Reader's Digest, the Christian Science Monitor, and Playboy. I've won awards for my journalism and my fiction. One of my essays even made it into an anthology for college English courses. For real? Yes, for real.
October 2019
If you're reading this website, think of me as a troubadour standing on the street corner, strumming a guitar and singing a few songs. Not everyone who comes this way is able to make contribution. But if you're one of the passers-by who can, then feel free to drop a little spare change in my hat by clicking either the Donate or the Become a Patron button below.
Thank you!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
When every day life gets you down, have an adventure up a tree!
I hope he's not scared of heights!
We always seem too busy to notice the little everyday things but I think it's these things that help us to slow down and appreciate our lives more. I'm currently doing this by looking for the adventure in the everyday.
I found this in a park while visiting my parents and it's a reminder that the area was built on the back of cutting down Cedar trees. Thankfully they don't cut down these beautiful trees anymore!
You can click here for all my Every day photo project photos in one place.
I'd love to hear from you.
Deb 🙂


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John Glenn was a visionary. Not only a famed astronaut, he served his country as a US Senator. He was a proud supporter of energy efficiency policy. Representatives of AEE and the National Capital Chapter reminiscence this week about their work with Senator Glenn on the Energy Policy Act of 1992, America's first major legislation dedicated exclusively to energy policy. EPAct 1992 set the stage for subsequent energy policy laws. In 1991 Senator Glenn invited AEE to help craft the federal energy management section of EPAct. After months of pro bono effort by the AEE National Capital Chapter, AEE's language requiring «trained» energy managers (meaning CEMs) in all federal facilities nationwide was entirely accepted by both houses of Congress and included in the law. As a result, a generation later, the US Federal Government now leads by setting examples for the nation in good energy management.
Comments from those who worked with him:
Al Thumann – «John Glenn was an incredible individual with great drive and passion for exploring. He was a true friend to AEE.»
Larry Good – «We need a whole government full of people like John Glenn. He was a decent and dignified man with good judgment.»
Dan Williams – «Perhaps the Best American of our time has passed. Yesterday this nation lost its greatest hero… I am not sure that many in this country realize just how awesome this soft spoken, humble pioneer and statesman truly was. In our time, there has not been a more prefect patriot to emulate. Godspeed, John Glenn.»


text:
If I Were…
If I were a direction I'd be… lost
If I were furniture I'd be… old worn in squishy sofa that you fall asleep on
If I were a liquid I'd be… an iced latte
If I were a sin I'd be… I'd like to say lust but probably sloth
If I were a gem/stone I'd be… a garnet
If I were a metal I'd be… silver
If I were a tree I'd be… a cherry blossom tree because they bloom and at least I'd be extra pretty for like one week a year
If I were a fruit I'd be… a marachino cherry
If I were a flower I'd be… a gerber daisy
If I were weather I'd be… a warm spring afternoon with the slightest breeze
If I were a music instrument I'd be… a saxaphone
If I were an element I'd be… water
If I were a color I'd be… dark red
If I were an animal I'd be… a house cat
If I were a sound I'd be… sarcasm (it's a sound, it is!)
If I were a lyric I'd be… "If only I don't bend and break,I'll meet you on the other side, I'll meet you in the light If only I don't suffocate, I'll meet you in the morning when you wake"
If I were a song I'd be… Bend and Break by Keane
If I were a music type I'd be… intense but smooth
If I were a perfume/cologne I'd be… something fresh
If I were a feeling I'd be…
If I were a book I'd be… The Bell Jar
If I were food I'd be… a really fresh toasted bagel with cream cheese
If I were a city I'd be… Boston because I tend to be complicated but fun and I have my moments when I smell
If I were a taste I'd be… subtle
If I were a scent I'd be… soft
If I were a word I'd be… Fuck
If I were a verb I'd be… chill
If I were an object I'd be… a wind chime (no idea why, first thing that came to mind)
If I were a piece of clothing I'd be… comfy flip flops (the teva kind that you don't even feel are on)
If I were a body part I'd be… must you even ask? :robin:
If I were an facial expression I'd be… a smirk
If I were a cartoon character I'd be… Penelope of Pepe le Pew
If I were a movie I'd be… Donnie Darko (dark, quirky and leaves you a little confused but pretty sure you just witnessed something of awesome)
If I were a geometrical figure I'd be… incorrect
If I were one of the 4 seasons I'd be… Spring (a real New England spring not a Canada spring)
If I were a sentence I'd be… Don't take life too seriously, nobody gets out alive anyway


