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Minneapolis Investment Realtor Declares Spring
said on January 31st, 2011 categorized under: Twin Cities Real Est
Comments Off on Minneapolis Investment Realtor Declares Spring
It's the last week of winter.
Well, OK, so maybe we've got a month or three left of snow and cold temperatures.
But when it comes to the Minneapolis duplex market, as of next Monday, it's spring. As in the spring housing market.
Ask any of us. There's just something about the Monday after the Super Bowl that makes Realtors phones ring.
What this means if you're a duplex seller is you don't have much time left to beat the crowd to the market.
And if you're a duplex investor, you're about to face more competition for properties. More buyers always means higher prices.
Though I suppose that's all relative. After all, the average sales price of a duplex or other kind of investment property is already lower than it's been in years.
Call me. We'll slather ourselves with sunscreen and beat the rush.


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Companies waste an estimated $6.6 billion on unused software in the U.S. every year. With more options than ever, finding the right software for your dealership can be a challenge. How can you cut through the clutter and make sure your software dollars are well-spent? Download your free step-by-step guide to successfully navigating the software jungle. DOWNLOAD GUIDE
CreditPlus Brings Consumer-Qualified Payments to Front of Sales Process
Mission Viejo, CA – October 13, 2014 – eLEND Solutions™ today announced the launch of CreditPlus™, the next generation of its industry-leading online, interactive credit application platform. CreditPlus instantly pre-approves shoppers based on dealer-defined credit criteria and provides shoppers with direct, upfront access to dealership financing sources and real near-final terms of approval from multiple lenders, all of which are controlled by the auto dealer. With CreditPlus, for the first time, dealers are able to match a buyer's credit profile with the right car and the right lender program before the customer has even started the test drive. This facilitates a more equal exchange of information between consumer and dealer and the structuring of a more profitable deal.
"Auto dealers are looking for ways to convert online shoppers to in-store buyers…faster," said Pete MacInnis, CEO of eLEND Solutions. "Today's shoppers expect more information, multiple choices, transparency, and immediate gratification. CreditPlus, powered by a patented rules-based loan decision engine, allows the customer to select from a menu of approved near-final finance terms, such as APR, term, monthly payment, down payment) from multiple lenders…all controlled by the dealer."
How CreditPlus Works
"We've witnessed two decades of innovation in online car buying, but the financing process remains outdated and low-tech. This lack of innovation has not only cost dealers time and money, but it has also seriously alienated consumers, who increasingly demand online transparency in everything they do," said MacInnis. "CreditPlus' real, upfront loan terms are a missing piece of the car-buying revolution, bringing dealers more high-quality credit app leads, while slashing the current 3-4 hour sales process."
Consumer adoption of smart, online credit application solutions is remarkably high according to a Dealer.com study using eLEND's first-generation, interactive online credit application, Get Pre-approved in Seconds (GPIS), which showed that GPIS generated a 2000% uplift in submitted credit applications vs. other standard long-forms submitted on dealer websites. The study also showed that 50% of consumers who start the GPIS credit application complete it versus a mere four percent who complete the process with the traditional static application.
Furthermore, a recent HIS Automotive custom analysis of 1,400 dealers nationwide showed that of those consumers that submitted eLEND's short-form credit application, 54% purchased a vehicle and those purchasing from the intended dealer saw average buy rates of 28%. Performance was dramatically higher than the 6-8% closing ratio for standard 3rd party leads according to Cobalt[1].
"eLEND's online credit application has been the best lead conversion tool for our dealer group for the past eight years," said Brad Mugg, General Manager at Norm Reeves Honda Superstore. "We expect that CreditPlus will drive even higher submit-to-sales conversions and will help us sell and finance more cars, with more speed, transparency and profitability than ever before."
CreditPlus is available to U.S. dealers immediately. A demo can be seen here.
About eLEND Solutions:
eLEND Solutions was founded in 2003 as DealerCentric, whose "Get Pre-Approved in Seconds" solution represents the auto industry's leading online credit application product. The company has since expanded its mission by developing a comprehensive, next-generation consumer finance management system that will benefit dealers, lenders and consumers. eLEND Solutions technology platform will bring financing to the front of the sales process, and put the customer in the right vehicle and loan, at the point of sale, reducing the dealership financing process from hours to minutes. eLEND Solutions is headed by Pete MacInnis, who leads a management team with over 250 years of automotive, finance and technology experience.
Media Relations
Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, (424) 603-4340, firstname.lastname@example.com
Crystal Hartwell, mWEBB Communications, (714) 987-1016, email@example.com
[1] Cobalt, http://www.cobalt.com/blog/automotive-digital-marketing-best-practices/the-anti-overview-specific-tips-for-customer-first-selling/

subset: commoncrawl


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Now you will be redirected to Innova's leading brand of self-service solutions Kiosk Innova's website.
PayFlex Loyalty developed the "Life Rewards" loyalty program for the biggest bank in the Middle East.
Saudi Telecom Company implements a loyalty program for its subscribers with reward points upon use of services.
The visa kiosk in Dubai has made it possible to apply for a visa within minutes.
BankMed chooses Innova's PayFlex solution for its gift card and loyalty program.
Innova's solution implements the HP ALM centralised application management platform to automate application development across different development teams.
You can contact our solution consultant directly for more information.
Innova once again demonstrated its experience in developing end-to-end IT management solutions by developing the Application Lifecycle Management solution in partnership with HP's ALM platform. By running different applications on one platform, the solution reduces operational difficulties, human resource requirements, security problems and costs. It can be used by quality management teams, developers, business analysts and test experts. With this solution, different business units can optimise the performance of their software and thus maximise their productivity.
This module defines, tracks and manages software requirements, saving business analysts time while providing them with all the tools they need. The module also acts as an intermediary for communication between different units, helping to identify requirements with great accuracy and can identify the link between other development assets and requirements. As requirements from multiple units are maintained on a single platform, demands and changes can be centrally managed.
The main goal of Application Development Life Cycle Management is to shorten delivery times. HP ALM provides higher quality automation and better collaboration and strengthens the relationship between software developers, testers and business analysts, defining the tasks that developers and testers must complete. The solution also supports well-known development methodologies such as Waterfall and Agile and covers design and coding processes following analysis. With a Development Management method in line with international standards the quality of your applications are assured and processes are kept under control.
This module successfully manages all aspects of functional, performance and security testing by supporting quality assurance, application security and performance validation teams. The solution also provides straightforward reporting of test results and defect levels and can also create reusable test cases.


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Indian Hockey Forwards Ready for Sri Lanka Challenge: Gurwinder Singh Chandi
Indian hockey team striker Gurwinder Singh Chand Chandi, who made his comeback in the Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow last month after a due to an ankle injury, was in a confident mood ahead of the game against Sri Lanka.
Indian hockey team striker Gurwinder Singh Chandi said the forward line has worked hard to iron out its flaws and be more clinical in front of goal, before facing Sri Lanka in the opening match of the 2014 Asian Games here Sunday.
"The forward line has work hard in all the weak areas which our coaches have highlighted while watching the videos of our matches during the Commonwealth Games. The team together is also working towards increasing the scoring capacity and converting the openings into goals," Chandi said.
"We are also trying out the rolling substitutions and the advancements are looking positive so far. The team is well in sync with the drills and ready to take on Sri Lanka," Chandi added.
Chandi, who made his comeback in the CWG held in Glasgow last month after a year due to an ankle injury, was in a confident mood ahead of the game.
"As this will be my second big tournament after my comeback in the team for CWG, I am looking forward to giving my best and trying to create as many penalty corner opportunities as I can," said the 24-year-old.
Meanwhile, women's team striker Poonam Rani said that the experienced forwards in the team are helping the youngsters to get acclimatised to the four quarters format which will be applicable for the first time at the Incheon Games.
"In the forward line, we have three experienced players in Poonam Rani, Vanadana Katariya and myself, who have played more than 100 international matches and therefore it becomes our responsibility to make the young talents adapt to the international environment and the turfs as quickly as possible," said Poonam.
"We will also try our best to boost the younger ones to perform their best during the matches. Young forward Navjot Kaur has also been successful in impressing everyone with her performance in the CWG," she added.
"We are fully prepared for the new format of the game. The team has worked on its mistakes made at Glasgow and are preparing really hard during the on-field and off-field strategic sessions."


