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We are excited to offer our new Virtual Tour packages to Real Estate agents in the western North Carolina area (and beyond)!
We've been working hard at getting this off the ground for quite a while now, and are finally ready to launch!
Virtual Tours are the biggest trend in Real Estate Marketing right now. They allow the viewer to move through the home as if they are actually there. Videos are great, and we will continue to offer and create those as well. We see their biggest value in being able to tell the emotional story of the home through more creative shots and the little details of the home. However, with video, as well as still photos, the viewing is limited to where the camera is and where the angle is pointed when the picture is snapped. Our Virtual Tours blow those limitations up.
Powered by Matterport technology, our tours let you click through the home, walk down the hall, move around the kitchen, living room, bedroom, wherever. And look any direction you want to.
It takes your 3D experience to the next level.
Here are just a few of the benefits of purchasing a virtual tour with us:
- A link and embed code usable across social media, emails, MLS, Zillow and other real estate sites with your branding and contact information.
- Affordable pricing for both lower and higher-priced homes.
- Great for out-of-town buyers.
- Fast, 48-hour delivery.
- Six-month hosting.
- Still images from the tour, tour pop-ups.
With all that included in the price of your virtual tour, we hope you see the amazing value that is now available for your lower-priced listings, and the incredible potential for your higher-priced ones as well.
Visit our For Realtors page to read more information and contact us today!
See for yourself just how useful our virtual tours can be for your current and future listings!


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The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) announced on 29 April two unique programme highlights and two established strands, ahead of the Festival's main programme launch tomorrow (Wednesday 6 May).
CINEMATIC TELEVISION is the first time the EIFF has married cinema and television in their programme, offering audiences the UK premieres of high concept TV drama on the big screen. Ahead of its UK July transmission on FX, the EIFF will screen the first two episodes of much anticipated US vampire drama TRUE BLOOD, from creator Alan Ball (SIX FEET UNDER). The 'first week' of daily HBO drama IN TREATMENT, starring Gabriel Byrne, will have its exclusive UK premiere - screening 5 episodes of the critically acclaimed and award winning series.
Bringing West Bengal to Edinburgh at the Paradise Movie Hall, the EIFF presents a three day Bengali cinema extravaganza, curated by Mark Cousins, which will convert St Johns Church Hall in the heart of the city into a magical forest cinema. Screening seven classic Bengali films by Satyajit Ray (DEVI; DAYS AND NIGHTS IN THE FOREST), Ritwik Ghatak (THE CLOUD CAPPED STAR; A RIVER CALLED TITAS), Tapan Sinha (NIRJAN SAIKATE; WHEEL CHAIR) and Anup Singh (THE NAME OF A RIVER), the Paradise Movie Hall is in partnership with the British Council and Scottish Government, and is followed by a programme of West Bengali films touring Scotland in the autumn.
For more information on this year's programme visit the EIFF website.

subset: commoncrawl


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NEW YORK — Wall Street closed higher Wednesday, holding on to its gains after the Federal Reserve kept short-term interest rates steady , as expected, but left the door open to additional rate hikes.
The Federal Open Market Committee said it is seeing a continuing moderation in economic growth, partly reflecting the cooling of the housing market. It added that inflation pressures seem likely to moderate over time, but said some inflation risks remain.
"The extent and timing of any additional firming that may be needed to address these risks will depend on the evolution of the outlook for both inflation and economic growth, as implied by incoming information," the Fed said in its policy note.
Stocks were already higher before the Fed announcement, rebounding from Tuesday's losses on news Wednesday that Oracle Corp.'s quarterly profit rose 29 percent and Morgan Stanley also had a strong quarter.
The Fed's move "sets a great stage for better market performance going into the end of the year, although the market may need to take a breather for the next day or two," said Steve Neimeth, senior portfolio manager for AIG SunAmerica Asset Management.
According to preliminary calculations, the Dow Jones industrial average gained 72.28, or 0.63 percent, to 11,613.19.
Broader stock indicators were higher. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 6.87, or 0.52 percent, to 1,325.18, and the Nasdaq composite index, lifted higher by Oracle's news, rose 30.52, or 1.37 percent, to 2,252.89.
Advancing issues led decliners by roughly 2 to 1 on the New York Stock Exchange.
Bonds held steady, with the yield on the 10-year Treasury note at 4.73 percent. The U.S. dollar was lower against other major currencies. Gold prices were higher.
Crude oil futures fell on a government report of increased supplies of crude and distillates, including heating oil. A barrel of light crude settled at $60.46, down $1.20, on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Markets were unsettled Tuesday by a bloodless coup in Thailand that ousted the unpopular caretaker prime minister and left the chief of the army in charge. European markets rebounded smartly Wednesday.
Many strategists were saying, even before the Thai coup, that the "risk premium" in the market was too thin. The risk premium is the extra return investors might expect as a reward for taking on extra risk.
As some investors have trimmed their riskier holdings, traditionally defensive sectors such as utilities, consumer staples and health care have gains, said Matthew Smith, Vice President and Portfolio Manager, Smith Affiliated Capital, which specializes in bonds.
In company news, Oracle rose $1.80, more than 11 percent, to $17.93, a 52-week high, after it said its first quarter revenue shot up nearly 30 percent from the year ago quarter.
Investment banking firm Morgan Stanley rose 50 cents to $72.35 after reporting a surge in its third-quarter profit thanks to stronger performance from its institutional securities group, surpassing analysts' expectations.
Falling oil prices reversed early gains for BP PLC, which dropped 20 cents to $65. The company said Wednesday that it plans to invest $3 billion in an Indiana refinery, increasing its production of motor fuels by about 15 percent.
Toyota Motor Corp. is aiming to sell 9.8 million vehicles globally in 2008 , the company's president said, as the booming Japanese automaker quickens its pace to overtake General Motors as the world's No. 1 while U.S. automakers founder. Its U.S. shares rose 93 cents to $107.29.
Volume on the New York Stock Exchange was 1.62 billion shares, down from 1.52 billion Tuesday.
The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies was up 9.03, or 1.24 percent, at 734.48.
Overseas, Japan's Nikkei stock average fell 0.98 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.59 percent, Germany's DAX index gained 1.38 percent, and France's CAC-40 rose 1.50 percent.
© 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Please note;
We have been given this post, to be used as an article with express consent from the author.
These are not our words and not written by us.
The member in question has asked for this to remain anonymous and I politely request that should you recognise anything, then please respect the members' privacy. Thank you!
This is not a sob story...this is a story of resilience
This story isn't pretty reading and believe me it's been less pretty to live through.
Our journey starts on another swinging site where I was happily making friends and meeting great people for almost a year. Around 12 months ago, my troubles started.
Threatening and abusive messages to me from immediately deleted accounts then libellous accusations to others about me being a drug addict, prostitute and even a paedophile again from immediately deleted accounts.
I posted pics as I was an attention seeker? No, I posted pics as that is part of the platform. I posted on forums just to get to hot pics? No, I posted to the forums for good craic, banter and camaraderie. I was surprised and flattered to be top pic on a few occasions but that wasn't why I was there.
This happened multiple times a day for almost the past year. To top it off they even posted my photos on Craiglist asking for information about me.
So far, so psycho right?
Very recently a message was received threatening gang rape before being dumped in a ditch.
Despite reporting this activity on scores of occasions, admin didn't respond once. In fact when I pushed them as to why the radio silence to reports of criminal behaviour they suspended my account.
Guess what? I've gone through some really dark times in the last year but I've come out stronger. I've learned some difficult lessons but that's how we grow.
This is why I'm here. A great friend recommended the site to me and I've been blown away by the accessibility of admin and mods as well as the positivity of members in general. The Cockwell Inn pub quiz completes me although I think a few of us know I can't draw movies titles for toffee As well as this, the site has it spot on with face PV, no race to hot pics and clearly investing in good technology and taking our data rights into consideration.
There are very few members in my local region but keep up the good work admin and staff. Build it and they will come!
Each and every one of us has the power to help admin to grow the site by recommending good people you know to join the safer swinging site. I will continue to refer friends here...please do the same.
- Featured
From one swinging site to another.. my experience.
My experience of another swinging site. This is not a sob story...this is a story of resilience This story isn't pretty reading and believe me...
By Lips_Pearls · 10 May 2018 · ·
To make a comment simply sign up and become a member!


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As most people know, the cost of hotel stays rise every year. Instead of throwing up your hands in frustration, you should focus on finding a way to make things more affordable. Here are a few pointers you should keep in mind along the way.
Book Directly With The Hotel For Longer Stays
Many people head to online travel aggregators when looking for deals, but sometimes you should go to the hotel itself. There are some that offer large discounts for people who stay longer. This is not something you can take advantage of if you decide to book elsewhere. Always check the price on the official site when booking to make sure you end up with the best deal.
Look For Nearby Cities
Instead of booking a hotel that is directly in the heart of Tucson, you should consider those that are not very far away. When accommodations are on the outskirts of a city, you typically pay much less than you would otherwise. This is not always a feasible option, but it is one that you should take into consideration before totally dismissing it.
Try Last Minute Arrangements
If you do not have a set date when you are planning to leave and you can be a bit flexible, try booking closer to your preferred time. There are often cancellations and the hotels scramble to find people to occupy these rooms. As a result, you can end up paying far less than expected. In fact, it is possible to stay in a 4-star hotel for the same price you would pay for budget accommodations; it is all about timing.
Join A Club
There are some hotel chains that offer discounts and other benefits to those who stay there frequently. By joining these, you can save a little money when booking. While some of these require you to stay a certain number of times before you are eligible for savings, there are some that will send you coupons and other goodies not that long after you sign up.
There is no reason for you to avoid staying in hotels because you are worried about spending more money than you can afford. The key is to take some steps that will bring down the cost to something that is far more reasonable. Keep all of this information in mind the next time you book a room and you can avoid paying full price.


