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*1701: Let Go, Let Gov* Post-Air Discussion
Moderator: Big-Will
Re: *1701: Let Go, Let Gov* Post-Air Discussion
Butters' story was good. Butters' praying to the government and converting Jehovah's Witnesses was priceless.
AngusMcTavish wrote:As for Cartman's part, well, after a while, I was waiting for Kyle to rip the phone from his hand and smash it on the ground.
Definitely! I was expecting a little bit more from Kyle, then to be a passive bystander, even when Cartman accused him of being a NSA agent.
Alec Baldwin part was okay. For some reason I laughed at the scene where he tries to use a fork without thumbs.
I loved the Santa part and the ending.
"This is the DMV. There will be no joy here."
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Re: *1701: Let Go, Let Gov* Post-Air Discussion
Overall, this was a good episode. Not stellar, but good. I think we'll have to wait to see whether this season produces any timeless material.
Re: *1701: Let Go, Let Gov* Post-Air Discussion
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Re: *1701: Let Go, Let Gov* Post-Air Discussion
Big-Will wrote:Well Cartman didn't help his own cause, broadcasting his phone calls as if he were a radio DJ. What NSA agent wouldn't be aware of this if he were around Cartman? Cartman worrying over the NSA spying on him without realizing his own part in making it possible.
That's definitely something this episode pointed fun at. People being so offended at the NSA for violating their privacy when they are putting practically everything they think on the internet already - and making their phone calls public with the speakerphones.
First impression was that this was a pretty good episode, need to watch it again to see how it holds up. Feels like a 8/10 type, not a total classic but still very good.
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Re: *1701: Let Go, Let Gov* Post-Air Discussion
I do wonder if maybe Cartman and Butters are becoming too prominent, giving short shrift to some of the other characters. (When was the last time we saw Mr. Mackey, Mr. Garrison, or Principal Victoria?)
Re: *1701: Let Go, Let Gov* Post-Air Discussion
Mamont wrote:Nice way to open a season.
Butters' story was good. Butters' praying to the government and converting Jehovah's Witnesses was priceless.AngusMcTavish wrote:As for Cartman's part, well, after a while, I was waiting for Kyle to rip the phone from his hand and smash it on the ground.
Definitely! I was expecting a little bit more from Kyle, then to be a passive bystander, even when Cartman accused him of being a NSA agent.
I am actually surprised it took this long for them to rip on to the Jehovah's Witnesses as they are likely the most irritating of religious minorities to be found in this country.
And agree with the Kyle stuff being rather unimpressive. Over the last couple years he's almost only existed to be the voice of righteous fury without getting to do anything. In Cartman Finds Love, for instance, Cartman gets his comeuppance with no resolution to what he did to Kyle. In this episode it would have been nice if there had been some action on his part after the conspiracy theories. Heck even an acknowledgement that trying to stop Cartman is futile.
It was an enjoyable episode, although it makes me wonder about this season that they are already pulling the Cartman+Butters= episode card this early in the season. Last season (especially the first half) was rather heavy on the Cartman episodes, so am hoping to see it scaled back if only to see some episodes focusing on the other kids again.
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Re: *1701: Let Go, Let Gov* Post-Air Discussion
Comedy needs to exagerate a real situation without inflating it to the point it's no longer recognizable what they're skewering. While they may have failed with the phone stuff (which has an absurd humor to itself) the stuff about how people act online hit the nail on the head.
Since everyone's voiced by the same people, it's hard to tell who a character is by voice alone, so I thought Cartman was calling a recurring secondary character like Clyde at first. Sadly it was yet another random one-shot but that's par for the course at this point and more importantly, all the main boys did get a role in the episode and were in character throughout.
The government as god part was clever (given that's the level of power and knowledge some people imply they have) if not that that funny. Reminded me of the way the government was portrayed in "douche in the urinal." People obey laws because they're afraid of the government so getting people to overestimate their competence helps them a lot, as the second Butters scene shows. Butters bizare behavior shows how bad a job working at the NSA would be and seeing all the strange fetishes people have - I don't think it needed to be shown as explicitly as it was later. Pictures of hell rarely get treated as violently as they are so it's good they
I like random absurd humor that's sometimes in south park, like the 1970s pizza guy or the asian religious people. Making Snowden's life into a Cartman plan was suspiciously easy.
Skewering overly simplistic interpretations of the constitution is easy. Like attacking Bush for being stupid. They probably should've tried to find a smarter way of taking the piss out of that, like they did with Bush, since so many people do it.
Strong intro with Cartman being Cartman, exaggerating his strength and stuff like in the fishsticks episode.
Does anyone care about Alec Baldwin anymore? Oh yeah he has that MSNBC show now, I'd totally forgot about that until this episode reminded me XD
The joke could've been one of those 'repeated every scene' things that loses humor. It didn't get repeated too much though so it wasn't too humorous. They actually had new jokes, 20 minutes in, like the DMV guy! For once they didn't get lazy half way in!
Overall it was a unique position. As with Butt Out, I found the episode whose message I didn't really agree with was one of the funniest.
I agree with Kyle's role being way too small.
Mr Garrison and Barbrady being in the 3D intro saddened me since he's never in the show anymore... until one of them made a surprise appearance!
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Re: *1701: Let Go, Let Gov* Post-Air Discussion
Basically my way of thinking is: if you really care that much about privacy, the internet is NOT the place for you to be.
But yeah, great episode. Also, lol, Alec Baldwin.
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Re: *1701: Let Go, Let Gov* Post-Air Discussion
caspianrex wrote:I do wonder if maybe Cartman and Butters are becoming too prominent, giving short shrift to some of the other characters.
Heh, that seems like an odd thing to say after 10 solid years of Butters/Cartmen stories. If anything, this episode was an outlier since Fatass and Butters got most of the screen time, but they weren't interacting at all.
You read it! You can't unread it!
Re: *1701: Let Go, Let Gov* Post-Air Discussion
Billistic wrote:What the f*ck happened to South Park?
They should be railing against the NSA.
Instead they kind of took an "oh well, you don't have to worry if you don't do anything wrong" but what they miss is that it's not about what you're doing today but about what you might need to do tomorrow.
If your government mishandled things so badly that it had to "shut down" and you went out to protest how would you like it if the IRS suddenly started an investigation on you? Funny how they have all the money in the world to fund giant information storage machines but don't have any money to feed clothes and educate children.
This is even worse than the 9/11 episode. More people see 9/11 as being an inside job more than ever, why? Because of sh*t like the NSA.
Maybe Comedy Central runs the show completely. Maybe it'll get better when they go own their own.
Of course you don't like this episode or the 9/11 episode. You're the target of the satire in both cases.
In the 9/11 episode, Matt/Trey are mocking idiotic conspiracy theorists who think everything around them is a conspiracy...even conspiracies are a conspiracy. And here you are in this thread, wondering if Comedy Central is pulling their strings, with no evidence to back up your claim.
This episode didn't have a "you don't have to worry if you don't do anything wrong" message. If I'm reading it correctly, the message is that most of the people complaining about their privacy being violated are the same ones that knowingly and willingly publicising every minute detail of their life on social media.
There's also a slight implication that you can't have complete freedom and complete security in a nation at the same time...you have to compromise one to achieve the other.
Good episode. Decent social commentary.
Re: *1701: Let Go, Let Gov* Post-Air Discussion
Brendle wrote:There's also a slight implication that you can't have complete freedom and complete security in a nation at the same time...you have to compromise one to achieve the other.
That only works for compromising security for freedom, and they probably looked to ol' Ben for that one:
"Those who surrender freedom for security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one."
― Benjamin Franklin
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Re: *1701: Let Go, Let Gov* Post-Air Discussion
Okay, I was extremely tired the first go-around. (comment-wise anyway) Allow me to expand on my experience.
At the beginning, I couldn't imagine who in all of creation Kyle could be talking about. Which is kinda sad on my part. (I felt so stupid when fatass came on screen. duh. of course) Maybe I was distracted by the beginning of satisfying my South Park blue-balls. And much like Angus, I was hoping and praying that Kyle would rip that ePhone out of his hands, throw it as far as he could, and really rip Cartman a new wow-hole. However, I just don't think he has it in him.
The Baldwin runner had some great moments. The thumbs thing wasn't one of them. But it wouldn't be South Park if there wasn't a moment of OTT stupidity somewhere in the mix. I think "Make me a pussy sandwich" is my favorite new... euphemism? Although there's nothing too euphemetic about it. It's all right there in your face... as it were. If you will. But I put it right up there with 'sample some of that ass buffet' (as one of my radio guys puts it) of saying you'd "hit that".
Let's see. What else. The Butters Gov't/DMV and Jehovah's Witnesses runner was a giggle. I guess Trey is always getting Asian ladies at his door. I tend to always get Black ones. When I first saw/heard them (the asian ones), I thought "oh lord, what are they (SP) going to do with this one. Luckily it went the way I thought it was with Butters "reversing the whip" on them. It just made that all the better when the three of them were going door to door extolling the virtues of the DMV. I still loved Brother Butters there at the end of the ep having a revival at the DMV. I laughed so damn hard at that.
The newscast at the end was an inevitable conclusion. Just didn't think things would escalate so quickly. Also, the final choice of the "local news station" didn't make a whole lot of sense. There's really no tie in with the government. What about the Social Security department, or hell, even DWP? At least if it was the DWP, the broadcast could end with the TV going blank because the power went off. Oh well, whatever.
Re: *1701: Let Go, Let Gov* Post-Air Discussion
I liked a lot of the beginning and ending but not much of the middle, strangely enough.
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Re: *1701: Let Go, Let Gov* Post-Air Discussion
The plot becomes pretty pretty boring when Cartman infiltrates the NSA. It all happens a bit too fast, with jokes being coated with plain voices (which I guess was a joke in itself, but everything they said was as boring as their voices), or completley unrelated to the plot- those Baldwin one liners, the "homophobic thumbs" and "Some homosexual in my head" were pretty funny, but I found the other jokes too random and without a point. The Santa bit was a clever punch at the end though.
I couldn't get into Butter's plot that much either until the very end, it relied too much on those annoying asian ladies, and Butters' over innocence just failed to be funny. It was awesome to see Barbrady again though, and Craig. Oh and "This is the DMV there will be no joy here!", nice.
By far the thing I'm most dissapointed of though is the lack of Stan and Kenny aside of backround characters so early in the season. Aren't they usually given at least some minor roles, or at least something to say?
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I have just found the record plus a photo of my Gt Gt Gt Grandfather's family grave in Kilkerran Old Cemetery.
I visited the Cemetery 3 years ago when I spent a week exploring my Clark family in Campbeltown.
Please can you help here. Is Kilkerran Old Cemetery the portion that the public can't go into?
However the photo of the headstone is in good condition and the small area shown that its in looks maintained. The reference given is map location NR7219, Image no. 401, Field 1 10.
Might those details be of help for me finding the plot when I come to visit again in June.
The name of my Gt Gt Gt Grandfather is Matthew Clark. Under his name in large writing is "Wright". I knew this was his occupation and it might seem he was proud of this because the headstone has been erected initially for his daughter Mary who died in 1826 age 15. Under her name is his son Alexander, Lost at Sea 1839 age 25, "on board ..."[I can't make out the ship.]
There is possibly another name indistiquishable under this. Matthew himself, with not much room now is in small, died 1851 age 71. And finally his wife Catherine McMillan d.1862 age 74.
Very grateful for any help here!