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Hello there! On this cozy Southern California evening, I'm writing to you from the intersection of "I'm feeling super productive in this new year" and "I feel too overwhelmed with all the things to actually do anything". Welcome, welcome. If you haven't visited, it's like when you decide to donate clothes to Goodwill but instead drive them around in a trash bag in the trunk of your car for 6 months. Good intentions, butttt…exhaustion is winning.
I've spent the last two weeks traveling and now need a vacation from my vacation, but SURPRISE, KARA, you have to go back to work. Sigh. My holidays are typically spent traveling between different homes – rarely in the place I actually live – shuffling around, spending extra time in airports. No stay-cations for me but I wouldn't have it any other way. A recap of the last two weeks:
# Airlines: 3
# Airports: 6
# States: 6 (California, Texas, Iowa, Illinois, New York, New Jersey. 7 if you count driving through Greenwich, CT on the highway.)
I'd say, without exaggeration, 80% of my flights to Iowa are delayed for 2+ hours or cancelled. This trip was no exception: we had a layover in Dallas and after we arrived, our flight to Iowa was cancelled with nothing on the schedule until the next day. We spent the night in Dallas where it was TWELVE DEGREES (it gets that cold in Texas?!) but tried to make the most of it! We then spent about a week in Iowa, a day in Chicago, and a week-ish in New York.
My favorite highlights:
- Spending time with both our families + friends, of course! Absolutely nothing better than this.
- The Hilton at O'Hare Airport in Chicago. Okay, I'm only writing about this because it was the BEST THING EVER to stay at a hotel that's connected to the airport. I can't stop raving about it. We had a 7AM flight and you can literally walk from the hotel to airport security without going outside. I think we woke up at 5AM and were in the security line by 5:30. I recommend you all plan your trips around this fact. Forget your world travels, just fly to and from Chicago and stay there.
- Dinner at Wildfire in Chicago – so Christmasy and cozy and delicious.
- Finding out our best friends are having another baby (!!!!!!) + spending time with their now 18 month old who is the smartest, sweetest, most fun, cutest little girl. (I could keep going but I'll spare you.)
- Meeting our other great friends' adorable 3 week old baby and catching up with them. The fact that they had wine and cheese waiting for us when we arrived even though they have the aforementioned 3 week old.
- Hanging out with my long lost sister Ashley and her family. The fact that she had pizza and wine waiting for us when we arrived. (I'm sensing a trend.)
- Going to Long Island for Christmas and spending the day with 50+ people from Brendan's family (my family now!). How we all fit into one house I'm not quite sure, but it was so wonderful. Our day was full of lots of wine and delicious food and laughing and holiday cheer. And talking to Brendan's 95 year old grandmother who made me cry with her heartfelt stories.
- Driving to Long Island with Brendan and his brother, singing Billy Joel AND seeing this at the fancy new rest stop out east. I still have "We Didn't Start The Fire" stuck in my head. What I know of it, that is.
- Playing video games and Settlers of Catan. (Do you play this? What's your strategy? TELL ME YOUR SECRETS.)
- Not looking at my phone for hours at a time and not being at all offended when all I missed were a billion ESPN alerts. (#bowlgameseason #butnoneofthesegamesactuallymatter)
- "Planning" a trip to South Africa with Brendan's cousin. I use the word "planning" very loosely. I "plan" a lot of trips. But THIS TIME I SWEAR IT'S HAPPENING. (Lately I've been trying to convince everyone to go to South Africa with me. I have no explanation.)
- Not having to decide where to eat or what to cook because when you're "visiting" other people do that for you. (The hardest part of any relationship AMIRIGHT?)
- Seeing a Rangers win!
- Feeling so much love. Our parents, siblings and friends all put so much thought and care into making our trips special. They cooked and baked our favorite things, hosted parties, gave us thoughtful gifts (way too many!!) and gave us so much of their time. It was perfect and we are incredibly lucky.
- Have I mentioned all the wine? On that note, who wants to join me in No Wine January? Sad, YES, but I think it might be necessary seeing as I've gotten to the point where every day without wine is a sense of pride. I'm on day 4, give me a ribbon please.
- The fact that we didn't spend a single night not surrounded by people we love. (Have I said the word "love" enough yet?) Spending practically every second with Brendan. I KNOW I KNOW it's cheesy. But true.
WOW this post was so much longer than I anticipated. Are you still here? Now it's your turn. I love hearing about how other people spend their holidays. What's your favorite tradition?


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Humiliatrix – Bratty Brooke Fuck-Taunts You with Her Cute Little Ankle SockSaturday, March 18th, 2017
"Which would you rather do: Go home and beg for pussy from your bored-looking woman, who's probably cucking you. Or... Beg to spank your sad little spitload into my cute white ankle sock, while I degrade you? Which is more humiliating for you? Take your dick out, dweeb. Cuz I already know the answer..." Download:… Read More


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Two women killed after attack on Istanbul police station
Police in Istanbul have killed two women who attacked officers with gunfire and a hand grenade.
Two officers were slightly injured.
The women were identified as members of banned far-left group the Revolutionary People's Liberation Army-Front, or DHKP-C, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
Security camera footage showed the women firing at a police bus outside a riot police station in Istanbul's Bayrampasa district, and also hurling a hand grenade, before apparently taking aim at the police station. The grenade did not explode.
They fled the scene in a vehicle and hid in a building a short distance from the police station.
Special forces police surrounded the building and launched an operation after the pair ignored calls to surrender and opened fire on officers.
Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin said both of the assailants were killed in the operation.
He said two police officers were wounded - one by broken glass during the attack on the bus and the other during the assault on the building.
The DHKP-C, among other attacks, carried out a 2013 suicide bombing on the US Embassy that killed a security guard.
DHKP-C militants also opened fire on the US Consulate in Istanbul last year.
The latest attack came amid a surge in violence in Turkey since the summer.
A fragile peace process with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, collapsed in July, reviving a three-decade conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people since 1984.
Last month, a suicide car bombing that targeted buses carrying military personnel in the capital, Ankara, killed 29 people.
A Kurdish militant group that is an off-shoot of the PKK claimed responsibility for that attack.
But the government maintains that it was the work of a Syrian Kurdish militia group, in coordination with the PKK.
Some 145 people have died since July in three separate suicide bomb attacks that authorities have blamed on the Islamic State group, including 12 German tourists who were killed in Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet district on January 12.


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Special guests for Balerno Cinema on St Andrews Day
This is a date for the diary of any film fans. The Balerno Cinema will not only screen The Angels' Share and Kinetic East on Scotland's national day (November 30) but audiences will be joined by two special guests: The Angels' Share writer Paul Laverty and Kinetic East filmaker Walid Salhab.
Special guests for St Andrew's night
For our screening of The Angels' Share and Kinetic East on St Andrew's night we are delighted to announce that we will be joined by two distinguished guests. The Angels' Share's writer Paul Laverty will be in the house! Paul is an award winning writer and has written the screenplays for nine full length feature films, and two...Read the full article on BALERNO VILLAGE SCREEN


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LISA MARIE FERNANDEZ Neoprene shorts
€ 105 Was € 210 50% off
Color: White
Details & Fit
Need advice? Contact Customer Care.Product code: 367268775415693
- Lisa Marie Fernandez white shorts
- Neoprene
- Zip fastening along front
- 45% nylon, 40% cotton, 15% elastane
- Hand wash
- Model is 177cm/ 5'10" and is wearing a size 2
Designer InformationAmerican-born stylist turned designer Lisa Marie Fernandez's eponymous swimwear line has a global cult following. Innovative Italian fabrications set her label apart - bikinis and swimsuits come in crepe, seersucker, terry and bonded neoprene. Also not to be missed are the brand's comfortable coverups in cotton-terry.
Delivery & ReturnsThe following shipping options are available for Italy:Shipping OptionsDelivery TimeCostStandard ShippingDelivery in 4-5 working days€ 5Express ShippingDelivery in 3-4 working days€ 12You have 28 days from receiving your order to return your item. Plus, we'll come and collect from your home, work or alternate address.


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The Planet Traveler
Heat from shower drains is reclaimed and used to warm up the cold water supply for the shower. By preheating the cold water, less hot water is needed for an enjoyable shower.
Copyright © 2018 · All Rights Reserved · The Planet Traveler
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Foreurs continue dealing; swap picks with Wildcats
The Val d'Or Foreurs continued their wheeling and dealing on QMJHL Draft Day, June 6 in Sherbooke.
The Foreurs completed their sixth deal, this one with the Moncton Wildcats, sending their fifth round pick, 86th overall, to the Wildcats. In return, they receive Moncton's third round selection in 2017.
Moncton used the fifth round pick to take Jeremy McKenna from the Notre-Dame Hounds. McKenna is a Summerside, P.E.I. native.


