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By The Associated Press
OXFORD — In response to the results of a survey of University of Mississippi students, the Oxford-University Transit Commission is considering extending bus service until 9 p.m. on all routes.
The Oxford Eagle reports the possible schedule change is in response to the results of a survey of University of Mississippi students.
Transit commissioners earlier this week considered budget scenarios for 2013-14 budget, which must be approved in January so it can be submitted to the Mississippi Department of Transportation by February to be eligible to apply for transportation grants. The grants pay 80 percent of capital costs and 50 percent of the operational costs of the public bus system.
To extend all bus routes to 9 p.m., the budget would rise to $1.85 million.
Oxford city officials would have to agree to financial support.
Mayor Pat Patterson said he wasn't sure most of the routes would be used after 7 p.m., but would support as try-out.
"If this is what you all want to do, let's do it," he said.
However, the Board of Aldermen would still have to approve.
Transit Commissioner Isaac Astill, who is the university's transit director, said the school is considering how much it is willing to increase its contribution to provide the later service.
"We're getting hammered pretty hard by students who are saying 6:30 p.m. just isn't late enough," Astill said.
Transit Manager Ron Briggs reported 68,310 people rode the buses in November.
With the extended service, the 22 buses now in service would experience more wear and tear, said Tim Lett with McDonald Transit, the company that manages the bus service.
New buses cost about $350,000, but state grants would pay for 80 percent of the costs.
Information from: Oxford Eagle, http://www.oxfordeagle.com


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Gayle Lynn Barnard
Gayle Lynn (Grenier) Barnard, age 65, of Madison, Wisconsin passed away peacefully at Agrace Hospice on Thursday, September 27, 2012. She was born on January 16, 1947, in Toledo, Ohio to Dorothy M. (Etue) Toy and the late Joseph W. Grenier. Gayle was a 1965 graduate of Notre Dame Academy. She had a long and distinguished career in the jewelry industry, beginning at Max Davis Jewelers in Toledo, Ohio, where she became a certified gemologist, from which she gradually developed an international reputation for product design in the industry. In 1968, Gayle married her first husband, Dennis L. Bagrowski, who preceded her in death in 1981. In 1987, Gayle married Robert T. Barnard, with whom she celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Gayle was a devoted wife, a loving mother, and adoring grandmother. Family gatherings included wonderful meals, game time and laughter; she especially enjoyed cooking, golfing, knitting and solving the daily newspaper puzzles with Bob.
She is survived by her cherished husband, Bob; children Bobby, Chris (Jerry) Linares, Rachael (Dan) Kessler, Sarah, and Jeff (Lauri); mother, Dorothy Toy; sister, Karon Kujawa; and ten granddaughters.
She was preceded in death by her father, Joseph and brother, Gary Grenier.
She will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved her, especially all of her Earth Angels.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 13, 2012 at ST. PETER CATHOLIC CHURCH, 5001 N. Sherman Avenue. Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, October 12, 2012 at the RYAN FUNERAL HOME, 2418 N. Sherman Ave., and from 10:00 a.m. until the time of Mass on Saturday at the church.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Agrace HospiceCare Inc., 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway Madison, WI 53711 or Catholic Charities, 426 South Yellowstone Drive Madison, WI 53719.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Regional Networks for a Healthy California Guidelines Manual is designed to help contractors successfully complete all requirements as outlined within each contract. Questions regarding the fiscal content of the manual should be sent to the assigned Contract Manager (CM) and programmatic questions should be directed to the assigned Program Manager (PM).
The Regional Networks are funded in 11 regions that together provide services to all California counties and are working to create environments to help low-income Californians eat healthy and get regular physical activity.
Designed to cross over traditional political, geographic and organizational boundaries, the Regional Networks conduct activities in three major areas:
For information about your local Regional Network, please contact the lead agency directly. Map for counties (PDF)involved in each region.
Bay Area Region Counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa ClaraSanta Clara County Public Health Department- Nutrition and Wellness 1400 Parkmoor Ste 120B San Jose, CA 95126 -2737(408) 793-2710Contact: Joe Prickitt, Bay Area Nutrition and Physical Activity Collaborative: www.banpac.org
Central Coast Region Counties: Monterey, San Benito, and Santa CruzMonterey County Dept. of Health, Community Health Division 632 E. Alisal Street Salinas, CA 93906 (831) 796-2872Contact: Niaomi HrepichNutrition and Fitness Collaborative of the Central Coast: http://www.mtyhd.org/index.php
Central Valley Region Counties: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, and TulareCalifornia Health Collaborative1987 N. Gateway, Suite 101Fresno, CA 93727(559) 255-4300Contact: Rene HixCentral Valley Health and Nutrition Collaborative: http://cvhnc.org
Desert Sierra Region Counties: Inyo, Riverside, and San Bernardino San Bernardino County Department of Public Health 1505 South D StreetSan Bernardino, CA 92415-0058 (909) 388-5650 Contact: Jeanne Silberstein Desert Sierra Collaborative: http://www.dshn.us/
Gold Coast Region Counties: San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Ventura County Public Health Department 2323 Knoll Drive, Suite 322 Ventura, CA 93003 (805) 677-5267Contact: Alicia Villicana Gold Coast Collaborative: www.goldcoastnetwork.org
Gold Country Region Counties: Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mono, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba Health Education Council 3950 Industrial Blvd., Ste. 600 West Sacramento, CA 95691 (916) 556-3344Contact: Dana Fields Johnson (Interim)Healthy Eating Active Living Collaborative: www.healthedcouncil.org
Los Angeles Region Counties: Los AngelesLos Angeles County Department of Health Services -Nutrition Program3530 Wilshire Blvd, Ste. 800 Los Angeles, CA 90010 (213) 351-7875Contact: Dipa Shah-PatelLos Angeles Collaborative for Healthy, Active Children: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/nut/network/index.htm
North Coast Region Counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and SonomaCalifornia Health Collaborative2230 Professional Drive, Suite ASanta Rosa, CA 95404(707) 543-5810 ext. 203Contact: Jennifer McClendonNorthcoast Nutrition and Fitness Collaborative: http://www.northcoastnutrition.org
Orange County Region Counties: OrangeOrange County Health Care Agency 1725 W. 17th Street Santa Ana, CA 92706 (714) 834-8673Contact: Anna Luciano-AcenasOrange County Nutrition, Physical Activity Collaborative (NuPAC): http://www.ochealthinfo.com/nupac
San Diego & Imperial Region Counties: Imperial and San DiegoUCSD, Community Pediatrics 4305 University Ave., Suite 590 San Diego, CA 92105 (619) 955-1041Contact: Blanca MelendrezSan Diego & Imperial Nutrition Network: www.sdnnonline.org
Sierra Cascade Region Counties: Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama, TrinityCalifornia Health Collaborative 25 Jan Court, Suite 130 Chico, CA 95928 (530) 345-2483 X215 Contact: Patricia MannelSierra Cascade Collaborative for Health and Movement Promotion (SC-CHAMP): www.scnutrition.org
Network for a Healthy CaliforniaRegional Networks Jackie Richardson (916) 449-5398Monet Parham-Lee (916) 552-9906Monica Perez (916) 449-5488
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American Aldes 6" Roof Cap For Flat Roof. Aluminum construction.
American ALDES Model RCR round spun aluminum roof caps are ideal vent duct terminations for sloped or flat roof penetrations. The seamless integral roof flashing and weather cap are impervious to water intrusion, and eliminate the need for curbs on most flat roof applications (Optional unit with twelve-inch (12") extension availlable for applications in high snow-load areas). The "0" temper allaluminum type "1100" construction is highly durable and corrosion resistant. An integral 3-1/2" collar allows for simple duct attachment. The cap also includes an integral bird screen and is removable for duct inspection and cleaning.
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By NEMS Daily Journal
Mississippi rock band 3 Doors Down is bringing Daughtry out on the road, and the pair are coming to the BancorpSouth Arena on Jan. 29.
Tickets are $47, $37 and $27, plus fees, and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday.
An opening act will be named later.
For more, visit bcsarena.com or call (662) 841-6528.


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| As more and more consumers become fed up with insurance companies' co-pays, deductibles and having to choose 'in-network' providers, 2013 will see big growth in the field of concierge medicine. Boutique, or concierge, medicine (also known as retainer based or direct care) offers patients the opportunity to pay an annual fee or retainer directly to their doctor, instead of relying only insurance for coverage.
"The new affordability of concierge medicine is driving the middle class to it in droves," says Matt Jacobson, CEO of SignatureMD, a concierge medicine provider. "Over the last five years, it's increased 500 percent and the trend promises to accelerate because of a looming doctor shortage, a graying population that will need more health care, and the advent of Obamacare, in which 30 million previously uninsured Americans will enter the health care system," Jacobson explains. Some of the advantages of concierge medicine include lower overall health care costs and more personalized and preventative care. The downside is these services are not typically covered by insurance and retainer fees may not cover the costs of testing, medications or other services provided by your doctor. You may not want to get rid of your policy entirely in the event of emergency care and hospital visits. Even so, Jacobson notes that a typical family of four can actually save money using a concierge physician by opting for a higher deductible with their existing insurance plan and using the savings to pay the retainer.
