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September 11-24, 2019
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It was a wonderful day to spend in the garden – with samples of booze in hand, of course. The
By San Antonio Current Staff |
September 15, 2019
Pastiche manager and partner Benjamin Krick, the barman behind downtown craft-cocktail bar Jet-Setter, has taken Old World inspiration from European
By San Antonio Current Staff, Lea Thompson |
September 12, 2019
San Antonio loves Mexican food – from authentic Mexican fare to Tex-Mex inspired bites – that goes without saying. While
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September 12, 2019
Who doesn't love fried chicken, honestly? Whatever piece of bone-in chicken, or whether you prefer chicken fried chicken, these local
By San Antonio Current Staff |
September 11, 2019
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Once again, Obama's attitude is do it my way or else!
Someone needs to tell him that the campaign is over. It's time to govern; if he knows how!
Here we go again. Another fiscal crisis which is nothing more than the last fiscal crisis kicked down the road past the election. And once again, as in all the other so-called crises, Obama fails to step up to the challenge of presidential leadership. Instead we are entering another round of mendacious campaign speeches in which he paints GOP principles featuring lower spending and job creation as tax cuts for the rich and accuses them of wanting to poison the air and water and let old people and children die. At the start of his latest round of campaigning Obama said that Republicans want to take away Christmas for the Middle Class. He told one group that if the GOP plan is adopted "That's sort of like the lump of coal you get for Christmas. That's a Scrooge Christmas." Does that sound like the kind of presidential leadership that will bring both sides together for a deal?
In the opening salvo of this latest barrage of Obama's continuing divisive and partisan assault he put forward a plan that is so obviously designed to offend good sense that many believe he wants the talks to fail. Obama's plan is loaded with billions in new spending on Democrat goodies with any talk of cuts put off until next year and no guarantee that any will be made. Obama is also demanding the biggest tax increase in American history. But the most obvious non starter is a demand that Congress relinquish power to control the debt ceiling and hand that over to Obama. It would be like giving the bank robber the combination to the vault! If this is the "balanced" approach Obama's aides keep talking about then they are more incompetent than we thought.
Fortunately for Obama he won't have to explain to Americans how a deal to avert fiscal disaster is instead a vehicle for more of the wasteful spending that got us into the mess in the first place. He can count on an affirmative action news media that will be all too happy to ignore the spending and go after Republicans for playing "Scrooge" at Christmas. And if Republicans walk away Obama knows he can paint them as the problem and get away with it.
At the Wall Street Journal Kimberly Strassel made some good observations:
This Unserious White HouseWhat Strassel and others have figured out is that Obama really doesn't want a deal. He's unable or unwilling to break free from campaign mode and act as an honest negotiator in the national interest. And since we know the affirmative action media will continue to cover up for his failings, there's no reason he should change. Americans will continue to suffer economically as a result!
The president makes the GOP a fiscal-cliff offer he knows they will refuse.
By Kimberly Strassel
Wall Street Journal
November 29, 2012
How to put this tax-and-more-spending offer in perspective? It is far in excess of what the Democrats asked for in last year's debt-limit standoff—when the political configuration in Washington was exactly the same. It is far more than the president's own Democratic Senate has ever been able to pass, even with a filibuster-proof majority. It is far more than the president himself campaigned on this year.
But the president's offer is very much in keeping with his history of insisting that every negotiation consist of the other side giving him everything he wants. That approach has given him the reputation as the modern president least able to forge a consensus.
Mr. Obama's tendency to campaign rather than lead, to speechify rather than negotiate, has already defined this lame-duck session. The president has wasted weeks during which a framework for a deal has been in place.
Within two days of the election, Mr. Boehner had offered an enormous compromise, committing the GOP to provide new tax revenue, through limits on deductions for the wealthy. Mr. Obama campaigned on making "the rich" pay more—and that is exactly what Mr. Boehner agreed to give him.
All that was left for the president to do was accept this peace offering, pair it with necessary spending cuts, and take credit for averting a crisis. Mr. Obama has instead spent the past weeks campaigning for tax-rate hikes. He wants the revenue, but collected only the way he chooses. And on the basis of that ideological insistence alone, the nation is much closer to a crisis.
Talks that had been at a standstill may now crumble, thanks to the Geithner-Nabors proposal. The president is boxing in the Republicans—offering them a deal they cannot accept, a deal they can't even be seen to be treating seriously. Mr. Boehner is legitimately interested in a bargain that will set the country on sounder footing. Yet the most immediate outcome of such an open slap from the White House will be to make even those Republicans who were willing to cut a deal harden their positions. Someone get the White House a copy of "Negotiating Tactics for Dummies."


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It's that time of year again. As the festive season draws near and we pull together wish lists, many of us also begin to think about how we can give back. Given that the UK spent over £7 billion this Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend, it's not surprising that the idea of Giving Tuesday is becoming more and more popular. But with 160,000 registered charities in the UK alone, institutions are turning to data to find new ways to stand out and make a greater impact. Far from just running quarterly reports, charities are now utilising the insights they gain from data to inform their strategies, improve their services and plan for the future. IDEAS Given that not every charity is lucky enough to go viral with an Ice Bucket Challenge style video, there is a need to find other ways to stand out in such a crowded market. As such, many are looking to the data they have collected to help create a strategy. Macmillan Cancer Support, one the UK's biggest charities, wanted to see more success from one of their main fundraisers, 'The World's Biggest Coffee Morning'. The event, which sees volunteers hold coffee and cake-fuelled gatherings across the country was revolutionised by data. By engaging with their database and researching what motivated fundraisers, they refocused their marketing around how the occasion could create an opportunity for people to meet up and chat, such as swapping 'send for your free fundraising pack' for 'order your free coffee morning kit'. Whilst these amends may seem superficial, they had a major impact increasing funds raised from £15m to £20m. Some brands have taken this idea even further, using Data & Analytics tools to engage with potential donors. Homelessness charity Cyrenians' data told them that there were a number of misconceptions about rough sleepers, including 15% of people believing that they were homeless by choice. To counter this they created an AI chatbot, named Alex, that allowed users to ask questions they may not have been comfortable asking a real person. Another charity using data tools to counter common misconceptions is Dyslexia Association. Their Moment of Dyslexia campaign saw them utilise facial recognition technology; the longer a person looked at their digital poster, the more jumbled up the words and letters became. By harnessing both insights and the technology made possible by data, they were able to offer an insight into what dyslexia is like for people who previously didn't understand. INDIVIDUALS A big issue facing a number of charities is trust. Following a series of recent scandals, the public are more sceptical than ever of how charities are run, and their use of data is no exception. This 'trust deficit' has resulted in vast amount of potential donors staying away, with recent research highlighting that only 11% of people are willing to share their data with a charity, even if it means a better service. Whilst charities with effective Data Governance are able to use their vast amount of data to enhance those business, those who mismanage it are likely to suffer. Following a cyber-attack that exposed the data of over 400,000 donors, the British and Foreign Bible Society were fined £100,000. As hackers were able to enter the network by exploiting a weak password, this serves as a timely reminder that our data needs not only to be clean, but secure. Financial implications aside, improper data usage can also do irreversible damage to a charity's reputation. St Mungo's has faced criticism for passing information about migrant homeless people to the Home Office, putting them at risk of deportation. Whilst they were cleared of any wrongdoing by the ICO, this controversial use of data has had a negative impact on the charity's image. With a decline in the number of people donating to charity overall, anything that can put people off further is bad news. IMPACT Whilst there is more demand than ever for charities to share their impact data, there is also more opportunity. With Lord Gus O'Donnell urging charities to make data an 'organisation-wide priority', many are going beyond publishing annual reports and fully embracing a culture shift. Youth charity Keyfund have been able to justify how the spend their funds based on their impact data. Having heard concerns from fundraisers regarding whether their leisure projects were effective they looked at the data they had gathered from the 6,000 young people they were helping. What they found was that not only were their leisure projects effective, they had an even more positive impact than their alternatives, particularly for those from the most deprived area. This allowed them to continue to support these programs and even increase funding where necessary. Going one step further are Street League, a charity that use sports programmes to tackle youth unemployment. Rather than share their impact data in quarterly, or even annual, reports they moved to real-time reporting. Interested parties can visit an 'Online Impact Dashboard' and see up-to-the-minute data about how the charity's work is impacting the lives of the people it is trying to help. This not only allows for the most relevant data to be used strategically, but also supports the business holistically, gaining donor both attention and trust. To stand out in the charity sector institutions need to take advantage of data. Not only can this be used to generate campaigns and streamline services but, when used securely and transparently, it can help rebuild trust and offer a competitive edge. If you want to make the world a better place by harnessing and analysing data, we may have a role for you. Take a look at our latest opportunities or get in touch with one of our expert consultants to see how we can help you.
29. November 2018
The Ski season may be drawing to a close, but it's never too early to start planning for next year. Born and raised in the mountains of Austria, I have been skiing all of my life. For me, it's about freedom, enjoying the views and forgetting about everything else. But, since I've stepped into the world of Data & Analytics, I started to asked myself "what can I learn from my work that I can apply to my skiing"? After having a look around, I began to discover ways in which Data could support my passion. I've pulled together some of the most interesting things I've discovered and created this handy guide to help you prepare for your next trip. Here's how you can use data to create the perfect ski trip. Follow the snow Anyone who has skied before knows about the uncertainty before a trip. Will there be enough snow? Will the weather be good? Which resort is the most suited to my ability? Fortunately, somebody has already pulled this information together for you. Two "web spiders" were built via Scrapy, a Python framework used for data extraction, the first of which extracted ski resort data. The second spider, on the other hand, extracted daily snowfall data for each resort (2009 - present). After collecting Data from more than 600 ski resorts and spitting it into 7 main regions, the spiders were able to form a conclusion. The framework then pulled out key metrics, including the difficulty of runs, meaning that skiers are now able to decide which resort is most suitable for their ability. As for the weather, onthesnow.com has recorded snowfall data from all major resorts, every year since 2009. We all know that good snow makes any trip better, so the collected data here will help skiers ensure they are prepared for the right weather, or even plan their trip around where the snow will be best. Optimise your skis Ski manufacturing is a refined and complicated process, with each ski requiring many different materials to be built. Unfortunately, this often results in the best skis running out quickly as supply outspeeds demand. To help speed up and improve the process, companies are implementing technologies like IBM Cognos* that monitor entire supply chains so that no matter how much demand increases, they have the materials to meet it. Additionally, since the majority of companies have become more data-driven, production time has been reduced by weeks. Predictions for future demand has also become 50% more accurate, resulting in a drop of 30% idle time on production lines. Skip the Queue Tired of queuing for the ski lift? There's good news. As they begin to make the most of data, ski resorts are introducing RFID* (Radio Frequency Identification) systems. These involve visitors purchasing cards with RFID chips included, allowing them to skip queues at the lifts as there is no need to check for fake passes. The data can then be utilised for gamification platforms to turn a skier's time on the slopes into an interactive experience. The shift towards Big Data not only has advantages for the visitors, but the management are also benefiting. In the past, it has been difficult to analyse skier's data. Now, with automated and proper data management, the numbers can be crunched seamlessly and marketing campaigns can be directed at how people actually choose to ski. Carve a Better Technique Skiing isn't always easy, especially if you haven't grown up with it. Usually, ski instructors are the solution but, in the age of Data & Analytics, there are other solutions. Jamie Grant and co-founder Pruthvikar Reddy have created an app called Carv 2.0, which allows you to be your own teacher. It works by using a robust insert that fits between the shell of your ski boots and the liner. It then gathers data from 48 pressure sensitive pads, and nine motion sensors. This data is fed to a connected match-box size tracker unit, sitting on the back of your boots, before being relayed via Bluetooth to the Carv App on your phone. Carv can then measure your speed, acceleration and ski orientation a staggering 300 times a second. Thanks to a complex set of algorithms this data is then converted into an easy to follow graphic display on your phone's screen as well as verbal feedback from Carvella. The accuracy of this real-time data could make it a better instructor than any individual person. Data & Analytics are helping streamline every part of our lives. Whilst the above can't guarantee a perfect ski trip, they can help us minimise risks and optimize our performance and experience. If you're able to use data to improve day-to-day living, we may have a role for you. Take a look at our latest opportunities or get in touch with our expert consultants.
04. April 2019
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Browsing Faculty and Researcher Data and Papers by Subject "variation in behavior"
Now showing items 1-1 of 1
Pure versus mixed strategists: the evolution of behavioral heterogeneity in individuals and populations (Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1998)A wide range of ecological and evolutionary models predict variety in phenotype or behavior when a population is at equilibrium. This heterogeneity can be realized in different ways. For example, it can be realized through ...