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Hamantaschen Recipe
is the making and creating the symbolic 3-corner cookie. You can't have Purim without a Hamantaschen and a Hamantaschen recipe is the way to go! Its easy, fun and you do not need to create them alone. Invite friends, family to join you. Fun! Fun! Involving either or creates the best of memories making Hamantaschen for Purim. A little Jewish goes a long way.
The Brief History of the Hamantaschen Recipe
It is quite a funny story on the 3-corner Hamantaschen cookie. As you learned about the Purim story, you have the hero, the king, the cousin and the villain. Well, of all the details we could focus on with a symbolic food connecting us to Purim, it is not what one would expect. Could it be Queen Esther in a Palace? Or what did Cousin Mordecai wear? What was served during the banquet that Queen Esther hosted? No, not any of those specific details. Here it is, the mystery, the connection to the Hamantaschen cookie!
The sweet filled, delicious 3-corner cookie is none other (drum roll please)…the 3-cornered HAT that The Villain, Haman wore.
Questions and mystery solved!
We enjoy a cookie based on the Villain who was known in the Purim Story
not liking the Jews very much.
He worked out a plan, but he was discovered.
Cousin Mordecai reached Esther, now Queen, what Haman was planning.
Find out all the details in the Purim Story.
Of course, you will need to the full story.
Hamantaschen Recipe – the Cookie
So, the Purim Groggers drown out the name of Haman during the Megillah, Scroll of Esther reading. Then, the 3-cornered cookie has a sweet center for a sweet blessing of joy. Who doesn't enjoy a good tasting cookie with a special surprise in the middle? The blessing – to celebrate the success of Queen Esther's Quest. To save her people and so she did.
Note: For food allergies; gluten sensitive, plant based, vegan, vegetarian and kosher, alter the recipe to your needs. Spelt Flour, Agave and Earth Balance combine and bake well. Spelt flour is a good alternative flour for those with sensitive stomachs.
Baking Sheet Tip: Use or purchase a Slip Pat product. Perfect for baking cookies. Clean up is a breeze. Follow directions on the Slip Pat box how to care for it after each baking.
May Need: Rolling pin, rolling dough type board for rolling dough, Egg Wash Brush (yes, it does exist).
Cookie Dough:
- 3/4 Cup of Sugar
- 2 Cups of Flour
- 2 teaspoons of Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup of oil, butter or margarine
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3/4 cup of cold water
Additions: water, and flour will be needed when dough is rolled and to form 3-corner cookie. Egg wash or product of choice for browning cookies when baking.
Prune butter, or apricot, or berry Jelly, or chocolate, or chocolate chips or nuts, or raisins. Your choice. Nuts with Prune butter, apricot, or berry Jelly is a nice combination taste after baking. S-mores inspired is a nice filling as well.
Cookie Dough Instructions:
- Mix the dry ingredients into a bowl.
- Then add the oil, butter or margarine.
- Followed with the beaten egg, mix.
- Then add a little of the cold water at a time.
- Dough should not be too watery and not too dry. Should create a ball of dough.
- Roll out the dough using flour to control between too dry or too wet as well.
- Take a wide mouth drinking glass and use on rolled out dough creating circles.
Dough Circles with Filling:
- Add a dollop or teaspoon size of soft filling and any additions i.e. chips, nuts, raisins, etc.
3-Corner Cookie Instructions: Creating a triangle
- Pinch or grab the dough on the right side of the circle. Use the water for the dough to stick together created a pointy corner
- Repeat the left side of the circle. Repeat with the water.
- You can grab both sides. It will create the flat bottom, 2 corners of the cookie
- Use water to pinch the top of the circle. You should see a triangle shape cookie, 3-corners, being formed.
Baking Instructions:
- Brush egg wash on cookie for browning cookie. Use alternative product or egg white for dietary or food allergy needs.
- Place cookies on Slip-Pat Baking Sheet. See Baking tip above on Slip Pat product.
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees or 400 degrees. Ovens vary.
- Bake for 30 minutes or shorter if cookies brown quicker in your oven.
After Baking Note: When using Agave type product, cookies taste best after refrigeration as opposed to warm cookies right out of the oven.
If you have wonderful recipes for Purim and other holidays, please submit below in 'Share Your Thoughts.'
Like what you are learning and interested in what Services Rabbi Andrea Frank may assist you? Click here.


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Amazon Slams Apple's False Ad Claim In 'App Store' IP Row
Amazon moved for summary judgment in September on the false advertising claim that Apple included in its trademark and unfair competition suit, and in Wednesday's filing, the online retailer took issue with Apple's opposition to its motion and again asked...
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September 11, 2014
Part of the AW14 collection from Junya Watanabe MAN, the Tartan Insert Oxford Shirt showcases both his flair for detailing and innovative use of materials. Constructed with from 100% cotton with contrasting panelling, it is finished off with a button down collar and chest pocket.
Available now HERE.


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Duke of Edinburgh's RAF Neatishead visit on April 28 sparks start of drive to secure military history
PUBLISHED: 06:00 21 March 2014
The Duke of Edinburgh is to visit a north Norfolk museum next month to mark the launch of a new drive to secure its military heritage.
The Duke last visited the RAF Neatishead radar base in 2001 as part of its 60th anniversary celebrations and spoke to base staff and families before a tour of the site.
On his latest visit to the RAF Air Defence Radar Museum on April 28, he will view military items from the 1940s through to the present day.
The museum, which was an active station when the Duke last visited, still contains the fighter control operations room where air activity was monitored during the Cold War.
The £2m-£3m changes will include space and indoor protection for larger exhibits which are currently outdoors.
And the display, catering and educational facilities inside the museum will also be given a refresh.
Carl Lamb, who was based at RAF Neatishead in the early to mid-eighties, is spearheading the project and said the site is significant both locally and nationally.
He said: "The base began its life in the Second World War and is a testament to the way defence has changed over the decades. It's an important part of our heritage that has remained secret for many years.
"It's now time for RAF Neatishead to share its secrets with a wider audience and to educate new generations about the role it played in securing this country's independence."
Air Commodore Kevin Pellatt, who ran operations at RAF Neatishead in the 1990s, said it was essential this unique piece of military heritage was secured and improved for future generations.


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Choose your Color Schemes
Choose your Color Schemes
Heading to Texas…After a two-week hiatus, the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) heads to Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday afternoon for the O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge. Dylan Kwasniewski will make his second-career NNS start at the 1.5-mile track this weekend, having finished 14th in his debut at the Fort Worth, Texas track in April.
About AccuDoc Solutions…AccuDoc Solutions is based in Morrisville, N.C. and provides billing-statement printing and processing to hospitals and hospital-based physicians. In addition to paper-based billing statements, ADS enables patients to choose electronic statement delivery and make payments through secure online payment portals. Notable North Carolina based clients include Carolina's Healthcare System, the UNC Healthcare System, Sentara Healthcare, Baptist Health Care Pensacola, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Memorial Healthcare System and WakeMed. To learn more, visit www.AccuDocSolutions.com.
Watch and Listen...The O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge can be seen live on Saturday, November 1 on ESPN2. Race coverage will begin at 3:00 p.m. EDT with NASCAR Countdown, followed by the green flag dropping at 3:30 p.m. EDT. The event can also be heard live on PRN Radio as well as SiriusXM Radio, channel 90.
Team Chevy…Kwasniewski will make a visit to the Team Chevy stage on Friday, October 31 at 1:30 p.m. local time. The Team Chevy Stage is located in the fan zone at Texas Motor Speedway.
Charlotte Recap…The NNS made its second and final stop of the 2014 season at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday, October 10 for the Drive for the Cure 300. Kwasniewski and his No. 31 F.O.E. team looked to continue the momentum gained in Kansas while racing at Turner Scott Motorsports' home track. After getting a feel for the mile-and-a-half track during the first practice session on Thursday afternoon, Kwasniewski and the No. 31 team finished second practice in the third position. Kwasniewski returned to the track on Friday afternoon and qualified 21st in NASCAR's knockout qualifying session. After suffering damage on the first lap of the race, Kwasniewski continued to battle, crossing the finish line in the 14th position.
Dylan Kwasniewski on racing at Texas: "I'm really looking forward to making another start at Texas this weekend. It was nice to have a little bit of a break, but I'm ready to get back behind the wheel and finish our 2014 season on a good note. We had a pretty solid piece back in April at this track, so I think if we can continue to build on that and stay consistent, we can come home with a solid finish.
NNS Results at Texas:
Starts: 1
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Top 5: 0
Top 10: 0
Laps Led: 0
Average Start: 10.0
Average Finish: 14.0
The Lone Star State…After a two-week break from the racetrack, the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) heads to Texas Motor Speedway for an afternoon of action-packed racing in the Lone Star State with Kyle Larson behind the wheel of the No. 42 Philips Norelco Chevrolet Camaro. With three-career NNS starts at the Texas-sized track, along with two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts, Larson hopes experience pays off during Saturday's O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge. In their last run at the 1.5-mile oval, Larson and his Turner Scott Motorsports (TSM) team failed to make a qualifying run, forcing them to start at the back of the field along with several other powerhouse contenders. Nothing could hold the 22-year-old back, however, and Larson claimed his career-best track finish, crossing the stripe in third.
Watch and Listen…Tune in as the NNS returns to the track for its final three-race stretch of the season, starting this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. The O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge can be seen live on Saturday, November 1 beginning at 3:00 p.m. EDT on ESPN2, and can also be heard on PRN Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio, channel 90.
Previous Race Recap…Larson was last on track in the No. 42 TSM car at Charlotte Motor Speedway nearly three weeks ago. Hoping to land back in Victory Lane at the mile-and-a-half track, Larson and his Nature Made Chevy took the green flag from the sixth position. Despite having a lightning-fast car throughout the race, multiple cautions proved that the machine wasn't as strong on short runs, and Larson was forced to settle for a fifth-place finish when the checkered flag waved.
Follow Along…Be sure to follow the No. 42 team (@PR42TSM) on Twitter for the latest news, race updates and behind-the-scenes access to Larson and his TSM team.
Kyle Larson on Racing at Texas Motor Speedway: "It feels like forever since I've been in our Nationwide Series car, so I'm looking forward to this weekend. The extra track time really helps me in both series, and at this point, I'd like to get a win for both teams. I really like the high banking at Texas. It's a track I've run pretty good at in the past and it suits my style well. We've got a new paint scheme with Philips Norelco on board, so I hope we can get a great finish for everyone involved."
NNS Results at Texas:
Starts: 3
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Top 5: 1
Top 10: 2
Laps Led: 1
Average Start: 21.7
Average Finish: 14.7


