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Spring Equinox 2008
By Curtis Lang on Mar 20, 2008
Spring Festivals
Welcome to the Spring Equinox and Holi, Aries Solar Festival, Libra Full Moon Festival March 21, 2008 edition of the SatyaCenter newsletter. Warm greetings from your Editor, Curtis Lang. It's a busy week!
Thursday March 20, 2008 is the Spring Equinox, which occurs at 1:48 AM EDT. The Sun enters the sign of Aries the Ram. This week we celebrate major festivals in the Mystery school traditions of both East and West. Friday is Good Friday, and also the Hindu Feast of Holi. This Sunday, Easter, is the Feast of Christ's Resurrection.
Billions of Lightworkers, meditators, and men and women of good will simultaneously celebrate this joyous week, creating a beautiful global mosaic of prayers, positive energies, affirmations, sacrifices, and offerings of all kinds that will envelope the world in a vast (Easter) egg of light, forming a suitable energetic crucible for the forging of a new community of all humanity. Nine Hundred Million Hindus will celebrate Holi and 2.1 billion Christians will celebrate Easter. Countless others will celebrate the coming of Spring in a variety of ways.
The Spring Equinox is a time of equal day and night, striking a cosmic balance between the feminine and masculine forces of yin and yang.
For millennia the Spring Equinox has been celebrated around the world as a festival of Resurrection, and it marks the start of the astrological New Year in both East and West.
Holi and the Festival of Colors
This Friday we celebrate the ancient Hindu Spring Festival of Holi, which commemorates the victory of Lord Vishnu, Sustainer of the Universe, over the dark powers of Hiranyakashipu, the King of Demons.
In his role as the Spiritual Sun of the Universe, who sustains the peace and order of the Universe just as the sun sustains all life on planet Earth, Lord Vishnu is said to have incarnated ten times on the planet Earth, and two of his incarnations were as the solar heroes Lord Ram and Lord Krishna. These two Divine avatars have many qualities that are similar to the qualities of Jesus Christ, the Divine Christian avatar whose death and resurrection we celebrate at the same season as Holi.
In those days, the King of Demons sought to conquer the three worlds, and to displace Lord Vishnu as Ruler of the Universe. Hiranyakashipu performed great austerities and mighty feats of prolonged meditation to perfect himself and to augment his powers. While engaged in these strenuous activities, the Gods invaded and sacked the Demon King's city and sent his wife, who was with child, to live in the ashram of Sage Narada, the Messenger of the Gods. Narada taught the Demon Queen about the Divine qualities of Vishnu and instructed her in the WisdomSchool teachings of the Hindu Rishis, or Spiritual Masters. The child in her womb, named Prahlad, absorbed all this instruction.
Meanwhile, the Demon King Hiranyakashipu had performed such amazing feats of spiritual endurance that he had received the favor of Lord Brahma, Creator of the Universe. Lord Brahma granted the Demon King one wish. "I wish that I not be killed during day or night; inside the home or outside, not on earth or on sky; neither by a man nor an animal; neither by astra (arrow or spear) nor by shastra (sword or sacred scripture)," asked the Demon King. "Grant me the undisputed lordship over the material world." His wish was granted.
The Demon King's power grew great, and he attacked both the heavens and the Earth, demanding that all people worship him rather than the Gods. Neither men nor Gods could harm the Demon King because of his boon from Brahma, nor could anyone determine how he could be stopped from displacing Vishnu as Lord of the Universe, so mighty was his power.
Hiranyakashipu returned his Queen and his growing son to his newly rebuilt city. He asked young Prahlad what he had learned and Prahlad told him about the many virtues of Vishnu and the WisdomSchool teachings of the Rishis.
This enraged the Demon King. Prahlad was so eloquent and so steadfast in his love of Vishnu that Prahlad resolved to kill him. But neither weapons, snakes, nor poison could harm Prahlad, who was under Vishnu's Divine protection. Finally the Demon King enlisted the help of his sister, Holika, who had a magical shawl that protected the wearer from the power of fire.
Hiranyakashipu asked Prahlad to sit on a pyre in Holika's lap. Prahlad agreed, asking Vishnu for protection. When the fire started, a great wind blew Holika's shawl from her, and she was utterly consumed in flames, but Prahlad was protected from harm. When Prahlad emerged from the flames, it was as though a conquering God had entered the realms of death, struggled with the forces of Evil and emerged triumphant, resurrected by a miracle of Divine intervention. All this of course had occurred through the intervention of Vishnu, Lord of the Universe.
The Demon King sent Prahlad to his Demon-teacher, hoping to influence the boy to renounce his spiritual wisdom teachings and take the path of greed and personal power. The Demon-teacher tried to convince Prahlad that acquiring wealth and physical pleasures were the only worthwhile activities for a royal heir, or any warrior. But Prahlad thought to himself: "How can the pursuit of physical pleasures and wealth bring happiness? It will only lead to envy and anger."
Prahlad, the Demon-teacher and Hiranyakashypu were all sitting on the terrace of the Demon-King's palace at that time. The Demon King lost his temper and invoked his own destruction unwittingly. Hiranyakashypu roared: "Where is Vishnu? If he is everywhere why is he not in this Pillar of my palace? If he is not here then I shall cut off your head with my sword. Let Vishnu, your Lord protect you."
Lord Vishnu had agreed to refrain from attacking the Demon King as part of the boon from Lord Brahma, but Hiranyakashypu's rash challenge had served as an invocation of the Lord of the Universe, who no longer was bound by the bonds of his agreement with Lord Brahma. Lord Vishnu appeared from the pillar in the form of a Narasimha (who is half-man and half-lion) and killed the Demon King at dusk (which was neither day nor night), on the steps of the porch of his palace (which was neither inside the house nor outside) by restraining him on his lap (which is neither in the sky nor on the earth) and mauling him with his claws (which are neither astra nor shastra).
It is the miracle of the pyre of Prahlad that is celebrated on the Festival of Holi. On the first day of Holi, bonfires are lit at night and effigies of Holika are burnt to commemorate the trials of Prahlad and the triumph of Vishnu over the Demon King. The sacred fires of Holi are lit amidst the chanting of specific mantras intended for the destruction of all demonic forces.
Offerings of wheat and oats were made to the sacrificial fire in honor of Vishnu, marking Holi as a festival of fertility and a time when great care is taken to perform rituals of protection and make offerings designed to insure a successful harvest.
On the second day of Holi, known as Dhuleti, celebrants spend the day throwing coloured powder and water at each other. This playful activity has a spiritual and medicinal significance. The changeable weather of the spring season, alternating between cold and increasing warmth, is believed to cause viral fevers and colds and, on a more spiritual level, to cause disruptions in the smooth flow of prana, or Universal Life Force energy, throughout the body and the aura. The colored powders are traditionally made of Neem, Kumkum, Haldi, Bilva, and other medicinal herbs prescribed by Āyurvedic doctors to restore the smooth flow of prana and ward off potential physical illnesses. Rangapanchami occurs a few days later on a Panchami (fifth day of the full moon), marking the end of the Holi Festival of Colors.
Holi is a venerable and potent festival of regeneration, resurrection, renewal and new life, similar to other spring festivals in cultures around the world.
The Four Great Seasonal Festivals
untitled drawing by Jane Sherry
All great spiritual traditions that have left written records behind, from the Sumerian, to the Egyptian to the Greek, tell the story of seasonal cycles of birth, growth, decay, death and rebirth, corresponding to the spiritual cycles of the immortal gods and of the immortal souls of men and women living on planet Earth.
In the Neolithic age, prior to any written records, ancient scientists and priests, shamans and priestesses searched the night sky to find "fixed" reference points in the dance of the stars. This map would provide a structure reflecting the harmony of the universe, and provide an understanding of the orderly procession of seasonal change, rain and sun, that governed the yearly agricultural cycles upon which Neolithic communities depended for survival.
This was the origin of both astronomy and astrology, magical and scientific studies that were simultaneously a source of agricultural guidance, divinatory and ritual powers.
The knowledge of the Equinoxes attributed by many scholars to pre-literate Neolithic societies, and evidenced by structures such as Stonehenge, rests upon very careful, long-term study of the heavens and a sophisticated understanding of the Earth's shape and movements throughout the year.
The Earth wobbles in its orbit around the Sun. This is the source of our seasonal cycles.
The North Pole of the Earth leans toward the Sun for half a yearly orbit, then leans away from the Sun for the rest of our Earthly year. The Northern Hemisphere experiences spring and summer as the north tilts toward the sun, and fall and winter as the north tilts away from the sun.
Twice a year, on the Vernal Equinox and the Autumnal Equinox, the Earth offers half its face to the Sun, and day and night are of equal length.
The fact that the Earth wobbles on its axis as it spins through space also creates the conditions giving rise to the much grander cycle of the Great Cosmic Year, a cycle intimately related to observations made on the Vernal and Autumnal Equinox by ancient astronomers.
The ancients perceived the Earth as the center of the Universe, and took the Sun as their obvious fixed reference point. The astrological New Year began on the first day of spring, the Vernal Equinox, and many of their festivals, designed to invoke beneficial forces that would sustain the universal order and life in their communities, took place at that time.
Naturally, they looked East at dawn on the day of the spring equinox to find which star constellation would "rise with the Sun". This might give them insight into conditions that would pertain during the upcoming year. What a shock to discover over time that the constellation visible just before dawn was actually moving away, and another constellation was coming into view, very slowly. This process of "moving" from one sign to the next took more than two thousand years. Multiplying the length of time this took by the 12 signs of the Zodiac, they could calculate the exact length of the Cosmic Year, some 25,800 years.
For more information on how this discovery shaped the mythical and mystical traditions of cultures around the globe since prehistoric times, see my article "Spring Equinox, Reincarnation, and The Great Cosmic Year" (http://www.satyacenter.com/spring-equinox-newsletter).
At this time in history, on the day of the Vernal Equinox, the sun appears to us to be located between Pisces and Aquarius at dawn on the first day of spring. This is the scientific explanation behind the expression "the dawning of the Age of Aquarius".
Esoteric science, as developed in the mystery schools of the East and West and handed down through oral traditions and direct experience of spiritual worlds, indicates that the time has indeed come for a new world culture and a new world hero to emerge.
In the Age of Aquarius, that world hero is no longer a solitary individual god, goddess or Avatar. The identity of that hero is represented by the image of the God and Goddess in rapt, loving embrace. The Divine Lovers represent not only the balance between men and women that will characterize the new Aquarian society, but also the balance between the male and female aspects of ourselves as well as the equality and participation of all men and women in the heroic project of rectifying humanity's monumental disruption of environmental systems, traditional social structures, and spiritual and religious traditions.
We (Curtis Lang with Jane Sherry) invite you to read our article on "The New Age of the Divine Lovers" (http://www.satyacenter.com/backtogarden8) which discusses this transitional time in history. "Our task in the New Age is to return to the Garden of Eden within us and to restore the Garden of Eden planet around us."
Full Moon Festival in Libra
|Fern Fronds Photo by J. Sherry
In the Native American shamanistic traditions, this month's lunar festival is known as the "full worm moon" because this month the ground softens and earthworm casts reappear, inviting the return of the robins. Here in the Hudson Valley, we have seen groups of up to a dozen robins congregating in our back yard during the last four weeks, which means that for these colorful feathered allies, spring is apparently coming early. However the ground is still in transition, some days thawed, some days frozen. The more northern tribes knew this as the Full Crow Moon, when the cawing of crows signals the end of winter, and we are hearing crows and many other varieties of birds singing outside our bedroom window every morning at dawn. Some North American Indian tribes knew this as the Full Crust Moon because in northern latitudes snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night. Here at our house, the snow has been gone for a couple of weeks and spring fever has seized the household. Our cat Devi has begun literally climbing the walls, and we are shocked that she can jump nearly shoulder-high!
Friday March 21 we celebrate the Full Moon Festival at 1˚31' Libra, occurring at 7:41 am EDT. The Sabian symbol for this degree of Libra is "The transmutation of the fruits of past experiences into the seed-realizations of the forever creative spirit". This is an extremely auspicious placement for the Full Moon in Libra, which emphasizes the development of social skills and challenges us to expand our consciousness, open our hearts and act compassionately towards family, friends and enemies alike.
Full Moon photo by J. Sherry
However, the energies of the Full Moon Festival are very conflicted, because the Moon in Libra is squared by Mars in Cancer and Pluto in Capricorn, and with the Sun in Aries, we have a difficult Grand Cardinal Square in the sky. We are being challenged to maintain the necessary personal boundaries and personal space required for us as individuals and Lightworkers (Sun in Aries) while working increasingly in community (Moon in Libra) to understand the immense task confronting humanity today, symbolized by Pluto in Capricorn. The entry of Pluto in Capricorn signals the need to completely restructure our political and economic structures around the world so that they nurture the vast majority of humanity and so that they nurture the environment rather than exploiting the vast majority of humanity and exploiting the environment for the benefit of a relatively few greedy individuals who comprise the global elites of all countries.
Meanwhile, with Mars in Cancer, retracing its steps after a long retrograde season, we are all feeling drained of energy, depleted as our natural resources and finding it difficult to meet our personal needs, much less engage in the Herculean task of restoring the Garden of Eden planet, Earth.
This year's Easter Full Moon Festival challenges us at the deepest levels of our being to maintain our balance in the face of challenges to our deepest security issues, and to find ways to be of service in the world that can help the greatest number of those in need without compromising our own well-being to the point that we do harm to ourselves.
We are confronted with a global economy on the verge of collapse, a political system in disarray in America, Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa in a variety of ways, impending & increasing earth-changes, and we face global shortages of oil, food, clean water and vital soils necessary to grow healthy foods in the foreseeable future, unless we change our lifestyles, our economic models and our political systems rapidly and thoroughly to accommodate the needs of an emerging 21st century global society where there is no safe haven from worldwide environmental, political and economic problems.
Symbolically, we find ourselves confronted with the spectacle of Prahlad being led to the funeral pyre to sit upon the lap of Holika, a situation of mortal danger for Gods, men and righteous demons alike, indeed for all who dwell in the Three Worlds. Symbolically we find ourselves confronted this week with the spectacle of the crucified Christ, the appearance of the victory of the Dark Forces and the apparent catastrophe of the Death of Love incarnate.
|"The Diver" drawing by Jane Sherry
Fortunately, this Full Moon in Libra provides the sincere Lightworker with energies that are particularly suited to the Great Work, the difficult task of elevating ourselves from egotism to Unity with all of Creation. For it is only by raising our consciousness that we will be empowered to address these problems in our own lives, by changing our habits, our lifestyles and our mental maps of the world. It is only when we have succeeded in sacrificing our own egoistic consciousness, by joining together with our brothers and sisters around the world in a co-operative effort to re-vision and restructure the habits and institutions of global industrial capitalism that we will succeed in our efforts to overcome these tremendous global problems facing all humanity.
This Libra Full Moon reflects light to us from the Sun in individualistic, will-full Aries. It is through the development of our will forces during a long process of individuation that we develop our own spiritual "fruits", the virtues of love and wisdom. When we have achieved true independence, and are no longer slaves to conventional wisdom, tribal beliefs, inherited ways of thinking, racial prejudices, and religious intolerance, we become like the noble Ram, who is often utilized as the symbol of the risen Christ.
Then we are ready to transmute the many experiences we have gathered along the path of Spirit into the seeds of immortality, by offering our thoughts words and deeds to the Divine, by casting our faults, sins and bad habits into the fires traditionally lit as an integral part of spring festivals in both East and West.
Then, in the Wisdom tradition of the Rishis who make offerings of grain to Vishnu during the festival of Holi, we are ready to sacrifice the fruits of our life experience, the creation of a highly individuated egoistic consciousness, in the flames of Divine love and Divine wisdom, within the secret tabernacle of our Heart of Hearts. We make this sacrifice by opening our hearts, and by patient and persistent spiritual practices over a long period of time, which purify our bodies, our emotions, and our thoughts.
As we open our hearts, we elevate our spiritual center of gravity from the lower chakras, the centers of personal survival, sexuality, and personal power, to the Higher Realm of the Heart Chakra, replacing a three dimensional reality with a fourth dimensional reality.
As we travel the path of Spirit, we obtain glimpses of Higher Worlds, we experience elevated inner states, and perhaps even feel the presence of Universal Life Force energies flowing through our entire being.
At these times, we have succeeded in some small way in the ancient alchemical work of transmuting base elements into gold. When you scrape a dull slab of lead, it will shine with reflected light – for a short time. Then the dullness returns.
Our spiritual practices are designed to scrape the dullness from our minds and hearts. And when we are diligent we successfully alter our everyday experience from the dullness of rational materialism and egoistic self-absorption into a brighter, more reflective substance, which can receive and transmit a much higher energy signature. We become to some small extent mirrors of the Holy Spirit, and when we do we experience true being, joy and bliss.
Yet time after time we fall back from these more brilliant states of being into dull everyday consciousness, and these elevated states of being are then but memories. Yet our practices eventually can transform our hearts completely.
We can purify ourselves in an act of alchemical refinement by exercising our will forces and our discernment to choose forgiveness over anger, understanding over jealousy, courage over fear, joy over despair and love over lust. We can choose a simple diet that is compatible with our body type and in harmony with the environment around us, eating simple foods and renouncing greedy consumption of all kinds.
We can choose to nourish ourselves with the elevated thoughts of Spiritual Masters rather than immersing ourselves in the emotional junk food of soap operas, cop shows, war movies and corporate propaganda masquerading as news. We can choose to associate with friends and companions who share our desire for spiritual advancement. And we can choose to disassociate ourselves from those whose energies impact us in a negative way, by stirring up negative feelings, thoughts and habits we are trying to discard. We can meditate and pray, and we can simply try to put ourselves in other people's shoes.