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HOLLAND, Michigan – After a red-hot start which gave UMass Boston an early 1-0 lead, the fifth ranked Captains of Christopher Newport University responded with three straight wins to defeat the Beacons by the final of 3-1 Thursday evening in the NCAA Division III Volleyball National tournament quarterfinal round at the DeVos Fieldhouse on the campus of Hope College.
With the loss the Beacons closed out the year with a 20-12 mark overall, while Christopher Newport advances to the semi-final round of this year's championship tournament and improved to 40-2 overall.
In the opening frame, UMass Boston showed no fear against the 2011 national runner-ups. The Beacons peppered the Captains throughout the set and hit a combined .343 to pick-up the 25-22 decision. Unfortunately, UMB would not be able to carry that momentum forward as CNU cruised to a 25-9 win in the second set, a 25-17 win in the third, and a 25-18 decision in the fourth.
The first set victory for the Beacons marks the second time in the last three seasons the Beacons have taken a set in the national quarterfinal round. In 2010, UMB recorded a 25-17 win over Calvin College, who went on to win the national title that year.
Proving to be the driving force for the Captains was their consistent hitting along with a standout showing from Christie Fellows. As a team CNU finished the contest hitting over .299, while Fellows posted an incredible .407 in the match. The Captains also four other players finished with a .300 hitting percentage or better.
For the Beacons, junior hitter Amber Clemons (Simi Valley, Calif.) led UMB with a .312 hitting percentage. Sophomore Kirsten Morrison (North Reading, Mass.) closed out her first trip to the national stage with a team-best 10 kills, while senior Shannon Thompson (Moorpark, Calif.) finished with nine on the night.
Setter Emma Rocha (Boynton Beach, Fla.) tallied 18 assists and a match-best three service aces. Senior libero Kayla Wilson (San Jose, Calif.) and junior Corrine Porter (Huntington Beach, Calif.) put-up nine digs to lead the Beacons defense, with Morrison also posting four block assists at the net.
In the first set UMB would spend most of the set nipping at the heels of the Captains, that was until a key attack error by CNU's Bailey Jensen game UMB a one-point lead (20-19). That error would prove to be the deciding play of the first set, as the Beacons clawed the next five points, with Clemons scoring the set-winning kill to put UMass out-in-front 1-0.
Knowing that this was their match to win, the Beacons returned to the hardwood in the second set. Unfortunately the second set would ultimately set the tone for the final two sets as CNU jumped all over the Beacons and never looked back.
After the very tough second set and with the score tied at 1-1, UMass looked to get that early momentum back, but it proved to be harder than they thought. Christopher Newport would once again jump out to a commanding lead, while limiting all of the Beacons chances. It was not until CNU reached their 24th point that UMass offense began to show signs of life. Along with some attack errors by the Captains, UMB managed to close the deficit to seven, but that rally would come to an end on a Jessie Kolden kill.
The final set saw UMass Boston erase an early CNU run. With the score tied at 6-6, the Beacons began to apply the game-plan that made them so successful in the first set. However anytime UMB built momentum, Christopher Newport responded right back. The two teams did find themselves even on the scoreboard late in the set after UMB tied the match at 16-16 on a CNU attack error.
Unfortunately the Captains would score the next nine points, while holding UMB to just two to secure the victory.
Even with Thursday's tough loss, the Beacons have many great things to look back at on in 2012. Despite the fact they never once played an actual home game in the Clark Gym, UMB still managed to earn a Little East Conference title, their fourth straight and the NCAA Division III New England Regional crown, their second in three years. The Beacons will graduate three senior members in Thompson, who without a doubt is the greatest hitter to ever play at UMass Boston and stands as the program's only three-time AVCA All-America and the first player in the history of UMB to be named a four-time First Team All-Conference selection, as well as being named a three-time LEC Offensive Player of the Year. The Beacons will also lose Wilson and Mirielle Juarez (Los Angeles, Calif.).


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So Long, Longhorn: Texas' Dodds to Retire
Longtime Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds will announce his retirement on Tuesday, effective August 2014, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The news was first reported by the Austin American-Statesman.
The Texas athletic program surged during Dodds's 32-year tenure, becoming one of the nation's most successful and highest-spending programs. Texas appeared in football national-championship games in 2005, 2006 and 2010, winning in 2005. During Dodds's time as athletic director, the Longhorns also won three national titles in baseball and a men's golf title in 2012. He hired the coaches of those three teams.
Dodds, 74, also presided over unprecedented growth—in facilities and operating expenses—of Longhorn athletics, which generated $163 million in revenue in 2011-12, the most in college sports. But the Longhorns have slipped lately. The men's basketball team broke a streak of making 14 consecutive NCAA tournaments this year, and the baseball team also failed to appear in the tournament. Worst of all, the football team is 24-18 since 2010, with a 2-2 start this season that includes a loss at Brigham Young in which the Longhorns gave up a school-record 550 rushing yards.
—Rachel Bachman
MLB's Manfred Promoted
Major League Baseball named Rob Manfred chief operating officer Monday as part of the transition process for commissioner Bud Selig 's planned retirement in January 2015. Manfred, a likely candidate to replace Selig, has worked for MLB since 1998, most recently as executive vice president for economics and league affairs. He has been heavily involved in labor relations and league governance, including MLB's drug testing program, among other key areas.
The promotion puts Manfred, 55, squarely in charge of the league's day-to-day operations while Selig focuses more on major policy issues.
"The reorganization of our management team will facilitate an orderly transition and will position Major League Baseball's operations for sustained prosperity well into the future," Selig said in a statement released by MLB.
—Brian Costa
Copyright ©2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8