(CREDIT: PhotoAlto/Ale Ventura/PhotoAlto Agency RF Collections/Getty Images)
The Full Story from iVillage.com
| Earthing is the theory that the surface of the earth contains a subtle, natural electrical energy that provide us numerous health benefits by walking barefoot, sitting or sleeping on the ground. The concept is creating a buzz as emerging research indicates this planetary energy does boost the body's self-healing mechanisms by reducing inflammation and pain, improving sleep, and helping to defuse stress, explains Stephen Sinatra, M.D., a cardiologist and co-author of "Earthing." "I believe that earthing is the most important health breakthrough that I have witnessed in my 35 years of practicing medicine," says Dr. Sinatra.
(CREDIT: Stanislav Solntsev/Digital Vision/Getty Images)
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| More than one third of the American population is considered obese and a growing number of people are turning to weight-loss surgery, like gastric bypass and gastric banding (Lap-Band) to improve their health and keep the weight off for good, says Angela Jack Glasnapp, M.D., a bariatric surgeon at Somerset Medical Center.
Now there are a some new weight-loss surgeries gaining in popularity. One relatively new procedure is the sleeve gastrectomy, where a surgeon removes approximately 85 percent of the patient's stomach, converting it into a banana-shaped organ from its original football size. Another operation called gastric plication involves strategically placing stitches in the stomach to convert it into a smaller tube without actually cutting the stomach, Glasnapp explains. Both procedures help greatly restrict the volume of food patients can consume to spur weight loss.
To qualify for weight-loss surgery patients need to be 100 pounds (or more) overweight, or have a BMI of 35 or greater with obesity-related conditions, like diabetes. Talk with your doctor and insurance provider to find out which surgeries are covered, though many insurance companies don't yet cover the newer procedures, such as gastric placation, according to Glasnapp.
(CREDIT: David Sacks/The Image Bank/Getty Images)
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| Silicone is so last year! The latest trend in breast augmentation is to go au natural by using your own fat to enhance your cup size instead of silicone or saline implants. Approximately 4 million women in the Unites States have breast implants and many of those implants will need to be replaced after 10 years, says Peter Fodor, M.D., a cosmetic surgeon in Beverly Hills, Calif. About 15 to 20 percent of women with silicone implants will experience a hardening of the implant, says Dr. Fodor, and many are at risk for leakage or even rupturing, making this new trend a safer long-term alternative.
(CREDIT: Ben Welsh/age footstock/Getty Images)
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| Expect to see a noticeable shift from the 'no pain, no gain' fitness mentality -- thinks CrossFit, P90X and Insanity -- as the fitness industry begins to embrace a milder approach to exercise using movements similar to the way the body moves in everyday life, and keeping the body mobile and injury-free for the long haul.
We're going to see a more personalized, thoughtful approach to activity, says Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D. and Chief Science Officer for the American Council on Exercise. As the needs of exercisers continue to diversify, more fitness professionals will move into specialized areas of training, like orthopedic and therapeutic exercise, in order to better address aging issues, metabolic diseases and orthopedic conditions. Look for more fitness options that also focus on joint-friendly approaches to exercise and expansions in mind/body workouts such as yoga, Bryant explains.
(CREDIT: John Howard/Photodisc/Getty Images)
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| If one of your reasons for not exercising regularly has been a lack of funds, get ready to cross that off your excuse list this year! Getting fit has never been more affordable. Personal training in small groups is one of the top 10 fitness trends for 2013, according to both the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise. "Small-group personal training is growing quite rapidly," Bryant says, and it's no surprise – it's a more affordable way to get personal attention without the higher price tag. Plus, it can be less intimidating to train in a small group since the spotlight isn't just on you, Bryant explains.
And forget forking over big bucks to join a gym filled with fancy equipment or buying home exercise gadgets. Bodyweight training, or using your own body as resistance (cost: $0!), is also a hot fitness trend. According to Bryant, there's going to be a return to tried-and-true calisthenics, like pushups, squats and lunges.
(CREDIT: Michael Deleon/E+/Getty Images)
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| We saw gluten-free diets explode this past year, and the trend will continue as new programs pop up aimed at avoiding food sensitivities. In addition to gluten, look for soy, dairy and healthy sugars to be on the food sensitivity list, says J.J. Virgin, a certified nutrition specialist and author of "The Virgin Diet."
Why scratch these from your diet? Soy is a ubiquitous food that's been incorrectly labeled as healthy, though it made into everything from soy dogs to soy ice cream. In reality, soy is a highly reactive food (meaning it can cause sensitive or allergic reactions) that's been linked to several cancers, thyroid issues and is a high-pesticide, genetically modified organism (GMO) food, says Virgin. "Asian cultures typically use fermented soy like miso or tempeh, which can be healthy in small amounts if you don't react to soy, but the processed soy stuff is just junk food in disguise." And Virgin isn't crazy about dairy, either. "Dairy is another highly reactive food that could create inflammation and may trigger several skin problems like acne and rosacea, and I am happily seeing more dairy alternatives in the supermarket these days, such as coconut milk and almond milk," she says.
It's also time to get rid of the trend of using so-called healthy alternative sweeteners, says Virgin. "People are using a lot of honey, agave and that sort of thing, not aware that these things still break down to sugar in your body. Agave is the worst. It is up to 97 percent fructose, which can create liver problems and inflammation. Excess sugar becomes triglycerides in the liver, which stores as fat," explains Virgin. She recommends using monk fruit, a new kind of no-calorie sweetener made from actual monk fruit, xylitol, erythritol or stevia as sweeteners instead.
(CREDIT: John Carey/Photolibrary/Getty Images)
The Full Story from iVillage.com
| As health care costs continue to rise for both individuals and corporations, more and more employers are beginning to penalize unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking, and reward healthy behavior, like regular exercise. "Many companies have been offering incentives for participating in health improvement activities for several years, and we are seeing more companies turning to offers of discounted costs on health benefit plans, instead of prizes," explains Tom Fogarty, M.D., Chief Medical Officer for Concentra, the nation's largest provider of employer health care services. "Wellness and prevention are taking a larger role in the new health care landscape, and there will continue to be more emphasis on utilization of these benefits in the coming year," he says.
Companies will be spending more on wellness programs designed to improve employee health and reduce long-term costs, Dr. Fogarty says, and encourage employees to get health screenings and assessments. And don't be surprised if your company decides to turn one of its conference rooms into a fitness facility -- more and more companies are utilizing some of their own square footage for regular spaces where employees can come to sweat with their colleagues for free. Others offer full-scale gyms for free or at a low cost as a way to incentivize disease-preventing exercise.
(CREDIT: Jeanene Scott/The Image Bank/Getty Images)
The Full Story from iVillage.com
| It's estimated that 31 million people in the United States are currently experiencing back pain, costing about $91 million dollars a year in lost wages, as well as steroid injections, expensive and often unnecessary MRI scans and surgeries. And those numbers are projected to grow tremendously in the next 10 to 20 years, putting more strain on the medical system.
Expect to see a rise in the number of back pain specialists and treatment choices available this year as more chiropractors, osteopaths and occupational therapists offer alternative options for managing and preventing back pain beyond prescription drugs and injections.
With more being diagnosed with conditions such as degenerative disc disease, arthritis, herniated discs, bone spurs and spinal stenosis, the need for new and improved treatment options for back pain will grow in 2013, says Yoav Suprun, DPT, a McKenzie physical therapist specializing in back pain treatment and prevention at Sobe Spine in Miami Beach. The old recommendations of passive treatments such as bed rest, hot or cold packs, electrical stimulation or ultrasound for back pain have been proven to be mostly ineffective. Steroid injections may offer temporary relief, but the pain often returns within weeks. Active care such as therapeutic exercises, stabilization exercises, mobilization and manipulation has been proven to be superior treatments and are now part of back-care guidelines worldwide, says Suprun. Two suggestions you're likely to hear to help prevent, reduce or even eliminate back pain: Maintain proper posture while seated at the computer and lift objects properly (feet wide apart, bend at the knees not the waist, and lift the object close to your body).
(CREDIT: Peter Dazeley/Photographer's Choice/Getty Images)
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| Thanks in large part to Michele Obama's 'Let's Move!' campaign, school-aged children are being exposed to programs and services focused on nutrition and exercise. But that may not be enough. "The best window of opportunity to beat obesity may be before children ever even enter school. It's a conclusion that's gaining acceptance among health experts, including the Institute of Medicine and the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity," says Julie Boman, M.D., a pediatrician at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. Obesity may be the greatest public health threat of our time, and early intervention in a child's first few years should complement the programs aimed at older kids (ages 5 and up) currently in place.
"Our best chance of defeating obesity is by preventing it in the first place and I expect we will continue to see more obesity prevention and wellness campaigns planned and implemented through a multi-tiered approach that starts with pregnancy," says Dr. Boman, who expects we'll see messaging focused on helping entire families develop healthy eating and lifestyle habits in the coming year. "There are a number of great national resources available, such as Let's Go and the American Academy of Pediatrics, but parents should also use their local resources and learn to be advocates for their kids' health from pregnancy, through early childhood and school years. Pediatric and other primary care providers and schools are excellent resources for parents and expecting parents, as are local YMCA and YWCA chapters, local parks and recreation, and community education centers," she says.