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Do you want to nourish the spirit, as well as the body? Inspire love and romance? Denise and Meadow Linn open a portal for you to harness the hidden dimension of food. You'll learn how to infuse purpose and intention into cuisine, how to invoke the secret alchemical power of a spice, and ways to combine ingredients for specific results. Tap into your intuition and learn to cook flavorful, healthy meals, while welcoming magic and mystery into your kitchen. Yummy!!
Learn more: themysticcookbook.com www.meadowlinn.com www.deniselinn.com and their blog at www.savortheday.com.


text: Máirín Duffy wrote: > On Wed, 2009-12-02 at 09:21 +0200, Nicu Buculei wrote: >> I am worried about this tendency, from both Fedora and Ubuntu, of >> dumbing-down the desktop spins: if Windows does not offer any useful >> application out-of-the-box,our key to success is NOT to lower to the >> same level and also offer nothing useful as the OOTB experience. >> > > What if we offer the art studio spin for F13 though? Then there would be > an OOTB experience specifically tailored for folks interested in > graphics in particular... I'd be happy to step up and take on that for F13... I'm maintaining the Education Spin, so I've at least some idea how the process works. I'm going to think about this and work through the already existing content. Maybe we can also chat at FUDCon on this... --Sebastian > ~m


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Welcome to Robrad's contact us page. Please use the information here to contact us about our services. The names of our staff below are email links that will open your default email client. The Google Map can be enlarged and printed by following the "View In Google Maps" link.
Address & Phone


text: Just a few steps away from the main house, you will find the Uno Garden room, offering pasture & foothill views to rear. This cozy little room is detached from the main house and features one queen bed, a small work area, private bathroom with walk in shower (no tub), saltillo tile floors, wooden tongue and groove ceilings and ceiling fan. Watch the birds feed at the feeders while relaxing under your covered front porch, which shades the front of both the Uno Garden Room and the Dos Garden Room.


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By Kylie Nicholson
After having multiple conversations with female friends about their past private struggles with eating disorders, I decided to address this societal problem by starting a conversation. Where is the line between controlled eating and an eating disorder? Eating disorders are talked about in health class, but not on a personal level. Here's to releasing the shame and stigma with these struggles and creating a space of openness, acceptance and love.


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How Writing is like Candy Crush/
No, really. I lunge for the phone a couple minutes after the lives come back. I only dream about it a few times a week.
Anyway, I realized this morning that my current favorite game has a lot in common with my other favorite
--There are always more levels.*
No matter how far you get--having an agent, getting a book contract, getting a starred review--there are ALWAYS MORE LEVELS. You can pound on one of those levels for weeks in Candy Crush (hello, level 65) or years in writing, and then you finally, finally get it! You dance and pound your fist! And then you hit "Next." It's never over, and you're never satisfied with your progress for long. Who gets level 65 and stops?
Especially if you're like me. I get a level, woot, and immediately move to the next one before I even take a break. Yes, I do this in writing too.
*There probably is an actual limit to Candy Crush levels. I wouldn't know. I'm on 108.
--The obstacles change, and get harder as you go.
When I hit chocolate, I was like WTH IS THIS I WILL NEVER GET PAST THIS, and kind of despaired. Just like when I got all those piled-up agent rejections, long ago. But I figured it out, and got past that part. And then I hit the bombs. (Leaving my past agent, I guess, would count as the bombs...or when I quit temporarily.) I figured that out too, eventually. With a lot of swearing and wanting to cry. (argh bombs!) Now I am juggling bombs and chocolate and licorice on one screen and still getting past. Now I have a book deal, and keep reaching for more, keep writing more, keep improving. I have no idea what the next obstacles are, in Candy Crush or writing. But I guess I'm going to have to figure out how to get past them. So are you.
--It requires both skill and luck to get past the tough levels.
Yes, that's right. I'm saying sometimes you need to have all the striped candies and round ball thingies (what are those called?) fall in the right places to win. Sometimes you need to land in someone's inbox at the right time, be on the right edge of a trend, talk to the right person. Sometimes you need luck too. Oh, and sometimes you need help. I have looked at those cheat sites, on occasion, for tips. I have certainly asked fellow writers what to do next. A lot.
--Candy and chocolate are involved.
C'mon, you get this one. We're WRITERS. Sugar is fuel for the brain.
--There are forced waiting periods.
One thing I find soooo frustrating about Candy Crush is the life expiry...and even more, the forced 24-hour breaks for quest levels. I don't like waiting. I want to keep moving forward.
Writing has forced waiting periods too. LOTS. Once you get into the publishing part, more forced waiting periods than you could have imagined. I still don't like them. But I understand them. I have to wait until it's my turn again.
--Despite how difficult it is, and frustrating, it's also fun. And you just keep going back.
This. Exactly, mostly, this. I can't stop. I can't quit. I have to push, and try, and hit Next. Even knowing there is no "end".* I will make it past level 108, eventually. I will make it to the next level of writing. And the next.
Now if you'll excuse me, for just a couple minutes. My lives just came back.


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Friday, May 13, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Film Week
A review of the films I've seen this past week.
As I said the other day, I really enjoyed this. A good one to see in the theater, too (though I did see it in 2D instead of headache-inducing 3D), because the sweep of Asgard needs to be experienced rather than merely seen. The story and look are a surprisingly great combination of the Jack Kirby cosmic weirdness and J. Michael Straczynski's recent run on the title (like the small New Mexico town where half the movie is set). It's nice that the movie manages to split the difference between being a component for the eventual Avengers movie and making the story of the Mighty Thor actually interesting. The performances make a lot of it, too, particularly Chris Hemsworth in the title role and Tom Hiddleston as a surprisingly sympathetic Loki. This is the kind of movie that comic book movies should be: goofy without being stupid, fun without being fan service (though there is a tiny bit, naturally), and it takes its premise seriously without being ridiculously full of itself. None of that Dark Knight posturing. **** stars.
Posted by SamuraiFrog at 12:10 PM 3 comments
Labels: Film Week
Monday, May 09, 2011
Small Steps in Personal Growth
Becca and I went to see a movie yesterday. It was the first time we'd been to the cinema since summer of 2009, so I guess I wanted to see Thor more than any movie of the last two years...
Anyway, it felt nice to go out. I know this kind of thing isn't a big deal to most people, but with my nascent agoraphobia really getting the better of me in 2010, it feels like a small triumph. Becca still does all the driving (though I did drive myself to a job interview last week, and it's enough of a triumph being comfortable with someone else driving me around), but getting up and having some lunch out of the house and going to a movie... I don't know, it made me feel more normal.
It was weird, too, because when I first sat down in the theater I felt... wrong, somehow. Like something bad would happen. Claustrophobic, even. I had trouble breathing for a moment or two. I don't know why or where it comes from, but it was there. I just pushed it down and resolved to enjoy the experience.
Also, the movie was really fun, so that helped a ton.
It was just nice, really nice, to be out on a Sunday afternoon with Becca, like we used to be able to do, just enjoying ourselves. Getting a burger for lunch, going to a show... being normal. It felt really, really good.
I think I really needed that.
I've been in such a good mood.
Posted by SamuraiFrog at 1:37 PM 11 comments
Labels: On the Subject of Me
Kristen Bell Mondays
Posted by TheOtherSamuraiFrog at 1:34 PM 0 comments
Labels: Kristen Bell Mondays
Sunday, May 08, 2011
Song of the Week: "The First Time Me Eat Cookie"
Because it's Mother's Day. Time to reflect on what our mothers did for us that changed our lives. For me, it was my mother exposing me to science fiction. That was my cookie.
So, to be honest, were cookies.
Happy Mother's Day!
Posted by SamuraiFrog at 9:42 AM 2 comments
Labels: Muppets, Song of the Week


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Styrene was inspired by the concept of growth as a process. By applying heat to polystyrene, the form changes and with it the properties of the material. The result is organic and unique sculptural forms with much greater strength.
Styrene's grand symmetry is broken up by a series of small apertures for stark light to escape, creating an intriguing shadow-play on surrounding surfaces. Bespoke larger sizes are available upon request.
Buy here
Photography: Mark Cocksedge