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children, Christian life, crisis, focus, hope, perspective, problems
World's problems got you down?
Then you'll probably like reading my latest on Today's Catholic News: A Banana in the Kitchen
04 Tuesday Feb 2014
Posted Uncategorizedin
children, Christian life, crisis, focus, hope, perspective, problems
World's problems got you down?
Then you'll probably like reading my latest on Today's Catholic News: A Banana in the Kitchen
17 Friday Jan 2014
Here is my latest Today's Catholic column from the first week in January. The topic is the (now post-) Christmas season and private suffering.
Related, is When Your Prayer Life is Dry and You Face a Huge Challenge, appearing both in Today's Catholic and Integrated Catholic Life.
03 Tuesday Dec 2013
big hearted, books, Catholic, Christian, Christmas, Christmas gift idea, family, gift idea, gifts, hope, inspiration, love, stocking stuffer
If anyone is interested in buying my new book BIG HEARTED, Inspiring Stories from Everyday Families, co-authored with Patti Armstrong, you can purchase it from my publisher (Scepter, link below), Amazon. com, or a Catholic book store near you.
Here is a link to the publisher site with a description:http://www.scepterpublishers.org/product/index.php?FULL=772
Here's the link to an interview I gave: http://www.integratedcatholiclife.org/2013/05/randy-hain-interview-with-theresa-thomas-co-author-of-big-hearted/
Some book reviews are here:
Good Reads:
Other bloggers/writers/websites:
Christian News Wire:
Catholic Media Review:
Stefanie Schick ("A Dreamer's Wife"):
Stacy Transancos: http://stacytrasancos.com/new-book-big-hearted-inspiring-stories-from-everyday-families/
Sue Elvis (Australia):
Tracy Smith:
Denise Montgomery:
Marge Fenelon:
There are more, but I'm guessing that might be overkill
Thanks for considering- Any questions? Let me know- God bless-
12 Tuesday Nov 2013
Are you facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge? Do you turn to prayer but don't "feel" a difference? Does God feel far away and you feel alone? Here is my latest from Integrated Catholic Life:
When Prayer Life is Dry and You Face a Huge Challenge
24 Monday Jun 2013
I just finished doing an interview with the lovely Stefanie over at A Dreamer's Wife. She tells me the link should be up by Friday. Stay tuned. In the meantime, please check out her wonderful blog, where she chronicles her daily life and offers thoughtful posts on faith and inspiration. She writes, "I am married to my best friend and talented singer/songwriter, Adam Shick. A Dreamer's Wife was started to chronicle our journey of pursuing his music career in Nashville, Tennessee. While this is still a main focus of the blog, it has expanded to feature other "dreamers" and is hopefully a source of inspiration to people to pursue their talents and God's will for their own lives."
Thanks in advance Stefanie!
02 Thursday May 2013
Posted book, book review, booksin
Well, the Amazon site for BIG HEARTED is up as of today!
Please check out my new book with Patti Armstrong. You can read about it here. One of our first blogger reviews is here. I'll post links to others as we get them going.
Our publisher has generously extended the 15% off PHONE ORDERS only until tomorrow, May 3, 2013. You must order directly from the publisher website here. I hope you will take advantage of it, if you are thinking about buying a book.
Contact me if you are interested in higher discounts for bulk orders (such as if you have a bookstore or want to order a bunch for your church group, etc.)
God bless you and have a wonderful Thursday afternoon. It's sunny and unseasonably warm here in northern Indiana, and I'm going to enjoy a nice afternoon outside with my girls.
26 Friday Apr 2013
Posted Uncategorizedin
Catholic, Christian, Christianity, faith, family, hope, life, love, raising a family
Thank you to Tracy Smith at A Slice of Smith Life for a wonderful review of BIG HEARTED. Here is a link to her review. Warning: reading her blog with delicious cakes scrolling across the page up top might make you hungry!
15% off PHONE ORDERS ONLY until May 1 if you order BIG HEARTED. Great for Mother's Day or the beach bag. Of course, I am a little biased….
The publisher's site is here
The phone number to order is 800-322-8773
Thank you!
Tracy's family:
She would love for you to join her at her blog!
16 Tuesday Apr 2013
babies, big families, big hearted, children, faith, family life, generosity, gifts, hope, joy, love, marriage, Mother's Day, Mother's Day gift
I am happy to share with you that BIG HEARTED is available for pre-sale, just in time for Mother's Day! I'm so excited to share this book with you. I enjoyed so much collecting the stories for this very personal book about loving and generosity in families. A little synopsis is below. Each story is self contained- you can start at the beginning, the end, or somewhere in between.
If you are interested, follow the link here to pre-order, for a 15 % discount off the retail price- only good until May 1 and just in time for Mother's Day!
Big Hearted: Inspiring Stories from Everyday Families
Patti Armstrong & Theresa Thomas
Price: $12.95
Availability: No Copies in Stock
ISBN: 9781594171901Item ID: 71901Publisher: Scepter
Size: 5.5 X 8.5Number of Pages: 150Product Type: Paperback Quantity:
15 Friday Mar 2013
Posted Catholic, faith, inspirationin
We have a new pope. He is humble and smart, generous, and loving. May his example inspire us all. How is the papacy relevant to me? a young person asked me yesterday. He is the hierarchy in Rome. I live my life here in the modern United States. My response is below:
At first glance, you may think that no, the election of a pope far away in another continent does not affect your daily life. You are still Catholic. You go to Mass each Sunday. You're trying to live a good life and follow the tenets of the Church, swimming against a culture of death, and often a mockery of your beliefs. Day to day, nothing seems to change with the election of a new official in the Church. It might seem as though the new pope's election doesn't make much difference in your personal life. However, upon careful consideration, you will see that the papacy really does matter and affect you. The pope's election DOES make a difference in yours and my personal lives. How?
FIRST, the election of Pope Francis has caused people everywhere- of every faith and denomination, to stop and consider what the Catholic Faith is all about.
People who never gave the Catholic Faith a second thought before, look and listen, if only out of curiosity, to find out what being Catholic really means.
No one could watch the election on TV with the camera's poised in St. Peter's Square, without being blown away by the regality, the formality, the beauty and the ancient traditions demonstrated as the Swiss guards in all their regalia made their way up to the front of where our new Pope Francis would emerge. News commentators were explaining why this or that was done… the truth is, people asked why because they truly cared. They wanted to know more. The election of the pope will affect YOU because people now are curious about your religion. YOU will be asked questions about your Faith. And this is an opportunity in your own way, in your own style to evangelize to others- to answer questions about the Faith and why it is important to you. You may even delve deeper into your Faith, ponder and investigate in order to answer these questions. This pope's election in another time zone, another continent will impact your life here.
SECOND, the election of the pope brings Catholics together. His election is relevant because eternal Truths are relevant.
Looking out on St. Peter's Square, we saw young people, families, religious, older people, all coming together in one Faith, to share the event of discovering together the new leader of the Catholic Church. The pope's election binds us together. With the election of a new pope we are reminded of Jesus who said He will be with us even until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). "I will not leave you orphans." (John 14:18) The Truths of Jesus, first revealed in the Bible, will be preserved through the Church. Every one of us is called to be a living manifestation of that Truth. Whether we reside in a brownstone apartment building or high rise in the city, or in a simple home tucked away in a sleepy town, whether we are a recent college graduate starting off a career, or a mother raising a brood of children in the Midwest, we must live the tenets of the Faith and Gospel, in our own positions and states in life. The papacy is relevant because Jesus entrusted the Church to Peter, the first pope, and with the election of the next pope we are reassured that Jesus is present here and now, and that His Truths in this difficult world are eternal. The papacy is relevant because God's Truths are relevant. Always. Even in 2013, in a global, technology saturated, modern, complex world…
Third, we have in our new pope a leader, a compass.
It is not any pope's job or even within his ability to change the tenets of Faith, but our new pope can and will explain and focus on and highlight aspects of it. The papacy is relevant to you and me because the new pope gives us courage to live the Faith, ancient in origin, in the midst of a contemporary life. Marriage is to be between one man and one woman for the entire lifetime of the two. With a national divorce rate of around 50%, and not much difference within those who self identify as Catholics, our nation needs to be reminded of the truth of the sanctity and solemnity, sacredness, beauty and joy of authentic marriage. A pope, guardian of the Faith, reminds us of that.
In a world where children are discarded like garbage in bins, ripped from their mothers' wombs (1.2 million abortions in 2008) , the Catholic Church says, No, every life from conception to natural death is precious and valuable.
This gives us courage to act in Faith and Love when we are met with a real face, the face of a woman facing a crisis pregnancy alone and who feels there is no place to turn.
The Catholic Faith is living, growing and alive! That's hard to see sometimes when we are in our little corners, or living it alone, with lukewarm Catholics or agnostics or even atheists all around us. A good leader will stand up against the evils of secularism and disregard for marriage and life, and fortify us so that we can stand up in Faith too. A good leader can inspire us to bring vibrancy to our own Faith.
It is important to live our faith in a tangible way. The papacy is very relevant to us because Truth and the preservation of it in an increasingly selfish and secular world, is never outdated.
18 Friday Jan 2013
Posted adoption, Christianity, faith, Family, God, inspiration, joy, music, Relationshipsin
Someone sent me a video about George Dennehy's family- a big, beautiful, adoptive family overflowing with love and generosity. I watched the original video and was so touched by it that I posted it here to share. Then, I tooled around You Tube, watching the other videos posted by George.
I couldn't believe what I saw.
George has an amazing story. According to his father's account, George weighed about nine pounds at one year of age, and was languishing in a Romanian orphanage, sickly, with no arms, and expected to die soon.
But George was chosen, adopted, loved anyway. His parents taught him that life is beautiful, and worth living, and that just as it is a gift to him, he is a gift to life. They encouraged him to develop his talents to the fullest, which, in his case included learning to play many instruments….with his feet.
Would you like to see some of George's talent? Click below. Then, if you would like, subscribe to his You Tube page to receive updates from this talented young man. Be inspired. And pass it on. We all have something special to offer to this world. What difference can YOU make when you love God, follow His will, choose generosity and develop your own gifts?
Share that with me, if you will at TheresaThomasEverydayCatholic at gmail dot com.
Enjoy this below and have a wonderful day!
George did this:
which drew the attention of the Goo Goo Dolls, creator of the song. So, George was invited to sing with them:
Here's an interview with George:
And here is the story of the family, as told by the father Mike, "How God Can Form a Family":


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Albanian Speaking EAL Teaching Assistant
Location – Enfield
ASAP Start
£60 – £80 per day
A Good Outer London Secondary School is looking to employ a passionate and motivated Albanian speaking teaching assistant to join their team of support staff. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone looking to work in education and make a real difference. You will working within a great team of Teaching Assistants, work alongside excellent teachers, develop skills that can be used in a future teaching career and engage with, motivate and make a difference to student's achievement.
The school is looking for a motivated teaching assistant who will be able to support students at the school in every lesson. Being competent in supporting students with special educational needs is essential and the ability to speak Albanian has also been requested by the school. The position would suit someone with a recent degree and strong A Levels but the school will also look at applicants from experienced teaching assistants.
As a teaching assistant you will be working throughout the school with students of every ability as directed by the SENCO. The timetable will be to support students from year 7 through to year 11, you will experience GCSE and A Level teaching so this role would be great for anyone looking to progress into teaching in the future. You will support in class but also work with students in small targeted intervention groups.
The school achieved `Good` in its last Ofsted inspection and was commended for student support. Teaching assistants who play a key role in monitoring progress as well as providing continued support to all students.
Teaching assistants at the school are provided with regular training sessions and continued professional development. Due to this training no school experience is needed but will be looked at favourably.
Please apply for this position immediately with an up to date CV as the school with to appoint ASAP.
Horizon Teachers is a specialist Education Recruitment Consultancy that helps Teachers and Support Staff find long term, permanent and interim employment in Primary, Secondary and Special Schools throughout London and the South East. As part of the registration process you will be required to have a DBS Check carried out and all original relevant qualifications will need to be sighted and copied before any work placement. Horizon Teachers. Our Integrity, your Horizon
To apply follow this link: https://goo.gl/4gidh8


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Assured Tips on How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs at Your Residence
Here are some ways to control and prevent the bed bugs infestation.
Cleaning the Affected Items
It is needless to say, if you keep your home and its surroundings clean, there is a lower risk of infestation. Usually, the bed bugs prefer to infest on items like bed covers, mattress covers, pillow covers and comforters; hence, you should check the presence of those insects regularly on these places. Moreover, make sure that you remove and wash them regularly at high temperature so that if there is a possibility of infestation of the bed bugs in these items, they will be eliminated by high heat. If you use any dry cleaning service for your bedding items, don't forget to warn the cleaner to wash those items separately so that there will be no risk of infestation in other items.
Regular Vacuuming
For eliminating the attack and infestation of bed bugs, you should vacuum your home regularly without leaving any crevice unattended. Though this method is not so effective to kill and prevent those insects, but it is useful to prepare the prevention before using other bed bug treatments. After vacuuming all the affected areas, when you are going to empty the vacuuming contents, empty them into a sealed plastic and throw way in a distant place.
Usage of Rubbing Alcohol
Another effective way of preventing and killing "bed bugs" is the use of rubbing alcohol that comprises of pure, concentrated ethanol (ethyl alcohol) or isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol) holding around 70 percent by volume. Since it is an inflammable liquid, you must use it with utmost caution. You need to fill a spray bottle with this rubbing alcohol and apply to those places where you feel that they are prone to stay.
Applying Stream Cleaning
Stream cleaning is supposed to be the safest and most natural way of killing bed bugs and that's why most of the pest control companies follow this method. Here you need to use a stream with the ability to reach to the temperature of more than 200 degree Fahrenheit and it can also sanitize other household items.
Using Pesticides
There are different kinds of pesticides and diatomaceous earth available in the market. However, before using them you need to know which are toxic and harmful for your household. You need to use those products following several precautions as these can be the reasons for breathing problems.
Asking for Professional Help
Getting rid of bed bugs is quite difficult task and it has often been seen that following a single process is not enough to prevent their infestation. Applying all these processes altogether may be quite time-consuming and tedious task. Therefore, if you are looking for how to get rid bed bugs, the best thing is to contact a reputation and experienced pest control service provider like Citra Pest Control that has year-long experience to prevent and eliminate the infestation of those tiny insects.