In all these ways we work to remove the negative, dull, leaden properties, or particles from our bodies of light and to replace the negative particles or properties with positive, golden properties or particles. This is the true secret of alchemical transformation.
By consistent practice and the Grace of the Divine, we can transform our hearts and our energy signatures. We can alchemically transmute the lead of egotistical rationality into the gold of Unity consciousness. We can eventually transform our hearts from leaden mirrors that can at best occasionally be cleaned sufficiently to reflect the Holy Spirit in some small way into luminous light-giving Sources of energy, true inner tabernacles lit by undimmable lamps of radiance serving as the suitably purified homes of Spirit.
"Devote" by Jane Sherry pub. Artforum
Through this alchemical process, we eventually sacrifice the egoistic consciousness within us in order that the Divine within us may be born anew. "Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit." (John 12:24) The karma which represents the fruits of our past actions is thus transformed into the seeds of a new life. This very refined spiritual alchemy is analogous to the offerings of the Rishis to Vishnu at the Festival of Holi.
When we sacrifice the fruits of our past lives, we participate in this way over a long period of time in a personal ritual honoring the death and resurrection of Christ. Then each year, when Easter approaches, we can be sure that the seeds of new life will flower within our newly reborn consciousness, manifest as spontaneous loving acts of kindness, compassionate deeds that can help to alleviate the suffering of our fellow human beings.
The Alchemy of Easter
Now is therefore the time to celebrate alchemy. Now is the time to honor Christ by the subordination of the ego in favor of the Higher Self. Now is the time to demonstrate our willed intent to connect with the Higher Self, Christ Consciousness, through meditation, prayer, ceremony and ritual. Now is the time to surrender and allow ourselves to be guided on the path of Spirit.
On Good Friday, as he hung dying on the cross of wood, Jesus the Christ attained a world-altering spiritual victory over the personal ego which opened for all of us a doorway to the Way, the Truth and Eternal Life.
The Hanged Man, that most daunting Tarot Trump, number 12, symbolizes the difficult process of re-orienting the life force from subservience to the egoistic personality to the service of the Higher Self, The Unity of the Web of Life, and the Universal Source of Creation.
|photo of Altar in Church of St. Sava NYC by J.Sherry
This re-orientation is the goal of all spiritual practices, both East and West. Seekers have used techniques such as meditation, fasting, prayer, ceremonial magic, vision quest, and even martyrdom to subordinate the ego, purge the Self of the mind's illusion of separation, and attain the unity consciousness that is the fruit of this Great Sacrifice.
The Hanged Man also depicts the crucifixion of the body. This is the card of surrender, the card of death by water.
Those who were crucified normally died a long, slow death from suffocation brought about by the collapse of lungs filling with water, as they found themselves unable to maintain an erect posture, sinking down with fatigue, increasingly unable to breathe.
Symbolically, it was through being filled with the element of water, which represents the emotional power of compassion manifest as unconditional love, that the ego of Jesus died on Good Friday.
Tarot Trump 13, called Death, refers both to physical death and to the death of the egoistic personality, which is an illusory death. For the personality remains after this death, but it is stripped of the illusion of control. The aspirant no longer lives to satisfy individual material desires at the expense of others, or without thought for the consequences of actions upon the larger Web of Life that comprises the great Karmic Wheel of Existence figured in Tarot Trump 10, The Wheel of Fortune.
This is the death by water that is the culmination of the spiritual exercise pictured in Trump 12, the Hanged Man. As at the moment of physical death, the ego is submerged completely in the collective consciousness of humanity and the evolutionary record of all sentient beings incarnating over time on planet Earth.
This is the true baptism of water, and this baptism leads to new life, to a true rebirth of the spirit, the flesh and the soul.
Deer Skeleton Photo by J.Sherry
The death of the ego is long and slow, and our ability to remain constant during this process of suffering and ego-death is made possible only by a constant renewal of faith. Yet as Jesus the Christ experienced on his cross of wood, every aspirant reaches a point where he or she will cry "My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?"
Each aspirant must rest assured that despite all feelings of despair and loss, the process is only purging us of the illusion of the separate self, the illusion that the egoistic personality is in control of our lives. Jesus the Christ remained Self-aware on the cross, in a spirit of total surrender.
In our spiritual practice, whatever it may be, we must also surrender to Universal forces far beyond the control of the egoistic mind, in a spirit of love, with a sincere desire that our sacrifice be offered for the salvation of the Whole, and thus we will achieve a great spiritual victory.
This rebirth, the Resurrection of Christ, is figured in Tarot Trump 14, Art or Temperance. In this card, an angel is pictured, balancing two cups with water flowing between them, or overshadowing lesser figures of the Divine Lovers in the background. This angel is the Higher Self, and the new life is a life lived in accordance with the dictates of the Higher Self.
Suddenly the aspirant discovers a new, vast creativity operating through him or through her, leading and directing the aspirant's life in new directions. Through a series of miraculous synchronicities and felicitous encounters, this powerful force elicits flashes of loving wisdom, triggers acts of compassionate service, and fosters a continuous consciousness of the Unity that underlies the apparent dualities of material creation in this Universe.
Art or Temperance represents the infusion of spiritual energies of love and light into the material world, and their expression in acts of creativity, compassion and service that unify matter and spirit and bring to fruition the evolution of human consciousness in Self-directed acknowledgement of our true, angelic nature. In this initiation, the aspirant transcends rational humanity even as rational humanity transcended the existence of the Ape, and becomes primarily a spiritual creature living simultaneously in the two worlds, harmonizing them both through every thought, word and deed.
After his death, and a descent into the underworld, Jesus Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene on Easter Sunday in his immortal, etheric body. At the moment of his Death, Christ had unified his own Body of Light with the etheric body of the planet, permanently infusing the energy of transcendent Self into the Earth's aura.
Thus the Resurrection of Christ, which we celebrate this Easter Sunday, is the Feast of the appearance of the Immortal Light Body of Christ walking upon the Earth.
|Sunrise Photo by J.Sherry
Subsequent to this great spiritual victory of Jesus the Christ, on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, the energy of Christ Consciousness is accessible to all aspirants through meditation upon the beautiful forms of nature, through immersion in the elements of nature, through communion with the sky, the sea, the rivers, mountains, trees, and flowers.
Sit quietly in your garden, walk slowly and thoughtfully through a park, meditate in a forest or by a running stream, and speak directly to Christ. Say his name, give thanks for his Blessing upon the Earth, and give thanks to the Earth for nurturing the spiritual evolution of human beings, and your own personal evolution.
Whether or not you are a Christian, if you have faith, if you quiet your mind, and if your intent is pure, you can hear Christ speaking directly to you, and experience a moment of Unity with the Risen Christ impulse.
Ask and it shall be made known to you, make a request and it shall be granted to you, open your heart and the chains of ego will fall away. Ask for your freedom and you shall be freed. This is Christ's Easter promise.
The Raphael Initiation
Page from artist book by Jane Sherry
According to the Initiates of the Wisdom School Traditions of the East and West, the Vernal Equinox is one of the four great seasonal festivals marking moments when the activity of the Sun, the sustainer of all life, is at its peak.
Currents of Cosmic energy are set in motion at the time of these great festivals that stream forth from the Sun and from other sources in the Cosmos to rain down upon the Earth, triggering transformation and growth in mineral, vegetable, animal and human realms of existence.
Initiates tell us that if human beings are conscious of the transmission of these powerful energies, there are techniques they can utilize to harness these energies to accelerate their spiritual evolution, improve their mental acuity, and promote health and healing.
"Over the course of the year, passage from one season to another takes place at four points called equinoxes and solstices, which are like nodes of specific forces," explains Bulgarian Spiritual Master Omraam Mikhail Aivanhov. "The deployment of these forces is organized and regulated by great spirits who take charge of distributing them over the surface of the planet. You must not assume that everything in nature operates mechanically. No, all changes are produced by the work of certain entities who are in charge either of plants, animals, human beings or other creatures."
"It is the Archangel Raphael who reigns over spring," Omraam explains. "This archangel has command of a myriad of spirits who work under his supervision on the regeneration and growth of vegetation. So at the beginning of spring you must establish a bond with the Archangel Raphael. Ask him to make you receptive to the virtues hidden in trees, grasses and flowers, so that this new life penetrates you as well."
The name Raphael means "God cures" and Raphael is the Archangel of both healing and vegetation, who dwells in the sphere of Mercury. It is no coincidence that the Archangel of healing also presides over the development of the healing herbs that have provided human beings with the core of their medical practices around the world, from prehistoric times to the present.
It is no coincidence that the ancient Hindu festival of Holi is a fertility festival, which involves the burning of wheat and oats in a sacrificial fire, and also the use of colored powders composed of medicinal herbs.
The Wisdom Schools of the East are the most ancient on Earth, and their practices are the gold standard by which other, later schools are measured.
At the time of the Vernal Equinox, Raphael's hosts, including angels, but especially the devas, elementals and nature spirits entrusted with the growth of vegetation, spring into action, surrounding the dormant vegetation covering the surface of the Earth, and eventually, entering into the Earth itself, bearing the Cosmic Forces that have been transmitted from the Sun and from other Stellar sources.
These spirits of vegetation impart this energy into the Earth, and their activity actually draws plants upward into the air, pulling those energies and forces that which have been residing deep within the Earth during the long months of winter into plain sight, in the form of stalks, buds and blossoms. Raphael's hosts hover unceasingly around the growing vegetation, coaxing it upwards, providing each plant with the precise geometrical form and biological structure required for optimum evolution.
If you wish to connect to the nature spirits, and to Raphael, during this momentous Spring Festival season, there are a number of ways you can perform this sacred activity.
Irises in the Snow photo by J.Sherry
First, you can meditate upon the forms of nature. Take a walk through a nearby garden or woods, and then sit down quietly and close your eyes. Call upon Archangel Raphael, and ask Raphael to disclose to you the secrets of the world of plants, and to inform you of the healing qualities of plants you need to improve your own health, or the health of a loved one or neighbor.
Visualize a seed of corn or some other seed with which you are familiar. Then visualize a tiny sprout springing forth from that seed, so deep within the earth, surrounded by a vibration similar to a swirling fog seen upon the water at dawn. See the stalk of the plant being pulled up through the earth as this vibrating fog surrounds and nourishes the plant's growth.
Visualize the stalk breaking through the earth's surface, and see the increased vibratory rate of the spiritual beings surrounding the plant, perhaps akin to the glow seen around growing plants in high sun in summertime. Imagine that the spirits within the earth and surrounding the plant contain the perfected form of the adult corn stalk (or whatever plant you are visualizing).
See that perfected form floating in the ethers surrounding the young corn stalk, entering into that corn stalk and informing it of its evolutionary goal.
See the forces of rain and sun, moon and earth, entering into the plant's evolution, as the vibrating nature spirits above and below ground facilitate the passage of these vital energies into the plant's physical form. Now visualize the corn stalk growing into its beautiful, tasseled, glory, and the corn itself, the final fruit of the plant's evolution, emerging into the air.
See the corn surrounded by other similar plants, and imagine a field of such plants connected by a vibrating field of energy of a similar color and texture, creating a kind of group corn spirit, which presides over the corn field, and see that corn spirit connected to an overarching field of highly charged energy that connects the corn field to the springs nearby, the underground streams that flow unseen below the rising golden ears of corn, the trees and weeds and shrubs in hedgerows and woods nearby, the insects of the air, and the worms of the earth, all being directed by the presiding nature spirit of that place to work in harmony with the rapidly vibrating nature spirits under Raphael's guidance, to consummate the growth and evolution of that one stalk of corn. Visualize the full cycle of growth from emergent sprout to autumn's seed gift for the next generation of corn.
Finally, visualize Raphael himself, in the extremely high-frequency sphere of Mercury, or Hermes, Lord of Wisdom and of Healing. Raphael is associated with the Heart Chakra, and his aura and his color is emerald green.
Connect your heart with Raphael, and develop a strong feeling of gratitude to Raphael and his hosts for their work in furthering the evolution of the vegetation, the buds, blossoms and beautiful flowers that cover the Earth during springtime.
Let the energy of your chosen plant or flower fill your heart and know that Raphael and his hosts wish for your heart to be full of the Divine Love that motivates and directs their every action.
The task of springtime is to open the heart. Ask Raphael to help you with healing the wounds within your own heart and to help to heal the wounded heart of the world. Ask Raphael to guide you to golden opportunities to heal yourself and others during this season of resurrection and new life.
If you wish, you can take some seeds you have saved from last year's plantings, or some seeds you obtain in other ways, and make an offering to Raphael and his hosts. Get up at dawn. Go out and visit with the sun. Breathe in the sun's energies for at dawn during springtime the sun delivers much more Universal Life Force Energy or "prana" than at any other time of year or day. Do this for several minutes. Simply hold the seeds to your heart, and say a prayer. "May Raphael and his hosts open my heart to the healing power of the Mighty Spiritual Sun. May Christ and Vishnu, Raphael and the Divine Mother help me to become more like the Sun every day. May I learn to be as giving and as warm as the Sun, and may I become as beneficial to all those around me as the Sun is beneficial to the Earth below." Finally, scatter your seeds with a feeling of gratitude. You may do this every day for a week for best results, but performing this ritual even once will enliven your spirit, strengthen your body, quicken your mind, and open your heart.
We recommend this ritual to prepare Lightworkers to deal with the opportunities and difficulties that lie ahead during the upcoming seasons and years of global crisis and global transformation.
You may also want to read my article on "The Dark Night of the Planetary Soul" (http://www.satyacenter.com/dark-night-of-the-planetary-soul), for more information on this pivotal point in world history. As I say in this article, which explains the current world crisis from the point of view of the Wisdom Teachings of East and West, "The social structure of this society is a reflection of this moment in evolutionary consciousness, highly structured, hierarchical, and driven by mental considerations of perceived self-interest on the part of small elites who govern on the principles of fear, greed and obfuscation. However, the next evolutionary step for human beings is to re-establish conscious ancient connections with the web of life, with the extended consciousness of the human over-soul, and with the multitude of spiritual beings in higher worlds, to offer in self-sacrifice their highly developed individuated consciousness to the Higher Self, and to establish the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth."
"The Love Was the Food" by Jane Sherry
Above all, there must be a healing of the wounded heart of the world. Right now, the vast majority of the world's people are locked into issues related to the lower chakras – survival, sexual gratification and conquest, personal and collective will to power and conquest, and perpetuation of ancient patterns of dominance and submission.
The human heart is wounded by the war between the sexes, by the inability of the average human being to open his or her heart to love. This war has all but destroyed the basis for the human family.
The human heart is wounded by the constant human war to subdue Mother Nature – and that war is wrecking the world's human-friendly ecology.
The human heart is wounded by the war of the priests, which has gone on for millennia, pitting one vision of God against another in bloody battles for the souls and wealth of entire peoples.
The human heart is wounded by the war of the rich against the poor, which has gone on for millennia, as those who have power use that power to exploit those whom they should be protecting and nurturing.
There is only one way to heal the wounded heart of the world, and that way is the way that all true Spiritual Masters of both East and West have long traveled and taught. That way is the way of the open heart, the way of Love.
Only by opening our hearts to the suffering of our fellow human beings in countries and religions currently opposed to our own will we be able to understand them, forgive them, and work together with them to establish peaceful relations.
Only by opening our hearts to the suffering of the billions of people living in poverty around the world will be able to create social and economic systems that provide the necessities of life for all human beings.
Only by opening our hearts to the suffering of the billions of people who will be adversely affected by global climate change can we find within ourselves the strength to change our addictive patterns of behavior, engrained in our daily lives by the global hydrocarbon economy.
|photo Snowdrops in the Snow by J. Sherry
Only by opening our hearts to our fellowship with all living creatures, on land, sea and air, and only by opening our hearts to the web of life that constitutes the living, breathing heart and mind of our planetary Mother will we become sensitive enough to fashion a new human society that can thrive in co-operation with that web of life rather than seeking to subdue, conquer and exploit every element of life on Earth.
The solution to all our problems on Earth can be found if we have the courage to open our hearts to love. Love is the answer. Love is the way, and love will find a way.
It is not fashionable to speak in this manner. Love died in our mainstream discourse some time ago. Love is something that only hippies believed to be real. Too many of those hippies grew up to become yuppies and now strive unceasingly to defend and uphold the increasingly unlovely, deadly and deadening status quo. That is an index of how far we have gone toward a society that is based on Thanatos – on Death. For on this blue-green planet, in our human society, based upon the duality of human sexuality, human experience manifests within the polarities of Eros and Thanatos, Love and Death. It is up to us to choose – Death or Love.
I have every confidence that humanity will choose Love, in its many forms and guises, for Love is the evolutionary goal of humanity.
Photo Credits: Artwork & Photos by J.Sherry where noted. Tarot Card of the Lovers from the Crowley deck, other pictures from the public domain.


