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I am writing a question to you about the "charismata." I want to know if you teach against speaking in tongues and other gifts of the Holy Spirit. Are your members, pastors and elders permitted and/or encouraged to worship in the Spirit in this manner? I am a Christian who believes that the gifts are in use today, and I would like to know your position.
Thank you for your interest in the Orthodox Presbyterian (OPC) position on the special gifts of the Holy Spirit in relation to our times. We believe that the "charismata" (those first introduced at Pentecost and further dealt with in 1 Cor. 12–14) have ceased with the end of the apostolic age. I will list our reasons for that strong conviction.
1. From the birth of the New Testament (NT) church at Pentecost through to the end of the first century of the Christian era, the church was in her infancy. It was then that the blood sacrifices were done away, as well as the need for Mosaic ordinances, since the veil of the temple was rent (Matt. 27:51, cf. 2 Cor. 5:17). This explains the frequent references to prophetic utterances during the times after Pentecost. The NT books were in the process of being written during those years, hence, the need for special revelations to guide the infant church during those turbulent years.
2. There seems to have been a terminus of the special miracles referred to in 1 Corinthians 12:4–11. That comes at the very end of the Bible in Revelation 22:18–19. One might say, "but those curses against adding to or taking from what is written in 'this book' apply only to Revelation." Does that mean that we can add to, or subtract from, other NT books, but not Revelation? Also, Revelation is placed historically at the very end of the NT era. It was probably written around 95 AD. No NT writing was written later, and John was the last of the apostles to die.
One could also use Luke 16:23–31 (our Lord's parable of the rich man and Lazarus) with the understanding that Jesus was speaking to Jews before he had been sacrificed. This moves what he said to the end of the Old Testament (OT) era. When the rich man pleads with Abraham to send someone back from the dead to warn his five brothers, Abraham said, "They have Moses and the prophets," but the man in hell protested, "they will not listen to them." Abraham said, "If they will not hear Moses and the prophets (i.e., the OT), neither will they be persuaded though someone rises from the dead."
The meaning is clear: God's written Word is sufficient! Push that principle back to Isaiah's time; the same principle applies: "To the law and the testimony. If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn [no hope for the future]" (Isa. 8:20). So, even in the OT era, the recorded Word of God was sufficient. How much more when the last inspired Scripture was written! The Bible is sufficient.
3. The various charismatic gifts referred to in 1 Corinthians 12 were given to the NT church by the Holy Spirit who himself was given at Pentecost (v. 4). But notice in verses 7–8 that it was the Spirit who gave the respective gifts: "one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as he wills" (v. 11—my emphasis). Let me ask a question. By what biblical authority does a church hold that all those baptized in the Spirit should have the gift of tongues? Tongues seem to be elevated above the other gifts, whereas in chapter 14 Paul insists that prophecy was to be preferred in worship because tongues, being private, edified only the speaker, while prophecy edified the whole church.
4. Tongues were for a sign (chap. 14:21–22), and that sign was one of judgment (quoting Isa. 28:9–13). Translations vary, but the deeper meaning is that, like little children babbling without conveying any meaning to their words, so Israel would come under the rule of the Babylonians whose speech would be like a babbling of children to them, but would bring divine judgment.
Admittedly, the connection between the Apostle's saying it is for a sign, and relating it to an earlier parallel in the history of Judah and Jerusalem, is difficult. But the gift of tongues commencing at Pentecost was indeed a sign of the gift of the Holy Spirit prophesied in Joel 2:28–32. And the general understanding of these words spoken in a tongue and understood by those who heard them in their native tongue were "the wonderful works of God" (Acts 2:11).
The "sign" (tongues speaking) drew the crowd. But when Peter rose to explain the meaning of this sudden manifestation, he preached his sermon in a known tongue. And indeed, there were two or three repeats of Pentecostal signs in Acts. First, there is 8:4–27 (though speaking in tongues is not specifically mentioned there). In Acts 10:44–46, tongues are spoken. In addition, tongues occur in Acts 19:1–7. These were delayed-action dispensings of the Spirit with accompanying gifts.
The first group of people in view were Samaritans. They were a mixture of Jews and Gentles. The second took place at the house of Cornelius, an uncircumcised Gentile and his household. The third group was a group of seven men who had heard the ministry of John the Baptist and nothing more till they came in contact with Paul in Ephesus.
In Acts 2:9–12 the company was made up of mostly Jews plus a few proselytes, who were Gentiles-in-blood-turned-Jews through circumcision and ceremonial washings. Samaria was a half-way step from Jews to Gentiles. Cornelius and his household were all Gentiles. The twelve men at Ephesus were an exception in that they'd missed NT history from John to Pentecost—an exception which had to be brought up-to-date. But, assuming that the Samaritans received the gift of tongues, these three were mini-Pentecosts. Bear in mind that the signs of the apostles (2 Cor. 12:12) did not continue in the church after the death of the apostles!
5. There is an argument from the post-apostolic history of the NT church. There is a sudden absence of miracles in general, including references to the gifts found in 1 Corinthians 12–14. It wasn't till centuries later that "miracles" of any kind were brought into vogue, and those were those "miracles" ascribed to the Roman Catholic "saints"—either attributed to them after their death or attributed to their bones buried in numerous cathedrals. They are as like the miraculous gifts of Jesus and his apostles as black is like white.
Much later, the tragic life of Edward Irving (1792–1834) formed a brief parenthesis in church history in which an attempt was made to demonstrate the continuance of charismatic gifts in the British Isles. Irving was a godly man who thoroughly believed in continuing miraculous special gifts of the Spirit. It was at the height of his brief ministry that attempts were made to send missionaries to evangelize people of strange languages through the gift of tongues. It ended in utter failure. In fact, Irving lived in ill health, dying of "consumption" (tuberculosis) which his "gifts" failed to heal.
It wasn't till around 1904, in Los Angeles, that the modern "Pentecostal" movement was born. From shortly after the death of the apostles till then (with the exception of the Irving years) these gifts were not significantly claimed in the church of Jesus Christ. Yet there was the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century which brought the church back to the Scriptures. There were the numerous special works of the Spirit in England, Wales, Scotland and America which blessed the church beyond all expectations. During all those in-between centuries, we had the same Holy Scriptures.
The great scholars could have come to the conclusions of the modern charismatic Christians, but they didn't see it. Some individual churches here and there have yielded to the influence of Pentecostalism, but the Orthodox Presbyterian Church steadfastly resists the doctrine as unbiblical. I have relatives who believe as you do. I love them as fellow Christians. But we disagree on these issues. Why? Because the tendency in Pentecostalism is to emphasize experience over doctrine. The extreme examples is found in the "Vineyard" churches, out of which has erupted the "Toronto blessing" which I believe has lost sight of God's Word altogether.
Perhaps I've given more of an answer than you asked for, but I didn't want to disagree with any brother or sister in Christ without giving reasons from the Bible. Otherwise, your opinion is as good as my opinion or any other opinion. In Christianity opinions don't matter unless they are drawn from the Word of God.
"Questions and Answers" is a weekly feature of the OPC website. The answers come from individual ministers in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church expressing their own convictions and do not necessarily represent an "official" position of the Church, especially in areas where the Standards of the Church (the Scriptures and the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms) are silent.
The questions come from individuals like yourself. If you have questions about biblical and theological matters, you are invited to send them by e-mail by using the "Pose a Question" link on the OPC home page or by clicking here.
At least one new question is posted each week, so there should always be something new here for you to read. (For those people who would like to look at previous questions and answers, they will continue to be available as well.)
The purpose of the OPC website's "Questions and Answers" is to respond to biblical and theological questions. Matters of church discipline, disputes, or debates go beyond the scope of our work. We recommend that you present your concerns in these areas to the appropriate judicatory. In most cases this will be to a local pastor, elder, or session. We do not want the website to replace personal involvement in, or commitment to, the local, visible church.
While we will respond to every serious questioner, we are not bound to give a substantive answer to every question, should we deem the question to be beyond the scope of our purpose or our own ability to answer.
You will receive an answer by e-mail. Please be patient as many of our respondents are busy pastors. The response to your question may take up to two (2) weeks. Some of the questions submitted will be chosen to be posted here, along with the corresponding answers.
Note that the "Questions and Answers" posted on the site have been editedall personal references are removed, Scripture references or from some source may be added, and sometimes portions are expandedto make the questions and answers more useful to a larger audience.
|© 2020 The Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Chaplains and Military Personnel


