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A veteran prayer warrior explains what it will take to bring down the demonic forces gripping our nation.
For more than 30 years I've traveled the world equipping believers to combat the forces of darkness through prayer and intercession. I've led prayer missions behind the former Iron Curtain and watched strategic prayer play a role in dismantling Communist regimes. I've been part of tearing down demonic forces in Tibet, Uzbekistan and countless other places that would qualify as the spiritually darkest areas in the world.
Yet when I was approached about writing this article and identifying America's greatest spiritual strongholds, I realized how easy it can be for prayer leaders who minister globally to talk about the often overt spiritual forces ruling other nations—and yet forget to name the enemy's strongholds established in our own nation.
I'm a natural optimist who sees most situations from a glass-half-full perspective. So I prefer to celebrate how the Holy Spirit is currently moving among His people here in the United States. But even the most positive thinkers like me must come to grips with our country's current woes.
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Despite the increased emphasis American society has placed on raising children, only 63 percent of them grow up with both their biological parents—the lowest figure in the Western world. The latest statistics show that 1.2 million abortions are performed each year in our nation (and that's only those that are legal and reported), while approximately half of all marriages here end in divorce.
In a country birthed in gratitude for God's mercy and founded upon His Word, teachers are now arrested and students suspended for praying in schools. Politicians are mocked and rebuked for uttering Jesus' name in public, and our current president has already declared that America is no longer a Christian nation. Our biggest newspapers, magazines, television networks and online media outlets simply further this by spewing vitriolic "editorials" announcing the death of Christianity, evangelicalism, the church and God Himself. Meanwhile, pornography has become a cultural norm for entertainment; the sex industry makes more than $13 billion a year—more than all of the major sports leagues combined. And in the business world, we are no longer surprised when a Fortune 500 company goes belly-up from yet another Wall Street Ponzi scheme or leadership scandal.
Clearly, we need societal transformation. In every facet of America that I just mentioned—family, religion, government, business, education, media, and arts and entertainment—we've drifted farther and farther away from following God's standards. What has become increasingly obvious, however, is the extent to which ungodly spiritual forces are in command. As a result, we remain gripped by demonic strongholds that can only be dismantled through the greatest spiritual weapon God gave the church: prayer.
Identifying those strongholds—or at least getting believers to agree upon what they are—isn't the easiest thing. Prayer leaders across the nation can name territorial spirits specific to their city, county, state or even region. But when it comes to targeting national strongholds, it seems everyone has his own list. In addition, there's often confusion over what qualifies as an actual stronghold. Because we're tackling such a broad topic in the confines of a magazine article, I've honed in on what I believe are the two overarching strongholds in America: the religious spirit and the antichrist spirit.
The Religious Spirit
The religious spirit, which is a counterfeit of the Holy Spirit, is one of the main demonic strongholds operating in our nation. Rooted in pride, this ancient spirit is the church's greatest enemy opposing our calling to establish God's kingdom throughout what have been called the "seven mountains of society": family, religion, government, business, education, media, and arts and entertainment. The religious spirit is also the No. 1 opponent to lasting revival (both personally and corporately). It manifests through such forces as corruption, homosexuality, idolatry, abortion (child sacrifice), Mammon (lust for money), witchcraft and atheism.
In 2 Timothy 3:2-5, Paul spells out what the religious spirit looks like in the flesh: "People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them" (NIV).
The religious spirit has a form of truth yet lacks the fullness of truth. It operates under the guise of Holy Spirit power yet has no intimacy with the Father to produce such power. It is a spiritual vacuum that, due to the subtle ways it manifests, can distract believers from their true destiny and calling for months, years, even lifetimes. As I heard Chuck Pierce say at a recent conference, "Religious spirits are sent to seduce you and cause you to wander in the wilderness." Tragically, that is where countless believers have remained under the influence of this spiritually poisonous power.
(To learn more about the religious spirit, including how to identify if it's operating in your life, I urge you to read my book, Conquering the Religious Spirit.)
The Antichrist Spirit
While the religious spirit may be Satan's deadliest tactic in his arsenal, it's also one of his subtlest—which explains why it has had such a hold on the church throughout history. Yet far more overt is the other major stronghold in America: the antichrist spirit. Its very name reveals what it is—a force that stands against or in direct opposition to Christ, who He is and all He stands for. Sadly, it has become the ruling spirit in our nation as our leaders have continued to blatantly oppose God through their public speeches, rulings or political alignments.
What's shocking to most believers, however, is that much of the American church has succumbed to this same spirit. First John 4:1-3 says: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world" (NASB).
Sadly, we have so-called leaders in the American church at large that fail to confess Jesus but instead point to other means of salvation (e.g., "Send a check to our ministry and you can save yourself!"). By the same token, many church leaders fail to teach believers or help them know who we are in Christ.
Both of these errors play into the antichrist spirit's two major orders of attack. First, this spirit will always try to diminish who Jesus is, just as the Scripture above indicates. The antichrist spirit denies Jesus' deity; therefore, it will even use counterfeit healings, signs and wonders (as Scripture attests) to mimic God's power, yet it will always fail to exalt the deity of Jesus.
The second mandate the antichrist spirit follows is to attack who we are. The enemy wants to keep us blinded to the reality of who we are in Christ. He uses the antichrist spirit to try to diminish our role as priestly overcomers. But the truth is that Christ—the hope of glory—lives in us. Scripture says we will reign with Christ (2 Tim. 2:12)! God's mandate has always been for us to rule on earth with Christ. The antichrist spirit will fight against this because, as Jesus said in John 14:14, we were destined to do even "greater works" than He performed while on earth.
Enemy Tactics
God doesn't want America—or any nation, for that matter—to be held captive by the enemy's strongholds. His desire is to see the earth become a reflection of His heavenly kingdom. So that we might overcome the forces of darkness that currently rule this world, He has equipped His children with a heavenly weapon strong enough to demolish any stronghold—including the religious and antichrist spirits (see 2 Cor. 10:4). But if prayer is truly the most potent weapon, why have we not launched an all-out assault on the demonic realm over America?
Simply put, it's because we have succumbed to Satan's tactics. He has many, yet one of his most successful is distorting lines of communication within the church.
Intercession is pure communication—with God and with the forces of darkness. It's all about declaring to the enemy what God has already communicated to us, reminding him of his defeat and standing in the gap announcing victory. Satan is fully aware of how vital communication is to our victory and his imminent defeat. Because of this, he'll do all he can to stir up confusion through miscommunication, which then leads to division. How often has a group of believers—a church, a network of churches or entire denominations—split because they've majored on the minors when it comes to scriptural interpretation, theology and eschatology? The more our enemy can wreak havoc among us with such "miscommunication," the less unified we are.
Satan also uses the tools of apathy and resignation to keep us from dismantling strongholds held by the religious and antichrist spirits. Once the enemy has us in a place where don't care about anything or anyone, we lose all sense of ownership. And from Satan's standpoint, what better tactic is there to keep Christians apathetic regarding whether abortion laws are enacted, whether schools incorporate Muslim history into curriculum or whether the entertainment world continues to sink further into vulgarity?
Much of the church has been content to watch evil dominate certain cultural mountains while we hunker down on our own religious mountain. Yet when we no longer care about taking back our own communities or cities, we've missed the kingdom perspective of the gospel.
Walking hand-in-hand with such apathy is the notion that it's not our responsibility as believers to save the world. This mentality resigns to believing that the earth is ultimately on a downward spiral none of us can stop, so there's no point in trying to do so. I've heard countless people—Spirit-filled Christians, mind you—admit that with today's world "going to hell in a handbasket," there is nothing they can personally do to change things.
The truth is, we can make a difference. In fact, we not only must, we will make a difference. And that will come when the American church learns how to invade, dismantle and establish dominion over these strongholds in our nation.
Invade to Conquer
I always thought I understood the meaning of the word invade. After all, my father flew an anti-submarine warfare aircraft in the U.S. Navy. My husband served 28 years in the Air Force, including flying fighter aircrafts in the Vietnam War. I had heard the term used often since I was a little child. Yet it wasn't until a few years ago when I discovered the full scope of this powerful six-letter word. Invade has at least eight different meanings:
- To enter forcefully as an enemy.
- To go into with hostile intent.
- To enter as if to take possession.
- To enter and cause injury or destruction.
- To intrude upon.
- To encroach or infringe.
- To advance beyond established limits of property, domain or rights of another in order to possess.
- To make an invasion to take possession or overrun.
Each of those definitions is loaded with meaning, yet none suggests timidity or passivity. If we want to tear down a stronghold, we don't need to send the enemy an announcement, call first or knock at the door when we arrive. We have full permission—from God—to invade.
God has anointed each of us, and the anointing breaks the yoke (Is. 10:27). But when we invade enemy territory as intercessors to dismantle a stronghold, our anointing alone (ministry from position) will not get the job done. We need authority (ministry from alignment). And to have authority imparted to us, we must have relationship with the King of Glory. Jesus summoned His 12 disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out and heal every disease and sickness (Matt. 10:1-2).