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Wooden Chinese hair sticks with floral decorations
Code: WCHS/02
Wooden Chinese hair sticks adorned with colourful floral decorations, sparkling ruby red colour faux gemstones, and decorative oriental style ornamental tassels.
The Chinese hair sticks are made from a dark colour soft wood and are perfect for wedding day wear, prom nights, or simply for everyday use.
Approximate length 16cm


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Ryder Difrancesco
The Bakersfield Boys are traditionally blazing fast and Ryder Difrancesco can attest to that personally. With a rich heritage in two wheel racing, it's no surprise that Ryder competes at the level of his respective divisions that he does. Difrancesco is a big part of the huge wave of wicked fast AM's assaulting the amateur national circuit with speed, style, and personality in 2015. Ryder came into Florida ready to shake up the numbers as he has consistently throughout the prior season and he did just that. Ryder rode his way to steady results, earning six second place moto scores and an even more impressive four moto wins. The competition in the 65cc classes is peaking right now with multiple threats fighting for the top spot during each gate drop. Difrancesco managed to head west with two titles and a trio of runner up finishes as well notching himself on the belt of current 65cc class champions. Team Dunlop is pushing athletes to new heights and Ryder D is one of the elite working to lead the way. Now stepping up to the 85cc machine as well, Ryder is slowly but surely inching his way into the premier levels of mini bike racing with a strong record to follow suit.
Moto 2
65cc (7-9)
The #199 Dunlop Tire backed Team Green ride of Ryder Difrancesco has been fierce this week at the Mini O's. Sporting a clean black and white set up, Difrancesco was the king of the 65 (7-9) division on Wednesday as he took top honors on the Supercross track. Difrancesco has been in the running multiple times this week and was able to pull the trigger and achieve the optimum dream, the national championship in "Freaky Fast" fashion.
Moto 1
65 (7-9) Limited
Ryder Difrancesco was ripping in the final moto of the day. Sticking the #199 in the nose of the pack right away, Difrancesco looked strong all moto long, looking just as fresh as when he hit the track for morning practice. The #199 withstood pressure from the rest of the pack sealing the deal on the final moto of the day with a big 65 (7-9) Limited Division 2 win.
Moto 1
65 (7-9)
Ryder Difrancesco and the Jimmy Johns backed Team Green Kawasaki are putting on a great show this week. The #199 has been riding like a man possessed, ringing his KX65 to the limit around the entire Mini O's outdoor track. Looking to continue his streak of solid results and climb further up the 65cc and 85cc ranks, Ryder has been hauling the mail this week doing what he can to steal as many wins from his competition as possible. Very excited for moto action, Ryder Difrancesco can't wait to see what he can work out when the gate drops on the final motos later this week.
Moto 1
65 (7-11)
In the final moto of the day before consolation races, the 65 (7-11) group hit the track wide open. In a class with such depth in age and talent levels, it's hard to guess who will come out of the trenches on top. However today when all was said and done it would be the #199 Team Green ride of Ryder Difrancesco coming out victorious. Ryder D pushed hard during the final first moto to claim the last transfer spot directly to the main event action and he was stoked to say the least. The #199 Team Dunlop backed ride was ripping around the Mini O's outdoor track giving lessons on the fastest way around Gatorback on a 65cc machine. Ryder has kicked it up another notch lately and is looking good as he heads wide open into the final day of racing at Mini O's.
Moto 2
65 (7-11)
For the final moto of the day, fans were treated to a nice battle in the 65 (7-11) class. Ryder Difrancesco was on a mission to tear down the town as he tore around the Mini O's outdoor track. Difrancesco was working hard during the beginning of the moto to ensure he was far enough ahead to steal the overall victory. When Ryder learned second would be enough to take the victory he put into conservative mode locking in on the first place rider however not pulling the trigger as any extra action was unnecessary…the deed was already done. Ryder's second place finish sealed the deal on a very solid week for the #199.
Ryder Difrancesco- 65cc (7-9)
Ryder Difrancesco- 65cc (7-9) Limited
Ryder Difrancesco- 65cc (7-9)
Ryder Difrancesco- 65cc (7-11)
Ryder Difrancesco- 65cc (7-11)
Ryder Difrancesco- MOTOPLAYGROUND GALLERY


text:
The Hubris of Peter Beinart
When Peter Beinart published his now notorious New York Review of Books article in June, I knew that a big book contract would be in the offing, making him into next year's version of Walt and Mearsheimer. There is nothing the official liberal establishment likes better than an American Jew who, speaking in the name of all good American Jews, blasts the current Israeli government, its defenders in the United States, and anyone who does not agree with him. I wrote about his article in this blog, and provided links to articles critical of Beinart by Noah Pollak and Jamie Kirchick.
Since his article and the publication of his book The Icarus Syndrome: A History of American Hubris, Beinart has revealed his own hubris in column after column written for The Daily Beast. But today he outdid himself, weighing in on the Ground Zero mosque controversy. And as anyone familiar with Beinart would know, he would support the building of the mosque and condemn anyone opposed to building it close to the site of the destroyed World Trade Center.
Pretending that he misses W., a man for whom he had nothing but disdain when he was president, Beinart now argues that at least Bush and the Republicans used to argue that most Muslims were "decent folks who wanted nothing more than to live free like you and me." Bush administration spokesmen told the world that in America, Muslims were free to practice their religion. So Beinart declares, "I pine for George W. Bush," a man who "respected religion, all religion."
Beinart's implication is that if one opposes the mosque being built on the proposed site near the World Trade Center, they are opposed to freedom of religion. He ignores the obvious point that Democrats like Sen. Harry Reid and other politicians of both parties are making. While freedom of religion is a right enjoyed by all Americans, that right does not mean that it must be exercised at all times and in all circumstances. If the goal of the mosque is to bring people together, which its Imam says it is, then they have certainly failed. But Beinart claims those opposed are all declaring "war on Islam."