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Braille menus now featured in Shorewood restaurants
Two women have successfully launched a project in Shorewood that they will never see.
Cheryl Orgas and Cheri McGrath are leading a charge to have menus at restaurants in Shorewood that cater to the blind.
The women have spent 48 years working toward greater independence and access for the blind, and their latest project has led to 15 restaurants adding braille menus for their patrons with more to come throughout the summer
McGrath said the project leads to "Far more independence. You can browse. You can make up your own mind. You're like everyone else."
Orgas agreed, saying that when she goes to restaurants, "Sometimes I'm not sure until I know what's on the menu" what to eat.
And through their tenacity, they can now "see" the menu for themselves.
"I didn't realize all the choices they had," McGrath said.
The Shorewood Men's Club donated $500 to ABLE -- Audio Braille Literacy Enhancement -- to help defray the cost of the menus.
McGrath and Orgas said Shorewood was a good place to start since it is a walkable community. The women hope other restaurants in the Milwaukee will latch on to the idea.
To ready more about ABLE and their menu project from Shorewood Patch, click here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Amazing Weight Loss Of David Smith
David Smith was 630 lbs in 2003 & decided to change himself. And he achieved this unbelievable success by doing just carb cycling. With this he lost 401 lbs which made him weigh a 229 lbs, with this he had one another problem: he still had excess skin on his body, for which he had to go under the knife few times. And now he looks like any other normal guy.
Source: Fulgerica
Other Posts:
Light Graffiti
Camouflage Photography