Principalities and powers ultimately have no defense against governmental signs and wonders being released. The antichrist spirit vehemently resists them, because it knows they can bring down its rule over a region. When we move into this realm of apostolic signs and wonders, we don't just heal people; we free entire regions from satanic principalities and powers. In fact, signs and wonders on this level do things that our repenting and rebuking can't.
A Different Kind of Praying
We can't resort to an old mindset of prayer if we hope to do this, however. I know far too many intercessors who, after all is said and done, approach prayer as if it involves nothing more than continually asking God for things. They're stuck in a single mode of begging God for Him to move. I call these petition prayers, and although they have their place in the arsenal of every powerful prayer warrior, God is shifting us from petition prayers to apostolic-prophetic intercession. When we spend all our time petitioning God, asking Him for that which He's already granted us, we've missed the purpose of intercession.
Apostolic-prophetic intercession, on the other hand, begins with two premises. First, we have been given the authority by God to speak His words, not ours. At its core, a petition is a formal request that originates in us rather than God. It's time we reset our default method of prayer from petition that originates in us to proclamations and declarations that originate from the Lord and align us with Him.
The second major premise—one that prayer warriors often forget—is that we are already commissioned and sent by God. Paul uses the perfect illustration of this when he refers to us as ambassadors: "We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us" (2 Cor. 5:20). When an ambassador is sent to a foreign nation, he appears on behalf of his native country's ruler, is the extension of that ruler and is given the authority to speak on his behalf. The ambassador comes with inherent power not because of anything he has done personally, but purely because he serves as the incarnate expression (i.e., the mouthpiece, hands and feet) of the one who sent him.
This is our role as apostolic-prophetic intercessors. Jesus came as God incarnate, yet through Christ, we have been adopted as sons of God and joint heirs in His kingdom (Gal. 3:26-29). Since this is a foundational truth of our faith, we must stop praying as paupers and start interceding as ambassadors of the one true God. We have been given the authority: Jesus has commissioned us (Matt. 28:16-20) and empowered us with His Holy Spirit (Acts 2). We already know what to say because He has given us His message via the Word.
The End of the Fight
Let me set the record straight if there is any doubt: Jesus has won. He is the lone victor in the final battle and does not split the spoils with the enemy. The script has already been written: He wins; Satan loses. But until the American church wakes up and realizes we are the enforcers of that victory in the here and now, bringing the kingdom of God to earth, then we will remain oblivious to the battle that continues to wage over souls, cities, states and regions.
If Holy Spirit-filled Christians still can't see that we are currently in a war over this country's government, education, families, media, businesses, religion, and arts and entertainment, then I seriously wonder if they shouldn't be asking God for a hefty dose of discernment. We are at war! And having spent most of my life in and among military families, I know that when you are at war you better know your enemy and his strategies of attack.
The truth is, we do have the most potent weapon in the world that can change everything. But until we "wise up" on the various ways Satan distracts, removes and destroys those who wield this weapon—particularly those standing in key areas of the cultural gaps—we will continue to be an army with unlimited potential yet minimal effectiveness, simply because we fail to recognize our own God-appointed power.
(For further detail on everything mentioned in this article, I suggest reading my book Invading the Seven Mountains With Intercession.)
Tommi Femrite is an ordained minister and the founder of GateKeepers International and the Apostolic Intercessors Network. A respected teacher and speaker with 30-plus years of ministry experience,Tommi is recognized as a spiritual strategist. She lives in Colorado Springs, Colo., with her husband.
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Carlo Alcos is tired of not being comfortable in his own skin, and wants us all to not be ashamed of our body parts.
[Preface: I will not be apologetic for what I am about to write, regardless of how uncomfortable it may make you feel, particularly those who know me personally. This is not about you. This is about me and about anyone who feels the same way as me. I am doing this for two reasons. They are:
1. I am tired of not being comfortable in my own skin. Our culture has taught me that I need to be like this and be like that in order to be liked, loved, desired, respected.
2. I want everyone, men and women alike, to not feel ashamed about any part of their body. We all deserve that. I am willing to take a little heat, willing to make people uncomfortable, if this helps to achieve that.]
Originally posted on Confronting Love.
I have a new hero. His name is Lawrence Barraclough. You've probably never heard of him, but he has a very small penis. He's not my hero because he has a small penis. He's my hero because he accepts his body and because he's brave enough to come out and talk about it. You could say he has huge balls.
Recently, while laying in bed with my partner, I brought something up that I've never brought up with anyone else in my life. I explained to her the insecurities I've dealt with because of my own perceptions of my penis. The reason I felt I could do this is because she has been the only one who I've felt 100% comfortable being naked around. She makes it clear to me that she loves every inch of my body, which in turn makes me more accepting of it.
A few nights later we watched the documentary "My Penis and Everyone Else's" by Lawrence Barraclough (at the bottom of this post). She'd seen it before but thought it was important for me to watch it. It was. We spend a lot of time and energy keeping parts of our bodies hidden from the public. You'll see someone violently murdering or raping another person regularly on TV and in movies. You'll rarely see a penis. What message does this send? Why are we made to feel ashamed of what is completely, 100%, natural? How much of a variety of penises and vaginas have you seen in your life?
I'm not convinced that women know how insecure it makes men when all we hear is "size matters." What's not taken into account, though, is how two people fit together. This blanket statement is generally perceived to mean "the bigger the better."
Possibly the loudest voice to this notion is the pornography industry. Porn represents a massively skewed vision of what bodies are (and what many people believe they're "supposed to be"). For example, there's an idea of a "perfect" vagina; it's common for women of porn to have cosmetic surgery called labiaplasty to conform to this. And in no way do the men of porn represent the average male. That's exactly why they're picked (not to mention the surgical options available for penis enlargement).
So how is it that anyone can look at this industry to set the standard of what is beautiful? If you knew the true diversity of genitals out there, might you feel better about your own set, knowing that, as a human being, you're just normal? That you're unique, and this is the way it's supposed to be?
The media (surprise, surprise) perpetuates this as well by choosing to show clips of female characters comparing their boyfriends' genitals or ridiculing men who are less than well-endowed. The word is out there: Bigger is better. And it's all men hear. All. The. Time. This is then hammered home within our social circles, because everyone else is informed by mass media as well. It's a pretty vicious cycle.
I've lived with this insecurity my whole life, and I'm pretty fucking tired of it. On the one side, I've been insecure with women because I've been scared of what they would think when it came to business time. I've been insecure with men — showering at the gym, using a public urinal — because of the competitiveness factor. This insecurity is a hole that bores deep down into self-esteem, potentially affecting relationships and, in general, has been a barrier to loving myself for who and what I am.
I've never measured my penis. Truthfully, I've been too scared to do it. I've never wanted to know, scared to confirm that yes, indeed, I am short of average. I've come to partial peace with this due to the fact that, at 5'6", I'm also under average height. It's all relative, isn't it? But that's actually besides the point. It's just a story I've told myself to feel better. In reality, it doesn't even matter. We have what we are born with. Period.
This discussion needs to be had. As a culture we need to learn to celebrate what we've been given and not want anything else. Part of that is going to include changing what we see in the mainstream. Let's see vaginas and penises on the television and in movies. And not just "perfect" ones. All sorts of different ones, because each one is unique and unlike any other, and all are beautiful. As a part of nature, how can they not be?
Let's choose to feel better about our bodies. Let's learn to accept them for what they are. The root of the issue is in the mind, not in the physical body. If you had a beater of a car that barely chugged along, would you get a paint job to feel better about it? Or would you rather fix what's under the hood so that it ran reliably?
My Penis and Everyone Else's from Lawrence Barraclough on Vimeo.
Feature photo: Richard Carter

subset: commoncrawl


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Saving up 20 percent for a down payment may sound like it's a rule of thumb, but the reality is that most homebuyers are putting down much less than that and are still able to finance their dream home.
In fact, the average down payment, according to the National Association of Realtors, has been 6 percent for the last three years.
How's this possible?
There are actually several types of loans that allow homebuyers to qualify with a low down payment or no down payment at all.
How did 20% become the go-to down payment goal?
You'll often read or hear experts encourage homebuyers to put down 20 percent because it's the best way to avoid paying for mortgage insurance. Mortgage insurance can be between 0.5 and 1 percent of your total loan balance each month. It doesn't sound like much, but it can add thousands of dollars to your loan costs over time, especially when you consider most homebuyers opt for a 30-year mortgage.
What do you do if you don't have 20% lying around?
Here are several loan options for borrowers who don't have a large down payment.
FHA loan. FHA loans typically require a 3.5 percent down payment, but that can go up to 10 percent if you have a poor FICO Score (500-579). You'll have to pay upfront and annual mortgage insurance, regardless of how much you put down. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has a searchable database where you can find FHA-approved lenders in your area.
SoFi. SoFi is new to the mortgage lending space, but it's setting itself apart in a big way. It accepts borrowers with a 10 percent down payment, but they primarily target borrowers with higher FICO Scores — think 700+. On the bright side, they do not charge mortgage insurance. In fact, SoFi doesn't charge any loan origination, application or broker commission fees.