subset: commoncrawl


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No Valentine? These Books Will Make It All Better
on February 11, 2016
Valentine's Day can be right up there with New Year's Eve for all the pressure it puts on ordinary mortals to have someone to kiss at midnight or deliver chocolates. I like to think that's why our favorite authors work so hard to bestow literary bonbons on us this time of year. New York Times… Read More


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Joe Blanton: Your Soon-to-Be Pub Trivia Quiz Answer
Quick! Name the 1993 Atlanta Braves fifth starter!
*tick tock tick tock tick tock*
Give up yet?
Let's see, there's Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine, Avery and…
You betchya! Move over, Petey, 'cuz Joe Blanton is about to take his seat on the ultimate bench of irrelevancy!!!
Indeed, as the shock from Ruben Amaro's impressively aggressive move to recapture the services of Cliff Lee finally wears off, we are all bound to feel the wrath of that stellar Phillies rotation — a rotation that will make National League stomachs churn as violently as a half digested Taco Bell 7-layer burrito after an all-night college kegger where you went home with a chick named Mo.
And then there's Joe Blanton.
After getting a solid dose of Halladay, Lee, Oswalt and Hamels… facing Joe Blanton is sorta like having to make out with Khloe Kardashian, just 'cuz all the hot ones are already taken.
Of course, this is assuming Blanton will even be a Philly once the 2011 season starts. If I were Ruben, I would do everything in my power to unload that salary, then it'd just be a matter of putting a body out on the mound every five days. If said body is able to pitch, that's a plus. But really, four days out of five, the Phils are gonna be the hardest friggin' team ON THE PLANET to beat.
Are you paying attention to all this Mr. Mozeliak?
Hate me. I don't care. Just don't hate me 'cuz I'm right.


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The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy has some great courses lined up for 2013. The Institute will be held January 14-18, 2013 at the Downtown Salt Lake City Radisson Hotel. The location is two blocks from the Family History Library, so it is very convenient to research at the library in the same trip to Salt Lake City. Registration opens on June 2nd at 9:00am Mountain Time and some of the courses will fill quickly.
Here are hot links to the course pages for more information:
Course 1: American Research and Records: Focus on Localities with Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FUGA, FMGS
Course 2: Bridging the 1780-1830 Gap: From New England to the Midwest (and Points in Between) with D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS
Course 3: Researching Your English Ancestors: Beyond the Parish Register with Apryl Cox, AG
Course 4: Advanced German Research with F. Warren Bittner, CG
Course 5: Researching in Washington D.C. without Leaving Home with Richard G. Sayre, CG, and Pamela Boyer Sayre, CG, CGL
Course 6: A Genealogist's Guide to the Internet Galaxy with Thomas MacEntee
Course 7: Principles of Forensic Genealogy with Melinde Lutz Byrne, CG, FASG and in partnership with Boston University
Course 8: Producing a Quality Family Narrative with John Philip Colletta, Ph.D., FUGA
Course 9: Advanced Genealogical Methods with Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS
Course 10: Advanced Evidence Analysis Practicum with Angela McGhie and Kimberly Powell
Course 11: Problem Solving with Judith Hansen, MLS, AG


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I just attended the pre-conference of Kimberly Tripp at SQL Pass 2005 Europe. The topic was "New SQL Server 2005 features that a DBA need to learn" and I took advantage of this day to cover an area of SQL2005 I still haven't explored.
One consideration that worth a mention on this blog is the possible use of Database Snapshots to get a consistent state of a OLTP database and transforms its data into a data warehouse. Database Snapshot eliminates the possible locking scalability problem, while it still maintains the load on the OLTP server during query. If this kind of load is unacceptable for your user (but I imagine a lot of cases where, once eliminated locking problems, this is not a real thing to worry about) you can still use a replica of principal database (or a log shipping copy). A SQL2005 feature which apparently could be useful is the Database Mirroring in asynchronous configuration (so you don't slow down the principal database) but my understanding is that this configuration can't permit a parallel synchronous configuration (necessary if you want to achieve high availability and data protection) so I presume that a traditional approach still maintains some advantage. Database Mirroring is really orientated to offer data protection feature more than a database copy useful to build reporting solutions.
Comments about this are welcome.