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If you're among the many Americans who believe lobbyists are part of what's wrong with this country, you should know this: If you've ever gone to a football, baseball, basketball or hockey game — or even watched one on TV — you have your own special interest groups pushing your agenda in Washington.
Even Ralph Nader is working for you.
"Ralph saw that there were more and more issues where the fans and participants were having little voice," which is why he recently revived his 1970s-era League of Fans, said Ken Reed, the organization's sports policy director.
"At the time, the NBA and NFL lockouts were on the horizon, and it was clear that there was going to be a power play and the fans were going to be left on the sidelines," Reed said.
The League of Fans is one of a handful of lobbying and special interest groups that seek to "address the abuses of voiceless fans and participants," as Reed put it.
Another is the Sports Fans Coalition, which is "trying to shine a light on what the true costs of being a fan are," said Brian Frederick, the organization's executive director.
"We serve as a political voice here in the halls of power in D.C. on behalf of fans," Frederick said. "We try to raise awareness of the sorts of deals that are made and what happens as a result of them and what doesn't happen."
There's even a fully registered political action committee, Playoff PAC, which researches what it sees as the abuses of the college bowl system. It has brought to light numerous questionable financial practices by the committee that organizes the Fiesta Bowl; most recently, it has filed complaints with the IRS seeking to strip the bowls of their tax-exempt status, alleging financial improprieties that siphon off money that should go to participating schools.
"In general, we've provided a lot of publicity about how bad of a situation the bowls put a lot of schools in," said Bryson Morgan, a co-founder of the group. "College football as an organization can be unresponsive only so long."
Bringing political clout to the playing field
Nader is the most famous of the activists pushing a sports-fans agenda, but other groups have their own heavy hitters.
Sports Fans Coalition was founded in 2009 by David Goodfriend, deputy staff secretary in the administration of President Bill Clinton, and Bradley A. Blakeman, former president of the influential conservative group Freedom's Watch and a senior member of President George W. Bush's staff. Its board includes Dave Zirin, whose popular Edge of Sports column analyzes American sports from a liberal perspective, and Gigi Sohn, president of the digital rights advocacy group Public Knowledge.
Playoff PAC's volunteers, meanwhile, include more than a dozen former government officials and prominent Washington lawyers, notably Marcus Owens, former director of the IRS' Exempt Organizations Division (who submitted the group's tax complaints to his former agency), and Scott Thomas, former chairman of the Federal Election Commission.
Leaders of the groups push a number of different agendas — fighting soaring ticket prices, league lockouts and television-rights deals that black out some fans, among others — but they come together on one issue: what they see as the National Collegiate Athletic Association's exploitation of athletes and fans for profit.
Many believe the answer is to scrap the Bowl Championship Series, which purports to pit the two best college football teams in the country for the national championship, even though its postseason matchups are determined by pollsters and computers, not by on-the-field competition.
The NCAA didn't respond to a request for comment. In May, it told the U.S. Justice Department — which was looking into whether the BCS violates antitrust law by favoring bigger universities from wealthier sports conferences — that it "has no role to play in the BCS or the BCS system."NCAA tells DOJ football playoff out of its hands
Morgan, the Playoff PAC co-founder, argued that playoffs "would generate a lot of revenue" — not only from television networks, but also from recovery of money lost to what the group alleges is widespread corruption in the bowl system.
Playoff PAC
Statement of purpose from Playoff PAC:
Playoff PAC is a federal political committee dedicated to establishing a competitive post-season championship for college football. The Bowl Championship Series is inherently flawed. It crowns champions arbitrarily and stifles inter-conference competition. Fans, players, schools, and corporate sponsors will be better served when the BCS is replaced with an accessible playoff system that recognizes and rewards on-the-field accomplishment. To that end, Playoff PAC helps elect pro-reform political candidates, mobilizes public support, and provides a centralized source of pro-reform news, thought, and scholarship.
Playoff PAC was founded in 2009 as a standard political action committee, raising money with the idea of donating it to congressional candidates who agreed to push for playoffs if elected. But it found little traction there, raising less than $20,000 and making just one donation. So the group shifted direction to use its members' expertise in the ways of Washington to investigate the BCS.
Along the way, it began filing complaints with Arizona officials and the IRS after a 2009 Arizona Republic investigation indicated that the Fiesta Bowl, which is held in Glendale, Ariz., was laundering illegal campaign contributions. The bowl committee ended up firing its chief executive, citing information uncovered by the Playoff PAC 11 times in its public report (.pdf).Anti-BCS group files complaint against Fiesta Bowl
More recently, Playoff PAC has filed complaints alleging that the Fiesta Bowl requires colleges playing in its game to buy a minimum number of hotel rooms through the Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. The PAC alleges that the convention bureau will "kick back" more than $8 million to the bowl committee over the 20-year life of the contract.
In a separate case, the PAC has asked the IRS to investigate whether the Fiesta Bowl and two other games in the BCS — the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans and the Orange Bowl in Miami — should be stripped of their tax-exempt status. Four members of Congress — including Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, who has introduced legislation to require a football playoff — signed a letter to the IRS endorsing the inquiry.Sugar Bowl made improper campaign donations
"The BCS leaves so much money on the table for these universities," said Morgan, citing an independent report that tabulated that the University of Connecticut lost as much as $1.8 million on its trip to the Fiesta Bowl in January.
Money and its impact on colleges
The Sports Fans Coalition makes a similar argument.
Sports Fans Coalition
Agenda declaration of the Sports Fans Coalition:
The Sports Fans Coalition fights to make sure that fans have access to games both on television and in the stadium. Because fans have spent billions and billions of dollars financing sports stadiums, they deserve to see their local teams play. So we fight against all media blackouts and for affordable seating in public stadiums. In addition, we fight for a college playoff because of the corruption that exists in the BCS bowl system and the unfair way that revenues are distributed to our schools. Finally, we fight against work stoppages, such as the NBA lockout. Fans have spent billions on stadiums — the least owners and players can do is play ball.
"The NCAA cannot control its own biggest sport — college football — and so the decisions that are being made right now ... are in pursuit of television revenue, and that's having a drastic effect on the entire higher education system," Frederick, the group's executive director, said in an interview.
The coalition's agenda extends well beyond college football's postseason, however. It frequently takes on the National Football League, accusing it of bullying taxpayers into financing palatial new stadiums and then charging them exorbitant ticket prices.
It sided with the NFL players union in a contract showdown this year that nearly led to a league lockout, going to court unsuccessfully to try to be in the room, representing fans, during negotiations over the collective bargaining agreement.
A spokesman for the NFL told msnbc.com simply that "we respect the views of all fans and appreciate their interest." But in June, the NFL told the Federal Communications Commission, which was considering a coalition challenge to the league's television policies, that the group was widely considered to be " a house organ for Dish Network." (.pdf)
The Sports Fans Coalition has been accused of being a front for cable and satellite TV interests ever since it set up shop.
Critics note that Goodfriend, a co-founder, is the former vice president for legal affairs for DISH Network, whose NFL package is one of its leading selling points, and they say it's no coincidence that the group has been especially aggressive in contesting the system under which the NFL and other leagues negotiate television rights.
(That system can lead to TV "blackouts" in some markets when a league and a network, or a network and the satellite and cable providers that carry it, can't agree on terms. That's what happened a year ago when subscribers of New York Cablevision couldn't watch the first two games of baseball's World Series.)
Frederick dismissed charges that the coalition lobbies for cable and satellite TV interests instead of fans, pointing to its activism on ticket prices, stadium deals and labor issues. But the doubts have continued to linger.
Msnbc.com and the NFL
Msnbc.com has a significant interest in discussions of television rights to NFL games. It's a joint venture of Microsoft Corp. and NBC Universal, whose NBC Sports division pays the NFL $603 million a year to broadcast its Sunday night games. Those games are live-streamed from the msnbc.com home page.
NBC Universal, meanwhile, is 51 percent owned by the cable giant Comcast Corp., which has had its own disputes with the NFL over rights to carry the NFL Network.
While the Sports Fans Coalition isn't, strictly speaking, a lobbying group itself, federal records show that it has paid more than $120,000 in the last two years to Emmer Consulting, a Bethesda, Md.-based lobbying group where Goodfriend went to work after he left DISH Network. DISH Network, as it happens, is one of Emmer's biggest clients.
And the coalition has accepted large contributions from Verizon, which operates the FiOS cable system, and from Time Warner.
Frederick said the coalition needed corporate donations to get up and running, saying, "Lord knows I would love every contribution we could get to keep this going." But despite his solicitations, no other cable or satellite companies have kicked in, he said — not even DISH.
Filings with the Federal Election Commission confirm that.
"The folks that are skeptical are the ones that aren't in Washington and don't have experience in how Washington works," Frederick said. "I wouldn't be working for an organization that strictly existed to put forward a corporate interest."
Frederick's background would suggest that's true. An adjunct professor in sports management at Georgetown University in Washington, he was previously a research director for the liberal advocacy group Media Matters for America.
Most other members of the board of directors — like Zirin, Sohn and Habiba Alcindor, communications director for The Nation — are also associated with left-leaning institutions not usually considered friendly to corporations.
Going hard-core
Then there's Ralph Nader's group, which operates very much like a Ralph Nader group, with its own, occasionally idiosyncratic agenda.
Football playoffs are a part of the League of Fans' agenda. But in many respects, what it considers the best interest of the fan isn't necessarily what fans themselves might favor.
The League of Fans
In its "Sports Manifesto," Ralph Nader's League of Fans lays out four main goals:
1) To build momentum toward a vision in which all sports stakeholders are treated justly, fairly, and ethically.
2) To ensure that all those who have a stake in sports — including the millions of fans, sports consumers, sports participants, and taxpayers across the nation — have a voice in how sports are operated in this country.
3) To encourage sports stakeholders to become sports activists and reformers; and to take action to improve the world of sports, wherever they're at, in whatever way they can, in a collective effort to help sport serve the public interest.
4) To increase the number of sports participants, at all ages in the United States, because of sport's numerous physical, mental and social benefits.
For one thing, the League of Fans wants to dismantle college sports as we know it, eliminating athletic scholarships because they turn students into "professional athletes," a proposal the NCAA has called "off-base on so many fronts it is hard to know where to start."Ralph Nader calls for ending athletic scholarships
It also argues there should be no public funding for sports teams — a position voters in numerous cities have chosen to disregard in approving public financing for stadiums.
The League does hold other positions that fans would likely applaud. It advocates for lower ticket prices, better safety standards for athletes and elimination of all doping. But its statement of core principles places much of its emphasis on de-corporatization campaigns long associated with Nader.
"In a way, 'League of Fans' is kind of a misnomer," acknowledged Reed, its sports policy director. "We're actively working on the whole sports reform thing."
Reed, who holds a Ph.D. in sports administration and has taught at the U.S. Sports Academy in Daphne, Ala., stressed that, like Nader, he is a devoted sports fan. For them, it's not a political agenda — it's about "what's best for the games, the fans, the participants," he said.
"People ask, 'Why do you guys hate sports?'" Reed said. "It makes me mad and laugh at the same time. Probably no one person loves sports as much as I do.
"My father was a coach. I played two sports in college. I used to be on the sports marketing side and the sports professor side. ... I love sports. My response is, 'Why aren't you angry?'"
© 2013 msnbc.com Reprints


