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The last few days have been so nice, I wish that weather was happening over the weekend, so my honey can enjoy it, plus he has outside work he wants to do, and he hasn't been able to because of the rain, that comes every few days, blah. Happy Mother's Day! This is my 17th Mother's Day I will be missing without my mom, God Rest her soul, and may she be reunited with her parents and her cat Juliet. {Read More}
Mother's Day, Eloping, & More Rain
Punxsutawney Phil Was Wrong!
When I first heard the news the day after Ground Hogs day I was excited that we were getting an early spring. I thought yay, finally we will get a decent Spring. Today is March 10, 2019 and guess what? He was wrong!! Oh so wrong. Just earlier today it snowed a little, and last week we were dumped with 1 foot of snow. This is not Spring weather! I guess no one is perfect, right? Hopefully the snow will {Read More}
Is It Age? Or Weight?
I have been asking myself lately whether it is my age or the extra weight my small frame is carrying around, that has really exhausted me from a few hours of shopping on Saturday. Today actually, we did our rounds at a few stores, and then headed home, we were out I would say maybe about 4 hours. If I wasn't typing and trying to write a blog, I probably could lay down, not sure if I will sleep, as {Read More}
Getting Organized, or Trying To!
Why does getting organized take so much time. You realize how much you have when you do the littles of organizing lol. Even keeping up with my planner takes time. So it is a lot of stuff I try to juggle. Sometimes I think I overwhelm myself so much. I get stressed, and then I get a weird head ache that only affects my left back side, weird, like right behind my ear. Is that possibly from the fall down {Read More}
Happy New Year 2019 ~Wow!
I cannot believe how fast 2018 zipped by us. We (William and myself) were just talking about how fast 2018 went by. It feels like it was just Christmas, and then here is Christmas again. And look we are officially 7 days into the new year! How did that happen? Lol. So let's start with what my New Years resolutions are, and I sure do need to keep more than one. First I would start with continuing my diet back {Read More}
The Hustle and Bustle
It is that time of the year, to get very busy. And I have been since November, hence why I haven't posted yet. But here I am posting about a video I just uploaded to YouTube. What is it? A haul, a huge haul. It actually consists of Christmas items, and some planner stickers and lots of DIY/Crafting items that I wanted/needed. Oh and look at those cute throw pillows, how can you not like them, and not want to {Read More}


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You've got to be willing to be everything/
Do you want to live like other people or do you wish to lead a life without limitation? If you desire to lead a life without limitation, you have to make a commitment to living a life without limitation!
"If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, go out and sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures. Sweep streets like Handel and Beethoven composed music. Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well." -- Martin Luther King, Jr.

subset: commoncrawl


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Instrumentals Music & Videos
INSTRUMENTALS | Artist Comments
Writing instrumentals provides an opportunity to explore various melodies, and not be distracted by the lyrics of a song. I love the creative artistic freedom that producing instrumentals provides.
When creating instrumental music compositions I sometimes use renderings of a corresponding release that features vocals. I don't focus to much on theory or about what instruments should be put together as many composer's seem to. I listen to various instruments and sounds that blend together, sometimes I will record a sound that typically not considered musical at all.
Arranging sounds of life while arranging instruments and mixing the textures of each of the instruments, the music seems to take on a life of it's own.
Subscribe | Pennamen Music | YouTube
Typically instrumentals are a musical composition without vocals, however instrumental music at times may include some vocal narration.
Some people seem to think instrumentals are not complete songs without vocals. We have all heard the term elevator music and some people relate instrumentals to just that, however not all instrumentals are elevator music.
Instrumental music is often times used as a soundtrack for a movie. Many times the instrumental music or musical effects is what draws us in to the dynamics of a scene, not always a song but instrumentation.
Imagine watching the original soundtrack from the movie Jaws, released in 1975, without the theme music written by John Williams.
The terrifying moments of the movie would not be the same without the music. A soundtrack is not basically considered instrumental music, however I just want to get the point across.
† 2 Timothy 2:21
Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for a special purpose, made holy, useful to the Master and be prepared to do any good work.


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"If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.
Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.
If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met."
I think this is unbearably beautiful. Because I could stare at birds for hours, and I dream about the beauty of flowers. But never do I wonder how they live their life, or how they're going to make it to the next day, or what trees or fields their children are going to play in. I know they are a part of life, which goes on or ends. And if these simple creatures are so free and beautiful and beloved, how much more can I trust that I am taken care of by God?
I want to live a life that is not burdened with worry and anxiety. I want to engage freely in my relationships with people, and love whole heartedly. I want to be passionate about learning and adventure. I don't want to be obsessed and constrained by money and things.
I want to live a life and have a spirit that is trusting, beautiful and free like the birds in the air and the flowers in the field.


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"Sometimes I need
only to stand
wherever I am
to be blessed." - Mary Oliver
Day 2: I am here to tell you that the girls have officially taken ownership of their camp, arriving early to help set up. This thrills me to the core. They hung the wish flags that they made yesterday along with the wish flags made by some seriously Mighty Mamas!
We began the morning with gifts once again. Today's gift is the summer issue of Discovery Girls Magazine. A magazine for tweens - written by girls, for girls!
Then we started working on our journals, adding paint, oil stick and collage papers, building background texture and layers to work upon in the days ahead.
The journals were placed in the sun to dry.
And we ended the morning with worry boxes. Based on Guatemalan worry dolls that date back to Mayan traditions, they are thought to soothe anxiety and fears. Worry boxes are a wonderful therapeutic tool. Belief, intention and faith can help a young person shed mild to moderate anxiety.
Some mental health experts believe that the rituals surrounding a worry box actually provide some comfort during times of stress or grief. The idea is to write one's worries on a piece of paper and immediately place it in the worry box. Expressing feelings of worry or sorrow in writing can prove to be a cathartic experience. It allows the person to acknowledge the emotional pain and get it out.
The inspiring words on the box are meant to reassure that these worries disappear with time. As worries begin to disappear, one is to replace them with other thoughts until one finds peace of mind....
or even JOY!
Blessing Manifested: Day Two
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Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind. - Henry James
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Meet our Superwoman: Elina
Meet Elina. She's our In-Country Director. She was a member of our first graduating class in 2014. She's a mom of 6, grandmother of 2. She gained valuable skills from our program, and now works passionately to see other women in her community receive the same life-changing opportunity. Sounds like her full-time job would be enough to contribute to the community, right? We thought so too, but we're quite wrong.
Elina has always been a giver, a selflessly compassionate woman who wants the best, if not better, for others. And that sacrifice, that joy, that dedication to others is what inspired us way back in 2010 when CiH was only a dream.
When you see Elina in action at our Chikondi Community Center connecting with women who seem distant, giving encouragement to those who have doubts, making a way for those who are struggling, it changes you. We've always known that this generosity and compassion stretches far past her job, as we've witnessed her bring orphans into her home and claim them as her own children, as she's invited others for a meal in seasons when she's been struggling herself.
But we heard a story this past week that inspired us even more than we thought possible.
Elina runs a business in her free time after work and on the weekends with the entrepreneurial skills and mentoring she received at our Chikondi Community Center. Specifically, she purchases goods at wholesale (blankets, fabric, dry goods, etc.) to re-sell to customers in her community and even in other neighboring countries. Talk about impressive, right? She's making a good amount of money with a new understanding of profit and business management.
What would one typically do with the extra earnings? Maybe buy some new clothes? Treat oneself to a new hairdo? Splurge on some specialty foods? Enjoy an evening out? Admittedly, that's what I would probably do.
But Elina's different. Not because anyone is watching her, or because she wants the recognition of being generous and amazingly caring. But because she feels it's her responsibility and her joy to be a part of others' stories, to expand her family to include the vulnerable, the orphan, the widow, because she's overcome many struggles in her life as a widow herself.
Elina recently returned from a trip to Zimbabwe to take care of some family matters. She sold a good chunk of fabric to earn a really high profit from her goods. She didn't use it on herself. She invested part in her business to buy more goods, but only after she invested in the community. She heard of the need of a primary school building in our partner village, Muchochoma Village, and rather than come to us for help or ask for money, she saw her ability and used it. Elina raised enough money to buy plastic chairs for kids and building bricks to build a primary school in a village.
One woman. In a compound community of over 100,000. Who has overcome extraordinary pain and hardship. Giving up her own money to provide an educational facility for village children.
She told me this story in passing, as if it was no big deal. Not looking for a pat on the back or a fancy blog post about her. She was telling me as if to say, "I'm in this too. I'm doing what I can with what I have for the betterment of others."
Because of Elina, hundreds of village children will have a shelter from heat and rain, a safe environment to gain an education- a privilege of very few in rural villages. All because one woman saw the need, saw her potential to make a difference, and gave generously.
I know I can learn a lot from Elina, and rather than turn from this story with a short-lived good feeling, I want it to permeate my soul, to change the way I see my potential impact in the community that's right in front of me and her community 6,000 miles away. Together we're a force for good. Together we are breaking the cycle of poverty, one stitch at a time. And that's a beautiful, beautiful thing, friends.
With Chikondi (Love),
CiH Founder & Executive Director


