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JAMIE STENGLE,Associated Press JOSH LEDERMAN,Associated Press
DALLAS (AP) — Presidents past and present lionized one of their own Thursday, putting politics aside as President George W. Bush dedicated the library that documents his place in history. President Barack Obama praised his predecessor's strength and resolve after Sept. 11, calling Bush a "good man" who faced the storm head on.
"My deepest conviction, the guiding principle of the administration, is that the United States of America must strive to expand the reach of freedom," Bush said. "I believe that freedom is a gift from God and the hope of every human heart."
Obama and Bush spoke along with the three other living former presidents in a rare reunion at the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Center. "To know President George W. Bush is to like him," Obama said.
The presidents lauded Bush's aid to the people of Africa, his effort to reach across the aisle on issues like immigration and education and his leadership in the days after the 2001 terrorist attacks. But they avoided the two wars that dominated much of his time in office — Iraq and Afghanistan.
The presidents — Obama, Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter — were cheered by a crowd of former White House officials and world leaders as they took the stage together to open the dedication. They were joined on stage by their wives — the nation's current and former first ladies — for the outdoor ceremony on a sun-splashed Texas morning. For Bush, 66, the ceremony also marked his unofficial return to the public eye four years after the end of his deeply polarizing presidency.
The five men have been described as members of the world's most exclusive club, but Obama said they are "more like a support group."
"Being president above all is a humbling job," Obama said. He said there were moments that they make mistakes and wish they could turn back the clock, but "we love this country and we do our best."
In a reminder of his duties as the current Oval Office inhabitant, Obama planned to travel to Waco in the afternoon for a memorial for victims of last week's deadly fertilizer plant explosion.
Obama praised Bush for pushing to reform the country's immigration system, although Congress never agreed to go along during Bush's time in office. Obama said he hopes they will this year. "And if we do that it will be in large part thanks for the hard work of President George W. Bush," Obama said.
President George H.W. Bush, who has been hospitalized recently for bronchitis, spoke haltingly for just about 30 seconds while seated in his wheelchair, thanking guests for coming out to support his son. A standing ovation lasted nearly as long as his comments, and his son and wife helped him to his feet to recognize the applause.
Clinton, too, was warmly received by the heavily Republican crowd, who applauded and laughed along with his joke-peppered speech. He concluded on a serious note about the importance of the leaders coming together. "Debate and difference is an important part of every free society," Clinton said.
President Jimmy Carter praised Bush for his role in helping secure peace between North and South Sudan in 2005 and his approval of expanded aid to the nations of Africa. "Mr. President let me say that I am filled with admiration for you and deep gratitude for you about the great contributions you've made to the most needy people on earth," Carter said.
Former first lady Laura Bush said the library isn't just about her husband, but reflects the world during his time as the first president as the 21st century. "Here we remember the heartbreak and heroism of Sept. 11 and the bravery of those who answered the call to defend our country," she said.
Presidential politics also hung over the event. Ahead of the ceremony, former first lady Barbara Bush made waves by brushing aside talk of her son, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, running for the White House in 2016.
"We've had enough Bushes," said Mrs. Bush, the wife of George H.W. Bush and mother of George W. Bush. She spoke in an interview with NBC's "Today" show.
Yet George W. Bush talked up the presidential prospects of his brother in an interview that aired Wednesday on ABC.
"He doesn't need my counsel, because he knows what it is, which is, 'Run,'" Bush said.
Key moments and themes from George W. Bush's presidency — the harrowing, the controversial and the inspiring — would not be far removed from the minds of the presidents and guests assembled to dedicate the center, where interactive exhibits invite scrutiny of Bush's major choices as president, such as the financial bailout, the Iraq War and the international focus on HIV and AIDS.
More than 70 million pages of paper records. Two hundred million emails. Four million digital photos. About 43,000 artifacts. Bush's library will feature the largest digital holdings of any of the 13 presidential libraries under the auspices of the National Archives and Records Administration, officials said. Situated in a 15-acre urban park at Southern Methodist University, the center includes 226,000 square feet of indoor space.
A full-scale replica of the Oval Office as it looked during Bush's tenure sits on the campus, as does a piece of steel from the World Trade Center and the bullhorn that Bush used to punctuate the chaos at ground zero three days after 9/11. In the museum, visitors can gaze at a container of chads — the remnants of the famous Florida punch card ballots that played a pivotal role in the contested 2000 election that sent Bush to Washington.
Laura Bush led the design committee, officials said, with a keen eye toward ensuring that her family's Texas roots were conspicuously reflected. Architects used local materials, including Texas Cordova cream limestone and trees from the central part of the state, in its construction.
From El Salvador to Ghana, Bush contemporaries and former heads of state made their way to Texas to salute the American leader they served alongside on the world stage. Among the foreign leaders were former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
The public look back on the tenure of the nation's 43rd president comes as Bush is undergoing a coming-out of sorts after years spent in relative seclusion, away from the prying eyes of cameras and reporters that characterized his two terms in the White House and his years in the Texas governor's mansion before that. As the library's opening approached, Bush and his wife embarked on a round-robin of interviews with all the major television networks, likely aware that history's appraisal of his legacy and years in office will soon be taking form.