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This New Season 4 Killjoys Clip Features One Couple's Adorably Awkward Meet-Cute
The latest Killjoys clip could be considered a mini, sci-fi When Harry Met Sally—a super awkward and totally charming look into the meeting that sparked a love story between an unlikely pair: the suave and sophisticated Pree (Thom Allison) and the sweet (but let's be honest, a bit dumb) Gared (Gavin Fox). The Killjoys couple came about as the result of what showrunner Michelle Lovretta says was pure on-set inspiration.
"There's a line in the second season where Gared asks Pree how he got his bar, and Gavin looked at Thom with this tinge of 'Man, you're the coolest guy' hero worship that just killed me," Lovretta told Now Magazine in a piece about the show's pioneering representation of the LGBTQ+ community. "Boom," says Lovretta, "an entire backstory was born."
The new Season Four clip shows the very first interaction between the future couple, with Gared attempting flattery by making a show of being impressed with Pree's way with cocktail garnishes. Hey, maybe lemons ARE exotic in the Quad, okay?
Tune in to the season premiere of Killjoys tonight on Space at 10e 7p and check out the almost meet-cute below (or watch it here).


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Angioma Alliance has developed a Patient Registry for individuals affected by Cavernous Angioma. The registry is intended to be a communication tool to facilitate communication between the patient and research communities.
All postings of study announcements will be listed on the Registry website. To include your study, contact Amy Akers at firstname.lastname@example.com. Please include a lay summary of the project, participant inclusion criteria, and contact information.
Angioma Alliance will advertise study announcements on the Registry website, our blog and in our newsletter. Additionally, the registry can be analyzed identify qualified participants. These individuals can be contacted by email with the study announcement, and directed to contact the researcher for more information or to participate.


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Units: mm in
- Frame Width
5.04 in128 mm
- Frame Height
1.73 in44 mm
- Temple Length
5.75 in146 mm
- Bridge Size
0.71 in18 mm
Turn the page on your old bifocal style readers and try the Chapter Bifocal. This retro inspired reader features a polished plastic frame in a variety of classic colors with spring hinge temples.
Love this shape, but want a fully magnified lens? Check out The Corwin?
- Plastic Frame
- Spring Hinges
- Flat Top Bifocal Lenses


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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Golfweek Conference Challenge at Cedar Rapids Country Club will be the site of the first tournament of the season for the Sacramento State men's golf team. The Hornets will open 2018-19 with a single round on Sunday beginning at 7:30 a.m. PT. The team will also play single rounds on Monday and Tuesday.
Sacramento State's lineup will consist of Eric Olsem, Landon Azevedo, Ethan Davidson, Jeff Carr and Riley Bell. Olsem and Carr were both fixtures in the lineup last season while Azevedo is slated to compete for the first time since the spring of 2017. Davidson and Bell are both true freshmen who will make their collegiate debuts.
The Hornets competed at the Golfweek Conference Challenge last season and finished 15th. The team was led by then-senior Ash Patel who shot 70-72-71-213 to tie for 10th place. Olsem had the best score among returners at 73-78-75-226 to tie for 57th. North Carolina State won the team title at 274-286-287-847 to finish two strokes ahead of the host Hawkeyes.
TOURNAMENT: 10th annual Golfweek Conference Challenge
HOST: University of Iowa LOCATION: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
DATES: Sunday, Sept. 16-Tuesday, Sept. 18
COURSE: Cedar Rapids Country Club
PAR/YARDAGE: 72 / 7,112 FORMAT: 18-18-18-54 TEE TIMES: 7:30 a.m. PT, split tee (Sunday/Monday); 7 a.m. PT, shotgun (Tuesday)
FIELD - 16 (Final 2017-18 Golfstat ranking): Arkansas State (72), Ball State (133), Boston College (120), Campbell (60), Dayton (169), Furman (129), Iowa (70), Jacksonville (64), Jacksonville State (139), Kansas State (106), Loyola Marymount (118), Sacramento State (204), San Jose State (109), Southern Illinois (122), UCLA (24), UTEP (95).
July 11, 2019 MEN'S GOLF'S RILEY BELL ADVANCES TO US AMATEUR
April 14, 2019 CARR LEADS MEN'S GOLF IN FINAL ROUND OF EL MACERO CLASSIC
March 27, 2019 LANDON AZEVEDO NAMED BIG SKY MEN'S GOLFER OF THE WEEK
March 24, 2019 MEN'S GOLF SPLITS PAIR AT CAL POLY MATCH PLAY ON MONDAY
February 11, 2019 FIRST DAY OF THE FARMS INVITATIONAL CUT SHORT DUE TO DARKNESS
January 25, 2019 MEN'S GOLF SELECTED SECOND IN BIG SKY PRESEASON POLL
November 6, 2018 JOE FOWLER NAMED BIG SKY MEN'S GOLFER OF THE WEEK
November 4, 2018 MEN'S GOLF FINISHES 2-UNDER PAR BEHIND CARR'S ROUND OF 69
November 3, 2018 AZEVEDO POSTS LOW SCORE FOR MEN'S GOLF IN SECOND ROUND AT KA'ANAPALI
November 2, 2018 FOWLER SHOOTS 65 IN FIRST ROUND OF KA'ANAPALI COLLEGIATE
October 27, 2018 CARR RECORDS CAREER HIGHS AT VISIT STOCKTON PACIFIC INVITE
September 28, 2018 MEN'S GOLF TO HOLD DRIVE-A-THON ON OCTOBER 12
September 18, 2018 THIRD ROUND OF GOLFWEEK CONFERENCE CHALLENGE CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN
September 16, 2018 MEN'S GOLF STARTS SEASON AT GOLFWEEK CONFERENCE CHALLENGE
September 13, 2018 GOLFWEEK CONFERENCE CHALLENGE IS FIRST TEST FOR MEN'S GOLF


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The Navy Blazer
The Navy Blazer is Malton School's student news blog. It is written entirely by the students during their weekly personal development activity (PDA) sessions.
To read stories on The Navy Blazer please follow this link www.thenavyblazer.wordpress.com You can also follow the blog to receive updates each time there is a new post. New posts will also appear on our Twitter and Facebook pages.
Our current news team for Autumn Term 2016


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Whipping Cream
Heavy cream, whipping cream, and manufacturing cream (used by professionals, extra fatty, and available at warehouse stores) are easily whipped by hand or machine. But it can also be easily over-whipped.
To judge the peak stages, scoop out the some cream and hold it upside-down so the cream makes a peak. If the peak droops way over, it is soft. If the peak droops just a little, it is medium. If the peak holds stiff and upright, it is stiff. If the peak looks like cottage cheese, you whipped too much, made butter, and you need to start over. Or just make some toast and enjoy it.
To whip with a standing or hand-held electric mixer, keep your eye on it and be ready to stop the machine as soon as the proper stage is reached.
To whip by hand, use the largest whisk you have, and a ludicrously over-sized bowl. The more surface area your cream has, the faster it will whip. (Speed is key, especially if your arm tires easily.) Be sure to whip in a circular motion, and actually lift the whisk out of the cream with each pass. This method brings more air into the cream, speeding up the task.
Keep the cream cold until you are ready to whip. Some chef's whip over ice, but I only do that in extremely hot places.
Sweetened Whipped Cream
The French name of this all-purpose topping is Crème Chantilly. The flavor should be subtly sweet, not cloying, because it is generally used to top desserts already sweetened. The flavor is easily changed to suit any recipe.
2 cups heavy whipping cream, well chilled
3 TB. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
In a large bowl combine cream, sugar and vanilla. Using a whisk or an electric mixer, whip cream until soft peaks appear. Watch carefully as the cream continues to stiffen, and stop when it reaches medium peaks. Use immediately, or chill for up to 30 minutes.
Chocolate Cream: Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips over a water bath, or in a microwave, and allow to cool to lukewarm. By hand, whisk cooled melted chocolate into soft peak cream until just combined. Be careful not to over whip.
Coffee Cream: By hand, whisk coffee extract (or 1 TB. espresso powder mixed with 1 TB. water) into soft peak cream until just combined. Be careful not to over whip.
Coconut Cream: Drain the liquid from a 15oz. can of coconut milk. By hand, whisk thick coconut paste into soft peak cream until just combined. Be careful not to over whip. Coconut extract can also be used in place of vanilla.