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In a previous posting I had mentioned a favorite quote from Jerry Garcia that;
"You do not merely want to be considered just the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do."
I brought this up in a recent conversation with a business colleague in a discussion about his concerns that others were trying to compete or eliminate him by copying what he was doing. This lead to a long conversation about how to not only be competitive but also to be true to yourself and a great frustration to those who may want to copy your work. He said he found it to be extremely valuable and clarifying for him and so I thought I'd share the basic idea with you here.
The great thing about using the Snowflake Effect to guide your work is that you focus on being just what Jerry was referring to, the only one who does what you do. This is NOT about being different for the sake of being different, this is about being true to yourself, your calling, your passion. If you do that, you'll be unique by design and essentially impossible to copy because your pursuit of your passion and getting to "just right" is a constantly evolving and changing process.
Something I've learned in practicing this for most of my life is that to you it all seems like a continuum and in that context it seems "the same" and there is not much change in that you are still following the same dreams, visions and values you always have. However to everyone else, you will often be seen as constantly changing because you are trying many different things and different paths towards that end state you have in mind.
In my past work on what I called "perfecting the irrelevant" I noted how it seems to be very common for people, organizations and business to confuse their actions, that which they do, with their value proposition, the true and lasting value of your actions. I often cite examples such the case of ice delivery companies, none of which made it into the refrigeration business because they thought they were in the ice delivery business (what they actually did, their actions) when in fact they were in the "keeping things cold" or food preservation business. (their value proposition) The trick is to have clarity and understanding of what your true value proposition is, as a person, and organization, or business and then be as innovative and creative as possible in ways to deliver on that value proposition. Done successfully you are simultaneously very focused yet to most others you seem to be constantly changing and thus very difficult to copy.
Most recently Erik Duval, my favorite snowflake of all, has experienced an intriguing new form of "flattery" where someone has been copying his blog postings by literally cut and pasting them with no reference to their original source and thus appearing to be the content of this other blogger. Unfortunately not a rare occurrence these days and very easy to do. However I think we are now in an era where there is an inverse correlation of ease of copying with value. In Erik's case, ALL this other blogger is able to do is copy some of Erik's content. He certainly can't copy Erik! Erik is a snowflake and just about everything he does is similarly unique and different, yet very focused on a consistent vision and value proposition of (my interpretation only) assisting the world to be a better place through faster, better, deeper, learning.
Good luck trying to copy that! You might just as well try to copy an actual snowflake.