VA loan. If you're eligible for a VA loan, you're in luck. VA loans don't require any down payment from the borrower, they don't charge mortgage insurance AND they have no minimum credit score requirement. But (there's always a but!) VA loan holders will have to pay a funding fee, which can range from 1.25 to 2.4 percent of your loan amount.
HomeReady. Fannie Mae's HomeReady mortgage program requires a minimum 3 percent down payment and comes with mortgage insurance. But you can get rid of the mortgage insurance obligation once your loan-to-value ratio falls below 78 percent. You don't need stellar credit either — they accept borrowers with a FICO Score of 620 or greater. Because they're backed by Fannie Mae, HomeReady loans also allow borrowers to use other sources of funding for their down payment, like a gift from family or friends.
USDA loan. If you're set on living in a rural area, you may be eligible for a USDA mortgage loan. Generally, they classify any area with fewer than 10,000 to 20,000 residents as rural, but to be safe check out their property eligibility map. No down payment is required, and there's no ongoing mortgage insurance fee, but you do have to pay a 2 percent upfront fee. Typical credit score requirements are 620 to 640 minimum. Borrowers also can't have prior foreclosures, bankruptcies or major delinquencies in the past several years.
MagnifyMoney is a price comparison and financial education website, founded by former bankers who use their knowledge of how the system works to help you save money.


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Pilsner Urquell's recipe hasn't changed since 1842, when citizen brewers in the town of Pilsen, Czech Republic, frustrated at the quality of beer served in local inns, combined their knowledge and skills to brew a better-tasting beer.
They put their skills and ambition together to create the world's first golden beer, the original Pilsner lager, a beer that still sets and defines the standard for 70 per cent of the world's brewing output today.
And so it was that a team of colourful personalities from Toronto banded together for a suds-sloshed ride from Pilsen to Prague with Pilsner Urquell.
The hand-picked guest list would include a fashion blogger, beer writer, food photographer, travel journalist, sommelier and chef.
Team Pilsner arrived in Prague in the mid-afternoon, groggy after a red-eye via London's Heathrow. We were greeted by an autumnal Bohemia featuring cool breeze, ominous grey clouds and looming timber.
Hopping into a private van, we jostled and jolted along the highway bound for Pilsen. Moments after sitting in our chairs, we were offered ice cold cans of Pilsner Urquell by our cheery and chipper local guide.
Non-stop sips of the nation's most acclaimed brew would become a hallmark of the trip, also popping up during restaurant feasts, brewery tours, hazy beer halls and late night dance-tastic discos.
Pilsen (known as Plze to locals) is the Czech Republic's fourth-largest city. It's gritty suburbs sprawl across surrounding hills, while a lively student population ensures that local pubs provide plenty of opportunities to sample Pilsen's heritage as the original fountain of eternal golden froth.
We were given a warm welcome by Vaclav Berka and Pavel Prucha, Pilsner Urquell's brewmaster duo who acted as our Czech beer spirit guides for the duration of our stay.
A horse-drawn carriage ride had our teeth clattering as we jostled along cobblestone streets making stops at a dimly lit water tower, petite cooperage and jaw-dropping brewery.
We strolled through Urquell's state-of-the-art brewery featuring petite antique copper kettles before heading underground, where we marched through a complex system of tunnels hewn from the soft sandstone beneath which serves as storage cellars and ice cave so that the cool temperatures necessary for bottom fermented lagering are available year-round.
David Ort, author of The Canadian Craft Beer Cookbook, may just be Canada's most enthusiastic beer writer.
A malt-meets-hops nerd at heart, Ort was the one member of Team Pilsner who offered the most inquisitive commentary regarding the beer making process.
From yeast strains to ideal brewing temperature, cask aging to underground storage, Ort was the man in charge when it came to pursuing the details.
If a jaunt to Pilsen offers beer aficionados like Ort the perfect opportunity to indulge in an educational and froth-filled adventure, then a visit to the nation's capital would provide one of Canada's top chefs the perfect playground for crème-de-la-crème culinary experiences followed by the sloppy nighthawk bacchanal.
On the eve before our flight to Prague, chef Grant van Gameren of Bar Isabel celebrated a big win, taking top prize via enRoute Magazine's Best New Restaurant in 2013.
Van Gameren brought a celebratory streak to Prague's late night revelry and now sits on my list of "guys that I would fancy spending all night sitting at a bar with."
Canada's Charcuterie King is a charming chap with a penchant for perfection on the plate.
During our 24 hours in Prague we dined at two of the cities most acclaimed restaurants, Kampa Park and Le Degustation Boheme Bourgeoise, both of which offered up an opportunity for us to sip and nibble our way through the city's finest. Each of our meals were momentous marathons which required participants to regularly drop their napkins tableside and step outside for a smoke or curbside downward dog.
Van Gameren would prove that while fine dining in Prague is indeed delightful, the city is best explored after dusk when locals spill into the cities calamitous beer halls, portly pubs and roaring discotheques.
My memories of Prague Late Night are a bit blurry, of course, but one can expect to encounter smoke-filled spaces (yes, folks, in the Czech Republic locals still legally light up indoors, which totally feels like a time warp), where Pilsner Urquell, bottles of absinthe and shots of the local spirit Becherovka help blur night into day.


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By Eoin Blackwell, AAP Papua New Guinea Correspondent
PAPUA New Guinea's government will "defend to the hilt" a legal challenge being brought against the Australian-run detention centre on Manus Island.Lawyers acting on behalf of PNG Opposition Leader Belden Namah are seeking to have the Manus facility declared unconstitutional and will ask the court to temporarily stop asylum seeker transfers until it has made its final decision.
"We are informally aware of its existence and of the need for tomorrow's scheduled mention in court. Somebody will be attending as a friend of the court to find out what's going on," Mr Kua said.
"If we haven't been served, nothing can happen, it can't be heard and we want to be heard ... we will defend this to the hilt."
"The government's lawyers have acknowledged that," he said.
"They have filed a notice of an intention to defend."
There are 274 detainees at the temporary Manus facility - including more than 30 children - living in conditions that have been widely criticised as inhumane.
Mr Kua has argued the site is legal under the nation's immigration law, which grants power to the immigration minister to set up a processing facility.
Mr Henao says that's unconstitutional.
"The memorandum of understanding between Australia and PNG is unconstitutional on the basis that it allows the PNG government to bring in asylum seekers from a foreign country, and the minute they put their foot on PNG territory, they are arrested," he said.
"We're saying every person - whether you're a national, PNG citizen or a foreigner - when you come into the country you have your personal liberty guaranteed under the constitution.
"They were made to come in and then were arrested."
Mr Kua has in the past rejected the definition of the site as a detention centre.
"We are providing them with a place to live," he told AAP in January.
"It's not a detention centre, as people call it.
"There is no law in our country that authorises us to establish a detention centre. But under our migration act, the minister can set up a processing facility."
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees recently labelled the centre unlawful.
The agency released a damning report on February 4 slamming conditions at the facility - which mostly comprises tents - and called for the transfer of children there to be suspended.
It said the situation was at odds with Australia's international obligations, and children should not be transferred there until all appropriate legal and administrative safeguards were in place.
Australian Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who visited the site in late January, said children were witnessing self-harm and suicide attempts by adults.
The Australian government announced a deal with New Zealand on Saturday to send 150 refugees a year across the Tasman from centres such as Manus and the one on Nauru.
The court hearing is expected to start at 1030 (AEDT) on Tuesday before Justice David Canning in Port Moresby.


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Netbooks and other small form-factor computing devices are growing in popularity. These low-budget products are looking increasingly relevant in the current economy and are attracting consumers who are looking for better value and mobility. This trend offers a unique chance for the open source Linux platform—which is well-suited for netbooks and doesn't add any licensing costs—to gain some much-needed traction.
Vista is too demanding for netbook hardware, so Microsoft has chosen to extend the lifespan of Windows XP in order to stave off broader Linux use on low-end mobile hardware. This provides a window of opportunity for Linux to get a meaningful foothold in the market—an achievement that has perpetually eluded the free operating system—while Microsoft is prepping Windows 7, which is said to be more netbook-friendly than Vista.
The folks at Microsoft, however, contend that they have already won. In a triumphant blog entry posted earlier this month, Microsoft blogger Brandon LeBlanc asserts that Redmond has dominated the netbook space. Citing the latest NPD retail tracking reports, he says that Windows netbook marketshare has grown to 96 percent. He also suggests that high return rates for Linux netbooks are a sign that consumers overwhelmingly prefer Windows.
"Not only are people overwhelmingly buying Windows, but those that try Linux are often returning it. Both MSI—a leading netbook PC OEM—and Canonical—the vendor supporting the commercial distribution of Ubuntu Linux—stated publicly they saw Linux return rates 4 times higher than Windows," he wrote. "Why such a disparity? Because users simply expect the Windows experience. When they realize their Linux-based netbook PC doesn't deliver that same quality of experience, they get frustrated and take it back."