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Digital Library of South Dakota
Office of University Relations
SDSM& T News
501 E. St. Joseph Street • Rapid City, SD 57701- 3995
Phone: ( 605) 394- 6082/ 2554 • Fax: ( 605) 394- 3388
Following is a summary of the activities and events scheduled to take place on the South Dakota School Mines and Technology campus during the week of March 23- 29, 1997:
Saturday, March 22: 3rd Annual Young Women in Science and Engineering
Conference " Women Succeeding in Today's Technology"
9: 00 a. m. to 3: 00 p. m., Room 204 Classroom Building
The conference will encourage area female students in the 9th- 12th grades to consider careers in the science and engineering fields. Participants will receive hands- on experience in SDSM& T labs with Society of Women Engineers, SDSM& T students and professors. $ 10 registration fee covers the cost of lunch and information packet.
The event is co- sponsored by the Society of Women Engineers ( SWE) and Women in Science and Engineering ( WISE).
For more information, contact Angela Dux at 341- 5176 or Julie Chapero at 394- 2881.
Tuesday, March 25: National Teleconference on Rural Education and the
Information Highway: Making Connections, Building Community"
12: 00 noon to 1: 30 p. m., Room 204, New Classroom Building
Panelists for the interactive videoconference will include educators and other professionals who have worked within rural communities to design and implement technology strategies. Panelists will describe how they sought funding, won community support, overcame obstacles, and sustained their programs over time. Conference will include special appearances via satellite by President Clinton, Secretary of Education Richard Riley, FCC Chairman Reed Hundt, Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman, and Florida Public Service Commissioner Julia Johnson. For more information, contact High Plains Center at 394- 6732.
Monday, Wed, Friday Concrete Canoe Team Practice
4: 00 p. m. Canyon Lake Park
SDSM& T's Concrete Canoe team is getting ready for the
Regional Concrete Canoe Qualifying Competition. SDSM& T is
hosting this year's Regional Competition, which will be held in
Rapid City April 10- 12, 1997.
For more information, contact Michelle Nielson at 394- 2439.
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Concepts, Definitions, & Objectivism. Diana Mertz Hsieh Arizona Objectivists 21 February 2004. The Goal. The goal is to understand the proper relationship between concepts and definitions so as to avoid the error of "floating definitions" in abstract reasoning.
Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author.While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server.
Diana Mertz Hsieh
Arizona Objectivists
21 February 2004
(Example from Leonard Peikoff's Understanding Objectivism.)


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A Nigerian couple have themselves slanting on the web due to the 'Dollar Rain' which was experienced at their wedding service.
Loved ones who were available at the wedding demonstrated their quality monetarily as they splashed dollars unreservedly at the occasion.
This occasion is occurring amid a gravity time of financial subsidence that has seen a large number of poor masses living from hand to mouth.
See more photographs:


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Okanagan Valley Throw-down Athletes!
Book your appointment today!
Located at SOPA Square - #202-3030 Pandosy St, Kelowna, B.C. (236) 420-0660
For anyone who needs chiropractic help (which is the majority of us), and who needs a doctor who genuinely cares and wants to listen and help, I would highly recommend Dr. Lars! He is truly very gifted at his craft.
Dr. Lars Seitzinger a consummate professional welcomed me with a smile on his face—reviewed my progress—and made sure he thoughtfully and accurately diagnosed problems pre-treatment. His diagnosis was spot on and his procedures exceedingly effective and successful. Highly recommended!
Dr. Seitzinger took the time to understand my back problems and my goal to continue playing my sport. He created a personalized treatment plan that enabled me to help myself with rehab exercises and, most importantly, kept me on the volleyball court. The treatment wasn't only effective but also enjoyable due to his positive attitude and constant smile.
Extremely knowledgeable and intuitive with his treatments. I've been treated by many through my athletic career and not had the results I got from seeing Dr Seitzinger. Your body will thank you!


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A rapid drying, flexible, abrasion-resistant protective coating that can be varied to match OEM textures as found on rocker panels and valances. Designed for under-the-paint use as an original or replacement texturized coating. Use either over or under enamels or lacquers. Paintable in 30-45 minutes. Highly chip resistant. Convenient aerosol application requires no clean up.
Customers who bought this product also were interested in:


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Mary Poncy was among the skeptical, but hopeful, crowd that met with state officials Monday to discuss Georgia's efforts to better prepare young adults with disabilities for the work force.
They gathered at the Coastal Center for Developmental Services Cafeteria wanting to know what is being done to help young disabled Georgians grow into self-sufficient adults.
Both of Poncy's children were born with Fragile X Syndrome, a genetic condition that can cause severe cognitive and intellectual disabilities.
"When my daughter got out of school there was nothing out there for her to do," Poncy said. "Now my son is about to graduate and I want more for him."
Steve Hall, Georgia's Department of Human Resources developmental disabilities director, indicated that the situation in Georgia is bleak but getting better.
Every year 700 children with disabilities graduate from Georgia's public schools.
Unfortunately for them, Georgia's disabled citizens services are the lowest-funded, worst-ranked in the nation, Hall said.
Because programs to encourage self-sufficiency for disabled adults are poorly funded, many stay with their parents until they are too old to care for them. There are 17,118 Georgians with disabilities living with parents who are 62 years or older, said Hall.
"Parents don't last forever," he said. "We have to provide supports and services to parents trying to keep their children from being institutionalized."
When parents can no longer care for disabled children, they are housed in nursing homes. Georgia holds the nation's worst ranking for warehousing disabled adults, with 2,000 living in nursing homes throughout the state.
Georgia has other ugly practices, such as pulling the problem teeth of disabled citizens rather than paying for dental care.
But dental care and self-sufficiency programs will be covered under the new waiver system being implemented this year, Hall said.
"We're going to start treating people with developmental disabilities in Georgia like Americans," he said.
Funding has increased in the last three years. If disabled students receive Medicaid waivers, they can use that money to pay for job training and services that will allow them to work and live independently or with their families. An additional 1,500 new waivers will be distributed this year, Hall said.
However, there aren't enough waivers to go around. There are already 6,200 Georgians on the waiver waiting list.
Poncy was able to secure job training for her daughter through the Coastal Center for Developmental Services Inc.
The private nonprofit agency provides job training for 375 local individuals with disabilities. Program participants do catering, lawn maintenance, mail room industrial services and print shop work for area industries. Her daughter, now 23, does assembly work on Gulfstream jets through the organization.
But state special education and job training and placement officials said parents should start applying for waivers and planning for their disabled child's future in middle school.
Parents should develop transition plans with their child's school, said Nancy O'Hara, director of the division for special education services at the Georgia Department of Education.
And Peggy Rosser, assistant commissioner with the Georgia Department of Labor, said they should include representatives from the Georgia Department of Labor in the planning. They have several programs designed to address the employment, education and training needs for all disabled citizens regardless of the severity of their disability, she said.
Representatives from the Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities encouraged disabled adults and their families to contact the governor and their state representatives to push for more resources.
"There are thousands of individuals living in nursing homes that wouldn't be there if they had waivers," said Dave Blanchard of the Alliance. "The governor needs to hear overwhelmingly about your concerns for this funding."


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Blue Ombre Gown
This blue ombre Yosshita & Neha gown has all the makings of a red carpet ensemble. Its high neck fray embroidered solid bodice is adorned with a studded neckpiece that is the highlight of the gown. The lower half of the gown features ombre accents and stone work that elevates its glamour quotient.
The label Yosshita & Neha is a seamless confluence of inspiration, ethnicity and femininity. The brand forte lies in creating enduring pieces representing the traditional Indian crafts in a distinct and creative way. The vibrant ethnic collections include stylish evening gowns, beautiful blouses, stunning earrings and lehengas for special events.
Colour: Navy and Light blue
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- Gown has ombre accents in the lower torso
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Net, Viscose Crepe. Dry Clean Only.
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Free Charge Controller Kit – Part 4 – Testing the Power Circuitryby Chris - September 29th, 2012.
Filed under: Charge Controller.
This is the fourth part of a multipart series of articles describing how I constructed the v4 Free Charge Controller kit from Jameco. See Part 3 here, Part 2 here, and Part 1 here. If you have not done so yet, please complete those parts first.
When testing the charge controller, I strongly recommend that you use an adjustable voltage power supply that also has over-current protection, or a 'current mode'. The YouTube video below explains how I use mine to protect the circuitry.
If you don't have a power supply, you may be able to use a 12 volt battery and 1 amp fuse. Be sure to use a fuse to protect all your hard work!
Before connecting any power through, use a multimeter or ohm-meter to test the resistance at the input. It should read infinite or at least here high (above 1000 ohms).
If the resistance shows anything lower than 1000 ohms (1K Ohm), then most likely part of the hardware is configured wrong. Go back through the assembly steps in Part 3 and double check your work. Be very wary of resistance measurements lower than 10 ohms. You will blow something up if you connect power!
If you've gone over Part 3 and can't figure out what's wrong, try reaching out to the mailing list for help. Once a few people have built charge controllers, crowd-sourced assembly instructions should start appearing on the wiki.
Once you've verified that you can hook the power circuitry up to the power supply without any problems, insert the driver controller IC (IC2) into the socket. Measure the input resistance again before verifying for a second time that the controller circuitry is not drawing power.
Upload the driver_test.ino Arduino program to the Arduino. Disconnect power from the Arduino, and then connect the two boards. With the two boards mated together, the power draw should not change. It should be around 0.06 amps (60 mA).
If you have an oscilloscope, connect it to the Source pin of M1 or the Drain pin of M2. You should get a 100 Hz square wave that matches this oscilloscope image:
If your output does not match the oscilloscope, or if you run into problems elsewhere, try reaching out to the mailing list for help. Once a few people have built charge controllers, crowd-sourced assembly instructions should start appearing on the wiki.
Part 5 of this guide will cover the assembly instructions for the load circuitry containing the power inductor.