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Theorica (Gr. Θεωρικά) (also Theoric Fund and Festival Fund) was in ancient Athens the name for the fund of monies expended on festivals, sacrifices, and public entertainments of various kinds; and also monies distributed among the people in the shape of largesses from the state.[1]
There were, according to Xenophon, more festivals at Athens than in all the rest of Greece.[2] Besides those open to the whole body of the people, there were many confined to the members of each tribe, deme, and house. These last were provided for out of the private funds of the community who celebrated them. At the most important of the public festivals, there were not only sacrifices, but processions, theatrical exhibitions, gymnastic contests, and games, celebrated with great splendor and at a great expense.
Theorika was created or reinstated[3] around 350 BCE, after the Social War (357-5 BCE),[4] by the Athenian statesman Eubulus, an administrator to the theorikon treasury sometime after 354/3 until Cephisophon of Aphidna replaced him in 343/2, and Diophantus. The Social War had plunged Athens into serious military and financial difficulties, thus creating an incentive to help the Athenian people by means of largesse. It was established to provide enough money for poorer Athenian citizens to be able to purchase tickets for yearly festivals of public worship and theatrical productions, such as the Dionysia, Panathenaea, Eleusinia and Thargelia. A portion of the expense was defrayed by the individuals, upon whom the burden of λειτουργία devolved; but a considerable, and perhaps the larger, part was defrayed by the public treasury. The religious embassies to Delos and other places, and especially those to the Olympian, Nemean, Isthmian, and Pythian Games, drew largely upon public funds, though a part of the cost fell upon the wealthier citizens who conducted them.[5]
The amount of money contributed to this treasury varied between "15 talents or less and not much under 100 talents".[6] In an epitome (Dem. 1 hyp. 5) of Demosthenes' First Olynthiac, a scholar named Libanius[7] explains that in Athens there were no stone seats (only wooden benches) at the Theatre of Dionysus, and also originally no charge for admissions into the festival. Due to the lack of seating available, fights would break out as everyone rushed to find a bench; the leaders of the community decided to charge an admissions fee of two obols to prevent further violence.[8] The fee was paid to the lessee of the theater (called Θεατρώνης, Θεατροπώλης, or ἀρχιτέκτων) who undertook to keep it in good repair, and constantly ready for use, on condition of being allowed to receive the profits.[9] But because poorer citizens could not afford to pay for admittance, Athens established a fund that covered the costs of their tickets. Each citizen was allotted one drachma to cover the ticket cost of two obols (διωβελία) on each day of the three-day Dionysia.[8] The payments would differ depending on the fluctuations of the state treasury and how many days the festivals lasted.
This payment continued to be exacted after the stone theater was built. Pericles, to relieve the poorer classes, passed a law that enabled them to receive the price of admission from the state; after which all those citizens who were too poor to pay for their places applied for the money in the public assembly, which was then frequently held in the theater.[9]
In time this donation was extended to other entertainments besides theatrical ones: the sum of two obols being given to each citizen who attended; if the festival lasted two days, four obols; and if three, six obols ; but not beyond that. Hence all theoric largesses received the name of diobelia (διωβελία). The sums thus given varied at different times, and of course depended on the state of the public treasury. These distributions of money, like those of grain and flour, were called dianomai (διανομαί), or diadoseis (διαδόσεις). They were often made at the Dionysia, when the allies were present, and saw the surplus of their tribute distributed from the orchestra. The appetite of the people for largesses grew by encouragement, stimulated from time to time by designing demagogues; and in the time of Demosthenes they seem not to have been confined to the poorer classes.[10] The German classical scholar Philipp August Böckh calculated that from 25 to 30 talents were spent upon them annually.[11]
The Theoric Board[edit]
In the earlier times there was no person, or board of persons, expressly appointed to manage the Theoric fund. The money thus appropriated was disbursed by the Hellenotamiai. After the anarchy, the largess system having been restored by Agyrrhius, a board of managers was appointed, possibly consisting of ten men, who were called by many names (ἀρχὴ ἐπὶ τῷ θεωρικῷ, οἱ ἐπὶ τῷ θεωρικὸν τεταγμέμοι or κεχειροτονημένοι, θεωρικὴ ἀρχὴ &c.). They were elected by show of hands at the period of the great Dionysia, one from each tribe, and served four-year terms. In the time of Eubulus many other branches of the administration were placed under the control of this board; as the management of the civil expenditure, the office of the Apodektai, the building of docks, arsenals, streets, &c. This was dictated by an anxiety on the part of the people that no part of the revenue should be improperly diverted from the Theoric fund, which they thought would be prevented by increasing the powers of its managers. But these extraordinary powers appear not to have been of long continuance.[12][13][14][15]
Aristotle explains:
"All the officials concerned with civilian administration are appointed by lot, apart from the treasurer of the army fund (ταμίας στρατιωτικόν), the men in charge of the festival fund and the curator of the water supply; these are elected, and hold office from one Panathenaea to the next." (Ath. Const. 43.1)
As public revenue greatly increased in the Athenian state, so too did the Theoric administration; according to Demosthenes there was an increase to as much as 400 talents a year from a previous amount of 130 talents (Phil. iv 37-8). As a result of this growth the Theoric Board began to extend itself into a powerful position over other public works, activities and boards that were supervised by the βουλή (Council of Five Hundred). The boule had previously controlled the state revenue and the expenditures, as well as the appropriations of monies to the magistrates, with the help of the different boards: the poletai (Auctions Board) and the apodektai (Board of Receivers).[16] When the Theoric administration rose in power and worked together with the boule, it put the administration in a position where "it must have had a fair chance of securing for itself the lion's share of the appropriations and possibly supplementing this share by a surplus".[17] The powerful position also enabled its board members to acquire confidential knowledge, information once only shared among those in the boule, on the activities of other departments.[18] This weakened the monopoly of the boule and, as a result, the Theoric officials were able to gain supreme financial insight and replace the boule as the main resource of finances.[19] Men seeking popularity in Athens recognized this growth of power and influence as a source of great opportunity, and eventually the Theoric Board eclipsed and absorbed all other financial offices.[20] Utilizing this power, the Theoric Board proceeded to oversee the leasing of mines, the financing of expensive public works, such as roads and buildings, and money for the Athenian navy. Aeschines scornfully describes this new monopoly of power in his speech Against Ctesiphon:
"…they [the Theoric Board] also controlled the dockyards, had charge of the naval arsenal that was building, and were Superintendents of Streets; almost the whole administration of the state was in their hands." (3.25)
Demosthenes, Philip II, and the Stratiotika[edit]
Before the theorika was established, the stratiotika (τὰ στρατιωτικά), or Military (Stratiotic) Fund, received any remaining surplus revenue if Athens was at war; this provided financing for military expenditures. But immediately after the Social War, all surplus revenue was allotted to the theorika until Demosthenes fought to have it redirected back to the stratiotika in 339/8.[21] Demosthenes was a strong proponent in the fight against the rising power of Philip II of Macedon and believed that all surplus monies should be used for military campaigns rather than for domestic public works; Eubulus, on the other hand, was very much against expensive foreign expeditions. After the Social War Eubulus and his followers, the "peace party", believed that the Athenian αρχή was no more, so they used the theorika to "restrain the demos from rash imperialistic adventures"[22] and to convince the people that peace was beneficial. The theorika had become, in a sense, a psychological tool for this political party to repress the war mentality by exploiting the selfishness of the Athenians. It was also a "crucial factor in the process of shaping and distorting perceptions",[23] which might explain the denial of Philip as an immediate threat, and also why the Athenians were more thorough in their organizations of festivals than with their own military (Dem. Phil. i 35-6). In the First Olynthiac, delivered in 349 BCE, Demosthenes complains that Athens has the means to fight Philip but would rather use its money for pleasure:
"Such are my views on the expeditionary force. With regard to the supply of money, you have money, men of Athens; you have more than any other nation has for military purposes. But you appropriate it yourselves, to suit your own pleasure. Now if you will spend it on the campaign, you have no need of a further supply; if not, you have--or rather, you have no supply at all. 'What!' someone will cry, 'do you actually move to use this money for military purposes?' Of course I do not. Only it is my opinion that we must provide soldiers and that there must be one uniform system of pay in return for service. Your opinion, however, is that you should, without any trouble, just appropriate the money for your festivals. Then the only alternative is a war-tax, heavy or light, as circumstances demand. Only money we must have, and without money nothing can be done that ought to be done. There are other proposals before you for raising supplies; choose whichever of them you think expedient, and, while there is yet time, grapple with the problem." (19-20)
Meanwhile a protective law had been passed in Athens illegalizing proposals on the use of the money in the theorika, especially if the suggestions were contradictory to the purpose of the fund (merismos). Demosthenes' caution when approaching the topic of the theorika in the First Olynthiac proves that such a law was in existence. Also during this time, in the face of either resisting Philip to retrieve their possessions or betraying their allies and losing them, their cleruchies and the Thracian Chersonese, Apollodorus of Acharnae proposed in the boule (in which he was a member in 348 BCE) that the Athenian people should decide whether the surplus should be used for the theorika or the stratiotika (Dem. 59.4 Against Neaera). The vote was unanimous that the money should be used for the stratiotika against Philip, but, because this type of proposition was still illegal, Apollodorus found himself being indicted by Stephanos of Eroiadai, who drew up a graphe paranomon (γραφή παρανόμων) against him; he was ultimately fined one talent and his decree was made null and void.[24] Following this vote, Eubulus threatened death to anyone who tried to put the interests of the theorika below that of the stratiotika, making the act a capital offense. After Apollodorus' indictment and Eubulus' new law, Demosthenes openly suggested in his Third Olynthiac, a speech delivered in 349 BCE in lieu of Philip's hostilities against Olynthus, that the state get rid of the theorika because of its hampering effect upon their current crisis. He also asked to eliminate military exemptions for those who ran the Dionysian festivals in Athens, as it was demoralizing for the men who wished to serve their country:
"In plain language I mean the laws for administering the Theoric Fund, and also some of the service regulations. The former distribute the military funds as theatre-money among those who remain in the city; the latter give impunity to deserters and in consequence discourage those willing to serve. When you have repealed these laws and made the way safe for wise counsel, then look round for someone who will propose what you all know to be salutary measures. But until you have done this, do not expect to find a statesman who will propose measures for your benefit, only to be ruined by you for his pains. You will never find one, especially as the only result would be that the proposer would get into trouble without improving the situation, and his fate would also make good advice more dangerous for the future. Yes, men of Athens, and you ought to insist that those who made these laws should also repeal them." (3.10-11)
The idea of demoralization is echoed by Libanius. Instead of being paid wages[25] for serving in the army and enduring the dangers of warfare, Athenian citizens preferred to stay home and attend the religious festivals. Eubulus posed an argument two years after the First Olynthiac that the Athenians had to accept peace with Philip (the Peace of Philocrates, which Aeschines supported), otherwise they would have to go to the Piraeus, pay a war-tax (eisphora) to finance the fleet and transfer the money from the theorika to the stratiotika (Dem. On the False Embassy 19.291). Eubulus had laid out the different options for the Athenians: they could accept peace with Philip or, if they chose to continue the war, they would have to support it using their own means of financing.[26] Demosthenes' goal, by criticizing the theorika, was to snap the Athenians out of their denial and mistaken beliefs so that they could recognize the "absurd contradiction between domestic priorities and external exigencies, between the comfortable illusion of peace and the growing crisis in the north."[27]
By the Fourth Philippic[28] Demosthenes' attitude towards the theorika was changing:
"Now there is also another matter, the misrepresentation of which by unfair obloquy and in intemperate language is injuring the State, and furthermore is affording a pretext for those who are unwilling to perform any of their duties as citizens; indeed, you will find that in every case where a man has failed to do his duty, this has been given as the excuse. I am really afraid to speak on this subject, but I will do so nevertheless; for I think I shall be able, with advantage to the State, to plead the cause both of the poor against the rich and of the property-owners against the necessitous. If we could banish from our midst both the obloquy which some heap upon the Theoric Fund, and also the fear that the Fund will not be maintained without doing a great deal of harm, we could not perform a greater service nor one more likely to strengthen the whole body politic." (4.35-37)
Demosthenes' political party, the "war party", had always "traditionally (especially in the great days of the Empire) been interventionist externally but 'Athens-first' internally."[29] Seeing that the theorika was crucial to preserving social peace in Athens (Demades, in Plutarch's Mor. 1011b, referred to it as the "glue of the democracy"), he needed to appeal to both worlds as an impartial arbiter. In the Fourth Philippic he speaks on behalf of the poor in Athens, reminding the wealthy, who criticized the theorika at its inception, that when the public revenue did not exceed 130 talents a year they remained dutiful and paid their property taxes. With the growth of revenue reaching 400 talents a year, the wealthy no longer felt the weight of financial responsibility upon their shoulders and it was of his opinion that the poor should be able to profit from the increase as well (Phil. iv 37-9).
In 339 BCE the situation in Athens became much more alarming than in 348 when Philip had attacked Olynthus and its allies, a matter Athens (excluding Demosthenes) did not consider an immediate threat. In 339 Philip had seized Elateia in Phocis, which was a closer and more serious danger to Athens. Demosthenes did not have any trouble persuading the Assembly to allocate all the public funds to the stratiotika and Philochorus, in a fragment preserved by Dionysius of Halicarnassus (ad Ammaeus 1.11), further illustrates Demosthenes' success:
"The people, after listening to the letter [a letter of allegations Philip made against the Athenians] and to the exhortations of Demosthenes, who advocated war and framed the necessary resolutions, passed a resolution to demolish the column erected to record the treaty of peace and alliance with Philip, and further to man a fleet and in every other way to prosecute the war energetically."
The Diminishment of the Theorika[edit]
The fact that Demosthenes did not face charges for breaking Eubulus' law suggests that he was able to have the law repealed sometime around 339. In the year 337/6 Demosthenes became the head of the theorika and donated 10,000 drachmas of his own money (Aesch. 3.24) while revenues were being funneled to the stratiotika; but his donations lasted only one year. Upon the reinstitution of the theorika he attempted, through private gifts and a large festival, to make up for the privileges the Athenians had lost after adopting his financial policy.[30] Shortly after Demosthenes' promotion the Theoric Board was weakened by the law of Hegemon, which prohibited men from holding offices for more than four years; before this law, Theoric officials could be elected over and over again in successive terms. Hegemon was a member of the opposition party along with Aeschines and Demades, and it is difficult to determine a political reason behind his law other than it was "an intended slap at Demosthenes".[31] Lycurgus had also become a rival for the boule's control over finances and climbed the ladder of power until he assumed jurisdiction over the state's treasury in 337/6 as the Controller of Finances (ὁ ἐπὶ τῆς διοικήσεως), which the Theoric Board had previously monopolized. He governed this seat for twelve consecutive years until 326/5 when his and Demosthenes' rival, Menesaichmus, took over the position.[32]
Despite its diminishment of powers, the Theoric Board existed in some way or another up until Aristotle's Athenian Constitution (326-323 BCE). Lycurgus was using most of the state's income to pay for its defense, building projects, and religious festivals, which maintained some sense of the theorika's continuation in Athens. One of the last references to the theorika involved Demades' notorious attempt at bribing the Athenians. In 331 King Agis III of Sparta persuaded Athens to join him in Sparta's revolt against Alexander. The Athenians begged Demades, who was then a member of the Theoric Board, to grant money to be used towards the deployment of triremes to aid in the rebellion. His response, as recorded in Plutarch's Morals (Praecepta Gerendae Reipublicae 818 E-F), was:
"You have money, for I have made provision for the Festival of the Pitchers that each of you receive a half-mina; but if you prefer to use the money for this enterprise, use your own money for the Festival."[33]
Demades' bribery successfully kept the Athenians from taking up arms against Alexander.
- Aeschines. "Against Ctesiphon." Trans. Charles Darwin Adams. The Speeches of Aeschines. Cambridge: Loeb Classical Library, 1948.
- See also: Against Ctesiphon (Perseus)
- Aristotle. The Athenian Constitution. Trans. P. J. Rhodes. New York: Penguin Books, 1984.
- Blake, Warren Everett "New Literary Fragment on Demosthenes" Trans Proc Am Philol Assoc 57 (1926): 275-295.
- Buchanan, James J. Theorika. New York: J. J. Augustin, 1962.
- Demosthenes. "First Olynthiac; Third Olynthiac; First Philippic; Fourth Philippic." Trans. J. H. Vince. Demosthenes. New York: Loeb Classical Library, 1930.
- See also: Olynthiacs & Philippics (Perseus)
- Demosthenes. "Against Neaera." Trans. A. T. Murray. Demosthenes. Cambridge: Loeb Classical Library, 1939.
- See also: Against Neaera (Perseus)
- Demosthenes. "On the False Embassy." Trans. C. A. Vince. Demosthenes. Cambridge: Loeb Classical Library, 1926.
- See also: On the False Embassy (Perseus)
- Dionysius of Halicarnassus. "Ad Ammaeus." Trans. William Rhys Roberts. Dionysius of Halicarnassus: The Three Literary Letters. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1901.
- Dionysius of Halicarnassus: The Three Literary Letters (Google Books)
- Hansen, M. H. The Athenian Democracy in the Age of Demosthenes. Trans J. A. Crook. Cambridge: Blackwell, 1991.
- Hansen, M. H. "The Theoric Fund and the graphe paranomon against Apollodorus." Greek and Byzantine Studies XVII (1976): 235-246.
- Harris, Edward M. Democracy and the Rule of Law in Classical Athens. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2006.
- Mader, Gottfried "Pax Duello Mixta: Demosthenes and the Rhetoric of War and Peace." Classical Journal 101.1 (2005-6): 11-35.
- Plutarch's Moralia
- Rhodes, P. J. The Athenian Boule. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1972.
- Rhodes, P. J. "Athenian Democracy After 403 B.C." Classical Journal 75.4 (April–May, 1980): 305-323.
- Trevett, Jeremy. Apollodorus the Son of Paison. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1992.
- http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Money.htm Ancient Greek Coinage
- Suggested reading
- Cawkwell, George, "Eubulus." Journal of Hellenic Studies 83 (1963): 47-67.
- Sealey, Raphael, "Athens After the Social War." Journal of Hellenic Studies 75 (1955): 74-81.
- ^ Kennedy, Charles Rann (1870), "Theorica", in Smith, William (ed.), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, Boston: Little, Brown and Company, pp. 1126–1127
- ^ Xenophon, De Rep. Ath. iii. 8
- ^ Some ancient sources cite Pericles as the founder of the theorika (Plutarch's Pericles 9.1 and Plato's Gorgias 515E); Agyrrhios, an Athenian demagogue, is also mentioned as the first to have initiated this public largesse by Aristotle in Athenian Constitution 41.3. See also Buchanan, James Theorika. New York 1962 (p. 29-53).
- ^ Justin (6.9.1) dates the establishment of the theorika sometime at the end or after the battle of Mantinea in 362 BCE.
- ^ Georg Friedrich Schömann, Antiquitates juris publici Graecorum p. 305
- ^ Rhodes, P. J. The Athenian Boule. Oxford 1972: p. 106.
- ^ Libanius' explanation is accepted by some, but the information he provides is often questioned. Edward M. Harris raises sound arguments for doubt in his book Democracy and the Rule of Law in Classical Athens (New York 2006): "The road to historical error is often paved with good intentions. Certainly no one had better intentions than the scholar Libanius…" (p. 121).
- ^ a b Blake, W. E. "New Literary Fragments on Demosthenes" Trans Proc Am Philol Assoc 57 (1926) p. 282.
- ^ a b Georg Friedrich Schömann, Id. p. 219
- ^ Demosthenes, Philip. iv. 141
- ^ Philipp August Böckh, The Public Economy of Athens p. 224, 2d ed.
- ^ Aeschines, Against Ctesiphon 57, ed. Steph.
- ^ Philipp August Böckh, p. 170, &c.
- ^ Georg Friedrich Schömann, Id. 320
- ^ Wachsmuth, Hellen. Alt. vol. ii. pt. i. pp. 124—127, 1st ed
- ^ Hansen, M. H. The Athenian Democracy in the Age of Demosthenes. Oxford 1991: p. 253; see also Arist. Ath. Const. 47.2-48.1.
- ^ Hansen, M. H. "The Theoric Fund and the graphe paranomon against Apollodorus" GBS XVII (1976): p. 242.
- ^ Rhodes, P. J. "Athenian Democracy After 403 BC" CJ 75.4 (April–May,1980): p. 313.
- ^ Rhodes Ath. Boule p. 107.
- ^ Blake 282.
- ^ Rhodes 105.
- ^ Mader, Gottfried "Pax Duello Mixta: Demosthenes and the Rhetoric of War and Peace" CJ 101.1 (2005-6): p. 21.
- ^ Mader p. 21.
- ^ Trevett, Jeremy Apollodorus the Son of Paison. Oxford 1992: p. 138-9.
- ^ Libanius is incorrect here; hoplites did not receive payment for their military services (Harris 121).
- ^ Harris, E. M. Democracy and the Rule of Law in Classical Athens. Cambridge 2006: p. 122.
- ^ Mader p. 16.
- ^ Some modern scholars consider the Fourth Philippic to be inauthentic—otherwise it was probably delivered right after the Third Philippic in 341 BCE.
- ^ Buchanan, J. J. Theorika. New York 1962: p. 66.
- ^ Blake p. 286-7.
- ^ Buchanan p. 72-3.
- ^ Buchanan p. 76-7.
- ^ Buchanan p. 80. (His translation)
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "article name needed". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. London: John Murray.