Although it sounds like Linux is out of the match, Microsoft's message doesn't entirely reflect reality. LeBlanc strategically omitted some relevant contextual information in his recitation of the NPD statistics. Specifically, the NPD study only counts sales from brick-and-mortar retail stores and doesn't include Internet purchases, which make up a very significant chunk of computer sales.
His statements about Canonical, the company behind the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution, are also misleading. It is unclear to me how he can cite Canonical in reference to MSI return rates, as MSI's Linux-based Wind netbooks ship with Novell's SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED), not with Canonical's Ubuntu Linux distribution.
Chris Kenyon, Canonical's OEM services head, took issue with this error. Kenyon wrote a response in the official Canonical blog. He says that LeBlanc's characterization of Linux as unpopular on netbooks is an "oversimplification" and he criticizes Microsoft for erroneously contending that Canonical has confirmed MSI's return rate statistics.
"Continually repeating that we 'confirmed' a 4x return over XP when we did nothing of the sort is really not worthy of a great company like Microsoft. If we are going to compete, let's do it on real facts and actual statements," he wrote. He says that roughly one third of Dell Mini 9 buyers opted for the Linux-based model instead of the one running Windows XP.
Last year, when we explored the reasons behind the high return rate of the SLED-powered MSI Wind, we talked with Nat Friedman, Novell's chief Linux technology officer, who said that he was not aware of the actual return rate. We discovered that much of the consumer dissatisfaction with the MSI netbooks was caused by configuration errors that are attributable to MSI.
The laptop maker shipped the machines without proper configuration for hardware features like the webcam and WiFi. Friedman suggested that technical problems of this nature are inevitable in what is arguably the first large-scale Linux rollout. Indeed, technical problems of this nature are not entirely isolated to MSI. I ran into a few problems—though nothing quite of that magnitude—with my Linux-based Dell Mini 9.
It seems that one major impediment for Linux adoption in the netbook market is that the OEMs haven't entirely figured out the platform yet. Linux on consumer-oriented devices is still relatively new to them, whereas they have seven years of experience dealing with Windows XP configuration challenges. This does give Microsoft an edge in the netbook market, albeit not quite one of the extent that LeBlanc wants people to believe. It's too early to count Linux out, but the platform will clearly face tough challenges if it continues to edge towards mainstream acceptance.
Major players like Intel are making large investments in order to boost Linux's viability on netbook devices. Intel's next-generation, Linux-based Moblin platform, for example, is designed to provide top-notch performance and hardware compatibility on Atom-based netbooks. A large number of Linux distributors are adopting Moblin and intend to use it as the basis of their netbook distros.
Initiatives like the Moblin project, which will make it easier for hardware vendors to deploy Linux on netbook devices, can help ensure that the open source operating system remains competitive in the netbook market.


text:
What's the difference between narrative & patterns?
Narrative ASSUMES an outcome by way of structure.
Patterns ALLOWS flexiblity by way of freeing oneself of any outcome.
This is the teaching Jesse credits most for his success. By freeing oneself from a desired outcome or structure, the player is liberated in identifying & strengthening the pattern. He can apply contrast or create pattern variety as needed to what would typically be called a "story."
However, to someone actively INSIDE the story ... There is no story. Only patterns & variations.
Jesse Spots is a former intern at The New Movement Theater, spanning four different theater locations.


text:
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text:
As usual, Diane Rogers (the editor), has done a fantastic job in putting the stories together plus all the news about the BC genealogical community.
It was interesting to read the essay that won the Most Improved Contest entitled, "Nock, Nock, and Nock Again" by Brenda Smith, as well as the two follow-up essays - "David James Gill Became A Home Child in Canada in 1871" by Judy Hassall, and "The Stanborough Family" by Brenda Perfitt Jensen.
There are three cementeries covered in this issue: the Veterans Cemetery, Esquimalt; the Rock Creek Cementery at Rock Creek; and Robinson Memorial Park Cementery in Coquitlam. The pictures of the cementeries are quite nice.
This issue also contains the 2009 Price List for their publications, as well as the schedule of things going on in the chapter.


text: alternativista 1243 Posted March 27, 2009 (edited) Links to some recently unpinned threads Add your story! ---------------------------- First: Don't Panic It's not as difficult as it looks. Everything is inter-related and the same basic diet and lifestyle habits are repeated over and over. Because they are good for everything and how humans should eat and live. So, take a deep breath... and read:Good things for Acne (For when you only have time for the answers, but with links to more info. And see also this thread for more details on the Ultimate Question on Acne, Diet, Health and Everything!, a collection of links to numerous of the most valuable discussion threads ever. Including the best of SweetJade, the fairy Godmother of this forum. Click on it!) Covering all these interrelated things: -Stable Blood Sugar/Insulin/good Glucose Metabolism (no link because it's below in this post) -Anti-Inflammatory diet and lifestyle -Hormone Balance -Healthy Liver Function -Healthy Adrenal Function -Good, Complete Digestion/Healthy Digestive Tract -Allergies and food intolerances -Reducing Hyperkeratinization/Hyperproliferation - Stage 1 in the formation of acne. -Good Sleep/Light exposure/Circadian cycle. -Nutrition -Hyper/Hypothyroid - lowers SHBG levels, increases inflammation -Stress -Immune system -Topical treatment - care from the outside. -Exercise - The right kind. Affects nearly everything, like blood sugar, sleep, stress, mood... -Body Fat - affects inflammation and hormone levels -Brain health, Stress, Mood, Willpower, Depression, etc Because your diet can't clear if you stress out over everything. -PCOS -Oily skin, fat metabolism and Sebum quality -Your Health - Numbers to know and monitor, home tests -Anti-Aging - because someone asked and the same diet and lifestyle habits help that too. All this may seem overwhelming, but it's really not. Notice how inter-related most of these things are and how the same nutrients and habits appear over and over because they help so many issues. Also, most things listed here are just plain good for you period. Things everyone should do regardless of acne. Good for whatever ails you. For anti-aging, disease prevention, wellness, happiness...What you want is a healthy lifestyle with natural circadian cycle, stress management, physical activity and a nutrient dense, anti-inflammatory blood sugar stabilizing diet habits that don't include anything you have an intolerance for. More on WHAT TO DO.If you just want to be told what to do, skip to here.Other great threads: -Food and Recipe thread index -Doctors and other experts admitting to the diet and acne connection thread Members who've cleared their skin via diet and lifestyle habits - -Why you should avoid/limit dairy, especially cow, especially unfermented, etc.-Improving fructose metabolism for those that break out from fruit -Diet and health tips and tidbits-Autogenic and Biofeedback for stress, anxiety, emotions-The Necessity And Benefits Of Sulfur-Epigenetics - what you do to yourself affects your genes-Farm subsidy and other bad things they do to our food-'Recent' Advances in Acne Pathogenesis Information-Patent request for an enzyme that works on a gene involved in acne-SHBG - Sex hormone binding globulin -ZAG enzyme which impacts normal formation and exfoliation, possibly inhibited by lectins in grains/seedsSpecial Posts:Clinical studies on the connection between diet and acne The truth about Calcium and healthy bones- for those afraid to avoid or limit dairyVitamin DCoconut OilOmega 3s and our supposed lack of ability to convert ALA from plants to EPA and DHAWill always be in progress. I'm working on it all the time adding good things and links to sources and more info. Refer back when you need reminders of all the factors. I know I need reminders. I'm sure there's plenty I've forgotten in these lists. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Good things for Blood Sugar/Insulin/Carb Metabolism Insulin is a master hormone that influences almost all other hormones. Elevated Insulin stimulates Androgen and IGF1 production, while simultaneously inhibiting production of the proteins that bind them--SHBG and IGFBP-3. Androgens stimulate oil production, IGF1 causes hyperkeratinization and hyperproliferation of skin cells. We become somewhat insulin resistant during puberty. It stimulates & helps utilize resources for growth. Elevated Insulin also causes inflammation which worsens acne and scarring. Inflammation is also aging and the root cause of degenerative diseases. Causes loss of elasticity in tissues. In addition, when cells become insulin resistant leaving sugar floating around in the bloodstream, it causes glycation which also reduces elasticity in tissues. Post filled with links to research about insulin resistance, puberty, role in acne, IGF-1, etc: Note: This is not about avoiding carbs or eating low carb!! It's not even about never consuming sugar or having a dessert. It's about habitually avoiding High Glycemic Load meals, drinks. And about the nutrients and habits that improve the body's ability to manage blood sugar and insulin response. Just know that every time you consume more sugar than your cells can take in at that time, damage will occur. Your body can counter damage. Just not at the rate that's become normal in this soda drinking, nutritionally void refined food consuming, chronically stressful, unsleeping, sedentary society we've become. Also, many hormones are involved in blood sugar regulation. Insulin sends blood sugar down and cortisol sends blood sugar up. And cortisol is a major culprit in metabolic syndrome. Part of the reason sleep, stress and physical activity are as big a players in the formation of diabetes and acne and related conditions. Basics:Glycemic Index - is a measure of the effects of a food on blood sugar levels.Glycemic Load - as above but takes into account the amount of food eaten. For example, a small piece of candy can have a lower GL than a bigger amount of a lower GI food. Simple chart of the GI and GL of some common processed and unprocessed foods. http://archderm.ama-...TABLEDOB10212T1Nutrition Data article on GI and GL and their own Fullness Factor indexInsulin Index- A measurement of blood insulin levels in response to various foods. Turns out that certain amino acids also stimulate excess insulin and so even low GI foods can be insulinemic. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dairy-insulin Dairy is insulinemic, being high in the most insulinemic amino acids: leucine, valine, lysine, and isoleucine. Discussion: http://www.acne.org/...ex-t259695.html and website http://www.mendosa.c...sulin_index.htm So, The Good Things for Blood Sugar/Insulin:Diet habits -Avoiding foods and drinks that spike blood sugar like sugars, refined grains, high GI foods not eaten in combination with low GI foods, - making a high GL meal. -Eating Fats, protein and fiber to lower the GI of a meal, doesn't mean diet needs to be high fat or high protein. And very high fiber might not be good for you either. -Avoiding over eating. High calorie meals can also be high GL meals even when composed of fat and protein. And because cell mitochondria are capable of processing only so much glucose so consuming more than your body can handle will result in excess glucose in the blood stream causing serious health problems. -Resistant Starches -Consuming vinegar before carb meals - acetic acid in vinegar blocks a digestive enzyme as well as improving stomach acid PH. Have a couple spoons of ACV in glass of water or have salad with vinaigrette prior to meal. -Intermittent fasting or calorie restriction - Skip a meal now and then. Or spend a day having minimal calories, now and then. -Eating foods high in the nutrients listed below.Anything that improves circulation, Blood pressure, cholesterol, so:-Exercise!!! - also increases insulin activity in order to provide energy for exercise, especially beneficial is short bursts of very intensive activity like interval training such as walking combined with sprinting, stairs, or hills. Or weight/resistance training. Any short bursts of intense exercise will help blood sugar, so take the stairs!! -Omega 3 EFAs - from fish, krill oil, flax seed, chia -The Omega 6 EFAs: G.L.A and linolenic acid -Anthocyanins - phytonutrients primarily in red and purple fruits and veg, strengthens capillaries. -Capsaicin - from chili peppers -GINKGO BILOBA - for circulation -Ginger - for Blood Pressure -Limiting salt - also for blood pressure -Potassium - blood pressure - balances sodium intake -B3/Niacin/Inositol/Niacinimide - helps improve just about all the bad things in your lipid profile as well as circulation & BP. But high doses can reduce insulin sensitivity and harm the liver. -Chamomile tea - studies show it both improves blood sugar and complications of diabetes as well as being calming to help with stress and sleep. -Curcumin - in the spice Tumeric, so have some curry with plenty of veggies! Or yellow mustard.Nutrients specifically involved with insulin signaling and glucose/fructose metabolism -Chromium - essential for insulin activity -Biotin - works with chromium? -Cinnamon -Fiber - slows metabolism of carbs. If you must cheat, such as to have a slice of birthday cake, you can take a supplement like psylium or Glucomannan -Alpha lipoic acid - Insulin signaler, helps insulin transport glucose into cells -Vanadian - same as above -Magnesium - part of carb metabolism, helps body use carbs for energy, may stimulate release of insulin. Study finding magnesium supplementation reducing insulin resistance. -Vitamin D - It's actually a hormone, not a vitamin. Helps maintain insulin levels. Also helps Blood Pressure, immune system... -Zinc - involved in insulin storage and release -CoEnzyme Q10 - carb metabolism -B3/Niacin/Inositol/Niacinimide - also involved in the activity of in enzymes that transport and break down fats, proteins, carbohydrates. Has been shown to improve blood sugar, androgen levels, hirsutism and acne in women with PCOS . But high doses can reduce insulin sensitivity and harm the liver. -See also d-chiro-inositol from buckwheat and d-pinitol from Carob -Taurine -Thread also has a lot of info on fructose malabsorption. -Melatonin -Sulforaphane- sulfur compound in Brassica veggies like broccoli, cabbage, watercress.... -Resveraterol - especially beneficial for insulin signaling in the brain. (yes the brain makes it's own insulin.)Other nutrients that have been shown via studies to play a role in lowering blood sugar/things people with insulin resistance/diabetes tend to be deficient (although we all tend to be deficient)/Things that supplementation has tended to lead to improve insulin resistance for whatever reason: -Vitamin E -NAC - shown to increase insulin sensitivity and lower androgen levels in women with PCOS. - Inositol part of the B vitamin group, comes in many forms d-chiro-inositol -abundant in buckwheat and Myo-inositol also high in seeds have both been studied and found beneficial to insulin sensitivity/carb metabolism and sufferers of hormone disorders such as PCOS. They have have insulin-sensitizing capabilities. Myo-inositol is integral to properly functioning insulin-receptors and has also been linked to the activation of serotonin. Myo-inositol is a component of the phytic acid found in seeds. -Salt -polysaccharides in Tea- and there's more in black tea than in green, white or oolong And lots of things that help deal with damage from and/or degree of poor glucose metabolism like C, B vitamins, E, zinc, CoEnzyme Q10. All kinds of antioxidants.Other habits/issues: -Sleep/Circadian Rhythm- You need bright light exposure in the daytime and darkness at night and regular sleep. Affects melatonin/seratonin, insulin sensitivity, carb metabolism/insulin sensitivity, hormone production and release, stress, digestion. Researchers have begun to believe sleep plays just as big a role in the development of diabetes as obesity and exercise. -A healthy liver - part of sugar metabolism, especially regarding fructose. -Healthy Adrenal function - for proper cortisol levels, which is involved in glucose metabolism. Adrenals also involved in hormone production. -Low body fat - visceral fat(around your middle) secretes hormones that impair insulin sensitivity. -Muscle mass improves insulin sensitivity. -No smoking - Smoking reduces insulin sensitivity. Also, some people may suffer from Fructose Malabsorption or even be fructose intolerant and may need to take steps to improve fructose malabsorption or avoid fructose. See also Good Things for Liver, Sleep/Circadian Rhythm - adequate bright light exposure in daytime affects carb metabolism. Fructose is best absorbed when in equal amounts of glucose. See this Chart of fruits and the amounts of each type of sugar to help you avoid those fruits with excess fructose. And There's evidence that Saturated fat lowers insulin sensitivity and low fat diets have been found to improve diabetes. And this was posted by a member here, but I don't yet have any additional source: Decreased SHBG is associated with the liver's conversion of excess blood glucose to triglycerides, which I think is why a low carb diet seems to work so well. (less carbs = less blood glucose) Also, see this list for reasons besides acne that you should try to keep blood sugar stable:146 reasons why sugar is destroying your health. Except that it's not just actual sugar, but refined carbs easily turned into sugar by your body, and any high glycemic or insulinemic meal. Edited August 8, 2014 by alternativista Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text:
Saturday, June 12, 2010
the new order
68 comments:
wow. this is a powerful poem. thought provoking and sad really. yes, the things we love, our life, for everyone it comes to this.ReplyDelete
I had to return to the original post to say this. I really love that line break between gatherer and of thoughts. it creates a surprise.ReplyDelete
"My fleshy nest is feathered in flotsam." Lovely and precise, like Mary Kate Danaher must be.ReplyDelete
And the speaker is in a forgotten casket...in a thrift store of dirt."
What power this poem imparts, from the coronation flask being given to Good will, or a reminder of a Good Will, to the casket of assorted secrets and stories. Treasures in every line.
A beautiful and poignant poem indeed. Your descriptive abilities amaze me, and they are true delight to read.ReplyDelete
Love the poem but are you really selling the Manor?!ReplyDelete
Fine line between a hoarder and a gatherer don't you think? I like my things around me but over the years the amount of things is less. More manageable.ReplyDelete
wow. that last stanza brings it home nicely...ReplyDelete
Alaine, no not yet, anyway! I'm writing about the new order that takes over after my death.ReplyDelete
Techno, I've known a few hoarders, and thank God, I am just a gatherer!ReplyDelete
Oh, I'm thick!ReplyDelete
Alaine, oh, no-no, not at all. I've been thinking about this subject ever since I watched the movie "Summer Hours" last week, about families and the leaving behind of a lovely era and gently moving into a new order. It's a bittersweet part of life that happens with the passing of every generation.ReplyDelete
And as it needs to be....lovely Willow, just lovely!ReplyDelete
Good will indeed- I like this.ReplyDelete
I am really taken with this poem..and struck by the last stanza..so final.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSat Jun 12, 09:19:00 PM
"a hunter, gather of thoughts"ReplyDelete
....love the line, amazing how an object can provoke images ...but then to wrap them up ...is sad, always sad to let go... bkm
I actually had to look up 'flotsam'. :) You truly are a magpie!ReplyDelete
Just love and completely connect with the last stanza! It's me. It's probably all of us. Terrific poem, Willow!ReplyDelete
Lakeviewer, Mary Kate Danaher is the character in "The Quiet Man" wonderfully played by Maureen O'Hara. "...since I was a little girl, I've dreamed of havin' my own things about me."ReplyDelete
Oh dear, I feel rather like that Magpie, but probably 'hoarder' as well. I too wonder what will become....ReplyDelete
I really do like your poetry Willow. I always read each piece at least 4 times.