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Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport, located at the Urangan end of Hervey Bay, is open daily from 6am and closes approximately half an hour after the last scheduled aircraft of the day. Commercial services operate between Hervey Bay and Brisbane, Sydney, Fraser Island and Lady Elliot Island daily.
Facilities available for passenger comfort and assistance include public car parking, taxi and car rental, Automatic Teller Machine facilities, baggage trolleys, Visitor Information Centre, Accommodation and Services Guide, Baby Change facilities and Parents Room.
The Hervey Bay Airport Cafe offers first class coffee and a wide selection of ready to go foods such as sandwiches, hand baked biscuits and pastries, plus a licensed bar from 1,000 daily offering a range of premium and boutique beers, wine and spirits.
The Hervey Bay Airport Visitor Information Centre also incorporates Quintessential Fraser Coast, a new gift and keepsake shop. Quintessential Fraser Coast gives incoming air travellers the opportunity to see samples of the fantastic food and souvenir products available on the Fraser Coast, while for departing passengers and visitors it provides a last-minute opportunity to buy keepsakes to take home.
Note: Information on listed products and services are provided by the operator and were correct at the time of publishing. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Please visit the operator's website for further information. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD).


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Ready Go!
From DramaWiki(Redirected from Ready Go)
- Title: 레디 고! / Ready Go!
- Also known as: Ready Go
- Genre: Campus drama
- Episodes: 8
- Broadcast network: MBC
- Broadcast period: 1997-Nov-07 to 1998-Jan-11
- Air time: Friday 7:30 PM
The hopes, frustrations and ambitions of young people in the campus student film club.
User/Viewer Ratings[edit]
- Won Bin as Han Seung Joo
- Cha Tae Hyun as Park Chan Ki
- Yoon Son Ha as Seo Kyung
- Jin Jae Young as Judy (Joo Di)
- Kim Hyun Joo as Na Min Jung
- Son Young Joon
- Park Joon Hee
- Jang Dong Gun
- Lee Joo Hyun
- Oh Seung Taek (오승택)
- Jung Yoon Ji (정윤지)
- Goo Bon Seung
- Yoo Ji Yun
Production Credits[edit]
- Director: Lee Chang Han, Lee Hyung Sun
- Screenwriter: Hong Jin Ah