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In a deal that's been long rumored, Stanley Works announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to buy OSI Security Devices, make of Omnilock, for an unannounced sum. Things are very vague all around. According to a press release received at our offices, but posted nowhere else on the Web (otherwise I'd link to it), this was announced Sept. 25, and it was through one of Stanley's subsidiaries. Which one is unclear. Through Mullen PR, Stanley's agency, both parties have expressed zero desire to talk about the deal. "The OSI Security Devices acquisition will enable Stanley to provide a complementary offering to customers and OEM partners," said Philip Bradney, VP of BD, in the release. "It will enable us to offer a full solution, from mechanical to online security." Stanley Works couldn't do that before? Shows how much I know. I'm sure they'll both talk more after the deal goes final. One thing I'll definitely be looking into: The press release quotes OSI CEO Dick Rasmussen, and the web site mentions a Rick Rasmussen, as VP of sales and marketing. Now, are they the same guy? Father/son? Or could they be brothers both named Richard, like in the Bob Newhart show, where Larry had a brother Darryl, and another brother Darryl?
Stanley Works to buy OSI Security Devices
This blog, by Paul Ragusa, the editor of Security Systems News, offers thoughts, news, and a forum for discussion for those who work in and around the physical security industry, integrating and installing security systems in North America.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Patriot-News today began the process of culling its staff in preparation for its move to a three-day-a-week print schedule.
Company leaders were meeting with employees regarding their job status, the Harrisburg newspaper said this morning. The meetings should be completed by day's end.
"More than 70 percent" of the staff will be offered jobs, the newspaper said. The Patriot-News has 230 employees, according to the Associated Press, which suggests that layoffs will total between 60 and 70. The reorganized company will hire for 51 positions, the article said.
The editorial staff will remain at full strength, and the number of ad salespeople will increase, the Patriot-News said.
A call this morning to Patriot-News publisher John Kirkpatrick was not immediately returned.
The Patriot-News announced in August that it and PennLive.com would reorganize to form two companies, PA Media Group and Advance Central Services PA. Beginning in January, PA Media Group will publish Patriot-News print editions on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and will focus on expanding its online news presence.
Advance Central Services will "provide key support functions" to its sister company, the Patriot-News said.
The Patriot-News and PennLive.com are owned by New York-based Advance Publications Inc., which has made headlines with print-edition cutbacks in other cities.
On Sunday, Advance-owned Times-Picayune of New Orleans published its final daily edition before shifting, like the Patriot-News, to three days a week. The move makes New Orleans the largest city in America to lack a daily newspaper.


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Movies Hollywood Marvel Entertainment Marvel Comics Marvel Studios Paramount Pictures Amazing Spider-Man The Avengers Batman The Great Gatsby Actors Celebrities
"Sin City" Sydney has been a bit of a celebrity and media circus lately and there's more media and entertainment war, fun and games and the way soon. Australian and international media are all on the chase. Splash News, Snapper, TMZ, OMG, the Media Man agency - everyone is jockeying for position and exclusive news scoops.
Let's get ready to rumble. Here's some of the best Hollywood blockbuster movies coming up this year. We've got the U.S movie release dates, which in some cases will be the same as the Australian release date. Note: Some Australian release dates are likely to be a day or two after the U.S date.
Will the movies live up to their comic book or novel? The world is extremely keen to see how Baz's version of the "The Great Gatsby" (Dec. 25) literary classic matches up, but more on that and its star Leonardo DiCaprio later.
What many of this year's blockbusters are about is building on the brand and plugging into the news media machine. Most, like "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2" (Nov. 16), "The Amazing Spider-Man" (July 3) or "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" (June 22), are based on already mega successful brands. It's pop-culture realm stuff and plugging into established audiences.
Here's the list of some of this years most anticipated movies.
The Raven (April 27)
John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe, detective – tracking down a series of murders in 19th-century Baltimore.
The Avengers (May 4)
Fans are into this big time. This Marvel flick puts Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Nick Fury and The Hulk together. Little wonder Marvel fans can't wait. Last Sunday Sydney's George St Event Cinema's even had a preview screening for lucky fans who won a competition, with many fans dressing up as their favourite hero. Talk about an Excelsior initiative.
Dark Shadows (May 11)
Tim Burton directs, Johnny Depp has a white face. Depp fans are going to see his films no matter what, so let's hope its good.
Snow White and the Huntsman (June 1)
"Snow White" is a long time fav of Hollywood. It's a sword-and-sorcery epic version of the Grimm fairy tale.
Prometheus (June 8)
A prequel of sorts to 1979's "Alien," with "Dragon Tattoo" lady Noomi Rapace as a space archaeologist who digs up trouble. Directed by "Alien" and "Blade Runner's" Ridley Scott, this is already getting fans in a frenzy.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (June 22)
It's bit of a cross-pollinating of geek and traditional culture. It will be an interesting contrast to Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln," arriving in December.
The Amazing Spider-Man (July 3)
It's been 10 years since the awesome original. Andrew Garfield plays Spidey and Rhys Ifans is The Lizard. Marvel Comic super hero movie fans are hoping they won't be disappointed and left in a spin.
The Dark Knight Rises (July 20)
Batman (Christian Bale) with villains Bane (Tom Hardy) and Catwoman (Anne Hathaway). DC Comic super hero fans have long deserved a quality remake, so hopefully this is in. Pow.
Frankenweenie (Oct. 5)
Tim Burton's full-length puppet-cartoon remake of his early short from 1984.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (Nov. 16)
The second part of the fourth instalment of Stephenie Meyer's girl-crush vampire series.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Dec. 14)
It's J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" prequel, directed by Peter Jackson.
The Great Gatsby (Dec. 25)
The fourth film version of the 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald classic, directed by the Australian Baz Luhrmann ("Moulin Rouge!" "William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet") and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan. Millions of Australia's are hoping that Baz has done us proud.
Lincoln (December)
A Steven Spielberg historical epic, with Daniel Day-Lewis as the 16th president and Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln.
Movie speculation...
Now fans, can you just imagine what drama is going to hit Sydney if or when Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson or Leonardo DiCaprio come to Sydney later this year. Stranger things have happened, so here's hoping.
'Bending the Rules' stars former WWE superstar Edge...
It was 22 years ago when Edge sat in the Toronto SkyDome for WWE's WrestleMania 6 with big dreams of joining his boyhood idol Hulk Hogan in the ring.
In the past year since his wrestling career ended because of neck injuries, Edge has tried his hand at acting. He can be seen in his first starring role in the movie "Bending the Rules," a WWE Studios production that hits select theaters Friday, March 9. The "Rated R Superstar" plays Detective Nick Blades, a New Orleans cop on trial for corruption.
"I have kind of likened it to 'The Big Lebowski' in a way," Edge said describing his character during a media tour in Miami.
"He is the Big Lebowski, but he can kick a--. I guess it's kind of what sums it up. I wear a Hawaiian shirt, board shorts and flip flops and Mardi Gras beads for about a month-and-a-half down in New Orleans. A recurring theme throughout is that you will always see the character eating a lot of donuts. We ate a lot of donuts in that movie.
"I liked the character because it didn't take himself too seriously. I don't really take myself too seriously, so it wasn't that much of a stretch for me."
The former pro wrestler enjoyed the movie-making process.
"I did some of the action stuff," Edge said. "The only thing I didn't do was the accident. We kind of had a head on kind of deal, and I guess they didn't want me to do that because I had to go to Raw the next day. I guess they didn't want me to do the whole, 'He can't wrestle because he just got whiplash.'
"Beyond that I did everything else. It wasn't too in-depth or anything because it's more of a buddy flick than it is action, but there is a little bit of action to it."
Among the other cast members is Jamie Kennedy, Alicia Witt, Jennifer Esposito and accomplished actress Jessica Walter, who has recently done voice work on the animated series "Archer".
"Philip Baker Hall was big for me, especially being a 'Seinfeld' fan. Lt. Bookman was one of my favorite, probably my favorite character in 'Seinfeld' actually. So when I saw I was sharing scenes with him I thought, 'This is awesome.' He is a really funny guy. His delivery is amazing. He is such an underrated actor to some people, but there are some people who know what he can do."
"Jessica Walter I didn't know what to expect,"Edge said. "Here is this proper actor or actress who shared the screen with [Clint] Eastwood. I was like, 'I don't know what I am doing. She is going to be sick of me right from the get go.' But she could not have treated me better. Everyone was very understanding to the fact that I was in way over my head and having no idea what I was doing. So they were very gracious and respectful."
Those who have seen "Highlander: Endgame" may remember Edge's cameo. However, the budding actor says it didn't prepare him much for "Bending the Rules."
"That was 12 or 13 years ago, and that was basically a fight scene," Edge said.
"I flew to Romania for that, but it was entirely different. At that point WWE was even new to me, so it was like what is happening? This was much more involved, I guess, being one of the stars of the movie. Being expected to learn a bigger part and not knowing what I was doing.
"My only real preparation has been WWE, which prepares you to adlib and comedic timing and those things. In respect to being able to think on your feet, I was able to bring that into it. But still my first day of shooting, in the first scene I had shot, I had just come from SummerSlam in LA…We did two Raw shows that day, so right after that I hopped on a jet to New Orleans, landed at 4 and was on set at 6 with Jennifer Esposito, having no idea what scene we were doing.
"I didn't know what lines to study, nothing. This was my first real scene in the movie, and I was like 'No, they are going to think I am such an idiot.' I got it over with. Then I thought that once I got that over with, I thought, 'OK, I might be able to pull this off.'"
Edge never really had his Hollywood in his eyes. His dream was always being a WWE superstar.
"Wrestling took up the radar for me," Edge said. "That was always my priority, and if other things fell in my lap, then great. The 'Highlander' thing or any other thing that has come into my lap has always been because of WWE and that exposure. Then I got approached to do this movie by WWE and thought, 'This could be fun. I'll give it a shot. Why not?'"
The film was shot before his recurring role on the SyFy original series 'Haven,' which gave him an idea of what to expect on theseries. He says he is returning to the character Dwight Henrickson for the upcoming season.
"By 'Haven,' through the experience of 'Bending the Rules,' I felt much more comfortable," Edge said.
"Then going back this year for 'Haven', I will have much more understanding. Even with just the lingo like turning around. I know what that means now. I know I don't have to stand there for 45 minutes while they switch everything out, and I can go grab a cup of coffee. Little things like that was all a learning process.
"Now that I can't wrestle I think it would be cool to play a Viking in 'Game of Thrones' or something like that. I think I could sink my teeth into something like that. I also have a bit of a vampire experience or arch-villain or something. That would be fun…I just want to enjoy retirement, and at the same time do some stuff to stay creatively stimulated."
Since his life on the road and traveling the world wrestling are over, his outlook on life has changed.
"Before it was WWE and that was my main priority," Edge said. "It always has been and always would have remained that, but you still have to do something so you just aren't home twiddling your thumbs all day. I think last year with 'Haven' it was going to Nova Scotia for the summer and getting to do this new kind of thing that was fun. I'm going up again this summer, and if things happen after that, then great.
"It's not like I am going to consider myself an actor. I say more power to [The Rock]. I think it was awesome he was able to parlay it and translate it, but I don't think I would be able to do it at that kind of schedule or want to. I like having my own time and then on the horizon say, 'OK, I have that in a couple of months. Cool.' Then I go do it, have some fun with it and be able to go back home.
"I already was lucky enough to do the job that was my passion. Everything I do from here on out is just going to be fun. It's a good place to be. I'm not going to lie. It's nice to have the luxury to enjoy everything I've done my entire adult life."
To watch the trailer of "Bending the Rules" or to find a theater near you showing the film or get more information, visit http://www.bendingtherulesmovie.com
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson And Mark Wahlberg Team Up for Pain and Gain; 2013 Release...
Mark Wahlberg is in top shape, but next to 'The Rock' he looks kind of small. Put six-foot five-inch Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson next to him, and Mark (5' 8") looks sort of average.
Wahlberg and Johnson are currently filming "Pain and Gain" in Miami. The film centers on two bodybuilders who get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong. The film is set for release in 2013.
That's it movie and music fans. Stay tuned to Media Man and Street Corner for more entertainment news and scoops daily.
Media Man News
Marvel Entertainment
The Dark Knight Rises
WWE Studios
Bending The Rules
Australian Sports Entertainment
Media Man Entertainment