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It is an 2D drawing they are use for hatching in that Movie.Torfinn
I am not in need of photo realistic rendering, I am just doing residential architectural drawings. So I do not need materials, necessarily, on my walls but I would like to show for example, horizontal lines for siding some sort of hatching for the roof shingles, maybe some round rock type pf hatching for the chimney etc. Would it be best to do this as a hatching or is there a way to just have materials or textures set up as line drawings somehow? And if I do it as a hatching, is there a way to hatch a wall facet and have it not cover the windows without me having to trace a perimeter all the way around all the windows and everything I don't want hatched?
I'll ask here JohnH, but I could also ask in your other topic thread regarding screens:What is your intent on final presentation? Wireframe? Hidden Line Render? Quality Render? Are you going to use Paperspace(s)?Are you going to have any Isometric or other non-standard orthographic views?
Hei gamle Ørn I talk about in a "bird" perspective if that word can be used, Isometric, Dimetric or similar views, not the direct front of an elevation and trust me, a way thinner lines than what you have in your example, the thickness of the lines there make me think of a drawing in a child's coloringbook, just terrible, and if you do this i example in a for real world heigth of the cladding, like about 3.5-4.5-5.5 ".visibleAnd of course i can take out a view, draft or section, explode it, clean it and hatch it, it all comes down to how many hour's should i use to make a presentable 3D view drawing that not look's like it come's from a coloringbook in 3DTorfinn
Hei gamle ørn Sorry still look like a coloring book to me , and i am basically talking about HL, not any Advanced render stuff, just plain simple HL with a "Hatch" or something like thatTorfinn
Hei Gamle ørn The cladding lines are way to strong and to thick.Torfinn
Declare WP by view and use UCS in drafting palette, any arbitrary view can be done, not restricted to standard views.
Then i made a quick examplewall with brush, attached is in RedSDK Hidden Line, non rendable is checked.If i then want to have color i go for a higher render and untick the non rendableSomething like this i wish to achive in a simple way, not need to use a closed polyline, subtract openings etc, it should all happen "automatic", if i check a selectionbox or something.And because it is a brush, i can very quick and easy change pattern if wanted.TorfinnEdit; Just added a backgound color if someone like that, it is still HL
It is RedSDK Hidden Line The color is just a Brush background colorAttach some pic's that i believe will explaine how the property's is set on the BrushTorfinn
I can't rember to have seen that message before.But did you look if there is a .dwl file in the same place where you save the drawing that crash ??Check this before open TC again after a crash, if there is, delete it and then you are ready to start TCIt will look something like "drawingname".tcw.dwlI have noticed that if i dont do this and just open TC, select the drawing i was working on before the chrash, TC will have as first choice the .dwl file, and that will not work, so maybe that is the issue here.Torfinn
Then i would try to do a Repair by the install disk or in Windows program and functions, else delet the Built-in folder, or maybe just restart the machine ( Cold start ) before the Built-in and see if that help.Torfinn
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Sunday School – 10:00 am
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Northport, AL 35473
Watering the Tulips
November 20, 2013
"You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt" –Exodus 22:21
Clearly, the child of God has been freed from the Mosaic Law (Romans 6:14; Galatians 5:18). Still yet, the Old Testament is the inspired Word of God and good for God's children to study. Even in the Law, we find principles that are beneficial to us. We certainly get a glimpse into the character of God in the commands that He gave Israel through Moses. Our text verse is certainly one of those that needs to be considered from that perspective.
Christians today seem more driven to be involved in politics than they are the study of the Bible. Many speak of it being our "duty" as a follower of Christ. Interestingly, we never once see Jesus or the early churches involved in any way in the political process. And, for that matter, we continually see them stand before those in authority. That having been said, Christians are entrenched the political process today and are seemingly unwilling to give it up no matter the lack of Scriptural precedence. One of the biggest problems with this position is that politics nearly always brings out the worst in people. From everything we see on social media today, Christians are not exempt from this. Sadly, many of the Lord's own are constantly spewing political venom, as it were, towards their opponents.
The verse before us today focuses on a specific group that many today seem to be opposed to – foreigners. In the spirit of conservatism and law, many true believers would set aside the pattern we see here and oppose immigration of any kind into our country. We often hear slang terms and hateful words aimed at those that would come to America for a better lifestyle for their family. In all honesty, it matters not whether these aliens are legal or illegal. It matters not whether they are honest and hardworking. All that matters is that they are from another place and they need to "go back where they came from".
God reminded Israel that they too were once "strangers in the land of Egypt". Perhaps we would do well today to remember that America is a country of immigrants. Most of the people reading his article can trace their family tree across the ocean to another continent. Few even acknowledge that the Native American was driven off his land by our ancestors. Virtually all of us are immigrants if we are honest. Our forefathers were coming here for a better life for their family just as many are still doing today.
Perhaps a greater reason not to mistreat a stranger is that we realize "our citizenship is in Heaven"(Philippians 3:20). From the spiritual standpoint, Christians are not citizens anywhere on this earth. We are hated outcasts. Opponents have tried to eradicate us many times. Even today, many would "send us packing" if they had a way to do it. How is it that we do not see the correlation when we mistreat those that would come here seeking a better opportunity for their families?
Child of God, let us not mistreat those from other lands. Let us apply the principles that God gave Israel in the Law. Let us remember that we are strangers here on Earth. If nothing else, let us take the opportunity to share the message of Christ dying for sinners with them. This may be our biggest failure.
Watering the Tulips is brought to you by Sovereign Grace Baptist Church in Northport. For more information, please visit www.sovereigngrace.net. "Your App to the Gospel" is available on iTunes, Google Play and the Windows Phone Marketplace. Please download it today!


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This Recipe for the Perfect Pie Crust Is So Easy
Make pie like your favorite bakery.
Making flaky and light pie pastry isn't as hard as it looks, but it does require a little patience. Follow these steps for pie-baking perfection.
One of the keys to pie-dough making is to use only cold ingredients. To make sure all ingredients stay at a cool temperature, always use ice water when making dough. The less the fats are melted into the dough, the flakier the pastry will be.
Add just enough to bring the dough together. Too much water will toughen the dough, and too little will yield a crumbly texture.
For best results, use a pastry blender to cut the fat into the flour. You can also use a fork to blend the ingredients together. Handle the dough as little as possible to keep it at the proper temperature. Mix it together only until it barely forms a ball when pressed together.
Shape the dough into one or more balls, then press firmly into round disks of equal thickness. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 30 minutes. This will allow time for the gluten to rest, resulting in a more tender crust.
After removing the dough from the refrigerator, allow it to warm up slightly, or it could crack when rolling out. When rolling, start from the center and roll the dough outward to ensure an even thickness. Turn the dough a quarter turn while rolling out to guarantee even rolling in all directions.
To transfer the dough to a pie plate or tart pan, roll it loosely around the rolling pin and unroll once you have the pin positioned over the dish. Then, gently press the dough into the plate, pushing out any air bubbles. Continue pressing the dough against the sides until it is snugly in place.
Allow the dough to hang over the edge and trim it according to the decorative pie edge that you've chosen.
If blind-baking the pie shell, poke small air holes in the bottom crust with a fork. Blind-baking is necessary if the pie filling does not need to be cooked as long as the crust, or if the filling would make the crust too soggy if added immediately.
To reduce shrinkage, allow the pie shell to chill for 15 minutes before baking or filling and baking.


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Oh, and I guess this type of thing is inevitable when a boy grows up with two older sisters:
Nothing wrong with a little ballet every now and then! At least we got him to take the barrette out of his hair ...
Off to Chicago tomorrow for a class lasting through Wednesday. No quilting (and probably no posts) for the next few days.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!


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Bittman Sweet and totally delicious, with many wonderful variations possible. Other vegetables you can use: parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes, or winter squash. Recipe from How to Cook Everything.
- Yield
- 4 people
- Active Time
- 35
- Total Time
- 35
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds baby carrots, green tops trimmed, or full-sized carrots, cut into sticks
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Put the carrots on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil; sprinkle with the cumin and salt and pepper. Roast until the carrots are tender and browning, about 25 minutes. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. Roasted Carrots with Fennel Seeds. Substitute fennel for the cumin. Roasted Carrots with Pine Nuts. Omit the cumin. Add 1/4 cup pine nuts in the last 3 or 4 minutes of roasting. Roasted Carrots with Sesame. Substitute 2 tablespoons peanut or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn, and 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil for the olive oil. Substitute up to 2 tablespoons black and white sesame seeds for the cumin; add them in the last 3 or 4 minutes of roasting. Roasted Carrots with Dates and Raisins. Omit the cumin. Add 1/4 cup each golden raisins and chopped dates in the last 10 minutes of roasting. Garnish with chopped nuts, like pistachios, almonds, or walnuts, and a couple tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves.


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CRS: U.S.-Mexico Economic Relations: Trends, Issues, and Implications, June 3, 2008
From WikiLeaks
About this CRS report
This document was obtained by Wikileaks from the United States Congressional Research Service.
The CRS is a Congressional "think tank" with a staff of around 700. Reports are commissioned by members of Congress on topics relevant to current political events. Despite CRS costs to the tax payer of over $100M a year, its electronic archives are, as a matter of policy, not made available to the public.
Individual members of Congress will release specific CRS reports if they believe it to assist them politically, but CRS archives as a whole are firewalled from public access.
This report was obtained by Wikileaks staff from CRS computers accessible only from Congressional offices.
For other CRS information see: Congressional Research Service.
For press enquiries, consult our media kit.
If you have other confidential material let us know!.
For previous editions of this report, try OpenCRS.
Wikileaks release: February 2, 2009
Publisher: United States Congressional Research Service
Title: U.S.-Mexico Economic Relations: Trends, Issues, and Implications
CRS report number: RL32934
Author(s): M. Angeles Villarreal, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
Date: June 3, 2008
- Abstract
- The economic relationship with Mexico is important to U.S. national interests and to the U.S. Congress for many reasons. As the United States considers free trade initiatives with other Latin American countries, the effects of NAFTA may provide policymakers some indication of how these initiatives might affect conditions in the overall U.S. economy. In the 110th Congress, issues of concern are related mostly to the issue of Mexican migrant workers in the United States, but may also include economic conditions in Mexico and the possible effect of NAFTA on the United States and Mexico. This report provides an overview of U.S.-Mexico economic trends, background information on the Mexican economy, the effects of NAFTA on the U.S.-Mexico economic relationship, and major trade issues between the United States and Mexico.
- Download


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Date(s) - 07/20/2018
All Day
Heritage House Museum
The Heritage House Museum is hosting a traveling exhibit from Humanities Texas entitled, "Lone Star and Eagle: German Immigration to Texas." The exhibit will be on display during the museum's open hours between July 1st and August 7th.
"In the 1840s, German immigrants began settling at New Braunfels, Fredericksburg, Sisterdale, and other locations in Central Texas, imparting a distinctive character to these communities. Lone Star and Eagle: German Immigration to Texas features reproductions of archival photographs, newspaper headlines, maps, and paintings that tell the story of a people remarkable for individual and communal industry in setting down roots and adapting ways of the old country to life in a new world."