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1 John 5:18Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown's patentee in the UK.
You'll get this book and many others when you join Bible Gateway Plus. Learn more


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How Netflix Uses John Stamos to Optimize the Cloud at Scale
Netflix Technology relies heavily on the Cloud, thanks to its low latency and high compatibility with the internet.
But the key to great Technology is having great Talent. So when John Stamos expressed an interest in becoming more involved in our Engineering initiatives, needless to say, we were on Cloud Nine!
Dreamy Results
Let's take a look at the numbers. Earlier this year, we were operating at a median average of Cloud 3.1. We introduced Mr. Stamos into the system in early March, and in just under a month, he has helped us achieve a remarkable 290% gain.
Here's what our architecture looks like today:
Personal Forecast
As a Netflix user, you may already be seeing this effect on the quality of your recommendations, which has resulted in increased overall user engagement. For example, with the release of Fuller House, users watched an additional
REDACTED million hours, and experienced an average heart rate increase of 18%.
One might say that our personalization algorithms have a lot more personality!
Lifting the Fog
How does Mr. Stamos drive these results?
After extensive analysis and observation (mostly observation), we are certain (p=0.98) that the biggest factors are his amazing attitude and exceptionally high rate of Hearts Broken Per Second (HBPS).
Based on these learnings, we are currently A/B testing ways to increase HBPS. For example, which has a greater effect on the metrics: his impeccable hairstyle or his award-winning smile?
We'll go over our findings in a follow-up blog post, but they look fabulous so far.
Staying Cool
Long-time readers will be familiar with our innovative Netflix Simian Army. The best known example is Chaos Monkey, a process that tests the reliability of our services by intentionally causing failures at random.
Thanks to Mr. Stamos, we have a new addition to the army: Style Monkey, which tests how resilient our nodes are against unexpected clothing malfunctions and bad hair days.
As a pleasant side effect, we have noticed that the other monkeys in the Simian Army are much happier when Style Monkey is around.
A Heavenly Future
Look for an Open Source version of our Stamos-driven Cloud architecture soon. With contributions from the community, and by hanging out with Mr. Stamos every chance we can get, we think we can achieve Cloud 11 by late 2016.
Gosh, isn't he great?
— The Netflix Engineering Team
See Also:
Originally published at techblog.netflix.com on April 1, 2016.


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Pricing on the $650 million credit facility for Chiquita Brands International was set as the tranches received split ratings from Standard & Poor's and Moody' Investors Service. The loan backs Chiquita's $855 million acquisition of Fresh Express and consists of a $150 million revolver, a $125 million "A" and a $375 million "B" loan. The five-year pro rata is priced at LIBOR plus 1 3/4%. The seven-year "B" loan is priced at LIBOR plus 2 1/4%. Wachovia Securities, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs launched syndication of the deal at a bank meeting March 23.
S&P assigned a B+ rating to Chiquita's pro rata and a recovery rating of 3, indicating an expectation of 50-80% recovery of principal in the event of a payment default. Meanwhile, the $375 million "B" loan has a BB- rating and a recovery rating of 1, indicating 100% recovery of principal. Moody's Investors Service assigned a B1 rating to the bank debt and a B3 rating to a $150 million offering of senior unsecured notes.
"There is a clear distinction between the collateral packages attached to the different tranches in the facility," said Steve Kerr, an S&P analyst, adding that there are no cross-guarantees between the two. The revolver and "A" loan are secured by Chiquita's parent trademark and stock in the American and European subsidiaries. The "B" loan is secured by Fresh Express.
In this case, there are different paths of default for Chiquita and Fresh Express, Kerr said. Even in a default scenario for the parent, the Fresh Express business would likely be unaffected. "It is possible that Chiquita could draw some cash from the Fresh Express business to keep its banana business going and that could affect negatively the value of Fresh Express," he added. But a buyer of Fresh Express would value the business in terms of its growth expectations.
Fresh Express is the number one seller of packaged salads in the U.S., with about 40% retail market share and approximately $1 billion in sales. The outlook from S&P is negative despite Chiquita demonstrating improved operating performance over the past two years. A Chiquita spokesman declined comment.


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In this age of broadcast performances and live streaming, shows from venues like the National are increasingly accessible to people across the UK. However, the downside is the possibility of audiences swapping their local theatre for a night of big names and big budgets online or at the cinema. Is the regional arts centre under serious threat?
Thankfully, not in south-east London's Deptford, which is blessed with a wonderfully robust example of local excellence. If regional venues are to survive these turbulent times, they need to balance historic roots with new ideas, and engage varied audiences while offering valuable service to their local community. Those seeking inspiration should look no further than the Albany.
This diverse performing arts centre celebrated 30 years in its current site in 2012, but has 19th-century origins as the Albany Empire, damaged by fire in the 1970s. Rising from the ashes is a space committed to fostering creativity and social responsibility – 50% of its funding comes from the Borough of Lewisham and the Arts Council, so there's a concerted effort to reflect the area's cultural mix.
Good news for audiences is the sheer variety on offer, with a large main house (300 seated, 500 standing) and two studios presenting theatre, music, comedy, spoken word, circus and fun family shows. You can catch ground-breaking Albany-commissioned new work here – at a reasonable price – before it transfers to central London or tours, like poet Kate Tempest's Brand New Ancients, currently sold out at the Royal Court and coming home to the Albany in March 2014.
It's a great place for young people to engage with drama and music through UNCOVER, its learning programme for 13 to 19 year-olds, and at the other end of the spectrum, over-60s artist-led day club Meet Me at the Albany provides everything from singing and sewing to circus and photography, plus a tasty lunch, for only £6. Visitors of any age can get a budget-friendly meal in the café and enjoy Café Book Swap – reading material donated by staff and residents.
Arty foodies also have the mouth-watering Café Culture project, championing sustainability and cuisine from different cultures. Yam Yam festivals (February-March 2014) explore the relationship between art and food with delicious shows like Only Wolves and Lions (artist Leo Kay guides you in cooking and sharing a meal) and Come Rhyme with Me (spoken word, with nosh). It's the only time the words "audience participation" haven't filled me with dread.
Another, more quirky example of the venue's commitment to sustainability is their allotments – with resident free-range chickens. It's really part-theatre, part-petting zoo.
The Albany also manages nearby Deptford Lounge and Canada Water Culture Space, masterminding a creative programme for both and illustrating the vital role of libraries in the community – another aspect of regional life under threat and another practical solution.
So pop along this winter and check out an Albany show or, in the spirit of the season, try the Chill Pill Christmas Special, a night of spoken word headlined by Dizraeli and Downlow, plus DJ and dancing till late, on 19th December. It's the season to be jolly – and maybe a little bit adventurous, too.
Which is your favourite Off West End theatre venue? Vote now!


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For most of us, social media is a strange entity firmly rooted into our daily lives but with little consequence in the larger picture. Yet for protestors around the world, this is a tool vital toward the fight for freedom and democracy. #chicagoGirl (fittingly the first film I'm aware of that has a hashtag in the title) is the story of 19-year-old Ala'a Basatneh, whose use of the internet serves as a key intermediary in both organizing protests and making sure that the media worldwide knows about it. Having someone who is far away from the conflict is crucial because she can put herself out there online without risking her life near the conflicts.
Ala'a started out like any other teenager using Facebook and Twitter, just to post selfies at the mall or share milestones in her life. But as soon as she became aware of the Syrian conflict, she found a call to action that dominated all other priorities. The biggest issue with the film, however, is that it doesn't cover the leap between Ala'a being a regular teen to an influential coordinator. Since this is the leap that is so pivotal and could potentially inspire others to do the same, it should have been a more integral part of the story. However, it isn't hard to get past this since the content that follows is so gripping.
If we are going to make a difference in the world, it has to start with people like Ala'a who are passionately working to do so without any formal title.
Ala'a has abandoned her social life and academic prowess in order to continually coordinate the uprising. She serves as a liaison to the press, but more interestingly uses her social network to connect protestors that otherwise wouldn't meet. When anyone she knows is detained, she is given their Facebook password and deactivates it to avoid letting the government find out who else they are connected to. It is no exaggeration to say that Facebook has never served a greater purpose. In past regimes, dictators could carry out heinous crimes because there would be no visual record. The power of video and sharing has never been harnessed more than it is today. With the advent of the internet, an "information cascade" allows for so much to be shared so quickly.
Unfortunately, as optimistic as all this sounds, the government is still in complete control, and sadly the Syrian regime has been much more difficult to topple than any contemporary uprisings. The film doesn't shy away from the casualties of the revolution: it is rare to be so emotionally swept by a documentary. We learn that cameramen are often the first people to be targeted in shootings due to them knowing how powerful these videos can be. Because of how much footage exists from the various people documenting the ongoings, especially from photojournalist Bassel Shahade, there is a wealth of great documentation that keeps the film engaging. As mentioned above, there are certainly moments where the film could benefit from being more specific, but the overwhelming power of the storytelling here outweighs these criticisms.
The reason I love this film is for what it represents. This documentary is as much a call to action as any other piece of media that you will see this year. If we are going to make a difference in the world, it has to start with people like Ala'a who are passionately working to do so without any formal title. The ultimate irony that makes this film so powerful is that the message ends up being that in order to make a difference you have to go beyond using just social media. True change comes from tangible work – the social media is just there to document it. This is a message that ought to be shared all across the world. The end of the film left me wanting to know what has happened in Syria since the events depicted in the film, but I imagine so much has occurred it wouldn't be possible to include it all in post-script. I hope this documentary can inspire all those that see it to take action toward something they're passionate about.
#chicagoGirl screened April 24th.