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The West coast has the sunshine
And the girls all get so tanned
I dig a french bikini on a Hawaii island
Dolls by a palm tree in the sand.
-California Girls The Beach Boys
The Geiger girls and I are just back from a week-long trip to sunny Southern California. The thermometer showed 80 degrees when we left there. Here…uh… not so much.
So glad all mine are Georgia girls
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Summer Camp on Sanibel – Summer Arts Camp, that it is. This a great way to keep youngsters creatively active while school is out.
Scheduled to start on June 3rd and run each week through July 26th – with a hiatus on July 4th, Camp is a popular summer activity with both parents and kids. If you are here year around or visiting Sanibel for the summer, enrollment can be weekly or for multiple weeks.
K through 5 youths will receive hands-on activities on a rotating schedule including acrylic painting, ceramics, dance,
photography, performing arts, music appreciation, folk art and general arts and crafts.
Middle and high school students Middle and high school students have the option of attending camp solely as a student —OR participating in the fine arts apprentice program, spending half the day as a student and the other half assisting instructors of K-5 classes as a volunteer to receive community service hours.
Tuition for K-5 is $10 per week or $115 pr week for three or more weeks. Tuition for middle and high school students is $80 per week. Tuition assistance is available by application to BIGArts 239-395-090. Camp hours are 9 AM to 3 PM.
For more information, visit BIGArts.org


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Azkend (iPad)
Published by
Developed by
Also For
DescriptionYour archaeological team found what they thought was a common relic but it turned out to be powerful and cursed. Now you must make your way to the Temple of Time to return the relic and lift the curse.
Azkend is a match three puzzle game. To make a match, you place your mouse on a tile, hold down the button then drag the mouse to connect three or more of the same symbols. These will then disappear and the tiles below them will change to blue. If a tile has a steel plate, it must be matched twice to turn blue. Later, some tiles will be frozen, locked or tarred. These cannot be matched to other tiles and to release them, you must make a match next to them. Tar will, if left too long, spread to other tiles.
Every five levels that you complete will complete a talisman. These will then show up in the puzzle as symbols that can also be connected. Connect four or more talisman symbols to activate its power. These powers include exploding and destroying the tiles next to it, having a hammer destroy random areas of the board, having shooting stars destroy random areas of the board, etc. Every time you make a match that has non-blue tiles under it, you power up the Thunder Meter. After five matches, five lightning bolts will destroy five non-blue tiles, randomly. If you make a match with only blue tiles, you cancel the Thunder Meter and must start from the bottom. If you make a match string of seven or more symbols, you get a single lightning bolt strike, whether there were non-blue tiles or not.
After every level, the background picture colors in a bit. After it is fully colored, you play a bonus game where you need to find the area of the picture shown in the bottom left. There are seven areas to find and if you find all seven before time runs out, you will gain seven seconds added to the time for the next seven levels.
Promo Images
Alternate Titles
- "Azkend HD" -- iPad release
Part of the Following Groups
User Reviews
There are no reviews for this game.
Critic Reviews
There are no critic reviews for this game.
There are currently no topics for this game.
There is no trivia on file for this game.
Kabushi (244679) added Azkend (iPad) on May 07, 2011
Other platforms contributed by MrMamen (11756), Kabushi (244679) and LepricahnsGold (139157)
There are no game credits on file for this release of the game. Everything in MobyGames is contributable by users.


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831 members31 Likes
277 members14 Likes
Started this discussion. Last reply by Denise Francis May 12, 2012. 1 Reply 0 Likes
Wanted to see if anyone is available to hit this weekend. I am open to time and place.HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the moms out there.J ScottContinue
J Scott has not received any gifts yet
kind of late today but still possible, or possibly hit in Pasadena sometime..
© 2020 Created by Mark / The Mayor. Powered by


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Billy Joel surprised students of a Long Island elementary school by showing up at their Piano-Man themed spring concert.
The principal of Glen Cove's Deasy Elementary School says the school invited Joel on a lark but didn't expect him to come.
"The River of Dreams: A Billy Joel Tribute" concert on Wednesday featured the children singing 15 of the Piano Man's songs. Kindergartners led off with "You May Be Right," first-graders sang "Movin' Out," and then second-graders stepped up with "We Didn't Start the Fire" and "New York State of Mind."
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
Joel arrived on his motorcycle from his nearby home in Centre Island.
He entered the auditorium five minutes before the concert started at 9:30 a.m. and applauded, smiling, at the end of every song.
The school's concert director and music teacher Rosita Mallo says she learned Joel was in the audience minutes before the concert was to start.
She told Newsday: "It totally freaked me out. My nerves went sky-high."


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San Francisco Bay Region Geology and Geologic Hazards
A cooperative project with the California Geological Survey
The San Francisco Bay region is home to 7 million people whose lives are intertwined with some of the most complex and active geology in the world. With heightened public awareness about earthquake hazards on the 100th anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the California Geological Survey, is releasing three new maps of the San Francisco Bay Area designed to provide a new look at the geologic history and hazards of the region:
(Note: The following maps below require the Shockwave player to view. You can download the Shockwave player here. )
Geologic Map
Quaternary-Active Fault Map
Liquefaction Susceptibility Map
This older website provides access to additional resources, maps, and information about the regional geology of the San Francisco Bay region.
This Web site provides enhanced access to these maps, including additional information, images, downloads, and links.


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The hard work paid off. After another frantic day of hanging the doors have finally opened to Bristol's newest Gallery.
The art and the space were very well received and the venue was busy all evening, music played and beer flowed. In neighbouring units there were cyclists, live art and a burlesque fan dancer so plenty for all too see.
The show is open for the next 6 weeks so if you couldn't make it last night there is still a chance to catch the show at 131-133 Wilder Street, St Pauls, Bristol open Wednesday – Saturday 11am to 7pm and Sunday 11am – 4 pm.
A big thanks to everybody that worked so hard in making this show possible, all the artists, Paul, Anabel, Sean Phil, Sam, Damian, Red Bull and to everybody that showed up and those that plan to.


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Staff Directory
City staff are listed in the directory below by last name. For general questions, please contact the front desk at (805) 961-7500 during regular business hours or click here to send an email. You may also use our citizen support service (City Assist) to have your question/comment directed to the appropriate person.
Lopez Jr., Anthony
- Departments:Public Works
- Title:Maintenance Worker I
- Phone:(805) 968-6843
- Email:Email


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I get some pretty interesting recipe requests from you, my readers, and although I receive far more than I could ever fulfill, I do like to rise to the occasion. I am especially inclined to answer the call if more than one person asks for the same thing: gluten-free vegan lasagna, healthy cookies, and easy breakfasts are just a few of the cravings I've tried to satisfy.
It seems that over the past year, bubble tea has become a popular item for health-ifying, and I've gotten several emails about this very thing. How can we take a pretty sugar-laden, artificially-coloured-and-flavoured beverage and turn it into something beneficial, light, and refreshing? Here I am to the rescue!
But can I make a confession? I've never actually tried it before. Most of the time I do my research in order to gear up before making something out of my wheelhouse, but this time it was just too much to swallow. I actually did go to a teashop though, with my best intentions to sample a bevy of bubbles. I walked in, saw all the crazy colours, dubious "juices" and syrups, pulled a 180 and headed straight to the health food store instead. I did leave with bubble tea straws, of course. That much I know is essential.
So, that all said, if I get this totally wrong, I do apologize. This is my version and I quite like it. Sarah B's bubble tea is not pretending to by anything other than what it is – a bubble tea all its own.
Tapioca Pearls of Wisdom
What makes those darn bubbles anyway? It's tapioca, in fact. Tapioca is the dried starch from the root of the cassava plant, a tuber native to South America. It has a naturally sweet taste, which is why it is so often used in candies and desserts, most familiar of them being tapioca pudding. Tapioca also the amazing ability to absorb and thicken liquid. Being naturally gluten-free, it is has become a popular gelling agent to use in foods, as opposed to fillers containing wheat. You can use tapioca flour / starch / powder in place of arrowroot or cornstarch in most recipes.
Tapioca is a staple food in many countries throughout the world due to its high concentration of carbohydrates, low levels of fat and dietary cholesterol, and its vitamin and mineral balance. Key nutrients in tapioca include calcium to support bone health, magnesium to help control inflammation, phosphorus for protein synthesis, and vitamin A for glowing skin.
You can find tapioca at most health food stores where it is often sold in powder, flaked, or pearled form. For bubble tea, look for large pearls instead of the small ones that are typically used to make tapioca pudding. Make sure that the only ingredient in the pearls is tapioca starch, and organic if possible. Many "novelty" pearls contain food coulouring and flavouring agents, and it's best to avoid those for obvious reasons. Natural peals are pure white and are almost completely flavourless, except for a hint of sweetness.
Peaches and plums have just come into season, so I've decided to use those as the fruit base for my teas. You can use whatever is available where you are of course, and match the brewed tea flavours accordingly. I chose chamomile to pair up with the peach and green tea to go with the plum. These were really delicious combinations, but are by no means the only options. Rooibos would be tasty with peaches too, and maybe jasmine with plums? I'm just guessing here – get creative!
Sarah B's Peach and Plum Bubble Tea
Serves 4-6
½ cup large pearl tapioca
6 cups water, divided
2 – 3 Tbsp. maple syrup or raw honey (to your taste)
4 peaches
4 plums
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp. dried chamomile flowers (or 2 chamomile tea bags)
1 Tbsp. loose leaf green tea (or 2 green tea bags)
milk of your choice for serving (optional)
1. Bring 3 cups / 750ml water to a roiling boil, add the tapioca pearls and stir. Reduce the heat to simmer and let cook for 25-30 minutes, then turn off the heat and let sit covered, for another 30 minutes until the pearls are translucent (if a few of them have slightly white centers, this is okay, but test one to make sure that it isn't powdery in the middle).
2. While the pearls are cooking, add 3 cups / 750 ml of cold water to a large glass jar or container. Stir in the liquid sweetener of your choice to dissolve. Once the pearls have cooked, drain them from the cooking liquid, rinse them well, and add them to the jar of cold sweetened water. Let sit in the fridge until ready to use. If the water does not entirely cover the pearls, add just enough water to do so.
3. Brew the tea. Bring enough water for 4 cups of tea to the boil. Let cool slightly and pour over tea bags (I used two different tea pots for the two different flavours). Let steep for at least 10 minutes. Remove tea bags and discard.
4. Peel the peaches and plums. Add peaches and 1 teaspoon lemon juice to a blender and blend on high until totally creamy and smooth. Repeat with plums and remaining lemon juice. Set aside.
5. To serve the tea, place desired amount of tapioca pearls in each glass, fill 3 glasses about half full with chamomile and the others with green tea. Spoon peach purée into the chamomile glasses and plum purée into the green tea glasses. Add a squirt of milk if desired. Stir with a large straw, sweeten to taste and enjoy.
*Note: unused pearls will keep in the fridge in their water bath for a couple of days*
So what else do you want to know about? What other kooky experiments will you have me diving into? Bring 'em on! If you are so inclined to send me an email, type "recipe request" as the subject line and I'll squirrel it away for a time when I'm a bit stumped for what to make next. And you never know, I may just answer your call.
Hope you are all having a gorgeous summer! Sorry for the radio silence on my end – I've been giving the cookbook so much attention, it's hard to keep the blog up to speed. I promise it will be worth the wait though. Good golly am I excited!!!
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Show me your bubble tea on Instagram: #MNRbubbletea