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In the days when the Teberian Empire reigned over the entire Continent, the name of Dalraaen was rarely known. A minor urban deity, Dalraaen was worshipped in a few scattered shrines and but a single temple, a wooden fane on the outskirts of Teber. A single priest maintained the temple and kept the votive candle lit. There were never worshippers: in the wide pantheon of Teberian gods, Dalraaen was all but forgotten. One evening, as the priest - whose name is lost to history - kept the fane's hearth, he was struck with a vision: from the flickering flames of the pyre appeared two figures. Both were garbed brillantly with flowing robes and tasseled belts. They were androgenous and seemed to eminante a holiness and righteousness the priest had never before experienced or imagined. With a single gentle yet terrible voice, they spake thus:
Hear, O Servant of the Just One! Hear and stand ye before him, the Celestial Judge! Hear and write: "Thus speaks the Great Lawgiver, before whom the world shall be tried, the one that is just and righteous beyond all - I am the Law. I am Dalraaen."
This priest obeyed and, by the Archangels' dictation, wrote the Didache of Law, the Order's holy text. After three weeks of endless scripting, the Archangels immidiately ordered the priest to go and spread the Didache across the land as the true Law, ending obedience to any inferior mortal laws or rulers and rightfully granting Dalraaen his true place as the Celestial Judge. The priest did as was commanded and assumed a pseudonym - the Prophet - to disguise himself from inquiring Teberian authorities. The Dalraaenite religion remained small and obscure for some time until the Teberian Empire collapsed. As factions and tribes scrambled to reclaim the lawless lands, the Dalraaenites set to bring order and created a series of affiliated provinces called the Judicial States. These remain as the bastion of order and faith for the Dalraaenites today.
Beliefs & Teachings
While the early Order of Dalraaen honored the other gods of the Teberian pantheon, worship of the Celestial Judge became more focused as the Empire declined. By the founding of the Judicial States, Dalraaen was worshipped as the only true god, and he was officially claimed the sole deity shortly thereafter in the Edict of Justice. Theology gradually progressed and Dalraaen came to be seen as a sort of creator god:
"Before the Falling of the Gavel, the universe was chaos. All things were not, and no-things were, the stars knew not their places, nor the sun its time for rising and setting. The crops grew and withered as they pleased without heeding season or month, and the snows fell in defiance of the wandering sun. For countless time, thus was the world.
And then appeared Dalraaen.
The Celestial Judge, seeing these things in lawlessness and chaos, set to right the world. The All-knowing Lawgiver ordered the stars into their sockets, the sun to its path; the crops he set to their seasons, and the snows he affixed to winter. All things he placed according to the Law, which is his Divine Will, and all was well. With new order in place, Man arose to govern and be governed, to rule and be ruled, to judge and be judged all according to the Sacred and Eternal Law."
-The Didache of Law
According to the teachings of the Order, Dalraaen rules as judge over all the universe. All beings - men, creatures, spirits - come before him at death in the Celestial Court, the heavenly throne of Dalraaen from which he weighs, judges, and rules the universe. A soul will kneel in homage and obedience before the great ivory throne of Dalraaen and, with the thundrous sound of the Elysian Gavel, the trial begins. The prosecution always speaks first, with the Archangel Saint Ajor leading the litigation. The evidence: an account of the soul's every unlawful, dishonorable, and unrighteous act. Ajor speaks with firey conviction and cold malice, and the defending soul weeps and cowers at its own hateful sins. As Saint Ajor completes the convicting evidence, the soul's defender rises: Archangel Saint Sephor. Clad in the pure white garments of a Judicator, Sephor eloquently defends the client by making note of every kindness, justice, and benelovence the soul has made, great or small. It is said the soul comes into ecstacy at the wonder of its own capabilities under Dalraaen's just Laws. At the close of the trial, the Celestial Judge makes his decision. There is no plea bargaining here: the soul will be found either guilty or innocent, wicked or just. The righteous souls are granted entrance into the Heavens where they spend eternity in bliss proclaiming the great justice of Dalraaen. The poor souls who are convicted of their crimes, however, collapse under the immense weight of their sins: as Dalraaen's gavel falls, the soul shatters and is obliterated. A seemingly harsh justice, but justice indeed from the very mouth of the All-Knowing Lawgiver.
The Order often uses distinct iconography always representing one of three beings: Dalraaen, Saint Ajor, and Saint Sephor.
The Lawgiver himself is rarely portrayed literally. Standard theology dictates that the sheer magnamity of Dalraaen's presence is impossible to even fathom, let alone fashion into recognizable form. Thus, Dalraaen is often portrayed metaphorically or symbolically. The most common representation of Dalraaen is the gavel, reminding observers of his prime role as Celestial Judge. Many practitioners wear a small gavel amulet on their person for this purpose, and it is often found on the steeples of courts across the Judicial States. Nearly as common is the Del Aleph, a combination of the first two letters of Dalraaen's name in the Ancient Teberian alphabet. This symbol tends to be used more by the priesthood and finds its way into many signets and seals. Most rare are the scales, used to again show Dalraaen's status as Judge of the Universe. Scholars and theologians tend to frown on this image, however, as it implies Dalraaen is a mere machine used to measure good and evil rather than the author of Divine and Eternal Law.
Saint Ajor
The two archangels of the Order's faith are the most commonly portrayed figures in iconography. Depending on circumstance, St. Ajor is usually portrayed in one of two forms. The first is as one of the mouthpieces of Dalraaen, the heralds who proclaimed the Didache to the Prophet. Here Ajor is seen in pure white robes with a golden diadem, the scroll of the Law in hand; the saint in this image is notably androgenous. This is commonly used by priest-judges and everyday shrines as a reminder of the heavenly origins of law. The other instance of Archangel Ajor is more militant. When used by paladins, soldiers, or peasants during wartime, Ajor has abandoned the robes of an Arbiter for the gear of a soldier. Distinctly male in contrast to the ambiguous herald, St. Ajor appears as a divine soldier, covered head to toe in gleaming armor save a large pair of feathered wings and halo. Always seen armed, he usually carries the two-edged sword of conviction, though occasionally bears Dalraaen's own gavel as a maul. He is the personification of just vengence and the patron of prosecutors.
Saint Sephor
Like Ajor, the Archangel Sephor is often portrayed in one of two ways. The first is as herald of Dalraaen, looking nearly identical to St. Ajor bearing the Didache but with a different shaped circlet. Often, however, St. Sephor is shown as a woman wearing the garb of a healer. Here she bears a large shield embossed with the seal of the Order, a defense for all the faithful against injustice and evil. At her hip is a medicine bag, used to heal all those who are wounded by unrighteousness. Many look to Saint Sephor as a protective spirit and healer of ailments, making her popular with physicians and town guards. As defender in the Celestial Court, she is the embodiment of mercy and patron of defense Arbiters.
For the Dalraaenites, law itself is a sacrament. It follows logically, then, that their liturgy and worship derives from legal affairs. A Dalraaenite temple is known as a court, a priest-judge presiding as pastor of each one. When Dalraaenites must settle conflicts - which happens with some frequency, as faithful follow a complex and sometimes apparently contradictory code of law - they come to the court and plead their case before a judge. Usually the both parties arrange for court to be held prior to a formal accusation, though priest-judges have been known to be waken in the middle of the night by parishoners who insist their case be heard immidiately. Once a formal complaint has been lodged with the priest, the Liturgy of the Trial begins. Unlike an ordinary secular trial, a liturgical trial in the Order of Dalraaen is laced with prayers and hymns. The priest serving as judge always begins with the same prayer:
O Great Lawgiver and Celestial Judge, hear now your faithful who come before you to plea! These two parties have chosen to settle their conflict in a most divine and holy way: by your Blessed Judiciary. Grant that they and all present may find your divinity in this trial, your justice in its settlement, and your mercy in its execution. May your Archangels Ajor and Sephor guide both the prosecution and defense, ever seeking the truth by your will, the Law.
And with a fall of the priestly gavel, the trial begins. As several priests are assigned to most courts, the highest-ranking priest present always serves as judge. Lower-ranking priests usually serve as barristers for the two parties, and initiates are summoned as clerks, baliffs, and other minor duties. The liturgy proceedes as one might expect a normal trial to: the prosecution makes its case, the defense theirs; witnesses are called, questioned, and cross-examined; final statesments are presented by both sides. Strewn throughout on both sides are prayers and hymns to Dalraaen, Ajor, and Sephor, reminding all present that this is indeed a sacred rite. After the final statements are made, the presiding judge retreats to the court's inner chambers and prays for guidance and discernment from Dalraaen, the True Judge. After his recess, the priest-judge returns to announce his verdict and consults the Didache and any other relevent laws for the sentence. If a party disagrees with the judge's ruling, an appeal can be made to a higher court, such as those on the ward or district levels.
OUtside of the Liturgy of the Trial, Dalraaenites make daily prayers to Dalraaen. Each court has an atrium with votive candles and places for oblate donations which are generally given to the poor. Those who can afford it often have their own private shrines to Dalraaen in their homes. Many courts have smaller shrines dedicated to the Archangels, though no court or shrine is exclusive to them. Aside from the Didache, a number of popular hymnals and prayer books circulate the Judicial States; The Office of Blessed Tymion, named after and partially based on a famous Magistrate, was particularly popular during the Sectarian Wars.
The priesthood of the Order of Dalraaen is, like much of the faith, structured and orderly. A priest's primary purpose is to serve as a guide to the Law, through which the faithful can find truth and fullness with the Lawgiver. Theologically, only those who feel the sacred call and duty to the priesthood ought to - indeed, must join. Practically, those that wish to become lawyers of any prominence will join in order to advance their career. Adults of either gender are welcome to the priesthood, though about three-quarters are male. As outlined in the Didache of Law, there are six distinct ranks of the priesthood:
- Counselar - An initiate priest. They are apprenticed to Advocates or Arbiters, and serve as clerks of the court: consulting law books, making subpoenas,
- Advocate - A low-ranking priest, they have at least six months of training as a Counselar under their belt. They may serve as attorneys at trials.
- Arbiter - The highest ranking priest in most courts. They normally serve as judges, but may serve as barristers in higher courts.
- Warden - Considered the lowest ranked priest in an "second tier" of the priesthood. Wardens serve as guardians of justice, going from court to court in their ward to ensure that trials are held fairly. Many also serve in the Order of the Gavel, a paladinic sect that soldiers in times of war.
- Magistrate - A high ranking priest who serve their district. Cases appealed from trials judged by Arbiters come to Magistrates. They serve as governor of their districts and are responsible for the well being of their constituents. They also have the power to ordain priests.
- Judicator - The highest ranking priest of the Order. There are no more than nine Judicators at any time. They serve together in the Sacred Judiciary, the highest court of the Order. Appealed district cases are brought before the Sacred Judiciary. Judicators also are the political authority of the Order, overseeing treaties and other international relations.
The territories of the Order are divided into three units: courts, wards, and districts. Courts are headed by Arbiters, wards by Wardens, and districts by Magistrates.
As the second largest religious group on the Continent, the Order of Dalraaen maintains a stable and rather influential position. From the Judicial State capitol of Justice, the Sacred Judiciary wields considerable influence over neighboring freelands and even Modoal Imperial politics on the border. The Modoals and Dalraaenites have maintained a somewhat uneasy truce over the past couple centuries. As the two groups began to establish themselves after the fall of the Teberian Empire, they fought a long series of holy wars with each other that resulted in little territorial gain for either, and heavy casualties for both. Since then, they have attempted to maintain peace despite long standing cultural and religious differences. The establishment of several courts in the Modoal Empire has complicated the issue as Modoal law requires oaths to the state god and faith. The Dalraaenites that have refused to submit to the Modoal demands have not yet been deported or have their citizenship revoked, but tension continue to rise.
The Order has consistently held the line strictly against the Vautuans, a mutual hatred that has existed since the establishment of Elysian-Infernal War theology. The existance and veneration of the Celestial Gavel only adds to the conflict. The Sisters of Yamasatra are largely ignored by the Order, at most viewed with curiosity by the faithful. In secret, chief members of the Sacred Judiciary have met with the Abbess in an attempt to establish friendly relations and mutual understanding.