text: Oh man! Ad-blocking software has been detected! :'( This website is run by the community, for the community... and it needs advertisements in order to keep running. Blocking our ads means your killing our stats! Please disable your ad-block, or become a premium member to hide all advertisements and this notice. Hi all, As promised, I'd throw a real dull question into the mix. I'm hoping to take my CCNA in a week or so's time, I generaly feel ready however seeing as this is my first Cisco exam I have little idea what's coming? So far I've been studying Todd Lammle's book and reading exam cram questions and all seems good....until I re-read the Wirless chapter of my book!! The problem is as a prospective CCNA are you expected to remember all the variants of 802.11abcd-howmanystandards-efghi, their bandwidth and potential range?? Cheers Rich


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2012 Regulatory Watch List: Commodity ETF Industry
Due, in large part, to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and increased scrutiny by regulators of the financial and commodities markets, 2012 promises to bring a host of new regulatory requirements and issues for CPOs and CTAs....
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January in Gainesville, Florida brings brides, grooms, and those planning their wedding to UF's Performing Arts Center for the bi-annual Gainesville Wedding Expo. For those who received a diamond ring from Santa, you'll love how the Gainesville Wedding Expo allows you to "plan your wedding in a day."
Once again, Dream Day Cakes® will be ready to answer any of your wedding cake questions as well as allow you to sample our cakes, truffles, and other baked yummies. Our resident cake artist Yeni Monroy will also be attending the Gainesville Wedding Expo, allowing you to ask questions, go over wedding cake designs, and more.
From photographers to DJ services, venues to wedding cake bakers, the Gainesville Wedding Expo continues to be one of the best wedding planning events in North Central Florida. We look forward to seeing you at the Performing Arts Center on the University of Florida campus this January 15th!
Remember: Every celebration deserves Dream Day Cakes®.
Event details:
When: Sunday, January 15th, 2012 from 12pm — 5pm
Where: The Performing Arts Center at the University of Florida (Gainesville)
Cost: Pre-order for $10.00. At the door for $12.00.
For more information, please check out the Gainesville Wedding Expo website.


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David Trude Joins Chi-X Australia as Independent Director
Chi-X Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of alternative trading venue operator Chi-X Global Inc., announced September 29 the appointment of industry veteran David Trude as an Independent Director.
Peter Fowler, Chief Operating Officer of Chi-X Australia, commented, "David Trude brings invaluable market experience gathered over decades spent as a senior figure in the Australian equities trading environment, including significant leadership roles with broking firms, industry bodies and in regulatory affairs," he said.
"His deep knowledge and understanding of the Australian market complements our innovative and progressive market platform, as Chi-X focuses on establishing itself as an integral part of Australian capital markets and the financial services and investment industry," Mr Fowler added.
Commenting on his appointment, David Trude said that the Australian financial services sector is poised to benefit from competition amongst trading platforms.
"Preparations for the entry of Chi-X have been very thorough to date and have encompassed the broking industry, suppliers, regulators and investors, both established and new," Mr Trude said. "As Chi-X gets close to commencing operations and preparations intensify, I look forward to working with the Chi-X team and trading participants during this exciting time," he added.
David Trude's three decades in the stockbroking industry includes his tenure as CEO of Credit Suisse in Australia for a decade and service as a Board Member of the Stockbrokers Association of Australia. He remains a Consultant to Credit Suisse, is Chairman of broker E.L & C. Baillieu and a Panel Member of the ASX Disciplinary Tribunal.


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It was his first journey from Tórshavn all the way north to the village of Kvívik and he cries bitterly. Nor can he stand going to Copenhagen to visit his grandmother. Why? Because his own homely world has everything he desires.
Later, he sets out into the big wide world, first to South America and then to study architecture in Copenhagen before trekking from one European city to another, curious, observant, taking in new experiences.
The globetrotting poet is a master at retracing his journey. But wherever the journey takes him, the Faroes never disappear beyond his mind's horizon. And that quiet smile Gunnar brings to all his writings permeates these travel memoirs as well.


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Order Baltimore Catechism worksheets using your favorite fonts, colors, and SIZES.
What is Lent? Each year, Lent is the time we commemorate the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ with prayers, fasting, and alms giving. The Lent definition by the book is defined by the number of days and the penitential observances the Church requires, yet there's not an actual dictionary definition of Lent that has stayed the same throughout all these years.
Time wise the season of Lent is the annual 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday when Catholics fast and abstain from meat, pray, give alms, and sacrifice various pleasures for the love of God.
Lent is the most profitable time to offer prayers, sacrifices and alms in reparation for the sins in our lives because we join the whole Catholic Church in her wise advice to pray, to do penance, and to gain more graces.
Children love Lent! Be sure to let them know what the adults are doing. They so often want to do the same sacrifices. It's like rising to a challenge, and they really rise to the idea of helping Jesus.
Eating meat for Lent traditionally meant that Catholics only ate meat once a day with no meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent, especially Good Friday. At the time of this writing and traditionally, it is a mortal sin to eat meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Children can do much of this, yet do check what your diocese asks. The specifics depend on your local bishop since there are local matters of circumstance. For instance some bishops allow Catholics to eat meat on St. Patrick's Day when it falls on a Friday in Lent. Contact the Chancellor's office in your diocese for the rules in your local Ordo.
Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday. Many Catholics actually prepare for Lent with a celebration. In areas of French influence this is called Mardi Gras as in Louisiana.
In this way, our family starts the day before Ash Wednesday. We don't make too, too many festivities on that day since it is hard to eat up leftovers during the rest of the week, but we do like to mark the day. If we do celebrate, we usually have ice cream or something like M&Ms or Skittles for the little ones, so that we can store leftovers till Sunday. Also, we make a point of not having too much so that it is not a sudden dearth to no treats during Lent.
We also try to have dark clothes ready for Ash Wednesday's Mass the next day. Another time we try to have dark or black clothes is for the Good Friday liturgy when we try to prepare ourselves as for a solemn funeral, as it commemorates the Burial of Jesus.
What is Ash Wednesday? The Roman Catholic Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. It represents the forty days that Our Lord Jesus Christ spent in the desert preparing Himself for His public life.
Forty days before Easter Sunday (minus the Sundays in Lent), Catholics remember the meaning of Ash Wednesday by reading the Epistle and the Gospel for the day that tell the story of Man's fall and Original Sin, and God's word to "Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return." (Genesis Chapter 1)
Lent includes Ash Wednesday, Passion Week, Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. The easiest answer for children to understand is that Lent ends on Easter Day. Otherwise they may want to celebrate early on Holy Saturday. Our calendar hawk sure did.
All the weeks leading up to Easter remind us about the prophecies made about Jesus in the Old Testament and His public life in the New Testament. We read the foretelling of His coming, Death, and Resurrection and then we read of His historical Death and Resurrection. What is Lent without sorrow for our sins, prayers and sacrifices?
His Death was the promised Redemption, the promise given to Adam and Eve at the time of their Fall, or Original Sin. Through Adam death entered the world and by Jesus Christ death is vanquished! The better we prepare through Lent fasting and praying, the better we will rejoice on Easter Sunday morning when Jesus rose from the dead!
Most people use this as a time for more prayer and serious spiritual reading like The Mystical City Of God.
Lent usually seems like a long time, but it's only from Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday. This makes Lent 40 days as we do not fast, or keep Lent, on Sundays. Sundays during Lent are mini feasts and everyone knows that you can't fast on a feast.
What is Lent but the best time to pray the Stations of the Cross? Having a booklet to read is a handy way "visit" all 14 Stations of the Cross even in your own home.
There are fourteen Stations in the traditional Stations of the Cross. During the Year of the Priest, as asked by Pope Benedict XVI, it was a good idea to say extra Rosaries for our priests and the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It's a good idea even now. :-)
Even the new Racolta still gives a plenary indulgence for praying the Stations under the usual conditions! See our printable Stations booklet here.
Also, the Sorrowful Mysteries are an excellent Rosary Meditation for the season of Lent when one doesn't have the Stations to read. These five mysteries briefly cover Holy Thursday and Good Friday.
Lent activities for children can answer the question, "What is Lent?" in a way that gives them generous ideas to show their love for Jesus. Show them the pictures of the Way of the Cross and tell them the general story of Holy Week. It is a great idea to use a booklet like a photo album for the littlest children who wonder - what is Lent?
Give the children ideas for making sacrifices or saying extra prayers. We have used what a dear friend taught us to do with a Crown of Thorns made of very salty dough and toothpicks that the children can remove when they do a sacrifice for Our Lord. On Ash Wednesday braid the dough to make the "Crown".
Then as the dough is drying, insert many, many toothpicks, especially if you have many children. It is similar to the straws in the Crib for Baby Jesus during Advent. We were happy to have had to reload several times since the children's enthusiasm caused them to make many sacrifices, yet the children were sad to add thorns, too. Watch out! Those toothpicks can be oweee! One time they got stuck so hard that we had to use vise grips to get some of them out. See how to make this on our Catholic Lent activities page.
Other Lent activities for children are to make a "calendar" path of blocks or a grid of calendar squares 7x7, to cover the weeks of Lent, on a large piece of paper or poster board with Lenten symbols. Then we made a legend or list of:
Each child had his or her own different colored pen to make the marks. This worked wonderfully well since they saw the times that they were slacking and worked harder on the other days.
We outlined Laetare Sunday in pink and decorated days like Ash Wednesday, St. Patrick's Day, St. Joseph's Feast, St. Benedict... Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter with
This was the best project we have done for Lent since the children saw the fruits of their efforts in a more varied way with the different sacrifices, prayers and acts of Charity.
We have loads of Lenten printables for children:
Thank you for visiting our Lent definition page.
Use printables in your Roman Catholic catechism class, Faith formation, or Sunday school lesson.
~Mary Fifer
St. Anne's Helper Home › Catholic Calendar › What Is Lent?