An erroneous conclusion that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, a bungling of the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina and a national debt that grew much larger under his watch stain the memory of his presidency for many, including Obama, who won two terms in the White House after lambasting the choices of its previous resident.
There's at least some evidence that Americans are warming to Bush four years after he returned to his ranch in Crawford, even if they still question his judgment on Iraq and other issues. While Bush left office with an approval rating of 33 percent, that figure has climbed to 47 percent — about equal to Obama's own approval rating, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll released ahead of the library opening.
Bush pushed forcefully but unsuccessfully for the type of sweeping immigration overhaul that Congress, with Obama's blessing, is now pursuing. And his aggressive approach to counterterrorism may be viewed with different eyes as the U.S. continues to be touched by acts of terrorism.
Obama, too, may have his own legacy in mind. He's just a few years out from making his own decision about where to house his presidential library and the monument to his legacy.
Associated Press writer Nomaan Merchant contributed to this report.


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Fossil fuel subsidies in focus at climate talks
(AP)—Hassan al-Kubaisi considers it a gift from above that drivers in oil- and gas-rich Qatar only have to pay $1 per gallon at the pump.
"Thank God that our country is an oil producer and the price of gasoline is one of the lowest," al-Kubaisi said, filling up his Toyota Land Cruiser at a gas station in Doha. "God has given us a blessing."
To those looking for a global response to climate change, it's more like a curse.
Qatar—the host of U.N. climate talks that entered their final week Monday—is among dozens of countries that keep gas prices artificially low through subsidies that exceeded $500 billion globally last year. Renewable energy worldwide received six times less support—an imbalance that is just starting to earn attention in the divisive negotiations on curbing the carbon emissions blamed for heating the planet.
"We need to stop funding the problem, and start funding the solution," said Steve Kretzmann, of Oil Change International, an advocacy group for clean energy.
His group presented research Monday showing that in addition to the fuel subsidies in developing countries, rich nations in 2011 gave more than $58 billion in tax breaks and other production subsidies to the fossil fuel industry. The U.S. figure was $13 billion.
The Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has calculated that removing fossil fuel subsidies could reduce carbon emissions by more than 10 percent by 2050.
Yet the argument is just recently gaining traction in climate negotiations, which in two decades have failed to halt the rising temperatures that are melting Arctic ice, raising sea levels and shifting weather patterns with impacts on droughts and floods.
In Doha, the talks have been slowed by wrangling over financial aid to help poor countries cope with global warming and how to divide carbon emissions rights until 2020 when a new planned climate treaty is supposed to enter force. Calls are now intensifying to include fossil fuel subsidies as a key part of the discussion.
"I think it is manifestly clear ... that this is a massive missing piece of the climate change jigsaw puzzle," said Tim Groser, New Zealand's minister for climate change.
He is spearheading an initiative backed by Scandinavian countries and some developing countries to put fuel subsidies on the agenda in various forums, citing the U.N. talks as a "natural home" for the debate.
The G-20 called for their elimination in 2009, and the issue also came up at the U.N. earth summit in Rio de Janeiro earlier this year. Frustrated that not much has happened since, European Union climate commissioner Connie Hedegaard said Monday she planned to raise the issue with environment ministers on the sidelines of the talks in Doha.
Many developing countries are positive toward phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, not just to protect the climate but to balance budgets. Subsidies introduced as a form of welfare benefit decades ago have become an increasing burden to many countries as oil prices soar.
"We are reviewing the subsidy periodically in the context of the total economy for Qatar," the tiny Persian gulf country's energy minister, Mohammed bin Saleh al-Sada, told reporters Monday.
Qatar's National Development Strategy 2011-2016 states it more bluntly, saying fuel subsides are "at odds with the aspirations" and sustainability objectives of the wealthy emirate.
The problem is that getting rid of them comes with a heavy political price.
When Jordan raised fuel prices last month, angry crowds poured into the streets, torching police cars, government offices and private banks in the most sustained protests to hit the country since the start of the Arab unrest. One person was killed and 75 others were injured in the violence.
Nigeria, Indonesia, India and Sudan have also seen violent protests this year as governments tried to bring fuel prices closer to market rates.
Iran has used a phased approach to lift fuel subsidies over the past several years, but its pump prices remain among the cheapest in the world.
"People perceive it as something that the government is taking away from them," said Kretzmann. "The trick is we need to do it in a way that doesn't harm the poor."
The International Energy Agency found in 2010 that fuel subsidies are not an effective measure against poverty because only 8 percent of such subsidies reached the bottom 20 percent of income earners.
The IEA, which only looked at consumption subsidies, this year said they "remain most prevalent in the Middle East and North Africa, where momentum toward their reform appears to have been lost."
In the U.S., environmental groups say fossil fuel subsidies include tax breaks, the foreign tax credit and the credit for production of nonconventional fuels.
Industry groups, like the Independent Petroleum Association of America, are against removing such support, saying that would harm smaller companies, rather than the big oil giants.
In Doha, Mohammed Adow, a climate activist with Christian Aid, called all fuel subsidies "reckless and dangerous," but described removing subsidies on the production side as "low-hanging fruit" for governments if they are serious about dealing with climate change.
"It's going to oil and coal companies that don't need it in the first place," he said.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

subset: commoncrawl


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Navigate Mother Nature's fickle personality with this outstanding convertible garment. Made from innovative water-repellent fabric with soft DriClime® interior waistband; the two cargo pockets feature sturdy zip closures. Pant zips off to 9" short.