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The Kaleidoscope is an experiment where friends and strangers get together and perform. Every week, four improvisers will form teams with whom they have never performed to create teams that have never existed and will never exist again. Like a kaleidoscope: every time you look you will see something different.
August 3rd
Hosted by: Maritza Montanez
Monologues by: Rachel Chapman


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Translation Disclaimer
A FREE health information service available by telephone or email to the public. Public health nurses are available to respond to your message Monday through Friday to answer questions and give counseling about health problems and provide health education and teaching on a variety of topics.
PLEASE NOTE: When you call, you must leave a message so that the Nurse of the Day can return your call. Be sure to include your phone number along with the best times to reach you, when leaving your phone message, and when sending an email message, for the Nurse of the Day.
A to Z Public Health Services
Who is the program for? Residents of Berkeley
Cost for Services: FREE
Languages Spoken: English, Spanish, Japanese, Amharic
Additional Resources
Berkeley Public Health Clinic
Berkeley Mental Health
Housing & Community Services
2-1-1 Phone Service: http://www.edenir.org/ Clicking this link will take you to Eden I & R 2-1-1 services. City of Berkeley supports the 2-1-1 Information and Referral Line to help people find affordable housing and critical social services in Berkeley and in Alameda County.


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...and scummed for GETINDARE.
A while later this happened:
But then the universe decided it hates me so THIS happened:
...courtesy of my faulty internet connection. Nothing wrong with the game this time around, but me actually getting completion benefits from managing a vicious Gaan'Telet run is destined to fail as often as not.
For a few minutes there, at least, I could feel really good about this:
So, err, I haven't been following the Vicious Gaan'Telet situation so I have no clue whether that is something to be proud of or just bussiness as usual. It was regular Vicious GT, not Vicious Token Vicious GT.
The god I prepped was GG just for Humility and a blank 5 mana Enlightment due to piety overflow (and a very late and complicated poison cure). Scummed for GETINDARE and nothing else. Joined Taurog for the armor at some point, then joined Drac for 2 hits of sanguine and blood shield. Had patches for 3 hits, and used consensus to swap to GG for the poison cure, then desecrated Taurog to go back to Drac. Still had 175 damage after Taurog desecration, and 200 before that. 300 with spirit sword. Prepped extra health, sword + translocation, dragonshield, patches, [STR potion, fortitude + salve, whoopaz], GG and was a human. Found a soul orb, had trouble with poison (would've been the other way around otherwise).
Anyway, Transmuter is barrels of fun, and really, really strong. I don't think he's broken, to be honest. He really reads as:
LEMISI - save exploration from the moment you walk in, scout:everything, free conversion pop
Spirit Sword - free STR potion ++ every time you pop a CP cap, all glyphs = STR potions ++, massive leveling perks
Inner Focus - glyph use means you can pop a cap when converting pretty much anything, sometimes even without converting anything
Rewards feature knowledge, game expirience and smart play, though, and doesn't hand out effortless wins. I like him a lot.


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Weed amnesty for Raglan
Raglan Weedbusters is encouraging locals to swap their garden weeds for free native plants on Saturday 5 August.
Community » What's Happening » News » Media releases - archived
You can access our archive of media releases since 2000 by using the filter by date range search on the left hand side. Once you have made your date selections, click the filter button.
This archive does not include the recent media releases.
Raglan Weedbusters is encouraging locals to swap their garden weeds for free native plants on Saturday 5 August.
Planting 2250 native trees, grasses and shrubs along 2km of the Whangarahi and Karaka streams is a daunting task for just three people, but they'll be finished by mid August.
No physical evidence of at least 500 litres of diesel that spilt into Coromandel Harbour last week remains in the area.
A mussel barge that sank near Te Kouma boat ramp spilling diesel into the Coromandel Harbour has been successfully re-floated with no further spillage.
Environment Waikato will be closely monitoring the impact of pine-pasture conversions in Waikato River catchments above Lake Karapiro, due to concerns that this will significantly increase flood risks downstream.
Hamilton public transport takes a giant leap forward next Monday with the launch of the new Orbiter bus service, which celebrates its first week by running free from 17–22 July.
Environment Waikato today adopted the draft Regional Land Transport Strategy, which sets the direction for how land transport in the Waikato region will be managed, prioritised and funded during the next 10 years.
An Environment Court judge has fined Waihi company Farm Meats 2000 Limited $12,500 for objectionable odour from its factory.
Want to make a difference to the Raglan environment?
The Regional Land Transport Committee today reached agreement on the draft Regional Land Transport Strategy, which sets out the direction for how land transport will be managed, prioritised and funded during the next 10 years.


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Originally Published: 2/14/2013 9:17:00 AM
Warren Buffett part of group to buy Heinz for $23 billion
The Associated Press
[+] Enlarge.
NEW YORK — H.J. Heinz Co. has agreed to be acquired by an investment group including billionaire investor Warren Buffett in a deal valued at $23.3 billion.
The ketchup company says it's the largest deal ever in the food industry. Heinz shareholders will receive $72.50 in cash for each share of common stock they own. The transaction value includes the assumption of Heinz's debt. Based on Heinz's number of shares outstanding, the deal is worth $23.3 billion excluding debt.
"It's our kind of company," Buffett said in an interview on CNBC, noting its signature ketchup has been around for more than a century. "I've sampled it many times."
In addition to its ketchup, Heinz makes Classico spaghetti sauces, Ore-Ida potatoes and Smart Ones frozen meals. The company was founded by Henry John Heinz and his neighbor L. Clarence Noble in 1869. The pair's first product was grated horseradish, bottled in a clear glass to showcase its purity. The first ketchup was introduced in 1876; the company says it was the country's first commercial grade ketchup.
Last year, Heinz says it had sales of $11.6 billion, with ketchup and sauces accounting for just under half of that. Given the saturated North American market, the company has increasingly looked to emerging markets for growth. In 2013, emerging markets are expected to account for a quarter of the company's sales.
Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital, the investment firm which also bought Burger King in 2010, say Heinz will remain headquartered in Pittsburgh.
The per-share price for the deal represents a 20 percent premium to Heinz's closing price of $60.48 on Wednesday. Heinz said the deal was unanimously approved by its board. Buffett said on CNBC that Berkshire is putting $12 billion to $13 billion into the deal. But he noted that Berkshire will still have room to make more acquisitions, noting that its businesses continually replenish its cash supply.
"Anytime we see a deal is attractive and it's our kind of business and we've got the money, I'm ready to go," Buffett said.
The deal is expected to close in the third quarter.
Shares of Heinz were up nearly 20 percent at $72.45.


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Potato Crusted Halibut - Silver Lake, CA
1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, smashed
1 thyme bundle
2 bay leaves
1 lemon, zest removed from the lemon with a vegetable peeler in wide strips
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
3 Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed
4 (6-ounce) Pacific halibut fillets
Kosher salt
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the olive oil, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, lemon zest, crushed red pepper flakes and fennel seeds. Bring to a boil then turn the heat off and let it sit for at least 1 hour.
Using a mandoline, slice 1 potato extremely thin, (paper thin), in elongated rounds. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a clean, dry work surface. Arrange 3 potato slices in an overlapping vertical line pressing them together as you put them on the parchment. Repeat this process until you have a 4 by 6-inch overlapping potato rectangle that replicates fish scales. Brush the potato "scales" with the infused oil and sprinkle with salt. Season the halibut with salt. Lay the halibut fillet closer to 1 end of the potato rectangle than the other and then roll the fish up in the potato slices, using the parchment to help facilitate the rolling. Press to compact and really adhere the potatoes to the fish. Brush the outside of the potatoes with the infused oil to seal the potatoes and to prevent the potatoes from turning brown, this will also help make a nice tight "fish package". Reserve the fish in the refrigerator while preparing the remaining fillets. Refrigerate the fillets for at least 1 hour before cooking.
Add the infused olive oil to a large nonstick saute pan until the bottom is generously covered and bring the pan to a medium-high heat. Season the fish with salt and add to the pan. Cook the fish on both sides for 3 to 4 minutes frequently spooning the excess oil over the fish to "baste" it. The potatoes should be crispy golden brown and very well flavored and the fish will be succulent inside its crispy "scales". Transfer to serving plates and serve.
Serve with a lovely Rose, we love Domaine de Triennes & BUON APPETITO!