Bisou, Cro.
Wow Willow---very thought provoking indeed. I, too, am like you. I have my favorite "things" all around. Things that I'm sure will be discarded once I am gone. Others will not view them the same way that I do, to be sure. I'm glad that you're not selling the Manor. There comes a time in our lives though, that we start contemplating it, don't we? B and I have been there and have decided to stay...for awhile yet. Until we can't walk up and down the stairs.ReplyDelete
As always, I'm amazed at your creativity - from the poem to the the new blog "do". Lovely.ReplyDelete
Ahh, a reference the 'The Quiet Man'. One of my all time favourites.ReplyDelete
Lovely poem, by-the-way.
- AnonymousSun Jun 13, 03:01:00 AM
Dear Willow, There are times, I believe, when it is saluatory to consider one's own mortality. You have done this in such a sensitive, moving, powerful and totally eloquent manner.ReplyDelete
This powerful piece reminds me of an experience I had recently Willow.ReplyDelete
I stumbled across a group of elderly lace-makers when I was searching for threads in a small shop I'd never ventured into before. These women met once a month in this little shop overflowing with tapestries, needles, yarns and buttons, working away with intricate small spindles and pinned patterns. Their work was exquisite. "I know darn well"said one of the ladies, after I'd expressed admiration of her work "that after I'm gone,most of what I've done will end up in Goodwill!".The other ladies all laughed and nodded in agreement. A very thought-provoking poem.
mutiny, without askingReplyDelete
This summed up the whole poem for me, of a new generation taking over, and the old being tossed away uncared for. Wonderful poem, willow.
Hello Willow,ReplyDelete
A lovely, powerful poem. I'm grateful
a) that you aren't selling the Manor and b) for your explanation to Alaine
because I am often too dense to see what lies beneath!
The last stanza is very good.
mary kate was quite the character, and stubborn. going through all your gatherings will be a daunting challenge!ReplyDelete
- Shari SundaySun Jun 13, 09:27:00 AM
I went back to read your poem several times. It is good to remember what becomes of us and our things in the end. Fortunately there are a few people like you who treasure old things and old stories so that a few survive. I am not familiar with Mary Kate or the Quite Man?? but when I think of beautiful things, I think of one of my favorite movies, "Out of Africa" and the last dance with Denis when all her things are packed to sell. I have only seen the movie, have alway meant to read the book.ReplyDelete
I spent all last evening looking through the Wikipedia section labeled "Actors who committed suicide". There are hundreds. Some were successful, but their personal demons got the best of them. Some wanted to be successful, and their failure to be so ended in despair that was too great to continue.
But each one was a life... and there are so many, many more lives that don't end that way, but continue on in silent misery.
It got me thinking about humanity as a whole - how little control we have, and how hard we struggle to attain it.
Your poem exactly captures that feeling of loss - how no matter what we do, what we love, what we gather in life, it all just becomes flotsam when we die.
I will admit to a momentary panic when I thought you were selling the manor.
Wow, Willow--this one really packs a one-two punch! Mortality is weighing heavily on me right now as my sweet stepfather transitions to a new order. I think what i find so powerful about this post is how you so subtly honor the next hunter who has the good fortune to unearth what was gathered by the narrator. Good will, good tidings.ReplyDelete
Willow, I had to read through the comments until I came to the one that you aren't selling the manor, because that is what I thought your poem was about, as well.ReplyDelete
It's a beautiful poem, but so sad, really. I don't want to be forgotten, nor my secrets, nor my stories. But that's the fate of humans, isn't it?
I see your nest woven with all those things, but also willow branches and bits of woolly socks. You are so good!ReplyDelete
So...are you guys moving?? beaiful images. I always loved that movie, incidentally...ReplyDelete
wow, Willow, thank you so much for stopping by my blog, and for your kind words. I find your blog exquisite! Your writing and your sensibility always make me think. Or feel.ReplyDelete
And thanks for clicking the follow button! So appreciated.
I love this! But I hope the vision doesn't occur for MANY years yet!ReplyDelete
There is such a poignancy in the objects at an estate sale--well expressed!ReplyDelete
Willow, this touches so close to home...and is as neatly composed as your "assorted secrets and stories." I too have the "Mary Kate" need for my things about me. I often find myself tucking little notes in books, doll's clothes, tree ornament collections, etc and sometimes fold letters about who should have my personal treasures and why they should have them. Several years ago, when I accompnaied my car guys to very elgant car show in SC, I sat in the shade with an elderly woman who talked about how she literally put color coded labels on the things she wanted her children to have..just to avoid "bickering"...I have never forgotten how smart and practical it seemed.ReplyDelete
What is a Wanerian eater? I tried looking it up on the internet but only found references to a wagner paint eater.ReplyDelete
Tea Duchess, I think I left that comment about being a Wagnerian eater in jest...heehee...you know, like his operas...weighty lower level, and all!ReplyDelete
Glad to hear you all will still be at the Manor! I'd miss it if you left!ReplyDelete
ohhh, the quiet man... who knew... thaz a great line in there... hmm, death becomes us all...ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSun Jun 13, 07:22:00 PM
Holy Toledo! You moving?ReplyDelete
About moving on...
I actually wrote my obituary once. I think it is on the computer.
Try it.
That will give you the creeps.
No, Abe, not moving. Just thinking ahead, but not to the point of writing my own obituary!ReplyDelete
I loved Mary Kate Danaher. I think I love you, too.ReplyDelete
Poignant and powerful. The leaving is palpable. Wonderful piece!ReplyDelete
Wow. I'm glad I read through the comments, because I was taking a very different meaning from this than what you intended. It is a great poem--love the curios/curious connection. Thank you for sharing it.ReplyDelete
Your reference to Mary Kate Danaher just thrilled me. So much of your poem is coming true for me IRL. When my husband gets too pushy about the pruning of the house goods, I'll pull my Mary Kate card. That should slow him down a bit.ReplyDelete
How beautiful. I feel I know you more. And I know more why I connect with you: "I, too, am carefully wrapped, boxed, and labeled, "assorted secrets and stories," a discreetly forgotten casket, stowed dowerless, in a thrift store of dirt."
Good stuff. Last stanza is the ever repeating human tragedy. So much wisdom is buried with each passing. So write, girl write!ReplyDelete
Willow, this is beautiful, beautifully sad.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMon Jun 14, 07:36:00 AM
Dear Willow: Your poems is evocative of my mood lately. Those things we dreamed and are now, and wont be. Total Tingle Time! Up the Spine! Brrrr.. Mary Kate Danaher! Yes! The Quiet Man! To get over this remember The Quiet Man's embrace that should settle this! Do not worry; I've been taking this kind of inventory too. The M card in the near future. If we don't have it in the heart it will never be anywhere. Things are nice; people are nicer! For sure I get your point and then the cold cold ground. I think place your sights on things not of this world works for any age. Sage Biblical advice. It can be quite physical and very spiritually challenging when we question the big "?". I try not to question too much anymore. Let it go child, let it go I hear Hans Christian King say in my earworm defence when I get too maudlin. This happens at this age magpies!Lovely thought provoking, eloquent poem! Most Excellent Willow!Jane JonesReplyDelete
Only when moving does one realize all the stuff that has been accumulated. And, yet, that flotsam is the life blood of daily events. There is a gradual letting go?ReplyDelete
This poem gives me new meanings each time I read it.ReplyDelete
"My fleshy nest is feathered in flotsam" is a favorite line. Doesn't the act of writing, the poem itself, work in defiance of being "discreetly forgotten"? Hope so! I loved this poem.
Niamh, yes, isn't it a thrilling, yet haunting thought that our writing can endure beyond us?ReplyDelete
A fabulous read! My mind kept reminding me of The Quiet Man. One of my favourite films!.... Prompting outside the box, too! lolReplyDelete
"assorted secrets and stories"..I'm glad boxes can't talk! You have classically represented the romantic drama of threshing through pieces of time we all perch on shelves.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousTue Jun 15, 02:02:00 AM
Crisp, powerful, gorgeous. Very well done.ReplyDelete
Ah, your words light a fire in my soul! The last stanza gave me chills.ReplyDelete
Wow, really amazing poem. Now that's a gift with words.ReplyDelete
A magpie from beginning to end.
When I arrived home Friday last there was a similar souvenir waiting for my perusal.