Feature List
- Abrasion Resistant Nylon Fabric
- Bluesign Approved Fabric
- Lightweight, Comfortable, Durable, Nylon Stretch Performance Woven Fabric
- Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) 50
- Durable Water-Resistant Finish (DWR)
- Quick-Drying
- Stretch for Increased Mobility
- Inseam Gusset Panel
- Roll-Up Cuff Feature with Decorative Taping
- Zipper Secure Side Pocket
- DriClime® Interior Waistband for Added Comfort
- Front Hand Pockets
- 32" Inseam and Pant Zips off to Convert into a 9" Short
Main Materials
94% Nylon 6% Elastane Plain Weave Peached 3.6 oz/yd
Regular Fit
0lbs 9.9oz (280.7g)
What is it?
UPF stand for Ultraviolet Protection Factor. Clothing can protect you from the sun's ultraviolet rays. It all depends on the fiber content, weave, weight of fabric and color.
So what's the difference between UPF and SPF?
SPF stands for the Sun Protection Factor, most commonly associated with sunscreen. This measures the amount of time it takes for skin to burn. UPF on the other hand stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor, which is a measure of the amount of UV radiation that penetrates a fabric and reaches your skin. For example, a fabric rated with a UPF of 20 will allow only 1/20th of the sun's UV rays to pass through.
Marmot UPF fabrics come in UPF 20, 25, 30, 35, 45 & 50.
What are the benefits of this technology?
Wearing a UPF fabric would greatly reduce your exposure to UV rays, (where it covers your body). Dark colors and tight weaves will have higher UPF ratings. As well, nylons and polyesters are better than plain cotton because they reflect radiation.
What is it?
DriClime® mesh is a bi-component denier gradient dimensional knit made of two different denier yarns. Using extremely fine deniers this knit is extremely light with superior wicking performance.
How does it work?
The larger outer yarns are a special filament yarn with an open capillary structure, which pulls the moisture away from the skin to the backside of the mesh where it spreads to increase evaporation. The dimensional structure of the knit combined with the smaller denier yarns on the backside of the mesh increase the surface area allowing for greater moisture holding capacity.
What are the benefits of this technology?
This technology increases the interior comfort of the garment by enabling the wearer to feel less clammy and more comfortable over a wide range of temperatures and conditions. The mesh prevents condensation from collecting on the skin no matter what the level of activity due to its 3 dimensional structure. The dimensional knit structure also helps by spreading the moisture over a larger surface area maximizing the efficiency of the evaporate process. This technology solves the problem of condensation and internal comfort that even the most breathable of fabrics have problems with during high intensity activities.
Performance Specifications
Content: 78% Polyester, 22% Nylon
Total Weight: 32 g/m2
Why do we encourage proper care of our clothing and gear?
Because you have invested in (or are thinking about investing in) one of the most technically advanced pieces of apparel or equipment you'll ever own and we want to make sure you have the information you need to protect and care for your purchase. Proper care assures you will optimize the performance of your Marmot product and maximize its service-life.
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Brand | Marmot |
Insulation Type | N/A |
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Temperature Rating | N/A |
If you have any questions about this product, then you can leave us a message via Facebook below


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I recently reported on the results of the first three years of strategic staffing, former Superintendent Peter Gorman's quest to let top principals and proven teachers turn around struggling schools. It's tough to render a verdict, given that promising gains are mixed with widely varied results.
That's disappointing. Three years feels like a very long time in a world where urban superintendents seldom last much longer. It's a safe bet that whoever gets Gorman's job will come in with new strategies -- nobody gets hired saying "Things are pretty decent here; I think I'll maintain the status quo" -- and we'll have to start the clock again to see if anything really works.
Folks who study such things say there's seldom a simple answer. Sometimes you just end up with new and better questions.
Cheryl Pulliam, research director of the Public Education Research Institute at Queens University, has worked with CMS on evaluating strategic staffing. She and the CMS crew have done some smart comparisons of the gains at strategic staffing schools compared with those at other CMS schools serving disadvantaged kids; the results have been inconclusive. She's familiar with the tension between the approach of principals such as Sterling's Nancy Guzman, who swooped in demanding change and got quick results, and those such as Reid Park's Mary Sturge, who thinks slow and steady is the way to build lasting change.
Pulliam's questions, as the effort moves forward:
- Can principals like Mary Sturge keep teachers there long enough (that is , reduce turnover to practically zero) so she can build that capacity and buy-in she needs to build the culture she needs, or will it be a continually rebuilding?
- Have Devonshire and Sterling (the highest-performing strategic staffing schools) reached a plateau so that it makes it even more difficult to raise the scores even higher? If so, what's next to get them up and over any plateaus?
- Has CMS developed that succession plan needed for all these schools so that progress isn't lost when the principal moves/retires/is transferred?
You're asking an important question that will come up more and more often: What is success in a turnaround school? What is success for a district that is managing multiple schools? Is it success if performance is better than trends would have suggested without the intervention? Being among the fastest gaining/progressing schools?
The sector has a pretty bad track record with sustained turnarounds, but nothing compares with the scale of efforts over the last few years -- so we'll have a lot more data points and more info on which to answer the question of what constitutes success.