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Thursday, November 4, 2010
Lots of things are happening, but in the meantime, I wanted to ask:
What do you guys want to see from me for Thanksgiving this year?
What kind of recipes are you looking for, do you have family recipes I can help you with, what do you want to see gluten-free?
7 comments:
A turkey recipe would be amazing! I've never made one before and I'm planning to order a small gluten free one this year to cook up.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous6:45 PM
Dinner rolls. Light. Buttery. Soft enough to sop up gravy with.ReplyDelete
That's not too much to ask is it?
I second Akalfe4me - Dinner Rolls. Non-grainy, fluffy dinner rolls.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous11:58 AM
I second the dinner rolls -- my daughter loves them and was recently diagnosed with celiac disease. I'd really love to make some for her!ReplyDelete
- Anonymous6:14 PM
Light, yeasty dinner rolls would be GREAT - my in-laws have a famous recipe that requires kneading, rolling dough portions into balls, dipping each one in butter, and baking together in a pan so that they are 'pull-apart' and steamy-delicious.ReplyDelete
Might not be possible to do gluten-free, but a girl can dream, right?


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We spoke with a software company the other day that has nearly fifteen "independent contractors" in China, who it views as "part of the corporate family." This company was contacting us to see about forming a WFOE in China. They told me that they were not in any rush.
The first thing I did was to ask whether they knew that what they were doing in China is completely illegal. They did not. I explained to them how there is almost no such thing in China as an independent contractor and that they essentially had nearly fifteen employees and because there was no company actually employing those fifteen people, what they are doing is illegal. I then told them of how China in the last year has stepped up even more its efforts to rid the country of foreigners there illegally and companies there illegally. I also told them of how their existing structure puts all of their China assets at huge risk. Their China IP assets are at risk for the simple reason that they do not really own them. A company operating illegally in China is just not positioned to be able to assert IP rights against anyone in China. Their other China assets are at risk because the Chinese government will likely seize them if and when it cracks down on what they are doing.
They seemed very interested in going legal until I started laying out how doing so would greatly increase their China operating costs. I told them how their forming a WFOE would necessitate their incurring the following additional costs/expenses:
- WFOE formation fees and costs. They expected this.
- They would need to lease office space from an approved landlord. This is a requirement for WFOE approval. This would likely increase their office rent.
- For every $1,000 in employee salaries, they would probably need to pay about $400 (40%) in employer taxes and benefits. They were not expecting this at all.
- In addition to the employer taxes, their employees will need to start paying income taxes. They seemed to think that their "independent contractors" are already paying all required taxes. I told them that I am virtually certain that they are not, and that their going legal will almost certainly lead to their "independent contractors" demanding higher salaries to make up for their take home pay being reduced by having to go onto the tax rolls.
I then talked of the advantages of having a WFOE, including the following:
- You are operating legally. Your risk of the government shutting you down tomorrow has essentially disappeared.
- You are much better positioned to do real business in China, because you are legal.
- You are much better positioned to protect your IP in China, because you are legal.
- You are much better positioned to terminate employees because you do not need to keep them on forever for fear of their reporting you to the authorities.
After this phone call, I spoke with China-based co-blogger, Steve Dickinson, for the latest on how China's government is treating foreign operations with multiple people working for them in China. Steve pointed out how the Chinese government is aggressively pursuing tax evasion claims against both the "independent contractors" and those connected to the illegal business. The government pursues the "independent contractors" for failing to pay their own taxes and it pursues the foreign business for Chinese income tax and related national and local business fees and taxes. Most importantly, the government also seeks to take action for back taxes against any representative (i.e., individuals) of the foreign company who happen to come to China. When the number of illegal employees is large, the claim for back taxes can be quite large. Often, the tax authorities time their raid on the illegal business to ensure that a representative of the foreign company is on site and, in many cities, they will not let the foreign representative leave China until after resolution/payment is achieved.
In other words, doing the "independent contractor thing" without having a registered business in China is asking for trouble. Big trouble.
What are you seeing out there?