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Boaz - Gettin Mine [Underground]
PointBlank "Filmed in the steel city this offical Boaz banger is bringing out Pittsburgh's true talent. Boaz - Gettin Mine, features Point Blank Productions at it's finest with special appearances by; S. Money, Hard Tymez, Brick Diggler, and the G.O.V. (Tha Govament)"
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


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- Just Released
- Sale Bestsellers
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- Gifts for Her
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- Graduation Day
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Product Description
Honestly?. . .
"Why wait for something when I can enjoy it now?"
"These images don't really affect me. . .do they?"
"How could smoking a little weed really be that bad when it's becoming legalized everywhere?"
"I'd like to tell you I don't care what others think, but honestly, I want to be liked."
Maybe you're thinking, "I've had one. . .maybe even a few of these thoughts, and I don't know how to even begin to deal with them."
The good news? You're not alone. And there is a way to fight these battles head-on, overcoming the past, pressing forward, and becoming the person God designed you to be.
So what's a guy to do? . . .
Join youth culture expert and author of the popular Guy's Guide to God, Girls, and the Phone in Your Pocket, Jonathan McKee, as he gets real about the four common battles every young man will encounter in his life:
1: Sexual Temptation
2. Screens
3: Controlled Substances
4: Self-Esteem
With humor and honesty, McKee offers up practical, spiritual advice filled with real-world application helping you face today's distractions.
More Product Information
- Publisher: Shiloh Run Press
- Release Date: May 1, 2019
- Pages: 192
- Language: English
- Binding: Paperback
- Height: 0.60 inches
- Width: 5.10 inches
- Length: 7.90 inches
- Weight: 0.40 pounds


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I've resisted tackling the UK legal portion of my research for some time. At first glance, the British legal system seems like a mess of courts, divisions, and terminology which might trip up a full trained American lawyer. Needless to say, I don't want to phone my one an only lawyer acquaintance for genealogy assistance at 11 p.m. on a Saturday night.
Tracing your Legal Ancestors – A Guide For Family Historians by Stephen Wade is an intensely well-written and informative guide to possibly the most difficult UK genealogical research. For non-UK researchers, this is still an interesting read do to its clear and concise descriptions of court proceedings, legal professions, the history of legal divisions, and resources for legal genealogical research. Although many of the examples are based in England, many of these practices were standard in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland as well.
What is inferior or superior court? You can settle court questions ranging from medieval to modern, city to rural, as well as military and church cases. I was even surprised at the the amount of information which can be found in coroner's courts, which feature hearings on deaths (suspicious or otherwise). I can imagine the information in those court proceedings could make for interesting reading and book material!
I don't have any legal ancestors (that I know of), but I know some of them might have had a run-in with the law at one point or another. For my research, I was very happy to find a large chapter dedicated specifically to the legal system and resources of Scotland and Ireland.
The contents for Tracing your Legal Ancestors – Introduction, (1) Understanding the Legal Professions, (2) Community of Lawyers, (3) The Judges and the Courts, (4) The Magistracy, (5) A Survey of Sources I, (6) A Survey of Sources II, (7) The Literature of Judiciary, (8) The Servants of the Law Machine, (9) Lawyer Ancestors in Scotland and Ireland, (10) Approaches and Methods: A Summary, (i) Glossary, (ii) Bibliography & Sources, (iii) Index
Kudos to Tracing Your Legal Ancestors author Stephen Wade for demystifying the UK legal system for genealogists!
Which brings us to the Comment/Question of the Day: What side of the legal system did your ancestors frequent?
Leave your creative and interesting responses in the comment box below.
Don't forget to attend the next FPLD Genealogy Club Meeting on Wednesday, September 21 at 7 p.m. Guest speaker Robin Seidenberg will present To Tell or Not to Tell: Should the Family Skeleton Stay in the Closet? – A genealogical discussion on whether you should disclose all your findings or breaking the news about your ancestor's prior bad acts. The Genealogy Club meeting will be held in Meeting Room A at the Fountaindale Public Library District, 300 W. Briarcliff Road in Bolingbrook. This is a drop-in event, so bring a friend and dive
See You At the Library!


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The San Juan Bonfires © Xosé Castro. Turismo de A Coruña
Practical information
- When?: To be confirmed
- Where: La Coruña
- More information : http://www.hoguerassanjuan.com
- Category: Festivity of International Tourist Interest
A Coruña , in the Region of Galicia, becomes one huge bonfire to celebrate the arrival of summer on the night of San Juan.
Different activities related to this fiesta get underway as early as May, and throughout June there are a large number of cultural, social, sporting and traditional events. Chamber music concerts, recitals, exhibitions, ballet and regional dances can be seen at customary locations around the city. The long-awaited day, however, is 23 June. Over the course of the day there are successive parades and street performances with music bands, bagpipes and traditional dances, as well as groups of "giants and big-heads" that fill the streets of A Coruña with colour, joy and festive sounds. Plaza de María Pita Square is the stage for a musical festival, and the smell of roasting sardines fills the whole city at dinnertime, with a multitude of "sardiñadas" on the streets of its many neighbourhoods.
Little by little, as night falls, hundreds of bonfires are lit, although it is on the beaches of Riazor and Orzán where the fiesta is at its most spectacular. At midnight, the colour of the flames can be seen reflecting in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean: the "noite da queima" (night of flames) has reached its zenith and an immense bonfire erected here two days before is lit. It is common to see many people carrying out the traditional ritual of a purifying swim in the waters of Riazor. The sky fills with fireworks and the fiesta moves onto the streets of A Coruña, lasting well into the early hours.
Practical information
- Date: To be confirmed
Contact details