(CREDIT: Martin Barraud/OJO Images/Getty Images)
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Went fishing for a couple hours this afternoon. Wind was terrible but it was nice and relaxing on the lake. Caught one small bass that I threw back. This was Jax's first boat ride. He was amused by the bass.
Your pup sure is cute!
"I love the rod and gun and where they take me."
"Do not judge a man until you have walked two moons in his moccasins."
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Minutes of Covenant Presbytery August 29, 1983
Why did I make that motion? Let me give you four reasons.
First, the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland edition of the Westminster Standards is a sturdy, hardback book with readable print. It contains the Westminster Assembly's Scriptural footnotes completely written out, for the Confession, Catechisms and book of church government. It also includes other historical documents that are important for organizing a church and understanding our heritage as Presbyterians, which documents are not included in other editions of the Standards, such as the original Directory of Publick Worship, the Form of Presbyterial Church-Government, .the Solemn League and Covenant, etc.
Second, although our presbytery has no disagreement at all with the revision of chapter 23, paragraph 3, as it appears in the Confession of Faith of the Presbyterian Church in America, we believe that the original chapter 23, paragraph 3 spells out more completely, Biblically and with less ambiguity the functions and limits of the civil magistrate with reference to the Law of God and the relation of church and state, by which as nursing fathers, the state carries out its God-given duty to protect the church of our common Lord, without giving the preference to any denomination of Christians above the rest, in such a manner, that all ecclesiastical persons whatever shall enjoy the full, free, and unquestioned liberty of discharging every part of their sacred functions, without violence or danger.- the revised 23:3. In other words, it speaks directly and relevantly to the political issues facing us today, offering specific, Biblical, workable, although politically incorrect, answers to the questions people are asking.
Third, one revision of the Westminster Confession led to another and then to another and another. We want our church in some clear, although small, way to intervene and rescue the Church from the accelerated move away from the historical and Biblical Calvinism and Presbyterianism of the original Westminster Confession. Adopting the original was an attempt on our part to "stop the flow of blood," and thereby, hopefully, by God's grace, to bring the Church back to renewed purity and vitality.
Fourth, tying our little denomination to the original Westminster Confession of Faith was a deliberate effort to root ourselves firmly and self consciously in the English, and more particularly the Scottish, Reformations, (along with the Swiss, German and French, of course), so as to lay down a basis for a strong advance into the future, which we pray will bring us an even greater Reformation of the Church. Hopefully our people would not only love the Westminster Standards, but also come to love the historical context that gave it birth. Hopefully, our youth will find some of their heroes in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth, Centuries.
Why did American Presbyterianism, revise 23:3 in the Westminster Confession of Faith?
The early American Presbyterians, mostly fresh from Northern Ireland and Scotland, and a century or less away from "the killing times," when an Erastian English monarchy tried to subjugate the Churches of Scotland and England, were understandably "gun shy" with reference to some of the language of chapter 23:3 and 31:2 in the Confession. They, along with the English Puritan immigrants, did not ever want the same thing to happen in the colonies, and thus the revision of these chapters. However, I am convinced that their understanding of that chapter was sadly mistaken, that in no way can the original Westminster Confession of Faith be charged and convicted of Erastianism. Not all the Westminster divines, however, after the publication of the Confession, were consistent in their actions with what they wrote in the Confession: their doctrine was better than their practice as is always the case with Calvinists. Two good defenses of chapters 23 and 31 against the charge of Erastianism are: Robert Shaw, THE REFORMED FAITH, pp. xx f, and James Bannerman, THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, Vol. I, pp. 171 ff. A good history of 18th Century American Presbyterianism is Charles Hodge, THE CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The Westminster Confession commits itself unequivocally to the exclusive headship of Jesus Christ over His church. The Lord Jesus Christ, as King and Head of His Church, bath therein appointed a government, in the hand of Church officers, distinct from the civil magistrate.- WCF, 30:1. …to these officers the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed; by virtue whereof, they have power, respectively, to retain and remit sins; to shut the kingdom against the impenitent, both by the word and censures…- WCF, 30:2. The civil magistrate may not assume to himself the administration of the word and sacraments, or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven… – WCF, 23:3. Such clear statements are certain evidence that the Westminster Confession is not Erastian. Robert Shaw makes this point in the introduction of his excellent commentary on the Confession, entitled THE REFORMED FAITH, pp. xix-xxi.:
"Another decided and great merit of the Confession consists in the clear and well-defined statement which it makes of the principles on which alone can securely rest the great idea of the co-ordination, yet mutual support, of the civil and the ecclesiastical jurisdictions. It is but too usual for people to misunderstand those parts of the Confession which treat of these jurisdictions—some accusing those passages of containing Erastian concessions, and others charging them with being either lawless or intolerant. The truth is, they favour no extreme. Proceeding upon the sacred rule, to render to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's, they willingly ascribe to the civil magistrate a supreme power in the State—all that belongs to his province, not merely with regard to his due authority over the persons and property of men, but also with regard to what pertains to his own official mode of rendering homage to the King of kings. It is in this latter department of magisterial duty that what is called the power of the civil magistrate, circa sacra—about religious matters, consists. But there his province ends, and he has no power in sacrisa"in religious matters. This is most carefully guarded in the leading proposition of chapter xxx. "The Lord Jesus Christ, as King and Head of His Church, hath therein appointed a government in the hands of Church Officers, distinct from the Civil Magistrate. The leading Erastians of that period, learned and subtle as they were, felt in impossible to evade the force of that proposition, and could but refuse to give to it the sanction of the Legislature. They could not, however, prevail upon the Assembly either to modify or suppress it; and there it remains, and must remain, as the unanswered and unanswerable refutation of the Erastian heresy by the Westminster Assembly of Divines. In modern times it has been too much the custom of the opponents of Erastianism tacitly to grant the Erastian argument—or, at least, the principle on which it rests by admitting, or even asserting, that if a Church be established, it must cease to have a separate and independent jurisdiction, and must obey the laws of the State, even in spiritual matters; but then declaring, that as this is evidently wrong, there ought to be no Established Church. There is more peril to both civil and religious liberty in this mode of evading Erastianism than is commonly perceived; for, if it were generally admitted that an Established Church ought to be subject, even in spiritual matters, to the civil jurisdiction of the State, then would civil rulers have a direct and admitted interest in establishing a Church, not for the sake of promoting Christianity, nor with the view of rendering homage to the Prince of the kings of the earth, but for the purpose of employing the Church as a powerful engine of State policy. That they would avail themselves of such an admission is certain; and this would necessarily tend to produce a perilous contest between the defenders of religious liberty and the supporters of arbitrary power; and if the issue should be the triumph of Erastianism, that issue would inevitably involve the loss of both civil and religious liberty in the blending of the two jurisdictions—which is the very essence of absolute despotism. Of this the framers of our Confession were well aware; and, therefore, they strove to procure the well-adjusted and mutual counterpoise and co-operation of the two jurisdictions, as the best safeguards of both civil and religious liberty, and as founded on the express authority of the Word of God. It never yet has been proved, from either Scripture or reason, that they were wrong, although their views have been much misunderstood and grievously misrepresented. But, instead of prosecuting this topic, we refer to the comment on those chapters which treat of the civil magistrate, of synods, and of Church censures, as giving a very accurate and intelligible explanation of the doctrine of the Confession on these subjects.
You would think by his remarks that he was addressing the situation today, although he wrote these words in 1845 in Scotland.
Another decided and great merit of the Confession consists in the clear and well-defined statement which it makes of the principles on which alone can securely rest the great idea of the co-ordination, yet mutual support, of the civil and the ecclesiastical jurisdictions. It is but too usual for people to misunderstand those parts of the [original] Confession which treat these jurisdictions-some accusing those passages of containing Erastian concessions, and others charging them with being either lawless or intolerant. The truth is, they favor no extreme. Proceeding upon the sacred rule, to render to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's, they willingly ascribe to the civil magistrate a supreme power in the State-all that belongs to his province, not merely with regard to his due authority over the persons and property of men, but also with regard to what pertains to his own official mode of rendering homage to the King of kings. It is in this latter department of magisterial duty that what is called the power of the civil magistrate, circa sacra-about religious' matters, consists. But there his province ends, and he has no power in sacris-in religious matters. This is most carefully guarded in the leading proposition of chapter xxx-The Lord Jesus Christ, as King and Head of His Church, hath therein appointed government in the hands of church officers, distinct from the civil magistrate. The leading Erastians of that period, learned and subtle as they were, felt it impossible to evade the force of that proposition, and could but refuse to give to it the sanction of the Legislature. They could not, however, prevail upon the Assembly either to modify or suppress it; and there it remains, and must remain, as the unanswered and unanswerable refutation of the Erastian heresy by the Westminster Assembly of Divines.
What does the original Westminster Confession teach regarding the duty of the state toward the church?
Of the Civil Magistrate, Chapter 23 in the WCF, contains four, paragraphs, each explaining one main point of doctrine:
i. The origin and function of the state;
ii. The political involvement of Christians;
iii. The limitations and power of the state; and
iv. The responsibility of the Christian citizenry.