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There are many ways of looking for the pockets of wealth that dot the country. The IRS and the Census Bureau have data that show it in the typical way. AdvisorOne set out to create a novel look at where the wealth is in the United States and compare it with a snapshot of the number of advisors in each area, which we call AdvisorOne Wealth Zones.
To create our Wealth Zones we started with a list of the Top 100 wealthiest zip codes ranked by adjusted gross income. We then grouped neighboring wealthy zip codes and compared the number of households (as determined by tax returns filed in each zone) to the number of subscribers to Investment Advisor and Research magazines. This allowed us to see if advisors were tripping over one another or if the wealthy were in "danger" of having their assets neglected.
In the end, we created 20 Wealth Zones. A few, like Bryn Mawr, Pa., and Carmel, Ind., are standalone zip codes because they represented large pockets of isolated wealth according to the data. Most Wealth Zones were composed of several wealthy zip codes, like in Chicago, because advisor headcount varied greatly from zip codes that abutted one another and excluding them would radically skew the results.
We'll be mining this data from time to time to provide what we hope is interesting, maybe even actionable, information for advisors. Our first effort is here, the Top 10 Wealth Zones With Fewest Advisors per wealthy household. The city that topped this list, and some other big cities, were a big surprise. Next week, we will unveil the Top 10 Wealth Zones With the Most Advisors per household. 10. Carmel, Ind.
Average AGI: $102,509
Households: 15,181
Advisor-to-Household Ratio:
1 per 125 households
Just north of Indianapolis, Carmel is home to CNO Financial Group (formerly Conseco) and Delta Faucet, among other businesses. It was voted No. 14 on CNN Money's best places to live in 2010. Still, the ratio of advisors to household shows there might be room for more advisor offices. 9. Dallas
Average AGI: $139,570
Households: 83,065
Advisor-to-Household Ratio:
1 per 157 households
From Coppell to Plano to Dallas proper, the Dallas Wealth Zone is high on wealth. Everything in Texas is big, or so the locals boast, and that's certainly true of the wealth in this zone. What's not as big is the number of advisors practicing here. 8. Chicago
Average AGI: $166,658
Households: 184,438
Advisor-to-Household Ratio:
1 per 176 households
The City of Big Shoulders has pockets of huge wealth, and this zone that includes northern suburbs and parts of the city is emphatic evidence of that point. Anyone not afraid of the Chicago winds—both the meteorological kind and those that come from politicians—might find a good opportunity to find clients. 7. Bryn Mawr, Pa.
Average AGI: $148,022
Households: 10,347
Advisor-to-Household Ratio:
1 per 202 households
Katharine Hepburn attended the town's namesake college, Woodrow Wilson taught there, and John Bogle, retired from Vanguard, is counted among its residents. But the real attraction for advisors of this toney Philadelphia suburb is the high adjusted gross income and the relatively few advisors. 6. Miami
Average AGI: $162,181
Households: 23,860
Advisor-to-Household Ratio:
1 per 233 households
Miami has the glitz and glitter, the sand and the sun. And it has wealth. Two zip codes, one in the city and one in nearby Boca Raton, make up the Miami Wealth Zone. Maybe the advisors are in nearby zip codes, but maybe not. 5. Los Angeles
Average AGI: $170,577
Households: 100,611
Advisor-to-Household Ratio:
1 per 244 households
Wealth in Los Angeles is no great secret. This Wealth Zone includes part of the City of Angels, Beverly Hills, Manhattan Beach, Pacific Palisades and adjoining towns. If you can stomach the traffic, the California lifestyle has lots to offer and lots of clients to try to sign up. 4. Potomac, Md.
Average AGI: $144,161
Households: 55,973
Advisor-to-Household Ratio:
1 per 260 households
From Bethesda to Chevy Chase to Potomac, this Wealth Zone boasts an extremely high average AGI. Of course, the area has lots to offer between Baltimore and the nation's capital. But nothing can top the wealth and the comparative lack of competition. 3. Seattle
Average AGI: $123,235
Households: 116,529
Advisor-to-Household Ratio:
1 per 291 households
Seattle has become a hot place to live, jokes about the unrelenting rain aside. It's no surprise that places like Redmond, Bellevue, Issaquah and Mercer Island have plenty of wealth. Microsoft has helped to see to that. Maybe the Microsoft millionaires don't think they need advisors–sems like an opportunity. 2. Houston
Average AGI: $140,310
Households: 63,507
Advisor-to-Household Ratio:
1 per 308 households
Houston has seen its economy ebb and flow over the years. Like Dallas, it still has pockets of great wealth. This Wealth Zone includes parts of Houston, Sugar Land and Spring, home to the richest of Houston's elite. Texas likes to claim it's the biggest in everything, but Houston will have to settle for No. 2 on this list. 1. San Francisco
Average AGI: $136,804
Households: 153,831
Advisor-to-Household Ratio:
1 per 363 households
From Mill Valley to San Jose to San Francisco, the Bay Area has an abundance of wealth, without the number of advisors to match. It's hard to know why that's the case. Of course, the cost of living is high, so maybe many residents of the San Francisco Wealth Zone are house-rich and cash-poor.
Top 10 lists from AdvisorOne:
- 5 Cool Places for Advisors to Find Clients
- Top 10 Mobile Apps for Financial Advisors
- 10 Best Cities for Jobs in Financial Services
- Top 10 Cheapest States for Long-Term Care Costs.
- Top 10 Worst Financial Meltdowns by Athletes
- Top 10 Surprisingly Best Cities for Retirees
- Top 9 Most Disliked U.S. Companies
- Best 5 Investment Picks for 2012


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Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling (30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936 / Bombay)
» Click to list general statistics » OR, select a date :
The Last Of The Light Brigade
There were thirty million English who talked of England's might,
There were twenty broken troopers who lacked a bed for the night.
They had neither food nor money, they had neither service nor trade;
They were only shiftless soldiers, the last of the Light Brigade.
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text:
- TypeModern
- BandLeather Strap
- Case MaterialSteel
- ConditionMint
- MovementHand Winding
Steinhart Marine Regulateur Black
Used but mint condition, comes with all boxes and papers, originally bought from us in August 2017 so less than a year old when taken back into stock with the balance of the warranty remaining. A regulator, in the original sense, was a clock, after which the watchmaker regulated his other clocks and watches, the clock in which he invested all his skills and knowledge, in order to achieve the most accurate possible values for his work. For this purpose, the watchmaker used a special division of the hour, minute and second hands, with the minute hand dominating from the center, while the hour and second hands rotated on their own sub dials. Since 1987, there have also been wrist watches with this special dial division and the new Steinhart Marine Regulator white with the manually wound ST.4 caliber of Swiss manufacture is now finally tackling this theme for the Steinhart marine collection. Surrounded by finely polished stainless steel, the sapphire crystals not only lets one view the layout of the exceptionally designed dial, but also to the detailed decorated ST.4, an in-house development based on the extremely reliable pocket watch caliber Unitas 6498. With the elegantly padded and tapering leather strap with its high-quality folding clasp, the Marine Regulator white leaves a very high-quality impression that hardly any watch lover can escape from.
ETA Unitas 6498-1handwinding
ST4/ Basic Unitas 6498.2
Swiss made
17 Jewels
21.600 vibrations per hour
Geneva stripes
blue screws, golden wheels with logo
Rhodium plated
second hand at " 6 "
hour hand at "12"
minute hand from the centre
Stainless steel satinised and polished
Diameter 42 mm
Height 13 mm
Weight 102g
Lug width 20 mm spring bar
Sapphire glass domed, with double anti-reflecting coatings on the interior side
Bezel Stainless Steel polished
Back Stainless steel 316 L screwed with sapphire crystal
Waterproof to 5 ATM (limited water resistant, no swimming or shower)
Dial & Hands
Dial white polished
Indices black, black numbers, blued hands
High gloss black dial
Blued hands
Strap & Buckle
Strap leather brown 20x18 mm
Buckle deployment clasp 18mm stainless steel polished with Logo
Strap changing tool


text:
Building upon decades of industry success and knowledge, Rockpool Dining Group is devoted to providing Australia's greatest dining experiences. As one of the most awarded restaurant groups in the country we are constantly redefining the possibilities of great food across our three restaurant pillars, over 16 amazing brands and over 80 restaurants.
Our culinary focus has been designed to encapsulate the diversity of Australia's culture. This is apparent in the range of cuisines, from Rockpool Bar & Grill, a premium steak house, to the regional Chinese cooking of Spice Temple, the modern Japanese dining at Saké, all the way to the humble hamburger and hand-crafted pizza.
Each dining style is approached with the same attention to detail; with an eye for tradition at its backbone, and a view to creating sustainable food offerings that will appeal to varied ages and audiences across the country.
We are creating the best dining group in Australia, with those who dine in our restaurants at the centre of it.