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Cancer and Golden Retrievers
Written on August 19, 2013 by Mitchell Kaye, DVM, (Practice limited to Oncology) Hospital: Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital
The Breed
Golden retrievers are one of the most popular dog breeds in the United States. They were originally bred to aid in retrieving ducks and other birds during hunting trips. They are very intelligent dogs, and they currently perform many other jobs such as serving as guide dogs, search and rescue participants, and illegal drug detectors, in addition to being great family pets.
It is estimated that between 40-60% of golden retrievers may get cancer as they age.
Common cancers that they are at risk for include:
- Lymphoma
- Mast cell tumors
- Hemangiosarcoma
- Osteosarcoma.
The initial signs of cancer will vary based on the type of cancer and area of the body that is affected. For some cancers you may notice lumps or masses on the outside of the body, while other cancers that originate internally may cause changes in behavior such as decreased energy level or decreased appetite.
Diagnosis and Treatment
In many cases cancers can be diagnosed by withdrawing a sample of tumor cells with a small needle, while in other cases a surgical biopsy may be performed. Often x-rays, ultrasounds, and other tests may be used to aid in diagnosis and to determine the extent of the cancer.
The ideal treatments for cancer depend on the type of cancer and its typical behavior. Treatment options can include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or a combination of these. Early diagnosis and treatment often leads to the best outcomes with cancer.
Depending on the type of cancer, dogs may live for many months to many years after they have been diagnosed. Maintaining a good quality of life is of the utmost concern when treating dogs with cancer, and regardless of what treatment options are used, we try to minimize their discomfort and side effects.
Other Interesting Articles
- Cancer in Pets – IVG Website
- Frequently Asked Chemotherapy Questions – IVG Website
- Staging and Treatment of Osteosarcoma – IVG Newsletter
- Dogs and Cancer: Get the Facts – WebMD
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Here are the slides and (soon!) code for my recent presentation at Ekoparty 2016. The full abstract can be found below. In brief, this research involved automatically generating shellcodes when there are restrictions on legal encodings. We explore examples ranging from well-known ones (no NULL bytes, no '%' character, printable, alphanumeric, all letters uppercase, etc.) to weird and challenging ones (bytes must alternate even and odd, no duplicate bytes, all words are prime numbers, etc). We also explore automated encoding and decoder generation: e.g., given some existing shellcode, transform it into (for example) alphanumeric bytes, and generate a decoder to revert the encoding at run-time. We also explore tasks like finding the shortest or longest solutions, re-writing existing shellcodes into a given encoding, exploiting known facts about the input state, and integration with automated exploit generation.
Slides: HERE
Slides with presenter notes: HERE
Video: HERE (does not include the material on decoder loop synthesis due to time constraints)
Code: HERE
Information about the training classes mentioned in the presentation: HERE
The problems of shellcode generation and of memory corruption exploit development share a birthday. In brief, memory corruption exploits must trick a program into executing machine code ("shellcode") provided as input. Each individual exploit scenario may place constraints upon the allowable machine code bytes: NULL bytes (or any arbitrary bytes) may be disallowed; the input may be constrained to be alphanumeric; all ASCII characters may be required to be uppercase; certain characters may be filtered; the input may be transformed in arbitrary ways; the input may be required to lie within UTF-8 or UTF-16; and so on.
Historically, the security community has dealt with these problems on a case-by-case basis. Many papers were written regarding various processor architectures and some common encoding restriction schema. Generally, these publications describe patterns for performing common operations (setting registers to constants, obtaining the program counter, etc.) within the given encoding restriction. From these publications came shellcode encoding; rather than writing the entire shellcode within the encoding restriction, we encode a shellcode blob within the encoding, and generate a machine code program within that encoding to decode the blob and execute it. Shellcode encoders are useful, but they suffer from a number of issues. They expand the size of the shellcode blob, which can render an exploit unworkable. They often contain common sequences of machine code, for which IDS detections are readily available. They are not guaranteed to find an encoding and a decoder, even if one exists. In short, shellcode generation is still a real-world problem, despite the existence of shellcode encoders.
In this publication, we provide a novel technique based on program synthesis for creating machine code programs that fall within a given encoding. Essentially, Synesthesia is a compiler whose inputs are a specification of the desired functionality, together with a specification of the allowable encodings. Synesthesia enjoys a number of nice theoretical properties: it is guaranteed to find an encoding for the desired functionality if one exists; the user can search for the shortest program in terms of byte length or number of instructions; it does not rely upon pattern databases of any sort, so each run can potentially produce an entirely unique output; and it can produce self-modifying code. The ideas behind Synesthesia are not tied to any specific processor architecture, and do not require emulation, access to such a processor, or brute-forcing.
This presentation will discuss the context wherein Synesthesia exists, the concepts behind its design, case studies on more than one assembly language, a performance evaluation, and a discussion of the theoretical limitations (i.e., permanent issues) and practical ones (i.e., limitations of contemporary SMT solvers). Synesthesia shall be made available as open source.
Open the video on half of your screen and the slides on the other, switching through the slides as I do so during the video. The presentation uses a lot of in-frame animations, so for best results, you will want to view the PDF in contiguous rather than contiguous mode. I.e., only one slide should be on-screen at a time (no fractions of subsequent slides visible), and that advancing the slide should bring up an entirely new slide. This is easy to accomplish with the full-page mode of standalone PDF viewers. In Chrome's PDF viewer, you can use the left and right arrow keys to advance or retreat one slide at a time. Alternatively, there is an icon bar at the bottom right of each slide. The first two buttons from the left retreat and advance by one slide, respectively. Failing all of these options, use a different PDF viewer.