The original 23:3 reads as follows: The civil magistrate may not assume to himself the administration of the word and sacraments, or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven: yet he hath authority, and it is his duty, to take order, that unity and peace be preserved in the church, that the truth of God be kept pure and entire, that all blasphemies and heresies be suppressed, all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline prevented or reformed, and all the ordinances of God fully settled, administered, and observed. For the better effecting whereof, he hath power to call synods, to be present at them, and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the mind of God. What is the point being made in WCF 23:3 3?
First, the authority of the state is about but not in the church. The WCF 23:3 teaches that, whereas the state has no power within the Church, God has given it power relating to and around the Church as the Church's protective nursing father and nursing mother, Isaiah 49:23. The civil magistrate is to protect and promote the welfare of the Church of God. As King David said with reference to his duty as civil magistrate towards the Church: For the sake of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good, Psalm 122:9.
The state has no jurisdiction within the organization and policies of the Church, but it does have jurisdiction around and about the Church. It is to protect the Church and her interests, but no law of any commonwealth should interfere with, let, or hinder, the due exercise thereof [the regular government and discipline of the Church appointed by Christ]. The state is to exercise its authority justly and wisely so as to take order, that all religious and ecclesiastical assemblies be held without molestation or disturbance, revised 23:3. These two areas-about and within the church-are vastly different, and they must not be confused. The state-its office-holders and constitutions-has no jurisdiction, inside the institutional Church, but it does have a God-given responsibility to promote and advance the interests of the Church, and to protect her from those who would do her harm: God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, hath ordained civil magistrates to be under Him over the people, for His own glory, and the public good; and, to this end, hath armed them with the
power of the sword, or the defense and encouragement of them that are good, and for the punishment of evil-doers, WCF 23:1. In the Confession's Scriptural footnote to this underlined statement it gives Romans 13:1-4, which prescribes the duty of the civil government before God as being the minister of God to you for good, vs. 4. The phrase to you refers to the recipients of the epistle to the Romans, which were the called of Jesus Christ … all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints, i.e., the church. Even the revised chapter 23:3 makes this point when it says: Yet as nursing fathers, it is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the church of our common Lord
The Confession distinctly and frequently announces the doctrine, that the civil magistrate has a certain power about religion-a certain authority and duty to provide for and promote by competent means the well-being and interests of the Church. – All that is fairly implied in it, (23:3), is the ascription to the state of a certain authority about the Church, for the purpose of promoting its interests not the ascription to it of an authority within the Church, for the purpose of exercising jurisdiction there.- James Bannerman, THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, Vol. I, p. 177.
In other words, the state's authority with reference to and about the Church involves no usurpation of authority in or over the Church.
Second, what does the WCF teach regarding the duties of the state about the Church?It sets forth four duties.
(1). The state is to take order for those objects at which it aims. This expression is a technical one, common in the theological debates of the Westminster Assembly. It means "to provide for, to attend to, to take care to accomplish," language far from implying the usurpation of authority over the church by the state. The Scriptural footnotes of the original chapter 23:3 supportive of this duty are Isaiah 49:23, Psalm 122:9, Ezra 7:23-28, Leviticus 24:16, Deuteronomy 13:5,6,12, II Kings 18:4, II Chronicles 34:33, II Chronicles 15:12,13, which footnotes show the theonomic perspective of the Westminster divines. Because of their Biblical hermeneutic, they could, without hesitation or apology, quote Old Testament laws and examples for the state today, believing as they did that the Hebrew Republic was in many ways a model for nations today .4 As Greg Bahnsen pointed out: "the Mosaic law is a `model' to be emulated, not a code to be simply quoted or read into modern statute books."- NO OTHER STANDARD, p. 160.
(2). In order to reach its objectives with reference to the Church, the state has the power to call synods, i.e., assemblies of church officers. This power does not imply any authority within the Church to decide or rule in spiritual or ecclesiastical things pertaining to the government and inner life and mission of the Church. In the original WCF 31:2, this duty is carefully explained: magistrates may lawfully call a synod of ministers, and other fit persons, to consult and advise with about matters of religion… This is what Parliament did in calling the Westminster Assembly to meet in the 1640's: to consult with Parliament and to give it advice from the Word of God. There is no Erastianism here, for, these councils and synods, such as the Westminster Assembly, were not courts of the church, but consultant committees to the state. After all, although the church and state are separate institutions, the state is as accountable to obey God's Law as is the Church, for both are accountable to God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, 23:1. If critics of the original 31:2 are correct in
saying it is illegitimate for the ,tat, to call synods, then the men who heeded the summons of Parliament to participate in the Westminster Assembly were wrong to do so, for it was a blending of church and state. However, the Scripture footnotes of the original Confession show that the Word of God is on the side of the original: II Chronicles 19:8-11, II Chronicles 29-30 and Matthew 2:4,5.
(3). In order to reach its objectives with reference to the Church, the state has the power to be present at synods which its calls. This is a logical deduction from the previously mentioned power. The state has the right to be present at any assembly whatever convened within its dominion. This is true even of synods of the Church, as long as the state does not preside, dictate or interfere with their deliberations. The Scriptural footnotes in the preceding paragraph are also applicable here.
(4). To reach its objectives with reference to the Church, the state has the authority not only to be present at meetings of synods, but also to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the mind of God, as revealed in Scripture. As in the case of the phrase, take order, this expression is somewhat of a technical one, and is to be understood according to the use of such theological terms at the time of the Westminster Assembly. The term meant "to make it an object of care and. attention generally, that what is done be done according to the Word of God. So interpreted, it comes very far short indeed of anything implying Erastian control on the part of the magistrate in seeking his object, or any assertion of a right to review, or reverse, or in any way overbear, the decisions of Church courts. – These are all the means specified by the WCF as lying open to the civil magistrate to employ in seeking to promote the interests of [the Christian] religion and of the Church of Christ; and it is plain that none of them imply or necessitate on his part the assumption of any proper control or jurisdiction in spiritual matters."- James Bannerman, THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, Vol. 1, pp. 180 ff.
The Responsibility of the World's Nations to bow before the Kingship of Jesus Christ, the Ruler of the Kings of the Earth
According to Psalm 2, which the New Testament refers to Jesus Christ in Acts 4:24-27, 13:33, Hebrews 1:5-5:5 and Revelation 2:27, the nations and political establishments of the world today are in deliberate rebellion against Jehovah and His Christ, making every effort to break free from God's moral order and from the consequences that come from breaking that order. They find the Lord and His Law restrictive and burdensome, keeping them from reaching their humanistic and tyrannical goals for human society. In the meanwhile He who sits enthroned as universal Sovereign laughs at all their efforts to dethrone Him and to escape Him. In fact, He scoffs at them in contempt of their evil. Furthermore, He causes all their efforts to fail by speaking His powerful Word to them, confusing and terrifying them in His fury, Hebrews 4:12-13. They drive themselves to distraction and despair trying to suppress this truth in unrighteousness.
What has the Sovereign of the nations spoken that is so terrifying to the rebels of this world? "I have installed My unique Son, Jesus Christ, as the mediatorial king of the nations. I have given him all the world's nations as His own personal possession. They are not only under My providential government, they are also under His moral government, accountable to Him as nations with all their institutions. Those who refuse to recognize His supremacy over them and bow in submission to Him He will break and shatter as if they were cheap clay pots; but those who take refuge in Him will be blessed." (A paraphrase and interpretation of Psalm 2: From His throne at God's right hand, Christ now calls upon all His servants and subjects in places of political power: "O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with reverence, And rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, lest He become angry, And you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him.")
This extortion is addressed not merely to the kings and judges of O.T. Israel, but to the kings and judges of the earth, of the Babylonians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Syrians, Americans, Europeans, Russians, Chinese, Sudanese, Iraqis, Peruvians, South Africans, Polynesians, Australians. All the political powers of all of Christ's possessions which include all nations to the end of the earth are accountable to Him as their King, and are called upon by Him to bow in obedience before His royal scepter. It is not simply as individual human beings that these kings and judges are to receive His instruction, worship Him and pay Him homage; rather it is in their official capacity as kings and judges that they are to do these things. In their executive offices, legislative assemblies, and courtrooms, they are to obey and enforce the laws and crown rights of Christ the King. If they refuse to do so, for whatever reason, they will be considered and treated by Him as rebels doomed for destruction.
First, the political institutions of the world's nations are to show discernment and take warning by giving heed to the revealed instruction of their Lord in His written Law by which infallible and absolute standard they can correctly distinguish between right and wrong and effectively administer justice. Without such a standard, justice is a meaningless and arbitrarily defined word used as a hammer by tyrants to keep the people in slavery. Distinguishing between right and wrong is impossible without a revelation from God; and without such a standard people, doing whatever seems right in their own eyes, become ungovernable unless a tyrant imposes order.
Second, these political powers are to worship the LORD with reverence and rejoice with trembling. They are called upon to worship and serve the triune God through faith in Jesus Christ, which brings to their land joy, reverence for God, and God's blessings. Furthermore, they are to protect the pure worship of the triune God., forbidding the public worship of all other gods.
Third, they are to do homage to the Son. The political institutions of the world's nations are to confess publicly their allegiance to Jesus Christ as their ultimate Head of State and to His Law as their statute book. They are hereby called upon to confess the supremacy of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and King of kings, to covenant with Him that their nations will always walk before Him in obedience, and that no law shall be enacted in their nations contrary to His revealed will found in Holy Scripture. In other words, political powers are called upon in Psalm 2 to be distinctively, comprehensively, genuinely, legally, permanently and unashamedly Christian, nationally confessing that Jesus is Lord.