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We respectfully acknowledge the assistance, support and cooperation of the following advisors, without whom this book could not have been produced: Dayi Shi, Chuanbai Shi, Amado Li, Cherry Li, Hoi Sang Yu, Wei Tan, Tsai Ping Chiang, Vera Man, Kara Chan, and Way Zen. They are all to be thanked for editing and clarifying the text, sharpening the translation and preparing the manuscript for publication. Special thanks are extended to Professor John Chen for his extraordinary scholarly contribution to and input towards the first draft. Also, special thanks are extended to Tony Aromando and Ling Wang for the formatting and graphic design of the book (and the Y.M.B.A. Web Page). Their devotion to and concentration on the completion of this project, on a voluntary basis, are highly appreciated.
Preface One
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When four assemblies jointly invited the great master of Chan Sham to expound The Heart Sutra at the Buddhist Library of China, he made an all-out effort, although his lecture series was to last nine grueling days and even though he was already eighty-four years old. He enjoyed teaching Buddhadharma, and those who came to listen were delighted. During those nine days, there was standing room only every time he lectured, a clear sign of the greatness of that Dharma assembly in this five-kasaya period of turbidity. The old master explained the Sutra directly, eluding conventional restrictions. Although he used the traditional divisions of the Buddha's teaching into classes, on many occasions he dealt broadly with the general idea. Initially, his aim was to explain The Heart Sutra, but he commented, likewise, on The Lotus Sutra; and while discussing The Doctrine, broached the topic of the world situation as well. And why? Because all dharmas are Buddhadharma, and all sutras are one sutra.
Buddhadharma is never separated from the world. All phenomena are Buddhadharma, and whoever understands completely does not have a single mote of dust settle on him or her. All one's words and thoughts are thereby freed from obstacles. Each of one's statements, whether harsh or delicate, is always exact and to the point. Sentient beings receptive to the Dharma will have their Wisdom Eye opened upon hearing this teaching, but those with distorted vision are bound to be bewildered and, most likely, will miss the whole point. Some individuals excel in the knowledge of every rule and every convention, and their words flood forth without surcease. They may have acquired mastery over the divisions and classifications of the Buddha's teaching; but not understanding its meaning, they cannot avoid getting entangled. Playing with words and turning them about, they are bewitched; and even though their speech is systematic and orderly, they fail to understand the ultimate and lose sight of the truth. According to one of the early Buddhist sages, the entire universe is one sutra of a sramana; and, also, the entire universe is the eye of a sramana. Although an enlightened person might spend a lot of time reading a sutra, he or she will not carry it around in his or her mind. One might say one is reading sutras not with one's eyes but with one's wisdom, and, though reading all day long, there are really no sutras to read.
My great old teacher explained The Heart Sutra by highlighting its salient points in a prologue. According to his explanation, all is really Buddhadharma, and every single form and each tiny bit of color is the Middle Way. Speaking naturally and freely, he received support from all sides, precisely because all is Buddhadharma. The great old teacher expounded The Heart Sutra every day for nine days, yet The Heart Sutra itself was never mentioned. This is truly the way to expound The Heart Sutra.
The master lectured in Mandarin, and Upasaka Wang K'ai translated into Cantonese, making the Cantonese people very happy. Because of these lectures many of them now understand The Heart Sutra. Those who knew both dialects praised him for the integrity of his translation. Having read his notes he made while translating, I concluded, in my turn, that Upasaka Wang K'ai made every effort to retain the original meaning. Every sentence and every word is exactly as it was used by the great old master. Only the dialect is different. The translator's descriptions convey even the sounds and the nuances to such a degree that reading them is equal to hearing them spoken. Upasaka Wang stood outside the adamantine door and eventually made a breakthrough, using his superior knowledge and skills the way one would use an ax to break down any ordinary door. People entered and discovered what The Heart Sutra holds. I believe he understands what his treasury is and what his virtues are. Wouldn't you agree?Disciple Nien AnPreface Two
The year of Wu Hsu,
June 1958
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The Buddhadharma is profound and wonderful, but to expound the unfathomable doctrine in all its depth is far from easy. Some people devote most of their energy and thought to the Dharma by teaching or explaining the sutras; however, in their deducing and in their searching for terms and supportive quotations, they have not yet reached the level of the Buddha's mind. The one who has not climbed Mount Tai (Tai Shan) can only say, "How majestic!" Someone who has not seen the Yellow River but who yet describes how great, how vast it is, is not speaking from his own experience. If one's view regarding the Dharma is based on speculation, one's understanding will not be clear; one is not then going to be in a position to explain the Dharma successfully to others. When the teacher lacks understanding of the Dharma, it is hard on the students. They must study too hard to make up for the incomplete guidance. They might even become discouraged and give up, fearing failure, and that would be such a pity! When the great master expounded The Heart Sutra in the Buddhist Library of China, I translated his lectures from Mandarin into Cantonese. I had taken refuge in the Three Jewels from my master many years before that, and Le Kuo, another master, had taught me Buddhadharma. Obliging and kind, he did not abandon me even though I was foolish. He guided me patiently to the right path. Bound by my fixed karma, I am constantly in a hurry and do not devote enough time to the Tathagata's teachings. It is difficult to reduce my ignorance and change my habits, and my mind is as dull as it was before I started aspiring to Buddhadharma.
However, the Grand Master T'an Hsu's practice of the Tao of Bodhi is most serious. He thoroughly comprehends the unsurpassed Dharma in all its implications, and his Tao is of the highest integrity. His great reputation has long been established. My goal while learning Buddhadharma was to work with an all-out effort, to follow faithfully, and to be authorized to translate. I feel, nevertheless, uneasy about my own limited knowledge. Prior to his systematic explanation of the Sutra, the master presented in everyday language and with perfect freedom of expression the results of his thorough and exhaustive study, bringing into play all the subtlety of the wondrous and profound Dharma. It seemed as easy as if he had peeled a plantain or stripped a cocoon, using many carefully chosen examples along the way to make his discourse more relevant in terms of daily life. The audience was very impressed and deeply moved. If the Grand Master had not already climbed Mount Tai and had not already seen the Yellow River with his own eyes, how could he have expressed himself so lucidly, so consistently?
During those nine days of his lectures, the entire Dharma assembly experienced a deep sense of well-being, and at the conclusion of the series they all agreed to take up a collection for the publication of the master's discourses, which themselves are to be used as an offering to all mankind and to provide a good condition for the Dharma's condition in the future. With this in mind, I have accepted the responsibility for arranging and organizing my notes on the master's discourses. Other commentaries I have read are brief and to the point, but that approach does not suit all readers. Consequently, I chose not to edit my record of these lectures but handed them over as complete and integral to the Grand Master's teaching. I did not avoid or dodge any of the problems; I just presented the record in a straightforward manner. Also, because people have difficulty sometimes with literary language, I did not take the liberty to emphasize, exaggerate or add anything for fear of losing the meaning and the expressions characteristic of the Grand Master's discourse. May I be forgiven for my awkward presentation.
Wang K'ai, Disciple of the Three JewelsTranslator's Introduction
The year of Wu Hsu, April 1958,
Hong Kong
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Wonderful Prajna! Mother of all Buddhas and the supreme guide and teacher of sages and saints! All that is comes from Prajna and returns to Prajna. Sentient beings experience birth and death on the Wheel of Life-and-Death, their minds deeply affected by ignorance, bent by the five skandhas, and confused and submerged in the ocean of suffering for long kalpas. How regrettable! Prajna is said to be the light in the darkness of a very long night. On the ebb and flow of the ocean of suffering, Prajna is a raft. To a house consumed by a blazing fire, Prajna is the rain. Without Prajna the universe is darkness, without Prajna the human mind is ignorant, without Prajna sentient beings suffer without respite. Cultivation of the Prajna Paramita, the perfected virtue of knowing truth by intuitive insight, relieves us from our suffering and helps us to overcome all kinds of calamities. All Buddhas of the past, present and future attain Prajna, and the sages and saints have cultivated Prajna. Therefore, all of us need to cultivate the practice of Prajna.