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My Favorite Place to Sleep: Tour My Tiny Dorm.
Living on campus is an adventure--one that largely takes place in my "cozy" (says the realtor from NYC) dorm room. Midterm studying is in full-swing and I haven't seen half the girls on my hall since our Monday night hall meeting. I'm positive they're all in their rooms, studying their hearts out and probably crying.
I, on the other hand, am reaping the benefits of being a Writing major: no tests + just papers = NO MIDTERMS.
So while all my sweet floormates are barricading themselves in their closets--ahem, dorms--I decided to have a little fun and give you guys a tour of my {tiny} dorm!
Here it is, in all its tiny glory! My roommate and I bought matching textured white closet curtains from Target last August and we've loved them. They're so durable and haven't gotten messy at all. Having curtains adds a lot of order to our room, because the white makes the room feel bigger (and hides our messy closets). We share the six drawers in the middle, I use the bottom three because I'm short and my roommate uses the top three because she's, like, 5'8".
My bed and I have gotten very close in the past seven months. The majority of my homework, papers, and Netflix-watching get done here. The mattresses in the dorms at my college are really thin, so my mom bought me this two inch thick mattress pad and I LOVE IT. It is so comfy, and without a doubt one of my favorite things in my room.
On the wall behind my bed is a string banner with my name on it and some tiny flowers I watercolored. I love this banner--it gives just enough color to the wall without overwhelming the space.
My desk is always covered in books and plants, but I tidied up for this picture. My boyfriend took me to Trader Joes on Sunday, and he bought me some herbs for my room because he knows how much I love gardening. They're so cute and smell so yummy.
The books are a mix of assigned readings and books I'm reading in my spare time. My recent fun-read is Yes Please by Amy Poehler. I love Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation is my favorite show) and this book is an easy read.
My roommate and I use the loft for storage and studying. The bin on the right holds extra sheets, big sweaters, and some jewelry hooks. My boyfriend made me the light-up sign with my name on it for Christmas; he's handy, and it's probably the most frequently complimented thing in my room.
Occasionally, I need to crack down and study without being distracted, so I climb up to the loft because it's hard to get sidetracked up there; you can't exactly get up and leave very easily.
Annnnd that's my {tiny} dorm! Sometimes it feels so roomy... other times I feel like I should be wearing a straight jacket, but all in all, it's a great place to sleep, hang out with friends, and grow peppermint and rosemary.
All the hearts (and the herbs),