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Ezekiel had his fantastic vision of fire, wind, and four living creatures. John ate a sweet-and-sour scroll out of the hand of a giant angle. Isaiah had his lips scorched by a burning coal from the heavenly altar. Paul was in a catatonic state for three days. Then there's the agonized lament of Jeremiah:
You seduced me, Lord, and I let myself be seduced;
you were too strong for me, and you prevailed.
All day long I am an object of laughter;
everyone mocks me.
Whenever I speak, I must cry out,
violence and outrage I proclaim;
The word of the Lord has brought me
reproach and derision all day long.
I say I will not mention him,
I will no longer speak in his name.
But then it is as if fire is burning in my heart,
imprisoned in my bones;
I grow weary holding back,
I cannot!
We tend to forget what an extraordinary thing is signified by the doctrine of biblical inspiration. Quite simply, what is sitting on your bed stand or holding pride of place on your bookshelf is the greatest literary miracle—ever. It is also the greatest human literary achievement—not a book really, but more a library, as scholar Jacques Barzun noted—that tells the greatest stories of all time, including the story of time itself, and contains words of poetry and prose to rival any other.
How did they do it?
Too rarely do we wonder how this happened. We know that the individual books of Scripture had human authors who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. That's what the Church teaches us and we move on to other things. Even many biblical scholars are surprisingly uncurious about the fine print of what this means.
Not only should the doctrine of biblical inspiration arouse our curiosity and wonder but it's also something we should care about too. No, we do not believe, as the Protestants do, in Scripture alone, but Scripture is nonetheless of enormous importance to us. We would do well to understand the genesis of how we got it a little bit more than we do.
Over the history of the Church a number of theories have been developed to explain the 'mechanics' of inspiration. It's worthwhile to look at several of these, in order to better understand the one that prevails in the Church today.
Before we jump into it, it helps to have some criteria in order to evaluate them as we go along. Of course, we ultimately lean on the judgment of the teaching authority of the Church but if we want to understand how the Church arrived at that judgment a set of criteria might be useful.
For theologian Aidan Nichols, Scripture itself points the way. In his book, The Shape of Catholic Theology, he says two verses are key. First is 2 Timothy 3:15 which states that all Scripture is 'divinely inspired'—or, literally 'God-breathed.' On the other hand there is 2 Peter 1:21 where the apostle says that the biblical writers were 'propelled' by the Holy Spirit, a word which, Nichols notes, implies a sailing metaphor: the writers were moved by God as the wind blows a sail. (Nichols' book by the way is a key source for much of what follows, including both structure and content. Any direct quotations will be marked as such.)
We can see an analogy with the Incarnation here: both a human and a divine element are affirmed. Much like our understanding of the Incarnation itself, we don't want to over-emphasize the human aspect such that the divine, sacred character is obscured. Nor do we want to go to the opposite extreme of highlighting the role of the Holy Spirit as author such that any human role is minimized. With that in mind, here are some of the main theories:
1. The hypnosis theory.
An early theory of inspiration held that the biblical authors wrote Scripture while in some trance-like state. This was popularized by the early Church writer Athenagoras who describes it this way:
If we satisfied ourselves with advancing such considerations as these, our doctrines might by some be looked upon as human. But, since the voices of the prophets confirm our arguments—for I think that you also, with your great zeal for knowledge, and your great attainments in learning, cannot be ignorant of the writings either of Moses or of Isaiah and Jeremiah, and the other prophets, who, lifted in ecstasy above the natural operations of their minds by the impulses of the Divine Spirit, uttered the things with which they were inspired, the Spirit making use of them as a flute-player breathes into a flute.
This theory falls into one of the main pitfalls we want to avoid: divine authorship is affirmed, but the human author—his own style, ideas, and other particularities—are far too diminished. The minds of the biblical authors were more than empty vessels into which the Holy Spirit poured Scripture. How else to account for the varieties of style and substance we see, as Nicholas notes. Plus, it starts to become meaningless to attach individual names to books if the author had no 'constructive' role, which Nichols says must be affirmed.
2. The dictation theory.
This theory is what it sounds like: the Holy Spirit dictated to the biblical authors Scripture, word for word. This might sound like a good traditional theory on which to hang our hats, but it still goes too far in undermining human authorship. In fact, individual biblical writers are more stenographers than authors under this theory. In fairness, there are variants of this theory and some do more justice to the concept of authorship than others. But no matter how one cuts it, the dictation theory cannot bring us to fully-fledged human authorship.
3. Subsequent approval.
This theory starts with human authorship, as Nichols notes. The basic idea is that a holy man sets out to write a historical account, a poem, or a prophecy of future things which is then reviewed and 'approved' as part of the canon by the Holy Spirit operating through the Church. In this account, the words start out as human and then are made divine. We can readily see the manifold problems with this theory. Foremost among them—Scripture seems to have its origin not with God but man and only later 'becomes' sacred. That is deeply problematic on so many levels. Not the least of these is the complete conflation of inspiration with canonicity, as Nichols notes.
4. The protection theory.
In this version, the role of the Holy Spirit is again very limited. Essentially it comes down to protecting the human author from making an error of faith and morals. Otherwise, the work of the human author stands on its own. This theory too is rife with issues. Scripture is not really Scripture according to this understanding and biblical inspiration has been confused with what the Church teaches about the Magisterium.
As Nichols notes, the First Vatican Council ruled out the above two options as making Scripture all too human. (See its dogmatic constitution Deus Filius.) So must we revisit the first two? Attentive readers may note that both theories seem to have basis in Scripture, particularly in the excerpts at the beginning of this article. The prophets indeed were caught up in ecstasies and they also write about being told to write. There may be elements of truth in the hypnosis and dictation theories but these are ultimately inadequate. The prophets were not so enraptured by the Spirit that their human faculties were overwhelmed. They retained their powers of observation and recorded what they saw as best they could. We can see this at work especially in Ezekiel as he struggles to describe what he saw.
The same goes for the dictation theory. Sometimes text was dictated, but usually this seems to be in the context of a longer prophetic text in which the voice of the human author is manifest too. We must do a better job of accounting for the human element, otherwise, it really becomes meaningless to speak of 'inspiration' or there being any human 'authors' at all.
One other theory is worth briefly noting because, while also inadequate, it does help bring us closer to the truth.
5. Content inspiration.
This theory, advanced in the nineteenth century, holds that the 'content' or 'ideas' of Scripture came from God, while the words were supplied by human authors, according to Nichols. This has some merits, but there's a huge problem here. The words you use matter a lot. They both express meaning and affect it. To accept this theory would vastly diminish the importance both of biblical exegesis and meditative prayer through Scripture—both of which involve close attention to even individual words. As St. Basil of Caesarea said,
Every deed and every word of our Savior Jesus Christ is a canon of piety and virtue. When thou hearest word or deed of His, do not hear it as by the way, or after a simple and carnal manner, but enter into the depths of His contemplation, become a communicant in truths mystically delivered to thee," (cited by John Henry Newman).
Although Basil is here speaking about the gospels and, more specifically Christ, we can see how this principle extends to all of Scripture. For example, Genesis says man was created in the 'image' and 'likeness' of God. Entire theologies are stand or fall on those two words. If they were mere human words, we'd have to doubt if the author really is communicating what God intended. We'd end in doubting whether we are even created in the image of God in the first place.
6. Plenary verbal inspiration.
So we need a theory that both accounts for human and divine authorship and also explains how not only the content was inspired but also the words. Nichols ultimately does not decide on any one theory in his textbook. Fortunately, the Church has not left us hanging. Here is what the Second Vatican Council said on the matter:
Those divinely revealed realities which are contained and presented in Sacred Scripture have been committed to writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. For holy mother Church, relying on the belief of the Apostles (see John 20:31; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-20, 3:15-16), holds that the books of both the Old and New Testaments in their entirety, with all their parts, are sacred and canonical because written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author and have been handed on as such to the Church herself. In composing the sacred books, God chose men and while employed by Him they made use of their powers and abilities, so that with Him acting in them and through them, they, as true authors, consigned to writing everything and only those things which He wanted (Dei Verbum, 11).
There are a few things to note about this description. First, it states that Scripture in its 'entirety' and 'with all' its 'parts' is inspired. To this writer, that sure sounds like both content and words. Second, the last sentence has a beautifully simple description of the process this entails. The human authors were real authors, imprinting the text with their word choices, ideas, and literary structures and styles but God was acting through them in making all these choices.
There's a certain simplicity to this that makes one think previous theologians over-thought inspiration. Inspiration is exactly what it sounds like: there were human authors who were inspired by God to write. There's a paradoxical element here that must be embraced. This seems to resemble how the Church arrived at the doctrine of the Incarnation, in which it ultimately declared that Christ was fully human and fully divine. I think we must do the same with Scripture: it is fully human in the sense that the authors had their distinctive styles and ideas yet it is fully divine in that these both were 'inspired' by God.
Although neither Nichols nor the Second Vatican Council use the phrase, this theory of inspiration seems to closely resemble the theory of 'plenary verbal inspiration' that conservative evangelicals advocate. 'Plenary' communicates this notion of fullness and 'verbal' confirms that this fullness of inspiration extends to the words used (I'm especially indebted to this site for this explanation.)
This theory has the added advantage of leaving some room for mystery. There is a drama to inspiration. To adopt the words of the famous Irving Stone novel about Michelangelo which stand at top of this article, Scripture seems to be a matter both of human agony and divinely inspired ecstasy that compels our awe and wonder, remaining beyond the grasp of our full comprehension.