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By John R. Melleky, CFRE
As I celebrate my first Fiesta® both in San Antonio and as the chief executive officer of the Fiesta® San Antonio Commission, I am amazed at the breadth of nonprofits and services provided in the San Antonio community. The Fiesta® Commission is the umbrella organization for Fiesta® and is comprised of 100 nonprofits that are our Participating Member Organizations (PMOs). The PMOs work tirelessly to produce more than 100 events during the 11-day festival known as Fiesta® San Antonio.
I have attended as many events as possible to see Fiesta® in action, and am visiting our PMOs to learn about the individual nonprofit organizations. It has been an eye-opening, enjoyable experience. What makes Fiesta® unique among U.S. festivals is that 100 nonprofits, with the help of an estimated 75,000 volunteers, make Fiesta® happen.
Fiesta® celebrates the history, culture, diversity, arts and fabric of what makes the community of San Antonio so great. Sure, everyone knows that we collect and trade medals, people show us their shoes, and royalty crowns sparkle throughout town. But Fiesta® also has a deeper purpose.
Since nonprofits run all the official events, the proceeds benefit the community by raising money for the organizations to provide services, and in some cases, provide their yearly budgets. Fiesta® is known as the "Party with a Purpose" since the organizations give back to the community.
Most citizens know about the larger events, such as the Fiesta Oyster Bake, which raises over $2 million in scholarships for the alumni association to provide educational opportunities at St. Mary's University. A Night in Old San Antonio (NIOSA) allows the San Antonio Conservation Society to pursue its mission to preserve and to encourage the preservation of historic buildings, objects, places and customs.
However, Fiesta® includes some lesser-known events with community-wide impact. Fiesta Especial, the first Fiesta event catering to the special needs community, had a layout providing access for everyone and included virtual rides allowing anyone to participate. At Fiesta UTSA, students created booths and promoted their organizations, further strengthening that community. Battle ALS with Flowers taught individuals how to make unique flower arrangements and included a luncheon and silent auction to help with the fight against ALS. Lo Bello de San Antonio Women's Club's Champagne and Diamonds Brunch provides scholarships throughout San Antonio, many of the recipients being the first in their family to attend college.
Many activities and events include the armed forces, supporting the military, their institutions, and their families, including the All American Canteen for the Preservation of Fort Sam Houston. The military parades at Fort Sam and at Lackland AFB allow the community to see our troops display their patriotism and instill pride in us as Americans.
The Fiesta® Commission is here to support our nonprofit members. Through our activities such as sponsorship and merchandise sales, we also give to the community. The Fiesta® Commission has provided $385,000 in assistance to our PMOs this year to help produce their events and cover some infrastructure support such as insurance and street closings. Our street chair program lets nonprofits raise money by selling chairs along the parade route.
In addition, the Fiesta® Commission Charitable Corporation supports activities such as Fiesta Safe. Working with various partners, including Silver Eagle, and spearheaded by the Texas Department of Transportation, we provide taxi cab vouchers during Fiesta® to keep roads safe. Our Fit Fiesta® initiative promotes healthful food options during Fiesta®, along with activities throughout the year to help keep San Antonio fit and healthy. Over the next few months, our organization will work on a strategic plan to determine next steps for Fiesta®, our charitable corporation, and the commission.
But, for now, we are still in the midst of Fiesta® 2012! I encourage everyone to attend something during Fiesta®. By supporting these events, you support our nonprofit community. A city cannot thrive without a strong base of nonprofits to help solve problems or provide assistance to those in need. A caring community is a strong community.
John R. Melleky is CEO of the Fiesta® San Antonio Commission.


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I went through several point-and-shoot cameras before switching to an SLR.
Why did I get an SLR?
I was tired of blurry photographs. In case you didn't know, children move fast.
What is an SLR camera?
"The single-lens reflex (SLR) camera uses an automatic moving mirror system which permits the photographer to see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system, as opposed to non-SLR cameras where the view through the viewfinder could be significantly different from what was captured on film." -- from Wikipedia
Which camera do I use?
I currently use the Nikon D40. You can read about it here. I've used Nikon cameras for years based off of a friend's recommendation. I don't have anything against Canon cameras. I hear they're fantastic. Ask a Canon user, they'll suggest a Canon. Ask a Nikon user, they'll suggest a Nikon. If you're thinking about making the switch to an SLR, I'd suggest trying out several cameras in the store before throwing down your credit card.
I love my camera. I love my lenses. Photography and pictures are an important part of my life. I hope to learn more as the years go by.


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Shanghai PPTV Grand Slam | 29 avril - 4 mai 2014
Shanghai, China, April 28, 2014 - Vitor Felipe and Evandro Oliveira of Brazil were seeded No. 1 among 24 teams which will kick off the men's qualification tournament of the US$800,000 2014 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Shanghai Grand Slam Tuesday morning.
Vitor, who had paired with Evandro to win the Berlin Grand Slam before taking the Xiamen Grand Slam title together with Alison Cerutti in 2013, reunited with Evandro at the start of this season, but failed to make the Main Draw of the Fuzhou Open last week. Shifting from Fuzhou to Shanghai, Vitor/Evandro will have a bye in the first round elimination action.
The 24-team qualification tournament also features Fuzhou Open bronze medallists Jon Stiekema and Christiaan Varenhorst from the Netherlands. Seeded second, Stiekema and Varenhorst will await the winners between Czech Republic's Premysl Kubala/Jan Dumek and Norway's Iver Andreas Horrem and Geir Eithun.
The action will kick off at nine o'clock local time with eight teams to qualify for the 32-team men's Main Draw tournament.
Last week's season-opening US$150,000 FIVB Fuzhou Open got things go in resounding fashion. Italy, Brazil and the Netherlands won the men's medals and the United States, Brazil and China captured the podium in the women's competition. The FIVB Fuzhou Open was the season opener for the 2014 FIVB World Tour and the first of seven double-gender FIVB Open tournaments on the 20014 calendar.
The 2014 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour calendar features a record purse of US$10.2 million with a season that extends from late April to mid-December competing at 21 venues in 18 countries. This year's FIVB World Tour includes a record 10 FIVB Grand Slam events, the inaugural Grand Slam Finale and 11 FIVB Open Tournaments throughout the world, helping expand the door for development of the sport even further.
The 10 FIVB Grand Slam competitions, all double-gender, have eight with $800,000 in total purses while both The Hague, Netherlands and the Long Beach, Calif., USA event will have $1 million each in prize money, the most in FIVB Grand Slam history.
The 11 FIVB Open tournaments in 2014, seven double-gender, two men only and two women only, will have $150,000 total purses for the double gender events and $75,000 for the single-gender competitions.
Shanghai Grand Slam Tournament Page
Shanghai Grand Slam Tournament Notes
08.05.2014 09:47:58
Chinese beach volleyball pair Li Jian and Chen Cheng answer fan questions
Lausanne, Switzerland, May 8, 2014 – Chinese beach volleyball fans were in for a treat this year, as the first two FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour ... More...
04.05.2014 23:42:07
FIVB World Tour season update after two events in China
Lausanne, Switzerland, May 4, 2014 - Following two very busy and exciting weeks in China, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) has suc... More...
04.05.2014 11:47:36
Ludwig/Walkenhorst clinch first ever Grand Slam title in Shanghai
Shanghai, China, May 4, 2014 – Germany's second seeds Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst held off Chinese dark horses Wang Fan/Yue Yuan in the thri... More...
03.05.2014 12:31:23
Nicolai/Lupo land back-to-back World Tour title in Shanghai
03.05.2014 09:14:21
Defending champs Talita/Lima storm into Shanghai Grand Slam semis
03.05.2014 07:15:10
Walkenhorsts enjoy sunshine and Beach Volleyball in Shanghai
02.05.2014 12:52:50
Pedro/Emanuel claim full-set thriller to make Shanghai Grand Slam semis
02.05.2014 11:22:33
Home favorites Xue/Xia crash out of Shanghai Grand Slam
02.05.2014 02:49:06
Emanuel never stops love for beach volleyball
01.05.2014 12:33:11
Australian qualifiers Artacho/Laird shine at Shanghai Grand Slam
01.05.2014 08:58:13
Gibb/Patterson lead three American teams into Shanghai Grand Slam top 16
30.04.2014 11:39:35
Lucky losers Bourne/Hyden start well in Shanghai Grand Slam Main Draw
30.04.2014 09:02:19
Hermannova/Bonnerova make Shanghai Grand Slam Main Draw with upset win
29.04.2014 15:39:01
Brazil's Ricardo/Alvaro withdraw from Shanghai Grand Slam
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text: SALTILLO — Saltillo has joined other communities in approving a ban on saggy pants in public. The unanimous vote by aldermen came Tuesday during their regular meeting. >>> MBJ POLL QUESTION: Which is more indecent? A $50 fine comes with the first offense with subsequent offenses possibly resulting in fines up to $200. Saltillo's new ban will take effect in ...Read More »