- AnonymousTue Jun 15, 08:20:00 AM
So beautiful, you have mad skills! I can tell you put so much energy into each line, each one pulses with vibrancy. My fave though is 'My fleshy nest is feathered in flotsam.' 'fleshy nest,' is wonderful, I love this image.ReplyDelete
I am truly inspired by you, Willow.ReplyDelete
what a wonderful read.
Willow, it's so often true that those items we hold dearest are discarded by our loved ones once we are gone. I, like you, attach feelings to certain items which may not have a great value on their own. Sadly I connect with your poem, having been a child who disposed of items held dear by my parents. I regret my irreversible actions all these years later.ReplyDelete
Awesome read. Truly enlightening. BTW, you have a dark side too!
As always, a beautifully written Magpie! My adorable mother was a bit of a hoarder ~ creating in me the need to simplify. Hopefully not in the extreme.ReplyDelete
You - 'dowerless in a thrift store of dirt' I doubt it.ReplyDelete
Lovely piece Willow/Magpie.
So well written that now I feel I must do a bit of cleaning out. I especially loved the last stanza.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousWed Jun 16, 11:13:00 PM
Your reference to 'The Quiet Man' fits so well. I am a habitue of thrift stores. I often buy pieces of porcelain and the like and find special places for them in my house because I know they would have been special to someone way back when. Your poem has actually really moved me.ReplyDelete
A fitting poem for your photo, referencing yet another movie I have yet to see that I would love to see. Can I substitute "Cinderella man" instead?ReplyDelete


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At the beginning of this year the Dutch designers Remy & Veenhuizen presented an impressive seating landscape for a high school in Zoetermeer, Netherlands.
The stylized dunes are placed on the gray tiled roof top and form a contrast to the rather confined atmosphere of the building.
"We wanted to give the students their own escape area".
Contrary to all expectations the wooden structure isn´t computer generated but a result of experiments with spatial models.
By stacking their materials in a certain way the designers discovered a method that allowed the slats to move slowly while the construction as a whole still remains solid. Thus, the wooden skeletons look like organic, almost living elements, offering a warm contrast to the school building.


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About Rail Europe
Learn more about Rail Europe, #1 distributor for European train tickets & rail passes
The Company
As the leading worldwide distributor of European rail products, Rail Europe is the only one-stop-shop for planning and booking European train travel and sightseeing products.
From rail passes to train tickets and reservations, we provide unparalleled access to an extensive array of rail products from over 50 European train companies.
Catering to travelers and travel agents from the Americas, Asia, Oceania, the Middle East, and Africa, Rail Europe makes discovering Europe by train easy, seamless, and memorable. Our unique, user-friendly online booking engine makes it easy for travellers to book in their preferred language and currency. Plus, we provide award-winning localized customer care and assistance. We offer support before, during, and after the journey.
News and Updates
Coming soon...
Company Information
2 place de la Défense
92053 Paris La Défense Cedex
S.A.S with a capital of 1 179 655 €
Business register: Nanterre 401 714 993
Individual identification number subject to VAT: FR 16 401 714 993
Registration number of travel agent register: IM075160030
Financial guarantee: Atradius Credit Insurance NV, 44 avenue Georges Pompidou, 92300 Levallois-Perret, France
Insurance company: AXA Corporate Solutions Assurance, 4 rue Jules Lefebvre, 75009 Paris, France
Rail Europe
2 place de la Défense
92053 Paris La Défense Cedex
Contact and Support
Who we are
Rail Europe is a worldwide leader in European Rail distribution and helps travellers to experience the sights and cities of Europe by train. This year, over 1.7 million travellers will ride the rails with Rail Europe.
Rail Europe has over 15,000 destinations in Europe and the widest selection of available rail products.
What we do
Rail Europe connects European countries through its network of major train operators, such as Eurostar, TGV, TGV Lyria, Renfe, Trenitalia, ICE Trains and Thalys . We offer travellers great deals on the Eurostar from London to Paris, or help with the Spanish Renfe and Trenitalia timetable.
How we help
Rail Europe takes pride in providing travellers with information on European destinations, from city guides , to country overviews and maps, to make it easier to plan journeys.
Rail Europe only shows real-time availability, meaning the price for a ticket here, is the one you get. In most cases, travellers can even hold a reservation for 48 hours before paying, and have the fare guaranteed.
Point to point tickets
Point to point train tickets are great if you are only visiting a couple of places, as they transport you to the heart of incredible cities. You can visit more than one country too. Take the Thalys from Paris to Cologne and then the ICE train in Germany to Berlin. Or stick to one country; travel around Spain with AVE high-speed trains and buy point to point tickets for Madrid and Barcelona or Seville and Valencia.
Rail Europe Passes
Rail passes offer flexibility and choice, so for travellers stepping off the TGV Lyria in Switzerland, there's a Swiss Pass to travel around the countryside, or for those taking in the sights of Italy with Frecciarossa trains - the Eurail Italy Pass will ensure easy use of the Italian train network. You may want to explore the UK, in which case there's the 30 day BritRail Pass, or perhaps you want to visit the wine regions of France - We can get you a France Rail Pass and give you that freedom.
If you want to visit a few countries then the Eurail Global Pass offers unlimited travel in 24 countries, while the Eurail Select Pass lets travellers focus on 4 bordering countries. There are regional passes too, for example, the Balkan Flexipass, which gives you the freedom to visit Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Romania and Turkey.


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D-backs Reinstate Kubel, Place Gregorius on 7-day disabled list
The Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) announced they reinstated outfielder Jason Kubel from the 15-day disabled list and placed infielder Didi Gregorius (@DidiG18) on the 7-day disabled list (retro to April 27) with a mild concussion, according to D-backs' Executive Vice President & General Manager Kevin Towers.
Kubel, 32, is hitting .333 (10-for-30) with 2 doubles, 2 home runs and 6 RBI in 8 games with the D-backs this season. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left quadriceps on April 13 after originally suffering the injury on April 5 @ Brewers.
Gregorius, 23, sustained a contusion to his right temple after being struck in the head by a Josh Outman pitch on Friday. He has hit safely in all 7 games this season, going 11-for-27 (.407) with 4 doubles, 2 home runs and 2 RBI.


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The capital of the United States is the seat of the federal government, the site of seemingly countless historic and cultural locales worth visiting, and home to nearly 600,000 residents living in houses and apartments throughout the district. Historic points of interest seem to be on every corner, but beyond Washington D.C.'s familiar sites and monuments, it's an exciting urban area full of interesting and eclectic choices when it comes to finding apartments for rent.
You can't help but feel the majesty of America here; people who live and work in the nation's capital are surrounded by a multitude of government buildings (including the White House and Capitol) and national monuments (the Washington Monument, Lincoln Monument, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, etc). It's one of the easiest cities to navigate using public transportation; the excellent Metrorail subway and bus systems make it easy to live here without a car. The district's most famous cultural attractions include the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Institution, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Folger Shakespeare Library. Summers are warm and humid, and winters are relatively mild with some snowfall.
The business of Washington, D.C., is government, so it's no wonder that the federal government is the main employer in the district, with hundreds of thousands of employees in the greater metro area. In addition to government, other major employers include unions, nonprofit organizations and service-related industries. Tourism is an important source of income for the district, and its related businesses and industries are significant sources of jobs. Finally, Washington D.C. is known for its prestigious educational institutions, the most famous of which is Georgetown University. It, along with Catholic University of America, Howard University, Gallaudet University and others, also provide employment opportunities to the district's residents.
The bad news is that Washington D.C.'s overall cost of living is a whopping 81% above the national average. The good news is that there are literally hundreds of options when it comes to apartments for rent, with 31% of the district's housing made up of apartments. Most rental prices start in the $600 range and quickly escalate to the thousands for luxury apartments. The average price for one-bedroom apartment rentals is $1,100 per month, but keep in mind that the average price reflects the extremely expensive luxury apartments rentals as well as the more affordable.
Within Washington, D.C., itself, the trendy streets of Georgetown and happening downtown district are interesting areas to explore for apartment for rent. You'll also find many housing options in varying rent ranges in the surrounded cities and suburbs, which include Baltimore, Bethesda and Rockville in Maryland, as well as Alexandria, Crystal City, Reston and Tysons Corner in Virginia.


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Home › Classroom Resources › Lesson Plans
Lesson Plan
Jazz Up Writing Workshop: Writing Biographies of African American Jazz Musicians
|2 – 3
|Lesson Plan Type
|Estimated Time
|Twenty 20- to 45-minute sessions
|Lesson Author
Oakland, California
Jazz provides the backdrop for students to learn how to write biographies and organize their work into chapters. Students first gain a strong understanding of jazz by reading biographies of African American jazz musicians and listening to music. Selected biographies introduce the musicians and familiarize students with the format of biographies. Lessons focus on collecting facts, taking notes, and synthesizing notes into biographies organized by chapters. At the end of the unit, the biographies are unveiled at a jazz café publishing party, complete with music and readings.
Biography Planning Sheet: This structured resource helps students research and record important information about their jazz musicians.
African American Jazz Musician Biography Assignment: This sheet clearly lays out the details of the biography assignment for students, teachers, and families.