The wonderful doctrine of Prajna is true and, therefore, real; it is perfect in all places and at all times, and yet it is inconceivable. If one can understand that voidness is not void since radiant existence exists within its mystery, then, at that moment, all is perceived as void. Sages and saints become accomplished by means of Prajna, the ultimate ground all sentient beings share. The uninformed majority fails to understand that all that exists is produced by causes and conditions and that the self is a false self without any selfhood. Most grasp form and mistake it for True Existence, enduring immeasurable suffering on the Wheel of Life-and-Death. The practice of truth, or the reality of Prajna, excepted, there is no release from suffering in the Three Realms, no hope of freedom from worldly worries.
It says in The Mahaprajna Paramita Sutra, "All forms are unreal and illusory, and if they are seen as such, the Tathagata will be perceived" because, originally, the true Void is formless. The Sutra says further, "The one who sees me by form and seeks me by sound cannot perceive the Tathagata because of deluded views." This is to be understood as saying that the one who perceives the form (or body) and the sound (or voice) as the Buddha is grasping merely the form. Missing the true meaning of reality, he or she is unable to perceive that all dharmas are voidness. The Sutra says further, "A Bodhisattva that still clings to the false notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life is not a Bodhisattva." Bodhisattvas, like the Buddhas, establish themselves in Emptiness, apprehending their ego, personality, being, and life as false views rooted in duality. "The one who hears this pure teaching with a clear and faithful mind can attain the really real, the reality that is formless; those freed from all forms are called Buddhas," the Sutra continues.
The Prajna Paramita Hrdaya Sutra is the core of The Mahaprajna Paramita Sutra in six hundred scrolls. Its teaching is the teaching of supramundane Voidness as the only true existence, the true Void being mysteriously concealed in the existing. Therefore, one might say the substance of this sutra is the Voidness of all dharmas; and non-obtaining is the purpose. There is nothing to be obtained from the manifestation of dharmas, all dharmas being void, or empty. Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, coursing deeply in the Prajna Paramita, comprehended the substance of the reality of Prajna: All dharmas, as well as all five skandhas are empty of self, and completely free of thought. For this reason the Bodhisattva received the name Guan Zi Zai Pu Sa.
As the substance of all dharmas, Voidness confirms the true reality of form as non-form. The one who understands that Buddha and sentient beings are not different can liberate all sentient beings from disease and calamity, end the cycle of birth and death, and attain perfect, complete Enlightenment and Nirvana.
The aggregate of form (rupa skandha) stands for all matter that is produced by causes and conditions, with no permanent substance and no separate, lasting self. The remaining four skandhas are as follows: feeling, conception, volition, and consciousness. They all belong to the dharma of mind, which is, likewise, void. But mind cannot find expression without form, and form cannot manifest itself without mind. Without form, mind cannot be expressed; without mind, form cannot be made manifest. In other words, apart from form there is no mind, and apart from mind there is no form. Although they are inseparable, they are not the same, as stated in the Sutra: "Form is Voidness, and Voidness is form." Being neither form nor mind, all dharmas are void here and now; this is the wonderful Dharma of Reality and Suchness, transcending all others.
The uninformed view the perceptible world with all its beings and non-beings as real or true. Some of them know that it is an illusion produced by the interaction of matter and mentality, that it is deceptive and impermanent, and that it must return to the Void. That interpretation of voidness has not been especially created by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in order to emphasize that all dharmas are rooted in emptiness, because all existence is originally devoid of selfhood and, therefore, empty. It is what they truly have been practicing for countless kalpas. All those who attain Enlightenment attain understanding of the true substance of reality. They perceive that the five skandhas are empty and, thereby, overcome all ills and suffering.
Ultimately, mind and form are not different. Likewise, the rest of the existing world has neither birth nor death, is neither pure nor impure, and it neither increases nor decreases because it is originally void (of selfhood). If one perceives birth as coming and death as going, or if one claims that clean is pure and dirty is defiled, holds full to be an increase and less a decrease, then one is not yet empty of skandhas. These views represent obstacles which bind. Not being able to liberate oneself, how can one hope to liberate others? When one has finally reached the understanding that all existence is produced by causes and conditions and is, therefore, empty of permanent self, then all reality equals stillness and the absence of diversified form. Then birth and death, pure and impure, increase and decrease—all are void. Without defiled thought arising, suffering and calamity vanish. The entire range of artificial or contrived forms is the result of the six organs, six kinds of data and six kinds of consciousness. Reality, in truth, does not comprise any realm. When the five skandhas are empty, there is no diversity of form. Without ignorance there is no ending of ignorance, and it is the same for old age and death.
Supreme Prajna is stillness without form. When one is neither the resultant person nor the dependent condition, one's suffering ends. When delusory thoughts and views are severed, it is the end of the cause of suffering. However, to relinquish the doctrine of unreality is to block the cessation of suffering. Without the three studies there is no path. If there is no subject of wisdom, it is called Non-wisdom. Without the object and its domain there is absolutely nothing to obtain. True mind is not empty, yet it is Emptiness. Although Bodhi is considered to be an attainment, there is really nothing to attain. To perceive the ground of all Buddhas is Suchness. There are adornments everywhere, and ten-thousand merits manifest themselves. When Dharmakaya becomes manifest, there is only true Emptiness. Mind established in true Emptiness completely encompasses the universe. There should be no seeking—no inside and no outside. The universe is not attainable in that way. As long as there is something to attain, there are obstacles; thought arises and there is then an object. To have an object means duality, which means the loss of true reality, which cannot be called the Prajna Paramita.
The Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara practiced wonderful Wisdom and attained Enlightenment completely free of attachment. He entered emptiness, unobstructed, through the gate of liberation. Since there is nothing but Emptiness, (including the body, mind and all that exists), a Bodhisattva is never moved by eulogy or ridicule, slander or fame. Even war, famine or the bubonic plague are dismissed by him or her as illusions taking hold through karma. Letting go of all that seemingly exists on its own, independently of the mind, sets forth brightness; and the one experiencing it will not be intimidated. The Bodhisattva then enters the kind of liberation that is Nirvana. Similarly, the one who has been practicing over a long period of time achieves wonderful calmness, which empowers him or her when faced with disturbance. Water cannot submerge such a one, nor can fire burn. Having attained liberation, the Bodhisattva is fearless. Seeking Dharma outside, in what exists apparently independently of the mind, is proceeding backward, perpetuating a misunderstanding of what is good and evil, dreaming of gain, and holding the cycle of birth and death to be the opposite of Nirvana. It is essential to let go of distinctions such as dreaming versus thinking, right side up, etc., if one wants to enter the gate of liberation through non-action. Only when the name or form is dispatched and there is no mind object, can the original Enlightenment become manifest and Nirvana, the perfect liberation in the Dharmadhatu, be obtained.
All the Buddhas in the three periods depend on the Prajna Paramita for the attainment of Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi. Due to their superb causes, they attain the fruit of sainthood. Thus, we know that the Prajna Paramita can dispose of all kinds of demons. Independent of personality and Dharma, free at all times and in all places, the Buddhas manifest or remain concealed depending on their potential. The Great Mantra is beyond the comprehension of the saints and the worldly alike. Endowed with a power to sever ignorance, it radiates brilliance and stillness. This great, bright Mantra emanates unadulterated Wisdom, and its power to transcend the Three Realms and attain supreme Nirvana is beyond comparison. Illuminating throughout the ten directions, it shines, like the sun, everywhere without discrimination. Such is the unequaled Mantra.
The one who can receive and hold this Sutra and Mantra will liberate all sentient beings from obstacles, release them from suffering and attain Complete Enlightenment. This is true and it is real! Therefore, the Prajna Paramita Mantra says, "Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha." The great master T'an Hsu commented, "The Mantra belongs to the esoteric tradition and, accordingly, belongs to the five kinds of texts deemed primal, untranslatable, and inconceivable; when they are translated and explained, they will become conceivable Dharma, and their original meaning and merit will be lost." In short, the primary purpose of the Prajna Paramita Mantra is to liberate self and others, traverse the sea of suffering and, attaining Complete Enlightenment, reach the serenity and joy that is Nirvana.
Dharma Master Lok To
Young Men's Buddhist Association of America
November, 2000 (Buddhist Year: 2544)
Bronx, New York
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