Since Jesus Christ has been invested by God with dominion over the nations of the world, and since He actively administers that dominion everyday, it follows naturally and unavoidably that the world's nations have duties which they owe to their King, our Mediator.
First, it is the duty of nations and their political establishments to honor their king as faithful subjects in all their institutions and laws. Whether we are individuals or nations, citizens or elected officials, it remains true that in whatever we do, we are to do all to the glory of God. It is not enough that they promote the general welfare of the citizenry; but as moral subjects of the King of kings, responsible to govern in His name, they are to have as their ultimate and self-conscious objective in the formation of their constitutions, the establishment of their institutions, the shaping of their foreign and domestic policies, the election and appointment of their officials, all their legislation and in every act of administration to honor and glorify Him to whom they owe their being, preservation and powers.
A devoted regard to the prince's honor and a willingness to maintain his dignity against every infringement, enter essentially into the nature of loyalty.- William Symington, MESSIAH THE PRINCE, p. 232.
Because Nebuchadnezzar failed to do this, God inflicted him with the terrifying judgment of being driven from human society and made to live like and live with the beasts of the field for seven seasons. Why did the Lord treat him in this manner? The answer is found in Daniel 4:32-0 king, this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: that you be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is Ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.It was for this same reason that God would destroy the Babylonian king, Belshazzer: you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven … the God in whose hand are your lifebreath and your ways, you have not glorified,Daniel 5:23. These verses should make all those who hold public office pause and consider with fear and trembling. Not only do they have the duty to do all to the glory of the triune God; but if they neglect or violate this duty, they expose themselves to the judgment of God. The point is: being a constitutional republic is not sufficient. A nation must be a Christian republic unashamedly honoring Christ the King in all its affairs of state.
Second, it is the duty of nations as the subjects of the Lord Christ to make His civil laws revealed in His Bible as the basis and source of their own laws. They are to have Christ as their only Source of Law, and the Bible as their only source of all their political statutes, because God in Christ is the one Lawgiver, Judge, King and Savior incarnate, Isaiah 33:22. Their standard of legislation and administration may not be human reason, national conscience, public opinion, expert opinion, or political expediency. None of these is, nor all of them together are competent guides in the governing of a nation.
We contend … that the Bible is to be our rule, not only in matters of a purely religious nature, in matters connected with conscience and the worship of God, but in matters of a civil or political nature. – To require nations, who possess the sacred volume, to confine themselves, in their political affairs, to the dim light of nature, is not more absurd than it would be to require men, when the sun is in the heavens, to shut out its full blaze and go about their ordinary duties by the feeble rays of a taper [candle].
Indeed, if nations are moral subjects, they are bound to regulate their conduct by whatever law their moral Governor has been pleased to give them; and as they are the subjects of the Mediator, they must be under the law of the Mediator as contained in the Scriptures. He has not placed His moral subjects in ignorance of His will, nor left them to search for it amid the obscurities and imperfections of a law which sin has effaced and well nigh obliterated. In the Holy Scriptures of truth, He has given them a fairer and more complete exhibition of the principles of immutable and eternal justice, than that which is to be found in the law of nature. Symington, p. 235
1. Erastianism takes its name from Thomas Erastus, 1524-1583, of Heidelberg, Germany. It emerged in England at the Westminster Assembly, 1643, when a small number of the men present advocated the supremacy of the state over the church. Their position was defeated and refuted by the overwhelming majority of the assembly. Erastianism has been soundly refuted time and again by Presbyterian scholars: (1). James Bannerman, The Church of Christ, Vol. 1, pp. 171ff; (2) William Cunningham, Historical Theology, Vol. II, pp. 557 ff.; (3) Robert Shaw, The Reformed Faith, pp. xix ff.; (4) George Gillespie, Aaron's Rod Blossoming; (5). William M. Hetherington, History of the Westminster Assembly of Divines, pp. 232 ff.; (6) Robert S. Paul, The Assembly of the Lord; (7) J. R. DeWitt, Jus Divinum: The Westminster Assembly and the Divine Right of Church Government; and (8). Samuel Rutherford and others, The Divine Right of Church-Government.
2. As this paragraph later shows, by "religious," Shaw had in mind "ecclesiastical and spiritual" issues. Although the institutional, functional and jurisdictional separation of church and state is clearly taught in the WCF, the Confession also presupposes, as several chapters show, that it is impossible to separate religion and politics, and is most undesirable to separate the Bible and politics, God and politics or Christianity and politics, (as even the revised 23:3 shows). WCF 23:1 makes this very point in its first sentence: God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, hath ordained civil magistrates TO BE UNDER HIM over the people, FOR HIS GLORY, and the public good.
3. In understanding 23:3 correctly, it is important to keep these two principles in mind: (1). The language of two or more passages in a document claiming to be accurate, systematic and authoritative statements of Divine-revealed doctrine must be interpreted in a way that makes them consistent with each other and not contradictory to each other. (2). The language of such a document must be understood in the sense commonly given to it in its author's day, without imposing our own meaning upon it.
4. See Samuel Rutherford, LEX REX, E. C. Wines, THE HEBREW REPUBLIC, and John Shearer, HEBREW INSTITUTIONS SOCIAL AND CIVIL, reprinted by Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.


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Blue leads Marquette to another big win
Golden Eagles cruise at South Florida
TAMPA, FL - Vander Blue scored 13 points to lead Marquette's men's basketball team to a 70-47 win at South Florida Wednesday night.
The Golden Eagles outscored the Bulls 39-16 in the first half and cruised to the victory.
Todd Mayo had a season-high 13 points for Marquette and Junior Cadougan added 11 points.
Marquette has dominated its series with South Florida winning 19 of 22 meetings. Blue scored 30 on January 28th when the Golden Eagles defeated the Bulls in Milwaukee 63-50.
With tonight's win, Marquette is now 7-2 in the Big East and 16-5 overall. South Florida drops to 1-9 in the Big East and 10-12 on the season.


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The "sense of entitlement" was perceived on both sides. That is, the military views providing the aircraft for congressional leaders as being only slightly lower in priority than providing similar transport for the President. That is not a priority set by Pelosi, or Hastert before her, but by the President's directive following 9/11. It is also clear that, when Pelosi first became Speaker, that it took a period of time for her staff to become familiar with procedures and policies governing travel.
Do I agree with the Presidential directive on travel by Congressional leaders? Not really, as I noted before. Hastert had a plane fully dedicated to his personal use. Pelosi has used the same plane for almost all of her travel. Her travel seems to have been more extensive because San Francisco is further away than Illinois and because she seems to be more involved in foreign policy. The one time there was an issue with the size of the plane was for an oversees trip involving more than 30 people -- all traveling in an official capacity. Some of the passengers had to be dropped because of capacity considerations.
My own experience is that providing such benefits creates attitude issues where the beneficiaries do develop an unwarranted sense of their own importance. I tend to think we would be better off if the President and all other elected officials traveled on commercial flights as long as they were not in hostile territories. Of course, I feel the same about all those corporate execs using company helocopters to go golfing on Thursdays and corporate jets to go on vacation, and I felt the same about the government car I was provided when I was in politics (I returned it to the car pool) and the golf club membership that i was required (but refused) to maintain, at company expense, as a Partner in a major accounting firm. However, if security considerations require that military flights be used, I would not expect the officials affected to travel less. As it is, flights on the aircraft used regularly by Pelosi (and Hastert before her) take longer than commercial flights because of the more limited range and speed of the aircraft. When her family is involved, they also cost more than she would have had to pay buying tickets commercially since her husband and children pay full commercial airfares without discounts. Maybe that's why they normally travel on commercial flights for all personal travel. Personally, I won't fly in 12-seat planes (which is what Pelosi receives) for long travel because I don't believe they are safe. When that is my only option, I normally drive or cancel the trip.
I'm not a fan of Pelosi. However, she has a job to do and it is clear that she works at it very hard. Much of that work involves high volume travel -- much of that for events that may need to be rescheduled with little notice. Using our military to provide such a service is probably a misuse of resources that ends up with poor service and high cost. I suspect that all involved would be happier if the military were taken out of the picture.
Jeff Goodwin
Pelosi is certifiable. Like that little junket to Rome, I'm sure to straighten out the Popes uninlightened views. I'd say the third in charge is running the show, hard left rudder.
"The longer you let a dog go in the wrong direction the more they think they are going in the right direction" Don Remien.
Was bored and read the emails. The most interesting/disgusting item:
In '07 a handfull of Democrats wanted to take a military jet to Mexico and Honduras with a convenient, 24+ hour layover in the Virgin Islands. They were told that since no Republicans were on the trip it was considered partisan and not available for military aircraft support. They recruited a Republican Congresswoman from Wyoming who'd already announced she wasn't running for re-election to go and then they were able to get their military taxi service and free vacation.
Why doesnt Pelosi just fly on her broom........
"Communism only works in Heaven, where they don't need it, and in Hell, where they already have it" Ronald Reagan
Needing military aircraft for her safety reasons???? I believe the terrorists are smart enough to know that a living Nancy Pelosi can do a lot more damage to our country than pretty much anything they can do.......I think she is safe.