text:
- Ponder looked good to me even though he threw 2 picks and missed 19 of his 32 passes. He showed poise on a few occasions and delivered some really nice throws on key 3rd downs. Impressive first outing for him. He seems to have the tools to be a decent QB in this league.
- I still don't know why the Vikings just didn't hand it off to Peterson on every play. Even if he's ridiculously tired, he'd still be unstoppable. He was especially nasty today finishing with 175 yards.
- I do give some credit to the Vikes for hanging in there and making a game of it at the end. They played hard and made plenty of good plays to keep themselves in the game.
- I didn't like some of the antics of Vikings' players today. I thought they did some pretty cheap things out there. In fact, one of the things I began to worry about toward the end of the game was Rodgers or another really significant player getting hurt because of a Viking cheapshot.
- James Starks was huge at the end. He knew they were calling his number and he still made quality, hugely important runs. His final run on 3rd down was terrific. And on each of the 3 huge runs, he was very much aware of where the sideline was – as he was avoiding it like the plague. Very nicely done Starks.
- Like seems to happen a lot with the Packers, we overwhelmed the Vikes at one point in the game, building a nice lead with an impressive display of offense – only to not close the door when we should have. The Packers are kind of like a closer in baseball who comes in and almost always gets the save, but allows a few late runs that make fans nervous.
- Woodson's picks were huge. Those really helped us maintain our lead and I think they both rattled Ponder a bit. Just veteran savvy picks – nice to see.
- Mason Crosby has been outstanding this year. That 58 yarder was something to see – he cleared the post by 7-10 yards it seemed to me. Just a bomb of a kick. We really needed those FGs today and he delivered. It may have taken a few years, but he really seems to be coming into his own (a questionable expression I must say). He was a big part of the victory today.
- Desmond Bishop may have had the tackle of the year chasing down Peterson in the 2nd half. That was pure effort. It wouldn't figure to be a close foot race but Bishop didn't give up and he finally dragged Peterson down. Great tackle (that may have saved a TD…I believe they kicked a FG on that drive).
- Once again, the playcalling of McCarthy/Rodgers and their overall coordination of offense remains impressive. They have the ability to just take over games and destroy the momentum of other teams. After Ponder's great first pass and their subsequent TD, it looked like the Pack could be in for trouble. But Rodgers and co marched all the way down the field clearly showing our offense was going to be tough to deal with. Yes, MN held us mostly after that TD (to make it 7-7), but they couldn't hold in the second half. The offense is just too good.
- One of the keys to the game was the Pack's drive at the end of the first half to get us a FG. I can't remember how much time was left on the clock (1min 25sec?) but it wasn't much. We got down the field fast and got a much-needed 3 points. Well done – I'm glad we didn't go into a prevent offense like lots of teams do (think Cowboys last weekend at NE).
- Tramon Williams played 2 very different halves. He was awful in the first half. As bad as I've seen him play in a while. And in the second half, he was aggressive/disruptive breaking up plays. We need him to return to his normal shut-down self. We're not there yet.
- Jarrett Bush once again had some nice plays. For a guy who was constantly maligned as a younger player, he has really turned into a decent nickel/dime guy.
- Though Newhouse allowed Allen to get through for a couple early sacks, he was better in the second half. I noticed he got some help here and there from Quarless and others, but he was better in the second half. That's a tough assignment at Minnesota against Allen.
- Brian Robison is an idiot. That kick of Lang to the nuts was something he should have been ejected for. Idiot.
- And you thought Crosby was the only special teamer who was on today? Tim Masthay kicked 3 times for an AVERAGE of 55.3 yards, a long of 65 yards – with all 3 punts landing inside the Vikes' 20 yard line. Huge game for him – quietly huge.
- Speaking of special teams, I like that Cobb redeemed himself after his two initial screw-ups. He was solid back there after that.
- All in all, a nice victory for the Packers in a hostile place. Yes our defense is going to have to work on some things so that we aren't so reliant on our offense for victories. But we are 7-0 heading into the bye week and we look very good out there. Again while there are things to work on (the defense, figuring out how to finish games earlier, the running game…though Starks finished the game with authority), I think this team is on the right path and looking really good.
Game Thoughts Packers/Vikings
9 Responses to "Game Thoughts Packers/Vikings"
DaveK Says:
October 23, 2011 at 8:34 pm |
How is that not an ejection? A player kicks a guy in the groan with his spikes RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE REF and he gets to stay in the game. WTF?
Rodgers is playing at such a high level right now. I don't remember any bad decisions today. He threw the ball 30 times today and had 6 incompletions. One was a perfect pass to the WR who dropped it. One was a spike to stop the clock. Three were throw-aways as his protection broke down. I counted ONE bad throw a bit behind Jennings. One sorta bad throw in 30. Wow. As long as he is playing at this level the Packers will be in every game.
Jennings touchdown to take the lead where he was so open that he about walked in from the 20 yard line? Freaking hilarious and you could just hear the gnashing of teeth from the north.
It seems to me that Ponder has all the tools and composure to be a legit NFL QB. Somehow though you have to think the Vikings will ruin him one way or another.
ronlc1 Says:
October 24, 2011 at 9:44 am |
Dave, don't know if you meant to say "groan" but it sure is appropriate.
DaveK Says:
October 24, 2011 at 10:14 am
A typo that works I guess!
- DaveK Says:
- ronlc1 Says:
Max W Says:
October 24, 2011 at 12:21 am |
Maybe I just don't know as much as I think about football, but is the play calling getting too conservative in the red zone? I feel like sometimes we rush on the first 2 downs just to get us in a 3rd and long. Maybe it's just me, but sometimes it just seems like we are settling for 3 points too often instead of turning on the kill switch and going for the endzone
Dave in Tucson Says:
October 24, 2011 at 12:54 am |
I still don't know why the Vikings just didn't hand it off to Peterson on every play.
It's the Curse of 370. The Vikings have been (mostly) pretty careful to limit AP's carries. As of today's game, he's on pace to have ~330 carries for the season, which would be 2nd most for his career (he had 363 in '08).
There's a lot of stuff out there about how "the curse of 370" is supposedly a myth, but there are just too many examples of really dominant guys getting run into the ground in just a few seasons–there's definitely something to it.
ronlc1 Says:
October 24, 2011 at 9:43 am |
Much work still needs to be done with the "Bend and Almost Break Defense". If AR has a game with a less than 100% QB rating a loss is not only possible but probable.
The two week break should allow time for people to heal and work on obvious defensive flaws. Pass rush, tackling and blown coverage are but a few. I have faith in Capers to fix those issues in the next two weeks. This will drive the Packers to a NFC North win and then on to the ultimate goal.
PackerBelle Says:
October 24, 2011 at 10:58 am |
The games in the dome more often than not end up being a slugfest, regardless of the records of the teams. There was a lot of good things to see. Matthews had a monster day, Woodson got a few picks, Rodgers was unbelievable, we finally were able to run out the clock using the run game and even special teams played fairly well (Cobb's fumble as the obvious exclusion).
But some things that need work over the next two weeks. The defense is the main thing. AP is good, but 175 rushing yards is unacceptable. And our coverage was not looking good in the first half. I think there is a lot to build on though. Morgan Burnett is being hampered with the club, Bush played well but I think we are much better with Shields as the nickleback. And if you take away that first drive and the TD off of the fumble, all of a sudden the game looks very different.
I also think trying to get some more consistency in the offense would be good. After being shut out for three of four quarters by the Rams, we also seemed to struggle against the Vikings at times.
56Coop Says:
October 24, 2011 at 3:02 pm |
"Jennings touchdown to take the lead where he was so open that he about walked in from the 20 yard line? Freaking hilarious and you could just hear the gnashing of teeth from the north"
Kind of like I felt after Ponders first pass.
NOt much else needs to be said. You guys have pretty much covered it all.