PBS Kids Go! Jazz website: Students use this website to research information about their chosen jazz musicians.
Palmer, R.G., & Stewart, R.A. (2005). Models for using nonfiction in the primary grades. The Reading Teacher, 58(5), 426434.
- Teachers should scaffold the teaching of reading and writing nonfiction texts.
- Models for using nonfiction texts with young students include (1) teacher-directed instruction, (2) scaffolded student investigation, and (3) independent student investigation.
Ray, K.W. (2004). About the authors: Writing workshop with our youngest writers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
- Students should be encouraged to write in multiple genres from a young age.
- Writing workshop lessons should consist of a minilesson that teaches an explicit skill, independent writing time, and time for students to share their writing.


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Culture Blogs
Women's Herbal Conference, Glastonbury Goddess Conference, West Kentucky Hoodoo Rootworker Heritage Festival, and other gatherings.
Prayers for Imbolc: Beloved Brigid
In preparation for Imbolc, I pored through the Carmichael material in the Carmina Gadelica and adapted some prayers for the season. Here they are--
Brigid Dark and Bright
In the steep and common path of our calling,
Be it easy or uneasy to our flesh,
Be it dark or bright for us to follow,
May your perfect guidance be upon us.
Brigid of the Forge, be thou a shield to us!
Brigid of the Fold, be thou our shepherd and our healer!
In each secret thought our minds may weave, Brigid of the Loom, give us sweet clarity.
In our grief or pain or sadness,
Brigid of the Well, heal us, strengthen us, stand with your mighty shoulder near to ours.
And in our joys and in our bliss, Brigid of the Hearth, Keeper of the Bread plate, Maker of Beer,
Dance with us as we waken the great round garden of the world.
Bed Blessing Before Sleep
In the name of Brigid,
I stand above my pillow—
Sweetened with lavender and roses,
I stand above my pillow and I bless my head
In the name of Brigid.
I touch my blanket—
Sweetened in the fresh breezes of the morn's dawning,
I touch my blanket and
I bless my body
In the name of Brigid.
I sit upon my bed—
Sweetened with visions of bliss and good health,
I sit upon my bed and
I bless my sleeping
In the name of Brigid.
As pillow comforts head, as blanket warms body, as bed holds me safe, in Brigid's loving spirit, I lay me down to sleep.
As We Smoor the Candle
I am smooring the candle
As Brigid would smoor it.
Blessed be the house, blessed be the hearth, blessed be the people all!
Smooring the Fire
Brigid Bright Arrow
To save, to shield, to surround
The hearth, the house, the household,
This eve, this night, oh! This eve, this night, and every night,
Every single night.
Kindling the Fire
I raise the hearth-fire
As Brigid would.
The circle of Bride's protection
On the fire and on the stones and on the household all.
In Brigid's Keeping
Each night and each day, I speak the blessing of Brigid.
I am under the shielding of
Good Brigid each day,
I am under the shielding of
Good Brigid each night.
I am under her keeping, early and late, every dark, every light.
Brigid is my companion,
Brigid is my maker of song,
Brigid is my helping-woman,
My guide, my friend.
Friday, 31 January 2014
The Druid author Morgan Daimler already has done that in her book By Land, Sea and Sky.
I have interviewed her twice in ACTION and the most recent one in my Imbolc issue of ACTION.· Christopher Blackwell likes this comment.
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You are now ready to search for technology for your company. The company may have been formed or you plan to form the company once you acquire technology rights. The first concern you will have will be to select a technology you are excited about. That said, you must make sure the technology fits in the market place in a sector that has substantial sales potential. You will also need to explore time to market, costs to get to market, patent coverage after product launch, and competition. Most of these and other points will go into your business plan; a topic I will discuss later in this blog. In short, WHERE IS THE MONEY AND WHEN DO I GET IT! Remember this will be a business and that you will always have to present it that way. Investors and potential partners do not care about lifestyle or other considerations, they are interested in the business prospects and you should be too.
In selecting the technology, you may already have IP or inventors identified but not have the rights yet. Make sure you conduct your own diligence review before entering into a negotiation for the rights; business criteria and IP criteria need to be a fit. Maybe you know a field, but have not identified a specific technology yet. For example, you want to create a new type of solar panel or a treatment for diabetes. A good place to search for IP is the technology transfer office associated with Universities and Government laboratories. Many of these institutions have websites listing available technologies and they provide the correct person to contact to start your discussions. If you have significant financial resources, you could contact large companies to see if they have technology or later stage products they wish to license out or sell. The value of what the technology will cost you will depend on the area, competition for the IP, prospective future sales, and stage of development.
Your search needs to be focused as does your product development plan. Remember this is a business. What is the end product, how long to get there, what is the market, and how much will it cost? The product you want to sell must have a real market sufficient to attract partners or investors. By that, I mean you need multi-million in sales and earnings.
In selecting IP, sometimes it is possible to find a patent that is an umbrella patent covering a field and allowing for multiple products. This type of opportunity can be very attractive as it can lead to multiple products to sell. On the other hand, a failure of one product can cause investors to be shy about other offerings in the portfolio even if they are likely to be great products.
You may have identified several products that fit together in a common theme. This means several negotiations to the rights. Singular products are a bit tougher to get funded, but it is possible if the market opportunity is right and the risk of development is low enough.
In approaching your negotiations for technology, I am recommending you read an article from Inc. "10 Tips for Licensing Intellectual Property": http://bit.ly/fj3qcQ . Interestingly, these are tips for you in the future, but for now think of them as tips for the groups you intend to license a product from. Your first lesson in this process is that you will be asking someone or some agency to allow you to have the rights to what could be a valuable asset. There are two types of diligence that take place in any of these transactions. You review what you want to buy, and they review whether you are someone they believe can be trusted with their assets. You can be almost certain they will put "claw back" provisions in the final license to allow them to recover the assets if you fail to move it along in a reasonable time frame; i.e. why tie up valuable assets with someone that cannot develop them.
Having no money is the most difficult place to start a discussion to obtain technology, but it is not a deal killer. You can either try to obtain an option to license the technology or develop a license with a milestone that allows the owners to have the technology back if you are unable to raise capital or develop the product(s). In this scenario, you offer payments for the right to market the technology and raise capital or find a partner. The deal is made final at the closing of a financing or some other event. Sometimes you can negotiate an ability to get option extensions without making extra payments, or you may be able to negotiate payment schedules low enough to afford. Some institutions will allow an option extensions with no payments if they feel you are worthy of the risk or they may arrange to extract more after you get funding.
You can work with a knowledgeable person with finance experience to establish a value range for the technology. One common way to do this is via an NPV (Net Present Value) calculation in a spreadsheet or a second is to determine value based on comparables in the market place.
There are a number of terms that go to creating the financial input to a license agreement. Some of the ones that are most commonly negotiated are: 1) option payment 2) upfront license payment, 3) milestone payments, 4) royalties, and 5) equity. I usually like to negotiate the financial terms early in the discussion before I get legal counsel involved. If the deal terms do not look like they are heading in a direction that will work for you, paying a lawyer to create a full license agreement makes no sense. If your counsel or other colleagues have a relationship with the group you are negotiating with, they can be helpful in identifying what you are likely to get accepted and help get your first term sheet be a little closer to an acceptable one. If you have a Board of Directors, ALWAYS keep them informed and show the term sheets before submitting them to the institution. Remember, they are your Boss!
An example of one deal I encountered between a company and an institution had terms like:
· Option payments of $50,000 for a 1 year option
· Upfront payment $150,000 at signing of definitive agreement
· Royalties of 5%. A reduction in royalties would possible if a second technology license was required and carried a second royalty on the product; this is an anti-stacking provision and the goal is to not have royalties so high that the product won't sell or investors or partners can't make money.
· Milestones of $250K on completion of Phase 2 clinical trials, $1MM on completion of Phase 3 clinical trials, $5MM on first sale of product in USA, $5MM on first sale of product in any other country.
· 20% equity with anti-dilution protection through first $5MM of financing.Other terms were in the 2 page term sheet document, but I wanted to provide you with an idea of the types of terms that are discussed and may be included. Keep in mind from the minute you walk in the office or first make contact by phone, you are negotiating. Your attitude, experience, and personality all are being assessed. They will want to evaluate you as much as you will evaluate them.
Considerations around terms are important and I will try to discuss this more later. You will need to explore how the licensing terms will alter your cash flow and valuations as you progress.
I have seen situations where multiple licenses would have been required and would have ended up with potential royalties being additive. You must account for this as it is a possibility that you could have to pay more money out than you receive. For example, suppose your aggregate royalties are 12% for multiple licenses and you receive an offer from a BigCo to pay you 10% in royalties on sales of the product. This means you will be paying 2% more to the institutions that granted you a license than you will make for every item sold; that is not a business. The financial terms you negotiate are extremely important to the success of your future business. Don't take them lightly!
Taffy Williams is the author of: Think Agile: How Smart Entrepreneurs Adapt in Order to Succeed to via Amazon