Blah BLAH..............BLAH!
Why not worry about something that you can do something about!
How about you find something in the our governments plans that you do like and work your ass off to make it happen.
Do something good for one American, volunteer spend some money to help the economy.
All your nervous tight butted wall streeters quit bitching and make something good happen!


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Texas Beach & Bay - Access Guide
Produced by the Texas General Land Office
The Texas coastal region's diversity in flora and fauna and its 367 miles of gulf shoreline and 3,300 miles of bay-estuary-lagoon shoreline make it home to fishing communities, wildlife, and varied landscapes. Whether the coastal traveler is interested in fishing, birding, or simply sight-seeing, the Texas coast has something to offer everyone.
The Texas Beach and Bay Access Guide, 2nd Edition (created by the Texas General Land Office) is designed to help the user locate marinas; county, state and federal parks; boat ramps; and areas of recreational interest along the Texas coast. The Guide is available as a book or CD from GLO and on their website as well.
The guide highlights the five areas that make up the Texas coast: Southeast Texas, Houston-Galveston, Golden Crescent, Coastal Bend, and the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Users of this guide should call ahead to sites listed with phone numbers to get complete directions and any updates to site conditions.
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text: St Georg is situated between the main train station and the Alster Lake. It is home to beautiful old streets, as well as derelict alleys. Cheap tenements stand alongside five-star hotels including the historic Kempinski Atlantic, while Lange Reihe is lined with quality restaurants and boutique shops. Near the station are the Deutsche Schauspielhaus where actors perform and the Arts and Crafts Museum


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I've always wondered about these. That passcode above is 147896. Why is the swiping without numbers such an advance?
when this makes its way to iOS 8 or 9 people will say it was copied from Cydia and not Android.
Because when you post this is all we here from you and do!!!!!
Charlie Brown Teacher Speaking - YouTube
Bout this and regret it. 3 huge fails compared to AndroidLockXT, which I've now switched back to.
1. Can set it to bypass on a connected wifi. So when sitting at home, can no longer have it set not to prompt me every 5 min's. (I could live with this)
2. No bypass on a connected bluetooth. This sucks as I don't want to have to enter either code when riding my bike. With ALXT, I don't have to enter either the factory or the AL pattern since I have the option to bypass when connected to my headset. (can't live without this any more as I'm too used to it)
3. Biggest of all is not allowing apps to bypass the app. I have my lock screen clock set to bring up a diff camera when I swipe the camera button up. With this pattern unlock, it jumps to the factory code every time even though I've entered the swipe pattern successfully. That just sucks.
Uninstalled for now.


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text:
Koolatron RBSS-55 $233.75
55 Gallon Kyoto Environmental Rain Barrel
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Koolatron RBSS-55 Koolscapes 84 Gallon Complete Pond Kit lets you build a backyard fish pond
Collect and conserve water with the Koolatron 55 Gallon Kyoto Environmental Rain Barrel RBSS-55. Rainwater is stored in a sandstone finish plastic barrel.
What does the Koolatron Koolscapes 55 Gallon Enviromental Rain Barrel- Sandstone Finish offer?
Corrosion proof screen guard with safety guard:Rust-proof screen guard and safety guard protect children and objects from falling into rain barrel
Hose connection:Threaded fitting in barrel base allows easy connection to a hose
UV and Heat resistant:This barrel is created though a rotation molding process guaranteeing durability and withstanding extreme heat.
- Model: RBSS-55Sandstone look
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- Rust resistant screen guardRemovable drain plug drains water and sludge
- Brass faucetThreaded fitting connects to hose
- Molded UV resistant plasticWarranty: 90 days parts and labor
- Child safety guardWeight: 18 pounds
- Note: water is not safe for consumption and should only be used for gardeningDimensions: 35.5" h x 23.5" w x 23.5" d
- 55 Gallon Kyoto Environmental Rain Barrel
- Height: 35.5"
- Width: 23.5"
- Depth: 23.5"


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For safety reasons All Via Ferratas are temporarily closed for maintenance and are NOT TO BE USEDAnyone using these installations does so at their own risk.Kindly check this page for further updates.January 2012
Via ferrata were originally developed in the Italian Alps during the first word war to assist troop movement in difficult mountain terrain. Nowadays climbing via ferrata routes as combination of trekking and climbing activities has become a popular adventure sport.
The Ministry of Tourism has sponsored the installation of several via ferrata routes in Oman.Via ferrata users should always be equipped with a helmet, appropriate shoes, climbing harness, and a special tether used for attaching the climber onto the cable to protect against falling. For some routes additional equipment is needed. Gloves are also useful; and in Oman, water, sunscreen and a first aid kit should also be considered as essential items.
If used correctly via ferrata climbing can be an exhilarating experience. As with any adventure activity the sport has an element of risk of personal injury. Via ferrata users climb under their own judgment and at their own risk.
Those trying the sport for the first time should always start under the supervision of a professionally trained guide. Check with local adventure tour operators for availability.For experienced via ferrata climbers it is best to go with someone who knows the way and to check on the status of the route before setting off.
There are three via ferrata in Oman. Presently the Grand Canyon via Ferrata (VF1) near Jabal Shams is operational.
Grand Canyon (VF1)Starting along trekking path W6 at the village of Al Khitaym a high level balcony walk to the abandoned village of Sab Bani Khamis takes around on hour and has stunning views of the Grand Canyon. After Sab, an uphill walk leads to the start of the climb. The lower part is a medium to difficult 80m vertical ascent. Following a short walking traverse, the easier upper climb leads out of the canyon via a wadi. The climb itself takes around 1 hour.
Snake Canyon (VF2)Snake Canyon is located near Balad Sayt in Wadi Bani Awf. This via ferrata route offers an exciting series of traverses and zip line crossings' 100m above the canyon floor. The climb takes around 4 hours.
Bandar Khayran (VF3)Located on the Western Island at Bandar Khayran this via ferrata is accessed by sea from the mainland. A short walk across the island leads to great coastal views and the start of the via ferrata. This features around a 2 hour cliff traverse, 40 m above the sea.


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Comoros Population: 752,2881 VISITOR FROM HERE!
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|Comoros has endured more than 20 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power of the entire government in a bloodless coup, and helped negotiate the 2000 Fomboni Accords power-sharing agreement in which the federal presidency rotates among the three islands, and each island maintains its local government. AZALI won the 2002 federal presidential election, and each island in the archipelago elected its president. AZALI stepped down in 2006 and President SAMBI was elected to office. In 2007, Mohamed BACAR effected Anjouan's de-facto secession from the Union of Comoros, refusing to step down when Comoros' other islands held legitimate elections in July. The African Union (AU) initially attempted to resolve the political crisis by applying sanctions and a naval blockade to Anjouan, but in March 2008 the AU and Comoran soldiers seized the island. The island's inhabitants generally welcomed the move. In May 2011, Ikililou DHOININE won the presidency in peaceful elections widely deemed to be free and fair.
Important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel
|Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
|Geographic coordinates:
| total: 2,235 sq km
land: 2,235 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Size comparison: slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
|Land Boundaries:
|0 km
|340 km
|Maritime claims:
| territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
|tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
|volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
|Elevation extremes:
| lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Karthala 2,360 m
|Natural resources:
|Land use:
| arable land: 44.06%
permanent crops: 31.17%
other: 24.77% (2011)
|Irrigated land:
|1.3 sq km NA (2003)
|Natural hazards:
|cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); volcanic activity on Grand Comore volcanism: Karthala (elev. 2,361 m) on Grand Comore Island last erupted in 2007; a 2005 eruption forced thousands of people to be evacuated and produced a large ash cloud
|Current Environment Issues:
|soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation
|International Environment Agreements:
| party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
|^Back to Top
| noun: Comoran(s)
adjective: Comoran
|Ethnic groups:
|Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava
|Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)
|Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%
|752,288 (July 2013 est.)
|Age structure:
| 0-14 years: 41.8% (male 156,812/female 157,917)
15-24 years: 18.7% (male 67,934/female 72,589)
25-54 years: 31.6% (male 112,825/female 124,991)
55-64 years: 4.1% (male 13,827/female 17,290)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 13,370/female 14,733) (2013 est.)
|Dependency ratios:
| total dependency ratio: 81.6 %
youth dependency ratio: 76.4 %
elderly dependency ratio: 5.2 %
potential support ratio: 19.3 (2013)
|Median age:
| total: 19 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 19.6 years (2013 est.)
|Population growth rate:
|1.97% (2013 est.)
|Birth rate:
|30.26 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
|Death rate:
|7.97 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
|Net migration rate:
|-2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
| urban population: 28% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 2.84% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
|Major urban areas - population:
|MORONI (capital) 54,000 (2011)
|Sex ratio:
| at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.81 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
|Maternal mortality rate:
|280 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
|Infant mortality rate:
| total: 67.12 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 78.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 55.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
|Life expectancy at birth:
| total population: 63.12 years
male: 60.89 years
female: 65.41 years (2013 est.)
|Total fertility rate:
|3.93 children born/woman (2013 est.)