text:
A lesson in architecture
'Bar-raising' Frenzy on Auckland U sim
Described by Jon Brouchoud (SL: Keystone Bouchard), noted blogger on architecture, a freelance virtual architect and founder of Crescendo Design, as set to become a bar-raising effort for demonstrating the benefits of using virtual worlds in architectural education, Auckland University senior tutor, Judy Cockeram's (SL: JudyArx Scribe) Putahi prototype "Frenzy" March 30 was definitely something to talk about.
That was despite being a little confusing, sometimes uncomfortable and at times difficult to find one's way around.
But architects, students and others who attended – about 100 in all – described the event as "extraordinary," "inspiring" and "fascinating".
And the nine Auckland University third-year architecture students who had burned the midnight oil preparing the "Frenzy", exhibited simultaneously in real life on a large screen, also were "rapt", according to Cockeram, a senior lecturer in architecture and pictured as JudyArx Scribe at right.
The students had spoken in-world with real life architects, academics and "expert" Second Life builders/designers, receiving both advice and feedback.
Cockeram had invited her students from the University of Auckland to explore architectural and urban strategies within the "existing and vibrant" Non-Profit Commons archipelago in Second Life, through building in their living sketchbook , allowing the effectiveness of their "urban intervention"' to become immediately evident.
The students, none older in-world than 40-days, let it all hang out – the good, the bad and ugly – asking the general SL public to play with and talk about their ideas.
Cockeram said, in her invitation to Brouchoud, who attended, "As an Architect in SL you have a unique perspective on the role of the crit in our education.
"In SL a traditional crit makes very little sense so we are trailing a different way of engaging in the process of exchanging and debating the ideas and fit of proposals and projects. The students are working on a project for the Non Profit Commons, a group who host a large number of RL Charities – the issues are most like those of a small town needing an urban intervention. But importantly because this is SL the students are still in a building phase so they can hear and take on ideas to improve their project before they have to walk their peers though.
"We hope the students of Tab Scott (noted SL architectural writer and academic) and the students of the Living Sketchbook will meet up for an in-world (and i dont know what to call it) debate/crit/party/presentation/ but a sharing of architectural ideas and ideals a couple of days later. We need your help to invent a format that stands the test of the Architect's and Academic's stare. As someone who has helped set those standards we want you to come and talk and push ideas and continue the climb to a an even more extraordinary world and Second Life."
As she requested visitors did "come and run, jump and fly through the thoughts of the first group of nine students to venture into the Metaverse from the University of Auckland's Architecture and Planning School.
"Because they are the first this event will be on the big screen with nine others computers in front of the whole school over the three hours – we would love to have the metaverse wave back to the physical world."
After the event Cockeram described it as "absolutely fascinating for a first time. As a teaching event it was extraordinary. The level of student enrichment was far higher than expected and well outside the normal criteria."
She noted that both academic and architectural students from around the world had visited and discussed the "projects" with the students involved.
Among the lessons learned, Cockeram said, however, was the need to determine how better to interface and present Second Life or virtual worlds to people in real life (even with the big screen most watched the students at the keyboards, rather than SL on the screen) to allow more real life interactivity and participation even if one is not in world.
The frenzy is now in the process of being dismantled.
Filed under: Architecture, Education | Tagged: architecture, Brouchoud, Cockeram, Frenzy, Putahi, SL architecture, University of Auckland | 1 Comment »


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From the award-winning writers of the international smash hits Mary Poppins and Honk! comes a "great big little West End show" for audiences of three years and up.
Stiles and Drewe's The Three Little Pigs, a very curly musical tale.
He can huff and puff until the cows comes home, but will the Big Bad Wolf get the better of the three little superstar piglets in this brand new retelling of the classic story?
Full of catchy songs, jokes and japes for little ones and parents alike, this endearing musical will leave you squealing with glee and howling with laughter.
The 3 Little Pigs is not available to book, please sign up to our newsletter for updates and offers on forthcoming and available shows.
Find out more about the venue for your show: Directions, Transport options and facilities.
(5mins) Take Charing Cross Road until you reach the crossroads with Shaftesbury Avenue.


text:
Like many moms and daughters, my mother and I sometimes have a strained relationship. Although it's far better now than when I was a teen and screaming matches were the norm, the distance between us (about 4,144 miles; she lives just outside Stockholm, Sweden) helps to keep the peace.
And yet, I miss her at times. And I miss the Christmas traditions I grew up with, which I try to re-create but don't always attain. (Of course some of those traditions I don't mind failing to re-create: I can't stand pickled herring, and I dislike lutefisk--I must be a bad Scandinavian.)
One of the traditions I do like is making gingerbread cookies. For years, I tried different recipes, but none of them were "right," and then a couple of years ago, my mother sent me a handwritten note with a recipe and some old cookie cutters.
This most valuable of all gifts held the recipe to my mother's gingerbread cookies, which was also my Finnish grandmother's favorite recipe and came from a 1940's cookbook called Hemhushållningens Grunder (which means the foundations of household care) by Rima Melander. And now I am going to share it with you.
Before you get started, you should be prepared for a few things. First, you will start the dough at least one day before you get to baking so that the flavors have time to mellow and blend and so that the dough has plenty of time to relax. Second, this recipe requires a bit of muscle in the stirring and mixing phase. Third, this recipe makes an enormous batch of cookies as a photo from a few years ago shows. It will take several hours to bake them all. If you don't want to make them all at once, you can cut the dough in half and refrigerate the unused portion for up to a week.
OK, now that caveats are out of the way, let's get to work. You will need:
- 1 Tbsp orange zest (no white part), very finely chopped
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground dried ginger
- 2 tsp cloves
- 200 grams syrup (I use Lyle's Golden Syrup, which is made from cane sugar, but you can use corn syrup; for extra flavor, feel free to replace some of the syrup with molasses)
- 400 grams white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 300 grams butter
- 3 large eggs
- 800 grams all purpose flour
And here's how to put it all together. Mix sugar, syrup, and spices in a pot with a thick bottom:
Over medium heat, bring the sugar and spice (and everything nice) mixture to a gentle simmer:
Here's where it gets exciting. Take the pot off the heat, add the baking soda to the mix, and stir intensely until the mix cools off a bit. It will froth up quite a lot.
When the mix has cooled a bit, stir in the butter (this may take a little while) and then stir in the eggs. Finally, add the flour to the mix in the pot, a few tablespoons at a time. When the mix in the pot gets too stiff to continue stirring, make a mount of the remaining flour on a bread board; make a hole in the middle of the mound of flour; pour in the sugar, spice, and butter mixture; and start mixing it all together. It will make a big mess, but eventually you will be able to combine the flour with the sugar and spices. When you have a nice smooth dough, sprinkle flour in a bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and then sprinkle some flour over the top of the dough. Put it in the refrigerator to rest at least 24 hours.
On the day when you plan to bake the cookies, get the dough out of the refrigerator and let it warm up for at least an hour (or rolling out the dough will just be too difficult). Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
On a floured board, cut the dough into manageable pieces. Watch out for small thieving hands!
Roll out the dough to about a quarter inch thickness and cut shapes with cookie cutters. (Or you can go freehand if you like.) The moose, the squirrel, and the hedgehog are new additions to my cookie cutter collection. I found them at IKEA.
Bake them for 5-6 minutes and let them cool on a baking rack (they will be pliable when they first come out of the oven, but will crisp up as they cool). Enjoy!


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A quick post before I crash the bed... I got the chance to go see The 40th Anniversary of American Music Award !!! :) Last year I had the chance to sit near the top pop stars sitting on front rows, watching them chatting to one another with their fellow stars, and walking down the aisle with their beautiful gowns or suits receiving awards... This year is a bit different ! Justin Bieber came with another date, which is not Selena Gomez, but his own mom! :) Isn't that sweet??! He does not wear a suit, but a cool black outfit with his red high top sneakers! He rocked the night out! He won 3 awards, defeating any other artists. Last year was Katy Perry, winning 5 categories in 1 award on 1 night .. Amazing!... Talking about Selena Gomez's bestie,… Taylor Swift amazed me in her performance tonight ! She was rocking the stage like a rock star J Compared to her all time favorite soft performances, I like her with a lil bit of wild side I might say … Nicki Minaj, unique as usual, receive 2 awards… Well I can tell you more in depth story about tonight's show, but I'll let you see and read the info tomorrow morning on TV or any news media J After all, pictures worth a thousand words right??
Sorry if the pic resolution isn't that great because I am not allowed to bring my slr camera :(
Follow my instagram lovelies for updated pics , @lclayderman
The No Doubt band is back with Gwen Stefani kicking on the stage!!
Pitbull, Mr. Worldwide
Opa gangnam style - Psy
I am wearing zara, marc jacobs, chanel, and cartier...