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Download of the Day: PowerDVD 10.0.1705
The No.1 Movie Experience on PC
Our Download of the Day today is PowerDVD 10.0.1705.
Power DVD is simply the best Blu-ray/DVD player software today. It delivers outstanding Blu-ray and DVD movie playback quality on your PC:
NEW Unparalleled HD movie experience: The best video quality today with incomparable support for all HD video formats like AVCHD, AVCREC, MPEG-4 AVC (H.264), MPEG-2 HD and WMV-HD
NEW HDMI 1.3 Support: HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) simultaneously transfers 8 channels of audio over a single cable
NEW PC friendly: Play your HD movies on high or low spec CPUs.
High-Def Home Theater Audio: Supports Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD
Please note: This is a commercial trial.
The latest version includes the following changes:
Changes in Version 10.0.1705
# New features
* Convert 2D video to 3D using TrueTheater 3D.
* Use TrueTheater video enhancement technologies to enhance video during the playback of DVDs and video files.
* Use TrueTheater audio enhancement technologies to improve audio quality during the playback of Blu-ray Discs, DVDs, videos and audio.
* Apply TrueTheater Noise Reduction and Stabilizer to fix your personal videos during playback.
* Support for GPU acceleration (NVIDIA CUDA and ATI Stream) for video decoding when TrueTheater HD is enabled.
* Share comments and reviews of movies in real-time on Facebook, Twitter, and MoovieLive using the Short Comment feature.
* Add BookMarks with comments and share them as MovieMarks on Facebook and MoovieLive.
* Use media tabs to quickly access and play back movies, videos and music.
* Support for MKV, WTV, FLV, RM, RMVB, 3GP, 3G2 video file formats.
* Play back video files with DTS-HD, DD+, Dolby TrueHD audio.
* Support for the Windows 7 Library when playing back audio and video files.
* Upload videos to YouTube.
* Utilize ambient light sensor on supported notebooks/laptops to maximize battery life.
- >> NEXT STORY: HP release three new entry level WS LCDs
- << PREVIOUS STORY: Deal of the Day: Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t Cosmic Night (06514FU) Tablet Netbook - $399 Shipped Free


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TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Jan. 24, 2013) - Sangoma Technologies Corporation (TSX VENTURE:STC), a leading provider of hardware and software components that enable or enhance IP Communications Systems for both voice and data, announced that director of marketing Jeff Dworkin will participate in two educational sessions during the ITEXPO Miami 2013 Conference and Expo. The event will take place January 30 through February 1, 2013 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida.
Addressing a topic that is rapidly gaining attention in the communications sector, Dworkin will join a panel of industry experts for the session, "Why Your Enterprise Network Needs an SBC". The session is set for 9:00am on Wednesday, January 30, 2013. In the session, he is expected to discuss the need for flexible and multi-function devices that can not only provide secure IP-to-IP voice and video connectivity, but can also seamlessly perform transcoding and other key aspects of interconnecting networks, clouds, and services.
"With the rapid uptake by businesses for SIP trunking, cloud and hosted services, and other IP-based applications, the ability to cost-effectively secure and manage IP-to-IP borders has become critical to business operations," said Dworkin. "The intention of the session is to help businesses understand the dynamics required for interconnecting and managing disparate networks in a seamless and secure manner that is completely transparent to the business and user."
Dworkin will also participate in the session, "The Future of Desktop Communications and Collaboration," set for Friday, February 1, 2013 at 11:00am. In this panel, he will discuss the impact that technology and use models-such as mobility and powerful UC suites, such as Microsoft Lync-have on enterprise communications. He will also address potentially disruptive technology constructs, such as WebRTC, that are gaining traction within the industry.
"The introduction of mobility technologies, particularly smart devices and the Bring Your Own Device concept, are challenges that many enterprises are struggling with today," noted Dworkin. "However, the potential of WebRTC could be the next disruptive technology that will greatly impact unified communications-particularly for mobile users. This panel should spark a number of thought-provoking conversations regarding the future of business communications."
"We are delighted to welcome Jeff Dworkin back to ITEXPO," said Rich Tehrani, chief executive officer of Technology Marketing Corporation, the producer of ITEXPO. "We pride ourselves on providing a technical program that challenges the audience to think about the future of communications from business, technology, and industry perspectives. Jeff is a dynamic speaker that never fails to grab the attention of the audience, and provide them with plenty of information and insight to consider as they chart the path for their business."
In addition to contributing to the technical program at ITEXPO, Sangoma will highlight its broad portfolio of solutions that interconnect disparate networks and technologies for enterprises and service providers. A Gold Sponsor of ITEXPO, Sangoma will be located at booth 501 throughout the exhibition.
About Sangoma Technologies Corporation
Sangoma is a leading provider of hardware and software components that enable or enhance IP Communications Systems for both telecom and datacom applications. Enterprises, SMBs and Carriers in over 150 countries rely on Sangoma's technology as part of their mission critical infrastructures. Through its worldwide network of Distribution Partners, Sangoma delivers the industry's best engineered, highest quality products, some of which carry the industry's first lifetime warranty. The product line includes data and telecom boards for media and signal processing, as well as gateway appliances and software.
Founded in 1984, Sangoma Technologies Corporation is publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX VENTURE:STC). Additional information on Sangoma can be found at www.sangoma.com.
The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.


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Mountain Trail Mug
These mountain hiking trail mugs make a great ourdoorsy gift, especially for campers and hikers, and those finding their path through life. Choose between Mt Hood, Mt Rainier (two famous Pacific Northwest landmarks featuring bald eagles), or our Classic Mountain Trail design.
Shop for other Mountain Trail items here.
We know you already have coffee mugs. But do they actually bring you delight when you use them everyday? Are they plain and boring, or do they have images on them that used to be cool, but now they're wearing away? (Yeah, we all have those cups.)
Now, imagine that your mugs have original art on them that fits your personality and makes you smile when you see them. You'll want to slow down and savor your drinks. And the very best part is that our graphics will never look sad or worn. Sandblasting is 100% permanent, so our design's crisp details will be around for a lifetime. You'll be just as happy to use that mug years from now, as you were when you first pulled it out of our sturdy gift packaging.
- Dishwasher-Safe, Microwave-Safe
- Shipped Fast
- Beautiful, Sturdy Packaging
- Permanent Design (unlike a printed graphic)
- Crisp Edges & Deep Carving (unlike laser etching)
- Big handles are comfortable to hold, even for large hands
- Stable bases won't tip over easily
Standard Mugs are packed in branded display boxes with a cutout window. Camp Mugs are packed in white gift boxes with care instruction stickers. Rustic Mugs are packed in simple bubble wrap.
Standard large ceramic coffee mugs -
Individually packed in branded display boxes with care instructions.
- Capacity: 16 oz
- Height: 4.25" (10.5cm)
- Top Width: 3.5" (9cm) across the mouth
- Bottom Width: 3" (7.5cm)
Camp Mugs - speckled ceramic
Packed in plain white gift boxes, ready to gift, or easy to wrap.
- Capacity: 15 oz
- Height: 3.5" (8.75cm)
- Opening Width: 4" (10.25cm) across the mouth
- Max Width: 5.25" (13.5cm)
Ceramic glazes you can feel good about: meet CA's Prop 65 limits for leaching of lead & cadmium (0.99 ppm lead and 7.92 ppm cadmium). In fact, our mug glazes are non-detect at testing detection limits well below (< 0.01 ppm for both).
All of our drinking glasses are made in the USA unless otherwise noted.
Our ceramic mugs, travel mugs, and stainless steel tumblers are made in China. Travel lids are made from BPA-Free silicone.
Using our original handmade stencils, the glaze of this mug is sandblasted away to create a deep 3-D graphic that will never wear away.
Our dishware is small-batch sandblasted in our studio in Portland, OR. We're very good at masking by hand, but there will be a small amount of inconsistency between handmade items, which makes them special.
Some images may be digital mock-ups instead of actual finished products. Sizing and placement are approximate representations.
Learn more about our sandblasting process here.
Sold individually unless otherwise noted. Most items ship within 1 business day. Larger orders (12+ items) are subject to our bulk lead-time, which is usually 1-3 weeks.
Contact us with questions.
Review our Store Policies for info on shipping, returns, and more.
Lettering Styles
You can add custom text to nearly any item for a one-time $12 set-up fee. Choose your font from our list.