|Contraceptive prevalence rate:
|25.7% (2000)
|Health expenditures:
|4.5% of GDP (2010)
|Physicians density:
|0.15 physicians/1,000 population (2004)
|Hospital bed density:
|2.2 beds/1,000 population (2006)
|Drinking water source:
| improved:
urban: 91% of population
rural: 97% of population
total: 95% of population
urban: 9% of population
rural: 3% of population
total: 5% of population (2010 est.)
|Sanitation facility access:
| improved:
urban: 50% of population
rural: 30% of population
total: 36% of population
urban: 50% of population
rural: 70% of population
total: 64% of population (2010 est.)
|HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|0.1% (2009 est.)
|HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|fewer than 500 (2009 est.)
|HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
|Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
|4.4% (2008)
|Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
|25% (2000)
|Education expenditures:
|7.6% of GDP (2008)
| definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 75.5%
male: 80.5%
female: 70.6% (2011 est.)
|School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
| total: 10 years
male: 11 years
female: 9 years (2005)
|^Back to Top
|Country name:
| conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
conventional short form: Comoros
local long form: Udzima wa Komori (Comorian); Union des Comores (French); Jumhuriyat al Qamar al Muttahidah (Arabic)
local short form: Komori (Comorian); Comores (French); Juzur al Qamar (Arabic)
|Government type:
| name: Moroni
geographic coordinates: 11 42 S, 43 14 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
|Administrative divisions:
|3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Anjouan (Ndzuwani), Domoni*, Fomboni*, Grande Comore (N'gazidja), Moheli (Mwali), Moroni*, Moutsamoudou*
|6 July 1975 (from France)
|National holiday:
|Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
|23 December 2001
|Legal system:
|mixed legal system of Islamic religious law, the French civil code of 1975, and customary law
|18 years of age; universal
|Executive branch:
| chief of state: President Ikililou DHOININE (since 26 May 2011)
head of government: President Ikililou DHOININE (since 26 May 2011)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three main islands in the Union; election last held on 7 November and 26 December 2010 (next to be held in 2014)
election results: Ikililou DHOININE elected president; percent of vote - Ikililou DHOININE 61.1%, Mohamed Said FAZUL 32.7%, Abdou DJABIR 6.2%
|Legislative branch:
| unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and 18 by universal suffrage to serve for five years);
elections: last held on 6 and 20 December 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - pro-union coalition 19, autonomous coalition 4, independents 1; note - 9 additional seats are filled by deputies from local island assemblies
|Judicial branch:
| highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 7 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 8 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges selected - 2 by the president of the Union, 2 by the Assembly of the Union, and 1 each by the 3 island councils; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court members appointed - 1 by the president, 1 each by the 3 vice presidents, 1 by the Assembly, and 1 each by the island executives; all members serve 6-year renewable terms
subordinate courts: Court of Appeals (in Moroni); Tribunal de premiere; island village (community) courts; religious courts
|Political parties and leaders:
|Camp of the Autonomous Islands or CdIA (a coalition of parties organized by the islands' presidents in opposition to the Union President) Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC [AZALI Assowmani] Front National pour la Justice or FNJ [Ahmed RACHID] (Islamic party in opposition) Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF] Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE] Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]
|Political pressure groups and leaders:
|other: environmentalists
|International organization participation:
|ACP, AfDB, AMF, AOSIS, AU, CAEU (candidates), COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
|National symbol(s):
|four stars and crescent
|National anthem:
| name: "Udzima wa ya Masiwa" (The Union of the Great Islands)
lyrics/music: Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE/Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE and Kamildine ABDALLAH
note: adopted 1978
|Diplomatic representation in the US:
| chief of mission: Ambassador Roubani KAAMBI; note - also serves as Permanent Representative to the UN
chancery: Mission to the US, 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 418, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637
|Diplomatic representation from the US:
|the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Madagascar is accredited to Comoros
|^Back to Top
One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 50% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. Export income is heavily reliant on the three main crops of vanilla, cloves, and ylang-ylang; and Comoros' export earnings are easily disrupted by disasters such as fires. The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government - which is hampered by internal political disputes - lacks a comprehensive strategy to attract foreign investment and is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports, promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate. Political problems have inhibited growth, which averaged only about 1% in 2006-09 but more than 2% per year in 2010-12. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP. In September 2009 the IMF approved Comoros for a three-year $21 million loan, but the government has struggled to meet program targets, such as restricting spending on wages, strengthening domestic revenue collection, and moving forward on structural reforms. In December 2012, IMF and the World Bank's International Development Association supported $176 million in debt relief for Comoros, resulting in a 59% reduction of its future external debt service over a period of 40 years.
|GDP (purchasing power parity):
| GDP (purchasing power parity): $887.4 million (2012 est.) $866 million (2011 est.) $847.5 million (2010 est.)
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
|GDP (official exchange rate):
|GDP (official exchange rate): $600 million (2012 est.)
|GDP - real growth rate:
|2.5% (2012 est.) 2.2% (2011 est.) 2.1% (2010 est.)
|GDP - per capita (PPP):
| GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,300 (2012 est.) $1,300 (2011 est.) $1,300 (2010 est.)
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
|GDP - composition, by end use:
| household consumption: 96%
government consumption: 17%
investment in fixed capital: 18.7%
investment in inventories: 6.6%
exports of goods and services: 15.3%
imports of goods and services: -53.7% (2012 est.)
|GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
| household consumption: 96%
government consumption: 17%
investment in fixed capital: 18.7%
investment in inventories: 6.6%
exports of goods and services: 15.3%
imports of goods and services: -53.7% (2012 est.)
|Agriculture - products:
|vanilla, cloves, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (manioc)
|fishing, tourism, perfume distillation
|Industrial production growth rate:
|Labor force:
|268,500 (2007 est.)
|Labor force - by occupation:
| agriculture: 80% industry and
services: 20% (1996 est.)
|Unemployment rate:
|20% (1996 est.)
|Population below poverty line:
|60% (2002 est.)
|Household income or consumption by percentage share:
| lowest 10%: 0.9%
highest 10%: 55.2% (2004)
| revenues: $166.4 million
expenditures: $157.7 million (2012 est.)
|Taxes and other revenues:
|27.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
|Fiscal year:
|calendar year
|Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (2012 est.) 6.8% (2011 est.)
|Current account balance:
|-$67 million (2012 est.) -$60.4 million (2011 est.)
|$19.6 million (2012 est.) $25.2 million (2011 est.)
|Exports - commodities:
|vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra
|Exports - partners:
|Netherlands 58.8%, Singapore 10.6%, Turkey 9.3%, France 5.6%, India 5% (2012)
|$208 million (2012 est.) $206.6 million (2011 est.)
|Imports - commodities:
|rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, cement, transport equipment
|Imports - partners:
|Pakistan 16.9%, France 13.9%, UAE 11%, India 8.3%, China 6.5%, Kenya 5.8%, Singapore 5.1% (2012)
|Debt - external:
|$136.1 million (31 December 2012 est.) $277.9 million (31 December 2011 est.)
|Exchange rates:
|Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 382.9 (2012 est.) 353.9 (2011 est.) 371.46 (2010 est.)
|^Back to Top
|Electricity - production:
|52 million kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 205
|Electricity - consumption:
|48.36 million kWh (2009 est.)
|Electricity - exports:
|0 kWh (2010 est.)
|Electricity - imports:
|0 kWh (2010 est.)
|Electricity - installed generating capacity:
|6,000 kW (2009 est.)
|Electricity - from fossil fuels:
|83.3% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
|Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
|0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
|Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
|16.7% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
|Electricity - from other renewable sources:
|0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
|Crude oil - production:
|0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
|Crude oil - exports:
|0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
|Crude oil - imports:
|0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
|Crude oil - proved reserves:
|0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
|Refined petroleum products - production:
|0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
|Refined petroleum products - consumption:
|1,025 bbl/day (2011 est.)
|Refined petroleum products - exports:
|0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
|Refined petroleum products - imports:
|1,009 bbl/day (2008 est.)
|Natural gas - production:
|0 cu m (2010 est.)
|Natural gas - consumption:
|0 cu m (2010 est.)
|Natural gas - exports:
|0 cu m (2010 est.)
|Natural gas - imports:
|0 cu m (2010 est.)
|Natural gas - proved reserves:
|0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)
|Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
|149,600 Mt (2010 est.)
|^Back to Top
|Telephones in use:
| 23,600 (2011)
country comparison to the world: 185
|Cellular Phones in use:
|216,400 (2011)
|Telephone system:
| general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations
domestic: fixed-line connections only about 3 per 100 persons; mobile cellular usage about 30 per 100 persons
international: country code - 269; landing point for the EASSy fiber-optic submarine cable system connecting East Africa with Europe and North America; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion (2010)
|Broadcast media:
|national state-owned TV station and a TV station run by Anjouan regional government; national state-owned radio; regional governments on the islands of Grande Comore and Anjouan each operate a radio station; a few independent and small community radio stations operate on the islands of Grande Comore and Moheli, and these two islands have access to Mayotte Radio and French TV (2007)
|Internet country code:
|Internet hosts:
|14 (2012)
|Internet users:
|24,300 (2009)
|^Back to Top
| 4 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 185
|Airports (paved runways):
| total 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2013)
| total 880 km
paved: 673 km
unpaved: 207 km (2002)
|Merchant marine:
| total 149
by type: bulk carrier 16, cargo 83, carrier 5, chemical tanker 5, container 2, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 8
foreign-owned: 73 (Bangladesh 1, Bulgaria 4, China 1, Cyprus 2, Greece 4, Kenya 2, Kuwait 1, Latvia 2, Lebanon 2, Lithuania 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 1, Pakistan 5, Russia 12, Syria 5, Turkey 8, UAE 8, UK 1, Ukraine 10, US 2) (2010)
|Ports and terminals:
|major seaport(s): Moroni, Mutsamudu
|^Back to Top
|Military branches:
|Army of National Development (l'Armee du Developpement Nationale, AND): Comoran Security Force (also called Comoran Defense Force (Force Comorienne de Defense, FCD), includes Gendarmerie), Comoran Coast Guard, Comoran Federal Police (2013)
|Military service age and obligation:
|18 years of age for 2-year voluntary military service; no conscription; women first inducted into the Army in 2004 (2012)
|Manpower available for military service:
| males age 16-49: 184,236
females age 16-49: 183,363 (2010 est.)