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KeratinocytesThe skin of the palms is about 0.8 to 1.4 millimeters thick. That is some ten times the thickness of other skin. Plantar skin (the skin of the soles of the feet) also can be thick and keratinized. In this process ordinary skin changes into keratinocytes—a horny layer that protects underlying layers.
Keratin – Elsewhere in NatureRepeat friction and rubbing stimulate production of tough, fibrous protein called keratin, which toughens skin. Keratin is strengthened by disulfide bonds between molecules to form a kind of network. Think of the toughness of animal beaks and claws or the horn of the rhinoceros. These are all forms of keratin!
Some tell the story that horses hooves and other forms of keratin are used to make the gelatin one finds in human food. The Gelatin Manufacturer's Institute of America informs us that gelatin is not made from keratin.
Treating Callus SkinAs excess calluses develop, unsightly cracks can form. The cracks can run deep and result in bleeding. What can be done to help? Feet can be soaked in water and gently sanded with a pumice stone. There are skin salves that contain salicylic acid. Finally, there is minor surgery. In the case of diabetes, treating of the feet requires expert care. Be sure to consult a podiatrist.
Note: You might also enjoy Warts and Moles, Boils, Corns, Bunions
- WebMD: Skin Problems and Treatments Health Center
- Molecular Expressions: Palmar Skin
- Molecular Expressions: Plantar Skin
- NCBI: Keratinocytes
- Yes Mag: What is a rhinoceros horn made of?


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All the companies in the industrial vehicules' sector are continuously confronted with raw materials issues and new challenges.
Dedicated to bodywork manufacturers, equipment manufacturers and bodybuilders, the Fédération Française de la Carrosserie invites you for a conference focusing on raw materials' future stakes on Wednesday afternoon, November 18th at Solutrans Trade Show.
The following forward-looking topics will be adressed:
- Metals and raw materials: global trends & macro-economic perspectives.
- Amaury CORNILLEAU - Groupement Plasturgie Automobile (GPA)
- Supplying strategies:Prices and sourcing's stakes at an international level.
- Hervé VERICEL - Commercial Director, Saint-Jean Industries
- Aluminum:technologies and costs.
- Bruno MURET - Economy and communications director, Syndicat National du Caoutchouc et des Polymères
- Rubber:new materials, bodywork's sealing profiles, anti-vibration parts, precision sealing… some rules to better buy.
- Mattia PELLEGRINI - Head of "Efficiency of ressources and raw materials", DG GROW, European Union.
- The plastics industry:new «Materials Solutions », transformation processes, innovative products, recycled plastics integration...
- Jean-Paul MERMET - President of metals benchmark group, Compagnie des Dirigeants et Acheteurs de France
The conference, animated by Emmanuel PIEGAY will address topics related to new processes, future material characteristics and performances as well as global supply strategies.
The conference is free and open to all exhibitors and visitors on Wednesday afternoon, November 18th.