text:
Attention Greendale students: Community is finally back! This week, the series returns to NBC's Thursday primetime line-up for the first time since May 2012. To get us even more psyched for the long-delayed season premiere, study group members Alison Brie and Gillian Jacobs called us up to chat about their senior year, Britta and Annie's evolving friendship, and why they can't help reading fan-written Community porn.
TWoP: You finished filming the season a while ago now. Are you excited that people are finally going to be able to see it?
Alison Brie: Yeah, we're so full of anticipation. I'm glad the day is finally here because we've been waiting so long to see these episodes. So I'm really excited and I feel like everybody is really excited.
TWoP: Certainly the fanbase is going crazy.
Alison: Absolutely! And the fans are the only reason we're on the air. It's always been popular online, but the thing that's only started happening this year for me is that I've been out in public and people have come up to me and been like, "One more week!" That's all they say, and I'm like "Yeah!" And we have a little moment. It's really cool.
TWoP: It's a good thing you know what they're talking about. That sentence could go a number of different ways.
Gillian: Yeah, "One more week... till you die!" [Laughs]
TWoP: It's been fun to watch how Britta and Annie's friendship has evolved over the course of the show. Has that been equally enjoyable for you both to play?
Gillian: I like that it flipped at a certain point and Annie started mentoring Britta.
Allison: Yeah, it's always been a sisterly relationship. It was a bit competitive at first with Jeff, but we got that out of the way very quickly and then it was always Annie looking up to Britta. And now it's flipped around and it's like, "Maybe I can give her some advice."
Gillian: Yeah, it took Annie a little too long to realize that Britta didn't know what the hell was going on. I really enjoyed the "Blade" episode last season where she was calling me a lying junkie and locking me in her bedroom. And it's interesting to see that dynamic play out this season with Britta joining the Troy/Abed/Annie household sometimes.
TWoP: Community is a big target for 'shippers, who have paired up pretty much every study group partner at this point. Have you ever seen any Annie/Britta shipping?
Alison: Oh yeah.
Gillian: Yeah, definitely. Alison and I did a photo shoot for GQ that probably prompted a lot of that shipping. I think we've seen every possible fan combination. Donald [Glover] sent me some fan porn of Troy and Britta that someone had sent to him.
Alison: I saw some with Troy and Abed.
TWoP: So you do read Community fan fic?
Alison: Just the porn. [Laughs]
Gillian: I read enough to know what it was and then I was like, "Oh my!"
Alison: I just saw pictures! Mine was like pornographic cartoons.
Gillian: Oh, mine was a written-out thing. I just scanned it.
TWoP: Maybe someone can go through and change all the names, publish it and it can become the next 50 Shades of Grey.
Gillian: Yup -- Seven Shades of Weird.
TWoP: Are there any Season 4 episodes that you're really excited for fans to see?
Alison: The Halloween episode is really cool. It has a kind of Scooby-Doo vibe and people who know the study group know that kind of clicks nicely with our dynamic already. It makes a lot of sense to have us in a Scooby-Doo situation. We go to Pierce's mansion and everything is super-weird and very '80s. That was really fun. I also love the finale that we shot this season. It's kind of going to tap into some of that darkest timeline stuff and things that the fans who have been watching from the show from the beginning will really love. So stick through all 13 episodes, guys! You can make it.
TWoP: It's it weird to think that viewers will be watching the Halloween episode five months after Halloween?
Alison: I think it makes it extra special! [Laughs] It just gives everybody another chance to celebrate those holidays that we love so much.
Gillian: Once again, we're the most unique show on television! We're celebrating Halloween in March.
TWoP: Obviously there were some major changes that occurred during the off season. How difficult was it to get back into the groove when you came back to start Season 4?
Alison: Once you get all of us into a room, it's pretty much the same. It just takes a couple seconds. For us as a group, our dynamic hasn't really changed. We feel like we have these other brothers and sisters now. Day in and day out, Season 4 was still long hours and it was still weird and it was still Community.
TWoP: The chemistry amongst the cast has always been so great to watch. Do you guys spend a lot of time hanging out together off-set?
Alison: We definitely try to see each other as much as possible. It's tough, because during filming, you see each other every single day for hours and hours and know every detail about each other's lives. And then when we break, everyone has other stuff going on, which is great, but everyone's busy with their own things and we don't see each other as much as we would like.
Gillian: We do get some good email chains and mass group texts going. I think that it's always strange for us to not be shooting, because you sort of mark the time of the year by the season of Community. Like, we'd normally be shooting right now. I drove by the Paramount lot yesterday and it felt pretty weird to be driving by and not pulling inside to go to set.
TWoP: Have you heard whether or not the show has been picked up for another season or are you still in the dark?
In Unison: Yeah...
Gillian: It might not be until May that we know what's going on.
Alison: But we love being in the dark. It's where we live. It's our natural state of being. We're the Mole People of television.
TWoP: Besides Community, what are some of your other favorite shows on the air right now?
Gillian: RuPaul's Drag Race!
Alison: I love Girls. And I loved, loved, loved 30 Rock.
Gillian: Yeah, I cried at the finale. I was weeping and made people feel weird.
Alison: I cried at the finale, too!
Gillian: Also, that 30 Rock finale spoke to us as actors on Community in such a specific way. It wasn't intended to, but all the stuff about being on a show that's maybe underwatched, but means so much to the people on it rang true. I was crying. I was sobbing.
Alison: Me too. I didn't cry until the end and then it kind of hit me and I tried to hide it.
Gillian: That scene with Tina Fey and Tracy Morgan in the strip club killed me. And of course it was in a strip club!
TWoP: So you weren't like "Great, that show is finally over. Now we're definitely getting that timeslot!"
In Unison: No!
Gillian: That was the show I was obsessed with before Community. I couldn't wait for it every week and I quoted it constantly.
Alison: I feel like 30 Rock and The Office were part of what made me excited to book a show that was going to be on Thursday nights on NBC. Those were the things I was looking up to and thinking, "Oh my God... we're going to be like that show."
TWoP: Speaking of Girls, were you excited to watch Donald's guest spot?
Gillian: Definitely! I couldn't watch that sex scene though.
Alison: Oh my God! I feel like I knew it was going to happen and was still so shocked!
Gillian: Yeah, it was like "There he is! Oh my! They're naked and they're doing it. Okay!" I closed my eyes.
Alison: I didn't. I rewound it and watched it like, three times. [Laughs]


text:
Got some work done to my car today, not as much as I wanted to. Thought I had everything I needed but didn't, so had to do a second p-n-p run today and after that I was burnt out for the day. But the first time I went I scored a Non Ac heater box.
Dan is hooking me up with the control panel, I need to redo the foam and get a new heater core. Also going to try to track down a deep glove box and passenger under dash tray.
I installed my hood lifts today and put my new badge on.