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IPC Critiques… Yours to Learn From & Watch for Free!
The International Photographic Competition attracts some of the best talent in the world of photography and a lot goes into judging the volume of amazing work submitted.
But did you know you can actually watch the IPC judging process? That's right! Mark your calendar because you need to see how the magic happens! Here are the upcoming judging dates: IPC Judging in 2020 will be held Sunday, August 16, 2020 at 3PM until Friday August 21, 2020.
Experience Live Judging
There's nothing like watching something live, and the IPC judging is no exception! Live judging happens each year near PPA headquarters in Atlanta and is FREE to the public. Not only does watching the IPC judges live and in action give you a chance to peek behind the proverbial curtain, but it also gives insight into what exactly the judges are looking for. Come talk to judges, other participants and PPA staff when you make a day of IPC live judging!
Live Streaming
This option is available FOR FREE during the entire judging of IPC, so bookmark this page and come back when the judging starts. And best of all, you don't have to be a PPA member to watch. Just create an account and then start taking it all in!
Learn from Watching Image Critiques!
Critiques are archived below! They are 5-10 minute videos, so you can view them any time! Critiques will give you advice from qualified jurors on how to improve quality, impact, and technique in your submitted images. Participating photographers offer up their critiques for the benefit of others.


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Published by The Writer's Coffee Shop on Jan 24, 2013
Genres: Adult, Post Apocalyptic
Format: eBook from Publisher
Find the book: Amazon, Goodreads
After a terrible virus ravages the planet, Carly Daniels, one of the few survivors, hides in her apartment in Juneau trying to survive the best she can with only occasional forays to gather food. With her is Sam, a wolf puppy she found starving on the streets. He becomes her companion and a reason to continue when giving up sometimes seems like the more attractive option. Still dazed with shock and grief, she hopes for the world to go back to normal soon.
She is discovered by Justin, an ex-soldier who is intent on making his way to Florida before the winter sets in. Justin coaxes her out of her hiding place and convinces her to join him on his journey, because a warmer climate will be their best chance against the extremes of Mother Nature.
Together, they begin a perilous journey through a nation laid to waste by the disaster. Challenges abound along the way. The weather, injury, and shortage of supplies all help to slow them down. In time, they discover that they aren't the only survivors. Some are friendly but some have had their minds destroyed by the high fever. Then there are those who simply take what they want, leaving Carly and Justin with no choice but to defend what is theirs.
But their journey is not without joy and love. Together, they face every struggle, including an unplanned pregnancy. Despite the perils of bringing a child into a world of chaos, their baby is a new beginning for themselves and a symbol of hope for the other survivors they find along the way.
This is the story of their journey to find a place to begin a new life, and a home in each other.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This is an exciting and adventure filled apocalypse and survivor story.
At first I was very unsure of Carly's character. She seemed very OCD, and her thought processes almost seemed to show a mental handicap. I don't think her character actually had any issues, as things seemed to progressively improve throughout the book. I supposed to could have been shock due to the disaster that happened, but without a peek at her before character, it was hard to judge. As such, I found it took a long time before I was able to connect with her, but I got there eventually.
On the other hand, Justin was a very likable character. I loved Carly's initial biker guy description of him, which expanded and changed as she got to know him more. His survival skills fit his character and background well, and never once did I doubt his abilities.
The plot following Carly and Justin's journey out of Alaska through the wastelands of the country reminded me strongly of Ashfall by Mike Mullins, but in an adult setting instead of YA. The highs and lows of the journey were both exciting and believable. The pace of the action was quite satisfying.
Overall, this was a very realistic apocalypse story. The disaster that befell the world was entirely believable, which made it very scary. I really liked the ending, even with all the struggles than popped up, and can't wait to see what happens next.


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Worship Schedule
Worship, Holy Communion at 10:45
Education Hour at 9:15
The 8:30 worship service has been suspended until the
Fall of 2020
Telephone: 440-428-2473
6345 Chapel Road, Madison, OH 44057-2112
Welcome to our website! We hope it tells you more about our reasons for being here: to serve our Lord Jesus! Take a little time and see what it is we do to help share the Good News of the Gospel! We invite you to look around and get a feel for our church. If you're not currently a member of our church - we'd like to take this opportunity to invite you to one of our weekly services.
We hope you and your family will have a warm and spirit-filled experience with us as we worship our Lord together.
Come - Listen - Participate
We are a small, but mighty family of Christians who meet together to listen to the Word of God, to praise and serve God, and to build a lasting relationship with one another and with our God. We are more than consumers seeking to be entertained.
If you truly want a relationship with our Lord, actively participate in the work and life of the church. God attends every church meeting and activity. He yearns to see you there, too! We encourage you to bring your family and friends.
What's Happening
Trinity Youth Group on Facebook
The Trinity Youth Group (TYG) has a Facebook page! You are welcome to "like" them and follow their activities! Click on the listing in the sidebar to your left. Note ...
Posted Feb 17, 2014, 7:27 PM by Steve Fisher
Help with the Food Center
If you would like to help with the Madison Food Center, see Celeste Pierce or Amy Moyer to sign up. Trinity has a team which assists on various Fridays (see ...
Posted Jun 30, 2014, 1:42 PM by Steve Fisher
Showing posts 1 - 2 of 2. View more »


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Hello everyone,
I am currently on Windows 7 64 bit. I am using Word 2010 and i'm trying to convert a Word file to pdf and save it to a network location. I have modify access to the share and I am receiving a Access Denied. When I give myself full access to the share, I can print to the location without issues. Is it possible to print to a share with only Modify access?


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Perdure BE58
Water based breathable epoxy sealer
Perdure BE58 is a unique water-based high solids breathable (moisture vapor tolerant) epoxy flooring top coat or grout coat for various Düraamen flooring systems. It can be applied in films up to 16mils without impacting cure properties. This product is ideal for any floor or wall coating project needing a high-build coating system that is moisture vapor tolerant, durable, with a requirement for USGBC LEED certification. Typical uses include corridors, lobbies, warehouse floors, light duty manufacturing areas and various residential or commercial areas.
The new waterborne curing agent technology offers Perdure BE58 high film-building formulations with unique performance properties. The micro porous morphology of the epoxy thermoset network gives it the ability to "breath" over substrates with high moisture vapor transmission – a major factor in blistering of conventional epoxy coatings / sealers.
- Breathable (moisture vapor tolerant)
- Low odor
- Meets USGBC – LEED Low VOC requirements
- Good chemical resistance
- Excellent abrasion resistance
- Long working time
- UV Stable
- Meets USDA requirements for use in federally inspected facilities


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Patsy not the star of her own show
|Fox Valley Repertory presents
|Always, Patsy Cline
|Created by Ted Swindley
Directed by John Gawlik
at Pheasant Run Resort, St. Charles (map)
through May 15 | tickets: $29-$39 | more info
Reviewed by Dan Jakes
Fox Valley Repertory performs Ted Swindley's musical tribute to the late country music darling Patsy Cline through a haze, literally and figuratively. For one, generational, tertiary colored lights penetrate fog above the stage, making for a nice effect not unlike watching a "Lawrence Welk" type television show on an analog set. The edges around the singers and band are softened, and the space is filled with nostalgic ambiance.
The other haze is selective memory.
Whatever events that caused the lonely heartbreak that drives Cline's most moving songs—listen to "Faded Love, " for god's sake—as well as the struggles she suffered attaining her success are left deep in the background. No, the stakes in Swindley's play couldn't be lower, but one gets the sense that's where he wants them. Always, Patsy Cline is inspired by the real life letters kept between Cline (Megan Long) and her close friend Louise Steger (Kate Brown), and just like pouring over the letters of a departed friend, he only wants us to remember what was good. Cline's actual biography is a tragic story of a legendary artist dying in a senseless accident at 30. Director John Gawlik's show is the recounting of a friendship and the joy that carries on after someone passes.
We're first introduced to Patsy in boots at the Grand Ol Oprey, with Louise miles away seated in a Lucy Chair in her kitchen. Listening to Cline sparks a bit of a love affair in Steger, and she quickly closes the gap.
As the narrator and primary means of moving the play's light plot forward, Brown is engaging and affable. She makes a balanced duo with Megan Long, countering Long's authoritative pettiness with broad shoulders, an admiration for cigarettes and coffee, and an unabashed willingness to wiggles, shake, and slap her tuckus. Getting the mostly older audience at Fox Valley Rep to actively engage can be a process akin to pulling
dentures teeth, but Brown actually gets a few of them to their feet.
Cline, on the other hand, is written to be viewed from a distance. Long shines in the music numbers with her strong voice and well-trained little yodels and yips, but she's given little opportunity to be the star any place else. Perhaps the playwright is trying attain some sense of mystique for the title-character. Trouble is, that choice forces Brown's character to continually grab for exposition instead of action to tell the story about a friendship, and leaves our deep connection to their relationship out of reach.
|Rating: ★★½
Always, Patsy Cline: The Sweetest Musical This Side of Heaven runs through May 15th at Pheasant Run Resort, with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm, with selective Thursdays either 8pm or 2pm. Tickets are $29-$39 (dinner package: $49), and can be purchased online or by calling (630) 584-6342. More info at www.foxvalleyrep.org.
All photos by Trademan Photography
Filed under: 2011 Reviews, Dan Jakes, Fox Valley Repertory, Musical Revue, Pheasant Run Resort | Tagged: Always Patsy Cline, Christina Myers, Dan Jakes, Daniela Bisenius, Fox Valley Repertory, Ian Zywica, John Gawlik, John Horan, Joseph Fosco, Katey Brown, Kimberly G. Morris, Mark Braun, Mark Johnson, Megan Long, Patsy Cline, Pheasant Run Resort, Phil Martin, Ted Swindley | Leave a comment »