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Announce IT - Business Opportunity
Quick Business Summary
Announce IT sets up custom yard signs in people's yards as a 24 hr. rental service. Announce IT was created by a stay at home Mom who needed a creative outlet, and some extra income. The idea was to create a way to Announce and celebrate people. Announce IT literally spreads love and joy to its recipients. Learn more now!
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Three-Day Introductory Course in Boston
Artificial Intelligence with Bayesian Networks and BayesiaLab
CIC—Lighthouse North, 50 Milk Street, 20th Floor, Boston, MA 02110
June 25–27, 2018, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day
Go beyond descriptive analytics and enter the realm of probabilistic and causal reasoning with Bayesian networks. Learn all about designing and machine-learning Bayesian networks with BayesiaLab (see complete course program)
This highly acclaimed course gives you a comprehensive introduction that allows you to employ Bayesian networks for applied research across many fields, such a biostatistics, decision science, econometrics, ecology, marketing science, sensory research, sociology, just to name a few.
The hallmark of this three-day course is that every segment on theory is immediately followed by a corresponding practice session using BayesiaLab. Thus, you have the opportunity to implement on your computer what the instructor just presented in his lecture. This includes knowledge modeling, probabilistic reasoning, causal inference, machine learning, probabilistic structural equation models, plus many more examples.
To date, over 1,000 researchers from all over the world have taken this course (see testimonials). For most of them, Bayesian networks and BayesiaLab have become crucial tools in their research.
Day 1: Theoretical Introduction
- Bayesian Networks: Artificial Intelligence for Decision Support under Uncertainty
- Probabilistic Expert System
- A Map of Analytic Modeling and Reasoning
- Bayesian Networks and Cognitive Science
- Unstructured and Structured Particles Describing the Domain
- Expert Based Modeling and/or Machine Learning
- Predictive vs. Explanatory Models, i.e., Association vs. Causation
- Application Examples: Medical Expert Systems, Stock Market Analysis, Microarray Analysis, Consumer Segmentation, Drivers Analysis, and Product Optimization
Examples of Probabilistic Reasoning
- Cognitive Science: How Our Probabilistic Brain Uses Priors in the Interpretation of Images
- Interpreting Results of Medical Tests
- Kahneman & Tversky's Yellow Cab/White Cab Example
- The Monty Hall Problem, Solving a Vexing Puzzle with a Bayesian Network
- Simpson's Paradox - Observational Inference vs Causal Inference
Probability Theory
- Probabilistic Axioms
- Interpretation with Particles
- Joint Probability Distribution (JPD)
- Probabilistic Expert System for Decision Support: Types of Requests
- Leveraging Independence Properties
- Product/Chain Rule for Compact Representation of JPD
Bayesian Networks
- Qualitative Part: Directed Acyclic Graph
- Graph Terminology
- Graphical Properties
- D-Separation
- Markov Blanket
- Quantitative Part: Marginal and Conditional Probability Distributions
- Exact and Approximate Inference in Bayesian networks
- Example of Probabilistic Inference: Alarm System
Building Bayesian Networks Manually
- Expert-Based Modeling via Brainstorming
- Why Expert-Based Modeling?
- Value of Expert-Based Modeling
- Structural Modeling: Bottom-Up and Top-Down Approaches
- Parametric Modeling
- Cognitive Biases
- BEKEE: Bayesia Expert Knowledge Elicitation Environment
Day 2: Machine Learning—Part 1
Parameter Estimation
- Maximum Likelihood Estimation
- Bayesian Parameter Estimation with Dirichlet Priors
- Smooth Probability Estimation (Laplacian Correction)
Information Theory
- Information is a Measurable Quantity: Log-Loss
- Expected Log-Loss
- Entropy
- Conditional Entropy
- Mutual Information
- Symmetric Relative Mutual Information
- Kullback-Leibler Divergence
Unsupervised Structural Learning
- Entropy Optimization
- Minimum Description Length (MDL) Score
- Structural Coefficient
- Minimum Size of Data Set
- Search Spaces
- Search Strategies
- Learning Algorithms
- Maximum Weight Spanning Tree
- Taboo Search
- TabooEQ
- SopLEQ
- Taboo Order
- Data Perturbation
- Example: Exploring the relationships in Body Dimensions
- Data Import (Typing, Discretization)
- Definition of Classes
- Exclusion of a Node
- Heuristic Search Algorithms
- Data Perturbation (Learning, Bootstrap)
- Choice of the Structural Coefficient
- Console
- Symmetric Layout
- Analysis of the Model (Arc Force, Node Force, Pearson Coefficient)
- Dictionary of Node Positions
- Adding a Background Image
Supervised Learning
- Learning Algorithms
- Naive
- Augmented Naive
- Manual Augmented Naive
- Tree-Augmented Naive
- Sons & Spouses
- Markov Blanket
- Augmented Markov Blanket
- Minimal Augmented Markov Blanket
- Variable Selection with Markov Blanket
- Example: Predictions based on body dimensions
- Data Import (Data Type, Supervised Discretization)
- Heuristic Search Algorithms
- Target Evaluation (In-Sample, Out-of-Sample: K-Fold, Test Set)
- Smoothed Probability Estimation
- Analysis of the Model (Monitors, Mapping, Target Report, Target Posterior Probabilities, Target Interpretation Tree)
- Evidence Scenario File
- Automatic Evidence-Setting
- Adaptive Questionnaire
- Batch Labeling
Day 3: Machine Learning—Part 2
Semi-Supervised Learning—Variable Clustering
- Algorithms
- Example: S&P 500 Analysis
- Variable Clustering
- Changing the number of Clusters
- Dynamic Dendrogram
- Dynamic Mapping
- Manual Modification of Clusters
- Manual Creation of Clusters
- Semi-Supervised Learning
- Search Tool (Nodes, Arcs, Monitors, Actions)
- Variable Clustering
Data Clustering
- Synthesis of a Latent Variable
- Expectation-Maximization Algorithm
- Ordered Numerical Values
- Cluster Purity
- Cluster Mapping
- Log-Loss and Entropy of the Data
- Contingency Table Fit
- Hypercube Cells per State
- Example: Segmentation of men based on body dimensions
- Data Clustering (Equal Frequency Discretization, Meta-Clustering)
- Quality Metrics (Purity, Log-Loss, Contingency Table Fit)
- Posterior Mean Analysis (Mean, Delta-Means, Radar Charts)
- Mapping
- Cluster Interpretation with Target Dynamic Profile
- Cluster Interpretation with Target Optimization Tree
- Projection of the Cluster on Other Variables
Probabilistic Structural Equation Models
- PSEM Workflow
- Unsupervised Structural Learning
- Variable Clustering
- Multiple Clustering for Creating a Factor Variable (via Data Clustering) per Cluster of Manifest Variables
- Unsupervised Learning for Representing the Relationships Between the Factors and the Target Variables
- Example: The French Market of Perfumes
- Cross-Validation of the Clusters of Variables
- Displayed Classes
- Total Effects
- Direct Effects
- Direct Effect Contributions
- Tornado Analysis
- Taboo, EQ, TabooEQ, and Arc Constraints
- Multi-Quadrants
- Export Variations
- Target Optimization with Dynamic Profile
- Target Optimization with Tree
About the Instructor
Dr. Lionel Jouffe is co-founder and CEO of France-based Bayesia S.A.S. Lionel holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Rennes and has been working in the field of Artificial Intelligence since the early 1990s. While working as a Professor/Researcher at ESIEA, Lionel started exploring the potential of Bayesian networks. After co-founding Bayesia in 2001, he and his team have been working full-time on the development BayesiaLab, which has since emerged as the leading software package for knowledge discovery, data mining and knowledge modeling using Bayesian networks. BayesiaLab enjoys broad acceptance in academic communities as well as in business and industry.
Who should attend?
Applied researchers, statisticians, data scientists, data miners, decision scientists, biologists, ecologists, environmental scientists, epidemiologists, predictive modelers, econometricians, economists, market researchers, knowledge managers, marketing scientists, operations researchers, social scientists, students and teachers in related fields.
What's required?
- Basic data manipulation skills, e.g., with Excel.
- No prior knowledge of Bayesian networks is required.
- No programming skills are required. You will use the graphical user interface of BayesiaLab for all exercises.
For a general overview of this field of study, we suggest that you download a free copy of our book, Bayesian Networks & BayesiaLab. Although by no means mandatory, reading its first three chapters would be an excellent preparation for the course.
Video Preview
We have recorded the first 90 minutes of the course to give you a sense of what to expect when signing up for the program.
Terms & Conditions
- You may cancel your registration for a full refund of the course fees up to 30 days before the start of the course. If you cancel within 30 days of the event, your course fee will not be refunded. However, you will be able to apply 100% of the paid course fees towards future BayesiaLab courses.
- Accommodation is at the participants' own expense.
Testimonials from Earlier Courses
"I would absolutely recommend this course as a thorough and in-depth introduction to Bayesian Networks and the BayesiaLab package. The small class sizes also contributed to an enjoyable and engaging learning experience."—Brian Potter, Infotools (Introductory Course in Melbourne, November 2015).
"This is one of the best
"Overall, this training was outstanding. Lionel is a gifted teacher, and it helps that you are showcasing a
"A must-take course for anyone looking to leverage advanced Bayesian network techniques in virtually any domain."—Alex Cosmas, Chief Scientist, Booz Allen Hamilton (Introductory Course in Los Angeles, June 2011).
"The BayesiaLab software is impressive in its sophistication and multi-faceted abilities as a decision support tool. I had been using it primarily as a modeling tool for deductive analysis. Taking this class opened my eyes to BayesiaLab's incredible data-mining abilities. If you are looking for something that will provide a totally new angle on business decision problems, this is it!"—Michael Ryall,
"This class can only be described as eye-opening, the tool as terrific. Some of the best instruction for the shortest period of time I've ever received. A seriously terrific job." —Beau Martin, President of American Choice Modeling (Introductory Course in Chicago, July 2013).


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The mysterious benefactor known as @HiddenCash dropped envelopes of cash around the Los Angeles area this week.
The first Los Angeles cash drop was found at William Mulholland Memorial Fountain around 11 pm Wednesday. Ken Dellinger, of Los Feliz, found $250 in cash taped to the base of the fountain.
Three envelops of cash were found around Burbank's Empire Center area Thursday night.
At a bus stop on Empire Avenue, $200 was found in a trash can by a group of people who split the cash five ways. Near a Staples store, $210 was found by 14-year-old Tatiana Ramirez of Pacoima. Chris Treichel, of Los Feliz, found the last envelope with $135 dollars from @HiddenCash in the grass near the Burbank Empire Center on Thursday.
On Friday, three envelopes were found in the Pasadena area.
Cassandra Mercury, 27, of Pasadena found $145 from @HiddenCash near the Firehouse Recording Studio in Old Pasadena. Two were found at The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens on Friday. Soraya Gonzalez, 43, of Azusa, found the second and the third @HiddenCash was found by Robert Ramirez, of South Pasadena, in San Marino.
At Hermosa Beach between the pier and volleyball nets, 36 cash-stuffed angry birds were left for the taking on Saturday.
In the second-to-last drop, nine bottles of bubbles filled with cash were found at Lake Hollywood Park Sunday morning.
The nine final cash prizes were left at Hollenbeck Park in Boyle Heights on Sunday afternoon.
Having trouble viewing the map on a mobile device? See it here: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=za8sYen5L0SY.kKIKpEvOLbI4&authuser=0&hl=en.