text:
€17.95 750ml
Manousakis Red Blend Nostos 2005
Region: Greece
Winery: Manousakis Winery
Color: Red
Manousakis Winery:
Philosophy Over the millennia, the Lefka Ori of Western Crete have been abundant with the island's wild herbs; sage, marjoram, rosemary and thyme. Each year they sprout to life in the spring, flower and fill the air with their unique aromas in the summer, then die and fall back to the earth to be reabsorbed by the soil... The Nostos philosophy is simple; carefully cultivating our vines to al... Read more
Philosophy Over the millennia, the Lefka Ori of Western Crete have been abundant with the island's wild herbs; sage, marjoram, rosemary and thyme. Each year they sprout to life in the spring, flower and fill the air with their unique aromas in the summer, then die and fall back to the earth to be reabsorbed by the soil... The Nostos philosophy is simple; carefully cultivating our vines to allow them to absorb these unique aromas and flavors of the terroir, filling the grape clusters with their essence, thus capturing and preserving the incredible Lefka Ori of Crete in each bottle of Nostos wine. History - NOSTOS The Manousakis Winery is the realization of a dream that began in 1984 when the hills around the village of Vatolakkos were still untouched by humans and the wild herbs of Crete were intoxicating to one's senses. Following numerous studies both in Greece and abroad, the decision was made to plant the Rhone varieties of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Roussanne. We felt that the environmental conditions were ideal for the Rhone grapes. In 1993, the first vines were planted at elevations of 350 meters (1000 ft) on 2 hectares. Over the next six years, much to our satisfaction, we observed that the Rhone varieties did exceptionally well in their new environment achieving great balance in the vineyard and finding a comfortable home in Crete. From the outset we felt that organic farming was the only way to show respect for nature and the environment. Being sensitive to the needs of the ecosystem is extremely important in our philosophy. We are committed to the sustainable development of our vineyards through the use of rigorous earth-friendly practices. Our vineyard team works vine by vine, mostly by hand in weed removal, hoeing, harvesting and leaf thinning. Each vine is treated with individual attention and care. Our goal is to produce healthy fruit, with a consistent balance of sugars, acidity, and natural ripeness, with minimum interference in the balance of nature and the ecology of our planet. In the summer of 1997, with the first harvest of Nostos, we completed construction of our winery on the grounds of the Manousakis family home. It was a simple structure but adequate for our needs at a time of limited production. As production increased over the years, the winery was expanded to accommodate the growth. In the years following the first planting, we continued to add to the vineyard. In 1999, 1 hectare of Syrah was planted while, beginning in 2003, 5.2 hectares of Syrah, 3 hectares of Grenache, and 3 hectares of Roussanne were also added. In 2007, an additional one hectare of Mourvedre was planted. An important part of our history is our brand name and logo. Nostos means "the yearning to return to one's homeland" and the Manousakis Winery name embraces that sentiment. The three small flowers on our logo are called "Manousakia", from which our family name is derived. These delicate and very fragrant flowers grow on hilly fields, mountain slopes and on the sides of creeks. At the end of autumn, they are picked by the village folk and are used to adorn the icons in the small country churches. It is this simple blend of beauty and exquisite fragrance of nature that served as inspiration for the creation of our logo for the Manousakis Winery. The three "Manousakia" are symbolic of Ted Manousakis' three daughters. Read less
Do you love Manousakis Winery? Follow them to show your support. Why?
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€17.95 USD $ 750ml EUR 17.95
Food Pairings for Manousakis Red Blend Nostos
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NSF in the News
NSF International's expertise on public health and environmental issues is regularly sought by international, national, regional and local media outlets. The following are recent excerpts from stories referencing NSF and its experts. If available, we have added web links to full articles. Please note that links may expire, and some media outlets require registration.
Newsroom Archives
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text:
taufanlubis@toshiba:~$ sudo apt-get install pinball
Reading package lists… Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information… Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
conquest-libs overgod-data
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following extra packages will be installed:
The following NEW packages will be installed:
pinball pinball-data
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 5704kB of archives.
After unpacking 7451kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com gutsy/universe pinball-data 0.3.1-7ubuntu1 [5544kB]
Get:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com gutsy/universe pinball 0.3.1-7ubuntu1 [160kB]
Fetched 5704kB in 1m2s (91.5kB/s)
Selecting previously deselected package pinball-data.
(Reading database … 130811 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking pinball-data (from …/pinball-data_0.3.1-7ubuntu1_all.deb) …
Selecting previously deselected package pinball.
Unpacking pinball (from …/pinball_0.3.1-7ubuntu1_i386.deb) …
Setting up pinball-data (0.3.1-7ubuntu1) …
Setting up pinball (0.3.1-7ubuntu1) …
How to play?
Open Applications > Games > Emilia pinball
Keyboard: Leftflip, rightflip, left nudge, right nudge, bottom nudge, launh (hold enter few 2 seconds and release it)


text:
Some people like to keep a journal. Some people think it's a bad idea.
People who keep a journal often see it as part of the process of self-understanding and personal growth. They don't want insights and events to slip through their minds. They think with their fingers and have to write to process experiences and become aware of their feelings.
People who oppose journal-keeping fear it contributes to self-absorption and narcissism. C.S. Lewis, who kept a journal at times, feared that it just aggravated sadness and reinforced neurosis. Gen. George Marshall did not keep a diary during World War II because he thought it would lead to "self-deception or hesitation in reaching decisions."
The question is: How do you succeed in being introspective without being self-absorbed?
Psychologists and others have given some thought to this question. The upshot of their work is that there seems to be a paradox at the heart of introspection. The self is something that can be seen more accurately from a distance than from close up. The more you can yank yourself away from your own intimacy with yourself, the more reliable your self-awareness is likely to be.
The problem is that the mind is vastly deep, complex and variable. As Immanuel Kant famously put it, "We can never, even by the strictest examination, get completely behind the secret springs of action." At the same time, your self-worth and identity are at stake in every judgment you make about yourself.
This combination of unfathomability and "at stakeness" is a perfect breeding ground for self-deception, rationalization and motivated reasoning.
When people examine themselves from too close, they often end up ruminating or oversimplifying. Rumination is like that middle-of-the-night thinking — when the rest of the world is hidden by darkness and the mind descends into a spiral of endless reaction to itself. People have repetitive thoughts, but don't take action. Depressed ruminators end up making themselves more depressed.
Oversimplifiers don't really understand themselves, so they just invent an explanation to describe their own desires. People make checklists of what they want in a spouse and then usually marry a person who is nothing like their abstract criteria. Realtors know that the house many people buy often has nothing in common with the house they thought they wanted when they started shopping.
We are better self-perceivers if we can create distance and see the general contours of our emergent system selves — rather than trying to unpack constituent parts. This can be done in several ways.
First, you can distance yourself by time. A program called Critical Incident Stress Debriefing had victims of trauma write down their emotions right after the event. (The idea was they shouldn't bottle up their feelings.) But people who did so suffered more post-traumatic stress and were more depressed in the ensuing weeks. Their intimate reflections impeded healing and froze the pain. But people who write about trauma later on can place a broader perspective on things. Their lives are improved by the exercise.
Second, we can achieve distance from self through language. We're better at giving other people good advice than at giving ourselves good advice, so it's smart, when trying to counsel yourself, to pretend you are somebody else. This can be done a bit even by thinking of yourself in the third person. Work by Ozlem Ayduk and Ethan Kross finds that people who view themselves from a self-distanced perspective are better at adaptive self-reflection than people who view themselves from a self-immersed perspective.
Finally, there is narrative. Timothy Wilson of the University of Virginia suggests in his book "Strangers to Ourselves" that we shouldn't see ourselves as archaeologists, minutely studying each feeling and trying to dig deep into the unconscious. We should see ourselves as literary critics, putting each incident in the perspective of a longer life story. The narrative form is a more supple way of understanding human processes, even unconscious ones, than rationalistic analysis.
Wilson writes, "The point is that we should not analyze the information [about our feelings] in an overly deliberate, conscious manner, constantly making explicit lists of pluses and minuses. We should let our adaptive unconscious do the job of finding reliable feelings and then trust those feelings, even if we cannot explain them entirely."
Think of one of those Chuck Close self-portraits. The face takes up the entire image. You can see every pore. Some people try to introspect like that. But others see themselves in broader landscapes, in the context of longer narratives about forgiveness, or redemption or setback and ascent. Maturity is moving from the close-up to the landscape, focusing less on your own supposed strengths and weaknesses and more on the sea of empathy in which you swim, which is the medium necessary for understanding others, one's self, and survival.