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Joan E. Havens
Joan Havens
B.A. (Spanish), Fairleigh Dickinson University; M.A. (Spanish), University of California at Los Angeles; M.A, Columbia Biblical Seminary; Ph.D., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Dr. Joan Havens is director of the Master of Christian Education (MACE) degree program at Columbia Biblical Seminary & School of Missions. She has taught in public and Christian schools and served in churches as coordinator of Christian education and director of children's ministries. She was an adjunct instructor in religious education at Southwestern Baptist Seminary and in Spanish at Texas Christian University.
In 1992 she joined the seminary faculty after serving for 31/2 years as director of children's ministries at Southcliff Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas.
Dr. Havens taught in the Paramus Public Schools, Paramus, New Jersey, for 17 years, and at Our Lady of Victory School, Fort Worth, Texas, for three years. She is the author of "Parent Education Levels as They Relate to Academic Achievement Among Home Schooled Children," Home School Researcher, Vol. 10, num. 4, 1994.
B.A., 1966 Fairleigh Dickinson University; M.A., 1969, University of California at Los Angeles; M.A.C.E., 1985, Columbia Biblical Seminary & Graduate School of Missions; Ph.D., 1991, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; teacher, 1969-86, Paramus Public Schools, Paramus, NJ; Coordinator of Christian Education, 1985-86, First Baptist Church of Grantwood, Cliffside Park, NJ; teacher, 1986-89, Our Lady of Victory School, Fort Worth, TX; Adjunct instructor in Spanish, 1990-92, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX; Director of Children's Ministries, 1989-92, Southcliff Baptist Church. Columbia Biblical Seminary and School of Missions, 1992 .


text: Andy Somerfield 2,482 Posted November 25, 2018 Status: Beta Purpose: Features, Improvements, Fixes Requirements: Purchased Affinity Photo Mac App Store: Not submitted Download DMG: Download Auto-update: Available. Hello, We are pleased to announce the immediate availability of the latest beta of Affinity Photo 1.7 for macOS. Photo 1.7 is a (very) significant change to the currently shipping 1.6 version, so, as ever, I would strongly urge users to avoid the 1.7 beta for critical work. This is especially true as this is only an early build of 1.7 - we will release many more builds before 1.7 ships. Things will be broken in this build - please use it to explore the new features and not for real work. If this is your first time using a customer beta of an Affinity app, it's worth noting that the beta will install as a separate app - alongside your store version. They will not interfere with each other at all and you can continue to use the store version for critical work without worry. It's also worth noting that we aren't done yet - we are still working through reported bugs from previous releases and hope to fix as many as possible before the final release of 1.7. With all that said, we hope that you will enjoy the new capabilities introduced in this release and we look forward to any and all feedback you give to us. Many thanks (as always), Affinity Photo Team Changes This Build - Fixed incorrect RGB / BGR / Red-major-order export of LUTS. - Ability to either rasterise or rasterise and trim a layer. Previously recorded macros will trim. - Fixed issues when parsing autofocus rectangles in RAW develop. - Show which autofocus rectangles were in focus and which were selected by the camera (yellow, green respectively). - Fixed inability to open photos from Apple Photos from file -> open. Now correctly asks for permission. - Threshold adjustment will always present an intensity histogram. - Improved histograms on curves and levels adjustments. - Fixed LAB issues with edge detection filters. - Switching between adjustments and filters will close any existing panels accordingly. - Fixed incorrect ability to drag a locked layer when there is no layer selection. - Fixed loading of 8/16bit images with linear RGB profiles. - Can now double-click most sliders in adjustments UI to reset the individual parameter. - Make it obvious which nozzle is selected in the brush editor UI. - Other small fixes. Changes In Previous Builds - Improved Metal stability / performance with large documents. - Fixed a number of dark mode issues. - Fixed preview glitches in split preview mode for filters / develop. - Fixed batch processor not obeying dimensions correctly. - Improved Procedural Texture UI in light mode. - Allow brush rotate / size key changes while dragging. - Numerous text engine improvements. - Fixed cursor issues with HSL and other adjustments. - Fixed issues with some menu shortcut keys. - Improved PDF export. - Improved localisations. - Numerous other small fixes. - Fixed CMYK rendering when using Metal. - Fixed loading of huge JPEG files. - Added "Alpha Similarity" to Select Sampled Colour tool. - Fixed a number of crash bugs in the adjustment panel. - Fixed issues with some existing user documents crashing in 1.7. - Assorted other fixes. - Show the Curves / Levels histogram in the correct colour space. - Fixed some GPU memory management issues. - A further attempt to fix the HSL UI crash. - Improve performance on Intel Iris Pro GPUs. - Improved help. - Numerous other small fixes. - Fixed hardware acceleration issues on certain iMac devices. - Fixed a number of brush bugs. - Fixed hang in HDR merge with GPU enabled. - Fixed HSL adjustment UI crash, - Fixed Procedural Texture UI issues when switching from dark to light UI. - Fixed Curves adjustment clamping issue when GPU is enabled. - Fixed 3DLUT adjustments when GPU is enabled. - Fixed issues with sub-brush UI. - Numerous other small fixes. - Added pixabay.com to Stock panel. - New welcome screen graphics. - New persona icon graphics. - New splash screen. Changes Since 1.6 Release Performance - The core processing engine in Affinity Photo has been rewritten to take advantage of the powerful discrete AMD GPUs in modern Mac hardware. It will now automatically use any compatible discrete GPU, alongside the Intel GPU support present in 1.6. Typically this improves compositing / editing performance by at least 1000%. Performance when using integrated Intel GPUs has also been massively improved. - External GPUs (eGPU) are also supported - including hot-plug-and-unplug support. - Multiple GPUs are supported - if you have more than 1 GPU (ie. Intel + AMD in MacBook Pro, or Intel + eGPU in other Macs) Photo will use them all, at the same time, to improve performance. There is no limit to the number of GPUs which can be used. Brushes - Photo 1.7 introduces a new "sub-brush" mechanism, developed in conjunction with Paolo Limoncelli (DAUB® Brushes). This exciting feature allows any brush to have a list of other brushes attached which will draw at the same time. Each sub-brush has a fully separate and customisable set of dynamics. You can control when the sub-brushes are drawn and how they blend with the main brush. - The brush engine in Photo has been rewritten to use the new GPU architecture described above. With GPU support, even huge brushes with 1% spacing will perform well. All brushes / brush tools are accelerated. - Symmetry (up to 32-way) is now supported - including on-canvas controls and optional mirroring. We have more symmetry features on the way - so stay tuned during the beta process. - Wet edges and accumulation are now available on colour brushes and brushes with HSL variance. - Brushes with multiple nozzle textures have always chosen the nozzle at random. In 1.7, the nozzle choice has a dynamic controller and ramp for greater control. - All brush tools now support left and right arrow keys for rotation - a common feature request RAW - The RAW processing engine in Photo has been rewritten - producing better results and improved performance. It also takes advantage of the GPU architecture changes described above. - RAW files now load much more quickly - especially if you have a compatible GPU. - Reimplemented support for XTrans sensors. - The denoise algorithm has been rewritten. It produces better results and takes advantage of the new GPU architecture. - Hot pixel removal is now automatically performed by the Serif Labs engine. - Profiled lens correction are more stable, apply more quickly, and can be toggled in the Develop UI. - The histogram in the Develop persona is now presented in the output colour space - as opposed to always being linear. Filters - New "Procedural Texture" filter with advanced presets support. - New "Voronoi" filter. - Denoise, Clarity and Shadows / Highlights filters have been rewritten (using technology from the Develop Persona). - More filters are now available as Live Filters - including the new Procedural Texture filter. - Live filters have been rewritten to improve performance - especially when multiple filters are used in a document. - Improved Polar to Rectangular and Rectangular to Polar filters. Adjustments - The HSL adjustment layer has been rewritten. It now supports custom hue ranges, a new algorithm, new UI and picker controls. - The Levels adjustment layer now supports output levels - a common feature request. - The White Balance adjustment layer has been rewritten. - The Selective Colour adjustment layer has been rewritten. - PSD import / export of adjustments has been improved. - The Vibrance adjustment layer has been rewritten. - The Recolour adjustment layer has gained a lightness slider. Tools - The Crop tool has been rewritten - it now supports resolution changes, absolute pixel size and has a much improved preset mechanism. - The Sponge Brush tool now gives more correct / pleasant results. - A general tools overhaul has been performed - providing editing of grids, guides, page origin, across multiple tools (not just in the Move tool) General - "Alternate futures" for document history have been added. Traditionally, if you roll back the undo history then do something else all your changes after that point are lost. Photo will now display a small branch icon in the history tab when you do this. Pressing that button will cycle between all the different "futures" after that history entry - meaning you will never lose work you have done. - HEIF images can now be loaded directly into Photo. If they contain a depth map, this will also be loaded as a second layer. Because depth maps are typically lower resolution than the main image, optional "smart" upsampling will be performed. - A large number of new cameras are supported for RAW development (we will provide a list of the new supported cameras as soon as possible!). - The batch process dialog now fully supports expressions for height and width - available constants are "w", "h" and "dpi". - Photo now supports custom document presets - a popular feature request. - A new blend mode - Linear Burn - has been added. - New "Move inside / outside" commands have been added - useful for quick operations on clipping masks etc. - The Hard Mix blend mode has been improved. - New provider options have been added to the stock panel - support for Unsplash and Pexels. Both of these providers offer full-resolution stock imagery which is free to use. - Metadata is now dynamically synchronised with your document - so if you resize then export, the values will be correct. - Numerous text improvements have been made - including new features. - Significant PDF import / export improvements and fixes. - Numerous other bug fixes - too many to list! 6 1 Polygonius, anon2, paolo.limoncelli and 4 others reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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As the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) conference kicked off yesterday, the society announced partnerships with several genealogy companies, including our own Family Tree Magazine.
These partnerships are designed to help FGS and its 500-plus member societies earn much-needed funds for programs, volunteer projects and other efforts to benefit and grow the genealogical community. When individual members of FGS societies purchase the partners' products, those companies will donate a portion of the sales back to the societies.
Family Tree Magazine initiated the partnership program with FGS, and we've launched a Web site that makes it easy for member groups to participate in our fundraiser. Societies can go to HelpFGS.org and download a button to put on their Web sites. Then individual members can visit to society's site to sign up for a $24 new subscription, and we'll donate $6 of the proceeds to that member society and $6 to FGS.
Further information and FAQs are on the HelpFGS.org Web site.
Other partners include genealogy records Web sites Footnote and Ancestry.com, and Legacy Family Tree software.