I still think there are important innovations in the Strategic Staffing model and that others will continue to look to it for guidance. There are few other places I know of where the district put together such a comprehensive change package. Two particular aspects seem promising: CMS was able to give high status and prestige to working in a turnaround school, and managed some of the most sensitive parts of the process at the district level (e.g., staffing, including removing teachers the principal didn't think were a good fit; assigning accomplished central office administrators to support roles). In most other places, each school has operated as a "one-off" and had to solve lots of issues on their own, while SSI took the step of making the turnaround a district responsibility.
None of that is to diminish the focus on results. I'm not in a good position to do comparative analytics from here, but if the results aren't what was anticipated, then CMS needs to dig in and understand what distinguishes the most successful from the least successful and average. Were any of the hypotheses for improvement implemented with rounds 2+3? What can be learned from other turnaround efforts in NC and other states?
Others will still seek to learn from SSI because it is at the vanguard of what are still-nascent efforts to turn around the lowest-performing schools at scale. Unfortunately, there are not models that have worked consistently and at scale. So we have to pay attention to serious efforts and modify based on results and on local context. Better alternatives have to be created, they can't merely be chosen from among existing alternatives.
When things go well in turnaround schools, it's always because educators on the front lines responded to thousands of unexpected challenges with the right mix of sensitivity, tenacity, and flexibility -- each in just the right measure at just the right time. There is no formula for doing that well, but CMS has made some smart bets in creating the conditions where this work can flourish. We need to learn from these efforts and keep getting better.


text: About NESFAThis website is run by NESFA®, the New England Science Fiction Association, Inc., an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. NESFA's online store accepts payment via American Express, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, Visa, and PayPal. Boskone® is an annual Science Fiction convention run by NESFA. NESFA Press is NESFA's publishing arm. We also sell some books from other publishers. NESFA usually processes orders weekly. Charges will appear on your credit card bill as from "NESFA", "New England Science Fiction Association", or an abbreviation thereof. |


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Toyota recalls 1.9M Prius cars for software glitch
Toyota said Wednesday it is recalling 1.9 million hybrid Prius cars globally for a software glitch that could cause the vehicle to stall.
Toyota Motor Corp. said that 997,000 Prius cars in Japan, some 713,000 in North America, another 130,000 in Europe and the rest in other regions are being recalled for a problem in the software to control the hybrid system.
No accidents or injuries have been reported related to the problem.
The software could cause transistors to become damaged, causing warnings lights to go off, driving power to be reduced or the car to stop. The recalled vehicles were manufactured between March 2009 and February 2014.
The Japanese automaker suffered massive recalls starting in 2009, affecting more than 14 million vehicles for problems including floor mats, gas pedals and brakes.
© 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.


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For about 2.7 million people across mid-Atlantic and west to Ohio it's Day 3 without power.
Friday's "land hurricane" — technically known as a derecho — may be long gone, but it is certainly not forgotten. Crews, many brought in from states well outside the affected region, continue to work on restoring power. But utilities are warning it could be next weekend before everyone is back on the grid.
So with temperatures again in the 90s today across much of the affected area, millions continue to face the challenge of getting through without air conditioning.
And now, for commuters in Washington and Baltimore in particular, there's the problem of getting to and from work. Hundreds of traffic lights are still dark, The Washington Post reports. Federal workers in the D.C. region have been given the OK to take unscheduled leave or to work from home if they can in an effort to keep some cars off the roads.
Those problems don't compare, of course, to the tragedies that some have experienced. At least 18 deaths are attributed to the storm or its aftereffects, The Associated Press reports. It's also worth noting that while some homes and vehicles were hit by falling trees, the damage isn't close to what's happened in Colorado, where Colorado Springs' Waldo Canyon wildfire has destroyed about 350 homes.
This blogger's home has been without power since the storm blew through late Friday evening. We're fortunate to have a relatively cool basement and that local restaurants and supermarkets have power (and air conditioning!). The one thing we'd really like to have but don't is ice. Everybody's sold out.
We're interested in how others are faring and what it's been like in their neighborhoods. Feel free to share your stories in the comments thread. We'll highlight some of the most interesting.
Update at 2:50 p.m. ET. In Fort Wayne, "Neighbors Have Come Together Wonderfully."
Two-Way reader "LanahLink" writes in the comments thread that:
"Echoing a previous comment, I'm also in Fort Wayne, Indiana (Northeast IN) ... where over 80,000 people in our city of about 250,000 are out of power — my entire neighborhood near downtown is out and neighbors have come together wonderfully. I had to make an event out of town so after hiding in the basement as tornado sirens blared and shed doors flew, we took over an hour to go 5 miles as streets were blocked with old huge trees and power lines Friday. Power likely [will be] out until Wednesday night.
"Interesting Indiana hasn't been mentioned. But, I find it more interesting in that most commentary in news, including my own FB posts, are about those with the means to find restaurants, coffee shops and the like to take refuge from 100 degree heat.