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The old year -- 2011 -- is ending. We're just a few hours away from the new one -- 2012 -- and its new challenges and uncertainties. I haven't been really be to put in a lot of writing the past few weeks. Work just got in the way. But it has all been good. The year 2011 will go down for me as one of the best for me. in so many ways. Like a kid, I was excited. The last several years were getting better and my birthday fell on 11-11-11. So I was thinking that there might be something lucky, mystical or even magical about it. And it was.
I might make some mistakes here but in no particular order -- the Ateneo Football League, Rely San Agustin and I got it up and running to great success and in a few months we're going to see an improved Season 2 that kicks off in March; GroupM and all the work we got done this year; Sev Sarmenta and everyone at the Comm. Department as well as my Journalism students in Ateneo de Manila University -- you guys are the best; the Azkals and Smart Gilas; experiencing the Ateneo Blue Eagles win a fourth straight UAAP Men's Basketball title -- never did I think this would happen; AKTV and interaksyon.com from Jaemark Tordecillas, Russel Torres, Vitto Lazatin, Tony and Aaron Atayde, Jason Webb, Josue Lamlang, Anthony Suntay, Ryan Fenix and all the production folks -- super super thanks; Football Philippines and Gelix Mercader; the United Football League with Randy, Santi, Phil, Chris, Coco, Ritchie, and everyone else; my linemates the Back Four Bums -- Bob, Ebong, and Cedelf; Liverpool FC, just want to say thanks for being so accommodating in Malaysia; the Kuala Lumpur Dragons for their friendship and hospitality; the Alaska Aces for giving me an incredible first hand look at what a pro basketball club does; the NBTC peeps I work with -- Coach Eric, Coach Alex, and Coach Ato; Pachanga FC with Freddie G., Jojo R., Coaches Nonoy, Marjo, Alvin, and Kim and everyone else -- yo, Kross, leggo of that goat; the Philippine Football Federation -- Nonong A., Bonnie L., Chito M., Red A., Maja and Virgie and everyone else; Cathy Rivilla and Rod Nepomuceno; my buds in the college and PBA press corps; the Ateneo Blue Eagles; the Ateneo Women's Volleyball Team; and everyone who has been reading Bleachers' Brew. This was the best year yet as we got over 550,000 hits for the year from over 180,000 people from 142 countries. I am soo grateful! Thank you for reading. Hope to ratchet the writing and the coverage next year!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Thank you so much for making 2011 a wonderful one. Here's to a fantastic 2012 for all of us!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Thank you so much for making 2011 a wonderful one. Here's to a fantastic 2012 for all of us!


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Archive for October 28th, 2010
The Bull and the Ass-illustrated
Posted in illustrations, tagged artist, battle of the sexes, Benny Thomas, The Arabian Nights, The Tale of the Bull and the Ass, watercolor on October 28, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Storytime: the tale of the Bull and the Ass
Posted in parody, tagged battle of the sexes, Benny Thomas, humor, story teller, The Arabaian Nights on October 28, 2010| Leave a Comment »
The Tale of the Bull and the Ass ©
There was a merchant in Mosul and he had a wife by name Zainaba. She loved him to distraction. She wanted to engage him at all hours in conversation. While in the middle of crossword puzzle she was sure to ask whatever popped in her mind. It was her way of being of one mind. One day while he was testing his skills against so many other contestants 'Who Want to be a Millionaire' she called him up to ask if he remembered the last episode of 'The Bold and the Beautiful.' In trying to oblige her he lost his concentration and was eliminated at the penultimate round. Poor Faizal! There was no escape for him . She peppered him whether at home or by long distance.
So he took to his Koran and read at one stretch from the beginning to the end fifteen times. Every time he heard his wife's footfalls he pushed a note for her, 'Do not disturb! Angel Gabriel may strike me dead for impiety.' Of course the ruse worked. Zainaba loved him as I said, to distraction. But to displease Allah, Oh no it was unthinkable.
On the fourth month Faizal was about to prepare for his evening prayer and an angel appeared and saluted him. The angel said he was sent to bless him for his devotion. 'Such thirst for knowledge! Allah shall reward you, O righteous One.'
Faizal wasn't sure what it was he wanted most. 'May be you want to understand the mind of your devoted wife?' the Angel prodded helpfully.
'Oh no!' he spluttered, 'I would like to understand the animal talk. Cows chew the cud more than they care to talk. The ass may bray but only at the dawn.' Faizal muttered aloud. The angel understood the drift and said, 'Allah, the Most Benevolent is pleased to grant your heart's desire.'
The angel warned Faizal not to tell this to another soul. Punishment for breaking his oath would be death, the angel had warned. Faizal was sure the chance to live among his farm animals and avoid having to answer all his wife's questions was well worth the risk.
Thus Faizal began to show all of a sudden undue attention to his farm. His wife naturally wondered about this. Whenever she could buttonhole him he found excuses to remove himself. 'The farm must need all the attention it can get,' she said to herself.
One morning Faizal sat before the stalls to hear the Bull chat with the Ass.
He heard the Ass ask, 'You think our master can follow our conversation?'
Mr. Bull said, 'Our master is so pious that he only wants to make his wife think in the same lines as he does.'
The Ass exclaimed, ' If that is the case he doesn't understand his wife at all.'
The Bull asked him to explain. The Ass said, 'Every time I carry our mistress to the market or her folks she will tug at the reins or relax; and I instantly know what is expected of me. She tells me 'I need to tell in many words to make your master do a thing. I wish he were as clever as you. Oh many a times I have nearly died of vexation!''
The Bull nodded wisely, 'Allah ought to have married her to you. Then our master would have been left in peace.'
The master burst out laughing. His wife came at that precise moment and asked, 'What on earth has got into you!'
Faizal would not answer. It struck her odd. She came to his side, 'No man laughs for nothing! Unless he is insane.' She stood there and asked him to tell the reason.
'No I cannot !' Faizal replied. She became very amazed and suspected there was something very sinister in his laugh.
'Why did you laugh?' She pestered him for day and night. In the end wearied by her constant sulking and demands he thought it was better to be struck dead by the angel than living under the same roof with her. 'I shall tell it all,' he thought to himself, 'and break my oath'.
Next morning he went to the Kazi's office to set his affairs in order and came home.
The woman stood at the gate and asked eagerly, 'Are you going to tell me or not?'
'O woman,' Faizal said wearily, 'I will tell my secret after I have purified myself. For by telling it I shall die.' Zainaba was so possessed by curiosity that she asked him to get ready.
While he was washing himself in an out-house adjoining the house he saw all the farm animals wore a sad expression except a cock that strutted among some fifty hens. The dog asked if he didn't care for the fate of his master.
'Why should I if he cannot manage one woman in his household?' Faizal realized that the cock managed his harem as he deemed fit and the hens were all contented for his highhandedness.
After the ceremonial wash he went into the house. His wife approached him to ask, 'Are you going to tell your secret or not?' He reached for his walking stick and beat her till she pleaded mercy.
'Do you still want to hear my secret?'
'Oh no!' wailed the woman.
He threatened to beat her if she ever irritated him with unnecessary demands.
She promised not to repeat this and said she had learned her lesson.
That night he went to make peace with her. After all they had lived some forty years and raised children. He tried to speak but could only bray. His wife wondered what got into him.
A month later she was going to visit her son and along the way she told the Ass, 'I got the most wonderful husband. He is pearl among men. He loves my company and makes me feel like a woman. Only fault is that he brays like you. Then no man is perfect.'


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Pink, from the Flinders Ranges, South Australia.Cheers,
1930's? flatbed
Was this taken in a state park in GA? I've seen that somewhere before.
abstracted from a vehicle
This was taken at a car show in Friedrichshafen, Germany 3 years ago. They had a road course set up next to the Zeppelin Hangar and the driver was really putting this Mercedes SL300 through it's paces. The passenger probably had sore face muscles the next day because he had the same grin on his face lap after lap.
Is that the new Fiat?Rob C
About midnight >> Ste Maxime Cote de Zur -- 50 sec exposure -- 150mm lens
add a nice touch of whimsy to the strange vehicle (and provide a nice pun, in English! )
Nothing strange about the Renault Floride sportster, Eric,When I was 16 I was so enthusiastic to have one that I seriously lusted after a 25 year dancer; not because she was a tasty morsel, but because she had a Floride.Cheers,WPS: We were all young once.