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Research has firmly established that investing in early learning yields powerful benefits for children, both in early elementary and as a cornerstone to their overall educational success. Yet it is not enough to provide quality education for a year or two in a child's early years.
At Seattle Public Schools our vision is that all families and children have access to high-quality, culturally responsive, and inclusive learning experiences from preschool through fifth grade that meet the individual needs of children in order to promote a sense of belonging, positive social relationships, whole child development, and academic learning that will build a strong foundation in school and life to reach their full potential.
Seattle Preschool Program Voters overwhelmingly approved an initiative in Fall 2014 to fund high-quality preschool throughout the city. Seattle Public Schools is collaborating with the City of Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning to manage multiple preschool classrooms.
Preschool Website
Give your budding student a Head Start! This federally funded educational opportunity serves 3- and 4-year old and their families with full-day and half-day programs at various schools in our district.
Head Start Website
Early Childhood Special Education Seattle Public Schools offers special education services for children age 3-5 determined eligible with a disability that impacts educational progress and who are in need of specially designed instruction.
Developmental Preschool Website
Kindergarten registration continues throughout the summer (with a 3 week hiatus between July 15-August 2. Registration is offline during this period in order to update all student records to reflect their new grade level).
Welcome to Kindergarten packet - to come mid-May 2019
If you have registered your child for kindergarten, you'll receive a Welcome to Kindergarten mailing from Seattle Public Schools. It includes a letter from our superintendent along with information about the different skills that most 5- and 6-year olds demonstrate when they are ready for school.
Jump Start
Get a Jump Start on kindergarten with our FREE transition program for new students. Typically held the third or fourth week of August, Jump Start offers children a chance to get comfortable in their new school, meet teachers and staff, and feel ready and confident when school starts in September.
Jump Start Website
Kindergarten Family Connection Visits
Before starting school, each new kindergartner's family is offered the chance to meet with their student's teacher to begin building a home-school partnership. In order for teachers to meet with families, the kindergarten start date is postponed three days, to the Monday after Labor Day. Your school will contact you in late August to schedule a time to meet.
Finding a quality child care arrangement for your child is a big decision for families. We have collected a list of child care providers who provide before and after school child care as well as preschool programs at schools in the district. Please contact the provider directly to learn more about enrollment and their programs. Child Care Provider Website
Seattle Public School's RULER is a social-emotional literacy curriculum developed by Yale University's Center for Emotional Intelligence. The Early Learning department has spearheaded the adoption of this curriculum, which is now in use at 50 elementary and middle schools across the district. Learn more about RULER
Our RULER program was recently featured on the Seattle.gov blog in a post called "How do you feel? Ask a kindergartner." In the article, the host of the Seattle Channel Brian Callanan gives a helpful overview of how the program is helping students manage their emotions. Read the Seattle Channel story
Contact Us
Office Hours:
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Important Dates
Jump Start (Preschool to Kindergarten Transition): August 19th - 23rd, 2019 Jump Start Registration (in English; see Jump Start page for translations.)
Family Connections Visits (Preschool & Kindergarten): September 4th - 6th, 2019
SPS Seattle Preschool Program and Full-Day Head Start First Day of School: September 9th, 2019
SPS Developmental Preschool and Part-Day Head Start First Day of School: September 16th, 2019
Kindergarten First Day of School: September 9th, 2019


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2016-08-23 - We speak to Teresa from Madrid who revisits some of her family history with her trusty Bugaboo Cameleon. "We must have been on a thousand walks so far!"
Teresa and her husband Carlos and children are based in Madrid. They love getting out and about in the city and enjoy an active life – there's nothing they enjoy more than going on epic family walks through Madrid. They have three boys Pablo, Jaime and the little Mateo, and the gorgeous girl Casilda who they adopted in 2012.
We talk to Teresa about a decade of being a mother on-the-go, their strong family values - and what makes them tick.
First of all, what made you go for Bugaboo all those years ago?
It's actually quite an interesting story. Our Bugaboo Cameleon came to us through a very indirect route! I'll go back to the beginning…
When I first found out I was pregnant with Pablo I was deeply happy. And like many parents-to-be our house slowly started to fill up with baby stuff. Things we bought, gifts and lots of items we inherited from friends and family who had grown out of their 'baby years'.
But looking back, perhaps the most important thing of all in this is the thing you'll use the most – your stroller! And we didn't pay as much attention to this. We received one as a gift – I can't even remember which brand it was – but I do clearly remember that weighed a lot. And as we lived on the second floor of a block of apartments with no lift, it meant that one of our favourite activities – going for a walk – became very tiring.
So it kind of limited our lifestyle for a bit, which was quite sad. We used it until Jaime turned 6 months and then sold it.
We then decided to adopt a child – Casilda – not a decision we took lightly… Adoption for us was a beautiful journey. The tension and fears we faced during all the years of waiting disappeared the moment we saw her face on a picture. We could finally travel to Ethiopia to meet our daughter. A journey that changed us as a family and filled us with joy. The wait was worth it. Casilda was our daughter!
We also decided that we needed quite a different type of stroller in time for her arrival. A good friend offered us her Bugaboo Cameleon, which she had very happily used with her two sons. So even though this particular stroller had already carried two very active boys, it was in perfect condition and we were delighted.
And what a difference this made to our life! Our 'new' stroller was so lightweight, easy to move, and sturdy enough to take anywhere and everywhere. We were back on the streets again and loving the sights and sounds of Madrid.
Do you remember your first trip out with your Bugaboo Cameleon?
I remember our first walk outside with our Bugaboo Cameleon like it was yesterday! Even though it's now so many years ago... It was a cold and frosty December morning in Madrid. Casilda was wide eyed in wonder looking at everything taking everything in. It was a magical moment for us all!
What are the moments you remember the most over the last ten years of family life and how do you document your memories?
So much has happened to our family in the last decade. Births, birthdays, trips around Madrid, our children's first friends, the very first time they saw the sea ... there are the moments that I keep in my heart. And since the Bugaboo Cameleon came into our lives, it's come with us on so many of our adventures!
I like to take photos to document our family milestones. Those little moments we love and remember. Looking at my old photos I have so many memories - I am more aware of time when I see how much my children have grown over the years. The great thing is that through photography my children will have a beautiful historic album of their childhood.
Does your family still love the Bugaboo Cameleon and what will you do with it when your youngest has outgrown it?
Our family is still very much attached to our Bugaboo Cameleon – especially Mateo our smallest who is still using it on a daily basis. All the others take turns to push him – it's really part of our family. When we have outgrown it, we will say goodbye with a few tears, but we'll be happy that we can give it to another family to use. That's what I love about Bugaboo strollers - they are really built to last. So there's life in this Bugaboo Cameleon yet!
Finally, what are your strongest values in life as a family?
As you can probably tell, we LOVE our family. We LOVE Madrid – which will always be our city. And we LOVE getting out and about, together with the whole family in our hometown.
We must have been on a thousand walks so far! Our family is built to last, just like our Bugaboo Cameleon.
Teresa's blog is: la casa donde viví
And her Instagram is: @teresaloboarregui


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Mars rover is beat to heck two years after mission began
SLIDESHOW: See the beating the Mars rover has taken with these before and after photos
With wheel damage and a coating of reddish dust, the Mars rover Curiosity is showing some wear and tear.
One of two active rovers, Curiosity landed on Mars on Aug. 6, 2012.
Its wheel damage is the main concern and is more than expected, said Guy Webster, spokesman for the rover project at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.
"It's a type of terrain that wasn't anticipated, with sharp embedded rocks that don't push out of the way when you roll past them," Webster said Friday. "There have been various corrective and avoidance strategies in the past six to eight months, to still have the full life of the mission."
RELATED: Bones, dinosaurs and other weird things spotted in Mars photos
According to an Aug. 19 blog post by Emily Lakdawalla of the Planetary Society, Curiosity's six wheels have three types of wheel damage -- "punctures, fissures and ghastly tears."
In February, NASA's rover team introduced reverse driving to lessen wheel damage, a news release stated.
Funded two years at a time, the Curiosity rover has enough power to continue functioning for eight or 10 years, he said.
Mount Sharp, rising from inside Gale Crater where Curiosity landed in 2012, is the mission's long-term destination, according to a NASA news release Aug. 15.
Its partner rover, Opportunity, has been working on Mars since January 2004, much longer than expected.