"As I sit hear in my local Firefly Coffee House with my $5 almond milk mocha in the AC and wifi on my laptop and iPhone by my side, I'm reminded how privileged I am to stay at a friend's house, escape to these money-consuming spots vs. sweletering in my house for 6 days in 100 degree heat. Our community has Red Cross stations & opened free pools, but I know I am thankful for the options I have. I think I'll take some time this afternoon to see if I can lend a hand. Peace :)"
Update at 2:45 p.m. ET. Like Having "30-plus Weak Tornadoes":
Jeff Masters, director of meteorology for Wunderground.com, a weather website, just told All Things Considered host Melissa Block that during the derecho, "we had over 30 thunderstorms with wind gusts of 80 miles per hour. ... It's kind of the equivalent to having 30-plus weak tornadoes on the ground."
As for how a derecho forms, he said that if enough thunderstorms develop "in the same location ... they have the opportunity to work together and form a complex or a greater whole."
More from his conversation with Melissa is due on All Things Considered later today. Click here to find an NPR station that broadcasts or streams the show.
Note at 10:35 a.m. ET: The death toll related to Friday's storm has grown to 18, from the earlier report of 13, according to the AP. So we've updated the post above.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Sometime during the summer of 1983, when Lamb & Lion Ministries was only three years old, a strange man stopped by our offices and asked to speak to me. He introduced himself as Vendyl Jones, and then he smiled and said, "I'm the original Indiana Jones." He was referring, of course, to the main character in the very popular movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark, which was released in 1981.
When I asked him what he meant by his remark, he explained that he had been searching for the Ark of the Covenant for several years and that the main character in the Raiders movie had been modeled after him. I didn't know whether he was kidding or not, but one thing became very clear, very fast: he was obsessed with finding the Ark of the Covenant.
After listening to him ramble on and on about the Ark and how essential it was to the building of the Third Temple, I finally found an opportunity to say a few words. I told him I did not think the discovery of the Ark was essential at all to the building of the Temple. When he asked why, I explained that the Ark was never in the Second Temple (the temple in the time of Jesus), and that it is not mentioned in the book of Ezekiel as being in the future Millennial Temple. Furthermore, I pointed out that Jeremiah prophesied that during the Millennium, "the ark shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they miss it, nor shall it be made again" (Jeremiah 3:16).
At that point, Mr. Jones lost interest in talking with me. He didn't try to argue. He just got up and left, and he left me wondering who he was and how he had found out about me. After all, my ministry was only three years old and was known to very few people.
In the following years, I kept running across Vendyl Jones in the news, and none of it was good. I discovered that he was an apostate Christian who had denounced the deity of Jesus and had become a leader in the Noahide Movement, a group that claims that Gentiles can be saved by following the laws of Noah as revealed in Genesis 9:1-17.
The Path to Apostasy
Vendyl Jones was born in 1930 in Sudan, Texas (in West Texas between Amarillo and Lubbock). He was raised in a Baptist home and accepted Jesus as his Savior at the age of 16. He decided to enter the ministry, and in order to pursue that goal, he attended classes at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, before transferring to the now-defunct Bible Baptist Seminary in Dallas where he earned two divinity degrees.
In 1955 at age 25 he became pastor of Dugan Chapel Baptist Church in Elizabethton, Tennessee. He claims that while studying the Bible there, he came across Matthew 27:25 where it is recorded that the Jewish people cried out to Pilate that the blood of Jesus "be on us and our children." He said there was a marginal note in his Bible that stated this passage was not in the oldest manuscripts. That deeply disturbed him. The more he thought about it, the more he became convinced that there was an anti-Semitic conspiracy among the early Church fathers to manipulate the Scriptures to put the blame for the death of Jesus on the Jewish people.
Jones resigned his pastorate in 1956 and moved to Greenville, South Carolina, where he started studying with a Jewish Rabbi. And thus began his journey into apostasy. Over the ensuing years, he rejected the virgin birth of Jesus, denied the deity of Jesus, declared all His miracles to be a sham, and scoffed at Jesus' resurrection.
He also embraced a form of Dual Covenant Theology, arguing that the Jews can be saved by following the Mosaic Covenant and that Gentiles can be saved by following the Laws of Noah.
Many times he was asked what Bible he was using when he discovered the notation that Matthew 27:25 was not in any of the oldest manuscripts, because that simply is not true. He would never reveal which version it was (because it doesn't exist!).
Shifting His Focus to Israel
In 1967 he moved his family to Israel in order to study at Hebrew University. Over the next four decades, he split his time between doing archaeological digs in Israel and touring the U.S. to raise money for the digs. He made two discoveries that captured headlines. One was a jug of oil he found near Qumran that he claimed was the anointing oil used at the Jerusalem Temple. The second was some red dirt that he claimed contained the 11 spices used in the Temple incense. Neither of these finds were ever endorsed by professional archaeologists.
Vendyl Jones died on December 27, 2010, at the age of 80 after suffering several months from throat cancer. Sadly, he left behind a legacy of having "trampled under foot the Son of God" and having "insulted the Spirit of grace" (Hebrews 10:29).
Matthew 27:25 is not an anti-Semitic blood libel. It is simply an historical recording of what Jews shouted at the trial of Jesus. Its implications were more than offset by the incredible words that Jesus spoke from the Cross: "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34).