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I wish I could take credit for thinking up this combination.
But I can't.
I don't think I would ever think to stuff a cadbury cream egg into a cupcake. And then top the cupcake with frosting.
Nope. I'd never think that up myself.
Thank goodness for Pinterest and all the lovely things I find on there.
That's where I found this.
Are you as excited as I am????
I basically clicked my way to this blog and decided … yep. I'm gonna make these. Only I'm gonna change things up a little.
I don't know about you … but although I do love me a cadbury cream egg … I do find them pretty rich and decadent … so maybe rather than stuff one into a chocolate cupcake … perhaps a lemon cupcake would be better?
The tartness of the lemon vs. the insane richness of the chocolate egg.
Then top it all with cream cheese frosting?!
Absolute winner.
When testing this recipe out over the weekend, I opted to make both large and mini cupcakes. Let me just say … I've decided that I prefer the mini cupcakes.
Here's why:
1. Adding a regular sized cadbury cream egg to a large cupcake results in a HEAVY cupcake. Like really heavy.
2. No questions asked – this is one rich dessert. You need to commit if you're going to eat a large one.
3. It can get expensive to use the large eggs! Mini eggs come in a large bag. More value for your buck (trust me on this one).
4. Honestly … this cupcake is proof that two-bites are just enough. Actually not just enough … two-bites are utter perfection. A little lemon, a little chocolate, a touch of cream … it's a bite of happiness.
This is the kind of thing you should TOTALLY make for your Easter festivities!
Think of it … not only do they make a perfectly delightful addition to the end of your meal … BUT you could also be really sneaky and use them in an Easter-egg hunt! Can't you picture a bunch of kids trying to find their chocolate eggs … and spotting little cupcakes instead????
Have I convinced you to give this a try?
If the lemon and chocolate cream egg combo haven't already sold you on this recipe … I'll give you another couple of good reasons to make these:
1. They will impress the heck out of everyone. Seriously … annoying relative? Impressed! Little kids? Impressed. They'll take a bit, then look in the centre and just rave about how "awesome" and "cool" it is. (I tested these out at my book club … so I'm speaking from experience).
2. My lemon cupcake recipe can get you 2 dozen mini cupcakes (or 1 dozen large cupcakes + 6 mini cupcakes). A bag of mini cadbury cream eggs makes 3 1/2 dozen mini cupcakes. Bang for your buck AND time.
3. These are DEAD EASY to make. I swear! Super simple.
Whip up a batch of your favourite lemon cupcake batter, unwrap 2 dozen mini-cadbury eggs, top with more batter … then bake at 350 F for 15 minutes.
I told you. Dead. Easy.
This is my favourite lemon cupcake recipe – my basic "go-to" whenever I need to whip up a batch of lemon goodness.
lemon cupcakes
140 g (½ c. + 2 tbsp) sugar
40 g (2 ½ tbsp) butter, room temperature
120 g (¾ c. + 1 tbsp) flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 egg
zest of 1 lemon
juice of ½ lemon
120 ml buttermilk
24 x mini cadbury cream eggs
batch of cream cheese frosting
Heat your oven to 350 F. Line 2 trays of mini cupcakes with liners (for a total of 24). Set aside.
Combine the lemon juice, egg and buttermilk into a measuring cup. Set aside.
In the bowl of your stand-mixer, beat together the sugar, lemon zest, and butter. This batter is going to feel completely wrong. You're going to feel like there isn't enough butter to sugar ratio. Don't worry. It'll be fine.
Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the sugar/butter mixture. Again … this is going against almost all cake / cupcake recipes I tend to share with you … trust me. Continue to beat the mixture at low speed for a minute. You'll notice that the batter looks a little like sand.
That's when you want to add the buttermilk / egg / lemon juice mixture.
Beat on low speed, and then, increase the speed to medium. The batter will come together and get airy and creamy. It shouldn't take you more than a minute or so.
Now for the fun part!
Spoon 1 teaspoon worth of batter into each cupcake liner.
Top with mini cadbury cream eggs.
Spoon another teaspoon of batter on-top of each cream egg. You might have to smooth the batter a little to ensure that the egg is covered.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven; gently lift each baked cupcake out of the pan: the cream egg centre will feel really soft – so be careful. Cool on a wire rack.
While the cupcakes cool, make a batch of your favourite cream cheese frosting. Frosting is something I have a hard time giving an exact recipe for … my goal is always to make it smooth and creamy; not too buttery, not tasting too much of powdered sugar … with just the perfect hint of vanilla. I really play the chemist when making my frosting; trial and error. If I want it thinner, I'll add a tablespoon or two of heavy cream. The advice I will give when making cream cheese frosting is always to start with creaming the butter and powdered sugar together. Once combined, add your cold cream cheese to the mix. Increase the speed to break the cream cheese up and incorporate into the frosting. Salt and vanilla is always a good thing … taste test while you work and you'll totally end up with some great frosting. Or be wild … swap in lemon juice instead of the vanilla. Double wham of lemon for your mouth!
Top each cupcake with the cream cheese frosting … et voilà! Done.
Oh! And another bonus to these cupcakes: it's actually better to make them in advance so that they can cool completely. The cream egg melts and then reshapes; hence why my picture doesn't look quite as cool as the pinterest inspiration … I just couldn't wait to cut in and see the finished product!


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Do you wanna configure large numbers of iOS devices at once? Apple made some tools available for enterprise customers. Find them here: » iOS Enterprise Deployment: https://www.apple.com/support/iphone/enterprise/ » iPhone Configuration Utility (Mac OS X): http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1465 » iPhone Configuration Utility (MS Windows): http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1466
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[iOS] iPhone Enterprise Configuration Links
September 30th, 2012 J. ΞPSTΞÏN


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Sitting on the fence, trying to figure out what I want from my gaming, now that I almost have the time to play and play hard, I'm constantly asking myself the question: "What do I want?" The answers used to change depending on my mood, but lately they've been converging.
I want in a guild:
– A project. Or rather, the opportunity to become involved in a project. I'm not vain enough to expect, or even want, to waltz in and take over an established group. But I do want to eventually be actively involved in pushing a group forward.
– A leadership team I trust and enjoy working with.
Why I want this:
I'm a good second. I'm not a visionary, I'm not a dreamer, I'm not someone who sees big. I am, however, easily influenced by other people's visions and big dreams. I also really like planning, sorting, organizing. I like making dreams, other people's dreams, a reality. (I missed my career calling, I should have become an investment consultant.)
I'm also not a passive player. Oh, I'm a little passive when I'm new, or when I don't intend to commit. But once I've claimed a home, I'm one of those people who need to speak their mind, need to know everything and need to have a hand in everything. I don't expect to control everything (despite being a bossy pally), but I'm at my happiest when in the eye of the storm. I lose interest very fast in "This is how things are and this is how things are going to be" environments.
Looking back at my guild-dating history (following my decision to regard my relationships with guilds the same way normal people regard their relationships with significant others. Not to be confused with dating-guildies. Which I swear I have never done and don't plan on doing. Flings in foreign countries and Blizzcon dates don't count. Yes, I like starting rumours.), what seems to have made or broke the relationships was always whether I subscribed to The Vision. If I could find A Vision.
I use the general word leader intentionally, instead of GM/GL, officer, healing lead, tanking lead, raid laid. To me, a leader is someone with A Vision and the ability to conjure that Vision in others. Sometimes leaders have official titles and roles, sometimes they're just a face in the masses who happens to communicate good ideas well.
So then I pondered about those leaders I wanted to follow, those leaders who I followed then stopped and those folk who I never really thought of as leaders. What makes me believe in a leader?
There are a lot of bloggers who are guild officers and who offer advice from their experience. But you don't often get followers who explain which traits attract their respect and, um, follow-ship. So here are the things that make someone a leader to me:
1- Communicates Well and Regularly – This is Number 1 for a reason: I can't support something if I don't know what I'm supporting. I constantly need to know what's going on, not because I want to be annoying (while I do quite enjoy being a pest, my curiosity is not driven by my pestyness). It's that in order to decide whether I'll support and believe in an idea, I need to know the what, how and why of that idea. The leaders who've earned my respect are those who can answer those questions, and use those answers to convince me that their idea is a good one.
2- Sets Clear Expectations – I want to know what's expected of me and of those around me. I want to know what my role is supposed to be. I have a pretty good sense of initiative and will jump in when I see a need, but it's very difficult to be on the same page if I don't know what the page is. And beyond that, in regular day-to-day guild life, I like consistency, I like when policies are enforced. When I don't have to worry about expectations, I can focus my energy on things, like, oh I dunno…having fun.
3- Honesty and/or Integrity – I know when I'm being bullshitted. I might fall for it once. Twice if you've got that politician twinkle in your teeth. But after that I'll figure it out. Most people pick up on lies quite quickly and on fake even faster. To be believed in, you need to be trusted. To be trusted, you have to be honest when it comes to matters relevant to the guild (luckily most people don't care enough about your personal life to keep tabs on those lies unless they're huge. Note: it is possible to tell the truth and be gentle at the same time!) and you have to practice what you preach.
4- Knows How to Say No – Saying "no" properly has two components. One in actually delivering the refusal and the second is delivering it a way that makes the receiver say "thank you". Developing skills for both those components is pretty crucial to earning respect. And it's especially important in dealing with people like me. I offer a lot of suggestions and a lot of feedback. I expect to be listened to. I expect to be listened to, but I also expect to be told "no" when I'm wrong, when I'm unreasonable and when someone has a better idea. It's also pretty hard to respect a person who lets others walk all over them, who runs from conflict instead of solving it.
5- Enthusiasm – You know those shock value blogs that consist of guild or raid leader bitching about their guilds? And those GM's who's #1 advice to new GMs is "Don't do it"? I love reading those bloggers, but I feel sorry for everyone in their guilds. And I'd never consider joining their guilds. Now I understand temporary frustration and I don't mind being a shoulder or a pep talker (in fact, I actually really enjoy it), but I want a leader with a generally positive attitude. A leader is someone selling me a Vision. I won't buy the Vision from someone miserable. If you want my subscription to your leadership, then show me that you're worth my energy, that you enjoy what you do and that I won't have to spend my game time nagging you to do your job.
And those are the 5 traits of the leaders I want to work with. I wrote in a gaming context, but I think it applies to just about every group-related part of my life. I tried to avoid the word "like" as much as possible, since respecting and liking are two different things. Generally I'll like the people I respect as a leader, but there are many individuals who respect people they don't like. I can, however, like someone whom I don't think of a leader.