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(letters to a young poet from a young poet.)
i've heard too many times
"i am not very good at poetry,"
that is like saying
"i am not good at breathing,"
you're going to do this
whether you want to or not
so you might as well
make your breaths deep
take in the fragrance in the air
along with the carbon monoxide
write your poetry
like a carpenter would make
his own crucifix
if you are uninspired
and you are a poet
it is time
to start sneaking into movie theaters
time to drive your car home in reverse
spend a day trapped inside your home
dressed like emily dickinson
stalking a housefly
attempt to roll uphill
your blood is eighty-five percent water
come to a rolling boil
you were not made to be luke warm
if you are body temperature
you are denying yourself
the chance to be something other than a body
you will write shitty poems
you will have shitty relationships
and shitty jobs with shitty bosses
and sometimes the most precious of poems
gets damaged in a move
you are not a poet
until you type your soul on a screen
and forget to save
but when that computer crashes
you will learn
that some things cannot be taken away from you
there are plenty of people out there
who won't want to hear your poetry
but you do not speak for them
we all speak to the ears that want to hear
there is a method to the madness
of bees and their flowers
you do not have to share your poems
but document your heart beats
and your heart murmurs alike
sometimes a bad poem
is the prosthetic legs
of a good poem
as far as love
you have to love
loneliness is a bitch
big, big bitch
the fat kid in class
who steals your lunch
because he can't get full on his
but you have to love
throw yourself into uncomfortable
pad your bed with broken dreams
make strangers less strange
and embrace their stories as your own
because time turns us into alphabet soup
and no one can claim the letters as theirs for long
your mouth carries the fiber of the universe
your dreams form our reality
speak now
or forever hold your peace
write everyday
write with borrowed pens on napkins at diners
and write with scratches on the backs of lovers
tiger stripe God's car
throw eggs at his driveway
ding dong ditch his front door
leave a flaming bag of dog shit for him to put out
God knows only how to smile
at the precocious little monster you're being
someday you'll just be glad you made some memories
a poet is one hell of a hard thing to be
there is no health care, no 401k
no big benefits package
you don't get sick time
but you will make money off of it
you'll just be dead by then
the wealth of a poet is measured
in the lint in your pocket
and the gems you've placed
in the pocket of the hearts
of those around you
a friend once said to me
the worst thing someone can be to you
is bad poetry
and i believe that to be true
i cannot unhear what i have heard
and you cannot say
what you decided to let be unsaid
take a second
close your eyes
and take in a deep breath
before you start turning blue
let it out
02.2013 is a thirty day project chronicling my february of 2013 through poetry. to read the entries from the beginning CLICK HERE


text:
Fifteen years ago, I ripped one of my thigh muscles. After eight days of pain, I finally went to see my GP at the local hospital. He diagnosed muscle tension and prescribed Robaxin (methocarbamol, a muscle relaxant). But as he left the cubicle, I heard the nurse tell him that she believed I had a thrombosis. He told her she was talking nonsense as my leg wasn't blue.
Three months later, I hobbled into a casualty unit and, within 10 minutes, I was hospitalised with chronic deep vein thrombosis. X-rays showed total occlusion of the vein down the whole of my leg - from thigh to foot. I was treated with heparin and put on warfarin.
Not long after that, I went to Glasgow's homoeopathic hospital; their treatment helped and I changed my diet.
Back at the local hospital, surgery was mooted, but I refused.
I then suspected there was clotting in my abdomen - an ultrasound scan proved me to be correct. The surgeon again proposed surgery, and again I refused. On his consultation report card, he wrote that I was 'not in the right frame of mind'.
Later, I was asked to go to hospital for an X-ray. There was an attempt to inject some sort of solution into the vein. After some minutes, I felt an enormous pressure in my groin and, 10 minutes later, I could sense some concern among the doctors. One doctor then explained that the syringe had slipped, cut through an artery and they were trying to stop the bleeding. After some 30 minutes, they finally succeeded. Then, after another attempt to inject the solution into my leg - which failed again - they gave up and took the X-ray anyway.
I was then given a bed in intensive care, where the surgeon came along with two colleagues and started to draw on my thigh to show them where he was going to make the incisions. When I asked what he was doing, he said he was showing how he was going to amputate my leg from the thigh down the following morning. I said that if he laid a finger on me, I would sue him for every last penny he had and make sure he never worked ever again as a doctor or surgeon. He said I'd signed a consent form, but I told him that I had crossed off all the items and stated that I was signing under duress.
That night, I escaped from the ICU. That thankfully was the surgeon's last attempt on my leg. - Tony Crossley, via e-mail


text:
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1/3 cup non-dairy creamer
1/3 cup tofutti cream cheese
2 tablespoons margarine
1-2 teaspoons salt
Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over a high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork. Drain completely and mash, adding non-dairy creamer, tofutti cream cheese, margarine and salt as you go.


text:
KDKA's Chris Hoffman is talking to an economist about the unemployment rate during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Reporter Update: A Closer Look At The Unemployment Rate
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text:
Driver credits preparation for win in California.
Carl Edwards has never been a big fan of testing. He hated taking tests as a student in school. He hated giving tests when he was a substitute teacher back in Missouri while chasing his racing dream. And he especially hates testing a race car in the same mundane round-and-round pattern, turning laps almost mindlessly to collect data and information that may or may not help down the road in certain races or to improve the performance of his race car. But testing can be a necessary evil that eventually gives a great reward. Such is the case with Edwards and the Car of Tomorrow. With Hendrick Motorsports dominating the introduction of the COT in its 16 races (part of Cup racing's 36-race overall schedule) last season, Edwards tested so much to improve both his and the collective COT fortunes of Roush Fenway Racing that he earned a diploma from the School of Racing Knocks. Yet, Edwards proved that practice – and ergo, testing – oftentimes pays off as he won two COT races late last summer at Bristol, Tenn., and Dover, Del. Having tested even more this past off-season, it's not surprising Edwards became the first Sprint Cup driver to win on an intermediate track with the new car when he captured Monday's rain-delayed Auto Club 500 in Fontana, Calif. Edwards' Ford Fusion had so much power that he cruised to victory down the stretch, leading the last 13 laps to become the second winner thus far this season, after Ryan Newman's win last week in the season-opening Daytona 500. While testing can be monotonous, it also has its benefits. During testing at both Las Vegas and in Fontana during the end of January and first couple of days of this month, Edwards was the fastest driver overall. The information gleaned at those tests played a key part in his win Monday, Edwards admits, and could potentially lead to another win for him or one of his Roush Fenway Racing teammates this Sunday in the UAW-Dodge Dealers 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. "If there's one thing we've learned, we've got to stay on top of (the continuing evolution of the COT), and we have to keep working as hard as we can," Edwards said. "We have to keep on top of it, but this is a great way to start. I hope we keep going like this." Edwards will quickly find out if that will indeed be the case. After leaving the two-mile high-banked track at Fontana, the Sprint Cup circuit now has back-to-back races scheduled at 1.5-mile tracks in Las Vegas this weekend and suburban Atlanta next week, the first time the COT has raced on tracks of that length. Those races will go a long way toward determining whether Roush Fenway truly is a challenger to the Hendrick camp. "I hope it's an indication that we've caught up with them," Edwards said of his win on Monday, and his third overall COT triumph since last season. "I hope this is a sign that we're up to (Hendrick's) standards, up to their level. I believe we are." We'll find that out Sunday, yet another significant test for Edwards. But he shouldn't worry: He's pulling all A's, being the only driver in the Roush Fenway and overall Ford camp who has reached victory lane in the new car. Who knows, given all the miles he's logged since last year in trying to see just what the new car can do, coupled with the three wins he now has in it, maybe Edwards is actually starting to like testing. "The reason we won (at Fontana) is because of the preparation," Edwards said. Maybe testing really isn't all that bad, after all. Jerry Bonkowski is National NASCAR Columnist for Yahoo! Sports and a featured contributor to Gatehouse News Service. He can be reached at email@example.com. THE EDWARDS FILE - Some of the jobs Edwards held while pursuing his racing career: substitute teacher and reserve sheriff's deputy. - A big music buff, he owns his own recording studio and record label (Back 40 Records). Edwards started both to give aspiring local talent around his hometown of Columbia, Mo., opportunities to record demo tapes at little or no cost in hopes of some day being "discovered." - Edwards is a huge physical fitness buff and works out at least an hour or two every day, with the exception of race day.


text:
R_The_Falcon wrote:Glencaer wrote:To be honest, I created the limits based off the total number of photos rather than the 'length' of a story. However, I'm not sure I totally agree with your appraisal. Comic stories and Short stories are two totally different mediums and comparisons between the two can be difficult. I would write a short story differently than how I would write a comic. Your example above assumes that each panel of a comic is equivalent to one sentence, which would be a very, very poor way of converting a story to a comic.
Comic Book Stories and Short Stories are totally different mediums. It would be impossible to write a short story the same as you would a comic. Well, maybe possible, but it'd be a very deplorable comic. No, when I said I was writing my story I ment something like this:
Frame 1: Rolan is busy mending a fence on his farm when someone calls for him. "Rolan, Rolan!"
Frame 2: Rolan sees that it's his friend John. Camera is situated behind Rolan. Rolan says, "What's the matter John?"
See, I can see those two frames being a single frame. Especially since not much plot is expanded between them. Keep in mind that the frame limit allows subpictures. For example, this frame from Capt Ahnee 2 is two photos but counts as only one frame. This framealso has two pictures and the plot is pushed forward in both images but they are combined into one frame.
So your two frames above can easily become a single frame (and even a bit more):
Frame 1 (exterior, Rolan is mending a fence while John runs up to him)
John: Rolan! Rolan!
Rolan: What is it John?
Subframe (John is now standing near Rolan)
John: It's Aunt May! She's calling for you!
Frame 2 (interior of Aunt May's home, Aunt May is in the bed while Rolan looks over her)
May: Oh Rolan, There is something I need to tell you!
Hope that all makes sense. I'm glad to know that someone is doing the comic style, which, I must admit, is my preferred style. Anyways, I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone creates.