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Scam Letter(s) from Ekaterina Kirillova to Ewald (Germany)
Letter 1
Ewald, I'm glad to read your letter! Dear, I celebrated New Year of the house with grandmother and friends. Today clear and solar weather. And my mood should be good. But I am a little upset. And I think, that you will understand because of what it from my letter. Today I had time to visit agency of travels. I have received the necessary information to fly to you. The manager of agency of travels has informed, what documents I should have. It is the tickets, visa, foreign passport, medical information, insurance and others. The manager has said to me, that it will be more difficult all to make out the visa, because it will borrow a lot of time. But if I shall use agencies, it will be much faster, as this agency specializes on reception of the tourist visas. They have wide experience in tourist business. I can not receive the visa, if I shall try to do it without participation of agency of travels, as it is difficult to the young woman to receive the visa on visiting of other country. All this information very much pleased me, as I can be fast with you. Ewald, you are glad to this? Dear Ewald, but I have a small problem. In agency of travels me spoke, that cost of registration of all documents together with the reservation of tickets 960 Euro. It is the very large sum for me, as you know, where I work. And I have the small salary. Excuse that I have not listened to you and have concluded the contract. Now I should pay money in agency of travel. Now I can only dream of our meeting, as this sum makes more, than half of my annual salary. My ideas on meeting with you were very light, but this dream was destroyed by money. I can't borrow this sum of money from anybody, as it is the very large money for our city. I am very much upset today. Yours Lyudmila.
Letter 2
Hello my love Ewald. Thanks for your letter. I with impatience waited it. I very much love you and I miss. Ewald I am glad that we plan our meeting as soon as possible. Because I very much wish to be with you in your embraces. I all time think of you and I love you! Dear I visited agency of travel before to answer you and have informed, that I plan my travel to you can be in the nearest numbers: 31, 1, 2, 3 of February, 4th. My love, I hope that at this time it will be convenient to you to meet me. I shall arrive to airport Stuttgart and I hope that you will meet me! I am right Ewald? As to my grandmother she badly understands as to receive money and doesn't know English language. Also she health is bad and I do not wish to disturb her. Do you understand me? Ewald, I wrote to you zip code: 428018. Ewald I hope that you have understood to send money for the information my girlfriend Irina. Also here my address: Country: RUSSIA, City: CHEBOKSARY, Street: Pushkina 12, zip code: 428018. I so dream to be with you together Ewald. I'm ready to be your wife and I hope that we shall do wedding. Dear I'm not against shall remain at home single. I shall wait for you when you will return with work and then I shall do to you massage and other pleasant things. I want that at us all was good also we were happy family! You can take holidays from the beginning of February, this very convenient time for us. Ewald grandmother asked to transfer you the best regards! I hope what to not tire you with my letter. I look forward yours answer, your wife Lyudmila.
Letter 3
Hi my love Ewald! How you dear? It was pleasant for me and strengthened my confidence that all it will be good also our meeting will be gentle and very pleasant for us! I reached in agency. They have told, that within the next few days my visa will be here. The embassy approved my questionnaire and therefore I can soon arrive to you. Ewald also to me have informed in agency rather western union. To me have informed that will return my passport to me before flight in Moscow, therefore I cannot receive your money. I asked to help to me to take my girlfriend Irina money. She with pleasure has agreed, because I told to her about you. Therefore information Irina for transfer money will be necessary for you. Here it:
Name: IRINA,
Surname: MIKHEEVA,
Country: RUSSIA,
City: CHEBOKSARY,
Street: Gagarina, 36.
Zip code: 428018.
The sum is 960 Euro. Also, don't overlook after that, to inform me the information, a full name, the address and Confidential number. Also the agent wants to know, what is the time we plan to be together. It is necessary for him for reception of tickets. Ewald, what is the time you can have for our meeting? It would be good if have met you in the beginning of February. Dear I shall wait on January, 28th and I hope that you will send money for payment of my contract to this day. The more quickly I shall make payment, the we shall be faster together! My kisses and embraces for you, my favourite Ewald! Yours Lyudmila. I wait for your messages dear!
Letter 4
Hello my love Ewald. I'm glad to see your prompt reply. Dear I very much love you. It is not pleasant that you to not trust me to me. However, I write to you that that you ask. My surname is Sokolova. My information of passport: series: 88 02, number: 739507. My Birthday is 22 of october, 1979. As to Irina tomorrow I shall meet her and to ask the information. Tomorrow I shall send you information Irina. My love, I want that you to trust me. I have no intention to deceive you. I wish to be with you for ever! Ewald I wish to put on to you a wedding ring your finger. I dream to be your wife. You test what feelings to me? Please write to me. Dear I very much love you. I am very tired on work today and I shall move home now. I wait your answer, your Lyudmila.
Letter 5
Hello my love Ewald. I have good news to you. Today we met with Irina and I have learned the information which to you is necessary. Irana's Birthday is 17.12.1980. Passport information: series: 88 01, number: 698240. I hope that now you have the information. Ewald I very much love you. I want to meet you. I wish to be your wife. Ewald you are necessary to me. Grandmother transfers you the best regards. I shall move home now and to think of you. Love forever, Lyudmila.
Letter 6
Dear Ewald
please call or go there AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and change name of money order to
first name: Ivan
last name: Nikitin
DO IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, every minute is precious, so, don't waste time, go there and change name of money order to Ivan Nikitin and it will be at me, I wait for your letter, I will go to Western Union in 1-2 hours and I hope it will be done
Yours Lyudmila
Letter 7
Hi my love Ewald! Lovely, today my message will be small because I have have put from my work which need to be carried out much . I want to speak you only Ewald, that I miss on you and very much I want more likely to see you. Probably, tomorrow I shall take away my visa, so agent has told to me. Also I plan, these days, to finish all affairs on my work and to take holiday. I wait for your messages dear. My embraces and love. Now it is time to me to go, I shall write to you tomorrow. Yours Lyudmila.
Letter 8
Dear, you wait for me? Do not miss, soon I shall embrace you, my lovely! Only I am upset :-( that that all of you to not answer to me. Ewald, today I reached in the airport also took away the ticket. Favourite, is present small difficulty with the the customs declaration. I have learned , that for travel to your country, is present rule. I did not know it earlier. Each tourist in your country should to have with itself cash, not less than 1500 euro. This rule from your government, that foreign tourists could cares of itself when arrive to you. Ewald, I should show this money Department of customs house at filling the declaration, during survey to the plane. Dear , I have no such money. Please send me this sum up to my flight that I could show it on survey. When I shall be to arrive to you, I shall return to you them back. My information:
Name: LYUDMILA,
Surname: SOKOLOVA,
Country: RUSSIA,
City: CHEBOKSARY,
Street: MIRA 42.
zip code: 428018.
Here I can receive it in many places, here continually there is a Western Union. I hope it there will be no difficulty for you. I Love you! I wait for your messages. Yours Lyudmila. Do not overlook, that my flight the day after tomorrow! I ask you dear write to me. I am strongly upset with it.
Letter 9
Dear, You sent money?
How? to what details and what sum? Or you are going to send tomorrow?
Anyway, I can't receive it, and I have to ask you change name of money order.
If you already sent, then immediately go there and change it to details, if you are going send, use details:
First name: Juliana ( J U L I A N A )
Last name: Lobovikova ( L O B O V I K O V A )
So anyway money order must be in this name, ONLY in it case I can get it.
I can not receive without passport, and I have ask you change name, please do it as soon as possible, tomorrow I will go to Western Union and hope by afternoon it will be ready for Juliana name.
Yours Lyudmila
Created: 2008-02-23 Last updated: 2008-02-23 Views: 319