|Manpower fit for military service:
| males age 16-49: 134,562
females age 16-49: 145,797 (2010 est.)
|Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
| male: 8,831
female: 8,809 (2010 est.)
|Military expenditures:
|2.8% of GDP (2006)
|^Back to Top
|Transnational Issues
|Disputes - International:
|claims French-administered Mayotte and challenges France's and Madagascar's claims to Banc du Geyser, a drying reef in the Mozambique Channel; in May 2008, African Union forces were called in to assist the Comoros military recapture Anjouan Island from rebels who seized it in 2001
|^Back to Top
« Previous Country | Next Country » Back to Flag Counter Overview
Source: CIA - The World Factbook


text:
In "Decision Time," Editor Brian Lovett will share a scenario from his 20-plus years hunting turkeys. Each hinges on a critical decision. Post what choice you would have made, and then see how things actually turned out.
Hurry Sundown
My buddy was having a tough time, but I wasn't letting it spoil my Texas trip.
Sure, he'd missed a gobbler the first morning. And yes, he'd goofed up a sure thing the next day. And OK, he'd missed another bird, too. But by gosh, we were in Texas, and I was going to enjoy myself. Shot a gobbler the first morning, too, so all was right with the world.
After getting that longbeard, though, I'd felt compelled to help my friend get on the board, and that's when all the misfortune ensued. Before I knew it, the final afternoon of my hunt had arrived, and I still didn't have gobbler No. 2.
No matter. I put my buddy in a copse of live oaks near a big wheat field and then set up about 200 yards from him in another small grove of trees. One of us would likely get some action as the birds fed through the area that afternoon.
Sure enough, about an hour after we'd set up, a distant gobble let me know a bird was headed toward my friend. In fact, I watched two strutters saunter right to his setup and ... then he missed again. Shot twice more, too, scaring some other turkeys out of the field.
Figuring every turkey in the vicinity was boogered, I was left with a choice. Wait the final two hours of my hunt by the now-deserted field, or hit the road in search of a hot gobbler. Trouble was, the mesquite flats bordering the field were wide open, so any attempt at walking and calling would represent more of a cutt-and-bump hunt rather than a cutt-and-run hunt.
The sun was sinking. How did I want to remember Texas?
What would you have done? Post your decision below.
Click here for Lovett's decision.
Click here to get all the great new turkey gear you'll need for the Spring 2011 season!


text:
January 31, 2013
Steamboat Springs resident Dale Boberg takes a few moments away from shoveling his driveway to play with Skins in the fresh powder that fell overnight.
Stories this photo appears in:
Late January snowstorm in Steamboat Springs boosts totals, snowpack
When January came to a close Thursday night, the month ended with a respectable — but still below average — 56.5 inches of snow on the slopes of Mount Werner.
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Web Stories
Dorfman to speak on Latin America, Oct. 8
Posted October 7, 2002; 11:04 a.m.
Writer and playwright Ariel Dorfman will speak at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8, in McCosh 50. Dorfman, the Walter Hines Page Research Professor of Literature and Latin American Studies at Duke University, will discuss "Who Are the Real Barbarians? A Latin-American Perspective."
Considered one of Latin America's leading writers, Dorfman focuses on issues of political and cultural identity in his work. He is perhaps best known for his play, "Death and the Maiden." He also has written many novels and political essays as well as a collection of poetry and a book of short stories.
Born in Argentina to Jews who had escaped from Eastern Europe, he moved to the United States and then to Chile. He was forced to flee Chile after the 1973 military coup led by Augusto Pinochet. He lived in Europe before returning to the United States.
In his address at Princeton, Dorfman will look at Latin America's recent and past turmoil by exploring the secret divisions and myths of the region's history. Dorfman's talk is designated as the Stafford Little Lecture and is part of the University's Public Lectures Series. It will be Webcast; for viewing information, visit WebMedia .
Contact: Marilyn Marks (609) 258-3601


text:
The season's most relevant hair trendsedited for us all.
#theLIST: Opposites Attract
Feathered headdresses. Spray-painted ponytails. Gold-flecked updos. If you're the type that yearns for the artistic and the bold this season delivered. But if you look to the runway for real life inspiration, there were plenty of chic ideas too, from romantically rumpled braids to delightfully mussed chignons. Here, the season's most relevant hair trends—edited for us all.
More from BAZAAR:25+ Short Pixie Cuts & StylesHairstyles for Long Hair to Try Now Plan Ahead With Your Free Daily HoroscopeMore
At Michael Kors (left), hairstylist Orlando Pita gave models disheveled updos, with plenty of loose tangles around the face. (A one-inch curling iron and a dusting of Osis Dust It Mattifying Powder got the job done.) At Rochas, teased clumps of hair were pinned and twisted into haphazard works of art; at Tom Ford, hair was pushed off the face and rolled into unfussy French twists.
Tom Ford
BAZAAR's Little Beauty Black Book


text:
blm: Hi, I couldn't find your email at your homepage (which is apparently non-existant, looking too much default ;), so I hope you will read this through the recentlog or so. And this could be interesting for other people as well.
You say that noone wants you in their project, but that's not how most free software projects work (at least the bazaar-like ones, and I suggest you to prefer those especially when taking off). You do not ask people to let you join their team. You join it and integrate to it smoothly by sending patches. Most projects are based on meritocracy - your virtual "position" in the virtual team is based on your merit for the project. More you bring in, the more credit you get and the more people listen to you.
So, you do not look for projects with team willing to accept you. You look for projects which are exceptionally interesting for you, which give you some motivation for working on them (be it ideological, fascinating technically or scratching own itch).
From these, you choose those where you have clear idea what to contribute and of course you choose projects which aren't technically over your head, be it code complexity, insane coding style, being too low-level or the code is simply too big for you (it takes too long to update, compile or grep on your machine). But do not be too afraid; of course when you are newbie Perl coder you do not start by hacking Perl6 internals, but do not be afraid to peek into Mason. Remember, you get from the newbie level only by experience and hacking someone else's code is often much more valuable than coding something from scratch.
Actually, often the best way to start is to fix some easy bug. Do not get afraid by looking at the code. It could grin at you and make obscene remarks, but it can't harm you. It is laid on the canvas of your screen, waiting to be read, understood, grasped and touched by your fine coding hand. It is too big and takes too long to understand? Keep yourself focused.
First, be sure you skim over the documentation, both user and dev (if there is any). Then, you can look around briefly, but do not try to read everything, just try to see how is the code generally organized and how the grand scheme of things looks like; this step is optional. And then, do not look left, do not look right, look ahead and stay focused. Try to find the exact location of the code you will need to work on - grep the sources. Grep for the irritating error messages, grep for likely related keywords, patiently go through the results and identify the victim. Then look what causes it - be sure you at least generally grasp what the routine does (do not be afraid to look at the functions it calls, just do not descend too deep; grep - or better, use ctags), grep for the callers and work straightly towards the fix, not spending too much time on the non-involved code which is just distracting you. So, the synonym for getting oriented in the codebase and understanding the code is <kbd>grep</kbd>. You get used to grepping and the code holds no mystery to you.
So, you fix the bug (ok, we skipped a lot now, but that's already up to you; I told you to find something easy ;). Now you make the patch (google it if you don't know how to make a patch), the devs will prefer you to do that against the very latest version, preferrably from their CVS or SVN or whatever are they using; but usually, patch against the latest release will do too, if you are too afraid. So, you submit the patch and wait until it gets integrated. Do not be afraid to take the criticism; learn from it, absorb the conventions used by the project, be sure to look how they actually changed the patch before integrating it. Sometimes, the patch gets ignored; you either don't care and let it stay forever in the mailing list archives, googlable for anyone, or you care and push it; just do not push too hard, resent it once per week or so and eventually someone will at least tell you what's wrong. Again, absorb the criticism, adapt yourself and your patch. You don't like the way the project operates? First work your way up with the patches, you either see why is it good for the project or chagne it. Or, if you really think they are stupid, you care enough, your contribution is big, and the project is small, you can fork.
So, that's how it usually works. To sum it up - you choose the project which is exceptionally interesting for you and not over your head, and start by doing some simple patch. When understanding the codebase, grep is your best friend, and you focus only on the bit of codebase relevant to you. When submitting the patch, you learn from the criticism and do not get turned away by absence of a warm and enthusiastic response.


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