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@image http://media.rivalcastmedia.com/staff/w ... -green.png
In the dark woods of Middlebrook, Ohio a young man walked along a soggy, gravel walkway with his eyes trained to the night sky. He could just barely make it out from among the canopy, the stars sparkling like tiny eyes peering down at him. Even in the woods he felt watched. Was that how they had felt these past ten years? Every step, every word, and every thought carefully processed and catalogued? Every room wired with cameras, and every relationship meticulously planned and manipulated for the sole purpose of morbid curiosity?
After Mitchell and Ren died they'd debated calling the whole thing off. But Sarah, that pompous bitch dyke, refused.
"Ten people have already died," she'd reasoned in a half smirk. He hated when she smiled. Her wire thin lips always creased half her face, distorting her into something that resembled out of a Hellraiser movie. "Every omelet needs to break a few eggs. This is something we all agreed to, yes? All of us?"
That bitch. If only she were still alive…
A twig snapped and his heart flipped. He whirled around, expecting to see one of its minions clamboring from out of the underbrush, but the woods remained quiet and undisturbed. He started walking again, only to stop every few feet to take a glance of his surroundings.
You're out here, aren't you? he thought to himself. You're close by, too. I can feel it. I can feel you.
He quickened his pace. The edge of town couldn't be far now. He'd made sure to triple check the map for the right escape route before leaving the house. It'd been built as part of contingency plan if things got too hot and they needed to pull out. In the beginning they hadn't been entirely sure what they were dealing with, which struck him as a terribly cliché moment out of some horror movie. They didn't understand enough until too late. Far, far too late.
A rustling noise came from the brush fifty feet ahead of him to the right off the path. Next came the snapping and splintering of bush limbs as a figure emerged from the woods. It stood nearly eye level with him, its face shrouded in black as its shoulder length hair slightly reflected the single beam of moonlight cresting through the canopy. The figure had a slender build, and when it started toward him it moved with a slight sway to its step.
His breath caught in his throat, and in his chest his heart was doing the running his mind screeched for his feet to do. But he was frozen in place, his cold, worn feet no longer willing to budge. And as the realization of what was happening finally set in, he felt the terror intensify.
She gazed at him emotionlessly. Her face no longer held the warmth of her perverse little smirks. Instead there were the stains of blood tears encrusted on her cheeks from where the veins in her eyes had ruptured. That had been how he'd found her weeks ago, dead on her floor. She probably had been getting up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and dropped from severe hemorrhaging, bleeding to death before he found her in the morning. He and the others remaining buried her in the graveyard they'd created in the woods in back of the house. The graves were unmarked so as not to tip off any unsuspecting townsfolk who happened by on a leisurely walk through the woods. In his job, questions were bad. Very, very bad.
Of course fear of discovery paled in comparison to his current situation. He was hallucinating, which meant things for him had progressed much further than he'd anticipated. He closed his eyes and shook his head, fighting back the tears of knowing just how close he was to his own dirt nap beneath the pines of this godforsaken town. First the headaches, which he'd had for a month now. Next hallucinations. Then the bleeding. And lastly…
"No! No, godammit, no!" he shouted at her. "I don't want to die!"
Sarah was unimpressed by his defiance.
"None of this is real!"
"But it is," Sarah spoke. "It's all very real."
"Leave me alone!"
"Henry, it's alright," she said, sounding sympathetic.
"Oh, Sarah, suddenly you care?" he spat. "We all died because of you, bitch! All of us! This had been your idea, all your idea! You and that fucking husband of yours! We could've left!"
"I know." Her reply came, barely a whisper. "But that's over now. It's all over."
"Fuck you!" he screamed, and to his surprise he started to run.
He ignored her and ran full speed down the path. As he rounded the bend he gasped and closed his eyes at the sight of more figures standing in the brush ahead. They all whispered his name as he ran past, their voices carrying a soul wrenching sorrow.
Then, breaking through the frantic whispers of his name, came the call of it.
"Stop now, Henry."
His body convulsed as if he'd just run into an invisible wall. He fell back onto the path, his head landing hard on a rock jutting out of the bushes. The world then exploded in color and dampness and swirled around him as if he'd fallen into a giant washing machine. He clutched his head and groaned as he slowly rolled into a fetal position. For a long time he lied there listening to his own raspy breathing, afraid to move or open his eyes and see the faces of the others standing over him.
I'm close though. I'm so close. C'mon, Henry, just a little farther. Get up. Get. Up.
Before he could muster the strength to move he heard footsteps moving toward him. They didn't appear to be in any hurry or make any attempt to conceal themselves. His mind panicked, telling him to hurry and run, but his body refused. By the time it reached him the will to fight was gone.
"Hello Henry," it said in a mockingly soothing tone. "It's over now. Are you ready?"
And with that the blood tears of defeat let go.
The Girl in Green is a horror novel by Scott McCafferty, serialized for web publication through RivalCast Media. Scott welcomes comments and feedback below or through email at email@example.com


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As part of its efforts to promote religious diversity and harmony for national development, the Islamic University College, Ghana (IUCG) has organized, on its campus, a public lecture on Religion and Ethics. The well attended lecture was on the theme: "Whom and what must I believe?: Reflections on Life, Politics and Religion."
Addressing the audience, Mr. Mustapha Hamid, Minister for Information, described ethics as a major distinguisher between human societies and non-human societies.
"There are several sources from which humans derive their ethical values; conscience, society, the Bible, the Qur'an, ancestral wisdom, the Dhama, the Baghavad Gita and many others," he added.
Mr. Hamid, who doubles as an academic, explained that in spite of the multiplicity of ethical sources, "there are certain universal values that are common to these ethical codes." Citing examples, he mentioned "doing good, paying our debts, refraining from harming others and such other ethical values that keep societies orderly."
The Minister, however, challenged the notion of strict adherence to a single ethical code. Illustrating the beauty of diversity, he defended the thesis that "the light is one, but the lamps are many."
In his welcome address, the President of IUCG, Dr. Mohsen N. Ma'arefi, thanked the Minister and all those who made various efforts to ensure the success of the Lecture.
He appealed to all humans - irrespective of race, gender, and creed - to be interested in answers to the question of "How and why we ought to live?" In the words of the President, this question constitutes the core of ethics and moral philosophy. He stated that the audience would learn from the Lecture how to strengthen coexistence and how to interpret salvation from different doctrines in the collective interest of humanity. Hajj Mumuni Sulemana, who chaired the function, observed that in life "we all have choices and influences."
The Chairperson, who is the Head of Department of Religions at the University of Ghana, advised the gathering to allow rationality to influence those choices at all times.
The impressive program was attended by academics, Industry players, students, educational policy makers, researchers, and religious leaders. Among the dignitaries in attendance were Prof Mohammed Salifu, Executive Secretary of the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE), Dr. G. A. Nasser, Vice President, Academics, IUCG; and Dr. Husain Ibrahim, Head of the Department of Religious Studies, IUCG. Others were Shaikh Dr. Mohammed Reza Aghaei, Director of Ahlul-Bait Teacher Training institute; Dr. Adam Mahama, Head of Research and IT, IUCG; Mr. Ato Amoaning-Annan, Head of the Department of Communication Studies, IUCG; and Dr. Ernest K. Awanta, Head of the Department of Education, IUCG.
In a random interview, some of the participants commended the University for the initiative. According to them such public lectures educate the citizenry on the symbiosis between Religion and Governance as tools for national development. Rich in content, the Lecture was a combined discourse on academic theories and real life situations. It raised a number of thematic areas indicating the multi-dimensional perspectives of Religion. But in the end, it affirmed a fundamental viewpoint that is critical to peaceful life in a pluralistic society. Undoubtedly, this viewpoint is respect for diversity in the supreme interest of humanity instead of assumption of supremacy in belief.


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Hello guys.
I'm new here and I couldn't find a thread for this.
I have a question: I was looking for ticket passes but wanted one that included a trip to a zone 5 RER station.
Zone 5 are always RER stations? I mean, I was not sure if the ticket for zone 5 would include a tripe to a zone 5 RER station or if there was also a subway station in the zone 5.
I was interested in a Multi-day ticket I found on this page:
Thank you all!


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As promised, with an exceptional voice that crosses many genres, he sings the gamut from adult contemporary to Broadway to the Italian love songs he grew up with - then he throws a little country in for flavor!
Look past the polished singing and presentation and you see Mr. Rossi has something else up his sleeve - he wants to reach out and wrap his arms around the audience, take them on a ride and make them feel what he feels - what we all feel - be it great joy or vast despair. Just hold on and let go - you'll be glad you did.
23 Sept 2004
Performances coming in November! See our Upcoming Shows page.
contact 212.726.2694 firstname.lastname@example.com


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An Indian priest abducted by gunmen in Yemen last month is safe and could be released soon, a Catholic group said on Sunday, quoting the Indian foreign minister.
Father Tom Uzhunnalil was captured from the southern Yemeni city of Aden by gunmen who killed at least 15 people at an old people's home in an attack that was condemned by Pope Francis.
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) said a delegation met Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj who said the government was working to secure the priest's safe return.
"She has assured us Father Tom is safe and negotiations are on for his release which could happen very soon," said Father Joseph Chinnaiyan, deputy secretary of the CBCI.
Media reports last week said the priest was killed by Islamic State militants on Good Friday, although no one has claimed responsibility for last month's attack in which gunmen killed four Indian nuns, two Yemeni female staff members, eight elderly residents and a guard. Reports also suggested that the Indian government was not sure about the involvement of Islamic State.
Father Chinnaiyan said the reports were inaccurate.
According to IBNLive, the Catholic priest had appeared in a video recently released by his abductors, asking for help. The report added that through the video, his abductors had demanded millions of dollars in ransom.
Aden has been racked by lawlessness since Hadi supporters, backed by Gulf Arab military forces, drove fighters of the Iran-allied Houthi group from the city in July last year.
International aid groups have pulled most of their foreign staff from Yemen due to security concerns.
With inputs from Reuters
Updated Date: Apr 03, 2016 16:31:15 IST


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Welcome to our LOST & FOUND section of our Boracay Blog, here we will list items that were lost by tourist while vacationing on the island of Boracay. It is important to remember that when you are vacationing on Boracay, or any other tourist destination, to keep your items, especially things of high value with you at all times, DO NOT leave things like iPhones, Camera's, Laptops or expensive electronics unattended.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Any lost or found item should also be reported to the Boracay Police, the main office is located in Boat Station 3, just across the street from the Alice in Boracay Resort.
LOST PHOTO CAMERA & iPHONE / JANUARY 07 / 2014
- iPHONE / APPLE
Hello, I am NADEZHDA TRAPEZOVA visiting Boracay Island from Russia, I recently lost my OLYMPUS CAMERA and iPHONE while spending time on the white beach of Boracay.
PLEASE, if you find my camera and iPhone, I only ask that you RETURN the MEMORY CARDS, the photos on the cards are of my husband and myself vacationing here in the Philippines, we want to cherish these memories, PLEASE just return the memory cards, by contacting the Boracay Blog.
LOST APPLE iPHONE / APRIL 30 / 2014
Hello, I am Lucy Boultby I lost my white iPhone 4s last night (April 30th).
- It is possible that I dropped it walking from Bolabog Beach (where I last had it) to White Beach.
- It was in a turquoise case and it has my UK driving licence inside.
- I would be over the moon if it was returned to me as it has over 2 years worth of pictures.
Please contact us here at the Boracay Blog.