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Resources for Parents
Get One-on-One Help to Address Your Child's Substance Use
Counselors at Partnership for Drug-Free Kids will listen to your story - the challenges, setbacks, obstacles and myriad of emotions that often go along with a child's substance use. Given that there is no one-size-fits-all approach and each family is unique, they'll propose a personalized course of action, offering the best tools and resources to help you help your child, yourself and your family. Get help by calling 1-855-378-4373.
Drug Guide - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids
A comprehensive and up-to-date source of misued prescription medications and illicit drugs for parents. Learn the facts and warning signs to help keep your child safe.
Use Your Influence
Parents, you probably think your teen isn't listening to you. This is just not true. You are the primary influence on your child.
- USA Today Weekend Magazine found that 75% of teens identify their parents as the most important influence on their lives.
- In a national survey of 1,129 middle school students 37% identified parents as the greatest influence in their lives.
- Author Steve Wright notes another study. "MTV and the Associated Press released a study on influence of parents that said, 'So you're between the ages of 13-24. What makes you happy? A worried, wearied parent might imagine the answer to sound something like this: Sex, drugs, and a little rock 'n' roll. Maybe some cash, or at least the car keys. Turns out the real answer is quite different. Spending time with family was the top answer to that open ended question. Parents are seen as an overwhelmingly positive influence in the lives of most young people. Remarkably, nearly half of teens mention at least one of their parents as a hero.'"
- A student survey of youth (Grades 6,8,10, and 12) in Coffee County reveals 87% of students think their parents feel it would be wrong or very wrong for the youth to drink beer, wine, or hard liquor regularly.
- 90% of the same youth surveyed think their parents would feel it would be wrong or very wrong for the youth to smoke cigarettes.
Your Kids and Teens Are Listening To You!
Use your influence to help them make the best choices regarding risky behaviors. Here is our Top Ten list (in no particular order) to help parents lead your teens to success.
1) Do your homework
As with most things in life, education is key. Being a teen is quite different now than it used to be. As a parent of a pre-teen or teen is it important to educate yourself on a variety of topics, such as:
- Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD)
- ATOD Slang words
- The effects of ATOD
- The signs of ATOD abuse
- Community Resources (examples: Coffee County Anti-Drug Coalition, School System Family Resource Center, School Counselors, Churches, Civic Groups, Community Organizations, etc)
- Parenting Resources
- Your teen's environment
- Friends
- Friends' Parents
- Teachers
- School Administrators
- Coaches or extracurricular sponsors
- Job Supervisor(s)
- Teen text or social media slang
- Know your teen's strengths. It is also important to know what risky behaviors your teen may be tempted to participate in. (Weaknesses) For example if your child is a people pleaser s/he may not want to say no to drinking alcohol because they feel like their friends would be unhappy.
2) Communicate
Parents. The Anti-Drug suggests "The common thread among teens who do well academically, socially, and stay healthy and drug-free, is that they have close relationships with their parents. These teens report that their parents are interested in them, in what they do and in who they know. They also say their parents are curious about their lives and their ideas. They feel connected, because their parents listen to them and take time to find out what's going on in their world."
It can be hard as a teen starts to assert their independence and becomes resistant to talking to Mom or Dad. Push through it.
- Establish and maintain an open line of communication, be careful to talk with your teen and not always at your teen.
- Really listen to what your teen is saying. Prove it by using active listening statements like "What I hear you saying is…", "I am sorry Johnny you feel hurt by what Sally did to you today…", etc…
- Get in the habit of talking with your child every day. This will make it easier when a serious subject needs to be addressed.
- Talk openly and honestly. If you were an underage drinker and your teen asks, be honest. But also discuss the negative consequences of underage drinking.
- Clearly teach your teen about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use. Research shows that parents who talk to their teens early and often about alcohol, tobacco and other drugs have teens who are less likely to use. When asked "during the past 12 months, have you talked with at least one of your parents about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, or other drug use", 52% of Coffee County youth reported NO! (Coffee County Student Survey 2008, pg. 64)
A tip from Parents. The Anti-Drug: Take advantage of everyday times like driving your teen to school or watching TV together to engage with your teenager or set aside a regular dinner "date" to check in. Ask about interests and activities and find out what's going on in your teen's life.
Having trouble talking to your teen? Click here and here for conversation starters.
3) Have Clear, Consistent Rules
Believe it or not, children and teens thrive on boundaries and rules. Principle #2 in Navigating the Teen Years tells parents quite plainly about setting expectations and rules.
"Teens are inexperienced. Expectations and rules provide support and structure for young people dealing with new situations and challenges. Expectations and rules are different, but both are essential and they work hand-in-hand. Expectations help you define the broad standards of behavior you expect from your teen. For example, you expect your teen to make responsible decisions. Rules bring your expectations to life, such as requiring your teen to be home at a certain hour. Rules and their consequences provide a concrete way to help your kids understand your expectations and learn self-control.
Communicating your expectations is an important first step. Your teen may have a good sense of your attitudes about alcohol and illicit drug use and other risk-taking behaviors, but if you haven't clearly spelled out your expectations, you are missing an opportunity. You may feel like you're stating the obvious, but teens don't deal so well with 'gray' areas."
Steps to setting clear, consistent rules:
1.) Explain your expectations to your teen. This will help you to find out what your teen thinks about risky behaviors. Expectations are great stepping stones for setting rules and consequences.
2.) Set family rules. "But where do I start", you ask. Here are a few rules teens may need clarification on:
a.) Curfew
b.) Unsupervised time
c.) Homework
d.) Chores/Family responsibilities
e.) Driving, if applicable
f.) Cell phones, if applicable
g.) Internet/Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, SnapChat, etc.)
h.) TV/Movies
i.) Alcohol use, tobacco use, prescription drug use, or illicit drug use
j.) Dating/Relationships
3.) Set clear consequences. "Consequences aren't only for punishment. They keep teens alert and mindful about breaking rules, and help slow them down the next time they're faced with a risky choice." Having clear consequences can also benefit your teen when in a risky situation. For example, having a drug testing kit on hand would allow your teen to say "I cannot drink or do drugs because my parents will drug test me. " Here are a few tips about consequences:
a.) Ensure your consequences are logical and not in retaliation.
b.) Consequences need to be practical. You, the parent, need to be able to execute them.
c.) FOLLOW THROUGH! It may be difficult at times to uphold the consequences but your teen will only grow and learn through your consistency.
d.) Make sure to catch your child doing something right. This will help you reinforce their good behavior. Also, set up rewards and/or special privilege system. For example if your rule is for your students to have a 3.25 GPA or higher and s/he achieves that, reward their hard work. This could be as simple as an extra movie on the weekend, taking your child to their favorite restaurant, or even getting to go to a school dance.
It is important to include your teens when making your family rules and consequences. Have some firm "house rules" especially regarding safety. Be flexible on some of the other rules. For instance, you would like your child to come home and immediately start their homework. However, s/he asks for a 30 minute break to relax. As your teen shows maturity, allow your rules and consequences to change to meet his/her maturity level.
Teen contracts can be a useful tool for you. Please click here for examples of teen contracts. The Parent Place describes the benefits of using teen contacts in your home. "The contracts help kids understand obligations, benefits and consequences. They are a communication tool that helps them think and act more maturely." "A contract with a teenager helps them get their head around the idea that the world runs on a balance between rights and responsibilities, give and take and a sense of honoring your word. A formal contract with a teenager can be written together then the deal shaken on along with a promise and a time frame."
4) Eat dinner together!
Everyone needs to eat! Why not use that time to have stay connected to your teen. The website www.casafamilyday.org has great resources to help you. Visit the website to get recipe ideas and meal plans. "Compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (5 to 7 per week), those who have infrequent family dinners (fewer than 3 per week) are:
- Almost 4 times more likely to use tobacco;
- More than twice as likely to use alcohol;
- Two and a half times more likely to use marijuana; and
- Almost four times more likely to say they expect to use drugs in the future." (www.casacolumbia.org)
5) Play together
Families need to have time to relax and enjoy themselves. Explore what your child likes to do to have fun and learn more about them. This can happen on "date" nights where one or both parents take one child to an event or outing.
6) Have a Family night
Involve all family members in a regularly scheduled family night. You could even include Grandma/Grandpa, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, etc. Family nights are a great way for families to stay connected to each other. For families with multiple children allow each family member to rotate and choose an activity.
Examples of Families Nights
- Amazing Family Nights at the Manchester Rec Center
- Free community events like parades, fairs, festivals or religious events
- Movies
- Dinners
- Game Nights
- Cook Outs
- Outing at the Park
- Athletic Events
- Walking/Hiking/Biking
- Shopping
7) Lead by example
Teens watch everything adults do. They want role models. (They want to know what being an adult looks like. It is up to parents to show them how a responsible adult behaves. If you are over 21 and drink alcohol, do so responsibly. Also, take time to show your teen that you do not need alcohol to enjoy yourself or to have fun. If you take prescription drugs, do so in a way that shows your teen that prescription drugs are only meant to be taken by the person prescribed the medication and exactly how the doctor prescribed it.
Be a Parent not a Peer!
Here are the stats (based upon the 2008 Coffee County Student Survey of all 6, 8, 10 and 12th grade students in Coffee County)
- 43% of students report that they have one or more best friends who have smoked cigarettes in the last year.
- 53% of students report that in the past year they have one or more best friends who have tried beer, wine or hard liquor when their parents didn't know about it.
- 34% of students report that they have one or more best friends who have used marijuana in the past year.
- 28% of students report that they have one or more best friends who have been suspended from school in the past year.
8) Know your teen's friends and their parents
Knowing your teen's friends is absolutely important. Ensuring your teen is surrounding themselves with other teens that make great choices will only help your teen to continue to make good choices.
Get to know that parents of your teen's friends. Chances are your teen will spend time with them. Let the parents know what your expectations are for your teen. Also, keep the line of communication open with your teen's friend's parents. This will allow you to create an ally and support system for yourself.
9) Honor your teen when he/she does the right thing
Teens crave attention. Why not give your teen positive attention? When you catch them doing the right thing let them know they are doing good! Give your teen household responsibilities. This not only teaches your child responsibility but also gives you ample opportunity for praise. Praise does not have to be over the top it can be as simple as : "Thank you Suzie for setting the table." or " John, your room looks the best I have ever seen it!" Leave your teen a thank you note when s/he does something they were expected to do. As silly as this may sound, your teen will greatly appreciate them!
10) Relax and enjoy the ride
Parenting is hard work! It's no easy task; it is going to be difficult and frustrating. At times you are going to think that you have no idea what you are doing. There may be times that your beautiful 15 year old turns into a two-headed, green-eyed monster. Push through; the reward will be worth it.
However, do not put unnecessary pressure on yourself. Children do not come with a manual and raising teens is especially difficult! There is no one fool proof method of raising a successful teen. You do not have to do what another parent is doing. You do not have to follow every parenting manual. There will be bumps in the road. Trust your "parenting" gut and know that you are doing just fine!
Enjoy raising your teen(s). It can be highly rewarding. Ask any parent of an adult child and they will tell you how proud they are of that child. Celebrate in the small victories like the week Zac's bed is made every day or when Grace helps make dinner. Enjoy the journey watching your child(ren) grow, training them into the person you hope they become. Lastly, remember it is you who has the most influence on your teens and your teens are listening.
Prom Safety Tips for Parents
1. DO NOT rent hotel rooms for teens.
2. Ask your teen for a detailed itinerary for prom night, including venues, times, and contact numbers.
3. Establish an agreed upon time for him/her to be home.
4. Make sure your teen's cell phone is charged and tell them to keep it on at all times.
5. Set up established check-in times and when your teen will call or text you.
6. Know who is driving and who the passengers will be. If using a limousine service, make sure that no alcohol is allowed inside the vehicle.
7. Discuss the school's rules that are in place for prom.
8. Encourage them to WEAR THEIR SEATBELTS!
9. Know whose house your teen may go to before or after prom. Call those parents to ensure that there will be parental supervision and NO UNDERAGE DRINKING at their home or property.
10. Stay up until your teen gets home and check-in with him/her.