text:
courtesy of Food World and Food Trade News, October 2016
John Gates: Growing up, my uncles had produce markets throughout Central Pennsylvania. My retail experience originated there. Throughout high school and college, I owned and operated my own fruit markets, seasonal Christmas tree and flower stands, and summer wholesale operations.
I put myself through Penn State and earned my BS in Accounting. I was working as a CPA and my brother, Dave, was also working for a public accounting firm. After a couple of years, we decided that we wanted to get back into the food business, specifically the produce business.
John Gates: Our first facility was a one-dock warehouse in Frederick, MD. In 1989 we moved to a larger facility on Route 1 near Jessup, MD, approximately 40,000 square feet. We saw tremendous growth there as a result of being closer to our customer base, which at the time was the Baltimore-Washington market. We grew revenue every year and in 1992 saw the opportunity to sell to Guest Services, Inc., one of the largest private hospitality management companies in the U.S. I remained as the president.
Shortly after the sale, we moved into our third facility that was 110,000 square feet and closer to the Jessup market. We remained there until 2008 when we moved into our current facility, which is approximately 230,000 square feet. This new space allowed us to jump into the value-added business.
We designed a flow-through facility where receiving is in the back and shipping is in the front. It has allowed us to be extremely efficient and take advantage of more distribution opportunities. Encompassed within our business is basically our manufacturing plant where we do our fresh cut. At this point in time, we have some room for growth, but we are probably going to need to add on to this facility very soon and we have that capability.
Gates: When we started Lancaster Foods, our first customers were the military commissaries. We quickly grew into the retail segment. In addition, because the Baltimore/Jessup market wasn't even open on the weekends, we found a niche servicing retailers when they needed it the most – weekend delivery.
Recognizing consumer trends and demands, we saw that there were more and more packaged goods in the produce department. We were quick to jump on that trend which has just exploded. At this point in time, it is a large and growing percent of our business.
I am insistent that we are following the trends where the best quality is at that time, as we are in a perishable business. I also keep a watchful eye on the trends and what is going on in the marketplace. So, I stay very close to our larger retailers.
There are new products coming out all the time. In the fresh cut area, in particular, you continuously see new items emerge. We want to make sure that we are offering the relevant product mix. I am obsessed about getting that right.
As we grew, we became compartmentalized. For example, logistics are critical and crucial to what we do. We have a logistics director, a fresh cut director and, of course, a strong procurement team and sales team. Additionally, we have a finance team and a food safety team. All of these people are very important to our business and they all report directly to me.
As an independent wholesaler, our number one goal is – it says it right on our truck – 'Best Quality, Fastest Service' – which is our tagline. I do get involved in every facet of the business, but I am especially passionate about quality. My idea of quality may be different from others'.
I am concerned about where the product is coming from. We adamantly make sure that we find the very best place to source the product. For example, at any given time, melons may be grown in three different areas. We want to get Lancaster's product to source from the area that has the very best quality. At the end of the day, we have the most success with the best quality. People remember the quality and the service long after the price is in the history books, as we all know.
So the long and short of it is, I spend time with each one of those departments I mentioned. And as stated before, quality, or the consistency of quality, is the foundation of what I want the company to stand for.
The quality, however, is no good if you can't get it to the right place. Fortunately, our location here in the Mid-Atlantic allows us to reach customers in northern and central Florida as well as customers in Maine.
Because Lancaster has the right quality and the right quantity, if someone was looking for truckload volume, we could deliver it – next day. We truly offer retailers a unique solution for logistics.
Gates: It definitely has to do with the value-added category. Again, we are in a good position. Many of the items that we produce could be done at the shipping point, but they can't back it up with the service.
Our customers can order anything…cauliflower, broccoli florets, whatever…and receive it the next day. If stores have to order four days out, they are either going to be short and lose sales, or they are going to be heavy with outdated product that will increase inventory shrinkage.
Providing our customers that service, with consistent quality, has definitely made an impact. It spawned our growth. There is very little room for mediocrity in any business, but especially in our business. The retail fresh fruits and vegetables business is part art and part science. I believe that we have the formula to be Best in Class. I feel pretty good about our position in the marketplace. I learn from my customers.
Gates: Labor. We need people to work in a cold environment – in refrigerated space – and the work is seven days a week. It's definitely one of our biggest challenges, especially in this tight labor market. We try to automate where we can, particularly in warehouse work. To combat the labor challenge we try to be a place where people want to work. We treat them right. Considering the challenge, we feel we do attract and retain good people. We're proud of our labor force.
Equally challenging is the transportation situation. The one consistent complaint throughout the industry is that you can't get good drivers. You can't get consistency. And we are constantly hit with increased regulations in which we have to comply.
The government isn't there to make it easy for us right now. Increased regulations hit all aspects of our business, not just transportation. We all know about FSMA (the Food Safety Modernization Act) coming out…that too is a constant challenge.
Gates: We have experienced steady growth every year. It has been phenomenal. We have the ability to add on to this facility. We need to do that. We will be doing that within the next two to three years.
There is new business coming into the area and there are a lot of good retailers within our market. We intend to continue to partner with them, as well as our grower-shipper partners, where we will be doing forward distribution, additional processing and logistic services for everybody. We talked about it – transportation is tough. Whoever solves those problems and figures out the right formula is going to be successful. We intend to be in that group.
As far as growth, there is plenty of opportunity in produce. There are new ideas frequently coming on board such as vegetable pasta and cauliflower rice. These are just two examples which show that the produce department is far from stagnant. It is not like we are selling cigarettes. We are the good guys. We are selling things that are good for you.
Gates: We are in a perishable business where windows of opportunity come and go. The more nimble you are the better. Some companies have figured that out and can move and say, 'We have a great opportunity here, we can work it through the system, not just as a commodity, but we can process it.' But most retailers, especially the larger ones, sometimes are challenged to move quickly.
When that happens, we lose profit dollars, the customer loses profit dollars, and the consumer loses value. In a department like produce, time is of the essence, the efficiency of the entire system is paramount.


text:
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With apologies to Stevie Wonder's 1972 hit, there's plenty more to be said about "superstition" — the ancient Roman version, that is. Called in Latin superstitio, it's a tough word to pin down because it doesn't quite mean what we think it means. That's why I've come to the Italian province of Umbria, where there's an important clue about how to define it.
Umbria is northeast of Rome. The ancient via Flaminia slices diagonally across it, joining the capital to the modern beach town of Rimini on the Adriatic. I've riden the train up here. It takes two hours, if everything goes as planned. And there's plenty to do. That's more than enough time to get you to Assisi, for example, if you're inclined to follow in the footsteps of St. Francis. It also can take you to one of Umbria's most famous ancient sites, the city of Spello.
Settled by Roman colonists during the civil wars of the first century B.C.E., Spello, or ancient Hispellum, received many benefits with the rise of Octavian, later Augustus. A prominent arch, dedicated to Augustus, can still be seen in one of Spello's steep, narrow streets. Portions of an inscription, which mention a "deified figure," or divus — perhaps referring Augustus' status as "son of a god," the deified Julius Caesar — can be spotted walled into the same building. (Side note: Eric Orlin is currently exploring the Augustan history of Spello for the Memoria Romana project.) I've come up with my eye on the town's later history.
By the early fourth century C.E., Spello had an amphitheater, a theater, baths, and at least one important sanctuary site outside the city. Like Augustus, Constantine, Rome's first Christian emperor, left his mark on the city, too. When Spello's residents expressed their desire to have their own local priests, games and festival to honor the emperor — three features of Rome's "imperial cult" — Constantine assented. The first Christian emperor explained his decision in a lengthy imperial letter preserved in stone. The inscription is currently housed in the town hall, or Palazzo Comunale, of Spello. A copy has been fixed to the wall of the great hall. This week, I was given permission to see and study the original.
Both in terms of size and importance, it's an impressive decree. To begin, the stone is about as tall as I am, six feet (You can see a photo of it, without scale, here). The text itself records Constantine's decision to support the establishment of games in his honor, to be overseen by local priests. To us, the emperor's graciousness may seem unremarkable. Earlier rulers had often done just the same thing. The fact that Constantine was Rome's first Christian ruler is what usually makes people pause. Weren't "the Christians" supposed to be intolerant of all of Rome's own religious traditions? Perhaps. (I've written on this thorny topic before: here and here).
That's where "superstition" enters the picture. Constantine said that a temple could be erected; priests could oversee the local festival; and the emperor even decided to allow Spello to change its name to Flavia Constans to venerate Constantine's family dynasty. The only caveat was that the city's imperial cult celebrations should "not be polluted by the deceptions of any contagious 'superstitio'" (cuiusquam contagiose superstitionis fraudibus polluatur, Corpus of Latin Inscriptions 11.5265, lines 46-47). The trick is trying to figure out just what exactly the emperor meant.
Superstitio is a relative term. It's a word Romans used to describe worship practices that were frowned upon as socially unacceptable, weird or queer. So just what was the emperor intimating in his letter to the people of Spello, now Flavia Constans? Some think that Constantine was forbidding animal sacrifice. The problem is that in the early fourth century, sacrifice was not something many Romans would naturally or automatically associate with a "strange" practice. Sacrifice had been a natural part of daily civic life, a mainstay at civic festivals, for centuries. Even if the Christian emperor did consider sacrifice an unacceptable way of worshiping the Roman gods — "Superstition ain't the way," Stevie sings — many locals must been justly puzzled at what exactly they were and weren't allowed to do as part of their celebration.
In the end, the festival went on. The temple was built. The priests fulfilled their duties. And the gods, including Constantine's own divine ancestors, the divi of the Flavian house, were given their due honors in Umbria. It's an important moment in the story of early Christianity, too. Whatever his personal opinions were, Rome's first Christian emperor had expressed his public support for a long-standing Roman tradition, the worship of the deified imperial family.
Not everything changed with the arrival of a Christian Roman emperor.