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SNAPPER ROCKS, Queensland/Australia (Sunday, March 10, 2013) -The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover, Event No. 1 of 10 on the 2013 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT), completed Round 2 and the opening six heats of Round 3 today in clean two-to-three foot (1 metre) waves at the primary venue of Snapper Rocks and the world's best surfers put on a phenomenal display of high-performance surfing. Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, reigning ASP World Champion, ousted lethal wildcard Dane Reynolds (USA), 27, in the final clash of the day. The two form natural-footers went toe-to-toe, exchanging massive scores and wowing the capacity crowd on the beach. Despite the impressive display from Reynolds, it was Parkinson's mid-heat, near-perfect 9.87 out of a possible 10 for an electric display of forehand surfing at his home venue that would seal the win. "That was pretty exciting," Parkinson said. "Dane (Reynolds) is one of the best anywhere and yeah, I was nervous before the heat. It came down to waves and that one I got mid-heat was one of the better waves that came through this afternoon. It is a huge confidence builder as he's probably the most dangerous guy in the draw and he has nothing to lose. That said, I'm prepared for this season. I'm confident in my surfing and I'm just enjoying this first event." Parkinson is now through to Round 4 of competition – an excellent start to his inaugural ASP World Title defense. "Through to Round 4 so it's a start," Parkinson said. "Still a lot of really good surfers left in the draw though so it's far from over. We'll see what tomorrow brings." Michel Bourez (PYF), 27, was absolutely dominant this afternoon in his Round 3 bout against Alejo Muniz (BRA), 23, posting an incredible 17.90 to better the Brazilian's own impressive score of a 17.57. "It was such a tricky heat because I had an early lead and had to hold on pretty much from the beginning of the heat," Bourez said. "Alejo (Muniz) had to fight back and he did and I had to watch him stay busy the whole heat. Very happy to hold on and to keep surfing in the event. The waves are very fun and I hope we continue to get good surf for the rest of the event." Taj Burrow (AUS), 34, defending Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast winner, survived a shootout in Round 3 this afternoon against 2013 ASP Dream Tour rookie Filipe Toledo (BRA), 17. Despite an aerial onslaught late in the bout by the Brazilian, it was the veteran's razor-sharp precision and power surfing that would win the heat. "You cannot take anyone for granted on this tour," Burrow said. "Everyone is deadly, even rookies. Filipe (Toledo) has all the tricks and his strike rate is really impressive. If you give him an inch, he'll take it. Fortunately, I got the better waves and was able to execute the way I wanted. Psyched to get through to Round 4 and hopefully the waves stay fun. Jeremy Flores (FRA), 24, the lone European remaining in the event, posting a solid Round 3 win over Kai Otton (FRA), 33, this afternoon, jumping out to an early lead with explosive rail surfing. "I was able to secure two good waves at the start and then I started taking some bad waves at the end because I was excited and wanted to show off my surfing," Flores said. "Happy to get a heat win though and be through to Round 4. The bank at Snapper is improving for sure, but if we were to get amazing barrels at Kirra to finish in, I would love that. I've never had a good heat out at Kirra so it would be cool to have a good one out there." Dusty Payne (HAW), 24, posted a major upset in ousting last year's ASP World No. 10 Owen Wright (AUS), 23, in the opening heat of the morning in Round 2. After three seasons of struggling to find his footing on tour despite his universally-recognized talent, Payne's Round 2 victory over the consistent precision of Wright this morning was an excellent validation of the young Hawaiian's worthiness at the elite level of competition. "The past few seasons, I've had to deal with some injuries so I haven't been able to put in the performances I've wanted to," Payne said. "I'm healthy now though and I've put in a lot of work to get some confidence back in my surfing. It's not easy having a low seed on tour because you draw the toughest guys. A win against Owen (Wright) is a good start and I'm sure I'll have someone else that's pretty tough in Round 3." When competition resumes, up first will be Payne versus 11-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA), 41, in Heat 7 of Round 3. Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 6:30am to assess conditions for a possible 8am start. John John Florence (HAW), 20, 2012 ASP World No. 4 and ASP Dream Tour sophomore, withdrew from the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast prior to his Round 3 heat today, citing an ankle injury sustained during yesterday's expression session. Florence secured a convincing Round 1 win over Kai Otton (AUS), 33, and Patrick Gudauskas (USA), 27, last Tuesday and looked like a contender to post a big result in the season-opening event. However, an injury sustained while attempted a full-rotation aerial in Saturday's expression session resulted in his withdrawal from the event today, just hours before his Round 3 match-up with Adam Melling (AUS), 27. Melling advanced directly to Round 4 of competition. We will continue to provide updates as information becomes available. The ASP wish John John a speedy recovery and look forward to him returning to the water soon. Highlights from the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover will be available via quiksilverlive.com For more information, log onto ASPWorldTour.com QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST REMAINING ROUND 2 RESULTS: Heat 5: Dusty Payne (HAW) 14.44 def. Owen Wright (AUS) 14.43 Heat 6: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 15.23 def. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 11.34 Heat 7: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 15.00 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 13.66 Heat 8: Nat Young (USA) 15.50 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 12.60 Heat 9: Adam Melling (AUS) 15.90 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 8.80 Heat 10: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 13.80 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 12.60 Heat 11: Kai Otton (AUS) 14.90 def. Glenn Hall (IRL) 11.10 Heat 12: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 16.37 def. Kolohe Andino (USA) 14.93 QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 3 RESULTS: Heat 1: Adam Melling (AUS) advances past John John Florence (HAW) Heat 2: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 15.50 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 13.13 Heat 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) 14.66 def. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 13.43 Heat 4: Julian Wilson (AUS) 13.80 def. Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 12.27 Heat 5: Michel Bourez (PYF) 17.90 def. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 17.57 Heat 6: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.04 def. Dane Reynolds (USA) 14.77 QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST REMAINING ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS: Heat 7: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW) Heat 8: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Bede Durbidge (AUS) Heat 9: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) Heat 10: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Brett Simpson (USA) Heat 11: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF) Heat 12: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Nat Young (USA) Leave a Reply. |
July 2021


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M-disc, Write Once and Read Forever
The M-disc - A Permanent Storage Solution
You might feel like you're making a "permanent" backup of your files when you copy them onto a DVD or backup to a computer hard-drive, but the truth is these devices suffer from natural decay and degradation. Current DVD technology uses organic dyes and low laser power to make marks on the data layer of a standard recordable DVD. Over time, these marks become unreadable because organic dyes degrade when exposed to minimal levels of light, heat, and humidity. This means all the data you thought was safely stored could be lost because the discs you used have an average lifespan of only about 3 to 5 years! Why would you risk your data based on an average; hundreds of discs taken into account in that average were corrupt and unreadable after only a few months. With Millenniata, we don't subject you to the possibility of losing your data. When we say write once and read forever, we mean it.