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Athena Mineralogy
This site provides searchable, dynamic lists of IMA approved mineral names and varieties sorted either alphabetically or arranged systematically. Images of uncommon minerals are included along with links, scientific shareware and bibliographic data. Site is continuously updated. The true value of this site (http://athena.unige.ch/athena/mineral/search.html) is a search function that allows users to input known elements of a mineral as well as elements known to be absent from the mineral, and all of the minerals will be listed that contain the known elements, but do not contain the elements known to be missing.
Central Canadian Federation of Mineralogical Societies (CCFMS)
The CCFMS site keeps the mineral collecting public updated on shows, federation field trips and other federation club websites, while offering a location where collecting information can be posted. Its jurisdiction is primarily Ontario and Western Quebec, but it includes many links to dealers and North American clubs and museums.
The 'Handbook' is a five volume set with a publication price of $588.00 U.S. It is the most recent print publication, and probably the last ever to be printed. It contains comprehensive information on all known minerals at the times of publication (the volumes were published at different times).
The entire publication, one full page per mineral, is available online thanks to the Mineralogical Society of America. Furthermore, the list of included minerals is being updated by the addition over time of minerals approved since each of the volumes was published.
The Friends of Mineralogy
The Friends of Mineralogy (FM) is an organization devoted to the advancement of serious interest in minerals and related activities. It consists of mineral collectors, professional mineralogists and curators of public and private collections. FM was formed in 1970 in Tucson, Arizona. An initial project was the establishment of The Mineralogical Record. The FM has had a close and continuing association with The Mineralogical Record and with Rocks & Minerals Magazine. One of the organization's important activities has been support of the two magazines as vehicles for the preservation and dissemination of mineralogical information.
Mindat has become almost an all inclusive site for mineral information. Users can search on a mineral topic or a mineral name and/or a mineral location. A search on a mineral name will result in the mineral's basic description as well as all of the world-wide locations from which that mineral has been reported. A list - often huge - of viewable photographs of that mineral is also provided. A search on a location will result in a list of all of the minerals that have been reported from that location. Such a list of minerals will indicate what, if any, minerals for which the site is the type location. It will also indicate the minerals for which Mindat has photographs from that specific site. Another useful feature of the site is that a partial location name, or a variant of the location name, will result in suggestions of the correct name or a list of names for which the site has been known. This is particularly useful for foreign sites that have incurred differences in translation as well as sites that have been mined in different eras under different names.
Mineralogy Database
This mineral database contains 4,714 individual mineral species descriptions with links and a comprehensive image library. It includes a section on crystallography in which individual crystal forms can be manipulated in 3-space. It is an excellent site with descriptions of physical characteristics and technical information on all listed minerals. Regrettably, it has not been updated since 2012 (there are now over 5,000 valid species) so the most recently approved minerals will not be listed. For most collectors, this will not be much of a limitation.
Ontario Geological Survey
The Ontario Geological Survey, Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, consists of a Geoscience Program and a Resident Geologist Program. The Geoscience Program, based out of Sudbury, is responsible primarily for the collection, interpretation and dissemination of geological, geochemical and geophysical data. As well as contributing to the Geoscience Program, the Resident Geologist Program provides comprehensive geoscience information, publications, library and advisory services to the public through a network of offices strategically located throughout the province.
This site is managed by the University of Arizona. In addition to technical information such as X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Raman patterns, it is a link to the official list of International Mineralogical Association (IMA) approved minerals. If the mineral name that you want to research is not on this list, it has not been approved by the IMA and, hence, is not a legitimate mineral (at least, not of that name).
Additionally, a mineral name search can reveal a large number of publications that are normally only available to subscribers of mineralogical magazines or by payment to online scientific information publishers.
There are many good mineral books and most can be found second-hand. The following is a short list of suggestions, organized by type.
Field Guide
A field Guide to Rocks and Minerals by Frederick H. Pough - published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This is published as one of The Peterson Field Guide Series. The most recent edition was published in 1998. It contains the most commonly encountered minerals with numerous photographs and line drawings, as well as being a convenient size to take on collecting trips.
There are many used textbooks available. Most of these are produced for beginning mineralogy classes in geology or earth science degree programs. They are most useful in describing characteristics of minerals, including chemistry and structure. The following is an especially thorough text.
Dana's Textbook of Mineralogy by Edward Salisbury Dana, revised and enlarged by William E. Ford - published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. This text is quite old (the fourth edition was published in 1932) and the list of minerals is anything but current but its presentation of mineralogical principles combined with descriptions of most of the known minerals at the time of publication, makes this a classic, and still an extremely useful book to have.
Mineral Identification
Mineral Identification - A Practical Guide for the Amateur Mineralogist y Donald B. Peck - published by the Mineralogical Record, Inc. This is a fairly recent publication (2007) and presents an amazing amount of information and techniques for identifying minerals, explained in plain language. It is written for amateurs, not professional mineralogists, and is readily available at the Mineralogical Record at a very reasonable price. In addition to the analytical information, the book includes a CD with several programs including one which provides descriptive information on over 4,000 minerals. This program allows the user to search on known properties of a mineral with the program providing a list of minerals that satisfy the search properties.
Official IMA list of minerals
Periodically, a list of the official mineral names as approved by the International Mineralogical Association (IMA) is updated.
Fleischer's Glossary of Mineral Species, originally prepared by Michael Fleischer of the U.S. Geological Survey and most recently compiled by Malcolm E. Back (Royal Ontario Museum - retired) is published by the Mineralogical Record. The most recent version is 2014. This publication contains the names, formulas, type locality, primary reference, and relationships with other minerals (if any). All group names and minerals in such groups are shown in a separate section.
The IMA is constantly adding newly discovered and approved minerals as well as examining existing minerals; sometimes making name changes as well as deleting names of minerals found to be inadequately described. Changes in mineral relationships are reasonably frequently encountered, so it useful to have the most current version of this publication.


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NARS Mind Game Velvet Lip Glide Set
What it is:
A holiday set of six mini lipstick hybrid shades in a semi-matte, long-lasting finish and comfortable wear.
What it does:
The innovative Mind Game Velvet Lip Glide Set features three cult-classic and three limited-edition shades for instant, highly saturated color. The non-drying formula hugs lips with velvety smooth precision, thanks to a hydrating, oil-infused complex brimming with antioxidant-rich water lily flowers and white tea extracts. The wands feature a plush, doe-foot applicator for soft product application and flawlessly supple lips.
This set contains:
– 6 x 0.12 oz/ 3.5 mL Mind Game Velvet Lip Glide in Bound (soft magenta), No. 675 (deep peach), Chez Claude (warm pink), Unspeakable (reddish pink), Plato's (deep pink), Toy (deep plum)
What else you need to know:
"Velvet Lip Glide is soft yet strong. Effortless and intense. Polished and provocative. It encourages you not to compromise. Glide on strength. Go with it. See where it takes you."—François Nars
GGR's Take
This is a very long review, so strap in. The Velvet Lip Glide is a new formula from NARS so releasing this new set on the heels of that product launch is genius. The formula itself has an almost cake frosting texture that when it hits your lips transforms from the frosting feeling to a melty gel oil hybrid that coats the lips. It's fascinating to wear because it feels so light, but there is certainly something there. The formula spreads out quite a bit. The spreading never actually bleeds outside the confines of the lip, but you need less than you might think because these are pretty pigmented for the most part. The application is mostly easy. I have a smaller top lip, and it can be tricky. The tip isn't super precise, but it does work to line your lips with the color right to the very edge. They styled the applicator for medium lipped folks so if you're small or enormous, you will need to play with it. Many people have complained there is an issue with it gathering into lip lines. I didn't find this when applied lightly. When I applied too much, yup, there it was. The formula does differ slightly from shade to shade in consistency as well which may add to this problem. They range from non-drying to hydrating, even on my lizard lips. There is a fairly robust warm vanilla scent that almost pulls cocoa-y that fades as the formula sets. There is no taste. The formula doesn't seem to accentuate lip flaws or dryness either.
As for the NARS Mind Game Velvet Lip Glide Set, the sizes seem to be about half, but the applicator is full size. It's a great way to try the formula. Now three of the colors in this are limited edition, so if you fall in love with one, there aren't dupes in the main line. The packaging isn't really that special but I like that it's not. I don't need more crap. There is a beautiful cardboard box with a plastic tray inside with the mini's nestled in it quite snugly. The shades are arranged in the packaging from lightest to darkest, and it spells NARS with the lids. Let's go over the shades:
Bound is a lovely mauve-pink shade that for some will be a nude and for some an MLBB. It's not as cool toned as I thought it would be. It's pretty neutral and universal. The texture is fluffier than some of the other shades, very cake frosting-like, but does smooth on nicely. It's close to opaque and can be lightly built up to be opaque. I prefer to do a skim coat with it because after a meal it can look a little liney if you're wearing too much. The initial wear is a satin finish on me for about two hours turning into a velvet matte after. When it reaches it's velvet matte stage, the color looks slightly lighter and warmer. It wore for a good 6 hours even through food and drink with no transfer and minimal breakdown. It wore down to an even pink stain that didn't come off until I removed it with an oil cleanser.
675 is billed as a deep peach. When you first look at it, you might think it's not peach, but it is just the color of the deepest part of the outside of the peach skin. It's darker in person than in photos. It's unique. This one is moderately sheer and the most like a gel oil straight from the tube. It's more like a gloss than a lipstick. It wore well for 4 hours, but it did transfer quite a bit. It left behind a slight stain that lasted all day. I enjoyed the shade more than I thought because it's sheerer than the other shades it mixes well with my lip color but still pulls warm to make something even more unique.
Chez Claude
Chez Claude is a dark neutral pink that can pull fuschia. It's between the consistency of Bound and 675 when applied. It's easy to wear with little transfer. It's similar to Bound in it's set up with a glossy first half and a velvet matte second act. It also dried down brighter. These never fully dry down, but they do seem to slowly set into a more matte finish. It wore well for about six hours with no breakdown, but that began around eight hours. It left a matte stain that lasted until I removed it.
Plato's is a dark pink with a more berry undertone. It's similar to Chez Claude in all other ways except it stays glossy much longer. I wore this for almost 24 hours. My lips were still stained the next morning quite intensely. It had migrated outside the lip line slightly though which was only noticeable up close.
Here is where we start getting into trouble. When I first saw the initial release, Unspeakable and Bound were my top contenders. Unspeakable was like a currant color, and I was in love. The version in this set is way more chocolate burgundy. I know colors look a little different on different skin tones or lip tones, but this is opaque and crazy pigmented. It looks like a different shade compared to other bloggers photos of the full sized product. I'm super disappointed. The color it is is still beautiful. It's just not what I wanted. It's fluffy like Bound, and it's easy to over-apply. I suggest you line your lips with the tip, glide the product between your top and bottom lip by pressing your lips together. Any product build up can be tackled with lip pressing and gentle finger pats. Once it's smoothed out it sets up to a velvet matte more quickly than the others, though it could be all the fussing with the product in the first few seconds speeding the process. It wears well and breaks down around the 6-hour mark. It leaves a burgundy stain that lasts until you remove it.
Toy is described as a deep plum. It skews more purple than red on me, but I can see that is mostly my coloring. I need to use the same application technique as Unspeakable though Toy's consistency is much more like Chez Claude and Plato's. Out of all the shades, it's the most moisturizing. Despite being crazy pigmented, it's not fully opaque so it can look a touch splotchy up close. I haven't tried a second coat yet for full opacity. It transfers more like 675. It remains dark until it starts to breakdown, but the stain is about a shade lighter and slightly redder. It also stays glossier than expected. Not as glossy as Plato's but similarly to Chez Claude. The wear time is also like Chez Claude though it does fade a bit more than that one with a meal. The stain lasts until you remove it. What I love about this shade is the color brings out the yellow in my skin, making all my blemishes and rosacea much less noticeable.
Final Thoughts
If you're on the fence about this collection, don't be. It's a great product with a novel texture and superb colors. Even the regular line is worth your attention; you just get a lot more bang for your buck as this set is a real value. I'm upset about Unspeakable. Either it's mislabeled (several sets had the issue with 675), mixed improperly, a different color altogether, or tweaked since the release of the promotional shades sent to bloggers. Other than that, I'm in love with the formula. It's not sticky like a gloss. Hair doesn't get stuck in it but it's not a thick feeling as lipstick. The glossiness is nice and the matte velvet dry down is comfortable, nondrying, and multidimensional. They wear and break down pretty evenly. Even though they aren't billed as long wearing they hit a nice middle ground and I have had no problems touching up. I will certainly be buying more of this formula in the full size. While I love the Audacious line of lipsticks, I think I like these better as they are less drying over continued daily wear. With the Audacious line, if I wore the same shade for a week, my lips would be pretty dry at the end of the week. For occasional wear, they work well. I've worn a different shade of Velvet Lip Glide every day this week and my lips are in better condition than when I started. That really makes any fuss worth it for me for the darker shades. Overall, I'm pretty pleased with the NARS Mind Game Velvet Lip Glide Set.
Product Quality: A-
Repurchase: I might consider getting it again if I can't find it after VIB
Sephora Exclusive Set
Velvet Lip Glide Singles