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John 5:16-30
Sermon Response
The Argument
Then read John 5:16-30
The beginning of an argument between Jesus and the religious leaders. The religious leaders are accusing Jesus of healing the lame man on the Sabbath and therefor breaking their laws. Jesus says he did nothing different than God, His Father, is doing. Jesus' statement is blasphemy and is punishable by death. Jesus then goes on the defensive, giving a 3 point argument supporting his claim to be the Son of God.
Argument number 1 - There are many similarities between myself and God.
Argument number 2 - I do things only God can do. Ie. Raise the dead and Judge mankind.
What stands out to you the most about Jesus' argument? Can you fathom how ridiculous he must have sounded to the religious elite of the day?
When Jesus says that soon they will see even greater things than these and they will be amazed. To what do you think he is referring?
3. Why do you think God gives Jesus the authority to judge mankind?
Jesus describes two resurrections. The first a spiritual resurrection from sin to life in Christ. The second from death to eternal life with God. Have you experienced this first resurrection? Explain?
Vs. 29 seems to say that a person is judged by the good or the evil things that they do. How can Jesus make this statement and not contradict Ephesians 2:8-9?? For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
What do you think "living faith" or "transforming faith" looks like? Is it present in your life?
Ask to hear God's voice daily. Ask for the grace to respond to His call in faith and walk in a new life, full of the Holy Spirit. Ask God to daily help you live out your faith in such a way that on your judgment day He will look at you and say, "Well done good and faithful servant come and share in your Masters goodness!!"


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28 Jul 2016
9 Square Gallery WallLOCATION: West Hollywood
Happy Thursday YouTube World! In today's first ever IN HOME segment, I'll be sharing one of my favorite ways to take your home and interior design to the next level: the nine square gallery wall! Why do I love it? It's chic, elegant, and takes any wall in your home to the next level – and the very best part?
Read More


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Hello everyone! I hope you guys had a wonderful week because last week was a four day work week. A quick happy Good Friday to those celebrating it! A little belated I know, but I can't really talk with stitches in my mouth.
So how was my oral surgery? Honestly it was nerve wrecking for me because when I was nine, I don't know why, I was just afraid to have needles in my mouth to the extent I would cry, and then the doctor just gave up (not really, I cancelled it) and after that I never came back unless for teeth cleaning. So having needles in my gum is a first time for me which explains why I was so nervous before going. I had to get assurance from all my friends that it will be okay to make myself feel better. Which is why I call it a life changing surgery. But you know, after going through any kind of surgery, any attention would do to make you forget about the pain and worse, the sound of the dental burr. I am so grateful it went well. Thank God I was blindfolded. People call it dramatic but what's life without some drama? Than what the hell do you watch on television!
If I am going to recover fast, I'd better follow the medication prescription. Four tablets every eight hours.
The surgery allows me to recuperate for a few days and now I'm back alive and kicking and able to chew, so I wouldn't reject any invitation for a meal.
Throughout, I spent a lot of time at home. It better be. I can't imagine going out to a mall and suddenly something went wrong with the stitch and there's blood all over my mouth and it will create a mess. Staying at home is more ideal, just in case. Besides, as the big day is about to get closer, it is only right to prepare by reading up and doing some research and preparation work for my future. Being the perfectionist I am, I can't afford to lose any opportunity should there be any. As far as I can plan, I really could use your well wishes and good prayers. Nothing beats that.
For the past few days I have been catching up with my favorite series - because there's no cable back in my second home. The most annoying part was that I can't eat chips while watching the shows.
I also spent hours on my bed reading some magazines I purchased on iPad because I've never bought one and I wonder what's so interactive about all these stuff? After buying one, I spent the entire day not reading, but figuring out the different functions they have. Is this a sign of aging where you feel a little bit more outdated each day? They have videos, animated images and gives you the option to scroll here and there in a hundred page magazine. I manage to figure it out though. So tonight I will spend time reading. I must say, up till today, iPad is one of the best buys I've ever made. Bloody convenient and definitely value for money. I am still trying to find out the downside of e-magazines though. If it's so good why do people still buy the hard copy?
Apart from that I manage to update my music playlist, which I've been quite lazy to do because of the different devices I use. I just don't want to lock myself into one company's ecosystem. I like to diversify the brands that I own - doesn't apply for facial though. The drawback is obvious, I had to transfer my files differently. Thank God for software like Evernote and DropBox. Better yet, e-mails.
Let's wrap that up. Whatever happen to work?
I am proud to say that my office is now looking new. Although no money was spent (yet) to beautify our work space, I am so happy that we managed to make more space in the office. We did not really throw a lot of things away but we shifted the furniture to make it more functional. Now that I am back in my office, and I am just about eight weeks to finishing my job here, I spend more time doing things that can last till I am gone. Of course this includes giving a helping hand to my new colleagues. This though, would not have been possible with the help of my friends. No way am I going to carry the cupboard and tables on my own!
I will be back to work next week. Late April we will be having a reunion dinner with all the colleagues, in hoping we can catch up and get to know our new friends. Hopefully everything goes smoothly!
I was getting ready to go out for dinner last night. My friends and I were chatting about my university application and future career and what not. And one of them really got annoyed because he said I did not tell him and as friends, one should share about all these. It made me feel so bad. He even cancelled his plan to visit me. So imagine that heartache! But it was all pun intended.
We were about to go out when my dad heard the doorbell ring. He looked through the door hole and there was no one. It happened for quite some time until my phone rang. Turns out, the three of them were outside of my house with a birthday cake, and candles that are burnt half stick (only shows how long they waited outside!). With the intent to surprise me! You have no idea how amused I was. Really, really amused!
No matter how belated it was, I really appreciate it. This is what friends are for really. While family is as important, you need friends to laugh with, to talk nonsense to and of course be as brutally honest and not embarrassed of each others presence. We like to have fun, but we don't play games.
At least with them, I have the ticket to say this for fun when I got a beautiful gift from them.
"What? It's not Prada?"
They know that I appreciate all gift no matter what it is or who is it from as long as it's a sincere one. There's no double standard but I wouldn't reject a Cartier. Hah!
For more photos, log on to http://instagram.com/muhdzulfadli. Follow me!
Happy weekend!