How does the M-DISC compare to other DVD sand optical discs?
Millenniata utilizes chemically stable and heat-resistant materials that are not used in any other DVD or optical disc! These materials cannot be overwritten, erased, or corrupted by natural processes. The normal laser energy employed to write DVDs or CDs cannot successfully write to the patented inorganic and synthetic materials used in the M-DISC.
Data is stored on the M-DISC by physically altering the recording layer and creating permanent voids or holes. DVDs and other optical discs use organic dyes that break down over time, resulting in corrupt and unreadable data. These organic dyes are highly susceptible to temperature, humidity and even sunlight, starting to fade and decay the moment you record data.
Millenniata's recording process utilizes higher temperatures and as much as 5 times more energy than any ordinary optical disc. This allows for permanent engraving on the M-DISC, what we refer to as pits. These pits are not affected by temperature, humidity and sunlight the same way dyes are, because the pits are permanent. This means when you burn data onto the M-DISC, it will last as long as you need it to.
How do we know?
The Naval Air Warfare Center at China Lake tested the M-DISC against the best conventional archival discs on the market produced by Mitsubishi, Verbatim, Taiyo Yuden, Delkin and MAM-A. The conditions were based on the 85 °C/85% relative humidity industry test standard, supplemented with full-spectrum sunlight. The Navy's goal was to simulate conditions at sea or in combat, which experience has shown to be a disc killer. The conclusion? The M-DISC suffered no data degradation at all while discs from Mitsubishi, Verbatim, Taiyo Yuden, Delkin and MAM-A failed after the stress period.
The Naval Air Warfare Center at China Lake has published these conclusions in the study, "Accelerated Life Cycle Comparison of Millenniata Archival DVD." Conventional optical discs subjected to the same level of testing failed within 2 days while the M-DISC was not affected.
Millenniata 10 Errors 0% of discs failed |
Delkin 3284 Errors 100% of discs failed |
Verbatim 5000+ Errors 100% failed |
MAM-A 2096 Errors 100% of discs failed |
Taiyo Yuden (JVC) 4249 Errors 100% of discs failed |
Mitsubishi 5000+ Errors 100% of discs failed |
How can I access my data on an M-DISC?
Once written, the M-DISC can be read or played on any quality DVD drive that supports the common DVD+R/RW format. Most DVD drives that were manufactured after 2005 and almost all Blu-ray or BD drives support this format.


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Over at Business Insider, Nicholas Carlson has written about something he calls Google's "worm strategy":
Over the past six months, Google has begun to systematically replace core, Apple-made iOS apps with Google-made iOS apps.
- In July, Google launched Chrome for iPhone — a Safari replacement.
- Then in October came Google Search — which included a voice search feature to compete with Siri.
- In December, Google launched Google Maps to replace Apple Maps, and a much improved Gmail to replace Apple's core Mail app.
- It also put out a new YouTube app to replace the one that Apple removed during its last iOS upgrade.
Carlson says that the trend doesn't make Apple executives very happy and notes that it allows Google to funnel users of iOS gadgets to Google Search, where it can make money by showing them ads.
I'm sure nobody at Apple is thrilled by the fact that the glitches with the company's new Maps application opened up an opportunity for Google to lure iOS users to its new Google Maps app. But overall, Google releasing excellent iOS apps isn't a problem for Apple. Actually, it's a happy development that should boost Apple's bottom line.
As a moneymaking machine, Apple is mostly a hardware merchant. It sells phones and tablets and computers at handsome profit margins; any revenue it makes later from apps, services, advertising or other means is gravy.
A wealth of good Google apps on iOS provides consumers with yet another reason to buy Apple hardware. It also reduces what would otherwise be a strategic advantage for phones based on Google's Android operating system. All in all, it's good for Google, it's good for Apple — and it's most definitely good for those of us who like both Apple devices and Google services.