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U.S. consumer sentiment unexpectedly rose to its highest in five years in October in the latest in a string of encouraging signs from the economy that may boost President Barack Obama's re-election hopes next month.
The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's preliminary October reading on the overall index on consumer sentiment came in at 83.1, up from 78.3 the month before, and the highest since September 2007, the survey showed on Friday.
The new buoyancy among consumers comes shortly after the U.S. unemployment rate tumbled to its lowest in nearly four years in September as more people returned to the workforce and found jobs than economists had predicted.
"We are getting some quite interesting signals from consumer sentiment and employment data - both (the) unemployment rate and initial claims - that there has been some quite significant improvement in the economy," said David Sloan, an economist at 4Cast in New York.
Economic issues have been a battleground in the election campaign as Obama seeks to burnish his credentials as a competent manager of the economy while Republican challenger Mitt Romney has faulted Obama's record on job creation and growth. Friday's sentiment report was the last before the November 6 general election and will be welcomed by Democrats.
"That kind of boost in consumer sentiment benefits an incumbent without question," said Julia Clark, a pollster with Ipsos in Washington. "The challenge that the Republicans have is continuing to attack the government's credibility on this issue while we actually are seeing data that suggest that consumer sentiment is improving."
The sentiment reading was well above the median forecast for a slight decline to 78 among economists polled by Reuters as consumers felt better about the economy overall.
U.S. stocks were higher after the news but turned lower by midday as equities struggle to make headway after recently climbing to highs not seen in five years.
October's unexpected jump in sentiment came as consumers felt better about the economy in both the long and the short term, the compilers of the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan survey said.
"What changed was how they (consumers) evaluated economic conditions," survey director Richard Curtin said in a statement. "Economic conditions during the year ahead were expected to be 'good' by more consumers, and more consumers expected 'good' economic times over the next five years."
The survey's gauge of consumer expectations jumped to 79.5 from 73.5, well above an expected reading of 74. Expectations were at their highest since July 2007.
The survey's barometer of current economic conditions rose to 88.6 from 85.7 and was above a forecast of 86.
As well as September's employment report there have been a number of other encouraging indications from the economy, including stabilizing house prices, and last month's expansionary reading for the U.S. manufacturing sector after three months of contraction.
Also on Friday, The Economic Cycle Research Institute, a New York-based independent forecasting group, said its measure of future U.S. economic expansion pushed higher last week, while the annualized growth rate rose to its loftiest in more than a year.
The institute said its Weekly Leading Index increased to 127.7 last week from a revised 126.2 the previous week. The index's annualized growth rate accelerated to its highest level since May 2011 at 5.7 percent from 4.6 percent.
In another positive sign for the housing sector, both JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo posted record profit on Friday as a recovery in the housing market this year boosted mortgage lending at both banks.
"We believe the housing market has turned the corner," JPMorgan Chief Executive Jamie Dimon said in a statement.
But the trajectory of the U.S. economy is still uncertain. Much of Europe is mired in recession and the Chinese economy has slowed. A recent Reuters poll found that while economists have stopped cutting their U.S. growth outlook as aggressively as in recent months, they still see just 2.1 percent growth this year and only 2 percent next year.
A separate report showed U.S. producer prices rose more than expected in September as the cost of gasoline surged, but underlying inflation pressures were muted in a sign the Federal Reserve has room to carry out its new monetary stimulus program.
"If you take out food and energy you are essentially looking at a number that didn't go anywhere and was actually probably a little weaker than expected," said Cary Leahey, an economist at Decision Economics in New York.
"These kinds of energy prices are debilitating to the economy and it is one of the reasons why we haven't been able to get any kind of a glide speed above a 2 percent annual (growth) rate."
The Labor Department said on Friday its seasonally adjusted Producer Price Index increased 1.1 percent last month. Economists polled by Reuters had expected prices at farms, factories and refineries to rise 0.7 percent after climbing 1.7 percent in August.
The Labor Department's report chimed with the sentiment survey that showed consumers' one-year inflation expectations fell to 3.1 percent from 3.3 percent, while the survey's five-to-10-year inflation outlook hit its lowest since March 2009, falling to 2.6 percent from 2.8 percent.
More business news:
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- Apple shares tumble; analysts still bullish
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Jennifer Hudson has taken aim at a gossip website after it claimed book publishers are not interested in a weight loss celebrity memoir from the Oscar winner unless the superstar discusses the tragic murders of her family members.
On Monday morning, the superstar singer posted a flurry of angry Tweets aimed at Bossip, which ran a gossip report under the headline, "Publishers Would Rather Try To Make Money From The Hudson Family Murders Than J.Hud's Slimmy Trimmy-Dom."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: From 'Idol' To Hollywood 'Dreamgirl' & Beyond — Jennifer Hudson
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"Something's are priceless . How low can people go. I just don't get it. Stop making up [expletive]!!!" Hudson Tweeted first, linking to a screengrab of the website's story.
"everyday I wakeup I'm constantly reminded how cruel n heartless the world is," Hudson, whose mother, Darnell Donnerson, brother Jason and nephew Julian King, were murdered in 2008, Tweeted. "So cold!! Wow!"
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Hollywood's Infamous Celeb Feuds
In the article, Bossip claimed the Grammy and Oscar winner wanted "a fortune to tell her story" of weight loss success.
"J. Hud and her ghostwriter literary agent have been trying to get a mil for her tale of conquering obesity for the past four years. And no one is buying it," the website wrote, claiming a publisher wanted her to also talk about the loss of her family members.
"Bossip u owe me an apology !" Hudson demanded via Twitter.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Kelly! Jordin! Carrie & More Of Your Former 'American Idols'
"Y would u take someone's tragedy and build a story of nothing but lies around it," she continued. "Take someone's tragedy n build a story of nothing but lies ! [Expletive] u!!!!"
As for Bossip's part, a rep for the website told Access Hollywood they believe it's a misunderstanding.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Jennifer Hudson, Jordin Sparks, Kelly Clarkson & More At 'VH1 Divas' 2009
"We think what happened this morning is simply that Jennifer misread the headline on our post and reacted without ever reading the story," a rep for Bossip told Access on Monday.
"What the story says is that she's been shopping a book about her weight loss for four years, and while publishers are interested, they're not convinced it's worth the $1 Million she's reportedly asking for without her talking about her family," the Bossip rep continued. "The story we posted was based on a NY Post report, which also indicated that Jennifer DID consider writing a book about how she coped with the horrible ordeal she went through in 08, but decided the wound was still too fresh. According to the Post, her rep confirmed every detail they printed and we reprinted.
"Never did we say or imply that JENNIFER was trying to capitalize on the horrible tragedy that cost her her family," the Bossip rep explained. "We even replied via Twitter and tried to clarify the misunderstanding."
Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
PLAY IT NOW: 2011 Oscars Governor's Ball: Jennifer Hudson Reflects On How Far She's Come In Just A Few Short Years
PLAY IT NOW: Jennifer Hudson In Shock Over Pia Toscano's 'American Idol' Elimination
More from Access: [ Jennifer Hudson Urban Access Literary ]


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08.01.2018 - Christoph Gärtner Awards 2017
(wm) For the fifth time in succession the well-known CG-Awards of the German auction house Christoph Gärtner were handed over to the winners during the opening day of the MonacoPhil event. It concerned ten prizes that were awarded to study groups and associations from all over the world, for publications of these clubs, like magazines and books. This time, there were two special prizes: one for 'Digital Literature' and one for 'Youth'. The exhibits were assessed by a number of well-known jurors, such as Richard Johnson (South Africa), Patrick Maselis (Belgium) and Rainer von Scharpen (Germany). Each juror entered his votes in a computer, which then calculated the respective final score.
The winner of the main group was once again the Collectors Club of Chicago (USA) that received a prize € 2,000 for its publication "U.S. Contract Mail Routes by Railroad (1832-1875)." The second place was for the German thematic club 'Motivgruppe Musik'. The study group 'ArGe Krone/Adler', also from Germany, captured the third place.
The special prize for digitally produced literature went to "PHILA HISTORICA", a free digital periodical about philatelic history and philatelic literature, edited by Wolfgang Maassen. The magazine can be downloaded free of charge on the Internet (www.philahistorica.de). The decision was very close: the Italian publication 'Vaccari News' was only half a point behind the winner. In the category 'Youth' the price went to the German stamp collectors association 'Meininger Briefmarkensammlerverein'.
Expectant faces among the visitors of the CG-Awards presentation in the 'Top Car Museum' of Prince Albert II in Monaco. Photo: Wolfgang Maassen


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About Radiance
Radiance today is more than just in the business of communications. The evolving technology has made our customers communications environment more complex. To keep it simple and human at every touchpoint, we put our users first and build a communication platform just for them and the way they like to be connected.
As a regional leader in providing business communication solutions, our decades of industry knowledge have made us the preferred choice for a growing number of businesses.