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Aza Raskin
Called an interface guru by publications like Wired and Fast Company, Aza is the co-founder of Massive Health, and was until recently Creative Lead for Firefox. Previously, he was a founding member of Mozilla Labs. Aza gave his first talk on user interface at age 10 and got hooked. At 17, he was talking and consulting internationally. Aza has founded and sold two companies, including Songza.com, a minimalist music search engine that had over a million song plays in its first week. He also creates modular cardboard furniture called Bloxes. In another life, Aza has done Dark Matter research at both Tokyo University and the University of Chicago, from where he graduated with honors in math and physics.
Aza Raskin - NO. 663


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Image of the day: Ballyfin
Among the outdoor activities offered at Ballyfin are coarse fishing on the lake, which has a large stock of roach and pike, croquet, clay pigeon shooting, tennis, archery, and falconry. There are several miles of hard surfaced paths as well as miles of mown grass paths offering a gentle stroll or the exhilaration of mountain biking. The gardens and park lands are a delight to explore and picnics are offered to enjoy in the grounds.
Book a stay at Ballyfin >>
Related Hotels


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One of the benefits of digitizing the huge Overson Collection of Photographs are the surprises. Here are two classic photos taken on 26 March 1911 at the home of George and Ann Prior Jarvis in St. George, Utah.
The caption reads, "Grandfather George Jarvis, age 88 yrs. and one day; Annie P. Jarvis, age 81 yrs., 3 months, Mar. 26, 1911. C.S.J. , St. George" This picture does not appear in the Jarvis book. (Overson, Margaret Godfrey Jarvis. George Jarvis and Joseph George De Friez Genealogy. Mesa?, Ariz: M.G. Jarvis Overson, 1957).
This picture is cropped on page 49 of Jarvis book. The caption says "George and Annie P. Jarvis and George F. Jarvis and Anna Jarvis Ward and children. Mar. 26, 1911 C.S.J."
George Frederick Jarvis was their first child, born 16 June 1847 in London, Middlesex, England. The lady named Anna Jarvis Ward is likely Anna Catherine Jarvis, the fifth child of George Frederic and Eleanor Cannon Woodbury Jarvis. Anna was born 5 July 1882 in St. George, Washington, Utah and married William F. Ward on 20 May 1903. The three children are likely her first three: Eleanor Ward, born 29 March 1905, Frederick Jarvis Ward, born 7 May 1907 and Catherine Ward, born 14 March 1909. They appear to be about the right ages.


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The Knowledge Enterprise
ASU Knowledge Enterprise Development advances research, innovation, strategic partnerships, entrepreneurship and economic development at ASU, in Arizona and globally.
Research Growth Areas
How do we feed a growing world population? Is space travel commercially viable? What if we could detect disease before they do permanent harm? ASU researchers are polling their expertise in the natural sciences, engineering, arts and humanities to address big challenges and answer important questions. Learn about key areas where ASU is making discoveries that make a difference.


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Building the Right Environment to Support AI, Machine Learning and Deep Learning
The modern version of this application loop is called an event loop, named for its role in managing not just threads, but also the events that are passed from the system to various objects within the interface. Events that are not intercepted by some object within the event loop are recycled back to the system, which can discard them or handle them generically.
Event loops make it possible to load and maintain an internal state within the application. That state may be simply the contents of the visible form elements in the application, but more typically, the state is a separate model of which the visible interface is simply a reflection. When you load a file into the application, you are generally loading the model. Similarly, saving the file persists the model in a format understandable to the application.
HTML, as it exists right now, is at its core a batch documentthe HTML content that describes a form is read by a browser and rendered as a Web page. In the absence of a scripting language, the form elements themselves are almost completely staticthey cannot validate content, they do not interact, and most importantly, changing their states only sets the values of each controlthere's no underlying background model. You can add interactivity via scripting and working with the HTML DOM, but that's not always portable between browser implementations, and still involves sending the interface representation to an external client, losing state the moment the client replaces the page with a new one.
If you take a look at a typical XForms viewer, you'll find that it gives you much the same kind of structure as any other application framework does: moving from a batch to an interactive programming mode. Implementations differ, but all XForms viewers preserve and update internal state for the application.
The idea here is pretty simplethe View, or user interface, provides a set of controls that give the "public" face of the application. The only way you can interact with that XForm is through its public face. Every time you load the form, enter a word into a text box, move a slider's thumb, or select an item from a drop down list, you change the state of a control, which in turn launches an event notifying the system that a change has taken place. You can then define actions (akin to event handlers) that occur whenever the event is fired for that particular component to update the internal model. You can also bind events to the model so that when a given value in the model changes, it forces an event to be launched that can be caught elsewhere.
If this sounds a lot like traditional event-based programming, that's because it is. The only difference is that the event handlers, the event notifiers, and everything else are built with XML; you handle processing with XPath expressions, describe the model using XML schema, and fire events using the XML Events architecture.
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Man on fire
Burn survivor brings message of hope to Springfield
J.R. Martinez says he used to worry that his appearance would frighten children. Now he proudly embraces the rippled burn scars that cover much of his face, hands and other body parts.
In 2003, the former Army infantryman, now 28, was badly burned by a landmine in Iraq. Martinez survived the injury and overcame the resulting depression to become a nationally-recognized actor, dancer and motivational speaker. Martinez visited Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield on Feb. 20 to share his humorous message of hope and perseverance.
In addition to public speaking, Martinez took on the role of an Iraq War veteran on the soap opera "All My Children" in 2008 and won the televised "Dancing with the Stars" competition in 2011 with dance partner Karina Smirnoff, a Ukrainian professional ballroom dancer.
"My road has been unpredictable," Martinez told about 150 audience members at Lincoln Land. "But I've always gone at it 100 percent and thought there's a reason that door is open right now. When a door is open, you need to walk through with commitment and dedication."
Jose Rene Martinez grew up without a father in Louisiana, Arkansas and Georgia, then joined the Army after high school. He had hoped to become a professional football player, but he ended up a soldier in Iraq instead. When the Humvee he was driving hit a landmine and exploded on April 5, 2003, Martinez was trapped in the flaming vehicle for between seven and 10 minutes, sustaining severe burns over 40 percent of his body.
"I was completely conscious the whole time," Martinez recalled. "I could see my hands changing (from the flames) right before my eyes, and I thought to myself, 'My life is over.'"
He lost consciousness after being pulled from the burning wreckage and awoke in the burn ward of a military hospital back in the United States. Nineteen days after the incident, Martinez asked his nurse to hold up a mirror so he could see himself.
"I started to cry when I saw my face," he said. "I kept asking, 'Why me?'"
Martinez said he became angry and sullen, even snapping at his mother, who came to visit him in the hospital.
"When a Hispanic woman uses your whole name, you know you're in trouble," Martinez said with a sly smile, referring to his Salvadoran mother. "She said, 'There's a lot of things you're going to have to learn about life.'… I made the choice to get through every day and be positive while I waited for the big picture to come to me."
Shortly afterward, another nurse in Martinez's military hospital asked him to speak with a burn victim who had become reclusive and sat in total darkness in his room. By the end of their talk, Martinez said, the other burn victim had finally turned on a lamp to light up the room.
"I realized I was able to shed light on a dark time for him," Martinez said. "I started to think that maybe it was my purpose to use my experiences to help others with their experiences."
After delivering his speech at Lincoln Land, Martinez met with several fans for more than an hour, posing for photos, signing his autograph and listening to their individual stories. Martinez said he has met with fans for as long as six hours when time allows.
"I think if we all spend a few extra seconds on someone else and show that extra level of care, you never know how far that will go or how that will make a difference in someone's life," he said. "For me, it's important. I have a message, something I can share with people. If it takes me a couple of extra seconds to share that with them, I'm going to do that."
Contact Patrick Yeagle at email@example.com.


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MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) - Authorities say a brawl involving dozens of guests broke out at a wedding reception in central New Jersey.
Middletown Township police say the party had been going on for hours when the fight started Sunday night. It apparently began inside the reception hall and spilled out on to the street. It's not clear what sparked the brawl.
Officers found several guests who were mostly shoving each other and shouting and sought assistance from nearby police departments.
Order was eventually restored, but authorities shut down the reception and told the guests to leave. It took about 45 minutes to clear out the facility.
No injuries were reported, but a man and a woman were charged with disorderly conduct. An investigation is ongoing.


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Tag Archives: learning routine
Does your teen know that studying at home is part of the learning game?
By Dr. Bob March 4, 2014 Leave a comment
So here's the big question: Why are the majority of students these days—especially from high school through college—not learning what they should? Coaching based on assumptions Picture this: A new coach is talking to his team. "Alright team, are you ready to go? We've got a lot of work to do. Remember: The name of […]


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National Weather ServiceNational maps, updated warnings and forecasts. (Source: NOAA)
Volunteer Rain, Hail and Snow ReportsThe Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network is a unique, non-profit, community-based network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and map precipitation - rain, hail and snow. (Source: CoCoRaHS)
WaterWatch - Current water resources conditionsMap of real-time stream flow compared to historic stream flow for the day of the year in Indiana. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
April 2009: FEMA Offers Assistance for Disaster Recovery for March 2009 (PDF)
April 2009: Make sure flooded house dry before rebuilding, experts say (PDF: 28 KB)


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After 10 years of broadcasting documentary films from around the world, Of The World TV, also known as OTW TV, is now closed.
We have thoroughly enjoyed bringing you the best of global independent media in innovative ways - from Sorenson 3 Quicktime Progressive Download video in the early days, to 7 channels of interactive fullscreen IPTV using ON2 VP6 Flash Video, and then MP4 using HTML5 video tags.
Of The World TV will forever be remembered as one of the pioneers of Video On Demand and Interactive Television over Internet Protocol both in Australia and the world.
It's been a great ride. There may be a new OTW in the future, but for now....
Rise up <3 xxo


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At Osclass we have changed our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use in order to adapt them to the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We want you to know what user data we store, what we need them for, and who we share them with in each specific case. Furthermore, we are making it even easier for you to exercise your right to manage your own data.
Our goal is that you enjoy the best possible experience with our website. As the GDPR comes into force, legislation requires us that you grant us permission—both to us and our partners—to store cookies in your browser. Remember you can find more information about what we do with your data by clicking here.
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