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FAQ's on Back Pain
What is back pain?
When a patient is having symptoms of pain in their back, it can be from either an acute or a chronic condition. It is important for a patient to understand the difference between the two and how each is treated. Acute pain is the result of a single, new incident developing. The most common method of providing relief for acute back pain is to treat the root cause.
Contrary to this, chronic back pain is the result of pain persisting when the cause has already had attempts at treatment made. Only recently has chronic pain begun to be treated as a stand-alone condition instead of being thought of as symptoms that lingered beyond treatment. Since chronic pain has begun to be diagnosed as a condition rather than a symptom, new developments in the options available to patients for treatment have been made.
What are the causes of back pain?
The root cause of back pain for a patient will vary based on what has occurred to the patient. Acute back pain is the result of numerous conditions that can occur suddenly and unexpectedly. Common acute conditions include spinal injury, a sudden pain related to arthritic damage, compression of a nerve, herniation or rupturing of a disc, or a tearing of ligament or muscle in a joint.
Chronic pain is the result of one or more of the aforementioned conditions continuing to be a source of symptomatic pain for a patient even after attempts at treatment have been made. In many cases, chronic symptoms of pain no longer have a root cause and are the cumulative result of multiple conditions in the body.
The symptoms of back pain
The symptoms seen in both acute and chronic back pain will vary based on what has happened. Acute pain from an injury may manifest due to tissue damage, or damage to the structure of bones. Acute spinal back pain may produce a loss of function in the damaged area, or pain that occurs only during specific movements of the spine, as symptoms. Acute pain resulting from a damaged or compressed nerve may also have muscle weakness or numbness present as symptoms.
While chronic pain will have symptoms similar to the acute pain felt for a given condition, there can be a large degree of variability from patient to patient. There may also be unforeseen symptoms of pain that cannot be traced back to the root cause, but that are still present for the patient. These are called associated pains.
Red flag Indicators with back pain
- Stress, or encroachment of spinal nerves, could cause a weakness in one leg or foot.
- A lumbar disc protrusion affecting the spinal cord may cause a decrease in urinary detention or the loss of bladder control.
- If rest is affected, combined with pain, the cause could be Kidney stones or a kidney infection.
- A herniated disc or pathological process could cause radiation of numbness and pain down one, or both, legs.
What treatment options are available?
There is now a strong degree of separation between treatments for acute and chronic back pain. Acute back pain is typically treated by identifying, diagnosing, and providing treatment for the root cause of pain. For many patients, this is enough to provide symptomatic relief and to return them back to their normal daily routine.
Chronic back pain however is the result of an acute treatment that was not able to account for every symptomatic cause. A multidisciplinary approach is the normal treatment for chronic pain, with patients experiencing a combination of medication, therapy, nerve block injections if applicable, and ultimately surgical correction as required as the last step in the treatment process.


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Nuclear abolition campaigners undertook a number of actions at nuclear weapons bases and facilities in the United States and other countries on April 26/27 as part of Global Wave 2015 – a world-wide action to 'wave goodbye to nuclear weapons.'
The Global Wave action swept around the world as world leaders gathered in New York for the 2015 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference. The Global Wave sent a message to the governments – it's time to agree to a plan to prohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons. It's time to wave goodbye to nuclear weapons.
The wave was launched at the Peace and Planet rally in New York at approximately 1:30pm on Sunday April 26 with over 4000 people waving goodbye to nuclear weapons. It then swept around the world in 24 hours with over 100 exciting Global Wave actions in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, North America and South America.
There were waves at schools & universities, homes & workplaces, city halls & parliaments, places of worship & interfaith gatherings, peace monuments & museums, at music festivals & sports events, at conferences and special anniversary events.
There were also waves at nuclear weapons deployment sites, production facilities and command and control centres, including:
- Buchel Airforce base and nuclear weapons base, Cochem, Germany. US nuclear weapons are stored here under a nuclear sharing arrangements between US and Germany. In times of war, the nuclear weapons can be released to the Luftwaffe (German air-force) for use.
- Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory designs nuclear weapons for the United States nuclear stockpile. Tri-Valley Cares calls on the Lab to 'wave goodbye to nuclear weapons' and focus instead on research and development for peaceful purposes http://www.trivalleycares.org/new/events.html#gwave
- Lockheed Martin Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA. Lockheed Martin is the world's biggest weapons manufacture and the biggest corporate producer of nuclear weapons components and delivery systems.
- Nevada nuclear test site, Nye county, USA. Over 800 nuclear weapons were detonated here from the 1950s-1990s. Over 15,000 people have been arrested at the test site for protesting against nuclear tests, with the largest ever mass arrest in US history occurring there in 1988.
- NORAD nuclear command and control centre, Colorado Springs, USA
- Pantex nuclear weapons plant, Amarillo Texas,
- Rocky Flats, Idaho, USA. Rocky Flats is a former nuclear weapons production plant. Rocky Flats specialized in producing the plutonium triggers ('pits') for nuclear weapons. The plant has contaminated the rea with plutonium and other radioactive and toxic waste.
- Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge TN, USA. The Y-12 complex produces a range of components for nuclear weapons. See www.y12.doe.gov/nuclear-deterrence
In addition there was Global Wave action on Earth Day at the Henry Jackson Federal Building in Seattle USA by Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, the network of activists that organises blockades of the US nuclear Trident submarine base in Bangor, Seattle. (See Global Wave Seattle photo).
And there were numerous Global Wave actions in most of the nuclear armed States (China, France, India, Pakistan, Russia, UK and the USA), in most of the nuclear sharing States (Belgium, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands) and many of the allied States under extended nuclear deterrence relationships (Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Japan, Norway and Romania).
Global Wave 2015 tweeted photos and videos of many of these waves as government representatives gave their opening statements at the 2015 NPT Review Conference. The Global Wave message was clear – it's time to wave goodbye to nuclear weapons.