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The key phrase in article 7.10 is "thirty days after the event giving rise to the grievance."
Please notify a steward before the deadline. It takes time to prepare an effective grievance.
"[The] grievant may file a Level I grievance with the appropriate administrator no later than thirty (30) days after the event giving rise to the grievance or after the grievant knew or reasonably should have known of the event giving rise to the potential grievance..."
Next Eboard Meeting: Third Wednesdays of each month. Call ahead to be sure.
Next General Membership Meeting(s):


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How did I get here? If you would have told me last year that I would be scheduling my life around prenatal visits, postpartum visits and birth right now, I would have been up on your rooftop shouting "BLASPHEMY!"
I probably would have jumped at the opportunity to never be around childbirth. I would have told you that I really just love adoption with my whole heart and birth is not my cup of tea.
HILARIOUS FACT: My life currently revolves around prenatal visits, postpartum visits, and births.
Jesus brought me to this place. He gave me this door to walk through and this beautiful calling to be obedient in. You see, I was in the midst of almost moving to Tennessee for the 5th, or 7th or 23rd time, when God spoke to me on the Pearce's giant blue and white couch. He turned me at a crossroads that kept me in North Carolina and had me doing something quite different than I had envisioned.
It was a typical evening over at my sister's house for tea and cookies and heart-to-heart conversations {that I am SO going to miss now that that they are moving away!} anyway, she told me a story of some missionary friends at our church who were building a birth center in Papua New Guinea. Women were dying left and right due to lack of maternal health care. They had to walk 3 days to get to a hospital if they had complications (Think about that. Who wants to walk for 3 days straight when they are not having a complication in pregnancy/labor?) The only other option would be to take a taxi which most people would never be able to afford. This birth center would save mommas and babies for the glory of Jesus in their lives and in their entire village.
It was like a match struck a small light on the flint of my heart. I had been praying nearly non-stop for the Lord to show me a skill that I could use to serve others for His glory. A skill that I could use to care for orphans and whoever else He wanted me to serve.
I began to feel that this was it. Who was going to be there for these precious women and babies? Wouldn't I want someone to care for me? If I don't go, who will? But...really? Me? The childbirth fearer? The one who stifled small gags at the mere thought of birth? YES. This was it. God was calling me to take a quantum leap of faith and trust Him with the rest.
A deep question in my heart throughout all of this stirring and whirlpooling was "What about orphans, God? I know you've called me to spend my life for them. How does this work if I am busy helping women have babies?" The answer came almost as soon as I asked it. "Orphans are just children who's parents have died. Keep them from having to be orphans in the first place." Oh. You're right. I guess that settles it.
From UNICEF: "Healthy children need healthy mothers. A woman dies from complications in childbirth every minute – about 529,000 each year -- the vast majority of them in developing countries. A woman in sub-Saharan Africa has a 1 in 16 chance of dying in pregnancy or childbirth, compared to a 1 in 4,000 risk in a developing country – the largest difference between poor and rich countries of any health indicator. "
1 in 16 women in sub-Saharan Africa will die due to complications in childbirth, leaving behind motherless children if they don't die along with her. I have African sisters. I would want someone to help them.
I began googling "What exactly does a doula do? What does a midwife do? Which should I be? How do I do any of this? Am I crazy? " Google stopped answering me but God continued to lead me out on the water.
I kept remembering that I had all these random friends that happened to be Birth Doulas/ Midwives and they were SO gracious to answer my 354,098 questions. Before I knew it, I was signed up for Birth Doula training workshops and attending Childbirth Education courses and chatting about water births and cord prolapses and placentas in rooms full of midwives. I was reading childbirthing books constantly and getting wonderful looks from people that clearly said "How wonderful that you are studying how to assist women in childbirth. I don't question your character or your marital status." HA. Funny joke.
But the even funnier part of this big non-joke is that I LOVE CHILDBIRTH. How did this happen? WHO AM I?
You see, the deeper God brought me into this journey, the more I have been able to see His miraculous work. He is a magnificent designer and He is insanely good at creating life. The process of birth is one miracle after another. I don't know how one could be in the birth-world for longer than 5 minutes and not recognize that there is something much bigger at work than humans. We have a wise Creator.
So, in the time between the last time I wrote on this blog and now, I officially became a birth doula, I'm nearly finished with my Christian Childbirth Educator Certification, I am applying to nursing school and then midwifery school after that. YAY!
I am completely in awe that I get to have a job where I constantly witness insanely beautiful miracles. I get to love, encourage and support beautifully strong mommas as they work through the process of bringing their new babies into the world. I get to be one of the first people to see and welcome a brand new person into the world and I get to pray over their lives. This blessing filled life can get exhausting but it is just SO beautiful. Sometimes I get called out of my bed and get dressed in the dark, subjecting myself to glorious surprises the next morning when I realize just what I am wearing. Sometimes the births last for days and sometimes they are one after another, but God is my strength and I count it all joy to be a part of His plan for these new families.
This is my life turning inside out. This is what happened when I surrendered my plans to Jesus and trusted Him to equip me for all that He is calling me to. I fell in love with the thing that I was deathly afraid of apart from Him. Africa, and Childbirth were two of my largest fears growing up. Now I want to mix the two together. HAHA. You can't explain Jesus out of that one. Isn't it incredible what God does to our fears when we give them to Him?
In the words of Louie Giglio this past week at the INCREDIBLE Passion Conference..." The only fear that we should have is that of living an insignificant life."
I don't want an insignificant life. I know that even if I were to do vastly incredible things in life, my name will still be eventually forgotten. I know that this life is fleeting and the only worthwhile thing to do with the time that I have been given is to live for the glory of Jesus. His glory will endure through all generations and His kingdom will never come to an end. The cry of my heart is to store up all of my treasures in heaven where thief will not come in and steal and where moth and rust will not destroy.
My favorite head scarve is disintegrating. My guitar strings are wasting away. The tires on my car are balding. My hair dryer is close to combusting into flames. CLEARLY, material things are not good investments. Even the best of investments on earth are left behind when we close our eyes for the last time. In light of this, what will we do with our lives? What will we do in light of the coming of Christ and His Kingdom and all of those who do not know His grace?
What will we do for the men, women and babies who are dying every single minute due to lack of proper health care? What will we do about the 16,000 children that died today from LACK OF FOOD?
What will we do about the 27 million people who are living their lives as slaves?
If I was one of them, I'd sure want someone to come rescue me, speak up for me, to come feed me and care for me. Jesus makes the answer to these questions really simple. He says in Matthew 25:40 that whatever we do for those who are in need, we do for HIM and whatever we don't do for those in need, we DON'T do for Him.
We have two choices. 1. Serve Jesus and care for those in need. 2. Don't serve Jesus and don't care for those in need.
I was a captive and Jesus came for me. I was an orphan and He reached out in Compassion{ A mercy that leads to action},adopting me into His family FOREVER. I was sick and He came to heal me. I was His enemy, a hater of Him and all that was His, but He loved me anyway. He left His perfect life to come and save me, His enemy. He had everything He could ever want or need, He is Almighty God for pete's sake, and YET He came for me, gave up everything and took the punishment for MY sin, bore MY shame and gave me the righteousness and holiness that He earned. Is there any other love that can even compare to this? Tell me if you have found a love that even casts a shadow on this! This kind of love is so big and so grand that my heart swells at the thought of it. How can this be true? That the Holy, Just, and Merciful God who created the world and everything in it would come to take the punishment for my crimes against HIM. If this is true, then surely I can no longer live for myself.
When I have been given so much love and so much light, I cannot sit in my comfortable life, loving only those that are easy to love and shining my light only in the broad day light when I will blend in with the rest.
Jesus came for me with a huge and tangible love. How can I do anything less?
To whom much has been given, much will be required.
Much is required of me and I pray for the grace to give all that I have for the Glory of Jesus, wherever and however that may be. Here's to bigger obedience and bigger faith in Jesus in 2012.
What fear is God calling you to trust Him with this year?
Word from the previously fearful: give it up early, the beauty and freedom come more quickly that way.


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