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The Meccano Society of Scotland
Stair Climbing
Menstrie Challenge 2015
The challenge is to build a machine from standard and/or compatible Meccano parts that is able to climb a flight of stairs. There will be five risers in all, these being of successively greater heights, namely 2", 2 1/2", 3", 3 1/2" and 4". The stairs will be 18" wide and each step shall be 12" deep.
- The machine should be assembled from Meccano or Meccano compatible parts.
- Two attempts per round per machine are permitted.
- Machine settings may be adjusted between successive attempts.
- The power source may be any electric or clockwork motor or spring mechanism. There are no voltage or power restrictions for electric motors but the power source must be carried on the machine. Batteries may be changed, power sources recharged and clockwork motors and springs re-wound as required.
- Once set in motion for an attempt at the climb the operator may not touch the vehicle until the run is completed.
- Any machine judged to have damaged the obstacle will be disqualified.
- There are no size or weight restrictions for the machine's construction
- At the start of the attempt the foremost part of the machine must be at least 12" from the bottom riser.
- An attempt is not considered complete until all of the machine is resting on the top step.
- A machine falling off the side of the steps during its ascent will be deemed to have used one of the two attempts permitted under rule 2.
- The machine should finish the attempt with the same number of parts that it started with.
- In the event of more than one machine successfully completing the climb the entrant taking the shortest time will be declared the winner.


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You've just viewed… The Sheffield Foyer brochure with design by Volta Creative.
Did you like it? We put a lot of time and effort into absolutely everything we design. We would love to put a lot of time into one of your projects and it really doesn't matter if it's a business card or a full-scale marketing project, we include Volta Energy into each and every job, give us a try you may be presently surprised.


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If you missed it, be sure to check out my post from last night about David Halberstam below.
Lies, more lies and the NFL Draft: Pro Football Talk said that the Falcons worked out LSU safety LaRon Landry. The Falcons have also been tied to trading up to draft hometown hero Calvin Johnson.
PFT's best piece of intel -- not that it's a huge surprise -- is to point out the B.S. meter this year is higher than ever. Sorry: The lying. That's right: Lies. Complete outright lies.
I find this fascinating.
I love it how fans and media are willing participants in being lied to now, but get pissed at something like the Nick Saban episode.
Make no mistake: The difference between the deceptions of Saban and the deceptions of every single NFL GM this week are merely of degree, not of type.
They're all liars. It's just that for some reason, fans have a higher tolerance around NFL draft-time for lies.
Why is that? Because "everyone is doing it," and you'd rather have your team lying to get their desired draftee rather than playing it straight -- or simply not deceiving -- and possibly missing out?
Saban's deception never bothered me as much as some people; maybe I am too much of a fan of "House," but I'll stick with his mantra: "Everyone lies."
With the NFL Draft, it goes further than any point during the year. But as with Saban, I can't take the NFL Draft deceptions THAT seriously. It's all part of the game -- all part of sports.
P.S.: Roger "The Commish" Goodell is cracking down on league leaks to the media about confidential info. Remains to be seen if/how this impacts NFL coverage. More likely, reporters will rely even heavier on agents for information. See how it comes back full circle to the lying?
More of today's biggest storylines:
NBA Playoffs: "Re-Heat" frozen over? As someone who picked
Meanwhile, now that the Raptors have figured out how to win in the playoffs, I think the series is theirs to finish out.
MLB: Yankees lose 5th straight. Yep, that's a dud. Paul Maholm shuts out the Astros on a complete-game three-hitter. Yep, that's a stud.
Pat Tillman Saga: With every new turn of events, this story is being affirmed as arguably the greatest sports-related tragedy in American history. Certainly of this generation. It is so ridiculously tragic, and as more details emerge, it gets worse – if only for the ringer that the Tillmans have been put through by the very military in which their son volunteered to serve.
NBA Draft: Georgia Tech freshman Thaddeus Young put his name in, but reserved the right to withdraw. Given the depth of the draft class, he might be worse off than next year, but – then again – if you're guaranteed to be a first-round pick this year, as Young is, why stay in college? (By the way, he'll be a MUCH better pro than he was a college player.)
Super Sonics fire coach and GM: Well, they probably want new faces and a fresh start when they move the team to OK City next year.
Sam Mitchell as NBA Coach of the Year: Hmm... maybe they should give first-year Raptors honcho Bryan Colangelo that award, in addition to Exec of the Year, because it was Colangelo's moves that made Mitchell's success possible.
Celtics exiling Telfair: How ironic that the new poster child for an unsuccessful prep-to-pro transition was also the most publicized prep-to-pro player?
(And, remember: Prep-to-pro success rates are astonishingly good. Maybe it was because he was a small, poor-shooting point guard, rather than a big guard or big man... but maybe it was that very same build-up that made him a prep-to-pro that undercut his career.)
Very special thanks to Shoals and Dr. LIC from Free Darko for yesterday's pinch-hitting.


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- Product Type: 3 Function Garage Door Remote
- Number of Garage Doors Able to Open: 3 Door
- Color Family: Black/Grey
- Number of Batteries Required: 1
- Batteries Included: Yes
- Battery Type: 10A20
- Number of Buttons: 3 Button
- Craftsman 315 MHz or 390 MHz garage door openers manufactured after January 1, 1993
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