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What started as a simple mirror selfie became a symbol of LGBTQ inclusion when college student Julissa Emile tweeted photos of herself posing with queer-identifying peers. She'd found herself in a gender-neutral bathroom at a poetry slam and decided to take advantage of the facility's inclusiveness. More and more people huddled in for the camera so that each photo included an additional person.
"Personally, I think gender-neutral bathrooms are a necessity," Emile told Buzzfeed. "Everyone deserves the right to exist in a public space."
The Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's guidelines for workplace bathrooms are in agreement with her. They state that people should at minimum be allowed to use the bathroom designated for the gender they identify with, and ideally, workplaces should also offer gender-neutral bathrooms for privacy's sake.
A gender neutral bathroom but every time I take a picture more queer people get in the photo pic.twitter.com/H3z9hi5ZGN— ♡ ?JUJU? ♡ (@QueenIdle) April 13, 2017
These photos are a breath of fresh air compared to the exclusion and bullying that far too many individuals face in bathrooms. The 2016 National Center for Transgender Equality survey found that 12% of trans and non-binary Americans have been verbally harassed in bathrooms over the past year, Reuters reports. In addition, 1% have faced sexual assault in a bathroom, and another 1% have been physically attacked.
Many people feel pressure to avoid bathrooms due to these experiences — and sometimes, they're not even given the choice. One trans student even recently recounted being forbidden from using the women's room by a teaching assistant on a field trip. And because of proposed legislation like Texas's SB6 and Alabama's SB1, such prohibitions could soon be codified in law in some parts of the country.
To those who believe bathrooms should be confined to a single gender, Emile says: "Why? People literally have gender-neutral bathrooms in their own homes. What's the big deal?"
The great thing about photos like this is that they shatter the vastly unfounded myth of the "trans bathroom predator" and instead show a positive — and much more accurate — portrayal of LGBTQ people. Emile told Buzzfeed that her photos should serve as a reminder that peaceful coexistence in restrooms — and everywhere else — is "absolutely possible."


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Creative Aging in Baton Rouge
Research in how the arts affect the aging process continues to expand, and the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge is committed to offering resources for the aging community throughout our 11-parish region. Partnering with local organizations and artists, the Arts Council provides an annual day-long event including workshops, interactive presentations, and art demonstrations specifically focused on enriching the lives of the elderly and those who care for them. These events are always free and open to the public, but registration is required.
Our 2018 Creative Aging Symposium took place on November 28th at the Pennington Biomedical Research Complex. Check back for updates on our next event, or sign up for our weekly newsletter here.
For more information about this program, please contact
Rhaea D'Aliesio at email@example.com or (225) 344-8558 ext. 222.
Learn More
If you haven't yet seen it, you must watch this beautiful, inspiring short film entitled My Grandfather's Memory Book. The subject of the film, Byron Levy, and his son Ron Levy both presented at our 2017 Creative Aging Symposium.
Find extensive research on creativity and aging completed by the National Endowment for the Arts on their website here.
This informative article on how the arts can help us live longer, healthier lives was co-written by one of our 2018 presenters, Dr. Beth Bienvenu, Director of Accessibility for the National Endowment for the Arts.
The National Center for Creative Aging has an incredible list of research compiled on the benefits of the arts in the aging process. You can also sign up for their newsletter to be informed of ongoing national and global creative aging initiatives.
Find your local agency on aging from this directory of Louisiana area agencies published by the Governor's Office of Elderly Affairs.
If you feel up to a little light reading, look at the exhaustive research publications of neuro-biologist Dr. Madeleine Hackney, all devoted to understanding the effects of dance (often Argentine tango) in improving motor and cognitive abilities of patients with Parkinson's disease. We were honored to have Dr. Hackney present at our 2018 Symposium.
This interesting article establishes that doctors in Canada may prescribe visits to an art museum for various health issues, including Alzheimer's disease.
Listen to this episode of the Arts Council's weekly radio show, when Danny Belanger, Director of Arts Education and Accessibility for the Louisiana Division of the Arts, discussed the 2018 Creative Aging Symposium and other issues of accessibility of the arts in Louisiana. Mr. Belanger presented at our 2017 symposium.
Internationally-acclaimed music therapist Christine Stevens has a number of videos and resources available on her website. We particularly love this one, created by the Advocate from Ms. Stevens's presentation at our 2018 Symposium.
2018 Symposium Speakers
Christine Stevens, MSW, MA, MT-BC
Christine Stevens is an internationally acclaimed speaker, author, and music therapist. Holding masters degrees in both social work and music therapy, Christine inspires people all over the world with her message of music for holistic health, spirituality, and wellness.
Dr. Madeleine E. Hackney
Dr. Madeleine E. Hackney is a Research Scientist with the Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation at the Atlanta VA. She is also an Assistant Professor in the Emory School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of General Medicine and Geriatrics.
Dr. Beth Bienvenu, phd
Beth Bienvenu is the director of the Office of Accessibility at the National Endowment for the Arts, where she manages the NEA's technical assistance and advocacy work devoted to making the arts accessible for people with disabilities, older adults, veterans, and people in institutional settings.
George Bell
George Bell is the current President & CEO of Capital Area United Way. He has worked for Baton Rouge General from 1999 until December 2015, where he served in a number of executive level positions, most recently as Administrator, Baton Rouge General – Mid City. Prior to that, he served as Sr. Vice-President, Physician and Community Relations, including BRG's Arts in Medicine Program; Vice-President of Physician Relations; and President of Baton Rouge General Physicians, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of General Health System which he grew from 14 physicians to 85+ physicians over 12 years. Mr. Bell is a 1981 Hall of Fame graduate of Nicholls State University with a B.A. degree in Political Science. He also attended The Ohio State University, where he studied graduate level courses in Public Policy and Management, and Wharton School of Business, Health Care CEO Talent Development Course.
Robin Palmer Blanche
Through her experience facilitating classes at both Charlie's Place and St. James, Robin Palmer Blanche will discuss various writing exercises she has found are most successful in helping participants develop and express their personal narrative before leading conference attendees in a group exercise.
Leather Apron Theatre Company
LATCo. is a non-profit comedy theatre collective, striving to bring the funny to Louisiana. Founded by Baton Rouge native, T.C. Matherne, LATCo. specializes in long form improv performance and education through classes and workshops. LATCo. prides itself on constantly pushing the envelope and experimenting with forms, promising for a unique and personal experience everytime.


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USDA Expands E.Coli Testing of Ground Beef
(WASHINGTON) -- Food inspectors from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will start testing ground beef for six additional strains of the dangerous bacteria E. coli beginning on Monday. The new, quicker testing is designed to detect contaminated meat faster -- before it enters the food supply.
"These strains of E. coli are an emerging threat to human health and the steps we are taking today are entirely focused on preventing Americans from suffering foodborne illnesses," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. "We cannot ignore the evidence that these pathogens are a threat in our nation's food supply."
Samples testing positive for a dangerous strain of E. coli will be taken out of stores and could be subject to a recall.
There are currently more than 700 different strains of the bacteria. Food scientists say most types are harmless, but some can attack your intestines and cause serious problems.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio


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Some of my drawings will be in an upcoming collaborative group show called, "It's All in the Details". The Jewelry Artists Collaboration have used their inspiration from the work of artists in other media, to create a show of one of a kind rings. The ring above was inspired by one of my drawings (shown below the ring). Work from both the inspired and the inspiration will be on display. Hope to see you there.
Visual Space Gallery
3352 Dunbar St. Vancouver
June 5th - 14th, 2015
Opening reception: June 6th, 1-6pm


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