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Still Christmas knitting away, but I've been meaning to post this forever and now I've finally remembered to do it at a time when actually doing it was convenient:
My mom and I have opened an Etsy Shop, called the Faberdashery (what else?) where we are selling hand-dyed baby clothes and bibs. Here's an example of one I just put up today:
They look much cuter when they're actually on children, and if anyone wants to volunteer a six-, twelve-, or eighteen-month-old to model, well, that would be great.
We've had reports from relatives that the bibs are extra-awesome because they go over the head like a t-shirt instead of velcro-ing on, which makes it much harder for contrary babies to remove.
So, yeah. Etsy shop. Woot!


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Happy Mother's Day Moms!
Time goes so fast. It seems like in the blink of an eye, I was in the hospital having my daughter Crescentia and now she will be 9 years old in June. I remember the moment the nurse put her in my arms and remember thinking that it was the happiest moment of my life. Nothing had ever come close to the feeling I had at that moment because it was the moment I became a Mom and at that moment that the nurse put her in my arms, she placed a part of my soul in my arms.
That's why I love this quote:
Making a decision to have a child–it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. Elizabeth Stone
It's so true. My kids are my heart and soul.
My stepsons, Ethan and Dave, Daddy holding baby Bowie and me holding Crescentia- 2007.
The first time Mom. Baby Crescentia and me-2004.
Sensi- Before and After.
My little boy Bowie- 2007.
Bowie- Before and After.
Baby Bijou- 2010
Bijou- Before and After.


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This week we're still down to only two, but your favorite two. Listen as Wes and Leland chat with each other as well as the random FaceBook Live slackers. They talk about bad parenting, Balloon marketing, Leland's court day and they review some current shows and movies. What's the Salliest thing you've had to watch with because of your wife.
Intro Music: A_rival "8-bit Pimp"
End Music: The Dirty Love "Society"
follow us on Twitter:@TacoBellPicasso and on FaceBook.
email us at www.PurePodPerfection.com
Listen on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or at www.PurePodPerfection.com


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Let me talk for a while about our church slogan: "In the City… For the City." It's catchy enough. At least I think so. But what does it mean? It's at the heart of what I want us to look like as the people of God in this city. We should be "in the city" in at least two senses. First, we can speak geographically. The truth is that most evangelical churches are no longer in the city. They've gone to the burbs, where land is cheap and life is easy. This is true across America, and certainly also in Columbia. We at Karis believe that culture happens in the heart of the city, in our city's downtown, "The District." This is the center of social, economic, and educational life here. We are committed to planting a church here that stays here, that impacts this key area of Columbia, and, due to the presence of the university, our state as a whole.
Second, we can speak philosophically. An oft-repeated evangelical slogan is that we, as Christians, should be "in the world, but not of it." But I would argue that, across the board, we are not in it at all. In our hearts and minds, we see ourselves standing outside the city, often heaping scorn upon her with our words. If we enter her to do evangelism at all, it's often "parachute style," where we leap from our planes, drop our tracts or Christian pick-up lines, and return to our helicopters that take us to our comfortable, Christian subculture. A key word we use much at Karis is missional. This is simply the word missionary used as an adjective. As missionaries cross land and sea to become part of a culture to reach a culture, so do we desire to do that in Columbia's downtown. We desire to live here, eat here, play here, shop here, and hang out here. This is ultimately so that unbelievers might be won to Christ, but, because we love the place and sense God's call here, we experience great joy from just being in the city. True, it is a means to an end. But in our minds, this isn't just an evangelistic strategy. It's being true to who we are. This is our city. This is our people. We love "The District."
Let's consider the idea of being "For the City." Let me take two angles on this, as well. First, think of this as working for the good of the city. Our "invite cards" at Karis still say, "In the 'District' for Good." Although our current slogan best expresses what we're about, that old one is dear to our heart, as well. Biblically, we see God moving from creation to recreation as we move from Genesis to Revelation. The fall messed things up. Jesus has come to inaugurate his kingdom. The glorious new heavens and new earth will be free of poverty and sickness and war and suffering. Sin will be obliterated once for all. But that kingdom has broken into the here and now, thanks to Christ's life, death, and resurrection. We, as the new people of God, can be used by the Lord to usher in the kingdom in part, as we wait the consummation of Christ's rule. Therefore, our desire at Karis is to work for the good of the city. We labor for the city's shalom, the hope of Israel, old and new, that will be present in full at the last day, but can be present in part right here, right now, through the ministry of Christ's church in the power of the Holy Spirit. So we care if Columbia has good schools. We are excited to plant trees in "The District." We care deeply about the arts. We want to befriend the homeless. We want to truly listen to the hurts of our city and lovingly provide the answers her citizens need. And we want to be model citizens, doing whatever we can to make Columbia a better place to live. We are for the good of the city here and now.
But, second, think of this as working for the salvation of the city. Liberal mainline Protestants have become so much in the city, that they have truly become of it. In an effort to engage the culture, they have become indistinguishable from it. They have lost the gospel of our Lord. So, although we strive for the shalom of "The District," we recognize that true and lasting peace or wholeness can only come through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Although Christ's people can spread Christ's kingdom here and now, our city's citizens cannot experience that in full, today or forever, apart from faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, to be for the city must include working for her salvation, by proclaiming the historic gospel, or we're truly working against her good. This, of course, will be greatly misunderstood. People will be confused by our ministry. Some will be attracted. Others will be repelled. Yet we remain committed to the glorious gospel of our Lord. As missionaries, we cannot forget our message.
We will strive at Karis to be a peculiar sort of church in the minds of Columbia citizens. Unlike most conservative, evangelical churches, we will strive to be a part of our city's culture, trying to serve her and engage her. Like many mainline liberal churches, we will work for the good of the city, serving not just our citizens' souls but their bodies, as well. But, along with our evangelical brothers and sisters, we will cling to the gospel, proclaiming it and living it, telling Columbia that what she needs is God's amazing grace, His karis.